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Summer Garden Collection - Building a Summer Garden with Kids
We love our children and we want to teach them to value the things that are important to us.
These things include morals, integrity, ingenuity, and an appreciation for the things in life that we consider beautiful and worth expending our energy, time, and effort in order to create. One of those things that many of us love sharing with our children is our love of gardening.
Whether you are creating a spectacular garden worthy of acclaim, fame, and blue ribbons everywhere or a simple garden that will hold pretty flowers and a few favorite vegetables there are many lessons that your children can learn from working the earth by your side.
The first, and perhaps best, lesson that most children learn when working in the garden is that life works in cycles. This is an important lesson for children, as it is a lesson that will be repeated often throughout the course of their lives.
Of course, this is only one of the many lessons that gardening will teach but gardening is one of the kindest ways I've ever seen this lesson learned and it helps ease children into those times when lessons about the cycle of life are not so kindly or gently presented.
The next lesson that gardening teaches children is that persistent effort often pays out with delightful results. Whether their gardening efforts yielded sweet peppers or pretty flowers, there is often a desired result that is achieved through gardening.
If you really want to capture your children's attention when it comes to gardening choose a fast-growing plant for their first gardening experience. The ability to see the fruits of their labor quickly appear is often one of the greatest gifts we can give our children.
If you want to guide your children towards the path of creating a summer garden without quite the fanfare or responsibility you may want to begin
simply-perhaps with a potted plant or a hanging tomato plant or something similar that will yield visible and tasty results with much less effort, time, or attention being required in order to achieve quick and enthusiastic results.
Be sure to point out interesting facts about the different plants in your garden that may be exciting to children to learn. Remember your first gardening experiences and share them with your children. You may be surprised to find how much you have in common with your children when it comes to ideas and enthusiasm concerning summer gardens.
When planning a summer garden with kids you need to consider all of the things you would consider when planning other summer gardens but relate those things to pint sized hands and sponge-like minds. Kids soak up every ounce of information we provide them at an alarming rate. Be careful that you aren't teaching them incorrect logic when it comes to gardening and growing beautiful summer plants.
More importantly, you should make a concerted effort to ensure that you are teaching your children the positive aspects of gardening so that this becomes an activity they look to for enjoyment and pleasure rather than approaching with dread.
You should also take great pains to ensure that you allow your children to grow the things they will like in your summer garden too. Strawberries and watermelon are popular favorites for younger hands to grow because little mouths enjoy eating these delicious fruits that can be grown in most gardens. They also like to grow flowers that they can tend and watch throughout the summer if flowers are your summer garden calling rather than food.
When gardening with children there are many lessons that you can teach your children along the way. Science, math, and meteorology all have roles in gardening but you should also be on the lookout for the valuable lessons that your children can teach you about gardening and life in general when you take them out to work with you in your summer garden.


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PSYCHOMAGIC"Bad Ideas" (Curly Cassettes)
Portland's Psychomagic offer up their first tape on "Bad Ideas", their sophomore album release. As I listened to the opening cut, Go Go Ladies (From Outer Space), I was immediately reminded of that surf-party recipe that made The B-52's so compelling. But as Your Lover and the third track, Gumball Crazy were quick to demonstrate, this band is so much more than that. The five-piece (two guitars, keys, bass and drums) exhibit a vast array of influences and have that rare magic touch that allows everything to sound remarkably familiar yet retain the bands uniqueness throughout. All ten original compositions exemplify the band's trademark punk and garage stylings yet the craftsmanship and production take the whole affair up a notch or two.
Diverse similarity, if such a thing is possible, is rampant throughout. A love-sick Transylvanian, a mind warped cult member and other off the beaten path characters parade through these songs. One after another, in spite of the zaniness, they, wrapped in catchy hooks and clever phrasing, suck you in and leave you wanting more until the next cut starts the process yet again. And so it goes throughout the tape leaving you only coming up for air long enough to flip it over.
Willamette Week, a paper in their hometown, awarded them finalists in their yearly best new band category while describing them as "a broken kaleidoscope designed to give flower children bad trips." In truth, the songs that singer/guitarist Steven Fusco and drummer Anthony Brisson write are both compelling and enjoyable listening. The album was recorded and released on those "other" formats by L.A.'s Lollipop Records with the tape being issued in November of 2015 on Curly Cassettes (www.curlycassettes.com).
-- Bob Zilli
SAD HORSE "SH" C20 (Curly Cassettes)
The tape consists of six short songs, and I think it would be a good idea to examine each track as its own entity.
Still Thirsty - The vocalist in this track is definitely a unique one. Her style is reminiscent of Jack White's style in The White Stripes' album White Blood Cells. The almost scratchy voice that shouts and "woo"s at the listener incessantly should not compliment the mellifluous instrumental as well as it does. It's a very happy song, and there isn't a much better way to describe it. The substantial use of percussion (specifically the smashing and thrashing of cymbals) stood out strongly.
Still Thirsty - The vocalist in this track is definitely a unique one. Her style is reminiscent of Jack White's style in The White Stripes' album White Blood Cells. The almost scratchy voice that shouts and "woo"s at the listener incessantly should not compliment the mellifluous instrumental as well as it does. It's a very happy song, and there isn't a much better way to describe it. The substantial use of percussion (specifically the smashing and thrashing of cymbals) stood out strongly.
For Real Now - There's a different, male vocalist in this track, and the lyrics are significantly more understandable than in the last track. The style of rock in this track is evocative of that of early 2000s boy bands, save for the generic lead singer and mediocre instrument use. It's certainly as catchy as those mainstream hit singles, and the outstanding use of bass is certainly worth a compliment or two.
Can't Remember - The first thing that came to mind when I heard this track was "The Strokes". This song is precisely the kind of song one would expect on The Strokes' album Angles. Fans of The Strokes (or rather, the style they've become) would appreciate this song greatly, and again the bass creates a most noteworthy sound.
So Far Away - This song differs from the rest of the tracks on the tape in that it's performed and recorded live. It's equally pleasant to listen to and it's a nice change from the more powerful overtone that the previous tracks had created. It's soft and establishes a very friendly atmosphere in the listener's head. Not a bad track at all.
SH - Bass, bass, bass! I can't tell you how much I love the bass in this album, especially in this track. It's a purely instrumental track and the shortest on the album, but it definitely conveys the mood that the title of the track/album seeks to deliver (SH = Sad Horse). It doesn't need vocals to sound any more perfect than it sounds.
(This Is What It's Like) In Heaven - The (remarkably less talented) female vocalist is back for the last track on the album. If Phil Collins suffered from strep throat and had just stopped crying, this is what he would sound like. Sad Horse didn't save the best for last, but every album has its lame-ass track. This was SH's.
This is a more than decent album. This artist definitely deserves your support.
Overall, I give it a 7.5/10
-- M. Syed
This is a more than decent album. This artist definitely deserves your support.
Overall, I give it a 7.5/10
-- M. Syed
NICKY Z "Boat Fetish" (Hem & Lock Tapes)
Looney dust cloud spotting after the drop. Falling into ice water with the microphone still plugged in generates shock. This gulch ain't dry. Where'd that stray cat go? One second it's a-shimmying and a-shaking on some big rock, and the next second it's over down a-ways making wet stray sounds. It doesn't give us much of a chance. The mindless breeze sort of tosses the stray fur around. The stray fur sort of gets lumped into little furballs every once in awhile, but not for long. If anyone actually saw you in the thick of that dust cloud splashing in the gulch chasing furballs they'd probably think you were crazy, I reckon. Especially if they knew how much lotion you had put on ahead of time.
"absolute (0) embrace"
(Bicephalic Records)
In the day and age of a generation gone astray on wild
concepts such as 'Netflix and chill', thankfully we still have some people who
prefer 'spooky dark ambient and j card photo of outer space'. This split tape
between Faint Glow and Somnaphon will appease the later and cause the former to
shit their pants…assuming they were still wearing them.
Both acts give roughly 15 minutes of terse, unforgiving
soundscapes a piece. On side A I found myself immersed in the vortex of Faint
Glow's "Inside A Red Storm" to the point where I could almost feel the wind
hitting me. By the end of those tracks I was floored. Somnaphon didn't let me
off the hook after I flipped the tape over. The humming of an impending doom on
"Wasp Star" had me looking over my shoulder. Sometimes split releases are
plagued by one side that totally outclasses the other. I am happy to report
that is not the case here. Now may the word "happy" never again be used to
describe either of these acts. Check it out in the link below.
-- Roy Blumenfeld
"Death Poems" C46
(Breathe Plastic Records)
The Fifth Alliance offered a promising album cover and an intricately designed cassette tape, housed in a beautifully crafted display box and accompanied by a most useful lyrics insert. For this reason I was excited to pop the tape into my boombox and give it a listen. And it seems I was write to be excited.
I listen to a variety of musical genres, one of which includes metalcore (the figurative "baby" of heavy metal music). For this reason I can never quite appreciate a song featuring all unclean vocals the way I can if it features a few clean vocals, and I've certainly never been a fan of sludge metal. However, the first track on this tape broke this dogma of mine. "Your Abyss" features three minutes of build-up to something intense and unknown, then blasts the most perfect screams at you. These vocals are most wonderfully in sync with the elaborate instrumental layout, and the guitarist for this band is without a doubt a skilled one at that.
My only complaint (and a decidedly slight one) is that the vocals were all high-pitched screams, when the music clearly called for growls and deeper, throat-oriented screams.
I rate this album an 8.5/10; there was clear effort and it definitely paid off in a most wonderful composition, and if you're into sludge metal, this effort surely deserves to be rewarded.
Favorite track: Your Abyss
-- Mansoor Syed
CRUZ SOMERS "Here Comes the Tarp" C20
(OJC Recordings)
Cruz Somers of Socialites sounds like Black Francis fronting a cross
between the Ramones and Devo. Right? Cause eff yah that sounds like something I
wanna do all the time. Or maybe "I Wanna Be Your Dog" run through a rock
crusher might be a more apt description. Ah heck, I'll go with the first one.
This is LA underground sheez whiz Repo
Man style in abandoned buildings and parking lots, doing crimes and melting
down in Cold War hysteria. There's a thing as green as this tape in your trunk,
and it flipping glows. These five songs (or six, depending on whether you
consider "Your Future/Dog Dance" one song or two) are causing total panic at
the discotheque, so hit the deck.
I'm almost certain a Trapper Keeper fight is going to break out in my
vicinity. When it does, I'm ready. I have a yellow sport Walkman with this
thing in it, and I'm ready to hit stuff with my binder emblazoned with pastel
geometric shapes. Let's rock this joint. Let's remind everybody that this is
how to channel your anger. Let's jump up and down on industrial scrap. Let's
drink cheap beer and have fun.
Who cares anymore? Cruz Somers is kicking ass and taking names, wearing
a turtleneck with the sleeves cut off at the shoulders. It probably looks
--Ryan Masteller
HEY EXIT "Else" (Self Released)
Hey Exit is the solo
project of Brendan Landis. If "Else" were a movie starring Landis here is how
it would go. Boy meets baritone guitar. Boy falls in love with guitar yet
decides rock and roll music is too boring and confined to let him express what
he wants to express through music. Boy decides conventions are for squares and
turns the guitar from instrument to tool which he uses to craft ambient
compositions and save Western civilization.
The movie would be
among the greatest stories ever told. There would be romance, introspection,
and a grand storyline. Since you will probably never get a chance to see it in
film form you should stream + download the music instead from the link below.
-- Roy Blumenfeld
"Little Mac" C21
(White Reeves Productions)
Is Lil Mac an ode to a dog,
presumably named Lil Mac? I don't know. That's certainly my guess, though, as I
can imagine pet owners grow a certain affinity for their wards. I'm not a pet
owner – too many allergies in our house growing up. So, with that in mind, this
two-track tape comes off like a eulogy to the pup on the cover, as the title
track's euphonic synth and tape strains mimic a church organ throughout its
ten-minute runtime. It feels like an ambient funeral service, replete with all
the pain and hope bubbling raw to the surface of Andrew Kirschner's
consciousness. If this is the case, Andrew, I'm sorry for your loss.
Side B is much more cosmic in tone, and that's actually completely unsurprising.
Keeping with the theme, Kirschner's titled this passage "I Will See You Again,"
and if I'm correct about this tape being an ode to a beloved lost pet, then AK
would undoubtedly pine for a reunion with Lil Mac in the afterlife. It's a more
pensive, brooding meditation, filled with thoughts of uncertainty. It makes
total sense here, as if Kirschner isn't sold on reunification, but he's pushing
toward it anyway. Here's hoping you get that chance to hug your little pal
again, Andrew.
Sorry I'm such a downer today, but look at that cute puppy face! I love
This has been a White Reeves Production joint. As usual, the White
Reeves team knocks it out of the park. This feels like a minor release compared
to the other, more wild-eyed and frenzied tapes this crew has issued, but it
nonetheless scratches that experimental itch. Make it part of your collection
today! Oh, wait, it's sold out. Bandcamp, people!
Lil Mac Bandcamp page
--Ryan Masteller
"Unfortunate Chronology Volume 2"
(Self Released)
For this piece I've decided to write a eulogy instead of a review.
Here lies Estrogen
Highs. They were a band. A forward thinking punk band from Connecticut that
liked to mix things up. Now they're not a band anymore. Those who knew them
will weep. They will feel a loss, as the following which was built was not
accidental. Yet to the silent majority who had no idea they existed, life will
continue on without knowing anything has changed. Funny how that works.
Very little was left
behind to commemorate Estrogen Highs brief time on earth. Unfortunate
Chronology Volume 2 is the sequel to the aptly named Unfortunate Chronology
Volume 1. The two tape set is made up of outtakes, covers, live cuts, and
oddities. Only 50 copies were made and they already have sold out. No digital
uploads exist. Rumor has it Night People will be reissuing them at some point
so look out for that.
-- Roy Blumenfeld
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
=By= GH Eliason
What the hell is going on?
Invited as a guest to the 2016 Democratic National Convention is none other than Kadri Veseli, the Speaker of the Kosovo Assembly.
Veseli is a former Kosovar Albanian leader of the KLA and its spy organization SHIK. He's being indicted along with the current president of Kosovo, Hashim Thaci, for small things like organ trafficking and crimes against humanity.
"A new investigation into the shadowy spy group, known as Shik, could also prove embarrassing for western intelligence agencies, particularly the CIA and France's DGSE, whose support for prime minister Hashim Thaçi, the PDK and Shik dates back to the 1998-9 Kosovo war. At the time, the Americans and French backed Thaçi as the most effective Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA) commander fighting the Serbian military, which was conducting a brutal counter-insurgency and "ethnic-cleansing campaign"… The launch of the new enquiry, which will be conducted by Kosovan and Eulex investigators, will raise questions of why it was not begun five years earlier."
"In his 2009 video Bllaca said that he worked for the execution arm of Shik, charged with killing "collaborators", LDK officials and potential witnesses against KLA commanders for war crimes."
"He said that between 1999 and 2003 he took part in an estimated 17 crimes, including assassinations, attempted assassinations, threats and blackmail, claiming that he worked directly for Syla."
"His explosive testimony threatened to devastate the PDK and confirm suspicions that Shik, supposed to have been disbanded, remained a potent force in the shadows of Kosovan public life."-Alleged connections between top Kosovo politicians and assassin investigated (Julian Borger The Guardian November 2014)."
Thaci, who is obviously preparing his defense against the charges, didn't make it this time. But after all, he was a special guest when Secretary of State John Kerry was in the running.
Do organ trafficking operations run like the urban legend would have you think? You know, a guy walks into a bar and a beautiful girl seduces him and gives him a "mickey." He wakes up in a bathtub with stitches, feeling a "little sore" and a few pounds lighter?
This real world confession from one of Kadri Veseli's men lays the horror out plainly. And shows why both he and Thaci are facing charges for it.
"The interview was broadcast on Monday a day after Serbia's war crimes prosecutor Vladimir Vukcevic told AFP his office had a witness who "testified about a medical procedure, done in northern Albania, that consisted of harvesting organs from Serbs kidnapped during the 1998-99 conflict in Kosovo".
"They gave me a scalpel. I put my left hand on his chest and began cutting. When I got near the bottom (of the ribs), the blood started pouring," the witness, whose face was not shown and whose voice was distorted, told RTS.
"As soon as I started cutting, he began screaming not to kill him and then he lost consciousness. I don't know if he fainted or died," he said,"- Former Kosovo rebel describes removing prisoner's heart for black market sale The Telegraph September 2012
After you cut out a man's heart I think it's safe to say everyone else in the room can figure out if he died or not even if you can't. The monsters who ordered these things are people Hillary Clinton calls friends. Emigre Super Bloc Part 4- Clinton's Jihadis | Will the Super Delegates Vote YES to More Terrorism? (GH Eliason).
"With revealed NATO files as well as WikiLeaks documents, findings suggest that the government of Kosovo is lead by crime fugitives with names such as the 'Butchers', 'Balkan Mafia Boss' as well as organ harvesters. Judging from the revelations origin, it seems like the United States and some other Western European powers that support the government of Kosovo, have had extensive knowledge for several years of criminal ties to former rebel leader Hashim Thaci, including the whole structure of political parties in the country, without exception. Foreign political, military, police, and justice powers in Kosovo have scandalously kept silent for over 17 years, granting crime a lawless and consequence-free paradise. Those findings suggest that the foreigners would continue to turn a blind eye to crime gangs on their doorstep if there were no insiders to reveal the evidence of their tacit involvement."(Kosovo: A Nest of Crime Fugitives in Europe, Foreign Policy Journal March 2016 Vedat Xhymshiti).
"Even before, there were accusations from The Hague (war crimes) tribunal, and KLA commanders prevailed against injustice and slander. The war of the Kosovo people was a just war."
Prosecutors and diplomats say efforts to investigate war crimes allegedly committed by the KLA have run into witness intimidation, a culture of reverence for the former guerrillas and deep clan loyalties.
The organ harvesting allegations hit the headlines in 2011 with publication of an explosive report by Council of Europe rapporteur Dick Marty.
He alleged that Thaci and four high-ranking members of the prime minister's Democratic Party of Kosovo (PDK) had been part of a group involved in the sale abroad of organs removed from Serb prisoners who had been smuggled out of Kosovo to a makeshift clinic in Albania during the war…All four of his party allies named in the report are running for parliament on Sunday. One of them, Kadri Veseli, was beside Thaci as he stepped out a black BMW jeep in Gjakova. (Kosovo votes under shadow of war crimes probe Gjakova Kosovo Reuters Fatos Bytyci)
In spite of all this, Vice president Joe Biden calls Thaci the "George Washington" of Kosovo. I didn't know George Washington engaged in ethnic cleansing, torture, political assassinations, mafia-like crime and drug trade activities, or of course, the organ trade.
In a rare honest moment, Madeline Albright had this to say to Thaci "I hope you will become Kosovo's Gerry Adams and choose peace over continuing war and terrorism."
"For me, my family and my fellow Americans this is more than a foreign policy issue, it is personal," Clinton stressed. Hillary Clinton was speaking about the KLA and Hashim Thaci.
In Thaci's Kosovo today, IGIL is quietly setting up training camps ahead of the US presidential elections. The war in Serbia will more than likely start directly after a Clinton win. If we are at war with IGIL, should we be inviting IGIL's friends to political conventions?
"On the territory of Kosovo and Metohija, the local police detained three militants of so-called "Islamic State" (a terrorist organization banned in Russia), is going to organize a series of terrorist attacks in Serbia." Terrorists LIH (IGIL) break through the Balkans to Western Europe March 2016
Once again, I'm not accusing Hillary Clinton of a lack of judgment in this situation. Her judgment is clear. Hillary Clinton supports organ selling, drug trafficking, genocidal Islamists that revive Waffen SS battalions in return for their support at the ballot box.
According to USA Today, there were 61 speakers on the first day of the Convention and not one mention of terrorism or terrorist groups.
Does Vice presidential nominee Tim Kaine show better judgment…or at least something recognizable as American policy?
We have a winner! "In 2007, Kaine was the Governor of Virginia and, of all people, chose Muslim American Society (MAS) President Esam Omeish to the state's Immigration Commission. A Muslim organization against Islamism criticized the appointment and reckless lack of vetting.
Federal prosecutors said in a 2008 court filing that MAS was "founded as the overt arm of the Muslim Brotherhood in America." A Chicago Tribune investigation in 2004 confirmed it, as well as MAS' crafty use of deceptive semantics to appear moderate."Clinton VP Pick Tim Kaine's Islamist Ties Ryan Mauro July 2016
The article goes further to state that he spoke at a dinner that gave a lifetime achievement award to the founding father of the Muslim Brotherhood USA, a terrorist that wants to institute the Islamic Revolution in the United States.
What is nice about this is that Senator Kaine along with Hillary Clinton also share a special relationship to Fetullah Gulen and his many groups. Kaine, who supports the Muslim Brotherhood also supports the Gulen terrorist organization. When even Gulen's recent past is looked into, aside from the attempted coup, he directly supports groups that have murdered more people than Osama bin Laden.
Gulen groups are known for greasing the wheel in Congress, and our Congressmen are known for protecting the Islamic graft.- ( .Emigre Super Bloc: The Failed Turkish Coup – An Exploded View, George Eliason).
What's kind of nice is that along with Senator Kaine, the Muslim Brotherhood, which then Secretary of State Clinton tried to install in power during the Arab Spring in Yemen, Libya, Egypt, Syria, and so on, also supports Gulen.
Gulen on the other hand, supports the US Congress. In stories broken by the Washington Post and USA Today, Gulen's groups illegally funded over 200 Congressional trips to Turkey. The practice has been stopped as a result of a House ethics panel investigation. One member of the panel recused themselves because of taking trips that Gulen paid for. A couple others that should have did not.
"Craig Holman, government affairs lobbyist at Public Citizen, agreed. "The fact these organizations were sponsoring 100 members of Congress and then suddenly dropping to zero would raise red flags that the organizations themselves or their funders are not supposed to be sponsoring these kinds of trips," Holman said." USA Today June 2016
According to Congressman David Scott from Georgia, "In a robust republic, civic organizations such as the Gulen movement cannot and should not be designated as terrorist organizations without evidence for the sake of political expediency."
The Gulen organization is a finely tuned political machine. When the political donations are looked at they go across the board. Both Democrat and Republican alike are on the graft wagon with this Islamist group. This is not just a Democratic party problem. It's an American Problem.
"You must move in the arteries of the system without anyone noticing your existence until you reach all the power centers … until the conditions are ripe, they [the followers] must continue like this. If they do something prematurely, the world will crush our heads, and Muslims will suffer everywhere, like in the tragedies in Algeria, like in 1982 [in] Syria … like in the yearly disasters and tragedies in Egypt. The time is not yet right. You must wait for the time when you are complete and conditions are ripe, until we can shoulder the entire world and carry it … You must wait until such time as you have gotten all the state power, until you have brought to your side all the power of the constitutional institutions in Turkey … Until that time, any step taken would be too early—like breaking an egg without waiting the full forty days for it to hatch. It would be like killing the chick inside. The work to be done is [in] confronting the world. Now, I have expressed my feelings and thoughts to you all—in confidence … trusting your loyalty and secrecy. I know that when you leave here—[just] as you discard your empty juice boxes, you must discard the thoughts and the feelings that I expressed here. -Secret Fethullah Gülen Sermon1990 broadcast on Turkish television
Groups like the Muslim Brotherhood and the Gulen groups make inroads because they are not Muslim in character or practice. They are fascist, nationalist, and terrorist.
In the last article segment Fetullah Gulen has been shown to be a terrorist leader. Congressman Scott, now that the proof has been shown, how about revisiting the designation question again?
What's are the differences between Osama bin Laden, Hassim Thaci, and Fetullah Gulen? Osama bin Laden was never accused of the organ trade, mafia-like crimes, or bribing Congressmen. Through the emigre groups, the other two not only do the above but sway election results in the USA.
This leads to the conclusion that bin Laden's great sin was being stingy in the political donation arena. I don't know for sure but given that the other two have committed greater crimes and he's dead, it makes you wonder.
Do we really need Fascist Islamist Terrorists having a bigger say in who gets elected to be President of the United States than you do? It's time to fix the system.
Welcome to Gulen-Gate' where every terrorist that donates is a winner.
Part 1: Inside The Secret Super Majority that Decide Election 2016 & War with Russia
Part 2: The 2016 Super Bloc Vote Part II Unleashing David vs the Russian Goliath
Part 3: Election 2016 Emigre Super Blocs Part III – How the Emigres Function
Part 4: The 2016 Super Bloc Vote Part IV:Emigre Super Bloc – Clinton's Jihadis
Part 5: Emigre Super Bloc Part V: The Failed Turkish Coup – An Exploded View.
Part 6 (this post): Emigre Super Bloc Part VI: "Gulen-Gate" Islamic Terrorists Descend on the Democratic National Convention
GH Eliason lives in Ukraine. He writes content and optimizes web based businesses across the globe for organic search results, technical issues, and design strategies to grow their business. He used to be a large project construction specialist. However, when Fukushima happened it became known that I was a locked high rad specialist and a penchant for climbing. He was paid to climb a reactor at a sister plant to Fukushima 3 because of a 1 million dollar mistake. His work since then has essentially been in project safety.


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Day 0-1, 20.1.-21.1.2015, Berlin-Kyiv-Tehran
At 14.50 I flew with an Embraer 190 from Berlin-Tegel to Kyiv. There I had a stop-over of two hours, until I continued with the exact same air plane as before to Tehran. I have never experienced such an empty plane: Not even 2/5 of the seats were reserved and I was the only one from "the West". Apart from three Ukrainians all other passengers were Iranian.
Having arrived in Tehran at Imam Khomeini Airport (IKA) at 1.30am, I had no problems with the entry at all. Then I sat down reading for three hours until Anahit, with whom I was appointed, arrived from Moscow respectively Istanbul. We chatted till 6.30 and then took a taxi into town (650 000 Rial – 13€). The view was amazing, since the sun just rose and let the snowy mountains shimmer in a soft pink.
After having finished the bureaucracy, we exchanged money. The course was 1€:40 000IRR, I exchanged 450€, so for a short time I became a multi millionaire. Then we drove to the dormitory, brought our luggage on the rooms and took a nap for two hours. Still tired we walked to Tajrish to buy SIM cards and food on the basar. Before going exhausted to bed, we drank a tea opposite the dorm where one of three young girls surprisingly didn't give anything on the hijab obligation.
Day 2, 22.1, Tehran
After a long sleep until 11 am (7.30 UTC), I met one of my two room-mates Roman. He's a 42-yo Austrian and doesn't know any Farsi. This fact was going to qualify him to be in the same class as I would be in. He's a super cool guy.
We went to the bakery which is fortunately just across the street and offers fresh bread any time of the day. After breakfast we met with Zari, whom I met for the first time four years ago. We walked all the way – it was a long walk and made a detour via our language school. At Zari's we ate dinner and chatted. After having walked back to the dorm again we went to bed quite exhausted.
Day 3, 23.1
At noon Arne arrived, who is the last room-mate. I didn't do much. I walked to Tovchal (or Tochal) cabin station with Roman. It is the starting point for skiers and snowboarders who can go up to 4000m. In the evening two friends of Arne, Maren and Renate, came over and prepared a simple German potato salad.
Day 4, 24.1
It was the first day of school. We had to be there at 8 o'clock. On the bus we took, Kazim talked to me. It appeared he had worked in the Iranian Consulate in Frankfurt 50 years ago. He could still speak very good German and insulted the "dirty mullahs", what fortunately was understood by nobody else.
During the class it snowed non-stop. The classes are Saturday to Wednesday from 9 till 12; with a break from 10.15 to 10.45. At first the teacher taught us a part of the Persian Alphabet and made Roman going crazy because of her beauty. I got to know a funny Chinese girl, Zhihui, who's always in a good mood, laughs a lot and likes Indian and Pakistani guys very much.
After class I met with Zari again. When I returned to the dorm, I made my homework: One line for each new learned word (there were 30) to practice writing. Although I could still write the letters quite well, it took a long time.
Though in the end I still went running. Since Velenjak – the quarter where the dorm is located – is at 1200m height, I was exhausted faster than usual and of course I ran a great detour. In addition even in the evening the air is still polluted, so running outside is rather bad for one's health in Tehran. Unfortunately the pavements are in a bad shape from time to time as well, being interrupted by constructions. That's why I usually ran on the street since there were not that many cars at 11pm. Still I was horned at a couple of times. But I don't care: Only because of some little obstacles I won't let a part of my free western lifestyle be taken away from me.
Background picture: Tehran at night, view from the dormitory in Velenjak, 2015 all rights reserved


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Nanotechnology: Little News Coverage
(hailed as next industrial revolution but newspaper interest hasn't been there)
Nanotechnology Doesn't Get Much Coverage in the Media
Nanotechnology is hailed by some scientists, venture capitalists, and government officials as the next industrial revolution. But two media experts at a program sponsored by the Wilson Center's Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies report that, compared to other areas of science, nanotechnology newspaper coverage is scarce.
- "The most notable characteristic of media coverage of nanotechnology is the lack of it," according to Andrew Laing, president of Cormex Research.
- Laing's findings are drawn from a 2004 survey of top U.S. and Canadian newspapers funded by the government of Canada.
- "On average, Canadian and American news outlets surveyed published slightly more than one news item of substance on nanotechnology per month last year.
- To put that in context, the survey of twelve American print publications—including outlets like the Wall Street Journal, New York Times and Washington Post—found an average of eight items per month in 2004 on stem cell research, and over two items on agricultural biotechnology," said Laing.
- "Over half (52 percent) of U.S. nanotechnology coverage appeared in business pages, and 15 percent in newspaper health and in science and technology sections.
- American reporting of nanotechnology tended to emphasize the benefits of nanotechnology to a much greater extent than the possible risks associated with it.
- Almost 71 percent of the American news items surveyed highlighted at least one benefit associated with nanotechnology.
- Twenty-four percent of U.S. news items noted a risk; with investment risk cited most often (35%)," according to Laing.
- In a larger, baseline study analyzing the content of selected U.S. and U.K. newspaper articles obtained during 2000-2004 from the Lexis-Nexis newspaper and newswire database, Lehigh University professor Sharon M. Friedman discovered that "The number of newspaper articles found about health and environmental risks was low for both American and British coverage.
- Only 71 U.S. and 50 U.K. health and environmental risk articles were found between 2000 and 2004, with The New York Times (13) and Washington Post (9) running the most."
- These findings were reported by Friedman and co-author Brenda Egolf in the Winter 2005 issue of IEEE Technology and Society Magazine.
- "While in both countries, news stories were overall balanced, article headlines were not," said Friedman.
- "Close to half of them were negative: 48 percent in the U.S. and 44 percent of the U.K. articles. Only about 23 percent of the U.S. and 14 percent of the U.K. headlines were positive, the rest were either neutral or mixed.
- Often the study found that negative headlines did not reflect the more moderate articles they topped."
- Despite negative headlines, Friedman believes that from her analysis, it does not appear that U.S. or U.K. newspapers and wire services published articles from 2000 to 2004 that would negatively influence public opinion about nanotechnology.
- This is because the health and environmental risk coverage has been generally positive, even when containing negative information.
- Citing a 2004 public opinion survey showing that 80 percent of the American public had heard little or nothing about nanotechnology, Friedman warned government officials and industry that, "The current public calm surrounding nanotechnology (and the public's lack of awareness about nanotech) could change radically.
- All it would take would be mass media coverage of a research finding of a potentially dangerous health effect to consumers who are currently unknowingly exposed to nanoparticles in their sunscreens or cosmetics," according to Friedman.
- Julia A. Moore, deputy director of the "Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies", stated that both the Laing and Friedman studies showed the need for stepped-up public education and information efforts on nanotechnology.
- "The need to engage the public in a dialogue about nano's potential benefits and risks, and how government proposes to manage them, has never been greater or more propitious.
- Without such an effort, nanotechnology's benefits could be lost in a sea of scary headlines and confused publics."
- The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies was launched in 2005 by the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and The Pew Charitable Trusts.
- It is dedicated to helping business, governments, and the public anticipate and manage the possible health and environmental implications of nanotechnology.
Additional topics are available at Nanotechnology: Index of Articles.


text:
I SERIES Point Source 600 loudspeakers provide excellent acoustic performance, modular flexibility and elegant aesthetics for modern performance venues. Designed to support the goals of systems integrators and consultants both acoustically and mechanically, I SERIES includes a wide variety of arrayable, rotatable coverage patterns and a comprehensive selection of modular bracket systems that accelerate system design and system commissioning.
FEA-optimized ferrite motors, mechanically mirrored suspension and advanced cooling system combine to provide linear performance with minimal power compression. The custom long-excursion LF driver delivers deep bass response and a detailed midrange at maximum SPL levels. The HF driver delivers excellent sound quality from a hybrid diaphragm of deep drawn titanium and resonance-absorbing polyimide, coupled to a patented low compression, low resonance phase plug for very low distortion performance with abundant headroom.
The rotatable 13-inch (330mm) HF waveguide provides well-defined coverage and a smooth off-axis response that enhances arrayability. Individually voiced crossovers produce proper beamwidth matching transitions and identical sonic signatures, permitting horn patterns to be mixed throughout an installation. Additionally, user selectable single amp or biamp operating modes expand application flexibility.


text:
Table of Contents
# $EPIC: convert.txt,v 1.2 2006/07/24 07:11:25 sthalik Exp $
$convert(<ip address|hostname>)
This function does a DNS lookup on the given address. For an IP address, it attempts to find the corresponding Internet hostname. For a hostname, it attempts to find the corresponding IP address.
This function does effectively the same thing as $iptoname() and $nametoip(). It is mostly useful when you want to convert an address, but you aren't sure if the input will be an IP address or not.
IP address or hostname corresponding to input, or nothing on error
$convert(some.school.edu) returns IP address for "some.school.edu" $convert(192.168.1.1) returns hostname for "192.168.1.1"
An easy example of this in a script is:
alias dns { echo Matched $0 to $convert($0) }
convert.txt · Last modified: 2006/07/25 21:22 by 127.0.0.1


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BLOOMFIELD HILLS — After seeking bids from companies to provide its custodial and transportation services, Bloomfield Hills Schools decided to accept concessions from its support service union, according to the Rochester Eccentric. The savings the union offered were commensurate with offers from private firms.
The district signed a five-year contract with its union — which is represented by the American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees — that may save the district $2.1 million. Savings come from a wage reduction and freeze for the first three years of the contract, an increase in employee health care contributions and changes in vacation and holiday schedules, according to the Eccentric.
In February, the district also decided to consolidate its buildings for an anticipated savings of $2.3 million.
Reference: "Bloomfield Hills Schools won't privatize services," Rochester Eccentric, April 5, 2009


text: The Hypocrisy of PuritanismSpeaking of Puritanism in relation to American art, Mr. Gutzen Burglum said: "Puritanism has made us self-centered and hypocritical for so long, that sincerity and reverence for what is natural in our impulses have been fairly bred out of us, with the result that there can be neither truth nor individuality in our art." Mr. Burglum might have added that Puritanism has made life itself impossible. More than art, more than estheticism, life represents beauty in a thousand variations; it is, indeed, a gigantic panorama of eternal change. Puritanism, on the other hand, rests on a fixed and immovable conception of life; it is based on the Calvinistic idea that life is a curse, imposed upon man by the wrath of God. In order to redeem himself man must do constant penance, must repudiate every natural and healthy impulse, and turn his back on joy and beauty. Puritanism celebrated its reign of terror in England during the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, destroying and crushing every manifestation of art and culture. It was the spirit of Puritanism which robbed Shelley of his children, because he would not bow to the dicta of religion. It was the same narrow spirit which alienated Byron from his native land, because that great genius rebelled against the monotony, dullness, and pettiness of his country. It was Puritanism, too, that forced some of England's freest women into the conventional lie of marriage: Mary Wollstonecraft and, later, George Eliot. And recently Puritanism has demanded another toll the life of Oscar Wilde. In fact, Puritanism has never ceased to be the most pernicious factor in the domain of John Bull, acting as censor of the artistic expression of his people, and stamping its approval only on the dullness of middle-class respectability. It is therefore sheer British jingoism which points to America as the country of Puritanic provincialism. It is quite true that our life is stunted by Puritanism, and that the latter is killing what is natural and healthy in our impulses. But it is equally true that it is to England that we are indebted for transplanting this spirit on American soil. It was bequeathed to us by the Pilgrim fathers. Fleeing from persecution and oppression, the Pilgrims of Mayflower fame established in the New World a reign of Puritanic tyranny and crime. The history of New England, and especially of Massachusetts, is full of the horrors that have turned life into gloom, joy into despair, naturalness into disease, honesty and truth into hideous lies and hypocrisies. The ducking-stool and whipping post, as well as numerous other devices of torture, were the favorite English methods for American purification. Boston, the city of culture, has gone down in the annals of Puritanism as the "Bloody Town." It rivaled Salem, even, in her cruel persecution of unauthorized religious opinions. On the now famous Common a half-naked woman, with a baby in her arms, was publicly whipped for the crime of free speech; and on the same spot Mary Dyer, another Quaker woman, was hanged in 1659. In fact, Boston has been the scene of more than one wanton crime committed by Puritanism. Salem, in the summer of 1692, killed eighteen people for witchcraft. Nor was Massachusetts alone in driving out the devil by fire and brimstone. As Canning justly said: "The Pilgrim fathers infested the New World to redress the balance of the Old." The horrors of that period have found their most supreme expression in the American classic, THE SCARLET LETTER. Puritanism no longer employs the thumbscrew and lash; but it still has a most pernicious hold on the minds and feelings of the American people. Naught else can explain the power of a Comstock. Like the Torquemadas of ante-bellum days, Anthony Comstock is the autocrat of American morals; he dictates the standards of good and evil, of purity and vice. Like a thief in the night he sneaks into the private lives of the people, into their most intimate relations. The system of espionage established by this man Comstock puts to shame the infamous Third Division of the Russian secret police. Why does the public tolerate such an outrage on its liberties? Simply because Comstock is but the loud expression of the Puritanism bred in the Anglo-Saxon blood, and from whose thraldom even liberals have not succeeded in fully emancipating themselves. The visionless and leaden elements of the old Young Men's and Women's Christian Temperance Unions, Purity Leagues, American Sabbath Unions, and the Prohibition Party, with Anthony Comstock as their patron saint, are the grave diggers of American art and culture. Europe can at least boast of a bold art and literature which delve deeply into the social and sexual problems of our time, exercising a severe critique of all our shams. As with a surgeon's knife every Puritanic carcass is dissected, and the way thus cleared for man's liberation from the dead weights of the past. But with Puritanism as the constant check upon American life, neither truth nor sincerity is possible. Nothing but gloom and mediocrity to dictate human conduct, curtail natural expression, and stifle our best impulses. Puritanism in this the twentieth century is as much the enemy of freedom and beauty as it was when it landed on Plymouth Rock. It repudiates, as something vile and sinful, our deepest feelings; but being absolutely ignorant as to the real functions of human emotions, Puritanism is itself the creator of the most unspeakable vices. The entire history of asceticism proves this to be only too true. The Church, as well as Puritanism, has fought the flesh as something evil; it had to be subdued and hidden at all cost. The result of this vicious attitude is only now beginning to be recognized by modern thinkers and educators. They realize that "nakedness has a hygienic value as well as a spiritual significance, far beyond its influences in allaying the natural inquisitiveness of the young or acting as a preventative of morbid emotion. It is an inspiration to adults who have long outgrown any youthful curiosities. The vision of the essential and eternal human form, the nearest thing to us in all the world, with its vigor and its beauty and its grace, is one of the prime tonics of life."* But the spirit of purism has so perverted the human mind that it has lost the power to appreciate the beauty of nudity, forcing us to hide the natural form under the plea of chastity. Yet chastity itself is but an artificial imposition upon nature, expressive of a false shame of the human form. The modern idea of chastity, especially in reference to woman, its greatest victim, is but the sensuous exaggeration of our natural impulses. "Chastity varies with the amount of clothing," and hence Christians and purists forever hasten to cover the "heathen" with tatters, and thus convert him to goodness and chastity. * THE PSYCHOLOGY OF SEX. Havelock Ellis. Puritanism, with its perversion of the significance and functions of the human body, especially in regard to woman, has condemned her to celibacy, or to the indiscriminate breeding of a diseased race, or to prostitution. The enormity of this crime against humanity is apparent when we consider the results. Absolute sexual continence is imposed upon the unmarried woman, under pain of being considered immoral or fallen, with the result of producing neurasthenia, impotence, depression, and a great variety of nervous complaints involving diminished power of work, limited enjoyment of life, sleeplessness, and preoccupation with sexual desires and imaginings. The arbitrary and pernicious dictum of total continence probably also explains the mental inequality of the sexes. Thus Freud believes that the intellectual inferiority of so many women is due to the inhibition of thought imposed upon them for the purpose of sexual repression. Having thus suppressed the natural sex desires of the unmarried woman, Puritanism, on the other hand, blesses her married sister for incontinent fruitfulness in wedlock. Indeed, not merely blesses her, but forces the woman, oversexed by previous repression, to bear children, irrespective of weakened physical condition or economic inability to rear a large family. Prevention, even by scientifically determined safe methods, is absolutely prohibited; nay, the very mention of the subject is considered criminal. Thanks to this Puritanic tyranny, the majority of women soon find themselves at the ebb of their physical resources. Ill and worn, they are utterly unable to give their children even elementary care. That, added to economic pressure, forces many women to risk utmost danger rather than continue to bring forth life. The custom of procuring abortions has reached such vast proportions in America as to be almost beyond belief. According to recent investigations along this line, seventeen abortions are committed in every hundred pregnancies. This fearful percentage represents only cases which come to the knowledge of physicians. Considering the secrecy in which this practice is necessarily shrouded, and the consequent professional inefficiency and neglect, Puritanism continuously exacts thousands of victims to its own stupidity and hypocrisy. Prostitution, although hounded, imprisoned, and chained, is nevertheless the greatest triumph of Puritanism. It is its most cherished child, all hypocritical sanctimoniousness notwithstanding. The prostitute is the fury of our century, sweeping across the "civilized" countries like a hurricane, and leaving a trail of disease and disaster. The only remedy Puritanism offers for this ill-begotten child is greater repression and more merciless persecution. The latest outrage is represented by the Page Law, which imposes upon New York the terrible failure and crime of Europe; namely, registration and segregation of the unfortunate victims of Puritanism. In equally stupid manner purism seeks to check the terrible scourge of its own creation venereal diseases. Most disheartening it is that this spirit of obtuse narrow-mindedness has poisoned even our so-called liberals, and has blinded them into joining the crusade against the very things born of the hypocrisy of Puritanism prostitution and its results. In wilful blindness Puritanism refuses to see that the true method of prevention is the one which makes it clear to all that "venereal diseases are not a mysterious or terrible thing, the penalty of the sin of the flesh, a sort of shameful evil branded by purist malediction, but an ordinary disease which may be treated and cured." By its methods of obscurity, disguise, and concealment, Puritanism has furnished favorable conditions for the growth and spread of these diseases. Its bigotry is again most strikingly demonstrated by the senseless attitude in regard to the great discovery of Prof. Ehrlich, hypocrisy veiling the important cure for syphilis with vague allusions to a remedy for "a certain poison." The almost limitless capacity of Puritanism for evil is due to its intrenchment behind the State and the law. Pretending to safeguard the people against "immorality," it has impregnated the machinery of government and added to its usurpation of moral guardianship the legal censorship of our views, feelings, and even of our conduct. Art, literature, the drama, the privacy of the mails, in fact, our most intimate tastes, are at the mercy of this inexorable tyrant. Anthony Comstock, or some other equally ignorant policeman, has been given power to desecrate genius, to soil and mutilate the sublimest creation of nature the human form. Books dealing with the most vital issues of our lives, and seeking to shed light upon dangerously obscured problems, are legally treated as criminal offenses, and their helpless authors thrown into prison or driven to destruction and death. Not even in the domain of the Tsar is personal liberty daily outraged to the extent it is in America, the stronghold of the Puritanic eunuchs. Here the only day of recreation left to the masses, Sunday, has been made hideous and utterly impossible. All writers on primitive customs and ancient civilization agree that the Sabbath was a day of festivities, free from care and duties, a day of general rejoicing and merry-making. In every European country this tradition continues to bring some relief from the humdrum and stupidity of our Christian era. Everywhere concert halls, theaters, museums, and gardens are filled with men, women, and children, particularly workers with their families, full of life and joy, forgetful of the ordinary rules and conventions of their every-day existence. It is on that day that the masses demonstrate what life might really mean in a sane society, with work stripped of its profit-making, soul-destroying purpose. Puritanism has robbed the people even of that one day. Naturally, only the workers are affected: our millionaires have their luxurious homes and elaborate clubs. The poor, however, are condemned to the monotony and dullness of the American Sunday. The sociability and fun of European outdoor life is here exchanged for the gloom of the church, the stuffy, germ-saturated country parlor, or the brutalizing atmosphere of the back-room saloon. In Prohibition States the people lack even the latter, unless they can invest their meager earnings in quantities of adulterated liquor. As to Prohibition, every one knows what a farce it really is. Like all other achievements of Puritanism it, too, has but driven the "devil" deeper into the human system. Nowhere else does one meet so many drunkards as in our Prohibition towns. But so long as one can use scented candy to abate the foul breath of hypocrisy, Puritanism is triumphant. Ostensibly Prohibition is opposed to liquor for reasons of health and economy, but the very spirit of Prohibition being itself abnormal, it succeeds but in creating an abnormal life. Every stimulus which quickens the imagination and raises the spirits, is as necessary to our life as air. It invigorates the body, and deepens our vision of human fellowship. Without stimuli, in one form or another, creative work is impossible, nor indeed the spirit of kindliness and generosity. The fact that some great geniuses have seen their reflection in the goblet too frequently, does not justify Puritanism in attempting to fetter the whole gamut of human emotions. A Byron and a Poe have stirred humanity deeper than all the Puritans can ever hope to do. The former have given to life meaning and color; the latter are turning red blood into water, beauty into ugliness, variety into uniformity and decay. Puritanism, in whatever expression, is a poisonous germ. On the surface everything may look strong and vigorous; yet the poison works its way persistently, until the entire fabric is doomed. With Hippolyte Taine, every truly free spirit has come to realize that "Puritanism is the death of culture, philosophy, humor, and good fellowship; its characteristics are dullness, monotony, and gloom." |


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The unexamined life is not worth living. – Socrates
It's no surprise that I spent a lot of my supposedly formative years living an interior life – lots of reading, computer programming, games, etc. This is not to say that I never went outside. I had a dirt bike that I loved to ride in Minnesota, and camping had not lost its luster for me in those early days. Taking the L.A. River to Seal Beach on single-gear beach cruisers (in the years before anyone was pretentious enough to use the term "fixie") was another great way to spend time with friends. I say that these were my supposedly formative years, because I think I've continued to form since then, with a nice burst of formation happening during my Army service. Travel truly is enlightening, and being forced to work and live with people from other backgrounds is a fine way to expand the mind as well.
I'm guessing a significant number of people live a life that Socrates would consider unworthy. They don't examine their decisions, their beliefs, or their biases. They react to things which make them feel strongly, and don't wonder if they're being manipulated (intentionally or not). These people can't comprehend that others do spend time thinking about why they should or should not believe things. Talking with them can be fascinating, but not for long. It's like talking to the old Eliza chat program – it resembles a conversation, but nobody is actually conveying any information to the other participant.
Philosophers have come up with a number of terms and concepts regarding ethics. One of the concepts in ethics that is applicable to politics is "utilitarianism." The basics are that we should make decisions based on the least harm or greatest benefit that the results would create. So, we should choose policies that have the best end result, regardless of the rationale for those policies. Deontology is another concept, which says we should make decisions based on the inherent rightness or wrongness of the actions, regardless of the eventual consequences. There's a lot more depth to both of these concepts, and to the varying interpretations, but this should be a good start.
When we look at the society we have today, and the society we might dream of it becoming, we can think of doing the right thing, or we can think of doing the thing which produces the best result, and sometimes they're even the same plan. That balancing act is tough to handle at times, but I'm not willing to just appeal to authority and make what someone else says is the One True Choice.
My views on society are, like most thoughtful people I know, not always perfectly coherent. There are always holes where I may not have spent enough time thinking through a position. Many times, I have to admit ignorance and try to avoid forming a concrete opinion on an issue that others have expertise and personal experience with. I'm generally on the side of utilitarianism, but there are times when you just have to do the right thing (apologies to Spike Lee). Fortunately, we rarely encounter a real-life version of the Trolley Problem in our lives.
This is all well and good, you say, but what the hell is the point? I'm mostly wool gathering, but it's been prompted by seeing the sheer volume of people who will parrot nonsense, and when challenged, rely on "well we'll never agree." Yeah, if we can't talk without rancor, we won't agree. If we can't both acknowledge the other as a fully-formed human being with opinions which are honestly held, we won't agree. If we can't put aside the silly name calling and tribalism and try to understand why we believe things that others think are ridiculous (and they believe things we think are ridiculous), we'll never agree.
I've seen a few of my friends recently try to engage with people who have differing political views. My friends have all (and this is why they're friends) been unfailingly polite, and attempted to defuse the defensive posturing to get to a core, "why do you say that" answer. Alas, I've never seen this end with a sharing of views. I've seen the defensive person just disappear or disappear after the "agree to disagree" comment, but at no point explicating WHY the opinion was held in the first place. It's truly maddening.
So, I can only come to the conclusion that some significant number of our fellow humans don't think much, and can't understand those who do. Everything must be simpler when all answers are obvious, and nothing has nuance or subtlety. I don't live in that world, but it sounds like a cartoon to me. I've found that humans are rarely caricatures. I know many gun owners who are in favor of stricter gun control. I know people who are pro-choice and pro-gun, in favor of environmental causes and also in favor of nuclear power. None of the people I would consider friends would call someone a "libtard" or a "rethuglican" except as a clear joke. I think the nation and the world would be better off if we could stop with the tribalism (and that's what party politics are) and start trying to see the common humanity in our fellow people.
And, seriously – think about things.
As a single footstep will not make a path on the earth, so a single thought will not make a pathway in the mind. To make a deep physical path, we walk again and again. To make a deep mental path, we must think over and over the kind of thoughts we wish to dominate our lives. – Thoreau


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Well, what a kind of crazy weekend we had here... great though! As you see above, I made our weekend yummy with these cupcakes that didn't end up being for my goddaughter's birthday... plans change... we roll with it... I have NOT had 2 cupcakes today..... nor did I allow baby hughes to have 2...
I will tell you that there is real fruit ( strawberry cupcakes with strawberry cream cheese frosting )in these babies, so I don't feel too bad... vitamin C, you know.
Friday, we made a trip out to the booth to take out this piece
(before, of course)
And, after
Meet Janette.
She is named after my Grandma. And, she got the same treatment as Tara.
See, I was thinking, if I painted a piece like Tara, then I could keep her...
This piece has pretty vintage porcelain knobs
Check out those legs with original casters
Vintage map lined drawers...
See, so very much like the Tara...
Well, she sold today. So, I had a few pieces in the works... but nothing completely finished.
And, we didn't think it would be a great idea to leave the booth practically empty all week... so... *sniff, sniff* Mr. Hughes took Tara out to the booth while the baby and I had some downtime.
So, I am a little sad. I guess this will be my kick in the pants to get the Kate Secretary completed... or started for that matter.
It isn't all sad though... nope... when we dropped off the Janette, we both fell for this...
I am just going to clean it up a little and add some fun labels and it will most likely be home to our CDs (original, I know, but hey they are all over the house) And it looks way better in purpose.
And, I am almost... ALMOST finished with our powder room...
you want a sneak peek... sure you do....
There you go... there is your peek. With any luck, it will be finished this week and I can show you the whole room.
So that was our weekend, well, minus the laughs and the tantrums and the new backpack and all the GREAT new words baby hughes is saying!
How was yours?
Oh, and I wanted to tell you that I am joining in Heather's Making it Lovely at Blessed Little Nest. Go see what everyone has done to make their world a little more special be it cupcakes and powder rooms or reading an extra book at bedtime.
Bye for now!


text:
Welcome to Ashland, Oregon, home of the world-famous Oregon Shakespeare Festival and the setting for Ellie Alexander's debut mystery MEET YOUR BAKER.
MEET YOUR BAKER is a culinary mystery centered in the fictional bakeshop, Torte, with a mother/daughter pastry duo. It includes original handcrafted recipes. Meet Ashland!
In Ashland you'll find an eclectic community of artists, outdoor adventure seekers, college students, farmers, retirees and a constant stream of tourists. At nearly 2,000 feet in elevation, its Mediterranean summers make it the perfect spot to watch Shakespeare under the stars or hike one of the surrounding peaks. In the winter, Ashland becomes home to ski enthusiasts with nearby Mt. Ashland, and plenty of backcountry trails.
You'll feel like you've stepped into a charming English village with Ashland's Shakespeare-inspired pubs, restaurants and shops.
Meander through Lithia Park where you'll pass ancient trees, grassy patches and picnic benches, and wild deer. Be sure to get a glimpse of the towering Oregon Shakespeare Festival buildings, and stop to drink from Lithia's mineral spring fountains.
Take Shakespeare's stairs to "the bricks" where theater lovers and actors gather before performances.
Finally, end your day with a sweet treat at one of Ashland's many divine bakeshops.
Be sure to check out the blog tour that is filled with reviews, interviews and guest posts by the author! The tour starts January 5th and runs through the 16th. Check out the schedule!
About MEET YOUR BAKER:
Welcome to Torte—a friendly, small-town family bake shop where the treats are so good that, sometimes, it's criminal…
After graduating from culinary school, Juliet Capshaw returns to her quaint hometown of Ashland, Oregon, to heal a broken heart and help her mom at the family bakery. The Oregon Shakespeare Festival is bringing in lots of tourists looking for some crumpets to go with their heroic couplets. But when one of Torte's customers turns up dead, there's much ado about murder…
The victim is Nancy Hudson, the festival's newest board member. A modern-day Lady Macbeth, Nancy has given more than a few actors and artists enough reasons to kill her…but still. The silver lining? Jules's high school sweetheart, Thomas, is the investigator on the case. His flirtations are as delicious as ever, and Jules can't help but want to have her cake and eat it too. But will she have her just desserts? Murder might be bad for business, but love is the sweetest treat of all…
"Alexander weaves a tasty tale of deceit, family ties, delicious pastries, and murder." ―Edith Maxwell, author of A Tine to Live, A Tine to Die
"Sure to satisfy both dedicated foodies and ardent mystery lovers alike." ―Jessie Crockett, author of Drizzled with Death
Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | IndieBound | Book Depository | Kobo
About the Author:
Ellie Alexander is a Pacific Northwest native who spends ample time testing pastry recipes in her home kitchen or at one of the many famed coffeehouses nearby. When she's not coated in flour, you'll find her outside exploring hiking trails and trying to burn off calories consumed in the name of research. Follow her on Facebook or Twitter to learn more.
Paperback copy of Meet Your Baker, Chai Tea, designer baking liners and a Starbucks gift card.
Open to US addresses only.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This event was organized by CBB Book Promotions.


text:
Category:Nano Fish
From The Aquarium Wiki
Please copy and paste ' [[Category:Nano Fish]] ' into the end of your article to include it in this category.
Contents | Top · 0-9 · A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z |
These are saltwater fish suitable for tanks under 76 Litres (20 US G.), otherwise known as "Nano" tanks. Tanks under 38 Litres (10 US G.) can be classed as "Pico" and are generally unsuitable for most fish.
Please be aware that tanks classed as "Nano" and "Pico" are generally best left for experienced marine aquarists only due to the difficulty in maintaining water quality.
Pages in category "Nano Fish"
The following 28 pages are in this category, out of 28 total.


text: Tiramisu is probably my favorite favorite dessert . It always order it in a restaurant if it's on the menu. That is, unless I'm at a kosher steakhouse. Pareve tiramisu isn't even worth it. So, as a Kosher Foodie, why don't I ever make it myself? We make all sorts of complicated recipes (see: cronuts), and tiramisu is actually quite simple. Continue reading


text:
Team Bigga Rankin Presents Priority Artist Fat Swag - Get You Sum Money
FatSwag1008 releases his new single "Get You Sum Money" under his own label, Star Power Street Entertainment. Fat Swag wanted to give the world a glance into how he operates his everyday life. "
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text: Jim Colliton has grown up in the suburbs and now lives with his wife and three children in the suburbs. What does he talk about? If you have ever been embarrassed about the contents of your recycling bin or tried to kill a flying bat in your house you will find Jim's comedy hilarious. If none of these things hits home, Jim has also stolen a school bus and everyone finds that story funny. Jim's love for performing comes out every time he takes the stage, whether performing for 30, 300 or even 3000 people (yes, this has happened a few times). Jim's comedy is funny, but also clean. This has helped him stay busy working all across the country. Jim has been seen on national television shows like Ed McMahon's Next Big Star, Comcast Comedy Spot Light, and Comedy Central Laugh Riots. Jim can also be heard on XM Satellite Radio's Comedy Channel.


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TIME: Prevention is nearly always preferable to treatment when it comes to our health, and the stakes are even higher in cases of child abuse. But is it even possible to identify children at risk of abuse before it's too late? That's the question the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) addressed, in a comprehensive review of the available data on ways to detect maltreatment of children.
The task force is a government-funded group of independent experts that considers all the available evidence on a range of health topics, then grades studies on their reliability and validity before making recommendations based on the quality of those results. In recent years, its review of the benefits of mammography in preventing breast cancer and prostate specific antigen (PSA) testing in detecting prostate tumors caused controversy when it recommended that men skip regular PSA screening altogether, and that women wait until they reach 50 to begin routine mammogram testing — a full 10 years later than previous advice.
When it came to deciding whether pediatricians should implement wholesale interventions to prevent child abuse, the task force enlisted researchers at Oregon Health & Science University (OHSU) to scrutinize a decade of existing literature.
In a sobering acknowledgement, the USPSTF believes that there is not much that can be done to detect cases of child maltreatment that aren't glaringly obvious. There's simply not enough research to make a case for advising physicians to take specific actions during well-child visits, for example, to help determine which children are at risk. In 2010, nearly 700,000 children were victims of abuse and neglect; 1,537 of them died.
"Obviously children who present with multiple bruises, you already have a high level of suspicion and will immediately launch into questions," says Dr. David Grossman, a pediatrician who is one of the 16 members of the task force and a senior investigator at Group Health Research Institute in Seattle. "But for kids who don't have symptoms, do we have methods to determine which children are at high risk and are currently being maltreated? We don't, and that is disappointing. We would love to be able to add some tools to the toolbox for primary care clinicians."
The researchers at OHSU analyzed 11 studies that evaluated the effectiveness of child abuse and neglect prevention programs or interventions that took place in clinics — such as meetings with a social worker, for example. They gave parents questionnaires that assessed such risk factors as substance abuse, depression, stress and attitudes toward physical punishment — as well as noting whether parents were concerned that their child may have been physically or sexually abused. Doctors discussed the risk factors with parents and referred them to social workers if needed. After three years, researchers found that parents who took part in risk assessments and received social work referrals, if necessary, had decreased incidences of abuse, fewer reports to Child Protective Services (CPS) and better adherence to immunization schedules.
But the studies' results were not persuasive enough to warrant new recommendations for physicians, says Dr. Heidi Nelson, senior author of the study analysis published in Annals of Internal Medicine and a research professor in medical informatics, clinical epidemiology and medicine at OHSU. "This is not about identifying kids who are being abused," says Nelson. "This is about determining if a family in front of me is at risk for abuse in the future."
A major challenge with determining who is at risk for child abuse is how — and to whom — to pose questions. If the parents who bring a child to a check-up are mistreating that child, says Grossman, it's not likely they will volunteer that information. "You are potentially asking the perpetrators if there is a problem," he says.
While evidence underpinning the effectiveness of screening questions is scanty, home visits seem to have had more success. Last year, a study in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) found that home visits can cut child maltreatment cases by up to half. States determine eligibility for home visits in different ways, but poor moms, single moms, homeless moms, teen moms and those with a history of domestic violence typically top the list. Home visitors serve as a sounding board and support system, educating moms about normal infant behavior, cautioning them against shaking crying babies and offering suggestions for stress relief and interacting with their babies. Parenting can be overwhelming even for educated, well-to-do women, but those who are less fortunate stand to benefit even more from having someone help them navigate the challenges of child-rearing. In fact, when researchers evaluated the effect of home visitations, they found that those babies whose families were visited by nurses were less likely to die of all causes by age 9 than other children. Some studies showed that children who benefited from home visits had less contact with CPS and fewer trips to the hospital.
But other studies on home visits have shown mixed results, leading the task force to stop short of issuing a blanket recommendation for primary-care clinics across the U.S to adopt the program for families they perceive to be at risk. "It's one thing to say that it's a good idea, but it's another to say that we have definite proof," says Nelson.
The task force last took up this issue in 2004; it will take another look at any new studies that have emerged five years from now to see if things have changed. In the meantime, for the next 30 days the public is welcome to submit comments on the task force's preliminary recommendations. "We are looking to see if we missed any key pieces of evidence," says Grossman.
Some may point out that the criteria the task force apply to data may be too rigid, and could miss some valuable information about the forces behind child abuse that may not be captured in a quantifiable way. Dr. Bob Block, a retired pediatrician who specialized in cases of child abuse, and the past president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, says relying on blinded and controlled studies is not the only way to figure out what works. "The task force doesn't accept clinical anecdotal information, and we do have some interventions that have been shown to be effective — nurse home visiting and teaching methods we use in the hospital to help teach parents not to shake their baby," says Block.
Studies about the effectiveness of shaken-baby teaching videos have been mixed, but some parents clearly benefit. "If I have a video that helps parents remember that crying babies are normal, I'm going to use that," says Block. "There is no downside. There are two parts of medicine: the research end and the clinical end where you apply what has worked for you or others."
Yet, despite the lack of scientific evidence that they can reduce child maltreatment, home visits, for example, are widely embraced in other countries. "It would be ideal to do this for everyone," says Block. But lack of funding means it's often limited to first-time, low-income, younger moms — if it's available at all.
Even some child-abuse experts agree, however, with the task force's caution about endorsing home visits. The best home-visiting programs set specific criteria for those who qualify, says Dr. James Anderst, director of the Division on Child Abuse and Neglect at Children's Mercy Hospitals and Clinics in Kansas City, Mo. "We can't have a situation where a doctor is worried and all of a sudden a home visitor just shows up at someone's home," says Anderst.
He and others recognized that home visits could amount to a type of profiling of parents. Because there's not unlimited funding, the programs often rely on certain criteria, such as household income, single parenthood and a mother's age to determine whether a child is likely to be abused or mistreated. Not all of the parents who meet these conditions will mistreat their children, so targeting them could potentially be perceived as unfair and insulting.
That doesn't mean pediatricians' hands are tied when it comes to pre-empting potential abuse. "I don't think this means that pediatricians should do nothing," says Anderst. "We should just continue to do what we're probably doing already – counseling parents about appropriate behavior techniques, teaching them about what kids need. Most primary care physicians say, I'm going to teach these people how to be good parents and hope they will do this when they go home."
© Time


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