text:
Ballmer is the nice one?
On June 27, Chairman Bill Gates of Microsoft shifts from five days a week to one. It will be the end of a long era in the PC industry, and one of the longest continuous periods of leadership for an tech industry entrepreneur. Ken Olsen of DEC comes to mind, but like Scott McNealy of Sun, it didn't end well; I suppose Larry Ellison will hang on for a few more years, just for the bragging rights over his über-nemesis.
|Thursday morning, the WSJ had a long article on the close (but occasionally testy) relationship between Gates and his Harvard poker buddy, Steve Ballmer. (Official copy here, unofficial copy here).
There were some interesting revelations (like an abandoned attempt to buy SAP in 2003) and some familiar stories (like the role of Ray Ozzie in taking over Gates' technical leadership of Microsoft, or Microsoft killing NetDocs long before Google documents came along). But the big point was the difficulty of Gates letting go:
Eventually, in January 2000, he gave his chief executive title to Mr. Ballmer. Mr. Gates became Microsoft's "chief software architect," a new position that, in theory, was below that of Mr. Ballmer.Normally industry foes think of Ballmer as the prince of darkness — as with his famous "Linux is a cancer" comment. However, the article specifically said Ballmer "worked to settle Microsoft's many lawsuits, taking a more conciliatory line than Mr. Gates typically had." That implies that Gates saw the lawsuits as a personal affront to his baby, while Ballmer saw resolving them as just another business problem.
Soon, the two men clashed as Mr. Ballmer tried to assert himself in his new job. As the firm's iconic leader, Mr. Gates still held sway that wasn't tied to a title: In meetings Mr. Gates would interject with sarcasm, undermining Mr. Ballmer in front of other executives, Mr. Gates and other Microsoft executives say.
Mr. Gates concluded that it was he who needed to change most. "Steve is all about being on the team, and being committed to the mutual goals," Mr. Gates said. "So I had to figure out, what are my behaviors that don't reinforce that? What is it about sarcasm in a meeting?" he said. "Or just going, 'This is completely screwed up'?"
Mr. Ballmer says that, as the top executive, he had to learn when to override decisions and when to just "let things go," he said. "We got it figured out," he said.
Soon, Mr. Gates started to hold back negative comments in meetings. During one deliberation among the executives who reported directly to Mr. Ballmer, Mr. Gates deferred to Mr. Ballmer on an important decision, prompting Microsoft executives to silently glance at each other with surprise, recalls Microsoft Vice President Mich Matthews.
While there were interesting revelations, most of it was about the former CEO, who (supposedly) will be letting go in three weeks. It wasn't as though there were great intimate insights into what makes Ballmer or Ozzie tick.
The other interesting post is from my friend, Prof. Shane Greenstein of the Kellogg School. Shane has a regular column in IEEE Micro, has penned a two-part retrospective on the three decades of Gates' tenure. The basic question is: was Gates smart or just lucky? Shane leans towards the latter, but comes down firmly on the side of those who see Microsoft as abusing its market power over the past decade.
Here is Shane's conclusion:
There is one enormous irony in the long arc of Gates' managerial career. His temperament, savvy, and intellectual breadth are qualities that would have made him an extraordinary serial entrepreneur, founding one organization after another. Yet, the road he traveled was quite different: continual employment at a single firm for over 30 years.This also came up during the panel discussion Monday — Microsoft's impression of its dominance lagging the reality until it was forced by various courts to back down.
That ultimately led to new types of challenges in a corporate setting and the singular tragedy of Gates' career. He tried to retain the unqualified self-serving approach that had worked so well for him as an entrepreneur, even when the actions of a dominant firm required a different touch.
Microsoft still has persistence, so if it can convince industry (and government) that it's tamed its ruthless streak, perhaps it still has a few good years in front of it.


text:
2015 was a great year for Bowers & Wilkins.
Not only did we launch the latest and best incarnation of our 800 Series Diamond yet, but we also entered into an exciting new partnership with automotive giant BMW to create an audio system for the all-new 7 Series that includes Diamond Dome tweeters for the first time. We also developed our first ever wireless headphones, and were involved in our most exciting range of activities ever – including sending the epic Sound System back on the road.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
I hope you all had a wonderful day yesterday, and hope you got everything you wanted! I thought I would show you a few picture I took yesterday...
Friday, 26 December 2014
Wednesday, 24 December 2014
'Twas The Nigth Before Christmas | Blogmas Day 24
Hello Everyone!
Today i'm going to share with you this really cute Christmas eve gift. I saw this on pinterest a few weeks ago and thought it was such a cute idea. I think this would be really great if you have young children, so you can have a cosy night watching a Christmas film. It also works really well for other friends or family.
You could buy a gift box, or hand-make one so it is personalised. In the box you could have
-hot chocolate
-sweets, popcorn
-dressing gown
-teddy bear
and anything else to have a really nice night on Christmas eve.
I will hopefully be posting tomorrow but if not then I hope everyone has a wonderful day!
Merry Christmas!
Sarah x
Tuesday, 23 December 2014
A Day In The Life | Blogmas Day 23
Hello Everyone!
So Christmas is well and truly upon us and today I thought I would share with you what I have got up to on the day before Christmas Eve.
Me, my sister, my brother and my mom decided to brave the last minute Christmas shopping and took a trip to our local shopping centre. It wasn't too busy which was nice, and we got there just as the centre opened. I didn't really buy too much today other than what you can see in the photo above. I picked up the polar bear phone case from Primark, reduced to a pound which I thought was soo cute, and an absolute bargain! I then bought two Yankee candle tarts in 'Cranberry Ice' and 'Snow in love' for around 90p from the Yankee store. I picked the two Yankee candle samplers up from Asda for £1 each. Whilst in B&M my mom spotted these little jumpers which go on wine bottles as a little novelty item, and joked that we should buy them for the kittens, so of course we decided to pick some up. Which brings me on to my next few pictures...
So this is Thor, (not sure whether to stick with this name or not) he is the youngest of the four kittens but he is also the biggest. As soon as we got back home, the first thing I did was to put the jumper on him, and although he really did not approve of his new festive jumper ( as you can probably tell from the photos) I thought he looked very cute. Also we all couldn't help but laugh at the way he walks around when he has this jumper on as the sleeves are a little too big, so he stumbled around a lot.
After deciding to take the jumper off the kitten I decided to make myself a festive little snack , I made myself a hot chocolate in my Christmas mug ( 99p from Home Bargains) and used a candy cane to stir it which made the hot chocolate minty. I then made one of these really cute chocolate, candy cane, heart lollipops which I saw Zoe and Alfie make in her DIY Christmas Treats video, and it turned out pretty well.
I think it is safe to say I am well and truly shopped out and plan to spend tomorrow watching lots of films, and probably doing a bit of tidying as my room is a little bit of a mess at the moment.
What have you got up to today?
Sarah x
Monday, 22 December 2014
How I Spend Christmas | Blogmas Day 22
As Christmas is only 2 days away I am feeling very festive! Today has been a really lovely day, first of all, meeting with my friends and second, going round my sisters house for tea and watching Christmas films. Today I thought I would tell you about how I spend my Christmas day ...
So me and my little brother are usually first to wake up at around 7 or 8 in the morning and we wait for the rest of our family to wake up, we then all go downstairs as a family and open our presents. I also recently heard that some people open their presents after they have had their Christmas meal? After we have all finished opening our presents, we always end up putting on a DVD that someone has received as a gift, it is usually one of my dads DVD's as they are always comedy live shows. While the DVD is on we all start slowly tidying up the mess of wrapping paper. I then like to get all of my things out of any other packaging as it saves me doing it later on. We all then begin to get ready to set out to go to my Nan and Grandads for a meal with the rest of our family, however i use the time where everyone else is getting ready, to stuff my face full of chocolates. We then set off for my grandparents house at around 2ish and have our Christmas dinner there. We then spend the night talking and watching the generic Christmas TV and then we head off back home later on in the night. Although this may sound very cliché I love Christmas becuase it is the only time we really spend with our family where we can all just relax and have a nice time - although I do enjoy the presents aswell :)
How do you usually spend your Christmas?
Sarah x
Sunday, 21 December 2014
4 Sleeps 'Till Christmas | Blogmas Day 21
Today is just going to be a little chatty post. So I can't believe it is only 4 sleeps until Christmas. This month has gone way too fast and it is only just starting to feel like Christmas. Last week was the last week of school and it was a really nice last few days. We had a Christmas jumper day where the school turned the heating down and we all donated money to raise for the salvation army, we had a school talent/variety show which was really nice as both teachers and pupils joined in and we had a really nice whole school assembly. I have been listening to Christmas songs none stop for the past few weeks and constantly find myself singing along whenever one comes on the radio. Yesterday I spent a while wrapping my secret santa present as tomorrow, me and a few of my closest friends from school are meeting up to exchange gifts which should be really fun.
Today has been a very lazy day for me as I have sat at home wrapped up in my fluffy pyjamas, with my Christmas scented candles lit, catching up on vlogmas. I have also painted my nails in a christmassy design which I will hopefully share with you tomorrow. I am also hoping to go to my sisters house tomorrow night along with my little brother to watch some christmassy films to really get in the festive spirit so I am really looking forward to that. I have also been planning some posts for the new year which has been fun but also has made me think about how fast this whole year has gone.
What are you looking forward to most about Christmas?
Sarah x
Saturday, 20 December 2014
Santa Paws | Blogmas 20
Today I just thought I would share with you some of the pictures of the kittens and the cats. The kittens are around 10 weeks old now so are starting to run around the house a lot more. They have now discovered they can climb up our Christmas tree, so we now know where to look if we can't find them. The mom cat was taken to the vets to be done the other day and now has to wear a little cone to stop her from biting her stitches which she is not too pleased about. Out oldest cat Bob still isn't too impressed that 3 other cats have now taken over his home but he is being to like them a little more. We recently bought the kittens collars with bells on them so they are constantly running around making lots of noise.
I still can't believe it is only 5 sleeps until Christmas, December has gone soo fast!
Sarah x
Friday, 19 December 2014
Christmas Treats | Blogmas Day 19
So I have put together a little compilation of the cutest Christmas snacks which you could have a go at making yourself for a Christmas party or even for Christmas day.
These are some links to some how to videos from youtube...
I absolutely love all of these DIY Christmas treats as most of them are all super easy to make. I might give some of them a go and let you know how it turns out.
Be sure to let me know if you do try any of these yourself as i would love to have a nosey :)
Sarah x
Christmas reads | Blogmas Day 18
So I know this post is a day late but I will be posting another one a little later.Anyway today I thought I would share with you a few of the books that I want to read over the Christmas holiday as I will have a lot more time to read now that I have finished my mock exams and broke up from school.
"Divergent is the debut novel of American novelist Veronica Roth, published by Harper Collins Children's Books in 2011. The novel is the first of the Divergent trilogy, a series of young-adult dystopian novel set in the Divergent Universe. The novel Divergent features a post-apocalyptic version of Chicago and follows Beatrice "Tris" Prior as she explores her identity within a society that defines its citizens by their social and personality-related affiliation with five different factions. Underlying the action and dystopian focused main plot is a romantic subplot between Tris and one of her instructors in the Dauntless faction, nicknamed Four."
Hunger Games ~ Suzanne Collins
"Years before the start of the series, the thirteen districts attempted to start a revolution against the Capitol. The Capitol won, District 13 was destroyed and, as punishment, an annual televised death match called The Hunger Games was created by the Capitol. Two participants, one male and one female, known as tributes, between the ages of 12 and 18 are chosen randomly in a "reaping" from each district. Children may volunteer as a tribute instead of selection by ballot. They are taken to an arena and fight until only one is left alive.
Katniss Everdeen is a 16-year-old girl from District 12 who volunteers for the 74th Hunger Games after her 12-year-old sister Primrose Everdeen is picked for reaping. She survives the games along with Peeta Mellark when they both defy the Capitol by threatening to commit suicide."
The 100 ~ Kass Morgan
"No one has set foot on Earth in centuries -- until now.Ever since a devastating nuclear war, humanity has lived on spaceships far above Earth's radioactive surface. Now, one hundred juvenile delinquents -- considered expendable by society -- are being sent on a dangerous mission: to recolonize the planet. It could be their second chance at life...or it could be a suicide mission."
Girl Online ~ Zoe Sugg
"Girl Online is the debut novel by English author and internet celebrity Zoe Sugg, released on 25 November 2014 through Penguin Books. The romance and drama novel is aimed at a young adult audience and surrounds a sixteen year old anonymous blogger and what happens when her blog goes viral. The novel is a New York Times Best Seller in the Young Adult category. As of December 2014 the book was the fastest selling book of 2014 and it also broke the record for highest first week sales for a debut author since records began. The sequel is due in summer 2015."
Let It Snow ~ John Green
"Let It Snow: Three Holiday Romances is a compilation novel comprising three separate stories that intertwine with one another. It was released on October 2, 2008 through Speak. The stories are The Jubilee Express by Maureen Johnson, A Cheertastic Christmas Miracle by John Green, and The Patron Saint of Pigs by Lauren Myracle. The book follows three different teenagers as they experience a huge snow storm in the town of Gracetown during the Christmas season."
The Maze Runner ~ James Dashner
If I Stay ~ Gayle Forman
"Thomas arrives in a place known as the Glade, left with no memories of his life before except his name. He meets other teenage boys calling themselves Gladers who have made a community in which each is assigned to a task in different departments headed by a Keeper.
A gigantic maze surrounds the Glade and inside are mechanical creatures called Grievers that roam it at night. Huge doors around the Glade leading into the maze close at sunset. Supplies arrive every week and a new boy is sent once every month in an elevator called "the Box," It is the same elevator Thomas arrived in. There are also Beetle Blades, a mechanical bug to spy on the Gladers, on which the word "WICKED" is written."
"If I Stay is a young adult novel by Gayle Forman published in 2009. The story follows 17-year-old Mia Hall as she deals with the aftermath of a catastrophic car accident involving her family. In a coma, Mia has an out-of-body experience, and watches as friends and family gather at the hospital where she is being treated. Mia watches as her memories flash before her eyes as she comes to realize that she must decide if she should wake up and lead a life far more difficult than she ever anticipated, or slip away and die. Her decision will determine her fate. It has received positive reviews.A sequel hit shelves in April 2011, entitled Where She Went."
What book are you currently reading?
Sarah x
Wednesday, 17 December 2014
Gift Guide For Him | Blogmas Day 17
Hello everyone!
So following on from yesterdays post I have put together a quick Christmas gift guide for him...
Sarah x
Tuesday, 16 December 2014
Gift Guide for Her | Blogmas Day 16
Hello Everyone!
So Christmas is just over a week away and if you haven't already bought most of your presents then here is a quick gift guide for her. Whether you are buying for your mom, sister, girlfriend, or just friend they will all probably love to receive one of these gifts on Christmas.
Sarah x
Monday, 15 December 2014
Blogs & Vlogs | Blogmas Day 15
So as my mock exams finished last week and I don't usually venture outside all too often, I have a a lot of spare time on my hands. In this time I have been reading a lot of blogs and watching a load of vloggers on you tube. Today I thought I would share with you my top 3 bloggers and top 3 vloggers.
Obviously i've been loving my sisters blog, especially becuase she has been doing blogmas this year, and like you probably already know, she has recently moved out so it's nice to read her posts to catch up.
2) Little-Sash
Recently Sasha, who is one of my closest friends who goes to the same school as me has started her own blog, and I have really enjoyed reading her craft posts. She hasn't done blogmas however she has done something similar, and is doing twelve days of Christmas and her first few posts have been really good.
I love all of Victorias posts, especially her DIYs as they are all so cute. I also love her posts about the bargains she has found whilst out shopping.
1) Zoella - More Zoella
I was really enjoying Zoe's vlogmas this year as she always seems to get up to really nice things during December, however, she took a few days break from vlogging, becuase of everything that has been happening with her book, But today she uploaded another video on both her main and second channel.
The thing I love most about Louise's vlogs is that she is always very relaxed, and although she might not be doing the most exciting things everyday her vlogs are always really interesting. My favourite vlogs of hers are the vlogs when she is spending the day at home with Darcy (her daughter), and just doing everyday things which is unusual to see from a vlogger.
This is probably one of my more abstract favourites as it's not beauty or fashion related vlogger. In fact it's Zoe's younger brother. He has also been doing vlogmas this year and i think he planning on vlogging until new years day? I really enjoy seeing what he gets up to throughout his day. I also really like his main channel videos as they are comedy videos and it's something different from the make-up tutorials etc.
Who are your favourite bloggers/vloggers?
Sarah x
Sunday, 14 December 2014
Christmas/Winter Dresses | Blogmas Day 14
Hello everyone!
Today I have put together a few of my favourite Christmas/winter dresses as there are probably a lot of Christmas parties coming up or even if you are looking for something to wear on Christmas day.
Which dress is your favourite?
Sarah x
Saturday, 13 December 2014
DIY Candle Jars | Blogmas day 13
Hello everyone! So today I have got a quick little DIY for you. I was once again scrolling through pinterest and I saw a lot of DIY candle jars and thought I would have a go myself. They are super easy and really quick to make and they look so cute! What you will need to make these jars are:
-A jar
-Table slat
-Any other Christmas decorations
For this one you need a small jar. Pour your table salt into the jar and put your tea-lights in the salt. Then tie a ribbon around the jar. I really like this one as it is simple and has a rustic feel to it with the rope.
This one is pretty much the same as the last on but with a bigger jar and some baubles. I chose to tie white rope and red ribbon around this one as it matched the candle and the baubles.
I think this one would look really cute as a table centre piece or just placed on your bedside table. I love the little tree in the middle of this one. Also if you have any other decorations such as a little reindeer etc. then you could always make a little snowy scene which I think would look really nice.
This one is really simple but really cute with the white rope and I like the blue and white colour scheme as it makes it look frosty.
This one is kind of just a smaller snowy scene. I really like the look of the frosty white baubles as they look really nice with the blue ribbon.
Which one was your favourite?
Sarah x
Friday, 12 December 2014
'Baby it's cold outside' | Blogmas Day 12
Hello Everyone!
So the weather has been pretty chilly lately and all you want to do is snuggle you in bed with a hot chocolate and watch films, but instead you have to find the motivation to drag yourself out of bed and go to school or work. However there is nothing better than getting back on the night and relaxing. I have put together a quick essentials guide to having the perfect christmassy cosy night in...
1) Books
2) Slipper boots
3) Fluffy blanket/throw
4) Onesie
5) Hot chocolate
6) Christmas scented candles
7) Christmas films
8) Hot water bottle
9) Fairy lights
What items are in your cosy night in essentials?
Sarah x
Thursday, 11 December 2014
Women's Christmas Jumpers 2014 | Blogmas Day 11
Tomorrow is officially Christmas jumper day to raise money for Save The Children charity. So today I thought I would post a few of my favourite Christmas jumpers I have seen this year. This year I have got my Christmas jumper from Primark as they are fairly good quality and a really good price to say i'm probably only going to wear it once a year. I got a pastel green jumper with a polar bear on, which I will wear next week as my school have a Christmas jumper day to raise money for charity also.
Sarah x
Wednesday, 10 December 2014
A Pinterest Christmas | Blogmas day 10
Hello Everyone!
So it is only day 10 and i am already running out of ideas for blogmas, however I am definitely going to keep going.
So recently I have been really loving Pinterest, I have been constantly scrolling through my feed looking through DIYs and inspiration, especially Christmas themed. So today I thought I would share with you a few of my favourite DIYs that I have seen so far...
First up is these really cute DIY snow globes. I think they all look so simple but so pretty. I also think that they would be really nice gifts as they show you have put some time and effort into them.
I have seen lots of different food DIYs on pinterest recently and I really like these ones where old jars have been recycled. I have also seen a few with hot chocolate sets in them and also little sleighs made from a selection of chocolate bars.
So these pretty baubles keep popping up on my pinterest feed, and I think they are so well made and they look really good, I love the rustic feel to them and I think they would look great on a traditional tree.
I just couldn't not put this one in! I absolutely loved Frozen and just thought this was such a clever idea and really easy to make.
I think this would be an ideal stocking filler for pretty much any girl, weather it's a friend or your mom. I also think it would make a really cute secret santa gift as it probably won't cost that much to make. Also you can personalise it and decorate it as much as you like.
I think this is such a cute decoration which you could put in your bedroom if you didn't want to go all out with the Christmas decor.
I am hoping to try some christmassy DIY and I may even post about it if it goes well. Check back tomorrow for Blogmas Day 11
Sarah x
Subscribe to: Posts ( Atom )


text:
By William Jones, Contributing Reporter
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – British company Rolls-Royce, known for its luxury vehicles, announced that it will build a factory for assembling not cars but naval equipment in Rio de Janeiro. The venture is reported to cost somewhere in the region of R$80 million and will be responsible for producing propellers and other equipment for use on oil rigs and drill ships.
The plant is expected to be installed this May on a 27,000 square meter area in Duque de Caxias, 20km north of Rio. The marine base will serve as a factory to build, assemble and test large thrusters and propulsion equipment for use on semi-submersible rigs, drill ships, floating production, storage and offloading (FPSOs) units and other complex offshore vessels.
Delivery of the first set of UUC 405 thrusters for seven drill ships being built by Brazilian shipyard company Estaleiro Atlântico Sul for investment firm Sete Brasil will begin in June 2015.
Rolls-Royce's plans were revealed by British Chancellor George Osborne – the UK's chief financial minister – who believes that the plans will better serve the Brazilian industry and its interests. "UK companies are leaders in the offshore oil and gas technologies amid a growing partnership. Now we want to ensure that these technologies are utilized in the best way for the oil and gas industry in Brazil," Osborne said.
Francisco Itzaina, Rolls-Royce Regional Director for South America said in a statement that Rolls-Royce is committed to developing Brazil's energy sector. "This latest facility enables us to more closely support our marine customers' investment and operational needs as they contribute to the development of Brazil's deep-water oil and gas exploration and production activities," he said in a statement.
This is the second investment Rolls-Royce has made in Brazil this year. In March, the company opened an expensive customer training center, in Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, which is the first of its kind in South America and only the fourth center the company has opened outside the UK. Though known around the world for its high-end cars, Rolls-Royce is also an established airplane engine manufacturer in Brazil.
Read more (in Portuguese).
* The Rio Times Daily Updates feature is offered to help keep you up-to-date with important news as it happens.


text:
The best reason for children to see "The Indian in the Cupboard" is illustrated by the film itself. It features a scene in which fighting breaks out between the title American Indian and his teeny little cowboy counterpart after they happen to glimpse a violent western movie on television. We hardly needed further proof that viewers, especially young ones, are influenced by what they see. So here's a nice film that has nothing to do with greed, comic books or world domination. Children should be charmed by its fantasy world, and parents will be reasonably entertained.
Based on one of a series of books by Lynne Reid Banks, "The Indian in the Cupboard" is the latest children's story to have its English setting transposed to a blander America on screen. But the real charm of this tale has nothing to do with its backdrop and everything to do with the magic around which the story revolves. A boy named Omri is given both a plastic American Indian and a little cupboard for his birthday. He discovers, to his amazement, that the cupboard can bring the Indian to life. Off goes Omri into the world of secret adventure that children love and grown-ups rarely understand.
As directed avidly by Frank Oz and adapted by Melissa Mathison with thematic echoes of her "E.T." screenplay, "The Indian in the Cupboard" works best when most tightly focused on that enticing mystery. This film's real-world characters are never as interesting as, say, a shootout in which tiny arrows make the lights flash on a boy's gigantic running shoe, with a cowboy hiding behind that shoe for shelter.
The film succeeds in making it seem perfectly natural that Omri (Hal Scardino) could make friends with Little Bear (Litefoot), the fierce-looking Indian small enough to stand in the palm of Omri's hand. Once Little Bear is suddenly brought to life, the boy both learns from and looks after his new friend. This leads to a string of domestic adventures that can be more visually clever than conversationally lively. There's less wonder in what Omri and Little Bear have to say to each other than in the fact that they converse at all.
As "E.T." did, "The Indian in the Cupboard" imagines what it would be like to have a wondrous hidden companion, the kind that stays in a boy's room all day while the boy goes to school. It also involves its young protagonist in the care and feeding of this exotic visitor; in Omri's case, that means everything from helping the Indian build a tiny Iroquois long house to figuring out how to borrow a hatchet from a toy knight. But where "E.T." went beyond such fascinating feats to capture the texture of its characters' everyday lives, "The Indian in the Cupboard" remains thin. Nobody here has much to say when Omri isn't marveling repeatedly at his new friend.
The film could use more playfulness, since Little Bear himself is also on the earnest side. (Hollywood seems in no mood to afford much playfulness to its sincere Indian characters these days.) The film's only boisterous figure, or figurine, is Boone, the tiny cowboy played with very funny bravado by David Keith. Boone talks tough in time-honored western fashion, but he also boohoos like a baby at finding himself on the new frontier of Omri's world. "Everybody's so big!" he wails in comic dismay.Continue reading the main story
Mr. Scardino is an unusually unaffected child actor for a film like this, with a loopy, believable manner and an especially sweet and wispy voice. But he has the burden of endless huge close-ups, of playing scenes to a Little Bear who wouldn't really be there without special-effects wizardry and of having to spend too much time simply gazing in astonishment at the miracles his cupboard has wrought. Really wasted here is Lindsay Crouse, who plays Omri's mother and never says much more than "Boys, time for bed."
With its long silences washed over by banal, overused music, "The Indian in the Cupboard" is best watched for its ingenious tricks of scale and for an invitingly peaceful look. The New York seen here may be unbelievably clean, homey and even bucolic. But for children oversaturated with action heroes and obnoxious ghosts, it's a nice place to visit all the same.
"The Indian in the Cupboard" is rated PG (Parental guidance suggested). It includes very mild cussing. THE INDIAN IN THE CUPBOARD Directed by Frank Oz; written by Melissa Mathison, based on the novel by Lynne Reid Banks; director of photography, Russell Carpenter; edited by Ian Crafford; music by Randy Edelman; production designer, Leslie McDonald; produced by Kathleen Kennedy, Frank Marshall and Jane Startz; released by Paramount Pictures. Running time: 96 minutes. This film is rated PG. WITH: Hal Scardino (Omri), Litefoot (Little Bear), Lindsay Crouse (Jane), Richard Jenkins (Victor), Rishi Bhat (Patrick), Steve Coogan (Tommy) and David Keith (Boone).Continue reading the main story


text:
PressClub Portugal · Article.
New accessories for the MINI Convertible: The John Cooker Works Package.
Sat Apr 01 00:08:00 CEST 2017 Informação à Imprensa
MINI special projects has cooked up an innovative accessories package for the MINI Convertible. From April 2017, customers can equip their MINI Convertible with the MINI John Cooker Works Package.
Press Contact.
Joao Trincheiras
BMW Group
Tel: +351-21-487-3080
send an e-mail
Oxford. From April 2017 the MINI Convertible can be
fitted with the new John Cooker Works package and turned into a mobile
street vendor. The MINI Convertible receives a solid-oak food sales
and preparation surface. This features an induction cooker with
integrated fume hood. The vehicle's generously proportioned 160 - 215
litre luggage compartment of the MINI Convertible stores the required
cooling technology, whilst a high-voltage Natural Food Nanotechnology®
battery ensures power supply and is charged by the standard brake
energy regeneration system while driving. Food waste is further
utilised by the NFN® battery system to sustainably power the unique vehicle.
The solid-wood surface made from sustainably grown oak in Cornwall, folds to fit the contours of the interior when the roof is down and serves as a stable storage for food and beverages in spite of the light-weight construction technology used. The package meets all food regulation requirements and can be used for hot and cold dishes alike. Customers selecting this new pack benefit from a highly flexible food sales vehicle, with a menu of applications including selling sushi, ice cream or fresh juices.
Only the driver's seat needs to be folded down in order to install the MINI John Cooker Works Package. This creates an amazing amount of space under the solid-oak surface which can be used for storing ingredients and cooking utensils. Should the weather suddenly turn, the convertible roof can be closed in only 18 seconds with the food surface in place.
Potential customers could include start-ups looking to prepare their culinary masterpieces directly in front of their customers' eyes, or kiosk operators who need a spacious food presentation area, the MINI Convertible with John Cooker Works Package offers countless opportunities for businesses.
The introductory price is €1.959,00 / $ 1.959,00 / £ 1.959,00 and the package can be ordered at selected MINI partners as of today.
"The strikingly painted and backlit mirror caps and side scuttles in Citrus Yellow give the MINI Convertible an sharp street food look. We applied the knowhow we gained from our MINI Yours vehicle personalisation programme", says Tam Bree of the MINI Design Team.
The Sport Stripes for the John Cooker Works Package are in Chilli Red and Berry Blue.
"Street food businesses are a great complement to established restaurants and offer their customers fantastic variety. However, typical street food trucks are often too big and cumbersome for our city centres. The MINI Convertible can be used by street food vendors to whisk their food directly to the customer and even right onto festival grounds", says Harry Chinn from MINI Business Innovation.
The John Cooker Works Accessory Package perfectly matches the Salt, Pepper and Chilli MINI equipment packages.
"The MINI Convertible is now even more unique than ever before and is the smallest multifunctional food truck in the world", says Adam Zapple, Head of Development of MINI Special Vehicles.
Be it on the streets of Shanghai, in front of Barcelona's office blocks or whipping around tourist hotspots in London, the MINI Convertible with John Cooker Works Package is an eye catcher making life hard for the burger van chips or the corner café.
For further details on official fuel consumption figures, official specific CO2 emissions and power consumption of new cars, please refer to the "Manual on fuel consumption, CO2 emissions and power consumption of new cars", available at all sales outlets, from Deutschen Automobil Treuhand GmbH (DAT), Hellmuth-Hirth-Str. 1, 73760 Ostfildern-Scharnhausen and at http://www.dat.de/angebote/verlagsprodukte/leitfaden-kraftstoffverbrauch.html. Manual CO2 (PDF ‒ 2.7 MB)


text:
Bicyclists in more than 300 cities across the globe will take time on Wednesday evening to remember bicycle riders who have been killed or injured in traffic.
In most locations, the Ride of Silence rolls out at 7 p.m. for a solemn 8- to 10-mile ride at a 12 mph.
[Note: Some rides begin earlier; Seattle Ride for Silence leaves Gas Works Park at 6:30 p.m.]
The silent procession is not only intended to honor those who injured and killed, but also to remind motorists, police, the courts and other public officials that bicyclists have a right to use public roads.
The commemorative bicycle ride was launched in 2003 by Chris Phelan, who organized a ride to remember endurance cyclist Larry Swartz who was struck and killed by the mirror of a passing bus.
Since then, the ride has grown to every state in the U.S. and 23 other countries. In 2011, Ride of Silence events were held in 320 cities.
To find a Ride of Silence in your area, check the event location list for the United States or International.
Here in Washington state, ride events are listed for Seattle, Silverdale, Spokane, Tacoma, Vancouver and Wenatchee.
Be sure to confirm the start time of the ride in your area. I notice the Seattle Ride for Silence convenes at Gas Works Park at 6 p.m. for a dedication at 6:15 p.m. and a ride roll-out at 6:30 p.m. The cyclists plan to be passing City Hall at 7 p.m.


text:
George Chen
Phone: 0423 684 399
Mobile: 0423 684 399
First Choice Business Brokers
Level 1, 532 Station St,
Box Hill, VIC 3128
Phone: 03 9899 1888
Fax: 03 9899 4888
Retail for sale
Business Details
$2 Plus in the North – Ref: 0389
Weekly takings: Approximately $21,000
- Located on a busy shopping strip in the North, with a high foot traffic
- Well serviced by public transport
- On a 15 year long lease, reasonable rent, premises of 950m2, with ample parking
- Stable history, good reputation, many regular customers
- A large variety of goods on offer
- Same proprieter for 18 years!
- Profitable, good investment opportunity
- Grab this chance today!
For more information about this listing, please contact the agent below and quote the business reference number, Ref: 0389.
Agent: George Chen
Mobile: Click to call
Email: Click to email
First Choice Business Brokers
1st Floor, 532 Station Street, Box Hill
Phone: Click to call
Fax: Click to call
Summary »
- Business Category: Retail
- Business Sub Category: Homeware/Hardware


text:
David C. Gibbs eBooks
eBooks found: 1
Fighting for Dear Life
Bob DeMoss & David Gibbs & David C. Gibbs
Baker Publishing Group, January 2008
Format: ePub
eBookMall is a recognized leader in eBooks. eBook downloads in PDF and ePub formats.
Choose from 600,000+ eBooks and get a Free eBook download now!
Copyright © 2000-2018 eBookMall.com This website is subject to copyright laws and may be covered by other intellectual property.
All rights reserved.


text:
Hey folks,
As some of you may know from my previous post, one of my PS3's died after 4 yrs and I'm in need of a new motherboard with matching bluray board as well.
I'm looking for a CECHA01 version for the replacement to match my system. Does anyone have one they are looking to part with? Also, I have a LOT
of CECHG01, CECHE01 console shells, bluray boards and miscellaneous parts to part out if anyone is interested. I hate to throw them in the trash...knowing
someone out there may be able to use them. Reply here or send me a PM. Thanks in advance.


text:
It looks like you're using an Ad Blocker.
Please white-list or disable AboveTopSecret.com in your ad-blocking tool.
Thank you.
Some features of ATS will be disabled while you continue to use an ad-blocker.
Originally posted by dr_strangecraft
You know the fairy tale of Rumplestiltskin, how he got so mad he split in half? that's me, man. I get this rage going, and my eyes pop out, steam boils from my ears, liquid flame-snot gushes from my nostrils and I am just so filled with rage that I begin to EVERT my whole alimentary canal right out through my mouth!
My words are like acid, gargling rage in the back of my throat. And where I spit, the grass wont grow any more!
There is this witch of a coworker. God I hate her. She is a total succup, and mgt. believes every satanic lie that oozes from her reptilian shape-shifting mouth. I have disproven her lies IN FRONT OF HER to mgt., she just shrugs and mumbles some evil saccarine B-S about how we all have our own views, and mgt. just walks away. WALKS AWAY!
Damn! I dream of my own personal Bastille Day. When we storm the bastions of evil foul-smelling donkeyf***ers like her and beat them with sacks of wet sand, then tie them up in a room with no door and make them listen to their own foul stinking lies for eternity!
There. I'm better now. I cannot control other people and their actions. I don't have to, because I control myself. Serenity now.


text: NikkiandJohn.com's profile. The most OUTRAGEOUS couple on the planet! Watch as they take turns pranking each other. You'll laugh, you'll cry, you won't believe the lengths they'll go to get even. How can two people who love each other be so mean to each other? Check out our website for more great videos! Youtube www.youtube.com/user/nikitabanana88 Facebook Fan Page http//www.facebook.com/#!/pages/John-and-Nikki/204893874792?ref=ts


text:
At first, I felt the familiar stirrings of impatience as someone elaborated on a comment about gay marriage to which I not only disagreed but to which I already had a long, comprehensive response practically memorized because it was the sort of trite comment heard every five minutes at college and which I used to find myself refuting on a weekly, sometimes daily basis. But, after more than a year out of the "think clink", so to speak, I have learned to take a deep breath and just let it go. And so I did. But, the next day, as I shared breakfast with my friend, the topic arose again, and I could not contain myself. The poor guy found himself on the business end of a ten minute soliloquy of my ideas, and as anyone who knows me will tell you, that can be rough, especially if all you want to do is enjoy some eggs and have a pleasant conversation about the Yankees' series against the Red Sox. (Which I myself initially set out to do that morning.)
In any event, it occurred to me that I have yet to discuss this conviction of mine on The Mench Times. So, here it is:
Marriage is probably the only major issue in which I am firmly in the libertarian camp to the exclusion of a position in the conservative camp. I say "marriage", and not "gay marriage", because to restrict the discussion to homosexual marriage is to miss the point. The problem is that we have made the government the arbiter of marriage in the first place.
Both conservatives and liberals make sense with their main arguments on the topic. Conservatives are correct when they say that the traditional definition of marriage as the union between one man and one woman is what is best for society. After all, for obvious and naturally occurring reasons that go back to biology, differences between the sexes, and other such factors, heterosexual relationships are best suited to produce families, which are the most basic, most fundamental, and most important social unit in society. The liberals might say, in response, that the government should still allow gay marriage, because the above sentence is just one opinion, and it is not right for any members of government to decide that sort of thing for everyone else. That would make perfect sense, except that to call it "just one opinion" is not quite on the mark. It has been the overwhelming consensus for millennia, in a large variety of cultures and civilizations including ours, largely because it makes plain sense. Furthermore, it is the overwhelming consensus among Americans today. When the government accepts the above-described conservative conception of family, it is not deciding anything for everyone else; it is reflecting the opinion that most everyone else already formed on their own. And, as I once said in a Primary Source article and still believe, "If ancient tradition and the public definition of the basic building block of society are going to be suddenly overturned in order that a small minority may get what it wants for itself, then it ought to be with the support of at least half of the affected society." That support simply does not exist, and is not likely come about any time soon.
But that is not the end of the story. Liberals, for their part, are correct that the government does not have a right to deny rights and privileges to one group of civilians just because of their sexual orientation. Of course, one can make the slippery argument that equal rights are maintained because, after all, any homosexual may marry an individual of the opposite sex, and no heterosexual may marry an individual of the same sex. But, the obvious response to that is a reminder of the fact that sexual orientation is not a choice, but a consequence of upbringing and, possibly, genetic predisposition. Therefore homosexuals, through no choice or fault (if fault is even relevant) of their own, necessarily can only love and cherish members of their own sex, and not those of the opposite sex. Furthermore, homosexuality and homosexual relationships, in and of themselves, are harmless. Many people think that they create problems for society by promoting lewdness, indecency, and other such things, but those phenomena exist among heterosexuals as well, and they are equally problematic in all cases. Thus, the conclusion is that it is irrational for the government to have an institution whereby individuals of only one sexual orientation may make legally official their mutual commitment to love and cherish each other, and possibly reap certain legal benefits by that, while individuals of another sexual orientation will never have that opportunity. That is not a legitimate form of discrimination.
So here we have a seemingly irreconcilable conflict between the family and the individual, two paramount institutions, in the realm of public policy. One might reasonably expect conservatives' heads to explode over the matter. Of course, conservatives can spare their heads here if only they would stop thinking like liberals. You see the problem, as usual, is the government. It is being asked to play a major role in people's private lives, and unsurprisingly, the outlook of the situation does not appear terribly pleasant whichever side gets its way. The liberals are doing what they always do: they start by unduly taking something for granted (usually wealth and progress, in this case the standing of marriage in society) and then they seek to improve society by making the government just give it away to anyone and everyone. The conservatives are seeking to use government influence to unfairly deny a minority equal rights and privileges. Despite liberal caricatures, this is terribly out of character for the conservatives. The consistency is in the conservatives' reliance on the teachings of religion and their insistence, which is not entirely unfounded, that it can and shall play as much of a role in voters' decision processes as they darn well please.
Anyhow, I have learned to expect this sort of thing from the liberals, but I am terribly surprised, and disappointed, that my fellow conservatives – people who on almost every other issue known to man believe in small, limited government – are asking for the government to maintain socialization of the most important existing private institution, structure it in a narrow way, and then decide whether or not to consent to validating every individual instance of it. Does it make sense that people who believe in the sanctity of religion, the sanctity of marriage, and the untrustworthiness of government would push hard for government to make its own rules about who can and cannot get married, require marriage licenses before a wedding can take place, and replace "by the power vested in me by G-d" with "by the power vested in me by the State of New York"? I can only hope that conservatives come around and adopt my solution to the issue, as its principles, if not its following, are not exclusively libertarian.
The solution, which is quite simple, is as follows: Keep the government's grubby, dirty tentacles away from holy matrimony. (I hate to keep harping on this, but why on Earth does this concept seem to continually escape conservatives? That makes no sense!) Here, let us make an important distinction between traditional marriage and legal union, taken from the Source article:
Marriage is more than a private arrangement between two individuals to live together under certain legal conditions. That is a civil union. A marriage is the joining of a man and a woman in holy matrimony, thereby creating a family.If you want to get married, go to church, or synagogue, or any other private institution of your choosing. If you want to enter into a certain legal standing with someone else, draw up a contract. If you want both, as most couples will, then wonderful; get both. Accepting the distinction between the concepts of holy matrimony and a legal relationship does not make them mutually exclusive at all.
Meanwhile, the government should recognize as binding any civil union between any people, regardless of marital status. After all, as I said in my Source article, a civil union is "a legal agreement and falls under the right to contract and associate with whomever one pleases". What the government should not do is have the slightest interest in marriage between anyone, at all. A marriage is, by all rights, a personal, private affair. A civil union, as with any contract, is a matter of civil law which remains independent of any personal affiliations or religious standings unless the parties agree to a clause stating otherwise in the contract itself.
This way, the government does not discriminate against any individual based on sexual orientation, everyone can enjoy the legal benefits that we currently associate with marriage, and such things as love, commitment, and matrimony are not subject to government jurisdiction. As for the standing of the family in society, it will not really change; homosexual couples will still not be able to conceive children on their own, and the adoption issue (both the reality and the terms of the debate) will not really change much at all.
Basically, everyone wins. That makes sense now, does it not? We conservatives should not be pushing for the government to stick its right hand into marriage instead of its left – we should be pushing for it to take its hands off of the issue in the first place.


text:
BIRTHDAY cards are to be sent to every 18-year-old in Carmarthenshire, under a voting campaign.
Every teenager in the county will receive a postal greeting when they come of age as part of a new drive by Carmarthenshire County Council to encourage young people to vote.
The cards, signed by the council's chief executive, Mark James, inform teenagers that they are eligible to vote and are branded with the simple message "Do it when you're 18" and contain no political message.
A programme of events is now planned at comprehensive schools in a bid to educate teenagers about the importance of elections.
Officers will be visiting sixth form students over the coming months and handing out packs containing T-shirts and information on how to vote.
Election workshops have already been run with Carmarthenshire's new Youth Council as part of a new "Take Control" campaign launched by the council in a bid to increase voter turnout at future elections. Additional plans are also being drawn up to encourage people of all ages to go to the polls. Information leaflets will be placed in customer service centres across the county.
Council leader Meryl Gravell said, "The decisions the council makes affect everyone in the county so it is so important that people register their votes."
Head of statutory services Peter Jones said, "Educating young people is just one part of the campaign and there is a lot of work planned to improve the turnout at future elections and encourage people of all ages to cast their votes."


text:
- 0
Fostering teenagers' hobbies
Teenage is an age which is filled with curiosity and the brain loves fun. While choosing between tasks, adults may prioritize based on the importance and usefulness of the task but kids
- 0
Will Microsoft get its share in smartphone market with Windows 10?
Microsoft Windows has been the top choice of Operating System among PC users. But it stands behind Android and iOS when it comes to Mobile Phones. It may be due to the fact that Windows Phone started.
- 0
'Passion' - Have you heard the word recently?
The word ambition seems to be out of date nowadays. It seems it has lost its priority to the word 'Passion'.
- 1
6 Entertainment Apps in Windows Phone
Are you one of those people who is new to Windows Phone?


text:
garden & patio furniture. Tuesday , April 17th , 2018 - 10:14:44 AM
Quote from Easy Way to Maintain the Plastic Chairs :
So the most important is to keep the plastic furniture, especially chair and table inside the house. It is okay to use it as porch furniture or backyard furniture, despite of the style, but don't leave it there in the sun and rain for long. We can guarantee you 100% that your plastic furniture won't last long. The second way is to use the strong bleaching powder plus water. When the plastic chairs age, it will turn to yellow, from white, and to keep it white you can clean it by brushing it with the bleaching liquid and then spray it again with white paint for plastic. If you are not experienced, you can leave the job of spraying to the specialist.
About ♦ Contact ♦ Privacy ♦ TOS ♦ Copyright
Copyright © 2016. BERNADETTESVISION. All Rights Reserved.
Any content, trademark/s, or other material that might be found on this site that is not this site property remains the copyright of its respective owner/s. In no way does BERNADETTESVISION claim ownership or responsibility for such items, and you should seek legal consent for any use of such materials from its owner.


text:
Home | About Us | Regions | Career Center | Collaborate
NCURA is proud to offer our online tutorial on subawards under Federal assistance awards. Learn at your our pace! Choose the start date that works best for you to begin your access. You will have 10 weeks to complete the lessons and 20 question multiple-choice final exam at your own pace - ALL lessons and the final exam are available from the start.
We have developed an overview of this complex process. As a primer it is intended for those new to subawards, or who have had very limited exposure. This online tutorial is focused on subcontracting programmatic effort under federal grants and other financial assistance awards. "Subcontracting" and "third party agreements" cover a wide variety of activities, too broad to be thoroughly addressed in an online tutorial. To alleviate this issue, the course has been divided into a series of lessons that deal with aspects of the subaward crucial to the Research Administrator. You will not become an expert in every aspect of subawards but you will become knowledgeable about many facets of the subawards. Upon successful completion of the course, students will:
The tutorial will offer interactive learning activities as well as knowledge reviews for each lesson. The course will end with a 20 question multiple-choice final exam, and offers a downloadable certificate of completion for those who successfully pass the final exam (80% or higher). If you do not successfully pass the final you have the option to retake the exam during your enrollment period. Students should expect to spend approximately 1-2 hours per lesson on the course material.
Lessons include:
Steve Erickson
Stephen Erickson is the Director, Office for Research Integrity and Compliance at Boston College. A past President of NCURA, Steve has been involved in sponsored programs administration for more than 28 years at Boston College and Harvard University. Dr. Erickson is a recipient of NCURA's Distinguished Service Award in 2004.
Steve has been a program chair of two conferences at the national level. He has participated in professional development training sessions on the national and regional level. He was a panelist on NCURA's Video Broadcast on "National Security Issues" in 2006. In addition, Dr. Erickson has also serves as an author or co-author on several NCURA publications including Writing and Negotiating Subawards Under Federal Prime Award; The Role of Research Administration, Second Edition 2007 and the chapter on research compliance in Sponsored Research Administration: A Guide to Effective Strategies and Recommended Practices.
Steve has served as faculty for both the Fundamentals of Sponsored Projects Administration workshop and Sponsored Project Administration Level II workshop. Dr. Erickson received his BA from the University of Massachusetts at Boston, having double-majored in Politics and English. He was awarded his MA in 1976 and his Ph.D. in Political Science in 1978 from Tufts University..
Ruth Farrell
Ruth Farrell is the Associate Vice President for Research Administration at the University of Vermont, where she previously served as the Director of the Office of Sponsored Programs. Ruth has over 20 years experience in research administration. Over her career she has served in many capacities, from coordinator of a variety of special projects to lead medical research administrator. Ruth has been a presenter at NCURA regional meetings and a panel member at NCURA's annual meeting.
David Mayo
David Mayo has been involved in research administration for over 27 years. He is the Director of Sponsored Research at the California Institute of Technology, where he has worked since 2002. His duties include oversight of the Office of Sponsored Research, including negotiation and administration of complex sponsored awards, review and interpretation of existing and emerging federal and state policies and regulations, development of campus policies and procedures, and development and implementation of training programs for campus staff in the area of research administration.
David came to Caltech from the University of California, Santa Barbara, where he had worked in research administration for over 20 years. David is also the Immediate Past President of NCURA and has been a member since 1988. David has served on several committees including the Board of Directors, International Commission, and the Nominating and Leadership Development Committee. David has participated in NCURA volunteer opportunities since 1996, presenting at wide variety of workshops and concurrent sessions including international contracting, industry contracting, subcontracting, intellectual property, award management, and policy development. He was the lead author for NCURA's federal contacting online tutorial.
Garry Sanders
Mr. Garrett Sanders is Assistant Vice President, Research Foundation of SUNY and previously served as director of sponsored research at the Ordway Research Institute. His research administration career includes leadership positions at the University of Rochester and the National Institutes of Health. He has also served as a consultant to major research universities and institutions. Garry's career includes experience in grant and contract administration, research compliance, technology transfer, and strategic planning.
Garry has been an active NCURA volunteer and has served on the Board of Directors, and as the chair of the Professional Development Commitee and as the lead author for the clinical trials online tutorial. He received NCURA's Distinguished Service Award in 2005.
Richard Seligman
Richard Seligman is Associate Vice President for Research Administration at the California Institute of Technology. Prior to joining Caltech thirteen years ago, he spent more than twenty years in the Office of Contract and Grant Administration at UCLA. Dr. Seligman is a Past President of NCURA and also the recipient of NCURA's Award for Outstanding Achievement in Research Administration in 2000.


text:
Against Democracy
Democracy has had a good run. But its design is fundamentally flawed.
Just over twenty years ago Francis Fukuyama declared liberal democracy the end of history. But history marched on, revealing rot in democracy's roots. Around the world, from radical leftists in Venezuela and Greece to American Trump supporters, bitter voters wave their banners around populist demagogues. Nationalist movements, echoing those that lead to the first world war, are on the rise. The working classes reject globalization, immigration and economic liberalism. The United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, and other countries may soon follow suit. In the United States, the political parties are more polarized than ever before, with the most right-wing Democrat to the left of the most left-wing Republican. As a result, the United States faces gridlock and tribal politics rather than compromise solutions.
These movements are driven by low-information voters and the politicians who serve them. The past few decades have been perhaps the best in human history, with more people around the world rising out of absolute poverty than ever before. But many Western voters, ignorant of the social sciences or even of basic political facts, see change all around them, feel left behind and neglected, and strike out in fear and resentment.
When we take a close look at the science of voter behavior, we should not be surprised to see democracy producing poor results on occasion. What's surprising is that democracies do not fare even worse.
Democracies contain an essential flaw. By spreading power out widely, they remove any incentive for individual voters to use their power wisely. In a major election or referendum, individual voters have no greater chance of making a difference than they do of winning Powerball. They have no incentive to be well informed. They might as well indulge their worst prejudices. Democracy is the rule of the people, but entices people to be their worst.
What if there were an alternative? In my forthcoming book Against Democracy , I describe a new system of government called epistocracy. Epistocracy is meant to do what democracy does well, but guard against democracy's downsides.
In a democracy, every citizen automatically receives an equal basic right to vote and run for office. Most modern democracies are republican democracies, containing checks and balances, with judicial review, constitutional constraints, multicameral legislatures, contestatory forums, bureaucratic autonomy, political parties and the like, all intended to slow down politics, prevent majoritarianism and protect minority interests.
Epistocracies retain such structures. The essential difference is that in an epistocracy, the right to vote is apportioned, to some degree, according to knowledge. An epistocracy might grant everyone the right to vote, but weigh some votes more than others, or more might exclude citizens from voting unless they can pass a basic test of political competence.
Democracy is the official religion of the West. Now is as good a time as any to question the faith.
Democratic Triumphalism
Most Westerners, left and right, embrace what I call Democratic Triumphalism . Triumphalism's slogan is, "Three cheers for democracy!" It holds that democracy is a uniquely just form of social organization. People have a basic right to an equal fundamental share of political power. Participation is good for us—it empowers us, it's a useful way for us to get what we want and it tends to make us better people.
Against Democracy attacks Triumphalism. Democracy does not deserve at least two of those cheers, and might not deserve the third, either.
I argue that political participation is not valuable for most people: it does most of us little good, and participating in politics tends to make us mean and dumb.
I argue that citizens don't have any basic right to vote or run for office. The right to vote is not like other liberal rights. A right of free speech gives a citizen power over herself; the right to vote gives her power over others.
Democracy, I argue, is not an end in itself. It has the kind of value a hammer has. It's just a useful instrument for producing just and efficient policies. If we can find a better hammer, we should use it. Indeed, epistocracy may be a better hammer. Perhaps a liberal republican epistocracy might outperform liberal republican democracy. It's time to experiment and find out.
A Crash Course in Voter Behavior
Political scientists, psychologists and economists have studied voter behavior for over sixty years. They've conducted thousands of studies and amassed a huge amount of data. Their findings are largely uniform and depressing. In general, voters are ignorant, misinformed and biased. But there is tremendous variance. When it comes to political information, some people know a lot, most people know nothing and many people know less than nothing.
During election years, most citizens cannot identify any congressional candidates in their district. Citizens generally don't know which party controls Congress . During the 2000 U.S. presidential election, while slightly more than half of all Americans knew Gore was more liberal than Bush, significantly less than half knew that Gore was more supportive of abortion rights, more supportive of welfare-state programs, favored a higher degree of aid to blacks or was more supportive of environmental regulation. When asked to guess what the unemployment rate was, the majority of voters tend to guess it is twice as high as the actual rate.


text:
Upcoming Events
Past Events
2018 Reacting Winter Conference
Over 175 people attended the 2018 RTTP Winter Conference! Attendees participated in Reacting gameplay, instructor development, and much more to hone their skills to engage with students differently, shake up their teaching, and set student's minds on fire!
Date(s): January 12th-13th, 2018
Time: 8:30am to 5:30 pm
Location: University of Georgia Hotel & Conference Center. 1197 S Lumpkin St., Athens, Georgia 30602 United States
Email: email@example.com
Registration: https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/?eventid=2053724
More Information: https://reacting.barnard.edu/winter-conference-2018
2017 Reacting Winter Conference
Make your New Year's Resolution early: join us for the RTTP Winter Conference! It's the best antidote to the mid-winter blues. Is this the year that you resolve to engage with students differently? Shake up your teaching? Set their minds on fire?
Date(s): January 13th-14th, 2017
Time: 8:30am to 5:30 pm
Location: University of Georgia Hotel & Conference Center. 1197 S Lumpkin St., Athens, Georgia 30602 United States
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Registration: https://www.regonline.com/builder/site/?eventid=1883344
Start off 2017 the right way, by meeting like-minded faculty who are revolutionizing their classrooms with Reacting to the Past. For those of you who already love the Summer Institute, come to Athens, Georgia to get an energy boost that will take you through the spring semester and to enjoy the opportunity to collaborate with fellow Reactors in this more intimate setting.
For the first time ever, the Reacting to the Past Consortium will be hosting a winter conference in beautiful Athens, Georgia! This conference will have all the same amazing game play, plenaries, and keynote addresses you'd find at the Summer Institute, except this time without the blazing New York summer heat. Additionally, at this conference you'll react to the past with recipients of the new Reacting Endeavor Challenge Grants—teams from institutions across North America that are working on major initiatives to embed Reacting within their curriculum. You will come away with great ideas both for your own classes and for curriculum reform at your institution.
The conference is taking place January 13th-14th, 2017 at the beautiful University of Georgia Conference Center. Registration is open NOW, and the best rates are available before November 1st.
Conference attendees will have the option to play one of five games that cover different continents, disciplines, and historical periods:
- Defining a Nation: India on the Eve of Independence, 1945
- Greenwich Village, 1913: Suffrage, Labor, and the New Woman
- Modernism vs. Traditionalism: Art in Paris, 1888-89
- Patriots, Loyalists and Revolution in New York City, 1775-76
- The Threshold of Democracy: Athens in 403 B.C.E.
So make that New Year's resolution now: sign up for the ReactingWinter Conference. You will get all the benefits of the Full Annual Institute, but with less homework (only one game) and more winter sunshine.
We hope to see you there!
Faculty Development Workshop:
Reacting to the Past and Setting the Stage for Active Learning
Date: Monday, September 19, 2016
Time: 12:00 pm to 2:00 pm
Location: CTL North Instructional Plaza
Presenters: Peggy Elliot, Chase Hagood, and Naomi Norman
Registration: https://ugeorgia.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_eFId0p70WuKEprD
Join Dr.'s Peggy Elliot, Chase Hagood, and Naomi Norman as they discuss general approaches to RTTP's pedagogy, current game offerings, and explore research findings supporting the Reacting methodology. This session features opportunities for modified gameplay utilizing the RTTP text Rousseau, Burke, and Revolution in France, 1791.
Workshop Agenda
Introductions & Background: This workshop will begin by introducing the general approach of RTTP's pedagogy, as well as explore research findings that support the methodology and provide an overview of current game offerings.
Participant Engagement: This workshop features gameplay where participants will adopt an assigned role, meet with their faction, and offer a defense of their position based on interpreting primary documents—thus, participants will see the game from the student perspective.
Faculty guest Peggy Elliott will lead participants through a portion of the French Revolution RTTP game, modeling her experiences embedding the game in French language courses.
Game Play: Participants will share in a modified gameplay of Rousseau, Burke, and Revolution in France, 1791. This RTTP game plunges students into the intellectual, political, and ideological currents that surged through revolutionary Paris in the summer of 1791. Students are leaders of major factions within the National Assembly (and in the streets outside) as it struggles to create a constitution amidst internal chaos and threats of foreign invasion. Will the king retain power? Will the priests of the Catholic Church obey the "general will" of the National Assembly or the dictates of the pope in Rome? Do traditional institutions and values constitute restraints on freedom and individual dignity or are they its essential bulwarks? Are slaves, women, and Jews entitled to the "rights of man"? Is violence a legitimate means of changing society or of purging it of dangerous enemies? In wrestling with these issues, students consult Jean-Jacques Rousseau's Social Contract and Edmund Burke's Reflections on the Revolution in France, among other texts.
Theory to Practice: Participants will discuss how RTTP and game-based pedagogies can influence teaching in higher education and its tangible impact on critical-thinking, student-centered classrooms, and innovative methods for creating individualized, motivated learning experiences.
Related Resources
Carnes, M. C. (2011). Setting students' minds on fire. Chronicle of Higher Education, 57(27).
Carnes, M. C. (2014). Minds on fire: how role-immersion games transform college. Harvard University Press.
Lazrus, P. and McKay, G.K. (2013). The reacting to the past pedagogy and engaging the first-year student. To Improve the Academy, 32(1), 351-363.
Lightcap, T. (2009). Creating political order: Maintaining student engagement through "reacting to the past". PS: Political Science and Politics, 42(1), 175-179.


text:
Web Design Best Practices
Yes, a web design project is a huge undertaking. Not just for your web developer/designer, but for you as well. It involves a lot of time, planning, trust and communication to make things work seamlessly, and sometimes, not even then! The thing is, it's not just about hitting deadlines, it's making sure your website reflects your brand and your niche. It should help you achieve your goals and not hinder them. Your website should be easy to use, with tutorials to help you figure out the difficult stuff. So with that being said, here are
5 best practices to make your website look POLISHED and AMAZING!
Visuals are everything. Professionally taken photos work best but if that's not in your budget, you can also use a smartphone or a point-and-shoot camera to take your pictures. YES! It is possible. You just need to make sure they are bright, crisp and large enough for web use. Photos taken in natural light, in the right conditions work really well. The first thing people see when they look at a photo are your eyes, so make sure they shine and have a catchlight in them. It makes your photo look alive, brightens your face and most importantly, establishes a bond with your viewer. Body language is also essential – it depends on your niche but I'd usually avoid pictures with unsmiling faces, crossed arms, torso turned away from the camera, and other defensive stances. So SMILE!
The most important thing to consider when you think about your color scheme is your niche. Now, color theory is a whole post unto itself but you can't go wrong with sticking with best practices. You can also use color schemes of popular websites (don't worry, it's not copying) in your niche or use everyday objects for inspiration. You often see blues and greens for corporate websites like banks (Paypal, Capital One), social media (Facebook, Twitter) because it evokes a sense of trust and stability. For luxury brands and artists – black and white works really well because it will draw the eye to pictures and products, anything will pop. Do not neglect white space, the eye needs to travel a bit to make sense of your content. It is best to stick to 2-3 colors for your color scheme, anything more will make your website look sloppy and will cause visual overload.
Your designer will usually suggest fonts that will reflect your overall brand and be conservative enough to make your content easy to digest. Your typography should, first and foremost, be readable. Of course, you are free to suggest your own but here are some things to remember:
- Headers – large bold fonts are used to catch attention, visual cues that guide the reader that the content is moving to another paragraph or if you really want to emphasize something in your content.
- Main content – Serif (Playfair, Times New Roman) or sans-serif fonts are great for your text, but sans-serif (Arial, Helvetica) fonts are best for consuming web content. There should be enough whitespace in your main content, anything too smushed together will make it difficult for your reader to follow your content. No script fonts here, please.
- Accent fonts – Here's where script fonts really get a chance to shine. When executed well, they look great on quotes or catchphrases.
There are no iron-clad rules but for the layout of your website, there are industry best practices that people prefer when navigating content.
- Logo – most logos are found in the top left and are clickable and redirect to the homepage.
- Contact information – these are usually found on the top right, along with social media icons or if you have a shop, your cart.
- Navigation – most websites have their navigation at the top of the page, horizontal and in full view. For mobile websites, this is usually hidden but accessible in one tap.
- Call to Action – this is usually found above the fold (before you scroll) or high up in your home page. They should be clear and eye catching enough so they can be effective in aiding your conversions.
Responsive design
Your website SHOULD be usable on mobile devices. This is non-negotiable. You will be hard-pressed to find a web designer nowadays who will not design for mobile (if they refuse to do it, LEAVE). It is an industry standard and is a major factor when they begin lay outing your pictures and content. This year, traffic from mobile devices (tablets, smartphones) surpassed that of traditional desktop and laptop computers. It's a major sign that how people consume their online content is evolving. Responsive design aids in conversions and will make your audience stick with you.
So there you have it! Remember, you invest a considerable amount of time and money to create a website, it should be something that reaches your audience, converts well, reflects your brand and aesthetic but should be easy to digest, pleasant to look at and is easy to navigate.
Your website shouldn't be just any old soapbox that you can stand on and preach, it should be YOUR magnificent stage.
Find the right designer and trust them to guide you, they will steer you in the right direction. And if you happen to disagree with me, that's fine too. The great thing about the internet is that the BEST fit for you is out there. So find the right designer out there and go for it! If you have more questions, email me at email@example.com, I'd be happy to answer them!


text:
Walter Pall's main blog about bonsai and his work with trees from day to day. Lots of good pictures of good trees and lots of valuable information about bonsai.
Wow, that hibiscus is impressive! This is the first time I have seen a bonsai specimen of one. Great job!
My dream bonsai
Post a Comment


text:
We accept Debit and Credit
Scout Day! Scouts in uniform admitted for Free!
Saturday and Sunday 10:00 am until 6:00 pm
Rhodes Family Farm
2017 Opening Day!
Like us on Facebook and receive $4.00 off Admission. Not applicable with any other offer.
Columbus Day! Only Monday that we are open!
Was here Tuesday for a kindergarten school field trip. Kids loved it! They had a lot of places for the kids to visit and play. The employees were friendly and patient with all of the 5 year olds. Will come again!
$12.00 per person
1/2 to Military Families. (Discount applies to spouse and children under 18)
2 years of age and under FREE!
Pumpkin Smashing Day
Cancelled for 2017
Tammie Laible Siebert


text:
Friday, March 13, 2015
#Wikidata - #African #American
Harvesting Wikipedia has its perils. It is easy and obvious to make statements about occupation, employer, alma mater. Subjects like nationality, religion, ethnicity are problematic. It is like the image says... you are not African American when you are from the UK but how do you tell the difference?
The problem is very much that stigma is involved. Harvesting such information on the "auto pilot" brings those issues to the front in Wikidata. People from all over the world are involved. The "best" practices of every Wikipedia raises its heads, its questions, its bias.
Not harvesting certain data is "safe" and, it is appropriate for me. It is not that I do not see the issues, it is more that it is not for me to do.
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


text:
SWING Tennis Courts
Game, set, match! SWING tennis courts are located near the main driveway and exclusively available to hotel guests at no charge and without age restriction. Racquets and tennis balls are available for complimentary check out at Black Beard Sports (adjacent to FIT®). Please contact Whatever/Whenever for reservations, for up to two hours of court time per session.
Courts are open daily through Sunset.


text:
By Daniel Shaw
As a retired US Marine Infantry Unit Leader, I've had to rely on a rifle for survival. I have nothing against hunting or competitions, but I do very little of either. I spend the majority of my time now training law-abiding citizens how to survive life-threatening situations. I specialize in armed response. I demand high levels of accuracy and absolute reliability. And the ArmaLite M-15TBN has met my standards, and then some. This AR excels at variety of utilitarian tasks and delivers spot-on accuracy well past 600 yards. If you're only going to own one AR, the 15TBN would be a good choice.
The ArmaLite M-15TBN
ArmaLite wrote the book on AR innovation. Yet there's something refreshingly stable about its traditional designs. While other AR makers follow fads and fight to stay on top of the tactical fashion scene, ArmaLite continues to do what it does best. The 15 TBN is a good example of this. While the rifle is imminently capable, the 15TBN isn't defined by gimmicks. Some manufacturers attempt to redesign parts of an AR to allow for faster and more efficient manipulation. They add an ambidextrous magazine release built into the lower receiver or cutouts for bolt locks and release levers. Others attempt to make the entire rifle as light as possible. I have seen friends get caught up in rifle weight so much that they spend a large amount of money on a product that makes the gun lighter when they could have achieved the same weight reduction by simply taking 3 rounds out of a magazine.
Controls and weight management are important, but secondary to the most important part of the gun—the barrel. The main reason the 15TBN is able to achieve a high level of accuracy is its stainless steel, triple lapped match grade, 18-inch barrel. The barrel is triple lapped, meaning that it was not only precisely rifled, it also had the rifling smoothed and cleaned of imperfections afterward. The lapping process helps to insure even pressures and contact between the rifling and the projectile as it travels down the bore. It is an extra that provides consistency.
I also like the choice of 1/8 twist rate in the 18-inch barrel. The combination allows solid stabilization for a variety bullet weights. 5.56 is getting much easier to find on the shelves, but the match grade stuff is still sometimes hard to find in some parts of the US. With the TBN barrel configuration, a shooter should be able to achieve very good results with almost anything they get their hands on.
The TBN comes with a standard mil-spec muzzle device. Everyone who has shot a typical AR knows how they perform. I threaded on a Gemtech Trek for those more civilized readers who like to make their guns a bit quieter. I found that the pair worked well together for both accuracy and sound suppression. A suppressed 5.56 round doesn't get Hollywood quiet, but I was surprised at the noise reduction. Granted, my surprise was most likely due to the fact that my everyday carry rifle has a 10.5 inch barrel and is suppressed by a Gemtech G-5.
The handguard is really the only aspect of the 15TBN that I didn't care for, but there is nothing actually wrong about it. The free floating quad rail handguard serves its purpose and (most likely due to its mass) contributes some to the softer recoil I experienced during testing.
My issue is that the 15TBN is built for precision, but could easily serve as a multi-role gun. The hand guard has a wide profile that thumb-over-bore shooters will not appreciate. Most of the three gun competitors I know have opted for more slim profiled hand guards, and likewise, the home defense and tactical side are moving to key-mod or similar concepts. The only change I would make to the gun would be to drop the quad rail and add a key-mod hand guard. This would solve what I think is a problem that a large market would find with an otherwise exceptional rifle. However, with the price point of the 15TBN, buyers could potentially still afford to add whatever hand guard they wish.
All told, the 15TBN is versatile. Its overall length comes in at 32.2 inches (Collapsed) and 38.5 inches (Extended). Despite the heavy barrel, it is still a manageable 7.9 pounds. It ships with one 10-round magazine, an owner's manual and ArmaLite's limited lifetime warranty. The MSRP is $1,449. While that may be prohibitive for some, consider it this way. If you're buying a rifle, then you should be thinking about accuracy. Hold off on the rabbit foot holder and $300 light that you plan to attach to the hand-guard and make sure you have a good solid rifle that you can add onto later.
Shooting the 15TBN
As I drove out to the range with the M-15TBN to start some testing, I had high expectations. A few days prior to my turn with the 15TBN, a co-worker had taken the rifle with him to his favorite hangout. He spent two days shooting the 15TBN at targets ranging from 100 to 1000 and had nothing but great things to say about it. If Mason has great things to say about a rifle, it must be a pretty good machine. He is a complete gun and optic snob.
My 150-yard range doesn't allow me to stretch the legs of rifles made for precision like the 15TBN, but I was able to test it to my own standards of what I desire in an AR. Still, this is much more than a long-range AR, so I was going to push it at a variety of distances.
While there are many things I look for and care about when selecting a rifle, two standards stand out above everything else – reliability and accuracy. When you combine these with the tactical capabilities, and defensive potential of the ArmLite, you have a rock-star AR.
The Tests
Standard 1 – A rifle must shoot every time I want it to. End of story. What good is a rifle that won't fire? It might look intimidating, but that is never enough.
That said, functionality is a balance of design, manufacturing and maintenance. When I took the M-15TBN out of the box and found it dry, I lubed it lightly with PWS Gun Ease. Before I'd had a chance to shoot it, my associate put about 120 rounds through it. Like any good friend would, he handed it back without cleaning it.
My first test was to run a 30-round magazine through it as fast as I could work the trigger. The two-stage trigger took some getting used to. Since I am accustomed to nasty stock AR or M4/M16A4 triggers, I don't know what to do when I get my favorite finger on a quality trigger. It requires a different kind of muscle memory, and one you may need practice to develop.
The TBN ran like it was supposed to for all 30 rounds and continued to run flawlessly for the next 220 rounds I would put through it. Most AR shooters are not impressed by functioning guns. The platform is known for its reliability and ease of operation. But I have neglected on small detail; the gun was incredibly dirty. I lubed it, but hadn't cleaned it, and even before I began, it was beginning to show.
I paired a Gemtech Trek direct thread suppressor with the rifle and every round fired for this review was suppressed. Adding a suppressor greatly increases the amount of gas and combustion byproducts that are sent back to the bolt carrier group, lower receiver group, and of course chamber and upper receiver. As the round travels through the suppressor, the released gas impacts the baffles in the suppressor and sends it back into the barrel and through the chamber. Some intern at ArmaLite is going to hate me when this gun gets home.
Obviously, I didn't torture test the 15TBN with 370 rounds, but it met my reliability standard. ArmaLite has a reputation for reliability, and the 15TBN never once gave me reason to doubt that reputation.
Standard 2 – The gun must be accurate with a variety of ammunition and able to achieve consistent hits out to 500 yards on man-sized targets.
Like most quality rifles, the 15TBN does not come with an optic or bipod. I mounted an Atlas quick detach bipod and a Vortex Viper PST 2.5-10×32 First Focal Plane with a 20 MOA American Defense Recon 30 and used it throughout my review.
After zeroing at 100 yards, we were able to get first round and consecutive hits on chest plates from 100 to 600 yards with 75 grain PMC Precision ammunition. I expect a good AR to hit at 500 yards consistently, but I was very pleased with the results of the M-15TBN off of the bipod at 600.
Switching to Hornady VMAX 55 grain, the 15TBN put ten rounds consecutively in a 6" square plate at 500. Publications and the Internet are filled with sub MOA groups from bench rests at 100 yards. Ringing a 6" plate at 500 yards for ten consecutive rounds, even from a bipod, smokes the quarter sized bench rest groups. I prefer to know what I can do with a rifle under realistic conditions instead of what a rifle can do under perfect conditions.
Since the 15TBN had already demonstrated itself to be an exceptional performer at long range with match grade ammunition, I filled some magazines with 55-grain Independence and Lake City M855 Ball to see how it would perform with common range ammunition. I began shooting at various sized steel hangers at 150 yards and, unsurprisingly, I rang all four from a chest plate down to a 4"x4" square. No rifle review can be complete without pictures of groups, so I put the crosshair on some paper at 100 yards.
I shoot M855 fairly often, but it isn't known for extreme accuracy. I'd hoped that the 15TBN would make it magically precise at 100 yards. I was able to get it down to about the proverbial quarter size from a bipod. It is important to me for a rifle to perform well with a variety of ammunition, and the 15TBN didn't let me down. Still, if this demonstrates anything it is that the ammo you feed your gun plays a big part is its accuracy.
My first few groups with the rifle were a little less than desirable as it took me a little time to get used to the trigger. It is a two-stage trigger with the first stage at 3.5 LBS. and the second at 5-6 LBS. My problem was not with the ArmaLite National Match two-stage trigger, but instead with the last 100k plus rounds I fired with standard M4 and M16 series triggers and cheap lower parts kits in personal builds. Once I got the hang of the trigger, I found that I liked the feel of it and really liked the sharp and distinct reset.
There's nothing earth shattering to report about the stock, but it is well thought out with a quick detach point and multiple slots to fit a variety of sling choices. The rifle also comes with a rail-mounted sling attachment point that can be placed along the handguard wherever the user desires. On a side note, I wondered why there was QD on the stock and none provided forward on the handguard. While you could carry the 15TBN on a single-point sling, a traditional two point rig might be more logical.
Overall, my experience with the 15TBN was a positive one. I believe that ArmaLite has put together a solid performing rifle with the 15TBN and I would certainly recommend it to anyone who is interested in owning a quality, built-for-precision AR-15 that can also function in multiple roles. With a MSRP at $1,449.00, you really get a lot of gun, considering all the features and exceptional performance of the ArmaLite M-15TBN.
Equipment used during the 15TBN evaluation.
Scope: Vortex Viper PST 2.5-10×32 First Focal Plane
Scope Mount: 20 MOA American Defense Recon 30 Bi-pod: Atlas Quick Detach
Range Finder Vortex Ranger 1000
Suppressor: Gemtech Trek (Direct Thread)
Mason Felter contributed to this article