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New Zealand Auckland University scientists have developed the electronic cigarette, which may solve the problem of smoking in places where it is prohibited and abandoning this bad habit!
Externally, the novelty is similar to conventional cigarette, inserted in the short mouthpiece. To give a realistic, the tip of this cigarette was decorated with light emitting diode which "glows" when inhaling. A 16-milligram nicotine replacement cartridge is inserted into the device. In the process of "smoking" it warms up and the dose of nicotine goes into the smoker's organism through the mouth in the form of steam. Device operates by an ordinary penlight batteries.
The electronic cigarette does not produce any smoke or characteristic smell peculiar to tobacco. Electronic smoke is a steam with nicotine admixture, which is formed in the internal evaporator. The indicator simulates the flash at inhaling. Such cigarette can be smoked in public places.
The cost of the electronic cigarette is 270 New Zealand dollars (about 200 U.S. dollars). The cost of replacement cartridges will be $ 2 per day.
According to one of the authors of the idea, Dr Hayden McRobbie, this development can be a good help for those who want to quit smoking. With its help, people simultaneously satisfies the psychological habit of smoking, get nicotine and protect themselves from harmful components of tobacco, such as carbon monoxide and tar.
Now there is a call for volunteers to test new items. Scientists hope that their results prove the higher efficiency of development compared with existing analogs of substitute of regular cigarettes, such as patches and gum.
"In general, the nicotine is not dangerous to the smoker. Nevertheless, quitting smoking, people suffer from symptoms of nicotine dependence. If former smoker uses a product similar to the electronic cigarette, his body continued to receive nicotine, and the obsessive desire to smoke disappears, " said Dr. McRobbie.
Ministry of Health in New Zealand has already confirmed that e-cigarette "smoking" is not a violation of the law on ban smoking in public places. That is why it can be "smoking" in bars and restaurants, and even at work.
About 67% of respondents reported that they reduced the number of present cigarettes. According to the initiators of the study, these results confirm the effectiveness of an electronic substitute for tobacco smoking cessation.
However, not all scientists are optimistic and have expressed doubts about the harmlessness of electronic cigarettes. Too little time has passed to determine how the body reacts on steam, inhaled by the consumer.
Propylene glycol, a substance that can cause allergic reactions and even damage to internal organs, is in the nicotine cartridge. Furthermore, the addition of fruit and other flavoring additives attract many teenagers to try the electronic cigarette.
Similar Posts:
- How to choose electronic cigarette
- Smokers switch to e-cigarettes
- Electronic Cigarettes – Can They Help People Quit Tobacco Cigarettes?


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Jul 15, 2015 in chicken, main dish, epicurious, fajitas, grilling. Read the original on: Life, Love, and Good Food
The countdown is on! These past few weeks have been a blur â selling our house, negotiating contracts, buying a new home, packing, sorting, planning â and now we are just days from the big move! Weâre very excited about this change, but are also getting a bit tired with all the work required to pack up after being the same place for so long. Full-out cooking has been a bit limited during this time, so more than ever weâre enjoying grilling quick meals like these Kickinâ Chicken Fajitas.
Lightly oil boneless chicken breasts and the veggies, then sprinkle with Weberâs Kickinâ Chicken seasoning, and grill. Quick, healthy, spicyâ¦delicious! A welcome diversion to the chaos of boxes that is slowly overtaking our home!
The dining room has become a staging area and my temporary blogging station. Weâre amazed that the more we pack, the more there seems left to do! Weâve helped our kids move more times than we can count (in and out of dorms, in and out of apartments, in and out of state, and so on!), so I guess it is just our time. Once weâre settled in (and boxes are unpacked), I promise to share a glimpse of my new kitchen and bake yâall up something really special!
© 2015 Life, Love, and Good Food | Sheila Thigpen
The post Kickinâ Chicken Fajitas appeared first on Life, Love, and Good Food.
Read the original on: Life, Love, and Good Food
I'm just a Southern girl who enjoys cooking, photography, music, and sharing good food with family and friends. My blog is simply a little about my life, a bit about the things I love, but mostly about good food.

subset: commoncrawl


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Me and the iPad
I've had a serious case of blogger's block the past few days. When I heard about Justice Stevens' retirement the other day, it kind of sapped the political energy right out of me. The last thing I want to see is a second consecutive summer of political fighting over a SCOTUS nominee.
So for now, here are pictures I took of the iPad at my local Apple store:
This happened on April 3rd, the day the iPad was released. Just for the record, my Apple store is in a suburban shopping mall, and it was about 1pm. I wanted to see if there was any buzz here in the 'burbs. Sure enough, there was a small line of about 15 people waiting to get in the store. I asked the girl at the door and she said the line was just to get in the store, not for buying an iPad. The line moved quickly and we were in the store in about 10 minutes—the Apple people even handed out bottles of water.
At the moment, I'm sure I won't have much use for an iPad right now, and my feelings were pretty much muted going into the store. But I have to say it is a beautiful device–it's sleek and not too big, but big enough. With some 10 hours of battery time, I can see how it would eventually be useful around the house or on the road.
Being a book person–as in actual books, no Kindles or Nooks–I wouldn't appreciate the books application. But again, having checked it out it really is impressive.
I"ve been back to see the iPad again this past weekend, and I think I enjoyed it more than I did initially. I guess the more I see it, the more it will grow on me.
There. That's the extent of my tech blogging.


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As in a few of Nagisa Ôshima's films, the issue at the heart of Cruel Story Of Youth is the commodification of human beings. Makoto is an incredibly naïve and vulnerable character, and because of this, it is painful to witness her story arc, but she is difficult to sympathise with given that she has essentially created her circumstances. Ôshima does a superb job of narrating the woes of adolescence, even as the story gets decidedly adult. A sequence wherein Kiyoshi refuses to save Makoto from drowning unless she does everything he says is particularly memorable and sums the film up succinctly. Raw, sexual and dangerous, Cruel Story Of Youth is a still relevant evocation of the rebellious teenage spirit.
Monday, 31 May 2010
Sunday, 30 May 2010
The film plays out as a sort of press pack, arranging interviews and news items chronologically to measure the repercussions of the attack. Rather than sensationalising events unnecessarily, Mori remains as neutral as possible, an approach which allows the subjects to loosen up and contently discuss their beliefs. For the first half of the film, it is hard to conceive of the dangers of a cult represented in the media by someone like Araki, but as Mori probes deeper, he unexpectedly uncovers a stash of chemicals in a storeroom, instantly changing the audience's perception of the film. At 133 minutes, it may be a little longer than necessary, but A is otherwise a respectably unobtrusive profile of a terrifying sect.
Saturday, 29 May 2010
Prior to producing Wênd Kûuni, the second film ever produced in Burkina Faso, director Gaston Kaboré had been disturbed by the simplistic representation of West African peoples in documentaries. In the character of Wendkouni, Kaboré finds a means of constructing an identity from scratch. Free of language or other cultural signifier, he is absorbed into a community which gives him purpose and love, and later helps him to articulate his pain. At the end of the film, he emerges from his chrysalis, stronger for his suffering and with newfound direction. Wendkouni's relationship with Pognèré is particularly touching, as both young actors (siblings in real life) support each other through the painful process of growing up.
It is hard to imagine a modern director more suited to adapt Franz Kafka's final work than Michael Haneke, who has made a name for himself creating unsettling psychological dramas. As in Kafka's book, the threat is intangible but palpable throughout, and Haneke keeps a rhythm to the film with abrupt fades to black. The film is however weakened by a narration which detracts from the cinematic illusion. While a difficult character to portray, K does not feel as in conflict with his surroundings as he does in the book, but Haneke does well to represent his frustrations realistically. Not perfect, but an admirable effort.
Like Béla Tarr's TV version of Macbeth, which is dominated by an hour-long shot, Fassbinder's version of The Coffee House requires considerable patience from the viewer, and relies heavily on the richness of language to communicate its emotional subtleties. Before making his film adaptation, Fassbinder had rewritten the play for the stage, stripping it of its elaborate set design and whimsical comedy to place it firmly in the modern age. It is this unrelentingly stoical approach which permeates a lot of Fassbinder's early work, and it was at this point that his theatrical output was most prolific. On screen, The Coffeehouse still feels like a play, but as a film it does paradoxically gain an undercurrent of comedy through its supposed seriousness. As actors deliver their lines in turn, the viewer's attention is drawn to the status of the production rather than the content, and the characters' hysterical self-pity becomes little more than a theatrical whimsy.
As one might assume, there's not much remarkable about this one, asides from the comical special effects and porn star acting. The zombies which emerge from the TV are far too human to present any significant threat – some of them are just a couple of eyeliner strokes from being New Romantics. In trying to create an original twist to the zombie genre, the film forgets pacing and plot, but more than makes up for it with some creative deaths – one unfortunate individual is stabbed (yes, stabbed) with an iron. Essentially, The Video Dead is no different from any other horror-comedy hybrid, but it does make an amusing (and surprisingly accurate) prediction about the future of televisual culture. A recommended watch when drunk or stoned.
Thursday, 27 May 2010
Mekas, a man haunted by the spectre of memory, achieves the rare feat of putting himself on camera without needing to be in front of it. His juxtaposition of images is never gratuitous or sentimental, even as flowers superimpose images of children, and although names of relatives and friends are mentioned, the priority is never to learn exactly what role these people play in his life, rather to learn what sort of people they are or were. Any budding artist working in 8mm and 16mm would do well to watch Mekas' work to learn how to make true meaning of home video footage. In spite of, or perhaps thanks to its extensive length, As I Was Moving Ahead is a wholly immersive experience – while these may not be memories from our own lives, they will be by the end of the film.
In both content and style, The Country Teacher resembles the Korean feature Bungee Jumping Of Their Own, in which a teacher finds himself drawn to a male student he believes is the incarnation of his departed high school sweetheart. While the latter sounds excessively saccharine, it is the better-handled film of the two. In The Country Teacher, Petr deals with many feelings, including a forbidden attraction, but his stony demeanour means that some of his more surprising actions are hard to believe. In spite of this, the film does handle the dramatic moments realistically, and doesn't forget the emotions of secondary characters in telling its story. An endearing tale of love and identity, The Country Teacher is no great shakes but definitely deserves a watch.
Wednesday, 26 May 2010
Expressionist director Jean Epstein's films often convey simple stories in a headily lyrical manner, and Finis Terræ is no exception to the rule. With its majestic photography and meditative close-ups, one could be forgiven for thinking that the film is communicating a profound statement on humanity in every single frame. Visual motifs of broken bottles and shells echo the day-to-day approach to life the boys share, and an intermittent shot of names being crossed out gives a powerful sense of time passing with very little action. Epstein even manages to use the film's silence to great effect, as Jean-Marie's attempts to shout to the doctor go apparently unnoticed. Simultaneously romantic and realistic, Finis Terræ is a gorgeous essay on human nature and endurance, painted with the very skilled brush of one of cinema's greatest poets.
The film portrays the men as unpolished savages, unable to communicate beyond monosyllables. It is alleged that the film sparked controversy in various Central Asian countries for such a blunt depiction of the area, but director Ali Khamrayev quite pointedly does not associate the film with any specific country, saying only that it takes place "11,000km from New York". In spite of this, the film seems to only really have one thing to say. The woman, played by Arielle Dombasle, stands apart from the backdrop as a blue-eyed, pink-lipped Barbie doll, an icon of all things European. Her presence in the desert alone seems to be the catalyst for the shepherds' downfall, evoking a simple statement on European influence. Neither a straight drama nor a hilarious parody, Bo Ba Bu is an unusually mixed bag.
Although not as shocking as Wiseman's own Titicut Follies, Law and Order is still a powerful work, a distillation of sixties attitudes to the authorities. Policemen are greeted with disobedience, apathy and threatening behaviour, and given the violent approach taken by some officers, it's easy to see why. Attitudes to race are also placed under the microscope, as Kansas City was fresh from the MLK riots at the time. Although the film features plenty of antagonism between white law enforcers and black criminals, Wiseman is careful not to perpetuate stereotypes on either end, best summarised by the touching sequence where a white policeman comforts a lost young black girl.
Monday, 24 May 2010
Naturally, a patience for long takes is crucial to get through Fantasma, but even then there is no solid guarantee of enjoyment. Like Tsai Ming-Liang's Goodbye Dragon Inn and Abbas Kiarostami's Shirin, Alonso gives us a literal cinematic experience, transforming the darkened screening room into a stage wherein performance is unadulterated by dialogue. The scenes surrounding this nucleus of reflection offer a slight narrative more led by possibility than certainty, and while the man is an interesting sight, his slick black hair belying his true age, his story just doesn't feel interesting enough to pursue. The introduction of the student promises a connection between the two characters, but teasingly doesn't deliver. It isn't that Fantasma has little to say, rather that it is perhaps too subtle for its own good.
Wednesday, 19 May 2010
By subject matter, this sits alongside Capturing The Friedmans and Paradise Lost, but in opposition to these films, About Children presents the facts without breaking the fourth wall, as if not wishing to sensationalise the case any further. In some ways however, Jordà's work trivialises aspects of the case – the film is as much about the Spanish judiciary as it is about paedophilia, and while the theatre pieces and acoustic soundtrack may help to form filmic interludes, they are discordant with the serious nature of the trial and appear insensitive. This is not to say that the film doesn't take its subject seriously. The cameraman seem to be everywhere in the courtroom, absorbing natural reactions from attorneys and jury members, as well as profiling the accused without interfering with procedure. Shocking, challenging and thought-provoking, About Children is a hard-hitting analysis of an abhorrent crime, an incisive study into the darkest side of human nature.
Monday, 17 May 2010
From the film's subtitle alone, it is clear that director Júlíus Kemp was planning to take more than just Gunnar Hansen from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Despite some superb photography of the Icelandic landscape, Harpoon is no different from any other slasher flick. Its top priority appears to be reminding its audience that the film is Icelandic – we hear references to Sigur Rós, a passenger singing Björk over the intercom, an older woman translating insults into Icelandic. Additionally, the film's light-hearted attempt to show a cross-section of international holiday-makers actually ends up insultingly simplistic, as seen in Hostel. But in all fairness, Kemp was never going for the Oscar, and all things considered, the film is quite a fun little jaunt with enough blood and guts to keep your average gore-whore entertained.
Sunday, 16 May 2010
In essence, it's a simple Romeo and Juliet story in a bucolic setting. Rohmer presents his youthful protagonists as victims of circumstance, their core emotions otherwise unshakable. But as pure as its message is, The Romance of Astrea and Celadon takes a long time to say ver little. Too much of the film is afforded to characters literally reading poetry. What frustrates most however is that the romantic hysterics see no representation in the mise-en-scène – with the beautiful sweeping backdrop of a verdant valley, it's a disappointment that the battle of emotions is left entirely up to the young cast, who appear a little wet behind the ears. To put it bluntly, one could just as easily be watching an amateur production in the woods. An undercooked, inflated melodrama which often feels like Shakespeare manqué, The Romance of Astrea and Celadon should only be seen by Rohmer completists.
Friday, 14 May 2010
Wiseman is known for his unflinching cinema vérité manner, and High School is a brilliant example of why this works so well. The editing could almost have been pre-determined, short snippets of drama only staying moments on the screen. Occasionally, the subjects appear conscious of the camera and change their behaviour accordingly (the teachers in particular), but whether this impedes or ameliorates the role of the film is up to the viewer. What is most significant about the film is that the students are almost entirely unheard beyond chatter and laughter. It is not entirely clear as to whether or not this was deliberate, but needless to say the effect is a little sinister at times. Interestingly, the film was banned in Philadelphia for this reason, although its subjects later claimed it was an accurate depiction. An unusually gripping watch.
Thursday, 13 May 2010
From the above description, Birdemic might sound like a rip-off of Hitchcock's The Birds, but it's clear from the beginning that the Hitchcock estate has no reason to be concerned (asides from Tippi Hedren inexplicably making a cameo). Shot on a budget of $10,000 (that much?), this third feature by salesman-turned-director James Nguyen defies belief with its shockingly poor photography, acting, screenplay, sound and special effects. It is the latter attribute which pushes this film from Z-movie to abominable cult classic – the CGI eagles are often seen aimlessly flapping in a fixed position, completely defying scale and proportion and presenting no real threat. An unintentional belly-laugh from start to finish, Birdemic is a new category of bad film, and should be seen by everyone.
If I haven't convinced you, check out the trailer
Tuesday, 11 May 2010
It is hard to know how to react to The Human Centipede (First Sequence). Clearly, the main goal of the film is to repulse, which it manages in abundance thanks to lingering shots of the centipede in 'motion'. What makes the experience incredibly uncomfortable is the inherent comedy in Heiter's mission – it's hard not to laugh at Katsuro's confused anger. While it is never explained, one can assume that Heiter's goal has an erotic outcome, but the campy acting makes it hard to take seriously. But while to many it may just be a juvenile gross-out movie, The Human Centipede is at least an interesting exercise in suspense, and the next logical step in torture porn. A sequel of sorts is on its way, leading one to ponder what other dastardly schemes Heiter has in mind (a digestive ouroboros?).


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Stock Market Close Positive Nifty Gain 85 pts,Equity market updates
Today Nifty 50-share index ended at 6,176.10, up 84.25 points or 1.38 per cent. It touched a high of 6,182.50 and a low of 6,103.80 in trade and BSE Sensex closed at 20,791.93, up 257.02 points or 1.25 per cent. It touched a high of 20,819.77 and a low of 20,558.93 in trade today.
BSE Sensex gained 1.25 percent, while the broader NSE index ended 1.38 percent up, also marking their biggest weekly gain of around 3 per cent since the week ended October 11.
Bank Nifty outperforms (up over 2 percent) with Bank of Baroda , SBI , Bank of India and ICICI Bank leading the charge. Sesa Sterlite and BHEL gain over 4 percent. Cipla , SBI and ICICI Bnak are top gainers. On the losers side are M&M, Wipro and NTPC .
At beginning of market Jaiprakash Associates is 9 per cent. NMDC, Bank of Baroda, Sesa Sterlite, BHEL, SBI, Cipla and giants like ICICI Bank shares closed down 6.5 to 2.7 percent stronger. Although M & M, NTPC, Wipro, Hero Moto and luminaries such as Asian Paints shares dropped from 1.4 to 0.25 per cent.
Most of Asian markets closed flat or negative today. The Nikkei was down half a percent but the yen stayed weak above 102 against the dollar.


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Lee Yong Dae made a breathtaking reply to surprised their Indonesia counterpart Liliyana Natsir-Widianto. Yong Dae's shot came out from nowhere.
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The Teslas and Newtons of history have already received enough attention, thank you very much. Ever since science started being a thing, the ladies have always played an integral role in keeping human knowledge marching forward, they just lacked the same social and political standings as their male contemporaries, therefore ranking far lower on the public relations hierarchy. Every March marks Women's History Month, which honors the oft-marginalized demographics within math, science, technology, engineering, and (obviously) disciplines beyond. When wanting to rock some theorums and hypotheses, turn to some of the following females for inspiration.
Ada Lovelace
Charles Babbage may have given modern computing its body, but Ada Lovelace contributed the voice. This eagerly intellectual countess invented the world's very first computer program and translated numerous game-changing mathematical and scientific publications into English.
Chien-Shiung Wu
When history and science buffs think of the Manhattan Project, they usually default to J. Robert Oppenheimer and Albert Einstein – although plenty other men and women contributed to the initiative. Heavily decorated physicist Chien-Shiung Wu stood among them (as the only Chinese participant, no less), though her resume contains far more than that; for example, her book Beta Decay has been lauded as an industry standard since its 1965 release.
Marie Curie
The first woman to ever receive a Nobel Prize also happened to be the first to earn two – one in physics, the other in chemistry. Along with husband Pierre Curie, the internationally-regarded science superstar completely revolutionized humanity's understanding of radioactivity.
Historians and classicists continue debating over Agnodice's (sometimes spelled Agnodike) existence, but if she genuinely did walk the streets of Athens, that would make her the very first legally sanctioned doctor. Stories of her mostly speak of obstetric assistance, though she also practiced more general medicine.
Mae Jemison
When she served as a Mission Specialist aboard Endeavour in 1992, this inspiring Renaissance woman – a scientist, engineer, dancer, actress, and educator – became the first black woman in space. On the ground, the now-retired Mae Jemison has also worked with the Peace Corps, as a professor, a physician, and outspoken advocate for women in science and a merging of arts into more technical professions.
Rita Levi-Montalcini
Senator and scientist, the neurology and physiology world has this Nobel Prize winner (and her colleague Stanley Cohen) to thank for the discovery of and inquiries into nerve growth factor. As a direct result of their research, millions of patients suffering from nerve conditions eventually received the care necessary to forge the happiest, healthiest lives possible.
Margaret Cavendish
The Duchess of Newcastle-Upon-Tyne used her position and fought 17th century sexism to deliver the highly influential Observations upon Experimental Philosophy in 1666 – among other works. She became one of the most prominent (and, of course, controversial) names in natural philosophy at the time, and even managed to whip up some of literature's first examples of science fiction.
Gertrude Belle Elion
Pharmacologist and Nobel Prize recipient Gertrude Bell Elion developed drugs for gout, malaria, herpes, leukemia, meningitis, infections, organ transplants, and plenty of other conditions. Watching her grandfather die of cancer propelled her to devote her prodigious talents in the service of all who suffer.
Hawa Abdi and Deqo Mohamed
Two generations of physicians currently provide a loving, peaceful community for Somali refugees – mostly women and children – based around free-to-low-cost healthcare and education. Starting with a hospital and working up to a full-blown network, Hawa Abdi and Deqo Mohamed show what science and a genuinely love of humanity and justice can do for marginalized, ravaged peoples.
Stephanie Kwolek
While working for DuPont, this chemist struggled with polymers for improved tires and wound up inventing Kevlar in 1964, an accomplishment which saw her decorated with the National Medal of Technology and induction into the National Women's Hall of Fame and National Inventors Hall of Fame. Although she retired in 1986, she continues encouraging girls and women to pursue careers in science despite prevailing gender stereotypes.
Like Agnodice, scholars are not entirely certain the Akkadian princess-priestess-poet-philosopher Enheduanna was a real person, but she's still amongst the first to ever be named in historical texts. Astronomy fueled much of her art and theology, although today most tend to know her for the dedicated verses to Inanna.
Elizabeth Blackwell
Elizabeth Blackwell smashed the glass ceiling preventing women from completing medical school in 1849 when she became the first to complete her degree, and followed this up as the first on the UK Medical Register. With her amazing position, she served as a mentor to other ladies hoping for doctor careers, an abolitionist, and healthcare advocate for the poor.
Dorotea Bucca
Starting in 1390, University of Bologna allowed Dorotea Bucca to chair the department of medicine and philosophy as her father's successor. Her career spanned about four decades, and she spent most of this time educating Italy's future physicians and thinkers.
Herrad of Landsberg
Because she dedicated her entire life to religion and scholarship, this Alsatian abbess was able to print up one of the most important scientific treatises of all time, Horcus deliciarum (The Garden of Delights). The hefty volume cobbled together everything natural philosophers and scientists knew about the world at the time, providing them with a handy resource from which to build their own individual inquiries.
Margaret Chan
Politics and medicine collide in the Director-General of the World Health Organization's thoroughly impressive resume. Her career began as Hong Kong's Director of Health, where she worked tirelessly to curtail SARS and bird flu outbreaks, which earned international attention and acclaim.
Hypatia of Alexandria
Raised among mathematicians, natural scientists, philosophers, and other thinkers, Theon Alexandricus' bright daughter carried out his legacy by heading up the Platonist school in their Egyptian stronghold. In addition, she published numerous texts pertaining to astronomy and mathematics, including The Astronomical Canon and commentaries and updates on the works of her father, Euclid, Ptolemy, and others.
Wang Zhenyi
Using 18th century mathematics and models, this oft-overlooked astronomer almost completely explained the physics behind gravity, lunar eclipses, and their intimate relationship, publishing her finds as "On the Explanation of the Lunar Eclipse" and "Of the Bell-Shaped Earth." Wang Zhenyi also stood as an outspoken activist calling for equal educational and professional opportunities for women, particularly in the sciences.
Sara Josephine Baker
Public health in the United States underwent a massive, much-needed overhaul thanks to this physician's horrifying discoveries regarding the whats and whys behind the high infant mortality rate. Because of her tireless campaigning, many of the nation's economically deprived managed to avoid dysentery and other preventable illnesses, conditions, and diseases stemming from inhumane conditions.
Scholars know little to nothing about Tapputi-Belatikallim's life and career beyond the not-insignificant fact that she might very well be the first known chemist. Mesopotamian tablets speak of her as a perfume maker, who explored how different elements worked together to produce lovely little smells.
Jane Goodall
Much of what zoologists know of monkey and ape behavior stems from over four decades of primatologist Jane Goodall's intimate work with Tanzanian chimpanzees in Gombe Stream National Park. Beyond these world-famous studies, she established a nonprofit promoting economic and environmental sustainability.
Ada E. Yonath
Crystallographer Ada E. Yonath completely overhauled the study of ribosomal structures and interactions with other stimuli, microbes, compounds, and more. For this and her operating Israel's very first laboratory specializing in protein crystallography, she earned the 2009 Nobel Prize in Chemistry alongside Venkatraman Ramakrishnan and Thomas Steitz.
Hildegard von Bingen
During the Middle Ages, a period not exactly known for its enlightened treatment of the ladyfolk, this abbess of the Benedictine order thrived as an intellectual skilled in numerous fields – including the natural sciences. Chemistry in particular held her fascination, and she wrote extensively about the healing arts and the blends of organic matter appropriate for different medical needs.
Ingrid Daubechies
Duke professor, physicist, and mathematician Ingrid Daubechies currently serves as the first female head of the International Mathematical Union, which joins such honors as a MacArthur Fellowship, a Pioneer Prize, a Steele Prize, and numerous more. Wavelets stand as her most notable sphere of influence, especially when it deals with compressing images in computing.
Rosalind Franklin
Without this multidisciplinary biologist's X-rays of DNA's crystallography, James D. Watson and Francis Crick probably would not have discovered the structure of life's basic components or won the Nobel Prize for it. Rosalind Franklin received no recognition for her role in the completely game-changing research, which continues sparking controversy even today and stands as a particularly tragic example of what women in science once experienced.
Maria Mitchell
Denmark's King Frederick VII awarded Maria Mitchell a gold medal for her discovery of a comet invisible to the unaided eye, which, in turn led to her installation as the first female member in the American Academy of Arts and Sciences American Association for the Advancement of Science. A distinguished astronomer, Vassar College named her its very first professor and placed her in charge of the observatory to inspire future stargazers.


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Caught at the airport trying to pass off a fake passport as the genuine article? The minimum prison sentence is supposedly six months, the most you can get for this fraudulent act is ten years in prison.
Even in Pakistan they may simply deport you after you have served somewhere between say, eighteen months for your first offence.
Binyam would have expected little more than that at best and deportation back to his Ethiopian homeland at the worst.
Instead he was kidnapped by the C.I.A as an alleged terrorist, detained at 'The Salt Pit' prison located in Bagram, Afghanistan and tortured.
Binyam stated that
"It was pitch black no lights on in the rooms for most of the time…They hung me up.
I was allowed a few hours of sleep on the second day, then hung up again, this time for two days.
My leg had swollen. My wrists and hands had gone numb… There was loud music, [Eminem's] 'Slim Shady' and Dr Dre for 20 days….[Then] they changed the sounds to horrible ghost laughter and Halloween sounds.
[At one point, I was] chained to the rails for a fortnight….The CIA worked on people,including me, day and night…Plenty lost their minds.
I could hear people knocking their heads against the walls and the doors, screaming their heads off."
Unlike the 'others' he described, Binyam was still very sane, maybe this was due to his experiences as an Ethiopian Asylum Seeker, and the hardships he would have had to adapt to and even survive living in England.
In 2004 he was transferred to the Guantanamo Detention Camp and made subject to a 'Combatant Status Review Panel Tribunal' where, it was submitted that he had admitted training at the AL-Qaeda terrorist training camp AL Farouq.
In 2005 Binyam was placed in Camp V, a super maximum facility where uncooperative detainees are held. There he was told that he would be required to testify against other detainees.
In November of 2005 Binyam was charged with 'conspiracy to committ an act of terrorism' but help was on the way (finally).
The Supreme Court produced a ruling which effectively stated that the U.S President lacked the authority to create military commissions outside the regular judiciary system, and that these military commissions were unconstitutional, as a result Binyam Mohammed's trial was halted.
Attempts to put him on trial before a military commission were resumed in late 2008 after 'restructured' military commissions were introduced. However, the charges against him were eventually dropped and he was returned to Britain on 23 February 2009.
In 2010 despite the opposition of the then Labour Government, the Court of Appeal ordered the government to release evidence of MI5 & MI6 complicity in the torture of Binyam Mohammed, overruling the wishes of the Foreign Secretary, David Milliband.
To conclude, Binyam received £1 million pounds in compensation, in settlement, from the British Government. Binyam Mohammed was one of the few ex-detainees to be awarded compensation, he was also one of the few ex-detainees of the 'dark prison' who lived to tell about it.


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Tonight, while I was folding socks, I found myself watching a series of Taylor Swift music videos and holding back sobs during "Teardrops on My Guitar." Then I asked myself, what am I doing here?
Now I have Cutting Crew's "(I Just) Died in Your Arms Tonight" stuck in my head.
There can only be one explanation. I am pregnant, and I was born in the 80s.
That, and the Lieutenant shouldn't leave me alone for extended periods of time. What will happen during deployment? I REFUSE to listen to and/or watch Hannah Montana music. And that is final.


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Download the PowerWood Activities London 2017 flyer
At 'Coffee with Simone', parents and grandparents can have an informal chat with Simone de Hoogh, experienced and qualified parenting consultant, family and life coach and 'ECHA Specialist in Gifted Education' and with other PowerWood volunteers in a safe environment about any issues or challenges they have with children who are intense, super-sensitive and hyper-reactive often described as 'overexcitable', 'atypical' or 'high-able' or just enjoy meeting up with other PowerWood parents. The location will be Birdie's Cafe in Acton Park.
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The chance to chat with other families, feeling empowered and hopeful, thank you! (mum of 2 boys)
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|The Mistakes and Innovations of Sayyid Qutb
|Article ID : NDV010008
Amongst those who have criticised Sayyid Qutb include:
- Shaikh Abdullaah ad-Dawaish – may Allaah have mercy upon him. He criticised 'az-Zilaal' a number of years ago and recorded over 180 mistakes in the matters of 'aqeedah and manhaj in his book 'al-Mawrid az-Zalaal fit -Tanbeeh alaa Akhtaa az-Zilaal'
- And for his takfeer of the whole Ummah he was even criticised by some of the prominent figureheads of Ikhwaan, indicating that at his time, his ideas were not really widely accepted.
- Shaikh Mahmood Muhammad Shaakir and others criticised him in his lifetime and refuted him regarding his reviling and slander of Uthmaan (ra) and the other Companions such as az-Zubair, Sa'd, Abdur-Rahmaan bin 'Awf and also some of the taabi'een.
- Shaikh Muhammad Hamood an-Najdi in his book 'al-Qawl ul-Mukhtasir al-Mubeen fee Manhaahij al-Mufassireen' regarding his position on the Sifaat…
- Muhammad Tawfeeq Barakaat in his book 'Sayyid Qutb Khulaasatu Hayaatihi' (p.176-177) said:In these pages we shall try – with the help of Allaah – to state the most important criticisms that have been directed at Sayyid Qutb – may Allaah have mercy upon him – whether it is positive or negative, trying to do that to the best of our capability. And to the extent of my knowledge, there has not appeared any Muslim writer who has been promoted to such a high level, or whose position has been disparaged and reduced to a low level as the likes of Sayyid Qutb – and we are not festering this second aspect [i.e Qutb's disparagement]. Let us then look at some of the things that have been said about him, generally:
- It has been said: That he is a new prophet for a specific Jamaa'ah of the Muslims
- It has been said: That he does not know what comes out of his head, the strong sentiments and fluency of the language led him to words which are but useless [no meaning behind them]
- It has been said: That he is a man of imaginations/ideas, he makes his rulings upon whims and he flies in the wind/breeze of the soul therefore he does not correctly know the true state of affairs
- It has been said: That he used to speak about the ahkaam (rulings) of the Sharee'ah without having any knowledge whatsoever of fiqh
- It has been said: That he desires to bring about a massive barrier between the Muslims and the Islamic fiqh
- It has been said: That he desired to cut the people off from the books of tafseer with the use of sentimental words in his Zilaal
- It has been said: That he declared all the Muslims to be disbelievers and did not leave save a few people who were still revolving around Islam.
- And many more things have been said about him
- Shaikh Muhammad Naasir ud-Deen al-Albaanee who criticised him for his speaking with 'wahdatul-wujood' and said that he was merely a writer [adeeb], who was ignorant, with no knowledge, and that he did not call to the Tawheed of Allaah.
It is not correct therefore to claim that Sayyid Qutb is being criticised and disparaged now, in the Nineties by a single or perhaps two or three scholars. Rather a fair number of scholars have criticised him for many things and additionally he was criticised during his lifetimes very heavily for many matters in which he made grave and serious errors.
Amongst them are:
His rebuke and censure of the Prophet of Allaah, Moosaa (alaihis-salaam) and making him the object of ridicule.
Sayyid Qutb said, in at-Tasweer al-Fannee fil-Qur'aan: "Let us take Moosaa – he is the example of the fiery, excitable leader [quotes Qasas 28:15] and here his zealous , excitable spirit appeared, just as his emotions in favour of his nation were shown; but this emotional impulse quickly passed away – and he regained his composure – and this is what happens with the excitable folk. [Quotes Qasas 28:15-17, 18] – and this change shows a well-known manifestation, that of one who is afraid, distressed and expecting evil in every moment – and this is also the sign of the excitable (folk). Then along with this and along with the fact that he promissed that he would not aid the wrongdoers – then let us see what he did [quotes Qasas 28:18]. He desired to attack the other man just as he did the day before, and his zeal and emotion led him to forget his having sought forgiveness, his regret, his fear and his anxious watchfulness… So let us leave him here, to meet him again, at a second period in his life, ten years later. So perhaps he had calmed down and became a man who was of calm nature and gentle-natured. No indeed! So here he was, being called from the right hand side of the mountain: that he should throw down his staff, so he threw it down and it became a snake – moving quickly, he hardly saw it before he jumped and ran, not looking back and not turning aside… he was the same highly strung youth… …"
His rebuke and censure of the Companions of Allaah's Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) , especially Uthmaan (radiallaahu anhu). [The way of the Rawaafid] On this issue he was corrected and refuted by Mahmood Shaakir in his lifetime but he maintained his position and did not recant. His refusal is in the magazine ar-Risaalah vol 977 in the year 1952. This was after Mahmood Shaakir wrote four treatise against him the titles of three of them being: hukmun bilaa bayyinah, laa tasubboo ashaabee, al-alsinatu al-muftireen. They were published in the magazine al-Muslimoon starting in Muharram of the year 1372 hijri.In spite of this he still allowed the book 'Al-Adaalat ul-Ijtimaa'iyyah' to be published before his death.
He said in the aforementioned book for example:
"Indeed, it was a truly a trial that Alee was not the third of the Rightly Guided Caliphs" (p.191 5th edn & p.162 12th edn.)
"And we tend to the opinion that the khilaafah of Alee was the natural extension of the khilaafah of the two shaikhs [i.e. Abu Bakr and Umar] and that the era of Uthmaan was merely a gap in between" (p.206 5th edn.)
"And it is unfortunate that the khilaafah came to Uthmaan when he was an old man; his determination had weakened and did not reach the goals intended by Islaam; and his resolve was too weak to steadfastly face the plots of Marwaan and plots of Umayyah beyond that." (p.186 5th edn.)
"The Companions saw this deviation from the spirit of Islaam, and would call one another to al-Madeenah to save Islaam and to save Islaam from the trial; and the khalifah – in his old age, and his state brought about by advanced age – did not possess control of his affair to the expense of Marwaan. It is difficult to accuse the spirit of Islaam in the person of Islaam, but it is likewise difficult to pardon him for the error of the unfortunate occurrence of his taking the khilaafah whilst he was a weakened old man, who was surrounded by evil courtiers from Banu Umayyah…" (p.189 5th edn and its meaning is on p.161 of the 12th edn.)
His declaration of all societies to be disbelievers without exception. [The way of the Khawaarij]
And this is confirmed by Yoosuf al-Qardaawi in his book – The Priorities of the Islamic Movement (p.110) where he explains that the books of Sayyid Qutb appeared in which Qutb performs takfeer of all societies and in which he announces a destructive jihaad against the whole of mankind.
His saying that the Qur'aan is created. [The saying of the Jahmiyyah].
His saying that existence is one (wahdatul wujood). [The way of the Soofiyyah]
In his explanations of Surah Ikhlaas and also the beginning of Surah Hashr. He said, for example, in his Zilaal (6/4002): "Verily it is a single existence, and there is no other reality save that of His, and there is no true and real existence save His – and every other existing thing then its existence is an extension of His existence … and when this perception becomes firmly established, the one which sees nothing in existence except the reality of Allaah…"
And in some of his other books, Sayyid Qutb affirms this and also praises the Soofees and their actions
He said in his Zilaal (6/3291): "And there are a people who worship Allaah, because they thank him for His favours which they cannot count – and behind this worship, they do not look for Paradise or Hellfire, nor to pleasure or punishment at all…"
His saying of the divine indwelling (hulool) and also Jabr (mankind having no free will – being compelled to act). [The way of the Jabariyyah].
His denial of some of the Attributes of Allaah in the way and style of the Jahmiyyah. [The way of the Mu'attilah]
For example his denial of Istiwaa by explaining it away – that it is merely an allegorical expression as he said in his Zilaal (3/1762) and also in many other places such as: (1/53), (/1/54), (3/1296), (4/2045), (5/2807)
And likewise his denial of the Meezaan (Scales) in the way and style of the Jahmiyyah (4/2481).
His attacks on the Miracles of the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) .
His refusal of the acceptance of ahaad hadeeth in matters of Aqeedah. [The way of the Mu'tazilah]
He said in his Zilaal (6/4008): "And the Aahaad hadeeth are not to be taken in the matters of aqeedah, the source is the Qur'aan – and something being mutawaatir is a condition [that has to be fulfilled] in accepting hadeeth in the issues of belief…" And in this he is more astray than the Ash'arees
His denial of the magic that was practiced upon the Messenger (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) .
His denial that Eesaa (as) was raised to the heaven
His claim that the point of dispute between the Messenger and the Pagans was with respect to Tawheed ur-Ruboobiyyah only and that Tawheed ul-Uloohiyyah is but Tawheed ur-Ruboobiyyah.
He said in his Zilaal (4/1846): "Then the issue of Uloohiyyah was not the point of difference, indeed, it was the issue of Ruboobiyyah which the messages (of the Messengers) addressed. And this was what the final message was addressing also."
His claim that the Sifaat (Attributes of Allaah) are but mere imaginations (takhyeel).
And for those who call for Haakimiyyah and raise its banner high, then it is well known to the lowest student of knowledge that the Haakimiyyah of Allaah Azzawajall applies even more so to His Essence, His Names and Attributes [as well as His Sharee'ah etc.] So the one who does not judge – in the matters related to knowledge about Allaah – by what Allaah has revealed – then it is more befitting for him to be labelled a rejector of the Haakimiyyah of Allaah Azzawajall. What is required is justice and fair speech and speaking the truth, even if it be against one's own soul – and applying the fundamental principles of Islamic Belief justly and fairly to every individual that they apply to – and this is a sign of a Muslims honesty, integrity and love for the Revelation of Allaah.
His refusal to pray Salaatul-Jumu'ah with the justification that there is no khilaafah at the present time.
Alee Ashmaawee says in his book: "The Secret History of Ikhwaan ul-Muslimeen" (at-Taareekh as-Sirree li-Jamaa'atil-Ikhwaan il-Muslimeen): "And the time for the Jumu'ah prayer arrived so I said to him: 'Let us leave and pray' and it was a surprise that I came to know – and for the first time – that he did not used to pray Jumu'ah" (p.112)
His speaking with "Hurriyatul-I'tiqaad" [The Freedom of Belief] – meaning that people can be left upon the religion that they are upon. [So Christians should be left as Christians – Jews as Jews etc…] – Shaikh Ibn Uthaimeen was asked 'What do you say about the one who speaks with Hurriyatul-I'tiqaad?' The Shaikh replied: 'The one who allows Hurriyatul I'tiqaad – that a person can believe in whatever religion he wishes is a Kaafir…'. NOTE: TAKFEER IS NOT BEING MADE HERE – Since even though someone utters something which necessitates disbelief, the conditions have to be fulfilled and the preventive barriers [mawaani'] have to be removed before the verdict of disbelief can be issued and that is for the Ulamaa' alone – BUT THIS IS TO SHOW THE NATURE OF QUTB'S IGNORANCE OF FUNDAMENTAL ISSUES OF THE RELIGION. Shaikh al-Albaanee commented about Qutb that he is merely a writer (adeeb), lacking in Islamic knowledge.
"For Islam does not desire the freedom of worship for its followers only, rather it affirms this right for all the different religions and it tasks the Muslims to fight and defend this right for all people and it [even] allows them to fight under this flag, the flag which guarantees the freedom of worship for the adherents of all other religions…so that it is realised that it is a free world order… (Nahwa Mujtami' Islaamee p.105)
"And Islaam does not feel uneasy about the differences of mankind in aqeedah and manhaj, rather it considers this as something necessitated by natural disposition and a goal from ahgher will in life amongst the people…(Nahwa Mujtami' Islamee p.103)"
His speaking about the Qur'an with mere personal opinion. There are 181 mistakes in matters of aqeedah and issues of knowledge in his Fi zilaal il-Quraan as pointed out by Shaik Abdullaah bin Muhammad as-Dawaish in his book, Al-Mawrid uz-Zilaal fit-Tanbeeh alaa Akhtaa'a az-Zilaal and as the saying goes: Al-Lamsu wal-Basar khairun min as-Sam'i wal-khabr.
For a full and excellent refutation of Sayyid Qutb refer to the following books by the Shaikh Rabee' bin Haadee al-Madkhalee, which have been recommended by Shaikh Ibn Uthaimin, Shaikh Bin Baz and others.
1. Adwaa al-Islaamiyyah alaa Aqeedati Sayyid Qutb
2. Mataa'in Sayyid Qutb fis-Sahaabah
3. Al-Awaasim mimmaa fee kutub Sayyid Qutb minal-Qawaasim
4. Al-Hadd ul-Faasil bainal-Haqq wal-Baatil
After reading these it should become clear to the one who is free from ta'assub and hizbiyyah that Sayyid Qutub is most certainly not a mujaddid, in the league of the likes of Ibn Taymiyyah as is ignorantly propagated by many.


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LAS VEGAS, March 24 (UPI) -- Country starlet Kelsea Ballerini has been announced as the Academy of Country Music's New Female Vocalist of the Year.
In response to her first big ACM win, the "Dibs" singer and winner of Billboard's Rising Star award said its a "moment and a milestone that is making me stop and reflect on the last year and a half," according to Rolling Stone Country.
Also read: Stranger Things' Noah Schnapp, 14, Uses MTV TV Awards Win to Hit on Zendaya
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AN equestrian sportswear designer from the region is set to make her first million this year at just 21 years of age.
Jordan McCabe launched Aztec Diamond Equestrian at her family's County Durham farm in May 2014 and since then the business has gone from strength to strength, turning over a six figure sum last year.
And with a 50 per cent increase forecast for the first half of this year alone, and a new collection unveiled at the weekend, it seems there is no stopping the talented young entrepreneur.
Miss McCabe, a keen show jumping rider, created her first collection after spotting a gap in the market for an affordable, fashionable active clothing brand that offered women style and function.
"I always wanted to wear the top brands that all the leading show jumpers wore but everything was so expensive," said Miss McCabe, of North Bitchburn, near Crook.
"My mum had once bought me a fabulous pair of breeches from an Italian brand and after falling off, which happens quite regularly when you ride horses, they were ruined and I didn't dare face my mum and tell her.
"It got me thinking, how could I create a range of clothing for girls like me who wanted stylish well-made clothing without the hefty price tag?"
But Miss McCabe's dream of creating an equestrian clothing can be traced further back than this. The former Wolsingham School pupil has been designing clothes since she was a little girl.
When she was 17 Miss McCabe's grandmother passed away and she invested her inheritance into creating the brand, which is named after her horse Aztec Diamond. Shortly after this, her mother left her job in local government to become joint director and the young designer's dream fast became a reality.


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We examine the determinants of migrants' choices of destination, employment, and remittances from one of the poorest marginal dry areas in Syria. Qualitative and econometric analysis of cross-sectional data indicates that migrants' choices depend mainly on individual, household, and community characteristics and also on availability of opportunities.
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These pictures were taken with my cellphone so it's difficult to see but the brown and silver thing is "the box" and the black clump on the top right of it is "the bee's"! This clump being about half the size of today's clump!! We do like honey but we're glad they've gone to make it somewhere else!
Turns out you should never ignore a big buzzing sound when you hear one.
On Saturday I heard a loud buzzing noise in the back garden but couldn't see where it was coming from, I didn't look very well but when it wasn't obvious I gave up and wrote it off to "something" but I didn't really know what. It was a busy weekend and I didn't think about it again.
On Monday morning while pushing children on the swing at school, I heard the buzzing again and noticed a big box on the wall of the house next door which was not there before. And it was covered in bee's.
I wasn't too sure what to make of it as it looked like a "professional" piece of equipment put there quite purposefully but the proximity didn't make sense - very close to a boundary (ours!) and about a metre away from their own bedroom windows, as well as the fact that they have a newborn baby so my initial fear of "oh my goodness there is an apiary 1 metre away from my swing!" didn't really seem to make sense! I was concerned about the school children as well as my own who have never been stung so their allergy status is unknown and also for Grant who is allergic to bee stings. It was all a bit worrying. And very confusing, I kept running different possibilities over and over in my head as to what it could be as well as trying to figure out how I was going to negotiate it's removal without causing trouble with the neighbours!Fortunately, apart from a few strays they all seemed to stay pretty much in a group so we weren't being inundated with them but I wasn't sure if noise or food or small children running around the garden would cause them to disperse or attack!
Three attempts yesterday to find our neighbours home were fruitless so I started today still not knowing what the bee's were about but my confusion didn't last too long as my neighbour came over to explain what had happened.
Apparently, on Saturday (the day of the buzzing!) a swarm of bee's decided to make their hive in an air brick in the wall of their garage (which faces my swing!), they had discovered this and called in a beekeeper to help. He had covered up the entrance to the hive with a box which would "encourage" them to move!
I was SO relieved!
At 10 a.m. this morning there was a swarm the size of a small football hanging underneath the box (creepy) and by 11 a.m. they were gone! Apart from a few lingerers.
Bee's are really interesting and fascinating but I would prefer them to be interesting and fascinating somewhere else.


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Wednesday, May 28, 2008
More stuff. Most likely won't be seen very much, and only briefly if it is. But Still have to make it. It's amazing how much wood this thing is eating up; thousands of little individually cut pieces. If you were to stack up all the pieces of balsa i've used for this thing, you wouldn't think it possible that it all went into this set.
Posted by Andrew Brown at 5/28/2008
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We invite you to submit your event to the U.S. National WW1 Centennial Events Register, where it will become part of the permanent national archive of WW1 Centennial activities. Please include an image for the event, such as the event poster or sponsoring organization logo.
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Based on an actual incident that took place in Jersey City in 1916, Black Tom Island explores the first documented terrorist attack on American soil through the lens of a fictionalized Slovak immigrant and his wife who may or may not be involved in the attack.
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About the Session:
Youth between the ages of 16 and 25 are often engaged in precarious work and are highly vulnerable to injury. Although increased rates of physical injury are well documented, we know very little about the psychosocial hazards (eg. bullying, lack of control), and mental health issues that they experience at work. This presentation will review findings from a provincial study conducted with youth at nine Ontario employment centres regarding their psychological health and safety in the workplace. An online survey was completed by 389 youth, followed by focus group discussions with 47 young workers regarding their experiences and challenges in navigating psychosocial hazards in the workplace. Key findings will be highlighted, along with resources that were created to address their psychosocial support needs.
Presenter Profiles:
Sandra Moll is an Associate Professor in the School of Rehabilitation Science at McMaster University with over 25 years of experience as a researcher, educator and advocate for mental health in the workplace, school and community. She is the principal investigator for the Young Workers project, funded through the Ontario Ministry of Labour.


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a preset number of resource points (RP) which limits the amount of reinforcements that a team can receive. Featured in this game is a Valor Point system used to reward players for completing the games primary objectives. VP system is a integral part of the game as it makes weapon selection a more strategic option[/quote] Download this great gametype now and go check out how good it is :rock:
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Saturday, December 29, 2007
Sincerely Yours
This is the first year in the past twenty five or so years that I have not written a college recommendation letter. That's why a small feature in my local paper caught my attention this morning. It's an ethics advice column where people write in burning questions and get some self-appointed expert's opinion. So here's the deal. A high school English teacher is asking if it's unethical to think about asking for payment for doing as many as 20-30 recommendation letters a year. He notes how time consuming it is and that it seems as if a few teachers get the most requests for these increasingly crucial passports to college admission. The Dear Abby of ethics, a man, tells him that it is, of course, unthinkable to request payment or any compensation for this necessary part of his job. He cites a slew of examples to illustrate his wisdom. Doctors have to tackle after-hours tasks and many other folks in helping professions routinely go beyond their working hours. It simply comes with the territory, he concludes. Then the columnist, in a most condescending way, concludes with the lines " It might console you to consider that you have only yourself to blame: If you weren't a good teacher, you wouldn't receive so many requests. You could strive to write more efficiently."
I get that writing original, first-rate letters of recommendation comes with the territory. I concur that a handful of teachers write most of the letters. What disgusts me is that so many "ethical" people can't see the equity issue here. Unlike doctors and others in the helping professions, teachers don't get paid what they are worth. Unlike most other professions, English teachers, especially very good ones, have a non-stop paper load that is both time and energy consuming. They should be compensated in some form to write recommendations. Not from students or their parents. That makes no sense. But from the districts that employ them. It doesn't always have to be monetary; not that there's anything wrong with it. It could be time, or some other way to relieve the constant burden of paper grading, lesson planning, parent conferences, meetings, pre meeting meetings, support groups, faculty meetings, department meetings, emergency meetings, preparation time, and phone calls. The madness of college admission has forced many creative, inspiring, innovative teachers to abandon some of the things that bring joy to the classroom simply to meet the time restraints that come with wearing so many hats. I wonder if the overall quality of teaching would improve if true compensation were given for accurate hours of work?
I never declined a request for recommendation letters. I may have suggested that perhaps I might not be the best choice, but if a student of mine wanted assistance with college admission, I helped. Of course, I would tell the truth, it's only ethical. My curriculum was designed so that I could cite specific examples of student work and potential. I'm forever thankful that computers have replaced typewriters. That saves hours. But please, good recommendation letters are time consuming. Pay teachers for their work. Sincerely yours.
Posted by Blues Greene at 3:01 PM 1 comment:
Tuesday, December 25, 2007
We're waiting for the possibility of snow here in Portland. All the weather forecasts promised the chance for flurries to hit the valley floor. We're still waiting. It's certainly cold enough. A few snowflakes on Christmas day would definitely be appropriate. The mystery continues.
Walking around town this morning it was lovely to see so few cars out, so many more folks walking. Fortunately a few coffeehouses are open so those with no particular place to go can find community. It's suddenly simple outside. Passed an older man pushing a shopping cart with a KFC plastic cup in the child's seat. Saw a couple unloading presents from a van, all were wrapped in white with red ribbons. Corporate sterile.
Yesterday, in the big middle of all the holiday rush in a local store, I went for the exit door just as another guy did too. Katie slipped through, but he and I found ourselves side by side in the threshold. My new "partner," an African-American man about my age turned apologetic. "After you, My Man", I offered. (I've been reading Gordon Parks memoir, Hungry Heart, and the use of the expression "my man" must have crept into my subconscious) Instantly his face lit up. "And a happy holiday to you, my man," he replied. More gratifying than any store-bought item.
The sky has turned gray. Since I began writing this it has begun to snow very lightly. The wait is over.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
My Two Cents
I'm keeping a few pennies in my pocket from now on. I usually put them in a jar to be rolled up later. Sometimes I just drop them in the small container that many grocery clerks keep near their register when someone's total ends in an odd number. But yesterday, amid the chaos in my local Whole Foods store, my pennies bought a wonderful moment.
I'm a writer; that means I listen to people's conversations, look at them (sometimes too long for comfort) cross some borders. While checking out, a cheerful twenty something in front of me was concerned about having enough money for the few items she had. When she requested the clerk to put her things in a small plastic bookstore bag she was holding, she was reminded that the 5 cents credit for providing her own bag could be donated to a preselected charity or put towards her total. The bright-eyed redhead said, " Use it for my total then I' will have exactly one penny to my name." I reached in my pocket and found two copper coins. "Here," I said, now you have 3 cents." She smiled, laughed, and took the pennies. I loved that she took my two cents. We silently agreed that no one should have just a penny to their name. I'm sure she probably went to a nearby ATM and reloaded for the remainder of the day, but the fact that she did not politely decline my whimsical offer was especially gratifying. Had I offered paper money, or paid her small total, this little interaction would no doubt have been interpreted quite differently. Most people would have, no doubt, preferred that I keep my two cents out of their business. I am delighted that my brief encounter was not with most people.
Posted by Blues Greene at 9:46 AM No comments:
Thursday, December 20, 2007
The primary candidates for President now have Christmas (a thousand pardons, Holiday) ads now. Apparently Mike Huckabee has a not so subliminal cross in the form of a window behind his head. As the camera pans over the Christmas tree and lights, the white cross rests firmly on his shoulders for a few seconds. I can't believe people consider this a controversial issue. The notion that this is unintended is both naive and frightening. I'd expect the flack if non-Christians had a problem with the tree, but I suspect many of us have trees ourselves. I guess this pandering to the Christian right is to be expected. But seriously folks, that window is no accident. Every frame in a political ad is purposeful. Every image intended. Don't delude yourself if you think this fuss is all for nothing. It is something.
Crosses abound. As an archetype, they've been popping up in backgrounds for ages. One of the things I miss the most about teaching is working with film and literature. Taking the time to look deeply at everything on the screen always is time well spent. In the opening seconds of the movie version of The Grapes of Wrath, director John Ford begins the exposition with crosses in the form of telephone poles. They surround a crossroads and the faceless form of Tom Joad heads toward the Crossroads Cafe. It is so "Steinbeckian," so right. Keep your eyes peeled for many of your favorite archetypal friends appearing in a theater near you. They never miss a showing. Check out the next wave of political ads too. If they can't get a foot in your door, one in your head works just as well.
The photo that appears here I took on one of my walks across Portland. I especially like the colors and the patchwork design of the wall. The subject of the crucifixion is left for your imagination.
Posted by Blues Greene at 12:29 PM 1 comment:
Monday, December 17, 2007
There But For Fortune
We see them everyday. Often they stop us cold, a kind of pop-up porno in 3D. Panhandlers. Some are more creative than others but all have the same goal. Isn't it incredible how they can stir up such contradictory emotions in seconds?
We all have our favorites. Like me, you are probably inconsistent. Even if you know the score, most panhandlers are not homeless, most are probably going to use your spare change for drugs or alcohol. Probably both. Some folks I know make a habit of always saying no. They have it all figured out and just keep moving. Others, like myself are bothered by their own inability to take a position and stick with it.
Today, while putting some groceries in my truck, a guy appeared and thrust a Veteran's Administration card in my face. He said, "I'm not a bum, really, I just need to buy some gas and I have no money." Now what do you think? But who has time to research random meetings in parking lots? Something I've noticed is that people are asking for gas money lately. It happened to me last month while traveling between Portland and San Francisco. My attitude remains anchored to what I feel in the moment. Buddhist teachings remind us that when we see a beggar we are really seeing ourselves. I look carefully.
Some years ago I went to see a production of Les Miserable in downtown San Francisco. The audience was roused to thundering cheers as the play ended in a tremendous victory for the downtrodden. Minutes later I watched as many of these well dressed patrons took to the streets themselves, scrambling by the shivering homeless in the shadows, stepping on and over them to scramble for taxis.
Posted by Blues Greene at 8:10 PM 1 comment:
Saturday, December 15, 2007
Oh My!
When things get spinning too far out there, it's important to remind ourselves that there is a way to reel them in. I offer up the myth of the eternal return. Sure it goes by other names, but just when we think that all is hopeless, a way out appears. It's like the musicians who keep coming back to the blues for grounding. Baseball will certainly survive it's current malaise because the game has always been bigger than the individuals or the accomplishments of a few individuals.
Willie Mays' famous catch from the 1954 World Series works as an appropriate metaphor here. Aside from immortalizing both Mays and Vic Wertz, the Cleveland Indian who hit the drive, this perfect moment in time reminds us that the ball doesn't always drop. In this case, it ended up in the basket; then Willie turned and threw back to the infield in one fluid motion.
We'll get the the ball back in time.
Some years ago I had a perfect moment with Willie Mays myself. I was passing through Sacramento and the California State Fair was going on. I stopped by the racetrack to visit some friends in the press box. Being a correspondent for the Blood-Horse magazine at the time, my credentials allowed me access to the entire facility. As luck would have it, both Willie Mays and football great Johnny Unitas were appearing between races signing autographs. This fan promotion ended shortly before I made my trek to the press box. Climbing up a private staircase underneath the grandstand I noticed that Mays and Unitas were walking a few steps in front of me. I've always wanted to meet Willie Mays; he was my first idol. I wanted to tell him how my dad and I had searched all over L.A. to find a Willie Mays glove and were finally successful the summer of my tenth year. I'm convinced it helped me make many nice catches, including one home run theft in a championship Little League game. Yet, I hesitated. I knew that star athletes grew weary of autograph seekers. I knew that Willie might turn me down and even gripe at me. It was too much to risk. I decided to settle for just being in his presence. Fate handed me this moment and I made the most of it. No regrets. My relationship with Willie Mays remains intact.
Posted by Blues Greene at 1:06 PM 1 comment:
Thursday, December 13, 2007
National Pastime, Last Time?
Have you heard the news? Drug use in professional baseball is rampant. (Insert the sound of Goofy laughing here)
No; say it ain't so...
It is, has been for quite a while now, and no blue ribbon congressional committee findings will shock anyone.
Barry Bonds must be breathing a little easier tonight, right?
Maybe now we can get down to the real business at hand. Let's get real about role models, salary caps, ethics, and someting called the love of the game.
What we've got here is two issues. First, the actual decision to take steroids, mindful of the consequences on career, health and conscience. Then, and equally as important, the coverup. The decision to rationalize, deny, parse words, and flat out lie. The game, like most everything driven by obscene amounts of money in this culture is beyond tainted. As always, it's still an apt metaphor for the larger issues. If the pastoral, beautiful, uniquely American game of baseball is dripping with poison, so too is our environment, our foreign policy, our declining sense of ethics, and this bizarre notion known as the "American Idea." We need a real Superman now because it is about truth justice and the American way. For an inexpensive crash course on how to deflect straightforward questions, play the victim, and salvage your Hall of Fame career, pay particular attention to the responses of the athletes and their lawyers. If you act now, we'll throw in a lesson on eschewing responsibility absolutely free. This offer is not available in stores. But wait! You knew that didn't you? LLLET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!
Posted by Blues Greene at 6:46 PM No comments:
Monday, December 10, 2007
Merry Christmas Baby
Charles Brown where are you?
It's Christmas time in the city and Charles Brown is not in town. Charles died back in 1999, but his version of "Merry Christmas Baby" will always be the one-the only one. A major influence on the likes of Nat King Cole, Fats Domino, Chuck Berry and Little Richard, I used to see Charles all the time in the 80s and 90s inside the Top of the Stretch room at Golden Gate Fields. Sometimes he'd sit alone, sometimes near another blues great, Jimmy McCracklin, and now and then he'd be accompanied by one or more women admirers. Charles loved horse racing and he never missed an opportunity to go to the track. You couldn't miss him on weekends because he'd always be wearing an outfit for his evening gigs. Usually Charles had on a seaman's cap in royal blue sequins with matching suit. In his last few years he was wheel chair bound, but that never stopped his wardrobe or his racetrack appearances. Even when he'd taken a tough beat in a photo finish, Charles remained friendly. He never refused an autograph or signature on a program or CD. He made the time, and knew there was always another race coming up somewhere. He liked people and his breathy voice was just as recognizable cheering for a thoroughbred as it was in a smokey blues ballad.
Charles had his own style of betting horses too. During his hey day, he'd often play 6 or 8 horses in a trifecta box. Sometimes there were only 8 horses in the race, but that didn't stop Charles Brown. He liked saying I got it! I caught the Tri! My friend Leonard, a ticket clerk at the track, used to show me some losing tickets he'd found laying around. In a 9 horse race, the ticket would read $2 exacta box 1 2 4 5 6 7 8. "The 3 horse ran third, Leonard would say, this is Charles Brown shit." Like his love for the blues and his massive talent, Charles had his share of big winners too. They had a big memorial for Charles Brown at the Golden Gate Fields Turf club. His pallbearers included Johnny Otis, and Richard Penniman. Sometimes when I go to the track I can still see Charles Brown moving through the clubhouse, grabbing a program, asking who won the fifth at Hollywood Park, and and smiling gently all in one motion.
Merry Christmas, Baby, you sure been good to me.
Posted by Blues Greene at 9:19 AM No comments:
Saturday, December 8, 2007
Hello In There
Driving home the other night I realized something about Christmas (pardon me, Holiday) lights. Sure I like to see them appear this time of year and even look forward to the first sighting. It's usually sometime before Thanksgiving. Some folks have the "contest winner" mentality and go for amount, volume or stunning effects. Growing up in La La land, the yearly cruise to neighborhoods to view these competitions was always a part of the celebration. But that's not what gets me. I question the motivation of many of those folk. Some are religious, some wealthy, some driven, and many are drifting progressively away from any holiday at all. What I especially like are the houses that suddenly sport a simple string of lights. Sometimes it's a small tree or electric wreath, or perhaps just a colorful star or silvery icicle display. Somebody has taken the time to light the dark. Rolling through the neighborhood I traverse on late Wednesday evenings, the houses are usually so dim and sullen. This week, with the addition of a few lights, and I really mean just a few, they had a very different appearance. The lights were calling out, "Hey, someone's livin' here." These modest decorations say much more than I'm celebrating the holiday now. They remind me that I'm not just passing houses in the night, I'm passing people, families, households.
One year I went for a walk alone on Christmas Eve in the neighborhood I knew from childhood. I must have been about 15 years old and just wanted to walk up and down the street while my parents entertained some folks. It was a particularly cold winter and even in the San Fernando Valley there was frost and visible breath. By the time I got to the end of the street I turned and looked over my shoulder and noticed that every home on Bonner Ave. was colorfully lit. I squinted. The colors bled in the cold night air. I promised to lock that image in my mind forever. So far I have. I've locked all the folks within those homes there as well.
Posted by Blues Greene at 3:38 PM 2 comments:
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Hobo's Lullaby
Last weekend I spent a few hours baby sitting with Katie for her niece. It was a relatively smooth evening until bedtime of course. It seems like Katie spends most of her time with Naomi, the 3 year old, while I entertain Annika, the 5 year old. I love Annika's philosophical mind. She asks questions constantly and asserts her ideas with the certainty of a tenured professor. This particular bed time featured her reading to me. Oh, she doesn't really read yet, that will come in a few months. What she does is make a huge effort to memorize the text of various story books, and then retell the story to me. At times she id dead accurate; her retelling can be word for word for a stretch. Then she regresses and makes something up that sounds logical. All the while I'm giving her cues and comments. "Yup, that's exactly what it says." While this is going on, Naomi is attempting to do the same thing. She flips the pages and tells Katie a few logical phrases and then is abruptly finished. While I was scrambling for a scary (but not too scary) story for Annika, Naomi was giving Katie fits squirming around, getting out of bed, throwing the pillow around and bouncing up and down. So, we started singing. Rudolf the red-nosed reindeer was the best received, but I kept scrambling for a Beatle tune or a clever kid's song to help the little girls focus. There must be hundreds of songs in my head, so why can't I come up with the entire lyrics for just a few. We tried Rocky Raccoon and Blackbird. We tried old standards and new novelty songs. Then it hit me. I need a lullaby. Out poured Hobo's Lullaby. Having sung this song for 7 years while part of "An Evening with Woody Guthrie," I let it rip. I sounded pretty good too.
Go to sleep you weary hobo,
Let the town's drift slowly by,
Can't you hear the steel rails hummin,'
That's the hobo's lullaby
Immediately Naomi snuggled up and Annika pulled her covers forward and turned on her side. I changed the verse about the "police cause you trouble" to the bad guys and kept going. Naomi's eyes closed and her thumb went into her mouth. Annika was still. I kept going singing softer and sweet as I could. It was working-well. When I ran out of verses I improvised some careful to keep rhyming with my voice becoming quieter and softer and as on key as I could muster. When I sang, "Go to sleep you weary hobo, don't forget your underwear, We can get some more tomorrow, and we'll wash it all with care," Katie started giggling, trying to stifle her laughter. I sang on. Naomi was out. Annika was still awake trying to figure out my lyrics and then mom and dad came home. Note to self: Bring plenty of lullabies and learn the complete lyrics to at least one song each week.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Something Special
Of all the horses I ever wrote about, John Henry was the most memorable. John was a lot more than a champion. Even people who know very little about thoroughbred horse racing know the name John Henry. Like Seabiscuit, he was a people's horse. Like Seabiscuit, he wasn't much to look at, but he achieved immortality. John was just as ornery and unpredictable a any horse can be, but he had a presence that few people, let alone horses have. When John Henry died last month, at 32, there were fewer tears than memories. He lived a full life for a gelding and still entertained his adoring public at the Kentucky Horse Park until the end. Back in 1987 while covering stakes races for The Blood-Horse magazine, I had my 15 minutes with John Henry. In the days before the Golden Gate Handicap that year, I used my press credentials to visit John in his stall. He'd been reclusive that day because people were coming by on stable tours and media photo ops all week. But when everyone left, and I quietly talked to him, John came over and let me take a few photos. I know it's presumptuous to assume he did this for me. But that's how it went down. That's how John Henry operated. Ask anyone ever connected to him from owner, trainer, exercise rider, or groom. He was that kind of personality. Of course he went on to win that race and set a course record in the process. I recall how he'd walk out on the track for his workouts before the race and just stop and take in his surroundings. He had Gatsby's Platonic concept of the self. He enjoyed everything about the racing game and if any horse dared think he could pass John in the lane, he had a struggle coming. Given the current state of affairs where many promising horses are retired after their 3 year-old season, we'll never see another John Henry.
Posted by Blues Greene at 7:34 PM No comments:
Sunday, December 2, 2007
Extra Extra
Last week I was an extra in a movie. It was a date with destiny, of sorts. I always knew I'd do this someday, and I must say I have extra talent. On a lark, Katie and I answered a casting call a couple of months ago. We had our mug shots taken and filled out a questionnaire, and then waited. A few weeks later I all but forgot about it thinking that was it. Not so. The day after Thanksgiving the call came. It was for the film Management starring Jennifer Anniston, Woody Harrelson and Steve Zahn. This is not the kind of movie I go to see, but it certainly is one I would be in. We showed up at 6:30 am and found that part of the Portland Convention Center had been transformed into the Baltimore Airport. I's not difficult to do. Airports and Convention Centers have lots of directional signs, escalators, thick carpet, underground parking lots, and lots of folks running around. Ushered into a holding room, the three sets of clothing we were required to bring were inspected for the right color palate-Jewel in this case. My navy blue raincoat was perfect and the gray plaid shirt I brought worked well too.
The first scene was cross traffic in an airport. For five takes, just as I got the cue to walk in front of the camera the director yelled, "cut." This proved to be quite a blow to my extra sensibilities. The frustration rose, I was becoming angry and hyper, and extremely competitive. Fortunately, when I asked Katie, "what do you think we should do about this," she shot back something I'm always telling her to do.
"Be in the moment,"
That's when the entire experience changed. We were then selected to play a couple returning from the best vacation of their lives and placed in a "pod" with five other people. Six times we rode an escalator in front of the camera emoting about a trip that never happened. It was moviemaking at its best. It looks as if we are having a spirited conversation but in reality were bickering all the way down. She thinks I'm moving my head too much, that my antics are over the top. I'm asking her to smile a little and reminding her that overplaying a bit won't appear on film that way, it'll simply look like we're really talking rather than half alive.
After a few hours, the movie wrapped and we were sent on our way. I don't think that Management will be my first film. I'm hoping for an extra career now. I have the time, for the first time in my life. I have the talent. I have seized the moment.
The first scene was cross traffic in an airport. For five takes, just as I got the cue to walk in front of the camera the director yelled, "cut." This proved to be quite a blow to my extra sensibilities. The frustration rose, I was becoming angry and hyper, and extremely competitive. Fortunately, when I asked Katie, "what do you think we should do about this," she shot back something I'm always telling her to do.
"Be in the moment,"
That's when the entire experience changed. We were then selected to play a couple returning from the best vacation of their lives and placed in a "pod" with five other people. Six times we rode an escalator in front of the camera emoting about a trip that never happened. It was moviemaking at its best. It looks as if we are having a spirited conversation but in reality were bickering all the way down. She thinks I'm moving my head too much, that my antics are over the top. I'm asking her to smile a little and reminding her that overplaying a bit won't appear on film that way, it'll simply look like we're really talking rather than half alive.
After a few hours, the movie wrapped and we were sent on our way. I don't think that Management will be my first film. I'm hoping for an extra career now. I have the time, for the first time in my life. I have the talent. I have seized the moment.
Posted by Blues Greene at 7:18 PM No comments:
Thursday, November 29, 2007
Last night while driving to my writing group a light snow fell. The flakes melted upon hitting the windshield, but I enjoyed them for the fleeting seconds they appeared. This California guy still regresses when snow falls. I guess I can count the times I've experienced fresh snow on two hands. That's one reason I take the time to marvel at how beautiful a snow flake can be. It's my favorite geometry.
When I got to the group meeting place, I had to sit in the car and just watch the flakes melt for another few minutes. I was reminded of a transitional time in my life when I stood on the El platform in Chicago, December, 1969. A friend snapped a photo of me holding a harmonica as light snow fell. Bending a few notes is a good way to keep warm in 14 degree weather, and it makes the time between trains pass faster. Been thinking about that winter as I negotiate the current one in Portland. Oddly enough, I think I come alive in very cold weather. Once inside, after time spent in a harsh environment, new warmth provides opportunities to appreciate small things.
In writing my memoir of 1969, I'm confronted with the portrayal of people that entered and exited my life all too quickly. At the group last night we had a productive conversation about how memoirs can trigger very different perceptions of people and events. We agreed that we can only tell our version of the truth; our perception of how things went down. If anybody who reads my work ever reads this I hope you'll realize this and know my intent is only to share my perceptions. Fallout happens.
It's like something that has happened to me a couple of times lately. Ever briefly driven down a one way street the wrong way? You swore it was a two-way. Being unfamiliar with many of the freeway off-ramps and the unpredictable occurrence of one-way streets in Portland, I have found myself on shaky ground a few times, if only for a few seconds. It's like those friendships and relationships we sometimes recall. You're certain they are two-way, but alas, were only one-way. Don't turn down those roads.
Posted by Blues Greene at 10:51 AM 2 comments:
Tuesday, November 27, 2007
Living The Dream
Posted by Blues Greene at 1:54 PM No comments:
Labels: Summer '07
Mr. Ed
My 83 year old mother-in-law, as previously noted is dating an 86 year old. They have both lost their life partners within the last three years and seem to be having the time of their lives (what's left of them, with all due respect) What is so incredible is how other family members are responding. How do you tell someone who has lived eight decades not to do anything rash? Slow down for what? Yet Katie and I hear only concern from her sisters; they do not see what we see. The real issue here is that each of us has to make peace with our parents while we can. What these two are holding on to is their alienation from who their mother really is and who she has become. They are holding on to all that went wrong with their maternal relationships to date and don't seem to be able to let it go. As we age, we have an unusual opportunity to relate to our parents as completely different people. The brief time I spent with my own parents as adult to adult helps me to know who they really were. The time for them to be the vulnerable, indecisive, impatient one can be very powerful if not revealing. My sisters-in-law cannot seem to get their heads around the fact that their mom is not the person they knew any longer. Sure she is as controlling, as unpredictable, as manipulative as ever, but she is also a woman who has a final chance to live a new adventure. Fascinating how they project their own shortcomings onto her. They cling to their ancient perceptions of her weaknesses, never mindful that before too long, in other ways, they too will exhibit similar traits. If the term dysfunctional family is an oxymoron, when will they realize she's the only mom they've got?
So I call him Mr. Ed, because It's endearing, it connotes a horse, (I adore horses) it's his name, and he's been around awhile. I hope at 86 I will be as quick witted, as physically fit, (he plays tennis daily) as open -minded, a financially independent, and as eager, should the necessity arise, to spend time with a new woman.
So I call him Mr. Ed, because It's endearing, it connotes a horse, (I adore horses) it's his name, and he's been around awhile. I hope at 86 I will be as quick witted, as physically fit, (he plays tennis daily) as open -minded, a financially independent, and as eager, should the necessity arise, to spend time with a new woman.
Posted by Blues Greene at 12:44 PM No comments:
Thanks for Giving Me the Blues
I'm in a perfect position to observe family dynamics this holiday season because I have very little family. Except for a sister in Seattle and a cousin in New York, that's it. Of course they have husbands and a few kids and grandkids of their own, but I've never met most of them. Most of what passes for my family experience these days is through my wife's family. And what a family! We ventured down to Berkeley to meet my 83 year old mother-in-law's new 86 year old boy friend. After hearing that he resembled everything from Mr. McGoo to a stereotypical "fuddy duddy," my wife and I found him to be quite the opposite.
Sure he's got major contradictions, but what unraveled was a string of projections from my sisters-in-law, my nephew, and a host of other marginal characters in this drama. The recent hook-up of these two very senior citizens is bringing out all kinds of unpredictable family shenanigans that will be breaking news in the weeks ahead. Stay tuned.
They call it Stormy Monday,
But Tuesday's just as bad,
Wednesday ain't no better,
And Thursday's oh so sad...
Sure he's got major contradictions, but what unraveled was a string of projections from my sisters-in-law, my nephew, and a host of other marginal characters in this drama. The recent hook-up of these two very senior citizens is bringing out all kinds of unpredictable family shenanigans that will be breaking news in the weeks ahead. Stay tuned.
They call it Stormy Monday,
But Tuesday's just as bad,
Wednesday ain't no better,
And Thursday's oh so sad...
Posted by Blues Greene at 9:52 AM No comments:
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text:
Hey, look! I have my internet back!
It's been quite a weekend. Maggie proved her prowess as a mouser (I think we caught the mama mouse the other day, because there were five juveniles who came out all of a sudden. Maggie - who's never so much as nipped at anyone - did a great job breaking their little necks. Meanwhile, I keep trying to stop telling myself little stories about the mousy family and the subsequent massacre that happened in my apartment Friday...). I finally figured out just how far my car will go after it hits "E". I did some actual work, spent some time with friends, hung out with the folks, played some Wii.
And now the weekend is drawing to a close, and there's a rumbly summer storm rolling through. Maggie is none too pleased about this. I, on the other hand, love it.
Often makes me thing of this song...
Sunday, August 22, 2010
Week's end
Posted by DK
Labels: ain't technology wonderful, life, southern living
1 comment:
- Anonymous said...
Will wonders never cease? Back in the land of technology, and 'evicting' unwanted tenants, and fun.
Hope you rewarded Maggie for being a good sub-lease landlord!
Enjoy enjoy carol
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text:
One of proposals is to allow states to cash in some of their volume cap to use for additional LIHTC with a ceiling of 7% of cap that can be transferred for LIHTC use.
Using my understanding of the formula in the budget document I project that Oregon could gain another $1.654 million in LIHTC by cashing in $25.93 million in volume cap. (This seems highly doable as little of the cap is now being used).
This would amount to up to an 18.7% boost in LIHTC for Oregon, using a projected current LIHTC allocation of $8.83 million.
My calculations are pasted in as image below; would VERY much appreciate any feedback OR correction of my assumptions:
Originally created or posted on the Oregon Housing Blog.


text:
LOS ANGELES -- Fred Couples rolled in a 10-foot birdie putt on the second playoff hole yesterday to beat Davis Love III and win the Nissan Los Angeles Open for the second time in three years.
Much of the crowd of 52,200 at Riviera Country Club seemed to be pulling for Couples.
"I don't think anyone out there ever roots against somebody," Couples said. "I think the fans were for me, but I don't think they were against Davis at all.
"The last two or three years, I've done well here and I've gotten a good following."
Love, who just missed a 35-foot birdie try on the second playoff hole that would have kept the playoff going, said he didn't like some of the comments from the crowd.


text:
Sometimes you want a hard edge, and other times you don't. It's fixable.
Softening Edges. Moving Paint.
In this demonstration, I've painted two similar (sort of?) shapes of purple into two rectangles of clear water. I allowed both of them to dry to the same point (slightly glossy, but definitely soaking into the paper).
Then, only to the left one (below), I touched my wet brush to the edge that I wanted to soften. Immediately the color above it started to bleed into the fresh water of my brush. This is handy to use when you're trying to paint reflections in water.
Now let's say you've let your paper dry (take another look at the puddle on the right, above). If, after the paper is dry, you decide you wish it were a soft edge and not hard, simply do this. Moisten your brush (not sopping wet...if it's too wet, touch your brush to a towel so it can absorb some of the water). Then lightly rub your brush against the hard edge of paint on your paper and slowly move it back and forth until you loosen the pigment enough to make it move into the resulting moisture you've created on the paper. Then use a dry, clean paper towel to dab up the paint you released.
|Softened bottom edge.
Come with Helen K. Beacham and Kelly Medford to paint Venice this October...
click HERE for details!