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Q. I think I've stumbled upon a problem in my once-perfect relationship, and I could really use some advice.
My boyfriend and I are in our late 20s and have been together for three years. We have the time of our lives when we are together, and I care about him very much. However, it's recently become apparent how very different our upbringings were, and I'm worried this is going to cause problems down the line should we choose to get married.
I come from money. Not tens of millions, but millions. My father is a hardworking man from a modest background and had great success in his career. I have never wanted for a thing in my life: clothes, traveling, housing, cars, etc. I have always had access to the best of everything. I did attend college and now have a decent-paying career that I enjoy very much. My father instilled a great work ethic in me. I plan on working and advancing in my career for a long time. (I am not looking for a man to take care of me financially, I fully intend on contributing to my lifestyle.)
My boyfriend comes from a nice family. His childhood was much different than mine. There was always food on the table and a decent roof over his head, but paying for the basic bills was an issue. His father was always in and out of work, which I view as irresponsible and passive. I think the man of the house should do everything in his power to provide his family with a decent life. He didn't have that "money safety net" that I had my entire life (and to be honest, still do). He paid for everything, and also contributed to his parents' bills since he was about 15 years old. He put himself through college, and now has a well-paying job (he makes double my salary). He is very smart and works very hard, two qualities which I obviously find attractive.
At the risk of sounding like a giant snob, I've spent my entire life around the richest of rich people. I don't understand what it's like to struggle financially. I am a bit concerned that I tie the identity of "the rich kid" to my self-worth. It can also be crippling to grow up as the child of privilege and have giant expectations placed upon you.
Am I naive to think that this is going to work? We are so fundamentally different in our views on money and lifestyle. HELP!
Should you choose this letter, I hope it doesn't turn into a political discussion, or people commenting that I am a spoiled, privileged brat. It's just the way I grew up and I understand that it is my family's money, not mine. I really am interested in the thoughts that more experienced long-term couples have to offer, since I know money is one of the top reasons for divorce.
A. I am a bit concerned that I tie the identity of "the rich kid" to my self-worth.
That's all you, my friend. You have to deal with that issue. I can't help you with that.
I can tell you that you seem to adore your boyfriend. You have trouble empathizing with his upbringing, but you admire his work ethic. He represents what you want in a man — someone who takes care of himself, provides for his family, and embraces responsibility.
Money issues can cause divorce when people spend differently, when they lie to each other about bills, and when their lives become limited because of financial stress and debt. As far as I can tell, you guys don't have those problems. Your big issue is that you're a rich person and he's not. Again, that's on you. You say that it "can also be crippling to grow up as the child of privilege and have giant expectations placed upon you." I'm not sure what you mean by that. Are you placing these expectations on yourself?
My advice is to talk to your boyfriend about how you'd manage money as a couple. Is he comfortable taking money from your family? Would you be comfortable supporting his? What are your thoughts about money and kids? And how do you want to live when you're older? Your backgrounds are different, but your present-day philosophies about money might be quite similar.
The now is what's important. The rest of it is just in your head.
What strikes me about your letter is that you did not actually say how your views on money differ from those of your boyfriend's. He believes in hard work, makes a good living, and seems to have more in common with your father's viewpoint than you do. The other thing that strikes me is that you claim that you don't want to be taken care of, but you also say that you will contribute to your lifestyle. Um, yeah, so you're pretty much saying that you have always been taken care of and while you will contribute, you still want to be taken care of. Is that right? If so, wow.
You've been together for three years and you're just NOW wondering about this? Sheesh. And you claim to be a smart lady.
I have no idea what the actual problem is here. He makes double your salary. He's the rich one.
You are a spoiled, privileged brat.
His father was in and out of jobs and you view this as irresponsible?!?!? He managed to keep his family together and raise a fine son who contributed to the family since age 15. I'd say the dad was plenty responsible.
How do you think you'd react if your boyfriend/husband lost his job and was unemployed for a while? It sounds like you have unrealistic expectations of how a man's life might go, based on your father's success and luck.
Wow, talk about looking for a problem. If you ever get over this "problem" perhaps you will recognize that his feet are rather unattractive — perfectly functional, but unattractive. Then you can worry that this gene will be passed down to your children since you are an open-toed shoe model and what if your children might be disqualified from this line of work. Recognize this is all about you and figure out why you are looking for problems that do not exist.
SERIOUSLY? You wrote "He paid for everything, and also contributed to his parents' bills since he was about 15 years old. He put himself through college, and now has a well-paying job (he makes double my salary)." So how is your BF "poor"? He's well off. *HE* did exactly what your father did. What the hell is the problem here?
This column and reader comments are edited and reprinted from www.boston.com/love
letters. Meredith Goldstein can be reached at mgoldstein
@globe.com. She chats online Wednesday at 1 p.m.


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Renee Zellweger is looking to try her hand at directing. Variety reports that Zellweger will make her directorial debut with 4 ½ Minutes, a comedy that takes place in the New York City stand-up world. The actress would also star in the pic opposite Johnny Knoxville, who will play "a commitment-phobic, train-wreck of a comedian whose life is falling apart when he takes a job looking after the genius son of single mom P.J. Andersen (Zellweger)." The script by Anthony Tambakis (Warrior) is based on the life of comedian Dov Davidoff.
Zellweger hasn't exactly been prolific as of late, with her last feature film being 2010's My Own Love Song. I can't say the prospect of Zellweger taking on the stand-up comedy world is incredibly enticing, but it'd be nice to see a pleasantly surprising directorial debut from the Oscar-winning actress. Production on 4 ½ Minutes is set to get underway in NYC in February.

subset: commoncrawl


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Good evening,
Installed a VX-6000V with a single remote head this evening. I had it powering up with no issues. Attempted to program it, but the software would not acknowledge the radio. I power cycled the radio to clear the PC Clone and now it just continuously restarts. Occasionally the remote head will stop beeping and show "VXSTDcom" on the screen. Any insight or information would be greatly appreciated.
Thank You,
VX-6000 Installation problem
Forum dedicated to discussion on Vertex Commercial Radio products
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Friday, September 28, 2007
"I'll Walk it Off"
I show up at the game and see the same kids that were in my high school 29 years ago or so. There were band geeks who thought they were cool, a kid with a pink Mohawk (very retro dude!), a nearly out of the closet Marilyn Manson clone, and then the teams, and the cheerleaders, and the dance squad, and the fans.
This game is played out with a whole lot of passion and effort and it went down to the last seconds and it was not very good football, but still, I was struck dumb with the following.
In the early fourth quarter I went out onto the field to assess a player from the other team who had an ankle injury. The coaches from both teams were out there and both teams took a knee and took their helmets off and the stands got quiet and everyone was concerned and it was so different from the ED.
So the kid is really hurting but he does NOT have an obvious fracture. I talk to him and do and exam on the 40 yard line and he gets helped to his feet and to the sidelines where he is taped up. Then I start my ED doc's spiel... "You may have a fracture, you probably need an Xray either tonight or..." when the player says, "Doc, I'm good... Don't make me sit... I'll walk it off."
Walk it off? What? Huh? Don't you need an Xray? Don't you want to apply for disability? Don't you want pain medicine? I can write you an excuse if you like?? Huh?
I left the game with renewed faith in about 4% of our population. Thanks kid.
11 comments:
It's ok.ReplyDelete
We had an "ankle pain for 3 weeks" tonight. Looked perfectly normal, but of course he had 10/10 pain. Xray was negative. Air splint, crutches, Lortab script and work note dispensed.
I'll see your 4% and raise you 96%.
- Anonymous10:20 AM, September 29, 2007
With my jarheads, I can usually tell whether the individual is exaggerating / malingering, legitimately concerned, or if i need to forcible make them sit down and stop. Unlike my stupid senior corpsman who "walked it off"... till he couldnt walk it off anymore, then found out he had a hairline/stress fracture in the ball of his hip.. funny, thats not one your supposed to walk off.ReplyDelete
Military medicine is the best.
Doc H USN
If you've ever worked in a rural ranching area you'll find that those ole boys and gals are tough too. If you can get em to the ER that's a start, they tend to be very stoic and usually just want to get the hell out of there!ReplyDelete
Some bullriders are weenies though. Rodeo cowboys are not the same as ranch cowboys.
absolutely. have taken care of rodeo cowboys with broken ribs and hugs lacerations from a bull, have taken care of ranch cowboys crushed by large animals, farmers with fingers gone etc...ReplyDelete
me: "i need to give you some pain medicine and anesthetic to stich you up."
cowboy: "stich it up doc, i don't need no medicine. gotta get back to it."
me: "yes sir."
God bless 'em.
love 'em.
The other day, my friend stepped on a nail while working construction (like where it was really jammed in there) and used a utility knife and pliers to pull it out.ReplyDelete
Or maybe he was just trying to impress me.
nurse k,ReplyDelete
did it work?
Yep. I was a little intoxicated while hearing the story, but it seemed he bent the part of the nail that was sticking out at an angle to get a better grip and cut around the nail and just yanked.ReplyDelete
He also did something similar with a giant splinter that went clear through the finger when he was roofing. He said all that needed was the utility knife, a good cut and a yank with the pliers as well.
No tetanus yet!
I had 74 year old male who ditched his bike on a curb today....he tried to "walk it off", until he passed out from the 2 liters of blood in his abdomen from his grade 4 splenic lac, pneumo, and 7 rib fractures.ReplyDelete
Still, the fact that he tried to walk it off killed me.
that's cowboy tough and brittney spears stupid.ReplyDelete
The genuine people are what make things worthwhile when we're all about cynicalled (new word) out from the users/dopers/liars...ReplyDelete
That "athlete mentality" was the thing I enjoyed the most about my years volunteering as the team doc for a hockey team.ReplyDelete
The question the players always asked was "when can I go back in the game"?
I saw those kids play through pain that I see every day in some ER patients that want xrays, an MRI, pain pills, a week off work, and handicapped parking.


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Friday, November 04, 2011
Friday Historical: Bartok plays Scarlatti
Amazing, no? The above is in honour of the end of the Philharmonia's fabulous year-long series 'Infernal Dance', exploring the music of Bartok Bela at length and leisure.
What a way they chose to bow out yesterday: Duke Bluebeard's Castle, semi-staged with digital video projections by Nick Hillel's Yeast Culture (I had a sneak preview which I wrote about a couple of weeks back). Sir John Tomlinson as Bluebeard made the character utterly convincing - vulnerable, haunted, unable to face up to the possibility of a better future and consigning the blazing-bright Judith (Michelle DeYoung) to the secrets of the seventh door when she tries to come too close.
Nick's imagery, projected on 'turrets' on the stage set of the grey castle, grew in power and intensity, working with the music without ever intruding upon it: the close HD flowers with petals filling with blood, the sensual outlines and shadows of the lost wives wandering through time and space, and a huge coup de theatre in the blaze of golden light in the audience's face as the fifth door opens onto Bluebeard's realm - inference, perhaps, that we are his subjects? At the end Judith, on film, is trapped behind the closing of an origami eye. Or something. Whatever it was, it was heart-rending. Esa-Pekka Salonen conducted a passionate, detailed, precise account and Juliet Stevenson joined them on stage to read the prologue, with just the right mixture of detachment and hinted menace.
Curtain-raisers of Debussy's Prelude a l'apres-midi d'un faune and the Bartok Piano Concerto No.3 were enjoyable and appropriate, though I have to admit Yefim Bronfman doesn't quite do it for me: his playing is full of magisterial power, but there is little to appeal in terms of charm, sympathy or fresh insights. I keep going back to Schiff's fabulous performance at the Proms.
In other news - well, there's plenty today. Here is an update.
-- Marshall Marcus, head of music at the Southbank Centre for the past five years, is leaving to work with El Sistema and to develop its relationship with the UK. We'll miss him, but I can't applaud him more strongly for following his heart and devoting himself to this project. Like I keep saying, we need El Sistema and we need it now. More information from Norman over at Slipped Disc.
-- Speaking of El Sistema, the Simon Bolivar Orchestra and The Dude will appear for the London 2012 Olympic cultural stuff in....a deprived estate in Raploch, Scotland, where Sistema Scotland's Big Noise has really turned up trumps. There'll be a big outdoor concert against the backdrop of Stirling Castle on the shortest night of the year, 21 June. Plus a residency for the band at Southbank Centre for the next few days.
-- The London 2012 Festival has a website in which we can explore its full programme. Fine, but what will happen to the country's arts budget when it is all over? Remember, a lot has been siphoned off for the bottomless pit that is the Olympic Games.Will those who've lost out find any funding restored, or will their status quo quietly become the norm, or, indeed, the maximum upper limit?
Friday, October 07, 2011
Roses are red, beards are blue...
My article is in The Independent today, and if you follow this link you'll also see a video from the orchestra showing how some of the film was made. Left, Bluebeard's roses appear to fill with blood.
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so, here is my hair (new haircut) after being out in the humid weather today (above) Brenna and I having fun with the quickcam...
My hair when I got home from the salon - it looked just the way it was supposed to here. I think the guy who cut it did a really good job (should be interesting if I feel that way after washing and styling myself), but it is a real razor cut. (He also did a great head massage when he washed my hair - I am definitely going back for a cut before we come home even if I do think the cut price was high).
Hello All!!!
Hope all is well out there. We are kind of limping by today - I messed my back up this morning and am moving at snail pace (walking and standing seem to be the worst - once I'm sitting, I am fine and I hope when I lay down for bed tonight all will be well there too). I seriously considered keeping Brenna home and just trying to lay in bed all day, but I had made a hair appointment earlier this week (sad that I took the agony of walking to and from school just to get my hair cut - I pretty much lost pity points with you at this point, didn't I, lol). The walking actually did seem to help some, I think I am moving better than I did when I took Justice out this morning...The weather has been very wet on and off today - luckily, Brenna and I have missed the worst of it (although it down poured for about 20 minutes before I needed to pick up Brenna - there went my pretty straightened hair - back to some frizz...)
Anyway, Brenna and I played Simon Says on the walk to school today and that seemed to help with how slow I was walking and how much energy she had. We both wanted to ride the bus home from school, but we needed to wait an hour for the first bus to come take us home, so we ended up sitting for about 30 minutes before Brenna finally decided we would walk (at first, she was willing to wait (ie. - "Mom, I want to ride the bus - I don't want to walk" (watery eyes followed)), at this point, I said, fine we would wait until she was ready to walk home - I didn't think she would last as long as she did, but finally she said "Mom, lets just walk home"). We stopped for some hot dogs on the way home and then have been having a movie afternoon. Although, Brenna is also loving her new food that came today - we ordered Grilled Chicken, chocolates, and ice cream. She has been serving me all afternoon :-)
I was hoping to put up some video that I took yesterday of Brenna blowing milk bubbles (a new skill she learned yesterday ;o) but I can't seem to get the camera and the computer to recognize each other (and I am not climbing under the computer or bending over it today - sorry!). So, here is our fun with the Quickcam today (just pictures - and I thought I would show the before 30 minutes outside on the humid day and after, lol).
Take Care!


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isn't she stunning? She is charted from the original artwork of Ian Daniels by Tammy at Stab and Stash. She has released a lot of beautiful new charts recently - why or why aren't there more hours in the day?
Anyway, Dreamsleep has been such a joy to stitch on, there are lots of rosie browns and pinks and golds in with all that brown. It's very nice watching the different sections take shape.
Melanie has been off at college for 2 weeks now and we are all settling into a nice routine. I try not to call her very much and she has surprised me by calling almost every day. Sometimes more than once in a day. She's doing great and loving dorm life so keep your fingers crossed everything continues in this smooth pattern.
We're taking a little mini-vacation in a couple of weeks and starting to get sicced up about it! We've rented a house on the beach in Gulf Shores, AL. My sister, my brother (and their spouses) are coming, along with my Mom and Stepdad (they rented their own house for more privacy) so I'm sure we'll have lots of laughs. We are all looking forward to just hanging out, visiting lots, eating seafood for dinner, going for walks on the beach and whatever else we decide we just have to try.
Then, 2 weeks after the 5-day vacation to Gulf Shores we are flying to Orlando, FL for a business conference. We look forward to this trip every year as it's always nice weather and you can stroll through the conference at your leisure. We always have such a good time!


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"Kami no Kage niwa...â€
In the Shadow of a God
By: Amanda Troutman
Dedicated to:
Geology 110-002, 8 March 2006
My Loving Mother, Mollie
Anticipated Grade: 10
The phone rang at 5:30am at Yamanaka Ryuuma's bedside. He rolled over and tried to ignore it. It was strange to a get a call this early unless it was an emergency but Ryuuma was never convinced that anything was worth waking up early. Thirty-nine years old, single, skeptical, and dour, Ryuuma was another worker ant at Aokigahara's Geological Center in Shibuya, a suburb of the greater city of Tokyo.
The phone rang a fourth and final time before the answering machine picked up. "Ryuuma? Ryu-Ryuuma! Hey, I know you're there, you never leave!†Clearly Moriyama Satoshi. He wasn't anyone that Ryuuma would consider a best friend. They had drinks together at the local izakaya and often made time for leisurely chatting or watching a Yomiuri Giants game. More often than any of that, they scaled Mt. Fuji together, each exploiting the other's skills. Satoshi's talents as a photographer were unrivaled and he was in hot demand whenever a natural scene needed capturing on film. Satoshi managed to capture the majesty and maturity of the great sleeping stratovolcano at nearly every angle he was presented. Ryuuma had an inexplicable fondness for the mountain and perhaps that was why he allowed Satoshi to cling to him. Light-hearted Satoshi was somehow naturally drawn to the reserved geologist but often called on him for his opinions on his photography.
"Hellooo. It's a fantastic day and I planned to take a few pictures of Fuji-san for a postcard company.†He always has some job lined up to do. Tourists from Japan and beyond came to Mt. Fuji in the hundreds of thousands each year. He avoided the well-walked paths out of disgust. Pollution caused by the errant hikers marred the natural beauty of the volcano. In the religion of Shinto, Japan's native religion, the great wonders of nature are viewed as kami, or gods. If no one in the modern believed it, Ryuuma did. He revered and loved nature, dedicated his life to it. "Ryuuma?â€
"Hello? Do you know what time it is?â€
"5:45? Look, I know but if we go now, we can miss a lot of the rush of the tourists.†Ryuuma groaned into the phone and yawned, stretching as he did so. "Did you feel the earthquakes last night?â€
"When does Japan not have earthquakes, Satoshi?†Ryuuma said in the middle of a yawn. Satoshi seemed thoughtful on the other end of the line. Ryuuma relented. "I'll meet you at Shin-Fuji station, in an hour or so, all right?â€
"Right! I'll bring lunch this time! See you there!â€
"See you… Satoshi.†Ryuuma hung up the phone and collapsed back into his bed, rubbing his face. Earthquakes were not rare in Japan, but had Fuji-san not began to smoke in recent weeks? Geologist all speculated on the dangers and of course the people responded by trying to stock up on supplies. What good would that do them?, Ryuuma though wryly. If Fuji-sama decides to explode we're all in his shadow…Basically, all the supplies in the world wouldn't save us.
After getting out of bed and shuffling to the bathroom to relieve himself, Yamanaka Ryuuma dressed in a simple T-shirt with bad English and torn jeans. It was still cool in April, so he grabbed a jacket as well. He had to make several connections before getting to Shin-Fuji, so he bought breakfast and a newspaper at the convenience stand at the station.
It was of course front-page news that Mt. Fuji was fuming dangerously and the recent earthquakes could cause the sleeping giant to erupt but no one was sure to what degree. The last eruption took place in 1707, creating a large crater near the summit, marring its once perfect shape, but only slightly. A cloud of ash haunted the Edo, the precursor to modern day Tokyo, but there was no loss of life.
Ryuuma took a bite of his egg and cheese sandwich then turned to sports. The train arrived shortly after. The geologist was unconcerned about reading the geological interpretations of others, he was going up there anyway, albeit without equipment, but he would rather touch the mountain and understand it before making assessments.
The train pulled in to Shin-Fuji an hour later. It was already bustling with activity. Everyone wanted to see the potentially dangerous volcano. Ryuuma scoffed. He hated people; didn't they know that volcanoes were serious?
"Ryuuma-kun!†Satoshi called over the din of people. "Hey! Hey, over here!†He waved his paper, trying to get his friend's attention. Ryuuma navigated the crowd and arrived beside Satoshi. The photographer truly looked liked an unkempt bachelor; his small goatee everywhere and his clothes had never seen so much as an iron since they were bought. His ratty hiking shoes were patched with duct tape. "They won't let anyone up the mountain! They say it's too dangerous!â€
"Hmph. Well, what do you expect? If they let anyone up there and something does happen, there will be a public hissy fit about why there wasn't more safety.†Ryuuma pulled a cigarette from his inside pocket. "Politicians spend ninety percent of their career trying to figure out how to keep the necks off the cutting block.â€
Satoshi either wasn't convinced or didn't care. "I guess so. So what now? Its smoke is really amazing though, it's even coming out of Uwasa Collapse…â€
"Really?†Now Ryuuma was interested. "Let's head to Aomori… I know it's far but let's see how likely it is that Fuji-san shall express his displeasure.†He headed to the ticket machine.
"You really talk about that mountain like it's a person, you know. Maybe you should have become a Shinto priest.†Satoshi remarked, plucking the cigarette out of Ryuuma's mouth. "Those are bad for your health.â€
Ryuuma snatched his and Satoshi's tickets up, frowning and his squashed cigarette lying on the concrete. "Well, if there's an eruption, then second-hand smoke will be the least of your worries and lung cancer will be the least of mine.â€
They stood squashed together on the train to Shibuya and chatted about Yomiuri's performance last week and what it meant for their game in Osaka against the Hanshin Tigers . By the time they arrived, they were no close to determining who would win the pennant this year than any of the other years they tried.
Typical of a capital city, Tokyo was bustling almost everyday of the week, especially Saturdays. It wasn't untypical for Ryuuma to pop in on the weekends or after geological events hit. In spite of the pervasive apathy in which he approached all things, geology was his one true passion.
"Sachiko,†he called out to a thin-framed woman five years his senior. She had her hair pulled into a tight ponytail and was going over some read-outs with an intern from Tokyo University. "What's going on?â€
"I know we had that scare about Mt. Fuji erupting a few years ago and nothing came of it but, really, Ryuuma, this is different.†She explained, shaking her head a little. "There is a lot of CO2 leaking from that crater and the magnetic fields are-"
"It's not a false alarm, then?†It was more a statement, than a question. Ryuuma rubbed his chin back and forth. I suppose it'll erupt from the side Uwasa is on?â€
"No idea…â€
"Then let's look for a bulge…†Ryuuma sat down at his desk. "Pictures? Pictures? Where's the website?â€
Sachiko sidled over and sat on the edge of his desk. "Server crashed. We've been scrambling to get it fixed all day.†Ryuuma cursed under his breath. "What about Satoshi here?†She asked looking at the Nikko camera around his neck.
The young photographer quickly removed the camera and pulled the tiny memory card out. Ryuuma slipped it into his computer and began pulling up the photographs. They all looked too good to be reality, Sachiko exclaiming uncontrollably at almost every photograph. It wasn't long until they pulled in a crowd. Satoshi rubbed the back of his neck nervously; answering whatever questions he could about his techniques.
"There…†Ryuuma point to a small rounded area on Fuji's east side. "See that? It's not on the other photographs from a week ago. Just like Mt. St. Helens in Washington. It's almost the same kind of situation, the recent earthquakes have opened and closed fissures all along this southeast side.â€
"Mt. St. Helens?†Sachiko knitted her eyebrows trying to recall the name and history. "OH! That one was pretty bad, you know! The pyroclastics alone were unexpectedly devastating. It's a good thing it was surrounded by all that forest and not a city like Tokyo.†The comment created a palpable silence. "I mean…Iâ€
Ryuuma removed the memory card and handed it back to Satoshi. "No matter what you mean, what you said is true enough. Tokyo is our nations economic heart. Hear alone we produce one-third of our nations economic force. An eruption comparable to Mt. St. Helens would not only be a tragic loss of life in the immediate but in the economic fall out, even more people will suffer.â€
People shifted uncomfortably on those words and their own grim thoughts. Satoshi fiddled with his camera. "Hey, let's not think like this. Even if Fuji did erupt we won't be taken completely by surprise, right? We should have plenty of time to evacuate people.â€
"We don't know that! A volcano can take weeks or just hours to erupt… And where would all of Tokyo go?†Ryuuma snapped. "12 million people suddenly told to evacuate! What do you think will happen? People can barely get to work on time for the traffic. Some people don't even have cars! The railways, the streets…†He tightened his fists to the point his knuckles turned white. Sachiko touched him lightly on his shoulder, calming him only slightly. "I'm sorry… Sometimes I just hate this place but I can't leave because I'm in love with the one thing that can turn this city into a parking lot.â€
"Forget about it, Ryuuma,†Satoshi patted his back and began to lead him to the door. "Sorry, everyone.†He bowed slightly for him and his friend. Sachiko just waved dismissively and smiled.
"Get him a drink or something, Mr. Moriyama.†Satoshi smiled and nodded, bowing once more as the door closed behind him.
As they waited at the station in silence, both of there eyes turned toward Mt. Fuji, though they couldn't see it for all the people, buildings, and clouds. But they new it was there, turning restlessly, and when it finally decide to wake up, would it be angry with the insolent Japanese people or would it merely return to slumber without much incident.
The two arrived at Ryuuma's home. Satoshi smiled weakly at his somber friend. "I'll go the store and get some beer.†He turned and jogged down the streets towards the liquor store a few blocks down. As the jaded geologist climbed the stairs to this apartment, a gentle noise behind him caused him to pause.
"Excuse me…Mr. Yamanaka,†Seiko Kaede, his downstairs neighbor, said, meekly. "The mail courier came and you weren't home so I…†She held out a package. "I signed it for you. I hope you don't mind.â€
Ryuuma looked at her then the package and back again before finally taking it. He muttered a thank you and began opening it right then. It was a copy of the Manyoshuu, an old Japanese text with over one thousand poems. He lost his old copy on the train; he had fallen asleep and when he awoke at his stop it was gone. Kaede peered at it curiously and smiled.
"I remember that day,†she began in her small voice. "You looked angrier than usual when you came in. I asked you what was wrong and you snapped at me for parking my bike next to the stairs. I was so upset, I cried.â€
Ryuuma cast his eyes down and rubbed the back of his head. "Oh? Really? It was pretty mad but I didn't have a right to do that much, Ms. Seiko.â€
"Don't worry about it. We all have bad days.â€
"Tell me about it…â€
He looked up and shook his head. "Nothing. Satoshi is over for a drink if you would like to join. We'll probably just talk about baseball and a bunch of geology stuff so I don't think you'd be interested.â€
Kaede climbed past him and went to his door. "I'd love it. I want baseball and I like geology. Honestly, it's one of the reasons I stick around. I was so happy to find that you were my new upstairs neighbor that I went out and bought all of the geology books I could.†She laughed at his expression. "One day, you'll have to take me up Mt. Fuji with you and Mr. Moriyama.â€
"Sure…I guess.†He went to his door and unlocked it, inviting his guest in side. They removed their shoes at the landing and sat down on his floor. Ryuuma clicked on the T.V. The reporters were discussing the recent steam eruptions and earthquakes. "Would you like a drink? The booze will be here soon if Satoshi would hurry up.â€
"No, I'm fine. I can wait.â€
Ryuuma took a seat across the small table from her. She watched the T.V. with her small chin cupped in her palms. She was probably the only person other than Satoshi that could stand to be around him more than a few minutes. He scratched his chin absently. The sound of his rough stubble against his fingertips made Kaede look at him. She blushed and looked at the grain of the table. It took Ryuuma a few seconds to realize that she may have gotten the wrong idea about his contemplative gawking.
"Ah, Ms. Seiko, you didn't mention where you worked,†he said hurriedly.
She began to pick at her fingers. "Oh, actually its this news station. I mean the one that's on TV right now. I'm not actually a worker but I'm a secretary for one of the producers.â€
"That's a pretty nice job,†he commented with a nod.â€
"I guess,†she sighed. "It wasn't what I wanted to do like I said but sometimes we can't choose our fates. My cousin worked for the station and my father signed me up for it. Believe it or not, I went to college for biology. I had these grandiose dreams of doing something for humanity but I guess the closest I'll ever get is being an OL .†Ryuuma simply nodded, not knowing how to reply. Thankfully, Satoshi chose that time to enter, with bags of snacks and liquor. He looked between Seiko and Ryuuma, grinning as he usually did when there was prospects of drinking, though Ryuuma suspected a thinly veiled hint of mischief.
"Ah, Kaede-chan . Will you be drinking with us old goats?†he asked, kicking off his shoes and nudging them by the door.
"You're hardly much older than I am, Satoshi.â€
"I guess that's true, huh? Having a nice conversation?†He looked dead at Ryuuma as he spoke. Ryuuma responded with a cold stare. "Hey, is there a game on today?†Satoshi quickly grabbed the remote and started searching.
Kaede grabbed the bags and pulled out the various snacks setting them on the table. She distributed the beers and opened can like it were a soda, drinking it with a subtle grace. "Mr. Yamanaka, the news says that Mt. Fuji might erupt. What do you think?â€
Ryuuma looked to Satoshi but his friend offered nothing in the way in help. "Well…†he said, reclining back on his arms. "I think it's going to erupt, honestly. It's been dormant since 1707 but before that it last erupted 10,000 years ago.†Kaede nodded.
"So geologically speaking…we really shouldn't be expecting another eruption so soon?â€
"Smart girl!†Satoshi exclaimed, popping a piece of dried squid in his mouth. "You've been tutoring her, eh?â€
Ryuuma ignored him. "That's right. It's a bit sudden, isn't it? Fuji-san is a composite volcano, actually. You see…†He pulled a notebook off of a nearby shelf and searched for a pen or pencil, which Kaede supplied from her purse. Ryuuma began drawing a diagram. "The Fuji we see today, is the actually the youngest part, underneath that is 'Older Fuji'- almost perfectly parallel. But set back here, to the northeast is the Komitake volcano, which is the oldest and smallest. Well…†He made a small adjustment at the foot of Komitake. "There's a volcano here as well but it's pretty flat, so I even I wouldn't count it.â€
Satoshi grabbed the notebook and set it aside. "You're boring her, Ryuuma. We came here to relax and drink. Not to talk about that stupid volcano some more.†Satoshi slid him another beer.
"I think it's fascinating, Moriyama-kun. The fact is that we can't just smile and pretend it's going to happen. It might and if it does, it could be like a natural Hiroshima or Nagasaki, couldn't it, Ryuuma-kun?â€
Ryuuma nodded slowly. "Mt. St. Helens destroyed nearly 596 square kilometers of forest in a short time. Tokyo is 1,288 sq kilometers but Fuji-san 1226 meters taller than Mt. St. Helens, so just by that the eruption could be more devastating.â€
"It'll be terrible either way!†Kaede exclaimed glancing out the window as if she could see the impending danger barreling down towards them. "The economic ramifications… We're just getting out of this recession too...â€
Satoshi groaned and fell back on the floor. "You guys are depressing! The government will take care of things. They already closed the mountain and they're watching this whole situation closely. They'll probably start evacuating us outside of the danger zone soon. Start packing now! You'll see.â€
Ryuuma looked at his friend and sighed, rubbing his tired eyes, wishing he could massage his tired mind as well. Kaede put her hand on his and patted it. "You're tired and this has been a hard day. Go to bed. Come on, Satoshi.†Reluctantly, the photographer stood at the secretary's bidding. The cleared up and left, leaving Ryuuma in his preferred state- alone.
All night, he dreamed of pyroclasts and hot ash falling on Tokyo incinerating everything, planes flew overhead and he wondered briefly if it was World War II and the hot ash falling on him wasn't human remains from the incendiary attack but the earth quaking beneath him averted his attention and eventually woke him up.
But the dream didn't stop going it seemed, his small apartment was rocked severely knocking everything not nailed down to the floor, including his television and stand which fell over causing sparks to fly and land dangerously on the tatami mats . He crawled over and tried to stamp out some of the small ember with the palm of his hand. His cell phone rang but in the chaos, he couldn't find it.
He could here Kaede's voice outside calling out to him. Ryuuma wobbled over the window and looked out. He couldn't hear her clearly but she was pointing to the west. He looked in that direction and lost his breath. Towering high in the sky was a massive Plinian Column of hot ash, pumice, rock and lava.
The god had awoken and made his judgment on the metropolis of Tokyo. Ryuuma ran as well as he could to the door and slipping on his sandals. He fell three times trying to get down the stairs to Kaede. "LAHARS!†He screamed grabbing her. "Lahars!â€
She gripped on to him tightly. "What? What are you saying? I don't understand.â€
"Dammit! Fuji is topped with snow there will be lahars! Volcanic mudslides, Kaede.†The shaking had subsided significantly but there were still tremors beneath their feet. Ryuuma wonder for a second how much was the earth and still how much was his nerves. "Stay here!†He ran back into his room and grabbed his jacket and found his cell phone under a shattered plant. He ran back outside. People were already in the streets, screaming, looking for answers, finding them, and then looking for an escape, only to find the streets cramped, and deadlocked. Ryuuma grabbed Kaede's hand.
"Where are we going?â€
"He have to get out of here…I … don't know where but… we need to find better shelter than our low-rise apartments. If a lahar reaches us then we're done.†He Hot ash began to fall like a grim rain; even the sound was similar. Ryuuma tried to shoulder his way past people and protect Kaede at the same time.
For what seemed like hours they struggled with the crowded streets and frightened people when they found themselves being ushered towards an old factory building that had been standing since the war. Ryuuma held Kaede close so that they weren't separated in the rush to be included in the safety.
"Head to the upper floors! Upper floors!†the attendant called. Another called down to the first. "We're sorry, we can't take anymore!†Kaede looked up at Ryuuma with terrified eyes. "Everyone else keep moving!†The attendant pushed them in, the last to be accepted.
They struggled to get to the third floor and a place to stand. Finally the two managed to find a place at a window over looking the street below them. There was another terrible rumbling but this was more sound than them shake. A hot lahar overran the street below them, picking up the cars like toys and burying the people in the way. Everyone screamed. Kaede buried her face in Ryuuma's chest. Ryuuma was unable to turn away from the site. His entire life dedicated to a force of nature so powerful it could destroy a great city such as Tokyo and there was nothing that could be done.
A man's body boiled up the surface then quickly disappeared under the surge. The site make Ryuuma think of Satoshi and he immediately took out his phone and checked it- text message from none other than Satoshi. It read:
Volcano! Get to safety! See you later, right! Without a doubt!
Ryuuma closed his phone his eyes welling up with inexplicable tears. And buried his face in Kaede's hair and tried to regain his composure. The disdain he felt for humanity was washed away with the lahar raging beneath him.
The night, he and Kaede slept on the hard concrete floor next to hundreds of other refugees. Actually, it was morning by now but the ash was still clinging to the atmosphere suffocating it, shutting out the sun entirely. Ryuuma stared at the steel bars crisscrossing ceiling. He had received no other communication from Satoshi. Realizing this his heart became heavy, which made him feel even worse. He treated the jovial photographer so poorly but was never turned down for a friendly afternoon. Ryuuma tried to text his friend back but was unable to get through.
By day three, everyone in the makeshift bunker was afraid that their place of salvation would become their final place of rest. Water was running low, as was food. "Stupid,†Kaede muttered suddenly. Ryuuma leaned closer to her. "I said… stupid. That we built this city right underneath a volcano.â€
Ryuuma sighed and took her hand, feeling awkward at the show of comfort. "They didn't know. And even with all of our technology, neither did we.â€
The sound of a helicopter raised heads all around. A voice came over a megaphone. "We're going to try and evacuate you but we can only do this 5 people at a time. Sick, first, then elderly, then women and children.†A cheer rose up among the crowd, though to Ryuuma it sounded half hearted as it quickly became apparent that they would have to decide who went and who didn't. He squeezed the small hand in his instinctively, expecting things to become ugly, rather quickly.
Indeed he was right, there were multiple fights that had to be broken up but in the end peace prevailed. No one was leaving if everyone fought and no one wanted to be here any longer than they had to. I soon became Kaede's turn to leave. Their good-bye was surprisingly reluctant for Ryuuma. Through this entire tragedy, she had been there and he was comforted by her presence.
"Definitely.†She said cryptically.
"Definitely.†He answered. With that, she climbed out of the window into the basket that would carry her and four perfect strangers to safety.
Ryuuma turned out to be one of the last to leave. When he loaded on the basket and began to rise above the buildings, the truth of the devastation nearly knocked the breath from his lung. The one picturesque, conical Fuji was looked more like the top of a waffle cone, leaking smoke and grayish basaltic lava. Lahar had no place to go but meander through the narrow streets and subway tunnels. They landed an hour away in makeshift refugee encampment. Kaede rushed up to him and hugged him. No words were exchanged.
"Here, I've been trying to get you to date for three years. Mount Fuji erupts and destroys half of Tokyo and you get romantic,†came Satoshi's rugged voice. "I wish I were that lucky.â€
Ryuuma grinned, a rare event, and hugged his friend tightly. "I thought were up on the mountain when it exploded, you crazy fool! I couldn't get through to your cell phone!â€
"What cell phone? I was taking pictures and dropped the damn thing running for my life! But here I am…â€
"Here you are… But how many aren't?†He wondered out loud looking towards the devastated capital.
"Death toll…100,000, it's the estimate. Kaede was right…it's Hiroshima, but we won't know for sure for some time.â€
The three friends stood together silently accepting their destiny and wondering of what was in store for them in the future. The nation as rocked, the world was watching, and no one knew what the next step should be.
Kaede rubbed her arms trying to force out the cold that seemed to pervade her body since the initial eruption. "Stupid,†she uttered again.
"No one knew,†Ryuuma repeated. "No one knew then and no one knew now the ramifications of living in the shadow of one of Japan's greatest kami.†He closed his eyes and recalled a poem from the Manyoshu:
Heaven and earth:
Since the time they parted,
Of manifest divinity,
Reaching the heights of awe,
In Suruga stands
The high peak of Fuji;
The field of heaven:
On gazing at the distant sight
The coursing sun
Light is blocked and
The shining moon
Light goes unseen;
The white clouds, too,
Shrink from passing by as
Ash falls:
From mouth to mouth will pass the word,
Traveling and speaking
Of the peak of Fuji.
( Originally by Manyoshu poet, Yamabe no Akahito (fl. 724-737). I took the liberty of changing the word 'snow' to 'ash' to reflect new nature of Mt. Fuji as a volcano and not the peaceful snow-capped mountain that has permeated the world's view.)
http://www.geology.sdsu.edu/how_volcano ... elens.html
http://volcano.und.nodak.edu/vwdocs/vol ... _fuji.html
http://ww1.baywell.ne.jp/fpweb/drlatham ... giants.htm


text:
Module: Authlogic::TestCase
- Defined in:
- lib/authlogic/test_case.rb,
This module is a collection of methods and classes that help you easily test Authlogic. In fact, I use these same tools to test the internals of Authlogic.
The quick and dirty
require "authlogic/test_case" # include at the top of test_helper.rb
setup :activate_authlogic # run before tests are executed
UserSession.create(users(:whomever)) # logs a user in
For a more detailed explanation, see below.
Setting up
Authlogic comes with some simple testing tools. To get these, you need to first require Authlogic's TestCase. If you are doing this in a rails app, you would require this file at the top of your test_helper.rb file:
require "authlogic/test_case"
If you are using Test::Unit::TestCase, the standard testing library that comes with ruby, then you can skip this next part. If you are not, you need to include the Authlogic::TestCase into your testing suite as follows:
include Authlogic::TestCase
Now that everything is ready to go, let's move onto actually testing. Here is the basic idea behind testing:
Authlogic requires a "connection" to your controller to activate it. In the same manner that ActiveRecord requires a connection to your database. It can't do anything until it gets connnected. That being said, Authlogic will raise an Authlogic::Session::Activation::NotActivatedError any time you try to instantiate an object without a "connection". So before you do anything with Authlogic, you need to activate / connect Authlogic. Let's walk through how to do this in tests:
Fixtures / Factories
Creating users via fixtures / factories is easy. Here's an example of a fixture:
email: [email protected]
password_salt: <%= salt = Authlogic::Random.hex_token %>
crypted_password: <%= Authlogic::CryptoProviders::Sha512.encrypt("benrocks" + salt) %>
persistence_token: <%= Authlogic::Random.hex_token %>
single_access_token: <%= Authlogic::Random.friendly_token %>
perishable_token: <%= Authlogic::Random.friendly_token %>
Notice the crypted_password value. Just supplement that with whatever crypto provider you are using, if you are not using the default.
Functional tests
Activating Authlogic isn't a problem here, because making a request will activate Authlogic for you. The problem is logging users in so they can access restricted areas. Solving this is simple, just do this:
setup :activate_authlogic
For those of you unfamiliar with TestUnit, the setup method bascially just executes a method before any test is ran. It is essentially "setting up" your tests.
Once you have done this, just log users in like usual:
# access my restricted area here
Do this before you make your request and it will act as if that user is logged in.
Integration tests
Again, just like functional tests, you don't have to do anything. As soon as you make a request, Authlogic will be conntected. If you want to activate Authlogic before making a request follow the same steps described in the "functional tests" section above. It works in the same manner.
Unit tests
The only time you need to do any trickiness here is if you want to test Authlogic models. Maybe you added some custom code or methods in your Authlogic models. Maybe you are writing a plugin or a library that extends Authlogic.
That being said, in this environment there is no controller. So you need to use a "mock" controller. Something that looks like a controller, acts like a controller, but isn't a "real" controller. You are essentially connecting Authlogic to your "mock" controller, then you can test off of the mock controller to make sure everything is functioning properly.
I use a mock controller to test Authlogic myself. It's part of the Authlogic library that you can easily use. It's as simple as functional and integration tests. Just do the following:
setup :activate_authlogic
You also get a controller method that you can test off of. For example:
ben = users(:ben)
assert_nil controller.session["user_credentials"]
assert UserSession.create(ben)
assert_equal controller.session["user_credentials"], ben.persistence_token
See how I am checking that Authlogic is interacting with the controller properly? That's the idea here.
Defined Under Namespace
Classes: MockController, MockCookieJar, MockLogger, MockRequest, RailsRequestAdapter
Instance Method Summary collapse
#activate_authlogic ⇒ Object
Activates authlogic so that you can use it in your tests.
#controller ⇒ Object
The Authlogic::TestCase::MockController object passed to Authlogic to activate it.
Instance Method Details
#activate_authlogic ⇒ Object
Activates authlogic so that you can use it in your tests. You should call this method in your test's setup. Ex:
setup :activate_authlogic
102 103 104 105 106 107 108 109 110
# File 'lib/authlogic/test_case.rb', line 102 def activate_authlogic if @request && ! @request.respond_to?(:params) class <<@request alias_method :params, :parameters end end Authlogic::Session::Base.controller = (@request && Authlogic::TestCase::RailsRequestAdapter.new(@request)) || controller end
#controller ⇒ Object
The Authlogic::TestCase::MockController object passed to Authlogic to activate it. You can access this in your test. See the module description for an example.
114 115 116
# File 'lib/authlogic/test_case.rb', line 114 def controller @controller ||= Authlogic::TestCase::MockController.new end


text:
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text:
COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) K.J. McDaniels had 16 points, Rod Hall had 15 and and Cemson took control with a 21-6 run in the second half to defeat rival South Carolina 64-55 Sunday.
The Tigers (5-2) had lost the past two in the series and had squandered a 12-point lead to trail 31-28 early in the second half. That's when McDaniels and Devin Booker got going for Clemson.
McDaniels had four foul shots and a three-point play while Booker added eight points in the game-breaking run. When Booker hit a pair of free throws with 9:08 to play, Clemson was on top 49-37.
South Carolina (5-3) closed to 51-47 on Bruce Ellington's basket. But Damarcus Harrison made a 3-pointer to restore Clemson's edge.
Booker ended with 13 points and eight rebounds. McDaniels had seven boards and five of Clemson's eight blocked shots.
Brenton Williams led South Carolina with 16 points.


text:
PARIS (Reuters) - European Union leaders face two months of tough bargaining on money, power and the future governance of the euro zone before they can boost confidence that the existential threat to the single currency has faded.
The European Central Bank's pledge to buy the bonds of struggling euro zone countries in unlimited amounts has changed the terms of Europe's debt crisis.
Yet French President Francois Hollande may have been a little premature in declaring a turning point last week after another night of summit negotiation yielded a deal for a euro zone banking regulator to be launched next year.
"We are on track to solve the problems that for too long have been paralyzing the euro zone and made it vulnerable," said Hollande. "I again have confirmation that the worst is behind us."
More nights of horse-trading lie ahead between now and mid-December in which EU states must agree on a common budget for the next seven years, closer fiscal union with more intrusive central supervision of national budgets and a possible separate budget for the euro zone, and more support for the most vulnerable euro states.
They will need to decide how to keep Greece afloat if, as expected, it reaches a deal with international creditors to avoid bankruptcy next month in exchange for more drastic spending cuts and structural reforms.
And they may face months of uncertainty over whether Spain, which has already been promised up to 100 billion euros in loans to recapitalize its ailing banks, can avoid a sovereign bailout.
Above all, the euro zone is a long way from returning to the levels of economic growth needed to make its debts more manageable and get millions of angry unemployed back to work.
For now, the financial market turmoil that threatened the very survival of the currency area a few months ago has abated, at the risk of lulling EU leaders back into complacency over what remains to be done.
The European Central Bank removed that acute sense of crisis by agreeing to buy unlimited quantities of short-term bonds of troubled euro zone countries that apply for a rescue program and accept strict conditions.
"The state of urgency we had over the summer is just not there to the same degree," said a senior EU official who has been present at every night of summitry since the crisis began in late 2009.
"There is not the same sense of having our backs to the wall," he said. "One should know from the way politics works in the European Union that you need a certain sense of crisis to act — that's the way it works."
Complicating the next few weeks of negotiation, relations among Europe's three leading powers - Germany, France and Britain - are as difficult as at any time for a decade.
The collapse of a proposed aerospace mega-merger between European Airbus manufacturer EADS and British defense company BAE Systems over government stakes underscored the depth of mistrust between Paris, Berlin and London.
Within the euro zone, Germany and France remain at odds over the balance between central EU control of national budgets and economic reforms, and mutualising risks and liability for each others' debts and bank deposits.
Hollande argues Germany must first take steps he sees as vital to underpin vulnerable countries' government borrowing and financial institutions before France will agree to yield more sovereignty to Brussels over its fiscal and economic policy.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel seems determined to avoid any new liability for German taxpayers which would require her to seek approval from her increasingly reluctant parliament before a September 2013 general election.
That may explain why she insisted that euro zone rescue funds could not recapitalize any bank until a euro zone banking supervisor is fully operational late next year, and there would be no retroactive direct recapitalization of banks.
Her stance was a blow to Spain's hopes of getting the cost of rescuing banks hit by the collapse of a real estate bubble off the state's balance sheet, and hence easing its debt burden without recourse to a euro zone bailout. It was also a setback for Ireland's hopes of shedding some of its bank-induced debt.
It remains to be seen whether Merkel's refusal to share such "legacy" costs is Germany's last word, or whether a future Berlin government may revisit the issue after the election.
Many economists believe that a fresh start for the euro zone will require action such as common euro zone bonds or at least a reduction in peripheral members' "legacy" debts to be viable in the long run. Early relief for Madrid appears ruled out, although Merkel said on Sunday Ireland was a "special case".
Yet German officials say relations between Merkel and Hollande are not as tense as they seem in public, and they are confident that he will accept trade-offs between greater European solidarity and more pooling of fiscal sovereignty.
While the rest of Europe is negotiating intensively on closer integration, Britain is talking increasingly about loosening its ties with the EU, and some influential members of the governing Conservative party of leaving completely.
Prime Minister David Cameron has threatened to veto the seven-year EU budget due to be agreed at a November 22-23 summit if spending is not cut. And he wants to exploit the negotiations on closer euro zone integration as an opportunity to negotiate looser membership terms for Britain in the Union.
It remains to be seen how far other European partners are prepared to accommodate British exceptionalism. Finland's Europe minister said last week that Britain seemed to be waving "bye, bye" to the EU, and there was little others could do about it.
The main achievement of the latest summit was to keep plans for a single European banking supervisor broadly on track despite a rearguard battle led by Germany's finance minister.
"I struggle to find any major piece of reform involving more than a couple of countries which has moved from idea to implementation as fast as the European banking union," said UniCredit global chief economist Erik Nielsen.
The most encouraging news for the future of the euro zone, Nielsen said, was the way that Germany's leadership has changed its attitude towards keeping Greece in the euro area, and hence supporting peripheral states in difficulty.
"There is no turning back now, not only because of the already clear signals from the government leadership, but because the political challenge (from the opposition Social Democrats) - impressively - turns out to be coming from a demand for more Europe, and more support for Greece," he said.
Additional reporting by Luke Baker in Brussels and Andreas Rinke and Noah Barkin in Berlin; Writing by Paul Taylor; editing by Jason Webb


text:
The acquisition team at Securitas Systems has been busy, that's for sure. Click on the Securitas Systems label below for the full story, but here they go again. This time, it's a buy in the Netherlands, Installerende Partners, and it's a relatively small one. However, not only did they announce their traditional 5-7x EBITDA range, they also supplied sales numbers: approximately MSEK 26 (MEUR 2.8). Must be nice making buys in MSEK instead of the rapidly falling dollar. Anyway, now I can try some math. Securitas Systems has said they look for businesses approaching 40 percent of gross revenues in service money, but that's unlikely to be the case with a small integrator with only 25 employees, so it's probably more like 25 percent in service. That's going to bring their gross margin down into the 20 percent range, no? (I'm trying out relatively newly acquired business-analysis knowledge here, so please correct me with the comment button below if I'm way off. Remember, I was an English major...) So, of their $4 million in 2006 revenues, that's $800,000 in gross margin. As a company 20 years in business, it probably doesn't have a lot of financing costs or undue overhead, so we'll back out maybe $100,000 of that and say they've got EBITDA of $500,000. Multiply that by six and you've got $3 million as a purchase price, which is .75x 2006 revenues. If they have 25 percent of revenues in service, that's $1 million annually, which is $83,333,333 in RMR. So $3 million as a purchase price would be 36x RMR. What do people think of that?
Securitas Systems buys again
This blog, by Paul Ragusa, the editor of Security Systems News, offers thoughts, news, and a forum for discussion for those who work in and around the physical security industry, integrating and installing security systems in North America.


text:
Hello everyone, I realize that this is a VB forum and I am going to post C# code. I didn't see a C# crystal reports forum. I am having difficulty with reports that take parameters. I have a few reports that take primary key values as parameters. These values are automatically passed to the report via windows forms constructors. The code I have points to my report source in the development folder; however, when installation occurs, there no longer is a development folder and my reports do not load. Here is my code
ReportDocument cryRpt2 = new ReportDocument();
ReportDocument cryRpt = new ReportDocument();
ParameterFieldDefinitions crParameterFieldDefinitions;
ParameterFieldDefinition crParameterFieldDefinition;
ParameterValues crParameterValues = new ParameterValues();
ParameterDiscreteValue crParameterDiscreteValue = new ParameterDiscreteValue();
crParameterDiscreteValue.Value = intCaseID;
crParameterFieldDefinitions = cryRpt.DataDefinition.ParameterFields;
crParameterFieldDefinition = crParameterFieldDefinitions["CaseID"];
crParameterValues = crParameterFieldDefinition.CurrentValues;
crystalReportViewer1.ReportSource = cryRpt;
As you can see my report location "cryRpt" is located at "../../JuvenileArrest.rpt"
I tried to substitute the report source and crParameterFieldDefinitions = this.JuvenileArrest; instead and it worked in development but after deployment the program completely restarts itself with out any error message what so ever. When I had the report source set to "cryRpt" I got an error stating it could not locate the report and it is obvious because at the installation folder there is no .rpt file. I think those are located in some data file because all the other "non parameter" reports I have work flawleslly.


text:
Carl's Jr.®
Carl's Jr. Offers a Taste of the Tropics With New Teriyaki Burgers
May 23, 2007
First Ever Fast-Food Burger Featuring Grilled Pineapple
CARPINTERIA, Calif. – May 23, 2007 – Beginning today, Carl's Jr.® offers young, hungry guys a getaway from burger boredom and a ticket to a lunch hour paradise: the Teriyaki Burger™. The new menu item combines the irresistible taste of a charbroiled Carl's Jr. hamburger with a savory-sweet teriyaki sauce and a slice of grilled DOLE® pineapple. Top it off with melting Swiss cheese, red onion, tomato, lettuce and mayonnaise, and it's a summertime temptation too good to pass up.
The Teriyaki Burger is the latest quality statement from the chain famous for putting such high-end ingredients as portobello mushrooms on a fast-food burger, and is the kind of thing that earned Carl's Jr. and sister chain Hardee's® rating among the top five in the nation in the best burger category by Zagat®/Today Show Fast-Food Survey participants earlier this month. With the introduction of the Teriyaki Burger – available as a single, double, or 1/2-pound, 100 percent Angus beef Six Dollar Burger&trade – Carl's Jr. re-confirms its commitment to bringing sit-down restaurant quality to the world of fast-food.
"Just a few years ago, no one would have believed that a burger with teriyaki sauce and grilled pineapple would sell very well at a fast-food place," said Brad Haley, executive vice president of marketing for Carl's Jr. restaurants. "But teriyaki burgers are a common menu item at sit-down burger restaurants and we have had great success in recent years making those kind of burgers available to fast-food customers, from the introduction of the original 100 percent Angus beef Six Dollar Burger more than six years ago – which has now been copied by most other major fast-food burger chains – to the Portobello Mushroom Six Dollar Burger™ introduced two years ago. In fact, the Teriyaki Burger received the highest consumer taste test ratings we've ever seen for any burger in our history."
The Teriyaki Burger is offered for a limited time only. It features an all-beef, charbroiled patty that is dressed with red onion, tomato, lettuce and mayonnaise; the burger is then topped with teriyaki sauce, melting Swiss cheese, and a juicy slice of DOLE pineapple that has been grilled on the chain's signature charbroilers. The Teriyaki Burger will be sold in single ($2.89), double ($3.89), and Six Dollar Burger ($4.59) varieties, and pricing varies regionally.
Carl's Jr. is celebrating more than 65 years in the quick-service industry. What began as a lone hot dog cart in Los Angeles, Calif. in 1941 is today an international organization that employs nearly 30,000 people worldwide. Carl's Jr. is a wholly owned subsidiary of CKE Restaurants, Inc. (NYSE: CKR) of Carpinteria, Calif. As of the fourth fiscal quarter ended Jan. 29, 2007, CKE Restaurants, Inc., through its subsidiaries, had a total of 3,105 franchised or company-operated restaurants in 43 states and in 13 countries, including 1,087 Carl's Jr. restaurants, 1,906 Hardee's restaurants and 96 La Salsa Fresh Mexican Grill® restaurants. For more information, or to find a Carl's Jr. near you, go to www.ckr.com or www.carlsjr.com.


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Legend of the Panda
Long ago pandas were pure white. Chinese legend tells how the panda got its black and white coat. The ancient tale tells of a young girl who gave her life to save a snowy-white panda cub. The pandas were very sad and rubbed black ashes on their legs as a sign of mourning. They wiped their eyes, hugged each other and covered their ears with their paws. Wherever they touched themselves the ashes stained their fur black.
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Potentially explosive new trend in marijuana use reported in Houston area
Experts are warning about the use and production of a potentially explosive and highly potent form of marijuana they say is on the rise in Houston after a group of teens were arrested with it earlier this month.
Hash oil is extracted from marijuana plants using highly flammable butane. Several people have been injured in explosions across the country as they tried to produce it.
Four teens and a 20-year-old allegedly had several grams of hash oil, over a pound of hydroponic marijuana, a shot gun and an assault rifle when they were arrested in Spring March 13.
Although the group was not producing it, officials said they fear it is only a matter of time before hash oil labs spring up in Houston.
Rehab centers are reporting its use is rapidly on the rise.
"We first began to see patients ... with a history of hash oil use in July 2013. Since that time, approximately 20 percent of the adolescents who have reported a history of marijuana use have also used THC concentrates or hash oil," said Vaughan Gilmore, staff social worker and addiction counsellor at Houston's Menninger Clinic.
High potency, high risks
Doctors at the clinic are concerned about hash oil's high potency, which is about 60 to 90 percent more than regular marijuana. It means users are at much greater risk of dependency and mental health problems, especially the young.
"Adolescents using it that have anxiety disorders or depression or a family history of mental illness — they would probably be more likely to experience side effects or complications with their mental health," said Gilmore.
The clinic reports that it is just those teens who are most likely to use it, with some openly admitting they use marijuana to control anxiety. Experts say this openness could be the result of pot's legalization in other states.
"We are seeing more of that in the youth as they see friends in other states and hear on the news about it being medically approved or medically legal — it definitely affects their use and they can use that as an additional excuse for their using," said Gilmore.
Plus, the oil can be vaporized in newly popular e-cigarettes, which makes it particularly attractive to young people, according to Gilmore.
"Youth find them more attractive, they seem less dangerous. They don't have a smell associated them, so you can actually smoke marijuana in them and no one would know you were smoking it," Gilmore said.
Explosive trend
Detectives who arrested Matthew Mills, 20, Austin Raddohl, 17, Joseph O'Neill, 19, Mauricio Anteri Diaz, 17, and Sean Steinman, 19, in Spring earlier this month confirm that the hash oil discovery was one amid a rising trend.
"The special investigation unit report they have noticed an upswing in the prevelance of hash oil," said spokesman at Mongomery County Sheriff's office, Brady Fitzgerald.
"It's not that hard to make and it can be dangerous ... unfortunately you can go on the internet and easily find out how to (extract) it," Fitzgerald said.
Videos show how most users soak plants in some kind of solvent, most commonly butane, which extracts the resin from the marijuana.
Countless recordings of extraction attempts that have gone wrong can be found. Videos show teens boiling highly flammable liquid on stovetops only to have it explode. One amateur can be heard screaming in a video, "the house is on fire."
Police on alert
The latest such case was Thursday in the city of Commerce, east of Los Angeles, where two people were hurt and a family home almost totally destroyed.
The Los Angeles Times reported that arson investigators determined the men had allegedly been operating a "butane honey oil extraction laboratory," in which marijuana is turned into "hash oil" or "honey oil."
In Colorado, police have started to track fires caused by butane hash oil production. Here in Houston, doctors at the Menninger Clinic report clients using it and making in it the Houston area.
Police say explosions like the ones seen in other parts of the country could easily happen here.
"The fear is that someone who doesn't know what they're doing can hurt themselves." Fitzgerald said.