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Review: SkinFood Fermented Soy Milk Wrinkle Care Sleeping Mask
I've been using this every night for a little over a month now. I got this because while I'm not 'terrified' of wrinkles, I feel like I'd rather be safe than sorry. Plus I was curious about the idea of 'sleeping masks', which was why I picked this up. The Laniege Sleeping Pack EX is a more popular (and expensive) sleeping mask that tends to go for $20+ online; this was my alternative and I'm quite pleased I tried this overall ^_^
Cost: $14.70 @ Sasa. Quite a reasonable price considering it retails for 14000won (~$12.50 USD) in Korea according to Cosmeddicted :)
Skin Food Fermented Soy Milk Wrinkle Care Sleeping Mask is an anti-wrinkle sleeping mask that contains adenosine and soy milk ferment extract. It forms a protective layer onto skin and provides continuous moisturization overnight, making skin smooth, resilient, and moist by morning. - From Sasa
Leave on facial mask steeps skin in potent anti-wrinkle ingredients, soothing and healing skin while you sleep, to deliver a fresh and youthful complexion, with improved resilience and texture, in the morning. Recommended for aging and wrinkle-prone skin types. Gently massage sleeping pack on skin as the last step of your nighttime skin routine. - From YesStyle
Directions: After emulsion or essence, apply desired amount evenly onto face and gently massage to absorb.
Packaging: Love the hygienic pump! No real complaints, everything is sturdy and pumps smoothly. Honestly, this is definitely one of the best pumps on a beauty product I've tried - it never catches, splatters or leaks ^_^! The cap fits tightly too so this is quite portable. If I had to be super nitpicky though, I'd say that one full pump gives enough for almost two uses so you need to do half a pump if you don't want to use it up too fast. Overall, the packaging is simple yet excellent.
Top: one pump
Bottom: totally absorbed (~15-30s)
Texture: A lovely, milky white watery gel. It soaks in pretty fast but if you put on too much you'll have a slightly oily looking sheen in the morning. No biggie though, this is a sleeping MASK, not a lotion anyway. Super light and I'm quite fond of the gel texture, which is a refreshing change from how gels are usually drying/not moisturizing.
Scent: I wouldn't say it smells like soy milk (the best soy milk product: Silk Whitia Soy Milk mask = LOVE), but it's a fine scent nonetheless. It has a vaguely artificial, fresh, clean scent. I can't quite put my finger on it but it's inoffensive and mild.
Experience: Really nice. I put this on as a last step at night. I usually use about 3/4 of a pump and liberally massage it into my face and neck. It feels a little "wet" when you put it on at first but it soaks in quickly and feels refreshing. Like my face is "drinking" it in :D I don't believe this leaves a residue even though when I wake up in the morning sometimes I'll have a little sheen of oil? on my forehead. I think it's just a sign of hydration ^^ and in any case, it's easily remedied with a swipe of toner or a splash of water. I have never experienced any irritation or breakouts.
Results: I find this to be a very hydrating (but not overly so) mask. As far as I'm concerned, sleeping mask is basically a synonym for lotion/moisturizer, but whatever the name, the results are good. I am a very oily skinned person and strictly in the "It's Impossible to Over-Moisturize" Camp. I find that generously moisturizing at night actually keeps my face fairly oil-free during the day. This neatly ties into the fact that oil secretion increases when your skin is too dry. Thus oily people should actually moisturize more. This philosophy works for me quite well and I have seen a remarkable decrease in oiliness after incorporating sheet masks and a reliable moisturizer into my skincare routine. I would say that this sleeping mask helps too. My skin is always nice and plump in the morning and the fact that it has anti-wrinkle prevention in the ingredients is just a bonus.
I find that this works well for me and will probably re-purchase it in the future. I like the light gel-like texture, the quick absorption, and low maintenance quality of not having to wash it off. It's simply a very convenient boost of hydration + wrinkle care in one. The hygienic pump and fair price seals the deal for me. One caveat: I admit I have no idea if this is actually preventing wrinkles. I suppose it's one of those things where only the absence of something proves your point ^^ For now I am content to just believe I am preventing future wrinkles while hydrating my skin :}
I recommend that everybody try this. Also it seems fairly gentle so even sensitive skinned peeps can use it. For people on the fence about whether chicks in their 20s should use anti-aging products, this mask is a good compromise by rolling a gentle anti-wrinkle and moisturization all-in-one for a good price. It's not an intensive anti-wrinkle cream by any means but still provides a small measure of prevention :)
Fyi SkinFood has a Fermented Pomegranate version of this mask (review from Cosmeddicted). However, the Pomegranate version is a whitening mask, not a wrinkle care one. Also Cosmeddicted says the mask doesn't actually whiten though and we all know how I feel about beauty products that don't do what is promises ;)
Review: My Beauty Diary Damask Rose Mask
Whee~ here's the last Blooming of Beauty mask I've tried. It's probably my second favorite of the three, but in terms of's my #1 :) And to respond to Joyce, yessss I got the maximum of 7 Zoya polishes (aka I got 14) from the Zoya BOGO promo! I spent so much I even qualified for free shipping -_- but ultimately, 14 polishes for $56 = $4/polish w00t! I plead temporary insanity but lord knows I AM EXCITED. I've heard a lot of complaints about the Sunshine collection's formula but I don't care, I love sparkles so I think I got all the colors except for Rica ^_^v Overall, though I would say I've seen better collections - all three Zoya collections for Spring were so...dupable in some ways. I dunno. For people who missed out, no worries. Zoya does a lot of excellent promos, some are BOGO free on the entire website so this promo, in the big picture, was not actually all that great. Lastly, I've been wrapped up in a lot of stuff lately, hence the ever-so-slow updates and lack of blog-hopping/commenting :(
Purchased at: BonjourHK
Price: $7.60 USD/5 masks = $1.52/mask + S&H
Description: Brightening, moisturizing, improve skin radiance.
Suitable for: All skin types.
Experience: I was so excited about this whole "ice cream in a mask" idea. When I opened the packet I got a whiff of a very sweet rose...if that makes any sense. It was a pretty mild scent so even as a not-crazy-about-rose-scented-things person, I liked it. Whilst I had on this mask, the experience was quite nice. Nice fragrance, mask stuck on well, no irritation. Afterward my face looked brighter and more radiant. My face felt moisturized and all in all, it was a good spa-like experience. Downside, I expected some kind of massive cooling effect (ice cream anyone?) and this mask was just cool when I initially put it on and that's it :\ In other words, it was only cool on my face for 5-10 minutes because's just wet. Given, redness did go down but regardless, I was looking for a cooling effect a la Skin Food Vita-A Gel mask. Speaking of, I have yet to encounter a face mask as wonderfully cooling as those SF gel masks (they're a close contender for my #1 mask of all time actually ^_~).
Fit: Cut and size are identical to the MBD Natural Key line masks. 2 slits around the chin and as I've said 100x before, MBD masks happen to fit me perfectly so the fit was excellent.
Scent: A sugary sweet rose. There's really no other way to describe it. Very mild and pleasant; tolerable to even those not nuts about rose scented things :)
Mask texture: Smooth, silky, very absorbent, a hair thinner than the regular MBD Natural Key line.
Excess serum: Mask itself is well drenched but there is only about dime sized amount of excess serum for your neck.
Claims: Brightening, moisturizing, improve skin radiance. I would say this mask does all these things. It mostly temporarily brightens and improves radiance. This mask is moisturizing, yes but it's not SO moisturizing I'd recommend this for dry skinned peeps. As an oily skinned person though, this was just enough hydration. In any case, if you're looking for moisturization in the Blooming of Beauty line, apparently the Sunflower mask is the way to go. Overall, I'd say this mask does what it claims to do.
Overall Results: Quite good, it does everything it promises and the experience of using it is always nice. I have no significant complaints about it other than I wish it had an more tangible cooling effect to play into the ice cream theme. That's just a nitpick though. However, even though this mask is a good 8/10 at least, I probably would not repurchase this. I say this because personally I have enjoyed other masks more and the price tag is too much for results I can get from (ever so slightly) cheaper masks. I literally use sheet masks at least every other day (minimum 3-4x a week) because they have made a huge difference for me. I know this sounds like a nutty investment to others but it's what works for me. Hence I need quite a large hoard of sheet masks to get me through the months and those few cents add up for me fast. While the results of this mask were nice, I just happen to like other masks more (which I will discuss in my Uber-Ranking of Sheet Masks post... which I will finish soon, God willing). This mask didn't blow me away by any means but I don't regret buying a box to try at all :)
Overall, I do recommend people try this mask for themselves. It's a fun, sweetly scented, gentle, effective mask. Price isn't too bad at all either, very reasonable on BonjourHK. Don't expect miracles, but it does the job~
NOTD: Zoya Freja + Zoya BOGO Free Promo
I couldn't get a good picture of this polish for some reason....the sun was being *too* bright. Huh, you don't hear that complaint every day. Except from nerdy dweebs who have pretensions of vampirism and are bleached pale from a lack of sunlight and too much COMPUTER. Oh wait, that's me :)
Seche Vite Base Coat
Zoya Freja - 3 coats
Seche Vite Top Coat
I've said many times that this is my favorite nail polish - and it still is! It's a gorgeous, classic gunmetal that was a fall/winter staple for me; I'll probably put this aside for spring/summer though. The formula of this polish is amazing, even on Zoya standards. These nails are already about a week old since I snapped these pics and absolutely no chipping :D Application is so easy too, super smooth, never patchy, and totally opaque after 2 coats, but 3 is perfect. This isn't just a flat gunmetal, there are subtle silver micro-glitters in that make this polish quite complex. The color is just so versatile and goes with everything, honestly I have no complaints about it. Some may find this color a little boring after the deluge of pastels and hot neon colors Zoya and Nubar have been flinging out, but to me gunmetal is like black and white - totally timeless and never out of style. Very much recommended and my #1 personal favorite.
So, yeah I need to stop myself from raving more about what is ultimately but a bottle of nail polish ;) Speaking of Zoya though, make sure you take advantage of their amazing promo (only for current account holders):
As an ADDED BONUS for taking part in the exclusive account holders only BOGO Offer* standard shipping will be only $2! (Order more than $55 and shipping will be free!). You can BOGO* any colors from our new Zoya Summertime, Sunshine and ModMatte collections! With 15 new colors to choose from you are bound to find plenty of BOGO offer options to love! ENDS 3/25 @ 11:59 EST.
How it works:
* SIGN IN – to your account on Zoya
* APPLY the code that reads ZOYA SUMMER BOGO*.
* ADD any additional items you would like to purchase
* SUBMIT – your order.
For more info go here. Here are the collections that are included in this promo.
Sunshine Collection
• Reva (ZP546) - A cool toned strawberry red with glowing golden metallic sparkle. A very rich and luxurious looking gilded red.
• Kimmy (ZP547) - Gleaming metallic candy apple red brightened by gold sparkle. Not your usual red shimmer- this one has a fiery attitude.
• Apple (ZP548) - Luminous yellow-toned apple green packed with gold metallic sparkle. A dimensional green that's clean and bright.
• Tanzy (ZP549) - Light, bright tangerine orange with yellow gold metallic sparkle. A sunny orange that's easy to wear year-round.
• Rica (ZP550) - Warm light coral with pink and orange tones and heavy gold metallic sparkle. An alternative to flat corals for when you want to shine.
• Faye (ZP551) - A bronzed mauve with purple and brown undertones flooded with bright gold sparkle. A unique gilded shade that will work in any season.
Summertime Collection
• Sooki (ZP552) - Bright, clean, crisp cool cherry red cream with a subtle jelly finish. For an irresistible, attention-grabbing red nail.
• Tamsen (ZP553) - Medium warm brick red with strong orange tones with an opaque cream finish. A special red that is both enticing and mysterious
• Areej (ZP554) - Pink with an opaque cream finish. A pink for when you want a bold pop of color but not something neon-bright.
• Kieko (ZP555) - Warm, red toned dusty light purple with berry tones with an opaque cream finish. A nice alternative to pure pink or berry, especially flattering on warm skin tones.
• Mira (ZP556) - Blue toned medium purple with dusty lavender tones and an opaque cream finish. For a muted yet colorful purple that isn't too dark.
• Breezi (ZP557) - Soft, dusty, medium cerulean blue with an opaque cream finish. A super chic high-fashion denim look for nails.
The incredible Zoya modmattes LE* shade collection has been expanded with three new LIMITED EDITION beauties. Get all of the color, none of shine with modmattes LE*, Zoya’s exclusive blend resulting in utterly wearable and truly stylish matte nail polish.
• Phoebe (ZP558) - Bright azure with fine electric blue and violet shimmer with a velvety matte finish. The matte finish amplifies the bright color; this is a matte that positively glows.
• Mitzi (ZP559) - Funky murky light yellow-toned lime green creme with a velvety matte finish. A new edgy, fun, bright type of matte for a retro mod look.
• Lolly (ZP560) - Bold, saturated medium magenta pink creme with a velvety matte finish. A very colorful new matte style for perfect stand-out Barbie pink nails.
Review: My Beauty Diary Japanese Hydrangea Mask
Part of the limited collection in celebration of the Taipei International Floral Expo, the Japanese Hydrangea mask soothes and comforts skin while providing remarkable oil control to keep skin matte and shine-free.
Purchased at: BonjourHK
Price: $7.60/5 = $1.52/mask + S&H
Description: Oil control, soothing.
Suitable for: Best for combination and oily skin types.
Experience: First impression when I opened the packet - not good >_> I got a strong wave of something that reminded of black tea, a scent I'm not nuts about. The mask texture and fit was good, as all the My Beauty Diary masks are. Unfortunately, as many of you know, one thing I always look for in a mask is that "cooling factor." This is important to me as "cooling" masks are vital to reducing redness and puffiness on my face, something I'm very prone too. In general, all sheet masks have at least a little bit of a cooling effect simply because you're putting something wet on your face. However, some masks have an extra cooling sensation and I don't think it's just in my head because certain masks feel exceptionally cool on my face (w/o refrigeration) and redness goes way down. Sadly, this mask is not one of those. Initially, it was cool but I don't know if my face was reacting to one of the ingredients or what, but my face started getting rather warm after 10-15 minutes. It didn't break me out or anything, but redness did not go down at all. Usually face masks at least temporarily take the redness on my face down at least 90% but this face just looked the same :\ I've tried this mask 3x so far on 3 consecutive days and I haven't been impressed by either the immediate or (slightly) long term results in terms of oil control.
Fit: As all MBD masks, the mask fits me well and has 2 slits around the chin.
Scent: I admit that I don't know what Japanese Hydrangeas actually smell like :P but this mask smells - to me - of black tea. Really strongly. I don't like the smell and this is one of the reasons behind why I wouldn't repurchase this mask.
Texture: Mask texture is nice, smooth and almost silky. Quite nice.
Excess serum: Mask is well-soaked but there is minimal excess serum in the packet for your neck etc. You can usually squeeze out a tiny handful, just enough for your neck but that's it.
Claims: Oil control, soothing. I personally have not noticed much oil control improvement. I used this mask three days in a row and there was no "oil reduction" on those three days or afterwards. So...yeah. As for soothing, not particularly. It didn't irritate my skin per se but I didn't see any redness reduction at all :\
Overall Results: I'm a little surprised how ineffective this mask was on me since the MBD French White Lily and Damask Rose (coming up next!) masks were wonderful. Besides the fit and texture of the mask itself, there is nothing I really like about this mask. It didn't soothe my face nor did I see any oil reduction. And one thing I particularly despise when it comes to beauty products is when something doesn't do what it promises. I don't expect something to fix every problem on my face but if a mask promises oil control, I should see some oil control. Everybody's skin is different so it may just be me so don't let this review prevent you from trying it out if you like, but don't expect great things. On the upside, the packaging is just lovely isn't it ^0^? I have to say I just adore the Blooming of Beauty packaging, it's so floral, feminine, yet not overdone. Overall, I did not like the smell and this mask didn't do what it promised, so I would not repurchase or personally recommend it.
MBD correction + fun tags + movie trailers!
I'm slowly slogging through my face mask reviews but I have a lot on my mind these days so I just felt doing something more *lighthearted* :)
Speaking of face masks, I made a mistake on my MBD Blooming of Beauty Overview post, so I've updated that. Basically, there are actually 9 masks in the series, not 6 >_> The three masks I forgot to list are awfully expensive online because they're "rarer" for some reason - ugh... So I doubt I'll get to ever try them but I did want to let you guys know the proper information. MBD has also just released ANOTHER (arghhhh!!) mask series called Tea Time this month, which Elisa posted about. They sound effing delicious and now I want to try those too -_- However, I'm on a strict mask ban for the next 2-3 months though while I use the ones I have. Also if I keep buying more sheet masks I'll never finish my sheet mask compilation video -_-
Nonetheless, I did find some places that are selling these rare MBD masks. They're awfully expensive but these are literally the only 2 places that ship to the US that I've found so far. So yeah...for people who can't resist:
• Buying in Taiwan Ebay Store: Selling the three Blooming of Beauty masks that aren't on BonjourHK website for $13/box. Despite the fact this is literally 2x more expensive than what BonjourHK sells the Blooming of Beuty masks for ($7.60/box), this is the cheapest place I've found that ships to the US where you can try the Moroccan Rose, Pink Rockrose, and Mediterranean Orange Blossom masks.
• Zizizaza Ebay Store: Selling not just the Tea Time series ($17.25) but also the adorable MBD Hello Kitty Honey Milk and Strawberry Milk masks ($17.25). The HK masks are 10/box so that's not as bad as the Tea Time series, which come 5/box.
Anyway, I was pretty excited to have a chance to do the Handwriting Tag that's been going around Blogger lately :D Thank you Eve (Bella Chic) and Sue Lynn (Where I Can Be Deeply Superficial) for tagging me.
1. What's your name/your blogger name?
2. What's your blog's name/URL?
4. Favorite quote?
5. Your Favorite song?
6. Your favorite band/singers?
7. Anything else you want to say?
8. Tag three to five other people.
Usually I write in a crash of cursive and print that is barely legible. This is my neat, tidy, "I'm gonna fool people into thinking I have nice handwriting" handwriting ;)
People I want to see handwritings of (b/c I'm a creeper ;) ):
Jess (Oh pretty!), Pop Champagne (I know you don't do tags but it doesn't stop me from flinging them at you ahah xD), Elisa, Rinny, Mara, Jess (Bubbles & Beauty), Fannie D, Susho, Beauty & the Scientist, Jennifer
And some new bloggers I've started following :D
Faye Lu of Faye Lu Review
Yelena Kim of Korea Through My Eyes <-- a Korean Russian living in Korea, among the few expat blogs I like reading
Choiii of Hooligan Choi
Magdalena of I Like Makeup
Lena of Mad, Bad, & Dangerous to Know <-- I've been following her for awhile so she's not a "new" blogger to me ^^
aki! of 7% Solution
And last but not least, one girl I keep forgetting to tag (I swear it's because we're both "Elle")...Elle of Bitter & Sweet.
Also I did a video tag over the weekend!
Here are the 15 Questions:
1. What do you think you can do but can't?
2. What's a difficult word for you to pronounce?
3. What is a favorite TV show from your childhood?
4. What are your virtues and vices?
10. What's your horoscope?
11. What does your dream bedroom look like?
12. What position do you sleep in?
13. Who is your favorite vampire of all time?
14. What are you currently wearing on your feet?
15. Do you have neat handwriting? Show us!
I don't have the energy to tag more people but anyone willing to do this tag (especially via video!) be my guest :D yuuuup also Elisa tagged me for a pretty cool Childhood Pictures tag, which I'm looking forward to doing. I love digging up old pictures but I am the epitome of someone who went through an ugly duckling phase so hmm...retinal scarring anyone ;)? Now onto the second half of this post...
...I wanted to post some intriguing movie trailers that have caught my eyes in the past few weeks. I'm one of those lazy bums who'd rather read recaps than watch a movie in a theater ^^ but I do love watching trailers. Does that even qualify as a hobby xD?
Hanna - I love movies about emo-bad-ass-chicks! The fact that this girl a young 'un with a traumatic past sounds somewhat stereotypical but the trailer reminds me a lot of the Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest, which is good in my book. That girl's cute as a button too, killer instinct and all. I can totally see her being the next big Hollywood starlet, she has the intense look about her~ I have a feeling she's going to find out her target (Cate Blanchett) is her mom or something and there is some genetic "defect" that gives her amazing speed/intelligence, something like that. Anyway, Eric Bana is smoking up the screen too *sigh* he's so fine ^^ so this is a movie I'm considering actually seeing on movie screen instead of reading the synopsis ehehe~
WHEN HARRY TRIES TO MARRY is a cross-cultural romantic comedy about a young Indian-born bachelor who lives in New York City. Harry's handsome and charming, but he's cynical about love. He's never really gotten over his parents' divorce -- they were a modern Indian couple who married for love and it didn't last. So to improve his odds of living "happily ever after," Harry decides to have an arranged marriage, and asks his uncle back home in India to assist him in arranging the introduction to an appropriate Indian woman. To the dismay of his parents and friends, Harry finds the perfect girl and embarks on a long-distance courtship. But unexpectedly, Harry's friendship with Theresa, a fun and sexy American student, becomes confusing, appealing -- and maybe a little bit romantic. Once Harry, his friends and the entire wedding party converge in India, Harry's plan to avoid romantic risk becomes a recipe for chaos. Can anyone protect themselves from a broken heart by leaving the passion out of marriage? And, when all is said and done, does Harry really want to?
When Harry Tries to Marry - The title reminds of "When Harry Met Sally" (I thought it was a sequel at first). In any case, the recent influx of Bollywood trailers on Apple is very intriguing! This movie caught my eye because it has a k-drama flair with that unmistakable Bollywood signature to it. Don't get me wrong - it's pretty obvious this won't be winning any Oscars xD but come on, who doesn't love BANGHRA ^^!? This trailer really drives home the reason why the Hallyu Wave reportedly even reached India - I see a lot of "East Asian" sensibilities in this trailer that I think K-poppers can relate to. What I particularly like about this trailer/storyline is that it has that uniquely Indian twist of arranged marriages. We don't get that set-up in K-flicks/dramas (at least not quite so bluntly though Koreans do have a love of "dating contract" sort of things :P). Also the premise of the dude "going traditional" in a modern world instead of "breaking free from tradition" is rather fresh if you think about it. This approach is very relevant to not just Indians of this generation, but also all Asians. Personally, I see so many second generation Asians "looking for their culture" after years of happily being a "Twinkie." I also like how this movie shows modern Indian culture as it exists today (aka the parents are divorced, they live in America, they're happily integrated in American society) and come on, the scenes in India look gorgeous.
Plus that dude (Rahul Rai) is kinda cute ;) He doesn't seem to be a "good" actor per se (I say this as someone who judged only from the trailer) but there is something quite quirky and charming about him. Bollywood is still rough around the edges when it comes to producing slick, mass-audience films that Hollywood has down to a fine art, but I already know Bollywood is going to invading Hollywood in the next decade or so and this promises to be a taste of how they might do modern rom-coms. Let's face it, we all know how the movie is going to end and the acting already looks a little awkward but it looks like an entertaining chick flick to me :D!
Inspired by the bestselling novel SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN by Lisa See, the film is a timeless portrait of female friendship. In 19th-century China, seven-year-old girls Snow Flower and Lily are matched as laotong - or "old sames" - bound together for eternity. Isolated by their families, they furtively communicate by taking turns writing in a secret language, nu shu, between the folds of a white silk fan. In a parallel story in present day Shanghai, the laotong's descendants, Nina and Sophia, struggle to maintain the intimacy of their own childhood friendship in the face of demanding careers, complicated love lives, and a relentlessly evolving Shanghai. Drawing on the lessons of the past, the two modern women must understand the story of their ancestral connection, hidden from them in the folds of the antique white silk fan, or risk losing one another forever. What unfolds are two stories, generations apart, but everlasting in their universal notion of love, hope and friendship.
Snow Flower & the Secret Fan - I read the book a couple years ago and I remember thinking of it as a quieter, rawer version of The Joy Luck Club, but I re-read the book again recently and it has a complexity to it I don't remember the first time around. I definitely recommend the book, especially for people who've enjoyed "The Joy Luck Club" and "Memoirs of a Geisha." Coincidentally, the director of this movie also directed "The Joy Luck Club" film version. Interestingly, I get a distinct "Memoirs of a Geisha" film vibe from this movie instead, it has that shiny, expensive look to it. I'm not sure how I feel about that but I will say I am very excited to see how the book plays out as a film.
Even more interestingly, Jun Ji Hyun (Gianna Jun, she of "My Sassy Girl" fame), will be playing the role of Lily, a very tragic figure in the book. JJH is one of the few A-list K-actresses who actually seems serious about making it in Hollywood. Her first Hollywood attempt was not good; Blood: The Last Vampire bombed and was critically derided. Oddly enough, her acting was praised and she came out of the mess pretty much unscathed since most of the blame was laid on the director. In any case, "Snow Flower" promises to be a much better vehicle for her - it has that Asian exotica that America is so fond of and she's in the hands of a much better director. I'm curious to see how she'll do speaking both English and Chinese though, she doesn't speak either if I'm not mistaken. "Lily" is a pretty dynamic character so if she does well in this film I can totally see her breaking into Hollywood. As for first impressions, I am pleased to see that she is looking very raw and "into the role." She certainly hasn't lost her round cheeks and while they make her seem a tad chubby, she looks very charming and somehow suited to the role of the emotional, stubborn Lily.
Li BingBing plays Snow Flower and she looks gorgeous! So polished and sophisticated, a great contrast to fierce Lily, who was born poor. Again, I am curious to see how her character plays out on screen. There are so many intense, tragic scenes in the book that would test even seasoned actresses - but I have very high hopes! Maybe we're looking at two new Hollywood stars ^_^ Hugh Jackman is in this movie too so I am seeing at least a decent audience draw :) Fingers crossed!
Review: My Beauty Diary French White Lily Mask
A special collection in celebration of the Taipei International Flora Expo, this limited-edition face mask harnesses the skin soothing and whitening qualities of the lily for a noticeably radiant and fairer complexion.
Purchased at: BonjourHK
Welcome to my new My Beauty Diary source! It's significantly cheaper than Sasa and carries more products. They even have some Holika Holika items :)!! If you want to try HH items, their Bulgarian Rose line is their newest release. I personally find their Strawberry line the most tempting though ^_^ I'm toying around with purchasing some HH items. There seems to be a dearth of HH reviews and I'd like to be one of the first to get on that (eheh that's what she said ;) sorry I can never resist a naughty joke ^^). Anyway, if anyone wants me to reviews some more Holika Holika (some HH reviews I did before), let me know so I can include one or two in my next batch.
Their shipping was quite fast all things considered. It took ~2-3 weeks and everything came neatly bundled. The downside is that their minimum for free shipping is $99 USD and otherwise has $10 S&H no matter how little you buy. Keep in mind everything is not cheaper across the board - just generally. You still need to do some price comparisons and they have no re-stock product alerts (GAHHH), which is really annoying. Also their website navigation is uber clunky, they have no product descriptions (a real hassle when trying to pick new products to try -_-), and you are strictly limited to 2 of each item :P I would say overall, BonjourHK has a slightly wider brand selection and good prices but terrible site design, which really does ruin the overall experience. Nonetheless, I recommend you check out this site out! Their Laniege items are the cheapest I've seen so far and they have a couple Korean brands unavailable elsewhere.
Price: $7.60/5 pieces = $1.52/each + S&H. So yes, these are more expensive than the Natural Key line, which run about .20 less per mask.
Description: Whitening, soothing.
Suitable for: All skin types.
Experience: Lovely scent when I open the packet. I get the cooling sensation that I love with sheet masks (probably b/c of the serum not because white lily is cooling or anything xD). The experience is very nice and what I especially like about this mask is that it does exactly what it promises and does it well. As soon as I take off a mask my face soothed, brightened, and (temporarily at least) whitened (since the redness is down). And just to clarify, by "whitened" I mean "even skintone." My face definitely looks more luminous and it's nice to get such a good result from what seems to be gentle mask.
Fit: The BoB masks I have are the same shape as the MBD Natural Key line masks. It has 2 slits around the chin and while there has been confusion over the number of slits (if anyone knows why let me know), the mask fits well on me. Rinny has said the MBD masks she's tried has 4 slits and I do know that MBD has been changing the mask cut so don't assume your mask is fake or something if it has 2 or 4 slits.
Scent: A very delicate, light lily scent. I'm not crazy about floral scents but it's such a mild, delicate scent I don't mind it at all. It has a very clean undertone.
Mask texture: Soft and silky. It's a hair thinner than the MBD Natural Key line, much like FaceQ masks actually. But these BoB masks seem more absorbent than the FaceQ masks somehow. Anyway, it's nice and sticks to your face well.
Excess serum: *sigh* I know I'm unique in my preference but I like my masks with a lot of excess serum (aka drenched) a la Silk Whitia masks. In that sense, the BoB series has even less extra serum than the MBD Natural Key line. This is keeping in mind that overall, MBD has the least excess serum compared to Silk Whitia and FaceQ. BUT on the upside, all MBD masks are still very wet so don't worry about that :) the BoB series is no exception, it has plenty on the serum on the mask itself and since the masks holds the serum well, all the serum ends up on your face :) As I've said many times before, it's a personal preference thing.
Claims: Like I said, this mask does everything it promises well. Very soothing and gentle. Redness goes way down, no irritation, and the very light floral scent is soothing xD I don't know about long-term whitening but it definitely temporarily whitens/evens my skintone. My skin feel very smooth, plumped, and refreshed afterwards.
Overall Results: I really like this mask. I'm going to say right out that it's one of my favorites and in my top 5 sheet masks overall. Not bad considering I've tried over 15 different sheet masks so far (I know I am insaneee ><). I am surprisingly fond of the French White Lily mask scent; floral usually comes across as heavy and musty to me but this has a very pleasing, clean scent. Overall, I highly recommend this mask. Of the three Blooming of Beauty series masks I've tried this is my favorite.
Overview of My Beauty Diary Blooming of Beauty Masks
Hello peeps~ before I start review the MBD Blooming Beauty sheet masks I thought I would do an overview of the latest series the ever-popular Taiwanese brand, My Beauty Diary released in 2010: the Blooming of Beauty series. This is a Limited Edition series and consequently, there are packaging differences and apparently there were changes in the mask material and formula too. The BoB has 9 varieties (all are shown above).
From Make Me Blushhh
Check out Mona's post because it's pretty helpful.
# 1- 17 : My Beauty Diary Natural Key Line: the regular line that currently has 17 scents.
• I think they've added more since though. I don't see the Cherry Chocolate, Bird's Nest, or Southern Apricot masks, for example.
#18 -20 : My Beauty Diary Luxury Line: the premium line that currently has 3 scents.
The Blooming of Beauty line is separate from the more known line aka the Natural Key line. Hence they differ in packaging, formula, and price. Per mask, the BoB series masks are slightly more expensive by a few cents (~.10-20 cents depending where you get yours).
Packaging Changes
The Blooming of Beauty series comes in boxes of 5 each whereas the regular MBD masks come in boxes of 10 each. Both mask types also come with identical shiny plastic slips. The packaging designs for BoB is quite classy (as you can see above), flower-y, and quite pretty. I adore the new individual mask packets (scroll to bottom). They are so pretty compared to the Natural Key's boring rectangles.
Everything from the ruffled top and narrower design just seems a lot more luxe - although, since they're more expensive, they should be.
Mask Material Changes
The BoB masks are slightly thinner than the regular line. Supposedly, this helps with absorption but either way, both kinds of masks are fine. Also the shape of the masks have stayed the same, both have just two slits around the chin.
The MBD mask shown here is from the original/regular line, NOT the BoB series.
Speaking of, one thing I don't understand is why the packaging picture on all the MBD masks show a mask with 4 slits:
...when the actual masks themselves only have 2 slits. I'm pretty sure the masks I get are legit (the date stamps are embedded, cuts align, I buy from Sasa etc) but it confuses me why they'd advertise it like that. I heard from Winnie that MBD recently added more slits to their masks but :\ but I dunno, I must have tried over 10+ varieties of MBD all from Sasa/legitimate sellers and they've all been the same 2-slitted version, even these very new BoB series.
Formula Changes
I've heard that there have been some formula changes and personally, I find the Blooming of Beauty series more effective overall than the Natural Key line ^_^ I may be slightly biased by the gorgeous packaging but the White Lily mask really just clicked with my skin :D But I'll get into that later during individual reviews. Overall, the formula's texture and appearance are similar to the original masks - both serums are clear, light, dry without residue, and on the whole quite effective.
These are the masks I've tried so far :) I'll refrain from reviewing these individual masks in this post but the Lily and Damask Rose masks were lovely! I was so excited about the Damask Rose especially because come on - Coldstone Ice Cream!! In actuality, the mask smells like a very sweet rose ^^ As for the Hydrangea mask, I wasn't crazy about it. I've never actually smelled a hydrangea >< but it smelled strongly of black tea to me - REALLY strongly. Hence why I wasn't crazy about it. Anyway, I'll be reviewing the Blooming of Beauty masks I have during the next few days along with a nice bunch of Cosline and VOV masks. I'm so glad my Sasa package finally came in that I will probably flooding you guys with sheet mask reviews xD don't say I didn't warn you ;)
Also I am sure everyone has heard about the traumas Japan has been facing in the past several days so I wanted include a list of links where people can donate. These are all reputable places where you can be sure your money is going where it needs to go. Here is a small list of US/English language places you can donate:
ManWomanFilms (above) also has a massive list of donation links in her YT info box so poke around there too.
Most Forgotten Skincare & Makeup Tips
This is going to be a very text-heavy (and talk-heavy) post xD Now you are forewarned and hopefully will find this helpful regardless. And you better because I spent about a week (or two) editing the video and typing this sinfully long post -__- ehehe
Skincare Tips:
1.) Makeup cleanser > foundation.
My (admittedly idealistic ^^) philosophy is that the best kind of makeup is none at all. In that light, skincare takes great precedence over makeup for me and the importance of a good makeup cleanser was something I learned by accident. Last year I was content to just use bar soap in the shower on my face, I kid you not. I had never used toner before but when I was gifted a toner, I began to notice how much residual makeup was coming off onto the cotton swab. So out of necessity I later semi-upgraded to Neutrogena Makeup Foam Cleanser. I noticed right away that I was getting no more residual makeup on my cotton bells when I toned but since it was drying my face out a bit, I switched to the Boscia Purifying Cleansing Gel, which I am using right now. I think my face has taken to it well, I haven't broken out, I know I'm getting all the makeup off my face, and honestly, my face feels like it's really breathing after I wash :) After about 3 months of thorough cleansing, my face has improved and I'm sure that it's because my better-cleansed face has been able to soak up the nutrients from sheet masks and lotions better. There's a translucency to my face that wasn't there before and I like to think it's because my skin is healthier ^_^
2.) Sterilize your makeup area.
ehehe, I'm sure this has roots in my mild OCD-ness ^^ But I do think that there is no harm and a lot of good in having a clean makeup area. Things I can't live without in my bathroom: Isopropyl alcohol = for tweezers/metal things/plastic caps and Clorox wipes for counter tops. I see a lot of people not cleaning their tweezers, which is basically asking for acne if you think about since you probably use it to pull hairs out of pores ;)
Also I forgot to mention in the video: Ideally, your makeup area and makeup storage would be located in a separate place from where you shower. I think I remember reading somewhere about how the dampness from hot showers can ruin some makeups, especially powder compacts and foundations. Not to mention, damp environments are always a great breeding ground for all sorts of suspicious bacteria ><....
3.) Don't touch your face.
....Not much to elaborate here except just don't touch your face. If you feel the urge to pick at a pimple, just put an acne patch on it. I'm not saying this will solve all your acne problems because we all know pimples/acne have many factors, but this tip may help some people - particularly if you have localized acne.
4.) Keep your hands clean.
More OCD-ness....Wash your hands before washing your face, applying makeup, using sheet masks, applying any kind of mask...basically if you're going to touch your face, just wash your hands. It baffles me when people obsess over keeping brushes clean then go straight to blending or touching up with dirty fingers.
5.) Care for your neck & hands.
I think I was traumatized by this really lovely, young looking 50 year old lady.... She literally had no wrinkles and by looking at her face I thought she was in her mid-30s. Then she took off her scarf and gloves - O_o! This isn't to say anyone with wrinkles is ugly (in fact they can add an air of maturity and refinement young people rarely have), but the contrast between her face and her neck and hands was so stark (and gave away the fact she got massive Botox). Her neck was exceptionally wrinkly, there was even a "waddle." As for her hands...they were clearly wrinkly because they were totally abandoned x_X They were so dry, something I think that was easily solved hand lotion. Anyway, after that I realized that caring for your face is not enough, you need to care for your neck (which supports your face) and your hands, which do everything, so they need some lovin' ^_^ I use Neutrogena Anti-Aging Night Cream on my face and hands (it's too strong for my face) every night. I don't see any results right now but who knows, I may one day be a 70 year old with the youngest looking hands and neck.
6.) Don't scrub your face up & down.
I FOUND THE VIDEO ON YT! There are no subs but it's pretty self-explanatory :)
Key points are that:
1.) She looks "up" and smiles while she's cleansing her face.
2.) Uses only the foam from the soap. Aka nothing that tugs at her skin. I'm sure gel cleansers would work just fine too.
3.) She makes tiny little circles with her fourth finger (the weakest finger) to massage her face.
4.) She always massages in an upward-outward motion.
5.) She never rubs her face with her hands and to rinse she just splashes or pours water on her face.
All I know is that I want skin like that when I'm 52 ^_^ I think this lady was invited to Korean talk show too and did a demo with SNSD's Seohyun and a couple other celebs once. Ahhh...the quest for eternal youth is indeed universal.
7.) Acne patches heal zits with whiteheads.
The little "hole" where the whitehead is lets the patch pull out the impurities but without a hole...obviously the patch's effects will be minimal. But this isn't to say the patch wouldn't help at all - if you have a cystic pimple or nodule, just clean the area and put a patch on it anyway. It'll prevent you from touching it and keep it clean.
8.) Chapstick is essential to your everyday skincare routine.
There is nothing attractive about chapped lips xD I tend to lose chapstick when I carry it around so I've just learned to incorporate into my nightly skincare routine. If I may say so myself, I rarely have chapped lips now because they are moisturized every night, no matter what the weather or need. Also my lips are always lipstick-ready in the morning ^_^ Also, welcome to my new fear:
Plumpy lips today, lips that cannot be helped with even collagen tomorrow ;) Lips are a pretty forgotten body part in the whole skincare thing so give 'em a little love (and not just the kissing type ^_~)!
Makeup Tips:
1.) Silicone-based primers are for those with textural scars (aka large pores, icepick scars, wrinkles, fine lines).
I think I talked about this enough in the video :\ Basically, unless you want to smooth out the texture of your skin, these kinds of primers aren't that helpful. Primers also advertise how they help foundation last longer but honestly, I have yet to meet a silicone based primer that significantly increased my foundation wear. Most decent foundations properly applied will last at least 8 hours on their own and with makeup setting sprays making waves in the makeup community, I see even less of a reason to use a primer. Some primers I have used have provided some oil control but I honestly think it's because these primers are literally filling in your pores and clogging them so that oil can't come to surface aka a recipe for breakouts :P All in all, I think primers are bad for your skin and provide minimal results. Colored acne scar peeps, just focus on skincare. Oily peeps, look into setting sprays and start moisturizing more (ever counter-intuitive eh :P)?
2.) Focus on accentuating your good features.
Perhaps because I am Asian but I see a lot of discontent amongst Asian chicas struggling with eye makeup and the perception that mono-lidders will never be as pretty as those blessed with larger peepers. I am the first to admit I used to long for larger, dolly eyes - and I sometimes I still do. I also did my fair share of playing around with circle lens and double lid glue. I still wear circle lens (but seriously, I wear glasses 90% of the time. Tbh I only wear lens to record vids ><) but now I have learned that I am far happier twiddling with my other features.
My lips and face shape are what are most often pointed out to me so I've just learned to have fun with psychotic lip colors (at the moment coral oranges and hot pinks have me stoked) and I always highlight my cheekbones and nose to bring out the oval-ness of my face. I don't even mind my large forehead anymore since it emphasizes the oval symmetry of my face. To mix it up, sometimes I will put a bright splash of blush instead of lipstick. And I am content. Yes, I still like to play with eye shadows but I'm no longer troubled when I can't get the same amount of color on my lids a la petrilude and xsparkage. My face is uniquely mine and I have grown to like how it looks overall. In any case, the first and last person looking at my face every day is me, so I'm really the only person my face needs to please ^_~
3.) Don't highlight your inner corners as much if your eyes are too close together.
And after THAT positive note - here's something to get us ladies all self-conscious again xD Unfortunately, it has been shown time and time again that the ideal face measurements are:
Or as researchers say, "Faces were judged as most attractive when the distance between the eyes was 46 percent of the face’s width and when the distance from eyes to mouth was 36 percent of the face’s length, according to the study published in the most recent issue of the journal Vision Research."
....basically, just measure the width of one of your eyes. That should be the distance between both of your eyes. If the gap between your eyes is greater than the width of one eye, you have wide set eyes - like the LT pic and me :D A perfect example of someone who has eyes too close together is....
Ji-yeon from T-Ara!
Wide or close, you can still be pretty (even the research article says so) and easily fixed with makeup and hair. With wide set eyes, a nice dose of inner corner highlight will bring your eyes visually closer together. With close set eyes, not so much. You want to visually separate your eyes, so use less (or no) inner corner highlighter and more outer corner makeup. In fact, Ji-yeon is always doing just that when she wears makeup:
Note how she never wears inner corner highlights and always has (much) heavier eye makeup drawn all way past her outer corners. Whee...see even celebs are always using makeup tricks xD And in any case, with flaws and all you can still be pretty :) Ji-yeon is considered one of the prettiest celebs in Korea in fact so embrace your quirks :D
A Note About Using Anti-Aging Products in Your 20s
There seems to be a little disagreement going around the YT beauty community about how young peeps need not bother with anti-aging in their 20s.
When does our skin start to age? It is different in each individual case. However, generally, already in our mid 20s skin's ability to retain water starts to decrease. Oxygen level in the skin goes down by approximately 1/4. As a result, skin slowly starts to lose its energy and healthy glow. However, it is too early to start using intensive anti-aging skin care.
By the mid/late 20s dry lines can start to appear. However, they are quite easy to treat by selecting and regularly using an effective moisturizer. According to skin experts, starting from the mid - late 20s there is 1/4 less oxygen in our blood and that is why less vital oxygen gets transported to the skin cells. Skin can start to loose its energy, healthy color and glow.
Remember, to prevent premature aging you need to use UV protection every day.
Studies show that 80% of skin's aging happens due to UV damage.
My personal opinion is that it's never too early for wrinkle prevention (read here - ignore all the product plugs). However, just because I want wrinkle prevention doesn't mean I want to go overboard and slather expensive anti-wrinkle face+eye cream on every night.
When in doubt, just go the middle road - a retinol based night cream (also good for acne) or a gentle anti-wrinkle cream or sleeping masks (I'm currently using the Skinfood Fermented Soy Milk Wrinkle Care Sleeping Mask which I'll review after I've used it more) ought to do the trick for us young 'uns. That combined with a good sunscreen every day should be relatively hassle-free and you won't have any regrets later. I've also been using some Boscia AG-Amino Eye Cream from the sample bag Julie gave me, but I probably won't go about purchasing an anti-aging eye creams till my mid 20s. Ultimately, it's your skin and you should decide the best way to treat it :)
For the curious, my night routine is (after washing/sheet masks/etc):
- Skincology Herbal Corrective Lighting Serum X2
- Vitacreame B21 on face
- Boscia AG-Amino Eye Cream
- Skinfood Fermented Soy Milk Winkle Care Sleeping Mask (this is new, I'm exploring the concept of sleeping masks right now. I've only been using it for a week so far)
- Neutrogena Night Cream on neck and hands
- TBS Cocoa Butter Lip Care Stick
My face washing routine is a lot more intensive because I'm paranoid about leaving makeup residue on my face (read Tip #1 xD). Anyway, this post is already pretty text-heavy so that's all for today! And I've gotten pretty behind on replies and all that cuz of other stuff but I shall catch up shortly ^^
Review: Sasatinnie Dolly Lip Smoothies SPF30
I was feeling a little adventurous whilst Sasa hauling and picked up a Sasatinnie product - mostly because everything was priced so damn low xD As far as I can tell, Sasatinnie products are made in Malaysia and I believe owned by Sasa (hence the name Sasatinnie ;) ).
The Dolly Lip Smoothies caught my eye because 1.) They look like Nivea lip balms and 2.) it's SPF30 and it eases my new found paranoia about getting wrinkles around my mouth - perhaps sun protection can semi-prevent that *whew* what a run-on sentence xD Plus they're $3.80 and came in five different yummy sounding flavors (01 Grenadine, 02 Strawberry, 03 Vanilla, 04 Raspberry, 05 Green Apple).
SASATINNIE Dolly Lip Smoothies SPF 30 provides perfect moisture surge. Shea butter blends instantly smooth and moisturize your lips. Natural glossy finish makes your lips even more kissable. It is powered up with antioxidants and SPF 30 for your healthy lips.
Apply a proper amount to lips before application of lipstick. Or apply when lips are dehydrated.
Purchased: $3.80 from Sasa
Packaging: I eagerly await the day Asian cosmetic companies start hiring FLUENT Asian Americans to edit packaging blurbs. And this isn't directed at just Sasatinnie but at ALL Asian companies - Korean, Japanese, Chinese, Taiwanese...basically, I have yet to see a single Asian cosmetics brand that regularly utilizes grammatically correct English. It just drives me absolutely insane to see truly reputable and quality Asian brands severely limiting themselves with shoddy translations. Especially in lawsuit-happy America, Asian brands really need to start creating professional packaging if they ever want to open up the American demographic! *end rant*
Anyway, at least the English is on the packaging you just throw out ^^ Otherwise, the tube itself is very comparable (if not identical) to Nivea. The heft and feel of the plastic is exactly the same. A mild complaint is that the balm wiggles a bit in the tube...I feel like if you twist it up too high at once it'd just break off :P
Flavor: 04 Raspberry. I wouldn't say it tastes like raspberries (a naturally subtle taste), it honestly doesn't taste like anything. This is good in my book.
Scent: A fragrant raspberry yogurt (or shall we say smoothie ^_~) scent. It is quite nice and fruity without being too strong or fake smelling. It has an almost tangy bite to the scent, so it's not overly sweet.
Color: I thought this would be tinted red or pink but it's just a peach color that goes on clear. I noticed from the blurry sample pics on sasa that each flavor has it's own color though, so I don't know if those are tinted or none of them are. In any case, this one goes on clear.
Texture: Silky smooth and goes on very light. It doesn't "melt" on your lips like TBS Cocoa Butter Lip Care Stick but it's similar in how both glide on very nicely.
Moisturization: A slight con to this product. It's not that moisturizing. It's not drying but it seems to wear away quickly and needs frequent reapplication. It goes well under lipstick though and never leaves a residue. It also leaves a nice smooth, sightly shiny finish :)
I'm pretty surprised how thoroughly acceptable this product is. It has almost no negatives, can be used under lipstick or alone, and best of all, will provide your lips with A LOT of sun protection. FYI: Your lips CAN get sunburned and they do become darker with sun exposure. Hence if you have very pigmented lips (which can be a bother since it may interfere with lipstick color results), you may want to start paying a bit of attention to your lips. Also as you age, the edges of your lips wrinkle which cause lipstick to "bleed outside the lines" and in the long run, I am sure preventing excess sun damage will be beneficial :) As a side note though, is it just me or are there an awful lot of ingredients for a lip balm O_o (maybe it's just big font?)
I've definitely never seen a lip balm with this such high SPF protection that leaves absolutely no residue - and that deserves props in my book. It does wear away fast but this is definitely the kind of lip balm I can see myself using during vacations. It's light, provides a lot of protection, pleasant to use, and very low maintenance. And cheap. Nivea Kiss of Moisture SPF4 lip balms runs $5-6 for reference. Just remember not to get this if you like tinted balms. All in all, I think this would be a great little buy to add to your cart if you're just a dollar or so off the $75+ free shipping minimum order on Sasa. It's not the most necessary product ever but it's not a bad buy at all - I don't think anyone would regret it :}
If anyone has tried other Sasatinnie products or know anything more about them let me know :D
Review: My Beauty Diary Pearl Powder Mask
My router at home went down for a few days so I was internet-less at home for a bit xD But in the meantime, my Sasa package finally came! YES! I do have to say I was rather surprised (in a good way) with the customer service. Basically, I emailed them about 1-2 weeks ago. First, I got an automated message saying they were on a little delayed from the holidays and they would personally reply within 48 hours. And lo and behold, within 48 hours they emailed me my tracking number and note saying it had been delayed in Hong Kong for about 14 days O_o In any case, 2-3 days ago the package arrived with everything tightly and neatly bundled. So, I guess I'd say that while it literally took over a month to arrive, Sasa overall hasn't disappointed me.
Anyway, this means more face mask reviews! I've only used this sheet mask 2x so far so take this review was a small grain of salt~ If my impression of this mask changes I'll probably come back and update this review.
Purchased at: Sasa
Price: $12.10/10 masks = $1.20/mask
My Beauty Diary Pearl Powder Mask whitens nourishes and revitalizes skin. It is ideal for all skin types, especially dull and damaged skin. Creates translucent and whitened skin: Super fine pearl powder contains various amino acid and microelements which permeate into skin, performing watery and white skin. Mulberry peel essence hydrates skin. Revitalizes and nourishes skin: Vitamin B and seaweed complex revitalize and nourish skin while licorice and citrus ingredients condition and nourish skin. Amazing Nanospheres Technology: Structured with plenty of tiny holes, it enhances absorption of nourishment, leaving skin moisturized.
Suitable for: It is ideal for all skin types, especially dull and damaged skin.
Experience: The white-gold packaging was really luxe to me ^_^ Dunno, something about the gold and silver I guess. The mask had a really delicate, baby powder scent. It smelled gentle and very pleasant. Like all MBD masks, it fit and stayed nicely on my face. As usual, there was just enough serum to put on my neck, no more no less. Overall, it was a very nice experience. Unfortunately, when I took off the mask my the results weren't as dramatic as it is when I use the MBD Apple Polyphenol mask. I feel like it soothed my skin but wasn't effectively brightening as I expected. There wasn't much of a cooling effect either while I had the mask on my face so redness wasn't "as down" as it usually is. Basically, my face wasn't as radiant as I thought it'd be.
Fit: Two slits around the chin. View my previous MBD reviews for pictures. MBD masks fit me perfectly in any case.
Scent: Delicate baby powder scent. Quite pleasant.
Texture: Soft, thin, sticks to face well as per all MBD masks.
Excess serum: As I've said many-a-time before, MBD has enough serum but not as much as Silk Whitia or FaceQ. Whether this is a good or bad thing depends on your preference.
My Beauty Diary Pearl Powder Mask whitens nourishes and revitalizes skin.
• Not sure about nourishing but my skin does feel refreshed afterwards.
• While it whitened my face because it brought down redness, my face didn't have that translucency that I get when I use other masks. And what is "watery and white skin"? :P I'm not sure about long term whitening (aka scar lightening).
Mulberry peel essence hydrates skin.
• Si senorita :) My face felt more moisturized.
• Repetition of point 1 :P
• Repetition of point 4 -_-
Overall results: This was a soothing, hydrating , mildly brightening mask. On the upside, I can see this mask working for almost everyone. It's very gentle, moderately soothing, and nicely scented. On the downside, I don't think it was that effective. For example, I've been using the new MBD Flower series (from a previous batch) and the results I get from those are significantly better and more dramatic (I'll be reviewing those later). While I can see how this mask can perk up dull skin, I don't know how much of an effect it'd have on 'damaged' skin :\ I know that this mask is one of the more popular masks in the MBD line but personally, I'd only recommend this for people with very sensitive skin. For others, it may not be as effective (aka brightening) as you may expect.
This is one of the most loved MBD masks and my assessment is lukewarm in comparison ^^ so like I said, do take this particular review with a grain of salt. Everyone's skin is different (and if anything my skin is on the psychotic side) so in the end, it's always best to try things yourself :)
NOTD: OPI Shattered over Gold and Silver
A short post and another NOTD :D! I wore this for about 2-3 weeks, you can tell my nails have grown out around the cuticles and wearing away on the edges. It lasted a long time :) AND it wasn't hard to remove which is a huge plus. I feel like I sort of damaged my nails after all the Purple Gradient nails because Sally Hansen Rockstar 05 was such a pain to remove :P
Seche Vite Base Coat
Zoya Goldie (gold) & Trixie (silver) x 2 coats each
OPI Shattered
Seche Vite Top Coat
Rats, my thumb was supposed to be gold -_- Anyway, I really like both Goldie and Trixie under Shattered. Since the polishes are so strikingly metallic, it shows up really well under the top coat. Both polishes apply very smoothly, Trixie looks like aluminum foil on your nails ehhe :)
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Monday, February 29, 2016
Lubin on Writing and Customary Law in Premodern India and Java
Timothy Lubin, Washington and Lee University, has posted Writing and the Recognition of Customary Law in Premodern India and Java, which appeared in the Journal of the American Oriental Society 135 (2015): 225-59:
Explaining what made ancient Greek law unusual, Michael Gagarin observes that most premodern legal cultures “wrote extensive sets (or codes) of laws for academic purposes or propaganda but these were not intended to be accessible to most members of the community and had relatively little effect on the actual operation of the legal system.” This article addresses the implications of writing for customary or regional law in South and Southeast Asia. The textual tradition of Dharmasastra (“Hindu law”), which canonizes a particular model of Brahmin customary norms, can certainly be called a “scholarly” exercise, and it was also intended as propaganda for the Brahmanical cosmopolitan world order. But it also formulated a procedural principle to recognize the general validity of other, even divergent, customary norms, though for the most part such rules remained lex non scripta. On the other hand, inscriptions provide evidence that writing was used for diverse legal purposes and offers glimpses of actual legal practice. In these records, customary laws are sometimes laid down as statutes by decree of a ruler or community body, or are simply invoked as long-established customary rules. But even when Dharmasastra texts are not directly cited, their influence over the longue durée is discernable in the persistence of sastric legal categories and terms of art. This influence is even more evident in Java, where legal codes on the Dharmasastra model were composed in Javanese, and where the inscriptions came to exhibit a closer connection with sastric discourse than is found in India.
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Sunday, January 16, 2011
Flood Ramblings
I have cried for a total of five minutes this entire tragedy. Only when I could not locate a dear friend for over 24 hours, I broke down and sobbed. Why can't I help them? I asked my husband. He just held me in the park and rocked me until I calmed down and smiled at the baby birds coming down to eat all the worms. Then I stood, brushed myself off, and kept looking.
I have danced a total of two hundred minutes this entire tragedy. I have listene to stupid music I always hated - bopping mindless crap and I have danced. I have swung my hips, I have smiled. My husband and I have gotten even closer, if that were possible. We danced every night we got home. We went out to eat and he ordered cake, which I would normally chide him for, but this time I told the waitress, "Bring him anything he wants! Boy has earned it!" He got icecream too.
There's more jokes than tears here. More smiles than frowns. There is a lot of looks of disbelief; first at the horror then at the kindness. The faces change so drastically in those few minutes of awareness. You watch their expressions change and you know, you know right then that they won't forget this sight - they will take this with them and they will be humbled. They look down for they cannot take the whole picture in any longer. Daring to cast their eyes slightly higher in search of the first tool they can find, they grab and they work - they work until their hands fucking bleed - because the sight of their cracked broken hands is more pleasurable than the sight of the town should they look up from their task. Nobody looks up for more than a couple seconds - it's too much. It's a lot of information and most of us just simply can't process it.
Today is day #5 for me, day #7 for the victims. I feel like an ass writing about my feelings because I am not hurt - I am not destroyed. I lost no friends, I lost no family, I lost no home - I am one of the happy lucky people. My feelings are not tragic. My feelings are not important. I can barely take photos of the places I come near because doing so just feels like show boating mockery. This is someone's home, you don't show the world how it's destroyed.
But I do - people need to see - see what it is they need to fix. So much work - can you see? So much. Please, come help. Bring shovels, pitchforks, hoses, strength, heart and love. There is nothing you can't bring. C'mon Aussies, Australia needs you.
Saturday, January 15, 2011
The Australian
The Australian
They came in droves to help the state
They came with bread and milk to wait
Until the water receeded back
So their hands with work they could crack
From mud and silt and rising tide
Queenslanders came from far and wide
They toiled and slaved and wiped their brow
Leaned on a broom and wondered how
All this could happen to the people around
Oh well, they said, we'll rebuild this town!
One man grabbed everything he had
And gave it away, not even sad
At the loss, the pain or even the houses
Nobody complained, they just hugged their spouses
So glad you're alive, they said out loud
It was what wasn't said that made us proud
With many hands they did the work
This was a job they would not shirk
For they were tall and they were strong
And they were Australian, all along
Among the backs of women and men
Came the relief in groups of a hundred and ten
Nobody cried for they knew not how
They just toiled and soiled and worked the plough
Deep in the mud as far as they could go
Wasn't a question, wasn't for show
They rebuilt this town from the bottom to the top
Until it was done, they did not stop
For when we hurt and when we're blue
We know we're Aussie, through and through.
-Elizabeth Costello
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Queensland Floods - Thoughts
I might make this private, I don't know yet.
My thoughts are muddled, I don't know what to think. Driving around the morning searching for yet another missing persons house hoping to see the roof and being unable. The only vantage point I could get was blocked off to me by police, who wouldn't even let me near the area to see. I came back to my husband, who I had dropped off to help the neighbourhood of Goodna as I did my search.
Together we cleaned. And cleaned. You are not prepared to see the inside - you're never prepared. The outside is bad enough - everything is brown up to a certain height, and then it's normal. It's like a moment of Kansas with Oz just floating above it. As I started washing things I started realizing they weren't dead. Trees were vibrant and green once given a little rinse; grass was long and bright once washed.
The inside, however, is shocking. Fallen ceilings look nothing like you think they will. Ceiling insulation swells and gets heavy and drops onto the ground in thick heavy sheets. Sheets that break apart easily but are so heavy individually. The insulation is completely indiscernable from mud. The entire house looks like it's covered in six inches of mud while it's just thick wet soggy ceiling materials.
Some things are just absolutely surreal. Bathrooms with part of the door on the toilet and the rest in the ceiling. Somehow, stainless steel tells the truth and while a steel teapot may be filled with mud, it's shininess stands out like a beacon in all the filth.
The things that survive surprise you. Large heavy objects completely distroyed while entire cabinents full of expensive bone china survive - every last piece. I gave two different women from two different home their entire tea sets.
The things on roofs surprise you - a fridge, a bench, an entire table still set for dinner somehow managed to make it onto a roof - cutlery, candlesticks and everything. 3 out of the 4 chairs managed to join it as well. You go up to all the neighbours and ask them politely, "Do you know who's couch is on #16's roof?" Nobody does.
The jokes make things easier. A man picked up a filthy telephone from the wreckage and says to me, "Hold the phone!" At some point I am raking rubbish out of the house and he says to me, "Give me more shit!" I reply, "Honey, I'm a woman, I can give you shit!" and he replies once more, "Well this'll be the only time a man takes your shit!" My husband shouts from another room, "I agree!" and I reply to him, "When did I say you could have an opinion!?" It continues like this for nearly the entire day. Jokes about installing full-size windows and waterfront property abound.
I have renewed faith in humanity. Neighbours help neighbours. Strangers feed and bandage strangers. A woman cried as she told me how she went to a shop to buy shoes and the shop said she could have anything she wanted, anything at all. She only took the shoes she came in for and even then, she could barely take them. Nobody denies help - nobody. They think about it for a second sometimes and you can tell it's out of natural reaction but they pause... they know their natural reaction in this situation won't help them at all - socially polite nuances of denying help are gone. Yes, help. Please, start here. Or here.
The thing is, each tiny little thing you do is an experience all in it's own - it's not all an experience. So when people ask you how you went, you really don't know how to answer. This part was excellent. This part was okay. This part was horrible. This part I pretended I didn't see. This part I can never forget I saw. All together? I don't know... it just was. It just was what it was.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
Think I see Kangaroo up ahead....
Well of course we're gonna go to Tenterfield today!
So we packed up the car and we went.
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Pearl S. Buck
Monday, April 28
Fair and Relaxing Ocean Waves
We went to the Fair from 12:30 to almost 7:30. And it was hot. The kid wasn't into the rides too much, but his little buddy was! We found a shady spot and hogged the table for a good part of the day. I was the only adult in our group that got on a ride. I had to ride this one. HAD to.. it intrigued me all day long... calling me to it. That feeling of flying through the air, with hardly any restraint. Once I got past the "unsafe" feeling, I thoroughly enjoyed myself.
The buddies rode the train a few times. They went to get on other rides, but my little guy was kind of scared. But finally they rode this ride 4 times. It was a simple ride. The cars were going around in a small circle then whipping around the corner. They laughed the entire time.
We spent to much money on BAD fried food, like corn dogs and fried cheese. And too much money playing cheesy rip off games trying to win stuffed sharks. We ate peanuts, funnel cakes, corn dogs, roasted corn, shaved Ice with mango, passion fruit and banana syrup, Lots of water, caramel apple, kettle corn, and bar-b-que. And lemonade. I was burnt out by 7:30.
Then on Sunday to the Beach for a much needed day of sitting and watching the waves. And the seals. And the people. And the dogs. and the kids... laying under the umbrella. I still need some sleep today and not likely.
Summer is coming.Time for the beach. And that sounds like heaven to me. I love beach time. Haven't had any sleep this weekend. I will write a more creative and intriguing entry soon. In the meantime, enjoy the sounds of the sea. (click below)
1. your son is really starting to turn into a "big boy"... in this pic at least, he's starting to lose that "baby face"... my son is starting to do that too....
2. I love the swing picture. Great angle! Fairs rock. I usually stay long after I'm tired, burned, full, and broke. There's just something about them that makes you feel like a kid again. It's hard to leave.
3. i didnt see the wave file before... just clicked it.. cool!
4. That sounds like a great weekend! I always have to ride the rides too..but the fried food always makes me sick. Still indulge though!
5. I'm sitting on our deck over looking the water as I type this, so I don't really need the ocean sounds.
Although we are on a harbor, so there aren't any waves.!
6. i need to get to the beach! now! | <urn:uuid:ba8ded86-e954-45e6-999c-78d2c0f9be73> | http://melstein13.blogspot.com/2008/04/mondays-are-for-resting.html | en | 0.976727 | 0.035027 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
5 feb. 2010
Title: Trigger
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance, Smut, Yaoi
Volumes: 01
Mangaka: Akira Norikazu
1) Trigger
Sawada owes a lot to Kagami, the yakuza that picked him up off the street, but hearing a shocking secret about Kagami changes Sawada's feelings for him. He's also been given an important job involving Kagami...
2) Steal Me
A beautiful young thief stealing information finds himself at the mercy of the owner of the house.
3-4) Risky Bet
Iwase is a gambler determined to get revenge for his uncle's death. But getting close to his uncle's employers is harder than he thought. Professional gambler Shidou offers to help Iwasse, but he won't do it for free...
5) Me in the Palm of a Hand
Pure hearted Hinata loves sweet and gentle girls, but every one he's interested in is taken away by coworker and ladies man Fujimaki. Is Fujimaki deliberately bullying Hinata?
6) The Power of Glasses
Reporter Oota gets assigned to work with his friend from college Kaneko that he hasn't seen in four years. When his heart beats faster at seeing Kaneko wearing glasses, Oota knows he's in for trouble...
7) My Fair Prince
When foreign prince Julius comes to Japan for a week to sight see, he wants to go incognito. Since his (sort-of) relative Doujima works at the embassy, Julius wants Doujima to escort him. By turns pouty and childish, commanding, and sweet, Julius begins to unconciously charm the older man. But when the week's up, will Doujima be able to give up his treasured prince?
8) As You Like It
Kobayashi Tomo is hopeless at job interviews so when he fails his sixth, he doesn't know how his day can get any worse. Running into a yakuza just might do it, and before he knows what's happening Tomo is being pulled along at Suga Mitsunari's pace. But spending a whole day together? And what's going to happen when night comes...
9) Fever
Continuation of chapter 1
0 ♥Comentarios♥ :
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Sarah Palin Slams One of the Left’s Liberal Idols
Former Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin exposed another major incident of hypocrisy in the liberal media. In a recent Facebook post, she defended the beleaguered Duggar family and skewered the, “intolerant left’s destructive personal intrusions and narrow-mindedness applied to their chosen targets.”
As evidence, Gov. Palin took aim at the way the liberal media reacted to HBO series Girls star, Lena Dunham’s revelation that she had used, “anything a sexual predator might” to lure her younger sister Grace into performing sexual acts. Dunham detailed her “sexual experiments” in her bestselling memoir, Not That Kind of Girl.
palin dunham post
In contrast to how the entire Duggar family has been treated, Dunham received no backlash from the media. In fact, when some spoke up to condemn her behavior, those on the left rushed to justify and dismiss her acts.
While Palin made it clear that she would not defend then 14-year-old Josh Duggar’s apparent misconduct, she pointed to how the media’s feeding frenzy has exposed and once again victimized the innocent Duggar sisters, whose rights to privacy as minor victims has been completely disregarded as the media gleefully destroys an entire family’s reputation.
Palin wrote:
“I’m not defending the Duggar boy’s obvious wrongdoing over a decade ago. The main victim in any story like this isn’t the perpetrator, it’s the innocent ones so harmfully affected. I’m not an apologist for any sexual predator, but I’m sickened that the media gives their chosen ones a pass for any behavior as long as they share their leftwing politics. Case in point, they suggest Lena Dunham’s sexual assault on her sibling is cute, and she’s rewarded for it with fame and fortune. Meanwhile, they crucify another, along with an entire family.”
Watch liberals working overtime to justify Lena Dunham’s sexual predatory behavior on the Dr. Drew show:
1. I meant that we have much bigger problems that the are throwing at us, RIGHT NOW! The UN is meeting in Mexico City in a couple months to devise a plan to sidestep the constitution, and take away our right to bear arms. The tactic is to throw garbage at us, while we concentrate on that, they are trying to attack our unalienable rights.
1. Keep on your reps A$$’S about it!!! don’t let them take a breath without receiving a note letting them know if they support this they WILL lose their job!
1. You better believe it! I am very proactive in legislation with my rep and senator. This too, shall come to pass.
1. Dan after the way Christians are fair targets to some Americans, I don’t think this will just MOVE ON anymore than America will just suddenly stop going after this family. You think some Americans will just get over it and forget it, you know better than that, they will just keep chewing on their cud like cows do or like chewing their chewing tobacco like some men do until they chew so much it becomes a cancer
1. I know what you mean. Discrimination against Christians is ok, but we must accept the “religion of peace” Muslims. They should not be protected under the first amendment, they are a political regime, not a religion. There is only one law of this land, and it is our constitution. Sharia has no place in this place!
1. Yes, in a free country you can demonstrate your idiocy anywhere, for all to see.
2. I’m sure if It had the power it wouldn’t see things the way you and I do and other Liberty loving people.
1. Come on! She knows nothing about foreign policy. She does not read newspapers. She is inarticulate……
”I didn’t really had a good answer, as so often — is me.”
1. Obviously obama knows nothing about foreign policy, his military experts told him what would happen if he pulled the troops out of Iraq. How’s Libya working out? Iran is eating his lunch, ISIS is taking over Syria and Iraq.
2. pray tell, why in hell are we responsible for Iraq, because Bush, acted like a fucking BULLY and dragged their President out of his Country and hung him on National TV?? and sp is a fucking moron, every thing that comes out of her mouth shows how ignorant she really is, and you Republicans can all kiss our Democratic ASS.
3. Yet ANOTHER idiotic troll loving to display her ignorance…. I can’t help but laugh at folks that drank too much of the Obummer Kool-Aid and loves to flaunt their loss of reality.
4. It was the UN that first brought up the WMD issue, not Bush. The Iraqis were blocking the UN inspectors from certain areas. Why should we care about Iraq? ISIS is taking over, the are the baddest terrorists around and they will have oil reserves to fund their terrorism just like Iran. ISIS is also taking over Syria, their goal is to take out Israel and the US. How’s Libya working out? Thank you Hillary and obama!!
I don’t kiss ass, I only kick it. No democrat limp wrist scare me, sweetheart!
5. I’ll bet 5 bucks to a plugged nickel you are a product of a NEA run school. Buy the way, when the last time some decent, hard working guy, Democrat OR Republican, offered to take you and introduce you to his Mother? I won’t hold my breath.
6. Man oh man,you really have proven yourself to be a “lady” NOT!!!!! It wouldn’t be hard to ‘kiss your Democratic ass” as you have proven beyond a shadow of doubt that you are ALL ASS.
7. I see you know nothing about history. It was the Iraqis that tried and hung Sadaam, not Bush. You must be a product of the current public school system.
8. Sure, They did that all by themselves just as they are now defending their country all by themselves.
9. Did you even watch the video where an Iraqi people were celebrating the hanging of Saddam Hussein?
Unfortunately I agree Saddam controlled his people and country much better than Bush and way better than “REDLINE” International policy pro Obama.
10. Your lack of a vocabulary is proof that you are a product of Government Schooling and one of low character! just saying!!!
11. Carolyn, please don’t lower your level to theirs. They use that language because it is the only way they know to disagree. they do not know how to argue facts.
12. FACTS ??!!
Your Nuts !!
Still trying to manufacture “inferiority complex” reparations for the black man.
13. Carolyn, and you think that things are better now??? Both dies of the isle are corrupt, or can you not see that?? This “left right” paradigm is all a big cover so the globalists can succeed in their world take over. ALL of the jerks in congress and the POTUS need to be dragged out into the street and made to go home and then tried for treason against the U.S.A. If you don’t see the direction of this country is oblivion then we are indeed screwed.
14. since you liberturd demorats are TOTAL ASSES. I guess if we choose to kiss any part of your being could be the the correct spot!!! Stop drinking the kool aide given by the 1/2 white man in the black house and his boy/wife, the racist pig!
15. Wow! What a mouth!
Considered running for the Democrat Party ??
Bill Clinton might even get a boner !!
16. But Obama has planned to turn the Middle East and Africa and eventually more over to the Muslim terrorists. He has appointed Muslim Brotherhood to important positions in all our security areas. He has fired 100s of generals and admirals and officers who are loyal to the Constitution.
He is constantly destroying the Constitution.
No Obama knows exactly what he is doing.
Pray for the USA and the world.
17. Obviously George Bush knew nothing about foreign policy or we wouldn’t be in the mess we are in now. Why does the US think that every country wants our type of government? We have enough problems here at home without meddling in other countries business. He even attacked the wrong country to start all of the problems we face today. If these people want freedom and democracy, let them get it the way we did.
18. Iraq was a mistake. The reason we invaded was because Hussein wasn’t cooperating with the UN inspectors, had nothing to do with 911 despite the false narrative pushed by the democrats. Obama doesn’t listen to his military, he thinks that he’s the smartest man in the room, and he is when he’s sitting on a toilet. That’s correct, I agree, no more nation building. ISIS is taking over the Middle East and their goal is the destruction of the US and Israel. We already have one terrorist nation that funds terrorism and that’s Iran. If ISIS takes over Iraq and Syria that will be three terrorist nations that will sponsor terrorism, and they’ll have billions in oil revenues to fund it. When Germany started beating the war drums the US ignored it because it was just a little country on the other side of the ocean, and look what happened.
19. Then why are the Arab nations fighting against ISIS? As for the oil revenues, we get less and less oil from the Middle East today than we ever did. This is the perfect reason to dump filthy energy and move to renewables.
20. The Saudis are fighting. When you have something waiting in the wings that’s more efficient and cheaper than fossil fuels. I’ll be first in line.
21. Perhaps you should do some research into renewable energy. There are several places in this country and abroad who have gone to renewables. The results have been amazing with less cist and much less pollution. What good is cheap energy if one can’t breathe the air?
22. This isn’t China, you can breathe just fine. Solar, no sun no energy and it’s expensive. Windmills, no wind no energy and the kill raptures. Those things actually drive up energy costs. So far nothing more efficient or cheap as fossil fuels, the oceans aren’r rising, there isn’t more intense storms, hurricanes or tornados. Don’t panic, man can’t control the climate and it’s conceited to think he can. Climate change has happened since the beginning of time before man was on Earth. The #1 concern of the citizens is jobs and the economy. Businesses have enough ridiculous regulations which is choking the economy.
23. You just keep believing what you want, but there is plenty of proof showing the exact opposite. Solar is getting less expensive all the time, there are now windmills be tested that have no blades so that the birds will be safe. The people living in the Texas panhandle where fracking is booming woukd tend to disagree with you about how wonderful fossil fuels are. Yes the climate does change, but the changes we have seen lately have been truly devastating. You say businesses have enough regulations so I guess your solution is to give carte blanche to them to allow them the freedom to load up our foods with crap so they can make things cheaper and thus reap bigger profits. You want less restrictions perhaps we should be more like China’s manufacturing. No thank you! No this isn’t China, but it will become more like it if we don’t start to do something. But then we would be taking a lesson from another country and we know how much some Americans hate that.
24. What devastating changes? There’s been fewer hurricanes and tornados, not more. Overregulation is killing the economy, 1200 new ones this year alone. The founder of Home Depot said that with all the regulations he couldn’t have started his business today. The climate has changed since the beginning of time and it’s really conceited to think that man can control it. Here’s a couple of ideas for you guys to try, a global thermostat? Adjust the Earth’s orbit around the Sun?
25. You are truly in the minority when it comes to climate change. Are you a scientist? Man can control the climate by being prudent at what it puts into the atmosphere. Your ideas are just palin stupid. Regulation is necessary to a degree. I think the biggest problem is that we have regulations and instead of stopping to evaluate which are good and which aren’t necessary isn’t being done. Instead we just keep adding more.
26. I’m not in the minority, it’s the theory of climate change and there’s many climatologists that aren’t government funded who doesn’t follow Gores theories, one of them is Dr. Richard Lindzen of MIT. I agree that we should go through the regulations and evaluated which ones are bad.
27. Unfortuneately most of the scientists who have said that climate change is a hoax are being funded by energy companies and people who have special interests in not limiting toxic chemicals being put into out atmosphere. Many countries have now admitted that there is a major problem and our coming up with plans to help stop the damage already done to the earth. They all can’t be wrong.
28. And the scientists who say it’s real are being funded by the government calling for more regulation, higher costs to consumers and higher taxes.
29. The following report will prove that you are incorrect about the government funding scientists to make claims about climate change and global warming.
Some bogus arguments take on a life of their own.
by John Timmer – May 24, 2012 4:58pm EDT
One of the unfortunate memes that has made repeated appearances in the climate debate is that money isn’t just influencing the public debate about science, but it’s also influencing the science itself. The government, the argument goes, is paying scientists specifically to demonstrate that carbon dioxide is the major culprit in recent climate change, and the money available to do so is exploding.
Although the argument displays a profound misunderstanding of how science and science funding work, it’s just not going away. Just this week, one of the sites where people congregate to criticize mainstream climate science once again repeated it, replete with the graph below. That graph originated in a 2009 report from a think tank called the Science & Public Policy Institute (notable for using the serially confused Christopher Monckton as a policy advisor).
The report, called “Climate Money: The climate industry: $79 billion so far—trillions to come” (PDF) and prepared by Australian journalist Joanne Nova for the Science & Public Policy Institute, claims to show how money has distorted climate science. There are several aspects to this argument, but we’ll start with the money itself.
Who’s got the money?
Many discussions have focused on the fact that businesses with a large carbon output (like fossil fuels extractors) have funded PR and lobbying efforts that, in part, have attempted to undercut the scientific case for human-driven climate change. It notes that there is now significant money being made by companies that build carbon-neutral energy sources and energy efficient technology, some coming from tax incentives and subsidies. In addition, carbon-trading markets are predicted to grow rapidly over the coming decades. Combined, the report asserts, this money provides an incentive to keep the spotlight focused on carbon.
In short, some of the green industries are now in the same position as their fossil fuel counterparts, in that they have an incentive to shape policy and the public support for it. There’s a definite element of truth to this, although there are clearly reasons other than climate change—ocean acidification, energy security, extending the lifetime of finite resources—for promoting efficiency and green energy.
This displays an almost incomprehensible misunderstanding of how science research works
But the key thing here is that, at best, these companies can influence things like public perception and policy responses. They don’t influence the underlying science because almost none of them are paying any scientists to gather data. So, although a focus on the income of various companies might tell us something about public opinion, it doesn’t really say much about the science.
The false assertion that money is distorting the science comes, in part, from a spectacular misreading of the following graph.
The graph ostensibly shows how the US has gone from essentially funding nothing in the way of climate research to spending over $7 billion a year. But the vast majority of that money is in the form of “Climate Technology,” and a careful reading of the report indicates that this goes to things like wind and solar power, biofuel production, and things of that nature. None of that money goes to the researchers who are actually generating the results that point to anthropogenic warming, so it can’t possibly provide an incentive to them.
The money that is actually going to climate science is on the bottom of the graph, in purple. And, as that shows, funding has been essentially flat since the early 1990s. (Funding has gone up slightly in recent years, but is still in the neighborhood of $2 billion annually.) A lot of that money doesn’t actually go to scientists, either, as it pays to support everything from some of NASA’s Earth-monitoring satellites to land and ocean temperature monitoring.
The other issue with this graph is that it gives the false impression that funding shot up from nowhere around 1990. The truth of the matter is that the US has been funding climate science for decades. It’s why we have things like a record of CO2 levels that goes back to the 1950s, temperature records that span over a century, and a detailed history of periods like the ice ages. People didn’t just suddenly start studying this stuff in 1990—and much of the work from before that date was funded by the government. What changed was the accounting. There are over a dozen different branches of the government that fund some sort of science, but it wasn’t until 1990 that the government formed the Climate Change Science Program, which started aggregating the expenditures across agencies.
There has never been any sudden boom in government funding for climate research that is luring people onto the research track, much less inducing them to support the consensus view. If anything, many years of flat funding would provide an incentive for people to look to getting out of the field. The graph, held up as evidence that climate scientists are being led around by money, actually shows the exact opposite.
Where’s that money going?
But maybe that money is somehow being directed in a biased manner, distributed in a way that ensures the current consensus is supported. “Where is the Department of Solar Influence or the Institute of Natural Climate Change?” Nova asks, elsewhere claiming, “Thousands of scientists have been funded to find a connection between human carbon emissions and the climate. Hardly any have been funded to find the opposite.”
This displays an almost incomprehensible misunderstanding of how science research works. There are institutes that are dedicated to studying the Sun—the Naval Research Laboratory has one, as does NASA. But those institutes are focused on learning about what the Sun actually does, not squeezing what we learn into some preconceived agenda. For decades, solar activity has been trending downwards, even as temperatures have continued to rise. It’s not that the researchers are being induced or compelled to some sort of biased interpretation of the data. Reality just happens to have a bias.
The same thing works in other areas as well. A number of countries have spent large sums of research dollars to put Earth-monitoring satellites in orbit, not with the intent of finding anything in particular, but because monitoring the Earth can tell us important things. This hardware has imaged the Greenland ice sheet—again, not because of some sort of bias, but because the sheet is very big and very significant. Most of these studies have suggested that ice loss is accelerating, but a recent one concluded, “sea level rise from Greenland may fall well below proposed upper bounds.”
The researchers weren’t from some sort of “Institute to discover a stable sea level.” They were from departments focused on polar research and Earth sciences. What Nova doesn’t seem to get is that the people who study the planet actually pay attention to what the planet tells them, not to what their institute may be titled.
(Incidentally, this paper is also a clear indication that research that indicates things aren’t as bad as they could be not only gets published, but makes it into very prestigious journals.)
Like many other self-proclaimed skeptics, Nova also has the bizarre idea that research normally proceeds by “auditing” existing studies. “Auditing AGW research,” she writes “is so underfunded that for the most part it is left to unpaid bloggers who collect donations from concerned citizens online.” But nobody audits the JPL to see if it’s handling the Cassini probe properly; geneticists aren’t being asked to open their books so that other scientists can see if they’re fudging the numbers.
Science simply doesn’t proceed through audits. The Greenland paper linked above provides a much more typical picture of how things work. The researchers behind it didn’t simply reanalyze what others had done; they got new (and, in many ways, better) data that addressed the same issue and provided a more comprehensive picture of what was going on at the ice sheet’s glaciers.
In short, you generally don’t make an impression on science by auditing past data; you do it by coming up with better data.
It’s pretty strange that people find in the graph above (which shows research stuck in neutral for decades) evidence of a flood of money into climate science that distorts its conclusions. But it’s unfortunately typical that an argument focused on climate science leaves the facts behind from the start.
The graph wouldn’t transfer, but it can be seen at
30. Not buying it. Feeling warm? Move to the most beautiful state in the nation, NH. Summer time we hardly use the central. Leave the windows open all night, close them during the day. The cost of regulations is passed onto the consumer. The left is great at destroying the economy.
31. Don’t care if you buy it or not, but those are the facts. I guess it’s true……….you can’t fix stupid!
32. I saw a video of Al Gore giving a lecture, when Gore asked if there were any questions, a Ph.d climatologist said that he could refute every single issue in the Inconvenient movie. Gore wouldn’t debate. You buy a scam and call me stupid?
(eye roll)
33. Congratulations, you saw a video! One climatologist doesn’t make up for all of the research that has been and is being done. As I said before……you can’t fix stupid!
34. Sure, raise my taxes and save the planet!! Have you thought about the global thermostat thingy?
35. Today, Pope Francis underscored our moral obligation to address climate change and its impacts on communities around the globe.
In his encyclical message from the Vatican, the pope made a historic call for action to protect future generations from the dangers of further climate chaos.
By using one of the highest levels of his authority — the encyclical — the pope made climate action a moral priority for his faith community.
I believe the pope’s message applies to all of us, regardless of our faith.
We are already paying a high price for rising seas, expanding deserts, blistering heat, withering drought, raging floods, storms and other hallmarks of climate change.
And all too often it is the most vulnerable among us — infants and children, expectant mothers, the poor, the elderly and the infirm — that are hurt the worst from the consequences of climate change.
In his encyclical, Pope Francis reminds us: “The climate is a common good, belonging to all and meant for all… Never have we so hurt and mistreated our common home as we have in the last 200 years.”
On that point, there can be no doubt. Our world is telling us every way it knows how that it’s time to cut the dangerous carbon pollution that’s driving climate change.
But for our convictions to have meaning and purpose, they must shape the way we live and drive progress. That’s what the pope reminds us this week.
The pope has put before us one of the most profound questions of our time: will we embrace our moral obligation to be responsible stewards of the world?
In the coming weeks, months and years ahead, our actions will determine whether our children inherit a world that’s redeemed by our commitment to get this right or condemned by our failure to act.
36. The pope should shut his pie hole and address child abuse in the Catholic church. The seas aren’t rising, the shoreline is eroding. When all the cottages at Plum Island Mass. were wiped out by a big storm everyone pointed to a rising sea level. Plum Island cottages are built on dunes, could that be why they were wiped out? You didn’t explain how more regulations and higher taxes will “save the planet.” China and India are building a coal fired plant a week. Do you think that they’re going to stop? Man cannot control the weather and it’s conceited to think that they can. I’m going to be here until 8 o’clock tonight. Our correspondence is over.
37. So now you are a climate scientist! OMG how many different hats do you wear?
t’s my belief that history is going to look back upon those who denied the realities of human-made climate change much in the same way we do people who once thought that Earth was flat. The thing is, climate change deniers are actually worse because we have the technology that gives near unlimited access to scientific facts, whereas centuries ago obtaining information was much more difficult. In today’s world, you have to be willfully ignorant to deny the scientifically supported reality that humans are accelerating climate change. However, because the Republican party is basically nothing more than a puppet for big oil, we’ve had to have this “debate” among the vast majority of the world’s scientists and people who take in large sums of money from the world’s biggest oil producers. I’ve often compared it to just a few decades ago when big tobacco spent massive amounts of money trying to perpetuate the absurd believe that smoking wasn’t hazardous to anyone’s health. Hell, once upon a time there were ads for doctor recommended cigarettes. Can you believe that? To think, with all that we know now, there was actually a time where there was a “debate” over whether or not smoking was dangerous. Well, during a recent interview with CNN, Bill Nye used the tobacco industry as an example to showcase just how absolutely ignorant these people are who deny humans are accelerating climate change: I just want to remind voters that suppose you had somebody running for congressional office in your district who insisted there was no connection between cigarette smoking and cancer. Would you vote for that person? You might, but if this person were adamant, ‘No, the scientists who studied cigarette smoking, they don’t know what…,’ if they were adamant, would you vote for them? And so, in the same way the connection between climate change and human activity is at least as strong as cigarettes and cancer. And so, I just want everybody to keep this in mind: that it’s very reasonable that the floods in Texas, the strengthening storms, especially, the president was in Florida, these things are a result of human activity making things worse. It’s very bad. I get this that people died in Texas, and I am reminding you what else. This is a very expensive business. When you flood the fourth largest city in the United States, somebody is going to pay for it, and it’s you and me. And so, the sooner we get to work on climate change, the better. The truth is, there was a time in this country when politicians did blindly – and vigorously – defend big tobacco against the scientific claims that smoking was dangerous. Do you know why? Because they were being paid off by big tobacco the same way big oil is paying off politicians today. The difference being, smoking is without a doubt bad, but ultimately it mostly only impacts those who choose to smoke, whereas denying climate change puts the lives of everyone living on this planet in danger. As long as there are enough people buying into the bullshit that big oil is paying politicians to say, that puts us all at risk. Sadly, even when evidence of climate change is happening right in front of our eyes, such as the recent historic floods in Texas (on the heels of a historic drought no less), it won’t make a difference. Because as the saying goes… you can’t fix stupid.
Even Bill Nye says the same thing as I did.
38. Bill Nye said that by 2012 the earth would be so overpopulated that it would be the end of humanity. Gore said that by 2015 the storms would intensify and the polar caps would be melted. Now there’s fewer intense storms and a record amount of ice in the Antarctic. Is Gore a scientist? Is the pope a scientist? The sun controls earth’s temperature, how does on control the sun? Enjoy the weather and you stop being stuck on stupid, son.
39. You truly are steeped in right wing bullshit. Storms have intensified greatly, polar ice caps are melting at record rates; especially in the Arctic, which you failed to mention, as a matter of fact; yes, the Pope is a scientist. You say the sun controls the earth’s temperature, but what is between the earth and the sun. That’s where the problem lies and what we are talking about. You are the one stuck on stupid because you are so brain washed by the right who wants to deny all of this just for the benefit of big energy corporations who stuff their (politicians) pockets with cash (a few Democrats as well).
40. Sparky, there’s a record amount of ice at the South Pole, more than in recorded history. The Polar Bears are not dying, they’re thriving and reproducing and there’s a record amount of bears, so many that they will have to be culled (sniffle sniffle)
Storms have not intensified, and we’ve had fewer tornados. who tells you this crap?
The founder of the weather channel also calls it a scam and the ones who are pushing it are the ones that are going to be stuffing their pockets.
A few years ago they were talking about a global freeze. I know this for a fact, it was in the movie the Day After Tomorrow. It’s too late, we’re all going to die!! Raise my taxes and SAVE ME……HELP
41. First of all my name is not Sparky. Yes there is a record amount of ice at the South Pole, but it has very different conditions from the North Pole. Polar Bears do not live at the South Pole.
Well you just summed it up for me that you get your info from some very bizarre places. Why have you not mentioned the North Pole where most of ther ptoblem is? Would it show proof that you don’t know what you’re talking about? I believe that the people in Texas and the midwest who have lost homes, property, and lives would beg to differ with you. And seriously you’re going to base anything on a Hollywood movie. Where do you get this stuff? You really need to do some research before you make false statements.
Arctic vs. Antarctic
Because the Arctic and Antarctic are cold, dark, and remote, we often think these two places are nearly the same. However, they are quite different. One notable difference is that polar bears live only in the Arctic, and penguins live only in the Antarctic. But what about the differences in sea ice between the two regions?
According to scientific measurements, both the thickness and extent of summer sea ice in the Arctic have shown a dramatic decline over the past thirty years. This is consisistent with observations of a warming Arctic. This trend is a major sign of climate change in the polar regions and may be an indicator of the effects of global warming. (See Trends in the Environment section).
For more information on current sea ice conditions see the Arctic Sea Ice News & Analysis Web page. To read NSIDC press releases on recent Arctic sea ice minima, see the Arctic Sea Ice Press Announcements Archive on the Arctic Sea Ice News & Analysis Web page.
Twelve scientists from Arctic countries have issued what amounts to a wake-up call about the world’s polar bear population. If the record disappearance of the Arctic summer ice last year continues, the feeding platform of polar bears will vanish. We may have to start feeding them ourselves – if only to draw them away from human settlements – relocate them, or cull starving bears to ensure more viable populations. As it is, only one of 19 polar bear subpopulations is increasing. So much of the way we think about the disappearing Arctic ice is stuck in the 19th century. The eight nation Arctic Council cannot even agree on a system of corporate liability for oil spills, let alone declare the Arctic to be off-limits for drilling. Is the Arctic one of the last areas of wilderness in the world which, along with its bears, should be protected, or is its rapid disappearance too good an opportunity to be missed? We had better soon decide which of the two we want.
42. Are you one of those “My farts don’t stink kind of people” ?
Promoting the policies of a bankrupt Solyndra ?!?
I’ve got three windmills at a school 20 miles from me.
2 in disrepair and a school board that never hears the end of it.
43. Do you bother to do any research into the issues at hand, or are you one of those people who sits on their fat a$$ and just continues to spew forth every little lie that you get from the right wing media?
44. Navy educated in nuclear power technology, and disgusted with the administration as most of the (neutered) armed services are.
45. Try 5 tours of duty on a sub. It’ll redefine what you consider lazy.
I research as much as anybody, both liberal or conservative and like you provide only as much proof the internet will allow.
I can oppose most any viewpoint established by a well paid consensus with an number of scientists opposed to their ideas.
I’ve debated college professors, with the very books they required us to purchase. I have a Bachelors in business even though I feel I could have done better in nuclear energy production.
I watch as many news sources as I can. (both pro and con to my political opinion) and read just as many if not more national and local papers.
I stay pretty informed.
46. Current Renewables = MM Climate Change= Ponzi Scheme = Crony Capitalism= Stealing from the citizens = a current losing proposition all the way around.
I’m all for rerenewable resources…as long as the greedy crony hypocrites and thieves in government and their crony partners keep their mitts out of the research and development and let the free market entrepreneurs build it for the right reasons. Oh, and figure out how to stop the killing of birds and other wildlife…unlike the not so brilliant subsidized alternative energy experiments that has been taking place over the last 30+ years.
Climate Change Truth File
47. Seems you forgot that we created the terrorist and are still training and supporting the terrorist and that has been documented and proven but it`s like no one notices that and just keeps passing the blame to other countries.Iran is fighting ISIS while we are supplying them with weapons and Syria is fighting ISIS while we are training them under the worn out name of Syrian Rebels who don`t even exist anymore.Israel is supporting the terrorist by treating their wounded and sending them back to fight while all the terrorist are supposedly against and want to destroy Israel.They just haven`t fired a shot at Israel since the wars have begun.Doesn`t that seem a little weird to anyone else?Saudi Arabia and Turkey supports the terrorist and I haven`t seen anyone saying much about that.We sold the Saudi all of those planes not long ago and do you think that was a coincidence sense they attacked Yemen the poorest country in the M.E and are bombing it back to the stone age.I look at Afganistan ,Libya,Iraq,Yemen,Syria and all the genocide our country has backed on the African continent and I wonder just who are the terrorist.
48. “…enough problems here at home without meddling in other countries…”
So now, I am to suppose, that we go along with our pretender/IOO inviting other countries to screw our country, or what he leaves for them to proceed with.
49. If you listen to or read anything by anyone who is considered an expert on Middle East culture and government, they all have said that we went into a war without understanding the country(s). If you want to blame, you have to go back to the beginning of this mess and sort out all of the details. I have done extensive research on this subject and it can get rather complicated. It is truly very interesting however to realize just how many people were involved and what actions were taken dating back to the at least the 80’s and maybe even before.
50. “…extensive research…rather complicated…actions taken… at least the 80’s and maybe [MAYBE?] even before.”
You make good points with inclusion of a point against your self. Research, yes perhaps, but – extensive? That is an easy one. Along a long trail we see – I note, an easy one – not MAYBE, on going for long. Obvious – after JFK was out of the way LBJ jumped – I emphasize JUMPED – into RVN somewhat before the 80’s.
Not Middle East, same problem.
51. It started with Churchill when he made Iraq out of three tribal areas on the advice of one of his dip shit mistresses. That part of the world has been a mess ever since. We also have never had an energy policy that made any sense either….enter ARAMCO, the formation of Israel, The Mufti’s influence with Hitler, the CIA with the Shah, the set up of the Saud family….and its Bush’s fault?
52. It’s called learning from the past. He didn’t do a very good job of that. Plus the fact that a lot of this was don for Cheyney who I consider far worse than Bush. He wanted a war to furhter the profits of Halibuton.
53. kris,
Cheney wanted a war so Halliburton (not Halibuton) wanted to further (not furhter) their profits? How do you know, putz?
54. Bernie, you missed don which should have been done. Do some research into Cheyney, Halliburton and the zmiddle East and you will find the answers to your question. It’s all there and nicely documented. I don’t watch MSNBC or standard news because they are too biased one way or another. However you just couldn’t not show your true right wing ignorance by your little cutesy comment at the end of your second sentence. So Mature!
55. kris,
What “research” and “documents” do you go by, putz? (cute enough?)
56. Instead of saying nothing, which you are so good at doing, get off your lazy a$$ and look it up. Do your mind, brain, and intellect a favor.
57. Awwww Kris,
1. Does that mean you were just blabbering some left-wing crap about Halliburton?
2. Does that mean you are ashamed of where you got your “info”?
3. Does that mean you’re not going to try and enlighten me?
By the way, you can spell out “ass” on these posts., Ass!!
One more thing….I would like to take this opportunity to thank today’s far left, radical, dumb DEMOCRAT party and people like you for making it easier and easier for this once proud South Side Chicago, minority voting DEMOCRAT (me) for now being a CONSERVATIVE voter. Thank you………..
58. IF we had an energy policy that made any sense starting 50 plus years ago none of this would have been needed, or we would have had the leverage over the Middle East oil folks to keep them in line as well as the Europeans who would like to see us fall as an economic power. Besides, Bush I should have put Saddam out of his misery the first time but obeyed the UN rules and then we hung the Kurds out to dry which guarenteed a sequal. Cheney’s legend lives on beyond his power and influence because he does not say much [maybe its because he has little to say!] Most corporations should be as well managed and capable as Haliburton and we would not have had a housing bubble.
59. After reading the first sentence from your rant I knew you were an … Idiot. I was trying to be polite.
60. So the liberals solution would be allow everything to fail into total chaos with Islamic terrorists over running the entire Middle East, while at the same time allowing chaos such as the Boston bombings, Ferguson, Baltimore, cop shootings, etc to happen here in the U.S.
Good Job Democrats !!
61. Are you an expert in Middle East affairs? It is a very complicated part of the world. Our troubles started there long, long before Obama was President. It really goes back to the late 50’s and early 60’s. Much or I should say most of the problems we have had over there were due to greed for oil and its profits. You really can’t compare the Middle East problems with Ferguson and Baltimore. These problems were caused by a few crazed hateful policemen who in the end have gotten what they deserved. You say good job Democrats, but what have the Republicans done except say no to everything that might help, come up with no ideas of their own, and criticize so many things that are so unimportant.
62. So you condone allowing an administration to drop the ball, allowing ISIS terrorists to take cities once controlled by the allies.
You can account all problems to when Israel was set up as a state, infuriating the Palestinians but that still won’t forgive Obama allowing all that was accomplished in Iraq and Afghanistan to be lost.
Obama essentially pulled all military support allowing ISIS to regain power.
He allows undocumented people, condoning terrorism on AMERICAN soil.
Obama and John Kerry then draw their pansy ass CRAYOLA CRAYON “REDLINES” with no stomach to back anything they say or promote. COWARDS !!!
The same as Baltimore Mayor Rawlings throwing in the towel allowing black youth to destroy a portion of the city. COWARD !!
The same as Clinton allowing the first attempt on the Trade Towers and the bombing of the U.S.S. Cole with essentially no answer to deflate efforts of terrorists that will eventually tear the U.S. apart. COWARD given way too much credit by those easily amused !!
I served in the U.S. Navy under Presidents Reagan, Bush Sr. and Clinton.
I retired Petty Officer first class (E-6)
I undestand patriotic sense of duty and loyalty to your country.
Our current LIBERALS in charge DON’T !!
63. What does this have to do with the Duggars and Sarah Palin? That is the topic of this item. I don’t care who you served under or anything else because it has nothing to do with this. The problems with the Middle East go back to the late 50’s and early 60’s. We are to blame for most of what is happening over there today. There is just too much proof to think otherwise. I have done extensive research on the ME and the amount of info is mind boggling. It’s like reading a spy thriller with all the twists and turns and assemblage of characters. However one thing remains a constant throughout the history. It was all done for oil and for those who would gain the most from the profits it created.
64. “Extensive research” pertaining to the article would indicate the hypocrisy of the Duggar incident while not admitting to the Dunham Incident (Sarah’s point).
I think they (Duggar and Dunham) were both old enough to know better than harming children, but because liberals attempt covering everything they do while blaming conservatives for the same crimes is just too funny.
65. You mean the George Bush who now enjoys a higher favorable rating than the current POS, errr, POTUS O’Community Organizer?
66. Whether or not she knows about foreign policy is not the topic here.
That is the Red Herring logical fallacy.
67. Obama did not say that. Wise, thoughtful Sarah did when she attempted to explain why she wrote answers on her hand.
68. Did you ever explain “57 states” Obama, or “2 shotgun blast out the back door” Biden?
Or would denying those quotes be better to your political interests ?
69. That’s what I wondered. That was her response to being asked why she writes on her hands.
70. Once again you raise your ugly head. ….I am amazed at how you seem to know so much about Sarah…you must know her personally to say she ‘knows nothing’ about foreign policy etc’…and you know soooooo much about the pos in the WH too!!
If you had an original thought to contribute to this site…please state it..We would appreciate the challenge …
71. “Don’t let anybody tell you that it’s corporations and businesses that create jobs.” — Hillary Clinton
Most of you probably don’t get this, But she is correct. Consumers create jobs. Think about it…intelligently!
72. Consumers aren’t born with JOBS providing income (FOR CONSUMPTION), UNLESS THEY SUCK OFF THE GOVERNMENT WELFARE SYSTEM, and even the taxes providing for THAT come from business and people employed by business.
I hope you thought about that “intelligently”
73. Pot calling the kettle black? This jumped from basic maternal instinct to ‘foreign policy’? Ok nasty!!
1. Oh but she has a mind, which many on the left don’t have.
(Hi, Nastasyana. Nice to see you again. 🙂 )
1. Come on. She is really not bright and not because she is a conservative but because she does not think. Even if she were a democrat i would be ashamed to quote or advocate for her.
1. You’ve been indoctrinated by a liberal media, she’s smarter than the Kenyan. Dumb people don’t run successful states.
2. What’s hilarious is when yahoo runs one of their anti Palin stories, the dumbed downed useful idiots start their rants about her lack of intelligence which they describe by making so many grammatical mistakes that it proves their own stupidity.
3. The left claims to care about women and blacks, as long as they vote democrat. Smear merchants.
4. No she’s still harping the BLACK man’s burden, when even Hollywood acknowledged White Man’s Burden years ago.
She has black ass inferiority complex.
She needs that Obamacare for psychiatric help.
2. She’s a smart women who has been smeared by liberals and MSM. She was also a successful governor with an 80% approval rating. The thing about the left is they’re all for women and blacks, as long as they vote democrat.
1. The following is just a very small sample of how smart she is: Dumb Things Sarah Palin Said: A Top 10 List
Who does she remind me of? Who? Who? What other politician has been known for putting his foot in his mouth every time he opened it.
Oh yeah! Dan Quayle.
Well, then, wouldn’t that mean that Sarah Palin is the new Dan Quayle?
Sarah Qualin?
Let’s look back at some of the most inane and insane things this wannabe Vice President who quit being governor because it got too hard and then “wrote” a book about all her trials and tribulations.
NUMBER TEN: “I think on a national level your Department of Law there in the White House would look at some of the things that we’ve been charged with and automatically throw them out.” –Sarah Palin, referring to a department that does not exist while attempting to explain why as president she wouldn’t be subjected to the same ethics investigations that compelled her to resign as governor of Alaska.
NUMBER NINE: “They are also building schools for the Afghan children so that there is hope and opportunity in our neighboring country of Afghanistan.” –Sarah Palin, speaking at a fundraiser in San Francisco, shares her wealth of knowledge about geography.
NUMBER EIGHT: “[T]hey’re in charge of the U.S. Senate so if they want to they can really get in there with the senators and make a lot of good policy changes that will make life better for Brandon and his family and his classroom.” –Sarah Palin, getting the vice president’s constitutional role wrong after being asked by a third grader what the vice president does. So, let’s see, she isn’t smarter than a third grader?
NUMBER SEVEN: “All of ’em, any of ’em that have been in front of me over all these years.” –Sarah Palin, unable to name a single newspaper or magazine she reads. Please, the woman can read just as well as she “writes”.
NUMBER SIX: “Well, let’s see. There’s ― of course in the great history of America there have been rulings that there’s never going to be absolute consensus by every American, and there are those issues, again, like Roe v. Wade, where I believe are best held on a state level and addressed there. So, you know, going through the history of America, there would be others but……………” –Sarah Palin, unable to name a Supreme Court decision she disagreed with other than Roe vs. Wade. Well, she doesn’t read, and doesn’t know what the Veep does, how can we expect her to know any Supreme Court decisions?
NUMBER FIVE: “Ohh, good, thank you, yes.” –Sarah Palin, after a notorious Canadian prank caller complimented her on the documentary about her life, Hustler’s “Nailin Paylin,”
NUMBER FOUR: “We believe that the best of America is not all in Washington, D.C. … We believe that the best of America is in these small towns that we get to visit, and in these wonderful little pockets of what I call the real America, being here with all of you hard working very patriotic, um, very, um, pro-America areas of this great nation.” –Sarah Palin, speaking at a fundraiser in Greensoboro, N.C.,. She can see Alaska from her house, but she can’t find her ass with her own two hands.
NUMBER THREE: “Who calls a shot like that? Who makes a decision like that? It’s a disturbing trend.” –Sarah Palin, pushing a conspiracy theory that “In God We Trust” had been moved to the edge of coins because of the Obama administration. Nope, Sarah, you dimwit, you uneducated twit, you moron. The change was made by the Bush administration in 2007 and was later reversed by Congress, before Obama took office.
NUMBER TWO: “The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama’s ‘death panel’ so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their ‘level of productivity in society,’ whether they are worthy of health care. Such a system is downright evil.” –-Sarah Palin, in a message posted on Facebook about Obama’s health care plan. Her quote has been named The Lie Of The Year, a dubious honor for America’s dumbest politico.
NUMBER ONE: “As Putin rears his head and comes into the air space of the United States of America, where– where do they go? It’s Alaska. It’s just right over the border.” –Sarah Palin, explaining why Alaska’s proximity to Russia gives her foreign policy experience. I have experience in race relations because a black family lives down the street.
Remember a lot of people in her own party didn’t want her on the presidential ticket and it is a known fact that she is mainly responsible for losing the election. Even people in her home start were worried that there might be an off chance she’d become president if something happened to McCain.
1. I would put her negotiating skills against Obama’s anytime; she would bring back the money more times then not. John M is not a patriot, he was a collaborator with the Vietcong and that is proven by the fact that he was one of the very few POW’s who was never promoted while in captivity! He is a loser, Google it. He would most likely been as bad a president as Obama since he as untrustworthy.
2. Well then you are as delusional as she is. You did read the quotes she has said in previous interviews did you not? I’m good, but I can’t make those things up. Her stupid comments showing her complete ignorance about politics and the world are saved on tapes and video for posterity. No wonder she ws such a hit for late night TV. Her material never stopped. McCain, not a fan.
4. Yawn! Oh where to start with Hitlery, O’Community organizer and every other vetted liar in the liberal progressive ranks of the communist wing of American politics…the Demonrat PartyParty. They aren’t limited to just saying something stupid, they also continue to lie knowing full well that the useful idiots, people just like you, are too stupid to know the difference.
How’s it feel?
5. How’s it feel living in that glass house? Your ignorance shines through in your writing. You can’t seem to write a decent sentence, but you are good at saying nothing with a flare of demeaning terms. You must be so proud of yourself that you know so many nasty terms and can be so hateful. Sorry you have such a problem being a decent person. When it comes to lies, the Republicans (Neo) hold the trophy for that. Ted Cruz is a shining example.
6. Yaawwwn! Boring!
Never reveal all of yourself to other people; hold back something in reserve so that people are never quite sure if you really are that stupid.
Useful idiot wants a cracker? barraaccckkk!
7. Oh how wonderful it must be to be so so perfect and never make a typing mistake. That is a mistake, but the things you say are dumb.
8. kris,
OK. Here you go…Things YOU say are dumb. Things liberals say are dumb. Things the left-wing whackos say are dumb. Now, disprove it.
Your turn……….
9. Awww Kris,
Please, please, please Daddy.
I look up to you. You are so smart. You are my hero.
Please, please, please………..
10. Don’t care about your list because her past accomplishments far outshine anything Sarah Palin half did. At least see finished her jobs. Besides I’m not really supporting her anyway.
11. Hillary resigned as Secretary of State.
Kerry is finishing her job, and they both sucked at it.
Hillary had Benghazi and Kerry with his stupid Syrian “REDLINE”.
I think you better get back to that “RESEARCH”.
12. No, you’re the one who needs to do the research. You’re just offering right wing rhetoric which is rarely based in fact that is old and tired.
13. So left wing rhetoric implies Hillary did not resign ??!!
I wonder why lurch is doing her job then ??
14. I guess the question is why did each resign. I have to admit that I feel sorry for both of them because they were really under fire from the media. Palin was heading toward bankruptcy because of all the ethics violations she was defending. Hwr family was taking makor hits in the media as well. She also wanted to do a book tour which was not allowed while Gov. of Alaska. There was far more money to be made from a book tour and speaking engagements. Speaking engagements have been very monetarily kind to each of them.
15. We finally agree.
They both had their reasons.
I think Hillary felt some heat and wanted to maintain better chances for POTUS, and I feel Sarah wanted to give her family some space from the media.
3. Yes you can, but if you and your ilk had the power you would make it a law that we couldn’t speak out about your vile behavior. All the lies they put out on Palin isn’t because they believe she is stupid but they know she represent a danger to their Fascist/Communist agenda. And you’re just a useful Idiot and when you’re no longer needed for votes you’ll be discarded as trash. History has proven this over and over.
1. I like the term “useless idiot” because there is nothing useful about a Liberal……nothing!!
4. She must have a lot in common with you then, Nastasyana. Have you run a state? Have you run a successful business? Have you run a campaign? Have you tried to do anything and succeed or fail – or are you just out there maligning others? I agree with Sarah 100%. Not only did Lena brag about the behavior and call herself a “sexual predator” – she did it for monetary gain – not caring at all about her sister or family’s reaction. She was looking for media attention and money. The Duggar family gained nothing and did not wish to – when Josh confessed it was to his family, church, police and wife. He confessed for forgiveness – not monetary gain.
1. Nope probably to old! He likes to take those flights on his friends plane so he can (RUMORED-HAS not YET been proved) entertain the young girls overseas! I did say it is rumored! Although it would NOT surprise me!
5. Really? What do you base that opinion on? Nothing, obviously. Ms. Palin is articulate and precisely accurate in her assessment of the situation–which cannot be said for the remarks of her detractors.
1. Do you know the meaning of articulate? Listen to president Obama speak and you be able to hear”articulate”.
1. Since when has the articulation of half truth, deceitful misinformation and outright lies been something to admire? Only to you useless idiots!
6. And you are a “thinker” ? Before you open your mouth and demean someone else, you should be at least as intelligent and accomplioshed as the one you demean. So what are your academic, journalistic, or political credentials?
1. And your “much better than hers ” consists of what? Do you expect one to believe in something when you say nothing? All i can garner from your post is that you have a loathing for attractive, intelligent women – or maybe it’s just your own personal war on women? Oh, but then that would make you a Republican.
1. Now that’s just plain silly. She is a celebrity and as such is open to scrutiny. People listen to what she says and she has a responsibility to know what she is talking about.
I am not a celebrity. In fact, you don’t know me at all and I am not open to your scrutiny. You can disagree or dislike what I say but any comments you make about my mind or my intelligence are groundless.
1. I don’t have to say anything about your intelligence……it shows and speaks for itself!
1. What’s with you people and “your”. You are = you’re.
None of you should have anything to say about my intelligence, obviously.
7. She thinks. It is just that she is a very smart conservative. And you don’t like smart or conservative. It is too hard for you to have your agenda when there are smart or conservative people around. LOL
8. nastasyana (putz),
So, I see you agree that the media uses double standards when it comes to the schmucks on the left. ,
1. There is a difference between a seven year old’s sexual exploitation and a 15 year old ‘s sexual molestation.
Sarah Palin is too dumb to understand this.
1. ….the language that you and Sarah and others of her ilk understand. I understand standard English.
1. No, you are excusing the obvious differences. Dunham was aggressive by her own admission. And she is still proud of what she did.
You KNOW that. But your bigotry prevents you from admitting it. Face it. The Duggar actions were so minor that the police and DA would not file charges. And Josh stopped and apologized.
Now Dunham did EVERYTHING she could think,of to induce further sex. And she did not apologize. And she still glories in what she did.
And YOU still excuse her.
“They not only do what is wrong. They approve of those who do wrong.” That is Bible and it condemns YOU..
1. You could have looked it up. I googled it. Romans 1:32.
Now you can ignore it IF you were only trying to defend this APPROVER OF EVIL.
2. Romans 1:32King James Version (KJV)
32 Who
3. I did for someone else. And YOU COULD GOOGLE it just like I did. Romans 1:32. And don’t think that I make up verses. I have no guile and when I reference a statement from the Bible, it is there.
1. Please do not send me bible stuff. You people use the bible for your own purposes and propaganda. A seven year old is not a 15 year old. Young girls are curious about their sexual
selves because they cannot see their organs. Men have theirs standing out there and at 15 know what to do with them. We heard about it because he got caught. He apologized because he got caught. Lena Dunham wrote about an experience she had as a 7 year old and when she learned it was not acceptable she stopped. Not acceptable meaning she was invading the rights of another and not because she got caught. That;s how people develop morals- by learning to control their desires or curiosity because of the rights of others.
1. No a 7 year old is not a 15 year old but a 7 year old did not STAY a 7 year old! She continued into her TEEN years!!! Can you possibly get that through your thick skull????
2. You have proof that she stopped? No.
Was she apologetic? NO.
Was she turned in to the police by her on family? NO.
Was she denounced by the liberals like they have Duggar? NO.
And you seem to think that it is okay because girls don’t have mirrors and can’t SEE IT? LOL.
Then there is your last statement that is just plain wrong. I have one name to respond to the falseness of it. BILL CLINTON.
And then I will remind you that morality is FROM GOD. And if you don’t understand that, then explain why it is built into people all over the world EXCEPT the sociopaths.
Go back to school. You have so much that you have not learned.
And the first thing that you should know by now is that without the Bible and God in our lives, America as it WAS would never have happened.
I bet you don’t understand that either. That would require you to study history.
So Nasty, what is your god? You have obviously reject Jesus Christ. When you finally understand just how much He loves you, I hope it is not too late.
1. Children display sexuality differently at different ages
15-year-old Josh Duggar molested his 5-year-old sister — one of at least seven acts of molestation.
§ 61-8B-7. Sexual abuse in the first degree. **Update Notice: This Section has been amended by CHAPTER 15 OF 2006 (1st Ex. Sess.), 77TH LEGISLATIVE SESSION
(a) A person is guilty of sexual abuse in the first degree when:
(1) Such person subjects another person to sexual contact without their consent, and the lack of consent results from forcible compulsion; or
(2) Such person subjects another person to sexual contact who is physically helpless; or
(3) Such person, being fourteen years old or more, subjects another person to sexual contact who is eleven years old or less.
(b) Any person who violates the provisions of this section shall be guilty of a felony, and, upon conviction thereof, shall be imprisoned in the penitentiary not less than one year nor more than five years, or fined not more than ten thousand dollars and imprisoned in the penitentiary not less than one year nor more than five years.
(1976, c. 43; 1984, c. 56.)
Lena Dunham was 7 and her sister was i think 4.
2. Lots of words proving your hypocrisy. Face it. Admit it. You are a liberal, possibly a homosexual , who hates Christians and never passs up a chance to use YOUR double standard against your “ENEMIES”
Who made you God?
3. Oh Shut up! I don’t hate christians, I just don’t believe in them and the rhetoric.
Now Jesus, he was someone to believe in before the hypocrites twisted his words and called it christianity. And of course if i don’t agree with you I am homosexual or muslim or stupid or communist or whatever is not YOU. Go back to sleep and wake up again in twenty years.
4. Then explain how you can to be so intolerant of the Duggars. You certainly do not have personal knowledge. And what you have said indicates that you respect Jesus but don’t accept Him as God, Lord and a sacrifice for sins. So what are you. And why are you so judgemental for someone who you have NO IDEA as to what happened?
Why would I suggest that you are a homosexual, muslim, or anything else? Because you are acting JUST LIKE they do.
I notice that you did not deny being a liberal. I guess that is significant.
5. I am who I am. I have my own thoughts based on information and knowledge I have gained through education, discussion with people smarter than I am and also with people who have different perspectives from mine. I am not intolerant of the Duggars. You people see things in black and white only. All I said is that as a 15 year old, he is more knowledgeable about what molestation is and apologized after being caught. Hopefully he has received help for his pedophilia. Denham was not a pedophile and i resent your comparing the two just to make your point The Duggans are celebrities who inflict their christian values for money on the people who watch them. To my knowledge. Lena Dunham just wrote a book about her childhood.
6. According to you, good is bad and bad is good.
The Duggar boy is not a pedophile. What happened ceased 12 years ago. and NO ONE but you has suggested that it has. It was over and forgiven and forgotten. BUT YOU have determined that he is still guilty. Not even God is doing that.
And then you excuse and celebrate Dunham, who NEVER apologized and has given no indication that she has stopped such actions.
God help you.
7. It is not for me to call him guilty, I am not a judge. and personally I really don’t care. It is up to his sisters and his community to forgive him- not me. I don’t celebrate Lena Dunham. Frankly I don’t care. It is her sister and her community to whom she must answer…not me
You are really the hypocrite. You people make a big deal about this and then invoke your god’s forgiveness as proof that he is somehow redeemed.. Perhaps god’s punishment for him and his family is the loss of sponsorship and the loss of their awful program.
8. God decided if he is redeemed. But I know the promises of God. And redemption is just a matter of repentance.
And if you really did not care, you would have understood that the sisters had not only forgiven, they had forgotten. And EVERY PERSON like you who keeps on harping on this just continues to hurt them all.So it is time to do what you say.
But then you go and put your foot in your mouth. You claim the authority of God and claim that God is punishing them. That is hypocrisy. LEAVE IT ALONE would be forgiving. And you claim that you have. But then you just can’t help your mean spirit.
And the last proves that you were against them the whole time. It was not enough to just not watch their program. You hated them enough that your find JOY in their loss.
Shame on you.
By the way, I know the forgiveness of God. And I know that HE is capable of forgiving even you for your hate IF you repent.
9. Strange that you would make such a statement. God sees things as BLACK AND WHITE. With Him, there is no gray at all. Either you obey Him or you don’t.
And you truly are intolerant of the Duggars as indicated by your remark about their “terrible ” program.
Next, Christians don’t inflict their values on anyone. They just obey God and do what is right to the best of their ability.
And people of the world HATE any Christian because it removes the false excuse for being wicked.
As to Denham being a pedophile, I guess that depends on whether she is still doing that stuff. And since she never repented or apologized, I will assume that she is.
1. A 15 year old minor is not the same as a 7 year old minor. He should have known better and obviously he did and continued anyway.
1. Do you ever get tired of being wrong?
Minor Definition: A young person not yet of the age of majority. A person who is legally underage; who has not yet attained the age of majority, and which are denied the ability to fully and freely contract.
2. Duggar was a minor. Bill Clinton, Alan Dershowitz and Prince Andrew are being accused of having sex with underage prostitutes at Jeff Epstein’s orgy island and also on Epstein’s private jet, the Lolita express. You have what’s known as selective liberal outrage. You are dumb as a box of rocks.
3. Hmmmmm, only in the eyes of liberal progressives could that be the case…in other words, you are WRONG! Then again, normal rational thought has never been their stong point!
1. Maxwell Friedlander YOU ARE SO RIGHT, but REMEMBER it just so happens that Duggars are Christians, see. to MOST of America Christians are fair targets, to them Christians live in glass houses, and most of America looks for reason to attack Christians, always, but some day it will back fire on some of those Americans
1. All of us are sinners, Christians included. The difference is that we accept that truth and Jesus’ sacrifice which brings us forgiveness.
1. Who admitted to the same behaviors, into her TEEN years !! (Lena Dunham)
A hypocrite is a hypocrite !!
I would never defend either of them !!
They both had issues !!
2. Worse! He publicly admitted wrong doing and repented.
She did not. Instead she is exploiting it for financial gain.
2. Chessmaster Sarah is right. They reward Dunham and ATTACK Duggar and get most every other America to join in a lynch mob mentality against Duggar and encourage support for Dunham. Some Americans seem to pick at choose who they will clap for and who they will throw daggers at. SICK REALLY SICK. I wonder how many other Americans have interesting skeletons and SECRETS in THEIR closets they are hiding carefully, oh if the public only knew about some of the rest of you and under a microscope then what would we see
1. Anyone who is running for President right now who even comes close to her WISDOM, INTEGRITY, AND COURAGE? NO. And they never will.
1. Hey nasty, how about you name one person of YOUR party that could go through the vast investigation that Sarah did and come out as clean? We all know beyond the shadow of a doubt it won’t be Odumbo or Hitlery!!
2. Yes it is in the form of a question. But then that doesn’t matter to a brilliant leftist like yourself.
1. Are you saying, “IS THERE anyone running…etc. And i said THANK GOD!!! NO
Anyone close to her wisdom, integrity and courage would be as ineffectual and ignorant as she.
3. Quite right. So here it is as a sentence.
Is there anyone who is running for President right ow who even comes close to her WISDOM, INTEGRITY, AND COURAGE? NO
And it is unlikely that they ever will.
By your first two words, you seem to imply that it is a good thing NOT to have WISDOM, INTEGRITY, AND COURAGE. Is that correct?
1. And yes, I said Thank God there is no one running for president who even comes above HER wisdom, integrity and courage
2. “…Thank God … no one running for president … comes above HER…”
Wow, so every one running is a pile of junk?
3. Being facetious! and sarcastic, No one who comes even close to her wisdom, integrity, courage.
4. That is irrational. You seem to be saying that you do not want anyone who is wise, courageous and has integrity. That would make you an enemy of America. Is that correct?
3. Sarah, you missed one important point. The Duggar wa apparently so minor that no at the time, including the police and the DA decided to file charges. And THAT proves that it was not that bad a deal.
Yet the anti-Christians out there will never pass a chance to shred someone trying to serve God and be Christians.
4. Perverts and hypocrites running and working for the main stream media. They are all comic book fodder except there is more truth in comic books than in the main (lame) stream media.
5. The difference is Josh and his family are renowned for being Christians. The left are in all out war with anything they deem is Christian. They want so badly to do away with morality and kindness to others which are strong beliefs in the Christian faith. The stars who (like Miley Cyrus) come out dressed in barely there clothes and do disgusting acts in public dare to denounce a young teen who confessed,received counseling, went on to be a successful adult with children of his own. Those stars who glorify sex on stage as adults,should not condemn a young teen for being curious. If anything their behavior could lead to MORE young teens wanting to experiment with sex. Josh grew up in a small southern community and was isolated much more than most boys his age. No excuse for what he did, but merely a reason why.
6. I agree with Sarah. But also, what about the famous ADULTS who have molested children, but who have been given a free pass never suffering anything regarding their careers.
1) The guy who plays the fairly liberal minister on Seventh Heaven, who admitted to molesting minors…. Show still running
2) 22 year old Rob Lowe, having sex with a 17 year old and making a sex video without her knowledge… Still a popular star.
3) Bill Clinton sexually involved with an underling, and now going with his pedophile friend to “orgy island” where the guy has minor sex slaves, and one of the 17 year olds claims she saw him engaging in orgies with this girl…. Still ever popular even though we know he’s lied through his teeth before, and his wife not only knows what he is, but in defending him is participating in the continued allowance of his disgusting actions.
4) Michael Jackson, who slept with young boys for years, but claimed nothing happened, which is really hard to believe. – Never suffered a moment in his career right up to the day he died.
5) The school teacher who didn’t go to jail “because she was too pretty”, for sleeping with a male student (a minor)
1. Her daughter made a mistake, have you led a perfect life? Bristol is a republican, if she was a democrat she would have murdered the baby.
1. She proved the effectiveness of abstinence. So why don’t we allow contraceptives. Colorado furnished IUDs and lowered their teen pregnancy rates significantly – until discovered by the Republicans who made the program illegal – so teen pregnancy – and abortion – is back up again.
7. Children need to be instructed of Bible morality at an early age so they will be able to recognize sexual predator activity. Jesus is risen and saves those who call upon His name.
8. Did ANYONE on ANY media outlet… delineate exactly what “offense” the Duggar boy was supposed to have committed ???
I do NOT by any means, condone predatory sexual conduct, rape, incest, or such…
though children — out of natural curiosity, have :”played doctor ” ever since there has been children… with no lasting effects on either participant…
It only seems that when some busybody asswipe ” child protective” agency gets involved, that all circumstances get blown ridiculously out of proportion and reason, then the parties are both branded for life as criminals, when such is far from the case…
9. The reaction to the Duggers is amazing to me! The parents actively intervened with corrective action though the police considered it too minor to charge. Josh stopped what he was doing. When he was confronted he did not deny it but took responsibility, admitted that what he did was wrong, and expressed sorrow and apology, I have yet to see admission of wrong doing or repentence in any of the recent Washington DC sex scandals, or from Bill Clinton, or Lena Dunham.
10. Sarah should be the first woman president because she is wiser and has more courage than any of the metro, sissified “Re-PUNK-lican” men candidates and that other (woman?) shrew of an ole, ugly commie whore “Hillary the Pillory Clinton but she will not have a snowball’s chance in hell do to the two-headed, one party oligarchy that is in place and because, like the demonic psychopath our Muslim-Marxist jihadist now residing in the “Outhouse”, it is already a done deal that the ole, ugly commie whore will also be implanted as POTUS! REVOLUTION will be the SOLUTION!
11. I have always liked Sarah Palin. She has always been “shooting from the hip” on issues that really matter to her country, which made her VERY popular as the Governor of Alaska for so long… it’s because she has ETHICS instead of being politically correct and tolerant of everything that’s wrong with our government nowadays. If she were to run for President, I would vote for her in a heartbeat!!!! God Bless Sarah Palin!!
12. Sarah Palin is back in the picture again! I thought she was in prison for fighting in a tavern. The whole family was involved in bitter brawl over beer. I thought that they sent her to prison. We know Repubs and TPs bribe their way out of prison.
1. Hmmm, sounds like another troll. I hope you have some entertainment from this – and that you land a job for the liberalist campaigns. You are trained and experienced in making do with such backward comments.
1. So you do not know she was involved in a tavern brawl. She tried to apologize to those she hurt. It did not work. Any way she is no longer as hot as she was in 2008. Too much fighting in bars.
1. And? Tavern brawl or no tavern brawl – apology taken or denied – I have seen a LITTLE less hot trash from liberal play-media. Now, about your liberalist campaigns job. That RINO and tea party party announcement will be getting a lot of laughter – from already far leftists who have no care of the truth.
Report of your station – absolutely no content applied to article – Troll.
13. Palin couldn’t slam a door, much less anyone else. She is a joke and a quitter. The intersting thing about her is nothing. It would be amazing if she actually decided to finish anything she starts. Maybe she might finish washing the dishes from last year.
She’s a hypocrite, trying desperately to distract and minimize a serious issue. Duggar is a pedophile, a child molester and no amount of finger pointing and destraction will ever change that reality. He is not a mistaken youth since he knew exactly what he was doing… most 15 year old kids know about girls.. so let’s not pretend this is the innocent “doctor” games of a 6 or 7 year old.
His children should be removed from his house to protect them because we ALREADY know that a pedophile will continue his molestation of children and who better than his own kids?
Place him in jail where he belongs along with the parents for I tentionally hiding this criminal from justice. The parents have allowed him to molest children and are just as guilty.
14. Perhaps it’s time for Lena to change into some striped suits. Her sister ought to have her arrested, then sue her for years of depression which she no doubt experienced.
15. Proving she’s totally missed the point of the Duggar controversy. Unlike Ms. Dunham, the Duggars’ made claims that allowing people equal rights would result in sexual predation while sheltering and hiding a SEXUAL PREDATOR from justice. That is hypocrisy. Whether 7 YEAR OLD Lena Dunham should have gotten into trouble looking at her sisters vagina (but not touching) is a matter for her parents.
So far, Ms. Dunham has NOT campaigned to prevent people from being discriminated against.
Once again missing the point.
1. When one takes them down to the police station that does not seem like HIDING.
WHEREAS waiting to and putting in a book years later seems a bit in iteresting and me thinks it was a bit more than that.
1. When his actions were no longer a political liability to his father when the statue of limitations was running out.
Still the hypocrisy of claiming that LGBT rights was a threat to child while hiding a sexual predator was the point.
1. Same for Miss Dunham except it appears she kept it to herself and it was only brought to light as a sensation LGBT CLAIM AS part of a book to make money. There was never any attempt at help for either party to see if there was damage of any kind; there in lies the difference.
16. I think that Sarah is basically an idiot but I very much agree with what she said. NO ONE is giving the dugger boy a pass. He did wrong, owned up to it and got help. Bad enough that Josh is being crucified but so are his sisters
17. As an Alaskan I can tell you ex- Govenor Ballin’ is a narscitic blowhard and an emarrassment to this great state and the country. Thank God she never made it passed wannabe.
18. It is quite obvious to some of us that the left will make up any kind of excuse to justify their Negative opinion of others regardless of how Right the person they are attacking are.
This is standard protocol for them and they are following the lead of barak Obama and Valerie Jarrett, both who are our country’s worst enemies and the worst this country has ever seen since we gained our independence in the 1700s.
But the Liberal Socialistic Democrats, fully believe that their thought process is the only process that should be acceptable here in our country which is mostly contrary to our U.S. Constitution. It is the Left wing who are going to be the final destruction of our country and those of us who clearly see this will continue the fight to keep our country in tact, regardless of how many of Hitler’s offspring attempt to defy, belittle, call names and all other bashing techniques that are imposed upon us.
In today’s society, we see our people being brainwashed by the major Propaganda machines and so far, it has been working enough to keep our countrymen and women divided. This is exactly what Obama’s plan was and still is, to divide and conquer. However, he has NOT gained enough support yet to make it all happen.
There is Nothing wrong with those like Sarah Palin and her way of thinking and she is a whole lot more intelligent than what the Left wingers want people to believe which is why they go into an attack mode the moment they hear her name mentioned for any reason. She is definitely Constitutional minded, believes in smaller and less intrusive government, she is for our original heritage and moral status, unlike the left who had prayer removed from our schools and many public places, promotes gay activity, same sex marriage, race baiting, anti-Constitutional agendas, stricter regulations on our people all the way down to the point where people can even get thrown in jail for collecting rain water on their private properties.
Now, tell me what is wrong with this picture within our country!!!!!
There is NO way that any left winger can ever convince us that their mindset is normal or justifiable, PERIOD!!
And one other point here, unless a Declaration of War has been signed by Congress, our military has NO business in foreign countries, acting like a world’s police or anything else for that matter, fighting and dying for some other country’s internal problems that have NOTHING to do with our country or are a national security threat.
It is our administrations who are instigating the hatred toward America for these very actions and therefore, we will be the ones who pay in the end for the mishandling of any and all foreign affairs that our country instigates which are Negative!!
19. TO: Nastasyana,
Sarah Palin is a briliant woman, far more than you. No doubt you believe that Hillary is a superior person, she is at bilking people.
20. Amen gov. Palin, Lena Dunham is a pedifile, as I to dont condone Josh Duggar for his wrong doing, the Duggars dealt with this their son was given severe consequences for what he did, it’s not the whole world’s business, while this disgusting waste of time puts it in a book proudly what she did to her sister, Josh duggar, I seriously doubt wanted to relive his crime I only say his keeping it private was one thing but never telling his job was a huge mistake. In my opinion Lena is far worse than Josh because she has no remorse for what she did. In fact she thinks she did no wrong, that’s the disgusting part.
21. This board is the typical chatboard, containing ad hominem attacks by the tree-huggers and other liberals on all those who disagree with their ivory-tower idealogue diatribes. Kirsten Powers, one of their own, has enough gumption to realize that their punch-in-the-mouth bullying tactics makes every attempt to shut off legitimate debate, so that they triumph over reason with their emotionally excessive abuses against any and all opposition. She put it in her latest book. I can at least salute her effort as being somewhat heroic and noteworthy.
22. Sarah Palin is one of those who stands for decency of life and moral integrity. Yet when she does, those who are opposed to those standards attack viciously with their vitriol and attempt to discredit her for it. Let those of us who stand with her get ready to suffer the same.
23. First of all, I’m no fan of Lena Dunham. I’m not even sure exactly who she is. If the stuff about her molesting her sister is true, that’s pretty sick. I had not heard this before. But, the contrast with Josh Duggar, is that the Duggar family puts on this comical, embarrassingly stupid, self righteous, super Christian act. They make Ned Flounders look like Hugh Heffner. I keep hearing that Christianity is supposed to make you a good person, and a good person would not molest his sisters. I detect some dichotomy here.
And, in other comments, “Sarah Palin is a briliant (sic) woman. And “God Bless Sarah Palin!!” JESUS CHRIST!!! When I listen to Palin talk, I think her personal mannerisms, and the quality and cadence of her speech, are those of a retarded 6 year old. She takes STUPID to whole new heights.
And, another one, “Liberals have to justify the LGBT movement, no matter how sick it is or who it harms!” Who does it harm? These people are born that way! I know I’m no paragon, but I had a messed up childhood, with a father and mother in a bad marriage. Father tried to teach me to hate all women. But, I knew that I REALLY liked women from about the age of 3. People aren’t “taught” to be gay, and people don’t just sit around and decide “I think I’m gonna be gay.” And, I hope my sick, twisted father is rolling over in his grave, but I still like women, and feel good, telling my wife I love her, and when she says “I love you,” back to me, I feel like running around and hugging strangers. Father told me many times, “Your trouble all begin when you tell a woman you love her.”
Concerning who gayness hurts. A few years ago, I listened to Michael Reagan on the radio, hysterically yelling, “They’re forcing gay marriage on us!” Like, the cops are going door to door and breaking up marriages and making Joe move in with his neighbor George. Just more right wing over reaction.
Oh, by the way, I’m not a “believer,” and I’ve raised a smart, good son, an engineer and wonderful daughter working on a PHD, without ever even thinking of molesting either of them, and I love little children, with their wide eyed innocence, before they learn all the crazy hatreds of adults. When I say I love children, I don’t mean in a “Duggar” sense, and I think people like Duggar, and others who go after children are mentally screwed up.
It would be interesting if Mike Huckabee, or another Fox News darling turned out to be a child molester. Then Fox would be saying that child molesting is not bad, that the founding fathers were child molesters, and that liberals say that’s bad because they hate America. (note to any right wing people reading this; the last paragraph, about molesting not being bad, does not reflect my personal views; it was meant to be sarcastic.) I know from experience that many right wingers do not get sarcasm.
1. Walter Flatt @WalterFlatt · 21s21 seconds ago
TRUMP 60%
CURZ 18%
RUBIO 7%
CARSON 5%
Kasich 3%
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Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Gun Control
. Wednesday, October 25, 2006
Let me preface this post by stating that I don't own a gun nor have I ever held or even fired a gun. As much as I am "anti-gun", I don't think that a federal gun control law is a good idea. I think the battle needs to be fought on the state level. What is a major issue in one state (say hand guns in California) may not be an issue in another state (say a rural state such as Vermont). It's just not practical to try and pass a federal law that is very restrictive as it would piss too many people off.
Some other random thoughts.
I think having a gun in the household is an invitation for an accident to happen (or worse). A child could get a hold of the gun (see cartoon above) or a person who is not really an intruder can be shot by accident.
I think that a training course should be required BEFORE you are allowed to purchase a gun. You want a gun? You need to go to this 8 hour class about gun safety.
I think there should be a limit to the number of guns you can own.
There should be stiffer laws (like Project Exile) about owning an illegal (unregistered) gun. Not sure what the statistics are, but it sounds like a good idea in theory.
I doubt there's a real effective method to keep Uzis and "cop killer" bullets out the wrong hands.
I bet that if we had different drug laws that gun violence would decrease. | <urn:uuid:0dac9abc-6738-4af2-ac61-d1ba947e8521> | http://rabbitramblings.blogspot.com/2006/10/gun-control.html | en | 0.977461 | 0.081127 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
AI reaches a crossroads
There’s been a lot of talk on the extendability of current AI this past week and it appears that while we may have a good deal of runway left on the machine learning/deep learning/pattern recognition, there’s something ahead that we don’t understand.
Let’s start with MIT IQ (Intelligence Quest), which is essentially a moon shot project to understand and replicate human intelligence. The Quest is attempting to answer “How does human intelligence work, in engineering terms? And how can we use that deep grasp of human intelligence to build wiser and more useful machines, to the benefit of society?“.
Where’s HAL?
The problem with AI’s deep learning today is that it’s fine for pattern recognition, but it doesn’t appear to develop any basic understanding of the world beyond recognition.
Some AI scientists concede that there’s more to human/mamalian intelligence than just pattern recognition expertise, while others’ disagree. MIT IQ is trying to determine, what’s beyond pattern recognition.
There’s a great article in Wired about the limits of deep learning, Greedy, Brittle, Opaque and Shallow: the Downsides to Deep Learning. The article says deep learning is greedy because it needs lots of data (training sets) to work, it’s brittle because step one inch beyond what’s it’s been trained to do and it falls down, and it’s opaque because there’s no way to understand how it came to label something the way it did. Deep learning is great for pattern recognition of known patterns but outside of that, there must be more to intelligence.
The limited steps using unsupervised learning don’t show a lot of hope, yet
“Pattern recognition” all the way down…
There’s a case to be made that all mammalian intelligence is based on hierarchies of pattern recognition capabilities.
That is, at a bottom level human intelligence consists of pattern recognition, such as vision, hearing, touch, balance, taste, etc. systems which are just sophisticated pattern recognition algorithms that label what we are hearing as Bethovan’s Ninth Symphony, tasting as grandma’s pasta sauce, and seeing as the Grand Canyon.
Then, at the next level there’s another pattern recognition(-like) system that takes all these labels and somehow recognizes this scene as danger, romance, school, etc.
Then, at the next level, human intelligence just looks up what to do in this scene. Almost as if we have a defined list of action templates that are what we do when we are in danger (fight or flight), in romance (kiss, cuddle or ?), in school (answer, study, view, hide, …), etc. Almost like a simple lookup table with procedural logic behind each entry
One question for this view is how are these action templates defined and how many are there. If, as it seems, there’s almost an infinite number of them, how are they selected (some finer level of granularity in scene labeling – romance but only flirting …).
No, it’s not …
But to other scientists, there appears to be more than just pattern recognition(-like) algorithms and lookup and act algorithms, going on inside our brains.
For example, once I interpret a scene surrounding me as in danger, romance, school, etc., I believe I start to generate possible action lists which I could take in this domain, and then somehow I select the one to do which makes the most sense in this situation or rather gets me closer to my current goal (whatever that is) in this situation.
This is beyond just procedural logic and involves some sort of memory system, action generative system, goal generative/recollection system, weighing of possible action scripts, etc.
And what to make of the brain’s seemingly infinite capability to explain itself…
Baby intelligence
Most babies understand their parents language(s) and learn to crawl within months after birth. But they haven’t listened to thousands of hours of people talking or crawled thousands of miles. And yet, deep learning requires even more learning sets in order to label language properly or learning how to crawl on four appendages. And of course, understanding language and speaking it are two different capabilities. Ditto for crawling and walking.
How does a baby learn to recognize these patterns without TB of data and millions of reinforcements (“Smile for Mommy”, say “Daddy”). And what to make of the, seemingly impossible to contain wanderlust, of any baby given free reign of an area.
These questions are just scratching the surface in what it really means to engineer human intelligence.
MIT IQ is one attempt to try to answer the question that: assuming we understand how to pattern recognition can be made to work well on today’s computers what else do we need to do to build a more general purpose intelligence.
There are obvious ethical questions on whether we want to engineer a human level of intelligence (see my Existential risks… post). Our main concern is what it does (to humanity) once we achieve it.
But assuming we can somehow contain it for the benefit of humanity, we ought to take another look at just what it entails.
Photo Credits: Tech trends for 2017: more AI …., the Next Silicon Valley website.
HAL from 2001 a Space Odyssey
Design software test labeling…
Exploration in toddlers…, Science Daily website | <urn:uuid:0585fa0e-d1a0-459d-b3be-51f301c3683f> | http://silvertonconsulting.com/blog/tag/pattern-recognition/ | en | 0.901748 | 0.559981 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
Blogging the Board Game
Bloggers are often referred to as "Citizen Journalists". The idea of any person being able to publish anything online however, has come with a price. That price is that you cannot make a profit from your posts. So then how does a person go about blogging for a profit? People have found a few ways to make a buck off their blog. However with that being said, does that make it right, to make money off a profitless blog?
Let's start off with the ways in which bloggers have made a profit from their blogs. Using certain tools such as Google Adsense, Amazon Associates, PayPerPost, PayPal donation, and accepting a place on your blog, being paid directly by an advertising company. Here's the deal with Google Adsense, it's an easy way to make a cheap buck. You start off by getting a code, to which you place text, images or videos of your choosing onto your blog. The average amount that people make for this is around $10. Next is Amazon Associates which lets its user post ads/images of Amazon books and products on your blog. However, the only way you can make money from this advertising is if someone clicks and then buys something from Amazon from your blog. Amazon provides many other items besides books and is a good idea for advertising online, however making the money might be a struggle, most likely because it depends on the viewers of your blog. PayPerPost takes very different approach to monetizing blogging. PayPerPost pays people to post on given subjects, and depending on your post, you could make from $5 to $500. The great part about this way of making money is that the money is directly associated with what you made, unlike advertising. Next is PayPal donation widget, which is pretty much just a digital tip jar. You can either connect PayPal to a specific post or the entire blog. depending on various factors you can earn a good deal of money from the donations, around $100. Lastly, is the oldest form of making money through advertising. You can just have an advertiser pay you to put up their ads on your blog. These ways of monetizing your blog however, come with a immoral issue.
So then, how could it be immoral to make profit from a blog. Well, because anyone can blog about almost anything, there are no real standards that people have to follow after blogging a post. This means that a blog could be making money through either its advertising or PayPerPost could be paying a blogger for posting a lie. In this sense being paid for blogging posts is immoral, however advertising ads on the side of your page do not strike the same issue and making money from that in my mind is a fair trade.
1 comment:
1. Maybe so, but I'm not sure many people make much of anything this way. But blogging can open the door to other opportunities. | <urn:uuid:38c39a3a-f667-44c1-8018-f30f2bc9e4eb> | http://smfurh.blogspot.com/2011/02/blogging-board-game.html | en | 0.970997 | 0.574773 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Thursday, November 22, 2007
Rosie? Where are you, Rosie???
Because I need your address before I can send you your competition prize. I've tried emailing and leaving you a comment. No joy. I do hope you're well? any of our mutual SkipNorth friends have her address? Would you mind passing it on? (Given that you've met me so are reassured to a point I'm not a mad axe murderer etc.) I'm quite determined she's going to get this yarn, whether she wants it or not!
Liz said...
I've mailed you :-;
alke said...
so the stick your avatar is carrying is actually NOT an axe??
well, I like you anyway. Happy thanksgiving!
Rosie said...
OOps, sorry! I've just emailed you! I've never been the subject of a missing person's inquiry before (blushes deepest red) and I am truly thrilled to have won such a lovely prize. | <urn:uuid:deb62f8c-5e90-4577-bb01-88981d315bf1> | http://spinningfishwife.blogspot.com/2007/11/rosie.html | en | 0.958 | 0.070298 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Tuesday, April 11, 2017
Angular Application Testing Installation Notes
To maximize our time together learning to test Angular applications, please take care of the following before the workshop. The total time to install the software should be less than 30 minutes. If you have questions, please contact me via email: rockncoder@gmail.com.
1. Install a web development IDE
1. For the workshop, I will be doing everything in WebStorm. If you are accustomed to a different IDE for web development, you may use it, but please know how to use it. I, unfortunately, won't be able to give you much advice on using any of IDEs there are available. WebStorm is a paid application but has a 30-day free trial version available.
2. Install Git
1. We will be using Git Bundles for the workshop. They will allow us to advance through the course together and recover from hard to find coding bugs. The latest version is 2.11.0. If have it already, but your version is older than 2.6, please update it.
2. Git is free.
3. Install Node.js
1. We need node.js installed on our development machines. If you have a version older than 7.0.0, please upgrade. I will be using node version 7.7.0.
4. Upgrade npm
1. NPM comes with node.js but the version installed is usually out of date with the current release. I will be using version 4.1.2. Please update it by entering the following command in the terminal:
2. npm install npm -g
5. The Angular CLI
1. The angular core team created the Angular CLI to make it easier to build, test, and maintain angular projects. It is installed with npm. You must use at version 1.0.0. Please don't use any beta version they will not have the features I will be using.
2. npm install -g @angular/cli
The code and slides won't be finished until the morning of the class but I've listed their URLs below.The slides are at: https://www.slideshare.net/rockncoder/angular-application-testing
The code at: https://github.com/Rockncoder/gh-stars-testing
The repo is at: https://github.com/Rockncoder/gh-stars-testing.git | <urn:uuid:26670780-04f8-4f5b-bf7a-8175980f1a77> | http://therockncoder.blogspot.com/2017/04/ | en | 0.882847 | 0.220823 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Friday Night Lights...
I am not worried that playing with the Toy Story 3 Workout Barbie will give my daughters a poor body image. I am worried they will think they should work out in blue Lamé and heels. I call this Barbie "Stinky Snatch Barbie," so my girls will understand that trampy-looking synthetics and exercise are not a good match.
The latest news, reported by my nanny this evening, is that Workout Barbie's head falls off if you don't push it all the way down on her neck. She ends up looking like a long-legged dwarf, but it stays on. This is now an important piece of information. If S.S. Barbie comes to the Y and her head doesn't come home, all hell might break loose.
The minutia is endless. Obviously I need to remember which kid eats what. JP loves olives and capers but hates red sauce. Steel hates sweet potatoes. Toby doesn't like avocado. The whereabouts of the sippy cups drives me mad, but there are other sippy-cup related facts: the Lightening McQueen sippy cup with the faded picture on it is the "dirty baba" and can only be given to Toby because she's too little to care. The yellow sippy cup is the only other one that doesn't leak, but the stopper comes off if they shake it hard enough which they all do intentionally.
Important clothes facts: you have to stretch out the arms on Steel's favorite sleepy suit to get her in it, and same for Jack Peter's favorite turtleneck to get his head in it. Tim doesn't know any of these facts, and he survives. He ignores them as they are wailing, "NOT THE DIRTY BABA!!!!" and he puts them in whatever clothes are handy chuckling through the protestations. I could probably do the same, but maybe I enjoy the games. Does keeping track of it all keep me from getting bored?
The only time it all gets to be mentally too much is when I'm pregnant. When people buy pottery I give them funny cards. The favorite is: "You're probably thinking this card is going to say that this piece of pottery was made by the loving hands of some underprivileged person...I hate to disappoint you, but it was made by an over-educated girl in Philly who is going to blow the money on some over-priced moisturizer." Another one says, "I'm pregnant. I'm also a potter. I'm not complaining, but pottery is mindless. It gives me a lot of time to think about how much I love Swedish fish." I've been pregnant 6 times in the past 4 years, so it's often true.
Pottery also gives me a lot of time to think the following: Is it a boy or a girl? Wait, what was that? (gas) Is something going wrong? What happens if it's not normal? When do I do the testing for that? What will we name it if it's a girl? When will we put him/her in daycare? Where will him/her sleep? God, wouldn't it suck if I had a colicky baby? There are more thoughts like this, and they go in a rotation. I come home to the sippy cup/Barbie thoughts, and by the time the kids go to sleep I am desperate for some escapism.
This is why Tim and I watched 3-4 episodes of "Friday Night Lights" every night for the past month. We could watch it instantly on Netflix, so there was no stopping us. It was like crack.
Sadly I lost the baby. Physically it was the easiest of my 3 miscarriages. It also happened on the day we were attempting to process the death of Ian, the 11-month-old baby of a friend of ours, who inexplicably stopped breathing. In the face of that, losing the beginnings of our 4th child didn't seem so bad.
Needing to watch "Friday Night Lights" is a poor excuse for not blogging. But how good would the musings of a hormonal lady consumed by her own bodily functions and Barbie's feminine hygiene be? It's best I spent the past month trying to decide whether I prefer Matt Sorensen or Tim Riggins.
No comments:
Post a Comment | <urn:uuid:9694e534-7f58-4d32-83d7-b41b86239101> | http://throwingandtantrums.blogspot.com/2011/01/friday-night-lights.html | en | 0.976974 | 0.037893 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Open Map
Musical instruments of Temurids
Published: 25 september 2015
Musical instrumentsDuring the reign of Amir Temur and Temurids instrumental music was actively developed. Musical instruments were usually used for aesthetic purposes. That’s why viewing platforms were constructed in front of palace’s goals. It was the place where gathered numerous viewers.
Musical instruments were used during the military campaigns, appointment of military ranks, religious and hunting activities. Amir Temur was very strict for musicians, checking their professionalism and personally appointing musicians and heads of music groups.
At that moment experienced and famous musicians were coming from different countries to Samarkand. Most of them were invited for the exchange of experience. In such condition musical art had been developed at high level. Folk festivals and holidays had been celebrated widely and attracted many locals.
Musical instruments
Musical instruments
The most famous and frequently used musical instruments were percussive and wind instruments. They used in the military campaigns. It’s copper “koranai” (karnai), “naiy rumi”, “bug”, “nodir” and others. The main instrument was “chabchig” - it directed the movement and was an original herald.
Lusien Kere, french historian wrote that Amir Temur arranged special celebrations, which inspired the warriors. These celebrations were held as the troops parades and could lasts more than 2 days. Hunting was also carried out with the use of percussion and wind instruments.
The information about musical instruments of Temirids epoch we found out from the book “Tuzuklar” that was written by Sakhibkiran. He described every instrument in detail and also pointed to task they performed.
Other posts from the rubric Uzbek traditions | <urn:uuid:5bcb31fc-fe87-4c8c-926f-afff6f36406d> | http://tourstouzbekistan.com/en/blog/uzbek-traditions/musical-instruments-of-temurids.html | en | 0.982575 | 0.117592 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Style::border Black::solid Years::calendar Colspan::number Thousand::century Current::counting
{{#invoke:Hatnote|hatnote}} {{ safesubst:#invoke:Unsubst||$N=Use mdy dates |date=__DATE__ |$B= }} A millennium (plural millennia) is a period of time equal to 1000 years. It derives from the Latin mille{{#invoke:Category handler|main}}, thousand, and annus{{#invoke:Category handler|main}}, year. It is often, but not always, related to a particular dating system.
Sometimes, it is used specifically for periods of a thousand years that begin at the starting point (initial reference point) of the calendar in consideration (typically the year "1"), or in later years that are whole number multiples of a thousand years after it. The term can also refer to an interval of time beginning on any date. Frequently in the latter case (and sometimes also in the former) it may have religious or theological implications (see millenarianism). Sometimes in use, such an interval called a "millennium" might be interpreted less precisely, i.e., not always being exactly 1000 years long. It could be, for example, 1050, etc.
Millennium sections
Intro Counting years Debate over millennium celebrations See also References
PREVIOUS: IntroNEXT: Counting years | <urn:uuid:82d8f0ec-3d4e-458d-a87d-e369f3b4a882> | http://www.concepts.org/index.php?title=Millennium | en | 0.778824 | 0.815584 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Picklesburgh FAQ
What is this? Is this… a real thing? A pickle… festival?
Yes, it is! Picklesburgh is very real, and we’re about to celebrate its fourth year, which is kind of a big dill. This annual festival showcases Downtown Pittsburgh’s pickled history and culinary ingenuity.
It’s a culinary celebration that goes beyond the dill pickle to include international dishes, prepared foods and artisan cocktails that feature pickled ingredients; an embrace of the farm-to-table movement and the rising popularity of canning; a selection of handcrafted foods and artisan cocktails from local restaurants; informative how-to demos and author talks at our demo area; merchandise such as pickled goods, books and DIY products.
Do I need to buy tickets?
Nope! Admission to the festival is totally free. Food, drinks, and merchandise are available for purchase at the event.
Where can I park?
There are plenty of garages nearby; we recommend using ParkPGH to check availability before heading Downtown. You can also take public transit – there are multiple lines that get you very close to the festival footprint!
When is the pickle juice drinking contest? What’s the prize? How do I sign up?
There are two days of pickle juice drinking this year! There are five preliminary rounds on Saturday and one extra special Ultimate Champions Round on Sunday. You can view details about the contest here.
Where can I see a list of all the dill-icious food? Can I apply to be a vendor?
You can view the list of vendors here! Vendor applications have closed, but keep an eye out for next year.
Are dogs allowed at the event?
Pups are not prohibited, but we do caution attendees as the bridge does become crowded and it’s usually quite hot, so it may not be the ideal spot for dogs.
Is there music?
Yes! Each day is programmed with free live music. You can view the lineup here!
Is the festival happening rain or shine?
Yes! Picklesburgh is a rain or shine festival. A few sprinkles never hurt anyone. In the event the weather is severe, we may need to close temporarily. Please keep an eye on our social media for any weather-related updates: @DowntownPitt.
Is the event kid-friendly?
Yes! We even have a special Lil Gherkins Area, which is programmed with family-friendly activities including crafts and games.
Who produces the event?
Picklesburgh is brought to you by The Pittsburgh Downtown Partnership (PDP), the non-profit organization behind some of Pittsburgh’s most successful, popular, and imaginative events including Comcast Light Up Night®, the Market Square Farmers Market, Rooftop Shindigs, Saturday Night Market, and the Peoples Gas Holiday Market™ among many others.
The PDP is a dynamic, non-profit consortium of Downtown stakeholders including corporations, professionals, civic organizations, foundations and residents. PDP serves as a catalyst for fostering the economic vitality of Downtown and improves the quality of life for Downtown residents and businesses.
Didn’t this used to only be two days long?
Yes! This year, we expanded the festival to a full weekend, Friday, July 20 – Sunday, July 22 to allow for even more pickled fun.
Do I need a wristband to drink alcohol? Does the wristband cost anything?
Yes, you need a wristband to drink alcohol. You can get those wristbands at the booths toward the middle of the bridge. The wristbands are free, just bring ID.
Will there be demonstrations again?
For those interested in learning from the experts, we will be releasing a schedule soon! You will be able to view that schedule when it is released here. | <urn:uuid:39dc7804-6689-43a4-8271-b5bf495e0cc7> | http://www.picklesburgh.com/faq/ | en | 0.932483 | 0.018439 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Doing a lot with a little
When I look at potently bioactive molecules, I can’t help but think of a “David vs Goliath” biblical analogy. An why not, especially when something that is rather miniscule (a small molecule) exerts a profound effect on a molecular entity that is orders of magnitude larger (a protein)? I particularly appreciate subtle aspects of molecular interactions, especially if there is a stereoelectronic effect that is linked to a biological outcome. In the past, I commented on such findings several times and will continue to do so because this is perhaps the main reason why organic chemistry is second to none in terms of pure intellectual delight.
David Fairlie of the University of Queensland was one of the speakers at the American Peptide Symposium I organized with Ved Srivastava this past June. In his lecture, David showed the following two molecules. The one on the left agonizes the C3a receptor (a G-protein coupled receptor), whereas the one on the left antagonizes the C3a target. Given the diametrically opposite effects of activating vs deactivating the receptor, a question arises about the underlying causes. In their JACS article, the Fairlie team provides convincing evidence that the observed effect is due to the preferred population of two different rotamers about the amide carbonyl and the heterocycle. This is a great example of how stereoelectronic effects in heterocycles dictate different dipole relationships, which in turn modulates molecular conformation and leads to different biological properties.
4 thoughts on “Doing a lot with a little
1. There’s something truly charming in such textbook-style papers. At the same time, I wouldn’t be surprised if the paper was rejected from J Med Chem (Lett?) before going to JACS 🙂
2. Oh sure, I didn’t mean preference of publishing in JMC over JACS! What I meant is that if the authors would submit the manuscript to J Med Chem, it would most probably be rejected due to lack of SAR, pretty (but meaningless) picture of docked compound into protein model or whatever else snobbery 🙂
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A Dim Argument for LEDs
Monday, March 25, 2013
Might technological innovation have saved safe, decent electric lighting from improper government, at least for the time being? A post at conservative blog Hot Air makes this claim about LED light bulbs, which do at least appear to be technologically superior to CFC "Bush bulbs". Hot Air quotes the New York Times regarding the merits of the technology:
You've probably seen LED flashlights, the LED "flash" on phone cameras and LED indicator lights on electronics. But LED bulbs, for use in the lamps and light sockets of your home, have been slow to arrive, mainly because of their high price…
Hot Air elaborates that, "if the goal is to get people to buy bulbs that use electricity more efficiently, government mandates aren't nearly as effective as a product that can actually make those electricity savings ... more worthwhile," and furthermore, that "If these bulbs really are everything they're cracked up to be, they'll catch on -- no government mandates necessary." [link in original]
That last link takes the reader to another conservative blog, where an author gushes that, "The market is already bringing us sexier, greener, more efficient light bulbs on its own." Linking to Hot Air, Glenn "Instapundit" Reynolds chimes in saying, "Not only have CFL's not lived up to their promise, but their lousy record has made people less enthusiastic about LED bulbs, which just might."
I have a bone to pick here. It may well be true, as Hot Air put it, that "[I]f people figure out that Product A is more expensive or of lower quality than comparable substitute Product B, people will buy Product B." Nevertheless, we should not lose sight of the fact that it is really only due to the momentum of the anti-industrial movement behind the impending ban on incandescent "Edison" bulbs that so much effort had gone into making this technology affordable. Thus, thanks to the ban, this product is not truly an outcome of a free market: It looks attractive primarily because the cheaper alternative will soon be gone and its heir apparent was such a poor substitute.
This is not to say that LED lighting would never have been developed absent government coercion or green hysteria: Perhaps the long-term energy savings might have proved appealing enough to a frugal segment of the lighting market. Perhaps the bulbs might have found a niche for people who hate wasting time changing bulbs, or who have fixtures that are inordinately difficult to reach.
That said, let me get to what really bothers me about this argument: I advocate free markets, but I am sure that any random socialist or fascist could see through that argument, too. So I am led to ask, "What do the people making this flimsy argument against the incandescent bulb ban hope to accomplish?"
The folks at The American Interest give us the clue we need: "The market is already bringing us sexier, greener, more efficient light bulbs on its own." [Again, it isn't, really.] The argument is an attempt to sell capitalism to environmentalists by tricking them into thinking that they don't need the cudgel of government to achieve their goals because the free market will get people to use less energy on its own.
First of all, this isn't true. Consider this use case: I'm moving in a month and the light goes out in my hallway. I can, in a truly free market, buy a cheap, incandescent bulb that might last a few months or an expensive LED array that might last longer than I have left to live. Guess which product is better suited for my purposes. If someone wants "the world" to be more energy efficient, he is going to have to either convince me to make a different choice or force me to buy the expensive bulb. So, while free markets might produce energy-efficient alternatives, they can't and won't guarantee that such alternatives are always used, because they will not always be the most cost-effective options for individuals.
Second, the "goal [of getting] people to buy bulbs that use electricity more efficiently" is one whose justification leaves plenty of room for dispute, and that is regardless of the scientific merits of the AGW hypothesis. Telling Greens that free markets can get people to use less energy by fudging on what a free market really is, is an attempt to bypass the necessity of telling them what they need to hear, which is this: There is no rational justification, save self-defense, for one man to force another to do his bidding, whether one does the coercion himself or pawns that task off on the government (whose actual job is to prevent this).
The only moral way to get others to change how they act is to appeal to the rational self-interest of the other party. The Greens already know they can't appeal to self-interest. They are also, generally, bright enough to see that the market for LED bulbs is artificial, and will be quite happy to call this bluff. Conservatives and other advocates of free markets should quit pretending otherwise -- and not just to the Greens, but, more important, to themselves. There is no need to fool a small opponent when standing up for what is right is the winning strategy.
The incandescent bulb ban is a bad idea, not because free markets are better able to achieve energy efficiency, but because it is wrong for the government to act as a substitute for individual judgement.
-- CAV
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Is it fair for a Just wise GOD, to punish someone forever in hell, if they only
1. profile image44
hoppoposted 8 years ago
Is it fair for a Just wise GOD, to punish someone forever in hell, if they only sinned for 70 years
2. Bogfrog profile image54
Bogfrogposted 8 years ago
If you believe in a just god, then you deserve to be punished.
3. Peter Dickinson profile image68
Peter Dickinsonposted 8 years ago
Who would want to believe in a GOD that threatened such a punishment? What is sin? If you are an unbeliever or believe in another GOD and believe what you are doing is right the surely it cannot be 'wrong'? If you are insane, if even temporarily, and you are not responsible for your actions then how can some all knowing all loving just GOD condemn you to hell fire for eternity.
4. Allan McGregor profile image61
Allan McGregorposted 8 years ago
Thank you for your stimulating question Hoppo. It's not at all difficult to answer, but I found it impossible to do so in the answerbox format provided. HubPages rejected my response as too long, so I will reply in a new hub shortly, using your question as the title, which I shall credit to you.
5. bliss finder profile image54
bliss finderposted 8 years ago
If a person is aware that they have "wronged" (for the sake of avoiding the word sinned), taking some sort of action to fix things and get rid of the guilt is what's needed for the sake of that individual's mental health. If a person lives with a feeling of guilt and remorse that already is HELL to me.
Is it fair? Fairness is a subjective topic. I personally don't feel it's fair or very intelligent of me to have wasted my energy and passion into believing and supporting a God who would be so unreasonable and unrelenting.
6. scriber57 profile image60
scriber57posted 8 years ago
If God was going to punish anyone forever for their sins, he should have punished Adam and Eve, since they are the ones who made us all imperfect. But God told him he would die for his sin, he did NOT tell him he would burn forever in hell. Think about it. I do not believe in a burning hell. Hell (hades; Sheol) refers to the common grave of mankind, the place where your body rots after you die. I do not believe in an immortal soul that lives on past death.
7. writesketchbead profile image60
writesketchbeadposted 8 years ago
Interesting question-
I do not know when I will die. But I do know that until that day comes I am going to do some really stupid things. Yes, I am going to sin. I do my best not to but then I am not perfect. So if I live for 70 years and fail to keep my footing the entire time- will I be punished for eternity. No. Christ did not suffer, die, spend three days in hell, and rise again so that I could squirm for eternity. But then I believe. I know I do not deserve to walk with God. God loves me just the same. I am afraid it is the ones that do not answer to Christ knocking on thier hearts door that face that reality. If we reject God, how can we expect to be with him after judgement day. It is one of the most difficult realities to face. We are responsible for our choices. Christ saved us from paying the ultimate price but if we reject him- we reject God's gift. It is not a sin here and there but a life choice. God or no God. Christ died only or He rose. Your choice determines your out come.
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Targeting the Young: A Corporate Funder’s Campus Giving to Cut Tobacco Use
In 2014, the pharmacy chain CVS Caremark made big headlines with its decision to ban tobacco sales at every single one of its more than 9,600 stores across the country. In doing so, the company would give up some $2 billion in annual sales, but the big-picture argument was that it would be better for the company in the long run. According to CVS president Larry Menlo, the move would “better position us [CVS] for continued growth in the evolving healthcare marketplace.”
Related: The Surprising Newcomer to the Flagging Fight Against Tobacco
Setting those arguments aside, the company’s charitable arm, the CVS Health Foundation, is campaigning hard to create the country’s first tobacco-free generation. To do so, it’s targeting young people with its Tobacco-Free Generation Campus Initiative, a five-year, $50 million program involving anti-tobacco education and advocacy as well as “health behavior programming.”
Targeting young people is a solid plan. As any former or current smoker will tell you, kicking the habit is monumentally difficult and often requires multiple attempts. And the longer you smoke, the harder it is to quit. They will also tell you that they wish they would never have started smoking in the first place.
Instilling the anti-tobacco mindset is just one of the things CVS Health wants to accomplish with its Tobacco-Free Generation Campus Initiative. The grants are also used to “address critical, unmet needs by supporting efforts to advocate for, establish, and institute smoke- and tobacco-free campus policies.”
Toward those ends, the foundation, along with the American Cancer Society recently awarded a total of $3.6 million in grants to 20 colleges and universities across the United States as part of the initiative. And there are more grants where those came from. Over the next three years, grants will go out to at least another 100 campuses with the greatest need to curb smoking. The money will help the schools adopt and implement policies to achieve 100 percent smoke-free campuses.
While the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Michigan snagged grants, most of the money went to lower profile schools like East Carolina University and Bowling Green State University in Ohio. These days, smoking closely tracks with class lines, and it's not the kids at the most privileged schools who are most likely to be huddling with a cigarette during study breaks.
Related: Is Smoking Cessation Giving Coming Back Around?
Anti-tobacco sentiment in the United States continues to grow. In 1965, around 42 percent of American adults smoked cigarettes. By 1990, that number had declined to 25.5 percent. Now, the percentage of adults in the U.S. that smoke is around 15 percent, a significant decline. However, public health officials are concerned those numbers could soon backslide given the increase in the number of young people using e-cigarettes or “vaping.” Whether the oil used in the vapor pens contains nicotine or not, officials’ big fear is that young people who vape could eventually transition to cigarettes.
Irrespective of the arguments for or against vapor pens, smoking and tobacco use remains a serious public health concern. But not a whole lot of funders are giving to smoking cessation efforts—and the ones who do tend to fund programs outside the United States, where the biggest health toll is being felt.
Stanford Medicine reported in 2012 that over half of men across 14 developing countries were tobacco users and women were beginning to smoke at a younger age. The big picture, according to the WHO, is that tobacco use will cause over 8 million deaths by 2020, 70 percent of which will occur in developing countries.
These numbers explain why outfits like the Bloomberg Philanthropies and the Gates Foundation have thrown hundreds of millions of dollars behind global anti-tobacco campaigns. Those numbers shake out to over $150 million from Gates since 2007 and over $600 million from Bloomberg.
Anti-tobacco campaigns in the United States don’t garner nearly as much money or attention. But there are at least a few funders that are making this serious public health problem a major priority.
Along with CVS Health, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation gives in the U.S. not only to help tobacco users quit, but prevent people from picking up the habit in the first place. Some of Bloomberg's anti-smoking money also stays in the U.S. | <urn:uuid:b63d1316-e5ee-4d8c-b5fc-349cea7bcf1f> | https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/home/2016/12/9/this-funders-steady-march-to-snuff-out-tobacco-use | en | 0.955178 | 0.04436 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Flat beading, a neat finish
Frequently we're been asked: I can't/don't want to remove my skirtingboards and I don't like the look of scotias or quadrants. What can I use to cover the needed expansion gap around the floor that does look good?
Our answer is quite simple: Solid Oak flat beading. A simple strip - 5mm thick, 28mm wide, with a rounded edge on the front and tapered edge on the back - that's pinned down on your wood floor to give you a very neat finish. A very unobtrusive finish, like a "picture frame", covering the expansion gap.
Blends in
As you can see, or rather not see, the flat beading is often hardly visible.
Does the job, neatly
Here's another example - also note how the door post is undercut to allow expansion of the floor there too.
Around fireplaces
It also works very well around a fire place - if the tiles etc are higher than the floor. Remember, a wooden floor has to have expansion gaps all around its perimeter, so also in front and beside a fire place.
Because the beading is not very wide or thick, it can be cut (sawn) in the angle you need to fit it neatly whatever the shape of the wall "forces" you to have. We use the special mitre cutter from Renotec for this.
The little details
Picture above shows a build-in cupboard where a little piece of beading right in the corner takes care of those little finishing details.
Also note the Solid Oak radiator pipe cover, it does not just sit on the beading. No, the beading is cut round to allow the round shape of the cover to fit neatly around the pipe.
It's those little details that make your floor look professionally finished.
The beading comes unfinished, so you can stain, varnish, oil it with the same colour/product as you floor (or if needed, colour match it with a tropical wood-species by using an appropriate stain).
See "Shop right here" pages for prices
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Lakota winter counts
"Winter counts are physical records that were used in conjunction with a more extensive oral history. Each year was named for an event and the pictures referring to the year names served as a reference source that could be consulted regarding the order of the years. People knew the name of the year in which other important events occurred, and could place these in time by referring to the winter count.
The events used to name the years were not necessarily the most important things that happened but ones that were memorable and widely known within the community. One of those events, The Year the Stars Fell, was also widely known to non-Lakota people. The Smithsonian scholar Garrick Mallery recognized it as the Leonid meteor storm of November 1833, and he used this event to correlate the Lakota winter counts with the Western calendar. Much of the information in this online exhibit is based on his publications of 1886 and 1893 "
an online exhibit at The Smithsonian | <urn:uuid:7f6cbaff-b1cc-4b7b-b7e6-1e6281ee55b6> | http://coeruleus.blogspot.com/2005/03/lakota-winter-counts.html | en | 0.983827 | 0.369738 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Back to the Club's homepage
Slides for download: In pdf format
Audio recordings for download: Part 1 and part 2.
These days, most applications running on virtual machines in the cloud run on top of Linux. We all love Linux, but as an all-encompassing operating system for everything from phones to supercomputers, Linux was never really designed for virtual machines; It is big and complex, and it offers features (such as multi-user and multi-process) which are today made redundant by the hypervisor and slow it down. Linux's APIs are many times set in stone by decades of legacy code. All these cost in application performance, and make it harder to innovate.
This is why OSv was developed, a new operating system designed to run a single application on a virtual machine. As it runs a single application there is no need for kernel-userspace isolation, reducing context switch costs and unnecessary copying. A design from scratch allowed us to experiment with new ideas like lock-free mutexes (solving the Lock-Holder Preemption problem that plagues operating systems on virtual machines), extremely fast context switches, Van Jacobson's network channels (see, and more. Also, OSv is released under the more permissive BSD license (not GPL like Linux), is tiny compared to Linux, and takes less than one second to boot and start the user's application.
OSv can run ordinary Linux shared objects, such as, for example, an unmodified JVM (e.g., OpenJDK) executable, and of course on that you can run any application written in Java, JRuby , Clojure, or any other JVM language. Even at this early stage of OSv's development, OSv can already successfully run several interesting workloads such as Netperf, Memcached, Cassandra and SpecJVM - and usually match or even beat Linux's performance.
Another refreshing feature of OSv is that is written in C++. It's been 40 years since Unix was (re)written in C, and the time has come for something better. C++ is not about writing super-complex type hierarchies (as some people might have you believe). Rather, it allowed us to write shorter code with less boiler-plate repetition and less chances for bugs. It allowed us to more easily reuse quality code and data structures. And using newly standardized C++11 features, we were able to write safe concurrent code with standard language features instead of processor-specific hacks. And all of this with zero performance overheads - most of C++'s features, most notably templates, are compile-time features which result in no run-time overhead compared to C code.
OSv was developed by Cloudius Systems, a small Israeli startup led by Dor Laor and Avi Kivity (of KVM fame) but it is an open-source project - developed since its inception on github (, and released under the BSD license. We would like to take this opportunity to invite everyone to use OSv, and to help drive its development forward. OSv is a fantastic playground for kernel developers, and also for people involved in cloud development, devops, and so on. Tell us what your dream VM operating system will do, and maybe your dream will come true :-) Maybe you can even help us make that dream come true.
If you want to try OSv, check out the announcement and usage instructions on the OSv mailing list.
Back to the Club's homepage | <urn:uuid:776a5c3a-faa6-43d6-a215-55d5a8db437e> | http://haifux.org/lectures/310/ | en | 0.942098 | 0.054374 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
get in touch
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Are you familiar with your sales funnel?
Are you familiar with your sales funnel?
Dictionary definition of a funnel: a tube or pipe that is wide at the top and narrow at the bottom, used for guiding liquid or powder into a small opening.
Imagine a funnel that guides your customers, rather than liquid or powder. At the wide opening there will be lots of potential customers. As the process goes on, and the conditions are satisfied (or not) people will drop out until you narrow it down the ones that will make a purchase.
If you’re selling a corporate software solution your sales funnel will be very different to somebody selling chocolate bars. A long, carefully thought through decision likely involving many individuals over a few months compared to an instant purchase by one person requires a very different approach.
Which is why it’s important to think about your sales funnel. In other words, the process your buyer goes through in order to reach the point of sale.
You might need more than one funnel
For instance, if you’re selling chocolate bars, you may be thinking about the end user as well as the retailers. Or you might have several different types of chocolate bar e.g. quick snack vs luxury treat. It would be confusing to try and cover that in one sales funnel.
The steps
Start off by thinking about your customer. Who are they? What do they do? Where do they live?
Next, think about where and when they are likely to need your product or service as a solution. How will they find you? Who else is offering similar or alternative solutions?
What requirements does the customer have? Can you clearly demonstrate that you can provide the right answer? What are the determining factors that the customer will use to make a decision?
Where do they get the information? How easy is it?
How long does the process take?
Who is involved in making the decision? Have you presented the information appropriately?
Question everything!
By asking yourself lots of questions about each stage from the customer’s perspective, you can lead your customer down the funnel from that initial realisation that they need a solution to the final sale.
Photo by Shengjun Shi on Unsplash
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Sunday, May 06, 2007
Qantas fiasco deepens
The on-again, off-again $11 billion bid for Qantas is in limbo. The time deadline for 50% acceptances for the offer had expired Friday but a late acceptance, after the deadline, took the tally to 50.06%. If the next stage of the takeover is allowed to proceed we will have developed a whole new meaning to the term bid ‘deadline’.
The word around town is that, of the $5-45 offer, about $4-00 will be transferred back to the private equity acquirer Airline Partners Australia (APA) over the next couple of years. This will transfer most of the debt APA has incurred in acquirinng Qantas back onto a now highly-geared Qantas. This will leave an equity share in Qantas valued at about $1-50 but giving control over a giant highly-geared airline that will pay almost no tax.
I hope the takeover bid fails but, irrespective of what happen, CEO Geoff Dixon is a failed executive who should be given his marching orders. Board Chairman Margaret Jackson should also disappear. Given the huge salaries this pair has gained it would be unreasonable to see their management failures rewarded further. If APA gains control they should also appreciate the ineptitude of the pair that have done so much to drive the case supporting this buyout.
Qantas will be left as a debt-ridden shell with a chance of earning a huge speculative profit for its private equity purchasers not because of any special knowledge they bring, but because Qantas will avoid paying much tax. And Geoff Dixon sees this arrangement as an efficiency-based, debt-driven way of driving through the reforms in Qantas that he wanted to introduce but could not. Why couldn't he? Why the need to sell out the interests of current shareholders to APA so it can make the structural changes to Qantas that have long been needed?
It is a consequence of the equity premium puzzle that pure buyouts of equity by debt of this type can work. And shareholders will only fall for this pathetic line if they sell out for a short-term gain leaving the chance of a really big gain – on the basis of inexpensive amounts staked – to the big end of town to groups such as Macquarie Bank.
One possibility if APA does gain control is to totally deregulate the Australian domestic and international airline markets. While restrictive Air Service Agreements made dubious sense in terms of providing shareholder value, they make zero sense if the stakeholder is a private equity speculator seeking a quick buck on the basis of poorly-advised current shareholders..
In my view deregulation is essential. No mercy! Let whoever runs Qantas face genuine competition and let Aussie customers and tourism suppliers everywhere reap the gains.
Update: The deal seems to have fallen through - the Takeover Panel rejected requests for a deadline extension - though their remains talk of a further bid. The AFR (today, subscription required) guess that the deal collapse was initiated by one ofv the arbitrageurs (Samuel Heyman) holding out in the hope of a sweeter price at the next stage of the bid approval process. SH's hope was to get a premium as the 'holdout' guy. Qantas shares were suspended from trading this morning so we don't know the losses.
Edward said...
Reading about this, and the lack of good faith and trust shown by the various parties (SH and the two other large hedge funds and MacBank) is quite extraordinary. Did this bid really fail because SH thought MacBank were bluffing? Did SH really think he could screw his fellow hedge fund colleagues?
hc said...
There was either a game of bluffing going on or a cockup of monumental proportions.
The desparate huffing and puffing going on at present by APA suggests someone haqs lost a lot of money on this one. | <urn:uuid:ad5f9522-e3ee-4b31-aa38-dc54fc4adb77> | http://kalimna.blogspot.com/2007/05/qantas-fiasco-deepens.html | en | 0.964588 | 0.065245 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Puppet Language Basics
In Puppet language basics, you will build confidence and familiarity with the Puppet language through established best practices. You'll work through a real-world scenario and use interactive code boxes for hands-on practice writing and editing Puppet code and understanding core Puppet language concepts. This course is a foundational step in learning and using Puppet.
After taking this course, you will be able to:
• Understand the anatomy of a Puppet resource and how resources are used to manage server configuration
• Understand and implement basic Puppet language features
• Learn and use server configuration ordering concepts
Course content
1. Puppet resources
2. Packages
3. Services and facts
4. Package file service
5. Variables
6. Wrap-up
45 minutes
This training is free.
I have read and agree to the following Terms and Conditions.
We use your information so that we can provide our service and you can track the status of your orders. By submitting this form you are confirming that you have read and understand our Privacy Policy. | <urn:uuid:08a13b6d-7027-483b-83b4-c516a0c31756> | http://learn.puppet.com/course/puppet-language-basics | en | 0.865994 | 0.033552 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Signs of ADD
How's this for signs of ADD? I tried taking a nap this afternoon, but two little girls had other plans and naptime never happened (for anybody). The next few hours looked like this:
1. I started a load of laundry. I noticed the laundry room was a mess and decided to straighten it.
2. Went upstairs to tell Ryan my plan. He was emptying the dishwasher. (Thanks, Honey!) I noticed the cabinet where we keep Katrina's plates and cups was a mess and decided to straighten that first. It was really REALLY unorganized and really bothered me. Ryan decided to work downstairs. (He probably saw the crazed look in my eyes and decided to run far, far away.)
3. Then I thought I should finish emptying the dishwasher so I could reload it and run it. You know, multitask. Wash dishes while straightening a cabinet.
4. While putting away the silverware, I noticed the silverware drawer needed to be cleaned. I proceed to take out all of the silverware, vacuum the drawer then clean it with spray cleaner, and then replace the silverware. I also sorted out mismatched utensils to go in the Goodwill box.
5. Then I loaded the dishwasher.
6. 30 seconds after I started the dishwasher, Katrina handed me her empty juice cup. *sigh* I decided to hand-wash it, as well as some not-so-clean baby bottle nipples. (They don't get clean in the dishwasher!)
7. I found that we are almost out of dish soap, so I started a list for Wal-Mart.
8. Putting away the now-clean nipples made me realize the baby bottle stuff sorely needed straightening, too, so I did that.
9. Then I straightened the cabinet with Katrina's dishes. Katrina tried to 'help.' It was all I could do to not scream, "I've got it!!" (I'm very OCD about some things, in case you haven't realized that yet.)
10. Finally, I spent 20 minutes straightening the laundry room. And went to Wal-Mart and got more dish soap.
What should have been a 20-minute task took approximately two hours. I don't know if it's ADD or what, but this is seriously what my life is like. All. the. time. I start one task and end up on some weird tangent with multiple half-finished tasks behind me. My dear friend Laura says it's a sign of being too messy. I agree. But where do I start to make it better? I know not to start in the laundry room! :)
Friday, August 08, 2008
If I had a camera with me ...
... I would take a picture to show you Mikayla, curled up asleep on the hardwood floor of my office.
I'm here working on some miscellaneous items - printing documents for a training session tomorrow, finishing up a few tasks for a proposal due Monday, etc. I brought Mikayla with me because Cayden and Reagan are at our house to play with Katrina, and bringing the baby with me would help out Ryan. I let her crawl on the floor for a little bit, then I noticed it was very quiet. I looked down, and she is sound asleep.
Wednesday, August 06, 2008
World's Most Interesting Olivetian
For all you Olivetians out there ...
The World's Most Interesting Olivetian contest
The World's Most Interesting Olivetian
Posted: Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Promotional Contest
Olivet Nazarene University is in search of “The World's Most Interesting Olivetian.”
Defining the term “interesting” is up to you, and might include persons who have a unique career, hobby, traveling experience -- or all of the above!
Finalists will receive commemorative t-shirts, interviews on, and ONU apparel.
The winner, as determined by popular vote, will receive two free tickets to all Homecoming 2008 events, a starring role in an upcoming feature film (aka a 2-minute promotional video on YouTube) and the title of “The World's Most Interesting Olivetian 2008,” to be announced during halftime of the Homecoming football game.
To nominate yourself or someone you know, CLICK HERE.
Monday, August 04, 2008
Are you following the Bruce Ivins story? It's getting more and more bizarre. Check out the latest - that Dr. Ivins was obsessed with a sorority and 'theoretically' could have driven from Frederick to Princeton, NJ, and back (a 7-hour trip) 'after work; to mail the letters. Ummm, okay. Kara and Charlie, love ya, but I'm not driving up to Princeton after work tomorrow to see you and then back home, 'kay? Sheesh.
(The article:
Also, no offense to CNN, but I love how the article ends:
That's FNP-style writing, folks. (FNP is the Frederick News Post, the local newspaper. I swear they hire fifth-graders as reporters. No, I take that back. A fifth grader could write a better news story than some of the FNP reporters.)
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Sunday evening
Quote from Katrina to Ryan, after being hit (gently) in the shoulder by a Frisbee: "Why you do that, Dad? You hurt my elbow!"
(Later, when she grazed her arm on the swing as Ryan pushed Mikayla, she ran off in near tears. When Ryan apologized, she said, "No you do it! Mama do it!" Ummm, no, it was Daddy. :) )
Just now, both girls were in their respective beds (er, toddler bed and crib) when I heard Mikayla chortling. She has figured out how to look at Katrina from her crib! She managed to roll over, turn 180 degrees (her head was at the opposite end of the crib) AND push down the crib bumper enough that she can peek out at her big sister. She's a resourceful seven-month old!
On a completely random note, does it gross anyone else out that infant formula contains vegetable oil? I noticed it on the ingredients list on a can of Enfamil. Yuck. I understand that's the fat source for formula, but seriously, that's gross. It's like giving a baby American "cheese," since that's just milk and oil, too. | <urn:uuid:25eaea9a-2fe4-4dcc-bc5f-c4ecec83df85> | http://lexerdax.blogspot.com/2008/08/ | en | 0.968561 | 0.024144 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
header photo
Lobo's Australian Shepherds
Jersey is a stunning red tri female, weighing just over 40lbs. Both of her parents are Grand Champions, very impressive pedigree. She's extremely friendly, athletic and she LOVES the water, can't keep her out of it!. OFA EXCELLENT, MDR1 N/N, Hereditary Cataracts N/M | <urn:uuid:6900607b-e65e-4856-87f2-5bb306f64b36> | http://lobosaustralianshepherds.com/jersey | en | 0.918146 | 0.290755 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Friday, April 19, 2013
If it's happened once...
The fun part of writing historical fiction is that you can spend a morning reading ("researching") and call it "work." I have always been interested in the Civil War and Reconstruction eras in our nation's history and am currently fascinated with Natalie Benjamin (wife of Judah Benjamin, "the Brains of the Confederacy.")
I find history compelling but need to find a way to make it more accessible for my children.
This week, I reminded my son, "those who do not know their history are doomed to repeat it."
It did not so much motivate him as give him a new motto.
He keeps muttering, "I'm doomed! DOOMED!"
1 comment:
Erin Coakley said...
Haha! This is awesome | <urn:uuid:c7b9d19d-04cb-4ed0-8882-af107d94ce87> | http://lorykc.blogspot.com/2013/04/if-its-happened-once.html | en | 0.958032 | 0.040645 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Sunday, April 27, 2014
Political mayhem and Arizona Historical Society
The AHS, a state agency receiving public funds, has a history of flaunting applicable policies and statutes. Their scofflaw attitude is reflected in a half dozen unsatisfactory Auditor General reports from 1995 to 2013. Even though the most recent sunset review was unsatisfactory, the House prepared and passed a bill (HB 2016) that did not schedule the next review until 2023. The Senate Government Committee, correctly seeing that closer oversight is required, amended that bill to schedule the next performance review in 2015. The AHS could have simply accepted that, worked hard to correct their many documented problems, and obtained a clean report in 2015. Their reputation would have been greatly enhanced. However, that is not what they did.
The AHS ran to the media and screamed persecution (see link on Apr 22 post). Then, political friends crafted a plan to evade such oppressive oversight. Normally each agency is reviewed individually and their next review is then scheduled. Instead, the House lumped all the good apples (other agencies that were reviewed in 2013) with the bad apple (AHS). The House sent the Senate a single bill scheduling follow up reviews for all the agencies ten years later, in 2023.
The Senate rejected the new bill, but the House dug in. They refused to vote for session closure until the Senate passed the House catch all bill protecting the AHS from timely oversight. The standoff drug on into the night as antsy out of town legislatures chomped at the bit to go home. Eventually, weary senators caved in, one by one, until there were enough votes to pass the catch all “give the AHS a pass” bill. The first 2014 legislative session then officially ended at 1:42 a.m.
Will the AHS actually be free to play fast and loose with public funds for another ten years, or will responsible lawmakers find some other way to rein them in?
Arizona Legislature adjourns sine die after 16-hour workday
Alia Beard Rau, The Republic | 6:13 a.m. MST April 24, 2014
1. We can only hope that a few more legislators who had to wait hours to adjourn because of an AHS fiasco will start to take a closer look at this agency. It's time to start cutting their budget and to treat them like other agencies. AHS has a long history of problematic reviews, but always gets refunded. WHY? They destroyed history for the centennial (the Mining and Mineral Museum) and were not stopped. Now, three years later the JLBC is apparently condoning AHS's actions and asking them and the Department of Administration to submit a proposal for the use of the empty Polly Rosenbaum building. Is the JBLC going to consider other uses besides the potential AHS/Driggs fiasco which expects private businesses to donate their money to AHS or the state? At very least someone needs to negate the resolution that named the building for Polly Rosenbaum and dedicated it as a permanent location for the Mining and Mineral Museum.
2. Sometimes AZ politics simply stinks! Why isn't the JBLC looking for agencies/proposals for the use of the Polly Rosenbaum building in keeping with the legislature's resolution? It would seem that AHS forfeited any need or right to this building when they destroyed a historic museum and utterly failed to get their new museum for the centennial. It has been unused for three years and AHS performance reviews are so problematic that they need to concentrate on their mission, not on a community center for the legislature.
3. There's a big problem for the AHS/Riggs/AZDOA coming up with a proposal for the use of the building--the incredible working and unique mining equipment display, especially the large stamp mill, that still stands as a tribute to Polly Rosenbaum. The above mentioned trio will need to have a plan to destroy more history as it won't fit with a community center and they do not have the knowledge or ability to run or maintain it. It will be expensive to remove or just plow down and basically only the incredible group that assembled it could ever put it back together. I've always been awed by the display and have been assured that it has been, and will continue to be, watched on a daily basis. Plans are to film it's demise to preserve history, because history is so important!!!
4. Is this the same John Driggs that had the statue of John Greenway removed from the US Capitol and had Sen. Barry Goldwater put in? Who elected this fool to be in charge of Az history.
Don;t get me wrong I liked Goldwater but Driggs should not have the power to do this.
From what I have heard the staff of AHS has always thought he was a meddlesome Phoenix power hungry fool. One of many. Couple that with someone like Woosley and a powerless Board and you have a mess.
5. The idea that AHS, Driggs, and ADOA need to come up with a proposal is really problematic. They failed miserably during the centennial, allowed the destruction of history, and we should have no reason to believe businesses or people will want to donate to AHS or the state now, especially after failing miserably.
Driggs may have a conflict of interest, as his son is in the legislature. ADOA shouldn't be a part of this--there is a legislative resolution and name for the building and it simply needs to be respected as it was before the centennial museum fiasco. This smells like an attempt to cover up the disaster of the closing of the Mining and Mineral Museum. | <urn:uuid:747f2efa-2a24-4531-b1da-ba66fd053934> | http://minmumad.blogspot.com/2014/04/political-mayhem-and-arizona-historical.html | en | 0.969808 | 0.189885 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Monday, February 13, 2012
Being an Aunt
Being an Aunt isn't like being a mom...or a grandmother...or a sister (and I wouldn't know anything about those anyway.) But I do know something about being an aunt, and that's because I have two adorable nieces. Part of the joy of having my brother and his family on the East coast is that I can fly up last minute (for astonishingly low prices) and visit whenever I want (or they need) me to.
Some people might not even like being and Aunt. Sometimes it means getting your hair pulled, and sometimes it means getting all worn out with 2 and 3 year olds climbing all over your body and pushing on the uncomfortable parts. But here are some fun things that I discovered about being an Aunt. (They correspond to the pictures... and though there were more fun things, I decided to limit it to these.) And honestly, I think parents do a lot of these things too.... All this is from when I went to Boston for a week towards the end of January. (less than a week after we got back from Williamsburg!)
1) Being an Aunt is fun when you can go "sailing" on comforters in the middle of the floor. Incidentally, this is almost as fun and not quite as energy-dependent as "going to the zoo".
2) Being an Aunt means I can read as many stories as I want all day long....and make them up too! (Actually, some of you may know that I do this even when I'm not "being an Aunt".)
3) Being an Aunt means that I get to go to a playground, pretend I'm a real photographer, and have almost as much fun as the girls!
4) Being an Aunt means that I'm allowed to encourage them and take pictures when my nieces are being outrageously silly with their friends.
5) Being an Aunt means that I can cook something strange every once in a while. This happens to be octopus (or squid? I'm not sure, actually). I know Margaret doesn't look very excited, but she and Adelynn both put away quite a bit. Adelynn had never had any before and had picked it out at Costco as her "special treat." She told me about it a few days later and assured me that she would share it with me....that it would be our special treat.
6) Being an Aunt means I can have TEA PARTIES at the genuine tea time of 4 o' clock every day because a) it's when the girls get up from nap time, and b) they always want a snack right then. So even though they're only 2 and 3, we get out the nice china and the tea cups and we have cheese and bread and fruit for snacks! SO fun. Every day after the first, the girls would ask me if they could have a tea party. What did I say? "YES!"
And finally, 7) An Aunt and her nieces can have "girl time" when we pull out two enormous bags of little household items and set up a whole miniature house! I know it sounds so 5 year old of me, but it was SO fun!
1. You are a wonderful auntie! Grannies do some of the very same things:) Your nieces are blessed to have you fly up whenever you feel like it.
2. I feel like you would be the best aunt ever, and am sad you are not MY kids' aunt. :)
3. You are as cute as your nieces! I'm glad you have discovered the joys of being an aunt. | <urn:uuid:a4a35b55-e56c-49ad-af0b-b816ac722155> | http://skippingbarefoot.blogspot.com/2012/02/being-aunt.html | en | 0.983816 | 0.486297 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
The most likely reason for this behavior is an error in the MS Internet Explorer settings.
First restart your computer to remove Tyre from the memory. (It is there, although you don’t see it.)
Then reset your MS Internet Explorer, following the instructions on these images:
If your problem is still there, click here to try more possible solutions. | <urn:uuid:9cd23927-89c9-4054-bfd0-8a5bd73d7ff1> | http://support.tyretotravel.com/support/solutions/articles/1000045136-tyre-ist-nicht-sichtbar-ich-sehe-keine-karte-nur-gerade-linien-zugriff-verweigert | en | 0.879948 | 0.067351 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
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Cheap car insurance for Missouri males under 21 | <urn:uuid:02eab61e-b491-492d-b78d-65e16c73df7f> | http://wareaglesvmc.com/NV/how-much-should-car-ins-cost-in-nevada/ | en | 0.971511 | 0.045737 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
30 May 2012
What the !?#@ Wednesdays, Week 2
Welcome to week #2 of the What the !?#@ Wednesdays series. For the next 5 Wednesdays I will be posting a summary of the things that made me think (or say)..."What the !?#@" during the past week. Have you missed any What the !?#@ Wednesdays? See week 1 here.
What the !?#@ Food Spectacle of the Week:
995 hotdogs weighing 140 pounds dropped from a helicopter in Detroit. On purpose, by a radio station. 25 listeners were picked to -QUOTE- rush the pile o' dogs and stuff as many as they could in their clothing within 95 seconds" -UNQUOTE-.
I bet your just itching to know who won, right? Don't worry, I'll tell you. It was the luck Sylvia Lopez who managed to shove 76 hot dogs in her shirt. Although she claims her "hands smell kind of rank", asides from pride, she also won $1,000 in gas money and a year's worth of hotdogs.
Way to go Syl! Making your town proud!
Photos & Information found at The Detroit News.
What the !?#@ Are You Kidding me Lawsuit of the Week:
"The lawsuit claims that Ferrero made statements suggesting that Nutella is healthier than it actually is."
Really people? Really?
If you really think that Nutella is HEALHTY for you...Nutella should sue YOU. But seriously, every jar of Nutella I've ever eaten by myself bought has had a nutrition label and ingredient list on it. First ingredient, Sugar.
Seriously...lawsuits like this are embarrassing.
I'm gonna go have me a big healthy spoonful of Nutella for breakfast.
And I'm saving the best for last....
What the !?#@ Husband Move of the Week:
I may be breaking am probably breaking the 'don't sell out your spouse' unspoken code of martial conduct with this one, but I'm going to throw Aaron under the bus...for the sake of my new blog, my readers, and for the human race. Well...maybe not that last one.
Before I get into the nitty gritty you should know a few things. Aaron prefers me NOT to share a drinking glass with him (I don't get it). Aaron thinks it's gross that I don't always jump in the shower and brush my teeth IMMEDIATELY after waking up (It's not as if I don't shower...I just like to lounge around for a little first). Sometimes I can skeeve him out & threaten him by pretending to use HIS toothbrush (I never have actually used his toothbrush). He doesn't find it gross to polish off 4 lbs of buffalo wings resulting in his entire upper body and the area surrounding him to be covered in hot sauce and chicken parts...BUT if he gets his hands dirty he has to immediately wash them.
So because of these things....the move he pulled this past week was shocking. S-H-O-C-K-I-N-G. As in, I started yelling and screaming and laughing and "What the !?@#'ing" all over the apartment. I'm still in shock. So here it goes...
I'm on Gchat with my sister the other day just catching up, no biggie. Aaron comes home from the gym, everyone says hi, we continue our conversation and Aaron goes to shower. Meanwhile, somehow Rach and I thought of this little harmless prank to pull on him. Well, I would do the prank alone since it was my husband in the shower after all. It wasn't even really a prank, but just something to get a laugh and maybe have Aaron shake his head in disappointment towards my gags. I will spare Aaron by not unveiling the details of this...for now anyway.
So I leave the computer with Rachael in the office and I head into the bathroom. Aaron and I get a good chuckle and I see him dance through the frosted glass of the shower door. No biggie, I mean who DOESN'T dance in the shower, right? So for another haha, I open the shower door to compliment his dance moves and I SEE IT!!!
***Okay, I realize that this whole story is probably leading you in a completely different direction than I mean it too. I actually just had to leave the room because I was laughing so hard after I typed "I SEE IT!!!". I guarantee I am not talking about what you are thinking right now. But it's too funny, so I'm going to leave all that wording in there. Sorry mom & dad...but keep reading, I swear this story is more innocent than your minds are right now.***
So I peer into the shower and there, THERE he is holding MY razor. The razor I shave MY legs with and MY armpits with. Immediately I question, "What are you doing with my razor?".
He lifts up his arms. And I say....
He sort of shrugs and says, "I'm sorry, I knew it was wrong the whole time I was doing it."
Come to find out...this isn't the first time he's used my razor for this sort of thing. But since I caught him in the act....this is the first time he's changed my razor blade afterwards.
I really don't care, although I don't understand why he used (uses) mine when he has perfectly good razors of his own. I just find it hysterical that he gets grossed out by all these little things, and then he goes around using someone else's razor. It definitely made the What the !?@# Wednesday of the Week...
I also just want to clarify a few things:
1. It's hot in Oklahoma already. Lots of guys shave/trim their armpits, and not just in Oklahoma. It solves that whole sweaty hairy disgusting problem they've got going on.
2. Aaron did say that he has NEVER used anyone else's razor but mine, and he wouldn't use someone else's razor. Just wanted to clear the air for anyone who's ever had Aaron stay at their house.
3. I did get Aaron's permission to share this story with you, but I was unable to get a picture of his freshly shaven underarms.
Want to share your 'What the !?#@' moments? Leave a comment below!!!
26 May 2012
I Want My Order!!!
For the record....
Waiting, especially for something you ordered, is the worst thing ever.
I'd also like to know why I have the urge to refresh my fed-ex page every minute, when I know it's not going to change.
Since we are on the topic, why doesn't food magically appear in my fridge after opening and closing that door?
Why do my cloths take longer to dry when I need that one pair of pants. And it's always the damn denim, the ones you can't get away with having almost completely dry.
And why does my mail guy delivery other peoples mail to us on a regular basis. I wonder where all my mail is. Someone else is scoring big on the free samples this week.
Interested in Food? Check out my other site called Kacey's Kitchen and Fridays Post: Smoky Chipotle Breakfast Tortilla Bake.
23 May 2012
What the !?#@ Wednesdays, Week 1
Welcome to the What the !?#@ Wednesdays series. For the next 6 Wednesdays I will be posting a summary of the things that made me think (or say)..."What the !?#@" during the past week.
Some things may have made me laugh out loud, some may have had me shaking my head, and others...we'll, I'm not sure how to feel about them. No mater what...they had me asking....What the !?#@.
What the !?#@ Quote of the Week:
"I wish there was a way to write a letter and send it to you online."
....What a great idea, maybe they can call it e-mail, you know, like, 'electronic mail'. Get it? Get it?... *sigh*
What the !?#@ Great Idea of the Week:
Russian man jumps in garbage chute to escape from girlfriend.
Source: BBC
Man jumps in chute on the 8th floor. Man slides down to 5th floor. Man gets stuck. Man cries for help. Man has to be cut free.
What the !?#@ This Should Never Happen of the Week:
Arby's customer finds piece of finger in sandwich.
Really? You're thinking Arby's? Cause I'm thinking not. Really...it was in his mouth. I feel bad for this kid. I know he's traumatized. I know this because this story reminds me of my own fast food experience. If you're brave enough, read about it here. I can barely think about it again, I'm getting so skeeved out right now talking about it. Seriously...it has traumatized me. I'm not kidding. Ugh.
22 May 2012
PCS Purge Talk #1
Over at Kacey's Kitchen this week, I talked about purging the foodie supplies before a move. I love to clean, organize and get rid of clutter, so we'll be covering lots of those topics here. Pictures in this post are from our PCS1 in 2011 from Florida to Oklahoma.
We still have 8 months until our move date (exact departure date tba), so some of you may think it's waaay to early to start. If you think that, I would make a pretty hefty bet that either 1) you've never moved or 2) someone else does ALL the moving for you...like you live with your parents and they do it all for you.
I say that it is never too early to sort, organize or purge. I think it's true whether or not you are planning for a move. The less clutter and hoarding you have, the easier your life in general will be. You'll know where stuff is, no more tearing rooms apart looking for that one piece of paper. Your house will look much cleaner! When you do decide to move...it will be much more of a 'pick up and go' rather than something you dread.
(PPM aka DITY move2)
I understand it's easier to say than to actually do, and it may be even easier for me to organize because I ABSOLUTELY LOVE IT! It's also a bit easier for us, because for the foreseeable future, we will always be moving. We are conscious of that when making nearly every purchase. Is it something we want to move around with us year after year? Will it fit in most apartments and houses? Will it survive multiple moves? If any of those questions answer 'no', and we still want the item, we ask, how easily can we sell it before we move?
There are a few things that we find trouble balancing:
• We don't need a a lot of stuff, but we want to live comfortably and be able to host family & friends comfortably.
• We don't need fancy and brand new furniture, but it's nice to live like adults, and not on plastic crates like in college. Not that there is anything wrong with plastic crates...it's just, we've been there, done that. You know?
• We don't want to spend a lot of money on furniture in case it gets ruined during all of our future moves. Than again, cheap furniture isn't gonna have the quality to survive multiple moves.
• When people want to buy us stuff. This one isn't such a big deal, but it comes up. We love receiving gifts, don't get us wrong, and our gift givers are awesome and always get us stuff we love and use. But it's still more stuff. I've moved 6 times including college. One of those was a military move, and we are currently preparing for an overseas move. Everything that enters our doorway, I think about moving it.
I should probably clarify, when I say 'we', I mean 'me'. Aaron thinks I'm insane for my love of organizing and moving. Yup, you heard me. I love to move. I love packing and unpacking and setting up and all that jazz. Aaron hates doing that stuff, so it works out really well. He's willing to help, but he knows the best thing to do is let me handle it all. Basically....when I'm on the move....get outta my way! When I need help or his advice or input, he knows I'll ask him. He's also extremely cooperative when I ask him to sort through his stuff in order for me to do something with. I'm careful not to get rid of/shred anything that he might need without checking with him first...cause that could end up being a bummer.
I've already started getting rid of lots of stuff, we had our first yard sale last weekend. I've been scanning documents like crazy. Backing up digital files like crazy. Reading & giving away books like crazy. Although I forgot to take pictures of the 'before' stage of my current purge projects, I'd still love to share with you what I've been doing. Going forward, I'll be taking lots of pictures of my projects to show you. One of those projects will be informing the cat of an overseas move and what that means for her.
1PCS: Permanent Change of Station. Well, as permanent as a military move can & will be. This is when a military member moves from one duty station to another.
2PPM aka DITY Move: Previously known as a DITY Move (Do It Yourself Move), a PPM is a Personally Procured Move. This allows you (the mover) to move all or some of your HHG. Following the appropriate procedures of a PPM, you will be reimbursed up to the governments cost. Most moves will include at least a partial PPM, which is what we did when moving from Florida to Oklahoma. The movers packed most of our stuff, but we filled our vehicles to the brim with things we didn't want damaged or lost, and things we would use right away at our new home. We got our vehicles weighed empty & when we were fully loaded. We were able to receive our PPM reimbursement, per diem, and mileage reimbursement, all for driving our 2 vehicles to a place we were going to have to drive them anyway. There are two major things that are awesome about this. 1) We made money off of doing a PPM and 2) We had a lot of our stuff with us, which was awesome when our HHG shipment took 2 weeks to arrive.
3HHG Shipment: HHG stands for Household Goods. There are lots of details involving a HHG shipment, so meeting with you Transportation Office or Readiness Center would be your first step for a move. We've only moved once within the states, so that's all I can really speak about. Basically, the government pays to move your stuff when sending you to another 'permanent' duty station. The service member (or designated other person, like a spouse) coordinates the packing, shipping, and arrival with a contracted moving company. This is typically your 'bulk' shipment, unless you are doing a full PPM.
15 May 2012
So, your moving to Okinawa Japan? That's awesome! Wait...where is that???
Assignment Night - JAPAN!
I thought I'd take some time to explain how we found out about moving to Japan.
We were hoping for an overseas assignment and just assumed that locations in Europe would be available.
Aaron came home one day and told me Europe wasn't on the dream sheet1. I was sort of bummed, but no biggie really. We both are in agreement that we want to live lots of places, and thanks to the military, we will probably get the opportunity. And if we end up in a place we don't really like...it's only temporary. So anyway, he tells me Europe is a no go, however, Japan is on the list, with a plane that he's interested in.
Holy motherfuckingshitballs!
So for the next few weeks I can't help myself. I start researching Japan. Overseas moves. Importing the cat into Japan. Etcetera. And every day I have to remind myself not to get excited yet...there are still 20 or so other assignments he could get. Then I go look up more Japanese stuff.
I know, I know...that's basically just asking to get your hopes up. But I knew what I was doing, I knew we had just as much chance to get assigned to Japan as we did anywhere else. I understood that. That's what I told myself. And to be fair, I started researching the top 5 places we put on our dream sheet, just to figure out where exactly we could be going...just to be a little familiar with stuff. I'd like to be caught off guard as little as possible.
Aaron submits his dream sheet, and we have to wait a couple of weeks for assignment night2. I continue my research and break it to my parents that an overseas move is possible. Meanwhile, Aaron concentrates on finishing up his last few flights before graduation.
Assignment night arrives, and I am sooooooo nervous. I don't know why. I know I'll be happy wherever we end up. I hope that Aaron gets a plane that he wants, although I know he'll be fine with anything. I think it's just the anticipation. We have NO IDEA where we are going or when we are going. We could stay here, we could move an hour away, we could move to THE OTHER SIDE OF THE WORLD. Aaron is one of the first ones to receive his assignment. I should have had someone else hold my camera to film it, because I am shaking with excitement. They call his name, he walks up to the front looking a bit of a combination of stressed and nonchalant. (You'll have to know him personally to know what I mean.) They roast him for a few moments. Then...3 possible plane selections pop up on the screen. I see Aaron instantly relax and even start to grin. This is good. I know any of these planes will be awesome and have awesome assignments. So does the crowd, they 'oooh' and 'aahh'. Did I mention that this is all happening in front of a couple hundred people? Family, friends, instructors, other students. Beer is flowing. The room is packed, people yell and cheer and clap and boo all night long.
As suspenseful as possible, they eliminate one of the three planes. Silence. Waiting. The second plane is eliminated. Aaron smiles. I am so excited...only a few more seconds, it seems like an eternity, and we'll find out where we are going. The next image....a map of OKINAWA, JAPAN!!!!!!!
The crowd yells and cheers and claps and I scream. Aaron looks stoked (as much as Aaron can look stoked!). I clobber hop over the parents of another student (sorry if I crushed you Mr. & Mrs. D!) and practically knock Aaron over with a hug.
I can't even pay attention to the rest of the assignments. I cheer and laugh and clap, but really, I have no idea what is going on. I keep turning to my friends mouthing, 'Holy fuck, we are really moving to Japan!'.
That pretty much sums up how I've felt ever since.
Unofficial Definitions:
I am creating an unofficial definitions page to define acronyms and explain some things/events in my own words. My definitions are based purely on MY experience and should not be used in an official or legal manner.
1Dream Sheet: This nice piece of paper that lists what planes/bases are available for your assignment. Aaron had to write everything on that list in order of preference. He had 1 weekend to consult the list and make his decisions. It seems like sort of a mystery as how they pick people to go where. Obviously, if they need airmen in location X, you'll be sent to location X regardless of your dream sheet. I think that the dream sheet is used as more of a 'tie-breaker', if both base X & Y need someone like you equally, and location Y is on your list, you'll get location Y. The selection you end up receiving can also depend on the number of other people requesting that choice and your class standing.
2Assignment Night: I'm not sure if assignment nights are done the same way at every base or branch, but here they have a big event at the club, sponsored by the graduating class. It's an open invitation, typically with free food and beer. This is a really casual and fun event, most people on base who can go, do. I'm sure the free beer helps. The graduating class presents their homemade 'class video' (light-hearted, funny, and often filled with mocking themselves and imitations of Air Force and pilot stereotypes). Next come the assignments. The student gets called up to stand in front of everyone, then they get roasted (the rest of his/her class has previously come up with a script for them), and then they find out what plane they will be flying and where they will be stationed next.
13 May 2012
A Welcome and an Announcement
Welcome to Where in the World is Kacey? While I have been actively blogging at Kacey's Kitchen for the past 3 years or so, I have been wanting a place where I can talk about things outside of the kitchen. Seeing that my life is going to get a little more interesting in the next year, I thought a new blog would be the perfect place to share those adventures and adventures to come.
I believe the name of this blog will be very fitting, you see, this adventure I'm talking about...it's going to be amazing, not just because it's another move - I've moved 3 times in the past 3 years - but because it is an overseas move!!!! Do you wanna know where???? Of course you do!!!!
We are moving to Japan!!!!
I! Am! So! Freaking! Excited!
I want to use exclamation points at the end of every sentence!!!
I'll talk more about Japan later (and by later I mean I'll talk about it all the time!)
I do plan on covering tons more topics than just Japan, but obviously I'm a little excited about it, so it's probably going to come up a lot. Check out the About page for more info.
So what do you think? Want to follow along and see where we end up what kinds of things we get ourselves into? Subscribe here where you can sign up to get Where in the World is Kacey? through your feed reader or even emailed to you! Don't miss a thing!
Have a question, suggestion, or comment? Leave it below or send a private message through the Contact form.
Now let's have some fun! | <urn:uuid:e2e62b70-9a0d-4ab5-8867-98cf7951d2e6> | http://whereskacey.blogspot.com/2012/05/ | en | 0.963408 | 0.054332 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
SpaceX launch Q&A: Expert explains the science behind landing a reusable rocket
Sarah Spickernell
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The launch had to be postponed following a technical fault on Tuesday (Source: Getty)
Tomorrow morning at 10:09am, SpaceX will launch its Falcon 9 rocket towards the International Space Station (ISS).
Once far enough into space, the rocket will release its Dragon cargo and gradually turn around to go back on itself. Then, for the first time ever, scientists will try to land a rocket on Earth.
If all goes according to plan, it could pave the way for the use of reusable rockets in the future.
The landing point for the will be a sea barge in the Atlantic, just off the coast of Florida. Since this has never been done before, the engineers recognise there is a high chance it won't go according to plan. In fact, SpaceX founder Elon Musk put the likelihood of success at just 50 per cent.
Until now, rockets have been destroyed straight after releasing cargo, with segments falling apart and setting on fire when they enter the atmosphere.
If the mission is a success and reusable rockets become mainstream, it could save governments and private companies millions of dollars through not having to manufacture a new rocket for every launch.
The mission was originally supposed to take place on Tuesday morning, but a technical fault during final countdown meant it had to be postponed.
To find out more about the science behind landing a rocket and what it means for the future of space travel, City A.M. spoke to Paul Kostek, expert in space travel at the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers.
Q: How is Falcon 9 designed for landing, rather than falling apart?
A: Just like current rockets, Falcon 9 will be a multi-stage vehicle. But unlike other models, it will have landing legs at the bottom, and a navigation system to guide it back to Earth and allow it to be stabilized. The upper parts off the rocket will be used to lift the cargo (in this case the Dragon capsule) into orbit.
Q: What will happen during the rocket's flight back down to Earth?
A: First, the segment carrying the cargo will separate from the body of the rocket. Then the engine will be restarted to slow the segment down, and guidance systems will be turned on to put it in the right position for coming back down to Earth. Finally, the landing gear will be deployed and the engine power reduced as the cargo segment returns to the rocket.
Q: What are the risks? Can they guarantee the rocket will be safe for reuse?
A: Before they are reused, the parts of the rocket would have to be inspected to ensure there is no damage. Nothing major will happen any time soon, either – the long-term plan of reuse within hours of return will take years of testing to gather data, both in terms of the impact of the landing and the number of times a system can be reused.
Unlike space shuttles going into orbit around the Earth and then through the harsh environment of re-entry these rocket segments will not be put through such a harsh environment. Any reoairs should therefore be limited.
Q: Why is landing so much more difficult than taking off?
A: When you're flying an aeroplane, all you need for take-off is maximum power and speed to lift off the ground. Landing, however, is more complicated – you need to find the runway, line up with the centre line and then reduce speed (but not so much that you stall or fall short of the runaway).
It's the same situation for a rocket – take-off is all about power and heading up, while landing involves slowing down, establishing the correct angle to the ground and then navigating back to the launch pad, adjusting speed and direction all the while.
Q: Is this the first time anyone has thought of making rockets reusable?
A: The idea isn't new, but it hasn't been put into practice before. Back in the 90's, a US company called Rocketplane Kistler designed the Kistler K-1 launch vehicle, which was supposed to have two reusable segments. They were not able to actually build the rocket though, due to a lack of funding.
Q: If the tomorrow is a success, what types of mission could rocket landings be used for in the future?
A: From a commercial perspective, it could increase the number of satellite launches and allow more small research and commercial missions to be sent into space. Crews and even visitors could be sent up to the ISS for short stays, encouraging space tourism. If any space hotels are built, this would be a means to deliver guests.
Q: Could it really transform the space economy by making missions much less expensive?
A: If successful, this would eliminate the need to build an entire new rocket for each launch, therefore reducing time and cost. It would be particularly promising for SpaceX's ultimate goal of multiple launches per day using the same rocket, because the cost of building up a system from scratch would be eliminated and the time to build each rocket decreased.
Related articles | <urn:uuid:54105c6d-f4b0-47b1-9878-457790ce503a> | http://www.cityam.com/206741/spacex-rocket-launch-qa-expert-explains-science-behind-international-space-station-mission | en | 0.950449 | 0.863799 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
‘Indian Horse,’ featuring Wiky’s Sladen Peltier, in theatres Friday
Sladen Peltier as Saul Indian Horse.
CANADA—The Stephen Campanelli-directed movie ‘Indian Horse,’ based on the best-selling Richard Wagamese novel by the same name, is in theatres this Friday, April 13 and starring Wiikwemkoong’s own Sladen Peltier as a young Saul Indian Horse—the film’s protagonist.
In a previous interview with The Expositor, Sladen noted that it was during his annual trip to the Little NHL that he saw a posting looking for First Nations people with excellent skating skills to be cast in a movie. Sladen’s mom Katelin Gillis decided he should take a chance and signed him up.
Some months and many auditions later, Sladen was cast in the role of the young Saul Indian Horse and acted alongside Forrest Goodluck (‘The Revenant’), Michiel Huisman (‘The Age of Adaline’) and Michael Murphy (‘Fall,’ ‘Away from Her’ and ‘X-Men’). The film also stars newcomers AJ Kapashesit and Edna Manitouwabe, with Melanie McLaren (‘Tkaronoto’) and Johnny Issaluk (‘Two Lovers and a Bear’).
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The film was shot in locations at Killarney, Sudbury and Peterborough.
A synopsis of the film reads: “In the late 1950s in Ontario, seven-year-old Saul Indian Horse is torn from his Ojibway family and committed to one of Canada’s notorious Catholic residential schools. In this oppressive environment, Saul is denied the freedom to speak his language or embrace his Indigenous heritage and he witnesses horrendous abuse at the hands of the very people entrusted with his care. Despite this, Saul finds salvation in the unlikeliest of places and favourite Canadian pastime—hockey. Fascinated by the game, he secretly teaches himself to not only play but develops a unique and rare skill. He seems to see the game in a way no other player can.
“His talent leads him away from the misery of the school to a Northern Ontario Native league and eventually the pros,” continues the release. “But the ghosts of Saul’s past are always present, and threaten to derail his promising career and future. Forced to confront his painful past, Saul draws on the spirit of his ancestors and the understanding of his friends to begin the process of healing.”
Check your local listings to catch ‘Indian Horse’ in theatres this weekend. | <urn:uuid:83118f05-197b-4a88-8689-5648a00e6eee> | http://www.manitoulin.ca/2018/04/11/indian-horse-featuring-wikys-sladen-peltier-in-theatres-friday/ | en | 0.960497 | 0.022749 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
A girl consumed with darkness and forced to do a horrible deed. How does she escape this horrible job? She has to find a way some how shee can become reborn, but how? Read and find out.
1. My Purpose
“NO PLEASE, I am not ready to die! Please, I change I’ll eat healthier, I’ll…I’ll exercise!”
I stared sadly at the heavy weighted man. He was begging, down on his knees. He had brown curly hair and green eyes. He was a diabetic and his heart was giving up. That’s why I was here, I looked at the man and took a deep breath,
“Peter Klowisk, I was sent here by Death, I am very sorry I am taking you from this life, but you have a better one waiting, so please take my hand.” I held out my hand hoping he would take it.
“NO! I am not ready! You can’t touch me!” Peter screamed and started to run to his front door.
I sighed as I knew what I had to do next. I held out my hand towards peter who was almost to the door.
“Kaliba…” I whispered.
“Gahhhh!” Peter fell to the ground clutching his heart.
I walked over to his body. He was gasping for air, staring at me with complete fear, as he flopped around on the ground. I could feel his soul trying to release from his body. I couldn’t watch this suffering any longer. I knelt down and touched the middle of his forehead with the tip of my finger. There was a jolt.
His body went still. I put my hand over his heart, “Soul may you rise from this dead corpse and come with me to return to your world”.
I looked to see the light of the glowing spirit leave the dead heart and flood into my fingertips.
I looked at Peter’s face and sadness struck over me. He was a kind man in his life. He had a loving wife and three grown up children. At least his soul will go to the nice place. His eyes were wide open, with a blank stare. I gently brushed my hand over his face to close his eyes. I stood back up, backed away, and slowly whispered the word, “Likba”
I disappeared in a puff of a black foggy smoke. Know who am I, you might ask?
I’m Tally, I am a Gorgon. My job is to take the souls of the humans when their soul runs out of time. I’ll try to explain: There are many Gorgons, and there are many departments. I’m in the young/adult male department, because I don’t think I can bare taking a mother from their children (I mean taking a father is no better, but those were my choices.) there is also the young/adult female, children, infant, and elderly departments. I wish I was in the elderly, because most of them have accepted death and you never have to force kill, like I had to do with Peter.
Now you may wonder how I became a Gorgon, no I wasn’t created by all the evil things in the world, mixed into a big pot, and then turned into this. No, I was a regular five year old girl. I use to have long, light brown hair and bright blue eyes. I lived a human life, like everyone else. That was until June 17 1999, when I drowned in my backyard pond…
When a Gorgon came to get me I was afraid and ran away. The Gorgon paralyzed me. He then took my earth body, along with my soul, and took me to the leader (Known as Death). Death then turned me into one of them. My hair turned jet black, my pupils became larger, my bright blue eyes turned into a gray fog, and my skin became pale as snow.
I was then trained; I learned our language and the powers of it. I learned combat, magic, and the rules of a Gorgon. I was resistant at first; I quickly learned my place when Death shocked my dead heart to where it turned black and cold.
When I had reached nineteen, I graduated and became a full Gorgon, the power of death was released inside me and my weapon was my hands. With a single touch from my hands you would die on instant. It was horrible to have, but I accepted my fate and I have been doing this ever since.
I have killed so many people, over my time. Each one hurts just like the first. The other Gorgons boast about their kills, but me I just hide in my house and try to forget.
Now the world isn’t all bad. There are also the Liras, their job is to bestow life. The Gorgons and Liras have feuded for centuries. Our feuds usually happen in a hospital when a human can either die or live, a Gorgon and Lira will both try and convince the soul to be theirs. Whichever one the soul goes to is the human’s fate. I look up to the Liras. They were the superheroes of our world. They give happiness and joy to people, while the Gorgons (like me) bring sadness and sorrow. I didn’t choose this life, but it’s mine now and I have to live with that.
I try and convince myself I am not a bad person, but I can’t see how I am not. I kill thousands of people every year. I go home and look at myself in my cracked mirror and cry. Will I ever be released from this god forsaken place! But, no I won’t, my soul had been put on a spell by Death to where it will never leave my body there for, I never can die nor can I ever live.
But between you and me I have looked in the ancient articles of the Gorgons past and there is a legend that a Gorgon, her name was Sapphire, she fell in love with a human and when they shared true loves kiss, her soul was reborn. She turned into a human again and legend has it she lives life on earth. I didn’t have much hope in it, because it sounded like all the other fairytales I have heard. I have always wondered though, in the very back of my mind, could it be true?
Loading ... | <urn:uuid:2598ba23-a035-4079-9580-2a7b41df8b20> | http://www.movellas.com/story/201212020102273639-consumed-my-purpose/201212020104003712 | en | 0.986187 | 0.023854 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
EmrEtlRunner config.yml, cloudfront format
In the configuration for snowplow-emr-etl-runner, version r95, should the value of collectors.format be “tsv/com.amazon.aws.cloudfront/wd_access_log”, or just “cloudfront”?
The former is what I find in the docs (https://github.com/snowplow/snowplow/blob/master/3-enrich/emr-etl-runner/config/config.yml.sample), the latter is what seems to work.
If I use “tsv/com.amazon.aws.cloudfront/wd_access_log”, then atomic.events.app_id is always null.
Context: I am working on replacing a two-year-old deployment of Snowplow (don’t know the version number). To test the R95 installation, I copied the S3 buckets (specified in config.yml, aws.s3.buckets.raw.in) to new buckets. In each Cloudfront logfile entry, the query string is the 12th field, and the app_id value is in parameter “aid”.
Just “cloudfront”, @wleftwich.
The other format you mention is if you want to parse CloudFront access logs as access logs (i.e. accesses to various objects served over your CDN), rather than as Snowplow CloudFront collector logs. | <urn:uuid:c185634a-605f-4339-8206-fba4548a1eae> | https://discourse.snowplowanalytics.com/t/emretlrunner-config-yml-cloudfront-format/1667 | en | 0.83053 | 0.06739 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Being a superhero.
Naruto my hero
I started watching naruto when I was 14 years old. Lonely and weird it was my respite from the world I live. I tried to see myself in him but I always failed. His strength and confidence felt foriengn to me.
I lay awake in my bed try to fantasize about next episodes. I in true sense getting bonkers for this show. We tend to not notice of how Much a thing we watch while we were child tend to shape the way we live, the way we thought, the way we talk, the way we pat on someone on shoulder and ask ramen in Indian restaurant.
Its been years since I last ask for a ramen or make a ninja star on front of my copy. But it’s just been yesterday when I introduce myself in a debate competiton as next hokage. Its was weird to remember that memory in that moment, but I chose to roll with it and completed my debate in the same cocky way naruto would have done.
At the end of competition(which I won) almost everyone wants to know what is a hokage. Since yesterday in memory of my childhood hero I binge watched all his movies and right now hooking on boruto.
Its just not naruto which adored my childhood room, it included capeta,pokemoon,ultimate muscle,Zorro.
I was particularly close to Zorro. Maybe his whole looser dude vibrated with my persona hoping against hope that I might wear a mask like Zorro and transform myself in person I want to be.
Seeing those shows throughout my childhood made me believe that I was hero just like them and I have to win. That people are watching me and they are rooting for me and I just can’t disappoint them.
This thought continue to obsess me. It made me conscious of not only my individuality but that of other too. Seeing them I became a spectator in their show and wonder about their feeling, their life and their powers. For me we live a world of superheroes everyone with its own power and origin story it’s own fault and strength and me a spectator trying and fighting with my own demons and trying to be hero of my own accord.
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Community Q&A Question: the part
Asking About: Mustang Heater Tube Nipple (99-04)
the part
What is the piece that goes into the back of the manifold, that connects to the firewall via hose , like joe r. From lowell asked about.
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What they are referring to is the heater tube assembly. That would be part number LRS-18402A.
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49ers can’t finish strong, Cards win on final kick
The only thing recognizable about the 49ers on Sunday was that they suffered a 23-20 loss to the Arizona Cardinals.
San Francisco (1-8) turned in an uncharacteristic effort that saw a stout run defense lead the way for a resurgent Colin Kaepernick, whose vintage performance nearly capped off an unlikely upset against the NFC West rival Cardinals (4-4).
After allowing seven straight 100-yard rushers, the 49ers defense battened down their hatches against the explosive running back David Johnson, holding him to just 55 yards on 19 carries throughout the day.
Kaepernick dealt damage with his legs as well, leading the 49ers with 55 yards on ten carries, including a game-tying touchdown run late in the fourth quarter.
Ultimately, it was the 49ers’ usually solid pass defense that sunk an otherwise promising effort from the 49ers, as Arizona quarterback Carson Palmer (30-for-49, 376 yards, one touchdown, two interceptions) would look to his explosive receivers during a two minute drill to set up a 34-yard field goal that would hand the 49ers their eighth straight loss.
It wasn’t all sunshine in the desert for San Francisco though.
Despite forcing four turnovers, the team would only capitalize on two of their short-field opportunities for 10 points.
Earlier in the game, San Francisco squandered a drive that started on the Arizona 40, following an Eric Reid interception, that could have otherwise set up a field goal that would have proved to be the difference in this game.
San Francisco also came into the game ranked 11th in the NFL in passing defense, allowing just 235 yards per game. But with the future Hall of Fame receiver Larry Fitzgerald leading the way with 12 receptions for 133 yards, the Arizona receiving corps shattered that mark while sinking San Francisco’s efforts yet again.
Receiver Jeremey Kerley led the way for San Francisco with a seven catches for 71 yards and touchdown, while Quinton Patton followed with his own 52 yard effort as well. Tight end Vance McDonald continued his run of big plays with a 32-yard catch that would help set up a score as well.
The first half of Sunday’s contest largely followed the pessimistic script that was laid out for the downtrodden 49ers‘ ahead of the game. But like a quick sunburst on a gloomy day, the game also featured some glimmering moments of hope for a struggling 49ers team.
Despite earning just 33 yards on the ground through two quarters, the 49ers could not keep the dynamic Johnson out of the end zone, allowing both a receiving and rushing touchdown to the second-year back while allowing him to showcase his diverse talents.
Johnson’s first score came during a pass-heavy drive that saw Palmer connect with the future Hall of Famer Larry Fitzgerald for three catches and 31 yards before a mismatch between Johnson and 49ers’ linebacker Nick Bellore allowed the running back to scamper unharmed into the end zone for a three yard scoring reception.
Johnson would find paydirt for the second time just two drives later, after WR Jeremy Kerley forced his own fumble on a punt return to set up an 18-yard rushing touchdown just two plays later.
Turnovers and a measly 0.4 yards per play average threatened to cause an early blowout in favor of a rolling Arizona offense, but the 49ers received a vintage Kaepernick drive just in time to keep the momentum from being sucked from their sideline.
Picking up where they left off from last week, Kaepernick connected on a big-play to tight end Vance McDonald, whose 32-yard pickup would move the team across midfield for the first time all game.
Kerley would then redeem himself for his early gaff, sneaking through the defensive backfield of Arizona before catching an uncontested 18-yard touchdown reception from Kaepernick all alone in the back of the end zone.
The drive marked the first time Kaepernick looked like his old self since being benched in favor of Gabbert. And it wouldn’t be the last.
Kaepernick continued to impress with his poise in the pocket and ability to extend plays during the 49ers next trip on the turf, beating blitzes and converting crucial third and fourth downs.
The drive would ultimately stall short of the goal line, but Kaepernick’s quarterbacking would set up a makable 49-yard field goal from the ever-trusty Phil Dawson.
But as they often do, the 49ers’ would unhinge their own efforts with defensive lapses that would cost them on the scoreboard.
A neglect to keep an eye on the plodding Palmer would lead to a 16-yard run by the quarterback-the longest of his career- to convert a third down. On an ensuing drive, the 49ers would allow big pickups along the sideline in a two-minute drill before a pass interference call on Eric Reid would set up a first-and-goal situation from the one yard line.
Both instances ended with field goals, giving Arizona a 20-10 advantage before heading into the locker room in what could have been a much closer game.
San Francisco would keep their foot on the gas against their NFC West rivals to open up the third quarter, following up a lackluster three-and-out with a big defensive stop in which Eli Harold forced a red zone fumble of Palmer to be recovered by DeForest Buckner.
Kaepernick made good use of the Cardinal’s second turnover of the day, launching a 45-yard pass to Quinton Patton before a third down sack would set up a 53-yard field goal attempt for Dawson. The elder veteran showed off a young leg by splitting the try down the middle with ease to pull San Francisco back within a touchdown.
Still, the Cardinals maintained a seven point lead with time winding down. But instead of looking to kill the clock with Johnson, the Cardinals opted to pick up first downs through the air, much to the delight of the 49ers’ defense.
The unit came away with their fourth turnover of the game when Gerald Hodges intercepted a Palmer pass across the middle of the field, intended for receiver John Brown. The pick would give the 49ers an enticing field position to start their make-or-break drive with just over three minutes to go.
Again, Kaepernick would turn back the clock, tossing long gains while picking up a crucial third-and-long with his legs to keep their hopes alive.
After carrying the offense with his play, Kaepernick looked to seal the equalizing score himself, using his legs again on third down to sprint into the end zone from four yards out on a designed keep to notch things up at 20 a piece.
| <urn:uuid:0745c0f8-1536-46db-8538-72c07eeb3887> | https://sfbay.ca/2016/11/13/49ers-cant-finish-strong-cards-win-on-final-kick/ | en | 0.96654 | 0.018836 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
How to catch cod from the shore
How to catch cod.
Cod are becoming increasingly rare along our shores as they move further and further into deeper and colder waters. Once these fish reach around the 3lb in weight they are large enough to be caught in boat nets and that is when you really start to notice a dramatic drop in numbers over that size.
Cod can be found in the winter months so they are an attractive option when other fish have left our shores for warmer waters. Some places and people call cod below 5lb-6lb'codling'.
This is not an easy choice
This is not a fish to target if you're a novice angler. You need to be able to cast longer distances than the average person to stand a chance of hooking one. They don't tend to hunt or feed near the shore.
If your casting isn't that great then you need to be fishing from rock marks or piers so you're fishing in deeper waters.
When to fish for cod
Fishing at night can achieve much better results because they feel safer coming closer to the shore in darkness. Saying that they will also come closer to the shore when there is an offshore wind and also when the sea is murky.
Spring tides can often achieve good results. Many fish use the flood and ebb tides to obtain a good supply of food.
What will you need to catch cod?
• A 12ft-15ft Beach Caster rated to cast 5oz - 8oz weights
• A strong shockleader line, up to 60lb
• Option #1 - 12-18lb line (sandy ground)
• Option #2 - 25-30lb line (rough ground)
• 5oz-6oz weights to enable you cast maximum distances
• Hooks between size 1 and 6/0 depending on bait being used
• The best and freshest bait you can buy (live bait if you can!)
Best baits to use for cod
• Peeler Crab
• Rag worm (especially white)
• Lug worm
• Squid
In winter months it can be very difficult to get hold of live bait, espeically worms. It is worth keeping a frozen supply of baits like squid, peeler crabs and prawns for those times when live bait is difficult to obtain.
Keep the line for around 20 minutes and then reel it in and change the bait for fresh bait. Don't keep any of the old bait on, just replace it.
Rigs to use
This is all down to personal preference. You can buy ready made cod rigs which range from the very simple to the very complex. Ideally you want two hooks on a seperate line from the weight to enable it to flow freely in the water…
Cod Rig example
For this type of rig I would strongly recommend an impact shield which will hold your hook and bait when casting and will release them on impact. Very useful when you are long distance casting!
Impact shield
If you're fishing rocky marks you should buy some break-away weights which give you a better chance of retrieving snagged rigs.
Breakaway weight for fishing.
A breakaway Weight.
Cod catching tips
• If the sea isn't rough look for white water near rocks and gullies. Cod can hunt in very shallow water so don't worry if the white water isn't that deep.
• Try using two rods, one long range and the other short. Cod can come very close to the shore so try doing both at the same time.
• If your location has any dirty or muddy parts of the sea aim to fish those parts. Cod don't like clear water.
• Cocktails of bait (like lugworm and squid) can work really well. Don't stick to one type of bait if nothing is happening.
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US voters chose candidate with a more radical approach to economy
History suggests Donald Trump’s package for growth and jobs works but at a cost of higher inflation and a bigger budget deficit
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Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton cookies are on sale at the Oakmont Bakery
No cake walk. President-elect Donald Trump’s approach appears to be a mixture of Reagan and Bush with a dash of Eisenhower. Photograph: Jeff Swensen/Getty Images
By voting for Donald Trump, Americans have chosen the candidate with the more radical programme for the economy. Hillary Clinton’s proposals were cautious, costed and conservative. By contrast, the president-elect is gambling that he can shift the US out of its post-financial crisis torpor through a mixture of tax cuts and spending increases even though they run the risk of higher inflation and a bigger budget deficit.
Although Trump campaigned as an outsider, his policies have been tried before. Ronald Reagan said his tax cuts and extra spending for the Pentagon would generate higher revenues and balance the budget. It didn’t. Tax breaks for the rich and military Keynesianism sent the deficit rocketing.
Similarly, George W Bush, said his tax cuts and war on terror were compatible with fiscal prudence. They weren’t.
Trump’s package is a mixture of Reagan and Bush, with a bit of Dwight Eisenhower thrown in. He has pledged a $500bn (£400bn) programme of infrastructure spending to renew the roads, tunnels and bridges built in the 1950s and has promised to increase defence spending.
The plan is also to cut taxes for both individuals and companies. America’s corporation tax is one of the highest in the developed world at 35%. Trump plans to cut it to 15%. Income tax will be simplified and cut across the board, but with the better off set to be the biggest gainers.
History suggests that this combination will result in faster growth. Economists at Deutsche Bank said it could double from its current rate of around 2%. History also suggests it will come at cost of higher inflation and of a much bigger budget deficit. Luca Paolini, the chief strategist at Pictet Asset Management, predicts it could average 6% of US GDP over the next decade, up from a current 3.1%.
Trump has said his spending commitments will be matched by savings elsewhere, although again history suggests that this is easier said than done. Congress is, for example, unlikely to allow the new president to repeal Barack Obama’s Affordable Health Care for America Act unless there is something to replace it.
The problem of getting tax and spending plans passed on Capitol Hill has not disappeared simply because the Republicans are in control of both houses of Congress as well as the White House. It will take all Trump’s marketing skills to persuade some of the fiscal conservatives in the Republican party that his sums add up.
A looser fiscal policy that leads to stronger growth and higher inflation is also certain to elicit a response from the Federal Reserve. The uncertainty caused by Trump’s victory could result in the Fed delaying the increase in the cost of borrowing it had been pencilling in for December, but the respite will be short-lived. Interest rates under Trump will end up being higher than they would have been under Clinton. If things don’t go according to plan, the US will suffer from higher inflation just at the time that trade and migration curbs result in weaker activity.
But for the time being, all Wall Street can see is higher growth and bigger corporate profits. That’s why share prices have been going up. | <urn:uuid:dffe069a-3bfc-4b99-b1fc-1f26d48fd8d1> | https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/nov/09/us-voters-candidate-approach-to-economy-donald-trump-growth-inflation-budget-deficit | en | 0.963306 | 0.035087 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
past simple short answers 6 - tutto inglese - Imparare l'inglese gratis on line
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past simple short answers 6
Esercizi > Verbi > Il passato > Past simple & Past continuous
Esercizio 6
Esercizio 6
Did you appoint John as captain? Yes, .
Did Arnold convert from Christianity to Buddism two years ago? Yes, .
Did the organization distribute food and blankets to the earthquake victims? No, .
Did they extinguish the flames in less than an hour? No, .
Did Carla manage to get to the airport in time? No, .
Did Mr. Austin retain his title for the third year? Yes, .
Did Joanna sneeze all the evening? Yes, .
Did they all squash into the back of the car? No, .
Did Lynn trust his judgement? Yes, .
Did they reserve two rooms? No, .
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Wednesday, July 24, 2013
Coupons: yes or no?
So, one morning last week, I was listening to the radio. A guy called in and was saying that he had recently on a date that he thought had gone well, so he was surprised when she never returned any of his phone calls for a second date.
Obviously, since it's morning radio, they called the girl up (live on the air) to see what happened. She agreed that the date had gone well, and then finally admitted what turned her off about him: he used a Groupon on their date.
I don't know what your reaction is to hearing that, but when I first heard her say it, I was all "woah, what? you used a coupon on your first date? what on earth is wrong with you?"
But THEN I started thinking: why is that? What's so wrong with a coupon on a first date? I mean, I would be weirded out by it, but I can't tell you exactly why. And really, being weirded out by that is a weird societal thing, right? Everyone is expected to be financially stable, but when you use a coupon for something, someone is always there to make fun of you.
I guess I see both sides. Everyone says you're not supposed to talk about finances on a first date, right? Do coupons fall into that category? Does using one give off the impression that you don't have money to spend on a "real" date? Or does it show that you're smart enough to make good financial decisions? I mean, financial security is an important thing to look for in a partner. And also, does it matter what the coupon is for? I think I'd be less weirded out by a "free appetizer" coupon than I would a "buy one entree, get one free" coupon. Overall, I think I'd be worried that the person was TOO frugal. We rarely go on expensive or extravagant dates, but it's nice to know that we CAN if we want to sometimes. If someone doesn't even want to go full price on a first date, where will he want to cut corners later on in the relationship?
To be clear, Garrett and I use Groupons and Living Social vouchers all the time, because we are solidly in the #balleronabudget camp. Also, I don't think it would make me rule out a guy that otherwise, I had a really good connection with.
As soon as I heard this whole thing on the radio, I was like "I GOTTA see what my blog friends think about this." So what do you guys think? Would you be okay with it, or would it weird you out?
post signature
Anonymous said...
first off that's great. poor guy! haha. But really, I think I'd be a bit weirded out..but not enough to not call him.. I mean if the date went well, why not. I used coupons on the regular, why not on a date!
Kara said...
I think it is great! I could see where most people would think it is strange. If the guy asks where she wants to go to dinner and she mentions somewhere...and they happen to have a coupon...USE IT! As long as the guy mentioned it at some point before the date, I think its fair game!
Kate @ Another Clean Slate said...
Hmm... maybe he should have approached it in a different way. I bet if he joked about using it she would have been okay. I also cringed when I read your post title, but then thought about it... I use them all the time too!
I think it would just be a weird first impression. Maybe once you got closer to someone, a groupon wouldn't be such a turn-off. I've never had this happen to me, but I know I would be a little weirded out just because I feel like I'm supposed to.
Adriana said...
I think it sets a "i didn't know if this was gonna suck so i didn't wanna spend too much money on tonight" vibe. Although any other date- 2nd 3rd so on that's different. I alwaysss use coupons/groupons but it's not first date material. you're right tho- if I was into him it wouldn't matter either way in the end
Lauren said...
Maybe it depends on your stage in life. If I were 21? Probably more acceptable than dating at closer to 30. I would say it's not okay on the first date - you are trying to make the best impression possible and as much as I respect saving money, I don't think the first date is the right time. Using a deal on an activity a few dates in is okay, though. Is it a total dealbreaker? Probably not, but it wouldn't help the guy's case!
brooke lyn said...
i am broke as a joke, so i totally wouldn't hold it against the guy if he used a groupon.... as long as the food was good!
Jo-Anne Meadows said...
Short answer it wouldn't bother me if someone used a coupon but I guess I am a practical woman and think if someone can save a buck why not using a coupon is nothing being a general tight ass and not wanting to spend money at all is not good and a real turn off......she wasn't the girl for him
Dani said...
I'm broke, so I think a coupon is a great idea. I wouldn't judge.
| <urn:uuid:a2a33b2c-d476-4dcf-bfd4-bf2ad6ac0378> | http://alyssasaidhi.blogspot.com/2013/07/coupons-yes-or-no.html | en | 0.967927 | 0.305256 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Saturday, July 20, 2013
Want In One Hand...
I put it to you that every red-blooded American man should own a 30-30 levergun. Growing up in Missouri, everyone who hunted either had a Marlin 30-30 or a Remington 30-06, so I've spent a lot of time with both, but never owned either.
I prefer the 30-30 for my needs, though the '06 is the better all-arounder. What my heart lusts after is the Marlin "Spike Horn". Behold:
This little spud holds five rounds, and is less than 34" long, which is just shorter than an M4 with the stock fully extended, and weighs just over 6lbs, which is also comparable to a naked M4.
Now let me explain why I like this caliber and platform, before you insist I start taking my brain pills again.
The 30-30 Winchester (previously the 30 WCF) was the first sporting round developed for use with smokeless powder, and dates back to 1895. Load data is plentiful, and you can even load lead bullets for shooting very small game, or just plinking without breaking the bank. On the other end of the spectrum, there are a lot of great soft point bullets out there capable of delivering ~2000 ft/lbs--and they're fairly inexpensive. If you reload (and you should), this is a very capable intermediate rifle that is inexpensive to shoot. Also, the 30-30 is proven medicine for deer and antelope. If you hunt the rolling hills of southern Iowa, or brushy woods of north central Missouri, a compact 30-30 is about as good as it gets. While I'm at it, the 30-30 is very light-recoiling, and those lead bullet loads would be about ideal for taking the kiddos deer hunting.
Yes, the 30-30 is not particularly good at long distance shooting. I'll admit I wouldn't take a shot much past 200 yards unless I had spent a lot of time practicing at longer distances. And used a scope. Long shots are hard to come by in my neck of the woods anyway.
I'm a tactical hipster. I'm sick of black guns with tons of bells and whistles. I want a rifle with NO accessories. You pick up the rifle and put bullets in and go. The only modification I would make to the Spike Horn is an improved set of sights, switching from the "buckhorn" style to a receiver-mounted peep sight. I could keep it in a very small soft case with a box or two of cartridges and be totally set.
Lastly, you can get 30-30 ammo (current crisis aside...) just about anywhere in North America. So if I don't feel like reloading, I can go get a modestly priced box of hunting ammunition at Wal Mart and continue on my merry way.
Stay tuned for a quick look at my Model 39. | <urn:uuid:d8542088-da08-406d-88fa-33f10e6098fb> | http://flatlandgunnut.blogspot.com/2013/07/ | en | 0.961907 | 0.095649 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Sunday, February 1, 2009
around and around
Laleh was in a daze again. She couldn't remember if Colin left or he came back a while ago. Whatever, he was there and so up close and personal as they, perhaps floated across the disco. They weren't really dancing were they? Actually, she didn't notice anyone but him. No. No. Wasn't that Lauren in the corner by the loo with Anita?
Laleh squinted. Couldn't be. She never came here and how would Anita even know how to get in the door.
"What are you looking at?" Colin looked at her quite impishly. "Just look at me. I have something for you."
"What is it?" She stared into his dazzling eyes.
"You'll have to come and get it," He stuck his tongue out then and there it was. A little pill waiting for her. He Frenched her then and before she knew it, she'd swallowed it already.
He was up to his old tricks as if they were new to her again. It could be fun. It was fun. Didn't she remember?
"Well, come on, lets have some drinks before it kicks in. Just wouldn't be right, other wise." He pulled her along in her half stupor.
This was fun, wasn't it? The dancing, the drinking, the drugs. She'd told him, no hadn't she? She'd got some her cash back from him, too. But was it gone already? Evidently.
Laleh just watched then. She felt all the comfort of being in a balloon. Just floating along. She couldn't really understand the noise. Did it really matter. She felt like a fairy of some kind. Yes, that's what she was.
Instantly, she smiled, looking around. Perhaps she was even glowing. Of course, everyone already knew she was the luckiest lass in the room. She was with Colin.
Cate said...
Oh... Laleh and Lauren in the same club.. That could get interesting.
Laleh is really stupid, getting so involved with Colin.
taffy. said...
Of course the X (is it x, or some other pill?) will help the situation!
ellie said...
Colin is totally into the situation. Hope Laleh can handle it.
Sydney said...
laleh... be careful.
Cait said...
Colin is uuummm taking her for a bit of a ride. | <urn:uuid:3e150452-b58a-476a-a72d-45d6ede98bfa> | http://lalehnlauren.blogspot.com/2009/02/around-and-around.html | en | 0.99446 | 0.100035 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Thursday, October 18, 2007
FISA hatemongering
Have you ever seen the movie Arachnophobia? There's a scene in it where there's this big spider lover, always ready to point out that insects would take over the world without spiders killing so many of them. And, as you might expect, he ends up in a scary encounter with the big-bad spider. As scary as it might be, and as horrible as he might feel, I bet he feels a certain admiration that spiders can be much bigger and nastier than even he had imagined.
I feel that way about Republican arguments about the President's illegal wiretapping, and the telecom company's illegal assistance. All they have to say is "Bush is trying to protect us from terrorists; we'd prove it, but it would reveal state secrets, so you have to trust us."
We have to trust George W. Bush and the Republican Party. Because, you know, they wouldn't slime Joseph Wilson and his wife for telling the simple truth about how Iraq wasn't going to get uranium from Niger. They wouldn't call Lewis Libby a patriot and shield him from jail time if he was out trying to get reporters to burn Ms. Wilson, so she could never continue her covert operations investigating WMDs in Iran. They wouldn't get us stuck in a war that's looking to cost over a trillion dollars, and looks likely to lead to an uncontrolled civil war in Iraq. No, they wouldn't do that. You can trust them! They're competent, because they're surrounded by competent people, like Michael Brown (such an expert in disaster relief) and Larry Craig (skilled enough in the legal system to understand what a plea of "guilty" means!)
Those last two were cheap shots, weren't they? Oh well, I'm human, and sometimes it's hard to resist.
Look, this is a really easy, really clear situation. The telecoms are under a legal obligation not to disclose information to the government without appropriate due process. This is to prevent the government - no matter how well meaning! - from doing exactly what the government seems to have done. And FISA requires oversight of spying on American persons (citizens and some other folks) to prevent the government - no matter how well meaning! - from doing exactly what the government seems to have done.
President Bush and the Republicans swear that they're "compromising" with the Democrats; they want the Democrats to say "all those laws you broke? Well, we don't care. We don't know what you did, or why you did it, or what legal theories you used to violate those laws. We don't know the extent of the damage. For all we know, you spied on your political opponents, just like Nixon did. But hey, sure, let's not worry about that."
The Democrats in the House were crafting a nice bit of a bill, one suggesting amnesty could be provided if they knew what the amnesty was for. What was done, when, how, and under what circumstances? It's an idea I can get behind. I mean, let's look at another government that had something much, much worse to deal with: South Africa.
They needed to heal, but they also needed the truth. So, they had a rule: you couldn't be prosecuted if you came forward with the truth. Tell the truth; open the wounds, and let the pus drain out. Then there can be healing.
South Africa faced bigger challenges, but the principle remains the same. People have violated the law, and done so in secret, confident that they'd never be caught. Before we can go forward, before we can fix things, we need to know what has happened. We can't just slap a bandage over the abscess and declare it healed.
The House Democrats had to pull the bill. Why? Because the Republicans were trying to attach snarky, and childish, amendments to it, amendments that would quite likely cause confusion in the courts.
You ready for a piece of pure partisan idiocy? Well, here it is:
That's a quote from Eric Cantor's (R-Va) website.
I hope I don't need to say this, but, geez... is there anyone out there who thinks that kind of crap belongs in legislation? A line that lets someone break the law and say "but I was conducting surveillance needed to prevent foreign terrorist organizations from attacking the United States!" hoping for a "Get Out Of Jail, Free" card?
So the Democrats pulled the bill, and Cantor is saying this in response:
House Democrats have pulled the FISA bill. They are so desperately against allowing our intelligence agencies to fight OBL and AQ, that they pulled the entire bill to prevent a vote. got blasted from all (rightwing) quarters when asking if General Petreaus would become "General Betray Us" when he gave his speech to Congress hoping to drum up support for continuing the Iraq war. (I can't call it a "report" because he didn't deliver a report; he delivered a speech.) It suggested that he was cooking the books to make Iraq look more salvageable than it is. It was a nasty thing to suggest, but I've heard worse. For example, I've heard worse from Mr. Cantor.
He has suggested the Democrats, while battling flagrant, secretive lawbreaking by the Bush administration, are opposed to protecting our nation. Not merely "unwilling to do what it takes" - Republicans tell that canard often enough that it's lost much of its zing. No, he said that they are opposed to fighting back. They're not merely "not willing" but actively opposed.
Judge for yourself. Who is trying to rip this country apart? An organization that uses a nasty pun to attack a key figure who is pushing the continuance of the Iraq war, or a party that supports this kind of hatemongering?
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Monday, February 9, 2015
Kwajalein Memorial Day 2015
D-Day Kwajalein
February 9, 1944
Liberation Day
Ebeye, Kwajalein, Marshall Islands
71 years ago this tiny island of Ebeye in the Kwajalein Atoll was liberated from the Japanese by the United States. It is celebrated and remembered each year by the local and area dignitaries on Ebeye with a parade, flag ceremony, basketball and volleyball tournaments, and a field day between all the local Ebeye schools.
The bloody battles in the Kwajalein Atoll primarily focused on Kwajalein, Roi and Namur islands where the Japanese stronghold existed. The Kwajalein Atoll is the largest atoll in the Marshall Islands and was a critical piece in WWII's island-hopping strategy to Japan. Kwajalein's strategic location became one of the primary objectives of the Pacific War. The bombardment was so complete that no demolition work by combat engineers was necessary. The Navy’s ships also provided crucial fire support during the invasion itself on 31 January 1944; the 4th Marine Division landed at Roi-Namur, while the Army’s 7th Infantry Division landed at Kwajalein.
It was several days later, on February 9, 1944 the island of Ebeye realized their liberation from Japan. Each of the Marshall Islands celebrates their individual anniversary of the day the United States liberated their individual island from Japan during WWII.
The 2015 theme roughly translated means "We remember them today, but we will not forget them".
Marshall Island flag, Kwajalein Atoll flag, American flag
Local law enforcement
Kwajalein High School band marching from the dock
brings back memories of my high school marching days!
some of the local dignitaries walking behind the band to the ceremony
school children waiting for the ceremony
Tears streamed down my face, with my hand over my heart, as the American flag was raised and the band played the Star Spangled Banner. It's been a long time since I have been able to participate in that ceremony.
The Marshall Island flag was raised first (blue flag on the right), then the American flag, then the Kwajalein Atoll flag (green flag)
One of the speakers, with the dignitary tent behind him
everyone wears green for Kwajalein!
The ceremony is over and the parade begins!
re-enactment of US soldiers capturing the Japanese
beautiful sight!
Catholic High School bus
nice day for a parade!
one of the re-enactments of the capture
nice painting on this one
some of the re-enactments were quite graphic
drawing of the atoll and the three flags: Marshall Islands, Kwajalein Atoll and US flags
styrofoam shoes?
photo op in front of the disco (the one that keeps us awake on the weekends!)
I always enjoy time with my dear friends from Kwajalein, Samantha and Alison
After the ceremony and the parade, it was on to the field and track activities. Shade tents were set up for each school. There were also vendor tents for groups to sell food items ranging from chicken and rice, cookies, drinks, coconuts, and candy. That evening the finals for volleyball and basketball were held culminating weeks of practice and games. Apparently, the final volleyball game didn't end until 4am the next morning! I didn't stay up for that one!
one of the vendor booths
getting ready to race!
and they're off!
and the winner is.......!
tents set up for each school so they can have some shade
girls racing barefoot in the sand
at the finish line!
each school wore their uniforms, the orange ones are the public middle school
design on back of one of the shirts made for the day, this shows the Kwajalein flag, green w/ a flower
brown-eyed cutie
more food
1. Amazing celebration!! They really know how to celebrate!
2. Looks like a fun day.
Any chance that you have heard any more from our son Elder Barlow? We have not heard from him since October?
1. Sorry, Brother Barlow, I have not heard anything. Hopefully, it's as the adage goes, no news is good news?! Lae does not have very good communication, but the leadership does hear news on occasion. I am sure Elder Barlow is doing fine.
3. Hi Lisa!
I am writing a small 50 page book with my Uncle James E Brooks about his experiences in Kwajalein during WWII. We are almost finished! It is turning out to be a good resource for teachers of students between the ages of 10 and 16. We are wondering if we may please use some of your pictures from Kwajalein Liberation Day to help us explain to students how the people of Kwajalein still celebrate the liberation today.
Thank you,
Stephanie Fairchild Fister
1. How exciting! It is a wonderful thing that you and your Uncle want to share his experiences. You have my permission to use my pictures. How can I obtain a copy of the finished book?
2. I'm a student here at BYUHawaii I'm a Marshallese Citizen. I wonder if I can have the Book. I want to translate it to Marshallese language. If you want.
4. Thank you Lisa!
The book will be available on in about a month or I can send you a complimentary copy! Send your mailing address to
The title of the book is
James E Brooks
My Memories of WWII
Happy Spring to you! | <urn:uuid:914c1e08-2c25-4bb9-9305-8c77bcda1728> | http://mikeandlisajean.blogspot.com/2015/02/kwajalein-memorial-day-2015.html | en | 0.956684 | 0.038207 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Wednesday, December 10, 2014
142, 143, 144, 145, 146: The Eatons (Eliza, Julia, Rebecca, Temperance, and Thomas)
There are five students named Eaton in the Mordecai school rolls I compiled in the early 1990s:
Eliza Eaton was at the school in 1813, both sessions.
Julia Eaton was at the school from early 1814 to the end of 1815.
Rebecca Eaton was at the school in 1815, both sessions.
Temperance B. (Tempy) Eaton was at the school from early 1812 the end of 1813.
And Thomas Eaton was there for one session, early 1813.
The presence of a male student named Eaton is a clue that this is a local family. Or families.... there were a lot of Eatons in Warren County!
William A. Eaton shows up in the ledger paying for Temperance Eaton in 1812 and 1813, so that's a good set of names to start with:
Temperance B. Eaton (b. 1803) has the most distinctive name of the bunch, and she turns out to be relatively easy to find online: She was the daughter of William Allen Eaton (d. 1818) and Mary Williams, and turned 10 the year she was at Warrenton. Temperance B. Eaton married a lawyer named Lunsford Long Alsobrook in Alabama in 1826, and had one son, Jacob Eaton Alsobrook, born the following year. She probably died by 1834, when her husband married his second wife, Dorothea Stone. The Mordecais mentioned her marriage to Alsobrook, in a letter from Caroline to Ellen (29 October 1826, in the Jacob Mordecai Papers at Duke): "Mr. Alsobrook came the father of the one that married Tempy Eaton, he came for Peggy & you never saw anyone more reluctant to go than she was"--so apparently a younger in-law of Tempy's was sent to Caroline's school, too.
The other Eatons are probably not all sisters to Temperance. Julia Eaton's bills were paid by a Thomas Jenkins at the end of her time there, in December 1815. The next month, John Rust Eaton was paying the bill for Miss Dortch (Betty Dortch, we met her already). Temperance B. had an older sister Rebecca C. Eaton (1797-1840)--but she would have been 18 during her year at the school, and would it make sense to send the older sister to school after the younger one, without any overlap? So I don't think this is the right Rebecca Eaton. But it's not impossible. (But just in case she's our student, she married in 1820 to John Howson Fenner (1798-1871), and had two children, and died at forty-three, in Halifax NC.)
And Tom Eaton was nobody's sister, of course. Definitely local, he turns up in Caroline Plunkett's reports from Warrenton after the rest of the family has moved away, in the last 1820s; "Did I tell you Tom Eaton has left his father's again he has been in town several weeks I heard he was exceedingly disrespectful to Mrs. Eaton," she tells Ellen in 1828. In another 1828 letter (Ellen to Caroline), there's mention of Tom Eaton's poor health, but that might be another Thomas Eaton?
There were a lot of Eatons in Warren County. But I'm really not having much luck finding the one specific ones who attended the Mordecai school, except Temperance. Hmmmm.
Wednesday, October 8, 2014
139, 140, 141. The Easthams (Anne, Eliza, and Mildred)
There are three girls named Eastham in my student rolls for the Mordecai school. Anne, Eliza, and Mildred Eastham are almost certainly sisters, all from Halifax County, Virginia, all with James Eastham as the adult on their account. I have Anne and Mildred (Milly) arrived in mid-1814; Anne left after just one session; Mildred stayed for most of the next two years, with their sister Eliza joining her. Mildred and Eliza both finished at the school at the end of 1816. James appears in the school ledger through during sessions.
Either Milly or Eliza was ill during August 1816, requiring a visit from their talkative father: "Miss Eastham I hope has recovered before her father's anecdotes are exhausted. And I congratulate you on having a visitor that could talk." (Solomon to Ellen, 23 August 1816, Southern Historical Collection) Julia wrote about the same visit to Samuel Mordecai: "The best news I can give you is that Miss Eastham, her talkative & goodhumoured father & mother left us on Friday. She was much better & will I hope soon recover. Her father must I think be a good man, he has at any rate a very tender heart, he bid us farewell with tears in his eyes & was so much affected that he could hardly speak." (Julia to Samuel, August 1816 [und.], Southern Historical Collection)
A James Eastham was deputy sheriff of Halifax County in 1815; there are a lot of Easthams in Halifax County, but he seems like a good candidate for starters. The same man was also the county surveyor in 1810. But his name mostly turns up in legal documents, no family history I can see.
I see a Mildred Hardeman Eastham (1805-1857), who was born in Virginia, married Alfred Hicks Rose (a fellow Virginian) in 1828, had seven children, and died in 1857 in Tennessee (here's her grave). Her dates are perfect, and we know that a lot of Mordecai-connected families moved west to Tennessee in the 1820s.
Now, here's a thought: What if Ann and Eliza are the same person? Their times at the school don't overlap, and if anything it makes more sense if she's one person--it means two sisters, Ann Eliza and Mildred, who were at the school simultaneously, arriving in mid-1814 and finishing in 1816. I found an Ann Eliza Eastham (1803-1881) who was born in Halifax Co. Virginia, married Thomas J. Spencer in about 1819, had two children, was widowed very young, and died in 1881. Her dates are perfect for a Mordecai student.
I have no evidence at hand that Mildred and Ann Eliza were sisters, or were Mordecai students--only their dates and place of birth, really. But I'm intrigued at merging Ann and Eliza Eastham into one student. Makes more and more sense as I think of it.... any clues from Virginia family historians out there?
Tuesday, October 7, 2014
138. John Dye (+ possible 138.5: Benjamin Dye?)
Placeholder for this name on the roster. I'll come back to this one when I can.
UPDATE February 2016: I'm looking at an 1809 roll sheet from the Mordecai school, and there's a student named "Benja. Dye" listed. So there might be another male student named Dye? Online, it looks like there was a Benjamin Blanton Dye (1800-1851) who would have been the right age, and in the right part of North Carolina. Another family history has BB Dye as the son of Martin Dye II and Catherine Mayfield. Hmmm...
Saturday, August 16, 2014
137. Elvira W. Dupuy Eggleston (1805-1878)
There's a student named Elvira W. Dupuy in the list of Mordecai school students, compiled by me in about twenty years ago. I'm seeing her listed as a resident of Virginia, at the school for its last three sessions (mid-1817 to the end of 1818), and with Captain James Dupuy as the adult on the account, appearing in the school ledger in June 1817, November 1817, January 1818, and June 1818. That seems like a lot to go on! And Elvira is an unusual enough name, there should be more to find.
And there is. Elvira Dupuy was born in Nottoway County, Virginia, in October 1805, the youngest child born to Captain James Dupuy (1753-1828) and Mary Purnell Dupuy (1758-1828). Her father's military rank came from his service during the American Revolution. Her mother was 47 when Elvira was born, and Elvira's only sister Elizabeth (b. 1803) died young--so a girls' school might have seemed like a good idea for a lot of reasons when Elvira was twelve years old. At age 22, Elvira married fellow Virginian Richard Beverly Eggleston (1797-1853) as his second wife, and the following year both her parents died. The Egglestons had six children. Her last child was born in 1839, when Elvira was 34; and all of them were born in Virginia. She was widowed in 1853, age 48; she lived through the Civil War and died in 1878, a few weeks before her 73rd birthday.
Her grandson Joseph Dupuy Eggleston (1867-1953) was a noted educator, president of Virginia Tech and Hampden-Sydney College, as well as Virginia's state superintendent of public schools (1906-1912).
The Eggleston papers at the Virginia Historical Society Library may have more about Elvira and her family.
Tuesday, June 3, 2014
135. and 136. Edwin and Joseph Drake
I've mentioned already that sometimes, especially early in the school's era, local boys were enrolled at the Mordecai school. Two boys, Edwin and Joseph Drake, were there a little later: Edwin was a student at the school from 1813 to mid-1815, five sessions; Joseph was there for all of 1815. Caswell Drake might be an adult associated with their account in the school ledger. Caroline Mordecai Plunkett mentions "Joe Drake" in a list of Warrenton friends in an 1829 letter (Caroline to Ellen, 5 April 1829, Jacob Mordecai Papers, Duke).
Drake's a common name, of course, but Caswell stands out as a first name, and we know the family will be Warren County residents (because boys didn't board at the school). That makes it fairly easy to find this pair of students: Edwin and Joseph Drake were two of the sons of Rev. Caswell Drake (1776-1860), a Methodist minister in town, who also served as Warren County Clerk of Court (1819-1833). Their mother was Mourning Drake (1772-1841) (she was a Drake by birth and by marriage); their older brother Matthew Mann Drake married another Mordecai student, Winnifred Fitts (more on her when we get to the Fs).
Joseph J. Drake was born around 1805. Looks like he might have become a physician and married Harriott (Harriet) Eliza Sessums (born around 1815). They don't seem to have had children together, but in middle age, the couple raised a niece, Lucy Sills Sessums (aka Lucy Drake), whose mother died soon after her birth in Mississippi. They turn up in the 1850 census living with her father, Dr. Isaac Sessums, in Nash County--maybe Joseph and Isaac practiced medicine together?
Edwin D. Drake (not that Edwin Drake) was apparently also born around 1805, and married Rebecca Edwards (1797-1869), and stayed in Warren County, where he was also Clerk of Court, after his father. They had sons Joseph and Francis born in the 1830s. He may have been a North Carolina state senator during the Civil War.
Both men kept their names, kept local, and were fairly prominent--but I can't find a death date or gravestone for either one. They must be out there; if you know, leave a comment.
Saturday, May 3, 2014
134. Sarah Eppes Doswell Cabell (1802-1874)
I have a student called Sarah Doswell in the appendix if my dissertation. It says she was at the Mordecai school for four sessions, 1813 and 1814, and that a Mrs. Doswell was the adult on her account. Indeed Mrs. Doswell appears in the August 1813 ledger page, paying board, tuition and "musick." And again on January 1814, paying for "Sally" (aka Sarah). She's mentioned as "S Doswell" once in a Mordecai letter, on 2 January 1814, Rachel mentions to Ellen that "I will go & see A Young & S Doswell, who have just arrived." So our Sally Doswell may travel with an A. Young (Ann Young was a student at the school in the same sessions as Sally Doswell, precisely).
Sarah Epes Doswell Cabell (1802-1874)
(portrait of white woman, dark hair curled over ears, white pleated collar)
Not a lot to go on, but Doswell isn't a super-common name (though there is a town named Doswell, Virginia). And we know she'll be born around 1800.
Here's a very likely candidate: Sarah Eppes Doswell (1802-1874) of Danville, Virginia, daughter of Major John Doswell (1744-1820) and Mary Poythress Eppes (1767-1823; the Eppes is also spelled Epps and Epes). That puts her at the Mordecai school when she was ages 10-12. She married Benjamin William Sheridan Cabell (1793-1862) in 1816, at age 14. (Benjamin's sister, Mary Pocahontas Rebecca Cabell, married a lawyer named Peyton Doswell, presumably a relation of Sarah's). They had eleven children together, and lived in Danville. Benjamin was in the US Army, and served in the Virginia state assembly. Six of their sons fought in the Civil War, on the Confederate side, and two died in the war. She died in 1874, age 72. Here's her gravesite.
The descendants of Sallie Doswell included some prominent folks. Her son William Lewis Cabell (1827-1911) was a West Point graduate, a Confederate general, and after the war was mayor of Dallas, Texas, and a railroad executive. His son was also mayor of Dallas. His grandson was also mayor of Dallas. Another of Sally's sons, George Craighead Cabell (1836-1906) was a six-term Congressman from Virginia. (She died at his house.) Her great-grandson Charles Pearre Cabell (1903-1971) was Deputy Director of the CIA at the time of the Bay of Pigs invasion.
No solid mention of this woman attending the Mordecai school, but I haven't run across any other Sarah Doswells that would fit the profile for a Mordecai student, and this one does, perfectly.
Thursday, March 6, 2014
133. Elizabeth Anne "Betty" Dortch Bullock (1803-1832)
I have a student named Betty Dortch in my list of Mordecai students. She's only at the school one session (first half of 1816), and the adult attached to her account might be Major John R. Eaton. It looks like a "Maj. J. R. Eaton" paid for "Miss Dortch" in the school ledger, January 1816; there's another mention of the two names together in the May 1817 ledger page, along with the name "R. Bullock." Other than that and the school rosters, she doesn't seem to have been mentioned by the Mordecais. Not much to go on, but it's an unusual enough name, let's have a look around.
It's definitely the name of a prominent North Carolina family in the nineteenth century. William T. Dortch (1824-1889) was a North Carolina legislator, born in Nash County near Rocky Mount; he once owned the historic house named the "Dortch-Weil-Bizzell House" in Goldsboro (for sale, and it's accessible!). Another North Carolina Dortch moved to Tennessee, and his son (another William Dortch) moved to Arkansas, where he owned Marlsgate Plantation. Anyway, plenty of Dortches.
Let's try the Major Eaton angle. John Rust Eaton (1772-1830) was a planter, horse breeder, and state legislator from Granville County, NC. He mentioned a "Mr. Dortch" recovering from smallpox in a 1794 letter, but that's it for the name's appearance in his published correspondence. In 1816 he would have been a father to some of his eleven kids (he married Susan Somerville in 1801). And his sister Betty Eaton married.... Noah Dortch. Bingo. Another of Eaton's sisters, Mary, married William Baskerville--we've already run into him, because Eaton had Baskerville nieces at the Mordecai school as well.
So here's the story. Elizabeth Anne "Betty" Dortch was born in January 1803, first child of Elizabeth "Betty" Eaton (1787-1810) and Noah Dortch (1781-1811). As the dates show, Betty (and four younger siblings) lost both mother and father by 1811--which might explain why uncle John Rust Eaton was taking care of her school tuition five years later. At 21, she married James Bullock Jr. (1798-1880), whose sister Catherine Bullock also attended the Mordecai School. (His sister Fanny Bullock married Macon Green, who was one of the Mordecai's male students in their early years.) Betty and James had five children together; two died in infancy. Betty Dortch was destined to follow her parents to an early grave--she died in 1832, age 29.
Sunday, February 2, 2014
Isabella Donaldson's gravesite
in Duchess County, New York
via FindaGrave
129. M. Dickinson
| <urn:uuid:a88d4d56-d994-4bb9-b948-b3f5297cb9c0> | http://mordecaischool.blogspot.com/2014/ | en | 0.976075 | 0.020616 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Wait a bloody minute. I thought this was a website about clogging. Always wanted to try it but could never get over to Holland during the clogging season to buy the shoes. Oh well.
So whats all this bloody blogging stuff about anyhow? Probably not as much fun - but definitely safer - than clogging. In Britain clogging is illegal due to the unnatural influence of Elfin Safety, whoever they are. Stops dwarves getting splinters between their toes I think.
Now there are a number of people I've read about lately who've discovered that blogging can be harmful to your elf. This Damian McBride fellow for a start. If he had taken up clogging instead of blogging he could have limped away with nothing more than a broken toenail after a serious clogging accident instead of having been dumped by his friend and lover Gordon and make to look like a total clown in all the newspapers. Some people have mentioned that he really does look like that but the lad is only 34 so obviously he got dressed up specially for his picture with Gordon. Shouldn't have bothered I'd think.
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05 February 2016
The Wealth Cap
Fact: The rich be getting richer, everyone from the middle on down be getting poorer, capital be concentrating at the top, all that. It's just so much easier for rich people to skate on forward. Most of the things that make the real money are pay to play: the courts, starting a business, investing, etc. Money makes more money with, comparatively speaking, little or no effort. This is allowable (and arguably necessary in many contexts) – but only up to a point. There is a line.
As with most things in life, the solution can be found in the world of basketball. Specifically the NBA, specifically the maximum contract.
The NBA's max contract is, most Americans would seem to agree if they thought about it at all, communism. It's anti-capitalist, anti-freedom, the nanny state stepping in and dictating pricing to the free market. How can restricting the right of Lebron James or whoever to make what he is obviously worth be justified?
And yet, rarely if ever is the argument against lifting the max salary heard, and when raised it is almost always quickly dismissed. Because, one, the rule makes things so much better for so many people (arguably it makes the whole league possible) that this good far outweighs the 'injury' to the elite dude, who is in any case still well-off relative to his peers and absolutely on easy street from the perspective of most fans; and two, the maximum salary is set so high that no reasonable person can complain without sounding like a total jerk. Never mind how much income is actually generated by superstar-guy, he is being paid $25 million a year to play his favorite game. (And of course makes much more on top of this from endorsements, etc.) Complaining about the limit on his salary can only hurt his popularity/marketability and thus produces negative returns.
The point is that far from ruining the league, this concession of the top individuals to the greater good enriches the whole system for everybody. The NBA has never been stronger. Popularity, and entry-level salaries, are at all-time highs. The max salary lifts all boats; it still allows elites to exist, but it pushes more of the rewards further down stream, enriching the overall ‘ecosystem’ so that not only are more people enriched, but the lives of the rich are themselves made richer, in the best sense of that word.
If it works for the NBA, it will work for the Our Great Nation. Which brings me to the Wealth Cap.
We are borrowing the max salary concept, but it doesn't apply to income, it applies to accrued wealth. You can only pile up so much and then that's it, when you max out, you're cut off from gaining anything beyond that.
It could be as low as $50 million, certainly a reasonable endowment for any reasonable person (and arguably obscene in itself given the standard of living 'enjoyed' by most of humanity) but I think we can go a little higher, let's say it's $125 million to start, we can adjust on the fly as necessary. Once you have $125 million, you pay 100% tax on anything above that and are not allowed to make any further income until your balances fall below the max figure.
"But why are you targeting the wealthy? They earned their money! It isn’t fair!"
Ah-hah! So there is such a thing as fairness – when you're on the short end of the spit.
First of all, we are not going to take anything from anybody below the $125 million figure (other than the 9% tax everyone pays on income between 43K and 250K, and 14% on income including investment income above that). If the balance of anybody's accounts adds up to anything over the max, that money goes to a pool, perhaps they can pick from a list of 100s of civic or charitable organizations dedicated to meeting the needs and enriching the lives of the less (coughs slightly) well-endowed.
Yes, the government will confiscate any wealth over the cap and this will inevitably cause some howling, particularly since those ‘suffering’ will be those who can most afford to howl. But the point is that as in the NBA, the max figure is high enough that anyone complaining about it obviously has mental problems. If $25 million per year is not enough to convince you to play professional basketball, you just sound like a greedy moron with no perspective on how most people live. Likewise, if $125 million is not enough for you to do anything your little heart desires … and the fact that you are not allowed to have more than that makes you feel targeted, oppressed, etc. … well seriously you are dangerously lacking perspective. More importantly, I think I can get at least 60% on my side who have no sympathy for you.
Freedom? Citizens will still enjoy all of the same freedoms currently available – except in those rare instances when accrued wealth eclipses the max figure. After that, the only freedom removed is the freedom to make more money. Which you don't/won't need anyway, because you already have 125 million dollars.
People: If you have $125 million dollars then you have enough to do anything that any reasonable person might want to do, any time you want to do it, for the rest of your life. (Except gambling I suppose, but I'm calling any gambling losses above say a couple hundred K unreasonable.)
If you have $125 million dollars, why are you even trying to get more? For what?
Seriously, someone please explain to me the injury of being cut off from making further money at $125 million dollars.
This is not persecution, it’s called stopping a madman. We do it all the time.
Hey hundred and whatever millionaire: Think it through, figure out what (if anything) will make you happy, and start heading in that direction. You have enough money, so stop thinking about making money. Let someone else belly up to the trough.
And look: here is a study actually supports (with real science) the idea that once you have enough you will never enjoy getting more as much as you think you will.
The major complaints generally offered against such a scheme boil down to the following: Give the money to whom? Give it the lazy stinkin dirty poor, what have they done to earn it? Government will just waste it. We all know how government wastes money hahaha. To which I respond, Well then take over the government and run it properly – put up or shut up.
And the other objection this will inevitably raise is "Rich people will hide their money to avoid this so it's pointless", to which the obvious answer is simply, Enforce the law. Make cheating this system the highest crime, and enforce it with gruesome penalties. Is that so hard?
I can see that many are nodding but some are spluttering, so one final question for people who think this is a bad idea: Would such a law affect your life positively or negatively? What would society stand to gain, and what would we stand to lose?
Please take a few moments to consider why you feel the way you do about this.
We'll be right back. | <urn:uuid:b7759b8d-9b22-48cc-b786-44c136faf4af> | http://proverbialbejesus.blogspot.com/2016/02/ | en | 0.957106 | 0.569317 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Thursday, March 24, 2011
Art and War: Libya and Making Sense of it All
Sent to you by moya via Google Reader:
Yesterday night, after a long day at the office working on women's health and reproductive justice. I settled in front of the computer with some tea and a determination to catch up on what's happening in Libya, and what the arguments both for and against military intervention. I found a couple of very nuanced assessments that helped me get a handle on the situation.
An article in Jadaliyya makes the crucial point that, "The desire to act in solidarity with the Libyan people demands that we assess the available options against the core principle of legitimacy that any intervention must satisfy: do no harm (that is, do not do more harm on balance by intervening). The likelihood that any of the current proposals involving coercive intervention would satisfy this principle is severely constrained when evaluated against the historical record, logistical realities, and the incentives and interests of the states in a position to serve as the would-be external interveners." Please read the full piece here.
Additionally, yesterday Democracy Now! hosted Libyan poet, scholar and University of Michigan professor Khaled Mattawa, who supports U.S.-led intervention, and UCLA law professor Asli Bali, who says the U.S.-led coalition has ignored viable alternatives to military attacks. Their debate is sincere and each of these scholars makes critical points about the aims of the US military intervention and the alternatives in the face of a brutal dictator. Watch the segment here.
Then, as I kept reading and watching various news sources, I found that sleep was evasive and I needed something to help me make sense of all these competing political narratives. And that brings me, finally, to the point of this post: Art. I've always felt that art is so much more than singular acts of creative expression. It is analysis. It is energy. It is action. It is therapy. It fosters reflection and yes, it can change the world.
We know that laws are made by those who win the wars. Policies are made by those who can vote. But if we seek the voices of the disenfranchised and the marginalized, where do we look? We look to their art. More than anything I read about Libya, nothing reflected the turmoil I was feeling more than the following performance by Suheir Hammad, Palestinian-American poet, author and political activist.
In the comments, please share other sources on Libya as well as anything that is offering you sustenance during these times.
Things you can do from here:
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Tuesday, 29 December 2009
Brief political interlude
Its been with great interest that I've been reading Devil's Kitchen's and Sunny Hundal's discussion about the nature of class war and race war, how ugly Devil's Kitchen is and whether you need to have read Adam Smith to be the leader of a UK political party, and elsewhere the discussions on the nature of determining what class people are in.
Me, I had a privileged upbringing, my parents worked hard to provide for my education at what was then a good school, and now I'm scraping by just above minimum wage.
Anyhoo, I was attempting to summarise the debate for my attractive young ladyfriend, she gets quite angry when I'm so negative so I tried to spin my own views positive.
Firstly, the phrase 'taxing the rich' fills me with dread, surely they mean taxing high earners, for these are two different things. The former suggests kicking down a rich person's door and informing them that the powers that be have determined they are too rich and need some of their wealth redistributed to life's losers, the latter suggests that those who work hard and are successful owe the state more than the losers do.
Then there's the whole nature of taxing high earners, who my some measure of life's successful people. Should the state be dissuading, nay punishing them for being successful?
Succinctly, my political beliefs are to question why the state tries to take some much its citizens? Shouldn't the government endevour to let the population keep as much of their earnings as possible?
And if by some quirk of democracy the population have voted for a party that's into redistribution of wealth so there's more balance between rich and poor, shouldn't it simply be a case of determining the median wealth or income and then only taxing people on the rich side and not taxing those on the poorer side?
Sure, its far more complicated than that, there's the welfare state to pay for, and law and order, defending borders and taking away the rubbish. But surely such things affect all people to pretty much the same degree regardless of class and race.
Its been a couple of hours since I read the Devil or Sunny, and maybe the debate has moved on, that Sunny's point was merely that class war would be a good electoral strategy for Labour, rather than a good strategy for government.
Wasn't there a byelection in Crewe where Labour tried playing the class card and failed miserably? They could try it again if they like losing.
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Thursday, April 30, 2015
U.S. Metal Toy Forty Niners Covered Wagon
So far we've posted these U.S. Metal Toy Mfg Co covered wagons with 'California Trail, 'Chisholm Trail', and 'Davy Crockett' markings. Now we've got one lettered for the 'Forty Niners'. It seems U.S. Metal Toy tried to cover all the standard Old West themes when they made these. They also made made a tin-litho stagecoach which I'll post one day.
A few points about collecting these things: far too often the horses and hitch are missing. I've been buying some off-&-on over the past year or so but haven't photographed the wagons with them yet; also, the wheels are very often broken or the wrong ones were put on the wagon by someone trying to make the thing complete. Over the years I've ended up with a stable of rusted out bodies that I stripped of their horses or wheels. The wagons consist of two tin-litho stamping's, the cover-and -sides, and the bed. The beds and the wheels came in various colors making collecting interesting trying to find as many variations as possible. Enjoy! Opa Fritz and Oma Bettina
Tuesday, April 28, 2015
Cheerios Paper Boeing 707 Cereal Premium - Pt 2 Conclusion
The build on this is fairly straightforward with the exception that I added pieces to the aircraft that weren't part of the original artwork. By flipping the scanned image horizontally and printing it out I ended up with wing bottoms and was able to show detail on both sides of the engine pods. The tools were simple: a couple different sized scissors, a hobby knife, ruler, glue, and cutting pad. I tried a new glue (for me), archival "Neutral pH Adhesive" by Lineco. It looks and applies just like Elmer's white glue - perhaps it's just a tad thinner. So far I haven't noticed anything better - or -worse - than your standard white glue so the jury's still out on that one.
I cut out all the pieces first then, going one assembly at a time, glued them up. Cutting took about an hour and drove home a reality to me. My eyes aren't as strong and my control with the knife isn't as good as it once was. No fancy model building in my future I guess. Oh well.
All the assemblies were placed under a weight for 24 hours and the next phase began; assembling the airplane. The slots for the engine pods and wings were cut out first. Instead of thin slits in the paper, actual slots were cut out. In retrospect they could have been smaller because there are gaps, but then this whole thing was meant to be a toy, not a highly detailed scale model. Then all the assemblies were outlined with a black Sharpie marking pen. More unsteady handwork left quite a few stray marks. Maybe I can find some colored markers or crayons and kinda cover them up.
The last step was gluing everything in place.Remember, wait until the main wing is glued to the fuselage before gluing the engine pods. Also, the glue was applied to the wings not to the slots. If you do that the glue will spread all along the wings and you'll have a mess on your hands.
Once the glue dries a little straightening out of the wings and fuselage by running them lightly through the fingers did the trick. The original artwork would have made a plane 7 5/8" (19.4cm) L x 7 1/4" (18.4cm) wingspan. My finished plane measures 8 7/8" (22.5cm) L x 8 3/8" (21.3cm) wingspan x 2" (5.1cm)H
I haven't yet figured out how to hang this thing up so for right now it'll sit on a shelf. It was fun to do an actual build again. Until next time - Enjoy! Opa Fritz and Oma Bettina
A long piece of thread is inserted here and used to whirl the plane around your head. I think I'll skip that LOL
Monday, April 27, 2015
Cheerios Paper Boeing 707 Cereal Premium - Pt 1
This classic mid-size, long range, four engine jetliner was produced by Boeing from 1958-79 and was Boeing's first jet airliner. It is often credited with ushering in the jet age and was a staple of airlines for many years. Although Pan Am was the first airline to order 707's, American Airlines was the first airline to offer coast-to-coast jet service with its 707's beginning in 1959. Its sleek lines and attractive livery was a natural for toy companies and Marx offered the jets in it's various airport/jetport playsets.
Our model was culled from the back of a Cheerios cereal box but because I don't have the entire box I can't be certain when it was offered. It's sure to have been the very early years of 707's in American Airlines service. The plane is meant to be assembled as a glider toy but of course I couldn't let that happen :-)
When cut directly from the box, the wing undersides have no detail and the engines only have detail on one side, so here's how I built mine.
The first step was to scan the art and save a cropped version.
By doing that the image itself is enlarged a little.
One of the pitfalls of scanning and then printing on home systems is the loss of true color. I know there's a way to tweek color management settings but I haven't figured that stuff out yet. The printed versions are more blue than the original artwork. I'm okay with that.
Next, the .jpg was inserted into a Word document, then the image was copied and pasted just below the original. Next, the copied image was flipped horizontally. By doing this, the engine pods would print as 'left' and 'right' sides. It would also provide a top and bottom side to both wings
Next installment will be the build. Enjoy! Opa Fritz and Oma Bettina
Sunday, April 26, 2015
Thomas No. I-140 Pick-up Truck - Red HP
Here's a nice little pick-up truck from Thomas that was made from 1947 to the early 1950's in red hard plastic. It measures 4" (10.2cm) L x 1/3/8" (3.5cm) W x 1 3/8" (3.5cm) H. Enjoy! Opa Fritz Oma Fritz | <urn:uuid:854243d2-2fb9-4893-8fa1-e4e48a6449a3> | http://toyconnect.blogspot.com/2015/04/ | en | 0.974805 | 0.034631 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
My Licenses
Monday, June 22, 2009
Painful observation
Don't have the time since we're trying to get stuff together to spend some family time together today... Just checked how people have reacted to my latest freebie, since it had been a while offering one. I am quite sad at what I've seen. Out of the 116 downloads, only 2 people have even said thank you. That's really sad, especially to my heavy heart. This is one of the key reasons why I don't offer freebies so much any more, or if they are offered, they are limited as to what they are. Is it too much to ask for someone to say thank you? I think not, and even if you are in too busy of rush clicking links, why not click one of my google ads instead since you're busy clicking and not wanting to make a few taps on your keyboard? Sorry, but this truly rubs me the wrong way, and maybe I won't offer freebies any longer? I dunno.. will have to mull this over, and even talk with Hubby about it and get his opinion on it. All I know is that it pains my heart for people to snag away, and not even do "TY" or something of the sort. I'd even be grateful for that much, at least someone's thinking of me. Anyway...
My Blinkie
photo whispydzines_bybrandi.gif
*My Stores*
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Review by Chris Tilly
Kill Your Friends Review
X-Men star Nicholas Hoult plays a killer A&R man in music industry satire.
Kill Your Friends kicks off with the sound of cocaine being snorted, before some of that cocaine is licked up by a dog, and then finally the person doing the coke urinates on James Corden. As opening scenes go, it certainly grabs the attention. But the film then continues in that vein, endeavouring to shock and stun for its 100-minute run-time.
Trouble is, what initially appears outrageous quickly becomes tiresome, the film trying far too hard to startle when it should be concentrating on telling a good story about characters an audience might want to spend time with.
Exit Theatre Mode
John Niven has written the script, adapted from his own 2008 book, which in turn was loosely based on his experiences as a record company A&R man during the Britpop explosion of the 1990s - though in the book the lead character also went on a killing spree, which Niven very much did not in real life.
It's an entertaining read but suffers when compared to Brett Easton Ellis's American Psycho, which covers similar ground but with more bite and depth. Unfortunately this adaptation hasn't been able to right those wrongs, the result a superficial satire that's sporadically funny but eventually runs out of steam.
Steven Stelfox is the coke-snorting music man in question, and the year is 1997, when swaggering British guitar bands briefly ruled the world. But Steven isn't interested in lyrics or melodies. In one of the character's many speeches to camera, he admits to not even liking music, explaining that his only obligation is to make money for the record company which in turn will lead to career progression and the power that he craves.
Steven travels to Cannes, Austin and New York in search of the next big thing, which brings him into contact with unhinged rapper Rage, unsigned indie band The Lazies, a desperate group of Spice Girls-wannabes, and a dance act with a catchy tune about oral sex.
Driven by "drugs, alcohol, peer pressure and fear" Stelfox decides that signing successful artists isn't enough, and so to better scale the corporate ladder, he starts bumping off the competition.
But comedy and bursts of hardcore violence make uneasy bedfellows, and a police investigation into Steven's wrongdoing only serves to slow proceedings down, giving the film a thriller element it really doesn't need.
Exit Theatre Mode
Kill Your Friends is much better when taking down the industry itself, the early scenes reminiscent of The Player, if The Player had been filled with swear-words and 1990s pop culture references. So there are mean-spirited but very funny jokes at the expense of Mark Morrison, Menswear and other forgotten musical acts from the era.
Nicholas Hoult – best known as Beast in the recent X-Men movies and Nux in Fury Road – is all charming malevolence in the lead, most notably when breaking the third-wall to deliver those foul-mouthed soliloquies to camera. But Steven himself isn't a particularly interesting protagonist, and with little effort made to get under his skin or turn him into a believable, three-dimensional character, you never really care about his journey.
Hoult's well supported by a fine cast, with Jim Piddock hilarious as a record company boss with anger management issues, Craig Roberts on scene-stealing form as a wet-behind-the-ears scout, and Osy Ikhile immense as the rapper who consumes Scarface-levels of blow before going full Colonel Kurtz.
Music is also predictably good, the Junkie XL score something of a banger, and the soundtrack featuring classic tracks by the likes of Blur, Oasis, The Prodigy and Radiohead.
But the storyline is thin in comparison and proceedings becoming les interesting as they progress. The tone fluctuates wildly, the thriller element simply doesn't work, and while Stelfox is initially amusing, his adolescent world view quickly becomes tiresome.
The Verdict
Kill Your Friends starts out an enjoyably nasty satire of the music industry, but loses focus when a thriller element is thrown into the mix. And while Nicholas Hoult makes a fine Steven Stelfox, the character isn't interesting enough to sustain interest for the duration, making for a somewhat empty and forgettable viewing experience.
Worth a watch, but only if you can't get your hands on American Psycho or The Player.
• Good gags
• Great soundtrack
• Decent performances
• Thriller element doesn't work
• One-dimensional protagonist
• Story goes nowhere
Buying Guide Powered by IGN Deals
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Protecting Life's Most Imporant Promise #IAmProtective
Marriage. It's the greatest and most important partnership that you will ever venture into. It's special, it's meaningful, and it's not something to be taken lightly.
Before Steven and I said our wedding vows we made a vow to one another. Divorce is not an option. We took it seriously when we said for better or worse and until death do us part. When we exchanged rings, we exchanged a promise. The greatest promise that you could ever give another person. The promise to love them and cherish one another forever.
Our marriage is something that Steven and I both work daily to protect. We understand that a marriage can't survive without hard work and compromise. There are times that my husband and I have to put our difference aside and work together as a team. We don't always understand each other's point of view, but we always respect it.
There are many times when we disagree about household chores, weekends plans, and other petty things, but we never let a small disagreement turn into a big argument. Steven and I have learned early on in our marriage that communication is key. I can't read his mind, and he can't read mine. We have to talk about our feelings and our ideas with one another.
At the end of the day, I am married to my best friend and my other half. I married the man who makes me strive to be a better person. My biggest cheerleader and my strongest support system. I couldn't imagine doing life with anyone else.
Until death do us part, I will do everything in my power to protect my marriage, and I know that my husband will do the same.
What are you protective of? Your children? Your friends? Your career? Protective Life invites you to check out their website and learn how you can protect the things you care most about. Whether you're looking to learn more about college planning, retirement savings, or life insurance, Protective can help answer your questions.
photo morgansignature_zpsc3f5971d.png
1. Awe, this post is so sweet! Marriage is certainly the thing that I want to protect most! And the dogs :) Ok fine...the cat too.
2. This is so precious! What a beautiful way to think of marriage! Definitely worth protecting.
3. The photos are so gorgeous! It looks like you had an amazing day! #client | <urn:uuid:15161777-64e5-4420-a84e-233db10eb09c> | http://www.sparkseverafter.com/2014/09/protecting-lifes-most-imporant-promise.html | en | 0.959295 | 0.125148 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Z-Man Games Announces Fae
Z-Man has announced that they’re going to be taking the 2003 game Clans and update the look of it and release it as Fae. Players will be in control of groups of druids, wandering around a mysterious enchanted forest. As they find each-other through the mist and trees, they’ll form larger and larger groups. Once away from anyone else in these groups, they’ll be able to perform their incantations. This new version is getting updated production quality and artwork from its original release.
From the announcement:
Z-Man Games is excited to revive another classic. Nominated in 2003 for the coveted Spiel des Jahres (German Game of the Year award), Clans returns in a new form: Fae. Reimagined in a mystical Celtic setting, Fae keeps the simple mechanics of Clans unchanged while bringing the art and production quality up to modern standards.
The fog parts as the druid slowly walks forward, carefully stepping around the tangled vines. Another druid further down the path pauses to beckon to the druid behind, urging them onward. The slower druid catches up and the pair step through the trees into the open clearing to join the group. The druids form a circle, slowly starting to hum. The ritual has begun.
In Fae , players will think strategically, guiding druids and moving them across terrain to form larger groups. Once the druids have joined together, wandering the mysterious terrain alone again isn’t appealing. Druids already in the same terrain will move together to the new area. When the group is isolated away from any other nearby druids, it is peaceful enough to enact the ritual and award points to the spirits whom they serve. | <urn:uuid:c83b9da8-2061-46b0-bf83-d8931caf63e0> | http://www.tabletopgamingnews.com/z-man-games-announces-fae/ | en | 0.936832 | 0.037933 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Rantoul ranch offers hands-on reindeer tours
Rantoul -- Although reindeer will be touching down on roofs across the world on Christmas Eve, a Rantoul ranch gives visitors a chance to see the legendary animals before then.
Hardy's Reindeer Ranch has been hosting reindeer tours for the past 18 years. Visitors can walk through the reindeer pen, while petting, feeding, and even kissing the gentle giants.
"This is an Alaskan reindeer ranch on a Midwest farm," said owner Julie Hardy. "It's something people don't see everyday and I think we make believers out of a lot of grown-ups."
Tours are $4 a person and will continue through December 28th.
Visit http://www.reindeerranch.com/ for more information.
Current Conditions | <urn:uuid:ab46e016-728e-483a-a42d-046b2b6d462d> | http://www.wandtv.com/story/24285531/rantoul-ranch-offers-hands-on-reindeer-tours | en | 0.884636 | 0.023033 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Second Childhood
10-07-2011_60On a recent trip into town I found myself seated in transit next to two well dressed businessmen who were having a lively conversation. They were not discussing the latest stock market report, but rather the merits of disposable and cloth diapers, what little Jason was using and the state of his bottom as a result. Now that’s progress. It is always a relief to know that there are other adults out in the workplace whose world revolves around the same things yours does.
Having children is rather like being born again to a child’s world. Co-workers point to tell tale signs of this rebirth, clucking over previously smart tailored business men whose pants are now creased and worn in the wrong places from scooting along the carpet after a chubby bottom, or business women who display squashed plastic frog lapel pins that say “Mom”. A businessman or woman’s business, it seems, is now in two worlds.
The real cause for this second childhood however, is due to reasons beyond one’s control: everything you have gets replaced. My husband and I brush our hair in the morning with either Garfield or Mickey Mouse brushes, whichever we can find. I have no idea where ours went. They’re probably somewhere at the bottom of the toy box. Kermit the frog toothpaste somehow landed in our bathroom. It doesn’t taste half bad. And the other day, as we were watching “Home Improvement” with the kids, and absently flossing our teeth, neither of us even noticed that we were using bubble gum flavoured dental floss. It is quite normal to shower with blue soap in the shape of a hippo, normal to douse your hair with green shampoo from a bottle shaped like Batman, whose content smells like popsicles, and to dry yourself with a towel bearing the picture of a frazzled looking duck on it that reads “I’ve got an attitude”. Who even notices when they grab a bowl with little marching mice around it to put their cereal in first thing in the morning? Our once discerning palates are now lingering over ABC Pasta and Chicken Nuggets as we read “Fat Men From Space” because the newspaper got used for the hamster cage. The cruncher comes when you’re out with friends at a movie and realise that you would really rather be playing in the wave pool with the kids.
Yes, everything gets replaced. Adulthood becomes second childhood, and the longer the space between your eldest and youngest, the longer your childhood is going to be. Why, a person could be a child for twenty, twenty-five years!
Gee, I guess that means I get to tear down the water slide yelling “Cowabunga!” at the top of my lungs for a few years yet.
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Connecting to %s | <urn:uuid:f6db805a-1279-4d75-bdbf-e0f3880492ed> | https://16chickens.com/2013/07/13/second-childhood/ | en | 0.917417 | 0.025122 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Is there any use in Studying before classes start - page 2
Does anyone think there is any use in studying before classes actually start. ( In fall) I have some friends who are starting to study A&P now to get a head start on class. Good idea or not???... Read More
1. by old-master
May the Force be with You On that.
I study two subjects at a time. Build from the ground up with them too.
Math-Biochem-microbio-AP-foundations of Nursing-?
"Math, why did it have to be math?!"
old-master has spoken...
2. by Lisa1970
I will hopefully get a list of classes and books today. I have to take a math test, If I can do well enough I wont have a math class to take... :-)
Beat wishes to you also.........
3. by colleen10
Hi Lisa,
I'm like you, I'm taking pre-req's. right now and am trying to be as well prepared as possible for my upcoming classes.
While no one knows exactly what the teacher will cover and consider important information,when it comes to A&P you can bet that there will be memorization of bones, muscles, etc. and that certain chemical processes will most definately be covered.
A&P is usually a pretty tough course for most students at first because of the terminology and sheer memorization that is required so my suggestion to you is to get yourself a coloring book and start memorizing and quizing yourself on the terms. At the least you'll get an understanding of the terminology and be able to recognize names for different body parts and biological reactions.
Here is a website that has really good pictures / identification of each of the body systems. I've learned a lot just by looking at them and quizing myself.
Good Luck!!!!
4. by Lisa1970
Thanks for the site Colleen. It looks great. I will definately spend alot of time here.
Good Luck to you | <urn:uuid:4249a310-0c40-40b8-ad82-fea33f3c6a41> | https://allnurses.com/general-nursing-student/is-there-any-15493-page2.html | en | 0.963941 | 0.036313 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Bodybuilding Mom Dies from Protein Overdose
1. Came across this story yesterday. Seems to be a fairly rare case, but do purchases of bodybuilding substances need to be regulated now?
Article link (
2. Visit Dwights_Bobblehead profile page
About Dwights_Bobblehead
Joined: Jul '17; Posts: 4; Likes: 15
3. by traumaRUs
I work in nephrology and we frequently encounter body builders both male and female who have rhadbdo.
I always caution my patients against using the protein supplements because yes, they can be deadly
4. by MunoRN
She actually died of uric cycle disorder, which is a genetic disorder that affects normal protein metabolism. This could have occurred regardless of the source of her protein intake, a serving of protein supplement marketed to bodybuilders is effectively no different than eating a steak or having a couple of Ensures. I would agree that other supplements marketed to bodybuilders should be better regulated, but I don't think it's really feasible or beneficial to regulate protein. | <urn:uuid:0aacba6c-36a5-432e-b738-2a8add5ce741> | https://allnurses.com/nursing-news/bodybuilding-mom-dies-1115052.html | en | 0.966058 | 0.302378 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
The Latin Legends of Comedy
Rated NR 92 minutes 2006
"The Latin Legends of Comedy" is a documentary/concert film that captures the struggles and successes of the first Latino comedians who, over twenty years ago, broke into and became pioneers of New York's standup comedy scene. The comics, dear friends from the beginning of their careers, give stellar performances showing why they are among the top funnymen in the country.
Film Credits
Official Site:
Director: Ray Ellin
Cast: JJ Ramirez, Angel Salazar and Joe Vega
Show Times
Sorry there are no upcoming showtimes for The Latin Legends of Comedy | <urn:uuid:4e54c21d-c909-4a2c-bd10-3e075d7f0d60> | https://m.riverfronttimes.com/stlouis/the-latin-legends-of-comedy/Film?oid=2704932 | en | 0.906847 | 0.026934 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Saturday, May 30, 2015
Saturday 9
California Nights
Saturday 9: California Nights (1967)
Unfamiliar with this week's tune? Hear it here.
1) Lesley Gore premiered this song on an episode of Batman. She played Pussycat, the protegee of Catwoman. (That explains her outfit in the video.) How many of Batman's nemeses can you name? The Joker, the Riddler, the Penquin
2) At least five actors have played The Caped Crusader already (Adam West, Michael Keaton, Val Kilmer, George Clooney, Christian Bale) and Ben Affleck will play him in 2016's Batman vs. Superman. Who is your favorite Batman? (If any Batmen were inadvertently omitted, Sam apologizes.) I don't know if I have ever seen any of the batman movies, (not my thing), but out of all the ones listed I would have to go with George Clooney.....
3) Unlike most superheroes, Batman doesn't have any superpowers. This Saturday, you're more fortunate. We're bestowing any superpower on you that you want. Which would you like? To be invisible
4) Though she's singing of warm California nights, Lesley Gore was a New Yorker, born in Brooklyn and, in February of this year, dying in Manhattan. Which coast have you spent more time on, the West Coast or the East Coast? I would have to say the West Coast as I haven't ever been to the East Coast
5) Not many people know that while she was making records, Lesley was also a student at Sarah Lawrence and graduated with her BA in 1968. What's something we would be surprised to know about you? I am a computer/internet junkie
6) In 1967, when this song was popular, the best selling new camera in the United States was the new Polaroid Swinger. Think about the most recent photo you took. Did you use a camera, a tablet, or a phone? my phone....I haven't picked up my big camera in months
7) The big fashion trend of 1967 was bright tights, in shades like Hot Pink, Shock Orange and Grass Green. Tell us about something you wore when it was trendy but now you look back and think, "Oh, God, that was awful!" jackets with shoulder pads
8) In 1967, drivers complained about "gas wars." The price was unpredictable and would rise and fall, day by day, as much as 30¢ per gallon. How much does it cost you to fill up your tank today? Heck it does that now.... I just filled up yesterday, $31.68
9) Random question: Are there dishes in your kitchen sink right now? yep....I left before hubby got home from work last night and then didn't get home until midnight, so dinner dishes are still there.
1. I remember those shoulder pads! It was said they made our waists look tiny. Considering what's happened to my waist since those days, maybe I hope shoulder pads come back ...
2. Oh my gosh, shoulder pads! I had some that were massive!
3. I could only remember two Batman rivals, the joker and the penguin. The new camera phones are awesome, aren't they? I just don't like having to sync through iTunes just to upload. Other than that, they are perfect. Enjoy the weekend. I hope this posts!
4. I wonder what it would be like to be invisible. There are so many things that you can do.
5. I kind of liked shoulder pads, I thought I looked better with them.
| <urn:uuid:a08c571c-8a3d-448b-b003-1161b206ceaa> | https://mylifeasmamajodi.blogspot.com/2015/05/saturday-9_30.html | en | 0.973156 | 0.030251 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Technology-inspired Art
A recent trip to the Museo Reina Sofía in Madrid showed just how much technology has inspired art: a transparent, glass dinosaur foot is just the start of a journey in which science and technology is king.
Creativity comes in many different forms. In the Museo Reina Sofia, a modern art museum in Madrid with one of the biggest collections of art in the world, there is a jumble of everything you could imagine: from short films in which a little boy kills some chickens to a barrel with a mirror at the bottom. The queues surrounding the Guernica distract from Dali’s surrealism work, and so many other treasures just waiting to be discovered.
This beautiful image, depicting two women walking towards a future unknown, is a union of technology and humanity. Inside, the cold, hard workings of a machine, covered by soft flesh and blood. One of the many works of art in the exhibit that depicts everything from grotesque, lower halfed people to hamster-headed wonders. A must see museum for anyone passing through the capital!
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We Can't Be Bystanders to the Bullying of Depression and Anxiety
This might sound weird, but my New Year’s resolution this year is to accept and embrace my diagnosis of major depressive disorder and anxiety, and to stand up for other people who are diagnosed instead of hiding my head in the sand.
There are kids bullied on a constant basis; there are adults bullied on a constant basis; sometimes, nobody helps. Nobody reaches out. A lot of times bullying leads to one developing depression and anxiety. It might be easier to believe the bullying is just a phase — that the bully will leave you alone eventually.
Kinda reminds me how depression and anxiety gang up on me on a daily basis. When I am bullied by my illness I am helpless, hopeless, doomed. It wreaks havoc on my mind, like a violent storm in the middle of an ocean beating the boat with its massive and soul-crushing waves. My depression picks up on my lack of a fight, and with a smile, invites my anxiety to join in on the fun. “Your never going to feel better again, you know?” “This is a life-long sentence, and your the unfortunate passenger on this ride to self-destruction and chaos.”
My anxiety helps out depression by making me worry about what clothes I have on, or the fact that no body knows what I feel and that I will never get fully better. As I have stated before, depression is a beautifully horrible illness in that everybody’s depression is different, because we feel and process emotions and thoughts differently. That is why when I see someone being bullied by their depression and anxiety, I have to step in, but be very weary of the fact that I don’t fully understand the extent of the person’s depression, and that’s OK! People just want someone to listen most of the time. Or, they just want someone to sit with them in the silence; just to feel the presence of someone who is kind and not tormenting them.
Those of us who have depression can sometimes pick up on other people being bullied. We know the all too familiar signs. It’s up to us to keep each other safe and accountable. We are like a band of warriors, together in numbers. We can tackle our depression alone, but it is so much easier to fight it with a companion or two. That is why I urge everyone who sees someone being bullied by depression and anxiety to step in and help. Even something simple like a hug or sitting with the person in silence. A simple “I’m sorry I don’t understand it, but I’m here with you through it all.” We could help cut down on suicide rates if only we paid a little more attention. I love all of you guys. I hope all of you had a very merry Christmas! Remember, don’t ever ever give up and always help someone in need when you can.
Image via Thinkstock.
Related to Depression
Black and white photo of woman with her hands over her face
The Heaviness in My Head
It’s happened again, I’ve fallen back into a depression. Ah, the “joys” of depression, where no matter what I do I feel depressed. Why oh why did it have to come back? I just don’t understand. It’s such a weird feeling, too. Like there’s this heaviness on my brain. Not a hurting heaviness like a headache or [...]
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8 Men Share Their Mental Health Stories With One Unifying Message
One of the most important subjects that our society grapples with is mental health. How do we attend to it? How do we cope when we or our loved ones struggle with depression, anxiety, bipolar disorder or post-traumatic stress disorder? How can we best support ourselves and care for those we love? How can we shift [...]
5 Times J.K. Rowling Got Real About Depression
JK Rowling gets real about depression. Read the full story.
Sad girl sitting on the bed with her head down and covering her face with her hands
My Early Morning Thoughts With Anxiety and Depression
At 8:15 a.m. the alarm goes off. I rub my face multiple times, pulling my hair some to get blood flowing. Immediately, the demons who slept in my bed begin their morning parade of shouting into my thoughts. I can’t do this. They don’t even care for me. I’m just a burden to them. I [...] | <urn:uuid:400310a5-3c92-4897-adac-acd614288b71> | https://themighty.com/2016/12/depression-and-anxiety-are-like-bullies/ | en | 0.937508 | 0.028773 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
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9 Things To Stay Away From On Halloween
I am not an expert, but these are the things that I would stay away from on Halloween. They probably might will kill you.
Posted on
9. The bad Harley Quinn Costumes
Wait until Halloween weekend. Everyone is going to try to look like the Harley Quinn in Suicide Squad, and hunny, it isn't going to work. I'm scared to see all the girls with bats having people ask them what they are.
It might be easier to do something less edgy, like a cat, or a ghost.
8. Little girls with Eggos
I would stay away from girls like this at any caution. They will telekinetically squish your brain with their mind. Just leave her alone and let her eat her Eggos.
Also stay away from any Hawkins Vans. They have some scary people in them that aren't going to fix your toilet.
7. Candy
Not because of the weight I am going to gain eating all the Twix.
Please check your candy. They might have drugs in them or razors or other weird things in them. Don't eat candy that has a puncture in them. Don't eat candy out of the wrapper or that has been opened. And if someone made their own candy, that is just weird. Like stop.
6. Samsung Galaxy Note Owners
If they own a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 still. They are ratchet. Like they should stop, it might explode on you. Stay away from them, AND don't take it if you got it from trick or treating.
5. Scary Houses?
I don't even know if houses like this exist. Where does one live to see a house like this? I have watched American Horror Story enough to know that there might be some latex suited man in there waiting for you to go to bed.
Just don't go near these. There will not be candy there.
4. Freaking Clowns for No Reason
OK. Like this needs to stop. It actually isn't funny. The people who are doing this are terrorizing communities. Whoever thinks its funny to go into the middle of the night and put on a clown costume needs to re-evaluate your lives.
2. The Actual Donald Trump... obviously
Darren Mccollester / Getty Images / Via
One of the only people that can make millions of people in minority groups feel genuinely scared about their life. He has made many plans to jeopardize the life style of many minority groups in the U.S. If that isn't scary, then I really don't know what is.
But really, stay away from him.
1. Do It Yourself Moms
Luke Hemer / Via
Be extra sensitive to all the crafty moms during Halloween time. There are so many cute DIYs that they probably have failed at. If a decoration looks homemade, ask. Then proceed to look interested on how she made it, and compliment how it looks.
DO NOT CRITICIZE ANYTHING. They will destroy you.
| <urn:uuid:1c511b49-ed16-4dd6-bacc-0872841bb600> | https://www.buzzfeed.com/dint3/9-things-to-stay-away-from-on-halloween-2n24b | en | 0.969134 | 0.329228 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
FTM Mode ZTE Nubia Z7 Max
1. The device must be switched off, so hold down the Power key for a short while.Hard Reset ZTE Nubia Z7 Max
2. After that, hold down Volum Down and Power button together for a few seconds.Restore ZTE Nubia Z7 Max
3. You should release Power key as soon as the ZTE logo appears on the screen.Permanently delete data from ZTE Nubia Z7 Max
4. Release the Volume Down button when you see "FTM" message on the phone's screen.
5. Now you should be in the expected mode.
FTM Mode ZTE Z730 Concord II Hard Reset
Help! This doesn't work | <urn:uuid:a0dbe5d8-9635-43b4-9684-3b7684910289> | https://www.hardreset.info/devices/zte/zte-nubia-z7-max/ftm-mode/ | en | 0.86834 | 0.036138 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Election Forecasting Update – 4 November 2012
Here’s my penultimate update on the status of the most popular presidential forecasting models. On the top are Nate Silver and Andrew Tanenbaum; on the bottom are Sam Wang and Josh Putnam. Sam’s model showed an unnerving single-day decline in Obama’s numbers today, but all four models still predict a convincing Democratic victory, with Obama winning an average of 305 electoral votes.
• The few remaining undecided voters could all break for Romney. However, this is unlikely given the polling numbers we’re seeing, since they’d have to break something like 80%-20% to overcome Obama’s lead in the key swing states. There’s no precedent for that.
• On the great gittin’ up day, all those folks who say they support Obama might not get to the polls in the same numbers as all the super-energized Romney supporters. But this is basically just an assertion that the likely voter screens are wrong on virtually all the polls, something that seems unlikely since the screens are little more than questions asking whether you plan to vote. They’ve worked in the past, and there’s no reason to think they won’t work this year just as well. For all practical purposes, the “enthusiasm gap”—if it exists—is already accounted for in the polling numbers.
But suppose there is a systematic bias in the polls. How big would it have to be in order for Romney to win? This is what Sam Wang’s “meta-margin” tells us, and it currently stands at 2.72%. That’s how far off the polls would have to be—either because undecideds break heavily for Romney or because the pollsters’ likely voter screens are wrong—in order for Romney to win, and it’s a pretty big number. It’s unlikely that either of these effects is anywhere near that large.
What else? Conservatives are currently pinning some of their hopes on poll internals, which show independents breaking strongly for Romney. However, Nate Cohn suggests this is just an artifact of the Republican Party’s lousy brand image these days: the tea party has driven away lots of centrist Republicans, who now call themselves independents even though they still plan to vote for Romney. This is likely what’s driving up Romney’s share of the “independent” vote.
For myself, I’m still predicting an Obama win for two reasons. First, models that are based on fundamentals suggest that Obama—an incumbent presiding over a so-so economy—should score a modest win. Second, Obama is leading in nearly all the polls two days before the election, and that also suggests a modest win. There’s no magic here. Both of the models that seem like reliable predictors are pointing in the same direction, so that’s the direction I’m leaning too. I guess I’d add to that one anecdotal piece of evidence: the Romney campaign is spending a lot of time complaining that the polls are wrong, and that’s usually something that only losing campaigns do. In any case, we’ll know in 48 hours. | <urn:uuid:4400a933-56a5-4bbe-bb74-1e866777b019> | https://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2012/11/election-forecasting-update-4-november-2012/ | en | 0.959034 | 0.064626 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Candlelight Yoga
Candlelight Yoga with Eva.jpg
Last night I did yoga by candlelight in a darkened room with soft music playing in the background. Some well known truths showed up for me in this sacred space.
1. Things I desire in a relationship. Tantric openness. Intimacy. Being held after lovemaking. Holding hands. Taking our time and enjoying the experience. Kissing with intensity and tongue. Taking things one step farther than just “doing it.” Empowering and understanding his own personal love language in order to create a deeper bond between us.
2. Being vulnerable-both with my self and with my lover. Not being afraid to confess “I need you” when I do instead of acting brave.
3. Being needed. Feeling wanted, needed, and appreciated by him being able to tell me when he is needy for me and for my body. Excuses breed contempt when you keep getting neglected in the physical “needs” department.
4. Being feminine. Being a lady instead of constantly trying to do a man’s job or being too masculine and “in control” in everything in life. Letting the man be the man. Letting him be the provider/hunter/gatherer and man of the house. Being soft instead of trying to be rigid and hard or manipulative.
5. Releasing the energy of attachments to old relationships. When something goes wrong not focusing on attracting the same energy as the last relationship or comparing “well blah blah blah did that same bad habit too” without a feeling of overpowering, emasculating, or getting even tactics.
6. Release the need for sportsmanship or competition within the relationship. My earliest relationship was formed through a time when my ex was very active in sports and auto racing so naturally he felt competition was necessary-even from within our relationship makeup. This put an unnecessary strain on us as partners and co-creators because of me being a woman I could never quite keep up with him. And when I tried I usually fell flat on my face. (Ice/roller-skating-bike racing Etc.. ) plus I was raised with guys that treated me like a tough little sister so I got very competitive by nature while growing up.
Yoga is all about surrendering your ego at the mat..
Allow your practice to come from a place of surrender. Sometimes handling stress can be as simple as changing the way we look at external things that we can’t control. If you are angry-release it. If you are sad release it. Come from a place of total surrender. Let everything and everyone go and focus on the posture and the breath.
Nothing else matters in this space but the posture and the breath. Ujjayi breath can work wonders on a worried overactive mind. Yoga is about feeling good in your own skin. Not just looking good in spandex. Sometimes the postures are like early morning drill master to our overactive monkey mind where as other times postures are like a lover’s soft caress upon our skin.
Things don’t have to “be” a certain way for them to work or for them to be released. It’s about clearing out the gunky stuff that accumulates in our mind and body during a busy work week from stress and eating junk food Etc. Releasing isn’t about expecting/demanding outcomes or trying to control everything around you (people-work-family-self/weight Etc..) Just recognizing when you are “grasping” is also a practice. Have too many thoughts? Journal that shizz out of your system! I spent the better part of the early 2000’s journaling about my health and love or lack there of. It was transformational for me to write my sorrows and mind chatter down on paper in order to release it. Journaling isn’t just for a writer. You can journal about your hopes, dreams, yoga practice. Etc.. You have the freedom to expand your bliss by writing it down. Try a gratitude practice. Pick the top ten things you love most and that add value to your life in some way and write about them.
Try a candlelit yoga practice. You can use a tea light or a flame-less candle for a more ambient effect.If you use a real candle for this practice just remember to place it far enough away from you and your body/mat so it doesn’t come into any close contact with your body or your hair so you don’t get burned. If you feel inspired to try something new now could be a time to try practicing nude yoga. At first I was shy when trying it but during Saturday night Sacred Self Sadhanas. I began exploring nude yoga alone by candle light and it was such a beautiful and inspiring way for me to release the stress that had accumulated during the week in my mind and in my knee joints; which is where I feel most of my tension and pain when I am stressed.
Some things that may come up for you when doing this practice are feelings of:
1. I feel vulnerable and weak when my partner acts out or yells
2. I feel angry at my coworker when she pushes her workload on to me
3. Caring for my special needs child is quite a challenge I want to cry sometimes
4. My physical aches and pains hurt me and make it hard to lead a normal life
5. Going from being too weak and soft to being too masculine/living life too intensly and fast
6. I feel too old/young/fat/sad/hopeless/mad/angry/short/tall/stiff (insert other excuse for self sabotage here)
Some of these things that come up for me are:
1. The rush to complete these summaries is exhausting me and I need extra rest
2. I can’t get everything done in a day-will I run out of time?
3. I am in fight/ flight mode and have been for the last year
4. My body is sore and tired from walking five miles yesterday so I’m not going to yoga class today (or other excuse)
5. Fear of abandonment (even though my mom and dad died of natural causes at different times it still feels like I am a teen again being abandoned by both parents)
Yoga is meant to cultivate a sense of deep relaxation and a sense of rooted connection within the body. Only go at your own pace. If the posture shows an extended version of the pose and you know your body is just starting out don’t try to overextend yourself or your muscles and joints. Do what works and feels right for you. If your body can only do half the posture then do half the posture. Never try to over extend yourself in yoga. Even some of the most experienced teacher’s still have trouble with a rotator cuff, herniated disc, or knee injury they have to work around in their practice.
Breathing Exercises:
Wikipedia, online encyclopedia, describes humans breathe between 12 and 20 times per minute, with children breathing faster than adults.
However, we can control our breathing. We can be more relaxed by breathing in and out so deeply. The more we allow our body to be filled by deep breathing, the less stress we place on our body and mind.
The more we practice our deep and controlled breathing, the more natural it becomes and we can call on it at any time of day to help us through those tired or stressed out moments.
With all the problems we have — either we feel stressed out at work, or at the end of a long hard day and we can’t sleep, or if we just want a few minutes to our self — we will find this simple breathing exercise really beneficial.
Here are some steps to do breathing exercise:
1. You can lie down, sit down or stand up as long as you are comfortable. Breathe in slowly through your nose to the count of four. Breathe very deep until all your body feel expanded.
2. Hold on that deep breath for four counts, and then exhale slowly through mouth to a count of eight.
3. Repeat the breathing in – right down so your tummy expands. Hold on to it and then exhaling nine more times.
4. You can breathe deeper once you get used to the above steps by leave one hand on your stomach and place the other lightly across the chest. Breathe right down so your tummy expands
5. When it can’t go any further, breathe in some more and fill the tops of your lungs. Inhalations and exhalation are the same length, eight counts each, without holding in between.
6. When you exhale, let the old air out from your chest then from your tummy. So, you are going to be relaxed.
Relaxing Candlelight Yoga video
The Spiritual Diary…..
The Spiritual Diary
by Swami Sivananda
Download – Spiritual Diary Form
-Swami Sivananda
1 When did you go to bed last night?
2 When did you get up from bed?
3 How many hours did you sleep?
4 How many Malas of Japa?
5 How long in Kirtan?
6 How many Pranayamas?
7 How long did you perform Asanas?
8 How long did you meditate in one Asana?
9 How many Gita Slokas did you read or get by heart?
10 How long in the company of the wise (Satsanga)?
11 How many hours did you observe Mouna?
12 How long in disinterested selfless service?
13 How much did you give in charity?
14 How many Mantras you wrote?
15 How long did you practice physical exercise?
16 How many lies did you tell and with what self-punishment?
17 How many times and how long of anger and with what self-punishment?
18 How many hours you spent in useless company?
19 How many times you failed in Brahmacharya?
20 How long in study of religious books?
21 How many times you failed in the control of evil habits and with what self-punishment?
22 How long you concentrated on your Ishta Devata (Saguna or Nirguna Dhyana)?
23 How many days did you observe fast and vigil?
24 Were you regular in your meditation?
25 What virtue are you developing?
26 What evil quality are you trying to eradicate?
27 What Indriya is troubling you most?
4. One Mala of Japa is one full turn around the Japa Mala or rosary for a count of 108 repetitions of the Lord’s Name or Mantra.
5. You can perform Kirtan in any language you wish.
Abraham Hicks on Weight Loss
Thought: “I Cannot Lose Weight”
I don’t feel comfortable in my clothes and dread shopping for new ones. I stand in front of my closet looking for something to wear, and even though I have some nice things, nothing appeals to me because I don’t like the way I look no matter what I’m wearing. My body doesn’t move well, and I know that I’d feel so much better all around if I could just lose a few pounds, but I feel powerless to do anything about this excess weight, so I’m very discouraged.
Abe: Now we want to begin this discussion by reminding you of the most important part of Deliberate Creation: Creating is not about making things happen through action. In fact, creating is not about making things happen at all. Creating is about allowing the thing that you desire to happen, and the allowing happens through Energy alignment, not through action.
Sometimes this is a hard thing for you to hear because you know, from your personal experience in life, that action does get results. You know that you have been able to shed unwanted pounds by decreasing your food consumption, and there is no question in your mind that the exercise helped, too. And we are not disagreeing with any of that, for it is obvious that action does have a place in the creating of many things. In fact, without action, your society would be without a great many of its things.
But when you make action the cornerstone of your Creative Process without considering the vibrational basis of your Being as you are taking the action, you are working under a distinct handicap, for there simply is not enough power in the action itself to compensate for the competing Energies of your misaligned thought.
You may recall a successful experience where someone offered you an idea regarding losing weight, and you felt an immediate enthusiasm toward the idea. Your enthusiasm could be attributed to the power of the belief of the person who offered the idea to you, or it could be that the idea dovetailed precisely with beliefs of your own . . . but it is your enthusiasm that we want to call your attention toward. Your enthusiasm was the evidence that the vibration of your Being was in alignment.
And then, remember what happened next: You were eager to take the action—and in taking it, positive results occurred. . . . It is possible to take action because someone suggests it or encourages it or even demands it; and once involved in the action, your attitude can begin to improve.
But the deliberate alignment of your vibration, first—which then inspires successful action—is a much more powerful approach to whatever it is you want to create.
During your discouraged moments as you acknowledged that your body was not as you would like it to be, you were launching rockets of desire about what you preferred, and within all of that processing of life—and without realizing it—you have been adding to your Vibrational Escrow. You have created a vibrational version of the new-and-improved physical version of yourself.
We want to help you understand that this is not a flimsy dream floating somewhere in your imagination. This is not a delusional departure from reality. This is a creation in the making, and it is being created in precisely the same way that everything you see around you has been created:
The living of life gave birth to the idea or thought—which, in time, with focus, became what you call your “reality.” So the discouragement that you have been feeling is indicating the discord between the continually evolving creation of your beautiful body and the thoughts that you continue to think regarding your body. Your body has been vibrationally evolving, but your old patterns of thoughts, your beliefs (which are only thoughts that you continue to think), are causing a vibrational discord. And under those conditions, successful action cannot be inspired or performed. Under those conditions, all action is harder, yielding little or no results, causing more discouragement still.
The key to bringing your body to a new place is to see it differently from the way it is. It is necessary that you focus upon the body that is coming and distract yourself from the negative aspects of your current physical body, for as long as you are seeing your body as it is, you are contradicting the vibration of the idea of a slender body. You cannot create a new reality while looking at your current reality.
So now that you understand why it has been so difficult to find the inspiration to act and why the action, even when you did offer it, netted you very little results, let us show you some very simple things that you can do that will begin the process of aligning your Energies immediately, for by understanding the Laws of the Universe, and by understanding the basis of your creation (which is the simple alignment of vibration), you will now be on your way to the outcome that you desire:
• Your choices, right now, do not include whether you are at your perfect body weight or not.
• You have no choice other than to be at the body weight you are at right now.
• You are going to weigh about the same thing tomorrow as you do today, and the next day, too . . . and so on.
• Changing your body weight right now is not an option.
• Changing your vibrational alignment right now is an option—a powerful one. Also, you are not, right now, choosing between feeling fabulous or terrible.
• You are not choosing between feeling enthusiasm or discouragement.
• Your choices, right now, are more subtle and more fine-tuned than that.
• You are making the simple choice of feeling a little better or a little worse.
• You can choose an upstream thought or a betterfeeling, downstream thought.
• Those are your only choices: upstream or downstream.
• But those choices are enough. For example, imagine you are at an outdoor shopping center. You are moving in and out of many beautiful shops, and there are hundreds of people moving in and out of them with you. These individuals vary in size and shape and wardrobe, but you are predominantly noticing nicely dressed, nicely shaped, beautiful people all around you; and as you see them, you feel self-conscious.
You are now awkwardly aware of what you are wearing, and you are unhappy with the way you look today. You turn to see your reflection in the window as you are walking, and you are extremely unhappy about the way you look. You feel agitated, discouraged, and unhappy, and you are not having a good time on this shopping outing at all. You have now lost interest in the reason why you came to the mall. You do not feel like shopping anymore.
In fact, the only thing that is appealing to you right now is the idea of getting something to eat. There are good-smelling things in the air, and you realize that you are hungry and that you do want a snack. There are several choices within view, and from the fragrances in the air, you know there are more choices nearby. Any one of several things sounds good to you: ice cream, candy, maybe something more substantial such as a sandwich. Actually, all of that sounds pretty good to you right now.
Your urge to find a quiet place to sit while you eat something is becoming quite strong, and while you are trying to fight the urge to follow through on your impulse, it is much easier to just give in to it and get something to eat. As you are standing in line at the ice-cream counter, you notice the slender people waiting in line with you. They are annoying, and as you are annoyed, your urge for the ice cream grows stronger still. . . .
Before we continue with the details of this example, and before we offer guidance to assist you in improving your situation, we want to explain something that most people do not understand and, in fact, have a hard time believing: Whether you gird up your willpower and walk out of the ice-cream parlor or whether you go ahead and select—and eat—a large tub of ice cream, there is absolutely no difference in the effect of one of those actions over the other!
Even if we are talking about 1,000 days of walking out as compared to 1,000 days of eating a tub of ice cream, the action choice of one or the other makes no difference. It is not your action that matters; it is your vibration. It is not your action that makes you fat; it is your vibration. It is not what you are doing that makes the difference; it is how you are feeling about what you are doing.
In the beginning of your vibrational alignment regarding your body weight, you may begin to feel enthusiasm for some changes in your diet, and many would say, “Well, then, I don’t see how this approach differs that much from just going on a diet as I’ve done so many times before.” But we would ask you to notice how much easier it is this time in the feeling of enthusiasm rather than the discouragement that you have been acting from before.
You will also notice that in this state of improved emotion, you will find an appealing idea, and then another. You will begin to find a sort of rolling out of a continuous path of good-feeling new ideas. You will begin to feel carried along by those new ideas rather than struggling to find them, and, before long, you will begin to see physical results.
Of course, upon seeing the physical results, your feeling of enthusiasm will be even greater, and then you are really off and running toward the outcome that you have been seeking. And as you achieve your desired body weight (and you will), you will say to yourself after the fact, This time it wasn’t difficult, and this time I’ll keep it off. And, in any case, I now know what to do, whenever I decide to, about achieving whatever physical bodily condition I choose.
Consider This: If being slender matches the emotion of happiness . . . and you were to consistently eat ice cream while feeling happy . . . you would be a slender person who eats large quantities of ice cream. If your desire to be slender while you are currently not slender matches the emotion of discouragement . . . and you were to consistently eat ice cream while feeling discouraged . . . you would be a fat person who eats ice cream.
If your desire to be slender while you are currently not slender matches the emotion of discouragement . . . and you were to consistently use your willpower to keep yourself from eating ice cream . . . you would be a fat person who does not eat ice cream. Some would ask, “Abraham, if being unhappy makes you fat, why are there no fat people in an environment where food is scarce? They are unhappy, and they are not fat. They are often starving to death.”
And we would answer, if you are focused upon the current situation of food scarcity, and you feel fear for yourself and your loved ones, you are a match to what you do not want. It makes no difference if not wanting to be fat is the issue that turns your thoughts upstream or if the idea of starving to death is the issue that turns your thoughts upstream: Your thoughts are still upstream— which is resistance to what you desire, whether your desire is slenderness or enough food for your family.
Being slender matches the emotion of happiness. (downstream) Being fat matches the emotion of unhappiness. (upstream) Having enough to eat matches the emotion of happiness. (downstream)
Not having enough to eat matches the emotion of un-happiness. (upstream) The key to creating everything that you desire is to find a way to turn to the better-feeling, downstream thoughts, even when the current situation does not evoke it from you, and to use your willpower to focus your thoughts in the direction of your desire and who-you-really-are, rather than using your willpower to try to produce action against the Current.
So, in the beginning, your thoughts may be something like the following: I am fat. (upstream) I don’t want to be fat. (upstream) I’m so tired of being overweight. (upstream) I don’t like how I look. (upstream) I don’t like my clothes. (upstream) I don’t want to shop for clothes. (upstream) I’ve tried so many things. (upstream) Nothing works for me. (upstream)
Remember, you do not have to fix everything. Just try to find a thought that feels a little bit better: I wish I could find a way. (downstream) My feet would feel better for sure. (downstream) Again, these are not earth-shattering statements, but they do feel better, and therefore they are downstream—so your work, for now, is done.
Whenever you find yourself beating the same old drum about your body weight, if you would make an effort to turn your thoughts downstream and stay focused upon the subject until you feel a slight turn, in a very short period of time you will improve the vibrational relationship between where you are and what you want, and you will be amazed at the leverage this improved vibration will give to your process. Everything about this will get easier and easier until, in time, your desired body weight will have been achieved.
So now, let us say that you are at work. You have not been focused on your body or your weight because you had things to accomplish and you’ve been busy at those things. But now it is lunchtime, and as you are walking past the vending machine, you feel an urge to buy a cookie. You put in your money, the cookie drops through the chute, and while you are unwrapping it, the feeling of discomfort comes over you. “Here I go again,” you say, feeling the discomfort washing over you.
But the urge is strong, and you take a big bite of the cookie. You feel worse still as a strong feeling of disappointment now rises within you. But this time things are slightly different from ever before because you have some positive momentum going from those statements you have been making about the subject of your weight.
You remember, It isn’t about what I’m doing. It’s about how I’m feeling while I’m doing it. So you pause and look at the cookie, and you make the following statements: I shouldn’t be eating you. (upstream) You’ll only make me fatter. (upstream) You are delicious, though. (downstream) And you’re not all that big. (downstream) I could eat some of you now and save some for later. (downstream) I like having choices. (downstream) I like making deliberate choices. (downstream) I like being in charge of my actions. (downstream) If I had stopped to think, I may not have been so quick to put my money in this machine. (downstream) I’m really making quite a big to-do over eating a little cookie. (downstream) You’re a tasty little cookie. (downstream) Well, I’m enjoying you, cookie. (downstream) I’m deliberately enjoying you. (downstream) And sometimes I’ll choose to eat you, and sometimes I’ll pass. (downstream) Right now I’m going to eat you. (downstream) And I’m going to enjoy you. (downstream)
You have just accomplished something that is rather unusual for you. You are eating a cookie, and you have talked yourself into alignment with yourself and therefore with your desire to be slender at the same time. You are in alignment with You, which is much more significant than anything you are doing—or not doing—with the cookie. And now, a very slender person walks up to the machine, pulls out a cookie, and begins to eat it. And as you watch, you can tell that this person is truly savoring this cookie.
In the past as you watched a slender person eating a cookie, your thoughts would be: It’s not fair. (upstream) Her metabolism allows her to eat tasty things and still be slender. (upstream) She’s probably unhealthy, and that’s the only thing she will eat today. (upstream) But this time, because of the vibrational work you have been doing, you think instead: Ah, there is evidence of someone who’s in alignment with her desire of eating a cookie. (downstream) It is all about vibrational alignment.
Do not look for immediate measurable physical results. Instead, look for improvement in your mood, your attitude, and your emotions. When you feel better, you are more in alignment—and everything else will follow. It is Law.
Excerpt, Astonishing Power of Emotions
Wordless Wednesday
To engage with art, we have to be willing to be wrong,
venture outside our psychic comfort zones, suspend disbelief,
and remember that art explores and alters
consciousness simultaneously.
~Jerry Saltz | <urn:uuid:c962dad8-30ca-4d06-b510-4ce411b748e6> | https://yoginibhakti.wordpress.com/category/uncategorized/ | en | 0.959195 | 0.060807 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Lessons learned #1
Be less ashamed of yourself. Make friends more. Strive to know people from different backgrounds.
The simplest advice on money is also one of the most difficult to achieve. "Spend less than what you earn".
Eat regular meals; this way you don't feel hungry and overcompensate eating too much. Make it a goal to eat fiber and protein.
A happy life has fidelity at the center of it. Be faithful to your friends, your spouse and to yourself, and the rest will be easy.
Laugh anytime you can. Focus on the positive. Always learn from mistakes - from your own and other's.
Brush your teeth religiously. Tell your loved ones how much you love them, religiously.
If you will get married, have a child, or even adopt a pet, make sure you can be responsible for the future happiness of those who will depend on you.
Life is not a race; it is a journey. Make sure you prepare well and can see it through. Ultimately, the experiences you live and the wisdom you share is all that is left.
Savor every age in it's own time. The past is to remember fondly, not to wish it back. Always create memories.
Lifetime friends will always warm your heart, and you never have to wonder if they will feel the same way.
Cats are amazing. Don't judge cats until you've had one. They can be clean, loving pets.
Respect other's opinions and points of view. You don't have to agree, but you owe respect.
Alcohol is better in moderation. I can't find a good reason to smoke.
Make every effort to make sure what comes out of your mouth is of positive value to those who hear it. Learning when to remain quiet is a virtue.
You are not a $100 bill - some people won't like you from the start. But be honest and true, and they might turn around.
Peace, happiness and a life of value are the worthy pursuits of man.
You can be great, but your power rapidly increases through teamwork. This will work in all areas of your life.
The most important trait for success is determination.
The universe is fair. Don't expect handouts - earn your way. If things change, adapt. Don't let bad luck influence a good strategy.
Always say please, thank you and smile whenever you can.
Read, always read. Even if you don't know what you are looking for - just start.
Home cooking is cheaper, healthier, and with a little time and practice, tastier, than eating out.
Don't assume. Observe, think, and ask.
You need sleep and time off, to be and feel your best.
Work will be a big chunk of your life's time. Make sure you always love what you do for a living. | <urn:uuid:b3c28f6d-8658-408e-9f84-0d85ffc0d69f> | http://arielsanchezmora.blogspot.com/2011/06/ | en | 0.964395 | 0.048509 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
38 Following
A_TiffyFit's Booklikes
Severed Ties
Severed Ties - Angie Skelhorn Part of a blog tour. review to come***************A very interesting novella where 2 young teenage girls set forth on a dangerous journey to save their friend. At times it was very frustrating. Why didn't these 2 girls just call their parents? The police? Once they located their friend, why didn't they have her parent(s) come with police to get her out of that situation and prove that they loved her?A lesson to be learned about not judging those who make choices you wouldn't, as Frankie is constantly passing judgment on those in the city and needs to be reminded that they are people with feelings and circumstances have pushed them into where they are and what they are doing. What they do is not necessarily who they are. | <urn:uuid:a3b963c5-481f-4f8f-a6cb-cd7eb75cff1e> | http://atiffyfit.booklikes.com/post/116078/severed-ties | en | 0.985046 | 0.816898 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
A Bitcoin For Your Thoughts
As the world transitions towards a completely digital, globalized network, one thing that has continued to be rather consistent has been currency. Many people don’t stop to question the current monetary system, or its relevance to such a rapidly changing landscape of business. Yet, a few people have been rethinking the role of currency as we transition towards a truly digital age. We don’t actually trade gold for scarce goods anymore, so why should we still trade dollars and coins? Aren’t those simply arbitrary placeholders for value? We are relying on physical goods less and less, and their scarcity is also decreasing.
Advancements in 3D printing technologies will completely redesign the business models for future societies and economies, forcing us to find value in non-physical, often intangible products. In Pandora’s Millions, by George O. Smith, a ‘matter duplicator’ creates an economic collapse and creates a new form of barter economy for the only scarce product left: skilled human labor. In this scenario, one would need to develop a new, digital currency.
Simone Syed is a futurist and consultant for Bitcoin.com, a new startup technology that could revolutionize the way we do business. I got to ask her a few questions about Bitcoin and find out why it might be a good idea to pay attention to this new form of currency.
• What is Bitcoin, and how does it work?
“Bitcoin is technology that makes it possible to transfer value across a normal Internet connection. This is much cheaper and more secure than using something like a credit card.
For example, every time you pay with a credit card, there’s a risk that the other person copies your card and starts spending your money. With Bitcoin, you’re never giving out the keys to your entire vault – you only transfer exactly the amount you want to pay. This virtually eliminates fraud and thus reduces fees. And with the additional revenue, merchants can lower prices and spend their profit on quality and service.”
• Why should people use it?
“This is really two questions; the first being: “why should merchants use it?” The obvious answer is lower fees, reduced setup cost and ease of use. With Bitcoin payments, the only thing required is a computer or mobile phone with an Internet connection. Additionally, the payments can’t be reversed, which is a major source of lost revenue for many businesses.
Second: “why should the customer use it?” It gives the user the ability to pay quickly without putting their account and identity at risk. When you pay with a credit card, check or other classical payment method, you are placing yourself at risk for identity theft and fraudulent charges.”
• Is it safe?
“Bitcoins are as safe as their storage medium. If you store your Bitcoins in a vault at a reputable Internet bank they can be very secure. On the other hand, if you keep your Bitcoin wallet unprotected, it’s possible that someone steals it from you or that you lose it. This is very similar to physical cash. The biggest risk right now is that Bitcoin is still very new and people are just starting to learn how to securely use and store them.”
• Why couldn’t another copycat come out and make Bitcoin obsolete?
“Bitcoin benefits from something called a network effect. Since a lot of people already use Bitcoin, it’s much more valuable to join and trade with those existing people, than to start a new system and have no one to trade with. Also setting up a network of Bitcoin’s size is expensive: Right now the network ensuring Bitcoin’s security has more computational power than that of the world’s top 500 supercomputer projects combined.”
• Do you think it will encourage criminal transactions, and make it harder for the government to trace illegal purchases (drugs, weapons, etc)?
“Bitcoin transactions are actually more traceable than cash transactions. There’s a public ledger where both participants of every Bitcoin transaction and the amounts sent are recorded. Also, Bitcoin is just a payment technology – all the bits need to be converted back into currency at some point, and all the exchanges are required to strictly comply with the same Anti-Money-Laundering and Know-Your-Customer regulations that banks and other businesses are subject to.”
• Why can’t the Bitcoin go down in value?
“Bitcoin can certainly go down in value. It’s actually been rather volatile lately. But since Bitcoin is mainly used as a transactional medium, the specific exchange rate doesn’t matter to most people. In the end, you are just sending bits across the Internet and at the other end you get the amount of Dollars or Euros that you intended to send.”
• Tell us about your mobile app.
“So far Bitcoins have been mainly used by payment experts and technologists, but we’d like to make Bitcoins useful not just for people who care about the cool tech, but the average person. Over the next few months we’ll roll out our whole suite of merchant and commerce tools on http://bitcoin.com/ and you’re more than welcome to sign up so you can be among the first to give it a spin.”
• Do you fear a crackdown by the Federal Reserve?
“Not at all. I think people are overly worried about such things. When people first started paying using plastic cards, that must have seemed like a crazy idea as well, but after a while people got used to it. It’s quaint that we still use paper checks while the rest of the world has moved on to digital banking, but with Bitcoin we have a chance to leapfrog and truly improve our country’s payment infrastructure, stimulate commerce and create new jobs.” | <urn:uuid:985a33e6-84b3-4cde-bebd-33505d2e02e9> | http://blog.ancientlasers.com/tag/bitcoin-charts/ | en | 0.947533 | 0.323217 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Friday, October 5, 2007
Equinox - Auf Wiedersehen (1989)
My shortlived quest to get my hands on the complete discography of the Norwegian metal band Equinox (1988-94) has come to an end, and starting today with their 1989 debut "Auf Wiedersehen" I'll be sharing all my findings with you all. All of their albums are currently out of print and impossible to buy, and the record company (RCA/BMG) probably never will reissue these albums either. Huge thanks to NXP and TCH for helping me get these treasures!
"After making a very good performance in the Norwegian equivalent of Battle of the Bands in 1988, the band went ahead and played the length of norway for the next five years. Anyone interested in geography and a fair knowledge of Norwegian climate and winter roads will nod knowingly, and mutter "wow, that's impressive". For the rest of you, who couldnt care less, Norway is that long stretch of coastline fending of winter hurricanes for the Swedes, making Swedish climate relatively pleasent, and enabling swedish bands to survive long enough to enter the international arena.
After recording and releasing the latest album (Labyrinth) during the year of the Lillehammer Winter Olympics, surviving band members agreed to take some time off to pursue other, less strenous, interests and to convene at a later stage when climate and times were more relaxed.
The music draws influences form early Metallica, AC/DC, Motorhead, Led Zeppelin, Voivod without making it obvious. Music is written out of what the artist experiences and aquires from his surrounding. The band themselves were always reluctant to ever cathegorize its music, but the term "Progressive Thrash" was probably the most non-committent term that anyone could agree on."
Source: Norwegian Bandindex
"One of the hidden gems of thrash metal without a doubt. I can't imagine why these guys weren't much more well know than they are. In 1989 thrash was all the rage, and certainly "Auf Weidersehen" is a thrash metal assault that would have any denim and leather clad headbanger pumping his fist and moshing around in circles. After a short acoustic intro, from song one to song nine, the intensity never lets up. "Auf Weidersehen" is thrash metal in the purest sense of the word. While the songs are fast and furious, there is also careful attention paid to technical song craft, although not overly technical, and good production. Think on the lines of Believer's "Extraction From Mortality" or Kreator's "Terrible Certainty". The lyrics unfortunately seem to be a bit dark and cliché, although the vocals are sung in such a way that the actual words are not as important as the intensity of the delivery. Overall, as I said, Equinox are one of the hidden gems of the second wave of thrash metal. "Stop!", minus the acoustic intro, was re-recorded as an acoustic track for the band's final album "Labyrinth"."
Source: No Life 'til Metal
Tracklist: 1. Stop!, 2. Auf Wiedersehen, 3. The King, 4. Pharaoh Dance, 5. Violins, 6. The Floating Man, 7. House of Wonders, 8. Realm of Darkness, 9. Dead By Dawn.
Download: MegaUpload / Rapidshare
Equinox @ Myspace
No comments: | <urn:uuid:6647c6d0-d9a4-48a8-8415-5fab28ce211e> | http://bruunski.blogspot.com/2007/10/equinox-auf-wiedersehen-1989.html | en | 0.958751 | 0.205284 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Monday, August 4, 2008
Winners and Losers
The stated goal of the 2008 Lambeth was to have no winners or losers. But you know there were. Here's my preliminary list;
1. GAFCON -- Yes, the greatest winners were those who didn't come to the party. Not only because of the time and expenses they saved, but because their position was validated by those who did come. And they are now positioned to lead the Anglican Communion.
2. Archbishop of Sudan Dr Daniel Deng -- Standing up for what his province believes and not losing the funding from TEC.
3. ++Rowan Williams, the Archbishop of Canterbury -- No schism yet, a fifty percent approval rating (derived from 75% of those attending Lambeth believe he is providing the leadership needed while 25 % of all bishop did not attend due to his failure of leadership) and his Concluding Presidential Address will keep him in good stead with the Pope.
4. Gene Robinson, gay memoirist -- In the Eye of the Storm now ranks #3 in the category "gay and lesbian autobiographies and memoirs".
5. GS Primates at Canterbury -- by issuing a statement affirming their Christian witness, they cemented their leadership status and subverted the muffling of their voices in the Indaba Reflections document.
1. Gene Robinson, Anglican Bishop -- arrived uninvited and stayed too long at the fringes of the party, visibly not getting the attention and acceptance he wanted.
2. Catherine Roskam, TEC Suffragan Bishop -- as Riazat Butt of the Guardian put it, Roskam succeeded "in uniting people, even if it was in outrage, following her claim that people from ethnic minorities beat their wives."
3. Katie Sherrod of the Lambeth Witness -- the crassness of her claim to a right to Christian leadership was exposed in the Archbishop of Canterbury's Concluding Presidential Address.
4. TEC PB Schori -- the "Rule of Life" alternative to the Covenant was dead on arrival. The clock is ticking toward the time when TEC will have to sign the Covenant or be on the fringes of the next Lambeth party.
5. the Most Revd AET Harper, OBE, Archbishop of Armagh and Primate of All Ireland -- issued poorly crafted theology in support of homosexual behavior just in time to be fisked by Robert Gagnon and on the wrong side of the majority at Lambeth.
Minicapt said...
75% of the 75% present = 56%, eventually. Because I obsess.
Perpetua said...
Hi minicapt,
Ok, but actually only 70% attended Lambeth. From Living Church via Stand Firm:
"the absence of more than 30 percent of the bishops of the Communion were frequently mentioned during the conference."
So it is really .75x.70=.525
or 52.5%
Except, I am not sure what to do with all the TEC bishops without jurisdiction. Weren't there something like 40 non-jurisdiction TEC bishops? Were there non-jurisdiction bishops from other provinces as well?
Minicapt said...
They could be right because I am attuned to the pre-Lambeth score card which had about 820 invitees, followed by c.230 polite refusals.
According to my count, 28% elected to not attend; according to their count, 32%. On the other hand, the ABC is not a position which requires polling of popularity, so I don't think Dr Williams is miffed by the %s.
Bishops without jurisdiction? Doesn't matter as participation at Lambeth is determined by invite. Remember that VGR has jurisdiction, but lacked an invite. My impression is that the TECContingent brought along extra bodies to maintain its media 'presence'. | <urn:uuid:4a18ffec-b5e3-415e-a579-27a8dc47a2bd> | http://perpetuaofcarthage.blogspot.com/2008/08/winners-and-losers.html | en | 0.966523 | 0.029404 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Whispers Of the Dragon
Whispers of the Dragon is a unique band that performs world music in ethnic trance style. Strongly influenced by the sacred and folk music traditions of the Middle East, Whispers of the Dragons uses traditional instruments, ambient electronics and ethereal female vocals for a sound that transports you to a far away land.
Band website template | <urn:uuid:01508662-98df-4754-a75b-41b497efead4> | http://renagadesmusic.blogspot.com/p/whispers-of-dragon.html | en | 0.886544 | 0.31721 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
I Can't Believe We Made It !
If you lived as a child in the 40's, 50's,
Looking back, it's hard to believe that
we have lived as long as we have...
As children, we would ride in cars with
no seat belts or air bags. Riding in the
back of a pickup truck on a warm day was
always a special treat.
Our baby cribs were covered with bright
colored lead-based paint. We had no
childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors,
or cabinets, and when we rode our bikes,
we had no helmets.
(Not to mention hitchhiking to town as a
young kid!)
We drank water from the garden hose and
not from a bottle. Horrors.
We would spend hours building our go-carts
out of scraps and then rode down the hill,
only to find out we forgot the brakes. After
running into the bushes a few times we learned
to solve the problem.
We would leave home in the morning and play
all day, as long as we were back when the
streetlights came on. No one was able to reach
us all day.
No cell phones. Unthinkable. We played dodgeball
and sometimes the ball would really hurt. We
got cut and broke bones and broke teeth, and
there were no law suits from these accidents.
They were accidents. No one was to blame,
but us. Remember accidents?
We had fights and punched each other and
got black and blue and learned to get over it.
We ate cupcakes, bread and butter, and drank
sugar soda but we were never overweight...we
were always outside playing. We shared one
grape soda with four friends, from one bottle
and no one died from this.
We did not have Playstations, Nintendo 64,
X-Boxes, video games at all, 99 channels on
cable, video tape movies, surround sound,
personal cell phones, Personal Computers,
Internet chat rooms ... we had friends. We
went outside and found them. We rode bikes
or walked to a friend's home and knocked on
the door, or rung the bell or just walked in
and talked to them.
Imagine such a thing. Without asking a
parent! By ourselves! Out there in the
cold cruel world! Without a guardian.
How did we do it?
We made up games with sticks and tennis
balls and ate worms and although we were
told it would happen, we did not put out
very many eyes, nor did the worms live
inside us forever.
Little League had tryouts and not everyone
made the team. Those who didn't, had to learn
to deal with disappointment..... Some students
weren't as smart as others so they failed a
grade and were held back to repeat the same
grade.....Horrors. Tests were not adjusted for
any reason.
Our actions were our own. Consequences were
expected. No one to hide behind. The idea of
a parent bailing us out if we broke a law was
unheard of. They actually sided with the law,
imagine that!
This generation has produced some of the best
risk-takers and problem solvers and inventors,
ever. The past 50 years has been an explosion of
innovation and new ideas. We had freedom,
failure, success and responsibility, and we
learned how to deal with it all.
And you're one of them. Congratulations!
Please pass this on to others who have had the
luck to grow up as kids, before lawyers and
government regulated our lives, for our own | <urn:uuid:d9792ce6-96c4-467e-830d-1b01bb2fd7f9> | http://tcarlson.ca/madeit.html | en | 0.979922 | 0.036669 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Thursday, June 28, 2012
New Shoes Make You Run Faster! Really!
Brigham Young University, Provo UT, Carillon Bell Tower
Thursday, February 02, 2012
Silencing the Toad
I don't know what's up, but the last couple of weeks I've been fighting off some feelings of discouragement. Now, don't be alarmed. Thankfully, it's been over a year now since I got my meds adjusted and was able to leave a 2 year depression behind. I'm not depressed like that (and so thankful!) But, sometimes, every once in a while, despite how ridiculously BLESSED I am, I get a little discouraged.
I have dreams. I think most people have dreams. Some people are actively living theirs, others are working toward them, some are just aware, and a few may not even know of them. But they are there. Dreams are there, buried deep, deep in the innermost tiny back closet of one's heart. They may be locked so tightly and bound with the strongest chains, but they DO exist. To dream is to be human. If not for hoping for something better for ourselves, our families, our world, then there would be little point in existence.
Garelito Photos
So, even though I used to actively try NOT to dream (it was too disappointing to do so), over the last several years I've allowed myself to believe a little bit again. Bullied by life's rough school of knocks, I learned to armor myself against the hurt of failure, disappointment, and loss. I didn't have the tools to handle these feelings that seemed an ever-present reality. But now, now I've grown some. I have a loving and kind husband who teaches me that there IS a reason to hold out hope - despite whatever odds one may feel she is facing. I have been blessed with kind and caring friends who have helped open my heart to art, and in doing so have inadvertently opened a door of vulnerability and rawness - both of which are necessary (in my humble opinion) to live creatively. Now, though I still struggle and am far from where I'd like to be, I have more coping skills for dealing with those failures, disappointments, and losses. Part of living a creative life (though admittedly, only part time), means learning to love the beauty in nearly everything; learning to accept flaws as part of the completed project, and having joy in the creation rather than just the finished product. That doesn't apply to just art itself, but the very essence of living. I have learned to be a little more gentle with myself, to accept my weaknesses. No, not just accept them -but almost embrace them - for they make me who I am, for better or worse.
All that being said, I've still been fighting off discouragement. I feel alone in so many ways. I want to have a child(ren) someday. I'm 38 and I may not get to. I may even get too old to adopt a child. And, even if I did/do, I'm going to be in SUCH a different place than my peers. Most people my age have children in at least their teens, and some even entering college this year. I haven't even begun. If I adopt by the time I'm 40, I'll be nearly 60 by the time that child is graduating high school. Imagine a 50 year old at "Mom's Club" with a bunch of early twenty to thirty year-olds. I'm going to be the oddball, just as I am now.
Bernadette Darnell
I feel alone because most of my friends have families that take up the majority of their time. I understand and heartily agree that family comes first. But, at the same time, I often feel like they are too busy with their lives to have time for me. I love my husband, but he is quite the introvert and I often seek outside friendships to help fill the conversational void. Besides, even the best husband can't do what a good girlfriend or two can. It's a special bond that women share.
Because I am outgoing (more extroverted by nature), I tend to be the one to invite others and get the ball rolling. I'm the planner, the organizer. I get it. If you're introverted, planning a get-together is akin to getting a tooth pulled. I try to remember that. But sometimes, especially lately for some reason, I just want someone else to put forth the effort. I don't want to be the one who always initiates things. I want to feel like others want to have ME in THEIR lives. But again, because my dreams are slow to fruition, I'm in a different place than them, and I can't fault them their busy-ness. I would likely be the same, if I were a mother.
Bernadette Darnell
So, that's where I am. I'm backwards from my peers. It gets lonely sometimes. Discouragement knocks. But, I must use the tools I've tried to develop to fight back - to remember that I DO matter, if to no one else, at least to my husband. I know it'll get better. It's just a temporary feeling. My happiness and zest will come back to me soon. I'm HOPING, anyway. Because, that's who I am now - I'm a person who hopes and dreams. I have unlocked my heart and I will push away the doubts and fears and keep trying to live a creative life, complete with blemishes, mess-ups, re-dos. One day my life's work may be the beautiful piece I envision it can be.
p.s. To those who read my blog - this is not an attempt to garner sympathy or "Oh, but we do love you"s. The blogging is for me to be REAL and PRESENT. It's for me - part of MY way of living a creative life. | <urn:uuid:2e278440-3503-4217-a9f3-5356bfb8adbf> | http://texasbass.blogspot.com/2012/ | en | 0.982515 | 0.091934 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
quote- macro
quote- macro
You want to be free, but you have forgotten what it feels like to be free.
You want to understand, but you have forgotten how to understand.
And what happens?
That which is the most precious is disregarded.
I’m talking about this breath.
It’s the most precious.
But because it is so abundant, you disregard it.
Don’t, in your life, abandon know— how.
Drop for drop, ounce for ounce, there is no substitute for knowing.
- Prem Rawat | <urn:uuid:1b28daf4-3303-41a4-9087-0ec026cb5e69> | http://theypi.net/excerpts.php?title=You-want-to-be-free-but-you-have-forgotten-what-it-feels-like-to-be-free&id=277 | en | 0.903041 | 0.159377 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Ward Burner Systems
Customized Combustion Equipment
Flame Rectification & How Flame Rods Work
by Marc Ward
Clay Times July 2003
There’re two reasons I’m writing an article on flame rectification. Well, I guess there are really three reasons. The third reason is that hardly anyone knows what the hell it is… or if truth is known, hardly anyone cares. The first two reasons are; I’ve been doing some safety systems lately with flame rectification and the most important reason of all…. After almost seven years of articles, the easy topics have been used up. I promise, I’ll give it a shot at making an obscure topic sorta’ semi-interesting. But, someone, somewhere, who has this type of system, might get some answers to their problems.
You ever wonder why your gas stove top starts sparking when you turn it on and then it magically stops sparking when the flame starts. How’s it know? What it knows that most folks don’t is that blue flame is a conductor of electricity. Now, it’s not a great conductor of current like a copper wire, but electrons still flow through it. So, the current that was there when you turned on the stove is still there. It’s just doesn’t have to jump across a gap (spark) like it did before. The current flows through the blue flame. If the flame is too low, yellow, or goes out, the electrons start jumping across the gap again. Now, all this description of your kitchen appliance tells part of our little rectification tale. What happens with your gas stove top is just part of what is known as flame rectification.
Kilns that have a flame rod, are using rectification. Our kitchen example above just helps explain that flame is an electrical conductor. What flame rectification does is measure the type and intensity of the current that is passing from the flame rod through the flame to the pilot burner. This is not the same as a thermocouple/BASO system. A thermocouple gets hot and sends a small amount of electrons to a little electric magnet that holds a valve open. Ok, if you don’t have any “gear head” in you, the rest of this article may very well cause the magazine pages to be turned.
You can only rectify an AC current. The rest of the article deals with explaining the previous sentence. “AC” current means Alternating Current. It’s what you have coming out of the electric plugs at home and in your studio. What it means is that the electrons race one way, and then they turn around and race the other way. They “alternate” their direction back and forth…a bunch, real fast. The other kind of current is DC…Direct Current. The electrons always flow in the same direction. Now, here’s the cool part. Well, at least it’s cool to someone like me who learned to skin wiring insulation before I learned to ride a bike. The cool part is that flame is such a particularly bad conductor of electricity that the “rectified” connection depends on the size of the contact on each side. Another way to say that is this only works if your flame rod is small and your pilot is big. Remember, our current is alternating (AC). The electrons race between our pilot burner and our flame rod that is in the flame. Here lies the secret of rectification. I know, I know, you’ve got goose bumps. When the electrons flow from the skinny flame rod to the pilot, they have plenty of landing area over on the face of the pilot. Now, the current alternates and wants to flow back to the flame rod. Well, our skinny little flame rod doesn’t have near as many places for electrons to land. The current has now been rectified. A regular AC current is BIG one way then BIG the other way. A rectified current is BIG one way then really small the other way. This is what the flame rectification safety system measures; the real small current that is juxtaposed by the BIG current. This tiny current is measured in a couple of microamps (that’s 2/millionths of an amp!… a hair dryer can use 13amps… 650 million% more!!!). (Since the pilot flame is a poor conductor, this type of system works well. But, metal is a great conductor. If you have an itty-bitty crack in some wiring, electrons will easily find passage to the metal and screw up our little rectifying dance. You know what happens next, the kiln shuts down mysteriously or won’t light. The local electrician or the guy in the school’s physical plant department with his name on his shirt probably won’t be able to help “rectify” the problem. If you’re having problems with this type of system, look in the yellow pages under “boiler supply”. They are some of the few people that have the tools and the experience to track down your problem. They are also more expensive than plumbers, small town lawyers, and high-class hookers. If you made it to the end of the article, you’re a real trooper. Thanks…. | <urn:uuid:79fe59d7-da1a-4f21-8d23-bd707c15fca8> | http://wardburner.com/flamerectification.html | en | 0.942754 | 0.362416 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Arnold Palmer poses with the Claret Jug after winning the 1961 British Open.
R&A Championships
Monday, November 07, 2011
This article first appeared in the July 24, 1961 issue of Sports Illustrated.
There were gale winds, torrential rains, and sandy dunes covered by a nasty, knotty little bush called willow scrub, but irrepressible Arnold Palmer conquered them all last week to win the British Open. "I wanted this championship more than anything in my life," he said when it was all over, "but anything you want real bad is awfully hard to get."
SI Vault
It had indeed been hard to get. Yet it would have been a travesty if anybody else had won, for the world's best golfer dominated this 101st British Open as it has not been dominated since that other American, Ben Hogan, won in 1953.
No better setting could have been found for the exhibition of Palmer's immense muscular power and inner fortitude than the links of the Royal Birkdale Golf Club, hard by the Irish Sea, near Liverpool, on the coast of Lancashire. Many of the tees are high up on the sand hills, exposed to the full fury of winds that steadily lash the area. Others are comparatively sheltered, but when the ball soars up from the shelter it receives a sudden, mighty buffeting, and unless it is perfectly struck it will be carried far off line into that ferocious scrub bordering the fairways.
Reasonable weather prevailed on the tournament's first day, and 68s by Dai Rees, Harold Henning of South Africa and Kel Nagle, the Australian holder of the title (who beat Palmer by one stroke last year) led the field. There were three 69s, and then came Palmer, comfortably placed with five others at 70. The weather had been kind, deceptively kind.
On the second day the lid blew off. A 50-mph gale flattened refreshment tents, overturned trailers and reduced Royal Birkdale to a shambles. "I've never seen so many egg sandwiches flying so high in all my life," said a parking lot attendant.
Starting in the morning, Palmer played into the height of the gale, and the way he attacked the ball was a joy for the overcoat-wearing gallery to behold. Scorning any temptation to try and steer the ball safely down the narrow fairways, he gave it all he had, occasionally grunting with effort as he struck a shot. At the 6th hole he actually carried a bunker, that most of the field had failed to reach by 30 yards. When onetime British Ryder Cup player Syd Scott heard this, he shook his head and said, "In that case, I give up."
Palmer birdied four of the first six holes and finished with an excellent 73. Morally speaking, it was a 72. On the 16th hole—a 510-yard par 5, which harassed him throughout the championship—he hit a very long drive. But his five-iron approach failed to hold the green, bouncing into a small sand trap. "It was nothing serious," said Palmer later. "An easy shot." But three-quarters of the way through his downswing, the wind blew the ball backward. He hit squarely on it, blasting it over the green.
Following the wonderful ethic of golf, Palmer immediately reported to an official that his ball had moved. He was told there would likely be no penalty because he had done nothing to cause the ball to move. However, the rule is quite clear on this point, and Palmer later had to add a stroke for his misfortune, ending up with a 7 instead of a 6. As Mr. Bumble said in Oliver Twist, "the law is a ass." Not such an ass as some of the rules of golf.
Nevertheless, Palmer's 73 came within one stroke of being the best round of the day and left him bracketed with Nagle at 143, a stroke behind Rees, the Welshman who is Britain's Ryder Cup captain, and Henning, who had gone out in the afternoon when the wind was not quite so fierce. Out of the running was Palmer's archrival, Gary Player, who had 73-77. Gary, fighting against illness, eventually quit the tournament.
The next day, as Palmer put it, "what hadn't blown away before was washed away." As the early-arriving gallery sought refuge, even under parked cars, rain flooded the course. Thirty-six holes had been scheduled, but the committee called off the morning round when greens turned into lakes, and postponed the afternoon round as more rain turned the lakes into rippling seas.
Professional golfers have commitments all over the world, and a championship cannot be extended forever. In England, though it is possible to play on a Sunday, it is illegal to charge gate money. Bearing all this in mind, the committee, late Friday afternoon, issued a unique communique:
'The Championship Committee of the Royal and Ancient Golf Club have decided that the 1961 Open Championship must end on Saturday, July 15, whether four rounds have been completed or not. If it is impossible to complete the four rounds, the 1961 Championship will be declared void, and neither the cup nor the medals will be presented.'
The news appalled the determined Palmer, who had come so far and was so near his goal. "If necessary, I'm prepared to play in a rowboat," he said.
Blankets as blotters
However, the weather relented, if this type of British weather can ever be said to relent. There was a high wind and bitter cold on Saturday but almost no rain. The gallery dressed as if on a winter goose hunt, and blankets were used as blotters to sop up puddles on greens.
At first, it appeared that the final rounds of the championship would develop into a man-to-man duel between Palmer and Nagle and, since they were partnered together, almost a match-play one at that. Palmer opened with a 4 at the 520-yard first, and Nagle had an orthodox 5. Just behind them Henning started with a 6 and thereafter faded from the picture. Rees, meanwhile, after waiting a long time to play his second, did what most handicap golfers do in those circumstances: he hit the ball straight along the ground into the face of a bunker. The shot cost him a 7, and his chance seemed to have vanished almost before he had begun.
This poor hole angered the resolute Rees, however, spurring him on, and he became Palmer's lone challenger. Playing just in front of Rees, Palmer was going great guns. He nearly holed his wedge shot to the 315-yard 5th and sank a 4-footer for a 2 at the 7th. He pounded his way out in 32, Nagle by this time trailing by three shots. Rees got a birdie at the 3rd and sank a vast putt for his 3 at the 212-yard 4th, following it with another long putt at the 6th. He struggled out in 36.
And now Palmer was at the 510-yard 16th, that hex hole again. Looking back on championships, professionals often talk of the "big" shots-big, not in the sense of distance, but of importance. After hooking his drive at the 16th, Palmer played safely back over a large sand hill and then hit a five-iron a little thin to the green. It shot over the back and up into a bank of scrub, where it lay directly behind a thick bush.
Surveying the prospect for a considerable time, Arnold detected a small gap in the bush, about half the size of a football. Later he recalled thinking to himself, "It could get through, but if it doesn't, it's the end of the game." He laid back his wedge, swung, and the ball popped through the opening. Not only that, it rolled within 18 inches of the cup. Palmer finished with a 69. Rees, hanging on doggedly, had a 71. Nobody else was close.
In the final round Palmer, with a par 5 at the first, a 3 at the 7th and all the rest 4s, was out in 36. Rees had a 38 to drop 3 behind. Each started home with three orthodox 4s, and each failed to get a 3 at the 202-yard 13th. Palmer had a birdie 4 at the long 14th against the wind, Rees, a par 5. Four behind for Rees, and only four holes left—but what holes they turned out to be.
Again Palmer hit a "big" shot, this time at the 15th. His drive had rolled one yard off the fairway to the right, ending up at the bottom of a small sandy bank, buried deep in some blackberry bushes. Changing from a seven-to a six-iron, Palmer hit a shot that did not waver in the wind and that flew onto the narrow, deeply bunkered plateau green some 150 yards away. This feat of strength and skill brought gasps from the gallery. Even Nagle was forced to smile. The ball went so fast that the grass was cut as though by a scythe. "I have never hit a ball so hard in my life," said Palmer later. Henry Cotton, a former British champion who was standing beside Palmer, called it "one of the greatest shots ever."
Palmer got away with a 4, but minutes later a huge distant cheer told him that Rees had holed an 8-yarder for a 3. This time Palmer played the 16th safe, intentionally hitting his ball into a puddle in front of the green, dropping without penalty and chipping up for an easy par. He then parred in for a 72, and a 284.
Rees birdied 16, almost birdied 17 and birdied 18 to finish a stroke behind.
As fond as the galleries are of Dai Rees, it is doubtful that there was a man present at Birkdale who really wanted Palmer to lose. It is impossible to overpraise the tact and charm with which this American has conducted himself on his two visits to Britain. He has no fancy airs and graces; he wears no fancy clothes; he makes no fancy speeches. He simply says and does exactly the right thing at the right time, and that is enough.
Perhaps, too, the British sense acutely that Palmer meant it recently when he said, "I play for championships, not for money." Now Palmer has another championship—one of the biggest.
You May Like | <urn:uuid:412a55a2-f935-41ea-befa-d92705db52cb> | http://www.golf.com/tour-and-news/arnie-gets-one-he-wanted | en | 0.982742 | 0.050079 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Vitamin D Foods Recommended By US Government
To maintain health, it is advisable to meet the daily requirement of vitamin D that we can get from foods, because vitamin D deficiency can lead to several diseases, such as influenza, heart disease, diabetes, multiple sclerosis, and cancer. Vitamin D not only helps the body absorb calcium which is important for bones, but also plays a role in the immune system by helping to reduce inflammation. Chronic inflammation, could be expected to lead to heart disease and cancer. Approximately 80 percent of the vitamin D we need comes from sunlight. Recommended time for sunbathing is at 06:00 to 9:00 am around the body for 10 minutes. To prevent the risk of skin cancer, avoid sun exposure at 09.00 am to 03.00 pm.
Dual benefits of vitamin D, not only as a reinforcement of bone but also prevention of various diseases is increasingly revealed. To get all these benefits, we are advised to consume 400 IU of vitamin D per day, and 200 IU for adolescents less than 18 years. As already noted above, the most popular vitamin D source comes from sunlight. But today, many issues regarding the dangers of UV rays from the sun, and make a lot of people worried. But, We can fulfill it through foods, the following are list of vitamin D foods to meet daily needs.
vitamin D foods
Value based on USDA Nutrient data base
1. Fish: Based on USDA nutrient data base(every 100 gr) fish oil (cod liver) contain 10000 IU of vitamin D. Tuna (fresh, bluefin, raw), contain 227 IU of vitamin D. Mackerel (Atlantic, raw) contain 643 IU of vitamin D per 100 gr. Sardine (Fish, Pacific, canned in tomato sauce, drained solids with bone), contain 193 IU of vitamin D. Caviar (fish, black and red, granular) contain 117 IU. Cod liver oil is categorized as food additives, aka not the main meal. Cod liver oil is the oil extracted from fish called cod. It is available in capsule form, and is very good for those who want a dose of vitamin D increases.
2. Milk: Quote from, almost all of the U.S. milk supply is fortified with 400 IU of vitamin D per quart. But foods made from milk, like cheese and ice cream, are usually not fortified.
3. Egg yolk : contain 218 IU.
4. Cereals (ready-to-eat, Ralston Crispy Rice): Contain 121 IU of vitamin D, another value from different cereals can be found in USDA data base. If your breakfast consuming usual cereal, then you will not get vitamin D in sufficient quantities. Therefore, choose a specific cereals are fortified with vitamin D. Cereals usually have a lot of fiber and cholesterol levels.
5. Soy processed products: They are usually a rich source of vitamin D. If you are very deficient in vitamin D, a good idea to replace your usual milk consumption with daily milk with soy milk. Regular milk just gives you calcium, while soy milk gives you calcium and other nutrients needed for bone health.
Below are another list of foods high in vitamin D (taken from
Fat free1 cup306
Lactose reduced, fat free1 cup300
1% low fat1 cup290
Plain, fat free8 ounces452
Fruit, low fat8 ounces343
Frozen yogurt, vanilla, soft serve1/2 cup103
Pasteurized process Swiss2 ounces438
Ricotta, part skim1/2 cup335
Pasteurized process American2 ounces323
Mozzarella, part skim1.5 ounces311
Fortified foods
Soy drink with added calcium1 cup368
Orange juice with added calcium1 cup300
Tofu with added calcium1/2 cup253
Cereal with added calcium1 ounce236-1043
Cereal bar with added calcium1 bar200
Bread with added calcium1 slice100
Whole-grain tortilla with added calcium1 tortilla40
Collards, cooked from frozen1/2 cup178
Kale, cooked from frozen1/2 cup90
Bok choy, cooked from fresh1/2 cup79
Broccoli, cooked or fresh1 cup61
Other foods
Soybeans, green, cooked1/2 cup130
White beans, canned1/2 cup96
Almonds, dry roasted1 ounce75
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Tag Archives: Viṣṇu
Krishna-less = The Walking Dead
To celebrate completing the first draft of chapter 3, Beautiful Tales of the All Attractive, Vol. 2, I am posting an excerpt spoken by Śaunaka Ṛṣi.
“O Sūta, when we do not hear about the heroism of the Hero, our ear canals are just like snake holes. When we do not sing about the One Worth Singing About, we might as well have the tongues of frogs. When our head does not bow to the Liberator, it is nothing but a heavy burden, even if it is decorated with a silken crown. When our hands do not serve Hari, they are the hands of a corpse – even if decorated with glittering golden bracelets. When we do not look upon the forms of Viṣṇu our eyes are like the eyes of a peacock feather. When our legs do not move us to Hari’s sacred places, how are they any better than the legs of trees? If we mortals never touch the dust from the feet of the blessed devotees, we are like the walking dead. When we do not smell the scent of Tulasī from the beautiful feet of Viṣṇu we are nothing but a breathing corpse.
“Worst of all is an iron-clad heart that cannot be melted by all this. Even when it takes firm hold of Hari’s name, nothing happens. It does not melt and send forth emotions like tears in the eyes or hairs standing on end.”
Defining the Unlimited
Sūta said:
Oh! My unusual birth has now become meaningful, for I have this opportunity to serve the learned elders. To speak intimately with great souls quickly purifies the faults and sufferings one is born into.
What is Sūta’s “unusual birth”? It may be literal, since the word sūta also refers to an unusual caste in which the father is a warrior (kṣatriya) and the mother an intellectual (brāhmaṇa). Members of this caste usually became bards and poets. Another reason Sūta’s birth is “unusual” and “faulty” is that his father, Romaharsana, insulted Krishna’s brother, Balarāma. He sees this opportunity to glorify Krishna and Balarāma the ideal way to atone for this undesirable element in his ancestry. Finally, everyone’s birth is “unusual” and “faulty” – for the soul ought not repeatedly change identities! Everyone’s misfortune in this regard will be quickly purified by discussing the stories we are about to tell.
Why? Because then one will proclaim the name of the singular refuge of those great souls, who is called “Unlimited” because his all-attractive potencies and excellent qualities are unlimited!?
Why is heart-to-heart conversation with great souls so spiritually purifying? It is because the topic of discussion invariably turns towards the Unlimited All-Attractive.
So how can anyone define the immeasurable qualities of he who rests upon the unlimited? The divine goddess ignores all those who petition her and, unrequested, serves the dust of his feet.
The potencies and qualities of the All-Attractive are unlimited. When we hear that “he rests upon the unlimited,” we envision Viṣṇu beyond the borders of the universe reclining on the sea-dragon named Ananta (“unlimited”). It is an image which communicates the fact that his very being exists on the foundation of infinity.
So how can anyone define or delimit Viṣṇu and his qualities by conversation? Still one is hopelessly attracted to the effort, much like the supreme goddesses, who ignore those who bring her presents and prayers, and instead flock unrequested to attend upon the outskirts of such discussions.
The water flowing from his toenails is collected by the creator (Brahmā), who uses it to honorably purify the destroyer (Śiva). Who else in the world besides the Lotus-Face could be worthy of the name and position of “All-Attractive”?
There are, truly, so many amazing people among humans and gods and others. But who is worthy of the title “All-Attractive”? It is only he whose face is like the most beautiful flower, whom the goddess flock to, whom the gods worship. We will hear a story much later in this tale, that Viṣṇu once took three cosmic strides. The third created a fracture in the shell of the universe, and the water from the ocean of causality streamed down from the polestar, through the Milky Way, and eventually onto the earth as the Ganges river. This is the water that “flows from his toenails.”
Those in love with him suddenly become very deep. Going beyond the embrace of their bodies they attain the highest perfections, in which nonviolence and tranquility are natural.
The purifying power of devotion of the All-Attractive is powerful and uniquely swift, “sudden.” Without such devotion one toils with great delay to develop good qualities like non-violence and tranquility.
You are like Aryamān, so whatever you ask I will grant. I will speak as far as my knowledge will allow. Birds fly as high as they can into the sky, like the learned towards Viṣṇu.
Aryamān is the Vedic god who empowers a man to ask a father for his daughter in marriage. It is a very difficult request to accept, because a father very dearly loves his daughter and feels very reluctant to entrust her care to anyone else. Therefore the would-be groom must appeal to Aryamān for divine help. One should give whatever is asked for in the name and with the sanction of Aryamān. Sūta considered the sages to be representatives of Aryamān, because their inquiries were so blessed and divine. Therefore he felt honor-bound to give them what they had asked for.
The sages, headed by the elderly Śaunaka, requested Sūta to tell them all about the All-Attractive son of Vasudeva, Krishna. Sūta says that it is impossible to properly describe Krishna because he is naturally unlimited in qualities and nature. He is All-Attractive. Our efforts to describe and comprehend Krishna are like the effort of a bird to fly in the sky. It is natural for the bird, and delightful – but still it is impossible for a bird to reach the limit of the sky.
The tales of the All-Attractive told by Sūta in this beautiful book, Śrīmad Bhāgavatam are sublime. They represent the intimate vision and realization of the most highly elevated souls. Still, Sūta admits that this book cannot define or delimit the Unlimited. This book will point our attention towards Krishna. Our consciousness then will absorb the downpour of blissful and enlightened energy radiating from him and thus become empowered to directly and impossibly comprehend the tangible reality of Śrī Krishna.
As a lightning rod attracts lightning, without creating or containing the it, this book attracts our consciousness to the All-Attractive. It is the greatest blessing of Indian thought. May we dive into it with wild joy and abandon.
This ends the introduction to Srimad Bhagavatam. From here the book itself begins, so we shall consider this the end of the first part, although traditionally that division is made one chapter after this.
Krishna and the gopis, from a Bhagavata Purana...
Krishna and the gopis, from a Bhagavata Purana manuscript c. 1760 . (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Have you forever lost the friend of your very soul?
The Original Person reclines upon the ocean of the Yadu family with the original Ananta, for the benefit, protection and evolution of all the worlds. The Yadava are fit to live in his own city, protected by the scepters of his arms, and relishing pastimes of paramount bliss.
In these two verses the King very finely crafts a poetic metaphor. He compares Kṛṣṇa to Mahā-Viṣṇu, the Original Person who reclines upon the ocean of causality with a multi-headed dragon who is a form of his own unlimited energy (“ananta”), and from whom the worlds evolve and are preserved. The persons who live with this Mahā-Puruṣa (Viṣṇu) are exalted (Mahā-Pauruṣa), and by association they enjoy Viṣṇu’s own topmost spiritual bliss. The King says that the Yadu family is the ocean upon which Kṛṣṇa reclines as Viṣṇu and Bālarāma reclines as Ananta. Dvārakā is the world that evolves from this “Viṣṇu.” The people in Dvārakā Mahā-Pauruṣa who enjoy the topmost spiritual bliss.
Very attentively caring for his feet is the prime duty
Of the twice eight-thousand women headed by Satyabhāmā.
Undefeated when counted against the thrice-ten, claiming their treasures
And enjoying what belongs to the wives of the thunderbolt’s master.
Here, Yudhiṣṭhira breaks into more elaborate poetry to give an example to illustrate his previous statement that the people related to Kṛṣṇa are enjoying tremendously under his protection and blessings. There are roughly 16 thousand queens of Kṛṣṇa. There are roughly 30 important gods. Satyabhāmā is the queen who induced Kṛṣṇa to fight with the gods and take away a special tree with celestial flowers for her.
This continues the metaphor from the previous verses by stating that Kṛṣṇa’s 16 thousands queens are analogous to Lakṣmī, who always massages Viṣṇu’s legs and feet.
Always living under the protection of his scepter-arms,
The Yadava have become great heroes, ever fearless in every way.
So they strode in on foot and took by force
The Sudharmā assembly house, which belongs to the very best gods.
Yudhiṣṭhira continues to give examples of how those related to Kṛṣṇa enjoy life more fully than even the gods. Fearless and powerful due to the blessings and protection of Kṛṣṇa, the Yadus simply strode into heaven and took away Indra’s assembly hall by force. They brought it to Dvārakā for Kṛṣṇa to use and enjoy daily.
Dear brother, is your health OK? You look very pale and weak. Have you been disrespected and neglected during this long time you have been gone? Could someone have addressed you so carelessly and foully? Have they said they you did not give to a beggar, or did not fulfill a promise? Or that you did not give shelter to intellectuals, children, cows, the elderly, the sick, or women who came to you seeking it? Did you embrace one not fit to embrace, or did you mistreat a woman? Or maybe you were defeated by a person who was not your superior or peer? Or could it be that you dined alone, without also feeding the old and young? Have you done something horrible and unforgivable?
These are the basic moral principles by which an ancient prince of India lived. They valued respect and reputation and this was gained by being a good person and following codes like
• always giving charity,
• always fulfilling promises,
• always taking care of anyone who needs caring for,
• following principles regarding interaction with the opposite sex
• never mistreating a woman
• being undefeated by anyone junior
• never eating before feeding others
Yudhiṣṭhira is giving one last hope towards there being some tolerable reason for Arjuna’s abject dejection. But Arjuna does not reply to any of these hopes. He merely cries more forcefully as tears pool on the ground beneath his lowered face.
“Alas! I have become a void, having forever lost the most beloved, heart-to-heart friend of my very soul.” Besides this thought, what else could be so troubling you? | <urn:uuid:d9d1b4a9-c9c8-4c84-8584-9d17448c1665> | https://bhagavatambybraja.wordpress.com/tag/vi%E1%B9%A3%E1%B9%87u/ | en | 0.957398 | 0.0294 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
US968 SJU-CLT B767 seat 8F
UA960 IAD-SJU B757 seat 9A
I haven’t been to Dulles in ages (some 25 years, in fact), but it looks just like any other older US airport: crowded and grim. I paid a rip-off price for a Nokia charger, a more reasonable price for a footlong Subway, and sequestered myself in the dark and gloomy cubicles of the business section of the Red Carpet Club until it was time to fly on.
And now a mainline UA flight, not that anything seems very different. I again lucked out with not just a Economy Plus seat, but one of the ones right in front of the door, with ludicrous legroom (but no place to stow your bags). Inflight entertainment was provided by the Flaming Latinos, a pair of, um, very intimate stewards who kept up a patter of rapidfire Spanglish with each other (“…that guy uah te digo que muy guapo and then when Juan said like oh my god voy a quitarle al mondongo un peso de encima…“) and did their best to crack each other up during any public announcements.
Drink service was the usual: OJ and pretzels. Thanks to the Great Terrorist Hunt, the seatbelt sign was kept on for 30 minutes until we were well and duly clear of the capital. | <urn:uuid:8114f0f5-caf6-4692-8e03-bf283d511cd2> | https://driftingclouds.net/tag/sju/ | en | 0.957839 | 0.027623 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Athena Review : Sites and Museums in Roman Gaul: Arles
Arles (Arelate) was the first Roman town to be built in Gaul after the 49 BC defeat of Pompey’s forces at Marseille (Massilia) by Caesar during the Civil War. Caesar had also constructed his fleet there. A colony for veterans of the Sixth Legion was founded in 46 BC as Colonia Julia Paterna Arelate Sextanorum by Tiberius Claudius Nero, father of the future Emperor Tiberius. Continue reading Athena Review : Sites and Museums in Roman Gaul: Arles
Ancient Greece Sex
In Ancient Greece, fertility was taken from the
Human Body Early Biblical women and given to the men both in their religion
History of Sex Early Mediterranean and through phallic iconization.
Zeus’ penis became the womb for the gods and
Paraphilias Aztec Empire according to Greek mythology it was Zeus who
Pleasures of Sex Mayan Empire gave birth to the gods.
Men owned everything. They owned property,
Religion & Sex Middle Ages women, and slaves. A Greek woman had no
Research Renaissance/Reformation rights in marriage and her father gave a
STDs Puritans dowry or paid another man to take their
Societies Victorianism daughter off their hands. Male children were
Variances Adolf Hitler sent to private schools which their father
Violence Kinsey – 1950s paid for and women were not to be educa
In Ancient Greek art, there is a lot of phallus or penis worship by men. Men are generally depicted naked, including
soldiers. Married or virtuous women are depicted clothed, even if depicted in the same artwork with their naked
husbands. Prostitutes were generally depicted naked with naked men. Men liked to depict their own penises as
dainty little penises in later Greek art. Early Greek art (5th century BC) tells a different tale. In the artwork
from that timeframe, men gave themselves oversized phalluses. Sometimes they had double penises. They depicted
plants as being penises in the ground. They even depicted animals as having penis features, such as a horse with
an erect penis for a head or birds with erect penises for heads.
The Dionysus cult had a public parade every year in which the men carried the largest penis possible by a team of
men in a parade through the cities. On the ass which Hephaestus rides, the animal has a penis erection. Even in
Aphrodite’s temple on Acropolis, the altars were topped with phalluses.
To Ancient Greece, the penis was the main symbol of fertility and they even created dildos constructed from leather
and marketed them. The male idea of female sexuality was that Greek men believed that women envied their penises.
Men created artwork displaying women with dildos. Female homosexuality and female masturbation are rarely depicted
unless seen with a dildo.
Rape was common in Ancient Greece and seen by men as a “right of domination” by Greek men. Zeus, the god, was the
master rapist who raped many women. He raped Leda in the form of a swan. He raped Danae disguised as the rain.
He raped Alkmen disguised as her own husband. Zeus even raped other men, such as Ganymede. To the common man,
they usually staked out water wells and then raped the women when they went to get water. It was also common to
rape prostitutes, slaves, and their own wives.
Greek Goddesses
Hera was the queen of heaven, wife of Zeus, and the protectress of wifehood. But Hera was not actually the mother
of the gods as Zeus somehow had the womb in his penis and gave birth to them.
Aphrodite was the goddess of beauty and love, she gave life, joy, love, beauty, fertility, grace, restoration of
life, immortality, prosperity, and charm. She was the goddess of sexual love. Aphrodite is said to have risen from
the foam of the sea. The metaphor means that she was a foreign goddess, an imported goddess. Some believe that she
was imported from Phoenicia.
Cupid is said to have predated Aphrodite, although the two are commonly depicted together. When Aphrodite arose
from the sea, Cupid met her at the shore. Cupid is represented by a beautiful youth.
Athena was the goddess of battles. She had wisdom and intellect. She protected the arts and the sciences.
By the 5th century, Athena was stripped of her feminity by men. In artwork her genital areas were robed,
breasts covered. Sometimes she was shown wearing a corset of snakes covering her breasts. Other times men
gave her a Medusa-like head with snakes around her head.
Diana was the goddess of girlhood and virginity.
Greek Wifes
The father of the daughter paid another man to take the daughter off his hands in the form of a dowry.
After that point, the woman became the property of the husband. Athenian women usually married at age
fourteen or fifteen. Spartan women waited until age eighteen. Spartan women, in general, had more
respectability. But the rest of Greek women had low status. Women were not allowed to share in social
entertainment with their husbands. Married women were not allowed to walk the streets alone but had to
be accompanied by a slave or attendant. Women were not allowed to be educated, nor taught to read or
write. It was a common practice for Greek men to lock up their own wife in the home when they left.
Respectable women were not to show any flesh but to keep their bodies covered, even in the art depictions
of married women having sex with their own husbands, the women were clothed while their husband was naked.
A wife’s sole responsibilities and duty in life was to bear the legitimate children and labor in the
home. Some married women were able to escape these chores by passing them on to slaves. Women were
expected to give birth to male children and female infantcide was common. In other cases, female babies
were sold to brothel owners or sold into prostitution at birth.
Wives constantly had to compete sexually for their own husbands with prostitutes and slaves in their
own homes. There was a lot of violence against women. Some wives were killed by their husbands. A lot
of women died in childbirth. When the younger women were forced into marriage at an early age, the
younger wives tended to die more frequently (except in Sparta, where marriage age was 18). Young girls
were taught that dying in childbirth was martyrdom.
Prostitution: The Hetaera
Greek men believed that they had refined prostitution into the “hetaera” or a groomed prostitute. Hetaera
were for pleasure, concubines for men’s daily bodily care, and the wives were for bearing legitimate
children. Another Greek word for prostitute is “earth striker” or “chamaitype” which suggests that
brothels had beds made of stone. Girl babies were sold to brothel owners.
Men created a lot of artwork depicting sexual relations with prostitutes. Some simply show hetaera
urinating in pots, showing the male preoccupation with golden showers. Men did artwork of anal sex
with hetaera. Doggie-style was the Athenians favorite position in their artwork with the hetaera.
Beastiality was even painted in artwork of men penetrating deer, horses, and cows.
Apparently, many Greek hetaera disliked giving fellatio. It was a common practice to beat prostitutes
if they refused to provide that particular service or refused to lower the price of that service. Anal
rape and forcing a prostitute to give fellatio was also commonly practiced. Even in men’s own artwork
of the hetaera, the did depict themselves beating various prostitutes and raping them. It was common to
beat prostitutes with fists, sticks and sandals. Some men did become attached to their prostitutes and
painted them in more favorable and intimate artwork.
Hetaera were usually slaves from the poorest classes. Some Greek men bought brothel prostitutes as
concubines. Peripatetic prostitutes were streetwalkers soliciting Greek men on the streets. Temple or
consecrated prostitutes charged the highest prices. In Corinth, it was said that the temple held over
a thousand consecrated prostitutes as Corinth was a ship city between the Aegean Sea.
Male Homosexuality
Even though male homosexuality was common in Ancient Greece, it was censored in their artwork to an
extent. In literature, it is called “love of a man for a man.” In paintings, the homosexual men are
depicted clothed together, except for homosexual prostitutes who are depicted naked.
When homosexual men wrote about their love for other men the most loved boys were usually age 12-14.
Some homosexual men wouldn’t even try to have sex with a boy over the age of 17.
For Further Readings on Ancient Greece:
Faraone, Christopher. (1999) Ancient Greek Love Magic. Cambridge: Harvard University Press.
Flaceliere, Robert. (1962) Love in Ancient Greece. New York: Crow Publishers.
Halperin, David; Winkler, John; Zeitlin, Froma. (eds.) (1990) Before Sexuality: The Construction
of Erotic Experience in Ancient Greece
. Princeton: Princeton University Press.
Keuls, Eva C. (1985) The Reign of the Phallus. New York: Harper & Row.
Licht, Hans. (1963) Sexual Life in Ancient Greece. New York: Barnes & Noble.
Louys, Pierre. (1933) Aphrodite. New York: The Modern Library.
Robinson, C. E. (1933) Everyday Life in Ancient Greece. Oxford: Clarendon Press.
Thornton, Bruce S. (1997) The Myth of Ancient Greek Sexuality. Boulder: Westview Press.
Winkler, John J. (1990) The Constraints of Desire: the Anthropology of Sex and Gender in Ancient
. New York: Routledge. | <urn:uuid:212e1784-743b-42bd-b5ba-82cdc87e1ddf> | https://en.tarikhema.org/words/athena | en | 0.978188 | 0.160117 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Why do we embrace word games on touch-screens?
How did words knock off Mario and flying avians to become gaming’s heroes de rigeur?
– – –
Seems like everywhere you turn, a new word game is captivating an audience of new players, eager to show off their vocab skills or challenge their co-workers. Zynga’s Words With Friends got Alec Baldwin in trouble with the FAA. Zach Gage, a previously little-known experimental artist, releases SpellTower and shows up in a New York Times Magazine article. PopCap’s early title Bookworm would pave the way for their other world-conquering efforts like Plants vs. Zombies.
So why have those twenty-six characters, learned in grade school, become more enticing to us as players than fantastical worlds and space marines?
Jeff Green, Director of Social Media for PopCap, told me why he thought a simple word game like Bookworm, a spruced-up version of Boggle for almost any platform, works so well.
It uses videogame conventions–powerups, sound, music– to keep you engaged on a level beyond that of just a digital crossword puzzle.
PopCap took a type of game that many would find almost classically boring (a word game) and gave us the “gamey” stuff that we love.
But I wonder if the difference is more than what’s been layered atop the usual field of mixed letters, but how we interact with them in the first place. Words used to be stuck to the page, stamped with ink or scratched with carbon. A touch-screen allows heretofore unparalleled interactivity with the very root of what makes us human: our ability to think, reason, and wonder, often realized through a construction of letters into thoughts.
A game like Bookworm might just be a gamified version of the simple Word Search puzzles in the newspaper. But, playing on a touch-screen, the medium through which we play it becomes as important as those conventions the team at PopCap devised to add tension or joy. A cerebral experience becomes tangible.
Placing a Scrabble tile has a physical weight, whereas writing a word on paper is enacting a kind of damage onto the previously clean slate, a wound that bears meaning. The prevalance of word games played on touch-screens merges these two feelings–you control language with swipes of fingers and tapped callouses, making the realm of thought malleable with our hands.
Zach Gage’s SpellTower plays with this feeling of weight and words. As you trace the right combination of letters, the thought disappears, and those uncombined bits fall down into the remaining gaps. The same game, mechanics-wise, could be played with a mouse or trackpad, but the distance between interface and interaction is too great. You have to touch these words to bring them into being.
“I think gaming tends to mirror where people are in their actual lives,” Gage told me in an interview last year. And as we see the explosive rise of e-readers, with digital sales of books fast approaching that of print, people want to engage with words through a screen. What better way than with games?
Proletariat Inc. is the latest studio to take advantage of our growing infatuation with reading digitally. Made up of former employees of the now-closed Zynga Boston, the studio is launching Letter Rush, their first game, on Apple’s App Store this Tuesday, March 5th. It combines the classic find-this-word-in-a-jumble-of-letters mechanic with the tension of Tetris’s falling blocks: Words scroll in horizontally from the right, and you need to find them in a block of letter tiles below. Wait too long and they crash, ending the session. Rush follows the PopCap method of turning classics on their head, with power-ups and a consistent flow of jangly effects squeezing out the dopamine.
But it’s the interplay of eyes and fingers, working together to manipulate information below that smooth gloosy surface, that tweaks the exercise into something more than filling out a crossword. Colored gems might shine, but letters form the very way we communicate with others and ourselves. Maybe this explains why playing with words feels so good. | <urn:uuid:101eba5f-30be-490e-b43b-cac07cd4b8c5> | https://killscreen.com/articles/why-do-we-embrace-word-games-touch-screens-it-feels-good/ | en | 0.944686 | 0.024304 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Yesterday, Today or Tomorrow
Food for thought on days like yesterday when I could have been at the Tonys rehearsals watching the magic come together but instead was responsible, went to work and hosted children’s birthday parties while Hugh Jackman was… and the dancing… sorry… must stop… too… painful
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Migrants die off Libyan coast | News | Al Jazeera
Migrants die off Libyan coast
Hundreds more thought missing as two Europe-bound boats with migrants sink.
One official said the incidents took place over the past two days and search operations were continuing.
Gemini Pandya, a spokeswoman for the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), told Al Jazeera on Tuesday that the estimates of people feared drowned vary between 300 and 500.
She said high winds and possible over-crowding on the boats may have contributed to the incidents.
Libyan officials said it was not yet clear whether the two confirmed capsized boats and the two others spotted drifting off Libya all sailed from Libya, but the country is a popular departure point for African migrants trying to reach Europe.
Joint sea patrols
The deaths come as Italy and Libya are set to launch joint sea patrols in May in an effort aimed at stopping the influx of migrants trying to reach European countries.
Roberto Maroni, the Italian interior minister, said on Monday that the patrols would begin on May 15, and he expected that day to "mark the end" of illegal migration from North Africa.
"We have done everything possible to prevent arrivals," he said.
"We have signed a deal with Libya and the Libyan government committed to launch on May 15 patrols along the coasts with six vessels.
"Until then, we will continue to ask the Libyan authorities to intensify controls, but I guess that there will still be arrivals," Maroni said.
Nearly 37,000 immigrants deemed illegal landed on Italian coasts last year, a 75 per cent rise from 2007, according to the Italian interior ministry.
Rights groups say most migrants risk their lives in treacherous waters trying to reach Europe hoping to escape poverty in their home countries.
Pandya, of the IOM, said work continues to try to discourage people from migrating using smuggling networks.
"There are lots of pressures that force people to take these incredibly dangerous risks. There are fewer and fewer legal means of migrating."
SOURCE: Al Jazeera and agencies
Meet the deported nurse aiding asylum seekers at US-Mexico border
Meet the deported nurse helping refugees at the border
The rise of Pakistan's 'burger' generation
The rise of Pakistan's 'burger' generation
The brutality of Greece's racist lynch mobs
| <urn:uuid:b4c3880f-9cc8-40ca-a03b-6d8d6dad7a32> | https://www.aljazeera.com/news/africa/2009/03/200933181916752956.html | en | 0.95443 | 0.020625 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
The project fits into the economic development strategy for alternative and sustainable sources of energy. The energy that we want to harvest in this project are ‘truly free’ mechanical sources like fluid flows (like wind or river), parasitic vibration (in engines or rotating machines, for example) or human movements (voluntary motion like walking or hand movements). The main applications are low consumption nomad electronics and remote wireless sensors. The heart of the project is to develop a prototype that integrates, on the same flexible chip, a microgenerator that converts this ambient mechanical energy into electrical energy that can recharge a low consumption electrical load, through a specific electrical converter. Since the efficiency of such a mechanical harvesting device strongly depends on the matching between: the piezoelectric microgenerator, the power management circuit, the electrical load (usually a capacitor, or a supercapacitor or a Li battery), we propose in this project to have an integrative approach: studying and designing the whole energy conversion chain.
The piezoelectric microgenerator is a ZnO – polymer composite device that will be optimized in order to fulfill the requirements of the other sub-systems, power management circuit and electrical load. | <urn:uuid:555effb3-20b9-4e3d-ae6a-ff4c0932e21e> | https://www.nanofil-flexible.fr/ | en | 0.856188 | 0.18484 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Brain Movie
Mixing in a typical fMRI brain scanner with advanced computer modeling simulations, scientists at the University of California have managed to achieve the the unthinkable – render the visual expressions triggered inside the brain and play them like a movie. This is the forefront technology which will one day allow us to tap inside the mind of coma patients or be able to watch the dream you had last night and still vaguely remember, just like a plain movie. Quite possibly one of the most fascinating SciFi ideas might become a matter of reality in the future.
“This is a major leap toward reconstructing internal imagery,” said Professor Jack Gallant, a UC Berkeley neuroscientist and coauthor of the study published online today (Sept. 22) in the journal Current Biology. “We are opening a window into the movies in our minds.”
This comes right on the heels of a recent, comparatively amazing study, from Princeton University who’ve managed to tell what study participants were thinking about, using a fMRI and a lexical algorithm. The neuroscientists from University of California have taken this one big step farther by visually representing what goes on inside the cortex.
A Sci-Fi dream come true that might show your dreams, in return
They first started out with a pictures experiment, showing participants black and white photos. After a while the researchers’ system allowed them to pick with absolute accuracy which picture the subject was looking at. For this latest one, however, scientists had to surrmount various difficult challenges which come with actually decoding brain signals generated by moving pictures.
“Our natural visual experience is like watching a movie,” said Shinji Nishimoto, lead author of the study and a post-doctoral researcher in Gallant’s lab. “In order for this technology to have wide applicability, we must understand how the brain processes these dynamic visual experiences.”
Nishimoto and two other research team members served as subjects for the experiment, as they stepped inside the fMRI for the experiments which requires them to sit still for hours at a time. During their enclosed space inside the fMRI, the scientists were presented with a few sets of Hollywood trailers, while blood flow through the visual cortex, the part of the brain that processes visual information, was measured. The brain activity recorded while subjects viewed the first set of clips was fed into a computer program that learned, second by second, to associate visual patterns in the movie with the corresponding brain activity.
A movie of the movie inside your head. Limbo!
The second phase of the experiment is where it all becomes very interesting, as it implies the movie reconstruction algorithm. Scientists fed 18 million seconds of random YouTube videos into the computer program so that it could predict the brain activity that each film clip would most likely evoke in each subject. Then based on the brain imaging delivered by the fMRI, the computer program would morph various frames it had already learn into what it believed best describes the brain pattern. The result was nothing short of amazing. Just watch the video below.
This doesn’t mean that this new technology developed by UC scientists is able to read minds or the likes and visually tape ones memories on a display. Such technology, according to the researchers, is decades away, but their studies will help pave the way for future such developments. As yet, the technology can only reconstruct movie clips people have already viewed.
“We need to know how the brain works in naturalistic conditions,” he said. “For that, we need to first understand how the brain works while we are watching movies.”
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Designed to do Good and Right
I find myself with a few free moments this holiday morning and I wanted to respond to one of your blog posts.
"Remember: Government can't do anything. It is contrary to the laws of physics. They can only move existing resources around. Only personal industriousness can create. Taxation is the power only to destroy."
I respect what I think you're trying to say here, that government, deriving its funding and authority as it does from the populous, cannot help but be viewed as a parasite from a certain perspective. I don't think however that your comment above does our government complete justice. For example, our government protects our boarders from enemies, (both foreign and domestic), provides for roads and utilities which vastly increase our quality of life, provides (in theory) a neutral system by which to arbitrate disputes, and many other benefits that add up to peace and freedom. I suppose you can argue that peace and freedom come from the people and a lack of government, but I believe that it is the government as intended who maintains this status.
Where I can't fault your logic is what our government has become in these troubled times. Where once we claimed to have a "free market" economy, now when a business falls to the pressure of supply and demand, we don't let it fall, we prop it up, hoping to overt the inevitable demise of the institution. One of my friends said something lately in regard to the noises about baling out the auto industry that I found particularly appropriate.
"I wouldn't buy their cars, why then should I pay to have them make more cars?"
At best we are supposed to have a symbiotic relationship with our government, benefitting from its existence, but not having it draw so heavily upon our resources that it significantly impairs our ability to generate goods, services, and wealth.
I think, say 100 years ago, we had this level of freedom. Now though, companies and special interests have grown so large and our political system has grown so polarized between conservative republicanism and liberal democrats, that we no longer elect people to represent us who act in service to their constituents. In point of fact our current system makes it very difficult for a person to get re-elected who truly acts in the best interest of the people and the country as a single unified entity.
This is because most campaigns are funded by special interests, special action groups, and companies who want to be remembered favorably when a law maker takes office. To get laws past, the law maker then has to make deals with other law makers (who were elected under the same circumstances and who are beholden to other groups and companies.) (For the record, I view our political parties as esentially special interest groups, much like unions or lobiest groups.) The law, designed to do something good and right, gets bundled with other laws such that the end product is that while the one law gets past, a bunch of other laws do as well which may not be representative of the elected officials and his constituents' beliefs. The representative of the people should be free to vote as his people and his conscience dictate, not such that a few privileged companies and interest groups will fund him again or so that a different law he will propose later has a chance of passing muster.
If you haven't done so already, I recommend reading a book by Michael Z. Williamson called Freehold.
The book depicts a free society in which government is but a shadow of our current system, where self-reliance is the standard, and where there are no social safety nets to speak of. It is a work of fiction, but depicts with disturbing clarity the difference between what we could become and what true freedo really means.
Best wishes to you and yours.
Thank you so much. Just a few responses like this showing up in my Inbox make it all worthwhile.
I am entertaining the idea that some "moving around of resources" by Government might be within the proper role. I am not rejecting any ideas outright at this stage, though things are shaping up.
Now some random, unrelated thoughts.
The reader also needs to remember that I am a fanatic... a zealot... a religious nut. I believe that there is a radiant and complex and eternal spirit body fused to my physical form. Current earthly conflict is rooted in, and an extension of, a conflict that began before the earth was formed. It was a fight between coercion and freedom, voluntary vs. involuntary obedience, blindness vs. seeing, the concentration of power by force and the dispersion of power to the individual.
It is the Mighty Eternal Father who laid his hand on your head countless millenia ago and gave you your Freedom. It cannot truly be taken away. There is no power that can take it. God Himself will not take it from you. The decree has gone forth in the Heavens.
The Creator gave you your Rights.
I will go on... All matter obeys God on a sub-atomic level. The universe gives obedience voluntarily and recognizes and honors him because he is Just. He walks the razor's edge of Celestial Law. There is no turning aside from it. There is an exception: Man. To us it is given to choose for ourselves, to learn for ourselves, and to decide whether we will rebel or obey. And if we rebel, to decide in this life to repent, or not.
There is an illusion in this life, a forgetfulness, but we are fitful and turning in our slumber. I know others who can feel it too. Perhaps as you read this, your eyes will well up, and a spark will flare inside your mind...
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Saturday, January 31, 2004
Another Eid, another fear, and another hope.
:: Today is the Eid of Adha eve.(also called the BIG EID in Iraq as it lasts for 4 days, while the Eid of Fetr lasts for 3). I went for a drive with Zeyad this afternoon and the streets were incredibly crowded, everyone is out for shopping; clothes, gifts, food and greeting cards are all selling very well these days, as families prepare to welcome their guests who visit them to exchange greetings on the days of the Eid:(Kol a'am wintobkheer), this is the most familiar greeting and it means:(may you be alright and safe every year) and for some families prepare to welcome their relatives who return from Saudi Arabia after they finish the Haj ceremonies in Mekka(44,000 iraqis went for Haj this year, and this number is the greatest that ever did). The hyper activity in Baghdad tells that people want to go on with their lives and celebrate their Eid with no fear of what terrorists might plan to do, as Iraqis suffered form terrorists' attacks on the Eid of Fetr, Christmas, and New year.
Iraqis know that their joy and their feeling of peace is the favorite target of criminals who want to show their hatred to peace and freedom and their anger with what Iraqis are achieving everyday, and they sent their message of hate this morning by their bloody attacks both on civilians and coalition forces.
I hope that the coming days will be peaceful and that my people will enjoy their Eid without troubles, and…HAPPY EID TO EVERYONE.
Friday, January 30, 2004
:: Dr. Rajaa Khuza’e (female member of the GC) met Mr. Bill Gates (the head manager of Microsoft) and discussed with him the possibility of Microsoft’s contribution in the process of reconstruction and also the possibility of making benefit of the software that the Microsoft produces to improve the countryside areas in Iraq. Mr. Gates assured Dr. Rajaa that his institution is ready to give all types of support to the Iraqi people, and they agreed to include some Iraqi countryside areas in the institution’s programs. The names of these areas will be announced soon.
:: After 10 days in Basra, I came back to Baghdad, and I noticed a great progress in the project of repairing the high voltage towers lines. Now we can see only small gaps in the line, almost all towers are repaired or replaced and most of the cables are aligned and fixed to the towers. In my estimation, it won’t take more than a month or two to finish the work on this line.
:: A considerable raise has been added to the salaries of all officials, the new ranking system required a delay in paying the salaries till after the coming (EID of ADHA or HAJ), however some ministries have already paid salaries to their employees.
My uncle, who works in the ministry of electricity, received his new salary according to the new ranking system and he got about a 40% raise (from 240,000 to about 350,000 ID) which equals now about 250 $ instead of 150 $ last month (taking also in consideration the recent increase in ID exchange value). My uncle's happiness was obvious, as now he can afford to live in a relatively higher standard of living, so I asked him about what he feels now about the regime change, he said" if I happen to meet Mr. Bremer, I'll give him a hug and kiss him",(don't get him wrong!, a kiss is a traditional greeting between men in Iraq just like other oriental nations).
:: The Iraqi women national team for basketball reached the Asian championship finals. It’s interesting to know that the team did not win the preliminaries; instead, two teams from the same group (Jordan and Lebanon) quit the qualifiers for some reason!!.
Wednesday, January 28, 2004
Ambition that blinds.
"You can say that it's great that Saddam is gone and I'm sure that a lot of Iraqis feel it is great that Saddam is gone. But a lot of them gave their lives. And their living standard is a whole lot worse now than it was before."
By statements like these you deny any honourable motives for the great job your people are doing here. How in your opinion will this affect the morale of your soldiers? Feeling that their people back at home don’t support them and that they’re abandoned to fight alone in the battlefield.
Your words and those of others were insults to the Americans, Iraqis and moreover to yourself, and I’m certain you don’t represent the number of Americans you fanaticise about. I’m sorry for being so rude, but I really tried hard to restrain myself from being more direct, and thus nearly as rude as you were. If I wanted to respond just as an Iraqi who is so offended by your words, my feelings wouldn’t have been expressed without using a language nastier than what I’ve committed myself to on writing on this blog.
Please consider this for a moment, does winning the elections and getting rid of GWB and the republicans worth the damage you’re inflicting on your men and women’s morale?
-By Ali.
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
Elections hysteria
Today I’m going to talk again about the elections and the demands of the political powers that try to lead to the country and grasp all the authorities in their hands, and the call of others for early elections and all the hysteria about independence and the necessity of handing the authority into the hands of Iraqis as soon as possible.
This time I’m going to state my personal opinion that I think many Iraqis don’t share with me.
I’ve never seen a hilarious and appalling scene such as the one I’m witnessing these days and again I thank God that it was the others who liberated us.
I can’t understand why people never learn from the lessons of the past. Why do they have to commit the same mistake and face the same consequences to find out that they were wrong? And what independence and what sovereignty and such loose terms they’re cheering for? What are their ambitious programs for the future of Iraq? What resources they’ll count on to achieve their plans and what is the international society they want to join? Do they really comprehend the extent of the challenges they are going to face? And are they capable, once they get their independence and sovereignty, of dealing with those challenges?
Really, this scene reminds me of the same demand Iraqis called for following the (liberation?!) of Iraq from the Ottoman Empire at the hands of the British. At that time a naive group called themselves ‘patriots’ started to yell for similar demands and made a huge fuss about it, and when they got what they wanted and in the 1st meeting for the elected Iraqi ministers’ council, they found that the questions and challenges they were facing were much more than what they could handle with their modest abilities, so they hurried again to the British asking for their support and the British ambassador, with the members of the political council of the delegation, asked for a financial support for Iraq, which ensued in hard arguments among the members of the British parliament to approve at the end, at granting financial support to the new Iraqi government to help it perform its duties.
Here I remember the speech made by the late Jawaharlal Nehru at the 1954 (I'm not sure about the date) Bandong conference, when he was shocked with the naivety of the representatives of the (independent) Asian and African countries and how they underestimated the difficulties they were going to face, that’s if they were aware of such difficulties.
Of course here the situation is different, some will say (the naïves of these days), “We are an oil producing country!! We will be able to rebuild our country and accomplish all the missions by ourselves” and I ask; will the 12 billion, the 20 billion or even the 30 billion$ a year really suffice to rebuild Iraq? The only thing that I’m sure about is that it will be enough to fill the wallets of those (patriots) and their attendants.
I’m an Iraqi who lived his whole live in Iraq and I know very well those who claim to be the patriots looking for Iraq independence, they will besiege us in a corner once again, they’re asking for handing the security dossier to Iraqis and I know what that means, which you don’t understand clearly. We have more than 100 thousands IP members equipped with the very good arms, cars and technology and get paid more than any other government officer (and they deserve it), we have courts, judges and in the way of building a new law system. So what is left of their dossier to handle? I’ll tell you what:
Their major complain is that the civil administration don’t allow them to control this system and don’t allow them to use extreme force when investigating or interrogating suspects. They want this unconditioned authority and they want it so bad, only to make a firm grip over power. They claim that criminals will not confess unless power is used! They want to torture people. And suppose the terrorists deserve this, who will decide in the future which one is a terrorist and which is just a suspect. These people, although suffered a lot from tyranny and despite that many of them lived in democratic environments for a long time, still behave as if they didn’t learn anything from the lessons of the past, they still look at the government as a way of control and not of serving their people, they will need more time or most probably we need other parties and fresh minds and institutes instead of individuals. This will take time and we simply can't afford rushing things against nature.
Since 1958 and till now every (national hero) comes, claim to be a patriot and promise us peace and prosperity, but the plain reality is that since that time everything started to fall apart, we didn’t add anything significant compared to what was done at the times of (occupation). Take a look with me, before those national governments that came after 1958 we were exporting wheat and rice and now we import them, we had 30 million cattle heads and now only 3 millions, 90% of the railways were built before 1958, 90% of bridges, 90% of oil refineries and pipelines and even the main military bases for Iraqi army were all built at the times of the (occupation), even the largest football stadium in Iraq was built by Kolbenkian (Mr. 5%) as a gift to the Iraqi people. Every comparison made between the (British occupation) and the national governments that followed favors the (occupiers). Let’s imagine for a second what would Iraq have looked like if the British hadn’t left us to the national governments….?? Any idea? Hong Kong for example?
I know, the question will be” so what? Do you want us to stay and run your country for you for ever?”
Certainly this is not what I meant, I was only trying to state why some people are rushing things and my fears if they get what they want. And I’m absolutely sure that the day that we will lead our country for a better future by ourselves is very near, but certainly not within the next few days or months.
-By Mohammed.
Sunday, January 25, 2004
Born on the 9th of April.
What have we learnt from our bitter experience?
I think many of us have learnt so much that makes me some times say to my friends that what we’ve been through was somehow a blessing. If it hadn’t happen, I doubt that we would scratch our heads trying to explore beyond what we were told. This tragedy provoked us to do so, trying to find logical reasons that explain it, after we lost faith in the creditability of what we were told in the schools, mosques and Arab media. We started to look back in history and think about what was happening in different part of the world searching for a clue, a case that resemble ours and most important we dared to look inside our minds hoping and thinking that we might find the real reasons.
Here I recall one of the Jewish friends of this blog telling me that the Jewish people learnt important lessons from the Holocaust and asking me if we have done the same. My hope, and my belief, is that we did. The lesson was hard and cruel, but maybe it will benefit us or at least the new generations in a way that compensate the very high price paid for it.
What did the others learn is something that I have the right only to assume, but I can speak about what I did learn.
I think I’ve learned many things, few mounted to the degree of becoming principles and others still under investigation with some favoring for the new ones over the inherited and I think that is the most important thing that I learned; to question everything and not allowing myself to stop when confronted with (natural or holy facts). I came to the believe that it’s every man’s right to ask, search for answers and dare to make his own conclusion, refuting his fathers’ beliefs and that the lucky man is the one who can find the path to the truth and not the absolute truth as this, in my opinion, is impossible, that is if such a thing as absolute truth ever existed (not in our life at least). To some of western people, this was the way their family raised them or what the school taught. Here it means like being in a war with everyone including yourself.
I also learned to care about the others a little more and about me and my people, a little less. Some may find that hard to believe, but maybe you have noticed that, and blamed me, to be the Iraqi who talks less about his major concern, Iraq. Yes, everything I say has something to do with Iraq, but that’s only because Iraq seems to be the major concern of the world these days and because I see that the Iraqi people are in real need for help and I happen to be an Iraqi living in Iraq. I’m going to talk about my life now, as I thought that this would be a beneficial illustration to what shall follow.
I was born an Arab Sunni Muslim Iraqi. This is what my ID says and what people surrounding me since birth have been telling me about myself, and I was proud about that and I though it couldn’t have been better, I was one of the luckiest people on earth.
The 1st thing that collapsed inside me was my belief in (Arab nationalism) and it wasn’t very easy, but it wasn’t very difficult either. This absolutely doesn’t mean that I hate being Arab or that I don’t like Arab. It’s about the idea (Arab nationalism) and I like Arab just as I like any other people. It’s just that being an Arab doesn’t mean anything that matters to me, it’s just a coincidence that doesn’t make me better than the others nor does it make me less than them.
Followed that, the loss of my Sunni belief, and that wasn’t easy at all. The religious feelings in the ME are very strong and complex even among different Islamic Mathahib, it has something to do with belonging to a certain group of people more than being a belief and this belonging is even stronger than the one to Islam. You could find people who are not religious at all, yet have a very strong belonging to their Mathahb.
Being an Arab is something that I couldn’t change (if it was needed to), it’s neither a privilege nor a handicap, but being a Sunni -even if it was inherited- is something I can change, and that’s what I did. This doesn’t mean that I turned to become a She’at, a Wahabi or any other Mathahb follower. I (simply) made a step forward from being a Sunni Muslim into just a Muslim.
The way those two stale beliefs fall inside me made me dare to investigate what’s much harder and more dangerous, being an Iraqi and a Muslim.
Changing and denying these two (if it needed to be changed) is much harder and more questionable effort than the former two. It’s because (Arab nationalism) was relatively a new concept and it didn’t take much effort to find out that it was a fanatic one. Besides there were millions of Arabs who refused to believe in it before I was even born and a similar thing applies to being a Sunni, as even among Sunni and She’at, you can find many people who say that they are just Muslims, although it meant in the minds of the vast majority of those that they believed that a Sunni Muslim is the only (real Muslim) and others are not so he can call himself a Muslim still not getting out of his Mathahb. The same applies to the other Mathahib. These people are more hypocrites and fanatical than those who simply say “I’m a Sunni” or “I’m a She’at”. They only agree publicly that fanaticism is an ugly thing while they represent its (purist) forms. As for me and many of my friends, it was completely different. We rejected both, ours and their and all other Mathahib and we spent a long time and effort searching for the real Islam. I'm sure I'm not Sunni anymore.
As I said, rejecting the above was something one can do with clear conscience, but going further carries greater risks. If we suppose that a man reaches, by conviction, a state where he rejects his religion and his nationality -without adapting others- as a way of defining himself, what would he have left to belong to?
No, I’m not one of (Colin Wilson’s non-belonging) and I will not go deeper in the details of investigating my belonging to my country and religion and I will not give a final judgment here, nor do I think I can do for the moment. It’s enough now to say that I’ve done/ still doing my search and I’ve reached a primitive belief that I’ll probably talk about in the future.
Many will say “what is your identity then? What have you left for yourself to believe
Without getting into details again, I’ll simply answer “I’m who I am, just a man who cares for all human and looks at them only through according to what their minds and hearts tell him” of course I have some distinguishing specificities due to my environment and my individual mood and way of thinking, but I never allow them to ammount to the degree that makes me judge people according to things I already rejected and it never separates me from the others and from considering Christian, Jew, American, African…etc a friend and a brother/sister with nothing making me favor the Arab, Iraqi or Muslim over him/her and if there was a need to favor someone, the scale would be-as I said- real feelings and convictions and not what his ID says.
There seems to be a great contradiction here. I’ve just stated that one of the important things I’ve learnt is to be less selfish, and here I’m talking only about myself! Excuse me, but it‘s not me who’s in question here. All I said was a long and boring, yet important introduction to show that minimizing our differences, breaking the boxes we live in (I picked the term from a fabulous speech made by Bill Clinton in London) is such an important issue that requires the greater possible attention on part of all of us, if we wanted to avoid learning only through disasters.
I’m aware that I’m not the 1st one to say this and I’m sure that there are great organizations and political parties in the west that believe and work through similar path, and it is from the teachings of those and the great minds and souls in history that I took the inspiration and the courage to go through the unknown. But I still have to disagree with most of those on how to put our feelings and belief in humanity into action and I'll talk about it in another post.
I broke the walls of my box years ago only to find myself in big jail. Large as this jail was its walls were crushing me along with all the Iraqis and made it even harder for me to go further with my freedom of mind and joining my brothers and sisters. After the 9th of April the walls of this sadistic jail collapsed and a new man was born together with so many Iraqis who are already –and despite the enormous difficulties-prepared to say their word and share the sufferings of others.
By Ali.
Friday, January 23, 2004
The filled half of the glass.
By Ali.
Thursday, January 22, 2004
Elections, illusions and reality.
There is an increasing interest and arguments among Iraqis about the future elections that it has become the major issue in almost every discussion among Iraqis.
I’ve listened to the different opinions representing various sectors with different points of views, but I still see that this decisive issue could go on without making a split in the Iraqi community, as it seems that everyone agrees that in the end it’ll be the votes of Iraqis that will put an end to this peaceful political struggle and that the era of tyranny and the 100% results had gone forever.
Everyone is now sure that he will be free to vote, but the disagreement is about the timing, and in my opinion raising this subject in the mean time is like trying to achieve the falsehood by saying a word of truth, and the subject isn’t void of foreign interferance working hard to lead the experience in Iraq to failure.
No one dares to say that he’s against elections, as his words will be cut and manipulated by the media and will be displayed in parts, like “I’m against elections”, while the 2nd. Part “in the mean time” may be omitted. And that’s what those in the opposite camp (who are against the change in Iraq) want to show, “See, this is America, and those are who got involved with her. They don’t want to see a democratic Iraq, they who claim that they’re a democratic nation, but it’s just another imperial occupation”.
But there’s still an insisting question: those who demand immediate elections were they elected in the first place? Let’s take a look on the Iraqi parties; some of their (elected leaders) have been chairmen for more than a decade. Name one elected personality form those who demand elections.
Why everyone is talking as if he were representing the whole Iraqi people?
Frankly speaking, some of those are acting as representatives for certain neighboring countries who have political interest in delaying democracy in Iraq, and those are backed by the illusions of crowds that went down the streets to support them. But let everyone know (and I’m sure of that) that the result of elections –if performed- will be a shock for them. I still stress that the majority of the Iraqi people are the independent and their only problem is their low voice and their need for a tribune to speak from, however their voice will be the loudest in the voting boxes. And I’m sure if elections were performed in the way I expect the results will drive the misled to question the credibility of the elections, and their shock will lead to tragic outcomes if they tried to evade or disapprove the results of the elections.
And let’s also try to learn something from history, when was there a democracy in Iraq and when that ended? Well, there was democracy (although some consider that it was in the least significant form) when the British were in Iraq –everyone agrees with that- and that democracy was over when the British forces left Iraq and since then Iraq suffered from five decades of dictatorship and military coups.
Everyone knows that maintaining the health of democracy in a positive form requires the existence of the coalition forces, and I think that the poll that the 1st. independent Iraqi institute has performed (which Omar mentioned yesterday) adds to my opinion.
I do not question the good intentions and the visions of the Iraqi parties, and I’m sure that most of them understand this and have already started to coalesce with other groups as they figured out that they (alone) cannot get the required majority they need to get to the chair. What we’re hearing now about alliances among parties calls for a (calm down, the coming state will be neither Islamic nor ethnic), and that’s what’s going to happen, and I’m not pessimistic about the elections results, on the contrary, if the Iraqi people is going to get more time, it will certainly be capable of choosing the best.
-By Mohammed.
Wednesday, January 21, 2004
::The Spanish agency for international cooperation started a project to establish a huge field for rice production in Najaf and Kerbala, over an area of more than 90,000,000 sq meters.
This huge project will get benefit from all the updated technologies of agriculture. After agriculture in Iraq has been ignored for years. Also the project will provide jobs for about 300 agricultural engineers.
The whole project is a gift from the Spanish government.
::500 extra mega watts will be added to the capacity of (Al-msayab) power station, which is one of the major sources of electricity for Baghdad.
::The BBC have signed a contract to establish 3 transmission stations for TV and radio in Basra, Nassiriya, and Amara in the south of Iraq. These stations will provide service for about 4 million citizens, and will cover some areas that were never covered by the former or present Iraqi broadcasting.
The contract involved building studios, transmission facilities and training qualified staff.
::The (independent institute for civil community studies) performed a poll about the situation of security in the country, and the results indicated that 75% of Iraqis would feel unsafe if the coalition forces decided to leave Iraq immediately.
News from Al-Sabaah journal.
::A few days ago, I was watching Al-Iraqia TV channel (with some friends), and in the news, they mentioned something about a (suicidal bomb attack in Israel by a Palestinian young man). None of my friends noticed the change in attitude of the Iraqi media that I noticed. This is the first time that an Iraqi TV uses the term (suicidal) instead of the common (FEDAYEE) used by Arab media and the former Iraqi TV media to describe those attacks.
Abu Haider!...Abu Jassim!
-Yesterday, I was having a conversation with one of my friends about the situation in Iraq and the elections idea, and after he gave his opinion about the subject, he added” I’m sure that ABU HAYDER” will find a solution for the problem.
I asked” and who’s that Abu Haider”?
He said” do you really don’t know him”?
“It’s the new name for Paul Bremer”.
I was surprised and asked,” where did you hear that”?
He said” I don’t really know, someone started it for sure, then it spread out”
(Haider is one of the favorite names for Iraqis, is it’s a name they use to call the historical Islamic leader Ali Bin Abi-Talib).
I reviewed the history of Iraqis in giving names to certain people or employees, and remembered that Iraqis used to call the British with the name (ABU NAJI) and that name was common after the British came to Iraq after WW1. Also Iraqis have special names for people who have certain jobs, for example, any soldier is called (ABU KHALEEL) and any policeman is called (ABU ISMA’EEL).
It seems that my people are fond of the word (ABU=father of..)!. Every man is named after the name of his older son or daughter (ABU something) or if he doesn’t have children yet, they call him after a famous historical personality having the same first name, so any Mohammed can be called (Abu Qassim or Abu Jassim) after our prophit Mohammed who had a son called (Qassim), and every Ali is called (Abu Hussain) after Ali Bin Abi-Talib(the prophit’s cousin).
Anyway, this sort of nicknames is usually used among friends or relatives (informal), and when a stranger uses this form it indicates that he wants to start a friendly conversation.
This (system) can be used also for calling someone names, by using the word ABU and the suffix will be a dirty word!!
By the way, Iraqis have a freaking huge list of dirty words, and these are continuously modified and updated!!
For me, you can call me (Abu Khattab), as some friends do, after Omar Bin Al-Khattab the historical Islamic leader.
When a man is married and he’s become old and still has no children, he will also be subjected to this rule, and his friends call may him (Abu Ghayeb)=father of the absent.
no one seems to be far from the reach of the Iraqis' tongues. don't you think so?
Tuesday, January 20, 2004
The holy, the bad and the crazy.
A lot of arguments were made about Al-Sistani’s last statement regarding the agreement between the CPA and the GC regarding the handing of authority into the hands of a temporary government.
I’ll attempt to clear things if possible, but let me say what I think, and you may like it or not.
:: First of all, THAT STATEMENT WAS NOT A FATWA. It was an answer for a question asked by an American journalist. If this issue is so important(from the religious point of view) and needed a fatwa, then why wait till it was raised by a journalist?
Sistani, obviously not wanting to respond with a fatwa, made a brief statement as just (an Iraqi citizen) although (he’s in fact an Iranian).
There was absolutely no orders or commands in his statement, he made a few suggestions, but the emotional crowds, led by some fanatics took this statement and showed it as a fatwa, led also by political ambitions and fear from a new government that will not represent the Sheia as they want.
Many elements contributed to such manipulation of the words made by Sistani, one of these is the fear that inhabited the minds of most Sheia from a central government that will not represent them and will therefore oppress them, just like all the former Iraqi governments had done, it’s a psychological response that is not totally unjustified.
::The second point is that strong Sheia local leaders see in the current situation a golden opportunity for elections, which would lead (in their opinion) to their success.
Another point is the influence of neighboring countries (namely Iran) and Arab media and some western media also who love to see a large division among Iraqis and between Iraqis and Americans showing these simple words as an objection and defiance of the majority of Iraqis to the GC and the CPA.
To be fair, Sistani has always tried his best to stay away from politics before and after the war even after many persistent questions from all parts trying to get some words from his mouth to dress them in a holy figure and present them to the Iraqi people as a fatwa that should be followed.
::Let me say a few words about Sistani:
My opinion was and still that most of the clerics are hypocrites and corrupted, but as every rule has its exceptions, there are very few clerics and Mullahs who are simply, good people with convictions that we don’t share (this is my current opinion, but future events may prove I was wrong).
One of the rare statements he made was to the Washington post through his secretary and in that, he urged the clerics to stay away from politics and dedicate their lives to study their religion and that politics and economy have their own men who know better than the clerics about these matters!
Isn’t that a call for a secular pattern of political regime?
And there’s another point about Al-Sistani. It’s that he never talks in public (in person) as he uses different deputies to receive questions or to announce his statements to the people, and those deputies often add their touch to his statements according to the way each one of those understands the statement and of course according to their personal interests.
However, the reactions to the last statement was unpleasant and was not realistic at all. Real elections are almost impossible to carry out in the current circumstances and even if it was done it will be unfair and will lead to a very unfavorable outcome.
Besides, the temporary government was never and cannot be a legitimate representative of Iraqis and that was the case in all revolutions or radical changes affecting countries whether from in or outside.
Al-Sistani stated that if the UN investigations proved that the circumstances in Iraq now do not allow the elections to be done, then he’ll give up the call for elections. This seems to me an attempt to extricate himself from the unpleasant position in which his supporters had put him! Yes, it's one of the strange things about the Sheia leaders is that they are led by their supporters rather than lead them (strange in the world of religious fanaticism and when compared to other Muslim clerics).
A temporary government is just a temporary authority needed to run things and coordinate of different sectors of public facilities and ministries, but its main job would be preparing for a constitutional conference that would be responsible for writing down a constitution that will be put into a plebiscite for the Iraqis who will have the final word.
And after that, and according to the future constitution, general and fair elections can be made easily as the temporary government cooperates with the coalition to eliminate the Ba’athists and the fascists (which is happening, although not as fast As we wish) providing a safe and healthy environment for all Iraqis who should by this period re-organize themselves and focus more on their carriers and their vision for the future.
This fact will definitely lower the chances of the radical groups in gaining the desired majority, and it will also lower the GC chances, all in the favor of other small moderate liberal and democratic parties, which already have began to unite their efforts against the strong religious and ethnic groups.
The last fact was what made the GC parties push for a close dead line to form a temporary government while their stocks are still high, and it made other radical and religious groups demand the same with only the exception that they want it to be done through general elections, not forgetting the pressure the American administration is subjected to from in and outside the US, as well as in Iraq.
What I desire, what we should do, and what will probably result needs at least another post.
By Ali.
Monday, January 19, 2004
Breaking news!.
Right now, there is a large rally passing through the streets of baghdad, I'm watching the demonstartors from inside a shop of a friend of mine, fortunately I was carrying my camera, so I took some photos .here and .here.
:: No political slogans were carried, however there are many religious ones. I knew from some passers-by that the demonstrators were instructed not to carry political slogans.
:: The rallies were organized by the (HAWZA), so the vast majority of the demonstratos are the followers of Al-Sistani, Muqtada Al-Sadr, and the SCIRI, and the rallies are supporting the Sistani's (FATWA) about the necessity for elections before the formation of a soverign temporary government next June.
:: I estimate that the number of demonstrators is around 10,000 or maybe more, as the rallies are still moving.
:: I'm against that idea, but our struggle for freedom has taught me to respect the others' right to voice their opinion as long as they do it peacefully and without offending or harming others.
:: As you can see, i've set up a button to accept donations that will help me maintain and improve my blog-work. Thanks to Mr. Tom Villars for his help.
Sunday, January 18, 2004
As long as it takes.
Once again, the soldiers of darkness try to spread their theory, the theory of horror, among our people to in desperate desire to stop the wheel of life.
I mentioned in a previous post that they’re targeting life in its; opportunities, childhood and hard work. And I mentioned that we –as Iraqis- have decided to go through this war as we believe in our just and legal cause. And I hope that no one will be misled to think that the target here is the Iraqi model alone.
No, they’re targeting freedom as a principle of life.
Yes, I say it once again; we’re fighting in a (war on behalf). And when we ask for the free world’s help, it’s because we feel that it’s a war of all the free and it's just another step in a long hard, yet unavoidable struggle.
We’re not doing a favor for the others, and no one is doing us a favor; the concerns are common, and the war is everyone’s responsibility.
Our failure is your failure too, and also our success is yours too.
And away from emotions, vulgar as this may seem, I think it's true: People who think that the USA will simply pull out of Iraq because of these attacks prove that they are less realistic than they think they are. The failure in Iraq will simply doom any future step to fight terrorism to failure. And even if the majority in America is against staying in Iraq for another year or two, one should not over estimate the power of American public opinion. This is certainly not Vietnam or Somalia and whether we (Iraqis as well as Americans) like it or not, America will stay in Iraq "As long as it takes" There is no safe retreat here, and if you don't believe me wait and time will prove which one of us was optimistic, realistic and right. If I was wrong and America does pull soon out of Iraq, what do you think will happen? I'm afraid that we will both be unsafe, but for different reasons. Iraq will be unsafe because of the risks of theocracy and civil war (2 possible events if it wasn't for the presence of the overwhelming American power). Yet Iraq will get rid of one threat; the terrorist Mujahideen! Yes these will simply follow your soldiers wherever you go, just as they followed you from Afghanistan to Iraq (they're still functioning there, but their focus now is Iraq). Some will say: do our soldiers have to go anywhere? The answer is simply: yes. You tried to stay away from (the old world's troubles) many times, and what was the result? I'll leave the answer to you.
Everyone should understand this point, and we should repeat it whenever we got the chance, so that the one who sits watching his TV, giving excuses or analyses without feeling bitter about what’s happening to my people or his country men who volunteered to fight in this war and question the need for this war will understand and feel the depth of the conflict.
Our brothers and your sons are bleeding for our sake, for your sake and for the sake of the whole free world.
I wish you can come and see Baghdad’s streets after today’s crime. No one ran away to his home, life didn’t stop, students didn’t quit their exams, banks and shops are still open and police patrols still moving in the streets.
The streets were crowded, and people were shouting loudly this time “LET THE MUJAHIDEEN GO TO HELL”.
Terrorists say “we want death more than you want life” I say “we want life more than death, because it’s God’s gift, and we appreciate his gift”.
We will not give our lives up, the doctor will stay in his hospital, the policeman will keep doing his duty and the soldiers –from all over the world- who chose to fight will stay in their positions.
You must remember this well; no one is safe from the threats of the terrorists or their violence, but we’re determined to keep up the work.
I’m not trying to look like a saint, yes, we have our fear and anxiety but we dream and work, and your soldiers and our policemen and soldiers sacrifice their lives in the hope of achieving peace and freedom not only in Iraq, but also(in the near future as I believe) in the whole region. For as long as there are still dictatorships and totalitarian regimes in neighboring countries, Iraq, America and the whole world will never be safe.
I’m looking forward for the future, and I’m sure about victory in this war, and we must never lose our belief in the coming victory.
We will not let the pessimistic and those who try to let us down have their bad effect on our determination.
We will all pass this period, and then we shall celebrate the rebuilding of Iraq, and then cowards will have no place among us.
::By Mohammed and Ali.
Saturday, January 17, 2004
Sharia, dreams, and nightmares.
When I first heard about the announcement 137, I felt extremely upset and worried.
My upset was further increased when I followed some of the reactions by western media and reading some comments on posts on various blogs including Iraqis such as “get the troops out of Iraq now”, “if the sheia want theocracy let them go to Iran”, “that’s why we opposed the war” or “we should’ve left SH there, it seems that those people can only be governed by dictators” and so on.
Honestly, I was furious when I started writing this post, I wanted to curse everyone; the GC, Islamic parties, religions, Iran, Iraqi bloggers …etc.
But that only lasted for a moment; this is not how I truly feel, and it is not the time to be angry as emotional judgments often miss the point.
I gathered my shattered thoughts together and tried to examine this as calm as I can and found that through all this mess there are some facts that can be concluded before reacting to this, who was behind it? Who objected? And to what degree extreme reactions were true and justified?
So here we come to some facts:
1-The announcement comes from an unauthorized council, and therefore Iraqi courts and Iraqi people are not committed to follow it.
2-according to Jalal Talbani; the announcement didn’t get the necessary majority (2/3 of the votes) therefore it’s illegal.
3-we don’t have a constitutional council yet, thus it’s out of question to put such issues into discussion.
4-the announcement is not signed by the CPA head, who has the veto, so it’s still just a proposition.
5-the public coverage was so scarce which gives rise to suspicions, was it made to please the Mullahs and gain their support, by trying to pass this agreement without public announcements fearing objections?
6-sharia is a relative term, which one the proposition was referring to: Sunni, Sheia, Wahabi? With their sub-divisions? Islamic Sharia in Iraq refers to classical Sunni and Sheia sharia, and not to the more radical Wahabi (Taliban or Saudi Arabia) nor Islamic brotherhood version (Hamas or Jihad).
7-the Sharia law has been practiced in Iraq for centuries (even when secular governments were in charge, as it didn’t interfere with politics), so this would better described as preservation of an already existing system rather than creation of a new one.
8-there was strong opposition against the proposition inside the GC and on the streets, and that was obvious as Iraqi women (not fearing the fanatics) held demonstrations against the proposition.
9-the people who agreed on this proposition said that it’s not supposed to replace the secular family law, and that it’s just an optional one for committed Muslims, while other Iraqis who do not want to submit to this one will still have the secular one.
Using these facts in an attempt to answer the above questions, one can come with some simple conclusions:
1-this is the wrong decision, made by the wrong people at the wrong time, resulting in wrong reactions.
2-this is either a real demand by the Islamic parties, or just a political bluff.
a-If it’s a real demand, then it’s either:
- Signaled by fear on the part of Islamic parties and groups that a secular government (which seems to be inevitable and almost everyone agrees with as it’s supported by the USA) would restrain the religious activities and their effect on the community, such as what happened in Turkey.
-Or it was made to get more political ground, taking advantage of what seems to be the support of the majority of Iraqis turning this advantage into solid achievements on the ground.
b-could it be a bluff? It seems that it makes sense, when one puts in mind that the USA would never allow a theocracy in Iraq, then such suggestion made by Islamic groups (probably supported by some neighboring countries, to damage the relation between Iraqis and Americans) would really embarrass the American administration, and the immediate response to the American veto will be “ see, didn’t we tell you that the Americans are here to fight Islam?”
Giving the facts and assumptions, how should we react to this?
-If it’s a real demand, then just forget it, because even if the CPA didn’t use the veto, I’m sure that the majority of Iraqis will not approve of it. And when elections will be held, and a constitution is written (if it holds to that time), this particular point will not achieve the desired majority. And I know what I’m talking about.
They look stronger and out numbering only on the streets and only in this unstable period, where emotions play a considerable role in men’s decisions. But if a free plebiscite made in stable conditions, it will be much different.
-If it’s a trap? Ok, let’s play it their way.
“Give us the type of Sharia you want, and we will give you our immediate approval. Write your Sharia down, and we will accept it”
These people; committed Sunni and Sheia, hate each other more than you imagine, they can only unite for a few weeks against what they consider a common enemy.
Let’s step aside and deprive them of this (common enemy) and you will see that their old quarrels will float to the surface, and they will never reach a consensus even after a hundred years, and each side will hurry back to the CPA to get support.
Such trivial events (yes, trivial, because, as dangerous as they seem to you, they’re not more than futile attempts, by a bunch of idiots trying to reverse history and combat the natural course of events) will not alter the eventual outcome of this struggle.
All is needed (which seems the CPA is doing) is to reassure average people about their religious freedom, provide them good jobs that keep them busy and education that open their eyes.
Our battle is not with them; it’s with those who act behind the curtains, using sensitive issues such as religious beliefs and traditions. The worse thing that we can do today is over reacting in our opposition and using offensive tone. The right tactic, in my opinion, lies in firm determined refusal conveyed through calm diplomatic maneuvering.
I was saddened by some Americans’ and westerners’ reaction to this silly event, I received some e-mails urging me to leave Iraq, and offering me help to find a new life and career in the US or Europe. I heard about similar invitations to other Iraqi bloggers.
Grateful as I am to these generous gestures, I cannot but wonder, whether you were supporting Iraqi freedom or Iraqi bloggers. If you feel the whole thing was a mistake, and Iraqis didn’t/don’t deserve all the trouble and the sacrifices made, then I don’t blame you. That’s certainly how it looks on TV, newspapers and most web sites.
We (Iraqi bloggers) are just phenomena that will soon fade away.
Iraqi freedom is a noble task that will benefit not only the 25 million Iraqis, but also the whole world. And no one said it was going to be easy.
I will not migrate to your heaven and leave people, who desperately need help, to the flames.
I will stay here with all those who believe in this just cause, and fight until the dream come true.
Then and only then, I will come to visit your land, as a friend, grateful for the support you’ve given so far, and will invite you (10 or 20 years from now) to come and see what you’ve bravely and generously participated in creating (a free prosperous and democratic Iraq). Silly as it may seem, I still believe in this dream.
By Ali.
While I was wandering around the hospital where I work at, I saw some construction- finishing being done (on a holiday) near the hospital gate that is protected by the FPS, so I decided to take photos for the workers here, and here. A young kid caught my attention, as he was spending his time not by playing with marbles, fire works or soccer as other kids in his age usually do.
When I asked him about what he was doing, he was shy to answer, but after I insisted a little, he replied hesitantly "I'm building". Despite the dangers on his health that playing with mud may bring, I found it heart lifting, and it gave me hope.
By Ali.
Friday, January 16, 2004
A step on the road.
Yesterday, the Iraqis turned another page from the black pages of the past.
A page that the tyrant wrote with his own hand, and added his ugly portrait to it.
Yesterday, all the Iraqis made up their mind to get rid of Saddam’s currency and Saddam’s face forever. Some might say that this operation wasn’t the decision of the Iraqi people, and that it was forced by foreigners. So here I’m going to point to what happened in the last few months, from which you can see that there was a strong will and determination from the Iraqi people to change the currency.
The tyrant was obsessed with his own figure to the extent that he decided to force all Iraqis to look attentively at his picture every day and in all their deals, and when he stuck his portrait on the money, he forced us to carry his face with us every where and to look at it every time we needed to buy or sell anything. What kind of psychological problems our jailor had?!
The currency overlap operation shows clearly the Iraqis’ ability to change, and their great will to cooperate in everything that serves the country in this new age.
The mission was accomplished with minimal hardships, and with smoothness that makes it an example for the others.
The mercenary of the darkness tried to entangle the operation from the beginning through sending threats to the banks and those who deal with the new currency, and that urged the coalition forces and the IP to provide sufficient protection for the banks, and those threats couldn’t prohibit the Iraqis from queuing to replace the old currency. It was a magnificent scene for order and challenge, yes, we want the change and we will work hard for it.
The overlap had it’s positive influence on the economy, and brought back the people’s trust in the Iraqi dinar.
We have recovered something that we lost a long time ago. Yes we support every action serves our country and improves the life conditions of our people.
Yes, we may make wrong decisions sometimes and right decisions in other times, that’s the case with every new beginning, and it’s normal to find some confusion. Actually the overlap was a good indicator to a better future and we hope that the coming steps of the reconstruction process will witness the same good order and performance and carry the same challenge spirit.
Snap shots from the overlap process:
:: the banks kept working yesterday until 9 pm exceeding the official work hours to guarantee that those who have been late will have the opportunity to replace the old money.
:: we could see almost every day a person walking in the street getting out some small notes of the old money that he has forgotten in his pocket and then he starts to tear these notes as if this action was agreed upon by everyone.
:: there’s still a problem with the small notes, as small amounts of these were printed, however, some shop keepers found a way to overcome this problem by giving a piece of candy instead of the change.
And I saw a grocer once who found a problem with finding the 100 ID note to give the change to the customer after she gave him a 250 ID, so he returned the 250 ID back to her saying” doesn’t matter, as long as we got rid of the tyrant’s ugly face”.
:: there was obvious eagerness from the neighboring countries to buy the new Iraqi currency especially from Kuwait, Jordan, and Egypt aiming to get a fast benefit, because everybody believes that the exchange price for the new currency will improve in the coming weeks.
:: the old currency disappeared about a week ago, but yesterday was the day of the end and forever.
:: the overlap process deprived the terrorists from the having the opportunity to fund their operations, as the agents of the past regime were keeping billions of ID’s and those found great difficulty to replace the money, as this action would certainly uncover their identities and the uncover the huge sums the possessed and they would never take the risk to appear in public to declare that they have all that money and they can’t trust anyone to do the job for them.
:: the overlap process reinforced the unity of Iraqis, after they were dealing with two different versions (the so called SWISS in the north, that was printed in the 80’s and the so called PRINTING in the rest of Iraq, that was printed after 1991), now they’re using the same currency.
By: Mohammed.
Thursday, January 15, 2004
AYS and I returned back to Baghdad yesterday (for a vacation) after we finished our assignment procedures, I’m gonna have to stay in the village for about 3 weeks /month, while AYS will have to stay for 2 weeks only (don’t ask me why!).
Life there is very peaceful, quiet, simple and boring. The Iraqi TV transmission does not cover the region, no newspapers available, and the phone lines are still down.
We spent about a week there with almost nothing to do except the 4 hour daily job in the health centers, so our main problem was how to spend the rest of the day.
Our main amusement was to prepare a cup of tea and sit on the back fence of the house, watch the view, smoke cigarettes and talk about preparing drinks for the night.
By the way, our cab broke on the way between Amara and Al-Kut, and I took this photo for the driver and some passengers trying to fix the problem.
::The exchange price for the ID against the US dollar has increased considerably in the last few days; from 1620 ID for 1 $ to about 1000 ID for 1 $ then declined again to settle at about 1400 ID for 1 $ this morning.
People are in a state of confusion for this wide range of price variation, and no one could determine what the actual reason is.
::Some suggest that this situation is caused by, reaching the end of the time limit for dealing with the old currency. And as the new one is well protected from faking and still available in fewer amounts than the old one (there were huge sums of faked money in Iraq and these are out of exchange now), then it’s natural to have its exchange value increased.
::Others suggest that there have been huge (money smuggling operations) across the borders, by merchants from the neighboring countries who desire to make benefit from illegal money transfer, ie. Withdrawing the money from the Iraqi market to increase the price of the ID and later pump the money back to Iraq to get the price difference.
I see(from my experience) that the 1st. theory is more acceptable, and if that was true and the price remained around 1400 then this means that salaries will be more capable of satisfying the needs of people.
Wednesday, January 14, 2004
A few great men.
A couple of days ago, I received an e-mail that made me feel ashamed of myself. It was from an American soldier serving in Iraq and besides doing his job, and risking his life daily to protect his country and the freedom of the Iraqis, he posts some articles in the Internet trying to build a bridge of trust and faith between his people and the Iraqis. Obviously this was not enough for him. He sent me an e-mail with a copy of an article he wrote in which he addresses the Iraqi people urging them to unite and have a more active role in building their country and establishing democracy. He told me that he was on the opinion of publishing it in Arabic in one of the Iraqi newspapers and was asking for my advice and help. It was a beautiful article that comes straight from the heart.
I couldn’t help wondering what was the power that pushes this man to endure such an effort and give so generously, not only for his country but also for other people. And I started asking myself, what can I do more?
As some of you may know I’m a doctor and I try to do my professional duties as best as I can and study to make a progress in my career, and in my spare time, I help my brothers on this blog. All this seems fine. But compared to what this man is doing it’s nothing. Besides all what I do has selfish motives. I work to earn my living and study to improve my financial and social status, and when I write here, I actually enjoy it a lot; I enjoy my freedom to express my thoughts and feelings and I enjoy meeting wonderful people, I make new friends and learn from the readers much more than I give them. I’m not trying to be modest here. I have my ethical motives but they are not the only, and maybe not the major, ones.
That’s why I find myself always asking what can I do more? And I often find myself helpless when people ask me how can they help? And what is there to be done? They offer their help so generously and I simply can’t translate it into actions.
It’s been a long time since I started thinking what could be the solutions to Iraq’s major problems, even before the law of liberating Iraq was approved by the American congress. I kept asking myself, then what? What after Saddam will be toppled? As this was an easy and definite conclusion to me. For despite how Saddam looked to Iraqis, he was extremely weak compared to an American army and this was not just because of the huge difference on the scale of military power and technology. He derived his strength from our fear of him and his brutal regime, a fear that paralyzed our minds, a fear that the Americans were free of. I n addition to that, and more important is that he was completely isolated from his people who stood watching him being defeated without moving a finger.
But then what? What after freedom? How is this terribly poor nation with all the prevalent ignorance, diseases and complete isolation from the rest of the world for decades, will become a free prosperous and democratic nation? How long will that take? And what should be done in order to achieve this drastic change?
In my opinion such sudden change is unfortunately impossible. This will take long years at least. But if this is the case then at least we should make sure that we lay our feet on the right path and start walking cautiously and (slowly if it has to be so), but with trust and strong determination until we reach the point were our peoples minds and souls become free from the chains of a long history of oppression and false beliefs. Then, I believe that the wheels will start to run almost automatically and in a growing pace just like a snowball. It needs to be pushed first, and nature will do the rest.
We are not Germany or Japan, and as I refused to demand miracles from America, I find it unfair to demand from the Iraqis to be like Japan or Germany. These nations were, when they started rebuilding, already ahead of us in a considerable distance in culture and resources. I use the word ‘rebuilding’ here but I didn’t use it when talking about Iraq, and this is on purpose. The word ‘rebuilding’ makes one think that there was something that worth mentioning, and that it was destroyed during the war and therefore it needs rebuilding. This maybe suitable in case of Japan and Germany, while in Iraq it’s completely different. There was nothing worth mentioning that has been destroyed and need to be rebuilt unless you call some buildings with their furniture as a valuable infrastructure. The main problem was that there was nothing important being built under Saddam’s rule and the already existing infra structures were terribly neglected, hence the more appropriate word should be ‘building’ Iraq and not ‘rebuilding’. And again the starting point should be building trust and hope in the future inside Iraqis’ minds.
The way I see it, is that the Americans are doing their best and most of the Iraqis are doing so too. Do not get fooled by the scenes presented by the media and do not miss- interpret the Iraqis whining as that they are spending their time sleeping in their beds and waiting for you to do their job. Although I don’t deny that there are such people, but they are by no means represent the majority.
Iraqis whine mainly because they are free to do so for the 1st time in their life, and my friend who was (whining) in the last post, in fact works with your soldiers risking his life every day too. Or how do you think things would have been if Iraqis refused to cooperate with the coalition? Do you think that your soldiers (as good as they are) could sniff the criminals and terrorists and pull them out of millions if there wasn’t such cooperation. Even the Ba’athists have become convinced of this fact and began turning their weapons in Mousul, for example, to the US army, as it became clear to them that they cannot fight both the American army and their own people.
It’s been months since most of Iraqis are back to there jobs and I don’t exaggerate when I say that most of them are doing that with a devotion that I’ve never seen at Saddam’s times. Iraqi police are doing a remarkable job in arresting the criminals which lowered the crimes rate considerably in the last few months, and they are therefore subjected to almost daily terrorist attacks in which many of them lost there lives while doing their job.
Still the picture is not what we all desired, and that what make some people on both sides complain and blame the other side, but that’s the nature of things. Building a strong, free and democratic country starting from nearly zero requires a hard, long and persistent effort. I may not live to see my dream come true, but at least I can have the honor of assisting in setting a corner stone for such a bright future, so that my kids or grandchildren can enjoy it.
What is needed today is continuous and coordinated effort on the part of all those whom their interests lie in achieving this great job which will serve not only Iraq and America, but the whole region and therefore the whole world. This demands that the Iraqis should continue to believe in the American’s good will, and that the American and the coalition continue to believe that the Iraqis deserve this future and can do their part of the job, which is of course the major one. And who knows, maybe what I consider to be a remote and impossible goal, in the near future, will turn to be not that far.
I’ve heard some painful words lately that made me somewhat depressed and less hopeful, but then I got that e-mail and I also remembered that American soldier who came once to this blog. He had been serving in Iraq when he was attacked and broke all four limbs, and then he was transferred back into the USA to get more medical help. After speaking shortly on the course of his service in Iraq, he apologized to me and to the Iraqi people for not doing this job in 1991! I told him that there was absolutely no need on his part to apologize and that he had done much more than enough, and I was never more true and honest than when I said that. How can I not be so?? Do you know what was his reply? His words-and I’ll never forget them- were” I’m honored to serve you and your people”! Can you possibly imagine the effect those words had on me? I tried to answer him, my hands reached for the keyboard, but my fingers froze over the letters which suddenly turned into strange figures that were unable to translate my feelings into words that makes sense. I didn’t reply to him. I couldn’t.
I told this to all my friends, and now whenever I meet someone who doubts the American soldiers honesty and motives, I throw those words (the soldier’s) into his face saying, “This is how an American soldier, who broke his four limbs in Iraq, looks at you and me and his job in Iraq”, And as expected his response would be a silent embarrassment.
All that I hope is that we could rise as near as possible to those 2 great men. They were Americans, yes, and thank God for that, and just for the record one of them is Muslim. I’m sure that there are many Americans and Iraqis who are doing there best with such a great love and devotion to the others. As I know that there are at least hundreds of thousands of Iraqis who lost their lives while they were trying to do what the coalition forces led by the USA did.
From now on, call me a whiner or call me a CIA agent, I don’t care. I’ll continue to do what I do and I’ll try to do more; asking questions, searching for solutions inspired through this long and hard journey by the few great men that I’ve met and so many others whom I haven’t had the honor of meeting, but I know that they believe in me, just as I believe in them.
-By Ali.
Sunday, January 11, 2004
After a short and risky journey through religion, we’ll go back to our major concern; the situation in Iraq. This time I’ll step aside and let a friend of mine, who have posted before in our blog, express his view points about the current developments in Iraq. I must stress again that his post doesn’t necessarily matches the way my brothers or I see the situation in Iraq. The idea is to provide the readers with opinions of other Iraqi people whether we agree or disagree with them. I’ve posted my friend e-mail so that you can contact him if you have some comments about his post.
Before it's too late.
By: I. Adnan
Its been 9 months since the liberation of Iraq, its not too long but its not too short either and there is no chance denying what Coalition Forces accomplished on security level by eliminating the remnants of the (Ba’ath) party, on top of it Saddams capture which all Iraqis and maybe the whole world doubted that he’ll never be captured and will disappear forever just like Usama Bin Ladin but his capture proved to everyone that the hand of justice is still strong enough chasing the wanted ones and gave us a hope in capturing Bin Ladin for the souls of thousands of his innocent victims to rest in peace.
What’s now… everybody wonder and everyone in Iraq is waiting. Waiting for things to get better and for life to be easier and happier as it’s been so long since they lived a happy day. But how common people see things and how they look at life and through what kind of perspective? If you start asking anyone in Baghdad how is your life? He’ll start complaining about the general utilities (electricity, fuel…etc) and you know what? They have the right to complain since the situation of general utilities is miserable and started having bad effect on the simple people life who hope to live a happy life after the tyrant and his regime are gone.
If the situation in Iraq continues to be like what it is now it will lead us to (lack of trust) situation in which can evolve to candid opposition to the American existence in Iraq which is very essential to Iraq stability and we all know that there are many powers and trends seeking for this (lack of trust) situation and will try their best to increase it and the fact is that they don’t need to do much efforts since problems already exist and they only need to promote them to the people in a wicked way.
What do we want…? To hurry up and start right away to win the trust of people through taking care of their needs and this also will help the literate people who are doing their best to explain to the average Iraqi people the benefits and importance of the American existence in Iraq to ensure its safety and stability.
We all know that the United States and her allies have allocated too much money for Iraq reconstruction and they are spending this money right now but the problem is that there is nothing significant on the ground! And for a simple man who thinks of today and don’t know much about tomorrow its useless to speak to him about the bright future of Iraq cause he’s already doubting it.
So for everyone who want to see the stability in Iraq again I say take care of the simple people needs cause they are the majority of the Iraqi people and they are the nucleus of stability in it. So please hurry up before it’s too late.
Saturday, January 10, 2004
Religion, sex and the Middle East
When I first heard about the idea of prohibiting (al-hijab) in public French school, I thought that I should write about it as I felt there was something wrong and strange about it. After a while I deferred the idea and said to myself that it is an internal French affair that concerns only the French people and I didn’t want to get in the middle of an intricate and sensitive matter such as religion. Still I couldn’t keep myself from wondering what is the motive of the French government and what effect such decision may have outside the French border and mainly in the Islamic world, will it affect the struggle against terrorism and religious fanaticism and if so, in what way, for how long and to what extent?
Then I received some e-mails asking for my opinion on this matter and encouraging me to write about it. One of those was sent by an American Muslim soldier (and a blogger) serving in Iraq .He was telling me how upset he was with the new proposed French law and explaining by the way how –being a Muslim- he was not only accepted by his fellow soldiers, but he was also respected a great deal. I started to look for the reaction of Iraqis and the echo of this proposed law in Arabic and Muslim media, and I found what convinced me to write about it.
I know that this will certainly give me a headache, the least to say. Some people will say that this has absolutely nothing to do with Iraq, which seems so obvious, but I’m still on the opinion that any change in the policy-whether internal or international- of a strong country such as France, and especially when it comes to sensitive issues such as religion, will definitely sooner or later have a strong effect every where in the world. And even if it is not, then I’m still concerned about it as a human being, and I think we all should be, without interfering in other countries internal affairs (if there is such a thing in today’s world) but at least we can learn a lesson through questioning it, seeking the motives and predicting the consequences and wait and see how correct our judgment was.
Although it’s not important, but I like to tell you that I’ve always stood against the Hijab and I find it a completely strange phenomena inserted into Islamic culture when Muslims came into contact with other civilizations, so it’s a tradition and not a religious duty and often a harmful one and unfair to women restricting their freedom and making them look inferior to men, and I will always stand against it unless the woman who wears it do so on her own will, then it would be unfair on my side to force her not to do so. This is not only my opinion; hundreds of Muslim writers and thinkers long ago stated this fact, and many of them even relied on the Qura’an and Muslim history itself to prove that this was a tradition that was given the power of a wholly order to maintain the domination of men over women in a strictly fatherly society
Before going further, I would like to state that I’m speaking here not as a Muslim, but as a man who cares about the future (OUR future) which seems to be-in this critical period-depending on the way the west, and its allies everywhere, will deal with the obvious and growing threat of the evil combination of dictatorship (with the probability of them processing WMDs) and extremist Muslims. The fact that most of the threats and instability in the word comes from Islamic groups (a by-product of dictatorship in the Muslim world) supported most of the time by Arab governments and their media, is a certain one and should be dealt with seriously, firmly yet in a rational manner, making sure that war on radical Islamists is not misinterpreted as war on Islam on the part of common Muslims.
In my opinion, the Islamists in question represent far less than 1% of Muslims, but they are using every possible mean to attract the largest possible number of the frustrated and perplexed average Muslims -who are generally very emotional when it comes to their religious beliefs- to their death net, never missing a single insignificant slip on the part of the western governments to make a fuss about it and start again telling their boring (yet very effective) myth about the historical Zionist-imperialist conspiracy against Islam starting from the crusades!! And in the presence of terrible dictatorships that drive the average Muslims to the edge of despair, trying to find a reasonable explanation to their misery, the paranoid delusion grows stronger day by day, with the Arab media and the local mullahs making sure this frustration and rage aims to the (right direction) that’s to say as far as possible away from their masters.
It’s an inclusive and undeclared agreement between totalitarian regimes and its (on- loose byproduct; the extremism). When these two are joined in one land they end in a bloody war, but when acting on different scenes they become strong allies without even sharing a common goal, each doing his part of a silent deal that gives each one of them what he wants from the other without getting closer than necessary. This may explain to some people how the coalition didn’t lie when they said that Saddam was supporting terrorism.
This threat calls on the part of the good and enlightened Muslims and the western governments and societies to be very careful when dealing with the manifestations related to Islam, addressing most of the time the hearts of the average Muslims more than their minds as (man) will never change his mind unless his emotions change first (It’s not me who said this it’s Dostoevsky).
It’s strange to see that the most affected countries by terrorism such as Israel and the USA have never restrained the religious activities of their Muslim citizens.
Again I must stress that I’m not defending the Hijab, but I’m criticizing the way of the French and German governments in trying to minimize the religious discrimination and sensitivity among their citizens; a very noble task if that what was meant by it, but in the wrong way and at the wrong time as I see it. You may think that I’m exaggerating here, but if you’ve heard and seen what I’ve head and seen you might agree with me.
A friend and a fine reader once commented on this blog that I should keep away from religion, sex and the Middle East. A very good and sincere advice. Unfortunately, I can't stick to this rule as live in a Muslim community in the Middle East, so I can write about various subjects but I can’t stay always from such prickly roads. I’ll be waiting for your opinions whether to go on with such subjects or just shut up, and I think I’ll shut up, at least for now.
Thursday, January 08, 2004
:: the Iraqi orchestra held a concert on the honor of donor countries and institutions, and showed up in a new elegant look.
There were two female musicians in the orchestra, and concert was attended by one of the GC members, the secretary of culture, American officers and other personalities from other countries.
The Iraqi orchestra suffered from severe neglect in the past years; I remember a friend of mine who was fond of classical music used to go to these concerts on Saddam’s times and he was saddened by the miserable conditions those musicians were living. I remember him telling me that the audience usually didn’t exceed 10, some of the members left their job because of the low income and lack of support and encouragement, despite that, the rest of members kept performing their concerts for such a small audience and in such terrible conditions all those years because of their love to music.
:: in an interview with the Iraqi oil minister on the Iraqi TV, he stated that the main reason for the fuel crisis in the past weeks was smuggling and black market deals, and that immediately after applying strict monitoring on the fuel tankers from the refineries to the fuel stations, the crisis almost resolved.
He said that this method was applied only for gasoline and soon other oil products will be included until the production rate exceeds the needs of the country and the smuggling gangs busted. He added that in the past week (only in Baghdad), 28 smuggled fuel tanks were discovered and the dealers were arrested.
:: the current exchange rate for the Iraqi Dinar is about : 1620 ID for each US Dollar.
Few months after the war, the exchange price for the Iraqi Dinar improved from about 2000 ID for each $(the same price before the war) to 1600 about 3 weeks ago, and kept ranging between 1600 – 1700 since then.
:: a new doctor who was assigned lately to work in our hospital told me this story about the (brutality of the invaders):
“About one month after the war was over there was a period of chaos and increased crime levels, during this period I was working in a hospital in Al-Sadr city. An American unit was assigned to protect our hospital, and as they were happy to see someone who could speak English and help them communicate with the locals, and we were glad to get protection, soon we became friends.
One night, I was the doctor on call in the emergency unit, two old ladies came to the hospital one of them was suffering from an attack of renal colic, and after receiving treatment the two women tried to hire a cab to get home, but no one accepted to give them a lift as it was late at night and every one was in a hurry to go home and avoid the dangers of driving at night.
One of the soldiers stepped to the road and asked to accompany him, he waved for a car to stop and asked to tell the driver that he would give him 10,000 ID if he could drive the ladies home(about 10 times the usual cost), but the driver refused and the scene repeated with other 3 cars, then the soldier told me to raise the number to 20,000 ID, but again no response, at last a taxi came carrying a patient with his relatives, and when I told him about the offer of the soldier, he looked astonished and after a moment replied : I’ll do it for free. And he did.”
-By Ali.
Wednesday, January 07, 2004
Rebuilding or repainting?
Every body is showing his desire to see Iraq being rebuilt, and this is a justified ambition for my countrymen, as our country suffered from destruction for decades. But what’s happening now? And what has been accomplished till now? And more important; how is this going to be done in the coming years?
As for me, I know that we’re passing through a transitional period, some may not understand the necessity for that, but it’s the corner stone to start the rebuilding process.
This period makes the view unclear for many of Iraqis, and this is justified for my generation who wish to see the process finished in a short time, because, those people lost the most beautiful years of their lives in the multiple wars and crisis caused by the past regime. And there’s not much left of their lifetime to enjoy the benefits of the changes.
Unfortunately, this is not going to be done in a short time, and Iraqis have to realize that.
When it comes to this issue, Iraqis have different perspectives; the 1st. one doubts the credibility of the new government and the rest of the world will to rebuild Iraq.
This group was the one that made benefit of the presence of Saddam’s regime to reach their goals, and when the regime was gone their advantages were gone too.
Those people will not spare an effort to show their pessimisms, and voice their fear that they expect the worse to be coming in the future, and those are the most prominent picture shown on the Arabic media, which never wasted the chance to make interviews with them and show them as the representatives of the Iraqi people, and they relatively succeeded in show disfigured pictures and facts about the truly happening.
One should not forget that Iraqis daily are facing an enormous momentum of biased media.
The 2nd. Group that represents the majority feels that the future is better and hopes to see that on the ground in the next several years, but this feeling of hope is mixed with fear that something might happen and interrupt the ambitious plan or force some countries to abandon their promises.
This may be due to the long and brutal reign of dictators, so the Iraqis learnt not to trust governments’ or officials’ declarations as all they have heard before was a series of lies.
However, what makes me feel optimistic; is that this group didn’t lose hope yet.
The 3rd. group of Iraqis sees clearly that there’s a bright future for Iraq and that Iraq will become one of the best nations in the ME. This comes not only from the desire and efforts of Iraqis, but also because they realize that the interests of Iraq meet with those of the powers that worked to liberate the country. This project is a necessity for the coming political and economical changes in the world and the ME in particular. These changes gained their obligation from the need to face the challenges that erupted in the last few years.
The last group believes that the project will take a long time and great efforts, and requires Iraqis to be united and to get over the selfish interests (tribal, religious or ethnic).
This group is trying hard to make this clear to the rest of Iraqis, but it lacks the capabilities and qualifications of strong media. That’s why it’s hard for this group to reach the minds of the others and exhibit their point of view. Any way, it’s fighting hard to do the job.
I see that it’s necessary for the rebuilding process to coincide with rebuilding of the political, social and economical thinking of the Iraqi people.
Without this, we will not be able to overcome the bad aspects of the past and the influence of the totalitarian theories, which dominated for decades.
We should concentrate on rehabilitating the constitutional institutes, to make these able to define civil duties and rights.
Without that, we won’t be able to build a modern, civilized Iraq.
Corruption, ethnic and religious preferences will create hard obstacles for the rebuilding process, but there’s still a significant point that many may miss, which is the citizen’s feeling about public interests.
It’s not easy to convince an Iraqi that the state possessions belong to him as well.
And the proof is what happened after the regime has fallen, which was not surprising to us.
The lootings that happened to the governmental buildings prove the feeling of the Iraqi that these did not belong to him, but rather to Saddam and his family.
And we noticed that as those buildings or properties had closer relations to Saddam, like military or security headquarters, as the looting and destruction were more intense, to the extent that some of those had even their bricks stolen.
The new administration should bring back the citizen’s trust that these foundations and properties are built to serve him and they belong to him just like every other citizen.
I stress once again, if the reconstruction is not accompanied by rebuilding of beliefs and thoughts, then the whole process will be just repainting, and not rebuilding.
by Mohammed.
Tuesday, January 06, 2004
Just a concerned man...part 4.(God and USA)
I’m not going to let this go. I’ll continue to talk about it. People say it’s done, why argue about it? Or why killing yourself trying to convince people who obviously had set up their mind on this issue and refuse to reason about it? Such questions are usually asked by good and caring people.
Others, less gentle and concerned, may say; do you think the sunrise and sets upon Iraq only? Or more vulgar and arrogant comments and questions that I don’t feel like answering right now.
For the good people: as I had said before; this is far from being over and even if it is, we are going to face it again somewhere else, not necessarily through war, so we have to be as sure and determined about it as possible. And if 1 or even 10 posts may only make one person on the other side reconsider his attitude, then it’s worth it.
Answering the 3d question: this is not about Iraq only, in fact Iraqi issue occupies a very minor space in this series, as we are free now with many strong nations supporting us, so we really not that desperate for your help and the worst scenario will not bring back dictatorship. We may suffer a lot, civil war may break (although a very remote possibility as I see it) but eventually we will definitely reach the point where we can depend on ourselves in maintaining a free, democratic and prosperous country and we will be able (and willing) to help other nations.
This is more about all the people suffering from tyranny and its un-detached consequences including poverty, ignorance and paranoid feelings that is the 1st precursor to terrorism.
All these sufferings and horrible outcomes are the result of the greedy, mad and brutal leaders of ‘poor’ nations and the careless attitude of many governments and people of the free world towards these dictators not to mention supporting them.
Here comes the main point in this post; something I’ve always avoided going into fearing to hurt the feelings of my readers as well as many good Americans who support us and because I thought that this is not the time to bring back sensitive topics that may cause a damage (no matter how negligible) to the good relation between us and our friends, but as this topic keeps coming everyday without an answer on our side, and this may give some people wrong impressions.
Many anti-Americans (and many Americans as well) blame us, and call us naive or slaves that are only good at a** kissing, and I still remember a very strange and saddening comment that goes something like ”those westernized Iraqis and their sickening (we love you)!!” well, if speaking English and believing in freedom and democracy makes us westernized then it’s ok with me. As for (sickening love): now that was the 1st time I know that loving people of other nationality and religions beside yours is sickening.
Anyway I’m not going to be emotional here and will not answer them in a similar manner. In contrast I’d like to look at their objections in a rational manner if I could only maintain it.
The most common objection, these days, against supporting the USA is that she had (installed) Saddam, supported him and supplied him with destructive and chemical weapons that he used against the Iranians and his own people, and that just when he became not useful to them they decided to get rid of him.
In the beginning I’d like to put the people of the USA and any other nation out of this subject as I believe that people are generally good everywhere and should not be blamed for their governments’ mistakes and I see no reason to hate the people of the USA, on the contrary I have every reason to love them together with all the good people on earth, and if you think that they should take some of the blame, then I should remind you that by doing so you also give me, and others, the right to blame ALL the people of Russia, china, France and Germany(as well as Arab and Muslim people) for their governments’ support to Saddam and their attitude towards the war; something I never did and will never do. If you don’t agree with that then I should advice you not to waste your time on reading the rest of this post.
However, I find myself compelled to agree that some of these assumptions (about previous American administrations) are true to some degree.
Yet, if we track back Saddam’s life, his connection to previous American administrations or to the CIA we will find that these are not strongly proved or documented and at least much less than people like Michele Aflak, Sa’adon Hummadi, Tariq Aziz or Al-Bakir had. These facts were made clearer lately by confessions from senior bath members who left the party in the early 80s(check Salah Omar al Ali interviews and Hassan Alawi books for example). Saddam had made his way to power mainly by eliminating his enemies, the support he got from some of the names mentioned above and surely by support of many powerful nations and their intelligence as they saw that he was the most one qualified to win that bloody war among the Ba’athists and other parties for the power in Iraq at those times. And they wanted to make sure they have good connections with the next leader of Iraq.
Here there is no evidence whatever that the American administration or the CIA had helped Saddam more than Russia with her KGB, France, china, England and many other Arab nations.
As for Saddam’s weapons it’s well known that his weapons were mainly made in Russia and France and that France provided the nuclear reactor with the help of many Arab countries (in financing) and German and Italian private firms. While I’m sure that most of you know that there is no such thing as (technology for producing chemical weapons) as these are very easy to manufacture and do not require western or eastern help.
As for the present American administration and particularly GWB I don’t see reasonable cause to blame them for the mistakes of the previous administrations, especially when I see that the present government had declared more than once that their policy towards international affairs (mainly the ME and Iraq) has changed, and I can see these statements put into actions in Iraq as well as regarding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, in which America probably for the 1st time is taking a more neutral stand; supporting the peace process, the moderate powers on each side and opposing extremists on both sides as it’s obvious from her attitude to (the wall) for instance.
People who blame the USA for every evil event in the world rely on the fact that she is the strongest nation on earth and thus they belief that she is the only power capable of doing that, so if something evil happens it’s either the doing of the USA or it happened because the USA didn’t want to prevent it.
Yet, I don’t see many people point out good things as caused by the USA, or her refrain from preventing it!
These people overestimate the power of the USA and seem to confuse it with God’s power, as it appears well when it comes to Iraq (saying for example that the USA went to war without plans for the post war period, or that she is not doing enough to help bringing peace and order to Iraq). Here I’d like to remind them with some facts:
-God is almighty; USA is not.
-God (knows) the future; USA does not.
-God cares for all human beings and creatures; American administration has to care fore its people first.
-God is most merciful; American administration cannot be so.
-When it comes to the ME, God is very popular; USA is very unpopular.
-As a summary God is perfect, American administration is not.
Maybe those people should try-just for a change- to compare the American administration with other human powers such as the governments of France, china, Russia and others, especially when they were dominating the world. I’d be happy to receive any comparison.
To be continued….
-By Ali.
Monday, January 05, 2004
Just as we went deeper..
I came back to Baghdad yesterday, this time our visit was different from the previous ones, this time we had to visit suburbs, villages and small towns around the center a Basra, (some are even far) like the small town that I’ll be working in.
The situation there is quite different from what we saw (and described) in the center of Basra; the streets are all mud, the water supplies are insufficient (in quality and quantity)so that some people depend on the river to get water.
The sewage system is incomplete, garbage is everywhere, communications are difficult, the people are simple and peaceful but are really poor, the whole town looked like ruins. In other words; people there are still living in the 18th. Century.
These areas seemed to be suffering from neglect for decades, and one would think that the government might be unaware of the presence of this town, but this is not true. Those towns and villages were not only isolated from the rest of the world , but from the rest of Iraq as well.
Those people were being abandoned (on purpose) and punished by orders of the dictator, and this applies also to many other areas all over Iraq.
The people there have always showed their rejection to the Ba’ath regime, and even took their weapons to fight SH, the lucky were killed and the rest had to live and suffer from the revenge and humiliation of the tyrant.
We saw tens of destroyed tanks on the sides of the road, Saddam had 5000 tanks before 1991; the cost of each one was enough to pave a street, build a public clinic or supply clean water for a village. Saddam had about a thousand aircrafts; the cost of each was enough to build a town. And he continued to build his army, along with his palaces after the gulf war. So I don’t think that (lack of funds) was the reason for the peoples’ misery.
However, beside all these painful scenes, we found some good things over there:
The medical care centers were the first thing to be rebuilt and reequipped after the liberation, and a small new house was built there for the doctors to stay in.
there is no problem with electricity and gasoline as we noticed. the British troops and the IP are doing their job well there, the place is relly quiet(even that people there have their supper and go to bed just after sun-set).
The nature around the city is really beautiful and people there are satisfied with their new life, especially after the marshes have started to reform (most of the canals that SH built to drain the marshes are blocked now), some people took out their old traditional (long and narrow boats) or the so called “MASH-HOOF” and started to practice their old job (fishing) using a (FALEH=TRIDENT) in most of the times, as the water is shallow but clear.
I have heard some news about that earlier but, when I saw it myself, I was really pleased; the (Venice of Iraq is going to be restored). And I’ll try to get you some photos from the area when I get back there next week.
Snap shots from Iraq.
:: officials in human rights organizations say: messing with mass graves will destroy the evidence that may lead to the truth and complicate the investigations.
Families who lost some of their members say (addressing these organizations):" you did nothing to help our sons when they were alive, now you're interested about their bones, you must change the name of your organizations".
:: the terrorists tried to disturb the normal function of schools and distributed letters carrying the signature of terror, and planted their bombs here and there but, kids love to school was stronger than that.
:: the new year eve explosion in one of Baghdad's restaurants proves that the terrorists hate to see people happy and joyful, even those for whom happiness was forbidden for decades.
:: Saddam started his life as a cab driver, and after 40 years, when he was captured, the coalition troops found a cab in the house where hw was hiding.
:: one interesting phenomena seen now in Baghdad and other governorates is that people carrying the name (Saddam) have started to make demands for the civil affairs directorates to change their name, hence the name Saddam originally in Arabic means (the shocker, or the aggressor).
:: the old currency almost disappeared from exchange in the local markets with no considerable complications.
:: Real Madrid FC. Opens a football school in Diwaniyah city.
:: an Iraqi citizen offers to establish a school for TIKE WON DO in Basra, and pays the expenses for sending the Iraqi national team to the world championship.
The sense that we all belong to this land is growing after it was owned by a group of criminals and thieves.
:: sheikh (Hawas Al-Sdaid)- the sheikh of the huge Shammar tribes- offers to remove all the portraits of Saddam in the city of Tekrit (the home town of SH) and to replace them with signs holding useful instructions and information for the citizens of the city.
Saturday, January 03, 2004
Iraq and The transitional period
Every now and then I hear some fears and suspicions regarding the Islamic parties in the GC, the communist party and the desire of the Kurdish parties to make an independent state. of course I've heard the same from many of my Iraqi friends.
As for me in the meantime I stand strongly behind the communist party, the Kurdish party and the Islamic parties in the GC!
Of course I'm not a communist, not Kurdish and not an Islamist. And before the formation of the GC, I was strongly against establishing a temporary government (knowing its possible consistency), while most of the Iraqis were demanding with all their power to form a government (any government), as they thought that a strong government would be the magical cure for all our difficulties.
Strange enough now we have changed our positions and many of the same people who said that they would be content with any sort of a government are now against it.
What are the reasons behind such an immediate change?
As for most of the Iraqis it appears now that they found there was no magical cure and instead of putting all their anger on the USA (many Iraqis look to the USA as sort of a Goddess who can say "be" and it's done). Now they distribute their anger and frustration equally between the USA and the GC, saying that it doesn't represent all of them.
For me I knew that from the beginning, I knew that the most qualified parties to form a temporary government do not represent in my opinion more than 30-40% of Iraqis, but there is also the fact that the rest of Iraqis 60-70% do not have any distinguishable representative. They are the silent majority. Most important is that the GC parties are either representing a certain ethnic group or religion, a much distorted way of democratic representation.
In addition to that the old disputes between Turkmen and Kurds over Kirkuk which was shown by the last (expected) events in Kirkuk (this is the 2nd time) proved that the political parties based on ethnicity are the most probable source to civil war. That's why I was against the GC before it was held.
I was hoping that within few months this silent majority could regroup itself to form a strong mass that's mostly democratic and have the majority in any temporary government.
As this didn't happen and appears to be a remote possibility in the near future (as the truly democratic parties are terribly weak), it appears to me that the best thing to do now is to support the GC no matter how much I disagree with the perspectives of most of its parties, until the Iraqis and the coalition defeat the Ba'athists and the terrorists in Iraq once and for ever.
During that, I hope that the emotions settle and the minds start working and concentrating more on how would we like our country to be? What sort of a government and a constitution is more suitable for us?
This is one of my reasons for supporting the GC. And allow me to show you a more realistic picture of those (radical parties):
-I personally know many members in the Iraqi communist party, and I may have said it before, that a lot of them have feelings of gratitude and love towards the USA and the coalition forces. Why?
Maybe because she helped them to get rid of Saddam, and maybe that after all what they have been through, they became more peaceful and less inclined to the revolutionary violence.
The same thing applies to Al-Da'awa party (the only Islamic party that accepts Sunni and She'at as members) and to a lesser extent to the SCIR.
-Allow me to add that most of Saddam victims in the early 70s and 80s were either members of the 1st two parties, suspects of being members or had relations with some of their members.
While the SCIR was almost the only party-beside the Kurdish militias- that had militia on the ground and combated the Ba'athists for the last ten years (this militia no longer functions by order of the SCIR secretary).
I think these three radical parties after crossing a river of blood and tortures became less interested in violence as a way to control and are more inclined to political work.
-Another fact worth mentioning; none of the above parties was accused of any terrorist attack. On the contrary, they, and especially the leaders of the SCIR were the subjects of many well-known terrorist attacks to which they made no violent response.
I was there in the big anti-terrorist rally on the 10th of Dec. when all the political parties in the GC gathered with other independent organizations and political parties, to condemn terrorism. And to tell the truth the most organized and peaceful parties were the communist party, Al-Daawa party, the Kurdish parties and to a lesser extent the SCIR. The only annoying group were those teenagers supporting that idiot Muqtada Al-Sader who gets all his popularity from his father's name other wise the guy is pathetically ignorant and I'm sure will not last for a long period or pose any serious threat.
However this picture may seem far from reassuring; democracy based on ethnic and religious descent? Kurdish parties claiming belonging of Kirkuk and in conflict with its Turkmen? Raged teenagers with arms following a mad man? Communists and Islamists? Wouldn't that lead to a civil war rather than a democracy?
Yes, I will not bury my head in the sand. Such possibility does exist, and adding to the above; man's never ending lust for power and control and the very short democratic experience of all these parties.
Still I'm optimistic why??
In addition to the explanations above I have 5 reasons:
-The presence of the coalition forces makes any attempt to use force equals political and literal suicide.
-The large differences between these parties might be beneficial; I mean who could oppose the rise of a theocracy more than the communists and vice versa, and who would balance the Kurds other than the Turkmen ( although this might well lead to the opposite (a civil war) if it wasn't for the other causes).
-After nine months of the formation of the GC and despite minor disagreements in the beginning, things seems to be going swiftly and the GC appears to act somewhat harmoniously.
-The presence of the common enemy which is still more powerful than any party in organization and military practice with obvious support from some of Iraq neighbors acts as a common threat that forces all to unite against it.
-The presence of a small but growing mass of small liberal and democratic parties that acts as a lubricating factor and a bond between the extreme right and extreme left (relativity here), and the fact that these small parties are gaining foot against the more radical parties, as most Iraqis have gone sick and tired of wars and blood shed.
Yes, it's a delicate balance that either leads to a civil war or to a steady and progressive advance created by the net force -of pull and push- inflicted by extremes on both sides with the moderate powers acting as a monitor and a security valve.
The US and the coalition help here is needed, and provided, to eliminate the Ba'athists and fascists and provide a healthy environment for a peaceful dialogue between different political dispositions. But in the end it's our responsibility the people of Iraq who believe in peace and democracy as the only option, something I sense to grow (slowly) day by day and I hope we will be ready when the time comes.
Here comes to the mind a question that is often asked when it comes to elections; that's how soon should these be held? And when should the coalition forces turn the power completely into the hands of an Iraqi government whether elected or temporary one?And what if the Islamic parties won the majority in the future elections?Should they be allowed to rule Iraq or should the USA interfere to prevent this?
these questions are far from being easy and no matter what I say, a lot of people will not only disagree but will probably call me a traitor, a self centered or a fool depending on the way they look to the Iraqi issue, and no matter what the USA decide, there will always be difficulties and natural mistakes which the USA will get the major blame for, but that's a long subject and I'll leave it to another post.
By Ali.
As I promissed, here is the original poem that I posted on the 29th of Dec.
أنشودة المطر
عيناك غابتا نخيل ساعة السحر
.أو شرفتان راح ينأى عنهما القمر
عيناك حين تبسمان تورق الكروم
وترقص الأضواء .. كالأقمار في نهر
يرجه المجداف وهنا ساعة السحر
... كأنما تنبض في غوريهما النجوم
وتغرقان في ضباب من أسى شفيف
كالبحر سرح اليدين فوقه المساء
دفء الشتاء فيه و ارتعاشة الخريف
و الموت و الميلاد و الظلام و الضياء
فتستفيق ملء روحي ، رعشة البكاء
.كنشوة الطفل إذا خاف من القمر
كأن أقواس السحاب تشرب الغيوم
.. وقطرة فقطرة تذوب في المطر
وكركر الأطفال في عرائش الكروم
ودغدغت صمت العصافير على الشجر
أنشودة المطر
تثاءبي المساء و الغيوم ما تزال
.تسح ما تسح من دموعها الثقال
:كأن طفلا بات يهذي قبل أن ينام
بأن أمه - التي أفاق منذ عام
فلم يجدها، ثم حين لج في السؤال
قالوا له : " بعد غد تعود" -
لابد أن تعود
و إن تهامس الرفاق أنها هناك
في جانب التل تنام نومة اللحود
،تسف من ترابها و تشربي المطر
كأن صيادا حزينا يجمع الشباك
ويلعن المياه و القدر
و ينثر الغناء حيث يأفل القمر
أتعلمين أي حزن يبعث المطر ؟
وكيف تنشج المزاريب إذا انهمر ؟
و كيف يشعر الوحيد فيه بالضياع؟
،بلا انتهاء_ كالدم المراق، كالجياع
كالحب كالأطفال كالموتى - هو المطر
ومقلتاك بي تطيفان مع المطر
وعبر أمواج الخليج تمسح البروق
سواحل العراق بالنجوم و المحار
كأنها تهم بالبروق
.فيسحب الليل عليها من دم دثار
اصح بالخيلج : " يا خليج
"يا واهب اللؤلؤ و المحار و الردى
فيرجع الصدى
:كأنه النشيج
يا خليج"
".. يا واهب المحار و الردى
أكاد أسمع العراق يذخر الرعود
و يخزن البروق في السهول و الجبال
حتى إذا ما فض عنها ختمها الرجال
لم تترك الرياح من ثمود
.في الواد من اثر
أكاد اسمع النخيل يشرب المطر
و اسمع القرى تئن ، و المهاجرين
،يصارعون بالمجاذيف و بالقلوع
:عواصف الخليج و الرعود ، منشدين
وفي العراق جوع
وينثر الغلال فيه موسم الحصاد
لتشبع الغربان و الجراد
و تطحن الشوان و الحجر
رحى تدور في الحقول … حولها بشر
وكم ذرفنا ليلة الرحيل من دموع
ثم اعتللنا - خوف أن نلام - بالمطر
و منذ أن كنا صغارا، كانت السماء
تغيم في الشتاء
،و يهطل المطر
وكل عام - حين يعشب الثرى- نجوع
ما مر عام و العراق ليس فيه جوع
في كل قطرة من المطر
.حمراء أو صفراء من أجنة الزهر
و كل دمعة من الجياع و العراة
وكل قطرة تراق من دم العبيد
فهي ابتسام في انتظار مبسم جديد
أو حلمة توردت على ف الوليد
في عالم الغد الفتي واهب الحياة
".. سيعشب العراق بالمطر
أصيح بالخليج : " يا خليج
"يا واهب اللؤلؤ و المحار و الردى
فيرجع الصدى
:كأنه النشيج
يا خليج"
" يا واهب المحار و الردى
وينثر الخليج من هباته الكثار
على الرمال ، رغوه الاجاج ، و المحار
و ما تبقى ن عظام بائس غريق
من المهاجرين ظل يشرب الردى
من لجة الخليج و القرار
و في العراق ألف أفعى تشرب الرحيق
. من زهرة يربها الرفات بالندى
و اسمع الصدى
يرن في الخليج
في كل قطرة من المطر
حمراء أو صفراء من أجنة الزهر
وكل دمعة من الجياع و العراة
وكل قطرة تراق من دم العبيد
فهي ابتسام في انتظار مبسم جديد
أو حلمة توردت على فم الوليد
في عالم الغد الفتي ، واهب الحياة "
ويهطل المطر
By Ali
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J.S. Mill and G.E. Moore: Utilitarianism
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G.E. Moore, in his Principia Ethica, take shots at almost all work in ethics prior to his own. Moore criticizes John Stuart Mill's utilitarianism, and criticizes specifically Millian utilitarianism, criticizing separately Benthamism, Sidgwickianism, and other forms of utilitarianism. Moore criticizes both Mill's defense of the utilitarian principle and his contention that pleasures differ in quality as well as quantity. We will deal with only the former criticism in this essay. Moore briefly characterizes Mill as belonging to a class of thinkers who equate good with some other property and thus replace ethics with a natural science. Mill, in Moore's eyes, equates good with pleasure, and ethics is then replaced by psychology; for, when one asks what is good according to Mill, one is really asking what is pleasurable.
Moore will train the dreaded accusation of his famed "naturalistic fallacy," against Mill. The fallacy (pg. 59) is "the failure to distinguish clearly that unique and indefinable quality which we mean by good." In short, Moore thinks that goodness is not reducible to non-ethical entities. We can rephrase this in a way which will reduce any inadvertent ontological commitments and say that the talk of something's being good is not reducible to any non-ethical description.
But Moore goes beyond the objection of the naturalistic fallacy, for one could successfully avoid the fallacy and still claim that all and only pleasure is good. One would not be equating good with pleasure, but merely saying that all and only pleasure (contingently or necessarily) has the quality of goodness. Moore also want to show that the claim that "pleasure alone is good" is false, and states that this claim, which he wishes to prove incorrect, lies at the heart of all utilitarian and hedonistic ethical systems. Moore, then, will attack the argument(s) by which Mill attempts to support utilitarianism.
Mill says (pg. 4) that "the questions of ultimate ends are not amenable to direct proof." And he also says (pg. 34) that "questions about ends are, in other words, questions about what things are desirable." The first step of Mill's argument runs thus: good is desirable, and to find out what is desirable, we simply find out what people do in fact desire, and people desire happiness (pleasure). Ayer notes (pg. 41) of Mill that "it seems not to matter to him whether he speaks of happiness or pleasure. Perhaps he was confused, perhaps only careless..." Moore counters this by saying that "desirable" means that which ought or deserves to be desired, not that which is desired or able to be desired. Thus people can desire bad things, and so what is desired is not necessarily desirable. Mill could defend himself by saying that it is not the desirable which is the good, but the desired; that is, Mill could sustain Moore's objection; but Mill would contradict himself in so doing. If the good were the desired, then there would be no problem in finding motivation for individuals to do good; in fact, every act except those done under constraint would then be a good act. But Mill does not wish to say that every actual act is good, and goes to pains to find some motivation for people to do good acts.
The second part of Mill's argument tries to show that pleasure alone is desired. Mill is here faced with a seeming contradiction, because it is not hard to show that there are times when other things beside pleasure are desired. The obvious answer is that some things are desired as a means to pleasure. Moore here introduces a psychological distinction, saying that it is very plausible that pleasure is the cause of desire, but not that pleasure is always the object of desire. The accusation (pg. 74) is that Mill confuses the causes and objects of desires. Moore says several things here: when I desire something other than pleasure, I am not conscious of expecting pleasure as well; and when I do expect pleasure, it is not pleasure only that I desire. (Moore asserts, then, that we sometimes desire something, but not pleasure.) These are the two main prongs of Moore's attack against the notion of pleasure alone being what is desired and against wanting something else only as a means to pleasure. Moore says several other very ambiguous things from which one could interpret at least one other argument: that the anticipated pleasure to be received from the object of desire is somehow less, because less real, than the actual pleasure caused by the idea of the object thought.
Moore attempts to rephrase this object in terms of "pleasant thoughts" and "thoughts of pleasure". When we have a pleasant thought, it is the object of the thought - something separate from pleasure - which we desire, and which is our end, and the pleasure is the cause of our desire. When we have a thought of pleasure, pleasure is the object of desire, it is pleasure which we desire. Moore says (pg. 72) that Mill confuses the two, and it does seem that way (pg. 38):
Moore sketches very briefly an alternative account, one to which he does not commit himself, but which he claims is more plausible than Mill's. He says that I have an object of thought, say a glass of wine, and this thought causes pleasure, and this pleasure in turn causes desire. Moore says (pg. 70) that the following proposition is necessary for Mill to construct a good argument for pleasure being the only object of desire: "that the idea of a pleasure not actual is always necessary to cause desire." Here, I think, Moore goes too far. I think that it is possible that several other good arguments can be interpreted out of this text, none of which use this proposition. Moore also says that if it were the pleasure alone which I desired, then I should not know how to find that pleasure. But if I desired both the pleasure and the glass of wine, then the desire for wine shall lead me to pleasure.
Let us recap. Moore sees Mill's argument for utilitarianism, or hedonism, as consisting of two major propositions, and supporting argumentation for each of these two propositions. The first proposition is "the good is the desired" and the second proposition is "pleasure alone is desired".
Moore sees a second string of argumentation for the second step of Mill's larger argument, besides the first string which he claims to have already refuted. Mill says that things other than pleasure are desired only as means to pleasure. Mill further admits that sometimes things like money are desired as ends in themselves. To remove the lurking contradiction, Mill then says (pg. 36) money has become "part of the end." Moore attacks this with vigor, first ridiculing, without refuting, the idea that metallic disks could be part of happiness, and then claims (pg. 72) that Mill "has broken down the distinction between means and ends."
Moore here is being somewhat uncharitable to Mill. The very actions for which he attacks Mill earn praise from Aristotle scholars upon their appearance in the Nicomachean Ethics. The notion of an end, a telos, as a complex thing, in which seemingly means become ends and ends become means is a notion lauded for its subtlety in Aristotle, but damned as nonsensical in Mill. As for money becoming part of the end, surely we can think of a more charitable way to interpret this remark, like making value the referent of "money", or if we cannot think of a more charitable way to interpret this remark, then we can at least refute it, which Moore does not deign to do. We might attribute this crudeness to the fact that Moore was one of the first analytic philosophers (in the modern sense of the term), and the tools of the analysts had not been as finely honed as they are now, as we in the latter part of the same century might vainly imagine.
The main parts of Moore's criticisms have been reported above. A secondary criticism is that Mill commits a contradiction in inferring "the happiness of all is the good of all" from "the happiness of each is the good of each". Moore claims that the only conclusion to which Mill is entitled from the premise is that "the happiness of all is the good of each." Ayer (pg. 38) also finds this to be a "fallacious argument that since each man desires his own happiness, the general happiness must be desired by all." But this is a secondary point, and I will not linger over it.
It does seem that Moore has uncovered some real troubles for Mill. Mill's utilitarianism can easily collapse into self-contradiction on the one hand, or into an amor fati, affirming all that is actual as good, on the other hand. Mill also does not take seriously enough his own comment about not being able to prove the first principles of ethics. Moore is not without guilt himself, though, for he also does not pay enough attention to Mill's claim about not being able to prove these principles, for Mill could hide behind this claim to avoid some of Moore's criticisms (hide - or, just maybe, advance an argument to the effect that first principles - being first - simply do not admit of proof). Moore is also rather ungenerous sometimes, not using the principle of charity that is considered de riguer in philosophic review; when your opponent says something, you must consider all the possible meanings of his statement which occur to you, and choose that which you consider to be the wisest. And Moore sometimes appears to choose silly literalisms, which he can easily refute.
I include this bibliography so that the reader will know which editions to consult if he wishes to use the page references given in the text.
Ayer, Sir Alfred J.
Freedom and Morality
Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1984
Mill, John Stuart
Indianapolis: Hackett Publishing Co., 1979
Moore, George Edward
Principia Ethica
Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 1922, 1982
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Monday, January 5, 2009
Signing custom headers in WCF
Recently I had an interesting case with WCF "raw message" contract:
public interface IUniversalContract
[OperationContract(Action = "*", ReplyAction = "*")]
Message ProcessMessage(Message message);
The message I used on the client side contained some SOAP headers. Since this is an untyped message these headers were neither encrypted nor signed. That was a show stopper for me.
I saw this blog post by Nicholas Allen and immediatelly tried the following syntax:
ChannelProtectionRequirements requirements = bindingParameters.Find();
XmlQualifiedName qName = new XmlQualifiedName(header, ns);
MessagePartSpecification part = new MessagePartSpecification(qName);
requirements.OutgoingSignatureParts.AddParts(part, action);
However the request message was still not being encrypted nor signed. I struggled with this issue for some time until I was lucky enough to find Pedro Felix's message in the WCF MSDN forum:
The MSDN docs state that
a) IncomingSignatureParts - Gets a collection of message parts that are signed for messages from client to server
b) OutgoingSignatureParts - Gets a collection of message parts that are signed for messages from server to client
In other words the OutgoingSignatureParts always relates to server outgoing messages while client outgoing stuff is always considered as "incoming". After fixing this the code worked like a charm. I probably should have proactively RTFM myself but at least I felt good for not being the only one who fell for this...
DiegoG said...
Hi Yaron,
Do you know if the Timestamp element of the Security header could be encrypted with this method?
I'm trying something like this, but it does not seem to work.
XmlQualifiedName qName = new XmlQualifiedName("Timestamp", "");
MessagePartSpecification timestampHeader = new MessagePartSpecification(qName);
MessagePartSpecification body = new MessagePartSpecification(true);
requirements.OutgoingEncryptionParts.AddParts(timestampHeader, "*");
requirements.OutgoingEncryptionParts.AddParts(body, "*");
Yaron Naveh said...
I don't think the timestamp should be ever encrypted. The reason is that the server should know if the message is valid or not even before processing the encryption - do prevent DOS attacks. Why do you need to encrypt it?
DiegoG said...
Because I'm calling a WebService in Java which has such setting and is mandatory. However do you know if there is a way of doing this?
Yaron Naveh said...
I don't know if it can be done out of the box. You may need to use .Net encryption API to manually do it. | <urn:uuid:f3d9bd8e-04e9-4362-a6e0-ba25f2f54759> | http://webservices20.blogspot.com/2009/02/signing-custom-headers-in-wcf.html | en | 0.87551 | 0.019065 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Chris Towle
Computational Craftsman
'Solve et Coagula', to dissolve and coagulate.
Car Sales Web Crawler
Purpose: To create a web crawler to parse three unique sites for relevant data
I was tasked with creating a web crawler to assist a car dealership. Using provided log-in credentials, the crawler would gather the target data and dump it to a central database.
Technologies Used
Languages: Python, MySQL
Dual Core Linux PC.
Software Technologies:
Used threads to run parallel crawlers, with roughly 9900 cars (full spec + images) crawled per hour. With an eight core computer this could be bumped up to a theoretical 39600 cars per hour.
A huge improvement in performance was achieved by using an alternative Python interpreter (PyPy), this alone gave a 5x performance gain.
Numerous techniques were used to get past each site's quirks, such as Header Spoofing, Cookie Spoofing, and Session Time overrides.
LEMP Stack Web Server
Purpose: A home server to aid in web based projects
Technology: LEMP stack (Linux Nginx MySQL PHP)
To allow remote system access and home automation, I created a locally hosted web server. This system is capable of ftp, web hosting, SSH control and acts as a general purpose lab for testing.
You are currently communicating with it.
Flash Projects
Here are a few working examples of my previous work
Three Stone Studios, Interactive Booklet: Layered gradients were used to create the illusion of bending and depth. The feel of the page movement was an important aspect for my client.
No Homes for Gnomes: Was developed under a 48 hour time restraint at the Toronto Indie Jam (T.O.Jam). I acted as an AS3 programmer and game play designer. This version has not been modified since the 48 hour release.
Chris Towle
Phone: 519-613-8008
Resume | Portfolio | The Extra Mile | <urn:uuid:d519d278-42d1-4cd0-a22b-04e489a13b11> | http://www.lawsontowle.com/?page=portfolio | en | 0.896358 | 0.126063 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Here are 9 Most Extreme Tours in the World
Tourist attractions are places that can make us calm, relax and make the mind fresh again. If you are tired of the scenery that can give you the beauty of adrenaline. This is an extreme tourist spot in the world that can boost your adrenaline.
Aquaventure Water Park (Bahamas)
Mayan Temple’s serpent slide is one of the rides at Bahamas Aquaventure Water Park that will give you a different and extraordinary experience. You can enter the lagoon full of sharks and you will also feel in the darkness fifty meters and then fall into the prehistoric underground lair.
Cliff Base Extreme Jumping (Norway)
In Norway, there are many places that have very beautiful scenery, one of them is a creepy cliff named Cliff Base Jumping. Extreme sights exclusively for you who have courage. For those of you who like photography, in this place a lot of spots that you can make your photo object.
CN Tower Edge Walking (Canada)
CN Tower is a tower in Toronto, the capital of Canada. The tower is listed as the world’s extreme minaret in Guinness World Records. The unique design of CN Tower allows people to be able to walk on it (Edge Walking). Do you dare to try it?
El Caminito Del Rey Trekking (Spain)
In the southern part of Spain, there is a towering cliff named El Caminito Del Rey. This cliff is one of the main goals for adrenaline addicts. To be able to climb this cliff, the requirements have been aged over 12 years and have good control. However, this cliff has been closed to the public after two climbers were killed.
Grand Canyon Skywalk
You will feel like walking in the sky while walking your feet on the Grand Canyon Skywalk. Because this place is designed on a cliff that is hundreds of meters tall and made of transparent thick glass. The scenery in this place no doubt. Wherever the eyes look, the natural beauty you will get.
Iguazu Boat Ride (Argentina and Brazil)
In Iguazu, there are 275 waterfalls through Argentina and Brazilian parks. To enjoy the scenery and feel the thrill of sensation in Iguazu, you can board the boat that has been provided. You just pay the $ 15 fare and feel the sensation of getting on a boat at the waterfall. But you have to be very careful because in 2011 there were two American tourists who died after the boat climbed hit the rock and upside down.
Rowing with the Whales (Alaska)
At the north pole, precisely in Alaska, there is a very extreme tour of rowing with whales and sharks in the sea. This is devoted to the rowers who have very extreme souls. If you like a cool and challenging place, this is probably the right place to visit.
Schlitterbahn Waterpark (Kansas City)
Schlitterbahn Waterpark in Kansas City has the world’s tallest and fastest spotting spot. Its speed reaches 70 mph (miles per hour). If you want to feel your adrenaline challenged, you should try it. But remember, maybe you will run out of breath or even have a sudden heart attack.
Volcano Bungee (Chile)
Bungee jumping was great. When the body is thrown from a high place, the adrenaline gets raced and the heart pounding rapidly. But if you feel bungee jumping is normal, maybe you should feel the bungee jumping on the volcano. Yes, this bungee jumping really exists in Chile. This attraction is crazy because you have to jump from helicopter to lava.…
Continue reading | <urn:uuid:0b174f15-90af-4281-8f79-77cbd5dd237b> | http://www.phpiscuss.com/2017/10 | en | 0.945837 | 0.024355 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Ido Portal talks: Education, Movement, Nutrition, Awareness, Self-centred
You can sum so many adjectives to Ido Portal, a teacher, a guru, a poet, a warrior, a movement artist…a mover.
Like Dalai Lama, Ido Portal defines himself as a human before any role he plays…He seems to be very aware of what is going on around him (all the time!). He had a really calm energy when we met at Triller Crossfit, after a long photo-shooting session, he was open to give me some time.
When I heard Ido was coming to Vienna I wanted to meet him right away, we were picking him up at the airport, but I had to attend my Strength Coach program by the Intelligent Strength Institute of Physical Education that weekend. I was quite sad and I asked to have a chat with him before he would flight back to Berlin. Well, my wish should have been pretty strong because the universe opened the possibility to hang around him for a whole afternoon…
I, myself have been practicing Ido Portal’s Method, so I wanted to meet actually Ido Portal: The Human…so, as we sat down we started a very personal & vivid conversation.
We approached LIFESTYLES: Education, Nutrition, Genes, Awareness & Process were key subjects.
His Mission: Movement Education
IDO: Lack of education: Money is not the issue, the time is not the issue, education it is where it starts and then all the required elements: whether is financial, whether is time management, lifestyle choices, pains, aches, injuries…all of this would be resolved.
“First of all we must start with education”
We need to know our body: “I live in a body, I need take care of my body, the body is designed for physical action, MOVEMENT”. That what it was made to do, evolved to do and when I don’t address that in a regular basis in daily life I will pay a price. A price of happiness, a price of health and eventually I will pay an ultimate price.
The HEART of it, is education, the heart of it is presenting people with philosophy and present people with a concept. They can put tittles and they can put later on methods and tools to start to address the problem.
It’s not about offering someone a quick fix, it is about offering someone to a quick fix to attract his interest towards the real method.
So, per example the SQUAT CHALLENGE, and the HANGING CHALLENGE where I give people basically a very quick concept, most of them don’t even know what it is about. But, they sense there is something there, and once I catch the hand and from there I catch the arm and I catch the body and their interests comes. We have around 30,000 people involved with it actively, posting pictures, squatting every day, something that for example in Latinoamerica, in Mexico is very common to see. In Brasil is very common to see. You can see people squatting on the street waiting, even smoking, doing things that are not related to health. But using that basic human function. And by doing that daily they get their knees better, they get their digestive tracks a bit of stimulation, blood vessel, everything gets basically adapted, and get stimulated to grow for movement. And once they start to doing that you catch them, then you can research deeper and maybe you need to give them another quick fix and pull them a bit more and more.
“Each person has a different key”
One person can be about weight loss, because is what he knows, it is what he is educated about, he doesn’t care about movement but he cares about looking a bit better, another person would be interested in been stronger and another person would have to wait until he gets his first heart attack before he can actually do something about it. So actually would have to see the death threat before he takes action…THAT’S THE EDUCATION PROCESS.
As hard it is or as easy it can be, because you can appreciate what you have when you are young and you are mobile, and you are moving and you have a healthy body or you can loose it and then you will pray for all gods in existence to receive 10 percent of what you had. Unfortunate, right now as a culture there is two scenarios that each one has to experience and unfold, make a choice there.
“Nutrition is a very personal thing”
AF: Tell us about nutrition…
IDO: I view it as a very contextual thing, the needs vary, or the scenario, the person, the stress levels, things that are happening in your life, for example people who work a day grabs carbs, to eat more carbs and more sugars, when they are stressed, sugar can be very relaxing, very calming for some people. Our nervous system is smarter than us, it is programmed to perform certain tasks, it is programmed to protect and preserve and reproduce our genes, it is not always this correlate with us, it’s not about us, it is about the GENES. So a lot of your cravings, a lot of your needs come from the genes, who want to survive, but you sometimes suffer the results, it is a love-hate relation. There is conflict an yeah…there is another need for EDUCATION, SELF-EDUCATION, SELF KNOWLEDGE thing, not necessary learning all the concepts but been in tune in what you feel, one man’s is poison, other person’s medicine.
Self-experimentation, maybe working with someone, like you had a very fortunate to have your partner, as a supporting force, and someone you can ask and you can discuss with. It is important to have this people in your life. And I’ve been this person for many people and had these people in my life. So, I know that it is extremely important. It is just basically creating a process.
note: if you are still curious Ido’s personal nutrition. You can read one of his post here
It starts with the awareness. The awareness of what am I eating, the awareness of what I need to eat. Sometimes you have to fight the urges, sometimes you don’t have to fight the urges, you have to go with the urges so, that’s where I start.
When you are very in tune with it, you can start to recognize patterns in the chaos, in nutrition is very similar, you eat a carrot and you recognize certain sensations, in the beginning you don’t even notice it, you just hammer food in, and there is not in tune sensitivity.
This tune sensitivity is also part on my MOVEMENT PRACTICE.”
For example, when you lift heavy and you get stronger and stronger, you loose something as well, something that people don’t realize. You loose a lot of sensitivity, you loose a lot of fine motor control, so there is a need of a certain BALANCE there. Desensitizing and sensitizing. Qualities, been in tune and providing quality sources according to those needs but also been resilient, anti-fragile and been able to sustain. Food is not optimal always, its very complex subject that’s why I don’t give simple answers because I am not a believer in subscriptions, protocols.
“I believe in EDUCATION, in AWARENESS, I believe in a PROCESS”
I believe in education, in awareness, I believe in a process. Sorry to disappoint you in this regard if it wasn’t what you had expected.
AF: I actually want to know based in what you said, how do you select and choose what you eat.
IDO: True, true, but actually what importance does it have, this is something that I get a lot, people come to me at the weekend workshop, they want to see me move, but what importance does it have?
People want to know how I train, people want to know what I eat, but I find this, it makes me into a guru, it makes me into a performer, it is not what I am, and it is not what I am to serve as a function, actually I am a teacher. And if I want to teach I have to disconnect myself from that sometimes, so I have to teach, sometimes, I have to show, I have to demonstrate.
In the other hand, for few years now I’ve avoiding been the performer only, so some of the people come to the workshop they will see me move a little bit of here and there but not much, and if they ask a personal questions sometimes I would say, actually what does it matter because it doesn’t reflect on me. It doesn’t serve you as a starting point. I can definitely sympathize with the curiosity, I can definitely see where it comes from, but I also want people to come out with something out of it, out of the experience, out of the conversation, interview, workshop, even if it is only a philosophical point of view.
It might open a door to a huge world of possibilities and knowledge, but have to follow after it, you have to MAKE A DECISION to go after it. Sometimes is confusing, like you said, I don’t know how to string it together, I need A, B, C. actually you only need A, not A, B, C and from A you only need B and from B you only need C.
So actually the most important thing is where is the next point, and this is a good education, bringing a person to the next point and from there reveling to the next point. It is a REACTIONARY HABIT vs. a PLANNING HABIT. What it is happing to me now and how I react to it, how do I move to the next level, to the next point.
AF: I agree with what you say, I believe the power of the mind & love plays a very important role, talking nutrition for example, to keep the energy level, I believe as humans we have to take responsibility to make choices to sustain your health in life. Either is food, body, mind, soul, even money. Belief plays a strong role in this choices.
IDO: Yes, I definitely agree, and I agree with your point. You are right about the love, and you are right about the resistance, if you feel a negative resistance, even the healthiest food might not serve you well, I agreed with you. Because if you believe in it that’s all it matters. You are already right. If you believe in that concept, you are already right. So if I twist your…you already know that the mind is stronger as you said. You would produce a reality… negative at the end.
AF: I’ve trouble with doing for myself, I learned back in my birth country you shouldn’t take care of yourself that much, not physically. First financial security, then social status, and then, maybe then, you look into your physical body.
IDO: My mother is very much like that, my grandmother raised her like that, but if you don’t devote for yourself, it becomes more selfish because it starts to be bitter, you start to be not be a good force for the people around you. Actually, it has a great power to be HAPPY, helps your environment to be happier, to be fulfilled then you can really take reserves for the people around you, you have reserves, when you feel not so complete you end up sometimes more selfish it can flip on you.
AF: Fav places to visit/ vacation
IDO: The concept of vacation doesn’t exist in my life so much, I’ve been on the road for 4-5 years, all over the place and all continents basically beside Artica, traveling, teaching, teaching most on the weekends, also I have time for myself, I’m moving a lot every day.
There are places where I keep coming back to and I love them, one of them is Thailand, I’ve been there many times, I like the tai people, I lived there for a while and I worked there… There are other places, love Australia, I keep coming there, I have good friends in Russia, I haven’t seen them in a while, I’ve been there few times, I love some areas, beautiful areas in Russia, on and on but I really a citizen of the planet in many ways. For me it is all one thing.
To be an excellent human…a mover….requires a mix of soul, heart, mind & body education process. Ido Portal has that. I am grateful that he has opened the door of possibilities for those that are busy or distracted in a traditional life and for those of us that are in the process to live again in a more healthy movy way.
You can find more about Ido Portal and his work on: www.idoportal.comfb page: ido portalfb group: movementculture
Pics and videos source: Ido Portal homepage
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| <urn:uuid:23821169-48b3-4220-86f9-54c27d267d45> | https://angieinmotion.com/interviews/ido-portal-interview-wien-austria/ | en | 0.968882 | 0.094867 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |
Dear Inner Ear Headphone Guy
….I can hear your music. It’s really loud. Me and the 4 other people around you aren’t staring at you cause we think your fake diamond earrings are kinda cool. Yea that new Timbaland song is kinda catchy but it’s 7:45 in the morning and well I’m trying to read the WSJ and the woman to my right was sleeping until you came on the train. Man you are totally feeling the beat right now, huge adrenaline rush I bet. No none of us are going to approach you and tell you your headphones are too loud, we are all far too passive aggressive for that. You must take the hint from these awkwardly long stares we are giving you.
Here’s a simple test to prevent you from being a douche bag with your headphones on too loud. Turn your iPod on before you slap those Swarovski crystal laced ear buds into your ears, and listen for how loud it is. Chances are if you can hear the song well from 3 feet from your face, then so can 10 other people around you. Asshole | <urn:uuid:e8d1fa4f-9f16-4c1d-8a9f-b9b757d18e31> | https://blog.justinlintz.com/dear-inner-ear-headphone-guy/ | en | 0.954656 | 0.029939 | mlfoundations/dclm-baseline-1.0-parquet |