text:
Sexual selection is, for lack of a better term, a sexy concept. Charles Darwin elaborated on the specific phenomenon of sexual selection in The Descent of Man, and Selection in Relation to Sex. In The Third Chimpanzee Jared Diamond endorsed Darwin's thesis that sexual selection could explain the origin of human races, as each isolated population extended their own particular aesthetic preferences. More recently the evolutionary psychologist Geoffrey Miller put forward an entertaining, if speculative, battery of arguments in The Mating Mind: How Sexual Choice Shaped the Evolution of Human Nature. It's clearly the stuff of science that can sell.
Sexual selection itself comes in a variety of flavors. Perhaps the most counterintuitive one on first blush is the idea that many traits, such as antlers, are positively costly and exist only to signal robust health which can incur the cost without debility. The idea was outlined by Amotz Zahavi in The Handicap Principle in the 1970s. Initially dismissed by Richard Dawkins in the original edition of The Selfish Gene, Zahavi's ideas have come into modest mainstream acceptance, and the second edition of Dawkins' seminal work reflects a revised appraisal. This is really a subset of a "good genes" model of sexual selection, whereby females select from a range of males which would exhibit variance in mutational load. A more capricious and erratic form of sexual selection is "runaway," which like genetic drift needs no rhyme or reason. Rather, arbitrary initial preferences can become coupled with heritable preference in a positive feedback loop which drives the mean phenotypic value of a population off the previous median, until natural selection enforces a countervailing pressure once the trait starts to become excessively maladaptive (e.g., imagine selection for longer and longer tail feathers until the ability of a bird to fly is inhibited).
But notwithstanding the inevitable press which the theory gets, and its centrality to several popular science books, the main action in the area of sexual selection is in the academic literature (contrast this with the aquatic ape hypothesis). Many of the verbal outlines of sexual selection are highly stylized, as economists might say. We are treated to images of stags with massive antlers facing off, elephant seals strutting their stuff, and beautifully plumaged birds gathering for a lek. Set next to this is a body of mathematically oriented models, short on color, long on Greek symbols. But these formal models are valuable. Obviously there is a wide range of variation across species in terms of how sexual selection plays out (if it does so at all within a given species, sexual or asexual). The sexual dimorphism of elephant seals is not the norm against which all species are judged. To explore the variables which produce this pattern of difference one must analyze them in an algebraic fashion, where each can be manipulated in isolation so as to properly characterize its impact. So with that, a paper from The American Naturalist which purports to show how assortative mating could emerge in a sexual selective framework, Make love not war: when should less competitive males choose low-quality but defendable females?:
Male choosiness for mates is an underexplored mechanism of sexual selection. A few theoretical studies suggest that males may exhibit—but only under rare circumstances—a reversed male mate choice (RMMC; i.e., highly competitive males focus on the most fecund females, while the low‐quality males exclusively pair with less fecund mates to avoid being outcompeted by stronger rivals). Here we propose a new model to explore RMMC by relaxing some of the restrictive assumptions of the previous models and by considering an extended range of factors known to alter the strength of sexual selection (males' investment in reproduction, difference of quality between females, operational sex ratio). Unexpectedly, we found that males exhibited a reversed mate choice under a wide range of circumstances. RMMC mostly occurs when the female encounter rate is high and males devote much of their time to breeding. This condition‐dependent strategy occurs even if there is no risk of injury during the male‐male contest or when the difference in quality between females is small. RMMC should thus be a widespread yet underestimated component of sexual selection and should largely contribute to the assortative pairing patterns observed in numerous taxa.
The title is accessible and charming, but the paper is dense on mathematical formula and computational esoterica. It screams "trust me with my parameters!" But reality is a complex and manifold thing, and it may be that to model it one must go beyond elegant simplicity. As noted in the above abstract sexual selection models are often spare. That's the beauty of a model, you remove all you can from the reconstruction of reality until you start losing the aspects of reality which you're trying to understand and predict. I am not totally familiar with the sexual selection literature, so the first table is helpful insofar as it gives a sense of the scope of previous models which this paper is an extension of, and to some extent rejoinder to.
The main parameters to focus on in this study are the quality of the males and females, the competition between males, and the cost of mating. All the parameters checked off for the current study relate to these broad classes; density for example would increase competition, as would shifting the sex ratio. This being a model of the "mating game" rather than all the phenomena which might occur in the life history of individuals in a species, it is constrained in a somewhat peculiar manner. Males have a specific finite lifetime, and can enter into a serial set of relationships. These relationships are of finite length naturally, and, a particular fraction of the lifetime of a given male, though that fraction may vary within the model. Additionally, males have to engage in "pre-copulatory guarding" before gaining a reproductive payoff. Basically, the male can not mate for a period of time after pairing up with a female. During this guarding period the male may have to fend off suitors, so there is a risk that the investment is all for naught. This is the dimension where the quality of both male and female come into play. For example, low quality males are not good defenders, and high quality females will attract a lot of attention. There are also factors such as predation risk while seeking a partner, which one must do if one loses one's current partner to a superior male, or, one is initially unpaired and is deciding whether to reject to accept the offers of pairing up with a female.
Frankly, the model outlined in the paper is convoluted, and it probably says something that they have to nest a lot of the details into the supplements. Table 2 has all the parameters of interest.
As you can see some of the parameters have a few discrete values. Some of these are obviously continuous variables in reality, but for the purposes of modeling you have to simplify, especially if you're going to do something computationally intensive. They ran the "game" of interactions over several different variations of the parameters, and noted how males varied in their evolutionarily stable strategy. Below are three figures which illustrate the response topographies of males of high and low quality to females of high and low quality, with number of interactions on the y-axis (the axis projecting "away" from your viewpoint perspective), and "rejection index" on the z-axis (vertical). High quality males are in the top panels, low quality males in the bottom panels, high quality females in the left panels, and finally, low quality females in the right panels. Each figure has a different parameter varied on the x-axis, as per the labels.
[nggallery id=10]
The rejection index is such that below 0 denotes acceptance and above rejection. In the first figure the variable is the time invested in each reproductive event, ranging from 1% to 50% of the male's lifetime. In this situation high quality males accept high quality females, and reject low quality females, invariably. But low quality males are more accepting of low quality females as the time invested increases, and tend to reject high quality females. Why? High quality females would likely attract attention from high quality males, against whom the low quality males could not compete successfully. In the mating game pairing up with a high quality female would be a low payoff action, as the probability of keeping such a female and reproducing is low. The logic is inverted for low quality females, who would attract less attention from other males. Granted, these females are less fecund, but low fecundity is better than no fecundity from the perspective of the low quality male.
The second figure varies fecundity ratio between the high and low quality females, from 5% to 100%. In the second case there's no difference in fecundity between the two classes, and that explains panel B, where the high quality males drop sharply into acceptance territory for low quality females as the x-axis verges to 100%. For low quality males the picture is different, as they begin to reject much more quickly once the ratio difference starts to converge. Observe however the effect of the y-axis, number of female interactions assuming one is not guarding a mate. As the number of these interactions increases the rejection threshold keeps dropping as low quality males become less and less inclined to guard high quality males. This has to be because the greater the number of interactions which freelance males have, presumably the greater the number of competitive interactions whereby these males may "steal" a female from a male who is guarding one.
Finally, the last set of figures focuses on "operational sex ratio," OSR. The OSR ranges from 0.2, female-biased, to 2.4, male-based. When there is a deficit of females high quality males will begin to accept pairings with low quality females, as is clear in panel B of the third figure. This makes rational sense in an environment of "scarcity." The behavior of low quality males is more peculiar. In a situation of extreme female surplus their behavior converges upon that of high quality males: they reject low quality females, and accept high quality ones. As the sex ratio verges toward 1 the low quality males begin to reject high quality females and accept low quality ones. It seems that balanced mating ratios result in optimal trait matching, at least in terms of genetic quality, in the context of male competition for females (i.e., low quality males may prefer high quality females, but that is not an optimal decision because the likelihood of a payoff is low). But as the sex ratio verges toward a male surplus there are no good options for low quality males; the high quality females will reject them, because there are high quality males galore for them to select from, and the low quality females are now acceptable to high quality males, who will win them in the competition with low quality males.
Much of this is common sense. The mapping between formal quantitative model and verbal description is rather good. We know intuitively that in a context of male surplus it is the low quality males who will be shafted, and that low quality females will become valuable. You can offer up anecdote from engineering universities, or the army, or cite historical examples such as frontier societies with male-biased sex ratios. In modern day Punjab men import wives from poorer regions of eastern South Asia because of a sex-ratio imbalance. But here is where numbers are of the essence, as quantitative models show you how shifting the variates shifts the response. There has been some concern in relation to "bare branches", men who can not marry in Asia, and its possible impact on societal stability. But one must keep in mind the exact proportion of bare branches within a society when predicting instability due to manic competition for women. Formal models can give us a better guide as to thresholds which should concern us.
Ultimately papers like this need to be validated by experiment and observation. But they're useful toolkits, sharpeners of thought and conceptualization. It's hard to test, verify, and refute, if you don't pose the question and make a prediction in a clear and distinct manner.
Citation: Venner S, Bernstein C, Dray S, & Bel-Venner MC (2010). Make love not war: when should less competitive males choose low-quality but defendable females? The American naturalist, 175 (6), 650-61 PMID: 20415532
Image Credit: BS Thurner Hof, Kristin Dos Santos


text:
I recently changed my email client to Mozilla Thunderbird and I wanted to move over all of my Google contacts to my local address book. Unfortunately though there didn't see to be a clear way to do this. Google will allow you to export them as vcards but you can't import vcards into Thunderbird. I did find a nifty extension for Thunderbird that will import version 2.1 vcards (link) but Google exports them as Version 3.
Since I run ubuntu as my main operating system I installed the multisync-tools package which has a utility for converting vcards from v3 to v2.1 and vise versa. I used it to convert the vcards to the 2.1 format. But I found out that Thundersync does not really like having all the vcards in one file so I found a Perl script that cuts up the cards into separate files(link). This worked and I did get the contacts imported but a lot of the info was in the wrong fields probably from all of the converting and such.
So I thought this would be a good time to brush up on my ruby since I had been working with Drupal so much lately. Also it was a good exercise in learning the Google Data API. I just created a script that would retrieve an XML file from Google, parse the xml and create a file that thunderbird would accept. I have included it on this post in a tar ball just in case it would be of use to anyone else running into the same issue I had.
to use it just extract it into a directory and from the comandline run:
Then you should have an ldif file you can import easily into thunderbird.
Edit: I noticed that newer versions of Thunderbird allow you to import vcards.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Listen free for 30 days
The Pleasure of My Company
In The Pleasure of My Company, Steve Martin's second novel, all of the enjoyments of the critically acclaimed best seller Shopgirl are present: the tender portrayal of loneliness and love; a character's quest to reach out and engage the world; as well as laugh-out-loud humor and language that is brilliantly inventive. But in the story of Daniel Pecan Cambridge and the people who inhabit the insular universe he is seeking to expand (if only one small square at a time) Steve Martin has achieved something extraordinary: the chronicle of a modern-day neurotic yearning to break free.
Critic reviews
"A genuinely funny and surprisingly touching tale. As compassionate as it is funny." ( Kirkus Reviews)
"A few of the episodes build to moments of hilarity, and Martin's gift for comedic metaphor is uniquely his own." ( The New York Times Book Review)
What listeners say about The Pleasure of My Company
Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
- harper
- 22-01-14
Would you listen to The Pleasure of My Company again? Why?
yes! just did not want it to end!
Who was your favorite character and why?
loved them all
Which scene did you most enjoy?
Did you have an emotional reaction to this book? Did it make you laugh or cry?
enjoyed it very much laughed a lot
Any additional comments?
brilliant would recommend
1 person found this helpful
- Kirsi
- 29-12-12
The Pleasure of Listening This
Enjoyed this book very much, actually have listened to it many times. Martin is sophisticated and clear reader, and no one could do better job reading this story, which is quirky, human and intelligent at the same time. The characters are observed in a way like someone would watch You and point out the idiotic habits or manners You might have yourself without knowing it until that someone else questions them. Especially this feature spices the listening experience with sudden hilarious outbursts of laughter to human nature while the story goes on in an atmosphere of a mellow summer breeze. Every time leaves me in a good mood.
- John Fladd
- 22-11-03
An Odd, Compelling Story
Listening to Steve Martin read his own work on this audiobook brings a depth to it that it might lack on the written page. Don't listen to this for it's tight, intricate plot or you will be disappointed. Instead, listen to it for the way it draws you into the main character's mind. There is a rhythm and logic to the way he reasons things out that is compelling. You grow to genuinely like this man and care what happens to him. I laughed aloud on at least three occasions while I was listening to this book - something I rarely do when I am alone.
34 people found this helpful
- Nerdiana
- 01-12-03
A Walk in a Strange World
I can't put my finger on it, but Martins style reminds me a lot of Douglas Copeland (GenX, Shampoo Planet, Microserfs). I read the reviews before purchasing it and had more than a few misgivings, but decided to purchase it anyway.
It's better than Shopgirl. He's managed to put in more (perhaps predictable) plot twists to speed up the book. It isn't the Steve Martin that we watched in The Jerk or SNL, but it's different and it's good. Martin has ripened, matured and cut down on drugs since his older books (Cruel Shoes) where he waxed on about the Indian Giftgiving Magi and is standing at a different place with deeper characters(but if you like the old stuff try to find a copy of Cruel Shoes and you won't be dissapointed). Martin can build a great neurotic character you can't help but love. Daniel Pecan Cambridge swirling in his over controlled world that is sliding into a happy chaos is one such character. If you liked As Good As It Gets, Shopgirl or Woody Allen you'll probably love this. Try it, you'll like it.
22 people found this helpful
- Peter
- 16-10-04
Just how do troubled minds work?
Not being a fan of Steve Martin, I decided to give this book a try based purely on the description; and was more than pleasantly surprised. The book manages to be funny, heartbreaking and remarkably illumintating all at once.
The story is deliberately slow to start, but manages to draw you in to such an extent I found myself sitting in the parking lot for half-an-hour just to get to the end.
Daniel Pecan Cambidge is a seriously troubled individual, with several harmless but disconcerting disorders. How he finds both himself and the power to change his life is both charming and entertaining.
Telling the story from Daniel's own point of view gives you an understanding of the way his mind works and just why his bizarre habits seem so perfectly normal to him. Having the author read his own work was a stroke of genius as he displays a warmth and character that makes the book all the better.
I have found myself reassessing Steve and will look out for more of his books, particularly those he narrates himself. Do not be put off if you are not a fan of Steve's, but be a little wary if you think the height of his comedy is a little slapstick and stupidity: this book is not just for laughs.
8 people found this helpful
- Rio Delta Wild
- 19-07-04
human inclinations
Martin takes a self-absorbed neurotic into his first halting human relationships, past romantic disappointments, into responsibility for a helpless human being. The humor carries the listener through the guy's ridiculously boring daily existence into genuine appreciation for his condition. This story is excellent and Martin uses real genius in his choice and development of characters and story-line. I was well-gratified by listening, wondering about my own neurotic tendencies, without being pushed to do so.
5 people found this helpful
- Alison
- 04-11-04
Surprising and moving
I decided to try this selection after loving Steve Martin's Shopgirl. Even though Shopgirl sets the bar pretty high, The Pleasure of My Company didn't disappoint. It is a sweet and surprisingly moving story. The main character isn't instantly likeable, but he worms his way into your heart slowly. His peculiar world view eventually seems like it's just fine, an improvement on normal.
Steve Martin's very parsimonious prose really shines when read aloud.
3 people found this helpful
- Aimee
- 07-09-05
Mixed review
Steve Martin is definitely funny and brilliant, but this book wavers between that and being a bit boring. I expected him to be a better reader, but on the other hand, I can't really imagine anyone I would have rather read this, since it is "so Him". The story did get a little slow towards the 2nd half, but I must say, I really liked the ending. And there were definitely moments of great poignancy (sp?) along with the humor. But I also felt like there are a lot of much more interesting books out there to read/listen to. How's that for a mixed review?
2 people found this helpful
- Ray
- 16-02-04
The Pleasure of My Company (Unabridged)
Very well written. If you are a fan of Steve Martin's comedy and expect this book to be funny, don't bother. This is a little adventure in the life of a nuerotic character who finds love, eventually. I downloaded it after hearing an interview on NPR and enjoyed it. Just a light little book for an hour or two of enjoyment.
2 people found this helpful
- TeresaD
- 02-10-08
Amusing with heart
Light and funny, the emphasis on 'light'. I guess the novella as art from does not allow for much character development. However, the protagonist here was endearing and the story unfolded as an unconventional love story, that had a sweet, unlikely ending. The author showed a lot of compassion for the main character--- this saved the piece from being an enlongated New Yorker fictional oddity.
1 person found this helpful
- Laura
- 29-01-07
Touching & Kwirky
This isn't exactly my style book. However, the author's name caught my eye and I gave it a try. Steve reads this book himself and does a great job. It took be a while to get absorbed in the story, partly because I'm more the mystery/suspense type of reader. About half way through I found myself interested in learning what happens next and the ending left me satisfied. Give it a try. It's entertaining in Steve Martin, kwirky way.
1 person found this helpful
- Jana
- 18-08-05
The voice of Steve Martin is great. The book is ok. However sometimes it is lenghty and tedious.
1 person found this helpful


text:
San Francisco's Zappos.com Bay to Breakers is an annual footrace operated by Wasserman Events and has run continuously for over 100 year as a staple to the City by the Bay. With a starting point near the San Francisco Bay, a few blocks from The Embarcadero, the 12K race runs west through the city and finishes at the Great Highway where breakers crash onto the Pacific Coast's Ocean Beach. A quintessential San Francisco experience since 1912, the race is interwoven into the fabric of the city and is a true reflection and celebration of life between the breakers and the Bay.
The 2016 edition will take place on Sunday, May 15 with a start time of 8:00 AM.
Please note that no alcohol and no wheeled devices (including floats) will be allowed on the race course during the Zappos.com Bay to Breakers. Violators will be removed from the race course immediately and will not be issued a refund.
NO SMOKING EVENT – Zappos.com Bay to Breakers is a non-smoking event!


text:
Indiana State Police have reached out to Jalopnik readers to help find the 1987-96 Ford pickup shown in an image captured from a homeowner's surveillance camera on Monday morning. Its driver had entered a Lynnville, Ind. home on Monday, taking a gas can and an undisclosed sum of cash.
Authorities need help narrowing down the year of the truck in their search for the suspect shown walking nonchalantly through the edge of the frame. Do you recognize this 20-something-year-old Ford's paint scheme? Perhaps you've seen its owner.
If you've seen anything, contact Det. Paul Kruse at the Warrick County, Ind. Sheriff's Office at (812) 897-6180.
Are you a member of the law enforcement community and you need a vehicle identified? Please email us here with the subject line "To Catch A Car."
Follow our entire "To Catch A Car" series here.
Photo credit: Warrick County Sheriff's Office


text:
This picture was in the "Sailing Instructions" pamphlet they were given.
|Immature? Why yes, I am!
A Blog detailing the insanity of my medical practice and the stupidity of everyday life.
|Immature? Why yes, I am!
Yes you are immature, but such diagrams have been ways boys and immature males have tried to keep the "little women" off the water.
It Does Not Work.
In the words of Tom Lehrer, "When correctly viewed, everything is lewd."
Why do you think it's called "mast"urbate?
I immediately began to giggle when I saw the pic ('cause I'm just so mature), but the comment by Anonymous @ 12:55 really had me laughing. Definitely an ampallang. I can't unsee it now.
YOu can tell where my mind was. I thought you were making fun of them calling the gaff or gaff boom the "upper boom" until I read the comments. Sort of wondered why you were turning into a sailing geek.
Reminds me of a conning trail from a Navy guy I know. Thanks for inspiring me to yet another crazy blog entry, Dr. Grumpy. :)
I didn't know what an ampallang was so I Googled it. Not a sight I wanted to see with my morning coffee. I should have guessed by looking back at the drawing.
Well ,now I know a new vocabulary. Not sure how to work that one into daily use, though!
As Mark Crislip *Thanks to him, I found Grumpy* says. "You are young only once, but you can be immature for your entire life."
Little Calf Creamery. Delicious homemade ice cream and food in Thousand Oaks!


text:
OCA Chancery
Syosset, New York
December, 2003
Dearly Beloved in the Lord:
Christ is born! Glorify Him!
" Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel" (Isaiah 7:14).
With these words, the Prophet Isaiah expressed the hopes of his people as they anticipated the coming of the Messiah, the One destined to bring about the long awaited reconciliation between mankind and its Creator. It was the prophets of old who struggled to prepare for the Savior's appearance, who proclaimed the ultimate Light in the midst of unbearable darkness, and who revealed "the true Light which gives light to every man coming into the world" (John 1:9). In the Incarnation of Our Lord, Jesus Christ, their words—and the hopes and longings of God's People—were fulfilled, as the only-begotten Son of God reconciled the world with Himself, offering new life to all who would receive it.
Sadly, the words of the prophets too often fell on deaf ears. "He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him," we read in the Prologue of the Gospel of Saint John. "He came to His own, and His own did not receive Him" (John 1:11-12). There were those who, failing to grasp the fullness of the prophets' words, anticipated an earthly king who would liberate them from a hostile empire. Others, refusing to repent, rejected His words and denied His miracles, sensing that their own positions would be threatened: "If we let Him alone like this, everyone will believe in Him" (John 11:48). Those who shouted "Hosanna!" upon His entrance into Jerusalem were one and the same as those who shouted "Crucify Him!" four days later.
Ultimately, the Light of the world could not be overcome by darkness. The One Whose throne was a manger, Whose royal court was composed of shepherds, Whose choristers were the very angels who surround the heavenly throne, revealed that He was indeed "Immanuel"—"God with us."
Today's world is not unlike that into which Our Lord was born. Two thousand years after the Incarnation, the words of the prophets—as well as the words of the One Whom the prophets proclaimed—still fall on deaf ears. The name of Jesus Christ, the Savior, has been banished in many public forums, and the life-giving truth which He revealed to the world has, in too many instances, been suppressed and even rejected. Darkness once again covers the earth, and how unfortunate it is that we find countless souls with little or no understanding of the "God (Who is) with us."
As we share in the joy of this most holy feast, we cannot isolate ourselves from the world in which we live. Hostility, anger and fear, in many instances, have replaced hope. The lure of this world can indeed be potent. The Light born from the Holy Virgin may still be denied and mocked, but He—and that which He came into this world to reveal—can never be darkened, nor can it be destroyed. In this we find cause to hope, to place our faith in the Light and Love of the world, and to find comfort as the Holy Virgin comforted her newborn son in the manger, as well as on the cross.
" Be not afraid" (Matthew 14:27), Our Lord tells Peter—and us! "Be of good cheer!" The Light of all still breaks through this darkened world, embracing and warming those who would approach Him and accept that which He so graciously and freely offers. And may we, in faithfulness to the Light, become lights to the world, bringing the Good News of "God with us" to any and all who would receive it!
I offer my greetings to the clergy, clergy wives, clergy widows and clergy families, to the monastics, the faithful, and especially to all the families of our Church and extend my blessing and prayerful best wishes for a joy-filled celebration of the Lord's Nativity and a New Year that is abundant in divine blessings. May the Lord continue to bless you all with health, happiness, and all that is needful for eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.
With love in the newborn Christ,
Archbishop of Washington
Metropolitan of All America and Canada


text:
JPMorgan's stock to avoid in 2013: First SolarDecember 14, 2012: 3:19 PM ET
First Solar (FSLR) made JPMorgan's short list of stocks to avoid in 2013.
In fact, the solar panel maker was the only stock to make the list. That's an unusual move for JPMorgan (JPM), whose equity stock analysts typically pick several stocks to avoid as part of their year-end roundup.
First Solar earned this dubious distinction for the second year in a row, but to be fair, JPMorgan's analysts weren't exactly prescient last year.
First Solar's shareholders have been a wild ride this year, but the stock is currently down only 4% this year. It's certainly nowhere near a worst-performer of 2012. In fact, more than 80 of the S&P 500 have fared worse, with Apollo Group's (APOL) 61% drop year to date making it the worst performer on the broad index.
In a research note, JPMorgan analysts cited "overcapacity and declining demand in Europe" as a major headwind for First Solar in 2013.
Solar power stocks have struggled this year, but one company -- SolarCity (SCTY) -- has braved the public markets. The company, which installs and helps finance solar panels, debuted with a 40% stock rally Thursday. Even though the stock eased off that high Friday, it's off to a good start.


text:
Newbury, New Hampshire
|This article is a stub. Help us to expand it by contributing your knowledge. For county and town page guidelines, visit U.S. County Page Content Suggestions.
Newbury is a town in Merrimack county, New Hampshire. It was formed in 1753 and has gone by the following other name/s: Dantzig/Hereford/Fisherfield. Its parent county/ies is/are Cheshire/Hills. For more information, contact the county at P.O. Box 253, Newbury 03255. On the attached map, Newbury is shown as 7 in Merrimack.
For information about the state of New Hampshire see New Hampshire Family History Research.


text:
Healthy kidneys remove liquids and chemicals from your blood. Some people can develop kidney disease problems that may require a special treatment called dialysis. During dialysis, a machine helps your body remove the liquids and chemicals from the blood. The majority of dialysis patients are treated in local dialysis centers such as RAI Dialysis Centers by a process called hemodialysis. Some patients choose peritoneal dialysis and perform their treatments at home.
Care begins with a referral from your doctor to one of our kidney specialists. A team of nurses, dietitians and social workers will work with you during treatments and will offer information and support. Individual treatments usually last three to four hours and are given three days a week. Daytime and evening appointments are available. There is a licensed nurse on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week for emergency treatments at Riverside Regional Medical Center, Riverside Walter Reed Hospital and Riverside Tappahannock Hospital.


text:
German Chancellor Angela Merkel's economic machine is beginning to show signs of neglect.
As the continent's growth engine and self-appointed fiscal paragon orders budget cuts for its peers, investors, economists and policy makers are starting to warn Germany is turning a blind eye to its own weaknesses.
Joerg Asmussen, a European Central Bank board member nominated by Merkel, has gone as far as to predict a return to the status of "Sick Man of Europe" should they go unfixed.
Without Merkel and a largely supportive German electorate ready to back over 300 billion euros ($373 billion) in bailouts and guarantees, Europe's debt crisis could have already broken up the single currency.
At the same time, the drive to rescue Europe has distracted her from signs of economic drift at home as labor costs rise at the fastest pace in a decade, erasing most of the progress made under predecessor Gerhard Schroeder.
"Merkel has had to work with the cards that history has dealt to her and Europe has been a priority," said Irwin Collier, professor of economics at the Freie Universitaet in Berlin. "But you have to do a lot of things at the same time, and it's clear now things have to change at home too."
The Chancellor, in office since 2005, thus far has had to do very little to the economy.
Schroeder's legacy
The unemployment rate sank to the lowest since east and west were reunited in 1990 as companies from BMW to Siemens helped Germany maintain its place as the world's largest exporter after China. The benchmark DAX Index rose 29 per cent in 2012, its best year in nine.
That boom is partly down to the so-called Agenda 2010 package under Schroeder, who cut taxes, unemployment benefits and health-care services from 2003 in what was seen as the biggest change to the German welfare system since World War II. It ultimately cost him his job.
Merkel, 58, now faces her third general election in September or October, with the economy projected by the Bundesbank to expand by as little as 0.4 per cent over the course of the year. In her New Year's television address, she warned that the debt crisis is "far from over," and the economic environment could be yet more difficult in 2013.
"Until now Merkel has been able to profit from the inheritance of her predecessor," said Juergen Michels, chief euro-area economist at Citigroup in London. "But now something really has to happen, otherwise in a few years things are going to look quite different."
More expensive
Eurostat data show that the cost of Germany's workforce is on an upward path while the competitiveness of euro area peers like Spain is improving.
Unit labour costs have risen more than 3 per cent since 2009, compared with an almost 7 per cent decline in Spain over the same period, figures from the European Union's statistics arm show. The cost of German workers has risen an estimated 8.3 per cent since Merkel came to power.
Germany has been in a similar situation before, with the political and economic burden of saving the euro akin to the effort of integrating the former East Germany after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989, according to Gerd Langguth, Professor of Political Science at the University of Bonn and Merkel's biographer.
At that time, Helmut Kohl, chancellor from 1982 to 1998 and Merkel's mentor, arguably let the economy stagnate while he was engaged elsewhere. Unemployment swelled to 11.1 per cent in the reunited country in 1998 or 9.2 per cent in Western Germany, from 6.4 per cent in the West in 1990.
Cost of ageing
"When it came to Europe, Kohl at that time solved a lot of things by throwing money at the problem," Langguth said. Now, even as Merkel has backed euro-area rescues with cash and guarantees, "Germany itself has to cut back, so she can't really do this much longer."
Germany's looming difficulties are largely demographic. While there are currently four people of working age for every pensioner, within 20 years there could be as few as two, according to Eurostat. Though many European countries face a similarly ageing society, Germany's problem is the most acute.
A decline in the maximum number of people employable in the economy also depresses potential growth.
At about 1 per cent per year, the long-term forecast for gross domestic product growth is the lowest for any member of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development. Japan, which already suffers the effects of a population living longer, has the next lowest.
"Ageing will clearly cost growth and there is no clear strategy on how to tackle this problem yet," says Carsten Brzeski, an economist at ING Group in Brussels.
Labour market
The problem of a shrinking workforce might be eased by encouraging people who can work, though don't to take up jobs, lowering the cost of hiring and firing, and making it easier for companies and workers to agree on wage levels, according to the World Economic Forum. The WEF ranks Germany 112th out of 142 countries in terms of the flexibility of its labour rules.
While the percentage of women who work in Germany is high compared with the average of industrialised countries, more than 60 per cent of those between 25 and 54 with children work part-time, according to OECD figures. Only a quarter of French women in the same position choose to go part-time.
Merkel's government pledged to increase the number of childcare places available for working parents. At the same time, the coalition in November approved new benefit payments for families looking after their children at home.
Lagging behind
Christian Schulz, an economist at Berenberg Bank in London, describes that move as an "electoral gift." "It is an example of policies that are backtracking on the reforms made earlier," he said. "It does not promote employment."
Then there's the skills issue, according to ECB board member Asmussen. The workers of tomorrow aren't getting the education they need to compete globally, he said.
A former state secretary in the finance ministry, Asmussen took the performance of German universities to task in a speech on December 6 in Frankfurt. There isn't a single German university in the world's top 50, according to the 2012 US News World's Best Universities Ranking.
"Germany is seriously lagging behind in science and mathematics education," said Asmussen, 46, with a master's degree in business administration and a diploma degree in economics. "That is of course a problem for a country that prides itself on manufacturing high-quality products."
Without reforms, "within five years Germany will again have the title 'Sick Man of Europe'," he said.
The success of the German economy has been down to more vocational training, the technical apprenticeship system, said Andreas Scheuerle, an economist at Deka Bank in Frankfurt.
"But when it comes to creating the products for the future, then we really need the universities," he said.
Merkel's popularity
Still, with unemployment near a 20-year-low and locally made high-technology machinery and automobiles achieving record sales across the globe, Germany doesn't look like a country on the verge of economic malaise.
That's bolstered Merkel's popularity. Four out of five Germans think she is performing well as chancellor, according to the ZDF Politbarometer. If Germany's election took place now, 40 per cent would vote for Merkel's Christian Democrats, leading the Social Democrats by 10 percentage points.
Merkel's buoyancy in the polls might also be down to her government's claim that wages rose an average 2.6 per cent last year as unions brokered deals boosting pay by as much as 6.5 per cent. Productivity isn't keeping pace with wage deals either, with Eurostat estimating a decline of 0.2 per cent in 2012 and growth of 0.5 per cent in 2013.
That's worsening Germany's competitive position. Since 2010, the country has lost its top-five spot in the World Economic Forum's competitiveness index to Japan.
"The worry that German competitiveness will be endangered over the long term if reform efforts aren't begun is completely justified," said Christoph Kind, head of asset allocation at Frankfurt Trust. "Since Merkel has been in power, there hasn't been any reform at all."
The original release of this article first appeared on the website of Hangzhou Night Net.


text:
The Free VPN™ Network provides fast global service. The VPN app provides free or priority use of the Free VPN™ Network while securing your data and safely connecting you to any web site or mobile app. The Free VPN™ Service keeps you safe by encrypting and directing all of your data traffic through our secure network. Your personal IP address is hidden so that you are free to browse the internet without revealing your location to anyone without permission.
You can use the app for free in ad-mode, or buy one of the following auto-renewing plans to have a premium experience.
1) Weekly auto-renewable subscription for US $4.99/week.
2) Monthly auto-renewable subscription for US $9.99/week.
3) Annual auto-renewable subscription for US $49.99/year.
• Payment will be charged to iTunes Account at confirmation of purchase
• Subscription automatically renews unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24-hours before the end of the current period
• Account will be charged for renewal within 24-hours prior to the end of the current period, and identify the cost of the renewal
• Subscriptions may be managed by the user and auto-renewal may be turned off by going to the user's Account Settings after purchase
• Any unused portion of a free trial period, if offered, will be forfeited when the user purchases a subscription to that publication, where applicable
Link to Terms of Use: http://freevpn.org/privacy-policy/#terms-of-use
Link to Privacy Policy: http://freevpn.org/privacy-policy/
Here are the general Free VPN™ Service Benefits:
• Browse the internet safely knowing your passwords, credit card numbers, and bank accounts are safe from hackers.
• Privatized your online activities and location whether you are at work, airport, coffee shop, home using a shared public Wifi or on the move.
Unique Features
• No non-sense UI, easy to connect and disconnect VPN
• VPN connects you to the fastest and nearest server
If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to email us at: email@example.com or visit us at http://www.freevpn.org for more information.
FreeVPN.org is doing everything we can to keep this app simple and easy to use. If you think we can do a better job please let us know. We are here 7 days a week.
Please do not forget to follow us on twitter: @_freevpn and Facebook: http://fb.com/freevpn.org The entire team here at Free VPN™ would love to hear from you. Our entire team would like to hear your ideas as to how we can make this the best VPN service in the world. Please help us make our app the most used VPN on iOS by sending us your feedback and suggestions


text:
Finally! After dating for more than 20 years, Chopped host Ted Allen was finally able to figuratively — and legally! — drop to one knee and ask longtime partner Barry Rice to marry him. The celebrity chef and TV personality, 48, shared his excitement on Twitter on Wednesday, June 26, just hours after it was announced that DOMA was defeated.
"Proud to announce on this historic day that my partner of 20 years, Barry Rice, and I are engaged to be married," he shared with fans.
"We have been on pins and needles all week, getting up and running to the computer every morning to look at SCOTUSblog, the Supreme Court blog, which is the fastest way to find out how the court rules," he told Us Weekly of the nerve-wracking waiting period. "Monday goes by — nothing on DOMA. Then, Tuesday. And yesterday [Wednesday], when the great news came down, we agreed on the spot to tie the knot."
Allen, who has been with Rice, an interior designer, for 20 years, added that though the couple could have legally tied the knot in a number of states, they didn't want to do the deed until they could get Married with a capital "M."
"We have been excited with every state that went for marriage equality, including our home state of New York," Brooklyn-based Allen told Us. "But we've also felt for a long time that we weren't that interested in getting married until we could get Married. The real deal, the same rights, the same protections, the same status and privilege as straight couples at the federal level."
"The striking down of DOMA has gotten us that," he continued. "We are grateful for, and proud of, our great country."
Allen and Rice are not the first celebrity couple to jump at the chance to get engaged after the Supreme Court's ruling, however. Singer Melissa Etheridge proposed to partner of three years, Linda Wallem, shortly after DOMA was overturned, and Veronica Mars actress Kristen Bell publicly proposed to longtime beau Dax Shepard via Twitter.
"DOMA is dead," the actor wrote in response to her virtual proposal. "Prop 8 is dead. Now let's bring my big, gay marriage to Kristen Bell to life!"
For access to all our exclusive celebrity videos and interviews – Subscribe on YouTube!


text:
161 members57 Comments 6 Likes
Steven Schad has not received any gifts yet
I'm probably at that level myself and would love to find a partner to hit with. Drop me a line on here and let's play. Brian
ru still looking to play tennis ?
I've been absent for longtime 'cause injury (it wasn't even playing tennis!LOL!) I think ready to gradually come back to play again.Regards
© 2020 Created by Mark / The Mayor. Powered by


text:
Penile Shockwave Therapy Shows Promise For Erectile Dysfunction
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Penile Shockwave Therapy Shows Promise For Erectile Dysfunction
25 comments:
- Mari-Ann said...
I notice there are no comments...all the men must be cringing and crossing their legs which is affecting their typing.
- November 19, 2009 at 12:45 PM
- Grumpy, M.D. said...
Actually, Mari-Ann, it's only been up on the site for 9 minutes. Give it time.
- November 19, 2009 at 12:50 PM
Call me a sick woman, but I actually starting laughing. Not sure why. (I might be evil.)
I'm thinking/hoping there's some concious sedation going on here...'cause I can't imagine any person, much less a penile-pain-paranoid male doing this fully alert.
- November 19, 2009 at 1:12 PM
Drugs only provide "functional improvement"? Lord, I wouldn't want any man I was even moderately fond of to go through shockwave therapy if he was already "functional".
- November 19, 2009 at 1:14 PM
my insurance will not pay for the shock therapy. They only pay for popcycle sticks and duct tape :(
- November 19, 2009 at 1:21 PM
"It may sound painful"????? Ya think?????
Good golly miss molly!!!!
- November 19, 2009 at 1:30 PM
I notice there is no mention of any pain or discomfort during the treatment --- it SOUNDS like it would be uncomfortable, and I'd imagine a guy would have to be really desperate to try something that sounds so, uh, personally painful!
- November 19, 2009 at 1:30 PM
Funny how this kind of research always seems to happen in Haifa, which isn't exactly the most happening city in Israel. I can just see this:
Yoram: "Hey, Yuval, it's Friday night. Wanna go do something?"
Yuval: "Sure. Let's go down to the port and look at the cranes."
Yoram: "We do that every week."
Yuval: "So what do you suggest?"
Yoram: "Hmmm...I wonder what would happen if I took these electrodes, and stuck them on my dick...?"
- November 19, 2009 at 1:37 PM
Man, I'd hate to be the evaluator that assessed their "improved function".
- November 19, 2009 at 1:45 PM
- The Good Cook said...
15 out of 20 showed improvement - don't they really mean, 15 out of 20 came back a second time???
- November 19, 2009 at 2:08 PM
- Maha said...
Curing humanity of its ills one shock at a time!
- November 19, 2009 at 2:12 PM
no one is attaching electrodes to my hoo haa!
- November 19, 2009 at 2:18 PM
- Grumpy, M.D. said...
Yeah, but what if a battery powered device malfunctioned, with the same effect?
- November 19, 2009 at 2:20 PM
- Ed said...
Nothing like Jump starting your Junk. Sign me up.
Hey doc, when you get time, pop over and read my post today.
- November 19, 2009 at 2:41 PM
Best "Dr. Grumpy" post title ever!!
- November 19, 2009 at 2:46 PM
- The Duchess said...
And they say women go to extremes O_o
- November 19, 2009 at 3:17 PM
This sounds like the origin story for a superhero:
"Willie Slack was just an ordinary mild-mannered pizza delivery boy, until one day, while on a late-night delivery to a secret government weapons lab, he used what he thought was a urinal but was actually a high-powered shockwave generator and was transformed into...
Now he uses his superpowers to fight crime and satisfy lonely housewives, but he has to beware of his archenemy, the Cockblocker!"
- November 19, 2009 at 3:24 PM
Rambam Medical Center? I feel like there is no more aptly-named place to do ED research.. except maybe Thankumam Memorial Hospital.
- November 19, 2009 at 3:51 PM
Although it makes for funnier and shocking comments I dont believe the method uses -electrical- shocks.
The shockwaves are high intensity vibrations (ultrasound), at least that is what is used for breaking up kidney stones.
Of course "high intensity vibrations" can probably be twisted for a bit humor as well...
- November 19, 2009 at 5:07 PM
- Chris said...
The following punchlines are submitted for approval:
So that's what they mean by barbecued weiners.
Shock the monkey, indeed.
That's one magic Johnson.
Yeah, I've got your extension cord, RIGHT HERE!
Hang on a second, baby, I gotta recharge.
It ain't the condom that's glowing in the dark, hon.
It keeps going, and going, and going . . .
- November 19, 2009 at 5:30 PM
I've used a shockwave machine on horses, mostly for tendon or ligament injuries. The model I've used is very loud and the head vibrates, which some patients may find alarming. I've tried it myself on my own elbow, which ached a little before it went numb (the elbow was very sore initially, and I think the ESWT ultimately helped). Probably wouldn't recommend the higher settings for use in sensitive areas - not sure about lower settings (don't have a penis myself; those who do can comment). Would mostly be interested in convincing evidence that ESWT actually helped this problem. It has a reputation for being something of a gadget in search of applications, at least in veterinary circles.
- November 19, 2009 at 5:37 PM
- Pharmer Jones said...
That doesn't sound nearly as bad as Caverject.
- November 19, 2009 at 7:15 PM
- Julie said...
New fetish sub-culture anyone? (And yes, i'm guessing it's probably not a "new" one but i really, really don't want to know!)
- November 19, 2009 at 11:55 PM
Better living through electricity.
- November 20, 2009 at 7:06 AM
- Rebecca S. said...
I'm laughing so hard I'm crying...
- November 20, 2009 at 4:40 PM


text:
Wall Clocks
A wall clock is the perfect way to create a focal point within a room, adding style to the interior as well as being a practical addition to the home.
Designed in Britain, Newgate's iconic wall clock collection adds the finishing touch to the kitchen, living room or office.
85 products
85 products


text:
The Loring Greenway is getting the first phase of a $2-million facelift in the coming months, with upgraded lighting and sprinklers, new playground equipment and the removal of a wall to open the Loring Park entrance for better visibility.
"Ideally, we will see some construction later this summer and in the fall. We are on an aggressive timeline," said Mike Kennedy, director of field services for the Minneapolis Public Works Department.
The Loring Greenway is a pedestrian connection from Nicollet Avenue to Loring Park. It runs roughly from 12th Street and Nicollet to a spot in the park near the Berger Fountain.
Built more than two decades ago, the Greenway is showing signs of age.
"Site furnishings, lighting and other amenities have become old and outdated, paving materials have begun to fail, planting areas have become difficult to maintain, and the presence of bicyclists and skateboarders has created conflicts with pedestrians on the Greenway," wrote SRF Consulting Group in May 2001.
The current wall near Willow Street blocks the view between the Greenway and the park, making it look like a dead end, Kennedy said. It is an "enclosed, dark area that is inviting to undesirable elements," he said.
The design of the new gateway into the park is not yet complete, Kennedy said.
The city's long-range capital improvement plan had $2 million earmarked for the project in 2006, he said. City Councilmember Lisa Goodman (7th Ward), who represents the Loring Park neighborhood, found $500,000 in the 2002 capital budget to start the project.
The city had planned to repave a quarter-mile section of Ewing Avenue South between Cedar Lake Parkway and Drew Avenue South, installing curb and gutters, he said. It would have cost roughly $500,000.
Neighbors opposed the project, however, Kennedy said. Goodman worked with Public Works to swap the street money to upgrade the Loring Greenway.
Public Works still plans to spend $1.5 million on the Greenway in 2006 to fix such things as the paving, plantings, shuffleboard area, furnishings and the gateway from the Greenway to Nicollet Avenue, Kennedy said.
Citizens for a Loring Park Community is contributing $59,500 from its Neighborhood Revitalization Program money to pay for the playground equipment. Installation should begin in July or August, Kennedy said.


text:
First post, by FeedingDragon
- Rank
- Oldbie
Not sure whether to put this here or in DOSBox forums. Figured here is safer. I'm really wanting to control aspects of the munt driver or emulated HW itself, and not DOSBox values. Already asked about adding MIDI to the mixer settings (a long time ago,) and was educated at the difficulty with all the different standards that are incompatible with that 🙁 Not to mention that Windows 7 has completely removed any access to MIDI controls. I have to use hacks just to access my cards on-board synth, and even then I can't get any sort of volume control to work 🙁 #$^@! Microshaft and all their "it's for your own good because you cannot be trusted to control or adjust anything" attitude!
I primarily use munt to play MT-32 games in DOSbox without having to do a massive patch adjust. I already have an extensive collection of .diff files that I have to manually enter because some were designed for older versions (and not the SVN,) and putting one in will invalidate the values of all the rest (not always but in many cases.) It's just easer to install munt (awesome work on that BTW,) and set the device to MT-32 (midiconfig set to value given by mixer /listmidi.)
The problem I'm facing is that just about every game plays the music & fx at different volumes. If I set the system volume for munt for one game, the next game will either be inaudible or will burst my ear drums. The MT-32 device panel shows a volume control, and I've watched games adjust this value. I've also seen that the "output gain" slider under properties doesn't seem to be adjusted as well. Finally, in some cases the FX (which are usually only assigned to 1 or 2 channels depending on the game - or so it seems,) will sometimes be very hard to hear compared to the music.
Taking all that into consideration, I went searching for DOS programs that would let me set some of these values at least. I'm Thinking that the "output gain" property may not be normally controllable from DOS (emulating a volume dial on an external device maybe?) Hoping to find something that could "lock" the volume, and maybe even change the volume on specific channels (channel 2 & 3 in Ultima 7 raised just a little above the others, channel 1 lowered a bit for example.) Only, I couldn't find anything. I found a utility to turn "off" a device (mute it,) so that someone with a wavetable and an external device could use just 1 of them. But nothing for setting the volume(s) much less locking them. Being an amateur programmer, I thought I'd just write something. Only, I cannot seem to find instructions for this that I can decipher.
What I'm asking then, is there something that will do this? Is there an interface that would allow me to send such commands to the MT-32? Preferably inside the DOS emulation via the MPU-401. However, a command executed by a script prior to starting DOSBox, adjusting the munt drivers (and not the emulated HW,) would work just as well. Automating the process so I don't have to remember to open windows 7's volume mixer and adjust the volume for "Munt MT-32 Emulator," making sure I know precisely where to put it for that specific game. That gets to be a hassle after a while 🙁 It's also getting rather difficult to get it right. One game, I have to lower my speaker volume to 50% (I keep it at 100% so that when I watch a movie and have to raise the volume, it doesn't increase everything else as well,) and then lower the munt volume to 1%. Even then things are a little loud, but I don't really want to raise with DOSBox's other volume settings any higher to allow me to lower speaker volume below 50. I'm already tripling DOSBox's normal values, and raising the Windows 7 DOSBox volume up to the max (matching the speaker's 50.)
Feeding Dragon


text:
lol I could hear the collective "what!?" as you all read that
Let me explain.
For me, I can't organize my footage until I organize everything else first, otherwise I just waste too much unnecessary effort.
Because, really, a good AMV all comes down to good planning and foresight to only use what you need.
Minimum Effort. Maximum Result, eh?
Basically you want to combine the "Best with the Best with the Best..."
...and you start using things that limit you the most, so you don't waste your time.
(For those that know chemistry, those would be like your limiting reagents.)
All of this can be explained in what I'd like to call the:
AMV Hierarchy of Limitations:
- 0. > AMV Genre >>> Action
1. >> Music Genre that 'fits' AMV Genre >>> Metal
2. >>> Musical Artist >>> Iced Earth
3. >>>> Song >>> Something Wicked This Way Comes
4. >>>>> Anime that 'fits' song >>> Dante's Inferno
5. >>>>>> AMV Concept that 'fits' Combo >>> "Coming of the AntiChrist: Dante"
5. >>>>>>> Smaller Ideas that make up Concept >>> Signs, Birth, Contact, Conflict, Battle, Outcome
6. >>>>>>>> Scenes that fit those ideas >>> "" ""
7. >>>>>>>>> Best looking clips >>> "" ""
I mean, trying to 'fit' a song to an anime doesn't quite work as well as fitting an anime to a song, because there's too many possibilities. Too many directions you can go with the anime. It's because of all the different characters, settings, events and side stories (anime side stories are great for making a quick AMV btw). But with a song, there's only so much you can do. There are more restrictions because of the mood and lyrics. And once you pick your song, you are pretty much stuck with it, eh? You'll find that certain anime simply fit a song better because of the visual mood, and plot of the story. It's just more natural, so I always try to use this to my advantage. Yet, people try to force songs onto anime all the time. I'm not saying it can't be done... I mean sure, if you want to pick the anime first, that's fine, and you can do it like that... but it certainly takes a lot more time and effort browsing through your music collection through trial and error. You might not even find a song that truly matches the anime, and you are stuck altering the anime itself to match the song (...which I admit can be pretty neat if done properly, but it becomes sooo forced too; and terribly frustrating to work around). You don't need to put yourself through that kind of pain . Yet, I still understand what it's like to really have your mind set on a particular anime, that you just have to find a song for it; so sometimes there's no way around that. [or is there?]
However, if you have enough foresight, and follow the hierarchy, you'll realize what I said earlier about organizing everything else first before you even get to the footage itself.
This saves you tons of time by eliminating entire groups of things that would never fit your AMV intentions; leaving behind only the stuff you need.
Which makes your life so much easier, so that you don't put all this unnecessary effort into organizing clips that won't even have a place in your AMV. (like action clips in a romance AMV). Of course, there's the off chance that you miss some clips you could use, but you don't really need that much footage, so it's not like you are going to run out. (And if you think you are, just be creative and re-use footage in different ways, like getting some closeup zooms/pans on your footage, or do some creative cropping/effect work [what else do you do when footage runs out?])
Now, I think it's important to develop [[[the skill to see things this way]]] so you can identify other things that limit your decisions. Like maybe you don't want to edit an AMV longer than 2 minutes. That easily limits your song choices to those with said length, (unless you want to do some audio editing, which I highly encourage. Remember: "Best of the Best" could mean only using the best parts of a longer song to make something even better). Also be aware that a lot of those subgroups can be broken down into even smaller subgroups (like, in the above hierarchy, 'Contact' can be broken down into Setting, Person1, Person2, and the Meeting between the two; or if your song has 4 clear parts to it: verse, chorus, verse, chorus.... then you know your Overall AMV Concept should be broken down into 4 parts as well-- which can also be broken down even further... it just depends how deep you want to go with whatever clips you have at your disposal.[how deep do you go? or does nobody else do this but me ])
An Example of Sub-Hierarchy:
- I'll randomly use my own KickStart (YouTube) from last year as an example.
Hopefully you can see how I broke down the song into the different sections.
- Concept: KickStart [starting/stopping/starting]
- Mood Establishment
[00:42] Fight pt1
- -Introduction to fight
-The guys fear of getting his ass kicked
-The guys resolve to fight back [pencil]
-Stalemate [pencil breaks]
- -Noticing the fight resumes
-She's still kickin his ass
-Shock from onlookers
[1:32] Outcome
- -Introduction to fight
- Mood Establishment
- Concept: KickStart [starting/stopping/starting]
but I did section off the song into it's natural breaks (notice the repetitions of 4)
and assigning the above ideas to each section, filling in the blanks as I went along.
From the beginning, all I knew was I wanted to use the defibrillator scene @1:19
(because that's something unique you typically wouldn't see in an AMV)
How I got there, was all about giving meaning to the prior pieces to build up to what I wanted.
So, in a sense, that one scene was a fundamental Limitation of my AMV.
Of course, all of this falling under my umbrella concept of KickStart.
I find this method works really well since it takes less time [that took 4hrs]
and it seems to have a more logical flow too.
It's just a matter of sectioning off the music properly first.
For Minimum Effort, Maximum Gain, use the Limitations:
(pretty much just follow the hierarchy above)
- 0. Decide AMV genre like action, drama, comedy, romance, trailer, etc; deciding roughly what I want to achieve in the end: my goal
1. Make a list of anime that could fit my goal
2. Make a list of music that could fit my goal; creating a playlist of songs that sound like they would do a good job catching and maintaining peoples attention; then I put the playlist in order according to which ones I like the most;
3. Starting at top of my playlist, I make pairings with songs and various animes in my head while listening; checking for 'fit'; staring at my anime collection helps (because of the DVD/BD artwork)
4. Feel for moments when certain anime would be 'perfect' in the music; checking for lyrics; checking for mood
5. Decide anime to use; decide overall concept of AMV;
6. Recognize if song has good structure for an AMV; checking for dynamics, clear song sections to make editing easier, and anything that might make the song boring, or hard to keep pace, so I can scrap the song altogether.
7. convert music to .wav, and drag into timeline
8. Feel the music for clear musical breaks/shifts; paying attention to patterns (usually patterns of 4 repetitions, but not always)
9. Make cuts at said breaks in music; dragging sections of the song up/down to different tracks; to visually organize the music in my timeline.
10. Assign ideas to various sections of the song; trying to use as many of those 'perfect' moments I thought of earlier; sequentially building ideas to create my overall AMV concept; essentially, "forcing my concept to fit the song."
11. Convert footage to something editing friendly like UT Video or MJPEG proxies so everything scrubs faster in my timeline; drag footage into timeline track1; run automatic scene detection in Magix, (or Autoclip in my signature for Vegas)
12. Scan forward through footage for clips that match the ideas I need (shift+scroll helps in Vegas); dragging the pre-cut clips down to lower tracks as I go; maybe using track 1 for idea 1, and track 2 for idea 2; Once done, I highlight all the clips I don't need, (which if you've done everything properly should be the majority of your footage) and delete it, leaving behind only the stuff I actually need. (And when you think about it, for an AMV, you don't need that much, but you might as well have the best of the best clips at your disposal). Now, if you use Magix, you can highlight the entire track1,2,3 etc and drag into the media pool. Then drag the entire media pool back onto the timeline so that all your clips line up back-to-back. (yeah, using this method, you can line up all your clips in one step, it's fucking great! Can't remember when I figured that out, but it has saved me what would otherwise take hours)
13. Then everything else is just about matching your pre-selected clips to the corresponding sections of the song, and you are done. easy.
14. Export big old Master Copy as something Lossless like Uncompressed, UT Video, HuffYUV, Lagarith...
15. Compress to x264 using something like Zarx264gui
How to use The Limitations of Song to your Advantage (Sections & Parallels):
- I think music is one of the more interesting Limitations when it comes to AMVs, because there are those certain moments where you just feel like you have to edit something, and if you don't... it just doesn't seem right.
(I've posted this before, but I thought it fits the above message pretty well)
Before starting an AMV, I always look at the overall structure of the music first. Then simply edit my AMV around that.
In my humble opinion, this is the most important thing you can do when making an AMV, seriously.
Because once you break down the music into musical sections, it's quite easy to assign a purpose to each section in your overall AMV. Timing of your mood shifts will be much better too. Even if that means pairing the perfect scene with the perfect part of the song, and that's the only thing you are confident with, just build your AMV around that. (This should make your amv flow better too because it gives the viewer time to digest the smaller ideas in each section which build up to higher-order ideas.) It also allows you to introduce parallels amongst sections, like in the timeline above, the first double-repeat can focus on the protagonist, and the second double-repeat can focus on the antagonist... which gives rise to parallel structure (and each of those can be broken down further into Setting/Character or whatever you like for even better parallelism). Then it would be appropriate to have the two meet face to face in the quad-repeat, perhaps in a four-part fight or something. Be creative, but keep it simple too. I mean, there's only so much you can cover in an AMV-- remember all those different parts to a short story you learned in grade school? Those actually help. Google that stuff right now, really it's not just busy work your english teacher wanted you to learn... But anyway, I strongly encourage this method since you are far more limited by the song than you are by the anime, so for me, it just makes sense to structure your AMV around the music. Plus I think it makes it easier for both you and the viewer to focus on multiple smaller ideas which come together afterwards. Really, you'll finish your AMV faster (particularly with clip hunting), and it will probably be easier for the viewer to follow too. All it comes down to is developing your ability to recognize the musical shifts, and organize it's structure in your timeline. Then just mix and match ideas to the different sections until the overall structure looks like something you can live with. At that point you are basically done your AMV-- and all that's left is to edit the darn thing.
All things said and done, you can make your AMV however you want, but that's just what I do.
And hopefully this makes some sort of sense, without going over peoples heads.
- What limits/restricts you the most when making YOUR AMVs?
Do you think these limitations are really limitations, or rather instructions on how to build your video?
Any other thought?


text:
RENO, Nev., Sept. 4, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Lifeline Biotechnologies, Inc. (OTC Market: LLBO) announces the award of US Patent #8,226,572 B2 for Methods for Collecting and Analyzing Thermal Data Based on Breast Surface Temperature to Determine Suspect Conditions.
"This Methods patent adds to our core intellectual property along with the device patent we received this past May and for our previously FDA approved 510(k) medical device" says Jim Holmes, Chairman/CEO. "Our basis for originally applying for the three software patents was as a result of the software technical work completed by world renowned pattern recognition specialists we engaged at Nanyang Technological University, Singapore. Once they had modified and improved our technology capabilities to achieve acceptable and competitive accuracy, sensitivity (false positive) and specificity (false negative) utilizing our patient data, we were convinced our processes were patentable. This novel and exciting technology holds the potential to change the way early breast tissue abnormalities and breast cancers are detected" concluded Holmes.
First Warning Systems, Lifeline Biotechnologies' exclusive licensee, is currently updating the patient data collection device and its interpretive software to complete the product package in preparation for market entry. First Warning is conducting a funding round. See firstwarningsystems.com/investors.html for more information.
About First Warning Systems
First Warning Systems, (FWS) founded in 2008, is based in Reno, NV. FWS' principal shareholder is Lifeline Biotechnologies, Inc. Lifeline has licensed FWS with the worldwide exclusive right for development, manufacturing, marketing and commercialization of its intellectual property. The product is a device and process that detects breast tissue abnormalities. Many of these tissue abnormalities will develop into breast diseases, some of which will be breast cancers. The FWS process does not involve compression or radiation and is noninvasive. Three clinical trials with over 650 participants have achieved proof of concept and superior outcomes when compared to other protocols. FWS is planning a final, limited clinical trial and a 510k device classification to validate the fourth generation of the FWS product. FWS is preparing to apply for a Euro CE Mark to market in the UK, EU and Russian markets. See FWS' video, "Breast Cancer Tumor Progression" at www.firstwarningsystems.com/investors.html
About Lifeline Biotechnologies
Lifeline Biotechnologies, Inc. (OTC Market: LLBO) founded in 1994 is based in Reno, NV. LLBO has invested over $10M in a device and process for early detection of breast tissue abnormalities some of which are cancerous or pre-cancer. Three "Proof of Concept" clinical trials of over 650 women have been completed and three patents (one hardware, two software) have been awarded. www.lbti.com.
Lifeline's efforts continue to have DTC remove the chill and allow trading to resume.
Safe Harbor: This release includes forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 27E of the Securities Act of 1934. Statements contained in this release that are not historical facts may be deemed to be forward-looking statements. Investors are cautioned that forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain. Actual performance and results may differ materially from that projected or suggested herein due to certain risks and uncertainties including, without limitation, the ability to obtain financing, successful development of the Company's product or market acceptance of the product and regulatory and shareholder approval for anticipated actions.
For more information, contact: Jim Holmes, CEO 775-852-3222 Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
|SOURCE Lifeline Biotechnologies, Inc.
Copyright©2012 PR Newswire.
All rights reserved


text:
Quik Shade Solo Steel 64 10' x 10' Instant Canopy, Blue
Browse all deals at Kohl's
See more in Outdoor Living
See more from Quik Shade
* This offer may contain time-sensitive information and offers. Please check with Kohl's to confirm actual price & availability.
- Be the first to comment!
150 Crossroads Dr.
Plover, WI 54467


text:
'Caps look forward to hosting Fire at BC Place
Whitecaps FC gained four valuable points in the last two matches with a draw on the road and a win against our Cascadia rivals Seattle Sounders FC for the first time in our last game. However, the 'Caps need to keep their heads in the game or there could be a letdown playing the Chicago Fire at home.
There is no real history between the clubs and it is a match we should be favoured in at this point, but it's a game that could trip us up if the team is not focused on the job at hand. We need to come out strong and make sure we dictate the tempo the match is played at. The Fire have been on a good run of form themselves lately, losing only once in their past 10 MLS matches, but most of their games have been at home so there is a chance they will come into BC Place and look to frustrate our 'Caps straight from the whistle. We can't let that happen, we need to remain focused.
Mike Magee
Magee does it again, scores against SKC
We all remember Mike Magge. last year he scored the tying goal for his former team LA Galaxy that helped to knock us out of the playoffs, and send the Galaxy on their way to a second straight MLS Cup title.
Chicago have only lost onece since Mike Magee join the club. Magee has scored in every game but one (eight goals in nine games in all competitions), so he is clearly a man in form. Currently he is the joint leader in goals in MLS with 11 (Camilo is only one behind with 10).
He sometimes likes to play on the shoulder of the last defenders and then make runs to get in behind our defence looking for those breakaways. Or he will drop deep into our midfield and make late runs into the box to get on the end of any dangerous crosses. This makes him very hard to mark, and we will have to be aware of his every movement and look to limit his opportunities on goal.
Good balance
'Caps counter, Mattocks puts match away against Seattle
There is a good chance we could have a lot of possession in this game if Chicago comes in with a game plan to frustrate us. That means that there is also danger in that if we throw caution to the wind and commit too many players forward at one time, we could get caught on the break.
We are at home and it up to us to take the game to the Fire but we have to keep good balance and manage the game properly. Goals have a big impact on a game, but I feel the way we are playing we can adapt to going a goal up or a goal down.
There is a reason we are still unbeaten at home and the crowd must take a lot of credit for making BC Place a tough place for the opposition. We are on a great run of form and the team's confidence must be high feeling that they are going to win every game when they step on the field, especially in front of our home fans.


text:
DWTS11 Preliminary Power Rankings – Part I
It's that time of the year again! Time for me to do my preliminary power ranking of this season's couples as a sort of prediction of how things will play out between now & November. For those of you who have no clue what I'm talking about (or just need a refresher from last season 😉 ), I do a weekly ranking of the couples after each performance show that is basically a measure of how likely they are to stick around that week. Now this is NOT a ranking of who danced the best; we all know that just because a couple is at the top of the leaderboard, doesn't necessarily mean they're safe. This is a far more comprehensive ranking – it takes into account not only a couple's performance, but also how well-liked they are, how well-known they are, how strong their voting demographic is, how memorable they are, etc.
I correctly predicted last season's top 5 before the season even began – I'm hoping to best that this season by correctly predicting the top 6 😉 But anywho, here's my bottom half – the 6 couples I don't think we should get too attached to, because I don't foresee them sticking around for long…but there are always surprises!
12.) Mike "The Situation" Sorrentino & Karina Smirnoff – I really did have high hopes for these two, but unfortunately I just think they have too many odds stacked against them to last past the first week – that is, unless The Sitch turns out to be a natural, because they haven't even started practicing yet. And they likely won't until the week prior to the show, if what Karina's tweeting is correct, since he's wrapping up taping of the current season of Jersey Shore. Speaking of that show – I'm on the fence as to whether it's going to be a boon or a burden for him. I said that I didn't think Wildboyz & Jackass fans would tune in & vote for Steve-O, but he lasted until week 5…but I think Steve-O was also getting a bit of a sympathy vote from his recent stint in rehab. I'm not sure there's anything for voters to feel sympathetic about as far as Mike's concerned. And Jersey Shore is a really polarizing show – people either love it or hate it, so I hope to god that Mike is charming as can be if he wants to stick around. Karina is a pro that seems equally as polarizing – people seem to either adore her or loathe her (I'm in the former camp), and I'm afraid that her voting fanbase is just not going to be able to compensate for any lack of votes on the part of his fans. I hope to god that I'm wrong, because I really would like to see how these two do…but I'm preparing myself to see Mike join the infamous "first eliminees" club.
11.) Kyle Massey & Lacey Schwimmer – The only reason I see these two lasting longer than Mike & Karina is Lacey's fanbase: she seems to have a decent-sized one, and they seem to be the type that are very motivated to vote. Echoing Heidi's sentiments, Kyle is definitely the celebrity that has people going "Who?" this season – even co-workers of mine that have kids who watch Disney religiously were drawing a blank when I mentioned his name (and yes, for those of you who are new, I do use the ladies in my office as a sort of sample demographic – most are in their 30s & 40s with school-aged kids, which seems to be the biggest viewing demographic of the show). As for his dance prowess, if Lacey's tweets and the rehearsal pictures that have been released are any indicator, then Kyle seems to be a bit of an awkward mover – and a jokester, so Lacey may have a hard time getting him to focus. Kyle may benefit slightly from the "mom" vote, but unless he's really pretty good…I don't think these two will last past the first few weeks.
10.) Bristol Palin & Mark Ballas – If Kate Gosselin's longer-than-anyone-could-have-expected tenure on the show last season was any indicator, it's that America loves controversial celebs – and I daresay Bristol has that position covered this season. Just like Heidi, I don't see her getting sent home any sooner than week 3 – heck, I could even see her lasting until week 4 or 5, at the expense of a better dancer. I actually see her lasting longer if she's exceptionally bad – just like viewers latch onto the best dancers, they also seem to enjoy keeping the bad ones around…everyone loves watching a train wreck. Mark's also got one of the bigger fanbases on the show, so even if people don't particularly care for Bristol, they'll vote to keep Mark in the game, especially since he was eliminated so early last season. Judging from the rehearsal photos, it looks like Mark's got his work cut out for him – Bristol definitely looks awkward. She's also been pretty quiet and mundane in the media, so I don't think she's gonna make a huge impression in anyone's minds – unless she's just a really bad dancer. In which case, George Lopez may dub her this season's Kate, and take it upon himself to campaign to keep her in…that fool.
9.) Audrina Patridge & Tony Dovolani – There's been a good amount of debate so far about whether Audrina's gonna sink or swim…I'm leaning towards the former. Audrina's done a little bit of modeling, and I don't know of any dancing she's done (besides what you do in a smoke-filled club), so I'm inclined to think that she's gonna go more the route of Holly Madison and Kathy Ireland than Melissa Rycroft or Stacy Keibler. Don't get me wrong, she seems like a very sweet, pretty girl – a very sweet, pretty girl that's not gonna make a whole lot of waves, good or bad. And unless she's got some hidden skills we don't know about (superhuman flexibility, gymnastics, etc.), I doubt Tony's choreography is going to really showcase her well. As for voting power…I know The Hills had a cult-like following, but at the same time, just because someone likes that show doesn't mean they necessarily like Audrina (I've known plenty who watched the show who absolutely despised her, for whatever reason). And Tony's gotten sent home fairly early before – I don't think he has the voting fanbase to carry them both. Oh well…at least she'll look pretty in the costumes!
8.) Margaret Cho & Louis Van Amstel – No doubt, these two will be the comic relief this season. I didn't think anyone could top the hilarity of Niecy & Louis, but this very well may do it! Do I think that Margaret is going to be a stellar dancer? Hell no, but neither was Niecy – I'm pretty sure she & Louis realized that pretty quickly, which is why they went to town working the comedy angle, and it worked for them. Margaret is a well-known comedian, so I could see die hard fans of hers coming out to vote; Louis is a bit more of a wild card, as I don't really know if he has the broad-spectrum appeal of Derek or Mark – he does, however, seem to have the support of the LGBT community (as does Margaret), which quite a powerful demographic. I don't think that alone (and their schtick) is going to carry them through to the midpoint of the competition, though, and I'm not sure there's a whole lot for Louis to pull out of her in terms of real skill. Margaret is also known to get a bit bawdy in her comedy – something I think she may have to reign in if she doesn't want to risk offending a good part of the voting audience. Overall, I think they'll be fun to watch – but the humor will eventually wear thin and pale in comparison to better dancers and bigger fanbases.
7.) Michael Bolton & Chelsie Hightower – I know some people don't really have high hopes for these two, but I think some people are really underestimating Michael's appeal – I remember grown women & teenagers alike going CRAZY for this guy in the early 90s. As in screaming, crying, and bra-throwing crazy. And to be honest, the guy has aged pretty well – he's definitely not terrible to look at (thank god he got rid of that ratty-ass hair!), and he's still making music. I would bet those same women from 20 years ago still carry a bit of a torch for him, and they will step up to the plate & vote. As will the growing population of Chelsie fans – I think she's all but filled in the role of the blonde, Mormon girl-next-door left vacant by Julianne. Will Michael be one of the breakout dancers of this season? Meh – probably not. But I do think he'll make an honest effort, and I daresay he won't be nearly as bad as some other guys. And honestly, I'm actually starting to warm to the idea of he & Chelsie together…it doesn't seem like quite the odd couple that it first appeared, especially when you compare them to Ashly & Buzz (which, oddly enough, seemed to work as well). I honestly vacillated between putting them at 6th or 7th – and I still think they could potentially make it to the top half of the pack. But I think it'll hinge upon how the couple I placed at #6 does…
…and with that, I give you the first half of my pre-season power rankings 😉 Curious about who I have making it to the finale, and who I have taking home the mirrorball trophy? Then stay tuned for part II…and I'll give you a hint: my winner is different from the one Heidi predicted 😉