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Housing Data Shelters Dow From Further Losses
A day after its biggest loss in four weeks, the Dow Jones Industrial Average is back on the rise. Following some encouraging economic data and a little relief on the Fed speculation front, investors may be feeling optimistic about today's prospects in the market. As of 11 a.m. EDT, the Dow is up 75 points thanks to good news.
Home is where the heart is
Housing data is a beacon in the current dimly lit economic environment. While the remainder of the economy's recovery seems very uncertain, the housing market has become the heart of the overall recovery -- repeatedly proving that the rebound is on the right track. This morning investors were given another glimpse of the positive momentum when the National Association of Realtors reported that pending home sales rose 0.3% in April. A three-year high, this is even more encouraging since the market has also been reporting consistent increases in home prices as available inventory continues to drop. With sales increasing, homebuilders will have greater incentive to begin new construction, which had slowed in the past months.
Another piece of economic news, which may not be good for the economy, may also be pushing shares higher. Since the recent comments from Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke, investors have been watching the labor market closely. Since Bernanke specifically mentioned improvements in the labor market as signs that the Fed might make changes to its current stimulus policy, positive news from that front has been received poorly. So this week's 10,000 jump in new unemployment claims may be driving the market higher as investors feel more at ease, knowing that the improvements the Fed is looking for haven't come yet.
Inside the Dow
Banks are reacting positively to the housing data this morning. Bank of America is up 1.82% and rival JPMorgan is enjoying a 1.45% gain. While JPMorgan was in the No. 2 spot for new mortgage business last year, following behind Wells Fargo's commanding 29% lead in the third quarter, banks have been seeing decreasing activity in that market. Both Wells and JPM noted in their first-quarter earnings presentations that they expected the lag in mortgage business to continue through the year. But with this week's mortgage application data showing that new mortgages are slowly representing more of the total application activity, these banks may be seeing new business walk through their doors in the coming quarters.
American Express is also enjoying the housing news, since an economic recovery would lead to more consumer spending. Up a more modest 0.98% this morning, the personal finance company is also enjoying a boost from Nomura Securities, which reaffirmed its buy rating of AmEx and increased its price target for the firm from $73 to $89 -- a 17% upside from yesterday's close.
Bank of America's stock doubled in 2012. Is there more yet to come? With significant challenges still ahead, it's critical to have a solid understanding of this megabank before adding it to your portfolio. In The Motley Fool's premium research report on B of A, analysts Anand Chokkavelu, CFA, and Matt Koppenheffer, Financials bureau chief, lift the veil on the bank's operations, including detailing three reasons to buy and three reasons to sell. Click here now to claim your copy.
The article Housing Data Shelters Dow From Further Losses originally appeared on Fool.com.
Fool contributor Jessica Alling has no position in any stocks mentioned -- you can contact her here. The Motley Fool recommends American Express and Wells Fargo. The Motley Fool owns shares of Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, and Wells Fargo. Try any of our Foolish newsletter services free for 30 days. We Fools may not all hold the same opinions, but we all believe that considering a diverse range of insights makes us better investors. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.
Copyright © 1995 - 2013 The Motley Fool, LLC. All rights reserved. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.


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All the magic and excitement of the past, present, and future of Disney entertainment comes together under one roof when D23: The Official Disney Fan Club presents D23 Expo.
Since 2009, the bi-annual D23 Expo held in Anaheim, CA has celebrated all the magic, wonder, and adventure of Disney at this remarkable gathering created especially for you, our most passionate and loyal fans. D23 Expo presents three full days of "inside-the-magic" experiences you won't find anywhere else, including exclusive sneak peeks at upcoming films from The Walt Disney Studios, dazzling celebrity appearances, unforgettable presentations given by Disney luminaries, a look at what's coming from Disney Parks and Resorts and Walt Disney Imagineering, the Disney Legends ceremony, and the Treasures of the Walt Disney Archives exhibition, which spotlights crown jewels from Disney's timeless legacy.
No matter what part of Disney stirs memories or warms your heart, you will discover something magical at D23 Expo—the ultimate Disney fan event.
Click here for the latest D23 Expo news and updates.
Click here for highlights from D23 Expo 2017.

subset: commoncrawl


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Release day
It's kinda evil, but hey, why not? All poor packagers are busy already, so let's give them some more work. I've released Cupid 0.0.2, which is a GStreamer/GNOME video-capture and -display tool, and GStreamer-FFmpeg 0.8.4, which is a set of GStreamer plugins based on the popular and high-quality ffmpeg codecs.
Other people release, too
Also, one of our new GStreamer supporters, Jon Lech Johansen, released pyMusique today, which is a Gtk-application that lets you buy music from the iTunes Music Store from your GNOME desktop. I'm already a happy user of this piece of software. Great work, Jon!


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Johnny Kling
Arguably one of the most overlooked star players of the Dead Ball Era, catcher Johnny Kling was a key part of the great Chicago Cubs Dynasty of 1906-10. When his baseball career was over, Kling returned to his hometown of Kansas City, Missouri where he enjoyed a successful business career. A modest man, Kling never thought anyone would be interested in his accomplishments as a player once he retired.
John Kling fell in love with the game at an early age, but he was required to help his father with the family bakery business. His job was to drive a horse drawn wagon and deliver bread to waiting customers. Every morning, the clang of the family alarm started John on his route, making deliveries. The story is told that the route never grew in numbers and the elder Kling started to learn why. An irate housewife informed the bakery proprietor she would take bread from a competitor since the Kling wagon never reached her house on time.
One morning, Kling's father started out on the trail of Johnny and found the horse meandering down the road. Where was Johnny? A great deal of noise over in a corner field, where a baseball game was in progress, revealed the truth about the undelivered bread. Did the elder Kling use a paddle on youthful Johnny? Only history knows.
Those good old corner lot days were soon over. In 1890, at age 14, he pitched for the Haverlys and led the team to an amateur league championship. At age 15 Johnny got on a team that had real honest to goodness uniforms. It was the SIBER meat market team, sponsored by John Siber, a butcher. Two years later he joined the Schmeltzers, during the two-year term with the team he pitched, played first base and managed. In 1895 he was given a tryout with St. Louis but was not given a contract because he was too small.
In 1896 he joined Houston of the Texas League and in 1897 he was with the Emporia team. His size again played a role in 1898, when Rockford dropped him because he was too small. He then went back to the Schmeltzers. When he joined the team, they made him a catcher, where he was destined to shine brilliantly in the annals of the national pastime.
In 1899 he went on a barnstorming trip with Kansas City of the Western League. While at a game in Atchison he was noticed by manager Byron McKibben of the St. Joseph club. In 1900 he began to play with St. Joseph, but in late summer Ted Sullivan found him and signed him for the Chicago Colts. He made his major league debut in September 1900 with the team, he played fifteen games and hit .294 earning a chance to return to the major leagues. Sullivan, ironically was a boyhood friend of White Sox owner Charles Comiskey.
In 1901 Kling shared catching duties with Mike Kahoe and Frank Chance. He appeared in 69 games behind the plate, hitting a respectable .273. It was clear that manager Tom Loftus' catcher, Chance, had difficulty in handling foul tips. In 1902 new Cub skipper Frank Selee decided that Chance would be his permanent first baseman and Kling his full time catcher. The addition of Joe Tinker at shortstop established the nucleus of a team that would terrorize the National League later in the decade. Kling responded to full time duties by leading the league's catchers in putouts, assists and double plays. At bat in 1902 he hit .289 and led the Chicago Nationals in RBI with 59, while batting eighth in the order.
During the Dead Ball Era a strong defensive catcher was a key component of any great team, due to the emphasis on bunting and base stealing. Kling was the dominant defensive catcher during the first ten years of the twentieth century. From 1902 through 1908 he led the National League in fielding percentage twice, putouts six times, and assists and double plays once each. Cub pitcher Ed Reulbach called Kling one of the greatest catchers to ever wear a mask. In at notable game on June 21, 1907 he threw out all four Cardinal runners who tried to steal second, and in the World Series he gunned down 5 of 11 Tiger runners, holding base stealing champion Ty Cobb to no stolen bases.
As his 1902 figures showed, he was no easy out at bat and was a strong contributor to the Cub offense. In 1906 he hit .312 and batted in 46 runs on a Cubs team that the most games (116) in history. Kling had a career batting average of .272.
His contemporaries, team mates and opponents alike, marveled at his ability to defend, handle pitchers and take part in the psychological warfare which was baseball in the early twentieth century. Johnny Evers claimed Kling could tell pitchers what their best stuff was during warm-ups. He kept up a steady string of chatter earning him the nickname 'Noisy.' Evers praised Kling for his ability to work umpires on balls and strikes, yet Kling avoided antagonizing the men in blue, even warning them if an unusual play or pitch was coming.
In an era where many players could be best described as social outcasts, Kling was different. He did not smoke, chew or drink. His grandchildren say he was very kind and loved spending time with them. His eldest daughter was mascot of the Braves during the time her Daddy was manager. Some insight into Kling's character comes from the biography of former baseball commissioner Ford Frick. In Games, Asterisks and People, Frick describes attending an exhibition game involving the Cubs in 1907 in Kendallville, Indiana. As the Cubs were walking to the ballpark, Kling asked the young Frick if he wanted to go to the game. When Frick said yes, Kling had the future baseball tsar carry his shoes. Once at the game Frick was allowed to sit near the bench and see his Cub heroes in action and hear their bench talk between innings.
Kling's difference from other Dead Ball Era players extended to his approach to life. Baseball was a job that opened doors for other opportunities. In other words, he was not a baseball lifer. He had other skills to fall back on, thus his yearly contract talks with Cub owner Charles Murphy often resembled a game of chicken, more than a negotiation.
Following the Cubs' championship year in 1908, Kling won the world pocket billiards championship. He then invested about $50,000 in a billiard emporium in Kansas City, informed Murphy of the investment and requested an indefinite leave of absence. Murphy granted this in writing and Kling promised that if he could subsequently arrange his affairs so that he could leave his business in the hands of others, he would join the team. The arrangement was on the best of terms according to the investigative report by the National Commission in 1910, when Kling had applied for reinstatement into baseball. This story, as told in the Commission's report, varies with news articles that described Kling as a holdout, unable to negotiate a satisfactory contract with Murphy. But those statements were not true. Kling had a valid contract for 1907, '08 and '09 as pointed out in the Commission's report. And in spite of receiving an indefinite leave from Murphy, Kling was held to be in violation of his contract for not playing. He was fined $700 and allowed to return to the Chicago team. He was given a $4500 salary, the same as in 1908.
The 1909 hiatus was costly for Kling and the Cubs. The year marked the first since 1906 that the Cubs did not win the pennant, they finished second to the Pirates. As for Kling, he failed to defend his billiards championship.
Kling always maintained that players should learn a lesson from him and stay in the game until they were ready to retire. Despite his clean living habits, Kling found it hard to regain the skills that he had just a few years previous. In 1911 he was traded to the Boston Braves, some claimed as punishment for his holdout and poor performance against Philadelphia in the 1910 World Series. He played and managed for the Braves in 1912. He hit .317, but the team finished dead last at 52-101. His playing career ended in 1913 in Cincinnati.
Upon retirement Kling returned to his native Kansas City where he continued on with a career in real estate, one he had started while playing baseball. He became a successful businessman. He had a knack for developing real estate and amassing wealth. Kling had a compassionate side as well, and would quickly make out a check when a friend was in need. During World War I, he volunteered his services to the military and taught and coached baseball at Camp Funston, Kansas. Kling was a doting parent and his family never wanted for the basic comforts, even during the height of the Great Depression.
In 1933 he bought the Kansas City Blues and promptly eliminated segregated seating at Muehlebach Field, which happened to also be the home of the Monarchs of the Negro Leagues. This policy remained in effect until Kling sold the club in 1937 to Col. Jacob Ruppert of the New York Yankees.
Kling was a private man who preferred life out of the spotlight. We do know he cared little about what others thought or said about him. Some historians claim he was among the first Jewish baseball stars, but such an assertion is still a matter for debate. In a February 12, 1969 letter, Kling's wife said he was baptized Lutheran. In a December 2, 1948, letter, she claimed "he was baptized in the Baptist Church." Nobody seems to have questioned the contradiction nor her motivation for making these statements. Kling's grandson, also named John Kling, recently claimed that his grandfather was definitely Jewish. Membership records for B'nai Jehudah Temple, in Kansas City, Missouri, of close family members, in addition to other records, supports the Jewish heritage issue. Nevertheless, the issue continues to be matter for debate.
Who should one believe? Either way, Kling cared little about what people said about his religion. It was something he chose not to discuss. His focus was on the task before him. And overall, he was successful in whatever venture he took on, be it baseball, business or desegregating seating in the Kansas City ballpark. He was a man with ideas who met challenges head on. He was a man with lofty ideals, a man before his time.
Dave Anderson and Gil Bogan have had a number of conversations about Kling. Much of the material for this biography was from Dave's book More than Merkle and Gil's upcoming book on Johnny Kling's life.
Full Name
John Kling
November 13, 1875 at Kansas City, MO (USA)
January 31, 1947 at Kansas City, MO (USA)
If you can help us improve this player's biography, contact us.


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Wingware Python IDE 3.2.11 released
Hi, Wingware has released version 3.2.11 of Wing IDE, an integrated development environment designed specifically for the Python programming language. This release includes the following improvements: * Improved Perforce integration * Improved vi and Visual Studio modes, and keyboard navigation of the GUI * Correct startup environment setup on OS X 10.6 * On exit or closing OS Commands tool, terminate any running processes * Syntax highlight InnoSetup files * Fix debugging scripts under Plone 4 (thanks to Robert Rotterdam) * Fix Debug Attach to always work under Python 3.x * Stop at exceptions when using python 2.7 unittest * Correctly handle moving a file to overwrite an already-open file * Don't crash debugger when modules set __file__ to invalid values such as None * About 15 other bug fixes See http://wingware.com/pub/wingide/3.2.11/CHANGELOG.txt for details. *Downloads* Wing IDE Professional http://wingware.com/downloads/wingide/3.2 Wing IDE Personal http://wingware.com/downloads/wingide-personal/3.2 Wing IDE 101 http://wingware.com/downloads/wingide-101/3.2 *About Wing IDE* Wing IDE is an integrated development environment designed specifically for the Python programming language. It provides powerful editing, testing, and debugging features that help reduce development and debugging time, cut down on coding errors, and make it easier to understand and navigate Python code. Wing IDE can be used to develop Python code for web, GUI, and embedded scripting applications. Wing IDE is available in three product levels: Wing IDE Professional is the full-featured Python IDE, Wing IDE Personal offers a reduced feature set at a low price, and Wing IDE 101 is a free simplified version designed for teaching entry level programming courses with Python. Version 3.2 of Wing IDE Professional includes the following major features: * Professional quality code editor with vi, emacs, and other keyboard personalities * Code intelligence for Python: Auto-completion, call tips, goto-definition, error indicators, smart indent and re-wrapping, and source navigation * Advanced multi-threaded debugger with graphical UI, command line interaction, conditional breakpoints, data value tool tips over code, watch tool, and externally launched and remote debugging * Powerful search and replace options including keyboard driven and graphical UIs, multi-file, wild card, and regular expression search and replace * Version control integration for Subversion, CVS, Bazaar, git, Mercurial, and Perforce * Integrated unit testing for the unittest, nose, and doctest frameworks * Many other features including project manager, bookmarks, code snippets, OS command integration, indentation manager, PyLint integration, and perspectives * Extremely configurable and may be extended with Python scripts Please refer to the feature list at http://wingware.com/wingide/features for a detailed listing of features by product level. System requirements are Windows 2000 or later, OS X 10.3.9 or later for PPC or Intel (requires X11 Server), or a recent Linux system (either 32 or 64 bit). Wing IDE supports Python versions 2.0.x through 3.1.x and Stackless Python. For more information, see http://wingware.com/products *Purchasing and Upgrading* Wing 3.2 is a free upgrade for all Wing IDE 3.0 and 3.1 users. Version 2.x licenses cost 1/2 the normal price to upgrade. Upgrade a 2.x license: https://wingware.com/store/upgrade Purchase a 3.x license: https://wingware.com/store/purchase -- Wingware | Python IDE The Intelligent Development Environment for Python Programmers www.wingware.com
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Our Lady of Fatima Church in North Bergen held its yearly Blessing of the Animals on Thursday, Oct. 4. The event was in honor of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of all animals.
Nearby residents brought their cats, birds, and dogs to be blessed. Rev. Peter Wehrle said that in the past, people brought turtles and snakes.
St. Francis is often associated with birds, fish, and rabbits. The most well known story is of the wolf who terrorized the town of Gubbio, Italy. St. Francis made a pact with the animal that if he would stop his evil deeds, he would not be harmed and would be taken care of by the townspeople. St. Francis preached to the animals that they should be grateful to their creator.
"It's not just about us [humans], it's about all creatures." – Reverend Peter Wehrle
"St. Francis was known to praise God in all of creation," said Reverend Wehrle.
Special prayers
Each animal received a special prayer from Rev. Wehrle.
"God our heavenly father, we ask your blessing for [animal's name]," he said. "May he always know your love and may he also realize that through the intercession of St. Francis that he is among God's creatures. This blessing we ask in the name of the father, the son and holy spirit. Amen."
Yet another variation of a blessing for the animals is: "Blessed are you, Lord God, maker of all living creatures. On the fifth and sixth days of creation, you called forth fish in the sea, birds in the air and animals on land. You inspired St. Francis to call all of them his brothers and sisters…."
"It's not just about us [humans]; it's about all creatures," said Rev. Wehrle.
The reverend, much like St. Francis of Assisi, is an animal lover. He remembered growing up with his Boxer Fritz, but unfortunately his allergies have not allowed him to have another pet.
Pets from throughout the area were welcomed at the Blessing of the Animals, although the Noah's Ark-like rainy weather kept some away.
At the event, the owners were asked to "celebrate the animals that make our lives special." Each pet owner was given a card from the ASPCA, a St. Francis medal for their pet's leash, and a biscuit for their pet.
"I love that it's something special for the whole family," said Rev. Wehrle.
Vanessa Cruz can be reached at email@example.com


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2. Collective Espresso (Northside)
3. Sidewinder Coffee
2. A Tavola
3. Sotto
2. Marx Hot Bagels
3. Panera Bread
2. City Barbeque
3. Montgomery Inn
4. Pontiac
5. Pickles and Bones
6. Just Q'in
7. Sweets & Meats BBQ
8. Big Art's BBQ Grill
9. Alabama Que/SmoQ (TIE)
10. Bee's Barbecue
2. Moerlein Lager House
3. Flipdaddy's Burgers & Beers
A mouthful to say on top of being a mouthful to taste, Quan Hapa's okonomiyaki are far and away worth the added labor behind the tongue twister. Dubbed an "oki" for the faint of heart, the Japanese-style pancake comes three ways: pork lovers can stick to the house oki, featuring tonkatsu (breaded pork cutlets), bacon and a fried egg; the ahi tuna oki suits seafood savants with its seared ahi tuna, pickled red onions and bonito flakes; and for veg fans, the cauliflower oki features fried cauliflower tossed in a housemade honey-Sriracha sauce. Keeping things fresh, chef Mapi De Veyra tests his talents on new oki recipes every Monday after 5 p.m. and serves them at the discounted price of $8. Quan Hapa, 1331 Vine St., Over-the-Rhine, quanhapa.com.
Pizza, in all its cheesy, carby goodness, is pretty much always a guilty pleasure. And the pies at Harvest Pizzeria are super binge-worthy. Their pizzas have a magically crunchy-yet-chewy and light-but-substantial crust with gourmet toppings like fennel sausage, almond pesto and vegan chorizo; the menu is rounded out by yummy small plates, salads and burgers — the whipped cheese, cherry tomato and candied prosciutto bruschetta is almost good enough to fight over. Unlike your average delivery hut, you can actually feel good about eating this pizza: Ingredients are sourced from Ohio bakeries, producers and dairy farms, like Mushroom Harvest in Athens and Bluescreek Farm in Columbus. And, if you do want to feel a little bad, splurge on the buttermilk-fried pickles with zesty remoulade. They're addictive. Harvest Pizzeria, 1739 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, harvestpizzeria.com.
The animatronic band is certainly rad, but there's something about Chuck E. Cheese's appeal that fails to hold up once you've made it to adulthood. While the trip may keep your kids occupied, it's not as fun for adults to sit surrounded by the wafting smell of sub-standard pizza, screeching toddlers and loud arcade games with buttons that stick. Rivertown Brewery and Barrel House has the solution to this generational gap, hosting weekly Family Fundays. Monday evenings, keep the kids occupied with old-school arcade games and free food (with the purchase of an adult dinner) while you work your way through Rivertown's beer and barbecue menus. Say sayonara to Skee-Ball and germy tokens: this fun night covers everyone's bases. Rivertown Brewery and Barrel House, 6550 Hamilton Lebanon Road, Middletown, rivertownbrewery.com.
Our historic city market is becoming a dining destination. Starting when Jean-Robert de Cavel opened his tres chic bistro French Crust in 2016, a few other restaurants also have made it possible to enjoy meals even when the market is not open. French Crust serves breakfast, lunch and very popular weekend brunches along with Parisian-style dinners Thursday through Saturday and rings all the bells for Francophiles. The corner location at Elm and Elder streets faces Findlay Market's beer garden and main entrance, sits right on the streetcar line and will brighten anyone's day thanks to expansive windows and Provence-yellow walls festooned with colorful posters and ceramics from de Cavel's vast personal collection of French memorabilia. The effect is as jaunty and friendly as its owner. Patrons sit at booths, tables or at a 20-seat bar and soak up the bonhomie of a lively bistro ambiance. The food matches the surroundings and delivers note-perfect versions of dishes you'd expect for breakfast, brunch or lunch — a variety of quiches, sandwiches on croissant or baguette, omelets and, of course, a croque monsieur. At dinner, more bistro classics tempt diners, from appetizers of snails and beef tartare to mains ranging from duck leg confit to steak frites. French Crust, 1801 Elm St., Over-the-Rhine, frenchcrust.com.
A burger joint without fries may sound like sacrilege to fast-food fry-hards: the holy union between crispy potatoes and grilled beef is as solidly devised as the balance of nature itself. Where the earth meets the water, so too do sesame seed buns meet cheese. Where the wind stokes the fires, salt tinges the fry's oily jacket. It's a classic American tradition, but one that Tickle Pickle is here to disrupt. Eschewing fast food's favorite side from their menu, the Northside stop dishes out mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, mac and cheese, Grippo's and potato salad; each adding its own textural contrast to sandwiches crafted from locally grown ingredients. It's enough to make you fall in love with the potato all over again. Classic Rock-inspired burger creations crafted with locally sourced ingredients keep things fresh, yet still familiar: the pepper-laden Rob Zomwich and the sauerkraut-topped Hammstein are worth dropping the needle on. Tickle Pickle, 4176 Hamilton Ave., Northside, ticklepicklenorthside.com.


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Thanks to the author for sharing this article, which originally appeared in Victorian Poetry 1 (1963): 235-37.
WHEN Browning was asked, nearly fifty years after the initial publication of "My Last Duchess" (text), why the Duke says "Frà Pandolf by design" (my italics), he answered: "To have some occasion for telling the story, and illustrating part of it.1 Although readers have more often than not dismissed Browning's latter-day remarks on his poems, they have done so in this instance not without some loss, for this remark, slight as it appears, calls attention to one of the poem's central metaphors.
Indifferent to Browning's statement, notably to the implications of occasion and illustrating, a recent critic of the poem assures us that "we need not assume that the Duke has planned it [the incident] this way: he is simply quick to take advantage of an opportunity,"2 I hope to demonstrate that it is not a question of whether we need to assume that the Duke has a plan, but rather that the poem may be misread in a crucial way if we do not acknowledge his premeditation. Virtually a libretto, the Duke's monologue sustains a central metaphor of drama and performance.
The dramatization of the basic action rendered by the poem begins in medias res. The gesture implicit in the first line directs us toward the revealed portrait of the last Duchess, but an earlier moment in the performance has come with the withdrawing of the curtain before the painting, for the speaker soon insists, "none puts by/ The curtain I have drawn for you, but I. Moreover, just as we see that the Duke begins his play with this curtain, so too does it become clear that he has anticipated in detail the events which follow. At precise moments he instructs his guest with questions that are in effect commands: "Wil't please you sit and look at her?" "Will't please you rise? We'll meet / The company below, then." And in a gesture of calculated munificence and quite possibly social flattery he grants; "Nay, we'll go / Together down, sir/' But he directs the situation even more closely, for he also presents his listener with descriptions of what the latter's natural reactions should be to whatever is provided him. The Duke maintains that those who have been privileged to look upon Frà Pandolf's portrait of the Duchess have in all cases "seemed as they would ask me, if they durst, / How such a glance came there." Yet it is not clear that the envoy has expressed any such question; for he too is like the "strangers" who have merely "seemed as they would ask"— that is, "if they durst." And since we never do know the precise nature of his silent reaction to the painting, the Duke's next phrase—so, not the first / Are you to turn and ask thus" (my italics)—serves ac- tually a double purpose: to underscore the point that it is the Duke who frames what he has chosen to consider his guest's 'question,' and to lead us to his disingenuous search for the exact word—'How shall I say?"'—and his artful disclaimer of "skill / In speech—(which I have not)."
Ultimately the Duke directs the envoy's attention to a second work of art While the painting of the Duchess is representational and, if we trust the Duke's word in the matter, perfectly accurate in mak- ing her look "as if she were alive," the sculpture depicts Neptune in the midst of one of his most typical acts. As personal allegory, however, the latter work is directly relevant to the drama the Duke makes of his life. If the portrait captures permanently the essential effect of the Duchess' momentary and momentous smile—in former days the source to her lord of pleasure turned finally to disgust—the sculpture, working on a different plane, portrays the god-liice power over spontaneous natural force that the Duke finds analogous to his exercise of temporal rights sanctioned by a nine-hundred-years-old name. Over "Neptune taming a sea-horse" hovers ominously the Duke's clipped account of his own show of force: "I gave commands; / Then all smiles stopped together."3
Yet our perception that the entire episode has been staged works a fortiori to the idea that the Duke sees himself in a dramatic light. While this stance enables him to project his listener's unasked ques- tions, it also informs his final imperative, which along with under- lining his callous dedication to collection brings his performance to completion. In his closing words—"Notice Neptune, though, / Taming a sea-horse, thought a rarity, / Which Claus of Innsbruck cast in bronze for me!"—a pun on cast extends our understanding of the Duke's inordinate hubris. For the artist has happily cast the Duke as a mythological god.4 The Duke's pleasure in seeing himself in the guise of Neptune is evident, but what is more significant is that he has chosen to view himself in a show of force.5
This revelation of the Duke's absurd vanity throws light on his attempt to win the envoy to his terms. Having presented him with an argument that by analogy reveals his view of a suitor's rights and a husband's expectations, the Duke momentarily abandons indirection for explicit statement: "I repeat, / The Count your master's known munificence / Is ample warrant that no just pretence / Of mine for dowry will be disallowed; / Though his fair daughter's self, as I avowed / At starting, is my object." Immediately, however, as if he has caught himself in an act of excessive munificence, the Duke calls attention to Neptune taming a sea-horse. This gesture, s the Duke well knows,6 has the contextual effect of confirming i still another way his personal efficacy. For the Duke's drama of uncon- scious challenge and final domination is reenacted in the spatial con- junction of the two works.7
Last modified 27 October 2011


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By GRETCHEN REYNOLDS New York Times
While the allure of the gym — climate-controlled, convenient and predictable — is obvious, especially in winter, emerging science suggests there are benefits to exercising outdoors that can't be replicated on a treadmill, a recumbent bicycle or a track.
You stride differently when running outdoors, for one thing. Generally, studies find, people flex their ankles more when they run outside. They also, at least occasionally, run downhill, a movement that isn't easily done on a treadmill and that stresses muscles differently than running on flat or uphill terrain. Outdoor exercise tends, too, to be more strenuous than the indoor version. In studies comparing the exertion of running on a treadmill and the exertion of running outside, treadmill runners expended less energy to cover the same distance as those striding across the ground outside, primarily because indoor exercisers face no wind resistance or changes in terrain, no matter how subtle.
The same dynamic has been shown to apply to cycling, where wind drag can result in much greater energy demands during 25 miles of outdoor cycling than the same distance on a stationary bike. That means if you have limited time and want to burn as many calories as possible, you should hit the road instead of the gym.
But there seem to be other, more ineffable advantages to getting outside to work out. In a number of recent studies, volunteers have been asked to go for two walks for the same time or distance — one inside, usually on a treadmill or around a track, the other outdoors. In virtually all of the studies, the volunteers reported enjoying the outside activity more and, on subsequent psychological tests, scored significantly higher on measures of vitality, enthusiasm, pleasure and self-esteem and lower on tension, depression and fatigue after they walked outside.
Of course, those studies were small-scale, short-term — only two walks — and squishy in their scientific parameters, relying heavily on subjective responses. But a study last year of older adults found, objectively, that those who exercised outside exercised longer and more often than those working out indoors. Specifically, the researchers asked men and women 66 or older about their exercise habits and then fitted them all with electronic gadgets that measured their activity levels for a week. The gadgets and the survey showed that the volunteers who exercised outside, usually by walking, were significantly more physically active than those who exercised indoors, completing, on average, about 30 minutes more exercise each week than those who walked or otherwise exercised indoors.
Studies haven't yet established why, physiologically, exercising outside might improve dispositions or inspire greater commitment to an exercise program. A few small studies have found that people have lower blood levels of cortisol, a hormone related to stress, after exerting themselves outside as compared with inside. There's speculation, too, that exposure to direct sunlight, known to affect mood, plays a role.
But the take-away seems to be that moving their routines outside could help reluctant or inconsistent exercisers. "If outdoor activity encourages more activity, then it is a good thing," says Jacqueline Kerr, a professor at the University of California, San Diego, who led the study of older adults. After all, "despite the fitness industry boom," she continues, "we are not seeing changes in national physical activity levels, so gyms are not the answer."
Source: http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/0…***rss&emc=rss


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Apple took a major step in the evolution of its iPad lineup Wednesday when it announced the iPad Pro, a new tablet with a 12.9-inch display that packs a serious punch when it comes to processing power.
The comparisons between Apple's new device and Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 are easy: both can be used with a cover that doubles as a keyboard, along with a pressure sensitive stylus. And they obviously both have "Pro" in their respective names. But ultimately, they seem to be aimed at solving different problems.
Right off the bat, the biggest difference between the two tablets has to do with their respective operating systems. The Surface Pro 3 runs the full version of Windows 10, which means users can interact with apps built for a Windows desktop environment, even when the tablet doesn't have its Type Cover accessory attached.
The iPad Pro, meanwhile, only runs iOS. While the app catalog for Apple's mobile operating system is much deeper than the apps only available through Microsoft's Windows Store, that decision still limits users to running apps that are built for the iPad, or using tools like Amazon's WorkSpaces virtual desktop client.
While iOS 9 includes a number of features that make the iPad more useful as a laptop replacement, like improved support for external keyboards and the ability to use the on-screen keyboard as a trackpad, it's still missing the customizability and functionality of a full-blown Mac. I'd argue that's intentional, since Apple has its ultraportable MacBook available for people who want a lightweight computer.
The Surface Pro 3 is really a slimmed-down laptop that has a detachable keyboard, complete with fans and a processor that's also found in in other portable computers. It's thicker and heavier than an iPad Pro -- both concessions that likely came as a result of the hardware packed into its case. It boasts some additional benefits like a built-in kickstand, unlike Apple's iPads, which still require a case or cover to stand up independently.
Meanwhile, it seems as though Apple wants to make the iPad Pro the best way to get work done on an iPad, but doesn't want to compromise and actually allow it to run a desktop-oriented operating system.
That's not to say it's the wrong move, it's just a fundamentally different tack than Microsoft is taking. It will be, however, interesting to see if Apple's commitment to iOS for the iPad Pro makes it less appealing to businesses that have desktop applications they still want to give workers access to.
Apple's announcement comes at a tough time for its iPad business and the tablet market in general. While CEO Tim Cook has said that he remains confident about the future of selling tablets, sales of the iPad aren't growing like they used to, while the tablet market at large has stagnated. Time will tell whether the iPad Pro will be a shot in the arm that differentiates Apple's tablet offering at a premium price, or if it's still not enough to drive growth.


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What is auto insurance?
Auto insurance protects you against financial loss if you have an accident. It is a contract between you and the insurance company. You agree to pay the premium and the insurance company agrees to pay your losses as defined in your policy.
Auto insurance provides property, liability and medical coverage:
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Most auto policies are for six months or a year. Your insurance company should notify you by mail when it's time to renew the policy and to pay your premium. Why do you need auto insurance? It's really all about protecting yourself financially.
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Viktoriya (ID: 40459)
- Age:54
- Date of birth:September 22, 1969
- Zodiac: Virgo
- Height:5' 6" (170 cm)
- Weight:136 lb (62 kg)
- Hair color:blonde
- Eyes color:aqua
- Country:Ukraine
- City:Novoazovsk
- Religion:Orthodox
- Marital status:divorced
- Children:2 (boy-1990, boy-1990)
- Smoke:no
- Alcohol:Never
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- English language:Using dictionary
- Others foreign languages:No
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i am fond of nature, music, sport, driving, I like active rest and also at the nature; sauna, pool.
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I am kind, optimistic, respectful, accurate, honest, reliable, ready to help, devoted. I think i am always open and honest to people and I treat them like I want to be treated. I am always devoted to the person I am with! I am trustworthy and passionate.
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my dream is to meet a man who can be totally honest and faithful to me. Because I want to have stable relationship, based on trust, love and care for one another.
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Taipei, Taiwan-April 21, 2011-CyberLink Corp. (5203.TW) today released PowerDVD 11, the latest version of the award-winning media playback software for PCs. A universal player, PowerDVD 11 is designed to be the only application you'll need to view Blu-ray and DVD movies, videos, photos and listen to music.
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"While the PC remains central to the digital entertainment experience, portable devices and online content are playing increasingly important roles," said Alice H. Chang, CEO of CyberLink. "PowerDVD 11 smoothes the flow between the PC, smart devices and online content so that users can get the most out of their digital entertainment anywhere."
Media playback wouldn't be complete without top quality audio, and PowerDVD 11 takes this to the next level with a premium 5.1-channel DTS audio experience across all three retail versions, as well as new Dolby Digital Plus support for MP4 files.
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PowerDVD 11 is available online, supporting the following languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Japanese, Korean, Russian and Portuguese. CyberLink offers OEM versions to PC and CE manufacturing customers, while a free trial download is also available from the CyberLink website.
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PowerDVD Remote can be found on the Apple App Store and Android Market supporting the following languages: English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Chinese (Simplified and Traditional), Japanese, Korean, Russian and Portuguese.
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CyberLink Corp is the leader and pioneer in enabling digital multimedia on PCs, CEs and mobile devices through the use of video editing software, video player software, and other multimedia solutions. Backed by a group of high-caliber software engineers, CyberLink owns its core codec and a number of patented technologies. CyberLink has built a solid reputation for delivering high-quality, interoperable, and fast time-to-market solutions that keep our OEM partners on the leading edge. Our business partners include leaders in the PC industry: top-5 desktop and notebook providers, optical drive manufacturers and graphic-card makers. Today, CyberLink's software solutions include: complete applications for Blu-ray Disc playback and creation; digital home entertainment; and touch-enabled media solution. With customers spanning from multi-national corporations to small/medium-sized businesses, and from power users to home users, CyberLink has enjoyed rapid and consistent growth leading to a record breaking IPO in 2000 on the Taiwan Over The Counter Exchange (OTC: 5203). Currently, CyberLink is listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange (ticker symbol: 5203.TW). CyberLink's worldwide headquarters is located in Taipei. To keep up with market demands, CyberLink has operations in North America, Europe and the Asia Pacific region, including Japan. For more information, please visit CyberLink's website at www.cyberlink.com.
Last updated: Apr 7, 2020 at 12:04 pm CDT


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I have a project with events saved on my Mac drive. I want to save this project on my external HD drive to clean space and work on this project later.
I copy pasted Final Cut Events and Final Cut Projects folders to my external HD but I don't know how to restore it into project in FC. Any help is appreciated.


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Create a Website Account - Manage notification subscriptions, save form progress and more.
The City's pension liability has, in fact, gone up over the past five years. At the same time, all bargaining units in the City are now paying their portion of pension costs. Without the $11 million generated by the Utility Users Tax (UUT), the City's existing liability does not go away, meaning the only way to make up the difference would be to eliminate positions and vital services. Effective January 1, 2013, all new hires are subject to a pension program which will reduce long-term retirement costs.
Show All Answers
The UUT is an 8% tax on home and business utilities:
In California, about 150 municipalities and counties have a UUT. Rialto's UUT was originally implemented in 2003 with a five-year sunset on June 30, 2008. When the UUT was approved, the City Council eliminated two taxes - the citywide PERS Property Tax and a Community Facility District (CFD) Tax in Las Colinas - saving property owners several hundred dollars in taxes each year.
The UUT was extended in 2007 for an additional five years, expiring on June 30, 2013. A measure to extend the tax another five years is scheduled for a public vote on March 5, 2013.
The UUT produces $11 million annually - or 22% of total General Fund revenues. It has had an immediate and lasting impact, providing increased:
During its first four years, from 2003 to 2007, the UUT provided funding for the following:
The average Rialto resident pays up to $30 per month as a result of the utility tax.
No. The current 8% tax rate will remain the same if the measure is approved.
Since 2007, general fund revenues have declined by nearly $8.5 million, from $57.8 million to $49.3 million. This is due to a variety of factors, most notably the lingering economic downturn, which has cut into traditional revenue streams. The elimination of redevelopment agencies and the defeat of Measure V have put an additional financial strain on the City, to the point where even with a Utility Users Tax (UUT) extension the City faces a projected budget deficit in the 2014 fiscal year of $7.6 million.
The City Council and staff are committed to operating in a fiscally responsible manner to provide vital and essential services to the City. Since 2007, we have trimmed payroll from 330 to 259 full-time positions, and we are continuing to look at ways to reduce expenses. As with most California cities, public safety represents 70 to 80% of expenditures, making service reductions difficult. Moving forward, options include hiring freezes, additional staffing reductions, and salary and/or benefit reductions.
To avoid a financial calamity, the level of service the City provides must not exceed our means to pay for those services. Without a Utility Users Tax (UUT) extension, our projected FY 2014 revenues would fall to $38.1 million - one-third less than they were in 2007, not counting inflation. The impact of that would be felt city-wide, including:
For every dollar spent on property taxes in Rialto, the City receives 14 cents which, added up, accounts for about 10% of the City's General Fund revenues. The average home value in Rialto declined by 60% during the recession and, as a result, property taxes for most property owners dropped by a sizable amount - this reduced property tax revenues for the City.
The water-rate increase will not pay for ongoing General Fund expenses but will be primarily used to make necessary improvements to the City's aging water and wastewater infrastructure.
Yes, all components of the low-income and senior citizen exemption program will remain the same for the new measure.


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I've answered a few questions in various places over the past several months about Andean spinning, which is a subject very near and dear to my heart. I first learned to spin in the Peruvian community to which my family moved when my sister and I were little, and spinning in the Andean way is totally second-nature to me. So, first, let me give you a little bit of background.
My parents actually met doing fieldwork in Peru as undergraduate students in anthropology and archaeology during the 1960s. My mother had grown up skilled in all manner of handwork, as all the women in her family have been since time immemorial; it was all just a fact of life for her. My father had no such background, but shortly after my parents married, he underwent then-experimental knee surgery, leaving him with restricted mobility for over a year. His mother-in-law, my grandmother, loaned him one of her several looms and got him started learning to weave during that year. By the time I was born, he'd become obsessed with the fiber arts. Some of my earliest memories are of crawling under his loom, watching treadles and heddles and sheds and shuttles.
In the 60s and 70s, there wasn't an awful lot of information around about Andean textiles. You could find some stuff about pre-Columbian items, archaelogical stuff, and a few things which were largely conjectural — technical and academic studies of textiles performed largely by means of deconstructing textiles and theorizing how they might be made with Western methods. My mother being a brilliant ethnographer and my father being an eclectic anthropologist, one of the questions which occurred to them was simple: "Hey, you know, when we were in Peru we saw people doing this. Has anybody gone and asked them how?"
The answer turned out to be "sort of." The bottom line, though, was that there was definitely lots of room for extensive and in-depth research, which really needed skilled textile people to conduct it. And so it was that my family moved to Peru in 1977, and joined the community of Chinchero. Over the years, my parents wrote numerous things about Andean textiles. Of these, my personal favourite is probably "Learning to Weave in Chinchero," in the Textile Museum Journal, 1987. Perhaps more widely read and easy to find is my father's spring 1985 Spin-Off article entitled "Andean Spinning," reprinted in A Handspindle Treasury and quoted for its line about Andean spinners being slower by the hour, but faster by the week, than a wheel spinner. And of course, if you're quick right now, the current issue of Spin-Off features an excerpt from Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez's new book!
Recently, folks have pointed me to a few videos around the web showing Andean spinners in action. In fact, it's because of some of these videos that folks are asking questions! The questions have been great for me, because Andean-style spinning is so second-nature to me that it's hard, sometimes, to know where to start describing it. It might be something like trying to decide how to describe American cooking. "Well… stoves are used. Oh, and microwaves! Ummmmmm, hrmmm, is eating meat typical? Are there regional variations? How do stoves work? Oh, that depends what kind… yeah, there are several kinds… uhhh, also there are backyard barbecues, except that's really grilling and the word 'barbecue' can mean different things depending where you are, and… okay, some people say pizza is like that, but others don't agree…"
For me, Andean-style spindle spinning is as commonplace and ordinary event as ordering pizza. More ordinary, in fact, because even though I have a fourth grader and consequently "pizza" is requested for every meal, I've spent a lot more time spinning than ordering pizza (to his chagrin, perhaps). I learned to do it exactly as described in my parents' writing, and Nilda's. For the Andean spinner, producing yarn is (as Nilda says) a lifelong pursuit. You start early in childhood, with an expectation that you'll be doing it at a production level by the time you're 8-10. Basically, your spindle is always with you.
In a thread on Ravelry's Spindlers group, someone asked about a quote in that Spin-Off article by my friend Nilda, excerpted from her recent book. The quote, from 80-year-old Emilia Yana of Pitumarca, saying "Only when I die may I be done with spinning, although when we die we take our spindles… so perhaps we will continue to spin in the other world…" The poster asked if it was traditional to bury spinners with their spindles. Here's what I said:
Well… it's not uncommon in indigenous Peru for folks to be buried with some grave goods – some of their daily things and/or best loved things or gifts from loved ones. Much of this harkens back to Inca beliefs about death, the afterlife, and the ability of the living to interact with the dead and vice versa. There's quite a bit of complexity to it and all in all I think that a lot of what ends up going with folks depends on the folks who survive them. I think those urges are fairly universal when you're looking at a dead loved one, but the American ways of dealing with death tend to shunt some of that stuff aside thanks simply to logistics.
In the rural Andes, there aren't any morticians or what have you; your family gets you ready to be buried. Caskets are generally borrowed (yes, borrowed) from the church, and used in a funeral ceremony and procession; at the graveyard, the dead are buried without a casket. There is an 8-day mourning ritual undertaken by the bereaved, which includes all manner of things intended to make sure that the beloved dead are settled comfortably in that other world (such as the ritual washing of their garments at a fork in a river, various specific types of feasts and gatherings, and so on). Anyway, most likely anybody who has ever been part of the process of getting a loved one's body ready for burial or what have you can relate to the desire to send them off with grave goods; it is quite primal in my experience. So, it's not just spindles – I can remember childhood friends of mine being buried with treasured toys, and my comadre (like a godmother/grandmother, a complex relationship but a very very important one) we buried with a spindle and some of her very fine weaving, but there were tools she cherished that she wanted the rest of us to have and keep using, and I wove my coming-of-age stuff with her equipment.
Textile production capability is a huge, huge, HUGE part of the identity system for traditional Andean textile producers. I can't stress enough how huge. Traditionally, you would literally be raised from birth to engage in it. As a stage of life thing, the spindle is both the first, and the last, of the textile tools to be taken for granted; it is everpresent. Peruvian spinners do not usually think of themselves as spinners primarily, unless they are truly exceptional at it in some way (I, for example, am somewhere in about the 50th percentile of spinning capability, by Andean standards – adequate, but a long way from being "a spinner"). Instead, spinning is a simple fact of life. Everybody does it, or if they don't do it now for whatever reason, can do it.
Well, or so it was, but started to shift away from being, in the past 30 years or so, with the advent of new roads and modernization and lots of things. For a woman of Emilia Yana's generation in most textile towns, though, it was totally true; she would have been born and wrapped tight in swaddling and bound with handspun, handwoven belts, carried on her mother's back a year or more while her mother had little time to weave but only time to spin. By the time she could sit up she'd have had fiber in her hands; by the time she could toddle, a spindle; by the time she could talk, fiber to pick and clean, and by the age of 5 or so, weaving would have begun. By age 6-12 she'd have been a production spindle spinner; in her teens, she'd have mastered more weaving; by her mid-to-late teens and entry to motherhood, she'd be back to doing lots of spinning again, and as her children grew a little older, eventually more complicated weaving, on until old age starts to make that hard and then back once more to spinning.
But, you know what's interesting? Odds are she'll have identified herself not as a spinner, but as a weaver. Why? Because "weaver" includes all those other things, in the traditional Peruvian definition of most towns (who does what can vary from town to town; there's no real firm and absolute gender role about it, necessarily).
The Spin-Off article is an excerpt from my friend Nilda's new book, which in my admittedly non-neutral opinion, does a great job of showing what the traditional Peruvian textile life is like. It is part of your identity, what you do, what you wear, what you are.
In a thread on Knitter's Review, French spinner Klara tells about a documentary she saw which included spinners in the background of footage from the Andes. This is, indeed, a ubiquitous piece of footage to include, partly because the sight of spinners is so commonplace. Andean spinners, who walk a lot, spin anytime they're on the go, or doing things which may require them to be interrupted periodically. They spin in every moment of possible downtime — they're just always spinning. Well, and plying.
The Knitter's Review thread includes a link to a video of Patabamba women spinning and plying (okay, the video says it was shot in Q'enko, but the women are in Patabamba clothes, which is nearby.) The video is set to music, and the words to the song are "Hey, spinner woman — you teach me to make thread, and I'll teach you to fall in love!" Anyway, here's what I said in that thread:
Andean spinners use low whorl spindles exclusively. Within that, they're generally referred to as a pushka (or Nilda Callañaupa Alvarez of the Center for Traditional Textiles of Cusco spells it phusca — one of the fun things about working with things in a language that has been entirely unwritten until quite recently is that you just don't know how to spell it) and a canti. Pushkas are smaller and lighter than cantis, and are for spinning as opposed to plying; neither is "light" by modern standards. You might use the same spindle (in a medium weight) for both purposes, but the words for doing it remain the same: pushka is the verb to spin, canti is the verb to ply.
There is essentially no low twist Andean yarn; low twist yarn does not wear well and Andean spinning is still a living tradition dealing with the production of textiles intended to be used, a tradition which until recently had little interaction with the industrialized world's acceptance of lower-grade, less-durable textiles. The amount of twist in Andean yarn far exceeds what modern first world standards will generally accept — for the entire life of the yarn, no matter how it's washed and so on, plied yarn will kink up on itself when not stored under tension. However, fabrics woven (or knit) from this yarn wear incredibly well: I have daily-use items over 20 years old which need only minor repairs, and textiles which have seen many generations of wear (such as a child's lliclla or manta which is about 60 years old).
Fiber prep consists of hand-teasing, and pulling cleaned fiber into a roving. This is often a task that children are put to work doing. The majority of the action, however, is in the spinning stages. Typical spinning technique is a very fast double-drafting method which uses an initial long draw followed by subsequent slub correction. Spinners will spin varying lengths of yarn per draw before winding on, but they're generally much longer lengths than modern first world spinners think is feasible with a spindle. By storing spun yarn via walking it up into a butterfly on your hand, it's possible to control very large lengths of yarn — limitless, basically.
For spinning, the spindle is generally started with a flick of the fingers akin to snapping them. Yes, you may run out of spin, but if you do, you walk yarn up and give the spindle more spin again, and keep going before you wind on.
When you have a full spindle, you will either spin another full spindle (thus arriving at a point where you have two full spindles), or, if you only have one spindle, wind off into a tight, coursed outer-feed ball (I tend to refer to these as Peruvian style balls to differentiate them from the loose, non-coursed balls commonly wound by hand in the modern first world, but they're not the only place such balls are wound). Once you have either two balls of singles, or two full spindles, you then wind these together in turn. If you plan to dye the yarn, you wind them into a skein — typically by planting the two spindles in the ground, standing next to them and then using your arms to wrap the skein. This particular trick is a lot easier to do than to describe, although it's not exactly easy until you get the hang of it.
When you get to the end of one spindle, this is where some spinners make use of what Americans now call "Andean Plying," after my father's article entitled "An Andean Plying Technique," in Spin-Off a while ago. Folks with an interest in the cultural aspect of things will perhaps find it worth note that not all spinners use this technique, and those who do use it only sometimes. While clever and convenient in various settings, it is not widely viewed as a production technique; and even where it is used, it tends to be used to wind a two-stranded ball most of the time.
Most significant, in my opinion, is that this technique, and many others like it, are obvious and throwaway things to the Andean weaver (who is by nature a spinner as well), and whose comfort with all things textile-related allows for all manner of tricks such as this to facilitate the completion of textile tasks with simple tools or even no tools at all beyond your own hands. I believe this to be the most significant difference between the Andean textile producer's mindset, and the mindset of modern first-world producers who tend more towards creating tools to handle specialized purposes.
Yarn is dyed in this two-stranded, unplied state — because if you tried to dye it after plying you'd have inadequate penetration due to the amount of twist in both spin and ply which gives Andean textiles the resilience and water resistance they posess (an Andean poncho will shed rain for quite a long time, becoming wet on the outside but not soaking through to the inside, literally for hours).
Experienced spinners then drape the dyed, double-stranded skeins over their arms — inserting one arm through the center — and ply straight from that as it hangs there. I don't recommend this technique to people who are not comfortable with working directly from loose skeins, especially loose skeins of extremely fine, extremely high-twist yarn. Instead, I recommend doing what kids do: rewind the skein into a tight ball that feeds from the outside, with those courses for various other clever reasons I won't get into here, and go.
Neither the pushka nor the kanti has a hook or notch; both have a simple shaft, and a plain round whorl near the bottom of the shaft. The very bottom of the shaft is tapered to a point, so you can easily stick it in the ground to wind off from and so that it reduces the drag when your spindle gets really full and you're in semi-supported mode, as may happen. While a lot of low whorl drop spindle aficionados in the modern first world use a wind-on method which involves going under the whorl and then back up to the top of the shaft, leaving a chunk of yarn floating in midair, Andean spinners simply twirl the yarn up the shaft and secure with one or two half-hitches. This is essential to the real Andean plying technique that allows you to get the speed you want to get the job done.
To start the spindle for plying, place the shaft flat against the palm of one hand, lightly holding it there with your thumb if you need to. Put your other hand flat aginst it, fingertips basically where the spindle is. Put your elbows at about waist height or so, and then take that second hand and push forward, rolling the spindle shaft down the first hand as you go. When it gets to the end, let go, and let double-stranded yarn feed out, stopping it before it hits anything. You can now use that first hand for all manner of manipulations on the yarn if needed, including making a big upside down L out of the yarn so you can control really staggering lengths of yarn doing this… or, as I showed folks at SOAR last year, do the thing we did as girls showing off and goofing off: ply off an Inca terrace or a balcony or what have you.
That trick, incidentally, requires a fair amount of confidence in your yarn, your plying, and your ability to feel the yarn to gauge how much twist is still going at a great distance, because you can't see it. And also your half hitch. Screwing it up when we were kids would mean the spindle would go flying and there'd be a lot of teasing. It was one of a number of silly tricks kids would do.
The most important spindle behaviour required to make this type of production spinning possible, btw, is sustain. The spindle needs to spin for a long, long time. How fast it spins is not necessarily relevant; you can get a spindle spinning faster than most people (outside the Andes and being raised to it from birth anyway) can draft, and what becomes a bottleneck to productivity is if it *stops* spinning.
It doesn't take 20 years of practice to learn to do these things, however — in fact, it takes about a half an hour. But, they're much easier to learn in person, and I find they're sometimes easier for people who have not already learned other spindle techniques which they've then got to set aside a little bit.
Andean spinners get most of their spinning done while on the go — walking from town to town, walking places in general, etc. Indigenous Andean mothers also carry their babies with them pretty much all the time (like, unless their big sister is carrying the baby or something — in the third world, there's often not a good place to put a baby down). Babies are swaddled tightly, and carried on the back in a kheparina, which is like a manta (a square carrying cloth). When babies are awake, they're perched such that they're watching over mom's shoulder. When asleep, the kheparina is relaxed so they're laying down flat. When they're nursing, it's swung around to the front.
Let me know if you want to hear more about knitting; this is already long. Or, of course, if you have questions about what I've said.
One other comment that I neglected to add is that in that video, most of the spinning is actually in slow motion. This actually gets to the heart of one of the challenges involved in learning some of these techniques in the Andes — incredibly tricky things (if you don't know how to do them) happen at very high speeds, and the cultural belief is that the burden of learning is on the student more than the teacher. Really, the best way to learn these things is to be a child growing up with them… or, as my parents have been wont to say, be trained anthropologists with a child to send out into the mix, and then be prepared to learn from children.
As an aside, I once commented to an anthropologist that I'd been raised by anthropologists. "How does that differ from being raised by wolves?" she asked me. "Well," I told her, "I think those raised by wolves are less likely to feel that they're engaging in participatory observation within what's nominally their own culture."
Okay, maybe you have be an anthropologist to find that funny. But I assure you, if you are, it's a knee-slapper. I promise! Just try it out at your next anthropologist party (and, if you're looking for the good anthropologist parties, ask for the ethnomusicologists — they're like professional party researchers).
Anyway, there's a little bit to ponder about Andean spinning. There's tons more stuff to think about, discuss, and show — but as I say, for me, it's a little like answering a question such as "So, tell me about food." I'm always thrilled to discuss the subject, show how it's done, and answer questions. I'd love to have Andean spindle techniques more widely known — they're extremely fast, extremely productive, and, well, they're cheap! They're not tool-dependent; you could leave an Andean weaver on a desert island with a few sticks, one sharp object, and some potential fiber animals, and come back a year later to find her thriving with clothing, shelter, and the roots of civilization.
Historically, there's a reason for that: the high Andes are not a forgiving and easy environment. Near the equator at high altitude, the sun burns but it's still chilly; it freezes many, if not most, nights. Many crops won't grow; there are few trees. Livestock, too, is somewhat limited, as even the grasses are coarse or very short. The extreme mountainous terrain makes things like the wheel of marginal use. The only metals around in any quantity? Gold and silver — pretty, but too soft for tools and weapons. In the rural Andes, everything is stone and clay and textile, and the textile is the key to survival.
But even though that's true, the Andean weaver — who of course spins — doesn't view production as drudgery or anything like that. It is high art, and play, and social activity. As little girls, my friends and I compared ourselves to the big girls we wished to be like, gaining status in our social circle by acquiring new skills, showing off to each other with them, challenging each other. These trends persist throughout one's entire life, and are important even after death — my late best friend's younger sister commented to me that she thought her sister had died before ever mastering a particular pattern, and I vehemently stated that wasn't the case… but couldn't resist saying I learned it first. I remember who taught me every pattern. I remember racing to out-produce my friend Maruja weaving belts for sale to tourists, and who all came to sit with me in the plaza while I worked on my first big weaving. I know how to quietly reinforce a young girl watching me warp, who figures out what pattern I'm warping for. I have spun for the extended-family stash of yarn, and taken my withdrawals from it for my projects over the years. I'm secure in my identity as a human being, the master of my surroundings and my destiny, and I can feel all of that with every toss of the spindle, with the twist in my hands, and the production never stopping, no matter where I am.
I tell people it's like a fidget that's productive; but it's much more than only that. But it's also… nothing at all, and totally ordinary. Yes, I spin (and ply) while I'm walking places, or standing around, or on the phone, or in meetings, or riding in the car, or in a waiting room. I hate dead times when I can't do it; I will always try to find a way to spin, and I'm certain this is because of the Andean upbringing. So this is part, in my opinion, of why Andean techniques work the way they do — every spinner is like that, and every spinner finds ways to be able to spin during all the possible moments one might do so. So imagine if you spun with the time you might spend biting your nails, doodling on a notepad, waiting to stir the soup, waiting to pick up your kid from school, waiting for the bus… you would be surprised what you get done, and how easy it would become!


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September 29th, 2009
by Brad Jacobson
A key senior figure in a Bush administration covert Pentagon program, which used retired military analysts to produce positive wartime news coverage, remains in his same position today as a chief Obama Defense Department spokesman and the agency's head of all media operations.
In an examination of Pentagon documents the New York Times obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request — which reporter David Barstow leveraged for his April 2008 Pulitzer Prize-winning expose on the program — Raw Story has found that Bryan Whitman surfaces in over 500 emails and transcripts, revealing the deputy assistant secretary of defense for media operations was both one of the program's senior participants and an active member.
Whitman's conspicuous presence in these records is notwithstanding thousands of documented communications the Bush Pentagon released but for which names were redacted and an untold number the prior administration successfully withheld after its two-year legal battle with the Times.
Barstow's Times expose revealed a comprehensive, covert Pentagon campaign — beginning during the lead-up to the Iraq War and continuing through 2008 — that shaped network military analysts into what internal documents referred to as "message force multipliers" and "surrogates" who could be trusted to parrot Bush administration talking points "in the form of their own opinions." Barstow's reporting also detailed how most of the military analysts, traditionally viewed as authoritative and independent, had ties to defense contractors with a stake in the same war policies they were interpreting daily to the American public.
The program, ostensibly, was run out of the Pentagon's public affairs office for community relations as part of its outreach and attended to by political appointees, most visibly in these records by community relations chief Allison Barber and director Dallas Lawrence.
But as Barstow noted in his report, in running the program out of that office rather than from the agency's regular press office, "the decision recalled other Bush administration tactics that subverted traditional journalism." In addition to concealing the true nature of the program and the retired military officers' participation in it, Raw Story uncovered another effect of this tactic.
It provided Bryan Whitman, a career civil servant and senior Defense Department official who oversees the press office and all media operations, cover if and when the program was revealed.
Additionally, while political appointees tend to come and go with each new administration, Whitman would be there before the program and he would be there after it. His status as a career civil servant, the fact that he's worked for both Democratic and Republican administrations — something he points out often in public settings and did as well at the close of his phone interview with Raw Story — has also served to buffer him thus far from scrutiny regarding his involvement in this program.
Speaking with Mr. Whitman last Monday, he denied any involvement or senior role in the program, saying he only had "knowledge" of its existence and called the assertion "not accurate."
Asked to explain the hundreds of records showing otherwise, Mr. Whitman replied, "No, I'm familiar with those documents and I'd just beg to differ with you," though he did acknowledge being in "some" of them.
In defending his claim that he wasn't involved in the program, Whitman reiterated numerous times that since it was not run out of his office, it was not under "my purview or my responsibility."
Yet records clearly reveal that Whitman was not only fully aware of the program's intent but also zealously pursued its goal of arming the military analysts with Pentagon talking points in an effort to dominate each relevant news cycle. He was consulted regularly, doled out directives, actively participated and was constantly in the loop.
Documented communications show that Whitman played a senior role in deciding which retired military officers to bring into the program, securing generals to brief the analysts, fashioned talking points to feed them, called analyst meetings to put out Pentagon and Bush administration PR fires, hosted meetings, determined which analysts should attend trips to wartime military sites (such as the detention center at Guantánamo Bay, Cuba) and received frequent, comprehensive reports detailing the analysts' impact on the air, in print and online.
In the Mix and Calling Shots
Records reveal Bryan Whitman as an ever-present force in the retired military analyst program, whether utilizing the analysts to push back against negative news coverage on insufficient body armor for soldiers, the abuse of detainees, setbacks in Iraq, and other incidents and war policies.
In David Barstow's Times expose, a prime example of how the Pentagon "enlisted analysts as a rapid reaction force to rebut" unfavorable coverage was illustrated in an email sent by "a senior Pentagon official" after news broke that troops in Iraq were dying because they had received insufficient body armor: "I think our analysts — properly armed — can push back in that arena."
That senior Pentagon official, documents show, was Bryan Whitman.
In the complete, unedited January 2006 email (pdf link, p. 84) from Whitman (he sometimes used "military analyst" or "analyst" when indicating the plural form "analysts"), he said:
"In addition to all the nice work yesterday, I think it is still a good idea to have [US Army Maj. Gen.] Sorenson do a phone call with the Military Analyst. There were a number of critical Op-Ed pieces that popped up today and I think our analyst — properly armed — can push back in that arena. We can set it all up, just need a time he could do it with a little advance notice to get them all on the phone."
Whitman sent this email directly to members of US Army Office for public affairs and cc'ed Pentagon press secretary Eric Ruff and community relations chief Allison Barber. The full communication details Whitman commending the team's initial efforts to push back against damaging news from the prior day, and defining the strategy and calling for a new military analyst meeting, with the additional directive "[w]e can set it all up."
The communication displays the range of Whitman's involvement, his facility within the program's fluid apparatus, his clout as a senior participant, as well as a full understanding of, and commitment to, its goals.
Other documents expose Whitman's breadth and depth of participation and his direct impact on the program's success.
On March 9, 2005, the day before Vice Admiral Albert T. Church, a Naval Inspector General, testified before the Senate Armed Services Committee about his report on detainee detention operations and interrogation techniques, he briefed the military analysts. Whitman hosted the analyst briefing (pdf link, pages 1-13).
Church led with his report's primary takeaway: "[W]e found no policy that condoned or in any way considered torture" or "condoned or in any way encouraged abuse of detainees." But he also told the analysts that "interrogators were starting to clamp up and we were losing intelligence," a point he mentioned he omitted from the report but for which a "debate" was necessary.
Whitman later opened up the floor to other officials who "might be helpful for you tomorrow as you're having to talk through some of these issues."
A leader from the Office of Detainee Affairs (whose name is redacted) assured the analysts "that from the beginning of the war on terrorism both the President and the Secretary of Defense made clear that all detainees would be treated humanely." An Army official (name also redacted) followed by beginning, "Gentlemen, let me give you kind of the big headline up front."
Whitman closed the military analyst meeting with a "reminder of the ground rules" that "the information is embargoed until 7:00 a.m. tomorrow, with any direct attribution to Admiral Church when the testimony begins and no direct attribution to our other officials."
They were armed with their talking points before Church's testimony even began.
He also invited the analysts to give their "feedback on doing this ahead of an event" as "opposed to after we've announced something," with the additional solicitation "[i]f it works for you under these type of conditions I think we would like to bring you in early on something."
The following day, Church's report and testimony received withering criticism for failing to assess the accountability of senior officials involved in policies that led to abuse. But that wouldn't deter the military analysts, especially one of the Pentagon's most fervent and prolific members, Jed Babbin, former undersecretary of defense during the first Bush administration.
In his March 11, 2005 New York Post op-ed column (pdf link, pages 150-151), the day after Church presented his report to Congress, Babbin published an article titled "Torture Truths," in which he not only parroted talking points from the briefing but added his own personal touch, warning that the United States must "reject the tide of political correctness that threatens to drown our interrogators."
That day, Whitman emailed the article to then Pentagon public affairs chief Larry Di Rita (pdf link, p. 150), making clear that they "need to keep this dog feed."
And with Whitman's help, that's exactly what they did.
In July 2005, records show (pdf link, pages 79-86) press secretary Eric Ruff contacting Whitman about a request from Babbin to interview Brigadier General Jay Hood — then the commander in charge of detainee operations at Guantánamo Bay — when Babbin filled in as host on "The Mark Larson Show," a conservative radio program out of KOGO in San Diego.
Whitman replied, "We can work it," adding, "but I hope you are getting a cut of Babbins [sic] action as his agent."
In a following email to military public affair officials to secure Hood, Whitman assured them, "As you probably know, Jed is very friendly and supportive." Soon, Whitman had not only worked it but sealed the deal, writing to Ruff three days later, "FYI — Hood is on with Babbin."
Throughout the records, Whitman and his team, in return, expressed their fealty to Babbin, realizing a pliant and tireless operative when they see one.
After members of Whitman's press office, including director Roxie Merritt and deputy director Gary Keck, lined up an appearance for Babbin on "The Bill O'Reilly Show" to discuss detainee abuse allegations, Whitman, in a particularly effusive March 2005 email (pdf link, p. 30), commended his crew and gushed, "Good work by all — Babbin will do us well — we should contact him and ask him if he needs anything — I will be happy to talk to him."
Clearly, however, records also show that Whitman and his colleagues knew when it was time to cut loose a wayward analyst.
When 14 marines died in Iraq on August 3, 2005, military analyst Bill Cowan, a Fox analyst and retired Marine colonel, was scheduled to appear on Fox's The O'Reilly Factor. Whitman, along with other Pentagon pubic affairs officials involved in the program, received an email (sent by a redacted source pdf link, p. 3) that Cowan "wanted to give us a heads-up about what he's going to say" and was also requesting "anything and everything we can give him [regarding] the deaths of the marines." Cowan, though, whom Barstow reported had grown frustrated with the Pentagon program, also noted that his comments "may not all be friendly."
In another email, Whitman offered, "I'll talk to him if you like." Within a couple of hours, Whitman also confirmed that he had arranged for one of two generals to speak with Cowan.
Though in this case, Whitman's efforts notwithstanding, Cowan (Barstow also detailed) went too far off script for the Pentagon's liking when he said that America "is not on a good glide path right now."
Cowan told Barstow that the Pentagon "simply didn't like the fact that I wasn't carrying their water" so he was "precipitously fired from the analysts group" after the appearance.
Other documented communications illustrate Whitman's shaping and sanctioning program activities such an August 2005 email (pdf link, p. 95), which shows Whitman as one of four senior Pentagon officials to approve the list of attendees for a scheduled military analyst trip to the Guantánamo Bay detention center.
"I've attached the list discussed and agreed to between Cully, Mr. Smith, Bryan Whitman, and Mr. Haynes, the sender (name redacted) wrote to then head of community relations Allison Barber.
The other three senior Pentagon officials cited include, at the time, acting assistant secretary of defense for public affairs Dorrance Smith, general counsel WJ Haynes and deputy assistant secretary of defense for detainee affairs Charles Cully.
Time and again, records show Whitman in the mix, championing the program.
"The analyt[s] are back from Iraq and starting to make do [sic] their thing — very positive contribution to the reporting," Whitman crowed in this December 2005 email (pdf link, p. 106), on the success of the military analysts latest excursion and subsequent on-air offensive.
And throughout, Whitman is consulted on what messaging to spoon feed them, such as in this October 2006 email from Barber (pdf link, p. 115): "Do we have an official line for the military analysts on this?"
Records also show that Whitman, along with his colleagues in the program, received regular summaries and extensive systematic reports detailing the military analysts impact around the networks, on the radio, in print and online, such as in this excerpt from one such typical email from February 2005 (pdf link, p. 97), addressed (from a redacted source) directly to some of the usual senior officials involved in the program — Di Rita, Whitman, Barber and Ruff — and cc'd to dozens of others:
"TV Broadcast Summary: Analysts Tommy Franks, Jed Babbin, Don Shepperd, Montgomery Meigs and Jack Jacobs were all featured on national news stations (Fox News, CNN and MSNBC). Generally speaking, all agreed that the election was not as violent as expected and that the Iraqi security forces and American troops did a very good job. Several analysts alluded to the fact that there will be more danger ahead. The analyst mood was positive as Iraqi events unfolded. …The attached memo provides information on what each analyst said and how often they appeared on television."
Whitman even proved a creative force in getting the most out of the analysts, seeing opportunities even in a national disaster, such as Hurricane Katrina.
Two days after Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, community relations director Dallas Lawrence wrote to Whitman (pdf link, p. 6), "Bryan, per our chat, at the conclusion of our conference call this afternoon with Bg Hemingway, I pulsed our analysts to see if there would be an interest in a 4:15 call today to discuss the DoD response to Katrina. …There was a universal positive response, several said they have been doing radio interviews throughout the day and have been asked several times, what DoD, specifically, is doing."
Lawrence concluded the email by thanking Whitman and confirming that an RSVP list for the military analyst meeting on Katrina would arrive soon.
Part II of this expose will explore how the Pentagon press office and community relations worked in tandem on the military analyst program, and how "information dominance" drove not only this project but the embed program for reporters, about which Bryan Whitman was admittedly "heavily involved in the process."
(with additional research by Ron Brynaert)


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