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If liberals and New Democrats sometimes seem like the Hatfields and McCoys of center-left politics, it's because we each believe passionately that America's progressive soul is worth fighting for. For the most part, these debates within the family reflect principled disagreements about the best strategy for achieving both a just society and a progressive majority that embraces it. But though we still may disagree about some details, after years of radically conservative dominance of national politics, we find ourselves in vehement agreement with a simple proposition: The radical right is closing avenues of opportunity to working Americans.
This right-wing dominance, however, has produced a new unity on the progressive side. In this spirit, a group of us has gathered under a flag of truce to work out an alternative to Bushonomics: a progressive growth strategy for expanding the middle class.
Let's grant that it's not fair to blame presidents for all that goes wrong on their watch or to credit them for all that goes well, even if voters do it anyway. But it is fair to judge presidents on how well they play the hand history deals them. By this standard, it's fair to conclude that President Bush over the last three years has failed to cope effectively with America's core economic problem: 2 million lost jobs and the severing of the usual link between gross domestic product growth and job growth. Administration policies have failed to revive business and investor confidence in our economy, or to stem growing public anxieties over outsourcing and trade in general. They've made our tax system less progressive, starved government of the revenues it needs to tackle our most urgent domestic and security challenges, and submerged America's future in a rising tide of red ink.
Like their Gilded Age predecessors a century ago, today's conservatives have put government squarely on the side of entrenched wealth and unearned privilege. Their policies have enriched corporations but not workers. They have shifted the tax burden from the wealthy to working families. But they've done nothing to address health-care costs and health security for the working middle class, the prospect of losing one's job to outsourcing or trade, or a sharp rise in poverty.
Perhaps most insidiously of all, the right has dissipated the optimism and problem-solving confidence of the Clinton years. During the 1990s, smart public policies reinforced robust economic growth and job creation, public-sector innovation flourished, problems long seen as intractable -- such as rising crime and welfare dependency -- began to yield to new remedies, and Washington showed that it could equip and empower citizens to solve problems. Today the prevailing mood is pessimism. The public overwhelmingly believes that the country is on the wrong track and frets about a jobless recovery, our ability to compete in the global economy, and America's increasing isolation in the world.
A Political Economy of Privilege
Bush's economic policy is a radical departure even for the right. It reverses the one thing that traditional conservatives did well: resist public deficits. Instead, the right's program sacrifices sound economics to political redistribution -- the supposed sin for which conservatives lambasted progressives.
Democrats, of course, sought to redistribute resources and opportunities to the poor and the hard-pressed middle class. Bush's heart goes out instead to high earners groaning under the exactions of the lowest marginal tax rates in the advanced world and corporations oppressed by health, safety, and environmental regulations.
On Bush's watch, steel and timber companies get protection, energy and agribusiness concerns get subsidies, and multimillionaires get to pass on their estates tax-free, but somehow there isn't enough money to fund what the president once called his top priority -- closing the achievement gap between poor and middle-class students in America's public schools -- or to make sure that every worker has basic health insurance, or to provide working parents with decent child-care options, or to extend unemployment benefits for 760,000 workers who have exhausted their benefits looking for jobs that aren't there.
In 2003, Congress passed $148 billion in pro-business "incentives" over five years, including steep cuts in taxes on capital gains and stock dividends. To the chagrin of supply-side enthusiasts, however, these corporate goodies failed to unleash job-creating investments. And while corporate profits are up 30 percent since the 2001 recession, little of this bounty has been shared with workers. In fact, the median family income has declined by $1,462 under Bush. According to a recent Progressive Policy Institute study, the number of middle-income jobs has plummeted since 2000 and the only category to show growth is low-income jobs. The Economic Policy Institute calculates that in 2003, median wages actually lagged behind inflation.
The Bush program, in short, has aggravated the already glaring imbalances of power in our society between capital and labor, between entrenched corporations and new enterprises, and between the top 5 percent of earners and the bottom 95 percent. Such solicitude for the privileged would be perverse at any time; it's doubly so at a time of war.
In his February Meet the Press interview, Bush rather plaintively described himself as a "war president." True enough, but where's the wartime budget? Instead of calling for shared sacrifice, as presidents normally do when the nation girds for war, Bush used his prestige as commander in chief to pass two more rounds of tax cuts. He presided over an orgy of spending that culminated in last year's congressional passage of a budget-busting, $534 billion prescription-drug benefit for seniors -- a key swing group in this year's national elections. In addition to lowballing the cost, the plan enacted by Congress failed to meet the basic goal of Medicare reform: improving the system's ability to prevent and treat chronic diseases. In fact, the new Medicare program gives us the worst of all worlds -- unsustainable cost growth as well as inadequate drug benefits.
It should come as no surprise that federal spending under George W. Bush (averaging 7.6 percent a year) is growing at more than double the rate under Bill Clinton. Tax revenues, meanwhile, will fall to 15.8 percent of national output this year, compared with an average of 18.5 percent from 1980 to 2003. Indeed, federal revenues are now down to the level of the Eisenhower years. Unlike the recession or the terrorist attacks, this double whammy to the federal budget was an entirely preventable calamity. The Bush administration has slashed taxes to levels well below what is necessary to finance the public services and investments Americans need today, let alone meet the looming costs of the baby boomers' retirement.
In fact, it's not accurate to talk about the Bush tax "cuts," for what they actually represent is a tax shift. Since someone will have to pay for them eventually, the effect of the Bush tax changes will be to shift the burden of paying for government permanently from the wealthy to middle-class workers, from income taxes to payroll taxes, and from today's working adults to their children.
A Progressive Growth Strategy
What's to be done about the jobless recovery, colossal deficits, corporate malfeasance, growing inequality, and the exposure of wider swaths of our workforce to low-wage competition from abroad? The right hasn't a clue. Such problems demand collective responses, but today's radical conservatives -- having swallowed their own anti-government propaganda -- view government more as a means of buying political favor than as an instrument for achieving common purposes.
Progressives should start by embracing both a more efficient, less distorted market system and a new burst of public activism. Both are essential for rekindling economic innovation and job growth and ensuring that everyone can share in America's prosperity.
Where Bush and his crowd are merely pro-business, Democrats should champion a progressive growth strategy that encompasses dynamic market forces, robust public investment, and necessary regulation. No serious economist doubts that government plays an indispensable role in facilitating the proper functioning of markets. Through its laws and regulations, it must referee economic competition and prevent powerful actors from rigging the game. Through its investments in education, science, and infrastructure, it must rectify the market's failures to supply common goods that underpin entrepreneurship and growth. If you disable government, you diminish prospects for growth as well as fairer distribution of the fruits of prosperity.
An eroding middle class is the American nightmare, the undoing of the greatest progressive achievement of the 20th century. The more powerful global markets become, the more governments must lean against the disruptions and inequities that invariably accompany rapid economic change. The trick, though, is to devise modern ways to stimulate mass upward mobility that go with, rather than against, the grain of economic dynamism and progress.
Our progressive growth strategy aims at redressing today's imbalance between economic innovation and economic opportunity. It has four main elements:
1. Return fiscal sanity to Washington. As we learned in the 1990s, restoring fiscal discipline is integral to sustained economic growth as well as responsible government. It drives interest rates down, giving consumers and businesses the equivalent of a tax cut while also encouraging private investment. Let's start by rolling back the Bush tax giveaways to families earning more than $200,000 a year while protecting the tax cuts for middle- and low-income families. Then let's reinstate the inheritance tax, with a higher exemption for family farms or small businesses. These steps would save roughly $550 billion over the next 10 years while shifting the tax burden back from working families to the wealthy. And with an estimated $200 billion a year lost to tax cheating, a long overdue crackdown on tax-evading corporations and high-bracket individuals could capture a healthy chunk of this fugitive revenue.
The right has done almost as much damage on the spending side of the national ledger as the tax side. No one doles out pork like the GOP: The recently passed transportation bill was larded with 3,251 "earmarks" -- money added specifically for a particular member's state or district, or a special interest. This compared with just 538 in the 1991 highway bill. An important energy bill now languishes in Congress, in part because it was originally freighted with $31 billion in tax breaks for the oil, gas, coal, and electrical industries. No wonder even The Wall Street Journal editorially charged Bush with presiding over "the most profligate Administration since the 1960s."
To stop the pork spree, we'll need to restore real budget controls -- including stronger versions of the "pay as you go" rules that effectively constrained spending and tax cuts in the 1990s -- as well as budget caps. We should particularly crack down on corporate welfare -- billions in tax breaks and spending programs for companies that don't need or deserve government handouts.
2. Don't starve government, feed innovation. Restoring fiscal discipline in Washington is a necessary precondition for reviving broad prosperity in America. But it is not by itself an agenda for growth. As the next administration reduces long-term deficits, it must also find money for public investments we need to stimulate innovation and the creation of good jobs.
The right wants to put money in people's pockets by socking the next generation with a huge national debt. Progressives should do it the old-fashioned way -- by helping Americans earn more of it through more productive jobs.
In today's economy, knowledgeable people -- including entrepreneurs, skilled workers, cutting-edge researchers, and innovative companies -- are the drivers of growth. In a global marketplace, our economy increasingly must specialize in higher-skilled, knowledge-intensive production. The 21st-century economy grows not because we do more of the same but because we do things differently and better.
Government has a vital role to play in stimulating growth in the digital age. Strategic public investments in research, education, and new-economy infrastructure like broadband and smart highways, as well as energy independence, are essential to sustaining a culture of innovation and strong institutional supports for technological change. Government must promote free and fair competition by protecting the fruits of U.S. research from intellectual-property theft overseas, by opening markets so that U.S. businesses and workers can sell their products to countries that are happy to export to us but want to keep their own economies closed, and by toughening enforcement of trade agreements as well as labor and environmental standards. It's also essential that the rich countries get serious about reducing subsidies and trade barriers that deny developing countries opportunities to export and grow.
Public investments and incentives to boost science, technology, innovation, education, and skills are central to fueling a high-powered knowledge economy. Yet public investment in knowledge has been falling. As a share of the GDP, government support for basic research has declined under the Bush administration. We need major new investments in science and research, for example, an additional $10 billion per year in the advanced cyber-infrastructure program, industry-university research alliances, advanced manufacturing techniques, and a more robust National Science Foundation.
In the 1950s, Washington launched the interstate highway system, a network infrastructure for the postwar industrial economy. It's time to make a similar national commitment to build the network infrastructure of the knowledge economy: the "last-mile," broadband, high-speed telecommunications infrastructure in the home. There's no reason, other than lack of leadership, that America should lag behind nations like South Korea and Canada in the broadband quest. We should set a national goal of getting truly high-speed broadband into 75 million homes over the next decade.
It's also time for serious new initiatives that will lift the skills of American workers -- for example, through regional partnerships that would bring companies, labor unions, and public agencies together to set up new training systems for skills that are actually in demand.
3. Reform the tax code for the benefit of working families. Besides rolling back the Bush tax cuts for the rich, progressives should launch a comprehensive effort to simplify a tax code larded with confusing, overlapping, inequitable, and sometimes ineffective deductions, credits, and other breaks. For example, we could consolidate 25 existing tax incentives into just four provisions aimed at expanding middle-class opportunity: a college-opportunity credit for any student attending college or graduate school; a single-family credit to replace four current provisions (including the child-tax credit and the Earned Income Tax Credit) and more assistance to families than all of them combined; a universal pension account that would give all workers an incentive to open a pension savings account and take it with them from job to job; and a refundable tax credit for new homeownership that all taxpayers, not just those who itemize, could take.
The current tax preferences are skewed upward. The highest-income executives get the most tax subsidies for their pensions. The most lavish homes generate the most extensive mortgage interest deductions. By revising these tax preferences downward, we could use tax policy to help working Americans get a foot in the middle class and give middle-class families the relief they deserve.
4. Expand the economic winners' circle. Today's knowledge-based global economy presents us with a paradox: Growing opportunity seems inextricably linked to growing job volatility. This is particularly true as the information-technology revolution and cheap telecommunications continue to transform companies, work, and professional relationships, eliminating jobs through automation and enabling many others to move, either to lower-cost locations in the United States or, increasingly, overseas.
We can't turn back the clock to a time when workers could look forward to lifetime careers at a single company (or even industry). What we can do instead is reduce the tax incentives for inefficient economic activity motivated by tax avoidance and equip working Americans with a new set of tools they need to cope with change, manage risks, and take greater control over their own career security. There's a vital principle of equity here: How can we ask workers to brave the new rigors of global competition when corporate CEOs get golden parachutes even after running their companies into the ground? This new social compact should offer all U.S. workers lifelong access to career training, provide more effective public support for workers in transition, and allow more workers to secure an equity stake in their company and become owners of financial assets generally. We should create generous retraining funds for workers who lose their jobs through no fault of their own and modernize the unemployment insurance system to cover more part-time and low-wage workers and pay for skills upgrades.
These new worker strategies are complements to social insurance, not substitutes for it. Workers also need time-honored strategies for increasing their voice and bargaining power. These include a higher minimum wage, democratic trade unions, and the reform of the Wagner Act to ensure that workers can freely vote for unions if they so choose. Because of rising trade and productivity, we will never have the proportion of industrial jobs that we once did. But in a nation as wealthy as ours, there is no reason why every job cannot pay a decent, middle-class wage.
The next administration must take urgent action to hold down health-care costs and put America irrevocably on the road to universal health insurance. Soaring insurance premiums, which prompt companies to cut back on coverage and eat up workers' raises, are a major source of middle-class anxiety. Our health-care system is not simply inefficient; it's also inhumane, denying 44 million Americans access to basic health care. The Bush administration has no plan to deal with these twin challenges. While progressives differ on the exact means, we all support a universal health-insurance system that gives every American choices as good as members of Congress get.
Maybe we should take Karl Rove seriously when he draws analogies between the Bush White House and the McKinley administration, which cemented a GOP alliance with big business that lasted until the progressive triumph of 1912. We knew there was something atavistic about the Bush Republicans' vision; we didn't know it looked so far back, past Ronald Reagan to the GOP political economy of 1904, when the wealthy paid almost nothing in taxes, government provided little in the way of services or public-health and safety regulation, workers lacked economic power, and corporations, protected from foreign rivals, could wield their market power with impunity.
One thing is clear: Bush received no popular mandate in 2000 for such a radical and reactionary project. Many in his own party reject his program. Americans today face a stark choice -- between plutocracy and economic democracy, between policies that entrench privilege and policies that expand middle-class opportunity. For all of us who call ourselves progressive, that's a no-brainer.


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Marshall Mathers-better known to his legion of fans as Eminem-is the music industry equivalent of basketball player Jason Williams. The Sacramento Kings point guard breaks down racial stereotypes: White players can be technically sound and are always dull, but not Williams, who breaks down defenses with dazzling crossover moves and no-look passes. Mathers uses withering wit, slamming rhythm and tons of 'tude in a fashion not generally associated with pale faces. Along the way he's forcing hip hop fans and industry insiders to reconsider some fundamental assumptions. Eminem's new CD, The Marshall Mathers LP, was due to be released days after we spoke to him and to the production team that has overseen the creation of much of this work and the artist's debut CD, Slim Shady. Advance projections estimated that as many as 750,000 copies would be sold during the first weekend of its release, so the Bass Brothers were feeling pretty good. (Indeed, the CD has proven to be another enormous hit, exceeding projections.)
Growing up in Detroit, 39-year-old Jeff Bass and Marky, four years his junior, were exposed to a wide variety of musical influences. "We grew up in a mixed racial neighborhood and schools, and the most interesting musicians were black," says Marky. "At age 8, I was called by Sylvia Moy to audition with Jeffrey for a national Greyhound commercial. Sylvia, who wrote 'My Cherie Amour' with Stevie Wonder, thought we were the funkiest white kids in Detroit; she was really a mentor and encouraged us to stick with it. At age l5, my mother let me leave high school to go on the road with my brother's band, Dreamboy. They had a Top 20 album at the time on Warner Bros./Quest Records. The project lasted for three years with no real returns financially-actually my brother went broke in the process! After that, I thought maybe college was a better route to take, but I kept getting pulled back into the business.
"In 1990, Jeffrey and I landed a deal to produce a hip-hop rap project called Tycie & Woody for Elektra Records, operating for the first time as the 'Funky Bass Brothers.' We met George Clinton and started working as a production team for George and for his label, Westbound Records. Unfortunately, most of the acts that we produced for Westbound were never released, and we feel it was some of our best work. Generally speaking, we always worked with black artists, although not intentionally. That changed, of course, when we heard a white rapper freestyle on a local radio show in 1992."
Marshall Mathers grew up poor, without much guidance and, in large measure, bitter, but he also had an iron will and a caustic, corrugated tongue. By the time he was 15, the Detroit native was rapping in clubs throughout town. one night, Mark Bass tuned in to open mic night on a local radio station. "I used to cut demos and go on the radio to rap," says Mathers. "Mark heard the shit on the air and called the studio on the spot. We met later that week. The Bass Brothers had a connection with Elektra, but they turned down the project, so I stopped working with them. "I started making a name for myself around Detroit and so I took my income tax check to make a single," Eminem continues. "Marky and Jeff liked that; they thought it was cool. 'What about a production deal?' they asked. I said 'Yeah.' I started winning rap battles around Detroit. By this time we'd been apart for about four years. They had to continue with what they were doing and I had to get my shit together; I was only 15 when I met them! By this time my voice had matured, my raps were better. I'm not smart-really, I'm not playin', I'm not good at math or reading; I don't have the attention span. I don't know how I put words together, I guess I'm Rain Man smart-I can do one thing and that's it."
Jeff Bass says that he uses Pro Tools to tighten up live performances on instruments, but never a rapper's phrasing. "We capture them exactly as if it were a live performance. Marshall is amazing. He's got no idea where 'one' is, but he just locks into the kick and pours out the most incredibly rhythmic raps. His time is phenomenal.
"One of the things that gives the Bass Brothers a production style is the fact that we don't use any samples other than taking our own performances and sampling them-we don't ever take horn lines off of an old record, for example," he continues. "I'm a huge fan of the old Motown records and I've learned how to capture a lot of what was on those records by using some of the same techniques they used back then, instead of just sampling licks. For example, I keep a set of old bass strings around. When I want that fat, dead sound I'll put them on my bass. I worked closely with a couple of engineers that actually worked on a lot of those old Motown records and they gave me some great tips. Another tip is to throw away your electronic tuner and tune the guitar by ear. You'll never match the exact intonation that you get when you do use the tuner, and that's the point-neither did the people playing on those old records."
The Bass Brothers approach is to cut parts all the way through a tune onto multitrack rather than simply play a verse and chorus and cut and paste. "That's where Pro Tools helps a lot," says Jeff Bass. "We'll throw all the parts into Pro Tools-we generally go about 16 tracks deep-and then start tightening the time to get it locked right where we want it. Playing live and then using the computer this way keeps the live feel and I think it gets the listener to subliminally wonder, was that a sample or not?"
Marshall Mathers believes this live feel helped him get to the top of the pile."I knew how I wanted the first records to sound, they knew how to get 'em to sound that way," he says. "They came up with fatter, thicker-sounding beats than anything I'd had before. How? Well, for one thing Jeff's a genius with the guitar, bass and keyboards. once he did a few strums of the bass, added some other live parts, it made the songs sound like real records, more produced."
Between the two of them, the Bass Brothers have a total of one month's formal training in the recording business. "I went to a recording workshop in ohio; that was it," says Jeff. "The key with us is we're not very technical people. We end up feeling and being able to achieve a sound the way we want to hear it, breaking rules along the way-'You can't put too much 40k on this or that.' We don't listen to any of that stuff because we don't know the rules! When we feel it's right, that's it: our sound!
"The only thing that I could tell you about my knowledge of recording is that we use a process that myself and my brother describe as '8 Mile Style,'" adds Mark. "our first commercial studio was located on 8 Mile Road, which is the border that literally segregates all of Detroit from the suburbs. We really had no formal training whatsoever, basically picking up our recording style totally by feel. of course, we do rely on gear and have developed more conventional techniques, though we believe that ultimately 'it's not in the gear, it's in the ear.'"
Both brothers lived in the Los Angeles area for several years, but Jeff has now moved back to Michigan. How has this affected their work process? "The move came about recently," says Jeff. "When I was living in California we were together and it was a lot easier for us to work. Now that I'm here in Michigan I'll lay down tracks, put them into Pro Tools and FedEx him files. I also send him MIDI files and a CD burned off of the Pro Tools material. We try to have some of the same equipment, but if I've cut something on a synth that he doesn't own, I'll send him a CD or DAT of the actual part and sound. By the way, I have to say that I love the way Digidesign has implemented MIDI into Pro Tools. It makes life a lot easier. I don't get that deep into MIDI, though-if it works, it works!"
"We used the Kurzweil K2000 and Pro Tools mostly on the Slim Shady album. Since then I've gotten a Nord II and I think it's a great keyboard; the feel is great, almost like an old Mini Moog. Having all the oscillators and filters on top is great for achieving funky sounds immediately-I like to grab knobs and see what happens. My two main keyboards are the Nord and a Korg Trinity. I also rely heavily on old Roland MC-50 sequencers. It's so fast and easy to use. I bought one and then a few more. I don't use any software synths. Mostly I like to use real pianos and Rhodes that we mike."
Their production routine consists of Jeff creating the tracks and Marky handling most of the engineering. The brothers have a production studio at L.A.'s The Mix Room that's centered around a Mackie 32x8 console and a Pro Tools system. "The Mackie is a great board," says Jeff. "Very user friendly. The dual fader function is something we take advantage of a lot-each channel can be split to double your available inputs. We have one 32x8 board and a pair of 24x8s. Let me do the math...48 plus 32 times 2 gives us a possible 160 inputs!
"We really like the sound of this board as well. It's very clean and transparent. In rap music that can actually be a disadvantage, though, because hip hop often sounds better with some dirty edge to it. The SSL 6000 is better for hip hop than the 9000, because it's more bottom heavy. If we're staying with the Mackie to track and mix this kind of work, we'll get the extra bottom by busing in outboard gear. We like to mix tracks on three different boards and compare them. Which one feels better? We generally find that the big boards sound better on vocal tracks because of the extensive onboard EQ, but as far as music, believe it or not, the Mackie gives us the fullness and roundness of the instruments that we played. Marky has a really good way of achieving the bottom end on that Mackie. A lot of artists comment on it."
Aaron Lepley is a staff engineer at The Mix Room. "We hit it off right away," says Jeff. "His first real gig as a head engineer was Slim Shady. We were working 22 hours a day and he was able to hang with us. Mark's and my work habits are just go go go, 20 hours a day 'til it's done, and Aaron was on top of everything. once I tracked my guitar for example, that was it. The next time I plugged it in Aaron went right to the sound I like. He was great."
Lepley returns the round of compliments. "Mark and Jeff have been great to me-like a small family. Em is cool to work with, too. He knows what he wants, and there's not a lot of sitting around. I also engineered some tracks on the new album."
Do the Bass Brothers ever experience tense moments due to their color and the area of the industry they work in? "Hip hop is a culture," says Marky. "It should have nothing to do with race, color, breed, whatever, but of course it does. As white producers working with black artists, it was always hard to be taken seriously by our peers and by the record companies. Eminem changed that to a great extent; however, we will always have to overcome the fact that we are seen as an anomaly."
"A lot of times we'll actually be told that it's impossible for two white guys to write and produce hip hop music," says Jeff. "We have a multi-Platinum-selling artist in the field, though, and that's the proof that we can. The media plays a part in all this, too. They make the assumption that there's a black-white issue and play it up. "I grew up listening and playing R&B. Just because I was white and Jewish had nothing to do with it," he continues. "To be honest, I think Eminem has broken a lot of that prejudicial barrier; he's well-respected in the black community. He has massive skills in rhyming and is a metaphoric genius. All races are picking up on that fact. We live in a society that's racist, but Em's a true pioneer in breaking down the stereotype and we feel we're part of that as well. We share production responsibilities with Dr. Dre, and we all get along."
Yeah, but do the two brothers always get along? Who ends up threatening to tell Mom when things get ugly? "Working closely with your own brother has it its moments," says big brother Jeff. "Most of the time we pretty much agree on everything we do. It's an uncanny kind of connection. We'll be playing parts to a song and neither one of us will have to speak-we'll instinctively know what we want to do. I'm still the big brother, though! Marky and I bring different things to the party. He has the mixing ear; I'm more of the musician, the one writing the chord progressions and handling the basics of the song.
"Take the Slim Shady album. I'd come up with a musical track, Marky would redo percussion. That's how it works 90 percent of the time. Eminem was involved to a certain extent. At that time he really couldn't hold a tune! He'd hum something, then I'd try to pick his brain to figure out where he was trying to go. That's how a few of the bass lines evolved."
"A lot of times, there's huge disagreement, but the disagreement usually ends with something better off musically for it" adds Marky. "Fighting, compromising, and then back to work. Sometimes our communication in the studio is so bizarre that we don't even have to look at each other and we know exactly what we're both thinking at the same time. The greatest thing of all is that we were both able to become successful at the same time, enjoying the unique history together as brothers."
Speaking of family, Jeff has a 10-year-old son. I ask him if he lets his son listen to rap without imposing any barriers on the material he's exposed to? "Listening to hip hop? I don't mind it at all," Jeff replies. "I make a living off of rap so it would be hypocritical if I didn't let him listen to it. I have taught him not to repeat words he hears on these CDs at other places! We have conversations about lyrics and he understands what expression is. I expose him to all styles of music-jazz and pop, as well as the kind of stuff that I work on. He knows that Eminem is pure entertainment."
Has success mellowed Marshall Mathers-or changed the kind of record he makes? Jeff Bass says that Em's sense of outrage has not diminished, even though his debts have. "Success seems to bring out more anger and pain in Eminem. It's almost like it's settling in his brain that he experienced this tremendous pain early in his life."
"This new album is better, but could anything be as fun as making my first album?" asks Mathers. "We were pounding out the hours, drinkin' and smokin', makin' an album. I knew what I was doin' more on this album, was more experienced at it; so were Jeff and Marky. Every album is a learning experience."

subset: commoncrawl


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I managed to use my day off in a decent way, as it seems. The 7 first weeks of next years training has been nailed down and planned. Of course I will follow the HQ tactics and publish the workouts one at the time, in the beginning of every day (at 00:00 CET), starting from monday. Now you can take a sneak peak on what type of training's going to come by checking the training program or just wait and see what's coming.
For me this is kind of a new experience. To create my own training program is a new thing. And it feels great, to be honest. The only drawback I've got is that now I actually know what's coming. Preparing for unknown exercises has been a bog part of the game for me this year. I certainly hope I've managed to keep the variation more or less in a decent level.
My plan is to follow the plan now and adjust it every time it feels it is needed. Nothing's been carved to stone yet. Needless to say that I might have to make changes to the schema when the CrossFit Open 2014 starts. I'm planning to at least do the workouts, if nothing else.
Meanwhile I can tell you that I've managed to raise my Push Press Max from 50 Kg to 57,5 Kg within 3 months. Let's see if I manage to get myself doing a similar trick with Handstand Push-ups next year (oh yes I will! ;))


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text:
On a Sunday in the Sunshine
When I fell in love with women's flat track derby, I was already a fan. Derby answered a nagging question… or rather, derby helped me answer all those people at UC Santa Barbara who nagged me with the question, "So, what is a man gonna do with a BA in Women's Studies?" This man is gonna listen to Joan Jett, drink a beer, eat a vegetarian tamale, and watch women skate around in a circle and hit each other.
Finally, I could go somewhere an not worry about my bad reputation (not that I really worry anyway). Derby had all types of women competing and every demographic supporting their aunts, sisters, mothers, girl friends, daughters and friends. Derby was like Glee all grown up, except I knew the music, I understood the references, and every competitor was someone I wanted my daughter to meet. One of the skaters even named herself belle RIGHT hooks!… Read the rest
Best Bout of the Besterns
Was there any doubt that the bout between Angel City Derby Girls and the Sacred City Derby Girls was the greatest match of the 2012 Women's Flat Track Derby Association Western Regional Tournament?
The two teams are bitter sweet rivals with a relatively long history. When the bout ended, Angel City's tournament MVP Jammer Fifi Nomenon fell to the track one point short of Sacred City, but many fans thought Angel City won. The two teams fought, pushed, skated, and tugged the entire game. When Sacred City eventually won, players from both teams cried. Players from other teams cheered.
I love close games and I would watch these two teams compete every day. I also wish my children had attended so my son and daughter could have watched how the players respected each other despite the fierce competition. Despite losing an agonizing bout, Angel City congratulated their rivals. Sacred City celebrated without being arrogant.… Read the rest


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16.2 - Happy Birthday, UN
by Stéphane Dujarric
The question of reforming the United Nations is almost as old as the United Nations itself. In this issue of the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs, several distinguished scholars examine how different UN reform efforts have fared in recent years and what can be learned from them.
Peacekeeping, Peace Enforcement, and UN Reform by Lise Morjé Howard
A Conversation with UN High Commissioner for Human Rights interview with Zeid Ra'ad al Hussein
Accessing the World's Most Exclusive Club Influencing Decision-Making on the UN by Sabine Hassler
The Peacekeeping Quagmire by Richard Gowan
Time to Bring the United Nations Security Council into the 21st Century by Nancy Soderberg
International Criminal Justice Learning from Reality by Luis Moreno-Ocampo
A Conversation with Claudio Acioly Jr. on UN-Habitat interview with Claudio Acioly Jr.
Chinese Universities Capital for the Beijing Consensus ALAN HUNTER - The reform of China's higher education institutions is at the center of the Chinese government's plans to craft a new global "Beijing Consensus" focused on China. The reforms have largely succeeded in making China the center of focus of many students in developing countries. Alan Hunter discusses the Chinese government's goals, the facets of this reform, and its major outcomes.
Agriculture, Water and Nationhood RUTH BEILIN - When The Agricultural Competiveness Green Paper (ACGP) appeared in early December 2014, indicating 27 new large-scale water and infrastructure projects had been proposed as part of the Australian government and stakeholder consultative process, a whiff of nostalgia and optimism emerged. However, the rhetoric underpinning agriculture and water policies contains two narratives: the first is the overt drive for continuing exports and increasing productivity by doubling food and fibre exports; and the second represents the harsh, less discussed realities associated with the fallout from these policies since national policies left agrarianism behind and entered an economic rationalist model.
Map Power and Map Methodologies for Social Justice SHILOH KRUPAR - Maps, as incredibly effective visual tools, are created upon undeniably political foundations. With the advent of map and mapmaking technologies, cultivating "map literacy" should be a major priority within international relations and social justice education.
Shift in US- Cuba Policy Implications for US-Latin American Relations MICHAEL SHIFTER - The restoration of diplomatic and economic ties between the United States and Cuba could bring about a broad new era for US trade, diplomacy, and strategic interests across the hemisphere. Indeed, as Shifter writes, by sweeping aside the most potent source of anti-US sentiment in the region, the reversal on Cuba policy could well be the most single important US initiative toward Latin America since Presidents Jimmy Carter and Omar Torrijos signed the Panama Canal Treaties in 1977.
The Wreck of the Sewol The Sinking South Korean Body Politic JOHN LIE - The sinking of the Sewol Ferry in South Korea represented the wreck of the South Korea body politic, giving light to corruption and mismanagement at key levels of the government. Dr. Lie's article goes in-depth about the gradual decline of South Korean governance and its complex relationships with economic, social, and spiritual factors. 183
A New Era in US Immigration Enforcement Implications for the Policy Debate MARC R. ROSENBLUM - In the last 30 years, the US immigration enforcement system has been transformed. Combined with new practices and technology that have made immigration enforcement more effective, the Obama administration's executive actions to reduce certain deportations may create a breakthrough in long-stalled efforts to pass legislation on comprehensive immigration reform.
Square Pegs, Round Holes, and Gray Zone Conflicts Time to Step Back MAREN LEED - Leed argues that the rapidly changing global security environment has exposed the inability of existing US laws, policies, and organizations to respond to new threats. Other interna- tional actors, however, are exploiting these "gray zones" using approaches in the military, economic, and information spheres that leverage traditional US structures against us. Leed calls for policymakers to step back and examine the approaches used by these actors to adapt US structures, while continuing forward in current gray zone conflicts.
Resisting the Temptation of War The US Response to Terrorist Groups CHRISTOPHER MCINTOSH - McIntosh examines the current state of the war on terror and the implications that result from the United States framing the conflict as a war. He argues that treating the conflict as a war makes US strategy less effective and reduces the chance of victory over groups such as Al Qaeda. McIntosh concludes that the United States should not use the framework of war to address the threats from Al Qaeda and ISIS, and argues that the United States should consider all strategic possibilities before committing to war against terrorist groups.
Colors of Rainbow, Shades of Family The Road to Marriage Equality and Democratization of Intimacy in Taiwan VICTORIA HSIU-WEN HSU - Though no country in Asia has passed marriage equality laws yet, Taiwan's recent legislative attempts to do so through the Diverse Families Movement are opening the conversation.
Prioritizing Health and Non-Communicable Diseases in Post-2015 Development KATIE DAIN - The post-2015 development agenda must prioritize the inclusion of non-communicable dis- eases in order to promote sustainable development around the world.
The Torture Report and the Accountability Gap STEPHEN I. VLADECK - The recent release of the Executive Summary of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence's "Study on CIA Detention and Interrogation Program" reinvigorated the debate on how and whether to handle criminal prosecutions for those related to the to the torture or mistreatment. Steve Vladeck establishes a five-point plan to foster accountability for governmental misconduct.
Economic Institutions on Demand Evolving Financial Governance in the Gulf Cooperation Council States KAREN E. YOUNG - Institutionalization in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) States is proceeding within the financial sector in many ways as a result of economic growth, and as Gulf states create new economic institutions to govern their markets, they are also creating a framework that can both limit and enable broader political goals of financial and economic statecraft.
The Banker, the Arms Dealer, and the Activist Unlikely Allies for an Arms Trade Treaty ANNA MACDONALD AND ALLISON PYTLAK - The Arms Trade Treaty is the first global treaty to regulate the conventional arms trade. It resulted from more than a decade of sustained advocacy and campaigning by a diverse interna- tional alliance of non-governmental organizations working in partnership with governments and the United Nations. Global civil society will continue to be instrumental in both the drive for universalization and the push for effective implementation as the Treaty goes into effect.
The Energy Revolution A Resource Blessing or Resource Curse? GEORGE SHAMBAUGH AND AARON TAYLER - The promise of plentiful, inexpensive energy and the environmental benefits of burning natu- ral gas rather than coal or oil create powerful incentives to develop natural gas production and transit capacity globally. We argue that the infrastructure requirements for transporting natural gas and the time lag between local development and its impact on global markets created by the need to build that infrastructure create a window of opportunity during which shale gas deposits are more likely to generate "resource blessings" than the "resource curse" that has previously haunted many who discovered oil.
How the Illegal Wildlife Trade is Fueling Armed Conflict DAVID H. BARRON - The illegal wildlife trade, as a major source of funding for terrorist organizations, threatens not only ecology but also national security. In order to combat this menace, both the public and private sector must take a multipronged approach involving international cooperation, community collaboration, and development of awareness to combat demand.
It's Never Too Late to Get Nation Building Right Review of Righting the Balance: How You Can Help Protect America by Daniel Serwer KEITH W. MINES
Order for Our Times Review of World Order by Henry Kissinger MARC A. SOREL
An Inside View on the European Union an interview with SIR MICHAEL LEIGH
The European Union is facing multiple layers of challenges, both internally and externally. While those challenges are posing questions to the outlook of the EU as a political and an economic union, Sir Leigh suggests that bringing moderate economic growth in the medium-term would be the most urgent and important step for the EU to take.
Inequality in the Developing World an interview with FRANCISCO H.G. FERREIRA
Poverty reduction and inequality remain important policy issues that demand particular attention in developing countries as they experience growth. As they progress into the future, policies that promote a more equal distribution of growth and develop resilient institutions will be essential.
Support GJIA
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Nero Reale (1804) is a stunning veiny quartz surface in the Venati collection by Okite. A gorgeous mixture of white and gold spidery streaks set in a stark black background. It is an execellent attempt by Okite to recreate natural Portoro marble, a luxurious stone that is only really to be found in top end hotels due to its high expense.
Thankfully, Nero Reale by Okite is more affordable than Portoro marble, and has better durability properties making it appropriate for kitchen worktops, shower wet rooms and other household uses. Commercial applications will look amazing in this stone also.
- Black
- Worktops (including templating & fitting)
- Sink cut out and tap holes
- 1 set of 5 drainer grooves
- Hob cut out
- VAT at 20%
Okite is a high profile Italian quartz surface brand that is not shy in making statements in its design.
The Venati range from Okite was a world first in replicating marble in quartz surfaces. Stones such as Okite Bianco Carrara are strong replicas of the well known marble Bianco Carrara, though with significant advantages in terms of porosity, durability etc.
Rather than constantly bringing in new colours and then removing them just as quickly, Okite prefers stability in its range so that customers that may have had a stone such as Afyon a few years ago can still depend on its availability long into the future.


text:
- This event has passed.
Atlantis Paint Night
September 12 @ 4:00 pm - 8:00 pm
|Recurring Event (See all)
An event every week that begins at 4:00pm on Thursday, repeating indefinitely
Cost: FREE
Time: 4pm-8pm (we will have staff available to advise and assist from 6-8pm)
This is a casual hobby night for beginners and veterans of painting and modeling. We will have space set aside as well as a staff member on hand to help for any hobby project you are working on. If you are new to painting this is a great way to learn some techniques. If you are an experienced painter/modeler come out and get to know some fellow hobbyists.
As times goes on we will set specific events up for specific types of paints as well as things like airbrush demos.


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Windows 8: 10 Reasons to Stay with Windows 7
I miss, miss, miss the desktop. Tiles might work fine for tablets and touch screens, but they create frustration for mouse and keyboard users.
I miss, miss, miss the start menu. From its most functional search, to quick access to docs, pics, and control panel. I missed it so much I installed an program which gave me the desktop and start menu back: Classic Shell. I may try others sometime and see which is the best.
Games are gone. I checked my games folder and nothing's there. When I am extremely tired, I like to play mindless games. I found games through the tiles but had to login with my Microsoft user ID before I could install something as simple as solitaire. My old previously downloaded games from other sources work fine, but they are not in the games folder, either.
Gadgets are gone. Yes, I know they had to go because they were prey for hackers. But I kept them because I like to live on the edge. No, I kept them because they were useful. I like a quick glance at an analog clock. Yes, I could spend twenty dollars and buy a clock and put it on the wall. . . maybe I will do that. Meanwhile I downloaded Google Desktop and am using the clock and system monitor. Now all I need is a weather gadget.
Booting is very slow. Minutes. Over 5 minutes when I installed some updates yesterday. 2+ minutes normally. It's a good thing I don't often reboot. Note: after using it a week, booting is now fast.
Windows didn't offer to show me which updates were installed. Yes, I can find it. But a quick click after booting in Windows 7 showed me any potentially problematic updates right away.
When I click Devices on the Right Side Menu, it doesn't show devices and printers as it did in Windows 7. It seems to only deal with projectors. Completely useless.
Sounds. I liked the default sounds in Windows 7. Windows 8 sounds are so gentle that I may miss email and appointments. I can modify the sound scheme, but none of the other themes has a sound for appointment notifications.
Sorry, I've run out of reasons. Can you supply two more?


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Exquisite ingredients, individual recipes and innovative shapes turn your chocolate product into a delight – for the palet as well as for the eyes. As your partner, we will support you in your ambition for economic production, efficient packaging and attractive presentation. Because in Kaupert is where you will receive all these benefits out of one hand. From design development over to production of chocolate moulds on to the tray packaging and the appropriate de-nesting equipment. This is our concept for your individual requirements.
We are value-added partners for your first-class products!
Dr. Ing. Kaupert GmbH & Co. KG
Werk Erndtebrück • Schokoladeform
Jahnstraße 1 • D-57339 Erndtebrück
Phone: +49 (0) 2753 608-0
Fax: +49 (0) 2753 608-38
Email: schokoladeformen[at]kaupert-online.com
Application E-Mail: firstname.lastname@example.com
Werk Marburg • Formverpackung
Gisselberger Str. 59-61 • D-35037 Marburg
Phone: +49 (0) 6421 9133-0
Fax: +49 (0) 6421 9133-44
Email: thermoformung[at]kaupert-online.com
Application E-Mail: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
For their 2016 installment of "The Future of Business Collaboration," PGi invited experts from Frost & Sullivan, Airwatch VMware, InterfaceFLOR, x.ai and DaVincian Healthcare to dig into the key technology trends that are shaping our collective tomorrows.
More than 750,000 users rely on iMeet® Central (formerly Central Desktop) for online project management software to streamline their businesses. Our collaboration tools help marketers, creative agencies and enterprise businesses manage files, collaborate on projects and connect teams. iMeet Central is a PGi product.
© 2005-2018 Premiere Global Services, Inc. All rights reserved.


text: There are good or bad consequences to every action however small. After eating a cookie or jogging a mile, you won't see immediate results. However each of those cookies and each of those steps in your sneakers were moving you (however slowly) towards or away from something. Towards health or away from it. Each and every choice we make moves us closer or further from our desired lifestyle or character. My guess is that if we had the foresight to make every decision based on future consequences of that decision, we would all make better choices.


text:
This is what we call good sound: The Urania mobile audio amplifier from Holmegaard amplifies the sound of mobile phones while it features a unique design.
The Urania mobile audio amplifier was designed by Aric Snee. With it, the designer created a low-tech accessory, which amplifies without technology. Therefore the amplifier has an unmistakable design of mouth-blown glass, which searches for equals in every kind of furnishing.
Glass amplifier as ultimate low-tech accessory
An acoustic improvement and reinforcement of the sound is noticeable. The glass amplifier is ideally adapted to be used for Skype or other video communication methods. It is also suitable to enjoy music, since the construction with two opposite holes of Urania improves the sound volume in every room.
The Urania mobile audio amplifier was designed for the iPhone 4, 5 and 6. But the glass amplifier is also adapted to be used with all the other mobile phones with a max. width of 67 mm and 9,3 mm of depth, which have their loudspeakers at the bottom.


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Current Law Students / Re: Hypothetical Divorce« on: April 17, 2008, 07:07:21 AM »
Thanks again to those who have replied.
I was posing a hypothetical situation because it was suggested. I am not trying to get anyone in trouble.
I KNOW I NEED an attorney. I have contacted several attorneys. I consulted with 2. Everyone I talked with charged a minimum of $3 K before continuing on, + over $200 an hour when that runs out. If I had the money I wouldn't be asking for help on a message board. I bought a divorce book at Books-a-Million. I went to the library and researched the Tennessee divorce laws. I have looked all over the internet.
I called the court to ask for the appropriate responsive documents. Again I was told they didn't do that - I would have to see an attorney. She gave me the Chancellor's number. I called and got the same. I said I was responding myself and she told me they would not accept it unless it was the proper form.
How do you defend yourself if the attorneys are the only ones who can properly respond?
My next step is going to the court to ask to see other divorce papers since they are of public record, as I was told by another lawyer.
I just want to know where to get the form to answer a complaint or if I type it up myself what should be in it.
Thanks again
As others have said, answering the complaint is the easy part. If you are struggling to answer the complaint, how are you going to respond when you get a set of interrogatories served on you or when you want to take the deposition of your wife?
Consulting with 2 attorneys is not a large sample at all. You need to talk to more. Ask them about their fees up front, talk to them about payment arrangements. You have a job with steady income, someone will work with you. Based on what you have told us, you have a lot to lose here if this is not handled properly by a professional. Do you want to look back in a few years and say "I was totally screwed by that other attorney, but at least I saved a few grand by representing myself?"


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November 15th, 2012, 3:47 pm
average rating: 5.00
November 15th, 2012, 3:47 pm
only one page this week, i'm sorry about that guys. things have been kind of busy with cons and con-flu and storyboarding orz thank you as always for the lovely comments <3
Hemlock #1, #2 and #3 are now available to buy online!
they can be bought through lulu.com at my storefront here: http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/mildtarantula lulu accepts both card and paypal.
@onorobo: thank you! i'm feeling better now, i think i just needed to rest ^^
@Niladhevan: thank you so much <3 also i'm pretty sure half of those doors lead to life threatening things XD it's like russian roulette in sindri's house!
@jello-bomb: haha that's exactly it! :D i'm glad that's clear.
@a_dragonfly_wing: maybe he's moving fast? >w<
@Soul Moony: thank you ^^
@lockjaw50: not very good at it though, if he's announcing his plans to the world XD
@AnxiousA: thank you so much! :D
@SunshineMoonlight: thank you! <3
September 15th, 2019, 1:09 pm
November 15th, 2012, 5:06 pm
I am forever in love with Lumi's hair <3 This first panel is gorgeous on so many levels -aaaah! The details! the look on her face! Did I mention the mastered use of B&W ? TOT
And Tristan is still being the cutest three-eyed frog in the world, venturing in Sindri's house! I wonder what he'll find down this corridor *u* (nothing life-threatening I hope)
November 15th, 2012, 5:14 pm
November 15th, 2012, 5:26 pm
I hope that matchstick won't end soon, it must be horrible to be in that cave without a source of light... and I need to see what is in the room or I will go insane.
November 16th, 2012, 1:01 am
Oh!! Tristan is pure love! he is such a tiny little frog! Hope he find the "secrets" xD
November 16th, 2012, 11:24 am
Tristan is the world's most adorable secret agent! <3333
November 16th, 2012, 11:43 am
really diggin' your use of toner on the last panel!!
also, Tristan and a match= cute!!!! bah! my heart!
November 18th, 2012, 10:05 am
the first frame is beautiful! really cool emotion and details. :)
I also love the design of the doors! Carry on!


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Welcome to The Inter-Faith Chapel at Leisure World!
The Inter-Faith Chapel is a unique faith community located in, but independent from, Leisure World of Maryland. We are a dynamic congregation offering inspiring worship in the Protestant tradition, educational, and service opportunities to Leisure World and surrounding community. Consisting of individuals from over 30 different denominations, we are an interdenominational and multicultural congregation that is truly committed to being "A House of Prayer For All People."
At The Inter-Faith Chapel, we are a diverse group of people who find harmony and joy in our relationship with God and with one another. We welcome all, as God has welcomed us. We believe the message of good news can bring restoration and wholeness to those feeling fragmented, as well as contentment and fulfillment to those seeking meaning in life. Our ideal is a fellowship where people of all walks of life can come together in sacred community
We hope that this web page will help you get acquainted with us and that you will feel comfortable visiting to see what we are all about. Whether you have been a regular church participant all of your life and are now looking for a local church home, or whether you are a newly curious seeker with faith questions, there is a place for you at The Inter-Faith Chapel.
We specialize in people just like you! Come join us and know that no matter who you are, or where you are on life's journey, there is a place for you here at The Inter-faith Chapel.
Warm blessings,
Dr. Woodie Rea
Senior Minister


text:
Next Episode of The Paper Chase is
not planed. TV Show was canceled.
"The study of law is something new and unfamiliar to most of you, unlike any other schooling you have ever known before. You teach yourselves the law, but I train your minds. You come in here with a skull full of mush and, if you survive, you leave thinking like a lawyer".In this series based on the movie of the same name, law students deal with the ethical issues of the law while dealing with their personal lives.
James Stephens(James T. Hart)
James Keane(Willis Bell)
John Houseman(Professor Charles W. Kingsfield, Jr.)
Robert Ginty(Thomas Craig Anderson)
Michael Tucci(Gerald Golden)
Tom Fitzsimmons(Franklin Ford III)
Francine Tacker(Elizabeth Logan)
Looks like something went completely wrong!
But don't worry - it can happen to the best of us,
- and it just happened to you.
Please try again later or contact us.


text:
Rita Blitt's sculptures are a continuation of her lines on paper. Over 45 pieces of her work – up to 60 feet in height – can be seen in public spaces around the world.
Dancing1980, painted steel, 26ft x 10ft x 5in
Installed in 2008 at the Performing Arts Center at the University of Missouri, Kansas City4949 Cherry Street,Kansas City, MO
Stablitt 551977, painted steel, 26 x 13 x 2.5 feet
Rockaway Townsquare301 Mount Hope AveRockaway, NJ
Delight2000, painted steel, 18x7x2 ft
Compass Corporate Centre11225 College BoulevardOverland Park, KS
Continuity 1993, painted steel, 40x30x12 in
Installed in 2009 at Dallavis Center at Avila UniversityKansas City, MO
Infinity1985, stainless steel, 16 ft tall
Originally installed in 1985 at Loehmann's PlazaSt. Louis, MO
Flag: 19761975, 1,748 pieces of acrylic, 20x10.5x.5 ft
Originally installed in 1975 at Oak Park MallOverland Park, KS An official bicentennial project of the state of Kansas
Seeking Truth1992, stainless steel, 8.5x7.5x4 ft
Aspen, Colorado
Separate but Together (Variation of Black Box II)1990, corten steel, 5x12x8 ft
Aspen InstituteAspen, Colorado
To Life2007, corten steel, 48x43x5 in
Hospice House12000 Wornall RoadKansas City, MO
One1984, painted steel, 60x6x2 ft
The Renaissance I CenterCollege Blvd and MetcalfOverland Park, KS
Jubilee1989, stainless steel, 9x10x.5 ft
Installed in 2008 at Truman Medical Center LakewoodKansas City, MO
Shalom1987, painted wood, 192x96x2 in
Plaza Apartments7777 Holmes StreetKansas City, MO
Confluence of Love and Learning2015, bronze, 12 feet
Washburn University1700 SW College AveTopeka, KS
Nessie2007, painted steel, 16x8x8 ft
Truman Medical Center2301 Holmes StKansas City, MO
Freedom2004, stainless steel, 6x11x2 ft
Plaza Library4801 Main StreetKansas City, MO
Spirit's Delight1991, stainless steel, 12x6x.5 ft
Kansas City, MO
Kindness (L) and Spirit's Delight (R)1988, stainless steel, 6 x 2-2/3 x 8 ft
Tokyo Bay HiltonShiba, Japan
Liberty1986, painted steel, 19 ftUniversity PlazaDavies, Florida
Lunarblitt 1975, steel and aluminum, 91x65x36 in
Installed in 1975 at Oak Park MallOverland Park, KSCurrently in artist's collection
Animals in Space1964
Briarwood Elementary SchoolPrairie Village, KS
Sense of the Sublime2004, stainless steel, 5 x 4 x .5 ft
Carter Art CenterPenn Valley Community CollegeKansas City, MO
Liberation2001, stainless steel, 7x5x2.5 ft
Gold Coast Regional Art CenterSurfer's Paradise, Australia
Together2007, corten steel, 8x4x2 ft (four pieces)
Archbishop O'Hara High SchoolKansas City, MO
Nessie2014, painted steel, 16x8x8 ft
Kaplan Medical CenterRehovot, Israel
I Do1990, painted aluminum, 77x44x12 in
Grace1990, stainless steel, 19x18 ft
Installed in 2009 at Mt. San Antonio Community CollegeWalnut, California
Romeo and Juliet2003, stainless steel, 13 ft each
White Recital HallUniversity of Missouri - Kansas City4949 Cherry StreetKansas City, MO
Fantasy1985, painted steel, 9.5 x 8 x 6 feet
Installed in 2011 at University of Central Missouri, Warrensburg, MO
L'Chaim: To Life2005, stainless steel, 9x17 ft (three parts)
The Lewis and Shirley White TheatreJewish Community Center of Greater KC5801 W 115th StreetOverland Park, KS
Inspiration1987, painted steel, 26x28x1.5 ft
Hillcrest Bank5800 E Bannister RdKansas City, MO
Tikun Olum2003, bronze, 6 ft tall
The Temple CongregationB'Nai Jehuda12320 Nall AvenueOverland Park, KS
Together1980, oak, 8x4x1 ft
Originally installed in 1980 at Bannister MallKansas City, MO
Magic Dreamland1994, acrylic on wallpaper, 2x32 ft
Time Arrow 2004, painted aluminum, 5.5x5.25 ft
Health Care and Rehabilitation CenterSpringfield, Vermont
Black Box VII - Aspects of Nature II2002, stainless steel, three pieces: 6x9x2 ft, 6.5x2 ft, 1.5x6x2 ft
My Dear (variation of Black Box IX)1990, aluminum, 7x5x2.5 ft
Longview Community CollegeLee's Summit, MO
Sky Bird1996, painted steel, 3x3x3 ft
Taliaferro Sculpture GardenPrairie Village, KS
Love II1987, bronze, 7x5x3 ft
The Renaissance II Center
College Blvd and MetcalfOverland Park, KS
Fleeting Passion or True Love?1991, aluminum, 7x7x4 ft
National Museum of Singapore
Trio1908-2015, painted steel, 26 ft
Originally created for Bannister Mall in 2980. Refurbished and installed at Samuel U. Rodgers Health Center825 Euclid AvenueKansas City, MO
Sending Love2015, stainless steel, 12 ft
Skywalk Memorial Park22nd St and Gillham RdKansas City, MO


text:
Municipal politics
(Director Lisa Leroux gives Paul Duchesne some pointers during a rehearsal of The Drawer Boy.)
There are many signs of advancing middle age. Seeing old friends retire is one of them. Seeing old ideas resurface is another.
(Mayor David Henderson listens to Wednesday's OPP presentation.)
Two seemingly separate stories from city hall this week are in fact vitally related.
(Douglas McLean, left, and Kimberley Davey pose by the counter at Maphin's.)
Every now and then, someone comes up with a "D'uh" idea.


text:
Inspired Chaffey wins first Australian Paratriathlon crown
By Triathlon Australia on 11/01/13 at 9:09 am
The Gold Coast's three-time ITU World champion Bill Chaffey displayed all of his world champion qualities to win the inaugural Australian Paratriathlon Championship at Sydney's International Regatta Centre, Penrith.
Chaffey took out the hotly contested Tri 1 category ahead of his hero, Sydney's 46-year-old legendary Paralympian John Maclean and London Paralympic rowing silver medallist Erik Horrie.
It was Maclean, who first put Paratriathletes on the international stage with his performances in the Hawaiian Ironman Triathlon in the 1990s, who proved to be Chaffey's inspiration after a 2005 training crash left him a paraplegic.
Maclean rang Chaffey in response to an email in 2006 and the man who has conquered Hawaii, the English Channel, Molokai and rowed for Australia at the Beijing Paralympics has remained his hero ever since.
And the first ever Australian Paratriathlon Championship was not all about the race but also about meeting the man he has looked up to for the past decade.
"I have followed John's career since 2001 and when I emailed him after my accident he was straight on the phone fore some words of wisdom and I've never forgotten it," said Chaffey.
"But throughout the years I have never had the pleasure of meeting John until this week's race briefing and then after the race.
"It was certainly great to meet someone you have looked up to for so long and to be truthful, I started shaking in my boots when I heard he was racing."
But it was Chaffey, 37, who swam strongly and was one of the first out of the water after the 750m swim before taking control with a powerful 20km bike leg and finishing off with a slick 5km wheelchair ride in a time of 1 minute 02.58 secs, with Maclean (1:12.06) holding off Horrie (1:12.38).
The former Bilambil Heights champion triathlete was left seriously injured on a training ride when he suffered four broken bones in his back, and broken elbows and pelvis, after an accident between a light truck and his bike on near Chinderah in 2005.
Chaffey will now set himself for the Cairns Ironman Triathlon on June 9 in an all-out effort to qualify for his first Hawiian Ironman Triathlon, before the ITU World Championships in London in September and his long term goal to contest the first ever Paratriathlon at the Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro in 2016.
Maclean was quick to praise Chaffey as one of the world's finest Paratriathletes and was chuffed to hear that he had been such an inspiration.
"Bill and I have similar stories, both injured while out training and I told him he could achieve anything he wanted to and it has been great to follow his progress and to think I may have played some small part in his career," said Maclean.
"Events like this (the Australian Paratriathlon Championships) can only encourage more Paratriathletes and there is no doubt the sport is set to go vertical.
"It will be good for Bill as he sets his sights on Rio."
Maclean admitted his first serious outing in eight months was a tough day in the office.
"When I saw the race was in my own backyard (at Penrith) I decided to support it and a sport that has certainly supported me throughout my career," said Maclean.
"But after just eight days training to try and lose some weight and that Christmas pudding it was tough going."
For Glenmore Park's Horrie, encouraged by Maclean to attempt his first triathlon, it was a pleasing result on only his fifth time on his handcycle for the multi-talented athlete.
Horrie was a member of the National Wheelchair basketball team, who just missed selection for Beijing in 2008 but qualified for the rowing team for London in 2012, winning silver in the men's single sculls.
Other winners on the day were: Men's Tri 2: Michael Milton (Ainslie, ACT); Men's Tri 4: Dale Grant (Mount Waverley, VIC); Men's Tri 5: Justin Godfrey (Albury, NSW); Men's Tri 6: Jonathan Goerlach (North Nowra, NSW); Women's Tri 3: Debbie Wendt (Morayfield, QLD); Women's Tri 4: Claire McLean (Carlisle, WA) and Women's Tri 6: Lindy Hou (Hawker, ACT).


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Tag Archives: hunting dogs
Cedarwoods Espresso "Beau" 2001-2013
Yesterday was a sad, sad day. Since I can't seem to write about it and see at the same time, I'm going to post here what Hubby sent to his hunting buddies, the Pudelpointer breeder and some who'd hunted over Beau. … Continue reading
Posted in Annie Rayburn, Carol Burnside, Everyday blather, Here at home Tagged Beau, death, grief, hunting dogs, pets, Pudelpointer, sad sad day, sentiments 9 Comments


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(CNN) - The gritty feature film "M.F.A." takes on the topic of campus rape with a vengeance.
The thriller, which debuted at SXSW this week, explores what happens to survivors of sexual assault through the story of an unlikely vigilante.
Noelle -- an art student played by Francesca Eastwood -- is raped by her campus crush in a violent, vivid scene. As a result, Noelle seeks revenge on rapists who walk free, which ultimately inspires her artwork.
The film is directed by Natalia Leite and written by actress Leah McKendrick, who also plays Eastwood's next door neighbor in the movie.
McKendrick told CNN that several producers and studio executives cautioned that the film was "risky" -- but she was determined to get it made.
"It comes from seeing your Facebook feed, every single day, the same story with a different girl being failed by our country and beyond," she said during an interview in Austin, Texas. "Girls are killing themselves because they're being bullied by the system, by their peers, by their rapist and nobody is there to speak for them when their voices are being taken away."
McKendrick started writing "M.F.A." in 2015. Examples of assault injustice continued to pop up in the news, like the case of former Stanford University student Brock Turner, who served a three-month sentence for sexually assaulting an unconscious women. President Trump's threats to sue women who had reported him for sexual harassment during his campaign further motivated McKendrick.
"It starts with our government, our President -- and if they're not living up to the standards we need, it's up to us," McKendrick said.
"M.F.A." doesn't attempt to provide solutions, but rather showcase the ways in which people -- and women in particular -- react to rape. Noelle's female guidance counselor, for example, questions: "How much did you have to drink? Are you sure you said no and he heard you?"
Noelle joins a student group that aims to champion women's rights on campus, but their approach falls flat.
"I really wanted to show how sometimes your heart can be in the right place, but are you really affecting actual change with the hashtags?" Mckendrick said.
The actor/writer partially drew from her own experience with sexual harassment at a casting audition years ago, when a director groped and kissed her without her consent.
"As a very young actress, I felt like nobody would protect me," she said. "Trying to protect other actresses felt futile, too."
McKendrick is looking for a distributor for "M.F.A." and hopes -- as more people see it -- the film can transform attitudes about response to campus rape and sexual assault.
"I don't consider myself a brave activist. I don't have the answers. I don't know what the solve is, but I knew that I couldn't continue just reading the articles anymore."
'M.F.A.' thriller takes on campus rape Film released at SXSW SARA O'BRIEN Mar 15, 2017
American Hookup 24 MARZO 2017
#NotOnMyCampus Sexual assaults in college football 29 marzo 2017
Rape Attitude 14 MAGGIO 2016
Rape Culture and the Justice System 15 MAGGIO 2016
Rape Culture and the Justice System 15 MAGGIO 2016
RAPE CULTURE: sexual assaults on college campuses 13 NOVEMBRE 2015
Sexual Revolution and Rape Culture 2 GENNAIO 2016
Binge drinking, porn and rape culture 19 DICEMBRE 2014
Institutionalized Rape Culture 13 NOVEMBRE 2015
Nate Parker, Rape Culture, And Toxic Masculinity 22 AGOSTO 2016
"It Happens" Sexual Assault Awareness 5 SETTEMBRE 2016
The documentary exposing America's rape culture 25 AGOSTO 2016
Rape Art 29 OTTOBRE 2016
'This Is What Rape Culture Looks Like' 10 SETTEMBRE 2016
Gang Rape Culture 6 30 OTTOBRE 2016
Italian court: No rape happened since woman didn't scream 4 marzo 2017
Two arrested in sex assault of teen broadcast on Facebook 29 marzo 2017
Video of an Irish teen being raped shared online 26 marzo 2017
Filmed sex attacks on social media 26 marzo 2017
Facebook Live Gang Rape: the Bystander Effect 24 marzo 2017
Experts warn parents of 'sextortion': 'It happens at every school' 26 marzo 2017
Predatory paedophile jailed over historic child sex abuses 28 marzo 2017
Man sentenced to 40 years for making child porn 28 marzo 2017
4000 australian institutions implicated in child sexual abuse 28 marzo 2017
Another Catholic priest faces child abuse case in Kerala 28 marzo 2017
Argentinian church shamed by Grassi affair 28 marzo 2017
French TV inquiry accuses 25 bishops of abuse cover-ups 28 marzo 2017
Depraved serial paedophile jailed for life 28 marzo 2017
Serial child rapist faces new charges 28 marzo 2017
Surrogacy bill allows human trafficking 27 marzo 2017
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What can we learn about the processes of conquest from looking at maps?
The United States used a variety of devices to conquer the West. Aside from military might, the nation employed transportation systems and technologies, the power of government to bound territory and bestow land, and the promise of expanded freedom to bring more and more settlers into the land it claimed.
Indian and Soldier Battles, 1864 - 1912
When the United States military moved into the West, Native Americans fought to defend their homelands. Sometimes, as at Sand Creek, they fought settler militias. Other times, as at the Little Bighorn and Canyon de Chelly, they battled the regular forces of the United States Army.
Indian Lands
By the twentieth century, what had once been Indian country was indisputably part of the United States. Indians had been reduced to occupying fragments of their former territory, concentrated on reservations throughout the West. But within those enclaves, Indian nations did have limited political sovereignty, which continues to this day.
Great Trails to the West by 1860
First there were trails. The Santa Fe Trail to the Southwest was opened up in 1821 by Missourian and Mexican traders, looking for new markets. The Oregon and California Trails saw hundreds of thousands of settlers migrate west between 1836 and the Civil War.
Railroads Built by 1900
Then came the transcontinental railroads. In 1869, the Union Pacific and Central Pacific lines met in Promontory Point, Utah, connecting the first transcontinental railroad. Within thirty years, the Northern Pacific; the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe; the Southern Pacific; the Great Northern, and the Denver and Rio Grande lines had followed suit. Where the rails reached, settlement could follow.
Statehood by 1912
The United States government extended its rule over the West by establishing territories and creating states. Territorial governments were outposts of the nation, rather than undisputed political authorities. But by the time the settler population reached 60,000, and the territories petitioned for statehood, those governments had achieved a measure of control over their domains. In some cases, however, the transition from territory to state took decades.
Railway Grants by 1890
Even as the United States was establishing territories and states, the federal government was using its own power over land to foster national expansion. Between 1850 and 1890, the government surveyed the West and gave much of it away, for example, to the corporations that built the transcontinental railroads.
Population in 1890
The West remained sparsely settled, even as late as 1890. But by this time, the presence of as few as six inhabitants per square mile was enough to reinforce the connection of far-flung Western places to a nation that had spread itself from the faraway East.
Women's Suffrage in 1919
Remarkably, the least populous part of the country proved most "civilized" in the matter of extending political rights to women. Before the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920, only two states east of the Mississippi River offered women full suffrage. By contrast, thirteen western states fully enfranchised women, beginning with Wyoming, which had led the way as a territory, giving women the vote in 1869.
Suffrage in the West >>
Questions to Ponder >>
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Jordan Yablansky
I am a second semester freshman at the University at Albany, and this is my first ARCH publication. Although I am not an English or art major, I love creative writing, music, and art. In the future, I plan to graduate with a biology degree then become a physician assistant. My advice to everyone is, find the beauty in the world around you.
Published Works


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Graeme Coughlan
Height: 5' 10"
Hair: Black
Eyes: Green
Playing age: 27-37
Singing voice: Strong Tenor
Selected Theatre Experience: The Cyclops, The Collector, Hamlet, Easter Tuesday, The Gingerbread Lady, Reasons To Be Happy
Selected Film Experience: Life After Life, Feathers, Apple and Peaches, Because of War, Contact, Limoncello, Ruin, Exit, Watergate,
Selected TV Experience: Wrecking The Rising, Dialanna an gCogadh Mor
Selected Advertising Experience: Supervalu, Sky Ad, Lidl Christmas ad - Homecoming
Accents: Dublin (Northside/Southside), All Irish (including Northern and Traveller), American (General, Boston, and New York), and British (General, Cockney, and Scouser)
Languages: Irish (conversational)
Qualifications and Training
Fitzmaurice Voice Work (2016)
Meisner Technique, Momentum Studio (2014 - 2016)
Acting for Camera with Terry McMahon (2016)
Acting for Camera, Gaiety School of Acting (2014)
Basic Guitar, Ukulele, Dancing (Hip Hop, Breakdance, and Irish), Motorcycles, Fishing, Airsoft, Photography, Hiking, Mountain Biking, Writing, Full Driving Licence, and Prov. Bike License.
Originating from Dublin, Graeme spent his childhood singing, dancing, and acting. He worked as an electrical engineer for many years before decided to commit to acting full time and trained with Momentum Acting Studio in the Meisner Technique. Graeme was cast as the lead male in 'Will', a feature film by Frank Kelly and his role in The Cyclops got great reviews from theatre critics


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- I got to Skype with my mom and sister early in the day so that I would be able to see my mom open her gifts that my sister and I got her. I got to talk with her and spend some quality time with her, albeit on a computer. I really miss her!
- Later that evening I made dinner at home with Melissa. We had cavatelli in a pumpkin sauce with pancetta and peas and arugula salad. To drink? Delicious local Maltese red wine.
(Being Puerto Rican, you get accustomed to a very specific menu for the holidays that includes Arroz con gandules, perníl or ham, potato salad and pasteles. For drink, you can usually find a bottle of coquito along with plenty of other spirits, so not having any of that was definitely difficult but you make the best of it and my best was simple, delicious, and quite local).
- After dinner Melissa and I exchanged gifts...she got me a beautiful satchel with cross body strap in a blush color (we are serious accessories girls and you can find some good stuff in Malta).
- We then went to Midnight mass at one of the very few churches here that give mass in English. All I can say is that it was beautiful and inspiring. The message? "To listen"....listen to God, listen to yourself and chances are you will always find the right answers. So profound.
- After the service, we enjoyed coffee and hot chocolate as well as pastizzi's at the church. A truly beautiful and authentic way to enjoy the night.
- Woke up to a beautiful sunny and warm Christmas day. Sun was shining, waters were calm and the air was warm but dry...simply perfect.
- Had brunch with my roomie at a local restaurant that was truly amazing and SO CHEAP!!! We are still confused as to how the food could be so good and so cheap, but it was.
- After, I quickly came home to shower and change to make my way to Marsaxlokk for a traditional Maltese dinner with my "mom away from mom", Violet and her parents. "Marsa" means harbor and "xlokk" means south in Maltese and I can see where the village got it's name. It is a small but beautiful village south of the island and your welcome into the village are two vineyards on either side of you while the main square is right on the water where all the colorful fishing boats are lined up and a beautiful gothic church is looking down on you...BREATHTAKING! Violet met me in the square and we walked to her home. It was such a lovely home with a beautiful conservatory and her parents are two of the most genuine and kind people I have ever met.
- On the menu for dinner was: Broccoli and Cauliflower soup with potatoes and bacon(anyone who knows me, knows how much of a soup girl I am), main course was roasted rabbit (or as my sister said, I ate Thumper, listen when in Rome...just sayin') and roasted vegetables. For dessert we had homemade mince pies that another teacher baked for us to share as well as homemade Baci made by Violet's mom. We also had fruit salad in peach liqueur as well as local cookies.
- After dinner, we sat in Violet's sitting room, she insisted I call my mom so I did (you never go against the insistence of the Maltese people, they are relentless, but in a way that really makes you feel cared for) and afterward we all just talked---about everything---school, students, how life in Malta has changed over the years, hobbies that her father used to partake in, how he is 78 years old and walks 7 miles a day, and what he did for a living as he worked as an Electrical Engineer for Commercial and Military ships, as well as travel, just normal but very interesting conversation. I was told by Violet's mom that she officially has an adopted daughter which for some crazy reason got me very emotional and I know it is because that when it comes time to leave, it can and will be so permanent:-(.
- When I got home, I was able to Face Time with my sisters to wish them a Merry Christmas and to see my dad, who was in NY from Las Vegas. We joked, we laughed, we talked about my sister Sam's upcoming trip to Malta. I got to see all the food I was missing out on as it was cooking away in the kitchen and I got to see and speak to my nephew and ask him about all the things that Santa brought him (yes he is 11 and yes I still ask what Santa brought him as that is how it will always be!). I even got to see and speak to my sweetart Megan, my pharaoh hound mix, she was resting but I called her name and she woke right up:-)...miss her terribly, my pretty girl! It was truly the perfect way to end the night.
So there you have it, my Christmas holiday in a nutshell. As much as I refer to Violet as my "mom away from mom", Melissa, as well as Violet and her parents, are very much all family to me and during my time here are my "family away from family". As I have stated previously, God knew what he was doing when Fulbright gave me and Melissa the grants for Malta; Melissa and I will forever be family, sisters from other moms, because we already are and we will always be able to see each other as we live in the Tri-state area, but to be able to develop this friendship with such a truly genuine and lovely family as the Rizzo's, a local family of Malta, really makes Malta hold a very special place in my heart. These are people that I will miss terribly when I leave as I miss my family back home. So as you can see, although this was not my traditional way of spending the Christmas holiday, that was really not important. The "how" is not the important part, it's the "who" that is the important part. I spent Christmas with my family, near and far, and enjoyed the holiday in a way that I will cherish for the rest of my life.
MERRY (HAPPY) CHRISTMAS EVERYBODY! Now to ring in the New Year in good 'ole PARIS;-).
Until next time!


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Wildflowers of California at Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve
Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve harbors the most consistent blooms of the California state flower, the Poppies. The reserve is located in the Antelope Valley 15 miles west of Lancaster and 70 miles north-east of Los Angeles. Driving from North, we took Hwy 5 and then Hwy 138 towards Lancaster. The Reserve is located on Lancaster Rd. You can park on the road and walk in the reserve for free or you can pay $10 and use the Parking lot in the reserve. Do not park on the road and enter from any other location or jump the fence to enter the park. The entry on foot is free as long as you enter from the market entrance.
In my opinion, plan on visiting the reserve on a clear day after lunch when most people start to leave. You can easily find parking in the reserve and the lines to get into the parking lot at the reserve are much shorter. If you do visit in the morning and see a long line to drive in to the reserve, park on the Lancaster Rd and walk in the entrance using the walkway on the west side of the reserve drive way. Remember to bring some food and water with you and allow atleast 3 hours to experience the reserve. Wear comfortable walking or hiking shoes as you can easily walk 3 to 5 miles while you are there.
California Poppies bloom during late winter to early spring, usually from mid February to mid May. The park is open from sunrise to sunset. There are a total of 7 miles of trail at the reserve, we completed about 3 to 4 miles and it was a delight.
Wild Poppy flowers are found all over California during spring, however large fields of concentrated poppy flowers are only in Antelope Valley. Another name of California Poppy has been Copa de Oro (Cup of Gold)
Side-blotched Lizard can easily be spotted on the trail. We encountered two basking in the sun. The black blotch behind the front legs gives the lizard it's name.
Rattlesnakes can be seen during daytime when it's warm, and in the evenings on hot days. Rattlesnakes are not aggressive and will not attack unless startled or threatened; they rattle their tail to alert you of their presence and avoid a confrontation. Luckily we did not see one on the trail but I wish I had. If you encounter one on a trail, give it space and leave it alone.
Jagmeet Singh is the founder of vezit.com. Jagmeet is passionate about photography, enjoys good food, and loves to travel. He posts about delicious food and amazing places to visit! He just realized that writing in third person is very awkward.


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FAFSA Workshop:
Want help filling out the FAFSA? Don't have a computer at home? Or do you have specific questions about financial aid that haven't been answered yet?
This is your opportunity! Kingston High School is hosting a FAFSA Workshop for students and parents/guardians on Tuesday, October 2nd, from 5:30 – 7:00 PM in the KHS Library. The FAFSA Application will be open beginning October 1st. The Assistant Director of Financial Aid from Olympic College, and your KHS Counselors will be available to assist you in filling out the FAFSA and to answer your questions.
Mark your calendar and join us!
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