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Karen Payeur is wrestling with the kind of problem she'd love to have every year.
The blueberry bushes at her pick-your-own operation in Sanford have painted the landscape beautiful streaks of blue. She hasn't been able to mow yet, because the branches are so heavy with berries they're sagging between the rows.
"This is the best year we've ever had in 14 years," Payeur said, becoming a little more giddy the more she talked about her 2012 harvest. "It's crazy."
Allen Crabtree of Crabtree's Blueberries in Sebago has a bumper crop of highbush blueberries this year as well.
"I have never seen so many blueberries," Crabtree said. "We've had a pick-your-own operation since 2001, and this is by far the best crop we have had, the most berries on the bushes."
It's that time of year when a blue tongue becomes a Mainer's best fashion statement. We've gathered great blueberry-inspired recipes for you from local chefs, enough so that you could plan a whole meal, from salad to dessert, around this juicy summer pleasure. We've even thrown in a Blueberry Cobbler cocktail.
These recipes use both wild and cultivated berries, and which ones you prefer are a matter of taste.
Wild berries spray your taste buds with a touch of tart along with sweet. They freeze better, and are preferred for baked goods because they don't "bleed" into batter when they hit the oven.
Because they're smaller, they have more skin than pulp, and the skin is where the antioxidants that help protect your health reside.
Highbush berries do come in smaller varieties, but generally they are a bit larger and a little sweeter than wild berries.
The highbush blueberry harvest is under way, and in places like Union and Ellsworth, wild blueberry growers have just started raking berries for the fresh market. Blueberry barrens farther down east will follow by Aug. 1. (Just 1 percent or less of wild Maine blueberries are sold fresh; most are destined for the freezer and then are packaged or added to other products later.)
"I think, overall, the consensus is that everybody feels we have a good to better-than-average crop," said David Yarborough, wild blueberry specialist with the University of Maine Cooperative Extension, who has been visiting the eastern blueberry barrens. "The size is very good. We've had very good moisture conditions. Pollination was fairly good in most spots. I know there's been a few hot days, but overall it's been fairly wet and cool, so the berries are doing very good quality wise."
Last year's wild blueberry harvest reached 83 million pounds, and expectations are that this year it will reach 90 to 95 million pounds. That's not too far from the bumper crop of 110 million pounds growers saw in 2000.
Just like strawberries, some blueberries ripened a little early this year. A couple of highbush growers were open to picking about a week to 10 days early, while others said their crops were right on time.
Payeur said her berries were almost two weeks early this year, and she wonders if that means an earlier end to the season.
"It all depends on what the weather is going to do," she said. "If we have cool evenings, it may slow the ripening down."
Crabtree said he opened to the public just a couple of days early this year. Half of the six varieties of blueberries he grows – the Blues, Berkeleys and Little Giants – are ready for picking. The Jerseys, normally ripened by this time, were a little slow coming along.
Crabtree said the weather was optimal for highbush blueberries this year: Mild winter, good pollination, rain when the bushes needed it, followed by hot and sunny days ideal for ripening the berries.
"I think we're going to have a very healthy season and probably a very long season," Crabtree said. "We normally pick with late varieties well into September and into early October when the first frost comes, and I think we'll be doing that again this year."
Frank Card, owner of Card's Fruit Farm in Bowdoin, said his early berries were right on time, and with 7,000 plants and 53 varieties, he expects a continuous supply right through early September.
"Our quality usually is always good. We've never sprayed," Card said. "The insect counts are way down because the plants are so healthy. And the quantity is superb. This is probably one of our best years for quantity, and it's mostly based on having a mild winter."
Card's farm, on one of the highest points in Sagadahoc County and just seven miles from the ocean, has its own microclimate that's good for growing peaches, plums, wild blackberries, blueberries and raspberries.
He expects peaches to be ripe enough for picking beginning this week.
"You can look at the whole Presidential Range while you're picking your blueberries," Card said. "A lot of people come up and enjoy it. Some of them bring a picnic."
John Bozak tends more than 3,000 blueberry bushes on a 75-acre hilltop farm in Lebanon. He said Berry Best Farm's 10 varieties of berries typically start ripening around July 15, but this year "we started at least 10 days earlier."
Bozak said blueberry season at his farm usually goes until Labor Day. But this year, who knows?
"It's very possible we may wind up a week or so earlier, depending on the rest of the summer," Bozak said. "Mother Nature is in control, not us."
Following are some chefs' suggestions for using those blues in a full-course meal:
THIS SALAD comes from Kevin Cunningham, executive chef at The Inn at Brunswick Station, at 4 Noble St. in Brunswick.
"This salad is a great blend of savory and sweet," he says. "The goat cheese plays well with fruits and vinaigrettes, so the whole salad comes together in each bite. One of my favorites."
Fresh, washed local spring mix
1/3 cup candied pecans
1/3 cup fresh local blueberries
2 ounces of crumbled goat cheese
In a medium bowl, place a large handful of spring mix, the candied pecans and the blueberries.
Add 2 ounces honey balsamic dressing (recipe below). Make sure you shake well if separated.
Toss all ingredients to coat.
Plate by first putting coated greens on large plate. Cover with coated berries and nuts.
Finish with 2 ounces of crumbled goat cheese and serve.
You can also use a store-bought balsamic vinaigrette. Just add a little honey to play with the goat cheese.
They really are good friends – honey and goat cheese, that is.
The salad can also be made with other fruit, such as grilled peaches or strawberries.
Yield: 1 quart
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
2 tablespoons clover honey
2 tablespoons shallots, minced extra fine
10 ounces balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
10 ounces blended oil
Mise en place all ingredients and equipment. Place minced shallots in food processor and process for one minute with mustard and honey. Add balsamic vinegar and turn on food processor.
While the food processor is running, drizzle in first the extra virgin olive oil and then the blended oil.
Transfer into storage vessel and refrigerate. Keeps for 30 days.
If the emulsion breaks, you can reprocess to combine, or just shake well.
BLUEBERRIES AREN'T just for pies and cobblers anymore. Try them in savory entrees as well, such as this duck preparation from Mitchell Kaldrovich, chef at the Sea Glass Restaurant at Inn by the Sea in Cape Elizabeth.
Serves 4
4 duck breasts
Extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon thyme
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon sea salt or kosher salt
Trim duck breasts and core skin with a sharp knife. Spread spice mix and salt over both sides of the breasts. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
Preheat a large cast iron pot. Add a tablespoon of olive oil and place the duck, skin side down, letting the fat render for 10 minutes at slow heat. The skin should be light golden brown. Right before serving, flip the duck for another 2 minutes or longer depending on how you like the duck cooked. Let rest for another minute and serve with the blueberry sauce.
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
1/2 cup orange juice
1 cinnamon stick
1 star anise
3 cups red wine
1 1/2 cups fresh highbush blueberries
1/2 cup veal or chicken stock
Combine all ingredients in a double-bottom sauce pan, except the blueberries. Slow simmer until reduced to a syrupy consistency. Add blueberries and season with salt and pepper. Discard the star anise. Reserve.
2 medium carrots, peeled and diced
1 medium zucchini, diced (center with seeds discarded)
1/2 cup fresh English peas
1 cup hon shimeji mushrooms, cleaned
2 cups cooked organic golden quinoa
Fresh chopped garden herbs such as chives, parsley and oregano
Extra virgin olive oil
In a high heat saute pan with a drizzle of olive oil, add the carrots and cook for three minutes. When they begin to caramelize, add the mushrooms and cook for another two minutes, then add the zucchini and peas. Season with salt and pepper, then add the cooked quinoa and fresh herbs.
EMILY DeLOIS, pastry chef at Vignola Cinque Terre in Portland, has created a light Wild Maine Blueberry and Lemon Mascarpone Cheesecake that is a perfect summer dessert. DeLois says the wild Maine blueberry compote is extremely versatile. If you're not a cheesecake fan, try the compote on a blueberry crisp or on pound cake. If you use it in a savory dish, such as pork or duck, she advises reducing the amount of sugar.
Serves 16 to 20
1/2 pound butter
1/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon honey
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup graham flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
Using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, cream the butter, the sugars and the honey until light and fluffy, about two minutes. Sift the flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon and gradually add to the butter mixture. Scraping down the sides of the bowl frequently, mix until thoroughly combined and the dough comes together. Press the dough into the bottom of a 10-inch spring form pan, creating about a 1/4-inch thick crust. Bake at 350 degrees about 20 minutes, or until it starts to brown. Let the pan cool slightly, and wrap the outside with two to three layers of foil.
1 1/2 pounds Philadelphia cream cheese
1 pound Bel Gioisoso mascarpone
2 cups sugar
11/4 cups sour cream
4 whole eggs
4 egg yolks
Zest of 2 lemons
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
1 cup fresh wild Maine blueberries
Using the paddle attachment of a stand mixer, whip the cream cheese, sugar and mascarpone until combined. Add the sour cream and mix one minute, scraping the edges of the bowl as necessary. Add the eggs, then the lemon zest and vanilla extract. Transfer the mixture to the bowl of a food processor and process until smooth, about 30 seconds.
Carefully fold in the fresh wild blueberries and pour into the prepared 10-inch pan lined with foil. Place the pan in a larger pan filled with 1 inch of water. This prevents the cheesecake from cracking and the foil prevents water leaking into the cheesecake pan. Bake at 350 degrees for 2 1/2 to 3 hours, or until the cheesecake appears set. Remove the cheesecake from the water and chill for several hours before removing from the pan. Top with fresh wild Maine blueberry compote.
6 cups fresh wild Maine blueberries
Juice of 2 lemons
1 cup sugar
3 tablepoons cornstarch
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
Place the blueberries and lemon juice in a heavy-bottomed sauce pan. Sift the sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon, mix to combine and add to the wild blueberries. Cook on medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture begins to bubble and thicken. Remove from the heat until ready for use.
Before digging into all of these delicious blueberry dishes, why not start with a blueberry-themed cocktail? This take on a classic blueberry dessert comes from Steve Lovenguth, former bar manager at Walter's in Portland.
Muddled blueberries to taste
1/2 ounce Cold River Blueberry Vodka
1/2 ounce Three Olives Vanilla Vodka
1 ounce Captain Morgan Spiced Rum
Staff Writer Meredith Goad can be contacted at 791-6332 or at: firstname.lastname@example.com
Twitter: MeredithGoad
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The great potential or the great depression
Author – Tim Smith
The "Great Depression" saw more millionaires created than any other time in history. While much of the business community like the general population hoarded their money trying to out–wait the depression, entrepreneurs set their minds to building their wealth based on a return to normal activities. They invested heavily because they knew the depression would end which would place them in a perfect position to benefit.
Insightful business owners have an opportunity today during the COVID-19 crisis to leverage their resources to position themselves for explosive expansion once restrictions are lifted. With massive slowdowns during COVID-19 many of your key human resources are not being utilized fully. When you are back to normal operations it's almost impossible to take valuable team members from their overloaded schedules to commit them to pilot projects to validate emerging and beneficial technologies which can dramatically change operational throughout and resulting profitability. It's understood that the most difficult aspect of running a successful project is having human resources available. There is no better time than while operations are slowed due to the crisis. Additionally, there is a widely held belief that medical and certain other key supply chains, will be re–shored to North America from China, furthering the need for preparing to handle the economic explosion that will undoubtedly occur.
MEMEX has several insightful customers running pilots and expanding technology on their shop floors today to capitalize on taking business from slow moving competitors by leveraging what they have learned from visibility of the shop floor. They are equipping the very same engineers, operations teams, operators with continuous improvement tools today, who would otherwise be too busy under normal circumstances to vastly improve throughput, drive down burdened costs and produce product at lower costs than the competition giving them the selling edge needed globally.
Many manufacturers may never survive the impact of COVID-19. But the visionaries of companies destined to be leaders will take this opportunity to put in place the tools for success. Industry 4.0 is here. You can be a strategic leader or a late adopter, missing opportunities. The investment is minimal, and you have resources today available which are normally committed.
The masses suffered during the "Great Depression" but the few with vision became captains of industry and world leaders for decades. Where are you?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Netflix Is the New Streaming Home of 'Seinfeld'
Finally, the show about nothing is coming to the streaming service that has everything.
Yes, it's true: Every episode of Seinfeld is moving to Netflix. The site announced today that come next month, all 180 episodes of the landmark '90s sitcom will be available there for all subscribers.
The press release for the news even included an amusing quote from Jerry Seinfeld himself, describing an acquisition that surely netted him tens of millions of dollars with trademark sarcasm:
Larry and I are enormously grateful to Netflix for taking this chance on us. It takes a lot of guts to trust two schmucks who literally had zero experience in television when we made this thing. We really got carried away, I guess. I didn't realize we made so many of them. Hope to recoup god knows how many millions it must have taken to do. But worth all the work if people like it. Crazy project.
There's also a teaser for the show. It should look familiar to fans.
For the past few years, Hulu has been the place to watch Seinfeld online and on demand. But Jerry Seinfeld has a long relationship with Netflix; he's done several standup specials for the company, and it also bought his web series Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee after it debuted on Crackle. They're also currently streaming Bee Movie, Seinfeld's animated series, his late '90s standup special I'm Telling You For the Last Time, and his 2002 documentary Comedian. Once they have Seinfeld, they'll have almost every single thing he's ever produced in their streaming library.
Seinfeld begins streaming on Netflix on October 1.


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26 inch Artificial Silk Butterfly Palm Bush for Home or Office
26 inch Artificial Silk Butterfly Palm Bush for Home or Office
The 26 inch Artificial Silk Butterfly Palm Bush is a Very Lush, Realistic Butterfly Palm. The 26 inch Artificial Silk Butterfly Palm Bush
is great for the back of bathtubs or around the base of larger artificial plant groupings. The Artificial Silk Butterfly Palm Bush boasts 26 inches in height. The 26 inch Artificial Silk Butterfly Palm Bush comes potted in a pottery plaster base in an artificial decorative container pot filled with real moss.
This Artificial Silk Butterfly Palm Bush is a stunning addition to any home or office décor. Made with a high-quality silk material, this bush features lush green leaves and realistic-looking butterflies resting atop its fronds. The perfect way to add a touch of nature to any space, this bush is sure to make a statement. Perfect for indoor or outdoor use, this bush is a great way to bring a bit of the outdoors in.
- Height: 26 inches
- Width:
- Depth:
Returns and Refund Policy
We have a 7 day return policy, which means you have 7 days after receiving your item to request a return.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be in the same condition that you received it, unworn or unused, and in its original packaging. You'll also need the receipt or proof of purchase.
To start a return, you can contact us at firstname.lastname@example.com. If your return is accepted, we'll send you a return shipping label, as well as instructions on how and where to send your package. Items sent back to us without first requesting a return will not be accepted.
You can always contact us for any return question at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Damages and issues
Please inspect your order upon receipt and contact us immediately if the item is defective, damaged or if you receive the wrong item, so that we can evaluate the issue and make it right.
Exceptions / non-returnable items
Certain types of items cannot be returned, like custom made products (which are special orders). Please get in touch if you have questions or concerns about your specific item.
The fastest way to ensure you get what you want is to return the item you have, and once the return is accepted, make a separate purchase for the new item.
We will notify you once we've received and inspected your return, and let you know if the refund was approved or not. If approved, you'll be automatically refunded on your original payment method. Please remember it can take some time for your bank or credit card company to process and post the refund.
Terms of Sale This Terms and Conditions of Sale (the "Agreement") constitutes a binding legal contract between you and RG's Creative Plant Interiors Inc. the owner and operator of this website (the "Site"). By ordering any product or service via the Site, you signify your acceptance of this Agreement, as it may be amended or supplemented from time to time. Changes to this Agreement will be effective when posted. This Agreement is intended to supplement the Website Terms of Use. RG's Creative Plant Interiors Inc. takes the issue of privacy on the Internet very seriously. To view our privacy policy, click here. Shipping As of now, most orders are shipping within 2-10 business days from the date of purchase unless otherwise noted. However, RG's Creative Plant Interiors Inc. is not responsible for non-delivery due to circumstances beyond our control, such as labor and/or maritime strikes, customs delays, and Acts of God. Shipping costs calculated upon checkout are estimates using current Freight Rate Guides and the weight of the item(s) purchased and may not accurately reflect the actual shipping charge for the item(s) ordered depending upon the item(s) actual dimensions and other factors. * If there is any difference between the shipping cost calculated upon checkout and actual shipping charges incurred by RG's Creative Plant Interiors Inc. the customer may receive a credit or an additional charge for shipping. PRICES AND AVAILABILITY PRICES AND AVAILABILITY OF ALL MERCHANDISE ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT NOTICE. Despite our best efforts to sell online only those products we have in stock; the quantity may not be available for all products. If the product you want to order is out of stock, we apologize for any inconvenience. • Allow 2-10 days for shipping on silk plants and giftware • Our merchandise is packed by experienced packers. • Merchandise will be shipped by the most economical common carrier. • Sorry No C.O.D's Disclaimer of Warranties RG's Creative Plant Interiors Inc. warrants that it will replace or refund for the purchase price (less a restocking fee of 20% if a refund is given) any products purchased through the Site at any time within the three (3) days following your receipt of the item. THE FOREGOING WARRANTY AND RETURN POLICY IS MADE EXPRESSLY IN LIEU OF ANY OTHER WARRANTIES OR GUARANTEES. RG's Creative Plant Interiors Inc. EXPRESSLY DISCLAIMS ALL OTHER WARRANTIES OF ANY KIND, WHETHER EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT. .


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Please visit our Open House at 65 40TH AVE E in Vancouver.
Open House on Sunday, April 3, 2016 1:00 PM - 3:00 PM
WEST OF MAIN. On a beautiful tree lined street, this charming, well cared for home has been completely renovated. Two bedrooms on the main, a formal dining room, living room and another bedroom or office downstairs for you. There is a great one bedroom suite. Updated kitchen, bathrooms, plumbing, electrical, heating, landscaping... the list goes on. There are refinished oak hardwood floors, gourmet kitchen with stainless steel gas stove, wood blinds, top of the line washer and dryer, security system, parking for 3 cars (one car garage) - all packaged within a beautifully landscaped yard with in-ground sprinkler system and a new fence. Easy to Oakridge Mall, The Canada Line to downtown, great parks and schools. YOU'LL LOVE IT!


text:
Produced by Harry Haile and Mike Pullen
Johann Wolfgang Goethe
Here's where I've planted my garden and here I shall care for love's blossoms–
As I am taught by my muse, carefully sort them in plots:
Fertile branches, whose product is golden fruit of my lifetime,
Set here in happier years, tended with pleasure today.
You, stand here at my side, good Priapus–albeit from thieves I've
Nothing to fear. Freely pluck, whosoever would eat.
–Hypocrites, those are the ones! If weakened with shame and bad conscience
One of those criminals comes, squinting out over my garden,
Bridling at nature's pure fruit, punish the knave in his hindparts,
Using the stake which so red rises there at your loins.
Tell me ye stones and give me O glorious palaces answer.
Speak O ye streets but one word. Genius, art thou alive?
Yes, here within thy sanctified walls there's a soul in each object,
ROMA eternal. For me, only, are all things yet mute.
Who will then tell me in whispers and where must I find just the window
Where one day she'll be glimpsed: creature who'll scorch me with love?
Can't I divine yet the paths through which over and over
To her and from her I'll go, squandering valuable time?
Visiting churches and palaces, all of the ruins and the pillars,
I, a responsible man, profit from making this trip.
With my business accomplished, ah, then shall only one temple,
AMOR's temple alone, take the initiate in.
Rome, thou art a whole world, it is true, and yet without love this
World would not be the world, Rome would cease to be Rome.
More than ever I dreamed, I have found it: my happy good fortune!
Cupid sagaciously led past those palazzos so fine.
He of course knows very well (and I have also discovered)
What, beneath tapestries rich, gilded boudoirs conceal.
One may if one wishes call him a blind, wanton boy–but I know you,
Clever Cupid, too well! O, incorruptible god!
We were by no means inveigled to enter facades so majestic;
Somber cortile we passed, balcony high and gallant,
Hastening onward until an humble but exquisite portal
Offered a refuge to both, ardent seeker and guide.
Here he provides me with ev'rything, sees that I get what I call for;
Each day that passes he spreads freshly plucked roses for me.
–Isn't that heaven on earth? Say, beautiful Lady Borghese,
What would you give to me more? –You, Nipotina, what yours?
Banquets and game tables, operas, balls, promenades down the Corso?
These but deprive my sweet boy of his most opportune times.
Finery, haughtiness do not entice me. Does one not lift a
Gown of the finest brocade just as one lifts common wool?
If she's to press in comfort a lover against that soft bosom,
Doesn't he want her to be free from all brooches and chains?
Must not the jewelry, and then the lace and the bustles and whalebone
All of it come off entire, if he's to learn how she feels?
I encounter no troubles like those. Simple dress of rough homespun,
At but a lover's mere touch, tumbles in folds to the floor.
Quickly he carries the girl as she's clad in chemise of coarse linen–
Just as a nursemaid might, playfully up to her bed.
Drapings of satin are absent; the mattress is quite unembroidered.
Large is this room where the bed offers its comfort for two.
Jupiter's welcome to more from his Juno if he can get it;
Let any mortal find rest, softer, wherever he can.
We are content with Cupid's delights, authentic and naked–
And with the exquisite creak /crack of the bed as it rocks.
Ask whomever you will but you'll never find out where I'm lodging,
High society's lords, ladies so groomed and refined.
"Tell me, was Werther authentic? Did all of that happen in real life?"
"Lotte, oh where did she live, Werther's only true love?"
How many times have I cursed those frivolous pages that broadcast
Out among all mankind passions I felt in my youth!
Were he my brother, why then I 'd have murdered poor Werther.
Yet his despondent ghost couldn't have sought worse revenge.
That's the way "Marlborough," the ditty, follows the Englishman's travels
Down to Livorno from France, thence from Livorno to Rome,
All of the way into Naples and then, should he flee on to Madras,
"Marlborough" will surely be there, "Marlborough" sung in the port.
Happily now I've escaped, and my mistress knows Werther and Lotte
Not a whit better than who might be this man in her bed:
That he's a foreigner, footloose and lusty, is all she could tell you,
Who beyond mountains and snow, dwelt in a house made of wood.
Do not, beloved, regret that you yielded to me so quickly:
I entertain no base, insolent thoughts about you.
Arrows of Cupid work divers effects. Some do but scratch us:
Slow and insidious these poison our hearts over years.
Yet with a head freshly honed and cunningly fledged, certain others
Pierce to the marrow, inflame rapidly there our blood.
When gods and goddesses in days of heroes made love, then
Lust followed look and desire, with no delay, was indulged.
Surely you don't think the goddess of love lost a moment reflecting
When, in Idean grove, Anchises caught her eye.
Nor did Luna delay about kissing that beautiful dreamer–
Jealous Aurora had else hastily wakened the lad.
At the loud banquet Hero regarded Leander–then promptly
Into dark waters he plunged, ardently swam toward his love.
When Rhea Silvia, princess and virgin, came down to the Tiber
Just to fetch water, a god seized her and that is the way
Mars begat himself sons, a pair of twins whom a she wolf
Suckled. Today a proud Rome claims to be queen of the world.
We are so pious, we lovers. Discreetly we worship all powers,
Hoping for favor from each god and each goddess as well.
We are like you, ye victorious Romans, in this: for we offer
Gods of all peoples and tribes, over the whole world, a home–
May the Egyptian, black and austere out of primeval basalt,
Or from the marble a Greek, form them charming and white–
Yet the eternal ones do not object to particularism
(Incense of most precious sort, strewn for just one of their host).
Therefore we gladly confess to singling a special immortal
And our devotions each day pledging but solely to her.
Mischievous celebrants we at these mysteries gay, and so solemn:
Silence exactly befits rites at which we're adepts.
Rather onto our heels by horrible deeds the Erinyes
We would allure, even Zeus' punishment sooner we'd dare–
Under that rock, or bound to a tumbling wheel we'd endure it–
Than we'd withdraw our hearts from the delights of her cult.
Sweet Opportunity, that is her name. You should meet her.
Often will she turn up, ever in a new form.
Daughter of Proteus might well she be whom he sired upon Thetis.
In metamorphoses they've many a hero deceived.
So now the daughter beguiles the naive and bedazzles the foolish,
Teases you while you're asleep; when you awaken, she's flown.
Eagerly yields herself up to the quick, to the active man only.
He discovers she's tame, playful and tender and sweet.
Once she appeared to me, too: a dark-skinned girl, tumbling
Over her forehead the hair down in waves heavy and dark.
Round about a delicate neck curled short little ringlets;
Up from the crown of her head crinkled the unbraided hair.
When she dashed by me I seized her, mistaking her not. Lovingly
Kiss and embrace she returned, knowing and teaching me how.
O how enraptured I was! Ah, say now no more. It's a bygone.
But, O pigtails of Rome, still I'm entrammled in you.
Happily now on classical soil I feel inspiration.
Voices from present and past speak here evocatively.
Heeding ancient advice, I leaf through the works of the Ancients
With an assiduous hand. Daily the pleasure's renewed.
Throughout the night, in a different way, I'm kept busy by Cupid–
If erudition is halved, rapture is doubled that way.
Do then I not become wise when I trace with my eye her sweet bosom's
Form, and the line of her hips stroke with my hand? I acquire,
As I reflect and compare, my first understanding of marble,
See with an eye that feels, feel with a hand that sees.
While my beloved, I grant it, deprives me of moments of daylight,
She in the nighttime hours gives compensation in full.
And we do more than just kiss; we prosecute reasoned discussions
(Should she succumb to sleep, that gives me time for my thoughts).
In her embrace–it's by no means unusual–I've composed poems
And the hexameter's beat gently tapped out on her back,
Fingertips counting in time with the sweet rhythmic breath of her slumber.
Air from deep in her breast penetrates mine and there burns.
Cupid, while stirring the flame in our lamp, no doubt thinks of those days when
For the triumvirs he similar service performed.
"Can you be cruel enough to sadden me thus with reproaches?
Germans speak, I suppose, bitterly when they're in love.
Bear it I must when the gossips bring forth accusations: I'm guilty–
Or am I not? But, alas, all of my guilt was with you.
Clothes that you've given bear witness for envious neighbors
That the poor widow no more grieves for her husband alone.
Did you not thoughtlessly visit me in the disguise of a cleric,
Muffled all up in a cloak, hair all rounded behind?
Who was it chose that gray monk if not you? Well then a prelate
Now is my lover–Ah, who is my prelate but you?
Never, incredible as it may sound in this clerical city,
Has any cleric brought me–swear it I will–to his bed.
I was sufficiently poor, sad to say. I was young. The seducers
Noted it well. Falconier ogled me often enough.
One of the pimps for Albani with billets doux very impressive
Called me to Ostia once. Quattro Fontani next time.
Who was it did not appear there? Why, who but the very same girl who
Hated with all of her heart stockings both violet and red.
For: 'In the end you poor girls are the ones who are sure to be cheated.'
So said my father although–Mother was not much impressed.
Father was right. Here I stand in the end being cheated and scolded.
You don't believe your own words. They're your excuse to escape.
Go, then. Unworthy of women are men. We, who carry your children
Next to our hearts, in these hearts loyalty we bear you, too.
As for you men, when you've poured out your potency in our embraces
And your desires dissipate, love with them passes away."
These things expressed, and taking her child from its chair, my beloved
Presses it close to her heart, kisses it, tears in her eyes.
I'm now so very ashamed of myself for having permitted
Gossip of neighbors to spoil picture so eloquent.
For a short moment a fire may burn darkly while smoke swirls about it.
Water dashed on the coals suddenly smothers their glow.
Rapidly then renewed heat overcomes those lowering vapors,
Sends up a flame that anew bright and more powerful gleams.
How very happy I am here in Rome when I think of the bad days
Far back there in the north, wrapped in a grayish light.
Over my head there the heavens weighed down so dismal and gloomy;
Colorless, formless, that world round this exhausted man lay.
Seeking myself in myself, an unsatisfied spirit, I brooded,
Spying out pathways dark, lost in dreary reflection.
Here in an ather more clear now a luster encircles my forehead.
Phoebus the god evokes forms, clear are his colors by day.
Bright with the stars comes the evening, ringing with songs that are tender,
And the glow of the moon, brighter than northern sun.
What blessedness mortals may know! Am I now dreaming? Or welcomes
Jupiter, Father, as guest–me, to ambrosial halls?
See, I lie here extending my arms toward your knees. I am praying:
Hospitality's god, Jupiter Xenius! Hear:
How I am come to this place I no longer can say–I was
Seized up by Hebe. 'Twas she led to this sacred hill.
Did you command her a hero to seek and deliver before you ?
May be she erred. Then forgive. Let her mistake profit me!
Does not Fortuna, your daughter, when strewing her glorious presents,
After the manner of girls, yield to each passing whim?
You, O hospitable god, will by no means now banish a stranger
From your Olympian heights back to the base earth again.
"Poet, come to your senses!"–Forgive me, Jupiter, is not
Rome's Capitoline Hill second Olympus to you?
Suffer me, Jupiter, here and let Hermes guide me at last then
Past Cestius' Tomb gently to Orkus below.
When you were small, you say, neither did others consider you f air, nor
Even your mother find praise–and I believe it–
Till you grew bigger, developing quietly over the years. I
Picture you to myself as an unusual child.
Also the blossoms on grapevines are wanting in shape and in color,
Although the fruit when it's ripe pleases both mankind and gods.
Kindling autumnal fire in a rustic, convivial fireplace
(How the sticks crackle and spew flames and glittering sparks!)
Strikes me especially pleasant this evening. Before all my tinder
Dies away into coals, coals then to ashes decline,
She will be back and new faggots as well as big logs will be blazing,
Making a festival where lovers will warm up the night.
Then in the morning, officious, she'll leave the bed of her lover,
Rouse adroitly the flames out from their ashes anew.
Cupid has lent to her above others the gift of cajoling
Up from the ashes desire, just when slumber's begun.
All of those greats: Alexander, Caesar and Henry and Fredrick,
Gladly would share with me half of their hard fought renown,
Could I but grant them my bed for one single night, and its comfort,
But the poor wretches are held stark in cold Orkian grip.
Therefore, ye living, rejoice that love keeps you warm for a while yet,
Until cold Lethe anoints, captures your foot in its flight.
They are for you, O ye graces, just a few leaves by a poet
Onto your pure altar laid, buds of the rose beside,
Offered in confidence. Artists enjoy ateliers which are furnished
So as to make for a space Pantheon-like in decor:
Jupiter lowers that godly brow while his Juno looks upward;
Phoebus takes forward strides, shaking his curly head;
While phlegmatic Minerva peers down on us, frivolous Hermes
Seems to be looking askance, roguish, though tender as well.
But it's to Bacchus, the sensuous dreamer, Cythera sends glances
Bathed in sweetest desire–even in marble they're damp.
Thinking about his embrace and its pleasures, she seems to be asking
Shouldn't our glorious son here at our side stand erect?
Can't you hear voices, beloved, out on the Via Flamina?
Reapers are now going home, back from harvesting grain.
They had journeyed to Rome from afar, and here plaited for Ceres
Wreaths which the Romans today scorn to make for themselves.
Festivals no longer celebrate Ceres, the nourishing goddess
Who replaced acorns of old, giving man golden wheat.
Let us commemorate her then ourselves in festival private
(Two constitute a whole tribe, when they are two in love).
Have you by any chance heard how that mystical, strange celebration
Followed victorious troops back from Eleusis to Rome?
Greeks were the ones who began it, and only to Greeks they proclaimed it
Even within Roman walls: "Come to the sanctified night."
Those who were not of the cult kept their distance; neophytes trembled,
Waiting in garments of white, symbol of all that is pure.
Then the initiates must aimlessly wander about through the eerie
Circles of figures as if pilgriming through their own dreams.
Snakes on the ground were writhing about. Now virgins came bearing
Caskets securely locked, richly wreathed with grain.
Surely the gestures of murmuring priests must contain some deep meaning–
Impatient acolytes wait, anxiously hoping for light.
Not until after many a testing and trial did they discover
What, within sacred ring, secretive image concealed.
What was this mystery other than this: that Demeter, goddess,
Once upon a time had to a hero been kind.
It was to Jason, powerful king of the Cretans, she granted
Of her immortal self hidden sweet parts to explore.
That made the fortune of Crete! The marital bed of the goddess
Soon grew pregnant with grain, heavy her bounteous fields.
As for the rest of the world, it languished away, while Ceres,
Derelict of her true task, dalliance offered in love.
–Now the initiate youths, having followed this tale, all astonished,
Turned and beckoned their loves–love, do you comprehend?
See there the sacred shade beneath that bushy-boughed myrtle?
Our satisfaction will there scarcely endanger a world.
Cupid is always a scoundrel, and if you believe him he'll cheat you.
Here's what the hypocrite said: "Trust me just once more, this time.
I have the best of intentions toward you who have now dedicated–
I recognize it with thanks–life and writings to me.
Lo, I have followed you hither to Rome, and I'd like to do something
Here in this far away land pleasing to such an old friend.
Every traveller I've ever known has complained of poor treatment:
He whom I recommend treatment delicious receives.
You've now regarded with awe all the structures which lie here in ruins,
Cultivated your eye, sensing each hallowed space.
How you've revered the formative will of those ancient artists!
In their own ateliers often I"ve visited them.
As for their works, why, I formed those myself–now this time I'm boasting
Not. Oh come now, admit what I am saying is true.
Where are your own creations, your service to me having slackened?
Where is invention's glow now? Where is the color all gone?
Friend, do you hope you can create again? –The school of the Ancients
Yet remains open. Its gates, years have not closed them to you.
I am eternally young, and as teacher I still love the young ones.
Wisdom that comes with old age pleases me not. Listen here:
Wasn't antiquity young when those fortunate Ancients were living?
Happy then be your life, too: in it antiquity lives.
Where will you find a fit theme for your song? –It is I must provide it.
As for a style truly grand, love can alone give you that."
All of these claims that sophist asserted. Could I contradict him?
I am wont to obey, when my commander decrees.
Treacherous now he is keeping his word: giving me themes for my poems
While he is stealing my time, potency, presence of mind.
Gazing into her eyes, holding hands, giving kisses, exchanging
Syllables sweet and those words lovers alone understand,
Murmuring our conversations we stutter in sweet oratory.
Hymns of such sort pass away, wanting prosodical tact.
Goddess of morning, Aurora, as friend of my muse I once knew you.
Has the unprincipled god, Cupid, seduced you now too?
So that these mornings you come as his sweetheart, awakening me at
His festive altar again, where I must celebrate him?
Here on my breast flows her hair, an abundance of curls, while her head rests,
Pressing my arm as it's bent, so as to pillow her neck.
What a delicious condition, if only these few tranquil moments
Could in my memory fix firmly that image of joy
When the night rocked us to sleep–but in slumber she's moving away now,
From my side turns, as she goes leaving her hand in my hand.
Love in our hearts makes us one, as the genuine need there stays constant;
Only returning desire knows oscillation or change.
Gently her hand presses mine, now she opens her eyes and is looking
Into my own eyes. No–don't. Let my thoughts rest on your form!
Please close your eyes. They're inebriation, confusion, they rob me
All too soon of the joy quiet reflection affords.
Grand are the forms of this body and nobly positioned each member.
Had Ariadne lain thus, Theseus never had fled.
Only a single kiss for these lips and then, O Theseus, leave her;
Look at her eyes–she's awake! Now you're eternally bound.
Boy, won't you light me a lamp. "But dear master, there's light in the sky yet.
Don't waste your oil and the wick. Don't close the shutters so soon.
Only the houses are blocking the sun there, it's not yet the mountains.
Until the curfew shall ring, full half an hour must pass."
Wretched young fellow, be gone and obey me! My loved one is coming.
Lamplight, console me till then, harbinger warm of the night.
Poets of old in chorus cried out against those two serpents,
Making them horrible names, hated in all of the world:
Python the one, the other the Hydra of Lerna. These monsters
Both have now been destroyed, thanks to the deeds of the gods.
Fire-breathing, venomous once, they no longer now depredate our
Flocks and meadows and woods, fields of golden grain.
How is it then that some spiteful god in his wrath has
Raised from the poisonous slime offspring so monstrous again?
There's an insidious viper creeps into the loveliest gardens,
Lying in wait to attack all who seek pleasure therein.
Noble Hesperian dragon, I call you courageous and forthright.
Boldly defending your own beautiful apples of gold.
As for this worm, why he is not guarding at all, for his presence
Sullies both garden and fruit, till they deserve no defense.
Secretly coiled beneath bushes, where he befouls the sweet wellsprings,
Turning to poisonous drool Cupid's lifegiving dew.
Happy Lucretius knew how in his day to forego love completely,
Fearing not to enjoy pleasure in anyone's arms.
Fortunate Ancient, Propertius, for you a slave fetched the girls down
From the Aventine Hill, from Tarpeia's grove.
Cynthia then, when driving you out of such unchaste embraces,
Found you unfaithful, it's true, but she did find you whole.
Who would today dare attempt to escape from fidelity's ennui?
Love does not hold one back–only concern for one's health.
Even the woman we love may afford us uncertain enjoyment;
Nowhere can feminine lap safely encouch a man's head.
Matrimonial bed's insecure and so's fornication;
Husband, lover and wife pass to each other the hurt.
Think of those ages of gold when Jupiter followed his urges,
Chose Callisto one day, turned to Semel the next.
It was important to him to find thresholds of temples so sacred
Pure when, enamoured, he sought powerful entry to them.
Can you imagine the ragings of Juno if in love's skirmish
Poisonous weapons on her by her own spouse had been turned?
But we neo-pagans may not after all be abandoned entirely:
Yet there is speeding a god mercifully over the earth,
Quick and assiduous. Everyone knows him and ought to adore him,
Herald of Zeus: Hermes, the healing god.
Although his father's temple be fallen, and though of its pillars
Scarcely a pair yet records ancient glory adored,
Nevertheless the son's place of worship still stands, and forever
Will there the ardent requests alternate with the thanks.
Only one favor I beg of you, Graces (I ask it in secret–
Fervent my prayer and deep, out of a passionate breast):
My little garden, my sweet one, protect it and do not let any
Evil come near it nor me. Cupid will hold out his hand:
O, and entrusting myself to the rascal, I beg you please may I
Do so in pleasure with no danger or worry or fear.
I cannot think I'd have gone with Julius Caesar to Britain;
To the Popina right here, Florus would tug me with ease.
Fogs of the dreary north remain a more baleful remembrance
Than in the kitchens of Rome tribes of assiduous fleas.
After today, I'll remember you even more kindly, tavernas,
You osterias, as you are called, aptly by those here in Rome.
That was the place I encountered my mistress today with the uncle
Whom she so often deceives, so that she can have me.
Here's where I sat at a table surrounded by good-natured Germans;
Over on that side the girl, finding a seat for herself
Next to her mother where, frequently shifting her bench, she arranged
Nicely for me to perceive profile and curve of her neck;
Speaks just a little more loudly than women in Rome are accustomed;
Significant glance as she pours–misses the glass with the wine
So that it spills on the table, and she with a delicate finger
Over its surface can draw circles in damp arabesque:
Her name entwining in mine, while my eyes most eagerly follow
All that her fingertip writes. She is of course well aware
That I am watching, so finally makes the V of the Roman
Five, with a virgule before. Quickly, as soon as I've seen,
She interlaces the circles, reducing them all to ornatest
Patterns–but still the sweet IV stood as engraved in my eye.
I sat there mutely and biting my passionate lips almost bloody
Half from delight at the ruse, partly from stifled desire:
Such a long time until dark, then another four hours of waiting.
–Sun, who tarries on high, contemplating Rome:
Greater never you've nor shall you in future see greater
Than Rome, O sun, as your priest, Horace, enraptured foretold.
Tarry no longer today. Go seek other realms beneath heaven.
Sooner depart and leave Rome's seven famed hills to me.
Please do the poet a favor and shorten the glorious hours
Which the painter devours, eagerly filling his eyes.
Cast now but one ardent glance, while descending, on noble facades and
Cupolas, pillars, and–last–up at the obelisks. Then
Hastily plunge to the ocean. Come view all the sooner tomorrow
That which, for centuries now, gods have let you enjoy:
Italy's shoreline so long overgrown with moist reeds, elevations
Somberly rising to shades cast by the bushes and trees.
First were but few simple dwellings here, suddenly sunlight discovered
Nations enlivening hills teeming with fortunate thieves.
Onto this spot they assembled such plunder, in your eye so splendid
All earth's remaining orb scarcely was worthy of note.
You watched a world being born here, watched the same world sink to ruin,
And from those ruins yet arise world again greater, perhaps.
O may I long by your light now behold this Rome. May the Parca
Spin the fine thread of my life slowly, taking great care.
O but come rushing the moment my love designated so sweetly.
Wonderful! Sound already the chimes? –No, but I heard at least three.
Thus, my dear muses, again you've beguiled the monotony for me.
Of this long interval while I was apart from my love.
All of you now, farewell! I'll be going now–don't be offended.
For, though you're proud, you'll concede: Cupid in my heart comes first.
Why did you fail to appear at the cot in the vineyard today, Love?
As I had promised I would, long I awaited you there.
"Dear, I had almost arrived when I saw, by good fortune, your uncle
Standing right there by the vines, looking now this way, now that.
Stealthily I slipped away." –Alas, what a misapprehension!
You saw the scarecrow, that's all. Nothing else drove you away.
Reeds and some discarded garments all hastily cobbled together–
I helped to make it myself: diligent in my own grief.
"Well, now his wish is fulfilled. The old gardner's most dissolute crow has
Left on this day unscathed nice little garden and niece."
While there is many an unpleasant sound, I hate to hear barking
Worse than anything else. Bellowing dogs split my ears.
Nevertheless I do like to hear, and take pleasure in listening
To the loud howl of the dog raised from a pup next door.
That is the dog that so bayed one time at my girl that he almost
Gave our secret away (when she was visiting me).
Now, when I hear the dog barking I think my beloved is coming–
Or I remember the time, when long awaited she came.
I can tell not only about a discomfort far greater than others,
But of a horror besides, thinking of which will arouse
Every fiber in me to revulsion. My friends, I confess it:
Great displeasure I take lying alone in my bed.
But it's a horror to fear on the pathways of love you'll discover
Snakes and their venom beneath roses of eager desire–
That at the moment supreme, when I'm yielding to pleasure so fully,
Right at my head as it droops, hissing disease may approach.
That's why Faustina as my companion in bed makes me happy:
Loving she always remains faithful, as I am to her.
Young men are aroused in their passions by obstacles and by excitement;
I prefer to go slow, savoring pleasures secure.
Is it not bliss to exchange tender kisses containing no dangers,
Sucking into our lungs, carefree, our partner's own life?
That is the way our long nights of enjoyment are passed. We listen,
Breast against breast, to the storm, pouring down rain in the wind
Morning begins to dawn, we expect from these hours approaching
Blossoms that will adorn festive the coming new day.
Quirites, permit me the joy, and may this, of all pleasures on earth the
First and the last, be vouchsafed all of mankind by the god.
Ah, to uphold one's respectable name is not easy. The Lady
Fame has an ancient foe: Cupid, my master and lord.
Oh, by the way, have you heard of the cause of their mutual hatred?
It's an old story, I think–Let me just tell it again.
Powerful ever the goddess, but nevertheless to her fellows
Overbearing and rude, quite unendurable. She
Had by the gods since time out of mind at their banquets been dreaded,
Yelling with brassiest voice orders to great and to small.
Once, in her arrogance even maintained that she had subjected
To her own will, as her slave, Jove's most illustrious son.
"One of these days, O father of deities," cried she in triumph,
"I shall be bringing you my–Hercules, as if new born.
Don't think that Hercules be still that boy whom Alcmene once bore you;
His adulation of me makes him now god upon earth.
When toward Olympus he gazes, I've no doubt you hope that he's looking
Piously toward your knees. Hardly. He's looking for me.
Worthiest man! O the vision of winning my favor makes easy
Hitherto unexplored paths, under that powerful foot.
I do my part, for I meet him halfway and proclaim his adventures
Praising his name in advance, even before he's begun.
One day you'll wed me to Hercules. Hero who Amazons conquered
That day will overwhelm me. Happily I'll call him: spouse."
All of the gods kept their counsel, and none would reply to the braggart,
Lest in a pique she devise vengeance against one of them.
Cupid, escaping attention, slipped off to enslave, however, her hero:
Artlessly conquering by–force of a beautiful girl,
Afterward decked out his couple in mute masquerade: lionskin
Over her shoulders, the club leaned (by much toil) at her side;
Wiry stiff hair of the hero larded with blossoms, a distaff
Laid in his fist, to conform strength to the dalliance of love.
Scene now completed and ready to tease, he goes scampering, shouting
For all Olympus to hear: "Come, see these glorious deeds!
Heaven and Earth and the Sun on his indefatigable journey
Over that infinite path never did witness the like!"
Everyone hastened, gulled by the dissolute boy, who feigning
Earnest, had summoned them all (Fame by no means lagged behind).
Which of the gods will now smile in sweet condescension on Cupid?
–Juno! delighted, of course, seeing a man humbled so.
Fame, on the other hand, stood there ashamed, embarrassed, despairing.
First she just laughed, saying: "Gods, be not deceived. It's a masque.
I know my hero too well to be fooled by disguises of actors."
Soon, though, in pain she perceived: Hercules, none but he.
(Vulcan had not been one thousandth so vexed to discover his playmate
Under his meshes ensnared, caught with his own lusty friend,
Lying just as the wiles of the net at the most crucial moment
Deftly embraced their embrace, trapping their instant of joy.
How those boys, Bacchus and Mercury, guffawed, and freely admitted:
Sweet must be the repose, lying on bosom so fine
Of this magnificent woman. They turned to Vulcan entreating:
"Do not release them just yet. Let us inspect them once more."
And the old cuckold was cuckold enough to comply with their wishes.)
As for poor Fame, in all haste, burning with wrath she must flee.
Since then no armistice has been proclaimed to the feuding between them.
Let her but favor a man, hot in pursuit is the boy.
He whom Fame honors most can least defend against Cupid,
And her most dang'rous attacks strike the most morally proud.
Whoever tries to escape him is dragged down from bad deeds to worse ones.
Yes, he will offer you girls–if like a fool you despise
These, only then do you feel from his bow the arrows most vicious:
Heat of man's love for man, ardent desires toward beasts.
For those ashamed of him Cupid reserves the bitterest passions,
Mingling for hypocrites their pleasure in vice and remorse.
But, at the same time, the goddess seeks him, she's watching and list'ning.
Should find him with you, ill disposed will she be:
Frighten you, frowning austerely, contemptuously, violently casting
Into the worst of repute houses he's known to frequent.
Ah, it's the same with me, too. I haven't escaped her, the goddess.
Jealously she seeks me out, sweet secret love to expose.
I will submit to the ancient law and in silence revere her,
For, when great lords fall out, I like the Greeks must atone.
However comely be strength, or free and undaunted comportment,
Secrecy is for a man most important of all.
Mighty subduer of cities, Discretion, O princess of nations,
Goddess whom I adore, safely you've led me thus far.
Now, though, what fate shall befall me? My frivolous muse has now opened
–Cupid, the scamp–opens lips hitherto sealed so well.
Difficult is it, alas, to conceal the shame of a monarch;
Hide it can neither his crown, nor a tight Phrygian cap:
Midas has asses ears! the first servant discovers–O horror!
Shame of this secret so weighs, Midas unburdens his heart.
Into the earth for safekeeping the servant must bury the story,
Easing in this way the king: earth must conceal the tale.
Reeds in a trice are sprouting and rustling in murmuring breezes:
"Midas, o Midas the King–bears the ears of an ass!"
Mine is a secret more pleasant, but even more difficult keeping:
Out of abundance of heart eagerly speaketh my mouth.
None of my ladyfriends dare I confide in, for they would but chide me;
Nor any gentleman friend, lest he be rival to me.
Rapture proclaim to the grove, to the echoing cliffs perorate it?
One can do that if one's young, or if one's lonely enough.
I to hexameters tell, in pentameters I will confide it:
During the day she was joy, happiness all the night long.
Courted by so many suitors, avoided the snares that were set her
Now by one bolder than I, now by another in guile,
Cleverly, daintily, always slipped past them, and sure of the byways,
Comes to her lover's embrace, where he so eagerly waits.
Luna! Don't rise yet. She's coming, and must not be seen by the neighbor!
Breezes, rustle the leaves: muffle the sound of her feet.
And as for you, little poems, o grow and flower, your blossoms
Cradling themselves in the air, tepid and soft with love's breath.
Wafting, betray to Quirites, as Midas' reeds did with cheap gossip,
One happy couple in love, and their sweet secret, at last.
I in the back of the garden, the last of the gods, in a corner,
Ineptly formed, must I stand. Evil the inroads of time.
Cucumber vines grow entwining about this primeval lingam,
Cracking it almost in two under the weight of the fruit.
Faggots are heaped all about me against the cold of the winter,
Which I so hate for the crows settling then down on my head,
Which they befoul very shamefully. Summer's no better: the servants
Empty their bowels and show insolent, naked behinds.
Filth, above and below! I was clearly in danger of turning
Into filth myself, toadstool, rotten wood!
Now, by your efforts, O noblest of artists, I shall recover
With fellow gods my just place. And it's no more than my due.
Jupiter's throne, so dishonestly won, it was I who secured it:
Color and ivory, marble and bronze, not to mention the poems.
Now, all intelligent men look upon me in kindness. They like to
Form their own image of me, just as the poet has done.
Nor do the girls take offense when they see me–by no means the matrons.
None finds me ugly today, though I am monstrously strong.
Half a foot long, as reward, your glorious rod (dear poet)
Proudly shall strut from your loins, when but your dearest commands,
Nor shall your member grow weary until you've enjoyed the full dozen
Artful positions the great poet Philainis describes.
About the Elegies
Goethe cultivated a special, italianate hand for this portfolio of twenty-four "elegies," so called because he was emulating the elegiasts of Imperial Rome, Tibullus, Propertius, Catullus. The Elegies have never before been published as here, together in the cyclical form of their original conception. Experts even denied that the two priapeia (I & XXIV) were by Goethe at all, although they are in the same hand as the rest. To be sure, these two are not numbered, so that I was long undecided as to just what their proper position might be. At one time I imagined they must belong at the middle of the cycle where at the end of Elegy XIII Priapus' mother summons her son. Obviously Goethe, just returned north from his two years in Italy (1786-88), and alienated from prim, courtly friends (especially since he had taken a girlfriend into his cottage), had no thought of publication when he indited these remembrances of Ancient Rome. But he did show them to close friends, one of whom was the wonderful dramatist Friedrich Schiller. In 1795, Schiller undertook a new periodical, Die Horen. This thoughtful and responsible man initiated the journal with an essay of his own, explaining how forms of entertainment are actually at the same time our primary modes of education. It makes for pretty difficult reading in our present, less interested epoch. But he did break the essay up with diversions solicited from the best minds of his era. For a discussion of all this, see
Professor Worthy's Page
For now, it is enough to say that among Schiller's examples for "aesthetic education," as he called it, were these Elegies by his much admired friend, Wolfgang Goethe. Editor and author made substantial changes for propriety's sake–despite Goethe's having lashed out to the contrary in the first Elegy (which he now suppressed, along with the final one). My attempt has been–for the very first time by the way, in any language–to restore Goethe's cycle to his early conception. Since I have been unwilling to intrude with learned notes, I must apologize for Goethe's many classical allusions, which were as familiar to his own readership as are, in our publications today, the dense references to media celebrities. Modern editors of what they call the "Roman Elegies" bring abundant annotation, and often detail Goethe's own emendations. What I bring here is merely translated from his manuscript in the Goethe-Schiller Archive in Weimar.


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EQT Partners, a leading investment firm with $45B (€40B) of assets under management, has announced the signing of a definitive agreement to acquire cloud-native enterprise software provider Acumatica through an investment vehicle owned by the same holding company that holds IFS AB (Industrial and Financial Systems). To further reinforce this coalition, following the closing of the transaction Jonas Persson will serve as chairman for both companies. IFS, the global enterprise applications company, and Acumatica, the world's fastest-growing Cloud ERP provider, will serve growth industries such as manufacturing, distribution, construction, service, energy and A&D, while competing directly with SAP, Oracle, Microsoft, Infor, and Sage among others.
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"This collaboration is great news for both organizations, our customers, partners, and employees," said IFS CEO Darren Roos, who will assume a position on Acumatica's board of directors. "EQT has brought together two businesses that will enjoy the key benefits of a partnership in the growing cloud enterprise applications market. IFS and Acumatica can benefit from one another's resources, capabilities, and strategies, but still enjoy full autonomy and rapid growth trajectories while avoiding disruptions to business operations or brand equity. Acumatica's cloud-native architecture and operations are absolutely cutting edge, as is its commitment to partners and customers. I ultimately see this as two allies to cover the market from end to end, with combined strength to take market share."
"IFS is an admirable company in the ERP market who shares our belief in customer satisfaction," said Jon Roskill, CEO, Acumatica. "We could not have asked for a better match of technologies, strategies, and cultures. IFS and Acumatica both stand for customer satisfaction and choice, providing public, private, and hybrid cloud options as well as modern licensing and rich independent software vendor (ISV) ecosystems. Acumatica's customer-friendly licensing and industry-leading partner programs will not change, and our award-winning support will only get better. Combined with the proficiencies of IFS, Acumatica is positioned to expand into new markets and offer true global support for our rapidly expanding international customers."
The closing of the transaction is subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including the receipt of regulatory approvals. The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter. Terms of the transaction were not disclosed.
The new global entity is ultimately designed to meet a growing range of customer requirements. Both IFS and Acumatica understand that businesses are becoming increasingly global, regardless of size or industry. To scale and compete, customers need a network of resources that will support business operations wherever they, their business partners, and customers may be. To address these needs the two companies will tap into one another's ISV, reseller and systems integrator communities, cross-pollinate technical resources and roadmaps, and implement best practices across services and support to enable efficiencies of scale and rapid growth that are mutually beneficial. Both companies are currently adopting artificial intelligence and machine learning features into their respective products and expect to achieve early success in that area.


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Q&A: RICK STEINER, Marine conservation specialist Professor, University of Alaska
Written on September 7th, 2010
Aired 09/05/10
RICK STEINER served as a marine conservation professor with the University of Alaska from 1980-2010, stationed in the Arctic, Prince William Sound, and Anchorage. He was responsible for the University's conservation and sustainability extension effort, and was producer/host of the Alaska Resource Issues Forum, a public television program on controversial natural resource issues. He advised the emergency response to the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill in 1989 and helped found the Regional Citizens Advisory Councils and the Prince William Sound Science Center. He advises the UN, governments, NGOs, and industry on oil spill prevention, response, assessment, and restoration.
Steiner learned about oil spills the hard way -- in Valdez Harbor. He learned about academic politics the same way, losing federal grant funding for outspoken criticism of the oil industry.


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Tenants have condemned "ruthless" housing chiefs for forcing them to pay £10,000 each for renovations - two years before their flats are due to be bulldozed.
Leaseholders on the West Hendon Estate are embroiled in a row with Barnet Homes, which is refusing to waive charges for the repairs.
Residents in Tyrell Way and Marsh Drive will be moved out of their homes in the next two to six years to make way for 2,000 new flats as part of the West Hendon Regeneration project.
But the 110 residents have taken a defiant stance against the costs, which they could still be paying off long after the blocks have been demolished.
Glynnis Walker is campaigning against the charges on behalf of her frail mother, 84-year-old Adelaide Adams, who lives in Tyrell Way.
She said: "She can't pay it. It's extortion - how dare they? They should be ashamed of themselves. It's nothing short of a disgrace.
"They are ruthless and they don't care about all the stress they are putting these people through. It is heartbreaking to see how miserable everyone is because of this."
Barnet Homes has offered a 24-month payment plan which would see residents pay £450 per month - similar to the cost of many of their monthly mortgage repayments.
The organisation has offered people the chance to spread the repayments over ten years, with interest.
All the homes are subject to a compulsory purchase order, meaning householders are banned from selling their properties.
Jacqueline Parsons, 72, said: "It is nothing shot of thievery. We are not paying it. We just don't have that kind of money.
"I am stressed. I am not sleeping and I am constantly worried. It's put a lot of pressure on me - I feel miserable."
One 94-year-old woman on the estate has been diagnosed with cancer, and has been left petrified of being in severe debt.
Carmen Perrott, 54, lost her husband unexpectedly five years ago and has been trying to rebuild her life after a bout of depression.
The mother-of-two's eldest child recently suffered a breakdown and her youngest son, 19, is saving up to go travelling - and eventually for a mortgage of his own.
She said: "Where am I supposed to shell out this money from? I am not on benefits. I was so happy when I paid off my mortgage a few years ago, and now this.
"I feel like I'm sinking back deeper and deeper into a depressive state."
The repairs, which are supposed to have a 25-year life span, will cost £3.5million in total and will pay for costs to electrical repairs, asbestos removal and fixing lifts in the blocks.
Labour councillor candidates Adam Langleben and Dr Devra Kay protested with residents during a payment advice surgery yesterday.
He said: "Not many people have £10,000 lying around in their back pocket and they will only see around six years usage of it. It's wrong on so many levels."
Barnet Homes said in a statement that the wiring in the blocks is in a "state of disrepair" that poses a serious health hazard.
A spokesman said: "The anticipated life expectancy of such works would normally be around 25 years, although this does not constitute a guarantee that they would last this length of time.
"It is not intended that any of the leaseholders who will be affected by these works will be moved out next year.
"The works are essential and the fact that the properties are due for demolition does not affect the cost of delivering them.
"Under the terms of the lease the leaseholders are required to contribute the percentage defined within the lease towards the costs.
"However, Barnet Council is looking at options to reduce the value recharged to the leaseholders to reflect the fact that the leaseholders will not get the full benefit of the works."
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Retired Psychiatric Nurse Hoodie
I may be retired but I'm always a Psychiatric Nurse Hoodie. Funny Retirement Gift For Psychiatric Nurse.
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Shipping within the United States is usually within 7-14 days depending on the product ordered, but in some cases it can be as long as 21 days.
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I dislike them greatly though (even though in my misguided youth I used to play with GAs) because they are extremely general hammers that typically don't have provably performance or running time guarantees, and don't reveal any interesting insights into the structure of a problem.
Such search strategies are also victims of their own generality, and the dagger that pierces them is called a "No Free Lunch" theorem. No Free Lunch theorems are generally of the form
...all algorithms that search for an extremum of a cost function perform exactly the same, when averaged over all possible cost functions. In particular, if algorithm A outperforms algorithm B on some cost functions, then loosely speaking there must exist exactly as many other functions where B outperforms A.The crucial point here is the "averaged over all cost functions". The NFL theorems are not saying (and this was something I used to be confused about) that search procedures are doomed; rather, they say that blind search procedures (such as those performed by genetic algorithms) are doomed. The original NFL theorem is attributed to Wolpert and Macready; many variants have been proved as well.
Joseph Culberson has a nice perspective on such theorems from an algorithmic point of view, and attempts to frame them in the context of complexity theory.
Tags: genetic, algorithms


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Custom Rubber Corp. likes to build a partnership with our customers. We constantly work to be your "best" supplier, willing and able to help with every step of the way to ensure success.
From automotive to medical, and consumer products to marine and more, Custom Rubber Corp. offers comprehensive expertise for molded rubber components.
If you are up against a tight deadline and in need of an expedited quote, we have over 20 years of experience in providing quick turnarounds for custom rubber products in industries such as electronics, transportation, lawn and garden.
Our philosophy is built on service. That's why we're committed to returning calls within 24 hours. Our target is to provide quotes in 3 days. Rush turnaround is a core competency. We've gained–and retained–customers when current suppliers couldn't meet critical deadlines.
Custom Rubber Corp. is the source for round molded rubber gaskets and round molded rubber seals. No matter what environment or application, Custom Rubber Corp. has the experience to solve your sealing issue. We have developed special anti-fog compound formulations to insure that gauges and dials stay readable no matter what temperature or humidity level.
Because of the critical nature of performance, our design team is available to consult on configurations and materials. Our aid with thoughtful design can also enhance end item appearance.
None of the parts pictured are in stock or for sale. These are all examples of custom-manufactured products that illustrate Custom Rubber Corp.'s capabilities.


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Liposuction is a popular vacuum pump technique for getting rid of excess body fat and can help improve your body shape when diet and exercise have failed.
For men it is commonly used to permanently remove fatty deposits around the stomach, chest and chin.
Don't think of liposuction as a treatment for obesity or being overweight. It is a way of getting rid of stubborn fat that will not go despite your efforts to improve your lifestyle.
It will not remove cellulite or loose skin but can be used to reduce male breasts (gynaecomastia) and excess fluid. (source: NHS Choices)
This procedure is not normally available on the NHS except when it is being performed as part of reconstructive surgery. So if your attempts to shift weight by changing your lifestyle have failed, liposuction with Spire could help.
The operation usually takes from 1 to 3 hours and is carried out under general anaesthesia so you will be asleep throughout. If the treatment is on the lower body, an epidural anaesthetic may be used.
Sometimes, you might have a local anaesthetic (where only one area of the body is numbed and you're awake) if the liposuction is performed on a very small area of the body.
We can't display a fee for this procedure just now. Please contact us for a quote.
Our patients are at the heart of what we do and we want you to be in control of your care. To us, that means you can choose the consultant you want to see, and when you want. They'll be with you every step of the way: from giving advice at your first consultation, through to offering ongoing support after your treatment.
All of our surgeons are of the highest calibre and benefit from working in our modern, well equipped hospitals.
A cosmetic surgeon's reputation, qualifications and experience are vitally important, so we only work with consultant grade specialists. These are highly experienced consultants who have completed years of medical training.
All our consultants are on the specialist register of the General Medical Council (GMC), and many are also members of the UK's leading cosmetic and plastic surgery associations.
Our patients are at the heart of what we do and we want you to be in control of your care. To us, that means you can choose the consultant you want to see and when you want. They'll be with you every step of the way: from giving advice at your first consultation, through to offering on-going support after your surgery.
All of our cosmetic surgeons are of the highest calibre and benefit from working in our modern, well equipped hospitals. A cosmetic surgeon's reputation, qualifications and experience are vitally important, so we only work with consultant grade specialists. These are highly experienced consultants who have completed years of medical training. All our consultants are on the specialist register of the General Medical Council (GMC), and many are also members of the UK's leading cosmetic and plastic surgery associations.
We're here to listen and help you every step of the way to get the best out of life.
We've tried to make your experience with us as easy and relaxed as possible.
For more information on visiting hours, our food, parking and all those other important practicalities, please visit our patient information page.
You will have an initial consultation with a cosmetic surgeon or cosmetic nurse to discuss what you want to achieve and whether liposuction is suitable, but you should have changed your diet and lifestyle to lose some weight before we will consider whether liposuction is a good option for you.
You should not take any aspirin or anti-inflammatory drugs for two weeks before the operation. If you are anaemic, you should take iron supplements. You should also stop smoking.
Two main liposuction techniques exist – wet and dry. Both are normally performed under general anaesthetic. However, if you are only having a small amount of fat removed, a local anaesthetic can be used instead.
Liposuction can be carried out as a single procedure, or in conjunction with another cosmetic procedure. When carried out as a stand-alone procedure, we have limits on the volume of fat and fluid that can be removed, depending on the facilities at your hospital – your surgeon can confirm this. We have an absolute limit of 5 litres of aspirate, only to be removed in centres where we have high dependency or intensive care facilities.
Where liposuction is performed in conjunction with any other cosmetic procedure, our policy is that we will remove no more than a maximum of 2000ml of aspirate (fat and fluid) from all areas combined. With the Fleur-de-Lys abdominoplasty (where a vertical as well as a horizontal incision is made), no liposuction can be performed.
Your surgeon will inject a fluid mixture made up of a salty solution, local anaesthetic and adrenaline to help reduce bleeding, bruising and swelling. It also makes it easier for the fat cells to be removed.
A small incision is made in your skin to allow a narrow metal tube (microcannula) to be inserted. This is attached to a strong vacuum pump that is drawn back and forth within the area of excess fat to remove it. The cut is then closed with stitches. Several cuts may be made if the area you are having treated is large.
The dry liposuction method is similar but does not use an injection of fluid. Dry liposuction can result in more bruising after the operation. Your surgeon will discuss the best option for your needs.
The process removes fat but leaves your small blood vessels and nerves intact.
After the fat has been sucked out, your surgeon will drain any excess fluid and blood using small tubes.
After your operation, the treated area will be bandaged and stitched and we will give you pain relief medication. You may need to wear elastic compression clothing and a compression bandage for the next two to three weeks to reduce swelling (only taken off to clean and shower).
You might need to stay in overnight if you have had a general anaesthetic.
After this, you will be taken to your room or comfortable area where you can rest and recuperate until we feel you're ready to go home.
We'll give you pain relief medication immediately and when we discharge you, as this type of operation can result in discomfort and swelling for a few days. If you need them, continue taking painkillers as advised by the hospital. You might also be given antibiotics to reduce the risk of infection.
We will provide you with a supply of all the medicines your consultant feels you need to take home with you after you've left hospital, up to 14 days. This may be at an additional cost to some patients.
You will be able to leave as soon as your condition is stable.
When we discharge you we'll talk to you about whether your stitches and dressings need to be removed and we'll make an appointment to see your consultant again before you leave the hospital.
Some of the side effects of liposuction are bruising, swelling and inflammation of the treated areas.
If you had a large area treated you should take about 10 days off work to recover and avoid strenuous activity for up to four weeks.
Any numbness that you might feel should go away in six to eight weeks. Continue to use painkillers such as paracetamol or ibuprofen to relieve pain from bruising or swelling.
At your follow-up appointment, your surgeon will advise you when you can resume your normal activities.
It will take you around two weeks to recover from the operation and as much as six months to see noticeable results as the treated area settles down.
Once you're ready to be discharged, you'll need to arrange a taxi, friend or family member to take you home as you won't be able to drive. You should also ask them if they can run some light errands such as shopping for you as you won't be feeling up to it.
Even once you've left hospital, we're still here for you. Your consultant is likely to want to see you after your operation, a follow up appointment will be made for you before you leave the hospital.
On rare occasions, complications following liposuction can occur. The chance of complications depends on the exact type of operation you are having and other factors such as your general health. We will talk to you about the possible risks and complications of having this procedure and how they apply to you.
If you have any questions or concerns, we're ready to help.
We are committed to delivering excellent individual care and customer service across our network of hospitals, clinics and specialist care centres around the UK. Our dedicated and highly trained team aim to achieve consistently excellent results. For us it's more than just treating patients, it's about looking after people.
The treatment described on this page may be adapted to meet your individual needs, so it's important to follow your healthcare professional's advice and raise any questions that you may have with them.
Spire Hull and East Riding Hospital is just a couple of minutes drive from the Humber Bridge and 15 minutes from Hull city centre.
Lowfield Road
East Yorkshire
COVID-19 testing or antibody tests are not available as a standalone service at Spire Hull and East Riding Hospital.


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Date(s) - February 14, 2029 - February 15, 2029
9:00 am - 6:00 pm
Pikes Peak Gun Club- Isaak Walton Range
This class is intended for women only. We believe that every student should feel safe and comfortable. We offer this class for those students who prefer to learn surrounded by other women seeking to acquire the same skills and training. This class is assistant instructed by a woman in order to increase comfortability and get a woman's view from behind the sights.
This class is great for new gun owners and those who have not shot or handled their firearm in a few years. We seek to help gun owners become completely safe and comfortable handling and shooting their firearm. This class also teaches the basics of pistol marksmanship.
Upon completion, the certificate issued for this class is valid to apply for a Colorado Conceal Carry Permit if the student desires. However, it is highly recommended that those wishing to conceal carry take the NRA CCW class which teaches extremely important information focused on carry concerns and range exercises, including drawing from a concealed holster.
Bookings are closed for this event.


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United States sanctions a Lebanese businessman over Hezbollah links
The United States Treasury Department has imposed severe sanctions against Hezbollah, specifically targeting the group's financial facilitator, Lebanese businessman Ahmad Jalal Reda Abdallah, and his companies. The Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control has sanctioned eight of Abdallah's companies located in Lebanon and Iraq.
The Treasury Department has announced that Abdallah is an official of Hezbollah and is an active member of its global financial network. The department said that he has been supporting Hezbollah for decades, including trade and business activities in various countries in exchange for profits that are transferred to the Iran-backed group.
Due to its heavily armed militia that has fought several wars with Israel, Hezbollah is a powerful group in Lebanon. It was founded by Iran's Revolutionary Guards in 1982 and is classified as a terror group by the United States and other Western countries. During the Syria war in 2012, it grew stronger in support of President Bashar al-Assad.
According to a report by the United States, Abdallah used senior employees and his relatives to establish new businesses throughout the Middle East on behalf of Hezbollah. As a result of the elections held on Sunday in Lebanon, Hezbollah and its allies have lost their parliamentary majority.


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I just brought a shredder so I can securely destroy sensitive documents. It's rather good fun!
After unpacking it I dutifully read the safety warnings. Unfortunately, I am confused that the product seems to have a dual function as a toaster. Cannot work out where to put the bread: slot is too small!
Instruction manual has been securely destroyed to prevent information leakage and further confusion.


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A Mirror Copied |
My latest posts can be found here: Previous blog posts:
Additionally, some earlier writings: |
A Mirror Copied - 2015/08/16
Let me explain. Consider two physical instances of a brochure. They are identical, except that one is printed on matt paper, the other on glossy. We would want a photocopier to produce the same result in each case. We would not want the glossy version to have extra, spurious ghost images of any kind. So that means that the glossy surface must not send any extra light back into the receiver. The only light bounced back into the receiver must be from the brochure itself, and not from the surface. So we can consider two collections of photons: those that bounce off the brochure content, and those that bounce off the glossy surface.
But a mirror is the ultimate glossy surface. That means that when we photocopy a mirror there must be no photons received by the copier.
So we deduce that a mirror must look to the photocopier the same as a totally black object. Thus photocopying a mirror must result in a completely black image. Are you convinced? Send us email and tell us what you think.
CommentsI've decided no longer to include comments directly via the Disqus (or any other) system. Instead, I'd be more than delighted to get emails from people who wish to make comments or engage in discussion. Comments will then be integrated into the page as and when they are appropriate. If the number of emails/comments gets too large to handle then I might return to a semi-automated system. That's looking increasingly unlikely. |
Quotation from Tim Berners-Lee |


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HALOrama - Panoramic views of HaloOn April 20, 2003, BOLL posted an interesting picture showing a panoramic view of the level Halo. Over the next several days, he added more and more pictures, and included a small description of how the pictures were created: I convinced my cousin to do this proggy for me that takes a vertical pixelrow from each frame in an AVIfile and puts them after eachother. *My idea* It's a little buggy now so I have to rename the resulting bmp to raw and import it in paintshoppro with some odd settings, and then mirror it. Below you'll find all the images submitted to date, using this procedure, broken down by map. As BOLL creates more, we'll add them here. The full-sized versions are 1600x240 pixels; click on any of the thumbs below and the original will open in a new window. The Pillar of Autumn
The Truth and Reconciliation
The Silent Cartographer
Assault on the Control Room


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News from the chain restaurant segment this week includes McDonald's expands a menu test, international expansion for Cheesecake Factory and Starbucks, and Tully's Coffee's new ownership has some star power.
Barberitos Franchising, Inc. announced a series of year-ending results from 2012 including system-wide sales were up 24.09 percent from 2011 and same-store sales were up from the previous year by 10.52 percent. The chain has 30 locations operating and another 43 in various stages of development. A quick-service restaurant chain that offers Tex-Mex cuisine, Barberitos expects to have more than 50 restaurants open by the end of 2013.
Greenfield Farms Food will acquire 100 percent of the equity interest in Ohio-based Carmela's Pizzeria. Carmela's has three Dayton, Ohio, locations and offers a full-service menu for dine in, carry out and delivery as well as pizza buffets in select stores.
Cheesecake Factory opened a location in Dubai. Operated by international licensee Alshaya Trading Co., W.L.L., this location occupies approximately 22,800 square feet, making it the largest Cheesecake Factory restaurant in the world, according to a company release.
First Watch, a breakfast and lunch concept, will open a 3,600-square-foot location in St. Petersburg, Fla. this summer.
McDonald's will expand its test of chicken wings this week as it introduces the menu item to restaurants in the Chicago market, according to published reports. The wings are available in servings of three, five or 10 pieces with prices starting at $3.
Starbucks Coffee Company (NASDAQ:SBUX) announced plans to open new locations in the Vietnam market by expanding its relationship with Hong Kong Maxim's Group. Starbucks' first Vietnam location is scheduled to open in early February in Ho Chi Minh City. Asia represents a significant growth opportunity for the coffee giant, according to a company release. Domestically, Starbucks kicked off 2013 by adding a disposable cup program. Customers purchase the cup for $1 and when they bring it back on subsequent visits they receive a 10 cent discount. The move will help reduce waste associated with using paper cups, according to signage in some participating Starbucks locations.
Tropical Smoothie Café added chicken and fish tacos to its menu.
In a deal valued at nearly $10 million, the assets of Tully's Coffee have been sold to Global Baristas, an investment group that includes Grey's Anatomy star Patrick Dempsey. Tully's filed for protection under Chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in October 22012, closing 19 unprofitable locations. Since the filing the chain reports same store sales have increased and profitability has improved. Tully's Coffee currently operates 47 company-owned stores in Washington and California and has partnerships with franchisees and grocery chains throughout the Western United States and Asia.


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Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Attorney General Dana Nessel have issued statements following comments by President Donald Trump that indicated that he would consider sending federal agents into Detroit and other cities to curb "civil unrest."
This comes after federal troops and protesters have clashed over the last week. He also mentioned sending federal law enforcement to other cities including New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Oakland.
"It is deeply disturbing that President Trump is once again choosing to spread hateful rhetoric and attempting to suppress the voices of those he doesn't agree with," said Whitmer. "Quite frankly, the president doesn't know the first thing about Detroit. If he did, he would know that for nearly two months now, Detroiters have gathered to peacefully protest the systemic racism and discrimination that Black Americans face every day. There is no reason for the president to send federal troops into a city where people are demanding change peacefully and respectfully. If the president actually wants to help the people of Michigan, he can start by picking up the phone and telling Mitch McConnell to pass the HEROES Act, so we can provide immediate relief to Michigan's families, schools, and small businesses."
"President Trump's politically motivated threat to send 'more federal law enforcement' to Detroit, among other cities, has nothing to do with protecting public health or safety. It is about using the power of his office as a cudgel to punish those who use their constitutionally guaranteed rights to express views he disagrees with. Such threats undermine peace and stability in our communities by unnecessarily escalating tensions and encroaching on states' rights," said Attorney General Dana Nessel. "We are a nation of laws, and the President's attempts to intimidate our communities with threats of violence could not be more un-American."
This article was written by WXYZ in Detroit.


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In a purely business sense, it's easy to understand why airlines are more or less forcing passengers to pay fees for seat reservations on planes: more fees equal more profits. But the scheme is hated by families — and is likely to be hated even more by passengers who wind up sitting next to nervous, whiny kids who are rows away from their parents. That's not good for business at all.
Earlier this week, New York Senator Charles Schumer released a statement urging U.S. airlines to do right by families and allow them to sit together in the same row without paying extra fees. The Senator was reacting to a recent Associated Press story detailing the rise of fees for window- and aisle-seat reservations on most planes — a trend that leaves only middle seats for those unwilling to pay the fee and potentially leaves parents far away from their children onboard aircraft. Among Schumer's comments:
"Requiring parents to pay an additional fee to make sure their kids are sitting next to them and in sight is ridiculous and simply over the top … This ill-conceived ploy to foist more fees on travelers could have profound implications for the safety of children on airlines and it needs to be revisited."
(MORE: Seven As-Seen-on-TV Products That Really Work)
The fees aren't chump change. Schumer writes that a family of four could incur $200 in seat-reservation charges just so they could sit together on both legs of a round trip. He also points out that "children sitting alone in another part of the aircraft or with strangers" is potentially dangerous:
Additionally, these new pricing schemes raise safety concerns for children who are traveling out of direct sight of their parents. Will airlines that charge a premium for consecutive seating assignments assume liability for the safety of a child who isn't seated next to their parent because of these onerous fees?
The nonprofit Consumer Travel Alliance (CTA), which works on behalf of travelers' rights, has chimed in to criticize the rise of fees for seat reservations and baggage as well as the decrease in policies allowing passengers with special needs to board planes first. It isn't just families that are affected by such policy changes:
"Families traveling with infants and toddlers often can't avoid checking extra bags filled with everything from the many clothes changes needed for small children to diapers, toys, special blankets, and baby bottles," says Charlie Leocha, director of the Consumer Travel Alliance. "Meanwhile, elderly passengers who lack the upper-body strength to get carry-ons into access overhead bins, also must check baggage and pay extra fees."
(MORE: 10 Ways to Improve Your Financial Health)
To address the situation, the CTA suggests that "voluntarily waiving all seat-reservation fees for children aged six and younger would be a good start. Then, gate agents and flight attendants could be encouraged to use common sense in dealing with families, making every effort to seat them together."
The problem, from the business point of view, is that using common sense may decrease the amount of fees collected. In the CTA's announcement, the organization notes that it "does not believe the airlines actually hate families." And yet "their current policies do a poor job of reflecting that."
(MORE: The Case for Banking Regulation)
What the airlines seem to not realize is that while their policies may be increasing revenue, they are also making people hate flying. Is that good for business?
Tuttle is a reporter at TIME. Find him on Twitter at @bradrtuttle. You can also continue the discussion on TIME's Facebook page and on Twitter at @TIME.