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Posted by Editoress on 02/5/12
The 2012 Vitess Challenge at the Forest City Velodrome had Juniors against Senior 1-2 men, U.S. vs Canada, sprinters elbowing the endurance guys. All night long the FCV had all the elements of a knock down, drag out ..... scrap. The only thing missing were the boxing gloves.
With over 67 racers packed into the infield of the 138m indoor Velodrome in London, Ontario, the racing was pinned all night. The Vitess Challenge was a series of elimination endurance races to choose the top 14 riders who would contest the winner-take-all Carbon bike frame from The Vitess Corporation.
The sizable crowd of spectators arrived early. The warm-up had begun and the music was elevated in order to raise the excitement level. Warm-up on the track was quite interesting with 50+ riders trying to get their legs revved up for the the next three hours of painful fun.
The Challenge was set up in a way that all four of the qualifying heats were done as random draws to determine which one each racer would start in. With the qualifiers set, the racing began. In the early heats the top riders made it through to the semi-final with very little trouble. There were several riders advancing to the semi's that should be highlighted, as they are very young riders doing battle and successfully making it through to the next round. Daniel M-P was on the ropes during the heats, battled back and used his sprinting ability to advance. Connor Byway (OBC) is 14 years old, and Connor showed race smarts in making it to the next round. The other rider that showed her fitness was Sara Rasmussen who finished second in the second heat to advance - well done.
In the Semi-Finals, the competition started to heat up and, in fact, boiled over. All the line-ups were done randomly with riders picking their starting positions. There was a mix of heats just to make sure all events were split randomly.
The first semi-final had a very nice mix of Elite 1-2 racers, Juniors, and Masters. The 60 lap event was pretty much on the rivet from the opening whistle. A flurry of attacks very quickly shredded the field and the top six riders - Marco Li (Garneau), Will Simmonds (Invita-FCV), Martin Veccio and Blaine Benson (both Black Line), Jeff Schiller (Garneau) and Adam Poll (Waterloo) easily dropped and lapped the rest of the riders to advance to the Vitess Challenge final.
The second semi-final had two Elite women entered, plus a number of Cadets, Elite men and Masters. This race stayed together for the entire 60 lap distance. The pace of this semi-final was slightly slower than the first, and came down to a sprint finish for the final four spots as Chris Balestrini (Garneau) and Chris Singleton (Invita-FCV) had lapped the field in the closing few circuits. In the end, the speedsters 0f Adrian George (Invita-FCV), Dave Bogue (Team London), Candice Vermeulin (Invita-FCV) and Quinn Hanam (Waterloo) were able to advance. A very tough sprint for the other riders in this semi, as 9 of the 12 starters were in contention going into the final lap.
Two riders advanced to the 99 lap feature from the last chance race; team mates Chris Vlemmix and Mike Renneboog (Team TC1) were the quickest.
Simmonds and Schiller battle for 2nd and 3rd
Early in the Final, the riders were changing the lead in order to feel each other out; to see who had the best legs. Thirty laps into the race everyoine was still together and the cash started to come in. The first Prime was a $30 payout to the first three riders. Sensing that the race was about to heat up, the Masters went to the front and took control of the early money, with Vlemmix, Renneboog and Hanam pocketing the cash.
Less than two laps later, a very generous spectator came up with $75 for the first rider to lap the field. Money always brings out the best in racing. Blaine Benson was first to catch the field sleeping and, with no reaction from the pedestrian pace line, immediately gained three-quarters of a lap. Still no reaction, as he headed for the $75 payday and that's when, the hammer fell. Garneau went to the front, helped by Invita-FCV and Benson,who was within ten metres of the back of the bunch, saw his lead vaporize. As the group caught Benson with 50 to go, an attack from three riders on different teams - Simonds (Invita-FCV), Jeff Schiller (Garneau) and Martin Veccio (Black line) - worked together and, with 25 to go, had lapped the field. As the three leaders took their lap, Marco Li (Garneau) rolled off the front of the bunch. With no reaction from the bunch Li was even terms within 5 laps, and then there were four riders up a lap.
Marco Li lapped the field
With 20 to go, the decisive move of the race had Li (Garneau) again roll off the front with no reaction from the field. Li took another lap and was guaranteed the victory and the Vitess Challenge for 2012.
The battle for second was very hotly contested, with first year Junior Will Simonds (Invita-FCV) just throwing his bike a little earlier than Jeff Schiller (Garneau).
The FCV would like to thank Vitess Bicycles for their sponsorship of the evening. To all the volunteers a huge thank you for making the evening run very smoothly.
The next race at the Forest City Velodrome is Saturday, February 18th.
Got to www.ForestCityVelodrome.ca for all current up-to-date recreational programs at the FCV.
Report courtesy Rob Godd, FCV
Video Interviews with the top three finishers in the Vitess Challenge at the Forest City Velodrome - Marco Li, Will Simonds and Jeff Schiller.
|Return to Canadian Cyclist homepage | Back to Top


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Strict lead-based paint regulations imposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have resulted in costly fines to businesses and landlords looking to sell or rent their property. "Thinking of renting or selling a home or apartment?" the EPA asked in a press release in April 2010, when its Renovation, Repair, and Painting (RRP) rule went into effect. "Make sure you disclose its lead-based paint history. Mr. Wolfe Landau did not and it cost him a $20,000 fine."
Landau received the fine because he failed to offer an EPA-approved pamphlet to tenants looking to rent or buy a residence built before 1978. Available in six different languages, the brochure contains tips to "protect your family," including tips to quickly dispose of paint chips, keep play areas clean, and prevent children from chewing on painted surfaces or window sills.
Seemingly boasting about Landau's failure to follow the EPA's strict protocol on dealing with lead, the agency detailed why the landlord was slapped with such a large fine:
The landlord with over 25 properties in Brooklyn and 1 in Manhattan has signed an agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to pay the civil penalty for alleged violations of lead-based paint disclosure rules. EPA has cited the property owner for failing to properly inform residents about potential lead-based paint in their apartments through disclosure statements, warning statements and failing to make them aware of records or reports that would alert them of the potential lead hazards. In addition, Mr. Landau must take proper steps to address violations of lead rules.
Juan Hernandez of Connecticut also fell victim to the EPA's meticulous regulatory regime when he neglected to provide seven tenants with the pamphlet "Protect Your Family From Lead in Your Home," a requirement mandated under the Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act of 1992. The law directed the EPA and the Department of Housing and Urban Development to require that property owners disclose lead-based-paint hazards before they sell or rent housing units constructed before 1978.
The EPA filed a complaint in late March, notifying Hernandez that he would have to pay a $49,980 fine — or more than $7,000 for each pamphlet he neglected to provide. CNSNews.com reported on similar fines issued to landlords for failing to provide the EPA-approved pamphlets:
In September 2011, Douglas Paulino of Hartford, Conn., failed to provide the EPA-approved pamphlet to six lessees, resulting in a fine of $49,700, according to an Initial Decision and Default Order.
A Default Order also was filed against John C. Jones of Roxbury, Massachusetts, in February 2012, when a penalty of $30,960 was levied for not providing the pamphlet to four tenants.
Lester Sykes, of Chicago, Illinois, was penalized $54,180 for 11 counts of failing to provide the lead hazards pamphlet in October of 2011. Sykes was ordered to pay total fines of $159,310 after he failed to respond to a complaint filed against him in 2008.
Costly regulations streaming from the EPA's RRP guidelines have also proved burdensome to painters, renovators, and anyone else performing work that would possibly disperse lead-based paint in pre-1978 homes. Any business performing such work must become EPA-certified — and all individuals must be trained in the use of "lead-safe work practices" — or face a heavy fine. In addition to the required pamphlets, the agency charges contractors and other renovation firms with a host of other rules, including:
• Provide a copy of your EPA or state lead training certificate to your client.
• Tell your client what lead-safe methods you will use to perform the job.
• Learn the lead laws that apply to you regarding certification and lead-safe work practices.
• Ask your client to share the results of any previously conducted lead tests.
• Provide your client with references from at least three recent jobs involving homes built before 1978.
• Keep records to demonstrate that you and your workers have been trained in lead-safe work practices and that you follow lead-safe work practices on the job. To make recordkeeping easier, you may use the sample recordkeeping checklist (PDF) (1 pg, 141K) that EPA has developed to help contractors comply with the renovation recordkeeping requirements.
• Read about how to comply with EPA's rule in the EPA Small Entity Compliance Guide to Renovate Right (PDF).
According to research by Professional Remodeler, which surveyed hundreds of contractors impacted by the RRP regulations, 65 percent of respondents said the lead rules lost them business. While the EPA originally estimated added costs of $35 to $376 per project (depending on the type of job), 37 percent of remodelers said the regulations added more than $1,000 to the average job; 81 percent said they added more than $400.
"We lose work because of it," said one California remodeler. "Most homeowners think it is ridiculous and won't work with a contractor who feels obligated to comply." Respondents reported that many homeowners have hired uncertified contractors — who do not follow the EPA rules — to save money on home repair and renovation work. In fact, of the remodelers surveyed, 76 percent said they had lost business to an uncertified contractor.
"It has cost me business, because no client wants to pay the additional cost involved for me to be compliant with the EPA," lamented a Virginia contractor. "I would say that the RRP rules haven't helped me in the least bit. They have cost me jobs; cost for compliance, training and certification; as well as materials and equipment to be compliant."

subset: commoncrawl


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Recycled plastic DIY base kits - 350 tonnes per square metre
Heavy duty plastic base 4.5m x 6.0m (14'9" x 19'8")
£663.00 per kit
These heavy duty pavers are capable of supporting 350 tonnes per square metre. Each paver is 500mm x 500mm and 40mm thick. Each paver features multiple locking clips which are connected within seconds for greater rigidity. First the ground is levelled and then the pavers are laid directly on the soil. Weed control membranes are not required below a timber floor. No sand or shingle is required below a timber floor. If the base is oversize the edges can be backfilled with sand or shingle although this is not essential. Where space permits the base is normally laid full size but if required in a tight location the pavers are easily cut to size with no loss of structural integrity. The base can be up to 1" or 25mm smaller than your building. Fast delivery within 3-5 days ensures that you can start work quickly.


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TreadLightly! Trainers!!! What was the last TreadLightly! event you participated in? How did you spread the TL! message? Do you have TL! Ideas that you would like PV4WD to participate in? Speak up in the TL! boards!
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Digital Production
The Gnomon Workshop offers the most comprehensive set of Digital Production tutorials anywhere. The broad scope of the tutorials contained in this section range from foundational understanding of the software tools all the way to the professional application of these tools and concepts used by artists working in the film and game industries.
Entertainment Design
The Gnomon Workshop is widely regarded as the global leader in training tutorials for the designer working in the entertainment industry. With tutorials ranging from foundational drawing and design concepts to process tutorials from some of the top concept and character designers in the world, there is surely something here to inspire.
As the tattoo industry has seen an explosion in popularity over the last few years, the need training in this field has also grown. In these video tutorials, some of the top tattoo artists in the world share their techniques and their take on the art of tattoo. The tutorials range from absolute beginner level to advanced color and blending techniques used by some of the world's best.
The Gnomon Workshop offers professional training on most of the software applications used in today's digital pipelines. There are foundational titles to introduce users to the software and tools, as well as advanced production titles that discuss application tools and processes vital to the production of digital assets and media.
Professional Training for Artists
The Gnomon Workshop seeks out the most highly-regarded traditional and digital artists and technicians currently working in the entertainment and design industries. Our instructors have shared their practices working at such top studios as Pixar, ILM, Blizzard, and many more.Instructor GalleriesInstructor Interviews
Owner and head designer of the Schell Sculpture Studio, Jordu Schell has been in the film and television industry since 1987. His talent as a designer and sculptor is world renowned, and his credits include: "Avatar", "The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian", "300", "Hellboy", "Aliens vs. Predator - Requiem", "Men in Black", "The Mist", "Batman Returns", "The X-Files Movie", "Predator ll", Galaxy Quest", "Evolution", "Babylon 5- The Series" (on which he designed an Emmy award-winning creature make-up and the first fully digital creature for a television series), "Edward Scissorhands", "Alien: Resurrection"and many more. For many years, Jordu has been sharing his techniques via workshops around the world, and at some of the most prestigious companies in the industry, including Industrial Light and Magic, Tippett Studio, Blur Studio and Blizzard Entertainment.
"If I moved to Los Angeles, the first thing I would do is sign up for Jordu Schell's sculpture class. I'm not kidding. Jordu has an extraordinary talent for creating fantastic faces which have an intrinsic logic and superb modeling that makes them believable. In my opinion, to be great, a make-up, creature, or transformation must make the viewer believe that it could have a life of its own. Jordu is the master of the bizarre made believable. "
"I tell everyone I meet that Jordu Schell is the finest sculptor, painter, and designer I've met."
"If you want to learn from one of the best creature designers I know and one of the very best creature maquette makers of all time…check out Jordu Schell and his school."
Try a Class on Campus
Gnomon specializes in computer graphics education for careers in the entertainment industry.


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Recent reports have suggested many of us are swapping retail therapy for the gym and eating out. This means that there has been a big rise in high street shops closing down. With many of us also looking online for clothes it means that our high streets are suffering. I'm a big fan of the … Continue reading High Street Fashion
Tag: fashion
Visit To Stratford-Upon-Avon
On a recent visit to Stratford-Upon-Avon the beauty of the place struck me. Cherry blossoms were in full bloom, the sun was shining and people were dressed in their finery. Because of this I felt inspired by the colours and scenery. Even though there was a bit of a chill I wanted to get out … Continue reading Visit To Stratford-Upon-Avon
Is Fashion Art?
Should fashion be seen as an art form? Many people say that fashion is not art it's just practical. With more clothes being displayed in museums around the world the idea of fashion being seen as artwork is becoming more acceptable. Certainly when it comes to certain designers, there is so much effort put into … Continue reading Is Fashion Art?
Do Fashion Trends Still Exist?
In times gone by fashion trends became iconic with a decade, from the mini skirt of the sixties to the seventies flares, these looks are seminomas with there eras. In today's world of instant catwalk updates, celebrity culture and viral trends that are forgotten overnight it seems that the typical 'fashion trend' has lost its … Continue reading Do Fashion Trends Still Exist?
Creative Collection – Janine Mirynda Heath
Janine was a delight to photograph. Being a dancer there were many options for an interesting photograph. It was fun to hear all about her fashion choices as well as seeing how her fashion reflects her bubbly personality. I'm Janine, 30, and I'm addicted to hobbies! I collect them a bit like Pokémon - I … Continue reading Creative Collection – Janine Mirynda Heath
Creative Collection – Chloe Belcher
I met Chloe as part of the Creative Collection. It was really interesting to hear about her Fine Arts degree and how the people around her influence the way she dresses. I am Chloe (Belcher), I study Fine Art at Staffordshire University and I am in my final year. I work at a pub on … Continue reading Creative Collection – Chloe Belcher
Spring On Trend
One of this year biggest trends is one that never really disappears, and happens to be easy to wear, stripes. You may be thinking how are stripes going to help me express my artist side, when I think of stripes I tend to think of smart shirts, and suits. But there are currently lots of … Continue reading Spring On Trend
Creative Collection – Kate Windsor
Walking in to Kate's studio would be any creatives dream. Full of beautiful artwork, clothes, art supplies, you could spend all day in the space very happily. I met Kate through the Creative Collection project and was thrilled to meet someone with so much passion and talent for art. This creative energy shines through all […]
Creative Collection: Lynn Davis
It's safe to say that due to growing up in Stoke-On-Trent I've seen my fair share of pottery. So it is always interesting seeing it being used in new and interesting ways. Lynn is a jewelry maker who creates pieces with found broken fragments of pottery. It was great to meet someone who had so … Continue reading Creative Collection: Lynn Davis
Creative Collection: Chloe Dymond
Chloe is the first artist to be shown in the Creative collection series. I did this shoot close to a week ago now in a great café in Stoke-On-trent called Pilgrims Pit, a must visit for any travellers, and especially for locals! The shoot went really well thanks to Chloe and Pilgrims. You can see … Continue reading Creative Collection: Chloe Dymond


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WHERE TO: Nowhere — Kaboom!
First things first, sports fans: I'm IN! The 50-miler form entry has been accepted, and they returned my SASE with a slip of paper saying that I now have the privilege of running for 9 hours straight. WHOOPEE! Want to be on my aid crew? Yes you do. Drop me a line if you want to force-feed me a banana with peanut butter at mile 37.
Second things second: Rusty did not get in, but still has a shot at doing so via a charity entry. If you see him on the street, give him a hug and $20. Actually, even if he weren't trying to get in, I'd tell you to do this. Poor guy is a law student at one of the most depressing places on earth (coughGWUcough). Stroke his head and gently hum to him while you're at it. He needs it.
Anyway. What with my obsession for the past seven posts with heaving bosoms and hoo-hahs and love-juices and throbbing, hard-as-steel loveshafts of swollen, heat-radiating manhood and so on, I completely forgot that there are people out there who NEED MY EXPERTISE on things other than breasts and erections. And so I give the second installment of
…in which I answer honest-to-God real questions from runners like you, ESPECIALLY those special folks who posed questions on my "Ask a Runner!" page. Good job, kids.
Q: I have shoes and running clothes. What other gear might I need to be a truly successful runner? — Samuel, Austin, TX
A: Let's make a nice little shopping list so you can better support the military-industrial-running complex. Here goes:


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I have a couple of cars that get dirty every day because I live off a dirt road in Lauerl Canyon. I got used to having a dirty car but notice how much better I feel when I just clean my windows and know that driving a clean car will put me in a much better mood let alone the saftey advantages by being able to see out my windows better. So I am off to do my research to find the Best Car Wash in Los Angeles and wil keep you informed on my progress.
By IFCAR (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons


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1000s of fabrics added to our sale
Here at I Want Fabric we're renowned for our collection of reasonably priced upholstery fabrics and supplies, see our vast range our curtain fabrics, furnishing fabrics, upholstery foam and curtain linings below. Choose from our selection of chenilles, velvets, cotton ticking, designer curtain fabrics, jacquard fabrics, patterned upholstery fabrics and much more sold by the metre or roll. We aim to keep the prices as low as possible to keep your costs down - from designer fabrics to plain cottons we have it all here at I Want Fabric, quality textiles - honestly priced.
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'Other' Constructional and Allied Systems Info & Downloads
Bayko was produced from 1933 by Plimpton Engineering. You could make models of houses and buildings. It was originally made from Bakelite - one of the first synthetic plastics. Meccano Ltd took over Bayko in 1959;
Below there are various manuals/leafets which can be downloaded by clicking on the appropriate image.


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GAS prices are going up, the economy is going down, and it seems hard to justify a vacation when many of us are glad just to have jobs. But now, more than ever, we need to take a break a real break, not just a long weekend from our stressed-out lives.
But, it turns out, even before the downturn, a lot of Americans were working through their vacation time, taking fewer and shorter holidays.
A global study by Expedia.com found that about a third of employed Americans usually do not take all the vacation days that they are entitled to, leaving an average of three days on the table.
This is not so unusual. About a quarter of the workers in Britain do not take all their vacation time, and in France a little less. The only difference is that the British get an average of 26 days of vacation and the French about 37 compared with our 14 days, Expedia.com said.
According to John de Graaf, executive director of Take Back Your Time, a nonprofit organization that studies issues related to overwork, 137 countries mandate paid vacation time. The United States is the only industrialized country that doesn't.
Here are some more depressing figures: The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that about a quarter of all workers in the private sector do not receive paid vacation. And the Conference Board, a private research group, said the number of Americans who said in April that they were going to take a vacation in the next six months is at a 30-year low, according to their regular consumer survey. Only 39 percent of those responding said they would go away on holiday over the next half year.
That is the lowest figure since 1978 and reflects a general decline since 2000, when, in April of that year, 49 percent said they were planning a getaway in the next six months.
But really, should you just stay home, relax in front of the television, read a novel, do a few day trips?
Well, vacations are not simply a luxury. There is increasing evidence that they really are necessary for good health.
Using information from the Framingham Heart Study, which started in 1948, researchers looked at questionnaires women in the study had filled out over 20 years about how often they took vacations. Those women who took a vacation once every six years or less were almost eight times more likely to develop coronary heart disease or have a heart attack than those who took at least two vacations a year, said Elaine Eaker, a co-author of the study and president of Eaker Epidemiology Enterprises, a private research company.
The study, published in 1992, was controlled for other factors like obesity, diabetes, smoking and income, Ms. Eaker said, and the findings have been substantiated in follow-up research.
"It shows how the body reacts to a lifestyle of stress," she said. "This is real evidence that vacations are important to your physical health."
Another study, published in 2000, looked at 12,000 men over nine years who were at high risk for coronary heart disease. Those who failed to take annual vacations had a 21 percent higher risk of death from all causes and were 32 percent more likely to die of a heart attack.
So forget about cutting down on cholesterol and exercise I'm off to the Bahamas.
Well, no. But even if you don't have heart problems, a vacation of at least one week and preferably two weeks to really unwind can help you relax and sleep better. Mark Rosekind, president and chief scientist at Alertness Solutions, a scientific consulting firm, has worked with NASA pilots and astronauts on sleep issues.
In 2006, he was commissioned by Air New Zealand to see if he could scientifically measure the benefit of a vacation. He asked a group of 15 people who were flying from the West Coast of the United States to New Zealand for vacations lasting a week to 12 days to wear a wrist device that monitored quantity and quality of sleep for three days before the trip, during the vacation and three days afterward.
They kept a sleep diary and took a vigilance test to determine how good their reactions were before, during and after the holiday.
The participants were also hooked up to a brain monitor during the 12-hour flight, and other variables, like health, jobs and gender were factored in.
Here's what he found. After a few days on vacation and it usually took two to three people were averaging an hour more of good quality sleep. And there was an 80 percent improvement in their reaction times.
"When they got home, they were still sleeping close to an hour more, and their reaction time was 30 to 40 percent higher than it had been before the trip," Mr. Rosekind said.
The trick, these days when going on vacation, is not only to physically remove yourself from your normal routine, but mentally as well. Checking your BlackBerry every few hours or rushing to the nearest Internet cafe doesn't cut it.
For 10 years, the Faculty of Management at Tel Aviv University has conducted a study looking at what is called "respite effects," which measure relief from job stress before, during and after vacations.
Professor Dov Eden, an organizational psychologist who has conducted the study, found that those who are electronically hooked up to their office, even if they are lying on the Riviera, are less likely to receive the real benefits of a vacation and more likely to burn out.
Here's one trick. My neighbor Mark had a colleague who was a workaholic. But when he went on vacation, he made sure to go where there was no cellphone or Internet service.
Mr. de Graaf sees a solution to the vacation deprivation problem, even if it's a long shot. His organization is working with Congress to consider national legislation requiring paid vacation time. He is hoping that such legislation, currently called the Minimum Leave Protection, Family Bonding and Personal Well-Being Act, will be introduced next year. It calls for a mandated three weeks of vacation every year.
"It's tough, there's no question about it, but there's a lot of interest in it," Mr. de Graaf said. "There's less business opposition for this leave than sick leave or parenting leave because it's more predictable."
He estimated that it could add an extra 2 percent to 4 percent to the labor costs of a business, but "that would be balanced by less turnover and maybe less sick days."
Now that I've made such a case for vacations, maybe it's time to acknowledge that in some cases, these trips particularly with entire families in tow can be stressful in their own way. The joys of a holiday can also include lugging around a ridiculous amount of paraphernalia, jet-lagged children sobbing on airplanes, hotels that looked wonderful on the Web but are in reality next to a construction site.
Back in 1979, a journalist, Lance Morrow, wrote an article in Time magazine about how rising gas prices were curtailing the annual family vacations. (Sound familiar?) He noted that "the real danger of the vacation lies in its capacity to compress all family conflicts into an exquisitely focused drama."
And some years before that, the humorist Robert Benchley wrote that "traveling with children corresponds roughly to traveling third class in Bulgaria."
William Doherty, a professor of family social science at the University of Minnesota, said that "vacations tend to create memories more than any other family activity, and the bad times are some of the best memories."
He said he remembers, for example, being at the Jersey Shore when he was a child and his father stepped on a shell that sent him to the hospital.
"I got to ride in the ambulance," Mr. Doherty said. "That was great."
The trick, then, is to have a vacation that enhances family bonding, but not too much. I'll let you know how that works out after our Cape Cod trip this summer, where we will be joined by my sister, her husband and three children and my parents.


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What To Expect
The flower arranging can take anywhere from one to two hours, depending on the complexity and format of the arrangement. Alice's Table provides aprons for you to wear for the duration of the event. Working with flowers can be messy, so make sure to wear something you won't mind getting a little dirty.
Purchased tickets but something came up? You can transfer your ticket to another class as long as you contact us at least 48 hours before the event. Please note we do not offer refunds per our refund policy.
What Should I Bring?
You don't need to bring anything out of the ordinary with you - we provide the flowers, vases, and tools you will need to create your arrangement.
About the Venue
Ruth's Chris Steak House specializes in serving USDA Prime steaks, each seared to perfection served sizzling on a 500-degree plate.


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In a "meet the press" type setting, U. S. senators – between votes – fielded questions from reporters
during a Black media roundtable.
If the U. S. Supreme Court strikes down or alters the Section 5 Preclearance Clause of the Voting Rights Act, Congress should be prepared with a remedy to protect against discrimination, according to members of the U. S. Senate in a roundtable with Black media last week.
"This supreme court is more and more skeptical of the root causes of, the evidence of and the consequences of discrimination," said Sen. Christopher A. Coons (D-Del.), "And I think We need to be prepared to act legislatively to deal with the likely consequences of a federal government that may be more reigned in in terms of its ability to proactively reach out."
Coons, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was speaking during a June 13 roundtable during which 12 Senators met with 19 Black reporters to discuss issues of importance to their readers.
Issues of race and public policy dominated the 80-minute discussion held in the Mansfield Room of the U. S. Capitol. Anticipating a ruling this month, reporters, policy makers and civil rights leaders alike are bracing themselves, already contemplating the next move in the case of an adverse ruling given racial discrimination that still exists.
Coons continued, "Discrimination absolutely is still a problem in housing, in employment and in voting. And in my view, we've got to be vigilant and attentive" of the opinions handed down by the Supreme Court "because I think we may see restrictions in the ability of government to act…And to deal directly and proactively with discrimination."
Among key items on which the court is set to rule is Shelby v. Holder, which challenges Section 5, which requires states and territories with a history of discrimination to clear any changes in voting laws with the U. S. Department of Justice. Striking down this provision – which was just reauthorized by an overwhelming, bi-partisan majority of the Senate seven years ago – would effectively gut the Act, opening the door for gerrymandering of congressional districts and other political lines as well as the creation of voter ID laws that discriminate against African-Americans and other people of color.
Two other race equality cases before the court are also viewed as endangering racial justice. They are Fisher v. University of Texas and a Michigan law which has banned affirmative action in public college admissions. An adverse ruling in either of these cases could either end the consideration of race in college admission policies or cause what lawyers call a "chilling effect". The "chilling effect" is when a ruling is so damaging that it causes universities to end or severely alter policies on their own in order to avoide future law suits.
The roundtable was organized by the Senate Democratic Steering and Outreach Committee, chaired by Senator Mark Begich (D-Alaska). Senator Harry Reid, Majority Leader, did not attend, apparently due to votes. The meeting was moderated by Sen. William "Mo" Cowan (D-Mass.), currently the only Black member of the U. S. Senate.
Responding to a question about the historic void of Blacks in the Senate, Cowan acknowledged, "We have a long way to go" and said Americans have an obligation to "encourage people of all races to get involved in this political process."
He said when the Senate is not representative of its constituents, it does a "great disservice". But he added for clarity, "You don't have to look like your constituents in order to represent the interests of your constituents."
He agreed, "If Section 5 Pre-clearance is reversed by the Supreme court," Congress would have to take "prompt and vigorous action" to preserve it.
Despite partisan bickering between Republicans and Democrats over the budget and other issues, Sen. Robert P. Casey, Jr. (D-Pa.) expressed optimism that if the court strikes down the Pre-clearance Clause of Section 5, it could be either rebuilt in a bi-partisan spirit "or a comparable preventive measure could be crafted swiftly" in consultation with legal organizations that regularly litigate such issues. "I think it affects all of us."


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Reds win 5-4
Congrats to Dontrelle for getting the win today!!!
"I tried to play golf, but I found out I wasn't very good." -Joey Votto on his offseason hobby search
An MLB.com reporter asked what one thing Votto couldnt do. I cant skate or play hockey, Votto said. Well, I can skate ... but I cant stop.
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Used 2006 Subaru Outback Sedan
Pros & Cons
- Standard all-wheel drive, generous standard equipment list, exemplary build and materials quality, strong power from turbo and H6 engines, balanced ride and handling dynamics, capable performance off-road.
- Automatic transmission upshifts too early, desirable features restricted to top-line VDC model, smaller backseat than most competitors.
Used 2006 Subaru Outback Sedan for Sale
Get More For Your Trade-In
Edmunds' Expert Review
Solid all-terrain capability, nimble handling, a varied engine lineup and a luxurious interior make the 2006 Subaru Outback an excellent all-weather family vehicle. If you're thinking of buying a traditional SUV, you may find this Subaru car a better fit.
Vehicle overview
We've been fans of the Outback since its inception. Little did Subaru know that back in 1995, when the Japanese automaker introduced a gussied-up Legacy Wagon called the Outback, that it was about to revolutionize the way Americans thought of sport-utility vehicles. Essentially a trim package that included gray trim, white-lettered tires and a catchy name, the Subaru Outback became a phenomenon in 1996 after it was billed "The World's First Sport-Utility Wagon." That's the year Subaru raised the suspension, added large headlight-size foglights and boosted power.
Although an excellent alternative to SUV ownership, the Outback began to lose its edge as more and more manufacturers added kinder, gentler crossover SUVs to their lineups. By the early years of the 21st century, Subaru's heavy-duty wagon was surrounded by a population of car-based SUVs that could do most of what it did, while offering more room for growing families. So for 2005, the Outback underwent a full redesign during which it slimmed down, powered up and slipped into some more stylish digs.
Like the Legacy, the Subaru Outback takes on a sleeker, more angular look this year, but it has a more aggressive grille, raised hood strakes and, on the wagon, dark tinted rear glass. Additionally, Subaru decided that buyers were no longer so enthusiastic about the "just in from the woods" aesthetic of the original Outbacks, so all models wear black-letter tires instead of the expected white-letter sidewalls. In spite of its more upscale look, the Subaru Outback is actually more rugged than ever before. Ground clearance ranges from 8.4 to 8.7 inches depending on the model you choose -- previously, the tallest Outback stood just 7.9 inches off the ground.
Inside, the cockpit has a much more cohesive look along with a classy two-tone ensemble. Meanwhile, there's some big news under the hood. A modified version of the WRX STi's 2.5-liter turbocharged engine with 250 horsepower and 250 lb-ft of torque has joined the lineup. Models with this engine are an intriguing alternative to the pricey H6. It has torque and an available manual transmission, and it's the faster of the two and an obvious choice for weekend enthusiasts. For those who prefer the smoothness of six cylinders, the H6 motor picks up variable valve timing and lift this year so that it, too, is up to 250 hp. For those on a budget, Subaru will continue to offer a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter, four-cylinder engine as well.
The 2006 Subaru Outback is a wagon with no equal when it comes to off-road capability and, with a powerful engine lineup and sharp reflexes on pavement, you'll find it fun to drive even when the weather isn't terrible. A small backseat will keep it from competing with larger-capacity SUVs, but for the family of four looking for stylish transportation for all seasons, it could be a perfect fit.
2006 Subaru Outback models
The Subaru Outback is available as a wagon or sedan. Wagons come in 2.5i, 2.5 XT, 3.0 R, 3.0 R L.L. Bean and 3.0 R VDC Limited. Limited Packages are available on 2.5i and 2.5 XT models. The sedan comes in a single L.L. Bean trim. The 2.5i models include 16-inch alloy wheels, air conditioning, a CD player, a power driver seat, cruise control, trip computer and a rear limited-slip differential. Opt for the Limited package and you'll get heated leather seats, a wiper de-icer, a CD changer, dual-zone automatic climate control and dual moonroofs. Upgrade to the 2.5 XT and you get 17-inch wheels, bigger brakes, sport seats and a Momo steering wheel; order the Limited Package to get leather upholstery and the moonroofs. The base 3.0 R model is equipped much like the XT, while other 3.0s come with a full load of luxury amenities, plus a tire-pressure monitor, steering wheel audio controls and mahogany trim. The L.L. Bean model offers perforated leather upholstery, while the VDC wagon is your ticket to stability control and an upgraded stereo. A navigation system is also standard on the VDC; it's optional on the XT and L.L. Bean.
2006 Highlights
Performance & mpg
The 2.5i model is powered by a 2.5-liter horizontally opposed four-cylinder engine that makes 175 horsepower. The 2.5 XT upgrades to a 2.5-liter turbocharged engine with 250 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque. The 3.0 models come with a 3.0-liter horizontally opposed six-cylinder (H6) good for 250 hp and 219 lb-ft of torque. Either 2.5-liter engine can be equipped with a five-speed manual transmission. A four-speed automatic is available on 2.5i models while 2.5 XT models get a five-speed auto. The H6 is only available with the five-speed automatic.
All Outback models have four-wheel antilock disc brakes with EBD, front-seat side-impact airbags, full-length side curtain airbags and active head restraints. Stability control is reserved for the top-line 3.0 R VDC Limited wagon.
Out on the road, the 2006 Subaru Outback rides smoothly and feels surefooted in the corners. Taken off-road, it can scamper up a rutted hillside with more gusto than just about any crossover SUV. Although the base engine provides only adequate power, acceleration is quick with either the turbo four or the H6. Unfortunately, the Outback's automatic transmissions still leave much to be desired, as they sap power by upshifting too early.
Inside, the Subaru Outback has a clean design with high-quality materials. Turbo models have darker interiors with metallic trim and electroluminescent gauges, while 3.0 models get matte-finish wood grain trim on the console that matches the real mahogany trim on the steering wheel. The seats are supportive, but the backseat is a bit tight for adults. Wagons provide 33.5 cubic feet of capacity behind their rear seats; 66 cubes with the seats folded.
Consumer reviews
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Ahh, the bulleted list. I love a good list, and bullets make all lists look fancier. And I'm nothing if not a little bit fancy. Here we go, come with me, there's a world out there that we should see—oops, sorry. That song plays on repeat in my head about seven hours a day. To the list of things that make me do a happy dance!
- Wings. Hooray for delicious, delicious hot wings (cooked extra crispy!), which I'm going to eat tonight with my BF Amanda and my brother Matt.
- Glitter eyeliner. I wore it to work today. Good call.
- Penguin water carbonator. Because I can't afford my San Pellegrino habit.
- Wickles Pickles. I ate half of a jar on Sunday. No apologies.
- Trader Joe's freeze-dried strawberries. I would eat a package every day if I lived close to a TJ's. My stockpile ran out last month.
- Avocado. Even though I almost sliced off one of my fingers last night while trying to cut one for a salad. (My left ring finger, as someone pointed out. Is that a sign?)
- Real ice cream, no frozen yogurt. Especially peanut butter-chocolate from Edgewood Creamery.
- Banana boat Aloe After Sun Lotion. Most amazing scent ever.
- Tall wedge sandals and a good pedicure.
- Airplanes. I'll be boarding one Thursday evening. Can't wait. I love to fly.
- Freshly ironed pillowcases. So worth it.
- The ocean waves setting on my white noise machine.
- Chevron stripes on anything.
- New summer pajamas.
- California. Time for a vacay.
Doesn't this look like me and my friends happy dancing? I'm in the pink.
Major crushing on this song too. It makes me dance in the car, and I think it will be my summer theme. Woo! Yay for fun!


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Strong holiday season in South Shore despite domestic fiscal woes
Even though the country avoided a serious fall, the travel industry might be headed for the brink after Washington passed the "fiscal cliff" deal last week, according to the U.S. Travel Association.
U.S. Travel, a national organization that lobbies on behalf of travel- and tourism-dependent businesses, warned that the new legislation could impact discretionary spending and doesn't solve spending cuts that will affect federal agencies like the Department of Homeland Security and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection.
Those cuts could make multi-hour lines standard at large airports as federal officials cope with fewer resources, U.S. Travel predicted. While the deal leaves most peoples' income tax unaffected, the expiration of tax breaks like the payroll holiday could impact the amount individuals spend on travel.
The South Shore has avoided most of these hits so far, Lake Tahoe Visitors Authority Executive Director Carol Chaplin said, partly because of the seasonal present from Mother Nature that fell in December.
"I would say that this winter we're not seeing impacts to travel. We're doing really well, but that's influenced by the great conditions we have," Chaplin said.
TahoeChamber President and CEO "B" Gorman said consumer confidence actually seems to be increasing in the basin. This season's holiday spending is also on the rise, Gorman said.
"I'm hearing that reservations are being made earlier and for longer stays. They're not waiting until the last minute to make a deal. We're hearing that 98 percent of the businesses were up around 15 to 20 percent, and that's phenomenal" she said.
While most of the information is still anecdotal, revenue for the South Lake Tahoe casino corridor in November was up almost 27 percent compared to the same time period last year, according to a Nevada Gaming Control Board report released Thursday. Overall, gaming win was down 11 percent across Nevada.
As an additional buffer against economic issues at home, the South Shore has set its sights on attracting more international visitors. When it comes to international travel, Chaplin's hopeful. LTVA's partners that track the numbers have found an increase in global tourists to Tahoe.
"They do tend to spend more because that's the big 'hurrah.' They might only be here once," Chaplin said.
As opposed to the weekend warriors who brave congested roads and crowded slopes for two-day trips, international visitors usually stay up to 10 days and fill hotel rooms that might otherwise be empty on weekdays, Chaplin said.
So how do you attract those skiers who live half a world away? Chaplin said part of the answer lies in collaborating with other communities throughout the Sierra Nevada to reach a broader audience and mitigate advertising costs.
LTVA will leave it up to businesses to create the events and activities that appeal specifically to international visitors, Chaplin said. Heavenly Mountain Resort plans to launch a Latin ski week in late March that will cater to Central and South American clients and feature big-name soap opera stars.
"There's still a domestic destination element. But Tahoe's always done pretty well internationally and continuing to ride that surge is a good idea," Heavenly's Communications Director Russ Pecoraro said.
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BAT ḲOL (Hebrew,
(Redirected from VOICE OF HEAVEN.)
V02p588002.jpg; Aramaic, V02p588003.jpg):
A heavenly or divine voice which proclaims God's will or judgment, His deeds and His commandments to individuals or to a number of persons, to rulers, communities, and even to whole nations. The meaning of the word is "sound," "resonance." In this sense it is used in Syriac and in the following Midrash and Talmud passages: "As oil has no Bat Ḳol [that is, gives no sound], so Israel is not heard of in this world; but, as it is said in Isa. xxix. 4, 6, Israel will enjoy great fame in the world to come" (Cant. R. i. 3). The most significant passage is Ex. R. xxix., end (compare xxviii., end):
Bat Ḳol Not an Echo.
"Johanan said, 'When God revealed the Torah, no sparrow chirped, no bird flew, no ox lowed; the heavenly Ofanim [wheels] moved not; the Seraphim did not chant the Thrice Holy; man spoke not; the sea roared not; no creature uttered a sound; and the world was silent, while God's voice resounded, "I am the Lord Thy God."' This is the meaning of the words, 'With a great voice: and he added no more,' in Deut. v. 19 [A.V. 22] (
V02p588004.jpg). 'These words,' says Simeon ben Laḳish, 'are to be taken as follows: If one man calls to another, his voice has a Bat Ḳol; but the voice proceeding from God has no Bat Ḳol. If you marvel at this, think of the story of the prophet Elijah and the priests of Baal. God bade the upper and the lower world keep silence; and the world became like an empty desert, as if no living creature existed: there was neither voice, nor answer, nor attention' [I Kings xviii. 29, Hebrew]. For if a sound had been heard, the priests would have said: 'Baal has answered us.' On Sinai God caused the whole world to be silent, in order that mankind might know there is none besides Him."
It is clear that in this passage Bat Ḳol does not mean an echo, as is the general opinion (Lampronti, "Paḥad Yiẓḥaḳ"; Levy, "Neuhebräisches Wörterbuch"; Kohut, "Aruch Completum," s.v.); but it means the reverberation or hum, caused by the motion of all things, which fills the whole world and which accompanies the human voice and every other sound. Of old the belief in the music of the spheres was universal; and the Talmud says (Yoma 20b) that the noises of Rome would be heard all over the world but for the music of the spheres. Echo is called "ḳol habarah" (R. H. iii. 7; Yoma 19b). Nor is an echo referred to in the dispute between the schools of Shammai and Hillel as to whether a woman may marry if a Bat Ḳol has been heard saying that her husband is dead (compare Yeb. 122a; Tosef., Nazir. i. 1). As Rashi remarked in his commentary (compare Lippman Heller, in "Tosafot Yom-Ṭob" to Yeb. xvi. 6), the Bat Ḳol here is more probably the same as when a voice is heard and no man is seen. A parallel is afforded in the case of Paul, when he heard a voice saying: " Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? . . . And the men which journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing a voice, but seeing no man" (Acts ix. 4, 7; compare xxii. 7, 9; xxvi. 14). On this account Bat Ḳol was called a voice which is heard behind the back (Meg. 32a). The same idea is expressed in Rev. i. 10: "And I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet." In the Greek there is no adequate expression for Bat Ḳol [unless the φημαὶ μαντικί in Sophocles' "Œdipus," 723, are comparable; see S. Louis, in "Trans. of Soc. for Biblical Archeology," ix. 182 et seq.—K.]; consequently the New Testament renders it by φωνή, but not by ἠχώ [see Matt. iii. 17; Mark i. 11; Luke iii. 22; and John xii. 28: φωνὴ ἐκ τοῦ οὐρανοῦ ("a voice from heaven"); Matt. xvii. 5; Mark ix. 7; and Luke ix. 35: "a voice out of the cloud"; Acts x. 13, 15: "a voice"; compare Lightfoot to Matt. iii. 17—K.].
According to the Talmud (Yer. Soṭah ix. 24b; compare Tosef., Soṭah, xiii. 5) the high priest Johanan hears a Bat Ḳol in the sanctuary; according to Josephus ("Ant." xiii. 10, § 3), he hears a φωνή.A Voice.
The expression
The characteristic attributes of the Bat Ḳol are the invisibility of the speaker and a certain remarkable quality in the sound, regardless of its strength or weakness. A sound proceeding from some invisible source was considered a heavenly voice, since the revelation on Sinai was given in that way: "Ye heard the voice of the words, but saw no similitude;only ye heard a voice" (Deut. iv. 12). God reveals Himself to man through his organs of hearing, not through those of sight. Even Ezekiel, who sees many visions, "heard a voice of one that spake" (Ezek. i. 28); Elijah recognized God by a "still, small voice," and a voice addressed him (I Kings xix. 12, 13; compare Job iv. 16); sometimes God's voice rang from the heights, from Jerusalem, from Zion (Ezek. i. 25; Jer. xxv. 30; Joel iv. 16, 17; Amos i. 2, etc.); and His voice was heard in the thunder and in the roar of the sea.Quality of the Bat Ḳol.
The Bat Ḳol was loud or soft according to circumstances; but the quality of the tone was peculiar. Rab said: "God roars like a lion, and says: 'Wo unto the children on whose account I have destroyed My house, and burnt My Temple, and whom I have dispersed among the nations.'" Jose entered a ruin at Jerusalem and encountered there the prophet Elijah, who asked him: "My son, what voice didst thou hear in the ruins?" He answered: "I heard a Bat Ḳol; it murmured like a dove (
When God wishes to announce harm, He uses the Bat Ḳol; but good proceeds from His own mouth (Targ. on Lam. iii. 38). Nebuchadnezzar hears a Bat Ḳol which sounds like the shout of a nation (Ex. R. xxx. 20). When Moses died, a Bat Ḳol rang through the camp of twelve square miles and proclaimed: "Moses is dead!" (Sifre ii. 357; Soṭaḥ 13b, below, etc.).
Josephus in telling the portents of the destruction of the Temple says ("B. J." vi. 5, § 3; compare Rev. xix. 1, 6): "Moreover, at that feast which we call Pentecost, as the priests were going by night into the inner [court of the] Temple, as their custom was, to perform their sacred ministrations, they said that in the first place they felt a quaking, and heard a noise, and after that they heard a sound as of a great multitude, saying, 'Let us remove hence.'"
Ḥullin 59b tells of the great strength of God's voice. From these passages it is evident that the strength of the Bat Ḳol was adapted to circumstances, as the divine word of the Ten Commandments on Sinai was spoken with a strength that adapted itself to children, youths, etc. (Tan. on Deut., in Grünhut, "Liḳḳuṭim," v. 111b, 112a: "The word called from heaven"). The original conception undoubtedly was that the heavenly voice whispered or chirped, as is indicated by the expression which Isaiah (viii. 19; compare x. 14, xxix. 4, xxxviii. 14) uses in regard to the veiled voice of the familiar spirit, and several times in regard to the Bat Ḳol.Parallel Instances.
A Bat Ḳol could come from under the earth and from the nether world, and is heard on heights (Targ. Yer. Num. xxi. 6). Since such sounds supposedly came from the spirit world, Jewish monotheism could conceive of it as springing only from heaven, from the Holy Spirit, from angels, or from God Himself. All nations regarded such sounds as the voices of spirits (Tylor, "Primitive Culture," i. 469; Blau, "Altjüdisches Zauberwesen," p. 65, n. 2). The troubled mind, the soul in despair, would hear sounds promising comfort in sorrow and misfortune. The Arabs tell of a voice, "hâtif," which calls to lost travelers in the wilderness. The "munadi," a similar voice, came in the solitude of night to the Persian poet Nizami when discontented with his lot (Bacher, "Leben und Werke Nizamis," p. 11; Goldziher, "Abhandlungen zur Arabischen Philologie," i. 6).
As shown by the name, this heavenly voice was often considered divine. In the course of the narrative in Ber. 3a, "God" is put instead of "Bat Ḳol"; and not infrequently God, when using the Bat Ḳol, is represented as speaking in the first person. Sometimes Bat Ḳol is identified with the Holy Spirit. In Sifra, Lev. x. 5 (ed. Weiss, 46a), it is the Holy Spirit which speaks; while in Ker. 5b and Hor. 12a, which give the same account, it is the Bat Ḳol. "At three courts of justice the Holy Spirit beamed forth: at the courts of Shem, of Samuel, and of Solomon. At the first a Bat Ḳol cried: 'She [Tamar] hath been more righteous than I' (Gen. xxxviii. 26); at the second: 'I am a witness' (Mak. 23b, referring to I Sam. xii. 5); and at the third: 'She is the mother'" (I Kings iii. 27; Mak. 23b; Gen. R. xii., lxxxv. et seq.).Voice of the Holy Spirit.
The Bat Ḳol usually makes its announcements by means of a passage from the Law or the Scriptures; and, to judge from the instances that are related, it was heard oftenest in Biblical times, when the Holy Spirit rested upon the chosen people. At the death of Moses a Bat Ḳol was heard saying: "Fear thou not, Moses! I myself will care for thy burial" (Deut. R., end). When R. Bannaa visited the graves of the Patriarchs, and wished also to see Adam's grave, a Bat Ḳol called out: "Thou hast seen the likeness of My image, but My image thou mayest not see" (B. B. 58a). When Israel at Sinai said: "We will do and we will hear" (Ex. xxiv. 7, Hebrew), a Bat Ḳol called out: "Who has revealed to My children the secret which the angels alone possessed"; that is, to do before hearing (Shab. 88a; compare Soṭah 10b).Bat Ḳol and Prophecy.
From the foregoing it is evident that the Bat Ḳol was identified with the Holy Spirit, even with God; but it differed essentially from the Prophets, though these spoke as the medium of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit rested upon the Prophets, and the intercourse was personal and intimate; while those that heard the Bat Ḳol stood in no relation whatever to the Holy Spirit. The Prophets again possessed the Holy Spirit; but the Bat Ḳol could not be possessed: God spoke through it as He did through the Prophets. For this reason the Bat Ḳol addressed not only favored mortals, but sinners, individuals, or multitudes, within or without the Holy Land (B. M. 86a; B. B. 73b, 74b). It revealed the higher Will, not in the unintelligible speech of the Christian gift of tongues, but in perfectly intelligible words. "After the death of the last three prophets, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi, the Holy Spirit departed from Israel; but the Bat Ḳol was yet heard" (Tos., Soṭah, xiii. 2, where
According to rabbinical tradition, the Bat Ḳol coexisted with prophecy; that is, at a time when the Holy Spirit rested upon Israel, as well as at other times. When Abraham was beset with doubt as to whether Isaac had not been rejected because he was unworthy to be sacrificed, a Bat Ḳol quieted him with Eccl. ix. 7 (Lev. R. xx. 2). When Esau thought that his father would soon die, a Bat Ḳol proclaimed: "The hide of many a foal has served to cover its dam" (Gen. R. lxvii. 8; compare Pes. 173a and the parallel passage, Sanh. 52a, where the words are quoted as the saying of men,
When the men of the Great Synagogue counted Solomon among those kings who would not have a portion in the life to come, flames flashed forth out of the Holy of Holies, and then a Bat Ḳol uttered the words of Prov. xxii. 29: but they did not harken to this; nor did they abandon their resolution until the Bat Ḳol repeated Job xxxiv. 33 (Yer. Sanh. 29b; Num. R. xiv., beginning, and parallels). It happened that the high priest, John Hyrcanus, heard a voice from the Holy of Holies, announcing that the youths who had proceeded against Antioch had obtained a victory; the hour was noted; and it transpired later that the victory had been won at that very hour (Tosef., Soṭah, xiii. 5 and parallel passages; Josephus, "Ant." xiii. 10, § 3). A remarkable parallel to this story is afforded by the legend on the martyrdom of Polycarp: it is said that on the day and at the hour that he suffered death at Smyrna, Irenæus, who was at Rome, heard a voice like a trumpet proclaiming: "Polycarp has become a martyr" (Weimel, "Die Wirkungen des Geistes und der Geister,"p. 166, Freiburg-in-Breisgau, 1899). Once Herod heard a Bat Ḳol saying that fortune should attend every slave who would then rise in rebellion against his master; thereupon he destroyed the house of the Hasmoneans (B. B. 3a). In four cases the Temple-court itself called out against or in favor of the priests ministering in the Temple (Pes. 57a). When Jonathan ben Uzziel translated the Scriptures into Aramaic, a Bat Ḳol cried: "Who reveals My secrets to My children?" And when he was about to translate the Hagiographa, it cried: "Let this suffice, lest he betray the time of the Messiah" (Meg. 3a). A Bat Ḳol announced that the legal norm should be established according to the views of the school of Hillel in cases in which they conflicted with those of the school of Shammai (Yer. Ber. 3b, below and elsewhere). But the Tosefta on the same question (Yeb. i., end; 'Eduy. ii. 3) does not mention a Bat Ḳol. When a Bat Ḳol called out that the views of Rabbi Eliezer should be adopted, R. Joshua declared: "The Torah is not in heaven; we pay no heed to the Bat Ḳol." That is to say, the Bat Ḳol deserved no consideration in giving legal decisions (Yer. Ḥag. lxxxi. 11; Bab. B. M. 59b; Ḥul. 44a, and frequently elsewhere). Hillel devoted his life to study of the Law, while his brother Shebna, who was engaged in business, supported him, thinking they should share as well everything in common in the life to come; but a Bat Ḳol called out (Cant. viii. 7): "If a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned" (Soṭah 21a). "Every day," says Rab (see Bacher, "Die Agada der Babylonischen Amoräer," p. 11, note 58), "a Bat Ḳol resounds from Mt. Horeb, proclaiming: 'Wo unto man, that he neglects the Law!'" (Ab. vi. 2). A Bat Ḳol announces: "The whole world is fed because of the merit of My son, Ḥanina; and he himself is content with a peck of locustbeans from one Friday to another" (Ber. 17b, etc.). While a heretic was with the patriarch Judah, a Bat Ḳol called out: "To pronounce the benedictions of the grace after meals is worth as much as forty gold dinars" (Ḥul. 87a). A Bat Ḳol proclaims daily: "This and this maid, this and this house, this and this field, are destined for such and such a man" (Soṭah 2a, etc.). Simon ben Yoḥai and his son had hidden themselves for thirteen years in a cave. When they came out, everything on which they turned their eyes took fire, and a Bat Ḳol called to them: "Have ye come out in order to destroy My world?" When Simon was once watching a bird-catcher, he heard a Bat Ḳol saying, as each bird passed: "Let this bird be caught; let this bird go free"; and the bird was caught or allowed to escape accordingly (Shab. 33b; Yer. Sheb. ix. 1, p. 39d, and elsewhere. In later sources the legend is changed).Psychological Basis.
From these examples it is evident that the Bat Ḳol was heard under various conditions—in the interest of a whole nation or of a favored individual; either as a plaintive cry or as a voice of admonition. As a rule, the accounts are merely embellishments of the Biblical narrative: at times they are clearly legendary in character. The question arises whether the Bat Ḳol was not a psychological fact, especially in those cases in which it was repeated by the person who actually heard it. The psychological possibility must be admitted in cases where the imagination may have been stimulated by the solitude of a desert or of ruins, or by the impressiveness of the mountain where God gave His revelation; or again by the overwhelming consciousness of sin, or, when face to face with death, that great mystery of man's existence. An inner voice may have made itself heard. The same is the case when the voice of the national and religious conviction impelled leaders of the people, men beloved and almost worshiped by their fellows, to a martyr's death. Thus the prominent Talmud teacher Elisha ben Abuya, who became an apostate, told his favorite pupil, R. Meïr, that once, when the Day of Atonement fell on a Sabbath and he was violating both, a voice behind the sanctuary whispered to him: "Let every sinner return to Me except Elisha, who knows Me and yet sins against Me" (Yer. Ḥag. 77b, near end; Bab. Ḥag. 13b; Ruth R. on iii. 13; Eccl. R. on vii. 8).Bat Ḳol and Death.
Supernatural phenomena are also accompanied by a Bat Ḳol. Thus Johanan related: "Once, when on a ship, we saw a chest of gems and diamonds in the water surrounded by fish. When a man sprang into the sea to get it, a sea-monster was about to swallow half of him; but he drove it away with vinegar. A Bat Ḳol then resounded, saying: 'What dost thou want with the chest in which the wife of Ḥanina ben Dosa keeps the purple which the pious will wear in the future world?'" Rabba bar bar Ḥana, among his many mythical stories, relates that he saw from a ship a bird standing only ankle-deep in water. When the travelers wanted to cool themselves in the sea, a Bat Ḳol called out: "Seven years ago a carpenter's ax fell into the water and has not yet reached bottom!" Rabba bar bar Ḥana also tells of a Bat Ḳol he heard in the wilderness at Mt. Sinai saying: "Wo is Me that I have sworn to send Israel into exile!" (B. B. 73b, 74a, 74b.) R. Perida having taught his pupil one thing four hundred times, a Bat Ḳol called to him to choose between two rewards for his patience; and God Himself proclaimed that he should receive both ('Er. 74b). When Joshua ben Levi wrested the knife from the Angel of Death, the dying man heard a Bat Ḳol saying: "Give it back to him; for mankind needs it" (Ket. 77b). When Judah I. lay in the agonies of death, a Bat Ḳol said, in the words of Isa. lvii. 2: "He shall enter into peace!" (Ket. 104a and elsewhere.) The Sabbath was violated for his burial; but excepting a laundryman who had failed to do him honor, those present were comforted by a Bat Ḳol that assured to all a portion in the life to come. When, in consequence of this, the laundryman threw himself from a balcony, the Bat Ḳol was again heard, saying that even the laundryman was assured of a portion in the life to come (Yer. Kil. ix. 3, 32b).
When R. Jose b. R. Eleazar died, a serpent at the mouth of his father's grave prevented the burial, until a Bat Ḳol declared: "The father was no greater than the son!" As Rabba bar Naḥmani expired, he muttered "Clean! Clean!" and a Bat Ḳol called out: "Happy art thou, Rabba bar Naḥmani, clean is thy body, clean thy soul!" At Pumbedita slipsfell from the skies, bearing the words, "Rabba bar Naḥmani has been called away," etc. A Bat Ḳol went forth and exclaimed: "Wo! wo! Samuel, son of R. Isaac, is dead!" (B. M. 85a, 86a; Yer. 'Ab. Zarah 42c.) Simeon ben Laḳish marked the graves of the rabbis, but could not find R. Ḥiyya's. When he grieved over this, feeling that he had not so keen an intellect as R. Ḥiyya, a Bat Ḳol said: "Thou art as keen of intellect as he; but thou hast not spread the Torah as he did" (B. M. 85b; Yer. Kil. 32b, below, does not mention a Bat Ḳol). Those who occupied themselves in mystic teachings heard a Bat Ḳol promising them great honor in the future world. Johanan b. Zakkai in a dream saw himself and his colleagues on Mt. Sinai and heard a Bat Ḳol there (Yer. Ḥag. 77a, below; Bab. Ḥag. 14b). When a drought drove the inhabitants of Palestine to despair, and R. Eliezer's prayers did not bring rain, while Akiba's did, the rabbis believed there must be some stain upon R. Eliezer's character; but they heard a Bat Ḳol saying: "Akiba is not a greater man than Eliezer, but less severe" (Ta'anit 25b).
A Bat Ḳol was often heard at the death of a martyr. In the story of the mother with her seven sons a Bat Ḳol exclaimed, "A joyful mother of children!" Ps. cxiii. 9; Giṭ. 57b, below.) A Bat Ḳol blamed Bar Kokba when he killed Eliezer of Modi'in (Yer. Ta'anit 68a, below). When at Bar Kokba's rebellion Ḥanina ben Teradion was horribly burned, a Bat Ḳol called out: "Ḥanina and the one Roman who made his death easy are destined to the future life" ('Ab. Zarah 18a, and elsewhere, but a Bat Ḳol is not mentioned in Sifre ii. 357). R. Akiba suffered a dreadful death—his flesh was torn from his body with brazen tongs. And as with his last breath he said the final words of the Jewish confession of faith, "The Lord is one," a Bat Ḳol came forth and said: "Hail to thee, R. Akiba, that thy soul left thee with the word 'One.'" Then the angels protested, saying: "Is this the Torah and this its reward?" Whereupon God replied: "They have their portion in the life to come"; and a Bat Ḳol again resounded and said: "Hail to thee, Akiba, thou art destined for eternity!" (Ber. 61b; two other instances in 'Ab. Zarah 10b, below, and 17a.) When a Roman official prevented the execution of R. Gamaliel II. by offering his own life, the deed was proclaimed by a Bat Ḳol (Ta'anit 29a). The Bat Ḳol spoke to two later conquerors of Judea as it had once spoken to Nebuchadnezzar. When Titus returned to Rome, after the destruction of the Temple, the sea was stormy, and he remarked that the God of Israel is strong only upon the waters, whereupon a Bat Ḳol said to him: "Blasphemer and son of a blasphemer, I possess an insignificant little creature, a midge; take it with thee to the land." And the midge penetrated through his nose into his brain (Giṭ. 57b). Hadrian wanted to plumb the ocean: for three and a half years he tied ropes together until finally he heard a Bat Ḳol telling him to desist (Midr. Teh. xciii. 418b).Later Views.
In later times, the Bat Ḳol is heard in the synagogue when the devotion lacks harmoniousness; and it proclaims, in the words of the Song of Songs, "Flee away, my beloved," addressing the Shekinah (Cant. R. to viii. 14). Regarding the nature of the Bat Ḳol it is said (Meg. 32a) that it sounds like a man's voice when heard in the city, and like a woman's in the desert; that it repeats words, like "Yea, yea," and "Nay, nay." According to Soṭah 33a, it was taken to be the voice of angels, particularly of Gabriel, who knows all the world's seventy languages. (See Rashi: "The divine power ["middah"] residing in the Bat Ḳol makes its announcements in each language according as circumstances demand.") Maimonides ("Moreh," ii. 42; see commentaries) compares it with the voice of the angel heard by Hagar or by Manoah and his wife, it being a degree of prophecy. The same view is also expressed by Judah ha-Levi, in "Cuzari," iii. 11, 41, 73; Naḥmanides, Ex. xxviii. 30; Baḥya ben Asher to Deut. xxxviii. 7; Tosafot Sanh. 11a explains the Bat Ḳol as the sound of a voice issuing from heaven, whence the name "the daughter of the voice" (compare Lippman Heller to Yeb. xvi. 6). In apocalyptic literature, the Bat Ḳol is a special being whose function it is to lead the song of the celestial beings in praise of the Most High around His throne (see Jellinek, "B. H." ii. 45). Concerning a kind of Bat Ḳol which, in view of its aims, falls into the category of omens, see Augury.
- H. Chajes, in Orient, vi. 345, 347;
- Allgemeine Zeitung des Judenthums, 1845, pp. 345 et seq.;
- W. Wessely, in Basch's Jahrbuch, 1844, iii. 227 et seq.;
- A. Kohut, Aruch Completum, iii. 212;
- Hamburger, R. B. T. ii. 92;
- F. Weber, System der Altsynagogalen Palästinensischen Theologie, pp. 187, 194;
- S. Louis, Ancient Traditions of Supernatural Voices: Bath Ḳol, in Trans. Soc. Biblical Archœology, ix. 18;
- Pinner, Talmud Babli, Berakhoth, pp. 22-24, where a list of all Talmudical and Midrashic passages is given;
- Bacher, Agada der Tannaiten, i. 88, note 3;
- Agada der Palästinensischen Amoröer, i. 351, note 3, ii. 26;
- and indexes to Bacher's Agada der Tannaiten, ii. and Agada der Palästinensischen Amoräer, i., ii., iii.


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You have searched the internet far and wide for the perfect house. The bummer is, you won't be able to go check it out in person. You just need have someone go look at it real quick!
Our Scout will tour the home and FaceTime you or take up to 50 photos of the exterior and interior of the home. Email or text you the photos, answer your questions and give you the facts you need to make the best decision and protect yourself.


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The well being of your parents is a concern for every child, especially as they age. If you're concerned for the health or safety of your loved ones, the first solution that comes to mind may be bringing your parents to live at home with you. This scenario doesn't work for all families. It's up to you to determine whether your aging loved one would benefit from outside assistance, either in their own home or from assisted living care. This article discusses the signs that your parents may need assisted living care or alternative options.
There is no one special sign that indicates your parents are struggling to care for themselves—sometimes all it takes is a gut check. The two main indicators that your parents are struggling are the condition of their house or home, and their own personal health.
Assisted living care, or an assisted living care alternative may be a good option if you notice a decline in the condition of your parent's home—a sure sign they need help. Check for cleanliness and upkeep—is your loved one's house in the same condition it's always been in? Check the fridge to ensure there's enough food and it's unspoiled. Look over the house for unsafe spaces—are all handrails secure, are rugs worn and sliding, are there any areas of the bathroom, kitchen, or bedroom that could cause a fall?
Assisted living care or an assisted living care alternative should also be an option if you notice a physical decline in your parent or loved one's health—how he or she is moving around the house. You don't have to be a doctor to realize that your loved one's health may be failing. If it is, you should be concerned and consult with your loved one's physician.
Also consider the home layout—stairs can be a hazard for older folks. If you have the opportunity to install or remodel or repurpose your home to include a full bathroom and bedroom on the first floor, do so. Other simple changes include changing door handles to levers, making it easier to get in and out.
Despite difficulties, most elderly folks prefer to stay in the comfort of their home as they age or choose alternatives to assisted living facilities. Home care, or senior home care are excellent alternatives. Community services (house cleaning, medical intervention), emotional support, assistance with every day tasks , social stimulation, and meal preparation services are provided by home care aides. These caregivers are available to provide in elderly care 24 hours a day to allow elderly individuals remain in their own homes and improve the quality of their lives. Learn more about how an individualized elderly care program can improve the life and health of your loved one.
Other Articles
I so appreciate all you did for my mom and me the last week of her life. It was so reassuring to know she was well taken care of when I could not be there. Mike, you went above and beyond! Being there when my Mom passed was a great comfort. I will never forget you guys!
I so appreciate all you did for my mom and me the last week of her life. It was so reassuring to know she was well taken care of when I could not be there. Mike, you went above and beyond! Being there when my Mom passed was a great comfort. I will never forget you guys!


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What you need to know before you go
The principality of Monaco is famed as a place where the rich and famous gather for a luxurious holiday on the French Riviera. Despite being the 2nd smallest nation in the world, there are plenty of casinos, designer shopping malls, opulent beach clubs, and world-famous resorts dotted all over this city state.
Monaco also has a rich history. Check out medieval landmarks like Monaco-Ville, Palais Princier, and Monaco Cathedral, along with museums such as the Oceanographic Museum and Aquarium. You can enjoy warm climate for most of the year, though the best time to visit Monaco is in early autumn, when the summer crowds have dissipated and hotel rates are lower.
Monaco - vinsælustu áfangastaðirnirHvert ferðu næst?
Monte Carlo City Centre
Monte-Carlo is a tiny district of Monaco, but attracts plenty with its stunning sea views, world-class shopping, gourmet dining, and exciting nightlife. Monte-Carlo Casino attracts those looking to test their luck at its opulent gambling rooms, while the Monaco Opera House regularly hosts international performances.
If you're travelling with kids, Monte-Carlo's quieter side can be felt at family-friendly museums and botanical gardens. Check out Musée Océanographique's extensive collection of sea creatures, models of Prince Albert's laboratory ships, and live aquatic shows. Jardin Exotique is a large botanical garden with thousands of rare plants from around the world.Lesa meira
Monaco - Vinsælt núnaHelstu sögur og fleira skemmtilegt
Byrjaðu að skipuleggja ferðina þína
Europe - einnig vinsælt á svæðinu
Skoðaðu meira
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- England
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Iceland
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Malta
- Monaco
- Montenegro
- Netherlands
- Northern Ireland
- Norway
- Poland
- Portugal
- Russia
- Scotland
- Serbia
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Turkey
- United Kingdom
- Wales


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The Inmates Are Running the Asylum, published in 1998, introduced the use of personas as a practical interaction design tool. Based on the single-chapter discussion in that book, personas rapidly gained popularity in the software industry due to their unusual power and effectiveness. Had personas been developed in the laboratory, the full story of how they came to be would have been published long ago, but since their use developed over many years in both my practice as a software inventor and architectural consultant and the consulting work of Cooper designers, that is not the case. Since Inmates was published, many people have asked for the history of Cooper personas, and here it is.
In their book, Fire in the Valley, authors Paul Freiberger and Mike Swaine, credit me with writing the "first serious business software for microcomputers" as far back as 1975. Like so much software of the time, it was terribly hard to use, and its real power was in demonstrating that making software easy to use was harder than everyone thought. Despite my commitment to making software more user-friendly, it wasn't until 1983 and about 15 major business and personal applications later that I began to develop a more effective approach.
I was writing a critical-path project management program that I called "Plan*It." Early in the project, I interviewed about seven or eight colleagues and acquaintances who were likely candidates to use a project management program. In particular, I spoke at length with a woman named Kathy who worked at Carlick Advertising. Kathy's job was called "traffic," and it was her responsibility to assure that projects were staffed and staffers fully utilized. It seemed a classic project management task. Kathy was the basis for my first, primitive, persona.
In 1983, compared to what we use today, computers were very small, slow, and weak. It was normal for a large program the size of Plan*It to take an hour or more just to compile in its entirety. I usually performed a full compilation at least once a day around lunchtime. At the time I lived in Monterey, California, near the classically beautiful Old Del Monte golf course. After eating, while my computer chugged away compiling the source code, I would walk the golf course. From my home near the ninth hole, I could traverse almost the entire course without attracting much attention from the clubhouse. During those walks I designed my program.
As I walked, I would engage myself in a dialogue, play-acting a project manager, loosely based on Kathy, requesting functions and behavior from my program. I often found myself deep in those dialogues, speaking aloud, and gesturing with my arms. Some of the golfers were taken aback by my unexpected presence and unusual behavior, but that didn't bother me because I found that this play-acting technique was remarkably effective for cutting through complex design questions of functionality and interaction, allowing me to clearly see what was necessary and unnecessary and, more importantly, to differentiate between what was used frequently and what was needed only infrequently.
Plan*It was eventually sold to Computer Associates and released to the public as SuperProject, which became a critical and commercial success. For several years it was the dominant project management program for personal computers, and its design is the model for today's market leading product from Microsoft: Project.
Another product I designed using a similar technique was a visual programming language code-named "Ruby." I eventually sold Ruby to Bill Gates, who married it to his QuickBASIC language to create Visual Basic, the paradigm-defining product that presented an old language in a revolutionary new way. I designed it for a single user loosely modeled after an IT Manager working at Bank of America's world headquarters in Concord, California.
In 1990, instead of creating another program, I offered my software design experience to my colleagues as a consultant for the first time. I quickly learned that consulting is quite different from entrepreneurial invention. Previously, I just built what I thought was right. Now I found that I had to persuade my clients before they would follow my lead or see the benefits of my ideas. This imperative for communication eventually impelled me to formalize the notion of personas.
In 1995 I was working with the three founders of Sagent Technologies, pioneers in the field of what is now called "Business Intelligence" software. During discussions with them regarding interaction design for their product, I found myself continually engaged in a circular dialogue. I would ask them for a specific example of how someone would use their program. The answer would invariably follow this characteristic pattern: "Well, someone could create a crosstab of sales information…but it could be a chart, or if it were marketing data they could present it as a table. They could do anything!" It was almost impossible for those brilliant, logical programmers to conceive of a single use of their product when it was obviously capable of so many uses. In frustration I demanded to be introduced to their customers.
At the time, the company was new, and the product wasn't yet released, but the founders had well-established business relationships from three previous companies. Alice Blair, Sagent's head of product marketing, took me on a tour of a half-dozen or so of their intended clients. One of them was a financial analyst for a large university. One was a marketing analyst for a software firm. Some were computer savvy and some were not. I asked them open-ended questions to learn about their jobs and what they were trying to achieve by studying these large quantities of data. Even though the variation among the users was dramatic, a clear pattern emerged after just a few interviews. The users fell into three distinct groups, clearly differentiated by their goals, tasks, and skill levels. Had I been creating the software myself, I would have role-played those users as I had with Ruby and SuperProject, but in this case I had to describe those user models to the Sagent team. So I created Chuck, Cynthia, and Rob. These three were the first true, Goal-Directed, personas.
Chuck was an analyst who used ready-built templates and reports. Cynthia was an analyst, too, and she used similar ready-built templates. But Cynthia also wrote her own templates, which she gave to Chuck to use. Rob was the IT manager who supported both Rob and Cynthia. He could optimize Cynthia's templates, but he would never originate or use them.
At the next group meeting, I presented my designs from the points of view of Chuck, Cynthia, and Rob instead of from my own. The results were dramatic. While there was still resistance to this unfamiliar method, the programmers could clearly see the sense in my designs because they could identify with these hypothetical archetypes. From then on, I always presented design work using one of the personas, and eventually even the Sagent engineers began to talk about "what Cynthia would do" or "whether Chuck could understand" some dialog box. When the product eventually came to market, its interface was clumsy in places, but it possessed a fundamentally clear, three-faced interaction structure: Chuck's interface allowed him to select and use ready-built templates and reports; Cynthia's interface allowed her to design and publish templates; and Rob's interface allowed him to optimize the performance of Cynthia's templates without altering their content or behavior. The product was so successful that it defined a new product segment. The company was a success, too, going public four years later.
The effectiveness of Chuck, Cynthia, and Rob as design tools for me and communication tools for the entire construction team was obvious and significant. I began to use personas in all of my design projects, as did the designers at Cooper. Over the next few years, we developed and perfected the technique. It became our secret interaction design weapon. Several people counseled me to keep the notion of personas a secret, arguing that it would give me a competitive advantage. But my reasoning went in the other direction. Personas were so simple, clear, and powerful that it seemed only a matter of time before other practitioners discovered the technique for themselves. When this happened, I would lose my competitive advantage anyway, but if I disclosed what I knew about personas, at least I could receive some credit for contributions to an industry that I loved. This is what prompted me to write about personas in Inmates.
The book was intended to alert managers to the problems inherent in designing software for use by non-engineers. It was never meant as a "how-to" book for interaction designers. However, at the time the practice of interaction design was relatively unknown, and my methods in particular were so unfamiliar, I felt it necessary to add some description of the Goal-Directed methodology. My goal was simply to demonstrate that there was indeed some substance to my method: that it was different, that it was effective, that it was real.
I'm tempted to say that personas are counter-intuitive, but it would be more accurate to say that they are counter-logical. I suspect that this is why they originated in practice rather than in the laboratory or in academia. If, responding to the directive design for the user, you follow logic, you tend to canvass the user community, collect their requests for functions, and then provide them a product containing all of those functions. I call this "the sum of all desired features." There is abundant empirical proof that this solution is only marginally effective at best. The problem is that while logic is a powerful and effective programming tool, it is a pathetically weak and inappropriate interaction design tool.
Many of my predecessors have employed ethnographic user research and created persona-like constructs to aid their designing. Product marketing professionals have also been using persona-like entities for many years to define demographic segments. But personas are unique and uniquely effective.
Personas, like all powerful tools, can be grasped in an instant but can take months or years to master. Interaction designers at Cooper spend weeks of study and months of practice before we consider them to be capable of creating and using personas at a professional level. Many practicing designers have used the brief 25-page description of personas in Inmates as a "Persona How-to" manual, but a complete "How-to" on personas has yet to be written. I hope someday that one of the very accomplished architects at Cooper will write that book because they have developed the technique to a degree of sophistication well beyond my seminal efforts. I look forward to contributing to it.
Want to learn about creating personas? Register for Cooper Professional Education's Design Research Techniques course.
Alan Cooper is the co-founder of Cooper and a pioneer of the modern computing era. He created the programming language Visual Basic and wrote industry-standard books on design practice like "About Face."


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Crehan Research Inc. is a market research and consulting firm
focused on data center switch, server and storage networking.
Crehan produces very detailed statistics and
high-quality data on these markets and their various
segments. This is supported with rich insights and
context, to deliver maximum value.
Combining solid quantitative research
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insights are founding tenants of
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Urban Renewal
Acrylic on textured canvas
This painting reminds me of the torn billboards along the highways in New Jersey.
The painting wraps around the sides of the 1.5" deep bars and does not need to be framed. It is wired and ready to hang as soon as it arrives at your home.
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For more information, please contact me
Original abstract painting
Texas Contemporary Abstract Artist
Filomena de Andrade Booth
Texas Contemporary Abstract Artist
Filomena de Andrade Booth
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Unlikely rookie comes through for Nationals
- Tyler Moore, a 16th-round draft pick, delivered a pinch-hit, two-run single for the Nationals
- Moore credited Nationals veterans for helping him stay calm in the pressure-packed moment
- Bryce Harper, the Nationals' more highly-touted rookie, went 0-for-5 in his first playoff game
ST. LOUIS -- A rookie stepped into the spotlight Sunday and delivered Washington's first postseason baseball victory in 79 years.
But it wasn't that rookie.
On a day when 19-year-old wunderkind center fielder Bryce Harper went 0-for-5 in his first playoff game, lower-profile Tyler Moore hit a two-run, pinch-hit single in the eighth inning to rally the Washington Nationals to a 3-2 win over the St. Louis Cardinals in Game 1 of the National League Division Series at Busch Stadium.
Moore is pretty much an unknown outside of the nation's capital — no, he isn't related to Mary Tyler Moore — but he gave the Nationals a leg up in Washington's first postseason appearance since the Senators lost to the New York Giants in the 1933 World Series. Washington was without a team from 1972 to 2004 after the Senators moved to Texas and before the Montreal Expos moved to the nation's capital.
Game 2 of the best-of-five series is set for 4:30 p.m. ET Monday. Moore ensured Washington will play host to at least two playoff games this postseason with his timely hit.
"He's got a great future," Nationals manager Davey Johnson said of Moore, chosen in the 16th round of the 2008 draft. "All of my young guys have done a great job."
Trailing 2-1, the Nationals' winning rally began when Cardinals shortstop Pete Kozma committed an error that enabled Mike Morse to reach base.
With two outs and two men on, Johnson used Chad Tracy as a pinch-hitter for winning pitcher Ryan Mattheus. Cardinals manager Mike Matheny countered by bringing in left-hander Marc Rzepczynski, so Johnson sent up Moore.
Playing time was scarce for Moore in his rookie season as he was stuck behind first baseman Adam LaRoche, who had 33 homers and 100 RBI, and Morse, the left fielder.
But he found a comfort level among the many seasoned Nationals and did not shy away from his big moment Sunday.
"Mark DeRosa and the other veteran guys on the bench help me out, going through the pitchers and letting me know what can happen," Moore said. "It's helped me keep my heart rate down and just come up and try to put the ball in play."


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Department of Human Evolution
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Deutscher Platz 6
04103 Leipzig
phone: +49 (341) 3550 - 350
fax: +49 (0341) 3550 - 399
e-mail: streiber@[>>> Please remove the brackets! <<<]eva.mpg.de
Michael Hein
Doctoral Student
Max Planck Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology
Department of Human Evolution
Deutscher Platz 6
04103 Leipzig Germany
phone: 0049 (0) 341 3550 382
email: michael_hein@[>>> Please remove the brackets! <<<]eva.mpg.de
Research Interests
- Soil Science
- Geomorphology
- Luminescence Dating
- Geoarchaeology
- Periglacial Sedimentology
- Human-Environmental Interactions since the Neolithic
- Palaeoecology
I am a doctoral student at the Department of Human Evolution. Being trained as a physical geographer, my research interests lie in the fields of soil geography, geomorphology, and (palaeo)landscape ecology. For my thesis, I am trying to figure out how the natural environment during the Weichselian (especially MIS 5 to MIS 3) may have influenced the selection of occupational sites in the Middle Palaeolithic. Thus, in my case studies, I am working on different open-air sites across the European plain and in different geomorphic systems with fluvial, eolian, slope, and lake sediments. With the use of luminescence dating and numerous palaeoenvironmental proxies (grain size, XRF, leaf waxes, pollen) in combination with comprehensive geomorphological and GIS mappings, my aim is to decipher the pull factors for Middle Palaeolithic occupation on a landscape scale. These factors may have been access to raw material, water and nutritional sources, as well as microclimatically or hydrologically favourable locations. In close cooperation with local archaeologists, this could result in predictive models helping to identify the positions of hitherto unknown open-air sites.


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