text:
Twin Tweaks ...
cosmic wedgie occurs when the EEPROM doesn't have
enough time to reset at the beginning of a program.
When this happens, the robot wanders off to never never
land and engages in odd behaviors like we were seeing.
Fortunately, there is an easy fix: All you need to do is reset
the EEPROM.
This was an easier fix for us than it is for a lot of
folks. All of the chips on our Mark III were socketed
because it was always built as a platform for expansion.
Some folks, however, insist on soldering the OOPic brain
directly into the board. We personally think that sockets
as a general policy are a good thing, but if the brain is
directly soldered to the board it can be removed if you
are a fan of desoldering. The whimsical novelty of solder
suckers and solder braid wear off quickly though, and
thankfully there is another solution for those that
want to reset the EEPROM without having to remove
the chip itself. The Mark III board includes two jumpers,
and when the jumpers are shorted together before
resetting the board and trying to download a new
program, it will be treated the same as if you had removed
the EEPROM. We tried both methods and they both
worked like a charm.
Resetting the EEPROM, however, was only enough to
bring the bot back from never never land temporarily. To
keep the cosmic wedgie from becoming a chronic
condition, we had to treat the cause. The cause,
fortunately, is simple. The treatment for a cosmic wedgie is
to give the OOPic enough time to reset at the beginning of
the program. The consensus is that five seconds is
sufficient, so one of the most important lines of code in an
OOPic program is oopic.delay = 500 at the beginning of the
program. The offending line in our program was easy to
find, and it read oopic.delay = 50. Just as with the IRS or
SEC, being one zero off is indeed a big deal. We added a
zero, reprogrammed the bot, and finally resumed the
Sensor Olympics.
We like to include these experiences because we think
dealing with unexpected problems is a part of the process
experienced by all tinkerers. Working with a kit is never as
smooth as following the step-by-step instructions. There will
always be things left unmentioned by the manual; there will
always be unexpected speed bumps on the road to your
completed project.
Once we were able to test the Mark III with our
ephemeral obstacle, we were surprised that once again
it gave a result markedly different from the Scribbler.
The Mark III consistently spotted the obstacle from a
distance of 36 cm and evaded it accordingly. On one
hand, this was an impressive result for the Mark III.
The sensors were sensitive enough so that they even
spotted our feathery simulacrum of the bush that foiled
TerraMax. On the other hand, too much sensitivity to
ephemeral obstacles could leave the bot feeling trapped
when, in fact, it could plow obliviously through like
the Scribbler.
We decided that the Mark III's result was the better
Click to subscribe to this magazine


text: Two words: totally awesome! My son and sister were the shooters and I was an observer. Andrew was our range officer/instructor. Andrew was very friendly, personable, professional and took the time to clearly explain and monitor the shooting experience as well as answer questions and offer advice on expected weapon performance. He adapted his instruction to the experience level of the shooter; my son (13 years old) was a first time shooter and my sister was experienced but perhaps just a little rusty as she hadn't fired in a couple of years. There was no rush of which made the experience stress-free. I was able to take videos and pictures and collect a few brass as souvenirs; of course, the targets were ours to keep as well. The safety methods used are very thorough and deliberate and set my mind at ease allowing me to concentrate on the shooting session. The weapons used in this package were the Glock 17, .223 sniper rifle, H&K MP5 and finally the RPK (the M249 SAW would have been a little "too much gun" for our shooters). This amazing experience was certainly a highlight of our Las Vegas trip. My recommendation is to select the weapon(s) you wish to fire more than once or twice and purchase additional ammunition when selecting and scheduling your experience package; we did with the Glock 17 and .223 sniper rifle and it helped to keep the shooting experience moving along at our leisurely pace. In my opinion, this package was very reasonably priced and definitely worth the value.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Aaron Taylor Painting | 385-405-1581
Local painter and handyman Aaron Taylor offers more than 28 years of experience in exterior and interior painting, repainting kitchen and bathroom cabinets, power-washing, staining and painting fences and decks, cleaning gutters and washing windows. He also offers services in small tile and hardwood floor projects. Contact Aaron Taylor Painting to arrange a free estimate at 385-405-1581. Referrals from Cottonwood Heights, Murray and Draper are available. Both interior and outdoor projects are being booked now. If you have other general handyman needs, contact Aaron today to inquire.
Que Sera Sera Skin Spa, Lashing Out, Under Pressure Massage & Versay Studio | 6936 S. Promenade Dr. #302


text:
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[Federal Register: March 27, 2002 (Volume 67, Number 59)]
[Page 14695]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
Federal Register
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
[[Page 14695]]
Natural Resources Conservation Service
Task Force on Agricultural Air Quality; Meeting
AGENCY: Natural Resources Conservation Service, USDA
ACTION: Notice of meeting.
SUMMARY: The Task Force on Agricultural Air Quality will meet to
discuss critical air quality issues in relation to agriculture. The
emphasis of the meeting will be on obtaining a greater understanding
about the relationship between agricultural production and air quality.
The meeting is open to the public.
DATES: The meeting will convene Wednesday, May 1, 2002, at 9 a.m., and
continue until 4 p.m. The meeting will resume Thursday, May 2, 2002,
and continue from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Written material and requests to
make oral presentations should reach the Natural Resources Conservation
Service, at the address below, on or before April 19, 2002.
ADDRESSES: On May 1, 2002, the meeting will be held in the Williamsburg
Room in the Jamie L. Whitten Federal Building at 12th Street and
Jefferson Dr., SW., Washington, DC 20250. On May 2, 2002, the meeting
will be held in Room 333 at the Hall of States, 444 North Capitol
Street, Washington, DC 20001. Written material and requests to make
oral presentations should be sent to Beth Sauerhaft, USDA/NRCS, Post
Office Box 2890, Room 6158, Washington, DC 20013. Due to the heightened
security measures in place, submission of the names and affiliations
for those planning to attend the meeting on May 1, 2002, will expedite
entry into the Federal building.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions or comments should be
directed to Beth Sauerhaft, Designated Federal Official; telephone:
(202) 720-8578; fax: (202) 720-2646; e-mail: email@example.com.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Notice of this meeting is given under the
Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 U.S.C. App. 2. Additional information
about the Task Force on Agricultural Air Quality, including any revised
agendas for the May 1 and 2, 2002, meeting that occur after this
Federal Register Notice is published, may be found on the World Wide
Web at: http://www.nhq.nrcs.usda.gov/faca/aaqtf.html.
Draft Agenda of the May 1 and 2 Meeting
A. Welcome to Washington, DC
Local officials
B. Approve minutes of the Phoenix, Arizona, January 16-17, 2002, AAQTF
C. EPA Update
EPA official--Expectations regarding regulation of agriculture
National Academy of Sciences Scientific Assessment update
Regional Planning Organizations update--potential impacts to
Title V update
Update on monitoring and speciation work across country
Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and
Liability Act; Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act
D. Subcommittee Business
Research Priorities and Oversight Subcommittee
Emissions Factors Subcommittee
Concentrated Animal Feeding Operation Subcommittee
Voluntary/Incentive Based Program Subcommittee
Follow-up Subcommittee
Agricultural Burning Subcommittee
Title V Subcommittee
Monitoring Subcommittee
Implementation Subcommittee
E. New Topics
President's Global Climate Change Initiative
Odor control and particulate capture/dispersion--windbreaks,
other BMPs
Iowa CAFO study
Regulatory choices at the State level
F. Next Meeting, time/place
G. Public Input (Time will be reserved before lunch and at the close of
each daily session to receive public comment. Individual presentations
will be limited to 5 minutes).
This meeting is open to the public. At the discretion of the Chair,
members of the public may give oral presentations during the meeting.
Persons wishing to make oral presentations should notify Beth Sauerhaft
no later than April 19, 2002. If a person submitting material would
like a copy distributed to each member of the committee in advance of
the meeting, that person should submit 25 copies to Beth Sauerhaft no
later than April 19, 2002.
Information on Services for Individuals With Disabilities
For information on facilities or services for individuals with
disabilities or to request special assistance at the meeting, contact
Beth Sauerhaft.
USDA prohibits discrimination in its programs and activities on the
basis of race, color, national origin, gender, religion, age, sexual
orientation, or disability. Additionally, statutes enforced by USDA
also prohibit discrimination on the basis of political beliefs and
marital or family status. (Not all prohibited bases apply to all
programs). Persons with disabilities who require alternate means for
communication of program information (Braille, large print, audio tape,
etc.) should contact the USDA's Target Center at (202) 720-2000 (voice
and TDD).
To file a complaint of discrimination to USDA, write to the
Director, Office of Civil Rights, Room 326-W, Whitten Building, 1400
Independence Avenue, SW., Washington, DC 20250-9410; or call (202) 720-
5964 (voice and TDD). The USDA is an equal opportunity provider and
Signed in Washington, DC, on March 7, 2002.
Pearlie S. Reed,
Chief, Natural Resources Conservation Service.
[FR Doc. 02-7279 Filed 3-26-02; 8:45 am]
NRCS Home | USDA.gov | Site Map | Civil Rights | FOIA | Plain Writing | Accessibility Statement
Policy and Links| Non-Discrimination Statement | Information Quality | USA.gov | WhiteHouse.gov


text:
Main Page
Final Picture
Sophora japonica
Styphnolobium japonicum
) Fabaceae
Japanese Pagodatree, Scholar-tree
so-FO-ra ja-PON-i-ka
Broadleaf deciduous tree, 35-50 ft (12-15 m), wide as it is tall.
1 through 4 years old are
(or green-brown). Leaves alternate, pinnately compound, 15-30 long, 7-17 leaflets, leaflets entire, ovate-lance-ovate, 2.5-5 cm long, green and lustrous above and glaucous beneath; the petiole (rachis) is
swollen at the base and encloses the bud
. Flowers pea-like, 1-1.5 cm long, ivory white, in large clusters, 15-30 cm long, appear in July-August (if it flowers). Fruit a pod, 8-15 cm long, bright green, glabrous (without hairs), changing finally to yellow-brown, 1-6 seeded, often constricted between seeds.
Sun and partial shade. Best in loamy well-drained soil. Once established withstands heat and drought well. Tolerant of polluted conditions. Fast growing in some areas.
Hardy to USDA Zone 4 Native to China and Korea.
Styphnolobium japonicum
[stif-no-LO-bee-um jah-PON-ih-kum] is now generally accepted as the correct botanical name for the Japanese Pagodatree, however in commerce, the older name is often used. The nomenclature change is based on chromosome numbers as well as morphological and cytological differences (F.S. Santamour, Jr. and L.G.H. Riedel. 1997. J. Arboriculture 23(4):166-167).
Corvallis: Coverland Park, large tree near the corner of Garfield Ave. and 29th St.
Oregon State Univ. campus: large tree west of Bexell Hall.


text:
Experts In South Denver SuburbsCall: 1-720-988-5952
The Sell With Brooke Team is committed to providing high quality service to EVERY client, ensuring your next real estate transaction will be handled with professionalism and ease. Whether you are selling your home, buying a home, or purchasing your next investment property The Sell With Brooke Team would love for you to consider us YOUR Denver South Suburbs experts! Our knowledge of the marketplace, streamlined processes, integrated technology and attention to detail will push you ahead of the competition and keep you informed every step of the way!
Please take a look around our website. If you have any questions or would like for us to mail you some of our fantastic resources please email us at [email protected].
Sell With Brooke


text:
Bikers Workshop Series
GL1500 Engine Oil and Filter Change.
By Steve Saunders.
Changing the engine oil and filter on your GL1500 Goldwing is an easy job and shouldn't take very long to do. The procedure shown here is the same on all GL1500 Goldwing models, regardless of year and model variation.
Click the thumbnails for a bigger image.
First put your GL1500 Goldwing on the main stand on a level surface and pull the right-side engine cover off. You can see the engine oil filler cap and the dipstick highlighted in the second picture. Start the Goldwing engine and let it warm up for a couple of minutes so the oil will drain out faster.
The 17mm sump bolt is on the bottom of the engine, on the right side. Make sure you don't lose the metal crush washer when you take the bolt out to drain the oil. OEM Honda oil filters for your Goldwing sometimes come with a spare washer, but the aftermarket filters usually don't come with a washer so if you have to reuse the old one, make sure it isn't damaged. This GL1500 Goldwing was well overdue an oil change.
Note that the oil filler cap has a rubber 'O' ring, make sure it isn't damaged or falls into the engine when you unscrew the cap. The dipstick also has an 'O' ring.
Now for the oil filter. Tip; You can easily get to the filter from below the Goldwing engine through the cut-out in the cowl, without removing the cowl. But if you want to remove the cowl to clean around the Goldwing engine, then read on.
To remove the cowl, first pull the panel above it by pressing it in at the top centre and then pulling upper left and right side tabs from the grommets in the cowl. Then remove the three Phillips screws from the cowl, one in the centre and one at each side.
If your GL1500 has cornering or fog lights fitted in the cowl, remove the rubber cap, bulb holders and bulbs before completely pulling the cowl away. If you have halogen bulbs fitted, don't get greasy finger marks on the glass or they will probably develop a hot spot and blow before their time. If you do happen to get a finger mark on the bulb, wipe it off with some petrol on a soft cloth.
With the cowl removed, you will have good access to the oil filter and area around it. The second picture also shows the water pump cover and I've highlighted the coolant drain bolt which is located at the bottom of the water pump. This is useful to know for when the time comes to replace the GL1500 coolant. Unscrew the oil filter anti-clockwise (looking at it from the front of the Goldwing) and take it off the engine.
It's good practise to clean the mating surface that the oil filter sits against.
By this time all the old oil should be drained, so replace the sump bolt now in case you forget later on and end up standing in a pool of new oil when you are refilling. The torque setting for the sump bolt is 27 ft-lb.
Put a light smear of grease or clean engine oil on the new filter rubber ring, this gives a good seal. Put the filter on and if you don't have access to a torque wrench, make sure you tighten the filter well by hand. The torque setting is 7 ft-lb.
Oil-fill time. The "what oil should I use in my Goldwing" question is an age old one with no single answer that satisfies everyone, it really comes down to personal choice. The oil I used for this job was supplied by the owner of this GL1500. According to the Honda Goldwing workshop manual, the oil capacity after an oil and filter change is 3.7 litres. You may need a bit less depending on how much old oil is still trapped inside the engine and I usually put in 3.5 litres into a GL1500 first and top-up after the initial startup.
When you put the new oil in, start the Goldwing engine and let it run for a minute. Check for leaks around the sump bolt and the oil filter before switching the engine off. Allow a minute or so for the oil to drain back into the sump, then check the level with the dipstick. Don't screw the dipstick in, just rest it in place as shown in the first picture. The oil level should be at the upper mark on the first segment of the dipstick, as shown in the second picture. Don't worry if the level is slightly above the mark, a little bit extra oil is better than too little. Replace the panels on the Goldwing and that's the job finished.


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TORONTO — As protestors plan demonstrations in Ottawa Monday against the controversial $7-billion Keystone XL pipeline, which is to transport oil from Alberta's oil sands to Texas refineries, the Canadian government has quietly launched an offensive of its own.
"Exaggerated rhetoric of the end of the planet does not pass muster," Joe Oliver, the Minister of Natural Resources, said, referring to "celebrity" protestors.
Environmental groups, as well as such Nobel laureates as Bishop Tutu and the Dalai Lama, along with actor Daryl Hannah, have opposed the pipeline.
Ms. Hannah was among those arrested in anti-Keystone protests at the White House.
Actors Gordon Pinsent and Dave Thomas will join environmentalists in planned protests in Ottawa Monday.
The demonstrations are forcing the Canadian government to step up its defence of the oil sands.
"In the coming weeks and months, I plan to travel to New York, Washington, Europe and Asia," said Mr. Oliver. "Everywhere I go, I'm delivering the same message: Canada is a global energy superpower that can supply energy to its customers in a way that is safe, reliable and environmentally responsible.
"The government of Canada believes the [Keystone XL] project is an important plank in building continental energy security," the Minister said, adding he respected the U.S. government's permit process and looks forward to a decision on the pipeline before the year-end.
"Canada has excess capacity and [the] U.S. has excess demand," Mr. Oliver said.
Over the next 25 years, he said, Keystone is estimated to create 60,000 Canadian jobs and add $600-billion to the country's economy. This is an addition to the 140,000 jobs and $2.3-trillion expected to be generated in Canada by the oil-sands sector over the same period, Mr. Oliver said.
Stephen Harper, the Prime Minister, said this week that U.S. approval of the Keystone XL pipeline is a "no-brainer" as it will create jobs and add to United States' secure energy reserves.
The U.S. government is expected to make a final decision on the project this year after the State Department concluded its environment study on the project on Aug. 26 and said it posed "no significant impacts to most resources" along its route across six states.
The next steps for the Keystone pipeline is a 90-day assessment of the "national interest determination" of the development. That will include consultation with other U.S. government agencies, as well as with the public.
Financial Post, with file from Postmedia News


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Enjoy your visit to Niagara Falls with the falls shuttle. We offer two different routes that go between the attractions for your convenience.
Our Red Line Bus Route goes along the fun-packed route of Clifton Hill, Lundy's Lane, as well as the Casinos and the Canada One - Outlet Mall!
The Green Line Bus Route travels along a loop bringing you through Downtown Niagara, Marineland, the Casinos, as well as down to the Falls Themselves!
Purchase our All Day Pass from Falls Shuttle Bus Operators, the Bus Terminal directly accross the street from the train station and NEW THIS YEAR - Union Station, Exibition, Port Credit, Oakvill and Burlington GO STATIONS.
All Day Pass allows unlimited use of Niagara Falls Transit municipal services as well as our Falls Shuttle buses. (Not applicable on Niagara Parks People Mover System)
For GO Riders getting off the train catching the bus is easy, convenient and only steps away!
Find Niagara Falls Passes here!
For further information regarding the Falls Shuttle system and the Niagara Falls Transit municipal service, please call our office Monday through Friday, 8:30am - 4:30pm at
4320 Bridge Street
Niagara Falls, ON, Canada L2E 2R7


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For growth initiatives, many companies are looking to innovate by ramping analytical, mobile, social, big data, and cloud initiatives. For example, GE is one growth-oriented company and just announced heavy investment in the Industrial Internet with GoPivotal. One area of concern to many well-established businesses is what to do with their mainframe powered applications. Mainframes are expensive to run, but the applications that run off of them are typically very important and the business can not afford to risk downtime or any degradation in service. So, until now the idea of modernizing a mainframe application has often faced major roadblocks.
There are ways to preserve the mainframe and improve application performance, reliability and even usability. As one of the world's largest banks sees, big, fast data grids can provide an incremental approach to mainframe modernization and reduce risk, lower operational costs, increase data processing performance, and provide innovative analytics capabilities for the business—all based on the same types of cloud computing technologies that power internet powerhouses and financial trading markets.
The Fast Data component
One customer used used vFabric GemFire to save $75 million dollars on a mainframe modernization project, and it has been used for the past ten years as highly performant, horizontally scalable data transaction layers, or big data grid, for mission-critical applications. Both GemFire and it's sister product, SQLFire, are known to achieve linear scale. Key use cases include credit-card transaction systems, stock trading platforms, foreign exchange systems, web-based travel reservation systems, and mainframe batch data offloading. As an in-memory data grid, its main advantages are being able to do in-memory, sub-millisecond transactions while still maintaining the highest standards for fault-tolerance, high-availability, and linear scalability on a distributed platform.
The Big Data component
For More Information:
With big data analysis, Greenplum has a multitude of customer case studies with companies like O'Reilly Media, Skype, and NYSE Euronext. These solutions have become well-known when it comes to analytical analysis on multiple terabyte or petabyte data sets where traditional relational databases begin to break down, stop scaling, or fail to deal well with un-structured data. Greenplum technology provides a complete big data solution for both structured and unstructured data, based on the Greenplum Database and Pivotal HD—a commercially supported distribution of Hadoop that includes HDFS, MapReduce, Hive, Pig, HBase, Zookeeper, Sqoop, and Flume. The recently announced Pivotal Advanced Database Services powered by HAWQ allow for SQL queries to run on the fastest Hadoop-based query interface on the market today—a 100X+ faster solution.
Fast Data + Big Data: Better together
Big data and fast data solutions make a lot of sense together as we've seen on many customer solution blueprints delivered over the past several months. This is because most business owners and administrators aren't able to fully utilize the data being captured in their transactional systems on a daily basis. From a business value perspective, the fast data layer can bring scalability and reliability to the business while reducing the cost per transaction. Most transactional systems also benefit from predictive analytics on transacted data, and the fast data layer enables this type of real-time transaction analysis that can also incorporate big data result-sets. The big data layer provides insight on mountains of data to help with decision making and support traditional performance metrics or enable more advanced types of visualization and data science.
From Mainframe to Big Fast Data Architecture
Moving from mainframe to big, fast data is an evolution. A phased approach—step by step—is certainly the most recommended way of modernizing applications. It makes sense because it minimizes risk and better justifies investments. After working with many customers who face this problem, here is one approach we recommend.
1. Selecting the Pilot: Pick a Starting Point
As with most major initiatives, an initial use case or small scope should be used as a pilot to validate the architecture choices and prove a return for the overall project. The ideal project candidate should a) have little or no integration points with other systems on the legacy platform, b) be small but critical to existing business processes, c) consume a considerable amount of operational expenses, and/or d) represent a business risk in its current state. By screening this way, we should be able to deliver something of value to the business, reduce OpEx, and make the improvement quickly while avoiding bad decisions.
2. Designing the Modern Data Architecture for Co-Existence
The goal of this step is determine what legacy data stays, migrates, or integrates. First, there is an analysis on the pilot's data model. Then, we begin to design a data architecture that makes sense for a highly scalable, distributed data grid and still supports the existing business model and processes. The analysis should identify which entities are transactional, a mix of transactional and analytical (e.g. part of a real-time analytics model), or purely analytical. During this process, we make decisions regarding data model partitioning, replication, colocation, disaster recovery, transaction consistency, and more. We also decide which data to leave on the legacy platform, accessing it on the fly as needed using the GemFire integration layer capabilities.
3. Integrating Mainframe and Big Data Grid
While the data architecture is being defined, we start building the initial big fast data infrastructure. Then, the pilot migrates the first use case to the modernized architecture. By using the GemFire/SQLFire asynchronous integration layer, we can provide data consistency between the new application and legacy mainframe application. Transactions done on the modernized system are delivered simultaneously to both the legacy system and the analytics platform. Integration with legacy can be achieved using either a mainframe connector, CICS Web Services, messaging platform, or any other integration protocol.
4. First Deployment Risk Mitigation Plans
When the pilot is complete and has proven to be better performing than the legacy system with much lower maintenance costs, we are ready to partially turn off our first piece of the legacy system. The legacy system, especially if living on a mainframe, should stay there for a period of time to support ongoing business. During this time, new transactions should start happening on the new system and data can be validated against the original system to make sure it is behaving exactly as expected. This will minimize risk, assure a seamless architecture evolution, and avoid headaches from unexpected problems. While the deployment acts as an advanced, operational cache for the mainframe, the mainframe still receives the data it needs while both analytical and real-time or predictive analytics data stores are updated.
5. Evolution
Step-by-step, other applications or portions of the mainframe can be carefully migrated to the new platform in a similar manner—without risk. As this happens, we gradually reduce mainframe usage, costs, and time to market for new deployments. We gain a level of scalability proven by data grids that run the most rigorous and high-performance data environments on the planet—those that power financial transactions. We also enable new methods of analysis to unleash business insight and value.
Of course, there is an initial capital expense to make; however, the investment is justified by reduced operational expenses. Companies can also save on capex by leveraging existing, partially used infrastructure since the software runs on commodity hardware.


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Family Car GamesFor the Precocious Preteen: Family Car Games
November 17, 2011
Shake your iPhone to unveil a database of 100 inventive games sure to keep families entertained and competitive for hours. Once you've selected a game, read the instructions, drop your iPhone, and game on!
Why We Love It
Because "I Spy With My Little Eye" gets old fast, we are thankful for fresh and engaging games to spur hours of thoughtful entertainment on the road. There are even enough games to make the obligatory 7-course degustation meal in Paris easier on the kids. Honorable Mention: Star Walk - 5 stars astronomy guide. This Apple-favorite plots your current location to identify the stars and constellations hovering in the skies above.


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Philadelphia keyboardist JEFF LORBER is a doyen of the smooth soul scene. Indeed he was in the business long before the term was even coined. With 18 solo sets under his belt, JEFF'S just launched a brand new collection - 'Heard That' - his first album for Peak Records. BILL BUCKLEY of www.soulandjazzandfunk.com recently caught up with JEFF to talk about the album but couldn't resist kicking things off by asking him about his early years in the City Of Brotherly Love and wondering if that city's unique musical heritage had any impact on the young LORBER ….
Unfortunately I was too young to participate very much in the music scene in Philly when I was growing up, but I heard a lot of great stuff on the radio and when I was in high school I was very lucky to see quite a few amazing musical performances come to town - people like Jimi Hendrix, Frank Zappa, Pink Floyd and a number of Miles Davis' bands. I also went to the original Woodstock. Many of those experiences were incredible and made some very strong impressions on me regarding how powerful and creative music can be. Much later I did get to play at the legendary Sigma Sound Studios. I filmed a session for something called 'Studio Jams' in there, just before it was closed down. Also one of my father's friends was Bernie Lowe who was a writer, very much involved in the Cameo-Parkway thing, so I did hear indirectly about the business from him.
What about other influences on your work? What musicians did you really rate?
I love all the fusion music from the late 60s - through the 80s …. Like Return To Forever, Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea and anything from Miles, Weather Report and all the great stuff coming out from Fantasy Records…Tower of Power, Average White Band, Earth Wind And Fire… I could really go on and on. Today I don't hear a lot of current stuff that I'm crazy about but I do follow some producers like Timbaland and Pharrell. I love Keith Jarrett also; his phrasing kills me.
Tell us now about your latest album…… and why the title 'Heard That'?
'Heard That' is just a catchy phase that kind of fits with the very bluesy, R&B flavoured stuff that Rex (Rex Rideout, co-producer) and I came up with. We were referencing a lot of the early Jeff Lorber fusion grooves as well as some of our favourite bands from the 80s like the Brothers Johnson, Chic and Pleasure.
How did the tunes come about?
Most were collaborations with Rex, though I had two tracks that were previously written (although still new) - the title track and 'Don't Hold Back'. Then of course, there's 'Rehab'. That was a last minute addition.
Some people might be surprised that you chose to work on the Amy Winehouse tune. What made you go for it?
I thought it would be fun because it's got a cool rhythmic feel and the melody translates well for piano. Though, I have to say I wasn't too sure at first that it was a good idea. But people have been really enthusiastic when we play it live - so now I'm a little more confident.
The song's quite transformed. In some ways it harks back to the way Ramsey Lewis treated material like 'Hang On Sloopy' and 'Hard Day's Night' in the 60s. Would you agree? If so, was this a conscious thing or did the groove just evolve?
YES… Ramsey Lewis … I'd VERY much agree with that…however it wasn't intentional. It just kind of happened
The track's been featured on a new UK compilation from Jazz FM - a re-launched radio station that's trying to keep the smooth jazz flag flying… though some critics say its output is too bland. How would you answer people who say that smooth jazz is little better than elevator music?
Those people are right … well, sometimes anyway. However, I'm always trying to push the envelope. I like to think of what I do as contemporary jazz; trying to keep the spirit alive of some of the more adventurous musicians - like those folks I mentioned earlier.
Finally what would you say has been your greatest musical achievement and what ambitions have you left?
Probably sounds a little conceited, but achievement-wise I think I've written some pretty cool songs and for the future - well, I'm just starting to play more internationally and I really enjoy that. The crowds in Europe and Asia are younger and more hip than in the USA… in some ways anyway.
JEFF LORBER'S 'HEARD THAT' is released on Peak, Concord on 17 November 2008


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E-Commerce Products: How to Find a Product to Sell – Part 1
Starting a business of your own feels great for sure. But it is also stressful to crunch numbers and worry about your sales, marketing, market conditions or customer's LTV. And at the bottom of both this joy and stress, lies the product. Finding the right product(s) which would sell can be the key to success and growth for your company. So if I can show you a few criteria, this decision process can accelerate.
Will you manufacture it or resell?
If you are thinking of creating a new type of product you need to think if it is costly or not. Who will be your suppliers for your materials in production? How much is the unit cost of a product, where will you get it from, what is the cost of shipment to receive those materials, how many employees will you need… These questions also apply at some point if you are thinking of selling an already existing product which you acquire from Alibaba or another manufacturer for example. You should consider the size, weight or the ingredients of your product, too. Since all of these products might affect your shipment and might be regulated by law for cross-country shipping.
Scalability & Market
Scalability is a very important thing to have a growing business. Your production may be hard and time-consuming so it might affect its scalability. If you are producing a basic product, you might want to think if it is applicable to different areas. Because the type of market you will be selling can turn out to be a very niche market and this might be a problem in terms of your profits. The market you attempt to get in is very important in terms of demand and competition. If you have a lot of competition in the market it might be hard for you to acquire your own position in the market with a big percentage. The demand also needs to be high or at least not low. By knowing these you can learn which amount of products will be necessary to start and estimate easier with a cost analysis. Because in terms of profit, you need to continue to sell a product which will always be demanded or needed.
Who will buy it? And Why?
Your target customers are another important issue. You need to know them to create a better service and product. Know their demographics; know where or how your product will be needed by your potential customers. This sort of knowledge will not only help you decide on a product but also will help you to create a better service and marketing campaign to engage with them. Another aspect you should think about is if the product is available elsewhere like the local markets. Because if people can just buy that product from their next-door supermarket; then you need to specialize in your product. Also, why will these people buy your product? Is it a need or is it want for them? You can follow a different direction considering this difference.
Which Price to Sell?
You need to learn about the competitors and their prices before setting a price. Make sure to analyze the costs, shipment, and all the sources that you will put into your production to deliver the product into your customers' hand. Then you can think of a price for your product. If there are competitors in the market it would be very easy for you to decide on the prices by tracking their prices online. You can use Prisync in order to do that and make profitable price decisions. If you think of a subscription-based sales such as magazines or monthly razors for men or tampon for women you can set a different price to gain some position in the market. Also, think of your product in terms of its use value. Is it disposable or consumable or durable? Because if the good has an expiration date you can use this in your advantage to decrease the prices for a sell-out. If the goods are durable goods like furniture your price expectations can be higher.
How to Sell and When to Sell?
If your product is food it has less durability and is under the category of perishable goods. Your delivery service needs to be very fast and the orders should maintain a good level so that you don't lose any money over it. In certain goods, there is a seasonality factor. The product doesn't need to be food also. If you are selling bikinis, sun creams or winter coats you are also suffering from seasonal sales. This does not have to be a bad thing of course but it needs to be handled well. You will need to change your employee, production or service accordingly. If you have 100 delivery guys for summer delivering sun creams you might need to drop the number of delivery guys to 5-10 in winter. Besides seasonality, you might have other externalities that can hurt your business. If you produce smartphone cases your business will be vulnerable to new models which have different sizes and buttons. If you are starting a subsidiary product business your business will be affected by many changes and you might end up with lots of turnovers.


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I live in Nashville, which is in the middle of a boom. People are moving here in droves, cranes dot the skyline, and we currently bear the moniker of "It City." In the trendy, extremely gentrified neighborhood called 12 South, among the hip restaurants, bars, and coffee shops, is a building some might consider out of place: the Islamic Center of Nashville.
This is where I met up with this week's guest. I walked in the front door and took my shoes off, like everyone else, to the sound of prayers being chanted (in Arabic, of course), and a handful of men at the front of the carpeted main room standing with heads bowed. There was no way I was going to go unnoticed here. I sat down on a chair in the small lobby to wait for Rashed Fakhruddin, President of the Islamic Center. But before he came and ushered me into the office just off the lobby, a number of men invited me inside to where the prayer was happening. "It's OK, please come in!"
Rashed, a mild-mannered brown-skinned man with an easy smile, arrived and we settled in for what I hope for you is an enlightening and interesting conversation on Islam, being a Muslim in America, and common misconceptions many non-Muslims have. Meet Rashed Fakhruddin.
If the end of the interview sounds a little abrupt, it's because Rashed heard another call to prayer in the main room of the mosque and had to rush in to participate. I'm not sure whether that was because he is president, or just that as a faithful Muslim he is very committed to showing up for prayer five times a day. Whatever the case, I'm sure our paths will cross again, and I'll likely have more questions for him. Do you have questions about Islam? Comments? Have we sent you running the other direction? Let us know by leaving a comment on this page.
And while you're here, please consider becoming a patron so we can continue the work of fostering cultural curiosity.
Thanks for listening!


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Contact today Best Digital Marketing Company in Lucknow for schedule a free consultation to discuss how our Digital Marketing services can benefit your online marketing needs.


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How to Grow Potatoes/
Potatoes are a spring garden favorite. Learn the tips and tricks that will help you successfully grow potatoes. From knowing when to plant potatoes to understanding how to care for them, with a little know-how, you can anticipate a bumper crop of beloved tubers. Plus, shop our selection of organic and heirloom seed potatoes!Read More


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Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Illustration Friday: Wired
These happy little frogs seem to be just a tad bit wired from an overload of candy and sweets! Uh oh...
12 comments:
- Michelle Lana said...
Great work theresa!
- March 15, 2007 11:46 AM
- scribblesk said...
Jolly good fun! Genuine charmers!
- March 15, 2007 11:29 PM
- Pickledog said...
Super fun wired frogs! They are out of control..
My wife and I splurged on a jumbo box of (24) pudding pops this week. Now we kind of resemble these frogs. Haha..
The Pickle Book is awesome! Does it have any Pickledogs?
- March 15, 2007 11:49 PM
- aeneadellaluna said...
As always! Surprising and funny concept for all your illustration! Beautifully made and full of colours..also cute and lovely :) the best :)
- March 16, 2007 8:12 AM
- dinesh said...
beautifully supercute...
i'm a big fan of Tomie de Paola myself, sad thing is i havent seen much of his illustration work, but was thrilled to pick up his biography in a book sale recently..!!
instantly connected to his work and spiritual heart n creative childlike vision...!
thanx for the beautiful post, and hope to see more of your visual ideas online
- March 17, 2007 7:55 AM
- ernie said...
Thanks for the visit to my blog. That pickle book look cool. Someone I once worked with told me she liked to eat pickle and peanut butter sandwiches when she was in college. I have never been brave enough to try one.
- March 18, 2007 5:49 PM
- Chickengirl said...
Very cute froggies!
- March 20, 2007 11:56 AM
- Chickengirl said...
Very cute froggies!
- March 20, 2007 11:56 AM
- Alina Chau said...
these are too cute!! PRETTY!
- March 20, 2007 8:53 PM
- Alex Senna said...
i love all your work. really good!
- April 05, 2007 12:21 PM
- Emila Yusof said...
Great illustration! The frogs are so cute!
- April 07, 2007 7:04 AM
- Michelle Lana said...
Great take on GREEN, Theresa! Very cute! Thanks for stopping by! take care.
- April 10, 2007 1:38 PM


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Jesus In The Manger (Nativity)
Click HERE to read the Script, look at the Score and listen to the Songs
Jesus In The Manger (Nativity)
by Dave Corbett
Pricing & Order Info.
Ideal Cast Size 45
Speaking Roles 29
Minimum Possible Cast Size 26
Duration (minutes)<30
Why choose this Musical?
Any number of chorus parts
Flexible Cast size to suit YOUR group numbers, from 26 actors upwards. See "Casting" tab below.
Simple, easy to sing songs
Wide distribution of lines between characters
Very easy to stage and teach
CDs of Vocal and Backing Tracks available
Easy Play Piano Score (Grade 4 Standard) available
Age range - Key Stage 1 Production (5-7 years)
NEW! Instant Scenery with our digital backdrops
A different backdrop for EVERY scene change
Supplied in both a PowerPoint presentation and as individual JPG files.
No more Scenery Painting!
Jesus In The Manger (Nativity)
"Simple and easy to use with catchy songs that the children enjoyed singing and acting to. "Susan Kelly, Assistant Head, St Mary's C of E Primary School


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The Republican Party stands on the edge of a precipice, a Grand Old Party unsure of its identity and its future.
The immediate instigator of the party's crisis is Donald Trump, whose strong performance on Super Tuesday sets him on a firm path toward the Republican presidential nomination. Hillary Clinton's equally strong performance on the Democratic side all but locks in her own nomination.
But while Mrs. Clinton's victories on Tuesday mean that the Democratic establishment is likely to get its choice of nominee, for Republican leaders, the Trump juggernaut effectively represents a hostile takeover of their party. And it's voters – many of them longtime Republicans, others new to politics – who are spurring the change, as they hear Mr. Trump's message and jump aboard.
"The modern GOP is literally changing before our eyes, whether or not we choose to see it," says Republican strategist Ford O'Connell.
The party's conservative message on social issues, particularly its hostility to same-sex marriage, is falling out of favor, he notes. Views on health care are all over the map. And neoconservative foreign policy – the idea of the US as the world's "policeman" – faces growing public resistance.
"Trump knows this and is leveraging it to his advantage," Mr. O'Connell says.
Trump also routinely slams free trade agreements and praises Planned Parenthood – both views that are anathema to Republican orthodoxy.
But it is Trump's biggest applause lines – starting with his call for mass deportations of illegal immigrants – and other incendiary rhetoric that threaten the party most. Republican leaders have spent years trying to craft an image of a GOP that is more welcoming to racial, ethnic, and religious minorities and of diversity in general. Trump is undoing that effort in a televised road show that many see tinged with nativism and intolerance.
A Republican Party with Trump as the nominee will be "the party of left-out white people," says John Pitney Jr., a political scientist at Claremont McKenna College in Claremont, Calif.
That's not to say that "economically challenged" white people don't deserve attention, he notes, adding that the 2016 campaign has legitimately raised their concerns.
"But that's not how you build a majority party," says Professor Pitney, a former GOP staffer. "You don't alienate large segments of the electorate, such as Hispanics and African Americans, and expect that the party will be successful in the years ahead."
An uneasy establishment
It is that image of intolerance that led House Speaker Paul Ryan to speak out Tuesday, not mentioning Trump by name but referencing his latest controversy. In a television interview over the weekend, Trump had appeared unwilling to disavow support from white supremacists, claiming he didn't know anything about the groups or their leaders, then saying he didn't hear the question clearly.
"This party does not prey on people's prejudices," Speaker Ryan told reporters. "We appeal to their highest ideals. This is the party of Lincoln."
Notably, Ryan ended his comments by saying he would support the GOP's nominee, as have most Republican elected officials. But the façade of party unity has some dings. Freshman Sen. Ben Sasse (R) of Nebraska issued a statement on Facebook Sunday asserting that he would never vote for Trump. And if Trump wins the nomination, Senator Sasse says he will look for "some third candidate – a conservative option, a Constitutionalist."
On Tuesday, retiring Rep. Scott Rigell (R) of Virginia also issued an open letter rejecting Trump as the potential nominee, slamming "his judgment, temperament, and character, all of which point to a reckless, embarrassing, and ultimately dangerous presidency."
But on Capitol Hill, no one joined Sasse's call for a third-party option. And in interviews Tuesday, Republican members avoided passing judgment on Trump.
"We have a nomination process that's ongoing and that process has to play out," said Sen. Kelly Ayotte (R) of New Hampshire. "My plans are to support the Republican nominee, but there's obviously a lot of votes happening today and will continue to happen."
Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell (R) of Kentucky has reportedly told fellow senators that if Trump is the nominee, they are free to break with Trump openly. Senator Ayotte, locked in a tough reelection fight, is exactly the kind of endangered Republican who may need to take up that option, as the GOP fights to maintain control of the Senate. But for now, most leading party members are lying low and hoping that somehow Trump can be thwarted.
To date, one senator, Jeff Sessions (R) of Alabama, has endorsed Trump, as have a handful of Republican House members.
Marco Rubio has secured more endorsements from "establishment" Republicans than any other candidate, but that has won him precious little in primaries and caucuses. On Tuesday, Senator Rubio of Florida scored his first victory of the cycle, winning the Minnesota caucuses. And he is certain to stay in the race as he aims to win the Florida primary March 15. Ditto Ohio Gov. John Kasich, who has yet to win a contest, but is polling well in the Ohio primary, also on March 15.
Trump won seven out of 11 contests Tuesday, and Sen. Ted Cruz (R) of Texas won three, including his home state.
Trump gains momentum
Senator Cruz's victories position him to become Trump's main opponent going forward, but even that presents a challenge to mainstream Republican leaders. Cruz is a loyal conservative, but his hard-line, no-compromise style has alienated most of his Republican colleagues in the Senate, where he has won no endorsements. In a nomination race between Trump and Cruz, some Republican activists prefer Trump, seeing him as somewhat more electable in November than Cruz.
In any case, it will be hard for Cruz to knock Trump off his path to the nomination. Some Republicans say that, given the still-large field of five candidates, including Ben Carson, the GOP establishment's best hope is for no candidate to reach the Republican National Convention with the majority of delegates required to secure the nomination. In that event, party leaders would hope to win over enough delegates for a candidate they view as more electable against Clinton, likely Rubio.
But for now, Trump has the momentum, and if he's the nominee, Republicans face ominous signs that he could have a hard time getting the turnout he needs to win. In the exit polls from Super Tuesday contests, among voters who did not support Trump, three-fourths said they would not be satisfied with him as the nominee. That raises the question of whether such voters would even turn out, or if they did, vote for the Democrat.


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Engine what?
Nginx (engine-x) is a web server and reverse proxy for web and mail protocols (HTTP, HTTPS, SMTP, POP3 and IMAP). It has been first released in 2004, and its usage keeps growing ever since (according to Netcraft, it was hosting 14.47% of active sites in August 2014).
It's capable of hosting many kinds of applications:
- static HTML pages
- PHP, using PHP-FPM
- Ruby on Rails and any kind of Rack-based Ruby application, using Phusion Passenger
- proxying requests to another webserver (e.g. a software launching its own web server, like Kodi)
Set up the bases
The architecture described in this post is pretty simple:
- a default virtual host (vhost) for the top-level domain name, also catching requests to unknown sub-domains
- different applications hosted on sub-domains
- some of the vhosts will be HTTPS-only, some will offer it without being mandatory
- enabling or disabling a vhost must be easy
Installing nginx
Nginx uses static modules, enabled or disabled at compile-time. It's important to decide what you need before installing nginx. The only non-default module used in this post is Passenger, needed to host Rack-based applications. Everything else will work without it.
Nginx works on any decent *nix. It's probably available in your OS repositories. If it's not, please refer to the official installation guide. On Archlinux, a package is available on AUR including the Passenger module:
yaourt -S nginx-passenger
Once nginx is installed, we need to configure a basic configuration. I'll refer to the configuration root directory as
$CONFDIR. It's usually
Note that nginx needs to be restarted to reflect any configuration change.
Directory structure
To ease the configuration, we'll split it across three folders:
$CONFDIRwill contain all the general files (PHP configuration, main nginx configuration file…)
$CONFDIR/sslwill contain the SSL certificates
$CONFDIR/vhostswill contain our vhosts definitions
Main configuration file
Here's the basic configuration file we'll start with:
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This file sets up an nginx instance with some decent settings (enable gzip, use
index.html or
index.htm as default index pages…), and defines our default vhost. It answers to every request targeting the hostname enoent.fr. It will serve static pages found in
SSL support
As mentioned earlier, we'll have two SSL behaviours depending on the vhost:
- SSL is offered, but not mandatory (vhost answers to both HTTP and HTTPS)
- SSL is offered, and mandatory (vhost answers on HTTPS, and redirect to HTTPS when it receives a request on HTTP)
We will need two files to define these two behaviours. One of them will have to be included in every vhost, depending on the SSL politic we want for this specific vhost.
Shared configuration
Here we go for the first configuration file:
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You can obviously adapt this file to your specific needs. It defines:
- the SSL key used (
- a default max-age header
- a list of accepted SSL ciphers
- session, cache and keepalive durations
The other file will define the exact same settings, adding just one directive: the SSL is mandatory. Instead of copy and paste all of this, here's what we can do:
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Enabling SSL for a vhost
To enable SSL on a vhost, we'll need to make three or four modifications to the vhost definition, depending on the SSL policy.
Non-mandatory SSL
If the SSL is not mandatory, we'll need to:
- enable listening on port 443 in addition to the default 80
- choose the certificate we want to use
- include the SSL policy file
Here's how it translates, for our first vhost defined earlier:
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Mandatory SSL
It the SSL is mandatory, we'll need to:
- enable listening on port 443 instead of the default 80
- choose the certificate we want to use
- include the SSL policy file
- redirect HTTP requests to HTTPS
And here's the result for our first vhost:
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The first
server block is here to do the redirection, as our inital server only listens on port 443.
Virtual hosts
As we saw in the SSL part, we can define as many
server blocks as we want. Each of them is able to respond to requests targeting different hostnames or ports. We also saw earlier the
include directive, allowing us to include a file in another.
With this in mind, it's pretty simple to set up a vhost pool from which we can enable or disable some of them easily. Simply put a file per vhost in a directory, and include it to enable the corresponding vhost, or remove the include to disable it.
Here are some templates for different virtual hosts, each one containing only the minimum (no SSL-specific settings, for example).
Static HTML
We already saw earlier how to define a virtual host when we set up our main
nginx.conf file:
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The only interesting directive here is the
root one. It will map the root of the web server to this local folder. A request for
http://enoent.fr/my_awesome_page.html will return the content of
Reverse proxy
A reverse proxy may be useful when you have a web server already running, and want to expose it somewhere else. Let's say we have a NAS on our local network, its web ui being accessible on
http://nas.local:8080, and we want to expose it on
http://nas.enoent.fr, on the default HTTP port:
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location / block here defines a behaviour for all requests matching
nas.enonet.fr/*. In our case, that's all of them, as we only have one
location block.
Inside of it, we have some settings for our reverse proxy (maximum headers size), and the really interesting part: the
proxy_pass entry, which defines where are redirected the incoming requests.
To allow PHP applications to work, we'll need a PHP interpreter. More specifically, we'll use PHP-FPM. PHP-FPM is a FastCGI PHP processor. It's a daemon listening on a socket, waiting for PHP scripts, and returning the PHP output. The configuration of PHP-FPM is out of this article scope, but we'll need to have it running, and note where it can be acceded (a local Unix socket, or a TCP socket, either remote or local).
We need to define a behaviour for PHP files, telling nginx how to process them:
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This file specifies how files with a
.php extension will be processed. Nginx will split the arguments and filename, and pass them to the PHP-FPM socket, which here is listening on the Unix socket at
/run/php-fpm/php-fpm.sock. For a TCP socket, the line 3 would need to be changed to something like this:
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Next, to define a vhost hosting some PHP scripts, we simply need to include this file:
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Rack-based applications need Passenger to work. Passenger is pretty similar to PHP-FPM, but its configuration with nginx is easier. Note that it needs to be built in nginx.
To enable it, we need to tweak our
http block in
$CONFDIR/nginx.conf to specify our Passenger root directory and path to the
ruby executable:
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Once this is done, to set up a Rack vhost, we just need to enable Passenger on it, and define which environment we want to use for Rails applications:
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Note that the directory set as
root must match the
public directory of your Rack application.
Using all of these templates
Once we have written our vhosts definition files in
$CONFDIR/vhosts, enabling or disabling one is really easy. We just need to include the corresponding file in the
http block of our
$CONFDIR/nginx.conf file:
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Obviously, if we don't include any Rack vhost, we don't need the lines 20 and 21 as they are Passenger-specific.
We can name our vhosts files whatever we like, and create as many as we need. Having the general configuration split in reusable files allows an easy maintenance. When deploying a new PHP application, we just need to include
php.conf, and not think "where is my PHP-FPM listening again?". It just works.


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Honoring America's Fallen Soldiers in Normandy
by Roy Stevenson
The view from the top of the high, soft, sand dunes next to the American Military Cemetery at Colleville, Normandy, is great today. It's a bright clear blue sky and I can see for miles. French fishing trawlers churn through the choppy, deep blue water, miles out to sea, leaving wide foaming wakes behind them. Gazing down across the long, deserted flat white expanse of Omaha Beach, I can see where the olive uniformed American soldiers debarked their landing craft, to shelter behind steel tetrahedrons, or sprint up the beach on D-Day, June 6, 1944.
Descending the sand dunes, I walk the long 500 meters down the gently sloping beach to the water's edge. It's dead low tide. I turn around, looking back up towards the dunes. I'm amazed at how far away they are. They would seem like they were miles away, especially to a young soldier armed to the teeth and heavily weighed down with equipment.
It must have been terrifying trying to sprint up the beach into the teeth of a hailstorm of machine gun, rifle, and mortar fire. Of the soldiers in the first few D-Day landing craft, 90% didn't even make it up the beach. In my mind's eye I fleetingly see chaos, patches of red blood-drenched sand, and a flickering image of a young soldier in a soaked green uniform. "I must have seen "Saving Private Ryan" once too many times", I think self-consciously.
Deep in thought, I trudge back up the steep, uneven sand dunes to the American Military Cemetery and walk along row upon row of perfectly aligned white crosses, on the vast 172-acre, smooth, emerald green-grassed plateau. The 9,387 crosses are a stupefying sight. They radiate outwards in perfectly straight lines no matter what angle they are viewed from.
Most have the Latin cross inscribed on them, with an occasional Star of David. The writing engraved on the crosses tells heartrending stories. I read the names, ages, unit, state, and the date these young men were killed on. They come from 49 States of the Union, the District of Columbia and Guam. A 19-year old from Ohio, a 21-year old from Oklahoma; both died within a few days of the landings. They never got to live full and productive lives, get married, or have families.
I see crosses with Pennsylvania, Michigan, New York, and Washington marked on them. Paratroopers from the 81nd and 101st Airborne Divisions; infantrymen from other American divisions. Most young, no older than the students I have taught for the past 17 years. I am numbed—don't know if I can hold back the tears.
I keep thinking there must be something I can do to honor them. Finally I mutter a brief prayer and say "thank you" to them—that's the best I can do. I'm sorry they died not knowing their ultimate sacrifice to free enslaved Europe from the Nazi shadow would be successful. Searching for some consolation, I hope these soldiers would be pleased to know that so many people visit this place to remember them and their sacrifice. Maybe they might have thought it was worth it.
People around me walk slowly around dazed, as if in a trance. We avoid eye contact. Most people have moist eyes, and it's not from the gentle wind blowing across the bluff. The intensity of the emotions this cemetery stirs up is stunning. There's no noise except for the breeze in the Laurel, Cypress and Holly Oak trees lining the sides of the cemetery, adding a feeling of serenity to this emotionally overpowering place.
The Chapel is constructed from a beautiful white limestone. "I Give Unto Them Eternal Life and They Shall Never Perish" is written across the front of the black and gold antique altar. Walking towards the exit I stop in front of the 22-foot tall bronze statue, titled "The Spirit of American Youth Rising from the Waves". Even though I have never done any military service in New Zealand or my new adopted country, the United States of America, I salute the statue, and leave.
Roy Stevenson is a freelance travel writer and photographer based in Seattle, Washington. With more than 700 articles published in 160 regional, national, and international magazines, newspapers, in-flights and online travel magazines, Roy is one of the most prolific travel writers in the U.S.A. His work has appeared in the U.S.A., Canada, England, Scotland, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. He writes on travel and culture, history, art, military history, military vehicles, writing, communications, health, fitness, running, triathlons, sports and film festival reviews. He writes the monthly destination travel column for 48 Degrees North yachting magazine. To view more of Roy Stevenson's travel articles go to www.Roy-Stevenson.com
photos via the author and istockphoto.com


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Bond With the Inner Beloved: Cacao, Tantra and Kirtan
Dive into the Great Heart this Valentines Weekend and discover the sacred bond with the Inner Beloved.
Through Kashmiri Shaivist Tantric Sadhana and Sufi inspired heart meditation, we will make love to the Mystery in this exquisite Puja ritual of ecstatic worship of the Divine in ourselves and each other.
Explore your own Consciousness, Breath, Senses and Heart as direct gateways to sublime union with the Great Heart of Reality, where immersion into direct experience opens into a tangible experience of Non-dual Bliss.
Combining the medicine of Cacao with the nectar of Tantric awareness techniques, we will plunge into the sublime reality at center of all opposites, where the Inner Beloved arises as inseparable from your own innate consciousness.
Following the ritual we will be ravished by ecstatic Kirtan by Jens Jarvie and the Heart Wide Open band.
Sing your Heart out, Dance and Cuddle with heart drenched community in luscious devotion to True Love .
*All practices are clothes on, non-explicit, and known to induce supreme states of ecstatic awareness*
Music with Jens of The Heart Wide Open: http://jensjarvieandtheheartwideopen.bandcamp.com/releases
Contribution: $20-$35 at the door
IMPORTANT Please arrive between 6:30 and 7 if you would like to participate in the Tantric Puja Ritual. If you would like to come ONLY for the Kirtan, please wait to arrive until after 9:00.
Puja begins at 7:00
Kirtan begins at 9:00


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Silvan Joray, guitar
Tymon Trąbczyński, double bass
Max Olszewski, drums
Take three young jazz musicians, heaps of concentrated musicality, boundless passion and a pinch of humour; all which contribute to make the melodic jazz of the Silvan Joray Trio. On one side, there is a well-balanced band that harmonizes wonderfully with one another, and on the other, the catchy and imaginative compositions of the bandleader. The Trio entices the listener with verve and vitality, transporting them on a musical journey filled with moments of playful interaction, dreamy melodies and quick-flying rhythms. "The extraordinarily talented guitarist Silvan Joray has thoroughly absorbed the tradition and develops his own way of playing jazz out of it. He never stops to thrill me with his deep understanding of improvisation. His solos are very mellow and casual and he is telling stories that one wants to follow. His trio is a well-rehearsed sounding body that lives from consistent interaction and collective joy about creation. Recommended listening!"


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Low Impact Development
aka Green Stormwater Infrastructure
Low Impact Development (LID) is a stormwater management strategy that emphasizes conservation and use of existing natural site features integrated with distributed, small-scale stormwater controls. These implementations more closely mimic natural hydrologic patterns in residential, commercial and industrial settings. LID practices can be valuable tools to reduce the adverse effects of stormwater runoff on streams, lakes, wetlands, and Puget Sound.
On this page, you can explore the following resources:
Resources for landscape professionals
LID Fact Sheets
Permeable Pavers: Informational Videos


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We would like to thank all schools who attended the recent Dodgeball tournament for a fun, enjoyable and competitive competition. Our St John's team were prepared and certainly ready for action!
The tournament involved five local Primary Schools comprising of St John's, Cheslyn Hay, Havergal and Featherstone who all competed against each other playing four games each.
The results were then collated and St John's were successful in winning all of their games, resulting in them winning the competition.


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Adjustable tone and intensity. Power...
Leave your number, our team will contact you back shortly
Tecrostar was born hardly 4 years ago and since them it has changed a lot to adapt to the market needs.
Changes have been done to get a more modular and adaptable product and increase the quality of the products in terms of design, materials and safety.
Somes product names have been modified to be more descriptive and intuitive, besides prices have been decreased an average of 4%.


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Legislation Involvement
Senate bill 2078: An Act promoting Restorative justice practices
The idea for restorative justice legislation in Massachusetts came when Howard Zehr, the major proponent of restorative justice in the United States, held a public forum at the First Parish Church in Concord, MA. The event is well attended and Sen. Eldridge (D-Acton) offered public comments at a reception afterwards indicating his interest in submitting an "enabling" bill to expand restorative justice in the Commonwealth. He did exactly that in 2011. Between 2013 and the present several versions of the bill have been introduced. Each year the interest increases. A group of supporters, the Massachusetts Restorative Justice Coalition (MARJC) began to track the work of the bill and to help build capacity for support. Our RJ has participated in MARJC from 2014 to the present. Together with other MARJC participants, Our RJ has worked on improving the content of the bill, has repeatedly testified before both house and senate committees at public hearings and has assured that the voices of underrepresented communities of color who support restorative justice are heard as further modifications to the bill are considered.
Massachusetts Restorative Justice Coalition (MARJC)
Select Timeline of Restorative Justice legislation in MA
Spring 2009
January 2011
January-Summer 2013
July 2013
Winter 2014
March 2014
April 7, 2014
July 2014
December 2014
Spring-Summer 2015
September 16,2015
Howard Zehr holds a public forum at First Parish Concord on restorative justice. Event is well attended and Sen. Eldridge (D-Acton) offers public comments at the reception afterwards indicating his interest in submitting an "enabling" bill to expand restorative justice in the Commonwealth.
Sen. Eldridge introduces Senate Bill 41: An Act promoting restorative justice practices, a fairly stripped-down version. Not a lot of momentum but a good occasion to introduce the concept to some significant players including folks at the Attorney General's office. Children Families and Persons with Disabilities report favorably to Senate Ways and Means where no further action is taken.
Sen. Eldridge reintroduces the bill, now Senate Bill 52, with some significant expansions of definitions and provisions in both juvenile and adult criminal code. Exclusions are for DV and sexual violence. By this time, a larger coalition of interest had developed – the Massachusetts Restorative Justice Coalition (MARJC). A monthly conference call of those interested in RJ Legislation takes shape.
Hearing with the Committee on Children Families and Persons with Disabilities takes place on Senate Bill 52. Great showing of folks. Written testimony also offered by Judge Jay Blitzman (Lowell Juv. Court), Rev. Mark Seifried (UCC), and ROCA, among others. Large group of police support also present. Middlesex DA Marian Ryan, and the Major City Chiefs, among others, write letters of support. Committee is overwhelmed with troubling DCF cases, among other things, and does not report the bill out as soon as hoped.
MARJC members blitz the hill with visits to key legislators to urge support of the bill.
Committee on Children Families and Persons with Disabilities reports out favorably, sends the bill to Senate Ways and Means. New number assigned: Senate Bill 2078.
A legislative briefing takes place on the hill with DA Marian Ryan, Chief Bongiorno and Hon. John Cratsley (ret.) on a panel. Standing room only! Many RJ supporters and practitioners present.
Rep. Ken Gordon (D-Lexington), and Sen. Eldridge host a pizza lunch on the hill aimed at reaching representatives…but senators' offices are also present. Again, standing room only! "Restorative Justice On the Rise ", a podcast with international audience produces two shows on RJ legislation in MA. Word comes that the bill does not pass in the current session.
Additional modifications are made to the Bill introduced again on January 15, 2015 as Senate Bill 71.
RJ community members of color come together to make recommendations for further amendments to the Bill. Internal discussions with MARJC. May 14, Legislative hearing another full house of RJ supporters give testimony. Bill reported to Ways and Means. July 8, MARJC meeting with Sen. Eldridge to discuss potential further modifications to the bill.
Hearing before the Joint Committee on the Judiciary. Packed again. Testimony given.


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Saint John's Health Center Map
Breast Surgery Post-Operative Care - Inpatient
Breast Surgery Post-Operative Care - Outpatient
Abdominal Surgery Post-Operative Care - Outpatient
Post Op Emotional Rollercoaster
Implant Displacement Exercises
Coming Soon
Dental Protocol – If I have breast implants, do I need to take antibiotics before dental cleaning?
The protocol has changed and you do not need to take antibiotics before a teeth cleaning. It is advised to get a teeth cleaning every 6 months instead of annually and needing antibiotics.
When can I shower?
In general, you can shower 3 days post-op. Most patients will have surgical tape over their incisions and can sponge bathe and pat dry all tape, then replace the surgical garment. It is important to follow your specific instructions given at the pre-op appointment.
When can I drive?
You can drive 10 days post-op if you are not taking pain medication and have been cleared at your first post-op visit.
How long do I have to wear the garment?
In general, you will wear your surgical garment for 6 weeks post operatively. For breast surgery, the surgical bra Velcros in the front so you do not have to raise your arms above your head to put it on. This type of garment will be worn for 3 weeks post op and then you can switch to any sports bra for the remaining 3 weeks. For abdominal surgeries, an abdominal binder or corset garment will be given to you to wear for the first 3 weeks post op. Usually by 3 weeks you are cleared to wear spanx in place of the garment, as long as they compress all surgical areas.
How long do I need to wear the pink bra?
3 weeks and until you go to physical therapy and get range of motion back to your shoulders. Remember, you may not have full range of motion yet with your arms so make sure the new bra you get opens in the front.
Can I wear an under wire bra?
At 6 weeks post-op.
Can I change into a different bra since the one I have is stained?
Yes, if you are less then 3 weeks post op you will have to buy a bra that velcros/ zips/ clasps in the front. If you are 3-6 weeks post-op it can be any sports bra, since it is okay to raise your arms. We do have extra pink bra's that you can buy for $70.
When can I travel/ fly?
3 weeks post-op
Should I use ice?
No ice because it will decreases blood supply to the area which is needed for healing.
Do I need to buy a medical compression bra?
No you do not. The office, hospital or surgery center supplies you with one on the day of surgery. If you would like an extra you can buy it at the office.
Do I have to sleep on my back?
Yes, for 6 weeks post-op.
I live out of state when can I go home after surgery?
You can go home after 3 weeks post-op. There will be a 1 week and 3 week appointment after surgery and you can travel after 3 weeks.
How soon can I go out to dinner after surgery or to a social function?
10 days post-op. Small 2-3 hour outings. Dinner or a movie. Not both
When can I exercise?
You are cleared for cardio at 3 weeks post-op.
Will Dr. Grunwald come to Serenity the day after surgery to see me?
Yes, Dr. Grunwald will see you at Serenity during your stay at Serenity.
When can I swim?
8 weeks post-op however if you have any open wounds then you need to stay out of a pool, jaccuzi, hot tub or the ocean as those pools of water can contain high levels of bacteria and we don't want you to get an infection.
Can I go to a work meeting if I'll be sitting for about one hour?
You need 10 days of calm, quiet and no activity. After 10 days you can start back to work but will want to schedule a lighter load then usual because you will feel tired at the end of the day.
Q&A's on BIA-ALCL
Because of her national reputation, Dr. Grunwald frequently treats patients from across the United States. While some patients come to Dr. Grunwald never having had plastic surgery, others seek her opinion following sub-optimal procedures performed in their own hometowns.
Dr. Grunwald's goal is to make each patient's visit comfortable, supportive, informative and stress-free. To ensure your convenience and comfort, Dr. Grunwald and her staff will coordinate all the details of your time with us from your initial consultation through your recovery.
Dr. Grunwald's office is conveniently located within 20 minutes of Los Angeles International Airport. Her staff will arrange an array of travel services for you, including limousine transportation and hotel accommodations. Please call the office and ask for Sheila, who will personally guide you through various options and assist you in making individual arrangements that best suit your needs.
After major breast or abdominal surgery, you may need physical therapy to restore your range of motion. If you have pre-existing limitations, make sure to tell Dr. Grunwald during your consultation, as she may recommend you see a physical therapist before your surgery in order to optimize the targeted area.
Dr. Grunwald works with a network of high-quality physical therapists throughout the greater Los Angeles area, and recommends you begin your search with the links below. Dr. Grunwald is happy to speak with your personal physical therapist or help you find one that is best suited for your needs and location.
Women's Physical Therapy in Santa Monica
Women's Physical Therapy in Beverly Hills
TAG Physical Therapy in El Segundo
Ho Physical Therapy in Beverly Hills
Progressive Physical Therapy in Granada Hills, Palmdale, Santa Clarita, and Tarzana
Sain John's Health Center Performance Therapy
Saint John's Health Center, Santa Monica
2121 Santa Monica Blvd
Santa Monica, Ca 90404
Cedars Sinai Medical Center, Beverly Hills
8700 Beverly Blvd,
West Hollywood, CA 90048
20th Street Surgery Center, Santa Monica
1301 20th St. #140
Santa Monica, CA 90404
K and B Surgical Center
9033 Wilshire Blvd., #210
Beverly Hills, CA 90211


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High Park Residences Floor Plans / E-Brochure available and Price PSF is attractively priced to sell, Call High Park CondominiumShowflat Hotline 61002006 to Register for your interest today. The perfect moments for a perfect lifestyle, High Park Residences @ Fernvale a 99 years private condominium development located at North-Eastern Part of Singapore district 28 – Fernvale Road a location made rare by its proximity to Seletar Mall, Greenwich V, eateries at the Jalan Kayu and amenities at Sengkang Town Centre with Thanggam LRT which connects to Sengkang MRT station just next to the development.
High Park Residences present a strong identity and frontage while preserving quiet, minimalist allure for its distinguished occupants. Beyond impressive architecture, High Park Residences @ Fernvale invites you to reveal in the 118 extensive lifestyle of facilities and elegantly combined a row of 5 bedroom Semi-Detached and Bungalow and 9 F&B units in one prominent development, with an excellent mix of Studio to 4 bedroom of apartments in this 1399 units development. Step into your extravagant residence designed to please your sense with top of the range designer fittings, from bedroom to bathroom you will appreciate the meticulous care that have taken to ensure your comfort level and elevate your pleasure.
Residents at High Park Residences can enjoy nearby recreation facilities at the Sengkang Riverside Park which attracts visitors with its fruit tree trail, located adjacent to the riverine park is Sengkang Sports and Recreation Centre with impressive sports facilities. Capture the myriad uniqueness of Punggol with its luxuriant foliage and pulsating waterfront excitement. Just a short train ride away.
Punggol has plenty to keep you busy, whether it's taking up a hiking challenge, chasing the sunset at Punggol waterfront or checking out the mangosteen pavilion at Sengkang Floating Wetland to The Marina Country Club with gallop stable offers horse-ridding lesson and even staycations. Nearby Seletar Mall with Shaw Theatre and Fairprice Finest or 3 minutes away by car to Greenwich V adds on to the convenience with various restaurants and Cold Storage. Your neighbourhood is a fascinating mix of wildlife habitats, natural wonders and shopping malls, High Park Condominium is the call for you to relax, unwind, shop and play.
If capital appreciation is on your mind when it comes to property investment, the upcoming North Coast Innovation Corridor a major commercial belt buzzing with ideas, creative design and new technologies is bound to attract your attention. Slated to become the next innovative and economic corridor. The Seletar Aerospace Park is home to leasing firms such as Rolls-Royce Group, ST Aerospace and Eurocopter Singapore's major hub for aerospace industries, making the pace of life picking up fast around the region, boosting career opportunities nearer to home, and investment value upwards at High Park Residences.
- High Park Residences @ Fernvale is price attractively to sell and stunning impressed by the different class of lifestyle it brings to residents
- High Park Residences is surrounded with amenities such as Seletar Mall, Greenwich V, Compass Point and Jalan Kayu Eateries
- Residences can enjoy a variety of sports and recreation options at Sengkang Sports and Recreation Centre, Sengkang Riverside Park, Marina Country Club, Gallop Stable, Punggol Waterfront and Punngol Promenade.
- Good Investment with upcoming North Coast Innovation Corridor, Learning Corridor, Punggol Creative Cluster and Seletar Aerospace Park
- High Park Condominium is located next to Thanggam LRT Staion and conveniently linked to the rest of Singapore via Tampines Expressway (TPE) and Central Expressway (CTE)
- With many schools located nearby, the future developments are also convenient for families with school-going children
Site Plan
High Park Residences Floor Plan
High Park Residences Location Map
Project Information
Project Name : High Park Residences
Description : Proposed a private residential development of 25 storey with 118 lifestyle facilities and a total of 1390 residential with 9 F&B units
Address : Fernvale Road
Developer : Fernvale Development Pte Ltd (Joint venture between CEL Development Pte Ltd & Unique Residences Pte Ltd)
Tenure : 99 years
District : 28
Site Area : 366,176 sqft
Unit Type
Studio : 388 – 398 sqft = 72 units
1 + Study : 441 – 474 sqft = 152 units
2 Bedroom Classic : 560 – 592 sqft = 208 units
2 Bedroom Deluxe : 635 – 678 sqft = 300 units
2 + Study : 700 – 732 sqft = 87 units
3 Bedroom Classic : 872 – 904 sqft = 188 units
3 Bedroom Deluxe : 947 – 1001 sqft = 117 units
4 Bedroom Classic : 1141 – 1151 sqft = 68 units
4 Bedroom Deluxe : 1216 – 1281 sqft = 68 units
4 Bedroom Dual Key : 1367 sqft = 23 units
5 Bedroom : 1389 – 1485 sqft = 92 units
Semi-Detached : 2164 – 2809 sqft = 10 units
Bungalow : 2379 – 2799 sqft = 4 units
F&B Shop : 320 – 361 sqft = 9 units
Total Units : 1390 Residential / 9 F&B Shop
Call High Park Residences Showflat Hotline @ 61002006 to Register your interest and Enjoy Preview Discount


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I guess that if you follow this blog, you realized how much I like Matt & Meera in Hoboken! That place is fantastic and serves an amazing food! So we went back for dinner...again...Yes, I would like to try everything on their menu!
We started off with the spiced meatballs:
They are lamb meatballs with a flavor profile similar to the meat samosa, lamb burger or lamb dosa. Don't get me wrong: the fact that there is the same flavor profile in many different dishes is not a problem: it shows the diversity in ways of serving this delicious spiced meat! The sauce, although a bit spicy was the star of the dish: thick, tasty with a hint of spice that builds up little by little in your mouth. They serve it with some naan bread (maybe not enough as I wanted to just get some sauce on the bread and it it, meatless). This was a nice twist on Italian meatballs.
The next dish was Vietnamese Spring Rolls.
These are raw spring rolls. They contained tofu, vermicelli and peppers for a bit of crunch. The sauce was raita. It was delicious and fresh!
The last dish was Singapore noodles.
This was my least favorite dish so far: not tasty enough; a bit bland.
I have to say that the more I eat at Matt & Meera, the more I like it! Even if I do not like all the dishes!
Enjoy (I surely did)!


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But first, a note:
I have not been blogging lately in an effort to really reevaluate what should be publicly written about and what shouldn't. I truly believe in writing and, to a distinct but equivalent extent, comedy as incredible tools for change. At this point in my life, I've surrendered myself to writing. When I was three years old, I wanted to be a writer; when I was ten, I wanted to be writer; ditto sixteen, eighteen, twenty-two, and so on and so forth. My whole heart belongs to writing, for better or worse.
The "worse" is that I am still (and always will be) learning. Writing — like raising a child or running a political campaign — is something that must be practiced, and I have experienced significant growing pains. Back in December, I promised myself I'd write a personal essay every weekday on this blog, indefinitely. For the past two months, I've been feeling really sad. Honestly, writing a personal essay every morning has felt like grabbing a pair of pliers, opening my mouth, and methodically pulling out my own teeth.
But I thought that I had better do it anyway because hey — I made a damn commitment. Grasping for subject matter, I made some cheap jokes at other peoples' expenses. Not only was that inappropriate, it was dishonest. Other comedians might excel at making fun of other people, but on me mean humor looks like an ill-fitting dress: even people who don't know me can tell I'm uncomfortable. Hurt can't always be undone, and for whatever extent I've caused that kind of damage, I'm sorry. But people have to be able to make mistakes in order to learn anything. I fundamentally believe that.
There are a lot of things I want to write about. I've been in Portland for two weeks, and Portland (where I was born and raised) consistently teaches me profound lessons and deepens plenty of my deepest-held understandings (or, at least, it teaches me profound lessons about plaid shirts and appropriate mustache etiquette). I am also itching to revisit my commitment to creative nonfiction, storytelling, and personal essays — distinctly not traditional journalism — in the form of (surprise!) a personal essay. But today, I have to write about being on the train. There is nothing else I could possibly write about. You will have to accept this, reader, and trust that I will get to all that needs to be said eventually.
While I was turning all this over in my head, mulling over what to post publicly on the Internet, and woefully negotiating the possibility of moving into a hole in the earth where I may never write or speak or interact with humans ever again, my sister sent me this quote, which I think applies here:
"Perhaps the greatest charity comes when we are kind to each other, when we don't judge or categorize someone else, when we simply give each other the benefit of the doubt or remain quiet. Charity is accepting someone's differences, weaknesses, and shortcomings; having patience with someone who has let us down; or resisting the impulse to become offended when someone doesn't handle something the way we might have hoped. Charity is refusing to take advantage of another's weakness and being willing to forgive someone who has hurt us. Charity is expecting the best of each other. None of us need one more person bashing or pointing out where we have failed or fallen short. Most of us are already well aware of the areas in which we are weak. What each of us does need is family, friends, employers, and brothers and sisters who support us, who have patience to teach us, who believe in use, and who believe we're trying to do the best we can, in spite of our weaknesses."
Now. The train.
The morning light is stretching out in bands across the observation car, which has largely emptied out since last night. It's 6 a.m. and we're holding in Sacramento; the people on the train are mostly asleep. But this car contains the waking exceptions and general misfits: a bouncy, pigtailed six-year-old; a gorgeously rotund man in sunglasses and a Hawaiian print shirt eating a box of doughnut holes; and my favorite (not to play favorites, but): an angry programmer in a utility jacket wearing a long silver Star of David necklace, shouting every few minutes at his computer and no one in particular, "You've gotta be kidding me!"
I like how the sun works in the morning. It's got a subtle, gentle quality about it. I think this has to do with shadows. The angle of the morning sun is not stingy with shadows. They creep up behind trees like vast carpets or spilled paint. There is nothing unique in bringing this up. Everyone knows that lightness and darkness complement each other impeccably.
I've brought a book. Not a Kindle-type of book, or an iPad version of a book, or even a (lightweight, economical) magazine like I usually bring. I've brought an actual book. When I held it in my hands at Powell's the other day, I realized how long it had been since I had carried around an actual book. Books take up too much space when you are traveling. You have to sacrifice them for comfort and convenience.
The book is Care of the Soul by archetypal psychologist Thomas Moore. Moore loves Jung. He loves mythology. Mostly, he loves "the soul," which he is careful never to define or dogmatize — though the book is decidedly nonsecular. All of this makes me uncomfortable. I like hard science. If something can't be explained via mathematical proof, then it must necessarily be fantasy. Never mind that fourth graders are objectively better at math than I am. When I say the word "proof," I mean that I want someone in a lab coat and spectacles to tell me that "this is scientifically absolute. This fact gets my academic stamp of approval." I couldn't necessarily explain to you how this is any different than what other people call religion. It isn't different. It's the same. And still, I bristle at the word "soul."
But last Monday, I couldn't get out of bed. I lay on top of the covers, sobbing like someone had forced my eyes open through the whole ending of The Notebook. I knew this wasn't a good look for me, but I felt stuck there. I felt like there was lead in the pit of my stomach preventing me from leaving my bed. I felt like the ghosts of everyone I'd ever loved and lost were lurking around my bedroom, stabbing my chest and throat with comically long invisible knives. I actually envisioned that at one point, and then I berated myself for believing that the imaginary ghosts of all my (still living) past loves had nothing better to do than stab me. I was drowning, selfishly, in bitter and self-depricating despair. Melodrama ensued.
Getting sad like that is not unusual for me. The trouble was that feeling debilitatingly sad had grown so unremarkable that it had become a sort of default mode. People call this "depression." I didn't want to call it that because "depression" implies ailment, and I did not want to be sick. I wanted to be better. After all, I kept hearing that anyone could achieve happiness; that being sad was a choice; and that being happy was everyone's primary life goal. I was not depressed. I was stuck. I simply had to get unstuck.
On Thursday, still feeling (annoyingly) debilitatingly sad, I took some friends visiting from out of town to Powell's City of Books (because, obviously). I gravitated to the psychology section, which, granted, isn't where I typically go. I like the poetry sections and the graphic novel sections best; apparently, I dislike commitment when it comes to literature. Care of the Soul was on a shelf underneath the massive collection of Jungian interpretations. I remembered someone I admired reading a Thomas Moore book once, and I opened it up to a random page. It said, "It's remarkable how often people think they will be better off without the things that bother them." I closed the book, and bought it.
There are enormous stretches of any train ride in America that are impossibly beautiful. Really: you watch the trees upon trees, choking each other along these white-capped green-blue streams in golden light and you think, "There is no way this is real." But also, you see the hundreds of miles where forest fires have decimated the woods; and dilapidated houses with muted plastic lawn furniture crackling and mangled in unkempt back yards.
Inside the train, too, there are all kinds of people. There are nuclear families in matching I Love Jesus shirts happily playing Uno in the lounge car, sure; but also, people who have lost limbs or eyes; people who are running somewhere; people who are running from something.
The experience of being on a train is like being immersed in Walt Whitman's America. There's space for everything and everyone: the marvelous and the hideous; the world that inspires you and the world that strikes you as broken. I feel more at home on a train than anywhere else in the world. I used to think that was because the train gave me the opportunity to really be alone — to bask in my inner introvert for a while while I watched shore birds reacting to freight noises. Now I understand that in fact I love the train because it embraces all the light and all the shadows at once. It doesn't try to push away what is ugly or morose; the train embraces every part of life, and holds everything in its enormous train arms, and to me, that is beautiful.
But it is not only beautiful: it is personally familiar. After all, isn't that what I notice in myself? The dark and the light, pushing against each other, rocking me through my many moods?
I am sitting on the train, reading this book that found its way into my hands somehow, and I come across this passage: "Our work in psychology would change remarkably if we thought about it as ongoing care rather than as the quest for a cure. We might take the time to watch and listen as gradually it reveals the deeper mysteries lying within daily turmoil." It's as if someone has lifted the lead from my stomach and given me permission to just be sad with care, compassion, and presence. It's as if someone has showed me that the light inside my own person swells brighter when it gets stirred up with my shadows. It's as if someone has said, "Just be the train you want to see in the world."