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Our patrons and members, past, present and future, are our most important assets! We value your support, your concerns and your good will. Please share your suggestions and comments with us.
Write to us: Berkshire Bach Society | PO Box 1002 |Great Barrington, MA 01230
Leave us a message: 413 528-9555
Berkshire Bach has "Gone Green!" We have greatly reduced our snail mail list and send only a couple of letters a year, and not necessarily to our entire list. Sign onto our email list for program announcements and Berkshire Bach news, and let us know if we can take you off our snail mail list.
Your privacy is important to us.
We do not sell or share our email or snail mail lists.


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Two years ago, I made a spectacular find related to my family's history. A simple Google search let me to an eBay listing for a putter stamped with "Alf. J. Ward, Special." The seller had purchased the club at an auction house that consolidated estate sales in Whiteford Township, Monroe County Michigan. Monroe County was where my great-grandfather Alfred John Ward (Alf J Ward) was a golf professional at Monroe Golf and Country Club in 1920.1 My Grandfather James was born here on 23 Nov 1920.2
Above the name stamp is an arrow with the word "ACCURATE" on top and on either side of the oval a rose. At the toe end of the putter is an upside down ball peen hammer. After receiving the club in the mail, I realized it was in even better shape than I expected. The unpolished metal had a protective and handsome patina. The hickory showed no signs of rot and the original grip was intact.3
I could not find a photo in any catalog exactly like this but the markings look very close to the Spalding Gold Metal Series from the Spalding Golf Guide, 1915.4 Spalding & Brothers used the "Accurate" arrow on clubs between 1910-1920.5 The upside-down ball-peen hammer mark on the toe appeared on iron heads made in the company's London location and sold to club professionals between 1905-1915.6
I found another of his clubs listed on the website of JP Hickory Shafted Golf Clubs.7 The collection on the website was owned by Joseph Pendracki of Wayne County, Michigan during his lifetime.8 The owner of the website did not know much about history of the clubs but sent me pictures. After seeing the photos, I knew this mashie had to have belonged to my great-grandfather as well.
The condition of the mashie is slightly different. The grip is darker and in better condition or possibly replaced/repaired, I cannot tell. The markings are also different on the face and back but both clubs read "Alf J Ward, Special," both were made around the same time between 1910-1920 and both were found in the same area of Michigan where Alf J Ward was a golf professional. They were definitely my great-grandfather's clubs: family heirlooms that found their way back home after 90 years.
Reference Notes
- Golf club, putter and mashie made for Alf. J. Ward by Spalding & Brothers, ca. 1910-1920; privately held by E Lopresti, Virginia Beach, VA, 2014. [Stamped "Alf. J. Ward, Special." Cleek marks on putter include Accurate Arrow, two roses and upside down hammer.]↩
- "Golf Comment, News and Views," The Indianapolis News, 23 Mar 1923, p. 34, col.2. Online archives, Newspapers.com, https://www.newspapers.com/clip/256854 : 2016. ↩
- "U.S., Social Security Applications and Claims Index, 1936-2007," James Joseph Ward, 317014743, index, Ancestry.com, (http://www.ancestry.com: 2016); citing Social Security Applications and Claims, 1936-2007, Social Security Administration.↩
- Thomas Bendelow, editor, Spalding's Official Golf Guide, 1915 (New York: American Sports Publishing Co., 1915), 262; The Library of Congress collection at Archive.org, https://archive.org/stream/spaldingsofficia07unit#page/n263/mode/2up : 2009.↩
- Chuck Furjanic, Antique Golf Collectibles: A Price and Reference Guide (Iola, WI: Krause Publications, 2003), 171-182; Google Books, https://books.google.com/books?id=UHDxsF72_b8C : accessed 23 Aug 2016.↩
- "Golf's Cleek Makers and Cleek Marks," Pasturegolf.com, 2 Feb 2008, http://www.pasturegolf.com/archive/cleek.htm : accessed 23 Aug 2016.↩
- J P Hickory Shafted Golf Clubs, http://jphickoryshaftedgolfclubs.com : accessed 23 Aug 2016.↩
- Susan Bairley, "Club Nostalgia," Heritage, A Journal of Grosse Pointe Life, vol. 6, no. 3 (Mar 1989): 26-31; Grosse Pointe Public Library, Local History Archives, http://digitize.gp.lib.mi.us/digitize/magazines/heritage/1985-89/89/1989-03.pdf : accessed 23 Aug 2016.↩

subset: commoncrawl


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"Why do young artist's leave Atlanta?", this was a recent topic over at the BURNAWAY website, a discussion that appears locally about every 6 years. I always enjoy reading the debate because it reminds me of the conversations I would have with studio chums back in my 20's, "We need to be in New York!", some left, all were tempted.
Those romantic notions have long passed for me, but I still enjoy taking a look at what is being shown in the galleries "up there", which brings me to James Kalm (aka. Loren Munk). James and his digital camera take you inside the scene, filming openings, art fairs and museum shows. James is an artist and gives you that perspective, zooming up close to the work, commenting on materials, technique and occasionally interviewing the artist, not much art critique but that is fine, I just want to look. There are hundreds of posts on three different YouTube channels. Enjoy a certain artist's work?, chances are good he's covered it.


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Spend $100 and get Free Ground Shipping today!
Chris O'Dowd (Bridesmaids, Girls) stars in the hilarious, semi-autobiographical tale of Martin Moone, the youngest boy in a loud, large Irish family, and his imaginary friend Sean Murphy (O'Dowd). Between Martin's unique view on life and Sean's not always helpful advice, the pair find themselves thrown into one ridiculous scheme after another. Revel in this hilarious, award-winning hit show, now together in one complete collection for the first time!
This entertaining semi-autobiographical series is written by and stars Chris O'Dowd as the imaginary friend of 11 year old Martin, the youngest child in the large, loud Moone family.
Headed by Martin's signwriter father, who longs to be an artist and his frazzled mother, this is a family with a lot of love where everyone tends to pull in different directions!
Martin has a unique view of life, dealing with enterprising school bullies with the help of his imaginary friend, who also narrates his adventures. But while most boys would dream up a superhero sidekick, Martin's pal is a man in his mid-30s with the most common name in Ireland!
|Run Time:
|540 mins
|Number of Discs:
|Region 1
|UPC Code :
|Richard E. Grant (Suranne Jones (The Secret of Crickley Hall, Doctor Who), Lesley Sharp (Doctor Who, The Full Monty), Amelia Bullmore (Sherlock, Shameless), Rupert Graves (Sherlock)
|Editorial Reviews:
|"An absolute charmer" –Time Out
"Delightfully Funny" –The Hollywood Reporter
"Entirely Lovable" The Independent


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Saline County Board member Roger Craig defeated incumbent Saline County Clerk Kim Buchanan Tuesday night in a contest Craig said revealed voter dissatisfaction with the status quo.
Unofficial results show Craig won the Republican primary contest, 1,406 votes to 987.
Buchanan, who will step down after the November election, said Tuesday, "I will finish my two terms of office on Nov. 30, 2018, with pride and dignity.
"I am very proud of the milestones that I have accomplished over the past 7½ years," she added.
Craig, meanwhile, said the people of Saline County, "have seen what kind of shape the clerk's office has been in and they felt they needed to make a change."
"I want to thank everybody that I did so well," he said. "You know, I've been around a long time and a lot of people know me. I just appreciate their support."
Craig pledged to do his best to work with county government if elected in November.
"I'll do the best I can to work with the county board and the treasurer and all the offices," Craig said.
Craig will face longtime county clerk employee Julie Dunn, a Democrat, in the general election. She was unopposed in the primary.


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This project focused on the involvement of parents in the delivery of services to their children. Parents were very keen to learn exactly how to do the exercises, and other project activities, with their children with the aim that these services could continue to be delivered to the children by their families once the project ends, allowing the physiotherapists and occupational therapists to move on to work with other children.
The villages of the southern area of Gaza: Mughraqa village, Sheikh Ajleen and Zeitun, were hit hard during the Dec 2008-Jan 2009 bombardment of Gaza and are trying to use all available coping mechanisms to survive. This project improved food security and economic conditions for 84 poor families (470 individuals) in these three areas by improving access to essential agricultural assets and by providing training to ensure families followed best practices in establishing, cultivating, maintaining and managing their new Home Gardens.
The 84 home gardens included the installation of protective metal fencing, laying water irrigation networks and provision of 1000 litre capacity water tanks, planting fruit trees (including peach, apricot, citrus, apple, olives) and herbs (such as thyme and sage). The animals provided and distributed included rabbits, hens and roosters, and ewes with accompanying training and materials for raising and breeding.
This project allowed families to develop land they already owned and supplement their own nutritional needs, support their neighbours and also to sell excess quantities of products such as, herbs and eggs at the local market and generate a small additional income for their families. The project also facilitated opportunities for greater female participation in the Palestinian labour force and enabled these vulnerable families to become more self-reliant and self-sufficient. A number of the families have gone on to extend their range even further on their own, with additional vegetables and herbs!
Welfare Association will be holding a Gala Dinner on Saturday 17th November 2012, in Bloomsbury, London.
Please 'save the date' in your diaries. This dinner is only held every three years in London and 2012 is not to be missed! More info to follow.
*Please sign up to our newsletter for further information
Increasing access to mental health services at governmental schools in Gaza, for traumatised students. So far more than 50 schools and 11,000+ children have been supported.
Sign up for our e-Newsletter


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The "Best" of Pubmed, Part 1/
PubMed: the U.S. National Library of Medicine's great catalogue of biomedical journals. PubMed is the portal to published scientific research, listing over 19 million citations, the good and the bad of what biomedical journals deign to publish. And also the ugly.
Given how much time scientists (especially young scientists) spend worrying about publishing, it is sometimes cathartic to delve into the seedy underbelly of PubMed - to glance through those members of the 19 million citations whose subjects are humorous, awkward, or just plain weird.
Over the past couple of months, I have come across quite a few PubMed jewels: here are some of my favorites. Some of these I found, some were found by other members of the first-year Stanford Neuroscience Program. Some are not suitable for work, children, or those with weak stomachs and vivid imaginations - these I have marked: consider yourself warned.
In the category of Social Interactions:
Dogs catch human yawns. Joly-Mascheroni RM, Senju A, Shepherd AJ. Biol Lett. 2008 Oct 23: 4(5); 446-8.
Instrumental measurement of beer taste attributes using an electronic tongue. Rudnitskaya A et al. Anal Chim Acta. 2009 Jul 30; 646(1-2):111-8.
The inhibitory effects on adult male reproductive functions of crude garlic (Allium sativum) feeding. Hammami I et al. Asian J Androl. 2008 Jul; 10(4):593-601.
In the category of Oh, Ewww.
Nasal leech infestation: report of seven leeches and literature review. Chen WC, Chien CY, Yang CH, Li JH, Hwang CF. Eur Arch Otorhinolayngol. 2009 Dec 27.
In the category of Really BMJ? Really?
A precious case from Middle Earth. Bashir N et al. BMJ. 2004 Dec 18; 329(7480): 1435-6.
Effect of ale, garlic, and soured cream on the appetite of leeches. Baerheim A, Sandvik H. BMJ. 1994 Dec 24-31: 309(6970):1689.
Inexplicably, searching PubMed for the keyword "bouncing" yields this paper:
Qualities of the Ideal Protege. Melanson MA. US Army Med Dep J. 2009 Oct-Dec: 44-6
In the category of Not Suitable for Work/Children/Faint of Heart. (I'm going to leave the titles out in favor of non-rated R descriptions.)
Urologic problems caused by a household appliance during an activity that your mother told you would cause blindness.
Bats engaging in some non-vanilla bedroom practices (with video in the supplementary figures).
This list is far from complete: I expect to be posting more fantastical PubMed citations in the future. Until then, enjoy these, and remember: theres a journal for every kind of study out there.


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Workers Compensation
- Herniated or bulging discs
- Low back and other spine injuries
- Neck injuries
- Knee injuries
- Shoulder injuries
- Traumatic brain injuries
- Lung disease
- Cancer
- Occupational exposure injuries
- Repetitive use injuries
- Carpal tunnel syndrome
- Cancer
- Eye and ear injuries
- Bone and vertebrae injuries
- Heart attacks or aneurysms aggravated by work-related exertion
If you were injured at work, you are entitled to receive workers compensation benefits, including the payment of related medical expenses, temporary disability payments while you heal from your injury and disability benefits for any permanent disability you sustained. Under certain circumstances, you may be entitled to benefits for your loss of earning capacity if you are unable to return to your former job and/or to vocational retraining benefits. You may also be entitled to additional compensation from your employer if they terminate you after a work injury.
Whether you have just been injured or you were injured weeks, month or years ago, you should contact an attorney as soon as possible to discuss your claim and legal rights. The workers compensation laws and procedures are very complex in Wisconsin, and you need the advice of an attorney who is experienced in this field. We will not charge you any upfront costs or fees; rather, we only receive attorney fees and reimbursement for our costs if you recover workers compensation benefits.
We represent workers who are injured in all fields of employment, including truck drivers, health care workers, manufacturing and factory workers, union employees and others. Workers compensation injuries include, but are not limited to:


text: I don't know. It all seems pretty shady. I think if it was any other celebrity people wouldn't be as harsh. But she's pretty much an attention queen and loves it. I wouldn't put this past her mom as some scheme to make money. I would hope it wasn't a scheme. But that family who knows?


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Untuk energy provide,tegangan standby masih regular. On the flip-aspect, normal fluorescent backlighting is getting extra efficient itself. A few examples of native dimming achieved right are Samsung's UNB8500 collection and LG's LH8500 collection -respectively the best and second-greatest LCDs we have ever tested.
It implements the Excellent Black and the undistorted life-like colors as it is. And without backlight, the innovative super-slim design is feasible, which improves the dignity of residing area. These TVs include a display screen decision of approximately 1280×800, and are perfect for watching DVDs.
You'll have seen older televisions, the place the image regarded jagged or grainy." That's low resolution in motion. On the subject of decision, you could find each LED and OLED TV in 4K, so the resolution shall be prime-notch either approach. LG TREMENDOUS UHD TV units a new normal for LED TELEVISION with superior Nano Cell expertise Nano Cell Display – Cutting-edge LCD display technology.
It immensely enhances the utility serving the Indian customers LG's Subsequent Era 3D televisions, which provide the same depth, realism and entertainment as theatre 3D, to Good TVs with limitless content, and LED televisions with distinctive picture high quality – there's a TV for any room in your own home.
This budget TELEVISION comes with some compromises, however picture high quality isn't one… It's definitely true that LED backlighting can cut down on power use, and a few LED-backlit LCDs are, inch for inch, essentially the most efficient flat panels out there. Sony's first 4K HDR LIQUID CRYSTAL DISPLAY TV of the 12 months is a resounding success…


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Are you pondering of utilizing 7th Birthday Invitation Wording?
Find far more less than in this article.
7th Birthday Invitation Wording image gallery
7th Birthday Invitation Wording
To include a thorough invitation, be certainly toward include the immediately after:
Design of party.
Who it is for: On your own will normally publish the invitee's standing.
Get together Day.
What season the party commences and ends.
Room where it will get place (include map and / or recommendations on a different sheet).
Track record of Host.
Further material your people will love upon finding your get together invitation:
Style of snack served (eg, lunch, meal, snack, dessert).
Apparel (formal? Relaxed? Bathing suits for a pool party, quite possibly?).
Over-all bash topic.
Search phrases are bash, celebration invitation, invitation, mailing out invitation.


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Book Fetish: Volume 156
Book Drunkard Print: Sometimes you just don't need the booze part of #booksandbooze to get tipsy.
Alice in Wonderland Moleskine Journals: Occasionally Moleskine does really fantastic limited edition versions of their well-loved notebooks. This time around, they've created lovely and whimsical Alice in Wonderland editions.
Clothespin Book Light: What's more functional than a wooden clothespin to hold your pages? A wooden clothespin with a book light in it, obviously.
Writer's Block Soap: This soap is worth buying for the label alone. (Try vodka).
Fairytale Bookmark: For you fairytale lovers out there, what better way to keep the action going even when the book is closed? A dragon, a knight and a castle provide the most entertaining of helping hands.


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Montgomery Park Dental Care
Call (936) 756-6867
One of the consequences of common dental phobia is poor dental and overall health. Dr. William Quinn sees patients with dental anxiety nearly every day and he can offer you a range of comfortable and relaxing options!
Visiting us at Montgomery Park Dental Care on a regular basis significantly decreases your risk of gum disease and tooth decay, which further decreases your risk of other complications, including heart disease. Ask us about conscious sedation to help relieve the stress of some cosmetic dentistry procedures. We also provide dental implants, cosmetic dentistry and wisdom teeth.
People whose dental anxieties have kept them out of the dentist's chair for too long will be happy to know that we can often correct years of dental problems in just one or two visits with sedation dentistry. Stress-free dentistry at Montgomery Park Dental Care can give you back your dental health! With modern sedation dentistry options, both routine and extensive dental treatment can be comfortable and relaxing.
You can make an appointment for Montgomery County sedation dentistry by calling our friendly staff at (936) 756-6867 or by completing our easy online form. We're committed to providing you with quality, affordable dental care!
For your comfort and convenience, William Quinn, D.D.S., may suggest you relax with nitrous oxide (laughing gas) during certain treatments. Offering sedation dentistry at his practice in the Conroe, TX area, Dr. Quinn offers a range of options to help you feel comfortable at the dentist.
Would you like your smile to be a bit brighter than it is right now? We can make it happen at Montgomery Park Dental Care, with professional tooth whitening for brighter natural looking teeth. Dr. William Quinn's Conroe, TX area office can effectively lighten your stained or discolored tooth enamel. Whiter teeth not only look great, they improve your self-confidence.
If you prefer home teeth whitening for convenience, set up an appointment with William Quinn, D.D.S. at his practice in the Conroe, TX area. You'll be able to whiten your teeth in the privacy of your home, and on your own schedule, even while you watch television or read a book. You'll be very pleased with the results of Dr. Quinn's natural home tooth whitening process.
Now damaged teeth can be restored in a single visit, usually in about one hour, with a durable ceramic material that matches the natural color of your other teeth.
Get connected to us on Facebook now. It's a great way to keep track of what's happening at our practice and keep your dental health care knowledge up to date.
Plus, you'll find that We often post coupons and special offers here, too. Check it out now!
Whether you're new to our practice or just need to schedule a regular or follow-up appointment, we make it as easy as possible. Just call us or fill out our online form. We're looking forward to seeing you in our office soon.
CareCredit is a great payment option for dental healthcare services for you and your family. CareCredit offers special financing, low monthly payment options and no up-front costs.
If you're looking for a trusted sedation dentist in the Conroe area you don't need to look any further. William Quinn, D.D.S., offers quality sedation dentistry that Conroe residents depend on for experienced and professional dental care.
It's amazing how much variety you can find in dental floss. With conventional floss, you just tear off a piece at least 18 inches and wind it around your index fingers. If you find traditional thread-like floss is uncomfortable for your gums, try dental ribbon, its smoother counterpart. Dental flossers are often regarded as being easier to manage than conventional floss. There's no need to wrap any excess thread around your fingers, which some find uncomfortable.
If you have a fixed bridge in your mouth, nifty little floss threaders allow you to thread the floss between your teeth, under the bridge work. If you have questions about dental floss, just call Montgomery Park Dental Care at (855) 736-3649 and we'll be happy to make a recommendation.
Dr. Quinn will tell you that regular brushing and flossing lowers the chance of your children developing cavities. However, sometimes good habits alone aren't enough. The most decay-prone areas of teeth are the grooves and depressions on the chewing surfaces of the back teeth. These vulnerable areas require further preventive care. To protect kids' teeth from decay, a plastic-like coating called a sealant should be painted on the chewing surfaces of all the back teeth.
It's a simple process that's extremely effective: studies have shown that sealants can reduce tooth decay by as much as 90% to 100%. Please call Montgomery Park Dental Care at (855) 736-3649 with any questions you may have about the benefits of using a sealant in preventing dental decay.
While bad breath might be a symptom of some other disorder, it most likely stems from dental decay and periodontitis. It's more than just socially awkward - it's a serious threat to your oral health. Periodontitis is a disease affecting gums and bone that support the teeth, and it is caused by inadequate brushing and flossing.
If you're worried about bad breath, call us today at (855) 736-3649 to schedule a consultation with Dr. Quinn. If he finds gum disease and/or dental decay, it can be treated readily. There's no need to live with bad breath, and no reason to neglect your dental health.


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Valentine's Day is just around the corner! Here is some ideas for the big day.
Maybe go for a drive to the mountains..
Maybe plan a picnic..
Make your loved one breakfast in bed..
or maybe dessert..
Or maybe you have a special gift for your loved one. I know I do. Greg and I said our own vows this summer during our wedding. It was probably my favorite part of our wedding. I wanted to display them somehow so we never forget them. I found this amazing store on Etsy who makes just what I wanted..lovely calligraphy vows. Once mine arrive I plan on framing them and hanging them in our house. Hopefully he doesn't read this post because that will spoil the surprise!
Hope you have a special Valentine's day with your loved one!


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Broadband Not Working in NY Hotel - Ugh!/
It's times like these that you realize how dependent we are on broadband. You'd like to think having broadband service - and paid, by the way - not free - would be a non-starter in NYC. I'm at the Dialogic analyst event and we're at the Millennium Hotel in Times Square. It's a pretty upscale place - very New York.
Well, last night I was all set to catch up on my posts, as I had been on the train all day and couldn't post the night before. Keep trying and trying, and then I called the front desk - the service was out for the whole hotel. Ugh! Nobody could get broadband. I finally gave up a bit after 11, and figured I'd just get up extra early and hope things were back to normal.
Well, I'm posting now, so they are. But for someone who tries to post daily, this was a bit of a setback yesterday. Am sure I wasn't the only one trying to get online last night. In the big scheme of things this is no big deal, but it's not something you'd expect to run into here in mid-town Manhattan.
I'm hardly a road warrior, but my minor inconvenience brings me to share a post from uber-blogger Andy Abramson the other day. He's a major league traveler, and his post sheds a lot more light than mine on the trials and tribulations of maintaining connectivity while on the road. Seems to me - and Andy no doubt - that American hotels are definitely lagging the needs of the market, and as an industry vertical, this sector is ripe for innovation. Am sure it's happening, but not quick enough!
Technorati tags:
Dialogic, Jon Arnold, Andy Abramson, broadband


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Welcome from Puddle Ducks West Hertfordshire & Luton
Hello and a very warm welcome from the Awards winning Puddle Ducks West Hertfordshire where we are delighted to be bringing baby, toddler and child swimming lessons to St Albans, Luton, Dunstable, Harpenden and Hemel Hempstead.
My name is Rav and I have been passionate about baby swimming from my very first experience of it when I took Roma, my eldest daughter, to classes in various swim schools from when she was 10 weeks old. I loved the concept and the benefits were amazing – I saw them first hand! I fell in love with the Puddle Ducks teaching style and the atmosphere after just one term which we did in Leicester when Roma was 18 months old, the pace was perfect for Roma. That is when I became interested in opening my own Puddle Ducks swimming school.
I have now taken both of my daughters, Roma (6 years old) and Anaya (4 years old), to baby swimming classes since they were a few weeks old and I have found Puddle Ducks to be second to none! The half hour classes are gentle, nurturing and lots of fun! They also teach invaluable safety techniques and personal survival skills giving parents not only peace of mind but also a great opportunity to spend quality time with their children.
We follow a unique and nationally recognised programme that is devised to cater to individual needs and which is constantly updated by baby swimming experts. With lots of songs, rhymes, games and activities your little one will not only have heaps of fun but benefit from emotional development, increased intelligence, co-ordination and improved social skills. We aim to make your little ones into confident swimmers both above and under the water.
Are you an expecting mother to be? Why not get in touch about our Aquanatal classes? It is the perfect balance of relaxation, laughter and exercise. The ideal mental and physical preparation for meeting your little one.
We have recently launched Swim Academy which is suitable for primary-school aged children aged 4 to 10 years old, we teach a natural and smooth swimming style, starting with simple skills that we build on in line with your child's physical ability and confidence. These are balanced with fun activities to develop skills including life-saving, floating and surface-diving.
Our office opening times are 10:00-14:00 Monday to Friday. If we are unavailable, please do leave a message and we will endeavour to get back to you as soon as possible.
We look forward to seeing you at the pool!


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Come enjoy a free event with ballet-themed crafts and a chance for children to dress up in tutus, ballet costumes and pointe shoes, along with a performance by Anaheim Ballet School students, and free mini dance classes. Best for children ages 2 - 12. "Hands on Dance" is a proud partner of Arts Orange County's Imagination Celebration.
Back to All Events
Saturday, April 22, 2017 • 1:30-3:30p.m.
Saturday, April 22, 2017 • 1:30-3:30p.m.
Earlier Event: March 27Ballet Master Class with Luc Louis de Lairesse
Later Event: May 20Anaheim Ballet School Spring Concert


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Today, a metal part can be designed using computer-aided design tools and then uploaded to a machine where the part can be built layer by layer, that is, additively manufactured with quality approaching that of wrought alloys. Within the next decade or two, additive manufacturing (AM) is going to completely change how we view the design and production of metal parts. AM will both replace and complement traditional manufacturing methods and reduce the time, cost, and energy consumption of producing new and existing metal parts. In order to fully implement AM, specific scientific and technical challenges must be addressed.
While AM has begun to make an impact, it is still far short of what can be achieved if we are able to integrate predictive modeling and simulation with in situ characterization (sensors) and feed-forward control of the process. This degree of control will ultimately drive the transition of AM to a disruptive technology and will enable cost-effective adoption of AM.
The true benefits of rapid build time and unique microstructural control cannot be fully realized at the current time due to the long qualification and certification times required. Predictive modeling coupled tightly to process parameters can overcome this barrier and provide a direct path for streamlined part insertion. To that end, the objectives of this project—Accelerated Certification of Additively Manufactured Metals (ACAMM)—are to (1) develop process modeling and process optimization simulation and modeling capabilities, (2) put in place a streamlined materials qualification and certification strategy to provide near-net-shape metal parts certified for use in critical applications at a significantly reduced cost, time, and waste.
Materials are key
"Metal parts from some AM systems are already on par with their cast or wrought counterparts. As organizations qualify and certify these and other materials and processes, the industry will grow very large. In fact, additive manufacturing is poised to become the most important, the most strategic, and the most used manufacturing technology ever."(Wohlers: 2012)


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Breakdown --> Breakthrough
At 23, I was diagnosed with adrenal exhaustion. In pursuit of perfection, I pushed past my physical limitations and drove my system into the ground. While my friends were enjoying the excitement of post-college life—new jobs, cities and relationships—I was flat on my back for a year and a half, inching my way toward baseline.
In hindsight, this breakdown was one of the greatest gifts I've ever received. Because my previous M.O. was no longer available to me, I had to find a new approach. In the process of restoring my health, I discovered a passion for healing. This led me to the next steps on my path: massage certification and an M.A. in Counseling Psychology with a concentration in Somatics from CIIS. Now I specialize in helping clients use impasses as opportunities to uplevel their lives + move forward in a more integrated way. I help people with all kinds of issues: relationships, work, finding purpose, fleshing out a vision of their ideal life. Contact me if you have questions or would like to schedule a complimentary 45-minute introductory session. I work in person with clients in Ann Arbor, MI and by phone with clients all over the world.


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Running in Italia
This is not a post about food. It's also not solely about my travels in Italy (which happen to be quite lovely). To be honest, I was feeling a bit uninspired with my writing. I started post after post, wanting to tell you about my experiences in Italia, but it just didn't seem like me. It felt forced and not very funny (and I know the only reason you really read this blog is because I'm hilariously funny…)
My travels so far have been wonderful, beyond amazing. But, honestly, I've had a bit of sensory overload—new language, new culture, new people.
So I went for a run. I needed to pound the pavement. I needed to think and clear my mind. I needed to sweat and feel my heart pound (think PG skydiving of sorts).
I turned on my music and set out on the old cobblestone streets. Running in Italy is like nothing I've ever experienced before. It's cool, breezy, and intensely beautiful. I found a tiny paved path through the woods (this is when my mom will start freaking out and spend $10.00 on an international phone call telling me not to run alone in the woods).
It was peaceful, fresh, and so quiet. The solitude made me think about my journey with running. It began a bit over 4 years ago. I consider that day—May 9, 2009—to be the very first day that I really ran.
To make a longggg story much shorter, I signed up for a charity 5k, thinking I would walk the whole time. Somehow, I ended up running the entire thing. My time was crap, but I finished the run. I pushed so hard because I was trying to impress a boy that I liked. My running must have worked and he took me to see Star Trek for our very first date.
From that day in May the running fever inside me grew into a rolling fire, a tumbling ocean, a large train (I'm a bit metaphor crazy).
My relationship with the sport is dynamic, changing over the past four years. I run now to feel my emotions (my version of screaming into pillows, I suppose). I run to feel alive.
I've run in three different continents.
I've run in ten different states.
I've run over 30 races—two of them half marathons.
I've run for hours at a time. I've run in the rain, snow, heat, and cold. I've run in cities and in the woods. I've run with friends and by myself. I've run in good moods, bad moods, angry moods, and with tears streaming down my face.
Running in Italy, though, is a completely different experience for me. It's cleansing, breathtaking, and challenging. As I run through the quiet paths, I feel strong, unbelievably so. My thoughts swirl and I wish that everyone I've ever encountered could see what I'm seeing as I run through the medieval town of Orvieto. I wish they could feel the goose bumps I get as I run down the steep grass lined hills.
For now, I hope some pictures will do. I wish you a beautiful day!
Looking for more Cooking College Chick? Follow me on Twitter or Pinterest! You can also subscribe on the upper right hand bar to receive email updates! Happy Cooking!!!


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Nominations Open for 2016 City of Nanaimo Culture & Heritage Awards/
The City of Nanaimo is now seeking public nominations for the 2016 Culture & Heritage Awards. This is your opportunity to recognize people and groups you believe have made a significant contribution to making Nanaimo a culturally vibrant city.
Awards are presented in the following four categories:
- Excellence in Culture
Presented to an organization or individual that has achieved regional and/or national recognition in the field of arts and must be recognized as a "Nanaimo Artist," has demonstrated excellence in their field, and is recognized as a significant inspiration to others.
- Honour in Culture
Presented to an individual, group or corporation that is known for their dedication and support of the development of Nanaimo's cultural sector.
- Emerging Cultural Leader
Recognizes up-and-coming, Nanaimo-based cultural leaders.
- John Thomson Heritage Memorial
Honours individuals who demonstrate outstanding heritage service and dedication to the community.
Nomination Deadline: Tuesday, November 17, 2015
For award criteria and nomination form, click here.


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Brandon Peralta/
Brandon Peralta is a high school student/intern from Lindblom Math & Science Academy, commonly reffered to as LMSA. Alongside Michael Glotter and Joshua Elliot, he has been working the summer of 2012 to help create a website to help discuss the effects of climate change on agriculture. On this website displays future and historical Crop models that predict agricultural yields for maiz, wheat, rice, and soy, each under different climate change scenerios. It is an interactive website, so different inputs can be put in by the user. This summer was especially important, considering the drought that is occuring. It was an excellent opportunity to take data, and get a glympse of what the future has in store. The website can be found at this adress: agimpacts.rdcep.org
"I felt like I was really a researcher, working with real data, and working with "big-world" problems, problems that actually matter, and that are applicable to the world. I had fun working with RDCEP. It was not what i had expected... it was much better! I made so many relationships with different people, people who could probably help me open many more opportunities in the future. This internship has been a great highlight in my life, and I recommend it to anyone." -Brandon Peralta


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Napa & Company Recap: Ode to a Blogger's Feast
Sometimes, a culinary experience is so sublime, Calliope is evoked. On Monday evening, 16 bloggers were invited to experience NAPA & CO, featuring their talented Executive Chef Arik Bensimon. We came, we ate, we were inspired. Tiny tidbits were passed, 6 courses were served, and wines were perfectly paired . But prose wouldn't do it justice. Only through poetry and some visual food porn can you, too, feel a part of our pilgrimage to edible rapture:
Duck egg gently poached
Hatched atop Fontina bed
Truffle chip pillows
Pork Belly Skewers
Pickled Rhubarb Tangy, Sweet
Caramelized Delight
Oh, Hen of the Woods
Fennel Pollen Blanketing
Halibut Heaven
Lamb Belly, Slow Cooked, Delicately Glides
Resting, Dreaming upon its Fava bed
Of oval, green lily pads lifting high
Medallions of glory, perfect tears shed
Under - it's magic. A pureed potion,
Beans are gently pummeled, drizzled, mashing
Like the spray of wild and feral ocean
Upon the taste buds, flavor waves crashing
Yet more awaits, forks descend, penetrate
White yogurt ribbons, goat's milk for the gods
Wrapped sweet morsels, surrendering to fate
Plump, fava clouds transport the savory pods
Paired with Chianti - Ambrosia, delight
Gourmand's nirvana, lamb belly, done right.
B etter than Bubby's
R aised on local grass
I nfused with jus
S avory, succulent, slightly sweet
K runchy Korn Kompote
E xquisite heirloom tomatoes
T ender, tantilizing, to DIE for
"Oolii" Oo lala!
Oolii - Croatian mushroom
Oolii - "google" stumper
Oolii - bride to the fettucine groom
Oolii - shitake trumper
Oolii - saffron sponge
Oolii - Chardonnay's friend
Oolii - take the plunge
Oolii - latest trend
DESSERT- A Mathematical Equation
Mascarpone cheese cake fluff + sweet basil infusion + fresh, infused raspberries = sublime finish + 16 sated foodies
There once was a girl from Nantucket...(oops - wrong limmerick!)
The Kitchen at Napa & Co
Really knows how to put on a show
With Bloggers around
To Impress and Astound
They certainly know what they know!
Amo ergo edo.
Edo ergo amo.
And now, some heartfelt prose to finish - Thank you, Mary, Charlie and Arik Bensimon for a most poetic evening. With admiration from CTbites.com.


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The Six Hats Method of Creative Thinking (part 2 of 5)
"Even a bad idea can prompt a good one. We think by refutation, and an idea we consider wrong is more likely than just about anything else to inspire an idea we consider right. It is not instruction, said Emerson, but provocation, that I can receive from another soul." -Christina Nehring
Thinking is the ultimate human resource. The main difficulty of thinking is confusion. We try to do too much at once. Emotions, information, logic, hope and creativity all crowd in on us. It is like juggling with too many balls.
The six thinking hats method allow us to conduct our thinking as a conductor might lead an orchestra. Putting on any one of these hats defines a certain type of thinking. Green thinking hat is concerned with new ideas and new ways of looking at things. Green hat thinking is concerned with escaping from the old ideas in order to find better ones.
Creativity involves provocation, exploration and risk taking. Creativity involves "thought experiments." You cannot tell in advance how the experiment is going to turn out. But you want to be able to carry out the experiment.
The Need for Provocation:
A very simple way of getting a provocation is to use a random word. You can think of a page number in a dictionary and then open the dictionary at that page. A second number you had thought of could give the position of the word on the page. For example, you might think of page ninety-two, eighth word down. Nouns are easier to use than verbs or other types of words. A list of common nouns is easier to use than a dictionary.
With logic there should be a reason for saying something before it is said. With a provocation there may not be a reason for saying something until after it is said. The provocation brings about an effect, and it is the value of this effect which justifies the provocation.
To many people it may seem unthinkable that a random word could be of value in solving a problem. The definition of random means that the word has no special relationship. Yet in the logic of an asymmetric patterning system, it is easy to see why a random word works. It provides a different starting point. As we trace our way back from that starting point, we increase the chance of arriving back along a track we would never have taken when thinking about the subject directly.
Just as movement is part of the basic idiom of green hat thinking, so too is provocation. When in France, speak French; when wearing the green hat you use provocation and movement as the grammar of creativity.
Six Thinking Hats
-Edward De Bono
"A photograph is a most important document, and there is nothing more damning to go down to posterity than a silly, foolish smile caught and fixed forever." -Mark Twain
Sparks of creativity often flow from new knowledge. Frequently it's information about things that are completely new to you. Sometimes, it's new facts about familiar things. And sometimes it's information about things that you didn't know you didn't know. This last category, usually filled with items that are silly and fanciful, can provide a platform for your imagination to jump from.
So here I present the: "Things you didn't know you didn't know" section (or the alternately titled: "Trivia to win bar bets" section).
Why Don't People in Old Photographs Ever Seem to Smile?
The subjects in old photographs weren't all depressed; the slowness of the exposure time was the culprit. In some cases, the exposure time in early daguerreotypes was up to ten minutes. Holding a smile for that length of time can be uncomfortable; that's why you see the same somber look on early portraits.
The stationary of the Photographic Historical Association depicts a head clamp, which, although it looks like an instrument of torture, was used during the early days of photography to prevent a subject's head from moving while being photographed. In order to avoid blurring, still subjects were forced to fix their gaze during the entire session. Iron braces were also utilized to keep the neck and trunks of subjects from moving.
So could we find alternative explanations for the moroseness of early photographic subjects? We sure could. Here are some of the more plausible theories:
1. Photographs were once serious business. Joe Struble, assistant archivist at the George Eastman House, told us that the opportunity to have a photographic portrait was thought of as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
2. Early subjects were imitating the subjects of portrait painters. Daguerre was himself a painter, and early photographers saw themselves as fine artists. Jim Schreier, a military historian, notes that subjects in this era did not smile in paintings.
3. "Technology and social history are intimately interwoven." This comment, by Roy Mcjtinkin, indicates his strong feeling that George Eastman's invention of roll film, and the candid camera (which could be carried under a shirt or in a purse), both before the end of the nineteenth century, eventually forced the dour expressions of early photographic subjects to turn into smiles. The conventions of the early portrait pictures were changed forever once families owned their own cameras.
4. Early photographs were consciously intended for posterity. When asked why people didn't smile in old photographs, Grant Romer responded, "Because they didn't want to." Romer was not being facetious. Photographic sessions were "serious business" not only because of their rarity and expense but because the photographs were meant to create documents to record oneself for posterity. Rather, he emphasizes that until the invention of the candid camera, photographers might have asked subjects to assume a pleasant expression, but the baring of teeth or grinning was not considered the proper way to record one's countenance for future generations.
5. Who wants to bare bad teeth? Romer does not discount the poor dental condition of the citizenry as a solid reason to keep the mouth closed.
6. Historical and psychological explanations. As compelling as all of these theories are, we still feel there are psychological, historical, and sociological implications to the expressions of the subjects in old photographs. In "The Photography of History", Michael Lesy discusses the severe economic depression that began in 1836 and lasted six years. Photography was brought to the United States in the thick of it. Lesy observes that early American photographers were not seen as craftsmen or artists but as mesmerists and phrenologists (belief in both was rampant):
In other words, this was not a period when photographers enticed subjects to say "cheese".
By the time George Eastman introduced the roll camera, Victorian morality was waning. People who bought hand cameras, for the most part, were not the generation that suffered through the privations of the Civil War. At the turn of the century, there was a new middle class, eager to buy "cutting edge" technology.
How Does Aspirin Find A Headache – An Imponderable Book
-David Feldman


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Tax Preparation for Writers: Tips and Zen and Pain
If you haven't prepared your tax return yet, check out this great article on tax returns for artists, complete with an expense checklist for writers. This CPA's site and ebook have all the info you need (note: this is not my own accountant). I'm a lifelong math phobe. So tax season sends me trudging into the dining room for what I've come to think of as my annual tax Gethsemane.
I have my bag of receipts and canceled checks. I have a clenched jaw, a tremble in both hands. I have a mountain of regrets for (1) My terrible childhood math teacher and (2) My conviction that numbers are really just a bunch of 9th-century hieroglyphics masquerading as 21st-century digits and invented to give us night sweats.
I've created my own homemade tax-prep technique. Using my accountant's categories, I write said categories on a bunch of sticky notes and place the sticky notes in a double row along the dining table. Next, I unfold and assign each collected receipt to its appropriate stick-note category. Then, I total the receipt amounts and write that total on each sticky note. And finally, I write that amount on the appropriate line on the tax form.
Look, I know that it's second-grade math. I know I'll never get into CPA school. But it's the only way that works for me.
Believe it or not, this tax-prep stuff has a saving grace. For a busy woman who often can't remember what she did last week, tax-prep season is a rear-view glimpse into the past year.
And it was a good year, full of blessings and surprises. On a freezing night in March, on the nights of my Gethsemane, I need to be reminded of that.
For example, here's a receipt from a dinner out with three other working women writers. Oh, yeah, now I remember that night. We yapped and chatted and chewed the writers' fat until the waiters started dimming the lights.
Oh, and here's a canceled check for a payment to someone named Daniel. Daniel? Daniel ... Webster? Boone? Oh, Daniel. Yes, how could I forget that hipster who sold me the used desk and matching file drawers for my home office, my little writing haven?
Speaking of checks, here's one from my favorite writers retreat. Days writing in my room. Evenings sharing dinner and chat with one of my oldest friends. Seriously, does life get any better than that?
Oooh! Here's a fully intact MTA parking receipt from ... when? Christ, with all their tax-fare hikes, you'd think that the Massachusetts Transit Authority, the MTA, could print their ticket dates clearer? Just this once, MTA, couldn't you and your buddy Charlie be the men who actually do (tax) return?
Wait. It's coming back to me. The receipt is from that fall afternoon, a Sunday when I took the train into Boston to read and present at America's first public library.
And then ... (cue the creepy music) ... it's time for my annual attack of tax paranoia. Instead of this tabletop, karst landscape of sticky notes and receipts, I see every crack, every cockroach that skitters across the floor of my prison cell--as in, tax-evaders' prison cell.
Gulp! And listen, why should I trust an accountant? Isn't she also in the hieroglyphics club? They probably all have their own secret social media page, all communicating and chortling away in that mad language that .... Yo, writer. Yo. Zen. Zen. Now.
Let's just log onto the IRS website to check and double-check these official allowances and write-offs.
"See the page on ..." "Read the addendum on ..." "Read our set and subset and footnotes of hieroglyphics for blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah, blah."
And then, here's the flash point of sin or redemption for every writer during every tax season: "Was this trip for business or pleasure?"
Phew. I've got the rest of my receipts. I've got my mileage amounts. So no final phone calls from the prison pay phone for me.
Okey dokey, what have we got here? Oh look! It's from my teaching stint at the Ocean Park Writers Conference in Maine. Hot summer days. Maine ocean breezes. Front-porch conversations with my students.
And it was all, all business (heh!).


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Phyllis Orrick and the Reader
U.S.Grant, Jr., Marguerite Henry, James Meredith, nuclear Coronado,
Phyllis Orrick 8:30 a.m., Sept. 21
Valley View Casino Arena was awash in the pastel finery of the waltz when André Rieu and the Johann Strauss Orchestra brought their colorful musical variety show to town. Regaling the elder-leaning crowd with classical waltzes as well as pop, folk, opera, and musical theater made for a lively orchestral presentation. The orchestra played wide-ranging selections, from Evita show tunes and the Godfather theme to a Michael Jackson tribute - "The Earth Song." Three Tenors sang a virtuoso "Nessun Dorma," while three trilling sopranos took solo turns.
Though Rieu has suffered the slings and arrows of critics who find his show schlocky, there is no denying the joy he brings to millions who watch his videos and faithfully attend his concerts worldwide.
Most touching were the Rieu waltzes - "Emperor Waltz" and the beautiful "Blue Danube." At the first notes of "Blue Danube," patrons of all ages jumped up and began to waltz up and down the aisles to the lilting music, and the evening ended on this romantic note.


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Vidisco, with two and a half decades of experience, is renowned as a global leader in developing and manufacturing portable digital X-ray systems, which can be found in 75 countries worldwide. Vidisco was the first company to offer portable digital radiography in the form of a PC-based X-ray inspection system packed in a single suitcase. Top-quality images are produced in mere seconds, making this highly dependable, compact and lightweight equipment the perfect tool even in the most challenging field conditions.
X-ray images are available on a laptop screen within seconds, facilitating immediate detection and rapid decision making. The danger level of a suspect object can be quickly evaluated and promptly acted upon. When using a robot, no human approach is required. Fully battery operated, compact yet robust, Vidisco's systems provide top-quality images which enable instant life-saving decisions. Vidisco's DR X-ray systems meet the specific needs of the industry, and offer a solution better suited than that of traditional film or CR.


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NMP-REG and TRINNO projects have organised a significant conference on 'Industrial Modernisation and Interregional Cooperation' dedicated to Industry 4.0 on 19 March in Florence, at the Baglioni Hotel. This conference proposes an open discussion on how I4.0 is being applied across Europe and how various European and regional actors are dealing with the opportunities and challenges that it brings.
The agenda can be downloaded here
The registration form is available here
ERRIN is working closely with and supporting the NMP-REG project.


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Rally against the renewed power of Montenegro will be held today in Podgorica in front of Skupština (Parliament). The protest organizer is "Democratic Front" bloc.
Residents of the capital are going to oppose Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic and his regime, which by decision of May 19 included the representatives of the systemic opposition: "Demos" party, the Social Democratic Party and the civil movement "URA". They got the posts of the minister of agriculture, finance, social policy, as well as Interior Minister.
The "Democratic Front" is considered such decision as a betrayal of the struggle for the changing of power in the country, which lasts for more than a quarter century and has no confidence among the people. Since October 2015, in Montenegro does not subside demonstrations against the government and against joining NATO. The first mass anti-NATO rallies were brutally dispersed, that only exacerbated the street struggle.
"Democratic Front" insists on regime change and the holding of the first fair elections in the history, while the "systemic opposition" for months allegedly tryed to solve insoluble problems through negotiations, and now just nominated its representatives to the ministerial posts.
The organizers invite all citizens of Montenegro to show by their presence that they understand the situation in the country and do not consider the appointment of several new ministers, who can favorably negotiate with the authorities, as the execution of their claims.
Tags: Balkans; EU; Milo Djukanovic; Montenegro; Podgorica; protest


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Because radon does not have any odor and cannot be detected by smell or taste in the air, you must test your house to learn if you've got high levels. In fact, it is the leading cause of non-smoking related lung cancer. Otherwise, the radon might re-enter the structure and boost the degree of radon in the house.
When most people never think twice about radon, it's a severe danger to households all over the nation. To begin with, be aware that it is an impossible task to establish how much radon a new residence will attract. When there is already radon in the home, then Oxdrift folks will need to use a suction system to eliminate it from the vents and air ducts.
If there is it in the house, then Georgina people will have to use a suction system to remove it from the vents and air ducts. The very first step to mitigating the radon in your house is to fully grasp where radon levels are high in your house and how high they are.
Radon Mitigation Service Thornton do the job. Your house type will impact the type of radon reduction system which will do the job best. Most radon reduction techniques incorporate a monitor that will alert you in case the system needs servicing.
You need to use a contractor who's trained to fix radon issues. Each of our contractors is licensed to do all radon services and comply with each one of the radon gas industry's recommended practices to make sure the maximum quality solutions are provided. Radon contractors utilize other approaches that may also work in your residence. You must find a duly certified radon mitigation contractors in your region.
The Secret to Radon Mitigation Service Thornton
As the systems continues to run, you may rest confident that the radon levels in your house will continue to stay low. Such systems are called active soil depressurization, and do not demand big adjustments to your property. Similar systems may also be set up in houses with crawl spaces. Passive radon systems will diminish the prospect of high radon. In many instances, simple systems utilizing underground pipes and a radon system fan might be utilised to lower radon.
The Lost Secret of Radon Mitigation Service Thornton
Our mitigation techniques pull radon from your house and redirect the gas outside, away from your residence. Radon mitigation systems are fantastic tactics to eliminate radon from your house, but they may be tricky to install. Your radon mitigation process is subsequently installed.
Radon mitigation methods need occasional maintenance. Each radon mitigation process is custom and is dependent upon the structure of your house. An effective radon mitigation system can cut the radon level in your house by up to 99 percent.
Whispered Radon Mitigation Service Thornton Secrets
Choose the sort of mitigation system you desire. Mitigation systems can reduce the quantity of radon in your property. To make certain you'll be pleased with your radon mitigation system, speak to a prospective contractor about installation choices for the mitigation system. A radon mitigation process is any system or steps created to decrease radon concentrations in the indoor air of a structure.
It is designed to reduce radon concentrations in the indoor air of a building. Our radon mitigation systems are intended to find the very best radon reduction results while keeping the very same aesthetics for your house or business. They need servicing from time-to-time so you must make sure the system's manufacturer and the company that installs it will continue to be around in the future.


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Why I don't like juice fasts
Juicing was such a trend a few years ago, and it felt like everyone was doing a "cleanse" or juicing regularly. I never found this to sit well with my health beliefs – I felt them to be a band-aid for a bullet wound, and a product of our quick fix society. They are a cash cow for big businesses and the only real health benefit that I could see is that they give our overtaxed digestion a much-needed break.
They buy into this notion of all or nothing; of "cheat" meals and "clean" eating. If you drink only juice for a week; you will feel a bit better, lose a little water weight and gain more energy – so you deserve to have that massive dessert as a treat at the end of it. The weight comes back, (and a little extra usually due to metabolic issues) your self-esteem takes a punch, and you commence the cycle of deprivation and binging all over again.
Our bodies are fantastic machines. They are capable of "detoxing" all on their own – it is why if we eat a high sugar meal we may feel a bit off after, but eventually come back to our resting point. It is also why hangovers don't kill us… In spite of how they may feel at the time. Severely restricting protein, fiber and fat for a period of time does us zero favors and is extremely unnecessary to our organism's functioning as a whole. We were not evolved with a juicer on our back. We evolved eating the entire plant.
I am a strong advocate for eating well consistently. Each day I believe we should be eating mostly plants, food in its most natural form. Our bodies know what to do with an apple – our systems have not evolved digesting twinkies or pop tarts, and the prolonged eating of these manufactured "foods" are at the root of our nations health and obesity problems. Doing a few painful juice fasts in between eating junk food will do you no favors – you need to make a change wholistically. (Is that even a word?!)
Whenever you feel like an indulgence, do not approach it as a "cheat". I hate that term and I hate being asked about it. It implies that you are taking time off from your diet to do something that you are fixated on, and I do not do diets. I eat the way I do for my quality of life and I have learned to really enjoy the health benefits along with the meals I prepare. I truly believe that this mental switch is the key to sticking to a healthy lifestyle – you are not being deprived by your choices. Indulgence for me means identifying what it is that I would really like to eat, then finding the healthiest version of it. I love sweet potato fries, so I like to make my own oven roasted in coconut oil and Himalayan Sea salt. It is about thinking laterally about food; still moving forward but taking a step to the left to indulge. And when you do indulge, eat it slowly. Enjoy every bite, and acknowledge the fact that you could eat this every day if you wanted to.
I do believe that once people step off the restrict and binge bandwagon, and let their self-esteem remain at a constant level; their eating habits become much more natural and in tune with their sense of self. It is empowering to create meals that will help you live longer and better, and I truly wish that everyone on this planet could make this shift.


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I listen to a lot of podcasts. Some are original and some are based on radio programs. I listen to a mix of history, technology, politics, literature, and music. Here are some random comments and advice for people who produce podcasts based on my own listening experience:
- Commercials are OK but make them interesting. Remember how easy it is to fast forward on an iPod.
- When you announce an author's name while reviewing a book, spell the name. It helps if I like the book and want to check online if my public library has it.
- Same goes if you announce URL's online. Spell them out.
- You don't really have to edit out the "uh's" and "you knows" but please edit out long pauses. They can be really jarring.
- Drop the introductory theme emusic and sound effects. Just announce who you are. I listen to you because I'm interested in what you have to say. I don't care about your attempts to create an audio "brand" or "image." (I stopped listening to Grammar Girl long ago because of that awful scritchy-scratchy theme music she had at the beginning of her programs.)
- Longer is better. If the topic is interesting, I don't care how many minutes long the program is. But really short 1 minute bursts just don't interest me.
- If you have to announce rights, permissions, and copyright information, please put such announcements at the end, not at the beginning; this stuff is the audio version of the annoying "FBI Warning" at the beginning of movies on DVD. (Are you listening, BBC?)
- When you rebroadcast speeches and seminars, please edit out unintelligible questions and comments from the audience.
Can you think of any more?
Copyright (c) 2009 by Dennis D. McDonald, a former podcaster.


text: NCAA Merchandise > Rice Owls Merchandise Rice University Car Flag View All Rice Owls Merchandise ITEMS Quantity $14.95 Out of Stock Add to Cart IN STOCK Standard & Express Shipping Available Order by 2pm CST (M-F) — Ships Same Day Item ID#: SW-CarSW-RO-Old English Tweet Wish Our Rice University Car Flag is a perfect way to show your team allegiance to the next game or around town. The Rice University Car Flag mounts on any vehicle window and is viewable from both sides. The flag measures 12 x 15 inches, is constructed of 2-ply polyester, has non-peeling screen printed NCAA insignias, and the flagpole and bracket are made of unbreakable plastic.Use your Rice University Car Flag as an interior wall decoration with our Car Flag Wall Mount. Customers Also Bought... Flag & Pennant Accessories Car Flag Holder $3.95 Out of Stock Add To Cart Double Sided US Car Flag $9.95 Out of Stock Add To Cart


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My subscription to Money Magazine started with the February 2007 issue; I was quite happy to see it in my mailbox, even though it ups my magazine subscription list to eight (The New Yorker, The Atlantic, Harper's, The Economist, Money Magazine, Wired, Discover, and Consumer Reports). Money Magazine is almost always an entertaining read with lots of little tidbits, and this issue was no exception: a rational and low-hype review of mutual funds, a good discussion of pharmaceutical stocks, a really nice article on small home improvement projects, and the usual collection of family profiles that review real-world personal finance situations.
As usual, I attacked the issue with a highlighter in hand, marking up anything that I want to think about later. Here are the ten most interesting points (from my perspective) that I dug out of the issue:
Health care stocks are potentially undervalued. Two things stuck out here: the S&P Healthcare index is undervalued (in terms of P/E ratio) compared to the average of the last ten years, and health care spending is going to boom in the coming years as the boomers get old.
Installing stone tile in the entryway creates a great first impression for your home – and can thus increase the value. This is a simple enough task that even I can do it, and stone-tiled entryways do look nice. I just didn't make the connection to an increase in property value.
Exchange rates with South America are much better than with Europe. In other words, if you're desiring an international trip this year, Buenos Aires is much cheaper than Paris.
For exchanging gifts with your significant other, agree on an annual cap so you don't spend too much money on silly gifts. This would be a great idea – if I could get my wife to agree to it. She'd probably think I was trying to get out of gift-giving occasions.
If you have a Roth 401(k) available to you, take advantage of it when you're young. When you're young, you're in a lower tax bracket, so you can effectively put less pre-tax money into a Roth 401(k) now (because it's taxed less) than you will be able to later on in life (when you're being taxed more). If you reach a salary that you think is higher than your retirement salary, put money in a regular pre-tax 401(k) instead.
If I were to invest in a managed mutual fund, the Vanguard Windsor II looks impressive. I had a lot of fun looking through their mutual fund listing and finding some interesting ones, like this one. It has only a 0.35% expense ratio and beats the S&P 500 both over one year and five years. Too bad it costs $10,000 to get in the front door, so I'll mark it down as a "someday."
If you get a windfall, don't invest it all in something risky. View it as a core of a potential nest egg and invest most of it in a similar fashion to your retirement money. That way, when things inevitably happen, you have money stowed away for the long run.
Are material goods really "abundance" or not? There's a lengthy article that basically revolves around that question. Are we better off than our grandparents were at our age? We have much more impressive goodies and bigger homes, but does this stuff equate to a better life? I'm not convinced of it, considering the increased job riskiness that workers today face.
For my semi-traditional gift of a box of chocolate to my wife on Valentine's Day, I might want to consider getting the Harry and David Grand Collection instead of the usual Godiva box. It's a better deal and supposedly has better chocolate – Godiva has been going downhill lately, so I've been looking for another option.
Quote of the month, from Acorn Fund's Ralph Wagner:
Being disciplined, being honest, having a set of rules and following them no matter what, thinking long term, controlling your emotions – these are all useful. But only so useful and only in part of life. You don't want to treat your wife or your kids like an investment.


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thursday, september 18 / 5-8pm
> join the chicago dempster merchant association and vinic wine for a lively neighborhood wine tasting event. more than 20 local businesses (including dragonfly-df!) will be pouring tastings of french wines selected and provided by our local wine shop, vinic. there will be a suggested donation of $15 per person that will benefit two local charities: no boundaries - train for work, train for life & the evanston art center.
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see you then!


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Wired Word Study
Wired Word
"Applying Scripture to Current Events"
Sundays, 10:15 am - 11:15 am
Luther Hall
The Wired Word meets on Sundays to discuss scripture and how it applies to current headlines. Discussions are lively, stimulating, and thought provoking. Each week a topic (i.e. current headline) is selected with applicable scripture and questions on our role/response as Christians.
As a relaxed, open group, we invite you to attend whenever you can. Everyone welcome!


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A pro-independence blog by James Kelly - voted one of Scotland's top 10 political websites.
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
The "non-aligned" forum Political Betting once again shows its true colours, as I become the second SNP poster to be banned in the space of 24 hours for "insolence"
"Utter bilge.
Your initial statement was tripe and your attempts to bolster your non existant case is risable. Your froth and bluster might work with some PBers but this Scot isn't taken in by your lame arguments."
"You should learn from "tim" that repeating lame arguments doesn't make them any truer.
Once again you try to hijack Scottishness and then attempt to favour only posters as a Scot who suit you.
I'm an old hand here and those old hands are Scottish to their old bones and my hand will indeed "choose".
I choose the Union of Great Britain and Northern Ireland."
"Firstly I'm most certainly not your "mate".
Secondly, what you don't like is being challenged for over-hyping the SNP position by a fellow Scot.
Lastly it would take more than the pin pricks of inane "debate" with you to "unsettle" me. Yet again you substantially over-hype your own significance to me .... that is nil.
Oh .... I forgot my manners - Good morning."
(Incidentally, the pretext for this diatribe was two patently ludicrous and malicious misrepresentations of what I had said - namely that I supposedly claimed to speak on behalf of "all of Scotland", and that I had claimed that the total percentage of seats won by the SNP last year was on a par with Tony Blair's record hauls in 1997 and 2001. His excuse for the first misrepresentation was that I had used the word "we" in response to him, but he didn't have the slightest reason for thinking that "we" referred to Scotland, and it must have been obvious to any reasonable person from the context that it wasn't intended to. On the second count, I had of course been comparing the Blair landslides to the SNP's vote share, not seat totals, which would have been a silly comparison given that Holyrood is elected by PR and Westminster is not.)
Now you might naively think that the owner of a forum who was in any way concerned about contributors making personalised attacks on others would be unlikely to react to that outburst by calling it a "wonderful bitch-slap", but that was exactly what Mike Smithson chose to do. Fair enough, of course, just so long as consistency is applied, and posters of all political hues are allowed the same latitude in the free speech stakes.
But wait, what's this? On Sunday morning, SNP poster Stuart Dickson was astonished to receive an email "warning" him for making personal attacks on other posters on the overnight thread. He in fact had made no comments at all on that thread, as he had gone to bed early. The only explanation I can think of is that the warning related to a single comment earlier in the day in which Stuart had poked fun at the Tory posters HD2 and Fitalass. That comment was mild compared with JackW's "bitch-slap", but nevertheless in a stirring display of consistency it was instantly deleted by a moderator, as opposed to being applauded as "wonderful" by the editor, and "liked" by no fewer than 27 adoring members of the PB Tory Herd.
On Monday, events took an even more farcical turn. Stuart mischievously pointed out that the PB Tory Herd were being slow to pay any attention to the latest Angus Reid poll showing a handsome Labour lead, and that this was somewhat mysterious given that Angus Reid had been the Herd's favourite pollster back in the days when the company used to show higher Tory leads than anyone else. Smithson, in an apparent attempt to bolster his legend as being scrupulously independent from the Herd, reacted with undisguised fury and ordered Stuart to "stop sniping". Stuart's response was the following ten words -
"Pure comedy gold. Your lack of self-awareness is stunning"
And for that he was summarily banned from the site for a second time on the grounds of "insolence" (the previous banning, which occurred for no reason that anyone could discern, lasted two years). As he pointed out to me later - "On the PB scale of rudeness and insolence, I'd reckon that reaches about 3 out of 10." I can certainly vouch for the truth of that, having on a daily basis been subjected to mindless personal abuse (including many suggestions that I am mentally unstable) with absolutely no protection in sight from the moderators.
At the same time as banning Stuart, Smithson also announced that the use of the term "Herd" to characterise the stifling Tory group-think on PB would henceforth be disallowed. Again, an SNP poster seemed to be the main target of this ruling, because Smithson pointed out that Mick Pork would now be required to change his tagline "Not Of The Herd". Mick instantly complied by changing it to "Nick Clegg is crap". Smithson was incandescent by this point and told Mick : "If you want to post here you do not stick two fingers up at me. Understand." Yes, who could conceivably think that a political forum's "non-aligned" status is in any way compromised by the editor regarding an attack on the Deputy Prime Minister as an attack on him personally?! As a last resort Mick changed his strapline to "kittens are nice", in honour of the untouchable cat-loving queen of the PB Tory bullies, Ms Plato.
Upon learning of Stuart's fate, I went on the site to observe that this development should finally lay to rest any suggestions that those of us who have pointed out that PB has a politically biased moderation policy are in any sense being "paranoid". Ms. Plato retorted : "Have you being banned, James? Or other SNP posters?" I explained to her that in fact a second SNP poster (our very own Ezio) had indeed been the subject of a longterm ban, again for no apparent reason, and that while I hadn't been banned yet, the way things were going it could well be only a matter of time.
Well, how prophetic those words proved. I was banned today, without warning or explanation, when I simply responded to other people's attacks on Stuart, who for obvious reasons was not there to defend himself. I'm going to reproduce the entire exchange here, because of the risk that it will now be deleted and subsequently misrepresented -
Me : FPT, Gwynfa : "Such very, very extensive users of the site must surely have made significant financial contributions to its running costs via the Donate button, right ?
Don't tell us, I think we can all guess the answer to that question!
If I had been very rude to a host, I'd be turning up the next day on the doorstep, apologetic, and with a good bottle of Penderyn. It seems appropriate that Stuart should contribute to our hosts running costs, as way of apology?"
You must be bloody joking - as we're forever told that this site is loss-making, then I'd have thought that every active user is vital to bringing in advertising revenue. In other words, why we've been contributing to the running costs for free and subjecting ourselves to torrents of mindless abuse along the way is something of a mystery.
But if the management ever feel like doing the decent thing and compensating us, that'll be grand.
As for Stuart and "rudeness", it was in the opposite direction. Mike sent him an email "warning" him for making attacks on other posters in "overnight comments", which as Stuart pointed out was physically impossible because he had made no comments at all overnight. He was then banned, without even the courtesy of being notified, for making a tame ten-word reply (which would make a mildly angry Nick Palmer look like the Antichrist) to a provocative comment from Mike.
In contrast to his thread-headers, Mike routinely makes scathing political comments in his posts, both towards parties, politicians and fellow posters.That's absolutely fine, but if he does that and then throws his toys out of the pram when he gets a little bit of the same thrown back at him now and again...well, I'm sorry, but that's pathetic. Utterly pathetic.
Alan Brooke made the comparison with Anthony Wells yesterday - totally missing the point that while AW has a more stringent moderation policy, he is also unfailingly courteous and does not make deliberately provocative and partisan comments which he then expects to be 'reply-proof'.
So, yes, if financial compensation for rudeness is the order of the day, then Mike has Stuart's contact details, and I'm more than happy to supply the 'wonderful' Jack W with mine.
Chris g00 : Get over it. You are cluttering up the threads with your constant whinging, if you don't like it, go away.
Me : If other posters don't want people to put the other side of the story, they should stop posting on the subject themselves.
That was a direct reply to Gwynfa - take it up with him if it's making you feel grumpy.
Socrates : James, with all respect, you really need to learn when to let a subject drop.
Me : And with an absolutely equal dose of respect, the reply I gave to Chris g00 applies equally to you. My post was a direct reply to Gwynfa - if you want the subject dropped, take it up with him, and the countless others who are choosing to continue criticising someone who isn't here to defend himself.
Mick Pork : Telling James when he should stop posting on a subject was not required to say the least.
You may not have noticed that he and I are getting more than enough of that already since some gleefully want to keep trying get other posters banned, exiled or just go away now that they think it's working.
I was referring to those who are still doing it even on this thread and not you in particular.
Moses : Jeez! come back after a few hours and he is still bloody whining.
Enough already! What part of "The referees's decision is final" don't you actually get?. You don't like it then pick up your caber and feck off.
Me : What part of "take it up with Gwynfa" don't you actually get?
And since "f*** off if you don't like it" seems to be the vogue comment of the day, might I gently suggest that the same advice applies to you if you find my "whining" so objectionable?
Mike Smithson : The reason you could find no comments from Mr. Dickson on that overnight thread was that the offending contributions had been deleted.
Me : Mike, did you actually read Stuart's reply to your email? The reason that the comments were not there was not because they had been deleted, but because he went to bed at 9pm and did not post on the overnight thread.
If there were any "offending" comments (and I strongly suspect there was only one that related to HD2 and Fitalass) they must have been much earlier in the day.
The final comment was never actually published - when I attempted to post it I discovered I had been banned. So that's that.
As he can no longer defend himself on PB itself (and I gather he may not go back even when his seemingly temporary ban is lifted), I'll leave the last word to Stuart Dickson. I hope he won't mind me using a small excerpt from an email he forwarded to me yesterday -
"I have been treated disgracefully. I know that Mark Senior had a hand in my first ban, although a reason (public or private) has never been forthcoming.
The latest ban is even more inexplicable, considering the vicious personal attacks that Mike not only allows, but even encourages, day in day out. My rudeness was miniscule in comparison with things one reads every day on Mike's threads.
I actually concur with something Plato said yesterday: she asked James why he legitimises PB by contributing to it? I strongly suspect that PB will self-destroy itself anyway when the post-coalition Con/LD hatefest begins, and I suspect any bystanders to that main event will experience the full wrath of Mike, at the smallest excuse...
It was fun while it lasted, but Mike bears a huge proportion of the blame for the destruction of his own creation/monster. My sympathy for him, considering that he happily houses some of the biggest bullies, thugs and idiots in the blogosphere, is limited."
21 comments:
- Ezio Auditore da FirenzeMarch 13, 2012 at 7:06 PM
We Florentines rarely say "I told you so" and this will be no exemption! But you were told so...by me!ReplyDelete
PB grows ever more extreme and dictatorial. Our lives are richer without it.
IMO, we (that is to say, the pro independence posters who previously contributed to the right wing swamp) shouldn't seek to waste our time on the place.
Instead, from now on, let's use every free minute of our time to advance the cause of independence for Scotland (then we can turn our attentions to a free Florence!).
Rather than arguing in circles with crazy libertarians on that hellish site, let's spend the time writing letters to newspapers in Scotland to advance our cause. Let's do some canvassing in our local areas. Let's sign new members up to Scotland's party.
Let's forget about the swamp. We seek to free ourselves from the loony rightism of Westminster with independence. Freeing ourselves of the loony rightism of PB is the first step.
Yours for Florence
Your auld pal
You're quite right, of course, Ezio. I can't even remember the last time I submitted a letter to a newspaper. I had one published in Scotland on Sunday about a billion years ago, although for slightly complicated reasons it was published under my mother's name (much to her 'delight'!).ReplyDelete
PB is weird and getting weirder.ReplyDelete
Getting into power causes Tories to relax, drop their guard, and reveal just how icky & strange they really are. Last time around it was just the same. And today, for example, Scots Tory grandee Lord Fraser has published a strange erotic fantasy about bombing his countrymen 'to hell' if they decide to become independent. Nice.
- GrassyKnollingtonMarch 14, 2012 at 12:42 PM
The people at Political Betting merely echo the stance of presenters like Paxman, Anita from the Politics Show and all the rest who view independence supporters as outsiders trying to muscle in to the establishment club with their unwanted opinions.ReplyDelete
The posters at PB are able to take their lead from the way Salmond is treated by Paxman and his journalistic chums.
If it's established at the highest level that our First Minister is an upstart who can be likened to Robert Mugabe (with impunity) then what chance do ordinary posters have of being taken seriously or treated with even basic respect?
The hard work being done in tandem by British nationalists in Scotland to portray independence supporters as shrill cybernats shouting down decent union supporting people provides valuable back up to this stance from Jockland itself.
Depressingly some prominent political commenters in Scotland have joined in too. Being a "more thoughtful" independence supporter eager to distance oneself from the "cybernats" has become a bit of a trend.
I often wonder who it is they seek to impress. Labour Hame ? Gerry Hassan? Better Nation?
I'm undecided as to whether being a "better sort of nationalist" in the eyes of such commenters is an achievement or not.
- AnonymousMarch 14, 2012 at 7:13 PM
get a lifeReplyDelete
- AnonymousMarch 14, 2012 at 7:44 PM
Come back James, all is forgiven! Mike S has said in terms that you are NOT BANNED AFTER ALLReplyDelete
Do you ever feel you overdramatise a bit? PB is a blog, and a bit of fun. You behave as if it were the raw material for the future official biography of the late James Kelly.
And I will tell you two more things: first, any sane tory respects the right of self-determination as a fundamental principle and concedes (unless he is Scottish) that he has no right whatever to dictate what Scotland does. You are fighting a war which you had already won before it started, and winding you up over the trivia of currency changes etc is just so much trolling which you do rather invite.
Secondly: I agree that JackW is 109 years past his sell-by date but I can well understand his fury at your attempt to classify Scottish people who don't agree with you as somehow less scottish than Scottish people who do.
- AnonymousMarch 14, 2012 at 7:51 PM
A betting site that uses a bet welcher as a moderator isn't a betting site any longer.ReplyDelete
Which was what used to drain the toxins.
- republican toryMarch 14, 2012 at 8:50 PM
I am more than happy to read comments and take part in discussions about Scotland and the merits, or otherwise, of outright independence.
When you are being balanced and engaging in debate you were an interesting participant.
But you became totally one dimensional in your outlook, approach and comments to virtually all threads that you just became boring.
This is your blog and so you are free to offer a platform to whom you choose. The same is true to Mike Smithson.
So IMHO you should stop winging and slagging off others, grow a pair of Bo!!*ks and act like a man.
- AnonymousMarch 14, 2012 at 9:44 PM
Have you tried posting since yesterday? I had some trouble with comments not getting through yesterday but it was fine this morning.
You may not actually be banned.
- John WheatleyMarch 14, 2012 at 10:43 PM
Two quickiesReplyDelete
PB.com may run at a loss, but Mike has a carreer in the media as a result. That loss amounts to a marketing spend on building the Smithson brand
Sadly Stuart D is one of the most aggressive, personal and willfully self deluding of posters on PB.com. It is a shame that he blights good comment with needless petty bile.
- John WheatleyMarch 14, 2012 at 10:44 PM
Two quickiesReplyDelete
PB.com may run at a loss, but Mike has a carreer in the media as a result. That loss amounts to a marketing spend on building the Smithson brand
Sadly Stuart D is one of the most aggressive, personal and willfully self deluding of posters on PB.com. It is a shame that he blights good comment with needless petty bile.
- AnonymousMarch 14, 2012 at 11:41 PM
remember the "non-aligned pact" has members such as Turkmenistan, Cuba, Belarus and Somalia...
it doesn't mean "impartial" and its not the BBC
Having said that I've enjoyed your posts at PB and its a shame you're not there any more. However its the blog owners party, and he'll cry if he wants to etc
All the best
- AnonymousMarch 14, 2012 at 11:44 PM
principles of non-aligned movement (from wikipedia)ReplyDelete
Mutual respect for each other's territorial integrity and sovereignty
Mutual non-aggression
Mutual non-interference in domestic affairs
Equality and mutual benefit
Peaceful co-existence
(I don'T even know where to start wrt PB.com...)
Because Blogger only allows comments up to a certain length, it'll probably take me several goes to respond to people.ReplyDelete
First of all, on the question of whether I am actually banned, Mr Smithson's claim that "James Kelly is not banned" is somewhat less meaningful than a big yellow message at the top of the page saying "The site has blocked you from posting new comments", and the disappearance of the comment form. If the hint is going about that my banning is a technical fault (and I note that Mike has not said that explicitly), then all I can say is that the moment this fault chose to manifest itself was convenient in the extreme. It happened at the very instant Mike noticed and responded to my post about Stuart Dickson's banning, and 36 hours later I remain blocked (I've tried two different browsers to make sure). In three or four months of using Disqus, I had never previously experienced this 'fault'.
I would also note that my blocking follows exactly the same pattern as Stuart's ban 24 hours earlier - it happened without announcement or explanation, immediately after each of us had made a criticism of Mike. With the best will in the world, some coincidences are just a bit too coincidental.
Nevertheless, in the light of his claim that I am not in fact banned, I may well send Mike an email to seek clarification.
Anon II : "You behave as if it were the raw material for the future official biography of the late James Kelly."ReplyDelete
When I work out what that means, I'll let you know whether I'm offended or not.
"first, any sane tory respects the right of self-determination as a fundamental principle and concedes (unless he is Scottish) that he has no right whatever to dictate what Scotland does. You are fighting a war which you had already won before it started..."
If that was the case, we wouldn't have seen the quasi-colonial intervention from the Westminster government trying to dictate to the directly-elected Scottish Parliament on the question to be asked, the date of the poll, and the extent of the franchise. Most especially, the Westminster government would not be trying to ban Scotland from holding a consultative referendum on Devolution Max. I would point out to you that the US territory of Puerto Rico is about to hold a multi-option referendum on independence, free association with the US, or becoming the 51st state. Two of those three options would "not be a matter for Puerto Rico alone" (to use the vogue phrase about Devo Max), but the principle of self-determination allows the people of Scotland and Puerto Rico to determine for themselves what they want the objective of any constitutional negotiations to be.
"I can well understand his fury at your attempt to classify Scottish people who don't agree with you as somehow less scottish than Scottish people who do."
I have never done any such thing, and will never do so. Instead of "understanding" Jack's "fury" at something that never happened, try understanding my fury at his malicious misrepresentation of what I had said. (A fuller explanation of the misrepresentation can be found in the blogpost.)
A different matter entirely is the question of whether Jack actually is Scottish himself. It was very noticeable that having initially claimed to be "a Scot" on that thread (apparently believing that gave him some kind of special authority in dismissing my arguments), he then switched to praying in aid his Scottish ancestry. That led me to suspect that he's "Scottish" only in the David Cameron sense of the term, ie. he isn't. But that's merely a suspicion, and unless he reveals his identity we'll never know.
Republican Tory : Don't be insolent.ReplyDelete
I should really thank you, though, because by making such a rude comment, you reminded me of one of the finer examples of Plato's consistency of thought from the other day. Apparently if one of her PB Tory chums visits my blog and makes a critical (or indeed outright abusive) comment about me, the correct response from me is to be suitably chastened, and take on board the fact that the person in question almost certainly has a valid point. But if someone visits PB and makes a critical comment about Mike, apparently the correct response for him is to conclude that the person is "anti-social" and is despicably abusing their posting "privileges"!
Well, I'm sure it all makes perfect sense in her head...
The reality is that while Mike is perfectly entitled to have the most politically biased moderation policy in the world if he wishes, he cannot then credibly claim that his forum is still "non-aligned". That is the essence of the point I and others have been making.
As for your claim that I am "boring", we have long since established that is the standard PB codeword for "but...but...you're talking about a non-Westmister topic! Again!"
Matt : Thanks for your good wishes.ReplyDelete
Yes, there's a very good Blake's 7 episode on the theme of "the many faces of neutrality"!
- AnonymousMarch 15, 2012 at 7:34 AM
Further to GrassyKnollingtonReplyDelete
I've spotted that, on the 'serious' political blogs like Better Nation, there is a tendency there for the Independence minded to distance themselves from 'CyberNats'
As if the media and Unionists commentators wouldn't call them CyberNats themselves
Anyone who espouses Independence is to be mocked in whatever sphere they turn up in, they aren't part of 'serious politics' which, of course, only happens at Westminter
Absolutely. If we go back to what seemed to be the original meaning of CyberNat, ie. someone who liberally chucks around abuse about "traitors", then clearly that is to be deplored. But somehow the term has mutated into meaning any independence supporter who dares to engage in robust debate, or to make their points forcefully.ReplyDelete
I don't particularly want to be "better" than that.
Having formally given up contributing to PB 2 or 3 weeks ago I can recommend that approach to you.ReplyDelete
The degeneration of the site into a Coalition enclave (Labour & SNP posters being particularly despised) leads me to conclude that PB ought to be disqualified as the supposedly No 1 "Non- Aligned Blog"
Maybe a few years ago, I quite liked that site. Mainly, it has to be admitted because someone on there had a real clue about F1. The betting on politics was actually atrocious. I occasionally pop my head back in to see if they have anything to say about political betting, and they don't.ReplyDelete
it is a bit sad that Mr Smithson isn't giving us any worthwhile tips anymore.
To be fair, I don't go back often these days. I may have missed them.


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Want to make your self feel important by going to a fancy pants seminar?Â
I got an email about an upcoming Final Draft and Scriptshark seminar taking place in NYC on November 3, 2007. The snazzy little title of said seminar is "Out of the Computer and Into the Industry."
It's a day long seminar. You get to practice pitching, you get info on screenplay marketing, and you get info on managers looking for talent. Not agents, just managers. I say that is kinda worthless. You also get a year subscription to Script magazine and to The Spec Market so you can post projects.
The price of this? $139 if you register by today, $149 after that.
Is a screenplay competition more your style?
I also happened to get an email about the Pubfilms $25,000 Screenplay Competition. Holy no-name contest, that is a lot of money. Apparently this is a bit of a unique competition. You submit you script, voting begins on Oct 1, 2007 by the public and script with most votes is the winner. Entry fee is $35.00. And yes, if you win you lose all rights to your script for the cash prize of $25,000. Doesn't look like so much money now, does it?