text:
SOPHISMS OF PROTECTION.Cold-water Supply Test
Durham Or Screw Pipe Work Pipe And Fittings
Gas Fitting Pipe And Fittings Threading Measuring And Testing
Hot-water Heaters Instantaneous Coil And Storage Tanks.
House Traps Fresh-air Connections Drum Traps And Non-syphoning Traps
Installing Of French Or Sub-soil Drains
Insulation Of Piping To Eliminate Conduction Radiation Freezing And Noise
Laying Terra-cotta And Making Connections To Public Sewers. Water Connections
Making And Care Of Wiping Cloths
Mixtures Of Solders For Soldering Iron And Wiping Care Of Solders Melting Points Of Metals And Alloys
More Preparing And Wiping Joints
Pipe Threading
Plumbing Codes
Plumbing Fixtures And Trade
Preparing And Wiping Joints
Soil And Waste Pipes And Vents Tests
Storm And Sanitary Drainage With Sewage Disposal
The Use And Care Of The Soldering Iron Fluxes Making Different Soldering Joints
Sophisms Of The ProtectionistsCapital And Interest
Capital And Interest
Spoliation And Law
Supremacy By Labor
The House
The Plane
The Sack Of Corn
Equalizing Of The Facilities Of Production
It is said ... but, for fear of being accused of manufacturing Sophisms
for the mouths of the protectionists, I will allow one of their most
able reasoners to speak for himself.
It is our belief that protection should correspond to, should be the
representation of, the difference which exists between the price of an
article of home production and a similar article of foreign
production.... A protecting duty calculated upon such a basis does
nothing more than secure free competition; ... free competition can
only exist where there is an equality in the facilities of production.
In a horse-race the load which each horse carries is weighed and all
advantages equalized; otherwise there could be no competition. In
commerce, if one producer can undersell all others, he ceases to be a
competitor and becomes a monopolist.... Suppress the protection which
represents the difference of price according to each, and foreign
productions must immediately inundate and obtain the monopoly of our
Every one ought to wish, for his own sake and for that of the
community, that the productions of the country should be protected
against foreign competition, whenever the latter may be able to
undersell the former.
This argument is constantly recurring in all writings of the
protectionist school. It is my intention to make a careful investigation
of its merits, and I must begin by soliciting the attention and the
patience of the reader. I will first examine into the inequalities which
depend upon natural causes, and afterwards into those which are caused
by diversity of taxes.
Here, as elsewhere, we find the theorists who favor protection, taking
part with the producer. Let us consider the case of the unfortunate
consumer, who seems to have entirely escaped their attention. They
compare the field of production to the turf. But on the turf, the race
is at once a means and an end. The public has no interest in the
struggle, independent of the struggle itself. When your horses are
started in the course with the single object of determining which is the
best runner, nothing is more natural than that their burdens should be
equalized. But if your object were to send an important and critical
piece of intelligence, could you without incongruity place obstacles to
the speed of that one whose fleetness would secure the best means of
attaining your end? And yet this is your course in relation to industry.
You forget the end aimed at, which is the well-being of the community.
But we cannot lead our opponents to look at things from our point of
view, let us now take theirs; let us examine the question as producers.
I will seek to prove
1. That equalizing the facilities of production is to attack the
foundations of all trade.
2. That it is not true that the labor of one country can be crushed by
the competition of more favored climates.
3. That, even were this the case, protective duties cannot equalize the
facilities of production.
4. That freedom of trade equalizes these conditions as much as possible;
5. That the countries which are the least favored by nature are those
which profit most by freedom of trade.
I. The equalizing of the facilities of production, is not only the
shackling of certain articles of commerce, but it is the attacking of
the system of mutual exchange in its very foundation principle. For this
system is based precisely upon the very diversities, or, if the
expression be preferred, upon the inequalities of fertility, climate,
temperature, capabilities, which the protectionists seek to render null.
If Guyenne sends its wines to Brittany, and Brittany sends corn to
Guyenne, it is because these two provinces are, from different
circumstances, induced to turn their attention to the production of
different articles. Is there any other rule for international exchanges?
Again, to bring against such exchanges the very inequalities of
condition which excite and explain them, is to attack them in their very
cause of being. The protective system, closely followed up, would bring
men to live like snails, in a state of complete isolation. In short,
there is not one of its Sophisms, which if carried through by vigorous
deductions, would not end in destruction and annihilation.
II. It is not true that the unequal facility of production, in two
similar branches of industry, should necessarily cause the destruction
of the one which is the least fortunate. On the turf, if one horse gains
the prize, the other loses it; but when two horses work to produce any
useful article, each produces in proportion to his strength; and because
the stronger is the more useful, it does not follow that the weaker is
good for nothing. Wheat is cultivated in every department of France,
although there are great differences in the degree of fertility existing
among them. If it happens that there be one which does not cultivate it,
it is because, even to itself, such cultivation is not useful. Analogy
will show us, that under the influence of an unshackled trade,
notwithstanding similar differences, wheat would be produced in every
kingdom of Europe; and if any one were induced to abandon entirely the
cultivation of it, this would only be, because it would be her
interest to employ otherwise her lands, her capital, and her labor. And
why does not the fertility of one department paralyze the agriculture of
a neighboring and less favored one? Because the phenomena of political
economy have a suppleness, an elasticity, and, so to speak, a
self-leveling power, which seems to escape the attention of the school
of protectionists. They accuse us of being theorists, but it is
themselves who are theorists to a supreme degree, if being theoretic
consists in building up systems upon the experience of a single fact,
instead of profiting by the experience of a series of facts. In the
above example, it is the difference in the value of lands, which
compensates for the difference in their fertility. Your field produces
three times as much as mine. Yes. But it has cost you three times as
much, and therefore I can still compete with you: this is the sole
mystery. And observe how the advantage on one point leads to
disadvantage on the other. Precisely because your soil is more fruitful,
it is more dear. It is not accidentally but necessarily that the
equilibrium is established, or at least inclines to establish itself;
and can it be denied that perfect freedom in exchanges is, of all the
systems, the one which favors this tendency?
I have cited an agricultural example; I might as easily have taken one
from any trade. There are tailors at Quimper, but that does not prevent
tailors from being in Paris also, although the latter have to pay a much
higher rent, as well as higher price for furniture, workmen, and food.
But their customers are sufficiently numerous not only to re-establish
the balance, but also to make it lean on their side.
When therefore the question is about equalizing the advantages of labor,
it would be well to consider whether the natural freedom of exchange is
not the best umpire.
This self-leveling faculty of political phenomena is so important, and
at the same time so well calculated to cause us to admire the
providential wisdom which presides over the equalizing government of
society, that I must ask permission a little longer, to turn to it the
attention of the reader.
The protectionists say, Such a nation has the advantage over us, in
being able to procure cheaply, coal, iron, machinery, capital; it is
impossible for us to compete with it.
We must examine the proposition under other aspects. For the present, I
stop at the question, whether, when an advantage and a disadvantage are
placed in juxtaposition, they do not bear in themselves, the former a
descending, the latter an ascending power, which must end by placing
them in a just equilibrium.
Let us suppose the countries A and B. A has every advantage over B; you
thence conclude that labor will be concentrated upon A, while B must be
abandoned. A, you say, sells much more than it buys; B buys more than it
sells. I might dispute this, but I will meet you upon your own ground.
In the hypothesis, labor, being in great demand in A, soon rises in
value; while labor, iron, coal, lands, food, capital, all being little
sought after in B, soon fall in price.
Again: A being always selling and B always buying, cash passes from B to
A. It is abundant in A--very scarce in B.
But where there is abundance of cash, it follows that in all purchases a
large proportion of it will be needed. Then in A, real dearness, which
proceeds from a very active demand, is added to nominal dearness, the
consequence of a superabundance of the precious metals.
Scarcity of money implies that little is necessary for each purchase.
Then in B, a nominal cheapness is combined with real cheapness.
Under these circumstances, industry will have the strongest possible
motives for deserting A, to establish itself in B.
Now, to return to what would be the true course of things. As the
progress of such events is always gradual, industry from its nature
being opposed to sudden transits, let us suppose that, without waiting
the extreme point, it will have gradually divided itself between A and
B, according to the laws of supply and demand; that is to say, according
to the laws of justice and usefulness.
I do not advance an empty hypothesis when I say, that were it possible
that industry should concentrate itself upon a single point, there must,
from its nature, arise spontaneously, and in its midst, an irresistible
power of decentralization.
We will quote the words of a manufacturer to the Chamber of Commerce at
Manchester (the figures brought into his demonstration are suppressed):
Formerly we exported goods; this exportation gave way to that of thread
for the manufacture of goods; later, instead of thread, we exported
machinery for the making of thread; then capital for the construction
of machinery; and lastly, workmen and talent, which are the source of
capital. All these elements of labor have, one after the other,
transferred themselves to other points, where their profits were
increased, and where the means of subsistence being less difficult to
obtain, life is maintained at a less cost. There are at present to be
seen in Prussia, Austria, Saxony, Switzerland, and Italy, immense
manufacturing establishments, founded entirely by English capital,
worked by English labor, and directed by English talent.
We may here perceive, that Nature, or rather Providence, with more
wisdom and foresight than the narrow rigid system of the protectionists
can suppose, does not permit the concentration of labor, the monopoly of
advantages, from which they draw their arguments as from an absolute and
irremediable fact. It has, by means as simple as they are infallible,
provided for dispersion, diffusion, mutual dependence, and simultaneous
progress; all of which, your restrictive laws paralyze as much as is in
their power, by their tendency towards the isolation of nations. By this
means they render much more decided the differences existing in the
conditions of production; they check the self-leveling power of
industry, prevent fusion of interests, and fence in each nation within
its own peculiar advantages and disadvantages.
III. To say that by a protective law the conditions of production are
equalized, is to disguise an error under false terms. It is not true
that an import duty equalizes the conditions of production. These remain
after the imposition of the duty just as they were before. The most that
the law can do is to equalize the conditions of sale. If it should be
said that I am playing upon words, I retort the accusation upon my
adversaries. It is for them to prove that production and sale are
synonymous terms, which if they cannot do, I have a right to accuse
them, if not of playing upon words, at least of confounding them.
Let me be permitted to exemplify my idea.
Suppose that several Parisian speculators should determine to devote
themselves to the production of oranges. They know that the oranges of
Portugal can be sold in Paris at ten centimes, whilst on account of the
boxes, hot-houses, etc., which are necessary to ward against the
severity of our climate, it is impossible to raise them at less than a
franc apiece. They accordingly demand a duty of ninety centimes upon
Portugal oranges. With the help of this duty, say they, the conditions
of production will be equalized. The legislative body, yielding as
usual to this argument, imposes a duty of ninety centimes on each
foreign orange.
Now I say that the relative conditions of production are in no wise
changed. The law can take nothing from the heat of the sun in Lisbon,
nor from the severity of the frosts in Paris. Oranges continuing to
mature themselves naturally on the banks of the Tagus, and
artificially upon those of the Seine, must continue to require for their
production much more labor on the latter than the former. The law can
only equalize the conditions of sale. It is evident that while the
Portuguese sell their oranges at a franc apiece, the ninety centimes
which go to pay the tax are taken from the French consumer. Now look at
the whimsicality of the result. Upon each Portuguese orange, the country
loses nothing; for the ninety centimes which the consumer pays to
satisfy the tax, enter into the treasury. There is improper
distribution, but no loss. Upon each French orange consumed, there will
be about ninety centimes lost; for while the buyer very certainly loses
them, the seller just as certainly does not gain them, for even
according to the hypothesis, he will receive only the price of
production. I will leave it to the protectionists to draw their
IV. I have laid some stress upon this distinction between the conditions
of production and those of sale, which perhaps the prohibitionists may
consider as paradoxical, because it leads me on to what they will
consider as a still stranger paradox. This is: If you really wish to
equalize the facilities of production, leave trade free.
This may surprise the protectionists; but let me entreat them to
listen, if it be only through curiosity, to the end of my argument. It
shall not be long. I will now take it up where we left off.
If we suppose for the moment, that the common and daily profits of each
Frenchman amount to one franc, it will indisputably follow that to
produce an orange by direct labor in France, one day's work, or its
equivalent, will be requisite; whilst to produce the cost of a
Portuguese orange, only one-tenth of this day's labor is required; which
means simply this, that the sun does at Lisbon what labor does at Paris.
Now is it not evident, that if I can produce an orange, or, what is the
same thing, the means of buying it, with one-tenth of a day's labor, I
am placed exactly in the same condition as the Portuguese producer
himself, excepting the expense of the transportation? It is then certain
that freedom of commerce equalizes the conditions of production direct
or indirect, as much as it is possible to equalize them; for it leaves
but the one inevitable difference, that of transportation.
I will add that free trade equalizes also the facilities for attaining
enjoyments, comforts, and general consumption; the last an object which
is, it would seem, quite forgotten, and which is nevertheless all
important; since consumption is the main object of all our industrial
efforts. Thanks to freedom of trade, we would enjoy here the results of
the Portuguese sun, as well as Portugal itself; and the inhabitants of
Havre, would have in their reach, as well as those of London, and with
the same facilities, the advantages which nature has in a mineralogical
point of view conferred upon Newcastle.
The protectionists may suppose me in a paradoxical humor, for I go
farther still. I say, and I sincerely believe, that if any two countries
are placed in unequal circumstances as to advantages of production,
that one of the two which is the least favored by nature, will gain
most by freedom of commerce. To prove this, I shall be obliged to turn
somewhat aside from the form of reasoning which belongs to this work. I
will do so, however; first, because the question in discussion turns
upon this point; and again, because it will give me the opportunity of
exhibiting a law of political economy of the highest importance, and
which, well understood, seems to me to be destined to lead back to this
science all those sects which, in our days, are seeking in the land of
chimeras that social harmony which they have been unable to discover in
nature. I speak of the law of consumption, which the majority of
political economists may well be reproached with having too much
Consumption is the end, the final cause, of all the phenomena of
political economy, and, consequently, in it is found their final
No effect, whether favorable or unfavorable, can be arrested permanently
upon the producer. The advantages and the disadvantages, which, from
his relations to nature and to society, are his, both equally pass
gradually from him, with an almost insensible tendency to be absorbed
and fused into the community at large; the community considered as
consumers. This is an admirable law, alike in its cause and its effects,
and he who shall succeed in making it well understood, will have a right
to say, I have not, in my passage through the world, forgotten to pay
my tribute to society.
Every circumstance which favors the work of production is of course
hailed with joy by the producer, for its immediate effect is to enable
him to render greater services to the community, and to exact from it a
greater remuneration. Every circumstance which injures production, must
equally be the source of uneasiness to him; for its immediate effect
is to diminish his services, and consequently his remuneration. This is
a fortunate and necessary law of nature. The immediate good or evil of
favorable or unfavorable circumstances must fall upon the producer, in
order to influence him invincibly to seek the one and to avoid the
Again, when a workman succeeds in his labor, the immediate benefit of
this success is received by him. This again is necessary, to determine
him to devote his attention to it. It is also just; because it is just
that an effort crowned with success should bring its own reward.
But these effects, good and bad, although permanent in themselves, are
not so as regards the producer. If they had been so, a principle of
progressive and consequently infinite inequality would have been
introduced among men. This good, and this evil, both therefore pass on,
to become absorbed in the general destinies of humanity.
How does this come about? I will try to make it understood by some
Let us go back to the thirteenth century. Men who gave themselves up to
the business of copying, received for this service a remuneration
regulated by the general rate of profits. Among them is found one, who
seeks and finds the means of multiplying rapidly copies of the same
work. He invents printing. The first effect of this is, that the
individual is enriched, while many more are impoverished. At the first
view, wonderful as the discovery is, one hesitates in deciding whether
it is not more injurious than useful. It seems to have introduced into
the world, as I said above, an element of infinite inequality.
Guttenberg makes large profits by this invention, and perfects the
invention by the profits, until all other copyists are ruined. As for
the public,--the consumer,--it gains but little, for Guttenberg takes
care to lower the price of books only just so much as is necessary to
undersell all rivals.
But the great Mind which put harmony into the movements of celestial
bodies, could also give it to the internal mechanism of society. We will
see the advantages of this invention escaping from the individual, to
become forever the common patrimony of mankind.
The process finally becomes known. Guttenberg is no longer alone in his
art; others imitate him. Their profits are at first considerable. They
are recompensed for being the first who make the effort to imitate the
processes of the newly invented art. This again was necessary, in order
that they might be induced to the effort, and thus forward the great and
final result to which we approach. They gain much; but they gain less
than the inventor, for competition has commenced its work. The price
of books now continually decreases. The gains of the imitators diminish
in proportion as the invention becomes older; and in the same proportion
imitation becomes less meritorious. Soon the new object of industry
attains its normal condition; in other words, the remuneration of
printers is no longer an exception to the general rules of remuneration,
and, like that of copyists formerly, it is only regulated by the
general rate of profits. Here then the producer, as such, holds only
the old position. The discovery, however, has been made; the saving of
time, labor, effort, for a fixed result, for a certain number of
volumes, is realized. But in what is this manifested? In the cheap price
of books. For the good of whom? For the good of the consumer,--of
society,--of humanity. Printers, having no longer any peculiar merit,
receive no longer a peculiar remuneration. As men,--as consumers,--they
no doubt participate in the advantages which the invention confers upon
the community; but that is all. As printers, as producers, they are
placed upon the ordinary footing of all other producers. Society pays
them for their labor, and not for the usefulness of the invention.
That has become a gratuitous benefit, a common heritage to mankind.
What has been said of printing can be extended to every agent for the
advancement of labor; from the nail and the mallet, up to the locomotive
and the electric telegraph. Society enjoys all, by the abundance of its
use, its consumption; and it enjoys all gratuitously. For as their
effect is to diminish prices, it is evident that just so much of the
price as is taken off by their intervention, renders the production in
so far gratuitous. There only remains the actual labor of man to be
paid for; and the remainder, which is the result of the invention, is
subtracted; at least after the invention has run through the cycle which
I have just described as its destined course. I send for a workman; he
brings a saw with him; I pay him two francs for his day's labor, and he
saws me twenty-five boards. If the saw had not been invented, he would
perhaps not have been able to make one board, and I would have paid him
the same for his day's labor. The usefulness then of the saw, is for
me a gratuitous gift of nature, or rather it is a portion of the
inheritance which, in common with my brother men, I have received from
the genius of my ancestors. I have two workmen in my field; the one
directs the handle of a plough, the other that of a spade. The result of
their day's labor is very different, but the price is the same, because
the remuneration is proportioned, not to the usefulness of the result,
but to the effort, the labor given to attain it.
I invoke the patience of the reader, and beg him to believe, that I have
not lost sight of free trade: I entreat him only to remember the
conclusion at which I have arrived: Remuneration is not proportioned to
the usefulness of the articles brought by the producer into the market,
but to the labor.[11]
[Footnote 11: It is true that labor does not receive a uniform
remuneration; because labor is more or less intense, dangerous,
skillful, etc. Competition establishes for each category a price
current; and it is of this variable price that I speak.]
I have so far taken my examples from human inventions, but will now go
on to speak of natural advantages.
In every article of production, nature and man must concur. But the
portion of nature is always gratuitous. Only so much of the usefulness
of an article as is the result of human labor becomes the object of
mutual exchange, and consequently of remuneration. The remuneration
varies much, no doubt, in proportion to the intensity of the labor, of
the skill which it requires, of its being a propos to the demand of
the day, of the need which exists for it, of the momentary absence of
competition, etc. But it is not the less true in principle, that the
assistance received from natural laws, which belongs to all, counts for
nothing in the price.
We do not pay for the air we breathe, although so useful to us, that we
could not live two minutes without it. We do not pay for it, because
Nature furnishes it without the intervention of man's labor. But if we
wish to separate one of the gases which compose it, for instance, to
fill a balloon, we must take some trouble and labor; or if another takes
it for us, we must give him an equivalent in something which will have
cost us the trouble of production. From which we see that the exchange
is between troubles, efforts, labors. It is certainly not for hydrogen
gas that I pay, for this is every where at my disposal, but for the work
that it has been necessary to accomplish in order to disengage it; work
which I have been spared, and which I must refund. If I am told that
there are other things to pay for; as expense, materials, apparatus; I
answer, that still in these things it is the work that I pay for. The
price of the coal employed is only the representation of the labor
necessary to dig and transport it.
We do not pay for the light of the sun, because Nature alone gives it to
us. But we pay for the light of gas, tallow, oil, wax, because here is
labor to be remunerated;--and remark, that it is so entirely labor and
not utility to which remuneration is proportioned, that it may well
happen that one of these means of lighting, while it may be much more
effective than another, may still cost less. To cause this, it is only
necessary that less human labor should be required to furnish it.
When the water-carrier comes to supply my house, were I to pay him in
proportion to the absolute utility of the water, my whole fortune
would not be sufficient. But I pay him only for the trouble he has
taken. If he requires more, I can get others to furnish it, or finally
go and get it myself. The water itself is not the subject of our
bargain; but the labor taken to get the water. This point of view is so
important, and the consequences that I am going to draw from it so
clear, as regards the freedom of international exchanges, that I will
still elucidate my idea by a few more examples.
The alimentary substance contained in potatoes does not cost us very
dear, because a great deal of it is attainable with little work. We pay
more for wheat, because, to produce it Nature requires more labor from
man. It is evident that if Nature did for the latter what she does for
the former, their prices would tend to the same level. It is impossible
that the producer of wheat should permanently gain more than the
producer of potatoes. The law of competition cannot allow it.
If by a happy miracle the fertility of all arable lands were to be
increased, it would not be the agriculturist, but the consumer, who
would profit by this phenomenon; for the result of it would be,
abundance and cheapness. There would be less labor incorporated into an
acre of grain, and the agriculturist would be therefore obliged to
exchange it for a less labor incorporated into some other article. If,
on the contrary, the fertility of the soil were suddenly to deteriorate,
the share of Nature in production would be less, that of labor greater,
and the result would be higher prices. I am right then in saying that it
is in consumption, in mankind, that at length all political phenomena
find their solution. As long as we fail to follow their effects to this
point, and look only at immediate effects, which act but upon
individual men or classes of men as producers, we know nothing more of
political economy than the quack does of medicine, when, instead of
following the effects of a prescription in its action upon the whole
system, he satisfies himself with knowing how it affects the palate and
the throat.
The tropical regions are very favorable to the production of sugar and
coffee; that is to say, Nature does most of the business and leaves but
little for labor to accomplish. But who reaps the advantage of this
liberality of Nature? Not these regions, for they are forced by
competition to receive simply remuneration for their labor. It is
mankind who is the gainer; for the result of this liberality is
cheapness, and cheapness belongs to the world.
Here in the temperate zone, we find coal and iron ore, on the surface of
the soil; we have but to stoop and take them. At first, I grant, the
immediate inhabitants profit by this fortunate circumstance. But soon
comes competition, and the price of coal and iron falls, until this gift
of Nature becomes gratuitous to all, and human labor is only paid
according to the general rate of profits.
Thus natural advantages, like improvements in the process of production,
are, or have a constant tendency to become, under the law of
competition, the common and gratuitous patrimony of consumers, of
society, of mankind. Countries therefore which do not enjoy these
advantages, must gain by commerce with those which do; because the
exchanges of commerce are between labor and labor; subtraction being
made of all the natural advantages which are combined with these labors;
and it is evidently the most favored countries which can incorporate
into a given labor the largest proportion of these natural advantages.
Their produce representing less labor, receives less recompense; in
other words, is cheaper. If then all the liberality of Nature results
in cheapness, it is evidently not the producing, but the consuming
country, which profits by her benefits.
Hence we may see the enormous absurdity of the consuming country, which
rejects produce precisely because it is cheap. It is as though we should
say: We will have nothing of that which Nature gives you. You ask of
us an effort equal to two, in order to furnish ourselves with articles
only attainable at home by an effort equal to four. You can do it
because with you Nature does half the work. But we will have nothing to
do with it; we will wait till your climate, becoming more inclement,
forces you to ask of us a labor equal to four, and then we can treat
with you upon an equal footing.
A is a favored country; B is maltreated by Nature. Mutual traffic then
is advantageous to both, but principally to B, because the exchange is
not between utility and utility, but between value and value.
Now A furnishes a greater utility in a similar value, because the
utility of any article includes at once what Nature and what labor
have done; whereas the value of it only corresponds to the portion
accomplished by labor. B then makes an entirely advantageous bargain;
for by simply paying the producer from A for his labor, it receives in
return not only the results of that labor, but in addition there is
thrown in whatever may have accrued from the superior bounty of Nature.
We will lay down the general rule.
Traffic is an exchange of values; and as value is reduced by
competition to the simple representation of labor, traffic is the
exchange of equal labors. Whatever Nature has done towards the
production of the articles exchanged, is given on both sides
gratuitously; from whence it necessarily follows, that the most
advantageous commerce is transacted with those countries which are the
most favored by Nature.
* * * * *
The theory of which I have attempted, in this chapter, to trace the
outlines, would require great developments. But perhaps the attentive
reader will have perceived in it the fruitful seed which is destined in
its future growth to smother Protection, at once with Fourierism, Saint
Simonism, Commonism, and the various other schools whose object is to
exclude the law of COMPETITION from the government of the world.
Competition, no doubt, considering man as producer, must often interfere
with his individual and immediate interests. But if we consider the
great object of all labor, the universal good, in a word, Consumption,
we cannot fail to find that Competition is to the moral world what the
law of equilibrium is to the material one. It is the foundation of true
Commonism, of true Socialism, of the equality of comforts and condition,
so much sought after in our day; and if so many sincere reformers, so
many earnest friends to the public rights, seek to reach their end by
commercial legislation, it is only because they do not yet understand
commercial freedom.
Next: Our Productions Are Overloaded With Taxes
Previous: Effort Result
Viewed 3714


text:
Please use this contact form to reach a member of the RideCBR staff regarding general inquiries, advertising requests, forum spam reporting, reporting new CBR news/products, and anything else you may need. For general suggestions for RideCBR.com, please open a new topic in our Comments/Suggestions Thread on our Honda CBR Forum.
Please give as much information as possible when contacting us so we can respond quickly and appropriately.
All emails are usually immediately responded to, but may take up to 24 hours for a response.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Upon receipt of your order and logo image, it is assigned to a logo specialists. Your specialists will work with you throughout the order process. We prepare a virtual proof for your review and approval. The proofing process typically takes 1-2 business days but can be expedited for rush orders. When the proof is created you are sent an email with a link to view and download the virtual proof. Once you have approved the proof we have obtained logo approval. Logo Approvals obtained after 2pm CST may not be processed until the following business day. Please take this into account when choosing your option.
Flying hot off the tee, the Pinnacle Rush Golf Balls deliver the distance your game needs. An advanced proprietary high-powered core generates faster ball speeds, while 332 dimples keep the trajectory stable and long-lasting. A soft cover also provides these two-piece balls with the supple feel popular among so many players.
Optional, So we can reply
You will receive a response in approximately 1 business day. if you provided an email address, you will receive a copy of the answer via email. Your question may be posted on this page when answered.
Sign up now to be alerted of our great deals!


text:
Commercial Services
Commercial Services in Southeast Texas
If you own and operate a business in the greater Southeast Texas area, you'll want to ensure that it receives the necessary heating and air conditioning care it needs to operate properly throughout the most extreme weather conditions. For this reason, Efficient Systems Heating & Air Conditioning is a trusted member of the community for over 35 years. Contact us today to learn more about what we can do for you.
Available Commercial Services in Southeast Texas
If you are ready to upgrade your business's heating and air conditioning system, we offer a full range of commercial services including installation and component replacement. We specialize in installation of new or replacement rooftop units and packaged air conditioning units. Let us help you choose a new system that matches the specific needs of your business.
We do this by first performing a thorough heat load calculation to determine exactly how large the system should be to meet your needs. A system that's too large will not work properly. It could need excess repairs and early replacement, which is why this process is very important.
After we have completed the load calculation, we will help you choose a model that matches your efficiency needs and then perform the installation process. Removal of existing components is recommended during this process to ensure your system is ready to operate at peak efficiency. We will perform upgrades as needed to ensure your new system offers the best possible options for energy efficiency.
Maintenance and Repair Services for Commercial Systems in Southeast Texas
After installation or if you have an existing system in place, we offer preventive maintenance and emergency repair services to keep your system operating at peak efficiency. Our maintenance services can be performed either annually or quarterly depending on your needs. We are on call 24/7 for emergency repairs if a problem should develop that needs immediate attention.
Maintenance services are highly recommended. They will keep the efficiency level of your system as high as possible and will reduce the cost of future repairs and potential replacements.
If you own and operate a business in Southeast Texas and are interested in learning more about commercial HVAC services for your business, contact the experts of Efficient Systems today. We offer comprehensive heating and cooling services for businesses of all sizes in the region.
Just a note to say thank you for the excellent service provided to me through many years.


text:
Law and disorder: Pentagon pushes back
**Want FOX News First in your inbox every day? Sign up here.**
Buzz Cut:
• Law and disorder: Pentagon pushes back
• Power Play: Foreign policy, Ferguson hurt Dem Senate hopes
• Brown delivers in new poll
• Pick Six: Trippi says Senate on the bubble
• Finally, the campaign condom
Is the United States at war with the Sunni Islamist separatists in control of Iraq and Syria? It sure sounded that way when Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel addressed the subject at a press conference: "They're beyond just a terrorist group. They marry ideology, a sophistication of strategic and tactical military prowess. They are tremendously well-funded." Hagel said it was "beyond anything that we've seen." He followed that with a grim warning: "So we must prepare for everything. And the only way you do that is that you take a cold, steely, hard look at it and get ready." So what do you do about that? Gen. Martin Dempsey, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said it would require escalating the conflict and striking targets inside of Syria.
[The latest - Reuters: "At least 191,369 people have been killed in Syria's conflict through April, more than double the figure documented a year ago and probably still an under-estimate, the United Nations human rights office said on Friday."]
But… - Once upon a time, President Obama considered bombing Syria, but opted not to do it, saying he lacked the authority to act alone. Hagel and Dempsey spoke of building a Gulf War-style multi-national coalition to take on the Islamist army, but while France is feeling bellicose these days, that still sounds a little far-fetched. Of course, when Obama previously considered bombing Syria, he was thinking of targeting the other side, the regime of Bashar al Assad. Will he be more willing to act and build a coalition now that the U.S. is seemingly on Assad's side (or at least united by a common enemy)? If the raids help Assad, Russia, China and Iran might even be on board at the UN.
["The president has a foreign policy which has failed once again. He underestimated the extent of the threat represented by terror in the world and specifically ISIS, and as a result now we find ourselves facing a very severe and horrific series of scenes on the world stage." – Mitt Romney on"The Kelly File," Watch the full interview here.]
Lawman - While the military is pushing for escalation, there are contradictory signs from the president's inner circle. Attorney General Eric Holder sounded like he was heading up a criminal investigation on Thursday, not speaking of a war effort. As the president mulls which way to go, will he be persuaded to lead the charge of a Western coalition army or the lead prosecutor in a criminal case?
GAO rules Obama's Taliban release illegal - Fox News: "A nonpartisan government watchdog agency said Thursday that the Pentagon broke the law when it swapped five Taliban leaders for Army Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl earlier this year."
[Watch Fox: Rep. Trent Franks, R-Ariz., discusses the GAO report in the 10 am ET hour]
How will the simmering anger over the shooting of a black man in Missouri and liberal unease with President Obama's gradual escalation of the U.S. intervention in Iraq affect Democrats' efforts to close the enthusiasm gap with Republican voters? In the latest installment of "Power Play with: Chris Stirewalt" polls suggest the problem for the president's party is very real. Political Pros Joe Trippi and Matt Schlapp talk about turnout and voter intensity. Watch.
Missouri Dem: Rand was right - The Hill: "Rep. Emanuel Cleaver (D), one of the two lawmakers, said the scene in Ferguson over the past two weeks reminded him of combat footage from Iraq… "It looked like Fallujah. It looked like the Iraqi war," he said in an interview. "Rand Paul was right. He talked about how we cannot militarize our cities. That what it looked like.'"
["Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace" welcomes potential 2016 contender and Fox News Contributor Dr. Ben Carson to discuss the growing tensions in Ferguson, Mo. Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., will also appear to discuss the latest from Iraq. "Fox News Sunday with Chris Wallace" airs at 2 p.m. and 6 p.m. ET on Fox News. Check local listings for air times in your area.]
White House got scoop on Ferguson from MSNBC host - Politico: "After huddling with Brown's family and local community leaders, [Al Sharpton] connected directly with White House adviser and First Friend Valerie Jarrett, vacationing in her condo in the exclusive Oak Bluffs section of Martha's Vineyard, not far from where President Obama and his family were staying. Obama was "horrified" by the images he was seeing on TV, Jarrett told Sharpton, and proceeded to pepper him with questions as she collected information for the president: How bad was the violence? Was it being fueled by outside groups—and could Sharpton do anything to talk them down? What did the Brown family want the White House to do?"
["#mediabuzz" Host Howard Kurtz considers whether the press is rushing to judgment about the death of Michael Brown with "On the Record" host Greta Van Susteren and Getty Images' photographer Scott Olson who was arrested covering the story. Watch "#mediabuzz" Sunday at 11 a.m. ET, with a second airing at 5 p.m.]
On this day in 1922, Michael Collins, the Irish revolutionary leader and one of the chief architects of that nation's independence, was gunned down by radicals who believed he had betrayed their cause. Collins, an implacable foe and fighter during the Irish uprising of the Teens, had won the love of his countrymen and the respect of the Britons who had opposed his cause. Even Winston Churchill, a lion for the British Empire, mourned his murder, calling Collins an "Irish patriot true and fearless." But because the treaty that Collins negotiated left six Protestant counties in the north, Antrim, Armagh, Down, Fermanagh, Londonderry and Tyrone, under British rule, Irish hardliners felt he had betrayed their cause. "Think what have I got for Ireland … Something which she has wanted these past 700 years, will anyone be satisfied with this bargain, will anyone?" Collins said after signing the treaty in 1921. "I tell you this, early this morning I have signed my death warrant." And he was right. The 31-year-old was killed in an IRA ambush on his way to visit Cork eight months later. Many decades of bloodshed would follow as Irish leaders renounced the peace accord and maintained the guerilla war against the Crown and the Ulstermen who opposed union.
Got a TIP from the RIGHT or LEFT? Email email@example.com
Real Clear Politics Averages
Obama Job Approval: Approve – 42 percent//Disapprove – 52 percent
Direction of Country: Right Direction – 26.7 percent//Wrong Track – 64.8 percent
Generic Congressional Ballot: Democrats – 41.2 percent// Republicans – 39.8 percent
-- 74 days until Nov. 4 --
New Hampshire Senate candidate Scott Brown's hustle is paying off as the latest poll shows the Republican dramatically closing the gap with incumbent Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-N.H. The Granite State Poll shows Brown just 2 points behind Shaheen, within the margin of error in the WMUR/University of New Hampshire survey. Last month, the gap was 12 points. What's the cause? Brown, a former Massachusetts senator, seems to be beating the "carpetbagger" label and unifying Republicans. While the Republican has engaged in a series of New England town hall events where he can "look them in the eye and engage them directly." Shaheen, meanwhile, has been hammered and heckled for not holding similar events in recent years. The other driver of the race change: Just 37 percent of respondents approved of the job President Obama was doing.
[A surging Gov. Rick Perry, R-Texas, heads to New Hampshire today for a two-day campaign swing for the New Hampshire GOP.]
Outside dough could label Brown as an outsider - If the race is indeed competitive, it would be a major headache for Democrats who are trying to build a new firewall to save a Senate majority following reversals in key races in Montana, South Dakota and Alaska. But they may be getting some help in stopping Brown in coming days from an outside group. Lurking on the fringes for Brown is a primary challenge by former state Sen. Jim Rubens, who is backed by a promised $2 million boost from a group seeking new campaign finance regulations. Brown will likely overcome the challenge, but the group may be able to roll back some of the image gains he's made with Granite State voters and help Shaheen hold on.
Billionaire attacks Brown for ties to other billionaires - Billionaire Democratic donor Tom Steyer is attacking Scott Brown over his ties to oil producers and the Koch Brothers. From the ad: "Out-of-state oilmen like the Koch brothers are spending millions to elect out-of-state politician Scott Brown to our Senate seat," a narrator says. How long Steyer can keep his attacks up is an open question, as Washington Examiner reports that Steyer's political group has shown puny fundraising towards his $100 million pledge to help Democrats hold the Senate.
Washington Times: "Democrat U.S. Senate candidate Michelle Nunn said Thursday that the nation should get 'out of the executive order business' when it comes to strengthening the immigration system. Speaking at a forum hosted by the Georgia Chamber of Commerce, Mrs. Nunn, the daughter of former Georgia Sen. Sam Nunn, said the tricky issue would be better solved if [President Obama] does not feel the need to sidestep Congress. 'We need to have Congress and the president work together,' she said. 'We need to get out of the executive order business and into the compromising, collaboration and partnership business in Washington.' Mrs. Nunn is running against businessman David Perdue for the seat being vacated by retiring Republican Sen. Saxby Chambliss."
USA Today: "Sen. Rand Paul [R-Ky.] is heeding his call for Republicans to get behind Thom Tillis in the battle to unseat Sen. Kay Hagan, D-N.C. Paul, who is thinking about running for president, will headline a private fundraising event Monday in Charlotte for the North Carolina Republican Party and give the state GOP resources as it prepares to help Tillis and other candidates. No word yet whether Paul will be campaigning with Tillis on this trip. A new USA TODAY/Suffolk University Poll released Wednesday shows Hagan and Tillis are essentially tied in their Senate contest, one of the races that will help determine which party will be in power after the Nov. 4 elections." Paul campaigned for Tillis' top opponent in the state's GOP primary and Tillis has faced a persistent challenge from Libertarian candidate, Sean Haugh.
West Virginia Republican Senate contender Shelley Moore Capito is taking Democrat Natalie Tennant to task for her support of ObamaCare in a new ad. From the ad: "Tennant, she not only defended Obama's war on coal, Tennant supports his disastrous ObamaCare." Capito concludes the ad saying, "This administration has put a big damper on our way of life and our love of freedom."
AP: "The Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, or DSCC, ordered $1 million in ads to run for the next two weeks, the group's first advertising to help first-term Sen. Mark Udall [D-Colo.] and his close re-election bid. Millions of dollars already had been spent in Colorado, and millions more were expected to come in the final push toward Election Day. In the 30-second ads, Democrats warn that [Rep. Cory Gardner, R-Colo.] sought to change Colorado's constitution to roll back abortion rights and outlaw the procedure in the cases of rape and incest. Gardner, a second-term congressman, also has co-sponsored an anti-abortion bill in Congress, the ad concludes. 'Why do guys like Cory Gardner think it's any of their business to tell women what do?' a young female voter asks into the camera."
But ObamaCare cancellations keep coming - Daily Caller: "More than 2,000 more Coloradans had their health insurance plans cancelled as a result of the Affordable Care Act, according to a letter from the state regulatory agency to state Senate Republicans. Following a dust-up earlier this year between Colorado Democratic Sen. Mark Udall and the Division of Insurance, Republicans have requested regular updates on policies that are cancelled because they don't conform to Obamacare or because companies are getting out of the individual insurance market."
The conservative group Americans for Prosperity is putting $1 million dollars towards an ad campaign claiming Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, has missed more votes than 80 percent of all U.S. Senators. In the ad, Rainy Pass Lodge owner Steve Perrins appears saying, "Alaskans are a little bit ticked off that Sen. Mark Begich isn't showing up for his job…Alaska is losing ground because we have a politician that isn't willing to show up..."
Begich fires back - Sen. Mark Begich, D-Alaska, is using the words of Republican Senate nominee Dan Sullivan's primary opponents against in him in a new ad. The ad features clips of criticism lodged by Lt. Gov. Mead Treadwell and Joe Miller.
The Louisville Courier-Journal:"[Kentuckians for Strong Leadership] has jumped into the fray over Alison Lundergan Grimes tour bus, sending a letter to Signature Special Events Services asking to rent the vehicle for what it suggests is a bargain basement price being offered to the campaign. The company is owned by Jerry Lundergan, Grimes' father, and the relationship has come under fire in recent days with the McConnell campaign suggesting that Grimes has violated federal election law by accepting the bus from her father's corporation at what it says is a discounted rate."
Des Moines Register: "The Eagles support [Democrat] Bruce Braley's bid for the U.S. Senate, and they want their fans to chip in as well. Joe Walsh, the guitarist for the '70s rockers who unleashed 'Hotel California' on the world, sent out a fundraising email Thursday on Braley's behalf… 'Bruce and his wife first met at an Eagles concert back when they were both students at Iowa State -- and while I didn't know him then, I'm proud to say I know him now and that I support Bruce in his campaign to become the next U.S. Senator of Iowa,' Walsh said in the email pitch."
Webb gets behind Braley - "I am proud to support Bruce Braley because I know he would continue his fierce advocacy for veterans in the United States Senate" –Former Sen. Jim Webb, D-Va., in a statement Thursday.
Even South Dakota Democratic Senate candidate Rick Weiland may be recognizing his bid against former Gov. Mike Rounds, R-S.D. could be a long shot. During a candidate forum Wednesday, Weiland called his opponent "senator — or, soon-to-be" Senator. Weiland quickly corrected himself saying, "No, not soon-to-be. That's a good gaffe. I'll take that back. Soon-to-want-to-be Sen. Mike Rounds." In an interview earlier this week, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid panned Democrats hopes of taking the Mount Rushmore state.
This week, Power Play Political Pros Joe Trippi and Matt Schlapp made their pick six lists with a big move from veteran Democratic strategist Trippi: He put control of the Senate on the bubble with five seats in the Republican column and five more up for grabs. What were his picks and what did Schlapp have to say about his sparring partner's seismic shift? Watch here to find out.
Republicans need to pick up an additional six seats to win control of the Senate from Democrats. So which seats are most likely to flip from blue to red? The current consensus among Fox News First readers: Arkansas (13.6%), Montana (12.1%), Louisiana (11.5%), West Virginia (11.3%), South Dakota (10.9%) and North Carolina (9.5%).
Do you agree with the crowd or the Pros? Or do you have some insight all your own? Share your top six picks. Email them – just your top six, please – to email@example.com or tweet @cstirewalt.
Welcome to the Jungle - Reader Casey Levy of Louisiana sees his state's jungle primary system working in Republican Bill Cassidy's favor in his battle against Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., Levy foresees a, "Cassidy / Landrieu runoff with Cassidy prevailing."
Tampa Tribune: "A Tampa grocer who starred in a campaign ad for Gov. Rick Scott was convicted of human smuggling on the Caribbean island of St. Maarten four years ago, a newspaper there reported. And although he supports Scott for governor, he also has apparently expressed support for the Castro government, which Scott rails against. The Scott campaign, which doesn't deny the story, is no longer running the Spanish language ad but denies it was taken down because of the revelations."
Rep. Matt Salmon's, R-Ariz., likely Democratic opponent, James Woods is responding to a letter writing campaign by pro-life activists by mailing them campaign-branded condoms. Woods, a distant long shot in the staunch Republican district, was recently asked to fill out a "sanctity of life" pledge in a survey by the National Pro-Life Alliance. "Woods did return the survey, but stood in opposition to the entire platform of the Alliance," Woods' spokeswoman Seráh Blain told the Phoenix New Times. Along with the protection offered by the campaign, Woods included a letter advocating universal access to birth control for women and empowerment programs for low-income families and children.
"This isn't about capturing the Brit who was holding that knife. It's about a war on these people." – Charles Krauthammer, on "Special Report with Bret Baier" Watch here.
Chris Stirewalt is digital politics editor for Fox News. Want FOX News First in your inbox every day? Sign up here.


text:
Bring the Birds to You Without a Backyard
Tonight on our Facebook page were two inquiries requesting ideas. The first one was easy, but this one made me think what it must be like when you've left another home and moved into the confines of an apartment with no backyard. So for Stacy and all our other readers who might be in a similar situation, here are a couple of ways to keep the birds you love in your life.
For this quick post, Stacy has a patio, is lucky enough to be on the ground floor with a bush nearby, and has a sliding glass door through which she is able to watch the finches play in the lone bush off her patio. These suggestions are just thoughts to give you ideas on what is out there.
This one is a little expensive, but it is guaranteed for 5 years, is on sale now, is squirrel proof, and when you move you can easily take it with you. This is the Zenith Innovation 001 Effortless Bird Feeder with Baffle and can be found on Amazon.com. Just click on the picture and off to Amazon you go to take a look at it.
Stacy is lucky enough to have access to the area just beyond her patio and may be able to get the step-on type of bird feeder pole which comes with places to hang from one to four different feeders. Some of these step-on poles come with feeders, but most do not, in which case you must supply them and possibly hanging hooks too.
One other idea I had was to place a window feeder which uses suction cups on the sliding glass doors. The cardinals and jays in my backyard will come onto my back porch/patio and sit on my furniture and just stare at me while I sit in my kitchen. If the your patio is otherwise quiet, its likely the birds will feed from such a feeder. They are also quite inexpensive so little will be lost if that doesn't work out.
Window bird feeders are really interesting, but there is one cautionary thought if you use them. Remember, the birds can frequently not see the glass in the window or door. The bird feeder will help, but if your windows are large or if you have sliding glasses doors, please use decals, curtains, or something on any large expanse of glass so the bird will see it before he flies into the glass and hurts or even kills himself. See the post below on safety and window bird feeders.


text:
Directorate Appointment
Harvey Nash, the global executive recruitment and professional services group, is pleased to announce that Kevin Thomas will be joining the Board as an Independent Non-Executive Director with effect from 1 May 2014.
Kevin is a Main Board director of FTSE 100 listed engineering support services group, Babcock International, and is CEO of the Support Services business which generates about a third of the Group's £3 billion plus turnover. His division employs over 11,000 staff in over 10 countries worldwide. Kevin is also a Director of a range of subsidiaries and joint venture companies providing training and support services to civil government and international blue-chip customers.
Julie Baddeley, Chairman, commented:
"I am delighted that Kevin is joining the Board. His experience of growing businesses, both organically and through acquisition, will be of much benefit to the Group. We are looking forward to working with him and we are confident he will make a significant contribution to the continuing success of Harvey Nash."
Kevin Thomas holds and has held within the five preceding years the following directorships and partnerships: Babcock International Group plc.
This announcement is made pursuant to Listing Rule LR9.6.13 R.
Harvey Nash
Tel: 020 7333 2635
Julie Baddeley, Chairman
Richard Ashcroft, Group Finance Director & Company Secretary
Tavistock Communications
Tel: 020 7920 3150
Tel: 020 7920 3150
Catriona Valentine / Niall Walsh


text:
Smells Like Teen Spirit: One Direction To Launch First Fragrance
One Direction has officially made it to the big leagues: The boy band has landed themselves a fragrance deal.
According to WWD, One Direction has inked a licensing deal with Olivann Beauty, a spin-off of Fusion Brands Inc.'s Luxury Fragrance Division, to release their first-ever "women's" scent next fall–though we're pretty sure most of their customers will be well below the age of 18.
According to Dana Kline, president of Olivann Beauty, the fragrance has been six months in the making and will launch globally at department stores in fall 2013, concentrating first on the cities where the band is touring.
No word yet on what the perfume will smell like–we're guessing it'll have a base of teen spirit with top notes of raging hormones. Not that it really matters–Directioners will surely be clamoring to get their hands on it, regardless of how it actually smells.
More from Fashionista:
Photo Credit: Andreas Rentz, Getty Images (Courtesy: Fashionista)


text:
England, who had stormed from seventh to second off the final bend in Daegu, could not repeat the trick this time and, maddeningly, still looked full of running as she surged past two opponents only to finish well outside the first three, who were led home by Sweden's Abeba Aregawi in 4 min 02.67sec.
England never gave herself a proper chance, coming home in 4-04.98 and, sobbing about it afterwards, admitting she had to pinch herself at feeling "upset about fourth in the world".
Paula Radcliffe was not alone in suggesting if the 26-year-old believed in her ability more, she might have won another medal. Another distant British hope bit the dust as Robbie Grabarz, unable to replicate the form of his Olympic bronze-winning 2012, exited the high jump after a clearance of 2.29 metres. Ukrainian Bohdan Bondarenko dominated with a championship-record 2.41m effort and two decent bids at a world-record 2.46m.
Flamboyant steeplechaser Ezekiel Kemboi held off a late surge from his young Kenyan pretender, Conseslus Kipruto, to land a third straight title while, in an epic 400m hurdles duel, Trinidad's Jehue Gordon prevailed by one hundredth of a second from American Michael Tinsley in 47.69 sec. Colombia celebrated its first-ever gold medallist with triple jumper Caterine Ibarguen producing the world's best leap this year, of 14.85m.
Britain's 4 x 400m relay men are targeting a medal in tonight's final after Conrad Williams, Michael Bingham, Jamie Bowie and Martyn Rooney qualified fourth fastest.


text:
Just before Christmas, I went on a pocket-rocket journey of spirited discovery with Ashley, one of my oldest, dearest chums. (Hello Ashley. Remember when you got told off for splashing the sandpit water in reception class. And then you cried. Loads. Haha. Love you too.)
We panicked about the possibility of five days without marmite, got stuck on a train to Gatwick with a man who was fierce in telling us, pre 8am, that we had shamed Jesus and were both in possession of a one way ticket to hell (thank you very much, kind stranger), discussed my excessive spinach consumption whilst trying to settle pre-flight nerves at Gatwick, and then we got on a plane to Italy.
It was like a school trip on steroids. Here are some things that I learnt in Rome.
If he gives you roses, it's not because he thinks you're a pretty English girl. En route back to our apartment one evening, we stopped off at the Spanish steps and climbed to the top. It wasn't necessarily the most moving or inspiring part of the trip, but when six red roses were thrust upon us by a wandering gent ('oooooohhh ladeeeeeeez, you so pritteh, pritteh English girl'), I thought 'oh, how lovely, this was worth almost suffocating on the Metro for.' Five minutes later, myself and the not-so-much-of-a-gent were practically conjoined as he badgered me for Euros and ran his grubby hands along my sleeves. One minute later, the red roses were cruelly stripped from my palm. Romeance is well and truly dead. (At prime tourist spots anyway.)
The Colosseum was built in 8 years, which is the best kind of bonkers. When we pulled up outside Rome's most iconic architectural attraction, it stripped the air from my lungs for a moment. Not many things can be crumbling, mournful, and vulnerable, but austere and imposing and fabulous all at once. I cannot comprehend that human beings created something so magnificent in less than a decade. It would have been beautiful. It is beautiful; far too beautiful to have played host to such inhumanity.
Culinary orgasms are an actual thing. Towards the end of our trip, we took a pilgrimage to ice cream parlour 'Il Gelato di San Crispino'. Elizabeth Gilbert raves about it in 'Eat, Pray, Love', and as a huge fan of the book, and a dedicated trustee of her literary wisdom, there was no way I was going to visit Rome without living this part of her adventure myself. I love my ice cream. I'm genuinely thrilled with a Mr Whippy or a few spoonfuls of Carte D'or (I'm a cheap date, I know)....But this ice cream. It was something else. I have peaked on frozen treats. It was the BEST THING I HAVE EVER TASTED IN MY ENTIRE LIFE...SOMEBODY BRING IT TO ENGLAND AND FEED IT TO ME, PLEASE.
Italian bus drivers are mental. It wasn't just 'Eat, Pray, Love' that came to life in Rome. Oh no. We lived a scene from 'Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban' too. 'Take it away Ernie...It's going to be a bummmmpy ride!' I feared for my life on multiple occasions.
"Pantheon has the word 'pant' in it." Some people travel to beautiful cities and have defining moments of creative or intellectual genius. Others travel to beautiful cities and say weird things just before they fall asleep. Unfortunately, I am the latter. I remember the moment these words transpired. I was passionate. I was enthusiastic. I was certain that I was saying something truly profound, something that might just change the world and everybody in it. Newsflash: it didn't. But you're welcome anyway. Pantomime has the word pant in it too.
I am not a banana, but apparently I look like one. Fortunately, I'm not the only one in this world with bizarre sleeping habits. One night, I woke up to a kneeling Ashley running her fingers across my cheek, her wandering hand flopping onto my breast as I startled her with a weird, 'what-are-you-doing?' grunt. We both collapsed back into static slumber immediately, but a debrief over breakfast soon confirmed that she was dreaming about a giant banana. She was trying to peel me. It was one of the creepiest and greatest realisations of our lives.
If you want to have your mind blown, you need to go to Vatican City. Vatican City, to me, feels like the kind of place where a placid unicorn could glide gently through the Italian sky and you'd just smile and say 'oh hello, good day to you', without so much of a flicker of realisation that you are alive in the real world and have just encountered a placid unicorn. It felt as if we were wandering through an extravagant dream. After touring the Vatican museums (think nude statues, an array of magnificent ceilings, and a bloody massive bath tub), we climbed 551 'my-calves-have-DIED-and-I-feel-like-this-wall-is-caving-in-on-us-oh-wait-it-actually-is' stairs to the top of St Peter's Basilica dome. There have been few 'fuck, it is so good to be alive' moments greater than standing up there. Never has the exchange of pulled muscles and the acute risk of a panic attack been so satisfying.
Selfie stick sellers are the most irritating humans to ever walk the planet. I have my very own selfie stick. It is attached to me. It is called MY ARM. Oh look... I have another one. It is not attached to me. It is called MY FRIEND. Take your selfie stick and waft it in a different direction. Stop trying to behead me with it. Please very much. Thank you.
The whole city is a museum. Basically, Rome in its entirety is thoroughly beautiful; absolutely fucking beautiful. You know when you wake up from a hideous nightmare just before the crazed monster is about to swallow your flailing legs? You know when you have that sudden, terrifying, spectacular realisation that you are completely in love with another human being? You know when it's Sunday morning, and you're in bed, and a day filled with perfect nothingness stretches out before you? It's as if all of these wonderful feelings have manifested themselves in the sprawling grandeur of the city: in the curvature of every building, in the rickety, cobbled streets, across every breath-taking horizon. You get the sense that it all means something too. Quiet history seeps through its architectural veins: a city so monumental, yet somehow so modest. Elizabeth Gilbert penned a sentence about her desire to be Rome when she's an old lady. I totally feel her.
'Uscita.' It means 'exit'. And it is the only Italian word that I can utter with total confidence. USCITA! It feels so good to be so bilingual.
Rome, I love you.


text:
Welcome to Phoebe Lo Events!
Phoebe Lo Events is a certified full service wedding and event planning company that specializes in creative luxury weddings, social events and corporate functions.
We service events in the Greater Toronto Area and across Canada. Our destination event planning services offer one-of-a-kind experiences in North America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and Italy.
We work with top of the line wedding and event venues, as well as out of the ordinary sites and locations
to perfect your celebratory needs.
Peace of Mind
Phoebe Lo Events is certified by the Wedding Planners Institute of Canada (WPIC).
We are a professionally operating wedding and event planning company based in Toronto, Canada.
Our team of planners and in-house vendors provide top-notch services and are
licensed and insured in their own field of expertise.


text:
Adapted from Consumer Guide to Home Energy Savings, by Alex Wilson, Jennifer Thorne, and John Morrill. There are a number of easy ways to save energy with laundry, whether you're buying new appliances or not.
Follow these suggestions whenever possible to keep energy use to a minimum.
- Use lower temperature settings. Use warm or cold water for the wash cycle instead of hot (except for greasy stains), and only use cold for rinses. By presoaking heavily soiled clothes, a cooler wash temperature may be fine. The temperature of the rinse water does not affect cleaning, so always set the washing machine on cold water rinse.
- Turn down the thermostat on your water heater. A setting of 120°F is adequate for most home needs. By reducing your hot water temperature, you will save energy with either hot or warm wash cycles.
- Load the washing machine to capacity when possible. Most people tend to underload rather than overload their washers. Check your machine's load capacity in pounds, then weigh out a few loads of laundry to get a sense of how much laundry 10 or 18 to 20 pounds represents. Then use your eye to judge the volume of clothes for a load. Washing one large load will take less energy than washing two loads on a low or medium setting.
- If washing lightly soiled clothes, use the suds-saving feature if it's available on your washing machine. This saves the wash water to be reused in the next load. Only use this feature, though, if the second load is to be washed right away.
- When drying, separate your clothes and dry similar types of clothes together. Lightweight synthetics, for example, dry much more quickly than bath towels and natural fiber clothes.
- Don't overdry clothes. Take clothes out while they are still slightly damp to reduce the need for ironing — another big energy user. If your dryer has a setting for auto-dry, be sure to use it instead of the timer to avoid wasting energy.
- Don't add wet items to a load that is already partially dried.
- Dry two or more loads in a row, taking advantage of the heat still in the dryer from the first load.
- Clean the dryer filter after each use. A clogged filter will restrict flow and reduce dryer performance.
- Dry full loads when possible, but be careful not to overfill the dryer. Drying small loads wastes energy. Air should be able to circulate freely around the drying clothes.
- Check the outside dryer exhaust vent. Make sure it is clean and that the flapper on the outside hood opens and closes freely.
- In good weather, consider hanging clothes outside and using totally free solar energy to do the drying.
Eleisia Whitney
Independent Watkins Manager
Business Opportunity http://www.vanillasage.com


text:
Mission Statement:
Horizon Performing Arts exists to produce quality art that is unique and educational for a variety of ages. This organization strives to encourage passionate artists who are looking to improve their skills while being a part of an inclusive, inventive and encouraging community. We believe that no matter who you are there is always room to widen your horizons through the performing arts.
Horizon Performing Arts is a 501(c)3 Non-profit Organization
"Horizon Performing Arts strives to bring Theatre Education to everyone, no matter what age or experience. We produce a wide range of unique productions in order to reach our diverse community. Whether it's a brand new show, one you may not have heard of or a popular show that is done in a whole new way, Horizon embodies the idea that there is always room to widen your horizons through the performing arts in everything that we do." - Brandon Waldenmayer, Co-Founder & Artistic Director
About Our Staff and Board of Directors
Horizon Performing Arts was founded by Brandon Waldenmayer, Reilly Conlon and Dr. Linda Venable and established in April 2017 in Ypsilanti MI.
Below is a little bit about the wonderful people who are involved! We are excited to bring quality performing arts and arts education to the Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor area.
Artistic director & Co-Founder– Brandon Waldenmayer
Brandon is ecstatic to be bringing innovative theatre to life through Horizon Performing Arts. In 2018, Brandon received two BroadwayWorld Awards for "Best Leading Actor in a Play" for his work in Fully Committed at Horizon Performing Arts and "Best Leading Actor in A Musical" for his work in Falsettos at Horizon Performing Arts. Brandon has been Producing, Directing, and Music Directing shows throughout Michigan for the past ten years. Brandon's work as a Playwright has produced professionally throughout the United States and Canada. His most recent work, Licensed to Teach made its world premiere at the Manhattan Repertory Theatre in New York City where Brandon played the roles of Arthur and Others. In 2016, Brandon served as a Canadian Ambassador for the World Festival of Children's Theatre held in Stratford Ontario. He has also been seen onstage in countless plays and musicals. Favorite onstage credits include; Paul San Marco (A Chorus Line), Marvin (Falsettos), and Sam and Others (Fully Committed). Brandon is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University with a Bachelor's Degree in both Public/Non Profit Administration and Studies in Children's Literature and Theatre for Young Audiences.
associate director & Co-Founder – Reilly Conlon
Reilly Conlon is ecstatic to begin this journey at Horizon! Reilly is a recent graduate of Eastern Michigan University with degree in Educational Theatre, English, and Drama and Theatre for the Young. She has Directed, Choreographed, Stage Managed, and performed in over 30 productions throughout Michigan and is excited to put her knowledge and skill set to work as the Associate Director of Horizon Performing Arts. Some of her favorite Directing and Choreography credits include A Chorus Line, Bring it On! The Musical, Chicago, & Beauty and the Beast Jr. Favorite onstage roles include: Audrey (Little Shop of Horrors), The Bakers Wife (Into the Woods), & Martha (Spring Awakening). Reilly is a firm believer in the transformative qualities that theatre has to offer students and knows that no matter the age, there is always a chance to learn and gain new perspective about the world through art.
Executive Director & Co-Founder – Dr. Linda Venable
Dr. Linda Venable is so excited to be leading the Board of Directors at Horizon Performing Arts. She received her Doctorate of Musical Arts in vocal performance from The University of Michigan in 1992. She also holds a Master of Music in vocal performance and a Master of Sacred Music from Southern Methodist University as well as a Bachelor of Music in vocal performance from Wittenberg University. She has taught private voice lessons in the Ann Arbor/Ypsilanti area for over 30 years and is certified by the Institute for Contemporary Commercial Music at Shenandoah University.
Linda has been the music director of over 30 musicals. She loves the challenge of finding just the right way to help a singer get the best sound for their character. Seeing shows come together, watching cast members grow and develop as people as well as singers, actors and dancers is a real joy for her. In addition to her work in Musical Theatre, Linda has an extensive choral background. She has been the Minister of Music at numerous churches as well as participating and directing quite a few other groups. Some of Linda's most cherished experiences include: being the Soprano soloist with the University of Michigan Chamber Choir and Orchestra at Hill Auditorium, playing The First Lady in the Magic Flute with the University of Michigan Opera Theatre at the Power Center, playing the Mother Abbess at Cherry Hill Village Theatre, and directing a 21 piece orchestra and 80 member cast in Les Miserable also at the Cherry Hill Village Theatre. You can learn more about Linda at her website, www.lindavenable.com
President of the Board – Stein Brunvand
Dr. Stein Brunvand, more commonly known as just plain old Stein, is an Associate Professor and Director of Master's Degree Programs in the College of Education, Health and Human Services at the University of Michigan-Dearborn. He was initially involved in theater in high school, which was a very long time ago. Recently, he has worked on over 20 shows as master carpenter, technical director and backstage run crew. He has enjoyed watching his daughters emerge as confident and talented young women through their participation in theater and he is excited to help Horizon Performing Arts provide that same opportunity to other aspiring actors.
Secretary of the Board – Michelle Galbraith
Michelle Galbraith is excited to lend her skills to Horizon Performing Arts. Theater has been a great outlet for her two daughters and her husband. Growing up her parents exposed her to Les Miserable, and she has loved musical theater ever since. In fact when her daughters were born, Annie the Musical was on repeat in the CD player. Michelle has witnessed the importance of theater for her daughters. It has taught them stage presence, self-confidence, communication skills, and creative thinking. Both girls started out at Center Stage Productions where Michelle volunteers her time sewing costumes and gluing headpieces. She is Co-Chair for flower sales and student concessions at Pioneer Theater Guild. Michelle has a BA in Marketing from Michigan State University – The Eli Broad College of Busines. She is a Career Coach at Amy Cell Talent advising clients on their career search process and job search toolkit.
Member at large – Vaughn Louks
Vaughn Louks could not be happier to be involved with Horizon Performing Arts! In 2018, Vaughn received a BroadwayWorld Award for "Best Sound Design" for his work on Disaster! the Musical at Horizon Performing Arts. Vaughn works as a Technician at The MacBench in downtown Plymouth. Vaughn fell in love with the theatre community and has grown so much through it. Having been involved in nearly 20 shows either performing or tech and sometimes both, Vaughn has seen the power that the performing arts has on people of all ages and wants to help as many people as he can. Vaughn is currently attending Schoolcraft Community College and will transfer to earn a degree in Secondary Education.


text:
NCRIS facilities at UQ
The Australian Government has applied a national collaborative approach to support research infrastructure projects. Funding is currently being provided to the following projects through the National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS 2013 and NRI 2015). NCRIS builds collaborative research facilities that bring together funding from the Australian Government, Queensland Government, industry, universities and university researchers to help provide research infrastructure that facilitates the delivery of practical outcomes that help Australia.
The University of Queensland is lead node for the following NCRIS facilities:
- Terrestrial Ecosystem Research Network (TERN)
- Research Data Services (RDS)
- National Imaging Facility (NIF)
The University of Queensland is involved in the following NCRIS facilities:
- Astronomy Australia
- AuScope
- Australian Microscopy and microanalysis Research Facility (AMMRF)
- Australian National Fabrication Facility (ANFF)
- Australian Synchrotron
- Australian Plant Phenomics Facility
- Bioplatforms Australia (BPA)
- National Computing Infrastructure (NCI)
- Translating Health Discovery (THD)/Therapeutics Innovation Australia (TIA)
- National e Research Collaboration, Tools and Resources: NeCTAR
- Atlas of Living Australia
- National Deuteration Facility


text:
Chintan Parekh
Business Information Security Officer for Personal Investing, Fidelity Investments
Chintan Parekh is the Business Information Security Officer for Personal Investing at Fidelity Investments. As a member of the Enterprise Cybersecurity organization, Chintan is responsible for setting up and implementing the Cybersecurity roadmap and strategy for the Personal Investing business at Fidelity. His team is responsible for ensuring appropriate information security controls are implemented and maintained, that risks and incidents are managed, and the strategic goals of the business are supported with subject matter expertise on Cybersecurity.
Prior to joining Fidelity in 2017, Chintan was with JP Morgan Chase as an Executive Director – Technology Controls, responsible for implementing various technology, risk, and Cybersecurity programs. Chintan holds a degree in Mechanical Engineering and an MBA from Mumbai University, India. Based in Westlake, TX, Chintan enjoys playing outdoor sports and spending quality time with his wife and two sons.


text:
The footage, posted on YouTube on Sunday, has garnered over 1.8m views in the short time it has been online.
Simply entitled Cat gone, the video, which originated from a user in Russia, shows a ginger feline relaxing on a carpet, its attention on an object behind the lens.
From its prone position the cat suddenly snaps startled onto its back legs before creeping off camera in a manner many viewers found reminiscent of Michael Jackson's dance routine in his music video for hit 1980s pop song Thriller.
"This is the funniest video I have ever seen on YouTube," wrote one amused viewer, "no matter how many times I watch it I can't stop laughing."


text:
Though you may have already checked out our exhaustive list of everything new on Netflix for September, August isn't quite over yet, people! Being that it's Labor Day weekend and you have some extra time on your hands, take a look at what Netflix has just added to their sea of titles.
WATCH FIRST: Jim Jefferies: BARE
From Australian comedian Jim Jefferies comes a Netflix Original comedy special, BARE. All of the bases are covered — sex, drugs, and religion — in this sharp, witty special that's perfect for late-night streaming this holiday weekend after you've had a couple of beers.
WATCH NEXT: Parenthood: Season 5
If you want to take advantage of the next three days by holing yourself up in your apartment and not interacting with other human beings, more power to you. In that case, Parenthood is a great binge-watch. If this is your first time watching, you don't necessarily need to know much about the previous seasons; it's an NBC drama, so you'll figure it out pretty quickly. Starring Lauren Graham, Dax Shepard, Erika Christensen, and Craig T. Nelson.
Also Added:
3 Ninjas Trilogy
Barbershop 2: Back in Business
Being Mary Jane
Blood Glacier
Horsin' Around
The Motel Life
The Protector 2
Revenge: Season 4
Swan Princess: A Royal Family Tale
Like what you see? Follow Decider on Facebook and Twitter to join the conversation, and sign up for our email newsletters to be the first to know about streaming movies and TV news!
Photos: Netflix/NBC/ABC


text:
Robert Scoble's explanation of why his employer is paying him to fly around promoting Google Glass makes perfect sense, especially this point:
Google Glass is going to need a new kind of cloud computing and Google won't be able to satisfy all the demand. If Google Glass is as big a deal as I think it will be, humans will generate much more data than they do today. Either because of sensor tracking to do things like play location-based games, or do health tracking, or more. Think about Waze, a traffic app, on Google Glass. The new developers will need new cloud computing, more on that later. Plus, I see Glass as part of a contextual system, one that uses an Internet of Things, but also brings data from your own businesses in along with big data computation that will find new patterns to display on our glass.
So, Glass and other mobile sensor technologies are going to generate so much data that needs to be managed that companies like Scoble's Rackspace will be in serious commercial danger were they to ignore the commercial opportunities associated with the coming data deluge.
Not only will there be so much data floating around that even Google can't handle it — thereby opening up market opportunities for companies like Rackspace — but the need will arise for new data management technologies that go beyond the traditional database management architectures at the root of successful companies like Oracle.
Having dealt with many different types of data during my career, my perspective on this might be viewed as quaint by those who envision a world built on "all data all the time" access concepts. As much as I love data and working with data, though, I have some serious questions about the coming "new data order":
- Will all the data we generate as we go about our daily lives really be worth saving?
- What kinds of data management skills will be needed in order to avoid further disparities between the "data haves" and "data have-nots"?
- How much is all this going to cost, and who's going to pay? (Broadband data caps, anyone?)
I don't know what the answers are to these questions. For me, matching data to the needs of the anticipated user has always been a normal part of most systems development life cycles. That's a design principle based on simple economics and efficiency, i.e., "Spend money only on the data that people will need to use." Is that changing as we move into a world of "big data"?
Yes, things have changed. Data are now generated as a byproduct of many more types of activities by human as well as nonhuman (for example, industrial) "actors." Corralling and making sense of these new data volumes is an emerging business that can justify the examination and use of new data management paradigms.
Still, one thing I have learned from a career involved with data is that usually makes sense not only to anticipate how people will use the data from the system but also what they need to know in order to use the data.
As we move into a new age of always-on and always-connected citizens, will people know what to do with all the data they can now access? Some very smart people I know, for example, still have a hard time dealing with the basic concepts like file naming and nested folders on a computer. Will the systems (and apps) that emerge in our new age of data be usable, but only for a small number of "elites" who are comfortable with how to navigate masses of data?
I can imagine new roles emerging with names like "data wrangler," "data steward," "data guides," "data agents," and the like. These will be professionals who, for a price, will cut through the clutter of vast amounts of competing and contradictory data sources to locate, organize, and deliver services ranging from answers to specific questions to ongoing advice, handholding, or even decision-making.
Science fiction writers such as Neal Stephenson have written about such roles and schools are offering courses devoted to "data science." People who are able to do all of this by themselves will be at the top of the heap and, because of their skills and agility, will benefit entrepreneurially from their skills.
There will also be those who must rely on others with such skills. In some cases services will be performed as commercial transactions, some will be provided as subsidized public services (for example by public libraries), and for another category of user — the "data poor" — no such services will be available.
Also, of course, a market will develop for illegal uses of big data; the people who are really good at this will make a lot of money!
Related reading:
- Transparently Speaking, Are Bad Data Better than No Data At All?
- Recouping "Big Data" Investment in One Year Mandates Serious Project Management
- What Will Forrester's 'Top 15 Emerging Technologies' Mean to You?
- When Are "Open Data" and "Hiding in Plain Sight" Synonymous?
- Why I'm Uneasy about "Big Data" and Government Programs
Copyright (c) 2013 by Dennis D. McDonald, Ph.D. Dennis is a Washington DC area consultant specializing in digital strategy, collaborative project management, and new technology adoption. His clients have included the US Department of Veterans Affairs, the US Environmental Protection Agency, Jive Software, the National Library of Medicine, the National Academy of Engineering, Social Media Today and Oracle, and the World Bank Group. His experience includes the management of projects involving the conversion or migration of financial and transaction data associated with large and small systems. Contact Dennis via email at firstname.lastname@example.com or by phone at 703-402-7382.


text:
General email@example.com or call Sam Balandran at 817-455-0747
Volunteer firstname.lastname@example.com
Also, please vist our web site (fwrunners.org) and "Like" our Facebook pages (facebook.com/FW.Runners.Club & facebook.com/FWRCLaborDayRace) for latest updates. You can also RSVP (and invite your Friends) to the Facebook Event.
**************************************************************************************************If you are interested in sponsoring the event, please see 2019 Labor Day Sponsorship Letter 2019-01-19.pdf **************************************************************************************************
Trinity Park Pavilion # 12300 West 7th StreetFort Worth, TX 76107
(click on Google Map to the right for exact location & to get driving directions)
Race Day Schedule - Monday, September 2, 2019
Follow the links below to see the USATF Certified Labor Day 5K & 10K Courses.
Free Kids 1K Fun RunFree T-shirts to the kids that run the Kids Free 1K. Medals will be awarded to all registered participants. Parents are invited to cheer, coach and/or run with their kids.
Race shirtsRace shirts will have technical (Dri-Fit) fabric. The first 600 registrants are guaranteed a T-shirt (sizes not guaranteed for later registrations).
Entry Fees
Early Packet Pick-up(Note: Packets for registrations made after 12:00 Noon on Friday, August 30 can only be picked up on Race Day.)Path to Wellness525 Bailey AveFort Worth, TX 76107Saturday, August 31 : 9:00 AM - 2:00 PMSunday, September 1 : 12:00 Noon - 4:00 PM
(Race Day Packet Pickup also available starting at 6:00 AM at the Race Site.)
Awards to the overall competitive male & female, overall masters male & female, overall grandmasters male & female, overall senior masters male & female, and the top 3 finishers in each age group.
Age Groups:
Race will be chip-timed by Run-Time Racing Services
Post Race Party
Celebrate Labor Day with hot dogs, beverages and great D. J. music.
To register participants, simply click the button for each person before checking out and we'll ask for that individual's registration info during the checkout process.


text:
- Page 1 Panasonic SC-PMX5 Review
- Page 2 Panasonic SC-PMX5 – Features, Performance and Verdict Review
- Warm and sparklingly detailed sound
- Solid build quality, attractive design
- Built-in iPod dock
- Limited format support via USB
- No DLNA music streaming
- D.Bass and Surround taint the sound
Key Specifications
- Review Price: £330.99
- Three-way bass reflex speakers
- 120W power output
- Built-in iPod dock
- USB port with MP3 playback
- D.Bass, Surround and EQ modes
The SC-PMX5 is Panasonic's hi-fi equivalent of the SC-BTT590, a high-end stereo micro system that aims to deliver the best-possible sound quality using the company's latest audio innovations. It features a CD player, built-in iPod dock and USB input, with a DAB/FM radio tuner thrown in for good measure.
Panasonic has paid particular attention to the design of the SC-PMX5, not only in terms of construction but also the external styling. The main unit sports an eye-catching brushed aluminium finish on the front panel, peppered by unobtrusive buttons, silver dials and a groove running across the middle that makes it look like two tiers. The shape of the unit isn't particularly daring – it's essentially just a silver box – yet it's undeniably easy on the eye and boasts sturdy build quality, aided by a four-part metal casing designed to reduce vibration.
The upper 'tier' features a large LED display panel, showing the selected input and other information like volume, running time and so forth. Either side of this are dials allowing you to adjust the bass, treble and volume levels. On the lower 'tier' you'll find the CD disc tray, a row of buttons governing input selection and playback, plus the USB port.
On top is a panel that flips open to reveal the iPod dock. We like the fact Panasonic has made this an integral part of the design instead of throwing a cradle in the box, not only because it's tidier but also because it provides a clean digital connection between the iPod and system.
The rear panel is sparse, featuring just an analogue stereo input, a screw terminal for the supplied DAB aerial and a set of plastic speaker binding posts.
Turning to the speakers, these have also been constructed to keep vibration to a minimum with a board inside that reinforces the structure, as well as an Aero Stream port running through the middle that reduces port noise.
Externally they look very classy indeed. They use a dark wood finish and a removable black cloth grille on the front, held on by plugs. Pull these off and you'll uncover some dashing silver cone surrounds that add an extra touch of glamour. Overall the speakers feel lighter than expected and sound hollow when you tap the sides, which may not have a bearing on sound quality but takes the shine off slightly.
Unlike other sites, we thoroughly test every product we review. We use industry standard tests in order to compare features properly. We'll always tell you what we find. We never, ever accept money to review a product. Tell us what you think - send your emails to the Editor.


text:
Manisha Mehra, one of the Atmosphere Initiative's PhD fellows, is currently pursuing her PhD from the Institute of Environment & Sustainable Development (IESD), Banaras Hindu University (BHU), and Varanasi, India. She joined ICIMOD in April 2016 and is conducting studies under the supervision of Arnico Panday, Senior Atmospheric Scientist and Programme Coordinator of the Atmosphere Initiative. She is from India, and is being guided by Kirpa Ram, Assistant Professor, the Institute of Environment & Sustainable Development, BHU.
Her study focuses on changes in the air quality of Chitwan due to the forest fires in and around Chitwan National Park, along with emissions from crop residue burning in Lumbini, Nepal. It matches closely with her interest in the impact of open burning on air quality in Nepal.
She has experience working as a project fellow in a University Grant Commission (UGC) for a sponsored project entitled, 'An ecological study of paradoxical establishment of white oak in oak-pine ecotone areas in the Central Himalaya', under the supervision of SC Garkoti from the School of Environmental Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi. She also has an experience working as a graduate student researcher at the Department of Botany, Centre for Advanced Study, Faculty of Science, BHU, in a project entitled 'Estimation of Methane Flux at Two Landfill Sites at Varanasi'. J Pandey, Professor, CAS Botany, BHU, supervised her in that project.
Mehra has been awarded the prestigious DST INSPIRE Fellowship for pursuing her PhD from the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India (GOI). Prior to joining ICIMOD, she was enrolled in the 'Kyoto University Graduate School of Global Environmental Studies (GSGES) Spring School Program, Measuring Our Environments–International Spring School Kyoto', at Kyoto University, Japan.
Mehra can be reached at email@example.com.


text:
I can't believe how long it took me to look through my archives and find all the boy stuff I've blogged about for boys big and small*. This isn't a comprehensive list, but it comes awfully close to covering everything I've ever posted for boys. It also became painfully obvious how much work the blog still needs. Lots of stuff you could probably make from the instructions I've given (like that banner down there, easy peasy), but some things I've been downright vague about. Like that blue striped manshirt? SO easy to make, but the instructions I've given are rotten. Really just needs a nice easy tutorial to walk you through it. And those Big Butt Baby Pants that I promised a pattern for eons ago? Please don't anyone remind me. Anyway, with that disclaimer, I hereby present the Made By Rae Boy Roundup:
row 4 13. chicken booties, 14. Booties and Bib 15. Toddler Backpacks, 16. Granny Square Baby Blanket
And actually now that I've looked at it all, I'm pretty proud of this collection. It's a work in progress, but it does give one a sense of accomplishment to see it all laid out here. So I hope you'll enjoy looking through some of these and maybe you'll be inspired to do something new!
*big and small pretty much refers to men and toddler/baby boys here. Since the beginning of the month, Dana and I have both lamented the fact that we really have very little to present in the teen-boy department. I hope you'll accept my apologies but at the same time recognize that as we both have our small boys and husbands to sew for (and the same can be said for many of the blogs we read, and therefore the guest bloggers as well), you may have to wait about…hmm…12 years for a "Celebrate the Teen Boy" Month over here. 🙂
Check out this adorable newsboy cap over at MADE:


text:
Helping your business reach tomorrow's goals, today.
Fitout Construction
Equipment & Furniture
Other associated costs
If you would like to discuss our finance options please don't hesitate to contact us.
This includes our strong partnerships with a number of local finance providers who can work with you to ensure you can manage your budget and take the stress out of the fitout procedure.
We have a range of finance solutions available for every project whether large or small which will assist you with your cashflow during the fitout process.
This also allows you to focus on your business and avoid cost blowouts during the project. Plus, it means you can start creating a better space sooner rather than later.