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March 2015March 30th, 2015: - Listen | Download
Key points of a Bashar Assad interview. The Saudi-US Connection Against Yemen.
Featured Guest(s):
Stephen Gowans, Zafar Bangash,
Stephen Gowans discusses the compelling points Assad makes regarding the US/Western governments' need for puppet/client states, which prohibits any partner relationship. Gowans and Phil Taylor also discuss the attacks against Yemen and why the attacks violate international law and the human rights of the Yemeni, especially the Houthi.
Zafar Bangash explains the history of Yemen's presidents, their connection to the US/Western power agenda, and the current crisis in Yemen. Saudi Arabia is in violation of the Security Council decision rejecting the Saudi resolution for military force against Yemen. This is a violation of international law, so why is the Saudi regime not being sanctioned?
March 23rd, 2015: - Listen | Download
Rwandans must be secure in their right to oppose Kagame. When a Dream Becomes a Nightmare: The Story of Rwandan Canadian David Himbara. The Gaza Flotilla is a campaign for freedom.
Featured Guest(s):
David Himbara, John Honderich, David Heap,
Dr. David Himbara is the former principal secretary to Rwandan President Paul Kagame. He describes how as an economic advisor, Mr. Himbara found that he was expected to falsify the true state of Rwandas economy. In the political realm he witnessed the violent removal of leading government members who differed with President Kagame. He left Rwanda for his own security but found that Rwandans abroad are not safe from a pursuing and punishing regime.
John Honderich, Chairman Torstar Board / Toronto Star, traces the role Rwandan-Canadian Dr. David Himbara played in the Kagame Regime. Honderich met Himbara during his four trips to Rwanda under the Rwanda Initiative Program geared to improve the level of journalism in the country. Over the years, Mr. Honderich observed the problems experienced by those who differed with the leadership, and believes Himbara was fortunate to leave when he did. Honderich hopes that attention to the Himbara case will help bring security to the Rwandan diaspora, which has experienced intimidation from the regime.
David Heap recalls his father Dan Heap marched with M.L. King at Selma and Dan and his wife Alice Heap taught the need for persistent struggle to succeed. Gazaark.org will follow this practice in the forthcoming Freedom Flotilla which will challenge Israels illegal blockade of Gaza.
March 16th, 2015: - Listen | Download
US Creates and Uses Terrorist Groups To Create Mayhem. Victoire Ingabiere Kept in the Dark for Lighting the Path to Democracy. Canadian Forces in Iraq: The Fog of War and the Fog of Journalism?
Featured Guest(s):
Zafar Bangash, Ann Garrison, Scott Taylor,
Zafar Bangash explains how the US created the Sunni militia, which became Al Qaeda and then ISIS in Iraq. Bangash points out that both the Shia and Sunni want to get rid of the barbaric ISIS, and they are moving forward in a careful and methodical manner (to avoid landmines and snipers). Once Tikrit is liberated then the destination is Mosul. There are no Europeans nor Americans telling them how to fight.
Ann Garrison gives the latest status of Rwandan five-year political prisoner Victoire Ingabiere, whose eyesight has been damaged due to being keep in dark, black cell.
Ingabiere's "crime" was attempting to run for president of Rwanda and establish a real democracy. She was arrested and falsely charged with crimes related to terrorism, speech crimes related to genocide, as are many of those who attempt to support her in Rwanda and/or who question the Kagame regime.
Garrison also comments on the lunacy of Canadian public safety minister for invoking the Holocaust in an attempt to defend Canadian "anti-terrorism" Bill C-51, which would give the government extraordinary powers to target and jail Canadian peaceful activists.
Our guest, Scott Taylor is an Iraq Veteran captured and threatened with beheading during one of his over 20 tours of Iraq, he is also editor of respected military journal, Esprit de Corps. Scott Taylor talks about the tragic death of a Canadian special forces soldier and the wounding of three more Canadians in Iraq, Northern Kurd area. Question is: Why were the Canadian Special Forces engaging in combat when their mandate was only to train Iraqi troops fighting ISIS.
Scott Taylor explains the complexities of the various tribes and religious groups in Iraq, especially in the Kurdistan northern area, and demands that the Canadian government establishes a clear objective before extending a mission that puts more Canadian soldiers in harm's way.
March 9th, 2015: - Listen | Download
The Great Thaw: Cuba-American Relations. Commentary on Venezuela, Zahaf-Bibeau video, Canada's special-ops in Iraq.
Featured Guest(s):
Keith Bolender,
Keith Bolender, author and journalist, recently returned from Cuba and says there are many hurdles yet before "normalization", and Cuba will likely develop a new socialism for the 21st Century.
Phil Taylor Commentary: South American countries oppose US attempts to undermine Venezuela; there should be a demand for the full video of Zahaf-Bibeau; what is the real mission of Canadas special-ops team?
March 2nd, 2015: - Listen | Download
What Canada knew about Libya. A Salute to the Equality of the Human Race. Ramsey Clark Reports on Recent Trip to Damascus and the US Directed Terrorism Across the Region.
Featured Guest(s):
Stephen Gowans, John Carlos, Ramsey Clark,
Gowans refers to an article by David Pugliese who obtained Canadian intelligence documents about Libya. In 2011, Canadian intelligence services understood that Libya's opposition was dominated by fundamentalists and extremists, and that intervention would likely create chaos. The Canadian government chose to create chaos.
Learn the story of how Canada became "Al Qaeda's air force," as Gowans traces Canada's contribution to Libya's destruction. NATO hopes that Libya will serve as a 'lesson' for Syria: do what we say, or we'll keep the Al-Qaeda spigot turned on.
At the 1968 Olympic award ceremony, John Carlos and Tommie Smith each held up a fist with a black glove to indicate America's epic struggle against racism. They were supported by Peter Norman, a white Australian advocate for global human rights who won the silver medal and who heroically wore the Olympic Project for Human Rights (OPHR) badge during the award ceremony.
Carlos said that they were ready to give society a shock treatment. It was not just the moment of the the time, but the MOVEMENT of the time. It was an Olympic Project for human rights. It was a step for freedom for the generations to come.
Ramsey Clark is the Founder of the International Action Center (IAC), former US Attorney General, political analyst and human rights advocate. In his most recent visit to Damascus, Ramsey Clark found conditions there almost normal, despite fighting in the countryside, and was impressed that Syria maintains a stable government.
The struggle against violent intrusion from outside the country has a long way to go. Clark explains that the US-dominated Wests goal in the region is to weaken countries to the degree they can no longer govern themselves, and the people are left with the primitive struggle for survival, as happened with Libya and Iraq.
The Taylor Report is a weekly radio program, broadcast on Mondays at 5pm on CIUT 89.5fm and at www.ciut.fm
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- Rwanda 1994: Colonialism dies hard
The english translation of Robin Philpot's book Ça ne s'est pas passé comme ça à Kigali.
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The german translation of Robin Philpot's book - translated by Klaus Madersbacher.
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OSCAR TALK: A Duel in the Hollywood Sunset.
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Letter to the BBC on significance of documentary, Rwandas Untold Story.
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Sep 24, 2014
America's target is Syria, not ISIS.
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ISIS is America
Aug 24, 2014
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Led by our certified, fully-trained preschool teachers, our preschool camps in East Cobb provide a safe, nurturing, and fun environment where your children will make new friends, enjoy exciting activities, learn new things, and experience age-appropriate independence. Campers will enjoy arts and crafts, singing and dancing, games, stories, science activities, cooking, nature walks, and water play. All activities are designed to enhance gross motor skills and sensory experiences as well as increase independence.
The summer is divided into two sessions, each following a theme such as Explore the SEA and This LAND is your Land.
Our specialty creative arts camp brings books to life using props, puppets, music, and costumes. This camp focuses on literacy and serves to provide children with a lifelong love of reading.
Each week campers experience a joyful and lively Shabbat or Havdalah experience.
Your children will meet lifelong friends and make everlasting memories as they play and explore at Camp Billi Marcus. Our comfortable, inviting classrooms and enormous age-appropriate playgrounds offer endless opportunities for fun and learning. Campers will also acquire a love for making things grow in our very special organic garden.
All registration information and documents can be found on the Admissions & Forms page.
CBS Ranks aS Top 5
CBS reports Sunshine Preschool as one of the the top five child care centers in Atlanta.
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According to Tracy V. Wilson of How Stuff Works, tattoos are done by an artist injecting ink into a person's skin using an electrically powered tattoo machine. The machine uses a small needle to puncture the skin between 50 to 3,000 times per minute and penetrates the skin by about a millimeter to deposit drops of insoluble ink into the dermis, the second layer of the skin.
The tattoo machine was invented by Samuel O'Reilly in the late 1800s, according to Wilson. O'Reilly modified Thomas Edison's autographic printer, which engraved hard surfaces, to engrave skin. Modern tattoo machines include a sterilized needle, a tube system for drawing the ink through the machine, an electric motor and a foot pedal, which controls the vertical movement of the needle.
Wilson explains the procedure tattoo artists follow before using a tattoo machine to apply a tattoo. First, they wash and inspect their hands. They then disinfect their work area, place plastic bags on spray bottles and make sure all equipment is sterilized so the client and artist do not contract an infection or disease. The tattoo artist explains the sterilization process to the client, removes all equipment from the sterilized packaging and disinfects the client's skin with a mixture of water and antiseptic soap. The artist is then ready to apply a tattoo design previously decided upon by the client.


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Use of Arts as Unifying Force To Be Studied
The College Board and the Getty Center for Education in the Arts have joined forces to study how the arts could act as a unifying force for a cross-disciplinary approach to high school teaching.
The joint project, announced last month, will spend six months studying schools currently experimenting with cross-disciplinary curricula, and then develop and test model programs.
"The arts curriculum is weakest at the high school level,'' said Judith Renyi, the director of the project. "It is the least taken, there is the least room for it, and there is the least money for it.''
The need for a cross-disciplinary approach is cited by teachers nationwide, Ms. Renyi said. "When you ask teachers, no holds barred, what needs to be done in curricula, you get the same answer: We need to connect the different disciplines,'' she explained.
The need for such connections becomes even more vital, she suggested, as national efforts are under way to develop standards for nearly a dozen disciplines. (See Education Week, Jan. 19, 1994.)
"There's an awful lot of stuff being piled up on schools,'' Ms. Renyi said. "Without coordination, we'll get a curriculum that's overloaded, and some important standards will fall through the cracks.''
Following a nationwide survey of existing programs, seven schools will be invited to participate in the research project.
A 14-member national advisory committee will help steer the project and select participating schools. Although specific application guidelines have not yet been written, project officials said they are looking for programs that already have demonstrated some cross-disciplinary success.
"You need powerful examples of how the arts can serve as the glue or
unifying concept for a curriculum,'' said Stephen M. Dobbs, the
president of the Marin Community Foundation in Larkspur, Calif., and a
member of the advisory panel.
Vol. 13, Issue 32
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Campus Tour
Friday, August 23, 2019 11:00 AM to 12:00 PMAdd to My Calendar Friday, August 23, 2019 11:00 AM 12:00 PM Europe/London Campus Tour - Institute of Technology Sligo CareersPortal Event Reminder Ireland CareersPortal email@example.com
Sligoview map
This one hour walking tour is delivered by a Graduate Ambassador and visits our teaching facilities, each of our three faculties and students support services on campus.
These will be particularly suited to applicants and their families who want to visit the campus before the new term startsand for those who may wish to apply through vacant places (if available), however all are welcome to attend.
For queries and to register your place contact email@example.com


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HeritageDaily is a leading online science, research and publishing news service, covering a full range of topics across the scientific spectrum.
Launched in 2011, we have grown to become one of the most recognised brands in archaeology and a major voice across the scientific community. We publish on past sciences, geo-sciences and general science, with a core focus on the disciplines of archaeology, palaeontology and palaeoanthropology.
Our contributors range from the leading academic institutions, universities and research projects from across the globe. HeritageDaily is staffed by a volunteer team of historians and archaeologists with a passion for quality publishing and the dissemination of knowledge. Find out more about our roots – Click Here


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Preparations underway for Milwaukee Irish Fest
MILWAUKEE-The Summerfest grounds along Milwaukee's lakefront hopping with activity as preparations were made for the throngs of people who will attend Milwaukee Irish Fest this Thursday through Sunday.
There's a concerted effort to present every type of Celtic culture you might encounter in the world and bring it all to one location.
For the first time, they're featuring a showcase of Scottish artists who are flying in special for the gathering.
\"Irish Fest is the largest celebration of all things Irish in the world!\" declared Executive Director Patrick Boyle. \"We have 4,000 volunteers who have been putting on this festival for 34 years.\"
Boyle said Irish Fest brings a real touch of Irish hospitality because of those volunteers and that's why it is so unique.
Thursday's opening at 5 p.m. is sure to be a grand one with the Grand Hooley.
A hooley is an Irish term for a gathering that combines music and camaraderie. Participants are asked to join in with performers.
Admission that opening night is $5 or free with a donation of school supplies.
Please be sure to visit CBS 58's Michele McCormack who will join the Trinity Academy of Irish Dance at the Aer Lingus stage 4:45 p.m. Saturday.


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On September 15th, 2009, Dan Perrin's report on the Government of Saskatchewan's public consultations on nuclear power and a nuclear fuel waste dump in Saskatchewan was released. The word from the people of Saskatchewan: an overwhelming "No to Nuclear!"
As the only political party that has been united in opposition to nuclear power throughout this entire process, the Green Party of Saskatchewan is the logical choice on September 21st for voters in Regina Douglas Park and Saskatoon Riversdale.
To view Dan Perrin's report on the UDP public consultations, click here.
No to Nuclear, Go with Green!
Saturday, September 19, 2009
Perrin's Report released! The People of Saskatchewan say NO to Nuclear, and so does the Green Party of Saskatchewan!
Posted by Larissa Shasko at 2:25 AM
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Join us in our Kid's Corner at the Visitor Center to hear a story about the creatures that live in our desert. After the reading, we will have an arts and crafts activity related to the story, or take a nature walk on the Ed Hastey Garden Trail. Children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. For children ages 5 to 7. Registration begins at 12:45 PM. Your tax deductible donations are appreciated and encouraged.
For more information call 760-862-9984.
RSVP required, seating is limited. Use the form below.


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Do you have a new baby? Are you looking to meet some other mom's with new babies in a safe and respectful space?
Join our postpartum period mom's group the 1st and 3rd Tuesdays of the month at 1pm at Java Mama in Folsom.
This is for ALL moms during the postpartum period looking for conversation, companionship and non-judgmental support for all things new baby!
Our only rule: Respect for all mama's opinions and parenting styles.
I will facilitate introductions, conversation and can discuss postpartum period topics with you as time allows. Possibility for guests speakers!
I am a Postpartum Doula, a LCA (Lactation Consultant Assistant), and a mom of two beautiful babes.
Bring a chair or blanket and a friend. Feel free to share this recurring event.
Like my Facebook page to stay up-to-date!
Emilie Beecroft: Postpartum Doula, Sacramento


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major historical events in the 1990s
Flowers to Plant in Washington State | eHow.com
Flowers to Plant in Washington State. Plan your garden in Washington state with the climate of the Pacific Northwest in mind. Many flowering plants and shrubs .
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flowers to plant in washington state Location
Washington State Flower Coast Rhododendron Rhododendron ...
About the Washington state flower, Coast Rhododendron (Rhododendron . Plant Profile for Rhododendron macrophyllum D. Don ex G. Don (Pacific .
Dahlia bulbs, dahlia flowers, dahlia pictures, growing dahlias
Welcome to Dan's Dahlias - Growing dahlias in Washington State since 1983. . So plant dahlia tubers this spring and grow the most beautiful flowers on Earth .
Washington State Flower and State Bird - American Meadows
Washington State Flower and State Bird. Washington State Flower . They are borne in clusters that grow at the end of the branch. Its long shining leaves are .
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10-05: Growing Flowers for Cutting
Washington State University Home WSU Admissions WSU Campuses WSU Home . Some flowers will come from perennials and some from woody plants, but .
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Eastern Washington Native Plants - WNPS. Related . A Field Guide to Pacific States Wildflowers . White-stemmed Frasera plant and flower pictures .
Washington State Flower
Washington's state flower is typically 6-8 feet tall at maturity, though it can reach heights of 20-30 feet. The plant's dark green leaves are oblong-shaped and .
Native Orchids of Washington-Genus Cypripediums
Three species of the genus Cypripedium grow in the State of Washington. Members of this . Flowers tend to be solitary, more unusually two or three flowers.
Sidewalks and Streetscapes
Glossary drawing of flower parts - Washington State Department of ...
An Aquatic Plant Identification Manual for Washington's Freshwater Plants. Parts of a flower. Flower: The reproductive part of a plant . Flowers may be male or .
Giant hogweed identification - Heracleum mantegazzianum
Feb 10, 2012 . Flowering giant hogweed - click for larger image Giant hogweed is a Class A Noxious Weed in Washington State due to its limited . Public and private landowners are required to control this plant when it occurs on their land.
Native Plant Nursery or Nurseries - Washington, WA
We have native plants for the coastal area of Washington State available in . Ten acres of trees, shrubs and flowers - plus an old fashioned Country Store full of .
Extra Thoughts
Camassia - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
It is easiest to tell the plants apart when they are in flower. . Pullman, Wash., State College of Washington (Washington State University), 1928. Thesis (M.S.) .
Washington Native Plant Society: Exploring Native Plants
Oct 26, 2011 . Washington State native plant lists organized by county. . There's no better way to explore Washington's rich and diverse flora than to take to .
List of State Flowers and Plants
List of official state flowers - plants - state wildflowers - 50 states list - state flowers for all of . also see Trees, Food (agricultural plants), and Cultural (arboretums) .
Washington Trees - WA Trees for Sale
Lush Washington landscapes are usually a mixture of different types of hardy shade trees and flowering trees that grow well in the Evergreen State, as well as .
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Washington State Noxious Weeds List | USDA PLANTS
Washington State-listed Noxious Weeds 155 records returned. Click on an accepted name below to view its PLANTS Profile with more information, and web .
Production Farming - Potatoes.com: Washington State Potato ...
Washington State Potato Commision . The fruits that grow from these flowers look a lot like green tomatoes, but they are not edible. There are many different .
Flowering-rush identification and information - Butomus umbellatus
Feb 10, 2012 . Flowering-rush is an aquatic plant found along lakeshores and . Flowering-rush is a Class A Noxious Weed in Washington State due to its .
How to Grow Dahlias
Welcome to Dan's Dahlias - Growing dahlias in Washington State since 1983. . So plant dahlia tubers this spring and grow the most beautiful flowers on Earth .
I think this hotel will be a hit!
Propagating Plants from Seed
. publication � pnw0170. Washington state university � oregon state university � university of idaho . vegetables, annual flowers, and easy-to-grow perennials.
Washington: Facts, Map and State Symbols - EnchantedLearning.com
Washington was the 42nd state in the USA; it became a state on November 11, . and write), state flower (draw and write), a major body of water in the state, two .
Growing Dahlias
The most versatile of garden flowers, dahlias are available in dozens of . in Washington State, and it's easy for anyone to grow them to perfection with very little .
Wildflower List
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Jan 10, 2012 . A site that helps you learn about plant patterns by grouping the flowering plants taxonomically into their families. Oregon State University: .
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Washington State Department of Ecology . Spatterdock - A Plant With Many Uses . plant with bright yellow flowers commonly seen in Washington lakes and .
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(watermeal) and Wolffiella gladiata (mud midget) - Basic information from Washington State Dept. of Ecology. World's Smallest Flowering Plant - Information from .
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Sunset climate zones: Western Washington state. . The Sunset Plant Finder helps you choose the right flowers and plants for your climate and gardening style .
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A listing of wild flowers growing North America, divided into 6 regional areas: Northeast . Europe. Rocky Mountain Bee Plant, Cleome serrulata, All regions of North America. Eastern WA state east over the Rockies and into the Great Plains.
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Washington State's wildflowers include some interesting species that occur only on the West Coast or in the Pacific . Flowers to Plant in Washington State.
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Items 1 - 25 of 38. advice on how to plant and grow perennials and perennial flowers for shade, . This region includes the coastal areas of Washington and Oregon. . From Monterey County to the state border and from San Francisco to San .
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Mar 13, 2012 . What type of flowers grow best in Washington State? What kind of plants/flowers grow well in the sun? What flowers are most people allergic to .
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Compost is one of the best tips to get more and better flowers this spring. . first year than unmulched plants, report researchers at Washington State University.
Washington State Flower - Coast Rhododendron
Washington officially designated the coast rhododendron (Rhododendron macrophyllum) . Coast rhododendron flowers - click to see all state flowers . easier to grow and have a more pleasing appearance (Pacific Rhododendron shrubs can .
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Identify the major ornamental plants used in Washington State and know their landscape potential. Career Opportunities. Potential positions include: Floral .
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Northwest Flower & Garden Show . Subaru display located on the Skybridge at the Washington State Convention Center! . Flower Show Ticket Types & Prices . you will find all things related to plants, gardens and outdoor living (and only to .
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Feb 8, 2012 . Northwest Flower & Garden Show Seattle, WA February 8-12, 2012 (Washington State Convention Center) Plant Market Booth #2134 (North .


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|Question 1: These interchanges are useful for highways as well as ________, as they concentrate all entering and exiting traffic into a single stretch, where toll booths can be installed.
|Question 2: The German ________ system splits Autobahn-to-Autobahn interchanges into two types: a four-way interchange, the Autobahnkreuz (AK), where 2 motorways cross, and a three-way interchange, the Autobahndreieck (AD) where two motorways merge.
|Question 3: A further alternative found often in the ________ is the three-level roundabout interchange.
|Question 4: It uses a single ________, rotary or traffic circle which spans the highway as a over/underpass.
|Question 5: One place to find hybrids are near Santa Clarita, California, all along Interstate 5 and ________.
|Question 6: Trumpet interchanges are named as such due to their resemblance to a ________.
|Question 7: A highway ramp (as in exit ramp and entrance ramp) or slip road is a short section of road which allows vehicles to enter or exit a ________ (motorway).
|Question 8: The ramps of the interchanging highways meet at a ________ or rotary on a separated level above, below, or in the middle of two highways.
|Question 9: The interchange is named for its similar overhead appearance to the blades of a ________.
|Question 10: Cloverleafs also require considerable land consumption, hence they appear mostly in the United States, Canada (mainly ________, or partial cloverleaf interchanges), Germany, and the Netherlands.


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It's not always the Prisoner's Dilemma: Military Deployments Edition
During the Russian invasion of Crimea, I previously mentioned that I, Julie VanDusky-Allen, and Michael Flynn, were working on a research project that examined the effect that hosting varying amounts of foreign (i.e. US) troops has on the defense spending of local and regional governments. Earlier this week, that article became available in Foreign Policy Analysis' Early View. If you have taught game theory long enough, or if you have read enough anecdotes by people who have, one thing that you learn is that students, once they have learned and consumed the lessons from the Prisoner's Dilemma (PD), seem to see it everywhere—even when it Continue reading It's not always the Prisoner's Dilemma: Military Deployments Edition


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Kacey… a Tauhei Combined School Kid…
Kacey is…
…. A New Zealander
….lives in the swampy areas of Tauhei
….is part of an extended family of parents, whanau, community
….enjoys communicating with others
Kacey is our School Logo
Kacey's name is derived from the key competencies often referred to as KCs.
Kacey wears the Tauhei Combined School uniform and gumboots. She has maroon and blue colourings which represent our school colours.
Kacey carries a Maori kete made of harakeke. This is significant because historically there were flax mills in Tauhei. The kete acknowledges the bicultural heritage of New Zealanders.
The handle of the kete is plaited showing how values, and key competencies are woven together and represent the idea that skills and values underpin learning.
The kete has a logo of the New Zealand school curriculum.
At Tauhei Combined School there is an expectation that each person should put something new in their own kete of knowledge every day.


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Make yourself at home at the Residence Inn Wheeling - St. Clairsville, OH hotel. Located near local attractions such as the Palace of Gold and the Ohio Valley Mall, and close to Heritage Port, our pet-friendly hotel places you near many attractions, restaurants, and shopping options ensuring your time with us is great. Take time to explore the West Virginia State Penitentiary or get caught up in the wonder that the Good Zoo & Planetarium has to offer. Each room is complete with a fully-equipped kitchen with separate dining area - making it possible to create your own meals while away from home. Start your day with a complimentary hot breakfast, or get to know other people at our hotel during the Residence Inn Mix (Mon-Wed). Stay connected by using our free WiFi throughout the hotel. Looking for a space to meet? We have that too with an on-site meeting space that holds up to 35 individuals. At the Residence Inn, we'll make sure you thrive during your stay in St. Clairsville.Show More
Looking for Group Booking? Reserve Guest Rooms and Event/Meeting Spaces through QuickGroup.Learn more
Spacious suites with full kitchens and separate living, working and sleeping areas.Learn more
Bring everyone along, including the furriest members of your family to our pet friendly hotel.Learn more


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Whether or not history is doomed to repeat itself, there is always something valuable to learn from the past. Thanks to Netflix, finding information about historical figures and events has never been easier (or more captivating). A quick search for historical documentaries on the site will provide you with a variety of films on everything from world history and wars to social movements and inspirational people.
You can learn about drag culture in New York City during the '80s, the women's movement of the '60s, the Los Angeles riots, and how the royal family came to be the cultural phenomenon it is today. Grab some popcorn, log in to Netflix, and press play on these historical documentaries.
Paris Is Burning
Take a look at the world of Harlem drag balls in Paris Is Burning. This Sundance Grand Jury Prize–winning historical documentary follows the lives of drag queens living in New York City during the '80s and the "houses" they created during this time as a way to form a community. Directed by Jennie Livingston, the film offers a unique view of race, class, gender, and sexuality through the lens of the intense competitions that were a part of this culture.
Named after the 13th Amendment, which freed slaves and prohibited slavery, the film takes a critical look at how slavery has been perpetuated in America long after this amendment went into place.
Ava DuVernay, director of Selma and A Wrinkle in Time, is the creator behind 13th, a documentary about race and mass incarceration in America. Named after the 13th Amendment, which freed slaves and prohibited slavery, the film takes a critical look at how slavery has been perpetuated in America long after this amendment went into place.
Five Came Back
A mini-documentary series, Five Came Back tells the story of five Hollywood filmmakers who enlisted in the armed forces to document World War II. Their work is analyzed by five contemporary film directors—Paul Greengrass, Steven Spielberg, Francis Ford Coppola, Guillermo del Toro, and Lawrence Kasdan—and all the archival footage featured in the documentary is narrated by Meryl Streep. If you're a fan of Old Hollywood, this film should be on your watch list.
She's Beautiful When She's Angry
The second wave of feminism swept through the world in the '60s as activists protested for women's rights and liberation. This documentary, created by Mary Dore, spotlights the women behind this movement, which took place during one of the most tumultuous times in history. Thanks to yet another resurgence of women's rights activists still fighting for equal pay, respect in the workplace, and rights for all, this history documentary is more relevant now than ever.
Decades after the first atomic bomb altered the course of history, the documentary Hiroshima closely examines the events leading up to and after the 1945 Hiroshima bombing. The BBC film tells the story of this historical event through detailed commentary, giving viewers a sense of what it was like to experience the horrific act that defined World War II.
What Happened, Miss Simone?
This film follows the life of American singer, pianist, and civil rights activist Nina Simone. Through never-before-heard recordings and rare archival footage, director Liz Garbus chronicles the life of the legendary woman in What Happened, Miss Simone?
Mission Control
Transport yourself back to the space race by watching Mission Control. The documentary explores the dangerous Apollo space missions, which resulted in the tragic Apollo 1 fire and the extraordinary moon landing. Featuring testimonies from Apollo astronauts and contemporary NASA flight directors, the documentary provides a deep understanding of one of the largest accomplishments in American history.
Warrior Women
A five-episode documentary series, Warrior Women depicts some of the world's greatest female fighters throughout history. Each episode tells the story of powerful women, including Joan of Arc, Grace O'Malley, Boudica, Lozen, and Wang Cong'er, who shattered stereotypes and proved that women are warriors.
Let It Fall
A portrait of the building tensions between African Americans and the Los Angeles Police Department during the '80s and early '90s, Let It Fall provides a look at the many events that led up to the infamous Los Angeles riots. The documentary calls upon firsthand accounts and archival footage to analyze the death of James Mincey Jr., the 1984 summer Olympics, the rise of gangs, the crack epidemic, the beating of Rodney King, and the unrest that erupted soon afterward.
The Royals
This documentary miniseries sheds some light on the cultural phenomenon that is the British royal family. After the royal wedding of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle, it seems as though the royals are on everyone's minds even more than usual. If you've already binge-watched The Crown, give in to your desire to know everything there is to know about the fascinating family and watch this film about their role in English life.


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Last month I photographed a performance of 'La Soirée,' a show of burlesque and circus acts, for The Wall Street Journal. Follow this link to view a slide show on the Journal's website.
Tags: circus, la soiree
This entry was posted on Friday, January 3rd, 2014 at 20:23 and is filed under Newspaper Assignments.
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text:
Nick Saban says he is uncertain how long he will continue coaching, claiming he hasn't "put a timetable" on the end for his storied career.
Saban reflected on his career during an interview Wednesday night on his radio show. The four-time championship-winning coach said he is "happy" at Alabama when asked how long he plans on coaching.
"I really don't know," Saban said during the interview. "I feel like as long as I enjoy what I'm doing.
"I'm happy with what I'm doing and I feel like I can make a contribution to the young people, and they respond to do things the right way and is actually benefiting them to help them be more successful in their life. As long as I'm healthy and can do that and I'm happy doing it, then I'm going to do it."
Saban, 62, has coached the two-time defending national champion Crimson Tide to three BCS titles in the last four years. Alabama is 11-0 this season under Saban and owns the No. 1 spot in the BCS standings entering Saturday's showdown against rival Auburn.
When initially asked in the interview how long he will continue coaching, Saban laughed before responding, "That's not the best question, but it's the toughest one."
Saban, who is under contract at Alabama through the 2019 season, acknowledged it will be "difficult" for him to end his coaching career.
"I can't really put a timetable on that," he said during the interview. "I've said this before, though, I know that whenever I don't do it -- because I've been a part of a team since I was 10 years old, whether it was Little League or Pop Warner football, playing something all the time and I've been involved in coaching for almost 40 years.
"So I know it's going to be difficult not to do it. But as long as I feel good about it and enjoy doing it and the players respond the way they should ... then there's a lot of positive self-gratification in it. And we're going to continue to do it."


text:
Pretty URL for template detail pages
I have 'pretty' URLs set up for standard detail pages on my client's site where the product filters on the name instead of ID and I add hyphens between each word in the name using str_replace. However, I have another area on the site which uses PowerCMS template pages for the results and detail page, and as soon as I try to add hyphens to the Name parameter, the detail page only ever loads the first record. So, on the results page if I have the URL like this it works:
<a href="survey-detail?ID=<?php echo $row_rsSurveys['ContentGroup']; ?>
but if I change it to this, it always loads the most recent record:
<a href="survey-detail?ID=<?php echo str_replace(' ', '-', $row_rsSurveys['ContentGroup']); ?>" >
The results page is passing the URL correctly but the detail page obviously isn't recognising it with the hyphens. Is there something I need to add to the detail page to make this work?


text:
Why Use Us
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We aim to provide long-lasting effective solutions for all of your plumbing requirements. We're both committed to our customers and confident in our workmanship, which is why we offer a number of plumbing guarantees.
We guarantee all of our workmanship for 12 months. In the event that there is a defect with any of our workmanship, please contact us and we'll come take a look at the problem.
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Providing waterproofing and damp solutions is one of our areas of expertise. We offer a 10 year guarantee on our waterproofing and damp proofing.
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Our subsoil drain installations are guaranteed for 10 years. If you're having problems with drainage, this long-lasting solution could be the answer.
We guarantee our workmanship on paving repairs for 12 months.
See our list of plumbing services or contact us for more information.


text:
Dr Mark Bland
Research Interests
Mark Bland is the author of A Guide to Early Printed Books and Manuscripts (2010),and numerous articles on the London book-trade 1560-1640, including studies of paper, printing-house history, publishing, typography, and the control of the press. His forthcoming publications include an article on Thomas Newman, a major study of William Ponsonby, Simon Waterson and Edward Blount, and a book on Stationers' Wives, He is also the editor of and old spelling edition The Poems of Ben Jonson for Oxford UP. He has held twenty-one visiting fellowships and taught at De Montfort Unversity. He is also a Freeman of the Company of Stationers.
· A Guide to Early Modern Printed Books and Manuscripts (Blackwell, published 15 January 2010: ISBN 978-1-4051-2412-6 (hb); 978-1-4051-2413-3 (pb)).
· 'The London Book-Trade', The Cambridge Guide to the Worlds of Shakespeare, ed. A. Murphy and B. Smith, 2 vols (Cambridge U. P., 2016), i: 335-40.
· 'Jonson, Scholarship, and Science', Sciences et Techniques en Perspective: Antiquarianism and Science in Early Modern Urban Networks, ed. V. Feola, II: 16 (Blanchard: Paris, 2014), 103-39.
· 'Stemmatics and Society in Early Modern England', Studia Neophilologica, 85 (2013), 1-19.
· 'John Windet and the Transformation of the London Book-Trade', Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America, 107: 2 (June 2013), 151-92.
· 'Francis Beaumont's Verse Letters to Ben Jonson and 'The Mermaid Club'', English Manuscript Studies, 12 (2005), 139-79.
· 'Further Information: Drummond's Democritie, A Labyrinth of Delight and his 'Certain Informations and Manners of Ben Jonson'', TEXT, 17 (2005), pp.145-86.
· 'Jonson and the Legacies of the Past', Huntington Library Quarterly, 67:3 (2004), 371-400.
· 'The James A. Riddell Collection of Jonson's 1616 and 1640 Workes', Huntington Library Quarterly, 67:3 (2004), 489-503.
· 'Italian Paper in Early Seventeenth Century England', Paper as a Medium of Cultural Heritage: Archaeology and Conservation, ed. R. Graziaplena (Rome, 2004), 243-55.
· 'Stansby, William', Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 60 vols (Oxford, 2004), 52: 257-58.
· '"As far from all Reuolt: Sir John Salusbury, Christ Church MS. 184 and Jonson's First Ode', English Manuscript Studies, 8 (2000), 42-76.
· 'Memory—Witness—Use: Books and the Circulation of Learning', Turnbull Library Record, 33 (2000), pp.11-34.
· 'The London Book-Trade in 1600', A Companion to Shakespeare, ed. D. S. Kastan (Oxford: Blackwell, 1999), 450-63.
· 'William Stansby and the Production of The Workes of Beniamin Jonson, 1615-16', The Library, VI, 20:1 (March 1998), 1-34.
· 'Jonson, Biathanatos and the Interpretation of Manuscript Evidence', Studies in Bibliography, 51 (1998), pp.154-82.
· 'The Appearance of the Text in Early Modern England', TEXT, 11 (1998), 91-154.
· '"Invisible Dangers": Censorship and the Subversion of Authority in Early Modern England', Papers of the Bibliographical Society of America, 90:2 (June 1996), 151-93.
· 'John Windet', Dictionary of Literary Biography, 170 (1996), 319-25.
· D. J. McKitterick, Print, Manuscript and the Search for Order, 1450-1830 (Cambridge, 2003): The Library, VII, 5:3, September 2004, 320-22.
· D. A. Brooks, From Play House to Printing House (Cambridge, 2000): The Library, VII, 3:2 (June 2002), 215-17.
· Robert Petre, Rachel Salmond, Vic Elliott, Ross Harvey (et al.), Early Imprints in New Zealand Libraries before 1801: a finding list of books printed before 1801 in the Wellington region (Alexander Turnbull Library, 1995); Rachel Salmond, Government Printing in New Zealand 1840-1843 (Elibank Press, 1995), Rachel Barrowman, The Turnbull: A History (Auckland UP, 1995): The Library, vi:19 (March, 1997), 88-95.
· Reprinted: Turnbull Library Record, (November, 1997), with a coda.
· G Taylor and J Jowett, Shakespeare Reshaped: 1605-23 (Oxford UP, 1995): The Library, VI, 17:2 (June 1995), 183-6.
· J Lennard, But I Digress: the exploitation of parentheses in English printed verse (Oxford UP, 1992): Notes & Queries, 238 (June, 1993), 240-41.
· 'National Library on the Edge of the Digital Shelf ', The Dominion Post, 5 June 2009.
· 'Confronting the reality of the new ignorance', Evening Post, 10 May 1999.
· 'The National Library', Backch@t, TVNZ Channel 1, 4 July 1999.
· 'The Humanities in Crisis', Backch@t, TVNZ Channel 1, 1 August 1999.
· 'Restructuring leaves library in trauma', Evening Post, 23 August 1999.
· Katherine F. Pantzer Fellow, Houghton Library, Harvard University ($3500), Spring 2019.
· Sir George Grey Special Collections Research Grant, Auckland Public Library Heritage Trust ($1000), December 2016.
· Visiting Fellow, Marsh Library, Dublin (€2000), August 2016.
· John Velde Visiting Fellow, University of Illinois ($2500), June July 2013.
· Travel Grant, University of Washington St Louis ($1000), June 2013.
· Vice Chancellor's Research Leave (£8300), De Montfort University, October-December 2011.
· Frederick and Marion Pottle Fellow, Beinecke Library, Yale University ($4000), September-October 2011.
· Visiting Fellow, Folger Shakespeare Library ($5000), July-September 2011.
· British Academy Small Research Grant (£7500), August 2011.
· Honourable Mention, American Publishers Prose Awards: Literature, Language and Linguistics, 2010, for A Guide to Early Printed Books and Manuscripts.
· Katherine F. Pantzer Fellow, Houghton Library, Harvard University ($3500), June 2009.
· AHRC Research Leave (£26772), 2007-08.
· British Academy Fellow, Huntington Library ($4000), October-December 2006.
· Lester J Cappon Fellow, Newberry Library, Chicago ($2000), July-August 2006.
· British Academy Small Research Grant (£7500), March 2006.
· British Academy Fellow, Huntington Library ($4000), May-July 2005.
· Carl H. Pforzheimer Fellow, Harry Ransom Research Center, University of Texas ($4000), February-April 2003.
· Kenneth J. Spenser Fellow, University of Kansas ($500), March 2003.
· Bibliographical Society of America Research Fellow, August-September 2002, for research at the Rosenbach Library, Philadelphia ($3000).
· A. Bartlett Giamatti Fellow, Beinecke Library, Yale University ($3000), September 2001.
· British Academy Small Research Grant (£4000), July 2001.
· Visiting Fellow, Center for Renaissance Studies, University of Massachusetts (non-stipendiary), April 2001.
· Bibliographical Society Research Grant (£1500), February 2001.
· Honorary Fellow, School of English, Victoria University, 1999-2000
· Mayers and William A. Ringler, Jr. Fellow, Huntington Library, Los Angeles ($4000), November 1997-February 1998.
· Lester J. Cappon Fellow, Newberry Library, Chicago ($1600), June-July 1997.
· Visitng Fellow, Folger Shakespeare Library, Washington D.C. ($2000), August-September 1996.
· 'Jonson's Evasion of Politics', Renaissance Society of America, Chicago, March 2017.
· 'Social Networks and the Control of the Book-Trade', New Perspectives on Censorship in Early Modern England, University of Clermont-Ferrand, December 2016.
· 'Paper and the Social Elite in Earl Modern England', Society of International Paper Historians, Valencia, September 2016.
· Keynote address: 'Jonson, Daniel and the Denial of the Sonnet', The Englishness of the English Sonnet, University of Strasbourg, May 2016.
· 'Jonson and Daniel: Court Politics and Literary Rivalry', Samuel Daniel: Poet and Historian, University College, London, September 2015.
· 'Jonson's Ramist Charts', Scientiae, University of Vienna, April 2014.
· 'Jonson's Revisions', European Society of Textual Scholarship, University of Paris, Ecole Normale Superieure, November 2013.
· Keynote address: 'Transmission and Identity in Seventeenth Century Manuscript Studies', Manuscript Studies Symposium, University of Uppsala, October 2011.
· 'From First Principles: The Oxford Edition of the Poems of Ben Jonson and Genetic Editing', Folger Shakespeare Library: Fellows Seminar, September 2011.
· 'Jonson, Shakespeare and Sejanus: Contexts and Consequences', Renaissance Shakespeare: Shakespeare Renaissances, Prague, July 2011.
· 'Jonson and Selden', John Selden, University of Oxford, June 2010.
· 'Manuscript Connections and Textual Revisions: The Evidence of Donne and Jonson', Renaissance Society of America, Università Ca Foscari, Venice, April 2010.
· 'Jonson's Ramist Charts: Edition and Translation', European Society of Textual Scholarship, Royal Flemish Academy of Belgium, Brussels, November 2009.
· 'Jonson's Private Philosophical Papers' (Part 2), Society for Textual Scholarship, New York, March 2009.
· 'The Space of the Page in Early Modern England', Modern Languages Association, San Francisco, December 2008.
· 'Jonson's Private Philosophical Papers' (Part 1), European Society of Textual Scholarship, University of Lisbon, November 2008.
· 'To His False Mistress: A Manuscript History', 'Lords of Wine and Oil': Community and Conviviality in the work of Robert Herrick and his contemporaries, Buckfast Abbey, Devon, July 2008.
· 'Stemmatics, Society and the Transmission of Jonson's Verse', Manuscripts and Miscellaneity c.1450-1720, University of Cambridge, July 2008.
· 'The Textual Lives of Ben Jonson', The Lives of the Book: Les Vies du Livre, Université Nancy 2, June 2008.
· 'Nicholas Hare's 'Variety' and the Clitherow Miscellany', John Donne Society, Baton Rouge, February 2008.
· 'Jonson's Other Verse: Attribution, Textual Authority and Lost Poems', Textual Scholarship and the Canon, University of Vilnius, November 2007.
· 'Jonson, Europe, and Science', Political and Scientific Networks in England, France and the Southern Low Countries, ca.1580-1700, Université Libre de Bruxelles, November 2007.
· 'Typography, Meaning and the Workes of Beniamin Jonson', Making Books, Making Readers, University of Cork, April 2007.
· 'The Imperfect Texts of Ben Jonson's The Forrest', Society for Textual Scholarship, New York, March 2007.
· 'The London Book-Trade in the 1590s', Book Consumption in the Tudor Era: Printing, Publishing, and Reading, The Huntington Library, Los Angeles, April 2006.
· 'The Intellectual Geography of Jonson's Reading: Ramism and the Synthesis of Knowledge', Material Cultures, University of Edinburgh, July 2005.
· 'Stemmatics, Society, and the Circulation of Manuscripts in Early Modern England', Society for Textual Scholarship, New York, March 2005.
· 'New Perspectives in Book History', Texas Tech University, January 2004.
· 'Editing Jonson from Manuscript', Texts, Ma(r)kers, Markets, University of York, July 2003.
· 'Jonson and the Inns of Court', Gloriana, University of Oporto, June 2003.
· 'The transmission of Jonson's Verse', University of Texas, April 2003.
· 'Editing Jonson from Manuscript', Society for Textual Scholarship Bi-Annual Conference, New York, March 2003.
· 'The Manuscripts of Sir John Roe', John Donne Society Annual Conference, Gulfport MS, February 2003.
· 'Italian Paper in Early Seventeenth Century England', Paper as a Bearer off Cultural Heritage, Instituto Patologia del Libro, Rome, September 2002.
· 'Jonson and European Scholarship', Renaissance Go-Betweens, Munich, July 2002.
· 'Further Information: The Democritie Fragment and the Original Manuscript of Drummond's Certain informations and manners of Ben Jonson', The Versatile Text, University of Edinburgh, April 2002.
· 'Manuscripts of the Mind and their Makers: The Poems of Donne and Jonson', Newberry Library, March 2002.
· 'The Origins of Lansdowne 740 and its Contexts', University of London, November 2001.
· 'Jonson and ε', Remarking the Text, University of St. Andrews, July 2001.
· 'The Origins of Sejanus', Remembering Don McKenzie, Alexander Turnbull Library, New Zealand, July 2001.
· 'Jonson and Manuscript Culture', English Faculty Seminar, University of Oxford, June 2001.
· 'A Tale of Two Manuscripts', Center for Renaissance Studies, University of Massachusetts, April 2001.
· Guest Lecture: 'Jonson and ε', Harvard University, April 2001.
· 'The Uses of Knowledge', Material Cultures, University of Edinburgh, July 2000.
· 'Shakespeare after Sejanus', Dislocating Shakespeare, University of Auckland: July 2000.
· Guest Lecture: 'Memory—Witness—Use: Books and the Circulation of Learning', Alexander Turnbull Library, August 1999.
· 'William Stansby and the Production of Jonson's Workes, 1615-16': Ben Jonson: History, Text, Performance, University of Leeds, July 1995.


text:
The Sylvester was a beautiful yacht, luxurious, easily able to cruise the inner planets. She could even fling up a solar spinnaker for show, a bulbous sail that reflected glorious light onto the ship, making it look like a show piece, a trophy, almost new.
Not that seventy-five years had aged the yacht substantially. The Creena family had money, and even their antique yachts were continually kept up to code, luckily too, because when you needed something like the escape pod, it simply had to work.
It had, mostly.
"This is Sylvester," Charlan's desperate voice called over channel 17, the one the Orbital Patrol were supposed to monitor. "We are under attack. Mayday, Mayday."
She scanned the screens. There wasn't a patrol ship this side of the Moon. The attacker was tucked in so close that scans from Earth wouldn't even see it.
Pripong hit the thrusters, belatedly shouting an acceleration warning. Charlan couldn't brace in time, and cracked her shoulder against the life support console.
"More warning next time!" She shouted.
"Sorry hun, looking for a solution to a problem. Burning full thrust straight for Earth. Let's see what their top speed is."
The 'problem' was keeping pace with them quite easily. It was smaller, more manoeuvrable, and apparently had electro-static weapons. Charlan couldn't tell if her message was getting out through their attempts at jamming.
Charlan turned to Pripong. "Can we vector our thrust into their face?"
"Not our thrust, no, they're too fleet for that." Charlan knew that tone. Pripong had a solution, a crazy one.
"What are you thinking?"
"Our black water tanks are pretty full…"
"What good does that do us?" Drian asked from the engineering console.
"We can't fight. These pirates are better armed. But we can hope to slow them down, get far enough away that comms works."
"And spraying them with our frozen shit is going to slow them down how?"
"It won't but the next part will." Pripong smiled.
Charlan hated that smile. That smile had wrecked a Lamborghini in the Alps. That smile had put massive dents in the hull of the Sylvester, more than once. That smile would get someone killed, some day.
Any landing you walk away from is a good one, Charlan thought as she rubbed her sore shoulder, even if that landing is in an escape pod.
She popped the hatch. A quick look around confirmed what she'd seen out the portal.
"We landed near the equator." She smiled, trying to find a way through her captain's rising sadness. "No, better, we landed on the beach of a small island near the equator. Damn fine flying if you ask me."
Still Pripong didn't nod or smile. He just looked at the controls, deep in thought, near tears.
"Cap'n?" Drian added, "You did good. You got us down in one piece, alive."
"Yeah, thanks," Pripong's response sounded automatic, disconnected.
"I'm sure Matthew's OK." Charlan lied, adding, "We called the cops. They'll find him."
"Yeah, OK." He wasn't convinced. He wasn't sobbing, but she could hear the tears in his voice.
"In the mean time," She continued as Drian and Sebu pushed past her and tumbled out the portal, "we're at a beach. It's high noon on a sunny day, and Rescue won't be here for a few hours at least, so how about we have some fun?"
Pripong never said 'no' to fun, until today.
Charlang shook her head, jumped carefully out of the hatch, landing on the moist sand of a receding tide. A path of small shells littered the beach along the high tide mark. The occasional wave splashed her feet, cool against the heat of the sun.
Charlan tried coaxing Pripong out of the capsule. She suggested that they go swimming. She stripped down to her underpants, then realized her mistake. Pripong may not be interested in her bare breasts right then, but Drian and Sebu were staring. A quick reversal and a t-shirt covered that up.
"Hey cuz, you really don't know what you just missed." Sebu shouted into the capsule.
"Pthh," Drian grinned hugely, "He's seen 'em before."
"Oh, grow up," she chided Drian. At least Sebu, Pripong's young cousin, had the excuse of being a teenager. Drian was in his thirties at least, and married. He should know better than to leer.
Deep in the sky overhead, where they'd lived until just recently, the Orbital Patrol were scanning near space for pieces of wreckage, navigational hazards, salvageable pieces, clues to a crime, and perhaps a missing person.
"We found another piece of wreckage from the Sylvester. Permission to push it into atmo?" Patrol K4 asked.
"Negative." The radio crackled. "They're reporting one crew member not accounted for. This is a rescue mission until we've exhausted all hope."
"Shit. Look at that piece of wreck, tumbling. It's gonna take twenty percent of our RCS just to bring it under control. Then we have to board?"
"Affirmative. This is designated as an R&R."
"Acknowledged," The patrol officer wondered which R it would be, a rescue or a recovery. Rescues could be fun, especially from these rich super yachts: grateful survivors often tipped well. Recoveries, well recoveries were never fun in zero G. They often involved vacuum cleaners.
"Ready?" Pripong asked Drian as they slowly changed the lateral rotation of the ship.
"Ready!" Drian shouted.
Charlon could see Pripong's problem; Earth was quickly approaching. It was getting bigger on the view screen by the second. To carry out their plan, they had to turn the ship away from a landing approach. Worse, they couldn't decelerate.
"Ready." She said even if she wasn't convinced.
"Go, one!"
Drian flipped a switch and watched with pride as the Sylvester's blackwater nozzle flooded the attacker's flight path with liquified human feces. Aimed close enough to their own exhaust, it should still be liquid when it impacted the pirates. He called out the levels, "Tank will be depleted in three … Two…"
"Go, two!" Pripong commanded.
Charlan released the solar spinnaker. It wouldn't get to its full deployment, but the bunched up cloth would definitely hit the pirate ship and spread around it. Charlan watched carefully. As soon as she saw impact she cut the shrouds. Immediately their radio was flooded with a jumble of urgent communications. The mylar of the spinnaker apparently defeated the electro-jamming.
"Mayday, Mayday. This is Sylvester being chased to atmo by a pirate! Mayday!" Even as she spoke, the Sylvester slammed down to port. Pripong's wide-eyed expression confirmed to her what she needed to say next. "They're firing on us! Mayday! Mayday!"
Charlan could see Drian's terrified expression. He might be gruff and tough but being the recipient of outright violence was outside his experience.
"Port RCS are all gone, starboard down to ten percent and we're venting. We're going in, no way around it." Pripong looked around desperately. "We have to abandon ship. Where's Matthew? Where's Sebu?"
Both Charlan and Drian shook their heads. They hadn't had time to worry about those two.
The ship started to shake, gaining intensity with each bump. Upper atmosphere was approaching far too quickly. "Abandon ship! Sebu? Find Matthew and meet us at the escape pod."
Lacking leadership from Pripong, Drian started making decisions on his own, decisions that Charlan wouldn't have agreed to. But he was officially paid crew, even though she had more experience, she was officially just the captain's girlfriend. He wouldn't listen to her.
He'd taken a bucket and started scooping sea water into the escape pod.
"It's too hot out here. I want a cool bath!" He laughed as he tossed a second bucket to Sebu, who quickly joined in.
"Don't let the water level get as high as the food stock," Charlan warned, but Drian dismissed her with a "yeah, yeah," and kept going.
Pripong, sitting in the shade of the capsule, was finally talking, shock finding expression, grief looking for solace.
"For seventeen years that ship's been my life, my home." Charlan pulled him away from the others. His tears started to flow freely. "And we didn't all make it. Matthew didn't make it."
"They'll find him."
"Hey Charlan," Drian shouted as he reached down and scooped another bucket of sea water, "why don't you take your shirt off again, see if that helps."
She shot Drian the finger as a reply.
"This is Orbital Patrol K4." The radio crackled, drawing Pripong and Charlan back into the cockpit even as Drian sprinted for the escape pod. "We're vectoring in. ETA three minutes. What's your status?"
"K4, This is Sylvester. We're abandoning ship. Now."
"Understood. We will track and recover. Can you identify your attacker?"
"We can't but you can. We sprayed the ship with black water. When it hits atmo, the shit will all burn off, giving you a really nice smoke trail to follow. And no matter what port they try to hide in, their's will be the ship with extensive scorching on their forward hull."
"Uh… OK? Understood Sylvester." Charlan could almost hear the pilot thinking, you're a weird one. "Good luck. K4 out."
They arrived at the escape pod as Sebu did. Alone.
"Where's Matthew?" Pripong's voice was almost shrill. Charlan grabbed his arm to stop him from running off to look for Matthew. A nod to Drian, and they pulled Pripong into the escape pod.
"Matthew will be OK," Charlan tried to comfort Pripong.
"That's bullshit and you know it."
"Fine, but right now, you need to pilot this damned thing down there. Save us."
With the hatch closed, Drian pulled the lever, sending the pod out into the atmosphere. Automatic stabilizers controlled the descent for the first ten seconds. Pripong seized the moment to grab the shortwave. "K4, this is Sylvester escape pod."
"We are tracking you."
"Four souls onboard, one soul unaccounted for."
"You left…?"
"We couldn't find Matthew!"
Charlan heard the deeply frustrated breath from the patrolman. "Understood. Disengaging the pirates, commencing search and rescue."
Charlan wasn't used to Pripong caring about others. This level of emotional display was unique in her five years with him. The only time she'd ever seen him cry had been on the eve of his thirtieth birthday. That'd been self-pity.
Where was this coming from?
"Are you worried what your father will say?"
"My father? I'm a grown man. I'm not afraid of my father." Charlan liked Pripong, she really did, but he wasn't a grown man. He was a trust-fund baby, and that always stunted emotional growth.
Pripong sighed heavily, "I lost the Sylvester! What will Grandpa say?"
"Command, this is K4. We've secured a section with life support." Even with a crew of only three, the patrol craft was spacious for a reason. Prisoners, rescued people, medical emergencies.
Cubic space on a patrol craft was available for any contingency.
"Follow full procedures. Bring him back safely."
"Affirmative." K4 extended a large, fragile tube of mylar surrounding a thin scissoring framework. Once it made a seal, the tube pressurized. Two patrolmen went down and checked before starting the cutters. "We have a seal. We're still not getting any comms chatter from inside."
It didn't take long to breach the hull. It took even less time to find Matthew.
"Oh, you're fucking kidding me!"
Charlan noticed it as soon as she and Pripong started walking back: the blinking lights on the escape pod weren't blinking anymore.
"What happened?" she ran up, Drian's face was a mix of anger and dejection. "You put in too much salt water, didn't you? You fried the electronics! The locator beacon?!"
Her accusation was met with an apologetic shrug. Sebu was biting back laughter.
"Well, we're going to be here for the night now." Charlan pointed to the clouds brewing on the horizon. "And I'm willing to bet that that's a thunderstorm heading our way. But hey, at least we have shelter. Oh, wait, it's full of water. You fucking idiots!"
It would have been a nice, refreshing breeze that accompanied the dawn's sun, if they weren't all soaking wet, shivering, and hungry. No fire had been possible in the storm, no food had been salvageable. The escape pod was unusable. Between the strong winds, rain, and the high tide assisted by the storm surge, the capsule was on its side, partially submerged and rocking gently in the surf.
Above them, they heard a sound. A ship was approaching. Sebu was the first to cheer. Orbital Patrol had found them. It slowly buzzed the beach, as they waved ecstatically.
Patrol ship K4 landed a ways down the beach, the ship's ramp lowered to disperse two tired officers.
"Are you the crew of Sylvester? We've been looking for you all night."
"Yes, thank you!" Charlan led the ragged group toward safety, warmth, and end of their little adventure. "Thank you for finding us."
"Is this your cat?"
"Matthew! You're alive!" Pripong ran past Charlan, grabbing the dishevelled cat. Matthew didn't seem happy, but he definitely knew his daddy, and started purring.
"Sorry about all this," Charlan tried to sound conciliatory between her chattering teeth. One of the officers handed her an emergency blanket.
"Are you the captain?" He asked as she unfolded the thin, warm blanket. She helpfully directed the officer's attention away from her wet t-shirt, towards Pripong and his purring cat.
"Filing a false report with OP is a criminal offence." The patrolman started reading to Pripong from a pad, as they walked aboard K4. "Abuse of OP resources usually equates to forfeiture of your ship, but that's gone. The owner will be billed for our expenses and a hefty fine will be added."
The patrolman flipped to a new screen, "However, we did find your attackers. They were identified in the port of Shanghai with scorch marks all over the hull and even pieces of your spinnaker still draped on the ship's antennae. There is a substantial reward for their arrest. It will… mitigate… part of… Is he even listening?"
"Hey guys, Matthew's purring!" Tears streamed down Pripong's face. Charlan wondered if he would have been this concerned if it had been her missing. "Purr, Matthew, Puuurrrr!"
Charlan sighed, giving the patrolman's shoulder a conciliatory pat, "For what it's worth, there'll be a substantial tip."


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Educational Seminars
As part of our commitment to educating clinicians about the many aspects of addressing social determinants of health, following are some upcoming events that may be of interest.
BMC Health Equity Symposium
The Inaugural Health Equity Symposium at Boston University Medical Campus is April 10th, 2018 in Hiebert Lounge. This symposium seeks to engage students, healthcare professionals and community members from all disciplines to collaborate on issues of health equity.
Part of this day involves a research poster session, and we hope you encourage your trainees and faculty to submit abstracts. These will be judged by our visiting professor, Sir Michael Marmot, renowned researcher, Chair of the WHO Commission on Social Determinants of Health, Director of the International Institute for Society and Health, and author of the Whitehall Studies. This is an excellent opportunity for those interested in health equity work to discuss their work with a giant in the field.
Abstract submission and information on the Symposium can be found at healthequity2018.org.
Community Health Worker Symposium
Boston Medical Center's 2nd Annual Patient Navigator, Care Coordinator and Community Health Worker Symposium
The Power of Team: The Role of Community Health Workers and Building Collaborative Partnerships in the New ACO Era
Event Location: Hiebert Lounge, 14th Floor, Boston University Medical School
Join us for the 2nd annual Patient Navigator and Community Health Worker symposium
Monday, April 9, 2018
9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Hiebert Lounge, 14th Floor
Boston University Medical School
Breakfast and Lunch will be served. There will be a networking reception following the event from 4 p.m. – 5 p.m.
Agenda and RSVP here
For more information or questions, please contact [email protected].
Past Events Include
Barriers to Cancer Care & Clinical Trial Participation Among Black Bostonians
February 24, 2017
Karen Winkfield, MD, PhD
Associate Professor of Radiation Oncology, Comprehensive Cancer Center
Wake Forest Baptist Health
Linda Sprague-Martinez, PhD
Assistant Professor, Boston University School of Social Work
1st Annual Patient Navigator, Care Coordinator & Community Health Worker Symposium
December 12, 2016
Housing as a Health Issue
October 15, 2016
Transforming Healthcare Together: at the Intersection of Health, Law and Bioethics
September 28, 2016
James Corbett, M.Div., J.D.
Senior VP of Community Health and Values Integration, Centura Health


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The Pro Bono Project was thrilled to accept a check on Thursday, May 18 from the Louisiana Bar Foundation's Community Partnership Panel. The Project was awarded a $6,705 grant to begin a new program offering pro bono Provisional Custody By Mandate (PCBM) clinics for the immigrant population.
Right now, there is an acute need for this pro bono work. As you may know, The Project has done PCBM work for years – though only for U.S. citizens and other residents with lawful immigration status, due to some funding restrictions. As a result, the undocumented immigrant community was unable to receive these services. With the recent spate of deportation raids and other stepped up enforcement activities by U.S. Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE), immigrant families are fearful that they will be picked up by ICE and separated from their children.
"Throughout the country, we've seen cases where parents were detained by ICE agents right after they dropped their kids off at school, and subsequently deported. As you might suspect, this has created anxiety, confusion, and hysteria in the undocumented immigrant community.
"If no parent/legal guardian shows up after school to pick up their child, that child goes into state foster care. It can take weeks for a deported parent to get the notarized paperwork together overseas, get in touch with relatives in the US, and track down their child to transition care to someone outside of the foster care system," explains The Project's Executive Director, Jennifer Rizzo-Choi.
Thus, by putting a PCBM order in place, parents in danger of deportation can proactively designate relatives or friends to provide care for their children. The order allows a relative, neighbor, friend – whomever the parent trusts – to step into this situation and make decisions regarding schooling, health care, etc. It isn't a solution to this complicated problem, but it hopefully puts the undocumented parent's mind at ease about sending their kids to school.
We have no doubt that there will not be a shortage of clients seeking this service. In fact, we expect this need will continue to grow, especially since PCBM orders are only good for one year. So, while it is only a stop-gap measure, nonetheless, it is a very easy, effective, and efficient way to protect these children.
We currently are organizing some PCBM trainings to staff our clinics with volunteers and setting up a clinic schedule. We'll post dates and locations on our website and social media as soon as possible. In the meantime, if you have an interest in volunteering for the clinics and attending one of our trainings, please email email@example.com.
We are honored to be supported by LBF in doing this work and expanding the services that we can provide to a new population.


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dial a doula TRAINING
our Post Natal Doula training gives you the skills to deeply care for mothers in the fundamental way of the Doula - with deep respect, trust in mother's innate instincts, good information and excellent resources.
This 10 week program is taught by Sunderai Felich, and special guests, who all bring their expertise in new parenthood.
jan 31 - mar 27 2020
2 week break for school holidays
apr 17 - 24
The training is run over 10 weeks
10am - 2pm class held on fridays
Autumn Retreat
129 Miller St
Thornbury, vic
$1,000 early bird up until jan 1
$1,150 full price
$300 upfront deposit
Payment plans available
course content term one
mothering the mother
Your birth story, Your story as a baby and as a mother
Exploring what is post natal support, If you could have it what post natal support would be ideal for you
The Postnatal Doula, Your role and what services you provide
Immediately after birth, support for the whole family
skills to provide a relaxed and supportive environment
early childhood & sibling support
An understanding of early childhood development from birth to 12 months
How to support siblings
relaxation and massage
Baby Massage, Relaxation and meditation skills
Developing listening skills.
Your experience as a baby
Your experience as a mother
Bottle feeding, supplementary feeding, expressing, Common problems and solutions
settling and sleeping
Common problems and approaches
Mother baby units or support in the home
Ongoing support for the whole family
Latest research
birth debriefing
Postnatal Depression
birth trauma
the 4th trimester
How other cultures support new mothers
support for families in the first 6 weeks
unexpected outcomes
Special care nursery
How you can support as a postnatal doula
Marketing yourself as a postnatal doula
Your strengths and challenges
business Networking
logo, business name and website


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I stop at a gas station/quickie-mart type place for coffee. I stop here every night about the same time. The girl behind the counter asks "What exactly do you do? You're in here every night. Don't you ever get a day off?"
To which I reply, "I'm an entrepreneur, and, no I'm on the go constantly. I rarely have a day off."
I continue, "I'm senior partner at a technology consulting firm, and I have an Internet Investment company."
"OK", she responds as I think a bit more.
"Oh, and I also work as a semi-professional musician.", I add as I start to walk away.
"It keeps me busy", I say as I reach the door. "And I have a business with my son in South Carolina."
Through a sheepish smile she says, "Well, you have a nice day anyway."
As I started the car I wondered what she meant by "have a nice day anyway". I hit the radio button and the local station is playing "Too much time on my hands ...". Is this a sign? Maybe it's time to organize my priorities.
So, have a nice day ... anyway!?]]>
Everywhere I look, I seem to be finding new opportunities and interesting things to do. The problem is finding time to squeeze it all in. This blog is a perfect example. I've already been going for nearly 18 hours, and I still have a lot of important things that should have been done today; just not enough time, but I'm working on that.
Here are ten observations about making time and getting things done:
1. Make a list.
2. Make another list.
3. If you can't work where you are, go someplace else.
4. Most things can't wait until tomorrow, some things have to.
5. Work on whatever pays the bills.
6. Ignore the phone for a few hours.
7. McDonalds has Wi-Fi; have your email with a burger and fries.
8. Caffeine makes the 20 hour work day almost bearable.
9. If you write software in your dreams, keep the laptop near the bed.
10. If you get one of those brilliant ideas, for the love of God, pull off the road before trying to write it down.]]>
Original post blogged on b2evolution.]]>
I've received numerous emails asking if I've given up on posting to my blog, or given up on the concepts of entrepreneurity and self-reliance. Well the answer is NO, ABSOLUTELY NOT! I HAVE succeeded in making myself so busy that there doesn't seem to be enough day to fit the number of tasks. Given the state of the economy, I'm thinking this is a very good thing. This is the entrepreneur's answer to weathering the recession. And, so far, so good.
It seems as though I'm hearing every day how bad things are; job loss climbing, investments going down the drain, businesses closing up, and so on. The fact of the matter is, I keep finding opportunity everywhere I look. Some people look at things and see nothing but the negative, while I keep seeing the positive. To quote a movie (see a previous post), "In confusion there is profit". The problem is, I have reached the point where I have to stop and clear my mind because so many projects look to be so damn interesting. So much opportunity, so little time. It's time to fine tune the focus a bit. As is usually the case, I'm coming to the end of an 18+ hour workday, and this is, after all, a weekend.
So for those who normally stay in touch with me via email, phone, Twitter, Facebook, and a host of other media services, here's the status of some of the projects that I'm involved in.
Despite the economy, there is Technology Development work out there. I have several large software development projects going on. My partner and I have created several workable ideas for recession-driven businesses that we just haven't been able to launch yet. Got time? Let's talk!
Self-Reliance? You bet! I've found that the entrepreneur can grow a good tossed salad with a couple of pots or plastic tubs even on a small city lot. Hell, you can grow beans in the crack in a sidewalk. I've also found that more people than you might ever imagine are starting to think like those survivalists that you used to read about in Mother Earth News; a really good magazine, incidentally. I'm still thinking about all that "off-the-grid" and alternate energy stuff. But, more on this subject later.
My son and I have a new business project ramping up, too. A retail operation specializing in both reptiles and aquatic life, it's located in South Carolina and can be found at www.reptaquatics.com. The catalog will be online soon. Check it out! Oh, and watch for an upcoming article in Tropical Fish Hobbiest Magazine.
My other entrepreneurial endeavor, is the music project that is the Southern Rock Band Steelhorse. Yes Mary, we're still working! About 80 shows in the last 12 months, opening shows for The Outlaws, Pure Prairie League, and Jimmie Van Zant; doing Biker shows, Cancer Research Benefits, and concerts for crowds of several thousand. We're rotating a few members and rehearsing for the next several shows. Some studio time in the works as well.
And lastly to my Amateur Radio friends, yes I will get back on the air. I'll document some of it in another portion of this blog, along with some shots of my vintage radio equipment.
Entrepreneurity is alive and well, and keeping me very busy. Stay tuned!]]>
Unless your last job made you independently wealthy, you're probably going to (1) panic, (2) take a quick look at the job openings in the newspaper, (3) look at monster.com, (4) panic, (5) go into the worry/drink/depression stage,and then, (6) tell everybody you know that you're starting your own business.
There's an old saying, "You never plan to fail, you just fail to plan".
So, who in their right mind would want to start a business during a recession?
Well, here are a few points, pro and con, to consider.
With the economy being in bad shape, you are probably more motivated to become self-reliant, and self-reliance is a good thing.
Since other businesses are also hurting in this type of economy, they are likely to be more flexible in their dealings than they might be during a booming economy. Loosely translated, this means that you might be able to garner business services, or startup inventory at bargain basement prices. For example: A trip to the local mall revealed that management was willing to wave the standard rental fee and make space available for a percentage of the gross. That vastly reduces the startup cost of a new retail business.
Another example of how startups can benefit from tough economic times (spotted in a local newspaper): "Office space for rent, normally $800/month ... best offer ... negotiable".
On the downside, since you've just been laid off, you'll have to be extra careful with all of your finances. This is where you really get to test your entrepreneurial skills. Credit is tight, making it very difficult to find outside capital to fund a startup.
As an aside, something to keep in mind ... being an entrepreneur is not for everyone. This can be especially true if you've just been laid off ... being an entrepreneur requires dedication, long hours, and extreme focus ... even if you have no other thoughts, cares, or concerns, it is often quite difficult to maintain the single minded focus necessary to take on an new startup business. This is certainly true when the bills start piling up! Don't expect to create a cash flow overnight. You will very quickly find that saying you are in business does not mean you ARE in business.
Don't fall for the "How I made a million dollars" schemes. Those folks usually make their money by SELLING a book or product. In reality, it is the book or product that is feeding their cash flow. Most of these schemes are a waste of money. Nothing works as well as starting with a good idea, creating a plan, and adding a lot of elbow grease. Time and effort are the keys to making a million dollars.
So, put your time to good use. If you are knowledgeable about something, start by writing about what you know. Collect information. Prepare and package information that people will find useful. Make information your first product. Become an authority. Use this to establish a customer base. As you begin to achieve some recognition, you will find yourself building an audience willing to accept additional products which you can use to broaden your scope and generate cash flow.]]>
Given the current state of the economy, the most important challenge to the entrepreneur seems to be holding on to one's money rather than just trying to earn it. Enter self-reliance. Why shell out your hard earned cash for a service or item, when with a bit of entrepreneurity, you can provide that service yourself, and hang on to some of that hard earned cash? Sure, there are times when convenience is a factor, but given the instability and uncertainty in today's economy, self-reliance is looking more and more important. Another factor to consider is the "best use of your time". There's only so much to go around.
If you're like me, you have several major grocery stores, several of which are open 24/7, all within easy driving distance. Why keep food in the house? Is it worth $1000 of your time to grow a bushel of potatoes, when you could run to the store and buy them for $10? But remember, your time is only worth $1000 if you can sell it. So, if payment for your time isn't a sure thing, and the store goes out of business because of the economy, would you still like to eat? Since you, your available time, and your entrepreneurial skills are all gating factors, it seems like some sort of compromise is the order of the day.
We all know that the economy is in the toilet, and things seem to be getting worse with each passing day. So, let's spend some time talking about becoming more self-reliant by applying entrepreneurity to "cash out" rather than "cash in" for a while.
As a quick review of The Great Depression, consider this: conventional jobs dried up, the average Joe was unemployed, food was in short supply, travel was difficult if not impossible, and many people lost their savings and their homes. Now this is not to say that fortunes weren't made, because history shows that out of the economic ruins of The Great Depression arose many giants of industry. Indeed, many entrepreneurs of the time learned how to move forward from economic disaster into prosperity.
The next several posts will be about using entrepreneurity to become more self-reliant during these troubled economic times, some things that I'm looking at, and some suggestions for things to try. I welcome your comments and suggestions.]]>
So now, from deep in the byte mines of my archive of 1994, is my experience with AT&T Technical Support when they were still a computer company. Enjoy!
_____ __ _____
The Saga of AT&T Technical Support
How to waste an afternoon and have fun doing it!
Date: May 3, 1994
AT&T, technical support, absurd, PC6310, broken, company confidential, Purgatory
The Saga:
Today I decided it was about time to repair that old AT&T PC6310; you know, the one under the bench with the bad power supply. It may be old (circa 1984) and it may only be a '286 box, but I have an extra EtherNet card and I can always use another network connection. Anyway, I had ripped it apart several months ago and ascertained that the power supply wasn't working. Now, how hard can it be for a person with 24 years of experience in the field of electronics, physics, and computer science (including 17 at AT&T Bell Laboratories) to spec out, and replace a modular power supply? Well, if all I had to do was contact a big green, slimy creature (holder of all knowledge) on the planet Mars and arrange for overnight transportation, it would have been a breeze! Unfortunately, I found it necessary to contact the wonderful down-to-earth people at AT&T Technical Support.
While I must say that all of the people that I found it necessary to talk to were quite pleasant and friendly, somehow I was left with the feeling that AT&T hasn't a clue as to what it means to provide technical support.
First on my quest for knowledge was a perusal of the Yellow Pages for the "AT&T Dealer nearest you". I guess I should move to Mars. Of the various places and people that I talked to, nobody seemed to remember what a model 6310 was, let alone how to fix it. Most of the local service shops are "tube pullers". (This is an old phrase reminiscent of the days when you pulled all of the tubes in your broken TV set and took them to the local drug store where they always had a tube tester.) They remove your power supply module and have it exchanged for a repaired one. Feeling, of course that I owed myself something more than this, I marched on.
Next, I called a published AT&T customer service number. I waited on hold a scant 20 minutes (sans music) before hearing a human voice say "May I help you?". Ah! Nirvana, I thought. Purgatory, I discovered. The only information that they could give me at this number, was another number to call for information about my particular piece of equipment. Not being easily discouraged, I once again dialed into the unknown. Now here my luck started to change. After waiting only 18 minutes on hold with a musical accompaniment, I was told that the part number of the desired component was "AT&T/NCR part number 4053713290 for an LA 21A.N.71999/M".(How could I have been so naive?) I then asked the most foolish question of all ... "How much?" Well now, you see that probably was my fault! I wrongly assumed that after investing over 30 minutes on customer support, and actually getting a part number, that they would be able to tell me how much it was going to cost. Wrong! To get that kind of high level information, you have to be routed to another representative. (I believe it was at this point that I first heard the phrase "I'm sorry sir, but that's all we're trained for." ..... no further comment required.)
Well, more determined than ever to get to the bottom of this great corporate mystery, I pleaded to be routed to the next plateau of customer involvement, where, after waiting a mere 8 minutes, (no music, just occasional static in the ear) I was politely told that "AT&T/NCR part number 4053713290 for an LA 21A.N.71999/M will cost you $644.40 plus shipping." Now, I wasn't born yesterday you know, because if I had been I wouldn't be screwing around with a 10 year old '286 box with a broken power supply. So, I know that $644.40 for a replacement part for a machine that I can buy in the junk bin for $100 just doesn't make great financial sense. Besides, I have several catalogs advertising replacement power supplies for around $85 - $150. At this point, thinking that maybe the customer support person simply confused my PC6310 with a No. 5 ESS unit, I foolishly asked if she was sure that the part number was the correct one for the requested PC6310. She couldn't verify that because "I'm sorry sir, but that's all we're trained for.".
At this point, any normal person would be attempting to salvage the line cord before discarding the dead carcass, but, not giving up, I inquired as to the availability of technical information so that I might attempt to resuscitate the thing myself. (after all, I used to design these things). If you haven't already guessed, I was told to call yet another Technical Support 800 number. So, I did!
Again, this was probably my fault. I thought that if I called a technical support number requesting technical information, I would get same. Not to be! I was advised that by leaving my name, number, and a brief request, they would pass it on to one of the qualified technical support people in my area. With a bead of sweat hanging from the tip of my nose and a shutter in my voice, I related my experience with the "tube pullers" in my area and requested an alternate source of gratification to which I promptly received "I'm sorry sir, but that's all we're trained for.". With nowhere else to turn, I requested the call back.
The turn-around time here was rather good, only 2 hours; better than SCO (but that's another story). My awaited call finally came and with the machine's guts opened to the world, ready for any technical volley required, I answered the phone. I, at length,explained my dilemma and my now urgent need to resolve this problem. The gentleman from New Jersey politely explained to me that he was new with the company and not really familiar with the piece of hardware in question, but that he had the technical service books and related information at his disposal and could therefore aid me in my repair of this unit.
Ah! At last! Nirvana, I thought!
My first request was simple and seemed like a logical place to begin our new service relationship: could he please fax me a schematic, or at least a parts layout so that I might repair my *$#@*! power supply?
His response was equally simple: No! He could not give out that kind of technical information because it was company confidential. He could however, give me an 800 number that I could call to get the location of the nearest field service center. There, they could install a replacement power supply for me!
Purgatory, again!
The Resolve:
I called Northstar Matrix Service in Minneapolis. They answered on the first ring, the receptionist knew what I was talking about, she said $65.00. She transferred me to a technical person. He answered on the first ring. He assured me they could repair it in 5 days or less for $65.00.
Ah! At last! Nirvana!]]>
One of my pet peeves is that nowadays everybody is a computer expert. They toss buzzwords and acronyms around like a NASA scientist on speed. The problem is that 9 times out of 10, they haven't a damn clue what they're talking about; they only think that they do. To somebody with a genuine depth of knowledge garnered from nearly 30 years of experience, they sound like idiots. I can live with that, and usually enjoy the comic relief. The thing that pushes me over the edge though, is when the arrogance factor kicks in, and you have to withstand a barrage of reasons as to why they know everything there could possibly be to know about the subject, and you, of course, know nothing.
Did you every ask somebody the question, "What's a brick made of?" and get the response, "Well, it's brick!".
Allrightee then! So, I suppose I missed the lecture in chemistry that described brick as an element on the Periodic Table right after Plutonium.
Same deal with computers. I need a new Periodic Table of The Elements.
Well anyway, recently my business partner purchased a new laptop computer for company accounting use. The machine worked fine for several months before developing symptoms of overheating. Periodically during extended use, the machine would slow to a crawl and often freeze completely, forcing a reboot. As time went on, the problem became more severe. She found that by raising the thing off of the desktop, so as to increase airflow, she could usually minimize the problem. Finally, she noticed that there was no longer any air blowing out of the unit and realized that the internal fan had stopped functioning altogether.
Our first inclination was to simply open it up and replace the fan ourselves. After all, we do this sort of work all of the time and have a very capable service team. And besides, between the two of us we have about 50 years combined experience with computer electronics along with several college degrees, including one in Electrical Engineering, and two Ham Radio licenses. And for God's sake, it's just a fan. But since the laptop was still under warranty and neither of us really had the time or ambition to open another Pandora's box, we elected to return it to it's place of purchase, a local MicroSomething store, to have the necessary work completed.
After waiting over a month to get the machine back, we immediately discovered that the entire hard drive had been reformatted. Now, understand that we had a good backup of all of the critical data, so that wasn't the issue. It was simply the inconvenience of having to put everything back the way we had it. But what sent my bullshit-o-meter to the red line was when we asked, "Why did you reformat the hard drive in order to change the fan?"
Ok, here comes the barrage of expert reasons, including:
"It's standard procedure to make sure we fixed the problem." Huh?
And, "Something in the Windows stuff might have been slowing the fan down." Loose, or excess bits, I presume.
But wait it gets better. When we finally gave up in the argument for anti-stupidity software, we discovered that we could no longer set up some of the previously configured Windows features. Lo and behold, they had installed Windows XP Home edition; we started with XP Pro. It even says so on the MS Certificate sticker affixed to the machine.
Again to the customer support line. The reasons given: "That's what most people use." And, "It's what we always do." And my personal favorite, "How do you know that you had the Pro edition?"
"Where's the license for the Home Edition that you installed?", we asked.
"You must have it.", was the response.
So, we asked what would happen now, when we attempted to use our restore CD's to overwrite the Home Edition with XP Pro?
The response?
"Well, just put your license stuff back into Windows and it should all work out fine."
It's like talking to a brick.
Oh yea, the reason for the six weeks in service? They couldn't find the problem, and had to send it out for service. It came back with a new fan.
Tomorrow I'm buying a new Periodic Table Of The Elements. I need to see if Computer comes before, or after, Brick. I already know the atomic weight of bullshit.]]>


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There are many different kinds of rings, and you'll find a large, diverse collection here. These 14K gold and sterling silver rings are all crafted from the finest materials and are of exceptionally high quality. Beyond that, in terms of style and design, the sky's the limit! Our impressive selection features classic Irish Claddagh rings, luxurious cocktail rings with sparkling gemstones, elegant diamond ring engagement bands, broad sterling silver cut-out rings, handsome sterling silver bands and delicate eternity rings. You'll also discover more unusual, one-of-a-kind creations such as druzy quartz rings, rings containing fossil specimens and exotic gemstone rings like kyanite and larimar.
If you're searching for the perfect engagement ring, we have beautiful rings that express one's love and commitment in every price range. Cubic Zirconia has become increasingly popular as a far less expensive alternative to diamonds, with much of the same beauty and brilliance.
The earliest indication of rings comes from The Hittite Empire, circa 1300 B.C. The wearing of rings became more commonplace in later Egyptian history, in addition to classical Greek and Roman society. As for the tradition of wearing a wedding band on the left hand ring finger, it was an old belief dating back to 16th century England that this particular finger was directly connected by a vein to the heart. Whether or not we choose to believe that today, rings have taken on a cultural significance around the world, whether it's an engagement ring, a wedding band, a Claddagh Irish friendship ring, a commemorative ring or a right-hand ring, or a more decorative cocktail ring. Whatever the purpose or occasion, rings have often symbolized commitment, the keeping of a promise and a sense of tradition. The circular shape can also symbolize wholeness, unity and eternity.
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