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I am beyond honored today to reveal the cover of M.J. Rose's next novel, Tiffany Blues. For me, a highlight every summer is reading the newest M.J. Rose novel. Her writing is simply perfection and her books have the most gorgeous covers. M.J.'s books envelope you into the plot by page 2 and introduce you to people and places you did not know existed. I'd love to live in her imagination.
As the Associated Press aptly states, "M.J. Rose transports the reader in the past better than a time machine could accomplish."
I cannot stop looking at the fountain in this cover. It is the same as the fountain in the book. Tiffany Blues comes out on August 7, 2018.
Tiffany Blues by M.J. Rose
M.J. Rose, the New York Times bestselling author of The Library of Light and Shadow crafts a dazzling Jazz age jewel, a novel of ambition, betrayal, and passion about a young painter whose traumatic past threatens to derail her career at a prestigious summer artists' colony run by Louis Comfort Tiffany of Tiffany & Co. fame.
New York, 1924. Against the dazzling aftermath of the Great War, twenty‑four‑year‑old Jenny Bell is one of a dozen burgeoning artists invited to Louis Comfort Tiffany's prestigious artists' colony. Gifted and determined, Jenny vows to avoid distractions and romantic entanglements and take full advantage of the many wonders to be found at Laurelton Hall
But Jenny's past has followed her to Long Island. Images of her beloved mother, her hard-hearted stepfather, waterfalls and murder, and the dank hallways of Canada's notorious Andrew Mercer Reformatory for Women overwhelm Jenny's thoughts, even as she is inextricably drawn to Oliver, Tiffany's charismatic grandson.
As the summer shimmers on, and the competition between the artists grows fierce as they vie for a spot at Tiffany's New York gallery, a series of suspicious and disturbing occurrences suggest someone knows enough about Jenny's childhood trauma to expose her.
Supported by her closest friend Minx Deering, a seemingly carefree socialite yet dedicated sculptor, and Oliver, Jenny pushes her demons aside. Between stolen kisses and stolen jewels, the champagne flows and the jazz plays on until one moonless night when Jenny's past and present are thrown together in a desperate moment, that will threaten her promising future, her love, her friendships, and her very life.
And, none other than #1 New York Times bestselling authors Kristin Hannah and Christina Baker Kline have this to say about Tiffany Blues…
"A lush, romantic historical mystery with a unique setting. Tiffany Blues explores an interesting lost bit of American history and gives us a heroine to root for." #1 NYT Bestseller, Kristin Hannah
"A fascinating novel about a young struggling artist mentored by the celebrated jeweler and stained-glass creator Louis Comfort Tiffany. Tiffany Blues brings together an enchanting glimpse of Jazz Age New York and an inspired fictional story about Jenny Bell and the terrible secret she's hiding. " #1 NYT Bestseller, Christina Baker Kline
I command you to pre-order the book here.
Also, check out the FABULOUS Pinterest page that M.J. set up for the book here.
Amazon Gift Card Giveaway
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M.J. Rose
New York Times bestselling author M. J. Rose grew up in New York City exploring the labyrinthine galleries of the Metropolitan Museum and the dark tunnels and lush gardens of Central Park. She is the author of more than a dozen novels, a founding board member of International Thriller Writers, and the founder of the first marketing company for authors, AuthorBuzz.com. She lives in Connecticut. Visit her online at MJRose.com.
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We went in search of the best street food cities in the world outside of Asia. But why leave out Asia, you ask? We didn't! Asia's street food traditions are so strong the region merits its own post here. Now let's see what the rest of the world has to offer.
The most popular food market in London. It is definitely a must go when in London if you are looking for the best street food. Located near the London Bridge Station, there are many varieties of food from fresh produce to ready-to-eat meals.
One of the recommended stalls which we fell in love with is Richard Haward Oysters. They are 7th generation oystermen. It was our first try at oysters, as we do not usually eat oysters back in Singapore. This was recommended by our friends. They are located in Borough Market, facing the street. It will be difficult to miss.
Choose from the mid to big size oyster, the big ones can grow as big as your palm! They will shuck the raw oysters in front of you, place on the plates and serve immediately. At the sides, there are condiments and lemon slices to go along.
Our first time having oysters and definitely recommended to try this out if you are at Borough Market.
Oyster price starts from £0.90 each to £2.20 each, closed on Sunday and Monday.
Donovan blogs at Travel Voila
The city of Dresden was part of the former East Germany and the street food is similar to that found in nearby Berlin. Some of the food on offer includes Bratwurst, Doner Kebabs and Quarkballchen for those with a sweet tooth. Currywurst, however, reigns supreme when it comes to the best street food here. There are a number of hole-in-the-wall places serving the saucy sausage combination and at every festival and event in the city, you will find a food truck selling currywurst. Currywurst is a grilled bratwurst served with a slightly sweet curry sauce; at some shops, you even get to choose how spicy you want it from kindergartener mild to knock your lederhosen off spicey. If you want to eat like a local, this is what to choose.
Kaylie Lewell blogs at Happiness Travels Here
There is a little hot dog stand near the harbor of Reykjavik, the pretty and friendly capital of Iceland. The name of the hot dog stand is Baejarins Betsu Pylsur, which translates into "the best hot dogs in the world." Bill Clinton, a former U.S. president, and fast food aficionado sampled a hot dog there and is said to have loved it. As if that were not sufficient validation, Anthony Bourdain, the foodie celebrity, visited the stand and declared the hot dog "delicious." That did it! Since that endorsement, there has been a line stretching out in front of the stand almost continuously. It is said that the secret ingredient that makes the hot dog so mouthwateringly delicious is a bit of ground lamb added to the recipe.
But Reykjavik is more than just mere hot dogs, albeit amazing ones. The city is rapidly gaining a reputation as a foodie destination and a place to get the best street food.
Talek Nantes blogs at Travels with Talek
Could this be the ultimate best street food experience in Europe? So far, I cannot think of many competitors.
Restaurant day was invented in Finland and the idea came about because many people were frustrated with the bureaucracy of the restaurant industry. Now, on special days, everyone can open his own restaurant. After initial success in Finland, Restaurant Days became popular worldwide. According to visitfinland, there are 88,000 individuals selling in 22,000 pop-up-restaurants globally.
In Helsinki, four times a year, people go out to the streets, put up their tents, cook and sell food. You can try dishes from all over the world. You cannot recognize the streets, which are normally half-empty.
While most of the restaurants are on the central walking street- Esplanadi, there are other ones scattered around the city.
Alexander Popkov blogs at Engineer on Tour
When people think of Germany and the best street food, the first thing that comes to mind is probably sausages. But the street food scene in the exciting city of Cologne is so much more diverse than that. The international nature of the city is reflected in the best street food scene that can be found every Thursday evening on the Rudolfplatz at Meet and Eat or in the monthly Street Food Festival at the Helios.
With a vibrant Turkish community, doner is a must try street food in Cologne and nothing like an English high street on a Saturday night. Being a country famous for its meat there is always an amazing selection of burgers (Buns and Sons are a huge favourite), steak sandwiches (Die Foodpiraten) and of course Bratwurst (Wurst Case Scenario).
There's great food from all over the world. You name a country and you can probably get their local dishes somewhere in Cologne. My favourites are the Vietnamese Sandwiches from Banh Mi Brothers, Cornish Pasties from the Tasty Pasty Company and Falafels from Dinkelmann's. Fans of desserts should really check out the deep fried stuff from Die Kleine Munchkin. The only problem I have it that there's so much good street food it's impossible to choose.
John Franklin blogs at From Real People
In Wales, go to the right places and there are mobile feasts to be had. Wales excels at quality produce, lamb, beef, lobster, shellfish and characteristic Welsh specialties such as seaweed (we call it lava) caul (soup) Welsh cakes and bara brith (tea cake). A favourite street food feast of ours can be found right on the beach in Pembrokeshire. A now-famous food van serves up fresh Welsh lobster along with quality burgers and bacon dressed with lava enriched " black butter." The owner of the van collects lava from the beach daily. A must-eat in south Wales.
Alyson Long blogs at World Travel Family
Uganda is a lot more than some gorillas in a forest. The capital city Kampala has a great street food scene as it's the only way locals eat out. Restaurants in Africa are reserved for the rich, expats, and non-profit workers. So, the vast majority of locals are served up food street side. The national street dish of choice is called a "Rolex." It's an omelette with any mixture of ingredients, the most popular potatoes, rolled in a chapati with chili sauce. It's cheap, filling and delicious. You can also find staple foods such as grilled maize, BBQ chicken, Mandazi, and Sumbusas (samosas). Then you always have Muchomo, grilled meat on a stick typically goat, beef, or pork. It can found everywhere in Africa but goes by different names.
Natasha & Cameron blog at The World Pursuit
New Orleans, Louisiana is hands down one of the best foodie spots in the Southeast USA! The Cajun, French, and Creole blend of flavors allow for decadent cuisine to be created. Some of our favorites include King Cake, Gumbo, and Beignets.
Originally, king cakes were a simple ring of dough with little decoration. Today, the ring is braided and baked before the "baby Jesus" is inserted. The "lucky" person who receives the slice of cake with the baby must buy the cake next year. King cakes can come stuffed with cream cheese or jams but I prefer a simple cinnamon one decorated in green, yellow, and purple colors of Mardi Gras!
Gumbo is my FAVORITE "soup". The roux, or base, is a mix of fat and flour. Onion, celery and bell pepper are added and simmered. Lastly, the meats are added by seasons. Seafood is readily available in summer. Fall brings home venison or alligator meat, winter uses smoked Andouille sausage, and Spring is anything, but of course all veggie during Lent.
Lastly, beignets are a square piece of dough, fried and covered with powdered sugar. They are served in orders of three. These are the main reason we visit NOLA…so addicting!
There you have it! New Orleans is where you find the best street food in the Southeast USA!
Maegan White blogs at The Wanderlust Dietitian
Dallas Food Trucks: A Taste of Americana
Food Trucks are a tradition dating back to the 1800s with roots to the chuckwagon. There is no better place to experience this beloved piece of Americana than in Dallas where there are nearly 200 food trucks dishing out delicious and diverse culinary delights on any given day.
What makes Dallas food trucks unique is the diversity of the city itself. People from around the globe call Dallas home, bringing with them their favorite recipes handed down from generations before. One of my favorite places to enjoy food truck flair is Klyde Warren Park next to the Dallas Museum of Art. The park hosts a variety of food trucks that range from wood-fired pizza, Greek specialties, authentic Peruvian meals, Maine lobster delicacies, flavorful vegan desserts and homemade Texas BBQ.
I love chowing down on Easy Slider's Baby Bella sliders. Made from grown portabella, they layer it with a thick slice of warm mozzarella and fresh tomato drizzled with a tangy pesto sauce. Then they sandwich it between a mini-bun with a cherry tomato on top. It is a good thing they come in pairs, because you can't eat just one.
Donna Long blogs at Empty Nestopia
Better known for its craft breweries, Portland, Oregon is also a street food paradise: more than 500 food carts offer a wide variety of world cuisines and fusions from downtown to the city's farthest reaches, including the airport. Most carts are organized into pods, vacant lots that host a number of carts with amenities like bathrooms, picnic tables, even fireplaces. Several pods have become centers of neighborhood life, with an atmosphere of a town square.
It's impossible to pick the best food cart in Portland aka Cartopia. First, they come and go like comets. The Moroccan cart we named as the most underrated food cart in Portland disappeared a few months later. Some food carts get so popular they turn into brick-and-mortar restaurants, some of which have become culinary destinations themselves, e.g. Guero or Lardo. The variety of food is huge: we'd wager you can find food from 100 countries (the only Mauritian food cart in the US is in downtown).
Portland Mercado, the Latin American cuisine pod in SE Portland, boasts many fantastic carts. QueBolá Chef Jose Perez's ropa vieja and Cubano sandwich changed our minds about Cuban food. Best paired with tepache from the nearby Barrio bar. Here is a city that can really claim to have the best street food.
Peter Korchnak blogs at Where Is Your Toothbrush?
This multi-cultural city is a hub of immigration and provider of best street food. It is the gateway to the U.S. The place where immigrants pause, for a few days or a few generations, before moving on and assimilating into the rich fabric of the country. As such, you are likely to find the most varied street food imaginable; Colombian arepas, Thai satay, Indian dosas, Middle Eastern shawarma, Italian sausages…you name it, it is found in the multi-ethnic neighborhoods of the city the never sleeps.
Despite this wealth of delicious choice, the general consensus is that the humble hot dog, itself a German immigrant, is the iconic street food of New York City. The best place to grab a New York City hot dog is from the street vendors that occupy strategic corners around the city's tourist attractions. Complement the dog with sauerkraut, onions or mustard and be an honorary New Yorker, if only for a few bites.
Talek Nantes blogs at Travels with Talek
Quite possibly the second most unforgettably melt-in-your-mouth amazing street food I've ever had in 16 countries is a San Ignacio fry jack. The aroma drew me from two streets over. Heavily spiced beans and rice are mixed with diced peppers and onions and ruthlessly stuffed into a ball of dough kneaded over a clay fire. The crispy shell gets drenched in pickled cabbage and cotija, eaten like a pocket sandwich.
We arrived at the market with one goal – to find homemade tortillas. We left with bellies full and arms loaded with ripe papayas, spiced frijoles and candied coconut wrapped in wax paper. The tight stalls of San Ignacio's open-air market spill out onto cobblestone streets, each with its own crowd of street vendors and farmers. You're just as likely to find a "traditional" food cart here as you are a clay pot heaped with coals, over which marinated pork is sizzling for a taco.
This colorful rainforest town of San Ignacio is Belize's very own melting pot, a thorough mixing of Spanish, German, Chinese, Mayan and Mennonite cultures. Such a rich migration history means travelers will find some of the most delicious and unexpected street food around.
Amy McFarland blogs at The Gypsy Mamas
Mexico is known for its world-famous cuisine, but did you know that the Yucatan region has its own distinct culinary history and unique street food options. The capital city of Merida is where you will find some of the best street food, from salbutes (puffed deep-fried tortilla) stuffed with chicken, turkey or a local favourite, cochinita which is a traditional Mayan slow-roasted pork, papadzules and of course freshly made tortas. Our all-time favorite is 'panuchos de lechon'. Panuchos are similar to salbutes but the tortilla is stuffed with refried black beans and the filling lechon is roasted suckling pig. The crispy skin of the pork and crunch of the fried panuchos make the perfect mouthful. It's a messy meal…but worth it every time!
Merida also has it's fair share of al pastor tacos where the meat is cooked on a trompos similar to those you'd see in kebab or shawarma shops, however here the meat is marinated with guajillo chiles and achiote, topped off with some pineapple for a bit of sweetness. You will never forget your first mouthful of these delicious tacos.
Meagen Collins blogs at Food, Fun, Travel
There is one place in Israel where you can taste every possible spice in the world and let yourself be wrapped in the smells and colours of the Middle East: Mahane Yehuda – or the shuk, meaning the market. It is the place that wakes up with the city itself, the tasty beating heart of a place where history hardly lets you sleep. From huge chunks of halvas to breads soaked in olive oil and the special spice za'atar – a blend of dried thyme, marjoram, toasted sesame seeds, salt, oregano, and sumac – to dried and fresh fruits, it's all there! Add to this small restaurants offering traditional hummus dishes and various types of meat or puff pastry and you've got a wonderful culinary experience.
Ilana D. Weissz blogs at Ilana Travels.
Some visitors to Marrakech find Moroccan restaurant food can be mediocre. The reason being Moroccans don't go out to eat Moroccan food – they eat it at home. Instead, they choose to eat small bites on the streets. Even though it can seem intimidating, this is one of the best ways to try Moroccan food if you can't get an invite to someone's home.
Most street food is served in the evenings. You can head to Jemma el Fna the famous square known for its food stands, smoky grills, really good food and where the main streets of the souk's small shops sell all sorts of foods. Slow cooked mechoui (a lamb dish), tangia – lamb cooked in a clay pot for hours, msemmen – a type of flaky bread served savory or sweet, and sfinge – a puffy fried doughnut are just a few of the most common street foods. Don't be afraid to wander the streets and see where the Moroccans go, then get in there and try it!
Amanda Ponzio Mouttaki blogs at Marocmama
Want to know where you find the best street food in Asia? Click here.
What are some of your favorite foodie cities?

subset: commoncrawl


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NEW YORK (CBS.MW) -- Pharmaceutical Resources PRX, -4.35% shares slumped Thursday, paring the prior session's sharp gains, after Bear Stearns cited trade sources as saying that Schering-Plough has launched a generic version of the hepatitis C drug rebetol at a steep discount to PRX's version. Pharmaceutical Resources has the right to market rebetol through an agreement with Three Rivers, which only won final approval for a generic version of the drug on Wednesday. The drug, a key treatment for heptatis C, was previously sold by Schering-Plough and Roche. Bear Stearns analyst Joseph Riccardo said trade sources are saying that Schering-Plough's generic unit Warrick is pricing a version of rebetol at $3.50/capsule, a 50 percent discount to Three Rivers/PRX versions. "Warrick has crushed the market with no winners other than consumers," he said in a note. Bear Stearns is cutting 2004 and 2005 estimates for PRX. Shares were last down 9.6 percent at $55.31.
Pharmaceutical Resources slumps after Bear note
Quote References
+0.00 -4.35%


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10 Cities That Will Make You Go "BRRRR" This Winter
According to The Old Farmer's Almanac, this winter is going is going to get a lot of teeth chattering throughout most of the United States, even colder than those same spots experienced last year.
"Colder is just almost too familiar a term," says Almanac Editor Janice Stillman. "Think of it as a refriger-nation." And thanks to this year's El Nino weather pattern, there will be more snow.
Using data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, USA Today compiled a list of the 52 coldest U.S. cities. If you live in these cities, you've probably already taken precautions against the harsh winter by buttoning up your home (see our winterizing article for ideas) and stocking up on emergency food, water, and first aid supplies.
For the rest of us who may be wondering just how cold it gets in super-cold places, here are the top 10:
1. Barrow, Alaska Average winter temperature: -11.7 degrees F.
2. Fairbanks, Alaska Average winter temperature: -4.5 degrees F.
3. International Falls, Minnesota Average winter temperature: 8.1 degrees F .
4. Grand Forks, North Dakota Average winter temperature: 10.9 degrees F.
5. Gunnison, Colorado Average winter temperature: 12.3 degrees F.
6. Fargo, North Dakota Average winter temperature: 12.6 degrees F.
7. Duluth, Minnesota Average winter temperature: 13.3 degrees F.
8. St. Cloud, Minnesota Average winter temperature: 14.8 degrees F.
9. Aberdeen, South Dakota Average winter temperature: 15 degrees F.
10. Bismarck, North Dakota Average winter temperature: 15.6 degrees F.
For more, read the full list of 52 coldest U.S. cities.
Source: "52 Coldest Cities in America," USA Today, December 4, 2014.
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Microsoft's Pioneer Studios engaged Method to collaboratively develop the 3-5 year vision for search in the Entertainment and Devices Division of Microsoft.
Our process was divided into three phases, the focal point of the process was a one day workshop which brought together executives from E&D and OSD.
We began by defining the project's opportunity space. We synthesized research and trends into a print book for participants. We then brought together the divisions for a collaborate workshop to dive deeper into trends and insights.
As a result of the workshop, Method continued to refine and develop themes and extended ideas, producing one final book that summarized the workshop and extensions of it.
Additional Design Credit: Robert Murdock, Vander McClain, Paul Cloutier, Mie Hommura, Tomi Lahdesmaki, Microsoft's Pioneer Studios


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A human-friendly logo for a Project on Klinefelter Syndrome Awareness
For this project, I had to create a logo for Living with XXY, the life project of a dear friend, Ryan Bregante. His mission is to spread positivity and awareness around Klinefelter Syndrome, also known as 47xxy. In the United States alone, 1 in 400 boys are born with Klinefelter syndrome, 70% of which will never know during their lifetime. The other 30% still remain strongly under-informed about the implications of being born with an extra x chromosome, contributing to fear, stigmatization and a heavy emotional pressure for the individuals and their family's. For his prject, Ryan was looking to create a logo that could transmit the positivity, creativity and community associated to his movement so that he can help shift the awareness from negative to uplifting and empowering.
The creative process took a couple conversations and a small brainstorming session to identify the message Ryan wanted to convey with his logo, something that would visually represent his work to educate and empower a worldwide community of people with Klinefelter Syndrome. From our conversations, the main idea was for something that just catches the eye and isn't over complicated. Something that people can see and be proud to share and represent.
Keywords for Living with XXY were: hope, desire, passion, positivity, likable, humble, genuine, defies descriptions. For the color, the initial brief was to explore light blue as well as different hues of blue, related to his personal story.
On the visual side, my inspiration came from the double helix DNA, which I started rendering in stylized ways in my initial sketches. The direction seemed promising, so I created a few iterations based on this concept. At this point what was missing was the human aspect of XXY, which was my challenge to represent visually.
After a couple iterations based on the DNA visual inspiration, I incorporated Ryan's feedback on creating something that could be like a stamp, a mark, something that could be used to identify this group in a positive and proud way.
The final output added the stamp concept to a humanized version of XXY. In the logo, the DNA shaped letters can also be seen as people with their arms up in the air, and uplifting, empowered position of joy and positivity. A rough texture was added to the logo to create a weathered, bold and outdoorsy look and feel. Living with XXY means to be proud, to stand up and go out in the world, be adventurous, creative, genuine, just like Ryan.
The final choice went for the light blue variation, without any inclination. The logo is now used on Living with XXY's website and social media, and has become the symbol of community and empowerment for the people with Klinefelter Syndrome and their families. It was a pleasure to collaborate to an amazing project of this kind, best satisfaction in ages!
The logo is property and copyright of Ryan Bregante 2018.


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Ok idk what to do...ppl wont leave me alone today :(
Ok first, kyle...this annoying kid that is like sorta a stalker idk...but like he was talking about me behind my back so i blocked him. and then like he kept making yt accounts and talking to me. he tried to add me on my other myspace account, and he keeps making skype accounts insulting me and saying really nasty things.
and then my other friend came on for like 1 min. to tell me that the person i like is a "f'ing b" and said i go through boys like girls go through money...
Idk what to do...but im getting so annoyed and theyre kinda making me feel bad =[
Any advice?
Idk what to do about Kyle he wont leave me alone and my other friend isnt usually like that.


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The Smell of Leather
I was cutting a few hides into belts this morning, and a lady wandered into the Annex. She said she didn't need any help; she just came in to smell the leather!
I was over in the front shop this afternoon and a guy came in and looked around. He said he came in because he loved the smell of leather, that he could smell it out on the sidewalk in front of the shop! This is something we hear from our customers all the time. There is no mistaking the rich aroma that is so unique to real honest to goodness leather. Our shop is full of leather products both that we make and the lines of goods that we carry. And then there are the thousands of feet of leather hides we have stashed all over the place. If you add them all together we certainly do create a pretty memorable atmosphere for your nose.
Way back in the very early 1970's I can remember frequenting The Norwich Leather Company. It was small custom shop in Norwich CT, on a sharp corner near a huge mill that housed a recycle company. I can remember opening the door and being overwhelmed with the aroma of the leather and I just loved it! It was so strong it just hit you in the face.
In gives me a good feeling to know my customers are still able to enjoy the same experience in our shops all these years later.
The real kicker is that after working with leather and being around it for so many years I can't smell leather any more!!!!


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As you make your bed, so you must lie in it.
Category: Action
If you want a thing done, go. If not, send. The shortest answer is doing.
Category: Action
A smooth sea never made a skillful mariner.
Category: Adversity
A stumble may prevent a fall.
Category: Adversity
The older the fiddler, the sweeter the tune.
Category: Age And Aging
Be not deceived with the first appearance of things, for show is not substance.
Category: Appearance
Use soft words and hard arguments.
Category: Argument
A poor beauty finds more lovers than husbands.
Category: Beauty
A good beginning makes a good end.
Category: Beginning
A blind man will not thank you for a looking-glass.
Category: Blindness
Cheat me in the price, but not in the goods.
Category: Cheating
Children suck the mother when they are young and the father when they are old.
Category: Children
Better a snotty child than his nose wiped off.
Category: Children
While the doctors consult, the patient dies.
Category: Consultants
Death always comes too early or too late.
Category: Death And Dying


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A BIG Thank You!
Just had to give a quick shout out to my loving husband!! Last night we came home and I was feeling so tired and cranky. I didn't want to cook, or clean the kitchen. I did my very best to get him to order pizza, but he didn't give in! I fell asleep on the bed for a MUCH needed nap, and he went and cleaned the kitchen and made healthy spicy grilled chicken breasts and steamed broccoli!! What a great guy!! Thank you honey!!!


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Irina PolyakovaPiano Instructor
B.A., B.S., M.M., University of Tennessee at ChattanoogaEmail: email@example.com
Irina Polyakova was born in St.Petersburg (Leningrad) Russia. She first went to the Music School for gifted children and then studied at the Rimsky-Korsakov Music School. Her teachers were Sofia Pozdneeva and Natalya Neginskaya. After coming to the USA in 1991 she first got her degrees in BA in Piano and BS in Marketing from the UTC . She studied with Earl Miller and Thomas Labe. She also holds Master of Music degree in Piano Performance from the same school. She has a long career of teaching in both countries. In Chattanooga, she is a Piano Faculty at Cadek Conservatory of Music where she has a private studio. Her students won numerous awards at CMTA and Cadek competitions. Many of her students became piano majors. She has adjudicated at CMTA, Cadek and NFMC auditions for many years. Irina is a staff accompanist at the UTC. She collaborated with many musicians at Roland Hayes Hall, Cadek Hall and Chattanooga Music Club.
Dr. Gloria Chien joined Lee's School of Music in 2004. Since her orchestral debut with the Boston Symphony Orchestra at the age of 16, Chien has appeared as a soloist under the batons of Sergiu Comissiona, Keith Lockhart, Thomas Dausgaard, Irwin Hoffman, Benjamin Zander, and Robert Bernhardt. She is a prize winner of the World Piano Competition, Harvard Musical Association Award, as well as the San Antonio International Piano Competition, where she also received the prize for the Best Performance of the Commissioned Work.
Chien has presented solo recitals at the Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Harvard Musical Association, Sanibel Musical Festival, Caramoor Musical Festival, Salle Cortot in Paris, and the National Concert Hall in Taiwan. An avid chamber musician, Chien was chosen to join the roster of the Chamber Music Society Two of Lincoln Center in 2012 and has been the resident pianist with the Chameleon Arts Ensemble of Boston since 2000, a group known for its versatility and commitment to new music.
In fall of 2009, she launched String Theory at The Hunter, a chamber music series at the Hunter Museum of American Art in downtown Chattanooga, as its founder and artistic director. Chien is a Steinway Artist and earned her doctor of musical arts, her master's, and bachelor's degree at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston.
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Distance from Oak Hill, NY to Remsenburg, NY
Driving distance between Oak Hill, NY and Remsenburg, NY is 202.29 miles (or 325.55 kilometers). If you drove an average car (using about 3.6 gallons of gas per mile), the gas would cost you around $, since you would need about gallons of fuel.
Leaving from Oak Hill, NY you would reach Remsenburg, NY in about 3 hours 42 mins if you keep an average speed of miles per hour, assuming you don't make any breaks or get stuck in traffic.


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When Service is Your Top Priority
We spoke with Debra Kolah of Rice University's Fondren Library about how StackMap helps her deliver on her library's top priority: Service!
We're a cobbled together library that's had multiple innovations over time—not all of our elevators go to every floor and not every stairwell goes to every floor. We got StackMap to help alleviate all the navigational issues that come with that.
Our library is very service-driven and I'm with the User Experience Office. We run surveys out of the Access Services desk and every Tuesday we set up another desk to answer questions our users have. We call it guerrilla testing.
Our users give us all the best ideas on how to improve. This is why we love StackMap—we translate what we hear from our users into action because so often their needs are new maps or increased signage.
The best improvement we've made was mapping all of our different types of study carrels on StackMap. You can click on a link that allows you to look at available carrels and as you scroll through that list, you can see which are open and locate them on a map. For example, if you were trying to find a study carrel on the third floor, you'd click "Locate on a Map" and see this:
We love that our website is now a one-stop-shop: You can make a "reserve-carrel" request, see it on a map, and print out a DIY "Carrel Reserved" sign.
The upcoming projects in our queue are to improve accessibility of our DVD collection, portable DVD players, and music scores, all of which are hard to find. Our Exam Period Map which shows study zones, snacks, quiet areas, and areas conducive to group study we'll add to StackMap this year. In the past we've had to make it and post it ourselves!
Our StackMap implementation continues to grow as we increase our understanding of what our users need. We're always trying to improve our customer experience so we love that StackMap helps us do that.
—Debra Kolah, Rice University's Fondren Library
Thinking about getting StackMap for your library? Have it already and want to keep improving the experience for your library patrons? Get in touch with us at email@example.com. We'd love to hear from you.


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Atheism isn't a guarantee of anything
Something I've been reading and enjoying a lot recently is Kids Without Religion, Deborah Mitchell's blog. Today, she posted another excellent piece about a heroin addict being given some money and finding God. Really, it's very good. But there's just one short passage that fired something in my brain and inspired this post. It doesn't really relate to the basic story – as Deborah says, the addict never explicitly identifies as an atheist – but it touches on something I was thinking about anyway.
This is what prompted me to respond:
It's also frustrating to hear people say, "I was once an atheist, but then god blessed me with ________." And it is always some sort of perceived good fortune that recently happened. However, it seems that these folks weren't really atheists to begin with. How do you suddenly talk yourself into believing there's a higher power simply because you silently prayed and a stranger gave you cash the next day? This fails any test of formal logic. The two events, in reality, have no correlation.
What makes me uncomfortable about this is that it sounds uncannily similar to the sort of thing I used to hear Christians say in the opposite direction: If you lose your faith, you were never really a Christian; it's just a superficial reaction to bad things happening; your reasoning makes no sense.
All very No True Scotsman, and I think everyone can do better than tit-for-tat personal criticism, but this highlights something I've noticed before – the idea that a "proper" atheist should have made a conscious decision that there is no God. That an atheist should have a strong interest in science, should make every decision based on a careful, rational and logically sound chain of reasoning – basically, that an atheist should be better than other people.
I don't think that's right. Atheism is simply the lack of belief in gods. It doesn't say anything about how you reached that decision, your knowledge or interests, and it doesn't make you superhuman. People can honestly be atheists and still be swayed by bad arguments or poor logic. It's tempting to restrict atheism to clever people, people we admire, people we agree with and who show our beliefs in a good light, but that's not our call, and it's not honest. Besides which, one thing atheism really doesn't need right now is more in-fighting and schisms about who's in or out.
When people don't believe in gods, that makes them atheists. Sure, maybe they haven't considered it much, maybe they're susceptible to fallacious arguments or just a sudden coincidental experience, but they're atheists, because that's what the word means. It doesn't do anyone any favours to redefine words to suit our preferences.
Images courtesy of bjearwicke and bewinca, used with permission
Tags: Addict, Arguments, Belief, Coincidence, Decision, Fortune, Logic, Luck, Reasoning
About Recovering AgnosticI'm Christian by upbringing, agnostic by belief, cynical by temperament, broadly scientific in approach, and looking for answers. My main interest at the moment is in turning my current disengaged shrug into at least a working hypothesis.
24 responses to "Atheism isn't a guarantee of anything"
ryan59479 says :
How would one arrive at the conclusion that there is no God(s) without the use of science and logic?
Recovering Agnostic says :
Any way you like! You could say there's no God because your girlfriend just dumped you, or because the sky is blue. I think it's easy to get drawn into the appealing but fallacious idea that reaching the right conclusion (I'm assuming here that you think atheism is the right conclusion) means that your reasoning is sound. It ain't necessarily so.
There's a slogan I see a lot from atheists which says that we're all born atheist, and are subsequently indoctrinated into religion. I have some issues with that, but it carries an element of truth. So how much logical consideration has a baby given to the question of God's existence?
ryan59479 says :
Hmm. Interesting. I guess I never thought about true atheism as a conclusion. I think a lot of people–some atheists included–tend to think of a disbelief in God as a definitive statement. I would say, as an atheist who basis my assertions in science, that atheism is only ever a statement rooted in the present. That is to say, based off of the evidence available to me NOW, I see no evidence that suggests the existence of a God. But that's not a definitive statement, for as any scientist worth his or her salt will tell you, the body of information available to us and our understanding of it is always expanding, so it would be impossible for me to state that there will NEVER be evidence to suggest the existence of a God.
Recovering Agnostic says :
Maybe to avoid confusion, it would be helpful to call it a provisional conclusion. In this context, whether someone's likely to change their mind in response to new evidence isn't as important as what led them to that position in the first place.
jonnyscaramanga says :
Ryan, they might come to it emotionally. They might have been brought up to believe it. It might just be a hunch. I'm an atheist (weak sense), would argue that it would be impossible to come to the conclusion that there are definitely no gods or godesses of any kind purely through science and logic.
I like this post. People who want to form an atheist movement should remember this. Not believing in God is not a great predictor of much else about a person.
ryan59479 says :
I usually cringe at the word impossible. I guess I would say that decisions made emotionally are almost never rational decisions. And it seems to me that if atheists believe that it's irrational to believe in God, then by suddenly making atheism equally irrational, atheism becomes another belief system. And I think you'd be hard pressed to find an atheist who would call atheism a belief system.
Deborah Mitchell says :
Well, here I am, just like you asked.
I think you're dealing with two separate issues here: faith and reason. See your statement here:
"What makes me uncomfortable about this is that it sounds uncannily similar to the sort of thing I used to hear Christians say in the opposite direction: If you lose your faith, you were never really a Christian; it's just a superficial reaction to bad things happening; your reasoning makes no sense."
"If you lose your faith…."
You don't need reasons to believe because faith, by its very nature, means you push the hold button on logic and just jump. That's why you hear statements such as, "I just know God exists. I just believe. I feel…."
However, atheism rejects the belief in god. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Atheism)
That implies an awareness and active rejection. If you do not believe, and you decide that the "blue sky" (I think that was your analogy) is the reason why you no longer believe, then you have a reason. (The sky is blue.) It's not a GOOD reason, but it is yours. You can prove the sky is blue. But you don't need to prove that the blue sky means god doesn't exist anyway. The burden of proof is on those who believe. Just like I would have to prove to you that you have an invisible woman living in your attic. See?
If you've rejected the god you were raised with, you have your reasons. You no longer have your faith.
I think you are bringing assumptions to the table here: "It's tempting to restrict atheism to clever people, people we admire, people we agree with and who show our beliefs in a good light, but that's not our call, and it's not honest."
Says who? You? Which authority? Please clarify.
Anyway. Rambling a bit. I'm hungry. Thanks for sharing!
Recovering Agnostic says :
Thanks for stopping by. I thought it was only polite to let you know what I was writing, and it's not really aimed at you, but it's good of you to add your thoughts.
I think faith and reason aren't as separate as all that in most cases. In my experience, believers tend to try to justify their beliefs rationally at first, and only resort to faith when it doesn't seem to make sense. Regardless of that, the well-worn dogma that anyone who loses their faith (or "deconverts" if it helps the discussion) can't have ever been a true believer is one that I've heard often enough to make it a cliché.
On the topic of who gets to be identified as a proper atheist, I've seen quite a bit recently of people trying to exclude this person or that person, because they don't like their opinions on something or other, or think they haven't given the matter enough thought. There might be a case for a separate word to describe people who never really considered the idea of gods, but as things stand, "atheist" is the obvious word to use.
Rushing off to work now, I'll review this later.
Deborah Mitchell says :
I think you bring up some great questions and points. Thank you for including me in this discussion.
I do agree that people try to justify their beliefs. A lot of times, though, we're socialized into religion as babies, before we are even able to understand the beliefs we're being programmed with. So we just repeat what we've been told. I'm not sure that we're rationalizing as much as just regurgitating. And I'm often baffled when people start quoting the Bible with its outrageous tales as a source, yet those same people criticize a book like Harry Potter for all of its outrageous tales.
I have not seen the discussions that you mention about who is a proper atheist yet. (If you provide a link, I'll check it out.) As I said in my post and in the video that started this discussion, Thomas Coates never identifies himself as anything. Coates just says that his girlfriend says he didn't "believe in him." CBS calls him an atheist. Maybe he's an agnostic. Maybe he just didn't believe that god would help. Who knows. But he is not a good example of a person who doesn't believe anyway. The guy is a desperate, down-and-out-drug addict. Religion should never have been overlaid on top of that interview. So, it seemed to me much more of a propaganda campaign than an example of a conversion.
This is an interesting statement and I've heard this before, too: "Regardless of that, the well-worn dogma that anyone who loses their faith (or "deconverts" if it helps the discussion) can't have ever been a true believer is one that I've heard often enough to make it a cliché." I'm sure many would argue that it's not about being a true or blind believer, but about the lack of evidence to support their continued beliefs. Folks who use that cliché are usually believers, and I'm sure they are trying to bolster their faith and explain why their fellow Christians (or Muslims, etc.) are leaving religion and god.
Some good food for thought. Thanks again.
Recovering Agnostic says :
Thank you for getting involved. I agree that this isn't directly relevant to the case you mentioned.
I'll see if I can dig up some links on defining people out of some group or other, but it may be tricky because that's usually not absolutely explicitly stated. In keeping with much of my blogging, this is addressed to me as much as anyone, because I find it so tempting to explain why certain people don't belong to "my" group. Not long ago, I wrote about a survey on spirituality which annoyed me partly because the methodology was dodgy, but also because it showed that a lot of "no religion" respondents had some pretty wacky beliefs that I didn't want to be associated with.
I think atheists are going to have to get used to this sort of thing. Once, atheism was a fairly extreme position that was only held by people who'd given the matter a lot of thought. As the influence of religion declines, there are likely to be more and more atheists who've never really considered the matter, but were just brought up (dare I say indoctrinated) as atheists. The mention of indoctrination is deliberately provocative, but I hope you see the point.
Deborah Mitchell says :
I absolutely have seen this, too, and agree with you here: "…it showed that a lot of "no religion" respondents had some pretty wacky beliefs that I didn't want to be associated with."
I don't identify as an atheist for that reason. I prefer humanist or naturalist, though these terms will probably get corrupted, too, as they go more mainstream.
I'd just like to make a quick comment about this: "As the influence of religion declines, there are likely to be more and more atheists who've never really considered the matter, but were just brought up (dare I say indoctrinated) as atheists."
Remember, we are not indoctrinating kids by not teaching them made-up stories. We don't indoctrinate them against belief in fairies, trolls and dragons. We can still teach them about the history of religion, we are just no longer brainwashing our kids. 🙂
janeyeadon says :
Ah, but what if you were raised atheist, as I was? I know it is unusual, especially in my age group (I am 57), but my Dad was an atheist by raising too. It was my grandfather who rejected religion when he joined the trade union movement. So although I am now a scientist and reject belief in any god in the same way as I reject belief in anything with insufficient evidence for that belief, I never understood what religion feels like and never found a need to believe… Is there anyone else out there like me?
Deborah Mitchell says :
I just read your "about" page and found it very interesting! In the end, if faith (whether strong or weak) brings you comfort as you said below, then you should keep it.
"Truth be told, there are parts of Christianity that I quite like in some ways,…."
Life is short. Why give up chocolate, wine or religion, if used in moderation?
My only hope is that religion will stay in church where it belongs….
Recovering Agnostic says :
My story's moved on quite a bit since I wrote that "about" page, and it's always complicated. There's more details in the posts filed under "History of Me". My main dilemma right now is how to bring our kids up when my wife and I believe different things.
Deborah Mitchell says :
Can't you explain to your children what you both believe?
Recovering Agnostic says :
That's largely how we approach it, but they're not really at an age where they can cope with us having wildly different opinions. And it's the practical side that's more of an issue – going to church, having books of Bible stories, that sort of thing.
raintreebranches says :
while I heartily agree with your point that atheism just means a lack of belief in god(s) and thus any one who fits that description is technically an atheist, I do that that people who would call themselves atheist would mostly be people who are interested in science, pretty cynical of religion and so on.
Since atheism describe a lack of something, one wouldn't normally see the need to use such a label on themselves unless they are particular interested in issues highlighting this lack, or they came from the other side of the fence previously. I would think people are apathetic about religion wouldn't identify with the label at all, even if they didn't believe in god.
raintreebranches says :
* I do think that people…
* I would think people who are apathetic…
I'm Not Your Role Model says :
As someone who was brought up as Atheism as my "religion" I can identify with your blog. I like it, and I'll keep reading. So keep writing.
dreamdecipher says :
Quite interesting topic. I´ve recently been getting a vision about wether one can call him self an atheist or not. An atheist is someone that doesn´t belive in any form of higher power right or supernatural things? And most of them whom i´ve met says with an utter determination that they know there is nothing like that based on science. The picture i´ve been thinking about is if we picture a piece of paper, fairly large paper. Now i draw a tiny dot on that big paper. The dot represents all the knowledge i have or all the knowledge there is up until this day. The large paper represents the whole universe and all the knowledge left to explore or better said what´s still unexplored. I would say that it is impossible to claim that there´s no higher power or vice versa. Would a more proper label be Agnostic to the Atheists? Dunno? Fun reading though 🙂
Recovering Agnostic says :
No, agnostic wouldn't be a better label. Agnostic is a label that causes enough confusion as it is, without attempting to add in another category, i.e. what we would currently and rightly call atheism. And then what about anyone who doesn't believes in fairies, unicorns or one-armed purple-haired sock-eating monsters in the washing machine? Are they agnostic as well?
I covered a lot of these arguments in a previous post at https://recoveringagnostic.wordpress.com/2013/04/09/in-defence-of-strong-atheism/
Deborah Mitchell says :
I like the term agnostic because it means that you don't believe in god, but you do not claim to know in an epistomological sense. There are people who
Eric says :
At some point the existence of a creator becomes self evident and atheism becomes silly.
Recovering Agnostic says :
That's a mighty bold claim, Eric. I'm waiting right here for that point to arrive. Maybe you have some evidence you'd like to share with the class?
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Then some itinerant Jewish exorcists tried to invoke the name of the Lord Jesus over those with evil spirits, saying, "I adjure you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches." When the seven sons of Sceva, a Jewish high priest, tried to do this, the evil spirit said to them in reply, "Jesus I recognize, Paul I know, but who are you?"
The person with the evil spirit then sprang at them and subdued them all. He so overpowered them that they fled naked and wounded from that house.
Acts of the Apostles 19:13-16
As you might have heard Simon & Schuster gave a big book deal to Milo Yiannopoulos
Milo Yiannopoulos has parlayed his ban from Twitter — and some controversial appearances on college campuses and cable TV shows — into a $250,000 book deal with Threshold Editions, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, The Hollywood Reporter learned on Thursday.
"They said banning me from Twitter would finish me off. Just as I predicted, the opposite has happened," Yiannopoulos told THR, confirming the upcoming book without commenting on financial details.
Liberals aren't happy and the virtuous folks at the Chicago Review of Books aren't taking it lying down.
In response to this disgusting validation of hate, we will not cover a single @simonschuster book in 2017. https://t.co/NAJhTgdeyX
— Chicago Rev of Books (@bookschicago) December 29, 2016
If you are a person who only casually follows the news, this might sound like a big deal, but folks who deal in the world of reality like Milo and Simon Schuster realize that this Twitchy post notwithstanding their courageous stand isn't about shutting down Milo or punishing Simon & Schuster, it's a desperate attempt to be noticed.
Let's put it this way. Here is the Twitter page of he Chicago Review of Books at 12:07 AM EST on Dec 30th 2016 10 hours or so after their courageous tweet
Now there are two things that jump out at me here that any experienced twitter user will notice right off the top.
1. They follow more people than they have followers meaning they aren't very popular.
2. They only have 4200 twitter followers and that's 10 hours after their most famous tweet drew over 8000 likes.
Now let's contrast that with Instapundit a site whose twitter feed is almost certainly going to promote Milo's book
As you can see Glenn has over 74,000 followers and follows less people than the review of books has followers. Clearly that statement in Professor Reynolds pinned tweet about not needing twitter applies to him but can't apply to the Chicago Review of books.
"But DaTechguy", you ask. Isn't that a tad unfair, Glenn is a big name, why don't you compare it with someone smaller, OK let's compare them to my own Twitter numbers.
The Chicago Review of books can take comfort in the fact that they have nearly but not quite 200 more followers on twitter than me, and that even if you add my followers on Gab which I joined last month
they still edge me. However given that I have made absolutely no effort to solicit followers on twitter other than one button on my web site since I joined (nor have I on Gab in the month or so I've been there) that feat seems much less impressive.
But that's just twitter, and Milo's banned from that. Surely both Milo and Simon & Schuster must be worried about the drop in web traffic from the Chicago Review of Books web site if they boycott them in 2017? That is they would if they didn't bother to go to Alexa and check their rankings like I did.
Apparently not only has their traffic dropped like a rock over the last few months but they've only recently broken into the top 2,000,000 sites worldwide. Now compare that again to Instapundit which is the biggest part of PJ media which Alexa measures.
You're talking a top 7500 worldwide and top 2000 US site vs a top 2 mil site worldwide. And remember multiple PJ media writers are almost certainly going to be reviewing milo's book.
I'll wager Simon & Schuster is shaking in their boots, but if you're griping that it's not a fair graphic because PJ media has multiple web pages, fine, let's compare them to this site right here.
While we are no instapundit those figures aren't bad for a blog based in Fitchburg Massachusetts a city of 45,000 whose only international notoriety is for being the home of the fictional Fitchburg Finches from the Harry Potter books particularly when compared to a site based in Chicago Illinois home of the World Champion Chicago Cubs and one of the most famous cities in the entire world.
In other words if I hired a blogger to review one Simon & Schuster book a month it would likely send them more traffic than a year's worth of plugs from the Chicago Review of Books.
That's why Simon & Schuster isn't going to worry about this "boycott" because, while it's likely true that the folks at the Chicago Review of Books hate Milo and are both outraged and jealous of his big book deal, they know this "boycott" of them is more about trying to make The Chicago Review of Books relevant than to take a stand against Simon & Schuster. Or let's put it another way:
Given our relative traffic ratings The Chicago Review of Books web site is likely to get more traffic from this blog post than from anything they will write themselves next year.
It's not virtue signaling, it's just signaling desperately.
Closing thought: Anyone want to make book at which MSM will pick up this story, see the words "Chicago Review of Books" and breathlessly reporting this "boycott" without bothering to check the stats?
Update: Bazinga!
Speaking of stats with two days left to the year we are at $8923 toward our TipJar goal of $22,000 for 2016. With 2 days to go the odds of us picking up the remaining $13,077 are rather tiny.
However it is entirely possible that we can get manage $1,077 to finish the year in five figures and if somehow we managed to raise $2077 and make it to $11,000 I promise to hire one more blogger specifically to review at least one Simon & Schuster book every month just to drive the Chicago Review of Books people crazy.
So if you'd like to help support independent non MSM journalism and opinion from writers all over the nation like Baldilocks, RH, Fausta, JD Rucker Christopher Harper, Pat Austin, and John Ruberry plus several monthly & part time writers working here and want to help pay their monthly wages (and the Cartoonist I'm looking to hire, details here) please consider hitting DaTipJar.
Please consider Subscribing. You can be listed as a Friend of DaTechguy blog for as little as $2 a week. If only 130 of the 208,968 unique visitors who came in 2016 .07% subscribed at the same levels as our current subscription base we would make our current annual goal with ease. If we could boost that number to 260 I could afford to go to CPAC and cover major events in person all over the country and maybe take some of Da Magnificent Seven writers with me.
Remember all subscribers get my weekly podcast emailed directly to you before it goes up anywhere else.


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Rick Owens AW 2007 Crushed Velvet Trucker Jacket S
Rick Owens AW 2007 Crushed Velvet Trucker Jacket S
Rick Owens DRKSHDW AW 2007 Trucker Jacket in crushed velvet. The pieces also features the light, papery lining that was used frequently that season, and an internal shoulder strap for carrying purposes.
The piece is in excellent condition with no rips, holes or stains. However, there was a rather serious tear that has been repaired at the back of the shoulder. The repair is sturdy, professional and difficult to notice when the jacket is in use. Condition is reflected in the price.
Marked size S
Measurements taken flat.
Shoulder to Shoulder: 16.5 inches
Pit to Pit: 21 inches
Length: 24 inches
Sleeve Length: 30 inches
sold out


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General HospitalSoapbox
Deconstructing GH: A good week side-lined by adding to a bloated cast
June 5 - 9:
There were a lot of good performance this week from Valentin, Nina and Ava. The return of Spencer and Cam was a nice surprise, though they need a better storyline. On the downside, "General Hospital" added to their already bloated cast with a questionable character.
No pity for Ava.
Ava lying in her bed covered in burns and begging Sonny to end her life and kill her was such a powerful scene. So was her hallucinating her own image, which taunted her and pushed her to give up and die. One of the reasons I like Ava is because she's such a complex character. You can go from hating her, to cheering for her, to wishing her dead, and finally feeling sorry for her. I felt sorry for Ava, and as Jason said, she's been punished enough given the future she now faces. Unfortunately that didn't seem to be enough for Carly and Sonny, who were busy gathering evidence in order to have Ava prosecuted. Even Kiki was finding it hard to find any sympathy for her, but was there for Ava when her mother was hanging on by a thread. Only Griffin showed her compassion, and that's probably the priest in him. I'm sure though through the genius of Dr. Finn that Ava will be back to normal in no time when he invents a revolutionary new skin graft inspired by his pet lizard Roxy.
#Carson are disgusting do they think the DA is going drag Ava out of her ICU bed to charge her with endangering Morgan a grown man. #GH
— Maria DiMaso (@mar3277) June 9, 2017
More: Former One Life to Live actor James DePaiva lands GH role
Blasts from Valentin's past.
Valentin faced his past in more ways than one this week. His attempt to run with Charlotte was a spectacular failure, and when he faced losing everything he broke down. Like Ava, I like Valentin because he can invoke so many emotions in the viewer. When he saw his face in the cracked mirror and harkened back to his deformity it was a heartbreaking moment. Later, when he thought he couldn't possibly lose anything else, Nina appeared and served him with divorce papers. Her mentioning how unlike the first time she turned him in that this time he wouldn't escape the charges against him was a nice nod to their initial meeting. Even actress Michelle Stafford felt bad and apologized to James Patrick Stuart on Twitter for divorcing him! However just when things looked darkest, a ray of hope appeared. I noted in last week's Deconstructing GH that the case against Valentin rested on Alex, and without her he'd likely go free. Alex realized the same thing, managed to escape from the WBS, and told Valentin to keep his mouth shut and they'd have to let him go.
Sorry for divorcing you today ?@japastu #GH
— michelle stafford (@TheRealStafford) June 7, 2017
@BlueWizard75 Boy, Nina could really use some advice from Man Landers right about now! Oh… wait. ? #GeneralHospital #ManLanders
— Lyndi Williams (@LynballWilliams) June 8, 2017
Danger Sam, danger!
Sam attempted to relax by getting a massage, but a little voice in her head kept telling her that her family was in danger. Oh boy, is Helena's curse still in play? I still believe she's out there and not really dead. Meanwhile, Julian and Alexis had another bonding moment when Julian finally met Scout and Alexis allowed him to hold his granddaughter. I kept waiting for Sam to show up and scream at her mother, but it never happened. Julian was looking mighty fine in that beard though. It must have superpowers because Alexis seemed to be falling all over him.
More: Jean Passanante, co-head writer of General Hospital, retires
The Finn and Hayden merry-go-round.
Just when Finn and Hayden had found their happy place, Obrecht reared her ugly head and tampered with his latest drug screening. Why in the hell are they not using two separate labs at this point given the tampering taking place that they already blamed Brad for? Meanwhile, Hayden attempted to learn what life as a mother would be like by sitting for Spencer and Cameron. Yes, Cameron was back and the show hasn't SORASed him . . . yet. Apparently, Hayden never got the memo that Spencer and Cam don't like one another, and she was left caught in the middle of a food fight. Reviving their rivalry over Emma, who doesn't even live in Port Charles anymore, made me roll my eyes. Still, I loved seeing Hayden reunited with Spencer. I adored their relationship when she was still with Nikolas.
More: Kirsten Storms reveals return to General Hospital coming soon
More unnecessary characters.
I have nothing against Vernee Watson, who debuted this week as Curtis' Aunt Stella. She is actually a great actress and an asset to the show. However, I find it hard to care about Curtis and Jordan as a couple, so introducing her as a thorn in their side is more of a pain in the ass for viewers. Fans often complain about the overly bloated "GH" cast enough, and the show continues to introduce characters that aren't needed!
These are only my opinions on the week. Please leave yours in the comments.
Follow Soaps.com on Twitter and Soaps.com on Facebook, and Soaps.com on Instagram.
Photo credit: Jill Johnson/JPI
– Dustin Cushman


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Wim Hof - The Iceman - TRAILER
Watch the Full Episode for FREE: http://londonrealacademy.com/episodes/
Wim Hof is an autodidact and taught himself how to control his heart rate, breathing and blood circulation. All this is regulated by the autonomic nervous system. Science says that the autonomic nervous system is a part of the body you just can´t control, yet Wim can, by steering his hypothalamus (an area in the brain which regulates the body temperature). Where the body temperature of an untrained person drops dangerously after exposing it to extreme cold, Wim is able to retain his core temperature around 37 degrees Celsius, constantly. Even after 1 hour and 52 minutes sitting in ice, Wim's core temperature stays the same. Scientists around the world baffled by this exceptional performance. In the Netherlands, Prof. Maria Hopman of the UMC St Radboud Nijmegen examined Wim's physiology as he was affected by the cold, while he was up to his neck in a cylinder filled with ice cubes.
Watch the Full Episode for FREE: http://londonrealacademy.com/episodes/


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Now available, VGOD Premium Brand Eliquid in TPD packaging. Each 10ml Bottle is individually boxed; 3 Bottles to a Pack; 4 Packs per Carton... (1 x 3 x 4 = 12 bottles or 120ml). That's one dozen of your favorite Eliquid per carton! Give your customers the options they want: 1 Bottle, a 3 Pack, or the whole Carton (120ml).
Featuring original killer flavours such as Lush Ice & Luscious, & new flavours such as Coco, Cubano, Wacky Taffy & Frozen.


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Bimeda UK are pleased to announce the expansion of their parasite control range with the launch of Zero; a ready-to-use soluble granule formulation containing cyromazine 2% w/w.
Zero is applied to high risk areas such as livestock deep litter and above ground slurry stores. The product prevents the development of the fly larvae; thus preventing the emergence of adults which are key vectors of disease.
As summer approaches, flies are a key concern for many farmers, who are all too aware of the welfare and productivity implications of fly-borne diseases such as summer mastitis, pink eye, Schmallenberg and Blue Tongue. Prevention is always better than cure and this latest parasite prevention product from Bimeda will form a key part of many farmers' parasite control programmes this summer.
Zero is effective against diptera larvae known as true flies, which include larvae from the following species: fruit flies, gnats, flesh flies, midges, moth flies, gall midges, blow flies and horse flies.
Zero is suitable for use in livestock units, such as rearing facilities for cattle and horses, pig sties and poultry houses. It can also be used in manure heaps, slurry reservoirs and waste disposal sites. Zero can be applied by direct scattering of dry granules, or by spraying or pouring after dissolution in water.
UK Head of Sales James Hutchings commented; 'Bimeda is committed to providing products to UK farmers which deliver efficacy, convenience and value, and the introduction of Zero is indicative of this commitment. While its ready-to-use formulation is highly convenient to farmers, its efficacy against numerous fly species will bring peace of mind as we approach key fly season.
We are dedicated to providing parasite control solutions to the UK farmers and Zero perfectly complements our existing range, including our Dectospot Spot On (Deltamethrin 10mg/ml) which we launched last year. These two products used together will create a perfect dual action fly control programme at a very cost effective price.
Dectospot is licensed as a topical application for the control of lice and flies on cattle; ticks, lice, keds and established blowfly strike on sheep and lice and ticks on lambs. It is licensed for use during pregnancy and lactation and has zero milk withdrawal in cattle.'
For further information on any Bimeda product speak to your supplier or call Bimeda on 01248 725 400. Alternatively, visit Bimeda.co.uk
Use Medicines Responsibly. Noah.co.uk/responsible
Dectospot Legal Category: POM-VPS. Active: Deltamethrin 10mg/ml. For full product information, including contra-indications see the SPC which can be found on the VMD website. Alternatively, visit Bimeda.co.uk. Bimeda can be contacted at Unit 2, Bimeda, Bryn Cefni Industrial Park, Llangefni, Anglesey, LL777XA, 01248 725 400. Zero is an insecticide for professional use. Consult packaging prior to use.
Key Contacts
Bimeda Marketing Manager
Mary Murphy
Bimeda Professional Services Veterinarian
Rachel Mallet


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Sometimes we feel like we have seen it all. Tens of thousands of innovations - new products, brands, business models, packages, spaces… But, we know we haven't, actually (seen it all). We are watching some of the most creative ideas out there, being discovered, refined, targeted and launched. We came together to help leaders find those ideas and get them into the real world.
We're working on "innovation" with start ups, giant consumer companies, non-profits, big B-to-B organizations, and everyone is doing it wrong - at least that is what they believe.
But here's the truth, everyone has something they could be doing better - even those innovation icons that seem to live on "Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies" lists.
The "process" of innovation is broken. Too often, badly structured innovation programs:
- allow good ideas slip by, unseen
- kill the sparks of inspiration for a new creation as the idea travels from team to team in "development"
- advances bad ideas because they come from someone high on the food chain
These processes are slow, bureaucratic and rarely yield true innovation.
Start-ups don't suffer from an overly processed system – they can find great ideas and hold on to their spark. However, many start-ups need support translating these ideas into reality. The struggle might be getting the data needed for sales pitches, building a brand or a retail plan, but rarely do start-ups have all the expertise they need in-house.
The innovation process seems to be stuck in an imaginary bind. There's no reason that ideas cannot be truly vetted and plugged into business strategies, but quickly and without the sticky bureaucracy. We have very large clients who are able to imagine new ideas, refine, validate and launch them in a matter of weeks. These "ideas" aren't limited to products but include brands, messaging, pricing models, retail creations, etc. - all the areas of your work that can be touched by a strong innovation plan.
How? They move fast because it's in their DNA, sure, but also because we've created fast moving tools with the right mix of creative flexibility and strategic rigor to capture the moment and build a business case.
For creators, we want to bring together the agility of start-ups and the certainty of more established teams, along with some great bench strength. We seek a marriage of design thinking with deep user insights. Ideas that are rooted in the needs of your target users, quick iteration, and true collaboration.
For you, we created F'inn.
The name is an attempt to "Fix" Innovation, or Forge/ Find/ Fuel/ Flip it, or just say Fuck it, we've got to start over. We are a team of innovation specialists with an amazing network of talented individuals who we onboard as needed. We'll talk more about our "Irregulars" later, but know that there is no part of the strategic or creative process that we can't handle.
The Founders of F'inn are all completely hands on and will personally run these initiatives with you. We promise you that we will not delegate you to an inexperienced team. We started F'inn because we love this work and want to spend our time with you, not in meetings about revenue expectations.
That's it.
Our mission is to inspire leaders to discover and hold on to great ideas, give them purpose and make them real.
Keep an eye on this space, it's growing fast with case studies, interviews and a strong perspective on how to fix the mess that has become "innovation".


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Dyson continues to clean up. I'm Fred Fishkin with technology BootCamp, a report on gadgets and gear. Inventor and entrepreneur James Dyson continues to bring new gadgets to consumers that incorporate useful innovation. And his company his proven that lots of people are willing to pay more for vacuums, fans and hand dryers that work as promised. Now it is taking on the portable vacuum market with the Dyson Digital Slim. Design engineer Blair Hutton…
"We've actually crammed a lot of technology in there. We've got our cutting edge Dyson digital motor in there and the latest lithium ion battery technology. So that's enabled us to pack about twice the power of any other cordless machine into the Digital Slim."
An included extension tube allows it to be used as an upright, but keep in mind it's limited to about twenty minutes of cleaning on a charge. Fine for lots of things, but maybe not the whole house. Like other Dysons, it doesn't come cheap. The Digital Slim lists for about three hundred dollars. You can find us at BootCamp.com. I'm Fred Fishkin.
|Consumer Electronics | Gadgets


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- This event has passed.
Hymns of Thanksgiving
November 18, 2018 @ 7:30 pm - 10:00 pm MST
Hymns of Thanksgiving, scheduled for Sunday, November 18 at CenturyLink Arena, is celebrating its 16th year in Boise as a musical extravaganza with a 275 member choir and orchestra that celebrates the nature of gratitude during the Thanksgiving season. The Governor and First Lady will provide the narration for this event.
Performers donate their services while sponsors finance the event through Celebrations In Music, Inc., an Idaho nonprofit corporation.
While there is no admission charge, guests are invited to make a monetary donation to The Idaho Foodbank.
Doors open at the CenturyLink Arena at 6:30.


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Boyhood, Birdman and the Problem of Existence, Part 2
Drew Trotter
In last month's blog, I mentioned that Birdman and Boyhood shared more than the race for the Best Picture Oscar last year. Though the two movies were as different as can be imagined in tone, form, subject matter, pace and just about every other movie-making category, they were unified in pushing to the forefront a philosophy that goes back some fifty years, but seems to be gaining momentum as a philosophy of life: existentialism. I wrote about Boyhood and its thoroughgoing, but hopeful, existentialism, and accused it of cheating since classic existentialism was anything but hopeful because of one single factor: death.
Birdman doesn't make that mistake. In the film references abound to death, particularly suicide, as its main character, Riggan Thompson, played superbly by Michael Keaton in an Oscar-nominated performance, struggles with his celebrity, the emptiness of his power, his own hubris, the effect he is having on others, his need for love.
Birdman portrays Thompson as a popular but shallow superhero actor who wants to be taken seriously, so he writes, directs, and stars in a Broadway play based on a Raymond Carver short story. The film spans the few days between final rehearsals and opening night. Shot in the St. James Theatre in New York, Birdman is distinctive, if not unique, for its very long takes, sometimes as long as twenty minutes or more without a cut. This, and a constantly playing jazz drummer rasping in the background, adds hugely to the fast-pace of the dialogue and action to create a feeling of one long moment for the film. Small wonder, given the existential themes explored particularly in two scenes near the end of the film.
[Spoiler alert!] Riggan, unbeknownst to anyone else associated with the play, decides to commit the meaning-creating act of his life by committing suicide on stage, but messes that up either by accidentally missing his head and blowing off his nose instead, or by changing his mind at the last minute (or possibly, but I think unlikely, planning only to blow off his nose all along). What happens before that in two important scenes tells us what the filmmakers were intending.
The first of these takes place in Riggan's dressing room on opening night near the end of the play, when his ex-wife, Sylvia, played by Amy Ryan, visits him to tell him how well she thinks he's doing in the play. Riggan declares his love for her and for Samantha, their daughter, and their exchange brings together the themes of family, responsibility and what is actually real:
Riggan: I love you. …And I love Sam. Sylvia: I know. Riggan: I really wish I wouldn't have videotaped her birth, though. Sylvia: Why? Riggan: 'Cause… (sighs) I just missed the moment, really. I don't have it. I should have just been there with the two of you. You know … just the three of us. But I wasn't. I wasn't even present in my own life, and now I don't have it… and I'm never going to have it. Sylvia: You have Sam. Riggan: Not really, I don't. I mean, she's… Sylvia: Oh, no, no, no, listen, she's just going through … Riggan: No, I get it, I understand. She needed a dad; instead she got this guy who was a …three day viral sensation. It is so pathetic, I can't… Sylvia: No, come on. There are things more pathetic than that. Riggan: Yeah, like? Sylvia: That moustache. (Both laugh.) They kiss. He tells her to get back to her seat. He pulls down a real gun from a shelf, not the toy one he's been using in rehearsals. He checks and makes sure it's loaded.
Riggan regrets not actually living the moment of his daughter's birth instead of trying to do so vicariously through a videotape. Note how he says, "I wasn't even present in my own life," a telling admission that he doesn't really believe he exists because he did not act authentically. He doesn't have that moment and he's never going to. So much more could be said about the idea of cynically dismissing the medium of videotape in a movie about a play, but the key for us is this: Riggan does not exist because he has not acted authentically and with passion.
Even more important is the penultimate scene in the film, when Riggan is on stage. In the play, he is Eddie, who has just broken into a motel room where he discovers his wife (Naomi Watts) with her lover (Edward Norton). He brandishes a gun at both of them. She admits she doesn't love him, and his answer forms the heart of the struggle of the "real" Riggan Thompson within the story of the movie: "Why? I just want you to tell me: why? …What's the matter with me? Tell me what's the matter. Why do I always have to beg people to love me? …I just wanted to be what you wanted. What you wanted. Now I spend every fucking minute trying to be something else. Something I'm not. …I don't exist. I'm not even here. I'm not even here."
Riggan points the gun at the Norton character and goes "Bang!", like a very dangerous child playing with a real gun. Then he points the gun at the audience and does the same thing: "Bang!" The terror for the movie viewer is palpable; it looks like a real gun. It is a real gun! Riggan then shoots himself, blowing his nose off, but we don't know that until later. It looks like he has committed some existentialists' one authentic act: suicide. The audience stays silent for the slightest of moments, then they wildly applaud—a thumping, rousing standing ovation for the apparently dead actor on the stage floor.
What do we as Christians think of this? Riggan, not finding the love he so craves, a love that takes the form for him of gaining from the audience respect for himself and for his art, chooses to kill himself in order to win that respect. Albert Camus fought this conclusion in his famous essay "The Myth of Sisyphus," opting instead for an acknowledgment of the absurdity of life and a life lived in revolt against that absurdity.
But why? Stay tuned for part three next month.