text:
The Five Gospels: The Search for the Authentic Words of Jesus
Edited by Robert W. Funk, Roy W. Hoover, and The Jesus Seminar
Macmillan 576 pp. $30
The message left on my answering machine by my brother-in-law, an attorney, sounded a tone of skeptical cross-examination: I heard on my car radio today an interview with a New Testament scholar named Robert Funk. Hes publishing a new version of the gospels that claims to distinguish what Jesus really said from what the gospel writers reported. Funk says its based on the work of a group of leading Bible scholars. Are you involved in this? How can they claim to know what Jesus really said or didnt say? I have enough trouble proving in a court of law what somebody said six months ago! Should I take this book seriously?
Indeed, a new book called The Five Gospels -the fruit of the labors of the much-publicized Jesus Seminar-claims to provide definitive new answers to the question, What did Jesus really say? A panel of New Testament scholars, meeting over a period of several years, has given us a new red-letter edition of the four canonical gospels plus the Gospel of Thomas, with the words adjudged by a poll of these scholars actually to have been spoken by Jesus printed in red type. Other colors reflect their shadings of judgment about the historical reliability of the other sayings attributed to Jesus: pink for possibly authentic, gray for probably inauthentic, and black for certainly inauthentic. The introduction to the book suggests breezily that an unofficial but helpful interpretation of the colors would be as follows:
Red: Thats Jesus!
Pink: Sure sounds like Jesus.
Gray: Well, maybe.
Black: Theres been some mistake.
The results are offered up in a fresh translation-dubbed the Scholars Version-that seeks to produce in the American reader an experience comparable to that of the first readers by approximating the common street language of the original.
The grandiose dedication page of The Five Gospels invokes the names of three historic figures who hover as presiding genii over this ambitious work:
This report is dedicated to GALILEO GALILEI who altered our view of the heavens forever THOMAS JEFFERSON who took scissors and paste to the gospels DAVID FRIEDRICH STRAUSS who pioneered the quest of the historical Jesus
Unnamed, however, is the one figure who might most appropriately symbolize the public face of this project: P. T. Barnum. The co-chairmen of the Jesus Seminar, Robert Funk and John Dominic Crossan, have demonstrated an ingenuity for promotion that would surely have warmed the heart of that master American showman.
For the past seven years, the popular press has from time to time published eye-catching progress reports on the work of the Jesus seminar under headlines such as Most of Jesus words ghostwritten, Jesus probably didnt recite Lords Prayer, scholars say, Is the Bible the gospel truth? and Scholars compiling new Bible. And much humorous controversy has surrounded the Seminars practice of voting on the authenticity of individual Jesus-sayings by casting colored balls into a box. The publication of The Five Gospels was heralded by a feature story on National Public Radio (the broadcast heard by my brother-in-law), and the charismatic Crossan has broken through to a mass audience by appearing on The Larry King Show. Such publicity has been actively courted by members of the Seminar, who have from the beginning of their work explicitly aimed to disseminate their results as widely as possible in the public media.
Of course, the knack for attracting popular attention is not necessarily to be despised. If indeed there were significant new findings, broadly accepted by leading New Testament scholars, concerning the historical facts about what Jesus taught, such findings would indeed be newsworthy. The basic questions to be asked about this project, therefore, concern not the Seminars voting procedures or means of communicating its findings but rather the substance of its claims. What methods have been used to produce the results here proffered? What image of the historical Jesus emerges from these multicolored pages? (Actually, the pages are mostly black: more on this below.) To what extent are these methods and results genuinely representative of informed scholarly consensus? For reasons that I shall summarize briefly here, I must conclude that the operative methodology of the Seminar is seriously flawed, that it therefore inevitably produces a skewed portrait of Jesus teachings, and that-contrary to the impression fostered by the book-the findings reported here represent the idiosyncratic opinions of one particular faction of critical scholars.
The aims of the Jesus Seminar are generally consonant with the work of historical scholarship since the Enlightenment: the participants seek to reconstruct the history of earliest Christianity. This project entails a critical interrogation of the gospels as source documents, distinguishing, insofar as possible, the various streams of tradition and interpretation that underlie the canonical texts. The quest of the historical Jesus-as distinct from the Churchs subsequent representations of him-has engaged the efforts of New Testament scholars for the better part of two hundred years. Scholars have published hundreds of monographs on this subject, and every student who has taken a New Testament course in a college or seminary has been exposed to the complex problem of recovering a clear picture of the Jesus of history. Thus it is somewhat disingenuous for the editors of The Five Gospels to assert that the publication of this volume represents a dramatic exit from windowless studies and the beginning of a new venture for gospel scholarship. The only new angle here is the decision to publish a complete edition of the gospels that seeks to represent schematically a scholarly consensus about the authenticity of each individual sentence attributed to Jesus. In theory, the project could produce an interesting freeze-frame shot of the status of gospel scholarship near the end of the twentieth century: not exactly the epoch-making scientific breakthrough of a Galileo, but a modestly worthwhile survey of opinion.
The difficulty arises, however, in the execution of the plan. The participants in this poll were those who chose to take part over a span of eight years in a seminar sponsored, not by one of the major scholarly societies such as the Studiorum Novi Testamenti Societas or the Society of Biblical Literature, but by Funks maverick entrepreneurial venture, the Westar Institute, located in Sonoma, California. This self-selected group, though it includes several fine scholars, does not represent a balanced cross-section of scholarly opinion. Furthermore, the criteria for judgment that are employed in The Five Gospels are highly questionable.
For the sake of brevity, I shall note just four ways in which the methodology of the project is problematic.
First, there is the problem of the selection and dating of sources. The members of the Seminar determined-quite properly-that sayings attested in the earliest extant sources have the greatest claim to authenticity. But what are these earliest sources? The Jesus Seminar adopts the standard two-source theory as a solution to the synoptic problem: Mark is the earliest of the three synoptic gospels; in composing their gospels, Matthew and Luke used Mark along with a hypothetical common source Q (short for the German Quelle : source), consisting primarily of sayings of Jesus. One would think, then, that this analysis ought to put the two synoptic sources, Mark and Q, on roughly equal footing as sources for authentic Jesus material. However, the Jesus Seminar dates the Q material earlier than the traditions found in Mark, during the period 50-70 a.d. Mark, dated around 70 a.d., in fact fares poorly in the Seminars judgment as a source for Jesus-sayings. Only one sentence in this entire gospel receives the red-letter treatment: Pay the emperor what belongs to the emperor, and God what belongs to God (Mark 12:17).
On the other hand, the extracanonical Gospel of Thomas is dated-for reasons never explained in the book-to the same early period as Q. This extraordinarily early dating of Thomas, along with the judgment that it is literarily independent of the synoptic tradition, becomes a crucial factor in the Jesus Seminars weighting of evidence:
The first written gospels were Sayings Gospel Q and possibly an early version of the Gospel of Thomas. The Gospel of Mark was not composed until about 70 a.d. For these reasons alone, it is understandable that double attestation in the early independent sources Thomas and Q constitutes strong documentary evidence [emphasis added].This valuing of Thomas as an early and independent source is, however, a highly controversial claim. The traditional opinion among New Testament scholars has been that the Gospel of Thomas-a text known to us through a fourth-century Coptic text discovered at Nag Hammadi in Egypt-was composed in the second century, perhaps containing some independent tradition but heavily shaped by Gnostic teachings. Many scholars regard it as literarily dependent on the canonical gospels, though this remains a debated issue. No hint of these debates, however, is allowed to appear in the pages of The Five Gospels , which unhesitatingly treats the hypothetical Q and a hypothetical early version of Thomas as the crucial sources for locating authentic Jesus tradition. Here some suspicion begins to arise concerning the candor of the editors of this book. They claim that they want to make the results of the best critical scholarship available to the public, but their working method trades upon a controversial and implausible early dating of Thomas, without offering the reader any clue that this is a shaky element in their methodological foundation.
The second major methodological issue is the Seminars use of the criterion of dissimilarity for assessing the authenticity of Jesus tradition. This criterion posits that sayings material may be judged certainly authentic only when it is dissimilar both to antecedent Jewish tradition and to subsequent Christian tradition. Thus it is argued, for example, that Jesus probably did not say at his final meal with his disciples, Have some, this is my body [ sic ] (Mark 14:22). Why? Because the Churchs liturgical tradition reports that he did; therefore, we cannot be sure that this saying was not read back into the story. On the other hand, Jesus almost certainly said, Love your enemies (Matthew 5:44a). Why? Because it allegedly cuts against the social grain of Judaism-and presumably it isnt anything the early Church would have invented, either.
The strict application of the criterion of dissimilarity has two immediately evident results. First, almost all the material in the Gospels is excluded as being either too Jewish or too Christian; this criterion is largely responsible for the fact that 82 percent of the words ascribed to Jesus in the gospels were not actually spoken by him, according to the Jesus Seminar. (If one counts the possibly authentic sayings printed in pink type, the percentage of inauthentic material is significantly reduced.) Indeed, one is surprised that 18 percent remains untouched by this criterion, and one suspects that a more rigorous application could eliminate even more. For instance, the early Church did teach love of enemies in a way that reflects direct dependence upon the Old Testament rather than upon Jesus (cf. Romans 12:20-21, quoting Proverbs 25:21). Perhaps the Jesus Seminar was not sufficiently critical at this point. The second consequence is that the Jesus who emerges from this procedure is necessarily a free-floating iconoclast, artificially isolated from his people and their Scripture, and artificially isolated from the movement that he founded.
As Nils Dahl rightly observed more than forty years ago, the criterion of dissimilarity must be applied in order to identify a critically assured minimum, which must then be supplemented by other criteria and evidence. Indeed, Jesus becomes comprehensible precisely as a historical figure only when he is placed in historical continuity with first-century Judaism and with emergent Christianity. As Dahl insisted,
In no case can any distinct separation be achieved between the genuine words of Jesus and the constructions of the community. We do not escape the fact that we know Jesus only as the disciples remembered him. Whoever thinks that the disciples completely misunderstood their Master or even consciously falsified his picture may give fantasy free reign.The work of the Jesus Seminar exemplifies the fantasy that Dahl prophesied.
The third major methodological problem, closely related to the second, is the Jesus Seminars tendentious insistence on finding a non-eschatological Jesus. The members assert repeatedly that Jesus did not proclaim a message of Gods future intervention in history and final judgment. Instead,
God was so real for him that he could not distinguish Gods present activity from any future activity. He had a poetic sense of time in which the future and the present merged, simply melted together, in the intensity of his vision. But Jesus uncommon views were obfuscated by the more pedestrian conceptions of John [the Baptist], on the one side, and by the equally pedestrian views of the early Christian community, on the other.
Jesus poetic sense of time was lost on the disciples, however: Jesus followers did not grasp the subtleties of his position and reverted, once Jesus was not there to remind them, to the view they had learned from John the Baptist. Consequently, according to the Seminar, nearly all the earliest Christian writings are infected by an eschatological perspective-including Q (thus the apocalyptic material in Q must be assigned to late Q!). But now, at last, the Jesus Seminar has come along to rescue traces of that enigmatic sage from Nazareth-traces that cry out for recognition and liberation from the firm grip of those whose faith overpowered their memories.
This must be deemed a methodological problem because the Jesus Seminar employs its conviction that Jesus was a non-eschatological thinker as a stringent criterion for sorting the authenticity of the sayings material. Everything in the gospels that smacks of Jewish apocalyptic eschatology is firmly consigned to black type. A cameo essay explains the reasons for this decision roughly as follows: the gospels contain sayings proclaiming Gods rule as both present and future; Jesus could not have said both things; the future eschatology appears bombastic and threatening; therefore, Jesus must have spoken of Gods rule only as present reality. This is confirmed by the fact that the major parables of Jesus do not reflect an apocalyptic view of history. This bizarre claim can be supported only by screening the parables critically in such a way that their obviously apocalyptic elements are judged inauthentic. For example, one of the major parables said to illustrate Jesus non-apocalyptic view of history is the parable of the corrupt judge (Luke 18:1-8). The Jesus Seminar deems vv. 2-5 to be possibly authentic (pink) but vv. 6-8 to be inauthentic (black). Why? Because the latter verses speak of Gods eschatological vindication of his elect and of the future coming of the Son of Man; therefore, they must have been composed by Luke. The same sort of circular reasoning is applied to pericope after pericope in the gospels to exclude future eschatology from Jesus teaching.
In contrast to this arbitrary procedure, consider the following statement of the mainstream critical consensus by Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, a scholar who can hardly be accused of traditionalist bias: Exegetes agree that it is the mark of Jesus preaching and ministry that he proclaimed the basileia of God as future and present, eschatological vision and experiential reality. Characteristic of early Christian preaching is its proleptic eschatology, its conviction that Gods coming kingdom has already begun to impinge upon the present in such a way that Gods final justice is prefigured-but hardly fully realized-now. (For an elegant extended example, see Romans 8.) The gospel tradition offers us strong reasons to believe, as Schussler Fiorenza indicates, that a similar proleptic eschatology characterized Jesus own proclamation. Only flat-footed rationalists could deem it impossible for both the present and future Kingdom sayings to be held in Jesus mind at the same time.
Finally, the attempt to assess the authenticity of Jesus sayings in isolation from a more comprehensive reconstruction of the events of his life, ministry, and death is methodologically problematic. The Jesus constructed by the Jesus Seminar is a talking head, whose teachings bear no intelligible relation to his death on a cross. If Jesus said only the sorts of things judged authentic by the Seminar, it is very difficult to see how he could have been mistaken by Jewish and Roman authorities as a messianic pretender who needed to be executed. Again, Dahl made the point clearly:
One point in the life of Jesus is unconditionally established: his death. A historically tenable description of the life of Jesus would be possible only in the form of a description of his death, its historical presuppositions, and the events preceding and following it.
More recently, E. P. Sanders important book Jesus and Judaism takes a methodological path similar to that which Dahl had recommended, building its account of Jesus upon the events and actions of Jesus career that can be most securely ascertained, rather than upon the tradition of his sayings, insisting that a good hypothesis about Jesus intention and his relationship with his contemporaries . . . should offer a connection between his activity and his death. The result is a Jesus whose central concern was the hope of Gods eschatological restoration of Israel-a theme that is emphatically consigned to black type in The Five Gospels . Indeed, though Jesus and Judaism was published in the year that the Seminar began its work (1985), the Seminar inexplicably ignores Sanders methods and conclusions.
By contrast, rather than setting the sayings in a narrative context of historical events, the Jesus Seminar sees them as fragmentary materials mediated by oral tradition that-by its account-retains only short, memorable aphorisms and parables, floating free from association with any particular historical event. Allegedly, then, we can recover an approximation of what Jesus really said by applying general laws of oral transmission to strip away accretions and modifications. One wonders whether the Seminar adopts too sanguine a view of its ability to work backwards from texts written down many years later to restore Jesus pristine oral teachings.
In any case, the Seminars concentration on Jesus words as the primary evidence for historical knowledge about him is a late-blooming legacy of the otherwise defunct New Quest of the Historical Jesus, a spinoff of Bultmannian existentialist theology that was briefly fashionable in the 1960s. The New Quest-some of whose original practitioners are among the members of the Jesus Seminar-sought to recover from Jesus sayings and parables his understanding of existence, detached from any particular claims about his life and actions. By drawing heavily upon the Gospel of Thomas and by packaging its results in a more user-friendly format than the abstruse hermeneutical musings of the New Quest, the Seminar has updated this approach.
Whether it has thereby discovered anything that ought to be classified as historical knowledge is exceedingly doubtful. What the members of the Jesus Seminar have done, in effect, is merely to offer us an anthology of their favorite Jesus-sayings. In this respect, as in several others, they do indeed follow the spiritual and intellectual example of Thomas Jefferson, who-though he declared himself a Materialist in contrast to the Spiritualism of Jesus-undertook the task of producing an expurgated edition of The Life and Morals of Jesus of Nazareth Extracted Textually from the Gospels:
Among the sayings and discourses imputed to Him by His biographers, I find many passages of fine imagination, correct morality, and of the most lovely benevolence; and others, again, of so much ignorance, so much absurdity, so much untruth, charlatanism, and imposture, as to pronounce it impossible that such contradictions should have proceeded from the same Being. I separate, therefore, the gold from the dross; restore to Him the former, and leave the latter to the stupidity of some, and roguery of others, of His disciples.
How did Jefferson distinguish between the sublime teachings of Jesus and the inventions of the groveling authors who wrote the gospels? The difference is obvious to the eye and to the understanding, for the authentic words of Jesus stand out from their setting in the gospels like diamonds in a dunghill. For the Jesus Seminar, as for Jefferson, an a priori construal of Jesus and his message governs the critical judgment made about individual sayings. N. T. Wright accurately sizes up the Seminars modus operandi:
What is afoot . . . is not the detailed objective study of individual passages, leading up to a new view of Jesus and the early Church. It is a particular view of Jesus and the early Church, working its way through into a detailed list of sayings that fit with this view.As Wright observes, this is not necessarily a bad thing: any attempt at reconstructing the historical Jesus must operate with some general hypothesis that can be tested against the evidence: nothing is gained by pseudo-atomistic work on apparently isolated fragments. The difficulty with the work of the Jesus Seminar, however, even more than with Jeffersons scissors-and-paste job, is that so much of the evidence must be thrown away in order to save the hypothesis.
What portrait of Jesus emerges finally from the work of the Seminar? As we are repeatedly told, He was a traveling sage who traded in wisdom. The description pegs him-as some of the Seminar members have argued in other publications-as an itinerant Cynic philosopher, rather than as a prophet or the leader of a religious reform movement. He was a laconic sage who never initiated debates or controversies: He is passive until a question is put to him, or until he or his disciples are criticized. When he did speak, he spoke in parables and aphorisms, employing exaggeration, humor, and paradox. He shocked his contemporaries by calling for a reversal of roles and overturning peoples ordinary expectations. He never spoke about himself, however, or claimed to play any distinctive role in the consummation of Gods purposes. Certainly he never claimed to be the Messiah.
Some of the elements of this portrait are, of course, familiar from the canonical portrayals. The distortion lies more in what is denied than in what is affirmed. The depiction of Jesus as a Cynic philosopher with no concern about Israels destiny, no connection with the concerns and hopes that animated his Jewish contemporaries, no interest in the interpretation of Scripture, and no message of Gods coming eschatological judgment is-quite simply-an ahistorical fiction, achieved by the surgical removal of Jesus from his Jewish context. The fabrication of a non-Jewish Jesus is one particularly pernicious side effect of the Jesus Seminars methodology. One would have thought that the tragic events of our century might have warned us to be wary of biblical scholars who deny the Jewishness of Jesus.
Who are the scholars that make up the membership of the Jesus Seminar? The groups publicity creates the impression that they represent a broad cross-section of this countrys leading critical scholars. It is asserted that the scholarship represented by the Fellows of the Jesus Seminar is the kind that has come to prevail in all the great universities of the world. Though the Seminar expects to encounter hostile criticism, its work is said to be under attack principally by conservative Christian groups and by those who lack academic credentials. The casual reader of the introduction to The Five Gospels might suppose that no serious New Testament scholar would differ materially from the consensus represented by this book, were it not for the single telltale polemical reference to anonymous elitist academic critics who deplored the public face of the seminar. In fact-let it be said clearly-most professional biblical scholars are profoundly skeptical of the methods and conclusions of this academic splinter group. The membership of the Jesus Seminar does not include the overwhelming majority of the New Testament scholars who teach at the major graduate institutions in the United States. This may be verified by a check of the roster of seventy-four Fellows of the Seminar provided as an appendix. Not one member of the New Testament faculty from Yale, Harvard, Princeton, Duke, University of Chicago, Union Theological Seminary, Vanderbilt, SMU, or Catholic University is involved in this project. It probably goes without saying that the faculties of evangelical seminaries are not represented here. Nor are any major scholars from England or the Continent.
This is not to say that the Seminar participants are without credentials. They hold doctorates from reputable institutions, with Claremont and Harvard being the most heavily represented, in that order. The point is simply that this imaginative book has been produced by a self-selected body of scholars who hold a set of unconventional views about Jesus and the gospels. They are of course free to publish these views; however, their attempt to present these views as the assured results of critical scholarship is-one must say it-reprehensible deception.
The Seminars disingenuous self-representation stands in service of a larger agenda: the deliberate creation of a new gospel. The Five Gospels is the realization of a vision clearly articulated by Funk in his keynote address at the opening meeting of the Jesus Seminar in 1985, subsequently published in Forum , the Westar Institutes journal. The religious establishment has not allowed the intelligence of high scholarship to pass through pastors and priests to a hungry laity, and television preachers have played on the ignorance of the uninformed. Thus, the Jesus Seminar rides to the rescue: Our work . . . will spell liberty for . . . millions. Funk opines that we are having increasing difficulty these days in accepting the biblical account of the creation and of the apocalyptic conclusion in anything like a literal sense. For him, the Bibles story of the worlds history and destiny is a narrative fiction that has lost its credibility and usefulness in late modernity. It is not only the mythic beginning and ending of the Bible that have become problematic, however, but also the hypothetical middle-Jesus of Nazareth. After all, as we are informed in The Five Gospels , the Christ of creed and dogma, who had been firmly in place in the Middle Ages, can no longer command the assent of those who have seen the heavens through Galileos telescope . . . . Copernicus, Kepler, and Galileo have dismantled the mythical abodes of the gods and bequeathed us secular heavens.
To put the matter bluntly, we are having as much trouble with the middle-the messiah-as we are with the terminal points. What we need is a new fiction that takes as its starting point the central event in the Judeo-Christian drama and reconciles that middle with a new story that reaches beyond old beginnings and endings. In sum, we need a new narrative of Jesus, a new gospel, if you will, that places Jesus differently in the grand scheme, the epic story.
In the work of the Jesus Seminar, Funks desideratum has been achieved: a new gospel that disposes of the embarrassments of apocalyptic ends. The pathos-or bathos-of the project resides in the incongruity between Funks epic pretensions and the actual findings of the Seminar. Does the passive, politically correct, laconic sage who speaks in the red type of The Five Gospels have the capacity to remake our imaginative world and provide a new fiction within which millions might find meaning for their lives? Surely not.
But even if the grand design of liberating millions through a new gospel should fail to pan out, Funk also has a more modest and realistic aim: If we are to survive as scholars of the humanities, as well as theologians, we must quit the academic closet. And we must begin to sell a product that has some utilitarian value to someone-or which at least appears to have utilitarian value to someone. Presumably, in the commercial realm, The Five Gospels will fulfill this hope. This likelihood is immeasurably enhanced by the fact that one of the Fellows of the Jesus Seminar is moviemaker Paul Verhoeven ( Robocop, Basic Instinct ), who reportedly plans to turn the Seminars findings into a Hollywood screenplay.
Funks concern for the appearance of utilitarian value perhaps explains the peculiar way in which The Five Gospels deploys the rhetoric of empiricism (empirical, factual evidence, independent, neutral observers), despite Funks own earlier avowal that our fictions, though deliberately fictive, are nevertheless not subject to proof or falsification. If indeed, as Funk suggests, we need a fiction that we recognize to be fictive, the present volume is an odd way of filling the prescription. The Five Gospels purports to offer precisely the opposite: a factual Jesus discovered by scientific methods and disentangled from the fictive Jesus rendered in the gospel narratives. Truth in advertising would be served if Funks 1985 essay were published in place of the books present introduction.
So, when I return my brother-in-laws phone call, here is what I shall say: No, the case argued by this book would not stand up in any court. The critical study of the historical Jesus is an important task-perhaps important for reasons theological as well as historical-but The Five Gospels does not advance that task significantly, nor does it represent a fair picture of the current state of research on this problem. Some of its purported revelations are old news, and many of its novel claims are at best dubious. No, I was not involved in the project, nor were any of my colleagues at Yale and Duke, all of whom share my view that the Jesus Seminar is methodologically misguided. Should you take it seriously? Only if you want to compare its findings to other scholarly reconstructions of Jesus of Nazareth. If you are interested in the problem, there are at least a dozen other books I would recommend in preference to this one. But their authors are less likely to be interviewed on the radio: no scandalous sound bites.
Richard B. Hays is Associate Professor of New Testament at the Divinity School, Duke University.


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WinRumors got its hands on the screenshots of marketing materials for the two Windows Phone handsets Nokia will announce tomorrow, and a (slightly dubious) specsheet of a third has also leaked. And it looks like they may be just what WP fans have hoped for.
According to the screens, the Lumia 800 (previously known as Sea Ray) has 512MB RAM, no uSD card slot, and 116.5mm x 61.2mm x 12.1mm. The Lumia 710 (Sabre) which only just surfaced last week, also has 512MB RAM, 8GB onboard storage, and is 119mm x 62.4mm x 12.5mm. And from the leaked specsheet, the Nokia 900 has a 4.3" ClearBlack AMOLED display, 1GB RAM, a 1.4GHz Snapdragon processor, NFC, 16/32GB storage, and an 8MP camera.
There's a lot riding on these handsets for Microsoft, Nokia, and Windows Phone fans alike. Given how closely the Lumia 800 seems to resemble the certified gorgeous Nokia N9, they might be enough to solidify the nascent platform as a viable third option in the smartphone wars. They don't look perfect, though: No uSD card slot (for either model, from the looks of the blurry screens) kind of stinks for a non-iPhone, and those depth dimensions are kind of clunkish, even for a damn pretty phone like the 800.
We'll find out for sure tonight at around 4AM EST. [WinRumors, GSMArena]

subset: commoncrawl


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The Giant Book That Creates And Destroys Entire Industries
"There's our ship!" says Officer Lisa Sacco.
We're standing at the Port of Miami, where Sacco works for U.S. Customs and Border Protection. Our ship, the Hansa Kirkenes, left Cartagena, Colombia, about a week earlier carrying all 6,078 of the Planet Money women's T-shirts.
A crane lifts the container carrying our shirts off of the ship and drops it at our feet. Boom: The shirts have arrived. And yet, in a sense, the shirts aren't quite here yet. It's like that moment when you get off an international flight and you have to wait to go through customs. That's where our T-shirt is now: in legal limbo.
Our shirts have just traveled from Colombia to Miami. Yet it's not drugs or even terrorism that's most likely to get our shirts stuck in customs. "The only thing I can think of is a trade violation," Sacco says. "Trade is a huge issue."
Protecting U.S. trade means following an incredibly elaborate set of rules spelled out in a giant book that's more than 3,000 pages long. Michael Cone, a customs and international trade attorney in New York, calls it "the book of everything." Its official name is the Harmonized Tariff Schedule of the United States.
The book lists the tax that importers have to pay on approximately every single thing in the universe — including, of course, T-shirts. They're right there under heading 6109: T-shirts, singlets, tank tops and similar garments, knitted or crocheted.
The average tax rate on stuff coming into the U.S. is around 2 percent. The tax on T-shirts is much higher: 16.5 percent. That's what we'll be paying on the Planet Money men's shirts, which were made in Bangladesh. But the Planet Money women's shirts were made in Colombia — and those, according to the book of everything, come in duty-free, with no tariff at all.
So why are we paying a 16.5 percent tax on our shirts coming from Bangladesh, and zero on our shirts from Colombia?
Start with this: The United States has had a tax on textile imports since 1789 — the year the Constitution took effect. Douglas Irwin, an economist at Dartmouth, says the tariff really got going after the War of 1812.
"Imports began flooding into the United States, hurting all of these small new producers of textiles," he says. "They clamored and went to Washington and said, 'Our industry is going to be wiped out; we're going to throw out of work thousands of people. We need protection to save our mills.' "
Congress raised the tariff, making textiles more expensive and protecting U.S. mills. The U.S. has had a tariff on textiles ever since.
But recently, another side of the tariff debate has gotten louder and more powerful: the companies that import clothes into the U.S., and the retail stores that sell those clothes. They point out that the tariff is passed on to consumers in the form of higher prices. Most economists say tariffs distort the economy and make it less efficient.
In the past few decades, the tariff on textiles and apparel has started to go away one country at a time. Mexico, Honduras, Israel and several other countries have all signed free-trade deals with the U.S. And, a few years ago, the U.S. made a free-trade deal with Colombia.
The CEO of the Colombian company that made our T-shirts says that if there were a tariff on Colombian shirts, his company couldn't export to the U.S. In other words, without the free-trade deal, the Planet Money women's T-shirts that were arriving in Miami wouldn't have been made in Colombia. This is how a tiny tweak in U.S. tariff rules — in the book of everything — can create or destroy whole industries in other countries.
Back at the port, I head over to the shipping company office, to find out one last thing: Have our shirts been released by customs? Or is customs going to hold us up while it makes sure we followed all of the trade rules?
To me, this is a big moment. It's the first time I've ever cleared 6,078 T-shirts through customs. To the woman helping me, it's the most routine thing in the world. She taps on her keyboard and gives me the news: "Everything is fully released."
In other words, customs cleared all 6,078 Planet Money women's T-shirts to enter the country, no tariff required.
You care.
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Mercadinho de natal em London Uma excelente representação portuguesa!
Saturday 1 December and Sunday 2nd December
Open 11.00 - 17.00Midori House,1 Dorset Street Marylebone London W1U 4EG
If you are down in the Marylebone neck of the woods this weekend you´re sure of a big surprise. Monocle has invited 15 of its favourite shops("each unique and chosen specifically to suit Monocle's exclusive audience and clientele") from across the globe to be represented at it´s first Christmas market in London. Christina Portas´s A Vida Portuguesa Shop from Lisbon and Porto is one of the chosen few, she duly accepted and will be there.A VIDA PORTUGUESA was selected as one of the 10 most original shops in town by Time Out Lisbon.
Some traditional gift ideas from A Vida Portuguesa
Give that special someone a hand made traditional gift from Portugal this Christmas
Musgo Real Soaps have been made since 1887, and have primarily served the Portuguese aristocracy and upper classes since then. Now, more than a century later, Musgo Real is still a world acknowledged preference, being used daily by famous people - it's even Johnny Depp's favorite!It's ancient formula is enriched with natural Coconut Oil and Glycerin which makes this soap even more creamy and smooth, especially useful for maintaining healthy skin daily. A unique aroma, combines the herbal essences of vetyver and eucalyptus with the vigorous accent of patchouli.
Wrap up warm this christmas with traditional blankets
throws and rugs from the Alentejo
Flying high from portugal to London this Christmas - Ceramic swallows, reproduced from the original moulds of historic Portuguese ceramicists Bordalo Pinheiro
The perfect gift for any Choc-o-holic.Tangerine, Lemon grass or green tea chocolate in wrappers re-created with designs from yesteryear.
Handmade notebooks with strong cardboard covers (the style of an album), recycled paper plain sheets and a cotton thread knot. All with charming retro feel.
and if you don´t see it ask for artesan Castro Marim Flor de sal
Uma excelente representação portuguesa!


text: Share description Datasheet Privacy Data Compliance Starts with Knowing Your Sensitive Data Regulations such as the European Union's General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) and the California Consumer Privacy Act require companies to find and identify their customers' sensitive data across repositories, databases and archives, on-premises and in the cloud. But, many companies do not have the capability to do so. In this brief paper, Teradata and our data privacy partner Dataguise outline a process for sensitive data detection, five considerations for automated personal data discovery, and the capabilities Dataguise offers for Teradata. file_download Download datasheet Topics Cloud Integrated Data Warehousing Hospitality and Gaming Data Driven Business


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Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Equifax Credit Report
The first thing after my name is wrong. It shows me living at a family member's house. Based on the reporting date this seems to be incorrect information from when I opened a joint account with this family member. The bank managed to send me statements at the correct address, but somehow the information they sent to Equifax was messed up. My previous addresses are accurate, but the dates associated with them show no correlation with reality.
The next category of information is current and previous employers. This information is fairly accurate except for the barely recognizable phonetic spelling of a previous employer's name.
Then it shows my birth date (with the month omitted for security) and Social Insurance Number (with the middle three digits omitted for security). Based on the reporting date, they didn't know this information until I asked for the credit report. I wouldn't have included this information on my request had I known they didn't already have it.
The next section is credit inquiries showing dates, requester's name, and requester's telephone number. The final section is a list of credit accounts including credit cards and lines of credit. In each case I'm given a rating of R1 or C1 (depending on the account type) which mean "paid as agreed and up to date". For each account the report lists how many times the account has been past due 2, 3, or 4 payment periods. Apparently, making a mistake and being late for one payment did me no harm.
The report comes with a form to correct mistakes. I've sent in the request to get my current address fixed. It will be interesting to see whether they actually fix it. The main thing is that there is no evidence of identity theft.
6 comments:
- Melanie SJanuary 12, 2011 at 4:53 PM
Good to know. This makes me want to get on the ball and order my report to check. It's been a very long time since I've checked mine.ReplyDelete
I periodically check my reports and have never had any errors reported. Yours is a comedy of errors, though you're probably not laughing. I wonder how they could possibly not know your date of birth. Makes me wonder how many people are either denied or granted credit erroneously.ReplyDelete
@Melanie: You're ahead of me. This was the first time I checked my report.ReplyDelete
#Gene: I laughed at first, but then thought about the potential problems that could be caused. I think the best solution is to not need credit, but that isn't an option for most people.
- AnonymousJuly 11, 2011 at 3:00 PM
Equifax has my report all jacked up. I am talking wrong like two boys in bed with a goat. The funny thing is they are the only one of the three companies that are that messed up. Yet every company uses them. USAA informed me that they have a contract with Equifax to use them exclusively. Does this seem right to you? I think not. It amazes me that companies that are set on the principle of making money through loans, would use a faulty unit and not have a secondary system to fall back on. This in part is what is wrong with the USofA today.ReplyDelete
@michael, your right it would be great if we didnt need credit, but lets see you buy a car without it, let alone a house.
@Anonymous: I have no reason to believe that one credit reporting company is any less accurate than the others, but I see your point about a backup.ReplyDelete
As for taking on loans, I've found it fairly painless to pay cash for cars. If you start out paying cash for your first car you can then "save the payments" and be ready to pay cash for the next one. The houses I've owned were a different story. I did take out mortgages, but paid them off quickly.
Just got mine and all is good but why is there no credit rating number included?ReplyDelete


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I know that sometimes, people wonder if the things that they do for the Right, or the Republican party, really make a difference. To that I say: why not ask Charlie Crist?
From Florida Governor and presumptive Senator, to ambulance-chasing lawyer ready to serve you. I don't know about you, but I'm going to put this one up on the wall.
Open thread.
[UPDATE]: Here's the blogger that it was originally from. Suggestion for folks doing video captures: try to attach your website to the end of these things. Makes it easier to trace the original source.


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Pitney Bowes Helps Organizations Capitalize on the Hidden Business Value of Every Location with New Software Solutions
Advanced GeoEnrichment data capabilities and location analytics bring valuable insights to enhance competitiveness
STAMFORD, Conn., May 17, 2016 - Pitney Bowes (NYSE:PBI), a global technology company that provides innovative products and solutions to power commerce, today announced the release of sophisticated software solutions designed to unearth contextual insights to enhance the value of business data. Containing Geographic Information Systems (GIS), extensive data sets and analytics tools, the new location intelligence solutions enrich customer data for greater profitability and engagement. This comprehensive suite, based on Pitney Bowes' Spectrum Spatial platform, can be accessed on demand, software-as-a-service, from the recently announced Pitney Bowes Commerce Cloud.
It's no secret that the world today is awash in data. Gartner, Inc. has forecast that 6.4 billion connected things will be in use worldwide in 2016, up 30 percent from 2015, and will reach 20.8 billion by 2020.* This typically involves everything from telematics, sensors and smart phones to television sets, home appliances and environmental systems. Pitney Bowes' location intelligence solutions extract valuable insights from data to deliver a clear view of customers, including who they are and what they want, no matter where they go or where they are located.
Business intelligence with geographic analysis brings forth insights that help businesses better communicate with their customers, create more targeted promotions and pursue previously unrecognized cross-selling opportunities.
Zillow Group, which houses a portfolio of the largest and most vibrant real estate and home-related brands on mobile and web, including Zillow and Trulia, recently selected Pitney Bowes' geocoding to provide an address cleansing function for 100M+ residential addresses in the U.S.
"We selected Pitney Bowes location intelligence technology to help us deliver the most accurate information to our users," said David Beitel, Chief Technology Officer, Zillow Group. "Millions of people search for addresses on our websites and mobile apps every day. The cost of delivering incorrect data to consumers is high, as it can impact important decisions."
"When data is presented visually, it is more widely accessible than if it were represented as numbers on a spreadsheet," said Dan Vesset, global vice president of analytics and information management at IDC, who also covers spatial information management (SIM). "Pitney Bowes offers one of the most accurate and precise location intelligence offerings – including new geo-enrichment capabilities that tap into a rich supply of information connected via more accurate addresses - to help deliver real-time contextual insights to businesses that can be easily acted upon for true competitive advantage."
Consumer mapping technologies have gained in popularity and usage as cloud technologies and software-as-a-service delivery models have made the technology more accessible. Pitney Bowes' scalable location solutions support web, mobile, cloud and on premise applications, making it easy to embed rich location technology capabilities into existing workflows. These solutions include:
- GeoEnrichment solutions – These solutions make it easy for clients to append additional attributes to every client record using Pitney Bowes' new, pre-geocoded, Master Location Data (MLD) database. MLD has the most accurate location data for over 170 million U.S. addresses. In addition, MLD serves as the foundation for the soon to be released industry data for property, risk, weather and many other types of information.
- Powerful location analytics capabilities for business intelligence (BI) – Pitney Bowes' Spectrum Spatial for BI software integrates with the most popular BI solutions in the industry to provide advanced visualization and analysis.
- A global library of over 350 geospatial data products - The library includes demographics, points of interest and industry-specific data for over 240 countries and territories.
- Multi-resolution raster (MRR) technology – This new raster file format of Mapinfo Pro Advanced adds speed and performance to handle complex modelling projects and enables the analysis of copious amounts of data, including complex digital imagery and terrain models. Loading data sets now take seconds.
- GEO APIs – Six application programming interfaces are now available in a new developer environment that provides resources to encourage commercial developers, as well as customers, to enrich their mobile and web applications with Pitney Bowes' location technologies through the use of APIs. In addition, Pitney Bowes' Geocoding API allows customers and partners to integrate geocoding with their applications. These APIs expose Pitney Bowes' core geospatial technology and data for enterprise software application development.
- Applied Analytics – Pitney Bowes provides a full suite of location-intelligent solutions to clients through our Applied Analytics and Marketing Services consultancy. This global practice focuses on leveraging the power of location data to provide businesses with actionable insights around channel investment, identification of market opportunities and targeted customer communications.
"In today's customer-driven economy, delivering contextually-relevant insights across the enterprise can make or break a business today," said Jack Bullock, Global Senior Vice President, Software Sales, Pitney Bowes. "Location data is a powerful differentiator for businesses of all sizes and those who can harness this data appropriately will win. We deliver powerful software and location data capabilities that will drive new business revenue, uncover new opportunities and improve customer satisfaction."
About Pitney Bowes
Pitney Bowes (PBI) is a global technology company offering innovative products and solutions that enable commerce in the areas of customer information management, location intelligence, customer engagement, shipping and mailing, and global ecommerce. More than 1.5 million clients in approximately 100 countries around the world rely on products, solutions and services from Pitney Bowes. For additional information, visit Pitney Bowes at www.pitneybowes.com.
*Gartner Press Release, Gartner Says 6.4 Billion Connected "Things" Will Be in Use in 2016, Up 30 Percent From 2015, November 10, 2015, http://www.gartner.com/newsroom/id/3165317
View source version on businesswire.com: http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20160517005929/en/


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Story highlights
The official says the Nigerian military will not use force to try to rescue the girls
"We can't kill our girls in the name of trying to get them back," he reportedly says
More than 200 schoolgirls were abducted in northern Nigeria last month by Boko Haram
A top Nigerian military official believes he knows the whereabouts of girls kidnapped last month, but he says the nation's military will not use force to try to rescue them, a state news report said Monday.
"We want our girls back. I can tell you that our military can and will do it, but where they are held, can we go there with force?" asked Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh.
"Nobody should say Nigerian military does not know what it is doing; we can't kill our girls in the name of trying to get them back."
His comments were reported by the News Agency of Nigeria, a state-run news service.
Badeh continued: "The good news for the parents of the girls is that we know where they are, but we cannot tell you.
"We cannot come and tell you the military secret, just leave us alone, we are working to get the girls back," he reportedly said.
In response to the news, Pentagon spokesman Adm. John Kirby told CNN U.S. officials were not able to confirm the report.
More than 200 schoolgirls were kidnapped in northern Nigeria last month by Boko Haram, an act that drew international condemnation.
The terror group abducted an estimated 276 girls on April 14 from a boarding school in Chibok. The Nigerian military suffered an embarrassing setback when it retracted a report that nearly all the kidnapped girls were released.
Dozens escaped, but more than 200 girls are still missing.
Nigerians and others have accused their government of not acting swiftly or efficiently enough to protect the girls seized in the dead of night.
Boko Haram translates as "Western education is a sin" in the Hausa language. The militant group says its aim is to impose a stricter enforcement of Sharia law across Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, which is split between a majority Muslim north and a mostly Christian south.
Boko Haram's attacks have intensified in recent years.
Kidnapped girls: How you can help
Girl: 'How I escaped Boko Haram'
Hagel: No 'solid evidence' on whereabouts of Nigeria schoolgirls
CNN's Jim Sciutto contributed to this report.


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GRN Correspondents will also suggest story ideas
How does it work? Go to The Stories Page to choose your story, to suggest a story, click here
The story will be yours to distribute and we'll talk to you in the production process about where we can all publish the story around the world for maximum exposure. The rights stay with the reporter and are managed by us.
This is about getting the story out!
To check out all the journalists you can access through Global for me - click here
'I have seen the future of serious journalism and it is Global for Me. So good I wish I had thought of it." - Paul Lashmar'
Your site turns the man on the street into the Editor who asks and gets what he wants' - Glen Segell
Check out more of our idea - see where we're headed in our thinking - click here
And what are they saying on the web?


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Q and A: How to increase Facebook views
Q. I've taken many of the suggestions about doing church Facebook better (InterConnections, March 1, 2014) but am very frustrated by the rate of views allowed by Facebook algorithms. Last year I regularly got 100 views, sometimes 1,000 or more, and now they are very small. Someone told me that about one in five posts get through to the news feeds, more likely the ones with videos. I always have a photo. I can see the content is not reaching my own news feed. What can we do to change that? I changed the option on my website to receive notifications from the church website, but still am not getting all the posts.
—Sara Morrison Neil, membership program director, First Parish, Framingham, Mass.
A. Facebook changes privacy controls, news feed algorithms, et al. per its own business needs, not per the user's needs. Only when user needs tie directly to its bottom line will Facebook suit UU needs, let alone any special interest group.
Sara's not getting the traffic because she has no control, not only over what Facebook does but over how friends or followers to her page set their Facebook accounts. Unless everyone on both sides of the dialogue identifies each other as "close friends" or "followers," there's no way for her content to be viewed consistently by those she's trying to reach. And therein lies the crux of the Facebook problem. Forget about covenant because the technology works against it. Even with the setting of "followers," there's no guarantee people will see her posts.
—June Herold, former executive of AOL, member of the UU Church of Arlington, Va., and author of REACH: A Digital Ministry Program.


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You saw this coming, right? We argued over the merits of the best four-cylinder, the best inline six, and the best V8, and we'll get to the V6s, V12s, radials, and everything else... someday. Today, however, we choose the king.
Maybe "choose" is too strong a word, because there will be no consensus. However, that doesn't mean we want you screaming at each other, so keep it civil— yes, small-block Chevy, Porsche boxer, and Honda B single-interest zealots, I'm talking to you— and back up your assertions with, like, arguments that make sense to the rest of us.
Personally, I'm unable to answer this one. The Citroën Traction-Avant engine, which debuted in 1934 and was still being installed in new cars into the 1980s, deserves consideration. The small-block Chevrolet, without a doubt. Also without a doubt, the Toyota R. The Chrysler Slant Six. The BMW M10. The Model T flathead four. Yes, it's impossible! You might refer to the Engine Of The Day Overload page for inspiration.
Image source: Citroenet.uk


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Marine Basic First Aid – Sarnia – March 27/28, 2021
Please see course description for course content
Date: March 27/28, 2021
Time: 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Location: 109 Durand Street, Suite 302, Sarnia
*As per Transport Canada's regulations, we require your date of birth – please enter it into the comments/note section while registering for the course*
Please contact use for course details
Out of stock
Shipping charges will apply to all products that need to be shipped. There is no shipping on First Aid & CPR training. IE: Medical supplies, AED's & First Aid Kits.


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- Manufacturer: AmFab
- Model Number: 501/502
Call for Special Offers on this product.
The EZ Lift Chair Table is perfect for lift chair or recliner users. Not only is it height adjustable, but it also can swivel to the side of the chair when not in use and do double duty as a side table. To install the EZ Lift Chair Table, just slide it under the chair's base and the weight of the chair will holding the table securely in place.
NOTE: This item is non-returnable
Product Resources
Product Specifications *
- Minimum Height: 23.5"
- Maximum Height: 33"
- Table Height Adjustment: Infinite
- Table Rotation: 360°
- Table Top Material: Wood grain laminate
- Table Base Material: Steel
- Table Top Dimensions: 15"W x 30"L
Product Reviews
Sort by
|Fulfills a need
Aug 12, 2011 4:19 AM
|Caregiver from Texas would recommend this to a friend.
|A Little About Myself
|This EZ Lift Chair table is easy to assemble and operate.
|Table wobbles because rectangular post does not fit tightly over the round base post.
|Service & Delivery
|The addition of a close table that can be adjusted and swung out of the way is most helpful.
|3 of 3 people found this review helpful
|My Mother did not use.
Dec 11, 2009 11:01 AM
|Denise from Houston, TX would not recommend this to a friend.
|A Little About Myself
|Average Health, Caregiver, Medical Professional, Athletic
|Difficult assembly. Difficult turning ability. Unsafe. Expensive for what it is. Very flimsy.
|This is being stored in our garage. See above cons. It is not worth the money. I wish medical equipment manufacturers actually did focus groups and such to understand what the elderly population needs. Lack of thought/intelligence in design, and overall terrible ease of use.
|15 of 15 people found this review helpful


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North Pembroke MA residents are no strangers to high auto insurance premiums. Fortunately, there are some simple steps you can take to reduce your rates and get cheap auto insurance in Massachusetts.
By taking the time to research North Pembroke auto insurance options, you can find affordable coverage that meets your needs. Whether you choose to shop around for multiple quotes, increase your deductible or take advantage of discounts, there are many ways to get cheap auto insurance rates in Massachusetts.
Massachusetts is known for having some of the most unique auto insurance laws in the US. Here are five of them:
These five laws help keep Massachusetts roads safe and make it easier for North Pembroke drivers to find the coverage they need at an affordable price. If you are looking for auto insurance in North Pembroke, it is important to understand these requirements so that you can make sure you have the right coverage for your situation.
Mechanical breakdown insurance is an important coverage option for North Pembroke drivers. It can provide protection from the expense of costly repairs to your vehicle due to mechanical failure or breakdowns that are not covered by standard auto insurance policies. Here are seven companies in Massachusetts that offer mechanical breakdown insurance.
Mechanical breakdown insurance is an important coverage option for North Pembroke drivers and these seven companies offer plans that can provide peace of mind in the event of unexpected auto repairs. Be sure to compare policies and talk to a licensed agent before selecting a plan.
It may help your shopping experience to compare the rates of other cities by zip code such as 96162, 63740, 62448, 52655, 02791, 84784, 34997, 34997, 35051, and 38225.
Temporary car insurance in North Pembroke is a great option for those who need short-term coverage. Whether you're visiting Massachusetts, renting a vehicle or borrowing someone else's car there are several purposes that such an insurance plan may be used for. Here are four of the most common reasons to purchase temporary car insurance in Massachusetts:
Temporary car insurance in Massachusetts has many uses, so it's important to consider this option when you need short-term coverage for any purpose. With its flexibility and convenience, temporary car insurance is a great way to protect yourself and others from unexpected events on the road.
When searching for a used car, North Pembroke drivers should be aware of the models that have notoriously bad track records. To save yourself time, money, and headaches down the road, consider avoiding these ten worst used cars to buy in Massachusetts:
These ten cars are best avoided if you're looking for a reliable used vehicle in Massachusetts. It's important to do your research when shopping around for a used car, so you can avoid any costly troubles down the road.
North Pembroke is a great place to live, work and drive. With the abundance of Massachusetts-based automakers and dealerships offering attractive lease deals on new vehicles, it can be hard to decide which car to choose. To help make your decision easier, we have compiled a list of the 10 best cars to lease in Massachusetts right now.
North Pembroke is home to some of the most beautiful and iconic roads in the country. From winding coastal highways, to serene countryside paths, Massachusetts has it all. If you're looking for a car to rent for your next Massachusetts road trip, we have rounded up the 10 most popular cars available for hire so that you can enjoy every mile of your journey.
Massachusetts is home to some of the best car rental apps in the region. Whether you're looking for a short-term rental or a long-term lease, these five apps have got you covered.
Massachusetts is an amazing place to explore, especially if you are looking for a road trip. From the coastal towns of Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard to the bustling cities of Boston and Springfield, Massachusetts offers plenty of scenic drives that will keep you occupied for days on end. Here are four great road trips in Massachusetts you should consider:
The answer to this question depends on your insurance provider, as well as the Massachusetts state laws regarding rental car coverage. Massachusetts is an "at-fault" state, meaning that you may be responsible for damages following a car accident, regardless of fault. Therefore, it is important to check with your insurance provider to find out what type of coverage they offer when renting a vehicle. Some insurance providers may provide limited coverage for North Pembroke renters, while others may not include any coverage at all. It is also possible that you may need to purchase additional rental car insurance when renting in Massachusetts. Be sure to ask your insurance agent or representative about the specifics of their policy so that you can make an informed decision.
If you're looking for North Pembroke car insurance that covers Uber or Lyft, there are a few companies that offer this service. Here are four of them:
No matter which company you go with, make sure that you clearly explain to your insurance provider that you are working as an Uber or Lyft driver so they can properly advise you on coverage and pricing. With any Massachusetts car insurance policy, it's important to read through the fine print and understand what exactly is covered in order to be fully protected while driving for ride-sharing companies.
Massachusetts drivers are subject to a variety of driving infractions. While some violations may not lead to any insurance increases, others can have drastic consequences on your premiums. To help Massachusetts drivers stay informed, here is a list of the top 10 most common driving infractions and their associated increases in insurance rates:
When shopping for North Pembroke auto insurance, you may find that your credit score influences how much you pay. Insurance companies in Massachusetts use a variety of factors to determine what your premium should be, and credit score is one of them. Your credit score can be broken down into five categories: Poor (300-579), Fair (580-669), Good (670-739), Very Good (740-799), and Exceptional (800-850). Here is what the average car insurance rate looks like for each category in Massachusetts:
As you can see, your credit score can make a big difference in Massachusetts auto insurance rates. Having a higher credit score could save you hundreds of dollars a year on car insurance. That's why it's important to work on improving your credit score as much as possible before shopping for Massachusetts car insurance.
Auto insurance rates in Massachusetts vary depending on the age of the driver. The younger the driver, typically, the higher the rate. Here is a breakdown of average quotes by age group:
It's important to note that these are just average figures and auto insurance premiums can be different for each individual based on factors like driving history or vehicle type. North Pembroke drivers should always shop around for the best rates and coverage. Additionally, Massachusetts drivers are required to carry minimum liability insurance of $20,000 bodily injury per person, $40,000 bodily injury per accident and $5,000 property damage per accident.
Choosing between a national insurance company and a local North Pembroke agent or broker for the best deal can be a nuanced decision, largely dependent on your individual needs and circumstances. National insurance companies have their advantages. They typically offer a wider variety of products and services, and may provide discounts for bundling different types of insurance such as auto, dwelling, and life. These companies usually have extensive customer service departments, often available 24/7, and their digital platforms for quotes, policy management, claims, and payments are usually quite comprehensive. However, the trade-off might be less personalized service. Since you're more likely to deal with different customer service representatives each time, building a relationship with your insurer could be more challenging. Additionally, national insurers may not fully comprehend the specific insurance needs and risks of your local area in North Pembroke.
On the other hand, local North Pembroke agents and brokers can offer more personalized service and the opportunity to build a longstanding relationship. They can guide you through the intricacies of insurance policies, assist with claims, and are generally more attuned to the particular risks and insurance needs of your locality. Brokers, representing multiple insurance companies, are in a position to shop around for the best deal for you. To get an idea of how much rates can vary by zip code you could compare ones such as 02791, 42347, 03860, 07436, 49252, 45740, 07439, 59865, 87032, and 77419. However, their range of products may not be as wide as national insurers, and their operating hours might not be as flexible. Also, customer service may not be available round the clock. In terms of digital accessibility, their platforms may not be as user-friendly or feature-rich as those of larger, national companies.
In conclusion, the better option is largely dependent on your preferences. If a personal relationship and local North Pembroke expertise is valued, a local agent or broker could be your best bet. Conversely, if you prefer the convenience of digital tools, round-the-clock customer service, and a broader range of products, then a national insurance company might be the right choice. It's always prudent to compare quotes from different sources before making a decision.
Disclaimer: Please note that the content provided above is for informational purposes only and it does not constitute legal advice. You should always consult with an insurance professional or legal counsel for any questions related to insurance laws.
David Miller is a trusted authority in the world of car insurance and road trips. With over a decade of experience in the insurance industry, David has helped countless individuals and families find the right coverage for their vehicles. His passion for travel and exploration has also led him on numerous road trips across the country. David enjoys sharing his knowledge and expertise through his writing, and is dedicated to providing credible and reliable information to his readers. Whether you're planning a road trip or looking for the best car insurance policy, David's articles will guide you towards making informed decisions that protect you and your loved ones.


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Skeptics are typically unwilling to accept paranormal claims unless the evidence in support of those claims is of very high quality. "Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary proof," we say. Paranormal proponents might question the appropriateness of this logic. They observe skeptics accepting some claims, such as those made by orthodox medical research, on the basis of average, reasonably good evidence, while demanding flawless, near-perfect research before paranormal claims would be accepted. Intuitively, it seems as though evidence which is "good enough" for one claim should be acceptable for other claims as well.
This article discusses the issue and provides a statistical basis for skeptics' favorite line, while also pointing out its limitations.
First, it is important to understand that the strength of a conclusion is a function both of the quality of the evidence provided in its support and the a priori probability of the claim being supported. Thus there can never be a single standard of "acceptable evidence" that will suffice to render every claim equally plausible. Suppose, for example, that a reasonably reliable source tells me (1) that President Clinton has vetoed legislation that places restrictions on trade with China and (2) that Newt Gingrich has switched to the Democratic party. Most people would be much more confident of the truth of the first report than of the second, even though the source is identical. The difference lies in the a priori plausibility of the claims.
A more precise formulation requires us to cast the a priori probability of a claim into the form of "odds" in its favor. A proposition with 90% probability of being true has 90 chances of being true for every 10 of being false. Thus the odds are 90 to 10, which reduces to 9 to 1. A proposition with 20% probability of being true has 20 chances of being true for 80 of being false. The odds (in its favor) are 20 to 80 or 0.25 to 1. It is more natural to translate the latter case into odds of 4 to 1 against the proposition, but the calculations require us to work with odds "in favor of" a proposition, even if they are fractional.
Pieces of evidence alter the odds in favor of a proposition by a multiplicative factor in proportion to the quality of the evidence. A good source of evidence might multiply the odds by 200. A fair one, perhaps, by 10. A negative result might reduce the odds 10-fold. So, let's say that my reliable source is good enough that his or her support for a proposition increases its odds 100 fold. This would increase the odds that the veto took place from, say, 50-50 (1-1 odds) to 100-1 in favor. On the other hand, the probability that Newt would switch parties is very small, perhaps 1 in 10,000 (Stranger things have happened!) This is odds of about 0.0001 to 1 in favor.
After my source makes that claim, the odds rise to 0.01 to 1 in favor. This is still around 100 to 1 against its truth. So the evidence provided by my neighbor has had the same effect in each case, but the conclusion is different because of the different a priori probabilities.
The logic of the extraordinary claims argument is independent of the possibility of cheating by paranormal proponents. Many paranormal claims have a very low a priori probability. This means that potential biases and research flaws are more plausible as explanations for pro-paranormal results than is the truth of the claims. The argument would still be valid even if cheating, one possible explanation, was completely ruled out. In situations where fraud is especially likely, such as a single individual self-promoting as a psychic, we don't need the extraordinary claims argument to require tight controls against cheating. Ordinary diligence and common sense suffice to mandate exquisite and painstaking caution.
The principle is clear, the difficulty lies in the application. How likely, for example, is it that homeopathy or therapeutic touch really work? Proponents argue that we need to open our minds to new possibilities and grant these systems a fairly high a priori probability (say, 50-50 odds). Then, even modest-quality evidence would make the claims quite probably true. Skeptics argue that these systems violate known laws of physics and their validity should therefore be considered remotely improbable.
An alternative I have heard suggested is to drop the extraordinary proof argument and instead to hold paranormal and alternative medicine claims strictly to the ordinary requirements of replicability and good research. This approach sounds sensible but it has a serious flaw. Skeptics are not willing to accept the plausibility of most paranormal claims unless the evidence is extremely strong. We risk being perceived (correctly) as disingenuous if we call for solid quality research, then revert to the extraordinary claims argument should it in fact appear.
In some areas of paranormal investigation, such as ESP, the research is already often better done than much orthodox scientific research, with ontrols and double-checks most scientists would regard as overkill. Skeptics mostly still feel that the intrinsic implausibility is so great that nothing short of airtight and well-repeated research would be sufficient to support ESP. Little or none of the existing research rises to that level, so we remain skeptical. (Some recent work has been of high quality, see Ray Hyman's article, "The Evidence for Psychic Functioning: Claims vs. Reality", in the Mar/April 1996 Skeptical Inquirer, pp 24-26.) Had skeptics said some 40 years ago that all we wanted was reasonable quality replicated research, we might now be having to eat our words.
The skeptics' line, "Extraordinary claims demand extraordinary proof," is justifiable on probabilistic grounds, but the difficulty of determining a priori probabilities is a serious drawback. This may prevent communication with non-skeptics unless they are willing to adopt our strict standards so as to achieve general acceptance. A strict but not "extraordinary" standard of ordinary good science and replicability is risky because most skeptics would not actually believe typical paranormal claims if evidence at that level were provided.


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The Comic World of Marjane SatrapiYearnings for a Lost Homeland
Her heart-shaped mouth is slathered in bright red lipstick, her eyebrows have been drawn upwards into a theatrical arch. "And my black hair is dyed," says Marjane Satrapi with a laugh. "Imagine that: grey hair with this face. Then I really would look like the devil." The 41-year-old comic illustrator grimaces and laughs again heartily.
"I enjoy life," she says. "I wake up every morning with a big smile on my face, and it takes a lot to make me unhappy." And presumably Satrapi also looks happy because she's holding a cigarette. Smoking is good for her, anyone can see that, she says with a wink.
"I think smoke conserves. You know that meat is smoked to conserve it. It's probably why I haven't got any wrinkles yet." Although Iranian-born Satrapi has enjoyed considerable success over the years, there is nothing arrogant about her, and she's able to poke fun at herself. She's come to Hamburg to present her new film "Chicken with Plums", set in 1950s Tehran.
Old flowers, new earth
Although the era predates Satrapi, she says she feels greatly inspired by it because it was a time when the nation experienced something akin to democracy, a time when Prime Minister Mossadegh nationalised oil revenues. But then the Americans and British hounded the popular politician out of the country, putting an end to any new sense of optimism.
"Iranians lost something when that happened," says Satrapi. The film deals partly with this sense of loss, and partly with the frustrated love of a violinist for a woman named Irane. This is Satrapi's way of accentuating her own yearnings for her lost homeland.
Her parents sent her to Austria during the Iran-Iraq war, and she later went to France, where she's lived permanently since 1994: "It's like taking a plant out of the earth and putting it in a vase. No matter how well you tend the flower, it is accustomed to the earth of its homeland."
Recollections of Tehran are those of her youth: the 5,000-6,000 metre mountains, the snow-covered peaks, the pollution, particular sounds, and food: "It took my stomach three years to be able to properly digest French food," says Satrapi.
Following the huge success of the comic "Persepolis" in the year 2000 and its film adaptation in 2007, the illustrator, director and screenwriter has been in demand as never before.
Although she took up French citizenship a long time ago, she doesn't feel she belongs to French society, and this is not something she wants: "I've never had a sense of being part of any society. I'm here, I've got my friends around me, and that's my life. I'm living as though under a bell jar."
This is the life she has chosen. She left Iran when she realised that there is no place there for people who are critical of the system. For her, there was no alternative: "I have great respect for those people who continue to live in Iran. I couldn't do it. I need my freedom. Without it, I'm grumpy and get aggressive."
The Iranian Spring
It's been a while now since she's dared to return to Iran "because you just never know if you're going to get out again." But at the same time she keeps a very close eye on events in her homeland, and views developments there as more far-reaching than in Arab nations.
"Everyone's talking about the Arab Spring, but to be honest I don't see much evidence of that when I watch the television reports." She only ever saw men at the street demonstrations, she says with sudden earnestness. But without equality, democracy cannot flourish.
Iran, she says, is much more progressive than other Arab nations in this regard. In Iran, women would protest along with the men, they would study, work and not allow men to tell them how to live their lives. "There's something really fundamental happening here, society is undergoing a transformation from below," says Satrapi, visibly proud. She's certain she will return home one day. Even if it's only to be buried in Iranian soil.
Kathrin Erdmann
© Deutsche Welle/Qantara.de 2011
Qantara.de editor: Lewis Gropp


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Secretary of State Mark Martin today reminded the public that the deadline to register to vote in the November General Election is one week away.
Secretary Martin reminds public of voter registration deadline
October 8, 2012 by
"Arkansas law sets a deadline of 30 days before an election to apply to register to vote," Martin said. "Because of the weekend and the Columbus Day holiday, the deadline for this election is Tuesday, Oct. 9."
The registration deadline applies to all voters, including military and overseas citizens, Martin said.
The General Election will be Tuesday, Nov. 6. Early voting begins Oct. 22.
In addition to the presidential election, all four Congressional representatives are up for election. County officials are on the ballot, and due to redistricting all 135 seats in the Arkansas General Assembly have been up for election. Of those, 62 are uncontested; 73 seats – 18 in the Senate and 55 in the House of Representatives – are contested.
Other issues on the ballot include a proposal to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes, as well as two referendums from the Arkansas General Assembly.
Issue No. 1 is known by its popular name, "An amendment to provide additional funding for state highways, county roads, city streets, bridges and other surface transportation."
Issue No. 2 is known as "An amendment concerning municipal and county financing of sales tax anticipated revenue bond projects, unfunded liabilities of closed local police and fire pension plans, and real and tangible personal property."
Martin encouraged voters to examine sample ballots published in their local counties and to vote early from Oct. 22 until Nov. 5. Voters may also monitor election returns in real time on the Secretary of State's website, www.sos.arkansas.gov, where they can research results and turnout by issue, race and precinct.
"We encourage all voters to check their polling location before Election Day," Martin said. "This can be done online at www.voterview.org, or voters can contact their local county clerk. Most importantly this week, though, we encourage people to register before the deadline."


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Download Need for Speed For FreeWatch Movie Need for Speed For Free with duration 130 Min and broadcast on 2014-03-14 and MPAA rating is 390.
- Original Title : Need for Speed
- Movie title in your country : Need for Speed
- Year of movie : 2014
- Genres of movie : Action, Crime, Drama, Thriller,
- Status of movie : Released
- Release date of movie : 2014-03-14
- Companies of movie : DreamWorks SKG, Reliance Entertainment, Bandito Brothers, Electronic Arts,
- Countries of movie : United States of America,
- Language of movie : English,
- Durationof movie : 130 Min
- Average vote of movie : 6.6
- Translation of movie : EN,DE,NL,ZH,PT,RU,FR,ES,DA,SK,PL,HE,BG,IT,EL,SV,HU,KO,TR,TH,NO,FI,KA,UK,CS,
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- Aaron Paul ( Tobey Marshall )
- Dominic Cooper ( Dino Brewster )
- Imogen Poots ( Julia )
- Rami Malek ( Finn )
- Ramon Rodriguez ( Joe Peck )
- Harrison Gilbertson ( Little Pete )
- Dakota Johnson ( Anita )
- Michael Keaton ( Monarch )
- Scott Mescudi ( Benny )
- Sir Maejor ( Leigh Dennis )
- Carmela Zumbado ( Jeny B )
- Nick Chinlund ( Officer Lejeune )
- Libby Blanton ( San Fran Girl )
- Beth Waugh ( Investor's Wife )
- Michael Rose ( Investor )
- Han Soto ( News Producer )
Need for Speed Synopsis:
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Director : Scott Waugh, Story : John Gatins, Story : George Gatins, Producer : John Gatins, Producer : Mark Sourian, Screenplay : George Gatins, Producer : Patrick O'Brien, Original Music Composer : Nathan Furst, Director of Photography : Shane Hurlbut, Editor : Paul Rubell, Editor : Scott Waugh, Casting : Ronna Kress, Production Design : Jon Hutman, Art Direction : Christopher R. DeMuri, Costume Design : Ellen Mirojnick, Makeup Department Head : Tarra D. Day, Construction Coordinator : Brent Astrope, Propmaker : Seth Gardner, Leadman : Mark Kwiatkowski, Art Department Coordinator : Stacie McKinnon, Set Designer : Thomas Minton, Propmaker : James Nichols, Propmaker : Fred Polsen, Greensman : Carl F. Shuffett, Greensman : Cordell Taylor, Standby Painter : Shea Soutar, Construction Coordinator : Doug E. Williams, Boom Operator : Tommy Cella, Sound Designer : Charles Deenen, Foley : Ellen Heuer, Sound Designer : John Marquis, Sound Re-Recording Mixer : Scott Millan, Dialogue Editor : Ralph Osborn, Supervising Sound Editor : Tobias Poppe, Foley : John Roesch, Visual Effects Supervisor : Kevin Baillie, Visual Effects Producer : Devin Fairbairn, Visual Effects Producer : Monica Hada, Systems Administrators & Support : William F. Hamilton, Visual Effects Producer : Lily Shapiro, Stunt Coordinator : Lance Gilbert, Casting : Chase Paris, Casting : Tara Feldstein, Costume Supervisor : Helen Monaghan, Set Costumer : Alexyz Danine Kemp, Set Costumer : Melanie Mascioli, Set Costumer : Margaret Palmer, Set Costumer : Cheri Reed, Color Timer : George Chavez, Music Editor : Matt Shelton, Transportation Captain : Alana Stelling, Transportation Coordinator : Larry Stelling, Transportation Co-Captain : Timothy Stephens, Location Manager : Michael J. Burmeister, Location Manager : Russell DeVriendt, Location Manager : Mandi Dillin, Studio Teachers : Lucas Moore, Script Supervisor : Anna Rane, Thanks : Fred Waugh, Still Photographer : Melinda Sue Gordon, Camera Operator : Mark Colicci,
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Last week we started our look at Elvis' presence in the movies. Not the old films where he was an actor, but new ones where an allusion is made to Elvis. The research for this was done by John Beifuss, movie critic for the Memphis Commercial Appeal. We can presume his job enabled him to see just about every movie that came to town, and since that town is the home of Elvis, he noted every connection to him in these films.
Each year, John Beifus would update his "Annual Survey of Elvis Allusions in the Movies" on the website www.GoMemphis.com/news/movies . Here are more movies from recent years that remind us — Elvis is everywhere.
He's Just Not That Into You:
As you can see from the DVD cover, this movie featured an all-star cast including Ben Affleck, Scarlett Johansson, Drew Barrymore, Justin Long, Jennifer Connelly and others. Two stars that are not on the DVD cover, Jennifer Anniston and Kris Kristofferson appear in a scene with two Elvis references. While Anniston is taking care of her recuperating father (Kristofferson), Elvis can be heard in the background singing "I've Got A Woman." Then another character looks through the dad's collection of LPs and finds an Elvis album.
We get a little lesson in the history of Elvis music in Dreamgirls. The singers' ambitious manager, played by Jamie Foxx, asks a song writer, "Who was the first artist to sing "Hound Dog?" The songwriter show his ignorance when he answers, "Elvis." Foxx corrects him, "Big Mama Thornton."
On May 10, 2009, I wrote an ElvisBlog commentary on legendary guitarist Hank Garland and how he deserved to be in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in the Sideman Category. Garland recorded with Elvis on a dozen hits, including four #1s. He also recorded with seven other performers in the Rock Hall. Garland had an interesting life, but he had a car crash in 1961 that put him in a coma for months, pretty much ending his career. The movie Crazy tells the Hank Garland story, and it is full of Elvis references. Two great lines are in a scene when Garland comes home from a concert tour and tells his wife, "The King's in town. I gotta go to the studio." When she complains that he just got home, he responds, "But Elvis is the King, babe."
The Brave One:
Directors never seem to tire of playing Elvis songs as background music in their movies. And, sometimes they even use fairly obscure ones. A good example would be "You Don't Know Me," which plays during a dinner featuring Jodie Foster and Terrance Howard in The Brave One. Elvis sang the song in the movie Clambake, and when it was released as a single it did not break the Top 40.
Soul Men:
This is another movie with a music business theme, and like most of them, it contains an Elvis connection. Samuel L. Jackson and Bernie Mac are Photoshopped into a 70s Elvis picture, which is seen on the wall at a party.
The Hangover:
I wouldn't mention this movie if this lame Elvis connection was the only one in it. The film opens with tribute artist El Vez, who bills himself as the Mexican Elvis, singing "It's Now or Never." The other Elvis allusion occurs when the party animals wake up in an amnesiac stupor in a hotel suite that includes a mysterious infant, a Bengal tiger and an Elvis jumpsuit. Come to think of it, that's a pretty lame connection, too.
In the wonderful Pixar animated hit Cars there are dozens of vehicles with names like Sally the Porsche and Mater the Tow Truck. There is also one called the King, and it has sideburns and a Southern dialect, so John Beifuss decided it was an automotive caricature of Elvis. However, because King was voiced by Richard Petty, the animators may have had a different idea.
The Game Plan:
John Beifuss says it best about Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as football quarterback Joe Kingman in The Game Plan. "Kingman – nicknamed "The King," like his idol – is an avid Elvis fan whose bachelor apartment is decorated with football trophies and Elvis memorabilia, including a red jumpsuit. Kingman's cell phone has a "Jailhouse Rock" ringtone, and his front door chime plays "Love Me Tender." When Kingman scores a touchdown, the P.A. system at his home stadium blares "Jailhouse Rock." Kingman watches the Elvis diving sequence from "Fun in Acapulco" on TV, and sings "Burning Love" into a mirror. When the playboy superstar becomes saddled with the 8-year-old daughter he never knew he had, he asks his King Creole poster: "Any advice?" Later, he strums the guitar and serenades the girl with "Are You Lonesome Tonight?" … The movie opens with the Paul Oakenfold remix of Elvis' "Rubberneckin'" and the end credits find the cast dancing and singing to Elvis' recording of "Burning Love."
Of course, there are two recent movies where Elvis was a character with significant screen time. Walk the Line and Lonely Street have both been covered previously on ElvisBlog. Click on the links to read lots more about Elvis' parts in these movies.
© 2010 Philip R Arnold, Original Elvis Blogmeister All Rights Reserved www.ElvisBlog.net
Elvis, Elvis Presley, and Graceland are registered trademarks of Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc.


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Key Concepts
Visual search
Search image
You probably have food preferences—perhaps you love salty snacks or detest red meat—but in general, humans eat many different foods. For that reason, our species is considered omnivorous. But some animals are much more choosy. Herbivorous rabbits, for example, dine only on plants whereas carnivores, such as sharks, feast principally on animal prey.
Locating these very different types of foods can obviously require different tactics. In this activity, you'll learn about a theory that biologists use to explain different strategies for foraging, or finding food. You'll also apply this theory to test your visual hunting skills.
Believe it or not, animals don't just pursue the first food option they see. Biologists who study animal behavior have found that different species have different strategies. This is because locating a meal isn't always easy—it requires time and energy. To maximize the amount of energy an animal gets from its prey, it needs to pursue food nutritious enough to make up for the time and energy it needs to catch and consume a meal.
Scientists call this "optimal foraging theory"—or the best strategy for finding a meal—and they have a simple mathematical formula to express it: E/h + s. E stands for energy, specifically the energy an animal gains from eating food. The h stands for handling time—this represents how long it takes to get the food ready to eat. An apple, for example, has very little handling time, but an oyster requires more effort. The s is for search time, which can vary depending whether food is rare or plentiful, or when food is hard to detect or sticks out easily. Strategies shift based on an animal's abilities and environment. In this activity you'll measure search times and experience one aspect of optimal foraging theory firsthand.
• Where's Waldo? or other visual search book (you can find these books at your local library)
• Pencils and paper
• A partner (groups of two or three individuals also work)
• A clock or stopwatch
• This activity works best with a visual search book such as Where's Waldo? in which you repeatedly seek out a specific target.
• To make the activity more challenging, do not peek at the puzzles before it is your turn to "hunt."
• Ask a partner to be the first hunter. Ask him or her to not peek at the image search until you say, "Go!"
• Tell the "hunter" what target or "prey" he or she will seek out in multiple puzzles (Waldo, for example, is a good target).
• Record the "hunter's" name and his or her target prey.
• Hit the stopwatch or start watching the clock when you say, "Go!" Time how long it takes your partner to find his or her prey and record the total time needed. Are you surprised by how quickly or slowly your partner found the target?
• Switch roles with your partner and repeat the previous steps. Was finding your target easier or harder than you expected? What made the task challenging?
• Switch back and forth until you have each "hunted" your prey at least five times. Every time it is your turn, try a different puzzle page but seek out the same target. Does changing environments make the puzzles easier or more difficult? Do you think you get better at finding the same target in different environments?
• So far, you have been hunting as a specialist—you have just one kind of prey. Start the activity again and repeat as a generalist, meaning you can hunt different kinds of prey. In this version, pick a different target every time you hunt, but once again use a new puzzle page each time. Repeat five times each and record your times. Do you notice any differences as a generalist than a specialist?
• Extra: If you want to compare one more variation, try hunting for a totally different target in puzzle pages you have already seen. Is it easier to hunt in "familiar territory"?
• Next, look at your times as both a generalist and as a specialist. Did either your or your partner's hunting skills improve? Did times increase or decrease as you repeated the search?
• Foraging theory suggests you need to select foods that give you enough energy to make up for that which you lose in the time spent hunting and catching food. Which prey items took the most time to find? Following the theory's logic, what would make hunting these items worthwhile?
• Extra: Because you've mostly played this activity with time in mind, create your own variation that tests another component of optimal foraging theory: energy. With your partner, decide on different energy values for different targets, then revisit old puzzle pages and give each other 10 minutes to collect as many prey items as they can find. In this version, each hunter needs to declare what he or she is searching for and can only collect points by finding a mentioned target. How do you and your partner match up? Are there strategies that work in your favor, such as seeking out targets with a certain value?
Observations and results
Did seeking the same target as a specialist get easier over time compared with seeking new targets in each puzzle?
In this activity, your visual search was very similar to that used by a hunting hawk as it soars high above the ground. As you probably noticed, trying to identify your target in such a cluttered landscape was not easy. Yet, you may have also found that by searching for the same target repeatedly, you became more adept at looking for that particular kind of prey. This is a common result and something that scientists have discovered in birds of prey. Biologists call this trick developing a "search image," because it allows the animal to have a very specific visual image in mind when scanning a landscape. Changing your target every time, however, is more taxing on your brain and makes a long search even longer.
More to explore
Optimal Foraging Game from the University of Toronto
Optimal Foraging Theory—an avian perspective from The Wild Classroom
Where's Waldo? puzzles online from WheresWaldo.com
The Brains behind Where's Waldo? from Science Buddies
Online Search Games from PlayWithYourMind.com
Scoping Science: How Do Animals Look for Food?
An eagle-eyed activity from Scientific American
Key Concepts