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Burn out the old year; torch in the new. France celebrated the onset of 2013 in its uniquely pyromaniac fashion, with officials reporting that 1,193 cars were torched overnight from Dec. 31 to Jan. 1 — 209 of them in the Paris area alone. Those figures marked a 4% increase over the 1,147 autos set ablaze on the same night in 2009 — the last year for which French officials released figures on the nation's peculiar New Year rite.
The mere fact the government of Socialist President François Hollande resumed publication of the burnt-car toll also caused sparks to fly. Conservative opponents claimed that revealing the information only poured gas on the New Year's fires by inspiring copycat arsonists, while leftists countered that they were simply informing the public about a reality hidden by the previous government of the right. But as the debate raged over whether to publicize the nation's flaming-auto fetish, some French observers sought explanations for the singularly antisocial custom of car toasting.
(MORE: France's New Year's Tradition: Car Burning)
"Why are cars burned on Dec. 31?" asked French Web news site Mediapart.
"Burning Cars: A 'Tradition' That Remains Strong," lamented a Jan. 2 headline in the daily Le Figaro.
More amazing, still, is the fact that the New Year's Eve auto roast is only part of the story. In announcing the New Year's Eve tally on Jan. 2, Interior Minister Manuel Valls also revealed that figures provided by fire, police and insurance officials indicate that somewhere between 42,000 and 60,000 automobiles are intentionally torched in France every year. The majority of those go up in smoke in or near the disadvantaged suburban housing projects located outside most French cities. Indeed, the rest of the world first took notice of France's distinctive car-burning penchant during the three weeks of nationwide rioting in French housing projects in 2005, when 8,810 automobiles were incinerated by enraged youths. Yet, despite that riot-driven surge of car arson, year-end figures of around 43,000 for 2005 came in at around normal levels. Normal, that is, for flame-happy France.
(MORE: Why Paris Is Burning)
When the conservative government of former President Nicolas Sarkozy began withholding New Year's car-arson figures in 2010, officials said the move was designed to suppress copycat attacks, noting that youths in rival housing projects across France had begun competing over which town could produced the most charred autos. Conservatives accused Valls of egging on the vandals through his return to transparency.
"[It's not] the sharpest of our fellow citizens who burn cars, nor the local little Einstein," former Sarkozy Interior Minister Brice Hortefeux told Europe 1 radio Jan. 3, mocking Valls' decision to reverse the blackout policy. "Did it work? Yes it worked, because the annual numbers of burned cars decreased."
Both Hortefeux's claim and the reasoning behind it are contested by leftists and many independent researchers alike. Some have dismissed his charge against Valls as specious, while others have repeated previously aired suspicions that Sarkozy governments used creative accounting to artificially reduce crime rates on their watch. Hortefeux's explanation also appears to considerably oversimplify a longstanding and steadily escalating French tradition of automotive pyromania — a trend that has increased no matter how governments have communicated on it.
(MORE: Why a Cop Is France's Favorite Politician)
According to sociologists and delinquency experts, car burning as a ritualistic expression of protest began in disadvantaged areas of northeastern France in the 1980s, before gradually spreading to project communities elsewhere. Initially, scholars say, torching autos was seen as a spectacular form of destruction that pulled the attention of news media and authorities to the dismal economic and social conditions in the perpetrators' neighborhoods. Others offer more subjective and artistic explanations for the phenomenon, seeing it as a perverse form of protest over the isolation of project areas with little or no link via public transportation to more affluent city centers or expressing a contradiction between individualism and social solidarity.
Then, there's the pecuniary motivation. French insurance experts and justice officials estimate that around 20% of all annual car arson is financially motivated fraud conducted by — or with the accord of — owners themselves. The perpetrators of random auto burning often, in fact, dismiss ethical questions about scorching a neighborhood car with rationalizations that insured victims will be compensated for their loss. The average payout on an automobile protected by fire insurance is around $6,500 — no mean sum in areas where unemployment exceeds 25%, and youth joblessness is closer to 50%.
Whatever the motives, increasingly demoralized advocates for improving conditions in the projects warn that one day delinquent arsonists will question the protest strategy of torching what few objects of value exist in their disadvantaged midst, and instead start targeting autos in middle-class and affluent neighborhoods where such destruction will really gain attention. It's only when that happens, some activists fear, that the sparks in France will really start to fly.
MORE: The Problem of Clichy: After 2005 Riots, France's Suburbs Are Still Miserable


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Thermodynamics for Idiots
Don't worry: You won't have to endure a lecture on thermodynamics to understand how to cool your home more efficiently. In fact, there are only two basic scientific principles that you need to know, and you're sure to be familiar with at least one of them. The first is: heat follows cold. The second is: hot air rises. Thinking about these two rules of nature will help you see how air moves in and around your house and how that relates to cooling (and heating) efficiency.
Heat Follows Cold
If it's 98 degrees outside but (thanks to central air conditioning) a comfy 72 degrees inside your house -- and you open a window, the heat from outside will jump right in through the window and keep jumping in until it's just as hot inside as it is outside. Like water, heat constantly seeks equilibrium; heat moves to cold until everything is the same temperature.
Since you probably spend much of your summertime reminding the kids not to leave the doors open, you already know that opening a window when the AC is on is a dumb thing to do (unless you have an evaporative cooler, discussed below). But open windows and doors are just the largest and most obvious avenues for mingling indoor and outdoor temperatures. The smaller avenues, like gaps around light fixtures in your ceiling, are much less obvious and usually ignored, yet these are often the ones that matter the most.
Hot Air Rises
This is the law of nature that makes the upper floors of a house generally warmer than the bottom floor or basement. It's called convection, and it's responsible for much of the heat and cold lost inside our homes. In the winter, you heat the inside of your house, and that heat is constantly trying to escape through convection and other means. It heads right upstairs and sneaks through all the little holes in your ceiling between the top floor and the attic and from there makes its way outside.
As the warm air is leaving the house, it's also pulling outdoor air into the house through tiny gaps around doors and windows, cracks in the foundation, around pipes entering the house, etc. This cool "makeup" air just makes your furnace work harder to keep you comfortable. In the summer, the same effect leads to inefficiency with air conditioning, because convection is pulling hot outdoor air into the house, making your air conditioner work harder.
Now that we're done with the science lesson, let's look at what home energy experts say about cooling your house more efficiently.
Air Seal and Insulate
Air sealing and insulation are the two secrets that allow a thermos to keep hot things hot and cold things cold. The insulated walls of a thermos create a barrier between the contents inside and the air temperature outside, interrupting the natural equilibrium of heat. The top of the thermos has a rubber gasket and screws on to create a tight seal. This prevents air flow, and thus rapid heat exchange via air currents, to maintain the thermal barrier.
Your house works pretty much like a thermos. Insulation prevents heat loss (in the winter) and heat gain (in the summer) through the walls and ceilings, while air sealing prevents heat loss or gain through air movement. Most people think of insulation only to keep out the cold, but according to Nancy Kellogg, a certified energy auditor with Lightly Treading, Inc., improving insulation and air sealing is just as important for the cooling season.
Kellogg once got a call from a client who had recently tightened up her home with insulation and air sealing improvements. It was June and quite warm outside, but the client was uncomfortably cold in the house and was reluctant to turn the heat on in the summertime. "I told her to open the windows," says Kellogg. Clearly, the house had done its job of isolating the indoors from the outdoors (with somewhat humorous results, in this case).
When it comes to both air sealing and insulation, Kellogg stresses to her clients to "start at the top, and seal up the lid (meaning the ceiling under the attic) really well. This is the most important place to create a barrier. Holes in there are always the strongest for airflow." This, Kellogg explains, is due to the "stack effect," the fact that tall structures such as houses act like chimneys to promote warm air rising from natural convection. "And the taller the house, the stronger the stack effect."
Kellogg also points to garages as other common problem areas. "If you have an attached garage, make sure it's thermally separated from the house." She explained that this is a commonly neglected area by builders, leading to significant heat exchange between the house and garage.
Seal and Insulate Forced-Air Ductwork
For those of you with conventional central AC systems, the network of supply and return ducts is critical to cooling efficiently and effectively. Air leaks in the many fittings, seams and joints in the ductwork can lead to serious energy loss. According to Cary Weiner, the Clean Energy Specialist at Colorado State University Extension, "You can lose up to 30% of your cooled air in ductwork. So one of the most important pieces is sealing and insulating your ductwork inside the house."
Conditioned air leaking from ducts often never makes it to your living spaces; it ends up in the basement, inside walls, under floors and other places where it's essentially wasted. When ducts run through a hot attic or exterior wall, you need duct insulation to keep the air cool as it travels through.
Shade Thy Home
"Another big factor is heat avoidance," stresses Weiner, "using shade trees, managing ventilation, adding window coverings (on the inside) and awnings (on the outside) to keep heat from reaching the house in the first place."
Shading of any kind is helpful, but it's always best to block the sun before it gets to the house. Alex Wilson, Executive Editor of Environmental Building News, writes in Green Building Advisor: "Shading windows is the easiest way to keep your house cool or keep your air conditioning bills down. Pulling down interior window blinds will help (the more reflective the outer surface of the blinds the better), but shading is even more effective if you can block the sunlight on the outside of your windows... Climbing vines on a trellis, nearby trees, large potted plants that can be rolled in front of doors or windows and awnings can also help a lot. If there's no way to block that sunlight on the outside of windows and patio doors, install and use interior blinds."
Customize Your Thermostat
Whether you still have an old mercury-vial thermostat or a newer, basic digital model, consider upgrading to a programmable thermostat. These allow you to program automatic temperature settings to suit the household's activity on a daily or weekly basis. For example, you can have your thermostat turn off the AC just before you leave the house for work, then turn it on again just before your return at the end of the day. This is one of the simple measures that Weiner recommends to homeowners looking to save energy on cooling. "It just makes it easier to manage household comfort without wasting energy."
Tip to Lower Summertime Indoor Temperatures
Nancy Kellogg has a clever trick to capture a little free cooling and balance the temperatures inside her home. Her thermostat has a "fan only" option that simply runs the blower motor on her forced-air furnace. During hot days, when the upper-level rooms are heated up and the basement (where the furnace is) stays much cooler, she runs the fan for a while. The system draws in some of the cool basement air and circulates it throughout the house. In her case, this can lower the temperature in her living spaces by 6 to 7 degrees.
Clean and Maintain Your AC Equipment
According to Weiner, "keeping your AC and furnace filters clean can improve the system's efficiency by 5 to 15%. Many systems have a filter in the outdoor condenser unit that helps keep the coils clean, maximizing efficiency. For indoor air quality and proper flow, it's also important to replace furnace filters as needed throughout the cooling season.
Kellogg offers similar advice and adds, "I tell people to forget the standard routine of checking filters every three months and do it once a month. An easy way for them to remember is to check the filters every time they get a utility bill." Kellogg also recommends shading your outdoor unit and making sure it is level and has at least 1 foot of free air space on all sides.
Consider an Evaporative Cooler
As an energy expert based in Colorado, Weiner is a big fan of evaporative coolers (AKA swamp coolers). These are relatively simple systems that pass air through a water-soaked pad to cool it before sending it into your house's ductwork. Because they add moisture to the indoor air, they are appropriate only for dry climates. The best thing is that they save a lot of energy.
"An evaporative cooling system can be 75% more efficient than conventional AC," says Weiner. "An additional benefit of evaporative systems is that some natural ventilation is not only ok, it's actually required. You manage your comfort level by how much you open your windows." With conventional AC, you never open the windows because it lets out the cool air and lets in humidity, which your system is working hard to eliminate.
Use Ceiling Fans With or Without AC
Ceiling fans help cool you when the AC is off, and when it's on, fans can make it more comfortable to keep the thermostat at a higher temperature. According to Alex Wilson, "All other things being equal, a breeze will keep you a lot cooler. If you're normally comfortable at, say, 72 degrees, using a ceiling fan or oscillating desk fan may enable you to be just about as comfortable with an air temperature of 75 to 80 degrees -- because the moving air evaporates moisture from your skin. Note that fans don't actually cool the air (in fact, they increase air temperature slightly from the motor's waste heat), so turn them off when you leave the room."
Weiner says that ceiling fans, which use much less energy than AC systems, can make you feel up to 4 degrees cooler.
Check for Rebates before Making Improvements
Kellogg is eager to tell clients where to find information about government and utility incentives and programs for home energy improvements. Ask a local energy auditor or your utility company about resources for finding available incentives and programs. Some of these benefits can be surprisingly good—while they last.
For energy-saving improvements to your home heating and cooling system, contact a reliable HVAC professional.
Looking for a Pro? Call us(866) 441-6648

subset: commoncrawl


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Paytm Insider is a platform that helps you discover and buy the best in events, travel and food in your city. We strive to curate experiences that are worth your time and money, possibly something you have never tried before.
Paytm Insider is built by the same team that created Bacardi NH7 Weekender (us) and we sure know what goes into putting together a great experience. Our technology, marketing and customer support can help you build a community of not just ticket buyers, but also fans.


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So, what did we learn from our navigation study? That even after more than a decade of trying to organize NASA's website along lines that make sense to you, the public, we still do some things that make more sense to us. In trying to create a minimum of top-level nav categories, we grouped some things together in ways that confuse you.
All of this has given us good input for this second round of tests. Colleen Kaiser, our user experience engineer, has created two versions of a new test. You're welcome to try either or both. I won't tip off the revisions we've made – go and see for yourself. Thanks again for helping us.


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GRADE: Media
PS5 - Uncharted Legacy Of Thieves Collection (16) Preowned
PS5 - Uncharted Legacy Of Thieves Collection (16) Preowned
Low stock: 3 left
Discover the exciting in-game adventures of Uncharted with the pre-owned PS5 Legacy Of Thieves Collection. 16 thrilling games offer hours of enthralling action with extraordinary graphics, realistic audio, and fast load times. Embark on your own epic journey!
Things to know:
More about Grading
This product is graded as: Media
This is how we grade our items.
The Item is effectively new, the product is free from any cosmetic marks and damage. It comes with the original box and all accessories received when bought new.
The item is used and may not have the original box. The item will be supplied with a charging cable where applicable. The item may have cosmetic wear based on usage but that will not hinder the user experience and/or function of the product.
This item is used and in a fair condition, it may have deep scratches, dents, screen burn, cracks or bends that will not hinder the use of the product. The product will be fully working, without a box and will not contain any of the original accessories. We always send a charging cable but, in most cases, this would be a 3rd party accessory.
Please note: All our items would be free of any previous owner's information. They would also be free of any device & activation locks.
This item is in great condition, sometimes brand new. It comes with the original box and all inserts. It will also contain all accessories you would expect when buying a product new, including the cables and a matching controller.
This item would be in good to fair condition. It MAY contain the original box and/or the inserts. You will receive all the accessories you need however they may be 3rd party or not matching. The console may have visual marks or scratches.
The console will have marks, chips and/or scratches. It will be a fully working product however its likely the original accessories maybe missing or would be replaced by 3rd party or compatible items. This item would not include the original box.
Media (Games, DVD's & Blurays)
All of our games, DVD's and Blurays are Preowned. Inlays May Vary and DLC is not Included.
Retro Software
Product in mint condition with original box, instructions & insert (if needed).
Product with original box & insert (if needed). May or may not contain instructions. May be in worn/used condition and/or have light cosmetic damage.
Without the box, inserts or instructions. May be in worn/used condition and/or have light cosmetic damage.
Technical Information
PS5 - Uncharted Legacy Of Thieves Collection (16) Preowned
GRADE: Media
Platform- PS5
Title – Uncharted Legacy Of Thieves Collection
Age Rating – 16
Grade – Preowned
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Happy Hour with a Sunset View at Mission on the Bay (Swampscott, MA)
Not too long ago I made the trek up to Swampscott in the North Shore with my mom so we can have dinner and drinks with a bay view at sunset. We arrived at Mission on the Bay right at sunset, and managed to take some great photos and videos from our table by the window.
I don't explore North Shore much, and I was pleasantly surprised by the cocktail I had here. The cocktail menu is seasonal, and I had the Go Figure with black mission fig infused bourbon, Cardamaro, and allspice dram. I ordered this because I'm a big fan of figs. The drink was well balanced and complex.
Mission on the Bay also has a great happy hour menu for food (because Massachusetts doesn't allow happy hour alcohol pricing). From 3-7pm on Sunday to Thursday, the bar food menu is half off! You can get more bang for your buck with appetizers like this short rib empanada served with aji amarillo and salsa criolla. The app is normally $12, so during happy hour it's $6.


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Annoying, isn't it? The first person into a forum thread or comments section can completely derail it, ruining it for everyone else, for some personal gain, but a net social loss.
This can happen in the auction house too. Whoever gets there first, particularly as a buyer, can reshape it dramatically, to the detriment of others. As an example, I offer this story of my own.
I occasionally engage in speculation, acting somewhat like a futures broker, though without anyone asking me to. I'll see things which are at absurdly low prices and buy them up, sometimes reposting them all higher, thereby setting the market price at what I want. Or I may simply hold them. At the time there may be a glut of supply or a lack of demand. Reposting later keeps a more consistent price, which helps future sellers, though obviously all of this comes at the expense of buyers. They do get something for that expense, a more stable supply. So at times this speculation may be an economically productive activity.
At other times it is little better than theft. The incident which inspired this post was when I saw moss agate at a mere 3 gold. I bought it up and feeling unkind, reposted, not at the usual market price of around 15g, but at an outrageous 20g. One sold a minute later. Clearly it would be absurd to suggest that I added value here, since it's not as if I have moved them through time, bringing them to the market at a time of a shortage. If I had arrived a minute later, the buyer would have gotten an item for about 12g under the usual price, rather than 5g over. In effect, he was 17g worse off and I was 17g better off, not because I added value, but simply because I got there first. While this clearly was to my benefit, it is still ridiculous.
What would fix this?
Bring the auction, by which I mean bidding, back to auction house. Either remove the ability to buy out items or add some extra cost to it to make short-term market manipulation significantly less profitable. If I could not have instantly bought out those moss agate, then all I could have done is placed bids. In the event that only the one sold, then I'd walk away with cheap gems and the sellers would have had successful auction (if underpriced, but that's purely their own faults. Reposting would have then meant I was putting them up at a time that they might not have been up otherwise, allowing other players to buy when they otherwise could not.
Removing buyouts entirely would probably be unpopular, since sometimes we're in a rush and just need that flask before the raid. For this, remove the ability of sellers to set a buyout price and instead make buyouts automatically double the current bid. That means that if something has been bid up a great deal, it's going to cost a lot to buyout, and if it was bid up so much, it was likely closer to the market price than if it had started off with a buyout near the starting bid. This removes the profit of short-term speculation without removing the ability to carry out time-based arbitrage or for people to get what they need at the last second. As a side benefit, it might encourage players to plan ahead more, a useful habit for everything except murder (in that case it's a tradeoff between better planning and an increased sentence if caught).
To clarify, the "double bid price" is not set in stone. Merely adding 10 or 25% would be enough to entirely stop some speculation and reduce others. Furthermore, since I know you're thinking "everyone uses buyouts, so if the speculator pays 25% more, they'll just get that back when the end user pays 25% more" the extra buyout fee does not go to the person running the auction, but is instead removed from the game, much as the auction house cut and lost deposits are.


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NRA Unveils Details Of School Safety Plan
ResumeSchools across the nation should train selected staff members to carry weapons and should each have at least one armed security officer to make students safer and allow a quicker response to an attack, the director of a National Rifle Association-sponsored study said Tuesday.
The task force that produced the report has developed a 40- to 60-hour training program that the study recommends making available to school staff members who are qualified and can pass background checks.
"The presence of an armed security personnel in a school adds a layer of security and diminishes the response time that is beneficial to the overall security," said former Republican former Rep. Asa Hutchinson of Arkansas, who led the study.
Asked if every school would be better off with an armed security officer, Hutchinson replied, "Yes," but acknowledged the decision would be made locally.
"Obviously we believe that they make a difference," he said.
Hutchinson said the security could be provided by trained staff members or by school resource officers - police officers assigned to schools that some districts already have.
Hutchinson made his remarks at a news conference at which the report was released. The event was held a week before the Senate plans to begin debating gun control legislation. The NRA opposes the main feature of the legislation - an expansion of background checks to cover nearly all gun purchases.
At the White House, meantime, press secretary Jay Carney said administration officials were working with lawmakers to try to reach a compromise on legislation that could be supported by both parties.
"The president has always recognized that this is something that would be a challenge but that in the wake of the horrific shootings in Newtown was an obligation of all of us to work on and try to get done," Carney said.
The spokesman commented as the White House revealed the president plans a trip next week to Connecticut, scene of the horrific shooting in December that spurred the new push for gun-control legislation. The aim of Obama's trip is to build pressure on Congress to pass legislation.
Obama also plans to focus on firearms curbs in a trip Wednesday to Denver, not far from last summer's mass shooting in a movie theater in Aurora, Colo.
Obama and his allies - mostly Democrats - are trying to bolster prospects that Congress will approve gun legislation. Chances of such action on Capitol Hill have waned since the shootings in Newton, Conn.
The 225-page NRA study, which Hutchinson said cost more than $1 million, made eight recommendations. They included changing state laws that might bar a trained school staff member from carrying a firearm, NRA-provided online assessments that schools could make of their safety procedures and better coordination with law enforcement agencies.
The study drew immediate opposition from the American Federation of Teachers, which represents 1.5 million teachers and other workers.
"Today's NRA proposal is a cruel hoax that will fail to keep our children and schools safe," said AFT President Randi Weingarten. "It is simply designed to assist gun manufacturers" to flood the nation with more guns and large magazine clips.
Hutchinson said the NRA dropped an earlier recommendation that retired police officers and other volunteers be armed to provide school safety. He said the idea encountered "great reluctance" from school superintendents.
The NRA had suggested the retired officer idea just days after 20 first-graders and six staff members were shot and killed at an elementary school in Newtown, Conn.
Several NRA-supplied security guards were at Tuesday's event - unusual for an announcement at the National Press Club, a building that houses offices for many news organizations.
- Here & Now: NRA Calls For Armed Officer In Every School
- NRA School Shield
- NRA Institude for Legislative Action
- FOX News: Guns On Campus
- Washington Post: Gun Measures May Be In Jeopardy In Congress
- State Line: States Tackle School Safety After Sandy Hook Shootings
- Kevin Robillard, politico reporter
This segment aired on April 2, 2013.


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A Wonderful Life
I didn't give Wonderbaby's future a lot of really reflective thought while I was pregnant with her. Which is to say, to the extent that I thought about it, I simply assumed that her future was brilliantly, gleamingly bright. I didn't know exactly what kind of person she would be, but I assumed that she would be, somehow, in some way, fabulous, and that, accordingly, her life would unfold fabulously before her.
What this really meant, I don't know. As I said, I didn't really give it a lot of thought. I suppose that I assumed that she would be tall and attractive and kind and funny, like her father, and smart and curious, like me. If I had any specific worries, these were along the lines of what if she doesn't turn out to be a book-lover? or, what if she has my nose? I didn't worry about the basic constituents of an ordinary life, beyond the usual maternal concerns about her natal and post-natal health and safety. If I could keep her safe, then she would almost certainly have a wonderful life, right? Whatever that meant.
When we learned that this baby, this Sprout, Wonderbaby's babybrudda, might very well face substantial obstacles to an ordinary life, that his health and well-being - that his prospects for a quote-unquote normal, never extraordinary or brilliant, future - were threatened at the very outset of his life, we were forced to examine exactly what it meant to speak of a wonderful life. I was forced to examine it. What would it mean, for my understanding of a wonderful life for my child, if it might not include all the hallmarks of normalcy, let alone brilliance, conventionally understood? What would it mean if this child were different - different in the most difficult, challenging ways? What would it mean for him, and what would it mean for me? What would I dream for this child, if I could not dream my own dreams, or variations thereof, on his behalf?
Therein lay the problem. I have only ever entertained - consciously or otherwise - dreams, for my children, that are variations on my own, most dearly held and largely unquestioned dreams. Dreams of more or less conventional happiness. Dreams about pursuing dreams and fulfilling ambitions. The specifics haven't really mattered - love men or women, study the works of Plato or Stan Lee, explore sea or sky or invent things or make movies or climb mountains or write books, whatever - but the scale has always been consistent. These have been big dreams. Extraordinary dreams. Dreams for an extraordinary life, a big life. Dreams that had to be - or so I thought - scaled back, dramatically scaled back, for a child whose future might very well be severely limited in scope or scale. Limited, perhaps, to the barest extremes. I had to ask myself, what could I dream for this child? And more to the point, could I be happy, really happy, for this child, regardless of what dreams, what ambitions, what hopes - however modest, however limited - would surround his life?
Of course I could. Our children are the very definition of happiness for us, regardless of the obstacles/challenges/limitations they face. We dream for them, no matter what. We all know this. But what I learned from this brush with the more complicated variations of hope, what I really learned from this, was that I not only know this, I believe this. I really do believe - feel right down to the marrow of my bones - that any child of mine will have a wonderful life - no matter what challenges that life brings, no matter how short or difficult that life - because I will (and do) love him, and love him well. He will be surrounded by love, and that really, really is all that matters. Not whether he is smart or fast or agile or especially talented with language. Just that he is loved. Trite, maybe, but true, really, truly true. Know-it-in-my-bones true.
We know, now, that the specific limitations that we were worried need no longer be worried about. But the lesson holds. We will, I will, let this child shape his own dreams. We will let his happiness be defined by loved. Everything else will be gravy.
That said, it'll help if he is fast, at least - he'll need to be if he's to keep himself out from under his sister's (benevolently) tyrannical control. And I certainly wouldn't mind if he preferred books to stinkbombs. But end of the day, nothing - nothing - really matters except the love, for his - our - wonderful life. It really, really doesn't.


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- City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
- Dubai 04:29 05:47 12:20 15:47 18:48 20:06
A curfew was to begin Monday after Egypt's president declared a state of emergency in three Suez Canal provinces hit hardest by a weekend wave of unrest that left more than 50 dead and plunged the nation further into turmoil.
President Mohammed Morsi's declaration was reminiscent of the tactics used by the country's ousted regime to get a grip on discontent. This time, the anger is fueled by his Islamist policies and the slow pace of change.
Angry and almost screaming, Morsi vowed in a televised address on Sunday night that he would not hesitate to take even more action to stem the latest eruption of violence across much of the country. But at the same time, he sought to reassure Egyptians that his latest moves would not take the country back into authoritarianism.
"There is no going back on freedom, democracy and the supremacy of the law," he said.
The worst violence this weekend was in the Mediterranean coastal city of Port Said, where seven people were killed on Sunday, pushing the toll for two days of clashes to at least 44. The unrest was sparked on Saturday by a court conviction and death sentence for 21 defendants involved in a mass soccer riot in the city's main stadium on Feb. 1, 2012 that left 74 dead.
Most of those sentenced to death were local soccer fans from Port Said, deepening a sense of persecution that Port Said's residents have felt since the stadium disaster, the worst soccer violence ever in Egypt.
At least another 11 died on Friday elsewhere in the country during rallies marking the second anniversary of the anti-Mubarak uprising. Protesters used the occasion to renounce Morsi and his Islamic fundamentalist group, the Muslim Brotherhood, which emerged as the country's most dominant political force after Mubarak's ouster.
The curfew and state of emergency, both in force for 30 days, affect the provinces of Port Said, Ismailiya and Suez. The curfew takes effect Monday from 9 p.m. to 6 a.m. every day.
Morsi, in office since June, also invited the nation's political forces to a dialogue starting Monday to resolve the country's latest crisis. A statement issued later by his office said that among those invited were the country's top reform leader, Nobel peace Laureate Mohammed ElBaradei, former Arab League chief Amr Moussa and Hamdeen Sabahi, a leftist politician who finished third in last year's presidential race.
The three are leaders of the National Salvation Front, an umbrella for the main opposition parties.
Khaled Dawoud, the Front's spokesman, said Morsi's invitation was meaningless unless he clearly states what is on the agenda. That, he added, must include amending a disputed constitution hurriedly drafted by the president's Islamist allies and rejected by the opposition.
He also faulted the president for not acknowledging his political responsibility for the latest bout of political violence.
"It is all too little too late," Dawoud told The Associated Press.
In many ways, Morsi's decree and his call for a dialogue betrayed his despair in the face of wave after wave of political unrest, violence and man-made disasters that, at times, made the country look like it was about to come unglued.
A relative unknown until his Muslim Brotherhood nominated him to run for president last year, Morsi is widely criticized for having offered no vision for the country's future after nearly 30 years of dictatorship under Mubarak and no coherent policy to tackle seemingly endless problems, from a free falling economy and deeply entrenched social injustices to surging crime and chaos on the streets.
Reform of the judiciary and the police, hated under the old regime for brutality, are also key demands of Morsi's critics.
Morsi did not say what he plans to do to stem the violence in other parts of the country outside those three provinces, but he did say he had instructed the police to deal "firmly and forcefully" with individuals attacking state institutions, using firearms to "terrorize" citizens or blocking roads and railway lines.
There were also clashes Sunday in Cairo and several cities in the Nile Delta region, including the industrial city of Mahallah.
Egypt's current crisis is the second to hit the country since November, when Morsi issued decrees, since rescinded, that gave him nearly unlimited powers and placed him above any oversight, including by the judiciary.
The latest eruption of political violence has deepened the malaise as Morsi struggles to get a grip on enormous social and economic problems and the increasingly dangerous fault lines that divide this nation of 85 million.
In an ominous sign, a one-time jihadist group on Sunday blamed the secular opposition for the violence and threatened to set up vigilante militias to defend the government it supports. Tareq el-Zomr of the once-jihadist Gamaa Islamiya, said that if the authorities fail to achieve security, "it will be the right of the Egyptian people ... to set up popular committees to protect private and public property and counter the aggression on innocent citizens."
In Port Said on Sunday, tens of thousands of mourners poured into the streets for a mass funeral for most of the 37 people who died on Saturday. They chanted slogans against Morsi.
"We are now dead against Morsi," said Port Said activist Amira Alfy. "We will not rest now until he goes and we will not take part in the next parliamentary elections. Port Said has risen and will not allow even a semblance of normalcy to come back," she said.
The violence flared only a month after a prolonged crisis — punctuated by deadly violence — over the new constitution. Ten died in that round of unrest and hundreds were injured.
In Port Said, mourners chanted "There is no God but Allah," and "Morsi is God's enemy" as the funeral procession made its way through the city after prayers for the dead at the city's Mariam Mosque. Women clad in black led the chants, which were quickly picked up by the rest of the mourners.
There were no police or army troops in sight. But the funeral procession briefly halted after gunfire rang out. Security officials said it came from several mourners who opened fire at the Police Club next to the cemetery. Activists, however, said the gunfire first came from inside the army club, which is also close to the cemetery. Some of the mourners returned fire, which drew more shots as well as tear gas, according to witnesses. They, together with the officials, spoke on condition of anonymity because of the sensitivity of the situation in the city on the Mediterranean at the northern tip of the Suez Canal.
A total of 630 people were injured, some of them with gunshot wounds, said Abdel-Rahman Farag, director of the city's hospitals.
Also Sunday, army troops backed by armored vehicles staked out positions at key government facilities to protect state interests and try to restore order.
There was also a funeral in Cairo for two policemen killed in the Port Said violence a day earlier. Several policemen grieving for their colleagues heckled Interior Minister Mohammed Ibrahim, who is in charge of the force, when he arrived for their funeral, according to witnesses.
The angry officers screamed at the minister that he was only at the funeral for the TV cameras — a highly unusual show of dissent in Egypt, where the police force maintains military-like discipline.
Ibrahim hurriedly left and the funeral proceeded without him, a sign that the prestige of the state and its top executives were diminishing.
In Cairo, clashes broke out for the fourth straight day on Sunday, with protesters and police outside two landmark, Nile-side hotels near central Tahrir Square, birthplace of the 2011 uprising. Police fired tear gas while protesters pelted them with rocks.
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The first official BCS ranking is coming tomorrow, and speculation is raging that it will be Ohio State at No. 1, with USC edging out Florida for the coveted No. 2 spot. They have to play the games first, of cours. That's where you come in.
Use the Comments section for our weekly Tailgate of analysis: Pre-game, mid-game and post-game, let's talk about performances and dynamics that are shifting throughout the day that might impact how that first BCS ranking will look.
Have at it!
Update (4:41 p.m.): Adrian Peterson out for the rest of the season! Two things:
(1) In my list, he was THE top Heisman contender. (At least, he is/was the best college football player -- whether that wins him a Heisman or not is another thing. No matter how you define "best," Peterson was in your Top 3.) So now that's blown wide open.
(2) Considering that he would have been a guaranteed first-round pick (if not Top 10) in the NFL Draft... AFTER HIS FRESHMAN SEASON! *AND* he would have been a guaranteed Top 5 overall pick after his sophomore season...
He becomes Exhibit A about how the draft-eligibility restrictions are terrible for the top players and should be eliminated.
How can you deny that having to come back for this third year put him at risk -- a risk now turned reality -- of a career-harming injury, when he would have been a lock first-round pick in either of his first two years? Forcing him to return to school if both he and, as important, NFL talent evaluators agree he would have been ready after either of his first two years was/is in the worst interests of both the player and the NFL.
Meanwhile, I feel amazing for Vanderbilt, beating Georgia in Athens, but if you're an SEC fan, it's bittersweet: It makes Florida's game against UGA next week that much less impressive. It's certainly not the tough matchup it looked like it was even two weeks ago, let alone before the season started. (And, of course, it's no gimme that UF wins at Auburn tonight.) But how awesome for Vandy?


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TestDisk is a free software data recovery utility licensed under the terms of the GNU General Public License (GPL). It was primarily designed to help recover lost data storage partitions and/or make non-booting disks bootable again when these symptoms are caused by faulty software, certain types of viruses or human error (such as accidentally erasing a partition table).
Forensics usage of TestDisk and PhotoRec is described on the website.
TestDisk queries the BIOS or the operating system in order to find the hard disks and their characteristics (LBA size and Cylinder-head-sector geometry). TestDisk does a quick check of your disk's structure and compares it with your Partition Table for entry errors. If the Partition Table has entry errors, TestDisk can repair them.
However, it's up to the user to look over the list of possible partitions found by TestDisk and to select the one(s) which were being used just before the drive failed to boot or the partition(s) were lost. In some cases, especially after initiating a detailed search for lost partitions, TestDisk may show partition data which is simply from the remnants of a partition that had been deleted and overwritten long ago.
TestDisk has features for both novices and experts. For those who know little or nothing about data recovery techniques, TestDisk can be used to collect detailed information about a non-booting drive which can then be sent to a tech for further analysis. Those more familiar with such procedures should find TestDisk a handy tool in performing onsite recovery.
Supported operating systems
- Microsoft Windows (NT4, 2000, XP, 2003, Vista);
- Linux;
- FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD;
- SunOS and
- Mac OS X
File systems
TestDisk can find lost partitions of the following file systems:
- Be File System (BeOS)
- BSD disklabel (FreeBSD/OpenBSD/NetBSD
- Cramfs, Compressed File System
- DOS/Windows FAT 12, 16, and 32
- (Classic) HFS, HFS+ and HFSX, Hierarchical File System
- IBM Journaled File System 2 (JFS2), IBM's Journaled File System
- Linux ext2 and ext3
- Linux RAID
- RAID 1: mirroring
- RAID 4: striped array with parity device
- RAID 5: striped array with distributed parity information
- RAID 6: striped array with distributed dual redundancy information
- Linux Swap (versions 1 and 2)
- Linux Logical Volume Manager (LVM and LVM2)
- Mac partition map
- Novell Storage Services (NSS)
- NTFS (Windows NT/2000/XP/2003/Vista/2008)
- ReiserFS 3.5, 3.6 and 4
- Sun Solaris i386 disklabel
- Unix File System: UFS and UFS2 (Sun/BSD/...)
- XFS, SGI's Journaled File System


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You know that old saying? Life is what happens as you're making plans? It's the same thing with adventure. Hey, we all have to work. We all have bills to pay. But ever notice how some folks manage to squeeze a whole lotta fun in regardless? Like the folks who ride motorcycles—especially bikes like the Honda CB500X.
There are lots of great bikes in Honda's 2017 lineup, but the CB500X is one of our favorites. Why? Because it does so much so well. You get plenty of performance, thanks to the torquey 471cc parallel-twin DOHC engine. The CB500X's upright handlebar naturally accommodates a wide variety of riders. Heading out on a longer trip? You can adjust the compact windscreen to varying heights, and the larger-capacity fuel tank is carefully shaped to give the rider an unrestricted riding position. Best of all, you don't have to save up for 20 years to afford one. So while those other guys and gals are saving and planning, you can be out riding.
This is not an offer for credit and should be used for estimation purposes only based on the information you provided. You should not base your decision on this estimate alone. Title, registration, tax and other fees, and personal circumstances such as employment status and personal credit history, were not considered in the calculations.
Front - Twin-piston caliper with single 320 mm wave disc; Combined ABS
Rear - Single caliper 240 mm wave disc; Combined ABS
Front - 120/70-17 radial
Rear - 160/60-17 radial
Front - 41 mm fork; 5.5 in. travel
Rear - Pro-Link® single shock with 9-position spring preload adjustability; 4.7 in. travel


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- City Fajr Shuruq Duhr Asr Magrib Isha
- Dubai 04:28 05:46 12:20 15:47 18:49 20:07
A 114-year-old South Carolina woman who was the oldest living US citizen has died, two of her daughters said Saturday.
Mamie Rearden of Edgefield, who held the title as the country's oldest person for about two weeks, died Wednesday at a hospital in Augusta, Georgia, said Sara Rearden of Burtonsville, Maryland, and Janie Ruth Osborne of Edgefield. They said their mother broke her hip after a fall about three weeks ago.
The Gerontology Research Group, which verifies age information for Guinness World Records, listed Mamie Rearden as the oldest living American after last month's passing of 115-year-old Dina Manfredini of Iowa. Rearden's Sept. 7, 1898, birth was recorded in the 1900 U.S. Census, the group's Robert Young said.
Rearden was more than a year younger than the world's oldest person, 115-year-old Jiroemon Kimura of Japan.
"My mom was not president of the bank or anything, but she was very instrumental in raising a family and being a community person," said Sara Rearden, her youngest child. "Everybody can't go be president of a bank or president of a college, but we feel just as proud of her in her role as housewife and particularly as mother and homemaker."
Mamie Rearden, who was married to her husband Oacy for 59 years until his death in 1979, raised 11 children, 10 of whom survive, Sara Rearden said. She lived in the family homestead with a son and a daughter on land that had been in the family since her father's accumulation of acreage made him one of the area's largest black landowners.
Her father sent her off to earn a teaching certificate at Bettis Academy on the far side of the county, and she would spend an entire day on a loaded wagon to reach the school along dirt roads, her daughter said. She taught for several years until becoming pregnant with her third child.
In the mid-1960s at age 65, when some settled into retirement, she learned to drive a car for the first time and started volunteering for an Edgefield County program that had her driving to the end of remote rural roads to find children whose parents were keeping them home from school, Sara Rearden said.
Mamie Rearden always counseled that her children should treat others as they wanted to be treated and that included never gossiping or speaking ill of others. When asked about a preacher's uninspiring sermon, her daughter recalled her mother saying: "'Well, it came from the Bible.' She never would bad-mouth them."
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Version: | 1.1.3 |
Date Added: | 2016/10/17 |
Total Downloads: | 1,089 views |
3DMark Vantage is the new industry standard PC gaming performance benchmark from Futuremark, newly designed for Windows Vista and DirectX10. It includes two new graphics tests, two new CPU tests, several new feature tests, and support for the latest hardware. 3DMark Vantage is based on a completely new rendering engine, developed specifically to take full advantage of DirectX10, the new graphics API from Microsoft.
Note: 3DMark Vantage requires Windows Vista and DirectX10 Compliant graphics card, and does not work in any other operating systems or with sub-DX10 graphics cards.
[uap-landing-commission slug='landcom']


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*This tutorial was originally posted over on Living with Punks!
She's doing a Scrap Your Stash series right now and there have been some awesome tutorials using scraps, with many more to come!
I think I may be in love with these adorable little key chains. So much in love that I made a bunch with no plans for them. After all, I don't need 7 key chains…but I have friends and family who do! Whether they know that or not. lol.
Anyways, thanks so much to Susan for asking me to participate in her Scrap Your Stash series, I love using up scraps in fun ways, so it was so fun for me to think up a new project!
These little key chains are perfect for showcasing your favorite scrap of fabric, or embellishing with button flowers, felt monograms, or whatever you can dream up!
Tutorial below!
Here's the how to!
You'll need:
*fabric scraps
*medium weight iron on interfacing
*small piece of Pellon Peltex one sided iron-on interfacing. This stuff is really stiff and is almost like cardboard but you can sew right through it. It's awesome! I get mine when the interfacing at Joann's goes on sale, but you really only need a tiny bit so it shouldn't break the bank.
*twill tape or grosgrain ribbon
*key ring (you can get these on etsy, or re-use an old key ring from an unwanted key chain)
*pinking shears
*buttons, felt, for embellishing
*thread, sewing stuff
*something to make a pattern with, I traced a few of the round things in my sewing room to get some different shapes, and sketched out the oval.
So, first off decide what scraps you'd like to use, and iron on the medium interfacing to the wrong side of the fabric.
(that white piece is the Peltex)
If you're going to do an applique or buttons, trace around your pattern onto the right side of the fabric so that you know how to place it.
I added a quick appliqued C to this one (cruddiest applique sewing job ever though, lol)
Then I ironed on the Peltex to the wrong side of my fabric according to the directions. (there's a shiny side, which is the side that should be ironed on the wrong side of the fabric. I placed it down, covered it with a pressing cloth, and pressed with my iron for about 10-15 seconds.) Make sure you iron it to the side you want to be the "front" of your key chain.
Then cut it out, along with the back of your key chain.
Place wrong sides together, and place two pins about 1″ or so apart on the bottom.
Sew from pin to pin, around the circle, about 1/4″ away from the edge.
Then trim the edges all the way around with pinking shears.
Cut a piece of your twill tape or ribbon about 2″ long. (ignore the fact that this piece is longer, 2″ works better!)
Fold it over your key ring, insert into the opening on the bottom of your key chain, and sew the opening closed, back stitching at the beginning and end.
Trim threads, and you're done! Make a ton more for friends and family!
You can also sew up a fabric loop to match, but those were a bit bulky and I found that the twill tape was a lot easier to sew and made them a lot quicker to make also!


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Construction Equipment Rental in Roscoe, South-Dakota
Do you need to rent heavy construction equipment and tools to get a job done in Roscoe? No problem, vendors in our vast network have a large inventory of work-ready equipment available for hire.
When you rent construction equipment from our vendors, they will drop the machinery off at your jobsite and pick it up when the job is complete. Yes, it's that convenient.
To make it an even better proposition, you can hire equipment for any length of time. There are no restrictions on whether a contractor can rent an excavator, for instance, for just a day or a month!
Top of the line heavy construction equipment is now just a phone call away! Dial our toll free number today!
You can also contact us by submitting the contact form (on the right). Our vendors will contact you on the same day!
Equipment Rental Roscoe, Construction equipment rental Roscoe, Construction Roscoe, Heavy Equipment Rental Roscoe.


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Thanks to Mr. Reilly, and thanks to the individuals and institutions who have preserved Reilly's legacy. If anyone knows where the original motion picture film copies are, please let me know.
Correction, March 5, 2013: According to one of Cornwell's grandchildren, "Dean was actually ambidextrous and could actually paint with both hands and apparently sometimes did so simultaneously (I would guess only if it wasn't great detail). Not a lefty; an ambi."
Dean Cornwell on Wikipedia


text: Space | 22. July 2011 STS-135 Atlantis – the final episode The Space Shuttle Atlantis announced its arrival at the Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in the early morning hours of 21 July 2011 with a double sonic boom. Just over three minutes later, the spaceship touched down on the runway and at 05:57:54 local time "wheels stop" was called for the last time. Atlantis and its crew had safely returned to Earth. NASA's space shuttles have travelled into orbit 135 times; this era ended today. The space shuttles have shaped US space policy for the last 30 years and have stood as an icon of human spaceflight for a whole generation. Slideshow: Touchdown of the Space Shuttle Atlantis on 21 July 2011 – the last landing by a space shuttle. All images: DLR, CC-BY 3.0. Flash not available? Then please click here. KSC received the elegant spaceship with a special ceremony. Atlantis was parked in the open air for almost three hours, serving as the backdrop for a farewell party at the space centre. Several thousand NASA employees, guests and media representatives took the opportunity to have their picture taken in front of the last operational space shuttle. For many, this bittersweet farewell is not only a sentimental occasion, but also marks a new chapter in their lives. The ending of the shuttle programme will force many employees to look for another job, because no manned space missions will be launched from Florida for many years. NASA's Administrator, Charles Bolden, and the astronaut crew tried to spread optimism: "Children who dream of being astronauts today may not fly on the space shuttle … but, one day, they may walk on Mars," said the NASA chief, But, there is a long road ahead to reach that day. The space shuttles are now being prepared for permanent display in museums. Atlantis will stay at the KSC visitor complex as a special attraction, so visiting the space centre will continue to be worthwhile for the next 30 years. Hopefully, by then, there will be more to see than just space history. -- More information in the shuttle section of the NASA Web Portal.


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Chapter 17
Jesus offers the great Intercessory Prayer—He is glorified by gaining eternal life—He prays for His Apostles and all the Saints—He explains how the Father and Son are one.
1 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy aSon, that thy Son also may bglorify thee:
2 As thou hast given him apower over all flesh, that he should give beternal life to as many as thou hast cgiven him.
3 And this is alife beternal, that they might cknow thee the only true dGod, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast esent.
4 I have aglorified thee on the earth: I have bfinished the work which thou gavest me to do.
5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the aglory which I had with thee bbefore the world was.
6 I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me aout of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
7 Now they have known that all things whatsoever thou hast agiven me are of thee.
8 For I have given unto them the awords which thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I bcame out from thee, and they have cbelieved that thou didst send me.
9 I apray for them: I pray not for the world, but for them which bthou hast given me; for they are thine.
10 And all mine are thine, and thine are mine; and I am glorified in them.
11 And now I am no more in the world, but these are in the aworld, and I come to thee. Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be bone, as we are.
12 While I was with them in the world, I kept them in thy name: those that thou gavest me I have kept, and anone of them is blost, but the son of cperdition; that the scripture might be fulfilled.
13 And now come I to thee; and these things I speak in the world, that they might have my ajoy fulfilled in themselves.
14 I have given them thy word; and the world hath hated them, because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.
15 I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the aworld, but that thou shouldest bkeep them from the cevil.
16 They are not of the aworld, even as I am not of the world.
17 aSanctify them through thy btruth: thy word is ctruth.
18 As thou hast asent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world.
19 And for their sakes I asanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.
20 Neither apray I for these alone, but for them also which shall bbelieve on me through their word;
21 That they all may be aone; as thou, bFather, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be cone in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.
22 And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be aone, even as we are bone:
23 I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made aperfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast bloved them, as thou hast loved me.
24 Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me: for thou lovedst me before the foundation of the world.
25 O righteous Father, the world hath not aknown thee: but I have known thee, and these have known that thou hast sent me.
26 And I have adeclared unto them thy bname, and will declare it: that the clove wherewith thou hast dloved me may be in them, and I in them.


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Random October Bits
I think things are going to enter a quiet period here for the rest of the year and into next year. For now, here's a random October collection of interesting comments and newsbits that clears a whole bunch of blog-this flags in my Outlook.
Re-Titled: it was amusing to me that the Wired "Rebuilding Microsoft" article got re-titled to "Ozzie to Face New Challenges at Microsoft" when it showed up in this past Wednesday's daily news summary. Well, I'd rather have the link vs. having it denied because of the article title.
Limited: As we all try to figure out what our reviews mean and how to manage the reviews and compensation, one commenter brought up a rule in their group that anyone over 30 months at level were slapped with Limited on their review:
I'm the "limited fiasco" AC.
Apparently some groups either didn't get the message or chose to ignore it. I have an email from HR indicating that EVERYONE with more than 30 months at level (regardless of level) MUST get a Limited eval. This is why they added "limited scenario 1" and "limited scenario 2".
Your group may have chosen to ignore the memo, but I know that many divisions didn't.
And I know that many senior 64s who got 0 stock award are sitting looking at Google and Amazon's help wanted ads.
Most folks didn't experience this and slapped FUD on that. If a group did decide to do this, I suggest forwarding that HR email to LisaB and tell her this is wrong and some heads need to be knocked around for creating a passive-aggressive punishment system. If you want people gone, RIF them already. I've always told people that Microsoft is pretty happy with you if you reach L63. If you look at the CSPs as well, they give you an idea about what kind of promotion velocity you should be pushing for and it pretty much goes away as you hit the mid-60-levels. The bad thing about this months-at-level idea, hopefully a FUD-dy-duddy idea, is that if people realize they are going to get punished for not getting promoted they are going to do what it takes to get promoted vs. what's the right thing to do for their business.
More Than Human: Brier Dudley has an interesting HR-infused blog post that covers both Google and Microsoft: Human Resources Issues at Microsoft, Google. It points to the double LisaB article in Monday's Seattle Times by Benjamin Romano:
And while nothing but praises should be shouted out for getting rid of the performance curve and the trended review scores, we still have a dysfunctional stack-rank review system that competes employees against their peers. Small steps.
http://minimsft/: on the upcoming internal employee discussion blog: I want Microsofties to participate on it and not crosspost from the internal blog onto here. When I recognize that happening, or when people see one that got through and point it out, I just will drop the comment into the bit-bucket. On the other hand, you're welcome to crosspost from here and onto the internal blog to continue a discussion on a topic that you know will only include internal Microsofties.
Basic content rule: what starts internal must stay internal. If you have a comment about the discussion area from a non-content point of view then yes, please, write about it.
As for concerns about an HR sponsored discussion area being completely career-safe to engage in: well, you remember that blue Corporate Confidential book, right? HR does not exist to make your life easier. And if that Orange Scarfed Dementor Brigade starts jumping on people, especially anonymous contributors, then we'll all know it's time to throw in the company-provided towell.
Transfers: The new internal transfer program... well, the first response to the internal transfer post was "Hey, what new internal transfer program?" given that it was given a pretty soft-announcement by showing up in Micronews. In general, commenters believe it's a step in the right direction, but it would be much better to just interview for the position and not ever get your manager in involved. While many left stories of revenge when they did look to interview, one story of success came in:
I asked, more appropriately informed, my manager that I am planning to interview and both the times I got promotion. I am now a level above than my peers. I got promotion in two consecutive years whereas normally I would have got one in two years.
I strongly believe that's normally the case. Because that's the only way to keep your super-stars within the group. But minimsft is not a forum for such people. It is forum for people who felt unjustice.
(Oooch.) A deft hand at handling your career with your current boss is always a good idea. I like BizDog's summary of the change best:
In my opinion this is goodness all around and here's why. Obvious is the benefit to people (ICs and managers alike) who want to change roles - now they can do an informational and have a shot at actually getting to move roles in a reasonable timeframe so they can continue to advance their career while doing great things for the company. Net is lower recruiting costs and higher employee retention - these are good things. But this is also good for managers. It allows you to actually hire strategically for your team AND for people's career advancement which let's face it was difficult to impossible to do before. This also allows a manager to build a truly great team when combined with the new review model. But best of all - ta-dah, yes it shines a glaring spotlight on really bad managers. Why? because they can't hide turnover any more - yep no boat anchoring people until the manager moves on so no one sees what a nightmare they were to work for. Beautiful and bravo. It ups the game on manager accountability and that is something we very much need.
I think we have the potential before us for some really great managers - and leaders - to start thriving and growing within Microsoft.
It's the stock price, dummy: MSFTextrememakeover discusses Microsoft's stock recovery.
Turf-06: As for local blog drama, the spirit of some of the commenters has a new twisty-mix post Company Meeting. I don't mind someone coming along with an opposing or dissenting view. Not at all. That's dialogue. What's bad is that the New Dissention seems focused on boxing previous commenters into a "loser!" box vs. respecting what they've said. I'd like to hear what you have to say without you whipping out the straw man argument or engaging in the tyranny of the "or."
On the change in the mix, Anon Partner adds:
You have to wonder why after 1-1.5 years of MiniMSFT, why there is public chastisizing of Mini going on (incl at the eco meeting by LisaB very dramatically).
The turning point came when people started venting/sharing their review f/b, numbers in relation to partner compensation. That hit low and I think there is a sense of embarrassment in the upper ranks about this. It highlighted the culture at MS in a way that they didn't expect or want. This is why there is a renewed focus on flushing out the readers/posters etc.
This is communism at its worst.
I understand LisaB wants to rebuild the trust between leadership and the rank-and-file. I think an upfront discussion of the SPSA program and rank-and-file compensation, if brought up by Microsofties, should be on the top of the list. Chastise me, please, should I stumble into falsehoods. But not for shinning a light and remarking, "whoa, that stinks!"
On Photosynth:
The Photosynth tech demo you saw: WAS created by a small team, TOOK less than 4 months. IS going to be shipping in less than a month. HAS something we lack in a lot of other products: COOLNESS and WE have a lot of other cool stuff brewing...
Wake up mini-blah the mini microsoft that you talk about is growing from within the company.
and YES I do work for the team that is doing Photosynth.
The Photosynth demo rocked my world. I wish you guys all the success in the world because if you rock everyone's world you can be instrumental in showing how to get it done and shipped.
Jürgen Gallmann: this Microsoft resignation has been pretty quiet - what does it mean? Microsoft's top German Juergen Gallmann resigns.
The Field, revisited: a comment on MCS:
Having lived in the field for 6 years (first MCS, now sales), I can say that, from my experience, the more negative comments on this thread are the more accurate.
MCS is the biggest travesty. The comment above from the person who said that "MCS is about selling software and not generating revenue" is just completely out of touch with MCS management. Eespecially the new regime. MCS has strict marching orders under the current regime to be profitable, focus on growing the business (again - UGH!), and stick to big ($500k+) deals. They've gone so far that <2 week deals now require high level sign-off.
I feel like there's a whole lot more there to discuss, but I'm not sure how best to go forward.
You Are the Universe: and to close, always this gentle reminder for those of you not super happy with how Microsoft is going for you and able to consider other employers:
Leaving MS was a difficult decision and if you are risk averse, you will not leave. But if your résumé looks good and you are a solid performer, you should have no problem finding a job, so the risk is really not all that high. Of course, if you have an MS-sponsored work visa, then you don't have much flexibility. For those that do have flexibility, give it a shot: send out your résumé. See what offers you get. Nothing interesting? Stay where you are. But at least know what you're options are. What have you got to lose?
Indeed! At a lull in your current cycle? Freshen up that resume and shop it around. And if you don't leave, maybe you'll at least find yourself refreshed and recommitted to Microsoft and your career.


text:
and she's so busy being free
116 comments:
- ratua said...
I like it very much!!! You look really awesome in those pictures!
- August 20, 2011 3:40 AM
like it!
xoxo - August 20, 2011 3:44 AM
I like it too.
http://0fashion-queen0.blogspot.com/ - August 20, 2011 3:44 AM
- constance said...
i get summer nostalgia too. it is ridiculous and i end up wasting my last week not wanting to go back to school.
oh and nice photos :) - August 20, 2011 3:59 AM
Gorgeous post Tavi! ^^
xx indie by heart - August 20, 2011 4:05 AM
- Inari said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- August 20, 2011 4:07 AM
- Inari said...
beautiful photos, and the whole atmosphere of the post is pure love <3
xx, anár // decadent essence of innocence - August 20, 2011 4:08 AM
- IVOMITTRIANGLES said...
what a beauty of a blogpost!
http://i-vomit-triangles.blogspot.com/ - August 20, 2011 4:15 AM
- the outfit diaries said...
I love this ode to careless, free summers (not that this summer was that for me, but I can relate). You look stunning in that dress, the pictures set just the right mood. I like the text on the postcard, (what I can read from it) funny that they have these things at a vintage store.
- August 20, 2011 4:25 AM
- Afra Klinkenberg said...
What a... beautiful post you have here. It made me all careless and wanting to spill some ketchup for you in your possibly new school cafetaria. The photo taken by Petra is just amazing!
Your post just made me look so differently to my official last weekend of summervacation. Next week it'll be my birthday, always on the end of summer. Today I will enjoy my possibly last day of sun and harvest one of the apple trees in my backyard! And maybe create a secret language between me and my best friends like the one on your postcard so I can send them myself and having someone wondering about it in the future too.
Have a lovely last summervacationweekend.. or week, maybe.
Afra - August 20, 2011 4:33 AM
- Jolene Frances said...
Oh dearie. I so understand the summer nostalgia. In fact, I made a post about summer nostalgia at one point, before summer had even officially began. Haha. .. Oh, feel free to take a looksee if you'd like.
summer solstice nostalgia, http://hercoffin.net/blog/?p=2372 - August 20, 2011 4:39 AM
- Catte said...
I'm nostalgic for summer already having started back at school... my summers never serm to live upto my expextations, no dancing with unicorns sigh... love your posts as they always cheer me up and inspire me...
www.converseandchords.blogspot.com - August 20, 2011 5:38 AM
- The Fancy Teacup said...
I can get wondrously lost in your writing, Tavi! What is simply summer vacation nostalgia, you have translated into such a beautiful sensory experience and a trip tunneled through vintage store treasures.
Hopefully your feet may have a glimpse of the florescent light of day as a cheerful reminder that summer is just around the corner.
♥, Jamie
www.TheFancyTeacup.com - August 20, 2011 5:47 AM
- Maxens M. Finch said...
I prefer to buy used clothes/objects that shows signs of life too.
Sometimes I can't decide on what to buy, I just smell the thing and look at it and imagine what its life was before, and that of its owner. - August 20, 2011 6:02 AM
- thwany said...
16 buttons? haha that's intense.
- August 20, 2011 6:04 AM
I love the photos with you as the model in this post! The smokebomb photos are having such a mystic mood, and I get the feeling the girl on the photos is just the ghost of a sad young lady from yesterday living in a large-scale château park and appearing every year at the day of her tragic death. And I also like the photo in front of the house, especially your countenance, can't exactly explain what it is. But you see, the photos were a big source of inspiration for my fantasy :D
Nice greets, Melina Cenicero - August 20, 2011 6:32 AM
- Mom Fashion World said...
Awesome pics!
http://www.momfashionworld.blogspot.com/ - August 20, 2011 7:10 AM
- K said...
I love the pictures, especially the smoke bomb effect on the first few! xx
Sirens and Bells - August 20, 2011 7:17 AM
- A24-45 said...
Hi Tavi, I just read over at http://advancedstyle.blogspot.com/ that you are going to co-host an event with Ari Seth Cohen in September. Way to go girl! I appreciate your being part of the movement that is opening up(slowly) the too-constrained definitions of art, fashion and how they relate to one's life. Thanks for a great blog, hope you continue to enjoy putting it out.
- August 20, 2011 7:20 AM
- - D - said...
All these photos are beautiful, especially the first few :) x
milkandlotsofsugar.blogspot.com - August 20, 2011 7:21 AM
- Damar Rivillo said...
woaoo love these pictures, the dark side with this great...
- August 20, 2011 8:55 AM
- zoomslow said...
I've been thinking for like, an hour how to respond to this post because my usual thing of picking out a few things to comment on is nowhere near enough here.
But then as I was starting to get really annoyed by some horror movie that's on the TV, I looked back to the screen that was scrolled down to the middle of the last picture – and found myself looking at those lovely flowers.
So you know, in some weird virtual reality, my response to this wonderful post would be to pick-up those flowers and give them to you! :-) - August 20, 2011 8:56 AM
- Renee Revolution said...
Your photos are phenomenal. That dress is amazing!
You really hit the nail on the head about summer romanticism. The constant dreamy nature of summer and how the dreams are never quite the same, but that doesn't change how wonderful summer is. Summer is still the greatest, even when it isn't like the movies. The dreaming just makes it better. - August 20, 2011 9:19 AM
- Unknown said...
Almost Famous! that movie changed my perspective entirely...
- August 20, 2011 9:24 AM
- dear winsome said...
awesome.that dress is amazing and perfect for you, love the smoke bomb photos.
http://dearwinsome.blogspot.com/ - August 20, 2011 9:45 AM
- brodie said...
I love grown-up California Tavi.
That pile of records just made me totz emo and homesick! My mum loves Carly (she named my sister Karli after her) and Carole and has these 2 albums from when she was a teenager. Her name's Dawn and when she bought new records as a kid she drew a rising sun on all of them to make sure everyone knew they were hers. Tapestry is our family soundtrack. I hope you feel da earth move when you listen to them! xo - August 20, 2011 10:23 AM
- Mana said...
You start today?
- August 20, 2011 10:33 AM
- London is passion said...
This might be one of your best posts. Love the photos!
- August 20, 2011 10:36 AM
- Mana said...
I feel the same way. I'm going into 10th grade. WHat grade are you going in? Could you do a first day of school outfit? These vibes are making me jealous!
- August 20, 2011 10:38 AM
- DSTONE Magazine said...
You look so pretty with that dress on.
http://dstonemagazine.blogspot.com/ - August 20, 2011 10:48 AM
- Tavi said...
Thanks guys <3
lyrebirdgully, thanks! I'm really excited about that too.
Brodie, that's the sweetest thing I ever heard. Your mom and Spencer's mom need to share these things!
Bohemian Rhapsody, I am starting the 10th grade on Wednesday. I might post an outfit but I'm not sure. - August 20, 2011 10:53 AM
oh hey, weetzie.
- August 20, 2011 10:55 AM
- wm. equis said...
- August 20, 2011 10:59 AM
- Céline said...
what a gorgeous post !!
this dress makes you so pretty ^^
http://mycopperraccoon.blogspot.com/ - August 20, 2011 11:10 AM
- Lindsey Cook said...
I have very mixed feelings about summer ending. I love summer, I love living at the beach with sand in my hair and the sun in my eyes, but I also am super excited for my senior year. I just wish I could get the fun stuff without all the work I'm going to have to do.
But I guess that's not how the real world works, is it?
And I'm glad you enjoyed California! It really is a remarkable place.
http://the-fashion-barbie.blogspot.com/ - August 20, 2011 11:22 AM
- SKINFLINT said...
TAVI! Hi. All of this is incredible and overwhelming and making me not want to go back to school/want to go back to school. Contradictory feelings.
Good luck with 10th grade! It won't slaughter you, I promise. Not like Parsons slaughters me. - August 20, 2011 11:36 AM
- skflrez said...
I like summer, but I look foreward fall. I love the rain and sitting on the sofa having a nice cup of hot chocalate while watching dvds. I love knitted things and scarfs and all this stuff. Please summer, don't be so long!
But I know how much everyone loves summer, so...
Maybe I should move to Scandinavia when I finished school.
LOve Filia
filiasenchantingworld.blogspot.com - August 20, 2011 12:00 PM
- Level Up! said...
ooh nice mix :)
- August 20, 2011 12:33 PM
- Unknown said...
loved these shots, absolutely stunning
x - August 20, 2011 12:54 PM
Wow this looks great :)
Please take a minute to look at my trunkshow;
http://iouproject.com/tsh/jessica-karen/ - August 20, 2011 1:04 PM
- The Eye Behind the Detail said...
Poetic. All of it. Poetic.
- August 20, 2011 1:13 PM
- Depriving said...
I LOVE! Beautiful photos ♥
- August 20, 2011 1:18 PM
- Theo said...
The smoke bomb photographs are very lovely, and I kind of really enjoy that extra blurry picture that is curvy on the side.
- August 20, 2011 1:26 PM
- Larissa Blintz said...
i can't wait for your book to come out..
you have such a way with writing.
wonderful post Tavi. - August 20, 2011 2:35 PM
- Maddie said...
you put so much effort into your blog posts. each one is beautiful. I love the appreciation you have for life and small beautiful things.
- August 20, 2011 2:39 PM
- PZ said...
i was so obsessed with buddy holly and the ronettes this summer too. this playlist is perfect.
- August 20, 2011 3:13 PM
- Lula said...
Great post. I always look forward to reading your blog Tavi and your photo's are gorgeous!
- August 20, 2011 3:27 PM
- syntheticapparition said...
Tavii , you are perfect <3 omg.
beautifull pic!
http://syntheticapparition.blogspot.com/ - August 20, 2011 4:03 PM
- Unknown said...
aww this is a lovely post Tavi. it is always so cad when summer comes to an end.
xx - August 20, 2011 4:14 PM
- K.D. Grier said...
I just discovered your blog in a list of the best fashion blogs. I really love it, come visit me at http://elegantdaily.com.
- August 20, 2011 4:39 PM
- Unknown said...
Stellar post! Love the dress by the way! Especially those sleeves!
Lots of love,
http://beebeefashionate.blogspot.com/ - August 20, 2011 4:40 PM
- Jessica said...
There has to be SOMEONE SOMEWHERE in the internet that knows shorthand-
- August 20, 2011 6:10 PM
- carla said...
you are an amazing writer! that dress looks great on you.
redpunzel-carla.blogspot.com - August 20, 2011 6:17 PM
- nicole said...
hate to sound like one of those relatives, but gracious, you're getting tall! or at least that picture makes you look tall.
also, this pretty much sums up my feelings on summer. i've been trying to stare at the sunsets as much as i can before they get all bland and fall-ish. not that fall isn't a good season, it's just a difference kind of good. - August 20, 2011 7:27 PM
- Unknown said...
i love the picture of you in front of the house in the dress. very virgin suicides-esque. and your writing is great! im getting my mfa in creative writing and used to be a journalist. you're pretty far along for being so young! :)
hammocksandtrampolines.blogspot.com - August 20, 2011 8:18 PM
- Mariana said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- August 20, 2011 10:43 PM
- Mariana said...
I can only tell you that I love the summer, and actually generates nostalgia when starting end.
I love your vintage dress is adorable ... and the pictures are very beautiful.
Mariana xx
http://amalalocamente.blogspot.com/ - August 20, 2011 10:44 PM
- Tanya said...
Photos are very beautiful!
- August 20, 2011 11:56 PM
- n.ci said...
your dress is awesome! usually i'm not into flower pattern, but this overflow on your dress seems right.
i'm feeling kinda bewitched right now, must be your vibes. :3
and as for any nostalgia: SO glad this damn summer's almost over. can't stand the heat. =_= - August 21, 2011 12:32 AM
- Alexi Frest said...
Summer ending is always a source of depression for me. I cannot wait for the next one. (And how I hated school when I was a student...)
The second picture looks great! It is like The Ring's Samara. - August 21, 2011 1:33 AM
- All the time in the world... said...
you've made me delightfully excited about summer...adore the dress chere.
- August 21, 2011 3:27 AM
- ------- said...
that dress is ridiculously cute.. *suddenly every article of clothing i own looks less cool* :P
http://fashionsugarpills.blogspot.com/ - August 21, 2011 4:47 AM
- Daniel said...
You're in my list people full of awesomeness...
- August 21, 2011 7:10 AM
- Mathew said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- August 21, 2011 9:09 AM
- Mathew said...
In the postcard, some of the words look Arabic, even though I know they are not! ( I'm not Arabic but I learned how to read that in school)
My school starts on September 1st so I still have 10 days to break my skull over 'what I can achieve in 10 days'. What can I do with my time left? Any suggestions?
www.Raw-powerr.blogspot.com - August 21, 2011 9:11 AM
- Allison said...
Your summer sounds perfect. I wish I had done such wonderful things, but I mostly watched Friends reruns and ate ice cream.
- August 21, 2011 10:37 AM
- Broken Barn Industries said...
Let us know if you find someone able to translate the rest of the post card!
- August 21, 2011 10:59 AM
These photos are PERFECT to showcase that dress, which is just absolutely stunning. I'm quite jealous...it's just so elegant and edgy at teh same time, especially with the great photography.
<3 Cambria
www.jupefashion.blogspot.com - August 21, 2011 2:30 PM
Hi TAVI! I finally finished reading your post. It's great that you're blissfully enjoying your summer or maybe not. And I was beyond WOWED by your vintage dress and your pics. I enjoyed it so much that it scared me. There'es this dark side to your second photo. and I definitely love the way the sunlight hits on you, it gives you this model-on-editorial VIBE.
Fashion speed Tavi
xoxo - August 21, 2011 7:01 PM
- making mess said...
Lovely post title.
- August 21, 2011 8:28 PM
- Aidan E said...
Nest time your in California its a must you send this strage reader a heads up and i will show you around the best spots! <3
- August 21, 2011 9:32 PM
- Lovers, Saints & Sailors said...
This year I'll try and think of summer that way, instead of complaining about it being RIDICULOUSLY hot all the time. Guess that's what you get for living in Australia...
- August 21, 2011 9:51 PM
- Lo said...
Your Hair is looking good!
- August 22, 2011 12:53 AM
- Unknown said...
You remind me of being young... and that is so refreshing ;)
- August 22, 2011 2:44 AM
- Marco Cavasso said...
HI! I love you blog and i think it's more influent than much others.... any way it' very interesting and original !! I opened one too... it' about fashion ... what else ?! :D any way if yoy want you can see it at
You can comment my post and say me what you think about... thank and compliment !!!! xo xo - August 22, 2011 4:25 AM
- 1261 said...
You're post pretty much sums up how I feel about summer, too.. I love the way you articulate these kinds of feelings that people usually keep in the back of their minds.
- August 22, 2011 4:49 AM
- Ellen said...
Dreamy beauty...
www.franklovesellen.blogspot.com - August 22, 2011 8:41 AM
You have friends who can take some pretty great photos!
- August 22, 2011 9:17 AM
Great photos, and you are such a good writer at your age! That's so nice to see and it reminds me of me when I was younger. I also like that you don't care about fitting into a cookie-cuter style and dress as if by haphazard. :)
Beauty, Lifestyle, Empowerment - August 22, 2011 11:43 AM
- Emily said...
Augh this post encapsulates EXACTLY how I feel about summer. I tried to make a "summer" playlist once, but if you're not listening to it as the wind blows around and you are boiling hot and sweaty, it just isn't the same. I haven't ever posted a comment before (god knows why! I am busy sitting in my room thinking, "OH GOD OH GOD I AM NOT PART OF THE CULTURAL ELITE I AM NOT WORTHY OH GOD OH GOD") BUT here I am now! Oh and by the by, I see you are once again in my SPIN magazine! I don't know why I subscribe to SPIN, they are just annoying people who think they're down with the kids because they use words like "mainstream" and "indie" and "accessible" Ah well. Anyways, I am very glad they interviewed you, brightened up the whole reading experience! Thanks!
- August 22, 2011 12:09 PM
oh my god, the first three pictures are so amazing and beautiful!
i love your way of creativity and your style.
kiss, luise
it would be a honor for me if you would visit my blog ♥
http://luischenradieschen.blogspot.com/ - August 22, 2011 1:15 PM
- Shelley Noble said...
A ha-lariously well-written post, Tavi. Wonderful images.
- August 22, 2011 1:59 PM
- chloeraub said...
Oh my god I bet no one else here cares about the Lomax record but that is SO special! I had an internship working with the record sleeves from some of his recordings, transcribing his notes and such. Very cool. Happy summer!
- August 22, 2011 2:21 PM
- Daniel said...
Do you have a download link for that mix? It's pretty awesome!
- August 22, 2011 6:03 PM
- PhazeStyle said...
so talented, love the photgraphy!
check out and follow my new blog http://phazestyle.blogspot.com/
look forward to seeing more of your work!
xx - August 23, 2011 9:56 AM
- cancercowboy said...
yeah, summertime, when the livin' was easy... personally i prefer to be nostalgic about things i did or didn't do in spring and fall, because i can't cope with high humidity ;)
words, dress, pics and music are good, as almost always here. the first three photos have a slightly zombie-esque feel, like you just dug your way out of the Louisiana swamps ^^ - August 23, 2011 10:58 AM
- ciara grace said...
How do you manage to constantly upload so many beautiful photos? It gives me clothes envy and I bow down to your patience. Gorgeous dress and you're right about the 1970's thing. It looks like something a drug-fuelled alternative indie singer would pull on for a gig while they're hungover and STILL look good.
- August 23, 2011 11:40 AM
- Jenny Liao said...
creepy/haunting photos- in a good way! :p
- August 23, 2011 3:02 PM
- Unknown said...
Hi Girl!
Great pics as always!!!
I love your concepts and creativity. Congrats and regards from Utopiablog ;)
I also use colored smoke:
:D - August 23, 2011 9:03 PM
and I want my summer to pass fast!!!
- August 23, 2011 11:13 PM
- Nicky said...
You are like the marriahhhj of carrie and the virgin suicides with a hint of children of the corn. I like it.
- August 24, 2011 12:08 AM
- Un Duex Trois said...
This is SO gorgeous! I'm thrilled to see you posting more personal looks.
http://www.un-deux-trois.net/ - August 24, 2011 2:01 PM
- Viviana said...
I like it very much!!! You look really awesome in those pictures!
wholesale clothing - August 24, 2011 5:22 PM
- Miss Woody said...
what a lovely post !
- August 25, 2011 5:21 AM
- Crystal Lee said...
awesome summer recap. I love this long 70s dress on you. your Summer playlist was dope. I love the Alan Lomax compilations from his travels in the deep south. Get them all. They will all blow your mind. On them you will find shape singing (sacred heart singing)(America's earliest mode of singing before people could read), field working songs, sitting on the porch playing the juice harp songs. I hope you enjoy the transport to these simple, soulful days. I want to burn you a cd cause you're just the most entertaining, thoughtful youngin out there. If you feel inclined, you can email me with your address to email@example.com
Crystal Lee
nakedcowgirl vintage - August 25, 2011 12:13 PM
- ggoodrich said...
I just can't say goodbye with my summer outfit that's why I'm glad browsing your blog. Your summer style looks awesome!
Ms. Goodrich | men tuxedos - August 26, 2011 1:44 AM
- Julia said...
http://jula-locanina.blogspot.com/ - August 26, 2011 5:49 AM
How can i tell you that you are my goddes??? Just like that.
Love your style and you are my fave witchy girl. - August 26, 2011 9:43 PM
- Paolina of Calur Villade said...
You have a thought process that i wish others around me had as well, finding the beauty in the little things. This is the first summer that I realized doing nothing could be so fun. To be at peace with simplicity and enjoy the warmth of the sun.
Good luck with grade ten! I am going into grade 11 myself. I found grade 10 to be the slowest year so far. I wasn't even a matter of it being boring or difficult just the the days felt magically longer. But it became the kind of year that you want to last longer. Have fun!
calurvillade.blogspot.com - August 26, 2011 10:13 PM
- Rose Patterson said...
I love the photography!! Please visit my blog at www.frock-star.blogspot.com and let me know what you think!
Frock Star xxx - August 27, 2011 5:26 PM
- A CLASS said...
Amazing photos again!
Best of wishes for you from Finland! - August 28, 2011 10:08 AM
- CL said...
lets be friends
- August 29, 2011 2:07 AM
- moony said...
Best song ever! Oogum boogum, boogum boogum... haha.
- August 29, 2011 9:23 AM
Hi Tavi, these photos look great. They really made me think of the Vancouver photographer Karin Bubas. You might find her work interesting:http://www.karinbubas.ca/
- August 31, 2011 12:33 PM
- Sierra Grice said...
I particularly love this dress Tavi...beautiful and interesting. I'm going thrifting this weekend to see if I can find anything interesting!
- September 01, 2011 12:47 AM
- M said...
You are slightly amazing missy!
- September 01, 2011 2:36 AM
- Origei said...
These pics are amazing! so perfect for the tone of your musing!
- September 01, 2011 3:49 PM
- Heather said...
I love the pictures. You really should become a model.
I loved this blog entry. It really did capture the whole essence of summer. - September 01, 2011 10:24 PM
- Ekaterina Prishchepova said...
this is stunning
- September 02, 2011 8:27 AM
- @lea said...
ich mag deine verruchten bilder! wirken allerdigns vielleicht besser im Hellen. Ist so dunkel bei mir....gruuuselig....!
besucht doch mal meinen Blog stil.werk, ich freu mich auf euch! :P
http://stil-werk.blogspot.com/ - September 05, 2011 1:19 PM
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- September 09, 2011 7:34 AM
Oh, hi Tavi! I really like your style and I wish I was like you! By the way, your pictures are amazing!
September 09, 2011 7:34 AM - September 09, 2011 7:35 AM
- yuhsims said...
i want to see your closet
http://yuhgoose.blogspot.com/ - September 28, 2011 1:07 PM
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text:
Now that I've actually cooked from this book, I realize how well-written the recipes are. I appreciated how the ingredients are grouped for each step of the preparation. Rather than looking back to the top of the page for the quantity of an ingredient, it's right there next to the instruction for using it. I should point out that although I have the utmost respect for the book, I of course made a change to the dish. The scallops were supposed to have been cut into one-quarter inch thick slices. I couldn't do it. I love a nice, tall, plump scallop like nothing else, and I left them full-sized. Other than that, I followed the instructions nearly exactly and resisted the urge to garnish with some parsley or something at the end. I cooked minced onion in butter and added shallot and garlic and then set it aside. I seared the (whole, unsliced) scallops but removed them from the pan to prevent over-cooking. They were to have remained in the pan while the sauce was prepared. I made the sauce with white wine, half of a bay leaf, and some thyme and added the reserved, cooked onion mixture. I returned the scallops to the pan, topped them with grated Swiss (Gruyere) cheese and pieces of butter, and gratineed them under the broiler.
To sum up the flavors, there was butter, onion, shallot, garlic, butter, scallops, wine, herbs, butter, and a little cheese. Delicious. It was somewhat rich, but I kept the portions small and served a simple salad on the side. The sauce was nicely put together, and the intention of pre-cooking the onion mixture was, I believe, to prevent the scallops from cooking too long in the sauce. I have a thing about scallops and wanted to completely avoid an over-cooked situation; hence, I didn't cook them in the sauce and waited to put them back in the pan before broiling. The cheese and butter topping was extravagant both in taste and calorie-count, but I'm so glad to have followed the instructions for that. This dish was just a pleasure to experience. I think that Julia Child might have known a thing or two about cooking, and I'll be learning more from her and both volumes of the book.