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The ideal things to do post-workout would be to use an infrared sauna and get a professional massage. Unfortunately, unless you're a professional athlete, you probably don't have access to these things. What you can do instead is to use a foam roller and thoroughly roll the muscles that you've been working out. Foam rolling helps prevent adhesions and scarring in the muscle fascia, which is a membrane around all your major muscles. When you feel a "knot" or "tightness" in a muscle, it's often from an abnormality in the fascia. Foam rolling and massage can help prevent these abnormalities. It also relaxes your muscles and helps prevent them stay elongated.
In addition to foam rolling, take a nice hot bath or shower. This will increase circulation and help your body flush lactic acid out of the muscles. You should also eat a good, nutritious meal with plenty of plant protein. Plant protein is already in the form of amino acids that your body can use right away, unlike meat protein, which must be broken down first. You may also want to reward yourself with a relaxation ritual such as meditation.
A good post-workout routine will help prevent injury and pain. Less pain will make it easier to make the decision to work out next time. Cooling down also helps enhance the benefits of working out, which include more energy, better insulin response, weight loss, and increased focus.
If you know anyone who could benefit from this information, please share it!


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For Gold and Glory!Posted: November 2, 2012 Filed under: adventures, Blackmoor, campaigns, games, misc 2 Comments
|Branzoll Castle in N. Italy; the 'real life' Castle Blackmoor
(map below courtesy of Zenopus Archives)
Apparently, Arneson was a bit burned out on the whole Napoleonics/historical battles thing. He wrote that he spent a few days reading Conan novels, eating popcorn and watching monster movies and came up with the idea of a fantasy campaign with wizards, fighters, etc., where everyone controlled just one guy rather than an army. This was apparently inspired by David Wesley's famous 'Braunstein' game. I think they used Gygax & Keogh's "Chainmail" rules as the basics and expanded from there.
|One of Arneson's original maps from the First Fantasy Campaign book.
Arneson and his friends also ran 'fantasy' game versions of the battles they had played in Napoleonics, substituting orcs, elves, dragons and wizards for artillery, cavalry and grenadiers. In this domain level game, the rules were expanded to include allowing players who raise armies and attack the castles of other players. In order to build castles and hire armies, the players needed money. One way of getting money was to 'improve' your kingdom. Arneson had guidelines that a road cost x number of gold per mile, and inn cost y, etc. If you built roads and inns and canals and towns, you could attract traders and craftsmen and villagers who could be taxed and allow you (the player) to gather taxes and raise an army, build castles, etc. It was like a computer game like 'Stronghold,' but played exclusively with pencil, paper, maps, words, dice and minis rather than the computer. The in-game accumulation of gold, then, was a means of allowing players to move from being adventurers scrapping around in dungeons to being generals and conquerors (which may have led to the idea that 'gold' should equate experience points — in the FFC, Arneson says he gave XP for gold spent in various fashions rather than just accumulated; players could trade XP for gold by spending it on "wine, women and song," or on expensive hobbies like collecting art or exotic animals).
2 Comments on "For Gold and Glory!"
Funny, I just posted some completely stolen ideas for doing kingdom-building with friends over email:

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Redraws the current database, even it's associated window is in the background.
GSErrCode ACAPI_Database ( APIDb_RedrawCurrentDatabaseID );
Return Values
- The function has completed with success.
- No open project.
For other common API errors see the API Errors document.
This function is used to redraw the current database in the background. Only the visible region of the associated window will be updated from the update picture.
- Version: API 4.1 or later
- Header: APIdefs_Database.h


text:
Review of Nuru and his Crows
A dark erotic thriller drenched in magical realism. Former model Cara O'Grady and German film star Elke Klaus, meet a strange African fortune teller and his two pet crows deep in the Congo Basin. Both women soon find their lives spinning out of control as Nuru's magic begins to work and their respective worlds begin to unravel. Sexually explicit material.
As a big fan of Joy Mutter's style of writing, I'm well used to her black humour, penchant for gore and murder, and her liking for all things weird. But Nuru and His Crows is a little different. After the initial set-up, the story focuses mainly on Cara and how, following the death of her husband, her love life is turned upside down. Packed with highly explicit sex scenes, the book definitely won't appeal to everyone. Though the final few chapters were great, Stevie King's advice (character-driven stories are more interesting than plot-driven), could've done with being ignored, and the plot given a bit more of a kick into gear.
An interesting and enjoyable read but not for the faint-hearted, the shy, the retiring, or the bashful.
Reviews of Troubled
The discovery of a naked body on the banks of a river in Sheffield, sets off an immediate police investigation. DCI Cosgrove and his team soon find themselves immersed in the dark world of grooming gangs, manipulation, and child abuse. With kooky scientist Fenton Nightingale on the run, Cosgrove and his DS Theresa Smart, realise the inventor and his infamous arousal cream must be stopped at all costs. But the clever cops will have to take care – how will they track down the sex-mad prof and bring him to justice without revealing their own involvement in the villain's antics?
This is the 4th book in Joy Mutter's unconventional crime thriller series 'Troubled' and like the others, it pulls no punches. Make no mistake – along with the police investigation, this book is packed with explicit details of dozens of sexual encounters. The difference this time around is that it also involves scenes of child sexual abuse that some readers will find offensive and distasteful. The depictions of how teenage girls are lured by the grooming gang have a realistic and unsettling feel in how they're influenced and controlled by their abusers, all of which can make it a difficult book to read. Having said that, it's also very funny, with the protagonists landing themselves in weirdly outrageous scenarios and murderous situations at every turn.
Shocking, funny and full of unrestrained sexual antics, (I've said it before), you have been warned!
Reviews of Trouble In Cornwall
Seconded to Cornwall to investigate the kidnapping of Jessie O'Sullivan's son, DCI Cosgrove and his sex-addict liaison officer, Kate, get themselves into yet more bizarre situations. Book 3 in this powerful erotic thriller series follows on from 'The Trouble with Liam' and 'The Trouble with Trouble'.
As with many of this author's books, this is an unconventional crime thriller, with the emphasis on sex, rather than crime. As always, Ms Mutter manages once again to hit a new high in the shock and awe stakes. Focusing initially on new millionaire Jessie and her latest boyfriend—cynical con-man, Russell—the story moves to a kidnapping plot which demands the attentions of sex-loving cops Jeremy and Kate, but when Kate is abducted by a gang of lustful men, things begin to look decidedly dodgy.
As with much of Joy Mutter's work, this is not a book for the feint-hearted. Packed with graphic sexual shenanigans, the author holds nothing back as she throws her protagonists into a series of weird and outrageous scenarios, including a lustful butler, a pair of creepy ageing virgins, and a sex-scheming detective.
'Trouble in Cornwall' overflows with a torrent of extreme and unrestrained saucy antics—you have been warned!
Reviews of The Trouble With Trouble
Outrageous, funny and stuffed with saucy antics.
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 30 April 2020 Verified Purchase
Set in a Sheffield police station, this is a powerful erotic thriller following on from 'The Trouble with Liam'. With the invention of a new sexual arousal cream called Trouble, DCI Cosgrove and his sex-addict liaison officer, Kate, find themselves in a bizarre situation. In the hands of a lustful security guard and his sex-mad pals, the scene is set for corruption, blackmail and murder.
Having read several of this author's books, I'm familiar with her bloodthirsty and unconventional scenarios, but even so, this adventure hits new highs in the shock and awe stakes. As with much of Joy Mutter's work this is not a book for the feint hearted. Packed with explicit and highly detailed sexual shenanigans, not to mention murderous goings-on, the author holds nothing back as she throws her protagonists into a series of carnal conflicts, before giving them the opportunity for revenge.
Outrageous, funny and stuffed with unfettered saucy antics, open this book at your peril!
Reviews of The Trouble With Liam
Mark Tilbury's review
Joy tells the story of Liam's life from his early traumatic experiences to being the one causing pain and upset. She doesn't hold back in her explorations of depravity and injustice. If you're OK with violence and scenes that make you wince then this is a great read.
I was left wondering if things would have reached the same conclusion if Liam's childhood had been different. I was pleased with how the book ended. I believe in karma but don't think Liam did!
Joanie Chevalier's review
bookshelves: psychological, thriller
If you enjoy a dark, psychological thriller/horror about a psychopath abusive control freak, then this is your book! I kept reading to find out what happened with Liam. And maybe because Author Joy Mutter hypnotized me somehow through her words. Maybe Author Mutter is a secret FBI profiler because who would know this stuff? How in the heck did she research/do her homework to portray this deeply disturbing human being as well as she did? I'm almost afraid to ask.
Read with the lights on, the doors locked, and a weapon at your side!
Colin Garrow's review
bookshelves: reviewed
Dark and twisted tale charting the troubled life of Liam O'Sullivan. From a traumatic childhood in Ireland, the hero finds more than his share of trouble as he's pushed from one bad situation to another.
This is a bit of a new direction for Joy Mutter insofar as it features her usual penchant for blood and guts but this time without the paranormal activity. Charting the disturbed life of Liam as he lands himself in ever-deeper trouble, this book pulls no punches, literally or otherwise. Graphic sex and violence are the order of the day as Ms Mutter details the downward-spiralling life of a man who doesn't have much going for him in the nice-guy stakes.
As usual, there's a touch of humour, though all in all, it's a bit of a traumatic ride that shows what can happen when a child's early life leads down a disturbing and ultimately murderous road.
Not for the faint-hearted.
At the beginning, my heart ached for Liam. Abused by his mother, and later in the children's home, you can understand the thoughts going through his head and make allowances for them. But as he reaches adulthood, the book takes an even darker turn, and your feelings go from pity to shock, and then horror.
This story is a fascinating look into the psyche of a person, and how their past can turn them into unforgiving monsters. Even though it is very dark, and quite graphic at times, it draws you in and keeps you turning the pages to the end. A recommended read.
There are moments of humour, but it's all very dark. If you enjoy being shocked, you'll like this. I know I did!
Disturbingly good
Having read and enjoyed all joy mutter's books I was pleased to see a new book published .briefly it follows Liam from early life being cruelly treated by his mother and the effect his father's suicide had on him throughout his later life and his uncaring attitude to woman in general I won't say anymore as I don't want to give any spoilers away but a word of warning there is plenty of sex and violence . The only trouble with Liam I found was the book came to an end.
Sarah Northwood's review of The Trouble With Liam.
Dark but I loved it!
- Overall – 5 out of 5 stars
- Performance – 5 out of 5 stars
- Story – 5 out of 5 stars
- Dee
- 03-04-19
Liam was unloved, mistreated, and misunderstood. He became a less than stellar member of society. HIs life, from childhood to adulthood, was a very uncomfortable listen. In the beginning, your heart just aches for him. The story is told from Liam's point of view so his questions, his fears, and his desires are known right away. You feel for him and his mistreatment. Then Liam becomes an adult and being inside his head and knowing his desires is just scary.
My hat goes off to the narrator though!!! Norman was exceptional!! He takes you into a frightened young boys world and then into a frightening older man's world. Each one compelling and revealing and disturbing.
This was not an easy listen. It was very, very, very dark but well-written and incredibly well-narrated.
Good story
- Overall – 5 out of 5 stars
- Performance – 5 out of 5 stars
- Story – 5 out of 5 stars
- timj26
- ontario canada
- 03-03-19
This follows Liam as he goes from scared kid to psychopath while his hatred for women turns more and more violent. The book covers many years and different subject matter which kept it interesting.
Well narrated and a good dark thriller. I'll be checking out more by this author.
I received a free review audiobook and voluntarily left this review.
- Overall – 5 out of 5 stars
- Performance – 5 out of 5 stars
- Story – 5 out of 5 stars
- 03-01-19
I liked it! This book is very graphic and will keep you in suspense. The narration was great and kept me entertained. The author did a great job with the character builds and plot. This was my first book by this author but and I look forward to reading more of her books. I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
Reviews of Random Bullets
I'm delighted that Random Bullets has so far received 23 5-star reviews across all Amazon sites.
Jan 20, 2017 Mark Tilbury rated it 5-star
Edward is angry and believes that justice is best served via random bullets.
Although Edward is the main character, there are many characters interwoven into the plot. At the beginning, I did wonder how all their stories would link up with Edward's, but they do, and it's done well.
If you like a complex personality, then Edward is your man. You learn what happened in his youth and the impact it has on his adult life. As an adult, he's a mess who at times had my sympathy, whilst at others I wanted to knock some sense into him! I think this is a sign of a good author – when they can make you feel a range of emotions.
There is a supernatural element to this book that enhances the story and helps create a satisfying ending. There were 3 people affected by Edward's actions who got the ending I was hoping they would.
Joy is an author that more people should be aware of and I enjoyed this, the first book of hers I've read. It won't be my last.
This story is told with a number of fascinating tales all ending up at the same place and time – a dramatic and terrible event.
It is a thriller, with a twist of the paranormal, but more than that it is a deft character study. Each character is brilliantly written with their own story, drawing the reader in deeper and deeper to their minds and lives. From Edward, who is tragically damaged and dangerously bitter to Bob, the accidental porn actor to Maureen, who longs only to see her husband again; each character is created with such depth you can almost sense them reading over your shoulder. At first the stories seem unconnected, but then it becomes clear they are all building to a specific event where each character plays a part, no matter how small.
With perfect pace, elegance and empathy Random Bullets is an exciting, entertaining and thoughtful read.
By Jim Dyar on November 20, 2016
By Ali – The Dragon Slayer on 17 Aug. 2016
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
I happened to come across this author purely by coincidence on twitter and I received the book in exchange for an honest opinion. As a blogger it is so easy to get caught up with all the 'big' name authors, blog tours or whatever book is being hyped at the time in the blogger community. So on that basis it was an absolute delight to find this hidden gem, it wouldn't have reached my radar otherwise. Which proves there are so many books and potential enjoyment being missed!
This is a mix of crime and thriller, with an underlying paranormal element which is not my usual preference but it worked so well in this.
There is no slow build up, it's instant action from the outset. Who doesn't like being in a park on a hot sunny day, there can be many reasons behind each visit and we are introduced to several characters whose daily activity involves being in that particular London park on that fateful day, when a random gunmen is on the loose.
Edward has many issues, ranging from a troubled childhood up until the events that lead him to the point where he loses his 'rightful' inheritance. There is a complex family history and this is where the story unfolds as we learn about the relationships between him and primarily, step-brother Charlie and his nephew Sam. I could easily visualise what slimy little toads these people were!
The reader is taken on the journey between past and present, the young Edward didn't always behave in a responsible way and his teen love interest makes a re-appearance later in life. I found the parts revolving around him and Janine quite heart-wrenching. As hard as Edward wants to improve himself he is stuck in a downward spiral, some due to his own stupidity but the majority exacerbated by circumstances.
The descriptions of Edward's living conditions pull emotions in all directions. At times I wanted to shout at him to get a grip and make something of his life instead of making poor decisions or mixing with the wrong people, especially Tommy. But by the next paragraph I was 'inside' his head feeling the rage, pain and anguish.
Although the ending was obvious from the outset due to the nature of the story I was totally transfixed and couldn't wait to see how all the pieces fitted together. Thankfully all the loose ends are tied up nicely to completion. There are a lot of characters involved but the writing style makes it easy to follow.
I really enjoyed this, since finishing it I have been attempting to understand the psyche behind Edward's thoughts and have come to the conclusion that even the most ordinary people can sink into madness if the provocation is there, quite a scary thought!
I have other books by Joy sitting on my Kindle, just waiting for an opportunity to read them. Based on Random Bullets I think I'm in for a treat. Just reverting back to my comment about 'meeting' on Twitter it just shows the importance social media can play in book awareness/promotion.
By TerryHeth on 27 Oct. 2016
Format: Paperback
This book mixes Edward as a troubled man taking things further & shooting his nephew, but builds up from his youth which is confusing. The atmosphere is built up introducing us to different people as it goes. It's all worth it for the full tale.
There is a taste of paranormal, a taste of crazy, a taste of hard life & spoilt life.
I really enjoyed this book. Different to lots of others with a good build up & it actually ends. That's huge to me!
By John Thys on 21 Aug. 2016
They had 2 boys but a daughter had been still-born.
Bob (40+, Pauline's husband) was a taxi cab driver.1 day Divesh (Indain, tax driver) ask him if he would like to make a little extra money.
Bob agreed. Guess what his other line of work was?
Florence (mother) had disinherited Edward. Charlie (chubby) was Sam's 1/2-brother, who also lived in Cornwall.
Uncle Edward (62, Edward's father) lay in wait at the Hammersmith Park & then shot Sam (nephew) in the head.
Marcus (Charlie's biological father, Edward's stepfather, wealthy man, resturant owner, Cornwall) had died sometime ago.
Claire (50+, plump, BWAA, illistration dept.) worked with Pauline.
As teens Edward was doing Tracy (f) & Carl (Edward's BMF, foster child) was doing Moo (f) at/on Jersey beach. They were all 4 on LSD & virgins.Edward was hurt & had been taken to to A&E.
Later Edward "Ed" & Carl went to Manchester U, majoring in electrical engineering.
Charlie married Lara & opened up a Cornish seafood restaurant.
Florence "Flo" (65+) had gone swimming & the cold water caused her heart to stop & she drowned.
Edward was expelled from Manchester U.
Yrs. later Charlie & Lara had Sam Le Cornu (15, son) & then got a divorce over her promiscuous behavior.
Many yrs. later Pauline & Claire were once again on the park bench at Hammersmith Park eating lunch together.
18 months later Claire was PG with James (fiancée, Flemming, Upkirk & Kilbride (FUK), publishing co.) unborn child.
Yrs. later Edward meets Janine by accident. What does she reveal to him?
Edward was paying for a DNA test to see if Danielle was really his daughter.
Janine (Danielle's mother) was there with him when he opened the envelope.BANG! Stuart (50+, postman) had been shot & Gill (journalist, agricultural magazine) was trying to help him.
Edward Le Cornu (Florence's son) was getting away.
Charlie, Edward (1/2 Uncle) & Marcus had agreed on terms of the estate after their mother had died.
Battersea area of London. BANG! Pauline (Bob's wife, accountant) falls to the ground as Claire looks on in horror.BANG! Mungo is next. BANG! & a random bullet hits Maureen.
P.C. Delaney is at the crime scene.
Will Edward get caught?Warning: This book contains extremely graphic adult content, violence, or expletive language &/or uncensored sexually explicit material which is only suitable for mature readers. It may be offensive to some readers.I did not receive any type of compensation for reading & reviewing this book. While I receive free books from publishers & authors, I am under no obligation to write a positive review, only an honest one. All thoughts & opinions are entirely my own.A very awesome book cover, great font & writing style. A fairly well written Paranormal Thriller book. It wasn't alway very easy for me to read/follow from start/finish, but never a dull moment. There were no grammar/typo errors, nor any repetitive or out of line sequence sentences. Lots of exciting scenarios, with several twists/turns & a huge set of unique characters to keep track of. This could also make another great Paranormal Thriller movie, animated cartoon, or better yet a mini TV series. It was just OK for me but I will still rate it at 5 stars.Thank you for the free Goodreads; Making Connections; Author; PDF book
Tony Parsons MSW (Washburn)
By Sue Gale on 28 Sept. 2016
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
By Amazon Customer on 7 July 2016 (Owen Mullen)
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
By Di Drinkwater on 16 Oct. 2015
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
Starting with a bang, the story introduces characters and stories that explain the reasons behind the events that unfold.
Murderous revenge wreaks havoc on a Battersea Park.
There's some interesting side stories that are flung in to tell you more about the characters too. Overall an intriguing read that I needed to finish to discover just what had gone on to send the gunman mad.
By A. Robertson on 5 Nov. 2015
Five star rating
By Tobias vdP on 15 Jun. 2016
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
By Shaun Green on 25 July 2016
Format: Kindle Edition
Recommended reading for those that like their crime with a twist.
eBook version purchased via Amazon.com
By Teresa Pugsley on September 18, 2016
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
Shannon Terril (Librarian) has just reviewed Random Bullets.
To add this review to the book page on NetGalley, click here: https://s2.netgalley.com/book/96338/review/153527
Full Text:
This book was a hardcore adventure that kept me frantically turning pages right from the get go all the way to the thrilling conclusion. Edward's character is what really propelled everything forward (though the writing from Mutter didn't hurt things either), tying in elements from his past with the very personal mystery surrounding the book. There were also a lot of unexpected elements that were different from what I was expecting but worked together really nicely.
Reviews of The Hostile
John R Cowton 5.0 out of 5 stars
Unique tale of dark forces within the bathroom. Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 10 April 2020Verified Purchase
I never cease to be amazed by the imagination of some writers and Joy Mutter proves to be no exception. The Hostile is about a young girl, Serena Drummond, and her relationship with a bathroom tile that she named Tile X, which brings about dark forces and sinister consequences.
This fantastic story is made all the more plausible by focussing on a child's susceptibility to discern ethereal beings from indistinct random abstract patterns. Something I remember well from my own childhood, and the hideous bedroom curtains I had that I could not look at depending on the way the light from outdoors played on the Paisley design. There were never good faces, only evil ones.
I'm so pleased that this is a series because there is more to this story, and I'm going to start on Holiday for the Hostile right now.
By MissScarlett on May 3, 2016
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
Joy Mutter is a new author for me, and I have to admit I'm not quite sure how to review this book as it is a bit outside of my usual genres.
Let's start with "I liked it". It is a strange and quirky story with an unusual opening scene, an "unhealthy" dose of paranormal, and some Lovecratian elements to it. I found it to be a bizarrely captivating read, and for some reason it made me think of Kafka's Metamorphosis (although it has been many years since I read that particular story).
The writing itself flows well enough and is very descriptive when it comes to the characters, both at the physical and psychological/emotional levels. The author also does a very good job when it comes to the settings and she is very efficient at making the reader feel/see/experience the various home, relationship and friendship issues that populate The Hostile.
The title does not seem to reveal much about the book, but after having read it, I find the title to be quite clever.
I am curious to see what some of her other novels are like.
Reviews of The Hostile audiobook
I like that it was different. Joy Mutter has a captivating imagination!
It's like nothing I've read before. I was torn between deciding if I was listening to a book intended for an older teen or a 47-year-old lady like myself. There was an innocence about the story. I couldn't stop listening.
The British accent – definitely!
Yes! I like to listen to a story as I do mindless tasks. But I kept finding myself sitting to listen to this one.
I received this audiobook from the author in exchange for an honest review. If you are searching for something different, this is the one!
I was not sure about listening to this book but am pleased that I did. Joy Mutter did an excellent job with the plot and characters. In the beginning, I was a little confused as to why there was so much reference to the tiles but finally figured out that a tile was one of the characters which I found to be a different but refreshing twist to a suspense novel.
The story, plot and characters are very well written. The author created and developed the characters in such a way that allows you to become involved with the story and develop a relationship with each character. The book evoked a lot of emotions from me but mainly I felt empathy, sympathy and frustration with all of the characters, which for me made the story much better.
The author chose to do her own narration and did so very well. She has very good pacing and voice inflection. Personally, I would prefer a male voice narrating suspense novels as I find a male tends to add more to the intrigue, suspense and overall creepiness of the story. Again, that is just a personal preference – the author did a great job narrating herself.
I would definitely recommend this book to anyone looking for an intriguing, suspenseful and captivating read/listen!!!
This audiobook was provided by the author, narrator, or publisher at no cost in exchange for an unbiased review courtesy of AudiobookBoom dot com
I really enjoyed this book, At first the story seemed a bit out there, but as it went on I really enjoyed where it took me!
I recommend! you'll be pleasantly surprised.
Leslie Fisher rated it really liked it 4 star · review of another edition
This was an intriguing story of a young girl's obsession with bathroom tile that has the power to make her wishes come true. The story turns dark when the girl finds out her father is having an affair. When she tells the tile how she feels, sinister events begin to happen. The story was interesting, although I could do without some of the references to bodily functions. The author narrates the story herself and does a decent job of it.
Reviews of Holiday for The Hostile
By Colin Garrow on 3 Dec. 2016
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
Following on from Book 1 (The Hostile), where 12-year-old Serena meets powerful entity Tile X, the story continues as the family and their dead relatives decide to take a holiday to Ireland. Needless to say, staying in a remote village in a grotty house with Keith's eccentric father, is not Serena's idea of fun, but she soon learns the old man may not be the easy-going idler he appears. A series of shocking discoveries lead Serena to some equally shocking conclusions, which could shatter the lives of her family. Thankfully, help is at hand in the shape of handsome art-lover Jimmy, who, if she plays her cards right, could be well placed to help her solve the gruesome mystery…
I hadn't read the first book in this series, and while I think it would be helpful in understanding the background to the characters and their strange lives, it's certainly not essential. Joy Mutter has taken a rather bizarre idea and turned it into a rather bizarre book. However, she also tells a good story, creates believable and well-rounded (mostly) characters, and has a worrying knack of describing some pretty frightful murders. (Although, as most of them are committed by a bathroom tile, maybe they aren't murders at all).
With some books, you get an idea where things are going and where they're likely to end. Not this one. Every chapter was a surprise with new characters and situations and a bunch of wonderfully inventive deaths. Now, I've heard rumours about this book being a 'horror'. Well, maybe it is, maybe it isn't. It kind of depends on your definition of the genre. There's a fair bit of frayed flesh and several large portions of blood and guts, so if you're prone to nightmares, you might want to give it a miss. However, it's also very funny which for me, nicely offsets the gore.
I thoroughly enjoyed Holiday for the Hostile – it's a clever and witty book that'll no doubt generate mixed opinions, not least in terms of its genre. It'll be interesting to see what other readers think of it, but I reckon Ms Mutter has carved out a new niche for herself. And from where I'm standing, she's way out in front.
I have never read anything like this crime/thriller/supernatural book. At first, I was not comprehending what I was reading only because my mind had to wrap around this very clever, unique idea. But once I got into the story, I really enjoyed it. I was surprised by it too, because the story would detour off into a totally different direction that what I thought it would go. There were ghosts, serial killers, investigators, a floozy mother, a grandpa with secrets and a very weird 14-year old girl. Her best friend is Tile X. Who is this Tile X? I don't really know, but he loves to kill people in bizarre ways and in his words: "I'm not Marry Poppins. I'm the anti-Mary Poppins." Only he knows his ultimate, master plan. Sounds like Book III is on the horizon!
I recommend this story for people who want to get into something different, who believe in ghosts and think outside the box. This book will scare you (I chuckled a few times too), and may even make you detour around the tile and carpet area at Home Depot.
Author Joy Mutter does a great job of taking a unique idea and running with it, and putting it into words in a way that others can understand her complex left-brain thinking. Kudos to a well told story.
I enjoy reading something a little different and this paranormal adventure has all the ingredients that make a great and absorbing story. Though unusual, it's essentially the story of misfit teenager, Serena, out of sorts and out of place in the mundane world around her. Nothing unusual there, until you realise she's befriended by a powerful 'force' that can grant her darkest wishes. As she struggles to cope with the results of her past wishes, she's faced with new threats on a family holiday in Ireland.
Imaginative, irreverent, and packed full of colourful characters, the unusual and outlandish events Serena precipitates seems quite normal, thanks to great writing and storytelling, underpinned by a lovely, wry sense of humour that urges you to simply enjoy the thrilling ride.
Whatever your preferences, a great story is a great story and Holiday for the Hostile kept me absorbed and entertained from start to finish. I loved it and eagerly await the next book in the series.
By John Thys on 1 Dec. 2016
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
By Shaun Green on 3 Dec. 2016
Format: Kindle Edition
The end is a total surprise. Was expecting a skeleton in the family closet, but it turns in a completely different direction, keeping you on your toes and guessing. I'm still not sure what to make of this Mr (tile) X, whether he's a baddie with a soft spot? This is certainly an original story and in my opinion, actually better than it's predecessor. I'll definitely look out for the next novel as I understand there's still another 12 tiles to go.
By jn752 on 4 Dec. 2016
Format: Kindle Edition
By TerryHeth on 2 Dec. 2016
Format: Kindle Edition
I enjoyed the 1st Hostile but this 1 just got more into it. Really looking forward to more. Joy tells a good tale
Being a drama and paranormal fan I loved it! Very intriguing stories that keep you wanting more.
(This review was for the audio book from a lady called Melissa)
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
By DianeD on 12 Mar. 2016
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
By Raven on 19 Aug. 2016
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
Emma Griffiths rated a book 5-stars. it was amazing
Her demonic Angel
by Joy Mutter (Goodreads Author)
|*I won this in a GoodReads Giveaway!*
I really enjoyed reading this book – Joy covers a wide range of interesting story-lines and fascinating characters! A brilliant read for anyone who likes something a little darker.
By Amazon Customer on 1 Jun. 2017
Format: Paperback Verified Purchase
I am happy to see a Renaissance in the Reading of short stories and Ms Joy Mutter's stories are an excellent example of the genre.
She is a born storyteller and I particularly enjoy her style of writing and the way she draws her readers into her intimate circle and ensures you read it to the last word.
If you have never read Ms. Mutter's work before, Her demonic Angel and other short stories is a good place to start.
P.S. Winn
February 17, 2018
Format: Kindle EditionVerified Purchase
This is an intense and sometimes dark collection that readers are going to find fascinating. I won't go into each short story separately, but will say I loved them all. The author takes a trip into the dark side and readers will be glad she did. I found the writing well done and the tales well told. If you haven't read any of this author's other books this is a great one to give readers a peek into a wonderful writer's vivid mind.
Reviews of The Hostile Game
5 January 2018
Having read and thoroughly enjoyed books 1 and 2 to this series, I couldn't wait to read book 3 to find out what direction the author would take the story plot this time.
Needless to say, I was not disappointed, don't know where the author gets her ideas from but she certainly knows how to keep her readers entertained and keep them wanting more. I was literally shocked and amazed in places.
I've loved the appearance of new character Melanie, as it gives readers a chance to experience her story from a different perspective to that of Serena's experience. It really added something extra to the whole story.
Given that the genre of this series is orientated to paranormal/ghosts which is something I don't read much of, I really wasn't expecting to enjoy this series as much as I am. I'm just glad it's not ended yet and I've still got book 4 to read.
I can't wait to read book 4 now, to see what happens next.
20 December 2018
A holiday with death and destruction
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on 13 April 2020 Verified Purchase
Having read book one in The Hostile series, book two did not disappoint.
Serena Drummond is now two years older and reunited with her murderous, ceramic friend, Tile X, she reluctantly has to go on a family holiday to her paternal grandfather's ramshackle home.
However, her break away from Manchester is not a holiday away from death and destruction, and Serena certainly gives the Garda a run for their money.
The story goes on with another two books in the series to follow.
By TerryHeth on 21 April 2017
Though part of a series and it's a series you will need to read, you could read this alone, but really you need to start at book 1!
By Squeaky Joe on 28 May 2017
The third book in this series finds Serena facing her biggest challenge yet – as if being eighteen and pregnant wasn't enough, she finds out what the mysterious Tile X has in store for her. With tarty Patricia tempting her boyfriend, a load more gory murders on the cards and the police starting to make connections, can Serena keep the psycho slayer in check, or will he get what he wants?
Setting up a bathroom tile as her prime suspect, you might think author Joy Mutter would have found it difficult to come up with a realistic plotline. But no, instead, she puts her foot down in the third installment of this paranormal thriller series and notches up yet more gruesome killings in wonderfully inventive ways. And it's not only the murderous Tile X who gets to vent his ceramic spleen – Serena's character develops very nicely when she discovers she's not the only one who keeps a homicidal maniac close to her chest.
Though the premise might be slightly ludicrous, and some of the murders a wee bit gory for those of a gentle disposition, Ms Mutter has a knack of writing interesting, believable characters who draw us into their weird world, forcing us to keep reading to find out where the hell we're going on this crazy, fascinating journey.
If this particular author ever turns her skills to writing about average, homicidal psycho killers, we'll be in for a rare treat indeed.
By John Thys on 21 April 2017
By Shaun Green on 5 May 2017
Format: Kindle Edition
by Joy Mutter (Goodreads Author)
Dominique's review
If you've ever walked into a movie after it's started, and you regret that you did so because you get pulled in right away, that's how The Hostile Game feels. My understanding was that this book, although the third part in a three-part series, can be read as its own stand-alone book, it still felt like I was walking into the middle of a movie where people knew each other well before I arrived.However, I'd like to give myself credit for being bright enough to pick up on subtleties and nuances of relationships and situations without having every last detail spelled out for me. The surprises and twists that occurred later in the book were great because I understood enough to think Oh Boy, that just happened!So even though I was gifted this book at no cost in exchange for this honest review, I will now want to go back and revisit books one and two just to get the complete story for context. This is a fun paranormal thriller and a great roller-coaster ride of fun. Highly recommended.
Reviews of The Hostile Series Box Set
Aug 21, 2017Anniegirl rated it 5-star
I purchased this box set because the books sounded interesting. Not having read any of the author's works before, I wasn't quite sure what to expect. Once I started reading book #1, I found this book to be a really excellent read. In fact all 4 books are truly excellent. The storyline is unlike anything that I have read before. Each book can in theory be read as a stand alone novel because at the start of each book, the author gives a brief outline of previous events. Personally, I prefer to read a series of books in numerical order. There is some gore, but there is also humour. I had a good laugh especially with the banter between Keith and Carl. All in all, a thoroughly enjoyable read. Hopefully, there are going to be further books in the series. The ending of book #4 certainly leaves the storyline wide open for a continuation, so I am hoping there are.
I do not want to give many spoilers, so will give a brief blurb:
Serena Drummond lives in Manchester with her dysfunctional family. She has a disability and unfortunately the school bullies pick on her and make her life terrible. Serena has no friends and at home spends a lot of her time in the bathroom. To her amazement one of the tiles (whom she calls Tile X) starts talking to her and a strong bond forms between them.
Serena's father Keith, an unemployed layabout, starts having an affair with Rachel, who is basically a nymphomaniac. Beatrice, Keith's wife, finds out about the affair and they end up having an almighty row and Beatrice asks him to leave. Serena has heard all the arguing and is telling Tile X all about her father's indiscretions and wishes that he was dead. Keith having nowhere to go, decides to visit his friend Carl who lives on Saddleworth moor. He catches the bus, a freak snowstorm starts and Keith, after getting off the bus, has about a mile to walk to his friend's house. Being the macho man that he his, his clothing is most unsuitable for this extreme weather. The snowstorm is unlike anything that he has ever seen before, the snowflakes are enormous. Unfortunately, he loses his way and ends up freezing to death.
The story continues as to how Tile X gradually builds his hold over Serena. Strange unexplained deaths keep happening that the police cannot solve. By book #3, the years have passed and Serena now 18 years old, knows about Melanie Scarfe, who lives in Liverpool. Melanie is also being controlled by a similar tile to Tile X, her tile has the name of Joe. They have found out that Tile X and Joe are in competition with each other – their respective bosses the Host and Hostess are actually playing a game. Serena and Melanie decide that they have had enough of the tiles controlling their lives, so Serena comes up with a plan as to how they can get rid of the tiles from their lives.
By book #4, ex Superintendent John Morris and DCI Damon Flint, are being controlled. Damon comes up with a plan to rid John and himself of the dredded tiles. The plan appears to work, but have they managed to destroy the evil tiles?
I'm now waiting for the next book in the series to find out what happens.
Reviews of Potholes and Magic Carpets
Luisa rated Potholes and Magic Carpets 5-star. It was amazing · review of another edition Shelves: giveaway-wins-2016
I won a copy of this book in the Goodreads giveaway
I loved this book. I could not put it down, it has a great mix of characters, each linked to each other in some way, it's a story mostly about how your past affects your life, and how insecurities, can affect your relationships and life in general,
I sometimes find that when books have too many characters I don't always care about them, this didn't happen with the book, i really wanted to know more about every one of them,
By Cheryl Jackson on 17 Dec. 2015
Four star rating
Format: Kindle Edition
I was given this book free in exchange for a fair review. Joy Mutter is a new-to-me author. Like with any new author it takes you a chapter or two to get used to the particular style of a new author. The writing is easy to follow and uncomplicated. The book itself is a fairly quick read.
The book follows the lives that intertwine with others and the events within those peoples lives. One persons actions lead to a particular consequence which impacts (or doesn't) on another. it's an interesting set up. Fans of the dramatic will enjoy the events as they unfold, the humanists will enjoy seeing the lives woven with other lives – which are sometimes strangers.
I will be interested to read other Joy Mutter books and see where her style of writing leads to and what I make of it in the future.
Here is a screenshot of a Facebook post that I was delighted to receive from a lovely lady in America who bought a copy of my Potholes and Magic Carpets book.
First thing forget the blurb, the stories take place over years not just 2015. The book tells the stories of couples linked to a small Kent village. In most cases there is one overbearing, if not downright abusive, partner who gets their comeuppance.
It is written in such a way it is hard to put down because you WILL want to know what will happen next and you end up caring about the characters and will want them to be happy.
I got this book as part of the Goodreads giveaway and I'm glad I did as I would not have though about buying it
By jn752 on 21 Dec. 2016
Format: Kindle Edition
This author has become one of my favorites. One of the things I like most about her work, is the artful way in which she weaves her character's faults in with their virtues. It leaves you wondering what the character will do next, and I've never been disappointed.
If you like complex characters and strong story, you'll like this book.
Reviews of Living with Postcards
Living with Postcards
by Joy Mutter (Goodreads Author)
P.S. Winn's review
The author shares her impressive knowledge of vintage postcards in an entertaining and informative style. Brimful of lovely reproductions it is never dull. A book to read from cover to cover or to dip into. Certainly a book to revisit. Living With Postcards makes an imaginative present, even to someone like me who has no particular interest in postcard collecting.
I can thoroughly recommend it.
April 2, 2018
By Diane on 1 Feb. 2016
They are a part of all of our history and a wonderful way to look into the past. This book explores a lovely range of cards.
by Joy Mutter (Goodreads Author)
Anniegirl's review
bookshelves: 2017-reads, art, non-fiction
When I was reading the author's Hostile series of books (which I was thoroughly enjoying) I decided to have a look at what other books she had published and spotted this one. I've always loved looking at old postcards and this book sounding interesting, so I purchased the Kindle version. Once the book had downloaded to the Kindle app on my tablet (so that I could view the postcards in full colour) I immediately flicked through the entire book looking at all the postcards. I was impressed. I have a relative that has a large postcard collection and thought to myself, that the paperback edition would make a great gift for her, so I went back online and purchased the physical book which I will give her at Christmas.
I've now finished reading the Kindle version and thoroughly enjoyed it. This is a lovely read and the information given about the history etc., of postcards is excellent. Recently, I've been scanning all my mother's photograph collection etc., and came across one particular postcard of a man sat in a very small racing car. Quite different to the one shown in this book. I thought to myself what a weird looking postcard (the one that I have) lol – thanks to this book, I now know why this type of postcard was produced.
An excellent book that deserves a 5* rating.
18 February 2018
Reviews of A Slice of the Seventies
By Dr Chõgyam Togden on 7 April 2017
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
By saxali on 6 Aug. 2015
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
By lightwolf on 29 July 2016
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
By Ray Burston on 25 Sept. 2016
By John Thys on 20 Sept. 2016
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase
Review of the audiobook of A Slice of the Seventies
Overall 5* Performance 5* Story 5*
- Tom Anderson
- 01-21-18
How The Other Half Lived
"A Slice of the Seventies" is right in my wheel house. Protagonist Mug was a British female and I'm an American male but her era was my era. Despite our different nationalities and gender, we seem to be kindred spirits in our formative years. Mug was the woman I was chasing albeit on the other side of the ocean and the angst she felt throughout "A Slice of the Seventies" was inflicted by guys like me. There was so much for me to identify with – and learn from — in this book that geography and gender didn't seem to matter. It was a journey back in time written expertly by Joy Mutter and read just as expertly by Tracey Norman.
If you even vaguely remember the 1970's from any global location, this is a must listen for you.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
January 29, 2018
For those of us who actually lived that decade, it's a magical, mystery tour of the past. For those too young to actually remember, it's a thoroughly enjoyable venture into social history. Music, eastern mysticism, drugs, free love and the stresses of college life all receive a look through eyes of the charming though sometimes naive Mug and her collection of friends.
Tracy Norman's narrative style perfectly compliments this well-written story.
Well worth the read.
Reviews of The Lying Scotsman
Format: Kindle Edition Verified Purchase


text:
Watching a Digital "Jasmine Revolution" Unfold
There's an irony in going to Tunisia to research a Technology Review story, on the role of social media in the Arab Spring, and suddenly relying on Facebook and Twitter to guess the risk-level of leaving your hotel.
Google News had a few stories that trouble had flared the day before, May 5th. A "secretly filmed" video showed the former Interior Minister Farhat Rajh warning of a possible coup by remnants of the former political elite if Islamists won the upcoming election. Facebook exploded, people mobilized - and on Friday, as I flew, over a dozen journalists, as well as many protestors, were beaten on the street right outside the hotel I had inadvertently booked.
Landing late, the initial impression is sleek, modern, welcoming. Tunis-Carthage International Airport has lots of marble, travelators by Siemens, illuminated ads for Samsung smartphones, efficient baggage pickup. The air is balmy, the palm-lined highway to the city typical of a medium size American city: clean, well-lit, crowded with modern buildings topped with neon signs speaking a lingua franca of instantly recognizable brands alongside the cursive flow of Arabic script. The Carlton Hotel is on the main drag - Avenue Habib Bourguiba, named for the modernizing, Western-facing, socially-reforming first Tunisian president, ousted in a bloodless 1987 coup d'état by the recently fled Zine El Abidine Ben Ali (the so-called "Jasmine revolution" - although one activist resents this Western-generated moniker, preferring something like the Cactus or Rose Revolution to add a more realistic touch of spikes or thorns).
Lined with trees, Tunisian flags and a mix of modern buildings or well-preserved art deco facades, it's immaculately kept. Psychologically, it's the political centre of town: here is the Ministry of the Interior, in charge of at least two police forces. (The third is somewhat shadowy, and likely to include the snipers which the government denies knowledge of but activists claim to have filmed. The avenue also hosts the Embassy of France - the former colonial power - high-rise hotels and a rather beautiful theatre. Tunisia has form hiding the ambivalence of a massive security state apparatus that would do a Soviet satrapy proud behind ads for cheap winter sun for nearby Europeans.
Step off into a side street, and the other city looms: much dirtier, clearly poorer - and tense. Almost everything is shuttered. The gloomy mood in the only place to eat is infectious. The next day, under a bright sky, the Tunisian chapter of the Arabic story is much brighter: traditional women dressed as they have for centuries, if not millennia, and old men who still like to sport a fez, a remnant of the Ottoman Empire. Meanwhile fashionable young women who would grace any city - Bourguiba promoted women's rights and emancipation - chatter on cellphones under diving swallows.
Searching for a less stuffy hotel, I turn to the net, which many think fuelled these recent revolutions. I pick one from TripAdvisor, but the cab driver apologizes that this is as near as he can get: the street, near some Ministries, is guarded by police, and then a tank - and then dozens of rolls of shiny new razor wire. After a stroll through the ancient medina, part of which is now a modern tourist trap, I sit in a run-down cafe for that ubiquitous Arab refreshment, mint tea. With 3G and the Twitter app Echofon, I scan nearby Tweets. One, tweeted minutes earlier, translates via schoolboy French into "tense atmosphere on h.b. [Avenue Habib Bourgiba]." To get there I thread past half a dozen police vans parked up in side streets, around the modern Hotel Africa now shuttered and protected - and groups of men and police gathered on the roads feeding into the Avenue. Something's about to kick off so we watch, and wait.
Across the avenue outside the El Hana International hotel, the security presence escalates. Squads of police motorcyclists roam, men in balaclavas carry sticks and tear gas guns - and there are a lot of pretty obvious secret policemen. The street is now nearly empty of any vehicle that isn't part of the security apparatus. Small groups mill around. A couple of fireworks get thrown. Suddenly tear gas is fired - and we run. Then we stop, regroup, turn back, creep forward, gather again, wait, watch. Take a photo or two. Make a cellphone call. More rounds of tear gas. I get the privilege of inhaling my first whiff of Arab Spring tear gas - and am stupidly surprised to find my eyes watering, my feet instinctively backing me away from the invisible chemical manufactured and sold by the USA.
On the tenth floor terrace of the El Hana, opposite the exquisite Theatre de la Ville de Tunis, there is a bird's eye view of both the avenue and nearby areas. Tear gas is now being fired throughout central Tunis, with a fire visible near the train station. A few stones are being thrown and there are scattered skirmishes. The stream of Tweets - or Twitterfall - increases slightly, although with very few able to afford smartphones, people prefer to anxiously take and make calls and texts to check friends are okay. In the bar an important soccer match grips some: on the terrace, other Tunisians watch appalled and upset. Some say this is the beginning of the second revolution.
A crackle of live rounds. "They're firing into the air," someone notes helpfully. "How do you know?" I ask. "The sound." Suddenly there's a much sharper, crisper, flatter crack. "Oh my God! You hear that? That's not being fired into the air. Oh my God." It's a gun being fired horizontally into… And here technology is no longer useful, no longer a live feed. We'll have to wait for the word from this perpetual and dense conversational culture, from the cafe and the crowd: what the Anglosphere dubs the 'Arab Street' and the French call 'the Arab phone' but is perhaps best thought of now as 'the Arab net'. What we are watching is what Samir Garbaya, a Tunisian computer scientist, dubs "the Arab streetbook: it is the virtual being manifested in the real, on the street."
This is a complex, multi-layered story about content flowing via digital and other media - including intimate "microcasting" (conversations between trusted friends and family) - in a deeply oral culture. Content flowing in texts, games, social networks and via innovative broadcasting by Al Jazeera. All combining in complex ways with physical street presence to fuel insurrections and even revolutions. It has a hidden, secretive history that started long before the Sidi Bouzid self-immolation that led to Ben Ali's ignominious scuttle to Saudi Arabia. It continues as we scuttle, also ignominiously - we're not children, after all - to get inside for the 9pm-5am curfew imposed two days later in Greater Tunis. Where we watch - more or less in live-time via Twitter and Facebook - the reinstatement of state-sanctioned censorship on certain Facebook pages like this one for digital activists Takriz (the rich irony of a copyright notice on a piece of official censorship - think of its intellectual property value! - seems lost on the Agence Tunisienne d'Internet).
It is a history heading towards an uncertain future, where the 21st century and its digital revolution is clashing into cultural habits and power matrices embedded in an ancient landscape. Or perhaps it's more like what African-born British technologist Alfie Dennen calls an "eschatone - the sound made when you catch up to the future travelling back at you." Either way, it currently sounds less like the haunting call to prayer of the muezzin, and more like Tunisian rapper El Général.
Meanwhile, there's a lot more mint tea to be consumed…
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text:
Mission and History
World Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery
Mission Statement
The World Society for Reconstructive Microsurgery (WSRM) is aimed "to stimulate and advance knowledge of the science and art of Microsurgery" and aims to "provide an international forum for the exchange of ideas". The WSRM Congress brings together practitioners and scientists to build and develop thriving scientific societies, health care agencies, and academic institutions in all parts of the world and to integrate their knowledge toward a common language of accepted standards and practice in reconstructive microsurgery. During the WSRM Congress, members of the international microsurgery community have the opportunity to share and learn about new research and best practices in the field. WSRM was created by the merging of two international societies, the IMS and ISRM, in 1999. The first Congress was in 2001 in Taipei. Since then WSRM congresses have been hosted in the following locations:
|1999 – 2001
|V Meyer
|FC Wei
|Taipei, Taiwan
|2001 – 2003
|FC Wei
|G Germann,
H Steinau
|Heidelberg, Germany
|2003 – 2005
|W Morrison
|G Loda
|Buenos Aires, Argentina
|2005 – 2007
|J Terzis
|A Beris,
PN Soucacos,
C Vlastou
|Athens, Greece
|2007 – 2009
|B Strauch
|K Doi,
I Koshima
|Okinawa, Japan
|2009 – 2011
|PM Soucacos
|E Tukiainen
|Helsinki, Finland
|2001 – 2013
|Kazuteru Doi
|Robert Walton
|Chicago, Illinois, USA
|2013 – 2015
|L. Scott Levin
|Raja Sabapathy
|Mumbai, India
|2015 – 2017
|David C. C. Chuang
|Myong Chul Park
|Seoul, Korea
|2017 – 2019
|Isao Koshima
|Geogio De Santis,
Marco Innocenti
|Bologna, Italy
|2019 – 2021
|David Chang
|Eric Santamaria,
Javier Lopez,
Alex Cardenas
|Cancun, Mexico


text:
2D Semiconductors Found to Be Close-To-Ideal Fractional Quantum Hall Platform
Columbia researchers first to discover a quantum fluid—fractional quantum Hall states, one of the most delicate phases of matter—in a monolayer 2D semiconductor; finding could provide a unique test platform for future applications in quantum computing
Holly Evarts, Director of Strategic Communications and Media Relations
347-453-7408 (c), [email protected]
The study is titled "Odd- and even-denominator fractional quantum Hall states in monolayer WSe2."
Authors are: Qianhui Shi 1; En-Min Shih 1; Martin V. Gustafsson 1, 2; Daniel A. Rhodes 3; Bumho Kim 3; Kenji Watanabe 4; Takashi Taniguchi 4; Zlatko Papic 5; James Hone 3; and Cory R. Dean 1
1 Department of Physics, Columbia University
2 Raytheon BBN Technologies
3 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Columbia Engineering
4 National Institute for Materials Science, Tsukuba, Japan
5 School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leeds
This research is primarily supported by US Department of Energy (DE-SC0016703). Synthesis of WSe2 was supported by the Center for Precision Assembly of Superstratic and Superatomic Solids, Materials Science and Engineering Research Center (MRSEC), through NSF grant DMR-1420634. A portion of this work was performed at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, which is supported by National Science Foundation Cooperative Agreement No. DMR-1157490 and the State of Florida. Theoretical collaboration was supported by EPSRC grant EP/R020612/1. Synthesis of BN was supported by the Elemental Strategy Initiative conducted by the MEXT, Japan and the CREST (JPMJCR15F3), JST.
The authors declare no financial or other conflicts of interest.
Paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41565-020-0685-6
DOI: 10.1038/s41565-020-0685-6
New York, NY—July 6, 2020—Columbia University researchers report that they have observed a quantum fluid known as the fractional quantum Hall states (FQHS), one of the most delicate phases of matter, for the first time in a monolayer 2D semiconductor. Their findings demonstrate the excellent intrinsic quality of 2D semiconductors and establish them as a unique test platform for future applications in quantum computing. The study was published online today in Nature Nanotechnology.
"We were very surprised to observe this state in 2D semiconductors because it has generally been assumed that they are too dirty and disordered to host this effect," says Cory Dean, professor of physics at Columbia University. "Moreover, the FQHS sequence in our experiment reveals unexpected and interesting new behavior that we've never seen before, and in fact suggests that 2D semiconductors are close-to-ideal platforms to study FQHS further."
The fractional quantum Hall state is a collective phenomenon that comes about when researchers confine electrons to move in a thin two-dimensional plane, and subject them to large magnetic fields. First discovered in 1982, the fractional quantum Hall effect has been studied for more than 40 years, yet many fundamental questions still remain. One of the reasons for this is that the state is very fragile and appears in only the cleanest materials.
"Observation of the FQHS is therefore often viewed as a significant milestone for a 2D material—one that only the very cleanest electronic systems have reached," notes Jim Hone, Wang Fong-Jen Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Columbia Engineering.
While graphene is the best known 2D material, a large group of similar materials have been identified over the past 10 years, all of which can be exfoliated down to a single layer thickness. One class of these materials is transition metal dichalcogenides (TMD), such as WSe2, the material used in this new study. Like graphene, they can be peeled to be atomically thin, but, unlike graphene, their properties under magnetic fields are much simpler. The challenge has been that the crystal quality of TMDs was not very good.
"Ever since TMD came on the stage, it was always thought of as a dirty material with many defects," says Hone, whose group has made significant improvement to the quality of TMDs, pushing it to a quality near to graphene—often considered the ultimate standard of purity among 2D materials.
In addition to sample quality, studies of the semiconductor 2D materials have been hindered by the difficulties to make good electrical contact. To address this, the Columbia researchers have also been developing the capability to measure electronic properties by capacitance, rather than the conventional methods of flowing a current and measuring the resistance. A major benefit of this technique is that the measurement is less sensitive both to poor electrical contact and to impurities in the material. The measurements for this new study were performed under very large magnetic fields—which help to stabilize the FQHS—at the National High Magnetic Field Lab.
The unique properties of these exotic particles could be used to design quantum computers that are protected from many sources of errors.
"The fractional numbers that characterize the FQHS we observed—the ratios of the particle to magnetic flux number—follow a very simple sequence," says Qianhui Shi, the paper's first author and a postdoctoral researcher at the Columbia Nano Initiative. "The simple sequence is consistent with generic theoretical expectations, but all previous systems show more complex and irregular behavior. This tells us that we finally have a nearly ideal platform for the study of FQHS, where experiments can be directly compared to simple models."
Among the fractional numbers, one of them has an even denominator. "Observing the fractional quantum Hall effect was itself surprising, seeing the even-denominator state in these devices was truly astonishing, since previously this state has only been observed in the very best of the best devices," says Dean.
Fractional states with even denominators have received special attention since their first discovery in the late 1980s, since they are thought to represent a new kind of particle, one with quantum properties different from any other known particle in the universe. "The unique properties of these exotic particles," notes Zlatko Papic, associate professor in theoretical physics at the University of Leeds, "could be used to design quantum computers that are protected from many sources of errors."
So far, experimental efforts to both understand and exploit the even denominator states have been limited by their extreme sensitivity and the extremely small number of materials in which this state could be found. "This makes the discovery of the even denominator state in a new—and different—material platform, really very exciting," Dean adds.
The two Columbia University laboratories—the Dean Lab and the Hone Group—worked in collaboration with the NIMS Japan, which supplied some of the materials, and Papic, whose group performed computational modelling of the experiments. Both Columbia labs are part of the university's Material Research Science and Engineering Center. This project also used clean room facilities at both the Columbia Nano Initiative and City College. Measurements at large magnetic fields were made at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, a user facility funded by the National Science Foundation and headquartered at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Fl.
Now that the researchers have very clean 2D semiconductors as well as an effective probe, they are exploring other interesting states that emerge from these 2D platforms.
Columbia Engineering
Columbia Engineering, based in New York City, is one of the top engineering schools in the U.S. and one of the oldest in the nation. Also known as The Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science, the School expands knowledge and advances technology through the pioneering research of its more than 220 faculty, while educating undergraduate and graduate students in a collaborative environment to become leaders informed by a firm foundation in engineering. The School's faculty are at the center of the University's cross-disciplinary research, contributing to the Data Science Institute, Earth Institute, Zuckerman Mind Brain Behavior Institute, Precision Medicine Initiative, and the Columbia Nano Initiative. Guided by its strategic vision, "Columbia Engineering for Humanity," the School aims to translate ideas into innovations that foster a sustainable, healthy, secure, connected, and creative humanity.


text:
To Have a Bright Economic Future, We Need Many More Nova Scotians
Posted April 6, 2018
The Liberals have produced another barely balanced budget, but we still have a lot of debt and will need a rejuvenated population for long term viability.
The Liberals have developed a commendable unwillingness to experience deficits. They are also exhibiting considerable aversion to reporting more than token surpluses.
Four days before the budget was presented on March 20, a one-time extra revenue of $250 million related to the offshore was revealed. The government had already found a way to use up $180 million of it in the year ending March 31, 2017 and was still working on a few additional projects.
"Buy now, pay later" has been a favourite tactic of politicians over the years, and is particularly in fashion with today's Ontario Liberals, who will be judged by the voters in June. What is happening in Nova Scotia is the opposite.
For example, the largest single commitment is $120 million to support improved internet access in rural areas. That money is to be spent over ten years.
It is to be put into a trust which will operate at arm's length from government. That enables the entire amount to be charged to the 2017-2018 fiscal year. It is pay now for spending that will happen later.
The goal of the project is to have at least 95% of Nova Scotians able to download at a minimum rate of 50 Mbps / 10 Mbps via fibre and cable; 10 Mbps / 2 Mbps via wireless. (Google "internet speed test" to see what you have.)
Is it worth that kind of money? As with infrastructure projects such as highway twinning, it is difficult to make a precise economic argument. Qualitatively there are two benefits:
- Rural manufacturers and food processors need to have electronic links with their customers and suppliers, websites that respond promptly to enquiries, and up-to-the-minute news about their competitive environment and the economy in general.
- Personal access to good internet service is rapidly becoming a necessity of life, particularly for young people, but also for working-age people, and retirees who like the rural lifestyle but want to stay in touch with distant family and what is happening in the world.
Lack of such service contributes to rural depopulation.
In a similar vein, $11 million that was charged to 2017-2018 has been committed to expanding air services for incoming tourists. Tourists arriving by air are the biggest spenders. New routes take time to build enough traffic to be profitable.
The notion is to provide transitional financial support to airlines willing to invest in them. This will be managed by the airport authority, which has until 2024 to spend the money. Similar investments were made to prefund things like university research, innovation hubs, and offshore geoscience.
The alternative for the government would have been to use all or most of the $250 million to pay down the debt. Nova Scotia has the fifth lowest debt per person among the Canadian provinces, but it is still high at $15,765 per person. The three westernmost provinces owe less than $10,000 per person.
Ontario and Quebec owe more than $20,000 per person, but they (especially Ontario) have populations that are younger and growing more quickly because of their large share of immigrants.
Nova Scotia's population is finally growing after years of stagnation. It has been helped by higher international immigration and lower net losses to Ontario and Alberta. Even with that, the proportion of senior citizens is rising. In the absence of a further increase in immigration the number of Nova Scotians under 65 will continue to decrease for the foreseeable future.
When the Liberals were first elected, Nova Scotia was averaging 2,400 immigrants per year. That rose to 5,500 in 2016 (with the Syrian refugee influx) and 4,000 in 2017.
Neither number is enough. Saskatchewan does more than twice as many, Manitoba does more than three times as many. The Ivany report recommended a level of 7,000 based on Nova Scotia's share of the population. Today the same calculation would point to 8,000. Arguably, we should set our sights on a larger number, say 10,000, because we have some catching up to do.
Surveys point to increasing support for immigration. The government has been broadening its use of nominee programs, but we need to aim much higher.
Perhaps next year the government will again have a surplus it wants to pare down. If so, it should look first at how that money could be spent in further growing our intake of immigrants.
Related ArticlesWe Need More Nova Scotians
- The Housing Crisis Needs a Response from Ottawa September 8, 2023
- Celebrate Our Growth Through Immigration, And Our Ability To Control It June 23, 2023
- Canada Must Stop Illegal Border Crossings At Roxham Road February 24, 2023


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Ciara and Russell Wilson are taking their passion for philanthropy and their love of fashion and pouring them into a new venture — The House of LR&C.
The House of LR&C will eventually encompass multiple labels, but for now it begins with their sustainable streetwear line, Human Nation.
via Vogue:
Financially accessible and consciously created, it's sure to speak to ethically-minded consumers. Still, what sets Human Nation apart is the way it directly benefits those in need. For each purchase made, the company will donate 3% to the Why Not You Foundation, the Wilson's non-profit centered on children's health, education, and fighting systemic poverty. By building on the altruistic business model established by Wilson's Good Man Brand—which has already raised more than a million dollars for causes related to kids since 2016—the Wilsons aim to uplift their customers and community. "It's really about how we can take sports, fashion, music, and democratize them to create opportunities for the next generation," shared Wilson via Zoom. His wife echoed the optimistic sentiment. "This process has continually inspired me," says Ciara. "We have a tremendous opportunity to impact with The House of LR&C, and that keeps me motivated."
Executing such ambitious plans within fashion requires retail experience, something their partner Christine Day, an industry vet who helped put brands like Lululemon and Starbucks on the map, has in spades. "Christine has a massive legacy within fashion, and she knew that this was going to be a significant project, one that could make a difference," says Wilson. "We were excited to have such a legend on our all-star team." Having an ally with decades of experience on hand to bounce ideas off of and collaborate with was an extraordinary asset. "Creativity is the easy part, it's what comes naturally to us, but I've enjoyed learning the ins and outs of the business side," says Ciara. "We wanted to do it right. There are a lot of technical things that go into the backend of this process. That's where Christine and her knowledge has been extraordinarily helpful. She's informing us and essentially empowering us as business owners."
Working alongside a woman whose powerhouse career has influenced the omnipresence of yoga pants as well as the way we drink coffee was inspiring in itself. "I enjoyed seeing a female perspective of entrepreneurship," says Ciara. "Christine is no joke; she's super sweet, a loving mom, and a phenomenal person, but she has this confidence and fire inside of her. It's been pretty amazing just seeing her in action." Collaborating with Day also opened their eyes to the intricacies of running a clothing business that adhered to their core values. It wasn't enough that their wares look good; the couple wanted them to stand for something bigger. "We didn't want this to be just fast fashion," says Wilson. "We're building on these core principles, the idea that behind this house, there is love, respect, and care. Each brand will have its own identity, but with that same [focus] on giving back."
That ethical philosophy informed their manufacturing process. Mindful of the damaging impact fashion waste has had on the planet, the team wanted the pieces to be produced sustainably while retaining an affordable price point. Environmentally conscious within their day to day lives, they wanted to have a through-line between their values and business practices. "One of the things we talked about beforehand was sustainability in fashion," says Wilson. "It's such a critical issue and one of the elements that excited us most [within the project], so we invested in it." Through the use of eco-friendly materials like organic cotton, certified factories adhere to the environmental sustainability goals developed by the United Nations., and 100% recycled or recyclable packaging, they could have the best of both worlds.
Aesthetically, Human Nation aligns with Ciara's streetwise style perspective. Capable of pulling off the kind of high drama pieces few would attempt, she's an enduring source of fashion inspiration for her millions of followers. The line might not feature any daring thigh-high slits or glittering gowns (yet), but it aligns with the playful mix of high and low that has come to define her wardrobe. "We have that range. Whether you want to be a tomboy or soften things up, there are pieces within the collection that allow you to do that," she says, noting that the clothing is size inclusive and works across gender lines. "Inclusivity was at the forefront of our design process; we wanted to speak to as many people as possible. I love borrowing Russ' clothes." The realities of 2020 also came into play. "We wanted to prioritize comfort right now as we're all in our houses during this COVID era," says Ciara. "The cool thing is you can wear Human Nation while you're at home and then take it into the streets during your daily walk—having that flexibility was important to us."
Wilson smartly let his wife take the creative reigns when it came to Human Nature's design. The wardrobe essentials of his Good Man Brand are classic, but he knows who the style icon in their house is. "She's been a fashion icon for years," he says with a smile. "It's been a blessing to see her and Christine leading the way; I think about my daughter Sienna and how one day she can run the business." For his part, the overarching purpose of The House of LR&C lies with the projects it makes possible. "It's been amazing not just to give resources away, but to see the faces of the people we're helping. To hear 'Russ, Ciara, you guys helped me go to college' or 'you guys believed in me and now look what I'm doing'" he says. "Those conversations have been the most rewarding. To be able to build this for our community as Black business leaders and know that the people buying Human Nation or Good Man Brand are invested, not just financially but on a personal level."
Check out the products from the first Human Nation drop here.


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The Skyscraper Museum is devoted to the study of high-rise building, past, present, and future. The Museum explores tall buildings as objects of design, products of technology, sites of construction, investments in real estate, and places of work and residence. This site will look better in a browser that supports web standards, but it is accessible to any browser or Internet device.
What will the Manhattan skyline look like in 2023? The section of the exhibition that considered this question was organized on a long central table, covered in an early twentieth century fire insurance map (originally created for the exhibition Ten & Taller), that featured six areas and groups of images, detailed below. On the table was also displayed a wood model of Midtown, created in 2007 by the amateur model maker Michael Chesko.
Two overview images offered projections of the future Manhattan skyline. One, which had been created for an issue of National Geographic in December 2015, was presented as an open magazine. Their graphic represented the lower Manhattan skyline in 2020 as seen from Brooklyn and included profiles of all buildings, current and projected.
Bottom: Renderings by Ondel Hylton, courtesy of Ondel Hylton and CityRealty.
The other was a digital drawing created in 2016 by Ondel Hylton (above) for the real estate website CityRealty and its related news blog 6sqft.com that added to a Google Earth base image of lower Manhattan all the buildings then under construction or announced development that might be completed by 2020. Compilations such as this are extraordinary, because they require in-depth knowledge of the current real estate market as well as an analysis of zoning issues. They illustrate what architects or developers rarely include in their promotional images – their competitors. Because this image dates from 2016, it includes some projects that have since faltered, while some newer ones are missing. The city is constantly evolving, so a "future" model can never truly be up to date.
Still, these digital projections clearly reveal the characteristics of a distinctly new era of the Manhattan skyline. They show a multiplicity of new towers that are taller than those of past eras. There are two types. Office buildings or mixed-use structures have large floor plates and greater girth. Residential towers have slimmer proportions: at least twenty supertall and super-slender condominium towers are currently under construction, and many more are projected.
In addition, this overview illustrates several new areas with a concentration of new skyscrapers: the West Side development of Hudson Yards with at least sixteen new towers; the rebuilding at Ground Zero and other sites across lower Manhattan; new high-rise development along the East River, including the Brooklyn and Williamsburg waterfront; and future towers in the area around Grand Central rezoned as East Midtown.
The area around Grand Central, the main terminal for suburban commuter rail lines to Westchester and the Hudson Valley, as well as the hub for five city subway lines, became the anchor for Midtown in the 1920s and, even more so, in the post-war years as Park Avenue transformed into a corporate corridor of skyscraper headquarters. Those aging office towers, however, were losing their competitive edge of prime location to buildings in new districts, such as Battery Park City's World Financial Center (now renamed Brookfield Place) and, in the early 2000s, a redeveloped Times Square, as well as, recently, the rebuilding of the World Trade Center.
Toward the end of the Bloomberg administration in 2012, the NYC Department of City Planning (DCP) outlined a plan that would create incentives for the private sector to reinvigorate and "green" the Grand Central district with new buildings or by retrofitting older structures. The DCP proposed an increase in the maximum floor area (FAR) allowed for blocks between 39th and 57th streets and Third and Madison avenues, an area they termed East Midtown. Through the purchase and transfer of air rights, in particular the unused air rights of designated landmarks such as Grand Central Terminal and St. Patrick's Cathedral, developers could assemble up to twice the floor area allowed under the prevailing zoning regulations. In exchange for this up-zoning, the City required improvements – at the developer's expense – to underground connections to transit and the creation of new public amenities such as pedestrianized streets and new plazas.
A precedent for the East Midtown Rezoning, which was passed by the City Council in 2017, was One Vanderbilt, a new tower designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF) now under construction that will rise to 1,401 feet to become the tallest office building in Midtown. The rendering at the right shows the shifting status of the signature towers of the 21st century skyline as the Art Deco spires of the Chrysler Building and Empire State will be overtopped almost a century after their heyday. A recently announced project that will make use of the new zoning rules is a new headquarters for JPMorgan Chase at 270 Park Avenue, which will require the demolition of the existing 1961 building to create a taller, 70-story skyscraper.
Another tower which preceded the area rezoning, 425 Park Avenue, designed by Foster + Partners, shown in the rendering on the upper right, is scheduled to open in 2019.
Owner/Developer: SL Green Realty Corp.
Architect: Kohn Pedersen Fox Associates (KPF)
Structural Engineer: Severud Associates Consulting Engineers
Height: 1,401 ft. | 427 m. | 58 floors
G.F.A.: 1,750,212 ft² / 162,600 m²
This model, designed by the architectural firm KPF, shows the building's design of four interlocking volumes, revealed at the top of the structure. The massing of the building, which slopes away from Grand Central, has a decidedly more contemporary style than the setbacks of many of the surrounding 70 to 80-year old buildings. The facade of glass and glazed terra-cotta also stands out from the many stone and brick edifices. To maximize height with limited FAR, One Vanderbilt has fewer stories, and higher ceilings, than other skyscrapers of comparable height.
West Side Skyline, Hudson Yards
An entirely new skyline is taking shape on Manhattan's west side between the central business district of Midtown South – generally considered to be bounded by Eighth Avenue (which is the border in the wood Chesko model on display) – and extending to West Street and the Hudson River waterfront. The core of this new district is Hudson Yards, 26 acres of mixed-use development that includes 16 skyscrapers, both commercial and residential, as well as retail and cultural spaces, totaling 18 million square feet. They are being built, at immense expense, on a new platform over the West Side Rail Yard, the area of train tracks owned by the Metropolitan Transit Authority (MTA) which uses the ground-level tracks to park Penn Station's commuter trains between rush hours. Created under a master plan overseen by New York City and the MTA, Hudson Yards is being developed by a partnership of Related Companies and Oxford Properties Group. It constitutes the largest private real estate development in U.S. history. The massive project is being designed and constructed in two phases: the six skyscrapers of the East Yards, which are now all nearly topped out and can be seen from all around the city, have an estimated completion date of 2022. The West Yards are still undergoing design.
Hudson Yards was planned in the Bloomberg Administration and initiated by a competition to develop the site, ultimately won by Related with a master plan by KPF, who are also architects for the two tallest skyscrapers, 30 and 10 Hudson Yards. The government's goal was to stimulate a westward expansion of the central business district through tax incentives and tax-increment financing (TIF) that was used to fund an extension of the Number 7 line across 42nd Street to a new 34th Street-Hudson Yards subway station. After the financial crisis of 2008-2009 eased, development activity in the entire district began to accelerate. Several simultaneous projects led by different entities, including the new office towers of Manhattan West on Ninth Avenue, and to the north, as well as a concentration of smaller residential buildings, have risen at the edges of the Hudson Yards platform, and especially along the High Line elevated park. Today, the City's ambitious plan to channel dense new growth into underdeveloped areas of Manhattan seems an "overnight" sensation.


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|From: Matthew Flatt (mflatt at cs.utah.edu)
Date: Thu Apr 28 08:41:11 EDT 2005
At Wed, 27 Apr 2005 14:41:21 -0400, Dave Herman wrote: > I've got a macro that expands into a `class*' form, and for debugging > I'd like to see what it expands to without having to see what the class > form expands to. If I use `local-expand' with #'class* in the stop-list, > then it doesn't expand anything, because the `class*' form itself does a > `local-expand' on its contents. > > Would it be hard to write a utility that expands the guts of a class > without expanding any further? I'm not sure I follow. Using `expand-once' enough times should get you to the point where the expression is `class*', but it sounds like you want to then expand the body expressions in `class*' without expanding the `class*' form itself. If that's right, then I think there's no way to get what you want out of `class*', because `class*' can't expand itself without (partially) expanding its body expressions, and it can't expand its body expressions without expanding itself. Matthew
|Posted on the users mailing list.


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One of my favorite things about this time of year is the opportunity to give thanks to the people who make a difference in our lives, whether special mentors, colleagues, or friends.
Who made you smile, supported and helped you this year? How can you make a difference in their day? Think about what would mean a lot to them. Here are some quick ideas:
- Send them a handwritten note
- Write a recommendation or endorse their skills on LinkedIn, tweet a call out complimenting them, write on their facebook profile, post an Instagram photo thank you, etc.
- Comment on and share their blog posts
- Introduce them to someone you think they would enjoy meeting
- Take them out to coffee or lunch
- Share a book or article related to their interests or goals. Or share music in the genre you know they love
- Support a cause that is important to them.
This is also such a great time to give back by reaching out to help someone the same way others have done for you. I have learned so much from people I have mentored and it is very fulfilling to see them reaching their goals and happy.
Consider volunteering for causes you care about, or promote the nonprofit in your community and on your favorite social media site. Think about how you would like to make a difference in the next year.
Building strong relationships is one of my core values. My article Tips for Building a Strong Professional Network offers more ideas like reviewing your network periodically for how to strengthen it.
Who have you thanked lately for the difference they make in your life?


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Back in January, General Electric announced that it will be moving its headquarters from Fairfield to Boston, Mass. Since that announcement, corporate lobbyists have pushed the narrative that GE's move was motivated by higher taxes and a so-called 'bad business climate.' And the move has been mentioned often to rationalize drastic and harmful budget cuts and austerity measures. But a smart look at the facts shows that GE's move has been portrayed inaccurately and we have taken the wrong lessons for the experience.
Even last summer when GE injected itself into the state budget process, politicians and lobbyists decried the 'business unfriendly' budget because it closed some corporate tax loopholes to fund schools, public safety, and infrastructure. But GE's announcement in January illustrates that taxes clearly were not a major motivating factor in the decision to move.
If they had been, GE could be moving to Texas or Georgia, where tax rates are substantially lower than Connecticut's. Instead, their decision came down to New York or Massachusetts, which both have higher tax rates. Ultimately GE went with Massachusetts, a state that has a long-standing reputation for higher taxes.
So if taxes are not the main factor for moving to Massachusetts, other factors must be. Every serious study of the location selection of corporate headquarters shows that the rate of the corporate income tax is far down the list of factors major corporations consider. The top factors include livable communities, good education systems, transportation, and an educated workforce.
GE's CEO Jeff Immelt himself backs up this assertion, saying: "Greater Boston is home to 55 colleges and universities. Massachusetts spends more on research and development than any other region in the world, and Boston attracts a diverse, technologically fluent workforce focused on solving challenges for the world. We are excited to bring our headquarters to this dynamic and creative city."
Because Massachusetts does collect more taxes, it is able to invest in these very factors that attract businesses. Massachusetts has the best-ranked schools in the country according to Education Week. They have one of the highest rates of spending per pupil at $13,157, and one of the highest graduation rates at 86 percent.
More than 70 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds in Massachusetts were enrolled in college or already completed a post-secondary degree, the highest percentage in the nation. The state has invested heavily in its transportation infrastructure with plans to invest $3 billion over the next year. And Boston is among the top 10 cities in the country that invests the most in public safety.
GE's move comes up constantly when corporate lobbyists argue in favor of drastic budget cuts to vital services families rely on, instead of common sense revenue-generating proposals that would give our state long-term financial security. This is backwards. Corporations are looking for vibrant and vital communities with a well-educated workforce, so what sense does it make to cut vocational training programs and community college funds in the name of being 'business friendly?'
Instead we should look to programs that can create additional funds for the state so we are not in a continuous cycle of cuts and austerity. For instance, we could pass the Low Wage Employer Fee. It would ask large, profitable companies to pay their workers a fair wage, or pay a small fee to offset the costs of public assistance programs their employees are forced to rely on to survive.
The fee could generate $305 million a year in revenue, and give families the resources they need to make ends meet. We could join a compact with other Northeastern states in asking the 1 percent to pay their fair share by closing the carried interest tax loophole, which lets hedge fund managers and bankers pay a much lower tax rate on income earned from stock market investments, and shortchanges us about $535 million every year. If our tax rates matched the tax rates for the super-wealthy in states such as New York, New Jersey, and Massachusetts, it could generate over $300 million annually.
The 'new economic reality' will only become permanent if we continue making harmful budget cuts and state layoffs. Shouldn't we strive to create the kind of vibrant, safe, well-educated, supported communities GE, and other companies, want to be in?
If we continue cutting vital services and slashing public programs in the name of being 'business friendly,' we will create exactly the opposite environment. Only with reliable and stable sources of revenue will our state have enough resources to support our communities and draw businesses to the state.
Lindsay Farrell is the Executive Director of Connecticut Working Families.


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Art critic Tabish Khan brings you 'The Top 7 Art Exhibitions to see in London' this week. Each one comes with a concise review to help you decide whether it's for you. Catch them quick as they all end soon:
Monochrome @ The National Gallery
Art history is all black and white, literally. This exhibition takes us through art history at pace from Rembrandt and Tiepolo to Bridget Riley and Malevich — showing us how many great artists have used monochrome in their work. A highlight is saved until the end as Olafur Eliasson's room bathed in yellow lights turns visitors into black and white works ourselves. Until 18 February.
The Performativity of Painting @ Stephen Lawrence Gallery, University of Greenwich
A varied group show looking at the cross over between performance and painting throws up some great work. Special plaudits are due to Liz Elton's compostable colourful works that will eventually decay and Rebecca Molloy's sexualised seduction of a cactus — make sure you catch one of the performances. Until 16 February.
Beazley Designs of the Year @ Design Museum
A pussyhat, a flag for refugees and a poster highlighting the lack of women in scientific workplaces. There are some fabulous designs in the tenth anniversary edition of this exhibition. Plus the innovative recycling of materials to produce fashion and furniture made me leave the show with a little more faith in humanity. Until 18 February.
Michael Armitage: The Chapel @ South London Gallery
East African folklore meets a Gauguin-esque painting style to create these layered works exploring issues such as mental health with demons hovering in the background. Until 23 February.
David Altmejd: Magic Loop @ Modern Art, Helmet Row
Giant plaster reliefs have hands protruding from them like something we'd see at a palaeontology dig — I kept expecting to spot a T-Rex skull. It's playful meeting of art history and ancient history. Until 24 February.
Eleanor Bartlett: Tar Paintings @ Tintype
These abstract paintings have a lovely materiality to them as they have tar incorporated into them, it feels as if you could physically tear chunks out of it. I also love the use of tar as a material associated with the working class being integrated into the often elitist world of fine art. Until 17 February.
Juan Munoz: Arenas @ Skarstedt
I'm surrounded by smiling figures sat on chairs attached high against the walls. One has a dice in his mouth and they are in conversation, and acting as if I'm not ever there. In another room a man hangs from the ceiling suspended by his tongue. These personal moments transform us into an uncomfortable voyeur. Until 22 February.
All images courtesy gallery and copyright artist. Monochrome image copyright Anders Sune Berg. Michael Armitage image © Michael Armitage. Photo © White Cube (Ben Westoby). Courtesy of the Artist and White Cube. Design museum image copyright Clemenger BBDO.