text: Second album from Bloody Hammers. I really liked their debut album and with this one I have to spent little more time. Sounds like.. Bloody Hammers and that is good. Little bit of occult rock seasoned with hint of doom and wrapped in psychedelia. Seems to be sold out from their BandCamp site but surely you can find this for example from Soulseller Records. Go for this!


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The Washington Post published an opinion piece by EJ. Dionne Jr. who put his thesis as his title: "An economic school has led to gridlock in Washington." Now, quite immediately we get a sense of two things: 1) Whatever this economic school may be, it is clearly a free market school, lest the Washington Post would not have published it. Don't expect the Post to publish an article lambasting systemic Keynesianism or even Marxism. Such are sacred intellectual cows and such are not to be slaughtered. 2) The second sense we get is that the author is writing under the false assumption that gridlock is necessarily bad. When the empire cannot get what it immediately wants, our author presupposes, the world is off its axis. Contra this statist mindset, perhaps we ought to point out that quite often gridlock prevents, albeit temporarily, the State from worsening the status of American lives.
Our author writes about a Ron Paulian analysis
that Americans were rejecting the economic ideas of John Maynard Keynes that encouraged government intervention and provided intellectual ballast for the New Deal. Instead, they were coming around to the principles of the anti-government economics of Austrians Friedrich A. Hayekand Ludwig von Mises.
This is Dionne's understanding of Ron Paul's statement: "We're all Austrians now." Dionne thinks that Austrians are anti-government. The problem with this is that the Austrian conception of economic theory is value-free, that is, it is not pro or anti-government at all. Rather, it is methodological individualism and based on the science of human action. It describes, rather than prescribes, how human individuals act given that they exist in a world of scarce resources. It describes what would happen in the event of government interference, but this does not actually make them anti-government.
It does indeed happen that many Austrians, seeing the negative effect of the government in the economy, discourage its presence as much as possible, but this conclusion is by virtue of their libertarianism, not their Austrian analysis. To be anti-government cannot be a resulting conclusion of a value-free science. As Austrian economist Walter Block has pointed out, it is possible that one subscribe to Austrian economics, and, because he dislikes prosperity or economic efficiency, decides to become a Nazi.
To prove my point that not all Austrians are anti-government, one only needs to look at Hayek, who supported all kinds of anti-libertarian government activity.
One might point out that I am being far too picky. But if our author is going to blame the Austrian school for America's woes, perhaps he should first understand what the Austrian School is.
Dionne writes:
Hayek and Mises perceived little difference between democratic governments that used their power to plan against recessions and dictatorships that did the same thing. In this view, the policies of Franklin Roosevelt led down what Hayek called the "Road to Serfdom" and were thus objectively comparable to those of Hitler or Stalin.
If by the first sentence he means that the Austrians pointed out that the form of government meant less than the effects of the policies, he is very right. But he would be hard pressed to find disagreement. Is the democratic government capable of producing prosperity by taking the same actions as the dictator? Dionne, and others like him, are far too focused on the form of government and not enough on the economic consequences of intervention. His second sentence is pure emotionalism. What Hayek really said was that once we embark on the path of looking to the State as the answer to society's problems (remember, Hayek blamed the Great Depression on the government supported central bank), we were on the same path as other totalitarian countries, who were ahead of us. We ought to leave the path, instead of continue on the road.
Things get really interesting when Dionne begins to indicate that American "politics" are victim to the public's turning opinion on economic matters. He writes:
To a remarkable degree, our politics are haunted by the principles of Austrian economics and their sweeping hostility to any actions by government to keep downturns from becoming catastrophes or to promote greater economic fairness.
Actually, our politics are still stuck in Keynesian and economic interventionist land. The Fed is still printing en mass, the government is passing gigantic spending bills with the support of both parties, and any suggestion of a rate of slowdown of proposed increases (that is, they oppose increasing the spending at a lesser rate than has been previously proposed), is met with a melodrama that would shock even the most theatric teenage girl.
It is true that the Austrians are characterized by a "sweeping hostility" to government intervention, but that is because it is precisely those actions that cause downturns, catastrophes, and economic inequality. But more importantly, the Austrians actually have zero voice in Washington, so contrary to Dionne's fright, his beloved politics are doing just fine for him and his buddies. To the extent that politics are not being influenced by the Austrians, to that extent the American public is suffering.
Farther down in the article, Dionne goes into salesman mode:
[P]ostwar initiatives along Keynesian lines are precisely what prevented both the resurgence of fascism and the collapse of Western Europe into communist hands. For that matter, Keynesian steps also kept the whole world from going into a much deeper and more disastrous slide after the financial crisis of 2008.
What is fascism? Does Dionne even know? Fascism is the economic model that is best understood as the uniting of big business with the State. Those businesses who are friends with the central State are the recipients of special privileges, subsidies, grants, tax breaks, mandates, bailouts, the ability to work outside of law; while at the same time the competitors of those big businesses, that is, any business who is not friendly with the State, receives massive regulations, taxes, fines, fees, government scrutiny, and many are forcibly shut down. This is fascism. Now, what does Keynesianism chiefly rely on? It relies on a central bank that is given the reins of a banking cartel, the unique ability to print paper money, the control of interest rates across an entire economy, the ability to bailout its buddy banks which have made bad decisions, and is allowed to operate in secret. What if you want to compete with this bank? Just ask The Liberty Dollar. All that to point out that it is surprising that Dionne would have the audacity to say that Keynesianism prevented fascism.
On the contrary! It created fascism in America! The entire fascist and crony corporatist system in the United States would be impossible without Keynesianism!
As for Dionne's second sentence above, it would have been more accurate if it stated that all the Keynesian steps accomplished was kicking the can down the road, prolonging the inevitable crash to a future date, and making the necessary bust out to be much, much worse. When you don't let the bust happen after an artificial economic boom, you face even worse conditions for the future.
Yet today's conservatives are in thrall to Austrian thinking, and this explains a lot of what is going on in Washington.
Absurdly false. "Today's conservatives," and by that he means those who have applied the title to themselves in Washington, are not Austrians at all. They are Keynesians who love to spend, print money, bailout business, and centrally plan the economy. Those who might be called conservatives who are also in thrall to Austrian thinking, include Ron Paul. Perhaps one could argue that his son follows in his father's footsteps on many issues, but I think it an exaggeration to say that he is "in thrall" to Austrian thinking. And if Rand is not, nobody else on The Hill is either.
It is now difficult for Congress to pass even the kind of spending that all sides once saw as necessary public investment in transportation, research and education. It's that "road to serfdom" again: Anything government does beyond enforcing contracts and stopping violence is denounced as the first step of a fox trot toward dictatorship.
Again with the exaggerated drama. First of all, Congress is recently on a magnificent spending spree that Keynes himself would have been surprised with. Secondly, it is completely illogical to say that a lack of spending increase of galactic proportions is equal to a minarchical government. It actually sounds stupid and silly, embarrassing. That is like me saying that, since Dionne does not like Ron Paul's limited government stance, he loves Mussolini and Hitler. He exaggerates for effect and he exaggerates irrationally and annoyingly.
However, it does put him in a position to always win the argument. Because no matter how much the Government spends, no matter how much it grows, not matter how much money is printed and food stamps are handed out, it is never enough. And since it is never enough, people like Dionne can sit back and say "I told you so, shoulda spent more, shouldn't have listened to the Austrians." When in reality, the United States government does everything completely opposite the Austrian advice.
While Dionne wants to keep pressing home the flawed narrative that there is a wide difference between Conservatives who are Austrians and Liberals who are Keynesians, the reality is that they are all big-government, fascistic neo-Keynesians who thrive when the people assume a difference between the parties. The State desperately needs outlets like the Washington Post to pretend like there is a ideological battle in DC. It needs them desperately because Ron Paul was right that the people are waking up to the brewing authoritarianism. Rather than the Austrian/Keynesian divide being within Washington, it is more accurate to think of it as being a growing divide between the citizens and the rulers.
No, the masses are not yet Austrians. But the fact that articles like Dionne's are pushed means that the pressure is on. When the pressure is on, the lies and deceit multiply.

subset: commoncrawl


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As the daughter of two very practical doctors and a cake-baker, I'm skeptical of "healthy" foods around which there are big, often ungrounded, promises.
Which is why I immediately clicked on journalist Annabel Venning's article "Why it's time to ditch the 'superfoods' piling up in your kitchen cupboard" in yesterday's Telegraph. Fuel for my fire, I thought.
It's time to ditch all that superfood crap clogging up our cupboards, argues my wife @AnnabelVenning (Hurrah!) https://t.co/Vcr7IahNc7— Guy Walters (@guywalters) September 11, 2016
It's time to ditch all that superfood crap clogging up our cupboards, argues my wife @AnnabelVenning (Hurrah!) https://t.co/Vcr7IahNc7
And the caption under the opening photo—"It's time to ditch the health fads and revert back to proper ingredients"—suggested that Venning would be tackling Moon Juice-style potions, powders, syrups, and resins (the kind of ingredients I'm never quite sure how to pronounce, let alone ingest).
But as I kept reading, I was surprised to learn that the ingredients she does not consider "proper"—that she says make our kitchen shelves bulge "shamefully [...] with barely used items" and contribute to edible food waste—are not only very versatile, but also fairly common in large parts of the world.
Among the ingredients pegged as "superfoods" that we should stop forcing ourselves to buy are sumac, dried mushrooms (that Venning writes—warning: you might cringe—"smell like a Kowloon undertakers [sic]," referring to the Hong Kong neighborhood); cannellini beans; aduki beans; matcha powder; agave syrup; panko bread crumbs; Ras el Hanout; pomegranate molasses; goji berries ("a universal 'yuk' verdict," says Venning); flaxseed, quinoa, and harissa. These aren't superfoods like the "stress reliever" Brain Dust and the "joy promoter" Shilajit Resin—and if you are at a loss for what to do with them, we've got some ideas here, here, here, and here, for starters.
So rather than warn her audience of unfounded claims of longevity or virility or gut homeostasis, Venning's message is to stay away from foods they are unfamiliar with. Not only does that take the fun out of cooking but, especially in a post-Brexit age, it impedes cross-cultural understanding. To tell Telegraph readers to empty their shopping carts of these foods sends a strong message: Don't try anything new. Be wary of what comes from another culture.
Venning quotes a health professional friend who tells her that she'd "just been considering sauerkraut and kimchi and then had a serious word with myself... as if I or any of my family will ever tuck into that!" To call these fermented foods—that will last in your fridge for months, that are probably in the homes of millions of people, that can be used in so many ways—unappetizing is close-minded and unproductive.
What's just as frustrating but less offensive is that Venning ignores the root of the "superfood' problem which, of course, isn't with the foods themselves but really with how they're marketed. If a customer buys matcha only because it's been branded as a "new" and "trendy" panacea that will clear their skin or give them energy, then yes, he or she might end up disappointed, stuck with a canister at the back of the pantry.
But if there's enough information (recipes, history, flavor profile), a consumer can value that ingredient regardless of any supposed health or lifestyle benefits. That's what I wished Venning had addressed. (Instead, she calls out carlin beans as a pulse "like chickpeas apparently, only four times the price and available at no supermarkets near you" while forgetting that these very beans were touted in the Telegraph less than a year before for their "antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties.")
I don't disagree at all with Venning's closing point: "It would be nice," she concludes, "if over-ambitious celebrity chefs and clean-eating queens could make their recipes a little more user-friendly: halving the ingredient lists would be a start, or offering cheaper alternatives."
But the solution isn't to stop buying these foods entirely. It's to provide more information about them (appropriate substitutes, included!). In place of this fear-mongering essay, the Telegraph could have published an informational article on how to use some of the ingredients gaining popularity in the U.K., making the case that cannellini beans (you can even make a cake with them), harissa, Ras el Hanout, and quinoa are valuable, versatile foods in their own right.
Venning quotes a mother of three who "pleads guilty to stockpiling cacao powder and dates for Deliciously Ella's 'energy balls'." ...Pleads guilty? Dates taste delicious all by themselves. Or blended into a smoothie. Or sautéed in some olive oil, which also has some health benefits, don't you know? Cacao powder can be used to make brownies or added to short rib chili. Even if you forget about their nutritional properties, there are plenty of ways to enjoy them as they are.
What superfoods would you buy regardless of their purported health benefits? Tell us in the comments!
See what other Food52 readers are saying.


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OMG... that's my office chair! EEEEK! I love her.
Quickbit - Bathroom Ventilation Fans
Me to Contractor: "I want the sleekest looking bathroom vent fan possible. Make sure it is really quiet too."
Contractor: "Why would you want a quiet vent fan?"
Think about it...
Turns out, ours are too quiet. Not just from the standpoint of masking "noise" but also we forget they are on all the time! I think we are going to put these on cheap little timers very soon.
Contractor: "Why would you want a quiet vent fan?"
Think about it...
Turns out, ours are too quiet. Not just from the standpoint of masking "noise" but also we forget they are on all the time! I think we are going to put these on cheap little timers very soon.
Labels: Architecture, Design, Quickbit, Tips
No More Cable Ties...
I have been living without cable for almost two months now and guess what?!? I know that you probably want me to say "nothing happened," but in reality a LOT happened!
I am getting SO MUCH MORE done! Because I have to plan and seek out the shows that I want to watch, it is no longer a mindless ease, it becomes a chore. And we all know what chores are… difficult. My channels are limited and the choices are too because of apple tv, netflix, or free channels from our antenna.
Which is EXACTLY what I needed. Limitations.
Be honest… you get home from work and are procrastinating on some stuff you don't want to do but should. You are hungry so you make dinner and just will sit down for a *minute* to eat, and before you know it – it is time for bed. This happened to me constantly, and why shouldn't it? I am tired, I have worked all day, and this is just what I "needed."
Until my days and nights started to all blend together. I felt like I was only accomplishing things at work and doing nothing at home… and this was all a slippery slope of eating and TV watching and then nothing else. I used to have hobbies I thought. I used to do stuff, whatever it was, and now all I do is come home and watch TV during the week.
Well, no more!
Here is what has changed in my life since cutting the cord.
- I watch the shows I want to watch because I have planned to watch them. Whether it is The Walking Dead, The Bachelor, Modern Family, or even watching Vampire Diaries on my iPad… I seek it out because I want to watch it. Which is very different from vegging out in front of the TV with a billion channels and a full DVR.
- I am getting to bed on time. I don't know what it is, but when I plan something, it works out so much better. Before, I was just getting caught up in watching something, some dumb show, and I would look up at the clock and be all like, crap.
- Eating dinner at the table happens. Because eating dinner at the table happens…
- Cleaning up after dinner happens because I am not engrossed in a show. I don't know when this started because my parents had a strict rule while I was growing up about not watching TV while dinner was being eaten.
- I can think of about 7 extra shows that I used to watch regularly just because they were backed up on the DVR per week… that adds up to about 4-5 hours of extra time, and that night time after work is precious!
- And finally, because I am not tied to the TV, it is easier to say no to it. I don't know if I was addicted before, but now I am enjoying the sunsets on my back deck, cooking better meals, planning my next day which leads to a better morning, etc.
Things are just better. I didn't expect them to be, and I may have even thrown a
tantrum fit when we didn't have the DVR any longer, but it is worth it. Oh, and the extra money is great too.
Female Architect's New Role
My mom said something the other day that sparked my husband to say the following:
"And THAT is what is holding women back from advancing in the workplace."
I was shocked. He is not really someone that says things like that in support of women or anything really. He just doesn't get that involved generally or whole-heartedly unless it is in regards to fantasy football or our Frenchie. It sort of makes it seem like he doesn't truly care (and thus notice) much around him, when the truth is that he is the most aware person I have ever met. This response to what my mom said was so fast, it was like he was thinking about it at that very moment.
I was shocked in a good way though. He had a point. (He is so smart.) By my mother saying that she is "not afraid to act stupid around people to get what she needs," she was inadvertently holding back women everywhere because she was just acting like another dumb girl.
Which begs the point, how many other women are also doing this? And another one, I have to admit, I do it too.
I HATE telling guys and girls alike that I am an architect. For one, it sounds kind of haughty. I usually tell them I am a designer instead. A female being an interior designer makes sense. People are comfortable with that. They know what I do and they know what to expect. Saying I am an architect makes things so much harder on me. I feel like I have to explain myself.
When you announce to the room (OK, that's dramatic) that you are an architect, the expectation is elevated. Who do I think I am, coming in here and having fun and not knowing about politics? What exactly did I do anyways… and could I be trusted? What kind of architect can make a lewd joke and throw back a few cocktails? Surely there must be some mistake. What does this mystical creature, this female architect, do?
More often than not, I get this question, "So, like a REAL architect?" Or even this gem of a statement of, "You're not an ACTUAL architect." Most recently, this gentleman at a marketing event told me when we started chatting that he couldn't help me with his services because he didn't do residential contracting. He ASSUMED I designed houses and my response to him was, neither do I but it doesn't sound like we would be a good fit anyways. Zing!
Before my husband was my husband, he would pick up girls in the bar with the most ridiculous of lines (so he tells me). Girls would actually believe that he was a matador or even dolphin trainer while he made these screechy noises (demonstrating to them of course)… and they believed him! Bless their hearts. He can be a matador, but I can't be an architect?
So to your question, yes, I am an effing real architect. Mike Brady, George Costanza, Ted Mosby. I get it, these are the architects in which you are most familiar. TV architects are male. The 90s movie One Fine Day in which Michelle Pfeiffer plays a female architect who is a single parent while living in NYC, is about the closest thing to a female architect role that I have seen, and 99% of men have not seen that movie.
I need to stop doing this. Would I tell people that I was a nurse if I was actually a doctor? I wonder if females deal with this all over the globe regardless of their title. Right now it just becomes blatantly clear to me that I need to help set a precedent for women all over. I think this is more a story about being comfortable as yourself than anything else.
So, hello, my name is Joellen and I am an architect. I design both large and small commercial buildings with a little bit of residential design experience as well. Nice to meet you.
Labels: Architecture, Etiquette, Opinion, Rant, Work
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Week 1: Mangham 37, Jena 6
Mangham got the season started off right with a rout of Jena. Mangham rushed for 325 yards, including 139 by Kemme Weeks. The defense was just as stout for the Dragons, surrendering a single score to the Giants.
Week 2: Mangham 49, Richwood 14
Richwood returned the opening kickoff for a touchdown but could only get into the end zone one more time as Mangham blew out the Rams on the way to a 49-14 road win.
The Dragons used a heavy dose of the run game all night long. Running backs Kemme Weeks and Abdullah Rhone served as the team's workhorses, totaling 195 yards and three touchdowns in the first half alone.
Rhone put the first points on the board for Mangham with a 31-yard rush up the gut on the Dragons' second possession with just under 10 seconds left in the first quarter.
Weeks was the go-to man in the red zone. He scored on runs of five yards and 10 yards. Weeks scored an additional touchdown in the second half, giving him three touchdowns on the night.
Week 3: Caldwell 14, Mangham 8
The first of only two losses in 2013 came in week 3 for the Dragons against Class 3A foe Caldwell. A great defensive battle went the Spartans' way as Mangham could do little to put up points and overcome the two touchdowns by the Caldwell offense.
Week 4: Sterlington 39, Mangham 37
Mangham again took a narrow defeat, this time at the hands of Class 2A contender Sterlington.
The Panthers came away with a 39-37 win in a battle of wills that went right down to the wire.
Sterlington kicker Jakob Bringman drilled a 27-yard field goal with just 15 seconds left in the game to give the Panthers the win. Sterlington had trailed the entire game up to that point.
Both offenses rolled all night in a game that figured to come down to the final play, and it almost did.
With 3:12 left, the Panthers appeared to have capped off a drive with a touchdown only to have it called back for holding. Two plays later, Mangham came up with a fumble recovery. Leading 37-36, the Dragons needed to milk just 1:13 off the clock to seal the win, but the sure-handed Kemme Weeks fumbled, giving the Panthers one more shot.
Sterlington moved the ball down to the 10-yard line, having to complete a fourth-and-13 in the process. Three shots to the end zone failed, and Bringman, an exchange student from Sweden, drilled the winning kick.
Week 5: Mangham 42, Oak Grove 37
The Dragons started their current nine game winning streak with a 42-37 win over longtime rival Oak Grove in the fifth game of the regular season. The Dragons racked up 317 yards rushing against the Tigers.
Week 6: Mangham 42, Delhi 6
The Dragons got their first of two wins over the Bears this season as Weeks and the offense continued to pound defenses into submission with the physical run style the Dragons employed all season to help them to the state finals.
Week 7: Mangham 45, St. Frederick 3
The Dragons took on St. Frederick, the alma mater of Mangham head coach Tommy Tharp, and pulled away for a dominating win in their District 2-1A debut for 2013.
After moving the ball only two yards in three plays on the first drive of the game, Mangham racked up 570 yards of offense. Weeks finished the night with 217 yards on 28 carries with two touchdowns.
Week 8: Mangham 28, Ouachita Christian 21
It was not easy, but the Dragons took down their biggest district rival, the two-time defending Class 1A champion OCS Eagles, with an incredible fourth-quarter drive.
Mangham coach Tommy Tharp told his team all week that it would take more than 100 percent and the whole team giving it for the Dragons to beat district favorite OCS.
It proved to be true, especially in Mangham's winning drive — 99 yards in a little more than three minutes — to pull off a 28-21 win and put itself in the driver's seat for the District 2-1A title.
There were three lead changes with Mangham (6-2, 3-0) taking its first lead of the night with back-to-back touchdowns in the third quarter to go ahead 20-14 after missing the PAT. OCS came back on the ensuing drive to start the fourth quarter with a three-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Quin Graves to Garryn Chowns and with a successful point after the Eagles (6-2, 2-1) took a one-point lead.
Week 9: Mangham 36, Tensas 8
Mangham kept running its winning streak to the next milestone with a lopsided win over Tensas.
Weeks led Mangham's offense with six carries for 132 yards and one touchdown.
Week 10: Mangham 55, Delhi Charter 24
Mangham wrapped up the 2-1A championship by amassing 491 yards of offense, including 469 yards on the ground, in a 55-24 rout of Delhi Charter.
Weeks rushed for 171 yards and three touchdowns on just nine carries. Jakarie Nichols added 65-yards and a touchdown rushing for the Dragons.
Week 12: Mangham 49, Delhi 0
The Dragon defense was even better than they were the first time around against Delhi and pitched the shutout after getting a break in Week 11 for a first-round playoff bye.
Mangham running back Kemme Weeks ran for 114 yards and three touchdowns on 10 carries, while Jakarie Nichols also broke the century mark. Nichols totaled 106 yards rushing and one touchdown on 10 carries.
Week 13: Mangham 56, White Castle 26
Mangham rushed for more than 400 yards in moving past the homestanding Bulldogs and into the Nonselect Class 1A state semifinals Friday night at Bulldog Stadium.
In a game matching teams with diverse rushing attacks, the Dragons rode a dynamic performance by running back Kemme Weeks and his 292 rushing yards to victory.
After a close first half, Mangham featured the run almost exclusively after the half to score the first 21 points of the second half and rush ahead 42-14 through three quarters.
Mangham quarterback Ridge Heisler added another 103 rushing yards. White Castle running back Daryl Young contributed 108 yards in the Bulldogs' effort.
Week 14: Mangham 56, West St. John 24
Mangham honored its 1995 team Friday night at halftime as the last football team in school history to play for a title.
Two quarters later, the 2013 Dragons added their name to the list by punching their ticket to the Mercedes-Benz Superdome in New Orleans with a 56-24 win over No. 3 West St. John.
Weeks scored two touchdowns and Rhone ran for a score to put the Dragons back in the championship game.


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Slide The City, a water party event where guests slip and slide down a thousand-foot slide, is coming to Hong Kong this summer.
The water slide will be laid out in an open space at the Kai Tak Cruise Terminal in Kowloon, Ming Pao Daily reported on Thursday, citing a preliminary agreement between the government and the company hosting the event.
Details of the event, including schedule, location and ticket prices, will be released soon.
Admission tickets are usually priced at US$10 to US$65, depending on the number of times a guest wants to use the slide, including unlimited use for a whole day.
Only those aged above 5 and who are at least four feet tall will be allowed to join. Live music, food and drinks will be provided.
Lawmaker Yiu Si-wing for the tourism sector suggested that free shuttle buses to the site be provided to avoid inconvenience to the public.
– Contact us at [email protected]


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Thursday, June 11, 2009
David vs. Goliath
Better a couple of hundred sweaty warriors than two masses of 50,000 men marching toward one another across a sea of special effects.
I was writing a battle scene recently, and it went something like this.
Subscene 1: Protagonist fights lots of enemies, wins against great odds.
Subscene 2: Flashback to explain how protagonist learned a certain skill, to flesh out his character and to provide a breather before the next bout of action.
Subscene 3: Protagonist fights lots of enemies, wins against great odds.
Chapter ends
While this wasn't exactly bad, I felt vaguely dissatisfied, and after thinking about it for a while I realized what the problem was. Subscenes 1 and 3 are the same thing. Oh sure, my hero would have been fighting different types of enemies – goblins vs. orcs, for instance – but it would still have been the same thing. He would have, for the second time that chapter, been hacking his way through a mass of largely nameless enemies. And worse, using the same tactics.
Not very interesting for the reader. Not very interesting to write about either, if my niggling feeling of displeasure was any clue.
So I rewrote it, and in the revised version the protagonist faced down a single, hugely powerful enemy, mano a mano. David vs. Goliath, Achilles vs. Boagrius, Fingolfin vs. Morgoth, Prince Oberyn Martell vs. Ser Gregor the Mountain. Well, maybe not the last two, but you get my drift. That worked, because he had to use a different method to beat that single opponent, who was also much easier to visualize and personalize.
And of course, if this opponent is much, much stronger, that sets up an imbalance that will have most readers on the edges of their seats, because they're really hoping the underdog will win – they're just not sure how he'll do so.
How to use this in the average battle scene, though? I didn't want mine to come off like those B-movies where the various opponents of the hero considerately attack him one at a time. Fortunately, during subscene 1, his opponents realized that he outmatched them, and therefore they were better off staying back and allowing the Goliath of their side to take him on in subscene 3 (and they had plenty of reason to believe the Goliath could crush him like an eggshell).
This could be an option, if you're hoping to isolate the protagonist with a single enemy before, during or after a battle. Or the protagonist could hack his way through those enemies to get to the bosses.
For instance, in the House of Blue Leaves scene in Kill Bill, the Bride takes on six swordsmen before facing off against the last remaining bodyguard, the meteor-hammer-wielding Gogo Yubari. Then dozens more swordsmen burst in and she takes them on more or less en masse before finally confronting their mistress, O-Ren. There's variation, in other words, a rise and fall of the tides that come against our hero(ine).
In Troy, the form of the duel seems to be respected even in a battle, since the Greek and Trojan forces stop fighting to surround Patrocles and Hector as they duke it out. This didn't come off as entirely realistic in the film, though, and it may not do so in a story either.
On the other hand, I once read about a spell suggested for just such a society; on activation, this spell takes the protagonist and one person of his choosing to some isolated place where they can duel. Since there are a limited number of copies of the spell (on scrolls which self-destruct after use), this tactic can't be used indefinitely to pick off weaker members of the other army one by one.
There are probably other ways to isolate the protagonist's counterpart and vary the flow of battle. I'm pretty happy with how my scene finally turned out, though. :)
10 comments:
There is a reason (besides not getting in the way of the camera) that trained fighters would not necessarily rush a single opponent, they would not want to get in each others way, especially if they are wielding foot long swords. You need room to maneuver and the last thing you want is a friendly fire incident.
I wrote about fight scenes a few months back on my SuD blog. Maybe these tips can help:
To the Battlefield: Part I
And Part II (haven't written part III yet):
- June 11, 2009 at 9:41 PM
Hey, Marian good post and great solution.
The one-on-one duels don't come over well in the movie but I think it's true to the source material.
- June 12, 2009 at 8:44 AM
- Maria Zannini said...
I never thought about this, but you're absolutely right.
The reader is more likely to become emotionally invested in the individual than an entire army.
- June 12, 2009 at 8:52 AM
- GunnerJ said...
It's probably going to be the case that a modern Hollywood blockbuster made for a modern audience is not going to be able to capture the mythic logic of codes of honor represented in epic poems about the Greek dark ages orated to ancient Greeks.
But then again, I've long thought that the difference in medium allows writers (or oral storytellers) to get away with things that a film-maker couldn't. In the movie Troy you are constantly aware of the thousands of other soldiers waiting in a circle for the two heroes to duke it out because you can see them. A writer might off-handedly mention that the common warriors formed a circle while Patrocles and Hector duel. If he's skillful he can pull it off because the reader's attention will be on the heroes, not the commoners.
Still, not everyone is a Homer, and modern audiences are not going to assume any kind of code of battlefield honor... So if a story is going to include epic duels between the army leaders, it would be good to establish that the culture of which they are products has such an honor code to accommodate them.
- June 12, 2009 at 9:39 AM
- Marian said...
Hey GunnerJ,
It'd be interesting to see the outcome of a confrontation between two army leaders, one who was raised in a culture with a code of honor that requires him to meet all such duel-challenges fairly, and one who wasn't.
- June 14, 2009 at 9:24 PM
- Marian said...
Hey Maria,
And it's probably going to be easier for the reader to buy that the protagonist can defeat a single enemy than, say, dozens of them coming at him.
The Bride's credentials were established during the first Kill Bill fight scene, a one-on-one with Vernita Green, long before we get to the House of Blue Leaves.
- June 14, 2009 at 10:05 PM
- Marian said...
Hi Lee, thanks for commenting.
Troy just didn't come off as realistic per se, so maybe that's what weakened the duel scenes. I'll bet that if everything else had looked authentic, it would have been easier to accept that such fights could occur during a battle.
- June 14, 2009 at 10:33 PM
- Marian said...
Good point, ralfast, and thanks for the links! I'll check those out as soon as possible.
- June 14, 2009 at 10:33 PM
- GunnerJ said...
It'd be interesting to see the outcome of a confrontation between two army leaders, one who was raised in a culture with a code of honor that requires him to meet all such duel-challenges fairly, and one who wasn't.
Or depending on how it goes down, maybe not:
"Sir, now that the enemy has laid down the gauntlet, what should we do?"
"Shoot him in the back with arrows as he's riding off."
- June 16, 2009 at 11:39 AM
- Marian said...
That fits my definition of "interesting".
I'll bet on the survival chances of the Magnificent Bastard any time he takes on the too-honorable Ned Stark type.
- June 17, 2009 at 9:18 AM


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We often hear Geetle say, "I do not know what to play with next." She is good at independent play, but sometimes just can't get started. She needs us to give her suggestions on what to play with. Then she trots off happily.
Pookie, on the other hand, sometimes treats us like we are the children. He never needs our advice on what to play with and sometimes offers us toys when we look bored.
They are quite different in that regard. I think its just 2 different personalities, and has nothing to do with ASD. Pookie likes to play with us and make up his own games. He is all about the game itself. Geetle is more into playing with the person and does not care which game you play. That means when she plays alone, she has a bit harder time getting started, but once she does, she is fine.


text: Assyria – Ardenti [REVIEW] February 13, 2014Micah No Comment Facebook Listen / Name Your Price (via Bandcamp) Genre(s): Deathcore Assyria's first single of 2014 is "Ardenti" and it's a fucking banger of a song. The pace of the song is slow going, similar to what you would hear in a down tempo song, but there are some parts that are a lot faster than others. Instrumentally, it sticks to a guitar chugging type of sound for majority of the song, with the exception of a minor guitar solo in part of the song. There is also a massive breakdown near the end of the song. The vocals used are low screams and high screams, the former being used the most. The low screams are very, very low, raw, and sound like they have a lot of power behind them. The high screams are similar to the low screams in the sense that they are raw and powerful sounding. Overall, "Ardenti" is one hell of a deathcore song, and I recommend any deathcore fan to give it a listen! Score: 4/5 News, ReviewShare : Tweet ‹ Immoralist releases new song "Rotten Teeth" Anal Phobia releases new song "1984" ›


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I seriously love this bedroom in our little home, especially when the candles are lit and the twinklies are switched on.
To be honest, now that I am blogging more often I have been using some of my Instagram images within my posts but there is the odd occasion where they are left on the Instagram cutting room floor and don't quite make it to the blog so hopefully these posts will change all of that.
Who say's colouring is just for kid's? This book has already given me hours of fun and the husband hours of peace and quiet. It is amazing.
I'm sorry if you follow me on Instagram and so have already seen these pictures but at least this way I know that everyone gets to see the same things.
I've had a few craft projects in mind so an evening of foraging was had and of this pretty little lot is currently being pressed in my flower press.
I went through a phase of using all the different filters for my images but more often than not now I leave my images as they are. All of these here in this post are all uploaded with no editing and no filters, not bad huh!
One of the many things I love about where we live is the sunsets we are able to enjoy from our home. This was taken as I was stood in my garden, you couldn't ask for more really could you.
Love Gem x x x


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31st March 2017, 7pm
Chapel of St Peter Ad Vincula, Tower of London, EC3N
Durufle – Requiem and works for Lent
London Youth Chamber Choir
Choir of the Chapels Royal, HM Tower of London
Colm Carey
Christian Wilson (organ)
Maurice Duruflé was a French composer who was famously self-critical and destroyed most of the music he composed, or refused to publish it. This was caused in part by the influence of his teacher, Paul Dukas.
The Requiem is widely considered as one of the great choral works of the 20th century. It was composed during the Second World War and reflects the pathos and emotional turmoil of the contemporaneous life, as Duruflé's friends and neighbours perished across Europe. The piece incorporates plainchant as thematic material throughout (unlike, for example, Fauré's Requiem) and conveys the full gamut of emotional force, from the plaintive strains of the opening 'Requiem' and 'Kyrie', to the brooding darkness of the 'Libera me' with it's cataclysmic 'Dies irae, dies illa…'
The Requiem will then be followed by a selection of music written for the season of Lent, sung by the choir of the Chapels Royal, HM Tower of London.
Owing to the historic nature of the Tower of London and the Chapel Royal of St. Peter ad Vincula, if you require wheelchair access, please contact the Chapel Administrator, Toby Wheeler, by email at [email protected] at least 48 hours in advance of the concert
Tickets: £20 (£10 under 18s), available on the door.


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How probation works in Colorado criminal cases
Section 18-1.3-201 of the Colorado Revised Statutes (C.R.S.) provides:
A person who has been convicted of an offense, other than a Colorado class 1 felony or a Colorado class 2 petty offense, is eligible to apply to the court for probation. Defendants in misdemeanor cases get sentenced to misdemeanor probation and those in felony cases get sentenced to felony probation. For less serious crimes, probation can be unsupervised.
Probation is an alternative to incarceration. If you are placed on probation, you will not have to go to or remain in prison or jail, subject to:
- Supervision by the Colorado Probation Department for the county in which you reside, and
- Compliance with the conditions of probation placed on you by the court.
To help you better understand Colorado probation, our Colorado criminal defense lawyers discuss the following, below:
- 1. Who is eligible for probation?
- 2. What are some common conditions of probation?
- 3. What happens if I violate my probation?
- 4. What happens after I complete probation?
1. Who is eligible for probation?
You may apply for probation at any time after you plead guilty or no contest to a crime, or you are found guilty of an adult or juvenile criminal offense, other than a Colorado class 1 felony or a class 2 petty offense.
Your Colorado criminal defense lawyer will usually ask for probation at the time of your sentencing. But you can also request probation after you have served any part of your sentence.
You are not eligible for probation if:
- You have two or more prior felony convictions arising out of separate and distinct criminal episodes under the laws of Colorado, any other state, or the United States; and
- Your current conviction or a prior conviction is for:
- First or second degree murder;
- Manslaughter;
- First or second degree assault;
- First or second degree kidnapping;
- Sexual assault or sexual contact;
- First degree arson;
- First or second degree burglary;
- Robbery;
- Aggravated robbery;
- Theft from the person of another;
- Any felony offense committed against a child; or
- Any criminal attempt or conspiracy to commit any of the offenses set forth above.
These restrictions on eligibility for probation may be waived by the sentencing court upon recommendation of the district attorney approved by an order of the sentencing court.
In addition, if the conviction for which you are seeking probation occurred before May 25, 2010, you are not eligible if you were convicted of one or more prior class 1, 2, or 3 felonies committed within the ten years prior to the felony conviction for which you are seeking probation unless the district attorney recommends probation and the court approves it.
2. What are some common conditions of probation?
Conditions of your probation will usually depend on the crime with which you were charged. However, common conditions often include some or all of the following:
- You must report regularly and as scheduled to your Colorado probation officer;
- No commission of any other crime;
- No use of non-prescription drugs, alcohol or medical marijuana;
- Drug testing;
- Attendance at, and completion of, counseling for drugs, alcohol, or anger management, as applicable (at your own expense);
- No ownership or possession of firearms;
- Payment of restitution to the victim(s) of your offense;
- Payment of supervision costs and any fines ordered by the court;
- Electronic monitoring; and/or
- Compliance with a protective order, if applicable (e.g., in cases involving domestic violence).
3. What happens if I violate my probation?
If you violate any of these conditions, you may be arrested on a "no bond" warrant and sent or returned to custody to serve out your sentence.
You will have the opportunity to argue to the court during a motion to revoke probation ("MRP") that you did not, in fact, violate your probation. In some cases, you may even be able to argue that a violation was minimal and you should be allowed to continue probation.
An experienced Colorado criminal lawyer can be of tremendous assistance in presenting these arguments to the court and preserving your freedom.
4. What happens after I complete probation?
If you comply with all the terms of your probation, you may be eligible to apply for early termination of your probation. Upon successful completion of probation -- whether early or as scheduled -- you are released from the supervision of the Colorado judicial system.
Additionally, if you were on probation as part of deferred sentencing – for example for drug or domestic violence treatment – on successful completion of your treatment program the charges against you will be dismissed or reduced, as applicable.
Note that it's also possible to apply for early termination of probation in Colorado.
Call us for help…
Probation can be an attractive alternative to prison or jail. But navigating the Colorado criminal court system can be tricky.
Our caring Colorado criminal defense lawyers can help you fill out your probation application and present it to the court. And if you are ineligible for probation, we can argue your case to the district attorney and the court and possibly get you probation anyway.
We also have a tremendous amount of experience in defending clients accused of probation violations at Colorado MRP hearings . Contact us today to find out how we can fight to keep your probation from being revoked.
To schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced Colorado defense attorneys, simply fill out the confidential form on this page.
Or call us at our centrally located Denver home office:
Colorado Legal Defense Group
4047 Tejon Street
Denver, CO 80211
(303) 222-0330


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If we recall, my Reddit secret Santa got me whale shaped chocolate molds for Christmas! And I wanted to use them IMMEDIATELY but didn't really have a reason to. We don't eat a lot of sweets in my house so I knew if I made a bunch of chocolates they would just sort of sit around until someone tossed them.
Oh, but then I was invited to a new years party and VOILA! Reason for chocolate whales.
Challenge One: My friend can't eat diary (like, any dairy at all. And it's in EVERYTHING! Whey, milk fat, milk powder, etc.) so I had to find dairy free chocolate. This took a long time.
Challenge Two: Don't make a great big mess in the kitchen. That was solved with newspaper.
Challenge Three: Don't eat all the chocolate. This was hard because I love chocolate and this dairy free stuff is really delicious. It's like eating a truffle, in bar form.
After that it was easy! Melt the chocolate in little squeeze bottles (I had to mark them because I was also making chocolate mustaches for a party my mom was going to. And obviously I used regular chocolate for that.)
Squeeze in that chocolate!
Edible craft projects was the best of both worlds.
And then pack up and party. Look at how cute this thing is?! Weird smile but still beautiful.


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Villa Del Palmar // Cabo San Lucas Wedding // Sarah + Travis
Sarah + Travis
Sarah and Travis have this incredible way about them - this love that shines through, and smiles that will warm your heart in an instant. Individually, they are wonderful. Sarah is kind, easy-going, and giggly. Travis is funny, wild, and charismatic. And together, they are strong, smitten, and completely made for each other.
As their day began the waves crashed against the sand below the ceremony, and Sarah and Travis both stayed calm and excited. Their family and friends gathered, and there, beneath the palm trees they said their promises to forever. Travis' brother officiated the ceremony, and told stories of their strength, and their perseverance through obstacles, and spoke for the crowd with love and support. As the day progressed the happiness continued, and family and friends danced the night away with the Bride and Groom, with maracas in hand. On the deck lit by string lights and the moon, surrounded by their sweetest loved ones, they celebrated their first night as Mr. + Mrs, and the beginning of so much to come.
Months ago Sarah sent me an email to chat about photographing their special day. In that email, she told me that she and Travis had met as children, as next door neighbors, fallen in love through the years, and were tying the knot with their closest family and friends in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico...and I fell in love with them instantly. I mean, how cute is that?? And Mexico? Yes! But, what I didn't realize at the time, was how much I would love them now. Everyone has returned home at this point, and the "real life" stuff is back in full swing -- but my heart is still exploding. Exploding from the love and the laughter, from the open arms and the big smiles, from the memories that will forever make me so happy. Exploding of thankfulness for the honor of capturing their gorgeous day, and their love story ... and for welcoming Dominic and I in, as one of their own! Being in Cabo is great, but being in Cabo with clients that have become to feel like family...that's incredible. The BIGGEST THANK YOU, to every one who made photographing our first international wedding absolutely wonderful.
And a big thank you to these vendors who made the day so beautiful:
My wonderful second shooter and sweet husband, Dominic.
Ceremony Venue - Villa Del Palmar, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico with Rocio Avalos
Dress - BHLDN
Bridesmaids Dresses - Dillard's
Reception Dress - Truck Club
Hair + Makeup - Bride
Grooms Attire - Dillard's
Floral - Baja Flowers in Cabo
Bride's Rings - Albuquerque Gold + Silver
Groom's Ring - Stonebrook Jewelry
Cake - Villa Del Palmar, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Music - The Real Matt Jones
Officiant - Ty Haguewood
View their super cute engagement session including Santa Fe Brewing Co. + Albuquerque's charming Old Town: Sarah + Travis' Engagement Session


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One-third of the world's population doesn't have access to a suitable toilet; more people have mobile phone access. more...
November 16 , 1933 : Diplomatic relations between the US and the Soviet Union were established. more...
Learn something new every day
More Info... by email
When you're getting ready to redecorate your home, interior design books can be an excellent resource. However, a quick walk through any bookstore will reveal that there are a plethora of titles to choose from. How do you decide which books will be the most useful? While customer reviews can be helpful for choosing a new laptop or mp3 player, interior design is a very subjective field. A room someone else finds breathtakingly beautiful may not appeal to you at all.
The first step in choosing the right interior design books is to spend some time thinking about how you'd describe your personal style. Do you like contemporary and eclectic furnishings or do you prefer something with a more traditional appearance? Is practicality your primary concern or are you willing to be slightly inconvenienced by interior designs if they are aesthetically appealing? What aspects of your house interior design do you like now and what elements are you hoping to change?
Your budget and lifestyle are also important factors to take into consideration when choosing interior design books. If you're a recent college graduate trying to decorate your first apartment, a book filled with furnishings from fancy boutique stores isn't going to be too helpful. If you have small children at home, safety will obviously have to take priority over appearance. For a well-established professional with no children, however, interior design books that convey upscale tastes and formal design are perfectly appropriate.
If you're the type of person who is going to want to try to copy a room exactly, look for interior design books that provided detailed information on where you can purchase the featured items for each design. You'll also want to check the book's publication date to make sure it isn't featuring items that are likely to be discontinued. If the book is intended for a do-it-yourself audience, make sure the instructions for the featured items are easy enough for you to follow. Generally, step-by-step photo tutorials are the most helpful.
When all else fails, keep in mind that books published by leading interior design magazines usually feature a nice assortment of very professional ideas. For example, if you're a fan of the rooms featured in Better Homes & Gardens, it's a fairly safe bet that most of the interior design books published under this imprint will appeal to your tastes. On a similar note, many of the featured interior designers on HGTV and other popular home improvement shows also have their own books.
Post 3
I actually prefer interior decorating magazines to interior decorating books. Since they're published monthly, they usually have a lot more current ideas that books.
For example, if they feature decorations from a specific store, it's a good bet the store will still be carrying those decorations. If you get a book that's five years old, you might have trouble finding things.
Also, magazines are less expensive. Interior design books tend to be hardback books with lots of glossy pictures. Those books get expensive. Meanwhile, a magazine is something like $7 or $8. That's a lot more in my price range.
Post 2
@JessicaLynn - I'm a big fan of the library also. However, I find that it helps to have some idea of what you're looking for. After all, you can only check out so many books all at once.
I know this isn't an exact science, but for interior design books I just like to flip through and look at the pictures. I find that I can get a really good idea from looking at the pictures if the design book matches up with my person style or not.
Also, I'm a do it yourself kind of person. So for home decorating books, I like to check out stuff in the do it yourself section for decorations and things I can make myself.
Post 1
I'm going to make a suggestion here: go to your local library for interior design books! As the article pointed out, there are a lot of factors to consider when choosing interior design books.
If you go to the library, you'll probably have a ton of books to choose from. You can just check a bunch out and then don't use the ones that don't apply to you. Then if you find a few you really, really like, you can always purchase those from the bookstore later. It's like a free trial!
One of our editors will review your suggestion and make changes if warranted. Note that depending on the number of suggestions we receive, this can take anywhere from a few hours to a few days. Thank you for helping to improve wiseGEEK!


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(07) 5492 8244 firstname.lastname@example.com
Steel is the product to use in house framing to help protect the long-term investment of the home owner. It is lightweight and strong, won't burn, is termite and borer proof and won't shrink, warp or twist - so the structure is maintained for future generations of your family.
Besteel House and Light Industrial Building Framing are manufactured from the highest standard of Coil Steel. The frames do not rust, absorb moisture, dry out, rot, twist, expand or shrink out of shape, and cannot burn. This increase in durability compared to a conventional timber house results in fewer call backs and a very high standard quality of finish and investment.
Pre-fabrication and modern fixing techniques make construction simple. The lightweight construction allows easy handling on site, while the inherent strength of Besteel Frames eliminates the requirement of cyclone rods in the construction process. All components are clearly identified to ensure correct erection sequence, with pre-punched service holes for entry of all your plumbing and electrical needs.
The steel used to make our products has a protective zinc/aluminium coating. Used in roofing applications where it is exposed to the elements it has excellent durability, So, in the less exposed internal building frame it gives longer service when installed to specification. At drill holes and cut edges, the galvanic action of the coating protects the exposed steel edge against corrosion, along with Nylon Grommets for protection in electrical and plumbing service holes.
Steel is impervious to termite attack and qualifies as a termite resistant material under the Building Code of Australia (BCA). The BCA states that if you build with a steel frame, you do not have to install physical or chemical barriers. The reality is that steel framing provides in-built structural protection for home owners and builders. (Termites cannot eat steel). Interest in steel framing to avoid the danger of termites attacking the structure of a home has escalated since the ban on organochlorine soil treatments from July 1995.
Jobs produced in Bluescope Truecore steel coil are provided with a 50 year warranty.
There are generally two types of warranty available to BlueScope™ Steel customers. Material Warranties cover the materials (such as COLORBOND® steel) that certain steel products are made from. Performance Warranties are offered by some manufacturers of end products, to assure users they will perform as expected when installed. (You should talk to your supplier about details of any Performance Warranties they may offer).
Material Warranties are available against corrosion, to perforation by weathering in the natural elements; and for COLORBOND® steel, also against flake and peel. For more details, such as whether a warranty is available for your desired application, the applicable terms and conditions or how to apply for the warranties, please talk to your supplier or go to our relevant product section of this website.
Please click on the link below for the Bluescope Warranty:
Bluescope Steel Warranty


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Effective communication across the Enterprise is imperative to success. Clear and timely communication results in strong requirements and fast innovation. Communication across departments and regions is consistently a challenge, and therefore the communication vehicle is imperative to breaking down those barriers.
Aras' Visual Collaboration enables effective communication in a secure environment, allowing you to work seamlessly across the Enterprise. Product content is easily viewable, including documents, drawings, 3D models, and images. Collaboration on this content is also enabled through commenting and markups.
This demonstration will review Visual Collaboration's capabilities and highlight the effectiveness of clear communication across Aras Innovator.
You will learn how to view and add comments in the discussions panel, leverage the viewers to gain visibility into all related content, and create markups to effectively communicate changes needed.
Crystal Brandl is the Visual Collaboration Product Manager, dedicated to delivering a purposeful collaboration tool.


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HOW TO Taste Wine Like a Sommelier
Here's your chance to step with pep into any social setting and drop some wine knowledge like an old school beat. No one likes the snooty know-it-all wine snob in the room, but you can still impress the pants of people by knowing how to taste wine like a sommelier. As a side note, the real wine experts like Master Sommeliers are usually not the snooty know-it-all types in the room. Actual wine experts know wine is about people—people who make the wine, and people who drink the wine.
The goal is to enhance your enjoyment of wine for the rest of your life and be able to know if a wine is good or not. How do you know that? One way is to know how accurately the wine shows typicity. In other words, does it taste like the grape should and does it taste like it should considering where it was grown. You might know that as terroir.
An accurate representation of the grape variety from the place its grown is a good wine. A shitty wine is one that sort of resembles the grape, but the winemaker had to do so much stuff to it that it has no sense of place, or that it taste like a generic grape that could've been grown anywhere. A Chardonnay from Burgundy, France comes across differently than a Chardonnay from Sheboygan, Wisconsin.
The real pimp way to earn respect is to know it, but don't show it. Here's some some ideas on how to go through a wine and identify important "markers":
Roll the wine in the glass
Don't swirl the shit out of it. Gently roll it in the glass. You want to release the aromas in the wine, not break the sound barrier with how fast the wine is being swirled. You can accomplish the same thing by rolling it and not pulling 3 G's like you're in a blender. Look at how the wine drips down the side of the glass. That gives you an idea of how high in alcohol the wine might be.
Look at the color
Color tells you some key things about the wine. Color tips you off to the age of the wine, which is handy to know. Young white wines have a slight greenish tint to them. Older white wines start to get a brownish tint to them. Red wines, as they age will fade in color around the rim of the glass. You can tell an older wine because the rim is sort of orange colored. Younger wines will have more opaque pink eraser color closer to the edge. Try to narrow down to a window of 1-3 years old, 4-7 years old or older.
If you're not sure where to start, just stare at the wine and wonder if there's going to be an NFL season or not then move onto the next step.
Smell the wine
Here's where you start to piece things together. A sommelier, and cool people who read this blog post start to paint a picture that help to identify the wine. First, are there any faults in the wine like being corked (smells like Grandpa's basement), Brett or volatile acidity for example. Is the wine "clean"?
Next, roll it in the glass then shove your nose in there. First impression time—do you smell red fruits or black fruits in red wine? For white wine, do you smell tree fruit or stone fruit? This is what separates real wine experts from everyone. Sommeliers can name specific fruit in the wine. It's not just green apple, it's granny smith green apple. It's not just cherry, it's dried bing cherry.
You want to look for 3 things: fruits, earthiness and wood. Try to name the fruits you smell and be specific. For earthiness, do you smell moss? wet soil? manure? Even chalkiness can be a smell that is "earthy". And for wood, do you smell vanilla? How about baking spices? If not, maybe it's an unoaked wine.
Being able to identify the fruit is one of the most important steps to blindly identifying the wine. Most wines have distinct fruit associated with the grape. For example, Grüner Veltliner has distinct notes of white pepper. Sauvignon Blanc has telltale grapefruit on the nose. Chalkiness is an important one that we'll get to next.
Here's a handy chart that shows what aromas go with with which wine grape.
Taste the Wine
Don't do what what you did in college and shotgun the wine. I mean, you can and I won't judge you but you'll miss out on the beautiful expression of the grape. If you're drinking a wine cooler, stop reading this blog and go to funnyordie.com. Your bong is calling your name.
When you taste the wine, go through the same thing as smelling. Identify fruit, earth and wood. Try to name specific fruits you taste. For red wines really hone in on whether it's red fruit or black fruit. For earthiness, there's something cool known as chalkiness. It literally is like a chalk texture. That's important, because it helps you know the wine grapes were grown in chalky soils like limestone. Limestone is only in certain places in the world. Your brain can narrow down the wine to one of those areas such as France's Loire valley.
The real big thing to look for when tasting is whether the wine is fruit driven or acid driven. Generally speaking, fruit forward wines are "new world" and acid driven wines come from the "old world". Fruit driven wines are just that, wine driven by sweet fruit. Acidity is something you hear about, but what is it? Your palate detects acidity on the roof of your mouth in the back. If that part of your mouth is all tingly, the wine has high acidity. During blind tastings, wine tasters want to know if the wine is old world or new world so they can narrow down on where it comes from. Old world wines come from France, Germany, Italy and other places in Europe. New world wines come from Australia, USA, Chile, Argentina, New Zealand, etc..
Neither is better, just different strokes for different folks. It also helps when trying to decide if the wine has typicity and tastes like where it came from.
Last thing on taste is the tannins and finish. Tannins dry your mouth out like when you drink tea or eat paint chips, which is what I did as a kid. Finish is that lingering taste in your mouth after you've swallowed the wine or spit it out. Can you still taste it 30 seconds after it's gone? That's the finish. How are the tannins, complexity and finish of the wine?
If you were being tested, you would be asked to combine all that stuff (color, age, nose, fruit, earth, wood, finish, etc..) and name the grape varietal and where it came from. All the data would help narrow down what it is. But for you, you can just have a look at the wine and appreciate all that went into making it. Over time you might come to appreciate new things in wine like chalky textures in Sancerre Sauvignon Blancs or make more educated buying decisions. Or if you go to someone's house and they open some sick bottle from their cellar you'll appreciate the gesture.
Who knows, if you're like me knowing stuff about wine might inspire you to be a better cook and understand how to pair flavors together.
There's no wrong way to enjoy wine. Ultimately, it's about enjoying it with or without other people. What you like is all that really matters. There's close to 12,000 wineries in the world and many are making decent juice. Lately, I'm all about finding the best bottle under $15. Hope this helps. Please let me know about your wine discoveries on the path of life.


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Ramiro Garcia
Colton High Colton, CA Class of 2018
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Maple Holistics | Tea Tree Shampoo & Conditioner (review)/
I was recently contacted by Maple Holistics to try out their Tea Tree collection. I must say that I never heard of the brand, so I decided to do a little research about the company before I gave them a yes, and what I found out I did love.
Maple Holistics carries a line of hair, skin, bath, body and personal care products for men and women. They even carry healthy snacks like nuts and berries for consumption. The company believes in creating natural and holistic products using high quality ingredients and therapeutic agents that are sulfate and cruelty free as well as safe for color.
I was really excited to try this line out because as of lately ya girl has been having a very itchy scalp and I don't suffer from dandruff (it may be that I don't wash my hair every week and just the environment). The reason being is because Tea Tree has great medicinal proprieties, such as killing bacteria strains, viruses and fungi. In addition it contains natural antiseptic and anti-inflammatory properties and one of the many benefits is that it helps to treat dry and itchy cuticles (raises hand high).
Upon my first lather, I felt and smelled the Tea Tree working it's magic with it's tingling sensation and fresh camphoraceous scent (a clean, sharp, slight medicinal smell...... my geeky biology/chemistry background coming out). I did not need to use a lot of it, maybe 2 quarter sized amounts per wash was good enough for my thick hair.
When it's time to condition after my wash, I don't towel dry, I leave my hair soaking wet, because I don't want to disturb my curl pattern and it helps me to use less conditioner (ladies, you know we stay piling it on). I was skeptical using this conditioner because lately my hair has been acting very restrictive- not absorbing the conditioner (short version, my hair was not feeling silky smooth and my curls weren't poppin). However, upon using this conditioner, my hair ate it up and I could tell because when I steamed my hair, my curls were hanging and becoming more defined. Before, with the other 2 conditioners.... under the steamer, my hair was a flat matted mess.
One thing I wish was different was the use of the Tea Tree oil in the ingredients. Seeing as it was listed towards the bottom of the ingredient list, I am assuming not much was used. Although there were other natural oils and botancials used and tea tres by natural is potent, it still would have been nice if a bit more was used.
However..... I would definitely recommend you try this line out or any of their products. It will be money well spent. Also you can get your free samples here


text: Former Connecticut Gov. Dannel P. Malloy speaks with inmates. AP Photo/Pat Eaton-Robb 7 marzo 2019 A prison program in Connecticut seeks to find out what happens when prisoners are treated as victims Miriam Gohara, Yale University In a pilot program, older prisoners sentenced to life mentor younger prisoners who have a chance to lead productive, lawful lives when they get out. The focus is on healing trauma.


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Ptolemy in Leeds and Astronomy in Bradford
April 2012
Last night Prof Malcolm Heath gave an entertaining talk on ancient astronomy to the Bradford Astronomical Society. Prof Heath examined what motivated the Greeks when thinking about the heavens – a distinctly human activity – and how Ptolemy rose to enduring prominence. The talk includes news of a codex in Leeds University's Brotherton Library's Special Collections. For those who attended his "Classics in our Lunchtimes" talk at Leeds City Museum in February, the eels make a brief reappearance to illustrate Greek scientific method…
Listen to "Greek Astronomy, Ptolemy and the Leeds Almagest"
View the Greek Astronomy, Ptolemy, and the Leeds Almagest PowerPoint
Some further details are included with the listing on Other Talks page.


text: UnderratedWizarding World Underrated: Queenie Goldstein Michelle | A Geek Girl's Guide November 16, 2018 2 Comments If you have seen the Fantastic Beasts film, you will know who Queenie is. For those that don't, she is the younger sister Tina, who was one of the more significant characters in the film. Upon my first viewing of Fantastic Beasts, I didn't give much attention to Queenie. She isn't the strong, female lead I tend to love. However, given more thought and looking toward The Crimes of Grindelwald, I have decided Queenie deserves more love and appreciation. Queenie does come off very soft in many ways, which is different than many of the most loved witches in the wizarding world. This softness is not a weakness in the least bit though, and she is very unique in her own ways that I appreciate. For one thing, she is a Legilimens. A Legilimens is someone who is able to extract feelings and memories from another's mind. This is demonstrated a few times in the first film, where she first interacts with the muggle Jacob and also interacting with Newt later and learning more about Newt's past. Legilimency is so very unique and special in the series, so that alone makes Queenie very special. Also, Queenie is someone whose bravery is lead with so much love. She loves her sister and wants to help her, she falls in love with Jacob thus wanting to help him, and through them aids Newt as well. She doesn't question the risks or the danger, she just knows it's the right thing to do. Overall, I'd say Queenie is a very heartwarming character, full of bubbly life and love. She may not be like Hermione of McGonagall, who I both love, but she has her own unique qualities that make her special. Who is your favorite Fantastic Beasts character? Let me know with a comment below! Become a Patron Advertisements Share this:Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)Like this:Like Loading... Related CategoriesUnderrated, Wizarding WorldTagsCrimes of Grindelwald, Fantastic Beasts, harry potter, Queenie Goldstein, underrated, Wizarding World


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Considered one of the most important films in the history of silent pictures, as well as possibly Eisenstein's greatest work, Battleship Potemkin brought Eisenstein's theories of cinema art to the world in a powerful showcase; his emphasis on montage, his stress of intellectual contact, and his treatment of the mass instead of the individual as the protagonist. The film tells the story of the mutiny on the Russian ship Prince Potemkin during the 1905 uprising.
|Housed at: Internet Archive
|Underlying Work: Pending Clarification | Digital Copy: No Additional Rights
|Download: Ogg | MPEG4 | Torrent


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Experience the "Edge of the World"
Interested in how you can save up
to $200 Per Person on
Beautiful Patagonia?
ALL IN PRICE: From $7,544 PER PERSON
(Photo: Map of Patagonia)
Use offer code "9XSYLE" for savings. Offer valid on new bookings only made between 10/23/19 – 11/23/2019. Offer valid on new bookings only and can expire earlier due to space or inventory availability. Savings amount will vary by tour and departure date, and is only available on select departures. Space is on a first come, first served basis. Offers are not valid on group, existing bookings or combinable with any other offer. Other restrictions may apply. Promotional pricing may remain in effect after the expiration date.
Day 1: Overnight Flight
Snowcapped mountains towering in the distance. Vibrant teal waters lapping against the shore. Glaciers carving their way through the valleys. This is Patagonia – a rugged wonderland of nature nestled along Argentina and Chile.
Day 2: Buenos Aires, Argentina - Tour Begins
Your journey starts in Buenos Aires. The city radiates a Latin-infused rhythm interwoven with its European heritage. Meet your fellow travellers for a cocktail reception at your hotel, located in the heart of the chic and stylish Recoleta neighbourhood. Head to a local restaurant with your new friends and indulge in savoury Argentine flavours.
Day 3: Buenos Aires
Embark on a panoramic city tour and coast down the famous Avenida 9 de Julio, where Parisian architecture and verdant trees line the world's widest avenue. Discover the city's most well-known sites and stop at the famous Recoleta Cemetrey, the final resting place of Eva Peron. Enjoy free time to explore San Telmo, where street performers tango on the sidewalks and vibrant street murals dance along the walls. Return to Recoleta for an evening at leisure.
(Photo: Reflection of Mt Fitz Roy in the water, Los Glaciares National Park, Argentina)
Day 4: Buenos Aires - Ushuaia
Fly to Ushuaia, your gateway to Patagonia's natural splendour. A remote harbour town nestled between the Andes and the Beagle Channel, Ushuaia proudly calls itself "the southernmost city in the world." Get acquainted with the city on a brief walking tour before enjoying free time to explore on your own.
Day 5: Ushuaia - Tierra del Fuego National Park - Board Ship - Chilean Waters
Begin your Patagonian adventure at Tierra del Fuego National Park. With the wind in your hair and fresh air in your lungs, breathe in the peace and serenity around you, intensified by the dramatic landscape of waterfalls, glaciers, and forests. Set sail from the mainland on the Stella Australis, your home for the next four nights. Head for one of the most remote corners of the world as you cross into Chilean waters.
Day 6: Cape Horn - Wulaia Bay
Disembark* at Cape Horn National Park, home to an archipelago of islands considered to be the "End of the Earth." Anchor at fabled Wulaia Bay and visit the historic radio station, formerly used by the Chilean Navy. Choose how you explore the area with an expert guide, selecting between three different hikes of varying difficulty.** Each choice will offer sprawling vistas of the gentle bay.
Day 7: Pia Glacier - Garibaldi Glacier
Take a Zodiac to shore and stand in awe before the Pia Glacier, a colossal mass of ice slowly crawling down the mountains, followed by a choice between two hikes.** Cruise further down the channel and drop anchor near Garibaldi Glacier – one of three Patagonian glaciers that continues to grow rather than shrink. Set off on a challenging hike through the forest to a glacial waterfall with views of the fjord below. If you're not up for the hike, opt to stay onboard the ship and admire the stunning glacier from the upper decks.
Day 8: Agostini Sound - Aguila Glacier - Condor Glacier
Make your way to shore on a Zodiac for a day by the Aguila Glacier. Start by strolling around a lagoon formed by a melting glacier. As you stand in front of the glacier, feel humbled by its pure immensity and stark white façade, emblematic of the region's untouched nature. Continue by boat to the Condor Glacier – where calving hunks of ice send spine-tingling echoes into the air.
Day 9: Magdalena Island- Disembark Boat- Punta Arenas, Chile- Puerto Natales
Start your morning on Magdalena Island with a hike through a massive colony of Magellanic penguins*** to the island's historic lighthouse. Embark on your final sail through Patagonia as you head further into the strait, docking at Punta Arenas. Discover this coastal metropolis with an expert guide, where brightly coloured houses meet modern skyscrapers. As the day draws to a close, continue on to Puerto Natales.
Day 10: Puerto Natales - Torres del Paine - Puerto Natales
Venture into Torres Del Paine National Park, a UNESCO biosphere reserve. Among the jagged mountains, ethereal teal waters, and expansive grasslands, you may spot soaring condors, inquisitive guanacos (llamas), and independent felines. Marvel at the cascading waterfalls as you make your way through what is known as South America's most incredible national park.
(Photo: Lago Pehoe, National Park Torres Del Paine in Southern Chile)
Day 11: Puerto Natales - El Calafate, Argentina
Return to Argentina at El Calafate. En route, stop to spend time with some local gauchos at a typical Patagonian estancia. Enjoy a traditional lamb roast lunch as you chat and learn about the culture. Make your way through the edge of the Patagonian countryside before settling into your hotel, featuring unparalleled views of Lake Argentino.
Day 12: Los Glaciares National Park - Perito Moreno Glacier - El Calafate
In Los Glaciares National Park, allow the wonder of Perito Moreno Glacier to take hold of your senses. This gigantic tower of vibrant ice rests against blue-green waters – an awe-inspiring blanket to the natural world. Gaze off the shoreline in search of floating icebergs, listening to the resounding crack of ice sheets breaking free.
(Photo: The Perito Moreno Glacier in Glaciares National Park outside El Calafate, Argentina)
Day 13: El Calafate - Buenos Aires
Fly to Buenos Aires and make the most of some time at leisure. Gather for a farewell dinner at La Ventana Tango House, where you'll savour Argentine cuisine before viewing an authentic tango performance.
Day 14: Buenos Aires - Tour Ends
Say adios to Argentina as your tour draws to a close this morning.
Post Night Sofitel Buenos Aires Recoleta Would you like to end your vacation with an additional Hotel in Buenos Aires?