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Bloomberg Spent His Entire Career Flattering Wall Street
Recently Republican billionaire Michael Bloomberg on Tuesday unveiled a financial reform platform obviously intended to put to bed concerns among Democrats that the former New York mayor's long-standing advocacy for the financial elite would continue if he were to take the White House.
Bloomberg's plan would reverse deregulatory maneuvers implemented by the Trump administration that have gutted the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law. He's also floating a tax on every Wall Street financial transaction ― a reform with the potential to raise tremendous revenue for the government while discouraging speculative excess in high finance. Sens. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts, as well as former South Bend, Indiana, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, have also proposed a financial transaction tax as part of their platforms in the Democratic race.
Bloomberg's plan is not a bad one, and the record-setting $338 million his campaign is spending to date on national TV ads alone will no doubt be used to sell it. But his abrupt conversion to financial regulator obscures a long-standing truth: He has always been a product of Wall Street. If he were to win the nomination, the Democratic Party would become, for all intents and purposes, the political wing of the U.S. financial sector.
This would be troubling enough on its own. But Bloomberg represents a particularly crass segment of the financial elite. He doesn't make his money by making markets more efficient. He doesn't help investors research transformational new ideas or target long-term value.
What Bloomberg really does is sell status. Bloomberg LP runs a news site, but its real revenue flows from Bloomberg terminal subscriptions. A Bloomberg terminal is a ridiculously complex computer interface with a weird, customized keyboard that tracks a ton of financial data in something very close to real time. This market data is indeed valuable ― but it isn't worth anything close to what Bloomberg charges for it. Other companies offer similar material for far less.
Bloomberg LP doesn't release pricing figures, but in 2013 Quartz reported that the terminals were going for $20,000 each, per year. Today, there are about 325,000 Terminals on the market. The price has almost surely gone up during the last seven years, but even at 2013 rates, it's easy to see how Michael Bloomberg came to be worth more than $60 billion.
He can get away with overpricing his data because people who work on Wall Street will do almost anything to project their wealth. Paying too much is one way of telling the world that you don't need to worry about money. And Bloomberg encourages this projection by providing a messaging service through the terminals that functions as a kind of social network for the 1%. Terminal users can communicate directly with other terminal users, establishing for all parties involved that they are all, indeed, very prestigious fellows. This makes everyone feel important.
The terminals, of course, have also been a breeding ground for fraud. During the Libor scandal ― in which traders at different banks worked together to manipulate the value of key interest rates ― malefactors used terminal chat rooms to coordinate their trades.
So Bloomberg makes his money flattering the egos of Wall Street professionals. If you have a Bloomberg terminal, you're a real boy. If you don't, you're just another financial Pinnochio trying to make it in New York.
This basic fact helps explain why Bloomberg has publicly committed himself to flat-earth explanations for the 2008 financial crisis. In his worldview, Wall Street didn't really have much to do with the Wall Street crash. The blame lies with fussy government meddlers and, of course, Black people.
In 2008, Bloomberg told a panel at Georgetown University that the push to stop discriminatory "redlining" practices forced banks to make bad loans to poor Black people who couldn't pay them back.
"It all started back when there was a lot of pressure on banks to make loans to everyone," Bloomberg said, according to The Associated Press. "Redlining, if you remember, was the term where banks took whole neighborhoods and said, 'People in these neighborhoods are poor, they're not going to be able to pay off their mortgages, tell your salesmen don't go into those areas.'"
Bloomberg added: "And then Congress got involved ― local elected officials, as well ― and said, 'Oh that's not fair, these people should be able to get credit.' And once you started pushing in that direction, banks started making more and more loans where the credit of the person buying the house wasn't as good as you would like."
Speaking to Occupy Wall Street in 2011, during his mayoral tenure, Bloomberg told the protesters they had it all wrong:
"It was not the banks that created the mortgage crisis. It was, plain and simple, Congress, who forced everybody to go and give mortgages to people who were on the cusp …. They were the ones who pushed Fannie and Freddie to make a bunch of loans that were imprudent, if you will. They were the ones that pushed the banks to loan to everybody. And now we want to go vilify the banks because it's one target, it's easy to blame them."
Bloomberg's story of the financial crisis― that it was created by poor people and Congress ― is at odds with the basic explanation agreed upon by serious scholars. Banks packaged a lot of crummy loans into complex securities, then packaged those complex securities into more complex securities, then packaged those complex securities into more complex securities, and then made trillions of dollars worth of speculative bets on all of it.
There were, of course, a lot of consumer protection violations and lousy loans involved in this scheme. Conservative boogeymen Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were responsible for about a fifth of the exotic mortgages issued during the housing bubble ― but that leaves 80% for Wall Street. And nobody made Wall Street decide to bet trillions and trillions of dollars on those loans. That was Wall Street's decision. And they did it for the same reason Wall Street does everything it does: to make money.
Naturally, Bloomberg was a ferocious critic of the 2010 Dodd-Frank financial reform law, calling it "dysfunctional" and "stupid," while assailing the fines assessed against banks for misconduct during the crisis as "outrageous."
As Bloomberg was leaving office as mayor in 2013, former House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-Mass.) went out of his way to trash him in an interview with Politico, saying Bloomberg cared more about his "rich friends" than he did about public policy.
"We never paid much attention to what he had to say, frankly, because I just saw him as kind of a shill for his industry," Frank said. "This is a mayor of New York who's a member of that industry, defending his industry from valid criticisms."
This isn't the kind of record you can wash away with a white paper. Wall Street is in Bloomberg's bones.
In July 2015, Goldman Sachs CEO Lloyd Blankfein stopped by Bloomberg Tower in midtown Manhattan to opine on the upcoming presidential election. Interviewed by Stephanie Ruhle, Blankfein was considered so august a guest that Bloomberg himself joined for the event. After a rather dull paean to the virtues of compromise, Blankfein turned and smiled at Bloomberg. "There's a lot of focus on New York billionaires these days, but my favorite one is not running."
He's running now.
Source: Read Full Article


text: I have two bedrooms that are fully furnished for someone looking to move to Canada. I bought a house on the ocean and am fixing it up, looking for someone to help water the garden and take my dog for walks. I own a forestry company and am very busy with work so a extra hand or two would be nice. Im 34 years old looking for someone around my age who loves the outdoors. I have 3.5 acres on the ocean, both bedrooms have a great view of the ocean.

subset: commoncrawl


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Irony of ironies, but the very date that Queen Victoria branded a bad omen and which holds a very fraught history within the Royal Family is in fact my birthday: December 14. I've never known quite what to make of that, especially since Queen Victoria was the first British monarch I took a particular interest in. But there's a reason she hated the day – and a few reasons why she became quite superstitious about it – her husband died on December 14, plunging her into a 40-year widowhood at the age of 42.
Not only that but 10 years later, her eldest son nearly died of the same disease (Typhoid) on the very same day – when the 14th rolled around, however, he miraculously began to recover. Seven years after that, Princess Alice became the first of Victoria's children to die on, you guessed it, December 14, 1978. Even as late as 1895 the date had resonance – Mary of Teck, then Duchess of York, gave birth to her second son on December 14th of that year and her husband was afraid to tell the Queen lest she be somehow offended. She wasn't, but she did note his birth date was "unfortunate."
So, on this most unfortunate of days, but one on which I get to eat cake and open presents, let's go back to the OG and take a look at Prince Albert's death.
This history picks up where another blog post left off, thanks to a little incident involving the Prince of Wales and an "actress" by the name of Nellie Clifden. On November 22, 1861, Albert traveled to Sandhurt to inspect new buildings under construction, during which he caught a cold. Deeply upset at the time by the news that his eldest son was involved in a sexual relationship with a woman of ill-repute, he was also plagued by anxiety and insomnia. A workaholic to his core, he didn't pause to rest, but instead prepared on November 25 to travel to Cambridge where he could have a man-to-man talk with his son.
The discussion the two men had went well for the purposes of their rather fraught relationship, however it also involved a rather long walk in bad weather, during which Bertie got them lost. He was exhausted by the time he returned to his wife and younger children at Windsor Castle. He wrote to his eldest daughter, then Crown Princess of Prussia, a few days later:
"I am at a very low ebb. Much worry and great sorrow (about which I beg you not to ask questions) have robbed me of sleep during the past fortnight. In this shattered state I had a very heavy catarrh and for the past four days am suffering from headache and pains in my limbs, which may develop into rheumatism."
Victoria, who wrote to their eldest daughter daily, followed this up with:
"Dearest Papa is not well, with a cold and neuralgia – a great depression. The sad part is – that this loss of rest at night (worse than he has ever had before) was caused by a great sorrow and worry, which upset us both greatly – but him especially – and it broke him quite down. I never saw him so low."
By the end of 1861, six of Victoria and Albert's nine children were still living at home. Vicky, the eldest, had married the Crown Prince of Prussia nearly four years previously and was then in the early days of her third pregnancy. Bertie, the second child, had left home for a mixture of military training and furthering his education, and was then in the middle of another round of studies at Cambridge that would ultimately prove futile. Alfred, the second son and fourth child, had embarked on his Naval, while the remaining children, spanning the ages of 18 to four, still lived with their parents.
In addition to domestic worries over Bertie, the British government was navigating around the outbreak of civil war in the United States after the first shots had been fired the previous April. But in the middle of this, a British mail steamer had been stopped by an American warship when those shots were fired in Charleston, on board of which were two Confederate envoys on their way to Britain. Both envoys were seized and taken to New York, which broke international law and outraged the British government to the point that an outbreak of war between Britain and the northern states wasn't out of the question. It was Albert and not Victoria who kept this from happening, but it came from countless nights writing missives by candlelight and by the end of the year, his health was frail enough to be taken down by a cold.
On Sunday, December 1, he forced himself to attend chapel. The next day he was unable to dress and spent the next day on a sofa in his dressing room, telling his family he was dying. Victoria would have none of it and told him to stop being ridiculous. He responded by saying, "I do not cling to life. You do; but I set no store by it. I am sure if I had a severe illness I should give up at once. I should not struggle for life. I have no tenacity of life."
By Friday, December 6, he seemed to be doing better after several days being forced to take to his bed. He inquired after news and spent time with his daughter, Alice, then engaged to Prince Louis of Hesse, by looking over the plans for her new house. Victoria, much relieved, even brought in their youngest child, Beatrice, called "Baby" by the family to cheer her husband up. She repeated French verses she was learning in the schoolroom for him, making him laugh, and cuddled with him on the bed.
By the next day, however, a rash developed on Albert's stomach and it was clear to doctors that he was suffering from Typhoid Fever. Victoria was devastated – Albert was moved to the bedroom and Victoria spent time at his bedside, crying and watching him while he slept. He couldn't sleep on Sunday night and wandered from room to room, feverish and mercurial. At various points he was kind and loving to Victoria, holding her face and kissing her, while at others he grew so peevish and impatient that he slapped her hand away when she tried to help. Before the sun rose, he requested to moved to the Castle's Blue Room and Alice took to playing the piano in the adjoining room for his amusement. When she played Ein Feste Burg ist Unser Gott tears sprang to his eyes, his homesickness for Germany having never gone away despite 21 years in England.
When the doctors next visited him, there was serious concern and the Prime Minister, Lord Palmerston, was told he should be worried. Alice wrote to Vicky in Berlin to let her know their father was very ill – when Albert asked her what she had said he responded, "You did wrong. You should have told her I am dying."
By December 11, he was beginning to feel better. Victoria found him in the morning sitting up in bed and he spent time resting on her shoulder, telling her, "It is very comfortable so, dear child." She was so pleased by his apparent improvement that on December 13, she finally tore herself away from his bedside to take a walk in the gardens, but the moment she was gone he took a serious turn for the worse. When told the news – and what it implied – Victoria broke down and seemed to understand that the end was near. Crying to her lady-in-waiting, she bemoaned the fate of the country, for Albert had taken over a significant amount of – if not the majority of – governance.
When she returned to the Blue Room, she found Albert very quiet and arranging his hair the way that he did every morning when he was well, "as though he was preparing for another and greater journey."
The next morning, on Saturday, December 14, Victoria went to the Blue Room at seven o'clock in the morning per usual. She later wrote:
"It was a bright morning, the sun just rising and shining brightly. Never can I forget how beautiful my darling look lying there with his face lit up by the rising sun, his eyes unusually bright gazing as it were on unseen objects and not taking notice of me. Sir James was very hopeful, so was Dr. Jenner and said it was a 'decided rally,' – but that they were all 'very, very anxious.' Sir H. Holland was very anxious. All constantly there or in the next room and so was I. I asked if I might go out for a breath of fresh air. The doctors answered, 'Yes, just close by, for half an hour!' I went out on the Terrace with Alice. The military band was playing at a distance and I burst out crying and came home again … Sir James was very hopeful, he had seen much worse cases. But the breathing was the alarming thing – so rapid…I was crying in despair saying, how should and could I ever get on."
Throughout all of this, Victoria refused to summon Bertie to Windsor from Cambridge because she blamed him for Albert having grown ill in the first place. At the last minute, without asking permission, Alice wrote to him herself and he arrived with hours to spare.
All eight of the children took a spot at their father's bedside, the room becoming a bustling hub of doctors, family and servants. Victoria left the room for a moment to collect herself and it was then that the death rattle sounded, identified by Alice. She immediately went to fetch her mother, telling her the end was near. She returned to the room saying, "Oh, this is death. I know it. I have seen this before."
Later, she recounted:
"I took his dear left hand which was already cold and knelt down by him. All, all was over. I stood up and kissed his dear heavenly forehead and called out in a bitter and agonizing cry, 'Oh! My dear darling!' and then dropped on my knees in mute distracted despair, unable to utter a word or shed a tear! Then I laid down on the sofa in the Red Room and all the gentlemen came in and knelt down and kissed my hand and I said a word to each."
That evening she slept with her youngest, Beatrice, wrapped up in one of Albert's shirts.
Victoria never recovered from Albert's death. The Blue Room was kept as a shrine, as were his rooms – shirts and water laid out by servants each day as though he might appear. He was interred at Frogmore House in an elaborate mausoleum in which Victoria would eventually join him, but not until January 1901.


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Orson Scott Card
Orson Scott Card (b. 1951) is an American novelist, critic, public speaker, essayist and columnist. He writes in several genres but is known best for science fiction. His novel Ender's Game (1985) and its sequel Speaker for the Dead (1986) both won Hugo and Nebula Awards, making Card the only author to win both science fiction's top U.S. prizes in consecutive years. A feature film adaptation of Ender's Game, which Card co-produced, was released in late October 2013 in Europe and on November 1, 2013, in North America. Card is a professor of English at Southern Virginia University.
books by Orson Scott Card
Ender's Game
Ender's Way
Speaker for the Dead


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The population in Gadsden for 2023 is 36 856. Gadsden is one of 1561 cities in United States (US) and ranks 726 in the United States (US) population. Gadsden city population data has been obtained from public sources. On the Population HUB website you can find out the number of people in any of the regions of the Earth.
36 856 people
Population HUB - this is an accessible statistics of the population of the country, city and any other region. Fast site work and constantly updated data. Thank you for choosing the Population HUB.


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How to Get a US Driver's License Coming on a Tourist Visa
An International Driving Permit is a kind of your driver's license translated into ten languages to help travelers and local authorities overcome language barriers. Among other things, an International Driving Permit contains information from a national driver's license translated into English, and thus it supplements and confirms national DLs.Read More


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We could not survive without oxygen. Nonetheless, oxygen is also a source of free radicals, which attack fats, protein and genetic material and damage the strength and functionality of cell membranes, enzymes and DNA. A growing body of evidence demonstrates that numerous pathological conditions, including aging, cardiovascular disease, inflammation, various cancers and Alzheimer's disease, are at least partly associated with the damaging effects of excess free radicals.
Nutrition experts estimate that people need to consume 3,000 to 5,000 ORAC units a day to help maintain good health. A lab testing procedure called Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity Assay or ORAC measures the ability of foods to absorb and deactivate the hydroxyl radical.
- ¼ cup of dried cherries rates 3,060 on the ORAC scale.
- ½ cup of frozen tart cherries supplies, on average, 1,362 ORAC units.
- Montmorency tart cherry concentrate supplies 5,000 – 8,000 ORAC units per 2T serving (Cherry Active, 2011; Cherry Marketing Institute, 2012).
In 2013, Brunswick Labs introduced a more complete free radical analysis called ORAC 5.0. In addition to the hydroxyl radical, ORAC 5.0 measures the ability of foods to absorb and deactivate peroxyl, peroxynitrite, singlet oxygen and superoxide anion. The more oxygen radicals a food absorbs, the higher its ORAC 5.0 score, and the greater its antioxidant ability.
We tested our 2013 tart cherry juice concentrate using ORAC 5.0. The new numbers are astounding –
There are 1,931.54 ORAC units per ml of concentrate or 57,946.2 ORAC units per 2T serving,
King Orchards Montmorency Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate
a perfect way to benefit from a high antioxidant diet.


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30 Toothsome Cake Pops That Are The Best Bite-Sized Yummies Ever!
Cake pops work around a simple concept of combining cake crumbles with your choice of frosting and preparing little bite-sized balls of the same, followed by assembling them on a stick once they are covered with a final outer coating. Making everything just so portable, the treats open a whole world of customizations when it comes to the flavours and decor. Chocolate, peanut butter, berries or pumpkins – every dessert flavour to name has been covered by these 30 delicious cake pops below!
1. Surprise Rainbow Cake Pops
You just can't go wrong with rainbows when it comes to delighting the kids – even more splendorous when that curved band of colors comes to delicious cake pops. Rainbow-hued layers of cake combined with white chocolate chips and whipped cream rolled into a ball are coated with a thick white chocolate, redefining the title with lots of colorful sprinkles spread on top. Prepare the recipe as showcased by Tastemade, and biting into the yummy thing reveals the spectrum hidden inside, oozing the flavours of vanilla cake.
Recipe Details : tastemade
2. Cheesecake Flavoured Cake Pops
Taking the directions mentioned on the box of a classic white cake mix with a handful of easy modifications as the foundation, these cake pops have been charmed up with a touch of cheesecake by adding a few drops of cheesecake oil going into the batter. The baked cake crumbs are flavoured with cheesecake coffee creamer, before rolling them into little balls. That red shell is a wonderful combination of oil-based food coloring and melted vanilla candy coating, getting a lot more texture when decorated with loads of sprinkles.
Recipe Details : cakepopstandco
3. Chocolate Peanut Butter Cheesecake Pops
Can the coming together of peanut butter and chocolate in one single dessert ever fail to steal the show, specially if you are preparing treats for a kid's party? But what's the added delicacy here is that the pops are not just any other peanut butter flavoured cake balls, they are actually delicious cheesecakes, richly smothered in a layer of creamy chocolate made with milk chocolate chips and some vegetable shortening. The heavy cream contained in the pops makes every bite a bit extra smooth and moist.
Recipe Details : jocooks
4. Strawberry Shortcake Cake Pops
Desserts loaded with berries sound just so good in summers, and this strawberry shortcake treat is just perfect for the season. Delectable vanilla cake is nestled with fresh chopped strawberries throughout before it's coated with milky white chocolate. No more than 4 ingredients, including some pound cake, lots of fluffy white frosting, white chocolate and some chopped strawberries are all you need to prepare the cake pops. Trust me, it's going to be really hard to stop yourself from grabbing more and more of these pretties.
Recipe Details : lifeloveliz
5. Oatmeal Cream Pie Cake Pops
Haven't got any time to pull off a set of yummy pops from the very scratch? Here's one of the easiest cake pop recipes ever, that'll let you get it going with just a box of little oatmeal cream pies, and of course, some white chocolate to turn the pies into individual pops standing on lollipop sticks. Oatmeal Cream Pies come loaded with a luscious filling pre hand, so what you need to do is simply crumble them up and roll, finally dipping them in the mixture of melted chocolate. Sprinkle some more crumbles on the finished treat.
Recipe Details : thenovicechefblog
6. S'mores Cake Pops
Going for a store-bought cake pop dough eliminates the hassle of baking a cake and blending it with whipped cream to make the filling, while assuring that the treats are going to turn out absolutely decadent at the same time. Cream and crunch go hand in hand when that rich layer of marshmallow melt is decorated with some cracker crumbs and little piece of chocolate on top. For whipping up one heck of a yummy pop recipe, you are going to need some chocolate cake pop dough, lots of marshmallow flavored candy melts, some graham crackers, and chocolate bars.
Recipe Details : momsandmunchkins
7. Oreo Cheesecake Pops
There is something just so tempting about Oreos that makes them an ever-successful ingredient for some of the most delicious desserts of all time. But, combining the crunchy and creamy chocolate sandwich cookies with the lusciousness of cheesecake takes everything to all new levels of tastes! The cake pop filling here is lots of cream cheese blended with cookie crushed Oreos, further dipping lollipop sticks into melted white chocolate wafers, sticking them to the cake pop and coating with the melt. Sprinkle with more cookie crumbs!
Recipe Details : diethood
8. Vanilla Cake Pops
Hiding beneath that pastel-hued exterior in a lovely pink is a classic cake flavour that's not only suited for the kiddos, but for the adults who like to keep their desserts subtle as well! What the cake filling calls for includes some white cake mix, and creamy vanilla frosting whereas the candy coating is Wilton candy melts and some Crisco shortening. The moment you dig your teeth into these soft and creamy pops, get ready to have your mouth filled with the flavours of sweet vanilla. Add the touches of beauty with some white sprinkles.
Recipe Details : simplyhomecooked
9. Banana Split Cake Pops
Who can forget banana split when it comes to listing the most-loved sundae choices around the world? And the cake pop version of the sundae is equally delicious, but of course, a bite sized goodness! The cake balls are soft strawberry banana cake smothered in velvety banana cream flavoring, further getting the sundae-like decor with a topping of pink, yellow, or dark chocolate candy melts. To make the split cake pops even more adorable, throw a few rainbow nonpareils or a few marshmallow bits on top.
Recipe Details : sugarkissed
10. Spring Flower Cake Pops
Another name for fragrant happiness, flowers are the ideal birthday gift for your loved ones – except for the fact that these flowers are not only aromatic, but simply drool-worthy! The spring flower-shaped cake pops have got pre-colored fondant as the petals and the leaves, while your favorite cake crumbles mixed with buttercream or cream cheese go for the filling. The cake balls are coated with colored melted candy wafers and adorned with sprinkles. Transform them into a one-of-a-kind centerpiece by installing the pops in a lovely vase!
Recipe Details : bhg
11. Bailey's Spiked Cake Pops
The author has crafted these stunning pops, specially for St. Patrick's Day, combining the flavours of all-time Irish favorites, Guinness and Bailey's with chocolate to end up in the perfect holiday treat. The cake pop dough here is some Chocolate Guinness Cake mixed with Bailey's Buttercream, covered in thick melted chocolate. What brings out an added dose of Bailey's flavour to the pops is those mini pipettes filled with the drink, going into the treats with utmost grace. Replace the drink with chocolate milk if whipping up for kids!
Recipe Details : pintsizedbaker
12. Oreo Cake Pop Recipe – Cookie Pops!
Can it get any more breathtaking a way to cherish the goodness of Oreos than savoring them with even more chocolate? Not just that, you have also got the creaminess of cheesecake coming into play with these wonderful cookie pops. You are going to need some cream chees melted chocolate, colorful sprinkles and of course, some Oreo cookies to prepare and assemble the finished treat on a lollipop stick. The key is to simply roll the Oreo cheesecake batter in lots of chocolate, lastly bringing out the decorations.
Recipe Details : eugeniekitchen
13. Toasted S'more Truffle Pops
Celebrate your forever-lasting love for S'mores with these obsessive cake pops! That chocolate ganache truffle center coated in a homemade marshmallow creme is absolutely toothsome, whether you savor them warm or chilled. For the truffles, the recipe calls for chocolate, cream
crushed graham crackers, while the coating needs egg whites, cream of tartar, sugar, water, light corn syrup and vanilla. Toasted with brulee torch, the marshmallow creme gets those touches of perfection, transforming the pops from sticky to a firm treat.
Recipe Details : ashleemarie
14. Cinnamon Roll Cake Pops
A cake pop pan rightly comes to the rescue of those who can't get that rolling-the-dough-into-a-ball job done with perfection, or those who are looking out for a treat they can prepare on the go. All these cinnamon roll cake pops need you to do grab is a package of cinnamon rolls, the pan and some non-stick spray. The baked cake pops have been lavishly decorated with a drizzle of icing coming with the package of the rolls finally adding the pop sticks to the balls. What a lovely brunch or breakfast appetizer!
Recipe Details : anightowlblog
15. Pumpkin Cheesecake Pops
Totally having you at the cake dough, come delectable pumpkin cheesecake pops made with a super easy pumpkin spice cake and cream cheese frosting dough. Taking a bite of the super moist and smooth cake balls wrapped in creamy white chocolate candy coating, all prepared taking this recipe by Gimme Delicious as the reference is quite a hard-to-describe experience. Add the final touches with strips of dark chocolate or a few chopped nuts spread on the coating – as if the union of cheesecake and pumpkin wasn't already magical enough!
Recipe Details : gimmedelicious


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Ohio's highest court suspends an attorney who was hired to administer two estates, one involving a Medicaid recipient, but who neglected the clients after he discovered he couldn't solve the issues the clients wanted to be resolved. Disciplinary Counsel v. Brueggeman (Ohio, No. 2020-OHIO-1578, April 24, 2020).
Attorney Edward Brueggeman practiced law in Ohio. In 2010, the state imposed a conditionally stayed one-year suspension on him for neglecting client matters and failing to communicate with clients. In 2017, Rebecca Lowry hired Mr. Brueggeman to help her administer her brother's estate in a way that her mother, who was on Medicaid, would not inherit her brother's house as his will dictated. Mr. Brueggeman directed Ms. Lowry to disclaim her mother's interest in the estate, but Ms. Lowry did not have that authority under her mother's power of attorney. When Mr. Brueggeman learned this, he stopped working on the estate and did not respond to Ms. Lowry's attempts to communicate.
Keep reading here.


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SEC Enforcement Division's Asset Management Unit's Chief Anticipates Increase in Private Equity Enforcement
Bruce Karpati, the Chief of the SEC Enforcement Division's Asset Management Unit, held a Q&A session entitled "Private Equity Enforcement Concerns" at the Private Equity International Conference held in New York on January 23, 2013. He addressed private equity firm activities of concern, how the SEC is tracking those activities, and ways firms can avoid getting into trouble.
The New Asset Management Unit
As discussed previously, Karpati is part of the Asset Management Unit of the SEC's Division of Enforcement, which specializes in investment advisers and investment companies, including private equity fund managers. He noted that the unit has been cultivating expertise in the following areas: industry structure, customs and practices, manager incentives, and trends and risks that enable the unit to detect and investigate fraud. The unit has garnered this expertise by hiring industry professionals with significant experience in private equity, hedge funds, mutual funds, and due diligence, having each unit staff member develop a detailed plan covering either a type of investment vehicle or an investment practice, and retaining attorneys with practical investigative experience. The increase in expertise has enabled the unit to detect fraud at an earlier stage by uncovering data anomalies, allocate resources more effectively, and tackle more complex and technical cases.
Karpati described how the unit collaborates across the SEC by, for example, training National Exam Program examiners and accompanying them to exams of private equity managers — giving the unit direct exposure to industry professionals and keeping it on the "leading edge" of industry trends and issues. The unit also collaborates with the SEC's Division of Investment Management when an investigation involves complex legal issues and when the Division of Investment Management is crafting rules that affect the private equity industry.
Anticipating an Increase in Private Equity Enforcement Actions
When asked, Karpati revealed that "it's not unreasonable to think that the number of cases involving private equity will increase." This is due to the rapid growth and maturation in the private equity industry before the financial crisis, resulting in a level of assets under management similar to or greater than that of the hedge fund industry, as well as more private equity managers registering as investment advisers. He pointed out two ways in which private equity is particularly prone to fraud: portfolio companies can be controlled in a way not visible to investors, and investors often become less involved in monitoring the fund over time.
Karpati outlined a number of recent cases involving private equity funds or issues often seen in the private equity industry, yielding the following examples of misconduct:
- Usurping an investment opportunity
- Misallocating fund expenses
- Misstating portfolio company performance to investors
- Misappropriating investor funds to repay previous investors
- Taking amounts from fund as "advance management fees"
- Insider trading using stolen confidential information
- Inflating values of illiquid assets
- Overstating the value of debt securities and CLOs in an investment portfolio
Practices of Concern to the Unit
Karpati discussed some of the practices that the unit is scrutinizing in particular. First, he addressed fundraising and capital overhang. The combination of less capital available to new funds and significant amounts of uninvested capital means that many managers face failure, tempting them to engage in aggressive and potentially fraudulent behavior. Second, he addressed lack of product transparency, which matters particularly in terms of the valuation of illiquid assets and portfolio company operations and during the marketing period, when managers may be tempted to write-up assets, writing them down after that period ends. Third, he discussed conflicts of interest, which include the following:
- Profitability vs. the best interests of investors, especially at publicly listed firms
- Charging expenses to the management company vs. charging them to the funds
- Charging additional fees
- Conflicting interests of different clients, investors, and products
- Fund business vs. manager's other, competitive business
Risk Analytic Initiatives for the Private Equity Industry
Karpati explained that the unit's expertise is devoted in part to developing and implementing "risk analytic initiatives," or RAIs, that proactively detect fraud and other suspicious activities via data and quantitative analysis. RAIs are designed to analyze data to ferret out factors that indicate high risk, such as lack of transparency and lack of monitoring by investors. Of currently active RAIs, one focuses on private equity. It attempts to detect "zombie" private equity managers, which Karpati described as "managers who have assets under management but are unable to raise follow on vehicles." The unit's concern is that such managers have an incentive to maximize revenue using the existing assets, rather than act in the best interest of the fund's investors, and that this incentive can give rise to fraudulent activities. The specific factors the unit attempts to detect in this analysis include the following:
- Misappropriation from portfolio companies
- Fraudulent valuations
- Lies about the portfolio to cause investors to grant extensions
- Unusual fees
- Principal transactions
How to Reduce the Risk of Inquiry
Karpati reminded his audience that under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940, investment advisers have a fiduciary duty to act in the client's best interest. According to case-law cited by Karpati, this duty comprises the following obligations: "an affirmative duty of 'utmost good faith, and full and fair disclosure of all material facts,' as well as an affirmative obligation 'to employ reasonable care to avoid misleading' … clients." He stated that investment advisers may be found at fault even when they do not intend to injure a client or even if a client does not suffer a monetary loss.
Karpati put the responsibility for ensuring that clients' interests supersede those of the management company and its principals on the COO and CFO, as they are tasked with overseeing the investment manager's business. He offered the following specific tips:
- Integrate compliance risk into the overall risk management process
- Implement a set of compliance procedures appropriate for the business model
- Assign a deal professional with experience in compliance issues to review and implement these procedures
- Involve COOs, CFOs, and CCOs in the firm's significant decision-making processes and have them act as investor advocates (for example, in disclosing results to investors)
- Utilize the Limited Partnership Advisory Committee to address conflicts of interest
- Give COOs and CFOs authority in the organization to proactively identify and resolve issues
- Immediately consult with the internal compliance department and counsel to resolve potential breaches of fiduciary duty to investors
- Be ready for exam inquiries, cooperate with exam staff, and implement necessary corrective steps
Private equity firms should be aware of the enhanced scrutiny that the SEC will be bringing to bear and, in addition to avoiding activities that obviously constitute misconduct, keep their fiduciary duty to investors in mind at all times and avoid allowing economic and organizational pressures lead them into aggressive tactics or overlooking conflicts of interest.
© 2013 Alexander J. Davie — This article is for general information only. The information presented should not be construed to be formal legal advice nor the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.


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peanut butter has been added to a Snickers bar but it does change the Snickers standard candy bar shape into two wider squares. Well, unless you got yours for Halloween like I did, in which case, you only get one mini square.
If you're picking up the standard bar though it should run you about $1.
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Dec 2011
- Review: Snickers Peanut Butter Squared
- Frozen Friday: Healthy Choice - Sundried Tomato Ch...
- News: White Castle - New Angus Steak Chili and Chi...
- Review: Wendy's - Cheesy Cheddarburger
- Review: Subway - Cold Cut Combo
- News: Jack in the Box - Jumbo Deal for $4.29
- Review: McDonald's - Apple Cinnamon Walnut Oatmeal
- Merry Christmas!
- Feature: KFC Christmas World Wide
- Frozen Friday: The Magnum White Ice Cream Bar
- Review: Sonic - Bacon Cheddar Toaster Melt
- Feature: 2011 Fast Food Gift Card Bonuses
- Review: Burger King - Chef's Choice Burger
- News: Taco Bell - The Beefy Crunch Burrito Returns
- Review: Nabisco - Cinnamon Kick Wheat Thins Stix
- News: Jack in the Box - Burger Upgrade
- Frozen Friday: T.G.I.Friday's - Cajun-Style Chicke...
- News: KFC - $2 Drumstick, Thigh and Biscuit SoCal ...
- News: Carl's Jr. - New Santa Fe Turkey Burger
- News: Panera Bread Featured 2011 Winter Menu
- Review: Burger King - New Thicker Fries
- News: 7-Eleven - New Maple Sausage Breakfast Roller
- International Weekend: Delacre Roule d'Or
- Frozen Friday: Stouffer's - Farmer's Harvest Chick...
- News: Dunkin' Donuts - New Texas Toast Grilled Che...
- News: Krispy Kreme - Seasonal Christmas Doughnuts
- News: Dairy Queen - December Blizzard of the Month...
- News: Baskin-Robbins - Bobsled Brownie - December ...
- News: Subway - Two $2 6-inch Subs for December
- Review: McDonald's - Baked Pumpkin Pie
- News: Burger King - New Fries and "Free Fries Friday"
- News: Dunkin' Donuts - New Mint Hot Chocolate and ...
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Dec 31, 2011
Review: Snickers Peanut Butter Squared
Labels: Candy , Mars Chocolates , Packaged , Review , Snickers
Dec 30, 2011
Frozen Friday: Healthy Choice - Sundried Tomato Chicken
One 8.75-ounce box will net you 320 calories and cost you around $2.99 or less if on sale.
Labels: Chicken , Frozen Friday , Healthy Choice , Packaged , Pasta , Review
News: White Castle - New Angus Steak Chili and Chili Cheese Fries
White Castle cooks up new, limited-time Angus Steak Chili this winter. And what are you going to do with chili at a fast food joint but serve it on fries, so they got Chili Cheese Fries too.
White Castle's Angus Steak Chili features lean, braised 100 percent Angus steak cooked with red beans, ripe tomatoes, bell peppers, onions, mild green chilies and spicy Southwest seasonings. It's available in three sizes: small (8 ounces), medium (12 ounces) and family (32 ounces). Price is $2.79, $3.99, and $9.99 respectively.
The Chili Cheese Fries feature the same chili served with cheese over their crinkle-cut fries and are available in one size only. It's $2.99 for an order.
Both menu items are available through March 17, 2012.
Labels: Limited-Time , News , White Castle
Dec 29, 2011
Review: Wendy's - Cheesy Cheddarburger
It comes in at 99 cents a pop.
Labels: Burger , Fast Food , Review , Value Menu , Wendy's
Dec 28, 2011
Review: Subway - Cold Cut Combo
It's been available throughout December at $2 for a 6-inch but is normally $5 for a 12-inch sub.
Labels: Fast Food , Review , Sandwich , Subway , Value Menu
Dec 27, 2011
News: Jack in the Box - Jumbo Deal for $4.29
Jack in the Box's latest limited-time value meal promotion, the Jumbo Deal, features a Jumbo Jack, two tacos, a small order of fries and a 20-ounce drink for $4.29.
They've run this deal in the past for $3.99 but with rising food costs and what not, it looks like $4.29 might be their new price point for these type of promotions.
The promotion is supported by a TV commercial wherein Jack tries to pitch his team a promotion idea and commercial for the combo to sell it as the "Jumbaco," the word being a blend of "Jumbo Jack" and "taco."
Labels: Jack in the Box , Limited-Time , News
Dec 26, 2011
Review: McDonald's - Apple Cinnamon Walnut Oatmeal
Fruit & Maple Oatmeal and comes topped with diced apples, walnuts, and cinnamon.
It's $1.99 for a cup.
It's $1.99 for a cup.
Labels: Breakfast , Fast Food , Limited-Time , McDonald's , Review
Dec 25, 2011
Merry Christmas!
Labels: Feature
Dec 24, 2011
Feature: KFC Christmas World Wide
But in some other countries, the Colonel offers a little something extra for the holidays.
From festive buckets to seasonal items, I plumbed many KFC websites from all over the wourld and came up with this short list of KFC Christmas family meals for your perusal.
They range from pretty normal to extra fancy and I've ordered them to reflect that. Starting with most normal:
Labels: Feature , International Weekend , KFC
Dec 23, 2011
Frozen Friday: The Magnum White Ice Cream Bar
A 3-pack carries a suggested retail price of $3.99.
Labels: Frozen Friday , Ice Cream , Magnum , Packaged
Dec 22, 2011
Review: Sonic - Bacon Cheddar Toaster Melt
It's $1.99 for a junior size or $3.39 for the 1/4 pound version.
Labels: Burger , Fast Food , Limited-Time , Review , Sonic
Dec 21, 2011
Feature: 2011 Fast Food Gift Card Bonuses
It's the final stretch in the run up to Christmas and if you haven't got all your presents lined up now, the old standby of gift cards is always available.
And, in the world of fast food there are a few intrepid chains offering a little something something for yourself if you pick up one of their gift cards for your friends/acquaintances this holiday season.
Apparently, according to the National Retail Federation, some 58% of shoppers say they'd like to receive a gift card this season. That number is actually quite close to the 59% of people the National Restaurant Association got from their survey that said they would like to receive a restaurant gift card.
I guess more people want gift cards than I would have thought (I prefer cash myself *wink wink*). I guess it's better than fruit cake...
Here they are (please keep in mind that for a lot of these offers you have to physically go to the restaurant to buy the gift card):
Dec 20, 2011
Review: Burger King - Chef's Choice Burger
The price is gussied up a bit too at $4.99 a pop.
Labels: Burger , Burger King , Fast Food , Review
Dec 19, 2011
News: Taco Bell - The Beefy Crunch Burrito Returns
Beefy Crunch Burrito returns to Taco Bell for a limited time starting this Thursday, December 22, 2011. Last seen earlier this year in May, the Beefy Crunch Burrito features the spicy crunch of Flamin' Hot Fritos encapsulated in a warm flour tortilla along with seasoned ground beef, warm nacho cheese sauce, seasoned rice, and reduced fat sour cream.
It was 99 cents then and will also be 99 cents in its return. The Beefy Crunch Burrito is also available in a combo with two Crunchy Tacos and a large drink for $3.99 and a $5 Buck Box with a Crunchy Taco, Crunchwrap Supreme, and medium drink.
It was 99 cents then and will also be 99 cents in its return. The Beefy Crunch Burrito is also available in a combo with two Crunchy Tacos and a large drink for $3.99 and a $5 Buck Box with a Crunchy Taco, Crunchwrap Supreme, and medium drink.
Labels: Limited-Time , News , Taco Bell
Dec 18, 2011
Review: Nabisco - Cinnamon Kick Wheat Thins Stix
An 8-ounce box costs about the same as a regular box of Wheat Thins at $3.50 or around $2 on sale.
Dec 17, 2011
News: Jack in the Box - Burger Upgrade
According to NRN, Jack in the Box has gone ahead and upgraded their burgers with new reformulated patties, improved buns, and new saucing procedures.
According to a Jack in the Box spokeperson, the new patties are tastier, juicier, and have a better texture (Having eaten one recently, I really can't tell the difference but it's not like I had an old one to compare).
To make sure you know about it, Jack is advertising his "Better Burgers" highlighting the fact that they are "100% Beef" and "seasoned while it cooks."
Labels: Jack in the Box , News
Dec 16, 2011
Frozen Friday: T.G.I.Friday's - Cajun-Style Chicken Alfredo
It's normally around $4.00 for a 12-ounce bag but you can pick it up on sale around $2 to $2.50.
Labels: Frozen Friday , Packaged , Review , TGI Fridays
Dec 15, 2011
News: KFC - $2 Drumstick, Thigh and Biscuit SoCal Only
You can print out the coupon by either clicking on the thumbnail or visiting the KFC SoCal Facebook page and "liking" them.
There's a limit of 5 orders per person per visit.
The deal is only good at participating KFC restaurants in Los Angeles, Ventura, Orange, San Bernardino, and Riverside counties.
Labels: KFC , Limited-Time , News
Dec 14, 2011
News: Carl's Jr. - New Santa Fe Turkey Burger
Carl's Jr. expands its line of under-500 calories Charbroiled Turkey Burgers with the new Santa Fe Turkey Burger.
The Santa Fe version clocks in at 490 calories and features a charbroiled Turkey Burger patty, spicy Santa Fe sauce, Pepper-Jack cheese, lettuce, tomato, red onion, and sliced green chili on a toasted, honey wheat bun.
The suggested price for the Santa Fe Turkey Burger alone is $3.49 with the combo coming in at $5.99.
Labels: Carl's Jr. , News
Dec 13, 2011
News: Panera Bread Featured 2011 Winter Menu
New to the menu this winter at Panera Bread is their Sonoma Chicken Stew, a creamy chicken stew with Parisian carrots, peas, leeks and diced red potatoes simmered with sweet cream and thyme. It's served with a new Dry Jack Cheese Biscuit.
There's also two new panini sandwiches: the Steak Balsamico and the Roasted Turkey Artichoke.
The Steak Balsamico features seared top sirloin, mozzarella cheese, roasted red peppers, baby spinach, tomato, and basil balsamic spread on ciabatta bread.
Labels: Limited-Time , News , Panera Bread
Dec 12, 2011
Review: Burger King - New Thicker Fries
I picked up a large order at my local BK restaurant for $2.09.
Labels: Burger King , Fast Food , Review , Sides
Dec 11, 2011
News: 7-Eleven - New Maple Sausage Breakfast Roller
Appearing to be a modified pig in a blanket, 7-Eleven serves up their new Maple Sausage Breakfast Roller. The new breakfast item features a maple-flavored pancake wrapped around a pork sausage and served hot off their roller grill.
These are available at participating locations at an introductory price of $1 each.
It's kinda like a McGriddle but as a roll, no? These are meant for easy on-the-go eating.
Dec 10, 2011
International Weekend: Delacre Roule d'Or
A 7.1-ounce box cost me $2.79 at a local market.
Labels: Cookies , France , International Weekend , Packaged , Review
Dec 9, 2011
Frozen Friday: Stouffer's - Farmer's Harvest Chicken Fettucini Alfredo
These are available at my local supermarket for $3.99 or around $2 to $2.50 on sale.
Labels: Frozen Friday , Italian , Packaged , Review , Stouffer's
Dec 8, 2011
News: Dunkin' Donuts - New Texas Toast Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Dunkin' Donuts is out with a new sandwich: the new Texas Toast Grilled Cheese Sandwich.
The sandwich, which is actually oven-toasted and not grilled, features two slices of American cheese and one slice of white cheddar cheese sandwiched between two thick slices of Texas toast.
Bacon or ham can be added for an additional charge.
Labels: Dunkin' Donuts , News
Dec 7, 2011
News: Krispy Kreme - Seasonal Christmas Doughnuts
Krispy Kreme showcases three different holiday donuts this season: the new Red Velvet Cake Doughnut, as well as the returning Snowman and Chocolate Iced with Holiday Sprinkles.
The Snowman Doughnut is a snowman-shaped doughnut decorated in white icing and a red icing scarf.
The Chocolate Iced with Holiday Sprinkles consists of a chocolate-iced doughnut with red and green sprinkles.
The Red Velvet Cake Doughnut features a cake doughnut topped with cream cheese icing and red velvet cake crumbles.
The donuts are available at participating Krispy Kreme locations through December 31st.
Labels: Krispy Kreme , Limited-Time , News
Dec 6, 2011
News: Dairy Queen - December Blizzard of the Month - Candy Cane Chill
Dairy Queen hits us with a Christmas-themed Blizzard this December: the Candy Cane Chill Blizzard.
The Candy Cane Chill Blizzard is pretty simple; just a pieces of peppermint candy cane and chocolate mixed with their standard vanilla soft serve. Sort of like peppermint bark I guess?
As always, you can also get the Blizzard of the Month as an ice cream cake and it will only be available through the month of December.
Labels: Dairy Queen , Limited-Time , News
Dec 5, 2011
News: Baskin-Robbins - Bobsled Brownie - December 2011 Flavor of the Month
Fun fact: Bobsled Brownie was created in 2002 inspired by the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, where the U.S. won the inaugural women's bobsled event. Butter Caramel has since replaced Cookie Dough ice cream in the mix though.
Bobsled Brownie ice cream is available nationwide during the month of December by the scoop (in a cup or cone), in a sundae or in hand-packed pints, quarts and half-gallons.
Labels: Baskin-Robbins , Limited-Time , News
Dec 4, 2011
News: Subway - Two $2 6-inch Subs for December
Subway has a good deal going on this month: Calling December "Customer Appreciation Month," they're offering their classic Meatball Marinara and Cold Cut Combo 6-inch subs for just $2 each. Get two and you got yourself a $4 footlong sub.
In addition, the Featured $5 Footlong for December is the Western Egg and Cheese which features your choice of bread and veggies plus eggs and Black Forest ham. It's normally only served at breakfast but for December it's available all day.
Subway also has a limited-time breakfast deal going on where you can pick up one of 3 6-inch breakfast subs (your choice of Black Forest Ham, Egg & Cheese, Egg & Cheese, or Bacon, Egg & Cheese) plus a 16-ounce coffee or 21-ounce fountain drink for $3.
Labels: Limited-Time , News , Subway
Dec 3, 2011
Review: McDonald's - Baked Pumpkin Pie
The price is the same as other McDonald's Baked Pies at two for $1.
Labels: Limited-Time , McDonald's , Review
Dec 2, 2011
News: Burger King - New Fries and "Free Fries Friday"
Last changed in 1998, Burger King once again returned to the drawing board and will be out with new French fries nationwide starting Monday, December 5th, 2011.
The new fries feature a thicker cut that's purported to give the fries a more fluffy, more potato-y within while remaining crisp without.
To promote the new fries, Burger King will be giving out free value sized (normally $1) orders of their new French fries on Friday, December 16th dubbing the day "Free Fries Friday."
The outgoing, old fries were unveiled in 1998 and featured a light batter that helped the fries remain hotter and crisper.
Labels: Burger King , News
Dec 1, 2011
News: Dunkin' Donuts - New Mint Hot Chocolate and Holiday Lineup
For the holidays this year, Dunkin' Donuts adds new Mint Hot Chocolate as a permanent addition to the menu and new Warm Cinnamon Swirl Muffins.
Mint Hot Chocolate comes from a mix of peppermint hot chocolate powder and hot water melding the flavors of mint with hot chocolate.
Served warmed, the Warm Cinnamon Swirl Muffin features a yellow cake muffin with baked in cinnamon swirl topped with coffee cake streusel and white powdered sugar.
Other Dunkin' Donuts' seasonal holiday menu items include seasonal holiday drinks and donuts including:
Labels: Dunkin' Donuts , Limited-Time , News


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I first noticed the words "tribal" and "tribalism" turning up as pejorative buzzwords in Glenn Greenwald's writing. At first blush I thought the words were racist, since they imply that mindless solidarity is somehow a trait of 'primitive' foreigners; at second glance I still think they're racist. Since modern Enlightenment white people tend to exhibit the same attitudes and behavior, it's factually incorrect to use a word that implies that they are signs of primitiveness. By the same logic, breathing, eating, copulating, raising children, singing, dancing, and telling stories are primitive and "tribal," since tribal peoples do all these things and more. It's also irrational, since it's really only a smear, like calling something "low-class."
More recently I noticed that VastLeft was using "tribal" more often; he's as apt to accuse Democrats as Republicans of tribalism as Greenwald is, but that's because they don't belong to either tribe. So I was gratified at first when a commenter on Facebook wrote,
I know! Those Republicans are so tribalist. I'm glad that we liberals are so not tribalist, unlike those ugly stupid Republicans who wear tacky clothes!!!To which I replied that we non-tribalists must stick together. But as much fun as that was, it was too easy. I might have been wrong to assume that the commenter meant to point out that using "tribalism" this way is a form of "tribalism" itself. VastLeft does, after all, attack liberals who are tribalist about the Right. He is, however, ready to Other creationists, Bible-thumpers, and religious believers generally, on the tacit assumption that just being an atheist and rejecting religions is enough to make one a member of the Good Tribe of Enlightenment rationalists, critical thinkers, open-minded freethinkers, "Brights." One of the reasons I've never put one of those red atheist A's on this blog is that it is, in this pejorative sense, a tribalist symbol. I also stopped wearing lambdas and other gay-community symbols like the pink triangle a couple of decades ago, don't fly a rainbow flag or wear "freedom rings," though I didn't really think through my lack or loss of interest in them at the time. I'm not saying these are bad things and no one should display them, understand, only that they don't interest me. And yet I'm quite firm in identifying myself, labeling myself, as gay, as atheist, and so on -- as descriptive labels, not as badges of us/them.
Human beings are a social species. We can't survive without the community and support of other human beings. Community -- or tribalism, used as a descriptor rather than as a pejorative -- is a necessity for us. Like any other natural phenomenon, it has its pitfalls: cliquishness, stereotyping, unthinking loyalty, xenophobia, ethnocentrism. (I always think of Paul Goodman's remark, "I'm all for community because it is a human thing, only I always seem to be left out.") And I'm enthusiastic about people joining together, working together, belong to communities of various kinds. One reason I'm insistent about multiple identities is that I believe that remembering we all belong to more than one tribe can help avoid the kind of thinking and behavior that Greenwald and VastLeft want to stigmatize as "tribalism."
According to this blogger, the writer Sam Harris "thinks that even calling yourself 'atheist' is labeling yourself for theist's convenience and argues why have a name for what you DON'T believe in? You probably don't believe in astrology or ghosts either so do you need a special name for NOT believing in those things too?" This doesn't keep Harris from Othering religous believers and other groups he thinks of as irrational, of course. The reason to "have a name for what you DON'T believe in" seems obvious enough to me in this case, just because so many people believe in gods. But I'm not wedded to the word "atheist." I'm just as happy to say that I don't believe in gods, and I meet enough people, weirdly enough, who don't know what "atheist" means that I often have to explain it anyway.
On the other hand, I have enough differences with other atheists that I think it's important for me to insist that I am an atheist despite this, not out of "tribalism" but to stress that we are not a tribe, that there is no atheist creed, no loyalty oaths, and atheists (including me) are not exempt from my disagreement or criticism. Atheism, like any other label, is vast, it contains multitudes. You can't solve the difficulties this entails by drawing a line in the sand; you have to learn to manage the complexities. (Sometimes I think of this as the difference between Aristotelianism and Platonism: Platonism postulates identities and ideal types, while Aristoteleanism enumerates variety and family resemblances.)
In the same way, I think it illustrates my point, and may be valuable, if I vote for Obama and criticize him relentlessly, because so many people think that a vote for a candidate entails slavish, uncritical devotion to him or her forever after. Likewise, the anthropologist and Hindu monk Agehandanda Bharati used to say that one can be a believer and a sound scholar if one "radically criticize[s] the doctrine with which one identifies, pointing out its weaknesses, its foibles, and the clay feet of its founders and sustainers, at every step."* Knowing that accepting an identity doesn't exempt you from the obligation of thinking critically about it is, I think, one remedy for what Greenwald and VastLeft call "tribalism." Using "tribalism" as a derisive label is no remedy at all -- it's part of the problem.
In honor of VastLeft's "talk like a tribalist day," I'm going to rename this blog for a few days. Arggghhhhh.
*Agehananda Bharati, The Light at the Center: Context and Pretext of Modern Mysticism, Ross-Erikson, 1976, page 68. In the same book Bharati says in passing. "A primitive society, by anthropological criteria, is a small, band-like society structured entirely on kinship lines, which does not deploy fulltime specialists for anything" (142). Two things about this: 1) it's not derogatory or racist to use the word "primitive" in this way, just as there is a definition of "tribal" that isn't derogatory or racist, but either word can be used to put down what one doesn't like in one's own allegedly "advanced" culture, just as "childish" can be; 2) by Bharati's definition there are still "primitive" aspects of modern Western society, and these are not necessarily bad: friendship, kinship, taking care of others as amateurs rather than as specialists, without expecting cash payment for doing so. In their use of "tribal" as a pejorative, however, Greenwald and VastLeft are doing something different, like Christians dismissing all non-Yahwists as "pagans."


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Rutgers Group Brings Students Together to Explore the Complexities of Being Multiracial
Rutgers Group Brings Students Together to Explore the Complexities of Being Multiracial
Rutgers University News
September 2012
Carrie Stetler
By 2050, one in five Americans is likely to be multiracial
It's a question Joan Gan hears a lot: "What are you?" She instantly knows what it means.
Her father is Chinese and her mother is Greek, so when people meet her for the first time, they often have trouble identifying her ethnicity.
Gan, a Rutgers junior who grew up in Parsippany, understands their curiosity, and the questions don't really bother her. But other aspects of growing up biracial were harder to negotiate.
"In high school I saw lots of ethnic clubs, and at colleges, too, and I didn't really know which one to join," says Gan, an environmental science major. "Even though I'm technically Asian, people don't consider me one of them and technically I'm white, but people don't always consider me that, either."
During her first year at Rutgers, Gan discovered Fusion: Rutgers Union of Mixed People, which gives her and other students an opportunity to come together and explore the challenges and complexities of being multiracial…
…Fusion began seven years ago when Rutgers psychology professor Diana Sanchez, who is now the club's adviser, started researching biracial and multiracial identity.
"As a way of connection multiracial students and getting participants for my research, I asked a student I knew to start an organization and he did,'' says Sanchez, an an associate professor in the Department of Psychology, in the School of Arts and Sciences.. "Multiracial people hold a unique view of race; they've questioned it in a very different way. If you feel 'in between' communities, there is another identity you form that has to do with the merging of both those identities."
Phillip Handy, who graduated in 2009, was one of the co-founders of Fusion. He is half European and half African American. "Racial conversations at Rutgers … often viewed race in a very categorical way," says Handy, who grew up in Howell and now lives in California."I thought the discussions would be enhanced by a multiracial student group."…
Read the entire article here.Tags: Carrie Stetler, Diana Sanchez, Diana T. Sanchez, Focus, Fusion: Rutgers Union of Mixed People, Joan Gan, Phillip Handy, Rutgers University, Rutgers University News


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Artist Info
Chicago, IL
METALS | Jewelry
Penland Affiliation | Penland Instructor 2014
Artist Information | Studio artist; education: MFA University of Wisconsin (WI), BFA Virginia Commonwealth University (VA) teaching: Lillstreet Art Center (IL), Chicago Industrial Arts & Design Center (IL), Penland School of Craft (NC), Evanston Art Center, (IL), University of Wisconsin (WI) exhibitions: Fuller Craft Museum (MA), Penland Gallery (NC), Baltimore Jewelry Center (MD), Heidi Lowe Gallery (DE), New York Jewelry Week (NY)
Artist Statement | My work investigates how female identity is constructed and performed through the body. The female body as site and content for my work yields series in sculpture, drawing and limited-production jewelry. As content, I source and celebrate imagery and histories of women that rebel against cultural expectations of how women are supposed to act. Working inside this contested space I use traditional and non-traditional craft techniques to challenge these expectations by creating a role reversal through material. All of my sculpture and jewelry are created using some combination of steel and fiber. I set this guideline for myself as a challenge: if steel represents the masculine and fiber represents the feminine, how can I reverse their expected gender associations and challenge the status quo? As site, the immediacy of presenting the work on or referencing the body in the format of jewelry allows me to provide a direct connection to the politicized body that the work explores.
Artist Biography | Sarah Holden received her MFA in Studio Art with a focus in Jewelry and Metalsmithing from the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee and her BFA in Crafts/Material Studies and Sculpture from Virginia Commonwealth University. Sarah has presented as a visiting artist at The School of the Art Institute of Chicago, The University of Wisconsin, Whitewater and taught as a Metals Instructor at The Penland School of Crafts. Sarah currently teaches steel fabrication and metal forming at the Chicago Industrial Arts and Design Center. Sarah's sculpture and limited production jewelry can be found at galleries across the US. Sarah currently lives in Chicago where she works as a studio artist, metals instructor, and mom.


text: I recently did post in the paint colors in our home. Click here to view that post. After a bit of trial and error, we're really happy with the color choices we have on our walls. But I have recently just discovered a gray that has me swooning. Is that a word? Benjamin Moore London Fog. We painted the beautiful, warm gray in our … [Read more...]


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Andrea Dovizioso was fifth-quickest on the opening day of free practice action for the Czech Grand Prix, the tenth round of the MotoGP World Championship which is taking place this weekend at the Automotodrom circuit on the outskirts of Brno.
After wrapping up the morning's FP1 session in second place, the Ducati Team's Italian rider then set a time of 1'56.218 in the afternoon run to go fifth quickest.
Spanish team-mate Jorge Lorenzo, who was twelfth in the first free practice session, ended up fifteenth after the Mallorcan rider could only manage a time of 1'57.205 in the afternoon.
Andrea Dovizioso (Ducati Team #04): 5th (1'56.218)
"Today was a very prolific day of work and we were able to try a lot of things in view of the race. Our pace is good, we already have some clear ideas about the set-up and the tyres, and we're quick. At the end of the second session we didn't want to put on the soft tyres but we were inside the top ten anyway. Now we have to try and work to improve our race pace a bit more, but all in all I'm really happy with my first day here at Brno."
Jorge Lorenzo (Ducati Team #99): 15th (1'57.205)
"It was a very complicated day for me today: I didn't have any feeling with the front but above all I was lacking grip with the rear tyre and for this reason I'm a lot further back than I thought. During the two sessions we weren't able to improve the bike and, despite the modifications we made, we're still some way off the pace of the quickest riders. Maybe if I had put on new tyres at the end I could have finished the day closer to the leaders, but in any case I didn't have either the speed or the consistency. Tomorrow we'll make a radical change to the set-up and try and get directly into Q2."


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Above: Kees van Dongen portrait of the artist as Neptune (1922 oil on canvas 170x120cm)
Dutch-French Fauvist painter, Cornelis Theodorus Maria 'Kees' van Dongen was born in Delfshaven, then on the outskirts, and today a borough, of Rotterdam on 26 January 1877. He was the second of four children in a middle-class family. In 1892, at the age 16, Kees van Dongen started his studies at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts in Rotterdam, working with J. Striening and J.G. Heyberg. During this period (1892–97), he frequented the Red Quarter seaport area, where he drew scenes of sailors and prostitutes, where he gained a reputation for his sensuous,and at times garish portraits.
(Left: "Dancer" c.1907 oil on canvas 115x75cm)
By 1897, van Dongen was living in an emigre community in Paris but returned to Rotterdam two years later. Eventually, he returned once more to Paris, to join Augusta Preitinger ("Guus"), whom he had met at the Academy. They married on 11 July 1901 and had two children together: a son who died a couple of days after birth in December 1901; and their daughter Augusta, "Dolly", in 1905.
- Van Dongen participated in the controversial 1905 Salon d'Automne exhibition along with Henri Matisse, and many others who were referred to as the Fauves ('Wild Beasts') as well as belonging to the German Expressionist group Die Brücke.
In 1906, Preitinger and van Dongen moved to the Bateau Lavoir at 13 rue Ravignan in Montmartre, where they were friends with the circle surrounding Pablo Picasso and his girlfriend Fernande Olivier.
- Guus took Dolly to see their families in Rotterdam in the summer of 1914, where they were caught by the outbreak of WWI. They were not able to return to Paris until 1918.
In 1917, van Dongen had become involved with a married socialite and fashion director Léa Alvin, also known as Jasmy Jacob. Under her influence he developed the lush colours of his Fauvist painting style. This earned him a solid reputation with the French bourgeoisie and upper class, where he was in demand for his portraits.
(Right: "Modjesko", Soprano Singer (1908). Oil on canvas (100×81.3cm) Museum of Modern Art, New York (Gift of Mr. and Mrs .Peter Reubel, 1955).
- Preitinger and van Dongen divorced in 1921.
- In 1926, he was made a Knight of the French Legion of Honour and in 1927 the Order of the Crown of Belgium in recognition of his contributions to art. By then, his and Alvin/Jacob's relationship had ended.
- In 1929, the French government awarded him citizenship. Two of his works were collected that year by the Musée du Luxembourg.
From 1959, Kees van Dongen lived in Monaco. He died in his home in Monte Carlo on 28 May 1968. As a consequence, an extensive collection of his work is held by the New National Museum of Monaco.
Van Dongen is reported to have once said about his art: "Painting is the most beautiful of lies," to which I can truly concur.
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"Is It Art?"


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Are zooplankton invasions in constructed waters facilitated by simple communities?
CitationExport citation
Parkes, S. M. (2010). Are zooplankton invasions in constructed waters facilitated by simple communities? (Thesis, Master of Science (MSc)). The University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand. Retrieved from https://hdl.handle.net/10289/4382
Permanent Research Commons link: https://hdl.handle.net/10289/4382
The invasion of non-indigenous species is considered to be one of the leading causes of biodiversity loss globally. My research aimed to determine if constructed water bodies (e.g., water supply reservoirs, dams and ponds) were invaded by zooplankton with greater ease than natural water bodies, and whether this was due to a lower biodiversity, and therefore lower 'biotic resistance', in constructed water bodies. Sediment cores were collected from a cross-section of 46 lakes, ponds and reservoirs (23 natural and 23 constructed) throughout the North Island, New Zealand. Diapausing zooplankton eggs were separated from the sediments and hatched to assess species composition and richness. In addition, the distributions of non-indigenous zooplankton were examined to determine if they occurred more frequently in constructed water bodies than in natural ones. Species composition results showed that natural water body zooplankton communities appeared to consist mainly of a core group of truly planktonic species. However, the species assemblages of constructed water bodies were more varied, comprising of a number of littoral and benthic species, and a large number of species that were recorded from only a single water body. A canonical correspondence analysis indicated that Trophic Level Index explained a significant amount of variation in zooplankton community composition of natural waters (p = 0.002). Distance to nearest water body and number of water bodies within a 20 km radius explained significant amounts of variation in community composition of constructed water bodies (p = 0.040 and 0.038 respectively). Average species richness was slightly higher for natural water bodies than constructed water bodies (18.47 and 15.05 respectively), although overall there was a lot of variation for both natural and constructed water body datasets. A stepwise linear regression indicated that latitude and approximate maximum depth of water body were significant predictors of natural water body species richness (p = 0.002 and 0.016 respectively). However, no significant predictors of species richness were elucidated for constructed water bodies. The non-indigenous calanoid copepods Sinodiaptomus valkanovi and Boeckella minuta were only found in constructed water bodies. However, the non-indigenous cladoceran Daphnia galeata was recorded in both natural and constructed water bodies. The non-indigenous calanoid copepods are more likely to establish populations in constructed water bodies due to the absence of key species (i.e. native calanoid copepods), whose presence in natural waters seemingly provides 'biotic resistance'. The invasion success of D. galeata in constructed and natural waters may be attributed to the absence of a superior competitor, as native Daphnia populations, for example, are rare in the North Island. My results suggest that species richness may not be as important as species composition in influencing the ease with which non-indigenous species invade constructed water bodies. The core group of species found in natural water bodies are likely to be better adapted to pelagic conditions, and therefore better at resisting invaders, than the more varied constructed water body assemblages.
Degree Name
The University of Waikato
All items in Research Commons are provided for private study and research purposes and are protected by copyright with all rights reserved unless otherwise indicated.
- Masters Degree Theses [2470]


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The business of art and entertainment is a risky high wire balancing act. What makes for good art is usually at odds for what makes for good entertainment. Good art demands innovation that challenges its audience to process something beyond their usual comfort zone. Good entertainment is usually about pandering to that lowest common denominator comfort zone. Works that manage to obtain high levels on both fronts—like Mondrian's Broadway Boogie Woogie painting, Tolkein's The Lord of the Rings novels and Francis Ford Coppolla's Godfather films—are possible, but are rarities that seem almost accidental rather than by design.
Beyond it first release, no one would ever mistaken a Resident Evil videogame as being one of these dual-achieving anomalies of outstanding art and entertainment. Instead, most gamers familiar with the long running survival horror series would agree that it is a slave to the entertainment distinction since after sequel upon sequel, there has been less and less innovation and more of pandering to the status quo.
The series lack of imagination is one of the reasons that make Resident Evil: Dead Aim, the eighth title bearing the franchise moniker, such a delightful surprise. What separates Dead Aim from its predecessors is instantly obvious since it is first and foremost a lightgun game that employs the Namco Guncon 2 accessory for the full experience (although using the dual shock controller exclusively is possible). Utilizing the control pad and buttons on the Guncon 2, players maneuver the main characters scruffy cop Bruce McGivern and exotic Asian Interpol agent Fong Ling (alternately). Unlike other Resident Evil games, the camera is not fixed in a variety of angles and instead follows the character from a behind the back third-person perspective. The ability to side strafe, do quick 180-degree turns, and evasive maneuvers from marauding zombies give Dead Aim that trademark Resident Evil feel.
However, once a player decides to undo the safety and let bullets fly is when Dead Aim starts to shake up the formula. By pulling the Guncon lightgun trigger at any time, the player perspective changes from the third-person view to a first-person view. Targeting and shooting then handles like any other trigger-happy point-the-barrel-at-the-screen lightgun game. Right and left movements on the control pad will pan the camera in either direction while up and down presses will revert back to the third-person view for continued foot movement. While this may sound a little awkward on paper, the actual execution is fairly smooth and intuitive after several minutes of practice.
Dead Aim is far deeper than most strictly on-rails lightgun games in that it still retains much of the survival horror genre elements of exploration, item collecting and puzzle solving. Where Dead Aim is different from other Resident Eviltitles is that the developers recognize that people who purchase this game are most likely twitch-driven lightgun owners who want to blast the be Jesus out of zombies. Though ammunition is still limited, they are nowhere near as scarce as they usually are in other titles in the series and players can be quite liberal in firefights.
Another element that makes Dead Aim unique is the gameplay design. Most Resident Evil games incorporate inane and absurdly contrived stage and puzzle designs that seem to be the result of overextended peace pipe session. The once frightful horror concept of the series has relied more and more on cheap thrills and obvious cliché that seem more parody than tradition. The stage design in Dead Aim bucks this trend by being realistic and efficient. A majority of the game takes place on cruise ship and having recently taken a Carnival cruise myself, I can attest that the game does a remarkable job of recreating the layouts of a luxury liner and crafting believable puzzles and objectives that stay within context of the environment and story.
Dead Aim is also genuinely scary in way that these games haven't been in long time. Many of the stages are drenched in a deep darkness and the protagonist is only equipped with a painfully limited flashlight to help navigate through the bowels of the boat. With a limited peripheral vision, things tend creep up on players frequently and slight paranoia and tension quickly grips the player.
It's a shame that Dead Aim is so short in length and the production values seem slighted (the subtitles are atrociously inaccurate). I get a sense that because this is a niché lightgun game with limited audience, Capcom didn't put more resources behind it and Dead Aim never achieves its full potential. Had this game been released as part four of the main story arch and had the companies' complete support in development and marketing, I don't think many gamers would have complained with the final results. Gamers might have even ran out and purchased a lightgun en mass just to get the full experience. I would even go so far as to venture that had Capcom made more strides over the years along the lines of Dead Aim, the public might have put the Resident Evil series in that higher Echelon of titles that aren't afraid to take chances and inspire our imaginations. Instead of being a series savior, Dead Aim is more like Pete Rose finally admitting he bet on baseball. Too little. Too late.
- Fraud Alert: Pete Smith, Content Producer - September 9, 2014
- Observations from PAX East 2012: What's old is new again - April 12, 2012
- Observations from PAX East 2012: Are video game gimmicks finally maturing? - April 11, 2012


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Brad Lunders is a teenager forcefully taken from his home in the middle of the night by his parents consent, to a harsh wilderness reform facility. There is no contact with the outside world and the retired war colonel in charge prides himself on breaking an inmates spirit to correct delinquent behavior. As we learn of the tragic events that led to Brad's arrival, unforeseen circumstances also threaten to tear the reform facility apart…forcing Brad to confront not only his fellow inmates and the personnel in charge, but finally his own sense of what is right and what is wrong.
Director: Vincent Grashaw
Executive Producer: Joe Bilotta, Mike Dorrance
Producer: Kris Dorrance, Dave Gare, Vincent Grashaw
Screenwriter: Vincent Grashaw, Mark Penney
Cinematographer: Jayson Crothers
Editor: Eddie Mikasa
Production Designer: Geoff Flint
Music: Chris Chatham & Mark Miserocchi
Additional Credits: Co-Producer: Sarah Farrand, 1st AD: Jonathan Southard, Casting: Lesley Wolff, Production Coordinator: Chelsea St John, Sound Mixer: Randy Lawson
Principal Cast: PJ Boudousqué, James C. Burns, Chris Petrovski, Octavius J. Johnson, Nicholas Bateman, Stephanie Simbari, Mackenzie Sidwell Graff, Clayton LaDue, Tommy Nash, Scott MacArthur
Director Bio
Vincent Grashaw recently produced the critically-acclaimed film "Bellflower", which made its world premiere at the 2011 Sundance Film Festival and sold to Oscilloscope Laboratories. "Bellflower" won numerous awards and was nominated for two 2012 Independent Spirit Awards including a nomination for Grashaw for the John Cassavetes Award.
Sales Agent: Continental Media
Public Film Contact
Vincent Grashaw


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Mmmmm, Tap & Barrel. The QE Park views were incredible!
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In an effort to blog more, I wanted to breakdown my monthly Hayley Lately posts into weekly segments. Each week I will share some happy moments: what I've been blogging, reading, watching and doing in beautiful Vancouver. Let's just call it my weekly gratitude journal.
♥ I got to check out Queen Elizabeth Park for the first time on Monday. I was totally blown away by the city views, and couldn't quite believe I never visited during my first move to Vancouver.
♥ We then went to Tap and Barrel in Olympic Village, which has one of the best patio views in the city I think. On a sunny Vancouver day, I highly recommend checking it out.
♥ I got to work at Granville Island on Tuesday night. I hadn't been back there since my return, but it offers some pretty stellar views, too. We were serving food for the Fringe Fest crowd and parked outside a beer garden with karaoke. I never mind a free sing-a-long.
♥ I finally finished reading the third book in the Outlander series, Voyager. I think it is hard to compete with the debut novel, but I loved that this story took us on a journey around the world (literally). Gabaldon is an amazing author, who effortlessly weaved the two main character's past stories into the book's beginning. I also finished Hallowed by Cynthia Hand, which was the second novel in the Unearthly series. It was an easy YA novel to read, but not anything amazing. Find me on Goodreads, but up next is the fifth novel in the Throne of Glass series. I'm excited!
♥ I was busy writing last week, thanks to my freelance work with Copypress. But coming up this week is a post from my adventure to the Richmond Night Market.
♥ I decided last week to make a (very long) to do list and write down specific goals to complete. It definitely made me feel like I got a lot more accomplished than I thought. I have already started to create this week's goal list.
♥ I also got a second job! It won't be starting for a few weeks, but I am the latest beer server (my actual job title) at Rogers Arena. I have swapped AFL at Etihad Stadium for ice hockey, but I am really excited to get back into working events. There's nothing quite like that atmosphere.
♥ We had some really nice sunny weather this week, which I most definitely appreciated. I need all the Vitamin D I can get as the leaves are already changing. I'm not ready, Mother Nature!
♥ On Saturday I got to check out my friend Katie and her band, Cute/Sad perform at a local cafe. It was a perfect Saturday night.
This week I have plans for a board game night, trivia, and a solo day trip!
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