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Katrina Kaif on shooting with Ranbir Kapoor post their break-up: 'Whatever it was, it'll stay with me' – Kat gets candid about success, failure, the unique world of Jagga Jasoos, being Ranbir Kapoor's heroine before-and-after their much public break-up and how she has grown in the last year.
Katrina Kaif
From the time we last met, there's been a remarkable change in Katrina Kaif. Otherwise hesitant to talk about her personal life, she accepts the emotional turmoil that she's been through last year. It has made her stronger and a better version of herself. Today, she doesn't get riled up about whatever is written about her — good or bad — unlike in the past when rumours would upset her. Talking to me, while munching on makhana, Kat gets candid about success, failure, the unique world of Jagga Jasoos, being Ranbir Kapoor's heroine before-and-after their much public break-up and how she has grown in the last year.
You have completed around 14 years in the industry. Has your way of perceiving success and failure changed?
Of course. First, you respond to it like a child responds to a candy or to a kick. Or maybe, like a chocolate and biscuit sometimes (smiles). When you succeed, you are like, 'Yippee, yay, party all night!' Honestly, I didn't see that much of failure in the earlier part of my career. So, didn't really feel the lows of it. For me, the biggest experience of lows came with Fitoor and Baar Baar Dekho. Actually, not so much with Fitoor but Baar Baar Dekho's failure really hit me. I did go through that process at that time. Now, I think I am a bit more balanced about it. I understand things better. There are a lot of things that are far beyond your control. The kind of back-to-back successes or support the audiences gave to the films I was a part of, at one point, that was anyway supposed to break. It's not just for me, it will break for everyone. That's the law of nature. Of course, it wasn't fun when it did. But I'm more balanced right now.
Do failures make you work harder?
There's really no room for me to work harder. There's no harder work for me, you know what I mean? In fact, I keep reminding myself to take a step back because I work too hard. I think, in some way, it gives me a lot of gratification and peace that yes, I'm still in a position where I'm working with amazing actors, directors and getting good scripts even after my last two films not doing well.
That is also something you have to be careful about in this industry. You cannot place your value on success or failure. If you are good at your work and people believe in you, as an actor or performer, and you have the credibility with the audience, you won't need to go up and down with every film.
Jagga Jasoos is a musical adventure. Is it a space you enjoy watching as a viewer?
Yeah, it is. I grew up watching films like Sound Of Music, Mary Poppins, Beauty And The Beast, My Fair Lady… I love that space and more recently, there was this film called Across The Universe. It didn't do so well at the box office, but it was an amazing film. It's a complete musical, amazing and very ahead of its time. When Dada (Anurag Basu) came up with this idea, I thought he had merged the two worlds — one that was a musical and the other which had the universal appeal of an adventure film. I always felt that this film was going to take time.
Ranbir has admitted that he wanted to shelve the film at one point. Did that thought ever cross your mind?
Yes, it did. In January last year, I felt that this film may get shelved. That was for a very short period of time. But after that and before that, I always believed that it was going to be made and we would finish it.
You went through a lot that time personally, and the last time you told us, you couldn't give 100 per cent to your work before because you had other priorities. Comment.
Every day on the sets of Jagga, both Ranbir and I have been very passionate about the film. There wasn't a lapse of interest for us because of the uniqueness of being on the set and what Dada was trying to create. In terms of the last year-and-half for me, I did have to get back into a different pace and rhythm at work. I think, I had to do it very quickly and I did that. I knew what I needed to do and I was determined that when Jagga went back on floors, I would give it my all; because back then, it was the only film I had. I could not allow anything come in the way of that.
There was a time you used to get really upset about all that was written about you. Are you more chilled out now?
I'm more accepting as long as it's well within the realm of decency. Yes, I do think that I have become a little easier and I'm not so affected or bothered by everything. It's also been that much longer. How long can you get affected by the same thing? But the amount of conjecture that people have regarding everything — well, I do find it a little humorous. It doesn't greatly harm or bother me.
Your co-stars have always spoken about the energy you bring on the sets and off it. Post the break-up, was it difficult to get the same Katrina off the camera?
Whether it was, how difficult it was, is honestly something that will stay with me. And only with me. Not even with Dada. Because it's not something I want to discuss. Not now, maybe. You can never say about the future, but definitely not right now. Whatever it was, however it was, it will always stay with me.
Post break-up, all the versions were coming out. Except yours. Did you feel cheated that time?
A really big lesson for me in the last year or so has been to not have a strong opinion about what the other person should do. That other person could be my mother, sister, husband, boyfriend, lover — whoever it is, we are all individuals. I may have an opinion on what's right by me for you to be doing. But that's what my version of what is right. It doesn't need to be yours, too. But whatever a person does, I believe they are doing it for themselves. One individual should never deny another the right to do whatever they want to.
There were reports that you said you don't want to work with Ranbir again. What if Jagga becomes a franchise as planned?
Honestly, none of us is thinking about that. I can give you that in writing. Firstly, I have got my few films lined up. So does Ranbir. And we all are waiting for that Friday to see the response to this film. There's no thought beyond it. People might feel that we think and plan a lot, more than what we do, but right now, we are all here and our eyes are on that Friday.
But initially, it was meant to be a three-part series, with the second part beginning right from where this one ends. Has it been designed that way?
Lots of film are designed that way. This is also one of them. But it all depends on the outcome of the first one. In design yes, in principle yes — all of us, including Dada, thought it would be a series. But we all have to wait and see.


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Bellingen Bee Sanctuary is all about getting involved and playing your part in protecting our wonderful, busy bees.
Here's how Bellingen Bee Sanctuary works.
1. Sign up on our website to let us know that you're going to make your place part of Bellingen Bee Sanctuary. At this stage, membership is only open to Bellingen Shire residents. Membership costs AU$10 and includes your Bee Sanctuary sign.
Once you've paid, you will receive a confirmation email, which you can either print, or show on your phone (or other electronic device), to our nursery staff.
2. Pickup your Bee Sanctuary sign from the nursery at Kombu (Church St, Bellingen) to put up on your fence to let others know that you are part of the project.
3. Refer to Bufo's Bee Friendly Plant List for plants which bees love. Plant as many of these as you can. Drop into the Northbank Community Garden nursery for bee friendly plants you can purchase and grow.
4. Refer to the Chemical Alternatives page for alternatives to chemical sprays.
5. Once you have some bee friendly plants and understand the spray alternatives, proudly display your Bellingen Bee Sanctuary sign.
Thank-you for being part of Bellingen Bee Sanctuary!

subset: commoncrawl


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It's not uncommon (and it used to be far more common) to hear people decry the self-publishing industry. At least, there are as many who oppose the self-publishing movement as there are supporters of it. The common critique usually goes something like this: "Since anyone can publish anything, there's a lot of garbage out there." That's certainly true, but there are some positive effects that self-publishing has had on the craft of writing itself.
One of the most noticeable effects is a renewed focus on the quality of prose. Now, you might be thinking, "But that's just the point! There's a lot of bad writing being published!" Again, I believe that's true. But think about it this way. If everyone is given equal access to expression, if the restrictions that people used to encounter in publishing have disappeared, then what separates "good" writing and "bad" writing (I know, defining those categories is a job in itself) is not the matter of the message; it's the manner. It's not merely what you say, but how you say it. Readers now step into the limelight as judges of quality. And just because you can publish anything doesn't mean that they'll read it, as many self-published authors would affirm. It just means that they can read it, if it's balanced, precise, rhythmic, clarifying, insightful, poetic. If it can charm the mind, it can keep the reader.
This, for me, is one of the reasons why traditional publishers are still vital to the industry. Traditional publishers have layers of quality inspection (initial readers, reviewers, editors, typesetters) that lead to a higher quality product. They also have something that self-published authors cannot buy: trust. Readers trust that traditional publishers know the difference between good prose and bad prose, and that they'll keep the latter from entering the market (at least through their doors).
Now, this is not a post either in support of or in opposition to self-publishing. It's simply a writer's reflection. The plethora of new books published each year (between 500,000 and 1,000,000 in the US alone) means that authors must commit themselves to the craft of writing if they are even to have a chance at gaining readers. The number of books published annually is staggering, but the time in a reader's day has not increased at all. That means they can afford to be very selective. If you're a writer, excellence has to be your standard, not your goal. You can publish a million words a year, but they might never affect the perspectives of those for whom you write. The ease of publishing has meant, among other things, that quality is critical.


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Saturday, July 25, 2015
Third day of sales
Since it was Friday, people were out in droves and there was lots more to photograph.
Funny T-shirts. This one referenced when Pluto lost its classification as a planet. I told the wearer my girls went into mourning when they heard that news, and we had a good laugh.
Other chuckles:
A little raunchy, but funny nonetheless.
A rare sentiment in Portland, both a T-shirt and a hoodie from the same fellow, who was impressed when I told him I had both my Idaho and my Utah concealed carry permits. (He said he's working on his Utah).
Fluorescent yellow socks, meet fluorescent green shoes.
Colorful hair seems to be the latest style du jour for women.
Some interesting outfits.
A man was walking around in a giant suit that was eerily, freakily lifelike. Very well done.
The operator was able to control the arms and head.
High five!
Here the operator popped open the front panel for a breath of fresh air.
Colorful tattoos:
This fellow had tropical jungle scenes on one arm...
...and a planetary scene on the other. The photos don't do justice to the depth of detail.
"Stay weird" is the slogan on this woman's leg.
Another woman had an entire poem tattooed on her leg.
Most of the time, I regard tattoos as a strange but harmless body decoration. But a woman walked by who was so bizarre, so shocking in her entire appearance, that she drew stares wherever she went -- which is doubtless her goal.
"Distressed" fishnet stockings...
...and a skirt so short it showed part of her bottom were bad enough.
(Notice the bat tattoos on her upper thighs.)
She had a shaven scalp (except for high little blond ponytails on top) and a series of bats on the back of her head.
But the most bizarre part was something I couldn't get a photo of. Tattooed on her chest -- her chest -- was the word ... are you ready for this? ... urine. Yes, she had the word "urine" tattooed on her chest. Now I ask you, why? Is this something she'll be proud to show to the world when she's a 70-year-old grandmother? I felt very very sorry for her.
Midway through the day, something bopped me square on the head while I was standing in the booth. I looked down and saw a yellow plastic blob. At first I thought someone had thrown something from me, but no.
It turned out the yellow plastic "cage" around the overhead light bulb had melted and fallen off, and some other plastic was melting around the light bulb and dripping big plastic blobs.
Concerned about a possible fire, I notified the event personnel. A fellow came in and unscrewed the light bulb (it was far too high up for me to reach without a ladder, but he was able to reach it with my stepstool) and got yellow plastic goop on his handkerchief for his trouble.
The bulb stayed unscrewed for the rest of the day, and then in the evening they simply screwed it back in and let it drip yellow plastic. Okay fine, whatever. I guess if they're not worried about their tent catching fire, I won't be either.
We simply sidestepped around the dripping yellow goo for the rest of the evening.
In the late afternoon, the most horrible rock band I've ever heard took to the stage, screeching out discordant sludge at high volume. Nonetheless this little toddler danced and danced, causing everyone around her to chuckle at the sight.
Her older sister, however, made no bones about what she thought of the noise.
Frankly I was siding with Older Sis. The band was absolutely beyond awful, and they "played" (shrieked) at eardrum-shattering volume. After a long day on our feet, every vendor hated the verbal assault. We all breathed a sigh of relief when the torture ended.
Altogether the day proved once again that Portland is living up to its cheery motto, "Keep Portland Weird." I wouldn't have it any other way...although I sincerely hope that band is never invited back.
7 comments:
That nasty, disgusting lady makes me want to puke. GagReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 25, 2015 at 7:48 AM
To think we used to toss out our "distressed" fish net stockings in the 1960s! We could have handed them down. Hopefully the woman with the tattoo "urine" does not procreate. - MaggieReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 25, 2015 at 8:32 AM
Please read Lev 19:28
Thanks a million
Hate to tell you but it looks to me like the "girl" with the tattooed stockings and bats was no girl at all. Think "Caitlin Jenner". So no need to worry about "her" being a 70 year old grandma with urine on her chest!ReplyDelete
I so love my children!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousJuly 27, 2015 at 7:18 AM
I'm imagining a 3rd 'Red Dawn' movie. Chinese troops invade US soil. They choose to land at Portland, Oregon. Imagine the resistance of Portland Patriots!ReplyDelete
Seriously, they proudly describe themselves as 'weird'? 'Sick' is more like it.
Montana Guy


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Make your big day as unique as you are.
All your important days deserve to be celebrated.
Turn your business meeting, reception or party into something they'll remember.
For us, food is just the beginning. Though our catering is considered to be some of the best in Cleveland, we pride ourselves on our incredible team of Event Planning professionals. Each event is assigned a dedicated planner who will work with you from start to finish. We create your menu, design your space, handle your timeline & logistics and guide you through the event planning process. We also supply you with checklists, vendor recommendations, and personalized touches. At Marigold, we act as your portal into Cleveland's event planning world!
The perfect venue for any wedding, social or corporate event! From retro industrial to modern upscale, Tenk West Bank is one of the trendiest event venues in Cleveland.
Marigold is proud to announce our newest partnership with the Cleveland Botanical Garden!
This stunning venue has 10 different event spaces, making it perfect match for your next event! It can host a beautiful wedding, a large meeting, an intimate award ceremony, an employee retreat and much more! The Garden, with it's 10 beautifully landscaped acres of formal and natural gardens, has plenty of room to host your event, rain or shine.
In addition to catering, Marigold also operates the Garden Café. All year long, the Garden Café uses fresh ingredients to make artisanal dishes like soups, salads, sandwiches, and chili. Plus, we have hand-crafted, grab-and-go snacks and pastries. So stop in and check out the café on your next visit!


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Dell Latitude 13 unveiled with thin profile and Vostro 13 looks
Late last year Dell pulled the wraps off a dead sexy Vostro V13 notebook aimed at business users that looked like the Adamo with a thin profile, but packed a price more like a netbook. Dell has now unveiled another new computer aimed at the business users that looks a lot like the V13 called the Latitude 13.
As you might guess from the product name, the notebook has a 13-inch screen. Dell calls the machine the world's thinnest 13-inch commercial client laptop. The machine differs a bit in style from the Vostro V13 and packs in some pre-installed business centric software.
The machine ships with a Citrix client installed making it ready for virtualization right out of the box. Other features include WiFi, WWAN options, and an optional external Blu-ray drive. The machine lacks an internal optical drive. CPU choices and pricing are unknown at this time, but I wouldn't expect it to be too out of line with the $450 price tag of the Vostro V13.


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Course: Rethinking Narcissism: The Bad and Surprising Good about Feeling Special
by Craig Malkin, PhD
CE Credit Hours: 7
Fee: $34
Course Menu:
> Order Hard Copy
'What is Narcissism?' is one of the fastest-rising searches on Google, and articles on the topic routinely go viral. Yet the word 'narcissism' seems to mean something different every time it's uttered. The only certainty, it would seem, is that it's bad to be a narcissist--really bad. That's terrible news for millennials, who've been branded 'the most narcissistic generation ever.'
In Rethinking Narcissism, Dr. Craig Malkin--a Harvard Medical School Instructor and clinical psychologist with more than two decades of experience--offers a radically new model for understanding this often misused term. Narcissism, argues Dr. Malkin, is essentially a spectrum of self-importance--and everyone falls somewhere on the scale between utter selflessness and total arrogance. When we casually invoke the term 'narcissist,' most of us are referring to the shadowy outer edge of the spectrum, which can shade into dangerous psychopathy. Yet there are also those who live at the lower end of the spectrum--dubbed 'echoists' by Dr. Malkin. These, too, are people we know; people so fearful of attention or acknowledgment that they often seem to have no voice at all.
Drawing on his own research, as well as the latest findings in psychology, Dr. Malkin uses vivid stories of people from all walks of life to teach concrete strategies for spotting--and coping with--excessive narcissism. At the same time, he explains why embracing some degree of narcissism--the drive to feel special-- is essential to maintaining a healthy sense of self-worth. Using his new tool, the Narcissism Test, he not only guides readers through the process of measuring their narcissism, but also offers step-by-step advice to prevent unhealthy narcissism--and nurture healthy narcissism--in ourselves, as well as our partners, our colleagues, our friends, and especially our children.
As practical as it is wise, Rethinking Narcissism doesn't just help people avoid the temptations and dangers of extreme narcissism--and narcissists--in both the real world and cyberspace; it helps everyone, including people who don't feel special enough, find their voices and live more passionate, fulfilling lives.
Educational Objectives
Upon completion of this course, the clinician will be able to:
Syllabus / Course Instructions
Additional Resources On This Site for CE
Additional Resources Not On This Site
Bio: Craig Malkin, PhDCraig Malkin, PhD is a psychologist, author and Director of YM Psychotherapy & Consultation, which provides psychotherapy and couples workshops. He's a former Chief Psychologist for Cambridge and currently teaches at Harvard Medical School. As a blogger for Psychology Today and the Huffington Post he frequently writes about psychology and relationships and works with media outlets such as Time Magazine, the The New York Times, and NPR. His new, critically acclaimed book, based on his preliminary research with the Narcissism Spectrum Scale (NSS), is Rethinking Narcissism: The Bad?and Surprising Good?About Feeling Special.


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As the New Year approaches, I wanted to share the value I have received from travel hacking in 2017.
In case you are unaware, travel hacking means that you can obtain free flights and accommodations for travel using specific credit card points and sign up bonuses.
I learned about travel hacking back in the spring of 2015. At this point, I was still on my journey to pay off my $55k student loan bill. I always followed Dave Ramsey's debt payoff methods and always thought that using credit cards are bad and I should stay away at all costs. However, through researching, I found that this wasn't the case for me. I learned that credit cards could provide significant value when used responsibly. I became very responsible for paying off my student loans and decided I should gain some value in return for my expenses. Since flights and hotels are usually the most expensive part of traveling, it made a lot of sense to reduce the cost as much as possible in order to maximize my travel experiences.
Disclaimer: If you are unable to pay a credit card bill monthly in full, you should not proceed with credit cards. No amount of rewards is worth accumulating debt for.
Your Credit
To receive the best credit card bonuses – you should have a good credit score. Typically it's required that you have at least a 700, and most of the time over a 750 credit score to be approved for the top cards that will give the most travel value.
If you aren't at the point to be approved, it's ok. I would recommend to look up your credit score for free on Credit Karma or Credit Sesame. From there, take steps to improve your credit so you can get one of the top travel cards in the future.
Related post: Introduction to Travel Hacking
Minimum Spend
One of the most critical parts of successful travel hacking is meeting the minimum spend requirements on travel credit cards. Typically for the premium credit cards, it will require anywhere from $2k to $5k in spend within the first three months of owning the card to obtain the sign-up bonus. Receiving the credit card signup bonus is critical to making travel hacking worth it. If you cannot meet these spend amounts, you shouldn't get the card.
While I was still paying off my student loans, I was able to make a credit card payment each month on top of the minimum balance that was due. Through this method, I was able to meet minimum spend requirements for two premium credit cards and earned over 160k Chase Ultimate Rewards points. Unfortunately, my former student company (Great Lakes) stopped this method of payment on 1/1/2017 (it was great while it lasted).
Now that I am out of debt, I have to be a little more creative to meet the minimum spend requirements for new cards. My average monthly spending is around $1200 to $1500 a month, and most of that I cannot put on a credit card (without a fee); for example – Rent and utility bills. So I have to find ways outside of my regular spending to meet minimum spend now.
How I Meet Minimum Spend
I have found out that my side hustle: Flipping items for extra money is an excellent way for me to meet minimum spend and earn money at the same time. Also, planning to get a credit card when you know you have more significant expenses coming up is a smart idea. For example Taxes, gifts, weddings, or any more substantial purchase.
What Cards I Recommend
I recommend using Chase branded cards when you are getting started. After all my research I have found that the premium Chase cards provide the most travel value and flexibility. You can transfer points to travel partners (airlines, hotels, and rental cars) or use the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal to book travel/activities at a discount.
Also, Chase has a 5/24 rule – meaning you cant open more than five credit cards within 24 months. Because of the 5/24 rule, it's essential to sign up for Chase cards first so you will be approved. Once you are over five chase credit cards in 24 months, you can then move on to other cards.
I recommend checking out this cool credit card research tool to see all your options.
Cards I Used this year
Chase Sapphire Reserve
Applied and was approved for this (premium) card in the fall of 2016 and reaped the benefits for my 2017 trips. I was lucky enough to earn 100k points off the sign-up bonus (now $50k bonus). This card provides a ton of value b/c it came with $300 in travel credits, free TSA Pre/Global Entry, and free Priority-Pass airport lounge access, in addition to the 100k points.
Before the year was up, I downgraded this card to a Chase Freedom to avoid the $450 annual fee and not cancel the account.
Chase Sapphire Preferred*
2017 was my 2nd time applying for this (premium) card. My first time was in May of 2015. Since 24 months past, I was able to apply again.
Applied and was approved for this card in August of 2017. I was lucky to be approved before Chase changed their rule on having the Chase Sapphire Reserve and Preferred at the same time.
I recommend the Sapphire Preferred card for beginners to travel hacking. The first year's annual fee gets waived, and this card comes with a lot of cool perks + 50k sign up bonus. You can downgrade the card after a year to avoid paying an annual fee.
Chase Freedom*
The Freedom is a free (non-premium) card. I use my Freedom card for purchases in their rotating 5x categories and use my other cards for all additional spending. I downgraded my Sapphire Reserve card to this card to avoid the annual fee and to keep my credit history.
Downgrading is a great way to avoid annual fees and keep your credit history length.
You can transfer the points you earn with your freedom card to one of the premium Chase cards (Reserve, Preferred, or Ink Preferred) to get the most value from your points.
Chase Freedom Unlimited*
Similar to the Chase Freedom, the Freedom Unlimited is a free (non-premium) card. It's 1.5x on all purchases. I use this card for regular purchases that I wouldn't get any bonus point for with my other cards.
You can transfer points to the premium cards and downgrade premium cards to it as well.
Southwest Cards
I signed up for the 2 Chase Southwest cards below to get the Southwest Companion Pass. To obtain the Companion Pass, you must earn 110k southwest rapid rewards points. That would be pretty hard to do if you earned those points through flying only. Luckily, the Southwest-branded credit cards count towards the points need for Companion Pass.
I signed up for both on the same day in September with a bonus offer of 60k per card.
The Companion Pass is valid for the current year and the next calendar year. Your goal should be obtaining it early in a calendar year, so you maximize the time you have it. I am planning on meeting the minimum spend on both the Southwest "Premier" and "Plus" cards in early Jan 2018. So I would get 120k points and the Companion pass status for all of 2018 and 2019.
Links with * above indicates a refer a friend link. If you were to sign up and be approved, I would get a small compensation in Chase Ultimate Rewards points.
2017 Trips & Financials
Travel Hacking has given me the opportunity to take three amazing trips this year. One of the trips was overseas to Europe, which I wouldn't have been able to pull off without travel hacking.
Europe Trip Report
Total Spent: $900.22
Estimated Cost without using points: $3390.02
Flight: Free with points (only paid taxes) – Included flights to Rome, Florence, Paris, and back to the US.
Accommodations: Airbnb* (earn $40 in free credit with my refer a friend link)
Highlights: Colosseum underground tour, Rome Cooking class, Vatican, Cinque Terre day trip, Tuscany day trip, Florence, Eiffel Tower, the Louvre museum, Seine River cruise, Swiss airport lounge in Zurich, and the fantastic Italian and French food. (I acquired most of our activities with points or partial points through the Chase Ultimate Rewards portal)
Colorado Trip Report
Total Spent: $390.36
Estimated Cost without using Points: $1028.50
Flight: $25 total (mainly used points) + taxes
Accommodations: Hyatt (free with points) and Tiny House
Highlights: Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods, Royal Gorge Bridge, Rocky Mountain National Park, and staying in a Tiny House.
Vancouver Trip Report
Total Spend: $619
Estimated Cost without using points: $619 – didn't use points on this trip
Flight: Paid in full – decided to save points
Accommodations: Airbnb split four ways
Highlights: Whistler, Lynn Canyon Park, Lighthouse Park, hiking, and airport lounges
Final Numbers for 2017
Total Paid: $1909.58
Total Estimated Cost without Points: $5037.52
Total Savings: $3127.94
2018 Travel Hacking Plans
I met my Chase Sapphire Preferred minimum spend in early November and will meet the minimum spend for the Southwest Companion Pass in early January. To utilize the Companion Pass, I'm planning a lot of domestic travel this year. Southwest will be adding flights to Hawaii in 2018 🙂 so that could be a possible destination in the next two years.
So far, I have a trip booked in September 2018 for Disney World and Fincon. My goal is to open up 1-2 cards in 2018 to do Disney for free.
I also received a 2018 National Park Pass, so I want to schedule at least 4-5 National Park trips across the US next year.
My Travel Budget
In addition to travel hacking, I also save money for travel automatically.
I use the Capital One 360 High-Interest Savings Account* (refer a friend link) to save 2x per month automatically. My Capital One 360 account is excellent because I can create multiple savings accounts (Travel, Gifts, Emergency, Business, etc.) all in the same place. I set up automatic deposits, and I never have to worry about saving for travel – its done automatically on the 1st and 15th each month.
It now has a 1% APR interest rate, too!
After I get back from trips, I transfer the money I spent on my credit cards from Capital One 360 to my checking account, so my monthly cash flow isn't affected.
Final Thoughts
As you can see from my total savings this year (over $3,000 in savings), travel hacking can be a great value to enjoy traveling now (even if you are paying off debt).
I recommend Chase cards first because I know first-hand the value that they have provided me. The value and flexibility to be able to transfer points to travel partners and book using the Ultimate Rewards portal cant be beaten amongst other travel cards.
I also can't stress enough how important it is always to pay your credit card balance in full (never accumulate debt) and to be able to meet the minimum spend. If you cant do both, then I recommend not getting into travel hacking.
All in all, if you have the means to meet the minimum spend requirements and pay off your credit cards responsibly travel hacking can be a great hobby to see more of the world for less $. I only started this hobby in the last few years and had a great experience so far. If you haven't tried travel hacking, I recommend getting started and see what trips are possible for you.
Question for You!
What trips have you been on recently?
How do you get the most value when you travel?
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- Debtfreeclimb 2020 Update - October 23, 2020
- DebtFreeClimb v2- Our Debt Freedom Progress Report - June 17, 2020
- Trip Report: Our Honeymoon (not on a budget) - February 7, 2020


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When traveling down the road and you drive into a fog of black smoke from the truck in front of you, do you ever think "that sure can't be good for the environment." Well, you would be correct. What you sometimes do not realize though is the effect that your own vehicle may have on the road.
I am not going to tell you all about the facts of emissions problems in our world today, because I am sure that you have heard and read about the crisis thousands of times. What I do want to do though is help inform you on solutions and ways we can help create a "greener" (is that a word?) environment and change the world!
Not because I am biased or anything… (I am), but motorcoach travel is one way that our world can take a turn for the better. Many researchers have done studies about emissions and it has become well known that motorcoach travel is one of the most efficient ways to travel. If you think about it, you and 50+ of your friends (or not friends) traveling on one vehicle, definitely makes a lot of sense. But here are some facts: (source)
-Highway congestion costs United States taxpayers $72 billion annually in wasted resources and lost productivity.
-One motor coach can displace as many as 56 passenger cars from crowded highways.
-By keeping up to 425 million cars off of U.S. roads annually, motor coaches drastically reduce air, ground, water and noise pollution.
-According to the American Bus Association, motor coaches deliver more than 146 passenger miles per gallon of fuel, and yield more people-moving efficiency per BTU than any other mode of transport.
-Motor coaches use 946 BTUs per passenger mile, compared to 3,890 for planes and 2,134 for trains.
One major factor that is not even taken into these numbers is the fact that all vehicles 2013 or newer are designed with systems that make them vastly greener than their predecessors. Designed to drastically reduce polluting particulate emissions by 90 percent, they run exclusively on Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel (ULSD) fuel.
Now to the good stuff… Arrow Stage Lines is ahead of the game on most of this stuff. With a fleet that is 78% 2013 or newer, we are constantly working hard to keep up with the newest equipment and technology. Not only provide a safe and comfortable ride, but also benefit from the new engine technology that provides better MPG, better emissions regulating, and ultimately a cleaner running engine.
Now, as much as we want a vehicle to do all of the hard work for us, all of us here at Arrow Stage Lines are working hard to become one of the most environmentally friendly companies in our industry. We have put 100% of our motorcoach operators through an idle-free training as well as eco-friendly training. After doing this more than 2 years ago, we have seen a drastic decrease in idle time (more than 35%) and our average MPG has gone up thanks to the idle-free and eco driving practices of our motorcoach operators.
Arrow Stage Lines not only won the 2017 Green Spirit Award for being environmentally friendly in both operations and motorcoaches, but we also most recently were just awarded the 2019 Environmental Leadership Award by the United Motorcoach Group. Here at Arrow Stage Lines we were so excited to share these awards with our team.
We know that we have put a lot of hard work to get where we are today, but we can not stop here. Here at Arrow we are working alongside manufacturers to provide an idle free APU (auxillary power unit) for all of our motorcoaches to run HVAC and lighting on sustainable electric power while not moving. We also believe that electic motorcoaches are coming soon! We all know how quick electric car manufacturers like Tesla are creating a viable transportation option by providing longer range at a lower cost, but it is not quite there yet for the motorcoach industry. Once it does happen, Arrow Stage Lines will be eager to explore the electric options for all of our charter and contract business!
In closing, do yourself and the world a favor. Book your next trip on a motorcoach! The industry is very diverse on sizes, so if you have a group of either 5 or 500, there is an option! You can help us change the world!!
We would love the chance to quote your next trip here at Arrow Stage Lines. Click here to get a quick quote now!!


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Remote Debugging A Mobile Website
Published on 26 Jul 2012 at 6:20 pm.
Filed under Informative,Mobile.
During mobile web development you will have a time when your site looks off. Here we look at remote debugging tools to help fix your design.
Remote Debugging Tool: Adobe Shadow
Adobe Shadow is a remote debugging tool from Adobe that allows you to connect your Kindle Fire, iOS, or Android device to your computer. It is a pretty simple tool. It works even on my old iPod touch running iOS 4.2.1.
To get yourself up and running with Adobe Shadow you are going to need to install three pieces of software.
- Install Adobe Shadow for Mac OS X (10.6-10.7) or Windows 7. Adobe Shadow is not available for Windows XP.
- Install the Adobe Shadow client for iOS, Android, or Kindle Fire.
- Install the Shadow browser extension for Google Chrome.
When Adobe Shadow is running any page loaded by Chrome on your desktop computer will also load on your mobile device. You can then use Weinre to create a remote connection between the device and Chrome's built-in debugging tools. The debugging tools do basically the same as they do on desktop. You can make changes to the page that are instantly reflected on your mobile device. The only difference I've experienced is that messages logged to the console do not show during page load. I'll take that flaw for the easy of development. I have saved weeks of mobile web development work once I started to use Adobe Shadow.
Remote Debugging Tool: Chrome Mobile
Remote debugging Chrome for Android is pretty simple once you have everything set up. Unfortunately this setup process is pretty long. You must first install the Android SDK. If you're like me and like to download everything to make sure you're covered for all situations then expect to wait a long time. I'd recommend starting it up either at the beginning of the day, or at the end of the day and let it run overnight.
Once you've installed everything you should update your
PATH environment variable to include the Platform Tools found in the "
platform-tools" folder in the SDK's installation folder. This will allow you to easily run the Android Device Bridge (adb) from the command line without having to type the path over every time. Once completed you have finished the one-time steps necessary for remote debugging.
From here you should connect your Android device to your computer with a USB cable and launch Google Chrome for Android. From their open Settings and then select Advanced. On this screen you will select Developer tools and check the Enable USB Web debugging option. Your device is ready to send out remote debugging information.
On your desktop you are going to need to enable port forwarding so that you can receive information from your device. You can do that by issuing the following from the command line:
adb forward tcp:9222 localabstract:chrome_devtools_remote
Finally, launch Google Chrome and enter
localhost:9222 into the address bar. You are then presented a series of thumbnails of the pages you can debug. Click on the thumbnail and then open Chrome's Developer Tools to begin debugging your page.
That may seem like a lot at first but once you have installed the SDK and configured your path it is very simple to do the other steps. The only thing to remember is that you really should disconnect the USB cable and disable USB debugging in Chrome when you no longer need it. This type of debugging is a big drain on your battery.
Remote Debugging Tool: Firefox Mobile
I am just including this section for completeness. Remote debugging Firefox Mobile is similar to the Chrome debugging. The first difference is the command that you issue:
adb forward tcp:6000 tcp:6000
There should be code to enable remote debugging in Firefox 15. Firefox is on 14 at the time of this writing, but I have installed the pre-release copy of Firefox 17 and I cannot find this remote debugger for the life of me. I found the hidden preference that they say will make it show, but I've got no where. I've tried browsing to
localhost:6000 like on Chrome, but that's not it. If anyone figures that out please let me know.
Update: It seems Mozilla put together instructions now that Firefox 15 is close to completion. It will not need USB debugging as Firefox supports Wi-Fi debugging, though USB debugging is available for better security.
Remote Debugging Tool: Opera Dragonfly
Remote debugging has been available with Opera Dragonfly since 2008. It is ridiculously simple. All you need to debug Opera Mobile is the desktop version of Opera. No third-party applications or SDK's. On the desktop version you just need to go to Tools and then Advanced and then Opera Dragonfly. Inside of Opera Dragonfly there is a button in the top right corner for Remote debug configuration. Click on it and it will ask you to specify a port to make available. The default port is 7001. This is good enough for most people.
From there you move to your mobile device. Inside of Opera Mobile enter
about:debug in the address bar. You will then be presented to a screen that asks you to enter an IP address and a port. Once you do this and hit connect the desktop version of Opera will be able to debug your mobile connection. Let me be clear about this: you don't even need to be in the same city as the desktop version! Yes, it would be slow to remote debug a device in another city, but it's possible.
Those are the most useful tools that I have found while working on mobile web development. Got a tool you'd like to suggest?
This post was originally published as Remote Debugging A Mobile Website for The BrandBuilder Company.


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Table of Contents
Time away from it all is necessary for your sanity. And now that you have more wiggle room to take vacation time off, you want to take advantage.
Boomers spend the most on luxury travel, more than any other generation before us. But are you tired of all the typical vacation trips and destinations? Want to do something different?
You can plan an eclectic vacation that's just right for you — and here are some ideas for doing just that.
What kind of vacation do you want?
The first step is identifying exactly what you want to do with your time. Reconnect with nature? Immerse yourself in a romantic language? Get lost in an open-air market?
Instead of discovering a picturesque setting, use image apps like Pinterest to set the ambiance for your trip. Also, think about who is going, and what's appropriate for them. Are you taking your kids along for the ride? Or are you going all in with your friends on the ultimate vacation hike?
How will you get to your vacation destination?
From there, it's the logistics. Kayak allows you to look at various airfare options all at once, so it's a good place to start if you want to visit multiple locales in one trip. Sometimes booking portals like CheapOAir will post promotions on their Twitter feed, so look out for those as well as other social media pages. If you take an eco-tour, or a more organized route, those organizations should send you to their recommended vacation travel outlets.
Don't be put off by the all-inclusive packages and prices — you don't have to be tied down to one location unless you want to be. Just don't let that over-zealous concierge get in the way of your explorations.
Trip Advisor can be your best friend, but it can also be a hindrance through its reviews and star ratings. Go with your gut. Not every person on the review site is like you – looking for a life-changing journey. That hotel may be unacceptable by their standards, but maybe it's just what a wanderer like you needs for your vacation trip.
For a memorable vacation – Go for it!
Don't believe the hype, either: Some attractions are great just to say you've seen it (like the Eiffel Tower.) But if you don't think it matches up with what you want, then skip it. Why waste time seeing Costa Rica's tourism traps when you can weave through tiny mountain roads and see epic views of jungle landscape?
Finally, to get the most out of your escape, consider taking all your plans — and throwing them out of the window. Don't worry about what your family and friends say. This is your great adventure, and you've waited a long time for it!
Safety first
When you do go, be safe while you're out and about. Be sensible about where you are, who you talk to and what you tell them. At the same time, you never know what you will find simply chatting up locals at a village bar, or while sharing a midday walk to a Buddhist temple. To find your way off the beaten path, you have to step a little off-road.
Where's YOUR next vacation destination?


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Seven ways to keep your kids healthy, active and engaged this summer!
Summer is upon us and with it children often break from routine—mornings spent sleeping in, afternoons spent watching television or playing video games in the cool air conditioning and evenings enjoying a ice cream cone before bed. It may sound great, but a summer spent like this can have lasting negative effects. Kids are less physically active and engaged in learning during the summer months and research shows that children gain weight two to three times faster in summer than during the school year. In addition to that, kids can fall behind academically because they don't have access to out-of-school learning opportunities. Here are 7 ways you can provide a healthy summer experience for your kids that you can feel good about:
7. High Five the Fruits and Veggies
Make sure kids get at least five servings a day, the minimum number nutritionists recommend to maintain healthy childhood development. And to keep kids' taste buds evolving, have everyone in the family try at least one bite of a new fruit or vegetable at least once a month. Check out this link on healthy, fun recipes that you can make with your kids this summer!
6. Keep them Active
Children need at least an hour a day of physical activity. There isn't a better time than summer to meet this recommendation. Some of these things might be appealing for your family:
- Set a family goal of great health by teaming up for community or charity events like races, walks, fun runs, bike rides, etc.
- Find local sports clubs, camps, and teams to sign your kids up for.
- Go for family walks or bike rides, play yard games, or go to a local pool.
5. Reduce Screen Time
Keep screen time down to a maximum of two hours a day. Two hours a day is plenty of time for your kids to make progress in their video game, or watch a couple episodes of their favorite TV show. Set a specific time for "screen time" to keep routine in your child's life. For example allowing time in the evening after they have spent the day being active. Maybe even use it as a reward for eating healthy or for helping out around the house.
4. Keep Their Brains Busy
Prevent summer learning loss! There are many ways in which you can encourage summer learning for your children to help them grow every day. Many local libraries often hold summer reading programs and various learning opportunities for kids. Another option is to make it a family effort to read books together or to each other. Plan a day around your child's hobbies – zoo, nature reserve, planetarium, aquarium, history museum, etc. Make TV time educational. If the TV is on, make it a beneficial learning experience. Our personal favorite is registering your child for the #BestSummerEver at Y Day Camp 😉
Check out this list of more ways to keep the little brains sharp.
3. Practice Sun Safety
Sunlight is important because it provides our bodies with Vitamin D that helps us maintain strong bones and muscles. It also helps improve mood by helping our bodies release serotonin, a mood enhancing hormone. All this good comes with some bad of course. A bad sunburn can leave you and your kids in pain and can increase risk of skin cancer later in life. It is important to apply sunscreen of at least SPF 30 on your child, while reapplying every hour or so. Remember that the sun's harmful rays are strongest from about 11 am to 3 pm, so perhaps eating lunch in the shade for a while during this time might be a good idea.
2. Volunteer Together
Find a cause that matters to the kids. Open their eyes to a world beyond themselves and the rich rewards that come from making a difference. Take a look here at some ideas your family could engage in this summer to make a difference.
1. Make Sleep a Priority
Doctors recommend 10-12 hours of sleep a day for children ages 5-12 and 7-8 hours per night for adults. Sleep plays a critical role in maintaining our healthy immune system, metabolism, mood, memory, learning and other vital functions. While sleeping patterns will surely vary in the summer, it's still important to practice good habits and try to stick to a routine.
One of the largest sleep obstacles for most people is the use of electronic devices such as TVs, computers, tablets and smartphones. These all give off 'blue light', which can make it more difficult for you and your child to fall asleep. Having these devices in bedrooms leads to the obvious temptation to stay up late, however, this light also disrupts human body's production of melatonin, a hormone that helps prepare us for good sleep. This hormone is produced by our bodies in the dark, which is why we sleep at night.


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How often do we miss the point of what God is doing in our lives or in the lives of others because we are wrapped up in the business of church and making sure that we keep the rules? How often do we miss the opportunity to celebrate God because the circumstances do not fit our theology?
Here are a few examples ...
A friend calls to tell us how they were desperate for cash. Bills were overdue, the car needed repairs, and the kids needed clothes for the new school year. They prayed, "God help us." Unexplained and unexpected an envelope arrives in the mail with no return address and no note containing the exact amount of money they needed to cover the bills, plus a little extra. How do we respond? Do we join in their celebration? Do we acknowledge that this could have only come from God? Do we question and investigate how someone could have known what the need was and wonder who could have come through for us in the pinch? Do we silently wonder why things like this never happen to us?
One of our children greets us after school with a smile stretched across their face because they believed what we had prayed with them the night before when we asked God to help them deal with the teacher who seemed to be unfair, or the classmate who never talked to them. On this day, that prayer was answered. They are thrilled to know God really does hear us when we pray. How did we respond? Did we rejoice with them or did we play it down with a, "Oh wow! That's neat." Do we ignore it completely by justifying it our minds that we don't want them to grow up thinking that kind of stuff happens all the time?
During a Bible class someone stands up, unsolicited, saying, "I have a praise to share with the class." For the next few minutes they struggle to contain their emotions as they reveal a struggle they have been experiencing and the victory they have now experienced. They use words like "miracle" and "unbelievable" and "amazed" and they give credit completely to the Lord. Though several show their agreement with an "Amen" or a "Praise God," one wise brother reminds us that we should not get too carried away with this sort of thing and reminds us that miracles have ceased and that God really does not work like that any more.
In each case the person with the story says, "I don't know all the details of what happened. All I know is this ... I got this envelope full of money in the mail ... the relationship with the person at school is better ... I have won the victory over this problem ... I was crippled, now I walk ... I was blind, now I see."
Jesus seems to address this at the end of his encounter with a man he healed who had been born blind. The Lord said to his critics, "For judgment I have come into the world, so that the blind will see and those who see will become blind" (John 9:39).
This week, let me challenge us not to spoil a celebration with our explanations, with our analysis, or by discrediting it. Let the celebrations flourish. Join in. Give God the glory, much like the people did when Jesus forgave and healed a man who had been paralyzed:
This amazed everyone and they praised God, saying, "We have never seen anything like this!" (Mark 2:12).
Who knows? Maybe God has something planned for you. I hope you don't miss it.


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"Shrubbery" is a nickname I have used online for many games dating back to about 1993. Don't ask why, I'm not sure! Probably, as most people guess, Monty Python derived at least unconsciously if not deliberately. I was just trying to think of a name nobody else would have taken first. And failed, as it turned out, I've found a number of ISPs and forums where "Shrubbery" is already registered, so in most games I now call myself ShrubMiK?. Don't ask!
Author of two bots, Silver and Vapour.
As of 6th April 2005:
Currently working as an IT contractor for a London UK bank since a month or so after the IBM Robocode Rumble concluded. With little spare time, hence the complete removal of robocode from my PC around that time! I have written some "real live" Java software in my time here, so the effort that went into Robocode had a real payoff. Now I need to brush up my rusty coding again (TCL doesn't count) so am trying to find some time to dabble in RC once again.
Never mind that list. Just go GuessFactorTargeting and WaveSurfing for 1v1 and you're set. Melee is a different beast though. You're much more the expert than me there. -- PEZ
I'd be interested to know whether gun or movement is perceived as the main weakness of Vapour in 1v1. Or both :) I think the radar is okay ;) If anybody has taken notice of such a lowly 1v1 bot, of course! I must find time to play about with some of the challenges... -- Shrubbery
I recommend you try the RRGunChallenge first. It primary compares your gun against the topbots, but also gives an indication how your movement performs compared to miniRaiko's. Some other challenges require that you always shoot power 3.0 bullets, so that is more cleanroom testing instead of real-world. -- GrubbmGait
Aha! I see my previous response to this seems to have been lost! Thanks, sounds like a good idea, I'll look at that challenge. Optimisation and restructuring still has a way to go, with sparetime drying up a bit recently, although results look good so far - Vapour runs approximately 3 times as fast. Unfortunately I've broken something subtle so that it performs 10% less well in melee. Hopefully these two factors are not 100% correlated :) -- Shrubbery
You seem active and keep adding oldies to RR@H. Are you going to release some big bot in the near future? --lRem
Active yes, as much as limited time permits. Don't expect anything especially "new" in the near future though :) -- Shrubbery


text: They're at it again. The über-nannies at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) have decided for the rest of us (as usual) that most meals at shopping mall food courts do more harm than good. CSPI would apparently prefer that your mall-walking energy come from rice cakes and tofu. Who asked them, anyway? For a closer look at CSPI, check out our site www.cspiSCAM.com.


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The authors of the book are vintage enthusiasts and run a vintage store in the UK; Secondhand Rose. The book covers fashion styles from the 1920's to the 80's in perhaps a little different way than we are used to see vintage fashion being represented; quite down to earth, rather practical. The book does not present items that designer pieces photographed at a museum nor is it illustrated with vintage fashion editorials and adverts, but the clothing pictured are from the authors' vintage store or borrowed from friends and relatives, items that have really been worn or are in use. The photos in the book are also of friends and relatives, shots from real life.
In the end there is a section of street style, with what I am sure will be a lot of familiar faces for many of you. And why did I mention I had been know about the book to coming out?
Well, that's since yours truly is also featured in a spread :)
At the same time as Wearable Vintage Fashion I also got a guide book on vintage shopping in London; Seconhand and Vintage London by Andrew Whittaker:
But anyway, most people find London a good city for vintage shopping and thrifting. So when I do get to go there to dig in on the selection this guidebook will come in handy - Secondhand and Vintage London is part of a shopping guide series being made (so far a Berlin version is also available, which I'd like to see as I have had the chance to browse stores over there a few times and have many trips there yet to make again).
Both books are published by Vivays (- they have quite many books on art and vintage!).
You can't order the books directly from the publisher but find them on Amazon for example.
And, and, in honour of finishing off my "give away week" (which I intended to do last week already but that a nasty flu stopped me from), one of you will have a chance to win either one of these books according to your choice!
To enter, leave me a comment on this post, and let me know which of the books you would be interested in. As usual, this is open to everyone out there. The winner will be drawn randomly which means only one comment per person (and once again, make sure I can reach you trough that comment)! If you however mention and link this give away somewhere out there on the interwebs you can leeave me annother comment showing me you'v done so, which of course will give you another entry.
The give away will be open for one week; until Wednesday March 28th.


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We've all been so busy patting ourselves on the back and speculating about a new Middle East that we'd forgotten entirely that the Iran nuclear deal must still be approved by the American Senate, and that such a thing is not a foregone conclusion. In the past week, beyond the usual Republican suspects, President Obama's own Democrats have begun questioning its merits.
And New York state's Chuck Schumer, one of the Senate's top Democrats, just came out against it.
Senator Schumer's argument focuses on the usual talking points: Iran cannot be trusted, verification cannot happen fast enough, and that there is such a thing as a better deal that could be gained if the U.S. turned the screws even tighter on Iran.
Alas, he's dead wrong, but not because of his objections about the deal itself. Senator Schumer, like many of those who oppose the Iran deal, is reading the political tea leaves and completely missing the "geo" part – and that's where he errs.
And now, le cliff notes.
- The United States is still a superpower, but it has finite amounts of military (hard) and diplomatic (soft) power.
- The U.S. has used up a great deal of its hard power over the past 14 years fighting two long guerilla wars; what hard power is still effective must be focused on an expansionist Russia and a rising China while keeping its remaining forces in reserve for a potential crisis not of America's making. In other words, America, today, really can't afford yet another war of choice.
- That means, in order to solve problems and manage regions, America must first turn to soft power, which the Obama administration has been rebuilding and refocusing after years of cowboy diplomacy under the Bush administration.
- But soft power is fragile: if people don't believe in it, it disappears.
- Should the American Senate reject the Iran nuclear deal as negotiated now, it would be a decisive blow to American soft power, proving that U.S. diplomacy cannot solve world problems and that regional actors are better sorting themselves on their own.
So let's take a step back from the deal's details and look at the much wider, geopolitical picture.
Schumer and those like him focus heavily on the deal's wording, and to be fair they do have a point. Iran will probably use its unfrozen assets to support Syria's murderous dictator, Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and its proxies in Iraq. It will probably continue to arm groups that seek to attack Israel. And it's possible it's playing for time and might carry out secret work towards building a nuclear weapon. Moreover, the deal doesn't address its missile program that may one day yield an ICBM.
That being said, who cares?
Iran's not gotten far in its proxy wars, and that won't change once its assets are unfrozen.
Thus far, Iran's proxies have managed only stalemates: as soon as they leave Shi'a territory, they are ground down or halted. Only the Yemeni Houthis have enjoyed a measure of success, but even they will find governing Yemen extremely difficult with Saudi Arabia and its allies waging war on them.
All Iran has succeeded in doing in each of these countries is dividing them or causing them to fail. That's not a great track record for a would-be imperial power. (Source: Businessinsder.com)
No anti-Israeli proxies, from Hamas to Islamic Jihad to Hezbollah, are capable of taking and holding Israeli territory. Israeli hysterics aside, Iran cannot fund any force that can actually conquer an Israeli city.
If anything, the more money and arms Iran throws at such intractable problems, the weaker Iran grows in the long run, and the worse off the hardliners are in Tehran. Iran lacks the power to remake the Middle East into its Shi'a Islamist image, and the more its hardliners try to do so, the worse Iran will look.
Case in point is the Syrian civil war. Despite generous Iranian aid, Assad is no closer to reconquering his country: recent reports actually estimate his army has lost 50% of its soldiers to battle and desertion. This empowers Iranian moderates who suggest negotiation while making the hardliners and their ideas look impotent.
As for the ICBM problem, should Iran develop such a program, it would fit into the same category as North Korea, Russia, and China, and would be subject to mutually assured destruction. Months ago I made the case Iran is not crazy: that article is worth a second gander as to why a nation-state of millions will not willfully commit suicide.
Alright, so the world won't get much worse under this deal. But why can't America just bomb the nuclear program and be done with it?
The United States is a superpower, but it is not all-powerful. That's a huge misconception amongst both Americans and everyone else on the planet. I regularly see comments in President Obama's Facebook page where people beg Obama to come do this or that on their behalf, as if he were a god-king riding around on a chariot of fire all day dispensing favor and justice to whoever bows appropriately.
The best way to think about the limits of American power are illustrated in the film Brokedown Palace. If you get caught smuggling drugs in Thailand, the president can do all of dick for you. That very simple situation extends further outwards throughout the international arena: there are countries the president can get you out of from prison, and there are countries he cannot (or will not).
While the U.S. still has the strongest military in human history, it is still finite. After 14 years of wars, there are up to 1 million wounded veterans who need resources and state power to support. Combined, the two wars cost something around $4 to $6 trillion, which on the estimate's high end is a third of America's annual GDP. That's not to mention the new war on the Islamic State, whose price tag will not be fully known for years.
The Risk metaphor is appropriate here. In the classic version, North America enjoys 5 armies per turn, which, if such a player can prevent anyone else from getting Europe, is a very secure position to be in. But if other players hold South America, which is worth 2 per turn, and Africa, which is worth 3 per turn, the North American player must commit to balance over blitzkrieg. To move too aggressively against one player might open up a flank to the other, allowing a deft foe to sweep in, break the North American player's continent bonus, and conceivably finish them off.
While real world geopolitics is far more complicated, the principle is sound. The U.S. is not 50% of the world's military power: it therefore cannot overcome its enemies solely through its military.
Both Russia and China pose very real threats to the American-led international order. Both of them require expensive bases and vast amounts of power to manage. In 2001, when the War on Terror began, Russia was still a mess and China's economic miracle had yet to grow teeth. An American president could afford war back then. Today, Russia, while still deeply flawed, has returned to its traditional role as an Eastern European conqueror, while China seeks a new world role that may or may not be wholly aligned with America's vision.
Which brings us to the merits of having a nuclear deal today.
A deal is an expression of American soft power, which the Obama administration has spent years rebuilding. Such a successful expression will make it easier to make more deals in the future. What's remarkable about the Iran deal is just how unified the international community is on it: even rivals in Moscow and Beijing have signed up to it. Remember that against Russia and China, the U.S. cannot use hard power to secure itself, since that would lead to nuclear war. Rather, the more secure American soft power is, the more secure overall the country is against nuclear-armed competitors.
Reneging at the last minute on this deal will show Russia and China that American soft power is unreliable, even weak. It will encourage them to use hard power to press for their interests elsewhere: negotiating the Chinese out of the South China Sea and Russia out of Ukraine will be all the more difficult if the two believe the American president can't be trusted. Once more, it can't be said enough that America cannot fight wars against Russia or China.
Much has been made of the deal buying time for Iran, but the same can said for the United States. The U.S. needs time to rebuild its hard power and reorganize its military to deal with new threats. In 10 years, if Iran breaks the deal, the U.S. will be in a much better position to attack. That will be 10 years where it will have had the chance to repair the damage from the Great Recession, absorb the masses of veterans from the Afghan and Iraq Wars, and secure further alliances for a better war with Iran. Such a "better war" would involve Russia and/or China, who will be much easier to get on board should Iran be clearly the one who breaks the deal.
There's been plenty of hysterics over "betraying" allies like Israel with this deal, specifically from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. But one should consider allies further afield when thinking about dumping the deal: such an act will convince Europeans, Latin Americans, and East Asians that America is unable to negotiate on their behalf. They'll feel an ever greater need to express their power without the U.S., who, having been proven to negotiate in bad faith, will see its influence shrink.
Such regional shenanigans lead to greater chaos. Europe was one of the bloodiest continents on Earth until American and Soviet armies divided it up and froze it in place after World War II. Imagine a Germany that decides it can't trust the U.S. and comes to security arrangements on its own with China or Russia. Imagine Latin American countries opening up their markets to European and Asian countries but not the United States, fearful the American Senate will shoot down trade deals at the last minute. Suddenly, regional power blocs emerge that can threaten American power and prosperity.
Dear Senator Schumer: you clearly haven't thought long and hard enough about it.
Forget the details of the deal itself; of course Iran can (and may) cheat, and of course Iran will still subsidize its proxies. But Iran cannot conquer the Middle East, and the U.S. can continue to contain Iran on the cheap with its still formidable alliance network.
Rather, the deal shores up badly-needed American soft power. As the 21st century unfolds, American soft power will decide how long the superpower remains super. (Barring someone finding a way to shoot down nukes 100% of the time, which would bring conventional war back to the forefront).
Reneging on the deal at the last minute is an unnecessary self-inflicted blow to American soft power. It undermines the international order the U.S. has worked so hard to build since 1945 and will embolden hardliners in China, Russia, and Iran, all of whom will see America as untrustworthy, weak or both.
Finally, the deal buys not just Iran time; it also gives America at least a decade to rearm and prepare for war. After using up so much of its power over the past 14 years, that's a decade the U.S. sorely needs. If 2025 rolls around and Iran is run by the same hardliners unwilling to change, the U.S. will be in a much better position to fight them.
If America's Congress does sink the nuclear deal, it will herald further international chaos. Let's hope few follow Senator Schumer's lead.


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Wordle is a word puzzle game where players need to figure out a hidden daily 5-letter word from a huge potential list of words. The answer is not always easy to guess, and the clues may make things more confusing, and that's why we're here to help. When your Wordle answer starts with P, you can reference the list of words below as a guide to help solve the puzzle.
We recommend trying your best to figure out the Wordle on your own, as some people may consider this cheating, which kind of defeats the purpose of the game. However, there's nothing wrong with looking up a hint if you're just trying to learn some more 5-letter words beginning with P to add to your vocabulary.
If you just want to figure out today's puzzle, you can check today's Wordle Answer or use our Wordle solver for further assistance.
Words Starting With P
There are 300 5-letter words that start with the letter P, and the full list is available below. Use our sorting tool to modify the list to your liking. To narrow down the words to a more manageable size, you can eliminate ones containing invalid letters or bad letter placements based on your in-game clues.
5-Letter Words Starting With P List
That's our list of 5-letter words that start with P. No matter what word game you're playing, if you need five-letter words with P as the first letter, this should give you some ideas to work with. Hopefully, this will help you figure out the daily Wordle, or whatever other word game you might be having trouble completing.
More 5-Letter Word Lists
These are some complementary 5-letter word lists that you can use if you would like to check out some more ideas. Below you can find a list of 5-letter words containing P in a few different positions. You can also see a full list of words starting with any letter of the alphabet.
5-Letter Words Containing P
- 5 Letter Words That End in P – Wordle List
- 5 Letter Words With P in the Middle – Wordle List
- 5 Letter Words With Two P's in Them – Wordle List
5-Letter Words Starting With Any Letter
For more related word games, you can check out our list of games similar to Wordle.


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Ahh, travel. To some people, this can be an exciting journey and to others, it can be a plain hassle. There are many factors to consider when travel is in your near future such as flights, transportation, scheduling, lodging, member benefits and more. Are you traveling for personal reasons or business? Do you need to keep track of your travel expenses? It's no wonder receipts can get lost, points are missed or you end up spending much more than you anticipated. There is a lot to think about!
I don't know about you, but something that I've noticed consistently that seems to determine a good travel experience for most of my clients is COMFORT. So here are some things I like to consider when planning a trip. This should help you stay organized, comfortable and on track for your next trip.
Flights- Get to the airport early! Delays, layovers, baggage (carry-on or checked), preferred airline, type of aircraft, seating, flex tickets (the ability to cancel) and cost. If you work for a company that has a specific travel protocol, make sure you're booking within those guidelines.
Transportation- To and from the airport, hotel pickup shuttles within the airport, rental cars, Uber, Lyft, cabs, and cost. There are many choices when it comes to transportation, knowing when and where you need to be will help to narrow down these choices. Convenience can factor in as well if you're willing to pay a bit more.
Scheduling: Be on time! Departing and arriving according to your schedule (or event), traffic, weather, cancellations and rescheduling flights are all things to think about when you need to be somewhere at a specific time/day. Look at your dates closely, make sure you're not traveling during a major event or holiday because this may hinder your travel plans.
Are you a rewards member? Do you want to redeem points or miles? Setting up member accounts to gain miles, points, and freebies is always a plus. You can sign up to join various airlines, hotels, rental car agencies, etc. You'll end up using them more than you might think, just remember to include your member number every time you book!
Lodging: With all the choices these days such as Airbnb, HomeAway, mainstream hotels, and boutique hotels, how do you know which is best? I would consider cost, the length of stay and preference before making a decision.
Expenses: Use apps to help streamline your expenses! Apps are very helpful and make keeping track of these items much easier. You can take photos of your receipts with your phone instead of keeping paper copies. Email receipts and other confirmations to yourself, you're likely receiving some of these through email anyway. Keeping them all in one folder may help the organization process.
Just a few extras:
- When traveling internationally make sure your passport has not exceeded the expiration date. Also, check with the country you're traveling too for any other documentation you may need.
- Before a flight, I like to keep a water bottle and a small snack on me. Especially if I'm flying economy, you never know when you'll get your next meal.
- Carry a light jacket, airplanes can get chilly.
- Keep a book or phone handy to help occupy your time. I keep one in my carry-on bag, so it's accessible during my flight.
- Always keep an eye out for checked baggage fees when necessary.
- Weather! Check the weather at your destination prior to packing.
Can you think of anything to add to this list? What are some of your go-to travel tips?


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Darran is a leading producer of wood casegoods and wood conference furniture. Founded in 1977 in High Point, NC., the company prides itself on a family owned philosophy of attention to detail, fine craftsmanship and exceptional customer service. In recent years Darran has expanded into specific high design applications in open plan benching and collaborative seating.
Click here to visit the Darran website.


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Used as the location of Storybrooke for the hit ABC fantasy television series "Once Upon a Time," the village in Steveston, British Columbia is standing in for part of San Francisco. In the film, the big, green guy is going to rampage through the city by the bay.
Actor Aaron Taylor-Johnson ("Kick-Ass," "Kick-Ass 2") is featured in the set images. His character is hitching a ride with members of the U.S. military. No photos have surfaced of the title creature. Apparently, he is shy about coming out of his trailer. Check out the pictures!
Here is a brief storyline for the film.
A giant radioactive monster called Godzilla awakens from eons of sleep and attacks a city.
The action/sci-fi/thriller "Godzilla" is scheduled for a May 16, 2014 release. The film stars Aaron Taylor-Johnson ("Kick-Ass,") Bryan Cranston, Elizabeth Olsen, Juliette Binoche, David Strathairn, Sally Hawkins, Ken Watanabe, Richard T. Jones, Brian Markinson, Patrick Sabongui, and Akira Takarada. Max Borenstein, Frank Darabont, and Drew Pearce wrote the screenplay based on the story by Dave Callaham and David S. Goyer. Gareth Edwards ("Monsters") directs.
Source: comicbookmovie


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Over the weekend, I introduced a few pages from Monte Kiffin's old Buccaneers defensive playbook. Two things became immediately clear:
1: BTB readers have a keen interest in learning about actual NFL schemes and terminology
2: We, the writers, have an obligation to provide a more solid groundwork so that all members can enjoy and participate in these discussions
With those things in mind, the first topic that needed immediate clarification was the designation of defensive 'techniques,' or assignments. For your perusal, I offer a (hopefully) simple diagram:
I think it's essentially more beneficial to think of the two sets, even and odd, as distinct sequences. As you can see, from the inside out, both the even and odd techniques increment in correct numerical order. It's only when the two are combined that the sequence appears to be nonsensical.
The logic behind the numbering systems is actually quite accessible. Arif Hasan at the Daily Norseman explains:
When Bear Bryant reportedly standardized the system at Texas A&M, the goal was to create a terminology that not only easily defined alignment, but also function. Anyone given an even number technique had two gaps to control, and they were lined up over an offensive lineman. 0 over the center, 2 the guard, 4 the tackle, and 6 the end. By extension, the 8 is outside the tight end, and not shaded over a player ("nose over air"). The odd numbered techniques were designated by taking the lineman corresponding to one number below, and lining up on the shoulder closest to the C gap. They generally attacked one gap.
How an 8-technique playing 'over air' has 2-gap responsibility is more easily understood with the help of my diagram. In many situations, most often the goal line, two or more tight ends may line up on the same side of the formation. The 8-technique then is responsible for engulfing the H-Back, or the flanking tight end, and stopping runs to both sides of that man.
That is, of course, irrelevant now. Kiffin's defense does not use even techniques. In fact, when Kiffin wants a player to line up head-up on the tight end, he doesn't call it a 6-technique - he calls it a 'stack.' 6-technique would be a misnomer because it would imply two gap responsibilities, when, in reality, the stack is a slightly offset 7-technique that only ever worries about the C-gap (inside the TE). The positioning serves to disrupt the Tight End's route, and potentially neutralize blocking for a toss or screen.
Despite whatever your preconceptions may be, this particular old man is not the conservative type when it comes to defensive line play. While the reckless, crazy Rob Ryan was content to set Marcus Spears and Kenyon Coleman down as 2-gap barriers on the line, the boring old man Kiffin would prefer to send four dynamic pass rushers directly into the backfield on every single play. We may pay the price for this newfound aggressiveness. My bet is that the price will be surrendering >4.5 yards per carry on the ground. The coverage is designed not to give up the big play. It seems to be an appropriate level of risk and reward for today's NFL.
Now, let's take a look at the other gap/hole identification system (the offensive version). This image is taken from Kiffin's playbook:
This system is used only to describe offensive plays. These numbers do not represent defensive assignments. The gaps, however, are universally declared, A through E.
What these numbers represent is typically the second digit in any offensive run call. I'll use my high school system as an example. At my school, we ran essentially a double wing offense. The two flankers (wings) were considered running backs, and were numbered 2 and 4. The tailback was number 3. If we ran, say, a 21 dive, it would be back number 2 (number 1 is the quarterback, by the way; think fractions, where quarterback = 1/4 back = 1 out of 4 backs) running through hole number 1. 'Dive,' the style of run, determined the type and position of handoff as well as the blocking scheme.
It's important for defensive players to have an agreed upon terminology for opponents' offenses so that they can more effectively communicate what they see happening on the field, even if their nomenclature doesn't exactly match the enemies'.
Finally, a little something about Kiffin's philosophies, again from Kiffin himself:
Next time, we'll take a closer look at these and other philosophies Kiffin lays out for his defense.


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Whether you're shopping for a home-cook with a sense of humor, a drinker, or anyone who just likes some cool stuff, Foodiggity is here to help.
This year's gift guide has a little something for everyone… Cooking and baking gadgets, drinking accessories, and lots more. So check it out, and Happy Holidays.
Jumbo Cutlery Drainer
Never forget to drain your utensils and cutlery again with the Jumbo Cutlery Drainer. Made to look like an adorable elephant, Jumbo will gladly hang out by your sink, eager to disperse the water from its trunk. Plastic. Never forgets. [$18.99]
Splash Cutting Board
Hopefully this isn't a sign of things to come… But The Splash Cutting Board looks as though it's bleeding off your countertop.
Designed to remain stable while you work, the surface makes a perfect spot for your cutting needs, or for some extra creative workspace. And, the 'drip' part is easily removable for cleaning and storage. Plastic. Approximately 18″x12″. [$21.99]
Sugar Skull Spoon
Sweetening your beverage has never been cooler or more macabre, than with the Sugar Skull Spoon. The unique scooping utensil provides the perfect way to eat your cereal — or to sweeten your coffee, tea, or absinthe. Every Sugar Skull Spoon is made from food-grade stainless steel. Dishwasher safe. [$12.99]
Legless Pirate Corkscrew
Do you need to get a bottle opened, me hearties? Well, the Legless Pirate Corkscrew is here to help. Complete with a corkscrew for a leg, and a waiter's friend and foil cutter for arms — this pirate is ready to open any wine bottle. He even comes with a bottle-opening eye patch for sodas and beers, and a parrot on his arm. [$14.99]
Cucumbo Spiral Slicer
When boring old slices of cucumbers and zucchini just won't do, there's the Cucumbo Spiral Slicer. Designed to look like a large colorful bolt, simply impale a tubular vegetable in the Cucumbo and twist.
The result… a continuous slice that will add a little something to your salad, or any other dishes that could use an edible slinky. Plastic. 8x7x4cm. Available in green. Dishwasher-safe. [$12.99]
Freaker Bottle Sleeves and Bundles
Do you have a cold beer or hot beverage you'd like to insulate? Or, perhaps you need to class up a bottle of wine that you're giving as a gift?
Freaker Bottle Sleeves are here to help. Available in a variety of styles, the one-size-fits-all drink protectors will slip onto any bottle, can, growler, or anything that needs protection from outside elements. And if you have a pirate, burger, or unicorn fan on your list, consider a Bottle Sleeve Bundle. One bottle sleeve fits all. Available in 11 styles. [$11.99]
Lunch Bot Lunch Box
Robots will eventually turn on us humans and take over. Until then, they're still eager to serve.
The Lunch Bot Robot Lunch Box is a perfect example of a robot that's still on our side. The retro lunch box is designed to look like a vintage robot, that will gladly hold anything you can stuff in his tin body. Lunch Bot is made from non-corrosive tin, with a durable PVC plastic handle. Approximately 9.5″ x 6.5″ x 3.5″. Eager to serve. [$19.99]
Thanks for stopping by… Be sure to check out The Foodiggity Shop to see even more stuff. Happy Holidays!


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Collect. Czech. Chem. Commun.
2011, 76, 311-326
Published online 2011-03-17 11:03:00
Pd-catalyzed allylic substitution of purin-8-yl(allyl) acetate: Route to (E)-alkenylpurinesMiroslava Tobrmanová, Tomáš Tobrman* and Dalimil Dvořák
Department of Organic Chemistry, Institute of Chemical Technology, Prague, Technická 5, 166 28 Prague 6, Czech Republic
C8-Alkenylpurines were synthesized starting from purin-8-yl(allyl) acetates using Pd-catalyzed allylic substitution. The described protocol allows, by reaction of purin-8-yl(allyl) acetates with stabilized nucleophiles, an access to novel (E)-8-alkenylpurine derivatives under Pd2dba3·CHCl3 catalysis in dry THF in yields ranging from 31 to 76%. A wide range of nucleophiles showed exclusive E-alkene formation, however, ethyl nitroacetate gave mixture of E/Z-alkenes. On contrary, purin-2-yl(allyl) acetates reacted smoothly only with dimethyl malonate.
Keywords: Heterocycles; Palladium; Nucleophilic substitution.
References: 50 live references.
60th Birthday.