text:
- Ishika Ghose
- Kolkata , West Bengal
- India
This conversation is closed.
Medicine is NOT an industry. The industrialisation of medicine should stop
The "industrialisation" of medicine is a recent phenomenon.
It has resulted in:
1. Unrealistic expectations of those who can afford it or have access to it.
2. It has taken away from providing "basic affordable" health care to millions and concentrated on "state-of-the-art" for a few.
3. It has diverted both medical teaching and medical practise from basic conversations with a patient to a series of "tests and investigations" which more often than not are designed to help those who "possess the equipment"
4. It has resulted in virtually complete loss of faith, between the treated and the treating , more litigation, paper work and time spent "covering every eventuality" as doctors
5. Like super-markets the "hospital chains" have taken common sense and good food away from local shops and farmers markets to concrete and glass structures where the "shopper" is bewildered and ends up spending more than she/he needs.
We need to understand that the vast majority of us do NOT need expensive, state-of-the-art medical care. We do not need to pay vast amounts of money to "insure" ourselves and neither do we need to pay vast amounts of money to live.
We need to make 80 % of medical care a 'corner-shop" , non-litigious, relationship of trust between doctor and patient.
We should try and stop the uncontrolled proliferation/continuation of the "medical hypermarket". and its attendant "industries --pharmaceutical, device manufacturing, medical tourism - and go back to the basics.
Jun 9 2012: Hi Ishika,
It seems the debate is losing momentum. However, as time runs out I can't help make yet one more comment. We have discussed enough about the problems. Now about the solution(s). None , so far I can see. The simple reason being the hypocrisy is not limited to the 'medical industry'. The whole community as in West Bengal, India is a consortium of incompetence and corruption- whatever the field, whatever the profession. Patients would criticise and yet go to the same health care facility again and again. They make it up by explointing society in their own domain. So eveybody has his/her revenge in his/her own way and feel that they have somehow reached an equilibrium. We,you and I have failed to show reason to a handful of colleagues in our own hospital setup. Won't you agree that it's impossible in this era of socio-political degeneration to teach people right from wrong?
Does't that also explain the very few responses to your initiative on this forum?
I have escaped it in my own way. I advise others to escape West Bengal and India- the chances of a slightly more honest world is there beyond the frontiers. Over and out. ByeMay 31 2012: Hi Ishika,
I'm at it once more. The health care industry is quite akin to the war industry! Paradoxical though it might seem. And of couse here too the US leads the world. It's business at its best. Let's have a war any part of the world, or should I say the Universe and the US is at the helm of affairs. If you don't have war the huge money that's been invested in the manufacture of weapons gets locked. So a good turn over needs a good war. A good war gives you plenty of patients and plenty patients need plenty medicines and the MNCs have a field day! America is the only country in the history of mankind which ensured that fighter planes drop bombs at night and loaves in the morning over the same war zone. And we all learn from the US. No sarcasm there. We all depend on American text books, American universities are real good and most of all it's a country where individual freedom gets its maximum meaning.
The health industry thrives on a similar pattern. See all the free camps conducted by the corporate hospitals- it's a big fishing net to bring in the catch from the suburbs. Philanthropy at its wicked best. Put in a stent in a patient of IHD who is 72 and save his heart; withholding the fact that he also has renal cancer and would have only 1/2 to 1 year to live. Business thrives. Accolades rain down on co-operative docs. Some retire with a national award like Padmasree. I know of at least 2 such illustrious crooks who let all the surgeries be done by their juniors simply because they were no good at them themselves, and retired with garlands and Padmasree.
So how do we tackle such an avalanche of corruption? With globalis
ation the whole world is at it. Marches, Walks and Meetings don't take you very far. Gandhian principles of non co-operation is very outdated in this techno-savvy world. So I have got my own small shell where from I continue to practise Pediatrics freelance -the rest of the world can become a
Great Corrupt Consortium. Bye.May 31 2012: Good morning Rhona
This debate I chose to start is not about any one individual. Not you positive or negative and not me with all my faults, my negativity my disappointments.
It is about what affects millions of people today.
To re-emphasise what I said before the issue in question is "What if you need medical treatment?". No matter how much you focus or take care of yourself there is a possibility that you may fall and injure yourself badly, you may be part of an accident which was somebody else's fault, you may be part of a disease epidemic just because of where you were there at a particular point in time. A child is born with a congenital malformation often for reasons unknown to parents who are perfectly healthy and have taken good care of themselves. That child "cannot focus" and has no negative or positive thoughts as regards its malformation. Can those parents "ignore the medical industry" ? They can if they choose not to do anything for that child. They can say "let this one go and we will have another". More often than not they seek medical help. What can we do for them sensibly without impoverishing them financially and emotionally?
The attitude of "I'm OK Jack" is something we can afford to indulge in, in times of peace and prosperity. While eminently desirable conditions they also bring out the most selfish aspects of human nature.
Thank you for your good wishes for "all I love". Unfortunately I choose to love the profession I chose and detest all that it has become. This debate centres around that. Not you, not me but all the people who have to be a part of it - often for no fault of theirs. It cannot be ignored.May 29 2012: Hi Ishika,
An afterthought:
"Greed" is an infectious disease, we know it. It's potentially more infectious than Varicella! And do we need a vaccine for this or not? But again we will need a pharmaceutical house to fund the research and get it in the market and allow them the patent. Back to square one are we?
I've started enjoying this debate. It's keeping away from my crime thrillers.
Real time crime is always so much more interesting!!
Good night.May 29 2012: Hi Ishika,
A few more thoughts to share:
1. A medical college hospital would give one a floor bed if one happens to get admitted through the ER. Of course the filth, the flies and the stink comes free. And most survive, inspite of all these. But it's onty the people who don't have medical insurance who go to such facilities. And they are the teeming millions. The govt. gives two hoots about paying the doctors in health service a respectable salary by the current market standards, not taking into account the emergencies a doctor has to atted to and the nasty circumstances under which a doctor in a govt. hospital has to work. And the goons one has to face on duty as a doctor. We have had our share of this shit as residents, haven't we? Anyone in his/ her right mind and ability would refrain from joining the govt. health services as it is in West Bengal.
2. So the other alternative is the corporate hospitals. And all providing tertiary care! Even when you don't need any. They are simply "evil". They exploit the patients and the doctors simultaneously! Asked some of my colleagues in such set-ups and know for sure that they blackmail you to prescribe to their fiscal needs, take part of (1/3) of your earning as service charge or whatever head that suits them. A doctor is also goaded to arrange seminars/ CMEs with the sole purpose of influencing the community-practicing doctors to send over "their more difficult patients".To awe them, convince them,confuse them and ultimately corrupt them. So the corporate doctor acts the salesman for the hospital; either naively or with guile. In return the corporate house will organise TV interviews and put ads (with photographs) of the "faithful" doctor in the dailes!!. The ethics booklet we were handed over on getting our medical registration from the MCI clearly states that a doctor is not to advertise his practice on the media. But he isn't doing it, the corporate hospital is! "What a wonderful world".Don't fight it ,escape it! Bye
May 31 2012: Subhanu
Thank goodness there is TED to escape to! It is possible to be a part of either system and still not give in to it but it takes its own toll.
The one thing which keeps me going is the fact that you and I deal with children. When a child I treated as a babe, thought it would never make the grade ,walks into my outpatients three months/years down the line looking wonderful it just makes my day! Its one reason I keep going. The other is that paediatric surgery is so fascinating --almost every week I see something I have never seen before and it sends me rushing to the books and journals and internet. Stimulating. What other profession allows us this ? A life-long interest in the subject we chose.
I have opted out of the "industry". I refuse to opt out of what I chose as a profession. It is a philosophy more than it is a science - medicine.May 28 2012: Thank you, Ishika, for voicing what has become its own rampant 'disease' of corporate malfeasance and an afront to every citizen. I live in the USA, and the amount of construction for hospitals, medical facilities, and pharmaceutical companies offices in my area alone (Chicago) is in the multi-billions of dollars and of such opulence that no commercial company would dare build such edificies in this economy for fear of reprisal. This is just one facet of the problem that I see. Its much bigger, and more sinister of a problem, in my opinion.. I do not blame the practitioners.They are just as victimized by this 'disease' as the patients with obscene costs of liability insurance, over-testing for fear of litigations, and more and more incentive to be concerned for their own welfare rather than their patients. I believe you are not alone in your disgust of the evolution of the practice of medicine amongst your peers. We once had a thousand physicians/surgeons march on the state capital building because there were no qualified surgical trauma practitioners in the rural parts of the state (about 4/5) because they couldn't afford the required malpractice insurance and serve their communities. Doctors couldn't afford to serve! So who's running this catastrophe? Like the detectives say: Just follow the money.
May 29 2012: RH - you have put it so well "rampant disease of corporate malfeasance". I am going to use that.
I do not blame anyone - not industry for bringing yet another "profession/vocation" under its umbrella, not practitioners and not patients. What I think is that we should acknowledge the way we are going and change it. The dialogue has to start and it has to take on a momentum which in itself will force change - perhaps not in my life time but change.
As someone (I forget who), said "the majority are never right"!! Just because this is the way the majority are going in terms of health "care" does not mean that this is right.
Bring back those people, those thousand practitioners who marched on the state capital building!! Those are the people who we need to change current medical practise. People who care.
May 29 2012: I wish I were as kind as you. That's probably why you're the concerned type of doctor you seem to be. But I am trying. How to change it? For me, the problem is: outrageous cost. The way to combat high cost is to provide the same, or similar, service for less. But it's not that simple, is it? I have heard that many people have traveled to foreign countries for medical procedures because they're cheaper. If I run a medical providing service, that's bad news. The problem with that is most people are subjected to their insurance limitations and are not covered for foreign services. The cost of the foreign services are beyond most peoples ability to absorb such a one-time charge. So the 'market' becomes closed. This is 'good news' if I run a service. It limits competition. I can keep prices high, and insurance companies can continue to charge high fees because of the 'high prices' of service in a (effectively) closed market. Very 'fat' producing. There's also limited service providers because of the high cost of entry. There's limited alternative service providers because of medical/insurance/gov't collusion and the realities of the service being provided. On top of this, there's been a culture created that we must pay for 'Rolls Royce' quality - definitely in the best interest of the providors and evident by the style of medical facilities and providor facilities under construction - with mearly adequate service. Again, because of this 'closed market' dynamic. This system feeds on itself and has evolved into this situation which you so eloquently described. Every other industry only dreams of a market like this (except military production. They have it too). Nobody wants to die or be sick, but everybody deserves access to care without 20-30% of their income taken 'just in case'.
Ishika Ghose
May 29 2012: RH
- +1
Its all about "approach to life" (and illness/death)- that's the way I look at it.
Don't know whether most people think of me as "kind". "Weird" is probably more appropriate but concerned they agree!
I do not have medical insurance. I refuse to have medical insurance because the children I treat are refused medical insurance in my country - the minute someone uses the word "congenital" the insurance companies are out of there and the laws do not favour the children. By refusing insurance I hope that it makes me more sympathetic to those I treat. Stupid? Possibly!
I am deeply sceptical of the entire insurance industry. It never seems to help when it is most needed.The fine print is illegible and dangerous to your health!
Insurance has insinuated itself into our lives dangerously.Promising and failing to deliver. One of the biggest cons - before or after ENRON/BARINGS BANK - is for future generations to judge!
Looking at it in an extremely simplistic way I say - I love Italian food. Good Italian food. On my current earnings, where I live I can probably afford to eat that once a year (or less).
No insurance.
if I were diagnosed with something "treatable" I would go and find the best MY money could buy. If it were something dreadful like a cancer with a poor prognosis - I would shout hurray! Throw a party and go somewhere like Brazil and dance for the remaining three months with nothing more to lose and a finite time to do it in. Pack lots of pain-killers.
This probably sounds terribly irresponsible and "wierd" but this is personal and do-able.
My concern remains for the children who are the future and for who "insurance" and current industrialised medicine does not work - not in my country.
Like you I ask "How can we do this?"May 29 2012: I think you may have the answer - not to participate. The system has priced itself out of reality. I agree with your assessment that it is a 'big con'. It has become a privelged for the most fortunate and a dream for the rest. Similar to a hunger strike, our 'insurance strike' could be the one act to raise awareness and ultimate change. Thank you for you.
May 30 2012: Or as Gandhiji started it "The Non-Cooperation Movement" ! One of the most effective peaceful movements in history.
Yes! That is what we need - "We the people - REFUSE"May 30 2012: I apologize for continuing to respond to your comments, but this conversation has had a most profound effect on me. I read about the 'Movement' you referred to. From what I read, it took a couple of massacres to galvanized people to act enmasse. Unfortunately, it is this kind of 'emotional trauma' which is often necessary to get mass buy-in for these types of significant systematic changes. People seem to have to be 'shocked' out of their comfort zone to rally for an issue. It also helps if they have little to lose. Through this conversation I have been led to see that 'reason', rational 'evaluation', and 'consideration', only lead to endless debate and compromise to the point that the originally effective solution is often discarded for an ineffective 'agreed upon' result - which is usually the least interfering for the 'haves', and lacks substance for the 'have-nots'. Capitalistic prosperity seems to solidify this lack of action and marginally effective response (although I understand that the French Revolution was initiated by the middle-class). For mass buy-in, it seems that only drastic emotional response to tragedy is effective. So maybe there are other alternatives. We, as individuals, could decide, like you have, to refuse to participate. Have little to lose or take, yet continue our professions and lead by example.We could take it a step further and organize our own 'communities' of like-minded individuals and seek to do business with them only, as much as possible, and possibly evolve into an actual thriving community. Or, we could spend our efforts not trying to subvert the system, but rallying support for equal economic opportunity so everyone could afford proper care. Yes, these are drastic, or 'pie in the sky', solutions. But this issue is so significant and huge in influence, that drastic response may be the only solution. I see no end to this malfeasance. It's just too big.
May 31 2012: Good morning RH
If this debate makes one person think differently it will have served its purpose as far as I am concerned.
For every "movement" in this world of ours which has changed people's thoughts and actions there has to be a critical mass and a critical time. It will happen when enough people feel that they have had 'enough of the old system" and they will have change at all costs.
Sometimes all we can do is instil those thoughts into the minds of others, "debate", throw ideas around and never see anything concrete happening in our individual lifetimes. But we would have sowed the seeds of change and if it is important enough for that "critical mass of people" it wil happen.May 28 2012: Hi Ishika,
You know how much I agree on this issue.
1. If we really had good primary and secondary level care in India and West Bengal in particular, wpe wouldn't be needing tertiary care much. People would be OK at the local hospital or clinic facility. But 'industry' would suffer from 'money-mia'
2.Most corporate hospitals in Kolkata set revenue standards to be fulfilled by the doctors on their panels, so that the conveyor belt of the heath-care factory keeps rolling. In other words 'Show me the money or you can quit'
3. Blindly mimicking the Americans and extrapolating their methods of 'doing every test for everybody' is a disaster for our country which has a meagre public heath budget but has given the multitude of unethical persons to order investigations at large.
4. A good clinician can diagnose most (>95%) cases in his OPD without a single investigation. I've been fortunate to train under such illustrious doctors in Kolkata and Aligarh.
5. Diagnosing after a battery of tests is a clerk's job. One needn't study the science and art of medical therapeutics if one can't trust his/ her gray cells.
6. Most medical research is today sponsered by pharmaceutical houses which definitely puts the results of the studies in question. And what I understand, this is not limited to our own India.
7. The day commerce overtook science all across the world with the US illuminating the tortuous path, 'the ethics died'. So heathcare among other things is looked upon as yet another business or
ganisation, and patients would soon have a new title- 'customers'.
8. Exploitation is at the core of it all. Brands sell. Just like a fifty year old buys Rs. 6000/-worth branded trainers solely for his morning walk and no more. Getting treated at a 5-star hospital, or should I say a 5-star hotel where some health care is also provided, adds to the social status and credibility of a person.
9. The present state-of-the-art hospitals touch everying but the lives of their patients.
May 29 2012: Subhanu good morning.
Working in the same system the two of us are part of the small surviving group of medical dinosaurs!
I started this debate on TED just to see whether there are a few more dinosaurs out there or not.
Read RH's comment. He puts it so wellMay 28 2012: Stewart, Rhona
Just to get back to the point of the debate - "the industrialisation of medicine".
Trying to stay healthy is to a certain extent in your hands and then there is genetics and environment....
We accept that "you" a "patient", is "ill". Ill enough to need a doctor/hospital and then take it from there!
Stewart - 'chicken-and-egg" situation -- when it comes to "suing" and we have not heard the last word on that yet.
My reading tells me that the US is responsible, for the slew of ambulance-chasing lawyers and all that goes with it. I may be wrong. My reading also tells me that after years of pursuing the legal route to "redressal", Americans are encouraging patients/doctors/lawyers to "TALK" and settle.
I am trying to say that doctors are "human", patients are "human" -- to start with. We will die. Inevitable. Do we need systems which promise us that "for a price" we will live without disease or death". All we have to do is pay the price, have the tests, keep up with the insurance or travel halfway around the world to live forever - disease-free?
May 28 2012: I agree with you there, medicine shouldn't be profitable, which is what I interpreted as the meaning of industrialised, if you seek to make a profit you aren't thinking of patients at MOST it should be self sustaining, Though to me there is one problem in achieving this, it's only with the money of private companies that some medicines are even being produced and they're all about profit and that will never change and I don't think any government even the US has the funds to offer a completely public healthcare service free for everyone :(
May 29 2012: Profit is not a bad thing Stewart. Its "greed" that is destroying medicine.
"X" produces a drug. It costs him "Y" dollars and ten years.
If one looks at the actual costs X will in probability recover his Y dollars AND a substantial profit in 3 years. But the "industry" wants Y dollars times a hundred in one year and continue to want and want and want. So there is indiscriminate "pushing" of the drug through reps and drug company-sponsored "conferences" and dinners. The drug which should be used perhaps in a tertiary -level hospital is now on the shelves of every little town pharmacy being touted as "the thing to cure everything" - at a price.May 28 2012: Let's put them out of business by staying as healthy as we can. In other words, let each of us accept responsibilty for our own health and not use the medical establishment as substitute mommydaddys. We are each in the best position to have positive impacts on our own health, e.g., eating, drinking, driving, body moving. Anything positive is possible.
May 28 2012: YEA LETS REVOLT! lets not get vaccines, lets bring back all the diseases I was made immune against, I don't want my kids having a measles or rubella jab! Cause they're already so immune to it! That's ridiculously stupid what you just said, we have medicine and healthcare because of the body's incapability of looking after itself. You probably would not be alive today if it wasn't for medical healthcare and all the vaccines you've probably had and all your parents etc have had
May 28 2012: stewart, I wonder if you are meaning to say that you are powerless to affect your physical well-being. I wonder to what extent you would acknowledge that your choices have an impact on your physical and psychological health, if any.
May 28 2012: there are tonnes of things i can do to stay healthy, exercise reduces my risk of diabetes and heart disease, by not smoking I vastly reduce my chances of cancer, brain damage, heart+lung disease. By eating right I can boost my energy levels and my immune system, but what I can't do, is cure myself by doing any of these. If I get sick, I take medicine because it works better than my body. If I get really sick I go to the hospital where they go above and beyond the capabilities of of being able to cure ourselves. But by suggesting that we scrap medical healthcare you promote mass death, widespread disease and suffering. There's a reason we have it and when people like you say we don't need it, well it just throws all the work that has ever been put into medicine straight back into the researchers and doctors and politicians faces. It shows this almost arrogance that the human body is beyond medicine.
Ishika Ghose
May 28 2012: Good evening Stewart (Evening in Kolkata)
- +1
Thank you for joining in. I was afraid everyone would just say "another crank" and move on
By the way I am a paediatric surgeon. Did all my basic training in India and my paediatric surgical training in England. I work in India. In Kolkata.
I am not talking about "vaccines". That is part of the basic armamentarium. That is one of the points I am trying to make. If we would only spend more time and money on vaccines, clean water, sanitation and simple stuff - life would be good! Better than good! NOT a battery of expensive tests and random indiscriminate use of antibiotics.
I am talking about the "industrialisation" of medicine which is what I encounter on a daily basis. People ending up in " state-of-the-art" hospitals where they end up never getting a common-sense opinion. Every abdominal pain in a child is "appendicitis" which needs an immediate hospitalisation and surgery -- if you want the good of the hospital! Hey did you know that less than 12% of childhood abdominal pain is due to appendicitis and that there is enoug evidence to show that you can treat appendicitis WITHOUT surgery? Did you?
Think about it.
By the way the British NHS I trained in encouraged me to think "common sense" - as opposed to the one which is currently in place
May 28 2012: You make great points Ishika! Would you agree though that needless tests for every disease going may also by due to the new culture of "suing" doctors etc for not finding a certain disease etc and they're now forced into this method in fear of being sued for malpractice. Also would you agree that hospitals are also state of the art due to lawsuits etc if per say a disease was picked up whilst in hospital etc etc. I completely agree that healthcare should be for everyone, time should not be wasted on tests for everything but with compromise that doctors check for a reasonable amount of diseases or conditions etc. I say that mainly because me uncle was admitted to hospital with kidney pain and low and behold he had lung cancer so the checks also saved him.May 28 2012: Good evening Rhona
Yes staying healthy is part of it. What I am trying to emphasise is what happens when you do fall ill and need a doctor. Do you have to end up in a "state-of the-art hospital" having lots of tests or can you make it to the local doctor who listens to you and treats you with common sense - to start with?
Are you willing to do that as an individual? Does the system in which you live. encourage that? Or do you have to wait for hours spend lots of money and then be told that there is not a lot wrong with you - simply to justify the cost of equipment and laboratories and doctors and patients insurance. Maybe even end up being admitted/operated.
That is what the industrialisation of medicine means to me in real terms
May 30 2012: I guess all that aggravation and disappointment and all those negative thoughts and feelings you just expressed, Ishika, is related to why I choose the approach to health that I choose. I think the best policy is to live your life in such a way that you are not even aware that such a thing as any part of the medical industry, field or whatever you choose to call it - exists at all. You can depend on you to take good care of your good self. Thank you for taking good care of your good self. It is a free country. You can focus on whatever you choose to focus on and I choose to focus on what I choose to focus on. If we disagree about anything, I'll just assume I am right and you are wrong. I hope you are okay with that. Happy Today to you and all you love.May 28 2012: Just for context what is the public healthcare like in India or is it all Private healthcare which is kind of what you've described
May 28 2012: Stewart
Public healthcare in India leaves a lot, actually a helluva lot, to be desired.
There are some wonderful postgraduate institutions where a lot of us trained - but basic healthcare !!!!
Private healthcare has been encouraged at the expense of developing public healthcare and it is an "industry" .
An industry we dont need in its present avatar


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Fairfax takes center stage in national election
Newly identified as a swing state, Virginia held some of the most hotly contested Electoral College votes in the nation during this year�s election. As the most populous county in Virginia, Fairfax County saw multiple visits from both presidential candidates throughout the campaign and local TV stations were jam-packed with political ads for months.
President Barack Obama�s margin of victory in Fairfax County and other Northern Virginia jurisdictions helped him secure a 51 percent - 47 percent win statewide over Republican Mitt Romney. Winning key states like Virginia and Ohio, Obama won a second term as president.
Virginia�s Senate election was equally close, with Democrat Tim Kaine and Republican George Allen polling neck-and-neck until the final days of the campaign. With a 53 percent - 47 percent win over Allen, Kaine won the Senate seat being vacated by Sen. Jim Webb (D), who decided not to seek re-election.
The three congressmen who represent portions of Fairfax County in the House of Representative all easily won re-election: Reps. Jim Moran (D-8th), Frank Wolf (R-10th) and Gerry Connolly (D-11th).
Election Day was marred by long lines at the polling places throughout the state. In Fairfax County, which saw 80.5 percent turnout, voters reportedly waited as long as three hours to vote in some locations, while other sites saw virtually no lines at all. On Nov. 27, the Board of Supervisors formed a bipartisan commission to review election processes in the county and recommend possible improvements.
Airport board under fire
The year brought heavy scrutiny and big changes to the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Board of Directors. The board oversees operations at Washington Dulles and Reagan National airports, the Dulles Toll Road and construction of the Silver Line.
Squabbles between the MWAA Board and state and local officials regarding the cost of the new rail line�s second phase and the use of a project labor agreement spilled over from 2011 into this year, threatening the viability of the rail project.
Then, reports began raising concerns about ethics at the agency, both among staff and board members. A report by the U.S. Department of Transportation�s Office of the Inspector General highlighted cases of nepotism, abuse of the agency�s lax travel reimbursement policy, and overuse of sole-source contracts.
The agency also found itself locked in a legal battle with Virginia Gov. Robert F. McDonnell (R) regarding the removal of board member Dennis Martire. Martire agreed to resign his seat as part of a settlement agreement.
After keeping the Silver Line project on track, the MWAA Board began overhauling its policies in the later half of the year, adopting new travel and ethics policies and instructing staff to overhaul the contracting and human resources manuals for the agency. The makeup of the board also changed drastically, with six new members joining just in the last quarter of 2012.
495 Express Lanes give drivers new option
The 495 Express Lanes opened to traffic Nov. 17, adding four new lanes to a 14-mile stretch of the Capital Beltway and bringing a welcome end to four years of construction delays associated with the massive project. Vehicles with three or more passengers can use the Express Lanes for free and other drivers can opt to pay a toll to enjoy the faster trip.
In addition to the new lanes, the project involved replacing more than 50 bridges and overpasses, adding new access points in Merrifield and Tysons Corner and installing new noise walls along the interstate.
The first few days of the new lanes being open brought a flurry of car crashes near the entrance to the northbound lanes as drivers learned to navigate the new traffic pattern. There were six accidents near the same location in the first three days alone. Express Lane operators Transurban continued to try and get drivers to educate themselves about the Express Lanes before hitting the road.
Price for Dulles Toll Road to increase
The Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority Board of Directors decided in mid-November to increase toll rates on the Dulles Toll Road in 2013 and again in 2014. In addition to funding operations and maintenance of the toll road, the toll revenues are being used to back bonds to finance construction of the corridor�s new Metrorail line.
On Jan. 1, tolls will go up to $1.75 at the main toll plaza and $1 at the ramps. In 2014, the tolls will increase to $2.50 at the main plaza, remaining $1 on the entrance and exit ramps. The MWAA board will decide in mid-2013 what tolls will be in 2015, which depends on what other funding they are able to obtain for the project.
New Tysons begins to take shape
Plans for the new, more urban Tysons Corner began to take shape this year as the Board of Supervisors approved two massive development plans near some of the new Metro stations in Tysons, which are slated to begin service by the end of 2013.
In September, financial giant Capital One got the go-ahead to build a new headquarters on its Tysons Corner campus and redevelop the surrounding acreage of its office park. The project includes about a dozen new buildings in four development areas, arranged around a new street grid. Including the existing facilities, the project represents about 5 million square feet of development, including offices, apartments, shops, restaurants, a hotel and parking garages. A community center, indoor basketball courts and community parks also are incorporated into the development.
In November, the Board of Supervisors OK�d the Arbor Row development, which encompasses about 20 acres of land that now houses some of the oldest office buildings in Tysons Corner. Arbor Row includes 2.6 million square feet of new apartments, offices, retail space and a hotel. It will house the new headquarters of the Association of Manufacturing Technology.
Region braces for federal budget cuts
Officials in both local and state government hoped for the best but began planning for the worst-case of federal budget cuts as Congress struggled to reach an agreement on deficit reduction.
Multiple analyses projected that Virginia would be hard hit, losing in excess of $5 billion, if the cuts in the federal Budget Control Act go into effect at year�s end. Combined with potential tax rate increases, the so-called �fiscal cliff� could have a greater effect on Virginia�s economy than the recent recession, some projected.
Regardless of the deal that Congress reaches, most analysts expect that there will be reductions in federal defense spending, which will affect Northern Virginia and Hampton Roads, in particular. As County Executive Ed Long began preparing his fiscal 2014 budget, he projected more cost-cutting would be in store for county programs for years to come.
Springfield Mall torn down
The tearing down of Springfield Mall in November marked the end of an era, but according to Fairfax County Supervisor Jeff McKay (D-Lee), the best is yet to come for the proposed town center that will take its place, as well as for Springfield itself.
�This is the most important thing to happen in Springfield since Metro came in,� McKay said. �For many, like me, who grew up in this area in the 1980s, Springfield Mall was the place to see and be seen. �To watch it deteriorate the way it did over the last 20 years has been devastating.�
The demolition marked the beginning of a 10-year redevelopment of the mall into a �town center� model, split into four phases, originally scheduled to begin in the summer of 2011.
Those changes are expected to be up and running by the 2014 holiday season, according to McKay.
Exxon Mobil leaves Fairfax County
ExxonMobil announced in June that it will be closing its Fairfax County offices by 2015 and transferring 2,100 jobs to a new facility in Houston.
The company�s office complex, located on Gallows Road in Fairfax, originally was built by Mobil when it moved from New York City in 1981. Since Exxon�s acquisition of Mobil in 1998, Fairfax has been the company�s refining operations headquarters. The presence of the company, one of the county�s largest employers, will be missed.
�While it�s unfortunate ExxonMobil chose not to keep their Fairfax location as part of their consolidation, I don�t expect the space to be vacant very long,� said Sharon Bulova, Fairfax County Board of Supervisors chairwoman. �It is a large, conveniently located campus near the [Capital] Beltway, Route 50 and Metro, and I expect that space to be filled quickly.� Hopefully whoever takes over the space will bring 2,100 jobs with them to fill that gap as well.
Derecho rocks region
On June 29, a powerful line of thunderstorms with high winds, known as a derecho, blew through the county, knocking down hundreds of trees and power lines. Two people were killed by falling trees during the storm, and one by downed power lines.
A 27-year-old Burke man died when the car he was driving was hit by a falling tree.
In Springfield, a 90-year-old woman died when a tree fell on her home as she was lying in bed.
A 19-year-old Falls Church man later died on July 15, as a result of electrocution injuries from downed power wires he sustained on June 29 shortly after 11 p.m., Fairfax County Police said.
In addition to power outages, the storm compromised the region�s 911 system for hours, in what Fairfax County Board of Supervisors Chairwoman Sharon Bulova described as an �unacceptable period of time.�
A full three days after the storm hit, about 82,600 Dominion Virginia Power customers in Fairfax County and another 1,000 in Fairfax City still remained without power, with temperatures reaching the upper 90s. Dominion spokesman Dan Genest said that Loudoun County, Herndon and the Alexandria areas were among the hardest hit by the storm.
Fairfax pursues its first-ever charter school
Fairfax County received and reviewed its first application for a charter school, which came to a School Board vote in late-October. The effort to found Fairfax Leadership Academy was led by J.E.B. Stuart High School teacher Eric Welch, who hoped his charter would serve at-risk students by fall 2013.
The application was the first Fairfax County-based charter to be approved through the state�s new review process, and the second passed by the Virginia Board of Education. Despite this state approval, local School Board members and the community expressed concerns over the need for more information about private funding, curriculum and services. Welch said the Fairfax Leadership Academy�s board would answer these questions and resubmit its application. He expressed hopes the charter school would open in fall 2014.
Fairfax County Police Chief steps down
When Fairfax County Police Chief Dave Rohrer, 56, joined the department in 1980, there was no cyber crime, there was only one police helicopter, and the Northern Virginia 911 system had not yet been implemented.
After eight years as chief, Rohrer stepped down on Oct. 20, leaving a much different department, one whose communications and technology systems are the envy of many police departments across the country. Rohrer accepted an appointment by the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors to become the deputy county executive for public safety. �After I accepted, I went home and said to myself �What have I done?�� he said. �Stepping out of law enforcement is bittersweet. I have worn a uniform my entire career. Thirty-two years is a long time, and I love this department, but at the same time, I like to grow and face new challenges.�
Merten�s retirement end an era at GMU
In July, long-time George Mason University President Alan G. Merten retired and was replaced by new President Angel Cabrera, 45. Under Merten�s 16-year reign, GMU grew from a commuter to a residential campus, adding about 3,500 beds. The number of on-campus facilities rose from 125 to 168, and student enrollment increased from 24,200 to 33,300. Merten solidified Mason�s role in the region as well as its brand nationally. School leadership said they hoped Cabrera, who came to Fairfax after serving as the president of the Thunderbird School of Global Management in Arizona, would extend the school�s name recognition internationally.
Admissions process at Thomas Jefferson fuels debate
Ranked among the top high schools in the nation, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology drew complaints over its admissions process during the summer months. The NAACP and local minority advocacy group the Coalition of the Silence, which also represents students with disabilities, filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education saying �for decades [black and Hispanic] students have been grossly disproportionately underrepresented in admission to [TJ].�
During the 2011-12 school year, black students comprised 1.5 percent or seven of the about 480 students admitted as incoming freshmen. Hispanic students received 2.7 percent or 13 of the about 480 spots.
Also that summer, school administrators looked at concerns from TJ�s community, including teachers, about the increased volume of students needing remedial help with math. The application to TJ, which is a STEM focused governor�s school, includes a math admissions text weighted 20 percent of the application, and information of students� past performance math and science, which is weighted 15 percent. School Board members said the STEM-schools� application should include more emphasis on this curricula rather than writing samples, student background questions and teacher recommendations, which total 65 percent of the application.
Fairfax City schools seek crowding solutions
School crowding concerns drew community attention in 2012 when school officials looked to answer capacity issues after enrollment topped 180,000 this fall for the first time. Nearly 3,600 students were added to the school roster this fall. The school system�s enrollment has increased about 2 percent each year for the last five years.
Fairfax City schools, which are owned by the city and run by the county, began discussions on how to relieve crowding at Fairfax High and Lanier Middle schools. The high school is more than 300 students over capacity and could reach as high as 700 students over capacity by 2017 if no changes are made.
Countywide, however, school administrators sought program availability shifts to solve crowding at some elementary and middle schools. A proposed expansion of the Advanced Academic Program Centers in middle and elementary schools countywide was made by school officials, but rejected by the community who worried about watering down rigor.
The School Board also tried, and failed, to gain approval from the Board of Supervisors of an increase to its annual bond funding to pay for school capacity needs.
Herndon teen convicted in animal slashings
A Herndon teenager accused of slashing animals at Frying Pan Farm Park in April and May was convicted in August of three counts of animal maiming and a misdemeanor charge of trespassing.
The teen�s name and sentencing was never released because he is a juvenile.
Police said three horses were slashed with a machete on April 26, and a steer, chicken and goats were slashed overnight between May 26 and 27. All of the animals attacked made full physical recoveries.
According to psychologists, the connection between animal cruelty and human violence is well documented. Studies show a correlation between animal cruelty and other crimes, from narcotics and firearms violations to battery, sexual assault and murder.
�Apparently the police, courts and general public need to be educated about the frightening signals of this slasher�s behavior. He did not need a motive,� said Fairfax-based psychotherapist Patricia Seaver.

subset: commoncrawl


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An exciting collection of easy sewing projects for children aged 5–11, including toys, decorations and accessories that kids will really love to make. Your children will have great fun learning important sewing techniques with simple instructions written just for them, and can make loads of exciting things from character softees and puppets, to patchwork balls, blankets, games, masks, and more. Includes all the templates and techniques you need to get sewing with a gorgeous, nostalgic design style just like the craft books you loved when you were a kid!
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Step into the stadium, fans, and thrill under the lights to another big-time Gamecocks victory! This spectacular print, from the sensational southeastern football specialists at USA Sports, features the a breathtaking look at game night in central South Carolina. As 80,000 garnet-and-black-clad fans witness home-campus domination - SNAP! The moment is preserved for all-time, and is now available for your wall.
With crystal-clear photography and slick design, this print celebrates South Carolina football with a vibrant end zone view of the unfolding scene. Printed on high-quality gallery stock, and complete with slick white-bordered design, commemorative title, USC team logos, and official NCAA Products trademark, this is both a beautiful piece for the wall of home or office, and a valuable collector's item for years to come. Whether you are a die-hard College football enthusiast, or an SEC football fanatic thrilled by Saturday nights at the stadium, this is the ultimate addition to your collection!
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Rural/Metro is a national leader in private ambulance and fire protection services in 21 states and approximately 700 communities from coast to coast.
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The Curriculum
Stern's undergraduate degrees in business combine intensive study in business fundamentals with broad-based foundations in the liberal arts. Our courses are taught by some of the most respected business faculty in the world. Stern's prominent faculty includes three Nobel Laureates. Our global study opportunities and cutting-edge social impact sequence are unmatched by any other undergraduate business school.
The Options
Stern offers a B.S. in Business with a choice of 11 concentrations and a B.S. in Business & Political Economy, which features coursework in business, politics and economics along with integrated global study. Other options within the B.S. business degree include a second major or minor in a field outside business – anything from Chinese to history to psychology to the fine arts.


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Legend of the Fist: The Return of Chen Zhen (Jingwu Fengyun - Chen Zhen)
Action/Adventure, Drama
In 1920s China, the nation is divided by infighting. Japan has become the most powerful force in Asia, taking over Northern Shanghai. With the city torn in half by international conflict, the popular nightclub "Casablanca" has become a hotbed of spies, mobsters, English officials and the Japanese military- all looking to gain control of the territory, with little to no regard for what happens to its citizens.
Cast: Anthony Wong Chau-Sang, Donnie Yen, Shawn Yue, Qi Shu, Yasuaki Kurata
Produced by:
Directed by: Wai-keung Lau
Written by: Gordon Chan
Running time: 1hr 46min
Opens: Apr 22, 2011 Limited
|Theaters for Today
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Recipe by SAMMYSAM
"I am a French Canadian from Montreal, this recipe is one of the first ones that I learned as a child growing up and can either be served traditional style with REAL maple syrup on top or cold with ice cream rolled into it and chocolate syrup on top as a desert."
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1 cup
all-purpose flour
2 cups
This works just fine - like anything that involves adding flour to wet ingredients or working with raw flour, you have to let it sit for a bit (I always leave Crepe batter in the fridge for at least a half hour to let the flour do its thing.
If the review says it tasted like flour...they didn't let the batter sit. This is a nice recipe because it is simple, easy to remember and you can add salt, orange or lemon zet, a bit of sugar or vanilla, some thinly sliced scallions, or what have you depending on what you want to fill the crepe with.
And remember the first Crepe almost always is ruined - don't sweat that. You could add a touch of melted butter to the batter (taking out a bit of the milk) and that will help the stickiness problem.
If I could give this recipe NO stars, I will. I have been cooking recipes from Allrecipes for a good time and 99.9% of the times they are superb, but, honestly, I did not care for this recipe: in these crepes the edges dryed before the center was cooked (and it remains undercooked no matter what I did) they taste like plain flour and milk: nothing above usual, I'm a good cook and I didn't like the crepes, I did mine perfectly round, thin and every time remains a bit of undercooked batter in the center, plus the flavor is like in every crepes: unflavored, just for add your favorite taste: salt or sweet. (Try the basic crepes recipe by Jen, that's a keeper, and you don't need to suffer making the crepes thin as paper, they cooked through very well. Believe me)
105 Ratings
I am French Myslef and this is the style I remember My Grandpa making
An excellent and easy crepe recipe! Very tasty with any sort of sweet topping. I didn't have butter or anything so I used this one instead of my usual nalesniki recipe and it turned out excellently!
To the reviewers who gave this recipe such a bad rating: If you can't make this crepe recipe, don't even try Polish crepes, holy geez!
Some of these reviewers must not know how to make crepes or something (they are NOT pancakes) because this one was so very simple and worked every time! Remember, with pancakes, you are making thick small things, with crepes, you fill the entire pan with a very thin layer of batter and then you roll them up after. There is nothing wrong with this recipe people, give it a try!
mm I still don't care for this recipe, OF COURSE I DO know that they are not pancakes (some people think that the world is as "smart as they are") And I've been in France, having REAL french crepes, so I can say this recipe is useless. And, also I have to say that I'm not a begginer: I'm very good at cooking. I'm not giving this recipe a third chance. The basic crepes by Jen are what I was looking for. You can try to do this recipe as many times as you want. It always will taste like plain flour. If you DO KNOW the difference between pancakes and crepes, then don't waste your time:)
These were ridiculously easy to make. Great with blueberries or just plain butter with REAL maple syrup. Yummy! There were lumps when i put them in the pan, but when the Crepe was done, they were gone. Very easy to flip! No mess.
This recipe was delightfully simple and very tasteful. I added a tad bit of sugar to my batter and made crepes for a party. Everyone was impressed with the "Real French Crepes"
I have used this recipe for years.
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
Real French Crepes
Serving Size: 1/7 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 7
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 110
Calories from Fat: 20
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Gallery: Artist Jason deCaires Taylor Builds an Incredible Coral Reef f...
We probably don't have to mention the life-threatening conditions natural reefs are under today due to human behavior. However, artificial reefs, which are quite a new phenomenon, have proved to be a very good alternative as they are durable, environmentally friendly and offer relief to the natural ones as they can regenerate. With 400 life-size human sculptures installed 9 meters below sea level, Silent Evolution plays many roles, but it is foremost an artificial reef encouraging the growth of marine life. Taylor's sculptures are created with a pH-neutral concrete, reinforced with fiberglass, which (surprisingly) attracts marine life. Taylor also 'rescues' coral damaged in storms or by humans, and replants these on his sculptures.
In all its beauty there's something a bit eerie about The Silent Evolution. Is it the closed eyes, the surrounding blue hue of the sea, or perhaps the emotions the lifeless sculptures still seem to express? There's a strong feeling of hope in the work, even though the physical structure of the sculptures look as though the people have been tied together. Taylor's message can be read in many different ways and voices, but what he does succinctly is to remind us of our close relation to – and not to mention dependency on – nature.
These types of underwater projects have made Jason deCaires Taylor both a name and reputation. With a background in graffiti art and scuba diving, Taylor developed an interest for the relationship between art and the environment early on, and now creates pieces that both long-lasting and intellectually challenging. Moreover, his thoughtful placement in the shallow and crystal-clear waters of The National Marine Park of Cancun, Mexico, makes the piece very accessible to divers and tourists.
The installation was inaugurated on November 27, 2010, and you can follow Taylor's work on Facebook and watch the sculptures develop and become 'dressed' in coral.
Images via Under Water Sculpture
13 Comments
September 11, 2011 at 7:54 pm
Hi, I enjoy your blog. Is there something I can do to receive updates like a subscription or some thing? I'm sorry I'm not acquainted with RSS?
February 14, 2011 at 10:47 pm
Well, pointing out the environmental costs of a project like this is not necessarily a "negative" comment or outlook, Brooki3. And remike4, why are you so defensive about a simple request? We are all responsible for the repercussions of what we create, and this includes artists. A discussions of the trade-offs involved only helps to educate and raise awareness of the need to conserve and use the best materials possible.
Personally I am amazed at this stunning and moving art installation! I can only imagine that it's beauty and function as an artificial reef will grow with time.
February 12, 2011 at 10:48 am
I bet Forrest doesn't believe in Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy either…party pooper!!!
February 12, 2011 at 3:05 am
By looking at the pictures in which friendly fish swim around the figures, I was dreaming it could become the seed or base for a real reef.
Very interesting idea.
February 4, 2011 at 9:20 pm
Hmm… @Forrest and revmike24, Not once did the author condemn anyone for anything. He was simply stating a fact. Why must you come on here and be negative about something beautiful that has been added to the world? It makes no sense for both of you to get on your high horse.
I hope that you will learn to respect art and nature a little more than you both show.
Have a blessed day,
December 2, 2010 at 1:51 pm
[…] the Exhale Pavilion will be recycled, included the concrete bases, which will be used to create artificial reef in nearby waters. […]
November 29, 2010 at 6:20 pm
[…] which refer to the room's functions and location in the house. The entrance is, for example, a metaphor for the shelter a cave provides, which Ezzo communicates with a course sand-plaster on the walls […]
November 16, 2010 at 5:43 pm
[…] Savusavu on the second largest island of Fiji. Surrounding the property off the coast are beautiful coral reefs, which have been designated as a marine reserve and are open for snorkeling and diving, but not for […]
November 12, 2010 at 8:49 pm
Are you using a computer to type your comments Forrest? What was the impact of creating that device? Do you live in a house? Are the studs in the walls wood or metal? Either way… Do you drive a car Forrest? What are the 'environmental impacts' of your automobile? 'Green House Gases, not to mention the production of a single automobile'? Easy to point, not so easy to adjust yourself…
November 11, 2010 at 10:51 pm
The one thing neglected in this story is the tremendous amount of green house gases that cement creates in its production, not to mention the production of fibreglass. Aesthetics aside, I'd be much more interested to know the negative/positive environmental impacts of the project.
November 11, 2010 at 2:16 pm
Absolutely beautiful!


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To reach the rigorous level of Eagle, scouts must attain five ranks, earn 21 merit badges, serve six months in a leadership position and complete a community service project.
Ryan worked at the local middle school to organize an art project for Respect All Differences Day, which has an anti-bullying theme. Students created 288 tiles expressing "kindnesses," which he used to create a mural that was mounted on a wall by the school library.
But with the deadline of Ryan's 18th birthday looming, Andresen said she doesn't know if there is enough time to get his Eagle Award approved. Her husband has appealed to the local scouting board and the family is hoping for the best.
"I am really not doing this for my Eagle award," said Ryan. "I don't want anyone else prevented from getting theirs."
But his mother said Ryan had been "pretty depressed" over the incident.
"It's just one more blow to him. I am so shocked. His scoutmaster knew of Ryan's self-harm and this could have brought him off the deep end. ... He has no compassion."
"It's so upsetting as a mother," she said. "The military has changed, the Girl Scouts, the 4-H," said Andresen. "Why not the Boy Scouts?"


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I have the same view as Ralph Nader has, isn't he a liberal? He certainly does not think Obama is "scaling back" as you put it. I do not agree with him on a few things, but i have always admired that he is true to his beliefs, not a bought and paid for politician or one of the partisan hoards waiting to get their marching orders from Fox News or the Huff Post.
Did you support the Iraq War?
Terrorist attack count against the Anything Goes Thread: 4
Shortly after the start, the thought did cross my mind that i was wrong, but aside from that pretty much against it.
I have changed my view on the Torture subject also, back when i took our foreign policy seriously, i thought it was a tool that may bare fruit, now i do not respect our foreign policy enough to think we have the right to torture anyone.
And if i have not yet made it clear, i feel being anti war only when it serves your particular party is fairly disgusting.
Changing your opinion can happen to anyone, happens to me all the time, i have a problem with the partisan way of doing it, means nothing, just a game.
Obama is very good on wording, he is a lawyer after all. One of the first things i remember hearing about him was that he didn't take money from lobbyists, which sounded really good, and on its surface was true, but when you look into it further, it was just BS.
Obama wanted a headline that his minions could use endlessly, and you can see it at work here everyday.
Did the war REALLY end in Iraq? How about Yemen? Libya?
Back in January of 2010, Obama did something many would not give a second thought to, he broadened his war scope by declaring war on Al Qaeda. This was honestly brilliant (Axelrod probably) because it disconnected his war efforts from geography, and literally allowed him to do whatever he pleases in whatever country with that declaration to fall back on.
The hard numbers, as far as troops in combat I am having trouble finding, i will continue looking, but the final part to my argument is his increase in the drone program. This program is going to hurt us for generations to come, and shows an obvious increase from the Bush era.
I guess my point is, even after the war is over, it isn't over, they call it something else.
Maybe 9954 can help with troop levels?
Last edited by phinfan3411; 09-30-2012 at 10:56 PM.
And yes, Obama is very good at wording, and hes sold himself to lobbyist. I have laughed at Romney/Ryan's efforts to suggest Obama is for gun control, because Obama is an absolute coward when it comes to standing up to lobbyist. I dont think anyone on here(forum not thread) has suggested otherwise.
What about Yemen, Libya? I brought up Libya a few posts ago. Again, im not sure what your specific objection is towards. Obama supported the Libya citizens by shutting down air space and supplying their troops with weaponary. The casualty rates for our troops were none(none publically reported) and cost minimal. I personally view that as a much lesser evil compared to our involvement in Iraq and Afghan.
Im sorry, im not certain what your specific disagreement is about. If ive suggested that our war efforts against terrorists were over, i apologize. I was posting concerning our troop levels, direct involvement, and nation building. My personal view is that we are in conflict with terrorists groups and not nations, therefore we should focus on special forces and other programs(such as drones).
You asked me before on my stance with drones and i answered. I know it hurts us in future generations because we have created alot of enemies with those strikes. That said, Romney not only supports those strikes but wants to increase them and get involved with actually wars(i would define "wars" as the similar policies we pursued under Bush). Again, individual hypocracy is vastly different then political "concrete" convictions. Some party convictions have changed over decades as new information is discovered, Romney individual stances have changed depending on poll numbers.
To be honest with you, and this is my fault, many times i get side tracked as far as the original post is. I read through the post, it may interest me, it may not, or i see an opinion i agree with, or one i do not, and i react.
If you've taken my comments as support for Romney, that is not what I intended. I also cannot argue with you about Romney only furthering our current foreign policy, his only plus is that he is actually a unknown, and could surprise me...probably not though.
What i was trying to explain, and doing it badly, even though it had nothing to do with the post is that as far as our aggressiveness in foreign policy, which i never thought to get any higher, managed to do so over the last 3 or so years, and that is ages away from what he campaigned on.


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Awesomest thing that happened today was reading this book called the Hunger Pains, its really funny and surprisingly so. Its like an endless supply of humor (And in case you didn't get from the name, its making fun of the hunger games xP)
I cleaned my room. I'm not sure if it's the awesomest or the worst thing I did today. I'm still not sure. I was just sorta like "it's eleven my time (one of the last time zones -.-), which means not many people will be online anywhere, and I'm confused by the thing I'm colouring in my colouring book. Guess I'll go clean my room." It's weird. I can see the floor. But I found a bunch of cool stuff, such as a ton of glue (why did I need so much glue in the first place? And it's not for what you're thinking it was for, it was probably just for school projects and stuff), and a first aid kit. I mean, cleaning the room was fun. I just don't like having a clean room.
Two awesome things today, actually. Firstly, Green Day premiered their new song Kill The DJ in British radio BBC Radio 1. It. Is. Epic. It could've been a bit faster though. Still, no one is perfect. Then the new song by Three Days Grace, Chalk Outline got uploaded to YouTube. That's enough to make my day.
So after applying for heaps of jobs, and thinking I was never going to get anything, I have an interview today and another one booked for next week :D
Today, I was garage saling with my mum, and we found this awesome rolly desk, and it was five dollars, and IT FITS PERFECTLY IN THE SPACE I WANTED IT TO! And I'm using it now, and it's right below my collage of MLP colouring pages. I'M SO HAPPY!
Today, I was garage saling with my mum, and we found this awesome rolly desk, and it was five dollars, and IT FITS PERFECTLY IN THE SPACE I WANTED IT TO! And I'm using it now, and it's right below my collage of MLP colouring pages. I'M SO HAPPY!
I want a rolly desk! That sounds epic! Dx
Today I was described as "geeking out" in math class XD We were doing group projects at our table, and it was about profits and all those graphing things, and one girl asked why we had made two of the constraints "x is equal to or greater than zero and y is equal to or greater than zero," and the other girl at our table said "because you can't make negative cars" and I said "well you can, but it might open up a few vortexes," and I was expecting to get the usual "yeah, okay, whatever" responce, but instead the other girl started laughing and when the first girl asked her to explain what I meant she just said "she's just geekin' out." Then one of my friends from another table asked the same question about the constraints and I said "well you can't make negative parts" and a guy at her table said "but you can be negative about it!" and I was like 'I officially love this class.'
PLUS!, in science we're working on elements so I get to make all my lame element jokes!
PLUS PLUS!, during tutoring one of the kids I was helping (who's constantly distracted, but really sweet) starting humming a Queen song (can't remember which one exactly), and he said "hey, do you like Queen?" and I was like "of course I LOVE Queen!" Bonding. We have a new respect for each other.
N'aww thats adorable ^.^ Today I got another stalker.. This is my second one now.. He was hiding outside EVERY SINGLE one of my classes today, and hugged me as I was leaving each one. Hes kinda cute though. o_o
tomorrow is my graduation party! where i am, we have a graduation party after passing official exams in ninth grade. i'm a high schooler! i'm a sophomore!
oh and i didn't tell you guys this i think:
i PASSED the official exams! got a good too! (there's failing, passing, good, very good, excellent) got 222/280 i needed 2 points to get very good! noooo! and i'm native in this country so i'm still happy (even though the results came out months ago), and sooo excited for tomorrow!
i haven't been on this site in a while…
littlems.fowl! stefanlover! david! i missed you all!
I may stand another chance with my ex girlfriend!
On another note, I might be slowly getting closer to actually being in a relationship, as unpleasent as that sounds for me XD
Why is it unpleasant?
Relationships terrify me. Plus there are a few….complications. Involving conflics of intrest. Well, more like conflicts of what's okay and what's not. (Drugs are bad, don't do them!) You know when you advocate against something but then someone you like is addicted to it so you're like "well, I don't want to look like a hypocrite, but I don't want to let it ruin this, because that's giving it too much control…." Yeah. it's one of those things. Other than that, it's not like the person is as bad as the only other person I "dated" (and it only lasted a few hours before I got bored XD), and isn't nearly as bad as my other muse.
Truely awesome thing for me today: It's good weather, finally. I was getting so sick of the 90 degrees we were having.
We have been in the 40's here…
Lucky -.-
Today, during a soccer game in P.E., my team decided to randomly stop playing soccer and start playing rugby instead. It was really entertaining to watch XD
It really must have been… I am still hanging in for the chance with my ex-girlfriend, so I will not be a loner for the rest of my life! YAY!
Th-the rest of your life? You're, like, twelve! You have plenty of chances, don't rush into things you have enough time to chill through. Girls aren't always all too fond of guys chasing after them too much. Yes, they want to feel wanted and they want to be chased a little, but over doing it won't help. Plus, like I said, you're little, and relationships don't mean nearly the same thing as when your older.
Also, relationships mean everything to me as they will when I am older…
But they'll still be different. In any case, don't get too involved when you're a kid. It's just a play-thing until you're about 18 and then are starting to really experiment with commitment, and by the time you're in your 20s you might actually be ready for it. It's not like you'll marry anyone you date when you're little, and it's not right if you do "stuff" because that's just frowned apon in our society, so relationships are pretty dull. Anyways, you're a kid, do some fun things! Roll around your house with a rolley chair in a flower lei and your grandmother's old earings that are bigger than your ears! That's what I did yesterday, and it was totally worth the time it wasted.
Awesomest thing today: I actually woke up fairly early, and might be able to get to Kohl's "early bird" specials for once XD
(1) Go to sears…
(2)And roll around the house in a rolly chair?
1. Lol, Sear's is for rich people. Kohl's is high-class for me, usually I got to Ross XD
2. Yes, it's very theaputic until you start getting motion sick.
Awesomest ting today: I had potatoes for breakfast. Booh-yah.


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Leopard Softball Knocks Colgate Out of PL Tourney
Season comes to end vs. No. 2 Army
Leopards Edged 2-0 in Pitchers' Duel at Lehigh
Lafayette to play second-round game on Friday at 1:30 p.m.
Softball Readies For Patriot League Tournament
Leopards open double-elimination event with Lehigh on Thursday
Four Selected For Patriot League Softball Honors
Dorn, Robinson and Turner named All-Patriot League Second Team; Gebhardt merits All-Academic status
Turner's 7-for-7 Day Advances Leopards to Postseason
Lafayette splits doubleheader with Bucknell to claim final tournament spot
Lafayette 2, Colgate 1
Patriot League Tournament
No. 4 Lafayette vs. No 2. Army
Patriot League Tournament
Lafayette at Lehigh -- Patriot League Softball Tournament
Photos by Rick Smith
Lafayette vs. Bucknell Senior Day Photo Gallery
Photos by Teddy Weiss
Lafayette vs. Bucknell Photo Gallery
Photos by Rick Smith
General: Serving as team captain in 2012.
2011: Started 26 of 34 games in which she played, splitting time between catcher and DH...hit for a .326 average with three home runs, three double, and 12 RBI...had an on-base percentage of .356 and a .465 slugging percentage...had eight multiple-hit games with three hits against Wagner...smacked a game-winning home run to secure win over St. Peters (4/20)...had a .429 average as a pinch hitter going 3-for-7 and with runners in scoring position went 11-for32 hitting an average of .344...one of 13 Lafayette players selected to the Patriot League Academic Honor Roll.
2010: Started 31 of 43 games in which she played games, splitting time between catcher and DH...had a .250 batting average with two home runs and 22 RBI...had five multiple-hit games...stole five bases on seven attempts...went 2-for-4 with a double and a career-high four RBI in a 14-4 win at Princeton (3/28)...went 2-for-3 with an RBI at Army (4/3)...had at least one hit and one RBI in each game of the four-game series at Army (4/3-4)...hit first collegiate home run at St Peter's (4/13)...went 2-for-3 with a double at Penn (4/14), including game-winning single in the fourth.
2009: Started 22 of 34 games...registered first career hit against Akron (3/16) in only at bat...went 1-for-3 in game one of series against Army (3/27-3/28)...drove in first career run versus St. Joseph's (4/8)...singled for the game-tying RBI in win against Colgate (4/25)...singled in top of eighth for game-winning run in third contest against Raiders (4/26)...went 2-for-3 and scored in game one of doubleheader versus St. Peter's (4/29)...hit first double of season drove in a run while aiding in the rally against Colgate (5/8).
High School: Sported a .386 career batting average...received All-Southeastern District honors as a Senior...named an all-district performer in cross country and track where she ran the 1600m and 1000m events...recipient of the Superintendent's scholar athlete award.
Favorite Quote: "You just need to learn to sleep less." - John L. Kurtz Sr.
Why I Chose Lafayette: I wanted to be at a top engineering school that focused on undergrad and was also small enough to have access to research and one-on-one time with professors.
Lafayette Athletics, as a partner in the mission of the College, provides an incredibly effective learning experience for student-athletes through competitive NCAA Division I athletics. Lafayette sponsors 23 varsity sports with more than 600 student-athletes.Mission Statement | Leopard Tradition | Staff Directory | Feedback
The Lafayette Sports Network (LSN) handles all multimedia elements and advertising sales for athletics at Lafayette College. LSN is the Patriot League leader in delivering high-quality programming worldwide via television, radio, streaming video and satellite.Advertising and Sponsorships | Digital Media | LSN TV


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If you can dream it, you can do it. -Walt Disney
Quality is a great business plan. -John Lasseter
Let's make some funny pictures. -Tex Avery
I never considered a difference of opinion in politics, in religion, in philosophy, as cause for withdrawing from a friend. -Howard Zinn
When critics sit in judgment it is hard to tell where justice leaves off and vengeance begins. -Chuck Jones
And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? -Jesus
A man should never neglect his family for business. -Walt Disney
What's most important in animation is the emotions and the ideas being portrayed. -Ralph Bakshi
Once you have heard a strange audience burst into laughter at a film you directed, you realize what the word joy is all about. -Chuck Jones
Before enlightenment: chop wood, carry water. After enlightenment: chop wood, carry water. -Buddhist Proverb
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Busy busy busy
Share your views on the state of the Animation Industry.
6 posts • Page 1 of 1
Busy busy busy
Hope everyone is doing okay. Thanks for keeping the forums active. I always look forward to the videos, art, info and personal projects that you share.
Things are going really well with my school The Animation Academy in Burbank. It's keeping me very preoccupied in positive ways as enrollment increases and our program expands.
How about you? Are ya staying busy? What's keeping you that way? Finding time for yourself in the midst of the madness?
Re: Busy busy busy
Sounds good,
and I've been busy fixing myself a working desktop pc before school starts in a week, but there's alot of strange complications Ive run into along the way. So much Ive started on, but delayed because of this computer. Other than that, been a fine summer, also gonna be nice to get back to work. I like looking around on this place, as it shares so many good animation materials. Hope it never stops that hehe
Re: Busy busy busy
I like topics like these. Thanks for posting.
Have created literally thousands of Flash art assets and animations over the years for my indie company's games: props, BG elements & characters, and still doing so.
Having no commute, I have time for CastleVille, forum visits, walks to the grocery store nearby (having no car),etc.
I'm really hoping for business developments to happen soon (out of my hands).
Re: Busy busy busy
Have a kid, you'll be busy beyond your wildest dreams..
I'm at a small studio at the moment, doing character layouts for a series based on a mobile game. I also have a side project for my own web series.. recorded audio recently, so this may get off the ground soon. Hope everyone is doing well, Keep Creating!
Re: Busy busy busy
Talking about keep creating! Can't think of a better way to stay busy than to be raising your baby. Congratulations JDC!
Re: Busy busy busy
Man sometimes it gets crazy but it's a good crazy.
Hope you're staying on top of it all AN and that you're involved in positive things.
6 posts • Page 1 of 1