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Tabula Rasa – blank slate
Every writer is confronted with the challenge of how to fill the space in a meaningful way. Every story presents an opportunity to begin anew – even in the continuation of a series. Every reader is given a chance to experience what the writer's creativity unveils.
Many stories are inexorably woven with themes of discovery. This is, after all, one of the things that keep readers reading. It's also a reason why the use of a main character suffering from amnesia has always been popular (cliche or not). The character her/himself is a tabula rasa around which a story can be made.
Despite the fact that this approach (character with amnesia) is so often over-used or ill-used, it tends to fall broadly into two results:
- Where the "reveal" is intended to be the main focus, acting as a "gotcha"
- Where the story that came before outweighs the reveal, and the reveal only lends nuance as well as often a choice for the character, or else a chance for the reader to reflect on implications
The difference between these is simply the importance placed by the author on "who the main character was" versus a focus on "who the main character has become."
For the latter, I can think of a variety of stories that played with this concept in interesting ways, and not necessarily only in literature. Amnesiac/tabula rasa main character is even more popular in television/movies as well as videogames than in literature.
One of the most successful implementations I've seen was in the computer RPG Planescape: Torment, where the main character spends the entirety of the story gaining companions who are each flawed with their own inner torments, all the while unlocking clues of who the main character had once been, and why he made a certain choice long before. It is never revealed exactly *what* the main character did to trigger his remorse, but only that it was something very, very bad with tremendous consequences. The story's theme centers around the question: "What can change the nature of a man?" And the most popular answer (although a player may select among many answers) is regret. Regret tends to shape us in ways we never anticipated, making us aware of new perspectives and the consequences of our choices and actions.
Films like Memento and even the 1990 Total Recall have also played around with the notion of an amnesiac main character, the former by delving into an examination of consequences and the latter more of a simple exploration of what it means to discover who you are, and then discover you were once something quite at variance with the way you've now defined yourself, presenting a choice. (this is all without going into any artistic merits or the quality of either of these two films, which are certainly open to a variety of debate).
Still, all main characters are a tabula rasa for a reader at the beginning – unless these characters are being re-introduced from an existing series. Given that, a writer has to face the same question as the surrounding story: How can I fill them out? How can I make them interesting?
A blank slate allows an endless ability to create. As some have noted, any novel in modern English is simply a unique arrangement of the same 26 characters of the English alphabet.
The writer's job is to populate a story and characters that draw the reader in. And the real challenge is to make even the mundane seem interesting.
A good storyteller can bring out the right blending of details, enhancing some while tossing others completely away, and add flavor and nuance to the result. For example, consider telling one's parents (or co-workers or friends) that one was arrested for petty larceny for stealing traffic cones while drunk. Doesn't sound terribly interesting and probably would elicit groans of sympathy or "what an idiot" reproaches.
Take that same account from Stephen King's own life and perspective and you get this, which he wrote in the "Afterword" to his story collection Skeleton Crew:
In the spring of 1970, while creeping home in my white Ford station wagon from the University Motor Inn at 12:30 in the morning, I ran over a number of traffic cones which were guarding a crosswalk that had been painted that day. The paint had dried, but no one had bothered to take the cones in when it got dark. One of them bounced up and knocked my muffler loose from the rotted remains of my tailpipe. I was immediately suffused with the sort of towering, righteous rage which only drunk undergraduates can feel. I decided to circle the town of Orono, picking up traffic cones. I would leave them all in front of the police station the next morning, with a note saying that I had saved numerous mufflers and exhaust systems from extinction, and ought to get a medal.
I got about a hundred and fifty before blue lights started to swirl around in the rearview mirror.
I will never forget the Orono cop turning to me after a long, long look into the back of my station wagon and asking, "Son, are those traffic cones yours?
A good storyteller throws away the mundane, and instead makes you laugh, or squirm, or remain rooted in place to find out what happens next.
Readers approach a story with a desire for discovery, and the writer's job is not to disappoint. From either perspective – reader or writer – it all begins as a tabula rasa. Hopefully both the reader and the writer will be pleased and surprised by what fills the pages. Being surprised is one reason I'm not firmly in the camp of outlining stories. There are excellent outliners who can still maintain levels of unexpectedness – just the right levels where a reader is surprised, but isn't too surprised. That's a delicate balance in itself, giving readers the opportunity to guess ahead while ensuring they're not entirely correct – but will also not be entirely flummoxed by what actually does happen.
Those who write organically (often affectionately called "pantsers") may have less of this problem, as their style of writing lends itself more to surprise. When a writer is surprised, chances are the reader will be as well. And again, it's up to the writer's talent to ensure that the surprise makes sense, at least does so in hindsight. Of course, the challenge of organic writing is to maintain structure, pacing, and flow.
Outlined stories have the potential to feel rote, with a sense that the story is carefully being parceled out in dribs and drabs. Organically written stories have the potential to feel adrift, with no sure sense where they're really heading. Either of these extremes of impression should be avoided. Readers want discovery, after all. It's up to the writer to deliver to the reader, rather than change the reader's focus from the story to how the story is being told.
A good story will remain ahead of a reader's expectations, anticipating and staying on course, to deliver a full and satisfying experience. And at the same time, it will also deliver the same kind of satisfaction and surprises to the writer.


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If you want to get out on the trails, the Six 60 is designed to take you there. With a butted alloy frame featuring refined geometry and improved rider fit, you can be more confident while ripping down the trail. Soaking up bumps is a 100mm travel Suntour fork, stopping is provided by powerful Tektro hydraulic brakes, and your power is transferred through the full Shimano drivetrain. Throw adventure at the Six 60. It needs it.
Needs Content

subset: commoncrawl


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The Electronic Timekeeping and Approvals module of the Banner Human Resources/Payroll system provides a paperless solution for relaying hours worked and exception time data to payroll services for use in the preparation of payroll checks.
Historical time and attendance data will be accessible on-line indefinitely to satisfy both employee inquires and administrative requirements.
Three methods of reporting will be utilized for the collection of time and attendance data within Banner.
Applicable to all hourly biweekly paid students, staff, and faculty. Wage and hour regulations require the recording of each time-in and time-out instance of hours worked and exception time on a daily basis. The University requires electronic submission and certification of the timesheet by the employee for subsequent supervisory approval in order to receive pay. To reduce the University's exposure to risk, and for appropriate pay and accruals, an employee may not be designated as their own time approver.
Applicable to all monthly paid salaried staff eligible for vacation and sick leave accruals and other paid leave. The University requires recording of each instance of exception time (vacation, sick, etc.) and electronic submission and certification of the timesheet by the employee for subsequent administrative approval, even if the employee had no exception time to report for the period.
Each of the timekeeping methods identified above must have electronic approval prior to submission to Payroll Services, which requires establishment of routing queues for each department or sub-unit. Within Banner, departments and sub departments are called Organizations, or Orgs. Before beginning or establishing any approval queues the department must have established proper security access for time approvers with HRIS for the appropriate Orgs.
Banner allows for considerable flexibility in the establishment of routing queues specific to the identified Org. Choices range from having one departmental approver to identifying each individual or position with his/her own approver or multiple approvers. For example, an Org having one timekeeper approve or enter all other time could have another individual approving only the timekeeper's time. Time Approvers that are leaving their position before the end of a pay period must be replaced prior to the beginning of the effected pay period to assure a smooth transition in the approval process. Every identified approver must also have a "Proxy"; another identified Banner user, who can assume the approver's duties in the absence of the approver. The Proxy must have the proper security access from HRIS before they can be setup. Payroll does not, and cannot, setup a Time Approvers Proxy.
- If the person being added as an approver does not have the proper security access for time approvers or access to the org they will be approving, then the department head or business manager must complete the University Security Access Request Form.
- Once the new approver's security access has been setup, HRIS will contact the new approver and provide timekeeping tutorial links. Changes to approval queues before the proper security access is granted will result in errors on the timesheet, and denial of access to the timesheet for the employee.
- The department head or business manager should request the current approval queue from firstname.lastname@example.com. The subject line of the email to email@example.com should contain the Banner Org. that is being requested i.e.: D010, Z602, T703.
- The department head or business manager will be provided the requested approval queues in excel format. The department head or business manager will review and insert changes into the spreadsheet. To improve efficiency, and better serve you, we ask that the changes be made by changing your font color in those cells to red. The changes must include the new approvers position number, Banner ID, and name (as it appears in Banner).
- The department head or business manager should then email the excel file back to firstname.lastname@example.com. They will be notified once all the changes have been made. At that time you can also request a new copy of the approval queue for your records. The changes will not be visible to the new approver until the next time the employees take action (start, restart, or submit) on their timesheet or leave reports.
- Best practice is to request the approval queues when there is any movement (new hires, terminations, promotions, reclassifications, etc) in your department.
Updated 9/4/2014


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U.S. District Judge Pamela Chen in Brooklyn, New York called the settlement "in all respects, fair, reasonable, and adequate."
The settlement, announced on September 6, resolved claims on behalf of about 4,800 current and former female financial advisers that women were paid less than men, deprived of handling their fair share of lucrative accounts and faced retaliation if they complained.
It is separate from the bank's $160 million settlement with hundreds of black Merrill Lynch & Co brokers who alleged racial bias in pay, promotions and how big accounts were allocated.
Bank of America bought Merrill in January 2009.
Bill Haldin, a spokesman for Bank of America, in an email said the settlement provides for additional steps that "will enrich our existing diversity, inclusion and development programs, providing even more opportunities for women to succeed as financial advisers."
The gender bias accord required Bank of America to hire an independent monitor to oversee improvements and a consultant to study how the bank "teams" brokers. Policy improvements will remain in effect for three years.
Seventy-five female brokers, including named plaintiff Judy Calibuso, had in a November 29 court filing objected to the "meager" settlement amount and "weak programmatic relief."
They claimed that approval would represent a "huge step backwards" that would "enshrine" and perpetuate discrimination by Merrill and its Wall Street rivals.
Calibuso, a Miami-area broker who had worked since 1995 for Bank of America and a predecessor, had been the only one of the five lead plaintiffs to oppose the settlement, which involved no admission of wrongdoing by the bank, court records show.
She rescinded her decision to opt out of the settlement after a December 20 hearing, the records show.
Rachel Geman, a lawyer for the plaintiffs at Lieff Cabraser Heimann & Bernstein, in an email said she was "pleased we were able to resolve this matter."
Chen awarded Geman's firm and co-counsel at Outten & Golden Camore than $12.6 million to cover fees and costs.
Lawyers for others who objected to the settlement did not respond to requests for comment.
Bank of America, based in Charlotte, North Carolina, had 15,624 financial advisers as of the end of September. Its $160 million accord with black brokers is one of the largest by an employer on a U.S. racial bias lawsuit.
The gender case is Calibuso et al v. Bank of America Corp et al, U.S. District Court, Eastern District of New York, No. 10-01413.
(Reporting by Jonathan Stempel and Nate Raymond in New York; Editing by Dan Grebler and Leslie Gevirtz)
By Jonathan Stempel and Nate Raymond


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Take a look at this rare 1962 clip, from the popular GARRY MOORE SHOW! It's one of Carol Burnett's first TV appearances, and who else would she portray in this silly celluloid sketch? That's right--Supergirl! In this parody of the 50s ADVENTURES OF SUPERMAN TV series, Carol and company run thru all the old standard superhero stereotypes: super powers, secret identities, and unrequited loves! This is also said to be the TV debut of Carol's famous "Tarzan yell" on TV, too! Click below to watch and enjoy this true rarity!
Wednesday, February 20, 2013
It's Supergirl! As Portrayed by--CAROL BURNETT?! 1962 Live-Action TV Clip!
Posted by Al Bigley at 2:00 AM
Labels: 1962, adventures of superman, carol burnett, dc comics, Silver Age, Supergirl, superman
2 comments:
- Richard Bensam said...
That was surprisingly good, and I say that as an admirer of both Garry Moore and Carol Burnett. It's just that we're so used to seeing superhero skits on television being done with a sneer, it's nice to see one that showed a sense of fun instead.
- February 24, 2013 at 12:02 PM
- Walaka said...
Welp, let's see - the production values and writing were just about as good as the Reeves show, Burnett was as excellent as always, and even ol' Durwood did a fine job. Fun indeed!
Interesting how it was contextualized as a children's show - I think we forget that in the current wave of movies.
- February 24, 2013 at 12:23 PM
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- Home
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Thursday November 14, 2019; 04:07 pm EST
Dear Bay Weekly:
Janice Booth's appreciation of Elizabeth Ayres' book Invitation To Wonder: a Journey Through the Seasons (April 7) was just lovely. Made me want to read the book! Again! Kudos to both writers.


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Explore Our Hotel
Clearwater, Florida Hotel's Convenient to Tampa, St. Pete
Discover all that Clearwater has to offer at the 100% smoke-free Holiday Inn Express Hotel Clearwater East - ICOT Center. We're conveniently located so that you can explore the Tampa, St. Petersburg and Clearwater areas. The hotel's just minutes from the St. Petersburg / Clearwater International Airport (PIE) and 15 minutes from Tampa International Airport (TPA).
For the business traveler in Clearwater, the hotel's ideally located at the ICOT Center and close to BIC Graphics USA, Honeywell, Emhart Glass, Pitney Bowes and many other companies. You'll have everything you need to prepare for meetings with free high-speed, wireless Internet access and our Business Center's services. Plan to save time and meet here in the hotel's meeting rooms.
In Clearwater, FL, we are the perfect destination for the sports enthusiast. We are close to NHL hockey, NFL football and Major League Baseball, including Spring Training. The hotel's perfectly set in Clearwater, FL for youth and college tournaments, too. We are within 10 miles of soccer, swimming, lacrosse, baseball and basketball complexes. Clearwater Beach is just minutes away, along with shopping, dining and entertainment.
While with us, we provide for all you need, be it a snack from the lobby market or a refreshing dip in our outdoor pool. Start each day with the free, hot breakfast when you "Stay Smart" with us!
- Black-out Shades
- Rollaway Bed/Cot Available
- Crib Available
- Iron/Ironing Board
- Separate Hanging Closet
- In-Room Heating and A/C Controls
Bathroom/Personal Care
- Private Bathroom
- Bathroom Amenities Available
- Hair Dryer
- Bathtub
In-Room Features
- Microwave
- Coffee Maker
- Flat-screen TV
- Work Desk with Lamp
- Desk-level Electrical Outlet
- Free Local Calls
- Cable/Satellite
- Premium Channels
- Pay-per-view Available
- Stereo/Radio
- Direct-dial Phone
- Phone with Voicemail
- Electrical Adapters Available
- Windows Open by Guest
Added Value
- Connecting Rooms Available
- Complimentary Coffee/Tea Supplies
- Full Breakfast Included
- Breakfast Buffet Included
- Continental Breakfast Included
- Complimentary Coffee in Lobby
- Kids Eat Free
- Off-site Restaurant Delivery Available
Business Services
- 1 Meeting Room(s) Available
- On-Site Business Center
- Printer
- Copier
- Scanner
Internet Access
- Free High-Speed Internet in all Rooms
- Wireless Internet service is free for all IHG® Rewards Club members
Entertainment & Recreation
- Outdoor Pool
- Outdoor Pool Hours of Operation: 8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Health & Fitness
Complimentary Fitness Center
Hours of Operation: 12:00 AM to 12:00 AM
Fitness Center Type: LIMITED
Fitness Center Equipment:
- Treadmill
- Elliptical Machines
- Free Weights
- Stationary Bicycle
Housekeeping & Laundry
- Daily Housekeeping
- On-site Guest Self-Laundry Facilities
- Hours of Operation: 12:00 AM - 12:00 AM
Added Value
- Wake Up Calls
- ATM/Cash Machine
Hotel Details
13625 ICOT Boulevard
Clearwater, Florida 33760
United States
Check In: 3:00 PM
Check Out: 11:00 AM
Check-in Age: 21
Parking + -
- Complimentary Self Parking Available
Shuttle + -
- Hotel provides complimentary shuttle service 8am - 8pm, 7 days a week within a 5 mile radius of the hotel.
- Complimentary Local Area Shuttle
- Hours Of Operation From 8:00 AM-To 8:00 PM
- Complimentary Airport Shuttle Service Available For :St Pete/Clearwater International Airport
Accessibility + -
- Public Entrance
- Guest Rooms
- Elevators
- Public Restrooms
- Registration Desk
- Business Center
- Number of Accessible Meeting Rooms: 1
Accessible Hotel Areas
- Registration Area
- Accessible Guest Rooms
- Business Center
- Meeting Room
- Pool
Hotel Areas with Accessible Routes from Accessible Public Entrance
- Accessible Self Parking
- Van Accessible Self Parking
- Portable Bathtub Seats
- Closed Caption TVs
- Telephone with TDD
- Visual Alarm/Alert in Guest Rooms
- Visual Alarm/Alert in Public Spaces
- Communication Kits with Visual Alarms
Provided by Hotel
Pet Policy + -
- Service Animals Allowed
Facility + -
- Smoke-Free Facility
- Number of Floors: 3
- Total Number of Rooms: 127
- Number of Suites: 26
- Number of Non-Smoking Rooms: 127
- Number of Accessible Rooms: 7
- Connecting Rooms Available
Credit Cards + -
- American Express
- Visa
- MasterCard
- Diners Club
- Carte Blanche
- Discover


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When putting fuel-efficient vehicles on a shopping list, most wouldn't mark down any BMWs, which are better known for 0-to-60-m.p.h. performance than for sipping liquid energy.
Take the newest member of the family: the 2009 335 sedan. It takes only 6 seconds to go from standing start to 60, thanks to its 3-liter, 265-horsepower, twin-turbo inline 6 with 6-speed automatic.
More noteworthy is that it's the 335d, with "d" for diesel, a class of engines once known for raising a big stink—in sound as well as smell. BMW last offered a diesel in the mid-'80s. Emissions concerns and high-sulfur fuel kept it out of the U.S. diesel market until now.
While a member of the performance club, it's the most fuel-efficient vehicle in BMW's lineup, at 23 m.p.g. city and 36 highway.
With its ability to nurse a drink, the 335d can go nearly 600 miles before needing a refill, a most impressive range for those who like to travel in style, surrounded by the latest in high-tech gadgetry.
We tested the 335d, and when pulling away from the light, into the passing lane or along the merger ramp, there was no diesel lumber, clatter or odor.
The smaller of the twin turbos gets the car going, the larger one then kicks in a little later to steadily build power without turbo lag.
BMW's BluePerformance diesel comes with a particulate filter and a special catalytic converter to treat emissions. With low-sulfur diesel fuel available, the 335d meets emissions standards in all 50 states; past diesels couldn't be sold in California or New York, two high-volume markets with tougher emissions laws.
You have to strain to detect the muffled ping of diesel combustion—no more sound of steel bolts bouncing in a metal drum.
The diesel gives BMW an alternative to gas/electrics and plug-in hybrids. However, there's no free pass, and like hybrids and plug-ins the 335d comes at a premium price. The $43,900 base is about $3,000 more than the gas-powered 335i and about $10,000 more than the lowest-priced 3-Series, the 328i, with its 3-liter, 230-h.p. 6-cylinder gas engine.
And that premium is before pulling into the station and seeing lead-free gas: $2.07; diesel: $2.27. The spread varies, but diesel's rarely less. Yet, at 20 cents more per gallon, diesel runs only $3.30 more for a tank.
Though the diesel powerplant is a heavyweight, the car handles like the sports sedan it is. But for that nimbleness, the ride is a little firm in the saddle, a trait that's long been part of the BMW DNA.
Stability control with traction control is standard, and along with low-profile, 18-inch, all-season radials, ensures excellent road manners.
Room is ample upfront, and front seat cushions help reduce ride firmness, but the rear seat backs/bottoms feel as if chiseled from marble. Trunk space is massive and, with the $1,150 cold-weather package, those seat backs fold to carry the skis inside. But the fold lever is in the trunk, not the cabin.
The 335d comes standard with power glass moonroof, climate control, rain-sensing wipers, AM/FM stereo with CD/MP3 system, heated power mirrors and power windows/locks/seats, to name a few.
Options are costly: $2,100 for navigation system; $2,650 for premium package with a digital compass in the rearview mirror and a universal garage-door opener; $1,150 for a cold-weather package with heated steering wheel/front seats; $700 for park distance control to warn when one is too close to a bumper when parking; $400 for iPod/USB adapter; $595 for satellite radio; and $500 for a comfort access system—push-button start to mere mortals. The test car didn't have active cruise control, which, for $2,400, helps keep you from getting too close to the vehicle ahead.
And while the 335d shares the same diesel offered in BMW's X5 xDrive35d sport-utility, it lacks the SUV's all-wheel-drive. Though it would be a welcome addition, the car wasn't designed to handle AWD, so it can't be added until Gen II at the earliest.
Read Jim Mateja Sunday in Rides. Contact him at email@example.com
When putting fuel-efficient vehicles on a shopping list, most wouldn't mark down any BMWs, which are better known for 0-to-60-m.p.h. performance than for sipping liquid energy.


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confidence tips from successful women
I relinquished my tiara
By Cheryl Strayed
"I was the homecoming queen," I tell people on occasion, as if that pronouncement stands for everything I used to be: skinny and pretty and snobby, charming but shallow, and dumber than a box of hair. As teens, we loved or loathed the homecoming queen and yearned to emulate or eviscerate her. In my case, I was her. Except, of course, I wasn't. I was a girl who wanted to be loved, which to me meant being pretty and slim as a stick. And so I spent my adolescence doing what we so breezily refer to as suffering for beauty. I suffered, and also I felt afraid. Afraid of looking fat, of being seen without my hair just so. My reward was that, at 17, a crown was placed on my head and I paraded through town perched on the back of a red Corvette convertible, feeling as beloved as a true queen. But I was still afraid and still suffered, thanks to the sharp grip of my tiara, its combs piercing the tender flesh of my scalp.
I'm so far from that girl now, 21 years down the road, that I have to squint to see how I became the woman I am, these days more every-hair-out-of-place than in. My transformation from high school beauty queen to actual self has been rendered almost invisible by the passage of time; it has happened in moments that have had nothing to do with my weight or hair color. Instead, the shifts were spurred by important things: how to go on living after the early death of my mother; how to believe in myself enough to risk a career as a writer; how to find good love and forge a strong marriage of equals; and, more recently, how to mother my two children. I've become the woman who, as a teen, I never knew I wanted to be: imperfect, but drawing strength from those imperfections. For me, that journey began with the first breath of air I took once I left the insularity of high school and continues as I greet new gray hairs and tiny wrinkles with at least a measure of calm. These days, the queen lives not within me but outside me, in a box in my closet that I come across from time to time. My old tiara lies inside, a glimmering artifact of the dream girl I used to be.
I put myself out there
By A.M. Homes
In my case, self-acceptance was on back order and didn't arrive until I was in my 40s. There was a moment when I looked beyond myself, and wondered: Why do I care so much what most people think? And then I thought of artists whose work means a lot to me—Picasso, De Kooning, Edward Albee, Patti Smith and Lou Reed—and it became clear that what I admired about each was the fact that despite their own self-consciousness, despite doubt, they were compelled to do their work, to risk failure. I reflect on these mentors, and what I see are men and women who were or are themselves, genuinely, with all the signs and scars that suggest a battle hard won. As human beings, we are all conditioned to care, to conform. To reject conformity in favor of asserting one's individual nature is the work of a lifetime. It's hard to create art (or simply live your life) if you're looking over your shoulder. Each time I make something new, I feel I am once again offering my exposed self to the world and saying, "What do you think of me now?" And then, I do it all over again.
I became a mother
By Hope Edelman
For most of my life, I've been told that I'm too sensitive, too dramatic—always too something for other people's taste. I spent ridiculous amounts of time, energy and money in therapy trying to tone down my behavior to keep the peace, and hours crying in bathrooms to keep my hurt feelings private, even when they'd been legitimately hurt. Then I became a mother. I have two daughters, and the older one, like me, has a naturally fast-talking, highly dramatic, acutely sensitive way of relating to others. When she started school, I noticed how closely she was observing me for clues about how to behave. And I realized that every time I didn't stick up for myself or pretended an insult didn't matter, I was teaching my daughter to suppress her impulses in favor of pleasing others. Was this the kind of woman I wanted her to become? Even more urgently, was this the kind of role model I wanted to be?
When my daughter became the target of a first-grade bully, I had a choice to make. I could counsel her privately about how to cope, or I could march in to school and let the teacher know my daughter and I wouldn't tolerate this kind of situation. I chose the latter. Too dramatic? Too bad. For the first time in my life, I didn't care how other adults perceived me. I cared only about what my daughter saw, and whether I was doing right by her. Now, people can call me what they want. As long as my girls think I'm doing a good job, theirs are the only opinions that count.
I survived public humiliation
By Fay Weldon
A few years ago, there was a full-page profile of me in the British newspaper I take daily. I turned to it with interest. The journalist had accepted my hospitality, spent the day, talked about literature and revealed her life as I'd revealed mine. I'd thought we got on rather well. I opened to the page and found out she despised me. She said I was short and dome-shouldered, and rather like a badger around the neck. She said I was past it; that my house was dreary. The article made quite a stir. (She went on to have a column of her own in that newspaper, which I don't read anymore.) But it was good for book sales, and all kinds of people said I didn't look like a badger. So what do I care? The worst has been said. Friends and family know what I'm like, and if someone has never met me it can hardly matter. I even stopped dieting after the article and as a result have lost a lot of weight. That's how it goes.
I started seeking my own approval
By Stephanie Dolgoff
Anyone who has ever been a child knows that kids care deeply what their parents think, so much so that they will dye their hair puke green and pierce every centimeter of cartilage on their body so they can scream, "I don't care what you think!!" when those parents object. But what if the parents never notice, let alone object? Then you're merely an angry kid with green hair and infected holes in all the wrong places.
That's what happened to me (not the piercings but the misplaced bids for attention). I found myself straining to be the girlfriend guys seemed to want or the ideal employee, never turning down an assignment. A shrink once said I was subconsciously making myself nuts in an attempt to win the attention I never got from my father. I'd continue to do this, she said, until I "became OK" with the fact that said attention was never likely to come my way. "Just because your father doesn't love you the way you want doesn't mean he doesn't love you," she said. Still, I continued to live for that "Good job!" from a boss or "You look great!" from a super skinny girlfriend or "You're the one" from a guy I'd never asked myself if I cared about in the first place.
Then, around the time I turned 30, I looked in the mirror and saw an angry adolescent. Gradually, I began choosing my boyfriends rather than allowing myself to be chosen and gave myself permission to do work that I was proud of, whether or not thumbs-up were forthcoming. There was no single epiphany, but I do recall a phone conversation with my dad when, as in many others, I was able to put down the phone, answer the door, pay the Chinese food delivery guy and get back on the phone without my father noticing I'd been gone, which for the first time struck me as hilarious instead of infuriating. My dad finished talking and said, "OK, bye, honey. I love you." And I knew he meant it. Nothing had changed, except me.
I walked down the aisle again
By Cindy Chupack
"Are you sure you don't want a more traditional invitation?" our wedding planner asked as we described our idea for something that looked like a vintage French advertising poster. "This is forever, you know." But I'd already had a traditional wedding that was not, in fact, forever. In my 20s, I'd had the big white dress, the dream wedding…except it wasn't my dream. It wasn't me at all. Now, at 40, I know who I am, and my fiancé, Ian, and I questioned everything from what we should call our bridal party (we settled on bridal posse) to whether our parents really needed to meet before the wedding. ("What good can come of that?" Ian asked, legitimately.) We wanted the wedding to be like a fabulous party where we simply happened to get married. We had an amazing cocktail hour, and even though it was before the ceremony, I was there; I wanted to be at the party, not waiting to be revealed. And speaking of the reveal, I wore a moss-green, floor-length Morgane Le Fay gown, and Ian wore a black-and-white paisley Paul Smith linen jacket. We actually might have clashed a little, but because we were so completely true to ourselves, it worked. The toasts were bawdy and hilarious and possibly inappropriate. (At one point, my dad leaned over and asked what a booty call was.) Our first dance was a tango to Cake's version of "Perhaps, Perhaps, Perhaps," which ended with Ian sliding across the floor on his knees, ripping his white linen pants. Perhaps we'll someday regret our wardrobe choices. Perhaps we'll look back at the prewedding double-decker bus ride as a bad decision for my hair. Then again, perhaps it was magical and exactly what a wedding should be.
I got a reality check
By Ayelet Waldman
It all started with an essay in which I said that while I love my four children, I'm not in love with any of them. I'm in love with my husband. "If a good mother is one who loves her child more than anyone else in the world," I wrote, "then I am not a good mother; I love my husband more than I love my children."
You'd have thought I'd said I wanted to wring my children's necks and drop them in boiling oil. People went crazy. They took off after me on The View. The Web became an Ayelet-hating universe replete with diatribes and parodies; some civic-minded souls went so far as to report me to Alameda County social services, presumably because foster care would be better for my children than being forced to endure another moment in my company.
At first, I earnestly tried to defend myself against the attacks. Then an article ran in a men's magazine posing the question: How is a husband to know if his wife is a bad mother…like Mommie Dearest or Ayelet Waldman? Hmmm, I thought. "No wire hangers" and liking to have sex with your husband. They're really all of a piece, aren't they?
After that, I realized I'd be foolish to take seriously people who couldn't distinguish between an abusive maniac and a mother who loves the father of her children, foolish to let their criticism cause me pain or doubt. The proof, after all, is in the pudding. I have four beautiful children who are secure in their mother's love. Every year, as more of their friends split their weeks between their parents' separate houses, my children can remain confident that their parents love each other too much ever to separate. As the saying goes, the greatest gift a mother can give her children is to love their father. If that's so, my husband and I have given our children a very great gift indeed.
I talked to the chair
By Anne Taylor Fleming
I grew up a well-behaved, model girl-child in a tumultuous household and went on to become an adoring and eager-to-please bride, at least early in my marriage. I always stood my ground in work situations; it was the personal stuff that got me—friends, family, people who wanted me to do something I didn't want to do, go somewhere I didn't want to go, or, OK, even my husband wanting me to have sex when I was on deadline. In contrast, said husband has always told people no with relative ease. "Sorry, I can't do that." "Sorry, not right now." In time, he convinced me (by example) that by acceding to things I didn't want to do, I was not pleasing anybody; I was merely being a martyr. In my 30s, I finally took myself off to a therapist, where I practiced, under his tutelage, talking to an empty chair, imagining my father or husband or a friend sitting there and saying to each one, "No, I can't do that now." I still remember the exhilarated nausea I felt until finally, with practice, the nausea went away and all that was left was the exhilaration. To this day, if someone presses me to do something I truly don't want to do, I imagine her in that chair and I'm able to be politely firm, no internal quibbles, no retroactive need to please anyone but myself.
I showed my true nature
By Susanna Sonnenberg
I used to apologize to the cleaning lady, tidying on the eve of her visits, apologizing about the two kids, the two pets, the dinner-party leftovers. "I tried to clean up," I'd explain and feel embarrassed and morally distressed. As she worked, she muttered about the disarray; the resulting clean house a rebuke, a scold to teach my sons how to pee straight.
Of course I care about social niceties, the necessary graces. But I realized that this woman made me feel bad, that in my efforts to impress her, I was neglecting to be myself. Finally, I asked her to go. I thanked her, then I hired someone new. Right away, I told the new woman, "We're messy. The kids grind raisins into the floor; the dog hair settles in corners. It's who we are. Thank you for giving us a cleaner house." Then I left her to her work and appreciated her efforts immensely. As for what she thought of me, I'm certain she had people more important in her life to ponder.
Photo Credit: Terry Doyle


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In 1993, members of the Wu-Tang Clan produced a 40-second spot for Nintendo's Super Game Boy. Filmed in Williamsburg, Brooklyn in 1993, it featured a beat by Prince Paul, voice-over from RZA and ODB, and a work of graffiti from the COD Crew. A member of COD found the old video and uploaded it to Vimeo a few weeks ago. He writes in the description that the commercial "was banned from networks for being too ill." That's all you need to know.
Goodnight! Hickey will join you shortly. Here's your transitional track:


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Very close to the downtown area of Frankfurt, Germany, lies a sprawling 11/2 -sq.-mile industrial park that straddles both sides of the Main River. It's an impressive sight, with all the trappings you'd expect. It is here where Bayer CropScience houses its global research and development programs of the company's herbicides.
The industrial park is more than the place where Bayer CropScience has offices and staff. The roots of Bayer CropScience can be traced back to 1863, when on this very site the company that would later become Hoechst was founded.
Like many of the chemical companies in Europe, the company that became Hoechst initially focused on making dyes for the textile industry. Later, the company migrated into pharmaceuticals and later crop protection. At one time, Hoechst was the largest pharmaceutical company in the world and took up the entire industrial park.
The crop protection research and development started in earnest in the 1950s, with first nitrogen production and then the development of herbicides. The early development of the urea herbicides was here. As the herbicide and fungicide business grew, so did research and development at the site. Glufosinate was discovered in its laboratories, and the company was a major developer of safener technology.
"This facility has a long history of strong research and development of crop protection products," says Hermann Stübler, head of weed control for Bayer CropScience. "We have been pioneers in the area of herbicide development."
Through various mergers and acquisitions within the entire industry through the 1990s, the key components of the herbicide research and development business, as well as insecticide and fungicide research components, were acquired by Bayer CropScience. And while the industrial park is now occupied with many other tenants, Bayer CropScience remains one of the larger businesses, employing more than 700 people in research and development as well as formulation of active ingredients.
"Working closely with our colleagues around the world, our activities here allow us to discover and identify new candidates for weed control for the global market," Stübler says.
In-depth research
While identifying new candidates for weed control solutions is a key focus of the activities at this site, the programs have evolved to encompass research that goes beyond herbicide development. There are greenhouses that are used to screen new compounds, but the chemists, biochemists and biologists also look at the market.
"Our thinking extends from models to markets," Stübler says. "Yes, we have in our research team scientists that look at new molecules. But we also must have a sense of what the market wants and needs. We are in close contact with our colleagues in the field to learn from them how agriculture is changing, and how to solve problems in the future. We are extremely market driven."
One area that has seen significant investment is the area of herbicide-resistant weeds. Not only is research in Frankfurt focused on new products, but also on how herbicide resistance develops and how producers can best use tools now available to protect their crops.
"The enormity of the problem with herbicide-resistant weeds, especially in the United States, has changed our mind-set somewhat," explains Harry Strek, head of Profiling and Market Support. "While we still look for new chemistries, we are working to get a better understanding of how herbicide resistance develops and how producers can use current tools to manage weeds.
"We are a company that needs to make a return in order to pay for research where there is no guarantee of success for every candidate we advance," Strek continues. "Yes, we are still in the business of selling products. But we need to increase the life span of current products on the market in order to bridge the current gap of new developments. So we are using this research to develop systems that diversify a weed management system and extend the life of what we have."
While companies continue to work on new chemistries, the pipeline for new active ingredients remains limited. Research may develop a new active ingredient, but it may never reach a commercial introduction. "We have found several products with new modes of action, but for one reason or another they can't be brought to market," Strek says. "It can range from production issues to toxicity. That doesn't deter our work, but it does show that there are many, many hurdles to overcome before a product comes to market. That is why it is so important that we also focus on ensuring what we have now remains effective."
Screening for better solutions
Roland Beffa, team leader for weed resistance research, leads the efforts at Bayer CropScience on two fronts. First, his team receives samples from around the world that go through a myriad of high-tech screenings to not only determine if the weeds are resistant but, if so, exactly what type of resistance is present, and to what compounds and classes of compounds.
The data are extremely important in the battle against herbicide-resistant weeds, Beffa explains. "We can quickly determine the resistance profile in the field and use the results of our diagnostics tests to give the best recommendations," he says. The lab in Frankfurt is expanding its capabilities and will continue to receive samples from U.S. producers in 2013.
"In about half the samples we receive, we have discovered that resistance is not present," Beffa says. "That is important as well because we can use that information to discuss with the producer how the product was applied and how to improve its effectiveness."
Gathering samples from around the world also gives Beffa's team an in-depth database of weed populations with which to conduct research on weed resistance. "We are working to better understand the mechanism of metabolic resistance. This is the most dangerous for the future, because it can impact a broad number of chemical families," Beffa says. "Even a relatively new chemical family can already be metabolized by weeds that can degrade a broad range of other compounds." In layman's terms: Even new chemistries may not be effective if metabolic resistance is present in a weed.
While the current laboratory diagnostics take one to three weeks (as opposed to growing the weed from seed which can take several months), Beffa is also working to develop a system that would provide in-field diagnostics to determine herbicide resistance. "This is longer term, but ultimately the best solution," he says. "Having precise diagnostics can help producers formulate a better plan of action.
"We continue to learn more and more about herbicide resistance. And the more we understand, the better processes and treatments we can develop."
Bringing the next class of herbicide to market is no easy task, not for any of the companies involved in research and development. Herbicide resistance is an issue that continues to garner a bigger and brighter spotlight.
"I love coming to work every morning, because I know that we are learning more every day," Strek says. "For producers struggling with herbicide-resistant weeds, it can be difficult. But our team is talented and motivated, and we continue to work to bring new solutions to market."
For more information, visit bayercropscience.com.


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Freedom Arms 1983 454Casull
Guns International #: 101322399 Seller's Inventory #: 33457
Category: Freedom Arms Revolvers - .454 Casull Revolvers
Seller's Information
When emailing or calling sellers direct, please mention that you saw their listing on GunsInternational.com
Seller: Legendary Guns
Member Since: 10/24/07
State: Arizona
Zip: 85015
Country: United States
Phone: (602) 242-1195
Platinum Seller
Number of Active Listings: 97
Total Number of Listings: 1901
Seller: FFL Dealer
Return Policy: 3 day inspection and return policy on used guns.
Payment Types Accepted: Mastercard, Visa, Discover, American Express Credit Cards, Postal MO,Certified Bank Check
Freedom Arms 1983 in 454Casull, 6" barrel,adj sight,stainless finish with wood grips. Brand new with box
*Legendary Guns in Phoenix AZ 602-242-1195 Hours of operation Tuesday-Friday 10-6 Sat 10-5 Closed Sundays & Mondays
*No Add'l Credit Card fees, You only pay for the cost of the item & $35 for shipping{AK&HI Extra} Arizona Residents Must Pay Sales Tax.
*We accept all Major credit cards, Postal Money order or Certified Bank Check{Check & Money order payments ship after payment has cleared}
*We offer a 60 day layaway on purchases of $500 or more. Items require 1/3 of the total price as down payment which is NON-REFUNDABLE and you have 60 days to pay off the balance.
*Please call the shop for any questions and to confirm availability before buying. We are happy to answer all questions.
*All items online are also for sale at our Phoenix location
*We offer a 3 day inspection period with a full refund if item was misrepresented. We accept returns for any reason within the 3 day inspection period with NO REFUNDS ON SHIPPING CHARGES and a 15% restocking fee.
*We Only accept/consider trades that can be brought to our Store in Phoenix.
*If it's legal in your area we will sell it, that includes California, so due to new California regulations we are required to let you know that the items we sell will expose you to harmful materials that the Great Nation of CA has deemed harmful. So a firearm will expose you to such chemicals as lead which may cause birth defects, cancer, and other horrible health problems. For more information, go to P65Warnings.ca.gov
Price: $2699.00
Manufacturer: Freedom Arms
Model: 1983
Caliber: 454 Casull
Condition: New


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This door is pre-glazed with toughened clear safety glass.
Material composition: Engineered cores are manufactured from reconstituted wood such as chipboard, blockboard, plywood or MDF. Each of these raw materials can be used in different ways to make up the core component parts of a variety of doors. They are more stable in use than solid timber within the modern built environment.
Installation: Internal doors should not be installed in areas with recent plastered, screeded or wet sites. All of our doors including those pre-finished, should not be exposed to inappropriate damp site conditions.
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MATERIAL: Pine core with MDF facings
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TRIMMING: 6mm per side
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Are you fed up with awfully chilly days and desperate to start wearing some easy breezy goodies? Oh, but we definitely are! So, we began our hunt for the perfect super-duper picks from the latest collections hitting the shelves. Our latest discovery is the Spell 'On the Road' lookbook filled with oh-so-hip pieces guaranteeing to inject awesomeness into our wardrobes. And we're pretty sure you're going to fall in love irremediably with the brand's lust-worthy offerings. Ah, there are so may to-die-for pieces in every single one of Sp... Read More


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Sather: Bighorn stores closed in Summit County
The BigHorn stores in Summit County are closed after 28 years. In 1984 Betsy and I purchased a small lumberyard in Frisco which we named BigHorn Materials. That grew and we built the BigHorn Center in the late 1990s to which the businesses relocated and joined the ACE Hardware coop. Continued growth included paint stores in Frisco and Breckenridge, the partnership EcoAsis store in Breck, the Smith and Hawken store in Silverthorne and BigHorn Interiors and Design in Silverthorne. At our peak, there were 68 people on the BigHorn staff.
The closing was due to a number of factors. We translate projected revenues and expenses into a level of business risk. Now five years into this recession, we do not see a short-term recovery to sustainable business levels with our overhead structure. The number of building permits continues low compared to a few years ago. On the expense side, it appears that costs of doing business will increase over the next few years. These considerations and the opening of Lowe's, a direct competitor, raised the level of risk beyond what we were willing to absorb.
There are many great memories of those 28 years. It was our honor and pleasure to serve the Summit County community. We appreciate the staff of people who worked for the BigHorn stores over those years and the many customers who appreciated our services. And, we thank the dozens of Summit County businesses that served the BigHorn Stores. Betsy and I own the TrueValue Hardware store in Leadville and more of our time will now be directed to its growth. Thanks Summit County.
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Popularity:#9 of 12 Animal Hospitals in Boulder#25 of 33 Animal Hospitals in Boulder County#239 of 325 Animal Hospitals in Colorado#10,600 in Animal Hospitals
Address, Phone Number, and Hours for Alpine Hospital For Animals, an Animal Hospital, at Valmont Road, Boulder CO.
View map of Alpine Hospital For Animals, and get driving directions from your location.
Find 6 Animal Hospitals within 2.1 miles of Alpine Hospital For Animals.
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Alpine Hospital For Animals, located in Boulder, CO, is a medical facility for animals that offers comprehensive animal medical care services for pets including dogs, cats, and other household pets. The Animal Hospital's services include wellness and routine examinations, diagnostic testing and treatment, and both in-patient and out-patient treatment.You may contact Animal Hospitals for questions about:
The Boulder Animal Hospital offers a range of medical facilities for animals, including diagnostic and laboratory testing, examination rooms, and surgical facilities. The medical services include preventative care exams, diagnostic exams, and testing of blood, urine, and other samples in-house. The testing and diagnostic resources at the Animal Hospital can include radiology, ultrasound, and electrocardiograms. The Animal Hospital may also offer an emergency service through its in-house veterinarians. Emergency vets provide 24-hour care for emergency medical situations. Contact the Animal Hospital for more information about its facilities and emergency services.Preventative Care for Pets
In addition to providing diagnostic and laboratory treatments, the Animal Hospital in Boulder offers preventative care wellness exams and resources on preventative pet care. These include routine examinations, annual checks, preventative shots and vaccinations, and resources on nutrition, exercise, and weight management for animals.Boulder Animal Hospital Accreditation
The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) accredits Boulder County area Animal Hospitals, specifically those that serve dogs and cats. During the accreditation process, AAHA reviews the Animal Hospital's facilities, practices on pain management, and preventative care services. They also look at animal patient care. Contact the Animal Hospital for more information about accreditation.Finding a Boulder Veterinarian
The Animal Hospital can make recommendations on veterinarians in the Boulder County area, including in Boulder. As a medical facility for animals, the Animal Hospital builds strong relationships with local veterinarians, including those offering specialty medical care for farm animals and unusual pets. The Animal Hospital may also make recommendations on pet boarding and kennel facilities in Boulder.Contact Alpine Hospital For Animals
You may contact Alpine Hospital For Animals by calling 303-443-9661, or by addressing inquiries to the office mailing address: Alpine Hospital For Animals, 3210 Valmont Road, Boulder, Colorado, 80301.


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Old Town Strip Clubs
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Camp Woods is a Philadelphia sketch comedy group comprised of members Rob Baniewicz, JP Boudwin, Patrick Foy, Brendan Kennedy, Sam Narisi and Billy Bob Thompson. They will be performing a brand new show this Thursday and Friday at Philly Improv Theater at the Shubin Theater, 407 Bainbridge St. We caught up with some members of Camp Woods for this installment of our Spotlight on a Group series.
WITOUT: Tell us how Camp Woods was formed (originally, and the addition of newer members).
SAM NARISI: The group was in its embryonic phase when they asked me to join. That happened because I had been in a video that Pat made in college. I lived with Pat in college. Boy, we had some crazy times. But anyway, Pat asked me if I'd do some more stuff. And boy did I do some more stuff…
PAT FOY: The first Camp Woods video we shot was a remake of a video I had done in college. I asked Sam to reprise his role as this Stephen Hawking-type guy who was confined to a wheelchair because his beard had crippled him. He was so funny in the re-shoot we asked him to become a permanent member of the group afterwards.
SN: Then Brendan came along, which was mostly a matter of all of us being into his standup. He told us he had sketch ideas and we were like, "Niiiiiice."
PF: I think Brendan was excited to collaborate with other like-minded people, and we knew him as one of the funniest comics in the city, so we were more than happy to have him join. It was his idea to start doing videos with title cards at the beginning and end, which has become sort of a calling card for us.
SN: Billy threatened to blow up a train if we didn't let him join. Actually, I guess what happened was that we needed an additional cast member when we went down to a festival in North Carolina so we asked Billy, and it was cool.
PF: As I remember it, the train thing was part of some performance art piece Billy was working on. Really edgy stuff. We were so impressed that we asked him to join Camp Woods.
SN: As for Rob, he joined one night while drunk and didn't remember it the next morning.
ROB BANIEWICZ: JP had mentioned to me after Meg left about joining up. I didn't know what I was going to go comedically so I thought I'd just write a sketch or two. Then one night I was very drunk and Brendan asked me to join flat out while he was also very drunk. I remembered but he was surprised afterwards when he was sober that he would ask me that. But I've hung around long enough that everyone else seems to be ok with it.
WITOUT: I know that you guys have some rules when it comes to writing sketches (no doctors office sketches or cashier and customer sketches, etc) can you talk about why you made these and how you think it helps you stand out or in your process?
SN: We've had a bunch of rules, like no doctor's offices, no parody/reference things… basically stuff that's easy that you see too much of already. Lately, though, we've had a lot of fun breaking those rules. Like, we recently did a doctor sketch – Dr. Stephen Tyler PHD.
We also have a live sketch called Big Friendly Baby, which has a lot of Silence of the Lambs references. But one of the characters is a giant baby, so it's not something where people are like, "Oh, I've seen this before." I hope not, anyway.
So I guess the point is, the rules helped us in the beginning to figure out what we did and didn't want to do, but now I think we've grown up to a point where we know what we like and we can just do whatever we think is funny.
WITOUT: Tell us about your writing process.
SN: There are occasional times where we'll all sit in a circle and write a sketch from scratch together – but the result is usually a big, big mess. You know, too many cooks or whatever. So most of time someone will have a draft printed out and then we'll all read it and say things like, "Yo, what if this happened …." Then sometimes, we change the sketch so that what the person said should happen happens. That's a really boring answer, so feel free to imagine these meetings taking place while we also have to diffuse a bomb that's about to blow up the White House. Like, "It's okay, Mr. President, we'll get you out of this thing alive. Also, Pat, I don't think the joke at the top of page 2 works as well as it could."
WITOUT: Do you approach writing an entire show differently from writing a single sketch (do you try to build on themes or make connections) or do you just focus on one sketch at a time?
RB: Sketches are like women. You need to work on them one at a time. To pull a bunch of women into a bedroom at the same time and have them find what they have in common with each other is just a mess — especially when they're in various states of undress — so I use the same rules when I approach writing a sketch.
SN: When we started out, we tried to write shows that were these big narrative productions … and it was pretty insane. They took a long time to write, and they were completely unadaptable to a setting other than a full 25-minute set in a theater. I liked them, but we probably also bored a lot of people. I don't know, we have some ideas for those things (they're basically half-hour plays, I guess) that we might do at some point.
PF: We tried to run before we could walk. Those early shows were pretty ambitious conceptually, but we had to go back and learn how to write actual sketches since we are, after all, a sketch comedy group.
SN: But basically now we focus on the individual sketches one at a time, and use them to build the show by creating transitions or adding some kind of through-line. There's also been talk about doing some more theme-intensive shows, like a show that's all about pizza. So that'll be a thing where the idea for the show comes first and we write sketches to fit it. But yeah, I think it's about time to start getting people hyped on this pizza show. So hey people: Get hyped.
PF: We found early on that making connections and coming up with themes and through-lines was the easy part. Creating the building blocks, the actual sketches, was harder. You know, the funny parts of a show. So we focused on getting better at that. Also, if we ever do the pizza show, we are probably going to give out free pizza to the audience.
WITOUT: How has your style evolved in your time together? Has the addition of new members changed your style or dynamic at all?
PF: I've started writing parts tailored to certain members of the group. Like, I recently wrote a sketch based around a character thinking, "Brendan will play this guy." It's a really dark sketch, but Brendan can play dark with this certain amount of insane goofiness that, hopefully, will allow us to get away with how dark it is.
SN: What's weird is that after working with people for a while you start to here their voices in your head while you write – like, you imagine the other dudes liking or disliking something. So you get that kind of influence from everyone else in the group even when you're by yourself. Unless I'm actually just insane and this is a weird thing that only happens to me.
PF: I'm also writing a sketch about a schizophrenic guy, who will be played by Sam because he clearly suffers from schizophrenia.
WITOUT: What are each of your roles in the group? How do you see yourself and the other guys?
SN: My role is basically "one of the guys without curly hair and a beard." Rob and Billy are my reinforcements. Before they joined, all the sketches were about guys with curly hair and I couldn't be in any of them.
PF: Billy, I think, is the only one of us who wasn't brought up Catholic. He's our diversity hire. It's about time a white guy from New England got a break in this world. Rob is the oldest member of the group, so he's like the father figure. Or at least the pervert uncle who walks around muttering "pussy party" under his breath. Brendan is our bullshit-detector. He tells us who or what is bullshit, who is full of shit, who should go fuck themselves, and who should go get fucked. JP is the Social Chairman; he's all charisma and charm and he'll never settle down. Sam is the muscle of the group. He's got 1-8-7 skills. Like, one time he couldn't make it to a show, and didn't tell us why. The next day they announced that Osama bin Laden was dead. I'm the guy who gets naked the most often. I also do all of JP's and Brendan's stunts.
You can find out more about Camp Woods on their website, Twitter and Facebook page. Their videos can be found on Vimeo.
1 Comment
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Would you propose starting with a free platform like WordPress or go
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A buyer's guide to rowing machines
The rowing machine is one of the most complete aerobic activities, and for this reason it is a piece of fitness apparatus that offers numerous and varied benefits:
- · Workout is guaranteed with mild impact on the leg joints.
- · Tones the muscles, strengthens the cardiovascular function and increases stamina.
- · Involves a large part of the body: shoulders, arms, glutes, legs, abs and back.
- · Provides high level calorie burning and is an excellent complement to a weight loss programme.
- · Builds up stamina intensely and efficiently when practising any activity.
- · Like all aerobic exercise, it improves lung capacity, the heart and circulation systems.
- · Allows performance monitoring and adjustment of training rhythm.
- · Does not apply tension to the back or to the joints.
- · Increases the amount of endorphins released in the body, thus reducing stress.
- · Improves mobility and develops a correct posture.
When purchasing a rowing machine, we have to bear in mind certain technical aspects of the machine as well as the characteristics and functions, such as:
- 1) Rowing type according to brake type
- 2) Rowing type according to structure
- 3) Dimensions
- 4) Maximum Weight
- 5) Console and Programs
1) Rowing Type according to brake system
Hydraulic Rowing Machine: the brake of a hydraulic rowing machine is activated by fan with blades that is submerged in a water tank. As you pull the handles back to workout, these blades turn and generate resistance, also providing a real rowing sensation. You can fill the tank with more or less water to adjust the resistance.
Air Rowing Machine: for an air rowing machine braking is activated through a flywheel similar to a fan blade. When you pull the handles, this wheel turns and produces wind resistance. Therefore, the faster and harder you row, the greater the resistance you generate. So you can always control the training resistance. As with the hydraulic rowing machine, a real rowing sensation is achieved.
Magnetic Rowing Machine: the brake of a rowing machine with a magnetic brake is generated by magnets that provide braking resistance in a flywheel, obtaining constant, silent and smooth exercise. In this type of rowing the resistance is adjusted by the distance between the magnets and the flywheel.
2) Rowing Type according to structure
Central Pull Rowing Machine: central pull rowing uses a single pull technique, as you pull inwards with a sole movement. The lever movement is not guided and ensures a symmetrical pull and great fluidity in the workout.
Cross Pull Rowing Machine: the cross pull rowing machine uses a technique with two rowing levers, and the movement is crossed. The movement is partially guided, as the run of the levers is predetermined. Its main aim is to perfect the rowing technique.
Crossed and Circular Pull Rowing Machine (Scandinavian): the Scandinavian rowing machine, just like the crossed pull rowing machine, uses a technique with two rowing levers. The difference between them lies in the movement being completely guided, as the run of the levers is also predetermined. In this case, the aim is also to simulate rowing on a boat.
Central pull rowing machines are designed for complete cardiovascular exercise and to be included in every training plan, while cross pull and Scandinavian rowing machines aim to simulate rowing in boats and to train for competitions. Therefore, according to the purpose of your exercise, you may choose one or another.
3) Dimensions
Before opting for one model or another, you should check the dimensions to ensure that you have enough room for it.
Some models, even foldable ones, are extremely robust.
4) Maximum user weight
As with other cardiovascular apparatus, rowing machines also have a maximum weight limit.
It is very important to respect this limit to guarantee long term good use, and to ensure that the work is as efficient as possible.
5) Console and Programs
The console provides relevant information such as: length of the exercise, rhythm, strokes, number of calories burnt, etc. Information that will enable you to monitor your progress in the workout. The console of a rowing machine also includes different workout programs to make the exercise enjoyable and more attractive.
Information and programs vary according to the model of rowing machine.


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Hurt no more
TORONTO — On my walk to the ol' ballyard this afternoon, saw a crew finally removing the gigantic Frank Thomas poster from the windows on the south side of the Rogers Centre. Rumor has it that Alex Rios will soon be replacing the Big Hurt.
With Thomas officially taken down, it seems like a good time to check in with the future Hall of Famer and how he's faring over in Oaktown:
Since joining the A's: .282 average with three home runs and 14 RBIs in 24 games.
The Jays have used nine different players as the designated hitter this season — most recently Mighty Joe Inglett. Entering Friday's game against the Royals, Toronto's DHs had combined for 18 runs (11th in the American League), six homers (ninth), 23 RBIs (ninth), a .220 average (10th), a .311 on-base percentage (ninth), a .363 slugging percentage (.11th) and 61 total bases (12th).
Those numbers aren't so hot. Then again, those figures all include Thomas, who labored in the season's early going as Toronto's regular DH. On Friday, Kevin Mench started at DH against the Royals, making his first appearance among the starting nine since bruising his right knee by running into a wall on Friday.
Matt Stairs — Toronto's current primary DH — was still out with a stiff neck, meaning Inglett got the nod again, but this time as the right fielder. David Eckstein (strained right hip flexor) DHed in his rehab appearance with Class A Dunedin on Thursday night, but was due to man shortstop on Friday. He could be back as soon as Monday, when shortstop John McDonald (sprained right ankle) might begin his Minor League rehab.
Blue Jays center fielder Vernon Wells could be on his way to Florida on Monday as well to begin rehabbing his broken right wrist. He's still a ways off from thinking about playing in a game, though. Without further adieu, here are…
Today's lineups:
KANSAS CITY (21-26) at TORONTO (24-25)
at 7:07 p.m. ET at Rogers Centre
David DeJesus, RF
Mark Grudzielanek, 2B
Alex Gordon, 3B
Jose Guillen, LF
Mark Teahen, 1B
Billy Butler, 1B
Miguel Olivo, C
Tony Pena, SS
Joey Gathright, CF
PITCHING: RHP Zach Greinke
Shannon Stewart, LF
Aaron Hill, 2B
Alex Rios, RF
Scott Rolen, 3B
Lyle Overbay, 1B
Kevin Mench, DH
Gregg Zaun, C
Marco Scutaro, SS
Joe Inglett, RF
PITCHING: RHP Roy Halladay
COUNT 'EM: The Jays have used 42 different lineups in 50 games
5 Comments
I was just about to flip on the Jays for squandering another runners on the corners no one out and get zip, that was until Scoots got it done!!! He has sure been getting it done lately… Saying that, why is he still way down in the order when we have been looking for a leadoff guy and he is one of out best OBP guys???
Does anyone out there think our lineup looks like a Peewee AA squad??? We have got to have the smallest lineup in the majors. Little pop and zero homerun threats!
2 of the 3 H.R.'s were in game vs Tampa the other night. I think Thomas will be in go into Cooperstown but his career is coming to an end. He was a bad signing by J.P. Money not well spent, quality not quanity, that is how you want to spend it. I think J.P. was trying to get a big name on the team when he signed Thomas.
Grienke one of the best pitchers that nobody has heard of. If he was on a team that was any good, everyone would know about him. The Royals for once are going in the right direction. They have alot of good young arms. As of right now, they have a lineup of outs. I wouldn't think many runs will be scored in Toronto this weekend. Especially tonight. Good news for you Jordan, the game should be over early tonight.
Oh and ooops on letting Thomas go. I think JP might have jumped the gun a tad on that one.
lets pop up more with runner in scoring position it seems to be quite effective in looking pathetic.
That Aaron Hill catch was phenominal. I think this team has finally snapped out of it. I expect a sweep of KC.


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Model #INF-412
|List Price:
|Our Price:
|$58.85 New
General Description
We're committed to exceeding your expectations:
- Found it for less? We'll match the price
- 25-Year or Limited Lifetime Warranty
Our customers come first — we guarantee it!
Trying to balance your budget with your needs for an appropriate school chair? The Infuse Value Series lets you get the benefits of a smart design and tough materials at a budget-friendly price.
Infuse Series School Chairs bring a real breakthrough to classroom furniture - and a relief to school custodians. These graceful classroom chairs feature a blow-molded shell with no grooves or ridges for students to stick chewing gum into. The rugged shell is connected to the frame with countersunk metal T-nuts, rendering these school chairs extraordinarily durable.
Strength is not all. These student chairs also give children the support they need throughout the day. As they sit on a cushion of air which is layered within the seat, the contoured shell hugs the back, promoting correct posture. With a stunning array of colors to match any color scheme, Infuse classroom chairs will look and feel great just about anywhere.
- Manufacturer:
Academia Furniture manufactures school furniture products that are durable, attractive and affordable. Its classroom furniture includes the bright and colorful Educational Edge line, and the new and exciting Inspiration line. All of Academia Furniture's products are backed by Hertz's limited lifetime warranty.
- Width:
- 15.25 in.
- Depth:
- 14.75 in.
- Height:
- 22.75 in.
- Weight:
- 8 lbs.
- Back Support:
16-gauge Steel Supports
Gauge is a measurement of steel thickness - the lower the gauge, the thicker the steel.
- Exposed Rivets:
- No
- Frame Finish:
Chrome is a lustrous, silver-like finish that is electroplated, applying a very thin layer of chrome to steel.
- Frame Specs:
16-gauge Steel, 1" Dia
Gauge is a measurement of steel thickness - the lower the gauge, the thicker the steel.
- Glides:
- Self Leveling Glides
- Green
- MAS Certified LEED
- Meets ANSI-BIFMA:
- Yes
- Seat Height:
- 12"
- Seat Material:
Blow-Molded Plastic
Blow-molded plastic is made by blowing resin into a mold resulting in a lightweight, easy to clean, durable material.
- Seat Size:
- Stackable:
- Yes
- Underseat Support:
18-gauge Steel
Gauge is a measurement of steel thickness - the lower the gauge, the thicker the steel.
- Warranty:
- Limited Lifetime
- Waterfall-front Seat:
- Yes
- Weight Capacity:
300 Lbs.
Weight Capacity refers to the moving weight/force of a person as he/she sits down on a chair.
- Certified Green
- Affordable: With a reduced price, schools can enjoy the Infuse Series without going over budget.
- Maximum Stability: Chair glides feature easily-replaceable, tamper-proof, self-adjusting inserts which mold to flooring.
- Floor Protection: Standard with nylon glide inserts. Optional felt, rubber or steel inserts let you enjoy optimal floor protection.
- Innovative Design: Blow-molded shell means less under-seat crevices where chewing gum and other items can get stuck.
- Enhanced Comfort: Blow-molded seat has a little bit of "give" resulting in a more comfortable sit.
- Outstanding Durability: Metal frame is bolted to T-nuts molded into the seat shell, resulting in a super-strong seat connection.
- Easy Transport: A built-in carrying handle makes moving chairs around much simpler .
- Lifetime Coverage: Our Limited Lifetime Warranty guarantees many years of use and enjoyment.
Seat Height12"14"16"18"19"
Eligible for LEED Credits
MAS Certified Green (compliant with LEED for Schools)
Assembled in the USA with the highest standards of quality.
We're committed to exceeding your expectations:
- Found it for less? We'll match the price
- 15-Year or Limited Lifetime Warranty
Our customers come first — we guarantee it!
Shipping & Assembly
- Ships Via:
- UPS/FedEx Ground
- Leaves Factory In:
- Approximately 3-4 weeks
- Assembly:
- Ships assembled
Infuse Blow Molded Value School Chair
|List Price:
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This product is a part of Infuse Series School Chairs by Academia
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More than 2,000 V/D/V industry professionals were drawn to the BICSI 2003 Winter Conference at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Orlando, Fla., January 13-16 by the promise of information on standards and products that can increase the value of a structured cabling system, such as supporting security and broadband video systems. Also on display were some of the advances in the manufacturing of balanced twisted pair cabling (Cat. 6) and the latest developments in laser-based optical fiber. In presentations and at display booths, cabling specialists also learned about the continual migration of the Ethernet protocol into industrial and commercial control networks and the security market.
Technical Session Highlights
John George, fiber development manager, OFS, Norcross, Ga., explained that thanks to the growing bandwidth demand in short reach applications, 50-micron multi-mode optical fiber's ability to offer lowest cost for 10Mb/s through 40Gb/s in short reach systems and its ability to overcome the limits of conventional multi-mode fiber will make it a popular choice in the future.
Dave Fillinger, surge protection sales manager, Erico, Solon, Ohio, discussed the basics of an electrical protection system that can prevent lighting strikes and surges from damaging transmission and data line equipment. He also reviewed a practical five-point protection plan applicable to most facilities: channel the lightning strike to a preferred point; conduct the strike to ground safely; dissipate the energy into the earth; bond to create an equipotential ground plane; and protect incoming power, telephone, and data circuits with transient voltage suppressors.
William Sewell, vice president, DJH + N System Solutions, Arlington, Va., discussed the evolution of the industrial Ethernet protocol and the new requirements for structured cabling in the manufacturing environment. He explained the protocol by dividing it into a three-level structure: device level networks at the factory floor, cell level networks (field busses) at the manufacturing level, and 10/100 Ethernet networks for communications back to a branch office or company headquarters.
Sewell also reviewed the latest activities of the committee working on the new TIATR-42.9 standard and spotlighted some of the new products, such as plugs, jacks, and switches, capable of withstanding the harsh field conditions of a factory or similar facilities. He also highlighted other concerns, including the need for added grounding, the need to define pathways and spaces, the fact that the channel may have up to six connections, and the fact that patch panels aren't required and in some cases, not desired. Because of the potentially damaging environments that can be encountered, telecom equipment used in an industrial setting is necessarily more expensive than telecom products used in an office space.
M. Scott Simpson, eastern regional sales manager, American Access Technologies, Lexington, Ky., reviewed the application of zone cabling, which can offer increased flexibility and reduce the cost of moves/adds/changes when open office furniture is relocated. The equipment enclosures can be located above the ceiling and beneath a raised floor or a "mini-telco closet" or installed on a solid wall or a partition wall close to the desks served. Better brackets and improved cable routing are bringing enclosures out of the telecom room and closer to the user.
A panel discussion titled "Why Category 6 Cabling Systems Are Needed in the Market" brought together six members of the Cat. 6 Consortium, a group working to create market and industry awareness – as well as demand – for cabling systems and components based on the new Cat. 6 cabling standard. The panelists described the benefits of Cat. 6 cabling, including higher throughput capabilities and the support of more demanding applications. The presentation covered cable performance, hardware performance, installation/certification and testing of this new cable type.
News and Product Announcements
Anixter introduced a video surveillance system that runs video, power, and control signals over a single UTP cable. The Closed Circuit Twisted Pair (CCTP) system is designed for integration with an existing structured cabling system in a building or other facility. Central to the system is a special four-pair, 100 ohm, balanced UTP cable, developed by Anixter and Belden, that is fully TIA/EIA-568-B.2-1 Cat 6 compliant. In addition to IP-based video cameras, the cable supports 10/100/1000BaseT premise data, IP devices like wireless access points and voice-over-IP telephone, power-over-Ethernet, and any other TIA-compliant channel or link no more than 100 meters long.
Specified Technologies, Somerville, N.J., introduced the EZ-Path cable pathway and fire stop device. The galvanized steel pathway (3 in. x 3 in. x 10.5 in. long) is lined with intumescent materials and provides greater cable loading than a conventional 4-in. sleeve. Cables can be added or changed without removing or reinstalling the fire stopping materials to provide the necessary fire barrier for 1-hr and 2-hr rated wall constructions.
Chatsworth Products, Westlake Village, Calif., a manufacturer of cabinet, rack, and cable management systems called upon a software developer to develop a sophisticated yet easy-to-use online catalog for its customers. Using an XML-based Web-platform, the Intelligent Catalog provides point-and-click bill of material preparation with automated rules enforced. The system also generates accurate CAD drawing during product selection and configuration, and automatically prompts necessary add-ons and accessories, thus reducing bid preparation time.
Draka Comteq USA, Franklin, Mass., used the BICSI meeting to announce its new name. The creation of this company consolidates the copper and fiber optic cable products of Helix/HiTemp Cables and Chromatic Technologies, respectively. The firm plans to use the fusion of the two former companies to increase its focus on specialty markets, including robotics, military and defense, medical facilities, OEM, and power plants, according to Jeff Mahall, director of marketing.
Graybar, St. Louis, announced its VIP Fiber program, which tested components from 11 suppliers of multi-mode fiber optic cabling system products for their performance and interoperability in advance of installation.


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COLUMBIA - It's been nearly two years since Hilton Head Hospital sought state approval to build the Bluffton Outpatient Center, but now it's time: Soil will be stirring.
Fraser Construction, the Bluffton firm chosen by Hilton Head Hospital, received the go-ahead Thursday to proceed, said spokeswoman Kelly Presnell. The contractor, "should be mobilized on site very soon," she said late Friday morning.
It's estimated to take 15 months of site work and preparation before the 60,000-square-foot, Baylor Drive facility will open to patients.
The $18 million project was ensnared in the regulatory processes after rival health systems objected to its construction. St. Joseph's/Candler health system of Savannah and Beaufort Memorial Hospital had worried that the new facility could only justify its service projections by poaching their patients.
The controversy had been passed between the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control board members and agency staff, with officials at first denying the project before reversing their decision. The dispute was finally sent to the S.C. Administrative Law Court.
But before that avenue could play out, SJC and Hilton Head Hospital announced a compromise in October. Beaufort Memorial had dropped its opposition earlier.
SJC agreed to give up the fight against the Bluffton Outpatient Center. In return, Hilton Head Hospital would abandon its resistance to state regulators' decision to let SJC acquire a CT scanner without first securing a certificate of need from state health officials.
Immediately after the compromise was announced, a spokesman for SJC said the health system would have no further comment on the project.
The new outpatient center will offer diagnostic imaging, X-ray, ultrasound, bone density, CT scan, nuclear imaging, digital mammography, adult and pediatric rehabilitation, cardiopulmonary services, laboratory services and primary care. It will be located on 12 acres at Bluffton Commons at Belfair on the south side of U.S. 278.
DHEC had received Hilton Head Hospital's application to build the center on May 5, 2011. The certificate of need program is aimed at preventing health systems from offering duplicate services within a local area and leaving low-income or rural communities without accessible care.
A private, ceremonial groundbreaking for the new Bluffton facility is scheduled for mid-month.


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Obama visit raises spirits -- and hope -- in Burma
RANGOON, Burma -- In his six hour-visit, President Obama could only meet a handful of people personally in this country of 60 millon. But the symbolic weight of the first ever visit here by a serving U.S. President left a wide impression on a fast-changing country long shunned as a pariah by the West.
Tens of thousands of well-wishers, some waving U.S. flags, lined roads in the capital, Rangoon, as the presidential motorcade zipped to meetings with army general turned President Thein Sein, and democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi.
Obama, who stopped earlier in Thailand, went on to Cambodia later Monday to attend an Asian regional summit.
The president's visit to Rangoon, also known as Yangon, was a nod of recognition of the country's moves from military rule toward democracy over the past two years.
Burma set free dozens of political prisoners around the country in an amnesty that coincided with the historic visit.
After a brief tour of the gold-plastered Shwedagon Buddhist pagoda, Burma's most sacred site, Obama gave a speech focused on freedom to an invited audience of around 1,500 people at the University of Rangoon, which authorities shuttered for years after student protests against the regime..
"This nation that has been so isolated can show the power of a new beginning," said Obama, who also reminded North Korea, still a card-carrying pariah, that letting go of its nuclear weapons, and choosing the "the path of peace and progress" will secure "an extended hand" from the USA.
Obama praised the "remarkable journey" that Burma, also known as Myanmar, has made and promised that the U.S. will be a long-term partner.
"The flickers of progress that we have seen must not be extinguished. They must become a shining North Star for all this nation's people," he said.
He won applause for stressing the importance of national reconciliation and appealed for an end to recent, sectarian unrest in the western state of Rakhine, where the minority, Muslim and stateless Rohingya people enjoy little sympathy from the majority Burmans.
There was "no excuse for violence against innocent people," Obama said. "The Rohingya ... hold within themselves the same dignity as you do, and I do. National reconciliation will take time, but for the sake of our common humanity, and for the sake of this country's future, it's necessary to stop incitement and to stop violence."
Biochemistry student Ma Wut Yi Lai Lai Soe, 24, said she was thrilled by Obama's visit.
"President Obama will help push changes here, including in education," she said. After decades of isolation, "he can help make Myanmar a more normal country."
To promote reconciliation, Burmese should seize on Obama's advice to use diversity as strength, said Khin Maung Win, 31, a former political prisoner who now heads the Myanmar Legal Aid Network.
Choosing the University of Rangoon was "very symbolic," as Burma's pioneers of anti-colonialism got their start there, as did, more recently, student protesters, he said. "For decades, intellectuals and students have struggled to get the freedom from fear that Obama spoke about."
After two years of college in the USA, Win returned this September both excited and realistic about reform.
"There's no 100% guarantee there will be change for the betterment of the country," he said. "I'm not satisfied by the process yet, as my standard is very high. We have a long way to go to be counted as a liberal democracy."
Obama's speech was broadcast live Monday afternoon on at least two Burmese TV channels, although the Burmese translation ended abruptly after Obama explained, in political terms, why he chose the venue. Near the end, he said, "This is a test of whether a country can transition to a better place."
In the audience, Khin Maung Win fixed a test date -- the next general election, when Aung San Suu Kyi could become president. "We can't predict the reaction of the army, if there is political change," he said. "But if the transfer in 2015 is smooth, whoever is elected, then we can say that Burma has passed the test."
The absence of a translation, however, didn't stop Buddhist monk Oo Thone Dra, 34, from continuing to watch, along with 50 other people in a downtown Rangoon tea shop.
"I like Obama, and his visit is good for Burma, even though some in the international community criticize Obama's trip as too early," he said between sips of green tea. "He comes here in the hope that our country becomes freer and more prosperous. He also comes to promote political, social, economic and educational changes in Burma."
Next door, in the modest, cramped headquarters of the National League for Democracy, the main opposition party headed by Aung San Suu Kyi, the latest t-shirt on sale features her and Obama.
On Monday, party members eagerly discussed making a DVD of Obama's visit to sell alongside other fundraising souvenirs such as Aung San Suu Kyi mugs and key-chains.
"The visit is not only good for the NLD, it's good for Burma and the Burmese people," said U Myo Nyunt, 47, director of the party's youth committee. "As the US eases sanctions, it must watch Burma and its changes very closely, without being too optimistic, as there is little transparency over decision-making in government," he said.
Contributing: Htoo Lwin Myo


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Highgate, WA, 6003
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Ischia Restaurant Perth celebrates the inspiring food from the Gulf of Naples. A modern Italian place with excellent friendly service, a gorgeous woodfired pizza oven, in the heart of Beaufort Street.