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Slavoj Žižek LIVE: Pandemic! Protests! Panic!
Watch Slavoj Žižek's live interview with Big Think, moderated by Samo Burja.
The COVID-19 pandemic shocked societies and economies throughout the world. Now, the US is in the midst of powerful protests that are spreading across the globe. In this live session, moderated by political scientist Samo Burja, philosopher Slavoj Žižek will analyze this moment in history as it unfolds, discussing political narratives, revolutions, capitalism, and, of course, communism. And so on.
Ask your questions during the live Q&A!
Pandemic! Protests! Panic! with Slavoj Žižek is streaming on YouTube, Facebook and on Big Think Edge (for subscribers only).
Slavoj Žižek is one of the most prolific and well-known philosophers and cultural theorists in the world today. His inventive, provocative body of work mixes Hegelian metaphysics, Lacanian psychoanalysis, and Marxist dialectic in order to challenge conventional wisdom and accepted verities on both the left and the right. Žižek's ability to witness and analyze the influences of corporations, Nationalism, and the ideological underpinnings of any geopolitical, or social occurrence, is more relevant than ever, while we take a thorough survey of the current pandemic. His challenges of leftist ethical codes, his audacious use of humor, while seriously questioning the presupposed truths and what is deemed good, all of these qualities are woven through his numerous publications, and will be present with us today as we get to speak to Žižek in person. You can watch his videos on Big Think here. Žižek's most recent book is Pandemic!: COVID-19 Shakes the World.
Samo Burja is the founder of Bismarck Analysis, a consulting firm that investigates the institutional landscape of society, usually in political risk. Burja is also a research fellow at the Long Now Foundation where he studies how institutions can endure for centuries and millennia. As Senior Research Fellow in Political Science at the Foresight Institute he helps advise how institutions can shape the future of technology. You can see new videos each week from Burja on YouTube.
- Slavoj Žižek: Why Tolerance Is Patronizing - Big Think ›
- Why Slavoj Zizek thinks political correctness is dumb - Big Think ›
- Slavoj Žižek: Political Correctness Is a More Dangerous Form of ... ›
The "new normal" paradox: What COVID-19 has revealed about higher education
Higher education faces challenges that are unlike any other industry. What path will ASU, and universities like ASU, take in a post-COVID world?
- Everywhere you turn, the idea that coronavirus has brought on a "new normal" is present and true. But for higher education, COVID-19 exposes a long list of pernicious old problems more than it presents new problems.
- It was widely known, yet ignored, that digital instruction must be embraced. When combined with traditional, in-person teaching, it can enhance student learning outcomes at scale.
- COVID-19 has forced institutions to understand that far too many higher education outcomes are determined by a student's family income, and in the context of COVID-19 this means that lower-income students, first-generation students and students of color will be disproportionately afflicted.
What conditions of the new normal were already appreciated widely?
First, we understand that higher education is unique among industries. Some industries are governed by markets. Others are run by governments. Most operate under the influence of both markets and governments. And then there's higher education. Higher education as an "industry" involves public, private, and for-profit universities operating at small, medium, large, and now massive scales. Some higher education industry actors are intense specialists; others are adept generalists. Some are fantastically wealthy; others are tragically poor. Some are embedded in large cities; others are carefully situated near farms and frontiers.

These differences demonstrate just some of the complexities that shape higher education. Still, we understand that change in the industry is underway, and we must be active in directing it. Yet because of higher education's unique (and sometimes vexing) operational and structural conditions, many of the lessons from change management and the science of industrial transformation are only applicable in limited or highly modified ways. For evidence of this, one can look at various perspectives, including those that we have offered, on such topics as disruption, technology management, and so-called "mergers and acquisitions" in higher education. In each of these spaces, the "market forces" and "market rules" for higher education are different than they are in business, or even in government. This has always been the case and it is made more obvious by COVID-19.

Second, with so much excitement about innovation in higher education, we sometimes lose sight of the fact that students are—and should remain—the core cause for innovation. Higher education's capacity to absorb new ideas is strong. But the ideas that endure are those designed to benefit students, and therefore society. This is important to remember because not all innovations are designed with students in mind. The recent history of innovation in higher education includes several cautionary tales of what can happen when institutional interests—or worse, shareholder interests—are placed above student well-being.

Photo: Getty Images
Third, it is abundantly apparent that universities must leverage technology to increase educational quality and access. The rapid shift to delivering an education that complies with social distancing guidelines speaks volumes about the adaptability of higher education institutions, but this transition has also posed unique difficulties for colleges and universities that had been slow to adopt digital education. The last decade has shown that online education, implemented effectively, can meet or even surpass the quality of in-person instruction.

Digital instruction, broadly defined, leverages online capabilities and integrates adaptive learning methodologies, predictive analytics, and innovations in instructional design to enable increased student engagement, personalized learning experiences, and improved learning outcomes. The ability of these technologies to transcend geographic barriers and to shrink the marginal cost of educating additional students makes them essential for delivering education at scale.

As a bonus, and it is no small thing given that they are the core cause for innovation, students embrace and enjoy digital instruction. It is their preference to learn in a format that leverages technology. This should not be a surprise; it is now how we live in all facets of life.

Still, we have only barely begun to conceive of the impact digital education will have. For example, emerging virtual and augmented reality technologies that facilitate interactive, hands-on learning will transform the way that learners acquire and apply new knowledge. Technology-enabled learning cannot replace the traditional college experience or ensure the survival of any specific college, but it can enhance student learning outcomes at scale. This has always been the case, and it is made more obvious by COVID-19.

What conditions of the new normal were emerging suspicions?
Our collective thinking about the role of institutional or university-to-university collaboration and networking has benefitted from a new clarity in light of COVID-19. We now recognize more than ever that colleges and universities must work together to ensure that the American higher education system is resilient and sufficiently robust to meet the needs of students and their families.

In recent weeks, various commentators have suggested that higher education will face a wave of institutional closures and consolidations and that large institutions with significant online instruction capacity will become dominant.

While ASU is the largest public university in the United States by enrollment and among the most well-equipped in online education, we strongly oppose "let them fail" mindsets. The strength of American higher education relies on its institutional diversity, and on the ability of colleges and universities to meet the needs of their local communities and educate local students. The needs of learners are highly individualized, demanding a wide range of options to accommodate the aspirations and learning styles of every kind of student. Education will become less relevant and meaningful to students, and less responsive to local needs, if institutions of higher learning are allowed to fail.

Preventing this outcome demands that colleges and universities work together to establish greater capacity for remote, distributed education. This will help institutions with fewer resources adapt to our new normal and continue to fulfill their mission of serving students, their families, and their communities. Many had suspected that collaboration and networking were preferable over letting vulnerable colleges fail. COVID-19's new normal seems to be confirming this.

President Barack Obama delivers the commencement address during the Arizona State University graduation ceremony at Sun Devil Stadium May 13, 2009 in Tempe, Arizona. Over 65,000 people attended the graduation.
Photo by Joshua Lott/Getty Images
A second condition of the new normal that many had suspected to be true in recent years is the limited role that any one university or type of university can play as an exemplar to universities more broadly. For decades, the evolution of higher education has been shaped by the widespread imitation of a small number of elite universities. Most public research universities could benefit from replicating Berkeley or Michigan. Most small private colleges did well by replicating Williams or Swarthmore. And all universities paid close attention to Harvard, Princeton, MIT, Stanford, and Yale. It is not an exaggeration to say that the logic of replication has guided the evolution of higher education for centuries, both in the US and abroad.

Only recently have we been able to move beyond replication to new strategies of change, and COVID-19 has confirmed the legitimacy of doing so. For example, cases such as Harvard's eviction of students over the course of less than one week or Yale's apparent reluctance to work with the city of New Haven, highlight that even higher education's legacy gold standards have limits and weaknesses. We are hopeful that the new normal will include a more active and earnest recognition that we need many types of universities. We think the new normal invites us to rethink the very nature of "gold standards" for higher education.

A graduate student protests MIT's rejection of some evacuation exemption requests.
Photo: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
Finally, and perhaps most importantly, we had started to suspect and now understand that America's colleges and universities are among the many institutions of democracy and civil society that are, by their very design, incapable of being sufficiently responsive to the full spectrum of modern challenges and opportunities they face. Far too many higher education outcomes are determined by a student's family income, and in the context of COVID-19 this means that lower-income students, first-generation students and students of color will be disproportionately afflicted. And without new designs, we can expect postsecondary success for these same students to be as elusive in the new normal, as it was in the old normal. This is not just because some universities fail to sufficiently recognize and engage the promise of diversity, this is because few universities have been designed from the outset to effectively serve the unique needs of lower-income students, first-generation students and students of color.

Where can the new normal take us?
As colleges and universities face the difficult realities of adapting to COVID-19, they also face an opportunity to rethink their operations and designs in order to respond to social needs with greater agility, adopt technology that enables education to be delivered at scale, and collaborate with each other in order to maintain the dynamism and resilience of the American higher education system.

COVID-19 raises questions about the relevance, the quality, and the accessibility of higher education—and these are the same challenges higher education has been grappling with for years.

ASU has been able to rapidly adapt to the present circumstances because we have spent nearly two decades not just anticipating but driving innovation in higher education. We have adopted a charter that formalizes our definition of success in terms of "who we include and how they succeed" rather than "who we exclude." We adopted an entrepreneurial operating model that moves at the speed of technological and social change. We have launched initiatives such as InStride, a platform for delivering continuing education to learners already in the workforce. We developed our own robust technological capabilities in ASU EdPlus, a hub for research and development in digital learning that, even before the current crisis, allowed us to serve more than 45,000 fully online students. We have also created partnerships with other forward-thinking institutions in order to mutually strengthen our capabilities for educational accessibility and quality; this includes our role in co-founding the University Innovation Alliance, a consortium of 11 public research universities that share data and resources to serve students at scale.

For ASU, and universities like ASU, the "new normal" of a post-COVID world looks surprisingly like the world we already knew was necessary. Our record breaking summer 2020 enrollment speaks to this. What COVID demonstrates is that we were already headed in the right direction and necessitates that we continue forward with new intensity and, we hope, with more partners. In fact, rather than "new normal" we might just say, it's "go time."

Creativity: The science behind the madness
Human brains evolved for creativity. We just have to learn how to access it.
- An all-star cast of Big Thinkers—actors Rainn Wilson and Ethan Hawke; composer Anthony Brandt; neuroscientists David Eagleman, Wendy Suzuki, and Beau Lotto; and psychologist Scott Barry Kaufman—share how they define creativity and explain how our brains uniquely evolved for the phenomenon.
- According to Eagleman, during evolution there was an increase in space between our brain's input and output that allows information more time to percolate. We also grew a larger prefrontal cortex which "allows us to simulate what ifs, to separate ourselves from our location in space and time and think about possibilities."
- Scott Barry Kaufman details 3 brain networks involved in creative thinking, and Wendy Suzuki busts the famous left-brain, right-brain myth.
Dinosaur bone? Meteorite? These men's wedding bands are a real break from boredom.
Manly Bands wanted to improve on mens' wedding bands. Mission accomplished.
- Manly Bands was founded in 2016 to provide better options and customer service in men's wedding bands.
- Unique materials include antler, dinosaur bones, meteorite, tungsten, and whiskey barrels.
- The company donates a portion of profits to charity every month.
What if Middle-earth was in Pakistan?
Iranian Tolkien scholar finds intriguing parallels between subcontinental geography and famous map of Middle-earth.
- J.R.R. Tolkien hinted that his stories are set in a really ancient version of Europe.
- But a fantasy realm can be inspired by a variety of places; and perhaps so is Tolkien's world.
- These intriguing similarities with Asian topography show that it may be time to 'decolonise' Middle-earth.
Mental decolonisation
Menu page for Arda.ir, the website of the Persian Tolkien Society.
Image: Arda.ir
Where on earth was Middle-earth? Based on a few hints by Tolkien himself, we've always sort-of assumed that his stories of "The Hobbit" and "The Lord of the Rings" were centered on Europe, but so long ago that the shape of the coasts and the land has changed.

But perhaps that's too easy and too Eurocentric an assumption; perhaps, like so many other things these days, Tolkien's fantasy realm too is in dire need of mental decolonisation.

And here's an excellent occasion: an Iranian Tolkienologist has found intriguing hints that the writer based some of Middle-earth's topography on mountains, rivers, and islands located in and near present-day Pakistan.

As mentioned in a previous article – recently reposted on the Strange Maps Facebook page on the occasion of the death of Ian Holm – Tolkien admitted that "The Shire is based on rural England, and not on any other country in the world," and that "the action of the story takes place in the North-West of 'Middle-earth', equivalent in latitude to the coastlands of Europe and the north shores of the Mediterranean."

Non-European topography
If you look at it like that, yes: that does resemble Mordor...
Image: Mohammad Reza Kamali, reproduced with kind permission
Extrapolating from the location of the Shire in Middle-earth and from other clues dropped by Tolkien, geophysics and geology professor Peter Bird matched the geography of Middle-earth with that of Europe (more about that in the aforementioned article).

However, seeing Middle-earth as a mere palimpsest for present-day Europe is to place an undue limit on the imagination of its creator. As Tolkien also said about the shape of his world: "[It] was devised 'dramatically' rather than geologically or paleontologically."

In other words, certain parts of Middle-earth may very well have been inspired by other places than European ones. It is telling that it took a non-European connoisseur of Tolkien's topography to find some examples.

"Seen that map before"
The Indus river is a prominent geographical feature of Pakistan. Its course is similar to that of the Anduin, the Great River of Middle-earth.
Image: Mohammad Reza Kamali, reproduced with kind permission
In an article published on Arda.ir, the web page for the Persian Tolkien Society, Mohammad Reza Kamali writes that during several years of cartographic study, "I found that maybe there are real lands [that] could have inspired Professor Tolkien, and some of them are not in Europe."

Around 2012, Kamali's eye stopped when it came across a Google Map of Central Asia that showed the mountain chain of the Himalayas, the peaks of the Pamirs bunched together in an almost circular area, and the huge, flat oval of the Takla Makan desert, bounded to the north by the Tian-Shan mountains.

"I had seen that map before," he writes. "This is of course Mordor, the land of Sauron and the dark powers of Middle-earth, where Frodo and Sam destroy the One Ring."

In Tolkien's world, the Himalayas transform into Ephel Duath, the Mountains of Shadow; and the Tian Shan into Ered Lithui, the Ash Mountains. And the circle-shaped Pamirs "are the same shape and in exactly the same corner as the Udûn of Mordor, where Frodo and Sam originally tried getting into Mordor, via the Black Gate."

Similar shapes
A US Marine Corps helicopter flying over the Tarbela Dam on the Indus river in Pakistan. At its center: a former river island which may have been the inspiration for Cair Andros, a ship-shaped island in Middle-earth's Anduin river.
Image: Paul Duncan (USMC), public domain
Mulling over these similarities, Kamali became convinced that Tolkien's map work was heavily inspired by Asia. Looking further, he found more evidence. Consider Anduin, the Great River of Middle-earth, in whose waters the One Ring was lost for more than two thousand years.

On Tolkien's map, the Anduin bends toward the sea in a shape similar to that of another great river: the Indus, which runs the length of Pakistan. Like the Anduin, it flows to the west of a major mountain chain. A prominent feature of the Anduin is the river island of Cair Andros, just north of Osgiliath. Its name means 'Ship of Long Foam', a reference to its long and narrow shape, and the sharpness of its rocks, which split the waters of the Anduin like a prow.

Kamali is not entirely sure, but proposes that Tolkien may have been inspired by a similar-shaped island in the Indus. Now integrated into the Tarbela Dam, which was inaugurated in 1976, it would still have been a separate island in the 1930s and '40s, when Tolkien dreamed up his map.

Kutch as Tolfalas Island
During the rainy season, the coastal region of Kutch, near the mouth of the Indus, turns into an island that resembles Tolfalas Island, near the mouth of the Anduin.
Image: Mohammad Reza Kamali, reproduced with kind permission
Turning our eyes to the mouth of the Anduin and Indus, we see another pair of islands, and Kamali is more certain about the real one having inspired the fictional one. The fictional one is Tolfalas Island, the largest island in Belfalas Bay.

At first glance, it doesn't seem to have a real-life counterpart near where the Indus joins the Arabian Sea. But take a look at the coastal part of the Indian state of Gujarat. It is known as Kutch, a name which apparently refers to its alternately wet and dry states. In the rainy season, the shallow wetlands flood and Kutch becomes an island – the biggest island in the Gulf of Kutch, and not too dissimilar to Tolfalas Island.

General knowledge
1909 map showing British India in pink (direct British control) and yellow (princely states). Circled: Kutch, clearly recognisable as an island.
Image: Edinburgh Geographical Institute; J. G. Bartholomew and Sons, public domain
But are these similarities really more than coincidences? Why would Tolkien, who was based in Cambridge and steeped in English lore and Germanic mythology, turn to the Indian subcontinent for topographical inspiration? Perhaps because cartographic knowledge of that part of the world was far more general in Britain then than it is now. Until the late 1940s, the countries we know today as India and Pakistan were part of the British Empire. Detailed maps of the region would have been standard fare for British atlases.

Kamali is convinced that the topographical features on Tolkien's map of Middle-earth are not mere fantasy, but derive from actual places in our world, and were 'riddled' onto the map. In that case, we may look forward to more discoveries of Tolkien's real-world inspiration.

From Frodingham to Frodo
J.R.R. Tolkien in 1916, when he was 24. Around that time, he was stationed near the village of Frodingham, which may have given him the inspiration for the name of the main protagonist in Lord of the Rings.
Image: public domain
Here's one example of Tolkienography—if that's what we can call the effect of actual geography on this particular writer's imagination—which I gleaned myself, some years ago in East Yorkshire. A local historian told me that Tolkien had been stationed in the area during the First World War, and had apparently stored away some local place names for later use. The name Frodo, he said, derived from a town where he had attended a few dances – Frodingham, a village across the Humber in northern Lincolnshire, not far from Scunthorpe (Scunto? We dodged a bullet there).

Whether that story is entirely true or not is beside the point. As fantasy fans know, any grail quest is ultimately about the quest, not the grail. In fact, to quote Mr Kamali, the treasure is important only because it's well hidden, "by a clever professor who enjoys riddles."

Unless otherwise indicated, illustrations are from Mr Kamali's article on Arda.ir, reproduced with kind permission.

Strange Maps #1036

Got a strange map? Let me know at email@example.com.

How #Unity2020 plans to end the two-party system, bring back Andrew Yang
The proposal calls for the American public to draft two candidates to lead the executive branch: one from the center-left, the other from the center-right.
- The #Unity2020 plan was recently outlined by Bret Weinstein, a former biology professor, on the Joe Rogan Experience.
- Weinstein suggested an independent ticket for the 2020 presidential election: Andrew Yang and former U.S. Navy Admiral William McRaven.
- Although details of the proposal are sparse, surveys suggest that many Americans are cynical and frustrated with the two-party system.


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Visit a port city that combines a charming historic city centre, fun beaches, and a world-renowned food scene – visit La Coruña! This city in northwest Spain was capital of the Galician Kingdom for nearly 300 years, and today it's remaking itself into a surprising city on the sea. Fly to La Coruña with TAP Air Portugal for sky-high luxury and comfort at prices you'll love!
Discover the hidden wonders of this town:
The compact historic centre is easy to explore on foot. To get beyond that, rely on the well-connected public bus network. Book your TAP Air Portugal flight to La Coruña today for great savings –and use our Online Check-in to avoid the queues at the airport!

subset: commoncrawl


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Join us on Mother's Day at Genesee Valley Park for the 13th Annual Pink Ribbon Run & Walk. The race and walk routes provide scenic views of the Genesee River, Erie Canal and U of R Campus.
The Pink Ribbon Run is a women only 5K road race for women of all ages. The Family Fitness Walk is open to all men, women and children, walkers, strollers, joggers, and fitness enthusiasts. The walk route includes 2.3 and 3.6 mile options.
Pre-registration fee is $20 per person, $30 day of event. Fees are waived for individuals raising $50 or more in pledges.
Pre-Register individuals and teams and fundraise online!
Pre-registration and packet pickup is strongly encouraged - packet includes:
Numbered Race or Walk Bib, T-Shirt, and Bandana. Race Bib will contain timing chip. Raffle tickets will be sold to win an iPad Mini with Retina Display.
Pre-Registration and Packet Pick-Up Details:
Location: Breast Cancer Coalition of Rochester, 840 University Avenue (corner of Elton Street)
Dates &Times:
Wednesday, May 7; Thursday, May 8; Friday, May 9; 8am-7pm
Saturday, May 10, 8am-12 Noon
At this event we celebrate the lives of those who have been touched by breast cancer. Thank you in advance for supporting our heroes!
Questions? Call (585) 473-8177 or email email@example.com.
Thank you for your support!


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Equipped with the intelligent mid-motor e-bike system from Shimano with state of the art syncronized electronic shifting.Read more
Customize your e-bike with our accessories that cover all your needs. The choice is yours. Read more about the modular system.
Frame material: Hydroformed Aluminum, low-step
Wheel size: 27.5 inch
Gears: Alfine 8 with electronic Di2-shifting
Brakes: Shimano Alfine Hydralic Disc Brake
Drive system: Shimano STEPS
Speed: 25 kph (EU) / 20 mph (US)
Motor: STEPS E6000 drive unit
Motor position: Mid-motor position
Battery: Steps Frame Battery BT-E6010
Battery position: Frame, central downtube
Charger: Shimano EC-E6000
Range: 60-120 km
Display Steps Display SC-E6010
Assist Levels: Walk, Eco, Normal, High
Lights: Integreated LED
Functions: Manual/Auto shifting, Speed, Trip,
Functions: Battery level, Range, Odometer
Walk-assist: Yes, 6km/h
Bike lock: Preparred for ABUS Bordo
Battery lock: Included ABUS cylinder
Fork: Rigid Aluminum
Carrying system: WMS-compatible
Front platform: Front WMS-platform included
Rear platform: Rear WMS-platform included
Tires: Schwalbe Big Ben 50x584
Rim: Alexrims, double alu
Mudguards: SKS Germany
Chainguard: Herrmans Slyde
Stand: AtranVelo Stylo
Weight: 19 kg (excl battery)


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Here are some mistakes people commonly make on Wikia. Please try to avoid these!
Confusion about ownership
One of the great things about Wikia wikis are that they're based around the idea of community, where everyone has a hand in making decisions as a group. To that end, no single user owns a wiki, even if it was you that created the wiki or if you're an administrator. Wikis are owned by their communities, and everyone is welcome to edit and contribute.
- See Ownership.
Protecting pages unnecessarily
The majority of pages on all Wikia should remain publicly editable, and are not to be protected. Pages may, however, be temporarily or permanently protected for legal reasons (for example, license texts should not be changed) or in cases of extreme vandalism or edit warring.
- See Help:Page protection.
Confusing wiki, Wikia and Wikipedia
A wiki is a website anyone can edit. Sites on Wikia.com are examples of wikis. Wikipedia is a specific wiki at wikipedia.org and is not part of Wikia. You can call your site on wikia.com a wiki or a Wikia, but you cannot call it a Wikipedia. The word Wikipedia™ is a trademark.
Applying too many policies
It is not a good idea to try to enforce many policies on a new and small wiki. Some users make the mistake of trying to re-implement the numerous Wikipedia policies on a new wiki. Policies from wikis outside of Wikia do not necessarily apply here. Different Wikia will develop different policies over time. Things like vanity pages may be permitted by some Wikia and not by others. Instruction creep is another common mistake when making policies.
There is not really a policy that applies everywhere, but certain things such as Wikipedia:No personal attacks or DeleteInsults are common practice in most places.
- See Wikia policies and setting boundaries.
Deleting content
- Deleting useful content.
- A page may be written poorly, yet still have a purpose. Consider what a sentence or paragraph tries to say. Clarify it instead of throwing it away. If the material seems wrongly categorized, or out of place, consider moving the wayward material to another page, or creating a new page for it. If you need to remove potentially useful content, it is usually best to move it to the discussion page. The author of the text once thought it valuable, so it is polite to preserve it for later discussion.
- Deleting without announcing that you're doing it.
- Remark on it in the edit summary box. Otherwise, other users who care about the page's development will be caught unaware, and may think you're being intentionally sneaky.
- Deleting without justifying.
- Deleting anything nontrivial requires some words of justification in the edit summary or on the discussion page.
- Deleting redirects.
- If a page has been moved to a new title, an automatic redirect will be left from the old title to the new one. You should usually leave the redirect in place so people who have bookmarked or linked to the old title can easily find the new one.
Taking it too seriously
- Wikis work through the collaboration of reasonable and consensus-oriented people. Flaming people and being rude is rarely acceptable on a wiki.
- Don't get annoyed if you find some bad articles. Wikis are works in progress; please tolerate our imperfection, and help us improve. There are a lot of smart people editing Wikia sites, and everyone finds they have something to contribute. The best response to a bad page is to fix it!


text: A few years ago, Papoose was the biggest artist to come out of New York since…possibly Jay-Z. With unbelievable potential, a ridiculous flow, clever vocabulary, hilarious punchlines and a dinstinct voice, Pap was poised to bring hip-hop back to New York in a major way. He even aligned himself with heavyweights like Busta Rhymes and DJ Kay Slay to insure his rise. However, a few years, a lot of mixtapes, and a hefty fall from relevance later, Pap is apparently still making music. I have to say, I was really excited about Papoose when he first came out, and his album, Nacirema Dream, was one I was ready to shell out some cash for. But, after this long, I think I speak for all of his fans in saying I just don't care anymore, because too much other good music has come and gone. To give Pap another chance, check out his new track "Get it Poppin Again" below, and let us know what you think. Papoose – Get it Poppin Again


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Here's a great way to start your day. I'd love to know the back story behind how this kid developed his washing-machine virtuosity. Also interesting to see that it's gone from about 1000 views to over a million in a couple of weeks.
"Whirled Drumming"
Filed under amazing kids, and everything, Drummers/Percussionists, YouTube


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'Gossip Girl' Star Kaylee Defer Reveals Chuck & Blair's Destiny
Our beloved Chuck and Blair may be apart for the time being, but Kaylee tells us she's hopeful they will get back together soon. Rejoice, Chair fans!
HollywoodLife.com caught up with the lovely Kaylee Defer, 25, who plays the sneaky Ivy Dickens on Gossip Girl, and of course, we couldn't help but try and squeeze any clues out of her as to whether or not Chuck (Ed Westwick) and Blair (Leighton Meester) will end up back together.
Her answer will make Chair fans smile!
"I think they have to, I think they have to for the sake of the fans," Kaylee told us at the premiere of Jeff Who Lives At Home hosted by The Peggy Siegal Company and The Hollywood Reporter.
Kaylee also revealed that her and Leighton are friends off set! How cool!
"She's great," she said. "We hang out…the other night I took her to an open mic night at Village Underground which was really fun. She's a blast, really mellow, low key, not a frou frou girl. Rolled up in sweats, a t-shirt, she likes to be really comfortable."
We think it's so cute they hang out off set! And we hope her answer to our Chair question was a big hint to what we should expect at the end of the season!
What do you think, HollywoodLifers? Will Chuck and Blair end up together? Vote and weigh in below.
— Written by Nicole Karlis, Reporting by Chloe Melas
Follow @Nicolekarlis
More Gossip Girl news:


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North Pole (Alaska)
North Pole is a city near Fairbanks in Interior Alaska.
The name "North Pole" is often applied to the entire area covered by its zip code, 99705. This area stretches between Fort Wainwright and Eielson Air Force Base, and between the Chena River and the Tanana River, including subdivisions off of Badger Road, a loop road connecting the eastern edge of Fairbanks city limits with North Pole city limits, and in the nearby census-designated place of Moose Creek. Despite the name, the city is about 1,700 miles (2,700 km) south of Earth's geographic North Pole.
The city is a summertime attraction for tourists visiting nearby Fairbanks, and due to its location on the Richardson Highway, those traveling to and from the Alaska Highway and Valdez. North Pole is home to two oil refineries, the town's major industry aside from tourism. The larger refinery, operated by Flint Hills Resources, is a major source of jet fuel for Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. Tanker car traffic on the Alaska Railroad, entering and leaving the refinery, frequently bisects the city.
Its biggest attraction is a gift shop named Santa Claus House, the modern-day incarnation of a trading post established in the town's early days. The Santa Claus House is known for the world's largest fiberglass statue of Santa Claus outside.
While the real North Pole has no terra firma many travelers discovered this town as an ideal way to finally visit the home of Santa Claus. This revelation made this small town in Alaska a must visit during the holidays causing the town to create more and more Santa Claus themed attractions. Many elaborate ideas have been brought up from some of the country's largest amusement park companies however nothing ever came to fruition.
Prior to Christmas each year, the USPS post office in North Pole receives hundreds of thousands of letters to Santa Claus, and thousands more from people wanting the town's postmark on their Christmas greeting cards to their families. It advertises the ZIP code 99705 as the ZIP code of Santa.
Christmas-themed streets in North Pole include Santa Claus Lane, St. Nicholas Drive, Snowman Lane, and Kris Kringle Drive. Street lights in the city are decorated in a candy cane motif, and many local businesses have similar decorations. The city's firetrucks and ambulances are all red, while the police cars are green and white. The city also has an all-female flat-track Roller Derby league, the North Pole Babes in Toyland (NPBT) whose athletes have Christmas and/or North Pole inspired Skater names.
Get in[edit]
By car[edit]
North Pole is on Alaska State Highway 2, about 14 miles east of Fairbanks.
By air[edit]
Fairbanks International Airport (IATA: FAI) [1]
Get around[edit]
See[edit][add listing]
The most obvious sight in the city is the giant statue of Santa Claus. But you will also find light poles painted like candy canes and other Christmas-related items.
Do[edit][add listing]
Buy[edit][add listing]
Postage and mail. Use the special Santa/North Pole cancellation slot.
Eat[edit][add listing]
Drink[edit][add listing]
Sleep[edit][add listing]
Get out[edit]


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View our projects
S/Y IJsvogel
Our first order for the complete design of a Dutch Leeboard Yacht was a series of 16.7m "Lemsteraken" in 1997 .
Considerable time was spent to carry out the necessary research to design a fast Lemsteraak, within the strict rules set up by the national authority to ensure that newly designed yachts remain "traditional" in appearance. A systematic study was carried out to determine the optimum hull shape and the optimum values of the important design parameters. This project has been reported on in the Dutch magazine "Spiegel der Zeilvaart", number 8, 1998, and in number 2, 2000.
The first yacht in the series is the "IJsvogel". The Maasvogel is the second yacht built according to this design. The third yacht according to this design, called "Wadvogel" (previously "Spotvogel"), is presently being fitted out.


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Wednesday, July 4, 2018
There are 4 events
Gunstock Mountain Resort
Mountaintop Yoga
Enjoy a peaceful chairlift ride to the summit of Gunstock with your friends in the fresh morning air. Take in the majestic views of Lake Winnipesaukee and surrounding mountains as far as the eye can see, while breathing, moving, and meditating. This is all about elevating your mood, improving your flexibility in a beautiful, natural setting, and starting your day feeling centered.
These weekly sessions are for everyone but geared toward beginners: they include only the most basic poses and moves, and will leave you feeling loose, relaxed, and ready to approach your day with a sense of great intention!
Please arrive for class no later than 8:45am, as the Panorama chairlift loads participants at 9am. Class wraps up at 10am and includes a lift ride down the mountain as well. A LIMITED number of yoga mats are available for guests to use, however, we strongly recommend bringing your own mat to this popular class.
Drop-in rate for each class is $20.
Mountaintop Yoga is included in both the Summer Prime Pass and the Gunstock 360 Pass, and 50% off for Flex Passholders. Yet another great perk of being a summer pass holder!More Info


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Tagged: Reid Brignac
RSBS Presents: Drama!!!
No longer exclusively tethered to the stage, the screen or the page, there is no doubt that life is full of drama — the sort that you weren't ready for, the kind you embrace, even the type that makes you ill.
Nonuniform in appearance and uninterested in who or what it affects, drama can be as simple as that anxious feeling you get right before a big presentation or as complex as the collective mood among you and your fellow drivers during your morning commute.
Drama is everywhere. It infects everything. We love it. We hate it. We need it.
Not convinced?
Take a look for yourself…
Ines Sainz and Her… Assets
Were members of the New York Jets out of line in their cat-calling towards Mexican reporter, Ines Sainz? Was Ms. Sainz perhaps inappropriately dressed for an NFL locker room? Is there more to this story that none of us knows about? Yes, yes, and yes? Probably… right? I dunno. Who cares? What is important is that a) we now know who Ines Sainz is and that she's more than available via Google image search b) Jets fans have more to talk about than just how fat Rex Ryan is and c) I have another reason to post a B-side pic of someone not named Erin Andrews. Thank you, drama!
The AL East: Yankees – Rays Showdown
If this most recent series is any indication of what sort of playoff bliss we may be in for, well, paint me blue and call me "cubbie" 'cuz I'm all in. Heart attacks galore, dear readers! From Sabathia v. Price, to Brignac bombs to Grandy's catch to Jeter's thespian act, this has been the most impressive, most entertaining, most dramatic regular season series between any two teams all season long! And, as a fan, I could care less about either club! Now that's what I call drama!
Teabagging with Christine O'Donnell
If Joe Biden were dead he'd be rolling over in his grave. Heck, lots of people wish Karl Rove was dead (he's not) and he's already rolling over in his… er… wait. What I mean is this: Republican/Tea Party senatorial candidate Christine O'Donnell from Delaware may seem like Sarah Palin 2.0, but that's just because she's good-looking, halfway likable and really dumb. Make no mistake: the Teabaggers are way more scary than their everyday conservative counterparts. Way more scary. For instance, O'Donnell once suggested to the MTV crowd that they refrain from masturbation. Uh… yeah. And judging from the fly hair and nails O'Donnell has in that circa 1996 video, I sure as hell hope she sees the irony in that. Anti-masturbation!?! Ha! Such a message EXPLODES with drama!!!
Hate me 'cuz all the Teabaggers are doin' it, just don't hate me 'cuz I'm right!


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Made from 90% Cotton and 10% Elastane, these unisex style toe socks, suitable for men and women, are made extremely stretchy to ensure a perfect fit between sizes: US M 4.5-11.5 | F 6-13.
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Tumble dry on LOW heat.
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Simply contact us by phone, or email. If the item has not been dispatched we will halt it and refund the total amount that you paid, including postage. If the item has been dispatched, we will acknowledge your wish to cancel the order and we will ask you to return the item to us. Once we receive the item we will refund the total initial order, including postage, but not the cost of returning the item to us.
Return the item(s) to us unworn, unwashed and with the original packaging and invoice, and we will refund the item(s) and the postage cost in sending the items to you. We are not able to refund the postage cost of sending the items back to us. TOETOE Limited, RETURNS, UNIT 2A, LONDON, NW2 7JJ, ENGLAND E-mail: email@example.com UK: 0208 830 9955 International: + 44 (0) 208 830 9955.
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$1M bail for mother-in-law charged in killing
A judge has set bail for a woman accused of killing her daughter-in-law at $1 million.
Cedar Rapids television station KCRG reports that a Tama County Court judge set bail for 57-year-old Ginger Jefferson during her initial court appearance Friday on a first-degree murder charge.
Authorities say Jefferson was originally taken into custody as a material witness in the death of 32-year-old Kerry O'Clair-Jefferson.
O'Clair-Jefferson's body was found inside her Tama house Wednesday afternoon by police, who were there to arrest her husband, Dustin Jefferson, on a warrant and learned O'Clair-Jefferson might be injured inside the house.
Authorities say an autopsy shows O'Clair-Jefferson died of stab wounds to her neck.
Tama is a central Iowa city of around 2,900 that sits about 20 miles east of Marshalltown.


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Victory Electric Tattoo Co. is having an art show. Priority parking for bikes and an afterparty at the Star Light Room.
Artists showing include: Shinya Kimura, Robert Atkinson, Chopper Dave, Michael Schmide, Zombie, Skratch, Jeff Wright, Robert Williams, The Pizz, Dan Collins, Todd Reich, Max Grundy, Sonny Boy, Wes Drelieshak, Sarah Ray, Jason Cruz, Stanley Gunn, Tiffany Collins, Chicago Chris, Von Franco, Hot Dog, KEith Weesner, Bugs, Scott Stollar, Pac Man, Harpoon, Little Jenny Ketchum, John Kline, Adam Wright, Duane Ballard, Suzanne Williams, Tuesday Glennan, James Owens, Rob Kruse, Ryzart, Matt Rascoe, Eli Hathaway, Michael Dorman


text: Nordland County Council Nordland is in area the second largest of Norways 19 counties. It is situated in the north of Norway, and has about 240 000 citizens. Bodø is the regional capital city, with 50 000 inhabitants.The political systemThe supreme political body is the County Council with its 53 representatives elected every fourth year by the inhabitants at the County- and Municipal elections. The County Council convenes five times per year to decide on regional issues.A County Government consisting of six representatives is responsible for the daily governing of the county:President of County Government: Tomas Norvoll (Labour)Executive of Transport: Bent-Joakim Bentzen (Centre Party) Executive of Education: Hild-Marit Olsen (Labour) Executive of Finance: Svein Eggesvik (Centre Party) Executive of Culture, Environment and Kirsti Saxi (Socialist Left)Public health; Executive of Planning and Business Development : Linda Helén Haukland (Christian Democrat Party) Chair of County Council: Kari Anne Bøkestad Andreassen, Centre Party) A county in growth, seizing the opportunitiesOur vision is that Nordland shall be the best county in which to grow up, work and live. Nordland County Council provides important services to the inhabitants of Nordland: - Upper secondary education- Bus and boat transport.- Regional planning and environmental issues- Business development, innovation and international projects- Dental services- Public health issues- Cultural experiences EducationThe Department of Education is responsible for all upper secondary education in Nordland. This includes 16 schools with about 12 000 pupils and apprentices. About 1500 companies are approved for workplace training. TransportationThe County Council is responsible for the public bus- and boat infrastructure and maintenance of roads in Nordland. This includes school buses and amongst other things transportation services for people with disabilities.Travel planner: www.177.no• 440 busses in use, 7000 bus stops• 4413 km of county highway• 27 express boats and 22 ferries Planning and environment issuesThe protection and enhancement of the environment is one of the Council's main objectives. A clean, healthy environment which promotes and facilitates sustainable development is the legacy which we all must leave to future generations. The county council aims to provide clean energy. To achieve this, the council have approved several thematic regional plans, such as Nordland Regional Wind Energy Plan, Nordland Regional Small Hydro Power Plan etc. Municipalities, volunteers, associations, NGOs and business may apply for subsidies for environmental efforts from the County Council. Nordland County Council focuses on challenges related to climate changes and emission reduction, and also works to ensure that local and regional planning take measures to meet the challenges of a changed climate. BusinessAmongst Norwegian counties, Nordland is one of the largest exporters of raw materials, industrial goods, energy and fish products. Nordland County Council contributes to the development of local societies and business within the county. We co-ordinate joint efforts to develop good and exiting jobs for the inhabitants in Nordland. • 65 % of export from Northern Norway come from Nordland• Every tenth farmed salmon in the world comes from Nordland• Helgeland has the second largest industrial cluster in Norway• 70% of the Norwegian fishing fleet's total catch is fished in Nordland• Nordland is one of two counties in Norway with highest production of hydroelectricity We wish to create a vigorous county with a growing population, economic growth, employment and welfare. In order to contribute to the development of business in the county, we focus especially on strengthening research and developement, innovation, entrepreneurship and infrastructure. Nordland County council is engaged in international cultural and commercial co-operation. Dental health servicesNordland County Council 54 dental clinics throughout the county. A total of 250 employees with high professional standards provide dental services to the citizens of Nordland. Public healthNordland County Council works towards the goal that all inhabitants in Nordland shall be able to be physically active based on their own needs and circumstances. Modern life style poses the greatest present day challenge to good public health. A health- promoting and illness- preventing plan may reduce the risk for diseases like Diabetes type 2, heart diseases and cancer. We run preventive public health schemes directed at the entire population, with special focus on children and youth. CultureCulture is vital for peoples' well being and development. Nordland County Council actively promotes diversity in culture in a wide field of expression. Our goal is that cultural experiences should be available to all inhabitants in Nordland.Different departments are dedicated to promoting the performing and visual arts as well as cultural heritage including archeology, and we have special focus on imparting culture to children and young people. We run the County Library and Regional archive, and the Nordland College of Art and Film, the only public vocational college in Norway which offers two-year courses in art and film.Furthermore, we provide support to a different cultural events: festivals, local cultural development and museums.Nordland is rich in cultural life. Institutions that are well known internationally are the Viking museum Lofotr in Lofoten and the Hamsun Centre in Hamarøy.The international project Artscape Nordland, has seen the creation of outdoor sculptures across 36 municipalities, by artists from 20 countries. YouthUng i Nordland (literally, Young in Nordland) is Nordland County's political secretariat which concentrates on issues which affect young people. The secretariat is made up of several sections whose common denominator is to work with and for young people. Among the most important are The Youth Council in the county and the Ombudsman for pupils and apprentices.Nordland Youth Affairs Office has responsibility, for the Youth County Council and the counselling service Klara Klok. International activities in Nordland County CouncilInternationalisation affects policy development and administration at all levels; national, regional and local. The increasing globalisation provides possibilities and challenges. Nordland County Council is an active participant on the international arena using internationalisation as a tool to improve the region's competitiveness and attractiveness.Nordland County Council engages in international relations in several ways; through membership in international organisations, bilateral agreements with other European and Russian regions, and national networks that create a common platform for working internationally. Nordland County Council is one of the owners of NorthNorway european office in Brussels. These are the most important international tasks: Cooperating regions: Leningrad, Arkhangelsk oblasts in Russia and Veneto and Marche regions in Italy. European organisations: Assembly of European Regions (AER), Conference on Peripheral and maritime Regions (CPMR). Barents Cooperation: The Barents Regional Council, the Norwegian Barents Secretariat (beeing one of the owners). European cooperation: Interreg programmes (Northern Periphery and Arctic (NPA), Baltic Sea, North Sea, Botnia-Atlantica, North) and Kola-arctic. Erasmus+ ( EU's programme for education, training, youth and sport). Nordland County Council is the national contact point for the NPA-programme. Nordic cooperation: MidtSkandia, Nordkalotten, Nordisk Atlantsamarbeid (NORA), Nordplus (lifelong learning). Nordland also participates i the Northern Sparsely Populated Areas-network (NSPA) International project: Cooperation in international projects as a partner or contributes with regional co-financing in other projects.The County Council's International Office is responsible for coordinating the international affairs of the county. For more information contact Eilen Wibeke Bruun Zakariassen, Zdenek Dvorak or Eirik FivaNordland – a rich county: 10 % of Electrical power in Norway is produced in Nordland (15 Twh) Saltstraumen is the strongest maelstrom in the world. The Svartisen glacier is Norway's second largest glacier. The Nordland County flower is the Purple Saxifrage (Saxifraga oppositifolia) Stetind in Tysfjord is Norways national mountain The Nordland version of the national costume has been voted Norway's most beautiful national costume. Nordland County Council was awarded the National Entrepreneurship Award in 2008. Nordland is Norway's largest fish farming county. 65 % of the exports from Northern Norway derive from Nordland county. Sist endret11.05.2020 14:54


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Happy Sunday all!! I'm traveling right now, visiting family in North Carolina, but I haven't forgotten about you! A few bloggers and I teamed up to offer you a sweet giveaway. One of our readers will win this DeLonghi Lattissima Plus Nespresso Capsule System. That's a mouthful! Click on the widget below to enter for your chance to win!
I'll be back later this week with a recipe and video you won't want to miss!!


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Along with the responsibilities of running a quickly growing international company, Mary dedicates her time to mentoring and empowering people to achieve their professional and personal goals. She has a genuine compassion for others and has been instrumental in Young Living's global philanthropic endeavors. She leads employees and members by example with her hands-on approach and is instrumental in the company's growth and success.
With a deep conviction of the power of essential oils, Gary and Mary embody the spirit of Young Living as they continue to build a company that advocates and supports overall well-being for everyone, everywhere.


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While the game of musical chairs game continues over the "American Idol" judging panel, enter a new name -- Mariah Carey.
Her husband Nick Cannon insists the pop-star is a huge fan of the show and wants to be a judge.
"She talks about it. She says, 'I would love to do that,' " Cannon tells The Hollywood Reporter. "She is one of the greatest singers of our time; she would be great."
Even beyond the obvious industry-knowledge and star power that Carey would bring to the spot -- it actually makes sense strictly on the loopy level. There's been a big loopy hole on the show since Paula Abdul left her seat.
As much as wacky Paula made you want to scream at the television, you had to watch it because she was just this crazed wild-card that could do or say anything. Not to mention her constantly sugary performance reviews were beloved across America.
When Paula left, the problems really started. And it was more than just audience slipping away.
Carey could bring loopy back.
Cannon says he's not sure if Mariah has the time in her schedule, or if "Idol" would even go for it. But he was all for starting "the campaign."
For the sake of the loony diva, we're on board. It's simply been too long.
Mariah Carey Looking to Be the Next Paula on "American Idol"
While the game of musical chairs game continues over the "American Idol" judging panel, enter a new name -- Mariah Carey.


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Coming off a dazzling turn in The Hunger Games, Stanely Tucci is gearing up to show off his dramatic chops in director David Yates' follow-up to four Harry Potter films. Variety reports that Tucci is in talks to star opposite Harry Potter alum Emma Watson in the adaptation of Emma Forrest's memoir, Your Voice in My Head. Watson stars as Forrest, a young girl who attempts suicide after a bad breakup, only to be saved by a terminally ill psychiatrist. Tucci would play the psychiatrist if he signs on. We had previously heard that the psychiatrist role caught the eye of a number of high profile actors, including George Clooney and Tom Hanks, but apparently Yates decided to go with Tucci in the end. Hit the jump for more.
I think Tucci's an incredible talent, and I'm enthused that Yates has settled on him to take the coveted role. The director did a swell job bringing the Harry Potter series to a close with nuance and grace, and I'm eager to see him tackle this smaller, dramatic pic. Variety's report notes that the film doesn't yet have a greenlight, but Tucci's involvement should move things along. Apparently Warner Bros. is so high on the project that they're already eyeing it as a major contender in the 2013 Oscar race, especially the Best Actor category. A little premature, but I'm encouraged by their enthusiasm nonetheless. "The Tucc" is long overdue.
Here's the synopsis for Your Voice in My Head:
Emma Forrest, a British journalist, was just twenty-two and living the fast life in New York City when she realized that her quirks had gone beyond eccentricity. In a cycle of loneliness, damaging relationships, and destructive behavior, she found herself in the chair of a slim, balding, and effortlessly optimistic psychiatrist—a man whose wisdom and humanity would wrench her from the dangerous tide after she tried to end her life. She was on the brink of drowning, but she was still working, still exploring, still writing, and she had also fallen deeply in love. One day, when Emma called to make an appointment with her psychiatrist, she found no one there. He had died, shockingly, at the age of fifty-three, leaving behind a young family. Reeling from the premature death of a man who had become her anchor after she turned up on his doorstep, she was adrift. And when her all-consuming romantic relationship also fell apart, Emma was forced to cling to the page for survival and regain her footing on her own terms.
A modern-day fairy tale, Your Voice in My Head is a stunning memoir, clear-eyed and shot through with wit. In her unique voice, Emma Forrest explores the highs and lows of love and the heartbreak of loss. [Amazon]


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Glenn Beck hosted an exhibit of historical artifacts called the "Independence Through History Museum" at the Grand American Hotel in Salt Lake City over the July 4th weekend. The museum was only one part of Beck's "Man in the Moon" event, which included conferences, lectures, and a live performance that (as far as I can determine) was an attempt to combine historical pageantry with Cirque du Soleil.
More info here and here. Note that the exhibit featured Arnold Friberg's painting of Washington praying in the snow at Valley Forge. Since it's doubtful the incident in the painting ever happened, it's highly fitting that David Barton helped select the items to be displayed.


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"One of [the] childish things adult men must put away is the need to deflect, belittle, or exaggerate women's anger."
EDITOR'S NOTE: This post was originally due to run on December 19. In fact, we posted it for a short while, pulled it down, and Hugo Schwyzer ultimately resigned when we couldn't come to an agreement over his perceived censorship of this post and his role moving forward. The post first ran on his blog under the title "Why I Resigned From The Good Men Project." We are publishing it now with Hugo's knowledge and permission.
One of the most popular articles of the year (and certainly one of the most-viewed here at GMP) is Yashar Ali's now thoroughly viral Why Women Aren't Crazy. Referencing an old film, Yashar coined the simple term "gaslighting" to describe the way in which men undermine women's self-confidence through subtle (and not so subtle) insinuations that women's feelings are unreasonable. I've thought about Yashar's piece quite a bit as I've reflected on the recent Twitter blow-up between GMP founder Tom Matlack and a number of well-known feminist writers. (For more, see here, and here, and here.)
I've also remembered an incident from a women's studies class of mine many years ago. It was a typical course: perhaps 30 women and 6 men. Most of the guys had been quiet all semester long. But one (there is often such a one) was a talker. "Kevin" liked to stir the proverbial pot; a member of the college's forensics team, he was a skilled debater who liked to argue. Many of his female classmates argued back, not infrequently getting the better of him, which spurred Kevin to try even harder to instigate arguments.
One day, Kevin came to class with a duffel bag. I thought little of it, until—in the midst of a discussion about men and feminism—he reached into the duffle and pulled out a football helmet. "I know I'm gonna get killed for what I'm about to say," he announced dramatically. "I brought some protection." Kevin then strapped the helmet on as his classmates and I stared in shock. I told him to cut out the cheap theatrics, but not before he'd made a powerful point, though I'm confident it wasn't the one he intended to make.
Kevin's gag with the football helmet was designed to send a signal about women and anger. The message he wanted to send was, as he told me later, that "feminists take things too seriously and get too aggressive." The message he actually sent was that men will go to great lengths to try and short-circuit women's attempts at serious conversation. The helmet was an effort to label those attempts as "male-bashing" or "man-hating." The hope was that it would shame uppity feminists into biting back their anger; of course, Kevin only ended up inflaming the situation. In less dramatic ways, I've seen men use this same tactic again and again.
What bothered so many of us about the Twitter conversation about feminism was that Tom Matlack trotted out (as so many men do) that same tactic of attempting to silence women's anger by suggesting that it poses a threat. Tom tweeted at Jenn Pozner that some men are afraid to speak up out of fear of female reprisals. Kind of being proven right here. Now Jennifer Pozner is a well-known feminist media critic, but she's hardly in the position to carry out "reprisals" against anyone for speaking out, not that she would if she could. Nor was Jenn (or Kate Harding, or Amanda Marcotte) engaged in throwing stones, which didn't stop Tom from describing the "pelting" he was taking from feminists.
A short while later, Tom tweeted I really thought the MRA guys were crazy until I engaged the wrath of the feminists. Insane. Though I doubt Tom thought this through clearly, this is the textbook "gaslighting" to which Yashar refers. No feminist had called Tom a name equivalent to the names he (and I) are regularly called by MRAs ("mangina" is the epithet of choice from the Basement Boys); it didn't matter. Jennifer and Amanda were "insane."
Seemingly innocuous words often have a profound charge depending on how and by whom they're used. Tom knows, surely, how problematic it is to use the word "boy" to refer to an African-American. It's not a curse word in most contexts, but when used by a white person to refer to an adult black male, it's steeped in the long and painful history of racism in America. What many men fail to understand is that accusing a woman of being insane or of engaging in reprisals merely because she's expressing forceful disagreement has an equivalent ugliness. If that seems hyperbolic, google the word "hysteria."
All of this behavior reflects two things: men's genuine fear of being challenged and confronted, and the persistence of the stereotype of feminists as being aggressive, wrathful, "man-bashers." The painful thing about all this, of course, is that no man is in any real physical danger on the internet—or even in real life—from feminists. Women are regularly beaten and raped, but I know of no instance where a man found himself a victim of violence for making a sexist remark in a feminist setting! "Male-bashing" doesn't literally happen, in other words, at least not as a result of arguments over feminism. But that doesn't stop men from using (in jest or no) their own exaggerated fear of physical violence to make a subtle point about feminists.
There's a conscious purpose to this sort of behavior. Joking about getting pelted (or putting on the football helmet) sends a message to women in the classroom—and online: "Tone it down. Take care of the men and their feelings. Don't scare them off, because too much impassioned feminism is scary for guys." And you know, as exasperating as it is, this kind of silencing language almost always works. Time and again, I've seen it work to silence women in the classroom, or at least cause them to worry about how to phrase things "just right" so as to protect the guys and their feelings. It's a key anti-feminist strategy, even if that isn't the actual intent of the men doing it—it forces women to become conscious caretakers of their male peers by subduing their own frustration and anger. It reminds young women that they should strive to avoid being one of those "angry feminists" who (literally) scare men off and drive them away.
This doesn't mean that a "good man" is always in the wrong when he's arguing with a woman. It does mean that when men and women argue about gender justice, women are more likely to have insights that men have missed. Here's the basic axiom: power conceals itself from those who possess it. And the corollary is that privilege is revealed more clearly to those who don't have it. When a man and a woman are arguing about feminism—and the women involved happen to be feminists and the man happens to be an affluent white dude—the chances that he's the one from whom the truth is more obscured is very high indeed. That's as true for me as it is for Tom Matlack.
I'll say it a thousand times. I respect and admire Tom Matlack for what he's done to start this conversation, even as I disagree with him about the degree to which men and women are really different. I disagree with his take about being "attacked" by feminists, as I don't see the evidence of animus towards him that that word implies. But the real disagreement we have is, I think, a bigger (though not necessarily insurmountable) one.
This is the Good Man Project, and as I've said a time or nine, I think the opposite of "man" is not "woman", but "boy." At the heart of the reason I joined GMP was because I believe we live in a culture where too few adult males assert the grown-up virtues of self-control, responsibility, and manifested empathy. Being "manly" is less about traditional machismo than it is about what the Apostle Paul calls the putting away of childish things. And one of those childish things adult men must put away is the need to deflect, belittle, or exaggerate women's anger.
Read Justin Cascio's interpretation of the events here:
"Can Founders Be Criticized on The Good Men Project?"
—Photo Self-portrait Girl/Flickr


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Could blackouts lead to Bucs leaving Tampa Bay? | News
Tampa, Florida -- Just days away from the start of the 2012 NFL season and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers still haven't sold out Raymond James Stadium.
The team has had 19 out of its past 21 home games blacked out.
But could all those empty seats put Tampa in jeopardy of losing the Bucs to another city?
Some national media say yes.
Respected website profootballtalk.com suggested relocation is an option, saying "if fans continue to fail to show up for the games, at some point the team needs to be moved to a place where the fans have the money, the time, and the inclination to attend games."
But USF Associate Professor of Sports Management Dr. Mike Mondello says filling the stadium isn't nearly as critical for teams as it used to be.
That's especially true in the NFL, with a multi-billion dollar TV deal.
"The NFL is in such a great position with their national TV that teams and organizations, it's almost gravy what they make at the gate," Mondello explained.
If the Bucs did want to leave, Los Angeles or London could be options.
Another possibility might be a market that loses its team to one of those markets.
However, Lee Diekemper, of joebucsfan.com, points out St. Louis, San Diego, Jacksonville, or Minnesota could be in line to move before Tampa Bay.
"I think it's a lot to do about nothing to be honest with you," Diekemper, "the Glazers have one of the best stadium deals in the NFL and they just built One Buc Palace and they spent millions of dollars on that."
It's possible, though, another market could use the Bucs and the struggles with attendance, as leverage.
"My guess is they would look at the Tampa Bay community as a potential area to draw a team from," Mondello said.
The Bucs have an agreement to play at Raymond James Stadium through 2028.
They still need to sell about 9,000 tickets before this weekend's game to avoid a blackout.


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Hello, my name is Ron Armour and my great grandfather was Richard Armour (1853-1935) from Campbeltown. Richard was the chief engineer of the SS Davaar and in 1891 lived at Broom Cottage in saddell street. His wife was Agnes Robertson daughter of David Robertson and Euphemia Mcmillan. The Armour family left Campbeltown for Glasgow around 1895. Two of his daughters emmigrated to Montreal, one of which married Robert Hunter.
Looking forward to finding out more about them. Other names in the family are Turner, Langlands, Greenlees.


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CURRENT WORK: Sou Fujimoto
Tuesday, April 15, 2014, 7 - 8:30pm
Add to Calendar
This lecture is co-sponsored by the Architectural League of New York
Sou Fujimoto of Sou Fujimoto Architects will present his work in a public lecture titled "Between Nature and Architecture" to be followed by a moderated conversation with Annabelle Selldorf.
On his design philosophy in relationship to two recent projects—the Serpentine Pavilion in London and House K in Kyogo—Sou Fujimoto states "sometimes it is quite exciting to reinvent architecture itself." Both projects, like much of Fujimoto's work, have been lauded for their challenging and ambiguous reading of space and form. Underlying his spatial strategies is an attempt to synthesize nature and architecture, "whereby our natural environment's complexity is injected into a human made sense of order (and vice versa), bringing forth a new definition of space that responds to our changing times."
Fujimoto established his Tokyo-based firm, Sou Fujimoto Architects, in 2000. His work includes the Children's Center for Psychiatric Rehabilitation in his hometown of Hokkaido, the Final Wooden House, House NA, and the Musashino Art University Museum & Library. Current projects include a mixed-use building in Miami; an extension for the Kunsthalle in Bielefeld, Germany; a residence for Solo Houses in Cretas, Spain; and a conceptual master plan for a commercial complex in Jeddah.
Fujimoto's recent publications include a sketchbook, Primitive Future, in the Lars Muller series; a collection of writings and projects; and a newly published monograph. He has taught at universities in Tokyo and abroad and is the winner of the Marcus Prize, administered through the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee School of Architecture and Urban Planning, where he will be teaching this spring. Fujimoto's previous awards include an RIBA International Fellowship, the Architectural Review Emerging Architects award (for which he has subsequently served as a juror), and the Japanese Institute of Architects Grand Prize. His firm's recent winning design competition entries include the Taiwan Tower Competition for Taichung City and the Beton Hala Waterfront Center competition in Belgrade.
Annabelle Selldorf is president of the League and founder and principal of Selldorf Architects.
For additional ticketing info please click here.
Located in The Great Hall, in the Foundation Building, 7 East 7th Street, between Third and Fourth Avenues


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Institute catches profession unawares as it tears up its 50-year-old traditional schema for progressing construction works
The RIBA is to abolish Plan of Work stages A to L and replace it with a seven-point schedule for works.
However a survey by the AJ has revealed that several high-profile architects, including one on this year's Stirling Prize shortlist, had been almost completely unaware of the major overhaul of the Plan of Work, which comes into effect from Spring 2013.
Ratified at RIBA Council last month, the decision to replace the alphabetically-named stages with a smaller range of numbered phases has still yet to be communicated to the institute's members. A consultation was announced but not broadcast to the press.
The move marks the most significant changes to the Plan of Work since its introduction 50 years ago. The traditional 11 work stages will be replaced by seven numbered stages as part of a bid by the institute to enable greater integration across the industry. A review group chaired by Dyer's Dale Sinclair developed the programme, which is part of a 'unified industry structure' supported by the Construction Industry Council.
RIBA director of practice Adrian Dobson said that the new plan would provide a 'clear information framework' for BIM-enabled projects and be more 'readily adaptable' to varied procurement methods.
But former Association of Consulting Architects (ACA) president Brian Waters compared the policy to the institute's decision to abandon the drafting of its own building contracts.
He said: 'The builders, the quantity surveyors and all the other consultants work to the RIBA Plan of Work. It's the language of construction. You will have to re-write every building contract and employment contract.'
It is understood that the ACA council is considering publishing its own plan of works, which would retain the alphabetical designations while also adopting BIM.
Paul Gray, director of small practice Grayscale Architecture + Design, said: 'We've seen very little from the RIBA about the new Plan of Work.'
He added: 'Domestic clients make up more than a third of the profession's client base and, as a small business working within this sector, I find the proposed plan far too complicated for our client's needs.'
However, Peter Morris of Peter Morris Architects, welcomed the changes. He said: 'It is now more relevant to a diversifying architectural profession. It is a step in the right direction. During these times we need greater diversity and innovation.'
Capita Symonds director Chris Boyce added: 'Anything that simplifies an arcane and overly complex definition of scope and appointment is a help to architects. We need to be competitive and work with our customers to develop more cost-effective services; this will help us all to define our role on a level playing field.'
Chris Roche, of 11.04 Architects, said: 'A review of the RIBA plan of work is long overdue and needs to focus on simplifying a complex process for the client's benefit. Terms such as "strategic definition" need to be avoided and a straightforward and comprehensible language needs to be adopted.'
The RIBA plans an 'extensive information campaign' explaining the reforms, to run over the coming months and will be updating contract forms and associated documents which refer to the soon-to-be-supplanted Plan of Work.
Key changes:
Work stages
RIBA work stages are reduced from 11 to 7, and aligned with the CIC Schedule of Services. Stages A and B have been incorporated into one initial 'preparation' stage, and stages F – L have been simplified and renumbered.
Task bars
Task bars offering job specific flexibility will replace the single description of tasks used in the RIBA Plan of Work 2007.
Revision of other key documents
The Architect's Job Book, Standard Form of Agreement and other key documents will also be revised in line with the updated 2013 Plan of Work.
Planning is made more flexible within this plan of work, acknowledging that planning is often happening earlier in the design process.
Sustainability and BIM
BIM and the Green Overlay have been incorporated into the new Plan of Work 2013.
Further comments
Tim Quick, director, Formation Architects:
'We are fully supportive of the new Plan of Work. First it's much clearer about where Planning Applications actually happen. Second it includes specialist design [stage 5] which at last recognises the reality of most projects of any scale. It's certainly a much better reflection of our day to day work.'
Jerry Tate, principal, Jerry Tate Architects:
'Although the timing is never going to be great, from our point of view this is a worthwhile reform. While we use the RIBA Stages as a good guide to progressing a project, frankly they are gobbledegook to a client; we have taken to simplifying projects into five stages so that the scope of services are clear. If you think that one of the major problems with architects in general is that the public do not understand how we can help them, anything which clarifies this must be a good thing.'
Chris Roche, director, 11.04 Architects:
'A review of the RIBA plan of work is long overdue and needs to focus on simplifying a complex process for the clients benefit. Terms such as 'strategic definition' need to be avoided and a straightforward and comprehensible language need to be adopted. On a commercial front there should be a 'copyright assignment' phase, post planning approval, which allows architects to charge a fee to clients for the design assignment should they wish to sell the site at a profit, or develop the scheme with another architect.'
Peter Morris, director, Peter Morris Architects:
'I welcome the changes to the RIBA plan of work. It is now more relevant to a diversifying Architectural profession. It is a step in the right direction, during these times we need greater diversity and innovation.'
Anthony Hoete, director, What Architecture:
'While a re-alignment of the RIBA work stages maybe potentially worthwhile, in terms of foreign joint venture workability, a pan-European alignment of work stages that equilibrates the RIBA work stages with the HOIA (in Germany) with the French Loi MOP would be of more value.'
Kerry Lewis, QA director, Holder Mathias:
'I support the changes as some of the existing stages are not well defined and relate poorly to procurement methods other than traditional JCT. My main concern is that the industry will take a while to get used to the new nomenclature. Everyone uses expressions like 'up to Stage D' as shorthand and I suspect that they will continue to do so for some time to come.
'I can't see that the change will make an architect's job significantly easier or harder. I do think that it will take some time to get used to and we may still have to refer to the old stages with clients, for example. Our QA system is based on our own Holder Mathias Job Book and there will be a cost implication in revising it to fit the new stages and in arranging sessions to explain the change to everyone. However, in the spirit of continuous improvement we are constantly updating and revising the Job Book in any case, and this revision will form part of that process.'
Paul Gray, director, Grayscale Architecture + Design:
'We have seen very little from the RIBA about the new Plan of Work being introduced next year. Domestic clients make up over a third of the profession's client base and as a small business working within this sector I find the proposed Plan of Work far too complicated for our client's needs. I understand that an electronic version of the RIBA Plan of Work will be available later in the year to allow you to tailor it to a specific client but I think RIBA would be better placed offering two distinct Plans of Work for domestic and commercial clients rather than an attempt at one 'catch all' solution.'
Sylvester Cheung, partner, Parkinson Dodson & Cheung:
'The idea of working alongside CIC and their generic schedule which all the other professions are working towards is good. This will, in particular for large projects, create better cohesion amongst all construction trades and enable the client to have a better understanding in project progression. The new framework is quite easy to understand as it is rather much in line with project procedures. However, it is surprising that the tendering stage is not stated particular clearly. For a small project, clients normally expect the architect to produce specification, drawing package for tendering and I think this plan lacks this phase of the design/construction process.
'There shouldn't be any particular problem for an architect to adapt to this simplified plan of work and in fact, it is certainly an improvement in terms of ease of communication amongst all key players in the construction team. I tend to price jobs in accordance to stages such as planning submission and building regulations submissions so in my case these changes aren't going to be too costly. 'No time is a good time to implement new guidelines or policies but in the depth of recession everyone is trying alternative methods to survive and the new plan might be a key tool for architects to vary their services accordingly.'
Tom Hart, president, Leicestershire and Rutland Society of Architects:
'It's encouraging to see the RIBA making this revision in line with other specialist organisations and especially best practice which is something that the LJCC, here in Leicestershire, are striving for across the disciplines. I feel this is a move that is intrinsically linked with BIM and its implementation into all stages of a construction process, which I personally applaud. My main concern over this is to how this will be viewed by organisations such as RICS, CIBSE etc. and whether they too will be revising their documentation to provide a coherent construction industry plan. It appears that the inclusion of the CIC work stages will go a way to achieving this but only time will tell. It would be interesting to look deeper into the plan as to the sub-headings and the affect this may have on our working practice. It is worth noting that we currently gear our fees and working strategies around the Plan of Work and sub-divide this into resource stages internally. It looks as though the new plan will assist this as there is more emphasis on the design stages, concept and development which is clearer to all and should stress the importance of this part of the works to other disciplines.'
Nigel Rawson, architect, Pick Everard:
'The Plan of Work has always been a good guide that most stakeholders understood. One of its main shortcomings has been in the interpretation of process and deliverables at the detailed design stages. The on-going implementation of BIM, sustainable design routes, new procurement methods and associated ways of working, has further highlighted that a new guide was due. The 2013 Plan of Work would appear to address these issues, although the outcome of re-evaluation of roles, whilst a reasonable reflection of current practices, may not be welcomed by some in the profession.'
Brian Waters, former president, Association of Consulting Architects:
'The RIBA has been doing this in a very discreet way. Planning committees understand B+. It will take 15 years for them to understand what now stage 2 is or whatever. What is the benefit of throwing that away? All the others work to it; the builders, the quantity surveyors, and all the other consultants absolutely work to the RIBA plan of work. It's the language of construction. They have deliberately kept it quiet.
'I am in shock and awe at the idea. Dropping A, B, C, D; the cost of doing this is massive for the industry. It's got to produce really good benefits to convince people to use it. It would be extremely damaging for the industry unless they can justify the change, and BIM is not justification, it's just another little technical change.
'It's got to have a benefit that is greater than the cost of throwing away the language. Architects could be held in some contempt if the RIBA fails to justify it. It will be a pain in the ass for everybody. You will have to re-write every building contract and employment contract.
'The architectural profession lost a lot of influence when the RIBA stopped publishing building contracts, ever since it has eroded the status of architects because people are not using RIBA building contracts. This clearly will be another decision like that. People will ask why we are side lined more than ever before.'
Sofie Pelsmakers, architect, UCL Energy Institute:
'A fundamental update to the RIBA Plan of Work is long overdue after many changes in the industry. In particular the integration of procurement changes, BIM and the importance of sustainable design and 'Soft Landings' approach have been absent for too long.
'A lot of detail on sustainable design, BIM, prefabrication and multi-disciplinary working are missing in the overview diagram for it to be truly helpful to practitioners, though one hopes that this may be provided in the form of detailed work descriptions/checklists in electronic format. Yet, without the strategic changes being headlined clearly and separately in their own right in the Plan of Works overview and summary, true integration may remain elusive.
'So while the reduced and simplified work stages (as well as alignment to the CIC stages) is to be applauded, the draft diagram of the proposed stages, while giving a neat overview on one A4 sheet, misses some important headlines and detail to guide architects and clients through the process and is an unfortunate missed opportunity to truly integrate sustainable design in the design and building process.
'In general, while we are used to the A-L work stages, the new Plan of Work will require a mental shift from this to overlap with the new 7 stages, but I don't think there will be much disruption to practice. Ultimately the new Plan of Works is intended as an update to reflect what many practices are already doing and professionals may find it actually supports them in achieving greater clarity with clients and streamlines team meetings and information output.
'However, its usefulness and success will depend on the detail provided behind the main work stage headlines. If insufficient detail is provided, then professionals are likely to keep using their own adapted Plan of Work catered for their own needs, whether they reflect the construction industry's changing responsibilities or not.'
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RIBA scraps Plan of Work: say goodbye to stages A-L
The new RIBA Plan of Work: What you need to know
Monitoring and the Plan of Work
RIBA scraps Plan of Work: say goodbye to stages A-L
The new RIBA Plan of Work: What you need to know
Plan of Work 2013 face-off: ACA hits outs at ditching of stages A-L
Readers' comments (5)
Where does tender action fit into this?
Therefore, notwithstanding procurement routes,
Client fee structure becomes [categorically] 6-fold not 5-fold as follows, due to the bifurcating 4th category:-
1 : prep
2 -3: concept/design
4 : technical design
4 &/or 5 : specialist design
6 : construction
7 : feedback/PoE/BIM etc.
Contractor client fee structure can typically remain [categorically] 3-fold but this will marry better with the above 6-fold rather than 5-folded structure:-
2 : Concept
3-5 : Design
6 : Construction
With of course some contractors venturing into 1 & 7 as procurement evolves...
In a way the 7-point schedule can prove to be an improvement, in time, over the current PoW alphabet, especially as it will make better sense of the uneasy bifurcation at stage F (made circa 1990s?), namely at "Production Information", which IMHO at the moment, is both a 'pre-construction' and 'design' pursuit (fee category).
It is good to see that this is being looked at. It is a well know assumption in process protocol that we only can handle - as humans - 7 sets of information at once . So to only have 7 RIBA stages is a good start for comprehension. Each of those seven can then be subdivided as the project requires. But have we missed out client feedback/FM and final demolition/recycling from what should be a holistic approach.
On many simple projects only 4 stages are required.
- these can be expanded out to included
Concept/Feasibility at the start and Feedback/Demolition at the end.
oops that only 6
Salford University Process Protocol started with 4 stages:
Pre Project
Pre Construction
Post Construction
When I did my MSC at Salford Uni I realised that all design be it buildings, objects or software do follow the same overall frame work. (or at least they can be fitted into the same framework as the RIBA plan of work) I did various translation tables and mapping of homilies.
Salford UNI Process Protocol then expanded out the 4 project Phases into 10 phases with soft and hard gates in between.
In short fit the detail to the size of project as you need but never have more than 7 stages in your head oe if you a a bit simplistic like me try to keep it to 4. After all the experts at Salford Uni did.
I would therefore request that if we to make a change to the RIBA plan of work that we make it relate to real project phases and not a scramble to extract fees.
"specialist design" covers all manner of sin.
I don't mind change, but what I do detest is not being informed about it or asked to contribute to the discussion. This is the fundamental issue of this article and the proposed changes.
How will this help or hinder the interdisciplinary issue that is confused a little by stages that are too clear cut. As an acoustician and audio design consultant, our chance to get the concepts and schemes of our scoped elements right often cones while the primary designers have already settled theirs, missing the window of good, integrated, lean design that is aiming at 'right first time'. Is the risk that by confingin "specialist design" to the last design stage take us back to a culture of begrudged bolt-ons seeing as spoiling an otherwise (and artificially) pure design?
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Apple says it sold more than 300,000 iPads on Saturday, the day it debuted across the country.
Sales included pre-orders of the iPad, a new type of touch-screen device that blends features of the iPhone, electronic book readers and tablet computers.
The number released by Apple is much lower than the initially one released by top Apple analyst Gene Munster. Munster is usually spot on when it comes to Apple. He mistakenly put the sales number at closer to 700,000. He has made a full Maya culpa, admitting he over estimated pre-orders.
And there are still some available at retailers, so rumors of a sell out proved false.
Prices start at $499 for iPads that connect to the Internet through Wi-Fi. Apple will sell costlier iPads with cellular data connections later this month.
Apple says that iPad owners downloaded over a million applications from its app store and more than 250,000 electronic books on Saturday.
Apple's CEO Steve Jobs says the iPad is going to be a game changer. He took time on Saturday to go to his neighborhood Apple store in Palo Alto to mingle with customers and staff.
Apple shares are actually down 17 cents to $235.80 in pre-market trading.
The iPad snagged a starring role in an episode of "Modern Family" on the brink of the tablet debut.
Apple Inc.'s latest device figured prominently in Wednesday's episode of the ABC series as a sought-after birthday gift for one of the characters.
On "Modern Family," Claire (Julie Bowen) is eager to buy an iPad for husband Phil's (Ty Burrell) birthday and sets her alarm to make sure to get one. She snoozes past the opportunity, enlists her family's help and, by episode's end, is able to get hold of the prize item.
"It's like Steve Jobs and God got together to say, 'We love you, Phil,"' says her tech-geek husband.
Walt Disney Co., ABC's parent company, announced Thursday that it would offer applications for all its businesses on the iPad.
About 20 ABC series will be available to iPad users through a Wi-Fi connection, the company said.
Jobs is the largest individual shareholder of Disney Co., with a 7.1 percent stake worth nearly $5 billion, and is on its board of directors.
The "Modern Family" showcase for iPad may have had the appearance of masterful product placement, and Apple did provide an iPad for the episode.
But the company doesn't pay for product placement, said Apple spokesman Steve Dowling.
There were no iPad commercials during the episode, and ads often are part of placement deals. ABC declined to provide details on how the iPad came to be featured but called it a good creative match.
One person who isn't an actor got his hands on the iPad and he showed how the new toy can help in the operating room. Check out the Qik video below.


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FastTrack Console Software For Use With FastTrack 8800 and 8500PLUS(v37) Controllers
FastTrack Console Software For Use With 8800 Series Controllers
Provides complete computer control of the testing system for one or two axis systems (up to two 8800 IAC boards. Use 2490-810 for systems with more than two IAC boards. Compatible with all FastTrack 2 applications.
- All controller set up functions such as Specimen Protect, transducer calibrations, limits, control loop settings (PID´s) and calculated ("Modal") control channels.
- System status displays indicating current control mode, limits, wave form generator, transducer calibration and hydraulics.
- Loop tuning tool with fast-refresh digital scope to facilitate quick setting of control loop PID values.
- Multiple digital displays of transducer values and cycle/time counters that can be rearranged and resized, with setup save/recall from computer disk.
- Wave form control (start/pause/stop at specified cycle count) to run simple fatigue tests.
- Data acquisition software (for one axis only) for up to four transducers, with data storage to computer disk at rates up to 5kHz continuous and one real time graph.
- Comprehensive on-line help system.
Please contact Instron for the minimum PC requirements necessary to install and operate this software.
Supplied on CD ROM.
|FastTrack Console Software for FastTrack 8800 and 8500PLUS(v37) Controllers


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Tech gifts that make great stocking stuffers | News
JACKSONVILLE,Fla. -- Smart accessories like game pieces and fitness devices are gadgets that can connect and communicate with your phone or tablet.
"We have gaming consoles," said Gretchen Schultz.
Schultz, who works for AT&T, rounded up a few smart accessories. One of the most popular this holiday season is the iGrill thermometer.
"Whether you're an amateur or a professional, people love the iGrill thermometer," said Schultz. "When it reaches the right temperature it is going to send a notice to your wireless phones."
There's also a gadget to make you a gamer. The Moga Gaming controller turns your phone into a gaming console.
"You no longer do you need to carry a cell phone and a gaming device," said Schultz. "For fifty dollars, the Moga takes and makes your cell phone into a gaming console.
Bluetooth makes everything easy -- even listening to music on a small box with a big sound.
"These are new and very trendy. They are Jam jars," she said. "They are compact and they boost a lot of sound and they come in a lot of colors."
And when you open the jars, they have a flavored scent. Something else to add to your shopping list is the Fitbit Zip Ultra. It will become your electronic conscience.
"It is small and compact. It fits into your pocket or onto your belt clip," said Schultz.
It is a fitness gadget or smart accessory.
"It will measure your distance, steps, stairs climbed, calories burned throughout the day and then at night, you can put it on your wrist and monitor how well you're sleeping," said Schultz. "It will send information to your PC and you can track your progress.
Imagine a garage sale and the buyer has no cash. Now you can get paid with the $10 square card reader that fits on your phone.
"If you have a customer that doesn't have cash on them, it allows you to get paid instantly. All you have to do is set up an account online and then swipe the credit card and get paid," she said.
We also found some unusual tech items that can add a cheer to anyone's holiday. The Cubeedge Edgesound is an eco friendly 3.0 Bluetooth speaker you can use for music movies or your phone.
It provides 10 hours of battery life and gives you the a big sound. It sells for about $149.
If you're looking for a Wi-Fi video monitor, Stem offers the Izon 2.0. You can watch and listen from anywhere on your iPad or smart phone. It can be used as a great nanny cam. This remote monitor sells for $130.