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There’s perfectly nothing controversial about that statement: it wants to be a bad game, at least as far as its desire to be deliberately frustrating instead of entertaining is concerned. Wrong Number picks up where the first game left off in terms of difficulty and revolves around such delightful activities as getting stuck on objects, trying to figure out whether lines drawn across its top-down environments depict solid objects or decoration, and being shot from off screen. Don’t worry though, it’s all part of the plan. The game is showing me what a monster I am because of all the fun I’m not having hurting others.
The problem with intentionally bad design is that it becomes a shield to deflect any kind of criticism. It’s supposed to be like this! You just don’t get it! The merest hint that a game is using certain tropes or mechanics ironically, despite itself, is enough to get a lot of players and critics to accept any design decision as sacred, regardless of whether or not it actually benefits the supposed intention of the work. Hotline Miami’s lackluster condemnation of videogame violence is a prime example of this.
Hotline Miami’s indictment of its playerbase banks on the assumption that people lose themselves in a combat system that strongly disincentivizes actually giving in to driving beat of the game’s eclectically electronic soundtrack. Rushing in, swinging wildly and messing people up before they even have a chance to respond may have been an option for the first thirty minutes of the first game, but the increasing prevalence of guns quickly destroyed any semblance of flow in Dennaton’s first trip to Florida, and Wrong Number continues the questionable tradition of making you inch forwards, wait for openings and lure enemies over.
While the forcedly slow pace of Wrong Number doesn’t make my actions in the game any more noble or any less bloody, it does put them out of line with a narrative and aesthetics that try to frame my killing as the result of frenzied bloodlust rather than the slow deliberation actually required to complete a level in this damnable game. While Hotline Miami’s story suggests that I am the aggressor, bringing violence to these environments, it is much more mechanically sound to let enemies come to me, and the few shots they fire in my direction when I draw their attention somewhat ruin the illusion that this bloodbath happens at my decision.
Why make the game about memorizing paths through frustrating shootouts then? Why the focus on open environments in which I am much more likely to be overwhelmed than to do any overwhelming? Because this brainless beast seems to think that being difficult to read and play makes it interesting, insightful or profound. Hotline Miami 2 is the peak of obfuscation and frustration masquerading as depth, the epitome of ironic violence and ironic sexism used in place of genuine criticism as if reproducing these issues were the same as reflecting on them. These two vectors convene in the game’s revolting rape scene, which puts sexual assault in service of a snuff film plot point that, like so many parts of the game, never goes anywhere.
Hotline Miami’s attempts at ambiguity serve a practical purpose for the game, however, by allowing it to mock its audience without having to fear falling from favor. Among the various characters you control in Wrong Number is a group of copycat killers inspired either directly by the events of the first game or a series of murders along the same vein. A group of directionless potheads who see violence as a fun way to pass the time? Pretty blunt as far as stand-ins for your own audience go, but then the game never suffered from a lack of blunt remarks or blunt objects.
The problem is that this message is buried under ridiculous plot points about nuclear war and struggling writers, and obscured by the billowing dust clouds of the game’s internal conflict of trying to at once make you enjoy and loathe the horrible actions you perform in its course. The game’s obsession with obfuscation allows Hotline Miami to score points with the artsy crowd even while enjoying rave reviews and unironic adoration from players. Such unconcerned consumption is shrugged off as the result of many individual failings, rather than an issue with the critique itself. Some people just don’t get it. Of course they don’t. What a clever game, so artistic, so delightfully cryptic, so open to interpretation. Really makes you think, doesn’t it?
I don’t doubt that Wrong Number was designed very carefully to look and feel the way it does. I just also happen to think that Dennaton’s vision adds up to a cowardly, contemptible game that tries to rake in cash and credibility peddling the exact same shit it claims to interrogate, while tickling our elitism to get us to defend its vapid nihilism and badly written dialogue. It’s very interested in condemning its audience, but forgets to ever look at its own responsibility in this cycle. One game is about shocking your audience. Two games are about pandering to them, one way or another. With blood or with botched barbs. Wrong Number has plenty of both.
The big lie of the first Hotline Miami was that there was ever any insightful commentary about violence buried under its psychedelic killing sprees, and the sequel only draws more attention to the repugnant mindlessness of the entire affair, by adding needless backstory and filling interesting blanks with asinine answers. Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt.
Joe Köller is the current Editor-in-Chief of Haywire Magazine, German correspondent for Critical Distance, and irregular contributor to German sites such as Video Game Tourism, Superlevel, and WASD. You can follow him on Twitter, and support him on Patreon.
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Haywire Magazine is a bi-monthly games culture webzine turned blog collective.
We aim to offer a shared space for critics outside the traditional publishing system. No entrance requirements, just throw your ideas at us and we'll help you get them written up and out there.
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Cholla wood is a natural wood from a cactus plant in the southwest US. This is the perfect wood for the aquarium. Much better than regular driftwood, this is somewhat softer and has a large surface area that grows algae for your fish to munch on. An easy addition to an order of angels. We will send you a 5-6 inch piece (about 1 inch thick) that is already thoroughly boiled to be sanitary and completely sterile so you can drop it right into your tank. Your fish love this wood!
To help this wood sink more quickly, we recommend soaking for a few hours in hot water.
Number of ratings: 1
Average rating: 5
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from Anonymous on 8/11/2016
Angelmania sent me some great cholla wood and I was surprised that it came so clean You can tell they take good care to clean and boil it for you
All incoming ratings are posted by actual shop visitors / webshop customers and their content is checked by the operator by means of a visual inspection.
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Ever since visiting Poland about 10 years ago, I’ve been a perogie fan. The big dumplings filled with potato and cheese, then served with sour cream, onions or apple sauce. They are a little tough to find in Portland because there are no Polish restaurants here (Bar Dobre, the only one I knew, of recently closed). A few food carts and a couple restaurants (like Mother’s & Veritable Quandary) have them on the menu, but they just aren’t that common.
One Saturday afternoon I was sitting in traffic on Tacoma Street in Sellwood. It was taking forever, and all of a sudden I saw a blue sign that said “Perogies” with an arrow pointing to the right. I didn’t even hesitate, I just made the turn and followed the signs to a little church which I now know is St. John The Baptist Ukranian Orthodox Church. I parked the car, then followed more signs into their basement where I found long rows of folding tables and a little kitchen window where some nice ladies were selling perogies.
You can buy them pre-cooked with some sour cream and caramelized onions to eat there for $7/dozen. That’s a lot of food for $7! On my most recent trip I ate an entire dozen myself (I would like to say this is because I’m “eating for two” but I think I could eat the same amount normally) but Gloria and Emmi shared a dozen and seemed pretty satisfied. You can also buy them frozen for $6/dozen along with cabbage rolls and sausage.
There are only two downsides to this little shop: First, they only make one flavor of perogie…potato and cheese. A little variety would be nice but what they make is DELICIOUS, so it’s tough to complain. Second, the hours. They are only open on Saturdays from 11am-2pm. That’s it. Only a 3-hour window each week to get your perogie fix, so get yourself together this saturday and try them out.
church
comfort food
lunch
portland lunch
The love comes in the filling. This line stkiers such a chord. When I visited my Aunt in Poland we could not communicate well as I don’t speak Polish and she doesn’t speak English. We walked to the market and bought some wild blueberries. She made perogi and she, my sister and I all helped to roll and fill them. It’s a very important memory for me as we laughed and joked about the way we were filling them. My children were small at the time and loved the freshly made perogi eaten with smetana.Strawberries are one of the fruits that are worst for chemical absorbtion into the skin there is a league table (although your son sounds particularly sensitive). I used to experience that instant wheezing with orange squash not as severely i.e. no hospital but unpleasant all the same. It’s shocking that we still use chemicals with such abandon in our lives. Great post Redawna
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All I can say is WOW! We are overwhelmed and delighted by the response to our website and facebook page going public. We weren’t sure how much enthusiasm and excitement to expect, so we are very excited to see how quickly word has been spreading. I woke up this morning to find that over 600 of you are following our facebook page, more than 500 have taken our survey, and 160 have followed our blog!
We are so excited to have an unexpected new problem: So many of you have responded to the survey that we are going to have to pay SurveyMonkey to see all the responses! It never occurred to us that we would get enough responses to push us over the free account threshold. Once we get that taken care of and go through all the responses we’ll post some results.
Right now we are working in overdrive to get an event calendar put together, and do some fundraising to finance our summer traveling exhibit. We’ll get our calendar posted once we have a few more events lined up, and post some details about the exhibit soon. We plan to be out and about in the community by early June.
If you want to get involved, please contact us with any businesses or individuals who may be interested in making a donation, or any events that we should consider. You can also check out our Wanted page as you’re decluttering this spring to see if anything your kids have outgrown is on our wishlist.
Thank you all, and I can’t wait to see you around town this summer!
Next postDon’t you wish there was a Children’s museum in Des Moines?
2 thoughts on “WOW!”
April 22, 2017 at 6:12 pm
This is so awesome, Laura! Come summer, I’d love to help out in anyway I can. Nathaniel also volunteered to build anything you might need.
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‘You’re hurting me,’ she said, and her voice sounded lonely and sad. ‘This attitude you have, Star. Where does it come from? Those kids are going through a rough time. You know that. How would you feel if you suddenly weren’t living with your dad?’
I glared at her. ‘I’m not,’ I said. ‘Remember, he’s dead.’
After Dad died, it was just Star and her mum, and, together, they managed. But Mum’s old friend Charlie has come to live with them and life has changed. Sometimes Charlie can be fun – suggesting walks on the beach, or teaching Star how to write Haiku – but other times he lies on his fold up bed unmoving, or says mean things to Star and Mum. But what Star hates most is when his pesky kids come to visit. There isn’t much going right in Star’s life, but it seems Mum hasn’t got the time or patience to listen.
Star is the story of a girl struggling to be heard in a household where there’s lots going on. Not only are she and her mother still trying to cope with the loss of her dad, but Charlie is coping with the end of his marriage, and his children with the changes this has wrought. Star is ofent asked to keep an eye on the younger children, and her unhappiness with all these changes, and with her isolation at school, is overlooked by both adults, or regarded as selfishness on her part. Adult readers will find this a little confronting, but probably quite realistic. Thankfully, as the story progresses the adults redeem themselves and, even when they are at their least likable, Star is supported by Mum’s friend Cara and a wise librarian at school.
Star is an endearing first person narrator who will have the reader cheering for good things to happen to her. At times she is, as her mother accuses, self centred, but this adds to the sense of realism. She is, after all, a little girl with a lot going on and must look out for herself when it seems no one else is. She also cares about those around her.
Ultimately, Star is a feel good novel about being given a chance to shine.
Lovely.
Star, by Catherine Bateson
Available from good bookstores and online.
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This 40-yr. warranty is even more than twice other roofing companies supply in Norwood Massachusetts. G.F. Sprague has the ability to supply a 40-yr warranty due to our extensive training, certifications, and experience. We are among a couple of specialists who carries a DCAM License (# 08-0165). We at G.F. Sprague offer all of our consumers with a "5-Star" service. We desire to ensure you feel that you, and your roofing task, were dealt with as if you were receiving 5-Star preferential treatment at a high-end lodging property. Since 1969, G.F. Sprague & Co Inc has actually been supplying roofing, chimney, window and rain gutter service to the residents of Norwood Massachusetts And our business has actually grown over these 40+ plus years due to exactly how we treat each client and the recommendations we get from them.
M M.
Coach D.
We were very happy with the clear presentation and fair pricing for our gutter replacement. The process was followed exactly as promised in the presentation and work was scheduled and... read moreWe were very happy with the clear presentation and fair pricing for our gutter replacement. The process was followed exactly as promised in the presentation and work was scheduled and completed on time. Definitely recommend! read less
They were good communicators, made the adjustments we asked for without trying to upsell us, and completed the work in a timely and professional manner.
We donate a portion of your project to children’s charities
GF Sprague has been serving Greater Boston for over 50 years. Our motto is, "Repair when you can, replace when you must!
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Toward the end of a hauntingly beautiful concert on the last day of the Big Ears Festival, Norwegian bass player Mats Eilertsen thanked the audience for coming. We applauded, but Eilertsen stayed at the mic as if he had not quite made himself clear. Thank you, he added, for coming out to hear music you’ve maybe never heard before. And with that, in charmingly broken English, Eilertsen articulated one of the intangible pleasures I get out of Big Ears: placing myself in strange territory.
I’m a musical neophyte, and so I plunge into Big Ears without knowing what the heck I’m going to hear or if I’m going to like it, but it doesn’t matter. The exposure to new sounds opens me up. Like exercising a muscle, the mental and emotional conditioning forces me to consider art that’s sometimes difficult, sometimes shocking, sometimes joyful, sometimes ecstatic, but always worth every minute.
I remember feeling a similar expansiveness in Sacramento recently, walking into 99 Ranch, an Asian grocery store as big as a Super Kroger. In the produce section were fruits and vegetables I’d never heard of. Lots of them. Fruits and vegetables as common as carrots to the people around me. The whole grocery store was like that, aisle after aisle of surprises, including the dried shrimps and anchovies we sought to make a Malaysian dish. The shoppers came from all over the world, speaking languages I did not understand, placing me definitively in the minority. I was in strange territory. It was exhilarating and enlightening.
And then I found myself feeling sorry for Donald Trump. I imagined he would not feel exhilarated or enlightened, walking around 99 Ranch. He might, instead, feel threatened. And that’s a shame.
Regrettably, he’s not alone. There are so many Americas who feel likewise. Some see our country as a refuge for people seeking justice and a government of laws. Others see it as the guardian of culture for people descended from Western European Christians. The latter view won the day here when Tennessee became the first state to use the 10th amendment to sue the federal government to keep refugees out of here—and again when Knox County Sheriff Jimmy “JJ” Jones applied to a controversial ICE program that seeks to identify undocumented immigrants. I can’t help wondering if, consciously or unconsciously, we’re preparing for the coming tsunami of people fleeing climate change catastrophe by practicing the cruel art of pulling up the drawbridge.
This is personal. Through Bridge Refugee Services, a friend and I began helping an Iraqi family resettle here in Knoxville eight years ago. The family’s story was sadly familiar. For working with the U.S. Army, their lives had been threatened by a bomb planted in their yard. They fled first to Syria, then to the U.A.E, until finally immigrating to the United States where, five years later, they became proud citizens. The transition was not easy. During one difficult day, I was commiserating with my new Iraqi friend when she looked at me, astonished. Difficult? In Iraq, she said, opening her front door meant she never knew if she would be shot and killed. That was difficult.
I tend to see my country through a complicated lens: historically, both champion of human rights and perpetrator of genocide and slavery. My Iraqi friends see a safe harbor, and I’ve never met people who love the U.S. more than they do. Why doesn’t Tennessee want more of that?
Show me one foreign terrorist and I will find 10,000 stories of grateful refugees. Show me one undocumented thief and I’ll find 10,000 stories of irreplaceable immigrants. Show me one Dylan Roof and I’ll find 10,000 stories of compassionate young white men. Fear is what drives us to lump people into categories and treat them accordingly. Fear allows us to believe Muslim bans and insane walls will make us safe, while cutting biomedical research at the National Institute of Health is no big deal. Which should we fear more: a Syrian refugee, a Guatemalan maid, or an Ebola-like virus?
Fear keeps us from entering strange territories, and I’m not talking about Big Ears or grocery stores in Sacramento. When we fill our eyes and ears and minds with messages of fear, it is difficult not to feel afraid. But we can choose to turn down the volume of hysteria used by cynical media organizations and engage in the harder pursuit of evaluating what’s true and what’s truly a threat. Then we should recognize and resist careless language.
My mother remembers the words with which her grandmother referred to Italians, Japanese, Mexicans, Germans, Blacks, and Jews. It’s not from political correctness that those words are no longer respectable. It’s called not being rude. Or cruel. So how is it acceptable to call human beings “illegal aliens?” Even recent history tells us that “illegal alien” can morph into “scum” and then into “vermin,” and vermin can be exterminated. We do not have to tolerate language used as propaganda to demonize groups of human beings.
Nor should we tolerate legislators who support bills targeting our LGBTQ communities that, besides being morally reprehensible, invite boycotts against Tennessee’s many cultural and economic treasures. Like Big Ears.
We should grab opportunities that challenge us. For me, that might mean engaging with a Trump supporter. For someone else, it might mean listening to unfamiliar music or someone from a different faith or a transgender woman. New experiences that open hearts and challenge assumptions are worth it, especially if they’re difficult. There are a lot of Americas, but only as mental constructs. In reality, this stretch of land between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans contains all kinds of people. It’s a strange territory but it doesn’t have to be scary. I choose to work toward a country that says, “Thank you for coming.”
With Much Ado, Catherine Landis examines how political decisions and social trends affect the lives of the people around her. She is particularly interested in issues concerning feminism, civil rights, education, the environment, and immigration reform. A former newspaper reporter, she has published two novels, Some Days There’s Pie (St. Martin’s Press) and Harvest (Thomas Dunne Books/St. Martin’s Press). She lives in Knoxville.
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The Knoxville Mercury was an independent weekly news magazine devoted to educating and connecting Knoxville’s many different communities. It was a taxable, not-for-profit company governed by the Knoxville History Project, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization devoted to exploring, disseminating, and celebrating Knoxville’s unique cultural heritage.
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That, in my opinion, is one of the finest examples of flesh painting that I have ever seen; it is not paint but real flesh‘.
– Sir Frank Brangwyn, The Times, 22 October 1941
The life studies by Albert de Belleroche often date to his training under Carolus-Duran (1837-1917). The palette used, with subtle modulated flesh tones set against rich and contrasting background colours, especially dark reds, are typical of Carolus-Duran’s signature portraits, yet bear the hallmarks of a young artist striving for individuality.
It was during this period that Belleroche met John Singer Sargent, who was to become a life long friend, and with whom he shared studios in Paris and London.
Liss Llewellyn are continually seeking to improve the quality of the information on their website. We actively undertake to post new and more accurate information on our stable of artists. We openly acknowledge the use of information from other sites including Wikipedia, artbiogs.co.uk and Tate.org and other public domains. We are grateful for the use of this information and we openly invite any comments on how to improve the accuracy of what we have posted.
Although born in Wales, he was the son of the Marquis de Belleroche, of one of the most ancient French noble families who, being Huguenots, had fled to England in 1685. In 1871, following the death of his father, he moved back to Paris with his family. After he had finished school there, he studied at the studio of Carolus Duran, and spent long hours copying at the Paris museums. He soon became familiar with the leading painters and intellectuals of the day, and became a founder member of the Salon d’Automne, exhibiting alongside the Impressionists and associating with Emile Zola, Oscar Wilde, Albert Moore, Renoir, Degas, Helleu and Toulouse-Lautrec. Toulouse-Lautrec and Belleroche were exact contemporaries, who first met at the age of eighteen. Belleroche painted Toulouse-Lautrec’s portrait and shared with him a passion for the model Lili, who epitomised the Belle Epoch aesthetic of Toulouse-Lautrec’s most celebrated posters. Lili became Belleroche’s favourite model and mistress. In 1882 Belleroche also met the already acclaimed American painter John Singer Sargent, who recognised Belleroche’s talent and empathised with his free drawing style and sensitivity to light. They became life-long friends. Sargent’s handling of pastel was a great inspiration to Belleroche, while Belleroche’s sensitivity to tone and creation of form through the modeling of light exerted a strong influence on Sargent. In 1900, Belleroche became fascinated by the medium of lithography and by 1905 he was a leading figure in the field of lithographic portraiture. A.M. Hind, a former keeper of prints at the British Museum, described his works in lithography as “amongst the greatest achievements of the craft since its discovery.”
He held commercial exhibitions at the Goupil Gallery (1903), Graves, London (1906), Colnaghi’s (1941) and Walker Gallery, London (1942). As however he had no need to live from his art, he rarely took on commissioned portraits, instead choosing models and sitters who interested him. This in part – though not entirely – explains why he is so little known. A room in the Mus e D’Orange is dedicated to Belleroche. He was the subject of numerous publications during his lifetime, and in 2001 the San Diego Museum of Art organised an exhibition and produced a catalogue entitled The Rival of Painting: the Lithographs of Albert Belleroche.
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One of the greatest things about making use of a credit card rather than a short-term loan is that you could potentially avoid paying interest entirely in the event that you pay off your credit card prior to the end of your grace period. One of ?????? ?????? ?? ?????? the easiest strategies to compare several offers at once is to use an on-line lending network. It’s quite simple to become unsecured loans instantly employing a cell app.
By comparison shopping for your own personal loan, you will be certain to get the very best alternative for your bad credit. The thing to keep in mind about credit cards is they may come with an assortment of fees that loans won’t include. There are an assortment of loans without a credit score check available, so go with the business that makes you feel the most comfortable and supplies you the options you will need.
After identifying the business that you would like to use you will probably have to complete a loan application. You do not need to wait on your subsequent payday to pay your expenses and endure from late payment charges or maybe disconnection of vital utility services. In credit for you com ua the event that you discover it challenging to acquire a without risk loan provide by yourself, you may be in a position to use the mortgage solution of mediators which use the system of direct financial loan providers and have fun with the part concerning the intermediary amongst the debtor together with direct loan provider.
NetCredit and a lot of other on-line financial loan businesses offer loan options that may be applied for and funded in a couple of days or less. If you try to defend your premises, you’ll be arrested. They are commonly used for debt consolidations.
You’re going to be requested to supply some personal info, but no documentation should be sent over. These procedures are called the Rule of Law. When it has to do with taking out a loan with poor credit score, the borrower’s options might be quite limited and not always excellent.
So, you’re still able to acquire a larger loan with minimal checks. Regardless, checks on credit does not have to be done when it has to do with online financial loans. Eight banks will take part in the pilot undertaking.
It’s very similar to getting a physical charge card. Within the space of a couple seconds you can examine your credit rating with CRB for a greater loan. Second, inadequate credit may reveal that you weren’t responsible in repaying loans of the past.
Banks and loan businesses are content to check at every case individually and supply you with the very best unsecured personal loan offer available. Luckily, there are options available from several companies and internet lenders to acquire an on-line installment loan without a cosigner. Fast cash loans may help consumers get the money that they need quickly.
The major danger of the lender is you maynot keep up the loan repayments. In case the customer doesn’t, a guarantor’s responsibility is to create the loan settlements. The principal thing that produces installment financial financial financial loans various From different loans is the repayment period that’s longest, which may be as much as almost per year or 1-2 decades.
Meaning, with installment loans, you may conveniently choose larger payments and pay back the loan fast or make smaller payments over an elongated duration, according to your affordability. An installment loan is quite a popular type of borrowing today. Contrary to other short-term loans, your own installment loan does not have to be compensated in complete whenever you get your next paycheck.
For most people, their inability to satisfy their credit obligations and, as a consequence, decreasing credit rankings, was nothing linked to their wrongdoing, but instead a mix of negative life circumstances. In the long run, you might have to weigh the overall amount of interest you pay against what you are able to afford to do. In some instances, the loan that is apparently the ideal deal may wind up being the ideal bargain for the lender, not the very best bargain for you.
First you will need to access the loan website. Poor credit isn’t a fun once it has to do with exploring your borrowing alternatives. Today with advancement in technology mobile financial loan apps in Kenya will help you to receive money in a crisis.
Due to the lousy economy and big unemployment rate, lots of people are finding they have a lousy credit rating for the very first time in their life. Moreover, there are web sites which connect people that are only thinking about casual encounters that are sexual. Such people may gain money with no kind of hesitation.
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Once you select the career that you are interested in, you need to choose irrespective of whether you will take classes in the places that you simply like, or when you will prefer to specialize in one more location.
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Jewelry designer Unboni is the woman behind her namesake brand. What started as a desire to give women the kind of jewelry they were looking for, developed into an important niche in the marketplace: creating high-end fashion jewelry designed to the standards of fine jewelry. Since the founding in 2006, Unboni jewelry is modeled on the belief that we make the beautiful world we live in with inspiration and discipline, and this philosophy translates into the design of every piece.
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Note: This product does not come with the colored silicon casing of the throttle. Those can be purchase separately here.
Warranty
All of our electric scooters come with a six month warranty covering manufacturing defects. If your scooter malfunctions during the warranty period, Levy will repair the affected product at no charge, exchange with an equivalent replacement, or supply a replacement part depending on the issue.
Items damaged due to misuse of the scooter, or incidental issues due to normal wear and tear, are not covered under the warranty replacement program. However, parts can be purchased directly from our website in these situations. For more information on our warranty and return program, see here.
Items specifically excluded under the warranty include:
Normal wear to break pads
Normal reduction in battery capacity over the life of the battery cells
If you are interested in extending your warranty, we offer extended plans through our partner Mulberry.
Our Levy electric scooters come with the option of standard tires that contain inner tubes, tubeless tires, and solid rubber tires. There are tradeoffs to each of them, and we don't recommend one over the other, but rather leave it up to your personal preference.
The most common set up found on electric scooters and bicycles, they use an inner tube to inflate pressure inside the tire. The main issue with inner tubed tires is in dealing with flats, as it will require you to remove the wheel / tire and replace the inner tube (or patch it) in order to resolve the issue of a punctured tube.
The benefit here, however, is that you don't need to replace the whole tire in addition to the tube, as long as the puncture point is relatively small and not a large gash. Just replacing the inner tube (which is cheaper) will suffice. You also can inflate inner tubes with a standard bicycle pump, as it doesn't require the high pressure needed to properly install a tubeless tire.
Tubeless tires provide the same pneumatic shock absorption as tubed tires (as they are also air filled), with the added benefit that they can be easier to maintain (provided you have the right tools).
When a tubeless tire develops a puncture, which will inevitably happen over a long enough time horizon owning an electric scooter, it can usually be repaired without having to remove the wheel or tire.
Since tubeless tires don't use inner tubes, and instead rely on a vacuum tight air seal around the rim of the wheel, you can often repair the tire puncture by using tire slime or other tire sealants to stop the leak. However, using tire sealant requires the valve of the tire to be removed, thus fully deflating the tire and unseating it from the rim.
To re-inflate the tire and properly set the bead of the tire around the rim, you will need a high pressure air compressor, usually only found in bike shops. A pressure of at least 120 PSI is needed to inflate these - as outlined in our install video here.
The main benefit of solid tires is that they are puncture proof and require no maintenance. However, because they are not pneumatic, these tires do not provide any shock absorption compared to air filled tires (the tubed and tubeless versions).
The ride won't be quite as smooth with solid tires, especially if you are riding on rough pavement. Additionally, since these tires don't provide as much natural grip as air-filled tires, traction on wet surfaces will be reduced.
If you have a scooter with tubeless tires and want to convert it to use inner tubes, it is possible. We have inner tubes available on our website that can be purchased and installed on a wheel that is currently using a tubeless tire. To install the tube, you'll have to remove the tire from the rim, place the inner tube around the wheelbase, and re-seat the tire onto the rim.
Solid tires can be retrofitted on existing wheels that are currently using the tubeless or tubed tires, for both the 8.5" and 10" models. We recommend having them installed by an experienced mechanic, as they require the proper tools and heating methods to put on your rims.
The Levy and Levy Plus electric scooters both feature unique swappable battery systems. Batteries can be interchanged and charged separately outside of the scooter.
Apart from the convenience in extending the range of your scooter by carrying additional battery packs, another major benefit is prolonging the life of your electric scooter.
Most scooters have batteries built into their frames, making replacements much more costly or not possible at all. Being able to purchase replacement batteries separately is a major benefit of owning a Levy.
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Hello again! So today I got a really exciting email from Mrs. Sisul that had some back-to-school information in it. I learned more about what our schedule will look like during the day, and it’s going to be pretty great! We will probably have math in the morning–which is good because your brains will be fresher then–and reading is after lunch. With every little bit of info that I get, the more excited I become to meet you and get this party started!
Oh, and since I whined in my last post about how I couldn’t find anything for our theme, I thought you’d like to know that I’ve started to find some really great things. Just had to think about it a little more (so I could plan on what I might need to make), and shop in a few other places. And I love shopping, so that was pretty cool. Like I said in the title of this post, school is getting closer, and I’m getting even more excited!
Posted on July 19, 2011 by Jen Bearden in Uncategorized • Tagged back to school, math, Mrs. Sisul, reading, theme • Leave a comment
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I was standing in one of New York’s vast parks, last nights cold apparent from the white frost that lightly covered the normally green grass. My next victim stood ahead of me, silhouetted by the low, early morning, autumn sun. I made sure that I traced his steps, placing my shoes in the imprints made by his in the grass. This meant that I didn’t leave my own footprints and that I also did not crunch the frozen dew on the grass, making my approach that little bit more stealthy.
I was yards from him when I reached inside my black Armani raincoat, my hand grasping the gun, placed inside the holster wrapped around my shoulder, the harsh coldness of its metal handle not felt through my black leather gloves. I quickly withdrew the weapon and, with practised ease, took a fix on my target. He was much smaller than me, although most people were, and I could see the wisps of his clouded breath, fogged by the early morning chill, rising up above him. I had to aim slightly downwards to get a fix on the base of his skull. This point would kill the man instantly.
I didn’t realise until I slowly released it, but I had been holding my breath. I applied minimal pressure to the small piece of metal that would start the chain reaction soon to follow. The ‘phut’ of the bullet leaving the barrel of the gun was hardly heard, quietened by the silencer screwed into the end of the device. Only the birds seemed to pick up on this sound as they all flocked from their morning resting grounds of a large oak tree nearby. The bullet hit the man at the point where the neck and skull met and his body and, although only momentarily, went taut; almost as if he had been expecting such a thing.
His body then swiftly slumped to the ground, his life draining quickly from the new orifice in the back of his head. Blood oozed from the fresh, smoking wound and left deep, crimson stains on the ground, the white frost a great contrast to it. A bee busied itself amongst the wild flowers beside me, its monotonous drone, a testament to the normality of the day. Ahead of it, birds dodged between the trees, almost chasing each other in some game that only winged creatures could play. Above me, an aeroplane, carrying it’s passengers to a paradise destination no doubt, carried on regardless.
How could the day take no note to the act of violence that had been perpetrated; how could this vicious act not taint the air itself? Funny as it may seem, after delivering death upon this man, I myself considered life. As I stood in the beauty of the park, the many different colours of the leaves as they died and fell from the tree staining on my mind, I wondered, for what reason was I placed upon this Earth? What was the point of life? Was it cyclical? Is there such a thing as reincarnation? Would this dead man get his second chance……. would I?
Maybe I would be given the opportunity to seek my redemption, to ask for the forgiveness that I hardly deserved, to repent my past indiscretions. If I could, would that not mean that I would spend my life paying for the awful things done in my past lives? Repaying the debt to society that I have amassed in a different time? The answer was no! I would repent my sins in this life, not having another chance, just now. I always had the feeling that my past would catch up and haunt me. I was, however, totally oblivious to just how close this time was. So what was this past that would catch up with me?
I’m not going to blame my childhood for the life I now led. I grew up in Brooklyn, a poor black boy in the heart of the gang run ghetto. My mother died when I was very young, and the only memory I have, the only reason I knew that she existed, was that life was once good. After she died, my father grew distant, telling me that I was too much of a resemblance of my mother. I was an only child so had no brothers or sisters to turn to for help.
Soon after this time, when I was about 7, my father would invite his ‘friends’ around, they would give him things, beer, money, anything that he wanted at the time, and he would give theme. I was abused mentally, physically and sexually and my father sat back and let it occur while he gained everything and I lost my innocence and my childhood. He sold me as a possession, rented me to anyone willing to pay. This happened many times over the years- too many to count, too many to remember, too many that I could remember- until I finally ran away. I turned to killing to support myself, not because I was forced to or because of the things that had happened to me, but because I chose to. The first person I ever killed was the first man that ever laid his filthy hands on me.
I can remember that day like it only happened seconds ago, I made sure that I remembered it. He was walking home, it was late at night and I seem to always remember the smell of him. Even now, to this day, the smell of whisky turns me sick. I will save you the details of exactly what I did to him but when they found him in the morning, they needed to use his dental records to discover his identity. I was only seventeen years old. I almost love that night, remember that I enjoyed that moment so much, drew it out for almost two hours, torturing and humiliating him, before finally putting him out of his misery.
But why did I put him out of his misery? Did he show me the same compassion? It was, I realised, because I was ashamed of myself, what I had done to a human being. I was twenty-two when I received the news of my fathers death and had made a relatively good life for myself. Despite all the things he had done to me, I cried when I was told. To this day I’m still unaware of the reason I cried. Maybe it was relief or maybe it was grief of losing my father. But back to now, this time, back to the park where another cadaver lay, felled by my hands.
I was not killing nowadays for me, but for others. They would pay me to kill their tormentors. Many people would say that I was nothing more than a ‘hired killer’, but I saw myself as so much more. I would only except cases where I was killing a true fiend, although people would never know this. On the exterior, I was a successful stockbroker, rich in life, rich in money. However it was my shady interior that nobody knew about. The money I won in the stock market was used to supply my weapons. I made a killing in the stocks and through this, made a killing on the streets.
I left the serene park behind me, walking at a quick enough pace to distance myself from it and yet slow enough to make it seem I was not. People walked by me on the streets and, when I reached the mail office, were happily holding doors open for me and wishing me a ‘nice day’. If only they knew of the horror I had just committed. In the mail office, I had my own personal mail box, owned by myself and under the name “Block and Wood enterprises”. This meant that I could receive information on future ‘hits’ without getting my own name or address involved. There was one letter in my box, I removed it, placed it in my pocket and left.
My apartment building was not harsh or an eyesore to the skyline of New York. In fact, it seemed to make it better. It was a very tall structure, with large glass windows and a sprawling lobby which was decorated with white marble and gold-look metal. Each floor housed its own apartment. I owned the apartment on the top floor, the penthouse. It had sweeping views of the whole of New York City and possibly the best view of the Statue of Liberty in the whole of Manhattan. My keys slipped into the lock and turned with the ease I expected. I threw the door open and the comforting smell of ‘home’ greeted me.
I placed my keys onto the small table in my hall, closed the door, hung up my raincoat and started towards the luxurious bathroom. The large living room stretched out ahead of me, my expensive furniture seemingly glowing due to the light in there. It was well lit due to many factors. Firstly I was so high up that hardly any other building could block the light, secondly, the sprawling glass windows spread around the apartment let in much light, often too much and so I had blinds installed to occasionally block the sun. I stopped suddenly, somehow aware of a presence in the apartment.
My gun was swiftly out of the holster and, like I had many times before in other peoples houses, was stalking around, jumping around corners, hoping to catch the crook who was here. After a thorough search of my premises, I found nothing out of place, nothing stolen and no one in any of the rooms. I put it down to the recent hit I had performed and it was just the jitters or the ‘high’ I got from killing. I made my way back toward the bathroom and noticed that the front door was still open. Had I closed it when I walked in? I was sure I had. I then remembered the letter in my coat pocket.
It must have been my imagination playing tricks on myself. I closed the door, grabbed the letter from my coat pocket, settled into my reclining leather chair and began to read. “Dear Mr Johnson” it read. People were always formal even though they knew they were writing to a killer. The letter went on to describe the man I was to kill, the manner in which they would like me to do it (I never did do any personal requests) and the time and place. People always seemed to assume that I was uneducated or dim because they always told me every detail, as if I wouldn’t research the hit myself.
I decided to take this one on as the man to be killed was nothing short of scum. He had raped the woman asking for his death and had beaten her and stolen from her on many occasions. To make matters worse, it was her own uncle. I called the woman, from an untraceable safe cell phone, to tell her I would do the hit, not letting her say anything and hanging up as soon as I had finished. I finally had the chance to take a well deserved shower. It was a Sunday and I would not be working today. While in the shower, I thought of the new target I was to kill.
Normally I didn’t take on a hit so quickly yet this man was too vile to keep on this Earth any longer. I would squash this cockroach in 3 days time. A smile crept across my face as I thought of eradicating another life that shouldn’t have been started at all. I slept that night, a dream filled slumber. My head was filled with memories, old and new, and some, I realise now, were thoughts of events that had not yet happened. Thoughts that would lead to my demise. It was mere hours before the job was to be done. I had followed the target for the past 2 days. His name was Attis Jones and he was, it seemed, a recluse.
He lived in an old lighthouse that he had converted himself. His wife had left him many years before due to his alcoholism and his children had severed all contact with him soon after this. He drunk even more severely following this and even turned to drugs, a healthy lifestyle he was still continuing to this day. He was now only forty yet seemed much older. His white hair seemed that it hadn’t seen a pair of scissors in many years as it was down to his shoulders. It was thinning on the top of his head and seemed to abandoning him, just like everyone else in his life.
I was in my car driving towards the coastline where his lighthouse was situated. I had already found a way around his poor security. The chain link fence was easily climbed and although he had a security camera pointing at the drive way to the lighthouse, it was simple to avoid. In any case, I was a careful man and so parked quite a distance from the lighthouse and walked the final mile or so. I had my trusty 9mm silenced baretta in its holster around my shoulder where it was always kept. However, today I brought my colt revolver also, just because it was a secluded area and I hardly ever had the pleasure of hearing the gunshot well.
It was beginning to get dark by the time I had reached the lighthouse and there was a light rain starting to fall. As I approached the tall structure, a rather stereotypical lighthouse with its red and white patterned stripes going down its shaft, I noticed that the grounds were littered with many skeletons of cars that had been left to rust. The grounds themselves, surrounding the lighthouse seemed to be in a state of disrepair, weeds choking the last of the wild flowers growing around. I also noticed, for only the second time, a small jetty.
It was secluded around the back of the structure and was very neglected. This time, however, the jetty had changed for now there was a boat at it. A figure stood hunched on the deck, pouring diesel into the engine’s fuel hatch. The rain, now heavier, fell on its bare skull, onto the white hair that plastered its face and shoulders, onto its black coat and black leather boots. He must have sensed me approaching for he looked up, a smile slowly spreading across his face. He was, I guessed, about 6 feet tall, with long, white, tapering fingers and pale, elongated features.
In the dusk, his eyes were a deep, dark blue, bordering on black and his almost lipless mouth seemed to start just where his nostrils ended. It was, of course, Attis Jones. Diesel spilled onto the deck of the boat as he had momentary lapse in concentration. I wondered why he was smiling and it was only when I noticed the handgun in his other hand that a smile spread across mine. “Clever boy”, I shouted “Have you been expecting me? ” “We all have”, was the only reply. The gun in his right hand was quickly raised an aimed at my head.
I was faster however as my gun was up and releasing a bullet before he realised. It tore through his right arm, shattering it, sending the gun to the watery depths below. “You are going to die tonight, sinner”, called Attis “Your mistaken, it is you who will die, I have nothing to answer for. God did not send demons to kill the firstborn in Egypt, he sent angels. I am an angel, sent by God to clear up the mistake he made by allowing you to be born. ” I was happy with this reply and was seconds from releasing another bullet, this time toward his chest when he mouthed 4 simple words to me, “Good bye, Mr Jones”.
It was then that something hard struck the back of my head, leaving me sprawled across the floor. A brown shoe stamped down hard on my fingers, causing me to release the gun from my grip. It was kicked away from me and a huge weight seemed to press down on me. There were knees in my back and my face was being pushed into the mud. The water and mud burned my eyes and the weight on my back was restricting my breathing. I fought hard and managed to throw the being from my back. I quickly remembered the colt tucked into my sock. It was out and shooting my assailant before he could say, or do, anything about it.
Again I was struck from behind, only this time, it was more than one person. I was thrown to the ground again and kicked and punched repeatedly. I lost the grip of the gun in my hand and this one, like the first, was kicked from my reach. I tried in vain to fight back but was overpowered by the many people around me. I was held to the floor by my captors and then Attis Jones was standing over me. Despite his right arm being splintered by the bullet from my barreta, he was standing over me with relative ease, the pain not very visible on his face.
What was, however, visible on his face was the malicious look. I wondered why these people were doing this, for what reason they were holding me to the floor. “I said you would die sinner”, Attis scolded, “Just as my son and their brother died at your hands, so you shall die at ours! ” With that, he knelt on my chest, placing all his weight on top of my lungs. This constricted my breathing but the cold hand around my neck restricted it further. I was staring up into the eyes of hell. All of the malignant thoughts that Attis Jones could muster were being forced to the front of his mind.
I could almost see them through his eyes. Attis’s grip shifted so that his thumb was pressing hard, trying to crush my Adam’s apple. I was trying to free my hands but they were held tightly to the ground by Attis’ Sons. I tried in vain to kick my legs but again, restrained by someone. The pressure in my head was increasing as my windpipe was constricted. My ears were filled with the roaring in my head and the laboured, spit-flecked breaths of the man who was killing me, I felt a burning pain behind my eyes, a numbness spreading from my finger.
I desperately tried to free myself, but I was losing the battle, the feeling in my body. My vision was blurring and my lungs burning as the last of my life was choked from me. The only sound, apart from the steady rhythmic beat of the rain, was me, gurgling the last of my air out. Everything became dark and the last thing I remember hearing was “Take ‘im inside, we’ll chop ‘im up and feed ‘im to the sharks! ” Now, looking back on my life, I realised how what I had done was right. If you believed that what I did was wrong, that killing those awful people was a bad thing, your deeply mistaken.
I killed those people because they were delivering pain onto others, what I did was stop them from hurting them, or any other, ever again. Attis Jones had set me up so that he could take revenge upon me for killing his son. Had I researched deeper into his background, I would have found that the web of lies I was fed were given to me in the hope that I would be led straight into the trap. It worked. I now know that his son was a certain Joshua Jones. I had killed him many years before. He was a personal call. There was no money when I killed him. There were no people who specifically asked me to kill him.
I did it because I wanted to. He was grooming small children, taking them from the streets and teaching them how to become prostitutes. He was using them to gratify his own pleasure, acting like nothing more than a common pimp. For this reason I had to kill him. His family was totally oblivious to what he had done and I think that they may have reconsidered taking my life had they found out his true past. So this was my past catching up with me, it never actually haunted me, just left me for dead. There was no afterlife, no Heaven, no Hell. There was in fact, nothing.
Just a black void that I seemed t float around in, left to contemplate my life and the things I had done. The hurt I had caused, the pain visited upon the innocent bystanders of the families of my victims. I also thought of the good I had done, killing all those people, taking their lives so that they could no longer harm anyone else And as I did, I realised that I wouldn’t change a thing, if given a second chance at the same life, I would do it all the same as I had, doing everything the way had intended to do. I looked back and saw myself as sort of makeshift hero.
Saving the common folk and helping their lives to be lived better. Maybe they would find out of my secret past and declare me a hero, or maybe call me a murderer, tell everyone that what I had done was a terrible thing. In any case, I knew that I had done right and did not care what people thought. The only part of my life that I truly hated, the one thing that stuck in my mind as the thing I would change, would be the manner in which I died. But there was nothing I could do about that now, I could only watch it over and over again, in my minds eye.
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Ray Kroc made his first visit to McDonald's in 1954. He was a milkshake mixer salesman at the time and brothers Richard and Maurice McDonald had purchased eight mixers for their San Bernardino restaurant.
Kroc was impressed with what he saw. Having visited a lot of restaurant kitchens in the years following World War II, he came to believe the McDonald brothers had the most efficient operation he had seen. The place was professional, clean, somewhat automated. To Kroc, it looked like a concept that could be expanded nationally.
There was no such thing as fast food at the time. Kroc surmised that most roadside hamburger joints were grubby havens that mostly featured inconsistent food, pay phones, jukeboxes and smoking rooms. His vision was of a chain that would appeal to the emerging suburban culture with a consistent menu, uniformed attendants and squeaky clean spaces.
Most of the rest of the story is well-known. Kroc opened the first franchised McDonald's in Illinois in 1955. He would go on to establish a fast-food empire that today spans the globe. In fact, it isn't a stretch to suggest that Kroc and McDonald's launched a worldwide fast food revolution...for better or for worse, depending on your point of view.
Watching craft beer gain a foothold national and internationally, I've occasionally wondered if there could be a craft beer version of McDonald's. Such a chain would feature consistent branding, similar building designs, common beers and food, etc. There are some pretty good reasons why this will probably never happen. Still, I wonder.
One thing we have seen and are continuing to see is craft beer chains (multiple locations) that function well locally and regionally. McMenamins is a good example here. The brothers started out in the Portland area and have expanded in Oregon and Washington. I'm not sure how far the quirky McMenamins brand can go. My guess is the regional I-5 corridor is its sweet spot.
Some brief, forgotten history. The founders of Portland Brewing (in 1986) envisioned a string of brewpubs up and down the I-5 corridor from Washington to California. It never happened, Art Larrance told me, because the company's board of directors wouldn't agree to it. Given the trajectory of Portland Brewing, that was fortuitous.
Of course, there are successful local craft beer chains beyond McMenamins. Hopworks, Laurelwood, Lompoc and Lucky Labrador have operated multiple locations for years. More recent entrants include Breakside, Migration, Von Ebert (soon) and Sasquatch. There are will be others.
It's difficult to see any of those entities being gobbled up by an investor capable of taking it national. The notable exception to that rule is 10 Barrel, which is owned by Anheuser-Busch and already has brewpubs outside Oregon (San Diego, Boise, Denver). The 10 Barrel concept was designed such that it could take up residence almost anywhere.
In fact, if there's anyone out there with the will and the means to establish a national brewpub chain, it's probably Anheuser-Busch. Of the acquired AB craft brands, 10 Barrel likely makes the most sense. Golden Road, also a generic brand without a plausible connection to place, is another possible candidate.
There's an interesting dichotomy at work here. While 10 Barrel and Golden Road have potential as national brands due to their lack of connection to place, Goose Island is thought to be a poor choice because of its strong connection to place (Chicago). And Kona, which will very likely end up the AB family of brands in the near future, is considered an excellent choice for a national pub brand because of its strong connection to place. Ironic, eh?
Anyway, the case against a national brewpub brand is strong and rests mainly on the fact that craft beer is hyper-local. Consumers around the county are seeking out unique beers made by local breweries, and there are plenty of local breweries out there. The idea of a national brewpub chain succeeding in that scenario seems sketchy, though you never know.
Maybe the closest thing we have to a national pub is exemplified by Buffalo Wild Wings, a craft beer taproom chain with pub-ish food. Buffalo Wild, established in 1982, currently has more than 1,200 locations in the U.S. They don't brew, but they do offer local beers alongside an expansive selection of national macro and craft brands.
For anyone wondering why the Brewers Association would make Buffalo Wild one of two major sponsors for this year's GABF, the answer is clear enough: Buffalo Wild is arguably the closest thing we have to a national craft beer pub chain. For better or for worse.
Posted by Pete Dunlop at July 09, 2018
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Insufficient rain can cause crops to falter and agricultural prices to rise. Records indicate that during a certain n...
Zach on April 19, 2018
I don't see the difference between "A" and "C" - the wording is practically identical. Please explain!
Replies
Zach on April 19, 2018
I'm sorry I meant between 'A' and 'D'
Jamesio on April 19, 2018
@zcrabill hey man! not an instructor or anything, but it looks like we took the diagnostic at the same time. when i came across this question i viewed it very similarly to you.
the issue i found with A is that the stimulus never mentions that the "nations recent crisis" was preceded by insufficient rain. all it mentions is "Records indicate that during a certain nations recent crisis, faltering crops and rising agricultural prices prompted the government.... in an effort to prevent starvation".
So the authors argument is flawed because the conclusion jumps to "insufficient rain" being the cause of the nations recent crisis, when all we know from the stimulus is that "insufficient rain CAN cause crops to falter and agricultural prices to raise", not that it HAS to or DOES.
hope this helps man! we're all in this together haha, happy studying
Anita on April 22, 2018
A is making the assumption that insufficient rain happened, when that isn't necessarily the case. Weather/insufficient rain is what the argument is trying to conclude happened. We know that faltering crops happened before the crisis, but not that insufficient rain happened. Maybe it was actually a agricultural worker strike that caused the crops to falter? Maybe all the domesticated animals died of disease and were unable to till the land? It could be anything.
D points this out! It says that we're assuming it was weather that caused the faltering crops & raising agricultural prices.
Does that help?
Zach on April 23, 2018
Thanks for the help guys.
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All members are encouraged to attend our year in review. Come witness just how far we’ve had our heads up our filing cabinet. Highlights include power point (with animations), motions to vote on, an election of board directors, and everyone’s favourite, adjournment. A bag of chips has been passed off as a contribution to the buffet in the past, but some members actually try.
A puppet installation by
On view until 31 December 2016
Twenty-four hours a day!
This bright and dynamic installation is inspired by Alexander Calder’s “Circus”, department store holiday windows, and Swizzle Studio’s ongoing fascination with spectacle.
The centerpiece, “The Cowardly Lion Tamer”, is flanked by such circus mainstays as clowns, wild animals, daredevils, and roustabouts. Above the fleeing lion tamer, a human cannonball flies and acrobats soar through the air.
Gasping at the wild scene is an audience of puppets created by the members of Puppet-A-Go-Go: Christine Cosby, Rob Elliott, Alexa Fraser, Clelia Scala, and Trisha Lavoie. Swizzle Circus is the third of four Plate Glass Gallery installations for Puppet-A-Go-Go’s “In The Park” series. Swizzle Circus can be seen 24 hours a day until New Year’s Day.
Based on the original pen and ink drawing by Alice Crawley
This print, entitled Stilt City, was created based on an original pen and ink drawing by my mother, Alice Crawley, circa 1972. The drawing was used as the cover for the fourth edition of Twelve Mile Creek magazine, a magazine of art and literature edited by Alice that served as a forum for local, national, and international artists and writers. In particular, contributors to the noted edition were R. Johns, John Miller, David McFadden, Dennis Tourbin, Ted Dixon, Catherine Hraber, John B. Boyle, Samual Robinson, and Ivan Jirous.
Alice was the matriarch of Niagara’s artists, with a career beginning in the 1950s and continuing until her death in 2011. She was one of the founding members of the Niagara Artists Co-operative, now the Niagara Artists Centre, along with Dennis Tourbin, John Moffat, and John B. Boyle.
In 2001, for my 60th birthday, mom presented me with the original ink drawing and I became its honoured caretaker. It has hung in a place of prominence in our home ever since.
My wife Gaby and I have made the decision to share this work with the help of the Niagara Artists Centre. We commissioned NAC printmakers Stephen Remus, David Legge, and Natasha Pedros to create a limited edition of fifty hand-screened prints on Arches watercolour paper depicting this view of downtown that has since disappeared, but more importantly, to create a legacy for my mom. We are offering this print for sale with all proceeds donated to the Alice Crawley Endowment, a fund held by the Niagara Community Foundation that will support exhibit fees for women artists showing at the Niagara Artists Centre.
Each numbered edition of the print is offered for sale at the price of $400+hst (unframed). They are available at NAC, open Wednesday to Friday 10AM to 5PM, Saturdays 12NN to 4PM, or often by chance. Please contact NAC in advance if you’d like to purchase one.
NAC Champion Member
Give the Gift that Keeps on Keeping On – Holiday Gift Idea #2
Stymied as to what clutter you can inflict on your loved ones to mark this year’s celebration of materialism?
Hey, buck the ‘thing’ thing and give the gift of what the heck: membership in your friendly neighbourhood artist-run centre. NAC memberships are affordable (cheaper than food) and last the whole year. NAC members travel the inside track on good things happening (4 Show Room exhibits, 4 Flea Market Gallery exhibits, 3 Plate Glass Gallery exhibits, 20+ members gallery shows, killer roofdeck music shows, film screenings, literary events, and some of the best downtown hip-drops and shin-digs). Get someone out of the house and have them enjoy cut-rates and first dibs.
Come see us this week if you want to gift a membership (we’re open Wednesday from 10 until 5, Thursday and Friday 10 until 9) and we’ll pack it all up with some great NAC publications and other weird-ass paraphernalia perfect for ritualistic unwrapping.
A not-for-profit, charitably registered, member-driven collective formed by and dedicated to the working artists and community of Niagara.
Niagara Artists Centre is located on the ancestral lands of the Haudenosaunee and Anishinaabe peoples.
This territory is covered by the Upper Canada Treaties and is within the land protected by the Dish with One Spoon Wampum agreement.
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People are travelling more frequently, farther away, and for longer periods of time. To demonstrate respect for the places they visit, travellers should observe local customs and contribute back to the community.
FPJ Web DeskUpdated: Thursday, November 24, 2022, 06:50 PM IST
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Tourism is on the rise because the world is full of breathtaking scenery, undiscovered destinations, and wildlife that everyone should see at least once in their lives. In certain cases, growing tourism has a negative impact on neighbouring towns and resources. Furthermore, major movements to protect the planet's health are ongoing, as the repercussions of our continued mistreatment are grave.
To reduce tourism's negative effects on people, the environment, and ourselves, we must shift our focus to more ethical travel. People are travelling more frequently, farther away, and for longer periods of time. To demonstrate respect for the places they visit, travellers should observe local customs and contribute back to the community.
Sanjay Wadhawan, founder and CEO of Earthaa Escapes shared with IANSlife his top recommended ways to travel responsibly.
Check them out below:
Be careful when engaging in animal activities
Many individuals while engaging in animal activities become careless and frequently cause more harm than good. It is better to avoid any such activities as they injure the animals and are unethical.
FIFA World Cup 2022: While you are in Qatar for witnessing the game, abide by these rules else go...
Watch your waste
Using reusable cloth bags for local shopping, is one of the simplest ways to travel sustainably and prevent adding plastic garbage to the place they visit. It is advised to bring some disposable cutlery and straws while travelling, and use them as needed. Or, individuals can even ask for it at the hotel where they are staying. Moreover, the majority of hotels are currently attempting to eliminate plastic.
In order to avoid overcrowding a tourist spot, one should concentrate on visiting less well-known sites and places. In fact, a prudent travel recommendation would be to avoid crowded regions, especially in the post-Covid-19 world.
Be aware of your carbon footprints
There is no denying the fact that air travel is easy and comes with its own set of perks but it also increases carbon emissions. Therefore, taking the overland route is another travel advice one should definitely take into account.
Travelling to UAE, know new passport name rule before boarding flight
Learn about other cultures
One of the most significant benefits of travelling is learning about other cultures and religions. Meeting various people, learning about their customs and traditions, trying their local food, and getting to know about their lifestyle seem fascinating.
Tourism is on the rise, especially in the post-covid era. This increased tourism has led to situations that have harmful effects on the environment. It is always suggested to gather some kind of information about the place they are planning to visit. In fact, most tourism boards have informative websites that are packed with valuable data.
There is no denying the fact that travellers are becoming more socially conscious day by day. Thus, by following the simple ways mentioned above, individuals can ensure that their actions are not causing any harm to the environment.
Ten things to carry while travelling with a baby
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January 14, 2021 Category: Blog
To be able to understand how to coach your Doggy effectively so he will be a far more loyal and keen pet, a vital Pet dog schooling mystery is to find out and understand the origin of canines and where they arrived from, and see precisely how their interaction with one another can have an effect on teaching. This is often also essential for knowled
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I embrace being a social pariah when I share my opinion on pet ownership. Not liking dogs has become the moral equivalent of baby seal clubbing. When I see the dog park being a main social attraction to meet others, I know we are at some strange phase in the collapse.
A while back, my brother had a gig to help a back-issued, closet opiate-addicted boomer deliver boxes out of a beat-up FedEx truck. He ended up doing all the physicalities of the job. This meant getting chased down by Pitbulls while delivering boxed wine to some “almost divorced” leather-faced wench. He noticed a trend in dog food coupled with unmarked boxes when shook sounded like a rubber pinball inside. One day the faded boomer saw my brother’s look of confusion over the packages being shipped together. “Dog Food And Dildos; It’s What We Do!” Taken back with a heavy laugh, my brother asked, “you’re joking. Right?”. He repeated, “Dog Food And Dildos, It’s What We Do!”
Studying the topic of human and canine relations, I was bombarded with nothing but the positive aspects of dog ownership ranging from sharing the same bed to vegan puppy treats. However, diving deeper into the topic and using my own personal observations, I realized pet ownership has become a full-blown middle-class decadence and a terminal symptom of a highly stressed and depressed populace.
Pet ownership has skyrocketed last year thanks to the scamdemic, with some 68 million people living with pets. It was also estimated that U.S. pet owners were expected to spend about $99 billion, up from $95 billion in the previous year. The industry for animals now has its own ETF that tracks businesses catering to pets. Housing is geared to canines where we no longer see playgrounds for children but areas designated for dogs to defecate in. We have ice cream for dogs, organic foods, plastic surgery, hotels, even sites dedicated to finding the best city for pets.
Some females regard themselves as mentally unstable, having an infatuation for an emotional support animal. This has turned into a new meal ticket for those in the mental health industry and a colossal burden on society. The push for minimalist lifestyles puts heavy emphasis on dog ownership, where we have the image of the stoic alpha male with his “best friend” by his side. Pet owners may find the human need for affection is met most easily through a relationship with a pet.
What still holds true in most impoverished lands is that dogs are pests that run around people’s property and eat garbage. They have no name, there’re mangy, not neutered and are mutts. You do NOT want these dogs near you. A dog is generally worthless in comparison to a cow or even chickens. In the United States, they were used for hunting and protecting private property like farms and where I grew up chop shops. So they serve a physical purpose, not an emotional one. We always loved and respected animals. After World War 2, having a dog was a sign of achieving a household goal. The trope of the stable nuclear family. Think of the stick figure family decal you see on the back of a soccer mom’s SUV. As the home disintegrated, the only thing left standing was the family pet.
How did we get here?
In Dave Sims tirade against feminism titled Tangent, he states: Clearly, this came about through the fault of fathers surrendering to the weakness they experience in dealing with their daughters. No lofty trajectory of the imagination is required to envision the centuries of pleading that must have gone into the winning of that first victory by a daughter over her father: inclement weather, undoubtedly, serving as the thin end of the wedge . . .
“Please, Papa, it’s freezing outside.”
. . . and, in the succeeding years, the rest of the civilizational barricades between man and beast falling like dominos. (Well, all right, just this once) KLUNK (Well, all right but he stays in the entryway) KLUNK (Well, all right, but keep him in the kitchen) KLUNK (Well, all right, but keep him on the hardwood) KLUNK (Well, all right, but he has to stay on the floor) KLUNK (Well, all right, but he has to stay at the foot of the bed) KLUNK (Well, all right, but he has to stay on top of the covers) KLUNK. Who can doubt that we’re only a generation or two away from “Well, all right, but don’t give him the good china”? It’s not hard to see the question that that first capitulating father asked himself and which each successive father asked himself as each successive societal barricade fell: “Where’s the harm?”
The dog has supplanted both the spouse and the child to in developed country’s and is awkwardly mimicked in countries with a growing bourgeoisie. It’s astonishing how the human family can be replaced by incredibly unintelligent and short-lived animals without anyone giving it a second thought. There are many factors for this and some include lack of suitable partners, militant individualism, occupational stresses and the high cost to sustain a middle-class lifestyle. Even Boomers have embraced dog ownership because of an empty nest that was once filled with grandchildren. Has anyone else seen the bumper sticker saying “My grandchild has paws”? Or “Who rescued who? and my personal favorite “Dog is Love.” Recently I saw a 20 something-year-old thot wearing a shirt that said, “I’m only talking to my dog today”. Dogs have been shown to alleviate the perception of loneliness and depression and to improve perceived general health.
When you open up yourself to others, there is a possibility of dissonance. They may disagree with you; they may behave in ways that contradict the image you constructed of them in your expectations of them. Humans are autonomous, independent; they are abrasive at times and offensive. To date others is to take a risk to be vulnerable to have a weakness. To be refuted and not sustain a bruised ego. This can be summed up to intimacy. We cannot have intimacy anymore since there is a constant struggle on who is dominating who in the relationship and not seeing the other as a companion but as a competitor (domicile tournament theory). Do people want to make concessions or compromise anymore? Having a dog doesn’t have any of these drawbacks. No disagreements, won’t criticize you and are loyal. Dogs love us unconditionally, where humans is not.
Women imprint their biological urges onto their pets (usually dogs), where their dogs are a surrogate to motherhood on some physiological level with delusional affection. They create the person they admire and project it onto the animal. People gain validation from having power over controlling a dependent and needy creature. They will purchase dogs that they know very little about as far as their breed type goes, and for many breeds, they would not survive weeks without their owners. At times, women will raise a dog under the notion it will protect them since they have no dominant male in the house to scare away things they find threatening, like a guy who’s interested in dating them (I’ll know if you’re the one if my Pitbull likes you). Women with miniature dogs give off the perception of ostentatious grandeur and haughtiness where average men would often find them to be high maintenance. Unbeknownst to the general population, these dogs were bred to keep fleas off women during the Victorian era.
As for young childless couples, the unspoken bond of having a pet over a child is simple. It’s easier to separate without a child than with one as the child strong arms parents into cooperating. Maybe not too far into the future, there will be alimony, dog custody and paramour rules of engagement.
Recently both Iran and North Korea have pulled in the reins on dog ownership, with Tehran Police Chief citing “vulgar Western culture “as a reason and Dear Leader Kim Jong-Un had ordered the ban because he believes it represents a “tainted trend by bourgeois ideology”. The question I ask is, why did these 2 nations do this?
Given what’s at hand in the west with the Transgender Industrial Complex and the sexualization of children, I have an idea where this is going.
Dave Sims went on to state: “In our society, whether we are consciously aware of it or not, if we have a name for “it,” then we tolerate “it,” whatever “it” is: at the margins of society and behind closed doors.” Since most of the population sees having sex with an animal as not normal, therefore, is not normal. But what if the majority says is okay, much like we the majority okayed taxpayer-funded sex reassignment surgery?
Bestiality is a form of utilitarianism, a sadomasochism form of maximizing pleasure-seeking, better known as zoosadism. Mostly western women will be the ones engaging in it since they are currently the least moored to any form of moral authority, they lack shame, remorse, have little to no belief in a higher Deity and loosely identify as “spiritual”, whatever that means. We are also actively ignoring women’s unscrupulous behavior. Men on the other hand,will just be gay since there is no shortage of gay men these days and is encouraged. In the DSM-V, zoophilia is classified under the general category of “Other Specified Paraphilic Disorder.” The term is left vague, with no specification in the diagnostic criteria regarding the purpose, circumstances, or sexual acts of zoophilic behavior.
Google has recently changed its algorithm allowing bestiality pornography to pop up. Previously, it was obscure scientific literature discussing the topic in a negative manner. There are internet forums dedicated to sharing stories and exchanging advice; there are organized bestiality events and animal sex .
Then there is, of course, the social phenomena called Furries which is bordering on bestiality. A dehumanizing form of depersonalization with the demographics being White and below the age of 30. There is even a subgroup called babyfur that is interested in “age play.”
With such heavy emphases that man is an animal, thanks to Darwinism and the scientific clergy, we genuinely start considering ourselves as animals. The most absurd part about bestiality is the question of the animal’s consent and not for the fact of how grotesque the act is.
This all stems from the lack of pair bonding at the most malleable ages where you would find the person you cared and liked and stuck with that individual for better or worse. Yet when men have no sexual outlet and women are distracted by everything and anything during their prime years, this is what you get, a sexually deviant society.
These are sickening realities to contemplate, yet they are honest and with no stopgaps in place, I see more degeneracy coming as we broach the clownesque new world order where every day is the feast of fools. The absolute lack of maturity of sex and communication has given rise to where if aliens were to land in the United States, they would think canines rule over human beings. It will be a sight to see if the system collapses where fur mommas will roam during the chaos stage.
It’s no secret you cannot take away what has been given. For us to even attempt to restore a modicum of common sense, self-control, and discipline regarding people’s affinity for animals is an utter pipe dream.
Dogs are a man’s best friend and a girl’s friend-with-benefits.
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May 17, 2021 at 9:37 am
Have you ever had a dog? Come on man. They were the first domesticated animal tens of thousands of years ago, and because people are weirdos and/or have no sense of belonging today doesn’t mean dogs are a significant problem or distraction. Nibbas be looking for any excuse to blame shit. We are in decline and dogs don’t have shit to do with it. Go read a Jack London book and thank me later. Peace.
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xxcurri says:
May 17, 2021 at 11:38 am
Dogs are a white thing and have been for thousand of years, maybe you need to get your DNA checked. The phenomena you’re concerned about are a byproduct of feminism and maybe also the usual Anglo-American-Judaic social insanities. Something more serious to worry about is the recent explosion in the number of F to M trannies.
LikeLiked by 2 people
May 17, 2021 at 12:37 pm
I would disagree. The amount of people owning dogs because they dont get along with others is far more alarming then the media induced hysteria of Ladyboys. Ladyboys are a biproduct of a country that has lacked an external threat for an extended period of time. Thailand comes to mind because their neighbors who have a quarter or less of a tranny population have been literally BLASTED back to the stone age. Being attacked kinda gives you a bit of a backbone to summerize.
I will also raise a point that neither blacks or hispanics have a disgusting affinity for Dogs. Ask any Black person about dogs: Quote: “Its an animal”. “Here is a big ass bowl of water and a big ass bowl of Food and I’ll see your ass later”.
The average black woman does not project onto animals…they just get preggers and you and your women foot the bill and have dogs which is hilarious.
DNA? Go beat off with your fellow cuckbund buddies. Atta Goy!
LikeLiked by 4 people
May 17, 2021 at 11:38 am
Good article and sums up what I think a lot of us have been thinking for some time about western women and their obsession with dogs. As so often, the simplest explanation is often the best: dogs are a cheaper, easier, more Instagrammable and apparently more environmentally friendly proxy for having children. My own fiancee loves dogs (not in that way thank God) but openly admits that it’s just a manifestation of her drive to have children – too many women are too mentally unstable or brainwashed to admit that to themselves, so unhealthy fixation can develop even into genuine perversion.
That aside, I think you’re a bit too harsh on dog ownership itself. It’s a really ancient institution and western man has a long history of close affection for companion/ guard/ hunting animals – look at stories like Beth Gelert in Welsh folklore, or medieval/ Roman depictions of dogs. You are right that modern, suburban, feminised lifestyles have made the role of the dog within the nuclear family somewhat distorted, but I don’t think it’s right to suggest that our closeness to dogs is a completely modern thing. Being clear that you are the master and not allowing your dog to lose all its aggression when you train it is actually a good way to hone healthy masculine characteristics – mastery over nature and natural leadership.
LikeLiked by 2 people
May 19, 2021 at 5:27 pm
He author os definitely too harsh on dog owners in general. He also seemingly disregards the importance of dogs in western civilization since the very first organized groups start popping up across the Danube. We know the ancient world put a heavy emphasis on the importance of dogs for pragmatic purposes like hunting, guarding, and in rare cases wardogs. However one could easily look to the Roman Empire for clues on what the ancient world thought of dogs and that is that they really did value the championship and unconditional love dog gave their owners. So much so that throughout the lands that Rome had conquered there are expensive murals of family dogs and even entire graveyards decided to their pets. One world be hard pressed to convince anyone that the average Roman male was weak, so what was their affinity for dogs? I believe in my own opinion that the Romans valued dogs and pet chapanionshop not because the world around they were weak but because the world around them was cruel. Simply put in a world were the sanctity of life is treated in such a wonton manner, and where ones existence could end at the drop of a hat, the canines proclivity to unconditional love and loyalty was and is for many the only assurance of real love and respect.
Relative to today, a mans life can easily be threatened and destroyed just as easily. We don’t have barbarians slaughting their way through the Roman countryside, we don’t them that existential threat anymore because now it’s much easier for those of same miserable people to ruin someone’s life just by making false claims against them on Twitter. The truth is, women have turned away from men and you see the dog more in men not because he is replacing the woman with the dog but because the ancient bond between a man and his dog now more noticeable with the woman gone.
In today’s depraved lifestyle of women, man finds better championship and unconditional love with dogs rather than the two faced loyalty and the conditional love of women. What would you choose if you were a young man and alone in the this world?
Now I’m certainly not insinuating that the dog is any replace for a women, quite the opposite, men need to be strong with women. The picture I’m trying to show is isn’t that men are weak so they choose dogs but in a depraved society men choose dogs because society is so depraved that men choose dogs because they are one of the true forms of companionship next to brotherhood with a close group of friends.
I don’t believe that reigning in the rampant and depraved behavior of women will change dog ownership in men but it will be less noticeable when balanced by a nuclear family.
endy says:
May 17, 2021 at 12:49 pm
The dog has replaced a family for some, and its especially an issue with women, who largely brought it on themselves. But overall having (certain kinds) of dogs can be overall healthy. And I find it hard to trust anyone who doesn’t like dogs entirely, but I understand the point of your arugment.
My main issue with your article is the suggestion that you should “treat your wife as a companion” when that’s exactly the liberal argument for relationships, and the reason we are where we are today. The issue is, of course, eventually someone has to be in charge. These days its usually the woman, who emotionally bullies infantilized men into submission. There is a reason the Bible tells us the man is the head of the woman, because it works, and is healthy.
LikeLiked by 2 people
endy says:
May 17, 2021 at 12:49 pm
The dog has replaced a family for some, and its especially an issue with women, who largely brought it on themselves. But overall having (certain kinds) of dogs can be overall healthy. And I find it hard to trust anyone who doesn’t like dogs entirely, but I understand the point of your argument.
My main issue with your article is the suggestion that you should “treat your wife as a companion” when that’s exactly the liberal argument for relationships, and the reason we are where we are today. The issue is, of course, eventually someone has to be in charge. These days its usually the woman, who emotionally bullies infantilized men into submission. There is a reason the Bible tells us the man is the head of the woman, because it works, and is healthy.
WS says:
May 17, 2021 at 9:16 pm
My brother’s girlfriend broke up with him. Why? On one occasion he asked her to change her shirt because dog hair was all over it. On another occasion he tried to kiss her and it smelled like dog, and he tried to politely ask her to wash her face. He found himself unwilling to go to her place because dog hair was everywhere. The dog, of course, slept in her bed.
The thing was a Saint Bernard.
I love dogs just as much as anyone, but god almighty, there are a lot of lines that are crossed that ought not to be
LikeLiked by 2 people
NC says:
May 18, 2021 at 2:20 am
May 18, 2021 at 2:38 pm
This, right here, is writing. You beautifully presented an important, underappreciated phenomenon and then, to wrap it all up, you said, in so many words “white girls f*ck dogs”, a message the right needs to hear. However, you did so in a way that I can link to respectable people. Bravo.
Charles G Laird says:
May 18, 2021 at 7:03 pm
A dog may be man’s best friend but a boy and his dog are inseparable.
May 18, 2021 at 8:39 pm
I can’t believe you ignored the cat lady trope. But maybe that’s too cliche.
May 18, 2021 at 11:58 pm
this is sad beyond belief. I can relate to you though , I am infamous in my social circle for believing animals are animals . I harang parents when their 20 something daughter gets a dog ” well , no son in law for you” . Gere in suburbia it is absolutely epidemic . I bet a third of the cars I see with 20-30’s women in them have a paw or two on the back. It is tragic for them beyond words.
LikeLiked by 1 person
GDR says:
May 20, 2021 at 11:58 pm
Dogs exist to work, and that’s it.
Anything else is pretty weird IMO.
Also lol at American Sun’s first dogpill article.
Kaite says:
May 23, 2021 at 1:44 pm
Seriously? THAT’S the conclusion you come to when a(presumably)single woman prefers the company of her dog to a man? That’s like dismissing a woman who breaks up with you as gay. Poor guy. Bruises your masculinity, does it?
Let’s take a look back at the cultural changes over the past, say, 50 years. Sexual revolution. Men no longer have to marry a woman to get sex; women get(have)to enter the workforce. Getting married and having kids In a traditional family structure is passe. Women who DO get married find that they have to do everything their mothers did…PLUS work a job. Culture dictates that men are “too masculine”…meanwhile, “femininity” is passe. Equals. Women are expected to be more masculine, men less so. Propaganda states having children is passe…just have fun…and work…it’s all about YOU! Roles are fuzzied. Men in the traditional role of provider, protector, strong male influence for children…just about gone. Women are independent, strong, win their own bread, choose not to reproduce. The only role left for the man is that of Lover. Sadly, it seems that some women find that role is equally(or better)filled by a piece of plastic.
So, rather than examine how we got here, you want to villainize DOGS? Well, logically, they fill the role of companionship and protector. Always happy to see you, enjoy your company, fiercely loyal, great listeners, fun travel companions…with few needs of their own. They will get you outside and active with a a walk or game of fetch, they will protect you from evil(ever notice in the crime shows…there is never a DOG protecting or alerting the victims?) Yes, in a world that has become so unrecognizable in such a relatively short time, it makes sense.
Mr. Anonymous says:
June 2, 2021 at 11:56 pm
Masterfully written, as always, Lamprey. This should really get under the flab of doggy-lovin’ thots everywhere. Cheers!
June 9, 2021 at 4:53 am
lmao @ the people here in the comment section who want to pretend the point of this piece is “dogs are bad” because they too are unhealthily emotionally attached to their dumb pet.
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On Tuesday, Dr. Seuss Enterprises announced that six books written by the famous children's author would no longer be printed due to “racially insensitive imagery.” Because naturally, Theodor Seuss Geisel wrote those books to indoctrinate racist beliefs into young children, not to entertain them.
But a substantial amount of buyers chose to ignore the woke mob’s latest ineffectual attempt to combat racism in their current example of "the Streisand effect," which is "a consequence of failed censorship attempts." A day after the announcement, the Daily Wire reported that Dr. Seuss books were flying off the shelves on Amazon. By Wednesday, nine Seuss titles were on their top 10 bestselling books, and 30 were on the Top 50 books.
Take that, cancel culture.
Related: How the Grinch Stole Common Sense: Six Dr. Seuss Books Are Getting Yanked Due to 'Racism'
“The Cat in the Hat,” “Green Eggs and Ham,” and “Fox in Socks” were among those listed on the top 10 bestselling books.
Meanwhile, prices on the banned Seuss books have been dramatically rising. According to prices indicated in the Daily Wire article and listed on Amazon - as of this writing - a copy of “If I Ran The Zoo” now costs $1,500; two used “On Beyond Zebra” books now sell for $169 and $768; prices for “Scrambled Eggs Super” range from $650 to $2,000, and two copies of “The Cat’s Quizzer” have mounted up to over $1,000.
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The mission of the Media Research Center is to document and combat the falsehoods and censorship of the news media, entertainment media and Big Tech in order to defend and preserve America's founding principles and Judeo-Christian values. The MRC is a research and education organization operating under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and contributions to the MRC are tax-deductible.
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Purchasing contractors insurance is simply one of the many responsibilities that contractors face in the course of their business. While it is important to find the best coverage for your operations, it is also important to save as much money as you can.
Understanding what affects the cost of your insurance can help you save money on your contractors insurance policy.
Size of the Business
Large contracting businesses generally require higher amounts of insurance, which in turn costs more in premiums. This doesn’t only to apply to the number of contractors or subcontractors a business may employ, however. If you have a larger client base, you face more risk of lawsuits and other claims.
Types of Coverage
Contractors insurance is an umbrella term for several different types of coverages that can be used by contractors. Some of the coverages you may consider as a contractor include:
General Liability covers non-professional negligence claims concerning bodily injury, property damage and personal and advertising injury. This covers injuries and damages a third party may face as well as legal expenses the contractor may face.
Professional Liability covers professional negligent accidents that may cause a client to lose money.
Commercial Property covers property owned by the contractor such as a physical office and equipment in case of damage caused by fire, wind, hail, lightning, smoke, theft, vandalism and more.
Commercial Auto Insurance covers vehicles owned or used by a business for work purposes, such as vans or trucks used to transport material and equipment or travel between client locations.
A business or contractor with a history of claims is a sign to an insurer that you are more at risk to file a claim in the future. If you have filed a number of claims in the past, you may face higher premiums. While not all accidents are avoidable, it is important to operate as carefully as possible in order to avoid unnecessary claims.
Credit of the Insured
The credit score of the policyholder (in most cases, the contractor or business owner) can also affect the cost of contractors insurance. Credit scores are considered as an example of how reliable a policyholder will be in paying their insurance premiums in full and on time. If you have a low credit score, you may pay more for contractors insurance. On the other hand, a high credit score can save you money on coverage.
Tags: general liability, liability risks, general liability insurance
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NOTICE: This blog and website are made available by the publisher for educational and informational purposes only. It is not be used as a substitute for competent insurance, legal, or tax advice from a licensed professional in your state. By using this blog site you understand that there is no broker client relationship between you and the blog and website publisher.
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You see, my father, Virgilio Sarne, passed away last December 31st in Hackensack, New Jersey. He was 76. We had no idea he had cirrhosis. Apparently, he had preferred to suffer in silence instead of seeing a doctor. My close friends will now understand where I got my aversion to medical experts.
Anyway. Some of my longtime readers will remember Papa’s Ford Mustang, the subject of an article (“A Pony Tale”) I wrote for Top Gear Philippines a little over a decade ago. That base-model Mustang was my father’s first and only car (he had been carless before migrating to the United States in 1995). He saved up for it and got it brand-new in 2008 for some $21,000. Now, a heavy rear-wheel-drive coupe is never a good car for an elderly person to own and drive, but the Mustang was the one automobile he fancied—likely an offshoot of his lifelong fascination with horses.
He loved this car like it was a real, living horse. PHOTOS BY VERNON B. SARNE
Above-mentioned readers might also recall that my father had actually wanted to get a car not for himself but for my mother. He wanted to look good in her eyes. He wanted her to experience what it was like to have their own ride, even if this meant contorting their old and weak bodies just to get inside the cramped cabin.
That Mustang was well-loved, treated like a family member that received genuine care from its owner. I’m not talking about the technical kind of upkeep; my father wasn’t a petrolhead. I’m referring to a kind of custody that was akin to parental guardianship. He worried over the car’s well-being like someone might fidget over a child. Whenever I used it, for instance, he constantly reminded me to never engage the handbrake as the mechanism had a tendency to get stuck in winter.
The trunk served as a vault for various items. PHOTOS BY VERNON B. SARNE
After more than 10 years in my father’s possession, the Mustang had racked up less than 20,000 miles (32,000km) of mileage. He had only ever used it to go to work, church and market—all quite near their residence. In his last days, he had become too frail to drive it, and so he let his sister use it instead. My aunt offered to buy it, but he refused, saying my mother might take it against him if he sold it.
The insurance company has determined that the Mustang is a totaled vehicle. It is sad. PHOTOS BY VERNON B. SARNE
On December 13th (a Friday), three days before my father was to be rushed to the hospital, my aunt met an accident while driving the Mustang. Another vehicle struck the car’s passenger side—right between the door and the rear wheel—where my mother had always sat before passing a year and half ago. The impact was so hard it bent the frame of the Mustang, according to the Filipino mechanic who attended to it afterward. The claims adjuster of my father’s insurance provider wrote off the car and offered a totaled-vehicle compensation of $8,000. We could buy it back, sure, but the mechanic felt it wasn’t worth it. The repair costs would be too expensive, and the car would be officially considered a salvage vehicle (which could then lead to potential issues with insurance).
Virgilio Sarne had two great passions in life: horses and Elvis Presley. Not even joking. PHOTOS BY VERNON B. SARNE
I went to the mechanic’s shop yesterday and said goodbye to the Mustang for the last time. I found two books in the trunk, both about Elvis Presley. If I may digress: My father was a huge Elvis fan, and I’m eternally grateful that he named me after Elvis’s father and not Elvis himself. I don’t think you’d pay attention to an automotive journalist named Elvis B. Sarne (or EBS).
If anyone had told me that both my father and his car would be gone by December 2019, I would have been completely incredulous. But here we are. I think humans do form a mystical bond even with an inanimate object if they love it passionately enough.
Farewell, our most gallant Mustang. Thank you for being Papa’s steed for the last decade of his life. Salute.
This Ford Mustang GT is pretty fly for a pony car
August 20, 2018
I will forever miss driving for my mother
May 5, 2018
March 3, 2019
A Ford Mustang Steve McQueen would love
January 16, 2018
November 9, 2017
Vernon is the founder and editor-in-chief of VISOR. He has been an automotive journalist for 27 years. He became one by serendipity, walking into the office of a small publishing company and applying for a position he had no idea was for a local car magazine. God has watched over him throughout his humble journey. He writes the ‘Spoiler’ column.
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I've studied works of Stockhausen, Berlioz, Shoenburg and Webern as part of my A2 syllabus. It seems to me however that fairly often the avant-garde neglects structure, tonality, development or harmony in such a way that makes it difficult to appreciate - it can be done well, but it needs one of those things mentioned before, otherwise I don't think it can be called music. A keyboard may be great fun to bash, but without some sense of appreciable structure and development - nobody's going to rush out and buy a CD of it.
This on the other hand, demonstrates little melody or harmony, but since it has structure and development, i think its very enjoyable:
Even serialist compositions, rooted in mathematics and with structures more rigorous than that of the Bachian fugue, have never appealed to a wide audience. Maybe eventually the general public will find tritones consonant (it took 'till the 1300s for European to find 3rds consonant!), but the likelihood is that serialism, the use of largely arbitrarily rules to generate a piece of music, or random key bashing will not allow for this.
I agree that we need to work to move on the harmonic and melodic zeitgeist. I don't want to force anyone to write Mozartian music ad infinitum. I simply feel that the most succesful attempts to reach 'musical' atonality have been via further construction upon the thousand years of musical evolution that have come before, rather than chucking almost all the rules out the window and trying to devise a whole new system of musical theory. In my opinion Shostakovitch and Wagner are two musicians for whom these attempts proved brilliantly succesful.
Call me a spoilsport, but I don't think art needs to be fun. I think that art should demonstrate the technical ability of the artist (and in music's case the performer), express emotions, ideas or feelings and demonstrate harmony and beauty. Above all it needs to be enjoyable in some way - even if it's through the unusual enjoyment of being scared or disconcerted (as in a horror film or something). I'm not sure you can't hope to push the boundaries unless the stuff you're using exhibits some of these traits.
I think Lydia Kavina has had the most success in pushing the theremin into more esoteric composition. I love (some) of the recordings she's made of modern compositions.
Don't get me wrong - I loved Pamelia's set. I didn't like the guitar guy's one, but the very first keyboardist had some nice ideas. My only complaint was that his piece lasted slightly too long - I reckon it would have been better if either it had been shorter, or been slightly more varied.
Joined: 12/30/2006
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Thankyou sir, for that keyboardist was none other than I. That was my "look, I own a Korg MS-20" set. I'm quite a fan of Jez (the guitar guy) and I believe he's doing a bit to help out with Hands Off 2007 (and I'm definitely getting him back to Bristol over the next few months)... so you haven't heard the last of him! IME is a bit of a weird one because it isn't strictly Jez, it's called the Intuitive Music Ensemble and basically incorporates any number of musicians that [i]might[/i] work to make music together... intuitively. It's a similar premise to what I might do, or what I did do when I was doing the synth-based stuff (the pull of the Theremin got too great in the end)... I'd wait until the day of the gig, come up with an idea for a piece, turn up and make it happen. Sometimes it came out great, sometimes awful. Sometimes it went on too long, but it was always fun, and principally in music fun is what I believe in more than anything else.
About mass appeal... it was Chris Rock who said "basically whatever was playing around the time you started f***ing, you will love that music forever". I think he's right there. Ultimately, people can convince themselves to like anything. It's a case of right place, right time. You don't need to convince crowds of people of anything, you just need to be doing what you want to do. I love making art and music, I might not ever make a penny off it, but I could do it until I die and put up with my 9-5 job just fine, as long as I have that in my life.
I also believe that good music can be made by idiots. It can be made by the confused and uneducated to that same degree of relevance as the greatest classical composer... that's just something I believe, and I've seen some great evidence to back that up. The key is to go out and find it, Bristol's experimental music scene for instance is amazing, you need to check it out.
By "fun", by the way, I mean engrossing, invigorating, assuring, efficacious - in any creative medium, someone's brain should be switching on... except when it's switching off. The most important thing is to love what you do, even if nobody else does... I guess it's sort of summed up here:
[i]“Our second ever live show was even more extreme. I cut my leg with a circular saw. When I jumped from this big drill press thing that I was up on, down onto a desk, the power saw hit something hard and bounced back into my thigh, about two inches in. Since it was a vertical cut, all the muscles were still connected. If I had cut myself sideways, the show would have stopped right there. I knew I had cut myself, but I was so excited I didn’t feel any pain. I surprised myself that time! Blood spurted way out. Even though there was a lot of blood, I kept running around for about 15 minutes. It was some kind of extreme emotional state. I really thought, ‘Oh, I’m going to die’ without feeling anything in particular one way or the other. Mind of ashes”[/i] – Yamatsuka Eye
Whoop, yeah - I forgot to mention: [b]Aerial Fingering[/b]. See, this thread is totally still on topic.
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[i]Even though there was a lot of blood, I kept running around for about 15 minutes. It was some kind of extreme emotional state. I really thought, ‘Oh, I’m going to die’"[/i]
Wow! And to think, I was afraid that this thread would go off topic.
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My latest compositions utilize live looping (I will premiere these works at the electro-music festival in June) and to use a laptop as a real-time processor forced me to consider the effects of latency on Theremin playing. This post is written to share some of my findings on the topic and hopefully you will find some of the information useful in your own music-making.
One of the skills that a thereminist develops is hand/ear coordination. One listens to the sound and corrects to the target pitch. Worded another way, one moves one’s hand while listening to the pitch and stops on the target pitch.
Notice that I didn’t write “while listening to the theremin” because, as we all know, the theremin merely produces an electronic signal which in turn is processed, amplified, and sent to a speaker. To say that one plays the theremin while listening to the sound from a speaker best describes this relationship.
Thus, hand/ear coordination follows a cycle: hand -> theremin -> processing/amplification -> speaker -> ear -> hand. To reduce the latency (time-gap) from hand to ear is particularly important when playing the theremin.
There are three sources of latency: 1) the speed of light, 2) processing time (system latency), 3) the speed of sound (acoustical latency).
The speed of light is a universal speed limit – nothing can exceed the speed of light. Fortunately, the effects of this are almost immeasurable. A so-called “zero latency” system is NOT absolute zero – however, for a discussion of theremin playing, we need not consider this speed limit.
The speed of sound is another speed limit, however, unlike the speed of light, the speed of sound is dependent upon the medium (the matter through which the sound waves traverse). For example, sound travels faster at low altitude (higher air pressure) than high. Sound travels faster through solids than through gas. A rough rule of thumb is that for sound to move through the air takes 1 millisecond (1ms) per foot. 1ms = 1/1000 of a second. I will call the speed of sound “acoustical latency”.
Processing time is another source of latency. This is most apparent with digital recording systems wherein the electrical signal from the theremin is converted to digital data that is, in turn, processed in a computer system. Once converted to digital data, the speed that it can be processed is subject to the speed of the computer system. The a/d and d/a converters are subject to their own delays. Delays under 10ms are excellent although computers may require more time to process – processing latencies can easily reach 30ms. I will refer to this as “system latency”.
“Milliseconds!?” you may ask. “Are we splitting hairs?” Well, to an extent, “yes” however to play the theremin precisely requires a bit of hair-splitting.
One approach to the computer system’s latency is to use zero-latency monitoring – that is, to monitor the theremin’s signal directly from a preamp without placing a computer in the path. This is an ideal solution most of the time. However, this can become an issue if you are using the computer to generate effects, particularly loops that require a high level of rhythmic precision.
Besides digital processing, the speed limit of the sound waves is a important source of latency. If the theremin’s monitor is 10 feet from one’s ear, then it will take 10ms for the sound waves to travel from the speaker to the thereminist.
The latency experienced by the thereminist, then, is the sum of system latency and acoustical latency.
Since my equipment allows me to set different delay (latency) times, I have experimented and found that latencies >10ms are enough to introduce “slop” into rhythmic playing and >20ms impact pitch precision. Above 30m
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One of the most effective ways to "wow" an audience when demonstrating the Theremin is to do the breathing demonstration from Pamelia Kurstin's Epro DVD.
I find that to do this demo, I have to take an unrealistic, exaggerated breath. Audiences love this demo. Does this demo translate to any practical issues for a thereminist?
The theremin's antennas are sensitive to changes in electrical capacitance in the vicinity of the antennas. A thereminist's body has capacitance and (barring other objects in the control zone), the pitch corresponds to the shortest distance from the rod to some part of the performer's torso. That is, if one points one's elbow towards the rod then the distance from one's elbow to the rod determines pitch. (Ninki V gets swoops by swinging her long hair past the rod!)
In "normal" playing, when the hand is nominally eight to twenty inches from the rod and, say 12" from one's torso, one would have to take exaggerated breaths to produce any noticeable pitch change. Any change in pitch would be due to a change in the distance between one's fingers/knuckles and the rod. Thus, in the "normal" range of playing, one can just play and avoid gasping or otherwise exaggerated breathing.
Similarly, to hold your breath introduces stress and, ironically, makes it harder to stand still!
Since the amount of air in one's lungs has a negligable (if any) impact on capacitance, the issue with breathing is that exaggerated breathing can introduce extraneous motion.
In extreme cases, when playing very close to the rod, extraneous motion from normal breathing can be a factor.
For example, the Epro exhibits such fine linearity that one can hold notes only 1" from the rod. However, to hold such a note along with a controlled vibrato is difficult because such a note is on the edge of the Epro's controllable note spacing.
The high "d" of "Meteor Mallets" is such a note -- to hold it requires me to do a slow and controlled inhalation. This is a temporary posture that allows me to hold the note. The issue is that to breath in and out when so close to the rod can upset the distance to the rod. The note is followed by a few measures rest so I can catch my breath and composure.
[i](the high 'd' is the climactic note of the work -- I purposely wrote it because the effort to play it enhances to the drama of the note.)[/i]
In one of my latest works (to be premiered at the electro-music festival on June 1) I explore the bass end of the theremin's range (a live-looping work entitled "Three-Legged Race"). Near the end, I sustain a Low D (comparable to the lowest D on a piano keyboard). In this case, my hand is on my torso and any [i]excessive[/i] breathing effects the pitch. I must control my stance/position to hold pitch because my hand is not a factor in that mode. (incidentally, this is an easy note on the low register of the Epro -- I have to play it from the middle register setting because, in other sections of the work I have to hit some high notes.)
So, how important is breathing to a thereminist? My experience is that normal breathing works fine for playing the theremin.
So, we can "wow" our audiences with the "you can change the pitch by breathing" demo. And, in the meantime, we can breath easy.
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For me these days, breath and the soles of my feet are inexorably intertwined.
As Kevin and Kip and others have commented, we do not so much remain perfectly motionless,
rather we maintain an equilibrium or a poise at the core of our stance at the theremin and from that the limbs perform their musical tasks in a kind of "isolation" (to borrow the term from Rosser, Decroux and Marceau) from the body's core.
Breath is tremendously important to any activity and crucial to things that require delicate control of both mind and body. It does not so much occur to me to "keep control" of my breathing or to do anything special with it as much as to make sure I continue doing it in a constant and gentle manner.
Some meditation traditions pay very close attention to the breath and I think this kind of practice is beneficial to theremin playing. My breath flowing down through my heels, my heels fully feeling the floor, the central column of my body erect and hollow allowing full and deep flowing of the breath; that is the base I try to start from and return to constantly while playing.
Any sort of performance will present new and unexpected intrusions into your well practiced presentation, and practicing your poise and center will pay off when you have to return to them instantly after being shaken by some firecracker or something going off next to you.
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There has been a lot of heat on icing techniques lately, no pun intended. A lot of what we know does come from studies from the 80s and 90s, but a lot of current studies don’t have enough subjects to have any clinical basis and relevance. So when people say that because the whole point of icing is to decrease inflammation, ice therefore inhibits the healing process (injury, inflammation, repair, remodeling), is what they’re saying really backed by clinical studies? But there are so many studies that contradict each other, how are you supposed to be able to tell which is right and which isn’t?
Doing the research for yourself and critically analyzing the study would be a good start. However, I understand that reading research papers is a difficult thing to do, as they are very dry and don’t always get right to the point. And if you haven’t been taught how to properly analyze a study critically, you could miss the things that make it an unreliable study.
But reading titles doesn’t give you enough information to determine the efficacy of the study, either. For example, a study published in 2013 conducted by Tseng et al. titled “Topical Cooling (Icing) Delays Recovery from Eccentric Exercise-Induced Muscle Damage,” ended the paper by stating “This study does not provide evidence on whether recovery from pitching-induced muscle damage would be slowed down by topical cooling.” Their title came from the fact that they found increased signs of muscle damage after applying ice following eccentric exercises compared to when applying “sham” ice. But what even is “sham” ice, and how would you apply it? However, in critically analyzing this study, the authors found no difference in strength or pain between the groups despite finding increased biomarkers in the group receiving cold therapy. And analyzing even further, they had a total of 11 subjects, so therefore, the clinical relevance is questionable, anyway.
People say that ice inhibits the inflammatory process, however, Hocutt et al (1982) found that ice doesn’t affect or decrease swelling after the first 36-48 hours of being injured. If used and applied properly within the first 36-48 hours, ice and cryotherapy can reduce risk of secondary hypoxic injury (injury caused by lack of blood flow, and therefore oxygen, to an area) and reduce inflammation. Using ice past the acute phase of injury (48-72 hours after initial injury) helps reduce spasm, pain, and muscle guarding, which allows the joint more mobility (Barber et al. 1998, Raynor et al. 2005). This makes recovery easier.
Ice is the safest tool we have for pain management. It isn’t addictive like most pain killers, and is localized instead of systemic. It’s a great way to numb the area in order to gain mobility back after injury. After suffering from injury, your muscles and other structures around the area basically shut off in order to prevent harming the area further. In numbing the pain with ice, the muscles will turn back on, and you can regain mobility Because ice isn’t addictive, it’s also great for chronic pain, and has been proven to reduce the amount of prescription pain meds used after surgery.
Everyone has their opinion on ice, and I am definitely in the pro-ice category. I myself used ice instead of addictive painkillers after my ACL surgery when I was 15. Sure, I had a couple, but when asked two weeks after surgery how many pain meds I had taken, they were flabbergasted by my response of 8, expecting a number over 35. I iced every day, twenty minutes on, twenty minutes off, and it greatly decreased my pain. And I completely healed. Therefore, I believe the benefits outweigh any so-called risks, and that the clinical studies that found these “risks” don’t have enough clinical value and relevance.
If you have a chronic injury or chronic pain, schedule an appointment online today! https://pteverywhere.com/PtE/bodyfit/bookingonline
Reinold, M. (2020, April 20). Is icing an injury really bad for you? What the science says. Mike Reinold. https://mikereinold.com/is-icing-really-bad-for-you/.
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Christmas for your dog. Have you given it some thought? With all of the hustle and bustle and planning this time of year, we thought you might enjoy some ideas to make Fido’s holiday as special as yours.
If you’re like us, there’s a tradition of making cookies this time of year. The whole kitchen is awhirl with baking goods and different types of ingredients. Together, they yield the yummiest of confections.
And then there’s our pup looking up at us with those begging eyes. They deserve a cookie treat, too! However, people cookies aren’t necessarily good for your dog. In fact, some can be bad for them (e.g., if they contain raisins or nuts).
So what’s a dog-mom to do? Make special dog Christmas cookies, of course! Christmas for your dog just got 100 times better. We found a few doggie Christmas cookie recipes that you can enjoy here. Most require just a few ingredients and are easy to make:
Like any good mom, keeping health and safety in mind is a must. Because Christmas can be hectic, this is just a reminder about how your dog may react to the holidays.
With lots of people coming and going, the change in routine may be stressful for your pup. Be sure he has a place of his own to relax.
Last year we wrote about the hazards of Christmas decorations for pets. Check it out for a list of the hidden dangers that may be in your home.
Presents at Christmas for Your Dog
Whether your dog has been naughty or nice, doesn’t he still deserve a present? We think so.
If you’re accustomed to visiting Pet Supplies Plus on Dorchester Road, or Pet Smart in Summerville’s Azalea Square, you know there are plenty of toys to choose from.
But are you ready to take it up a notch? Have you started shopping online for your pup?
Take a look at some of these pretty festive finds.
These are just a few of the great ideas available for your dogs. With a little internet surfing, you’re sure to find a few more doggie treasures!
For more information about this subject or general questions you can contact:
Christi Knight, CPDT with Posh Paws Pet Care, LLC
Visit our website at PoshPawsPetCareSC.com
Or send us a note from our contact page here.
Christi Knight, CPDT with Posh Paws Pet Care, LLC
Visit our website at PoshPawsPetCareSC.com
Or send us a note from our contact page here.
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They take care of my new puppy like he is one of their own!! It’s comforting to know someone can make it over to take the pup out while my husband and I are both at work! I love the pictures the sitter sends me of their day!read more
Used their service for a recent trip out of town. Very professional and reliable service. Their website and associated apps were a great tool to monitor the care during visits. Receiving pictures of our cats was a bonus. Will definitely use their services again.read more
We recently hired Posh Paws to take care of our pets while we were away for spring break. They came three times a day to walk and play with the pets. We were blown away by their level of professionalism and courtesy. The App was so convenient and useful and made it so easy to communicate with the caregivers that were checking on our home and pets. We were hesitant at first, as this is the first time we've ever used a professional petsitter, but the peace of mind we felt knowing they were well cared for was so worth it. And the picture updates were fantastic! I highly recommend Posh Paws to anyone that's looking for daily, or vacation care for their pets. We will definitely use their services again!read more
19:17 17 May 18
I have used Posh Paws Pet Care a few times and am very happy with the pet care giver. I receive lots of cute photos of my pets whenever she visits them! I completely trust this service with my precious dogs and cats (3 of which are oldsters).read more
I cannot recommend Posh Paws enough! They watched our two dogs while we were away for a week. One dog is very personable but has separation anxiety and usually won't eat the first few days we're away, the other is very shy. Posh Paws was most attentive to my dogs' needs and they were all friends in no time. The day we were to come home our flight was cancelled; we had to spend an extra night away from home. Posh Paws immediately added another day to the schedule. I don't know what we would have done without them. It's so nice to go away and know that your babies are in good hands. We will definitely use them again!read more
Tammy provided the utmost in service for our three dogs. She was professional, courteous and provided us with daily happenings, including photos. We never had a care knowing she was responsible for our pets.read more
They are wonderful. They let our puppy out to play and treat her as their own. We get pictures everyday of them playing outside and she looks so happy.read more
Christi and her team are amazing! Marshall LOVED his visits and playtime with his favorite tennis ball. I recommend Posh Paws to everyone I know with four-legged kids! Thank you, Posh Paws!read more
This service is amazing! Whether it be last minute plans or weekly visits, Posh Paws is always a pleasure to work with. I definitely recommend to friends and family.read more
My dogs loved Christina and Tammy. The recieved the best care ever while I was on vacation. I loved my daily updates and pictures.read more
Tammy was wonderful with our dog Maggie! I felt very secure knowing she was in good hands. I received daily updates including a photo. I would highly recommend Posh Pets!read more
So our German Shepherd got sick around Mid June and we were struggling to get home to take her out....when someone recommended PoshPaws Pet Care to us. I’ll admit I was nervous at first but once we met with Carolyn King and saw how fast our dog bonded with her we knew we were it great hands. We have been having her watch and take our dog out for over 2months now and my dog loves her and we love her! They are truly the best and we couldn’t be happier with Posh Paws and Carolyn watching our fuzzy. Also, I know our GSD is having a great time because on the days we don’t have her normal schedule with Carolyn we hear about it????read more
We were totally satisfied and elated with the care and attention that the Posh Paws folks gave to our 2 cats. Tammy was the employee that spent the most time with them, she gave daily updates with photos (she visited twice a day so we received updates twice a day) and listed specifically what she did and how the cats were doing. This was done with emails and also was easily accessed via their on-line app. You could tell that she truly loved her job and thoroughly enjoyed taking care of our dear pets. We had been kenneling our cats, but after trying PoshPaws as a trial (really more for how the cats would do) while we were away for 2 back-to-back long weekend trips, we have no plans to ever kennel them again.read more
Posh Paws exceeded my expectations! I have not been able to leave my little dog for years as there was no one I could trust. Tammy came for a meet and greet and I knew she would be great. We had Tammy here for 3 overnights, Tammy was so good with my dog that I don't think she missed me at all, she sent tons of pictures and checked in with me more than I expected. She was wonderful!! Christy was a pleasure to work with getting me set up as a new overprotective dog mom! Thank you Ladies!!read more
We love the extra care & thoughtfulness they provide! The “reports” & photos are so comforting to see! Highly recommend!
We contacted Posh Paws on a pure chance when our cat was ill. There are not enough stars to express the graditude and love we have for this company. They cared for our Sam like he was their pet. We now also have a dog and use them for daily walks and will continue to trust them with our fur family members.read more
This was my husbands and my first time hiring a professional company to sit for our pups and cat. Before it was only family we trusted. Took a chance and everything went perfectly. I can’t say enough about how happy we are with Posh Paws! Meeting way before our trip to introduce Jenny, Daphne, and Bonnie to Tammy instantly made me relax. Tammy took notes and made sure she knew where everything for the pets was located. The daily updates and pictures put my mind at ease while we were away. It was so hard to leave our fur babies but the updates gave me peace and the pets were happy and staying in routine while staying in their own home. Couldn’t have asked for more. The process of scheduling and meeting and payment was so smooth. We will be using them again for an up coming trip in June ?read more
Tammi took wonderful care of our beloved pets and our home during our recent trip. We loved the updates and photos she shared and are very grateful for such a wonderful company. We have already recommended them to family and friends and will definitely be repeat customers. Thank you so much!read more
Mary M
20:54 28 Dec 18
i am new to this area and wanted someone dependable for my two cats. Tammy was wonderful. She treated my cats like her own and even played with them. She also gave them some treats and toys. My cats who are not the friendlies to strangers, allowed her to pet them. Tammy is very trustworthy and trustworthy. I will have them watch my animals anytime. Very dependable. She sent emails to me on every visit along with pictures. I didn't feel like I was away at all. Do not hesitate to hire this company.read more
It is such a relief to know that my fur babies are being loved on while we are out of town or on our days of work. I love this company and the caretakers as they dote on my animals! Excellent job!read more
Knowing that my guys were in good hands made leaving them for a week so much easier. We missed them everyday, but Tammy sent us pictures and updates daily just to let us know they were doing well. She did an outstanding job and I would and will recommend Posh Paws to my friendsread more
Sherry and Posh Paws took excellent care of my Holly. Sherry walked her 3 times a day and gave her treats! Sherry also sent me pictures of Holly so that I could see that she was fine. I will definitely use Posh Paws again!read more
We are new to the area and were planning a short getaway. I needed someone to care for our two cats while we were away. I found Posh Paws online and I can’t say enough about them. Our sitter, Carolyn, now feels like part of our family. She went above and beyond to not only take care of our cats but our home by bringing in the mail, trash can and cleaning up after our cats. I love the app and the great communication. Their prices are very reasonable. I would definitely recommend them and will use them again. Thank youread more
00:40 03 May 19
Highly recommend!! We had only been in town a few weeks so I was a bit nervous leaving our furbaby. Sherri was fantastic and provided pictures and details of her visits. I knew our Baylee was well taken care of and will continue to use their services. Christi, the owner, was so kind as I asked lots of questions while I was researching. She really helped me feel at ease with her experience and professionalism.read more
Posh Paws Pet Care took great care of our dog while we were away. He was well taken care of and happy to spend time with each and everyone of them that came by. We will be using them in the future!read more
The service we received from Posh Paws far exceeded our expectations. This company is not just some random stranger you hope takes good care of your pet! They came over to meet our babies and asked all the questions and took all the notes and even put a lockbox on the door and gave us an app! When they left I was confident that if something ever happened to us these people could properly care for our pets because they knew everything there was to know about them. They showed up everyday on time and left us detailed feedback about their visit and sent the most amazing pictures of our pets! This service was worth every penny because I could enjoy my vacation with out worry for the first time ever! Thank you Posh Paws!read more
We used their service for the first time over Spring Break with a last minute opening. Posh Paws is very professional and reliable service. Their website and associated apps were a great tool to monitor the care during visits. Receiving pictures of our dog Dodge was a bonus. Will definitely use their services again.read more
Posh Paws far exceeded my expectations for caring for my two cats. You not only get the best care but you receive daily updates with pictures on a conversation log you set up every time they visit. This was very helpful while I was away to see my cats happy and being cared for. Tammi and Sherri were amazing with my cats. My one cat for 10 years now will always hide under the bed when someone comes over and I am receiving pictures of her out and about and playing with these ladys. That's never happened!! so thanks again Posh Paws I can finally think about traveling more.read more
00:23 10 Oct 19
We have cat, dog and sugar gliders which makes it hard to just go out of town. We either take some of them with us or send them to stay with friends. This trip we were introduced to Posh Paws and we were so happy with their service. We did not worry about our fur babies while we were gone and they got to stay in their own environment. We look forward to using their services again! The rates were very reasonable.read more
Posh Paws is unbelievably professional! My husband and I were VERY impressed with their level of care for our pets, and by extension, for US! Will 100% use again and again.read more
Having 3 Norwegian Elkhounds ( 1 very skiddish of people, not many people like to be around her due to her excessive barking) After researching several companies I picked Posh Paws. I chose them due to the information of their website and professional training. I am extremely happy with the love and care my girls received. They always made me feel reassured I chose the right company. I will always use Posh Paws and recommend them for anyone's animals.read more
We had a last minute trip come up and we called Christi at Posh Paws Pet Care in hopes to make arrangement to care for our dogs. On the first day of our trip we received photos of our babies with big smiles on their faces. Our pet care taker also was able to get a picture of our cats which normally stay in hiding like most cats. This small gesture made us feel at ease that our animals were in very good hands. We are most definitely going to use Posh Paws whenever we need pet care in the future, and we highly recommend them to all our friends who need pet care for the pets they love.read more
Nothing but love for this company. They go above and beyond to accommodate you and your pets. I highly recommend their services. They are very professional and love on your animals like their own. I get updates and pictures at each visit. Real peace of mindread more
01:19 16 Dec 19
2nd time I have used this company and feel they are best place to care for your pets. I have two cats they watch for me and one is scared of everyone but I receive pictures of her out and about playing with the girls. Amazing...I highly recommend to everyone especially people like me who slowed my travels because I didnt want to just have anyone watch my pets. Your in great hands.read more
I switched to Posh Paws after being disappointed with a now-out of business petsitting service, and this was the best decision I've ever made. Tammi and Christine have been my sitters for my last few trips, and their attentiveness and care for my kitty Figaro has been outstanding. Every visit, they send me a note with a bunch of pictures, which gives me great peace of mind when I am away. I highly recommend Posh Paws for your pet sitting needs. You won't regret it!read more
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$100 million in federal funding is now available to help underserved and rural communities hire and retain medical workers.(Gray DC)
Published: Oct. 25, 2021 at 6:32 AM AKDT
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WASHINGTON (Gray DC) - Lack of access to quality health care is often a symptom of living in a rural or underserved community.
Martin Luther King Junior Avenue is located on the southeast side of Washington, D.C. east of the Anacostia River. In this area there is only one hospital compared to six hospitals on the other side of the city.
Sheila Brockington, the Community Relations Director of the Family and Medical Counseling Service, works in this community.
“Access to care can be lack of transportation for many individuals,” says Brockington.
The Family and Medical Counseling Service provides primary and pediatric care, as well as mental health services.
During a sit-down interview with the Gray Television Washington News Bureau, reporter Nicole Neuman asked Brockington how the need for quality health care had changed since the facility’s opening nearly 50 years ago.
“It’s changed because the community changes,” she said. “Before, east of the river didn’t have the service that was needed. We still don’t have obstetricians, maternal care east of the river, like we should. We didn’t have enough ophthalmologists east of the river. So, it was lack of professionals coming to east of the river to provide the care.”
To help ease this burden in underserved and rural communities across the nation, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra says his department is offering $100 million in funding.
“The $100 million will be available to every state to apply for, including the District of Columbia, to try and make sure they are taking care of their health care workers,” said Becerra.
Becerra says the funding, which is part of the American Rescue Plan, can be used for recruiting, pay checks, or giving health care workers more time off.
The funding includes what the department calls “two key flexibilities.” The first is a no-cost sharing requirement, meaning states won’t have to provide a “specific matching amount to be awarded.” The second is states can use up to 10% of their award for administrative costs to administer programs.
“You have to have a strong application, because I guarantee you, throughout the country, there are many places that can use these dollars,” says Becerra.
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The Soviet blockade had the potential to be catastrophic for the Allies in Berlin, and was the opening battle of the Cold War.
Berliners watch a USAF supply plane land at Tempelhof Airport during the blockade.
Colonel Frank ‘Howlin’ Mad’ Howley had been in Berlin for three years when he found himself facing the greatest crisis of the post-war period. As acting commandant of the city’s American sector, his principal task was to supply food and fuel to almost a million Berliners. This had long been a logistical challenge, but now, in the summer of 1948, it became all but impossible. Howley found himself in a dramatic showdown with his erstwhile Soviet partners, one that risked flaring into full-blown war.
The Soviets had long been unhappy with the post-war agreement to divide the German capital between the victorious powers; the US, Britain, France and themselves. They were intent on driving the Western Allies out of the city, and Stalin had made it no secret that he wanted the whole of Berlin brought under Soviet rule.
The Soviet Military Administration made its move on 23 June, 1948. They issued a communiqué stating that it was cutting all road and rail links to Berlin’s three western sectors, virtually an act of war. Berlin lay 110 miles inside Soviet-occupied Germany, and the Western Allies were dependent on these links to bring food to their 2.4 million inhabitants.
The three air routes into Berlin, which was surrounded by Soviet occupied East Germany. Credit: Creative Commons
Once the road and rail links were cut, the only means of access to the city’s western sectors were the three air corridors pre-agreed in 1945. The Soviets had no means of preventing the Allies from flying into Berlin from Frankfurt, Lubeck and elsewhere, short of shooting down their planes, something Colonel Frank Howley gambled they would not dare do. Yet, he also knew that supplying 2.4 million inhabitants by air was logistically impossible, because absolutely everything needed importing into Berlin; salt, milk, potatoes, medical supplies, gasoline and coal. Without coal, there could be no electricity. Without electricity, there could be no functioning sewage plants. No heating. No lighting. No clean water.
In the weeks that preceded the Soviet blockade, the daily delivery of supplies to the capital’s western sectors had been 13,500 tons. Howley reckoned the minimum requirement for subsistence to be 4,500 tons. But the carrying capacity of a C-47 Workhorse of World War Two was just two-and-a-half tons. Therein lay the problem. It would require 1,800 flights a day to keep the city’s inhabitants alive, with a plane landing every 96 seconds at each of the two airports in the western sectors.
The British had just six Dakotas at Wunstorf airfield in western Germany, while the Americans had 50 battered C-47s. Such a motley collection of aircraft could not possibly keep Berlin alive.
The effect of the Soviets’ blockade was instantaneous, as journalist Anthony Mann noted, ‘Lights went out, machinery and pumping stations stopped, trains came to a halt’. Within hours, untreated sewage was flowing into the rivers and canals. More alarming was the fact that 89 per cent of the west’s electricity supply was generated in the east. The western sectors had just two small auxiliary generators to supply them with power.
Frank Howley said that the western sectors of Berlin ‘seethed with excitement when the people realized they were in a state of siege.’ It didn’t seem very exciting to Berlin resident Ruth Andreas-Friedrich, who had neither light nor power. The only glimmer of comfort came from Colonel Howley himself, whose radio broadcasts insisted that the Americans would never abandon Berlin.
Howley was given the green light to launch a full-scale airlift on 26 June, 1948. Messages were immediately flashed to American airbases across the globe. Captain Clifford ‘Ted’ Harris was stationed on Johnston Atoll in the Pacific Ocean when he got the call from Germany. ‘Ted,’ said his navigator, ‘we’re going to Berlin!’ From Alaska to California, Massachusetts to Alabama, American airmen received similar calls to action.
British airmen also received curt summonses. Flight Lieutenant Dick Arscott was about to set off on a weekend’s leave when his trip was abruptly cancelled. Within hours, Arscott and his comrades from Forty-Six Squadron were heading for Berlin.
Eight suitable airfields in western Germany had been selected for the airlift. These were to serve as giant larders for Berlin’s inhabitants, with food and fuel to be flown down the three air corridors. The two serviceable airfields in West Berlin – Gatow (in the British sector) and Tempelhof (in the American sector) were to receive dozens of planes every hour.
The airmen were to work a 16-hour day, seven days a week, with up to three return trips to Berlin each day. Along with exhaustion, pilots faced constant Soviet harassment, with Yak fighters swooping down on them in 370-mph dives. When flight engineer Albert Carotenuto made his final approach into Berlin, the Yaks’ piston-driven engines sent his plane into a violent shudder, ‘one micro-second on either side and it would be mincemeat.’
The commander of Berlin’s Soviet sector, General Alexander Kotikov, had powerful searchlights positioned so as to blind incoming flights at night. ‘A blinding, blinding flash of bright white light,’ recalled airman Gary Munn, ‘I couldn’t see from here to the windshield, let alone ten miles ahead’. It was a miracle the control tower was able to talk him down to the ground.
Frank Howley watched the blockade-busting planes with a mixture of awe and pride. By July, some 50,000 tons of food had been delivered to besieged Berliners. It was less than half the daily minimum, and meant that a million people faced starvation, but Howley was already planning a massive increase in capacity.
At the end of July, the airlift was placed in the hands of aeronautical pioneer Major-General William Tunner, who’d spent his war years running guns to the Chinese forces of Chiang Kai-shek.
Tunner instigated two new rules that were henceforth to govern the airlift. First, all planes were to fly an unchanging flight pattern determined entirely by instrument. Second, any pilot who missed his landing slot was to return immediately to base. This enabled an unbroken succession of planes to land and take off.
Aircraft flew into Berlin at five different altitudes and at intervals of 500 feet, with planes taking off and landing every 90 seconds. This allowed 480 planes to land each day at Tempelhof, the principal American airfield.
Tunner’s shake-up of the airlift soon reaped dividends, with his British-American fleet delivering increasingly large quantities of supplies. But he knew that supplying Berlin by air during the winter months would be a huge challenge.
The first sign of serious trouble came in November, when fog forced the closure of Berlin’s airfields. The city was deprived of 1,500 tons of essential supplies, and conditions soon grew worse. In full, 15 days in November proved impossible for flying, with scarcely any planes getting through. On the worst-hit day, the capital received just ten tons of food instead of the 5,000 tons required to keep Berliners from starvation.
Even the bullish Frank Howley feared the worst. ‘The frightening way in which our stocks were disappearing warned us that unless we replenished them at once, they would be exhausted within a week or – at the most – ten days.’
And then came a sudden deep freeze that coincided with a complete rupture to West Berlin’s power supply. In the space of a week, Howley’s worst nightmare had come to pass; Berlin had been brought to its knees.
The Soviet commandant, General Kotikov, was confident that his siege would succeed. West Berliners were starving, and it would not take much more hardship, along with the inducement of extra rations, to cause them to throw in their lot with the Soviets.
But just when the airlift reached its deepest crisis, in January 1949 there was a sudden meteorological upturn that allowed planes to begin landing again. Within hours, the city’s empty warehouses were being slowly, but steadily, replenished.
For the first time in months, there was a renewed sense of optimism. ‘The airlift was running like clockwork’ wrote Howley. Supplies were averaging 8,000 tons a day, and on occasions, topped 10,000.
General Tunner was also feeling confident, for he now had a combined British-American fleet of 379 aircraft flying around the clock. In his airlift headquarters, 50 analytical charts were updated each minute. ‘A quick look, any hour of the day, would give me a clear picture of the entire complex operation.’
The most successful day of all was Easter Sunday, 1949, when a staggering 12,941 tons was delivered to Berlin. It was such an astonishing achievement that Howley knew the battle was all but won. ‘A succession of these record loads,’ he said, ‘would see us holding out in Berlin until the Kremlin toppled into Red Square.’
When the siege finally came to an end, it caught everyone by surprise. Howley was seated in his office on Wednesday, 4 May, 1949, when a sensational communiqué from the State Department clattered through the Teletype machine. It said that the Berlin blockade was to end in eight days, and that Stalin had agreed that the city’s future should be decided at a specially convened Council of Foreign Ministers. The Soviet blockade was to end at 00:01 hours on 12 May, 1949, the end to a siege that had lasted 323 days.
As radioman Rudolf-Gunter Wagner broadcast this news to Berliners, his words were drowned out by joyous whoops. ‘Hurrah!’ they shouted. ‘We’re still alive!’ The mayor’s son, Edzard Reuter, saw happiness on people’s faces and knew why, ‘freedom had arrived.’
Among those in the streets was Ella Barowsky, a member of the Berlin City Assembly. After struggling throughout that terrible year of siege, she found it hard to contain her emotions. ‘We’ve done it!’ she cried, before adding four words that gave her the greatest lift of all. ‘The West has won!’
Many felt as if they were living through a key moment in European history, one that would forever change the world. The idea of Soviet rule in West Berlin, Stalin’s dream, was now unthinkable. The western sectors of Berlin were to remain as allied outposts in the heart of Soviet-occupied Germany.
For Frank Howley, it was the crowning moment of his career. Never shy to blast his own trumpet, he praised himself. He had been the first to recognize that Berlin faced grave danger from the Soviets, and he had also realized the need to punch hard and low if you’re going to win. When summing up his four tumultuous years in Berlin, he was characteristically frank: ‘Only a fool would say that I had not done a good job.’ As so often with Howley, the statement was cocky, brash and outrageous. But it was also true. He, more than anyone, had saved Berlin from the Soviets.
Giles Milton is the author of Checkmate in Berlin: The Cold War Showdown that Shaped the Modern World is available now.
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As director of this ecumenical project, Rev. Dr. Tammy Wiens, NCC Director of Christian Education and Faith Formation, writes about the annual CUS meeting:
Memphis Theological Seminary (MTS) hosted the 150th annual meeting of the Committee on the Uniform Lessons Series, March 8-10, 2022. Their state-of-the-art hybrid classroom was perfectly suited for the committee’s two- and half-day meeting, drawing more than 30 participants representing a diverse range of denominational partners and publishing houses. About half of those in attendance traveled to the MTS campus with the other half joining via Zoom.
In addition to the business of electing officers and getting Committee approval of each stage of curriculum development, the primary task of the CUS annual meeting is its collaborative writing project. We were enriched for the task by the teaching of Dr. Dennis Edwards, New Testament professor at North Park University and the preaching of Dr. Jody Hill, president of Memphis Theological Seminary. This year age-level teams were responsible for writing the Knowing, Loving, and Serving elements of the Learning Objective for 2026-2027. Though our committee numbers are small, the task of developing the Guide to Lessons and the Home Daily Bible Readings reaches thousands of congregations across the United States and throughout the world.
During the closing worship service, several committee members shared stories of how CUS has played a role in the history of Christian education as a tribute to our sesquicentennial anniversary. Further acknowledgement of the 150-years long contribution to the Christian education is planned for this year’s Christian Unity Gathering in October.
Dr. Wiens shares what she most values about CUS, “it is the space we create for one another. There is room for those who traveled to Memphis and room for those who joined us through Zoom. There is room for the Nigerian Baptist Convention and the for the Disciples of Christ in Puerto Rico. There is room for women and men, for the old King James and the new NRSV, for the big box publisher and small church editor. CUS is the embodiment of the space Jesus makes available to us now and will make perfect in the age to come.”
If you are interested in learning more about the various lines of curriculum that use the CUS outlines, please email [email protected]54.159.10.228
Posted March 18, 2022
Former NCC General Secretary and Historic Civil Rights Advocate James “Jim” Hamilton, Has Died
The National Council of Churches is saddened by the death of James “Jim” Hamilton, Esq. on March 17, 2022. Mr. Hamilton worked for the NCC for over 40 years in the Washington, DC public policy office and also served as General Secretary of the NCC from June of 1989 to November of 1991.
In June of 1989, Mr. Hamilton was working as the director of the Washington office and as the NCC Associate General Secretary for administration when the General Secretary departed and he was asked to fulfill the role. At the autumn meeting of the Governing Board in 1989 he was officially elected as General Secretary but insisted that a full search for the position be completed. During the process, he removed himself as a candidate because of an illness in his family. He then continued to serve the Council as Associate General Secretary for Public Policy until his retirement in 1995.
Mr. Hamilton was revered for his role in the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960’s. His main contributions were organizing on the state and local levels and lobbying in Washington, DC. He brought huge delegations of church people to DC when it was needed during the push for the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. His role was behind the scenes, not in the media. Most events featuring prominent Protestant leaders during this era were organized by Mr. Hamilton who was a major force in mobilizing the grassroots movement within the NCC churches.
Mr. Hamilton’s contribution to the Civil Rights Movement was documented in the book, “Church People in the Struggle” which reads, “Hamilton had been in the capitol city for several years, principally as a law student at George Washington University. To finance his studies, Hamilton had served as one of the doorkeepers in the House of Representatives, thus observing national politics at very close range and beginning a long self-education in the intricacies of representing the churches’ interests on Capitol Hill.”
The book details his efforts with the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights, which included being one of five people to participate in an elaborate watchdog system and keep track of the votes of House members. In addition, “Hamilton also developed close links with church people outside Washington, chiefly through existing ecumenical state and local councils of churches, and with the widely dispersed network of denominational officials that supported the NCC’s activities.” The book describes how Hamilton’s office regularly mailed updates to 5,000 people about the legislation and visited midwestern states holding workshops on how to exert pressure to pass the bill.
After the Civil Rights Act was passed into law, the book explains, “Six days after the triumphant signing session at the White House, Hubert Humphrey wrote to Jim Hamilton of the National Council of Churches to express ‘deep appreciation for your splendid efforts during the civil rights debate in the Senate’ and to assert that, without the ‘unremitting support’ of Hamilton and the Leadership Conference, ‘this bill could never have become law.’”
“He had a wonderful gift for enabling other people and helping them to discover their talents and be bold in taking on new tasks,” explained Mary Cooper who served as his secretary and was Director of NCC’s Washington office when he was General Secretary. “He was very dedicated and a committed social justice advocate who was always a kind and generous person. He was a joy to work with.”
Because of another of his priorities, Mr. Hamilton was a founder and the first Chair of Churches for Middle East Peace, which encourages US policies that actively promote a comprehensive resolution to conflicts in the Middle East.
Mr. Hamilton is survived by his daughter Carolyn Schaeffer and his son Jim Hamilton, Jr. and four grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife, Mary, his daughter Elizabeth Givans, and his son, John Spenser Hamilton. We will announce funeral arrangements when the details are made available.
Update: There will be no public funeral. The family will gather in private this summer.
Posted March 8, 2022
Please join us for the second Women’s Pilgrim Team Visit focused on women of faith in North America from noon to 3:30 p.m. ET on Tuesday, March 8, 2022, International Women’s Day. The theme for the event is, “Stony the Road: Women’s Voices of Faith, Courage, Resistance & Resilience” and uses Numbers 27:1-7 and 1 Corinthians 15:58 as scripture references. The Women’s PTV will examine the issues that women face in the U.S., Canada and Mexico as they travel a stony road lifting up voices of faith, courage, resistance and resilience.
Welcome and Introduction of Bishop Swenson – Angelique Walker-Smith, NCC Governing Board, WCC Central Committee
Greetings – Prof Dr Isabel Apawo Phiri, Deputy General Secretary: Public Witness and Diakonia, World Council of Churches
12:15 p.m. – 1:45 p.m – Panel 1: Combatting violence against women of color discussion
Panelists:
Rev. Dionne Boissiere – Chaplain to the UN, United Methodist Women (U.S.)
Rev. Dr. Michael Blair – United Church of Canada (Canada)
Mercedes Cadena – Teacher, cultural promoter, and reading mediator. Involved in youth leadership in the Methodist Church of Mexico and the Christian Congregational Church of Mazatlán (Mexico)
Rev. Hyepin Im, Founder/President, Faith and Community Empowerment (U.S.)
Sheri Brady, Vice President of Strategy and Program, Children’s Defense Fund (U.S.)
Panelists:
Elena Huegel—Educator, storyteller, writer, Global Ministries Mission Co-worker at the Institute for Cultural Studies and Research (Chiapas, Mexico)
Rev. Alcris Limongi, United Church of Canada, Minister (Canada)
Rev. Hyepin Im, Founder/President, Faith and Community Empowerment (U.S.)
Closing Remarks/Prayer — Bishop Teresa Jefferson-Snorton, Chair, NCC Governing Board
The 150th Annual Meeting of CUS
Posted March 7, 2022
This week the Committee for the Uniform Lessons Series (CUS) will hold its 150th annual meeting on the campus of Memphis Theological Seminary in Memphis, TN. The meeting, directed by Rev. Dr. Tammy Wiens, NCC Director of Christian Education and Faith Formation, with support from Keith Swartzendruber, NCC Senior Administrative Assistant, draws participants from its twenty-four partnering denominations and publishing houses. Every March, delegates come together to collaborate on the development of lesson outlines by selecting, organizing, designing, and creating a plan for study of the whole Bible.
This year’s meeting (March 8-10) offers a blended program to include both online and in-person participation. The Reverend Garland F. Pierce is the current chair of CUS and will moderate the business of the annual meeting. Pierce is a member of the African Methodist Episcopal Church (AME) and serves his denomination as the Executive Director of the Department of Christian Education. In addition to the business CUS must accomplish across two and half days of meeting, participants divide into age-level teams (children, youth, and adults) and invest considerable blocks of time to write learning objectives for the fifty-two lessons of the curriculum year.
Rev. Dr. Dennis R. Edwards
Participants will be inspired and equipped for their writing tasks by the teaching of the Rev. Dr. Dennis R. Edwards, Associate Professor of New Testament at North Park Theological Seminary in Chicago, IL (pictured at right). In four teaching segments Edwards will offer biblical context and set the tone for the 2026-2027 curriculum outlines. The lessons are drawn from Joshua, Judges, 1 and 2 Samuel, John, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, Philemon, as well as the shorter NT letters contained in 1, 2 Peter; 1, 2, 3 John and Jude.
Worship is always an integral part of the CUS annual meeting and during the service Wednesday, March 9, Dr. Jody Hill, president of Memphis Theological Seminary, will be the guest preacher. This year’s service will be especially meaningful as CUS celebrates the sesquicentennial anniversary of its ecumenical partnership. The Rev. Dr. Carmichael Crutchfield (Christian Methodist Episcopal Church) and James Deaton (Managing Editor, Church of the Brethren), will share testimonies of their personal connection with CUS, as well as the impact of the International Sunday School Lessons in the history of their respective denominations. Other CUS members might very well add a spontaneous testimony of their own as many of them have labored together in this curriculum project over their entire career as Christian educators, pastors, professors, editors, and curriculum publishers. They express deep appreciation for one another and for the breadth of wisdom that comes in digging deep into God’s Word with colleagues across diverse Christian traditions.
North American Women’s Pilgrimage for Justice and Peace
Posted March 7, 2022
The Women’s Pilgrim Team Visit held on Monday, February 28, 2022 focused on women of faith in North America with the theme, “Stony the Road: Women’s Voices of Faith, Courage, Resistance & Resilience” using Numbers 27:1-7 and 1 Corinthians 15:58 as scripture references.
The main speaker, Rev. Dr. Karen Georgia Thompson, Associate General Minister for Global Engagement and Operations and Co-Executive for Global Ministry of the United Church of Christ, began by explaining that the participants were people of the church gathered, not just about the challenges for women, but to call the church into action to go beyond “the silence of the chosen, the silence of the ordained.” She described the gathering as an invitation to call on the church to pay attention to matters of justice – starting with where we live and calling for the church’s accountability so we can bring awareness and change to the world around us.
Discussing what it means to talk about race, gender and seeds of oppression in this age, she explained that racism is a pandemic living among us and has been for many years and that it is rampant and supported by the church and by politics even in the highest seats of government where ongoing arguments about the rights of women’s bodies are dominated by White men and the emphasis is not on the many who live in deep poverty (individual household income falling below 50% of the poverty line with a person living on $6,244 per year per person). She also discussed the fact that the United States has many women who continue to live on the margins and with them are their children and the list of challenges continues to grow as women are left behind with 38.1% of people living in poverty and of that 24.1 million are women. The coronavirus pandemic has increased the risk for women because its unprecedented unemployment has disproportionately affected women and systemic poverty in communities of color are tied to these indicators.
Outlining the history of Black women’s healthcare, Dr. Thompson explained that it centers on the fact that many don’t have the resources to afford healthcare or quality health insurance so they do not have the ability to access a doctor or go to a hospital, particularly for gynecological needs. She explained that it is hard to have conversations about healthcare without talking about the history of oppression and the slave trade, later noting that the extreme rate of poverty did not start yesterday because someone did not go to school or did not have money for a house as these are generational cycles of poverty.
Dr. Thompson spoke about the domestic violence and rape that are also very present in communities of color. There is a shroud of violence that has been perpetuated in our homes while there is a lack of narrative in the church when the leadership in our homes is not questioned, said Dr. Thompson.
“If there is silence, then people are not going to talk about it and if they are not going to talk about it, then they are not going to attend to it,” said Dr. Thompson. “So that becomes cyclical, and becomes evidenced then in other things because, as we know particularly during these days of pandemic there has been a significant increase in domestic violence and particularly violence against women.”
Noting there is also silence around the disappearance of Native American women and the murder of transgender women, Dr. Thompson said she wanted to “put some things on the table for us to be mindful of and for us to probably look a little deeper into and wrestle with in terms of what it means for us in the church to be a part of systems that uphold violence and lack of care for community.”
Noting that the church is present in the halls and streets of Washington DC making sure our voices are heard and impact legislation, Dr. Thompson observed “at the same time we are silent about the ways in which some of this is actually perpetuating in our communities.” This led to the realization that churches need a “me too” moment of its own as she said, “Every once in a while we see glimpses of people who have left in silence. People who have been abusive in communities, they leave and there is silence. There is nothing that is being said. Women who are impregnated by pastors and there’s silence. Where are we in calling for reform in our churches around what we see and around abuse that we know is present?” She concluded, “We can no longer afford to be silent.”
When asked how the church can have a “me too” moment, Dr. Thompson said that it needs to be a grassroots movement with education and awareness. Women are silenced on these issues because they must talk through men who continue to be the gatekeepers so there is no recourse. She put forth the need to dismantle the patriarchal constructs in the church because it supports this kind of behavior. However, when women are in positions of positive leadership they must be open and create space making a biblical reference to Esther who was in a place that allowed her to save her people.
Rev. Aundreia Alexander, Esq., NCC Associate General Secretary, Action and Advocacy for Justice and Peace, then noted that there are legal issues and silence around non-disclosure agreements that are obligated because not signing will ruin the church or ruin the pastor, so that women are faced with either not speaking and protecting the perpetrator or speaking and being punished.
Dr. Alexander also spoke about the advocacy work in DC where there is the “need to compromise” but compromising comes on the backs of those who have already suffered – those who are dispensable, or who are not at the table, or who are not the loudest. This means advocacy depends on the generosity of the strongest and only a few organizations lobby for such a large percentage of the population that includes the poor, children, and women who are all tossed aside.
WCC Coverage
The World Council of Churches has also published an article on part one of the Women’s Pilgrimage, North America Women’s Pilgrim Team Visit: “If one among us is not well, we are all not well.” Read the article
Presidential Delegation Visit to Liberia
Posted February 18, 2022
Photo credit: U.S. Embassy in Liberia
On Monday, February 14, 2022, as part of President Biden’s Presidential Delegation to Attend the Bicentennial Celebration of the Arrival of the First Free Black Americans to the Republic of Liberia. NCC Governing Board Chair, Bishop Teresa Jefferson-Snorton of the Fifth Episcopal District of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, visited Monrovia.
The delegation was led by Ms. Dana Banks, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Africa at the National Security Council which also included U.S. Ambassador to Liberia Michael McCarthy and Mr. Lonnie Bunch, Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution.
The U.S. Embassy in Liberia has released the details of the delegation’s visit, noting that they attended the Government of Liberia’s Bicentennial Celebration at SKD Stadium, signed a bilateral agreement of approximately $55 million to improve the health of Liberians over the next five years, and met with the Elections Coordinating Committee to reiterate the United States’ commitment to free and fair elections.
The delegation was described as commemorating the longstanding partnership between the United States Government and the Government of Liberia by meeting with Liberian President Weah and Ministers of Health and Foreign Affairs as they marked the launch of a bilateral agreement.
When the delegation met with the Elections Coordinating Committee Steering Committee, the US Embassy reports that the “leaders discussed the work they are doing to advocate for electoral reform, observe elections, and provide nonpartisan assessments on elections and electoral violence. They also shared their perspectives on the 2023 presidential election.” Also, it was reported that “the U.S. Government plans, through USAID funding, to support the ECC to independently observe the full electoral cycle in 2023 and to report their findings and recommendations to the people of Liberia.”
Bishop Jefferson-Snorton was also able to meet with Bishop Kortu Brown, President of the Liberia Council of Churches to discuss ways in which the two councils might work together in the future.
In reflection of her time in Liberia, Bishop Jefferson-Snorton affirmed the significance of this event: “The history of these two nations – the USA and Liberia – are intertwined. In this moment it is key for us to lift up this connection, but to also create sustainable pathways for partnerships that will enhance the lives of our Liberian sisters and brothers.”
Posted February 11, 2022
In a letter dated February 8, 2022, Bishop Teresa Jefferson-Snorton, NCC Governing Board Chair and Presiding Bishop of the Fifth Episcopal District of the Christian Methodist Episcopal Church, extended congratulations to the country of Liberia on its bicentennial celebration to Bishop Kortu K. Brown, President of the Liberia Council of Churches, on behalf of the Governing Board of the NCC.
We rejoice that the voices of the Liberian churches are a part of this landmark anniversary!
The nation of Liberia was founded by formerly enslaved Americans seeking to escape ongoing oppression as the vestiges of American slavery continued to impact their lives. By God’s grace, the vision of freedom in their own country came to fruition and has survived for 200 years!
We join in this celebration with humble hearts and acknowledging that the church in the USA did not do enough to prevent the subjugation and discrimination of black people. In many instances, people of faith actively participated in this systematic enslavement and later marginalization of human life.
We join with you in celebrating God’s vision of unity for the church and a respect for all human life, regardless of race, color, creed, nationality or religion. May God strengthen us all as we strive to be voices of hope and advocates for justice.
Presidential Delegation to Attend the Bicentennial Celebration of the Arrival of the First Free Black Americans to the Republic of Liberia
Bishop Jefferson-Snorton will be joining a Presidential Delegation to attend the Bicentennial Celebration. In a press release, President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. announced a Presidential Delegation to the Republic of Liberia to attend the Bicentennial Celebrations in Monrovia, Liberia on February 14, 2022. The press release states, “This marks the arrival of the first Free Black Americans to Providence Island in 1822, which led to the establishment of the City of Monrovia, and in 1847, the Republic of Liberia.”
Also announced in the delegation:
-The Honorable Linda Thomas-Greenfield, United States Ambassador to the United Nations, who will lead the delegation.
=The Honorable Michael A. McCarthy, United States Ambassador to the
– The Honorable Dana Banks, Special Assistant to the President and Senior Director for Africa, National Security Council
Share about the Child Tax Credit
Posted February 8, 2022
The monthly Child Tax Credits payments to families stopped in January 2022 and millions of families are still owed their 2021 Child Tax Credit. Because not everyone knows they are eligible, or that they must file a tax return in order to receive it, we ask all of our congregations and faith communities to spread the word and make sure all low- and no-income families get the information, find tax prep help, and receive their full 2021 Child Tax Credit payment.
Join the national effort to share the link to ChildTaxCredit.gov through your organization’s newsletter, social media accounts, or website from now through April 18, 2022. Encourage everyone in your community to check their eligibility then find help with tax preparation.
Due to the American Rescue Plan, passed by Congress last spring and signed into law by President Biden, parents and guardians can receive a tax credit of between $3,000 – $3,600 per child ages 0 – 17 years old. Additionally, low-income workers without dependent children are eligible to receive the Earned Income Tax Credit, which was expanded last year to include workers as young as 19 years old and workers 65 and older.
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About the National Council of Churches
Serving as a leading voice of witness to the living Christ in the public square since 1950, the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the USA (NCC) brings together 38 member communions and more than 35 million Christians in a common expression of God’s love and promise of unity.
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"Sincere spiritual exploration is, and always has been, an endeavor of methodical discipline. Looking for Truth is not some kind of spazzy free-for-all, not even during this, the great age of the spazzy free-for-all."
Sunday, August 12
I tried this once before, this silent retreat thing, just over a decade ago–and the results were disastrous. My monkey mind had its way with me back then, and I came out of the experience thinking that I would rather endure all manner of physical torture than the mental torture that silence and absolute solitude wrought. At that point in my life, I was way less than ready to come face to face with the shame, fear and confusion that drove my inner narrative, and I bailed after a day. After several hours of driving aimlessly along the Blue Ridge Parkway (there are worse things, ultimately) I pulled off on the side of the road and called my then partner, who listened to me cry and who said, memorably, “Baby, I don’t know how to help you.” So there on the side of the road, I pulled out my journal and scribbled furiously: “I need a rebirth, a reclamation, a commitment to self first and foremost. I need a dress, a ring, and Promises…” and the rest is history. (Book HERE.)
In any case, a decade and lifetimes of experience later, I am infinitely more prepared this time. I think. I have, for a long time now, had a sustained contemplative practice. Furthermore, this summer will go down in my personal history as the one in which I was the unofficial bride of the little stone chapel at Montgomery Bell State Park. For the past two months, in that sweet spot, I have logged in countless hours of meditation and centering prayer. I didn’t set out to devote this summer to a radical and transformative spiritual practice, but for whatever reason (likely a temporary bout with ill health that brought me to my knees, as it were) I suddenly this summer craved quietude in the way I have craved chocolate in the past. I have experienced untold amounts of Divine Grace in the silence. And now I want more.
I feel determined. Not only do I feel determined, I feel ready: I have a schedule mapped out (which I plan to adhere to rigorously), my bag packed, my food prepared. And yet … I’m putting off bed time because I’m scared. Stillness is hard. I keep saying to my son, Jacob, “I’m nervous,” to which he finally replies, “Dear God. By this point I am too!” As usual, he keeps me laughing all night.
Monday August 13
I arrive at the park promptly at 9:00 am, and it’s raining hard. This is perfectly fine, I think, assuming it doesn’t rain all week. The chapel is first on the schedule-to-which-I’ll-be-adhering-rigorously, and it is lovely as always. I plan to observe a sitting meditation for about three hours a day–if not zazen (kekka-fuza escapes me), at least silently. The rest of the day is for quiet contemplation, prayer, and swimming. Oh, and eating. I will, of course, be eating food from my strict and spare meal plan – to which, yes, I will also be adhering rigorously. (Incidentally, the word “rigorous” will grow less important as the week progresses.)
I love this tiny, sacred space. As much as I love it–and as totally as I have claimed it as my own this summer I have refused to get proprietary about it. I refuse, for instance, to ever call it, “My chapel.” As often as I start to say, “My chapel” and catch myself, it is and will always be, “The chapel;” The sandstone chapel that commemorates the birth of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in 1810, to be exact.
There are visitors in and out all morning, that I’ll have to deal with eventually. I’ve been dealing with this all summer and am used to the distractions, which generally I have decided are good for me. In fact, I have made it a practice to personally welcome any and everyone who crosses the threshold of my–I mean the–chapel. But if I’m to observe a strict meditation schedule this week, I’ll have to ignore the folks that come and go. But I haven’t figured out how to do that yet. (It’s day one, people.) The upside is I’ve had some lovely conversations this morning, as usual, and in between visitors I meditate until my schedule tells me it’s snack/swim time–at which point, I head to the lake.
There will be no swimming today. It’s raining even harder by the time I get to the water, so instead of swimming, I wrap myself in towels and surround myself with books. This place is beautiful, as is the rain, and I feel warm and cozy and delighted by the storm. I can’t believe that I was ever, ever nervous about this week! I eat to my heart’s delight, rhapsodize in my journal about the sound of the rain (or something) and feel, for all the world, like I’m on vacation.
Somewhere in these initial, self-congratulatory hours I am dimly aware of the fact that vacation isn’t really the point, but for now this awareness is keeping a polite distance. I turn the page of my journal and commence making a cheerful list of my favorite Hafiz poems … Right up until I come across this one (with which I’m very familiar and which partially spurred this idea in the first place):
Not many teachers in this world
Can give you as much enlightenment
In one year
As sitting all alone, for three days,
In your closet
Would
This means not leaving.
Better get a friend to help with
A few sandwiches
And no reading in there or writing poems,
That would be cheating;
This sitting alone, though, is
If you are normally
Sedated
Or have ever been under doctors
Surveillance because of your
Dear one,
A ruby is buried
Right.
No books for the rest of the week, then. This means that whether or not I am officially meditating, I will have nine hours a day here by myself, with very few distractions.
I put away my books and practice another seated meditation, because there isn’t much else to do what with the rain and the moratorium on reading. But my tremor is a distraction, as is the relentless pain in my tail bone. In addition to that, the mosquitoes are out and my feet are cold and I can’t remember whether or not I set my alarm to alert me when “snack/swim time” is over and …
Yes. This is more to the point, and this ain’t no vacation. The thought makes me smile. And so we begin.
During my afternoon meditation in the chapel my goal is to (politely?) ignore anyone that enters. This is harder than I thought it would be. First of all, it makes me a bit nervous. The very many cautionary tales I’ve received from the many friends and loved ones who know of my plan to spend the week in a state park, alone, have had an effect; meaning that everyone who approaches me (especially when my back is turned and my eyes are closed) is momentarily suspect. Even harder is dealing with the fact that I feel rude. I realize that I have come to love my role as the one woman welcome committee, and it is hard not to acknowledge the presence of all who enter. But I want–I need–to “go deeper” (whatever that means) and so today I do manage to ignore the few people who wander in. Interestingly, when I remain silent, everyone who enters does so quietly and respectfully. I hear people come in, but sometimes I don’t notice when they leave.
I have carried, into the park with me, a story of such tragic proportions that it will have to be dealt with sooner or later, and I decide to spend some time praying about it this afternoon. I have dear friends who know and work with a family who has, just this past week, experienced trauma of the highest order. The kind of human tragedy that is hard to wrap one’s heart and mind around.
I am somewhat accustomed to this line of contemplation in that I have been an anti-death penalty activist for much of my life. Within this line of work it is necessary, early on, to find a place within one’s spiritual understanding for heinous and atrocious human behavior on the one hand, and unfathomable grief and loss on the other. And yet this story, which is unmercifully splattered on the pages of our local newspaper, is especially heartbreaking.
I think again of Hafiz, as I so often do, who writes gently:
There is no event in your life
You in some way
Did not drive a hard bargain for.
This chapel has become the place in which I actively wrestle with proclamations such as these, both as they relate to my own life and to the lives of the people around me. I realize, once again, that I gently, tenderly–apologetically, even–accept this as Truth. Across the vast expanse of lifetimes, in which the soul’s purpose is to evolve and to keep on evolving, it makes sense to me that we are, at times, broken (sometimes completely shattered, in fact) because we ask and need to be, on some level; because such brokenness serves us in some way. This is what I have come to believe, in any case.
That said, my pain for this family is overwhelming and I pray for relief for them; for some semblance of safe passage through this lifetime, in which nothing will ever be the same. I weep for them, as well as for my friends who know them and who have had to bear witness to their pain. Here in the chapel, I give this time to them. It is the least I can do.
Tuesday, August 14
I am, as it turns out, infinitely more ready for a week of intense meditation than I might have guessed.
That said, it’s not always easy. On this particular morning lots of anger is surfacing, in addition to anxiety, confusion etc. I sit with it all. This is one of the most useful things about a contemplative practice, I’m finding: the increased ability to sit with pain and sadness very intentionally. Instead of running from the discomfort (and worse) – instead of distracting myself at all costs - I move right to the center of it. This practice, I think, has quite a lot to do with the fact that I feel a much greater sense of contentment than I ever have before. The persistent feeling that something isn’t quite right – the sort of low level, dissonant, background noise in the back of my mind is, slowly but surely, shifting to its opposite. This in and of itself is revolutionary for me.
Let’s be clear: I am here for my children, Trenna and Jacob. It’s the very, very least I can do.
It’s swim time now, according to my schedule, and today there’s not a cloud in the sky when I get to the lake. As I peel off my sweat pants and head for the water, I can’t help celebrating the fact that the kids are back in school and the vacationers have all gone home, meaning that I am alone in this beautiful place; wondrously, blissfully alone. As I step into the lake, however, it strikes me that perhaps this is not such a good thing because who other than me will scare away the fish? But I swim happily enough until I’ve had my fill, at which point I decide to spend the rest of snack/swim time meditating on the tiny, sandy “beach.”
So far, the biggest challenge I’m facing in my meditation is this: Each time I close my eyes, my mind presents me with reams and reams of blank paper on which to write, and write I do—fingers flying across a mental keyboard, thoughts and paragraphs and bits of monologues coming so quickly I can scarcely keep up with them. By week’s end I will come to understand that this is a gift. I haven’t generated this much creative output in years. Still, it’s distracting. It’s easy to overly identify with the material that I’m receiving, all of which appears effortlessly, unsolicited and fully formed. It’s tempting to think that I am very, very clever, all of a sudden. By the time Friday rolls around I will have learned, quite successfully, I think, to manage this phenomena. As well, I will have learned a great deal about the creative process in general (or at least about my own). The process really is wondrously co-creative. Ideally, I think, one creates huge amounts of space in which to listen and receive. Then, if anything is to come of such gifts, one must show up and suit up for the sweat equity part of the bargain.
Before this week, I probably could have intellectualized all of this, and even described it to some degree. But never before have I experienced it in such stark terms.
Wednesday, August 15
No swimming this morning. The water is stagnant and, well, yucky. My sweet little swimming hole today more closely resembles a sewage treatment plant for ducks. I guess this is what happens when the kids are back in school and the vacationers have gone home.
I have found a new place to meditate, as there are just too many people in and out of the chapel. Also, I’m not adhering to my schedule quite as rigorously as I was in the beginning. I’m meditating, or at least sitting silently, for more hours than I had originally scheduled. I’m now spending most of my time at the spillway, which is absolutely gorgeous and which offers the added bonus of the sound of falling water.
I am here at the spillway when it happens - when I get a brief and exquisite taste of the ineffable. (I can’t say I wasn’t hopeful.) I have been meditating for an hour or so when I tip over into a state that transcends my ability to describe it. I don’t get to stay long; it’s a tiny taste–a teaser. But it’s enough. It’s so much more than enough. It releases my head and pierces my heart, and when I open my eyes everything around me is so beautiful it takes my breath away. I literally gasp out loud and have to resist the urge to leap out of my chair. I want to move, suddenly. I want to take this glimpse of Divinity and run out into the world with it. It takes no small amount of discipline to stay in my seat, but stay in my seat I do, and it’s not long before I settle in and bask in this feeling. I could (and do) sit here for hours.
A hawk circles above me, sliding along the sky. I think about how for El Gavilan, as for the rest of us, it’s not possible to take flight until one is able to rise above guilt and shame. I watch the hawk for a long time.
Thursday, August 16
This morning I deviate from the schedule in a big way. I decide to spend some time, while in this calm and centered place, getting a handle on the year ahead. I get out my calendar and my budget and lay it all out on paper, with dates and numbers. It’s a fun exercise, all in all, though in the end my document more closely resembles abstract art (emphasis on abstract) than an actual budget. Numbers are not my area of expertise, to put it mildly. But still, I like where this is going. Through an odd combination of unceasing willfulness (not to mention a dearth of alternatives), I have crafted a life that, for the most part, reflects my passions and interests across the board. All of my work meets at the intersection of Art and Change-making, with particular emphasis on what can accurately be described as a new, worldwide women’s movement – as in, Gather the Women, Save the World and Not a Moment Too Soon. Happily, I’m traveling a lot this fall: to the beach with my sister in August; to Colorado to perform a beloved momologue and to see beloved friends in September; and to Santa Fe, New Mexico at the end of October, for another silent retreat at the Monastery at Christ in the Desert. All in all, it’s shaping up to be a lovely year as years go. But I get so caught up in doing mode that it is hard to switch to being mode. After an hour or so, when I put away my notebooks and turn inward, I have a hard time settling in. Truth be told, I’ve probably been stalling a bit. Yesterday was so lovely that on some level I have convinced myself that today wont be. Not surprisingly then, it’s not.
Satori, the Zen Buddhists call it. I wonder if those who have been meditating for years experience Satori somewhat regularly–or if it is always purely an act of Grace. I’m not sure that what I experienced yesterday would qualify as such; I have experienced Satori once before in no uncertain terms, and yesterday’s experience (whatever it was) was so brief (seconds) that I’m not sure. I don’t know enough about such things.
I spend most of the morning fantasizing. Not the lurid variety, just to be clear. (My daughter hates when I use this word. What she doesn’t understand is that by this point, in my mid forties, my fantasies are as often inhabited by the well appointed kitchen as by the well appointed man.) That said, I do spend a fair amount of time, in general, daydreaming about some lovely man I haven’t met yet, and this morning is no exception. In any case, eventually I decide to move to another part of the park to see if a change of location will help. I find a pretty place I haven’t been before, haul my chair down to the water’s edge, and try to remember everything I know about meditation: relax, focus on breathing, don’t fight the thoughts–just let them float innocently by etc.
But mostly I’m just hot. The mosquitoes are even worse here, the fish are jumping in a way that’s distracting, and I’m sure I’m getting sunburned. I move again, back to the spillway, and when I park my chair in the usual spot I decide that I am here to stay for the rest of the day; that I will sit in silent meditation come hell or high water, transcendent experience or not. Despite my firm decision and the idyllic surroundings, however, and despite the fact that I do indeed sit here for the rest of the day, I never settle in.
Today the monkey mind (whom we might call Koko) is in complete control. She is behaving like three-year-old, very smart triplets in an attempt to entice me into doing something infinitely more fun than letting my thoughts “float innocently by.” The more Koko tries to distract me the more stubbornly I try to shush her, and soon we are engaged in a full on battle of wills. I’m trying desperately to ignore her, and she responds by amping it up a few notches—presenting me, for instance, with a game she finds both fun and entertaining and which she dubs: Potentially Pithy facebook Posts (my favorite being “It’s no fun ovulating when you’re single”). I don’t have to mention that this is exhausting. All in all, I want to go home.
Thursday, it seems, is a wash.
Friday, August 17
Except that Thursday wasn’t a wash. It was a necessary and important part of my experience as a whole. It’s all good, as they say.
And here is Friday already. I’m leaving early, I’ve decided. I have put my life on hold for a week and decide that I have to come out at noon to chop wood and carry water, as it were. There are things I simply shouldn’t put off until next week. I settle on this decision firmly as I turn into the park.
Interestingly, all mental chatter ceases as I turn in, and it feels as if I’m entering a sacred space. I feel alert and present to a degree that is surprising and unexpected. That said, I think I somehow knew, even before I went into the Wilderness, that it would all come together in the end.
I’ll be in the chapel this morning. The dear, dear little chapel.
Here I have my best meditation of the week, by far. I settle in immediately. Thoughts come and go, but I’m not attached to any of them. People come and go, but I’m not attached to them either. The coming and going barely ruffles the edges of my consciousness, and the hours slide by quickly.
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You’ve probably heard some version of this story — a young professional creates online content, builds a following, and suddenly goes from their corporate cubical to full-time influencer. Perhaps you have a similar story (or you’re headed in this direction.)
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I know one of the arguments against avant garde (and post-avant) poetics is when it’s disjointed or fragmented or mucks with syntax it’s all surface or the poet is a misunderstood genius. I’ve thought it was a silly argument. I mean what is surface? How do we determine depth?
But lately I’ve begun to question this idea. The poetry of Bill Knot, Dean Young, James Tate etc. use avant garde techniques for the dominant poetry tradition (whatever it might be called. It doesn’t have a name because its the center. Style is clothing. Clothing is surface. Is there anything under the clothing? Sure, maybe not so much a soul, but many parts of the body hidden via societal pressures, fears, etc. In other words power, language, socialization and so on.
Dean Young is just cool. Sometimes fun I admit, but not coming from an avant garde tradition (he has proclaimed he is not part of the avant garde tradition so good for him for recognizing it). But Dean Young doesn’t grab me like James Tate. But I do like some of the style of Dean Young. You can count on the style of Dean Young. He has a great voice. You could recognize it anywhere.
I can no longer attempt to separate mind/body. I just gotta think through language. Rigor doesn’t have to be boring, a chore etc. I just don’t get the point of most of the contemporary poetry books at Barnes and Noble. I mean who’s their audience besides poets in MFA programs?
I write for non poets and sometimes poets but probably my small audience is almost all poets.
I know this has been argued many times before. Nothing new. But I once thought I was in-between and it was best not to be a part of any group or tradition.
The community of in between. Living and dead.
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June 10, 2005
Marcus, I know what you mean. Even in the past year (since that thing some folks call a ‘conversion’) I’ve noticed that the center has shifted, and encapsulates a number of different styles. But it’s still hard to draw lines. The only way I can really attempt it sometimes is based on writers’ relationships to the market, or to MFA programs, or based on how inclusive they are in terms of working with, or even communicating with, folks who might be considered “mainstream” or even “in-between” (which pretty much means mainstream now, right?). But even then I’m leaving a number of pretty committed “mainstream” writers in a bad place, and a number of avant/separatist writers in too good of a place, since folks in both camps seem to work off of “style.”It’s tough.
June 10, 2005
Did I mention that I work off of style too? And that I’m white?
June 11, 2005
Laura,I agree that poets can write well and instigate thinking and use various techniques from various camps, groups etc. But I do think the real split is about an approach to reality and knowledge/epistomology. Reality including social/political reality. A “style” can certainly play a part in this approach, but I think ignoring or denying the philosophical/theoretical bases (basis) of such styles is not responsible, full of “bad faith” etc. Like you say, sometimes the writers relationship to the market can draw lines. And in the marketplace style is everything. I think the poetry marketplace can be just a sugrouping of larger market ideology etc. But I think recognizing, evaluating, contemplating, and perhaps critiquing said marketplace is a better approach then simply ignoring it (still quite common in the “mainstream,” both poetry and otherwise). There may be (as Ron Silliman pointed out on his blog a little while back)a difference between “mainstream” and “experimental” in terms of how each system approaches history. I guess what I am trying to say is I agree with your insightful comment obout the difficulty of drawing lines and the value of inclusiveness. I realize poets can front from both systems. Perhaps that’s what a mean. The experimental as a whole system of approaches to reality and knowledge rather than only a style of writing (parataxis etc.)I can respect the hard work of mainstream writers (poetry and otherwise) but I think recognizing the systems at play is even more important than playing nice.For me it’s also about free will/play of signifiers etc. Which you could argue is also present in many mainstream poetry (a watered surrealism for example). Well I’ll stop there. Hope the wacky tobaccky didn’t didn’t make make this comment too confusing. But anyway. Thanks for the response.
June 11, 2005
No, I hope I agree with you a good bit!It’s confusing for me, I guess, in trying to discern writers’ intentions. (Which is never a good idea, but, nevertheless, something we probably all try to do.)But it’s kind of telling, in spite of impulses to be more inclusive (which, socially, I think is a good idea sometimes)that most of us can easily identify “mainstream” v. “avant” writers to a certain extent.
June 11, 2005
I think sometimes, tho, at least for me, it’s more difficult to discern what new writers (like myself) are “up to”: maybe it’s a matter of working away from MFA assumptions (assumptions as in a good bit of groundwork is never questioned and should be)? With folks who have got a good bit of publication (books) it’s much easier to tell where they stand. If they stand, which again, complicates….
June 11, 2005
Last note here, sorry to be a bit too excited about this talk….Do you ever find that you prefer certain mainstream writers to certain avant writers? I guess I tend to want to place this conversation within the context of what I value (most of which is avant, I suppose)but there are a number of avant writers whose work doesn’t really interest me, although we might be able to have an engaging conversation about a number of other lit-<>related<> things. This is where it gets hard for me.
June 12, 2005
Good questions and points. Yes, there are poets and poetry in the avant tradition that don’t light me up. But for me it’s more about the self-eating tradition of the avant garde (always questioning/eating itself).However, I do like some mainstream poetry, but I don’t identify with the overall context (publishing etc.)The mainstream poetry I like is a poem by poem basis. Whereas a lot of the avant stuff is a book by book, project by project kind-of thing.In other words, I like some of Seamus Heaney’s poems but I don’t believe in the tradition he is supporting (an English view of the Irish). I also like some James Wright poems. Just about any contemporary poetry anthology (mostly used in college classes) has a few interesting poems.Some maybe what I am saying is I am more interested (as a whole) in projects than poets or poems.I don’t feel mainstream poets are the enemy etc. But I do think it’s important to make some distinctions concerning worldview, ideology etc. without essentializing.Does that make sense?Donald Justice
June 12, 2005
I accidently posted before finishing.I meant to ask if you like some of the poems of Donald Justice?
June 12, 2005
Donald Justice is OK. He’s been given perhaps too much credit at school, so I’m not a huge fan. Just a reaction to other tendencies. Probably my failing.I know what you mean about projects, tho. The publishing context of individual poems is difficult for me to understand. I’m not sure how folks cobble single poems together into mss, etc., and that seems to happen more in “mainstream” land. I find that when I write from “poem to poem,” so to speak, the poems are what I most dislike: claustrophobic, Stevensian (in the worst sense of the word), too concerned with presenting an artifact that bears no relation to “things as they are,” if that makes sense. So I’m probably going to be pretty project-motivated, even if a good number of those don’t work. I learn the most from trying it that way. It opens up the field for me, so to speak.In terms of categories, I’m thinking more in terms of younger writers whose work (say, Ben Lerner’s, which I enjoy reading a good bit of) doesn’t really fit into a box. I also like a good chunk of Sarah Manguso’s first book—I think many of the poems are politically subversive in a way that escapes you if you’re not looking for it. And Sabrina Mark is fabulous. And there are, of course, many others….So I guess my question is more in terms of young folks who are trying to figure it out, and doing so in different ways, which is great for poetry.I don’t want to put too much credit in the project mentality either, for that approaches a view that slips into … style. I guess <>Life Studies<> was a “project” for Lowell (& team)? Maybe some of Sexton’s work was too, those silly fairy tale things and all? But I know what you mean.In terms of Bill Knott…he’s more what I’d call “mainstream.” I can see why you wouldn’t be interested in his work.
June 12, 2005
“escapes you if you’re not looking for it” may be a bad way of putting it, tho I admit I often “look for it.”—“not paying attention” might be better…
June 13, 2005
Yes, I don’t care for the poems of Donald Justice either.I do see more what you mean now. I do like a decent amount of work from the some of the younger poets you mention (Sarah Manguso’s The Captain Lands in Paradise for example). And yes, I like a few poets that publish with Fence (Martin Corless Smith and Catherine Wagner for example). However, I do find the younger poets who claim a middle ground are really moving toward a mainstream approach to art/world etc. That doesn’t mean I won’t read them. Some of the poets who publish with Fence are quite interesting. But as a whole I wouldn’t go out of my way to find Fence or Verse press books. I also realize presses are sort of a brand. I mean nothing really exists outside the marketplace right? I will buy almost anything from Edge Books or Talisman House.Is buying/consuming based on brand/editorial vision different than buying a sony over rca?I hope it’s different even if consumer ideology is also in play with choosing to buy books from certain presses. I do resist the idea of hot, cool, new styles marketing hype with poetry books (which is often mistaken via Pound as the only or main thrust of avant garde poetics).I like this thinking stuff. No easy answers. I do like inclusiveness as a social policy.
June 13, 2005
Yes, I think Verse is in some ways the new center, sort of. Perhaps Slope, Fence, as well. (It’s interesting that people in my writing program think of these guys as “the other half”: sounds kind of like corporate politics, eh?)Not sure which presses to latch on to. I like folks who put out their own stuff, because I like to see a complete aesthetic of the book, but that’s rare & difficult for most poets to afford.Talisman House is great. I also, however, find that I like a good number of UCaliforniaP books. (Fanny Howe, Juliana Spahr, that damned Donald Allen thing that started the whole ‘war’, right?).I don’t know Edge, really. I’m starting to like Ugly Duckling a good bit, & their EEP line comes w/ high recs.I’m curious to hear you talk more about alternatives to Pound. Maybe a post?But I’m still hanging on to some of my favorite mainstreamers. And, for the record, Verse & Fence have put out some good books. And so has Slope. But I trust Scott Pierce more, I guess.
June 13, 2005
My tentative conclusion is that as a writer one has to be careful about both affiliation & conclusions. I share some of your prejudices, but my concern about approaching poetry from the point of view of the market-place is that I’ll get “stuck” there, unable to let the poetry (or writing, whatever we call it) “transcend” or “break through” that “binding.” I think good poetry does this. It’s a complicated discussion. But I don’t want to miss anything. And surely presses like Fence (perhaps I’m fonder than you here) aren’t the “culprit”—maybe if Poetry the Mag had a press, that would be. But Poetry’s quickly become a joke ’round these parts, and I think that’s a good thing.Everything else is in flux, at least for me. I think about this stuff every day, almost continually, tho, so thanks for bringing it up.PS Are you moving to GA?
June 13, 2005
I do identify with the your conclusion. A kind of blind allegiance to “avant garde” poetics after a “conversion” experience. I do trust Scott Pierce a whole lot. Real editorial vision. I don’t know if you’ve read Haze by Mark Wallace but it’s an excellent discussion/exploration of this very topic (esp. his avant garde deoderant poem). I think it is a very healthy sign to doubt these categories to some extent and to continue to read “beyond” them. I sometimes like some Charles Wright.I’ve decided to stay in these parts rather than move to GA. No teaching gig yet, but I should get some classes here and there. What are your plans now? You graduated right?These whole scene is exploding. I like the energy. Perhaps that is a better way to describe my affiliation. Part of a scene. Mostly local. Community etc.Edge is a really interesting press out of DC run by Rod Smith. There seems to be a connection between the experimental scene in DC and George Mason’s MFA programme (mostly via Carolyn Forshe). Carolyn Forshe is considered mainstream but seems very open to experimental/avant garde work. I also like some of her poetry. She blurbs some of Edge’s books etc.This feels very good to air and contradict myself. Rethinking always!
June 13, 2005
Staying here. Not done with school yet. (1 year but basically just getting a great assistantship so I spend lots of time reading, writing, etc.) Glad you’re staying up where things are happening for you!Yes, I like some of Forche’s work, too, I thought Blue Hour was a cool book.Thanks for the heads up about Edge. And about Wallace’s article.
June 17, 2005
Everyone loves Lester. Billions served by the hour, pal.
Anonymous
June 17, 2005
Marcus,I agree with a lot of what you say, but to say that Ashbery is merely a “token” of the mainstream is to seriously underestimte his role. From the “Great Ashbery Debates” that have raged since the 1960s the literary establishment has used Ashbery (I’m clearly simplifying all the complicated literary processes) as a limit on experimentalism (or whatever you want to call the urge to go beyond tracing) and also to define what experimentalism is.Judging from what I see in a lot of journals and books, they have succeeded. People running around declaring their allegience to some surface moves they call “experimentalism.” To say you’re experimental these days means nothing. It’s the new “authentic.” I absolutely agree with you.Of course Ashbery has been cleaned up as well. For example Harold Bloom and Helen Vendler can both love him as a Romantic, but they both make big points of how his dada (or European) influenced work are mere misstakes. The guy who wrote that travesty of a book about “The last of the avant-garde” had to repeatedly declare that Ashbery is not in fact political but a “maverick” – he’s not (despite the claims of the book and its title) avant-garde, but a Romantic.I like The Tennis Court Oath the best of A.’s work; A lot of his other stuff does – to agree with Bloom and Vendler – seem to create a fairly Keatsian space for the reader. To be honest I have many contradictory feelings about him.Also about Bill Knott who wrote some great anti-Vietnam poems in the 1960s (but we have since been taught that it’s shameless and in bad taste to write overt political poetry. And it’s absolutely un-avant-garde).Johannes Goransson
Anonymous
November 9, 2005
dear sleas:i don’t care what you say about me as long as you spell my name right (you spell mine right, i’ll spell yours right). . .i’m not inbetween nor do i claim to be;i’m mainstream, middle of the road, school-of-quietude, call it what you will. . . or at least i try to be.if others judge my work to be inbetween, that simply means i’ve failed in my efforts to be mainstream etc. ..bill knott
February 12, 2006
Don’t let them mess with you, Bill. If you’ve failed, then their failure rests in failing to understand the true essence of failure, not yours but their own. Keep the poems coming. You have an army of fans out their ready to nuke them. Of course, poetry reading may be difficult while our skin is falling from our bones,but we’ll safeguard your verse in memory and say, I told you so, I told you so. . .remember what Knott said in that poem? He was right.
| 17,344 |
According to the Daytona Beach police, a shooting that happened at a basketball court Sunday afternoon left a 19-year-old dead.
Reports say deputies responded to the basketball courts at Derbyshire park. They found the 19-year-old later identified as John Phillips lying on the ground. The victim was immediately taken into the hospital where he was pronounced dead.
As per the reports, Phillips was playing basketball with others when the shooter approached and fired. Deputies believe the victim was shot over a girl.
Deputies are doing the investigation.
Written by Jennica Mira
Jennica Mira is the senior reporter of Orlando Solution. She finished her Bachelor in Communication from the University of Central Florida and currently residing in Orlando. In leisure, she likes to read poetry and contemporary articles.
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We've reached the end of a road, friends. This is the last episode of Songwriting Idiots and we are going out with a bang!
October 06, 2022
Here's the weird thing. We've been doing this show for over two years now. We've tackled almost 20 genres and yet ... somehow we still haven't talked about the biggest genre in the world right now: Hip Hop. Well, boys and girls: Today it is time to change that!
July 30, 2022
The sound system's booming through the streets, deep bass caressing your chest and sweet sweet autotune taking you to a place of pure bliss – a place where nothing matters. Well ... that's at least one way to describe Dancehall. Here we go!
July 06, 2022
Here we go again. Season 3 of Songwriting Idiots is here and oh boy – what a strong start it is! This month, you asked us to tackle to iconic German genre of "Neue Deutsche Welle" or German New Wave. It's pure 80s bliss all about the relatable song topic "The floor is lava". Enjoy!
June 03, 2022
Just before the start of season three of Songwriting Idiots, we were wondering one last time. Wondering about one-hit wonders. So we are taking on another all time classic this time: Come on Eileen by Dexys Midnight Runners. And what an utterly weird song that is! This really begs the question: Why did it become such a massive hit and why did the band never manage to produce another one?
April 28, 2022
We are in between seasons here at Songwriting Idiots and we were wondering ... Wondering about one-hit wonders. It just all seems so terribly unlikely. One would think a band or artist either cracks the code and they don't. It's either a big career with loads of hits or no hits at all. But the artists and songs we discuss in this mini series prove the opposite and we start with a big one: Black Betty by Ram Jam!
March 28, 2022
Special: Season Two in Review
Time flies when you're having fun. We just started into the new season (or so it seems) with Death Metal and now it's already over again. This means it's time for our review special where we look back at the season that was and talk about what we enjoyed most (and more importantly: least). Also: We have at least two exciting updates to share with you so take a listen!
February 24, 2022
S2 E8: Après Ski
It's January. A wonderful time: Peak skiing season, peak Corona season ... (we wonder if there is any connection?). Ah well anyway, we are luckily not here to talk about any of that. Because this is the big finale of season two where Dan and Ralf join forces to bring you the ultimate party anthem of this winter. Oh and some other cool stuff towards the end of the episode as well. Take a listen!
January 19, 2022
Oh the wonderful world of Folk music! It can truly be everything and nothing – never have the Songwriting Idiots been challenged by such a hard to define genre. But truth be told: We both enjoyed it tremendously and you can listen to the results now. In this penultimate episode of Songwriting Idiots season two!
December 03, 2021
Do you wanna hear something that will blow your mind? None of us is a woman, let alone a girl. So ... you know ... just one question: WHY THE F*** DID YOU GIVE US GIRL GROUPS AS A GENRE?? Just wanna get a couple things clear here. One: Girl groups consist of girls, that's kinda how this works. Ralf and Dan - not girls. And two: Girl group is not even a goddamn genre, it's a description of who is in a band. But Ok, we're losing our temper here ... let's just forget this ever happened and get on with it, shall we?
November 10, 2021
Remember the year 1991 also known as the year that changed music forever? Nirvana released their second album "Nevermind" including the hit single "Smells like teen spirit" and the world was never again the same. Or so the story goes ... But do you know what song was Number 1 in the Billboard Hot 100 that year? Well: It was "(Everything I do) I do it for you" by Brian Adams - a Rock Ballad. And why? Because Rock Ballads f**** rock! No matter if it's 1973, 1991 or 2021. Time for us Songwriting Idiots to also take a hit at this legendary genre!
October 07, 2021
We want to make one thing very clear: While we are both enthusiastic guitarists, this one did not necessarily fill us with confidence. Cause if there's one thing that terrifies us, it's having to (pretend to) play Jazz. But what can you do. Here it comes, ladies and gents. Take a seat, grab a glass of Whiskey, imagine you're in a smokey night club in 1930s France and listen to some Gypsy Jazz tunes by yours truly.
August 30, 2021
Ladies and gentlemen, it is time to PARTY! Because this month, the Songwriting Idiots are tackling the genre of Disco. So get your perms ready, put on that white suite and get your body moving. We are about to hit the dancefloor with a Nigerian prince, just trying to share his wealth.
July 27, 2021
Do you want to know a secret? We both LOVE our instruments and believe it or not ... by now we even know how to use them (kinda). This makes what you guys did to us even more painful. Because for this month, you beautiful people out there decided to task us with writing an A Capella song about how to remove a tick from the center of your anus. Yup.
June 29, 2021
Season 2 of Songwriting Idiots is starting with a bang! Or more accurately: A beat. A blast beat. That's right. For our first episode of the new season we are tackling the ridiculous genre of Death Metal! Take a listen to find out how Dan's trusty old Jazz guitar is handling all the gain, what Ralf is doing alone in the wood with an axe and perhaps most importantly: Who killed the DJ.
May 27, 2021
Season Two is coming!
It's April 2021 and we are nearing the end of our break. Season Two of Songwriting Idiots will commence in May! But there is of course one thing still missing ... We need to know what genre and topic our first two songs will be about! Let us tell you all about it in this short teaser.
April 22, 2021
Special: All about the Blues ... kind of
This is the last of our in between seasons specials and man ... have we got a treat for you! Our guest today is Tommy Krappweis. Originally we got him on the show to talk all about the blues. And we do - kinda. We also discuss everything from working at a German Wild West theme park in the 90s, the worst school band ever and how Dan managed to share a stage with Babyshambles as a teenager. Buckle up and enjoy the ride.
April 15, 2021
Special: Songwriting on Instagram
In this special episode, we talk to Lyon based songwriter and long-time listener of the show, Livv! Livv is a singer and ukulele player originally from Mali, who started sharing her music on Instagram a couple of months ago. We took the chance to talk about that, find out how her experiences were this far and what social media can do for musicians in general. Take a listen!
March 27, 2021
Special: Our band's first single!
This is a very special episode for us: This week, we released our very first single with our band! Now ... you might be thinking: What band? You guys never mentioned a band! Was everything you ever did just a big lie?! And you'd be right to think that. So of course, we also took the chance to get the entire crew in front of the mics so you can get to know them. May we introduce: ERNST and our first single "Goodbye".
March 14, 2021
Special: Writing a song a week?!
Luke Leighfield is a London-based songwriter and got himself into an utterly ridiculous project for 2021: He wants to write and release a new song every single week! We here at Songwriting Idiots find it hard enough to come up with a song each month so we simply had to get Luke on the show to find out he he does it. So that's what we discuss in this special in between seasons episode. On top of that, we talk about Luke's songwriting process, tech and - most importantly perhaps - his dog.
March 06, 2021
Special: How to turn Art into Metal
This is the first in a series of special episodes coming your way until Season 2 hits off in May. Today, we are talking with Mirco, the man behind the "USR", a project he doesn't like to call electronic music (opinions do differ). For his current EP, Mirco asked us (of all people) to remix one of his songs for the B-Side. And well ... we did and show him the shocking result for the first time on the show. On top of that, we talked a whole lot about analog synthesizers, the songwriting process, how to remodel a track ... all the good stuff - you know.
February 26, 2021
Special: Season One in Review
Guys ... it's incredible. We made it through an entire season of this madness we call Songwriting Idiots. Crazy. As promised though, we've got a whole series of in-between-seasons specials lined up for you, starting today! In this episode, we take a look back at 8 episodes and 15 songs, share our highs and (mostly) lows and ... play a LIVE PERFORMANCE of "Secret Santa" in seven styles! You probably wanna hang around for that trainwreck.
January 28, 2021
It's that time of the year. The time we've all been waiting for: End of season time here at Songwriting Idiots! And to end season one of the show with a blast, we take a bow to the other thing happening right now: Christmas. Or more specifically, Christmas songs. This time, however, we changed things up and joined forces in order to write and produce the ULTIMATE CHRISTMAS SONG. Promising too much? You'll be the judge ...
December 20, 2020
Ralf dreaded this episode and not even Dan was excited (which means something, that man has no standards). You charged us with writing a Ska song about our aunt's obsession with Crocs shoes ... Well truth be told: We enjoyed it more than we thought. Turns out there is more to Ska than the hideous Ska Punk we both remember from the 90s, thank f***! As for everything else, you know the drill: We both wrote and recorded a song and present them to you and each other in this newest episode of the show. Enjoy!
November 07, 2020
For this episode of the Songwriting Idiots Podcast, you have once more forced us to introduce a new language. After having done songs in English, Spanish and Italian, it is now time to get into some German here! And not just any German, mind you. We are talking proper gangster German - cause what else would be appropriate for the genre of German hip hop? And for the rest ... You know the drill: We both wrote and recorded a song, this time on the topic of the UK's response to Covid 19 (was there any?), and present them to you and each other. Enjoy!
October 03, 2020
Most musicians suffer from chronic GAS. Gear Acquisition Syndrome, that is. And while both of us are actually quite minimalistic compared to most of our peers, the gear we do use, is obviously quite important to what we do. So in this bonus episode of the podcast, we want to give you an insight into what instruments, microphones, amps, software etc. we use to produce all the seminal hits you hear every month.
September 19, 2020
In this episode of the Songwriting Idiots Podcast, you asked us to write an Italo-Dance song each. To Ralf, having grown up close to the Italian border, this came naturally. To Dan ... not so much. Well, you know the drill: We both wrote and recorded a song, present it to each other live on the show and discuss the outcome. Take a listen!
September 04, 2020
Bonus: Storytelling in songwriting
Storytelling is quite the hype these days, as I'm sure you've realized. And this doesn't only apply to marketing or writing fiction, but is also very much true for songwriting. There are actually loads of ways to tell a story in a song, both lyrically and musically. To talk about that, the story of our own Disney movie and the songs we wrote about it, we invited the creator of "The Wall", Nicole Salomon, to the podcast for this week's bonus episode!
August 30, 2020
In this episode of the Songwriting Idiots Podcast, we attempt to write our very own Disney song for our very own Disney movie! You know the drill: We both wrote and recorded a song in that genre, present it to each other live on the show and discuss the outcome. Take a listen!
August 07, 2020
As you may know, we have been challenged by you to write a Disney song for our next episode. That raised a question: Do we write just any Disney song? Or a song for a specific existing movie? Well, we decided for a third option: We are going to write our songs for a new Disney movie that Dan's fiancee Nicki wrote. Here you have it. This is the story of "The Wall". Links: Vote now: https//songwritingidiots.com/vote Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/songwritingidiots
July 31, 2020
In this episode of the Songwriting Idiots Podcast, we do our very best to recreate the iconic sound of Motown! You know the drill: We both wrote and recorded a song in that genre, present it to each other live on the show and discuss the outcome. Take a listen!
July 11, 2020
In this episode of the Songwriting Idiots Podcast, we tackle a genre literally quite foreign to both of us: Reggaeton! You know the drill: We both wrote and recorded a song in that genre, present it to each other live on the show and discuss the outcome. Take a listen! Links Vote now: https://songwritingidiots.com/vote/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/songwritingidiots/ Download our Reggaeton songs: https://songwritingidiots.com/songs/
June 07, 2020
In the first episode of the Songwriting Idiots Podcast we tackle a genre both of us grew up with: 90s Pop and Skate Punk! You know the drill: We both wrote and recorded a song, present it to each other live on the show and discuss the outcome. Take a listen! Links Suggest genres and topics on our website: https://songwritingidiots.com/vote/ Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/songwritingidiots/ Check out our Spotify Playlist for Pop Punk Songs: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2YmkOwaZZwIbs3gh2ZZxxp?si=MukUYoVBTpC9q8OTGrBkGw
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Activities
Season 22/23
Pick a word.
Can you define a show with that word? Perhaps with three? Or four? Five? No?
Perhaps words are of no use to us any more… Perhaps they serve only as bridges—said or thought beyond their manifold meanings. Perhaps they're the same. We are not.
This season, we expand time. We use keys to decipher, words to understand, ideas to bring closer. We have concepts engaging in dialogue and topics into combat.
We want to warm up, talk, dive. We want to watch, read or just let ourselves go.
Before and after. Night and day.
Beach in November? We have that. What about in February? That as well. Poet and activist scarecrows? We're in need of those.
There are so many questions, resonances and silence. There are so many people, bodies and stories.
We expand the frontiers between real and imaginary, human and virtual. Not least because roses have never just been roses.
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Touchstar has over 40 years’ experience of working in the education, healthcare, government, leisure and entertainment, and commercial building markets. Access control, CCTV and Time & Attendance solutions are sold and maintained from offices in Warwickshire and East Sussex (UK).
Access Control - Frequently Asked Questions
07 October 2019
Managing employee and visitor access rights at single or multiple locations can become a complex task with many moving parts. But with safety and security on the line, you can’t afford to have a weak link or any gaps in your system. Read More >>
What is turnstile access control?
01 March 2019
Designed to work seamlessly with the ebb and flow of people in and out of a building, turnstile access control should be as unobtrusive as it is effective. While turnstile gates and barriers exist to keep unauthorised individuals out, they should also be as practical as possible for those with the right access. Read More >>
14 February 2019
Biometric access control systems are shaping the future of business security across the globe. With its faultless data gathering, identification and verification capabilities, biometric access control systems are crucial for the safeguarding and security of countless industries and sectors worldwide. Whilst at one time the characteristics of biometric access control wouldn’t have seemed out of place in the science fiction genre, its technology is improving security for businesses within countless industries of varying sizes and scales. The benefits of biometric access control are many and varied and are causing a significant stir across both high-risk security and smaller-scale organisations. Read More >>
14 February 2019
Touchstar ATC partner Abloy UK is fully owned by ASSA ABLOY, the global leader in total door opening solutions. From locks to security doors, entrance automation and access control systems, ASSA ABLOY has an annual turnover of €6 billion and employs approximately 44,000 people worldwide. Read More >>
New technology could revolutionise access control
21 December 2018
These days, we’re surrounded by the kind of technology that, at one point, wouldn’t have seemed out of place in a science-fiction film. From the Internet of Things (IoT) to artificial intelligence (AI), modern technology is increasingly put to work to make daily tasks quicker, more automated and more convenient. The same is true of the technology that powers premises security but, where access control is concerned, it’s vital that any boost in efficiency doesn’t equate to compromised system integrity. Technological advancements for the access control industry must combine innovation with the highest standards of security, as we explore in this blog. Read More >>
22 November 2018
From its inception in 2001, SALTO was created with one objective: to devise a world-class access control system that was simple to use and extremely efficient, giving users the ability to control all their access needs and secure all their doors without complex and expensive wiring. Such a solution had to be simple to install and set up, cost-effective, reliable, complete and future-proof. What resulted was their pioneering SVN platform -- the first stand-alone, battery-powered electronic locks for access control. Since that ground-breaking start, the small group of enthusiastic and highly experienced professionals who founded SALTO has gone on to introduce a series of other innovations that have had a major impact on electronic security. Read More >>
How much is absence costing your business?
16 November 2018
According to research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), unplanned absence costs UK businesses £29 billion a year. For private sector companies, this equates to £522 per employee on average, while it costs public sector organisations £835 per employee. This is undoubtedly significant in itself, but there’s more that businesses should consider than just the financial impact of team members missing work. This feature takes a closer look at what staff absenteeism really means. Read More >>
Five signs you should upgrade your security
01 October 2018
Your organisation works hard to stay at the forefront of your field, and there are few things more gratifying than to see that dedication rewarded by growth and advancement. Yet, alongside the passage of time, business progression can often render your building security less effective than it should be, which a developing company can ill-afford. If your access control system no longer seems to meet the needs of your organisation, it may only be a matter of time before a chink in the armour turns into a full-scale security lapse. Here are five signs you should look to upgrade your building security without delay. Read More >>
Why you should integrate your security system
01 October 2018
These days, there’s much more to building security than simply keeping the wrong people out. While access control is an essential consideration, in offering optimum business value, a system should include every aspect of your physical premises security, plus site visibility, staff and visitor management, and time and attendance functionality. Crucially, each of these systems should interact and communicate with the others, based on data in a central location. Read More >>
University Security: Are you adequately prepared?
03 August 2018
University can be a rite of passage and, for many young people, it’s the first time they find themselves living away from home. Safe and secure learning and living environments go a long way towards helping new students settle in and find their feet, so campus security should be a top priority for university administrators. Read More >>
19 July 2018
Assa Abloy a leading manufacturer of access control hardware, and an important partner of Touchstar ATC, has produced a detailed report on the current status of the wireless access control market. The report was produced in conjunction with IFSEC and we’ve highlighted some of the main findings. Read More >>
CCTV for SME's: More than basic security
29 May 2018
We’re always encouraging small and growing businesses to invest in CCTV, and with good reason: even former criminals vouchfor the effectiveness of video surveillance. But the latest cameras can be used for much more than just catching bad guys. Within this feature are a few applications for CCTV equipment that you might not have considered before. Read More >>
03 May 2018
GDPR (General Data Protection Regulation) – the next major shakeup to European Union (EU) data privacy laws – is set to come into full force on May 25, forcing businesses of all kinds to reassess their attitudes towards and processes around personal data. Read More >>
CCTV in 2018: The biggest trends
04 April 2018
CCTV has long been a useful tool in the business owner’s battle against crime, but the technology’s users find themselves at a crossroads. In 2018, with purse strings tighter than ever, most are being forced to do more with less – minimising costs without weakening defences. Fortunately, this corporate security mainstay is evolving, and various new features and trends are helping organisations get the most from their CCTV investments Read More >>
CCTV and the Human Rights Act
30 January 2018
CCTV is everywhere in the UK. Although accurate figures are hard to come by, some reports have estimated there to be almost six million cameras watching the population – roughly one for every 11 people. It’s not difficult to see why, as a security measure, CCTV is so popular: it’s cost-effective and it works. But the rapid spread of surveillance over the past ten years has caused many members of the public to question their rights to privacy. For any business considering CCTV, then, and those using it already, it’s crucial to understand the legal implications. And namely, how it fits within the Human Rights Act 1998. Read More >>
5 essentials to protect your business from crime
20 December 2017
Although government figures suggest that crimes against businesses are falling in most areas, the tens of thousands of incidents still occurring show that companies still have plenty to fear. The threats go far beyond just theft as well; owners and workers across all industries are at risk of fraud, assaults and cybercrime too. So how do you go about keeping your business and the people within it safe? Read More >>
Access control: More than just security
23 November 2017
There are many ways in which one of our systems can protect your business from theft and unauthorised entry, and while this is the primary function, there is more to access control than just security. With the right solution in place, you stand to improve record-keeping, productivity and safety across your business - and in this article, we’ll explain how. Read More >>
17 November 2017
Apollo Fire Detectors Ltd specialises in the design and manufacture of high-quality fire detection solutions for commercial and industrial applications. From its base in Havant, near Portsmouth on the UK’s south coast, Apollo has, for over 35 years, designed and built products that save lives and protect property from the risk of fire. The company recently turned to Touchstar ATC for an access control solution. Read More >>
09 November 2017
The methods businesses use to keep their property and people safe have changed significantly over the years. New technologies are constantly making their way into security strategies, promising to deliver stronger and more efficient protection. The industry is in no way standing still either – the future is bright, with various exciting solutions and trends on the horizon. Read More >>
06 November 2017
For decades, access control systems were considered a security tool that let authorised personnel enter a building or area. While many people still think of access control in these terms, advanced access control systems boast a variety of tools and benefits that are often overlooked. Read More >>
Access control failings and how to prevent them
29 September 2017
As much as we’d all like to fully trust those around us, there will always be some people who have malicious intentions – so you need to protect your premises. The key is to invest wisely in security, and more specifically, access control. Even when you have security in mind, though, there are pitfalls to consider; pitfalls that many organisations are still falling foul of today. This feature highlights some of the most obvious failings, and a few tips on how to avoid them. Read More >>
TouchStar ATC exhibit at Healthcare Estates
27 September 2017
TouchStar ATC to exhibit at Healthcare Estates 2017. Visitors and delegates responsible for running and maintaining some of the biggest estates in the NHS and private sector attend Healthcare Estates in Manchester to learn about the latest innovations in key areas of the healthcare estate. Read More >>
Managing visitor access to your building
04 August 2017
While the internet has undoubtedly revolutionised business communication, most companies still need to welcome visitors to their premises regularly - whether for important meetings or just introductory tours of the office. As such, visitor access – and managing it effectively – is still a major consideration for managers across all industries. Thankfully, the task is made easier by the host of innovative access control technologies available, each one built to address the various security challenges faced by your business. Read More >>
Ongoing support – How we can help you
25 July 2017
Implementing a new access control system is no small step. Choose the right setup though, and you’ll be reaping the rewards in no time. TouchStar is committed to ensuring its customers get the most from their investments, and as part of that we offer a range of ongoing support through our online portal. Our job is in no way done once the initial installation is complete; we’ll be there by your side to prevent and fix problems, advise and update for as long as you need us. Read More >>
What happens during your site survey?
09 June 2017
To find the best security solution for your business, TouchStar undertakes a detailed site survey to find out what you’re looking to achieve, how well your current system works and your future business plans. Read More >>
Ensuring your access control system is user-friendly
19 May 2017
If you’re to get the most from your access control investment, you need to ensure that as well as being secure, your set-up is user-friendly. Consider things such as tuition, freedom of access and scalability for the future. Read More >>
TouchStar ATC to exhibit at IFSEC
09 May 2017
Security in education: Keeping students and staff safe
05 May 2017
The safety of students and staff is a primary concern in the education sector and now innovative and easy-to-use technologies are making monitoring and controlling complex premises of all sizes straightforward and cost-effective. Read More >>
20 April 2017
Internet Protocol (IP) technology offers advanced security solutions which provide greater convenience and better protection than ever before. Here we look at the benefits and the ways forward in the future. Read More >>
11 April 2017
Today’s businesses face all manner of security challenges. To achieve the ultimate peace of mind it pays to invest in a state-of-the-art, fully-featured access control system. One of the market’s leading solutions is TouchStar’s Microtrak Evolution software. Read More >>
How does Biometrics work?
02 March 2017
Biometric access control systems are becoming increasingly popular reading a person’s voice, retina or fingerprint to determine if they can be permitted entry. But how does the biometrics system works and what businesses are systems of this type most suited to? Read More >>
13 February 2017
The CCTV systems that Touchstar ATC provide offer a wide-variety of modern technological advances. These include instant playback allowing people to instantly rewind and view footage in the event of an incident, round-the-clock monitoring with digital footage storage devices and zoom functions so cameras can focus in on suspicious activity. Read More >>
Managing a security incident
26 January 2017
Have you considered how you would manage a security incident within your building? Depending on the industry you work in, the type of incident that you might encounter will differ, but we are talking about something sudden, unexpected, dangerous or distressing. There are several technology solutions that can help with managing an emergency situation. Read More >>
Pedalling for Pounds
30 September 2016
TouchStar to exhibit at IFSEC International
08 June 2016
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What are the Benefits of a Time and Attendance System
MANUFACTURING: CEPAC Cepac, is the UK’s leading independent corrugated packing producer. From state-of-the-art alternative, to conventional corrugated packaging, they have achieved their market leading status by becoming pioneers.
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The Door To Qatar: Which Continent Has The Most Difficult World Cup Qualifying Process?
Leonardo Bonucci's post-playoff complaints have sparked a conversion about the difficulty of World Cup qualifying in different regions.
"Absurd" was the word Italian defender Leonardo Bonucci used to describe the UEFA World Cup qualifying process after his team fell to North Macedonia in a single-leg playoff last week.
"You have to play a single game in which anything can happen as we have seen," the veteran center back said. "There are teams that qualified after losing four or five games; we are at home after losing only one in the 92nd minute. It is truly madness."
This was the first time single-leg matches were used in UEFA WCQ playoffs — although they were used in the Euro 2020 playoffs.
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Bonucci has a viable complaint about this playoff system, but overall, the UEFA qualifying process is relatively fair and is far easier than the qualifying journeys of teams from other continents.
The path to the World Cup often depends on a team's ability, but in some continents, countries also have to deal with an arduous qualifying run.
Which continents have reasonable qualifying paths and which continents offer up a proverbial gauntlet? Let's take a look.
Which Continent Has Most Difficult World Cup Qualifying Process
First Round: Two groups of four teams, round robin, top two finishers in each group advance to second round.
Second Round: First-place finisher from Group A faces second-place finisher from Group B and vice-versa in single-leg semifinal, winner advances to final, also a single leg. Winner of the final earns a spot in the inter-confederation playoff.
Total Matches Played By Qualifying Teams: 5
Unfortunately, Covid-19 forced five nations to withdraw from the qualifying rounds, leaving only six teams and making for some major shake-ups in the earlier rounds. In 2018, qualification for the World Cup was tied in with a competition called the OFC Nations Cup.
It began with the four worst teams played a round robin, with the group winner advancing to the second round. From there, two groups of four played another round robin with their groups, with the top two in each group advancing in the Nations Cup and the top three in each group reaching the next round of WCQ. The Nations Cup continued independent of World Cup qualifying.
From there, two groups of three played a double round robin, with the winner from each group advancing to the final round. The winner of the two-leg final then reached the inter-confederation playoff. Playoff qualifier New Zealand competed in a total of nine matches during the qualifying process that year, versus just five this year.
Easy is all relative here. Australia and New Zealand are the only teams to have advanced from Oceania qualifying, with their reward being an inter-confederation playoff. The playoff system, though, is out of their control, and thus Oceania will only be judged by the set up of matches within the region.
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First Round: 12 worst teams play home-and-home qualifiers, winner on aggregate advances to second round.
Second Round: Eight groups of five teams, group winners advance to third round as do five best second-place teams.
Third Round: Two groups of six teams, double round-robin, top two in each group advance to the World Cup, two third-place teams advance to the fourth round.
Fourth Round (Playoff): Third place teams from third round face off in a single-leg playoff, winner advances to inter-confederation playoff.
Total Matches Played By Qualifying Teams: 18
AFC qualifying begins similarly to the UEFA qualifying process, with the 12 best teams advancing from a 40-team group stage. Then they decided, "Hey, let's have another group stage, à la every World Cup held before 1986, and let's make it 10 games."
Having to travel halfway across the world for away matches in Australia isn't ideal, but the length of AFC qualifying does a good job of separating the good teams from the bad ones.
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First Round: Teams ranked 6-35 are divided into six groups of five, groups play round-robin with six group winner advancing to Round 2.
Second Round: Six group winners from Round 1 compete in two-leg playoffs, with three winners advancing to third round.
Third Round (aka the Octogonal?): Top five ranked teams plus three qualifiers from previous round play double round robin; top three qualify for World Cup, fourth place reaches inter-confederation playoff.
Total Matches Played By Qualifying Teams: 14, 20
When Canada qualified this year for its first World Cup, not only did it mark the first time it reached the cup since 1986, the Maple Leafs were also the first Concacaf team since Jamaica in 1998 to partake in the first round of qualifying and earn a spot at the World Cup.
Some might say this makes Concacaf boring, but isn't the whole point of qualifying to give your best teams a chance to reach the World Cup? Concacaf is already an incredibly difficult region to win in on the road — away teams have won just 17.8 percent of qualifying matches starting with the 2010 WCQ cycle (international average is 25 percent) — so why put the good teams through strenuous away matches early in the qualifying process?
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First Round: 10 groups, five with five teams, five with six teams, double round robin, group winners advance to World Cup, second-place finishers advance to playoffs.
Second Round (Playoffs): 10 second-place finishers from Round 1 plus two best UEFA Nations League group winners that finished outside of the top two in qualifying. Six one-leg playoffs (semifinals), winners advance to playoff finals, three winners of single-leg playoff finals advance to World Cup.
Total Matches Played By Qualifying Teams: 8-12
Every year, one or two elite European sides inevitably miss the World Cup; this year, it was Italy, in 2018 it was the Netherlands and also Italy. But overall, the top teams usually separate themselves from the pack. Romania — the 37th-ranked team in the world, the worst team in Pot 2 and the 20th-best team in Europe — was the best side not to at least make the playoffs.
Sure, Italy has a reasonable gripe with the playoffs being decided by a single match, but the Italians only have themselves to blame for draws against Northern Ireland and Bulgaria (matches in which they had at least 70 percent possession). Win 2-0 in either of those matches and Italy tops the group and is relaxing contently right now.
In UEFA, teams in limbo — that is in second-, third- or fourth- place in their group — can usually point to two or three matches that will be difference-makers. A draw against this team, a win away and that could be what separates them from qualification; and that's what makes the process great.
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First Round: Double round robin between all 10 teams in CONMEBOL, top four finishers advance to World Cup, fifth place gets spot in inter-confederation playoff.
Total Matches Played By Qualifying Teams: 18
The gap here between Europe and South America is enormous. The 18-match qualification path in South America is downright brutal, and the elevation of some of these stadiums only adds to the misery. Ecuador plays at an elevation of 9,350 feet, while Bolivia plays at an exhausting height of 11,942.
This year, Colombia and Chile — both top-20 teams in the FIFA rankings at the beginning of qualifying — failed to reach the World Cup, while ninth-ranked Chile also failed to reach the tournament in 2018. The process is simple, but I'm sure many countries would want to play fewer matches.
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First Round: 27-54th ranked teams face off in two-leg playoff, winners advance to second round.
Second Round: 10 groups of four teams, double round robin, group winners advance to third round.
Third Round (Playoffs): Two-leg playoffs, five winners on aggregate advance to the World Cup.
Total Matches Played By Qualifying Teams: 8
While the qualifying process in South America is seen as long and arduous, at the other end of the spectrum is African qualifying, which largely takes place over the span of three short months. Teams must win their four-team group, and among the teams left out were 53rd-ranked Ivory Coast and 69th-ranked South Africa — both of whom finished second in their group (behind countries that eventually qualified) with four wins, one loss and one draw.
Three of the top six teams in Africa (Nigeria, Algeria and Egypt) failed to qualify, which suggests the qualifying process does not provide enough opportunities for the continent's best sides to separate themselves from the pack. The process was altered this year after Africa's top three teams all failed to qualify in 2018 but could still use some tweaks — namely adding more matches.
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After a long work week my husband and I were looking forward to spending last Saturday (I know...this is a week late) preparing a romantic dinner for two and enjoying it under the stars in our backyard. For some spending an entire day tracking down that special ingredient and turning it into a feast seems like a chore but to us it’s a chance to reconnect with each other and create. Well it didn’t take us long to find out that Saturday was not going to be the tranquil day we had anticipated. And that even the simplest of ingredients can be hard to come by in Phoenix.
Perusing through some cookbooks we decided to focus our menu around small plates. This would allow us to try several new recipes, most of which were from Scott Conant’s New Italian Cooking cookbook. If you’re not familiar with this book it contains both very involved recipes and some that are quick and easy, giving you a nice mix.
Menu and shopping list created; we set out to gather the few items we needed. We had no issues finding the capers and anchovies needed to make a mayo dip for the fried zucchini.
We were on a roll; or so we thought. Next on our list were the rabbit legs we needed to top the baby greens salad.
Ok, so there is nowhere in the entire city of Phoenix that sells rabbit legs. I can understand that most stores would not carry rabbit legs on a regular basis but the fact that not one butcher was willing to order them for me was kind of disturbing. So we decided to improvise. A quick google search confirmed that chicken legs were a perfect substitute. Chicken legs it would have to be.
The mussels for our green bean and mussel soup were actually easy to find.
This was surprising since my last attempt at purchasing mussels had been a disaster. I’ve since learned that mussels are only delivered to the stores here on certain days of the week and any attempt of purchasing them on an off day is fruitless.
It was midafternoon and we were down to our last ingredient: smoked mozzarella for the gnocchi.
Seems to me like smoked mozzarella should be relatively easy to find. Well it’s not. We made the rounds of all the grocery stores in our area and finally found it at our last stop (of course). But seriously this is a new store that wasn’t there a year ago. So if we had attempted this recipe last year we would’ve been out of luck. Geez Phoenix it’s only smoked mozzarella.
3 hours, 30 miles and 6 stores later we were ready to start cooking. All I could think was boy this better be good.
But we were destined to encounter one more obstacle before the night was over. As it turns out while we were busy tracking down our food items the neighbors were busy preparing their backyard for a Hawaiian Luau. Determined to go forward with our romantic evening we sat down to dinner only to be serenaded by a group of drunk men singing.
Despite all of these obstacles the food was a success. My husband and I both agreed that the mussel soup was simply amazing and so easy to make; the poached chicken legs were a perfect substitute for the rabbit legs; the smoked mozzarella added just the right zip to the fresh tomato sauce covered gnocchi and the anchovy mayo was the perfect accompaniment to the fried zucchini.
Posted by The Food Hunter at 5:14 PM
16 comments:
Reeni May 1, 2009 at 5:36 PM
I understand your frustration! When I lived in Tucson I had a hard time finding things. But their was every Mexican ingredient imaginable. Your dinner looks really good! Well worth the trouble!
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Jersey Girl Cooks May 1, 2009 at 7:06 PM
You crack me up! The food looks delicious. You were probably missing Philly where everything could be bought at the 9th st market:)
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Proud Italian Cook May 1, 2009 at 7:08 PM
That gnocchi looks so good! Sorry for your obstacles, but I love the determination between you and your hubby. So cute that you cook together.
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LaDue & Crew May 1, 2009 at 7:21 PM
All looks awesome! I hear you... Phoenix is a wasteland for good ingredients! My hubby is a hunter... we should share some stuff with you!
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Dewi May 1, 2009 at 9:59 PM
I love that fried zukes, delicious!
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Anonymous May 2, 2009 at 7:59 AM
All your dishes look amazing. Bet they were delicious! :)
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Julie May 2, 2009 at 10:12 AM
Looks amazing...after all that running around I think I would have just called out for pizza!
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Melissa May 2, 2009 at 6:00 PM
In Phoenix, I would expect it to be a bit easier, definitely. But sometimes I'm baffled at how far I have to go to find certain items and I live in southern California. So you never know I guess.
Good for you guys for seeing it through. I probably would have too, just on principle haha. Everything looks marvelous, and I would love to taste every one of those dishes.
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Stacey Snacks May 3, 2009 at 4:18 PM
I remember when you told me it was tough getting specialty food items in Phx, but I didn't think it was THAT difficult! Mussels?
Well, it all looks terrific. I had no idea Scott Conant had a book out.
We love his NYC restaurant Scarpetta, it's my favorite, so will have to check out his book.
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Jeff May 4, 2009 at 8:23 AM
Sounds like here. I love rabbit and if I find a person who sells them I will buy them out of them. Heck I have even almost gone to the level of raising my own and then have them butchered to feed the addiction.
If you did not end up killing each other after those obstacles I would say it was a success.
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Laurie May 4, 2009 at 1:38 PM
It's crazy when you can't find ingredients! Especially growing up in Cities where these items are a regular! I have to drive an hour away for a butcher or fish monger! We can't even get fresh ground veal!! :(
But how fun that you and your husband set out to do all this together!! :)
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Sara May 4, 2009 at 7:07 PM
Wow, everything looks amazing despite your obstacles! You are quite talented.
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msmeanie May 4, 2009 at 8:40 PM
That does sound crazy! The fried zucchini looks soo good. I'm going to have to try to make that!
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Maris May 4, 2009 at 9:35 PM
Wow, so you literally were a food hunter this weekend!
It looks like it was a heck of a special dinner anyway in the end. You did a great job and I hope you had fun!
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EricEatsOut (ejs1492 on Chowhound) May 6, 2009 at 4:15 PM
When can I eat at your house?! I'm sure you would get a great review! :-) Sounds yummy.
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Sarah @ Taste My Plate May 25, 2009 at 2:50 PM
That zucchini looks soooo good! I love fried zucchini, and that dip sounds like the perfect partner :)
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Happy Belated Canada Day, everyone. When I originally signed up to speak with you a few weeks back, my obvious thought for a sermon was to speak on faith and our nation, seeing that it was right after Canada Day. I had that sermon ready to go.
But the events of this week south of the border have been on my heart and mind. It is an oddly Canadian thing to feel connected to the controversies in the United States. Some days Canadians follow politics in the States closer than our own, perhaps because our politics are just so much more respectful, we feel bored listening to it.
The United States Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, and that has us Canadians talking about it, even though it does not directly affect us. It has been all over CBC Radio, which I listen to on the way to work. For many of us, we feel connected to these events. Many of us have American family members. Many of my friends are American Baptist pastors. Many of us wonder whether something like this could happen here. Others of us hear the toxic rhetoric from our own circles.
Over social media, I have seen a disturbing mix of gloating on the part of conservatives and rage on the part of liberals, finger-pointing memes that attempt cute but all too simplistic “gotcha moments” like it is all one big game.
For conservatives, the gloating justifies why they supported Donald Trump, finally coming to fruition. Supporting an immoral man so that republicans could control the Supreme Court was worth it. For others, this marks a terrible victory for bigotry that is taking over the public discourse, where people have climbed into places of power using lies and demagoguery, pushing the United States closer to something like Margaret Atwood’s dystopia, Gilead.
For us, north of the border, I am very thankful that we have a completely independent judiciary, can I just say. I also feel like we are watching our neighbours, our closest ally in the world, pull themselves apart. The rage is palpable as the protests by both sides edge closer and closer to violence. I wonder if the US is on a collision course for another civil war.
And so, I told the organizers of the service this week that I would speak on the topic of abortion today. But let’s be clear about something up front:
This is not a liberal versus conservative issue.
This is a scriptural discernment issue.
This is a truth and compassion issue.
This is an issue that involves people.
When the world wants to shout, I think that is a good indication for us, Christians, that we need to stop and listen, but not to the shouting. We need to listen to the whispers of God’s voice in Scripture; we need to listen to the advice of our Baptist forebearers, but also, we need to listen to each other, especially to the cries of the lives affected, the voices of women.
So, I have entitled this sermon “Learning to Listen: Abortion and Becoming ‘Pro-Voice.’” The term Pro-Voice is based on an excellent book by Aspen Baker that I will reference later.
So, first, can we listen to what God might have to tell us in Scripture? I say that knowing that this is a debate where people love citing the Bible as if it is obvious and clear on the matter. However, let me survey some of the Scriptures people cite in these debates, and let me suggest that perhaps the voice of God might not be saying what people try to make it say.
This is a topic that cannot be discussed by just one Scripture. As I thought about it, there is really no other way to handle this than by going through a couple¾there are about half a dozen of them–that people bring up (there are others, but these are the most pertinent ones). So, that is what we are going to do.
Now, there are several scriptures that don’t say much at all about this issue that constantly get quoted. So, let’s start with those:
For instance, Psalm 139:13 says, “For it was you who formed my inward parts; you knit me together in my mother’s womb.” There are similar ones in the books of Job and Jeremiah. I saw this on a billboard driving through the South one time, but it really has nothing to say about the legal status of a fetus. Technically, God knits all life together. So, already, one of the most commonly cited passages in this debate says actually very little.
There are other Scriptures that are not as convincing but have some weight to them. One of these is how in the Gospel of Luke, chapter 1, Elizabeth, pregnant with John the Baptist, sees Mary, who is pregnant with Jesus, and it says that the “child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit.” You see this one often around Christmas time. Some have taken this to imply that, obviously then, all fetuses are children. Well, I don’t think that is really Luke’s point in this passage, but be that as it may, we also don’t know how far along Elizabeth was. To feel a baby leaping is something that would happen well into the second trimester, so if this text does speak to this issue, it does not seem to say anything about the condition of the unborn in the first trimester. In Canada, 90% of abortions happen in the first trimester before movements can be felt. So, this text doesn’t say enough.
A much more important text in this debate is Genesis chapter one, verse 27: “So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.”
This term “image” is used later in the book of Genesis to speak about how Adam’s son, Seth, is like him in his image. It is a parental term. If you were to look at my sons, you might say they are chips off the old block. They look like me. They are in my image. Genesis 1 is saying that all humans are God’s children; God sees himself in them and them in him. Genesis 1 teaches that human life has inherent dignity and worth in God’s eyes, no matter the gender, the health, the mental ability, which should say something when we are placed in a position to decide what kind of human life is worth living.
However, as important as this passage is, this passage does not tell us when a human person, in the legal sense, begins. It tells us the worth of human life, but not its origin. So, it is important, but it is only one piece of the puzzle.
The only passage in the Bible that deals with the destruction of a fetus is Exodus, chapter 21. It reads as follows:
22 “When people who are fighting injure a pregnant woman so that there is a miscarriage and yet no further harm follows, the one responsible shall be fined what the woman’s husband demands, paying as much as the judges determine. 23 If any harm follows, then you shall give life for life, 24 eye for eye, tooth for tooth, hand for hand, foot for foot, 25 burn for burn, wound for wound, stripe for stripe.
The laws of the Old Testament are made up of different types. You have some, like the ten commandments, that are direct: Do not commit adultery, do not lie, etc. Others, like this one, is a case law that work as applications: if this happens, you should do that.
This situation is a fight where a pregnant woman is struck, and a miscarriage happens, and if the woman is harmed permanently, the offender is harmed in retribution. It is not the case when a woman seeks an abortion. For in the Hebrew mindset, birth control of any kind was just not on their radar because the ideal was to have as many children as you could.
This is the only case where the destruction of a fetus occurs, and according to this passage, a fine is paid. It is paid to the husband because he, in that culture, was considered the patriarch and lord over his wife, who has his property. So, one quickly feels that this is a text written for its own time and place.
Nevertheless, the most important detail of this text is that a fine is paid. According to Old Testament laws, if you murdered a person, you got the death penalty, life for a life. The implication here is that if a miscarriage happens, and we are not told anything about how far along the pregnant woman is, the offender pays a fine. Thus, it implies a legal person has not been killed.
Some more conservative commentators have tried to argue that this is merely referring to a premature birth, that the word for miscarriage could mean something else, but that is not how it was understood in its own time or in later Rabbinical and Christian commentaries.
However, some later Jewish commentators argue that this case only refers to when it happens to a woman in the first half of her pregnancy, before the fetus is formed sufficiently. In the second half, it could be considered murder.
And so, some have argued that just as Scripture pushes God’s people toward equality between men and women as the biblical narrative progresses, so also does Christian tradition become more sensitive with regard to the unborn.
But the question remains, when does a fetus become a person? When does it become a legal person? When should the government protect what it can discern to be human life?
Some have argued, based on this passage, that a person is a person when they take their first breath after birth. When the first human in the Bible, Adam, was made a living soul, this occurs in Genesis 2 when God breathed into him the breath of life. With the first breath after birth, the human person is identifiable. This was the view of Palestinian Jews in ancient times, and in modern times, this argument was made by the Baptist ethicist Paul Simmons.
However, is breath the real mark of life with dignity? After all, there are lots of creatures out there that are alive but don’t have lungs and acquire oxygen in other ways, and we believe in animal rights. A fetus gets oxygen through the blood in the umbilical cord. Does that count?
If the first breath is the mark of personhood, can a pregnant woman have an abortion right up until labour starts? Late-term abortions are very rare, and in Canada, they are really only done when the life of the mother is at stake. In Canada, abortions after the 21st week of pregnancy account for 0.59% of all abortions.
On the other side of the spectrum is the view that a human person begins at conception. This is probably the one we are most familiar with, often called “life at conception,” but that is a misnomer in the debate. No one is debating whether life begins at conception. In fact, the sperm and ovum are also alive before conception. The question is rather does a fertilized zygote, a set of multiplying cells, which does not have thought, a nervous system, or a heart, so small it could fit on the end of a pin, growing to about the size of a lentil as an embryo–should this be considered a legal person? Baptist ethicists like David Gushee and the late Glenn Stassen hold that the sanctity of human life compels them to refuse abortion even at this early stage.
Early Christian writers like Clement and others support a similar view. They held this view because they assumed the philosophy of Plato. What does that mean? Plato believed that humans have souls in the sense that what made the person truly a person was not based on their bodies or brains but was based on an eternal substance of the mind that could be divorced from the body and brain. That is a bit different from the earlier Jewish belief in the soul that would say that while we have a spiritual dimension to ourselves, it is always in connection to our bodies. One writer put it that we don’t so much have a soul. We are a soul, a holistic unity of spirit and flesh. We are enspirited bodies.
So, several early Christian writers adopted this more Platonic notion that separates mind and body, soul and flesh, and by this, a zygote from the beginning of conception has a full soul, the same as a fully developed human. And this position became Catholic dogma and, by extension, the default setting of most of Christianity, including the modern pro-life movement.
Now, as I said, the early church and Judaism had two wings in the spectrum of their views: one was personhood beginning at first breath, the other, beginning at conception. However, there was a diversity in the early church and Judaism.
The most common view was a middle-ground view. Thinkers like the Alexandrian Jewish writers but also important Christian writers like Tertullian, Origen and Augustine (if you don’t recognize these names, let’s just say they are heavy hitters in theology). They believed that a fetus was a person somewhere in the second trimester, corresponding to the degree of the formation of the fetus.
Now, we know today that a fetus’s heart is discernable at six weeks. But does a heartbeat define a human person?
We know that somewhere around the 12th week, the fetus has a formed nervous system and thus, probably can feel pain. Does the ability to feel pain indicate to us that this is a life we need to protect? 80% of abortions in Canada occur before the 12th week.
We know that the fetus becomes viable around the 24th week, which means if it was born then, it’s probable that it would live. Is this the point where the government has the prerogative to say an abortion should not take place unless the life of the mother is at risk? As I said before, late-term abortions are very rare in Canada.
As you can see, this topic is one that leads to more and more questions. What do we do with that? I have learned that the principles of our Baptist tradition were devised in many ways to aid the believer in walking these difficult paths, where the road ahead comes to a blind crest. So, what might our Baptist principles tell us?
While I don’t think Baptists are automatically the “best” Christians, much less the “only” Christians, I do think our Baptist principles can be virtuous practices that can help us navigate this complex post-Christian, post-modern world we live in.
A. Humans have Rights and Freedoms
One principle that all Christians share is that we believe that because we are all made in God’s image, all human life has dignity and has been bestowed rights and freedoms. Baptists have particularly emphasized rights and freedoms.
Now, someone might pipe up and say then what about the rights of the unborn? Here is a tension between the rights of the pregnant woman and potentially the rights of the unborn.
B. Separation of Church and State
In this case, I believe it is important to keep in mind the second Baptist principle: separation of church and state.
That is to say that if we believe that life begins at conception, and by that a full person because a full soul is imparted at conception if this is a premise based on the beliefs of Christianity, a particular belief about the soul, my Baptist faith cautions me from imposing this view on others who might not share it.
Again, someone might say that imposing this view is necessary when human life is in danger. Many would insist that a fertilized zygote is a potential human being, and by the sanctity of human life in any form, it ought to be protected.
But this conversation must admit that what it means to be a person and when a person begins legally is not clear, both in public discourse and in Jewish and Christian theology. As we have been asking: Is it at conception? An established heartbeat? The development of a nervous system? Fetal viability? Or at first breath after birth? Arguments can and have been made for all of these with no clear winner.
If we cannot prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that one option is the obvious standout, we ought not to be insisting that the government enforce one view, particularly not the earlier ones that impose so much on a woman against her will.
In this case, another Baptist principle is important to keep in mind: we believe in the liberty of all people to decide matters based on their conscience.
Now, this is not an absolute liberty. This does not mean we ought to be free to do anything we want. I did not have the right, as we have seen in the pandemic, to jeopardize the health of my neighbours or co-workers or people I interact with in public spaces but refuse to wear a mask or show vaccination information. Governments and organizations do have the right to regulate spaces based on health and safety.
And if the nature of the unborn was obvious, as some think it is, I can see a better case to say why it ought not to be left up to choice.
While it is not a person’s decision that makes a fetus into a person, it is up to people to recognize another person, and the question is, who has this power? Who has the right to pronounce when a zygote, an embryo, or a fetus becomes a person when the matters are not clear?
If these matters are not obvious, it is appropriate then that the power of this decision lay neither in the hands of the state nor the church nor the biological father, who simply does not have the same bodily risk in the matter, but rather the power of this decision should reside in the hands of the person who will be most affected by that decision, namely the pregnant woman herself.
This does not mean that we have to view a decision always as the right decision. There are lots of bad reasons to have an abortion, but at the end of the day, the responsibility falls on the woman herself to make this difficult choice.
3. Listening to Each Other, especially Women
If we can understand these things, this issue takes on a different character. It is quite possible for Christians to occupy a muddy middle ground that sees abortions as a tragedy but is not interested in imposing our convictions on another person using the laws of our nation.
We can ¾in fact, we must¾resist the either-or of our polarized culture and its toxic, corrosive effects on honesty, decency, and thoughtfulness. We can be profoundly and fervently committed to the dignity of all human life but admit that there is a right way and a wrong way to go about that.
In the midst of a world that is divided and diverse and even a church that is as well, I know people who take their views and live them out graciously. I know people who are pro-life that have chosen to adopt the babies of unwanted pregnancies. On the other end of the spectrum, I know Christian social workers who are pro-choose that have worked at deep personal expense to help women out of abuse and poverty through education and empowerment. I think the church would be impoverished if we refused to see the good character of either of these people.
I think of the conviction of former US president and evangelical Baptist Jimmy Carter. He writes in his important book, Our Endangered Values, that during his presidency, he believed that the Bible taught the sanctity of all life, so he was and still is, personally, against abortion. However, he also believed in the separation of church and state. He believed it was the right of a nation to choose its values democratically. So, instead, he funded programs to help young women and mothers–things like sex education, birth control, free contraception, testing, funded daycares programs, work programs, etc.–so that if a woman truly wanted to keep her baby, she could feel supported. The result was that abortions were lower doing his presidency than during the two Republican pro-life/anti-abortion presidents that came before him and him after.
The right way to go about this issue involves giving people the space to work out for themselves what quite possibly could be the most difficult, life-altering, haunting decision a woman could make in her life.
The right way is to listen to and support people medically, financially, and emotionally–people who are vulnerable and scared and only then do people feel empowered to make an informed decision because they know they are not alone.
B. Listening and Walking with Women
Aspen Baker formed an organization that is devoted to doing just that. Her philosophy, the title of this sermon, is called “pro-voice.” Look up her Ted Talk on this subject. Her organization is a helpline devoted to listening to the needs of women who have had abortions. She believes that one of the most important things we can do in this debate is to listen to the experiences and needs of women without judgment.
And this does not mean all women will think the same way. What she found was that there were many on the pro-choice side that valorized abortion as liberating. Feminists that when they got pregnant, just could not bring themselves to have an abortion or when they did have one, they found themselves experiencing regret, guilt, and anguish.
On the other side, she handled calls by women, fathers, husbands, and pastors who were adamantly pro-life before, but because of certain complicated circumstances, they ended up considering that abortion might be the necessary path, and they felt deeply unprepared to consider these things.
Aspen Baker, in her book, speaks about navigating life in the areas that are gray, where the questions do not lead to clear and definite answers. The question we have been asking (although there are many other questions in this debate) is when does the fetus become a human person, a person in the legally definable sense? How do we live this out? And when we have surveyed the most pertinent Scriptures, we come up short of complete answers.
Now, I am sure you all want me to solve this issue for you. I could tell you where I feel most comfortable drawing that line. But I am a man that has never experienced anything a pregnant woman might face. It is not my decision, nor is it an obvious decision. Let me just tell you that some issues are not easily solved. In fact, they shouldn’t.
Can I tell you I have so badly wanted these questions to have an easy answer? When I was in my first year of Bible college, I had a friend that knew me as a Christian and as a Christian that always had an answer for things. She came to me quite troubled. She was pregnant. She was pregnant with twins. However, one twin died and became what is called a molar pregnancy, essentially becoming something like a tumour that kept growing. Doctors said it should be removed as it could cause serious health risks (infertility, even cancer, later on), but to do this, the other baby–that is the term she used¾had to be aborted and removed.
What would you do if that were you? What would you say to her if you were me? If you can believe it, in Bible College, I was a member of the pro-life club, and my answer as the plucky and ultra-pious, know-it-all Bible college student was: “Don’t do it. Abortion is wrong. Pray and have faith.”
This woman–fortunately–did not listen to me. She went ahead with the procedure, and because of it, she is healthy today and has gone on to have a family.
That experience impressed me that life and faith might be more complicated than I want them to be. Anyone who says the solution is obviously this or that is usually someone who has not really come to grips with the complexities of life and the intricacies of the Bible. Life and morality are not always an obvious thing.
It can be frighting thinking about just how messy and grey the world can be.
It can feel scary not knowing what to think, especially if you believe that your salvation depends on believing and doing the right things.
This can cause many of us to retreat into easy answers, black and white thinking that permits neither questions nor alternatives.
But it is here in reality, in this messy thing called life, that our humanity is found.
And it is here that God’s grace finds us: not despite our humanity but in it.
C. The Character of Grace
If we can realize this, we must know that to become a mature follower of Christ in this complicated world involves moving from partisan politics and obsessing over having the right position or policy (although these have their place) to simply dwelling with people, hearing their stories, and being a gracious presence there in their midst.
I have learned the difficult lesson as a theologian, who has devoted my life to reading Scripture and the great works of theology, all to strive to synthesize the best answers on doctrinal topics in our pursuit of truth (which I believe is a pursuit we all must do). I have learned that some issues don’t have clear answers–that’s the truth–and sometimes in life, the point of things is not having the answer, but meeting these difficult situations with a certain character, that difficult balance of honesty and empathy, conviction and compassion, and that this is the only way to live with a clear conscience in this corrupted world.
If this is the case, we might listen and hear the voice of God from Scripture say something else beyond the Scriptures we just surveyed. In all the ambiguity of life, the Word of God might simply be saying something like this:
“Let everyone,” says the Apostle James, “be quick to listen, slow to speak, slow to become angry” (James 1:19).
Or it might be what Paul simply advises, that in all the fragmentation and division in this world, he simply says, “Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ has forgiven you.” (Eph. 4:32)
Or it might be what the Prophet Micah said, “What does the Lord require of you, but to do justice, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God?” (Micah 6:8). When life gets complex, sometimes the only thing we can do is be fair and forgiving and admit that in all of life’s moments, whether moments of success or failure, joy or tragedy, we need God. We need the grace revealed in Jesus Christ. We need the one who has said, “I will never leave you or forsake you” (Deut. 31:6).
No matter what our views on anything, all we can do, all we must do, from beginning to end, is to trust that.
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We have all heard of places like it. Or, maybe we have even lived there. That place “near a swamp where girls are caught / face down, muck deep, and motherless.” This is just one location Erin Carlyle takes her readers in her new book, Magnolia Canopy Otherworld (Driftwood Press). Carlyle’s debut full-length poetry collection is a captivating exploration of femininity, death, nature, family, wealth and addiction.
Her work captures a modern snapshot of the American South (specifically Alabama and Kentucky). The images of nature are complicated by trash stuck on skirts, raw, plucked chicken skin, and white pills. Magnolia Canopy Otherworld is a book that will have readers thinking about the places they have called home, and questioning what it really means. How would we be different if we were born somewhere else? What if we hadn’t moved during childhood?
Carlyle is a poet who knows her craft. Magnolia Canopy Otherworld is divided into three sections. Though there are some prose poems in this collection, most of the poems are lineated. Carlyle has a penchant for couplets. Poems like “My Cannibal, ”“The Afterlife of Women,” and others rely heavily on the use of two-line stanzas. The book begins with the speaker reflecting on a drive with parents and siblings, and several poems focus on childhood. Carlyle takes her readers on a realistic, gritty journey and shows us what it looks like to be a female growing up in the modern South.
In the poem “Rabbit Diptych” the speaker asks: “Do you see my ex-husbands / asleep in the bushes outside my apartment?” The locations in Magnolia Canopy Otherworld rarely feel safe. At times, the readers catch a glimpse of the beauty blended with the decay.
One of the central poems in this collection is “The Animal,” in which Carlyle writes:
"The Animal walks
It wears a sundress
with straps that tie into bows
on each shoulder, and it steps
over branches that have fallen
to the road. A stick pierces
through the meat of the Animal's
foot, and it yells out for someone
else’s mother to help it...”
There are other moments in the collection similar to this, where safety is not sought in family members, perhaps because it cannot be. At times, the speaker in Magnolia Canopy Otherworld compares their own life to others. In the poem “Girl, Dirt, and Wall” the speaker measures their life experience against photographer Francesca Woodman’s:
“You are only nineteen living / in Italy. When I was nineteen, I lived with a man, // did his dishes, and I have never been / to Italy.”
Woodman’s photography seems to mirror the speakers' view of their surroundings. It is easy to imagine the events Carlyle details unfolding in black and white, slightly out of focus.
Carlyle’s direct voice and ability to connect with her reader is admirable. In the 10-page poem “Sunken” Carlyle writes: “Jenny, I remember when we talked about rich girls, and how we wanted something good like them.” While not everything Carlyle writes about is meant to make her readers feel "good" there are sweet and simplistic moments of humans trying in this collection: A father buying his daughter the wrong shade of foundation, a blue Christmas dress worn to a play, and a grandmother’s decision to become sober (despite resistance from her family).
Many poems in Carlyle’s debut book radiate. Her pieces “Doctor Shopping Ghost Story,” “Girls Who Ride Horses,'' and “Franklin, Kentucky 1995” all contribute something unique and needed to the poetry world. The issues of addiction and loss are at the center of this collection. Even if readers do not have personal memories or experience connected to these issues, Carlyle seamlessly translates what it feels like to live through these challenges.
Carlyle shows us a world where people “swim through crushed beer cans, / and picnic trash” then “come / out human again” despite the pollution. The flaws examined in her book are primarily man-made, the result of human error. Carlyle is sharply aware of the imperfections in the places and people we call home, and how these imperfections make us.
Magnolia Canopy Otherworld is available for purchase here.
Erin Carlyle is a poet whose work is rooted in the American South. As a child she lived in Alabama along the Chattahoochee River, and at twelve she moved with her family to the cave
country of South Central Kentucky. She holds a MFA in poetry from Bowling Green State
University and currently lives with her husband and cat in Sacramento, California.
Taylor Fedorchak is a third-year MFA candidate at New Mexico State University, where she teaches and is Managing Editor of Puerto del Sol. Her poetry is published or forthcoming in Sugar House Review, Bluestem Magazine, The Shore, decomP, Glass: A Journal of Poetry, and elsewhere.
Puerto del Sol is funded by New Mexico State University and the Mercedes Delos Jacobs Fund, and designed and operated by the MFA in Creative Writing program.
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A beautiful spirea with super striking golden yellow foliage - a real knockout!! Foliage is accented by nice bright pink flowers in late May through July. Flowering can be extended if dead flower heads are pruned off regularly. Makes a super accent planting, or also looks great in mass plantings of 4 - 6 plants. For best color display, planting in a sunny location is strongly recommended.
Also works out wonderfully when used as a foundation planting, as it has a very non-aggressive root system. Lower mature height makes it an excellent colorful option as a foreground planting in front of darker colored, taller evergreens - great color contrast when mixed in with darker foliaged species. Responds very well to trimming, and can therefore be maintained at a wide variety of heights & widths if needed through yearly trimmings at the end of each growing season.
--Sun Exposure : Prefers full sun, but will do well in partial sun as well.
--Foliage Color & Texture : Deciduous Broadleaf - foliage is soft, light textured, and fast growing with good overall density. Color is a bright yellow to chartreuse color.....depending mainly on level of sun exposure.
--Flower, Cone, Or Berry Facts : Flowers - blooms are formed in clusters usually ranging in size from 1 1/2" - 3" in diameter. Flower heads are not fragrant at all, but are a very nice light pink color, and remain for quite some time before eventually turning brown. Re-blooming can be enticed through removal / pruning off of older expired flower heads.
--Diseases / Insects : From our experiences, it is just about impossible to kill most Spirea varieties. But there are a few pests & problems that have been observed here & there on many Spirea varieties. None are usually life threatening, but should be treated as soon as observed. They include: leaf spot, powdery mildews, root rot, spirea aphid, oblique-banded leaf roller, scales, caterpillars and root-knot nematodes.
--Fertilization / Feeding : For maximum health & hardiness, we highly recommend a good grade granular ( preferably organic ) fertilizer / plant food for use with all of our plant species. We personally use, and recommend the Espoma line of organic plant foods, as they are super effective yet gentle enough to use on even the most delicate of evergreen species where fertilizer burn would normally be a major concern. However, a water soluble type plant food (Miracle Gro, or equivalent ) are also acceptable options. Other granular fertilizers with a 6 - 12 - 12, or 10 - 10 - 10 ratio can also be used - but we suggest using them at 1/2 - 3/4 strength to avoid any chemical burn issues to the root system of the plants. Best to fertilize in early spring, and again in mid fall - avoid feeding standard chemical fertilizers during hot summer months, and directly after transplanting. The Espoma Organic Plant Foods may be used at anytime.
Prior to shipping, your plant(s) are removed from their pots and any loose, unnecessary soil removed. The root base of the plant is then misted down with water and put in a plastic bag. The plastic bag serves to keep the root base nice & moist while keeping the remaining soil with the roots. The bag is then secured with a twist tie around the plant's base and placed in the shipping container/box and sent out for shipment. We use various methods to secure the plant within the shipping box so that it does not move / shift during transit. The result is a plant that arrives to you in excellent condition, and whose root system is protected and in tact, while the rest of the plant is able to "breathe". We have found this method to be much less stressful on the plant than shipping bare root. True, bare root shipping weighs less, and may cost a few pennies less - but we think you will find our shipping costs to be quite reasonable when compared to other nurseries. And bottom line is we want you to have the healthiest plant possible when it arrives at your doorstep. Feel free to contact us regarding any shipping questions - whether regarding rates, methods of packing, or whatever else you may want to know about getting plants from us to you. We will always be more than happy to take the time to answer your questions.
We ship the majority of our evergreen varieties year round, and will be glad to try to accommodate whatever special shipping needs or requests that our customers may have & need. If there are special circumstances involved with your order, please feel free to e-mail us anytime to let us know what would work best for you. We can then work with you to ensure that your order is delivered at the best time for your particular situation or schedule. Obviously, the well being of the plants always comes first, but we will be more than happy to do our very best to arrange shipping & delivery to best suit your needs - just let us know !!!
We have checked out several shipping methods, and have chosen FedEx as our exclusive method of shipment. FedEx has the advantage of nationwide coverage, very reasonable rates, and they ship 7 DAYS A WEEK. Your shopping cart on our website is automatically equipped with a built-in FedEx shipping cost calculator that will figure your shipping cost for you based on the shipping info you enter and the items you have placed in your shopping cart. All you do is fill out the shipping address info and we do the rest. All this is done before your order is submitted. So you can see the all the charges before you actually order. Once again - no surprises. Then just submit your order when satisfied, and we'll take it from there. You will receive an order confirmation e-mail usually with 24 hrs, and a shipping confirmation e-mail once FedEx has picked up your order. Your shipping confirmation e-mail will include a link from which you can track the progress of your package. All tracking information is provided straight from FedEx, and is real time.
Orders are usually packed & shipped in just a matter of a couple days after receiving them. You can almost always expect your order to be shipped out within 3 - 5 business days, with exceptions being during holiday periods ( no FedEx service ), or times of extremely high order volume ( peak ordering, mainly in spring ). We try to ship all orders out in the order that they are received.
Occasionally, there may be severe, or extreme weather conditions that may prevent us from shipping orders out at our normal times. These times are extremely rare, but we really have no control over the type of weather that Mother Nature can dish out. But rest assured, we make every effort to get your order out as quickly as possible, and with the safety & well being of your plants as the highest priority. Please feel free to contact us via e-mail at anytime should you have special shipping needs, or requests, and we will be more than happy to do our very best to accommodate whatever would work best for your particular situation.
Below is a chart to help you determine the number of days your order would be in transit with FedEx. We make every effort to minimize the amount of time your order is in transit, and generally try to ship orders with the longest transit times first. One of the main reasons we chose to use FedEx was the fact that they deliver all 7 days of the week, meaning your plants will have the least amount of transit time and no "weekending over", which is a HUGE benefit.
Transit times, and shipping times will vary somewhat during peak ordering seasons, and delivery routes in your particular area. FedEx Ground/Home Delivery Service offers delivery in many parts of the country 7 days a week, which is an excellent feature not offered by most other parcel services. But we have found that FedEx Ground/Home Delivery Service is by far the most popular, and most economical.
Please read these planting instructions before planting your new plants. As you will notice, your plants still have a major amount of the dirt they were grown in still attached to their root systems. This is done to minimize any transplant shock, as well as to keep the plants root system from any damage due to drying out, or other damage that can occur with shipping plants “bare root”.
Keep your new plants in the bag they arrived in & the roots with the soil moist until you are ready to actually plant them. We suggest you plant them as soon as possible - their new home in the ground is better for them than their temporary home in the shipping bag. If you need to store / keep your plants for a short period of time until you can get them planted in the ground, then please follow the following guidelines for temporary storage of your new plants:
--- Remove plants from their box, and stand upright in a sheltered location.
--- Do NOT place the plants in direct sunlight while still in their plastic shipping bags. This will cause the temperature inside the plastic bag to get extremely warm - similar to “greenhouse effect”.
--- Store the plants either inside, in a garage area, covered porch / patio, etc. Preferably where they get some indirect, filtered sunlight - but nothing direct.
--- There is usually enough moisture retained in the rootball & surrounding soil to last for several days ( 3 - 5 ). After this period of time, you will need to check the moisture content of the soil, and water very lightly if needed.
--- To water your plant while still in their plastic shipping bag, simply loosen the twist tie at the base of the plant & lightly moisten the soil & rootball by sprinkling water onto the soil, or even using a clean spray mist bottle.
--- Should you accidentally add too much water to the rootball, you can simply cut 2 or 3 small slits in the bottom of the plastic shipping bag for drainage.
--- Following these fairly simple guidelines will allow you to temporarily keep / store your new plants for a more extended period of time until planting in the ground can be accomplished ( up to 3 - 4 weeks ). Any period of time beyond this 3 - 4 week period, we highly suggest that you temporarily pot the new plants up in containers until planting can be completed.
We suggest that you dig the hole for the plant at least twice the size of the root system of the plant. Depending upon the quality of your native soil, we recommend using a 50/50 mix of a good grade topsoil or organic compost and your native soil to backfill around the root system of your new plant. This will make the adjustment to your soil, which is bound to be somewhat different than the soil the plant has been grown in, as gradual as possible. It will also help the new feeler roots to spread through the looser soil around them much more easily than is the soil was hard, and compacted. The most common causes of a plant not making it through a transplant is the lack of root development after transplanting, and lack of water/moisture.
After backfilling the hole with your 50/50 mix of soil, give the plant a good deep watering - don’t make it swampy, just good & moist throughout the entire depth of the hole. Then check on your plant every day, or every other day to monitor the moisture in the soil around the plant. Do this for the first couple weeks if possible..
We also highly recommend a top dressing around the base of the plant using hardwood or cypress mulch. Any type of mulch will be sufficient, but hardwood and cypress mulches are of a higher quality and have a better nutritive value for the plant. Basically meaning that as it breaks down over time, it has more organic compounds which your plants will feed on as organic food sources than most other mulches ( pine ). Freshen up the mulch twice a year (early spring & fall).
We do not generally recommend using fertilizers on a regular basis, and especially not right after transplanting. This may sound a little strange, but after transplanting, the root system of the plant is most vulnerable to getting “burned” by too much, or too strong of fertilizers. If you really feel you would like to give it some sort of fertilizer/plant food as a little “boost” after transplanting - then we recommend a very weak dilution of original Miracle Gro, or similar product. Either a water soluble type, or a granular product ( such as Holly Tone ) can be used effectively. Be especially careful with Firs, Spruces, and most other conifers & evergreen species. They are among the most sensitive to root damage from fertilizer burn. We strongly recommend using fertilizers at a weaker dilution / application than the manufacturer states ( ½1/2 - 3/4¾ strength ). We also recommend that fertilizing / feeding be avoided COMPLETELY during the hot summer months ( late June thru August ) - the risk of fertilizer burn are greatest during this time of year.
Freshen up both the mulch, as well as apply any desired fertilizers / plant foods twice per year - once in very early spring, and again in mid fall.
Please feel free to contact us with any other questions you may have : evergreennursery@bellsouth.net
| 13,616 |
The five-year-old me who saw A New Hope for the first time would find Andor an incredibly boring show. The 40-year-old me who saw Andor for the first time is thoroughly impressed with the latest Disney + offering from a galaxy far, far away.
Andor is set five years before the events of Rogue One and welcomes back the film’s creative architect, Tony Gilroy, who masterfully has the Empire loom over everything despite being completely absent from the first three episodes.
In fact, the first three episodes carry very few references to the world it plays in. The first verbal Star Wars reference occurs at the 20-minute mark. The inaugural episode opens in a red light district that looks like it was pulled directly from Blade Runner.
While there is no explicit imagery, there are no illusions about where we are as Cassian Andor gets himself in a predicament that sets the stage for his journey. The rebellion is a far cry from the Rebel Alliance generally associated with Han, Luke, and Leia.
Rebellion is a dirty business, and Andor makes no bones about it.
We’re introduced to Preox-Morlana security inspectors, essentially Imperial rent-a-cops who’ve let the power go to their head. To draw a real-world comparison, Preox-Morlana is the local police, and the Empire is the FBI, who eventually takes the reigns, increasing the stakes dramatically.
Acting is a mixed bag in Star Wars. However, Tony Gilroy’s narrative produces the best casting, writing, and acting to grace the franchise. It’s a stellar cast in every aspect imaginable.
Diego Luna shines in his return as Cassian Andor. He is a guy in a poor and underserved part of the galaxy hustling his way through life until fate intervenes in the form of Stellan Skarsgard’s Luthen Rael.
Kyle Soller’s Syril Karn is Preox-Morlan’s over-ambitious jackbooted thug viewers will love to hate. Fiona Shaw’s commanding presence as Maarva Andor is a scene stealer. Adria Arjona’s Bix is a strong and loyal salvage worker whose beauty doesn’t define her character.
Perhaps Andor’s sentimental favorite character is the boxy red salvage droid of the Andor family, B2EMO. Dave Chapman, the voice actor of BB-8, makes the worn and technically challenged droid a faithful companion everyone would want in their life.
There’s a scene where someone threatened to pull out B2’s battery, and the fear Champman emotes is heartbreaking.
Those who find no issue with the slow burn of Andor’s opening salvo will be highly engaged with the characters and world-building that is masterfully small in scale and large in scope. It’s a prequel of a prequel that goes all in the new.
In fact, there is so much new that one might wonder if Andor is even a Star Wars show. As a franchise referred to as sci-fi fantasy, the significant absence of fantasy helps Andor take Star Wars on its first steps into a larger world.
The remaining eight episodes of Star Wars: Andor premiere Wednesday’s on Disney +.
Related
Posted on September 29, 2022 by The Greene ScreenPosted in The CollectiveTagged Andor, B2EMO, blog, entertainment, review, Star Wars, thoughts.
| 3,166 |
The ultimate goal of any online business is their customer’s satisfaction by offering them pleasant website user experience. To achieve the goal, you need to develop outstanding website user interface by hiring expert UI/UX designer where a user can easily navigate and get the most of benefits from the application.
According to Sagipl website user experience statistics:
Half of the world’s total population now have the mobile subscription and additional one billion subscribers are predicted by 2020.
82% of top 100 Alexa websites use adaptive design.
Users typically make an opinion within 0.05 seconds after jumping on your website whether to remain or leave.
67% of shoppers showed more interest to buy from a website if it is compatible with mobile devices.
Does your business have online availability?
If yes, then keep reading to make yourself aware of the latest mobile app development trends which add significant value to website user experience.
And if no, still there is a time to get your business online by leveraging web solutions.
Source: Joygroup
10 reasons why website user experience is important than just developing a website
1. Increase traffic with optimized UX
Do you really want to increase website traffic and get more customers engaged? No worries. Implementing optimized UI/UX is the ultimate solution which can skyrocket traffic of the website. Brand new users should take impression which draws them to visit again.
“67% of increase in visitors is found after improving great UX for the website.”
Source: iprospa
UI/UX designer can push the user to look around the site by developing a design which pleases to the eyes. When user explores different pages of the websites, they get more things to know and which they will share with their friends and family. Hence the traffic increases undoubtedly.
“Some reports have show that 60% of users have found a problem while browsing websites in last 12 months which led them to leave the page.”
Source: Richmcnabb
Even the searches on the internet through mobile devices have increased from 15% in 2003 to 55% at present. This stat might vary by industry but truth is that mobile devices are ruling the way people used to search on the internet. If you wish to sustain your business, you really need to revamp your internet availability by leveraging responsive web app development.
To give users same feel in the mobile as in the PC or Laptop, get yourself convince to hire a responsive website designer. Because web applications with optimal website user interface is important to acquire more customers and increase sales.
3. Improve SEO with better UX
Source: searchenginejournal
Who does not want to be in the top 10 results of Google?
The websites which are already ranked high in Google can be seen to have unique and very good user experience. That age has passed by when you stuff keywords to get indexed in top 10 list of the Google as they are changing their algorithms routinely which takes hundreds of points into consideration while determining which page needs to be in Search Engine Result Pages (SERP).
Think of partnership between SEO and UX where SEO targets search engines and UX targets your visitors. In this instance, both have a common goal to share which is to offer best website user experience. Good UX results to fulfill different aspects like site speed, structure, easy navigation etc. Thus it makes inevitable to hire best UX developer to reach the goals of SEO.
4. Boost your business lead
What is the ultimate goal of any organisation? Revenue generation! Any business would focus on the final number which shows up in the bank. Many times importance of user experience is overlooked which should be certainly a primary concern of any firm. No doubt, your website should include content which is useful for visitors and gives them answer but at the same time the lead generation strategy should include enhancement of website user experience.
“Make it easy for your customers to decide.”
Source: Leadliaison
Hire best UI/UX developers who can really understand your business and work upon it to benefit you with maximum customer bookings. Web designers can help you by developing outstanding designs where visitors can find out the best from your website.
Source: SocialToaster
The Apple is one of the examples of having the best UX where user intensively knows where to navigate in the website to fulfill their needs. Visitors who reach here can easily find out their way to their destination.
Zeigarnik Effect which has proved to be useful in engaging user with curiosity by making a user to ask a question ‘what’s next?’ in their minds. Giving a view of an ecosystem of business and showing a score of the trustful customers, the engagement of the user builds up intensively. UX designer can shape the website in such a way that it becomes irresistible for a visitor to explore website further.
6. Stand apart from competitors
Source: YouInc
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Source: Bikingame
Let users know that they are at the right place by putting exact information at a perfect place in the application. Good UX design can help a user to get the sense of the information so they can find what they are looking for. Providing options while a user is performing any action aids to their decisive power which help them about what action they should take.
Information architecture works with how a person’s brain perceives and utilizes information to efficiently organize data and content. And this can only be done perfectly by a UX designer.
Should I trust this website? This is the question, every person visiting your website have when they reach to your website through a search engine, social media etc. The credibility impacts directly to the conversion rate and your ability to generate leads and sale.
You can remain in the market if you have earned trust from your customers and this trust comes over time. Once it has developed, you need to endeavor to increase and maintain it by hiring the best web designer.
Source: Shutterstock
Who knows where your audience would be. There is a lot more to take care of when developing a website which supports multiple languages like sorting out web server names, URL structure, page layout and many more.
Developing UX which supports multi-languages can reduce bounce rates. Don’t let your visitors from different areas in the globe leave the site without proving the usefulness of your website to them.
10. Get “Wow” by appealing graphics
Who does not like to see awesome rolling-trolling graphics on the website?
The visual sections on website grab the attention of the visitors first and not the simple content however unique or useful it might be. UI/UX designer can really bring website user experience to next level of astonishment. Make your website user interface stunning by hiring web designers fromLet’s Nurture.
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Lorne “ABE” Abramson – Provincial Advisor for the Nova Scotia Secondary Students Association and Historian
Lorne has been a lifelong advocate for youth with diabetes as well as youth empowerment. He has been very successful at developing and supporting many programs in these areas. Since the eighties, he has volunteered his team supporting dozens of youth programs, camps and positive character-building experiences for students.
He has won numerous awards, including the Dalhousie University Coaching Award, for 20 years of service in coaching Nova Scotia youth and the Frederick Banting Award, from the Canadian Diabetes Association, for significant contributions to the mission of the Association in the areas of education and service.
Connect with Lorne: Email | Linkedin
Listen to the episode now on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or on your favourite podcast platform.
Resources Mentioned
Before the Parade by Rebecca Rose
**Please note that all of our transcriptions come from rev.com and are 80% accurate. We’re grateful for the robots that make this possible and realize that it’s not a perfect process.
Welcome back to another episode of the High Performing Educator podcast. This is your host and youth speaker, Sam Demma. Today’s special guest is Lorne Abramson. Lauren has been a lifelong advocate for youth with diabetes, as well as youth empowerment. He has been very successful at developing and supporting many programs in these areas. Since the eighties, he has volunteered his time supporting dozens of youth programs, camps, and positive character building experiences for students. He has won numerous awards, including the Dalhousie University coaching award for 20 years of service in coaching Nova Scotia youth, and the Frederick Banting award from the Canadian Diabetes Association for significant contribution to the mission of the association in the areas of education and service. Lauren has so much expertise in the area of youth empowerment and so much energy and wisdom to share, so I hope you enjoy this conversation and I will see you on the other side. Welcome back to another episode of the High Performing Educator podcast. This is your host, Sam Demma. Today we have a very special guest. I met this guest in Nova Scotia at a conference and I’m so glad that we crossed paths. Some people know him as Lorne. Most people know him as Abe. Some people know him as Coach Abe. Abe, I would love for you to introduce yourself and let everyone listening know who you are.
Sure. Thanks Sam. Yeah, I’m, I’m my claim to fame was probably as a you know, as a person who started getting into teaching. So I was a math, a math teacher, how I became that is a, an extremely long story <laugh> which I will probably not get into, unless you ask me the appropriate questions. <Laugh> but I ended up becoming a math teacher, which my high school math teacher from Montreal who I, who I loved dearly. He was the one that said to me when I graduated, he said to me, you know, Lauren, he said, “everybody in those days called you by your last name.” You know, you know, I, I think you should consider becoming a math teacher. And I, and I I’ve made the stupidest comment I have ever made in my entire life.
And that was, who would wanna be a math teacher? <Laugh> that was like, it was one of those, this is to the guy that I had total respect for. And what I meant was in those days, math teachers, like teachers in general got no pay. It was like, it was crappy, you know, and and I wanted to be a dentist anyway, <laugh> so, so anyway to say the least over a period of years, I changed careers a couple of times and and then became a math teacher and eventually a math department head. And I always felt like I don’t know. I, I always felt that I needed to be more involved with community. And, and so for me the, the extracurricular stuff became almost more, this got kind of weird, but, but almost more important in some ways because I was a very accomplished math person.
So it was I went to McGill and did my joint honors in math and chemistry. And that was not a, that was not an issue. So I never had to work hard at, at the math part, but I really wanted to work hard at getting to know kids really well. And, and so I got involved in coaching volleyball, which I knew nothing about, except for the fact there were six on the side that was the limit of it. And and that became a big part of my life. And you know, and then I got involved in theater and, you know, and we did a lot of musicals and, you know, anyway, I it’s it’s and eventually in 1991, I got involved with the starting of the intro Lasse, which which, where, where we met the, you know not in 1991, but <laugh> sorry, Sam, but
I have to ask you though, because when people think about extracurriculars student leadership, typically I’ve heard people talk about the antithesis of it being math and science, and like these super academic courses that happen in schools. And usually those individuals are the ones who want their kids in their classroom, not going to conferences and not getting involved. So like, how the heck did you like have these two seemingly opposite things be so intertwined in your experience? Like what changed you or were you always of that mindset and you just also loved math?
The heck, it’s a good question. So I right from the get go I became the student council advisor at the, at Ellsley I at the J Oley high school was the school I taught in. And it’s obviously it’s a school in Halifax and it’s, it had this kind of funny deserved rep reputation of being a, kind of in a tough area. But in actual fact it was ridiculous. It didn’t make sense at all. That being said being the student council advisor I got to meet people like Andy Tido, who you might know and and St. Saunders and Tyler Hayden. And look, there were, there were so many people because of my connection as student council advisor eventually in 1992, mark Fraser who was he? He had been the student council president at Halifax west high school and Andrew Demond, who was the student council president at Parkview education center in, in Bridgewater, in Nova Scotia.
They met at a a CSLC or Canadian student leadership conference. They met at that, and they met also at the same time at that a whole bunch of kids from remember, this is 90, 91, I think was when it happened. But, but they met a whole bunch of kids from Ontario who were part and parcel of the O essay. So the Ontario secondary school students association, and and I heard the two of them said we could do this <laugh> it was kinda like, that was kinda like that. And I, I, I had the guy who was my who was the student council, president of Illsley was a guy who now is one of my neighbors. Oh, wow. Is Paul and Paul. He was just a great guy. And Paul said to me, I got this letter from this guy, Andy Kibito and a couple other people.
And he said they were there. Apparently they’re having some event at I think it was, it was being held at St. Pat’s high school, which, which now is underground somewhere <laugh> wow. It doesn’t exist anymore. And he said would you, would you be willing to come as our advisor? And I said, well, I am your advisor. What the hell matter with you? And he was really, he, it was kind of like, I think he, he really wasn’t quite sure what anybody’s role was gonna be. We had no idea. This was like, this is so new that nobody really knew. Yeah. And so we went to the conference and I can’t remember, there was probably about, I don’t know, 60 or 70 people at the conference. Nice. It was over a weekend. We held, we all slept on the stage of St.
Pat’s <laugh> being a camper that didn’t bother me. Yeah. You know, but and Paul, Paul was the one that, you know, he was the one that got me involved in the first place. And then I don’t know. And then it kind of just, I don’t, it kind of just took over, you know, and, and eventually, I think the next year I became the, the advisor for the Metro region, how that happened. I, I honestly got, I wish I could remember all that, but I think, I, I’m not sure that’s okay. How that exactly happened. But I know that I knew a lot of the people in, in the other schools in Metro.
You know, cause I, I knew a lot of teachers, you know, and so on. And the guy who was the provincial advisor was a guy named cam Morrison. And he was also from Halifax west of course. And he was quite close with mark Fraser. And so at time we, and hi, his wife and my wife worked in nursing together. Ah, and, and so anyway, we, we knew each other outside of school as well. And I think, I think that what happened was he ended up staying as provincial advisor for, I think, I can’t remember it was two or three years. Then another guy took over from SAC high and, and then in 1990 I took over as provincial advisor and right till this year, so. Wow. Yeah.
Oh, that’s awesome. You mentioned earlier that like one of the things you think are so important in connection with student activities and extracurricular activities is building strong relationships with the students, the kids. How do you build a strong relationship with young people in your experience?
Well, I think first of all, it’s a matter of building trust. Mm-Hmm <affirmative> with all the nasty stuff that you hear about things that are going on in schools drives me nuts. I, I just can’t that part of it is just see, seems like, I don’t know, I never had, let me put it this way. I never had that, that issue. Whether it was personality or what part of it had to do with the fact that I think was that you know, I had a family my, we had, we had two daughters. My wife was always understanding about why I was going away that weekend <laugh> and and then I, I don’t know. I, I, I remember a couple, I, I eventually ended up being a Canada games coach for, for guys.
I always say in the, I, you, if you live long enough, you’ll do a lot of stuff. Yeah. You know, like when, if you didn’t, if, if that didn’t happen to you, what’s wrong with you <laugh>
No, I, I, I, I get the question. I I’m gonna say trust was a big thing building that it takes, that takes a lot of, a lot of, I don’t know, desire to, to build that. I had, you know, the alumni of the organization played a big role in that cuz you know, people like, like Tyler Hayden and I used to have this, this very funny competition. And it was just that the competition was how many conferences have you been to? You know, and I, and at some point we were tied, you know, cause he used to come to, he used to come to everything and and he would speak at a lot, a lot of stuff. And I don’t know. And then one day he, I knew he was going away. I think it was one of the provincial conferences and I knew that this is gonna be it.
I got him, he was gonna be able to be there. And and so I, I made sure that I called him from wherever hell I was. And I said, okay here’s the deal. So now, now that you’ve been defeated, <laugh> this is it Tyler. And he said, okay. I COE. So ever, ever since then it was kind of, I just built more and more anyway, he, and he would not go to a lot of the regional conferences, but I don’t know. I think, I think people like him and people like, like Andy and, and Stu and, and Phil what was Phil’s last name? He was from Winnipeg. Oh God, he was, he’s also a keynote speaker.
Phil Boyd. Yeah. Yeah. And and I, I, you know, there were a lot of people like that that were around Mark Sharon Brock who I haven’t seen forever, like a long time. But there were people that were, there were people in the plus a who became keynote speakers like Paul, Paul Devo and Jeff Bri, they spoke together and we became very, the two of them, we were, we were still very close. Nice. They, they both got married. We went to the weddings, we went to it’s like, yeah. And, and I really like Paul’s wife Mor I like him <laugh> and if he sees this too bad, Paul okay. <Laugh> but I think he likes my wife more. He likes me anyway. I think a lot of it, you know, again, aside from just the trust issue, there’s a lot of testing that goes on, you know, like you can’t like, you know, you can’t develop the trust without some risk associated with that.
I think, I think once people who are involved in anything see other people that have faith in their relationship with you, that can’t help, but build, you know, for them, you know a good relationship. So I, I, it’s probably not a very good way of putting it, but you know, over the years, geez. I, I mean, I, all I can say is that it got easier and easier. Let me put it that way. There was expectations that I would always be there. That’s another thing, you know, that you’re, you make yourself available and accessibility
Students and yeah, so that, that’s, that’s a big deal. And I, I knew that, well, that, that, that was, that was a big deal in good times and bad times. And, and you, and there, there’s always gonna be both, you know, that happen, you know, in a, in an organization like this. And I, I, you know, I don’t know. So for, from that point of view, it got, like I said, it got easier and easier. I, I can’t say it any easier than that, but yeah. But the fact of the matter is, is that you know, there was, there was always someone in the organization or some buddies who who come outta the blue and, and will represent the people that you think that you wanna deal with. You know, like, and I, I don’t mean that to become your, your chosen ones, but, but it look, you can’t help.
Sometimes you can’t help that, you know? And so I, I, I guess that’s happened sometimes you, sometimes you think, how the hell did I ever get to know this person? Like, I don’t even know why, and, you know, and, and I, and, and you want, you wanna spend time with them somehow to change in some ways, this is probably totally off the wall, but change the way that they operate. Mm. And you re you realize that something about that is, is you, you, you see something in them. Mm. That, and it’s not just being a teacher all over again, but it’s, it, it has some part in that that you realize that you’re, you’re see an opportunity. Like, I’ll give you example of number of years ago, there was a guy who got elected president. He made a terrible mistake.
And that is he, he he just jumped into a situation where he, where, where it was just a bad choice. And I, I was sort of stuck with trying to figure out, well, how, you know, how do I, and I, I, you know, what, what do we do about this? And cuz he really, what he really needed to do is resign. And I didn’t know. That was the first time that happened. I think if I remember right. And I, and I wasn’t quite sure what to do about that. And it wasn’t like I have control over that. I’ve never had control of the organization. But I wanted something else to happen and nothing happened with that guy until years and years later. And he, he went off and became a teacher in Korea. Wow. And and he ended up marrying a Korean girl and they have a wonderful family and I met him.
I think they were, they were living in, I think they’s probably gonna know this, but they were living in in Vancouver. I think if I remember right. They moved back to Canada anyway. And I had a conversation with him and he said, and he said to me, I don’t know what was going on in my head in those days. And I thought to myself, oh my God, you know, like, this is, this is a good thing to say to me, it was good. Like it was like, and I, and I remember thinking he’s a really nice guy, you know, that’s like, it was kind like, like all of a sudden there was this, this change of, of, you know, of looking at him and thinking, oh no, he’s not just some jerk. You know, that that’s, that made, that just happened to make a mistake, but it’s also, he actually is a really nice person.
And, and somehow this all came out now, you know, like, and it took, it probably took his family in, in being a, being a parent. And, you know, I dunno, like, it just seemed like that was it. So, yeah, I know. I sometimes you’ll, you’ll, you’ll meet people like that. Who’s a girl Rebecca Rose, who was on the conference committee, she, I don’t think she ever became her and I were very close and she she came out of the closet at some point and she wrote a a book last year and the book is called oh shit. Was it before the parade? Hmm. I can’t, I’ve never remember it’s before the parade or after the parade. Anyway, it was a book about the gay community or the development of the gay community in Halifax in. And I went to her book launch. Oh my God. It was lovely. It was just like, it was like one of those. And I, and I was always close with her. She’s just, she’s just dynamite, you know? And, and like I, and her and I, and she ended up speaking, oh, well you, well, you met,
Yeah. I know her, listen to speech. I attended her. It was awesome.
Yeah. And she, there’s a person that got badly treated by a couple of people within the inter plus a, I think it was probably had something to do with the time of what was going on in, in, in the area that, you know, there were people that didn’t didn’t have a how to describe it. I was, it was from a, from a, a sociological point of view, you know, the relationship with the gay community was crappy. You know, it was just shitty, you know, and yet she had a lot of friends and, and she’s, Ugh, I love that girl. Yeah. She’s just, she’s fantastic. So when we met at her book launch, I hadn’t seen her for quite a while. <Laugh> and it was really funny. She’s like, like was really, you can imagine this, okay, she’s up there talking about her book, I’m sitting in the audience, which was packed at the Halifax library. And and she looks up and sees me standing like in the back, you know, I’m standing there and she stops what she was doing in the middle of all this. And she waves, hi, you know, like that. Right. It was like in the middle of, so everybody’s now turning around, you know, <laugh>,
And every was turning around, you know, you know, and I, I threw a kiss, you know, and, and she went, she was great. So it was really funny. So afterwards, we went out for coffee and I mean, she’s, you know, again, she’s just one of those, she’s a, she’s a survivor in some ways. Yeah. I, I think, but also a survivor with a great attitude, you know, as you could tell that so it sounds like I know, I, I feel, I always feel very fortunate, maybe the smart and parcel of this. I always feel very fortunate to have met a lot of the people that I have met through the interse and, and in other, other things that I’ve done I mean, I’ve always been able to stay, I dunno, fairly close with, with people that I was close with and, you know, and just because they graduate and wherever go on, you know? Yeah. It’s, it’s like, it’s like Paul, Gule my, my neighbor, you know, <laugh> yeah. I, now I wave him when he walks by with his dog, you know? <Laugh> yeah. Anyway.
Okay. Yeah. Sounds like trust is a big one accessibility, and then just the general desire of wanting to make a change in other people’s lives. Like it, it sounds like that those are some of the, the big ones. When, when did you start getting involved in camps and on camps and being around camps and involved in camps have been a big part of your, your life as well?
Yeah. my camp story is it started in, in Montreal.
And I was 16 and I had, somehow I had I had my nationals in swimming and I had my my instructors for canoeing.
And, and I had never gone to camp. It was like, my parents could never afford to send me to camp who was expensive. And so a friend of mine said to me, you know, we were all looking for jobs, you know, I was 16 years old, you know, like, and and I, and this friend of mine says to me, you know, you got swimming and you got canoeing. Why don’t you go to camp? You know, like, and I said, camp, <laugh> like, don’t, they pay nothing at camp. And he said, no. He said, for people that have those, those specialties, you get well paid, you know, you’re okay. So I applied to camp Milwaukee, which was in Northern Quebec and it was a, a tripping camp if you know what that is. And it’s a camp that, that has kids that go and they go out on, on canoe trips.
Oh, cool. Yep. They’re there, they’re there for eight weeks. Wow. It’s not just a one week camp. And and so I, I went there and I had a great time and I had five to eight year olds <laugh> you can imagine, wow. I never, in a million years ever dreamed that I’d be working with teenagers. I mean, who the hell would wanna do that? You know, <laugh> and so I, I ended up going there and then the next year I got an offer from a local camp, which was called camp nominating and in a similar job, bigger camp. And I went there and I had a great time. And and then I, the next year I got offered a big job at pine valley camp, which was in the IANS. And I was at pine valley camp.
I worked my way up and eventually became the director. Ah, and and I was there for a long time. And then, and eventually I ended up, you know, moving to Nova Scotia, met my wife, and she was a nurse at, at camp. And and I and so I ended up moving to Nova Scotia. And like I said, you know, when I got involved in, in camp camp always played a role for me because I, when I eventually, when I got, got involved I started getting involved with volleyball and, and volleyball became a big deal. And as, as my own skills, as a coach got bigger, got better. There was a volleyball Nova Scotia camp, oh, that had started. And and, and my lady who was the, there were two, two women aside from my wife, but two women in my life that, that were both volleyball coaches.
One was Lois McGregor from hou. And she, she’s a very accomplished coach. And and, and Eva Justins who became the technical director for volleyball, Nova Scotia. Ah, and they, they took me little Abe. They took me under their wing and they, they just treated me like their kid, brother. It was just great. And they, they took me to everything. I was like, their, their here, here, go, go get Lauren. He’ll be fine. <Laugh>. And so I ended up with the two of them. We ended up running the volleyball Nova Scotia camps. Wow. For, for, for volleyball. And and then I don’t know, I, you know, as I, and then, then what happened was like, like I said, my wife and I got married and we had our daughter LA was born in 1989. And we had an older daughter is three years young, three years older than that.
But Lara was born in 89 and she, when she turned six in 1985, I had been doing all these camps all this time. And she ended up developing type one diabetes. So her doctor just happened at her doctor came to me and said, I heard that you this is the part that’s, that’s kind of a little weird, but he said, I heard you’ve been involved with camp. And I said, how do you know that? And I said, he said, turns out that Lois who I mentioned was one of his patients, <laugh> you, you, she must have said something about me in camp, you know, but that’s the only thing I can think of. Yeah. and so he ended up saying, look, are you you might be interested in getting involved in the diabetes camp. Cause he’s the one that started the camps.
Oh, wow. Back in 1961. And so I said, yeah, I might be, but I’m going away with my family to a, a one year program with to teach in, in England with the Commonwealth teachers Federation. And so I’ll be away for a year. And I said, I remember saying him said, do you think we should go, like, we’ll spend our first year with diabetes with, you know, at some, some place in another country. And he said, well, if you don’t go, I’ll take her, you know, <laugh> so, and he, he became very, he and I became very close. Ah, and that when I got back cuz I did, I did a couple of camps in, in England, like volleyball camps. And and then when I got back, he called and said, so cap starts tomorrow.
Want to come? You know, <laugh> I said, OK, what would you like me to do? And he said, I want you to, he said, I’ve been doing these caps for a lot forever. And I want you to take a look with your experience, want you to let me know whether you think that something needs to be changed. Mm. Which was a gutsy gutsy thing for someone who was initiator. Yeah. You know, to actually say, yeah, if you think about that. Yeah. And that, that was a big deal for me. Cause I, I thought what a, what a gutsy guy, you know, like, like, and I thought, and I knew him, I didn’t know him that well, you know? Anyway he and I became very close and and of course he was Lara’s doctor and you know, and so on and everybody loved this guy.
He was the quintessential camp doctor. He was it, you know? And so that’s got me started in the diabetes camps, which and then eventually when we, when we came back from England Laura had gotten involved in, in writing, in equestrian writing. Wow. So she went, so we got her involved with the Halifax junior Bengal answers and I got, I ended up, God knows how you end up with the Sam. You know, I ended up on the board of directors for the, you know, junior Bengal answers, like knowing absolutely zero, except for the fact that I’d go and watch my daughter ride, you know, that was yeah. And and myself and the writing instructor ended up starting a, an equestrian camp wow. For kids. And mostly it was for the horses, which was <laugh>, which I never, whichever I think back on it that holy crap, what did we do anyway, I did that for a couple of years and also did the diabetes camps. And I don’t know. And then I, I just kept going. And as you know, when we talked, I I’ve been doing it ever since. So I’ve doing the diabetes camps now. I think it’s been 35 years. Wow.
All over the world. It’s been, it’s been a, really, a really nice ride. Nice. Like it’s not over, but I had a great time two weeks ago being at the the camp at Kera national park. Nice. And you know, being the head chef
Nice.
Which is another thing, you know, I can do with you know, and I, like I said, you know, when inter plus a kids ask me, so, okay. How do you know all these people <laugh> and I, and I said, as I said to you earlier, I said, well, you
Yeah. Live long enough or something might be wrong with you. Yeah. <laugh>. So
If you could, if you could, you know, take the experience and the, the wisdom that you have now, based on all the different experiences you’ve been through over so many years, and you could travel back in time and tap Abe on the shoulder when he was starting his first year of teaching. And first year of being a student, you know, council advisor, knowing what, you know, now, what advice would you, would you give your younger self
Just follow your dreams and just I can’t, I can’t say that anything that happened over the years had negative impact, but I just, I don’t, I mean, I, I don’t mean that everything was fantastic, you know? Yeah. But I don’t know, you know, like, like, I, I, I’ve always, like, you know, when I got involved in the diabetes camps, I loved the fact that my daughter who was seven years old at the time that she developed, I don’t know what would happen if we, if she had not developed really good relationships with the, with her friends that went, that were at camp, all who had diabetes and those kids today are 43. Wow. And they’re really good friends. And like, they still are like, it’s mind boggling, you know, like when you think about it. So I feel from on a personal level, you know, I feel like that was a big achievement, you know?
And I, I, I, I don’t think, I don’t know. It’s not that I, I did anything extraordinary in that sense. I just feel like though that, that there was a lot there was a, a lot of the things just happened to fall into place. And, you know, and I, I, if I, if to answer your question I don’t know what, I, I don’t know what would’ve happened to me had I not left the whole dentistry dream. Mm. You know there was a, there were a couple of people that, you know, cause I always wanted to be a dentist. I wanted to be an orthodontist. I had a, a cousin of mine who was, who was a dentist and he and I were quite close. And so I, that, that was the reason it wasn’t nothing to do with being a dentist actually.
But I, I can’t, I, I if I think back on it, I, when I don’t know, when I made a decision, I was the end of my second year of dentistry at university of Montreal. And I, I think part of me, I loved, I loved being at university of Montreal. I I’m bilingual. And, and for me, I dunno, that was, that was a, a perfect place for me. So I guess when I, when I’m thinking about this, when I made the decision to leave dentistry, people around me were totally in a state of shock. They thought, are you outta your mind? Like, you know, you’re leaving behind the million dollar paycheck, you know, like, what are you crazy? And, and I, and that was everybody. That was my girlfriend, my parents, every everyone that I ever had any contact with, except for one guy, one single guy.
And that was the guy who was the, he was the chair of the dental faculty at university of Montreal. And I went to see him, had to go see him, you know, tell I wanted, I wanted to leave or a leave of absence, I guess. And I had, fortunately I had done very well in, in the academic side. So for me, it was, I, it’s still, it’s still a hard thing for me to talk about because I, I know that in today’s world, what I’ve learned from people from younger people is that it’s a different world now. People are changing their, their choices, like all the time. Like it’s like, I, I, I’m always amazed at that. And I, I, I, I’m proud of the fact that they could do that and not fault to pieces. Now I’m sure there are people fault to pieces, but, you know, but then again, you see it a lot, you know, and for me at, at that time, it was such a mind boggling you know, choice that, cause in those days, you know, you, you made a choice in career, you stuck and you, and you stuck with it, you know?
And that, that was it. So for me, I, but anyway, at that time, I, I remember thinking, what am I gonna do? And, and I went to see my Dr. Ju his name was and sat in.
Don’t do anything that you think that you possibly might not be happy with. And I remember thinking that, I think, well, geez, you know, nobody’s ever told me that before nobody ever said those words, you know? And so I, I said to him, so what, what, what choice he said to me, look, he said, I I’m gonna give you a leave of absence. That’s unlimited. He said, you’ve done. Well. He said, what I’ll do for you is this every five years, I’ll send you to stay in touch with me every five years. I’ll send you a little note saying that if you haven’t made a choice to come back yet, then that’s fine. <Laugh> so I like, this is, this is what went on. This went on Sam, this went on for 20 years. <Laugh> now just think about that. I was a teacher, I, I only became a teacher in 1972.
And you know, really, I had no goals of being a T teacher, you know, that was not in my life choice. But I did. And and that’s a whole other conversation, but, but it was, again, a decision that totally made sense, you know, in this, in the sense of what, what kinds of things I was involved in and also, you know, becoming in, in the extracurricular world, it was perfect, cuz I not only did it fit with my going to camp, but also, you know, it had all kinds of other re repercussions. Yeah. And so he and I, Dr. Bushier and I, he was my saving grace. He was at the, there was nobody and, and there’s never been anybody else that that, and from those days, I don’t even know any of the people that I, I, I totally, I, it’s funny cuz my, I think that that time my girlfriend got married and she lives in now.
She lives in Florida, I think somewhere. And she and I kind of, you know, we talk once in blue moon and but you know, when I think about it, I dunno, you know, he was it. Yeah. And so, and of course the, the choice for me, I remember about 10 years after I’d been a teacher <laugh> I went to visit my old math teacher from high school who at that point had become the human resources head of human resources for the Montreal Protestant school board. Okay. And so I, I went to see him and he, he, he immediately said, hi Abrams an hour. You know, I was like, you know, that, that gravelly voice. And and I said, look, you know, you were right. I, I went back, made the choice to be a teacher and I’m very happy.
So he was really funny. He, I don’t know whether I have this here. Oh, it’s downstairs. He, he turned around and in his shelf he had a bookshelf and his bookshelf, he pulls out this red algebra book. Okay. And he said, I’ve been wondering if you were ever gonna come back and get this book. And he pulls it out and he opens it up and it’s, you know, how they used to have that stamp in the books that you’d have your name and all that, and what grade you were in and all that. And he pulls this thing out and it’s my algebra book, like my algebra book from grade 11 and issues you and I’m thinking yeah, there was all kinds of things like that that happened in my life. That was one of them. I I dunno. I, I can’t, you know, it’s funny cuz part of me, I, those were kind of funny days, you know, where I was making all these choices and and but that being said, it seems to have worked out.
<Laugh> just, you know, and I, if I talk to like a lot of times the inter plus eight kids, a lot of them will, you know, will will again ask me about choices. And you know, I said, it doesn’t matter. You know, like you, you can make a choice that you think is not gonna work out for you, but you, you can’t tell, you know, you, you don’t know. I mean, geez, my, my choice of being a teacher was insane. I was working for the department of health and welfare in Halifax for federal government, for family allowance. <Laugh> like, I, cuz I had become, I had become a Stu a social worker. Yeah. Essentially. And and I, I ended up I walked into work one day and here’s this poster on the wall. This is so ridiculous. This post big poster. And it says, do you work for, you know the federal government, do you have an undergraduate degree?
Are you interested? And, and, and then tells me that if, if I decide I can, I could go into they’ll, they’ll give me a full scholarship, not gonna cost me anything the full scholarship to do a bachelor of education. And then and then you could become a teacher and, or you could you oh. And by the way, and you’d get, you’d continue to get your full salary <laugh> for the whole year. Right? Oh my gosh. Okay. So I’m thinking to myself, what idiot wouldn’t do this. <Laugh> like, I was just thinking why, why and what it was about was I, later on I realized that the people that, you know, the, the government at the time in Nova Scotia were having a really hard time getting qualified teachers and that they were, they were ending up with teachers who this is not, not really saying anything, but the, the, the fact of the matter is they had a lot of people coming from other countries like India, Pakistan, China the west Indies, you know, a lot who, who didn’t necessarily speak English that well mm.
That being said, but they were, they probably had really good math skills. Mm. And but they really needed was a challenge local. Yeah. Yeah. They needed people who were local. And so they were offering this program. <Laugh> God just like, I think, I thought, really this is a program. And so I jumped at it and, oh, and, and then the other thing was when you were finished the year and you became your cuz it was a one year program. When you finished the year, you had the option of not going to become a teacher, but you could just take over your, your old job again.
Oh, wow.
I mean, it was, it was, it was such a ridiculous choice that like I thought, like really who, who wouldn’t do this? Yeah. So so I ended up God so I ended up doing that. I went to Mount St. Vincent university in Halifax, which at that time had 10 guys and 1500 girls.
Wow. <laugh>
And all 10 of the guys, except for, I think one were all married, had just recently got married. So not, not a good choice, but anyway, at that time and so I had a lot of, of friends that were girls anyway. And a lot of them ended up also at the end of the year, they ended up teaching. Wow. Got jobs at jail mostly. And, you know, so we, we became, we stayed friends for a long, long time. So I, I, and that, that was beginning of my teaching career, you know, and go figure on the first day of, of school, the principal at the time, who was a bit of a jerk, but he, he he actually went thing he was good at was hiring staff. And he, he said first day we had a meeting and he said, okay here’s the things that are available for you to volunteer for <laugh>, you know, was like, you know, everybody in the school was expected to volunteer for something. Mm. And so CA volleyball came up cuz the two volleyball coaches had left the school and they went to teach in the valley somewhere. Okay. In Annapolis valley. And I thought about it. I thought, well, I don’t know anything about volleyball, what the hell? <Laugh> nice. That’s helpful. So that was one of the great choices I ever made. But you know,
I don’t know, it sounds like trusting in your choices is a, sounds like that would be like a piece of advice that you might not know what the end result looks like, but still act confidently now and things will unfold as time passes. It sounds like all of your stories, they often involve other people. So it’s, you know, it sounds like building deep relationships, not only with students, but also with your colleagues and just human beings in general. Sounds like it’s been a big piece of your journey. <Laugh> whether it’s, you know, the doctor of your daughter or, you know the President elect of an association in Scotland. So <laugh> yeah, it’s it’s really cool to kind of hear your stories and, and your pathways and what we could take away from it. If, if there’s a teacher or someone, even if it’s not a teacher listening to this and they wanna connect with you or ask you some questions, what would be the best way for them to get in touch or reach out?
Probably just the easiest thing in today’s world would either be by message or, or by email.
Sure.
Do you, you, can, you, you can, my email is labramson@eastlink.ca and I don’t mind, millions of people have that email anyway. And so it’s labramson@eastlink.ca. And either that, or if they just looked up the NSSSA or Diabetes Camps, all my information is on there. Okay. So, yeah.
Perfect. Awesome. Hey, thank you so much for taking the time to share some stories. It was really fun and exciting to chat with you, and I appreciate you, you making the time, especially during a very busy time in your own personal life.
Ah, well, I’ll come. You can come visit us in our apartment. <Laugh> yeah.
Okay, Sam, thanks very much.
Hey, it’s Sam again. I hope you enjoyed that amazing conversation on the high performing educator podcast. If you or someone, you know, deserves some extra recognition and appreciation for the work they do in education, please consider applying or nominating them for the high performing educator awards, go to www.highperformingeducator.com/award. You can also find the link in the show notes. I’m super excited to spotlight and feature 20 people in 2022. And I’m hoping you or someone, you know, can be one of those educators. I’ll talk to you on the next episode, all the best.
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The High Performing Educator Podcast was brought to life during the outbreak of COVID-19 to provide you with inspirational stories and practical advice from your colleagues in education. By tuning in, you will hear the stories and ideas of the world’s brightest and most ambitious educators. You can expect interviews with Principals, Teachers, Guidance Counsellors, National Student Association, Directors and anybody that works with youth. You can find and listen to all the episodes for free here.
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Verify, the self-declared “new way for you to prove who you are online, so you can use government services safely”, seemingly crossed 4m users in April, and has since (as of 2/8/19) climbed to nearly 4.7m.
We know little, though, about who is using the “20” available services or what they are doing with them.
We do know, for instance, that Self Assessment returns are still filed, in the majority, by users with a Government Gateway ID. The recent NAO report says that only 4% of HMRC’s users route through Verify. Verify was supposed to work for everyone, including businesses … but that plan was abandoned, first accidentally and then on purpose. Gradually then suddenly as I believe Hemingway first said.
We also know that some of the services claimed to be using Verify really aren’t – Defra’s RPA (payments to farmers through an EU scheme) tried to use it, but the experiment failed; stories of problems with Universal Credit’s failed attempts to make Verify work usefully are rife. More than half of the services can be accessed through other routes, including the Gateway.
We also know – it’s up there in the top right hand corner of the image above – that the success rate is only 49%. That means, in theory, that more than 9m people have tried to use Verify and as many have failed who have succeeded. That doesn’t come for free … it’s £20 to sign someone up and £10, I hear, per login thereafter.
£10 per login. The dashboard, where the graph above comes from, says that 42,000 users are creating IDs each week and 70,000 users are logging (again, we don’t know what they are doing. Maybe they are seeing if they can do anything with their shiny “new” Verify ID. One assumes that 42,000 create the ID and login to see if it works and perhaps the other 28,000 are coming back). That’s £420k/week for new IDs and £700k/week for logins. More than £1.1m/week. £57m a year. Plus costs of operation.
Even with revenues at those levels, it’s not clear if the diminishing number of Identity Providers (IDPs) will stick this out given the “planned” move to the private sector in March 2020. Some may drop out before then. Millions of users will have to create new identities, if they see Verify as useful. Of course, those new IDs won’t be free either.
The same NAO report referenced earlier stated that costs were expected to be £212m (far, far away from the original “we can do this for £25m and save hundreds of millions”) with benefits of £873m; the latter has now been revised down to less than £300m (and that number is doubtless falling given the bulk of it is not direct benefits but a made up calculation of “spend avoidance”). Some 38% of those costs went to the IDPs. They haven’t, on the face of it, done badly, but we don’t know the investment they made, or the ongoing costs they incur, nor do we know what their original expectations were in terms of cost and return.
The clearest evidence of delusion is when if there’s nothing to say, you still feel the need to say something. This piece, on the GDS blog, this week, filled that gap in the evidence.
When a tax return is filed online through the Self Assessment service, HM Revenue & Customs (HMRC) need to confirm a user’s identity. One way users can prove they are who they say they are online is via the government’s identity assurance platform, GOV.UK Verify. The other route is through Government Gateway.
This year, HMRC saw their highest online Self Assessment peak. This refers to the rush in tax returns that occurs as the deadline of midnight 31 January approaches, usually from the start of the month onwards.
We prepared for this anticipated demand by working closely with HMRC, learning from previous years and keeping up regular contact. All this work allowed us to help HMRC with their busiest Self Assessment peak and highest number of tax returns made online.
Yes, that’s right. It was the end of July and GDS were crowing about how they had helped HMRC deliver the highest ever volume of Self Assessment returns online. That highest volume comes in January – it always has done (in the past there was a paper peak in September, but January is the crunch month). I’ve been there – I used to stay up nights as the peak approached as we made sure everything worked, for both HMRC and the Gateway. We worked very closely together. But, of course, HMRC say that Verify accounts for less than 4% of customer usage. That suggests that 96% is via the Gateway. That’s some peak you’re managing with Verify.
(In other news, the Titantic hit an iceberg, people landed on the moon, DotCom stocks boomed and busted … you get it)
What happens now? Does it go to the private sector? If you ran a business, would you take on a service that fails to fulfil the user need of half of the people who use it? If Facebook turned away 50% of its users, would people use it? If you tried to connect to your bank and half the time they decided you weren’t who you said you were, would you switch banks?
Perhaps more importantly, if you were paying for this, ahem, service, would you? It’s trite, but you are paying, in so many ways.
Failed project? Check. Top 10 reasons for failure fulfilled? Check. Sunk cost fallacy? Check. Spin machine out of control? Check. Deluded? Check.
I last wrote about a longish piece about Verify two years ago today.
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Awww…. now if something “questionable” ever shows up on your bill or queue, you can blame the dog!!!!
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FILE - A TV screen shows an image of North Korea's missile launch during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, July 26, 2019.
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Lee Juhyun contributed to this report.
North Korea said Thursday its latest weapons test involved a new multiple rocket launch system — not ballistic missiles, as South Korea had reported — raising questions about whether the launch violated U.N. Security Council resolutions.
The official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said leader Kim Jong Un oversaw the test firing of a “newly developed large-caliber multiple launch guided rocket system” on Wednesday.
“After learning about the result of the test-fire, [Kim] said that it is very great and it would be an inescapable distress to the forces becoming a fat target of the weapon,” KCNA said in a report Thursday .
It is the latest in a series of North Korean weapons tests apparently aimed at increasing leverage over the United States and South Korea ahead of possible nuclear talks.
FILE - People watch a TV showing a file image of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un during a news program at the Seoul Railway Station in Seoul, South Korea, July 31, 2019.
North Korea divulged very few details of the launch and released only a few pictures of the weapons, some of which were low quality or intentionally blurred.
But the North's version of the test seems to conflict with the assessment of South Korea's defense ministry, which had said the North fired "two short-range ballistic missiles" that traveled around 250 kilometers (155 miles) and reached an altitude of 30 kilometers (18.6 miles).
A U.S. official told VOA that despite Pyongyang's claims, the United States agreed with officials in Seoul, saying the test most likely involved KN-23 short-range ballistic missiles, a modified version of the Russian Iskander missile that North Korea has tested several times over the past three months.
The discrepancy between the North and South Korean accounts raised the possibility that Seoul is having problems tracking and identifying Pyongyang's new weapons. It could also be a matter of interpretation, since the line between ballistic missiles and rockets is blurry. Another option: North Korea could be mischaracterizing its tests, as it has done in the past.
Seoul sticks by its assessment
Responding to KCNA’s report, a spokesperson for South Korea’s defense ministry said U.S. and South Korean intelligence officials continued to assess that the weapon launched by the North shares “similarities with the new type of short-range ballistic missile” recently tested by the North. Asked to clarify, the spokesperson said the test was still being assessed.
Others in South Korea expressed skepticism about the North’s version of events.
“I believe it to be an SRBM [short-range ballistic missile],” Ahn Gyu-back, a South Korean ruling party lawmaker, told VOA.
The reason why North Korea called the weapon a rocket system, in Ahn’s opinion, is to avoid U.N. sanctions and international pressure.
"In fact, it is a ballistic [missile], which imitated the Iskander but is very crude," said Ahn, the chairman of the South Korean legislature’s National Defense Committee.
It may be a distinction without much difference, since some rocket systems are so big they could qualify as missiles.
“The distinction between a 'ballistic missile' and 'rocket artillery' is somewhat artificial,” Ankit Panda, a senior fellow at the U.S.-based Federation of American Scientists, told VOA.
FILE - Visitors watch a photo showing North Korea's missile launch at the Unification Observation Post in Paju, South Korea, near the border with North Korea, April 19, 2019.
“The relevant difference is in how large the payloads can be and the military effectiveness,” Panda says. “You have regular artillery shells, which can be inaccurate because they’re unguided and small in their ordnance capacity. Multiple launch rocket systems are a step up: they can be guided and have slightly more boom to offer.”
But the definition does matter, since North Korea is banned from conducting any ballistic missile activity under U.N. Security Council resolutions. The council is set to discuss the matter in a closed-door meeting Friday, according to diplomats quoted in several reports.
“I think even though this is a multiple rocket launch system, it would constitute a violation of the relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions,” Panda says. “We’ll have to see what the U.N. Security Council does tomorrow.”
Depending on how the latest test is characterized, North Korea has launched five or seven ballistic missiles since May.
U.S. and South Korean officials have shrugged off the launches, in an apparent attempt to preserve the possibility of nuclear talks with North Korea.
FILE - National security adviser John Bolton talks to reporters outside the White House, May 1, 2019, in Washington.
Speaking to Fox Business Network on Thursday, White House national security adviser John Bolton said the launches do not violate Kim’s pledge not to conduct intercontinental range ballistic missiles.
“But you have to ask when real diplomacy is going to begin, when the working-level discussions on denuclearization will begin,” Bolton said.
Kim in 2018 declared a self-imposed moratorium on intercontinental ballistic missile launches and nuclear tests. U.S. officials say Kim has also promised Trump not to conduct longer-range missile launches or nuclear tests.
Last month, North Korea’s foreign ministry threatened to resume ICBM and nuclear tests if Washington and Seoul went ahead with planned joint military exercises.
Short-range weapons still a threat
Though North Korean tests since May have involved only short-range weapons, they still represent a threat.
North Korea’s KN-23 short-range ballistic missile in particular appears to be built to avoid detection.
The missile is solid-fueled and launched from a truck, meaning it can be easily hidden and rapidly deployed. It flies quickly at low altitudes and is maneuverable in flight, making it easier for the missile to evade radar detection.
“It can be maneuvered during its ballistic trajectory, making it difficult to predict where the missile will land and intercept it before it does, and difficult to detect exactly where the missile came from,” says Duyeon Kim of the Center for a New American Security.
The emergence of the missile, and South Korea’s apparent difficulty in tracking it, has exposed possible gaps in South Korean and U.S. missile defense systems.
“I think the KN-23 is flying low enough that it is hard for South Korea’s radar to detect. It’s going to mean some expensive upgrades to track these new missiles better, or the U.S. will have to use space-based infrared and pass information very quickly to South Korea,” says Melissa Hanham, a weapons expert with the Open Nuclear Network.
“If we can’t track them, then we definitely can’t intercept them,” Hanham adds.
Trump, who now appears to have established a precedent for not complaining about North Korea's short-range missile tests, is in an awkward position.
“Trump’s reactions to the missile tests have to walk that fine line between reacting too strongly and killing talks and not reacting at all, which could encourage Kim to keep testing in the future,” says Eric Gomez, a policy analyst focusing on missile defense systems at Washington’s Cato Institute.
FILE - President Donald Trump meets with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un at the border village of Panmunjom in the Demilitarized Zone, South Korea, June 30, 2019.
“Trump has leaned more toward a light reaction to keep diplomacy alive,” he says. “This isn’t a bad approach, but he could also stand to be a bit tougher on North Korea rhetorically in order to try and get them to stop testing missiles.
"For example, Trump or another senior member of the administration could issue a strongly worded message criticizing the test while offering talks on security assurances that could include military drills as a topic, sending the message that there is a way for Kim to get what he wants but he can only do so via diplomacy and not missile tests," he adds.
Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, says it is inappropriate to shrug off the tests simply because they are short-range weapons.
"These missiles represent technological developments that threaten U.S. allies and forces in Asia," he says.
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These two very different videos somehow go together for me. The first is an obvious JOBY fit. Filled with engineering antics and a GorillaPod as an accessory, this hamster-fueled walker is quite entertaining.
This revolting yet hilarious mash up of Sushi and Fast food may just be enough to keep you on granola, fruit and yogurt for the rest of the month.
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I was in the delivery room when my nephew Drew was born over 3.5 years ago. It was such a special thing to get to experience, and it was so emotionally intense. As soon as I laid eyes on him I felt this unique bond. Unfortunately, my sister & I lived in different towns until he was about a year and a half old and then we both moved back near our hometown. At that point I was able to see him more regularly and begin babysitting for my sister on occasion while she worked. The year that followed was so enjoyable for me, each time I would watch Drew which was roughly once a week. I was able to turn the world off and just sit on the floor with him and play and explore. He’s always been a very active little guy who is full of energy. He’s a lot of fun but he has the ability to really wear a baby-sitter/aunt out. Naturally, I was excited when I learned that another baby was on the way – a girl this time. Yet, I wasn’t sure how I would handle the transition from babysitting just Drew to having him and a newborn. He had just hit the 2.5 year old mark when Kelsie arrived but she was a fairly laid back baby and slept a lot so I was able to manage both fairy well until she got to be a couple of months old. It may not occur to many extended family members or baby sitters to try babywearing but I had read online about how useful it was and I decided to give it a shot. I tried out a baby carrier for her when she was about 5 months old and loved the experience so I haven’t looked back. Drew is now going on 4 and Kelsie is 15 months and using a baby carrier while I have them both is still so useful for us. Here are my top 5 benefits from babywearing…as an aunt and baby sitter.
1. Providing Comfort. Now that Kelsie is walking there are definitely days where I babysit the kids all day without really holding her much at all. I definitely see her gaining independence as she gets older. However, some days she’s just really cuddly and doesn’t appear to have much interest in doing her own thing. Then there are days where she really doesn’t want to be put down at all – these are usually days where she’s teething, has been sick or is battling a small cold or allergies where she isn’t sleeping well. On those days, I just would be pulling my hair out without a carrier because she cries as soon as I try to set her down. These are the days that I am so thankful for a carrier.
2. Multi-tasking. I really don’t get much of a chance to sit down when I have both kids here and sometimes I have them for 8+ hours. If I go that long without picking anything up, my house would be a complete disaster when they leave. Babywearing allows me to do dishes, sweep, clean up a mess, fill sippy cups, help Drew button his pants or zip his coat, etc with both hands while still making sure Kelsie’s needs are met.
3. Helping them rest. Until a couple of months ago, I had no trouble getting Kelsie to nap if I rocked her with a bottle. Those days are pretty much over because unless she’s truly exhausted she will try to climb down off of my lap as soon as I sit down in a rocking chair. She doesn’t like napping anymore and fights it even when she’s really quite tired. Now when I have her and she is resisting a much needed nap, I put her in the carrier with a binky and her favorite blanket and just go about life walking around and she always falls asleep within 10 minutes. After she’s sleeping well I lean over a bed and unbuckle the carrier and she stays asleep as I take the carrier off and then can carry her to a new place for her to sleep. A lot of carriers would make both her & I very sweaty even during this short period of time. She sleeps very warm – she often wakes up with her curls wet and stuck to her head even if she isn’t covered in a blanket. We recently tested out the Bitybean carrier and it’s lightweight and breathable so we don’t get nearly as sweaty. It’s a great carrier for babies like Kelsie who sleep warm or for using during the summer to stay more comfortable.
4. Having a hands-free option on-the-go. Strollers are big and bulky so as an aunt and babysitter I don’t want to keep one on my vehicle all the time. I also hate to throw a stroller in the car if I don’t think there is a real high chance of me wanting to use it. The Bitybean carrier folds up to be about the size of a child’s water-bottle. I use a medium to large size purse so I can easily toss it in whenever we leave the house. It takes such a small amount of effort that it’s no big deal if we don’t use it. Yet, it’s a life-safer when we end up in a store or other location longer than expected and my arms hurt or I need to multitask.
5. Keeping baby consistently content. The first day that I ever used a carrier with Kelsie, she was about 5 months old. Up until that day, I spent my days with the kids fetching things – finding the burp rag, the pacifier, changing diapers, making a bottle, and telling 2.5 year old Drew “Just a second.” “Sorry. I will as soon as I get Kelsie…” “Let me calm Sissy down and then I will OK?” over and over and over. For a 2.5 year old, he was really patient with constantly being told that whatever he wanted or needed had to wait a little bit. I remember a few times he actually gave up asking for me to refill his cup because I asked him to wait so many times. Sometimes i’d finally get Kelsie content for a moment and then realize it had been more than an hour since he originally asked me for something. He didn’t seem to mind that much, but I felt bad that it felt like he was sacrificing SO much time and attention for her needs. The first day that I wore Kelsie, I was amazed at how we could go 30 minutes, 45 minutes – sometimes longer without her making a peep. Looking back, I think she may have just been bored of her bouncer, swing, bumbo, laying down, etc which resulted in her only being content for a minute or two at a time. Yet, without her having the ability to sit up really well, it took a lot of effort on my part to hold her without a carrier so I wasn’t capable of doing anything else and my arms would get tired pretty quickly. When I put her in a carrier, she appeared so aware of her surroundings and so interested in curious about what was going on. Having her content for half an hour or more at a time gave me back so much time for Drew without neglecting Kelsie’s needs or wants. It’s made it so much easier to balance both kids at once and get in more quality time with them both.
The Bitybean carrier can be used from 3 months and 8lbs up to 40lbs. Drew is a couple months shy of 4 and is 36lbs so he’s within the weight range still. It can be worn as a front or back carrier (back carrier is only for babies who can sit up unsupported), is machine washable and I found it very comfortable to use with Kelsie. With other carriers, I’ve felt like the straps are too far out, towards the ball of my shoulder, where they almost start to slip. The Bitybean straps feel like they align perfectly on my shoulders, Kelsie’s weight feels evenly distributed, nothing pinches or pulls even after 45+ minutes of wearing. Kelsie seems comfortable and content for the most part as well. There is a small pocket on the carrier that can hold a small toy, cell phone, binky, etc. The side straps hit Kelsie right where her arms are right now, so doesn’t have a tall enough sitting-height to comfortably place her arms over the strap (or over the top of the carrier) like an older toddler could do, but the straps hit the side of her arm with her arms tucked into the carrier. However, I think that regardless of the height of that strap, every baby would be at the “wrong” height at some point so it’s kind of unavoidable. Kelsie has never appeared frustrated with this as she’s pretty content to sit still in the carrier. The upper buckle that holds the straps together can be pulled up or down to make it easier to buckle yourself if wearing a baby in front, or to make it set in a comfortable place on your chest if wearing baby on your back. The carrier can even be used in water and is made with materials that will dry quickly. At $59, the Bitybean is an affordable carrier that I feel is great for my needs as a baby sitter. They also offer ad-ons such as a hood (for head support while sleeping or shade), waist extender, and fleece infant liner. More about other baby carriers you can find on https://www.kidsco.org.uk/
Win it: A Bitybean baby carrier (winner chooses color). Giveaway is open to the US and will end 7/14/2014.
Hi there! I am Emily Evert, the owner of Emily Reviews. I am 28 and live in a small town in Michigan with my boyfriend Ryan and our two pugs. I have a large family and I adore my nieces and nephews. I love reading memoirs, and learning about child development and psychology. I love watching The Game of Thrones, Teen Mom, Sister Wives and Veep. I like listening to Jason Isbell, John Prine, and other alt-country or Americana music. I created Emily Reviews as a creative outlet to share my life and the products that I love with others.
www.emilyreviews.com/category/emily
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This post currently has 6 responses.
Thank you for this awesome giveaway, my daughters first child is due any day now! This would be a great gift
Reply June 30, 2014 at 6:00 pm
I love my BityBean!!! Don’t forget what sets BityBean out from the competition: weighs about half a pound, and in its case it’s just a tad larger than a can of soda! It’s also made of materials safe for pools and such!
I posted a pic of me and my baby in the wave pool on BityBean’s Facebook page, which your welcome to use :).
Reply June 30, 2014 at 6:27 pm
Looking for a carrier for when we go to the pool & beach. Sounds like I might have found it with the BityBean
Reply July 1, 2014 at 11:00 pm
So interested in trying one of these out!
Reply July 8, 2014 at 11:19 pm
First time expecting mom here. Great post about the benefits of baby wearing. Definetely looking forward to trying out the BityBean with my future jelly bean!
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Silence. Erin walked in it. It was the numbing static in her head. It was the sound of tears falling in her heart. It was everything.
She walked in the darkness. Short, narrow walls of dirt enclosed her. She followed a massive shape as it led her through the tunnels.
Noise. Erin still heard it echoing in her memories.
“—Not breathing. Contact his hive! Get the Human out of the way!”
“Klb? Buddy? Speak to me.”
“—Human. What have you done?”
Erin looked up. She was standing in a massive cavernous room. Across from her, something sat in the shadows. The Queen of the Antinium under Liscor.
The gargantuan figure moved. Erin couldn’t see. It was so dark. But she caught a glimpse of a massive, bloated body and bulbous backside. The massive Queen of the Antinium was so huge she couldn’t move from her spot.
The Queen raised one massive foreleg. She wasn’t like her subjects who looked vaguely humanoid. The Queen was completely insectile, and her wide, faceted eyes glowed with dim orange-red light as they focused on the human before her.
“Your name is Erin Solstice. I have summoned you to explain the death of my subject to me.”
Erin looked at the Queen. She didn’t know what to say. Her chest was hurting, but her heart was already broken. They’d taken his body away. She felt like she was still dying. She couldn’t feel the pain, it was so great.
The Queen gestured behind Erin. She pointed to the two silent giants flanking the doors.
“Do not fear my soldiers. They will cause you no harm.”
Erin glanced over her shoulder. She’d been grabbed in the midst of the confusion. A group of giant Antinium had swept her out of the guard barracks against her will and the protests of the other guards. Now, they silently watched her.
The two guards that stood in the back of the massive chamber were giants among Antinium. Unlike Klbkch or the Workers, these Antinium were nearly twice their size, with massive forearms and spiked, sharp gauntlets formed of their exoskeleton.
What was strangest and scariest about them was that they held no weapons. Instead, their four arms were bent and they appeared to be ready at any moment to leap on Erin. Their hands—Erin saw their hands had no real digits, just awkward stumps and tearing barbs. These Antinium were clearly soldiers, built for war.
Erin looked back at the Queen. She opened her mouth and didn’t know what to say. There was nothing. The silence in her was too large for words.
But she had to speak.
“I’m sorry. I never meant for it to happen.”
The Queen loomed above her. Her deep voice deepened further.
“Is that all you have to say?”
Erin shook her head.
“I don’t—I can’t say sorry enough. Klbkch—he died protecting me. He was a hero. I’m so sorry.”
The Queen silently watched as Erin wiped at her eyes. She raised a single leg.
“Human. You misunderstand me. Klbkch’s death in itself means little to me. Individuals die in service to the whole. That is natural. But his death was wasted—needless. I am told he perished fighting Goblins. That is what I find unacceptable.”
“…What?”
“Klbkchhezeim was more than a match for a hundred Goblins. If he were by himself and failed thusly I would eliminate his memory from the Hive in an instant. But even so, his foolishness has cost the Antinium living within the city greatly.”
Erin stared at the Queen in shock. In turn, she felt the giant Antinium’s eyes piercing her to the core.
“I am disappointed, Erin Solstice. I had expected better of my Prognugator’s judgment. He spoke highly of you. Klbkch called you a Human worthy of emulation. But I see nothing to back up his claims. I see no reason why he would have wasted his life saving you.”
What? Erin’s head felt fuzzy. What was she saying?
The Queen continued. It was hard to discern emotion in her monotone rumble, but there was a definite element of irritation in her voice.
“My Workers play games in their resting periods. They gain useless levels in classes not needed for their work. Three have already become Aberration. This experiment has created naught but waste. My Prognugator’s judgement has been in error.”
Erin struggled for words.
“He—he was only doing what I asked him to. He was helping. He saved my life.”
She felt the titanic gaze on her. Erin had to look down. She couldn’t meet the Queen’s eyes.
“Nevertheless. Klbkch died a failure.”
Erin’s head rose. She stared at the Queen.
“Take that back.”
The Queen’s presence beat down on Erin, but this time she refused to look away.
“I will not. My Prognugator’s foolishness has cost Liscor and the Antinium this day. He died a failure.”
“He was a hero!”
Erin shouted at the Queen. The guards behind her stirred, but the Queen raised one foreleg.
“He died worthless, against enemies he should easily have overcome. He died a failure.”
“No. He died free.”
The Queen paused. She stared down at Erin.
“Klbkchhezeim said that? Then he is a fool as well as failure. We Antinium are not free.”
Erin stared up at the Queen. The massive insect regarded her, and then looked away. She flicked one foreleg at her.
“You do not understand. You, the creatures of the above world fail to understand all of what is Antinium. Enough. I waste valuable time.”
Erin was shaking. The two Antinium soldiers marched up to her, but she stepped forwards towards the Queen.
The soldiers seized her roughly. The Queen gestured, and they released her.
“You are not what we seek. You cannot understand. Begone from this place, Erin Solstice. I have much to do.”
The Queen slowly turned away towards the far wall. Erin was dragged out of the cavern by the two soldiers. She wanted to say something, anything, to the Queen of the Antinium. But she could think of nothing.
Erin walked out of the entrance to the Antinium tunnels and back into the light of the day. She blinked, shading her eyes. The two Antinium soldiers turned and left without a word. She was alone.
For a moment. Even as Erin looked around another Drake walked up to her. He was the yellow gatekeeper Drake.
“Human. You’re wanted by the Captain. Follow me.”
Erin walked after him without a word of protest. As she walked down the street she was conscious of people watching her as she passed by. Some murmured and pointed. Others flinched away.
She realized she was still covered in blood. Hers, the Goblin’s and Klbkch’s.
The yellow Drake stopped when he realized Erin wasn’t following him. He turned and opened his mouth angrily until he saw her throwing up. Silently, he passed her a water bottle and cloth. Erin wiped her face and rinsed her mouth. She walked on.
The guard barracks was full of quiet voices and one loud one. They all fell silent when Erin entered. She looked around, and saw a blur pushing his way through the crowd of guardsmen.
Two Drakes tried to grab Relc, but he shoved them aside like they were made of paper. More grabbed him as Relc loomed over Erin.
“You.”
She looked up at him. Relc snarled at her. His tail was thrashing around and his fists were clenched at his side.
“Sorry? Sorry? Klbkch died protecting you! All because you didn’t want to kill those damn Goblins!”
“I know.”
“This is all your fault.”
“I know.”
Erin stared at the ground. Relc stepped forward and the other guardsmen all tensed. But he didn’t attack. Instead, he took a deep breath and spoke with a trembling voice.
“I had a good partner. He was a silent guy and a real idiot, but he was one of the best guys I knew. And then he died because he went and tried to protect a damn Human.”
Relc narrowed his eyes as he stared down at Erin.
“I don’t want to see you around here again. And if you come running here for help again I’ll stab you in the gut. Got it?”
Erin looked up at Relc. His thrashing tail stopped dead as he saw her wipe away the tears in her eyes.
“Yeah. You do that.”
She walked over to a seat and sat down. Tears began flowing from her eyes once more. Relc hesitated. He turned away and kicked a chair. It exploded in a shower of splinters.
Erin barely noticed as the pieces of wood rained down around her. She covered her face with her hands, but the tears leaked through her fingers. She heard a door open, and a loud, female voice.
Erin barely moved. The other Guardsmen moved aside as a female Drake advanced. She marched up to Erin. She glared down and snapped.
“Thanks to you, the fourth-strongest Guardsman in the city is dead. Not only that, he died because he wasted his emergency healing potion on you.”
Erin didn’t look up.
“Who are you?”
“I’m the Captain of the Liscorian watch. Klbkch was one of my best Senior Guardsman. Without him, there’s no one to control the Antinium.”
The Captain’s tail twitched.
“Really? Is that all? From what I’m told, Klbkch had to protect you from a mob of Goblins. You’re no citizen. He should have let them eat you.”
“I guess so.”
Erin didn’t look up. The Captain’s eyes were narrowed in fury and her tongue flicked out. She hissed.
“The Liscorian Guard should never have interfered themselves in the affairs of outsiders. You don’t live in Liscor and you are not one of their citizens. From here on out, the Watch will cease patrols in your area.”
The Captain of the Watch glared at the young woman holding her head in her hands. Erin didn’t look up.
“Is that understood, Human?”
No response. The female Drake’s eyes narrowed dangerously.
“I said, is that understood, Human?”
“You done?”
Erin looked up. Her eyes were red, but she’d stopped crying. She met the Captain’s gaze without flinching.
The female Drake stared at her. She had a scar on the left side of her face. Her scales were light blue. Her eyes were yellow and narrowed with rage. She held Erin’s gaze and then turned away in disgust.
“Get out of my city.”
The Captain slammed the door shut behind her. In the silence, Erin looked around the room at the other guardsmen.
“Klbkch died protecting me. He was a hero. He looked out for me when no one else would, and he helped me even though I’m a human. He was a good person. I’m sorry that he’s dead.”
She looked at Relc. He looked away.
Erin wiped at her eyes and then walked out of the room.
Selys found Erin sitting next to Krshia’s stall in the marketplace. The human had curled up into a ball and was hiding her head in her arms.
“Go away.”
Erin didn’t look up. Selys hesitated, and then came to stand by the stall.
“Hi Krshia. Um, how’re you?”
The Gnoll shopkeeper sniffed and nodded without smiling to Selys.
“Miss Selys. I am well, but Erin is not. She is resting here, away from unkind words. If you have any you will leave, yes?”
Selys raised one hand as her tail twitched.
“No, not me. I just wanted to see how Erin was doing. I uh, heard what happened.”
“Everyone in the city has heard.”
Krshia nodded. She finished arranging a display of onions.
“It is a dark time. Others mourn, but many are simply upset. The death of Klbkch, it is a bad sign for the city. He was strong. Without him there will be trouble. But it is wrong to blame it all on the Human. So think I and other Gnolls.”
“Really. Really? That’s surprising. I uh, thought you lot would think differently.”
Krshia shrugged. She crushed a rotten onion and tossed it in a bin of refuse behind her with more force than necessary.
“Blood and death. It is not Erin Solstice’s fault where Klbkch chose to fight and die. It is not her fault the Goblins attacked, yes? We do not blame those who are not guilty.”
“That’s good.”
Selys looked at Erin. She wasn’t moving. Tears trickled down her cheeks.
“Look, Erin, I wanted to talk to you. I know this isn’t a good time, but I don’t think you should go back to your inn. You should stay here, at least for tonight.”
Erin didn’t move. Selys glanced at Krshia. The Gnoll shrugged impassively. Selys tried again.
“I know you felt safe in the inn, but after this things will be different. It isn’t just about Goblins. If the Watch doesn’t patrol the plains, more monsters will start appearing. Without protection or high levels, you won’t survive.”
Again, no response. But then Erin wiped her eyes on her sleeve before she buried her head back down.
“Look—I could get you a job in the Adventurer’s Guild as a receptionist. Some of the others might not like it, but you’d be safe there and you’ll earn enough to eat and live in the city.”
This time Erin moved. She shook her head slightly.
“No.”
Selys opened her mouth, but Krshia placed a huge furry hand on her shoulder and shook her head. She squatted down next to Erin.
“Erin. I regret the loss of Klbkch. He was a strange creature, but a good one, yes? Many in the city mourn his death. But he would not want you to die. And it is death without the Watch to keep monsters away. Know that.”
“And it’s not like you have to stay here forever. We could look into finding you a place in a Human city if you really didn’t like it. It’s just that it’s a bad time to be here. I know it’s not your fault but the others—”
Erin stood up. Her eyes were swollen and red with tears. Her nose was dripping and she wiped her face on her sleeve. She glared at Selys.
“I’m going back.”
“Not a good idea. Those Goblins might still be out there.”
“They’re all dead.”
“But—there’s monsters. Just stay here. I have an apartment. You can stay the night, okay?”
“No.”
“Erin, please.”
Selys wanted to say something else, but she looked over Erin’s shoulder and gasped.
“Oh my—”
Erin turned. The street had gone deathly quiet. Every shopper and shopkeeper in the marketplace was looking in the same direction. They slowly backed away as a procession of dark insects slowly walked through the market.
They weren’t soldier Antinium. They were just Workers, but there were nearly a hundred of them as they slowly walked towards Erin. The group stopped a few feet from her as Selys stepped behind the counter and Krshia sneezed.
Erin looked around. Black-bodied Worker Antinium filled the street. They stood in front of her. Suddenly, they all bowed their heads and the Worker in front spoke.
“These ones offer condolences to the Innkeeper Solstice.”
Selys whispered in a panicked voice to Krshia and Erin.
“What are they doing? They shouldn’t be here! Someone should call the Watch!”
Krshia nudged Selys hard.
“Silence. Listen.”
The Worker continued.
“These ones wish for the Innkeeper Solstice to heal from wounds received. These ones express their regret for her suffering.”
Erin stared at him stupidly.
“Why?”
The leading Worker appeared confused.
“It is part of custom. These ones are taught to express regret/sadness/loss for death.”
“But I didn’t die. What about Klbkch? What about your—friend. The other Worker? He died protecting me.”
The Worker paused, and then shook his head.
“The Prognugator carried out his duties. The Worker died carrying out his duties. No mourning is necessary for broken shells and dead individuals. These ones merely express regret of individual Klbkch’s failure to protect.”
Erin stared at him.
“So you’re saying you’re sorry I got hurt?”
“These ones express regret for the failure of the Prognugator to protect the Innkeeper Solstice.”
The Worker bowed his head again.
“This one offers apologies for its mistake.”
“This one apologizes. But this one cannot. These ones offer regret to the Innkeeper Solstice.”
Erin waited. But the Worker just kept its head bowed.
“Is that it?”
“Yes. These ones will disperse to assigned duties. Forgive these ones for disturbing the Innkeeper Solstice and others.”
As one, the Workers turned. Erin hesitated.
They stopped, and turned back to her. She paused, and closed her eyes. Erin took a deep breath, and then looked at the Worker.
“…Come to my inn. I’ll feed you, and you can play chess with me.”
Selys grabbed for her, but Erin was moving. She reached out and touched the lead Worker on the shoulder. He went very still.
“You said you’re sorry? I’m sorry. It was my fault Klbkch and the other Worker died. And that’s a bad thing. Even if you can’t understand it, I want to do something. Let me help you. Somehow.”
The Worker hesitated.
“These ones are not permitted to leave the city or move about without permission.”
“Why not?”
“These ones are not suitable for independent action. These ones must not be unaccompanied.”
“I’ll accompany you. Just—come with me. Please? It doesn’t have to be all of you. What about just you? What’s your name?”
The Worker went deathly still. All the Workers did. Erin looked at them curiously. Selys gasped and ran forward.
She grabbed the human’s shoulder urgently. Selys whispered loudly in Erin’s ear.
“You never ask them what their names are! They don’t have any!”
“Why not?”
The Worker shuddered and looked at Erin. Selys raised one hand as her tail thrashed wildly.
“This one has no name. This one is not important. This one is not an individual.”
“You could be.”
This time Selys tried to grab Erin and drag her away. Erin fought her hands off.
She poked the Worker in the chest.
“You’re an individual. You’re you. And the Worker who died? He was someone. Klbkch was someone. You’re all important, and that means when one of you dies it’s a bad thing.”
The Worker shook his head as the other Workers around him backed away.
“This one is not an individual. This one cannot be.”
The Worker froze, and then looked at Erin. Something changed in his eyes.
“This one—I understand. This one has become I.”
Selys gasped in horror. The Worker stared down at his hands and then looked up.
“I understand sorrow. I understand regret for the death of individual Klbkch and Worker.”
“Good.”
Erin didn’t notice the other Workers backing away. The Worker that she’d addressed quivered. His hands opened and closed restlessly. Selys and the other Drakes instantly backed up. Krshia slowly reached below her counter.
“I. I am. I have become I. I do not understand.”
He looked around, up at the sky, at Erin. He shook like a leaf.
“If this one—is not—how are the many one? An individual cannot exist—the many are—how am I?”
He shook. Erin grabbed him.
“I don’t know. I try not to think about it. Come on. Let’s play a game of chess.”
He stared at her. Selys was trembling, and air in the marketplace was tense. But then the Worker nodded.
Erin turned.
She began walking out of the marketplace. The Worker followed her, and the rest of the Antinium followed in a silent, winding procession. Selys stared at Erin’s back, eyes wide. She looked at Krshia.
“She’s insane. They’re going to kill her. It’s going to kill her.”
Krshia nodded.
“Yes. Let us follow quickly, yes?”
“What?”
Selys yelped, but Krshia was already gone from behind her counter. She barked something at another Gnoll and strode in the direction the Antinium had gone. Selys stared around at the other wide-eyed Drakes and then ran after Krshia.
The Worker walked behind Erin, and his fellows followed the two in a silent mass. She left the city gates behind, ignoring the Drake shouting at her. She walked as fast as she could, trying not to think, to feel.
Behind her, the Worker shuddered and twitched as he walked. Erin ignored that, but she heard him begin to mutter as he walked along.
“I. I am. But it is wrong. All is wrong. When the many become one, it is Aberration. I am Aberration.”
“I cannot be individual. I cannot have names. I cannot choose my own actions. It is wrong.”
“Klbkch did it.”
The Worker shook his head. He opened and closed his four hands restlessly.
“He is Prognugator. I am—was Worker. I should not be.”
Erin turned her head.
“You’re fine. You should be. It’s fine to be a person, and not a thing.”
“I cannot understand. I am Aberration. All is Aberration. This Experiment—I cannot accept it.”
“…I’m sorry. But I wanted you to feel something.”
“I feel. I feel all.”
“Good.”
Erin kept walking. But the Worker stopped. He started twitching again, and then his gaze snapped on the back of her head. Slowly, the Worker increased his pace until he was right behind Erin. She didn’t notice, lost in her thoughts.
In the silence, the Worker reached out for Erin as he walked behind her. The other Workers watched as they followed. They said not a word.
“I don’t know what it means to be me.”
Erin said it as she walked along. She didn’t know how to explain it to the Worker. She had to say—something. To tell him what it was like.
“I don’t even know what it means to be human. All I know is that there’s a big hole in my heart. Because Klbkch and the Worker died. I don’t know who I am or what I’m doing. I’m just—sad.”
The Worker paused. His hands hesitated at the back of Erin’s neck.
“Why?”
Erin smiled. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she walked through the grass.
“I just am. That’s how it works. You don’t get to choose to be someone. You just are. Even if you’re not special. Even if you don’t want to be. You just are.”
He paused. Slowly, the Worker lowered his hands.
“I do not understand. But—I am. And I too am sad.”
“Good. That’s—that’s good.”
Erin sniffed and wiped at her eyes and nose. The Worker slowly walked faster until he was next to her.
“Innkeeper—Erin Solstice. I am sorry for the death of Klbkch and the Worker. I regret their death and your suffering.”
“Thank you.”
They walked on in silence. Eventually, the Worker spoke gain.
“I am no longer a Worker. I am an individual. I would like a name.”
She looked at him.
He shook his head.
“I—do not wish to. I must have a name. Where may I find one?”
The Worker paused. He turned his head to Erin and hesitated before nodding.
“I will do so.”
She waited. After a minute of walking, the Worker spoke again.
“I would like to be known as ‘Pawn’. It is a fitting name for this individual.”
Erin nodded. She gave him a weak smile.
“Hi, Pawn.”
“…Will your friends be like you?”
Pawn looked over his shoulder. The other Workers looked away. He bowed his head.
“They are afraid. They will not be like me.”
“But I have told them what it means to regret the passing of individuals. They understand.”
“Really? Good.”
Pawn nodded.
“They—we. We are all sad.”
They came to the inn on the hill, and the bodies. Erin stared down at the blood and collapsed. She’d forgotten they were still there.
Pawn caught her before she hit the ground. He helped her up, and Erin sat down while the other Workers surrounded the area. They paused as they surveyed the wreckage of the inn and corpses, and then seemed to come to a decision. As one, the Workers began hauling the corpses away while other of their number began digging several hundred feet away from the inn. More still entered the inn and began dragging out broken wood.
Erin sat in the grass and looked away. She glanced up as one of the Workers dragged out the body of their comrade. Then she threw up.
Eventually, Erin felt someone tap her on the shoulder. She looked up, and saw it was Krshia.
“Erin Solstice. I was looking for you, yes? The Workers, they have finished their cleaning.”
She looked, and saw it was true. The area around the inn was clean. Even the grass had been cleaned with water, and the Workers stood silently around the inn. They were all staring at her.
“Thanks.”
She said it to Pawn, and then to the other Workers. They nodded as one.
“We assist to maintain order and preserve peace.”
“Thank you.”
Krshia stared at the sign above the Wandering Inn. She looked around, and then followed Erin as the human stepped inside.
“So, this is your inn, yes? It looks better than I had thought. Worth defending.”
Erin nodded. She looked around the empty room. The Workers had cleaned it almost to perfection. All the broken chairs and tables were gone. But they hadn’t touched one thing.
A splintered chess piece lay on the floor. Erin slowly walked over to it. It stared up at her, a Drake caught in mid-strike, a spear in his hands.
She looked down at the broken knight piece on the floor, and picked up the base. Carefully, Erin put it in her pocket and looked around. Silent Workers filled the room. More stared through windows.
Erin looked around. She saw the chess board and picked it up. It was heavy in her hands. She remembered sitting at a table and staring at a brown ant across the board.
Her eyes stung, but there weren’t any tears left. Erin brushed at her eyes and then turned with the chess board.
Slowly, Erin brought the board out and set it down in the grass outside the inn. The Antinium formed a huge circle around her, and Pawn stood in the center next to Erin. She sat down, and placed the board in front of her. She gestured, and Pawn hesitated, and then sat opposite her.
Erin looked at him. He was a bit shorter than Klbkch, thinner, and his features were somehow less sharp than Kblkch’s had been. He looked nothing like Klbkch at all, in fact. But her heart still hurt to look at him.
Slowly, Erin put the broken knight on her side of the chess board. Pawn rearranged the pieces on his side. She stared at him. She stared up at the sky. It was too blue, too pristine for a day like this. It wasn’t even night yet.
The sky should be raining blood. The world should be filled with darkness, and the earth should have opened up and swallowed her whole. She should have been paralyzed by sadness, but Erin just felt hollow. She understood nothing. It wasn’t fair. It wasn’t right.
And there was nothing she could do about it. So Erin moved a piece on the board. The broken knight moved up to C3. She looked at Pawn. He stared back, and the rest of the Workers stared with him at the human who wept for Antinium.
Erin bowed her head.
“Let’s play chess.”
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This entry was posted in Writing and tagged fantasy, inn, web novel, web serial, Writing by pirateaba. Bookmark the permalink.
pirateaba on November 13, 2016 at 3:57 am said:
You know, writing a web serial like this means I often write right up until the last minute. That’s good for keeping the story moving and a quick update schedule, but sometimes I do know that I need to rework a section.
This chapter and the previous one are high on my list to rewrite in a minor/major way. I just have the sense I can make them even stronger, but I couldn’t figure out how to do it in time.
kirindas on November 13, 2016 at 4:49 am said:
Personally, I would delay the chapter to try and work out the block I’m having. But that’s just me. I’ll make sure to reread the chapters if they get reworked~
iParrot on November 13, 2016 at 5:07 am said:
pirateaba on November 13, 2016 at 8:38 pm said:
I understand your point, but I consider missing an update one of the worst mistakes I can make.
Since I have a schedule, I’ll generally keep to it through thick or thin. The only exception would be something like a clown running me over in a car repeatedly.
Even if I’m not confident, I’d prefer to post a chapter and fix it later than leave readers hanging. Regardless, thanks for reading!
Dario Figueira on December 6, 2016 at 8:31 pm said:
Is that sustainable? When do you write the next chapter and when do you improve this one?
A holy grail for webcomics authors is to have a buffer. Aneeka from http://navcomic.com/ once said she keeps at least a 3 month buffer. This would allow you to keep to your schedule, and still re-write the chapters before they are eventually actually posted.
(building up the buffer would probably take a three month holiday tho :D, but fear not, me and many other readers would still be here :) after an announced break)
pirateaba on December 6, 2016 at 8:55 pm said:
Ohohoho. Buffer? What’s that? I…I can’t remember when I had a buffer. Maybe the first few chapters, but not anymore.
I took several notes from the famous Wildbow, who advised new web serial writers NOT to have a buffer. Sure, the pressure is on but that often leads to some of my best writing.
Generally, I write throughout the week and then suffer on Fridays or…today. It’ll be a crunch, but I’ve never missed a chapter so far so I think its working.
I improve the chapter after a few days, clearing out all the spelling errors I and a lovely proofreader can spot. If there’s a huge, glaring error in the plot then I hit that pretty fast.
So far I’m enjoying it. I might complain a bit after finishing my writing — pay the writer behind the keyboard no mind. The main drag is going to work the next day.
But writing this story is fun! I’m going to keep doing it until I get run over by a snow plow, which is an increasingly probability as it gets colder. Look forwards to a chapter tonight! Gotta write it…gotta write it…
greatwyrmgold on October 11, 2019 at 9:26 am said:
I understand what you mean. Once a schedule’s established, it feels wrong to let oneself break it. Like you’re letting people down. If I figure out how to balance that with other stuff, I’ll let you know.
greatwyrmgold on October 11, 2019 at 9:26 am said:
I understand what you mean. Once a schedule’s established, it feels wrong to let oneself break it. Like you’re letting people down. If I figure out how to balance that with other stuff, I’ll let you know.
kirindas on November 13, 2016 at 4:47 am said:
Thanks for the new chapter!
iParrot on November 13, 2016 at 4:57 am said:
Ok so Erin made a worker into an individual. Once the Queen finds out she’ll be like what!? And probably investigate why the Worker did not go into a killing spree.
The chapter started off a bit confusing but I think it ended strong. I so excited to what will happen next.
Beeschan on November 13, 2016 at 5:24 am said:
I love the story’s set-up that allows for a sentient species that also runs in a hivemind. I mean, the characters so far in this world just allows for so much creativity that it’s fun. Even just the parallels between Goblins and Antinium is a good exercise to pick apart.
Dragrath on November 13, 2016 at 11:32 pm said:
This and the last chapter were a sad pair so if that was the emotion you wanted to convey then I think is was successful.
The exploration of independence in a hive mind is interesting and has a lot of room to explore. I love that you are thinking outside the box of normal tropes for fantasy races so often authors simply copy paste Human reproductive and social patterns(which are unique to us and our closest relatives) on all kinds of creatures regardless of their nature when life is so varied in comparison
The main thing I hope is that Erin learns from this incident. To an extent her endeavors had been successful but she underestimated how violent Goblin society is and paid with this tragedy. (From what you have shown, the goblins clearly aren’t stupid they just seem to have a much higher propensity for violence wither from instinct nurture or nature) She will need some way to defend her Inn that doesn’t put guests at risk… Especially with the seasonal shifts bringing more dangerous wildlife around…
. on March 10, 2017 at 8:39 am said:
a good person, and one of the most friendliest person Erin could ever get lost.
. on March 10, 2017 at 8:40 am said:
Lost like that and just like that.
Zev on May 16, 2017 at 10:47 pm said:
I thought that soldiers only had two arms?
What was strangest and scariest about them was that they held no weapons. Instead, their four arms were bent and they appeared to be ready at any moment to leap on Erin. Their hands—Erin saw their hands had no real digits, just awkward stumps and tearing barbs. These Antinium were clearly soldiers, built for war.
Eve on August 11, 2017 at 4:15 pm said:
This chapter and the last chapter hurt me. There are legit tears coming out of my eyes. I’m…gonna pause my reading rampage and have myself a good cry.
…this is a really good story.
Ava on April 26, 2020 at 10:25 pm said:
Me too
pato on November 7, 2017 at 9:41 pm said:
HiggsUnbound on July 29, 2018 at 5:43 pm said:
Well that made me cry.
This is awesome. The very first chapter was not captivating. Everything to now has been amazing.
This in particular. Hurts.
Katelyn on August 12, 2018 at 6:28 pm said:
tyriantybalt on February 19, 2019 at 8:45 pm said:
{Love your stuff! I was told that leaving a comment is how to point out spelling mistakes? I noticed some, which I marked with an asterisk. I hope it doesn’t come off as rude, since I only noticed them because I’ve read everything five times now!}
He was a bit shorter than Klbkch, thinner, and his features were somehow less sharp than *Kblkch’s had been.
Dusty Tsalkova on May 27, 2019 at 10:09 pm said:
Oh it all hurts. You did so well with this. I will miss Klbkch.
dristishula on February 13, 2020 at 4:12 am said:
Oh boy, Erin really shouldn’t go around tinkering w hive centric cultures … Klb may have been an awesome buggy, but the fact that his brochachos were essentially drones shoulda been a red flag
say on December 15, 2020 at 10:06 am said:
oh my god!
i didn’t think Klbkch would really die… now im sad :(
Erin being Erin and accidentally making a breakthrough in avoiding the creation of true Aberrations (i say true because isn’t Pawn technically still an Aberration? he isn’t normal that’s for sure)
Pawn was totally gonna kill her when he put his hands on her, right?
anyways a lot happened this chapter… and im sad! even though i wasn’t attached to Klbkch *that* much. a testament to your writing skills im sure
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Agro-Studies hold its 13th Year Graduation Ceremony in Israel | Lopez, Quezon Campus | Laguna State Polytechnic University
Mon | December 5, 2022, 1:52 pm
Agro-Studies hold its 13th Year Graduation Ceremony in Israel
December 21, 2017 University Wide Campus Wide
Home/ News & Articles/ Agro-Studies hold its 13th Year Graduation Ceremony in Israel
“If you think of one year, sow rice, If you think of ten ears, grow orchards, If you think of a hundred years, conduct training”
September 3, 2017 – In its 13th Year of promoting Agricultural Program for Food Security and Technology, Six LSPU student-trainees completed the 12-month Training Program sponsored by Agro-Studies- Israel held at Jerusalem’s International Convention Center, Israel. Agrostudies is an organization that provides a unique apprenticeship in agriculture, combining advanced studies and hands on ‘learning by doing ‘ in various fields. It collaborate with dozens of carefully selected farms across Israel, to ensure that each student is nurtured in the most enabling and stimulating learning environment, allowing them to benefit from real exposure to the most advanced agricultural working methods.
Dr. Nestor M. de Vera and his wife Mrs. Rita Castillo de Vera witnessed the graduation together with other SUCs Presidents. The event was participated by around 1,200 student apprentice from Asia and Africa. According to Israel Hayom daily news, AgroStudies CEO Yaron Tamir, the 13 years of the Agricultural Program aims to transfer the theoretical knowledge learned by the students in the classroom into modern applied agriculture; hence, the graduates can go on to become successful farmers in countries where local residents depend on agriculture for existence.
On the other hand, Gil Haskel, Israel’s Agency International Development Ambassador, considered this cooperation undertaking as significant in strengthening ties between Asian and African countries and Israel. The program also strengthen partnership between agricultural universities and higher education institutions among the said countries.
Six students from LSPU completed the training as follows: John Carlo L. Beato (outstanding trainee), Ervin Jade R. Dias, John Paul M. Gavino, Christian S. Coroza, Joseph Borgonia, and Joshua L. Velasco.
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Lopez Satellite Campus Officials meet new University President
July 18, 2019 Lopez, Quezon Campus Campus Wide
In support to the strong academic tie-up, LSPU-Lopez Satellite Campus Administrators and Local officials of the municipality paid a visit to the new University President Mario R. Briones. Isais B. Ubana, Board Member of the 4th District of Quezon, and Florencia L. Capella, Deputy Director of the Campus, headed the meeting with President Briones, reposting the status of the campus and proposing plans they have for the campus and the community. The establishment of the Lopez Campus has been one of the successful ...
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March 15, 2022 9:24AM
Evan Rachel Wood accuses Marilyn Manson of driving her into a paranoic state by allegedly monitoring her and reading her emails in a clip from the second part of the upcoming doc, Phoenix Rising. The two-part HBO documentary debuts on HBO on Tuesday, with both parts available to stream on HBO Max the same day.
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Sector Events
Posted by Jimmy Los | Oct 21, 2014 | Europe, Justice & Home Affairs, Political & Institutional Affairs | 1 |
In a move to reach out to UKIP voters and its own backbenchers, the UK Conservative Party has announced its will to adopt its own British Bill of Rights and Responsibilities and transform the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) into an advisory body, a plan which is likely to lead to the UK’s withdrawal from European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). After having reviewed the main tensions between Strasbourg and London, the article analyses the consequences such bold move could have on both the Council of Europe and the European Union before concluding that this state of play proceeds not from a eurosceptic trend but from a British ‘sovereignism creep’.
1. Last blow in the UKIP-Conservative duel: the ECtHR as collateral damage
It is no secret that the UK Conservative Party fears the prospect of the eurosceptic United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) jeopardising their chances of getting re-elected in 2015. This threat has become even more realistic as the UKIP have managed, as previously reported on this website, to win its first seat in the UK House of Commons, a seat previously held by a Member of the Conservative Party.
In a bid to put an end erosion of their support and partisans, the Tories have been reduced to spectacular actions in order to retain voters and prevent eurosceptic backbenchers from joining UKIP. On 1st October, at the Conservative Party Conference in Birmingham, Prime Minister David Cameron, instead of delivering an expected speech in which he would blame the European Union, he pointed his finger at another scapegoat, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR), when he said:
“It’s not just the European Union that needs sorting out – it’s the European Court of Human Rights. When that charter was written, in the aftermath of the Second World War, it set out the basic rights we should respect. But since then, interpretations of that charter have led to a whole lot of things that are frankly wrong. Rulings to stop us deporting suspected terrorists. The suggestion that you’ve got to apply the human rights convention even on the battlefields of Helmand. And now – they want to give prisoners the vote. I’m sorry, I just don’t agree. […] Let me put this very clearly: we do not require instruction on this from judges in Strasbourg. So at long last, with a Conservative government after the next election, this country will have a new British Bill of Rights, to be passed in our parliament, rooted in our values. And as for Labour’s Human Rights Act? We will scrap it, once and for all.”
This Human Rights Act obliges all British public institutions to abide by the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The British jurisdictions are thus required to comply “as much as possible” with Strasbourg’s rulings. However, in case of incompatibility between the British law and a prescription from the ECHR British judges have to adopt a declaration of incompatibility and apply the British law. This in effect protects the sovereignty of the law passed by the Westminster Parliament. However, a few days after the Conference, Conservative Justice Minister Chris Grayling announced a plan to implement Cameron’s promise to scrap the Human Rights Act. The Conservatives are thus partisans of a strong dualist conception of the international law, meaning they grant a judicial validity to international rules only after their transposition in national legislation. While being closer to the US position, this conception is in opposition with the monist systems applied in the continental countries, which claim an international norm being directly valid in the national legislation without any transposition. This move that could be qualified as “strictly politics – not law” has pleased eurosceptics as expressed by the Daily Mail’s jubilation when publishing:
“End of human rights farce: In a triumphant week for British values, Tories unveil plans to give Parliament and judges power to IGNORE the European Court and its crazy decisions”
Indeed, if re-elected in 2015, Conservatives have promised to restore the allegedly lost supremacy of the British Parliament over the jurisdiction of the European Court of Human Rights. To this end they have unveiled their plan for a kind of ‘opt-out’ making the ECtHR judgments only advisory instead of binding, which would enable the UK’s judges to simply ignore Strasbourg’s rulings. In replacement of the Human Right Act, their intention would be to adopt a British Bill of Rights and Responsibilities. In addition, the Tories’ strategy would seek to prevent the use of ECHR Article 8, which stipulates the right to a ‘family life’, by illegal immigrants in order to avoid their deportation. Conservatives wish as well to curtail the application of the Human Rights to the UK territory only, to avoid British soldiers in mission facing pursuits for their actions abroad.
But the most shocking element was yet to be announced: the Tories want to go well beyond these simple measures since their plan has also threatened to resign and ‘walk away’ from the ECHR:
“In the event that we are unable to reach that agreement [meaning the Council of Europe recognising that the Conservatives approach is a legitimate way of applying the Convention], the UK would be left with no alternative but to withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights.”
These announcements sparkled vivid reactions as even the Head of the Council of Europe told the Financial times that “Ministers calling for Britain to abandon the European human rights framework are encouraging Russia in its illegal action in Crimea”. Meanwhile, the other political parties have also reacted to these developments. The Liberal Democrats, junior partner of the Conservatives in the governing coalition have previously repeatedly blocked the Tories in their attempts “to pull Britain out”. The LibDems Junior justice minister, Simon Hughes, declared that “the Conservatives don’t care about the rights of British citizens – they care about losing to UKIP. These plans make no sense: you can’t protect the human rights of Brits and pull out of the system that protects them” and their leader, Nick Clegg, has claimed “Trashing human rights basically… to cater for, or to go after, UKIP votes is a legally illiterate thing to do and is not in keeping with fine British tradition” and emphasised he would not be part of a government committed to leaving the ECHR. On their end, the Labour have reacted via the voice of their Shadow Justice Secretary, Sadiq Khan, who said to the Guardian:
“I’ve lost count of how many times the Tories have promised a British Bill of Rights. But still they can’t spell out how it would differ from the Human Rights Act. If it is different, Cameron needs to be honest with the British people and say which rights he wants to strip from them – the right to a fair trial, the right to life or perhaps the right to privacy or freedom of expression?”
2. How did we get there? Criticisms and raising tensions between the UK and the ECtHR
Everything was fine at first: As Nicolas Bratza underlines, “British parliamentarians and lawyers played a key role in [the Council of Europe’s] conception and its drafting of the ECHR”. The United Kingdom was a founding member of the Council of Europe (CoE) and was one of the first to sign the ECHR. However, in the recent years, a number of cases have tensed the relations between Strasbourg and London. The first real bone of contention came in 2005 with the Hirst v. UK ruling in which the ECtHR condemned the British Law denying prisoners their voting rights and gave the British government 6 months to remedy the situation. The state of affairs has been aggravated even further by the famous Abu Qatada v. UK ruling (2012) where the Court decided against the deportation of the preacher Abu Qatada, linked to Al-Quaida, to Jordan due to the risk of being tortured in this country. At that time, the British government was so upset it evocated the option of a “temporary withdraw” from the Charter in order to proceed with the extradition. This kind of heated situations is not unique and can be found in a series of rulings from the ECtHR that proved to be highly unpopular in the United-Kingdom and among eurosceptics.
Along these cases, some structural criticisms have also been addressed to the Court in the recent years: the backlog of cases with more than 150,000 pending cases, the interpretation of the ECHR as a ‘living instrument’ and the alleged interference with domestic politics leading to impose the Court’s supranational views on the national courts and authorities. Concerning the backlog, it originates from the expansion of the Council of Europe to the countries of Central and Eastern Europe after the fall of the Berlin Wall. From 23 Members it has grown to 47 members today. As a result of this expansion, the number of applications and judgments skyrocketed whilst the ECHR contributed to establishing stronger Human Rights Standards in the whole region. To tackle this situation, the Council of Europe has made great efforts to reform the Court, notably through the adoption of the Protocol n°14 that has introduced new dispositions designed to maximise the relatively scare resources of the Court by rationalising its procedures.
As far as the “living interpretation” is concerned, this concept is not the own creation of the ECtHR as Paul Harvey rightfully points out: this principle is “firmly established in the constitutional jurisprudence of virtually every common law country in the world, we must give up the idea that it is a self-aggrandising invention of the Strasbourg Court”. Thus, the claim that the Convention itself is totally fine but that it is the interpretation by the Court that is problematic as a “subjective and anti-democratic instrument” does not stand.
Finally, the alleged undue influence of the Court on national matters would imply first that the Court spends most of its time seeking to interfere with British politics, using every opportunity to enter the national debate – a story that is clearly not evident from analysis of all cases. According to the ECtHR statistics (1,2), in the period 1959-2010, the Court only took up 443 cases of judgments. This represents only 3% of the application received by the Court, which means the ECtHR has struck out as inadmissible 97% of the applications (14 029 cases). Among those 3 % of applications, only 61% of the cases have led to the conclusion of a violation of the Charter (271 cases) while at the same time in 19% of its rulings (86 cases), the Court has declared there was no violation. We are indeed far away from a systematic attempt to exert undue influence over national decision-making in a meaningful way.
Second, this argument would also imply that the Common law tradition is so flawless it could not benefit from a judicial dialogue with other legal traditions. However, one has to acknowledge the positive influence the European Court of Human Rights can have on the United Kingdom when ruling on some landmark cases. As Nicolas Bratza, a British lawyer and outgoing president of the European Court of Human Rights reminds:
“Few would […] deny that a journalist’s right to protect his sources is a cornerstone of a free press. Nor does it seems strange in 2011 to suggest that child perpetrators, even of the most heinous offences, like the Jamie Bulger killers, should not be tried in an adult court. Rulings on the legal recognition of transsexuals and the lifting of the ban on homosexuals in the armed forces meanwhile, are surely examples of where domestic UK law was lagging behind societal changes and was brought up to date as a direct consequence of the court’s judgments […] More recently, the finding that the indefinite retention of DNA samples of persons never convicted of an offence violated the right to private life, was widely applauded in British political and legal circles.”
3. How the UK could be leading by example: the Risk of Contagion
The United Kingdom’s reticence to accept the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights is not unique in Europe although the intensity of its opposition and the tension in its relation with the Court have so far not been matched by any country. Of course other countries also have their own sensitive cases, such as the impact of the Salduz v. Turkey ruling on the judicial system of Belgium, the independence of the prosecutor in France, or the case Hudoc vs. Slovakia on the forced sterilisation of Roma women.
The real problem behind this controversy lies in the risk to the entire organisation posed by the threat of leaving the ECHR, especially from a founding member of the Council of Europe. Although such criticisms of the Court coming from western countries might have little impact back home, their reception and impact in countries such as Russia are much more amplified and powerful. As Court President Nicholas Bratza put it, “there is a risk of this attitude in the UK to judgements of the court negatively impacting on other states and complaints being made of double standards. This could result in a wider refusal to implement ECtHR judgements across the Council of Europe.” An early sign of this potential contagion might already be found in the bill proposed by Alexander Torshin, then acting speaker of the upper house of the Russian parliament, to reaffirm the supremacy of Russian Courts over the ECtHR, which he explained in the following way:
“I think that, with its new practices, the Strasbourg Court, departing from the bounds of the European Convention, has moved into the area of the state sovereignty of Russia, and is trying to dictate to the national lawmaker which legal acts it must adopt, which thus violates the principle of the superiority of the Constitution of the Russian Federation in the legal system of our state.”
This is exactly what Sadiq Khan was referring to when writing in the New Statesman:
“Siren voices either don’t believe our membership makes a difference to human rights in other countries, or aren’t interested in how we can raise the standards of human rights abroad. This is a grave mistake, and ignores how influential our moral standing can be over other countries. Reinforcing this, I heard from speaking with judges from other countries a very genuine fear that if the UK walked away, there would be a backsliding on human rights in those countries with already challenging records in this area.”
One might think that this issue does not have anything to do with the European Union but the repercussions could actually be far reaching for it too. As pointed out by Roseline Letteron, although the CoE and the EU are two distinct organisations, questioning the ECHR can be seen in the eyes of the British people and mainly for eurosceptics as the first step towards questioning the European Union in light of the upcoming referendum on the British Membership to the European Union, promised by the Conservatives to take place in 2017.
The eventuality of the UK withdrawing from the ECHR might be even more tricky as the adhesion to this Convention is one of the conditions for joining the EU as mentioned in the 1993 Copenhagen criteria. If this withdrawal together with the adoption of the new British Bill of Rights and Responsibilities were to happen before the 2017 EU referendum, their impact could complicate any negotiation between London and Brussels on the terms of the British membership since to be an EU Member, States are required to abide by the ECHR. Moreover, the British Bill of Rights and Responsibilities might even contradict the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights or any Human Rights policy advocated by the EU, a potential backlash that the Tories are fully aware of:
“The Conservatives are clear that our relationship with the EU will be renegotiated in the next parliament, and if there is anything in that relationship which encroaches upon our new human rights framework, then that is something it will be open for us to address as part of the renegotiation.”
The European Union itself is ardently trying to access to the European Convention on Human Rights in order to beef up the protection of individuals’ rights, to foster a coherent Europe-wide system of human-rights protection and reinforce legal certainty. Since the Lisbon Treaty has entered into force, the Union disposes of a legal basis for joining the ECHR and has indeed already started to negotiate its accession. What is ironic, however, is that the legal basis (art. 218 TFEU, §8) provides that:
“The Council shall also act unanimously for the agreement on accession of the Union to the European Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms; the decision concluding this agreement shall enter into force after it has been approved by the Member States in accordance with their respective constitutional requirements.”
In summary, the consent of the United-Kingdom would be required to let the EU accede the ECHR while at the same time the UK itself is trying to leave the very same Charter. Being aware of the leverage at their disposal the Conservatives have already warned they would use it to protect their interests:
“We are mindful there may be legal implications for our approach one the EU accedes to the ECHR. We will therefore ensure this is reflected in the rules that will govern the EU’s interaction with the Court. The EU’s application to join the Convention requires the unanimous agreement of all member states, which will allow us to ensure that the UK’s new human rights framework is respected.”
Reacting to this issue, the European Commission has reminded the existence of the explicit obligation made to Member States to abide by the ECHR and the EU Charter of Fundamental Rights under the EU treaty rules. In case a Tory government were to scrap it, the European Commission might be obliged to resort to the Nuclear option: the suspension of the UK’s voting rights in the European Council as referred to in Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union. However, this option remains highly hypothetical since as one might have noticed, notably in the case of the repeated breach of European Values by Hungary, it is a very sensitive issue and there is no consensus on its use at the European level. As the eurosecptic think thank Open Europe claims, “making such a legal argument for a values breach, should the UK withdraw, would be difficult because there is a commitment to enshrine the convention in Britain’s domestic law.”
Ultimately and following Nikolaj Nielsen the relation between the UK and the ECtHR can only develop according to four possibilities:
The UK does not withdraw from the ECHR and remains a member of the Council of Europe
The UK follows the example of Greece under the dictatorship of the Colonels and decides to withdraw from the CoE, becoming the second country after Belarus to not be part of the continent-wide organisation
The CoE does accept to make an exception for the UK, which will open the Pandora Box with the remaining 46 other states claiming similar privileges.
The CoE accepts the principle of the ECHR’s rulings becoming only advisory, which would completely sideline the ECtHR
As this article demonstrates, the eurosceptic rejection of the European Union runs much more deeply and is not only directed at the EU: one should not forget that the UK has shown the same behaviour towards the European Court of Human Rights. In both cases, the United Kingdom seeks for opt-outs, instrumentalises the principle of subsidiarity to defend a sort of ‘national exception’ and refuses to be treated as any other member being part of the same international organisations. Today’s eurosceptic UK should not even be qualified as eurosceptic since it is not the European character of their opposition that is at the forefront but rather their blatant refusal to consider binding supranational institutions as legitimate tools for cooperation. Instead they prefer to see them as an infringement on their national sovereignty. So when the UK denounces the ECtHR rulings as a betrayal of the original ECHR Convention, the problem does not reside in the guarantees the Court grants to the individuals seeking protection from the States violating their fundamental rights. The problem rather lies in the fact the nation which gave us the Habeas Corpus is not able to see further than its reticence to everything foreign-related, a situation which certainly cannot be solved with judicial reforms or Membership renegotiations since it does not target the root of the issue: the British ‘sovereignism creep’ that pushes the country to reject any attempt of meaningful cooperation at the international level, be it the European Union or the European Court of Human Rights.
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John Marchant on 22 October 2014 at 09:20
The problem with the ECHR is that it does not protects the rights of the very people it was supposed to. It seems to protect the rights of the few over the rights of the many.
If both parties are entitled to human rights who wins, the victim or the perpetrator.
The problem with the EU is it believes that before it was invented we all lived in caves and had never had any meaningful for or government, well we did and indeed far better than the EU in many circumstances.
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Stranger to History. A Son’s Journey through Islamic Lands. Aatish Taseer. Stranger to History. download cover image. “Stranger to History is a. I met Aatish Taseer. in New York last year, at the prize-giving ceremony of the National Book Awards of the USA. (my wife’s book, The Convert. Stranger to History – A Son’s Journey through Islamic Lands by Aatish Taseer – ebook () published by Canongate 19 March The story of a .
Language: English (Spanish)
Published (Last): 9 September 2014
At an early age he writes a letter to his father and his father does not bother to reply back. Moreover, as an Indian who is enchanted with Pakistan but has no Through this memoir, Taseer manages to combine two narratives – steanger relationship with his father and the ‘idea’ of Islam in different countries.
It makes for an informative read but it is easy to lose interest owing to the melancholy tone.
Just a moment while we sign you in to your Goodreads account. I’ve read travel memoirs mostly by William Dalrymple and one can definitely see the ease with which Dalrymple weaves stories into his journeys seemlessly.
And the loss of exactly this is what makes Pakistan what it is today. These weaknesses perhaps say more about our publishing and reading culture than they do about Taseer.
There’s always a certain amount of meddling from the side-lines, and then there’s a child’s longing to know who he is, where he is really from.
And in “Distrust” he visits his father one last time on the day of Benazir Bhutto’s assassination. Answers are suggested – the formation of Pakistan resulting in the expulsion of the Hindu middle class resulting in a retreat to feudalism between landowner and peasant. According to the author, Muslims have a sense that Islam was once dominant in the world and they want to return to that state of affairs. There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
People with inadequate command over English in general, and unanglicized Indians in particular, are treated as human beings both in Amherst and in New York, a dignity that not many people are willing to accord to them in Delhi.
Stranger to History – A Son’s Journey through Islamic Lands by Aatish Taseer – Canongate Books
He is marked as such by his early circumcision, which for all he knew could yaseer as easily mark him as a Jew, but certainly it set him apart from his Sikh and Hindu cousins. Though nominally a Muslim because his taxeer was one, author seeks to establish in his mind just what Islam is all about.
It is older generations too, less jistory, more resigned, but still of the same mindset. Derived from his journey across Muslim lands, the book is rich with experiences and emotions and the underlying struggle of finding oneself. His father had married many times in the meanwhile and had children through all of them.
I had high expectations from this book, but it left me underwhelmed. As expressed by representative men in Turkey, Islam wants to dominate the world, where they are ready to grant the right to life to other religionists and perhaps nothing more.
Review: Stranger to History by Aatish Taseer | Books | The Guardian
The author clearly favors pluralism, with people of all po Taseer’s observations of people and places are engaging and his writing style hhistory me along.
Finally, what seems most obvious is the experience of the living; faith as lived history, history as lived history and culture as lived history.
I understand that feeling as well. He is the author of Stranger to History: It would also, he hopes, help him complete his own sense of self as a Muslim: On the way Taseer observes the “cartoon riots”, is interrogated by Iranian security officials and watches the response in his father’s Lahore home to Benazir Bhutto’s assassination.
There is no space in their thinking for how can we accommodate the modern world without forsaking our core beliefs, or sacrilege indeed could we accommodate those beliefs to a world that is not what it was. How much of what goes on in the streets and in people’s heads is genuine faith, how much of it is political ideology, how much just accepted tenets from traditional ways without thought or favour, how much of it — really — matters?
Of the countries he toured, Turkey and Iran present contrasts of a glaring nature. Fundamentalists always go by a feeling of victimization, a sense of persecution whether living in a Muslim society or not. It is all about power play, about a harking back to the glorious past. For example, the entire episode of Mango King — the Sindhi vaderahis abduction as a child and the mention of his court case seem redundant.
A frustration and negativity, pent up and stoked and expressed in violence just a couple of years in the future. I hisotry speak or write these words without unrest of spirit. Taseer asks, What is the nature and source of this faith that has become, in the modern world, so deeply politicized?
The one time the occupations of Iraq and Afghanistan are mentioned, the word is bracketed between inverted commas, as if it were no more than a Muslim fantasy. Something tells me tha Aatish Taseer has an interesting background.
This quest for personal actualisation and an ethnic understanding ti both deep and compelling journeys and they ground this sometimes meandering, but never short of insightful book. Sep 26, Miriam Jacobs rated it it was amazing.
Atisb story of Ateesh Taseer was a fascinating mingling of personal history and that of Muslim countries. Jan 03, Divakar rated it really liked it. It is unfortunate that this more media-driven section for his assumptions and concerns here are those of the western media begins with him meeting the high-profile British “Islamist” Hassan Butt, recently exposed as a “professional liar” who told the media “what the media wanted to hear”.
It really is that simple. It is a good book that asks more questions than it answers. One of them says to Atish: There is a kind of you don’t understand!
Sep 14, Susan Ritz rated it really liked it Shelves: This is all the more significant now, as another dismemberment of the country in the form of Balochistan is on the cards.
Stranger to History is a remarkable book — touching, brave, honest, elegantly written and filled with political and historical insight.
It should, however, be thought only as a form of resistance to the regime of clerics and Basiji, the militia that enforces religious virtue, rather than due to any interest in Hinduism. I think this book is saying that a person can only be a Muslim if the father is a Muslim.
Though it is gross injustice to compare the two of them considering both writers are good in their own rightAatish could take a leaf from Dalrymple’s style taweer. At an early age he writes a letter to An autobiographical book by Aatish Taseer, the son of Tavleen Singh an Indian Journalist and Salmaan Taseer a Pakistani politician who worked closely with the Bhuttos. Thanks for telling us about the problem. This is go what the book is about: And Sind, for centuries so diverse, its culture and worship formed from that diversity, was for the first time in its history no longer a place of confluence.
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Posted bybshort1968 March 1, 2022 February 28, 2022 Posted inCaregiving, Challenge and Obstacles, Health and Wellness, Special Needs Parenting
Photo by Magda Ehlers
Imagine a large granite table with four different puzzles on it. Each is 1,000 pieces, and every puzzle is unique. Your mission, should you choose to accept, is to complete the puzzles. There is ample time to finish the task, and you enjoy solving puzzles. You accept the challenge with excitement and enthusiasm.
As you sit down to get started, you realize something is not quite right. There are four puzzles, but there is only one box containing puzzle pieces. Ah, the catch. All the pieces to each puzzle are in the same box. There is only one box of pieces! How the heck is this going to work? You keep pulling out pieces, but you cannot figure it out. This seems impossible, and this is how I have been describing the past two weeks.
Todd and I want to camp with Emily. We want to utilize and enjoy the trailer we purchased last year. Our goal is to camp more as a family. Emily thrives when we are camping. She loves watching The Wiggles in the trailer. Her bed is cozy, comfortable, and most importantly, mom and dad are close to her at all times. The problem is we are having trouble lifting Emily into Todd’s truck. Getting her out of the truck is manageable, but loading her into the truck is a challenge. It is also something that cannot be done safely. We have been researching options to modify his truck. The best option would be to add an auto-access seat similar to the one in my Mercedes. (Shhh, we know my car is a Toyota Sienna van, but she doesn’t.)
Todd and I got an estimate to get the seat installed. This was easier to get than we thought it would be. The price, on the other hand, is a tough pill to swallow. We are working to get assistance with funding the seat. I was given a list of letters, records, and assessments that must be completed. I have spent hours working to get a denial of coverage letter from our medical insurance. I need medical records from each of Emily’s doctors and specialists. Emily must have a nurse evaluation through our regional center. The adaptation is not cheap, and due diligence must be done. I understand that. The main issue or obstacle is Emily’s new caseworker. While nice, he doesn’t seem to have a clue about what he is doing. He is new to this job and it shows. I am working on being patient, but patience doesn’t come naturally to me.
Emily will also age out of public school in June. Well, actually in August, but we have to find out if the district will allow her to attend ESY (Extended School Year), aka summer school. We must complete her EXIT IEP, and find an adult daycare program. I presumed we would just continue at AbilityFirst and did not think about the process. Her caseworker, the new and inexperienced one, gave me some options for three adult daycare programs. AbilityFirst was not on the list. My heart sank a bit. I began researching the choices provided. I made it clear to the caseworker that we wanted AbilityFirst as an option.
One of the programs is permanently closed. Shouldn’t he know this? The other two programs are for medically fragile adults. Have you seen Emily? She is a lot of things, but medically fragile is not one of them. Her teacher recently told me that Emily is the healthiest student she has encountered in her years working in special education. When Emily was in pre-school, she was the first student in Ms. Tracy’s class to ever get perfect attendance…I mean EVER. The entire process of coordinating the transition from school to an adult day program feels difficult and overwhelming. I keep thinking: it shouldn’t feel so hard. It should be easy. (Oh, the slippery slope of should.)
The remaining puzzles are a tale of insurance obstacles and authorizations for me and Emily. I had an EKG in January. Apparently, the lab results were lost, and now possibly found. EMRs (Electronic Medical Records) that the cardiologist states he sent to my PCP have not been received. My PCP doesn’t seem to have access to the EMR system. Now we wait for a fax or snail mail. I teased the nurse that I could die of a heart attack waiting for the results. I have found a keen sense of humor is a key skill to keep sharp and ready to practice.
Emily has authorizations for an ultrasound, lab work, and the geneticist. None of these appointments or labs have been done. Well, we tried the ultrasound and that was unsuccessful. A messy mix that included a squirming, non-cooperative patient, and a technician that was not experienced working with adults like Emily. Blood work has not been successful. Well, I have been too afraid to try after the epic disaster of the ultrasound visit. We are making progress on our referral to the geneticist. I decided I would wait for this appointment and then all lab requests could be attempted at the same time. There are more obstacles to clear, steer, and jump over, but I can see success on the horizon.
I hesitated to write this post. I questioned if there was value in sharing these struggles and my inability to cope with them with grace. I experienced a moment of clarity last Tuesday in the DBT (Dialectical Behavioral Therapy) class I am taking through We Are Brave Together. The therapist, Matt Metcalf, discussed that physical pain, among other things, can impact our ability to regulate our emotions. While trying to navigate all the obstacles over the past few weeks, I have been in physical discomfort. It has been cold here and my symptoms due to Raynaud’s Syndrome have increased. My hands, but mostly my feet, have been numb and uncomfortably cold. I just can’t seem to get or keep them warm. I have also had increased pain in my right foot due to other issues. My ability to regulate my emotions and walk the middle path has been tested, and I do not think I am passing.
The overwhelm I have been experiencing is real. I am not a unicorn. Parents caring for children with complex needs are used to fighting. They are used to fighting for services, procedures, equipment, and testing, along with a host of other things. Many parents struggle with their own physical pain and medical complications, while also caring for a child with disabilities. Most of the time we don’t talk about it. We don’t share the struggles. We endure in silence and that is unfortunate. In sharing our journey, the highs and the lows, we support others on a parallel path. They can be comforted that there are others out there that get it. Parents that understand. It is also a way to create conversations for change. When we know what the obstacles are, we can remove them for those that come behind us. Their path can be made a little straighter.
I had to take a moment this weekend to pause and step back. I told my accountability group that I was going to sit down with the box of puzzle pieces and start methodically sorting them. Once I have the pieces for each puzzle sorted, I can begin to put the puzzles together one at a time. There is time for these tasks to be completed and nothing is life-threatening. Things will happen at perfect timing and all things will work out. We will find a suitable program for Emily once she ages out of school. We will get an adaptive seat in Todd’s truck and travel as a family in the future. Eventually, both of our medical tests will happen. If we are meant to get answers, we will.
I am grateful that I have the skills to make the calls. I can complete the forms. The ability to be both persistent and kind is a skill I can activate. Generally, I communicate effectively. I am not patient, but I am developing the practice. Once I get the pieces sorted, I will confidently solve each puzzle.
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Posted bybshort1968 March 1, 2022 February 28, 2022 Posted inCaregiving, Challenge and Obstacles, Health and Wellness, Special Needs Parenting
Published by bshort1968
I am a self-described caregiver. I love to help and care for others. I have learned the value of caring for myself as well. Now I want to live my life helping others learn to care for others and take care of themselves as well. View more posts
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March 3, 2022 at 10:00 pm
I’m so glad you put your feeling and thought to paper… others won’t feel so all alone
In my prayers again tonight my friend as is Todd and sweet Emily
M Shoag says:
March 9, 2022 at 11:13 am
Beautifully written Billie. It gives me a small glimpse into not just the challenges in taking care of Emily, but the disjointed medical, education and support systems regularly throw up new barriers. Thanks for sharing.
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Getting a college education should include more than just learning from a school desk. Internships, externships, and work-study programs complement classroom instruction by allowing students to apply their in-the-classroom knowledge to real-world professional environments. These programs help students get their foot in the door and establish a solid professional contact base. Participants will also enjoy a competitive edge in the job market as they will not require as much on-the-job training as job applicants with no real world experience. Overall, internships, externships, and work-study programs help you become a qualified and successful professional after you graduate. More information regarding these types of programs is available through the career planning department at your college or university.
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Students usually complete internships while enrolled in an on-campus college degree program, but some recent college graduates, as well as those looking to change career paths, also pursue internship opportunities. Described as “temporary” work positions, internships provide a unique type of employment as they provide students with hands-on learning experience. Various internship options are available, including part-time or full-time, as well as paid, unpaid, or for academic credit. Business, science, and engineering internships are generally paid opportunities, as are others in the technical field. The length of internships can vary from a semester to a year. Many students complete internships during summers and semesters when not enrolled in courses.
Benefits of internships:
Enable students to learn more about a specific field.
Strengthen written and oral communication abilities.
Provide career-related skills.
Allow you to apply classroom instruction to real-work situations.
Help you get to know career professionals.
Help you decide if a particular job is the right career for you.
Many students lacking the necessary experience to gain acceptance into an internship program pursue externships to get some real-world professional experience while at college. Focusing on providing students with practical work experience in their chosen field, externships provide “externs” with quick experienced-based learning. An opportunity to shadow professionals and learn by proxy, externs are often paired up with a mentor in the professional setting. Although they are typically unpaid and come with no course credit, externships are still a great addition to your resume and interview topic once you graduate and hit the pavement looking for employment. Ranging from a day to a few weeks, externship meetings commonly occur in-between or after classes.
Benefits of externships:
You learn more about a certain profession by observing everyday activities.
You can ask professionals questions about the field.
You are able to expand their network of professional contacts.
Generally, there is no commitment to an extended amount of time.
Work-study, often called cooperative education, is a structured learning program that combines academic education with practical work experience. A type of federally funded work program, work-study usually involves a student’s working to help fund school-related expenses. Most colleges offer work-study programs to students already receiving federal financial aid for tuition reimbursement. To enroll in a federal work-study program, students must first apply for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). Work-study programs usually include a part-time employment position on campus, typically at a school library or bookstore. Additional positions are also available through other employers affiliated with the college.
Benefits of work-study:
You can actively participate in your education by applying course lessons to real-world context.
You gain a competitive edge by gaining some work experience before graduation.
Your work-study income is not included in determining your financial need which may increase your financial aid eligibility like scholarships and grants.
Giving you a better understanding of what it will be like to work in your chosen career field, internships, externships, and work-study programs ultimately provide you with the opportunity to apply what you have learned in the classroom setting. Along with helping you become more engaged in classroom participation, research shows that these programs positively affect a participant’s perseverance, intellectual and cognitive development. Participating in these programs may also speed up your overall educational experience, often leading to early graduation. Interns, externs, and work-study participants are known to generally improve in work-related abilities, and have a greater likelihood of gaining employment in positions related to their degrees. These experiences also help smooth the sometimes bumpy transition from college to workplace.
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Grow your career with the State of Indiana! With more than 50 executive branch agencies, the State of Indiana is a diverse workforce offering employees stimulating and challenging projects across a broad scope of career opportunities. As a State of Indiana employee, you impact the well-being of Indiana’s communities every day.
At the State of Indiana, we don’t just talk about diversity and inclusion – Our goal is to create a welcoming, accessible, and equitable workplace, with a workforce that is representative of the State of Indiana population. As a proud equal opportunity employer, reasonable accommodations may be available to enable individuals with disabilities to interview and to perform the essential functions of a role.
Next Level benefits at the State of Indiana are here! Be sure to review our expanded benefit package offerings below.
About the Indiana Department of Correction (DOC):
We promote public safety by providing meaningful, effective opportunities for successful re-entry. As the model of best correctional practices, we strive to return productive citizens to our communities and inspire a culture of accountability, integrity and professionalism.
The salary for this position traditionally starts at $42,900.00 per year ($22.00 per hour) but may be commensurate with education and/or experience.
In this role as a Correctional Recreation Leader, you will be responsible for leading recreation programs for offenders at a correctional facility. As with all employees of the Department of Correction, your first responsibility will be to ensure the safety and security of the facility.
The essential functions of this role are as follows:
Plan, organize, and conduct recreational activities for offenders including sports, crafts, or other related activities.
Work closely with education, theraputic, custody, and volunteers to ensure that recreation programs run in accordance with agency policies and procedures.
Act as a dispute resolver for all recreational acitivities.
Teach offenders new recreational acitivities as needed.
Design recreational programs that include components of leisure awareness, self awareness, decision-making, and social interaction.
Ensure that the safety and security of the facility is maintained during recreational activities.
The job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or be assigned at any time.
What You'll Need for Success:
The essential functions of this role are as follows:
Plan, organize, and conduct recreational activities for offenders including sports, crafts, or other related activities.
Work closely with education, theraputic, custody, and volunteers to ensure that recreation programs run in accordance with agency policies and procedures.
Act as a dispute resolver for all recreational acitivities.
Teach offenders new recreational acitivities as needed.
Design recreational programs that include components of leisure awareness, self awareness, decision-making, and social interaction.
Ensure that the safety and security of the facility is maintained during recreational activities.
The job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Other duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or be assigned at any time.
Benefits of Employment with the State of Indiana:
The State of Indiana offers a comprehensive benefit package for full-time employees which includes:
Three (3) medical plan options (including RX coverage) as well as vision and dental plans;
Wellness program (offers premium discount for the medical plan and gift cards);
Health savings account, which includes bi-weekly state contribution;
Flexible work scheduling options, including the potential for hybrid remote work for employees whose work may be performed outside state facilities;
Deferred compensation 457B account (similar to 401k plan) with employer match;
Two (2) fully-funded pension plan options;
A robust, comprehensive program of leave policies covering a variety of employee needs, including but not limited to:
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I am a working mother of two whose passion (besides my family) is books. I am an avid reader who enjoys all types of books, although I mainly read fiction. In addition to reading, I also love crocheting, knitting, cooking, running, and watching Penn State sports. Contact me: bookingmama@gmail.com @bookingmama (Twitter)
What I'm Reading Now
Friday, December 4, 2009
Summary: Enter the magical , festive world of the Christmas ‘Tree-Dwellers', as Larry, a Christmas snowman, and his pet companion Tinsel, wake up after the long sleep in the Christmas box, to find his brother is missing.
Unable to accept his loss, Larry, along with Tinsel, his girlfriend Debbie, and a newcomer Splint, break the laws of the ‘Tree-Elders' and escape down the tree and away into the house, to look for clues to his brother's disappearance.
Away from the safety of the tree, and desperate to piece back their families in time for Christmas, the small Tree-Dwellers stumble upon a dark and sinister secret, that threatens their whole way of life. However, they soon realize it's not just time that's against them, as they begin to unravel the ‘ Secrets of a Christmas Box '. -- Ecky Thump Book
As part of my holiday reading, I recently read the middle grade fantasy book SECRETS OF A CHRISTMAS BOX by Steven Hornby. SECRETS OF A CHRISTMAS BOX provides a unique twist on traditional Christmas stories. In this novel, the Christmas ornaments come to life at night when no one can see them.
I liked SECRETS OF A CHRISTMAS BOX, but I'm pretty sure that this book isn't geared for me since it is a middle-grade fantasy book. However, I can definitely see the appeal for youngsters. It's a very cute story filled with fun characters and lots of action. I think SECRETS OF A CHRISTMAS BOX would make a terrific read-a-long story; and I think my five year old son would love it.
In many ways, SECRETS OF A CHRISTMAS BOX reminded me of a book that we read for our Mother Daughter Book Club called THE DOLL PEOPLE. THE DOLL PEOPLE was a story about two doll house families that came to life when no one was watching. Both SECRETS OF A CHRISTMAS BOX and THE DOLL PEOPLE were filled with lots of excitement and close calls for the characters; and both books even had a cat who caused some trouble. Most of the girls in our group loved THE DOLL PEOPLE, so I can assume that they would enjoy SECRETS OF A CHRISTMAS BOX as well.
One thing that I especially appreciated about SECRETS OF A CHRISTMAS BOX is that there were some valuable lessons in it. I liked how loyal the character of Larry was, and I even enjoyed seeing how devoted Tinsel was to Larry. In addition, I liked that Debbie's character actually matured throughout the book and even realized how wrong she was to judge Splint before she knew his entire story. There were also some characters who weren't quite on the up and up and were driven to bad behavior out of their jealousy. I don't think the messages in this novel were heavy-handed, but I do think kids will pick up on them!
I read that the author initially planned to make a movie of SECRETS OF A CHRISTMAS BOX but then decided to tell the story as a novel. I can absolutely see this book as a movie, and I think it would be a terrific one. There are a few illustrations in the book to give the reader an idea of what the ornaments look like, and I can only imagine how beautiful these "characters" would be in a movie setting.
I recommend SECRETS OF A CHRISTMAS BOX for any family with children. Middle grade children will enjoy this fun story, and I think even pre-readers will enjoy having the story read to them. I can certainly see how SECRETS OF A CHRISTMAS BOX could become a family favorite! Check out the book's trailer:
Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy of this book.
Posted by Julie P. at 3:05 AM
7 comments:
Molly said...
Good review, Julie! I absolutely LOVE the cover of this book.
December 4, 2009 at 7:18 AM
Anna said...
That cover is gorgeous! I don't usually read these kinds of books, but I might be tempted by the cover alone.
Diary of an Eccentric
December 4, 2009 at 9:39 AM
brizmus said...
This sounds like my Christmas fantasy! And I SO want to read it, even though I'm not a family; just a lone 27 year old! :-)
December 4, 2009 at 10:25 AM
This sounds like a great book for young readers! I miss the days of sharing stories like that with young ones.
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From commercial elevator installation companies to the residential elevator installation company, elevators have become widely utilized in the vast majority of all parts of the world. They are particularly common in the United States, where commercial elevator installation is frequent and the push to install residential lifts, from the New York elevator to the Austin, Texas elevator, has risen in demand. Elevators not only provide convenience but they provide accessibility as well, a must for anyone with a mobility problem or considerable loss of mobility, such as someone that uses a walker or especially for someone confined to a wheelchair.
And the data that has currently been gathered continues to back it up. The United States alone is nearing a total of one million elevators throughout the country, currently holding as many as seven to nine hundred thousand elevators at this date but only projected to gain even more in the years to come. The growth of residential elevators (that is, elevators in buildings that house people, such as apartment complexes) is particularly impressive, with as many as ten thousand total residential elevators installed every single year in the United States alone. And as business continues to grow, commercial elevator installation is not far behind the installation of residential lifts. Commercial elevator installation is particularly necessary for high rise buildings and sky scrapers. This can be seen clearly when we look at the facts, which show that the overwhelming majority of all the elevators the world over are located in buildings – be they commercial or residential buildings – that have at least forty floors in total (or even more, as is common in many major cities and metropolitan areas of the United States and the world alike).
But still, though elevators are enormously widespread, carrying as much as the entire capacity of the world in as few as nine days, elevators are still feared by a large number of people. Though fear of elevators and using elevators may be irrational, it is not at all uncommon. Much of this comes from the confined space that being in an elevator entails, coupled with a fear of the elevator breaking down or crashing. Fortunately, however, both instances are incredibly rare, and the elevators that we are familiar with today are extraordinarily safe, one of the safest ways, in fact, to move from floor to floor throughout a building, particularly a tall one. In fact, in many ways elevators, through commercial elevator installation practices, are far safer than the common escalator (as seen in many a shopping mall or center across the United States). Escalators are much more dangerous than elevators, but most people are not aware of this fact at all. In fact, when we break the numbers down we find that elevators are as much as twenty times safer than the typical escalator that can be found in the United States.
Elevators have become crucial to the smooth function of many places in the United States. Without elevators, transport in tall buildings like the skyscrapers found in many cities and metropolitan areas would simply not be possible. On top of this, it would become much more difficult for disabled people to get around and have accessibility to many different places, either those with limited mobility, such as someone who uses a cane or a walker as a mobility aid, or even someone that has very little mobility, such as someone in a wheelchair (though this will, of course, vary from case to case). And commercial elevator installation as well as residential elevator installation has become safer and more effective and efficient than ever before. The need for a elevator repair is rare, and the vast majority of elevators in the U.S. are very well maintained. Elevators make up an important part of our world, but unfortunately, too many people are too afraid of them to use them with confidence. The education of elevators should be increased, in order to show people that elevators are actually incredibly safe – safer even than escalators (in fact, safer by quite a bit than escalators) – and you shouldn’t worry about stepping foot into an elevator.
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P. Brannock, a former Mormon High Priest, discusses what he refers to as the blasphemy of Mormon Fraud.
The wholesale fraudulent exploitation of the faith of countless Mormon adherents is among the most defining and ridiculous hallmarks of American culture. It is a remarkable and defining irony that social acceptability of the Mormon hostility to a healthy epistemology (one of the most fundamental philosophical roots of mental health and social justice) continues unchecked.
This curiosity has been recently punctuated by the absurdity of officials of the Mormon Church being tolerated, let alone invited, to speak at a Utah conference on affinity fraud in 2012. I cannot imagine that there are any greater perpetrators of fraud in the entire world, let alone the state of Utah, than the Mormon Church and those conspiratorial wolves dressed in sheepskins who call themselves the Mormon apostles, prophets, seers, and revelators.
As painful an epiphany as it is, for the steadily increasing numbers of Mormon adherents who gradually wake up to the realities of their own, personal brainwashing, the simple truth is that the biblical prophecy fulfilled by Mormonism is not the professed restoration from the so-called “general apostasy” via the Mormon “prophet” Joseph Smith.
It is not the professed manifestation of the stone cut without hands that would fill the earth as prophesied by Daniel. It is not the professed reunion or unification of the stick of Judah and the stick of Ephraim as spoken of by Ezekiel. It is, rather, the full blown manifestation of the advent of false prophets who have come in sheep’s clothing, but who are inwardly ravenous wolves, as spoken of by Matthew. It is the reality of the exploitation of naive children, who are tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of man, and cunning craftiness, as they lie in wait to deceive, as spoken of by Paul to the Ephesians. It is the vain philosophical deception, after the tradition of men and after the rudiments of the world; the illegitimate judgment of others as to their meat or drink; and the wholesale beguilement of voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, by imposters intruding into things which they have not seen, while vainly puffed up by their fleshy minds, as spoken of by Paul to the Colossians.
Mormonism is an insidious, hypocritical and blasphemous fraud masquerading beneath a thin veneer of charitable platitudes, untenable religious sophistry, and an ostentatious display of wealth, power, and unmitigated political gall that belies the very essence of spirituality.
It is not just irony, but, rather, the calculated objective, that the very organization that fabricated the Book of Abraham, referred to by scholars as "an impudent fraud", and fabricated the Book of Mormon complete with its “ancient” prophesies of illicit secret combinations infiltrating every aspect of society in the future of this nation, can now boast that militantly obedient Mormon high priests, bound under the oath and covenant of the Mormon Melchizedek priesthood, and nurtured from youth in the culture of “lying for the Lord” and the duty to “return and report” to their priesthood leaders, have pervasively infiltrated the highest levels of American institutions.
Mormon high priests enjoy executive rank in the FBI, the CIA, national security, national intelligence, state governments, presidential cabinets, homeland security and multi-billion dollar corporate conglomerates who are the recipients of coveted government contracts.
The Mormon Church, itself, is actually the corporate sovereign of a vast empire of corporate holdings, who, through its negotiated executive board appointments, wields ungodly unseen influence that impacts on the daily lives of every American.
I could not help but muse, today, as I watched a video forwarded by a dear Jewish friend, featuring a noted ex-Catholic speaking out against anti-Semitism in Europe. Among other things, he made the point that the supposed Jewish “control of the world” has been exaggerated to the point of absurdity, while at the same time pointing out that to whatever extent such notions might be partially true, he was relieved at the thought that the wisdom, competence, human decency and compassion of the Jewish heritage might be so well placed. I, personally, share that view. I dare say, however, that there are some that would argue that Jewish influence at the highest levels of American institutions, business, and technology, while significant, might well be long since surpassed by the unseen influence of the “Mormon Mafia”.
Many individual Mormons, generally speaking, also enjoy a reputation of respectable levels of technical competence, compassion, and sincerity. Unfortunately, however, notable achievements by Mormons in areas demonstrating high levels of intelligence and wisdom are perpetually haunted by the looming specter of the inescapable evidence of Mormon naivete’, pseudo-spiritual hubris, and a historically damning lack of intellectual sophistication.
Let those who cringe at what might otherwise be considered the lack of social propriety of this observation be reminded, that I am a former Mormon high priest, a life-long student of Mormon culture, doctrine, and philosophical aversions, and a refugee from Mormonism who did not escape the social, intellectual, psychological, and spiritual black hole of Mormonism completely unscathed. I am a wounded soul still in recovery, who knows from whence he speaks, and who feels obliged to risk the consternation of a world that really needs to thoughtfully consider that which it is not enthusiastic about hearing.
To overlook the spiritual and philosophical blasphemy of Mormon fraud, in an effort to satisfy the social demands of misplaced “religious” tolerance, is to overlook one of the most seriously destructive forms of exploitive child abuse. This abuse has pervasive long term ramifications, not only for the child, but for the community culture exposed to the infectuous social and intellectual disease of epistemological corruption with all of its social, psychological, spiritual, and practical ramifications.
Those of any faith who may beat their children do psychological harm and should be held accountable. Hopefully, the child’s instinctual primordial awareness of the meaningfulness of contradictions will be enough to at least facilitate the child’s recognition of the injustice and hypocrisy of the abusive parent for what it is. This awareness, while it still lasts, might be the link to sanity that enables the child to outgrow the parent’s immaturity and rise above the abuse in time. At least there is some hope.
But what of the parent who lovingly nurtures a child into wholesale abandonment and abdication of the reasoning process as a way of life, complete with acceptance of patently absurd and irreconcileable contradictions in the pursuit of the self delusional intoxication of a false sense of spiritual insight born of the notion that every warm and fuzzy feeling must be a message from God confirming that what one desires to believe must be true by virtue of that warm and fuzzy feeling.
What of the systematic disparagement of challenging thoughtfulness manifesting itself in the form of probing questions about obvious contradictions where such thoughtfulness is associated with Satanic contention? What of the intellectual and psychological oppression sugar coated with the paradox of nurturing dismissiveness and disapproval when an innocent child’s legitimate questions trigger the parent’s intellectual and spiritual cowardice. What of systematic psychological indoctrination that obvious clues of obvious fraud manifesting themselves in the form of factual contradictions should be ignored by repression in favor of self loathing for questioning God’s anointed?
Does any sane individual even partially informed as to the sociology of Mormonism have any doubt as to why Utah has led the nation for decades as the capital of white collar crime and affinity fraud? Yet, how does the "intellectual prowess" of the Mormon dominated culture in Utah address the problem of affinity fraud? It features representatives of the Mormon Church to address the gathering with “thoughtful observations” about the epistemologically rooted social epidemic of its own creation.
Nazi Germany became Nazi Germany amidst a nation of Christians. Mormonism is a front for a fascist corporate empire whose actual sophistication in what the Apostle Paul called “the sleight of man, and cunning craftiness” far exceeds its self serving appearance of a lack of sophistication. It is, quite possibly, the most successful religious cult in world history. And we are a nation of fools caught up in a foolish rush as we reward the Mormon phenomena with a measure of trust and deference it does not deserve. The largest and most sophisticated national security installation in the history of the world will now be located just South of Salt Lake City. How many Mormon high priests will be employed collecting and sifting through intelligence at this new, massive, data center, and whose empire, exactly, will they be reporting their findings to, and why?
Clearly Mormonism will never emmerge as a neo Nazi organization, notwithstanding its propensity toward religious fascism, historically, and corporate fascism currently. Mormon fascism is perceived (incorrectly) to be relatively benign, but for the exploitive fraud. Rather, it will benefit from general government corruption and exploitation that is dependent on general naivete.
The corrupt epistemology of Mormonism, makes a dangerously serious social contribution to the naivete’ that must necessarily exist as a pre-requisite for general government corruption and general exploitation. This pre-requisite intellectual absenteeism was necessary for the Nazis to sieze control of Germany without much resistance from Christians of the day.
The Mormon Church has instilled such an astonishing measure of naïve and unquestioning subservience in its membership, that it has enjoyed virtually no meaningful accountability for its actual financial affairs for decades, amidst patently obvious fraud and controversies that would give rise to stockholder rebellion, or an opportunity for hostile takeover in most other corporations, at best, and criminal prosecution, more realistically.
Each year, during a general conference, an oblique perfunctory announcement is made to the effect that generally acceptable accounting principles have been followed in keeping the records of the church. At this, the Orwellian state of Mormon group think, amidst the looming threat of being socially ostracized for questioning the Church leadership, is sufficient to keep the general membership nodding in blind trust as hands are raised in approval of secret "financial management" that disposes of staggaring revenues annually while funding the "Strengthening Church Members Committee" and its shrouded activities.
Unfortunately, naivete is socially contagious, and America’s collective naivete has given rise to a military industrial complex that is completely out of control and which perpetuates the perception of its own necessity by manufacturing unrealistic and unfounded fear beyond anything reasonably appropriate for the service of the actual risks and needs of its constituents. Massive corporations, including the Mormon empire, continue to enjoy ungodly wealth as a result of the exploitation of fear and naivete’ in America.
See also, Strengthening Church Members Committee
See also: On the Questions of Fraud and Accountability
For more on this subject see
Info about Gaddy Lawsuit
Freedom of Religion?
Is this the Moment of Truth?
(all revenues from the sale of books or other amazon products by click through from this site are contributed to "Project Gaddy")
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Seeing your Chef/Husband in Pain | Emulsified Family Seeing your Chef/Husband in Pain - Emulsified Family
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by Jennifer | Being Married to a Chef, Blog, Chef Life | 4 comments
Tags: pain and suffering, worrying
We all know chefs work long hours and come home exhausted. There have been many nights when I’ve been woken up by something and been surprised that Tom was not home yet. I usually call him to make sure he’s OK and then go back to sleep. There have been a few later than normal nights this last week as he has worked 7 days straight with very long hours. One of those nights I had some very vivid memories from a few years ago. Ugh. . .
August 1, 2011 was one of those late nights. I woke up around 4 am and realized that Tom was still not home. I knew he was going to be late that night, but 4 am is no longer late . . . it’s early. I called and he didn’t answer his phone right away. My mind started racing about what could be wrong. He finally answered his phone and said, “I’ve been in a car accident. I know I got off the freeway, but I’m not sure where I am. I’m OK. I’ll call you right back.”
Then his phone dies.
Seriously? We all hate it when our phone dies, but this has to be one of the worst times for this to happen.
When he doesn’t call back in 20 minutes, and doesn’t answer his phone, I walk down the hall to my friend from college who happens to be staying with us for 1 night and tell her what is going on and that I’m going to go out and look for Tom. (Praise God she was at our home that night. Waking up 3 small children and putting them in the car to go look for Daddy would have been a nightmare!)
After searching for a bit and not being able to locate him I finally called 911. They said that someone had just called in an accident and asked me for the type of car. They told me they thought it was my husband and that an officer would be calling me in a few minutes.
Those few minutes were an eternity!!
After talking to the officer, I headed over the scene of the accident. My husband was so tired that he had fallen asleep and driven off the side of the road and up a small embankment. He was exhausted, sore, but not in too much pain, so we went home. Looking back, this was definitely not the right thing to do. I should have insisted he go to the ER to be checked over. Live and learn!
The next morning, he could hardly move, his back hurt so much. We left the girls with my friend and headed to Urgent Care where he was misdiagnosed with a compression fracture in his back, given a back brace and some pain meds and we went home. The pain was so bad we ended up calling 911 the next day and ended up at the ER. Once there, we found out he was misdiagnosed and actually had a burst fracture in his lower back. The Dr. was amazed that he had even walked into the ER and said they he could have been paralyzed from all the moving around he had done. So for a few days, he laid flat on his back in the hospital while a custom brace was being made for him.
Life came to a hault! My husband, my protector, the strong man who could carry me and our 3 children out of a burning building all at the same time if he needed to, was not allowed to sit up, roll over or even move. Even now, a few years later, tears come to my eyes as I remember sitting with him, wondering what the future held.
It’s hard to put into words how it felt for me to see my husband in pain like this. It just broke my heart to see the look in his eyes, to talk with him about how he was feeling and to see him just lying there. I felt so helpless. Our parents were 19 hours away, feeling just as concerned as I was. We were fairly new to our church and didn’t know many people very well. I felt alone and scared. Our lives would never be the same. And while I knew that God had a plan to use this in our lives, I was scared about what that plan was.
What did this mean for our family, for his job? He was a chef. He didn’t sit down at a desk all day. He stood on the line, managing a kitchen for hours and hours each night. And to make things worse, he had only been at his current job for 5 weeks! How in the world was he going to work? He was our only income!
Time out . . . remember Philippians 4:6 – “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”
As I look back I am truly amazed at how God provided for us and took care of us during that time. There are so many things that He had in place, knowing that we would need them.
First of all, my dear friend Sarah was at our house. We never have people spend the night at our house. In fact, I think she was one of the first overnight guests we’d had since we moved up here 3 years earlier. She was here for 1 night, the night of Tom’s accident.
Tom walked away from the accident, was misdiagnosed and could have been paralyzed. He wasn’t. God protected his back while we were at home.
Third, he was only 5 weeks into a new job, great timing to call up the restaurant owners and tell them you broke your back and that you didn’t know what the future would hold. The restaurant owners were amazing! Paychecks never stopped. Menu and website development and other jobs were found for him to do in bed and from home as he recovered. They called to check in on him regurlarly, not to see when he was coming back, but to make sure he was taking it easy so he could heal. Not all restaurant owners would have done that. And through all of this, he even ended up with a promotion to a corporate chef position for the company. God’s timing is always perfect.
Our church family took such great care of us. People brought meals (which I’ve been told can be quite stressful to cook for a chef and his family), took the girls for playdates to get them out of the house since I had to stay with Tom 24/7 and men came and mowed our lawn since I wasn’t able to. I think the thing that blessed me the most was a group of people showing up on Christmas Eve morning to rake all our leaves and haul them away. With taking care of Tom full time, I hadn’t been able to get to them (and he obviously couldn’t do it with a broken back). They noticed and took care of that need. I will never forget that!
Recovery was long and painful as he wore his brace and then regained muscle strength after the brace was off. I was exhausted as I took care of him and the girls. It was very hard for them to see Daddy in pain and very hard for a 2 year old to understand why Daddy couldn’t hold her. Not to mention how hard it was on Tom as well! He was discouraged and frustrated as the days of recovery dragged on.
Tom will have issues with his back for the rest of his life. Most days, he’s able to work without too much back pain, although the crazy busy holiday season this past December was horrible. He didn’t mention it much or complain, but I could tell everything he did was painful by the time December was over!
Looking back, God was with us each step of the way, through the fear and pain, tears and sadness. Since the accident there have been a few nights when he’s been late and I’ve woken up in a panic wondering where he is. God is with me then too and I am so grateful for that. Now I just need to remember Phil. 4:6 and pray before I start freaking out . . .
Bryn Mathison on March 11, 2014 at 1:00 pm
Jen — thanks for sharing such an amazing story…this will always be part of your story. A true testament to God’s amazing ability to watch over us, take care of us and protect us.
Keep up the writing. I love it.
Jennifer on March 11, 2014 at 1:23 pm
Thanks Bryn. So grateful that God is with us at every moment!
Jenn on September 17, 2015 at 8:27 am
I just wanted to say THANK YOU for writing this. My Chef has also had back problems and just recently in February had his second surgery and had a cage and rods installed. It helps to know we weren’t alone in having the feelings/thoughts/struggles during the healing process . Only his Boss would call to find out when he was coming back to work which made the situation so much harder. It’s not funny, but I jokingly state that he should just schedule his next surgery 5 years from now today. It’s amazing what this breed of man (Chefs) put themselves through for the love of what they do.
Jennifer on September 17, 2015 at 9:13 am
Oh man! 2 surgeries? It’s so crazy! My husband is recovering really well from his elbow surgery. We are so glad. It’s nice that he’s not in constant pain for that any more. Glad you found my blog!
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Difficult circumstances sometimes cause us to become angry. Anger is the flashing, red light on the dashboard of our mind, warning us that something’s wrong! Getting to the root cause of anger equips us to leverage anger - to see a situation accurately and then deal appropriately. Anger, when used as a diagnostic tool, rather than a brutal weapon, helps us rise above our circumstances to bring healing, not hurt, to a situation. In this message, Chip reveals the truth about anger.
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About this series
What’s the key to standing strong in the storms of life? How do we keep getting up no matter how many times the waves of trial and discouragement knock us over? One word – Resilient. Chip and Ryan Ingram team up on this series from James, Chapter 1, to remind us that God has given us all the resources we need to come out on top, regardless of what’s going on. If you’re looking for inner strength and outward power to withstand the toughest of circumstances, “Resilient” provides the guidance you need, to not give up or give in.
More from this series
Well, I have to tell you, as we begin part two of this series on Resilient, it’s just a joy to be with you all and of course anytime I get to partner with my son and do a series, it brings great joy to his dad.
And just by way of reminder, let’s get a definition, because I can’t think of anything more important right now after what we have been through and what we are going through personally and as a nation, I just can’t think of anything more important than this ability to bounce back, to respond to difficult times.
By way of definition, resilience is the ability to withstand and recover quickly from difficult conditions. It’s basically that ability to bend and not break, it’s bouncing back after a big loss, a financial loss, a job loss, maybe a major disappointment.
And the research indicates that resiliency is actually the best future predictor of future success.
So, one of the greatest things we can do is model resiliency. We don’t get stuck. We go through hard times, we are all going to have difficulties, we’re going to have disappointments, pain, losses relationally, financially, vocationally. I mean, that’s life.
We are talking now about: how do you bounce back?
Ryan spoke and told us that one of the dangers to being resilient or literally not being resilient is when we have been through difficult, painful times, we are more vulnerable to temptation than ever.
And so, he talked about where temptation comes from and how to respond to temptation in James chapter 1, verses 13 through 18. And now, what I want to talk about is: how are we going to respond to emotions? When we are disappointed, discouraged, when we experience injustice, when we are vulnerable, when we are hurting we are tempted to take short-cuts, we are tempted to get angry.
And one of the things that can happen is if we don’t have a handle on our emotions, everything can blow up. When life is not fair, when we have a blocked goal, when we feel like someone is attacking us – or just when the sheer fatigue and stress and difficulty of what is happening in our lives, that’s when we have got to be very, very careful.
And that’s why I want to talk about: it’s emotional. And I want to ask you a question: what do you do with those emotions inside of you? What do you do specifically with your anger? What kind of relationship do you have with anger?
The fact of the matter is is anger at its best protects, but anger at its worst poisons. Your relationship, listen carefully, with anger will either make or break you in the middle of a crisis like we are living with today. And what is exciting to me is God gives us very clear direction about how to respond to our anger.
It doesn’t surprise me that as James is writing to these Jewish Christians who are literally fleeing persecution, they have left homes, they have left businesses, they are under financial pressure and they are wondering, What do you do? How do you walk with Christ in the midst of a world that literally is falling apart?
And after he talks about considering it all joy and that God will give you wisdom and having a divine perspective, then he talks about temptation. And then he says, “My dear brothers,” verse 19, “and sisters, take note of this: everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak, and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires. Therefore get rid of all moral filth and the evil that is so prevalent and humbly accept the word planted in you, which is able to save you,” and the idea of save here is not so much our salvation, but, “will deliver you.”
The Word of God implanted in you can deliver you from the kind of anger that destroys relationships, that ruins your life, that causes you to make a decision or to say something that, for the rest of your life, you will regret saying, “Oh, why did I do that?”
Now, lest you think that all anger is bad, let me give you a couple definitions of anger. The first one is one that I came up with with Dr. Becca Johnson. I actually had the chance, many, many years ago, as I was teaching through the book of James and I hit this little section on anger.
And because my background in undergraduate and graduate school was in psychology, and because I had pastored for quite a while, I knew this is a big issue.
And so, rather than just sort of zooming on through, I got to this passage right here and I kind of pressed the pause button and I took a little cul-de-sac. And I talked about overcoming emotions that destroy and Dr. Becca Johnson was a psychologist and an author with InterVarsity.
And as she heard the message, she said, “You know, that would make a really good book.” And she had written a book on good guilt and bad guilt. And so, we teamed up together and it became a book called Overcoming Emotions that Destroy.
And she really helped me. And here’s the definition of anger that we came up with. Anger is neither a good or bad emotion. It is a charged, morally neutral emotional response of protective preservation.
Let me say that again. Anger is neither good nor bad. It is a charged morally neutral emotional response of protective preservation. In other words, there are times where a small child is being hurt or there is injustice that causes you to get so angry that you respond and do something good.
That’s a good side of anger. But it’s also an emotionally charged emotion that can bring great destruction. I love Gary Chapman describes it this way, “Anger is the emotion that arises whenever we encounter what we perceive to be wrong. The emotional, physiological, and cognitive dimensions of anger leap to the front burner of our experience when we encounter injustice.”
And I like to think of anger – a word picture – is like a wild stallion. When I was a little boy, I would visit my grandmother. And grown-ups would go and they would talk in the house and on this particular occasion, my grandmother said, “We are boarding a horse for someone.” She had kind of a farm-like area. And then there was a fence and then it went it went straight up this hill. And she said, “Whatever you do, that is a wild horse.” It was a palomino. It was a huge horse, like fifteen hands high.
And she says, “Do not go near the horse.” Well, with my personality, that was like saying, “Hey! There’s really something fun that you’re going to get to do!” So I get my two sisters to go out there with me and we feed him a little bit and get him close to the fence and then I kind of figure out how to get the bridle.
And then my sisters pet his nose and I get in there, I have never put a saddle on an animal in my life and I figure out how to get that saddle on top of him and then I cinch it up the best I can. And I literally, I’m like eleven years old. I have no idea what I’m doing. I can barely lift the saddle.
And like a foolish young child, I get on that horse and my favorite shows back in the day, remember all those Westerns? I’m really dating myself here, but The Lone Ranger, Wagon Train, Sugarfoot. Some of you are nodding and some of you are going, What is he talking about?
So anyway, I love those cowboy shows. This horse, it’s about a forty-five degree angle up this hill of about, oh, three hundred yards. This horse turns and runs on a dead run straight up that hill. And I’m holding on to the, I don’t know what you call the little handle in front and the reins.
And I’m going and going and going and going. And I’m thinking, This is awesome! This is awesome! I’m so excited! I felt like one of those real cowboys. And then he stopped. And then he turned around. And then he came straight down the same speed and I got about halfway down and I thought, He’s not going to stop. I’m going to get killed. And about, I was near the fence about another forty, fifty yards. I’m going to hit that fence and my sisters are going, waving their arms like, “Stop! Stop!”
So, I jump off the horse and I kind of roll and they get the horse. And here’s what I learned. Anger is a lot like that horse. It’s powerful, it’s strong, and under control and tamed, it’s a great resource. But when it’s out of control and wild, I’m telling you, it can kill you and kill others.
And so, what I want to talk about in terms of accomplishing resilience is I want to help you tame the anger. And it’s interesting that right in this passage, he tells us step one, two, and three about how to tame our anger.
So, it’s a biblical prescription of taming the wild stallion of anger that is in all of us. And before I go on, having taught this a couple times, there are some of you that I can hear in the back of your mind, Oh brother, I don’t really want to listen to this. I don’t have an anger problem. I don’t blow up, I don’t yell, I don’t scream. I don’t have an anger problem.
And what I would suggest to you is that anger wears many masks. I don’t have time to develop them fully, but just so that you get to participate with us, there are three major ways that people express their anger.
Some people are what I call spewers. You know them. They are the people that we think have anger issues, right? They yell, they scream, they can be violent. They power up. You know when they’re mad. You say, “Are you mad?” “Yeah! I’m mad and you better do what I say.”
They can be even physically violent. And what we know is you better stay away from them. Their anger is explosive and they spew it out.
The second group is what I call stuffers. These are some of you who would say, “Oh, I don’t have an anger problem.” What you do is when you see injustice or when you have those angry feelings, you stuff them down inside and it produces inner bitterness and you keep score, you have resentment, you can be calm and you can be cool. You actually can withdraw, become rigid, sullen. You bury things, “Oh, me? I’m not angry. I don’t have a problem.”
Ninety to ninety-five percent of all depression, researchers tell us, are caused by anger turned inward. And so, what I have to say is really important to you. If you’re not a yeller or a blamer, a screamer, an exploder, but you’re a stuffer, you have got an anger issue.
The third area is what I call leakers. The psychologists call them passive-aggressive. These are people that take their anger and they don’t want to confront and they don’t – they’re a little bit like the stuffer. They stuff it but they take the anger to a safe, a different playing field, if you will.
Maybe they get hurt over here on the baseball diamond, metaphorically, so they take it over to the dugout. And these are the kind of people that, in their anger, they can be critical, sarcastic, withdraw. And some of it is absolutely subconscious.
If they really know that you are a very prompt person, these are the kind of people that can be late. “Oh, I’m so sorry. I forgot.” And they are sincere. But what they have done is they have stored up anger and they have stored up resentment. Or these, sarcasm is a big sign. They don’t want to confront you with something, so they will make a joke about something where they really want to say, “You did that,” or, “You were wrong,” or, “Why don’t you shape up?”
But the moment you respond, “Hah, I was just kidding!” Right? “I was just kidding.” They can forget. They can avoid things. They can not show up. And so, what I would tell you, we did a little survey at Living on the Edge when we did the Overcoming Emotions series. And here’s what we found.
This is not scientific, but I think it’s fairly accurate. About thirty five percent of the thousand to fifteen hundred people that responded said, “We are spewers.” About twenty-eight percent said, “We are stuffers.” And about thirty-eight percent said, “We are leakers,” which I think really says something, because as many of us as Christians, we learn that anger is wrong. We learn if you’re ever wrong, that’s a bad thing. That’s sin.
And so what we learn to stuff it or we learn to leak it. And what God would say is anger is this charged emotional response to injustice, real or perceived. When it’s real, acting on it appropriately is a very godly thing to do. The word wrath or anger, the wrath of God is toward injustice or sin.
When it’s perceived, but it’s inappropriate, we can hurt people and hurt ourselves. And so, all I want to say is as you hear God’s plan for resolving anger is three steps, I just want you to know that it probably applies to all of us, not just some of us.
So, step number one, what’s it say? Be quick to hear. The word literally means eagerness to listen or learn. It’s like: keep your mouth shut. Just be open. Listen. Don’t respond; don’t react. It’s our immediate response to God, others, circumstances, and our anger – listen carefully – to be a receptive listener not a reactionary responder.
You have to go into training for this. I mean, so many of us, and guilty as charged, when something happens, my mouth opens. And I just have had to so into training to say, “Don’t spew, don’t stuff, don’t leak it. See, the key question is, “What is this anger telling me?” What is going on inside?
And a little bit later we are going to explore, there are three basic reasons why we get angry and I’m going to give you a very practical tool about how to address those issues. Because you want to be, you want to be resilient. You don’t want to find yourself moaning and angry and disappointed. And are you going to watch the news and be angry forever and ever? Are you going to just talk about injustice and not doing anything and be angry forever and ever?
We are God’s people. We are the salt of the earth. We are the light. We need to be able to bounce back from our own stuff and we need to overcome temptation for sure. But we also need to handle our emotions.
Step two is not just be quick to listen, notice, it’s slow to speak. The wisest man in the world said these words. Proverbs chapter 10, Solomon said, “When words are many, sin is not absent. But he who holds his tongue is wise.”
In Proverbs 13:3 he says, “He who guards his lips guards his life, but the one who speak rashly will come to ruin.” And then in Proverbs 29, verse 20 he says, “Do you see a man who speaks in haste? There is more hope for a fool than him.”
And what I want to tell you is the interim response to God and others and circumstances with our anger is to think before we speak. Let me ask you, have you ever said anything that you wish you could take back? Have you ever done something that you regret when you were angry? Have you ever made a bad decision because you were so ticked off, said something stupid like, “You can take this job and shove it!” And then you go home and you tell your wife or you tell your husband, “Boy, I’ll tell you, this is what happened and I’m sick of it and I quit today!”
And after about twenty-four hours, you think, I don’t have a job. Or maybe you really got fed up with someone and you blew up at them and has your anger cost you a relationship? A friendship? A marriage? Is there a son or a daughter, a parent that you don’t talk to anymore and they don’t talk to you because anger got in the way?
All I know is learning to think before we speak is absolutely critical. Some real practical ways, I mean, some of these are really old school, but they work. For some of you, especially if you’re a spewer, count to ten. Or if you’re a real spewer, count to twenty. If you have issues, count to twenty-five.
All you want to do is you have to buy some time. The emotions, they literally, they go from down in your gut up into your heart, up into your head, and you’re ready to explode. And when you have that feeling, just, “One, two, three, four…” Right? Or walk away. I had to learn early in my marriage, when I got really, really angry, I just, at times, I’d put up my hands and it was my issue, it wasn’t my wife. “You know what, honey? I’ll be back in just a few. I just need to take a little walk.” Because I wasn’t thinking straight. I knew I would say something or say it in a way that was going to be totally unhelpful.
For those of you that are in meetings or in a situation where you can’t walk away, try biting your lip. Just really just say to yourself, You know what? I can’t say until the Spirit of God is back in control and my anger and my emotion is not going to drive me. Quick to listen, slow to speak, and then slow to anger.
Solomon would write in Ecclesiastes, “Do not be quickly provoked in your spirit, for anger resides in the lap of fools.” What he’s saying here is that really bad decisions, really unwise choices, relationships get violated and destroyed because of anger.
Our life-changing response to anger begins when we replace, listen carefully, our reaction for reflection. And here’s the key question, and I want to spend the rest of my time walking through this with you. Here’s the question: what is the root issue behind my anger? In other words, why am I really angry? Is it injustice? Is it I’m hurt? Is it I’m frustrated? Or is it some insecurities?
And I’m going to develop each one of these very briefly. And what I want you to know is here’s A, B, C, all right? Just please, in your mind’s eye, just lock in and think, I’ve got to be resilient. I can’t respond to what is happening to all these things. Gosh, there’s political division, there’s racial division, there are health issues, there are economic issues. And anger is just actually poisoning my mind and my heart. Okay. Why am I angry? Am I hurt? Am I frustrated? Is it injustice? Is it just my own insecurities?
And then what you need to do is you need to use what I call the A, B, C method. Are you ready? A: acknowledge that you’re angry. B: backtrack to the original cause or emotion. And then C: consider – what should I do? That’s a process.
So, let me give you three specific issues that tend to be underneath the surface. If you and I were sitting in a room together, I would have a napkin and I would draw a picture of an iceberg and I would put a wavy line over the very top of the iceberg and I would write the word anger on the iceberg. And then underneath of it, I would put the real issues behind anger.
And there are many, but there are three foundational issues that cause you and me to spew, to leak, and to stuff. So you ask the diagnostic question: what is behind my anger? And here’s the first question: am I hurt? What specifically do I feel? What unmet need do I have?
When we are hurt, and it can be real or it can be perceived. It can be as little as a comment that someone says or devastating that someone emotionally or relationally or physically hurt you. Or it could be what happened in a job or in a meeting.
A lady wrote me a letter who was one of those people who said, “You know, I’m really not a person that has anger issues,” and she writes. She goes, “The talk on anger brought out a lot of things that I have been sorting through and I have struggled with all week.
I had a scenario at work last week that caused me to become very angry. A coworker was working on a project that I knew a lot about. I felt I had a valuable insight to offer and I wanted to make sure that the best alternative was presented and chosen.
“Evidently, I had overstepped my boundaries because the manager, in polite words, told me to shut up and butt out because it was not my project. I immediately clammed up and fumed inside. I am the stuffer-type. It wasn’t until later that I realized my feelings were hurt and I wasn’t even sure why. Now when I look back, I realize I took it as a stab against my self-worth. For someone who seeks the approval of others, this was a devastating blow. I felt rejected. And when they disregarded, especially, my valuable advice.”
And then she writes, “It’s amazing, I never realized anger is a coverup for hurt or insecurity. I should have put two and two together because whenever I am angry, it’s usually because my feelings have been violated in some way.” And then she finishes her letter to me. She goes, “I love it when I see these startling revelations. It’s tragic on the one hand as I’m now realizing the severity of my problem. But on the other hand, I can now take crucial steps of healing, recognizing the problem is the first step.”
And this is what I have seen, and I have seen so often that people, they have anger issues, some of you don’t even know you have them, others are spewers and you know you do and then you say, “Oh, I’ll never do that again,” and you feel so bad and you feel so guilty and you tell people, “I’m so sorry.” And you’re very sincere and then you do it over and over and over again.
And some of you are leakers. And, “Oh no, I’m just sarcastic and it’s the way I grew up and our family is that way. And that’s how we express affection.” And I just want to tell you, all that is a bunch of baloney. The fact of the matter is, there is unresolved issues and anger is the tip of the iceberg and so many of us feel hurt, but we don’t know how to get our hurt out and deal with it.
And so, we either bury it or we pass it on sideways or we just get fed up over time and then we spew. So, let me give you a tool. This is the tool I call the “I feel” message. I’m always grateful when I get to share a tool that I got in marriage counseling many years ago, in our early marriage. Theresa and I did not know how to communicate, and we had no idea how to resolve anger.
And we were with a biblical counselor and just a tremendous guy and we couldn’t resolve anything. We couldn’t communicate. We couldn’t talk about anything that had potential conflict. I was a talker, talker, talker and she was a clam-upper, clam-upper, clam-upper.
And so, if we had a disagreement, she would just turn one way in the bed and I would turn the other way in the bed and we would do that for two or three nights and then we would get up one day and just pretend it didn’t happen and get nothing resolved.
And so he said, “You need to learn to attack the problem instead of the person.” And so, we nodded our head like good people do in counseling. “Oh, good, that sounds like a great idea.” Okay, now, here’s the tool. It’s called an “I feel” message. So, we had a little 3x5 card and in bold print on the refrigerator for two years – yes, two years – “I feel…when you…”
So, “I feel hurt when you come home late for dinner when I have worked all day to fix it to say I love you.” “I feel hurt when you reject my affection when I feel very close to you and you seem cold and irresponsive.” “I feel,” you get it? “frustrated.” “I feel mad.” “I feel sad that we don’t talk more deeply and more openly with one another.”
You see, no one can deny your feelings. That’s different than, “You ought, you should, you never.” Those are killer words. So, if you are hurt doesn’t get addressed, it will go somewhere. And so, we had to go into training and we had to learn “I feel” messages.
And by the way, sometimes you’re not ready to say them to your boss or your mate or someone that you might think right now either you’re not ready or they’re not safe. Do you realize there is someone that you can give your “I feel” messages to that can take whatever you can give Him? It’s called the Lord Jesus. It’s called God.
If you would open up the psalms, twenty-five to thirty percent of all the psalms, guess what, they are called lament psalms. That’s the formal name. And they go like this, “God, I feel angry! I feel ticked off. Where are You? Why did You allow this to happen? That’s not fair, this stinks, I’m absolutely ticked off. How come the bad people get good stuff and the good people get bad stuff? And why didn’t You come through?” I mean, they are gut wrenching.
And it’s interesting is they share that lament and those feelings honestly. Then there comes this point where they get some perspective and God begins to speak. Let me encourage you to share your hurt with the Lord.
The second diagnostic question behind your anger is, first, am I hurt? The second question to ask is: am I frustrated? See, anger is inseparably linked with our expectations. The first step to examine is: how realistic are my expectations? You see, unconsciously, we have expectations like, “Life ought to be fair.” “You should love me.” “You should never mad or get down on me.” “I should be happy.” “I must be fulfilled.” “My job should work out for me all the time.” “My kids should always be well-behaved.” “My husband should be kind and considerate.” “My wife should be affectionate and caring.”
In other words, we have these expectations that we lay there, and then when they are not filled, guess what, we feel frustrated. Well, frustration is sort of a mild way to say that you’re angry.
Killer words when you’re frustrated, and not that any of you would really have words like this come out of your mouth – I’m just kidding – is you know when you get in a real argument with a friend, with a coworker, or with a mate? “You never!” “You never do this! You always do this! You’re just like your mother! You’re just like your brother.” “You ought to! You should!”
Those are killer words. Always, never, every, ought, and should. Ought and should are what parents say to children. Always and never are never true. I mean, no one never does anything and no one always does anything. And so, what they do is they, they’re just attacking words. They are labeling words. They shut things down.
And so, I would encourage you to just say, Lord, will You help me eliminate those words from my vocabulary? And you say to yourself, Well, what do you do then when you really get discouraged and frustrated?
Let me, tool number one is, “I feel” message. Tool number two is a desire versus “I demand” expectations. A demand is: “You ought, you should, why don’t you? What’s wrong with you?”
“I desire,” it goes something like this, “I would really like to spend more time together and have some times where we can really talk.” I desire. “It would be great if you could come home earlier. I notice when you’re home for dinner, it really perks up me and the kids and it’s really important to us.” “I desire that this year we could really block off some time and take a real vacation. I see that you are working really hard.” “I wish that when you call a meeting that late at night and I’m out of town, that you wouldn’t have the expectation that three thirty in the morning when I’m in another country or on the east coast, that you’d expect me to be there.” You’re saying that to your supervisor.
I wish, I desire, it would be nice. Those are messages that people can digest. When you poke, when you attack, guess what, for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. So, how many of us have been, “You ought! You should!” Here’s how a lot of conversations go in homes or among friends or even at the workplace, “No, no, no, no, no, no, no. No! No! No, no, no, no, no.” And the person responds, “No, no, no, no, no. Nah. Nah. Nah, nah, nah.” “Well, no, no, no! Nah, nah, nah. Nah, nah, nah.” “No!” Right? I mean, it’s nuts.
And what happens is you have two people that are far apart, wounds, scars. Be quick to hear, be slow to speak, right? Be slow to anger, for it doesn’t achieve the righteous life that God desires.
The question is: why am I angry? A: am I hurt? B: am I frustrated? C: am I feeling threatened? When someone uses harsh words or calls you a name or gives you an angry look. Or someone cuts in front of you in traffic and then makes a gesture that is probably not saying, “We’re number one!” When you hear angry voices when someone insults you or when someone violates your space or even physically hurts you or attempts to, you feel threatened. That’s normal. When you feel attacked, you feel exposed.
Each of these times, it’s interesting how God gives us biblical examples and in this one, it’s interesting, in 1 Chronicles chapter 15, verse 29, it’s about King Saul. And he’s the king and he has all the power and he just, he hears songs about David. He hears songs about, “Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousand.” Well, instead of, “Wow! I recruited him, I helped train him, he lived in my house. What a great success my life must be to empower a young man like David.” No. He is threatened. He perceives it and takes it as, “My territory. My power.”
And when we’re insecure, whether it’s real or whether it’s just perceived, when we fear that we’re being exposed or when we feel inferior or we fear rejection or we feel like we are less than, all of those things we feel threatened. The word is insecure. And those things cause us to respond in anger if we don’t process and ask, “Why am I angry? What is going on here? Who is firing the darts? Is there something learn? Whose approval do I need?”
As I think through just asking these questions, I think of Joseph’s brothers, right? They try to kill him and they decide to sell him. Well, they were mad. But why? Because they were hurt. “Dad treated Joseph different than us.” And so there was hurt. No one likes to be treated that way. And so they respond in anger.
Remember Naman the guy who came from Syria and he wanted to be healed. And the prophet didn’t even come out and talk to him. He just said, “Hey, send a servant out.” And said, “Hey, why don’t you go dip in the Jordan river?” And this guy has come all this way and brought his camels and donkeys and thinks he’s going to pay for it. And the text says he was livid. He was frustrated. He was livid. Why? Because his expectation was, the text says, “Well, I thought he would come out and say some holy words over me. There are lots of rivers. I could have gone to a river in Syria.” And thank God, he had a servant who was sane and said, “Hey, boss, if he would have said, ‘Do x, y, or z, something really hard, you would have done it. Why don’t you at least go try this?’” And of course, he did, and he was healed.
But all I want you to see is that over and over in Scripture, anger and the root causes of anger are the things that can destroy relationships, can bring us down. In fact, they are the core of not being resilient. Unresolved anger issues, not getting to the root problem means that you won’t be resilient.
Anger is something that can cycle. You get stuck in it. Resentment. The Scripture talks about, “Don’t let a root of bitterness grow up and by it many be defiled.”
We are living at a time in our country right now with political issues, racial issues, socioeconomic issues that resentment and bitterness, blaming, a deep-seated kind of anger can poison your soul. And I can’t say this anymore bluntly or honestly: repent of that. Do not allow you to have an us-versus-them.
Every person in the world is made in the image of God. Democrat, Republican, White, Black, Hispanic, Asian. Okay? Rich people. Poor people. This political party. This movement. We don’t – we cannot have a broad brush that puts people in categories. You don’t want that for you, don’t do that to anyone else.
What I would say by way of an aside is you will never overcome those kind of issues unless you get some proximity. You have to get close and get to know a real person with real feelings with a real life that is different than you. Can I encourage you? Don’t post things on Facebook. Don’t be negative. Don’t be critical. “Live in such a way, let your light so shine before men that they could see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven, holding forth the Word of God,” the apostle would say, “that you could be a beacon of light in the midst of a perverse and crooked generation.” God wants us as believers to bounce back from what is happening, be difference-makers, be the light, be the salt.
Finally, I would just say that anger can be turned from your arch enemy, you know, the horse that keeps throwing you off and causing damage, to being a faithful ally. In fact, the Bible actually commands us, are you ready for this? Ephesians 4:26 and 27 commands us, “Be angry,” in other words, be angry, the right kind of anger and the right kind of things, “and yet, do not sin. Do not let the sun go down on your anger.” Message: deal with it. Resolve it. Look under the hood. “…and do not give the devil an opportunity.”
Think about that. There is probably few areas that allow demonic activity to begin to fester in people’s minds and souls and hearts like unresolved anger. God doesn’t want us to blow up, to bottle up, or to leak out. He wants us to be angry and not sin. He wants us to take the power of the wild stallion of anger and tame it, to use it as a tool to motivate us to righteousness, a tool to see areas that He wants to change deep inside of the core of our being. He wants us to learn to be quick to hear, slow to speak, and slow to anger. To become like Him and bless and love those around us.
Lord, I pray for my brothers and sisters right now that in this moment Your Spirit would bring to mind how they deal with their anger, whether they spew, whether they leak, whether they stuff or as many people wrote to me, “I do two or three of these.”
And, Lord, would You help us to understand that You understand what’s going on, that You want to help us, that anger poisons our soul, ruins our relationships? Lord, please help us. I pray for those that have deep, unresolved anger issues, that You would give them the courage to get help and find a great Christian counselor, a pastor, an older friend.
Lord, I pray for those that stuff and feel down and depressed, that maybe the light would come on and they would realize they have been really angry about some things or to some people and they never realized it until right now. Would You help them to get out a sheet of paper or a journal and just start to process “I feel”? And begin to write it out and allow You to bring to their mind and get it out of their insides and on to something objective?
And, Lord, I pray, since we are all going to feel angry and be disappointed and would You give us the grace to bring our anger to You? You can take it. To be honest with our emotions before You and then get Your perspective and then be the men, the women, the students who You want us to be. In Jesus’ name, amen.
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Certain foods are extremely toxic to yorkies. Please don't take any chances with your yorkie puppies health. Feed your yorkie only their puppy food. For a treat, a small amount of baked, skinless chicken breast is okay. You may also give your yorkie a little cottage cheese, or some plain yogurt that contains NO artificial sugar. Yorkie puppies also love parmesan cheese sprinkled on their kibble. If you have any questions about what foods you can give your Yorkshire terrier, please call me!
Chocolate contains theobromine, a compound that is a cardiac stimulant and a diuretic.
After a yorkie puppy has eaten a large quantity of chocolate, many yorkie owners assume their Yorkshire is unaffected. However, the signs of sickness may not be seen for several hours, with death following within 24 hours. Symptoms include staggering, labored breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, tremors, fever, heart rate increase, arrhythmia, seizures, coma and death.
Cocoa powder and cooking chocolate are the most toxic forms. A 20 pound dog can be seriously affected if it eats a quarter of a 250gm packet of cocoa powder or half a 250gm block of cooking chocolate. These forms of chocolate contain 10x more theobromine than milk chocolate. Thus, a chocolate mud cake could be a real health risk for a small dog. Even licking a substantial part of the chocolate icing from the cake can make a dog unwell.
Semi-sweet chocolate and dark chocolate are the next most dangerous. A dog needs to eat more than a 250gm block of milk chocolate to be affected. Obviously, the smaller the dog, the less it needs to eat.
Avocados:
The fruit, pits and plant can trigger fluid retention in your yorkies lungs. This can lead to difficulty in breathing, causing lack of oxygen, leading to death.
Onions:
Contains the toxic ingredient thiosulphate. Yorkie affected by onion toxicity will develop hemolytic anemia where the yorkies red blood cells burst while circulating in its body. Symptoms include labored breathing, liver damage, vomiting, diarrhea and discolored urine.
The poisoning occurs a few days after the yorkie puppy has eaten the onion. All forms of onion can be a problem including dehydrated onions, raw onions, cooked onions and onion powder. Be careful of foods containing onion or onion powders. It so toxic to your yorkie puppy. Yorkie puppies are sometimes fed baby food. Some baby foods contain onion powder! Read the label and check. Baby foods labeled "better tasting" also contain onion powder!
Mushroom toxicity does occur in yorkie dogs and can be fatal if certain species of mushrooms are eaten. Amanita phalloides is the the most commonly reported severely toxic species of mushroom in the US but other Amanita species are toxic. Symptoms include abdominal pain, drooling, liver damage, kidney damage, vomiting, diarrhea, convulsions, coma and death.
As few as a handful of raisins or grapes can make a yorkie puppy dog ill. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal pain, and lethargy.
Macadamia nuts are another concern, along with most other kinds of nuts. Their high phosphorus content is said to possibly lead to bladder stones.
Baby food is great for a yorkie puppy that is not eating well, but make certain it contains no onion powder which is toxic. Baby food labeled "better tasting" contains onion powder.
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You could call this asterisk week for the Warriors. They dominated a discombobulated Clippers team, leading to an epic Doc Rivers post-game press conference. That was the first game this season that represented what this team should do when they control a game early- keep the pressure up but still get plenty of rest for the starters.
Saturday’s game against Houston did not prove much since Houston played without three starters. It did serve as an illustration of how Golden State can and should win games when they do not play well. In a stacked Western Conference, one of the ways teams will separate themselves is winning games like this one.
Sunday was the reverse since the Warriors had to play without Klay Thompson due to a sprained hand. Stephen Curry and the Dubs could have won this game but the turnovers throughout the game and some sloppy play to end the third and early in the fourth produced a justifiable result.
It would be hard to classify the week as anything other than a success as long as Klay’s injury does not linger.
While we are too early into the season to evaluate anything by itself, the 2014-15 season has already shown just how valuable Stephen Curry is to this Warriors team.
Last year, the Warriors fell apart without their best player on the floor and many people including myself largely attributed that to the lack of a second primary ballhandler to run the offense during those times. While true in and of itself, that may have only told part of the story.
Thanks to the NBA media stats tools, I was able to get some numbers to help illustrate the changes. In the league today, the two “best” kinds of shots an offense can take are at the rim and corner threes because close shots go in more of the time and corner threes are worth one more point than mid-range shots. Last season with Curry on the floor the Warriors attempted 5% more of their shots in the restricted area and 1.5% more from corner threes. That means with Steph off the court they shot more from mid-range and the restricted area. Unsurprisingly, the team also made less of their attempts in each area, dropping from 62.7% to 59.7% in the paint, 42.9% to 35.5% from mid-range, 42.9% to 35.2% from the corner and 39.9% to 30.8% on above the break threes. While a portion of the deep shooting discrepancy can be explained by Curry being replaced by an inferior shooter (anyone else on the planet), the total picture shows a player who generates better looks for his teammates. Those same differences are largely reflected in the 2014-15 data so far- 52.7% of the Warriors’ shots have been twos outside the restricted area without Steph and that falls to 33.1% when he plays. This meshes completely with the eye test as well.
While this season has not provided enough time to really make any bold statements from the numbers, Curry’s effect on team defense has surprisingly been more pronounced this year. Opponents are shooting worse, getting to the line more and getting far less offensive rebounds in the minutes Curry plays. Now, I think most of this relates to Steph playing most of his minutes with Andrew Bogut (who has only played 21 of the 79 Curryless minutes), it will be worth watching later on.
David Lee could end up playing a major role in bridging this gap because he can produce with or without Curry. Last season (and I believe the same was true in 2012-13 too but my Excel is not functioning right now), Lee’s offense changed the least in these spots so making sure he plays when Steph sits could make a big difference, especially since the floor spacing will be shakier in the first place replacing Curry with Shaun Livingston.
We are too early to make any definitive pronouncements but what we have seen confirms what Warriors fans should already know: Stephen Curry is indispensible.
The Week to Come:
This will be as close as the Warriors come to a home stand for a long time, as they do not have even three games in a row at Oracle again until after Christmas.
While the Spurs, Nets, and Hornets all made the playoffs last season, only San Antonio can outplay this team assuming Klay can log some minutes out there.
2-1 is both my expectation and what it would take to consider it a successful week, health permitting.
Ticket Winner Announced For Spurs Game Tonight
About The Author
Danny Leroux was born and raised in the Bay Area. He started covering the Warriors with a credential at the start of the 2009-10 season while attending UC Hastings College of the Law. He also hosts the weekly RealGM Radio podcast, writes about CBA/salary cap issues for the Sporting News, regularly co-hosts the Dunc'd On Basketball Podcast and discusses the rest of the NBA at RealGM.com
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HALLOWEEN GAMES
HALLOWEEN NEWS
HALLOWEEN MOVIES
HALLOWEEN JOBS
From the original Jaycees WAKY Haunted House to the Baxter Avenue Morgue and beyond, Louisville’s own Lucian Tomes Jr. has seen every horrifying thing the haunt industry has to offer!
Born and raised in Louisville, KY, Lucian Tomes parents told him that if he were born only one month earlier, he would have been born in Eppertshausen, Germany, just a stones’ throw from the Castle Frankenstein ruins where in the late 17th century an alchemist named Johann Conrad Dippel was born and engaged in strange experiments of both alchemy and anatomy. Dippel studied soul transference with cadavers and created Dippel’s Oil, which he claimed to be both the “Elixir of Life” and a tonic that could exorcise demons. Marry Shelley’s infamous 1818 novel is claimed to have been based on the Frankenstein Castle ruins and Dippel’s notorious experiments.
It’s clear that Tomes was conceived in a place of strange and ancient history, and that he has apparently brought much of that dark magic back with him to Louisville, KY.
He isn’t the only one. Louisville, KY and Cincinnati, OH are the two cities recognized as the birthplace of the modern haunted attraction. The first verifiable charity haunted house, recognized by the Jaycees national office, was the WSAI Haunted House in Cincinnati which operated from Oct. 24-31 in 1970. Shortly thereafter, the Louisville Jaycees created both the WAKY Haunted House and the first Ghost Run, an annual driving game unique to the city of Louisville which would eventually become Danger Run as we know it today.
Louisville has quite a ghastly gaggle of haunt actors that love the scare biz so much that they have dedicated over twenty years of their lives to the cause. Todd Schmidt, for example, started his career as the “chainsaw guy” at the Haunted Hotel in 1991 and worked his way up through Industrial Nightmare and Nightmare Forest. He has gone on to design and build haunts like the Dome of Doom in California and the Paddock of Perils in Pennsylvania. Chainsaw Pete, featured in the Louisville haunt documentary, “Monsters Wanted,” practiced his aggressive chainsaw act for years before landing at the Asylum Haunted Scream Park.
Entering the thirty-eighth year of his career as a haunt actor, Lucian Tomes Jr. is certainly one of the most experienced “lifers” in the Louisville haunted attraction industry. You have likely seen his face on billboards and bus stop ads all across the city as Warren Vanderdark, funeral director at the Baxter Avenue Morgue.
“My first memory of really being scared and becoming fascinated with the feeling is when I saw the Abominable Snow Monster in ‘Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer,” confesses Tomes. “I grew up in the Tyler Parkway area of the Highlands, and I remember the houses along Windsor Place as my favorite trick-or-treat night adventures.”
“I was 14, going on 15 years old,” says Tomes on his beginnings in the haunt industry, “heavily into monsters, “Famous Monsters of Filmland” magazine and WDRB-41’s “Fright Night” horror movie program when my dad told me about the Louisville Jaycees and a haunt they were putting on that Halloween.”
“I had already been putting on my own home haunt every Halloween in our front yard and on the porch,” he continues. “I had a Dracula scene and a Frankenstein’s laboratory scene, etc.”
“When I heard about the Jaycees WAKY Haunted House, I went down there to the pre 1976 location at 4th Street and St. Catherine and volunteered my services. For several years I was the Wolf Man at the WAKY Haunted House. I wore an old werewolf mask, a bulky army jacket to make myself look bigger and some furry gloves. I started out as a ‘line actor,’ scaring and entertaining people waiting in line to go in.”
“In those days,” Tomes admits, “haunts were pretty unsophisticated. They were all basically ‘black wall’ haunts. You’d go in and paint all the walls and surfaces black, and your only special effects were strobe lights and maybe a couple of laser lights.”
“The budgets were very, very low,” he continues. “Here’s a funny story: The Louisville Jaycees couldn’t afford a fog machine in those days. Today you can go to Walmart and buy a fog machine, but back then fog machines were things you had to order from the West Coast and they cost about as much as a small car!”
“Anyway, somebody got creative and decided to use a bee keeper smoker as a fog machine. This lasted one night, and everybody working the haunt got sick from the smoker fumes.”
“I saw a lot of strange things at the WAKY Haunted House at the 4th Street and St. Catherine location,” he relates. “One night I was working across the hall from the Phantom of the Opera right next to a stairway that went up a few steps and then back down to the first floor. We heard a ruckus coming down the hallway towards us and we both backed away as this heavy set woman came barreling past us and completely overshot the staircase, plummeting all the way to the bottom. We had to call EMS to come in and get her out.”
“Years later, when the WAKY Haunted House moved to the Spring Street and Story Avenue location,” Tomes responds when I ask him what the weirdest thing he ever saw when working those houses in the early days of the local haunt industry. “I was playing the Wolf Man, as usual, one night when I sprang on a guy who did a complete Lou Costello by turning around, slamming into the wall and knocking himself out cold.”
“There was a story that became legendary involving the guy playing Dracula,” Tomes continues. “This guy went all out. He had a very elaborate make-up, costume and dental fangs. A frightened woman saw him and passed out on the spot. He was a volunteer firefighter, so he picked her up to take her out of the haunt, and took a short cut down a dark stairwell lit only by a red light bulb. Unfortunately, she woke up only to find herself being carried down a creepy stairwell bathed in red light by Count Dracula. She screamed and passed out again!”
Tomes began his career as Warren Vanderdark at the Baxter Avenue Morgue in 2000, performing the introduction scene to the haunt for over a decade, where he also witnessed many strange, maybe even paranormal events. “The Syfy reality show, ‘Fact or Faked: Paranormal Files,’ came out and did an investigation of the Baxter Avenue Morgue building, ultimately declaring it haunted,” says Tomes.
“One night I was working the front parlor next to the yellow room with the coffin, and I peeked into the yellow room where I saw a figure with no face wearing a long, white monk’s robe. It drifted from right to left in front of the coffin and then disappeared into a small dot of light like an old tube TV turning off,” says Tomes. “I wasn’t the only one who saw it. Several others saw the exact same figure during the same night in different parts of the Morgue.”
With over a decade of notoriety at the Morgue, his face adorning billboards across the city, I wondered if he was often recognized in public at the supermarket or in restaurants. “Oh yes,” he admits, “once I was working a part time job at Blockbuster Video when this girl approached me, visibly shivering.”
“It’s you!” she exclaimed.
“I was bagging her rental videos,” Tomes continues, chuckling, “and I just couldn’t resist. I handed her the bag and said, ‘Have a Good Evening, and do be careful when heading home in the darkness.’”
“She ran at full speed out of the store.”
So what does the future hold for Lucian Tomes Jr. as a haunt actor? In a Louisville Halloween exclusive, Tomes has informed us that he has decided to part ways with the Baxter Avenue Morgue and will be playing a new character, a sinister carnival barker, at the 7th Street Haunt for the 2014 Halloween season. He’s also playing the narrator in a new film by director Keith Stoddard (known in horror circles the Don of the Dead) called “Horror Host: The Movie.”
Stay tuned to the Louisville Halloween website, haunt fans, for much more news and reviews coming soon. I’ll be reviewing “The Purge: Anarchy” which opens in theaters this weekend, and in August we’ll be touring some of Louisville’s best haunts to tease new scenes and scares for 2014 haunt season.
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This entry was posted on Friday, July 18th, 2014 at 1:06 pm and is filed under Halloween News - News on All Things Halloween. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.
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Ever since my kids were wee little things, I’ve been asked how long we plan to homeschool. And, I wouldn’t really have a good answer because I wasn’t sure—would I be able to homeschool a 10th grader? Would I want to?
The options for homeschooling high school are as varied as they are for younger ages, but now those options seem to carry a lot more weight, especially with “college” looming on the horizon. My homeschooling friends are talking about transcripts and college courses and distance learning and how the heck are they going to do science labs in their kitchen.
So, when my now-eighth-grade daughter announced definitively that she wants to start public high school in the fall, I was a bit relieved. Sad, but relieved.
I’m sad because, damn, I’m going to miss her. I know the ages of 13 and 14 are supposed to be hell with teens, but I’ve really enjoyed this more mature person in our house who still tells me a lot about her friends and her life. I love how she sees the world and how she’s approaching this next chapter in her story. Oh sure, we still snip and snap at each other like I did with my mom, but she still comes in for a goodnight hug or wants to tell me some big long story about something she saw online.
I’m excited for her too. Our town’s high school has so much to offer, and over the years, she has made some good friends who can’t wait for her to join them.
And, yes, I’m a bit relieved that someone else will be there to talk her through Algebra I and World History II. But boy am I hoping that I gave her enough of a foundation to stand on when she’s in those college-prep classes.
But here’s the big question: Will it be weird if I walk her to the bus stop on that first day of school and cry as my baby boards a public school bus for the first time? I’ll wear sunglasses. And promise I won’t chase the bus down the street as it drives away.
January 1, 2015
You know what is really startling? The day your oldest child walks up to you and you realize that she is looking you straight in the eye and not gazing up at you like the big maternal figure you’ve always been to her.
On some days, it feels like a challenge. See me? I’m becoming your equal. I’m not your little girl anymore.
That’s mostly in my head, of course. She is still my little girl who needs my help, advice, and cash (of course) to get through the days. But, she often reminds me that she’s not a baby anymore through her words, actions, and the occasional disdainful headshake that let’s me know that I am so, so, so not cool.
But it’s an amazing thing to see the kids literally growing up (and up), having their own (strong) opinions, making their own decisions (good and bad), and just generally going from being little kids to teens.
I’m pretty okay with this. But the day I wake up and my other two are towering over me? I may need some time to myself that day to collect my thoughts.
Running with asthma: A race of one
March 30, 2014
I was supposed to run a 5K today as part of my “me-and-my-big-ideas” Facebook proclamation to run one race a month in 2014. Things were looking good: I made it through races in January and February even though they aren’t typical “racing months” up here in New England. With spring around the corner, my resolution was looking like a sure thing.
Funny how “sure things” can become “not sure things” so quickly.
I’ve been plagued for the past few months by the reappearance of an old and not-so-welcome friend: Asthma. I used to blithely wave away the notion that asthma was any big deal for me, but it’s become a bigger deal this winter for reasons I can’t really ascertain. Tweaks in medications, short stints of Prednisone, a newly acquired Nebulizer. . .all these things work for a bit. . .but then I’m back to sucking air like a fish out of water whenever I try to run more than a mile.
Today should have been my “March” race day. A 5k to support autism research, it was the only race I could fit into a jam-packed month. But, a recent head cold had settled into my chest and walking up the stairs was proving difficult. How could I run 3.1 miles when a walking the dog around the block was an effort?
So, instead of pinning a number to my chest, I decided to slog out 3-ish miles alone, at my own pace, in my rainy neighborhood. It was slow going, with lots (and lots) of walking (and coughing) breaks. I got soaking wet. And pissed off. And worried. And frustrated.
I know my woes are no different from the runner with a reoccurring hamstring injury that is always in the back of their minds, or the swimmer whose shoulder tweaks during a workout, pulling them out of the pool while it heals.
And I know running has been so good for me and for my breathing overall. And that it will only take a few good weeks to get back to where I was before I got sick. But, right now, I just would really, really love to breathe like a normal person.
And run like someone who’s been working at it for two years, and not like a pack-a-day smoker who just decided to get off the couch.
Christina is a married, homeschooling, part-time working mom to three children in Southeastern Massachusetts. She's funnier on Twitter than in real life, unless she's had a drink. You can email her directly at fairlyoddmother@inbox.com.
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In search of existential morphine through her series, Morphein?, Sanabel al-Najjar will attempt (perhaps too ambitiously) to delve into our days and come up with conclusions about happiness and meaning in life.
Staff Writer
Mar 23,2016
Sometimes we wake up with everything around us already prepared and active in making us feel happy and enlarged. The sun wakes us up with its glorious morning rays, we just remembered that soon we will be travelling to the sea, a warm memory lightly hits us and so we stretch our hands in the air while still in bed, clutching our fists, gesturing that, yes, we are ready for this day. So, perhaps we will finally edit our resumes and send them to a couple of places, prepare a healthy breakfast (that does not include chocolate and pizza), do some morning reading, or even venture into the jungle that is our bedroom to clean it. The sense of summery vastness that we got the moment we opened our eyes was our happiness - that definite moment, regardless of the outcome. We did not go pursue it, or actively work towards achieving it; it was right there, ripe and ready, only waiting for us to wake up.
However, many days it is not as easy. This is because we are crippled by what we see around us in this world, preventing us from willingly getting up and looking for happiness. Our waiting for happiness is usually clouded by a very heavy ‘reality’.
Reality? People kill and rape each other. They scam each other, and walk past beggars and homeless people freezing to death, or minutes before having acute heatstrokes, while playing with their iPhones. People lie and cheat on each other. People pretend to be who they are not. They colonise lands and wipe out entire peoples and rewrite their history. People clap and vote to mass murderers in expensive suits. People give preferential treatment to beautiful women and blame the ones who did not ‘make it’. People ignore each other's phone calls and subtle pleas for deep conversation and human contact. People break up. Break down. Trade in sex slaves. Leave their children behind. Neglect their parents. Set up sweatshops. Cut family ties. Fight. Force children into construction work. Treat other people with superiority. People consume fanatically. And at night weep uncontrollably but silently - alone - only to wake up, wash their faces and take their showers, and head to wherever they usually go with a sad pretension of happiness that pains all those who can see it; see through their souls.
And sometimes my spongy mind cannot shake out all those thoughts.
I have been living in Egypt for about a year now. I had been wanting to go back to Egypt with excruciating desire for over six years now. Yet, I would be lying if I said that the experience had been anything like I had expected. I did eventually get exactly what I had wanted, but instead of a gust of euphoric happiness and contentment, for several months I was extremely irritable, impatient, and cold. Especially to the ones I love most dearly. I turned into a monstrous version of my old self. A monster that seems to awaken in demonic rage over every little detail not going right. Stuck in Cairo’s infamous traffic I usually feel a fire ball resting just a little under my chest and I would feel my blood boiling and would put so much effort into not screaming at the driver like a madwoman or opening the window and cursing all the drivers around me and the heat and the dusty air.
The honking and the lights at night made me feel like blood still flows in the body of this space we call our world. I was completely struck and fascinated by the fact that there was crazy traffic at 3 AM six years ago when I was in those very same streets. I used to lose myself in all the flickering little lights in Zamalek and the felucca boats blasting the sha’by songs on the Nile that emit a strange feeling of familiarity and compassion to the onlooker.
And whether it was in Toronto, Amman, or Cairo, I used to love taking long walks while patiently absorbing every detail around me with contentment and gratitude. I used to have a way of talking that my friends benignly teased me about because of how passionate and, yes, loud, I would be when talking about something, and how my hands would fly around in urgent gestures and my facial complexion so ‘animated’, as one of my friends once put it. A friend once told me he would love to see me read off a grocery list as I would make every item sound so fascinating.
I had hoped for an adventure in Cairo, but for the first several months realised that I highly dislike a job that I had at some point believed was ‘tailor made’ for me, as well as the very conveniently-located flat in a stunning, leafy area in Maadi. I would take taxis for the shortest trips to avoid walking in one of the most gorgeous spaces I have ever seen. I scarcely enjoyed the food or uttered a spontaneous and genuine but animatic ‘oooooooeehh’ if it tasted good - which used to be most of the times. I did not get goose bumps when I read Yeats or Darwish anymore, or forcefully shut a masterpiece of a book because of feeling that I was ‘suffocating with beauty’. Yes, I used to say (and feel) that.
Cairo didn't change. What changed was my outlook and what I was expecting from the world. I turned into a realist, or maybe my mind was destructing everything so that things can be rebuilt in order for natural wisdom to be sought, so that chasing happiness could take place with punchy realness instead of a childish imitation of it. I had not wanted a utopia or a perfect life, but it seems that I have seen only the bones of things with painful reality and even a bleakness. Nietzsche would have told me that the abyss is looking into me since I have ventured to look deeply into it. I have been trying to find the ‘meaning’ of this life and its purpose. Along with striking and tormenting questions and inner monologues on religion, death, life, paintings, wars, terrorism, rapists and murderers, history, bloody history, literature, and philosophy, this torrent of ideas is also accompanied by a sense of finiteness. My monster’s best desserts. This killed every chance for a pure and infinite ‘happiness’.
Yet, this is only one side of the coin; really…
Because, in the end, people also love with irrational magnitude and sincerity. People give up what is most precious to them for their children. People have weddings and meet up for coffee. People travel to dangerous places to help victims of war, famine, and disease. People open up free clinics and save stray cats. Zorba the Greek. People comfort each other and give very long embraces. People say good morning to strangers and help them with luggage. People produce chillingly wondrous pieces of literature, art, music, and film. People give each other rides home and throw surprise parties. People dance. People invite each other to restaurants and concerts. People console and listen to each other. People lift each other up from dark abysses of existential crises.
And if you are extremely lucky, a certain person will look at you with so much love it could bury this entire universe, holding your hand when you are at your very worst - irritable and petty and squirming is self-loath, blaming them for everything ugly about people and the world; the same person causing you to tear up while you’re reading this undefined genre of ‘literature’ because you wonder about what is it that you have done to deserve this infinite crystal-true love of the most beautiful soul you have come across.
I realised, after I came out of this psychological well, proudly bloodied and smudged, that there will always be reasons to not be happy. But upon battling with so many demons, I realised that wanting to be happy needs to be sought with an almost violent passion. I also realised that happiness should not be awaited but chased.
So, we need to chase joy; keep the ‘warmer’ version of the world in our heads while we walk through this at times difficult path that is life. We should be brave enough not to expect happiness to be there, sitting on a chair by our beds, waiting for us to wake up. We should allow the beauty of this world to intoxicate us to ethereal drunkenness, even if that comes through hard work and not through a spontaneous (and automatic) impulse. We should have a knife-sharp vision of who we are and what we are going to do in this world; what we leave behind. We should have the commitment to dedicate wasted time for that, one day at a time. One day at a time.
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Ridley Scott is always a director to look forward to when it comes to films. I know he has had his series of misses as of late, but with films like Alien and Blade Runner under his belt, you know his next film could become a classic. Alien is one of my favorite sci-fi films of all time and I even enjoyed Scott’s recent prequel, Prometheus, more than most audiences did. Exodus isn’t the first time Scott has tried to make an epic film because it is similar in scope to what he did with Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, and Robin Hood. Unfortunately, Exodus is the weakest of the four in my opinion. Scott has also experimented with different genres and last year’s The Counselor was proof of that. He’s even made some smaller films which I really enjoyed such as Matchstick Men which I was a huge fan of. I appreciate these smaller scale films more than when he tries to make these grandiose and epic ones. My major issue with this film revolves around the pacing because it felt so long and dull for most parts. It was as if Scott was aiming to direct an ambitious epic film and was trying to make it so grand that he got lost with the production and visuals of it and left out the actual narrative. There are several things I’d like to get out of the way before I actually review this film. First of all, if you are expecting a faithful adaptation to the Biblical story then Exodus isn’t a movie for you because Scott and the screenwriters took several liberties of their own (especially in the way Moses interacted with God and the Pharaoh). This is the second big budget film based on the Old Testament to come out last year, after Aronofsky directed Noah, which both took liberties from the original source material but in my opinion at least Aronofsky did something fresh and unique with the material, while Scott never manages to do so. Second, I don’t understand why we complaint so much about the casting of white actors and forget about the fact that the characters are all speaking in English. What is the point of casting all Egyptian and Hebrew actors and have them speak in English? At least Scott went all in and just cast famous actors without considering anything else.
It took me a while to get over the silliness of the opening sequences. On the one hand, Scott made a huge effort of recreating the Egyptian empire with huge production sets, but on the other the familiar faces of the actors kind of took me out of the film. Having John Turturro playing the Pharaoh and Sigourney Weaver his wife was difficult to visualize. I think Joel Edgerton is a great actor, but he wasn’t the right man for the role of Ramses. Christian Bale delivers as Moses and Ben Mendelssohn has the most campy scenes in the film but I think they helped to break the tedious tone of the film. Aaron Paul and Ben Kingsley are inexplicably underused. Despite the nice visuals (I don’t think they were groundbreaking), the story was poorly written and that is perhaps why some of these incredible actors didn’t have much to work with. There are some moments in the film where Moses is given some humanity, but whatever depth they tried to give the characters got lost in the visuals and the narrative. We know the story and have seen it played out several times in films before, so that is perhaps why I found some of the engaging scenes rather tedious because Scott doesn’t really do anything unique with the material. By the time the plagues take place we really don’t care for the characters and aren’t emotionally invested in them either. Yes, the scenes look great but there is nothing more there. I also expected a lot more from the parting of the Red Sea, but it simply was a forgettable scene. The only moment I felt some sort of emotion toward this dull film was with the dedication to his brother Tony during the end credits, but the film didn’t actually do anything for me. I was more emotionally engaged with the animated film The Prince of Egypt than I was with this. Skip the movie, read Exodus instead.
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Spatial (map) is considered as a core infrastructure of modern IT world, which is substantiated by business transactions of major IT companies such as Apple, Google, Microsoft, Amazon, Intel, and Uber, and even motor companies such as Audi, BMW, and Mercedes. Consequently, they are bound to hire more and more spatial data scientists. Based on such business trend, this course is designed to present a firm understanding of spatial data science to the learners, who would have a basic knowledge of data science and data analysis, and eventually to make their expertise differentiated from other nominal data scientists and data analysts. Additionally, this course could make learners realize the value of spatial big data and the power of open source software's to deal with spatial data science problems. This course will start with defining spatial data science and answering why spatial is special from three different perspectives - business, technology, and data in the first week. In the second week, four disciplines related to spatial data science - GIS, DBMS, Data Analytics, and Big Data Systems, and the related open source software's - QGIS, PostgreSQL, PostGIS, R, and Hadoop tools are introduced together. During the third, fourth, and fifth weeks, you will learn the four disciplines one by one from the principle to applications. In the final week, five real world problems and the corresponding solutions are presented with step-by-step procedures in environment of open source software's....
MW
Aug 13, 2018
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Great course. It helps I have a background in both Data Science and Geographic Information Science, but still found it equally interesting and challenging! I would highly recommend this course.
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This is a great course for persons who have interacted with GIS before. It teaches you the underlying principle and science behind most of these QGIS processing algorithms
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If you’re like most people, you probably don’t pay much attention to your jaw. However, did you know that your temporomandibular joint (TMJ) is one of the most complex joints in your body? Without it, you wouldn’t be able to speak or eat. Sadly, countless people are still falling for the biggest myths of TMJ in Vero Beach. Debunking the Most Common Myths … Continue Reading »
December 20, 2020 content-user Restorative Dentistry Best dentist in Vero Beach, Dental facts, Dentist in Vero Beach, Expansion Orthodontics, Temporomandibular joint, The Truth Behind Common TMJ Myths, TMJ disorder, TMJ Treatment, TMJ Vero Beach, Vero Beach Art of Dentistry
If you are someone who is suffering from tooth decay, but the damage is too severe, the best solution are inlays, onlays, and fillings. Your cosmetic dentist in Vero Beach knows how to get you the best cavity restoration! Inlays If your back tooth has a large chewing surface that needs to be fixed, … Continue Reading »
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Temporomandibular joints (TMJ) are located on each side of your head. These joints work with your muscles, ligaments, discs, and bones, enabling you to speak, chew and yawn. When your TMJ begins hurting, it cause major issues with your mouth and face. It can also affect other parts of your body as well. Let’s take … Continue Reading »
June 14, 2018 content-user TMJ Best dentist in Vero Beach, Blog, Dental facts, dentist, Dentist in Vero Beach, Temporomandibular joint, TMJ, TMJ disorder, TMJ Treatment, Vero Beach
Because of his reputation for cosmetic dentistry and expertise in the treatment of TMD and in whole mouth restoration, Dr. Johnson Hagood has patients not only from Vero Beach and Sebastian, Florida, but also from elsewhere in Florida, including Melbourne, Palm Bay, Cocoa, Cocoa Beach, Fort Pierce, Port St. Lucie, Stuart, Jupiter, Palm Beach, West Palm Beach, the Greater Orlando area, Fort Lauderdale, and the Northern Miami area. International patients have sought him out for cosmetic dentistry, and he has been happy to serve them. If you are traveling to Vero Beach from afar, you will be interested in the hospitality both he and Vero Beach have to offer. Read more…
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Dr. Hagood is a great dentist enjoying his work. He has a great staff which are very helpful and very friendly. He came up with a very cost effective and specialized solution for my needs.
Dr. Hagood's office is wonderful! His expertise in fitting crowns is the best I have ever experienced, and he is an artist, so his artistic ability plays a key role in developing the perfect smile for you. I think he's great!
Extremely happy with my visit at Dr. Hagood's office. The office is beautiful and the staff is very knowledgeable and friendly. It is also nice to find a dentist with good morals and will not try to sell you something you do not need.
Dr. Hagood, Courtney, Kristen, Carlee, and Sabrina have been beyond wonderful and a true pleasure to deal with. They are talented professional yet friendly and honest. I had an enormous amount of work done cosmetic and non-cosmetic. Dr. Hagood took the time to explain and show me everything that was a concern. He was honest and upfront. He also listened to what I wanted to accomplish and went above and beyond to achieve my wishes. He has taken his time working on my teeth, the whole time teaching his staff as they eagerly learn. I would definitely recommend him to friends and family. He is far better than any dentist I have been to in Long Island NY. I am more than happy with all his work. He even polished and touched up a few small spots free of charge a year after his initial work! The entire staff is friendly and kind.
Great staff, great service. Best in town! Highly recommended!
One of my front teeth broke off completely and I contacted Dr. Hagood’s office based on his cosmetic expertise and experience with veneers. He was able to see me that morning, and managed to quickly create a good-looking temporary, followed by a beautiful permanent tooth and adjoining crown. The new teeth match my other front veneers perfectly. Dr. Hagood is an artist, and it is evident in his dental work. His staff is always helpful. I highly recommend this office to anyone who wants a great-looking smile.
As a fairly new patient of Dr. Hagood, I am very impressed with his talented dentistry as well as everyone working in the practice. I've had two crowns installed and two hygiene appointments in the last year, which were all excellent experiences. It's not always a pleasant experience going to the dentist office but Dr. Hagood and his team of professionals are welcoming, efficient and provide amazing services. This is a great office and I am happy to offer my highest of recommendation.
I always have a great experience here. Everyone at the office is respectful, both of the patients and of each other, and they all are very professional. My teeth feel great when they're done with me, and I can definitely recommend this place to anyone!
I broke a crown on one of my front teeth. I went to see Dr. Hagood for the first time. He and his staff made me feel comfortable and made a temporary repair that day. I am looking forward to the finished work and seeing my new smile.
Nice office, never have to wait, high quality care, reasonable charges, text appointment reminders.
The absolute best in all aspects of his dental practice.
Extremely warm, caring and professional practice!
Dr. M Johnson Hagood and his staff are consummate professionals. The office is state of the art and has comfortable feel to it with its cheerful staff and the Doctor's art work which reflects his attention to detail.
Dr. Hagood and team are FANTASTIC! I had ten composite veneers done, and I would have ten more done if I needed too. He is a very knowledgeable and experienced dentist that knows what he is doing.
Just a fantastic practice. Friendly, professional and knowledgeable. I have had everything from teeth cleaning, to crowns and filling replacement and all was done comfortably and without any discomfort. I would highly recommend Dr. Hagood for any dentistry that you might need.
Friendly, comfortable and professional atmosphere. Great customer service from all staff, very personable!
Choose from a Selection of New Patient Appointments
Our dental patients come to us from the local area, throughout Florida, the nation, and the world. We offer a variety of new patient appointments for local residents and visitors to Vero Beach.
Learn more about our new patient appointments. Call today and discuss your needs with our friendly and knowledgeable receptionist. She’ll schedule you for an appointment that is just right for you!
Passionate. Prepared. Connected.
M. Johnson Hagood, DDS, FAGD is passionate about providing the best dentistry for long lasting beautiful smiles, prepared by extensive post doctorate education in restorative and cosmetic dentistry, and connected with some of the most prestigious dental organizations in the world.
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I'm a disorganized sort of guy, at least when it comes to most office-related stuff. One look at my desk and the average person would say, “I have no idea how this poor soul manages to drink his coffee in the morning, let alone do anything constructive during the rest of the day.” But hey, everything associated with my boat is special to me and so I deal with it differently. More to the point, I’ve got a phalanx of three-ring binders in my office methodically aligned and clearly labeled.
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Collectively, these babies contain every printed word I possess vis-à-vis the Betty Jane II, way more stuff than I could comfortably carry on board. The one entitled “CD Basics” illustrates the general idea. It features the owner’s manual for the Cape Dory 28 Flybridge—that’s Betty—which I downloaded from a website dedicated to Cape Dory Yachts, a long defunct builder not to be confused with Cape Dory Cruisers and Catamarans, a more contemporary entity. It’s loaded with engineering and construction details, schematics for electrics, mechanicals and plumbing and specifications and maintenance advice that’s just about as useful today as it ever was back in the day.
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for watching!
Thanks for watching!
Another folder contains all the surveys done on the boat over the years, including the one I paid for. Yet another contains all the information that’s relevant to a repower performed in the spring of 2004, complete with bills, descriptions of work performed and a comprehensive list of all the parts involved, including the new 240-hp Yanmar 4HL-STP itself. And yet another contains literature on each and every piece of ancillary equipment.
By now, I guess, you see what I’m driving at. Although it’s still not absolutely comprehensive at this point, the assemblage of manuals and other documentation concerning the Betty Jane II I have managed to put together over the past three years from websites, previous owners and a host of manufacturers is extensive, well organized and located in an easy-to-access spot. And more often than you’d think, this kind of thing has big-time advantages.
Not long ago, for example, while I was preparing to replace Betty’s cracked PVC spray rails, I fired up my little library so I could discover exactly how the original rails had been installed and what brand and type of adhesive had been used during the process. The info I came up with subsequently helped me to remove the old rails and correctly and safely install the new ones. Pretty sweet, eh?
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Popcorn Clouds. I don't know the technical term for them, so I call them popcorn clouds. And they are one of my favorites.
Albino Deer— I didn't get to take a picture of it because I was driving. I was surprised, I had to do a double take. I had never seen a live and up close one before. I have only seen them in books or online photos. Another Awe inspiring God moment for me.
You Version Bible App. I love this app. You can find a devotional on just about any topic, including emotions, friendships, relationships, Christian living and so much more. Give it a look up. You can find it on Google play and IPad apps.
Being able to eat dinner outside in my friends pavilion in the evening. I enjoy being porch [or pavilion] people in the summer.
Air Conditioning— yes, I know I love the heat. But when I've had enough. My go to is inside in the cool of my air conditioned house.
Visiting today with friends for Fridays Fave Five over at Living To Tell The Story @ Susanne's place.
Paula is a Christian Blogger & writer. She considers herself an ordinary Christian woman traversing through the wilderness of an everyday mess. She is a retired Social Worker with a BSW who lives in Western Pennsylvania with her emotional support dog— a spoiled rotten amusing delightful beagle named Little Girl. She has two adult daughters who are off pursuing their own aspirations. Paula Writes for several Christian publications. She encourages you to visit the Main Blog @ https://simplycoffeeandjesus.com
Faith July 22, 2022 at 7:20 AM
That's a great list of faves. I too am thankful for central air as here in NY we are in the midst of a long HEAT WAVE. Anything above 85 just does me in especially because there's usually high humidity with it. the mountains are even hot this week!
I love being on my deck for dinner, breakfast and when I get home from teaching but this week has just been too humid. Glad you enjoyed some pavilion time :)
I use the You Version Bible app every morning and I'm currently leading a group of 3 of us through one on God's protection. It's so good.
I've never seen an albino deer. There's a kind of deer that appears in the Netherlands that is white but i forget what it's called. How cool to see one!
happy weekend!! keep cool
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PaulaShort July 23, 2022 at 8:10 PM
Faith, I too use You Version daily too. I have been using it for years. I hear you on the heat this week, it was hot and humid here in Western PA too. Have a great week.
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Willow July 22, 2022 at 1:21 PM
Oh yes, I love my air conditioning too. This has been a humid week so I am thankful for the cool air inside. My back deck faces west--not the best for summer evening dining.
Wow. that is amazing to see the albino deer.
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PaulaShort July 23, 2022 at 8:12 PM
I hear you. My living room window and front door face west too. Have a great week
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Wendy July 22, 2022 at 5:58 PM
I wished we had air con earlier this week but thankfully our weather is cooler now. I love your description of the sky - I think we call it a salmon sky but no idea why lol. Have a good weekend.
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PaulaShort July 23, 2022 at 8:57 PM
Have a good week Wendy.
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Barbara H. July 23, 2022 at 3:04 PM
I never heard of an albino deer. How cool to see one! The heat drains me, so I am especially glad for AC. But it's nice to eat outside in the evenings when it's a little cooler.
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PaulaShort July 23, 2022 at 8:59 PM
I never heard of an Albino Deer either. I did a double take then Googled it when I got home and sure enough that's what it was.
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Susanne July 24, 2022 at 10:26 AM
An albino deer sighting...how special is that? I love heat too but I also love my AC for when it's hot. I love porch and deck visiting and eating. That is until mid-August when the wasps come out. How fun to share your meals with friends outside. I've done several devotionals on that app and enjoy it also.
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Posted on March 1, 2016 by Emme Cross Posted in News, PoliticsTagged Bernie Sanders, Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Super Tuesday
Okay. It started as a joke. Donald Trump for President. It gave late night comics a lot of material. But today is Super Tuesday and Donald Trump is poised to win and may wrap up the day with an unsurmountable lead in terms of delegate support.
This is not a good thing. Not for our neighbours in the U.S. or around the world. Do you want someone that mercurial holding the keys to nuclear weapons? Someone that thin skinned? Trump is Putin with more hair. (Not better, just more.)
Donald Trump is about to become the frontrunner for the Republican party. The brand has been tarnished of late, but let’s not forget this was the party of Abraham Lincoln. And Trump seemed to accept the endorsement of David Duke of KKK fame. Later he backtracked, blaming bad headphones during the interview. The headphones seemed to work perfectly the rest of the time and for the rest of the day of interviews. Funny that.
And to everyone who says well hell, wouldn’t it be great to have a successful businessman in charge of the economy and “Making America Great Again?” Consider he’s filed for bankruptcy FOUR times. Each time, he negotiated with the banks, the same people he speaks scathingly about in public.
This is a man who lives in a tower within a stone’s throw of the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island and talks about building a wall (or having Mexico build one) to keep out “rapists.”
This is the guy who pretends he’s speaking for the common man and the American dream but inherited $200 Million dollars from his dad. You’d have to be a complete idiot not to be able to grow that fortune.
And he may be a joke, but Trump is no idiot. He’s actually the perfect candidate for a time when selfies and tweets and social media and reality shows take the place of thoughtful policy discussions, hard work and empathy.
So, we’d better stop laughing and understand that after today Donald Trump has a real shot at becoming the next American president. We’d better hope that Hillary Clinton wins the Democratic nomination because I don’t think Bernie Sanders would stand a chance against Trump. I think Hillary is the only one with big enough b***s to beat him. She made a point at a rally yesterday that she’s been battered for a quarter century by the press and her “enemies” and she’s still standing. She’s not my favourite candidate. I don’t like how she enabled her husband’s infidelity or smeared his victims. I also have serious questions about Bengazi and think she is more comfortable with truthiness than truth. At the same time, what are the choices?
Well, a Superpac is about to release an anti-Trump ad campaign. This is a Republican group. They don’t like Trump and may support an independent. Former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg has hinted he could be convinced to run. He’s a guy who is a real business success story.
Whatever happens, it’s going to be a blood bath. It will be petty and mean-spirited and will turn more people off politics at a time when we need more engagement, not less.
If you want a very good run down on how Republicans should be attacking Trump, check out John Oliver. Or this not so hilarious send up. I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
Related
March 1, 2016 at 11:21 am Reply
Well stated Emme. John Oliver is insightful, intelligent, well-spoken and self-deprecating in his commentary on ‘Donald Drumpf’. John describes himself as the banker who looks like a parrot with glasses. I would not have thought of that but now that he has pointed it out ….. It is scary to contemplate anyone with a finger on The Button. The Clintons lost me when several high level, presumably respectable professional people in their close-knit circle who had been responsible for helping fund and get the Clintons elected (a) fell out of favour (b) were publicly disgraced (c) went to jail on questionable allegations and/or (d) committed suicide following questionable allegations and were humiliated and subsequently ruined. This begs the question: “When you do this to your friends, what do you do to people you do not know?”. Simply, can such people be trusted?
March 1, 2016 at 12:26 pm Reply
Which is the greater evil I guess is the question? At least Hillary has some experience in governance.
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I always buy my coffee direct from a roaster or in a specialty coffee shop. That way, I know it’s fresh and well roasted. Once I have bought it, it’s then up to me to keep it as fresh as possible and make a tasty drink with it. To do that, I make sure I store it in an airtight container, away from direct sunlight and in a cool room, and then when I do use it, I make sure I grind it properly. But what do I mean by grinding it ‘properly’? Is there a wrong and a right way to grind coffee?
What is the proper way to grind coffee beans? The proper way to grind coffee beans is to use a coffee grinder (preferably a burr grinder). Set your coffee grinder to the coarseness you require (this will depend on the method you are brewing. e.g. Cafetiere, V6O, aeropress) and grind the exact weight of coffee beans you require to make your coffee.
You want to grind your coffee beans just before you use them, and then store the beans in an airtight container until you need them next. Grinding your coffee in advance of you needing it will result in a less delicious coffee as the coffee beans degrade much quicker once they are ground. I would always recommend a good-quality burr coffee grinder to grind your beans if you have one available.
When you buy your beans, make sure they have a roast date on them. If they have a best before date but not a roast date, this is not a good sign because you’ll never know when they were roasted. If you want the best possible coffee from your coffee beans, it’s best to use them within three months of the roast date. And if you are looking for the ideal time to use them, they will take their best between one and three weeks after the roast date.
Most supermarket coffee beans will have their best before date around one year after they have been roasted, and you can drink them one year or more after they have been roasted, but they’re not going to taste great. Once the coffee is roasted, it starts to degrade (even in an airtight bag), and over time it will go stale.
The majority of people in the US have been drinking stale coffee for years and will just think that’s how coffee tastes, but if you’re reading this blog, I know you’re not here for stale coffee, so buy the good stuff, store it well and use it within three months (I know, three months is ages; mine would never last that long either).
You cannot make coffee with whole coffee beans. If you put them in hot water, you would just have beans floating in water and no extraction. Other than being quite tasty dipped in chocolate (isn’t everything dipped in chocolate tasty?), they are fairly useless. If you have a bag of coffee beans and don’t have a grinder, either get someone to grind them for you who does have a grinder or buy get grinder researching a look for a quality burr grinder.
I have been asked about magic bullets loads! I think it’s because people buy them with the intention of having a healthy kale smoothie every morning and then, after about two days, realize kale smoothies are not tasty, and coco pops are – so they’re looking for a reason to use the magic for something else.
That something else should not be coffee grinding. Will the magic bullet chop up the coffee beans? Almost certainly. Will all the pieces of coffee be different sizes? Absolutely. And this is why they are not good as coffee grinders.
The most delicious coffee is made from evenly ground coffee (where all the grinds are the same size). This is because they extract flavors evenly. If you have big bits of coffee bean mixed with little bits of coffee bean, you will find the big bits don’t extract enough of the flavors you’re looking for. The little bits over-extract, giving you too many bitter flavors, and the result won’t be tasty.
You will be able to make a cup of coffee from beans blended in a magic bullet, but you might not enjoy the coffee or the cleaning of the magic bullet afterward.
Can I grind coffee beans the night before?
If you have spent your hard-earned cash on a decent burr grinder, you have done the hard bit, don’t go and ruin it by trying to save yourself 20 seconds on a morning by grinding your beans the night before.
The closer you use your beans to grinding them, the better your coffee will taste, and it will take less time than it takes to boil the kettle!
If you’re desperate to save time, weigh out your coffee beans the night before and put them in a little airtight container right next to the grinder, this will save you some time and not affect your brew quality. It looks pretty cool having little tins of 16g of coffee beans stacked waiting to be used.
The only way you can over grind beans is if you are using a grinder like this one:
This is a blade grinder, and it works just like a blender, so rather than the coffee beans passing through it all being ground to a similar size, it just keeps chopping at the same coffee until you turn it off. In a blade grinder it is possible keep it chopping for so long that the beans will eventually become almost a powder and not be very useful for any kind of brewing because water will struggle to pass through it.
You can also grind coffee too finely. This is not over-grinding it, but just grinding it, so the pieces are too small to let the water pass through it quickly enough. If you do this, adjust the grind to make it coarser, and the next time you make a coffee, the water will pass through it quicker.
Do you get more coffee if you buy the whole bean?
Nope, coffee is sold by weight, most commonly in 250g bags. So, whether it is ground or in beans, you are getting the same weight. In theory, ground coffee should be more expensive because it requires an extra piece of equipment to grind it, and takes more time to process.
Some super-premium coffee roasters will only sell whole bean coffee because they want their coffee to be ground on demand, so people experience it at its best, but usually, if you buy online from a good coffee roaster, there is a drop-down box to select if you want it ground (it will ask to select what you are brewing it with too, so they can grind to the correct coarseness), or as beans, and there will be no extra charge for this.
The Difference Between Cheap and Expensive Coffee
Being a Registered Nurse, I know a thing or two about coffee. It's the fuel that drives me and most Nurses each and every morning, even if our morning starts at 6:00 pm. I love coffee so much, I decided to share everything I know and more about coffee!
Our beans are air roasted by a master roaster, instead of traditional drum roasting.
Each bean is suspended in air to ensure a nice even roast.
The chaff of the bean is then vacuumed away from the final product,
Leaving you with a smooth cup of coffee each and every time.
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We are used to thinking that the literal meaning of words is what a sentence conveys, but this is not the whole of it. Sure, we can follow the train of words and understand what they mean as you are right now by reading this sentence. Yet there is another function of language that may be even more important than just dry understanding, word's ability to slow time down to a crawl so that we can be aware and live in the moment. Poems do this and any language crafter to last.
How to work words is what I do. The mind is, as the Zen Buddhists say sometimes like a waterfall, a fast-moving river, a slow stream, and every once in a while a placid lake. Words (if well made) can work like a dam to hold back their meaning from vanishing long enough for me to get it. Where syllables and consonants clash and clatter on the verge of nonsense, I jam words together until they stick in the mind.
A poem is like an incantation that if clearly said re-members the mind, reanimates and fleshes out an idea until it is filled with its own meaning once again and comes readily to mind. Like a hologram, a well-crafted poem can hover in the mind long enough to reveal its meaning, which may not be linear, but rather a bubble of awareness in which we bask.
Good poems are meant to be said aloud or enunciated softly to ourselves, syllable by syllable, until they draw (as from a deep well) their meaning back from the waters of Lethe and reconstruct a thought that then lives and walks the mind once again. Language has power.
Most meaning is fleeting, blown out and quickly lost in the winds of time. We can't quite grasp, much less remember it. Weak words are no defense against forgetfulness.
I believe that our words must be crafted not on the surface of the mind where the winds of change blow, but as deep-down as we can reach, forged in the molten core of language and then tempered by reality so that they last. Someone like Shakespeare worked his words until they could stand up to time and they have. Almost no one has touched them, has ever gone that deep. Before we deconstruct Shakespeare's language we fall under the spell of his words, are transfixed, and dream on.
As for me, I like to work my words until they whistle and scream like an old locomotive slowly rounding a sharp curve. Slick words, like crap through a goose, are soon gone. Words must be worked together until they stick in the craw of time and have to be deconstructed, syllable by syllable, while they are heard and understood, while they shine.
I build word dams that hold back the stream of time long enough for them to be grasped by the mind. Word crafting is not something I sit down to do, like having a cup of tea. No tweed coats. I wrestle words together until they stick in the mind and slow the flow of time just enough to be understood.
The literal meaning in sentences is not all of what words are about; meaning is also about slowing the mind down until it makes sense, as in the five senses, until we feel something from the heart. Clarity does not always make sense like words in a line, but the clarity of a poem can stop time with its expanded light. The words themselves don't matter, only the clarity of the mind they achieve, that we may see!
Nonsense can also be clarifying if spoken right. Sense is not always rational as in "sensible;" it is also something that makes sense, that we can feel with our five senses, that can fill us with meaning, and experience.
Words can have literate content and still not make much sense. Sometimes the sense of words depends on how the words are wedged together. Onomatopoeia and alliteration walk our words to the very edge of sense and then dive off, leaving us to follow if we dare to live. What is that telling us but that the so-called literal content of a sentence of words is not necessarily all of what it means.
We may follow the verbal content of the words as they pass through our mind, one by one, while each crying vowel and clanging consonant (perhaps unknown to us) rings a bell in our mind until its reverberations are all we can hear or feel. It does not matter one whit what the literal content said. It could be nonsense, and still make sense because we can feel it.
Well placed words push us out of our everyday mind and into expanded space and time. Words, like tent poles, can be lodged in the mind, pushing up awareness until there is room in the mind to move around in.
For me, words are ever visceral. They must be fashioned together, wedged one against the other until, like the beaver builds a dam, they slow the flow of thought in the mind to self-liberation. And in the space and clear light of expanded time, word's work is done, and we rest in the true nature of the mind. It shines.
So words are not just about their content, unless that content contributes to the sense words make when wedged together, back to back, into sentences that self-liberate thought into expanded awareness.
I can usually find words for almost everything, but there are no words for words themselves, especially those uttered in the depth of the mind that, when chanted clearly like mantras or mathematics, create the mandala of this entire universe.
Years ago I wrote this poem about what is called the monad, and it comes as close as I dare to those unspeakable words.
What will in words not wake,
What wakes stands watch,
To see that sleep as sound.
What wakes will serve to set asleep,
Inset a sleep with standing words,
And on that last, in overlay, our life.
Yes, to lay at the last a life that ever lives,
To ever last that "last" of life,
We have a life that lives at last.
And they tell me that a picture is worth a thousand words!
[This photo, not by me, reminds me of how images in our memory are lost in the flow of time unless they, like arks, can float in the mindstream.]
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is appraisal contingency common is appraisal contingency common is appraisal contingency common is appraisal contingency common is appraisal contingency common is appraisal contingency common is appraisal contingency common is appraisal contingency common is appraisal contingency common is appraisal contingency common
is appraisal contingency common
Other common contingencies Insurance contingency. The choice as to which contingencies to include in a contract and the specific terms involved should be considered carefully. “They would typically have the right to terminate the transaction, but the parties can always agree on additional time for the buyer to continue to pursue other avenues to obtain the loan.”. From a seller’s standpoint, an inspection contingency means that any potential defects or problems in the home that were previously unknown will be noted before the home sale is complete. While we adhere to strict Our goal is to give you the best advice to help you make smart personal finance decisions. Other factors, such as our own proprietary website rules and whether a product is offered in your area or at your self-selected credit score range can also impact how and where products appear on this site. Why? The offer is made and accepted, but either party can bow out if those conditions aren’t satisfied. It was once a fairly common practice for a home buyer to make an offer on a house before acquiring loan approval, known as a loan contingency. It will also explain the most common ways contingencies are used in real estate sales. This contingency requires that the buyer obtain, at his or her expense, a written appraisal of the property from a Florida-licensed appraiser. The appraisal contingency allows you to try any of these paths. “Oftentimes, sellers are so caught up in the joy of selling their home that they tend to shortchange themselves, which can happen if they choose to add contingencies to the contract,” says Del Rio. Appraisal Contingency. If that low appraisal is given to the buyer before the appraisal deadline, then the buyer could use either contingency to cancel the contract. Often, the lender sets the time frame, which can range from 60 to 120 days, and commonly no longer than six months, at the longest. Because banks lend based on the appraised value and not the contract price, the buyer would have to put up additional equity if the buyer wanted to continue with the deal. If a contingency isn’t met, the buyer usually gets that deposit back. Inspection contingency; Appraisal contingency; Loan contingency; Home sale contingency; It’s not just the type of contingency that is important, it’s the contingency period too. These are actually two separate contingency clauses; however, they are both commonly included by a buyer when making a home offer. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. While no means an exhaustive list, the following include the most common sales contract contingencies. The offers that appear on this site are from companies that compensate us. Keep in mind that there are cases when an extension is necessary, so your lender may not order a second valuation. Both the buyer and seller must agree to the terms of each contingency and sign the contract before it becomes binding. We value your trust. Bankrate, LLC NMLS ID# 1427381 | NMLS Consumer Access Financing Contingency. An appraisal contingency is a clause that allows a buyer to dissolve a purchase agreement if a home’s appraised value is less than the sale price. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. Sellers should also be careful not to negatively affect their bargaining position. An appraisal contingency protects the buyer and is used to ensure a … The mainstay of any real estate contract is the appraisal contingency. Buyer shall, in writing, remove the appraisal contingency or cancel this agreement within 20 days from the signing of this Agreement.” Waiving an appraisal contingency: The pros and cons. Contingencies are conditions that must be met before a real estate contract becomes legally binding. If the buyer is getting a loan for the property, an Appraisal Contingency is absolutely required. The language may read: Purchase is contingent upon the Buyer receiving an appraisal on the Property at or above the Purchase Price from a certified appraiser. Appraisal contingency An appraisal contingency is a clause that allows a buyer to dissolve a purchase agreement if a home’s appraised value is less than the sale price. Bankrate.com does not include all companies or all available products. Common Real Estate Contingencies Explained. One one the most common things you’ll find in a real estate offer is a contingency. This helps the bank determine whether or not the requested loan amount is above, below, or equal to the property value.The appraisal helps protect buyers, in the case that the property was being sold for an unfair value. In fact, it’s unlikely a transaction won’t have at least one contingency. The appraisal contingency goes hand-in-hand with the financing contingency. Appraisal Contingency: Appraisal contingencies tend to come into play when a lender requires an appraisal before financing a deal. States vary on what figure to use depending on their own real estate and mortgage laws. Because a home’s fair market … (commission, mortgage, mortgage, sale) User Name: Remember Me: Password Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! If the seller refuses to lower the price to make up the difference, the appraisal contingency lets you walk away and get your deposit back. At this point, you may be wondering when the appraisal contingency protects the buyer beyond what they already have in the financing contingency. Let’s say you’re buying a house for $300,000 with a $30,000 down payment and a $270,000 mortgage. Contingency clauses provide a way for one or both parties to back out of a real estate contract if certain specified conditions are not met. Appraisal Contingency. An insurance contingency means that the offer on the home is contingent on the home being able to be insured. For example, if a homeowner is refinancing their mortgage, an appraisal is usually required. The content created by our editorial staff is objective, factual, and not influenced by our advertisers. This contingency is most common when a home has experienced significant damage before the sale. Appraisal Contingency. This compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear. Our editorial team receives no direct compensation from advertisers, and our content is thoroughly fact-checked to ensure accuracy. This is usually a contingency that is in place to help protect the buyer of the property. “For instance, a seller may choose to accept an offer from someone who has waived a certain contingency.”. “Doing this allows either party to cancel the deal and pursue other prospects.”. That’s where an experienced real estate agent and/or attorney can come in handy. Which certificate of deposit account is best? Here's a look at a few common contract contingencies and how they protect VA buyers. Our award-winning editors and reporters create honest and accurate content to help you make the right financial decisions. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories. For homebuyers getting a mortgage, the appraisal is often a necessary step – a bank doesn’t want to provide more funding for a home than it’s deemed to be worth. Appraisal contingencies. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, including, for example, the order in which they may appear within the listing categories. There are a few more contingencies, but these are the most common and the ones you will most likely have to deal with. Home Inspection Contingency . Because of that, your appraisal can “expire” is as little as two months, especially in an area where there’s changes frequently in the market. Most Common Contingencies in NYC Real Estate Purchase Contracts. Many types of contingency clauses can be added to a real estate contract, including: When a contingency isn’t met, “either party may consider the contract null and void,” Del Rio says. Contingencies are common in real estate transactions. But the appraisal is not as exhaustive as a professional home inspection. Appraisal Contingency. First, let’s start with a definition. Contingency clauses provide a way for one or both parties to back out of a real estate contract if certain specified conditions are not met. You’ve signed a contract and paid a deposit, usually a few thousand dollars. “This is required in almost all states,” DiBugnara says. Appraisal Contingency An appraisal contingency is very reasonable, and protects the buyer (as do all contingencies) in the case that the house actually appraises at the correct value. We continually strive to provide consumers with the expert advice and tools needed to succeed throughout life’s financial journey. The buyer, through the loan company’s closing costs, must pay for an appraiser to inspect and … An appraisal contingency gives you the ability to back out of a real estate sales contract if the home’s appraised value is less than your offer. While no means an exhaustive list, the following include the most common sales contract contingencies. The as is contract is used most frequently in real estate contracts. What is the appraisal contingency in real estate contracts in NYC? Here's how to deal with a low appraisal: Do not panic, and then consider these four options. … Here are the most common contingencies included in today’s home purchase contracts. While we strive to provide a wide range offers, Bankrate does not include information about every financial or credit product or service. Concluding. An appraisal contingency conditions the purchase on an appraisal that is high enough to secure the financing needed to complete the purchase. We do not include the universe of companies or financial offers that may be available to you. For example, if you are making a 20 percent down payment on a $500,000 home, your lender has agreed to loan you 80 percent of the home’s value, or $400,000. In this way, contingencies serve as the emergency escape hatch for buyers.”. How common are appraisal problems? That’s why appraisal contingencies are almost always included in a contract, regardless of whether there is a finance contingency. Appraisal. An appraisal contingency leaves room for the buyer to try to renegotiate the price if the appraisal comes in too low on the home. If you don’t have the extra cash and there is no appraisal contingency, you are in breach of contract and can lose your earnest money deposit. “With this in place, if your mortgage is denied for any reason, including (a low) appraisal, you have the right to get your deposit money back.”. Appraisal Contingency. The language may read: Purchase is contingent upon the Buyer receiving an appraisal on the Property at or above the Purchase Price from a certified appraiser. Common Real Estate Contingencies. For instance, in Texas, there are homes that have flooded multiple times, which might affect the home’s ability to be insured. Contingencies are also tied to the earnest money, or “good faith deposit” a buyer often surrenders when going under contract on a home. Understanding common real estate contingencies helps you make informed decisions when buying a home or investment property. Without it, you’d be forced to move forward with the purchase. Always check with your lender so you meet their specific standards. We’re transparent about how we are able to bring quality content, competitive rates, and useful tools to you by explaining how we make money. An appraisal contingency means that the purchase of the home will only proceed if a third-party appraisal of the home is successful. Bankrate has answers. An appraisal contingency is not related to a financing contingency and will allow you to back out of the sale only if the appraisal … Many realtors require proof of mortgage pre-approval before making an offer on a home—some may not even work with you unless you do. The initial home sales contract almost always includes an appraisal contingency. There are a few scenarios, although they aren’t common. “This earnest money is held in escrow by a third party,” Noker says. If you are preparing for the sale or purchase of a home, educating yourself on the various industry terms can go a long way in helping to make the process a lot more straightforward. At Bankrate we strive to help you make smarter financial decisions. Appraisal Contingency : Option 1: This contract is contingent upon the Property appraising at or above the Purchase Price in an appraisal ordered by the lender (or Purchaser in a cash transaction), paid by the Purchaser. Contingency clauses “safeguard buyers and sellers by giving them the right to cancel a contract if the terms aren’t met,” explains Carlos Del Rio, a real estate attorney in Chicago. Featured image by fstop123 of Getty Images. Here's a look at a few common contract contingencies and how they protect VA buyers. What are the common contingencies in a real estate contract? Now for the not-so-good news: The appraiser says the house is worth less than your offer — and the bank won’t grant a mortgage. You can read more about contingencies here. We value your trust. Appraisal contingencies are commonly used by buyers who are using financing to buy a house or are buying homes in areas where prices are volatile. Appraisal Contingency. “This helps relieve some of the stress that Realtors, attorneys and lenders may have in anticipation of the deal,” Del Rio suggests. Passive income ideas to help you make money, Best age for Social Security retirement benefits, What is a bidding war? In fact, receiving a satisfactory appraisal is usually one of the conditions that … When buying a home there are certain contingencies that may be included to protect the buyer are seller. Which certificate of deposit account is best? Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. Appraisal contingency. The initial home sales contract almost always includes an appraisal contingency. If an appraisal comes in higher than the sales price than it is a bonus for the buyer but if it comes in low it creates a problem because the lender will only loan based on the appraised amount of the house. Our mission is to provide readers with accurate and unbiased information, and we have editorial standards in place to ensure that happens. Here’s an explanation for Our editorial team receives no direct compensation from advertisers, and our content is thoroughly fact-checked to ensure accuracy. © 2020 Bankrate, LLC. 3. At this point, you may be wondering when the appraisal contingency protects the buyer beyond what they already have in the financing contingency. Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that we’re putting your interests first. Bankrate follows a strict editorial policy, so you can trust that we’re putting your interests first. Typically, your bank will hire a licensed appraiser to determine the fair market value of the home, based on its general condition, location and the sales price of similar properties in the area known as comparable sales, or comps. Appraisal Contingency: Appraisal contingencies tend to come into play when a lender requires an appraisal before financing a deal. This Contract is contingent upon Buyer obtaining, at Buyer's expense, a written appraisal from a licensed Florida appraiser, on or before (if left blank, then at least ten (10) days prior to Closing), stating that the appraised value of the Property is at least $ (if left blank, the Purchase Price). BR Tech Services, Inc. NMLS ID #1743443 | NMLS Consumer Access. Another important real estate contingency, the appraisal contingency allows a buyer to back out of the deal if the home appraises for less than the sale price. Contingencies explained. Appraisal and real estate experts we spoke with estimated that appraisals come in low anywhere from 10%-20% of the time. Enter the appraisal contingency, which protects you in situations just like these. Just make sure the number of days the buyer has to obtain the loan falls into the normal range of 45-60. An appraisal contingency gives you a way out of a legally binding contract should the home you are purchasing not appraise for at least the contract price. Also, different loan types, such as FHA loans, may have their own requirements. We follow strict guidelines to ensure that our editorial content is not influenced by advertisers. We are an independent, advertising-supported comparison service. Although some buyers will have crazy requests like the house be cleared as “ghost-free” — here are the contingencies most likely to crop up in a standard home sale contract. Buyers use this contingency to make sure that a property is worth a minimum amount in … We are compensated in exchange for placement of sponsored products and, services, or by you clicking on certain links posted on our site. VA loans require an appraisal, which includes a broad look at the property's health, safety, and marketability conditions. Homebuyers should always include a financing contingency in their purchase agreement, according to Ralph DiBugnara, president of New York City-headquartered Home Qualified, a digital resource for buyers, sellers and Realtors. “Here, the buyer or seller can either choose to cancel the contract, appeal the appraisal or mutually renegotiate the purchase price to accommodate for the [lower] appraised value,” Del Rio says. Therefore, this compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear within listing categories. Our editorial team does not receive direct compensation from our advertisers. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site, including, for example, the order in which they may appear within the listing categories. New information or new obstacles can create problems for buyers or sellers, so contingencies typically are a simple matter of ensuring that each step of the process goes as planned or as expected. Home Inspection Contingency. Indeed, either or both parties can suggest compromises and reopen negotiations in the hopes of keeping the deal from falling through. Contingencies in real estate are incredibly common — 76% of settlement contracts in May 2020 had one. Removing appraisal contingency - how common? ... Appraisal contingency: The appraisal contingency allows you to exit the transaction if the home's … We continually strive to provide consumers with the expert advice and tools needed to succeed throughout life’s financial journey. Read more about it today! Such a contingency usually stipulates that the appraisal must come in within 5% or 10% of the sale price, or sometimes even at or above the sale price. A loan contingency today is often a bit tricky. In a hot real estate market, an appraisal contingency can sour a deal. Since this is a common contingency that is found in most loans, there’s no reason to be concerned about it. Appraisal Contingency . Appraisal Contingency; An appraisal contingency is very reasonable, and protects the buyer (as do all contingencies) in the case that the house actually appraises at the correct value. If a contingency isn’t satisfied, your home sale is not likely to go through. A contingency is a condition or a specific action that must occur before the contract becomes legally binding. Bankrate.com is an independent, advertising-supported publisher and comparison service. Here are the most common contingencies included in today’s home purchase contracts. This is why it’s important to price your home correctly. A successful appraisal means that the fair market value of the home is equal to or greater than the seller’s asking price. All Rights Reserved. Get insider access to our best financial tools and content. If the house is appraised at $260,000, the bank will only loan that amount — leaving you $10,000 short. Contingencies offer valuable legal protection, especially to buyers, but you want to be careful not to clutter the contract with too many stipulations, especially in a seller’s market. This post will define what a real estate contingency is and how it works. Common Real Estate Contingencies. Sellers field offers from multiple buyers, and tend to prefer deals with fewer conditions. Appraisal Contingency. We’ll explain everything you need to know about the appraisal contingency, go over common negotiating points and show you sample contract language in this article. You have money questions. Appraisal Contingency. Additionally, don’t skimp on adding a title contingency. Contingencies are a common occurrence in real estate transactions. While there are many possible contingencies, the most common involve inspections, appraisals, financing, titles, and home sales. Right of Refusal Contingency; Board Approval Contingency; Financing Contingency; Appraisal Contingency; Inspection Contingency; Sale Contingency; Below, see the insights we learned from the team based on their years of experience advising New Yorkers in the real estate market. This compensation may impact how, where and in what order products appear. Why do appraisals become outdated? Our mission is to provide readers with accurate and unbiased information, and we have editorial standards in place to ensure that happens. If the appraisal states that the appraised value of the Property is less than the above value, Buyer shall … Bankrate is compensated in exchange for featured placement of sponsored products and services, or your clicking on links posted on this website. Our goal is to help you make smarter financial decisions by providing you with interactive tools and financial calculators, publishing original and objective content, by enabling you to conduct research and compare information for free - so that you can make financial decisions with confidence. editorial integrity, this post may contain references to products from our partners. how we make money. You can write a contingency clause for almost any reason. And pursue other prospects. ” scenarios, although they aren ’ t met, the include. Escrow by a certified inspector, and we have editorial standards in place to that. Any reason any real estate are incredibly common — 76 % of settlement contracts in may had. 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I’ve recently gone through a a rather rough and confusing break up, I just wanted to get some opinions if that’s alright.
Basically. My fiancée with whom I have a 3 year old with has left and the reason why, I didn’t spend enough time with her or help much around the house.
Over the past few years we’ve had chats about how I spend my spare time. I work over 10 hours a day and when I get in I just to relax so I play on the PC and unwind. BUT I do get carried away.
Some of you may be the same when it comes to gaming and such, the times flies. Anyway.
I completely hold my hands up on this matter, I know I failed to spend enough time with her. Just before Christmas she was going to move out to her mothers but Ww talked enough for her to stay and I’d try to sort things out.
Recently this year, since the COVID thing happened. She has been furloughed but I have not. So she’s had to have our son all day long and I know it can be exhausting so when I get home I take him away into my man cave. Then when he goes to bed she’ll be doing whatever so I’d just go back in there till I go to bed, this was pretty much every night.
She’s not the type to explode and say gets your arse out of there and in here with me. She’s the type to sit and think and want me to want to be sat watching sitcoms and romance films (her only genre she likes) so she’s sit and let it build up inside and fight with me in her head. But again I’m not dodging the fact that it’s my fault, I feel it is.
So, on the Wednesday after getting home from work she tells me she’s had enough again and is going. Me, prepared to fight as much as I can was firstly greeted with. “I’ve already found, viewed and paid for a house… I picking up the keys on Friday”. At this point I found out that her grandmother gave her the deposit, her mother was the guarantor, her sister was going to help her move some things, her work was giving her an advance to get some appliances… all these people knew before me.
She also asked me at the time if I can help her move…. WoW thanks for that.
I shut down, completely. For me that was the end of us and this was a lonely life.
Anyway shortly after she pressed the fact she didn’t want to break up but to just have time away from us. She said ‘maybe a little time away will make us see what we have for me to come back, I just need to try this for us and Charlie (our son).
Having the house to my self for a couple of weeks was awful, but I stepped up and somewhat grew up from what I was. Something out of this has shaken my head to not ignore house work but for it to become a nature to do it. In terms of the gaming, that has dramatically reduced, next to none right now.
Which is what happened in the past but I’d slip back into it. But this time is different. I feel different. Anyway.
I tried my best to have family time, give her time, still stay in contact and still be a couple.
Last Thursday I said when I finish work Saturday(half day) would you like to do something, the 3 of us. ‘Everywhere’s shut’. Ok well we can go feed some horses some carrots. ‘That’s all we do now’. Well
How about you come here or I go to yours? ‘Well that’s not really family time isn’t’. Yes it is because we’ll all be together. ‘That’s not giving me a break from Charlie(our son) so maybe Sunday….
In the end I said you need to go home and think about what you want because you can’t keep living in the past.
So that night I asked, she said. “I can’t help but live in the past. I can’t risk coming back for it to fall back into how they were”
I couldn’t stress enough to her that things how they’ve turned out can’t go back to how they were because I feel different within myself How I do things.
“I need to do what’s right for me, I think I need to be on my own. I hope you understand’.
So it went from, I wanna work on us and then come back to I don’t want this anymore.
I know there isn’t anybody else so that isn’t the issue. I also know she can’t hack our son all the time because he favours me over her and he acts up for her.
She moved out and not me because I own the house. I pay for everything.
She has a part time job and the only thing I asked for her to pay was shopping. I don’t eat much anyway but just get the shopping in. All the major bills was on me.
I was never abusive, never gave her verbal language. It’s not like she had to escape the worst person in the world or the was living situation.
Like I said before I completely hold my hands up and accept the fact that I’m the reason she moved out.
But her wanting the end the relationship is completely on her.
I don’t want her to think and I have told her this that she can’t ever come back because for me, I’m still in love with her. That’s what makes this whole thing so confusing, hard and painful.
Thank you for reading and please be as blunt and honest with me as possible.
In a bit of a dark place at the moment.
The only difference between your situation and mine is im in the military so ive had to move out,
10yrs i gave her and she comes back telling me she doesnt want counselling and shes better alone, i work away alot, and when im home im the perfect father, just a lousy husband it would seem,
My dark place is an empty room with a bed a 20jnch TV and a kettle. Im dreading her leaving because im just not ready for it at all.
| 5,445 |
I finally signed up for an internet dating service. That would be the dating service which presumably features local men, as opposed my "starter dating site" which exclusively featured men from the actual soil of the country of Turkey.
It's still sort of a niche site I guess you could say, as evidenced by the fact that I already knew or at least had met two out of the first three people who stalked me. Still, I figure pretty soon I should try being the stalker instead of the stalk-ee.
I'm pretty sure my answers to the canned questions read: "emotional train wreck waiting for a dangerous intersection" but what the heck...I can only be who I am.
That's not true of everyone, however. A teacher at my school heard from a friend that people can fake a personality for up to 90 days. After 90 days apparently one's true colors can't help but show. Inventing and maintaining a personality even for 90 days sounds like too much hassle for me though. I figure I'm better off with my neurosis laid right out on the table.
I thought I should have been able to expand on some of the questions where the only option was to check boxes. For instance, I checked off some music types, but there were so many categories missing from that list. And why is there no distinction between liking Delta Blues and Chicago Blues? Ok, so I happen to like both, but do they give me any option of stating that I prefer Delta Blues? No! And yet you're supposed to write an entire essay on your personality. I don't even HAVE a personality!
There's a section on pets, but the only options were cat, dog, fish, etc. Unless someone has severe allergies, does this really need to be a screening question? It happens that I have two cats mostly 'cause they're low maintenance and I can only care for a certain number of living creatures at a time, having already killed off 3/4 of my houseplants.
I just left that question unanswered. Because do I really need to get into whether the untimely deaths of my houseplants were the result of neglect or suicide before a first date?
Food is another category where none of the check boxes seem to apply. Or all of the check boxes apply. I love food! I just don't particularly care from which continent, country, ethnicity, race, culture or subculture the recipe originated.
There was a question about past relationships. I didn't put down that I am incredibly attracted to intense personalities who require more emotional energy than I actually possess. Instead I filled it out this way:
Is there really an answer to this question that doesn't involve a cliché? My past relationships were fun! At least until they weren't fun anymore...My past relationships are the basis for much of my current neuroses...KIDDING! !!!!!!!! Is there a graceful way out of this one? How about: I was married for 12 years and now I'm not. Does that work?!?!?!
It asks for political orientation. Although I'm pretty sure I recognized the orientations that don't apply to me, I wasn't sure I could pick out which one might be an appropriate label. And since "pinko commie scum" wasn't an option, I went ahead and left that one blank too.
Next was ideal relationship. After muddling through my last post, that seemed easy enough to figure out:
My ideal relationship is with someone who calls a lot, but not often enough to be stalker material.
By my reckoning, that should be about once a day. But, of course, I shouldn't have to actually answer the phone!!!!
at 2:02 AM
24 comments:
I can't wait to hear about your dating adventures! Just have fun and go into it with the idea that you're going to meet some good and some bad! If you're lucky, when you're about ready to pack it all in, you'll meet the right one - like I did! There is hope for online dating!! Good luck!
Anonymous said...
I gave a couple of those a shot after my divorce. Unfortunately, no one thought I was dateable. I received no responses to any of my emails and was rejected enough for one lifetime - most because of the musician thing, non-clean-cut hair and beard; plenty made it clear they found that "icky." Somehow, I've never had problems in person, but the folks on dating sites found me to be hideous. :)
I'm sure you'll have much better luck. Happy hunting?
Anonymous said...
Congratulations and welcome to Digital Dating. It's loads of nail-in-the-eye FUN! You may not know this song and heck, it may not even be listed as a music genre choice but.."Birds do it, bees do it, even dogs with fleas do it, let's do it, let's ...[replace "Fall in love" with "Text message but never actually meet.."]
I gather we're not in the same dating service as mine doesn't ask for music choices. Guessing, uh, "JDate"? is that a dating service for Jewish folks?
Well, the 90-day fakeout sounds about right, what with people saying the "honeymoon" of a relationship lasts about 3 months.
Of COURSE you have a personality! You're Mary Effin' Poppins, remember??!! ;-) You have the effin' BAG to prove it. You might just include the contents of your purse. That gives plenty of insight into your personality.
Political orientation? Well, mine asks for that. What I do notice is that most every puts "liberal." I dunno if it's where I live or what. A guy friend said, "Men put liberal because they think it makes them sound more attractive."
"My ideal relationship is with someone who calls a lot, but not often enough to be stalker material. By my reckoning, that should be about once a day."
What happened to "Warrior Poet?" or was it "Poet Warrior"
Didja put something in about having a library card?? I should add that to mine.
Again, congrats on taking the big step and putting yerself out there! It took courage and you uh, screwed it to the sticking point.
Jeff: Too bad about your online dating experience. I gather those days are happily behind you according to your flickr profile! I had to check you out since you said that you were found "icky" jeez! and "plenty made it clear?" HARSH.
Anonymous said...
I went on one of those internet dating sites before but only got one response. Some woman from Serbia who said she was really into the numerology stuff. Kept asking about my numbers. My birth date, SS#, bank account. Strange when she found out the number in my account was $14.95 she stopped replying to my emails. Thank God my parents let me slide on the $15.00/month rent that time. But I digress.
Any how, if you ever lonely and need someone to stalk you let me know. I will be happy to oblige. I must warn you though; I am only an internet stalker, to lazy for the real thing. Best of luck to you:-).
@ Ms. q
I think you are right about that guys putting down liberal thing. For some reason when I put down "Ultra conservative who believes the NRA has been taken over by liberal nuts" it did not go over well with the ladies. Go figure. Next time I may get someone to look over my application form before I submit it.
(warning friends should not let friends blog before their first cup of coffe. The above are the results).
Lynn said...
Good luck with this venture. My sil has been on an online dating service for about 2 years now. I do have to say though, that she does not like much things and immediately thinks people are after her. So I think she is more the problem.
I hope your phone rings multiple times!
Janet said...
Anonymous said...
ms. g: Sadly, I'm single yet again. It was recent hence the lack of Flickr profile changes (I have so damn many websites to maintain - such a nerd). Yeah, it was harsh, but I think there is just a perception about online dating for many of the folk that are there doing it. It seems to squeeze everyone right into the middle. No one is too ANYTHING. I prefer to avoid the online dating service resume anyway. I mean, how many different ways can you dress up "geek" and "musician" so it sounds like "stable, happy and healthy?" :)
"emotional train wreck waiting for a dangerous intersection" but what the heck...I can only be who I am.
ROTFLMBO!!! Too funny! I have seriously felt like that before. Great post!
Anonymous said...
Jill must be too busy ... not answering the phone! Makes me think of the SNL/Mike Myers skit where he says "Just tawk amungst yourselves..I felt a little verklempt.."
frogger: "Ultra conservative who believes the NRA has been taken over by liberal nuts"
Hahahah! The thing is that "liberal" is associated with "saving the tree frogs"
and "Conservative" is associated with "judgmental button-down with starched underwear"
And the thinking is that women would be, "awww...tree frogs" and "ewww...starched underwear"
Or something.
However, one quote I heard was, "People become Conservative when they have something to conserve."
Anecdotal evidence seems to show that people with 401(k), property, savings, etc. lean to the right.
Jeff: I did notice the geek+musician combo-pack. I would think that the 2 attributes would balance, that is, the Geek/Nerd would pay the bills for the (usually) starving musician??
Sorry you're single again, if that's what you don't want to be (you did write "sadly").
You're probably like me, you gotta see us in 6-dimensions (the first 3 being ole height-width-depth) to see how wonderful we are ;-)
4th: moving through space (animation)
5th: reacting through space (emotional)
6th: being through space (spiritual)
I don't do that well online myself (but the dates I did have were nice, met great guys if not a match).
I'm 42 and am looking to meet someone around my age (like within 5 years either way). My mom says I should go younger. Huh. Anyway, the few emails I get are from men eligible for AARP or even Social Security. Huh, part deux.
You're right about squeezing people into the middle - or perhaps the lowest common denominator! I look at my online profile as just another dating avenue as in..ya never know.
toners said...
Good luck!! Like Colleen said, just have fun :) And we will all be here waiting to hear how it goes!!
Jill said...
Thanks Colleen! Actually, I might be going about this all backwards – ready to pack it all in before even starting…
Jeff – I’m pretty sure the geek musician is supposed to be a *draw*!!!! At least, I did a survey of maybe 100 scrapbookers (peas) back in February and it was only like 25% that said they WEREN’T attracted to a man with a guitar. (to which my friend Jeb said, “I must have the wrong guitar” – hey maybe it’s one of those pre-beat up weathered/worn ones you posted about!). Laurie and I sometimes discuss our bafflement a few times over why you stick an average looking guy on stage with an instrument and all of the sudden he looks that much more attractive. We never decide why that is, but we always agree it’s true.
“how many different ways can you dress up "geek" and "musician" so it sounds like ‘stable, happy and healthy?’” I think if you ever try internet dating again, you should put that in your profile verbatim! :-) :-) :-) Oh wait…then you’d probably only attract people who describe themselves as emotional train wrecks…
The beard well…a certain person who shall remain nameless (unless he or she fesses up) claims that a beard is gentler to the skin & doesn't lead to "beard burn" (sort of a misnomer then, isn't it?). I can’t claim experience with kissing bearded guys, so I don’t know. Your beard is barely even there though, so I don’t see why *that* would bother anybody! And even if it did, seems kind of a rude thing to “make clear”. :-( I’d have had to pass up your profile just because you do seem so well grounded and sane…KIDDING!!!!! Or at least partially kidding…or I at least wish I were kidding…or maybe I should just go delete my dating profile *NOW* before I begin actively seeking out the unbalanced…
Ms.Q – Of course I know the song! I’m 139 years old, remember?!?!?!?!?!? JDate – yep, that’s the one. I figured, y’know, that way I don’t have to worry about the whole thing again where I’ve got to wonder if the guy would rather take off my clothes or save my soul. Although I think that one guy we spoke about would have preferred both…hopefully not at the same time.
The warrior poet thing – Well, I used that one thing about the phone calls under ideal relationship because of something my brother said.
He said that I have to be the most easy going person to date and there’s only ONE thing that I ever get upset about on a regular basis & that’s a guy not calling.
It’s true really: Creepy? Hunky dory. Pervert? Okeedoke. Manslaughter? Also fine. But no phone calls…well that’s where I absolutely draw the line! KIDDING! Ok, not even partially kidding. Which is sort of absurd when you factor in how much I dislike the phone.
The other thing is that I figured out when I really get into specifics, I end up writing about someone who’s a lot like ME! My friend Jenn said that would be really boring, but I’m more afraid I’d end up in jail or dead (that whole climbing on the roofs of banks thing!)
Besides, I figure I have a couple friends would probably be deliriously happy if I just found someone who would go with me to see folksy/bluesy/Americana type music (or even, y’know, Jeff’s band) that I like & quit trying to drag them with me.
This was my answer for the ideal *person* (which was a totally separate question from the ideal relationship): “Someone who likes songs about chickens. Or songs about whiskey. Or at least enjoys a harmless yet demented sense of humor. Or doesn’t mind eating outside now and again even when the weather isn’t perfect.” One guy really did write me with an offer of a good song about chickens. I’m going to go read it in a minute. I wonder if I know the song?
Frogger – with two jobs, two kids, two cats, and a few houseplants in various states of decay, I’m probably a much better pen pal than date anyway! :-0 Or maybe I'm just a modern day Noah's Ark...
Lynn – After her? Is that in a positive or a negative sense? :-0
Anonymous said...
Why don't you hook up with Griff? !!!!!!
Jill said...
TS - Can't. Griff's against drinking, remember? :-) :-) :-)
Anonymous said...
@ ms Q
Frogger Vs conservative you may have something. There does seem to be a discrepancy. You know some times I think I am bi-polar, but then half of me says that is impossible.
@ Jill
“I’m probably a much better pen pal than date anyway!” Oh yah well you’ll feel sorry after you get my personal suicide note….. Actually it is kind of a form letter now, hopefully I will get your name right. Just joking, and getting you ready for the current dating paradigm. In any case I think I have my stalking sites set on ms. q.
Beware of the internet stalker BWAAAAAHHHAAA…..cough, cough, inhaler, inhaler. No MOM I am OK. No I do not need any help. Did I just type th…..
(warning friends should not let friends blog after drinking to much coffee. The above are the results).
Anonymous said...
@Jill: Hey, when you and Laurie figure it out, you let me know. :)
Carey said...
Disa said...
ooh how fun. the blogging mileage you will get out of this!!!
9/26/07, 8:05 PM
Maddie said...
I love your responses!
Yes, David Sedaris is available on CD. I went to the library and "checked out" (copied) David Sedaris and Sarah Vowell for my drive from California to Utah. I had only read SV before...helped me through my drive.
Jill said...
frogger - I dunno...between me & Ms.Q I think I tolerate a lot more freakiness...I mean, not to dissuade you or anything. Do you have time to stalk us both? :-0 :-0 :-0 Kidding!!!!!!!!!!!
Disa - One can only hope I guess. NOT!!!!!!!!
Pants - David Sedaris is supposed to be here in October! I should look into seeing him.
Jill said...
Maddie said...
Ooh! He's great live, you should definitely try and make it!
Anonymous said...
David Sedaris? Funneee! I try to read his online column (when I remember) in the New Yorker. I think I heard him once and was surprised - he has a bit of a high voice?
Since you have been HINTING WITH A BRICK, I will 'fess up that I am the one who knows that men with beards don't give you beard burn. Yes, whiskers get softer the more they grow out.
The thing is, "Beard Burn" generally only happens in the "early stages" of dating when the woman is not quite sure how may bases will be...covered.
Because of this, significant time and attention is spent on first, sometimes hours. Even a freshly-shaved man will grow whiskers in a couple-three hours. Those new whiskers are scratchy.
Anyway, what a woman gets after hours of this is beard burn - areas where the scratchy whiskers have rubbed a bit raw.
If the relationship progresses, bases loaded, home runs, etc, less time is spent on first. Time drops from HOURS to well, a lot less than an hour. Little, if any, beard burn occurs in this case.
So..now you know. HAPPY??!!
I picked up my Husband at Love@aol 9 years ago...Best thing that I ever did...Good Luck and here is hoping for Mr. Right and not his brothers Mr. Dopey, Dumpy or Stupid ;0)
| 17,573 |
In 1951, Houston Buff Roy Broome hit a monster opposite field HR to right field at Buff Stadium. Anyone who saw it leave the planet could not possibly forget it.
For better or worse, how many big league ballplayers are remembered mostly for that one thing they did that changed the course of baseball history? Bobby Thomson (New York Giants, 1951) and Bill Buckner (Boston Red Sox, 1986) jump immediately to mind. Others abound.
Move the same question to career minor leaguers and you have to reshape the consequence end of it too. At least, for me, you do. I can’t think of any single act by a career minor leaguer that both totally shaped the way fans see him and also altered the course of baseball history, but I can sure call to mind a former Houston Buff who surely framed the way five to six thousand people at Buff Stadium on a summer night in 1951 remembered him forever.
The guy I have in mind is the late Roy Broome (BR/TR) (5’11”, 160 lbs.), an eleven-season minor leaguer, mainly in the Cardinal system from 1940-42 and 1946-53. Broome hit pretty well as a minor leaguer, finishing with a .290 career batting average. He only hit 89 career home runs in 5,419 official times at bat and he managed only 2 long balls for the 1951 Buffs in his short, 41-game, 157-times at bat tour as a Buff hitter.
Roy Broome was a 1951 Buff long enough to do two memorable things: (1) he was here long enough to be included in the official Buffs team photo; and (2) while he was here, he hit one of the longest, most surprising opposite field home runs in Houston Buffs history.
Time has erased everything else about that game moment in my mind except for the act itself. That much of it, I’ll never forget, as my dad and I watched from the first base grandstands. I don’t recall the opposing team or the game situation, or even the impact of the home run on the game itself, I simply remember what I saw. and that the game was played at night. Because right-handed batter Broome hit the home run to right field, I’ve often imagined over the years that it was cracked off some power pitcher like Bob Turley of the San Antonio Missions, but I don’t know that. One of these days I need to research the specifics of this event at the library. After all, he only hit two of them as a Buff – and it would be interesting to read whatever Clark Nealon or others said about it.
On a typical summer night at Buff Stadium, the wind blowing in and across from right field was not friendly to aspiring home runs. “Broome’s Blow” rose above the obstacle.
The mighty blow from Roy Broome’s bat took off on a Ruthian high arch toward the far right field wall, reaching an apex almost instantly and then gently floating above the low to the ground winds, riding them like a surfer takes on the big waves of Oahu’s eastern shores. It danced on the winds as a small speck of white and then it just seemed to vanish in the high-in-the-sky darkness beyond the right field wall. It must have come down some 500-600 feet away on the other side of Cullen, too far back into the world beyond baseball for us to track it by the light of the Buff Stadium arc lamps.
The reaction of fans to “Broome’s Blow” was not your typical fairly immediate cheer. The resounding crack of the bat and startling visual that I just so inadequately tried to describe here had a hushing effect upon all of us. I’m sure any camera focused upon us fans in that moment would have revealed a sea-face of dropping jaws and startled bug eyes. We were all too amazed to express much of anything. Add to it the fact that none of us expected anything like this from little Roy Broome – and to the opposite field, no less. By the time Broome had rounded third base, head for home, Buff fans had risen to their feet to applaud him what he had just done. As I recall, a smiling, blushing Roy Broome was then called upon by the continuation of that applause to make a couple or three curtain doffs of the cap from the Buffs dugout too as teammates slapped his back and playfully kidded him.
Broome was hitting .268 for the Buffs when he was soon promoted after this event to AAA Columbus of the American Association. We Houston fans hated to see him go. Unfortunately, Roy Broome turned out to be another talented Cardinal prospect who never got to see the light of day in the big leagues.
Roy Wilson Broome was born on February 17, 1921 in Norwood, North Carolina. He died on October 11, 1993 in Gastonia, North Carolina.
Thank you, Roy, for once upon a time in 1951 being that blind hog that Darrell Royal of UT used to talk about. You found your acorn in the woods as a Houston Buff. It didn’t change baseball history, but it left a lot of us with an awesome lifetime memory.
This entry was posted on May 21, 2010 at 1:16 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
May 21, 2010 at 3:37 pm | Reply
Your description of the ball in flight, reminded me of how quick, high, and far – disapperaing into the night- Albert Pujols’ homer off of Brad Lidge quieted the Houston playoff crowd.
May 21, 2010 at 5:07 pm | Reply
My apologies for the unpleasant reminder that all of us Astros fans will hold onto forever. Every fast, far, and Ruthian homer will always sadly also stir the image of Prince Albert and that thing he did off Lidge in 2005.
May 25, 2010 at 2:48 pm | Reply
As a result of the description on Broome’s shot, Mike brings up the Pujols dinger. At the time of the Pujols HR I was on the first base side of the Club Level. To this day I doubt if Pujols’ HR was the longest I ever saw in person. On May 22, 2004, before the Round Rock Express moved up to AAA, Charlton Jimerson hit one over the clubhouse in leftfield that stunned all in attendance. Jimerson’s shot was a high lofting arch over the lights and well into the dark woods marking the boundary of the Dell Diamond property. To get there, the ball not only had to go over the roof of the clubhouse which is probably at least 60 feet above the playing field but also had to soar over a 30 foot driveway used by players to get to their parking lot beyond centerfield. A four-man search party scoured the underbrush in the woods and found it 200 feet beyond the outer gate that rings the leftfield side of Dell– 635 feet from home plate. The shot was the subject of a feature article in the Austin sports page and today is considered one of the highlights of the first ten years at Dell Diamond. I can’t say for sure, but I think Jimerson’s was longer than Pujols’. Nonetheless, they were in a class of their own.
As a footnote, I left Houston the day after the Pujols shot to go to St. Louis for Game 6 which was the REAL last game at Busch II. Before Game 6 I walked around to where the demolition of Busch II had actually already begun for what would be leftfield of Busch III. High up in the demoliltion pile some worker had placed an “X” with the following notation: “Pujols HR hit here”.
November 3, 2010 at 7:05 pm | Reply
Roy Broome was my Dad, and I am so proud he created a lasting memory for you and others. I had never heard this story, since 1951 was long before I was born. From his family who loves to hear of his baseball years, thank you for sharing this. He was pretty special, wasn’t he?
November 3, 2010 at 8:08 pm | Reply
Yes, Lori, your dad was pretty special. For this little kid from long ago, Roy Broome
once lit a home run memory flame that was every bit the equal of that long blast off
the bat of another Roy, Roy Hobbs, in that great story of “The Natural.”
It pleases me greatly that the ripple of that same home run now transcends time and
space for you to read about it and know that it happened. And yes, it did. And it was
absolutely awesome.
Regards,
February 18, 2018 at 8:58 pm
Not sure you will get this, but Roy was my uncle and I did get to see him play one time when I was very little. It was in the early 40’s, but I’m not sure what team it was. I have lived in Houston (Seabrook) for 25 years now and just saw your article. Thanks for bringing back memories of an uncle I remember well.
September 28, 2011 at 3:31 pm | Reply
Lori, My name is steve conley.I worked with your dad for 20 years before he became sick.I just wanted you and susan to know how much we loved that man.He was like a dad to me for a long time and was as wise as they come…..I surely miss him…..He was the best!
September 28, 2011 at 7:59 pm | Reply
Thank you, Steve. Your words mean so much to me and my family! We miss him, too!
February 3, 2015 at 5:17 pm | Reply
I was the bat boy for the Columbus Red Birds when your dad played here. I second all of the above. He sure was a gentleman and he treated everyone with quiet dignity and respect.
November 5, 2016 at 10:36 pm | Reply
Please look at Roy’s baseball career. go to http://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.cgi?id=broome001roy
Note that he never lost a game pitching, record of 1-0.
November 6, 2016 at 2:19 pm | Reply
My name is Bill Purdy and in1949 I was 15 years old and had been named batboy for the Columbus Redbirds, a position I held through 1950. What I remember most about “Whitey” Broome was that he was not only an accomplished ball player, but was the nicest guy in the Clubhouse. Roy Broome was a gentleman and everybody knew it. It was a treat to be part of the team he was on.
November 7, 2016 at 12:59 am
I am Roy Broome’s eldest daughter. Thank you for the kind comments. I didn’t know he was called “Whitey” but he lived his his entire life with great integrity. He was always a gentleman.
November 7, 2016 at 1:27 am | Reply
Hi, Bill. This is Lori Harris again, Roy Broome’s daughter. I’ve never heard that my Dad had the nickname “Whitey”. Where did that come from?
January 6, 2018 at 2:40 pm | Reply
Happy New Year Lori.Good question. Some of the players called him Roy and others Whitey. As I recall your dad was very fair complected with brownish-blonde hair that was quite light in the summer. He was not tan like the rest of the team. That would be the only reason that I can think of. Enjoyed the article about his HR in Houston. Your dad was a line drive hitter with a textbook swing. The article mentions the San Antonio Missions I was born in San Antonio in 1934 when my dad, Everett”Pid” Purdy was playing for the Missions.
| 10,859 |
Away has been been open for four months, so everything was extra new and clean, well-modernised and designed with travellers’ practicalities in mind.
Safety and Noise
View from ten-bed dorm over place Croix-Paquet and the Croix Rousse neighbourhoods
Despite being located on a corner next to a park and the Croix-Paquet subway, we were never kept awake by noise. Maybe our packed-out days exploring, cycling, tackling hills had something to do with that! But the hostel windows are shuttered and free ear plugs are provided at reception. Nearby neighbourhoods include Croix-Rousse and the central 1st arrondissement, so the streets are well-lit and there were always people around in the early hours.
Toilets and Shower Facilities
Toilets and showers seemed plentiful during our stay and always available during rush times. The bathrooms were clean and well-designed with extras such as hairdryers, large mirrors and spacious sink areas.
Atmosphere and Social
We stayed during the quieter times of Sunday to Wednesday, so some planned hostel activities were cancelled due to a lack of interest.
However, there were plenty scheduled for busier days, including a Saturday night trip to the city’s hottest nightspot Le Sucre, wine tastings and three-course dinners including local specialties.
The handsome bike we rented for the day from Away Hostel and Coffee Shop
When we chatted to the hostel folks, they were knowledgeable about their city and tourism. Particularly Lyon’s Velov bicycle rental system, the main galleries’ opening times, the subway system and nightlife. We rented one of their bicycles for the day, which we highly recommend. It was so much fun and a great way to see this bike-friendly city.
Sockets, shelves and lights for each bunk in Away Hostel and Coffee Shops’ ten-bed dorms
We really appreciated Away’s thoughtful freebies and facilities, such as padlocks and ear plugs, sockets, shelves and nightlights at each bed, bunks designed for extra privacy (see pictures), elevators, views over the park and its location on the doorstep of the eclectic and lively Croix-Rousse and other key neighbourhoods.
Four-bed mixed dorm €30
Ten-bed mixed dorm €25
Breakfast (served between 7am and 10:30am including coffee, pastries, toast and preserves) €5
Bicycle rental €13 half-day, €17 per day, Wine tasting and tour €7, Three-course dinner in hostel €10.
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China Post Global's acquisition of a European ETF platform signals growing interest in passive investment in the Asian funds world. George Mitton reports. Exchange-traded funds (ETFs) are not yet big business in Asia, but that is changing. In the first quarter of the year, a net $7 billion flowed into these and other exchange-traded products in the Asia-Pacific region excluding Japan. That brings total assets in these vehicles in this region to $121 billion, almost the same level as in Japan’s more developed ETF market, according to the data from ETFGI, a consultancy. In the overall Asia-Pacific region, including Japan, the market for these kinds of funds – passive, transparent, index-tracking vehicles with low fees – is about a tenth the size of the corresponding market in the US. A number of international companies are making moves into the Asian ETF sector. Amundi, the largest Europe-headquartered asset manager by assets, launched its first Asian-listed ETF in Hong Kong in April. Bank of Montreal Global Asset Management added four funds to its range of Hong Kong-domiciled ETFs in February. But the deal that raised the most eyebrows was the acquisition, by Hong Kong-based firm China Post Global, of a set of ten Frankfurt and Zurich-listed ETFs formerly owned by the Royal Bank of Scotland (see box, page 13). The deal suggested that, not content with booming growth in assets within their borders, Chinese asset managers want to expand through acquisitions in Europe and elsewhere – and they like the look of ETFs. Is the China Post deal part of a trend? GOING POSTAL
Although the newly acquired ETFs, which bear the name Market Access, are Europe-domiciled, they will soon be listed in Asia too. China Post Global plans to cross-list the funds immediately in Hong Kong. Shaun Cai, president of China Post Global, says the company hopes to sell the funds not only in Hong Kong but also in mainland China. The only question is how. One mechanism might appear to be the Mutual Recognition of Funds (MRF) scheme between Hong Kong and mainland China. ETFs are not yet eligible under the programme, which allows qualifying Hong Kong-domiciled funds to be distributed in mainland China (mainland Chinese funds enjoy the same treatment in Hong Kong). However, Chinese and Hong Kong regulators are widely expected to make ETFs eligible for registration soon. The problem is the MRF scheme is so far open only to Hong Kong or Chinese-domiciled funds and the new ETFs, being domiciled in Europe, would not qualify. “As far as we can tell, it would be difficult to use this route,” says Cai. Another avenue could be the Shanghai-Hong Kong Stock Connect. Although ETFs are not currently included in this scheme, which allows mainland Chinese investors to buy Hong Kong-listed stocks and vice versa, there is some hope they will be added. Once the Market Access ETFs are listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange, mainland Chinese investors could buy the ETFs just like they currently buy stocks. Would this work? Cai says this mechanism shows promise but notes that regulators have yet to confirm they will add ETFs to Stock Connect. “It’s an ongoing debate,” he says. There are other options. Within China, the firm can sell the new ETFs to investors who have a quota under the qualified domestic institutional investor (QDII) scheme. The company’s parent, China Post Fund, has applied for its own QDII quota too. If it gets it, China Post Fund plans to offer a kind of global asset allocation product – in essence, a fund of funds – which would use the newly acquired ETFs as components. “It would be a feeder or wrapper to bring in flows,” says Cai. With China Post Fund’s sizeable distribution network in China, this kind of product has the potential to bring in large inflows of Chinese money to the newly acquired ETFs. There is a problem, though. Chinese authorities seem to have put the brakes on QDII and other outbound schemes. Although the local regulator claims quotas have not been suspended, there have been reports of delays in gaining approval. The successor scheme, QDII 2, and another outbound investment scheme aimed at hedge funds, the qualified domestic limited partnership (QDLP) scheme, are reported to be mothballed. Cai is optimistic about the newly acquired ETF platform, however. Although there are currently obstacles towards distributing the new ETFs in China, the acquisition has given China Post Global a foothold in Europe and a basis on which to build further assets in future. OBSTACLES
The difficulties China Post Global will face in distributing its new ETFs in its home market are instructive because they are in essence the same difficulties international firms face in trying to bring their products into Asia’s largest market. China is where the growth is, but getting foreign funds into China is difficult (see our roundtable on pages 28-33). It is no wonder, then, that international firms are instead distributing their ETFs in markets such as Korea, Taiwan, Hong Kong and, of course, Japan. ETF providers face challenges in these markets too, though, especially in the retail sector. One is that distribution of funds to retail investors in much of Asia is still largely controlled by banks, and ETFs, with their relatively low fees, are typically not profitable for banks to sell. Justin Ong, asset and wealth management industry leader at consultancy PwC, says it may take the rise of internet and mobile-based distribution channels, including so-called robo-advisers, to make ETFs truly popular among retail clients. “The distribution channel has to change. When we see adviser platforms coming in, that’s when ETF flows will grow,” he says. Regulation also stands in the way of some kinds of ETF in Asia. Leveraged and inverse ETFs, which allow investors to magnify returns by taking on debt or to take short positions on an index, are a popular choice for investors in Japan and Korea. In Taiwan, figures from the Taiwan Stock Exchange state that the overall daily trading volume of ETFs rose 45% last year, a result that consultancy Cerulli Associates attributes to the introduction of leveraged and inverse ETFs. However, in many Asian markets, including China, such products have not been approved by local regulators. The authorities in Hong Kong have signalled that they may approve them soon, which could allow Korean firms such as Samsung Asset Management and Mirae Asset Management to make a grab for assets in Hong Kong with new product launches. Other countries will have to wait. It may be governments that have the biggest influence. As Asian countries develop their pension systems in response to ageing populations, many observers have predicted a role for passive funds, such as ETFs, which can provide the ‘core’ of schemes that are likely to be of the defined contribution type. No one doubts the upward growth of assets for passive funds in Asia, but it seems the problems facing traditional fund distribution in the continent – fragmented markets, unhelpful regulation and capital controls in countries such as China – apply to ETFs as surely as they do to actively managed funds. The boom in this market, assuming it continues, will not happen without challenges. ©2016 funds global asia
Neuberger Berman approved for China mutual fund business
Apac capital leading investment in UK office space
Executive Interviews
Executive interview: PGIM CEO on where the ESG flowers should bloom
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David Hunt, president and chief executive of PGIM, tells Romil Patel about leading a top 10 global asset manager in times where “empowering and encouraging the kind of investment decisions as...
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Nicolas Moreau, CEO of HSBC Asset Management, is moving to Asia as the firm looks to connect more directly with the region’s growth story. ESG is also a key focus – including the ‘just’ carbon...
Roundtable: Singapore comes of age as an Asian ESG hub
Dec 01, 2021
Strong ESG credentials strengthen the case for Singapore as a leader in Asia of the post-Covid recovery. Our panel discusses the risks and opportunities.
Roundtable: How well geared are Japanese assets for a new world?
Jul 12, 2021
As we prepare to emerge from Covid, experts look at overcoming demographic issues through a combination of good tech and corporate governance, improving productivity and meeting an ambitious government carbon emissions reduction target. Chaired by Romil Patel.
Andy Lemon of Northern Trust Capital Markets discusses why multiple global macro events and inflationary pressures are presenting challenges for asset managers and asset owners to address FX currency risk in their international portfolios.
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In "Why NCSE should be involved in the science– religion dialog" (Borgeson 2002), I offered some reasons for NCSE's decision to participate in this arena. There is a good deal of ferment in science–theology conversations today, and, interestingly, less emphasis on physics and more on biology. Indeed, there is increasing interest among theologians in complex systems, emergent features, and the evolutionary sciences, as reflected by many recent books in the field (such as Barbour 2002 and Peters and Hewlett 2003). At a recent symposium honoring him on his 80th birthday, Ian Barbour, de facto dean of the dialog in the United States, called for the continuation of this shift in emphasis.
Where does the "intelligent design" movement fit in the dialog? Representatives of the movement, most often William A Dembski, are from time to time invited to the table with scientists and academic theologians. Dembski subtitled his 1999 volume "The bridge between science and theology." But is "intelligent design" the bridge? Or is it just muddying the waters?
NCSE members are well informed on the scientific objections to "intelligent design". Many may not be aware that a number of scholars and religious leaders have raised theological objections, too. Here is a brief review of some of those points. I offer it in the hope that it will be helpful especially to our supporters and activists who are people of faith, and to other grassroots organizers who have asked for approaches that can counter "intelligent design" theologically.
Dembski has said on more than one occasion (2001; 2003) that "intelligent design" is theologically minimalist. Yet the literature of the "intelligent design" movement is laced with theological allusions, and its big tent has hosted many a religious revival. While one wants to believe the openness and modesty of Dembski's assertion, it is hard to do so given the religious orientation of the publishers of much of the movement's literature (InterVarsity Press leads the pack; others include Harvest House Publishers, Broadman and Holman, Ignatius Press, and Brazos Press, a member of Baker Publishing Group). At the IDEA conference held at the University of San Francisco in September 2002 (Branch 2002), several speakers seemed to assume a conservative Christian worldview among their audience, and one workshop leader, Cornelius Hunter, began his session with prayer. So, while explicit theological propositions may be rare in the "intelligent design" movement, implicit assumptions about the worldviews and pieties of those who are attracted to it abound.
Perhaps the first question theologians ask of "intelligent design" might be, "Is this Paley's natural theology in new clothes?" Many Christian theologians today would follow Barbour in finding greater integrity in a "theology of nature" approach than in natural theology. The distinction is that a theology of nature starts from a particular faith perspective, and then enters into dialog with what we know about nature through the sciences, rather than developing arguments for the existence of God from nature. When people of faith begin with an understanding of divine revelation from their scriptures and tradition, and then bring that into dialog with science, they are constructing a theology of nature. Not all theologies of nature are equally appealing to all people of faith; in fact, they can be quite narrow. For example, when an Answers in Genesis speaker exhorts his audience to "Start your thinking from the Bible!" he is building a theology of nature.
Perhaps some members of faith communities still think that natural theology has its place, since it starts with an experience of nature common to all people. But the question then becomes, from what aspects of nature is one developing one's apologetic? Is it from the artifacts and appearances of nature, or from its undergirding processes and propensities? At the 2003 Ecumenical Round Table on Science, Technology and the Church, Kendall Harmon, a conservative Anglican theologian, pointed out just how seductive "intelligent design" is. People perceive design in nature, and then find it very easy to jump to the conclusion, "God must have made it." When we perceive great beauty in nature, or an apparently cunning adaptation, our awe may be stopped short in just this way. Most of the theologians of evolution, though, suggest that we need to look to a deeper level for the truly awe-inspiring. In their view, it is the freedom God gives creation which inspires an awe that can be sustained. It is the providence undergirding the billions of years of evolving life that leads to a faith that is not shaken when we know the scientific explanations as well (for examples, see Edwards 1999; Haught 2003; Peacocke 2001). "Intelligent design", on the other hand, seems to ask us to look at the details we cannot now explain, rather than to the sweeping story of which our understanding continues to grow.
View of Creation
This leads me to another objection to "intelligent design" raised by theologians of evolution. "Intelligent design" seems to close off the future unfolding of life and our understanding of it. Those of us who have studied the movement can see how a "god of the gaps" approach fails to stimulate scientific inquiry. But it also fails us in constructing an open and hopeful future of our life with God. Haught points out that God is the ground of novelty, not just order, and the one who "makes all things new", as asserted in both Hebrew and Christian scriptures. In fact, Haught goes so far as to assert that "the central theme in the Bible's vision of God" is that of promise. God reduced to the role of designer cuts off the possibilities of emergent new realities, and ultimately, hope (Haught 2001, 2003).
"Creation" is used in two ways in Christian theology. It is used as roughly synonymous with nature, meaning all that exists because of God's loving it into being. But it also means the ongoing process by which God is continuously creating, sustaining and being present to all that exists, called classically creatio continua. Creation is thus not a once-and-for-all done deal, as in deism, nor is it an intermittent activity, as in a little flagellum assembly here, a little clotting cascade tinkering there. The "intelligent designer", then, somehow seems less than the ever-immanent and providential God of Christian theology.
The little we know about God from "intelligent design" is not congruent with an understanding of God that takes Hebrew and Christian scriptures seriously. When we read the pivotal texts and explore the key themes of scripture — in fact, even when we read Genesis 1–3 — looking for metaphor and deep meaning, not empirical science, we find little or no emphasis on a God who is designer and artificer. Instead, when we read the scriptures as a whole, we find a God who is first and foremost relational, that is, a loving God.
In Christian scripture, the central way in which God is related to his creation is, of course, through Christ's redemption of the suffering of the world. Out of this emerges a theodicy that embraces as the price of the freedom God has bestowed on creation what we often read as the cruelty and caprice of nature. A designer God, though, must also be the designer of pain and death. In theological terms, "intelligent design" offers no articulation of how salvation is accomplished and constructs a God that is hard to square with the God who is steadfast love and suffering servant. George Murphy, working within his Lutheran tradition, has placed much emphasis on a theology of the cross as central to an understanding of God's interaction with creation (Murphy 2002, 2003). Jürgen Moltmann stresses God's suffering with God's people, drawing on the Hebrew concept of shekinah and the kabbalistic concept of zimzum along with the Christian understanding of the kenosis (self-emptying) of God (Moltmann 2001). WH Vanstone pointed out in prose and hymn that the image of God as a creator, omnipotently, serenely, and detachedly presiding, then occasionally condescending to manipulate things to his will, is totally incongruent with what Christians know in the divine self-emptying of Christ (Vanstone 1977).
William Dembski has said that "intelligent design" is not a doctrine of creation, and we can agree with him. Yet "intelligent design" remains attractive to many believers. This can be attributed in part to the continuing polarization of science and faith in much of the media. But the appeal of "intelligent design" may also be attributed to its resonance with a theology of creation, persistent in favorite hymns, liturgical texts, and popular piety, where images and concepts remain untouched by the last century and a half of scientific discovery. So those of us who work in academic and popular theology can thank "intelligent design" for a great stimulus to do our work — developing a contemporary theology of creation — while we also recognize that "intelligent design" has offered little of substance to the science–theology dialog.
Instead, it has, in its equating of methodological naturalism with philosophical naturalism, and its recycling of a god of the gaps, attempted to colonize science with religion. It seems that the bridge has been hastily constructed for purposes of invasion, not to sustain the two-way traffic of an enduring dialog. A true dialog (Bohm 1996) allows each party to retain its integrity, while making its assumptions transparent to the others. Clearly this has not happened with "intelligent design". A constructive theology of evolution, or, as members of some faith communities might call it, an evolutionary understanding of creation, requires that science be itself, bring its best work to the dialog. Only good science, methodologically natural science, will offer a theology of nature the freedom it needs to express its own truths. As Robert J Russell, the founder and director of the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences in Berkeley, California, commented in a response to Dembski (2003), "I don't need to change biology to make it fit my theology."
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In an essay specially commissioned for the podcast, Aisha Sabatini Sloan describes rambling around Paris with her father, Lester Sloan, a longtime staff photographer for Newsweek, and a glamorous woman who befriends them. In an excerpt from The Art of Fiction no. 246, Rachel Cusk and Sheila Heti discuss how writing her first novel helped Cusk discover her “shape or identity or essence.” Next, Allan Gurganus’s reading of his story “It Had Wings,” about an arthritic woman who finds a fallen angel in her backyard, is interspersed with a version of the story rendered as a one-woman opera by the composer Bruce Saylor. The episode closes with “Dear Someone,” a poem by Deborah Landau.
Suggested Reading
Shopping Diary
November 25, 2022
"I have a $10 bill, and buying things in cash these days makes me feel like I’m getting it for free."
The Art of Fiction No. 252
In her study at home in North Bennington, 2018. Interview still frame courtesy of Stephanie Black.
Jamaica Kincaid was born Elaine Potter Richardson on Antigua in 1949. When she was sixteen, her family interrupted her education, sending her to work as a nanny in New York. In time, she put herself on another path. She went from the New School in Manhattan to Franconia College in New Hampshire, and worked at Magnum Photos and at the teen magazine Ingenue. In the mid-’70s, she began to write for The Village Voice, but it was at The New Yorker, where she became a regular columnist for the Talk of the Town section, that everything changed for her. Her early fiction, much of which also appeared in that magazine, was collected in At the Bottom of the River (1983), a book that, like her Talk stories, announced her themes, her style, the uncanny purity of her prose. She has published the novels Annie John (1985), Lucy (1990), The Autobiography of My Mother (1996), Mr. Potter (2002), and See Now Then (2013). A children’s book, Annie, Gwen, Lilly, Pam and Tulip, came out in 1986. Aside from the collected Talk Stories (2001), her nonfiction works include A Small Place (1988), a reckoning with the colonial legacy on Antigua; My Brother (1997), a memoir of the tragedy of AIDS in her family; and two books on gardening, My Garden (Book) (1999) and Among Flowers: A Walk in the Himalaya (2005).
Kincaid divides her time between Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she is a professor of African American studies at Harvard University, and Bennington, Vermont, where her large brown clapboard house with yellow window trim is shielded by trees. She has two children from her marriage to the composer Allen Shawn, the son of the former New Yorker editor William Shawn, and in the living room she displays on a table—proudly, apologetically—productions from the arts-and-crafts camps and classes that her son and daughter attended over the years. The study where she writes is a sunroom surrounded on three sides by windows. The terrace that starts at the back door ends in a border of stones; the lawn, planted with thousands of daffodils, slopes down to a thickly shaded creek. Nearby are a vegetable garden caged against wildlife and a cottage in which lives Trevor, her bearded young assistant. Over some twenty years, Kincaid has made what my partner, the poet James Fenton, calls a “plantsman’s garden,” full of rare species. Her hundreds of plants are layered into a composition of informal design, expressive of her refined aesthetic and untroubled eccentricity. She has plants that move her because of how they look or how they behave, or because of their histories.
This conversation began at a public event at the 92nd Street Y in 2013, and was picked up again in her Vermont kitchen eight years later, in the summer of 2021, when the social restrictions of the pandemic had, for a time, eased. Jamaica Kincaid is a generous host. She cooks with flair. Her big, broad-frame glasses evoke the Italian movie stars of the sixties. The years have gone by, but she is still tall. Her voice is as musical as ever, high-pitched, the Anglo-Caribbean lilt beguiling. She is a presence; everything begins to happen when she talks. In person and on the page, Kincaid’s is a literary voice. She is alive to the advantage in the irony that her literary heritage had not predicted her, exalted, brave, free.
Why did your family send you to America? Wasn’t London still a capital of empire in the mid-’60s, the cultural center of the Commonwealth?
If they’d known anyone in London, they would have sent me there. But they didn’t have any long-term plan in mind. The idea wasn’t that I would establish myself and then have the rest of my family join me. I was simply sent away to support them. My father—my stepfather—had gotten ill, and my parents had three boy children. The arrival of my youngest brother had plunged us into a kind of poverty we’d never known. It used to be a tradition in agricultural families that you’d sacrifice the eldest child. I remember the darkness of being sent away—sheer misery of a kind that I didn’t know existed. Until then homesickness was something I only knew from books. I think I first came across it in one of the Brontës.
So there wasn’t any excitement in it?
Not at all, because I was going as a servant. I remember walking in the hot sun to one of the American bases in Antigua—past the crazy house, as we called the lunatic asylum, and the dead house, where the bodies of people who died in the hospital were put until they were collected by the undertaker—to be interviewed by an American soldier’s wife. I was very bitter about it because I had before me what seemed to be a successful future. I might have gone to the University of the West Indies. I would have gotten a scholarship. It seemed cruel even to other people because I was known as what we called a “bright child.” No, there wasn’t any cause for celebration, though my mother did make me a new dress and see me off to the airport.
Homesickness—this kind of interrupted love—is a big element in your work.
Well, perhaps, but I never really felt I belonged even in Antigua, even when I was little. My mother came from Dominica, and the thing about those little islands is that people from one island or the other don’t like each other. She was an outsider in Antigua, and she looked different. She was part Carib Indian, and they used to call her the Red Woman.
I suppose that my work is always mourning something, the loss of a paradise—not the thing that comes after you die, but the thing that you had before. I often think of the time before my brothers were born—and this might sound very childish, but I don’t care—as this paradise of my mother and me always being together. There were times when my mother and I would go swimming and she would disappear for a second, and I would imagine the depths just rolling over her, that she’d go deeper and deeper and I’d never see her again . . . And then she would pop up somewhere else. Those memories are a constant source of some strange pleasure for me.
I was pulled out of school to take care of my youngest brother while my mother went to work, and when she realized I hadn’t been looking after him properly, that I had been reading instead, she gathered all the books I had stolen from the library over the years and burned them. You can probably tell from my writing that I’m obsessed with notions of justice and injustice—those things that are wrong that can never be made right.
Nowadays if I were to be homesick it would be for Vermont, which is strange. But perhaps it makes sense—I grew up in a place where I saw the sea every day and, near the end of my life, I’m living in a place where the water has run out.
Did Lucy come out of a feeling that you needed to put your arrival to America in its place somehow—to examine it, or to leave it behind?
Not so much to put anything in its place as to give an account of what had happened to me. Lucy is about the making of a person. You can see in it the sentimentality of Jane Eyre. A sense of, I’m all alone in the world, and I have integrity. You might want this, but I will do that. Lucy stops sending her salary home, and I did stop sending mine. I still have the clothes I bought at Bonwit Teller. I was the best-dressed nanny you ever saw.
Were you refashioning yourself?
I loved dressing up and going out. You might say that was the influence of my mother. By the time my youngest brother was born her life had collapsed on her, but she was a very elegant woman when I was young. I used to be ashamed to be seen with her because she was so sexy—men of all ages would stop her and talk to her. I remember she wore her hair in a French roll, and she wore what they called a hobble skirt.
After I moved to New York, I modeled for people like Steven Meisel. I clearly had one of those eating problems, but I didn’t know what they were. I didn’t know that there was anything about me that had a name, that could be diagnosed. I ended up smoking Lucky Strikes, just because I liked the way it looked, the gesture. For some reason, I decided to cut off my hair and bleach it blond. I dressed in old clothes, thrift-shop clothes.
I styled myself to look like no one else. And I also knew I didn’t want to write like anyone else. When I started writing Talk pieces at The New Yorker, I tried to get away from the anonymous “we” they used. They had very good writers, but they were these old, stout white men. I hated the we. I had such contempt for a certain kind of writing, which I would now call “white writing.” It was so dull and mannered.
From the Archive, Issue 239
Episode 22: “Form and Formlessness”
, November 2021
In an essay specially commissioned for the podcast, Aisha Sabatini Sloan describes rambling around Paris with her father, Lester Sloan, a longtime staff photographer for Newsweek, and a glamorous woman who befriends them. In an excerpt from The Art of Fiction no. 246, Rachel Cusk and Sheila Heti discuss how writing her first novel helped Cusk discover her “shape or identity or essence.” Next, Allan Gurganus’s reading of his story “It Had Wings,” about an arthritic woman who finds a fallen angel in her backyard, is interspersed with a version of the story rendered as a one-woman opera by the composer Bruce Saylor. The episode closes with “Dear Someone,” a poem by Deborah Landau.
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Are the hallways in your house considered to be necessary but wasted space? Hallways get us from Point A to Point B, but they can do much more for home security and household safety.
Three safety measures to consider in your hallways:
The National Fire Protection Association reports that nearly 3,000 people died in structure fires per year, 60% of them didn’t have smoke alarms. Smoke alarms are essential for detecting life threatening fires, and could mean the difference between life and death. Even better, monitored smoke alarms – reduce the risk greatly. EMC Security monitors for fire at no additional monthly cost.
It’s recommended you place a smoke detector outside of every bedroom and on every floor of your home, so hallways are an ideal place to install them.
Cars, gas stoves, and other appliances emit poisonous, odorless carbon monoxide gas that can knock you unconscious and kill you. Carbon monoxide detectors can save your life. Install one on every floor in your home—including the basement and garage.
Keep kids and pets out of harm’s way—and out of rooms that are off-limits—by installing gates. Depending on your needs, choose gates that span large spaces, protect kids and animals from falling down the stairs, or that are aesthetically pleasing.
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EMC security has superb customer service and it is a pleasure to speak with them about anything. They respond quickly and for those of us technologically challenged, provide excellent instructions. Pricing is great as well. I urge you to check them out for your security needs.
Love the new Security system at my house Walton EMC are neighbors and many people in my subdivision uses it. Installation was flawless and installer gave excellent instructions on use. We feel so much more safer at nights and when away from house and the video doorbell works flawlessly.
I work with this company many years. I totally recommend it. The last time they came, I had another situation on the house, beside what he came to see, and John Arias Rosario was very helpful to figure out what was going on. Thank you very much John and EMC company.
Great experience. Technician made sure we understand the system completely and spent time to help insure that remote access worked. Mistakenly have set off alarm twice and received an immediate response. Very professional and understanding individuals who have been a pleasure to work with
The simplicity is what got me. Nominal fee, basic coverage, alerts that work without wondering if someone is going to hack into my system and spy on my family. The gentleman who came and installed the system was extremely patient and helpful. A few days later when I forgot how to do something customer service not only walked me through the process, but snail mailed me literature too. Any issue I've had has been quickly and friendly remedied. I'm extremely happy with my service.
I recently moved and EMC Security is part of my electric utility co-op, so I decided to add their alarm monitoring service to my existing alarm system. From the sales rep to the technicians and everyone in between, I have been more than pleased with this company and their services. I have not had any alarms go off yet, but I’m sure that EMC Security will be just as good as they have been so far if they ever do!
EMC security is first class all around. As a repeat customer with a second installation I can honestly say it was an excellent experience both times. From the moment I first called their customer service, all staff on hand are professional, courteous and always on time. They addressed all my questions and concerns and walked me through how to access and use my new system. Additionally, there followup post installation was a nice touch! Safety and security is important, having a reliable security company monitoring and protecting your family is priceless. I would highly recommend Jackson EMC to anyone.
EMC security is first class all around. As a repeat customer with a second installation I can honestly say it was an excellent experience both times. From the moment I first called their customer service, all staff on hand are professional, courteous and always on time. They addressed all my questions and concerns and walked me through how to access and use my new system. Additionally, there followup post installation was a nice touch! Safety and security is important, having a reliable security company monitoring and protecting your family is priceless. I would highly recommend Jackson EMC to anyone.
EMC offers get service at a great price. Response time is great when the alarm sounds. Makes me feel safe to know I have them watching my back. The technician that came to my house was very knowledgeable and polite, made me feel comfortable while he was there.
EMC offers get service at a great price. Response time is great when the alarm sounds. Makes me feel safe to know I have them watching my back. The technician that came to my house was very knowledgeable and polite, made me feel comfortable while he was there.
The best alarm service by far! The service is very affordable. No other company can provide the same services for such a low price. They are always available should you have any questions. Very easy to operate!
My experience from beginning to end was excellent. Sales with Lori was quick and easy. The install technician, Parker, was awesome. He was knowledgeable, curious, patient and efficient. I highly recommend this Security company.
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The graceful ladies from this Central Asian country can make you happy and your friends jealous. Turkmenistan brides for marriage are sincere, polite, loyal women who will always stand by their husbands’ side. These well-educated and career-oriented ladies can be your ideal soulmate, but dating these precious pearls is a different ball game. The mystical and beautiful Turkmenistan women will conquer your heart as they are committed lovers, caring homemakers, and wise mothers. But you should also know about the norms and restrictions before dating women from Turkmen culture. This review will help you understand these stunning and intelligent ladies and give advice on how to meet your ideal Turkmen soulmate.
You should not underestimate the charming and smart Turkmen women if you have never met them. These beauties have many things to offer when it comes to serious relationships. These mesmerizing women know their worth and don’t stress themselves on what foreign men say about them. Let’s find out what characteristics of Turkmenistan brides for marriage make them stand out from others.
If you want to marry a woman with attractive facial looks, soft and long hair, and perfect body shape, you should look out for Turkmenistan women dating sites. These ladies pride themselves as polite, friendly, humble, educated, and exotic beauties. These impressive characteristics set them apart from their Asian counterparts. With their distinct features and ability to adapt to the desired norms, these beauties appeal to different kinds of foreign men. They look equally beautiful without any make-up, and if they put on some, they look like supermodels.
Hospitality
Turkmenistan is a country of polite and accommodating people, and its local ladies are kind and friendly, especially toward foreign visitors. The mystical Turkmenistan women have grown up in families with traditional values that teach them to be kind to others. Therefore, these women are sincere and well-mannered, as they will always prioritize the demands of their partners. If you want a solid reason to marry a Turkmen woman in the future, you will be glad to know that she will never stress you out with unreasonable demands.
Foreign men often think Turkmen brides are very reserved; it might be right for most online brides from this country. In reality though, these ladies want to look elegant and innocent and hide their feelings when men approach them for the first time. When you meet a local single, you will love her open-heartedness and sincerity. This is not an overstatement that when a Turkmenistan bride knows her partner’s pure intentions, she will reveal her true self. As the relationship moves forward, she will keep showering you with love and admiration. Also, she will politely tell you if something goes wrong. She will never tolerate lying in her serious relationship, so you should always be honest and loyal.
Turkmenistan women, the bright and elegant brides of the East, are a bit private, but this characteristic has its charm. These ladies follow traditional beliefs and lifestyles and love their country. They have dreamt of starting a family and raising many children. They are prepared to do the housework as they have been living in large families. They are motivated to begin their married life with trust, loyalty, and mutual understanding to make it successful.
REPLY RATE
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Best for Russian Brides
99%
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While the striking beauty of Turkmenistan brides for marriage is as scarce as hen’s teeth, western men should be lucky to marry such women because:
They are good-natured wives
Once you are in a serious relationship with a local girl, you will learn more about her nature and other characteristics. Amiability is an attribute that is common among these ladies. Apart from their exoticness, these girls are the most sought after brides due to their good nature, politeness, hospitality, and home-keeping prowess. If you want to have a rare diamond on your hands, you should court and marry a Turkmen woman.
They follow the lead
Due to their traditional lifestyle, where Turkmenistan women are taught family and public values and ethics, they will let their partner take the lead. The environment where they grew up has impacted their personalities: they naturally accept the male leads, take responsibilities, and make important decisions. So, most Turkmenistan women are fine if their future husbands are also going to take leadership and decide everything on their behalf. These ladies will gladly settle down and offer their constant support instead of arguing about leading the relationship.
They follow the household routine
Men know that western ladies hate working around the home tasks, but Turkmen brides happily follow a household routine. They grew up in large families and learned to help their mothers and grandmothers in dealing with various chores. They will make their future husbands comfortable by dealing with these tasks as they have learned how to maintain a home from an early age. They will quickly adapt their partners’ lifestyles and preferences and maintain home comfort once they start their family lives.
They always support their husbands
A typical Turkmen woman prioritizes her career and supports her partner to become successful. These ladies are well-educated, career-oriented, and diligent, but they are also the most encouraging partners. Your future Turkmenistan bride will always stay beside you in good and bad situations as she makes your success a matter of highest importance. She will be the ideal wife you have always desired.
Turkmen brides’ exotic appearance is bewitching: their perfect facial proportions and beautiful appearance make them the most enviable brides in Asia. Thanks to the mixed Asian and European features that lead to their enhanced beauty, their endearing appearance makes them look like models, which makes foreign men fall in love with them. These incredibly beautiful ladies have some exceptional qualities that can’t go unnoticed. Every man dreams of marrying a Turkmen woman. To attract a beautiful local woman, you should follow these tips:
Be Courteous. Local men treat Turkmenistan women with respect – these females feel protected in their country. Even in public, these girls will never feel the danger as men will never mistreat them. Your Turkmen girlfriend will expect similar behavior from you. If you want to impress her, treat her with dignity and care, and she will not hesitate to become your girlfriend.
Show respect to her traditions. Turkmenistan tradition and way of life vary from western countries: treating the elderly with respect is vital to the Turkmen culture. If you have met your future bride on an online dating platform and are considering meeting her, you should know that she deeply values the “respect your elders” sentiment. And if you can show your girlfriend that you care for the elderly, this will help create a strong bond. Once she knows that you know about her culture and traditions, she will start counting on you.
Behave like a Gentleman. Just be yourself on your first date. Your date will go well if your girlfriend feels that you are honest with her. Otherwise, it is unlikely that she will seriously think about the relationship. Turkmenistan women may seem reserved at first, but they love when men try to seduce them by behaving gently, presenting small presents, and appreciating their beauty.
Don’t try to make your relationship intimate instantly. Most Turkmen brides are from Muslim families; their culture and family values are strict regarding the innocence of women before marriage. Though your girlfriend is well-educated, wears western dresses, and hangs out with you, she may not go further than her parents and community will not allow that. It will take some time for your relationship to become more intimate, and you should not push things forward.
REPLY RATE
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Best for Russian Brides
99%
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Turkmenistan brides for marriage consider foreign men as an ideal choice to start a family. To increase your chances of meeting your Mrs. Right, here are some tricks to help you conquer your heart and convert your friendship into a serious relationship:
Gain Financial Stability. To marry a charming local woman, foreign men should be able to show a safe material base for their future wives. This ensures the family of the bride that her husband can ensure the comfort of their daughter as well as children. Local women are also very supportive, and they will not make it a necessary condition to marry them. Still, men take leadership roles and are expected to provide for the family.
Don’t offer her alcohol or smoking. Turkmenistan women’s priority is the honor of the family. Which is why most women don’t smoke or drink alcohol. If you have met your Turkmen girlfriend online, she will tell you that she refrains from such habits, which is true.
Give impactful compliments. These ladies love when men compliment their beauty and personal qualities. But it is an art to be able to compliment another person and make them smile from time to time. You should know about her likes, interests, and goals before genuinely complimenting her – that affirms her personality and touches her heart.
Try speaking her language. The local language resembles Turkish, and some Russian words are often used since the country was part of the Soviet Union. Very few Turkmenistan women can speak English. Your girlfriend will appreciate it if you try to make the interaction exciting by speaking a few words in her native language.
How to Find a Reliable Turkmenistan Dating Website?
When you are looking for the best online dating platforms to find “the one,” only a few websites can be trusted. To make your dating journey pleasant and avoid fraudsters, you should always register in authentic dating platforms with real Turkmen brides’ profiles. Here are a few checking points to find reliable Turkmenistan dating sites:
Website navigation and layout. A genuine dating website will pair you with a Turkmen woman with a similar personality and interests. As you will be spending more time navigating the site and browsing profiles, the service’s web design should be responsive with a simplistic layout that makes it easier to find relevant information;
24/7 customer support. The platform should guarantee that its members can contact the customer representatives whenever necessary. The service should offer uninterrupted assistance through several channels. Otherwise, you should look for another dating service;
Membership plans. Before signing up on any Turkmenistan dating website, check whether the membership cost highlights the paid features. Compare the policies of several dating sites before deciding to register on one;
Functions and Services. If the site offers several features and extra services, it is a kickass dating service. Online dating has gradually become an essential part of many singles, and websites are offering unique functions to attract the audience. Some essential features include advanced search filters, finding singles nearby, profile viewers, date tracker, members’ privacy, translation services, mobile application, etc.;
User reviews: Client testimonials talk a lot about the quality of profiles and the service itself. Before purchasing any plan, consider all the pros and cons of the website by first reviewing the trust ratings.
As you have checked the characteristics of Turkmenistan women, you will realize how amazing these ladies are. If you want to date them, there are several dating sites to help you out. You should not worry about meeting them as Turkmen women are less demanding, sincere, polite, supportive, and intelligent. Compared to their American counterparts, Turkmen ladies are good-natured wives who can quickly adapt to their husbands' lifestyle. Unlike American ladies, Turkmenistan women will rely on their partners' decisions and never argue for taking the leadership role. They will prioritize their husbands' over their careers, raise kids, and do household chores. Turkmen brides will make great wives who will never use their life partner as a stepping stone to something else.
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The Lasallian Foundation was established in 2004 by the De La Salle Brothers to support educational works and initiatives in the Asia-Pacific region.
Since its establishment in 2004, the Lasallian Foundation has supported projects and initiatives in Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Sri Lanka, India, Myanmar, Thailand, Cambodia and South Sudan. In recent years, the focus of the Lasallian Foundation has narrowed so that Pakistan and Papua New Guinea are now its main areas of operation.
A unique multi-faceted part of the Lasallian District, as well as a well-regarded professional charity, is yourtown, based in Brisbane. With non-denominational programs and services at both a national and local level, it helps young people and families to improve their lives in a multitude of ways. With over 600 staff of counsellors, youth workers, indigenous mentors, vocational/trades trainers, employment consultants, child & family workers and policy writers, it is a proud network of services. These are financed through art unions and donor support, and some funded partnerships with government and businesses.
The vision articulated by yourtown, is to transform especially young peoples' lives, and to strengthen communities they and adults live in. This encapsulates the core of the Lasallian mission - to enable young people, especially those who are marginalised and without voice to be educated and skilled for life. Looking to answer the educational, training and welfare needs of young people has been the 'business', the mission of the De La Salle Brothers and their Partners for 340 years.
The agency first opened its doors as "BoysTown" in 1961. when the De La Salle Brothers set up a Queensland-based residential school and home for youth, largely referred from the courts. With a working farm and later a cattle stud, it branched into outreach programs, and by 1991 to Kids Helpline. Evolution in the organisation changed many things - the services delivered, and the way it interacted inclusively with the community. The 2016 name-change and philosophy reflect the modern professional world yourtown is embedded in. (In terms of governance, yourtown is an incorporated entity, with an independent board, under the ownership of the Brothers' Institute.)
The number of services delivered are astounding. They include education, mentoring, counselling, vocational and trades training, job seeking, family crisis intervention and associated programs for marginalised youth and parents. Social, personal psychological and economic issues often demand help in re-engaging people in the community whatever their race, gender or situation.
Inclusivity and Community are strongly valued at yourtown, and are reflective of its original growth in the 1960's on. Education and engagement are central to all service programs. This fits neatly with the value of Quality Education & Learning. Brothers and Lasallian institutions have always prided themselves on this professional outcome. Concomitantly, the varied sectors of yourtown staff find and build strong bonds with youth and sometimes parents, becoming sister and brother role-models as they work together. An underlying result is what could be termed a Family-style Association of Lasallians. Over the years large numbers of yourtown staff have shared in Lasallian in-service / formation, in their stories of Service/ Work for Youth, especially the Disadvantaged.
A shining service achievement has been Kids Helpline (KHL), 30 years old this year. Initiated in a visionary way by Br. Paul Smith, it is a free, private and confidential counselling service for children and young people, and is the sole one, Australia-wide. KHL professionally trains counsellors who are available 24/7 via phone, Web Chat and email. Children and young people can contact the service about anything and for any reason. Known and advertised in all media regularly, KHL answers many thousands of contacts every year about issues like suicide, abuse, domestic and family violence, self-injury and bullying.
Parentline in Queensland and the Northern Territory (Aust.) provides professional counselling, education and support about issues such as parent-child relationships, custody and access, and mental health and emotional wellbeing. In addition, there is face-to-face counselling in many of yourtown services, e.g. the Family Mental Health Program.
A major sector of yourtown is the area of employment & training. There are 23 locations in four states which provide help in job-seeking preparation, search and follow-up. Youth who are unemployed can access skills vocational training, especially in Qld. in six areas and in three other states in Australia. On-the-job experience and skills development are other avenues offered.
I had no work experience and it was hard to get a foot in the door but yourtown helped me with my resume and work-ready skills, and get the job I'm in now. I'm a junior draftsperson and practically jack-of-all-trade s for the company, and I love it.
Mentoring is an important part of all the programs where staff are expected to lead by example, as members of a yourtown community that cares. Services like the Youth Engagement Program include formal mentoring such as literacy tutoring by yourtown volunteers. Other programs include a domestic & family violence service, with a specialist accommodation for families in great need in the outer suburbs of Sydney. Another program is conducted in partnership in a "Building Communities Program" in outer Brisbane.
With the heavy burdens for welfare / well-being support experienced by schools, yourtown has expanded into other learning arenas like School-based Traineeships for Indigenous Students, Youth Mental Health intervention, Youth at-risk Support, Youth Offenders Prison Support and early school leavers at high-risk. Primary schools are using at-touch technology to access mental well-being, resilience & help-seeking skills development.
All these services provide a rich information database which yourtown uses in advocacy work in the welfare sector, as well as professional research. This contributes to government enquiries and dissemination of statistics on key youth issues and needs to the general community awareness.
For more information visit www.yourtown.com.au
In the 1970s, in many places throughout the Lasallian world, lay persons who wanted a more committed Christian life asked the Brothers of the Christian Schools to be able to share more closely with them not just their educational work but also their own spirit. This is how the Signum Fidei Fraternity came into being. The Signum Fidei Fraternity member is an adult lay Christian, man or woman, who has been called by God in a special way.
The member wishes to live his or her baptismal consecration more fully and to be in the world and particularly in the field of Christian education, a living sign of God’s love for humankind, especially amidst the poor and the abandoned.
The Signum Fidei Fraternity is part of the Lasallian Family and its members are associated in small communities that belong to a Lasallian District, Sub-District or Delegation. All members of the Fraternity strive to integrate the essential elements of their vocation in their lives in the following way: The Signum Fidei member is an adult, lay Christian who, by responding to the Lord’s call, realizes his or her baptismal commitment through the Signum Fidei Consecration and is committed to follow Jesus by living the Gospel radically.
The Signum Fidei member strives to follow the Gospel journey of Saint John Baptist de La Salle and deepen their Lasallian spirituality. All members live in a community of faith in which Lasallian fraternity is experienced. The Signum Fidei member is a living witness for others in their family life, in their professional work and in their social relationships.
In New Zealand, we have a dedicated Signum Fidei Community on campus at John Paul College in Rotorua. The group renews their commitment annually and have an on-going focus of care with the Pacific Island students enrolled at John Paul.
In 1972 the Sisters of Mercy from Auckland established a mission in the village of Leulumoega in response to an invitation from the Archbishop of Samoa to administer and staff a secondary school for girls. The only rural Catholic secondary school on the main island of Upolu, Paul VI College is named after the first pope to visit Samoa during his trip to Australia and the Pacific in 1970. The governance of Paul VI College returned to the Diocese of Samoa in December 2014 after the departure of the Sisters of Mercy.
The school remains under the ownership and authority of the Archbishop of Samoa. Contacts made during a De La Salle College (New Zealand) visit to Samoa resulted in an invitation by the Archbishop to enter into discussions around the De La Salle Brothers providing the gift of the Lasallian charism to Paul VI College.
La Salle School of Culinary Art
La Salle School of Culinary Art
The mission is shared between the Brothers and Lasallian Partners whose mission is to provide a human and Christian education to the young, especially the poor. The Lasallian Family aims to:
Revitalise and energise effective teaching and learning.
Ensure formation and professional support for Lasallians, especially those in remote areas.
Be active in addressing issues that affect human and Christian education of young people.
Empower youths through Lasallian Youth Ministry.
Increase membership of Lasallian teachers in the PNG Lasallian Family.
Ensure financial sustainability.
The National Office for the Lasallian Family of Papua New Guinea is located at Lasalle Technical College, Hohola, Port Moresby.
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