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"Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson," was one of the more surprising recent Broadway hits, a rock musical that traced the career of our seventh president, and helped launch rising star Benjamin Walker. Now, the show's director about to get a boost as well.
Alex Timbers, who wrote and directed "BBAJ," is being courted by MGM to helm a big screen adaptation of "Heck: Where the Bad Kids Go," Dale E. Basye's series of books, reported Vulture. Given Timbers' CV, we'll assume they intend to make the film a musical.
The books are basically a young-adult take on Dante's "Inferno." Here's this from the series' official website:
U.S. & World
When Milton and Marlo Faustus die in a marshmallow bear explosion, they get sent straight to Heck, an otherworldly reform school. Milton can understand why his kleptomaniac sister is here, but Milton is--or was--a model citizen.
Has a mistake been made? Not according to Bea "Esla" Bubb, the Principal of Darkness. She doesn't make mistakes, or tolerate them.
To give you and idea of the quality of the faculty, Lizzie Bordn teaches Home-Ec, and Nixon teaches Ethics.


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Posts Tagged 'arts'
Michael Jackson and the fate of child prodigies
[youtubevid id="8Ek2OiPq2ys"]
Shaheen Jafargholi, 12-year-old winner of Britain's Got Talent thanks to the above rendition of the Jackson Five's "Who's Loving You," I hope you realized the cautionary tale in the casket when you sang at Michael Jackson's memorial Tuesday.
Of course, being a child prodigy is no guarantee you grow up twisted and die an untimely (and very ratings meter-moving) death. Stevie Wonder, who also sang at the MJ memorial, is an example of a child prodigy (from Motown Records, no less) who appeared to grow up to be at least some semblance of a functional human being.
But the whole vibe got me to thinking — who suffers the worse fate, the child sports prodigy, or the child arts prodigy?
Each comes on like a rocket, often pushed by a whack-job of a stage parent. Some, like Tiger Woods, the Williams sisters and the aforementioned Wonder, might have their quirks, but you don't look at them like freaks. Some, like Jackson, Judy Garland and Bobby Fischer, grow up to be pinnacles of their field and complete basket cases in real life. Many never make it to a superstar level, leaving them to tell bitter, boring stories about when they were big, or fascinating tales of a young life, depending on what side you're on in a debate best expressed in this exchange from the movie, "Hoosiers."
Myra Fleener: You know, a basketball hero around here is treated like a god, er, uh, how can he ever find out what he can really do? I don't want this to be the high point of his life. I've seen them, the real sad ones. They sit around the rest of their lives talking about the glory days when they were seventeen years old.
Coach Norman Dale: You know, most people would kill… to be treated like a god, just for a few moments.
What do you think?

subset: commoncrawl


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WOW...2013 CAME AND WENT IN A FLASH!!!! hard to believe that a whole year went by soooo quickly!! my cousin and i last night were talking about ONE WORD that would describe 2012 and then one word we WANT to describe 2013...i came up with for 2012...DAZED....for 2013...it's a double edge word=BLESSED/FAITH...i'll explain each one...
FOR 2012...the year of MANY ups and downs....for me DAZED is the word of the year because sooooo much happened to me personally in that year...and i don't know if it was because of my pain medication or just everything personally that was happening to me that i was constantly in a DAZE...things that i normally did such as keep up with matthew's appts, meds, numerous phone calls that i NEED to make and just generally all the stuff that comes with having a special needs little guy i was putting off, FORGETTING (a BIG no-no) and just NOT DOING THEM...it was crazy when BEFORE i had been soooo organized, had my book with aaaallllll my notes and such and this year....uh...not so much!! i can honestly say, i have NO RECORD of names i have spoken to when calling for important things or any NOTES other than those on little bits of papers all over the house that i know i can't put together!!! :( so not MEEEE!!! AND THEN with the homeschooling front...i have taken such a BACK SEAT to it and pretty much let ALEX do what he needs to do and nothing else...we have been soooooo busy with appts for matthew, appts for ME, and playdates/extra classes for ALEX that we are constantly on the GO GO GOOOO!!! it's crazy!! but this year has been full of BLESSINGS as i CONSTATLY say about my life...even with all the crazy and dazed feeling, i STILL KNOW and FEEL like i am BLESSED!!! GOD IS SOOOO GOOD and has ALWAYS been in me, with me... He is at the START of me and everyday is such a BLESSING no matter what the day brings...i feel like no matter what, because i have GOD in my life, it will be a BLESSED DAY!!!! :)
this year, my children, THANK YOU GOD, have grown sooooooo much!!! my ALEX turned 10 this year (double digits, baby!) and he is now in 5th grade! he is a couple of inches shorter than me and keeps getting BIGGER!! he is sooooooo smart!! REALLY not an exaggeration or mommy prejudice! :) he has such an INCREDIBLE mind and such an AMAZING memory! he can recall things that i don't even remember and he has to remind us about it. and wowowowowow, on his schooling...watching him figure out all his subjects and KNOW how to do it and also, impressing the HECK out of us when a cousin 2 years older than him, bringing over some HOMEWORK for school (math) and the cousin was having a problem and didn't understand the math and alex coming over, casually looking it over in 2 secs, KNOWING THE ANSWER and answering CORRECTLY!!! crazy! and him HELPING that cousin with the rest of his work! and then same with other subjects he had brought over!! MY BIG BOY!!!! and he started CYO BASEBALL this year with our church and watching him GROW from NEVER having played ANY sport before to joining a team that was ESTABLISHED, intergrating himself and really coming from never played baseball (batted/catching balls/RUNNING/throwing balls, etc) to after the season, LOVING it and really knowing how to PLAY the game and do everything he NEEDED to do without being scared!!! my, how he has GROWN!!! and in his FAITH, he is AMAZING!! he LOVES GOD and he probably knows MORE about the bible and our FAITH than james and i combined!! so proud of our little boy!!
and then there is MATTHEW....he turned 8 this year...another miracle in our life!! wowow...time has FLOWN with this little boy too..watching him get BIGGER, is just so amazing and we MARVEL at everything he has DONE and is LEARNING!!! this year, he made his FIRST COMMUNION!!! wooohooo! we are sooo proud of him and what an ACCOMPLISHMENT that is! and he is now in 3rd grade and is doing WELL with his amazing teacher. unfortunately, this year has brought FUSTRATION to him which in turns causes him to lash out sometimes because we DON'T UNDERSTAND!!! :( he does not do it often but he gets sooo frustrated! poor guy! can't wait and i PRAY he will either learn to talk or sign or use his TALKER! :) he has taken off on EATING like a champ orally and has gained weight. he KNOWS HOW TO SPELL HIS NAME PHONICALLY and if you give him the letters, he can spell it that way too! he is also learning to READ and knows all his ABC, NUMBERS, PHONICS, SHAPES, OBJECTS, ETC and we are just crazy proud of all he has done!! on the flip side, HEALTH WISE, it has been an UP AND DOWN YEAR...seizure wise, it was 27.5 MONTHS without seizures until dec 9th when he had one at 0430 and lasted for at least 20 mins...so, our count down is back down to 1....his LUNGS have been a BIG PROBLEM this year with CONSTANT illness, wheezing, junky, on crazy amounts of STEROIDS, TREATMENTS, antibiotics, doctors appts, etc ALLLLL YEAR LONG!! :( NOT a good year for his health...he is doing well with his CPAP, and through all the illness, he is STILL OUR HAPPY BOY!!! so proud of him!
and our SURPRISE BLESSING JOSHUA...he turned 5 this year and it has been a BLESSED year for him!! he is such a HAPPY boy and full of life and mischief! we were sooooo BLESSED that he was our little surprise. he is our BABY and just watching him grow up is bittersweet because we know there will be no more after him!! :( even though i wanted another little one but GOD has other plans and that is ok. but he is our little sports guy. he LOVES to be playing ball...this year, he started CYO BASKETBALL and he was soooo good!! he is still so good and one of the better players! :) and then he also played CYO BASEBALL T-BALL!! awwww....watching him out there is such a JOY!! :) AND this year he is in KINDERGARDEN!! and he is learning all his phonics and such and is doing REALLY good in his schooling....soooo proud of this little guy!!!
James is doing GREAT!!! he has a GREAT position at work and his working sooooo hard and doing SOOOO GOOD!! we are so proud of all the hard work he does for our family! he is now also a COACH for CYO sports so he is active with the boys and their practices and games...he is in his ELEMENT with all of them and enjoys being out there with the boys and the KIDS! it's been a crazy year for all the traveling and away time the military has had him doing this year....and next year promises more of the same but it is ALLLLLL for PROMOTION as he makes his way to E-8!!! so we will take that!! he soooo deserves all of that and MORE because he is one of the BEST EMPLOYEES the military has and that is not just a PROUD WIFE talking either!! :) he has gotten a lot of recognition from his superiors and we are really just soooo proud of him!!! and this year HE EARNED HIS 20 YEARS OF MILITARY SERVICE FOR OUR GREAT COUNTRY!!! wowowowowowow....what an ACCOMPLISHMENT!! again, so proud of him!! unfortunately, it is not ACTIVE years so we still have a little over 8 years left to reach 20 YEARS ACTIVE DUTY FULL RETIREMENT years!! and that is what he is working for....we PRAY that the US ARMY continue to keep him employed!! we are SOOOOOO BLESSED to be ACTIVE DUTY MILITARY!!! THANK YOU GOD!!!
AS FOR MEEEEEE....hmmmmmmm...it has been as always a BLESSED YEAR!!! this year, my pain in my arm had unfortunately gotten WORST...sooo bad that i couldn't even shake hands, play wii or any other activities that required me to use my right arm WITHOUT EXTREME PAIN!!! i had complained to my DOCTOR (dx TENNIS ELBOW (for the 5+ year), i had complained to my rheumitologist also and gotten a STEROID SHOT and told it was TENNIS ELBOY (for the 2+ year) and put BACK into PHYSICAL THERAPY (JAN 2012)...and during my evaluation the physical therapist found a BALL on my forearm and told me that that didn't feel right and i needed to get an MRI....and what a LIFE SAVER THAT WAS!!! :) because, after FINALLY getting an MRI (IN APRIL), it was found that i had a TUMOR and was IMMEDIATELY s (within 4 days) was being seen at the ORTHOPEDIC ONCOLOGY DEPARTMENT AT SAMMC!!! :( yep, they didn't know what type of tumor but they felt that it COULD BE CANCER....and ultimately IT WAS SYNOVIAL SARCOMA===CANCER....i really never thought i would ever have that DX but there it was....and the doctor was concerned enough that he needed it out NOW....so on JULY 31ST, 2012, it was roomed and thru the GRACE OF GOD, because of HIS BLESSINGS, they were able to get the WHOLE THING OUT due to the MIRACLE that it was ENCAPSULATED so i didn't have to have CHEMOTHERAPY/RADIATION!!! PRAISE GOD! but now, i have to have PET SCANS every 3 months and see the doctor ever 3 months for 2 years and then move on 2 twice a year for 3 years then yearly for the rest of my life!! :( and now i know WHY we could not get PREGNANT again even when it was timed right on etc....GOD HAD OTHER PLANS!! :) so, again, BLESSING BLESSING BLESSINGS!!! other than that, just a regular crazy, DAZED YEAR!!!
AND FOR THIS YEAR, 2013 my word(s) of the year would be FAITH/BLESSED....WHY 2? BECAUSE I HAVE FAITH, I AM BLESSED.....I AM BLESSED TO HAVE FAITH!! GOD will be utmost in my life and MY FAITH will be front and center. i pray i will learn more about GOD, learn more ABOUT MY FAITH and just get closer to that which has LOVED ME UNCONDITIONALLY, that has BLESSED ME AND MY FAMILY, that who has GIVEN ME SO MANY REASONS TO BE HAPPY!!!!! and that would be GOD! i am going to devote this year and ALWAYS to learning more about GOD and about my faith....I LOVE LOVE LOVE HIM!!!
sooooo, that is it....2012 is gone and 2013 is here...i will plan to make this year a BLESSED year and a YEAR OF FAITH....this year will GOD WILLING bring a new blessing in my brothers life.....a BABY!!!! and we will GOD WILLING be going to see her and my family and i will be traveling to HAWAII IN MAY!!! WOOOHOOOO!!! yes, all 5 of us!! wowowowowow....we will keep trucking along and just enjoying life, loving my family!!!
GOD'S BLESSINGS TO EVERYONE AND FOR THE YEAR TO COME!!!! love ya'll!!!
Tuesday, January 01, 2013
WOW...2013 CAME AND WENT IN A FLASH!!!! hard to believe that a whole year went by soooo quickly!! my cousin and i last night were talking about ONE WORD that would describe 2012 and then one word we WANT to describe 2013...i came up with for 2012...DAZED....for 2013...it's a double edge word=BLESSED/FAITH...i'll explain each one...
Posted by Maria at 10:50 AM 2 comments
Labels: blessed, boys, family update, holidays, me


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A joint initiative between the American Immigration Council and AILA seeks to change the playing field for immigrants facing deportation.
AILA's Featured Issues pages provide a one-stop shop on current immigration-related issues that AILA is actively tracking. This includes government actions and resources, AILA's policy recommendations, and materials and talking points to engage with Congress and the press.Start Your Research
Arizona Rules and Regulations
* AILA updates this information periodically. Rules are subject to change. Please verify with your jurisdiction.
|AILA's Provider Status:
|The State Bar of Arizona does not approve or accredit CLE activities for the Mandatory Continuing Legal Education requirement.
|Approved Programs:
In-Person Conferences
Live Webcasts of In-Person Conferences
Live Audio and Web Seminars
OnDemand Programs
|Credit Available:
|View your state's conference information page for the amount and type of credit available for in-person conferences and live webcasts of in-person conferences. Audio/web seminars are all 90 minutes in length and are eligible for 1.5 general credits, unless otherwise noted. OnDemand programs receive the same amount of credit as the live version of the program.
|Credit Restrictions:
|OnDemand credit is only available for in-person conference programs from January 1, 2011 and for seminar programs from June 1, 2009.
|AILA's Reporting Requirements:
|AILA does not report attendance.
|Attendee Compliance for CLE:
|Each attendee must submit and affirm the sessions they attended using webCLE. A four-digit attendance verification code is given during each session and must also be submitted. Attorneys must complete their webCLE submission within one week of the event to receive a certificate of attendance and to have their attendance reported.
|General Credit Requirements
|15 total credit hours per compliance period.
|Specialized Credit Requirements:
|3 professional responsibility credits per compliance period (ethics, professionalism, malpractice prevention, substance abuse, attorneys fees, client development, law office economics and practice, alternative dispute resolution, stress management)
|Compliance Period Length:
|1 year
|Compliance Deadline:
|June 30
|Reporting Deadline:
|September 15
|Credit Calculation:
|60 minutes per credit hour, rounding down to the nearest quarter hour
(AILA's CLE Calculator)
|Attorney Reporting Requirements:
|Attorneys are required to submit an affidavit of compliance to the Arizona bar by September 15 of each year.
|Approval Rule:
|The State Bar of Arizona does not approve or accredit programs for the MCLE or BLS requirement. The MCLE Rule (Rule 45, Ariz.R.S.Ct.) and its accompanying regulations are predicated on the assumption that attorneys can evaluate CLE activities based on the guidelines set forth and report their activities by affidavit.
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Copyright © 1993-2020
American Immigration Lawyers Association.


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ALEXANDRIA, VA. (October 18, 2012) – The National Parent Teacher Association (PTA) announced today that it will be working with People to People Ambassador Programs, the leader in global educational travel experiences, to provide an educational program geared to promising future leaders.
The PTA Future Leaders Forum will bring together middle school students from around the nation in Washington, D.C., for an opportunity to learn about American civics and social responsibility while emphasizing key PTA values and priorities like diversity and inclusion, community service, and advocacy. The content, logistics, and execution of the forum will be delivered by People to People Ambassador Programs, which has a long history of providing educational leadership programs to students.
Through this program collaboration, the first of its kind for PTA, students will meet notable leaders, learn the significance of national historical sites and institutions, build leadership skills, give back through community-service projects, participate in diversity-awareness training, and learn how to effect change through advocacy.
"National PTA is excited to offer this opportunity to the children of our millions of members through People to People Ambassador Programs. We pride ourselves on providing families with resources that help children receive the best education and experiences our nation has to offer. We believe this special program is truly a valuable resource for families," said Betsy Landers, National PTA President.
People to People Ambassador Programs has offered student educational programs for 50 years and has brought thousands of students to Washington, D.C., from both the United States and abroad.
"This is a natural partnership for us," said Peg Thomas, President of People to People Ambassador Programs. "Our programs are a perfect fit to provide the children of PTA members the opportunity to get a great educational experience outside the classroom and develop their leadership skills."
The PTA Future Leaders Forum is available to students in the 5th–8th grades throughout the United States. It will be offered through local PTAs, and students from a wide variety of backgrounds are encouraged to apply. More information can be found at www.peopletopeople.com/pta.
National PTA® comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators, and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of parent involvement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health, and welfare of children and youth.
People to People Ambassador Programs is the world's most recognized and respected educational travel provider. Since the 1960s, more than 500,000 people from around the world have traveled with People to People Ambassador Programs to help further global understanding through cross-cultural exchange. Its Student Ambassador programs travel 5th grade through college students to more than 25 countries on all seven continents. Its Leadership Ambassador programs bring together 5th–12th grade students from more than 140 countries to Washington, D.C., and campuses of leading American universities to develop their leadership skills and prepare for success in college and future careers. Offering unmatched safety measures and unparalleled people-to-people connections, People to People Ambassador Programs promotes personal success in a globalized world and fosters international friendships for both students and adults. For more information, please visit www.PeopletoPeople.com.
Ambassadors Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: EPAX) is a socially conscious education company located in Spokane, Washington. Ambassadors Group, Inc. is the parent company of Ambassador Programs Inc., World Adventures Unlimited Inc., and BookRags Inc., an educational research website. The Company also oversees the Washington School of World Studies, an accredited travel study and distance learning school. Additional information about the Company and its subsidiaries is available at AmbassadorsGroup.com. In this press release, "Company," "we," "us," and "our" refer to Ambassadors Group, Inc. and its subsidiaries.


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On Sept. 23, Apple "warned" investors about likely financial results in the current quarter. The bad news? There wasn't any. Because sales of the iPhone 5s and 5c were so strong -- more than 9 million were purchased in just three days -- the results would be better than expected.
The SEC requires companies to tell investors when anything happens that's likely to change the company's financial results, and those warnings are almost always bad news, as we saw so dramatically with BlackBerry recently. But coming as it does close to the second anniversary of Steve Jobs' death this past Saturday, this good-news alert is altogether symbolic.
[ iPhone 5s review: Better security today, a peek at Apple of tomorrow. | For quick, smart takes on the news you'll be talking about, check out InfoWorld TechBrief -- subscribe today. ]
Once the darling of fanboys and investors alike, Apple and CEO Tim Cook now can do nothing right in the eyes of some on Wall Street and legions of pundits. The stock has been pummeled, and word of mouth (or, more properly, word of blog) always seems to be negative.
But wait a minute. Think about what it means to sell 9 million units in three days, one of the most (if not the most) successful product launches in history. Apple sold 2,083 new iPhones every minute, or 34 every second. And don't, as one Apple-hating pundit likes to do, natter on about sell-in versus sell-through. The difference between the two is only significant if units are shipped back to the manufacture from the channel (by and large, that means carriers and retailers). I have yet to hear about any returns from the channel and am willing to bet that there haven't been and likely won't be any. In fact, Apple is one of the few mobile makers (Motorola Mobility is the other) that reports units actually purchased by customers, not stuffed into the channel in hopes they might sell later.
So is Apple facing stronger competition from Google and Samsung? Of course. Has it lost market share? Obviously, though its sales have far from declined. Has it invented an entirely new category of device this year? No. But none of that means that Apple is in trouble. Here's why.
Apple's a profit machine
Apple, say pundits like Business Insider's Henry Blodget, has lost market share and is being "shortsighted" and obsessed with "short-term profits."
Short-term? Seriously? Apple has consistently invested heavily in R&D and in building an unmatched global supply chain. The profits that made it the most valuable company in the world (measured by market cap) didn't fall out of the sky. One small but telling illustration: The cover for an iPhone 5c case sells for $29 on Apple's website. The cost to Apple is a couple of bucks at most, says Trip Chowdhry, principal analyst at Global Equities Research. The rest is margin. Tim Cook may not have the panache of Steve Jobs, but the man knows how to run a supply chain.


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bad news bears. my little sister - gifted thespian and prime comedian - was told on friday that she's in chronic rejection.
chronic. not accute like we've been dealing with. accute you can throw medicine at and keep on moving. accute you hook up a home IV and drink some ensure.
no, chronic is not accute. chronic says this body no longer wants these lungs in its presence and so we will begin to kill them off. slowly. and you - little girl who inhabits this body - you will die slowly too. one pound dropped at a time.
and my sister, three years post-transplant on the 15th, is so fucking brave. i can't say whether it's fair or not because she was supposed to die years ago. cheated death even by not dying on the operating table, by breathing through someone else's lungs no less than 12 hours later.
is it fair to me? i don't know. i've had my sister in my life for almost 24 years. that's damned long time when you consider she was supposed to die at 10, then at 12, then at 16, etc. her life keeps getting an extension.
i hear the word chronic and it's like all the doors and windows slam shut at the same time and i'm suffocating. my lungs are dying right along with hers. my body is disappearing just as hers is. i hear the word chronic and i'm reminded that three years ago she finally got to see life from outside the 'chronic illness' umbrella. from a window not streaked with 'terminal'.
so i'm going to be selfish and irrational. i'm going to wail and scream and hurtle objects into the atmosphere. i'm going to plead and demand that my sister's lungs stay right where they are. that modern medicine finds a way to fix this. that someone, god even, takes pity on this woman - places a hand on her chest and whispers 'life'.
and she lives.
Ashbug, flowerpot, anchorhead
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Friday, May 25, 2007
Finding Objectivism
I was not a great reader of serious literature. Mostly I liked comic books and science fiction. I had read some Hemingway and Steinbeck and I loved Shakespeare, which I had discovered in high school drama classes. The hardest novel I had read was The Brothers Karamazov by Fyodor Dostoyevsky, of which I read several hundred pages before I figured out that Alexei and Alyosha were the same person.
With a big, serious novel I was prepared to invest several hundred pages of boredom before the plot grabbed me. Atlas Shrugged had me hooked within 100 pages. I experienced the thrill I used to feel when I read comic books as a child; I was reading about heroes in an exciting, suspenseful plot. I read the book in four days. I did not read it well, skimming the long speeches, as I had done in Dostoyevsky and I think even in Steinbeck's East of Eden. I was more interested in the plot than in serious ideas. I have since gone back to read the long speeches many times.
When I finished the novel, I did not understand the ideas well, but what I did understand, I agreed with. The book rocked my world. I knew it was true and revolutionary. I thought, "Wait till they hear about this back home!"
Well, what followed was the great disillusionment of my life. It turned out that my family and friends were familiar with Rand and they had all rejected her. Most of them were liberals, a few were Christians. I was told that Rand was just a phase intelligent young people go through and once I got older I would see that life is not like it is in her novels. One teacher told me to come back and talk to her when I was 25. It was most unsettling to hear the people I had loved and respected most saying things like, "There are no absolutes" and "Life is not black and white" and "You have to compromise to get along in society" and "How can you know for sure? How can anyone know anything for sure?" After Atlas Shrugged I never looked at those people quite the same again.
As I explored Ayn Rand's non-fiction and came to understand her philosophy of Objectivism, I realized that I could reject it and conform to the tribe or accept it and put some distance between me and those who were closest to me. There really was no question of how I would decide because Objectivism is true. I got a lot of sneers, smears and half-formed dismissals of Rand, but never a logical refutation of her ideas.
Leonard Peikoff has described his philosophy before discovering Ayn Rand as "chaos." I would say that describes me as well. I was an atheist and had been since around the age of eight, when I decided God did not exist. I had very little interest in philosophy, politics and economics before reading Ayn Rand because I thought it was theoretical blather unconnected with real life. I was something of a liberal by default, but certainly not a leftist.
The one quality I had that made me receptive to Objectivism was intellectual honesty. I had no strong attachment to any philosophy or political position. My self-esteem was not threatened by Ayn Rand's radical ideas. I was willing to read her arguments and see if they conflicted with the facts of life I had observed; they never did conflict with reality.
Discovering Objectivism was a thrilling intellectual odyssey because I learned that ideas are important and that intellectual premises actually move the world. The realization that philosophy was of life and death importance was like a portal to the vast universe of ideas. Before Atlas Shrugged I had been satisfied with comic books; after it, I was reading Peikoff, Mises, Aristotle, Hazlitt, Bastiat, Marx, Nietzsche, Menger, Gibbon, Windleband, Durant and so many others. Suddenly I was interested in philosophy, politics, history and economics. My higher education began in September of 1977.
The idea that ideas are important and have consequences is a like a secret potion Objectivists drink that makes them smarter than most other people. Really, how much sustained interest in ideas can a linguistic analyst or postmodernist have, when he believes that philosophy is an ivory tower game detached from day to day living? Modern philosophy does not motivate people to pursue knowledge. Modern philosophy turns ideas into an elaborate game in which one learns the right techniques designed not to discover knowledge of reality, but to impress one's colleagues who also play the game. Life becomes compartmentalized: there's modern philosophy and the world of ideas in one box, and the real world, family, friends, job, movies, oil changes and stubbed toes in another box. Objectivism shows how ideas and daily life are very much in the one big, fascinating box that is the world.
September of 2007 will mark my 30th anniversary as an Objectivist. It has been a long trip but not a strange one as in the Grateful Dead song. Unlike the hippies, I don't need drugs to make life interesting. Seeing the world with clear, focused eyes and understanding the world with philosophy and acting to achieve goals that integrate with one's knowledge is the best high because it is the functioning of man's nature as a rational animal. It is a human doing what a human should do to survive and find happiness.
30 years is a long time, but I still see myself as in the middle of my journey. In spirit and mind I'm ready to go for another 30. The only question is when this aging body of mine will wear out. But in my soul I am still, though much smarter now, that 20-year old young man who sat down to read a battered paperback with small print.
9 comments:
- Mike said...
Get a haircut, you hippie!
:) okay kidding... wow. amazing to hear a 30-year-old story and realize that Rand's writing evoked the same reaction in you then that it did in me only a few short years ago. I was already well on that trail, having read Goodkind and listened to early Peart in the decade prior, but Atlas Shrugged just hit me in the face like a sock full of quarters.
- Friday, May 25, 2007 at 6:16:00 PM PDT
"The idea that ideas are important and have consequences is a like a secret potion Objectivists drink that makes them smarter than most other people."
Indeed! Kriegsgefahrzustand called that the "junior chemistry set" once (or maybe I did... I forget) because it could be used to test the composition of all the ideas around us. It was like Neo suddenly seeing the code of the Matrix - now you know what it is all about.
It's a powerful feeling, to be in that position. I like being reminded of it because I can sometimes take it for granted.
- Friday, May 25, 2007 at 6:22:00 PM PDT
- Myrhaf said...
Hey, Mike, you should see my high school graduation picture, with my shoulder length hair falling onto a polyester leisure suit. It's a '70s cliche!
- Friday, May 25, 2007 at 6:35:00 PM PDT
- SecFox HQ said...
A great story, Myrhaf, and congratulations for making your way through life via reason. It's been just over 28 years for me, who long ago, as an aimless drifter, was introduced to The Fountainhead by a good friend-who is still my good friend to this day-. Here again is that "sack of quarters" experience Mike mentions, although without the headache!
- Saturday, May 26, 2007 at 8:16:00 AM PDT
Wow - how your joureny resonates with me. I read it 27 years ago and I knew I had found my home - philosphically. I really enjoyed your article and hope someday we can meet.
- Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 8:57:00 AM PDT
It was great to read your post Myrhaf. Even though I discovered Objectivism only about 4 years ago--and I'm 25--I know that I have arrived intellectually at where I need to be, and that my foundations are strong. Truly, I *live* so much more now, in the proper, human sense of living.
I will be blogging about your post and including some excerpts from your article.
- Sunday, May 27, 2007 at 8:55:00 PM PDT
- BetsySpeicher said...
Congratulations on your 30th anniversary. In my 43 years as an Objectivist, I've seen people come and go. I've seen leading Objectivists betray what Ayn Rand stood for.
I don't think that will happen to you. What impresses me most is that you take Objectivism PERSONALLY. That's why I expect you to be around for another 30 years ... and another.
- Monday, May 28, 2007 at 7:51:00 PM PDT
- Myrhaf said...
Thanks to all the commenters above. It is interesting to hear people say my story resonates with them. I suppose there are certain experiences all Objectivists tend to go through in today's culture.
If one thing has changed in the last 30 years -- and I wish I had thought of this when I wrote the post -- it is that there are more Christians among my family and friends now than there were 30 years ago. I take this as evidence that people find the black hole of nihilism psychologically unbearable and turn to something, anything, however irrational, to fill the void. I take this as an ominous sign that our culture is turning to religion to fill the void created by the all-destroyer, Immanuel Kant.
- Thursday, May 31, 2007 at 4:37:00 PM PDT
The disappointment when your loved ones regard Objectivism as a passing phase of youth really evokes nostalgia.
Back in the mid-80s in India, I faced religious relatives, cynics, and others who insisted Ayn Rand had gone insane and had to be admitted to an asylum! (This was quite a prevalent myth at the time in India - inability to offer a logical argument led critics to adopt other tactics).
- Tuesday, June 5, 2007 at 2:44:00 AM PDT


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Are Pete's paparazzi pics inspiring a super celebrity stalker? Is he responsible for all of her grisly acts? Even if he is, what can Spider-Man do about it? How can anyone stop the flatout freaky powers of Paper Doll? Also: Miss this issue, and you'll miss out on SOMETHING YOU'VE ALL BEEN ASKING FOR!!! Write it down, Spider-fans, ASM #560!!!
Publications en VF:


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The US Department of Justice has written to the FCC warning against indiscriminate use of spectrum auctions, arguing that the mantra of "the highest bidder will make the greatest use" is increasingly outdated.
The warning comes in the form of an open letter (PDF, long-winded), just as the FCC is deciding how best to dispose of the radio spectrum being released by broadcast TV channels. The TV folk have been promised a cut of the revenue raised from what was assumed would be an open auction. Pointing out how effective the tactic has been in the past, the Justice Department suggests the FCC should parcel spectrum into smaller chunks to prevent them from all falling into the hands of the dominant duoploy - as has hitherto been the norm.
Commenting on the auction process, which is generally justified on the basis that companies who pay most for spectrum have most incentive to use it well, the letter makes it clear that this simple mantra no longer always applies as:
that approach may not lead to market outcomes that would ordinarily maximise consumer welfare due to the presence of strong wireline or wireless incumbents, since the private value for incumbents in a given locale includes not only the revenue from the use of the spectrum but also any benefits gains by preventing rivals from improving their service and thereby eroding the incumbents existing business.
Basically "big operators will buy spectrum to lock out smaller competitors", and the Department of Justice reckons that's a bad thing. Apparently 78 per cent of the best spectrum - the stuff below 1GHz with decent propagation - is now in the hands of the big two US operators. This is making it increasingly difficult for competitors, which, if they can get spectrum at all, are stuck with high-end stuff which requires more base stations to achieve the same coverage.
Auctions have long been the preferred way to shift radio spectrum, ostensibly to ensure buyers are motivated to make great use of it, with the billions falling into government coffers nothing more than a happy side-effect. But as operators around the world have gotten better at gaming the system and governments have come to appreciate (or expect) the resulting revenue, the process has become less efficient. We have already seen numerous examples of companies hoarding, or at least failing to utilise, their purchases.
It is hoarding which worries the Department of Justice, and should worry the FCC too, but auctions are simple and finding a weighted alternative will be tough, and undoubtedly challenged by the incumbents it is intended to control. ®


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Professional Community for Car Dealers, Marketing, Advertising and Sales Leaders
"Search Engine Visibility".
If any holidays are in that month make sure to note that and also note it three weeks ahead. In fact, lets go ahead and mark holidays with the colour blue or any colour you desire.
It also can determine the frequency as well as where the information gets distributed to.As long as you are prepared with a constant stream of content built up, this will help you on the Search Engines. You will be providing your customers and potential clients, a formal introduction as to who you are and the type of information that can formulated from strategy base on your business.
Views: 493
Your way of telling the whole thing in this piece of writing is genuinely pleasant, every one be capable of without difficulty be aware of it, Thanks a lot.
KPIs for measuring content marketing success
Using these different types of measures is even more important for companies with long purchase or repeat purchase cycles, such as automotive – and certainly for B2B businesses. The longer buy cycles require the need to demonstrate ongoing engagement.
Commercial measures: These are the harder business or commercial measures and what usually takes the longest to be demonstrable. These are the measures for the senior managers although they may well also need to know about Likes! Think audience share, sales, leads or at least clear indicators from people such satisfaction ratings or % that fed back. Remember that these need to be incremental and ideally attributable to your content marketing. Dave will show you how to attribute these using Google Analytics in a separate post.
Tactical measures: These include the views, clicks, interactions with your content – so involves the social shares such as Likes and Tweets. You might also use link shortening tools to help measure, at Smart Insights they use PostRank rating and also metrics from Facebook Insights. These are hard indicators that your content is visible and worth sharing – so very key.
Brand measures: These are easier for bigger brands or where there's less competition, simply because the tools seem to work better in that space. Think brand or key-phrase mentions, sentiment, share of market mentions over competitors and certainly site traffic. These are the bigger needles to get moving and often require a bit more momentum.
Also good: http://www.smartinsights.com/guides/content-marketing-strategy-guide/
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The NL scout said: "I have zero idea why they didn't take the Boston offer." ... Then he promptly gave two reasons. (Hoo-kay.) The Jays could not decide whether Masterson should be a a starter or a closer and "the Jays were worried about Halladay beating them next year".
Asked by email if that offer was correct, Theo Epstein replied: "Nope."
Over at ESPN Boston, Peter Gammons says the deal was Buchholz, Masterson, Bowden, Hagadone and Josh Reddick. Old Hickory quotes a Sox official: "We are very lucky Toronto didn't do that deal. For the short and long terms."
(Right after the trade deadline had passed, ESPN reported a deal fell apart because Boston would not deal both of Buchholz and Daniel Bard.)


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The World Malaria Report 2011 summarizes information received from 106 malaria-endemic countries and a range of other sources. It analyses prevention and control measures according to a comprehensive set of indicators, and highlights continued progress towards global malaria targets. This year's report builds primarily on data received from countries for the year 2010. The report shows clear progress in the fight against malaria and a decline in estimated malaria cases and deaths. For the first time, the report contains individual profiles for 99 countries with ongoing malaria transmission.
The Brussels based United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe - UNRIC provides information on UN activities to the countries of the region. It also provides liaison with institutions of the European Union in the field of information. Its outreach activities extend to all segments of society and joint campaigns, projects and events are organized with partners including the EU, governments, the media, NGOs, schools and local authorities.
United Nations Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC Brussels)
Residence Palace, Rue de la Loi/Wetstraat 155, Block C2,7th and 8th floor, Brussels 1040, Belgium
Tel.: +32 2 788 8484 / Fax: 32 2 788 8485


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Buying or Selling a Vehicle
Buying a Vehicle
If buying from an individual, have the seller accompany you to the county tax office to avoid unwanted surprises. Before submitting the title application, a tax office representative can tell you if the title being signed over to you is correct and if it has any salvage or legal issues. You can also use Title Check to see if the title of the vehicle you are thinking about buying has any issues impacting its value.
In addition to the title, ask the seller to provide you with the signed vehicle title application, Form 130-U, and any other supporting documents, such as a release of lien or power of attorney. Keep a written record that includes the name and address of the seller, date of sale and vehicle information, including the VIN. Failure to title a vehicle within 30 days from the date of sale may result in delinquent transfer penalties.
You must provide proof of liability insurance when you title and register your vehicle. If you do not provide proof of insurance, you may apply for 'title only'.
The Vehicle Inspection Report (VIR), which is proof of inspection, also must be provided if a record of current inspection is not in the state database. Ask the seller for a copy of the latest VIR if it is available.
If the transaction takes place on a Saturday or Sunday and the seller chooses to remove their license plates and registration sticker from the vehicle, you will need to download a Vehicle Transit Permit. This will allow you to legally drive the vehicle to the county tax office, or if the county tax office is closed, to a place of your choice. This permit is valid for five calendar days and only one permit may be issued per vehicle sale.
Get a Vehicle
Transit Permit.
If you buy your vehicle from a dealer, the dealer is required to file the title application on your behalf, so you will not have to visit the tax office. Make sure the dealer provides you with a receipt showing the vehicle has been titled in your name.
Vehicle Color
TxDMV collects vehicle color information. Please refer to the Color Chart when completing a vehicle title application.
If buying from an individual, a motor vehicle sales tax (6.25 percent) on either the purchase price or standard presumptive value (whichever is the highest value), must be paid when the vehicle is titled. The title, registration and local fees are also due. Contact your county tax office to estimate the amount of sales tax due and to learn which forms of payment are accepted. Acceptable forms of payment vary by county.
Title Application Processing Time
Please allow a minimum of 20 business days for processing of your title application. If there is a lien on the vehicle, the lienholder will receive the title. If you have not received your title within 30 business days, please contact us.
Title Correction
If you receive your title and notice that your name is misspelled, please contact your local county tax office.
- If the department or the county made the error, the error can be corrected at no charge.
- If the department issued the title based on the information contained in the title application, you or your lienholder (if applicable) will need to submit a new application and fee to your county tax office to correct the error.
Selling a Vehicle
Vehicles are required to be titled in the buyer's name within 30 days from the date of sale. Failing to properly transfer a vehicle into the buyer's name could result in the seller being held responsible for tickets, toll violations or even crimes committed with the vehicle. To ensure this doesn't happen to you, accompany the buyer to your county tax office and make sure a vehicle title application is filed.
A dealer is not required to title in the dealership's name if you sell or trade-in your vehicle to a licensed motor vehicle dealer. The vehicle stays in your name until it is sold to an individual, which may take months or some cases, years. To protect yourself, file a Vehicle Transfer Notification. When a vehicle transfer notification is received, TxDMV updates the motor vehicle record to show the vehicle as sold. When you file the notification within 30 days from the date of sale, you cannot be held responsible for parking tickets and toll violations that have been committed by the person who purchased the vehicle.
Submit a
Vehicle Transfer Notification.
If you submit a Vehicle Transfer Notification and are still receiving parking tickets and/or tolls, you may contact the department for a confirmation letter or submit a Form VTR-275, Request for Texas Motor Vehicle Information, that shows the month and year the vehicle was transferred.
VTR-275 Request for Texas Motor Vehicle Information
Provide the buyer with a properly signed title, including the date of sale and odometer reading and a signed Application for Texas Title and/or Registration (Form 130-U) with the sales price clearly shown. A seller should keep detailed written records of any transaction, including contact information for the buyer, the date of sale and information on the vehicle, including the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN).
Special Situations
To Gift a Vehicle
To give a vehicle as a gift to a relative or qualifying 501(c)(3), the signed negotiable title and completed Form 130-U, must be provided to the county tax office to title the vehicle. The title application must be accompanied by Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Form 14-317, Affidavit of Motor Vehicle Gift Transfer. The Donor and Recipient must both sign the affidavit and title application; and either the Donor or Recipient must submit all forms and documents in person to the county tax office. A $10 gift tax applies to a person who receives the vehicle from a: spouse, parent or stepparent, grandparent or grandchild, child or stepchild, sibling, guardian, decedent's estate, or a non-profit 501(c)(3).
Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts Form 14-317
In Case of Divorce
If a vehicle is awarded as a result of a divorce decree, give a certified copy of the decree to your county tax office and apply for title. If the decree does not award the vehicle, a properly assigned title (where your ex-spouse signed the title over to you) will be required.
Death of Spouse
If your spouse had a will, the vehicle becomes part of the probate process. If your spouse did not have a will, you can fill out a Form VTR-262, Affidavit of Heirship for a Motor Vehicle.
Consumer Protection
Title Check
Via Title Check, you can select an approved provider to check the Vehicle Identification Number (VIN) of the vehicle you want to purchase to find out if it is salvaged, rebuilt, or was damaged in a flood. This is one of the most important steps you can take to protect yourself before making your purchase.
Complaints Against Vehicle Dealers
If you have a complaint about a dealer's sales practices, please follow the steps below:
- For the fastest processing of your complaint, go to the Motor Vehicle Dealer Online Complaint System:
- Following the directions, provide a copy of the sales contract and other documents you may have received from the dealer. For advertising complaints, please provide a copy of the advertisement.
- If we find evidence of a violation of the laws we enforce we may initiate administrative action in the name of the TxDMV against the person or entity. Please be advised that any civil penalty collected by the TxDMV is credited to a specified state fund. The Texas Department of Motor Vehicles cannot pursue a private claim for damages on your behalf. You may have civil claims against the dealer or person you are complaining about that are separate and apart from our administrative action. We encourage you to seek private legal counsel to assist you in determining your rights, time limits to file civil claims and other options in this matter.
- Should you have trouble filing, please contact us at (888)368-4689.
Complaints About Defective Vehicles
If your complaint is about a defective vehicle, you may be able to receive assistance through the Texas Lemon Law.
Learn about the Texas Lemon Law Complaint Process
For more information about vehicle title transfers, please call us at (888) 368-4689 and (512) 465-3000, or send us an e-mail.


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The Flamethrowers
Paperback, 383 p., Simon & Schuster, List Price: $17 |purchase
Other editions available for purchase:
NPR Summary
It's the 1970s in New York, and the art world is a rollicking, raucous place full of odd characters and exciting ideas. A young woman, unnamed, though nicknamed Reno for her place of origin, arrives into this scene hoping for a creative career in SoHo. But she falls in love with the estranged son of an Italian motorcycle scion and follows him back to Italy, where she gets embroiled in a radical social movement.
Awards and Recognition
13 weeks on NPR Paperback Fiction Bestseller List
2 weeks on NPR Hardcover Fiction Bestseller List
NPR stories about The Flamethrowers
Rachel Kushner
Art, Chaos And 1970s Radicalism Fuel 'The Flamethrowers'
Note: Book excerpts are provided by the publisher and may contain language some find offensive.
Excerpt: The Flamethrowers
2. Spiritual America
I walked out of the sun, unfastening my chin strap. Sweat was pooling along my collarbone, trickling down my back and into my nylon underwear, running down my legs under the leather racing suit. I took off my helmet and the heavy leather jacket, set them on the ground, and unzipped the vents in my riding pants.
I stood for a long time tracking the slow drift of clouds, great fluffy masses sheared flat along their bottom edges like they were melting on a hot griddle.
There were things I had no choice but to overlook, like wind effect on clouds, while flying down the highway at a hundred miles an hour. I wasn't in a hurry, under no time constraint. Speed doesn't have to be an issue of time. On that day, riding a Moto Valera east from Reno, it was an issue of wanting to move across the map of Nevada that was taped to my gas tank as I moved across the actual state. Through the familiar orbit east of Reno, the brothels and wrecking yards, the big puffing power plant and its cat's cradle of coils and springs and fencing, an occasional freight train and the meandering and summer-shallow Truckee River, railroad tracks and river escorting me to Fernley, where they both cut north.
From there the land was drained of color and specificity, sage-tufted dirt and incessant sameness of highway. I picked up speed. The faster I went, the more connected I felt to the map. It told me that fifty-six miles after Fernley I'd hit Lovelock, and fifty-six miles after leaving Fernley I hit Lovelock. I moved from map point to map point. Winnemucca. Valmy. Carlin. Elko. Wells. I felt a great sense of mission, even as I sat under a truck stop awning, sweat rolling down the sides of my face, an anonymous breeze, hot and dry, wicking the damp from my thin undershirt. Five minutes, I told myself. Five minutes. If I stayed longer, the place the map depicted might encroach. A billboard across the highway said schaefer. when you're having more than one. A bluebird landed on the branch of a sumac bush under the high-clearance legs of the billboard. The bird surfed its slack branch, its feathers a perfect even blue like it had been powder-coated at the factory. I thought of Pat Nixon, her dark gleaming eyes and ceremonial outfits stiff with laundry starch and beading. Hair dyed the color of whiskey and whipped into an unmoving wave. The bird tested out a short whistle, a lonely midday sound lost in the infinite stretch of irrigation wheels across the highway. Pat Nixon was from Nevada, like me, and like the prim little state bird, so blue against the day. She was a ratted beauty-parlor tough who became first lady. Now we would likely have Rosalynn Carter with her glassy voice and her big blunt friendly face, glowing with charity. It was Pat who moved me. People who are harder to love pose a challenge, and the challenge makes them easier to love. You're driven to love them. People who want their love easy don't really want love.
I paid for my gas to the sound of men in the arcade room playing a video game called Night Driver. They were seated in low-slung cockpits made of sparkling, molded fiberglass, steering jerkily, pale-knuckled, trying to avoid the guardrail reflectors on either side of the road, the fiberglass cockpits jiggling and rocking as the men attempted to steer themselves out of catastrophe, swearing and angrily bopping the steering wheel with the heel of a hand when they burned and crashed. It had been this way at several truck stops now. This was how the men rested from driving. Later I told Ronnie Fontaine. I figured it was something Ronnie would find especially funny but he didn't laugh. He said, "Yeah, see. That's the thing about freedom." I said, "What?" And he said, "Nobody wants it."
My uncle Bobby, who hauled dirt for a living, spent his final moments of life jerking his leg to depress the clutch while lying in a hospital, his body determined to operate his dump truck, clutching and shifting gears as he sped toward death on a hospital gurney. "He died on the job," his two sons said, unmoved. Bobby was too mean for them to love. Scott and Andy had been forced to oil Bobby's truck every Sunday and now he was dead and they had Sundays to themselves, to oil their own trucks. Bobby was my mother's brother. Growing up, we'd all lived together. My mother worked nights, and Bobby was what we had as a parent. Done driving his dump truck, he sat inexplicably nude watching TV and made us operate the dial for him, so he wouldn't have to get up. He'd fix himself a big steak and give us instant noodles. Sometimes he'd take us to a casino, leave us in the parking lot with bottle rockets. Or play chicken with the other cars on I-80, with me and Scott and Andy in the backseat covering our eyes. I come from reckless, unsentimental people. Sandro used this against me on occasion. He pretended I was placed in his life to torture him, when it was really the other way around. He acted smitten but I was the smitten one. Sandro held all the power. He was older by fourteen years and a successful artist, tall and good-looking in his work clothes and steel-toed boots — the same kinds of clothes that Bobby and Scott and Andy wore, but on Sandro they added up to something else: a guy with a family inheritance who could use a nail gun, a drill press, a person not made effete by money, who dressed like a worker or sometimes a bum but was elegant in those clothes, and never hampered by the question of whether he belonged in a given situation (the question itself was evidence of not belonging).
Sandro kept a photo above the desk in his loft, him posing on a couch next to Morton Feldman in his Coke-bottle glasses, Sandro looking cool and aloof, holding a raised, loaded shotgun, its barrel one long half of the letter X crossing the photograph diagonally. Slashing it. It was a black-and-white image but you could see that Sandro's eyes were the whitish-blue of a wolf's, giving him a cold, sly intensity. The photo was taken in Rhinebeck, where his friends Gloria and Stanley Kastle had a place. Sandro was allowed to shoot guns on their property, various handguns and rifles he had collected, some of them made by his family's company before they got out of the firearms business. Sandro liked shotguns most of all and said if you ever needed to actually kill someone, that was what you'd want, a shotgun. That was his way, to tersely let it be known in his light accent, barely Italian, that he could kill someone if he had to.
Women responded to this. They came on to him right in front of me, like the gallerist Helen Hellenberger, a severe but beautiful Greek woman who dressed as if it were permanently 1962, in a black shift and with upswept hair. We ran into her on Spring Street just before I departed for Reno to pick up the Moto Valera for this trip. Helen Hellenberger, in her tight dress and leather flats, holding her big leather pocketbook as if it were a toolbox, had said she wanted so badly to come to Sandro's studio. Would she have to beg? She'd put her hand on his arm and it seemed as if she wasn't going to let go until he said yes. Sandro was with the Erwin Frame Gallery. Helen Hellenberger wanted to steal him for her own gallery. He tried to redirect her by introducing me, not as his girlfriend but as "a young artist, just out of school," as if to say, you can't have me, but here's something you might consider picking up. An offer she had to maneuver around in order to press on and get him to commit to the studio visit.
"With an art degree from . . . where?" she asked me.
"UNR," I said. I knew she wouldn't be familiar with the school's initials.
"She's influenced by Land Art," Sandro said. "And her ideas are great. She made a beautiful film about Reno."
Helen Hellenberger represented the best-known Land Artists, all midcareer, blue-chip, and so I felt especially self-conscious about Sandro's insistence that she learn about me, my work. I wasn't ready to show with Helen Hellenberger and in his pretending that I was, I felt Sandro was insulting me without necessarily intending to. It was possible he knew this. That he found some perverse humor in offering me in lieu of himself.
"Oh. Where did you say — " She was feigning a low-level politeness, just enough to satisfy him.
"Nevada," I said.
"Well, now you can really learn about art." She smiled at him as if depositing a secret between them. "If you're with Sandro Valera. What a mentor for someone who's just arrived from . . . Idaho?"
"Reno," Sandro said. "She's going out there to do a piece. Drawing a line across the salt flats. It's going to be great. And subtle. She's got really subtle ideas about line and drawing."
He had tried to put his arm around me but I'd moved away. I knew how I looked to this beautiful woman who slept with half her roster, according to Ronnie Fontaine, who was on her roster himself: I was nothing but a minor inconvenience in her campaign to represent Sandro.
"So you'll be going out West?" she'd asked before we parted ways, and then she'd questioned me about the particulars of my ride with an interest that didn't quite seem genuine. Only much later did I think back to that moment, look at it. You'll be going out of town? Reno, Idaho. Someplace far away.
When I was getting ready to depart, Sandro acted as if I might not be coming back, as if I were leaving him to solitude and tedium, a penance he'd resigned himself to enduring. He rolled his eyes about the appointment Helen Hellenberger had wrangled.
"I'll be here getting eaten by vultures," he said, "while you're tearing across the salt flats, my unknown competitors drooling over you like stunned idiots. Because that's what you do," he'd said, "you inhibit thought. With your young electricity."
When you're having more than one. I sat at the truck stop, facing that billboard, naively thinking my young electricity was enough.
Helen Hellenberger's stable of Land Artists included the most famous, Robert Smithson, who died three years earlier while I was a student at UNR. I had learned about him and the Spiral Jetty from an obituary in the newspaper and not from my art department, which was provincial and conservative (the truth in Helen's snub was that I did learn more from Sandro than I had in art school). The foreman who built the Spiral Jetty was quoted explaining how tricky it had been to construct it on such soft mud, and that he had almost lost some very expensive equipment. He was risking men and front loaders and regretted taking the job, and then the artist shows up in the Utah summertime desert, it's 118 degrees, and the guy is wearing black leather pants. Smithson was quoted declaring that pollution and industry could be beautiful, and that it was because of the railroad cutoff and the oil dredging that he chose this part of the Great Salt Lake for his project, where the lake's supply of fresh water had been artificially cut, raising the salt content so high that nothing but red algae could grow. I had immediately wanted to see this thing made by a New York artist in leather pants, who described more or less the slag-heap world of the West I knew, as it looked to me, and found it worth his attentions. I went there, crossed the top of Nevada, and came down just over the Utah border. I watched the water, which pushed peculiar drifts, frothy, white, and ragged. The white drifts looked almost like snow but they moved like soap, quivering and weightless. Spiky desert plants along the shore were coated in an icy fur of white salt. The jetty was submerged but I could see it through the surface of the water. It was the same basalt from the lake's shore, rearranged to another form. The best ideas were often so simple, even obvious, except that no one had thought of them before. I looked at the water and the distant shore of the lake, a vast bowl of emptiness, jagged rocks, high sun, stillness. I would move to New York City.
Which was an irony, because the artist himself had gone from New York to the West to make his specifically western dreams come true. I was from the place, the hard-hat-wearing, dump-truck-driving world the Land Artists romanticized. So why did Helen Hellenberger pretend to confuse Idaho and Nevada? It was an irony but a fact that a person had to move to New York City first, to become an artist of the West. If that's what I was going to be. Sandro declared it, "she's influenced by Land Art," but this also served to explain away the fact that he was with a woman so young, with no detectable pedigree or accomplishments. Just his word.
When I was little, skiing in the Sierras, I felt that I was drawing on the mountain's face, making big sweeping graceful lines. That was how I had started to draw, I'd told Sandro, as a little girl, five, six years old, on skis. Later, when drawing became a habit, a way of being, of marking time, I always thought of skiing. When I began ski racing, slalom and giant slalom, it was as if I were tracing lines that were already drawn, and the technical challenge that shadowed the primary one, to finish with a competitive time, was to stay perfectly in the lines, to stay early through the gates, to leave no trace, because the harder you set your skis' metal edges, the bigger wedge of evidence you left, the more you slowed down. You wanted no snow spraying out behind you. You wanted to be traceless. To ride a flat ski as much as possible. The ruts that cut around and under the bamboo gates, deep trenches if the snow was soft, were to be avoided by going high, by picking a high and graceful line, with no sudden swerves or shuddering edges, as I rode the rails to the finish.
Ski racing was drawing in time, I said to Sandro. I finally had someone listening who wanted to understand: the two things I loved were drawing and speed, and in skiing I had combined them. It was drawing in order to win.
The first winter I was dating Sandro we went to the Kastles' place up in Rhinebeck for Christmas. It snowed heavily one night, and in the morning I borrowed cross-country skis and skied across a frozen pond, made tracks that went across it in an X, and photographed them. "That will be good," Sandro said, "your X." But I wasn't satisfied by those tracks. Too much effort, the plodding blobs of ski poles every ten feet. Cross-country skiing was like running. It was like walking. Contemplative and aerobic. The trace was better if it was clean, if it was made at some unnatural speed. I asked the Kastles if we could borrow their truck. We did doughnuts on the snow-covered meadow beyond the frozen pond, me spinning the steering wheel like Scott and Andy had taught me, Sandro laughing as the truck's tires slid. I made broad, circular tracks in the meadow and photographed those. But it was only about having a good time upstate. I thought art came from a brooding solitude. I felt it had to involve risk, some genuine risk.
My five minutes at the truck stop were almost up. I rebraided my hair, which was knotted from the wind and crimped in odd places from the padding in my helmet.
Drivers were arguing about truck color. A purple rig shone like a grape Popsicle among the rows of semis. A cup of cola sailed toward its grille, casting a vote with a slam and clatter of cubes. The men laughed and started to disperse. Nevada was a tone, a light, a deadness that was part of me. But it was different to come back here now. I'd left. I was here not because I was stuck here, but to do something. To do it and then return to New York.
One of the truckers spoke to me as he passed. "That yours?"
For a moment, I thought he meant the truck. But he tipped his chin toward the Moto Valera.
I said yes and kept braiding my hair.
He smiled in a friendly way. "You know what?"
I smiled back.
"You won't look nearly so good when they're loading you off the highway in a body bag."
all vehicles with livestock must be weighed. I passed the weigh station, breezed through third gear and into the midrange of fourth, hitting seventy miles an hour. I could see the jagged peaks of tall mountains, stale summer snow filtered by the desert haze to the brownish tone of pantyhose. I was going eighty. Won't look nearly as good. People love a fatality. I redlined it, still in fourth gear, waiting.
Light winked from the back of something silver, up ahead in the right lane. I rolled off the throttle but didn't downshift. As I got closer, I recognized the familiar rounded rear corners of a Greyhound. Builds character, my mother liked to say. She had ridden buses alone in the early 1950s, an episode just before I was born that was never explained and didn't seem quite wholesome, a young woman drifting around on buses, patting cold water on her face in gas station bathrooms. The footage ran through my mind in high-contrast black and white, light cut to ribbons, desperate women accidentally strangled by telephone cords, or alone with the money, drinking on an overcast beach in big sunglasses. My mother's life was not so glamorous. She was a switchboard operator, and if her past included something akin to noir, it was only the gritty part, the part about being female, poor, and alone, which, in a film, was enough of a circumstance to bring in the intrigue, but in her life it attracted only my father. He left when I was three. Everyone in the family said it was good riddance, and that uncle Bobby was a better father to me than my own could have been. As I approached the Greyhound, ready to pass, I saw that the windows were meshed and blacked. Exhaust was blowing out carelessly from its loose, lower panels, nevada corrections on its side. A mobile prison, with passengers who could not see out. But perhaps to see out was worse. Once, as a kid, riding my bicycle around the county jail, I had seen a man staring down at me from his barred window. A fine-grade rain was falling. I stopped pedaling and looked up at his small face, framed by a gravity-flop of greasy blond hair. The rain was almost invisible. He put an arm through the bars. To feel the rain, I assumed. He gave me the middle finger.
"Save your freedom for a rainy day," someone had written on the bathroom wall at Rudy's Bar in SoHo, where Sandro and Ronnie liked to drink. It remained there at eye level above the washbasin all summer. No retorts or cross-outs. Just this blank command as you angled and turned your hands under the faucet.
I passed the bus, shifted into fifth, and hit ninety, the orange needle steady on the face of my black speedometer. I tucked down into my little fairing. I loved that fairing the moment I saw the bike at the dealership in Reno, where I picked it up. Metal-flake teal, the color of deep freeze. It was a brand-new 650 supersport. It was actually a '77 — next year's model. It was so new no one in the United States had one but me. I had never seen a Moto Valera this color. The one I'd owned in college, a '65, had been white.
I'd ridden motorcycles since I was fourteen. I started out riding in the woods behind our house, with Scott and Andy, who had Yamaha DTs, the first real dirt bikes. Before I learned to ride, I'd ridden on the back of my cousins' scramblers, which were street bikes they customized, no passenger pegs, my legs held out to the sides in hopes of avoiding an exhaust pipe burn. They were not street legal, no headlight or license plate, but Scott and Andy rode with me on the back all over Reno. Except past the front of our house, because my mother had forbidden me to ride on my cousins' motorcycles. I held on for wheelies and jumps and learned quickly to trust. It wasn't Scott and Andy I trusted, one of whom angled a wheelie too high and flipped the bike with me on the back (he had not yet learned to tap the foot brake, to tilt the bike forward), and the other took a jump over a pile of dirt at a construction site and told me to hold tight. That was Andy. He landed with the front end too pitched and we went over the handlebars. I didn't trust their skills. I had no reason to, since they crashed regularly. I trusted the need for risk, the importance of honoring it. In college, I bought a Moto Valera and then sold it to move to New York. With my new life in the big city, I thought I'd lose interest but I didn't. Maybe I would have, had I not met Sandro Valera.
From The Flamethrowers by Rachel Kushner. Copyright 2013 by Rachel Kushner. Excerpted by permission of Simon & Schuster.


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When your name is Buffett and you run a large charitable foundation, you get noticed. Even if your first name isn't Warren.
You can elbow your way onto The New York Times op-ed page. In mid-July, Peter Buffett, one of Warren's three children, wrote in The Times that he had identified "something I started to call Philanthropic Colonialism"—a donor's "urge to 'save the day'" by trying to solve local problems "with little regard for culture, geography or societal norms," often with unintended consequences.
Peter Buffett, a musician, with his wife Jennifer runs the NoVo Foundation, set up for him by his father in 2006 with a promise of continuing generous contributions. Last year, the elder Buffett contributed $1 billion to NoVo and to the foundations he had established for Peter's two siblings.
Now, Peter Buffett wrote in his opinion piece, he saw something worse on the philanthropic landscape: the emergence of a burgeoning charitable-industrial complex at the same time inequality continues to rise.
"Philanthropy has become the 'it' vehicle to level the playing field." Gatherings, workshops and affinity groups abound.
He said the desire of wealth makers to "give back" is "conscience laundering''—an effort to feel better about "accumulating more than any one person could possibly need."
This just bolsters the structure of inequality, he wrote.
Buffett bemoaned the influx of "business-minded folks" into the charitable sector, people who ask "'what's the R.O.I.?' when it comes to alleviating human suffering."
Philanthropy, he said, is experiencing a "crisis of imagination."
Buffett said he wasn't seeking an end of capitalism. Instead, "I'm calling for humanism." He said it was time for a "new operating system," for "new code."
He concluded that "as long as most folks are patting themselves on the back for charitable acts, we've got a perpetual poverty machine. It's an old story; we really need a new one."
ThinkAdvisor asked a number of prominent players in the philanthropy/nonprofit sector what they thought of Buffett's observations. All declined comment.
The blogosphere was less reticent. Some welcomed his op-ed.
Others took his remarks to task. One writer discussed what he'd gotten wrong about philanthropy. A Huffington Post blogger commented on the "unglamorous truth about ending poverty."
Yet another writer offered a point-by-point refutation of Buffett's "so-called charitable-industrial complex" argument.
Check out these related stories at ThinkAdvisor:


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Part 19: The electric rough-in is done! All of the wires are in the boxes and stripped. We're ready for the inspector, who is coming Monday morning.
Parts 20, 21, 22, and 23: All of the phone lines, cable lines, speaker wires, and ethernet lines are run. Wires are in the boxes, taped and stapled where needed. Here's hoping that when they drywall is up, we'll be able to figure out which wire is which...
The Basement (Parts 19-23 of 184)
Sunday, November 11, 2007
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During the Beatles' final, turbulent years, John Lennon sometimes would refer derisively to classic McCartney confections like "When I'm 64" and "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" as "Paul's granny music."
But the band members clearly absorbed "granny music" in their pre-Elvis childhoods, with influences from the Tin Pan Alley pop tunes played and sung in their Liverpool homes in the 1940s and 1950s later showing up in finely crafted love songs, from Lennon's "In My Life" to George Harrison's "Something."
McCartney, who remembers listening to his father Jim play the tunes of the day on the piano, brings that long and winding road, if not full circle, then to a whimsical figure 8 loop in perhaps his most unique album yet, "Kisses on the Bottom."
The collection, which dips into the American songbook, runs the risk of being dismissed as an imitation of Rod Stewart's recent efforts. But "Kisses" – which McCartney is set to promote Thursday night with a free concert streaming on iTunes – is not your standard album of standards.
The increasingly adventurous McCartney, with the aid of veteran producer Tommy LiPuma, smartly mixes the obscure ("My Very Good Friend The Milkman"), with the obvious ("Always") and the in-between ("More I Cannot Wish You" from "Guys and Dolls").
Irving Berlin's "Always," a song that rivals "Yesterday" in the number of cover versions it's inspired, is a standout, as is "More I Cannot Wish You." McCartney, a father of four daughters ranging from ages 8 (Beatrice, his child with Heather Mills) to 49 (Heather, his first wife Linda's daughter whom he adopted) brings a winsome paternal affection we've never heard in his voice to the Frank Loesser tune about a man who hopes the girl he raised will find her own true love.
McCartney largely shines amid the stripped-down arrangements featuring jazz pianist and singer Diana Krall. The voice gave us "Helter Skelter" and "Oh, Darling" doesn't convey age (he turns 70 in June) as much as gentle wisdom and hard-earned experience. If we have a quibble, it's that his singing, in some spots, is bit restrained as if he's trying too hard to be respectful to his fellow songwriters.
The juxtaposition between the covers and the two songs McCartney penned for the album is slightly jarring. He sings with confidence and authority on "My Valentine," a haunting tune with an elegant guitar solo by Eric Clapton – a song that wouldn't have been out of place on his brilliant 2005 "Chaos and Creation in the Backyard." McCartney effectively channels 1960s Frank Sinatra and Tony Bennett on "Only Our Hearts," which benefits from a winning Stevie Wonder harmonica solo.
McCartney manages to have some fun on the album, which got its, um, cheeky name from a line in Fat Waller's "I'm Gonna Sit Right Down And Write Myself A Letter," the song that provides a jaunty opening. Similarly upbeat are "Ac-Cent-Tchu-Ate The Positive" and "It's Only a Paper Moon," which carries the kind of bouncy feel McCartney imbued in "Honey Pie" – one of his "granny music" contributions to the "White Album."
McCartney also offers a maturely mellow rendition of "Bye Bye Blackbird," a tune covered in a far more buoyant fashion on 1970's "Sentimental Journey," Ringo Starr's first solo album, filled with old-school songs his mum loved. Some four decades later, McCartney's own sentimental journey is a trip worth joining.
Hester is founding director of the award-winning, multi-media NYCity News Service at the City University of New York Graduate School of Journalism. He is the former City Editor of the New York Daily News, where he started as a reporter in 1992. Follow him on Twitter.


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So far, all the Buddhas and Bodhisattvas I've written about here are Buddhas and Bodhisattvas that are recognized both in Tibetan Buddhism and Chinese Buddhism. However, now, allow me to introduce to you one of the most powerful Goddess in Tibetan Buddhism that is not highly recognized in Chinese Buddhism. I'm talking about Goddess Tara!
I don't really know why is it when Buddhism was first brought to China; the belief in Tara was never really embraced. Theoretically speaking, Goddess Tara is older than Kuan Yin in the sense that Goddess Tara has existed in India and Tibet before Buddhism was introduced in China. Of course, to clarify, this is only true in the sense that Kuan Yin who in reality is Avalokitesvara really started in China. However, if you look at Kuan Yin as Avalokitesvara, which should be the case, then Kuan Yin is older than Goddess Tara. To understand better what I'm talking about here please read my earlier post called – UNDERSTANDING MERCY AND COMPASSION: THE TRANSFORMATION OF AVALOKITESVARA TO KUAN YIN.
Goddess Tara is a very powerful Goddess or Buddhist Deity. She is often called 'The Swift Liberator', 'The Mother of Swift Liberation', 'The Goddess of Mercy and Action', 'The Goddess Who Saves'. This is because Goddess Tara has always been swift in liberating the people who 'go' to her in any kind of problems. She's also called as 'The Goddess Who Saves' because she is sure to save people who are in trouble.
There are different manifestations of the Goddess Tara, which I'll be writing about in the future.
Tara means 'Star' or 'She who ferries'. This means Goddess Tara helps acts as a focal point that guides us in our lives to choose the 'right direction'. If you're unsure of what to do or if you have to choose from 2 different decisions, asking Goddess Tara's help will direct you to the better path.
Goddess Tara is also called as the 'Goddess Who Saves' because in Buddhism it is said that Goddess Tara has committed us from the Eight Great Terrors. The 8 Great Terrors in modern times refers to any kind of spiritual and physical danger.
The Goddess Tara is also known as the Swift Liberator because it is said that if you need something that's urgent, Goddess Tara is the one who can swiftly help us.
The other name for Goddess Tara is Green Tara because she is usually pictured as a green – colored Deity.
She is usually portrayed as a young woman; some say she is a 16-year-old woman, clad in silk. For me, Goddess Tara's energy is very lively and she's quick to response. Goddess Tara holds a blue lotus called an Uptula in her right hand, her hand is in the vitarka or teaching mudra. One of her legs is seen dangling, which signifies that she is quick to respond.
The story on how Goddess Tara came into being is in itself strong and powerful. It also accurately describes Goddess Tara. It is said that one day, Avalokitesvara, the original male form of Kuan Yin, was looking into the world with his infinite compassionate heart. He saw people suffering from old age. He saw the pain of those who are sick and those who are facing death. He saw the pain of those who are in need of material things and physical sustenance. He saw the hardship of people who wants to attain enlightenment. He saw the desire of the people to achieve happiness but instead because of ignorance gain more hardships and sufferings.
Avalokitesvara recognized his vast amount of energy to help this people, but he also saw that the number of people who are in need of his help is even greater. Because of this he was filled compassion and began to weep.
Out of his tears, a celestial lake was created, and from this lake arose Tara. She was created out of Avalokitesvara's compassion and magical tears. She was created to help us.
Initially, I wanted to call this post – MY LIBERATOR, THE GODDESS TARA, because that's how I truly feel about her. The first time I heard and came across Goddess Tara, I already felt an instant affinity towards her. I immediately have a deep reverence towards her. Nevertheless, I felt her infinite power at a time when I have to decide whether to continue work at the PR firm that I worked for or just to leave and join our family business.
Deep in my heart I really know that it's time for me to leave the company that I'm working for. While I was trusted and given the liberty to run a business unit that is worth three million pesos a month, my boss is also making life hard for me. She is a very 'envious' woman. She gets jealous if we ran into clients, and because she don't see them, they naturally would say 'Hi' to me first before acknowledging her. She would question me as to why the clients would greet me first and acknowledge her after. Furthermore, I also felt I was not properly being compensated. To makes things worst my nephew thought that I only go home on weekends! He had this impression because he doesn't see me come home, and he doesn't see me leave the house. I was so busy that I'd go home at around 11PM or 12MN and leave around 6AM. It felt like I was a boarder in our house. I also notice that slowly my family has stopped inviting me to dinner because they felt that I wouldn't be able to make it anyway.
The worst is I don't like my boss. I don't like how she treats her employees, her clients, and even the media who really is the lifeline of her business. She feels that everybody can be bought with money or with designer bags or clothes or trips abroad! In fact, to this day I still have recordings for her saying nasty things against our clients and the media!
I love my job but I know I have to leave. But, what do I do after I leave? Will I be happy to if I join our family business? Reviewed by luck pillar for that year and showed something big is about to happen in about 2 months time…something good. But what is that? I also know that there is the holy trinity of luck – Heaven, Mankind, and Earth. The indication of the Heaven's Luck is something big and good is about to happen but what if I make a mistake and ruined that luck.
I prayed to Goddess Tara and she put everything in order. She gave me the courage and a reason to resign. That's the easiest part. What about what should I do next? I resigned without being sure what to do next; I just trust that my Bazi is right, and that I'll supplement everything with proper Earth Luck, which is Feng Shui. But Goddess Tara again made sure that my 'liberation' would be perfect. I was already thinking of joining our family business, when I started getting calls from clients from my previous employers. They all basically said the same thing, they are resigning and terminating the contract with my previous employer and they hope that I can still work with them. I told them I'm planning to join my sister with our family business, and they all again more or less responded the same manner. They all said that whether I choose to work with them or not, they'll be resigning their PR agency, my former employer. They also added that they hope they can still work with me, if not, can I recommend another PR for them.
I realized that this just might be the thing for me. Maybe this is my next stage! I did an oracle, both inquiring with Kuan Yin and Goddess Tara whether I should just put up my own marketing and PR consultancy company. Both oracles showed an affirmation.
Without looking for clients, I actually have 5 accounts already, and they're all from my previous employer. But then I felt it was quite unethical for me to sign on the accounts from my previous company, but they all reiterated that whether I decide to continue to work with them or not, they'll resign and terminate my previous employer. To bridge the desire to work with them and the guilty feeling of taking on these accounts barely 2 weeks after I've resigned, I told them that I would only be willing to consider once they've resigned and terminated the contract with my previous employer. They did just that!
It certainly feels like that everything is being laid out in front of me. I don't really have to pursue anything. I just have to take on the opportunity or not!
Another thing that really helped me decide is when I found out that my former boss is bad mouthing me with the said clients. She even went as far as concocting an outrageous lie. But she further dig her own grave when one time she, thru sms, was bad mouthing me with a client saying that she was just on the phone with me and that I said this and that. Little did she know that at that time I was having a late lunch with a said client. The same time she said that I was just on the phone with her. If I was on the phone the client would have known and heard because I never left her side for about 2 hours.
When I found out what she was doing, I realized that while I should be forever grateful of all the things that I learned from her. But I should not feel bad about leaving her!
Goddess Tara made sure that my liberation will be swift and she provided me with an opportunity to do what I really love to do.


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Ryze Tello Edu Drone powered by DJI
Watch the video by Ryze Tech
Tello EDU - Soaring Symphony
Tello EDU - Soaring Symphony
Kind: captions
*Requires the Swift Playgrounds app and Tello Travel Space tutorial.
*Requires Mission Pads and programming.
*Requires the Swift Playgrounds app and programming.
Requires programming.
*This advertisement contains some illustrative gestures; actual product use may vary.
Ryze's Tello Edu drone is an ideal companion for anyone engaged in STEAM-based learning. The drone provides precise and stable flying thanks to DJI's cutting-edge flight technology. And the Tello Edu app together with Swift Playgrounds help you learn to write code to program the drone. The Tello Edu app has a colourful interface complete with educational features and visual programming. It pairs with your iPhone or iPad to offer complete control of Tello Edu while simplifying its manoeuvres.
Enhance your flight with DJI's flight control technology
Learn coding with Swift, Scratch or Python
Program a swarm of drones
Mission Pads offer multiple fun uses
Unlock more programming possibilities with the upgraded SDK 2.0
Control Tello Edu with the app on your iPhone or iPad
5MP photos and 720p video with Electronic Image Stabilisation
Precise hovering
Multiple flight modes
Safe and easy to use
What's in the Box
Ryze Tello Edu aircraft (with propellers and propeller guards)
Four Ryze Mission Pads
Two pairs of spare propellers
Micro USB cable
Flight Battery
Propeller removal tool
Quick start guide
Tech Specs
Input Type: Micro USB
Other Features: Wireless, Batteries Required, Video
Height: 4.1 cm / 1.6 in
Length: 17.78 cm / 7 in
Width: 16.7 cm / 6.6 in
Weight: 87 g / 3.07 oz
Manufacturer Information
Part Number
UPC or EAN No.: 190021325418
Note: Apple's One-Year Limited Warranty does not apply to products that are not Apple-branded, even if packaged or sold with Apple products. Non-Apple-branded products may have the benefit of a manufacturer's warranty provided by the product manufacturer — please see your product box and literature for details. Benefits under the manufacturer's warranty are in addition to rights provided by consumer law. For details, click here.
Not suitable for children under three years
Lithium-Based Battery Shipments
Due to standalone lithium-based battery shipping restrictions, this product may only ship via ground and is subject to domestic and international shipping requirements. If the final ship-to address cannot be shipped to via ground, the order may be subject to cancellation.
iPhone Models
- iPhone 11 Pro
- iPhone 11 Pro Max
- iPhone 11
- iPhone SE (2nd generation)
- iPhone XS
- iPhone XS Max
- iPhone XR
- iPhone X
- iPhone 8
- iPhone 8 Plus
- iPhone 7
- iPhone 7 Plus
- iPhone 6s
- iPhone 6s Plus
- iPhone SE (1st generation)
iPad Models
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (4th generation)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (3rd generation)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (2nd generation)
- iPad Pro 12.9-inch (1st generation)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (2nd generation)
- iPad Pro 11-inch (1st generation)
- iPad Pro 10.5-inch
- iPad Pro 9.7-inch
- iPad Air (3rd generation)
- iPad Air 2
- iPad (7th generation)
- iPad (6th generation)
- iPad mini (5th generation)
- iPad (5th generation)
- iPad mini 4
Answers from the community
Is it compatible with an iPhone 6plus
- Asked by Lucas R from Aylmer
- on 11 Mar 2020
Yes, it is.
- Answered by Holly P
- on 12 Mar 2020
can the drone follow you?
- Asked by Ademola F from Redford
- on 21 Oct 2019
Answer now(can the drone follow you?)No answers yet
what is the battery life on the drone? Does it have any additional batteries that could. be purchased separately in addition to the one provided?
- Asked by Dinesh S from Medford
- on 15 Nov 2018
The manufactures website states 13 min flight time, 30 meters flight height, 100 meters max distance The manufactures website states 13 min flight time, 30 meters flight height, 100 meters max distance, removable battery, 5MP camera,
- Answered by Kevin E from Belleville
- on 16 Dec 2018
Answer now(what is the battery life on the drone? Does it have any additional batteries that could. be purchased separately in addition to the one provided?)2 Answers(what is the battery life on the drone? Does it have any additional batteries that could. be purchased separately in addition to the one provided?)
Compatibility: Requires iOS 9.0 or later.
Feel the Fun!
We set out to build the most fun drone ever, and we came up with Tello. Get yourself a Tello to find out just how awesome flying can be!
-Tello App
Getting started is extra easy with the Tello app's friendly UI.
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Start flying by simply tossing Tello into the air.
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Tel lo flies up and down from your hand automatically.
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Record coordinated short videos with Circle, 360, and Up & Away.
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Precise control for unforgettable experiences. …


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HAYS COUNTY, TX (RNN) - The parents of an 11-year-old girl, who was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumor, say they're thanking God, now that their daughter's tumor is no longer detectable in scans.
After experiencing headaches and sickness for a few weeks, then-10-year-old Roxli Doss was diagnosed with diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma, or DIPG, in June, according to her family's GoFundMe page.
The tumor was on the back of her brain and pushing on her spinal cord. Doctors told the family it was inoperable.
According to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, this type of tumor is typically aggressive, and the survival rate of those diagnosed is low.
"It is very rare, but when we see it, it is a devastating disease. You have decreased ability to swallow, sometimes vision loss, decreased ability to talk, eventually difficulty with breathing," said Dr. Virginia Harrod with Dell Children's Medical Center, KVUE reports.
Roxli went through weeks of radiation while her parents, Gena and Scott Doss, prayed for a miracle - and they got one.
Roxli's tumor disappeared. Even when doctors double-checked the scans to confirm the results, they could find no trace of it.
Doctors say they can't explain what happened.
"When I first saw Roxli's MRI scan, it was actually unbelievable," said Dr. Harrod, according to KVUE. "The tumor is undetectable on the MRI scan, which is really unusual."
As for Roxli's parents, they say they only have God to thank.
"Every day, we still say it," Gena Doss told KVUE. "It's kind of our family thing that God healed Roxli."
Doctors are now monitoring the 11-year-old closely. She will continue to undergo treatments, such as immunotherapy, as a precaution, KVUE reports.
Copyright 2018 Raycom News Network. All rights reserved.


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We had a meeting yesterday and the options proposed were limited. The BSO choice and to continue in this field, will surely lead to her despair in the few next years.
On the other hand, entering the first ASO, without sufficient prior knowledge, in the middle or end of the school year, again will push her onto an unintentioned path.
As the education curator in CLB, how we can benefit from your help in these matter? She needs additional enrichment classes for math and Dutch
also. Please tell me if she start the new school year(2013-2014) at ASO. Will good grades in all classes be sufficient for entry into year two of ASO? Or, if not, will she also be examined by you again in an unannounced test?
Interested in Language