text: The Witcher - Trophy Guide ============================================================================== T H E W I T C H E R -Trophy Guide- ============================================================================== By: MrPaladin Email: firstname.lastname@example.com Version: 1.3 (1/24/08) ============================================================================== C O N T E N T S ============================================================================== 1 - Intro 2 - Trophies 2.1 - Chapter I 2.2 - Chapter II 2.3 - Chapter III 2.4 - Chapter IV 2.5 - Chapter V 3 - Rewards 4 - Outro ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 1 - Intro ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ This Guide is for the game "The Witcher" for PC which is based on the book series of a Polish author Andrzej Sapkowski. Just making sure you're in the right place. This guide was written with the patch 1.2 which is the latest patch at the moment. I highly recommend using the latest patch while playing. You can always find the link for patch from the launchers "check for updates" option or from the following link: http://www.thewitcher.com/registration/en/www/patch.html Even though it's just a guide for trophies, there might be some spoilers here for people who have not end the game yet. Just a warning in advance, so don't say I didnt warn you. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2 - Trophies ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The Witcher has in each Chapter two mini boss like monsters which can be killed and their head will be used as a proof that you've slain the monster. These heads can be sold to certain npc's (depending from the Chapter) for a nice amount of orens and experience points and some other stuff they give for the effort (runic stones) However these Monsters can be pretty tough so be well prepared before going to hunt them and since each Chapter has two of them, don't kill them both if you still have the first ones head hanging on your hook, because you can't carry more than one at a time. There's overall 10 Throphies so make sure you've dealt with both of the monsters before advancing to next chapter. These Monster don't look much different from the other monsters, other than being much bigger and having unique names. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2.1 - Chapter I ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chapter I is in the outskirts of Vizima. When you exit the gates which are guarded by the mercenaries, follow the road west and you will soon see a man called "Royal Huntsman" by the fireplace. Talk to him and he tells you about 2 deadly monsters in the Outskirts. First one is some lake monster which is located past the old mill near the lake, and second one's a ghoul which can be found deep inside the crypt (there's only one Crypt in this Chapter) where you must go at one point for the main quest. ========================== Name: Nadir Type: Drowner Reward: 200 Orens ========================== This is the Drowner which the Royal Huntsman wanted dead. It's located past the old mill and spawns only after dark (midnight is your best bet). However if you have done the quest for Haren Brogg called "Strangers in the Night" but not completed it by talking to Haren and earning your reward, no Drowners will spawn anywhere near the lake. After completing the quest and receiving your reward, Drowners start spawning around the lake again. Anyway, Nadir is surrounded by loads of other Drowners and is easy to spot from the crowd because of it's size and unique name. You can either just charge in rambo style and use group style to kill Nadir and all the other drowners at same time, or go in slowly and kill one or two drowners at a time untill you reach Nadir. Easiest way is to just use Aard sign to knock it down and finish it off. Take its head to the Royal Huntsman and receive your reward. ========================== Name: Ozzrel Type: Ghoul Reward: 200 Orens ========================== On my first walkthrough I didn't find this bastard even though I searched the whole crypt. Well, when you enter the crypt for first time to kill the ghouls for Mikul and find the young girls body, you won't have access to all parts of the crypt yet. After doing the quest for Mikul and telling him about it and receiving your reward, Mikul tells you that the other guards wanted to go search for treasure there. Now go enter the Crypt again and you'll notice that the tunnel which was blocked by rocks is clear now but has 2 dead bodies lying there. Follow the path till the end and kill any ghouls you see untill you reach a breakable wall which leads to a larger room where Ozzrel is. It's little harder than what Nadir was so be carefull for he hits pretty hard. I had swallow potion on while fighting it and used Igni to push it back if it got too many hits on me. Take its head to the Royal Huntsman and receive your reward. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2.2 - Chapter II ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chapter II begings in Vizima's Temple Quarter. It starts from you being in Prison. After some mini games and dialog you will be thrown in the city sewers to kill a deadly Cockatrice there, which happens to be first monster of chapter II which gives a trophy. Second one is echinops which is located at the swamp and has couple of spawn points, but is still rather easy to find. Trophies obtained from these monsters should be taken to Vincent Meis who is captain of the city watch. He's located in the city dungeon or outside it at the guard barracks where the guards are training. ========================== Name: Greater Cockatrice Type: Cockatrice Reward: 400 Orens ========================== After being thrown in the city sewers with your new silver sword, you have to check from map for a Cockatrice nest. On your way there a knight will offer his help to you since he's after this Cockatrice as well. Taking him with you or not you will either way receive the Cockatrice head. It's not very tough monster either other than all the knockdowns she does when at low vitality, which can get annoying. Just use fast style and keep the combo going untill she's dead. Take her head to Vincent Meis and receive your reward. ========================== Name: Coccacidium Type: Echinops Reward: 400 Orens ========================== This Echinops can be a real challenge. The swamp itself is pretty dangerous overall so it's good to enter the swamp when you've done most other quests in temple quarter and gained levels. This monster can often be found near the road to east from the pits which you have to clear from drowners for Vaska. I've heard it can spawn in other places too but I tried to do some scouting around the swamps and it always spawned for me at the roads near the pits. Maybe depending on day time it can spawn in other places. I try to confirm this as soon as possible. When it spawns near you make sure you run next to it and start attacking, if you just click on it from distance, Geralt will stand few yards away from the echinops and won't attack it. So make sure you run next to it. Use Igni sign since echinops are weak against fire and incineration. If you have the talent for Igni that it has chance to incinerate, then it will make this monster much easier. Use Strong Style and cast Igni when you have the endurance and you shouldn't have much problems against it, swallow potion would be nice too if you notice it doing too much damage on you. Take its head to Vincent Meis and receive your reward. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2.3 - Chapter III ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chapter III takes place in Trade Quarter but also Temple Quarter and Swamp. Both of the Beasts which give a throphy are loacted at the Swamp. But this time the monsters roaming around there are little more dangerous than last time. First Monster is a female Wyvern, which is located north of the map on a small island called Wyvern island, only Wyverns allowed there! And second beast is a Wolf which is located at the Golem Cemetery. It patrols around there and is leading a small pack of wolves. You will meet the Royal Huntsman again in the Trade Quarter, day times he's near the guard barracks and he seems to want these two beasts dead. ========================== Name: Moa Type: Royal Wyvern Reward: 600 Orens ========================== Mrs Moa can be found in the swamp. It's little hard to give any accurate description of the location, it's way up north, easiest way to get there is to go north from Golem cemetery just keep on going north untill you see island full of wyverns. When you spotted them, don't charge in... they'll surround you and kill you pretty fast. Better move in slowly, when one or two of the Wyverns attack, just run back a little and finish them off there so you wont get more and more Wyverns attacking you. When you're against Moa use strong style and don't break your combo, just keep it going untill she's dead. Moa's very easy when alone, but if she has two or more wyverns helping her, it'll be very hard. Swallow was only potion I had active during this fight. Take her head to the Royal huntsman and receive your reward. ========================== Name: Voref Type: Wolf Reward: 600 Orens ========================== Voref is easy to find, It's around the golem cemetery with small pack of wolves, it may not always be found right middle of the cemetery but many times I've seen it walking around the swamp there. I've also never seen Voref there in mornings or at noon but always during dusk and night. Anyway, it's very easy fight, the pack of wolves die very fast with group style, after the smaller wolves are dead change to strong style against voref and it should die pretty fast. Now unlike other normal wolves who seem to die faster with steel sword than a Silver sword, Voref takes much more damage from a silver sword. Take its head to the Royal Huntsman and receive your reward. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2.4 - Chapter IV ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chapter IV is located in beautiful Murky Waters. The place is more dangerous than It looks. There's a nice little village which has it's own chief called Tobias Hoffman. Tobias has his own hut in the village where he spends most of his time. He tells you about two monsters which he wants dead. First one's some Fish Man located in fields near the ruined mill and Second one's a Cemetaur in the field crypt. ========================== Name: Teyu Type: Vodyanoi Priest Reward: 800 ========================== Teyu is located south from the ruined mill in fields, he should be walking around a small pond there with 2 Dagon Worshippers. When you attack him better get rid of the Worshippers first since they die much faster than Teyu. If you use group style, you might get lucky and kill one of the worshippers before Teyu starts healing everyone to full health. Remember to use Igni sign, specially if it can incinerate as they are extremely weak to it. When the worshippers are dead, use Strong style and steel sword and rest should be easy. His heals are pretty powerful and it can get annoying when he keeps healing himself to full health, but he doesn't have much vitality and incineration really hurts him. Take his head to Tobias Hoffman and receive your reward. ========================== Name: Ureus Type: Cemetaur Reward: 800 orens ========================== Ureus lives inside the crypt in fields. The Crypt is swarming by all sorts of undead, so I recommend using some necrophage oil on your silver sword, there's also some alps and fleders but they shouldn't cause much trouble. Ureus is in a small room deep inside the crypt. I've heard that many people haven't found him even after searching the whole crypt. So, when you enter inside, there's a breakable wall which you destroy with Aard. Then turn right and you'll enter a large room, back of the room is a small little passage which you may not notice unless checking from map, enter the passage and kill any undead you see. When you're near the end of the tunnel, there's a breakable wall, behind that wall is a small room where Ureus is waiting. Ureus is huge and hits pretty hard, but if you have necrophage oil on your weapon, it should be very easy fight. Silver Sword and Strong style is most effective against it. Take its head to Tobias Hoffman and receive your reward. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 2.5 - Chapter V ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Chapter V is very chaotic, it was hard to take your time in that chapter like in the previous ones. Most of your time you'll be spending on slaying hordes of drowners which never leave you alone and won't let you enter the caves since they keep you in combat. And they're all over the swamp cemetery >_< Anyway, Vesper and Lilly are this chapters wanted monsters, they can both only be found at nighttime, and are very close to each other. They're both on the cemetery island (same place as Striga's Crypt) in Swamp Cemetery. Their heads can be taken to the good old Royal Huntsman who is spending his time in the Druid's Cave (also in Swamp Cemetery). ========================== Name: Vesper Type: Garkain Reward: 1000 Orens ========================== Garkains freak me out, they're damn ugly and their huge brain bust out of their head, being too smart can cause that. Vesper is on the small cemetery island where striga's crypt is, but he'll be there only at nighttimes. It's standing at the road when you enter the island so you won't need to look far to find it. Vesper is pretty easy alone but the thing is, It has four garkains and four Wraiths around it. You can try to walk in slowly and pull couple of them outside the island and finish them off there so you won't pull more and more monsters and get killed. Or you can do it same way as me, just apply some vampire oil on your silver sword and go kill them all at same time, it's the easiest way, also black blood is handy if they manage to stun and drink your blood. And be careful, behind the garkains is Lilly and six Bruxa. So yes, at nighttime that Cemetery is the meetings spot of all the undead. Just make sure you wont pull too many monsters when you run in, unless you sure you can handle them all, and you don't want to kill Lilly and Vesper at same time since you can carry only 1 head at a time. Take its head to the Royal Huntsman and receive your reward. ========================== Name: Lilly Type: BRuxa Reward: 1000 Orens ========================== This group can be tricky, six Bruxa and Lilly. But Vampire oil works wonders! If you don't have vampire oil, it's okay, you should still manage. Use Silver Sword of course and just charge in, this group is hard to kill in small packs since they're pretty much hugging each other. Use Group style and get rid of them all at the same time, they might manage to get couple of nice hits on you but they die fast. Lilly alone was suprisingly weak actually. Take her head to the Royal Huntsman and receive your reward. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 3 - Rewards ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Once you've slain three monsters and brought the throphies as proof, you will be rewarded with a Svarog Rune Stone. Once you've slain five monsters and brought the throphies as proof, you will be rewarded with a Perun Rune Stone. If you managed to gather all ten trophies, when you bring last head to the Huntsman in Druid's cave, talk to him again and he'll thank you for your help and will reward you with two very powerful swords. Steel Sword and a Silver Sword, but you can only choose one. Mahakaman Rune Sihill Damage 100% Penetrates opponent armor Steel Sword ================================= Moonblade Damage 100% Silver Sword They're both unique looking and very powerful, choose wisely ;) Though I must say, Moonblade can only be obtained this way. So much better to take it over the Mahakamn Rune Sihill. Because you can get the Rune Sihill in few other ways as well. When you complete the quest "Won't Hurt a Bit", Zahin will in the end reward you with a Mahakaman Rune Sihill. Another option would be the quest called "Mud and Velvet", When you've found one or two of the cousins, go see Captain Jean Pierre and tell him you found only two cousins, He'll reward you with some bombs and wants you to give him the remaining 300 Orens. If you refuse he'll attack you, and is wielding a Mahakaman Rune Sihill. Be careful though, he hits like a truck. The Rune Sihill can also be found in Fields during Chapter IV, it's next to a corpse there but this was patched so it can be found there only in unpatched game. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 4 - Outro ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ For any corrections, questions, suggestions or any feedback.. please contact me at email@example.com And if you mail me, please put "The Witcher" or "Trophy guide" as subject or I might delete it mistaking it as spam. Also, if you notice any errors in my english language, forgive me as it's not my mother's langauge. ================================= Copyright ================================= Copyright (c) 2007-2008 MrPaladin You are not allowed to copy or edit this faq for anything but your private use. Use of this guide on any other web site or as a part of any public display is strictly forbidden without my permission. If you wish to acquire permission, feel free to email me.


text:
Kurzweg T.P., Levitan S.P., Davare A.J., Kahrs M., Chiarulli D.M.
University of Pittsburgh, US
Keywords: behavioral modeling, MEMS simulation, mixed-signal multi-domain simulation, modified nodal analysis, piecewise linear simulation, system simulation of microsystems
The creation of simulation tools for mixed-signal, multi-domain (MSMD) systems is challenging because these systems span the physical domains of electronics, photonics, fluidics, and mechanics, as well as multiple orders of magnitude in both time and length scales. The difficulties are compounded by the fact that computational performance and accuracy of the simulations are directly related to the level of detail in the underlying models. In this paper, we present a component-based multi-level mixed-signal design and simulation environment that provides a solution to the problem of accurate modeling and simulation of multi-domain devices at the system level. This is achieved by partitioning the system into components that are modeled by analytic expressions at the behavioral level. These expressions are reduced via linearization into regions of operation for each element of the component and solved with Modified Nodal Analysis (MNA) in the frequency domain, which guarantees convergence. At the system level, a discrete event simulator sends composite signals between components and manages multiple timescales and feedback among components. For electrical and mechanical components, interaction is via physical connectivity [1] while optical signals are modeled using complex scalar wavefronts [2], providing the accuracy necessary to model micro-optical components. Simulation speed vs. simulation accuracy can be tuned by controlling the granularity of the regions of operation of the devices, sample density of the optical wavefronts, and/or the time steps of the discrete event simulator. The methodology is specifically optimized for loosely coupled systems of complex components such as are found in multi-domain microsystems. Fig. 1(a) and (b) show the linearization of a single CMOS transistor. Each non-linear element in a component can be linearized into regions of operation by an automatic hyperplane generator procedure [3]. These models, together with linear models can be used in a SPICE compatible netlist (Fig. 1(b)) for use in our general MNA piecewise linear behavioral solver. The use of a general PWL solver for both electrical and mechanical simulation decreases the computational task and allows for a trade-off between accuracy and speed. The additional advantage of using the same technique to characterize electrical and mechanical models allows us to easily merge both technologies in complex devices that interact in mixed domains. We use the above techniques to perform system-level simulations of multi-domain microsystems. Fig. 2 shows one pixel of a Grating Light Valve (GLV) display system based on a square well diffraction MEM component [4]. Each pixel is composed of a set of anchored micro-mechanical ribbons, suspended above the silicon substrate. A pixel is operated by electro-static attraction pulling alternating ribbons toward the substrate a distance of * of the wavelength of the incident light. This is seen in Fig. 2(c). When this occurs, the optical power is diffracted and steered through the optical system for projection. Fig. 3(a) and (b) show the CMOS driver which was modeled with the lineaization technique and the piecewise linear input and output waveforms. This driver is used to electro-statically drive the GLV beams. Fig. 3(c) shows the dynamic response of the GLV ribbon driven at a high switching frequency. Note, the high stiffness of the structure gives it a fast response time. However, under this stimulus, resonant effects are observed in the displacement of the nodes. The visible pattern of underdamped oscillations shows that the stiffness and the degree of damping affect the maximum operating speed of this device. Fig. 4 shows the multi-domain GLV system in operation. The graphs show voltage vs. ribbon displacement and ribbon displacement vs. optical power captured in a detector centered on the +1st diffractive mode. The contour plots show the optical diffraction pattern at different points in time. Table 1 shows system simulation time as a function of both the optical mesh resolution and the number of PWL segments in the ribbons. The mechanical subsystem time includes the initialization of the MNA as well as the solution times for the entire movement for the 2.4ms stimulus. The optical subsystem time includes both the scalar propagation time and the detector power integration time. The system time includes the electrical simulation of the CMOS driver, as well as initialization overhead. What is interesting to note is the range of the simulation times: 3 seconds for the 5-element, 128×128 case to 168 seconds for the 41-element, 512×512 case and the commensurate increase in fidelity of the resulting optical waveforms. What this illustrates is that we can use the same behavioral descriptions, in the same system-level simulation environment, to perform both interactive what if design exploration as well as more detailed investigations of higher order effects by simply changing the simulation parameters (e.g., optical mesh size, number of mechanical nodes, number of regions of operation for non-linear elements, and minimum timestep) without recourse to lower level simulation tools.
Journal: TechConnect Briefs
Volume: 1, Technical Proceedings of the 2003 Nanotechnology Conference and Trade Show, Volume 1
Published: February 23, 2003
Pages: 288 - 291
Industry sectors: Advanced Materials & Manufacturing | Sensors, MEMS, Electronics
Topic: MEMS & NEMS Devices, Modeling & Applications

subset: commoncrawl


text:
2012 began with Angelina Jolie's war porn, and just got worse from there.
Guess who's the Balrog. |
Speaking of never-ending wars,WW2 is apparently still on. Did you know that someone "won" it not once, but twice? The answer may surprise you. Or maybe not. Either way, 50 years later the roles had been rearranged, with the once-and-present Nazi allies becoming the Atlantic Empire's new best friends, while Hitler's enemies are smeared as Nazis reborn.
No doubt that was the intent of an "artistic prank" wherein two NGO drones got a bunch of Serbian political parties to endorse a program originally written by Joseph Goebbels. Left out of the reports was the insignificant detail that all the parties involved were pro-Empire. When facts get in the way of a good story, too bad for the facts.
Prior to the May elections in Serbia, I put together a quick guide to political parties involved. The distinctions between them were smaller than it appeared, though. On St. George's Day, the Dragon won. Sure, it seemed like a small victory when the sycophantic Boris Tadic lost the presidency to Tomislav "Undertaker" Nikolic. Soon, however, the darkest suspicions about the "progressives" and their partners in crime began to seem downright benign compared to the actual betrayal in the works.
While as late as October is still seemed as if the new-old government in Belgrade was playing stupid, they soon demonstrated they weren't playing at all. Even as the Empire proclaimed an amnesty for murderers of Serbs, Belgrade signed "agreements" and promised "platforms" to recognize the Empire's monument to evil in fact, if not in name.
The besieged Serbs in Kosovo appealed to Moscow for protection, and organized a transparent, democratic plebiscite where they overwhelmingly voted against becoming "Kosovians". While Moscow offered moral support - but not much more - Belgrade responded with betrayal, and the Empire with violence.
Adding insult to injury, throughout the year, the Empire that no one could supposedly resist was revealed as a bumbling bully. Its contempt of decency was openly on display - not just when the Serbs were concerned, but also in other places it had occupied. Its propaganda has been having less effect. The invincibility it asserted was a result of self-deception and deliberate misunderstanding. How could such hubris and stupidity in service of twisted values continue to dominate? Not because the Empire itself is strong, I think, but because its victims are weak, infested by Empire's death cult.
The hostility and downright bigotry towards the Serbs can be explained in part by money, but more so by a lust for power, and a fair bit of historical baggage. Forcing a "gay pride parade" on places like Belgrade had nothing to do with actual homosexuals, or human rights and values, but everything to do with a display of power.
Why the Serbian politicians decided to outdo their predecessors in groveling is still a riddle; perhaps because they are spineless cowards, perhaps because they really believe the Empire means them well - even though it manifestly does not. Either way, at the end of 2012, treason in Serbia is still a profitable endeavor. How long that shall remain the case, I do not know.
Back in April, as I profiled the Serbian political scene, I wrote:
"The Serbs have displayed remarkable resilience. After a century of fighting horrific wars; surviving several attempts to obliterate them physically and culturally; social engineering seeking to obliterate their identity, language, culture and history; demonization designed to crush their spirit; communism and banksterism nearly wiping out their economy and enterprise - they are still hanging on. Many others would have broken long ago."It may appear right now that this Empire will succeed where others have repeatedly failed.
But I think not.


text:
Snagless shielded Cat.6 patch cable ideal for use in noisy environments where extra shielding is required. Ethernet cables use twisted pair wires to reduce crosstalk, interference and noise pickup, using a shielded lead can increase the noise immunity and data security providing the shields are correctly terminated. FTP foil twisted pair construction with 26AWG full copper cores.
Typical uses: Shielded network cables, high speed internet and LAN connections between networking devices, audio video and HDMI over ethernet.
*See terms and conditions for details
Registered in England No 1521727
Registered Office: Ground Floor, Baird House, Seebeck Place, Knowlhill, Milton Keynes, MK5 8FR
Tel 0207 100 4874
Parcels and Visitors are NOT accepted at this address.
© Copyright 1980-2024 TVCables All rights reserved.


text:
Mikey wrote: I wrote earlier about Ransom's hypocrisy and have not yet had a good response. When he first wrote this recycled piece (April 2012) I asked him why he did not also condemn the person who stole the emails from the East Anglia. As the NYT link shows, there was condemnation of Gleick's action from those on all sides of the political spectrum.- Caught Red-Handed on Climate Change
Dear Comrade Mikey,
Why not admit that instead of Gleick making a "serious ethical error," that he committed a crime? Stealing is always wrong.
The irony is that you ask me to condemn both sides, which I do, saying stealing is always wrong. And then you try to let your guy off by sending me a link which you say proves that Glieck didn't commit a crime. Call it what you want, but what Glieck did was wrong.
Who's the hypocrite, Mikey? Or are you just confused like the time you wrote to my publisher and accused me of the made-up liberal crime of "self-plagiarism" because you didn't like that I re-published a piece under a different headline?
Don't forget to catch Ransom Notes Radio, Monday-Friday, on the internet or via one of our local Salem stations listed right here @2PM-3PM ET.
The link you sent me to the Columbia Journalism Review, by the way, basically was unable to come to any conclusion as to whether Glieck might be convicted of a crime if he were a journalist. And, incidentally, he's not a journalist; he supposedly an "ethical" scientist.
About the best Columbia could say was that a jury might acquit him. The same could be said about how the law applied to OJ Simpson. That doesn't mean OJ didn't commit a crime however.
I don't trust climate "science" because people like you make things up, apply double standards, hyperventilate and cover-up the fact that climate guru Al Gore and other politicians seek to pass legislation that will make them rich under the "settled science" of climate change. You can't blame people for having second thoughts about global warming when all the solutions proposed benefit a narrow group of people.
And you call me a hypocrite?
Don't ask me to believe in your phony philosophy when you won't.
Because if you really believed in your own arguments, you'd be more outraged than I am that guys on your side are more interested in making a buck than in sound policies.
Supercarp wrote: I'm trying to understand the rationale for not believeing that global warming is happening. If you think that all the people who believe it stand to gain monetarily, that is very far from the truth. I don't see how a person can be concerned about the economic future of our country for our children and not be concerned about the future of the planet. - Caught Red-Handed on Climate Change
Dear Comrade Carp,
We're all concerned about the future of the planet. Just because we disagree with you doesn't mean we aren't.
I question why sketchy, poor science is allowed to front for the global warming crowd if their arguments are so valid. They put forward what are essentially hypothesis like they are conclusions and shout down anyone who asks questions about it.
We see scientists making claims that "polar bear cannibalism," for example, is on the rise because of global warming. Or that every extreme weather event is the result of global warming, as if we have never had extreme weather events.
General Ritter von Leeb once remarked of Hitler on his march to power: "A businessman whose wears are good does not need to boost them in the loudest tones of a market crier."
If the arguments are so sound, why the hyperbole?
More Freedom wrote: Ransom is too generous to our politicians here. The net present value of federal government promises is well over $100 trillion. This is more than the value of everything we own (both public and private) in the US. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704288304576170974226083178.html
- Surviving the Government Super Storm
Dear Freedom,
You are getting GDP confused with debt.
I've written extensively about the implied liabilities that the federal government has underwritten, like student loans, mortgages, the entire US banking system, social security.
But the article you commented on had nothing to do with that.
Instead, the article concentrated on what we can do to restore GDP growth in the US, which would then allows us the ability to pay down some of this debt.
Doug3370 wrote: It must be kept in mind that population cannot indefinitely maintain an internal growth rate of 2 percent. Or 1 percent, for that matter. With a current population of well over 300 million, we have to wonder. Our farmland is not expanding at 2 percent a year. Our climate is not improving at 2 percent a year; in fact, it's getting worse. Before looking to expand the population, we might see if we can do better with the ones we've got now. Some educational reforms, perhaps? Better communication on the risks and drawbacks of obesity, and how it can be avoided? - Surviving the Government Super Storm
Dear Comrade Ugh3370!
Ugh. This is liberalism at its worst.
Underneath the pseudo-scientific jargon- "that population cannot indefinitely maintain an internal growth rate of 2 percent"- are posing pseudo-socialist solutions that pretend that the government controls (or should control) all things like population growth and obesity.
Want the population to grow? Pass a law.
Want people to slim down? Pass another law.
Then pass more laws to deal with the consequences of the laws you passed in the first and second instance. Hire lobbyists and raise taxes so you can pay the lobbyists to make contributions to you candidacy so that you can pass more laws when laws numbered 1-5 don't work.
Repeat process.
Cody7 wrote: Everyone seems to enjoy the attacking of unemployment payments as if this is the one thing that is destroying the US economy. Try living on $214 dollars a week. That's what unemployment pays in Arizona. That's the maximum. Try sending out over 10 resumes a week for 2 years and getting zero responses. I am a Collection Manager with a Masters in Finance, but I am over the age of 65. Get the picture now. There must be thousands of people over the age of 45 that have been unemployed for more than 2 years. So please stop this baloney about all of us freeloaders destroying the economy. - Surviving the Government Super Storm
Dear Comrade Cody,
Data suggests that unemployment payments contribute to unemployment
"We find fairly robust evidence suggesting that the actual generosity of UI [Unemployment Insurance] does matter for regional unemployment," wrote authors from the Swedish Ministry of Finance and Uppsala University. "Increases in the actual replacement rate contribute to higher unemployment as suggested by theory. We also show that removing the wage cap in UI benefit receipt would reduce the dispersion of regional unemployment."
I've been unemployed before, like most everyone has, and appreciate your plight. But unemployment payments make it harder for you to get a job because they inflate the number of unemployed which damps demand for goods and services that might create gainful employment for you.
I'm not sure why liberal economists and social scientists refuse to yield the settled science on unemployment insurance.
But it's probably because so many of them are instead studying polar bear cannibalism.
Also, ten resumes a week really doesn't seem like much. You can send ten a day in between episodes of Gilligan's Island.
I asked a researcher familar with Uppsala University about your job search. "There are winner's" she said, "and then there is this guy." ["Det finns vinnare," sade hon, "och sedan finns den här killen"]
AJhil wrote: I'm a liberal gentleman & I didn't weep. You're just another conservative true believer who swallows right wing fallacies without doing rudimentary fact checking. Otherwise you'd know that in the l930s the average American male had a life expectancy at birth of 58 years (62 for women) primarily because of high infant & early childhood mortality during that period. Men who survived to adulthood (age 21) had a 54% chance of going on to reach age 65, and those who did could expect to collect SS benefits for an additional 13 years! By 1940 8.3 million Americans were 65 or older & qualified for SS. Your calumny of FDR is pure BS. (By the way, FDR himself didn't set the age limit. The Committee on Economic Security did.) - The Democrats Want You to Die
Dear Comrade AJ,
Wash the numbers however you'd like but life expectancy for people who get social security has gone up.
Let's look at the numbers- which you copied and pasted almost directly from the Social Security Administration web site.
Life Expectancy Tables by Decade from SSA
Decade |
Male Pct Age 21 Reaching Age 65 |
Female Pct Age 21 Reaching Age 65 |
Male Life Expectancy aged 65 |
Female Life Expectancy aged 65 |
1940 |
53.9 |
60.6 |
12.7 |
14.7 |
You can see from the table above that life expectancy has gone up. However, that is offset by the fact that people are paying into Social Security longer. The big problem is that population growth has slowed as even it's creators- including Roosevelt- knew it would.
One of the earliest pieces of literature that contributes to the history of Social Security is Time Magazine's Pie from The Sky, an account of a House Committee hearing called to deal with "reforming" Social Security. The hearing was held four years after passage of the Act and before even a single check was written to old age beneficiaries. The Time article is stunning not because it gives us a quaint, sun-dappled and leaded window into the Norman Rockwell past, but because it provided a pinpoint, spotlight prediction of the acrimonious future of a failed federal program.
It predicted, amongst other things, that by 1980 the "the bond interest" on Social Security "will in turn have to be met by the Treasury, through other taxes." That is, that the insurance "scheme" was really just a Ponzi scheme that would collapse in time if other taxes to fund it weren't raised in the future. In fact, the prediction was off by just three years. The solvency of the program was addressed in landmark legislation pushed through by President Ronald Reagan and Speaker Tip O'Neil in 1983. That legislation though only amounted to a twenty-year truce in the Social Security war. The truce ended at the turn of this century.
The Time article also said that the federal government would borrow the money accumulated from the Social Security "reserve" to finance deficit spending and ultimately the public would have to pay the bill:
"[L]ast week came a fresh round of ammunition from Liberal Economist John T. Flynn. Writing in Harper's on "The Social Security 'Reserve' Swindle," plain-talking Mr. Flynn declared:
"Obviously the government cannot pay adequate pensions if it insists on 'borrowing' most of the old age taxes and spending them to support the government. The whole thing is a disguised tax levied upon the lowest income groups under the pretense of old age pension premiums. No government would dare support itself out of a payroll tax if it honestly proclaimed its purpose."
Time wrote that already, in 1939, the president and Congress were considering a fifty-percent increase in Social Security taxes to finance expanded benefits, even as qualified beneficiaries doubted that they'd live to see any benefit from the program. "But for old folks," wrote Time, "Social Security, which will not begin paying monthly old-age insurance benefits for those over 65 until 1942, is still pie in the sky."
Tun Tavern wrote: The GOP fought like crazy against giving everyone health care...But fight like crazy to give everyone guns...So which party is it that wants death? Given that my side isn't willing to bow down to the bible, do you REALLY think we'll bow down to the constitution? Both the bible and the constitution are merely ancient texts fetishized by a dying demographic. What we can't subvert, we can circumvent.- The Democrats Want You to Die
Dear Comrade Tun,
Ask yourself that question after listening to this public service announcement from the Milwaukee County Sheriff, David Clarke.
Milwaukee County Sheriff David Clarke –
You Have A Duty To Protect Your Family
Archie1954 wrote: Sometimes I wonder if only the article is foolish or if the author is too. This is one of those cases. Benghazi is an example of systemic failure, not the failure of the person in charge but the failure of the American way of missing the point constantly and consistently. Why would an American diplomatic agency be functioning with moderate security in a country which has just been ravaged by Western nations with US support and weapons? Why indeed? Because for some reason Americans simply can't come to the realization that the citizens of these nations don't like being killed by bombs, they don't appreciate their infrastructure being bomber back to the stone age, they dislike the Americans strutting on their graves afterwards. - Caution: These Politicians May Not Be Human
Dear Comrade Archie,
As you correctly point out any administration can lose people to terror attacks.
But that's not what's in dispute here.
The question is why the Obama folks lied about the entire affair.
The only systemic breakdown here is the systemic breakdown of liberal ideology that thought Libyans would be strewing the road with flower petals for Americans as Obama became their "Great Liberator."
There's a material difference between winning a Nobel Peace prize and being a true peacemaker.
It's too bad Obama hasn't found that out yet.
Jon Stewart said (Jon Stewart Rips Republicans At Benghazi Hearings): Look, I'm not saying Hillary Clinton or the State Department are blameless here. We need a thorough inquiry and a critical analysis of the serious misjudgments, bureaucratic inaccuracies and pure incompetence that led to the Benghazi tragedy. But this here committee weren't it. - Caution: These Politicians May Not Be Human
Dear Comrade Stewart,
You used to be funny. But now you're just kind of a d!©k.
Canetoad wrote: John, have you factored in the costs of reducing environmental, economic and social regulations. How do you account for the external costs of reducing regulation, such as increases in health care costs due to increased pollution or loss of productive fisheries due to unregulated agricultural runoff. Let's factor in the cost of the GFC, which came about partly because of inadequate regulation. In case after case the costs of reducing regulation far outweigh any short term savings to our economy. While you say we need "some regulation", you fail to elucidate what regulation and how it will affect the bottom line and what the external costs of reducing said regulation would be. -Obama's Real Cost: $19 Trillion in Missing GDP
Dear Comrade Toad,
I'm not writing a whitepaper here. It's just an op-ed.
You can elucidate and calculate the cost of "GFC."
But if you wanted to actually do anything about the global financial crisis Dodd-Frank wasn't the solution.
"In the aftermath of the crisis, the banking sector has become more concentrated, and the risk posed by too-big-to-fail banks has, if anything increased," Joseph E. Stiglitz, a Nobel Prize-winning economist and former Clinton administration advisor, told the Senate Banking Committee in August according to the New York Times.
The law contains over 3900 pages that if stood end to end would reach three times the height of the Empire State building. Even still, it will be years before regulators fully decide how to interpret the new rules and regulations. That process will require even more pages to explain. In fact, the law firm Leonard, Street and Deinard maintains the web site Dodd-Frank.com with 20 bloggers dedicated to helping clients understand- or predict- the complexities of the law.
The cost is easier to pin down. The Congressional Budget Office says that new fees imposed by Dodd-Frank on clients will cost $27 billion, while new regulatory offices will cost another $6 billion. Deposits and insurance will cost an additional $15 billion.
Especially hard hit, says the ABA, are the community banks that don't have the personnel resources to devote to compliance issue required under Dodd-Frank. "Managing this tsunami of regulation is a significant challenge for a bank of any size, but for the median-sized bank, with only 37 employees, it is overwhelming."
"The weight of these new rules creates pressure to hire additional compliance staff instead of customer-facing staff," says the ABA. "It means more money spent on outside lawyers, reducing resources that could be directly applied to serving a bank's customers and community. In the end, it means fewer loans get made, slower job growth, and a weaker economy."
Dodd-Frank also requires banks to hold on to more capital, leaving less money for loans and for shareholders. Suddenly banks aren't such an attractive investment anymore, not because of the risk involved, but because government is the new sheriff in town and has reduced the amount of profit potential for a bank. And let's be clear: Profits reduce risks for banks; losses increase those risks.
Oh yeah: What was the point of Dodd-Frank?
It was supposed to make too-big-to-fail go away.
Dodd-Frank has put too-big-to-fail on steroids.
E. James wrote: John, another good column, but we who read it are the "choir".- Obama Says "Nevermind" on Deficits
Dear E,
So are you saying I should run for US Senate? Or should you?
I say you.
McGovern wrote: By the way, I miss the normal Sunday morning digest of progressive comments torn to shreds by Ransom. And Doctor Roy replied: Maybe the progressives are getting so smart that not even Ransom can deal with them.- Obama Says "Nevermind" on Deficits
Dear Comrade Doctor,
Not so fast. "Not even Ransom can deal with them"?
Ha! The great and powerful?
Maybe a day late, but I made up for it.
That's it for this week...oh, and see you on the radio


text:
A new study shows that elderly patients who underwent endoscopy within one day of presentation for peptic ulcer bleeding had a two-day shorter hospital stay and were less likely to require upper gastrointestinal surgery than patients who did not receive endoscopy within the first day of presentation. Researchers from University Hospitals Case Medical Center in Cleveland, Ohio, note that unless specific contraindications exist, the data supports the routine use of early endoscopy for upper gastrointestinal bleeding.
The study appears in the August issue of GIE: Gastrointestinal Endoscopy, the monthly peer-reviewed scientific journal of the American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy (ASGE).
A peptic ulcer is a break in the lining of the stomach or duodenum, which is the beginning of the small intestine. The leading cause of peptic ulcers is an infection of the stomach by bacteria known as Helicobactor pylori. Other common causes are the chronic use of anti-inflammatory medicines and cigarette smoking. A peptic ulcer may bleed when either stomach acid or the ulcer penetrates and disrupts a blood vessel located just beneath it. Upper endoscopy, a procedure in which a thin, flexible tube with a light and a camera on the end is inserted through the mouth to help visualize the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum, is performed by a physician to diagnose and treat peptic ulcer bleeding. Upper endoscopy also helps physicians evaluate symptoms of persistent upper abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, or difficulty swallowing. It is the best method for detecting the cause of bleeding from the upper gastrointestinal tract and is more accurate than X-ray in detecting inflammation, ulcers, and tumors of the esophagus, stomach, and duodenum.
In 2006, there were an estimated 220,000 hospital discharges for upper gastrointestinal bleeding, with more than 118,000 of these attributed to peptic ulcer disease. Among patients with bleeding ulcers, the inpatient mortality (death) rate was 2.5 percent, the average length of hospital stay was 4.9 days, and the average hospital charges exceeded $28,000. Early upper endoscopy, defined as endoscopy performed within one day of the patient presenting with peptic ulcer bleeding, has been proposed as an intervention to improve efficiency and outcomes for these patients; however, the use and outcomes have not been studied in a national, U.S.-based sample.
The motivation for performing early endoscopy is that it offers the potential for therapy to stop the bleeding and/or to assess an individual's risk of rebleeding if the bleeding has stopped. Endoscopic therapy delivered to an ulcer that is either actively bleeding or one at high risk of rebleeding can reduce bleeding-related morbidity and the need for surgical intervention. Furthermore, endoscopic findings can predict patients at low risk of rebleeding and thus potentially allow cost-effective assessment and treatment of such patients.
"We set out to determine the prevalence and associated outcomes of early versus delayed endoscopy in patients with bleeding peptic ulcers and found that endoscopic intervention in elderly patients within 24 hours of presentation reduced the length of hospital stay by two days compared to those whose endoscopy was delayed," said study lead author Gregory S. Cooper, MD, University Hospitals Case Medical Center, Cleveland, Ohio. "Patients who received an early endoscopy also were less likely to require surgery. Using a large cohort, these results are consistent with the known beneficial effects of this practice."
Patients and Methods
Researchers used a five percent random sample of inpatient and outpatient Medicare claims from 2004 in patients aged 66 years and older. Statistical analysis models (univariate and multivariate) were used to determine factors associated with 30-day mortality, upper gastriointestinal surgery and length of hospital stay. All models adjusted for demographic factors, comorbidity (coexisting or additional diseases) and the use of outpatient management.
Overall, 1,854 (71.5 percent) patients were managed with early endoscopy and 738 (28.5 percent) with delayed endoscopy. Delayed endoscopy was defined as endoscopy performed after one day of the patient presenting with peptic ulcer bleeding. A therapeutic procedure to stop active bleeding or prevent a recurrence in bleeding was performed during endoscopy in 590 (31.8 percent) early endoscopy patients compared with 243 (32.9 percent) delayed endoscopy patients.
Early endoscopy was associated with statistically significant reductions in both the need for surgery to control bleeding and the length of hospital stay. Surgery was performed in 23 (1.2 percent) patients who underwent early endoscopy compared to 25 (3.4 percent) who underwent delayed endoscopy. The median length of hospital stay was four days in patients who underwent early endoscopy compared to six days in patients who underwent delayed endoscopy. Thirty-day mortality was no different between the early and delayed endoscopy groups.
Researchers noted that the use of claims data was lacking in clinical detail and the study was restricted to the Medicare-age population, however, they were able to assess other factors shown to have prognostic value including age and comorbid illness. They concluded that in this large, nationally based cohort of patients with peptic ulcer bleeding, early endoscopy was associated with increased efficiency of care as measured by a significant reduction in the length of hospital stay. Although they were unable to demonstrate any association with 30-day mortality, the lower rate of upper gastrointestinal surgery associated with early endoscopy is consistent with the beneficial effects of early endoscopic intervention. Therefore, unless specific contraindications exist, given the potential cost savings, the researchers recommend the routine use of this practice.
Story Source:
Materials provided by American Society for Gastrointestinal Endoscopy. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.
Cite This Page:


text:
Designer trio Joe Bates, Sid Bryan and Cozette McCreery's Sister by Sibling salon show was all about pink'n'orange, pompoms'n'sequins and pop-pop music provided by dj Jerry Bouthier. The "Diamond Lil" collection of trademark leopard print knit in twin sets had been accessorized with lace knitted merino wool, hand sequinned at sibling studio by the in house team. On top of these face coverings sat ridiculously cute Mickey Mouse style ears in clusters of large pink/purple palettes and knitted ping-pong ball size flowers. The stand-out quirky statement piece was a "Dalston Fox Stole" ........... a local nocturnal animal perfectly celebrated by a label established from Shoreditch nightlife notoriety. With the season styled by Katie Grand and re-sized for a Barbie collaboration, Sibling are stood in good stead as the idiosyncratic fun British knitwear separates specialists.
Saturday 18 February 2012
Sat 8th Feb: London Fashion Week AW12 - Dr.NOKI vs. Kingston 1st yr BA
Saturday was all about masks down at Somerset House from the streetstyle to the SIBLING styling and Dr.NOKI's sustainable project with Kingston University. The designer known for having an unknown face has worked with 1st year students to take a spin on the idea of a 'Masked Fashion Monster' and devise a look that "creates an arresting silhouette, stimulating discussion, debate and conversation". The class were paired up in duos to collaborate on the task and given instructions to recycle two existing garments into a totally new design in just four days. From this collection, Dr.NOKI selected a few to be exhibited in the Estethica exhibition at fashion week which you can see here from the launch event. My personal favourite was this rainbow panelled and multi-seamed creation with interactive sleeves by Henry Stanford & Minnie Walker. I think its absolutely brilliant that fashion students are learning the fundamentals of the rag trade (ie. this bubble outfit is inspired by toxic emissions given off by decomposing textile in landfill) meanwhile having the opportunity to showcase a piece of work on schedule! Props to NOKI for his constant crusade and causing a shift in the conciseness of the industry from the grass roots and future generation .......
Sat 8th Feb: London Fashion Week AW12 - Basso & Brooke
Graphic print poster invitation to the Basso & Brooke AW12 show and the geometric patchwork dog-tooth print worked into kimono style tailoring of the collection.
Friday 17 February 2012
Fri 17th Feb: Opening of Hedonism at London Fashion Week day 1, report by Emily Beard and Keely Hunter
The first day of London Fashion Week saw the opening of Hedonism, sponsored by Royal Ascot and curated by Stephen Jones. The event celebrates the best of emerging British Milliners: Piers Atkinson, Charlie Le Mindu, J Smith Esquire, Noel Stewart & William Chambers.
The display will be showcased throughout the duration of London Fashion Week at Somerset House.
Images and text by Keely Hunter and Emily Beard.
Fri 17th Feb: Walter Hugo "A Moment In An Instant World"
(Gemma Cairney and Suzy Pettigrew standing by their portraits)
16 February - 24 March 2012
Reflecting the Bright Lights... from London Sessions Productions on Vimeo.
Fri 17th Feb: b STORE LOVES Liberty London
B-Store of Saville Row have shimmied up the road for the duration of fashion week with a pop-up shop in store at Liberty to showcase their new collaboration collection. This latest selection includes womenswear for the first time with these perspex heel boots in the Liberty floral print. Here is stylist Ben Canares at the launch last evening sporting one of the new shirts ....... and a beautiful new mix pastel hue hair colour ...............
Read an interview with Matt & Kirk from BStore over on the G-Shock site as ambassadors & collaborators with the brand who sponsored this event for the boutique.
Thursday 16 February 2012
Fri 17th Feb: Robert Storey for Nicholas Kirkwood SS12
Yesterday Robert Storey Studio sent me a message that I might like his new LFW window display at the Nicholas Kirkwood store .......... I didn't have a chance to open up the image in the rush of my manic day............. but by coincidence I ended up on Mount Street myself last night and got to see exactly why he thought it would be up my spectrum street! Here are photos of the final install and snaps of the work in progress from his studio in Dalston. I think I will be back on Mount Street for the strike to scoop up any of the left over pastel wooden diamonds and neon liquid podiums.......... mmmmmmmmmm
Wednesday 15 February 2012
Thurs 23rd Feb: Masha Orlov's Valentine Greeting
KISSING from Silja Magg on Vimeo.
Valentine's Day is a pretty sad affair for singleton's (raising my little mitt in the air). So thank goodness for some light relief in the form of colour and fun in alternative messages such as this furry fantastic film from Masha Orlov. Masha's Valentine greeting is a collaboration with hair artist Hrafnildur Anrnardottir aka Shoplifter on the animated set design installation and morphing makeup to match by Andrea Helgadottir. Watch from the beginning to the end of the clip shot by Silja Magg to see the magic unfold featuring Masha herself as the leading smooching lady......... and Martin Bonventre from The French Kings as her partner (and provider of the soundtrack)......
Masha says "Cheers to Kissing!" .............. CHEERS!
(Thanks to Silja for the stills)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)


text:
MANIFEST, the acclaimed Brooklyn-based Christian men's ensemble, released a new project, A MANIFEST Christmas, on December 2, 2012. The Christmas EP is on iTunes, Amazon, and other online retail outlets.
Read: Gary Lyon & Living Water Announce New CD "That Praise"!
The unique musical style, striking harmonies and infectious praise that are the hallmark of the group's first CD, Highest Praise (2011), are on full display on the five-song EP, which features traditional Christmas songs, an original song for the holiday season, and one for the new year. The songs were all brilliantly arranged by executive producer and musical director Shedrick Mitchell (Whitney Houston, Maxwell).
"Silent Night," a Christmas standard that portrays the atmosphere and wonder of the season, is presented with lush vocal and string harmonies fused with a jazz vamp. "Jesus, Oh What a Wonderful Child," is a down-home arrangement of another standard of the Christmas season. It offers a foot-stomping, hand-clapping version of this classic tune, all with tight, six-part vocal harmonies. Anyone who appreciates the emotion and counterpart of fusion jazz will be riveted by this instrumental version of the Christmas standard, "Away in a Manger." The piece is performed by the sensational musicians who regularly accompany MANIFEST.
MANIFEST Releases First-Ever Christmas CD! was originally published on elev8.com


text:
Site Credits
Published on behalf of the Rector of RWTH Aachen University.
RWTH Aachen University
Templergraben 55
52062 Aachen (street address)
52056 Aachen (mailing address)
Phone: +49 241 80 1
Fax: +49 241 80 92312
Email: email@example.com
RWTH Aachen University is a public institution represented by the Rector, Univ.-Prof. Dr. rer. nat. Dr. h.c. mult. Ulrich Rüdiger.
Regulatory Authority
The Ministry of Culture and Science of the Federal State of North Rhine-Westphalia, Völklinger Straße 49, 40221 Düsseldorf.
Sales Tax Identification Number
In accordance with § 27 Sales Tax Law: DE 121689807
Content Liability
Department Spokesperson:
Prof. Dr. Christoph Stampfer
Phone: +49 241 80 27094
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Editorial Team:
Professor Hendrik Bluhm, Dr. Uwe Kahlert, Professor Stefan Roth, Professor Stefan Wessel, Professor Christopher Wiebusch, Maike Vincken
The web content of the Central University Administration, central administration facilities, group representatives, institutes, chairs, and research areas are coordinated independently under the direction of apppointed web coordinators and webmasters. Information for questions on liability can be found in the Privacy Policy.


text:
In a world in which the conversation on race has traditionally taken a back seat to both logic and reason, it's no wonder that yesterday's so-called "Beer Summit" at the White House seemed to make little sense at all. It wasn't because the president was wrong in offering up a few cold ones to my father, Henry Louis Gates, and the now infamous Sgt. James Crowley in an attempt to tame the media blitz around my father's arrest—it was because like most issues that make their way to TMZ, the reference point had shifted. The debate over Red Stripe and Blue Moon had somehow overshadowed the fact that this story began with a black Harvard professor and a white cop from Natick, Mass.—and as CNN's countdown clock to the event taunted viewers like a time bomb, it was clear that this day wasn't going to be the beginning of a serious discussion on human relations but rather a circus-like ending of a misunderstanding between a couple of very decent men.
I can't say that I was shocked.
My father cut right through the thick tension of hurried salutations and offered the Sgt. his hand and joked, "You looked bigger the last time I saw you."
As our family rounded the corner to the White House library and I first caught sight of Sgt. Crowley's lovely daughter; she was wearing an appropriately heavy and charmingly untrained amount of green eyeliner on her lower lashes, and I saw my former self in her. We were instantly transported from the post-racial myth of America in 2008 to the reality of 2009. There they stood, a pleasant family of five, listening patiently to the overzealous tour guide boast about the fully functioning fireplace to the left of the doorframe.
As soon as my father's foot crossed the threshold of the room, the storm of mediators immediately rushed to introduce us, but true to form, my father cut right through the thick tension of hurried salutations and offered the Sergeant his hand and joked, "You looked bigger the last time I saw you." Crowley's cheeks flushed red as a smile dashed across his lips, and his young son, whose cheeks had long since flushed the same muted crimson, looked up at his father and smiled. This wasn't a family raised on hate. At that moment, right there in the library, they were just like us: a young family groomed to perfection, waiting to learn how to get those damn cameramen off their lawn and to put this sensationalized hell behind them. "I read an article where they called my father, 'sexy cop.' It was embarrassing," his daughter said as we sat down for cookies and Coke. "Yeah," I replied. He's pretty cute." We laughed, as Crowley's wife rubbed her daughter's back and reminded her son to mind the gift they had brought for the president. It was a grey Boston jersey, a fitting gift from a young boy to our commander-in-chief.
Moments later, the Sgt. and my father were escorted to the Rose Garden where the press sat waiting "at least 40 feet away" while the rest of us continued on with our tour. As we walked by a set of French doors that gave a clear view of this highly anticipated talk, I saw Mr. Obama's lean body coolly draped over a lawn chair I wondered what these four men—President Obama, Vice President Biden, Sergeant Crowley and my father—could possibly say to heal this situation and what the press was actually waiting for. Would my father and Sergeant Crowley be reduced to who they were on that fateful day in my father's house on Ware Street and give us all a glimpse of what really happened? Or could it be that this small collection of men were actually devising some master plan to rid the world of all racist tendencies right there in the presidential Rose Garden over a few brewskis? No. That would have been impossible to achieve—even on Obama's best day and even if my father had actually finished his Sam Adams.
The vice president made a swift exit, saying that he would have worked late that night but instead had to rush home to Delaware to tend to his wife who had dislocated her shoulder. And as his car swooped away, another came in its place to carry us back to Dulles International Airport, where we snaked our way to Gate B—now devoid of photographers, news reporters and the invasive camera crews. I asked my father what the President had said during their chat and as he slipped off his shoes and reclined his chair, he said: "The president and the vice president are great men, Liza. They did the right thing to invite us there to talk, but it's up to us now to extend this conversation. We have plans to meet in private and discuss things. You know, Crowley's not a bad guy. He's not a Joe the Plumber who wants to represent the Right. He would be horrified to be considered a racist."
Discrimination is the single greatest wound in American history and could never be solved over a beer. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. There are more black men in prison than in college and literally thousands of black men are arrested across this country each day. And while I might agree with the president's initial statement that the "Cambridge Police Department acted stupidly," my father is not the first nor will he be the last black man to be arrested for no reason—in his own home or elsewhere—and Sergeant Crowley isn't the first officer to fudge a police report. They are simply pawns in the rebirth of unfashionable intolerance in a world that likes to think our dashing brown-skinned 44th president has emerged to make nice with the past, present, and future. It's an impossible task for the president and speaks more to our nation's vulnerable value system than the unfortunately common situation my father and the Cambridge police found themselves embroiled in. As my father said on the plane yesterday morning on our way to the White House, "there are approximately 800,000 black men in prison and on July 16, 2009, I simply became one of them."
Elizabeth Gates is a graduate of The New School University, where she cultivated her love for fashion and writing.


text:
Bill Gross
Bill Gross, the founder of bond megalith PIMCO, became the billionaire bond king by running the best bond fund in the U.S. for decades. Gross, now at Janus Capital, has gone public recently with his strong views that bonds offer little value now to investors.
George Soros and his former sidekick, Stanley Druckenmiller, both billionaires, have been on television sharing their apocalyptic views that stocks are overvalued. Current guru darling Jeffrey Gundlach has been saying for months that stocks were carving out a "dome of doom," a 15-month chart pattern in which the Dow Industrials and the S&P 500 were unable to reach new highs.
Then stocks broke through to modest new highs in July. So much for Gundlach this year. Carl Icahn has also bet wrong lately, predicting gloom and doom for months.
John Paulson became a billionaire by betting against the collateralized mortgage obligations products that brought down the housing market and almost the world banking system in 2008. He was an average money manager until that one trade (the idea of one man on his staff, who has since left) brought him fame and fortune and billionaire status. Paulson followed that trade with a very heavily leveraged bet that gold would rise from $1,890, its then peak price in 2011. Instead, it fell to a low of $1,050 in 2015. One of his leveraged gold portfolios fell by 90 percent as a result. I'm not sure we should care what he thinks.
As 2016 progresses, all these very rich men have been embarrassed by Mr. Market. The reasons are both simple and complex. Despite Republican election year characterizations of the economy as bad and mishandled over the last eight years, the statistics paint a different story. The economy continues to grow for the longest period since World War II. Unemployment has fallen from double digits to under 5 percent, often considered to be full employment.
Growth, however, is tepid and has been slowed by the lack of infrastructure spending that normally flows from congressional fiscal policy to repair roads, bridges and airports in economic downturns.
Frankly, there is no roadmap for the Federal Reserve's unprecedented flooding of the U.S. economy with funds. The strategy of pushing down interest rates to near zero has helped homebuyers, for sure, with record low mortgage rates reinflating housing prices. It has also flowed into higher stock prices. But it has severely punished seniors who saving for retirement who were told that, as you age, you should increase bonds and Treasuries as a percentage of their investment portfolio. Also, corporations have refused to spend that cheap money on new factories to create jobs and ensure future growth. Instead, they are paying out more in dividends and buying back shares.
Last year, the Fed finally raised interest rates for the first time in years to begin the road to normalization. It implied it was going to keep raising rates, perhaps a quarter of a percent each quarter during 2016. Then the markets began 2016 with a dramatic collapse in stock prices. Many stocks dropped 20 to 25 percent in just weeks from their highs in the fall of 2015. It scared everybody. Me, too. The Fed froze in its tracks.
Through all of this uncertainty, the U.S. economy hasn't complied with all the gloomy, doomy forecasts. Foreigners are still investing their money in our markets. Consumers continue shopping, even if not at the mall. Gas prices at the pump are a weekly gift to all of us. Inflation is very low. Maybe there is nothing to fear but fear itself.
The investment goal for our clients at Gramercy Capital has always been inflation plus 6 to 8 percent. That means that in a 1 percent inflation period, a gain of 7 percent on your portfolio keeps your purchasing power increasing well beyond inflation, which is the real goal of investing. If you combine a 2 percent dividend payment on a $20 stock that goes up only a dollar during the year for a 5 percent capital gain, you have earned your 7 percent goal.
For sure there aren't bargains galore, as there were after 2008-09 or even this April at the bottom. Modest 4 to 7 percent corrections can happen at any time. For now, the dips should be used to add to your holdings.
— Joan E. Lappin CFA founded Gramercy Capital Management, a Registered Investment Advisor, in 1986. She is known for her unique perspective, her stock-picking abilities and her analytical skills honed by decades in the investment business. She would love to hear from you at email@example.com Follow her observations on politics and the world around her on Twitter: @joanlappin. Read past columns at deducedreckoning.blogs.heraldtribune.com.


text:
Barack Obama's 7 Nastiest Nixonian Moments
- Share
- Tweet
- Comment Now 0
During his 2008 campaign, Barack Obama was like a mixture of the Teletubbies, a Hallmark card, and Morgan Freeman's portrayal of God in Bruce Almighty all mixed up in one big fruity glass. Every time you listened to the guy it was "hope" this, "change," I love "unity," "we are the ones we've been waiting for," and creating a "new tone" in D.C. That strategy turned out to be plausible because Bush was so unpopular and Obama's entire career consisted of getting elected to office and moving on before he had time to accomplish anything. That allowed Americans to see what they wanted to see instead of the real Barack Obama.
Since then, the American people have gotten an opportunity to see Barack Obama perform up close and personal in the world's most high profile job and they've found out the reality isn't much like the pretty picture the media and Obama's teleprompter painted for them in 2008. Barack Obama is not a nice guy, a genuine fellow, or someone you'd enjoy going to a ballgame with. He's everything people hate about politics personified: He's a nasty, habitually dishonest, hyper-partisan extremist whose entire strategy seems to be to drag the country off to the left while he blames other people for his failures and pits Americans against each other as much as possible. Comparing him to Nixon is even a bit of a stretch in that Tricky Dick may have been a son-of-a-b*tch, but he was at least a bipartisan and competent son-of-a-b*tch, which is something you can't truly say about Obama. There are, however, a lot of other points of comparison.
1) President "punish our enemies:" On Univision radio, Barack Obama actually referred to Republicans as "enemies" of Hispanic Americans,
And if Latinos sit out the election instead of saying, we're gonna punish our enemies and we're gonna reward our friends who stand with us on issues that are important to us, if they don't see that kind of upsurge in voting in this election, then I think it's gonna be harder – and that's why I think it's so important that people focus on voting on November 2.
You could say that the President of the United States telling an entire ethnic group that an opposing political party is its "enemy," like Al-Qaeda, because they don't agree with his political stance represents a "change in tone," but it's a change for the worse.
2) Obama's Bain attacks: It's hard to find an example of political cynicism that tops the way Barack Obama is treating Mitt Romney's time at Bain Capital. At the same time that Obama is running ads attacking Romney for working at a private equity firm that cost some people jobs while it created even more jobs for other people, Obama is doing fund raisers with other private equity groups. In fact, in 2008, Obama raised almost twice as much as McCain in private equity, hedge funds. Additionally, one of Obama's top bundlers, Jonathan Lavine, used to work at Bain. Even more importantly, "employees of Bain Capital and Bain & Company have given more than $152,000 to Obama's campaign and the joint fundraising operation he runs with the Democratic National Committee." Arguing that Mitt Romney was incompetent at his job
would be one thing, but if Obama is going to argue that working at Bain Capital is so disreputable that it should be a disqualifier for the presidency, then maybe he shouldn't be taking their money.
3) Fast and Furious: Nixon had Watergate and Obama has Fast and Furious. In both cases, there has been stonewalling and a cover-up by the Administration, but there was no bodycount associated with Watergate. The Department of Justice under Barack Obama helped facilitate the death of hundreds of Mexican citizens and at least one American. Although Obama talked a lot about "transparency" when he was running for President, it looks like Republicans may have to hit Obama's Attorney General, Eric Holder, with contempt charges just to get the basic information they need to investigate the scandal.
4) Teabaggers: It's no surprise that the bottomfeeders in the left-wing media use the sexual slur "teabaggers" to describe Tea Partiers they disagree with. However, when the President of the United States uses a crude sexual term to describe his political enemies, it stands out.
In Jonathan Alter's "The Promise: President Obama, Year One," President Obama is quoted in an interview saying that the unanimous vote of House Republicans vote against the stimulus bills "set the tenor for the whole year … That helped to create the tea-baggers and empowered that whole wing of the Republican Party to where it now controls the agenda for the Republicans."
The same guy who lectured the country on the importance of civility after Gabrielle Giffords was shot also refers to people he disagrees with politically as "teabaggers." That says a lot about his, "There's one set of rules for me and another set of rules for the rest of you" mentality.
5) "I won:" Anyone who wanted more evidence that all of Obama's "unity" and "new tone" talk was pure phoniness got their proof early in his administration.
The top congressional leaders from both parties gathered at the White House for a working discussion over the shape and size of President Barack Obama's economic stimulus plan. The meeting was designed to promote bipartisanship.
But Obama showed that in an ideological debate, he's not averse to using a jab.
Challenged by one Republican senator over the contents of the package, the new president, according to participants, replied: "I won."
The statement was prompted by Senate Minority Whip Jon Kyl of Arizona , who challenged the president and the Democratic leaders over the balance between the package's spending and tax cuts, bringing up the traditional Republican notion that a tax credit for people who do not earn enough to pay income taxes is not a tax cut but a government check.
Say good-bye to post-partisanship and hello to arrogance.
6) "Don't do a lot of talking:" Along those same lines, Obama didn't sound so concerned about reaching out to the GOP when he simultaneously blamed them for all of America's problems and told them to shut up and do as they were told,
"But I don't want the folks who created the mess to do a lot of talking. I want them to get out of the way so we can clean up the mess. I don't mind cleaning up after them, but don't do a lot of talking.."
Wow, this guy has trouble playing in the sandbox with Republicans? What a shocker.
7) Get under the bus, grandma! There was one indication of Barack Obama's surly, narcissistic temperament during the 2008 campaign that was very telling. At the time, he was standing with his anti-Semitic, anti-white, anti- American spiritual mentor Jeremiah Wright because he had voluntarily associated with him for 20 years. While giving a speech defending his association with that vile hatemonger, he besmirched his own grandmother as part of his defense of Wright.
"I can no more disown (Jeremiah Wright) than I can disown the
black community. I can no more disown him than I can my white grandmother – a woman who helped raise me, a woman who sacrificed again and again for me, a woman who loves me as much as she loves anything in this world, but a woman who once confessed her fear of black men who passed by her on the street, and who on more than one occasion has uttered racial or ethnic stereotypes that made me cringe."
In the history of American politics, I'm not sure there has ever been a politician before Obama who was willing to smear his own grandmother because he thought it might help him politically.
- Share
- Tweet
- Comment Now 0


text:
Yep, more shoes…
Let's not forget: The Countrywide Classic honored legend (and three-time winner) Stan Smith with an award after Saturday's semi between James Blake and Hyung-Taik Lee. Too bad no one stayed around for the ceremony. The stands were practically empty, ESPN2 had packed up their cameras, and commentators Patrick McEnroe and Cliff Drysdale were nowhere to be seen. It would have been smarter to hand him the award before the start of the Blake match. (Or, to have the announcer say, "we're handing an award to Stan Smith" instead of a cryptic and sales-y "stick around for a very special ceremony".) Is this any way to treat a legend with an adidas
shoe named after him?Flashback — the Alife Pump: Cool Hunting and Hypebeast were all over the release of the special Reebok/Alife collaboration called The Ball Out that tennis-ized one of their classic styles (all it takes is green felt). The limited edition of 48 pairs sold in February 2006.
Been there, done that: Which isn't to be confused with Airwalk's attempt at the same style back in 1995.
Addicted to grass: Forget Paul Smith for a sec and turn your attention to Ted Baker, who came out with a Wimbledon-inspired shoe, the Grip Basket, complete with tennis balls detail (sole) and grass print (!) on the insole. (via Down the Line!)


text:
Hipster Apartment Decor Stores is one of the most favorite kinds of things for a people. It is a hd Wallpapers that most kids like to watch on the TV program. As we all know, there are many things that you can buy for your daughter related to the Hipster Apartment Decor Stores. One of them is to have the Hipster Apartment Decor Stores image for your daughter. As we all know, there are many kind of options that you can do in order to make yourself learn about something without letting them understand about the situation that they play games but also learn at the same times. That is because the natural kids at the first step on leaning is to play and learn which means they play but they also learn something.
While view at this digital Pictures y of Hipster Apartment Decor Stores has high dimension jpeg pixels, you can download and enlist this Hipster Apartment Decor Stores Photo by right click on the right click to get the HD version.


text:
I'm so excited to be guest posting at Sugar Bee Crafts today. My name is Denise and I'm a craftaholic and DIY addict. You can see more of my posts at A Sprinkle of This . . . . A Dash of That.
For about three years now I have made shirts for my kids for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and even a few Halloween and Easter. Christmas is my favorite. Our subdivision always hires a Santa and a horse drawn sleigh to drive the kids around the neighborhood. I love getting a photo for our Christmas Cards at the same time.
Before I get to the Santa shirt tutorial here are a couple from the last couple of years.
For 2010 I sewed reindeer shirts with matching ruffle socks.
I used this tutorial.
For 2011 I sewed Christmas tree shirts.
This year I decided to make a Santa shirt.
- choice of fabric for santa hat
- flesh colored felt
- black flet
- choice of furry or fuzzy fabric for beard and hat trim (I used Designer Fur because it said it was handwashable)
- sewing machine and thread
- Pattern (click to download)
Start by tracing your pattern pieces onto the back of the fabric and cut out. I used this tutorial for my santa hat.
Once your pieces are cut out you can start assembling Santa. I started by sewing the eyes onto the face and then sewed the face and hat onto the shirt. Make sure you place the beard and hat band on to make any necessary adjustments before you sew anything. To control some of the shedding with the fur I did spray them lightly with a clear coat. Not sure how well this will wash but I'm only planning to handwash it and this is the reason I chose a black shirt.
Next I sewed on his beard, hat band, and mustache. To sew on the furry pieces I just tacked them on in a few places. I lifted up some of the fur, sewed a few stitches, and moved onto a new place.
In the photo below you can see the thread where I tacked on the beard and hat band before I cut them off.
Then I tacked the had down somewhere in the center so it wouldn't fall completely over, folded it over, stitched down the point, and added the fuzzy ball.
I decided it was still a little plain so for a last finishing "girly" touch I added a ruffle to the bottom made from the same fabric as the hat. I cut a strip about 5" wide the width of my fabric and folded it in half.
Then I ruffled it on my sewing machine using the longest stitch length and highest tension
For the final step I sewed it onto the inside of the bottom of the shirt
I think this shirt would look perfect with the Santa hair clippie I made a couple of years ago.
(Not the best photo but the wind was blowing)
My son's shirt will look similar but his Santa will have a Mizzou hat instead of red snowflakes. I haven't actually sewed this one yet but I have all the pieces cut and ready to go.
I'm thinking about turning these adult socks into some leg warmers with the furry cuffs at her ankles. . . . I'm not sure they go with this shirt but she has another one that has the same pattern on the sleeves.
Please e-mail me if any of the steps are confusing or you have any questions.
For more projects like these visit me at A Sprinkle of This . . . . A Dash of That.
I'll leave you with a preview of some of my most popular posts (just click on the picture to be taken to the post):
A great keepsake gift:
A fun teacher or friend gift:
Tons of organization tutorials:
Thanks again Sugar Bee Craft for allowing me to guest post!


text:
This is a thought I asked myself often, but never did real efforts to get an answer. Barsmonsters question about number of fans of a wind turbine made me think of it again
Why do blades of aircraft propellers or wind turbines cover only a small fraction of the area they circle? Propellers of ships or Kaplan turbine propellers cover almost the entire circle. (Independent of number of blades). Same for steam turbines and jet turbines.
I am shure that the forms of those propellers are very close to optimum, due to decades of experience.


text:
Great post by Andrew Hoppin. Cross-posted from Globehoppin
Andrew Cuomo Releases OpenNY Plan
Andrew Cuomo today released his "OpenNY" plan, part of his expanded "Clean Up Albany: Make It Work" agenda. The plan has three major components, which apparently will be instantiated through a central OpenNY website, as well as new OpenNY websites for each New York State Agency and Authority.
- Open Information, a commitment to proactively publishing a massive trove of government data online on a central website; think of this as the Data.gov of New York;
- Open Government for Performance, a commitment to make the State's budget and spending (including contracts, grants and subsidies) more transparent and intuitive online; think of this as usaspending.gov for New York.
- Open Collaboration, a commitment to engage New Yorkers hands-on, online in the process of governing, including through expanded us of social media; this could be a combination of efforts like Challenge.gov, Open For Questions, and effective cross-Agency use of the major social networking platforms.
While the document is more of a call to action and a set of high-level commitments than an executable plan, I believe those details will come, and I'm thrilled that a likely next Chief Executive of my State is putting these three important stakes in the ground.
I know of lot of people inside New York State government today, as well as a lot of cynical citizens outside of government, who would be inspired and re-engaged if these commitments were acted on seriously by the next Governor. I further believe that, if done right, OpenNY can help New York State improve government services while saving the State significant money in the bargain, by helping to modernize how the State manages its data, and by empowering citizens to take a more active hands-on role in their government, thus reducing the workload of government itself.
Kudos to the Cuomo campaign for this worthy beginning. I hope we'll now see groups of New Yorkers committed to better government heed this call, begin to self-organize, and prepare to help in planning, implementing, and engaging in a new era of open, efficient, participatory government in New York State.
Read the OpenNY plan below, or the full Clean Up Albany: Make It Work on the Cuomo campaign website.
Filed under: Gov20, New York, government, ideas, open data, papers, politics, reinventing government | Tagged: opengov, gov20, openny, nygov


text:
Melanie A. Howard, a graduate of the University of Notre Dame's Master in Theological Studies (MTS) program, has won the 2011-12 Word & World Essay Prize for Doctoral Candidates. The prize is sponsored by Word & World: Theology for Christian Ministry, a quarterly journal published by Luther Seminary in Saint Paul, Minn.
"We are thrilled at this achievement on the part of one of our graduates," says J. Matthew Ashley, associate professor and chair of Notre Dame's Department of Theology. "Current students or graduates have now won this significant award two years in a row. In Melanie's case, it is a testimony both to her own strengths as a scholar and to the MTS program's track record of enabling students to develop those strengths to the full."
Joseph S. Khalil, a current Ph.D. student in the department, won the prize last year for his essay titled "Qoheleth and the Overconfident Preacher."
Howard, who received her master's degree from Notre Dame in 2010, is now pursing a Ph.D. in biblical studies (New Testament) at Princeton Theological Seminary and teaching as an adjunct instructor at Messiah College. Her winning essay explores the story of a mute boy (Mark 9:14-2) as an unplumbed source of guidance for pastors counseling children with disabilities and their caregivers.
Her essay will be published in the summer 2013 issue of the Word & World journal. In its 13th year, the annual contest accepts submissions from doctoral candidates in religion and theology from seminaries and universities across the nation.
Howard says her essay emerged out of her passion for creative ministry and her desire to keep her scholarship connected to the real-life problems that can make meaningful worship difficult. Continuing the study of marginal characters in the bible, Howard's doctoral dissertation looks at the role of mothers in the Gospel of Mark, with particular emphasis on Mary, the mother of Jesus.
"I am keenly aware of the struggles and sacrifices of women who have risked much for the sake of their children's well-being," she says. "My dissertation is but a meager acknowledgement that it has often been nameless mothers who have instigated radical change throughout the course of history."


text:
Hello amazing readers! Welcome to the Book Blitz for The Conch Shell of Doom by Ryan Hill!
Join us in celebrating this new release, and enter the giveaway found at the end of the post!
Happy Book Birthday, Ryan!!
The Conch Shell of Doom
Author: Ryan Hill
Released: May 24th 2016
Bailey didn't mean to catch his parents plotting to unleash the sinister Trenton Maroney and his powerful oceanic army on the world. It was an honest mistake. Now, he's got the horribly disfigured Mr. Lovell on his trail, which is doing wonders for Bailey's anxiety.His only ally is Franklin, a burn-out several decades past wishing his brother Trenton was destroyed for good. Franklin has battled his brother for two thousand years, and has nothing to show for it except his beloved Mustang.To stop Mr. Lovell from awakening Trenton, Franklin and Bailey will have to get past his parents, a one-eyed stoner, crooked cops, giant Scotsmen, and Trenton's army, which can only be summoned by one thing: the mysterious Conch Shell of Doom.
Complete the Rafflecopter below for a chance to win!


text:
Thinking about selling your old tablet? Knowing how valuable tablets can be, when you trade-in your tablet through Trademore, we take the confusion out of selling devices, and make it easy so you can get paid. Trademore is a fast, secure and reliable way to sell your tablet, regardless of where you live within the United States. We can help you with selling your tablet as well as smartphone or smartwatch trade-ins.
Trademore makes it very easy to sell your tablet. We ask you simple questions to identify your device and determine its value. Once you accept and fall in love with our offer for your tablet trade-in, we will send you a package so you can ship it to us. The best part is free shipping.
Upon receiving your tablet, if we find that it carries a higher or lower value than we originally thought, we will pay you the updated value. If you decide not to sell your device to Trademore, we will gladly return it to you and pay for shipping. Getting paid for your old or used devices has never been easier.
At the final step of Trademore's tablet trade-in check out, you will have the option to choose the payment method you would like receive (i.e. PayPal, MasterCard Debit Card). Your offer will expire in 30 days, so make sure send your tablet to Trademore so you can get paid!


text:
Today is the official release day of the Stockholm based, producer duo Moonsplash's new Single with 13 emcees on it, Adrenaline.
The symphonic beat is produced by Moonsplash and have an impressive line up with well known artists who all rap on the same topic as title of the track.
The single is released on a variety of platforms including Spotify and iTunes. On adrenaline you'll find dope world renowned names like Slaine, Block McCloud, El Da Sensei, D.N.A, Sicknature (Snowgoons), Prop Dylan, Adlib and Sean Strange.


text:
Liquid Highway
Floating the Missouri Headwaters.
"Rivers are highways that move on," observed Blaise Pascal, "and bear us whither we wish to go." If you wish to float back in time this spring, to a place little changed from the days of Lewis and Clark, where the watery landscape resonates with the histories of American Indians, fur trappers, and explorers—then grab a canoe or driftboat and make for the headwaters. Just outside the town of Three Forks, the "Mighty Mo" comes to life in a braided network of stream channels created by the confluence of the Madison, the Jefferson, and the Gallatin rivers. Not only is the Missouri Headwaters an important cultural and historical site, it's also surprisingly pristine—a wonderland of wildness nestled amid the bustling development of the Gallatin Valley and surrounding area. Just point the car west from downtown Bozeman, and in less than an hour you'll find yourself floating through a piece of old Montana, down the same route that Lewis and Clark followed two centuries ago, in a place where time seems to have stood firm against the onslaught of human progress.
We set out on a warm May morning, the sun breaking bright over Bozeman Pass. As we drove west on I-90, our guide, Ken Sinay of Yellowstone Safari Company, assured us of a "wilderness experience" unrivaled in the area. This is a place, he told us, where a greater concentration and diversity of wildlife could be seen than anywhere else on the Missouri, even the Wild & Scenic stretch made famous by Stephen Ambrose's Undaunted Courage. Ken mentioned otters, beavers, foxes, moose, deer, and an abundance of bird life. My friends and I exchanged giddy smiles, our anticipation mounting as we sped down the interstate toward Three Forks.
Half an hour later, as we slid the boat into the water, I looked up at the cars speeding down I-90 and thought, How can we have a wilderness experience here? Within minutes my skepticism disappeared. A quick stroke of the oars and Ken swept us off the main current into a side channel. Everything became quiet and still. To all sides rose tall river grasses and clumps of willows. Small game trails tunneled through the grass, and we could see fresh tracks at their outlets by the water's edge. Evidence of beaver activity was everywhere: scent posts, dams, bank burrows, and gnawed limbs appeared around every bend. A sudden flicker of motion caused us all to look up: a Cooper's hawk had swooped in from a neighboring channel, spotted the boat, and quickly veered off into a clump of cottonwoods. Over the grass and willows we could see the Bridgers rising to the east, the Horseshoe Hills to the north, and barely visible, the Gallatin Range to the south. Around us the land lay flat and still as if asleep. Though predominately private land, there was no sign of man and his industry—no houses, fences, or "No Trespassing" signs. Just the breeze blowing through the willows, and the occasional cry of a killdeer.
We glided along, our state of mind guided alternately by the lazy rhythm of the oarstrokes, Ken's ongoing narration of the Lewis & Clark expedition, and the thrill of seeing yet another wild Missouri River resident. At one point we rounded a bend and came face-to-face with a whitetail doe. She looked us over and went right back to feeding. Just beyond, we spooked a turtle, followed the bubble trail of a submerged beaver, and watched an enormous fish create a wake as it shot away from the boat. I looked down the serpentine waterway and realized that if we were on our own, we'd probably get lost amid this labyrinth of side channels and backwater sloughs. But Ken maneuvered us through expertly. Occasionally we'd break out into the main current and float awhile, scanning the treetops for ospreys, red-tailed hawks, and bald eagles. Then we'd shoot back into another lost world of willows and backwaters, all connected by watery passages of various widths and depths. It reminded me of the Everglades—how wetlands like these are shaped by water, how these natural passageways guide the activities of all the river's inhabitants, from the trout to the moose to the eagles overhead. Strange how it all just flows, indefinitely, toward some unknown point, some unknown end. I thought about Montana and how there's nothing better than floating the river on a warm spring day. And I thought about the immortal words of A.A. Milne's Winnie the Pooh: "Rivers know this: there is no hurry. We shall get there some day."
Yellowstone Safari Company offers full-day river trips that follow the path of Lewis & Clark and the Rocky Mountain Fur Trade. Too book a trip, call 586-1155 or visit yellowstonesafari.com.