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A lack of cash can not only stall your company's growth but also place its very existence under threat.
It doesn't matter how profitable the business may be; cash flow problems can place it under severe pressure, according to the CFO Centre's Chairman Colin Mills in his book 'Scaling Up How to Take Your Business to the Next Level Without Losing Control and Running Out of Cash'.[1]
"You might think you're immune from danger because your business is experiencing a high level of growth, but you're wrong: expansion can exacerbate the problems caused by poor cash flow management," he said.
"You almost always have to make investments and bring certain expenses on ahead of achieving the higher revenue and cash flow that comes with successful growth."
It is the oxygen every business needs to survive.
"The stark truth is, without cash your business will be unable to meet its payroll obligations, default on payments to suppliers and creditors (payables), and ultimately cease trading."
Fortunately, there are ways to find cash both from within your business (by improving processes, cost-cutting and selling off unused assets) and from traditional and alternative external funding sources such as banks, invoice factoring companies and crowd-sourcing platforms.
Getting the cash your company needs earlier rather than later can not only save you and your employees from unnecessary stress but also help you to achieve more rapid growth as the following example illustrates. One of the CFO Centre's American clients had over-hired which caused it to run into cash flow problems.
But with the help of the CFO Center, the company was able to survive the blip and then attract one of the 'Big Three' automobile manufacturers in the US—Chrysler—as a client.
"They were really bumping up against their credit line of $US500,000," recalled the CFO Center's Bill Starr in 'Scaling Up'. "We came in, restructured their financing and their forecasts, and in a couple of months we were able to get them a new line of credit for $2 million," he said. "That effectively allowed them to invest in the growth of the company.
"A year after we were engaged, the client won a massive deal with Chrysler. Chrysler conducts vendor analyses on the financial position of its vendors, and this company got a green light across all areas that Chrysler reviewed them on."
Look within your company first
While many business owners automatically look to external funding sources, it pays to look closer to home first.
"Most entrepreneurs don't realise there is often considerable funding to support growth from within their own business," says Mills. "That's because the collection of customer receivables can often be improved through strong credit control and the level of stock holding reduced through improved systems and processes. In some instances, poor negotiation of supplier payment terms means fewer funds are available within the business to support scaling up."
So before you pick up the phone (or click your mouse) to apply for external funding, consider the following methods for freeing up cash within your business.
If the business has the machinery, equipment or large amounts of stock that is idle, consider selling it or renting it to other businesses.
Remove unnecessary overheads
Look at all your overheads to see if they can be lowered. For example, consider reducing staff numbers, or not replacing employees when they leave or moving premises to get a more favourable lease.
The head of the Australian CFO Centre Stephen Copplin recalls how one part-time CFO was asked to help a fast growth branding business that had got into trouble with cash flow. Most troubling was a looming $AUD 500,000 tax bill.
At the company's headquarters, it was easy to see why the company was struggling: the carpark was crammed with 'flashy' company cars.
A conversation with the owner revealed he did not have a good grasp on his financials. He didn't know how to improve his margins and had no idea how much his product was costing to produce.
So he was advised to sell the cars and make half the staff redundant.
"We were really hard with the guy; we took a firm line with him, but he did all the things we suggested he do to get his business back in order," the part-time CFO said. "That was three or four years ago, and today his scaleup growth has delivered the cash flow and sustainability, to where he should have been if he had the financial nous beforehand."
Negotiate better terms with vendors
Ask for more favourable payment terms from your suppliers. This doesn't necessarily mean asking for reduced prices but could be as simple as requesting an extra seven days for your payment window.
If your suppliers refuse your request, look for other suppliers who can offer lower prices or better payment terms for the same quality of the product.
Resolve late payment issues
Make your payment terms clear to minimise the possibility of late payment issues. Try to keep to the same terms for all your customers (for example, a 30-day window for payment of the invoice). Get agreement to your payment terms from all your customers or clients. Carry out credit checks on all new customers or clients. Ensure that invoices are issued promptly. Ideally, you should issue invoices by email on the day of completion of the job or project and ensure that overdue payments are pursued.
Get deposits for large projects or orders. Build a deposit (of anywhere up to 50% of the total cost) into your contract for large projects or orders. This is especially important if the projects or orders are likely to involve a lot of resources and time.
That way if the customer decides to cancel the project or fails to pay the balance on the project or order, you have at least recovered some of the cost of the resources and time you've already invested in it.
Look for External Funding
You should also consider external funding sources to help ease your cash flow challenges. There are a dizzying number of sources to consider, both traditional and alternative (which is why you should use the services of a part-time CFO to identify the best method for your company and help you navigate your way through any such process).
Apply for a bank overdraft
A bank overdraft has been the traditional form of funding for many businesses. But these days, banks are more likely to try to steer their clients to other forms of debt that provide the banks with more security.
While overdrafts are usually quick to set up, they have a major drawback, and it's this: banks can call them in on-demand.
Request a bank loan
The advantages of bank loans are that they are for a set term with regular repayments and that the banks can't call the money back on demand. The downside is that banks will demand strong security for the loan such as a personal guarantee secured on the assets of the business or even the owner's personal assets.
Use asset financing
Using your assets as collateral for the loan is one of the easiest ways your growing business can get access to quick cash. However, there is a drawback: not all assets are considered equal.
Typically, lenders will only consider assets that they can sell quickly if you default on the loan. Therefore, they usually want high-value assets with a low depreciation rate or high appreciation rate, and which are easy to convert into cash.
Get alternative financing
The alternative finance market includes a wide variety of financing models including peer-to-peer lending, crowdfunding and specialist finance providers offering products such as selective invoice finance and invoice trading platforms.
The benefit is that since they have greater flexibility than traditional funding sources they can often offer a faster turnaround on the right deals.
Invoice Discounting
The advantage of invoice discounting, in which banks and invoice discounting companies lend money secured against your debtors/receivables, is that you can borrow up to 80% of the invoice amount within 24 hours. So you get the cash flow benefit and the rest when the money is collected.
The disadvantage is that it can cost more than overdraft or loan charges so it may have a bigger impact on your profit margins.
Peer-to-peer (P2P) lending
P2P platforms match lenders directly with borrowers so that you can borrow money from individuals. The huge benefit of this is that the rates are favourable and often much better than any other type of lending method. The disadvantage is that you will still have to undergo a credit check and possibly pay an application fee.
Equity-based crowdfunding
The way it works is that people come together on crowdfunding websites to pool money towards a particular venture or idea in return for an equity share in your business. The issue with crowdfunding though is that it's not as easy as some people make it out to be, as it requires months of planning and lots of marketing in order to get people excited enough about what you are doing to contribute money towards it. There's also the risk that you don't receive the amount you're seeking, in which case any finance that has been pledged will usually be returned to your investors, and you will receive nothing. If you're successful, there's the risk you give away too much control in your company. This could have an impact later when you decide to sell the company.
The easy way to raise cash
Of course, you can make the finding or raising of cash a much easier process by engaging the services of a part-time CFO. For example, CFO Centre offer the services of part-time CFOs with big business experience who can use what they know to help you uncover or obtain the cash you need to help your company achieve rapid yet sustainable growth. They will help remove the fear and confusion from the entire process.
To discover how the CFO Centre will help your company to get cash and scale-up, please call us on 0800 169 1499 or contact us here.
How it works
The CFO Centre's part-time CFOs use a proven framework known as the '12 Boxes' to identify where the problems are within any business. They use it to review every aspect of your company finance function and identify every problem area.
They will help you to understand your company's finances and not only eliminate cash flow problems and identify cost-savings but also to improve profits.
They can also help you and your team to understand your main profit drivers; find and arrange to fund; identify your Critical Success Factors and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), help you to expand nationally and internationally; and build value to make your business more attractive to investors or buyers. To discover more about the 12 Boxes, click here.
Need help?
To discover how an CFO Centre part-time CFO will help your business, contact us now on 0808 164 8902. To book your free one-to-one call with one of our part-time FDs, click here. You can see how they add rocket fuel to any business here.
What people are saying
To hear what people really think about the CFO Centre's part-time CFOs, watch these short videos here.
Where are you going wrong?
To identify strengths and weaknesses in your business in just nine minutes with the F-Score click here now. Just answer a brief series of questions, and you'll receive an 8-page report that will reveal potential current or future pain points for your business. It will also help you to rate the performance of your finance function and uncover untapped opportunities for growth. Click here now to take the F-Score.
Got a Big Question?
If you have a burning question for one of our team of CFOs, ask it here, and you'll get an answer within 24 hours. Please note the question must be finance-related (sadly, they can't predict who will win the Rugby World Cup, Cricket World Cup or even the US Masters Golf Tournament).
[1] 'Scale Up: How to Take Your Business to the Next Level Without Losing Control and Running Out of Cash', Mills, Colin. BrightFlame Books, 2016
Hire a superstar part-time CFO
To help you increase cash, profit and valuation and free you up from the burden of day-to-day operations.


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The Vienna range is traditionally designed with a modern twist which is ideal for any living space. With both classic and contemporary influences this stunning range will compliment any home.
Top quality furniture manufactured in the UK. All products are fully assembled at our factory. Made from high quality scratch resistant materials, with strong metal fixings, handles and knobs. Drawers are lined and run smoothly on metal runners.
- W 44cm x D 44cm x H 49.5cm

subset: commoncrawl


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The U.S. Has No Remaining Grain Reserves
Tri State Observer, Milford, PA
WASHINGTON - Larry Matlack, President of the American Agriculture Movement (AAM), has raised concerns over the issue of U.S. grain reserves after it was announced that the sale of 18.37 million bushels of wheat from USDA's Commodity Credit Corporation (CCC) Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust.
"According to the May 1, 2008 CCC inventory report there are only 24.1 million bushels of wheat in inventory, so after this sale there will be only 2.7 million bushels of wheat left the entire CCC inventory," warned Matlack. "Our concern is not that we are using the remainder of our strategic grain reserves for humanitarian relief. AAM fully supports the action and all humanitarian food relief. Our concern is that the U.S. has nothing else in our emergency food pantry. There is no cheese, no butter, no dry milk powder, no grains or anything else left in reserve. The o°©nly thing left in the entire CCC inventory will be 2.7 million bushels of wheat which is about enough wheat to make 1⁄2 of a loaf of bread for each of the 300 million people in America."
The CCC is a federal government-owned and operated entity that was created to stabilize, support, and protect farm income and prices. CCC is also supposed to maintain balanced and adequate supplies of agricultural commodities and aids in their orderly distribution.
"This lack of emergency preparedness is the fault of the 1996 farm bill which eliminated the government's grain reserves as well as the Farmer Owned Reserve (FOR)," explained Matlack. "We had hoped to reinstate the FOR and a Strategic Energy Grain Reserve in the new farm bill, but the politics of food defeated our efforts. As farmers it is our calling and purpose in life to feed our families, our communities, our nation and a good part of the world, but we need better planning and coordination if we are to meet that purpose. AAM pledges to continue our work for better farm policy which includes an FOR and a Strategic Energy Grain Reserve."
AAM's support for the FOR program, which allows the grain to be stored o°©n farms, is a key component to a safe grain reserve in that the supplies will be decentralized in the event of some unforeseen calamity which might befall the large grain storage terminals.
A Strategic Energy Grain Reserve is as crucial for the nation's domestic energy needs as the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. AAM also supports full funding for the replenishment and expansion of Bill Emerson Humanitarian Trust.
The May 1, 2008 CCC Inventory report may be reviewed here


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On page 131 I wrote:
... hydrogen gradually leaks out
of any practical container. If you park your hydrogen car at the railway
station with a full tank and come back a week later, you should expect to
find most of the hydrogen has gone.
Both of these statements are incorrect.
First, while hydrogen is a very leaky little molecule, it is possible to make practical containers that contain compressed hydrogen gas for long durations. It's just necessary to have sufficient thickness of the right type of material; this material may be somewhat heavy, but practical solutions exist. The technical term used in the hydrogen community for this topic is "permeation", and it's especially discussed when ensuring that hydrogen vehicles will be safe when left in garages. Hydrogen containers are currently classed in four types, and the metallic containers and containers with metallic liners (Types 1, 2, and 3) have negligible permeation rate. However, hydrogen permeation is an issue for containers with non-metallic (polymer) liners (Type 4) which readily allow the permeation of hydrogen. [Source: P. Adams et al]
Second, when discussing the hydrogen vehicle that is left for 7 days, I incorrectly tarred all hydrogen vehicles with a hydrogen-loss brush that applies only to vehicles that store liquified hydrogen at cryogenic temperatures. There are in fact three types of hydrogen storage: Compressed gas (typically at 350 or 700 bar); Cryogenic (typically at less than 10 bar and at extremely low temperature) and Cryo-compressed (at low temperature and at pressures up to about 350 bar). The hydrogen community discuss the "loss-free dormancy time" and the "mean autonomy time" of a system, which are respectively the time after which the system starts to lose hydrogen, and the time after which the car has lost so much hydrogen it really needs refilling. In the US Department of Energy's hydrogen plans, the targets are for a loss-free dormancy time of 5 days and a mean autonomy time of 30 days. Cryogenic liquid-hydrogen systems (such as the one in the BMW Hydrogen 7, which I featured in my book) do not currently achieve either of these targets. (And the reason is not that the hydrogen is permeating out, it's that heat is permeating in, at a rate of 1 watt or so, which gradually boils the hydrogen; the boiled hydrogen is vented to keep the remaining liquid cold.) However, compressed-gas systems at 700 bar can achieve both of these targets, so what I wrote was unfair on hydrogen vehicles. [Source: EERE 2006 Cryo-Compressed Hydrogen Storage for Vehicular Applications]
I apologise to the hydrogen community for these errors.
I will add a correction to the errata imminently.


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Dr. Dobson's Married Couples Devotional - Apr. 19
"I Promise . . ."
"Simply let your 'Yes' be 'Yes,' and your 'No,' 'No.'" Matthew 5:37
Love can be defined in myriad ways, but in marriage "I love you" really means "I promise to be there for you all of my days." It is a promise that says, "I'll be there when you lose your job, your health, your parents, your looks, your confidence, your friends." It's a promise that tells your partner, "I'll build you up; I'll overlook your weaknesses; I'll forgive your mistakes; I'll put your needs above my own; I'll stick by you even when the going gets tough."
This kind of assurance will hold you steady through all of life's ups and downs, through all the "better or worse" conditions.
The Lord has demonstrated throughout the ages that He keeps His promises—including the most important one of all, reserving a spot in heaven for each of His followers, for all eternity. Since God keeps His promises, we must keep ours too—especially the one we made before God, our family, our friends, and our church on our wedding day.
Just between us . . .
• What part of my wedding vow means the most to you now?
• In what ways has our pledge to "stick together no matter what" seen us through hard times?
• How do we benefit spiritually from keeping our commitments?
Dear Lord, give us Your strength today to honor our promises. May our word be our bond—to each other, to our friends, and to family and associates. Thank You that You never waiver on Your promises to us! Amen.
Listen to today's broadcast of Dr. James Dobson's Family Talk at OnePlace.com. For more from Dr. Dobson, visit the resource center at drjamesdobson.org.
This devotional is taken from Night Light for Couples. Copyright © 2000 by James Dobson, Inc. All rights reserved. Used with permission.


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Welcome and thank you for visiting AVC. Your privacy is important to us. To better protect your privacy we provide this notice explaining our online information practices and the choices you can make about the way your information is collected and used at our site.
The Information We Collect
You provide specific personal information during the purchase of goods and/or services from our site. The information includes: your name, address, e-mail address, telephone number, payment information and your interest in specific types of products and/or services.We may also collect certain non-personal information including the type of browser you are using (e.g. Internet Explorer, Firefox), the type of operating system you are using (e.g. Windows, Mac ) and the domain name of your Internet service provider.
Customer will not receive any continual email solicitation from the company, unless the customer consents to the solicitation at checkout, or through a double opt-in process. And, if the customer does consent to receive email from the company, the company agrees to have a simple unsubscribe option available, along with unsubscribe instructions in every email.
How We Use the Information
We use the information you provide about yourself to fulfill your order for our goods and/or services, to respond to your inquiries about your order and to notify you about the status of your order.The non-personal information gathered may be used to improve the design and content of our site and in the aggregate to analyze site usage.We may disclose personal information in response to legal process (e.g. in response to a court order or subpoena). We also may disclose such information in response to a law enforcement agency's requests. And finally we may disclose personal information in response to a charge-back inquiry from our merchant bank about your payment for goods and/or services.
We will not sell or transfer personally identifiable information provided to us to any parties whatsoever outside of our company.
Credit Card and Other Personal Information
Your credit card information is used solely for the purpose of your transaction. Our entire order process is secured through Paypal thereby offering the highest level of encryption or security possible.
None of our company employees have any access whatsoever to this information.
To enhance your experience with our site, many of our web pages use "cookies" and shopper ID's. Cookies are text files we place in your computer's browser to store your preferences. Cookies, by themselves, do not tell us your e-mail address or other personal information unless you choose to provide this information to us. However, once you choose to furnish our site with personally identifiable information, this information may be linked to the data stored in the cookie.
Special Note For Parents
While we encourage children to consult with their parents before furnishing personal data, parents should supervise their children's online activities and consider using parental control tools available from online services and software manufacturers. These tools can prevent children from disclosing their name, address and other personal information without parental permission.
Special Note For Kids
Be sure to ask your mom or dad for permission before sending any information about yourself to us (or anyone else) over the Internet.
How to Contact Us
If you have any questions or concerns about our privacy policy for this site please contact us directly.


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Amazon's New Goal: Teach 10 Million Kids A Year To Code
NEW YORK (AP) — Amazon wants to get more kids thinking about becoming computer engineers.
The company launched a program Thursday that aims to teach more than 10 million students a year how to code. Amazon said it will pay for summer camps, teacher training and other initiatives to benefit kids and young adults from low-income families who might not have learned to code otherwise. It hopes the programs spur more black, Hispanic and female students to study computer science.
Amazon declined to put a price tag on the program, called Amazon Future Engineer, but said it will take up a big chunk of the $50 million that it committed to spend on computer science education last year.
Other corporations, including Microsoft and Facebook, have also committed cash to bring coding to schools, which could ultimately benefit the companies. There's a shortage of computer engineers, and teaching students to code will ensure a pipeline of future talent to hire.
Jeff Wilke, Amazon's chief executive of worldwide consumer, said he hopes some of the students who go through the Amazon Future Engineer program will work for the company, creating skills for its Alexa voice assistant or programming its delivery drones. But he said other companies are increasingly relying on technology, and coding has become a valuable skill to more employers.
"We're pretty confident that knowing how to code will be as important as knowing how to read for the jobs of the future," Wilke said.
Amazon Future Engineer will offer kids in kindergarten through eighth grade free summer camps and after-school programs that will take place in Amazon offices around the country. Amazon employees will volunteer, and online classes, lessons and games will be provided by Amazon's partners, such as Code.org and Coding with Kids. The company also said it plans to pay for online training for teachers at 2,000 low-income high schools around the country to teach to teach introductory and college-level advance placement computer science classes. In addition, it will offer college students scholarships and internships. Schools, teachers and parents will be able to apply through AmazonFutureEngineer.com .
Amazon said some schools have been testing the program, including Monsignor Scanlan High School in New York. Science teacher Jennifer Tulipano began taking coding classes online in September and started teaching two computer science classes that month where the students learn how to create games and make animated characters dance. It's the first time the school has offered computer science classes.
Tulipano said the school applied for the Amazon program because more students were getting feedback from colleges saying they needed some background in computer science.
"So much is now online," Tulipano said. "It's a skill set they need moving forward if they want to go into these fields."


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Automotive Sales Consultant Paragon Acura
So, you want to sell automobiles that are known for their quality, reliability and beauty? You've come to the right place. We're looking for sales professionals to sell cars in our dealership. If you believe being a Sales Consultant is a true craft -- one built on charisma, communication and thorough product knowledge (we'll happily teach you everything you need to know) -- we want to talk to you!
As a Sales Consultant at our dealership, you'll be responsible for managing all sales activities. From generating and managing sales leads, you'll be instrumental in helping our team continue our success.
Join Our Team!
Greets customer on sales floor and performs a needs analysis including make, type, and features of vehicle desired.
Explains features and demonstrates operation of vehicle in showroom or on road.
Researches availability of models and optional equipment using computer database.
Works with Sales and F&I Managers and negotiates sales price, including tax, trade-in allowance, license fee, and discount, and requirements for financing or lease payment of vehicle.
Walks the lot and visually inspects inventory.
Completes all paperwork and arranges for delivery and registration of vehicle.
Delivers and familiarizes the customer with vehicle.
Attends/completes required training and department meetings.
Regular and predictable attendance.
Abillity to Speak a second language preferred
One year of related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Sales skills, great communication, and excellent customer service skills are a must.
Organization and thorough follow-up skills are necessary for staying in touch with the client prior to and after the sale.
Current valid driver's license is required for all employees.
Mathematical skills including, add, subtract, multiply and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions and decimals.
Benefits Include:
Our team members enjoy a positive working environment with opportunities for professional growth through training and advancement from within the organization.
Our team members also enjoy a comprehensive benefits program including:
Medical, Employee discounts on vehicle purchases, parts and service Paid-time-off
Comprehensive employee recognition programs.
Continued training through the manufacturer.
Opportunities for career advancement.
When you join our organization, you'll enjoy comprehensive training, competitive compensation, and unparalleled benefits.
Simply put, you'll experience the best that a career in the automotive industry has to offer.
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of the work being performed by people assigned to this work. This is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. We reserve the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet business and organizational needs as necessary.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and a drug free workplace.
We Would Love To Talk With You!
Apply By Clicking The "Apply Now" Button


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COLUMBUS, Ohio — The Columbus Blue Jackets wanted to make a splash that would get their dwindling fan base buzzing.
Getting Jeff Carter certainly achieved that goal.
After two weeks of rumours, the Jackets dealt promising young forward Jake Voracek and their first- and third-round draft picks in Friday's draft to the Philadelphia Flyers for Carter — who instantly becomes the best centre ever to play for Columbus.
The deal was a big hit in Columbus, which needed a headline grabber to sell tickets. Fan websites and the team site lit up with enthusiastic responses after word of the trade came out.
While Columbus general manager Scott Howson was able to give his season-ticket holders something positive to talk about, the Flyers also achieved a major objective by clearing cap space to sign goalie Ilya Bryzgalov. They were far from done. In addition to signing Bryzgalov to a nine-year deal, they then turned around and dealt captain Mike Richards to Los Angeles for forwards Brayden Schenn and Wayne Simmonds and a draft choice.
Carter had 36 goals and 30 assists a year ago. His plus-27 rating was 13th best in the NHL. He led the Flyers and was seventh in the league. He also paced Philadelphia in power-play goals and game-winning goals.
Flyers fans were in shock. But those loyal to the Blue Jackets were optimistic for a change.
"Wow Really excited about Carter!! cbj fan I hope u guys are excited," Blue Jackets centre Derick Brassard tweeted.
Carter's agent, Rick Curran, confirmed the deal on Thursday afternoon. He said he was stunned by the news after being told repeatedly by Flyers officials that the club was not discussing trading Carter to the Blue Jackets.
"That deal is done," he told The Associated Press.
Carter's presence finally gives the Blue Jackets a top-line centre to pair with their best player, Rick Nash.
Scottie Upshall, a current Blue Jacket and a former teammate of Carter's with the Flyers, issued a warning on his Twitter account: "Blue Jackets just picked up a World Class player & teammate in Carter. With 61 (Nash) on his wing, look out!"
Carter should also invigorate a moribund power play, annually one of the worst in the NHL.
Voracek, a first-round pick in the 2007 draft, had 14 goals and 32 assists a year ago.
But the linchpin of the deal was clearly Carter. With the Blue Jackets' fan base flagging and with the franchise saying it lost US$25 million last year, a dramatic move was needed. The 26-year-old instantly makes the Blue Jackets much, much better.
A year after he made almost no moves, Howson pulled off one that — for a change — energized Columbus fans beaten down by months of hearing about Ohio State's NCAA problems and the forced resignation of football coach Jim Tressel.
The six-foot-three, 200-pound Carter agreed in November to a $58-million, 11-year contract. Beginning next season, Carter's salary-cap hit will be $5.27 million. The contract also included a limited no-trade clause.
The Flyers needed to clear a significant amount of cap space if they wanted to sign Bryzgalov, an acquisition from Phoenix who would help rid them of their three-pronged rotation from last year.
Carter has 181 goals in his six full seasons in the NHL, all with the Flyers. He has had 46, 33 and 36 the last three seasons.
"Jeff is a proven No. 1 centre in the National Hockey League and we look forward to him having many productive seasons as a Blue Jacket," Howson said.
Voracek, who turns 22 in August, was the No. 7 pick overall just four years ago. The native of Czech Republic had nine goals and 29 assists as a rookie in 2008-09, when the club made its only post-season appearance. The 6-2, 214-pounder had 16 goals and 34 assists a year later.
The Blue Jackets owned the No. 8 pick in Friday night's first round of the NHL draft in St. Paul, Minn. The third-round pick is No. 68 overall.
Curran said earlier this week he had received assurances from the Flyers that they were not even discussing a deal with Columbus which would involve Carter. He said he and Carter had gotten word of the trade moments earlier on Thursday and both were stunned by the news.
"The only ones more surprised than you by the trade are Jeff and me," he said.


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It's happened again! Sincerest form of flattery, etc, etc. Leaked pics of Acer's rumoured Aspire 3951 "looks very familiar" (is a complete clone of) the refreshed MacBook Air, both inside and out. SSD, Sandy Bridge, light and thin.
Acer's version is slightly thinner and slightly heavier than Apple's original, but only to an extent that an electronic scale will notice. Beyond dimensions, the entire industrial design has been copy and pasted. The aluminium frame — same shape. The wide, buttonless trackpad. The chiclet keyboard. The MacBook-y black hinge. Everyone wants a lean and light (and powerful!) laptop, but it's clear Acer's trying to cash in on Cupertino's design prowess. It certainly wouldn't be the first time someone's tried it.
Maybe people will be confused and by an Aspire by accident? They can only hope. One feature that hasn't been ripped off is Apple's price tag, with the Aspire expected to cost between $US770 and $US960, Engadget reports. So, we'll see. If you want a MacBook Air without the software, maybe this will be your best bet. Or maybe it just looks like it. [Sohoa via Engadget]


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- Details
- Globe information
- Shipping
- Returns & Exchanges
- Get support
About Goldfinch Fountain Snow Globe
Nestled in a thicket of trees, two goldfinches delight in the glittery magic of a secret fountain. Silver mist sparkles as the winged pair revels in quiet beauty. Dive into this sweet scene, and like these avian sprites, you can't help but sing.
Our iconic square base was made to be personalized. Take them to a provider near you to create your one of a kind gift.
100mm glass globe on our iconic square black base.
Globe information
Care of Globes
Keep your globe out of direct sunlight. Sunlight shining through the water acts as a magnifier and can cause a fire. Sunlight can also cause the water to discolor. Dust with a soft cloth. Glass cleaner is fine on the globe.
CoolSnowGlobes are made of glass and are not toys for children.
The liquid in the globes is purified water with glycol added to prevent freezing. Anti-bacterial is also added to keep the liquid clear. While the liquid in the globe is safe for humans externally, it should not be ingested!
Globe Diameter 4in Diameter
10cm Diameter
Base Dimensions
3.2in L x 3.2in W x 1.2in H
8cm L x 8cm W x 3cm H
Total Dimensions
4.75in H
12cm H
Gift Box Dimensions
5.25in L x 5.25in W x 5.25in H
13.3cm L x 13.3xm W x 13.3cm H
Globe Diameter 3.3in Diameter
8.3cm Diameter
Base Dimensions
2.6in L x 2.6in W x 1in H
6.6cm L x 6.6cm W x 2.5cm H
Total Dimensions
4in H
10cm H
Gift Box Dimensions
4.6in L x 4.6in W x 5in H
11.6cm L x 11.6xm W x 12.7cm H
Globe Diameter 2.6in Diameter
6.6cm Diameter
Base Dimensions
2in L x 2in W x .9in H 5cm L x 5cm W x 2.3cm H
Total Dimensions
3.1in H
7.8cm H
Gift Box Dimensions
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4.6cm Diameter
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5.6cm H
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text:
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA‑ASI), a leading manufacturer of Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA), tactical reconnaissance radars, and electro-optic surveillance systems, today announced the successful first flight of the Block 1-plus Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper, an upgrade to the original Block 1 Predator B that has been in production since 2003. The MQ-9 Block 1-plus test flight occurred on May 24 at the company's Gray Butte Flight Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif., with no discrepancies.
"We continue to enhance the capabilities of our aircraft, improving their performance to meet emerging customer requirements," said Frank Pace, president, Aircraft Systems Group, GA-ASI. "The first flight of the MQ-9 Block 1-plus follows in the footsteps of the aircraft's combat-proven Block 1 configuration and is an important technological achievement that will provide increased effectiveness, increased multi-mission flexibility, and even greater reliability."
The MQ-9 Block 1-plus is a capability enhancement over the Block 1 configuration, which has amassed more than 420,000 flight hours across all customers. Block 1-plus was designed for increased electrical power, secure communications, auto land, increased Gross Takeoff Weight (GTOW), weapons growth, and streamlined payload integration capabilities.
With the completion of development, testing, and expected Milestone C decision this fall, follow-on aircraft to the MQ-9 Block 1-plus configuration will be designated "MQ-9 Block 5."
Featuring a new high-capacity starter generator, the aircraft offers an increase in electrical power capacity over the current Block 1 design. This increased power provides the aircraft with significant capacity for growth. In addition, the upgraded electrical system includes a backup generator which is sufficient to support all flight critical functions. This vastly improves the reliability of the electrical power system by providing three independent power sources.
Numerous new communications capabilities also will be available in the Block 5, including dual ARC-210 VHF/UHF radios with wingtip antennas, allowing for simultaneous communications between multiple air-to-air and air-to-ground parties; secure data links; and an increased data transmission capacity.
Additionally, the new trailing arm main landing gear will be included in Block 5, enabling the aircraft to carry heavier payloads or additional fuel.
Predator B is currently operational with the U.S. Air Force and Royal Air Force as MQ-9 Reaper and the Italian Air Force as MQ-9, with NASA as Ikhana, and with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as Predator B/Guardian. The aircraft is designed to perform multi-mission ISR and "Hunter-Killer" missions over land or sea, with more than 130 vehicles delivered to date.


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Sunday, February 8, 2009
Cutting Taxes
The Stimulus Bill is in its specific parts, essentially a huge spending bill emphasizing public works and government programs, along with a large dose of tax cuts. During the Bush Administrations, the rich and the corporations benefited mightily from tax cuts, designed to stimulate investment and job growth. But those tax cuts did not have that effect.
Domestic investment and employment in this country have been steadily decreasing for the last two decades. American capital has turned its back on American workers, transferring hundreds of thousands of manufacturing and semi-technical positions overseas. These jobs were once the backbone of American prosperity.
Apologists for the Right argue that American workers, with their unreasonable demands for high wages, favorable conditions, health care and pension benefits, can't compete on the new "global market." They tell us that Americans need to "gear up" for the future technological era, when everyone will need to be skilled and flexible and "work smart."
At any given time, there are relatively few professional and technical positions in the general economy. If you put all the skilled jobs from science, management, law, and technical fields together, even those imagined by the dreamers of tomorrow-land, they wouldn't employ more than 15% of the able workforce. Despite what people say about the technological revolution, our electronic gadgets and the computer age, unskilled or semi-skilled labor still is the basis for the great majority of employment in the world. Sending "everyone" to college, even if that were feasible, isn't going to "produce" jobs or maintain a strong middle class. The factory system and the mass employment it requires is the real engine of prosperity in the modern world.
China now dominates the manufacturing field. It has transformed itself from a primarily agrarian society, to a fully industrialized one in less than two generations. And it now out-earns and out produces the United States by a significant margin. It also maintains effective trade barriers (de facto tariff), and currency policies, to insure that that advantage continues.
This trend has led to the wholesale destruction of our American middle class. The social and political implications are staggering.
Until or unless we are willing to address this destructive paradigm in our economic policies and practices, our position in the world, and the welfare of our nation, will continue to decline.
15 comments:
- Unknown said...
Which brings us back to Blake again? "That he who will not defend truth may be compelled to defend a lie." Not a bad alternative to all this so-called bipartisanship
- February 8, 2009 at 11:16 AM
- Curtis Faville said...
Blake foresaw the growth of industrialization as an evil that would remove the soul from English society.
He was probably right.
But what industrialization brought--even considering all its flaws and bad accompanying effects--was the engine of wealth for 150 years.
China now occupies the position of industrial leader in the world. They've got the spoils.
What will become of us, now that we've lost our edge?
Will we become like a sad Scandanavian socialist state, 60% tax rate, 6 months mandatory "vacation" each year, and a lazy, easy-going life-style?
Might be. - February 8, 2009 at 11:46 AM
- eddie watkins said...
Perhaps the electronics/technology industry is the fairy tale golden goose in the myth of perpetual motion/growth that is free market capitalism, an opportunity for literally endless advancement - ever smaller faster more powerful.
Jobs and Gates (even with his philanthropism) are very irresponsible in perpetuating this, even as they claim a larger environmental/social consciousness. Where do all these almost immediately obsolescent devices/adult toys end up? - February 9, 2009 at 4:03 AM
- Curtis Faville said...
The point is that production is what produces wealth.
Automation is a problem, as machines keep replacing people.
But the idea that the whole society can be technocrats sitting at computer screens is nonsense. Huxley predicted in Brave New World that eventually "work" as then conceived would not be necessary.
How would a society based on leisure be run?
Obviously, machines can't do everything.
But it may be that China's prosperous adaptation of the factory system is the last hurrah for mass employment. If mankind manages to control its rabid expansion, and some kind of ecological stasis is achieved, what will a world in which there is little "work" look like?
If people can be fed, clothed, and efficiently transported (in all senses), with automation, where does our Puritan ethic lead us? - February 9, 2009 at 7:17 AM
- eddie watkins said...
It all sounds like Science Fiction to me, if not the Eloi and the Morlocks, then something worse. Personally I think there have to be Morlocks doing the dirty work somewhere.
I don't see how such a society could ever be possible. Part of what I meant by my earlier comment is that we seem to be ruled more and more by fantastical notions, about dreams of perfection, as if speculative fiction has actually infiltrated rational pragmatic society and thought.
But humans are so inherently flawed that a "perfect" society could never be possible. We are literally half wild and need a strong structure of work and such to keep us even somewhat tamed. There will alway be people who don't need this structure, and I don't just mean the whip-wielders, there are "enlightened"-type souls who could get on in a world of leisure, but the bulk of humanity will always need a provided structure, that is if we don't want to descend into brutal chaos. - February 9, 2009 at 9:39 AM
- Kirby Olson said...
Curtis, your posts generally begin with a description of a malady of some kind, and then you end by saying that someone needs to address the problem. Actually, you need to address the problem, and provide a prescription, or else you're not doing any real work. You're passing the buck.
This isn't right.
You argue here that we need a better work ethic, but you show that you yourself do not have same. Get to work, and provide answers.
You think Tasers are a bad idea, but you don't suggest an alternative.
You think it was wrong to shoot Tatiana, but then you don't say what the alternative should have been.
Now you don't want this spending bill, and you think China is sneaky.
What do you think should be done?
I think that an alternative might be for you to write the wonderful criticism of the poets you like. I actually bought the Donald Justice Reader, and am amazed at how good it is.
Should writers stick with what they know? - February 9, 2009 at 10:16 AM
- Curtis Faville said...
As Al Smith used to say, "Let's look at the record."
(Smith was the Democratic Candidate for President in 1928.)
My posts on Ronald Johnson and Donald Justice and John Updike are non-partisan. Not much to argue there except aesthetics, and the competing camps probably only wear white archivists gloves.
I've hardly begun my blog, but with respect to the potentially controversial subjects I've so far engaged, there are three: The Taser Controversy, the animal rights issue surrounding the incident involving Tatiana the Tiger at the San Francisco Zoo, and the tax cuts provision of the so-called Economic Stimulus Package legislation currently working its way through the U.S. Congress.
My position on Tasers is that they should be banned. That's a pretty clear position to take. The alternative is we go back to using batons and pepper spray and water hoses and guns. Actually, those have never been abandoned. Tasers are a product that was invented to sell to police, as well as the general public, to make money. They're bad for society, just like cigarettes and unregulated handguns. It's sort of like demanding a "solution" to cigarette addiction; the cure is the solution, just stop.
I'm against the unnecessary exploitation of animals. Killing animals for sport is bad. Locking them up in cramped zoo cages is bad. The Dhaliwal Brothers are clearly responsible for the death of their family friend. It wasn't the zoo's fault, or the fault of cage construction. It was THEIR fault. They should be charged with a crime. Tatiana didn't deserve to be locked up; she didn't deserve to be shot by four men armed with pistols and shotguns.
About tax cuts: Our country is seriously in debt, and going deeper. We need policies that address that problem; if we don't address it, eventually we won't be able to solve ANY problems, because we won't be able to afford to. Tax cuts don't stimulate the economy. But neither do big welfare and public construction projects. As far as is known, the pundits and experts in finance don't have a solution, so it's unreasonable to think an ordinary citizen like me would either. But I'm convinced that what we're doing now will make it worse. As an amateur, my suggestion is to balance the budget, and trim costs.
The primary function of the press (and the internet) in a democracy is to raise questions, and criticize power (question authority). Those are tired cliches, but they're true nonetheless. - February 9, 2009 at 4:22 PM
- Kirby Olson said...
Al Smith is still a big deal in New York State, where I live. You get all kinds of stuff named after him. I like your summaries of your positions.
They actually aren't that clear in your original posts.
I think you believe that you are allowed to simply imply things, and that we will catch your drift.
In my case, I have not caught your drift in a few cases. I wondered what you meant.
I feel that I am a bit of a tyrant and an oppressor.
You will now complain that the terms are redundant.
But we also need to form superlatives, and through redundancy, that can be easier. - February 10, 2009 at 12:25 PM
- Kirby Olson said...
Now your general positions are much tidier. A big improvement.
I would like to be your tyrant and oppressor, if you will allow it.
The terms of course are redundant, but like little and tiny, separately they are nothing. Taken together, they square one another and form a superlative that might otherwise require me to use a term like satrap, and hope you will get what I mean, when I'm not sure that you will.
I mean, if anyone would, it would be you, but maybe no one would. - February 10, 2009 at 12:28 PM
- Curtis Faville said...
To be obvious: "Little" and "tiny" are not redundant, they're different. If something is little, then to call it tiny at the same time is confusing. Tiny should be smaller than little, at least in context. A pea is little, whereas a pin-head is tiny. But context is everything.
But using "little, tiny" as a descriptive phrase is vague and contradictory, no matter what the context. The speaker is trying to "modify" the word little with the word tiny--which is using an adjective to modify (or amplify) an adjective. Can't do it. - February 10, 2009 at 12:51 PM
- Kirby Olson said...
One problem perhaps in speech is that there is a poor attention span now, so you have to say things twice, and draw them out. People are used to people talking at the speed of television, and so when you're a bit slow in understanding, your understanding might be improved by saying something twice. Tiny and little are different, now that you mention it, but most people would see them as synonyms. Still, I really am on the side of precision.
What do you propose as the penalty for infractions? Do you think it should be a federal crime to misuse a term? do you think people should do hard time for language mis-use?
Short of that, I don't think you will get many people to change.
Anyone caught using your list: would you want a 30-day prison sentence on first or second misuse?
Death sentence?
If it's just you that's annoyed, and you can't get the California legislature to act, I don't think you will get anywhere with this. - February 10, 2009 at 1:22 PM
- Curtis Faville said...
No, I'm not for laws against bad language.
I'm definitely a free speech guy. I think truly civilized people do manage to perpetuate good traditions without laws, thought the French do make laws about food and condiments, I understand. They have lots of tariffs and trade barriers to protect their precious stuff. It's considered unpatriotic, for instance, to drink wines from other countries.
Repetition in poetry can be very effective. I'm writing a blog on a villanelle by Justice, which uses repeated phrases. But that's music. I'm not sure people need to be nagged with repetition. I know it gets on my nerves if people do that. - February 10, 2009 at 5:23 PM
- eddie watkins said...
If Curtis offered solutions to the poblems he points out, he might be in danger of coming across as a crank, and people could stop listening. It's much better to lay out the problem, with maybe hints at solutions, and let others think on it and work it out in their own minds.
- February 11, 2009 at 4:05 AM
- Kirby Olson said...
An economist named Robert Barro who teaches at Harvard U. is writing in the WSJ today and says, "There's a big difference between tax rate changes and things that look just like throwing money at people. Tax rate changes have actual incentive effects. And we have some experience with those actually working" (Op-Ed, A16).
Barro thinks Obama is just throwing money at people, and that he's stupid for it. WSJ is somewhat critical of Obama generally, though, so who knows.
If the Demos get this thing through, they will rise or fall by it in the next election everyone is saying, because the Repos refused to sign on, which will also be the way by which we know them.
Time will tell.
I wish they'd let the markets settle out a bit, and rise of their own accord. With all these monkeys monkeying about with the bananas, it's hard to know whether the tamale is spicy enough of its own accord.
We'll see what happens. I just hope someone fixes the economy. I don't care who it is.
That stupid peanut company closed its doors. - February 11, 2009 at 11:02 AM
- Curtis Faville said...
I'm afraid there are no easy fixes.
Anyone got 10 trillion they don't know what better to do with?
That's what they say the banks have on the debit side of their ledgers.
No one will ever be able to make that up. Not in a hundred years.
If that debt is allowed to stand, it will drag the entire finance industry down, and that will be the end of America's economy.
Boom. - February 11, 2009 at 1:33 PM


text:
Baron Batch
Visionary Sunflower Fox / Square Cafe
Visionary Sunflower Fox / Square Cafe
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LaVie Nutrition
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Amid the recent announcements of Canon's new point and shoot cameras in early January, I missed that Canon also made the 6D available in a kit with the new-ish EF 24-105mm f/3.5-5.6 IS STM lens. The new kit runs $2199 and should be available in early February. Check it out here at B&H Photo.
This new kit option makes a lot of sense and I think most of us saw this one coming when Canon announced the lower-tier 24-105mm STM lens earlier in 2014. I'm not sure why Canon didn't start offering it from day one. Perhaps they wanted to clear out some stock with the 24-105mm L kit lens before packaging the new lens with it.
The 6D remains available with the pricier 24-105mm f/4L lens as well for $2399. And that kit is actually on sale through January 31 for $2099 after a $300 mail-in rebate.


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Team Sullivan/ Strommer
We are thrilled to take on this year's Trailblaze Challenge. In addition to the physical challenge, we have committed ourselves to raising the essential funds necessary for Make-A-Wish to help grant the wishes of children with critical illnesses. With your help, proving hope and joy during these uncertain times is possible.
Wish kids are some of the most resilient and sweetest kids you'll ever know. The one true vision of a wish may vary from trip to a pickle factory, become a superhero, give their baseball team new uniforms, and push all of the buttons in a tall building's elevator. Their innocence and unexpected wisdom stays with you.
Make-A-Wish grants thousands of unique wishes each year. A lot, yes. But that's only 50% of eligible kids, and now more than ever every child needs something positive to look forward to. We're fundraising so more deserving kids and their families may know the true happiness, relief and renewal a wish can bring.
Please help us support this impactful mission by joining us on the trail or helping us hit our Trailblaze Challenge fundraising goal. Thank you for your support!
*Gifts made through this fundraising campaign are a gift to the entire Make-A-Wish mission. The needs shown are symbolic of the common wish elements associated with each wish and are only representative of our many wish-granting activities. Gifts made will not actually be used to purchase the item or grant the wish described. All gifts will be pooled to meet the needs of Make-A-Wish.


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My sister-in-law recently celebrated a milestone birthday and I offered to make a cake for the occasion. My brother wasn't particularly helpful in the cake ideas department. I wanted to come up with something that reminded me of her and what she likes and I wanted the cake to be elegant and pretty since it was such as special birthday. I also had to keep in mind that I have a baby who naps for only 25 minutes at a time and thus it had to be relatively simple in design. We were getting her sparkly jewelry for a gift, so I thought I would make a cake to match. As they say, 'when in doubt, just add glitter'.
It has been so long since I have made a cake that I actually had fondant go past the best before date (the Year of the Ram cake was red fondant). That never used to happen! I made a list of what I needed: white fondant - check!, silver glam ribbon - check!, edible silver dust - check!, cake board - check!, piping gel - check!, 5 pounds of candy confetti/sequins - check what?! That's right. I bought 5 pounds of sprinkles. To make the sequin top tier, I had no idea how many candy sequins I would need to cover the cake. I did not want to run out, and as I added up the small bottles of sprinkles, I realized that it would be most economical to buy a 5 pound package. Well, I only used a tiny fraction of the box. All subsequent family birthday cakes shall be covered in sprinkles.
The one thing that I did run out of was edible silver dust for painting the colourful sprinkles. I bought two containers of silver dust which ended up being darker than I would have liked. I went over that with a 3rd container of lighter silver dust that I already had in my cake supply stash. Then I sent my husband to the store to get me some additional containers for touching up the next morning. Just a note to all who wish to make sparkly cakes: 'non-toxic' does not mean edible! My husband went to the store armed with this knowledge and it came in handy when the salesperson tried to sell him silver dust that said 'non-toxic' rather than edible. Disco dust, which is the really sparkly stuff used on the centre of the gumpaste flower on this cake is non-toxic but not really edible. So if you eat some of it, it's not a big deal but you should not cover an entire cake with it (unless you aren't going to eat the fondant). Okay, I'm done venting.
So for the top tier, I covered the cake in fondant. Once set, I covered the fondant in piping gel and used my hand to cover the whole cake in candy sequins. Once that dried, I mixed the silver dust with vodka and painted the whole cake. At first, I made my paint too thick which is partly why I believe I ran out of silver dust too quickly. You want the paint to be thick enough to cover the coloured sprinkles but not so thick that you use an insane amount of petal dust. Once it dried, I touched up spots that still had multicolour sprinkles showing through.
For the flower, I used an anemone cutter. I do not have a silicone mold kit to give lifelike texture to the petals so I just roughly used a veining tool. I did not try to make it look real - I just wanted it to have a little texture which is why the lines are so far apart. The centre is black gumpaste that I painted silver and covered with disco dust. The stamens were white and I painted them with silver dust mixed with vodka. One day it would be nice to actually try to make a realistic looking flower, like an open peony. The thought of having to put wire through petals without ripping them is a bit daunting though.
The bottom tier is covered in silver 'glam ribbon'. The ribbon is very easy to use. Just wash it with a bit of dish detergent, let it dry, cut to size, paint a bit of edible sugar glue onto the cake and attach! The only thing to be aware of is that if your cake is not straight, it is really going to show with this ribbon, so take the extra time to ensure your cake is level and your buttercream is straight on the sides of the cake.
I loved the simplicity of this cake, even with all of the glam, glitter and confetti. I have 4 pounds and 15 ounces of candy sequins left. That's a lot of sprinkle type projects in the future...


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Nov 9, 2008
should i stay or should i go?
I didn't watch it intending to talk about it, but here I am anyway, flapping my cyber-gums.
I found The Mist (2007) far more engaging than I'd anticipated; despite its numerous "problems", I was into it all the way- in other words, I was entertained. An odd notion, that, to be simply entertained by a film. Because I end up writing about a majority of the movies I watch (especially horror), sometimes it seems as though I'm watching them through a filter. I'm taking notes, I'm thinking about shot composition, I'm writing jokes in my head...in other words, at times I'm more consumed with the review I'm going to write the next day than I am with the movie I'm spending my time with. Not cool.
After a while, it sucks the joy out of the whole shebang. I end up not watching certain films because I know I'll want to write about them but I don't feel like writing about them right then. It's not that talking about movies (ie, Final Girl) is a chore...it's that sometimes I want to watch something without having to have a notebook in front of me; my brain then tells me that that's a wasted post opportunity and so I either put the DVD back on the shelf or I watch through that filter. Again, not cool.
I think this is part of the reason why I disappear for a week or two, sometimes. The last thing I want is for watching horror movies to feel like work. I need to step away from it all from time to time in order to fan the flames.
As I said, I popped in The Mist last night without any intentions beyond simply watching a damn movie. I didn't write anything down. I wasn't thinking critically- or, at least, critically in any formal sense. I wasn't trying to pre-articulate my thoughts; I wasn't thinking about jokes; I wasn't noting the times of great screenshots. I tuned in strictly as an audience member (something I do far too infrequently), I let the film wash over me, and I was entertained.
So why am I posting this? Well, it turned out that I wanted to talk about The Mist, even if I don't want to write up some big fat review.
Oddly enough, virtually everything I want to say about it seems to come off as a negative. The characters, particularly, are little more than your typical stock, one-note jobs. With the exception of William Sadler's Jim, everyone acts pretty much how we'd expect him or her to act. No one has an "arc", no one changes his or her mind about anything, and I'll be damned if there's any actual conversation in the film. Mrs. Carmody (Marcia Gay Harden), in particular, is all but a caricature and I found her flock-gathering skills to be dubious at best, but in the end she made a posse right quick.
The Mist follows the usual beats that most horror movie fans- particularly zombie fans- will be overly familiar with. There's the shocking first incident. There's the person who underestimates the threat, wanders into the thick of it, and ends up dead. There's the "Oh, fuck!" moment when the survivors' fortress is broken; it surprised me, however, when this event didn't send the film speeding towards its end. There's the run for supplies that turns into a clusterfuck. There's the battle between the goers and the stayers. It's Night of the Living Dead with CGI monsters.
I'm so glad The Mist got its shittiest effects out of the way first- Mainefolks' first encounter with the enemy- those tentacles- looked pretty bad. From there on out it got better and better, and I really dug the way there was always something more out there- something deadlier, something badder, something much, much bigger. While I like the giant monster subgenre, it's never really thrilled me the way it probably should. When that impossible figure strolls by near the film's end, however- such a wonderful and horrifying casual moment- my mouth fell open. It's a moment I wish I'd seen first on the big screen.
And how 'bout that ending, huh? I gotta say, it really pissed me off- not so much because it's such a downer, such a "D'oh!" moment of epic proportions- but because it just didn't fit. It's too neat, too pat, and too damn illogical. To make it work, I think writer/director Frank Darabont needed another half hour in a film that's perhaps already overlong (it is long, but I never found myself checking my watch or disengaging). The ending raises more questions than it answers, and it feels as added for shock value as the completely improbable ending to Pieces (which I'll stop being obsessed with one of these days). How did the military get a handle on this thing so quickly? How long was our plucky band of survivors driving before they ran out of gas? Why did they give up so damn soon once they did? It happened too quickly. Too quickly- especially when, up until that point, they'd all risked their lives so often for a chance at survival. It felt vastly unfair, but not in the way that it should have.
Despite all this, I really had a good time watching The Mist. Maybe I should put the notebook away more often...sometimes, I guess, ignorance is bliss.
22 comments:
- Stacia said...
I didn't read the review completely, because "The Mist" is a movie I'd eventually like to see and I didn't want to be entirely spoiled. Your post makes me want to see it even more. I'll have to trundle off to Netflix after this.
As to watching films for blogging, I completely agree. I avoid watching movies because I want to "save" it for the blog, and it just ultimately makes me stop watching movies altogether. - 11/9/08, 5:37 PM
- anytime_now said...
"The mist", was, like you said, entertaining. But in the least sense of the word (in my opinion). Meaning to say, that I wouldn't have paid $14 + a box of popcorn to view it in the cinemas (actually, I don't think it even hit the screens here..oooh). I didn't know whether to cry or laugh when the film ended the way it did.. haha. (:
Oh, being the Guru of all things horror. I'm sure you've heard of the recently released (Aussie?) film: "Dying Breed". Leigh Whannel stars in it.. Am I right to assume that it's going to be pretty decent? :D. Anyways, the poster's uber cool + clever!
Take care (: - 11/9/08, 7:38 PM
- PIPER said...
Good points up front. I find myself tweaking my ideas about a film so it fits into a blog idea. That ain't right.
I did not care for The Mist, although I enjoyed the short story.
I've heard that watching it in Black and White is a different experience entirely. Did you watch it in B&W?
The ending felt like Darabont was trying to shake his sweet image. - 11/9/08, 9:17 PM
- FatalPierce said...
The exact words I gave to a friend when he asked abut The Mist were "99.999% of a really fun movie followed by about a minute of 'what the fucK?' at the end"
And yeah those bad tentacles at the beginning did worry me at the beginning, but then not much later there was a giant spider that almost made me leave the room... So that evened out I suppose. - 11/9/08, 9:30 PM
- AE said...
I think I would have almost loved this movie if it hadn't been for the ending. For that to work, things should've been made a lot more dire, and the mood throughout should've been darker. It felt to me like an alternate ending that made everyone go "Ha! Wouldn't it be crazy if we actually used this?" and then at the last minute they did. Not organic. It made me feel like I was watching a long, smartass joke instead of a movie, and it put me right off.
- Wes Fierce said...
I almost lost all of my credibility when I said I didn't like the Mist, lol. Besides the fact that the survival horror plot has been infinitely recycled, the characters broken logic was the biggest turn off for me. (I'll eventually post the review for the placemarker on my site, haha.)
I've made it a point to only study films that I have already seen so that I can experience the story the way the filmmakers intended, the first time. That way I can feel what works and what doesn't before I try to dissect it. That also gives me time to reflect on my initial reaction so I can form a balanced opinion. Though, I still try to stay as objective as possible. - 11/10/08, 1:23 AM
- Margarita said...
I felt the same way about the ending, when it happened I was so pissed! They went through ALL of that bullshit, fighting tooth and nail to survive, only to give up at the first sign of some new impossible trouble? Like they hadn't already been going through it throughout the entire movie? If it was me I would have just waited until the last possible second, say if one of those uglies decided to come make a feast out of that beat up little jeep. Why jump the gun like that? So to speak. But I did love the movie, I found it thoroughly enjoyable and I've loved that Steven King short story for a long time.
I can only agree with the other posters - the ending is terrible and ruined the movie for me.
Btw.: Unfortunately Dying Breed is terrible too - just another DTV backwoods slasher movie and not even a particularly good one. - 11/10/08, 4:42 AM
It seems The Mist is one of those movies that polarizes fans to loving it or hating it without many people in the middle.
Personally, I loved it. If it reopened today I'd go see it again. It's a movie that plays very well on a big screen. (IMAX?)
The ending is a big smack in the face. Some people seem to take it better than others.
Best of all, it's not based on "found" footage. - 11/10/08, 10:15 AM
I liked The Mist, although you're right on all points.
Have you read the short story? The ending is completely different, and more open-ended. And, it involves a HoJo's.
I've become less frequent with my blogging for the same reasons you have. That, and sometimes, I just don't feel like watching horror movies for awhile. - 11/10/08, 10:27 AM
- Leetal said...
There is no reason to ever stop talking about Pieces.
I have to be in the minority here. I thought the ending was great. It was one of those moments when things do not end with "It's over, and it's time to rebuild."
It was a WTF moment that left you stunned as you walked out of the theater. When a movie does that to me, I have to give it props. - 11/10/08, 1:20 PM
- Corey said...
all this time later, i still can't decide whether i loved or hated the ending... although i'm fairly sure it's one or the other.
what i am certain of is that watching the film in b&w is a far better experience. it's all somehow more cinematic... and those tentacles are far creepier desaturated. - 11/10/08, 2:41 PM
- Lisa Bee said...
I agree. I found The Mist far more entertaining than I had expected and I also wished I had seen it on a big screen. And your take on the ending is the best I've seen.
I must admit though, that I didn't mind the end as much as other people. I was fine with it, and wasn't bothered by the nihilism or the rush to just be done with it all, right up until the final shot. That seemed to be a cruel joke, just for the sake of a joke and caused me to question everything that led up to it. - 11/10/08, 7:57 PM
The problem with the ending isn't that it is nihilistic or unhappy, it's just so poorly conceived and badly done, although I must admit that the implications bothered me too - essentially the ending suggests that the crazy lady was right all along and it was all about God expecting a sacrifice. Seen from that perspective, the ending makes slightly more sense, but the entire preceeding film gets considerably worse.
- Arbogast said...
I must admit that the implications bothered me too - essentially the ending suggests that the crazy lady was right all along
Aren't crazy people usually right. I'm thinking principally of the case of Crazy Ralph v. Camp Crystal Lake.
"You're all doooomed!" - 11/11/08, 2:59 PM
To me, the ending had nothing to do with justifying the crazy lady's..er..craziness. The ending was rushed, but it wasn't that outlandish....large, hulking creatures not withstanding.
One year later I no longer think the end is rushed. Once you've decided that your situation is hopeless, why prolong the agony, especially after they saw the giant impossible nightmare thingee?
Maybe they "rushed" so that they wouldn't lose their nerve. It can't be easy to kill your little boy or to face being killed yourself.
It's mean, and it's awful, but it's closer in spirit to true "horror" than a lot of what passes in the genre nowadays. I give it a lot of credit, even though I didn't think it was a particularly good film at the time. - 11/12/08, 1:43 PM
- The Igloo Keeper said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
I love The Mist, such a great picture, mostly because it's a short story from Stephen King, glad to know you liked this bad-body!
- Jeff R said...
To all reading I'ld just like to apologise for "Dying Breed" though since you lot gave us those "Twilight" movies I don't see why I should.
Go watch "Lake Mungo" instead Kids for your Down Under horror fix.
Ending of "The Mist", seemed out of place and happened way to fast to be believable in any shape or form. - 2/1/10, 7:32 PM
- Lyra215 said...
Now this, is a movie that needs a remake. Those effects really aged badly.. or maybe they were awful from the get go.
Also, in case of a remake, that ending needs to go, it's bullshit, when i saw it, it completely ruined my experience.
Goddamit, i almost had a good time. - 10/22/20, 7:37 PM


text:
Inattentional blindness
Daniel J. Simons (2007), Scholarpedia, 2(5):3244. | doi:10.4249/scholarpedia.3244 | revision #91372 [link to/cite this article] |
Inattentional blindness is the failure to notice a fully-visible, but unexpected object because attention was engaged on another task, event, or object.
This phenomenon is related to but distinct from other failures of visual awareness such as change blindness, repetition blindness, visual masking, and the attentional blink. In most cases, studies of inattentional blindness involve a single critical trial in which an object appears unexpectedly while observers are performing their task. At the end of the trial, observers are asked a series of questions to determine whether or not they saw the unexpected object.
Overview of inattentional blindness research
The term "inattentional blindness" was coined by Arien Mack and Irvin Rock to describe the results of their extensive studies of the visual perception of unexpected objects. Many of their studies from the early 1990s culminated in their 1998 Book entitled "Inattentional Blindness" (Mack & Rock, 1998). In their canonical task, observers view a briefly-presented cross on a computer display and attempt to judge whether the horizontal or vertical arm of the cross is longer. On a critical trial, an additional shape appears in the display, and after the trial, observers are asked whether they noticed anything other than the cross on that trial. Subsequent trials examine whether observers notice the shape now that it is expected (they know it can appear). Such trials were described as divided attention trials. Finally, observers often complete one trial in which they are told to ignore the cross and to report anything they see (see Figure 1). This "full attention" trial serves as a control condition to demonstrate that the unexpected object was perceptible even if it was not perceived on the critical trial. Using this approach, Mack, Rock, and their students and colleagues showed that people often miss the unexpected shape on the critical trial, even when it was a unique color and appeared for 200ms. Noticing rates typically ranged from 25-75% depending on the condition.
Although Mack and Rock coined the term inattentional blindness, earlier work had explored similar failures of awareness under conditions of selective attention. In perhaps the most prominent early demonstrations of this phenomenon, Ulric Neisser and his colleagues (Neisser, 1979; Neisser & Becklen, 1975) used a selective looking task to explore the role of attention in the detection of unexpected events. Their task was a visual analogue of earlier dichotic listening methods in which people often failed to notice the content of speech presented to one ear when they were actively focusing attention on speech presented to the other ear (e.g., Moray, 1959). In the studies by Neisser and colleagues, observers viewed two distinct, superimposed videos of people performing simple actions such as passing a basketball or playing a hand-slapping game. When observers focused attention on one of the events, they often failed to notice an unexpected event occurring in the other. For example, when counting the number of times several people passed a basketball while ignoring a hand-slapping game, they often failed to notice when the people in the hand-slapping stopped and shook hands (Neisser & Becklen, 1975). Recent replications and extensions of this approach by Simons and Chabris (1999) showed that such sustained inattentional blindness occurs even when the unexpected object is fully visible and the displays are not superimposed. In their study, participants counted basketball passes by players wearing white shirts and ignored passes made by players wearing black. Under these conditions, approximately 50% of observers failed to notice when a person in a gorilla suit entered the display, stopped and faced the camera, thumped its chest, and exited on the far side of the display (see movies at http://www.dansimons.com/videos.html).
More recent studies of inattentional blindness have explored how aspects of the task and stimuli contribute to inattentional blindness and the detection of unexpected objects: the role of expectations in the detection of unexpected objects (Most et al, 2005), the role of visual similarity of the unexpected objects to the attended and ignored items in the display (Most et al, 2001), the role of visual distinctiveness of the unexpected object, and the role of spatial proximity of the unexpected object to the focus of attention (Newby & Rock, 1998; Most et al, 2000). Other recent studies have examined how differences in the observers affect detection, including the effects of alcohol consumption (Clifasefi et al, 2006) or expertise in the primary task (Memmert, 2006).
Classifying a failure of awareness as inattentional blindness
All of the following criteria must hold to classify a failure of awareness as inattentional blindness as opposed to a different type of failure of awareness. Note that not all failures of awareness that result from distraction or inattention to a stimulus constitute inattentional blindness.
- Observers fail to notice a visual object or event
- The object or event is fully-visible and observers readily see it if they are looking for it
- The failure to notice results from engagement of attention on other aspects of the display and not from aspects of the visual stimulus itself
- The object or event is unexpected
Why it matters that the critical stimulus is unexpected
Traditionally, inattentional blindness refers specifically to the failure to notice unexpected objects. Some recent studies have demonstrated failures to notice objects that occur on many trials due to attentional engagement on a primary task. In such cases, the critical objects are expected, but observers fail to report them because they are engaged in another task. Although such failures of awareness can be attributed to attentional engagement, they do not precisely constitute examples of inattentional blindness. When a critical stimulus appears repeatedly during an experiment, observers do have a reason to look for it (they will be asked about it). Consequently, it might be attended, just not sufficiently to produce awareness of it. Such failures of awareness might be due to insufficient attention rather than inattention. The unexpected nature of the critical stimulus is what differentiates inattentional blindness from other failures of awareness due to distraction or attentional failures (e.g., the attentional blink).
Inattentional blindness or inattentional amnesia
Conclusions from studies of inattentional blindness are premised on the idea that a failure to report an unexpected stimulus results from a failure to see that stimulus. In principle, though, people might fail to report the unexpected stimulus even if they did see it – they could simply forget that they saw it by the time they are asked about it. That is, they have inattentional amnesia rather than inattentional blindness (Wolfe, 1999). Differentiating these alternatives might be impossible because questioning inherently occurs after the event, leaving open the possibility of forgetting. Whether or not the inattentional amnesia explanation is more plausible or palatable is a matter of debate. For the amnesia account to hold, observers would have to consciously perceive the unexpected object and then forget that they saw it, something that might be less plausible when the unexpected object is particularly distinctive or unusual (e.g., a person in a gorilla suit).
Inattentional blindness or inattentional agnosia
Another alternative to the inattentional blindness account is that observers see the critical object in the display but do not process it extensively and consequently do not retain it. In essence, they experience inattentional agnosia (see Simons, 2000). They might see that there is something in the display, but not identify it as a gorilla. In fact, they might not identify it as a coherent object at all. Under this explanation, something is perceived, but it is not perceived as some "thing." Because it is not encoded as a thing, it is not remembered and reported after the display is removed. However, evidence that the critical object can prime a subsequent response suggests that it is processed to some extent, even when it is not reported.
Change blindness or inattentional blindness
Change blindness refers to the failure to notice something different about a display whereas inattentional blindness refers to a failure to see something present in a display. Although these two phenomena are related, they are also distinct. Change blindness inherently involves memory — people fail to notice something different about the display from one moment to the next; that is, they must compare two displays to spot the change (see Simons & Rensink, 2005). The signal for change detection is the difference between two displays, and neither display on its own can provide evidence that a change occurred. In contrast, inattentional blindness refers to a failure to notice something about an individual display. The missed element does not require memory – people fail to notice that something is present in a display. In a sense, most inattentional blindness tasks could be construed as change blindness tasks by noting that people fail to see the introduction of the unexpected object (a change – it was not present before and now it is). However, inattentional blindness specifically refers to a failure to see the object altogether, not to a failure to compare the current state of a display to an earlier state stored in memory.
What is perceived in spite of inattentional blindness?
Studies of inattentional blindness demonstrate that people fail to notice unexpected objects in a display. Or, more precisely, that they fail to report having noticed an unexpected object. The information from the unexpected object is filtered from awareness by the time people are asked about it. However, it is unclear how much processing of the unexpected object occurs before this filtering. In its strongest form, the word "blindness" implies that the information is processed minimally if at all. However, other evidence suggests that the unexpected object is processed and that it can influence perception. For example, when the unexpected object involves the grouping of background dots in a display, the unreported grouping can affect judgments of line length in the Mueller-Lyer illusion (Moore & Egeth, 1997). And, as for early studies of dichotic listening (Treisman, 1964), some stimuli apparently are less subject to inattentional blindness. For example, observers typically fail to see common words in the Mack and Rock task, but they do see their own name when it appears unexpectedly (Mack & Rock, 1998). Observers also show some priming from unreported words as evidenced by a tendency to complete word fragments with the unreported word rather than other more common words (Mack & Rock, 1998). These findings suggest that the unexpected object is processed, possibly to a semantic level, even when it is unreported. If so, they also suggest that the inattentional agnosia explanation is wrong, at least at some level — semantic processing implies that the object was identified at some level of the visual system.
Evidence that the unreported stimulus is processed to some extent is reminiscent of other research on subliminal perception, the idea that unseen stimuli exert an influence on perception or possibly behavior. However, care must be taken to draw strong inferences about implicit or subliminal perception from the inattentional blindness tasks. Inattentional blindness tasks rely on a single critical trial to determine whether or not an unexpected object was consciously perceived. However, the inference that it was not perceived depends on a report after the trial, and such reports are subject to many influences other than just whether or not the object was seen. For example, some people might be more hesitant to report an incredible object when they lack certainty that they saw it (in signal detection terms, they respond conservatively). If so, they might not report the unexpected object even if they have some inkling that something might have been present in the display. In other words, they might have consciously perceived the unexpected object, but been hesitant to say so definitively. With only one critical trial, the inattentional blindness task is poorly designed to discriminate between the ability to detect the stimulus and biases in the tendency to report the stimulus. That said, the unexpected object does fall below a subjective threshold for awareness in that people do not report it. And, that subjective threshold for awareness may be practically important, even if observers objectively saw something.
Broader Implications
Evidence for inattentional blindness comes mostly from relatively simple laboratory tasks, but the phenomenon likely has many daily analogues. For example, automobile accident reports frequently report driver claims that they "looked but failed to see" the other vehicle. Many collisions between cars and motorcycles involve cars turning in front of an oncoming motorcycle, with the car driver not seeing the motorcyclist. Given that in many contexts, motorcycles are less common that cars, inattentional blindness is more likely. Critically, the difficulty of the primary task in an inattentional blindness task increases the probability that people will miss the unexpected object. In practical terms, the more people focus on aspects of their visual world other than the detection of unexpected objects, the less likely they are to detect such objects. Recent evidence suggests that talking on a cell phone, for example, dramatically increases the probability of missing an unexpected object (Scholl et al, 2003).
Although inattentional blindness constitutes a limit of the visual system, it also illustrates a critical aspect of visual processing. Specifically, it reveals the role of selective attention in perception. Inattentional blindness represents a consequence of this critical process that allows us to remain focused on important aspects of our world without distraction from irrelevant objects and events. Only when those unselected aspects of our world are both unexpected and important does inattentional blindness have practical consequences. And, inattentional blindness itself may be useful in some contexts. For example, by guiding selective attention to one part of a display, it is possible to reduce the visual quality of a different part of the display with minimal consequence, possibly allowing greater visual compression in motion sequences (Cater et al, 2002).
- Cater, K., Chalmers, A., & Ledda, P. (2002). Selective quality rendering by exploiting human inattentional blindness: looking but not seeing. Proceedings of the ACM symposium on Virtual reality software and technology. http://doi.acm.org/10.1145/585740.585744.
- Clifasefi, S. L., Takarangi, M. K. T., & Bergman, J. S. (2006). Blind Drunk: The Effects of Alcohol on Inattentional Blindness. Applied cognitive psychology, 20(5), 697-704.
- Haines, R. F. (1991). A breakdown in simultaneous information processing. In G. Obrecht & L. W. Stark (Eds.), Presbyopia Research: From Molecular Biology to Visual Adaptation (pp. 171-175). New York: Plenum.
- Mack, A., & Rock, I. (1998). Inattentional blindness. Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
- Memmert, D. (2006). The effects of eye movements, age, and expertise on inattentional blindness. Consciousness and Cognition, 15(3), 620-627.
- Moore, C. M., & Egeth, H. (1997). Perception without attention: Evidence of grouping under conditions of inattention. Journal of Experimental Psychology: Human Perception & Performance, 23(2), 339-352.
- Moray, N. (1959). Attention in dichotic listening: Affective cues and the influence of instructions. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 11, 56-60.
- Most, S. B., Scholl, B. J., Clifford, E., & Simons, D. J. (2005). What you see is what you set: Sustained inattentional blindness and the capture of awareness. Psychological Review, 112(1), 217-242.
- Most, S. B., Simons, D. J., Scholl, B. J., & Chabris, C. F. (2000). Sustained inattentional blindness: The role of location in the detection of unexpected dynamic events. Psyche, 6(14), http://psyche.cs.monash.edu.au/v6/psyche-6-14-most.html.
- Most, S. B., Simons, D. J., Scholl, B. J., Jimenez, R., Clifford, E., & Chabris, C. F. (2001). How not to be seen: The contribution of similarity and selective ignoring to sustained inattentional blindness. Psychological Science, 12(1), 9-17.
- Neisser, U. (1979). The control of information pickup in selective looking. In A. D. Pick (Ed.), Perception and its development: A tribute to Eleanor J. Gibson (pp. 201-219). Hillsdale, NJ: Lawrence Erlbaum.
- Neisser, U., & Becklen, R. (1975). Selective looking: Attending to visually specified events. Cognitive Psychology, 7(4), 480-494.
- Newby, E. A., & Rock, I. (1998). Inattentional blindness as a function of proximity to the focus of attention. Perception, 27, 1025-1040.
- Scholl, B. J., Noles, N. S., Pasheva, V., & Sussman, R. (2003). Talking on a cellular telephone dramatically increases 'sustained inattentional blindness' [Abstract]. Journal of Vision, 3(9):156, 156a, http://journalofvision.org/3/9/156/, doi:10.1167/3.9.156.
- Simons, D. J. (2000). Attentional capture and inattentional blindness. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 4(4), 147-155.
- Simons, D. J., & Chabris, C. F. (1999). Gorillas in our midst: Sustained inattentional blindness for dynamic events. Perception, 28, 1059-1074.
- Simons, D. J., & Rensink, R. A. (2005). Change blindness: past, present, and future. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 9(1), 16-20.
- Treisman, A. (1964). Monitoring and storage of irrelevant messages in selective attention. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal Behavior, 3, 449-459.
- Wolfe, J. M. (1999). Inattentional amnesia. In V. Coltheart (Ed.), Fleeting Memories: Cognition of Brief Visual Stimuli (pp. 71-94). Cambridge, MA: MIT Press.
Internal references
- Anil K Seth (2007) Models of consciousness. Scholarpedia, 2(1):1328.
- Florian Mormann and Christof Koch (2007) Neural correlates of consciousness. Scholarpedia, 2(12):1740.
- Bruno G. Breitmeyer and Haluk Ogmen (2007) Visual masking. Scholarpedia, 2(7):3330.
External Links
See also
Attention, Cognition, Models of Consciousness, Neural Correlates of Consciousness, Consciousness and Attention, Visual Cognition, Visual Attention, Change Blindness


text:
I saw this post on Facebook today, and wanted to share. It gives the original author's name, but unfortunately no links or anything to track him down. If anyone has any info on the original author, so I can provide links to his website/social media/whatever, it would be much appreciated:
I listened as they called my President a Muslim.
I listened as they called him and his family a pack of monkeys.
I listened as they said he wasn't born here.
I watched as they blocked every single path to progress that they could.
I saw the pictures of him as Hitler.
I watched them shut down the government and hurt the entire nation twice.
I watched them turn their backs on every opportunity to open worthwhile dialogue.
I watched them say that they would not even listen to any choice for Supreme Court no matter who the nominee was.
I listened as they openly said that they will oppose him at every turn.
I watched as they did just that.
I listened.
I watched.
I paid attention.
Now, I'm being called on to be tolerant.
To move forward.
To denounce protesters.
To "Get over it."
To accept this...
I will not.
I will do my part to make sure this great American mistake becomes the embarrassing footnote of our history that it deserves to be.
I will do this as quickly as possible every chance I get.
I will do my part to limit the damage that this man can do to my country.
I will watch his every move and point out every single mistake and misdeed in a loud and proud voice.
I will let you know in a loud voice every time this man backs away from a promise he made to them.
Them. The people who voted for him.
The ones who sold their souls and prayed for him to win.
I will do this so that they never forget.
And they will hear me.
They will see it in my eyes when I look at them.
They will hear it in my voice when I talk to them.
They will know that I know who they are.
They will know that I know what they are.
Do not call for my tolerance. I've tolerated all I can.
Now it's their turn to tolerate ridicule.
Be aware, make no mistake about it, every single thing that goes wrong in our country from this day forward is now Trump's fault just as much as they thought it was Obama's.
I find it unreasonable for them to expect from me what they were entirely unwilling to give.
Jeremy Zabel