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How blowing up other Christians and piling on actually hurts the cause of Christ in the long run./
My Facebook has been on fire this last week about Starbucks and their decision to change the design of their red cups. A few people wrote some blogs commenting on the continual secularization of our society, and then every "enlightened" and "non-consumeristic" Christian decided to shame them into extinction, with just about every news outlet piling on.
For the most part, I love that I have so many different friends with such different perspectives in my life. With this diversity of opinion, I have come to be a little horrified at the speed in which sidebar conversations or observations turn into full blown internet memes.
Since a snarky Facebook post couldn't quite communicate what I have been really thinking regarding the cup and what that means for Christian cultural warriors and the self- righteous Christians who are stabbing them in the back, I thought I would throw in my two cents regarding the Starbucks red cup into the mix.
The cultural warriors have a point:
We are part of a rich cultural tradition that is steeped in a Judeo-Christian worldview. And because of that Christianity, its stories, rituals, traditions, and values are deeply rooted in our DNA. There is actually much to celebrate about our cultural heritage, although you wouldn't know it because over the past 50 years this heritage has come under full assault, even to the point of death.
Those who have sought to limit people's pride in western civilization have done a great job of crushing almost every institution that have been part of the bedrock of our culture. The church was an easy target. But now that the church has been crushed, you can see the blood is in the water to crush all institutions of authority, academia, government, media, family, etc.
For Christians to observe and comment on the continual deterioration of most of the core traditions found in western civilization is ok. Starbucks is using red because they want to make money. They are making money by associating themselves with Christmas. (I mean, "the holiday."). And for the astute Christian, this is a worthwhile observation and one worthy of further discussion.
This observation isn't a conversation that should turn into a battle to the death. It doesn't even demand a boycott. It is simply another sad example of our culture running as fast as it can from its foundational roots. It is a sad commentary on the lack of influence the Christian story has in our culture. And the shameless use of what little is left of these traditions by corporations to still try and scam a buck or two.
For my cultural warrior friends, it is worth grieving. Yes Christians deserve scrutiny and rebuke. But those days are long gone. We are not simply getting our butts handed to us, but the continual belittling is heartbreaking, especially because we know the good news of the grace and love of Jesus and his love for the entire world.
So, don't fight, don't cause a scene, grieve and continually point to Jesus. In a post Christian context people don't even know why they are mad at Jesus or his followers any more. So may they come to know we are his followers by the way we love each other.
Which brings me to my self righteous meme creator friends:
I get that you don't want to be associated with those close minded, neanderthal Christians. But the truth is that the people bringing it up are simply bringing it up. It is a minority voice, a small sample. And instead of letting it go away as a small movement. You are trying to gain friends and esteem by throwing your sisters and brothers under the bus.
In an effort to appear as smart, nuanced, and above the fray, you are heaping death and destruction on the evangelical movement, and on Christians in general.
These clever memes don't win people to Jesus. In fact they only pile on to the reality that all Christians are whack-ado's. The people you are trying to impress don't differentiate between those dumb evangelicals and you wise and righteous Christian. You are simply clarifying to the world that Christians are stupid, and you aren't even one. You and you alone are a Christ follower.
In fact, all of the news reporting this week have been a total pile on "those" Christians. Most people don't even know what the original story is. But everyone knows somehow Christians are idiots because they care about Starbucks changing their cups. In this latest round, unfortunately it is those who thought they were clever with the memes about the cups are the ones who are giving Christians a black eye.
But without the church, the body and bride of Christ, people will have a hard time ever coming to find Jesus.
I am with you, and nothing grieves me more than Christians saying and doing stupid things. But in this latest dust up between cultural warriors and those who are better than those dumb evangelicals, I am actually on the side of the cultural warriors.
Let us not cut off our nose to spite our face.
If you want to care for the poor and orphans, then do it. Commit time and money to that endeavor. There is no need to make your fellow Christians look like idiots, like a meme, and still not adopt a child.
Just a couple of thoughts :)


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Inflammation - esophagus; Erosive esophagitis; Ulcerative esophagitis
Learn More
Esophagitis is often caused by stomach fluid that flows back into the food pipe. The fluid contains acid, which irritates the tissue. This problem is called gastroesophageal reflux (GERD). An autoimmune disorder called eosinophilic esophagitis also causes this condition.
The following increase your risk of this condition:
- Alcohol use
- Cigarette smoking
- Surgery or radiation to the chest (for example, treatment for lung cancer)
- Taking certain medicines without drinking plenty of water. These medicines include alendronate, doxycycline, ibandronate, risedronate, tetracycline, potassium tablets, and vitamin C
- Vomiting
People who have a weakened immune system may develop infections. Infections may lead to swelling of the food pipe. Infection may be due to:
- Fungi or yeast (most often Candida)
- Viruses, such as herpes or cytomegalovirus
Esophagitis is present when the lining of the esophagus becomes swollen, inflamed, or irritated. The esophagus is the tube that leads from the back of the mouth to the stomach. It is also called the food pipe.
Exams and Tests
The doctor may perform the following tests:
- Esophageal manometry
- Esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), removing a piece of tissue from the food pipe for examination (biopsy)
- Upper GI series (barium swallow x-ray)
Outlook (Prognosis)
Most of the time, the disorders that cause swelling of the food pipe, respond to treatment.
Possible Complications
If not treated, this condition may cause severe discomfort. Scarring (stricture) of the food pipe may develop. This can cause swallowing problems.
A condition called Barrett esophagus (BE) can develop after years of GERD. Rarely, BE may lead to cancer of the food pipe.
The infection or irritation may cause the food pipe to become inflamed. Sores called ulcers may form.
Symptoms may include:
- Cough
- Difficulty swallowing
- Painful swallowing
- Heartburn (acid reflux)
- Hoarseness
- Sore throat
Treatment depends on the cause. Common treatment options are:
- Medicines that reduce stomach acid in case of reflux disease
- Antibiotics to treat infections
- Medicines and diet changes to treat eosinophilic esophagitis
- Medicines to coat the lining of the food pipe to treat damage related to pills
When to Contact a Medical Professional
Call your health care provider if you have symptoms of esophagitis.
Media items
Related articles
Falk GW, Katzka DA. Diseases of the esophagus. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 25th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 138.
Richter JE, Friedenberg FK. Gastroesophageal reflux disease. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Saunders; 2016:chap 44.
Zurad EG. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy. In: Pfenninger JL, Fowler GC, eds. Pfenninger and Fowler's Procedures for Primary Care. 3rd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier Mosby; 2011:chap 101.
Review Date: 7/22/2016
Reviewed By: Subodh K. Lal, MD, gastroenterologist at Gastrointestinal Specialists of Georgia, Austell, GA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Isla Ogilvie, PhD, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org). URAC's accreditation program is an independent audit to verify that A.D.A.M. follows rigorous standards of quality and accountability. A.D.A.M. is among the first to achieve this important distinction for online health information and services. Learn more about A.D.A.M.'s editorial policy, editorial process and privacy policy. A.D.A.M. is also a founding member of Hi-Ethics and subscribes to the principles of the Health on the Net Foundation (www.hon.ch).
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subset: commoncrawl


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I am the Program Head for Girls' Golf at Harvard Westlake.
Prior to coming to Harvard Westlake, I was an assistant golf professional at various clubs in Ventura County. I was also the Director of Instruction at an indoor high tech training facility for GOLFTEC.
I am a Class A member of the LPGA Teaching and Club Professionals Division. I have served as a membership director for American Golf, Club Corp and KSL.
I played college volleyball at UCSB where I earned a bachelor of arts degree in Law & Society. When I am not coaching golf, I am a retirement income specialist for Edward Jones Investments.


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A Review of A Court of Mist and Fury with a Reflection on Re-Reading Books (Spoilers from A Court of Thorns and Roses) So I'm one of those people who creates rules for themselves: can't watch a tv show out of order, can't start a movie in the middle, can't have an appetizer after dinner, and so on and so forth. I also … Read More
Tag: sequel
The Fallen Prince
Review of The Fallen Prince by Amalie Howard (Spoilers from The Almost Girl by Amalie Howard) Action? Check. Romance? Check. Total badass heroine? Check. The Fallen Prince by Amalie Howard is more an action book than it is anything else. The book picks up a year after the end of The Almost Girl. Our main badass Riven has been scouring the Otherworld, (also … Read More


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Volcano Fact and Fiction
Junior Volcanologist Test
Answer 15 of the following questions and email it to me by Monday at 8:30 am. Use the attached documents and videos below to answer some of the questions....
Junior Volcanologist Test
Answer 15 of the following questions and email it to me by Monday at 8:30 am. Use the attached documents and videos below to answer some of the questions....
- U.S.G.S. stands for the United States ____ _____.
- What is the difference between tectonic quakes and magmatic quakes?
- Dr. Dalton is not a geologist, he is a ____________________.
- Dr. Dalton is checks the water at the high lake for ____________________.
- What can cause for the death of trees and wildlife near volcanoes?
- Dalton describes the volcano as not dead, but ________________ ("sleeping").
- What tools do the seismologist use to monitor the volcano?
- The scientists enter the volcano crater by helicopter to check for_______ readings and emissions.
- How did the volcano change the town's water supply?
- How do scientists know an eruption is imminent?
- What effects occur because of the volcano's eruption?
- Why shouldn't a helicopter be used during the eruption?
- How does the lake change after the eruption?
- The eruption melts the snow off the top of the mountain (volcano), which effects the surrounding rivers. What problems are caused by the changes in the river?
- How does the force of the pyroclastic cloud effect trees and structures?
- How does hot ash affect our bodies?
- What are the dangers and other implications of alerting a community before a possible disaster?
- What forms of pollution do volcanoes release? How does it compare to man-made sources of pollution?
- Why was a robot used to observe the volcano's crater?
- What other missions could be best suited for robotic exploration?
- Why might NASA be interested in sponsoring a robot like "spider legs" here on Earth?


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Marge Monschke, a lifelong member from the Buena Baptist Church in Yakima Valley, Zillah, Washington recently died at the age of 93. She had faithfully made quilts for American Baptist Missions for many years. She passed on the project to her friend Rosemarie LaClair, who mentioned it to Dorothy Gruginski, 92, at the Raymond First Baptist Church.
In bygone years - the American Baptist Women's groups each received a quota of items to buy or make for Mission Stations - here and overseas. Dorothy and Marge knew each other from attending the yearly conferences and both were partial to Alaskan Children's Home on Kodiak Island. In previous years they would make quilts for the Alaskan Children's Home and then would be given to the boy/girl when they left the Home.
Time changes things and evidently the American Baptist Church is no longer associated with the Children's program. So when Rosemarie mentioned it to Dorothy that the fabric would be coming and asked if she thought some of the ladies would like to make quilts - she was thrilled to do this. One thing led to another and a group of 4-6 ladies got started on the project mid-summer, and then we lost Dorothy last month 9/5/15. We are continuing as best we can - we know that Dorothy is looking over our shoulders - so we better do a great job. We intend to make 15 to 20 quilts and then reassess and see where we stand. Any love or kindness we can send to others -especially young children in Jesus' name will hopefully let them know that there are people that care about them and their future.
Putting a Quilt Together
A Quilt in the Making
Pretty Quilt Pattern
A Spaceship Themed Quilt
Laura Rohr with Beautiful Quilt
In 1970, the American Baptist mission called the Anchorage Children's Christian Home merged with the Jesse Lee Home and the Lutheran Youth Center to form Alaska Children's Services. The American Baptist property called our Maplewood Campus still ministers to 21 adolescent girls every day. We still depend upon in-kind, financial and prayer support from American Baptist churches throughout Alaska and across the country to sustain our mission and our Spiritual Life program


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Concept Art – Polo VII
on January 16, 2016 at 3:09 am
Chapter: other
Concept art for Polo VII, one of Kyton's pioneer probe robots. Kyton sends them out to the far reaches of the galaxy and has them bring him artifacts and non-sentient species for his workshop gardens and museum. Polo VII is his most advanced model, created with an array of sensitive sensors and the ability to balance an insatiable curiosity with wisdom and caution.


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Tudi Expert Electricians
If you live in an older home, your electrical system could be dangerously out of date. Many houses still contain older knob-and-tube wiring, and most older homes do not contain enough outlets for our modern, plugged-in lifestyles. Overloaded circuits, two-prong ungrounded outlets, and other inadequate electricals can put your family at risk. Beyond that, lights that flicker or dim are just plain annoying.
Tudi Electrical Solutions
Tudi's registered electricians can help you determine how an upgrade can help your home operate more efficiently and safely. Put together, we have more than 50 years of experience at trouble-shooting. We can analyze your electrical system using thermal imaging, rewire and update your receptacles, provide emergency back-up generators, and even replace your electrical panel to increase your power supply.
"Exceptional service, knowledge & courtesy shown by Dave our technician whom I ask for when I call."—Rudy, Pittsburgh PA 15243
We're not just about the inner workings, either. Tudi's electricians can help with fixture replacements, security lighting, hard-wired smoke detectors, and more. We can design and install electrical floor heating, and we can even help set the mood with interior and exterior lighting design.
"Time for an upgrade? Outdated electrical systems can be dangerous, so find out today."—Marilee Tudi
Why Tudi Electrical?
Tudi provides same-same day emergency service, and—if you subscribe to the Tudi Home Comfort Plan—you receive 15% off any electrical repair! We respect your home and your family, and we never recommend changes or repairs that aren't necessary. Our experienced technicians are fully insured and bonded, with all required registrations and certifications. And, of course, if you call Tudi, you never have to call another contractor again: we can service all of your home's mechanical needs, from electrical services to heating, air conditioning, and plumbing.
"We had a few problems with install, but Rich Riva came, took leadership and solved all problems! Great Company."—George, Gibsonia PA 15044
Call us today to schedule your free, no-obligation Tudi Home Electrical Estimate!
Pittsburgh (412) 307-4690


text: What's your cause? - Goal setting for 2010 Prompted by this: Instead of writing goals this year, can you define your cause? Goals create actions which might have an effect. Causes create effects, making the goals that arise more fluid, adaptable and meaningful. Marcia Reynolds It got me thinking about new Year goals and resolutions. Every year it is the same, every self and personal development guru says that now is the time to clear out the old and set up the new, and less than a month into … [Read more...] about What's your cause? – Goal setting for 2010


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More Women Are Choosing Not To Have Children And Here's Why
The U.S. Census Bureau has been tracking the number of women who don't have children since 1876. In 2014 (the last year for which we have data), 47.6 percent of women between the ages of 15 and 44 remained child-free. That's the highest rate of childlessness the Bureau has ever reported.
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text: If you're looking for commercial property to buy or rent in Leeds, you can speak with a commercial property lettings specialist within Eddisons' Leeds office. We have numerous properties and land available for prospective businesses to acquire or let, and we can also pinpoint the best possible new premises or land for your commercial entity if you're in the early stages of trying to find a new base. We have over 150 years' experience in commercial property sales and lettings. Our current property for sale and let can be viewed here.


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Click on image to go to the article
By Peter Barber, Head of Map Collections at the British Library:
From the USSR's Be On Guard! map in 1921 to Google Earth, a new exhibition at the British Library charts the extraordinary documents that transformed the way we view the globe forever.
If I get to choose a favorite from this collection, it would be the London subway map above. For me the map is one of those very few that are still shaping our current trend in design aesthetics.
Dismissed as too 'revolutionary' when it was first submitted in 1931, Harry Beck's Underground map solved the problem of how to represent clearly and elegantly a dense, complex interweaving of train lines.
Placing the stations at similar intervals regardless of their true locations amplifies the area of central London, increasing its clarity, while the straight lines and interchange symbols confer a simplicity and order on the network. A cartographic icon.
via Jason Kottke


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Reference No: 238557Oversized A5 PVC ring binders. Printed 2 colours ( green & grey ) on outside cover only. Material: 350mic White PVC over 2250mic stiffening board. 2D ring mechanism x 20mm capacity.
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Trotter: Millwall fans can work together to tackle racism
LIAM Trotter believes Millwall fans can "help massively" by reporting any incidents of racist abuse they hear during matches.
The Lions were at the centre of a media storm last week after a Sky Sports News report exposed an individual shouting racist abuse at Leeds United striker El Hadji Diouf earlier this season.
And Trotter hopes greater vigilance among supporters will prevent the club's name being dragged through the mud again in future.
He told NewsAtDen: "The report didn't accurately reflect the club. If it did, there would be a lot more problems. It was one individual so it's difficult for the club – they need help from FIFA and the FA.
"That powers that be higher up need to do more. The only thing Millwall can do is nullify what these people are saying by finding them and getting them out of the club
"The fans can help with that massively. The only disappointing thing for me was the fact that there were 200 people around this person and they didn't report him.
"As fans, if you want your club to be represented well, and you hear that, you need to be reporting it to a steward or a police officer. That's certainly one thing that should be done.
"You can't stop individuals voicing their opinions but you can certainly make it very difficult for them to want to do it again.
"If that guy ever gets back into a football ground, I'm sure he's less likely to say what he did again. It comes down to everyone standing together.
"The fans can play their part in combatting racism by reporting anything they hear."
While press attention in the build up to the FA Cup victory over Luton Town was focused on events off the field, Trotter insisted the Sky report had not been a distraction to the players.
"Things like that bring us closer together," he said. "It wasn't nice to see obviously, but we are very tight-knit as a group of players. We tend to take the attitude that it is us against the world.
"We just focus on playing football, that's what we are paid to do. The club are doing everything they can on the racism front and there's not a lot as players we can do on a day-to-day basis."
And Trotter praised the 1,530 Lions fans in attendance at Kenilworth Road. He said: "The fans were great at Luton – they backed us and cheered us on.
"There were a few worries before the game that there would be trouble but there wasn't any that I saw and we had great support as always.
"That was an accurate reflection of the club. If you go around and pick out individuals, you will find people with opinions that shouldn't be aired. That's the same at any other football club."
Chief executive Andy Ambler added: "It is down to us all in the Millwall family to take responsibility for the reputation of our football club.
"It is down to every single one of us to take collective responsibility. There are adequate means to report inappropriate behaviour, be it racism or anything else, for us to be able to deal with issues.
"We really need to stop people throwing bottles or being overly-abusive because we have seen the damage it causes us. I was proud of our fans on Saturday because they behaved very, very well."


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How financial speculation in oil prices ruins airline profits
ATLANTA — Although planes take off and land round-the-clock at this city's bustling airfield, Paul Jacobson isn't focused on flying, but rather on how much it costs to fly. As the senior vice president of finance for Delta Air Lines Inc., he must navigate volatile fuel costs, which he thinks that oil speculators are driving to punishing levels.
During peacetime Delta is the world's largest consumer of jet fuel, edging out the Department of Defense. So even a small move in oil prices has an impact on the bottom line of a company that flies at least 700 of its own large and regional airplanes and counts more than 1,400 aircraft under its companywide umbrella.
Delta and the Air Transport Association, the lobby for airlines, have been out in front among 98 companies and trade groups that banded together to create the Stop Oil Speculation Now coalition. It's pushing for curbs on financial players in the oil markets, which they believe are pushing fuel prices high to profit from trading rather than from any need to consume fuel.
For most of the last 30 years, end-users of oil — such as airlines, oil refiners and trucking companies — dominated the futures market. They traditionally composed 70 percent of the market.
Today, that ratio has been flipped on its head: Financial players with no intent of ever using a barrel of oil make up 70 percent to 80 percent of the market in any given week.
Airlines argue that huge investment inflows from pension fund investors and Wall Street firms into the oil markets are driving volatility in world oil prices and distorting the price of crude oil and jet fuel.
Critics contend that the huge inflow of investment money into oil amounts to a self-fulfilling prophecy, with investors betting that prices in the future will go higher, thus driving them up. Wall Street investment banks touted commodities over the last decade as a way to reduce risk and enhance earnings, since commodity prices often moved in the opposite direction of stock prices.
"Given how much trading there is today in commodities, it warrants as much attention and scrutiny as the stock market gets, and deserves some checks on the power of any individual player so as not to unduly influence" pricing in oil markets, said John Heimlich, the Air Transport Association's chief economist.
"We don't want to be in a scenario where we have to `right-size' the airline for fuel prices. We want stable fuel prices so we can go and run our business, grow and be a normal business," Jacobson said in an interview at Delta's global headquarters here, next to Hartsfield-Jackson international airport. "When we have to react with capacity reductions, all of this stuff is important."
Capacity reduction is a fancy way of saying that Delta and its competitors have to ground airplanes when oil prices get too high. Because of rising fuel prices, they must cram more passengers onto fewer flights in an attempt to control their costs.
Rising oil prices are out of sync with a weak U.S. economic recovery. Delta and its competitors, all job creators, struggle to remain profitable. The price of the jet fuel they need to fly Americans to and from destinations is as volatile as the prices motorists pay at the local gas pump.
"The way to think about that in our context is about $100 million to the bottom line; more profitability or less profitability, depending on which direction that shifts," said Jacobson, who's also Delta's treasurer.
The airline consumes about 95 million barrels of jet fuel, or 4 billion gallons, annually. That's enough to power a car that gets 25 mpg 100 billion miles — or more than 10 times the distance to the sun.
At any point in time, Delta is hedging about 50 percent of its fuel costs. It does so through purchasing contracts for future delivery of oil, called futures contracts. It also does so by entering into private bets with Wall Street banks and other players in the unregulated over-the-counter market, sometimes called the swaps or derivatives market.
That's why Delta and the Air Transport Association are aggressively pushing regulators to rein in financial speculation. They want limits imposed on financial players across several oil-trading platforms, not just in the futures market. And they want to return to a market in which some speculation is encouraged but not to the point that it crowds out users of oil.
Futures markets are designed to bring together buyers and sellers, and through a process called "price discovery" they reach rational, mutually acceptable prices for the underlying commodity, in this case crude oil.
Since 2000, and especially since 2007, big institutional investors such as pension funds and commodity-investment funds have flooded into the commodities markets, taking positions in everything from coffee to crude.
This has led some analysts to argue that these financial players distort the price discovery process in the futures market and raise the price of oil.
However, Sarah Emerson, a Boston-based analyst for Energy Security Analysis Inc., disagrees.
"I think it is price discovery, but in a new and different world than we had 10 or 15 years ago. And it's a world, unfortunately, that the airlines will have to cope with," she said. "They consume a commodity that a lot of people want. It's in every country, in every economy, and it's subject to production problems. ... I would argue that price discovery is better than it ever was."
Emerson thinks that oil was priced too low for too long, and that traditional oil traders looked past real risks to global supply disruptions.
"The world is not perceived as safe as it used to be. Markets are all about perceptions," she said.
However, she agrees with airlines that speculation has raised the price of crude oil and that there needs to be greater transparency about trades to level the playing field.
"There is a premium, and I think that it is huge. There is a gray area for sure that the financial community is in, but I don't think we can say the current pricing is `wrong.' It is what it is. It's a market where there is asymmetric information, and unfortunately Delta is on the wrong end of that," the veteran energy analyst said.
Delta starts with the assumption that it's always short of the fuel it needs, since it doesn't produce any itself.
"We're short 95 million barrels of jet fuel per year if we want to keep flying. That's a risky position to have, and if you think about it in a Wall Street context, there isn't a trader on Wall Street that would take that big a position ... because of the risk around that position, so we've got to find ways to mitigate that," Jacobson said.
The airline does so by trying to guess the direction of oil prices in the futures market, then making private bets, with supplier contracts and a host of other financial mechanisms designed to hedge against rising oil prices.
American Airlines also is concerned about the role of speculative money in oil markets and how that affects its bottom line. The airline used almost 2.5 billion gallons of jet fuel last year, and it tries to hedge anywhere from 35 percent to 50 percent of its fuel needs, going out as far as 24 months in an effort to smooth out the volatility in oil prices.
"We fully support the Air Transport Association's effort to curb oil speculation driven by those traders who have virtually no intention of ever using or refining the oil they trade," said Sean Collins, a company spokesman in Fort Worth, adding that hedging efforts have produced cost savings in eight of the last 10 years.
The rise of emerging economies such as China and Brazil, drivers of growing global demand for oil, has aided this sales pitch. There's no reliable global information about supply, production and consumption of oil. The opaqueness of data encourages speculation.
Speculation is primarily felt in the futures market. When the price of an oil futures contract is higher six months from now than it is for delivery next month, it's a typically short-lived phenomenon called contango. Today, airlines and other end-users lament what's now being called "perpetual contango." Futures prices continue to rise irrespective of weak demand for oil in the sluggish U.S. economy.
"The pension funds, the asset managers, the index investors are essentially saying, `I just need a piece of the pie. I don't care if the price goes up or the price goes down, because I am doing it as a return-enhancer/risk reducer to my other asset,' " Jacobson said.
These investors care little about supply and demand, said Heimlich of the Air Transport Association.
"I think today a lot of people are playing in the oil market who don't know much about the fundamentals of energy markets, and they may not care much," he said. "It may not be malicious, but they may not be fully informed."
To appreciate what volatile prices mean to airlines, consider that when oil prices tumbled over a period in May, after a price spike, Delta saw the value of its hedges drop by $140 million. That big number is peanuts compared with the $1.2 billion that the top hedge funds invested in oil lost over those same days.
"When you look at the dollars invested and the magnitude of how these markets can move as a result of these non-consuming players that are in it, we think it's obvious that it has a pretty measurable and sizable effect," Delta's Jacobson said.
Oil historian Daniel Yergin has coined the term "financialization" of oil prices. In recent months, as investors fretted over whether Greece would default on its bonds, the United States would raise its debt ceiling and China would lose control of inflation, they flocked to oil futures to diversify their investment base.
"It's almost like oil is now the holy grail financial-vehicle proxy for the future," Heimlich observed. "If you are bullish on oil, buy Exxon Mobil stock. ... You can hedge currencies, play the gold market. But oil has become the choice, the vehicle."
As a consequence, airlines and motorists alike suffer.
"When the price of Apple (stock) goes up, the price of Wal-Mart (stock) goes up, a few people get hurt, but a lot of people benefit. When the price of a physical, widely used commodity like energy or food goes up, a lot of people suffer, and economies suffer," Heimlich said. "I think what we have at stake is far beyond the airlines' interest."
Stop Oil Speculation Now site
Remember $4 gasoline? Oil speculators are back
What's driving up oil prices again? Wall Street, of course
Trading commission proposes curbing speculation in oil prices
In break with Bush, speculators blamed for oil price spikes
Why a Maine GOP senator is taking on oil speculators
Are Wall Street speculators driving up gasoline prices?
Glossary of terms on Wall Street's intersection with oil
Commentary: My answer to being slimed on Huffington Post
Meet the man with the power to crack down on oil speculators
WikiLeaks: Saudis often warned U.S. about oil speculators
Senators call for crackdown on oil speculators
McClatchy's probe into roots of financial crisis, a Pulitzer finalist
To ask a question about this story or any economic question, go to McClatchy's economy Q&A


text: Blog Replacement Windows In St. Paul, MN Historic Homes: What You Need to Consider August 5, 2015 Historic homes in the St. Paul area offer homeowners so many special and interesting perks that many new homes simply can't provide nowadays. Not only do they tell a story about the area and period in which they were crafted, they also allow you to tap in to a variety of style choices that can feel out of place in a newer home. Of course when it's time for replacement windows, there's a possibility you could uncover this dilemma. Many new replacement windows don't fit the bill of your home's unique, historic charm. So what should you look at when you run in to this situation?Decipher the size of the window opening.Note the number of panes and their arrangement.Try to identify the type of material used – this is mostly wood for historic homes, so do a little research to find out more about the period and the materials most often used in the area.Attempt to determine the stain or paint color for matching purposes.Write down any distinct facts that appear to be unique to that specific window so that you can mention them when talking with the replacement windows team at Pella Windows and Doors. In addition to thinking about all of these things, do as much research as you can on the year the house was constructed and the houses in the area. Historical homes like those in St. Paul have their own style and characteristics that make them identifiable as being from the area. The last thing you want to happen is to get rid of those charms when you're only getting replacement windows. There are a number of replacement window choices available at Pella Windows and Doors's St. Paul showroom. Stop in to check out all of the options available to you so you can speak with an expert and decide what's best for your home. Can't stop by? Call 651-213-9049 or use our online scheduler and get an in-home consultation set up to make it even easier. Back to Blog


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Our Products
"Gluten-free Meat Products With One Exception!"
Except for our Bison Jerky, all of our meat products, including hot dogs, sausages and burgers are gluten-free.
Meat Products
Please review our list of products below. Can't make it to the store? We deliver overnight by courier to most parts of Ontario. Call us at 905-688-4570 for details.
Click here to a complete list of our farm-raised game meats.
Click here for a complete list of our traditional meats.
Pet Food
We carry a variety of bones for raw feeding or for your pet's chewing pleasure. Our assortment includes duck, chicken (both ground and whole), beef and venison. All come from animals that were raised without the use of antibiotics or hormones. We also carry antler chews cut from the antlers of the deer raised on our farm. They have not been treated with chemicals to clean them, but are left in their natural state. Our supply is limited and seasonal.
Arden of Garden Preserves
We carry a wide selection of preserves made from the vegetables that are grown in our market garden. Our vegetables are grown sustainably and, for the most part, organically. Using very few other ingredients, like vinegar, salt and lemon juice, our preserves capture the true flavour of the vegetables picked at the peak of their ripeness. Our tomato juice, passata, pasta sauce and salsa capture the real taste of a tomato at its prime. Our yellow tomato juice and passata are like sunshine in a bottle! Our various pickled products like dill pickles, bread and butter pickles, cucumber relish and beet relish are deliciously crisp and tangy.
White Meadows Farms
We carry a variety of maple products like syrup, kettle corn, dressings and sauces plus popping corn grown right at White Meadows Farms.
Niagara Try Dry Dried Fruits
We sell an assortment of Niagara-grown dried fruits like apple and pear slices, dried peaches and apricots. The apple slices are dipped in lemon juice to preserve their colour, but otherwise no sugars, oils or preservatives are used in the drying process.


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View Back Bay luxury condos for sale
Boston Back Bay is one of the most popular neighborhoods in Boston, Massachusetts. Back Bay is famous for its architecture of Victorian Brownstone homes which many if not most have been converted to Boston luxury condos.
Presently in Back Bay there are numeroust luxury condos for sale in Boston's Bay ranging in prices from Mid $400,000 up to $10 million.
Listed below are up to the minute Back Bay condos for sale.
Back Bay Luxury Condos
Back Bay Luxury Condos for Sale
Back Bay Luxury Townhomes for Sale
Back Bay Luxury Condos for Rent
An officially recognized neighborhood of the city of Boston, the Back Bay neighborhood is famous for its Victorian brownstone homes, and considered one of the best examples of 19th-century urban design in the U.S. The plan of Back Bay, greatly influenced by Haussmann's renovation of Paris, has wide, parallel, tree-lined avenues. The location of back Bay is as follows: Charles River on the North; Arlington Street to Park Square on the East; Columbus Avenue to the New York New Haven and Hartford right-of-way (South of Stuart Street and Copley Place), Huntington Avenue, Dalton Street, and the Massachusetts Turnpike on the South; Charlesgate East on the West.
View Back Bay luxury condos and apartments for sale and rent. Updated hourly.
Ford Realty – Boston Luxury Real Estate Professional – Call Today! (617) 720-5454
Considered to be one of Boston's most expensive and desirable residential neighborhoods alongside Beacon Hill, Back Bay is also known for the best shopping along Newbury Street, Copley Place and The Shops at the Prudential Center. The zip code covering Back Bay is 02116. If you are currently looking to purchase Back Bay Luxury Real Estate or looking to rent, you will find a variety of residential options to choose from. The architecture of Back Bay includes mid-19th century revival, late 19th and 20th century revivals and late Victorian.
For more information about Back Bay luxury condos for sale or to list your current Boston property for sale, please give us call today or fill out the online contact form and we will be happy to assist you.
As of 2019, the population of Boston is at 619,662 with 12,836 people per square mile (population density). The median age is 30.9. 31.77% of people are married and 55% are divorced. The average household size is 2.31 people. 23.25% of people are married with children and 26.72% have children and single.
Education & Schools
Boston is the birthplace of public education in this nation and is served by Boston Public Schools. There are 128 schools in the Boston Public Schools network, which enroll approximately 57,000 students.
The city of Boston boasts a variety of top colleges and universities that make the city an international center of higher education and medicine (List of universities and colleges in Metropolitan Boston).
Back Bay Luxury Condos for Sale
Back Bay Luxury Townhomes for Sale
Back Bay Luxury Condos for Rent
The unemployment rate in Back Bay (zip 02116) is 5.20%, with job growth of 1.33%. Future job growth over the next ten years is predicted to be around 37.50%. Boston (zip 02116), MA,sales tax rate is 6.25%. Income tax is 5.20%. The income per capita is $81,458, which includes all adults and children. The median household income is $87,630.
Ford Realty – Boston Luxury Real Estate Professional – Call Today! (617) 720-5454
Estimated households by household income:
- Income Less Than 15K 15.18%
- Income between 15K and 20K 3.76%
- Income between 20K and 30K 5.10%
- Income between 30K and 40K 4.66%
- Income between 40K and 50K 4.79%
- Income between 50K and 60K 3.10%
- Income between 60K and 75K 7.84%
- Income between 75K and 100K 10.39%
- Income between 100K and 150K 13.30%
- Income between 150K and 200K 9.47%
- Income greater than 200K 22.41%
Area Hospitals
Area Entertainment
- Museums, Galleries & Attractions
- Back Bay Attractions
- Music & Nightlife
- Back Bay Night Life Scene
- Restaurants & Dining
- Back Bay Restaurants
- Festivals & Events
- Professional Sports
- Shopping
- Back Bay Shopping
The average one-way commute in the Back Bay neighborhood (zip 02116) takes 23 minutes. 26% of commuters drive their own car alone, 4% carpool with others, 24% take mass transit and 7% work from home. Public transportation in Back Bay is served by Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority – MBTA, (known as the "T"). It is the fourth busiest rapid transit system in the country and operates busy bus and commuter rail networks. Back Bay is also served by Boston Logan International Airport, offering international and domestic flights, 4 miles from the center of Boston. Another major airport is Worcester Regional, offering domestic flights from Worcester, 50 miles from Boston.
Ford Realty – Boston Luxury Real Estate Professional – Call Today! (617) 720-5454
If you are a buyer, our goal is to provide you with exceptional customer service and assist you in finding the perfect home in the right neighborhood to fit for your lifestyle and needs. Please utilize our Boston Luxury real estate expertise to make your home search and buying experience as rewarding as possible.
Browse Boston Luxury Condos by Neighborhoods
All Boston Luxury Condos for Sale
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Charlestown Luxury Condos for Sale
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If you are a seller, we utilize the latest real estate marketing tools on and offline to expose your property to the widest range of potential buyers. Our goal is get your listing sold as quickly as possible and for the best price!
Online Valuation of Your Property
Whether you are considering buying, selling or renting, our years of experience and knowledge of Boston's neighborhoods allows us to intelligently guide our clients. We go beyond the fundamentals of effective pricing and marketing and help you make decisions to get top dollar for the sale of your home or top value for your purchase. We focus on Boston luxury condos for sale and offer a variety of comprehensive luxury real estate services in the following Boston neighborhoods, but not limited to:
- Back Bay
- Beacon Hill
- Charlestown
- Fenway
- Financial District
- Midtown-Downtown
- Seaport District
- South Boston
- South End
- West End
- Waterfront
We provide our clients with exceptional customer service and are there to assist you throughout the transaction. Please call, send us an email or fill out the online contact form, and let us know how we can serve your Boston Luxury real estate needs!
John Ford, Broker
[email protected]
Janet Lamb, Vice President
[email protected]
Ford Realty
137 Charles Street
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 595-3712 (On Call Broker After Hours)
John Ford, Broker
[email protected]
Janet Lamb, Vice President
[email protected]
Ford Realty
137 Charles Street
Boston, MA 02114
(617) 595-3712 (On Call Broker After Hours)


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The perfect Icelandic trout adventure
Self catering tour with transportation included
The perfect adventure to get to know the wide variety of trout and char fishing Iceland has to offer. Starting with rustic days on the mid highlands in the middle of nowhere where you can fish 24/7 and moving on to the South Coast of Iceland, which offers different kind of vibrant fishing location each day. Each adventure is custom made for each angler/group, the amount fishing days at each location varies.
Mid highland fishing
Your guide collects you either in Reykjavik or at the Keflavik airport and takes you up to the mid highlands of Iceland where you will be fishing for the next days. The mid highlands offer endless of fishing opportunities, you can fish different rivers, lakes and streams every day, the feeling while fishing on the highlands is like to be completely alone with the nature. While fishing on the highlands you are staying in a rustic, self catering hut.
South coast fishingAfter fishing on the mid highlands you move on to the second chapter of your adventure. Your guide will take you to the South Coast of Iceland where you will be fishing different rivers and lakes the next days. All the fishing spots are different from each other in character and size and you can fish for up to 12 hours each day. While fishing on the south coast you will be staying in a nice self catering hut.
The tour is inclusive of:
- Fishing permits
- Private guide
- Transportation
- Bed linen and towels
Please note that it is possible to custom made the plan differently.


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Photos with Uncle Paul who stopped through Miami on business. It was nice to be able to catch up with Paul, hear stories about his work, Carrie and the kids and most of all to see him so relaxed! We went to a great Cuban place for dinner and stole some Biscayne Bay harbor cruises together.
Presentations on the Scientific Method.
We learned about botany and circuitry at the Miami Museum of Science. + Valentines and flowers! 🙂
Checking out gators at a stop on "Alligator Alley".
Posing with Henry Ford and Thomas Edison at the Ford and Edison Museums.
Fascinating was the laboratory on Edison's estate. See Edison & Ford Winter Estates


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George Axelrod's 1952 play was a major, Broadway success, and pretty much all of Hollywood was eager to cash in on it. So much interest was expressed, the Hays Office took the unusual step of announcing, even BEFORE anyone secured the rights, that THIS material could NEVER ever be made into a film!
The problem was, the play is about a middle-aged everyman who has an adulterous fling while his wife and child are away on summer vacation, and then feels very very guilty about it in very very humorous ways. But one of the fundamental provisions of the Production Code was that adultery could NEVER be treated as a subject for comedy or laughs!Read more


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Beef production from the world's fourth largest exporter will total 2.244 million tonnes this season, the Australian Bureau of Agriculture, Resource Economics and Rural Sciences (ABARES) said, up from its previous estimate in June of 2.114 million tonnes.
The increased production comes as dry weather across Australia's largest cattle rearing region wilts grain supplies and drains water reserves, leaving graziers little choice but to sell animals for slaughter.
The increased production is a boost to Australian exporters, such as Cargill. They had been forced to idle processing plants over the last two years as farmers sought to rebuild herds after the end of the strongest El Nino in nearly 20 years in 2014, which drove slaughterings to a record high.
With increased supplies, Australian exporters will be able to better compete with South American nations, in particular Brazil, which are looking to expand shipments to key markets such as China.
The dry weather will also curb sugar production, ABARES said. It trimmed its forecast for sugar production during the 2017/18 season to 4.8 million tonnes, down from its previous estimate in June of 4.82 million tonnes.
ABARES left its forecast for milk production during the 2017/18 season unchanged at 9.25 billion liters.
Copyright 2017 Thomson Reuters. Click for Restrictions.


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though, hi, uhm, long time no see, you might need some context.
at the beginning of december, i moved back to brooklyn to start a new job in digital content at a korean skincare e-tailer, and i had to leave my puppy behind. it was an easy transition into nyc life in many ways — or it was an easy transition in every way but one: i. miss. my. dog.
i hate going home to a gom-less apartment, so i spent three weeks avoiding going home. my friend had a cat, and that helped and didn't — it was nice to have a cuddly friend, but i couldn't cuddle said cuddly friend because i have cat allergies (which i'm starting to lean into and embrace instead of fighting) — also, oh my god, cat litter smells, and i've been put off cats forever because i am just not clean enough to have a cat, to deal with the constant shedding and the litter everywhere. it's not worth it when i can't even cuddle the cat or give it scratchies or clean its damn litter without fear of my eyes getting itchy and watery and bloodshot and my sinuses going haywire.
(cat litter triggers my allergies so much more than the damn cat does.)
anyway, so, i miss my clean hypoallergenic puppy who loves to snuggle and pees and poos outside (for the most part), and i miss having his furiously wagging tail greeting me every day, and i miss his warmth and softness when he sprawls out by my leg at night. i miss his sweet little kisses. i miss the goodness that is a dog that loves you, and i miss the goodness that is caring for a dog and letting him know you love him, too.
i love new york city and being back home, but i miss my dog so much, i can't even count the number of times i thought of giving NYC up and going back to LA because i was sad and lonely and hurting.
let's see — 2018.
when i started planning this post last week, i thought i'd do a series of seven lists, each containing seven things. i wasn't sure what those lists would be about, except for maybe two, so here is the first one.
7 things i'm grateful for from 2018
gom and som — we got gom when i was on the cusp of a dangerous depressive spiral, and gom kept me alive this summer. he was always so cheery to see me, always wanting snuggles, always settling happily in my arms or my lap, and i only made it through the summer because i had to care for him, had to feed him and take him out to go potty and train him. i only made it through because he needed me, though the truth is that i needed him far more than he ever needed me.
moving back home and getting a new job — this happened through such a series of serendipitous events, i'm still kind of stunned. a friend put me in contact with her sister who worked at the company, and i interviewed with freelanced for this company in may, but then they dropped out of contact, so i figured they'd hired someone else, someone already local in new york. as it turns out, i was right, but that person wasn't the right fit, so i was suddenly offered a job in october, a salary reached, a start date of december set — and, then, at the same time, another friend decided to move out of her brooklyn studio to move in with her boyfriend, so that was that — a job i'm good at in a field i love and a studio i can afford in an area of brooklyn i like — it all really worked out too well.
that memoir workshop through catapult — i didn't intend to take this workshop; i applied for another one with nicole chung; but, instead, catapult asked if i'd want to take this memoir generator, said that the instructor (christine h. lee) had read my sample and loved it. if i'm being brutally honest, i agreed to take the memoir workshop because i was so totally flattered that christine liked my writing because i'd been reading her memoir and had been amazed at her ability to blend science and memoir, to touch at the heart while also explaining the clinical. i'm so glad i took this workshop, though; not only did it confirm that i have both personal stories to tell and the voice to tell them, but i also had such an awesome, brilliant cohort that has led to some pretty damn stellar friendships.
essay acceptances — the catapult thing also has led to having two essays accepted, two essays i'm working on with editors. that's both thrilling and absolutely terrifying, but i am SO EXCITED and grateful to be working with these editors as they are both really badass, smart, brilliant asian-american women.
friendships — this has been something i've been realizing more and more over the last two-three years, but i am so lucky to have such wonderful people in my life. "in my life" doesn't always mean a physical presence, either; the thing that keeps me on instagram is the community. there are people i've known for years now, people who have been with me and stayed with me though the really painful times that were the last few years, and i hope to meet more of these friends in-person this year and am accordingly planning trips to london, chicago, ann arbor, charleston, and DC.
traveling, having the means and curiosity to travel — i'm lucky to be able to travel, and i never take it for granted. in 2018, i went to mexico city for the first time, and my family took a big trip to alaska, and i went back to san francisco and portland. i went to brooklyn twice. i almost made it to austin twice, but the forces in the universe wouldn't let that happen. in 2019, i hope to do a fair bit of traveling as well, even while working so much, but i'll be keeping things more local, planning to go up to boston fairly regularly, going to hawaii potentially for my dad's 60th, making my one big international trip to london this time. and, god damn it, i'm making it to austin this year.
creativity and ambition — there are times when i get down and discouraged and can't write, and 2018 was a year of massive discouragement and stagnancy, especially with fiction writing. i almost threw away my book; the only reason i didn't is that i had a new puppy who demanded all my attention, so i couldn't sit down at my laptop long enough to find all my files and delete them. near the end of the year, though, i started thinking more about this book of stories i've been working on for eleven years now, and i kept coming back to a few big changes i wanted to make. and i read ted chiang's fabulous stories of your life, and the best thing about that book was that it made me miss writing fiction. and then, over the last weekend, i watched all of the haunting of hill house, and that, too, made me miss writing fiction so much.
look, i've gone five photos without my dogs. let's go back to looking at dogs!
it's funny having two puppies because they have personalities of their own. gom and som look so alike (they're brothers), but they're so different, their personalities almost totally opposite from each other.
som does everything with a flare for the dramatic, whether it's changing positions when sleeping or drinking water or chasing after a toy. he plays well by himself, able to amuse himself, and he has a lot of curiosity and a lot of fear at the same time. he used to dislike cuddling, wanting to be on his own, but, recently, he's taken to demanding snuggles, wanting to be close and held. the funniest/cutest thing about him, though, is his ability to sleep wherever and whenever — it he's tired, he's going to sleep; he's going to find whatever bed is closest or go into his crate; and he is going to sleep.
when he was a little puppy, he'd sprawl out on the floor wherever he was and sleep. we'd have to be careful not to step on him or kick him, which made it kind of a challenge to cook sometimes because, if he happened to get sleepy in the middle of the kitchen floor, well, that's where he was going to sleep. nowadays, now that he's four months old, he'll go find a bed or his crate, but that's adorable, too, the way he makes a beeline for bed, for sleep, the way he ends up hanging off the bed, his feet maybe hooked over the edge while he sprawls out on the floor.
gom, on the other hand, is more sensitive. he wants to sleep around me or around my parents. if we get up while he's sleeping, he'll get up and follow, even if we're just getting up to use the toilet — he'll follow and curl up outside the bathroom because he wants to be around his humans, wants to know they're there.
gom, in general, is more even-keel with less of a flare for the dramatic, but he also has more anxiety. he has a lot of separation anxiety, which i also share, but he's more sensitive, more emotional, more moody. sometimes, i wonder if it's because he was left alone in a garage as he was being weaned, and he was the only puppy, no litter mates, and i can't imagine how scary that must have been, to be a two-month-old puppy taken from his mother and put in a giant, dark garage by himself. whether it's that or just personality or a combination of both, gom doesn't like to be alone, will play by himself only if we're around, much prefers to crawl in my lap and chew on his toys there.
his kisses are sweeter, too, more gentle, while som goes energetically for kisses, licking our faces with vigor. som's also the one who's always stealing gom's bones and toys, and i keep telling gom to be a meaner hyung, to assert his authority and take his bones and toys back, but gom's a sweetheart and will cry and bark but let som keep chewing and playing away.
god damn, i miss my dogs.
i'm on a flight back to brooklyn as i type this, and, while it's nice to be in LA to visit, it always feels like a literal weight is being lifted off my shoulders when i leave — or maybe it's more accurate to say that there is no better feeling than my plane landing at JFK, the lightness and comfort that fill me because i know i've come home again.
that second list then, 7 things i want to do in 2019:
create more and challenge myself creatively — i want to come back to this space and create more content, more book content and food content. i also want to keep building out my food zine, and i want to start editing video finally and start vlogging.
go back to my stupid book — 2018 was a year of letting the book be, and i'm still conflicted over whether or not i'm glad i didn't end up trashing my book, like i was dead-set on doing in may and june. i think i am glad in ways that gom saved me from that, and i am excited to go back to writing fiction, to these changes i will be making.
travel — i'll be staying fairly close to new york this year, doing a lot of "micro" trips, but i'm still planning and hoping to make it to london and barcelona. and maybe oaxaca. i want to go to oaxaca so badly.
be kind to myself and take care of myself — my instinct is to work, work, work, to keep creating and doing and going, and it's been a process being okay with doing nothing. maybe that's one reason i hate watching TV — i feel like i'm wasting time i could be writing or creating or reading, which is stupid, i know, but weekends like this last one of 2018 when i did nothing but watch the haunting of hill house — that was good, too. sometimes, doing nothing is a gift — and nothing is ever nothing, anyway. TV stimulates the creative brain as much as anything, and inspiration comes from anywhere and everywhere as long as you're keeping your eyes and brain and heart open.
keep a clean apartment — i am not a dirty person, but i tend to clutter and can get super lazy with cleaning, putting it off instead of cleaning every week. i'm living alone now, though, and, as it turns out, i like cleanliness, and i like clean spaces. my mum is fastidious about cleanliness, and i used to complain about it, but, now, i miss it so much, how clean my parents' house is, especially now when my studio is a mess, in that in-between phase where someone's moved out, people have had to come in to paint and fix things, and i'm still not quite moved in yet, living on bare bones furniture while i wait for an ikea delivery and all my crap to arrive from california. i'm trying to keep a clean apartment, though, to stay organized and tidy up every week and not put my laundry off until it absolutely must be done.
practice more gratitude — it is so easy to take shit for granted. one of the things i have in my bullet journal is a gratitude list every month where i write down at least one thing every day i'm grateful for, and, sometimes, that exercise is so hard, but i find that it's also often so helpful, especially when i'm having a particularly shitty day. does it always work to turn my mood around? no, but i always appreciate the effort, and it's something i want to keep being more intentional about this year.
here's one last photo of gom who wishes y'all a happy 2019. make it be a good one.


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Late last year, we published a custom Ruby on Rails web application for a college instructor. She wanted to provide her students with a specific learning activity and then monitor if, and how, it improved their mastery of some critical material. The app had two equally important parts: the UI front-end for students and the data collection backend for the instructor.
After the project was completed, our customer began using the app in her own teaching and showing it to colleagues. Several expressed interest in integrating the app into their own courses. This was good news; the customer had always hoped she might be able to license the app to others and, perhaps, builds up a revenue stream from it. She was eager to explore the business opportunity but wanted to have a strict separation of the data collected for each instructor, both for simplicity and for privacy considerations.
The 'right' way to provide this separation, if the current interest turns into a real opportunity, is for us to develop a more robust administrative back-end for the app, with role-based administration that would let each instructor manage his or her own students and their data. But, in the spirit of providing a minimum viable product to allow the customer to explore the opportunity without sinking a lot of money into development, we came up with the idea of creating a single site with multiple copies of the application, each with its own database. We figured that for a reasonably stable codebase, the duplication of installed code would create minimal problems for the first 2, 3, maybe even 5 customers. After that, she'd have to invest in admin code if she wanted to support more.
And, at first glance, the approach seemed simple enough from a technical perspective. My famous last words.
In reality, this was a complex problem containing several hidden pitfalls, and requiring a high degree of knowledge in both Phusion Passenger and Rails configuration. I was surprised by how little documentation I could find on more advanced topics in the areas of Rails configuration, Rails deployment, and Rails routing. I found my 'simple approach' was actually a recipe for a few hard days of research, experimentation, and work.
What We Wanted
Our idea here was that we wanted the site to have a 'main' Rails application, but the site would also contain a (potentially unlimited) number of sub applications. These sub applications were essentially just clones of the main Rails application, but with differing databases.
Our goal was to have the main application be served if a user navigated to the root of the domain, but to serve the individual sub apps if the user navigated to a directory containing a sub app. These applications were to be completely independent of each other. With no code or data being shared.
www.example.com/ -> The user would hit the main rails app, and it would work like any other rails application.
www.example.com/valid-subsite/ -> The user would go straight into one of the sub apps.
www.example.com/invalid-subsite/ -> Main rails app will return 404 error.
Server Setup
Arch Linux x64 $(uname -r) # 3.9.9-1-ARCH Apache v2.2.25 Phusion Passenger v4.0.10 Rails v3.2.13 Ruby v2.0.0p247
Getting Multiple Apps Up and Running
After some deliberation and planning, we decided that a directory should be created for each Rails application, and that requests to the root site would be forwarded directly to the Main app, while requests to the sub-directories would go straight to the sub app in question.
The finished directory tree looked like this:
|- /home/user/ \ |- main_app/ |- subsite1_app/ |- subsite2_app/ |- www.example.com/ \ # These directories are all symbolic links |- main/ -> ~/main_app/public/ |- subsite1/ -> ~/subsite1_app/public/ |- subsite2/ -> ~/subsite2_app/public/ ...
This left two problems:
- How do you forward the root site's requests to the main app?
- How do you allow requests to subsites to go outside the main app's routing?
It turned out that the key to routing was setting Passenger Variables in various
.htaccess files. First, there are apache settings. Put this somewhere in your
httpd.conf file.
<Directory /home/user/www.example.com/> AllowOverride All Options -Multiviews </Directory>
The first
.htaccess file that you will create will go into the root directory of your website. In our case
/home/user/www.example.com/. This file should contain the following settings:
PassengerEnabled on PassengerAppRoot /home/user/main_app/
Next, each sub app will require its own
.htaccess file. In our example this would be
/home/user/subsite1_app/public/. This file should be put in the applications
public/ directory, and contain these settings:
PassengerEnabled on PassengerAppRoot /home/user/subsite1_app/ RailsBaseURI /subsite1 # This is the location of the apps public # directory relative to the sites root.
Watch Out! The location for the
.htaccess file in the sub apps may vary. If it doesn't work with the
.htaccess file in the
public/ directory try putting the file in the sub app's root directory.
Assuming that everything is set up right, you should be able to navigate to between all your different applications.
But we're not done yet!
After all this, there is a good chance that things still won't be working 100%. We've configured apache and passenger, but now there are some specific Rails settings that may need adjusted.
In this case several of the app assets for the sub apps were pointing to the main site's asset location, and if the sub apps are clones of the main app you may not even notice this unless you are inspecting your browser's request headers.
It turns out that Rails contains a configuration setting that allows you to set a relative url root. This property, aptly named
relative_url_root, can be set by adding the following to your sub applications'
config/environments/production.rb files:
# Don't forget to change 'MyApplication' to your app's name! MyApplication::Application.configure do # ... config.relative_url_root = '/subsite1' # This should match the # RailsBaseURI setting in # the .htaccess file # ... end
While this did fix the path issue for assets in general, in cases where custom links were being created it was still necessary to have a way to grab the relative root url.
I developed the following little helper method to do this. I recommend adding it to your
ApplicationHelper module.
# Return a path that is prefixed with the Application's # relative_url_root def add_relative_root(path) root = Rails.application.config.relative_url_root if root.nil? path else uri = URI(path) uri.path = File.join(root, uri.path) uri.to_s end end
We're all done! Your applications should be up and running now.
I found the complexity of this problem unexpected and the lack of applicable documentation surprising.
It is my hope that this article will help anyone who finds themselves in a similar situation.
Good luck. And, if you have questions or comments, please feel free to post them below. I'll help anyone else if I can. Or, if you think you have a better technical solution, I'd love to hear about it.


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The gap between skills employers are demanding and the skills people actually have is widening. Job requirements are becoming completely unrealistic and its making it more difficult to find work for many people. Here is a 3 minute video clip where I talk about the problem of credential creep and how its changing the job search environment.
Let me know about your experience with credential creep in the comments section.


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If you do not know the ring size of the person you are purchasing the ring for and want to keep the purchase a secret, just let us know when placing an order and we will help you to determine the best course of action. Once a ring has been presented, the ring can always be adjusted to the correct size.
If your purchase is not confidential, there are a number of alternatives to finding the correct finger size:
Go into any local jewellery store and have the finger size measured
There is no substitute for having your finger measured professionally, but it's not an exact science. Our fingers change in size from morning to evening, month to month and even Winter to Summer. The following chart is helpful to see how sizes compare internationally.
Very simple. As diamond experts, we're happy to teach you everything there is to know about diamonds. We'll help you at every step along the way to make sure you end up with your perfect diamond.Learn more
If you'd like to take your ring to the next level, then I recommend you consider designing a custom ring for your loved one. It's not a complicated process, and we can help you at each step along the way to make it even easier for you.Learn more


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|Home > Kilian
♂ Kilian
What does Kilian mean?
Kilian as a name for boys. The meaning of Kilian is "bright-headed". Kilian is an alternate form of Killian (Irish, Gaelic): from the same root as Kelly.
ASSOCIATED WITH bright
VariationsCREATIVE FORMS
Kilian Ephraim (K.E.), ..
How popular is Kilian?
Kilian is an unusual first name for men but a very prominent last name for all people (#10460 out of 150436, Top 7%). (2000 U.S. DEMOGRAPHICS)
Kilian entered the list in 2014 and reached its top rank of #1179 in the U.S. in 2016. (TOP 2000 NAMES, 2016)
Which version is better?
The only other popular related form of Kilian (#1179 VIA LATEST LIST) is Killian (#264). These relations of Kilian were at the apex of their popularity in 2016 (USAGE OF 0.1%). Killian is the most contemporarily stylish boy name here.
Similar Names
Kilian is pronounced similarly to Cailean, Cailin, Calan, Callan▲, Colan, Colin, Cullan, Kaelan, Kaelin, Kalen, Kalin, Keallan, Keelan, Keelin, Keilan, Keillan, Kelan, Kellan▲, Kellen, Kellin, Kelwinn, Kelwyn, Kylan▲, Kylen and Quillan. Other suggested similar-sounding names are Ailean, Ailin, Bivian, Cillian, Dilan▲, Dillan▼, Eilan, Eilean, Eilian, Eirian, Elian▲, Emilian, Filian, Fillan, Finian, Gilean, Gilian, Gillan, Gillian, Gilman, Julian▲, Kalani, Kalman, Kelvan, Kian▲, Kiean, Kienan, Kieran▲, Kiran, Kirwan, Klein, Kleon, Kline, Midian, Milan▲, Ninian, Silvan, Tilman and Vivian▼. These names tend to be more commonly used than Kilian.See names in meaning and etymology.


text: Home : Worship : Messages : Messages 2013 Arvid Announces His Retirement Rev. Dr. Arvid Straube, Lead Minister Arvid talks to the congregation about his plans for retirement in June 2014 and acknowledges the accomplishments this congregation has made since he was installed as settled Lead Minister. 2013 Sermon Messages by First UU Church of San Diego Attachment Posted on Sun, April 21, 2013 by Rev. Dr. Arvid Straube, Lead Minister 1 comment (Add your own) 1. Josue wrote: may be to other parts of your site or business, and hanivg a blogger write for you means you site's blog keeps ticking along nicely, able to bring in visitors through all its pages over the years as it grows.5. hanivg more than one blog.you may be running Thu, June 27, 2013 @ 11:27 AM Add a New Comment Your Name: Your Email/URL (Optional): Your Comment: Enter the code: Comment Guidelines: No HTML is allowed. Off-topic or inappropriate comments will be edited or deleted. Thanks.


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I am involved in some in depth study of the acupuncture points on the head. There is so much information that gets processed inside our heads. The cognition that goes on in there is really special to our particular species. I love that through acupuncture we can access the deep intelligence we are all capable of. The ability to meet life's challenges with grace and power.
I will not outline all of the points in this blog post, but I'd like to give you all an experiment to try. Put your hands on your head, and with your fingertips massage your scalp. Work your fingers into all the different parts of your scalp, from your hairline to the place where your scalp meets your neck. Do this for a minute or so. And while you are massaging your head, think about what an amazing being you are. It is important to remember this. Because sometimes we forget.


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Friday, September 17
Benefits Galore
today's reading.
Psalm 103:1-22 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!...
Psalms 103
think about it.
Why is David so full of joy? How do you see God restoring those who've sinned? What does this psalm teach you about how God will respond to you when you fail Him?
the blog.
Psalm 103 tells us to "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not his benefits" (vs. 2). The Psalm then goes on showing us many of those benefits. I love the reminders in verse 4 that we are redeemed from the pit and then verse 12 where we are told that our sins are removed "as far as the east is from the west." Thank you, God!
So what touched your heart today from Psalm 103? Any benefits you've experienced that aren't included here? What can we do to make sure we "forget not his benefits?" Tami W.
Join the discussion on the P4 Blog
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We're All a Little Nervous in a Post-1748 World
In 1748, the painter William Hogarth was arrested as a spy for sketching fortifications at Calais.
Posted on June 20, 2007 at 6:53 AM • 23 Comments
In 1748, the painter William Hogarth was arrested as a spy for sketching fortifications at Calais.
Posted on June 20, 2007 at 6:53 AM • 23 Comments
Peter • June 20, 2007 8:14 AM
As the industrialised world has notionally become more open and classless, at least on the surface, the land owning gentry (in the US and the UK certainly) need to position themselves to assert their authority and ownership. What better way than ensuring that those who go about any activities that may take advantage of nominally public vistas and landscapes, including buildings, bridges, power stations and the like, are treated as criminals ?
That'll fix the problem. And it looks great on the fighting-terrorism stats the DFS produce. (F = Fatherland).
Andy • June 20, 2007 8:21 AM
Well, it is post-1748, and we are all a little nervous...
Mike • June 20, 2007 8:43 AM
Familiar, yes. Draw comparisons ... hmmmm.
Peter - what are you going on about?
Peter • June 20, 2007 9:12 AM
@Mike: I am referring to the increase in "security" being used as a way of differentiating between the priviledged and the rest of us. I was pleatantly suprised to see the story of the ex-Secret Service agent being denied special treatment in that other article.
Anonymous • June 20, 2007 9:19 AM
1. Physical security is another name for authority in the hands of idiots and sadists.
2. Any excuse will serve a tyrant.
Carlo Graziani • June 20, 2007 9:19 AM
Well, the French were just soft. Imagine, they allowed terrorist apologists such as Voltaire, Diderot, and Montesquieu to publish their propaganda, instead of packing them off to a Caribbean penal colony. Thank goodness we've learned how to deal with such menaces nowadays.
Anonymous • June 20, 2007 9:48 AM
Baden-Powell's embedding of military drawings within, eg, butterfly sketches, (see http://pinetreeweb.com/bp-adventure02.htm ) suggests that security often won't be able to figure out ab initio which drawings are actually containing secret information, highlighting that reconaissance people aren't necessarily stupid even if we're on guard because we're "nervous".
Mike • June 20, 2007 10:09 AM
This thread seems heavy with the Tin-Hat brigade already!
Nicko • June 20, 2007 10:20 AM
Interestingly, not only does the Chicago Transit Authority's "L" web site mentions explicitly that personal photography is permitted, it also discusses the security issue:
"Please also realize that, as a result of the current state of security in major American cities (as this is being written in March 2003) as well as the national security alert level, police and transit personnel may be more or less concerned about photography at different times. Please be patient and understanding in these matters."
It doesn't make any mention of the Police also needing to be patient and understanding, but it is great that they have a clear, published policy.
Another Kevin • June 20, 2007 10:49 AM
@ Nicko
Hmm, the way I read the "be patient and understanding in such matters", and the earlier statement:
...simply say "okay" and walk away to take photos someplace else or to return another day.
is, "we don't have a law that says we can restrict photography, but if we do ask you to (and we will), you have to comply anyway."
But of course the threat of global terrorism means that we have to abandon the rule of law to protect our freedom.
sarcasm • June 20, 2007 11:29 AM
We're much more modern, now. If you were to paint a picture of the brooklyn bridge, you'd be safe due to artistic rights that allow you to basically do anything and call it art. However, photographing bridges these days is right out, because those photos can only be used for nefarious purposes.
visiting shopper • June 20, 2007 12:32 PM
I can't speak for all bridges, but you can photograph my Brooklyn Bridge.
René d'Herblay • June 20, 2007 2:05 PM
The French were soft, or maybe transportation was too expensive then - Voltaire and Diderot both spent time in French prison for their writings. But the French let them out!
John • June 20, 2007 6:31 PM
I can't resist!
The British secret police, terrified by Napoleon and the French Revolution, spied on Wordsworth and Coleridge. The poets attracted unfavorable attention tramping around the Lake District where Wordsworth had his cottage.
Homeland protection gone silly has a long long history.
Mike • June 21, 2007 4:08 AM
@John - Wordsworth visited France, supported the Republican movement and was married to a French woman.
That's almost the 1940s equivilant of being married to a German and supporting Nazism.
He gave up on the Republican movement, but you could understand why they might take an interest.
So depending on your point of view, and whether you're willing to look at more information other than the 'secret police' spied on a poet, not silly at all.
Fahrquar • June 21, 2007 11:08 AM
Ezra Pound?
Humberto Ortega?
Cardinal Mazarin?
bob • June 22, 2007 6:59 AM
In answer to your question: No, it does not sound familiar - once they realized he was innocuous they let him go. For the event to be truly recognizable he would have to be sentenced to 6 years in jail for interfering with a government official to cover their embarrassment.
bob • June 22, 2007 7:01 AM
...although the "boot your sketching skills to prove your pad & pancil are not a bomb" does look familiar.
bob • June 22, 2007 7:02 AM
...although the "boot your sketching skills to prove your pad & pencil are not a bomb" does look familiar. Oh and dont type in the dark.
Nemo Ignouts • June 25, 2007 7:17 AM
I have to point out that the concern of the French authorities wasn't totally misplaced, as spies did sketch fortifications. This kind of thing went on into the 20th Century, when we had things like Baden-Powell's butterfly sketches, which were actually plans of forts.
It's interesting to note that the French authorities were, unlike so many of our authorities, able to figure out when someone wasn't a threat.
Far too many of the incidents like this in our time are insane overreactions, but it was much less of an overreaction in an era when there weren't anywhere near as many people traveling and very few of them were interested in forts.
Nowadays, when travel is common, nearly everyone traveling has a camera, many people click away for the heck of it, and a decent percentage of the population is interested in matters military for utterly innocous reasons ("it's cool, dude!") this kind of reaction is a bit less understandable.
Joakim • June 26, 2007 1:08 AM
Don't take pictures at the wrong place in Iran... Could land you in jail for a year... http://www.thelocal.se/7022/20070417/
Joakim Baunach
Nyhm • June 29, 2007 9:07 AM
Coincidentally, I happened to be vacationing in Calais, Maine (US), when this was posted. I took a scenic sunset picture of the US-to-Canadian bridge. Fortunately, the TSA didn't catch that at the airport.
Article • January 20, 2014 5:14 AM
It is a nice and helpful little bit of information and facts. I'm satisfied you provided this convenient info here. You should be all of us informed this way. Thanks for expressing.
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From bloating, to diarrhea, constipation, and abdominal pain - gluten intolerance can be a pain to live with. Trying to avoid gluten can be a mission in itself. But did you know that gluten intolerance, and stress have a common link? And that by controlling one you may be able to control the other?
Gluten intolerance is essentially a form of inflammation – the body's hyperactive response to a protein(gluten) found in wheat[1]. What if I told you that stress also creates an environment in your body, which makes you more prone to inflammatory conditions like gluten intolerance, IBS, and celiac disease[2]? And what if that minor clue, was in itself, the solution and cure.
Here I'm going to discuss how you can get gluten intolerance under control by managing your stress levels and inflammation with acupuncture & food therapy.
Many clients of ACUSOUL who suffer from IBS, celiac disease, or gluten intolerance – have noticed that it gets worse in times of stress. More importantly, the illness itself may have began during a time of high stress.
For example, when you entered the workforce your stress levels may have been more elevated than when you were in school[3]. That may also be the time when you noticed the gluten intolerance began. It may not have been flaring up consistently everyday, but that's because your stress levels also vary day by day. Paying attention to the environment, your lifestyle, and emotionally how you felt when the illness began is critical to addressing it.
What stress does is increase blood pressure, cortisol levels, and your body's inflammatory response[4]. This increase in cortisol, and blood pressure has an obvious impact on your heart health. At the same time the inflammation being increased makes the gluten intolerance and IBS more pronounced in the intestinal organs.
Thus, with acupuncture we would target the Heart to bring down stress levels and the intestinal organs to control diarrhea and constipation. As a result you may notice better sleep, feeling more relaxed, and less tension in the upper back and jaw, as well as less bouts of diarrhea or constipation, and less bloating. If you're not familiar, feel free to read our article on "How acupuncture works".
From a food standpoint, here are some foods that help reduce inflammation, regulate the heart, and may help with symptoms of gluten intolerance:
1. Turmeric – with high anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, digestive regulating properties, this spice is great for inflammatory conditions like gluten intolerance, IBS, or celiac disease.
2. Beets - Calm the heart, lubricates the intestines to help with constipation.
3. Watermelon – Clears heat from the heart, stomach, and bladder. Alleviates thirst, and induces diuresis. Essentially promoting the body's ability to clear inflammation, and rehydrate.
If you're interested in seeing what acupuncture & food therapy can do for you – book a session here. We're an acupuncture clinic located in the heart of downtown toronto, and forest hill. We'll discuss your health concerns in detail, come up with a treatment plan, and provide food recommendations customized to your body's intricate needs.
1. https://nyulangone.org/conditions/celiac-disease-gluten-sensitivity-in-adults/diagnosis
2. https://www.rn.com/featured-stories/stress-inflammation-immunity/
3. https://www.forbes.com/sites/karlynborysenko/2018/11/01/generation-z-is-coming-to-work-and-their-stress-is-already-high/#40e00704273b
4. https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/signs-you-are-gluten-intolerant
5. http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/1999/06/04/27924.htm


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re-watched Sausage party. Wanted to see if hated just as much as when I watched it the first time several years ago. And…well…yes, I did.Read more
Using Time Travel in Your Story
Time travel in stories are one of those things where if it is misused can be detrimental to the story. I compiled some guidelines for using time travel.Read more
Designing My Escape Room and How To Design Your Own
How I made my own escape room and how tips of making your own.Read more
The Problem with Titan Souls
Titan Souls is an action-adventure boss rush game. It takes one hit to die but also usually one hit to kill a boss. You have one arrow and when you misfire you need to go regather it to try again. Boss fights are varied and interesting. The game should be great but as the game went on fights got harder a particular issue stood out more and more.Read more
Designing games for player-set difficulty
Have you ever replayed a game you are familiar with, but instead of just going through normally you imposed some restriction? I look at self imposed restrictions in games and how to design a game to allow it.Read more
Advice on starting a new project
Where to begin? This is how I went about designing and making the game Future Proof.Read more
Persona 5 – The Morgana problem
Just...why?Read more