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The dream of the cyborg is coming true at an exhilarating rate. As humans gets better and better at making machines, we keep attaching those machines to our bodies to make ourselves better humans. It seems at times that the only question left is if we can put a human brain in a robotic frame. Actually, it's not a matter of if. It's a matter of when.
This week, social psychologist Bertold Meyer's been traveling around the country with a contraption that looks like a cross between a Halloween mask and Johnny Number Five. It's the subject of a new documentary by the Smithsonian Channel called The Incredible Bionic Man. Meyer makes for a great spokesman, since he was born without the lower part of his left arm and now wears a bionic prosthesis. He is, by definition, a cyborg—but only partially.
So just how close are we to a fully formed cyborg? And even more curiously, what will it look like?
What is a cyborg?
Let's take a second to agree on what exactly it means to be bionic and what it means to be a cyborg. In many ways, the two words are interchangeable, and both came into usage around the same time in 1960s. Whereas "bionic" borrows the "bi-" from biology and "-onic" from electronic, "cyborg" is a portmanteau of cybernetic and organism. Both refer to living organisms that are aided or enhanced by artificial means. Often these means amount to electronic or mechanical devices, much like the mind-controlled prosthetic hand that Meyer wears on his left arm. For now, let's just stick with cyborg for simplicity's sake.
The term "cyborg" probably brings to mind images of Robocop or Darth Vadar. But in fact, it doesn't have to be so extreme. When Manfred Clynes and Nathan S. Kline coined the term in a 1960 article about "altering man's bodily functions to meet the requirements of extraterrestrial environments," they explored chemistry as much as they did mechanical engineering. In this sense, even Lance Armstrong was a cyborg back in his juicing days. But for all intents and purposes, cyborgs these days use machines to help them regain lost capabilities—like amputees returning from Afghanistan—or to gain new ones—like soldiers armed with exoskeletons.
Our current capabilities
Those examples in mind, you have to admit that sometimes it feels we live in a sci-fi reality. But that's only because we do. The so-called incredible Bionic Man that Meyers paraded around Washington DC last Thursday represents the sum of cyborg parts that have been in development for over half a century, many of which showed up in science fiction books in the interim. All things told, this TV-ready cyborg has between 60 and 70 percent of the function of a human being. It even has blood. But blood does not a cyborg make.
To begin thinking about what it might mean to have a fully formed cyborgs, let's go through our current capabilities in cyborg tech—starting with our most advanced capabilities.
The robot featured in the Smithsonian documentary has the same model of prosthetic arm as Meyer, mechanical marvel made by Touch Bionics. He can move each of the fingers by activating two electrodes that connect to muscles in the residual limb. This is hardly as good as it gets, though.
The latest craze in prosthetics and, by proxy, cyborg technology involve mind-controlled limbs. DARPA's developed a prosthetic arm that uses targeted muscle reinnervention (TMR) to enable amputees to move robotic limbs merely by thinking about it. This requires doctors to reattach severed nerve endings to different muscles in the arm, so that when the amputee wants to move his arm, he just thinks about moving his arm.
We saw similar technology in action earlier this year, when the world's first fully mind-controlled leg arrived. Thanks to an Army-funded project, a Chicago man was able to walk normally years after he'd lost his leg in a motorcycle accident. Sensors on the mechanical leg are linked to two nerves in the man's hamstring and enable him to walk up stairs and stroll through the park. It looks a little bit futuristic, but hey, wouldn't it?
For the most part, bones are pretty easy. Just about anything from a tibia to a vertebra can be built out of artificial materials like titanium, and has been for a while now. More recently, techniques for creating artificial bones have improved. We can grow new bones using plastics and stem cells. We can also print new bones using 3D-printing technology—this guy got a new skull that was almost completely 3D-printed.
You don't have to replace the bone entirely to enter the cyborg arena. Using titanium foam to make bones stronger, for instance, amounts to a cyborg-like enhancement. Along those lines, it's also worth mentioning that your friend who got a metal plate in her leg after breaking it is technically a cyborg. Then again, so is your friend who wears glasses.
The plight of the cyborg gets a little more complicated once we move to things like internal organs, which have proved more difficult to replicate. Artificial hearts exist but are used more as stop gaps to help patients survive long enough for a transplant, although the technology is constantly improving. Artificial kidneys are also quickly becoming a reality, as are bionic eyes.
Things get even more complicated—but promising—from there. Doctors have successfully built an artificial stomach, but it's hardly practical. Scientists have developed artificial liver cells, but they haven't actually managed to build an artificial organ. Artificial intestines are still in the works. An artificial bladder, spleen, lymph system, gallbladder—these are all still to come. As is the most complex organ of them all: the brain.
This is a tough one. The (very long) quest to build an artificial brain can be divided up into two parts: recreating the brain's architecture and perfecting artificial intelligence. Engineers are constantly coming up with new supercomputers that mimic the brain's neural network. Some have as many as 530 billion neurons, a healthy amount compared to the average human brain's 86 billion neurons. Some graduate students showed off a one-million neuron model that can make calculations just as fast as the brain, albeit briefly.
Building a neuron network isn't the same as building a brain, though. You have to make the thing think. The challenge of making a cognizant machine has proved to be incredibly difficult, and even though we're seeing artificial intelligence in more and more everyday applications (think: Siri) we don't yet have a way to make machines completely think for themselves. We do have artificial brains that can solve problems on their own, but creating something of the same complexity as the human brain might be impossible.
So about that full-fledged cyborg…
Let's just assume, for the sake of simplicity, that we're not going to build an artificial brain. It might be impossible, but it's certainly very difficult since scientists using a supercomputer with 83,000 processors could only mimic 1-percent of the human brain's activity. Brains are really, really complicated. Plus, if we build an artificial brain, is the bionic man even a man any more?
A pinnacle of cyborg technology, however, would be everything but the brain. Put simply, this version of a full-fledged cyborg would be a brain and a body completely made up of mechanical parts. Remember Krang from the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles? It would be something like that. To get a better idea of how possible this would be, understanding the current state of prosthetics and artificial organs, we talked to cyborg expert Tim Maly. (Maly curated the Tumblr "50 Posts About Cyborgs"—you should definitely check out.)
Maly's point was very simple. There's no way we're going to have a completely cybernetic human being with the materials we're currently using. "It probably won't be a mechanical body," Maly told Gizmodo. "It will probably be some biogrown body, and it won't be recognizably to us as Robocop, because it'll already be part of a long line of small improvements." So instead of a shiny robotic shell, our cyborg might just get lab-grown flesh. That's probably okay, though. He'd fit in better.
The inevitable ethical conundrum
Asked how long it would take for this biogrown body, Maly couldn't say. Obviously, there are a host of ethical questions to be answered about how much enhancement is too much. Few people are comfortable with the idea of man playing God, and once we start building superhuman cyborgs, we're definitely entering that territory.
That in mind, it's probably safe to say that we'll build a full-fledged cyborg when we're ready to, not just technologically ready but socially, politically, and religiously as well. It's very difficult to say when the ethical piece of the puzzle will fall into place. It could be decades, and it could be a century. But the ethical debate should progress alongside technology.
This is all to say that if you're looking forward to a future of chrome-coated cyborgs, just keep reading those science fiction novels. Here on Earth, it'll be a little bit more familiar. "We're only at the very dawn of that techno biological revolution," Maly concluded about our hypothetical full-fledged cyborg, "but I feel—at risk of ending up on Paleofuture in ten years—I feel like it's much more likely that anything like that is going to come from biotech."
Images via AP/Getty/ Shutterstock


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Sparkling - Novice - Champagne Flute
This whisky cocktail recipe is based on a traditional Champagne Cocktail, which dates back to the 1800s. Originally made using cognac, we've swapped in Chivas XV. As our blend that's selectively finished in the most prized casks, it's the natural whisky to pair with luxurious champagne.
Using a sugar cube instead of sugar syrup in this drink means the sweetness is released slowly as it dissolves within the Chivas and champagne, creating intense bubbles within the cocktail. Cheers!

subset: commoncrawl


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Paul McCartney Joins the Isley Brothers at Apollo Theater Benefit
There aren't many concerts that are worth $5,000 a ticket, but the one Paul McCartney played last Saturday (Aug. 11) just might have justified its eyebrow-raising cost of admission.
Sir Paul was on hand at the East Hamptons estate of billionaire businessman Ronald Perelman, who hosted his third annual fundraiser for Harlem's legendary Apollo Theater. Thanks to that fat ticket price, the event -- which drew an exclusive crowd of 260 that included an eclectic list of millionaires and billionaires -- raised more than $2 million for the venue.
McCartney, who was a surprise addition to a lineup of entertainers that included Bon Jovi, Usher, and Jennifer Hudson, joined the Isley Brothers on stage for a once-in-a-lifetime rendition of 'Twist and Shout,' the Phil Medley/Bert Russell classic that the Isleys turned into a hit in 1962. The Beatles, of course, followed suit with their own hit cover in 1964.
While onstage, McCartney acknowledged the Apollo's influence on the Beatles, asking the audience, "Where would we have been without you? In Liverpool. We would have stayed there."
Earlier in the evening, Jon Bon Jovi and Richie Sambora took the stage for a performance of 'Wanted Dead or Alive' that Business Week said "delivered ... memories of 1986."


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Each state in the United States elects two senators, regardless of the state's population. Senators serve six-year terms with staggered elections. Americans in the United States's six territories do not have senators.
Pennsylvania's senators are:
The United States is divided into 435 congressional districts, each with a population of about 710,000 individuals. Each district elects a representative to the House of Representatives for a two-year term. Representatives are also called congressmen/congresswomen. Americans in the United States's six territories are represented in the House of Representatives by an additional six non-voting delegates.
Pennsylvania's 17 representatives are:
All representatives serve until the end of the current Congress on Jan 3, 2025.


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WASHINGTON (REUTERS) - A winter storm packing snow and Arctic cold slammed the north-eastern United States (US) on Tuesday, grounding 3,000 flights, shutting down governments and schools and making travel a potential nightmare for millions.
States across the north-east declared emergencies and warned residents not to travel during the fast-moving storm, which packed a potentially lethal combination of snow and wind, backed by temperatures up to 17 degrees Celsius below normal.
The system could dump as much as 30cm of snow on southern New England and to snarl the evening commutes of millions along the I-95 highway corridor from Boston to Washington, said Mr Bruce Sullivan, a senior meteorologist at the National Weather Service.
"Behind this system is a lot of strong winds, (with) very cold, bitter temperatures, so this snow is going to be around for a while," said Mr Sullivan.
He warned that stranded travellers faced potential frostbite or worse. "That's the risk you take if you travel in this kind of weather," Mr Sullivan said.
Hundreds of thousands of federal workers in Washington were ordered to stay home. City schools and offices also shut down, and the White House called off its Tuesday press briefing.
But the Supreme Court remained open to hear cases, and organisers of the annual anti-abortion March for Life said Wednesday's rally would go on regardless of weather.
About 3,000 airline flights in the US were cancelled, according to FlightAware.com, a tracking service. The bad weather left thousands of air travelers wondering when they were going to get home.
"I rushed to the airport, but (my flight) just got cancelled," said Mr Sumeet Kapoor, 24, a North Carolina State University graduate student who was on his way from Washington's Reagan National Airport to Raleigh, North Carolina.
"I actually had a class at 6, but I'm going to be late, I guess," he said.
Hours after he was sworn in to a second term, New Jersey Governor Chris Christie declared a state of emergency, as did Delaware Governor Jack Markell. Christie's inauguration party on Ellis Island in New York Harbor was cancelled because of the looming storm.
In Massachusetts, Governor Deval Patrick postponed his annual state of the state address because of the weather.
State governments in Delaware and Maryland shut down and Connecticut sent nonessential state workers home beginning at 3pm (4am Singapore time). The Maryland Transit Administration cut back rail and bus services.
In Connecticut and Virginia, state officials warned residents not to travel if they did not have to.
Some schools in North Carolina closed early, and schools were shut across Virginia and West Virginia. Connecticut closed all its schools for Wednesday, and Hartford, the state capital, sent students home early on Tuesday.
At a gas station in Princeton, West Virginia, residents said they were stocking up on propane, food and other staples in case they lost power and had to weather the storm.
"The snow by itself isn't a threat. It's when it freezes after and weighs down the power lines that I get worried," said Mr Jim Mullins, who spent the day buying supplies.
Forecaster AccuWeather said the cold front would drop temperatures below freezing as far south as northern Florida.
While the polar front grips the eastern US, the western half will see above-average temperatures as a drought worsens, the National Weather Service said.
Mr Sullivan, the meteorologist, said the cold snap would be followed by two more polar fronts through the weekend. One would hit the Great Lakes region, and the other the upper Great Plains, he said.


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SCHULTZ, SAMUEL DAVIES, sportsman, journalist, lawyer, politician, musician, and judge; b. 21 Oct. 1865 in Victoria, son of Herman Schultz and Elizabeth Davies; m. 5 Jan. 1904 Maude Dunwell Squarebriggs in Vancouver, and they had three sons; d. 25 Aug. 1917 in North Vancouver.
Samuel D. Schultz was the son of Jewish pioneers in Victoria who both died while he was young. Raised by an uncle in his native city, Schultz graduated with a ba from the University of Toronto in 1888. He subsequently attended Osgoode Hall law school and returned to practise in British Columbia, in Nelson for some months in 1893, in Victoria from 1893 to 1902, and then in Vancouver. He was appointed a county court judge in 1914, the first Jew in Canada named to the judiciary. During his years in Victoria, Schultz was an active member of the Congregation Emmanu-El, where he served as vice-president continuously between 1897 and 1902. He lectured occasionally at the synagogue and delivered an oration at the memorial service the congregation held to mark the death of Queen Victoria in 1901. In these years too he emerged as a dedicated supporter of the Conservative party, especially after his passionate speech in 1899 to a Conservative rally in Victoria. His involvement in active politics peaked when he was an alderman in North Vancouver for 1909–10 and served a term as president of the North Vancouver Conservative Association in 1912.
Schultz was an outspoken advocate of Jewish rights. His letter of 8 Oct. 1898 to the Victoria Daily Times shows that he was one of the first individuals in Canada to recognize that anti-Semitism lay at the heart of the Dreyfus affair. Prominent in the Vancouver Jewish community after his move to that city, Schultz was the founding president of the Samuel Lodge of the Independent Order of B'nai B'rith. Some seven weeks before his death, he was a delegate to the national Zionist convention held in Winnipeg, where he urged support for the British war effort as the best guarantee of Zionist aspirations.
A man of many accomplishments and activities, during his days as a student and early years as a lawyer Schultz had also been involved in journalism in Toronto, Victoria, and Vancouver, writing articles on topics as diverse as sports, music, and drama. His enthusiasm for sports embraced lacrosse, rowing, tennis, and – above all else – baseball. He was renowned as a pitcher, having led the University of Toronto team to victory over Cornell in the first Canadian-American inter-varsity game. Until his elevation to the bench he pitched for the Vancouver lawyers in their annual game against their counterparts from Seattle. He was an accomplished musician and a composer of some repute; "The charge at dawn," a march dedicated to the Canadian soldiers who died at Paardeberg during the South African War, was his most celebrated composition. He was also a charter-member of the Native Sons of British Columbia, a prize-winning member of the Horticultural Society of North Vancouver, and a charter-member of the Connaught Masonic Lodge.
Schultz died suddenly at the age of 51 while playing tennis. He was survived by his wife and their sons. Obituaries recalled the "brief and brilliant career" tragically cut short by his death and remarked on "his fairness and knowledge of the law."
BCARS, Add. mss 59 (Congregation Emmanu-El, Victoria, records). City of Vancouver Arch., File information on S. D. Schultz. Daily Colonist (Victoria), 23 Oct. 1865, 17 Nov. 1866, 12 March 1878, 27 Oct. 1900. Daily News-Advertiser (Vancouver), 6 Dec. 1913. Vancouver Daily Province, 27 Aug. 1917, 23 Jan. 1951. Vancouver Daily Sun, 27 Aug. 1917. Victoria Daily Standard, 11 March 1878. Victoria Daily Times, 8 Oct. 1898, 27 Aug. 1917. Harry Gutkin, Journey into our heritage: the story of the Jewish people in the Canadian west (Toronto, 1980). C. E. Leonoff, Centennial of Vancouver Jewish life: 1886–1986 (Vancouver, [1987]). Scholefield and Howay, British Columbia.
© 1998–2023 University of Toronto/Université Laval
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Phyllis M. Senese, "SCHULTZ, SAMUEL DAVIES," in Dictionary of Canadian Biography, vol. 14, University of Toronto/Université Laval, 2003–, accessed September 27, 2023, http://www.biographi.ca/en/bio/schultz_samuel_davies_14E.html.
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|September 27, 2023


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PEUGEOT EXALT is made of raw and natural elements associated with innovative and efficient materials.
To improve the drag coefficient, the rear of EXALT is trimmed in Shark Skin, an efficient textile. Thanks to its technical grain structure, this material resulting from bio-mimicry markedly improves the aerodynamic performance of the vehicle, with the aim of reducing its fuel consumption.
Fabric and leather are worked together in a process that optimises the use of resources.
To avoid off-cuts and waste, the fabric is shaped using clamps. This simple process is inspired by the tradition of fine gentlemen's bespoke tailoring. The fabric then presents surfaces with crisp folds and no stitching.
Leather for use in cars has always been selected for the absence of markings then tanned to make it perfect. Optimising the skins, EXALT makes us of imperfections in appearance to make each one a unique signature. Then the leathers are aged naturally, without the use of chemicals.
Black ebony wood has been selected for its rare qualities and its indigenous roots to the Asian continent. It bears a motif designed by the PINWU Design Trio agency. Combining a lion with bamboo stems and leaves, its creation was entrusted to a Chinese master craftsman using traditional techniques.
Finally, carbon fibre gives way to basalt fibre, a natural composite. Produced by smelting the basalt stone, it reduces the use of petrochemical resources. Exalt's sills are composed of basalt fibre.


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Mansfield City Parks
The Mansfield City parks are the center of many recreational events throughout the city, many of which are sponsored by the City's Parks and Recreation Department. A source of both civic pride and historic significance, these parks offer a relaxing environment, and an escape from "city life." All of our parks require daily maintenance, which is actually the primary function of the Parks Department.Park workers are responsible to keep the parks in top form. They do fencing, landscaping, and concrete work. They work with various garden clubs, and also operate a small tree nursery as part of the City's Tree Replacement program. The Park's Personnel also accept donations of plants and flowers for planters and flower beds. The City's parks have been acquired in various ways throughout the years. Some were donated by individuals and businesses. Others were developed from land purchased by the city. Groups have also developed and donated parks to the city. There are 5 pavilions that can be rented throughout the week. To inquire about reserving a park pavilion, please call 419-522-9801. Reservations must be made in persion at 100 Brinkerhoff Avenue Monday – Thursday 8 am – 2 pm.
Park Rental Agreement
Special Activity Form
Rules & Regulations
Adopt a Park Agreement
North Lake Park
North Lake Park offers many amenities to hold various events and is perfect to meet all your needs. Whether you are looking to go fishing, play basketball or host a party, North Lake park can provide that for you. Some of the amenities include: A Basketball court, a pond for fishing, grills, playground equipment and a picnic area are just some that help you and your family enjoy the outdoors. The pavilion offers a kitchen and nice open area to set up tables and chairs for all your party needs as well. Call and reserve North Lake Park pavilion today!
Johns Park
Johns Park provides many opportunities to get out and enjoy the outdoors while hosting a party or event inside the pavilion. The pavilion is in the middle of the park so you can see what is going on all around you. The basketball court to one side, and the playground equipment and picnic area to the other. This park also provides a soccer area as well. The inside of the pavilion can hold tables and chairs and can be set up exactly how you would prefer. Let us know if this pavilion is what you are looking for today!
Prospect Park
Prospect Park is one of our smaller parks that can hold nice events either on the inside or outside. The park has playground equipment right off the side of the pavilion so you can pay close attention to the kids, or you can grill out with the grills outside as well. It has a softball/ baseball field attached and a soccer field as well. This is definitely a park to get outside and enjoy some sports and the sunshine.
Burton Park
Burton Park is a great Pavilion to rent if you want the feel of the woods surrounding you. It is smack dab in the middle of many trees and has all the fun for the kids to enjoy on the outside. With a giant slide, and playground equipment to play on this park will not disappoint. It has a basketball court and soccer field and is just large enough to keep an eye on the kids while enjoying the relaxation in the pavilion or the picnic areas. The pavilion offers a kitchen and tables and chairs to set up exactly the way you would like to meet your needs. If being out of the hustle and bustle of the city is what you are looking for call and reserve this pavilion today.
South Park
South Park is a park where a lot of our summer activities go on. With the outside pavilion having a kitchen attached, it helps to be out in nature while providing any refreshments needed. The park has a gazebo, walking trails, along with playground equipment and is great for walking the dog around to enjoy natures at its finest. We have a community garden that is provided for by volunteers and helps teach children how to properly take care of fruits and vegetables to give them the necessities needed to make up their own at home.


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Hundreds of mourners remember Robert Boden
Hundreds of mourners turned out to say goodbye to longtime Riverhead Police Detective Robert Boden Friday morning at St. John the Evangelist Roman Catholic Church.
Uniformed Riverhead Police officers, New York State Troopers and members of then McGann-Mercy High School football team — Mr. Boden sponsored a yearly award for a Mercy football player — lined the road leading to the church. The Riverhead Fire Department hung a flag from two ladder trucks.
Members of the Riverhead Volunteer Ambulance and the Flanders Northampton Volunteer Ambulance also were present, as were the Eastern Long Island Police Pipes and Drums, which played as Mr. Boden's casket was carried into the church.
Mr. Boden, a 32-year veteran of the Riverhead Police Department who achieved the rank of detective, died on Oct. 7 at the age of 54 at Stony Brook University Hospital after suffering a pulmonary embolism a few days earlier.


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Elliott CARTER
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A journey through California's innovative sonic landscape.
10 days, 176 musicians from 62 programs, united in 1 purpose.
Discover what's next at Walt Disney Concert Hall via our playlist featuring music programmed for concerts from October 2023 to March 2024!
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Doan Xuan Tang - Previous Sales
Doan Xuan Tang (born 1977, Vietnam) graduated from the Hanoi Fine Art University in 2001. Tang's artistic inspiration originates from images forged during his early years. His oil paintings often capture the unique beauty, strength and melancholy of people from the indigenous hill tribes. He often uses bold colors and broad brush strokes as well as streaks to obscure or exaggerate personal facial features, never painting a "perfect" beauty, since beauty comes from within. He almost always reveals a personal history in the eyes of his subjects.Read More


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Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes
About this game
The Fallen Enchantress seeks to destroy the civilizations that have risen from the ashes of the Cataclysm. Fortunately, your fame has spread and great heroes have been drawn to your banner. With your new champions, you will confront new horrors like liches, brood hunters, banshees, and the dreaded hergon.
Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes is the new standalone expansion to Stardock's turn-based, fantasy strategy game. Players will forge a new empire in a world sundered by powerful magic, fight against terrible creatures, complete quests and rediscover lost secrets in their bid to rule the world of Elemental.
Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes is a standalone expansion. No prior games are required to play.
Key Features:
- Gain Champions Through Fame: Champions are no longer simply found, instead, they seek you out based on the amount of Fame your kingdom has generated. And not all of these legendary heroes were Men or Fallen…
- New Leveling System: Your sovereign and champions now evolve through a skill tree that visually allows you to plan what kind of hero you want him or her to be. Make your mage into a powerful Necromancer, or train your Assassin in special attacks that bleed the life from your enemies.
- Updated Tactical Battles: Battles are now more intense with additional special skills, combat mechanics, spells and new maps.
- New Monsters: The legendary heroes didn't reach our lands alone. The events of the Fallen Enchantress have raised the dead and caused forgotten creatures to return to the surface of the world.
- More Magic: New spells like 'Lightning Form' and 'Raise Skeletal Horde' add new options and dangers to battle.
- Larger Maps: A new gigantic sized map delivers truly epic games.
- Updated Graphics Engine: An improved graphics engine delivers stunning new visuals while improving performance on older machines.
- And much, much more!
© Stardock Entertainment. Elemental, Fallen Enchantress and Legendary Heroes are trademarks of Stardock Entertainment. All rights reserved.


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Wagon life
The real explosion of steppe culture seems to have come, however, between 3300-3100BC with adoption of wagons:
As the steppes dried and expanded, people tried to keep their animal herds fed by moving them more frequently. They discovered that with a wagon you could keep them moving indefinitely. Wagons and horseback riding made possible a new, more mobile form of pastoralism. With a wagon full of tents and supplies, herders could take their herds out of the river valleys and live for weeks or months out in the open steppes between the great rivers—the great majority of the Eurasian steppes. Land that had been open and wild became pasture that belonged to someone. Soon these more mobile herder clans realized that bigger pastures and a mobile home base permitted them to keep bigger herds. Amid the ensuing disputes over borders, pastures and seasonal movements, new rules were needed to define what counted as an acceptable move—people began to manage local migratory behaviour (p.300).If you were not part of the new life and its evolving rules and agreements you became even more clearly culturally Other, a contrast that helped define and mark identity. The steppe nomad became a people who lived on wheels:
Their new economy took advantage of two kinds of mobility: wagons for slow transport (water, shelter, and food) and horseback riding for rapid light transport (scouting for pastures, herding, trading and raiding expeditions) (p.302).A combination that greatly increased the scale of herding:
A diet of meat, milk, yoghurt, cheese, and soups made of wild Chenopodium seeds and wild greens can be deduced, with a little imagination, from the archaeological evidence. The reconstructed Proto-Indo-European vocabulary tells us that honey and honey-based mead were also consumed, probably on special occasions. Larger herds meant greater disparity in herd wealth, which is reflected in the disparities of wealth of [steppe] graves. Mobile wagon camps are almost impossible to find archeologically, so settlements become archaeologically invisible where the new economy took hold (p.303).The last point likely has wider implications: one wonders if the lack of cities and monuments has led to a subtle, or not-so-subtle, scholarly discounting of steppe cultures.
One technique for managing the new mobility was to incorporate some fluidity in social relations—notably, the guest-host connections and obligations (p.303); also a point with potentially much greater implications. The notion of the oath-bound warrior; not kin but freely undertaking a connection as strong as, or even stronger, than kinship—that, in some ways, overrode kinship—was to reach as far as knightly service in Latin Christendom, the sworn samurai of Japan and the beholden warriors of Islam. All of which likely ultimately had steppe cultural roots.
Anthony points to an intriguing gender division between western and eastern Pontic-Caspian steppes culture(s) that is also reflected in differences between western and eastern Indo-European languages. The eastern steppe life was more mobile, lacked grain imprints on pots, more male-centred in religion and ritual, have far higher percentage (80%) of male graves. The western steppe life was more settled, had grain imprints on pots, was more female-inclusive in religion and ritual. All of which may have contributed to the feminine grammatical category that was a defining innovation of Proto-Indo-European (Pp304-5).
Anthony holds that this horse-herding wagon culture of the Pontic-Caspian steppes fits time, place, material and linguistic features to be the original Indo-European culture. It also generates the right migrations in the right direction and sequence to generate the various offshoot languages (p.306), the evidence for which Anthony discusses (Pp306ff).
The earliest identified evidence for steppe vehicles are around 3000BC, though Anthony believes they likely appeared between 3500-3300BC. As we do not know where the wheel-and-axle was invented, we have no idea from whence they came to the steppes. There is only minimal evidence for warfare as the cause of the spread the wagon cultural horizon:
Rather, it spread because those who shared the agreements and institutions that made high mobility possible became potential allies, and those who did not share these institutions were separated as Others. Larger herds also probably brought increased prestige and economic power, because larger herd-owners had more animals to loan or offer as sacrifices at public feasts (p.317).As Anthony takes us through the historical evidence, one striking feature is that the grain content of diet appears to shrink as the horizon spreads (p.320). The wagon cultural horizon seems to have spread across the entire Pontic-Caspian steppes around 3400-3200BC; signs of a competitive advantage, aggressively exploited (hence Anthony's confidence that the cultural horizon was wagon-based).
Anthony disputes the scholarly assumption that pastoralism is dependant on settled cultures for grain and metal. Economically, Bronze Age pastoralism seems to have been substantially self-sufficient: mining its own metal ores, leaving a few people to tend river valley barley or millet fields. It was the creation of royal bodyguards ballooning into armies that made Iron Age and Medieval nomadic states dependant on interaction with settled societies (Pp321-2).
Graves, as ever, provide important indicators. In the eastern steppes, sheep or goat bones predominated (65%), followed by cattle (15%), horses (8%), dogs (5%). In the western steppes, cattle (60%) were more numerous than sheep (29%) (p.324).
The human bones indicate people who were very tall, robust, with few signs of systemic infections and whose teeth typically entirely free of caries (like the teeth of foragers), indicating a diet free of starchy carbohydrates. In the middle period, they do show significantly more signs of childhood anaemia, indicating a diet too rich in dairy foods:
Health often declines in the early stages of a significant dietary change, before the optimal mix of new foods has been established (p.326).Genetic research on lactose tolerance suggests it emerged in the steppes west of the Ural Mountains between 4600-2800BC (p.326).
The linguistic evidence is for a patriarchal culture that gave thanks to Sky Father for sons, fat cattle and fast horses, where kinship was patrilineal. The evidence of the kurgan graves is more complex as 20% (in the east) or more (in the west) contained adult females, suggesting some women were assigned to traditionally male leadership roles. Suggestively, a thousand years later, 20% of Scythian-Sarmatian "warrior graves" contained females dressed for battle as if they were men (p.328-9). The archaeology of kurgan graves—by far the most dramatic archaeological evidence from the period—is frustratingly suggestive (Pp329ff).
Language spread
All this is leading up to the big question: how did Indo-European languages get to be so dominant over such a wide area? Which is a matter of language replacement far more than population replacement. Language replacement is typically a process of prestige (to the new language) and stigmatisation (for the old) for which:
the possibilities are much more varied than just invasion and conquest (p.340).Continuing to use modern examples to inform analysis of the past, Anthony notes that:
the general situation in Europe after 3300BCE was one of increased mobility, new pastoral economies, explicitly status-ranked political systems, and inter-regional connectivity—exactly the kind of context that might of led to the stigmatization of the tightly closed identities associated with language spoken by localized groups of village farmers (Pp340-1).Anthony suggests a range of factors that could have given the horse-breeding wagon folk of the steppes status which can be summarised as:
having the largest, strongest and most manageable horses;That is, the Indo-Europeans had wealth, connections and ways of incorporating outsiders going for them (Pp341-3). On the issue of wealth from horses, Anthony notes that, in the C16th, the Bukhara khanate exported 100,000 horses a year to the Mughal rulers of India (p.341). The scale of horse-trading from the steppes to the river-valley civilisations was immense for millennia: it was the basis of the Silk Road, for example.
far greater mobility (including raiding threat);
belief in the sanctity of oath-bound contracts and in protecting clients in return for services;
the institutions that managed mobility provided ways of incorporating outsiders;
public feasts as statements of prestige and vectors of recruitment.
Read More...
Anthony's tentative conclusion is that:
the spread of Proto-Indo-European was more like a franchising operation than an invasion. Although the initial penetration of a new region … often involved an actual migration from the steppes and military confrontations, once it began to reproduce new patron-client agreements … its connection to the original steppe immigrants became genetically remote, whereas the myths, rituals, and institutions that maintained the system were reproduced down the generations (p.343).Then it is on to more of Anthony's beloved archaeological evidence for migration and cultural change (read: cultural replacement) (Pp343ff).
In particular, what became the Germanic languages likely evolved out of migrations up the Danube Valley around 3100-2800BC (Pp360-1). What caused the migrations is an open question: Anthony suggests that the pull of raiding and client possibilities was a likely cause, possibly via brotherhoods of young oath-bound warriors dressed in belts and little else (p.364). The agrarian villages, lacking central authority, provided opportunities for warrior chiefs to become the protector-patrons of client-servitors (p.366), leading to the origins of the Germanic, Italic and Celtic languages (p.370).
The oldest chariots found anywhere were in a fortified settlement at Sintashta, east of the Ural mountains in the northern steppes (p.371). The radiocarbon dates range from 2800-2700BC to 2100-1800BC, likely due to a later culture using a site used by a previous culture (Pp374-5).
The find was something of an archaeological marvel:
The details of the funeral sacrifices at Sintashta showed startling parallels with the sacrificial funeral rituals of the Rig Veda. The industrial scale of the metallurgical production suggested a new organization of steppe mining and metallurgy and a greatly heightened demand for copper and bronze. The substantial fortifications implied surprisingly large and determined attacking forces. And the appearance of Pontic-Caspian kurgan rituals, vehicle burials, and weapon types in the steppes east of the Ural River indicated that the Ural frontier had finally been erased (p.375).All of which raised lots of questions, Anthony taking us through the historical evidence (Pp371ff).
This is very much a warrior culture:
Warfare, a powerful stimulus to social and political change, also shaped the Sintashta culture, for a heightened threat of conflict dissolves the old social order and creates new opportunities for the acquisition of power (p.393).In the case of the chariot warrior culture, climate change seems to have been a factor, as it was in other times and places:
during the climactic crisis of the late MBA [Middle Bronze Age] in the steppes, competing steppe chiefs searching for new sources of prestige valuables probably discovered the merchants of Sarazam in the Zeravshan valley, the northernmost of outpost of Central Asian civilization [which] … created a new relationship that fundamentally altered warfare, metal production, and ritual competition among the steppe cultures (p.393).The markers of increased warfare being:
the regular appearance of large fortified towns; increased deposit of weapons in graves; and the development of new weapons and tactics (p.393).The extra weapons being (on the evidence of the surviving points) javelins and chariots (Pp395-6).
A chariot is:
a two-wheeled vehicle with spoked wheels and a standing driver, pulled by bitted horses, and usually driven at a gallop … Chariots were the first wheeled vehicles designed for speed, an innovation which changed land transport forever. The spoked wheel was the central element that made speed possible (p.397).Anthony's thorough definition of a chariot brings out how many different elements had to come together. Accepting a steppe origin for chariots overturns the established view that chariots were invented in Near Eastern societies around 1900-1800BC. Anthony takes us through the debate and evidence, arguing for javelin-throwing warrior-drivers who could throw javelins further than a man on horseback (Pp397ff).
I find a steppe origin for chariots highly plausible, given that the steppes were the source of later innovations in horses (e.g. the stirrup). Anthony assembles considerable evidence and reasonable inference for his view.
Chariots fit right in with a chiefly warrior culture:
Chariots were the supreme advertisements of wealth; difficult to make and requiring great athletic skill and a team of specially trained horses to drive, they were available only to those who could delegate much of their daily labor to hired herders. A chariot was material proof that they drive was able to fund a substantial alliance or was supported by someone who had the means (p.405).So:
the evidence from fortifications, weapon types, and numbers, and the tactical innovation of chariot warfare, all indicate that conflict increased in both scale and intensity in the northern steppes … after about 2100BC.With chariots playing an important role. Anthony connecting the archaeological evidence of prestige feats and sacrifices with the linguistic evidence of the Rig Veda and Avesta to identify these chariot people as the original "Aryans":
Between 2100 and 1800BCE they invented the chariot, organized themselves into stronghold-based chiefdoms, armed themselves with new kinds of weapons, created a new style of funeral rituals that involved spectacular public displays of wealth and generosity, and began to mine and produce metals on a scale previously unimagined in the steppes (p.411).It is one thing to identify an origin time, place and culture for the Indo-European "explosion", the trick is to provide a coherent analysis—congruent with the evidence—that ends up with the historical spread of Indo-European languages from Sri Lanka (Sinhala) to the far edges of Europe.
This is the subject of the penultimate chapter, The Opening of the Eurasian Steppes. Anthony starts by looking at the archaeological evidence for the Near East after Sargon of Akkad imposes the first unified rule over the first cities of Mesopotamia from the perspective of looking for steppe connections (Pp412ff). Including, the first evidence for the appearance of horses in the Near East around 2100BC (Pp416-7). With the tin of Sarazm (tin being the most important traded good of the Bronze Age) being likely the connection that brought horses, chariots and steppe cultures to the river valley civilisations of the Near East and the Indus, based on examination of the archaeological evidence (Pp418ff). Anthony concludes that:
The steppe world was not just a conduit, it also became an innovating center, particularly in bronze metallurgy and chariot warfare. The chariot-driving kings of Shang China and Mycenaean princes of Greece, contemporaries at opposite ends of the ancient world at about 1500BCE, share a common technological debt to the LBA [Late Bronze Age] herders of the Eurasian steppes (p.435-7).The "settling down" in fortified settlements of the Middle and Late Bronze Age in the steppes Anthony ascribes to defending the best winter forage and copper mines in a period of extended climactic crisis (Pp440ff). Steppe metallurgy included lost-wax casting and hollow-mold casting (probably learnt from the BMAC culture) producing products that included socketed spearheads (p.444).
Connecting material evidence and language is inherently difficult, nevertheless Anthony seeks to trace a series of "daughter cultures" across the steppes based on:
an extraordinary burst economic, military, and ritual innovations by a single culture—the Sintashta culture (p.450).Certainly, the congruence between Rig Veda passages Anthony cites (and Mycenaean culture as revealed by archaeology and preserved in Homer) with the Sintashta archaeology is striking; Anthony reinforcing the point with discussion of the evidence on extensive trade across the steppes and evidence of "proto-Vedic" cultures (Pp450ff).
Anthony is seeking to change our view of the steppes from:
a remote and austere place, poor in resources and far from the centers of the civilised worldTo:
during the Late Bronze Age the steppes became a bridge between the civilizations that developed on the edges of the continent in Greece, the Near East, Iran, the Indian subcontinent, and China. Chariot technology, horses and horseback riding, bronze metallurgy, and a strategic location gave steppe societies an importance they never before had possessed (p.456).Turning the steppes into a "corridor of communication" which "permanent altered the dynamics of Eurasian history" (p.457).
This was the start of a dynamic that was not going to end until the Romanov and Qing Empires conquered and devastated Central Eurasia, creating the Central Eurasia-as-poverty-struck-backwater of the last few centuries which has done so much to hide its history from Western understanding: including the understanding of how much of it is the history of our (i.e. Western/Anglosphere) origins.
In his final chapter, Words and Deeds, Anthony asserts that the fall of the Iron Curtain, making steppe archaeology much more accessible, recent archaeological discoveries and advances in linguistics have made questions about the origins of the Indo-Europeans answerable in the way they were not previously (p.458). The wheel and the horse matter because:
Innovations in transport technology are among the most powerful causes of change in human and social political life (p.459).From private automobiles creating suburban life to turning the Eurasian steppes into connector of cultures across Eurasia. Anthony summarises his central argument and contentions with admirable clarity (Pp460ff). In particular, that the steppes being a corridor of communication was far from "automatic": on the contrary, transmission of ideas and cultures was blocked by persistent cultural frontiers that lasted for millennia (p.463).
The full story of the spread of Indo-European languages (a continuing one, with the spread of English) is far too long and complex to be pinned down to a single set of causes:
If we can draw any lessons about language expansion … it is perhaps only that an initial expansion can make later expansions easier (the lingua franca effect), and that language generally follows military and economic power (the elite dominance effect …) (p.464).Network economics and status, in other words. Anthony's model is based on the spread of steppe chiefs with a set of institutions that could incorporate outsiders:
Long after the genetic imprint of the original immigrant chiefs faded away, the system of alliances, obligations, myths, and rituals that they introduced was still being passed on from generation to generation. Ultimately, the last remnant of this inheritance is the expanding echo of a once-shared language that survives as the Indo-European language family (p.464).A pattern that works, incorporates, accrues prestige and is mobile is an inherently plausible mechanism for such language spread.
Briefly considering past misuse of the notion of 'Aryan', Anthony sets out his methodological approach—create an explanatory narrative congruent with the facts and not-contradicted by facts outside the narrative—rather nicely (Pp464-5). In doing so, we cannot retrieve the names of individuals from so long ago, but we can retrieve much of how they lived and thought. Anthony provides an apposite quote from the Rig Veda:
That man is no friend who does not give of his own nourishment to his friend, the companion at his side. Let the friend turn away from him; this is not his dwelling-place. Let him find another man who gives freely, even if he be a stranger. Let the stronger man give to the man whose need is greater; let him gaze upon the lengthening path. For riches roll like the wheels of a chariot, turning from one to another (p.466).It is a very sad historical irony that an ancient work that incorporated this firm statement that people should be judged by the content of their character and lauded open-minded generosity was used to support racist fantasies of genetic supremacy.
Archaeology relies on many ironies of survival (e.g. that wooden structures are preserved by burning). In his closing words, Anthony points to:
another irony rarely appreciated: that in the invisible and fleeting sounds of our speech we preserve for future generations of linguists many details of our present world (p.466).Provided, of course, scholars and their audiences are willing to listen to what linguists have to say.
The Horse, the Wheel and Language is a splendid journey through the difficulties and possibilities of archaeology, especially an archaeology open to what other disciplines (notably linguistics) have to say. It is also blessedly free of jargon and the burdens of Theory, allowing the evidence to speak in all its possibilities and ambiguities. (Though a list of acronyms would have been helpful.) It provides engaging and vivid insight into the evidence about our distant progenitors, those who created where we came from.


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Los Angeles 4, Vancouver 2
We have Kings Vs Canucks Tickets in stock for the Friday night battle at Rogers Arena as well as Sunday at the Staples Center.
KINGS 4, CANUCKS 2: Dustin Penner snapped a tie with 3:14 remaining in the third period as visiting Los Angeles upset the Presidents' Trophy winners in the opener of their Western Conference quarterfinal series.
Mike Richards recorded a goal and two assists, defenseman Willie Mitchell and captain Dustin Brown also scored and Jonathan Quick made 24 saves for the Kings, who outshot the Canucks 39-26.
Richards caused a turnover in the offensive zone and made a pass from the top of the left faceoff circle to Jeff Carter, who directed the puck across the slot with his skate. Penner quickly fired the puck past Roberto Luongo to give Los Angeles a 3-2 edge.
Brown sealed the victory with an empty-netter with 18 seconds remaining.
With Daniel Sedin sitting out his 10th straight game with a concussion, the Vancouver Canucks got on the board 4:17 into the first period on a questionable goal by Alex Burrows.
Burrows grabbed his own rebound in the high slot and fired it past Quick, who was knocked down moments earlier by Ryan Kesler. Quick's protest fell on deaf ears, however, as Burrows was awarded his 17th career playoff goal.
Los Angeles answered during the first of its two 5-on-3 advantages in the session as Richards banked a shot from the bottom of the right faceoff circle off Luongo with 6 1/2 minutes remaining.
Former Canuck Mitchell gave the Kings a 2-1 lead with 3:27 left in the second when his blast from the left point deflected off Jannik Hansen's stick and past Luongo with 39 seconds to go on Byron Bitz's five-minute major for boarding.
Canucks blue-liner Alex Edler evened the contest with 7.3 seconds remaining in the second as his wrist shot from the right point hit a defender's stick and sailed over Quick.
Kesler notched two assists and Luongo stopped 35 shots for the Canucks, who lost for the first time in nine playoff series openers.
GAME NOTEBOOK: Carter returned to the Kings' lineup from an ankle injury and recorded a pair of assists. … Los Angeles defenseman Drew Doughty led all players with 28:18 of ice time. … Vancouver lost for only the second time with Sedin out of the lineup. … The Kings have won only four of their last 12 visits to Rogers Arena.
We stock Kings Tickets all playoff games at the Staples Center as well as all games on the road.
Other scores yesterday, Flyers beat Penguins 4,3 and Predators beat Red Wings 3 to 2.


text:
In stock
Spitfire Girl brand pillows! Cotton twill printed graphic pillows are roughly 18″ x 18″ and are an awesome addition to any living room, bedroom, or office space. Your guests will be asking you where you found such great pillows, send them over to us, we'll have a pillow fight!
Handmade in Los Angeles from start to finish!
PolyFill insert


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Beware the Nile perch
It's a huge freshwater fish, easy to catch and eat, and tempting to introduce into non-native waters.
And when it shows up? It will eat everything it can and probably drive competitive smaller fish extinct. Good intentions are rewarded with plenty of Nile perch (for now) but a degraded ecosystem in the long run.
There are bright shiny objects you can bring into your life (that project, that employee, that new office) that might just push the other useful items aside. You get hooked on them or they demand more attention or they make too much noise and the less-shiny projects or people whither away.
An art museum brings in a traveling show from a famous artist. It's important, expensive, time-consuming and brings big crowds. For the next six months, all eyes are on the big show. And then, of course, a vacuum, because the important but less glamorous work didn't get done.
A lawsuit or a merger or a shift to a new office space might seem like a good idea at the time–but be careful what you wish for.
The Nile perch is nefarious yet applauded (in the short run). Don't be afraid to call it when you see it.


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In the past few days I have received an impressive amount of links and many videos from alot of you. Curiously, 12 videos were all Japanese commercials. This led me to take a trip over the internet looking for the best Japanese commercials. To my surprise, the net is full of them and some are pretty funny! Here are my best 20 ! Thanks to HighT3ch readers I am now aware that 8 commercials listed are not Japanese. Those are 9,6,5,4,3 and 1. Thanks to all who helped me figure this out.
If the videos on your browser start to skip, try refreshing the page.
If you see nothing but numbers and video description youtube.com is updating, be patient.
Very old commercial but the monkey's expression is timeless.
I guess Milk helps everywhere and everyone.
Poor little cockroach, got ambushed !
We get Ronald McDonald and they get that ? Not fair !
This is Arnold representing USA in Japan with his unhuman laugh.
Talk about being in love with Sushi…
You still think that kids are the same everywhere ?
Darth Vader is popular in Japan as well.
What did they do to deserve this ?
This is why I only drink water.
Pretend you can't hear anything and you will be happy.
Marijuana addiction is an issue, tea addiction is another one.
Tiger Woods can't swing like this. Ha !
You need to order in Japan! Need To!
Feel sorry, we can all end up like this man.
Always know where you get your parts from.
Tree catching is an ancient discipline, the strong survive.
Korean – Banned commercial. For good reasons ? (NSFWish)
Quick conclusion.
Born to be !
If I missed any good ones feel free to post them.
Here is another one, Im not sure if this is a commercial or an art project.
Inochi is the little alien guy who gets it up everytime.
Another really weird one…


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Dear Ones,
We are smiling with love as we observe you and others claim yourselves in ways not imagined before this final starburst of love.
Even though you have experienced many energy bursts throughout this transition, you have never before been directed to self-love to the extent of the past few weeks. So it is you are moving and acting differently – claiming your totality and shining your beacon.
You probably cannot feel the difference even though you are in a different place emotionally and physically. That shift, that change is the beginning of your heaven on earth.
Perhaps you are sitting in a different chair at work or doing something you find peaceful. Your shift does not have to be large for it is both internal and external.
In 3D, you needed to be reminded of the importance of shifts such as a new job title, a wedding, or graduation. Now that you are shifting more rapidly internally than externally, you do not have any or many outward expressions of that shift. So it is you feel as if not much has changed in your life.
But then, if you remember back to the day of your graduation, marriage proposal, knowledge of a pregnancy, or job promotion, your life did not change immediately either. Even though you knew your life probably would change, that shift was not yet apparent. For before you noted much difference in your life, you needed to enmesh yourself in the change.
So it is now. You have graduated from this self-love transition phase, but you do not yet know how that graduation/completion is affecting you. For just as was true with your high school graduation, there are many available paths.
Prior to this self-love phase, you en masse were on the same path with some deviations here and there. You are now finding your unique path as you release the need to be like others.
For even though you perhaps choose a different path than a friend following your 3D high school graduation, you both expected to find your way in life to the extent that you could care for yourself or find a mate and procreate only to have future generations continue the same path. There were deviations here and there, but on the whole, everyone had the same theme running through their actions and beliefs.
Such is no longer true. Each of you is beginning to formulate a unique path that perhaps seems unlikely or unlike you. Such is what you have been dreaming of for eons. Not to fit in, but to create anew.
So it is you are beginning to feel the stirrings of malcontent with what was or is within your life. You are taking those feelings to levels you did not allow in 3D. For throughout your 3D lives, you punched down feelings or beliefs that deviated from the accepted norms.
Such is so no longer true for you. But the emotional shift required to think and act in unique ways is exhausting. So you are likely tired, confused, or somewhat frightened. Not because you have different feeling or actions, but because you do not necessarily understand the urges that take you outside your expected comfort zones.
"Surely, this cannot be my heaven on earth," you proclaim to yourself as you take one unusual, unexpected path after another. "I'm like this, not that" you believe until you are. That which does not seem right somehow is exactly where you need to be. Not to perfect your 3D life, but instead to use as a new you launching pad.
Perhaps your launching pad is your backyard hammock, a new job, reaffirming your relationships, composing music, or sketching a new creation. Allow yourself to unfold as you decided within your dream state. For as is true of spring flowers, you are popping out of your soil showing your fresh, green color with little indication of what your flower will look like in full bloom.
You likely wish to push yourself to a rapid conclusion of sorts, just as you watch daily with anticipation to determine if your garden plants have bloomed. Allow yourself the freedom to grow as you wish to produce your flower. For you have accepted the energies that are the equivalent of the right soil, moisture content, and sunshine. There is no more needed to encourage your being plant. It will bloom when it is ready.
Know that you are exactly at the right place whether that be resting in a hammock or a whirling dervish of activity.
You have prepared your soil and now you need to rest your fears for all is wonderfully well with you and all forerunners. So be it. Amen.
LifeTapestryCreations.com. If you would like to receive Brenda's Blogs when posted, please click the Subscribe Button on the upper part of her Blog & Subscribe page and then click the – Subscribe to Brenda's Blog by E-mail – line. Complete your subscription by entering your e-mail address and accepting the e-mail confirmation.
Copyright 2009-2018, Brenda Hoffman. All rights reserved. Please feel free to share this content with others, post on your blog, add to your newsletter, etc., but maintain this article's integrity by including the author/channel: Brenda Hoffman & source website link: LifeTapestryCreations.com.


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This program has been archived.
Engineering Education and Centers
Small-Business/ ERC Collaborative Opportunity (SECO)
|Deborah J. Jackson
|(703) 292-7499
|Carmiña Londoño
|(703) 292-7053
|Muralidharan S. Nair
|(703) 292-7059
Please contact the above individuals only for further information about this opportunity.
When using FastLane, call the FastLane Help Desk at 1-800-673-6188 or e-mail email@example.com for user support. The FastLane Help Desk answers general technical questions related to the use of the FastLane system.
PROGRAM GUIDELINESSolicitation 13-551
Important Information for Proposers
A revised version of the NSF Proposal & Award Policies & Procedures Guide (PAPPG) (NSF 22-1), is effective for proposals submitted, or due, on or after October 4, 2021. Please be advised that, depending on the specified due date, the guidelines contained in NSF 22-1 may apply to proposals submitted in response to this funding opportunity.
This opportunity aims to facilitate the translation of NSF's technology investments in Engineering Research Centers (ERC) and in Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) and Small Business Technology Transfer (STTR) projects into the market place. Furthermore, in instances where an ERC is funded with a mission to support the public good through the implementation of critical public engineering systems (the infrastructure), this includes facilitating implementations that realize the intended public benefit.
The specific goals of this opportunity are to:
- Speed the translation of ERC-generated research and technology advances to the marketplace or its implementation into critical public engineered systems and engage undergraduate and graduate students more directly in the innovation process through collaboration between an ERC and a small business concern, (OPTION 1) and
- Strengthen the research capacity of active NSF SBIR/STTR Phase II awardees to speed the entry of their innovations into the marketplace and broaden its portfolio of marketable products through collaboration with an ERC (OPTION 2).
What Has Been Funded (Recent Awards Made Through This Program, with Abstracts)


text:
|function test() {
|/* The lowdown on this feature string:
|- ,=\twidth: reads as key:width value:0200px|0, which, after strtol/toInt, gives you 200
|- =height: reads as key:height value:"", which means yes, which means 1, but the minimum size is 100, so 100
|- 1width: reads as key:1width, an invalid key, so it doesn't override the previous width
|- left: reads as key:left value:no, which means 0, which means aligned to the left side of the screen
|- \ntoolBAR: reads as key:toolbar value:yes
|- \rstatus: reads as key:status value:"", which means yes
|- the trailing comma catches a previous mistake i made reading past the end of the string
|var sFeatures = " ,=\twidth == = = 0200px|0=height 400,1width=400,left=nO \ntoolBAR=yeS,resizable=yess, \rstatus= ,";
|var w = window.open("resources/popup200x100.html", undefined, sFeatures);
|
This test checks whether parsing of the 'features' argument to window.open matches
|Win IE's behavior, except in the case of "resizable," which should always be true.

|
The link below should open a window with the following attributes:

|
 A WebView exactly 200x100, such that you can see a red 1 pixel border along each edge of the WebView.
|
 A window aligned to the left hand side of the screen.
|
 Toolbar visible.
|
 Statusbar visible.
|
 Resizable.
|Click to test
|
The link below should open a window with the following attributes:

|
A window whose size matches what you would get from file->New Window.

|
A window whose positioning matches what you would get from file->New Window.

|
Statusbar visible.

|Click to test


text:
Get a Library Card at NYPL
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You can check the expiration date of your card by logging in via https://nypl.org/classiclogin.
More information about managing your library account in the Catalog.
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What is a Personal Identification Number (PIN)?
For certain library services, such as reserving a computer or logging in to your account online, you may be asked to enter both your library card number and your PIN/ Password.


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6 young squirrels rescued from ordeal of tangled tails
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Six young squirrels whose tails were stuck together by tree sap are recovering after a Nebraska wildlife expert untangled them.
A Nebraska Humane Society worker rescued the squirrels from a pine tree in Omaha last week. Nebraska Wildlife Rehab executive director Laura Stastny told the Omaha World-Herald that the sap-covered tails became knotted as the youngsters wrestled in their nest. Stastny says they are about 8 weeks old.
Resident Craig Luttman spotted the rodents' predicament, describing it Thursday as "kind of like a tug of war, going in completely opposite directions."
Stastny gave the squirrels a mild painkiller before removing the sticky fur and untangling them. She says some of them suffered injuries to their tails, but that she expects all six to be released in a few weeks.


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WASHINGTON -- The FDA wants makers of metal-on-metal hip implants to prove their products are safe if they want to continue to market them.
The implants have long been a subject of concern due to adverse reactions. An FDA review of more than 100 studies of metal-on-metal hip implants found that the artificial hips may pose problems for women and for patients who received larger-sized hip implants.
On Thursday the agency issued a proposed order "to require the filing of a premarket approval application (PMA) or a notice of completion of a product development protocol (PDP)" for metal-on-metal hip implants. Until this point, manufacturers were allowed to market the implants without needing to get a PMA, which would require the submission of safety and effectiveness data.
Manufacturers who submit a PMA "must include valid scientific evidence to demonstrate reasonable assurance of the safety and effectiveness of the device for its intended use," according to the proposed order.
The proposed order also offers "the opportunity for interested persons to request that the Agency change the classification of any of the aforementioned devices based on new information."
In a Safety Communication posted Thursday on the FDA website, the agency noted that "metal-on-metal hip implants have unique risks in addition to the general risks of all hip implants" because "metal release will cause some tiny metal particles to wear off of the device around the implant, which may cause damage to bone and/or soft tissue surrounding the implant and joint."
"The soft tissue damage may lead to pain, implant loosening, device failure and the need for revision surgery," according to the communication. "Some of the metal ions released will enter the bloodstream and travel to other parts of the body, where they may cause symptoms or illnesses elsewhere in the body."
The FDA said it currently "does not have enough scientific data to specify the concentration of metal ions in a patient's body or blood necessary to produce adverse systemic effects. In addition, the reaction seems to be specific to individual patients, with different patients having different reactions to the metal wear particles."
A 2-day meeting of the FDA's Orthopaedic Surgery and Rehabilitation Devices Advisory Committee last June yielded few recommendations for how the agency should deal with the implants. Many panel members at that meeting said that they were uncomfortable with making recommendations on the basis of the current data, none of which came from prospective, randomized trials.
In May 2011, FDA ordered post-market surveillance studies from all companies that make these systems. But the studies have been slow to get underway and may not provide useful information to physicians and patients, physicians warned in a New England Journal of Medicine article.
These devices also have been the subject to two significant recalls in recent years, as noted by FDA reviewers: the 2008 recall of Zimmer's Durom Acetabular Component because of inadequate instructions for use, and the 2010 recall of the DePuy ASR Total Hip due to higher-than-expected revision rates. The DePuy device is currently the subject of multiple patient lawsuits.
More recently, Smith & Nephew pulled its R3 Acetabular System metal hip socket liner from the market due to higher-than-acceptable annual revision rates in patients who had this device.
In its safety communication, the FDA recommended that orthopedic surgeons "select a metal-on-metal hip implant for [their patients] only after determining that the benefit-risk profile of using a metal-on-metal hip implant outweighs that of using an alternative hip system (metal-on-polyethylene, ceramic-on-polyethylene, ceramic-on-ceramic or ceramic-on-metal). Factors to consider include the patient's age, sex, weight, diagnosis, and activity level."
The agency also urged orthopedic surgeons to "Inform patients about the benefits and risks of metal-on-metal hip implants, including the risk that the hip implant may need to be replaced. Also discuss the patient's expectations and review the potential complications of surgery with a metal-on-metal hip implant."
The safety communication also encouraged other healthcare providers to be aware of the signs of possible metal ion adverse reactions in patients who have recently had metal-on-metal hip replacements. Symptoms to look for include:
- General hypersensitivity reaction (skin rash)
- Cardiomyopathy
- Neurological changes including sensory changes (auditory or visual impairments)
- Psychological status change (including depression)
- Renal function impairment
- Thyroid dysfunction (including neck discomfort, fatigue, weight gain, or feeling cold)
"Patients with metal-on-metal hip implants who develop any symptoms or physical findings that indicate their device may not be functioning properly, should be considered for metal ion testing," the FDA noted.
The agency will be accepting comments on its proposed order for 3 months after it is published in the Federal Register. Once a final order is published, manufacturers will have 90 days to file a PMA or PDP.


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Caring for Our Own
Taking care of our own is at the heart of our team and core to our culture. That is why in 2015, we started the Family Fund to support our team members and their families when they are faced with unexpected challenges. The Fund is entirely employee funded, with more than 65% of our team members participating.
These funds are used in a variety of situations including medical bills, financial struggles, and recently in North Carolina where several team members' homes were flooded or destroyed during Hurricane Matthew.
The FRG Family Fund relies on contributions from our family of employees. We also happily accept donations from the community.
Contributions can be made to the FRG Family Fund by check (payable to FRG Family Fund Inc.), online credit card payment, or through payroll deduction. Payroll donation forms are available in each restaurant. Click to make an online credit card contribution through Network for Good.
Please contact the Family Fund at 216-525-2775 x1037 or email@example.com with any additional questions.


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Dinny Hall
Dinny Hall was established in 1985 in London's Soho, right after founder Dinny had graduated from Central Saint Martins School of Art. Today the brand remains relevant and desirable in equal measure to the world of fashion and jewellery, garnering loyal customers worldwide. Well known for a vast array of hoops, precious gemstone rings and everything in between, the brand is recognisable for its emphasis on unique design, subtle luxury and wearability as well as working towards sustainability. Now with six boutiques in central London village locations, these local 'ateliers' benefit from original design heritage and a wealth of jewellery expertise. From the runway of the 1980s where many of the design ideas began, to purveyors of the finest of gemstones, Dinny Hall – still led by Dinny herself – is a Great British Brand here to stay.
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NEW YORK – Just when a party was poised to break out in movie theaters, the below-expectation debut of "In the Heights" dampened Hollywood's hopes of a swift or smooth recovery at the summer box office.
Jon M. Chu's exuberant adaptation of Lin-Manuel Miranda's Broadway musical opened with a modest $11.4 million, according to studio estimates Sunday. Forecasts had ranged from $15-$20 million. The release of "In the Heights" — a lavish song-and-dance musical accompanied by glowing reviews from critic s and considered a milestone movie for Latinos — was widely seen as a cultural event.
On opening weekend, though, the Warner Bros. release narrowly missed the top spot. Instead, "A Quiet Place Part II" edged it with $11.7 million in its third weekend of release. (It's close enough that the order could flip when final figures are released Monday.) On Friday, John Krasinski's thriller — playing only in theaters — became the first film of the pandemic to reach $100 million domestically. Its cumulative total is $109 million.
Sony's "Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway," a film originally planned to open around Easter 2020, also opened softly, debuting with an estimated $10.4 million
After a string of good box office weekends, the opening of "In the Heights" was a reminder of the challenges of the marketplace. Most theaters are operating at reduced capacities to allow social distancing. Canada's theaters are largely closed. And getting crowds to come out for a movie that was simultaneously streaming on HBO Max, as "In the Heights" was, adds another complication.
Starring a mostly fresh-face cast including Anthony Ramos, Melissa Barrera, Corey Hawkins and Leslie Grace, "In the Heights" didn't have the star power of musicals such as "Mamma Mia!" to give it a boost. Miranda, who performed the lead on Broadway, ceded the part to Ramos. Miranda plays a minor role.
Instead, the film will depend on strong word of mouth (it received an "A" CinemaScore from audiences) to propel a long run in theaters. Its hopeful comparison would be a movie like 2017's "The Greatest Showman," which opened to $18.8 million but held firmly for months, ultimately grossing $174.3 million in the U.S. and Canada.
"We always thought that the movie has to do the heavy lifting," said Jeff Goldstein, distribution chief for Warner Bros. "Even though it came in at a lighter level than we had expected, we're proud of the movie that's there and over time the hope is that we can get an audience to sample the movie and tell their friends to."
Warner Bros., as is standard throughout the industry, didn't release viewing data for "In the Heights" on HBO Max. The studio's day-and-date approach, planned to last through the end of the year, has been much-debated. But previous Warner releases — particularly "Godzilla vs. Kong" (which managed a $32.2 million three-day opening in early April ) and last week's No. 1 film, "The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It" ( a $24 million debut ) — performed solidly while also being available in the home. The "Conjuring" sequel added $10 million in its second weekend.
HBO Max, Goldstein said, couldn't be blamed for any disappointing results for "In the Heights."
"Our experience, which is backed up on 'In the Heights,' is that if the movie hits a high level in theaters, it hits a high level on the service," said Goldstein. "If it hits a low level in theaters, it hits a low level on HBO Max. They're really very comparable."
Last weekend, Disney's "Cruella" may have also made a somewhat muted arrival in theaters because it opened at the same time on Disney+, for $30. In its second weekend, "Cruella" earned $6.7 million, bringing its total to $56 million.
"In the Heights" had originally been set to open in June of last year. The studio and filmmakers, believing its impact would be felt most powerfully in theaters, opted to wait for cinemas to reopen. Ahead of release, Warner put its marketing weight behind the film. Oprah Winfrey hosted a virtual block party for the film. On Wednesday, the film opened the Tribeca Festival with a yellow carpet premiere and screenings scattered throughout New York.
Regardless of box office, "In the Heights" is the rare bigger-budget spectacle film to feature a predominantly Latino cast. Though Latinos make up one of the largest groups of regular moviegoers (accounting for as much as 29% of tickets sold) their representation in Hollywood is still a fraction of that. According to audience surveys, about 40% of the opening-weekend audience for "In the Heights" was Hispanic.
The director Chu has previously helmed a breakthrough release for Asian Americans in 2018's "Crazy Rich Asians," which opened to $26.5 million over three days and then kept a multi-week lock on the box office. Recalling that — or perhaps sensing that "In the Heights" wasn't going to debut like a blockbuster — Chu urged people to "vote with their wallets" by supporting the film.
"Even 'Crazy Rich Asians' you couldn't really tell. It was only the second weekend when people started coming back and the third weekend when people who didn't go to the movies started to come," said Chu a week ahead of release. "Buying tickets to this thing — putting your money where your mouth is — was the democratic statement that no studio could make up."
Follow AP Film Writer Jake Coyle on Twitter at: http://twitter.com/jakecoyleAP


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28 May 2013 | News | By BioSpectrum Bureau
Good news for gastric cancer patients - Aslan Pharma's phase II clinical trial with pan-HER inhibitor Aslan001 in gastric cancer reduced cell proliferation
Singapore: Aslan Pharmaceuticals has revealed the results of its phase II clinical trial with Aslan001, a small-molecule pan-HER inhibitor, in gastric cancer. Aslan001 reduced cell proliferation in gastric tumors that were either coexpressing EGFR and HER2 or that were HER2 amplified. The pan-HER inhibitor was invented by Array BioPharma and licensed to Aslan in 2011.
The phase II, open-label, multicenter study was conducted at Seoul National University Hospital, South Korea, and was designed to evaluate the biological activity of Aslan001 in patients with recurrent/metastatic gastric carcinoma whose tumors were HER2 amplified or coexpressing EGFR and HER2.
The 23 patients, who had previously failed on one or more rounds of chemotherapy and, where eligible, trastuzumab, each received 500mg of Aslan001 orally twice daily as monotherapy for 28 days. Tumor biopsies taken before and after treatment were analysed using immunohistochemistry.
In this heavily pretreated population, Aslan001 led to a downregulation of signalling pathways responsible for cell proliferation, and a reduction in cell survival and cell proliferation. Toxicities observed were consistent with other drugs in this class and the previously reported profile of this compound. Aslan intends to begin a randomized phase IIb study in gastric cancer and is exploring the use of Aslan001 in other indications.
Dr Alan Barge, chief medical officer, Aslan, said that, "This is the first time a drug has shown activity in this patient population. The burden of gastric cancer is particularly severe in Asia. It is the most prevalent cancer in males in China, where it is estimated to affect over half a million people."


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ATLANTA -- The Atlanta Braves have added a needed left-hander to their bullpen by acquiring Scott Downs from the Los Angeles Angels for minor league righty Cory Rasmus.
The Braves have lost left-handed relievers Jonny Venters and Eric O'Flaherty to season-ending elbow injuries. The 37-year-old Downs joins Luis Avilan as lefties in Atlanta's bullpen.
Downs was 2-3 with a 1.84 ERA in 43 games with the Angels. He is 36-35 with a 3.47 ERA in 12 seasons.
Downs had 29 consecutive scoreless appearances from May 5-July 23 before giving up three hits and two runs in a 3-1 loss at Oakland in his last outing with the Angels on Saturday.
Rasmus had an 8.10 ERA in three appearances with Atlanta this season before he was optioned to Triple-A Gwinnett on June 18.


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During a trip to California last fall, I stopped in to visit a friend of mine who works at Dropbox. He zipped over to the reception area to fetch me on a Razor scooter, provided to employees to make getting around the office faster (and cooler), took me past the morning yoga class currently in session, the fresh squeezed juice station and granola wall, and the made-to-order stir fry bar, to the plush music room, equipped with instruments and big soft couches arranged in a lounge/bar atmosphere. At the time, I was struggling to raise another round for my start-up, and was packing my own lunch for the plane to save money. It was as if I had walked into a physical representation of the opportunity costs of running my own company — and it was painful.
I have never really lusted after material things, and while rumors of free on-demand massages at the Google offices always made me smile, the allure of corporate perks was never enough to lure me. But this trip to Dropbox got me wondering. For companies that have cash to burn who are trying to attract and retain young talent, what benefits are best? Cost aside, I asked tech employees to offer up their list of favorites, and got over 150 responses in less than two hours.
In addition to all of the traditional perks like 401K matching funds and free medical and dental benefits, employers are becoming more innovative — and employees love it! Based on my sample, here are some of the most interesting and popular perks in 2014.
1. Game Rooms
What appeals to twenty-something techies? Games. Not surprisingly, a lot of companies have game rooms with classic games (e.g., pool, darts, and foosball) as well as arcade games. Some companies took the definition of "play space" to the next level. For example, killerinfographics.com recently added a "climbing wall and 2 kegerators with locally brewed beer" for employees to enjoy at any time.
Employers want their employees to have fun, which raises commitment and creativity levels, but bosses also feel that their companies get a lot more out of having game dens. As Jay Graves, CTO of Double Encore (a mobile design and development agency) explaines, "I like these types of things because they bring people together who might not normally interact on a day-to-day basis. Foosball, darts, and video games are games that people play in pairs, teams, or groups. Spending time together, both while working and 'off the clock,' are key to (creating) a company's culture - especially one that depends largely on collaborative efforts." His company just added Marvel v. Capcom to their "game corridor."
2. Good Eats
Free food is always appreciated, and is popular at every scale. Smaller companies offer special weekly treats like the Doughnut Day Thursdays at shopkeep.com or Pizza Fridays at overit.com. "Every Friday our company buys various kinds of pizza to share with our employees," says Overit employee Alison Krawczyk. "Although this may sound like a simple idea, compared with start-ups who offer retreats to faraway places, this treat is not just about food. It gives us a chance for all of the different departments to come together, socialize and celebrate the end of the week. At a small company with lots of work to do, we spend most of our lunches at our desks. Pizza Fridays allow everyone to take a break away from the screens, and connect over something good to eat."
Other companies have opted for more of the all-you-can-eat style goodies. Moz.com has a never-ending cereal bar and apartmentlist.com has a 24-7 on-tap keg to keep employees happy. But for companies that can afford it, free catered breakfasts and lunches are definitely in vogue. ONTRAPORT offers its employees their choice of two daily breakfasts, including a breakfast burrito bar, daily lunch including a salad bar and free daily "Worksnax" including press juiced from Ah Juice, in Santa Barbara.
Some companies have figured out how to get more bang for their perk buck by making sponsored lunches media-worthy events. For example, for the last 2 years every Thursday has been Theme Day and Lunch at goodbyecrutches.com. Themes have included Jimmy Buffet Day, Smurf Day, and Pirate Day. See minute 2:08 of their video for some fun pictures. "For a 5 minute picture and a 15 minute lunch, it's got the best ROI of anything we do. It is a great team building exercise that's affordable, evergreen and easy. Our lunches are great content for social media (all the weekly pictures get posted and shared) and it helps us build relationships with both vendors and customers," owner Tom Schwab told me. "These lunches are also a good recruiting tool for the company. Those that like the culture are drawn to us." And the company takes it a step further by turning these culinary adventures into end of year gifts, too. "At the end of the year, we give everyone a Snap Fish 'Year Book' of photos from the lunches we've had. It's a prized gift." Talk about getting bang for their buck!
3. Physical Health
While gym memberships or gym subsidies are the most common health perk, many companies are now bringing fitness into the office by sponsoring yoga, pilates or crossfit. Some companies, like Practice Fusion, have given each employee a fitbit tracking device to help them keep on top of their progress. BTC Revolutions made it even more social by giving their employees UP Bands and creating a team online where they can share workout successes and motivate each other.
Social exercise is not just for the wealthy high tech companies. Gravity Payments has a weekly running club, where team members can be excused from their work for an hour to go on an organized run around the neighborhood. "We find this helps clear people's minds, provide a mental break, and increases camaraderie among employees," reports employee Ryan Pirkle. WizeHive UX designer Avi Zuber told me his company promotes regular exercise challenges. "These get us up from our desks and moving our bodies at least once a day. It's not all that competitive and it gives us all a great breather." These ideas cost little to implement and are perfect for new companies trying to prioritize employee health and increase loyalty and cohesion along with fitness.
While not nearly as common, some companies are encouraging fitness by subsidizing employee enrollment fees in races and other fitness challenges. For example, last year Kount's Marketing Program Manager Jennifer Howard and VP of Operations Rich Stuppy participated in the Boise Dirty Dash on the company's dime.
4. Mental Health Health perks are not just limited to the physical realm. Employees at Medallia in Palo Alto, Calif., are given cash to "seek out and overcome their fears, whether business-related or personal." Some have taken professional boxing courses, others singing or dancing lessons, and one employee who "never felt he was funny and didn't like public speaking" learned to do a stand-up comedy routine and gave a performance at the company which his wife and kids attended.
5. Time Off
Interestingly, most of the employees that responded get more than the traditional two weeks paid vacation. A growing number of companies offer unlimited vacation days (modeled off Netflix and Hubspot), while others, like Moz, give employees an additional incentive to take the days they are entitled to. "Our biggest (and in my opinion, best) perk is our paid vacation policy," one Moz employee told me. "To encourage the staff to use their vacation time (21 days is standard for all employees), the company gives us a bonus $3,000 in vacation reimbursements for food, lodging, entertainment, and transportation. Our team has gone everywhere from Iceland to India using that bonus!" The CEO believes these perks are essential to keeping amazing people on his team.
A number of companies are now following the 4-day work week model. Jacques Bastien, the young CEO of Boogie, is trying out a 4 day work week / 2 hour lunch combo with his team of eight. "In most cases, we work from 8AM - 1PM, take a two hour lunch break, then start back at 3:00PM. We then work from 3:00PM - 7PM. This means we work 9 hours a day and 36 hours a week. We close the office on Wednesday so we don't work for more than 2 days consecutively. With this new schedule, we all have more time to handle our personal lives, and we get an extra 52 vacation days a year (technically speaking).
Paid maternity/paternity leave is another important benefit for employees. Paul Hibler, Founder of start-up American Gonzo Food Corporation, gives all managers 1 extra week's paid time off when they have a child or adopt (separate from disability or FMLA).
Paid sabbaticals also appear to be on the rise. For example, Capterra offers a five-week, fully-paid sabbatical every five years to each of its employees. The CEO pointed out that cost to the company is five weeks of productivity or "10% of their work in the year that they take their sabbatical but only 2% over the course of their five-year employment." He thinks the benefit to the company and the employee's health and personal growth is well worth the cost.
Finally, I was pleased to see that many companies offer paid leave for community service projects. Some organize office service days, and many will match charitable donations to the community up to a certain amount.
6. Company retreats.
Company outings range all over the map from happy hours to full celebratory vacations. According to Tarek Pertew (whose company focuses on connecting talent with young, hiring companies), Expensify represents one extreme. They bring their employees on annual month-long company trips to an exotic location. 2013's destination was Dubrovnik. While a month of travels sounds like fun, for families with kids you have to wonder if this would really be a manageable perk.
Tarek also told me about AirBnB's "local destinations", which sounded like fun, too. Seemingly, AirBNB has built "mini cultural destinations" throughout their SF office. "So if your team wanted to go to Bali for a week, they would book that trip and simply go the 3rd floor, where an entire area has been designed to feel like an AirBNB location in Bali."
7. Freebies
Most companies offer their employees free or at-cost versions of whatever they sell (e.g., memberships, furniture, courses, cars, etc.), and that is definitely nice if you happen to like or need whatever the company you work for is offering. A lot of companies offer other one off perks or freebies as well, including:
- Netflix subscriptions
- Magazine subscriptions
- Tickets to sporting games and movies
- Customized shoes (usually Nikes or Converse)
- Free make-up or spa services
- Babysitting
- Petsitting
- Technology products (MacBook Airs, iPads, iPhones, iPods, and LED Monitors were the most popular)
While the companies above battle to keep employees happy with increasingly elaborate perks, owners like Patrick Lynch from The Frontier Group and I are living in a different reality. "I would like to offer a somewhat different perk that is incredibly important but not quite as sexy: continued employment. There are countless small business owners like myself that sacrifice personal compensation for the sake of keeping their team in place — not having to downsize during tough times, not having to reduce hours.This may not be as cool as a juice bar or foosball table, but it shows employees that their CEO cares and values them. I think that is awesome." I have to agree.