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Bohemian Beach Lunch at Rhenia
Lifestyle Cooking.
Innovative cooking concepts reflecting Mediterranean influences.
Whats on the menu?
• Cycladic with dado (Greek rusk), cherry tomatoes, cucumber, fresh basil, xinotyro (Myconian sour cheese), caper leaves and olive oil.
• Tarama (fish roe) - white and black (made with cuttlefish ink).
• Fresh tomato from the chef's personal garden with organic olive oil - salt oregano
• Sea urchins (fresh out of the sea).
• Mussels - cooked with white wine
• Gyalisteres (clams) - grilled with herbs, ginger, fresh lemon juice and fresh olive oil
• Sea bass carpaccio with olive oil, lime juice and pink pepper
• Shrimps - grilled with olive oil, lemon juice and fresh ginger
Main Courses
• Fresh fish on the grill with lemon sauce
• Or Lobsters on the grill with soya sauce, lime and spice herbs
• Fresh fruits of the season
Sea urchins
Fresh out of the sea!
Cooked with white wine.


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Hej Hej,
I know, I know. I don't write in forever and then twice in one night. Crazy, eh? (I'm throwing out that 'eh' to my galpal Jessie who never tired of teasing me about them). Anyways, I just discovered this short video of Caine trying desperately to get in and join the party. I'm sure you'll find this as amusing as me. He actually did this almost the entire afternoon. And just to clarify, yes, he is a puppy. He is only 8 months old in this video. He has since learned how to open the door if it's unlocked so he no longer has to wear out his tongue trying to get in.
That's it from me...I still plan on telling you about our trip to San Fran, but that will have to wait for another day.
Friday, February 20, 2009
My sister's puppy
Posted by E. at 5:34 AM 1 comment:
Our humble abode
Hello there,
Well I just checked the last time I posted and it has been far too long. We'll just leave it at that. Anyway, I have had some requests to put up some pictures of our new place and so I took a few photos (of the living area at least). You may notice a conspicuous lack of bedroom shots, however since our bedroom consists of a mattress on the floor and two end tables that are being used as nightstands, you're not missing much. I've also added some photos from our recent walk in the glorious sunshine around Vancouver. You can check out these shots here.
We are in the process of trying to decide if we want to go away for Easter weekend. We get Good Friday and Easter Monday off at UBC so we thought we could take advantage of that and go down to Oregon or something. Originally the plan was to go somewhere hot but due to the fact that we still don't own any bedroom furniture that plan quickly got quashed (by both of us).
Barak Obama came to Canada today. He came for lunch it seems :) No seriously, he arrived at 7:30am and was going to be home for dinner. We'll see what comes out of the visit. It seems more ceremonial but without any ceremonies as there were no actual chances for people to see him. I'm hoping he does enact the mandate against buying oil from the oilsands but that's the environmentalist in me and not the economist.
We have just had our sixth day of sunshine in a row. I'm not sure we Vancouverites can manage a seventh day. Our skin is drying up and is crying out for rain. I'm just kidding. I'm loving the +10 degrees. I enjoyed another beautiful walk down to the beach today.
Ok, that's it for this post. BTW if you are getting this in an email and would rather not just let me know. I will not be hurt and I can take you off the email list.
Jag saknar alla mina kompisar!
En stor kram,
Posted by E. at 5:02 AM No comments:
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subset: commoncrawl


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Award Type:
Finalist for Business in the Community's UPS Environmental Sustainability Award 2019
CitySprint: Machine-learning algorithms at heart of low-carbon delivery strategy
- Zero-emission vehicles account for 20% of London fleet
- Replacing vans with cargo bikes saves four tonnes of CO2 a year
- 50% of profits invested in machine learning technology
CitySprint has a fleet of more than 5,000 couriers out on the roads. Reducing its carbon footprint is critical for the same-day delivery company, especially at a time when the pressure is on to tackle air pollution.
"The trial of a hydrogen van is on a long list of environmentally friendly vehicles we have tested over the years. Along with our growing cargo bike and electric vehicle fleet, we continue our commitment to reducing air pollution across the UK cities we operate in."
Patrick Gallagher, Group CEO, CitySprint Group
While its team of couriers delivers the parcels, it is the cloud-based technology that drives the efficiency behind the scenes. With more than 15 years of historical delivery data, the business is using machine-learning algorithms to consolidate its work. This reduces delivery mileage, times and empty return journeys, helping to cut emissions and get traffic off the roads. The technology automatically allocates jobs to the best placed courier, making use of the right vehicle, for the right parcel, at the right time.
CitySprint has invested more than 50% of its profits into this technology. And as predictive allocation technology improves, there could be up to a 90% reduction in miles travelled for same-day deliveries in London, according to the business.
Elsewhere, it has made a shift to low or zero-emission vehicles for deliveries in urban areas. Each cargo bike that replaces a van cuts emissions by more than four tonnes of CO2 a year. By 2020, the company will have 100 bikes in Central London, saving more than 400 tonnes of CO2. The bikes are more nimble and 50% faster than a small van. There has been a 305% uplift in cargo bike job bookings since 2017.
Meanwhile, CitySprint has doubled the number of its plug-in electric vehicles in the past two years, launched the first hydrogen van for logistics in the UK and its zero-emission fleet now makes up more than 20% of its total London fleet.
This brings an annual saving of 38 tonnes of CO2e for 2019, based on current mileage rates.
The information in this impact story has been supplied by CitySprint.


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Dr. Wayne Dyer's Wishes Fulfilled – Desktop Image
Another Mission Trip – This time to Trinidad
A few months ago members of my church, St. James United Church in Waterdown decided to plan a mission trip to Trinidad. Initially, I was interested to see what the details were for the trip, however, they were scheduled to go during the first two weeks of May. Since Candice would be working and I look after the two little girls on those days, I didn't think anymore about the trip.
While Candice and I were driving in the car in August, she asked me if I had thought about going on the mission trip. I told her I had, but not too seriously due to the timing of it. Candice, being the ever supportive wife, said that if I really wanted to go then she knew that we would be able to figure something out. My wife is an amazing woman. She is always thinking about others before herself and more about me than I think I deserve. After that I decided to find out more about the mission trip.
In October, I learned more details about the trip to Trinidad. The team would be working at an orphanage, helping to fix up the roof and other areas. The orphanage is the Whitefield's Childrens Home located in the town of Cunupia in central Trinidad. Linda's niece had visited the Children's Home and took a few pictures of buildings that needed to fixed up and the children there. As I was looking through the pictures, there was a little girl with dark curly hair, dark eyes and an adorable smile. She reminded me so much of my little Alayna. I knew after seeing her that I needed to help.
So I am signed up for another mission trip, two years after my trip to Haiti. I am excited to go, as I have learned how much I really enjoy helping people. Whether it was in Haiti talking with new friends or local business owners helping them become more successful, I have a passion for helping.
One of the major differences between this trip and my last was that we need to raise money for the building supplies, as well as for us getting down there. The building supplies work out to around $4,000. One of the first fundraisers we will being doing is a dance on Saturday November 17th at the Burlington Lion's Club at 471 Pearl St in Burlington. There will be the steelpan band, Pan Connection as well as DJ music. A Cash Bar and Hot Buffet will be served, as well as Draws and Raffles. Tickets are $10 in advance or $15 at the door. All the proceeds will go into the fund for the building supplies. If you are interested in purchasing tickets, please send me an email at firstname.lastname@example.com.
I guess I better spend some time on finishing up publishing my Haiti journal, before May!
I've Been Busy With My Internet Marketing Business
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East Africa Famine
The countries in East Africa have seen the worst drought of the past 60 years. Their crops have withered and livestock killed, now millions of people are facing food shortages with little hope in sight for relief. With over 12 million people affected by these severe droughts, many aid agencies are desperately seeking help.
Just recently, UN airlifts have been allowed to arrive in the capital of Somalia, Mogadishu with relief. Somalia has been the hardest hit from the drought due to military conflicts not allowing food and supplies to reach the people. Somali refuges are flooding across the borders into Kenya and Ethiopia, where the camps have become so over crowded that unsanitary conditions are leading to severe malnutrition and death.
According to Emergency Relief Coordinator (ERC) Valerie Amos, the need in East Africa is expected to last at least three to four months, and the number of people needing humanitarian assistance could increase by as much as 25 per cent. The UN has announced that if the response of aid does not increase quickly, then the famine could spread further south in Somalia. (Click here to view the Humanitarian Snapshot of the Horn of Africa from OCHA)
Save the Children has released the Bob Marley track High Tide or Low Tide for sale on iTunes with the funds received going to the aid in East Africa. I have added new products to the Aid section of the Yesteeyear store with a Horn of Africa design. All proceeds from the initial sales of these products will go directly to the Red Cross to help in the relief efforts. More designs to be added soon. Please think about ways how you can help the children in East Africa.
Sea of Hugs – Day 8
Sunday August 22nd 2010,
Al let us know that it was 5:30 AM, when he left for a walk this morning, so I rolled back over for another half an hour. At 6AM, I got up, showered and dressed. Then I made my way to the Holiday House for coffee and breakfast. I'll emphasize coffee! The kitchen ladies have Sunday off, but they made us a coffee cake. Along with the cake, we had Corn Flakes by Alberto and bananas. Julie and Hannah picked us up in the van to take us to the Haitian church service. Wadner came with us as our translator. We also picked up Dr. Rodney Baptiste and his family. Dr. Rodney was preaching today at the service. So that made 17 of us in the van going down the bumpy roads to church.
The church was in the back of a kindergarten. We walked through the gate and around the building. There was a cinder block wall with an empty spot for the door. It looked like the other four walls were either part of the wall that surrounds the land or an adjacent building. It had a metal roof, which was held up by 2 x 4s. There is a stage in the front to raise the preacher and choir up. The pews were mostly just wooden benches that you have to step into, with a desktop in front of you. It was mostly separated with the women on the left side and the men on the right. When we arrived, they put out plastic patio chairs for us. There were two speakers in front of the stage to help hear the keyboard and microphone. Everyone was dressed up. The men were all wearing long sleeve dress shirts with undershirts underneath them as well. I couldn't believe it. I was already sweating in my light linen short sleeve shirt! The women were all in dresses and the kids had on their best clothes. When we got to the church, the choir was already singing. I noticed that Johnson, who I met the day before at the English service was playing the keyboard. I had a huge smile on when I recognized him. Wadner handed us headphones and a receiver so that he could translate without being too loud. After the songs, the Pastor came up to pray and thank the Lord for this day. He had us stand up, say our names and where we come from. Then he welcomed us and we started to do the passing of the peace. I walked over to a few men and shook their hands but noticed everyone hugging each other. When I turned around into the aisle, everyone started hugging me. It was amazing. It was just a sea of people, men, women, old and young, hugging each other. I saw Johnson and hugged him. It was a moment that I will never forget. For the first time, I could really feel the peace of passing of the peace. The music and everyone were loud, but it still felt so quiet and peaceful. (It still brings tears to my eyes thinking about that moment.)
Being Mr. Mom is Hard!
It has been over 6 months since I left my job. I have been at home with my three kids and it's hard! I'm not going to sugar-coat it, it is frickin' hard! I love my children more than life itself, but you definitely need an unlimited supply of patience to be home with kids. There is no doubt that from time to time, my frustration levels have peaked. When my 3-year old is over-tired and absolutely nothing I do will calm him down; or when the twentieth drink (at least that's what it feels like) is spilt on the floor, it is hard!
When I was working, the single best moment of my day was when I walked through the front door and three screaming kids came running at me yelling "DADDY!!!!". I might not get that moment of excitement as much anymore, but there are so many more amazing moments. The random "Daddy, I love you" sprinkled throughout my day or "you're the bestest Daddy ever" touch my heart so deeply that my eyes well up with tears and makes this all worth it.
My 15 days away for my trip to Haiti was the longest I had ever been away from my kids. I laid in my bed at night and watched pictures of my family on my iPod with a big smile on my face. I think I have made up that time lost since!
I don't know if it's the universe trying to tell me something or an unbelievable coincidence, but as I was typing this out, my sister-in-law typed the following on my Facebook wall.
[The] "practice of being miserable in a job…creates a dangerous atmosphere, which can affect growing children, who see the adults they love relating negatively to their work, coming home frustrated and unhappy. Imagine being able to face your kids honestly, having them know you cannot be bought that you are among those who do not have a price. It is so much healthier for a child to see parents recognizing that their way of living is wrong and seeking a remedy rather than continuing to rationalize unhappiness, thereby encouraging their child to follow the same pattern." William Coperthwaite
"Chris you are amazing and someone who's children admire,respect and love him I read this quote and was SO PROUD OF YOU. You are one of these people"
One problem is that I have a hole in my resume now. I left a good paying job that I didn't feel like I properly fit in to find a better fit somewhere else. How will a potential employer view this gap? I really don't care. I have learned more in these 6 months than I would have doing the same thing over and over again. It's hard to put that on a resume.
In the middle of typing this post, my family came home from swimming lessons. My 17-month old little girl wanted me to rock her to sleep for her nap. Before, she would always reach out for mommy, but now I get the snuggles. That will never be taken away.
I had been rationalizing my unhappiness for far too long. I kept thinking maybe it would change soon. I am now trying to remedy the path I strayed down and hope I will always encourage my children to live the life they want and only strive for happiness.
Jean-Bertrand Aristide – Rightful Leader of Haiti
Before I went on my trip to Haiti, I wanted to find a book to learn more about the country. I went to the Hamilton Public Library online catalog, but couldn't find much. The best that I could find was a travel guide to the Dominican Republic and Haiti. I requested it, but then found something better. The book was An Unbroken Agony: Haiti, from Revolution to the Kidnapping of a Presidentby Randall Robinson. As I found out, it talks about the history
of Haiti, but focuses, on the 2004 US-led coup-d'etat of Haitian President Jean-Bertand Aristide. President Aristide's proposed social changes to Haiti would negatively effect the American business interests in the country and the then US government could not let that happen. The US trained rebel forces to distrupt the country, while the US orchestrated removing Aristide from office and sending him to Africa in exile.
The reason that I bring this up right in the middle of my diary entries, is that Jean-Bertrand Aristide has returned to Haiti. During the coup, the US government painted Aristide as a corrupt politician. In an artilce titled U.S. should welcome Haiti's Aristide by Maria Michalos of the NYU News, Michalos talks about Haiti's need for a leader like Aristide and the love he has for his country and people. I think that the world needs more leaders like Aristide. When reading An Unbroken Agony, I ran across a quote by Aristide from a conversation he had with the author's wife, Hazel Robinson. When Hazel asked Aristide what God was, he replied,
"First of all, God is love. That means that wherever there is love, true love, with kindness and compassion, and humour and respect, God will be there. And God's goodness and mercy will be there. At the same time, God is all around us, and more importantly, within us. And so, each time you observe an act of kindness, an act of compassion and consideration, an act of mercy or justice, no matter how large, no matter how small, that is a manifestation of God. These are all manifestations of the God within us all. And acts of kindness and mercy all around the world combine to create the Goodness and Mercy that is God – on a much larger and more dramatic scale."
After reading this quote, I had a very hard time believing that the former priest, Jean-Bertand Aristide could be a corrupt politician. Unfortunately, I did not read this part of the book until I was back on the plane leaving Haiti. I wish that I had read it before I landed in Aristide's homeland. It has really touched my heart and I believe that the world could be a better place if everyone looked for the God within them.
Support the Japanese Relief Efforts at Yesteeyear.com
After watching the devastation that occurred in Japan last week, I tried to think of something that I could do to help out. I wasn't too sure what that could be until I logged into my Cafepress account. Cafepress will be donating 10% of it's sales on specially marked designs to the earthquake relief efforts in Japan. So I spent some time creating a couple of designs in support of Japan.
Please check them out on my Yesteeyear.com website and know that your money is going to a good cause.
English Church Service – Day 7
Saturday August 21 2010,
I got up at 6:15 AM and went for devotions and breakfast. We had oatmeal and banana bread. The previous night, when Gordon and I were walking to supper, we noticed a bird just hanging in mid-air. We couldn't figure out what was going on with it, until we got closer and then saw that there was a fishing line stretched out above the power lines and the bird was caught in it. This morning, the line had been cut, but the bird was still caught in it closer to the tree.
We all got into the back of the truck to head over to the school. On the way there, we stopped off at a "hardware store" to grab a couple of extra rollers. Once at the school, Erin and I went back to the window grates. We still had two that needed a first coat. The white paint was getting low, so the rest of the group worked on the beige around the small building and around the back. We got the four windows painted and gave a second coat to one of the doors, but then ran out of paint. The others finished up the beige. We then cleaned up and came back for lunch. There was a little time before lunch, so I relaxed and wrote in my journal – I was a little behind. Bud joined us for lunch, which was egg salad, avocados and oatmeal cookies. We were going to an English speaking service at 5PM, where we went the other day into the community, so we were given a few hours of down time which let me catch up on my journal. Right after lunch, Erin and I took a walk around the compound, we pretty much walked as much as you could. Before we had to go to church, I got showered and relaxed.
Bud and Jane took was down to Cite de Pup – City of the People in the van. It was the same church that we met at on Thursday to walk around the community. There were a couple of people there before us. Tania started practicing the songs she was going to play for the service. A few more people came in and sat down behind us. We shook hands and I asked them their names. I can only recall a couple of people's names. The names weren't any that I recognized as French. Erin got a Kreyol leasson from Ednel, who I talked to after the service for a while. Ednel told me that he had an organization that he was running to help children. He wrote my e-mail address in the back of the book he was carrying – A Purpose Driven Life.
Day at the Beach – Day 6
Friday August 20 2010,
I woke up around 6:15 AM, got dressed and went over for breakfast. We were going to a beach today, so I didn't need to get my work clothes on. After breakfast, we went back to Jane and Bud's house, for a presentation on the Starfish Kids program. Jane explained how in Haiti a sixth grade education is a good education. She also mentioned that the government made some changes and now Starfish Kids can do high school grades as well. They teach a faith based program and the kids have to attend their Sunday School to ensure that they stay involved in their church community. Right now, there are about 7,000 children being sponsored for school through Starfish. They have partnered with the group, Joy & Hope for Haiti, so they could help build schools for the program.
After the presentation, we hopped in the truck to go to the beach. We were joined by the Bundy kids, Kate, Hannah, Erica, Bud and Jane. It took an hour just to get there. The beach was on the other side of the mountain. We had to drive through Cap Haitien to get there. It was quite busy. I held my camera in my hands, half concealed by my hat. I didn't want to offend anyone by taking a picture of them. I really felt for the people. I'm sure they don't want people seeing them like this. They are a proud people. That's a funny saying. Aren't all people proud people? Most people are embarrassed or ashamed when they don't have what others have, but it's a little different there than at home. Here it is the essentials of life that are missing, but back home it's other things that really aren't important, such as cars, t.v.s, etc. Since I was standing at the back of the truck, I had a clear shot behind me. I still didn't want anyone to see me, so I held my camera against my leg and took them without knowing what I was taking. I just think that I would rather have a bunch of not so good pictures than to offend anyone. When I got back and took a look at them, there were actually quite a few goods ones. I was now up to about 250 shots.


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For over 60 years, God has faithfully accomplished His ministry through this Body of Christ called Colonial. Born from a church plant Sunday school called Boone Church, Colonial Presbyterian Church was established in 1953 at 9500 Wornall Road, Kansas City, MO. Our Overland Park, KS campus, near Quivira Rd and 135th Street, was opened in 2002, making us one church in two locations.
As members of the Evangelical Presbyterian Church we hold tightly to the Essentials of Our Faith as laid out by the EPC. We also maintain the system of doctrine found in the Westminster Confession of Faith. Beliefs are often best discussed in dialogue. Accordingly, our pastors would love the opportunity to talk with you about the beliefs of Colonial.
Here is a brief overview of what we believe:


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A Framework for Pursuing Diversity in the Work Place
A Framework for Pursuing Diversity in the Work Place
Dr. Thomas Delong and Mr. Michael Brookshire
Group Dynamics for Teams (HRDV 5560)
Instructor: Dr. Innocent Nkwocha
April 23, 2007
Team One Members: Alisha Carlton, Saundra Carr, Jeanna Dixon,
Shereka Rhett, Sara Young
Case Analysis
A Framework for Pursuing Diversity in the Work Place
Comprehend the Case Situation
Mr. Thomas Delong and Mr. Michael Brookshire paper assesses the costs and benefits of pursuing diversity. They reviewed the primary barriers to creating diverse workplaces and propose options for companies' interest in pursuing diversity in their organization. The fundamental reason for embracing diversity is the perspective on discrimination and diversity. Discrimination is an act or pattern of acts that affects the individual. Diversity is an attribute of an organization's culture that has an impact on the entire organization. First of all, discrimination is easier to assess because discrimination laws seek only to determine whether an individual has been treated inequitably because of his or her demographic category. Diversity is a broader concept having to do with the overall climate of an organization and its composition of mixed constituents. It is important to note that discrimination in hiring generally precludes diversity, however, lack of diversity does not necessarily indicate discrimination. Identify the Problem/Formally State the Problem
The federal law on discrimination has had legislative amendments since 1870 to the U. S. Constitution. Race was eliminated as a voting barrier (by the Fifteenth Amendment), gender in 1920 (Nineteenth Amendment), and class in 1964 with the prohibition of poll taxes (Twenty-Fourth Amendment). However the United States government did not officially outlaw discrimination in the workplace until the Civil Rights Act was passed in 1964. Since 1964, other laws were passed prohibiting overt discrimination.
In 1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson signed an executive order requiring federal contractors to use affirmative action for minority employees. Affirmative Action is defined as an active effort to improve the employment or educational opportunities of members of minority groups and women. Later moves extended affirmative action to federal and state agencies. The federal affirmative action law has had several battles in the legal arena since 1978 (Regents of the University of California v. Bakke). The most recent being the Supreme Court interpretation of the constitutionality of affirmative action in 2003 in cases on the University of Michigan undergraduate and law programs. With this ruling, the court interpreted affirmative action as a means to a positive end not only for minorities but also for the organization in question. The Supreme Court also asserts that a diverse population benefits all members of an organization in a way that a non-diverse population would not. This far reaching standard has significant implications for business leaders and for their organizations.
The team agrees that conceptualizing the effects of diversity will involve a change process. With the organization realizing change as ongoing and change in any part of a system eventually will affect all of its parts. There is a need for new approaches to influence policy toward diversity with organizational structure and communication. Policy will need to be reviewed for diversity in training programs, hiring and promotion patterns, and identifying and removing obstacles which may impede the attainment of diversity goals and objectives of the organization.
The three main business rationales for having a diversity program will be reviewed and presented in this case study as first steps in pursuing diversity in the workplace: a.attraction and retention of employees,
b.customer and supplier relationships, and
c.workgroup performance.
The most prevalent issue...
Please join StudyMode to read the full document


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Man did Pitt look ugly tonight. Sure the 74-64loss looked respectable in the end, but this was a team Pitt was capable of beating and if you watched the game, you know it really wasn't that close. Once again, it was the Ashton Gibbs and Brad Wanamaker show while everyone else basically stood around, took bad shots, and did their best impersonations of Division II players. Add up the percentages, boys and girls, and Gibbs/Wanamaker have combined for 77% (YES 77%) of the team's offense the past two games. Unfortunately I'm not making that one up. They've really been the only two consistent players Pitt has had so far this season and Pitt will not win many games unless a couple more scorers deide to step it up.
I can live with the growing pains and lack of talent, but this team looks unbelievably careless with the ball. Much of the time, I get the feeling I'm watching a pickup game up at Trees Hall between two fraternity teams filled with guys whose claim to fame was scoring 8 points in a high school game or something. There doesn't seem to be any real rhythm or flow to the offense, which practically consists of Wanamaker occasionally driving to the hoop or the other team mistakenly leaving Gibbs open for a shot. And how many times can you let someone cut to the basket uncovered? I had no idea Pete Carill was coaching Indiana now. Getting outhustled down the court, missed layups...the problems were all over the place. And the bad news is that they don't look easily fixable. Yes, Pitt will get better. Yes, the mistakes will slowly recede. But this team won't get fixed overnight and by the time they get some things figured out, they'll be in the thick of the Big East schedule.
Back to Gibbs, though. One bright spot I noticed tonight was that he was also hitting some shots when guys were on him. He's taking it upon himself to not only just take the open shot and if he can continue to score with a defender in his face, he could be a real weapon. I still think he's much more talented than Ronald Ramon, who he draws comparisons to because of his ability to shoot outside.
And while I'm on bright spots, Dante Taylor is putting up better numbers - slowly. He still looks incredibly stiff at times for someone who is a McDonald's All-American, but he's turning into a pretty good rebounder (11 tonight). Now if only the offense would come...patience.
Okay, enough glowing reviews. Back to reality.
Indiana didn't look all that great, either, shooting 45% from the field, but only 14% from three-point land. But it was still enough to trump Pitt's miserable 31% FG percentage.
This team looks to be much worse than I thought. I dismissed the Duquesne game as a semi-rivalry game against an opponent who had more to gain than Pitt did. I then dismissed the New Hampshire first half as, well, just a half of basketball. I dismissed the Wofford game as nerves and when Wofford beat Georgia shortly thereafter, even tried to convince myself that maybe Wofford wasn't all that bad.
But there should be no doubt after this one. If one game is a good barometer (which it's really not), then this should show that Pitt making the tournament is going to be a much rougher journey than originally thought. As the examples above show, this is not the first time Pitt has struggled mightily. So this game was no anomaly to be sure.
The sloppy play continued - only it looks much worse now. I'm really at a loss for words. I know all the talk about Pitt lacking talent has been out there the past few days, and I agree with it. I'm just not used to seeing Pitt struggle like this - playing sloppy, making unbelievably foolish plays, turning the ball over, taking bad shots, etc. Spoiled, aren't I? I wish I had one of those shot charts that showed made/missed baskets all around the court because it seemed like Pitt had somewhere in the neighborhood of 167 layups and made, say, 9 of them. Many of them were of the variety where a player would streak to the basket, wildly out of control, and throw something up to see if they could get fouled.
The turnover issue doesn't look to be going away with Pitt piling on another 15 tonight. I expected them from Woodall, but not the entire team. And Chase Adams. Man, does he look lost out there. It can't just be the competition level, which is sure to increase from his days at Centenary, because Pitt has only played one really good team so far. He's hesitant, weak offensively, and hasn't even been all that great defensively, which it seemed was his calling card.
Upon his return, Jermaine Dixon was also extremely rusty, but that was to be expected. And I've learned a valuable lesson tonight. Gary McGhee, while I never expected he could turn into an Aaron Gray type player, is going to be maddeningly frustrating during his final two seasons. The bright glimmers of hope he dispenses are squashed before you can enjoy them with games like tonight's. It's nights like these that I would be more than happy to settle for an average performance.
Yep, gonna be an uphill battle.


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Sounders Insider
Sigi "sad for fans" as Sounders' revolving door keeps spinning
The Sounders are off the training pitch at CenturyLink Field. Obafemi Martins was there, Eddie Johnson wasn't -- in sort of a microcosm of a season where the club seems unable to ever get its entire first 11 on the pitch.
"I feel sad for the fans because we really haven't been able to put the group together for a sustained period of time to see how they can respond and how they can gel together," coach Sigi Schmid said. "But the thing I'll promise the fans is we're going to come out and we're going to roll up our sleeves and we're going to fight and battle on Saturday afternoon, because they deserve it and because our team deserves it. It's the most difficult situation we've been in injury-wise and with people coming in and out with call-ups but it it what it is and we've got to find a way to still be successful even with the obstacles in front of us."
Schmid didn't say with certainly that Martins would return at forward, but it sounded that way. Meanwhile, he gave this background on Johnson's return to the U.S. national team:
"I talked to Jurgen a couple of times. We had talked before their last game against Costa Rica, and he had told me what he was thinking, and I told him, 'Well, keep thinking about it and call me after the game.' And so sure enough my phone rang after the game, and we talked again. I know he's brining Eddie, and I think he's bringing Besler in from Kansas City, but he's letting Omar play with LA. So from that standpoint, it wasn't the best decision for us right now with our injuries."
Schmid also had these injury updates:
Martins: He trained today. He trained on Tuesday as well, so again if there are no repercussions we expect him to be there.
Brad Evans: He did more today. He felt better. There are still certain movements that are bothersome tohim, and I didn't want him to take a hit or anything today at practice. So again, we'll see how he feels, how the improvement is tomorrow. But there was significant improvement from Tuesday to today. … (MRI showed) there's no cracked bone, but there's a cartilage between the ribs that really gets inflamed if you get hit there. It's basically a rib injury. There's a possibility always that doesn't show on an X-ray that there's a slight stress fracture in the rib as well – those things happen all the time.
Djimi Troore and Shalrie Joseph: Shalrie is not ready to go. Djimi is improving quicker than we thought, but I don't know if Saturday is going to be too soon or not.
Michael Gspurning: It's the tendon in between the two bones, so it's like a really badly sprained wrist, but a little bit higher up than a wrist sprain. Again we're trying to get him more each day and hopefully it will make progress quicker rather than later.
Also training was midfielder Osvaldo Alonso, freshly cleared to play Saturday against Colorado after having his red card rescinded. He was expectedly happy and also came across as not at all surprised at his vindication.
"It's even more important because we still have a bunch of guys injured," Schmid said. "So being able to have Ozzie back at least solidified the middle of midfield."


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Zeiss 35mm f2 Loxia Lens - Sony E-Mount Fit
This product is in good stock and is available for dispatch in our normal delivery timescales.
Free delivery also available - more info
The Zeiss 35mm f2 lens joins the new Loxia range of manual focus lenses and is designed for use with full-frame CSCs using the Sony E-mount, such as the Sony A7 series. The main feature of the Loxia series is the ability to deactivate the 'click' of the aperture ring by turning a screw on the lens mount (tool supplied to enable this), this will appeal to enthusiasts who want to capture stills and ... More
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The Key Features:
- Fast prime lens with large f/2 aperture
- Perfecet for shooting stills and video
- For full-frame CSCs
- 'declicked' aperture
- Ideal for travel, portraiture, photojournalism and more
- 0.3m minimum focusing distance
- Sony E-mount lens
Zeiss Loxia 2/35 - The subtle reporter
The Zeiss Loxia 2/35 offers an extended field of view. This makes it the first choice for showing a subject in their environment or establishing connections between people. Like in reportage or street photography, for example. That's what makes it the most important focal length for the genre in compact 35mm cameras. At the same time, the small size and weight of this camera system allows for a great deal of independence and discretion when it comes to photographing your subjects. And precise, manual focus gives you all the creative possibilities you need to tell the story in your own personal way.
Zeiss Loxia lenses were specifically designed for Sony a7 cameras. This means that they can make the most of the mirrorless, full frame system, while giving you all the creative possibilities of 'classic' photography with manual focus at the same time.
And that's not all: Zeiss Loxia lenses also provide everything you need to shoot high quality video, such as the unique DeClick feature for smooth adjustment of the aperture, for example.
DeClick feature
One completely new feature of the Loxia lens is that you can 'declick' the aperture's locking mechanism using a tool (supplied) and an adjustment screw on the bayonet surface. This means that for video applications, you can smoothly eliminate any unwanted differences in brightness as you pan the camera. This feature can also be used with other video systems whose size makes them suitable for adaption.
Precise manual focus
Manually focusing a lens means controlling the image result from your fingertips. A good ergonomic design makes all the difference. Zeiss lenses stand out with their large rotation angle which enables precise focusing. Changes are immediately visible in the viewfinder. The high-quality focusing mechanism moves smoothly without play, thus also supporting the intuitive interaction with the focal plane. The precise engraving in meter and feet, and the depth of focus scale provide additional support for manually focusing.
Virtually distortion-free optics
Dramatic perspectives and a view from extraordinary image angles - Zeiss lenses open up new composition possibilities. Distortion would disrupt the composition because straight lines, whose image does not go through the image center, would be reproduced with a curved shape. This annoying effect is accordingly and largely compensated through elaborate optical designs at all focal lengths.
High-grade full-metal casing
Tangible quality that holds its value is what qualifies Zeiss lenses for decades of hard use. A precision-engineered full-metal casing, grippy focus and aperture rings made of metal, and a tough front bayonet and filter screw guarantee stunning photographic results. A special sealing ring on the bayonet also protects the interface between the camera and the lens.
Full frame compatible
Zeiss lenses are suitable for digital Sony Alpha cameras and have been optimized for film and sensors up to full 35 mm format (24 x 36 mm).
Product Specification
|Autofocus Motor
|Enlargement Ratio
|Focal Length – Tele (mm)
|Focal Length – Wide (mm)
|Focal Mechanism
|Lens Mount
|Sony FE
|Lens Type
|Standard Prime
|Maximum Aperture – Tele
|Maximum Aperture – Wide
|Minimum Aperture
|Number of Lens Elements
|Number of Lens Groups
|59.2 x 62.1
|Weight (g)
|Minimum Focus Distance (m)
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With our no deposit Buy Now Pay Later option, pay nothing for six months when you spend £250 or more, then either settle the cash price in full by paying a £29.00 settlement fee, or choose to spread the cost over 36 months at 19.9% APR Representative. Please see the repayment example below to see how much purchasing this item on finance would cost.
|Finance Example
|Item Value (Cash Price)
|Agreement Duration
|42 Months
|Total Amount Credit
|Settlement Fee
|Settlement Payment
|Monthly Instalments
|35 x £35.19
|Final Instalments
|Total Amount Payable
|Annual Rate of Interest
|Representative APR
Are you eligible for finance?
Applicants must be:
- Aged 18 years or older from the application date
- In permanent UK residence for a minimum of three years
- Fulfil at least one of the following employment criteria:
- In regular, permanent employment.
- Retired from regular employment - With a minimum age of 50.
- Not working through disability.
- Self-employed.
Note: All applicants will be subject to a credit reference check by the lender.
Credit is subject to application and status. Warehouse Express Ltd trading as Wex Photo Video act as credit broker and not the lender. Barclays Partner Finance act as the lender.
Can I repay early? If so how?
No repayments are scheduled in the initial six-month deferral period. However, it is possible to pay off the loan, either by way of a lump sum or in smaller amounts. If the loan is fully repaid within the six-month deferral period, then no interest is payable, but a £29.00 early-settlement will be incurred. Such repayments may be made to Barclays Partner Finance by cheque, debit card or standing order. Unfortunately it is not possible to set up a direct debit within the deferral period. Further information on how to make such repayments will be set out in the loan agreement pack provided by Barclays Partner Finance.
What happens if I don't repay within the first six months (deferral period)?
Following the six month deferral period, Barclays Partner Finance will initiate a monthly direct debit payment for the remaining duration of the loan. Interest will be charged at a rate of 19.9% APR on outstanding balances (backdated to the first date of the loan). Late payment penalties and early repayment charges will apply from this point. Barclays Partner Finance will send a reminder letter approximately one month before the six month deferral period is due to elapse. Note: If you chose to spread the cost and pay monthly, interest is charged from the start of the loan, not from the start of the repayment period.
What will I receive from the finance provider (lender)?
Barclays Partner Finance will send a loan agreement pack approximately four weeks after delivery of the goods, confirming that the account has been activated and, from this point, it is possible to make repayments against the loan.
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We all do it. Run into Target for one thing and come out with a basket-full. It's a problem, but if you're saving money, you don't have to stop, right? 😉 Below are several easy ways to save money at Target.
1. Get the Target debit or credit card (REDcard)
If you don't need another credit card, no worries! The Target debit card gives you the same important benefit that the credit card does: 5% off!! This is off of each and every purchase you make. It might not seem like a lot, but it adds up over time. Apply for a REDcard today!
2. Download the Target app
SOO many benefits to this app & all you have to do is scan it at the checkout. I'll break it down:
This section gives you coupons for tons of items throughout the store. It could be 5% off a makeup item, 15% off clothing, or $1 off a grocery item. If you have the Target credit or debit card, that 5% stacks on top of these offers. You can add the offers before shopping or scan items as you shop. Tip: stock up by buying 2-3 of an item when it's on Cartwheel.
Sometimes, you'll get a coupon for an extra 5-10% off your total purchase. Other deals could be a free $15 gift card with a $50 household item purchase. These deals stack on top of the 5% with your card as well.
Target Circle
This is for people who do not have the Target debit or credit card. If you scan your app at the checkout, you'll earn 1% cash back on your total purchase. If you use your Target debit or credit card, you will not receive this cash back, but instead you'll get your normal 5% off your total, which in my opinion, is a better deal. Download the Target app now!
Target Online Subscriptions
amazing feature not many people know about! You can have the item delivered as often as you'd like. It could be as soon as once a month or once every 6 months! And you can cancel anytime without being penalized. You automatically get 5% off for subscribing, and if you have the Target debit or credit card (you guessed it) you get 5% off on top of that! Tip: subscribe to items that don't really go on sale & don't really tend to have Cartwheel offers, that way, you're always getting a deal.
Hope you enjoyed this post on easy ways to save money at Target. You'll also like my How to Save Money at Starbucks post!


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THE PESO could depreciate this week versus the dollar ahead of an anticipated rate hike in the United States, although optimism towards the local stock market and the rollout of economic reforms could temper such weakness.
The peso may weaken this week as investors look ahead to the US Federal Reserve's policy meeting. -- BW FILE PHOTO
Peso up ahead of FOMC statement
Peso slips ahead of FOMC
Peso flat ahead of Fed policy meeting
Peso ends flat ahead of UK vote, ECB meeting
Peso rises amid cautious market
The local unit moved sideways on Friday to close at P49.50 against the greenback, nearly flat coming from Thursday's P49.495 finish. Week on week, the peso appreciated for the third straight week from P49.55-to-a-dollar seen on June 2.
The peso even traded at a six-month high of P49.40 on June 5, its best showing since a P49.35 close on Nov. 16, 2016. Traders attributed the currency's strength to comments from Moody's Investors Service that the passage of the first tax reform package at the House of Representatives is "credit positive" for the Philippines.
Local financial markets remained closed on Monday in observance of Independence Day.
An analyst interviewed over the weekend said the peso might weaken in the coming days ahead of an expected "lift-off" in US interest rates during the Federal Open Market Committee's (FOMC) June 13-14 meeting, coupled with market uncertainty towards the United Kingdom.
"The dollar might appreciate this week, fueled by the likely interest rate hike of the US Federal Reserve and safe-haven buying amid political concerns in the UK that could derail Brexit negotiations," said Guian Angelo S. Dumalagan, market economist at Land Bank of the Philippines.
"However, the greenback's strength might be tempered by mixed US data and possible hints of a slower pace of US interest rate normalization in the coming months," Mr. Dumalagan said.
Traders are pricing in a 25-basis-point rate increase from the FOMC this week, which would be the second hike this year following a similar move announced in March.
On the other hand, markets grew uncertain towards the UK and the pound sterling after the June 8 general elections left Prime Minister Theresa May with a minority in parliament ahead of formal discussions for Britain's departure from the European Union, Reuters said in a report.
Another trader said the Fed hike has already been priced in by market players, so any movements on the exchange rate can be influenced by developments in the local economy.
"The Fed hike has been anticipated already, so I think what people will want to watch is the turnout of the first half... From a week-on-week perspective, the peso is appreciating mainly because of the stock market," the second trader said by phone. "The second quarter also saw the markets ecstatic on tax reform, it showed the government's commitment to pass it."
The bellwether Philippine Stock Exchange index also breached a new high for the year at 8,001.38 on Monday last week, which was likewise traced to optimism on the government's tax reform plan.
The House of Representatives approved the first package on May 31 covering lower personal income taxes versus higher excise duties on other goods, leaving the bill open for discussions and approval in Senate as Congress resumes sessions next month.
THE CENTRAL BANK will open another credit surety finance (CSF) in La Union this week, which is relied upon to stretch out access to credit for little scale firms in the region.
Thirteen cooperatives will pool P3.7 million for the new La Union credit surety finance.
In an announcement distributed throughout the end of the week, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said it will dispatch a CSF agreeable in San Fernando City on Wednesday, denoting the arrival to the program after a deliberate break amid 2016, a decision year.
"The La Union CSF is required to empower financial exercises and give openings for work in the territory," the BSP explanation read, taking note of that the office will be the 46th in the nation.
The BSP said there are 13 cooperatives that will pool P3.7 million under the La Union credit office. Thusly, the La Union common government will pour P3.5 million to the store.
The national bank's CSF program gives elective insurance to smaller scale, little, and medium-scale ventures (MSMEs) by arranging them into cooperatives.
Here, CSF units fill in as underwriter for its part gatherings and nongovernment associations as they make formal advances from banks, which they will use to manage and grow business operations.
Under the plan, the MSMEs pool their cash into one aggregate reserve which will then be acknowledged by banks as guarantee. Nearby government units and state-run offices like the Industrial Guarantee and Loan Fund, the Development Bank of the Philippines, and the Land Bank of the Philippines may likewise pour in assets to CSF offices as gifts or speculations, so that part organizations can acquire greater sums.


text: Tucked away under a parking garage, Ego's is easy to miss, but once you figure out where it is, you'll want to keep coming back. With plenty of regulars and a friendly vibe, Ego's is easily one of our favorite dive bars in Austin. Come for the cheap drinks and stay for the wild karaoke.


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The DesignSpaceAfrica Team
Our studio is filled with passionate architects, technologists and support staff. A creative blend of youth and experience – the average age is a little over forty, just as it was when Luyanda Maphlwa founded the studio.
Together, we speak 9 languages, including 7 out of the 11 official languages of South Africa. DesignSpaceAfrica people reflect a rich mix of cultural African and European connections.


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All day yesterday I was feeling a bit off. Maybe it was being woken up by that earthquake off the coast. Or the unrelenting humid heat. Whatever it was, I felt unsettled.
As I made my way to Yokohama to the Kazuo Ohno Dance Studio via a subway, a commuter rail train, a fancy mall in the middle of a commuter rail station, another subway, and a winding walk in the dark, it occurred to me that maybe what I'd been feeling all day was the anticipation of the momentous occasion of going to the Ohno studio.
I'm not a religious person, and I'm not one to lightly esteem important figures, but nonetheless, as I made my long way to the studio high in the hills of Yokohama, it did feel like I was a pilgrim of sorts. Despite its place in the Japanese avant-garde, and its iconoclastic nature, the butoh community still honors lineages, and I feel strongly connected to Ohno through mine. My first teacher, Deborah Butler/Kitsune, was a student of Doranne Crable, who herself studied with Ohno Kazuo. Moreover, my dissertation subjects, Eiko & Koma, were short-time students and long-time friends of Ohno. When he died 2 months ago after 103 years of life, I joined in celebrating his dance.
As I walked up the dark streets toward the studio, I remembered Eiko telling me about walking this same path almost 40 years ago, in the cold, in the heat, getting to the door and then sometimes turning back because she did not feel she could handle the intensity of a workshop with Ohno that particular night. Despite a seemingly helpful map (an "access" map showing landmarks and a walking path from public transportation is de rigueur in Japan), I couldn't seem to find the studio. The first person I asked sent me in the wrong direction. The second person I asked needed to get his reading glasses to see the map, but his wife knew just where I was going and decided to walk me there, saying "muzukashii, ne." "It's very difficult to find." And it's true, I wouldn't have found it without her help!
She got me to the right house, and Ohno Yoshito, Kazuo's son (in his 70s, and an important dancer in his own right) answered the door. Turns out the studio was right next door, but since I was in the house, he asked if I wanted to meet Ohno Kazuo. "Huh?!?" I think. But then I realize that I am being shown into a room with Kazuo-sensei's picture, flowers, his wife's picture, too. I wonder if this is the room where he lay all those years, cared for by his students as his Alzheimers advanced and he retreated. I pay my quick respects and then go next door to the studio to wait for Yoshito-sensei to come start the workshop; he's just returned from a television interview and is running a little late.
I enter the studio and it's just as I've seen in pictures and on film: a long, single room; wood floors. Chairs, a kitchenette near the door. Piles of papers, costumes - the long, vintage dresses favored by Kazuo - hanging from racks. Plastic storage containers of ladies' hats, shoes. Bouquets of plastic flowers - dance props - and some bouquets of fresh flowers - memorials. In the rafters are stuffed five or six suitcases. The walls are more bare than I remember seeing in photos, but propped along the walls are many frames wrapped in fabric or bubble wrap. Perhaps they were used in last month's memorial celebration and have not yet been returned to their places on the wall. Some pictures remain on display: Ohno in one of his hats, holding a flower. The iconic image of Yoshito and Hijikata from the dance considered the first butoh performance. A portrait of the Dalai Lama. Especially moving for me is a photo of Pina Bausch kissing a bed-ridden Kazuo; these two now-gone lights of my dance world, energies locked together.
Four other students - Japanese, Japanese-French, and Taiwanese, ranging in age from 20s to 60s - are already there waiting, watching a DVD of Kazuo. I join them, taking in the space of the studio. My feet absorb the solid wooden floor. I smell the scent of vintage clothing and costumes. I feel all the bodies of all the students who have moved through this space, named and unnamed. I join with them, bringing into the space with me my dance tribe: Deborah, Ellen, Nathan, Alice, Hortense, all the others. How appropriate, then, that when Yoshito-sensei begins the workshop, he asks us to begin with what he calls a "space renshuu" or space practice. Feel the space, he says.
Throughout the workshop, he talks - in Japanese with some English thrown in - illustrating for us what he wants us to work on with words, calligraphy, a picture of a Rodin sculpture, a demonstrated movement, a textile, butoh history, articles from around the world about Kazuo's death...all manner of materials are used as inspiration. We dance to some New Age-sounding music, two versions of "Amazing Grace" (Kazuo was a Christian, Yoshito reminds us), Bach's Toccata and Fugue. We practice three types of gazes: insect eye, human eye, bird's eye. And finally we spend a lot of time dancing with flowers. Having read Kazuo Ohno's World: from without and within, the structure of the workshop is familiar to me, even though I've never before met Yoshito, let alone Kazuo.
When the workshop ends, we gather around a low table for tea and snacks that the students have brought with them. Talk is low, cordial. I know I'm missing the train for which I printed the schedule, but can't get up to leave until the group disperses. Finally, I walk back to the train station with the others (oh, these stairs, I didn't even see them before) and hope that with all my transfers I will make the last train. (I do, just barely.)
And so the pilgrimage is cyclical. The workshop is not just the being there; it's in the getting there and the getting back, too.


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Here are a couple new articles by me on the budget.
- How Trump Can Cut Spending If Congress Doesn't (RealClearPolitics).
Here are a couple new articles by me on the budget.
- How Trump Can Cut Spending If Congress Doesn't (RealClearPolitics).
This is the idea explored in a newish dissertation by James Dowey, formerly of the LSE.
Here's the abstract:
This thesis argues that the British Industrial Revolution, which marked the beginning of sustained modern economic growth, was facilitated by the blossoming in eighteenth and early nineteenth century Britain of the world's first infrastructure for commercial R&D, composed of a network of 'Knowledge Access Institutions' (KAIs): scientific societies, 'mechanics institutes', public libraries, masonic lodges and other organisations. This infrastructure lowered the cost of access to knowledge for scientists, inventors and entrepreneurs, raising the productivity of R&D and encouraging a sustained increase in R&D effort. This contributed to the acceleration in technological innovation that lay behind the transition to modern economic growth. First, I define the concept of KAIs and explain how they affected the rate of economic growth. Second, I present detailed data on the KAI infrastructure and estimate its effect on the rate of technological innovation during the British Industrial Revolution, using newly constructed spatial datasets on British patents between 1700 and 1852 and exhibits at the Great Exhibition of 1851. Third, I argue that KAIs were largely exogenous to industrialisation, rooted instead in the intellectual developments of the Scientific Revolution and European Enlightenment. Fourth, I show that the prevalence of Knowledge Access Institutions was correlated with the emergence of modern economic growth across countries in the late nineteenth century and that the cost of access to knowledge was a binding constraint to economic progress shared by many countries during this period. Finally, based on the case of late nineteenth century US manufacturing, I investigate the extent to which the emergence of modern economic growth depended on the incentives to innovate rather than the capabilities lent by access to knowledge and other factors. The thesis suggests that the sharp fall in the cost of access to knowledge that we are currently experiencing may give rise to an acceleration in the rate of technological innovation in the coming decades and that policymakers should direct some effort towards mitigating the potentially harmful effects of rapid technological change.
Dowey is quite the optimist. From his conclusion:
As such, the main policy prescription arising from this thesis is that rather than focus our concern too narrowly on Gordon's prediction of stagnation we must also dedicate our efforts to guarding against a competing dystopia. This is the risk that technological change in the twenty-first century will occur so rapidly that we will find it quite painful to adapt to it.
One might also ask whether the modern KAIs such as Google, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, etc., are not only driving innovation internally but generating innovation outside their space. This is surely the case. But perhaps its much more important than previously realized.
Vincent Geloso reviews Robert E. Wright's The Poverty of Slavery: How Unfree Labor Pollutes the Economy:
One ought to remember that, in the early days of the American Republic, slavery was seen as a necessary evil which would have, eventually, to be eradicated. However, this view gradually changed to one where slaves were considered lesser human beings which were not responsible enough to be free. This became the leitmotiv not only of slaveowners but also of non-slaveholding southerners. As slaveowners had the ability to shape laws, they had the ability to set the parameters of any discussion and, as such, possessed a strong advantage in imposing their preferred explanation and propositions. In a way, they increased the costs of holding an egalitarian ideology in ways which still persisted into the Reconstruction, Jim Crow and contemporary eras. This form of "intellectual" pollution was caused by unfree institutions. [emphasis is PW's]
A few years ago, a couple of neuroscientists asked a bunch of strangers to answer general questions with knowable answers. For instance, "what's the distance of the border between Italy and Switzerland?" and "how much did the population of Zurich increase in 2006?"
Most of these people had to estimate their answers because they didn't know the exact answers (who carries around this knowledge?). The neuroscientists then gave most of the strangers one of two sets of additional information. The first group received a table depicting how everyone else in the study answered each of the questions. The second group received the average answer provided by the group. A third group didn't receive any information on the answers of the other study participants.
The strangers were then asked to answer the questions a second time with some now knowing how the group responded the first time around. And what did they find? The group of folks who were confident in their first estimate were more accurate.
Now, this was a one-time thing. The neuroscientists weren't asking the strangers to develop a collective wisdom around the estimates. They were asking many of them to take a shot in the dark and then, when confronted with new information, those people thought "yeah, I'm probably wrong and someone else probably has a better idea." Except their peers usually didn't have a better idea. Instead, the estimates got worse.
To improve on the group estimates, the researchers went back to the first set of results and put a great weight on the results of people who were less likely to change their mind. This improved the wisdom of the group even more than the first set of estimates where each estimate was given an equal ranking.
There are two important points here. It's possible that the folks who didn't change their estimates knew that they were more likely to be right than the group as a whole. And, as it turns out, their estimates were more likely to be closer to the correct answer. However, it can also be said that those estimates made independent from group were more accurate.
In real life, it's rare for folks to develop estimates independent from any group. In other words, we usually aren't all strangers analyzing the same problems without knowledge of other people trying to do the same thing. This goes for experts and non-experts alike.
Therefore, in someone's version of a utopia (perhaps Plato), you can envision a society of experts who spend all their time independently analyzing and developing solutions to complex problems. But as soon as you make the views of the group available to everyone else in the group… well… things can get worse.
One way to improve upon group estimates is to look for the outliers. Who is willing to stick with their estimates even when it isn't the popular view? This group is probably wrong too but, to the extent that independence matters, their views may be less wrong than everyone else.
With the recent dismissal of the House Chaplain, Patrick Conroy, there has been some discussion of who should be offered the job along with the appointment of a search committee. And with most things in Washington the next appointment has become political.
But this also creates an opportunity for the House to move in a slightly different direction.
The position of House and Senate Chaplains goes back to 1789.
All 60 House Chaplains and the 62 Senate Chaplains have represented a denomination of Christianity. The first three House Chaplains were Presbyterian while the first eight Senate Chaplains were Episcopalian. Since then at least 10 Christian denominations have been represented.
The practice of appointing a chaplain is related to the ability of the House and Senate to elect their own officers. However, besides tradition there isn't anything mandating that the office be held by a single person representing a Christian denomination.
Rather than appointing a new chaplain the House should elect spiritual advisers from various backgrounds to serve on an interfaith council. The council can be comprised of 20 to 30 women and men representing different faith traditions. Each member could come in for a week to help open the legislative day. Furthermore, Members of the House could call on them for advice.
The United States has a long history of fostering a competition religious ideas. The growth in the diversity of religious thought and practice has largely been the result of an extremely limited regulatory environment and freedom of assembly.
When this competition produces differences in opinions on how to conduct oneself and live a good life, the only reasonable outcome is for the government to protect the freedom of thought by removing itself, or staying removed, from differences on disputed subjects. At the same time, when different traditions arrive at the same conclusion, perhaps policymakers should take note.
In the Journal of the Royal Society Interface a team of researchers has published a new method of aggregating estimates produced of non-experts to improve the accuracy of the collective estimate – that is, the so called "wisdom of the crowd."
Estimates produced by non-experts and experts experience several forms of error. Specifically, individual estimates are rarely independent which can influence the accuracy of the collective estimate.
For instance, every day both experts and non-experts interact socially with their networks before being asked to provide their perspective on situations. In an experiment described in the paper that involved asking folks to guess the number of gumballs in a jar, only 38 percent of the participants discounted social information that was feed to them with the intent of skewing their view (truly fake news). In other words, their estimates of the number of gumballs both before and after receiving false information from others in the crowd were identical.
The study also found that the larger the social group the more important the information in skewing the independence of the estimates. Therefore, if you're dealing with large social groups with good information sharing it actually shrinks the distribution of estimates.
Other studies have found that incorporating experts into the population can improve estimates. In other words, including experts in the group providing estimates (rather than apart or above the group) can improve the aggregated estimates of the entire group.
However, the new methods in the paper using a maximum likelihood aggregator appears to improve the crowd estimates irrespective of knowing anything about the background of the crowd.
For most of our history it was common for Presidents to indefinitely withhold spending appropriated by Congress. This practice is called "impoundment" and dates back to the Jefferson Administration.
The practice actually makes some sense. This is especially true in a world where the legislature isn't constantly legislating. If Congress appropriates money for a purpose in September and by April of the next year the underlying purpose behind the funding has changed it may make sense to stop the activity even if there's still money in the budget to spend.
The opposite of impoundment is a deficiency appropriation. Deficiency appropriations occur when the agencies or departments place the Federal government into an obligation to spend money without an appropriation from Congress. An appropriation is direction to make a payment (e.g., "the Secretary may/must go do this thing") and the source of payment (e.g., with funds from the Treasury).
Then came along Mr. Nixon who, as President, impounded about 4 percent of total appropriated budget authority in one year. Nixon's justification for impoundment was that he was trying to put downward pressure on inflation by cutting the budget deficit.
However, Nixon's actions upset Congress who passed the Impoundment Control Act (ICA) as part of the Congressional Budget Act of 1974. The ICA prohibited the impoundment of appropriations but it also established a special process for considering a cancellation of appropriations – called a rescission – as determined by the President.
The special process says whenever the President determines that:
1) "budget authority will not be required to carry out the full objectives or scope of programs for which it is provided"; or
2) "scope of programs for which it is provided or that such budget authority should be rescinded for fiscal policy or other reasons (including the termination of authorized projects or activities for which budget authority has been provided)"; or
3) "all or part of budget authority provided for only one fiscal year is to be reserved from obligation for such fiscal year…"
then he or she can transmit a special message to the Congress for expedited consideration of the spending reductions. The President can also withhold spending money associated with the rescission request for 45 days.
If Congress doesn't act on the request the President must release the money after the 45-day period and cannot include the same request in future special rescissions messages to Congress.
Of course, this doesn't prevent or compel Congress from cancelling an appropriation that's already been made. In fact, Congress routinely rescinds budget authority from previously enacting bills to pay for new appropriations.
But the process initiated by the President's message is interesting for a few reasons. First, there is an automatic discharge from committee for any rescissions bill introduced on the basis of the President's message after 25 days. Therefore, if a Member of Congress writes a rescissions bill that is referred to a committee, that bill can go straight to the floor after 25 days if the committee fails to act.
Second, there appears to be a non-debatable motion to proceed to the bill. Therefore, the vote to get on the bill would require only a simple majority (51 votes) in the Senate.
Third, total debate time is limited in the Senate to 10 hours. Therefore, once the Senate is on the bill it cannot be filibustered. At the end of the 10 hours, the Senate would proceed to a "vote-o-rama" where amendments could be offered as long as they have something to do with the bill under consideration.
Reports are that the White House will send over a request to rescind about $25 billion after the House returns from its recess (the week of May 7). But even with reports from the Senate that the request is "dead on arrival" the legislative opportunities created by the request and special process make it worth taking seriously.
That's the question in a new paper from NBER.
Here's the abstract:
There has long been interest in the extent to which effects of social stratification extend and persist across generations. We take a novel approach to this question by asking whether birth order and sibling group size in the parental generation influences the educational attainment of their children. To address this question we use Swedish population data on cohorts born 1960-1982. To study the effects of parental birth order and family size we apply a cousin fixed effects design and exploit information on twin births in the parents generation. Relative to having a first-born mother, having a second-born or fifth-born mother is associated with educational attainment at age 30 being 4% and 8% of a standard deviation lower, respectively. After adjusting for attained parental education and social class, the parental birth order effect is heavily attenuated. Nevertheless, we do find that children who share the same birth order and gender as their parents attain slightly more education, and this is particularly pronounced when the parents have higher levels of education themselves. We do not find clear or consistent evidence for parental sibling group size effects. Overall our results suggest that birth order and family size effects operate through a Markovian process of transmission.
My first try at podcasting...
Warning: I jump right into the good stuff without much of an introduction.
From Scientific American (May 2018):
In a paper published online in December 2017 in the journal Psychological Review entitled "Beyond Sacrificial Harm," University of Oxford scholars Guy Kahane, Jim A. C. Everett and their colleagues aim to rehabilitate the dark side of utilitarianism by separating its two dimensions: (1) "instrumental harm," in which it is permissible to sacrifice the few to benefit the many, and (2) "impartial beneficence," in which one would agree that "it is morally wrong to keep money that one doesn't really need if one can donate it to causes that provide effective help to those who will benefit a great deal." You can find out what type you are by answering the nine questions in the authors' Oxford Utilitarianism Scale.
Here's the scale.
I scored a 32 out of a possible 63 on the overall utilitarianism scale which was driven almost exclusively by a very high score on "impartial beneficence."
The piece goes on:
…if we can decouple the sacrificial side of utilitarianism from its more beneficent prescriptions, moral progress may gain some momentum. Better still would be the inculcation into all our moral considerations the beneficence as an internal good rather than an ethical calculation.
I think this is on to something.
As I've written, John Stuart Mill (in his defense of utilitarian ethics) had a certain respect for Christ's Golden Rule:
…the happiness which forms the utilitarian standard of what is right in conduct, is not the agent's own happiness, but that of all concerned. As between his own happiness and that of others, utilitarianism requires him to be as strictly impartial as a disinterested and benevolent spectator. In the golden rule of Jesus of Nazareth, we read the complete spirit of the ethics of utility. To do as you would be done by, and to love your neighbor as yourself, constitute the idea perfection of utilitarian morality." (Utilitarianism)
But the problem with Mill (and perhaps utilitarianism) is not that the agent (that's you!) is required to be completely neutral in order to effectuate the Golden Rule of "loving your neighbor as yourself."
Rather, Christ's Golden Rule requires a perfectly interested spectator. Interested in their own wellbeing and that of others. Especially those people who you cannot stand!
Asking people to love others who cannot love themselves is hopeless. They won't get it. This is the true joie de vivre. In other words, it's not enough to just treat everyone equally. You have to treat everyone equally and well. Including yourself!
For those interested in more I've recorded a 30-minute podcast episode on economics and the Golden Rule (see below). I'm turning this into a public talk to be delivered later this year called "Was the Good Samaritan a Bad Economist?" Warning: I jump right into the good stuff without much of an introduction.


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"For me, Knox was the place that encouraged me to play a varsity sport, serve on the student council, take cl...
Eric Johnson
Associate Director of Alumni Engagement, Campus Connections
2 East South Street
Galesburg, IL 61401-4999
The Knox KNect Alumni Directory is a fast way to reconnect with classmates or grow your professional network. Exclusively for Knox alumni, the directory is available on the web or via an app for Apple and Android devices.
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The Knox KNect Alumni Directory includes information on all Knox alumni, including name, class year/major, employment information, city/state/zip, and email. If you would like to update or limit access to your personal information when you download the directory, you will be able to log in to change your personal settings. If you would like to be removed from the directory entirely, complete an opt-out form.
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Once you have accessed the directory, you will be prompted to authenticate yourself upon your first login, because the directory is only available to Knox alumni. The authentication process requires that Knox College have a current email address on file. If you are unable to complete the authentication process, we're happy to help, either by updating your contact information or answering other questions you may have.
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Times President Obama visited
Once after winning the Democratic nomination to the US Senate, next as a commencement speaker in 2005 and lastly, in July 2013 to address the economy.


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Since the Commonwealth Games, we've seen a collective 'holding of breath' by potential buyers on the Gold Coast, as they watch and wait to see how it affects the market. This has created an effect all of its own, as buyers have disappeared, and sellers needing to move their properties on have had to discount substantially to get a sale.
As a result we've been able to purchase a number of properties below their intrinsic value. The rental market is still very strong on the Gold Coast, so we've seen properties rent quickly at high yields. The video above provides a great example of buying well in a strong location; in this case a house in Parkwood near to the Gold Coast University Hospital, Griffith University, the new GC Light Rail and an easy drive to the Southport and Robina CBDs. It's also within an hour to Brisbane. Future supply of houses in the area is very limited, and land value is mich higher than in the so-called growth areas further north of Coomera and Pimpama.


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86A Olympus Drive, Robina - Sold for $715,000.00
4 BR, 2 BTH, 2 Car
From the moment you step through the door, it is apparent that the owners of this home have meticulously maintained the property. It is immaculately presented and has many features that will delight you, such as extra space for a caravan and 2 extra cars, granite kitchen counters and splash back, large bedrooms, laundry chute, ducted vacuum, oversized walk in linen closet and new carpets to name but a few.
The home is situated on one of the most tightly held streets in Robina and does not have a neighbor on the rear and thus offers surprising privacy.
HIGHLIGHTS: 4 bedrooms – Beautiful swimming pool with large undercover patio - Open plan kitchen with granite counters and splash back - Central Position – Double storey - – Space for caravan/boat and 2 extra car spaces – Near bus stop – Near Shops and schools – In Varsity College catchment area
FEATURES: Beautiful pool and entertaining area Sandstone paving around pool Large umbrella over pool included Waterfall into pool North facing Recently painted Air conditioning Granite kitchen counters and splash back Water plumbing to fridge Solar electricity New carpets Fans in all bedrooms Built in robes Lots of internal and external storage Ducted vacuum Security screens Intercom system
Water & Sewage - $300 per quarter (approximately)
Rates - $1702 per year (approximately)
DISTANCES: Bus Stop – 650 m
Local Shops – 1.1 km
Major Shopping Centre – 2.1 km
Primary School (Varsity College SS) – 2.8 km
High School (Varsity College SHS) – 1.3 km
Parkland – 300 m
Highway – 3.0 km
Train Station – 3.9 km
Beach – 6.3 km


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The Liberal Government is sticking to its plan to build a stronger economy to benefit all Australians, Federal Member for Pearce, Christian Porter, said today.
"We are delivering tax relief with a focus on low and middle income earners, investing in congestion busting, safety boosting infrastructure and responsibly returning the budget to balance.
"Under the Government's economic plan jobs are being created, investment is rising and the budget is strengthening. This means that we can continue to guarantee the essential services Australians rely on."
Our plan will:
Deliver lower, fairer and simpler taxes to encourage and reward working Australians;
Back businesses to invest and create more jobs, building on our legislated tax cuts for small and medium enterprise, supporting businesses to compete globally, delivering infrastructure that industry and workers rely on; and targeting incentives to promote research, development and new technology;
Guarantee the essential services that Australians rely on including record funding for hospitals and schools, a comprehensive approach to aged care so older Australians can live life to the full, and guaranteed funding for disability services;
Keep Australians safe by strengthening security at airports and investing more in our intelligence and security service so they can respond to new and challenging threats. We will also protect our unique environment with smarter biosecurity systems and continue to safeguard our borders; and
Ensure the Government lives within its means with a forecast return to a modest budget balance in 2019-20, increasing to a projected surplus of $11 billion in 2020-21; no longer borrowing to pay for essential services; and the lowest average real growth in payments of any Government in the last 50 years.
"Our tax relief plan will encourage and reward hard working Australians. Under our plan to reduce cost pressures on household budget, 71,539 taxpayers in Pearce stand to benefit from the low and middle income tax relief in the upcoming 2018-19 financial year," Mr Porter said.
"There is great news for small businesses with the $20,000 instant asset write-off continuing for another year, helping small business invest in new equipment. This is on top of legislated tax cuts for small and medium businesses that are helping them to grow, create more jobs and pay higher wages."
Western Australia is also set to benefit from the Liberal Government's significant infrastructure investment with an additional $2.8 billion delivered in the 2018-19 Budget, bringing total infrastructure investment in the State to $9.6 billion from 2013-14 to 2021-22.
"The Government's vision to deliver infrastructure of critical importance can be seen across the State with investment in projects like Ellenbrook Rail, the Mitchell Freeway extension and the Bindoon Bypass," Mr Porter said.
Mr Porter said the infrastructure investment, which will bring significant benefits to the people of Pearce, includes the following projects:
$500 million for the construction of the Morley-Ellenbrook Rail Line;
$108 million for the extension of the Mitchell Freeway to Romeo Road;
$220 million for the Great Northern Highway Bindoon Bypass; and
$10 million to plan and develop the business case for the Eastlink WA Orange Route.


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2/2/14 Gringa at Bissap Baobob
1/26/14 at Amelie with Fabio & Ray
Join me for some Brazilian-tinged jazz from 6:30 to 9:30 pm. Singing and playing sax, I'll be joined by Fabio Reis on drums, and Ray Scott on guitar. Amelie Wine Bar is located at 1754 Polk St.
1/21/14 Gringa at Elbo Room
647 Valencia St, San Francisco Show at 9pm $7 *photo by Janel Sterbentz*
Gringa is a musical collective for culturally confused women navigating the globalized, digitized world. Gringa plays Brazilian covers from artists like Jorge Ben Jor, Djavan, and Luis Gonzaga, as well as originals that put a Latin spin on American pop and feature lyrics in English and Portuguese.
Originally from Bulgaria, Zori Marinova (Audiobraille, Radio Sofia, UNIT 432) plays congas, cajon, vibes, and other percussion. She lends Afro-Cuban color and soul to the songs.
Funkiest white girl in town, Kate Pittard (Afrolicious, Audiobraille, TropiCali) sings and plays sax, triangle and shaker. Her scorching solos and songwriting light up the music.
Original gringa Maya Finlay (Sang Matiz, BrazilVox, TropiCali) sings and plays guitar and cavaquinho. Fluent in Portuguese, world traveler Maya brings a little hip hop feel to her songwriting, as well as sound engineering expertise to the project.
Check back for schedule updates, new songs and random musings
January 2018


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Eric Abraham and the Fugard Theatre present a brand new Fugard Theatre production of Funny Girl – The Musical. This international smash hit, semi-biographical musical, based on the life and career of Broadway star, film actress and comedienne Fanny Brice features some of the most iconic songs in film and theatre history, including "People" and "Don't Rain On My Parade". This musical classic tells the fascinating and bitter-sweet story of Fanny Brice whose vocal talents and comedic ability see her rise from a Brooklyn music hall singer to Broadway star, and her tempestuous relationship with gambler Nick Arnstein.
A stellar all-South African cast has been secured for this iconic production that first opened on Broadway on the 26th March 1964 at the Winter Garden Theatre and enjoyed a recent sold-out revival season on the West End at the Savoy Theatre. The original book was written by Isobel Lennart, music composed by Jule Styne and lyrics written by Bob Merrill.
Taking the lead role in this much anticipated production will be Naledi nominee Ashleigh Harvey (Death of a Colonialist, Bash) an actor, singer, voice over artist, producer and writer whose work has taken her into Africa and all over the world. Ms. Harvey's leading man is Clyde Berning (The Great Gatsby, Hamlet, Strangers on a Train) as Nick Arnstein. Kate Normington (Sister Act, Mamma Mia!) plays Mrs Brice, Diane Wilson (Shirley Valentine, Grace and Glorie) plays Mrs Strakosh, Michèle Maxwell (Cabaret, Death of a Salesman) plays Mrs Meeker, Mike Huff (Cabaret, Singin' in the Rain) plays Florenz Ziegfeld, Cameron Botha (West Side Story, Sweeney Todd) plays Eddie Ryan, Grant Towers (The Sound of Music) plays Tom Keeney and Lucy Tops (The Rocky Horror Show) plays Emma. Sven-Eric Müller (West Side Story), LJ Neilson (West Side Story), Jenna Robinson-Child (Cabaret), Ambre Chanel Fulton (Singin' in the Rain), Michèle la Trobe (West Side Story) Sibusiso Mxosana (West Side Story), Daniel Fisher (Queen of the Ballet), Tamryn van Houten (West Side Story) and Tyla Nurden making her professional debut, complete the outstanding line up.
The Fugard Theatre's production will be directed by Matthew Wild with Musical Direction by Charl-Johan Lingenfelder and Choreography by Louisa Talbot – bringing the same creative team together again who created the Fugard Theatre's smash hits The Rocky Horror Show, Cabaret and West Side Story. Set design is by Saul Radomsky, and costumes by Birrie Le Roux. Lighting is by Daniel Galloway and Benjamin du Plessis.
Funny Girl – The Musical was arguably Barbra Streisand's big break through when she played the lead role in the original production. The same production was nominated for eight Tony Awards and the cast recording was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2004. A film adaptation of the musical was released in 1968 starring Streisand (who won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance as well as the Golden Globe) alongside Omar Sharif.