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by Tim Chartier and Erich Kreutzer, Davidson College
An important component of software's success is an inviting and intuitive interface. Graphics and animation often engage a user. However, such features can be the most time-consuming and difficult portions to add to programs. In this article, we introduce and review Easy Java Simulations software, often abbreviated EJS. We will discuss its striking benefits and also its limitations. Most of all, we will see how EJS can do the heavy-lifting of adding graphical user interfaces (GUIs) to your computer programs.
EJS is a software tool created to help science teachers and students with little or no programming background easily visualize scientific phenomena. Although the freeware application caters to scientific simulations, EJS can be applied to a wide variety of concepts. Simulations that result from programming with EJS can be quite complex, often masking the ease of the process involved in their creation. As an initial example, let us view a simulation available at Open Source Physics. The image in Figure 1 is a screenshot of an EJS simulation modeling the path of a ball confined to move between two walls that form a wedge shape.
Effectively using EJS, at least in the beginning, will likely require some initial reading. To get started, you should reference the OSP EJS Modeling Overview, which includes an introduction to EJS and a discussion on the relationship between EJS and Java. This online resource can serve as an important primer. It leads the reader through a simple example while explaining the general philosophy behind EJS, which, in short, is that EJS splits the simulation into three parts. The first focuses on writing a description of what will happen in the simulation. The second part allows you to define variables and describe how they change over time. Finally, to complete the simulation, you define the visualization. Although this may seem complex, in actual use, EJS is very simple. For this reason we will walk you through the steps to create a program.
Let us examine the Lotka-Volterra predator prey model. This simple differential equation model starts with two variables, x denoting the population of prey, and y denoting the population of predators. There are then four more parameters: A denotes the growth rate of the prey when there is no predation, C denotes the decay rate of predators when there is no prey, B denotes the rate at which predators destroy prey, and finally D denotes the rate at which the predator population increases from consuming prey. These variables form the system of differential equations: dx/dt = Ax - Bxy and dy/dt = -Cy + Dxy.
Now we will create a simple visualization of the two populations versus time using EJS. After launching, we move to the Model portion of the interface. This is where we enter the variables for our simulation. Follow the directions and click to create a new page of variables. After giving the page a name, you add the variables described in the model. Variables are added by directly editing the variable table that was just created. Figure 2 shows this step for our example.
The next step in creating our simulation is to describe how the model changes over time. Since we are using a differential equation model you need to move to the Evolution portion and create a page of ODEs. After naming the page, indicate the independent variable, t, and then enter the differential equations for the model. The equations can be inserted by double-clicking the table cells. For our example, this leads to the resulting window seen in Figure 3.
Having defined the model, we move to the visualization. Our goal is to see how the predator and prey populations vary with time. Thus, we want to create a plot of x and y versus t. So, we add a plot to our visualization window. You accomplish this by clicking the PlottingFrame element highlighted below and then clicking Simulation View in the Tree of Elements.
Next, we indicate what variables the plot will graph. By double clicking plot within the Tree of Elements, a new window pops up. Fill the Input X and Input Y fields with t and x respectively. To help differentiate the two populations, edit the Line Color parameter to be BLUE. Next we add a plot of the predator versus time by right-clicking the plot just edited and selecting Copy from the popup menu. Then right-click the plottingPanel element and select Paste. Edit the plot2 element so that Input Y is y. After completing these steps, your window should look like Figure 5.
In those short steps, a complete simulations is ready for use. Indeed, it is easy to visualize such a model with EJS. To see your resulting work, click the green triangle on the right side of the main window to launch and see the application, which should resemble Figure 6.
The simulation may seem limited as the values for the variables are not editable. With a little more work you can add the ability to change the parameters. The updated applet appears in Figure 7 for your use. To alter the parameters simply reset the animation, change a value, and press enter. Then you can play the simulation and see what happens.
Having seen how simple it can be to create interactive simulations with EJS, let us view other examples to broaden our perspective of the programming possibilities with EJS. Again, models governed by differential equations can be especially easy to create in EJS. We've seen the Lotka-Volterra predator prey model in Figure 7. The application in Figure 1 simulates a ball's trajectory within a wedge formed by two walls. This again results from the entry of differential equations although the presence of the walls does require more Java programming. Figure 8 contains an applet of this simulation which again allows ample opportunities for exploration. To learn more about the simulation, right-click the graph and select Show Description.
Simulations need not be continuous models defined by differential equations. Such examples may require more Java programming, but can be as complex and visually captivating as their continuous counterparts. In Figure 9, we see a screenshot of an applet that enables a user to create fractal landscapes. This example showcases three dimensional plotting. The example is extracted from a larger article, Mountains of Fractals, which packages multiple applications along with accompanying text and graphics into a single application that can be downloaded and launched on computers of various platforms. This demonstrates one of the powerful tools within EJS, the ability to package writing and multiple simulations into a single distribution piece.
Another great feature of EJS is the ability to look at the source code of any EJS applications (unfortunately, this feature does not work for applets within websites). This allows you to see what was necessary to create the behavior in the examples. To do this, you simply right-click on a plot and select the Open Ejs Model item. This will open the model in EJS after asking you to save the file to disk. Thus, whenever you find an application with a feature you would like to add to your simulation, you can see how it was accomplished.
Given the ease and power of programming with EJS, it is natural to want to distribute your resulting work. Completed programs can be placed in webpages as applets, as we have already seen in this article, or collected into a JAR file, a self-launching application that a user downloads and runs. These are quite different techniques for sharing your work and both are easily accomplished with EJS.
Instructing EJS to create a webpage that contains and runs one or more EJS simulations as applets requires only a few clicks. Generally, the web page serves as a skeleton for the final page as the text is minimal. Still, EJS compiles the simulation into a format that can be loaded from within a web page. You are left only needing to add necessary text and images to suit your needs. In fact, the applets you have viewed within this article were produced in this very way, with the text you are currently reading being added at a later time.
The other powerful export option presented by EJS uses another Java tool, the Open Source Physics Launcher (OSP Launcher). This tool, which comes packaged with EJS, allows you to combine text and simulations into one hierarchical application. The benefit of having one package is that the user only has to download one file to get the entire activity. One downside is that the OSP Launcher can be complex. The online documentation can help a user learn to effectively utilize OSP Launcher's options. As an example you can use the link provided in Figure 9 to download the JAR file containing the Mountains of Fractals article. Again, notice the integration of text and applications within one downloadable file.
EJS can be an extremely useful tool when producing simulations, but, as with any software, there are limitations to keep in mind. Documentation can be lacking at times. For the commonly used interface objects, documentation includes simple informative example projects. For more complex and less frequently used interface objects, however, the documentation is more sparse. Fortunately there is a library of examples that uses a variety of the features and perusing this body of examples can often enable you to find an example that utilizes a desired feature.
The inherent generational paradigm can also prove challenging, depending on your programming goals. EJS assumes that the simulation will be time or generational dependent. For most applications this works well, but as in the Mandelbrot example in Figure 10 below, the code becomes more complex when that paradigm does not fit. Again, simulations based on differential equations may require only a few steps with EJS to produce the resulting program and may not require much expertise in Java programming. For programs that are not based on differential equations, Java code may need to be added, which EJS allows, and one should reference the documentation for more information.
Producing simulations can be surprisingly simple with EJS. Yet, if you have very specific user interface needs or desire a specific "look" for your application, then you may be required to do more programming. Such cases generally require tweaking display properties of numerous interface components. Given the sparse documentation for some display properties, trial and error often ensues. While this may not be a limitation for some, it may be for others and should be kept in mind if someone comes to EJS with very specific programming needs in mind.
EJS is a powerful tool that you may want to consider adopting for creating Java applications. You may be able to introduce it to your students who may or may not have much programming experience. As we have seen with the limited number of applets in this article, EJS can produce attractive simulations that allow user interaction. There are some limitations, but one should also keep in mind that EJS continues to be developed and new versions often offer useful new features. These new versions also hint at improved support and documentation in the near future. From our experience, EJS can produce quality simulations much more quickly than starting from scratch. Now, it's time for you to jump into programming with EJS, if it interests you, and visit the download page to get the current version. It is just that easy to get started with EJS.


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Administration & Services: Overview
People who work in the University's Administration and Services are essential to supporting the mission of Princeton University. These employees deal with everything from the University's human and financial resources to health and safety matters.
The employees of Princeton University are one of its most valuable resources — the campus is full of talented and dedicated people who together make important contributions to the life and fabric of the community.
Administration A to Z list
Campus Map

subset: commoncrawl


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By olemisssports.com
• Ole Miss will travel to Auburn on Thursday for a 6 p.m. game against the Tigers.
• Thursday's game marks the 54th meeting between Ole Miss and Auburn. The Tigers lead the all-time series, 30-23.
• Ole Miss is coming off a 76-57 loss at home to Vanderbilt on Sunday.
Ole Miss will play its next two games at home starting with a game on Jan. 13 against Alabama at 1:30 p.m. (SPSO) followed by a game on Jan. 20 at 2 p.m. vs. Missouri (Cox Sports TV).


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Ultrasone IQ
"I went to shop for upgrade from my beloved Westone 4. Didn't bother to get custom. Aiming around $500-1000 options Audition candidates 1. Ultrasone IQ $730 2. AKG K3003 $1,140 3. Sennheiser IE800 $ 660 4. Aurisonics ASG-2 $653 5. Heir Audio IEM 5.0+ $ 690 Here are the mini review of IQ and versus of the other candidates. ..." --darkinners
Ears Monitor Pro 4 (EMP4) In-Ear Style Earphone - Black
Anywhere you listen to music, this will create your own listening room. It cuts off most of outside noises, and recreates the source music faithfully. This product has gone through the aging process to optimize the quality. We wanted to create earphones equal to or better than the expensive models of other companies. We pursued the best quality without compromise. For example, the housing is...


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Mammut Xeron Commuter 20 L Backpack
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As an exercise physiologist, I believe understanding sports science can help you train smarter and achieve your best performances. As a professional coach and full-time runner, I understand that the scientific jargon can be like, well, scientific jargon. There's often a "disconnect" between what the physiologists say and what those in the real world of training and racing say (and do!).
In this article (the first of many offered on this website), I present a simple method to make the connection between science and reality and show you how to use this connection to improve your running. This way of looking at sports science gives you an idea of the underlying tenets of my philosophy of training. It would be presumptuous to say that this philosophy is a new, "magical" method. It's essentially just the simple process I've used to make sense of physiology and how it relates to the time-proven methods of great runners and coaches - who are our greatest teachers of how to train and race. The result is as close to a foolproof way to plan your training as I've found.
The fundamental connection between the lab and your training/racing is illustrated in Graph 1, below. To fully understand this connection, let's simulate an exercise test and I'll describe how the variables measured relate to your training/racing.
If you come to an exercise physiology lab for testing, we'll have you run on a treadmill. We'll measure several variables that, as I'll show, are key indicators of how you should train to achieve optimal results and your fastest performances.
Once on the treadmill, we start you running at your slow, easy run pace. Our instruments measure your heart rate, ventilation/breathing rate, oxygen consumption (VO2) and the level of lactate in your blood. We also record your effort level at each speed. These variables are shown on the Y-axis of Graph 1, above. On the X-axis, your speed is charted, starting slow and gradually getting faster and faster. The X-axis shows race pace, described by time. In other words, one-hour race pace indicates that this pace is what you can race for one hour. You don't need to worry about what exact pace that is for you since the McMillan Calculator does it for you but I want to list these paces so you have an idea of the effort and how these match with changes in the physiological variables. Matching your real world speeds with various physiological variables is essential for applying the results of the test.
As you see on Graph 1, at your slow, easy pace, your effort is easy, heart rate and oxygen consumption are relatively low and your breathing is barely noticeable. There's also very little accumulation of lactate in your blood. This pace is what for years has been called "conversational pace".
Once you're warmed up a little, we slowly increase the speed of the treadmill to around your two and half hour race pace - marathon pace for some runners, half-marathon pace for others, somewhere in between for most of us. Each of the variables on the graph gradually increases -- faster heart rate, ventilation, oxygen consumption, a little more effort and lactate. It's at this point (around two and half hour race pace) that runners often experience what has been called the "second wind". It seems that the systems of the body are geared up (muscles pliable with large delivery of blood, energy-delivery systems running efficiently) to the point where the pace seems to get a little easier. Some scientists have called this pace, your Aerobic Threshold. Again, you don't need to wonder what your two and a half hour race pace is, the McMillan Calculator calculates that for you.
If we increase the pace to around your one hour and fifteen minute to two hour race pace, things begin to get interesting. Your effort becomes moderately hard but you could handle it for an hour or more. Both your heart rate and VO2 continue to increase at the same linear rate as before. At about this pace, however, you may notice that your breathing takes a noticeable increase - this is called the Ventilatory Threshold. The accumulation of metabolic by-products stimulates exhaling more air (and hence more CO2) to remove these products. We also see that lactate begins to accumulate slightly faster than at slower paces. In fact, if we increase the speed to around your one hour race pace, you see that your lactate curve takes a turn sharply upward. This is your Lactate Threshold, which you've probably heard about. Also present at this pace is what many call the Anaerobic Threshold. (This is differnet than the Aerobic Threshold discussed above.) The idea is that at the this threshold pace you begin to require increasingly more energy through anaerobic energy pathways.
Increasing the speed to 25 minute, then 15 minute race pace, your effort becomes harder and harder. Heart rate and VO2 continue their straight-line increase while your breathing is now labored. Lactate accumulates at a very rapid pace. The thighs become harder to lift. Fatigue sets in.
When we take the pace even faster, reaching 10 then eight minute race pace, things really get interesting. Your effort becomes very hard, and breathing passes from tolerable to maximum capacity. Your heart rate and VO2 reach their maximum and stay there. Lactate is now accumulating very rapidly.
If we finally kick the pace up to your five or four minute race pace (or faster), effort, breathing, heart rate and VO2 are all redlined and lactate floods the muscles and blood. It will only take a short time before you've had all your body and mind can take. You're now bathing in a sea of lactic acid. You give the STOP sign and straddle the treadmill belt until it slows to a walking pace.
While you recover with an easy jog, allowing the fog that is total exhaustion to clear, we now have a clear picture of your physiological status across several speeds. We can link specific effort levels, heart rates, breathing rates, lactate levels and oxygen consumption values with these various running speeds and race paces at various distances. We've just made the key connection between the lab and the real world - physiological responses linked with specific race paces. Using this information, we can now prescribe very specifically, the optimal training paces you should use to affect various key aspects of your fitness: endurance, stamina, speed and sprinting.
I'm not suggesting that each runner needs to get a treadmill test performed. On the contrary, I find that Graph 1 is very similar for all high-performance runners so it's applicable to each runner's training. In other words, it's likely that at 30 minute race pace, you and other competitive runners will be operating at approximately the same percentage of max heart rate.
I simply wanted to help you understand the physiological reactions at various race paces so that you don't have to go to a lab for testing. I want to show that by being able to estimate your equivalent race paces for various race distances (which is what the McMillan Calculator does for you), you can then train very specifically to obtain the desired physiological adaptations.
Effectively, you've learned how to link sports science with multi-pace training, the training system that is the foundation of most of the world's successful training programs.
Click here to learn more about our hand-built custom training programs
In the next section of this article, I'll take the results of this test one step further and show how the various energy systems of the body are linked to specific types of training. You're then ready to set up your scientifically-based, yet individualized program that gives you the best opportunity for success and removes all guesswork from your running.
The information contained in the preceding story may not be published, broadcast or otherwise distributed without the prior written authority of McMillan Running Company, Inc.
© 1999-2017 Greg McMillan
|McMillan's Six-Step Training System
|The Mile Cut-Down
|Stamina and Speed Quarters
|Sprint Quarters and Combo Quarters
|The Best 10K Workout
I gotta hand it to you. Your training program really produces results.Those long intervals and fast finish runs really paid off today. Thanks for helping me to become a much better runner.


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Loco Jaime Hostal Backpackers in the centre of Ovalle street (92 Tocopilla), Ovalle Telephone for reservations: 053-626761 It is within walking distance of the Plaza de Armas, fruit and vegetable markets, museum, Bus Terminal and supermarke
We are a hostel situated in the most exclusive, central and secure sector of Providencia area at very low prices like in the center of the city and where everything you need is in walking distance.
We are located in the middle of Aconcagua Valley, a typical valley from central zone of Chile, know by its agricultural activity and its beautiful mountains landscapes.
Naturalsurflodge is situated in one of the best places for surfing in Latin America, Punta de Lobos.
This property is located in one of the 40 hills that Valparaiso has, with a rich history of culture and human warmth.
In the heart of Bellavista, Santiago's bohemian barrio, La Chimba is clean, safe and fun. Bellavista is famous for restaurants and nightlife. Enjoy great pasta, or a Chilean BB
The city�s liveliest area, the best nightlife and the Metropolitan Park as a backyard.
German and Maria Elena, a friendly, young, local couple have designed and set up a comfortable, homely hostal. They have thought of all the facilities necessary to ensure that your stay is as active or relaxing as you wish.
Our guesthouse is located in one of the most important street in Vina del Mar. This is a very quiet place.......
Casa Perla is a pleasant home with a family and friendly atmosphere with comfortable rooms...
Find a Iquique, Chile hostel and save money on discount lodging. Hosteling in Iquique, Chile offers a different travel experience than staying at traditional accommodations. Youth hostels allow you to meet new people and learn from other international and worldly travelers. Most hostels are conveniently located in the center of the action close to public transportation, including buses and rails. Staying at a Iquique, Chile hostel is a great option whether you are backpacking or traveling on a budget . Browse our hostels and plan your Iquique, Chile vacation today!


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Labels. Society has them everywhere: Liberal, Chav, fundamentalist, working class, conservative, disabled, asylum seeker, gypsy…etc Those are only some labels the media throws out…
And labels can be a way of defining things and they can also be unhelpful. I was watching an interesting twitter conversation where someone mentioned that they belonged to a certain group of churches and that the label of this church was often unhelpful because it doesn't define them.
Do labels define people? Or do we define labels?
It made me think about this. When we mention certain groups within Christianity there is a label attached to it and often we have made our mind up about that person before getting to know them.
I wonder what you might think if someone said to you that they were/or were from:
Anglican, Baptist, Calvinist, Catholic, Arminian, Newfrontiers, vineyard, soul survivor, Mars Hill…etc
Sure you may say that these labels are attached to many different kinds of people. But I reckon there are so many other labels and stigmas that stick to these ones above, depending which one you are coming from, which one you have had experience from and which one you have had negative experience from. And those things stick and make us look at those people differently. We all look at things through the lenses of our experience, the challenge is putting the Gospel in front of that to change the lens.
It has challenged me to think about how I treat people when thinking of people who may belong or say they are something from the labels above because I am not sure that really defines them. People are complicated and messy and every single person is different and just because they are a part of some label, doesn't mean they embody everything you liked/disliked about that said label.
For example. I work with UCCF. Now that label there may bring about different reactions depending on your experience or what you have heard. You may like or dislike UCCF. You may think I am a clone of UCCF and somehow embody all that is UCCF. I got a bit of opposition from some people when I wanted to do Relay and then the hope of staff work. One of the reasons being was the fear that I would somehow morph into a clone of a UCCF worker…except there is a huge problem with that, for anyone that has worked with UCCF will have noticed that UCCF is made up of many different, strange, wonderful amazing people… all different.
UCCF is made up of Anglicans, new frontiers, Baptists, tea drinkers, ballroom dancers, lovers of blogging, haters of blogging, lovers of good ale, single, married, have families, female speakers, male speakers, female evangelists, male evangelists, musicians, gardeners, bike riders, surfers, Lady Ga Ga fans, Mozart fans, grew up in a christian family, grew up in an atheist family, a footballers wife, authors, poets, artists, illustrators, photographers, philosophers, enjoys flag waving in worship, enjoys hymns, theologians (male and female), dancers, coffee drinkers, agree with women speakers in church, don't agree with women speakers in church, computer geeks, sci-fi fanatics, Man U supporters, Kath Kidson fans and so much more.
I am afraid I don't embody nearly half of that and its wonderful. It's so great working with such diverse and talented people. The one thing we agree on is that Jesus and the Cross is central and students at university need to hear about him.
I have no doubt that this is the case for those labels above. Newfrontiers people are all different and don't always think the same thing on every issue. Same with Anglicans. I have some wonderful Anglican friends, and its great to support them and get to know them.
I guess the challenge for myself and maybe you – is not to always judge someone by their label. But get to know them individually first. They might surprise you. They might not be what you expect. Enjoy getting to know them.


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ARSC Training
Understanding Memory Caches
Where and When
- date: March 27, 2009
- time: 2:00-4:00 pm
- location: WRRB 009
In modern microprocessors, including the Opterons in Midnight and Pingo, effective use of the memory hierarchy, including the processor caches, is a critical performance factor. Although conceptually invisible to the programmer, one can in fact program toward good cache performance. Those programming techniques will be covered in the Cray Optimization workshop. This class will lay a foundational understanding of cache memory and Opteron caches in particular as preparation for the Cray training.
Ed Kornkven
Ed is an ARSC HPC Specialist
Registration is not required.


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Jimmy Page Discusses His New Solo Album, 'Outrider,' and More in 1988 Guitar World Interview, Part 1
Here's the first part of our interview with Jimmy Page from the October 1988 issue of Guitar World magazine. Stay tuned for part two later in the week. The original story, which started on page 42, ran with the headline, "Jimmy Page: Dawn of the Solo Era."
To see the Jimmy Page cover -- and all the covers from 1987 -- click here.
In his twenty-five-year career, the fiery B-bender has always aimed his guitar firepower from within the context of a group. For the first time this fall, he'll be comin' at you with a solo tour.
In this candid conversation, Page reflects with two GW correspondents on the role of the guitar in all this as his one true, abiding passion.
What does it take to reinflate a legend? If the legend in question is forty-four year-old Jimmy Page, the answer is twofold.
By choosing to launch a solo career after twenty-five years as a professional musician, Page was accepting the burden of proving 1) that his celebrated virtuosity was undiminished, and 2) that he could once again locate the source of the molten, mystic magnetism, the X factor that had lifted Led Zeppelin from the congested realm of mere competence to the ozone of transcendence.
One of the wealthiest figures in show biz, and a new daddy to boot, Page could have been perfectly justified in resting on his laurels, retiring to his estate in the Berkshire countryside and living out his days in baronial splendor, his reputation only slightly tarnished by his feeble final foray with The Firm.
That would have been the simpler course -- but it wasn't what Page had in mind. Did the guitarist feel he still had something to prove? You bet your B-bender he did.
In order to stage his return, Page first needed to make a record -- not the sort of task one normally chooses to undertake when one has a pregnant wife at home. No problem. Page's studio, the Sol, is right on the grounds of his estate; what's more, he was happy to take a non-obsessive approach to recording, working one day, kicking back the next.
Page's pre-production approach was just as casual; after having his initial set of demos for the album stolen, he chose not to prepare at all. Instead, he'd walk into the studio each workday with a willing heart and an open mind, simply picking up a guitar and jamming with whatever rhythm section happened to be in the room.
The rock and blues material on Page's first album was created in just this sort of devil-may-care fashion.
The music on Outrider sounds anything but casual, however. Its first side dominated by authoritative rockers , its second by blues-infected smokers, the album shows that Page remains one of rock's pre-eminent riffmeisters, rhythm players and pyrotechnicians.
And while the songs are less striking than the riffs that hold them together, that isn't the point here. Outrider is a showcase for the sounds of Jimmy Page, no more, no less.
You get three vocalists -- John Miles and his generic metallisms, Chris Farlow and his classic Brit -blues angst and solo artiste Bobby Plant on one track (the aptly titled "The Only One" ) -- with each supplying the lyrics to the tunes he sings.
Again, so what? Apart from Farlow, whose intensity matches that of Page, the vocalists merely take up a slot on the track sheet, along with the various overdubbed guitar parts.


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About Jeff Masters
Cat 6 lead authors: WU cofounder Dr. Jeff Masters (right), who flew w/NOAA Hurricane Hunters 1986-1990, & WU meteorologist Bob Henson, @bhensonweather
By: Dr. Jeff Masters , 1:19 PM GMT on May 24, 2007
Bryan Norcross, Hurricane Analyst for CBS's national news and Director of Meteorology for WFOR-TV in Miami, has just written his second annual Hurricane Almanac: The Essential Guide to Storms Past, Present, and Future. Bryan is famous for his marathon on-air performance during Hurricane Andrew of 1992, when he talked people through the storm as their homes came apart around them. His book is a great addition to the bookshelf of anyone living in Hurricane Alley. Like any almanac, it has information on a variety of topics, and is not meant to be read straight through. My favorite part was his 5-page description of his Hurricane Andrew experience--and the lessons we should have learned from it, but didn't. Some other highlights:
Ready, Set, Hurricane!
The book's greatest strength is the impressive 134-page section that provides checklists and practical information on how to prepare, ride out, evacuate, and recover from a hurricane. There are so many things to think of that having them available in a handy book one can pick up anytime makes Hurricane Almanac a great book to have. When preparing for a hurricane, you'll find tips on what storm shutters and generator to buy, what to do with your pet, computer, boat, pool and car, and how to make a Family Hurricane Plan. Bryan also boosts a web which I also like, onestorm.org. This is a free hurricane preparedness web site that helps you put together a family hurricane plan.
I like how the book emphasizes the most important things it wants you to know. In the case of the Ready, Set, Hurricane! section, Bryan emphasizes this:
-Contact a friend or relative out of town and ask him or her to be your family's emergency contact.
-Before the storm, be sure that every member of the family has a piece of paper on them that says, for example:
-Call Aunt Milly before the wind starts blowing to tell her exactly where you are and what you are planning to do.
-Be sure everybody knows that they should call Aunt Milly if they get lost or anything bad happens.
It's important that your main contact person is out of town, because local calls are more likely to be disrupted after a storm. Both ends of local connections are subject to problems.
Another interesting fact I learned from Hurricane Almanac: You can send an email message to any cell phone able to receive text messages by emailing to firstname.lastname@example.com (replace the X's with the phone number of the person's cell phone). The message will be forwarded to any cell phone provider in the U.S.
Hurricane Almanac also details what to do after the storm--how to deal with FEMA and your insurance company, save water-damaged possessions, and purify your drinking water. Additional chapters include an excellent summary of all the various National Hurricane Center advisories and how to interpret them, the basics of hurricane science, and a summary of some of the famous storms in the past. The opening chapter includes a very passionate critique of our emergency management system, building codes, and the politicians who fail to adequately protect us against hurricanes. A sample quote:
That President Bush, DHS Secretary Michael Chertoff, and the head of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, General Carl Strock were completely misinformed and saying ridiculous things for days and weeks after the Katrina disaster is frightening. These people know when a pin drops in Afghanistan. How can they not know when a levee breaks in New Orleans? The evidence says that the communications and operational infrastructure of the federal government broke down. We should all be very concerned.
Hurricane Almanac (335 pages, softcover) is $10.39 from amazon.com. It's not fancy--all the photos and figures are black and white (if you want a coffee table hurricane book with beautiful color photos and figures, get Dr. Kerry Emanuel's Divine Wind. An added bonus for Hurricane Almanac is a companion web site, hurricanealmanac.com. The web site is not fancy, but does have some useful links and a page that allows you to send Byran emails with suggestions and/or fixes for the 2008 version of his book.
The book also has a provocative chapter titled, "How I'd do it better," that I'll comment on in a future blog.
Jeff Masters
The views of the author are his/her own and do not necessarily represent the position of The Weather Company or its parent, IBM.
Cat 6 lead authors: WU cofounder Dr. Jeff Masters (right), who flew w/NOAA Hurricane Hunters 1986-1990, & WU meteorologist Bob Henson, @bhensonweather


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Results 1 to 6 of 6
Thread: More solids = less milk?
30th September 2012 05:42 PM #1
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- Sep 2012
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- 6
More solids = less milk?
I only use my breastpump (baby has not wanted to nurse directly since she was a week old) and I am curious. Will my baby start drinking less milk the more she eats of solid food? I am trying to plan for the future. ( I do have a small stockpile of frozen milk in the freezer) I am having to pump every four hours to keep up with her eating habits! She drinks 6-8 ounces every four hours (except over night - she only drinks 6 ounces once during the night). I am exhausted from doing this five months and counting. I know breastfeeding is best for both of us. Please tell me there is a light at the end of the tunnel! I even wake up during the night to pump while she is still sleeping.
1st October 2012 05:48 AM #2
Wow - you are a trouper! I only had to pump full time (including in the middle of the night) for 4 days when my 3rd child was in the hospital. I pumped ever 2 hours, and then at 11pm, 4am and again at 6am, going just one 5 hour stretch in the middle of the night. I was exhausted as well, but also had the stress of a newborn having open heart surgery and being in ICU. I didn't pump nearly as long as you have been pumping, but I was exhausted and know that feeling well.
The first thing I would think about would be working to get baby to take the breast again. There are two things that come to mind in trying to get her to latch, if the only reason she is refusing the breast is because she is now accustomed to a bottle nipple.
1. Use the pump to bring on the let-down, then take the pump off and immediately put baby to the breast so that milk is flowing into her mouth. Babies who prefer bottles usually like the fact that they don't have to work to get the milk - the milk starts flowing immediately. Babies who are breastfed will actually have to suck, suck, suck for a little bit until the milk starts flowing. When a baby is used to instant gratification (milk as soon as they latch) they will often get frustrated at the breast. So this is the first thing I would try - bringing on the let down with the pump, then latching baby immediately.
2. Once baby is latched and the let down is active, then you can use compressions once the milk flow slows, in order to keep baby interested and drinking. I'm going to place 2 videos below showing you how to do compressions to keep baby interested and milk flowing.
As far as when baby will be getting most of her nutrients from solids rather than from breastmilk - this would come after 12 months of age. Before that, "food is for fun" and most babies can go onto cow milk when they are a year old.
You're doing great! If you find that you're health is suffering or you're just feeling completely exhausted or overwhelmed you could offer some formula and lessen the time between pumping but I'd try to see if baby will take the breast first because this would especially make your night time feeds much easy (just roll over and latch her on while you both go back to sleep).
Warm Regards,
1st October 2012 05:49 AM #3
Green smoothies are also very nutritious and this is something you can offer daughter now. Here's a video showing you how to feed a green smoothie to a baby through a straw.
1st October 2012 09:11 AM #4
- Join Date
- Sep 2012
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- 6
Thank you Kate!
I will definitely try getting her to latch on. Being able to get more sleep sounds great!! No one has suggested that to me - even a lactation consultant! I will let you know if it works for us!
The green smoothies look great, too.
7th October 2012 02:47 AM #5
Hi halleysmommy,
I'm just checking in to see if you tried the green smoothies with your daughter and how it's going with trying to get her to latch on. I know it can be very challenging, but I'm wondering if you tried pumping until you had a let-down and how she took to the breast with milk pouring into her mouth immediately.
Warm Regards,
7th October 2012 07:04 AM #6
I want to share this story with you about a mum who was able to re-lactate and get her son to latch again so that he was taking full feeds at the breast.
Does that story give you any ideas on how to go about this process?
Warm Regards,


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Results 1 to 6 of 6
Thread: Pleco Help
Pleco Help
While searching for info on death of plecos I found this site. I, too, am death to plecos. We have a 50 gallon planted tank with about 20 small tetras, 5 angel fish, 4 ottos, 3 cories and 1 coolie loach. We have lost 3 albino bushy noses, 2 brown bushy noses, and 4 common plecos this year. The most recent lasted 4 days. We have also lost 4 corys over 6 months and can't seem to keep snails alive either. The tetras and angels do just fine. We do regular water changes and siphoning. Our ph level is around 7 with little to no ammonia. We live in the country, have hard water and do our water changes with filtered water. We feed a combo of dry flakes, algae wafers and frozen shrimp/worms. Suggestions and help would be appreciated. I like the idea of fresh veggies. Would any of the other fish benefit? Thanks.
you say you have "little or no ammonia". There's a big difference between "little" and "no". Zero ammonia is good. Anything above zero can harm fish.
Since you are having trouble with bottom feeders I wonder what your tank parameters are - ammonia as mentioned above, as well as nitrite and nitrate. Nitrate levels are said to be higher at the bottom of the tank, so bottom feeders are affected more seriously by them. If you don't have a way to measure nitrite and nitrate, you need to get one - liquid testing kits are better than strips for this.
Your tank doesn't seem too heavily stocked although people who keep angelfish are likely to tell you that 5 in a 50 gallon aren't going to work... they'll start fighting for territory when they mature.300 gallon mega tank: sailfin pleco, clown loaches, silver dollars, roseline sharks, congo tetras, new world cichlids
125 gallon office tank: Africian cichlids, synodontis catfih
75 gallon community tank: bolivian rams, black skirt tetras, dwarf neon rainbowfish, corys, harlequin rasboras, otos, bristlenose and bulldog plecos, assassin snails, various shrimp
60 gallon goldfish tank: fancy goldfish
Agree with Brhino. Catfish and all bottom feeders have the most toxic water to deal with living on the bottom as they do. Too many bottom feeders also steal food from others and can starve to death. Common pleco require driftwood in their diet and should never go in small tanks.
5 Angels will never work. One will. I have no idea what you have for filters but you should have very good filtering for your stock amount.
What type of filtration are you running on your tank?My therapist says I need a bigger tank . . . . .
I agree with LH on the wood deal . Not sure about All pleco's but the Common Plec does behefit from wood in its diet. I don't have one anymore had to rehome it after realizing that it had been eating all my JD's fry but it was very healthy and did have driftwood to rasp on .Hope this helps . Let us know if you try another one again. and good luck with the rest of your aquatic friends.ask ?'s and change some water pair of JD's and loving it.
+1 to the above on ammonia and filtration.
I have not kept common plecos, they get too big in my view 1'-2' if I recall.
I notice you have lost bushynose plecos and not Otos but you can't seem to keep snails, what kind of snails? Good pet snails or invasive horrible little pond snails?
You say you regular water changes but how frequent are they and how much do you change, as you have some ammonia, how much and what are you testing with, what is your nitrite and nitrate readings?
What is your filtered water? RO and if so are you reconstituting? My understanding is that bushynose pleco will do okay and even breed in hard water.
Fresh veggies will help generally I have seen some of mine explode in growth rate once I got the veggies in with that said I have six and some have done really well and one who is a runt, is frightened of anything and loses food to guppy fry. I have started breaking up algae tablets to make sure there is enough different tablet pieces spread out.
The otos will nibble at the fresh veggies occasionally as will the tetras.
With your stocking plan I acknowledge one of my own mistakes which is too many species and too many fish feeding off of the same niche in the aquarium. For example the plecos (at certain points depending on age species) and the otos eat algae or live off of the aufwochs layer on wood and stones, I wonder if they are all getting enough nutrition.
How physically clean is your tank? I don't mean water parameters, but what is the substrate, inside tank walls and water clarity like. Is it a bit mucky with some left over bits of food and some algae on the tanks or is it immaculate crystal clear and ready for military style inspection?
Are there enough hiding spaces for the plecos and Otos when you have them all?Mucky
Unusually I have nothing more to add...


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Thursday, February 23, 2012
Tyora Moody and Free Books!
Before we talk with today's author, I want to announce that the winner of the signed copy of An Amish Family Reunion, by Mary Ellis, is:
lubell1106@ . . .
Congratulations! I'll contact you today for your snail mail address, and we'll get your book to you right away. I encourage readers to keep commenting and/or subscribe at right (above my list of books) in order to participate in future book give-aways!
Now let's meet novelist Tyora Moody, author of When Rain Falls (Victory Gospel Series, Book 1, Urban Christian, March 2012).
Tyora Moody's debut novel, When Rain Falls, is the first book in the Victory Gospel series. She owns and operates TywebbinCreations.com, a design and marketing company. Her company's niche is assisting authors with branding and developing an online presence.
Tyora served as a judge for the Christy Awards for three years. She is a member of Sisters in Crime and American Christian Fiction Writers.
Please tell us five random things we might not know about you.
--I love coffee.
--I'm a cat-lover.
--I'm a "cookie monster."
--I enjoy reading comic strips every morning.
--I graduated from Clemson University.
How is that for randomness and the use of the letter "C." Yes, I'm a geek and love it! LOL!
Very Cool and Clever, Tyora!
Please tell us a bit more about the plot of When Rain Falls.
Candace Johnson grew up traumatized by the death of her mother due to a domestic violence incident that turned tragic. Now a widow and the single mother of two teens, Candace struggles with yet another tragedy - her best friend's murder.
Struck by an obsessive urge to seek justice, Candace sets out along with help from Detective Darnell Jackson to find her friend's killer. Unfortunately, the killer has eyes set on Candace. She is going to have to look past her tragedies and totally trust God with her own life.
What is it about Candace and Darnell that will make your readers care about them?
I think anyone can relate to my main characters, Candace Johnson and Detective Darnell Jackson. Both of these individuals have suffered and deal with loss which is a common part of life. Candace has suffered extensive loss of loved ones due to violent crimes. The first question that may come to anybody's mind is why? Candace struggles with her faith as she ponders this question.
Darnell is a homicide detective who deals with the consequences of violent crimes on a daily basis. He's also been struggling with the loss of a relationship. Divorce is often equated to death since individuals lose a significant other and often hopes and dreams.
If you were the casting director for the film version of your novel, who would play your lead roles?
Great question and a hard one too!
I think I would choose "Angela Bassett" to play Candace Johnson.
And "Idris Elba" to play Detective Darnell Jackson.
Recently a friend gave me a book that provides links to online music meant to accompany the story at specific points in the plot. I thought that was an interesting idea. If you were to choose a song to be played somewhere within your story, what song would it be?
Trish, you are a great interviewer. Another question to make me really think. LOL!
I think a really appropriate song would be "Yesterday" by Mary Mary. Through our pain and tears, we need to trust in the Lord. He knows best and will send us the Comforter to provide strength as we heal.
What is the last book you read that you would recommend?
I'm a small business owner so I tend to read more nonfiction especially when I'm writing fiction. I'm currently reading The Barefoot Executive by Carrie Wilkerson.
What are you working on now?
I'm currently working on the second book in the Victory Gospel Series. The next book in the series, When Memories Fade, will bring back a few of the characters from When Rain Falls. It's been nice to be reunite with familiar characters and get to know new ones.
Where else can readers find you online?
Visitors can find me online at:
The book can be found in fine bookstores and can be purchased online via these buttons:
Finally, what question would you like to ask my readers?
I'm curious to know if any of your readers have also asked a similar question to what Candace has asked. "Why does God keep taking away the people I love?"
How can you encourage someone who has experienced loss without sounding cliche? Remember loss can come in various forms (death, divorce, broken relationship, unemployment, etc.)
Thank you, Tyora, for visiting with us and telling us about your novel. Readers, Tyora has offered to give a signed copy of her book to the winner of our drawing on Thursday, March 1. To enter, leave a comment below in answer to Tyora's question, above. "Please enter me" won't get you entered. Leave your email address, in case you win, like so: trish[at]trishperry[dot]com.
Be sure to check out my interview with Donna Crow, below. Leave an appropriate comment at the bottom of her post to enter the drawing for a signed copy of her book.
And I'd love it if you'd connect with me on Facebook. Just click on my name at the right of today's post.
Annoying legal disclaimer: drawings void where prohibited; open only to U.S. residents; the odds of winning depend upon the number of participants. See full disclaimer HERE.
12 comments:
- Tyora Moody said...
Thank you for interviewing me about my debut novel, When Rain Falls. I really enjoyed your questions. They were fun!
- February 23, 2012 at 11:35 PM
- squiresj said...
I am not asking the question "why does God take away the people I love" but I am asking the question, "Why do I ask God to take illness away from my family members and pray for each one by name only to have to learn someone else is sick. It hurts to learn my 1 year old grandson has fifth disease." After I was up all night pleading with God to heal my family and take sickness away from them all. Why dosn't he answer?
jrs362 at hotmail dot com
- February 23, 2012 at 11:37 PM
- Maurice Gray said...
I think everybody asks Candace's question "Why does God take away the people I love?" at some point. It's natural when you lose more than one person close to you in a short period of time. We went through a season of death at my church a few years back- in the months before and after my mother died, it seemed like every week there was another homegoing service for another member of the church I knew well. My question then was more like "Why all these folks now?" It's during times like that when you really learn to lean on God.
- February 23, 2012 at 11:49 PM
- Marianne said...
A close friend lost her husband about 12 years ago, leaving her with a 10 year old son, a 5 year old daughter and a six month son. Two years ago she lost her oldest son - 21 years old. Both tragically, suddenly. Why, God? And yet she is the strongest Christian, carrying on being strong for her family, including her folks. i would love to read this novel. mitzi underscore wanham at yahoo dot com
- February 24, 2012 at 12:38 AM
- windycindy said...
Loss is a part of death, just as birth is. I have lost my only brother and mother and it was
only four months apart! One does
learn to go on in life, but I
believe that we are forever changed
when we lose the people we love...
Many thanks, Cindi
- February 24, 2012 at 1:37 AM
- Judy said...
When I was going through a divorce of 25 years I couldn't understand why God didn't make it all better. He did..just not the way I had hoped for. Instead, he gave me so much more!! When my second husband died of a brain tumor. I cried out..God why didn't you hear my prayers and heal my husband..he did it just wasn't an earthly healing. When my Mom died 4 weeks ago today..I once again prayed for healing while she laid in the hospital bed...he healed her. He took her to Heaven so she could breath deeply and healed her completely of all her physical ailments. I share my stories to others that have had losses. God does hear our prayers! God does answer our prayers! God's time and God's Will...not ours!
Praying for continued success with your books. I would love to win a copy of "When Rain Falls". Thanks for a great interview and giveawy.
- February 24, 2012 at 7:49 AM
- apple blossom said...
I think just by being there for the person is most important sometimes no words are needed.
ABreading4fun [at] gmail [dot] com
- February 24, 2012 at 2:54 PM
- Jennifer said...
God tells us we are all going to die and that we need to be ready because we don't know when our time is. We live in a broken world and I lean heavily on God and his word. Proverbs 3:5&6 helps me, especially when my sister and I took care of my dad a week before he died of cancer, to not lean on my own understanding. I'm so grateful that God allowed me that last chance to be with my dad.
- February 24, 2012 at 10:36 PM
Apple Blossom is right-no words are needed. And sometimes, we can't find the right words anyway. However, a hug always seems to be comforting.
That question about why loved ones are taken away hasn't been something I asked God about. But
when there was an extremely difficult situation which I couldn't seem to handle correctly, that was my constant why to God. Why that problem occurred I don't know, and I don't know the answer, but he always answers. We just don't always understand what he was telling us.
- February 24, 2012 at 11:20 PM
I enjoyed your interview of Tyora Moody. In answer to her question, no, I've not really asked that question.
But I have lost many and it is always hard. Also hard to know what to say to comfort someone during their loss, except just let them know you are there for them and that you care. Maxie Anderson (firstname.lastname@example.com )
- February 25, 2012 at 1:30 AM
- misskallie2000 said...
Hi Tyora, Congratulations on your Debut Book "When Rain Falls". I have added to my wish list. Great interview.
I would ask "Why is my son the one that has an addiction problem?" Of the 30 nieces, nephews, cousins, their children etc. why my son. I keep praying for God to help him overcome his addiction.
misskallie2000 at yahoo dot com
- February 25, 2012 at 2:09 AM
- beemama said...
I have loved some wonderful people in my life that have gone on to be with the Lord. I miss them terribly, but can truthfully say that there were few occasions with I asked the question of Why to their deaths. They are home now and at peace.
- February 28, 2012 at 12:12 PM


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I am a National Guard Recruiting NCOIC, been doing recruiting jobs for the military for over 12 years and am a subject matter expert on qualifications for National Guard and Army ( as we use the same regulation) and I keep up to date on other services regulations as well. In my job, I process questionable applicants and determine eligibility, I process waivers of all types and know the regulations inside and out. I will not sugar coat my answers to you. They are usually short and to the point. If you need more in depth, ask me. Because each situation is different, alot of times you need to actually talk to a recruiter and let them evaluate your situation in person, by looking at your documents, issues etc. If I suggest this, it would be in your best interest to do so. Finally...thank you for your interest in serving this great nation of ours. Very few people can actually make the cut to serve let alone choose to do so. So thank you for wanting to and hopefully you will get a chance. Whatever branch you choose, thank you and good luck.
18 years Guard experience, combat missions and homeland missions. 12 years recruiting. I have been a platoon sergeant and squad leader. Mentor to new recruiters and recruits.
Recruiters course and advanced courses in recruiting
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Looking for a gluten free fruit dessert? Check out this pie that uses Bisquick® Gluten Free mix, frozen peaches and fresh raspberries...plus, it requires only 15 minutes of prep time!
Try apples instead of peaches or blueberries instead of raspberries.
For a special touch, serve with sweetened whipped cream and sprinkle with cinnamon.
Always read labels to make sure each recipe ingredient is gluten free. Products and ingredient sources can change.
© 2017 ®/TM General Mills All Rights Reserved


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There is an historic Anderson House in Wabasha, MN where we had Thanksgiving Dinner this year. I have to say how pleased I am to have eaten there. The turkey was divine. I didn't even need to gravy it up, which was good for me because I swore off potatoes, rolls, and anything white or carbohydrationized, except stuffing, or dressing, as some call it.
I had ham that was lean and juicy. I had a slice of acorn squash, baked and just really good. The green beans were fresh and in a fresh mushroom sauce, no cans here. I fell in love with the creamy cheesy onion dish which I have never before had. There was homemade cranberry sauce, apple pie and a nice side salad. I like to start with the pie. haha! We had iced tea and met some lovely people and had some great conversations.
The atmosphere is so sweet and historically correct, with some of the staff dressed as early settlers.
I do recommend for people to check this place out, to stay, to visit, to eat on special holidays and Sunday brunch.
There is a handicap access in the rear and the prices are reasonable. The food is really good home made style.
Call ahead for reservations 800-482-8188, or try stopping in as you drive through historic downtown Wabasha.
Tags: brian and rachel, christmas, food, good food, historic, holiday meals, hotel, sunday brunch, thanksgiving, wabasha


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Anyone have any experience with the Avatar (blue guys, not Last Airbender) vehicles? Are they well-made, and do they work with Joes? I saw a mech suit that would complement the Cobra mech nicely.
Speaking of which, someone returned one with the Cyber Viper switched out for an AVAC (from the Firebat). Why? Switch a nice figure with another nice figure. If it'd been marked down, I would've gotten it anyway, but it wasn't.
Also, anyone familiar with the 1:18 scale Abrams tank Target is selling for $29.99? That looks like it'd go with Joes pretty nicely, too.
That's my jacket!
Got that one too! It's an awesome toy! I just wish I could find some decently sized GI Joe stickers to put on it...Also, anyone familiar with the 1:18 scale Abrams tank Target is selling for $29.99? That looks like it'd go with Joes pretty nicely, too.
My brother is looking to get one of these, and I suspect I'll like it well enough to get one myself. I wish I had the money to get one when Target and TRU had the Elite Force 1:18 vehicles a few years ago. I have the 1:18 Black Hawk and Apache and really like them. He wants to grab the Bradley too, but he's curious if the toy really works as a troop carrier.Also, anyone familiar with the 1:18 scale Abrams tank Target is selling for $29.99? That looks like it'd go with Joes pretty nicely, too.
Member 104 of the SWC forums . . . but it's good to be back.
Good traders: DarkJedi5, jediguy, Jedi_Master_Guyute, jedimastergeorge06
My main problems with the HISS are the difficulty in shifting "modes" (the pieces tend to stick) and the way the treads rub against the tank itself in the down position. Also, it would be nice to have more than two cannons, since there are about six thousand holes in it, but that's a minor detail. Would've been nice if there'd been at least one clear window, since they made such a nice HISS Driver update.
I don't regret getting it, but $25 seems a bit much for it. (However, upon further review, it is big, regardless of its flaws, and vehicles are getting more expensive overall.)
Thanks for the input on the other stuff--they looked cool, but just expensive enough that I wanted some info. The Avatar suits I saw at a Mattel store, so there was no way to compare them with Joes, and I couldn't tell if the Abrams had features or was a brick. I'll probably get both, as well as the Cobra mech suit (and the second, if the second wave gets released). Even if I wind up getting the Joe mech suits, I'll re-purpose them for Cobra--the mechs look like the slightly futuristic thing Cobra would cook up, but they don't gel with the Joe team for me.
That's my jacket!
I scored a second Cobra Commander today, leaving another on the shelf. All that were left were Dukes, Stormies, Snakes, and the other CC.
I also found a coupon for 50% off at the local Mattel store, and think I'll stop by again and get the Avatar mech in the next couple of days before it expires. I saw the Joe mechs at TRU, too, so I'll probably get one (and maybe two, or a second Ghost Hawk) during the next BOGO sale.
That's my jacket!
I think if anything my HISS tank tends to pop up too readily. I'm a bit demanding than some when it comes to toys, though so I saw that as a very minor issue.
I should've pointed put that the Abrams doesn't have much room inside for figures - actually only the hatches themselves hold figures, and there's no real interior. Still, a very nice toy.
I actually never cared much for the design of that Cobra Commander figure until I saw it in person in the new color scheme (I do own both versions.) Something about that paint app really makes that design work for me.
POC Duke seems to be the pegwarmer at my local stores which is a shame because it's a great figure.
I got Snow Job yesterday after passing him up twice. Now if only Spirit and Quick Kick would show up at any of my local TRUs.


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Dr. Lateef Adetona of Lagos State University in Nigeria will present the address "Islamic Paradigm of Dialogue for Conflict Resolution" on Tuesday, March 31, at 4 p.m. in the Maas Center at Hope College through the "Searching the Sacred" lecture series sponsored by the college's department of religion.
The public is invited. Admission is free.
Adetona is a senior lecturer with the Department of Religions at Lagos State University. He is spending six weeks at Hope as a Fulbright Visiting Specialist under the auspices of the Fulbright Direct Access to the Muslim World program.
The Maas Center is located at 264 Columbia Ave., on Columbia Avenue at 11th Street.


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CSG Position Papers
Memo to President Trump and His Incoming Administration. U.S. Policy Toward Cuba: The Case for EngagementA memo to President Trump cosigned by CSG and 17 other organizations and individuals. The letter urges the president to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of progress made in U.S.-Cuba relat... Read More
Restoring Executive Authority Over U.S. Policy Toward CubaA whitepaper released by the Cuba Study Group in February 2013 calling on the U.S. to de-codify the embargo and expand the free flow of resources and information to the Cuban people. Read More
Supporting Small Business in CubaIn January 2011, the Cuba Study Group and the Center for Financial Inclusion at ACCION International sponsored a Cuba Small Business Summit in collaboration with Americas Societyband Cou... Read More
Empowering Cubans Through Technology: Recommendations for Private and Public Sector LeadersThe Committees of the Cuba IT & Social Media initiative issued a report outlining recommendations to private and public sector leaders on ways to facilitate Cuban's access to technology. T... Read More
Lifting Restrictions on Travel and Remittances to CubaA December 2008 white paper release by the Cuba Study Group advocating for the unilateral lifting of all restrictions on travel and remittances to Cuba by U.S. nationals. The document pres... Read More
The Cuban Enterprise FundA Cuba Study Group proposal for the creation of a Cuban Enterprise Fund to assist in the development of private small and medium size businesses in Cuba through equity investments, loans, ... Read More
Unleashing Microeconomic Reforms: Investing in CubansThe Cuba Study Group's September 2006 White Paper outlining its initiative to unleash micro-economic reforms in Cuba and offer millions in micro-loans to entrepreneurs in Cuba. The purpose... Read More
Enhancing U.S. policy toward Cuba: Building blocks for a transitionA white paper prepared by the Cuba Study Group in March of 2006 which outlines a conditional engagement policy aimed at making change in Cuba more likely. The proposal conditions the refor... Read More
Building a Common, Multilateral Policy Toward CubaA Cuba Study Group whitepaper recommending a common, multilateral approach toward Cuba policy. In it, the Group outlines the benefits of a multilateral policy approach toward Cuba and ways i... Read More


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Web Stories
Conference explores agriculture, climate change issues
Posted April 8, 2009; 06:39 p.m.
The Princeton Environmental Institute (PEI) will host a symposium and conference Wednesday through Friday, April 29-May 1, to address challenges related to agriculture and climate change as the global population expands.
Speakers will explore the scientific, policy and ethical questions presented by the need to greatly boost food production to feed a growing world population while reducing agriculture's contribution of approximately 30 percent of the world's greenhouse gases. The event is part of PEI's Bert G. Kerstetter '66 Ethics and the Environment Lecture Series.
The April 29 symposium, titled "Agricultural Biotechnology and Sustainability," will gather leaders in biotechnology, food security, agricultural development, biodiversity conservation and environmental protection to discuss major technology and policy issues and to suggest policy options to move agricultural biotechnology forward.
The symposium will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Fields Center. It is cosponsored by the Program in Science, Technology and Environmental Policy (STEP) in the Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs.
Shanthu Shantharam, a visiting researcher in the STEP program, said the symposium is the first at Princeton to address the role of agricultural biotechnology in sustainable development.
"The dawn of modern agricultural biotechnology based on gene-splicing techniques has ushered in nothing short of a revolution in agriculture. Yet there is a nagging debate about its safety, utility and sustainability, particularly for the developing countries," he said. "The two-decade-old debate has compelled many countries to adopt highly stringent, if not draconian, regulations to implement the technologies. This is really hampering agricultural development in such countries. Even though there is plenty of empirical evidence to show that the technologies are safe and have beneficial impact on the environment, burdensome regulatory regimes are being erected as non-scientific and non-technical barriers and preventing the poorest of the poor from deriving benefits of the technology."
Symposium participants will discuss "fresh ideas for not only addressing the nagging safety questions, but also developing appropriate policy framework for technology implementation, partially in light of the fact global warming is expected to impact agriculture most severely," Shantharam said. "Modern biotechnology must be a part of the mix of solutions to tackle the effects of rising temperatures and drought."
The April 30-May 1 conference, titled "Feeding a Hot and Hungry Planet: The Challenge of Making More Food and Fewer Greenhouse Gases," will bring together scholars from around the world to investigate the critical food and agriculture issues surrounding projected world population growth from 6.7 to 9 billion people by 2050.
On April 30, Gary Hirshberg -- chairman, president and "CE-Yo" of Stonyfield Farm, the world's leading organic yogurt producer -- will present the conference's keynote address, "Thoughts From an Organic Entrepreneur," at 1 p.m. A debate titled "Slow Food vs. High-Tech Food -- Which Is the Path to a Cooler Planet?" will be held at 8 p.m. Both events will take place in McCosh 50. Other conference panels will be held at various locations around campus.
The conference is cosponsored by the University Center for Human Values and the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology.
The symposium and conference are open to the public, but registration is encouraged. A detailed schedule of events and registration information are available online.


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Still waiting for approvals to get the LI Press Release out. Made a little progress... just waiting on one more step!
Worked on LPI stuff today. Got a Level 2 stats spreadsheet set up and requested a copy of the spreadsheet I set up for level 1 (lost it when my laptop was destroyed).
Working with ELC to help them announce their new initiatives at CeBit.
Did some contract work to try and get the family fed, since money is so terribly tight right now... Also tried to line up a second gig for contract work, but I keep winding up in voice mail on the second one. Just bad timing, I'm sure.
Booked my flights to CeBit. Built a list of things that need to be done before I go.


text:
I was in a Walmart in Indianapolis Saturday and they had their Trek figs priced at $4.97. It was wasn't a sale as far as I could tell, that was the retail price.
I was in a Walmart in Indianapolis Saturday and they had their Trek figs priced at $4.97. It was wasn't a sale as far as I could tell, that was the retail price.
Weird War Tales: Featuring the Creature Commandos #105 November 1981 (DC Comics)
I'll need to pick up a low-priced Cadet McCoy and Cadet Chekov. They look like they could be in Club Outlander and not too recognizeable in popularly known Star Trek uniforms.
I think Barnes and undamaged Marcus, maybe masked John too, can also work for more members of Coruscant's population.
The figs and bridge seem to be keeping the pegs toasty-warm around here, but the ship seemed to sell well. How is it where you are?
McCoy: What do those super sensitive ears make of that, Mr. Spock?
Spock: Wood. Rubbing on some kind of leather.
[FONT=Arial Narrow]MOM, THROW DOWN SOME MONEY! THE ICE CREAM MAN IS COMIIING!!!![/FONT]
The figures of Kirk and especially Spock and Uhura have sold well. As has Pike and Sulu for that matter.
Cadet Chekov is the biggest pegwarmer. You can find some Scotty, and McCoy, as well as Nero.
The 6" has sold very well except for McCoy and Chekov. It's the Academy uniforms. However, I predict that Kirk will sell in his Academy Uniform alright. But the Kirk in all black will be by far the most popular.
A new wave of TOS figures showed up for pre-order on TRU's site the other night, including the first brand new character to TRU's waves.
Kirk (Mirror, Mirror) - http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...ductId=3531475
Spock (Mirror, Mirror) - http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...ductId=3531470
Kang - http://www.toysrus.com/product/index...ductId=3531476
"Hokey packaging and ancient gimmicks are no match for good detail on your figure, kid."
"I am a Klingot from Oklahoma in human boy form."
"We came, we saw, we conquered... We, woke up!"
Kang! They can easily make different TOS Klingon heads for the already made Korr body. Hopefully they have Captain Koloth in the works. I'm definatly getting Kang though.
"Maybe I can help you. I am Boba Fett. The ship you seek is nearby." -Boba Fett
Yup. I think I'm down for Kang, myself. Thanks for posting, Basker!
Some recent bad news figure-wise, though. The Borg line with the build-an-alcove has been canceled.
It's not all that surprising, though, they were going nowhere with them. Every single time they were asked about the alcove's progress, they would respond that they were still trying to figure out how to split it up. I bet they still haven't figured it out.
"Hokey packaging and ancient gimmicks are no match for good detail on your figure, kid."
"I am a Klingot from Oklahoma in human boy form."
"We came, we saw, we conquered... We, woke up!"
That's too bad. So many of the Trek figures I wanted from DST (Kruuge, Malz, now the Borg sets) have been cancelled.
On the other hand, the M-113 Salt Vampire has been brought back.
I always create dioramas. I see it being pointless to collect action figures and not display them - and then display them paired up correctly with "a scene" of related figures.
To that end, I've been considering ordering a whole 2nd set of TOS crew members to help me spare figures to be paired with the M-113 creature and Kang. (I'd love it if the re-release of Sulu had a sword and I could pose him fighting Kang!)
Anyway, no decision as of yet, but NewForceComics lets you order 6 of the 7 TOS crew member repacks (just missing Chekov). I already have this crew, but I'm not sure if I have enough or 2nd editions of them would be useful.


text:
|Classic Atlantic Salmon No pursuit rivals salmon rivers, flies & legacy
|Topic Review (Newest First)
Graham. Good start ! It looks like you could fill your boots on the Dee, the weekend is going to be milder...looks like I've got some catching up to do !!
Just booked a beat on the Taw for three weeks time.
|G Ritchie
Had 4 fresh fish during February, 2 from the Dee and 2 from the Spey. Things have been quieter since that last heavy snowfall. Fished Aboyne Castle on the Dee on monday, caught 8 kelts but no fresh fish. Fishing with 'Willie Gunn' tomorrow on the Spey.
On the Dee just above where you were fishing they had 9 fresh fish at Woodend on Friday including a 25 pounder and on monday they had 8 fresh fish off Ballogie.
Head rather sore on wednesday morning but cleared at the sight of a clean river, fished The Fawn with the new Mosquito flies Paul Locke kindly sent down and had a kelt third cast...one other fish taken for the day( another kelt)..Left for the airport at 1400 and arrived three hours early due to Mr Everett not being able to read properly. All in all a lovely three days but rubbish fishing. Team 2 arrived Thursday morning and Mr Everett junior surpassed himself by catching a 22 pounder, when he wasn't shaking kelts off the hook.........I can't bring myself to ring him again so I don't know what happened Friday and Saturday.... he keeps ringing me on my mobile and leaving messages but stuff him. Tweed over Easter should be interesting !!
How are things your end ?!
Kind regards.
Graham. Arrived to a river full of grue. Monday morning spent chatting, settled down to a serious lunch of foie gras and quails eggs supported by a rather super bottle of d' Yqeum 1986. Afternoon no better fishing wise so we waded into magnums of Bollinger to keep our spirits up. A very sunny afternoon complimented with good company. We raided the Banchory chinese Restaurant in the evening and drowned ourselves in Sake.
Waders arrived by post on tuesday morning courtesy of long suffering wife back in Surrey ! River full of grue so we got the clay pigeon trap out and blasted away, probably not the best of ideas to position the trap under the telephone cables running to Martin Haywards house (head Ghillie) but I think he will get a couple of weeks use out of them before he has to ring the telephone board. Lord Bagnall provided lunch of roast pork and apple sarnies washed down with bottles of superb Grand Cru Chablis, the year escapes me, ran low on KRUG so had to pop into Banchory for supplies...Safeways wine selection is actually rather good..made a bit of a tit of myself walking around the supermarket in an RAF flying suit and donkey boots but kept the till staff amused. returned back to river , looking a little better and carried on drinking... three hours later the ghillies and invited guests persuaded me to demonstrate the snake roll which I did and enjoyed showing off.....right up to the point I got ran over by an iceburg and went swimming..good job the air temperature had risen to -2 otherwise I would have frozen. Had to be carried to the fishing lodge and stripped naked..the violent shakes were only calmed by large tots of Pursers Rum. Ghillies left and arrived back with cameras and new kit. Rest of that evening is a bit of a blur...I was however made an Honourary member of the Cambridge University Naval Troop. (!) ......TBC.........
|G Ritchie
Any luck with your week on the Dee?
|Willie Gunn
Restraint can be carried out in a number of ways.
Starting the season earlier
Stopping the season earlier.
Reducing the number of fishers
Reducing the numbers of hours fished.
To give a few examples.
Gillies will only fish if they have the express permission of the people that let the beats and they are aware this is eating into their fishing time.
Both books you mention were written long before the Spey board asked for restraint.
|paul locke
spey board policy-fishing effort
to return to mickgbell's original point, i dont think he has had an answer. is there a definite so many hours only, day v night, from the board's policy? i know each estate may have different rules but what is the overall position? and are estates fishing in the time customers are foregoing? crawford little in 'success with salmon' page36, 1st paragraph says 'certainly if i had access to a spey beat in the main summer months, i would be strongly tempted to fish the last hours of daylight for salmon and grilse, then take my sea trout rod until the first light of dawn returned the colour to the monochrome river, when i would switch my attentions back to salmon and grilse. do people realise why their ghillies are bleary eyed when their guests arrive on the beat at 10 o'clock, or do they simply put it down to drink?' hugh falkus in his great book 'salmon fishing' page 81 3rd para from bottom says [ not about any particular river ] 'it is not by chance that, according to the terms of the lease, the ghillies themselves so often fish in the evening for their estates'.
|Graham. Took a chance and told wife. Big hole in new waders!
|G Ritchie
|The middle reaches of the river seem to be where the action is at present due to the mild temperatures. My brother had one off Cairnton, just above Little Blackhall on Saturday 7th.
|Graham We are on little blackhall, same week as last year which resulted in 10 springers. feeling confident.......
The Spey Fishery Board's Annual Report has just been published. It will soon be published on the Board's website at www.speyfisheryboard.com
You will see a graph of the sea trout run over several decades looking pretty healthy.
|G Ritchie
|Things are looking good for your week on the Dee, it has got off to a good start, as have a few other rivers in the north-east. Where on the Dee are you fishing?
|Graham. Thanks for your response, the wife gave me a pair if Simms waders for my birthday so I must be back in her good books (she doesn't know that I have a week on the Dee March 1-so it will be short lived !!)
|G Ritchie
|You are restricted in the hours you fish in any given 24 hour period, so if you fish at night for sea trout then you will have to reduce the amount of time before nightfall that you fish for salmon. So in this case the pressure on the salmon will be further reduced. In response to your question as to where the sea trout were caught, I believe they did reasonably well at Grantown association last season considering the reduction on rod numbers. By the way Happy birthday.
|I am sorry if I have offended anyone , I am not saying ALL ghillies fish all or every night, but it has been known for Ghillies and friends( and customers I suspect) to fish for sea trout at night. I note the catch of sea trout is significantly down in 03 , maybe as a result of reduced effort, does anyone know where or when the 2700 were caught last year ?
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text:
Southwestern Community Mourns the Loss of Beloved Professor and Criminal Law Expert Karen Smith
Professor Karen R. Smith, a widely admired member of the Southwestern faculty for more than 30 years, passed away on December 5, following a courageous three-year battle with cancer.
"Karen Smith was truly the model of an inspiring and nurturing teacher and advisor to thousands of Southwestern students," Dean Susan Prager said. "Her devotion to her students was legendary, and her impact on the expansion of the law school's criminal law and trial advocacy curriculum, as well as the SCALE program, was tremendous. Karen was also a highly effective administrator and leader, and Southwestern benefited in a multiplicity of ways from her guidance. She will be greatly missed and remembered as an extraordinary educator, as well as a thoughtful and passionate advocate, a devoted friend and a pathbreaker."
Professor Smith was one of the most honored faculty members by students in Southwestern's long history as reflected in the numerous times she received the Excellence in Teaching Award, Commencement Grand Marshal honors and tributes by the Women's Law Association and Black Law Students Association. She was so highly regarded by her former students, that even after many years as successful professionals, they would continue to seek her counsel on some of their most complex cases.
Professor Smith brought to the classroom both a prosecution and defense view of criminal procedure on trial and appellate levels. After earning her undergraduate and J.D. degrees at the University of California, Berkeley, she became a member of the California State Bar in 1973 and began her career as a prosecutor in the Criminal Division of the California Attorney General's Office. Several years later, she transferred to the State Public Defender's Office and eventually to the Federal Public Defender's Office, where she was appointed Senior Deputy Federal Public Defender.
Judge James R. Dunn recalled, "I had the privilege of working with Karen in the late '70s and early '80s when I was serving as Federal Public Defender for the Central District, and Karen was a young lawyer and later a leader in the Office. Needless to say, she was a great trial lawyer. But more important, she was a wonderful person. When I think of her, the words that come to mind are grace, dignity, strength, stability and good judgment. She was highly respected by the District Judges, the prosecutors she faced and the criminal Bar in Los Angeles. And of course, she was beloved by all her colleagues in the Office."
Former student Alicia Blanco '91 literally followed in her mentor's footsteps. "Professor Smith completely transformed my notions of fairness, justice and due process," she said. "Such was her genius that the paradigm shift came not from her espousing her beliefs, but from the space she provided that forced us to examine our own. I've now been at Professor Smith's former firm, the Federal Public Defender's Office, for 22 years, working each day to live up to the ideals she challenged us to meet in Criminal Procedure."
Professor Smith joined the Southwestern faculty in 1982, originally as a clinical professor. She went on to teach the core and advanced courses in criminal procedure, criminal law and Interviewing, Counseling and Negotiating, as well as special courses for the Academic Support Program, which she helped create. She also served as faculty advisor to the PLEAS part-time day program for students with childcare responsibilities, several student organizations, and moot court and trial advocacy teams, and was instrumental in building the law school's award-winning Trial Advocacy Honors Program (TAHP).
Bill Seki '88 and Joseph Esposito '89 who became a defense attorney and a prosecutor, respectively, were encouraged by Professor Smith more than 20 years ago to come back to teach trial advocacy at Southwestern. The three of them also collaborated in establishing TAHP. "Karen's foresight, mentorship and leadership helped shape the Trial Advocacy Honors Program into what it is today," said Professor Seki. "She was the program's strongest advocate and helped insure that we had the necessary resources to succeed on a national stage."
Professor Esposito added, "Karen taught me what a truly gifted professor looks like. As TAHP's faculty advisor for many years, she shepherded Bill and me along with her charm, wit, patience and guidance while always making sure the accolades went to us and not her, even though she was more deserving. Karen is a tremendous loss to the Southwestern family."
In 1991, Professor Smith was appointed Director of SCALE®, Southwestern's two-year J.D. program, the oldest accelerated J.D. curriculum in the country. She continued to teach in SCALE as well as the traditional programs. Dean Emeritus Leigh Taylor, who originally hired Professor Smith, said, "Karen was not only an outstanding law teacher, she was also an excellent administrator who was committed to the advancement of Southwestern in any way she could possibly assist. As Director of SCALE, she infused new life into the program and worked tirelessly for more than ten years to ensure its viability and success. Through her thoughtful and direct approach, she gained the highest respect from all of us at the law school as well as the criminal justice community."
Many colleagues saw Professor Smith as a master teacher. "She was able to facilitate her students' understanding in a thousand ways both large and small," explained Professor Kelly Strader. "She balanced firmness and compassion in the classroom like no one I've ever seen. She was extraordinary."
According to Professor Isabelle Gunning, "Karen was a fabulous attorney on both sides. She brought that unique perspective to her teaching, as well as her sense of ethics and morality, and the passion she had for the profession. She was such a pillar of Southwestern, both for her students and for her colleagues on the faculty, holding all of us to the highest standard."
Professor Tara Walters emphasized what an important role model Professor Smith was for Southwestern's Black Law Students Association (BLSA). "Her guidance and support was immeasurable, and her commitment to and vision for BLSA has created countless opportunities for our BLSA students and other students of color. Karen has left a rich legacy for our entire Southwestern community to cherish and celebrate."
Professor Smith was named as the Irwin R. Buchalter Professor of Law in 1994, as the Irving D. and Florence Rosenberg Professor of Law in 2003, and as the Paul E. Treusch Professor of Law in 2006. She received the law school's Excellence in Teaching Award five times, most recently in 2011. In 2007, she was presented with the "Outstanding Friend" award by the Southwestern Alumni Association.
After entering academia, Professor Smith continued to be active in public service in numerous capacities. She served on the Federal Indigent Defense Panel, the Magistrate Judge Merit Selection Panel, the ABA Criminal Justice Section's Standards Committee, and as a lawyer representative from the Central District to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Conference. She served as special counsel to the Webster-Williams Commission investigating the police response to the 1992 Los Angeles riots, and on the Los Angeles Work Group of the Ninth Circuit Gender Bias Task Force. She was also a long-time member of the boards of both the Westside Children's Center and Wildwood School.
Professor Smith lectured for many years on criminal procedure and related issues for the National Judicial College and the ABA Appellate Judges Seminars, and KABC News and other media often called on her to provide expert commentary on high profile criminal trials. She also served on the board of the California Supreme Court Historical Society. In 2008, the John M. Langston Bar Association inducted Professor Smith into the organization's Hall of Fame in recognition of her contributions to the legal profession and legal education.
Echoing many who had the privilege of learning from and working with Professor Smith, L.A. Superior Court Judge Deborah Brazil '96 said, "Professor Smith had a profound and lasting impact on my life as my professor, mentor, colleague and friend. Words cannot describe my gratitude for having her voice in my heart and in my mind. Our school community and the legal community are far better because she shared herself with us."
A memorial service for Professor Smith will be held on Saturday, January 25, 2014 at 3:00 p.m. on the Southwestern campus. RSVPs are requested and may be directed to firstname.lastname@example.com or (213) 738-6814. Letters of condolence to Professor Smith's daughter, Kendra Elstad, may be sent to Sr. Associate Dean Doreen Heyer, who will forward them to her.
In lieu of flowers, her family has requested that donations can be made to the Professor Karen R. Smith Scholarship Endowment Fund at Southwestern. The fund will provide financial assistance to outstanding female students of color at the law school. Information regarding the fund may be obtained from Associate Dean Debra Leathers at firstname.lastname@example.com. Click here to make a donation online (select "Prof. Karen R. Smith Scholarship Endowment Fund" in the drop-down box under Gift Designation).


text:
[Hook x2]
Lord have mercy, Jesus Christ
He's just nice, he just slice like a ginsu
Look at the life that I've been through
I'm the last real nigga alive, that's official
[Verse 1]
Y'all don't know about my Biggie wars
Who you thought "Kick In The Door" was for?
But that's my heart, y'all still tripping off the Jigga shit
Real niggas listen up and I'mma tell you how the whole thing start
Off top I brung Queens up from hard times
Rocking at the Fever, streets was all mine
It was my version of the blues, dropping out schools
The crack epidemic had rap representing the rules
So I got in them shoes, tried 'em, wore them
Wasn't a perfect fit so I couldn't sport 'em
Young murderers ride, I knew all them
Jungle got shot, Will died, we was warring
I wrote it in my album
I was 18 when Lake seen the Island, and Lord held me down and
My surroundings started changing, I had a baby
I was making my rounds with AZ
Niggas started noticing my flow and was open when
The Golden Child closed 'em in with more style than them older men
Puff tried to start a label, Prince Rakeem had formed Wu-Tang
Snoop and Dre had a new thing
So Puff drove his new Range through Queensbridge Projects
He let me drive it, before Ready To Die hit
Big and I hit blunts performing at the Ark
Next thing you knew, Big blew and all the balling starts
He had Kim in his crew, I found Fox
Only niggas in New York with number one charts
Big was ahead of his time, him and Raekwon my niggas
But dig it, they couldn't get along
That's when Ghostface said it on the purple tape
Bad Boy biting Nas album cover way
Big told me Rae was stealing my slang
And Rae told me out in Shaolin, Big would do the same thing
But I borrowed from both them niggas
Jigga started to flow like us, but hit with "Ain't No Nigga"
Had much Versace swagger
Big admired the Brooklynite and took him in as Iceberg the rapper
Today don't know nothing, about this boss shit
There's more shit than wanting to be this King of New York shit
[Verse 2]
Rap became a version of Malcom and Martin
Rest In Peace Will, Queensbridge live on
There's some ghetto secrets I can't rhyme in this song
There's some missing pieces I had to leave out
Had lost trust for Steve Stoute at some point til I got to know him
We old friends, but what's loyal? Puff soaked Interscope offices
With champagne bottles on Steve, and Steve thought the drama's on me
Cause previously it would have been, against whoever
Friends forever
However, I learn, with some niggas it's all business
But I'm a street dude with morals
Then this nigga's with Jigga too much, he used to say Jay wanted my spot
I laughed, stayed home, never hung a lot
A quiet man who used to be alone planning
Baby moms thought I was too quiet, couldn't stand it
She hit the streets, later on she hitting the sheets
With a rapper who wanted me on his songs, thinking he strong
I taught her how to watch for cars who might follow
Taught her street shit that I know
Her weakness was shine yo
But that's her, I ain't mad baby, it made me stronger
Now I get my paper longer
Illmatic I was boss, It Was Written I flossed
One of the most creative LPs ever to hit stores
In the Firm I learned I Am NaStradamus
QB's Finest, Oochie Wally, faced more problems
I gave it all up so I can chill at home with mama
She was getting old and sick so I stayed beside her
We had the best times, she asked would I make more songs
I told her not til I see her health get more strong
In the middle of that, Jay tried to sneak attack
Assassinate my character, degrade my hood
Cause in order for him to be the Don, Nas had to go
The Gam-B-I-N-O rules I understood
What y'all want, see, I already had
The Gift and The Curse? Fuck that shit, the first shall be last
I'm the man's man, a rapper's rapper
G-O-D S-O-N, they'll be none after
I was Scarface, Jay was Manolo
It hurt me when I had to kill him and his whole squad for dolo
This is what many consider to be the last song in the Nas vs. Jay-Z epic. While some criticized Nas for his homophobic insults and not coming down harder on Jay beyond surface level, this is Nas carefully and clearly airing out the situation and informing everyone as to what really happened with Jay-Z, Puffy and everything that had happened up to that point.


text:
Best Skin Care Holiday Gift Sets
18 Holiday Skin Care Sets Worth Giving to Yourself
Photo 1 of 19
18 Holiday Skin Care Sets Worth Giving to Yourself
One of the best things about the holiday season is all the well-priced gift sets. And while there are plenty of palettes, fragrance, and nail sets available, you might want to avoid an awkward gifting mishap (who really wants to be told they could use some acne or antiaging products?) and keep all those amazing skin care sets for yourself. Whatever your complexion needs, there's an awesome set for you to try — or to help you stock up on your longtime favorites.