text:
Via http://xkcd.com/482/
mardi, septembre 30, 2008
the observable universe
This is mad cool.
when your guy is the only sane choice
My dad's GOP or die. My mom's even further to the right than he is. Of course, I turned out to be a far-left-of-center über liberal. I also happen to be an unrepentant politico.
This weekend, I dissected last Friday's presidential debate with a client in Tijuana and then had a spirited (but friendly) conversation with the soccer crew at Cass' wedding. Three people at our table supported McCain. Four of us were in Obama's camp. One person wasn't a citizen and can't vote. We all knew that there was no way of changing anyone else's opinion, but it didn't stop us from shooting carefully worded barbs at the other side over drinks. I suppose the one thing we all agreed on was how unfathomable it is that people can still honestly say that they are "undecided."
This weekend, I dissected last Friday's presidential debate with a client in Tijuana and then had a spirited (but friendly) conversation with the soccer crew at Cass' wedding. Three people at our table supported McCain. Four of us were in Obama's camp. One person wasn't a citizen and can't vote. We all knew that there was no way of changing anyone else's opinion, but it didn't stop us from shooting carefully worded barbs at the other side over drinks. I suppose the one thing we all agreed on was how unfathomable it is that people can still honestly say that they are "undecided."
Report: 60 Million People You'd Never Talk To Voting For Other Guy
September 29, 2008 | Issue 44•40
BOSTON—According to an eye-opening report released Tuesday, 60 million people whom you would never talk to, would never be in a position to talk to, and wouldn't even be able to talk to if you tried will be voting for the other candidate in this year's presidential election, and there is nothing you can do about it.
The 110-page document reveals that these strangers share a fundamental vision of our nation's future, a vision that shockingly runs completely counter to your own and is furthermore embodied by the candidate whom you could not in a million years fathom being the leader of the free world. Even more frightening, the report says, is that their votes count just as much as yours.
Just by looking at them, it's clear to you that your guy is the only sane choice.
"While you are 100 percent certain that your preferred candidate's stance on issues such as foreign policy and the economy would appeal to any human being with half a brain, there is, in this very same country, an equally large voting bloc which believes that you and your candidate of choice are absolutely insane," the report's co-author Dr. Mark Grier said during a press conference. "Every single thing you love about your candidate's personality, vice presidential pick, and family, 60 million other registered voters absolutely deplore."
"What you consider to be this country's ruin," Grier added, "these other people actually consider to be this country's savior."
The report also confirmed that even if you were able to communicate with these other citizens, your passion and conviction would never be enough to convince them not to vote for their candidate, just as they would never be able to convince you not to vote for your candidate, and just as nobody can convince anybody else that what they believe to be right is wrong, regardless of how clear the evidence to the contrary may be.
The report maintained that, during your purely hypothetical discussion, both of you would come off as smug, narrow-minded, or downright ignorant if you tried to criticize the other candidate's positions on key issues such as abortion and gay rights. The ensuing argument would only further cement both of your feelings of disgust toward the other candidate.
And yet incredibly, sources said, neither one of you would technically be wrong.
Because—and this is reportedly the most maddening part—even though these people's unwavering support for their candidate completely dumbfounds you, you cannot even get angry at them, since they are not voting for him because they are idiots or because they want to spite you, but rather because they actually believe that he is the better choice to run our nation.
The study, which comes as a result of 20 years of research conducted in America's cities, suburbs, and rural towns, indicates that residents living in places you "wouldn't be caught dead in" have never even once considered voting for your candidate at any point during the campaign, and never will, and this is just the way it is always going to be.
The report confirms that this frustrates you.
"The mere fact that you and these 60 million strangers actually live in the same country and salute the same flag seems to defy all reality, yet it's completely true," University of Pennsylvania sociology professor Dr. Marie Stratton said. "And what's even more incredible, there is no indication that you will ever talk to these people about your differences, because you prefer conversing with those who validate your opinions and give you a sense of self-satisfaction."
According to the report, based on the social and cultural trends in the nation, over the next 20 years the number of people with whom you would never speak is only expected to increase. By the 2032 election, there will be an astonishing 150 million people you will never meet who will hate you and your candidate with the same fervent passion with which you will hate them and their candidate.
"I'm voting for [the other guy] all the way," Ohio resident Ethan Washburn said in a statement Monday. "I think that when it comes to foreign and domestic issues, he is best suited for the job. And anyone who thinks otherwise is an idiot."
"I'm voting for [the candidate opposite of Washburn] all the way," Florida resident Tom Redman said in a statement Monday. "I think that when it comes to foreign and domestic issues, he is best suited for the job. And anyone who thinks otherwise is an idiot."
Remarkably, the one thing you do have in common with these 60 million other people is that you both know several assholes who are actually planning to vote for a third-party candidate, if you can believe that shit.
Via Karina
vendredi, septembre 26, 2008
how i miss jeb bartlet
There are several zingers in here. Among my faves: "I don't know whether or not Governor Palin has the tenacity of a pit bull, but I know for sure she's got the qualifications of one."
Op-Ed Columnist: Aaron Sorkin Conjures a Meeting of Obama and Bartlet
By MAUREEN DOWD
Published: September 20, 2008
Now that he's finally fired up on the soup-line economy, Barack Obama knows he can't fade out again. He was eager to talk privately to a Democratic ex-president who could offer more fatherly wisdom — not to mention a surreptitious smoke — and less fraternal rivalry. I called the "West Wing" creator Aaron Sorkin (yes, truly) to get a read-out of the meeting. This is what he wrote:
BARACK OBAMA knocks on the front door of a 300-year-old New Hampshire farmhouse while his Secret Service detail waits in the driveway. The door opens and OBAMA is standing face to face with former President JED BARTLET.
BARTLET Senator.
OBAMA Mr. President.
BARTLET You seem startled.
OBAMA I didn't expect you to answer the door yourself.
BARTLET I didn't expect you to be getting beat by John McCain and a Lancôme rep who thinks "The Flintstones" was based on a true story, so let's call it even.
OBAMA Yes, sir.
BARTLET Come on in.
BARTLET leads OBAMA into his study.
BARTLET That was a hell of a convention.
OBAMA Thank you, I was proud of it.
BARTLET I meant the Republicans. The Us versus Them-a-thon. As a Democrat I was surprised to learn that I don't like small towns, God, people with jobs or America. I've been a little out of touch but is there a mandate that the vice president be skilled at field dressing a moose —
OBAMA Look —
BARTLET — and selling Air Force Two on eBay?
OBAMA Joke all you want, Mr. President, but it worked.
BARTLET Imagine my surprise. What can I do for you, kid?
OBAMA I'm interested in your advice.
BARTLET I can't give it to you.
OBAMA Why not?
BARTLET I'm supporting McCain.
OBAMA Why?
BARTLET He's promised to eradicate evil and that was always on my "to do" list.
BARTLET And he's surrounded himself, I think, with the best possible team to get us out of an economic crisis. Why, Sarah Palin just said Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac had "gotten too big and too expensive to the taxpayers." Can you spot the error in that statement?
OBAMA Yes, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac aren't funded by taxpayers.
BARTLET Well, at least they are now. Kind of reminds you of the time Bush said that Social Security wasn't a government program. He was only off by a little — Social Security is the largest government program.
OBAMA I appreciate your sense of humor, sir, but I really could use your advice.
BARTLET Well, it seems to me your problem is a lot like the problem I had twice.
OBAMA Which was?
BARTLET A huge number of Americans thought I thought I was superior to them.
OBAMA And?
BARTLET I was.
OBAMA I mean, how did you overcome that?
BARTLET I won't lie to you, being fictional was a big advantage.
OBAMA What do you mean?
BARTLET I'm a fictional president. You're dreaming right now, Senator.
OBAMA I'm asleep?
BARTLET Yes, and you're losing a ton of white women.
OBAMA Yes, sir.
BARTLET I mean tons.
OBAMA I understand.
BARTLET I didn't even think there were that many white women.
OBAMA I see the numbers, sir. What do they want from me?
BARTLET I've been married to a white woman for 40 years and I still don't know what she wants from me.
OBAMA How did you do it?
BARTLET Well, I say I'm sorry a lot.
OBAMA I don't mean your marriage, sir. I mean how did you get America on your side?
BARTLET There again, I didn't have to be president of America, I just had to be president of the people who watched "The West Wing."
OBAMA That would make it easier.
BARTLET You'd do very well on NBC. Thursday nights in the old "ER" time slot with "30 Rock" as your lead-in, you'd get seven, seven-five in the demo with a 20, 22 share — you'd be selling $450,000 minutes.
OBAMA What the hell does that mean?
BARTLET TV talk. I thought you'd be interested.
OBAMA I'm not. They pivoted off the argument that I was inexperienced to the criticism that I'm — wait for it — the Messiah, who, by the way, was a community organizer. When I speak I try to lead with inspiration and aptitude. How is that a liability?
BARTLET Because the idea of American exceptionalism doesn't extend to Americans being exceptional. If you excelled academically and are able to casually use 690 SAT words then you might as well have the press shoot video of you giving the finger to the Statue of Liberty while the Dixie Chicks sing the University of the Taliban fight song. The people who want English to be the official language of the United States are uncomfortable with their leaders being fluent in it.
OBAMA You're saying race doesn't have anything to do with it?
BARTLET I wouldn't go that far. Brains made me look arrogant but they make you look uppity. Plus, if you had a black daughter —
OBAMA I have two.
BARTLET — who was 17 and pregnant and unmarried and the father was a teenager hoping to launch a rap career with "Thug Life" inked across his chest, you'd come in fifth behind Bob Barr, Ralph Nader and a ficus.
OBAMA You're not cheering me up.
BARTLET Is that what you came here for?
OBAMA No, but it wouldn't kill you.
BARTLET Have you tried doing a two-hour special or a really good Christmas show?
OBAMA Sir —
BARTLET Hang on. Home run. Right here. Is there any chance you could get Michelle pregnant before the fall sweeps?
OBAMA The problem is we can't appear angry. Bush called us the angry left. Did you see anyone in Denver who was angry?
BARTLET Well ... let me think. ...We went to war against the wrong country, Osama bin Laden just celebrated his seventh anniversary of not being caught either dead or alive, my family's less safe than it was eight years ago, we've lost trillions of dollars, millions of jobs, thousands of lives and we lost an entire city due to bad weather. So, you know ... I'm a little angry.
OBAMA What would you do?
BARTLET GET ANGRIER! Call them liars, because that's what they are. Sarah Palin didn't say "thanks but no thanks" to the Bridge to Nowhere. She just said "Thanks." You were raised by a single mother on food stamps — where does a guy with eight houses who was legacied into Annapolis get off calling you an elitist? And by the way, if you do nothing else, take that word back. Elite is a good word, it means well above average. I'd ask them what their problem is with excellence. While you're at it, I want the word "patriot" back. McCain can say that the transcendent issue of our time is the spread of Islamic fanaticism or he can choose a running mate who doesn't know the Bush doctrine from the Monroe Doctrine, but he can't do both at the same time and call it patriotic. They have to lie — the truth isn't their friend right now. Get angry. Mock them mercilessly; they've earned it. McCain decried agents of intolerance, then chose a running mate who had to ask if she was allowed to ban books from a public library. It's not bad enough she thinks the planet Earth was created in six days 6,000 years ago complete with a man, a woman and a talking snake, she wants schools to teach the rest of our kids to deny geology, anthropology, archaeology and common sense too? It's not bad enough she's forcing her own daughter into a loveless marriage to a teenage hood, she wants the rest of us to guide our daughters in that direction too? It's not enough that a woman shouldn't have the right to choose, it should be the law of the land that she has to carry and deliver her rapist's baby too? I don't know whether or not Governor Palin has the tenacity of a pit bull, but I know for sure she's got the qualifications of one. And you're worried about seeming angry? You could eat their lunch, make them cry and tell their mamas about it and God himself would call it restrained. There are times when you are simply required to be impolite. There are times when condescension is called for!
OBAMA Good to get that off your chest?
BARTLET Am I keeping you from something?
OBAMA Well, it's not as if I didn't know all of that and it took you like 20 minutes to say.
BARTLET I know, I have a problem, but admitting it is the first step.
OBAMA What's the second step?
BARTLET I don't care.
OBAMA So what about hope? Chuck it for outrage and put-downs?
BARTLET No. You're elite, you can do both. Four weeks ago you had the best week of your campaign, followed — granted, inexplicably — by the worst week of your campaign. And you're still in a statistical dead heat. You're a 47-year-old black man with a foreign-sounding name who went to Harvard and thinks devotion to your country and lapel pins aren't the same thing and you're in a statistical tie with a war hero and a Cinemax heroine. To these aged eyes, Senator, that's what progress looks like. You guys got four debates. Get out of my house and go back to work.
OBAMA Wait, what is it you always used to say? When you hit a bump on the show and your people were down and frustrated? You'd give them a pep talk and then you'd always end it with something. What was it ...?
BARTLET "Break's over."
blaming the victim
Editorial Observer: Wasilla Watch: Sarah Palin and the Rape Kits
September 26, 2008
By DOROTHY SAMUELS
Even in tough budget times, there are lines that cannot be crossed. So I was startled by this tidbit reported recently by The Associated Press: When Sarah Palin was mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, the small town began billing sexual-assault victims for the cost of rape kits and forensic exams.
Ms. Palin owes voters an explanation. What was the thinking behind cutting the measly few thousand dollars needed to cover the yearly cost of swabs, specimen containers and medical tests? Whose dumb idea was it to make assault victims and their insurance companies pay instead? Unfortunately, her campaign is shielding the candidate from the press, so Americans may still be waiting for answers on Election Day.
The rape-kit controversy is a troubling matter. The insult to rape victims is obvious. So is the sexism inherent in singling them out to foot the bill for investigating their own case. And the main result of billing rape victims is to protect their attackers by discouraging women from reporting sexual assaults.
That's why when Senator Joseph Biden, the Democratic vice-presidential nominee, drafted the 1994 Violence Against Women Act, he included provisions to make states ineligible for federal grant money if they charged rape victims for exams and the kits containing the medical supplies needed to conduct them. (Senator John McCain, Ms. Palin's running mate, voted against Mr. Biden's initiative, and his name has not been among the long list of co-sponsors each time the act has been renewed.)
That's also why, when news of Wasilla's practice of billing rape victims got around, Alaska's State Legislature approved a bill in 2000 to stop it.
"We would never bill the victim of a burglary for fingerprinting and photographing the crime scene, or for the cost of gathering other evidence," said Alaska's then-governor, Tony Knowles. "Nor should we bill rape victims just because the crime scene happens to be their bodies."
If Ms. Palin ever spoke out about the issue, one way or another, no record has surfaced. Her campaign would not answer questions about when she learned of the policy, strongly supported by the police chief: whether she saw it in the budget and if not, whether she learned of it before or after the State Legislature outlawed the practice.
All the campaign would do was provide a press release pronouncing: "Prevention of domestic violence and sexual assault is a priority for Gov. Palin."
Eric Croft, a former Democratic state lawmaker who sponsored the corrective legislation, believes that Wasilla's mayor knew what was going on. (She does seem to have paid heed to every other detail of town life, including what books were on the library's shelves.)
The local hospital did the billing, but it was the town that set the policy, Mr. Croft noted. That policy was reflected in budget documents that Ms. Palin signed.
Mr. Croft further noted that right after his measure became law, Wasilla's local paper reported that Ms. Palin's handpicked police chief, Charlie Fannon, acknowledged the practice of billing to collect evidence for sexual-assault cases. He complained that the state was requiring the town to spend $5,000 to $14,000 a year to cover the costs. "I just don't want to see any more burden put on the taxpayer," the chief explained.
"I can't imagine any police chief, big city or small, who would take on the entire State Legislature on a bill that passed unanimously and not mention to their mayor that they're doing this," Mr. Croft said. Even if he didn't inform her, the newspaper article would have been hard for her to miss.
In the absence of answers, speculation is bubbling in the blogosphere that Wasilla's policy of billing rape victims may have something to do with Ms. Palin's extreme opposition to abortion, even in cases of rape. Sexual-assault victims are typically offered an emergency contraception pill, which some people in the anti-choice camp wrongly equate with abortion.
My hunch is that it was the result of outmoded attitudes and boneheaded budget cutting. Still, Ms. Palin has been governor for under two years, and she's running for vice president largely on her experience as mayor of tiny Wasilla — a far superior credential, she's told us, to being a community organizer. On the rape kits, as on other issues, she owes voters a direct answer.
jeudi, septembre 25, 2008
i am so in the wrong line of work
WaMu was seized by the US government tonight. The best part? The board and new CEO were kept in the dark. And ... the company's new chief executive, Alan H. Fishman, who held the job for less than three weeks, is eligible for $11.6 million in cash severance and will get to keep his $7.5 million signing bonus. That's $35,714.29 per hour.
Hello, people. The GOP is fiddling while the US burns.
Hello, people. The GOP is fiddling while the US burns.
Government Seizes WaMu and Sells Some Assets
September 26, 2008
By ERIC DASH and ANDREW ROSS SORKIN
Washington Mutual, the giant lender that came to symbolize the excesses of the mortgage boom, was seized by federal regulators on Thursday night, in what is by far the largest bank failure in American history.
Regulators simultaneously brokered an emergency sale of virtually all of Washington Mutual, the nation's largest savings and loan to JPMorgan Chase for $1.9 billion, averting another potentially huge taxpayer bill for the rescue of a failing institution.
The move came as lawmakers reached a stalemate over the passage of a $700 billion bailout fund designed to help ailing banks, and removed one of America's most troubled banks from the financial landscape.
Customers of Seattle-based WaMu, with $307 billion in assets, are unlikely to be affected, although shareholders and some bondholders will be wiped out. WaMu account holders are guaranteed by the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation up to $100,000.
By taking on all of its troubled mortgages and credit card loans, JPMorgan will absorb at least $31 billion in losses that would normally have fallen to the F.D.I.C.
JPMorgan Chase, which acquired Bear Stearns only six months ago in another shotgun deal brokered by the government, is to take control Friday of all of WaMu's deposits and bank branches, creating a nationwide retail franchise behemoth that rivals only Bank of America. But JP Morgan will also take on Washington Mutual's big portfolio of troubled assets, and plans to shut down at least 10 percent of the combined company's 5,400 branches in markets like New York and Chicago, where they compete. The bank also plans to raise an additional $8 billion by issuing common stock on Friday to pay for the deal.
Washington Mutual is by far the biggest bank failure in history, eclipsing the 1984 failure of Continental Illinois National Bank and Trust in Chicago, an event that presaged the savings and loan crisis. IndyMac, which was seized by regulators in July, was one tenth the size of WaMu.
But fears of the fallout from the government takeover of a big bank were balanced with the removal of one of the largest remaining clouds looming over the banking industry.
"This institution was a big question mark about the health of the deposit fund," Sheila C. Bair, the chairwoman of the F.D.I.C., said on a conference call Thursday. "It was unique in its size and exposure to higher risk mortgages and the distressed housing market. This is the big one that everybody was worried about." She said that the bank's rapidly deteriorating condition prompted regulators to seize it Thursday, and not on a Friday as is typical for bank closures.
For weeks, the Federal Reserve and the Treasury Department were nervous about the fate of WaMu, among the worst-hit by the housing crisis, and pressed hard for the bank to sell itself. Washington Mutual publicly insisted that it could remain independent, but the giant thrift had quietly hired Goldman Sachs about two weeks ago to identify potential bidders. But nobody could make the numbers work and several deadlines passed without anyone submitting bid.
But as panic gripped financial markets last week following the collapse of Lehman Brothers, the government stepped up its efforts, at points going behind WaMu's back to work privately with four potential bidders on a deal. On Wednesday afternoon, the government solicited formal written bids. On Thursday morning, regulators notified James Dimon, chairman and chief executive of JPMorgan Chase, that he was the likely winner."We are building a company," Mr. Dimon said in a brief interview. "We are kind of lucky to have this opportunity do this. We always had our eye on it."
But the seizure and the deal with JPMorgan came as a shock to Washington Mutual's board, which was kept completely in the dark: the company's new chief executive, Alan H. Fishman, was in midair, flying from New York to Seattle at the time the deal was finally brokered, according to people briefed on the situation. Mr. Fishman, who has been on the job for less than three weeks, is eligible for $11.6 million in cash severance and will get to keep his $7.5 million signing bonus, according to an analysis by James F. Reda and Associates. WaMu was not immediately available for comment.
As with Lehman Brothers, Washington Mutual was less entangled with the rest of the financial system than a behemoth like American International Group, which the government spent $85 billion to take over last week as it faced collapse. On Sunday, the government approved emergency measures to help stabilize Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley.
Federal regulators had been trying to broker a deal for Washington Mutual because a takeover by the F.D.I.C. would have dealt a crushing blow to the federal government's deposit insurance fund. The fund, which stood at $45.2 billion at the end of June, has been severely depleted after suffering a loss from the sudden collapse of IndyMac Bank. Analysts say that a failure of Washington Mutual would have cost the fund as much as $30 billion or more.
The deal will end WaMu's 119-year run as an independent company and give JPMorgan Chase branches in California and other markets where it does not have a footprint. But JPMorgan Chase will also inherit a big loan portfolio of troubled mortgages and commercial real estate.
Until recently, Washington Mutual was one of Wall Street's strongest performers. It reaped big profits quarter after quarter as its then chief executive, Kerry K. Killinger, enlarged its footprint by buying banks on both coasts and ramping up mortgage lending.
His goal was to transform what was once a sleepy Seattle thrift into the "Wal-Mart of Banking," which would cater to lower- and middle-class consumers that other banks deemed too risky. It offered complex mortgages and credit cards whose terms made it easy for the least creditworthy borrowers to get financing, a strategy the bank extended in big cities, including Chicago, New York and Los Angeles. With this grand plan, Mr. Killinger built Washington Mutual into the sixth-largest bank in the United States .
But underneath the hood, the bank's machinery was failing.
Then the housing market began to crumble. Like so many other financial institutions, the bank tried to hedge its mortgage bets — but did so poorly. It retrenched on its branch-building ambitions. But none of that was enough to deflate ballooning losses on mortgage loans, nor defuse ticking time-bombs like interest-only and pay-option amortization products that had reeled in bottom-grade borrowers. With rising mortgage payments and higher gas and food bills, WaMu's losses in its big credit card loan portfolio also spiked. By then, however, WaMu's troubles had set off alarm bells on Wall Street, which ground its share price down daily.With options narrowing, WaMu frantically reached out to several banks and big private equity firms, including the Carlyle Group and the Blackstone Group. In March, JPMorgan Chase saw an opportunity and urged WaMu in a letter to consider a quick deal. On the same weekend that JPMorgan's chief executive, James Dimon, negotiated his daring takeover of Bear Stearns, he secretly dispatched members of his team to Seattle to meet with WaMu executives. When JPMorgan Chase offered WaMu $8 a share, largely in stock. But Mr. Killinger balked at the deal.
In April, David Bonderman, a founder of the TPG private equity firm, and a group of institutional investors agreed to infuse $7 billion of capital into the bank. Mr. Killinger kept his job, and Mr. Bonderman, who had served as a WaMu director from 1997 to 2002, returned with a board seat and 176 million WaMu shares priced at about $8.75 each — steep discount of more than 25 percent to that day's share price.
While the deal was sweet for Mr. Bonderman, it eroded the value for existing shareholders, enraging them. They moved on June 2 to strip Mr. Killinger of his chairmanship. Mr. Bonderman, meanwhile, watched his golden bet turn to dross. In a statement Thursday, the fund said: "Obviously, we are dissatisfied with the loss to our partners from our investment in Washington Mutual."
hell hath no fury like david letterman scorned
John McCain bails on David Letterman, and the host is not happy
Hours after John McCain announced he was suspending his campaign to focus on fixing the nation's ailing economy, he pulled out of his scheduled appearance on the "The Late Show with David Letterman."
As our colleague Matea Gold reports on the Show Tracker blog, Letterman told the audience during the taping of Wednesday's show that McCain had called him personally to apologize for bailing. According to Letterman, McCain said he couldn't appear because he was rushing to the airport to get back to Washington.
But midway through the broadcast, Letterman appeared to learn that the Arizona senator was actually still in New York. In fact, McCain was just a few blocks away, at the CBS News headquarters. He was preparing for a last-minute exclusive interview with Katie Couric.
Incredulous, Letterman interrupted his interview with Keith Olbermann (who had filled in as a substitute guest for McCain) to show the audience a live shot on the internal CBS News feed of a makeup artist putting the finishing touches on McCain while he waited to talk to Couric.
"He doesn't seem to be racing to the airport, does he?" Letterman said, shouting at the television monitor: "Hey, John, I got a question! You need a ride to the airport?"
The senator and the comedian have always had a friendly rapport. If McCain had appeared as planned on Wednesday, it would have been his 13th appearance on Letterman's show. It was the venue where he announced his White House bid in 2007.
Letterman began his broadcast praising McCain, calling him "an honest-to-God hero." But then he turned critical, questioning McCain's decision to halt his campaign.
"I'm more than a little disappointed by this behavior," he said. " 'We're suspending the campaign.' Suspending it because there's an economic crisis, or because the poll numbers are sliding?"
"You don't suspend your campaign," Letterman went on. "Do you suspend your campaign? No, because that makes me think, well, you know, maybe there will be other things down the road –- if he's in the White House, he might just suspend being president. I mean, we've got a guy like that now!"
Letterman later said today's events were an indication "that something is going haywire with the campaign."
jeudi, septembre 18, 2008
lundi, septembre 15, 2008
typewriters, baby, typewriters.
There's nothing like Thomas Friedman to make me feel better after awaking to learn that Lehman Bros is no more, Merrill Lynch has been bought, and AIG is about to fail. The fact is, this country is going to hell in a handbasket.
Op-Ed Columnist: Making America Stupid
September 14, 2008
By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN
Imagine for a minute that attending the Republican convention in St. Paul, sitting in a skybox overlooking the convention floor, were observers from Russia, Iran and Venezuela. And imagine for a minute what these observers would have been doing when Rudy Giuliani led the delegates in a chant of "drill, baby, drill!"
I'll tell you what they would have been doing: the Russian, Iranian and Venezuelan observers would have been up out of their seats, exchanging high-fives and joining in the chant louder than anyone in the hall — "Yes! Yes! Drill, America, drill!" — because an America that is focused first and foremost on drilling for oil is an America more focused on feeding its oil habit than kicking it.
Why would Republicans, the party of business, want to focus our country on breathing life into a 19th-century technology — fossil fuels — rather than giving birth to a 21st-century technology — renewable energy? As I have argued before, it reminds me of someone who, on the eve of the I.T. revolution — on the eve of PCs and the Internet — is pounding the table for America to make more I.B.M. typewriters and carbon paper. "Typewriters, baby, typewriters."
Of course, we're going to need oil for many years, but instead of exalting that — with "drill, baby, drill" — why not throw all our energy into innovating a whole new industry of clean power with the mantra "invent, baby, invent?" That is what a party committed to "change" would really be doing. As they say in Texas: "If all you ever do is all you've ever done, then all you'll ever get is all you ever got."
I dwell on this issue because it is symbolic of the campaign that John McCain has decided to run. It's a campaign now built on turning everything possible into a cultural wedge issue — including even energy policy, no matter how stupid it makes the voters and no matter how much it might weaken America.
I respected McCain's willingness to support the troop surge in Iraq, even if it was going to cost him the Republican nomination. Now the same guy, who would not sell his soul to win his party's nomination, is ready to sell every piece of his soul to win the presidency.
In order to disguise the fact that the core of his campaign is to continue the same Bush policies that have led 80 percent of the country to conclude we're on the wrong track, McCain has decided to play the culture-war card. Obama may be a bit professorial, but at least he is trying to unite the country to face the real issues rather than divide us over cultural differences.
A Washington Post editorial on Thursday put it well: "On a day when the Congressional Budget Office warned of looming deficits and a grim economic outlook, when the stock market faltered even in the wake of the government's rescue of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, when President Bush discussed the road ahead in Iraq and Afghanistan, on what did the campaign of Senator John McCain spend its energy? A conference call to denounce Senator Barack Obama for using the phrase 'lipstick on a pig' and a new television ad accusing the Democrat of wanting to teach kindergartners about sex before they learn to read."
Some McCain supporters criticize Obama for not having the steel in his belly to use force in the dangerous world we live in today. Well I know this: In order to use force, you have to have force. In order to exercise leverage, you have to have leverage.
I don't know how much steel is in Obama's belly, but I do know that the issues he is focusing on in this campaign — improving education and health care, dealing with the deficit and forging a real energy policy based on building a whole new energy infrastructure — are the only way we can put steel back into America's spine. McCain, alas, has abandoned those issues for the culture-war strategy.
Who cares how much steel John McCain has in his gut when the steel that today holds up our bridges, railroads, nuclear reactors and other infrastructure is rusting? McCain talks about how he would build dozens of nuclear power plants. Oh, really? They go for $10 billion a pop. Where is the money going to come from? From lowering taxes? From banning abortions? From borrowing more from China? From having Sarah Palin "reform" Washington — as if she has any more clue how to do that than the first 100 names in the D.C. phonebook?
Sorry, but there is no sustainable political/military power without economic power, and talking about one without the other is nonsense. Unless we make America the country most able to innovate, compete and win in the age of globalization, our leverage in the world will continue to slowly erode. Those are the issues this election needs to be about, because that is what the next four years need to be about.
There is no strong leader without a strong country. And posing as one, to use the current vernacular, is nothing more than putting lipstick on a pig.
vendredi, septembre 12, 2008
from sniping to solutions
When I was young, I had very few female friends. I suspect that it was because I just didn't have the patience for gossip and because I saw how fickle young girls can be. But as I've grown older, I've come to appreciate the gentle ear and sound advice of my girlfriends. They're been the ones who talked me through the decision to get divorced, encouraged me to take a chance on new love, and gave me good perspective on my relationships at home and at work.
Girl Talk Has Its Limits
By SARAH KERSHAW
Published: September 10, 2008
MOST teenage girls love to talk to their friends. And talk. And talk.
As Debra Lee, the Brooklyn mother of a 13-year-old, observes about her daughter Tessa and Tessa's teenage friends: "They just keep talking. All day. On the phone all night. Sometimes I think they just like to hear each other breathe."
Virginia Woolf said, "Some people go to priests; others to poetry; I to my friends."
Female friendship, in all its lovely layers and potentially dark complexities, is inexhaustible grist for film, television and literature — from "Heathers" and "Mean Girls" to "Thelma and Louise," "Sex and the City," "Gossip Girl" and "Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants."
And who has time to keep up with all the falling ins and falling outs of celebrity BFF's and Frenemies?
But recently female friendship and girl talk, particularly among adolescents, has drawn growing interest from psychologists and researchers examining the question of how much talking is too much talking. Some studies have found that excessive talking about problems can contribute to emotional difficulties, including anxiety and depression.
The term researchers use is "co-rumination" to describe frequently or obsessively discussing the same problem. The behavior is typical among teens — Why didn't he call? Should I break up with him? And, psychologists say, it has intensified significantly with e-mail, text messaging, instant messaging and Facebook. And in certain cases it can spin into a potentially contagious and unhealthy emotional angst, experts say.
The research distinguishes between sharing or "self-disclosure," which is associated with positive friendships and positive feelings, and dwelling on problems, concerns and frustrations. Dwelling and rehashing issues can keep girls, who are more prone to depression and anxiety than boys, stuck in negative thinking patterns, psychologists say. But they also say it is a mixed picture: friends who co-ruminate tend to be close, and those intimate relationships can build self-esteem.
For boys, such intense emotional conversations, which tend to occur less often, did not contribute to heightened anxiety or depressive moods, according to research by Amanda J. Rose, an assistant professor of psychological sciences at the University of Missouri, Columbia.
"When girls are talking about these problems, it probably feels good to get that level of support and validation," said Dr. Rose, whose latest study on co-rumination was published in the journal Developmental Psychology last year. "But they are not putting two and two together, that actually this excessive talking can make them feel worse."
Teenage girls are particularly vulnerable to co-ruminating — and depression and anxiety — because "there are so many stressors in adolescence and a lot are ambiguous," Dr. Rose added. "So things like starting dating or starting serious relationships with boys, concerns about cliques, being popular — these very social stressors, they can be really hard to control and they really lend themselves to rumination."
Dr. Rose first published a paper on co-rumination in 2002, in the journal Child Development, and has, along with other psychologists, continued to study it. In her study published last year, she followed 813 third-, fifth-, seventh- and ninth-grade girls and boys over six months. Researchers at the State University at Stony Brook will soon publish another paper on co-rumination. Both studies confirm Dr. Rose's earlier findings.
The relationships the experts looked at will certainly be familiar to many teenagers and parents.
Ms. Lee's daughter Tessa Lee-Thomas said she sometimes felt worse after talking to friends about problems. "Sometimes we get into disagreements," said Tessa, who lives in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. "And we have to settle them. My friends think that my other friend did something wrong, but she didn't do something wrong. Sometimes it makes the situation worse than where we were when we began. It spiraled into something bigger than it was."
Patricia Letayf, a sophomore at Tufts University, said she tended to overanalyze situations and ask many different friends for advice about the same problem, which at times made her feel more anxious.
"It's like you want to solve a problem whatever it may be, but the advice of one person never satisfies you and you're constantly on the hunt for more advice," she said. "I think a lot of times you are looking for empathy and you want someone to feel the way you do. You want your feelings to be justified. In the end, I hope to feel better. You want them to say, 'It's O.K. he dumped you, you failed the test.' You're seeking reassurance."
Ms. Letayf, 19, spent the summer as a camp counselor and said she noticed that the nine-year-old girls at the camp were already starting to obsess about their problems — talking about the boys at the camp and about conflicts between two groups of girls.
"I could see it starting already," she said, adding that she has made a concerted effort recently not to dwell on her own problems with friends and to try to stop negative thoughts. "From sixth grade, it's boys are stupid, boys have cooties," she said. "And then it progresses to boys have cooties but 20-year-old cooties. So you might as well change it when you can."
Trish Gilbert, a Brooklyn mother of 11-year-old twins, a boy and a girl, and a 16-year-old daughter, said she worried sometimes about "kids giving kids advice."
But she said she was pleased when her younger daughter, after feeling mistreated by a fifth-grade classmate last year, decided with some other friends to do something about it, rather than just ruminating. They consulted the American Girl series book "Friends: Making Them and Keeping Them," which offers suggestions, for example, on how many chances to give a friend. The girls talked about forgiveness and even did some role-playing.
THE research into co-rumination has looked only at symptoms of depression and anxiety over short periods and has not established a basis for predicting long-term negative effects.
But a related mental hazard is what psychologists call "emotion contagion" or "contagious anxiety," in which one person's negative thoughts or anxiety can affect another's mood, sometimes over a long period. Research has shown that people who live with others suffering from depression tend to become depressed themselves. Teenage girls who intentionally cut themselves are said to draw friends into the behavior.
A great deal of research, including the work on co-rumination, has shown the emotional benefits of friendship, particularly in instances of physical bullying among boys or "relational aggression," which is more common among girls and typically characterized by teasing, rejection or even emotional torture.
With co-rumination, psychologists studying it say, one way for parents, and friends, to avoid the negative consequences is to focus on problem-solving, rather than on problem-dwelling, much as Ms. Gilbert's daughter and her friends did in consulting the American Girl book.
"It's a fine line," said Joanne Davila, associate professor of psychology at the State University at Stony Brook, whose paper on co-rumination is being published by the Journal of Adolescence. "We want to encourage young girls to have friends and to use their friends for support, but we may want to help them learn how to use more active techniques. So if there is a problem, how do you solve it?"
Toby Sitnick, a Brooklyn psychologist who works with adolescent girls, said therapists had also tried to move away from focusing on problems to focusing on good experiences and solutions.
"There are quite a few adolescent girls who have high levels of obsessive thinking to begin with," Dr. Sitnick said. "They often do this with their mothers as well. It certainly does seem to be a female behavior, and grown women do it, too, ruminating about certain issues and experiences. It can become a mutual complaint society."
mardi, septembre 09, 2008
condition a
Living well really is the antidote to death.
Cases: Perhaps Death Is Proud; More Reason to Savor Life
By THERESA BROWN
September 9, 2008
At my job, people die.
That's hardly our intention, but they die nonetheless.
Usually it's at the end of a long struggle — we have done everything modern medicine can do and then some, but we can't save them. Some part of their body, usually their lungs or their heart or their liver, has become too frail to function. These are the "good deaths," the ones where the family is present and knows what to expect. Like all deaths, these deaths are difficult, but they are controlled, unsurprising, anticipated.
And then there are the other deaths: quick and rare, where life leaves a body in minutes. In my hospital these deaths are "Condition A's." The "A" stands for arrest, as in cardiac arrest, as in this patient's heart has all of a sudden stopped beating and we need to try to restart it.
I am a new nurse, and recently I had my first Condition A. My patient, a particularly nice older woman with lung cancer, had been, as we say, "fine," with no complaints but a low-grade fever she'd had off and on for a couple of days. She had come in because she was coughing up blood, a problem we had resolved, and she was set for discharge that afternoon.
After a routine assessment in the morning, I left her in the care of a nursing student and moved on to other patients, thinking I was going to have a relatively calm day. About half an hour later an aide called me: "Theresa, they need you in 1022."
I stopped what I was doing and walked over to her room. The nurse leaving the room said, "She's spitting up blood," and went to the nurses' station to call her doctor.
Inside the room I found my patient with blood spilling uncontrollably from her mouth and nose. I remembered to put on gloves, and the aide handed me a face shield. I moved closer; I put my hand on her shoulder. "Are you in any pain?" I asked, as I recall, thinking that an intestinal bleed would be more fixable than whatever this was. She shook her head no.
I looked in her eyes and saw ... what? Panic? Fear? The abandonment of hope? Or sheer desperation? Her own blood was gurgling in her throat and I yelled to the student for a suction tool to clear it out.
The patient tried to stand up so the blood would flow into a nearby trash can, and I told her, "No, don't stand up." She sat back down, started shaking and then collapsed backward on the bed.
"Is it condition time?" asked the other nurse.
"Call the code!" I yelled. "Call the code!"
The next few moments I can only describe as surreal. I felt for a pulse and there wasn't one. I started doing CPR. On the overhead loudspeaker, a voice called out, "Condition A."
The other nurses from my floor came in with the crash cart, and I got the board. Doing CPR on a soft surface, like a bed, doesn't accomplish much; you need a hard surface to really compress the patient's chest, so every crash cart has a two-by-three-foot slab of hard fiberboard for just this purpose. I told one of the doctors to help pick her up so I could put the board under her: she was now dead weight, and heavy.
I kept doing CPR until the condition team arrived, which seemed to happen faster than I could have imagined: the intensivists — the doctors who specialize in intensive care — the I.C.U. nurses, the respiratory therapists and I'm not sure who else, maybe a pulmonologist, maybe a doctor from anesthesia.
Respiratory took over the CPR and I stood back against the wall, bloody and disbelieving. My co-workers did all the grunt work for the condition: put extra channels on her IV pump, recorded what was happening, and every now and again called out, "Patient is in asystole again," meaning she had no heartbeat.
They worked on her for half an hour. They tried to put a tube down her throat to get her some oxygen, but there was so much blood they couldn't see. Eventually they "trached" her, put a breathing hole through her neck right into her trachea, but that filled up with blood as well.
They gave her fluids and squeezed bags of epinephrine into her veins to try to get her heart to start moving. They may even have given her adenosine, a dangerous and terrifying drug that can reverse abnormal heart rhythms after briefly stopping the patient's heart.
The sad truth about a true cardiac arrest is that drugs cannot help because there is no cardiac rhythm for them to stimulate. The doctors tried anyway. They went through so many drugs that the crash cart was emptied out and runners came and went from pharmacy bringing extras.
When George Clooney and Juliana Margulies went through these routines on "E.R.," it seemed exciting and glamorous. In real life the experience is profoundly sad. In the lay vernacular of Hollywood, asystole is known as "flatlining." But my patient never had the easy narrative of the normal heartbeat that suddenly turns straight and horizontal. Her heartbeat line was wobbly and unformed, occasionally spiked in a brief run of unsynchronized beats, and at times looked regular, because chest compressions from CPR can create what looks like a real cardiac rhythm even though the patient is dead.
And my patient was dead. She had been dead when she fell back on the bed and she stayed dead through all the effort to save her, while blood and tissue bubbled out of her and the suction clogged with particles spilling from her lungs. Everyone did what she knew how to do to save her. She could not be saved.
The reigning theory was that part of her tumor had broken off and either ruptured her pulmonary artery or created a huge blockage in her heart. Apparently this can happen without warning in lung cancer patients. Only an autopsy could tell for sure, and in terms of the role I played in all this, it doesn't matter. I did the only thing I could do — all of us did — and you can't say much more than that.
I am 43. I came to nursing circuitously, following a brief career as an English professor. Often at work in the hospital I hear John Donne in my head:
Death be not proud, though some have called thee
Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so.
But after my Condition A I find his words empty. My patient died looking like one of the flesh-eating zombies from "28 Weeks Later," and indeed in real life, even in the world of the hospital, a death like this is unsettling.
What can one do? Go home, love your children, try not to bicker, eat well, walk in the rain, feel the sun on your face and laugh loud and often, as much as possible, and especially at yourself. Because the only antidote to death is not poetry, or drama, or miracle drugs, or a roomful of technical expertise and good intentions. The antidote to death is life.
Theresa Brown is a staff nurse at a hospital in Pennsylvania.
jeudi, septembre 04, 2008
when 1,826 days means you're done
I'm five years kidney cancer-free today, and considered "cured". Woo hoo!
I got out of bed at 6:15 this morning, but instead of heading to the hospital for surgery, I went to Toastmasters, then work, then class, then my wines class with Leo. It was an extraordinary day that unfolded ordinarily. It was somewhat anti-climactic, but so comfortable to come home, have leftovers for dinner, and enjoy some Buffy with Leo. This weekend, we're celebrating in earnest. Meanwhile, Ruby's got to pee, so I'm off.
I got out of bed at 6:15 this morning, but instead of heading to the hospital for surgery, I went to Toastmasters, then work, then class, then my wines class with Leo. It was an extraordinary day that unfolded ordinarily. It was somewhat anti-climactic, but so comfortable to come home, have leftovers for dinner, and enjoy some Buffy with Leo. This weekend, we're celebrating in earnest. Meanwhile, Ruby's got to pee, so I'm off.
speaking of outrageous double standards ...
Jon Stewart on the Sarah Palin Gender Card
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When we change our perspective, what we're looking at changes!
When we change our frequency, we change what is!
This seems so hard to do when what we're focused on is not at all what we want! We're well trained to believe that if we just keep our attention on what it is we don't want...keep focused on the problem...that we will be able to change what is. But, the more we stay focused on WHAT IS, the more the Universal Law of Attraction will bring to us more of What is!
So, here we are...we're observing what it is that we don't want and having feelings about it. Those feelings are the basis of the frequency we are emitting, so the Law of Attraction brings us more experiences that are on the same or similar frequency. Then we observe more of what is, and based on what we are observing (more of what we don't want), we are emanating a vibration that the Law of Attraction responds to. And round and round we go!
This is why whatever we think about long enough always becomes True! Whatever we are focused upon...thinking about, having feelings about...after a period of time...manifests or comes into form right before our eyes...and we proclaim..."see I was right!"
Now, don't worry. It's not like the moment you have a thought, it begins to manifest! There's a wonderful buffer of time for you to realize that the thoughts you are thinking do not feel good so that you can change them to better-feeling thoughts!
But, if you keep 'beating the drum' of "I don't like it! I don't want it! It's not right! It's not fair! It shouldn't be that way!..."...Well, now you have quite a strong negative signal that you are sending out to the Universe. Now, the emotional energies of frustration, anger, sadness, anxiety, etc. become the field of energy emanating from you and the Universe responds with more of what you don't want! The Universal Law of Attraction is absolutely dependable and reliable! :-)
So...as soon as you realize what you don't want, you immediately know what you do want! Turn your complete attention to WHAT YOU DO WANT!
Use your imagination and visualize what it is you are wanting to create. But here is the most important part: IMAGINE how you will FEEL when what it is you really really want actually manifests!
An example: When little ones know that their birthday is coming and they might get the exact present they had been asking for, the energy that emanates from them is their emotional energy because they are already imagining how happy they will be when they open the present!
It's so important to remember that it's the feelings that are generated by what it is we are focused upon that create our experience. When we were sitting in school and the teacher and subject matter was really, really boring, we day-dreamed and imagined ourselves somewhere else, doing something else...producing feelings of contentment. We knew to take our attention OFF of what was and put it on something that would bring us relief.
If you just can't stop thinking about WHAT IS, then, try to DISTRACT YOURSELF! Shift your focus to something that you feel good about and spend time basking in those thoughts and experiences. Move your attention away from that which is troubling you. Why? Because this will cause your frequency to rise! This will bring you into closer alignment with your Inner Being.
Think of your Inner Being as the Field of Pure Positive Energy where the solution is! The frequency of the problem is very very very different from the frequency of the solution! The problem and the solution are in two very different places, vibrationally-speaking. So, you've got to do whatever it takes to move yourself up the emotional scale so that your frequency matches the solution! In short, you have to get yourself back to FEELING GOOD...about SOMETHING....ANYTHING!
Try practicing this on those things in your life that you don't have a great deal of passion or intensity about. Start out with what you can be easy and light-hearted about...like finding your missing glasses or car keys.
Changing what is requires a change in your frequency! Remember, we get what we're focused upon! If we keep beating the drum of "I'm afraid that will happen!"...we get exactly that which we are afraid of! We always are getting what matches our vibrational energy on whatever subject we are focusing on!
If you're feeling really low, don't try to make big leaps, like from sadness to joy. It's too big of a change in frequency and it won't work! This is the reason most of us don't believe any of this works. We've been trying to make too big of a jump.
Just reach for one better-feeling thought at a time, like..."I don't have to do anything this red hot minute...or...I know this feeling won't last forever...or I really do appreciate that I know, when I'm ready, I can shift my focus to something else...or I really want a different way to look at this." Then, watch how the Universal Law of Attraction brings you more and more better-feeling thoughts and you start moving up the emotional scale.
Be gentle with yourself. You ARE where YOU ARE!
It's about learning how to tenderly accept What Is first!
It's about learning how to genuinely soothe yourself...how to gently BE...how to open and soften to what is, first within, then without.
If where you are is feeling sad, scared and powerless, reach for better-feeling thoughts that will move you up to revenge, then anger, then frustration...on to feeling overwhelmed, then more determined, then optimistic! Realize with each feeling of relief comes a greater sense of empowerment. When you reach "hopeful", you are right on the threshold of lining up with the Unconditional Love, the Limitless Compassion, Infinite Intelligence that you really are! Now, you are feeling powerful and able to deliberately create from that place of alignment and Oneness with your Source Energy!
It's also about embracing the often stunning contrast (everything you don't like or don't want) of this space/time reality and allowing yourself to recognize that all your preferences are born out of contrast! The experience of what you don't want or like causes preferences to be born within you and you now gain the clarity and passionate desire to create what it is you really want. When we know what we don't want, we automatically know what we DO want!
Now, hold your focus on that and remember...
You came here to this leading edge, time/space reality, that is filled with endless variety and contrast, to be the powerful deliberate creator that you are!
WHAT IS is always changing and becoming SOMETHING ELSE, SOMETHING BETTER...because YOU are always changing, expanding and becoming...and as You, here in this physical body...You, the emissary from Source Energy, expand...Source Itself expands! This is the eternal, never-ending-ness, forever-nature of Life!
And that's why we're here...for the thrill of expansion...for the thrill of discovering that we have everything we need, within, to be or do or have anything! We just forgot. Now we're remembering!
It just takes a little practice and a deep desire to fulfill your true purpose...to feel good, to be happy, fulfilled, satisfied with what is and yet eager for more!
You Are, in your fullest expression, Joy!...right here, right now! Remember? And when you are shining your Light, the entire planet benefits, as does each person who crosses your path!
Blessings, Carol :-)

subset: commoncrawl


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The boys are outgrowing their dinky little kid table with mini-chairs, so I have set about trolling craigslist for the old school all-in-one desk and chair hybrid so that each kid might have his own homework/coloring/demise-plotting space. I actually found a few for sale, but liked this beaut the best, which was a steal at $30:
I had wanted to do something covered in comic-book-art for them for quite some time, and this thing already came with the perfect, Marvel Comic Red paint. Some scissors, a tub of Mod Podge, and a Sunday hour to kill, and here is what emerged:
I love how it turned out! And love the awesome inner dialogue from Superman in this frame:
Now I just need another one like it to do a Batman edition. Or perhaps Spiderman? Hmmmm.....


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Originating in Japan, cat cafés are fast becoming a popular option among those animal lovers who live in tiny or pet-free apartments. Stop in, enjoy the company of some furry friends and have a quick snack. Even among pet-owners, cat cafés have a certain Old World appeal. Due to stringent health rules, it's not often that Americans can dine out in the company of felines. Across the Atlantic, they've got a different view on things like this.
Many cat establishments don't quite achieve that idealized, European, "oh, there's a cat in here," charm. The focus is on cats and often the décor and even the cuisine is an afterthought. The Romeow Cat Bistrot, in contrast, is a fully realized, cat-centric restaurant.
The interior has a quirky, eclectic feel, with many shelves and platforms for cats to perch and play.
Designed by Tommaso Guerra, there is no mistaking this cat café for a lesser variety.
The emphasis on literature and vintage furniture lends it a cozy atmosphere, despite its contemporary style.
Like grandma's house...if grandma were Wes Anderson.
The unique aesthetics are designed to appeal equally to customers, as well as the feline residents. In more than one spot in the restaurant, you'll find an old trunk stuffed full of pillows.
The cleverly designed kitchen gives people a nice view, while keeping mischievous kitties from helping themselves to the menu.
And the menu is impressive. Romeow Cat Bistrot offers up healthy, vegan takes on classic Italian comfort food and fresh-baked cookies and pastries.
It's a beautiful thing when cats and humans can agree on what they like.
The Romeow Cat Bistrot is located at Via Francesco Negri, 15, Rome, in case you're ever in the neighborhood or wanted to plan a trip to see this amazing slice of cat heaven.
Credit: Messy Nessy | Tommaso Guerra


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Need Banner created for Internet Marketing Website - repost
Bajet $30-250 USD
I need a banner created for an Internet Marketing website. Needs to be 960 X 150.
The name of the company is "Epicus Internet Marketing". The tagline is "Internet Marketing for Small Businesses" or "Small Business Internet Marketing"
Open to any color schemes. Send me a file sample or detailed proposal when you bid. I am willing to award a project and pay tonight if the I find the right design or designer.
Dianugerahkan kepada:
I'm interested in working on your banner. Please check your inbox for more details. Thank you.
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Our goal is to exceed the expectations of every client by offering outstanding designs, increased flexibility, greater value in development, thus optimizing system functionality and improving operation efficiency. Our Lagi
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text:
Human Resource Strengthening
The Fund wishes to intensify its focus within the programmatic approach, this process will take around two years. The Fund is currently working on the first programme – Human Resource Strengthening. The process for example will include:
- Research on human resource needs (both quality and quantity)in healthcare, best practice, identify gaps (Sept – Nov 2014)
- Present findings and make recommendations on gaps identified to Trustees (Nov 2014)
- Working on the recommendations and proactively developing the programme (May 2015)


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Installed! Pack's Teen Room
I love working with my client Amy Pack, she is so easy and trusts me that I won't lead her wrong with my design ideas! I recently did an install for what once was her children's playroom and turned it into a cool teen room that they will be able to enjoy for years to come! The original space was very dark and definitely needed some color and light, the miss matched furniture pieces & heavy black bookcases at one end of the space were one of the design dilemma's. Amy needed me to bring new life to the furniture and get the room feeling balanced plus give her kids a place they can hangout in with their friends...
I proposed reupholstering all of the furniture since she needed to get a few more years out of it, and adding a large storage cabinet with lamps to the other end of the space to balance the room. A big green shaggy rug would define the space and ground all of my fun accent fabrics.
With a few tweaks here and there the finished room looks awesome!! I love to add a few unexpected items on install day to really make the room feel over the top. Amy and her family are really pleased with the outcome, she says, "Kipling has been in here every night so far!!" :-) just what I like to hear!!
Let's not forget how the room started off.......
....and now how much better it looks!!!!
Fun job for a fun family!!!!!
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January 2017


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Moogfest returns this year and will be celebrating some of the most acclaimed women in electronic music.
We blew up a watermelon and everyone lost their freaking minds.
Do you know your Gold Star from your Skyline?
But it never really was all that secret.
Celebs relieve their pre-award show jitters in touching and sometimes disturbing ways.
We need them back!
Not his beautiful face! Look what they've done to his beautiful face!
These stars hit the bottle and lived to tell the tale.
Once upon a time, these were your anthems.
The Night Before star calls it like he sees it, even if he's never actually seen one.
Would you rather just say "Goodbye"?
No judgment, but you like some really weird things.
"I'm honestly so hormonal today."
There is a word for every dirty, filthy thing imaginable.
Yep, I'm a disco-dancing, Oscar Wilde-reading, Streisand ticket-holding friend of Dorothy.
And boy does it make a difference!
Practice makes perfect!
If you stare at something too long, it always starts to look dirty.
Drama! Lots and lots of drama!
Ride into the Danger Zone!


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Have you ever tried Gelli Arts® Gel Printing on transparencies?
© 2018 by Gelli Arts®, LLC Philadelphia, PA
All rights reserved.
Hi, I've been hunting on the web for transparencies, and there seem to be many kinds: inkjet, laser, waterproof, etc. Can you give us more information? Thanks!
Hi Elaina!
The ones I have are old fashioned overhead projector sheets you can write on, but you can also use the ones suitable for laserprinters or copiers. These are all smooth on both sides.
Inkjet transparencies (waterproof or not) usually have a coating on one side. This doesn't mean they're unsuitable, but I personally just don't like them. ;-)
I hope this helps!
I am trying this technique right now and it looks like it will be wonderful. What adhesive did you use to adhere your finished transparencies to paper?ReplyDelete
I have the same question as LaurieJay. How did you affix the transparencies to your paper cards?ReplyDelete
Hi Sandy! On paper I use my regular taperunner. Read my answer to LaurieJay for more suggestions.Delete
Hi Marsha, thanks for the tape runner suggestion. I don't see more suggestions as a reply to my question, though...??Delete
Hmmm... I answered you first LaurieJay! I'm sorry, I don't know what happened here! Anyway: you can also use doublesided adhesive (tape or sheet). And if you want to adhere it to an art journal page or collage it on a canvas I would use gel medium!Delete
Thanks, Marsha. I will try the gel medium on the second sheet I made. On the first sheet I used my Xyron machine to put the adhesive on a white postcard, and then laid the transparency down on it. BTW, I didn't have transparencies so I used an old Staples page protector, cut it in two pieces, et voila!Delete
So there are even more options! Thanks for sharing LaurieJay!Delete
THX, Marsha! I was concerned about see-thru on the front side. Beautiful possibilities with this process.
Hi Sandy! You can easily hide tape behind the parts that do have (more) paint on them!Delete
Thanks for providing good information,Thanks for your sharing.
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
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The GM's map from "A Case Of Consumption" by David Noonan for the Shadow Of The Demon Lord RPG. Gross y'all. Gross. water color / archival ink / sepia ink / marker on parchment paper.
The GM's map from "A Case Of Consumption" by David Noonan for the Shadow Of The Demon Lord RPG. Gross y'all. Gross. water color / archival ink / sepia ink / marker on parchment paper.
Not that I ever updated this thing very often to begin with… Anyways, about two months ago I stopped working a real job, and started working this fake job of makin' maps of fake places full time. Since then I haven't stopped drawing, or lacked for work. Which is good news for my wallet and shit, but bad news for working on personal elfgame things. Here are a few maps I recently finished up for the Autarch 'Lairs & Encounters' book they got coming out soon. If you haven't nabbed the book through kickstarter or indiegogo, then you should.
The original art order was for the map on a bone rune stick, but rune sticks are tiny little guys so I did it across a few bones tied together. I used water color paints and micron pens on this one. To get the content looking nice and etched in, I laid down whisps of water color, and then went over it in ink, and then back over it with a smidgen more of water color. The runes are actual runes.
This one I used the a couple of different shades of marker to get the water stained look of the parchment and the map details are done in various shades of sepia ink and black ink. The constellations mark various points on the route, and for each one the art order included the number of stars included, and the animal/thing. So I had to come up with the actual constellation shapes. I put the big black circles down on the map, but for the actually stars I got out a white sheet of paper and did them in black, then digitally inverted the color and put them in place. The words are in a mixture of old and new Berber. Counter clockwise, starting from the top left the constellations are Void, Crown, Cawl, Eye, Manticore, Scorpion, Naga, Prince, and Wolf.
To get the birch bark right I used blondwood prismacolor brush tip markers and color pencils and ink, then converted to greyscale in GIMP. All of the detail was done in regular ink. If you zoom in close enough you can find a fallen log that I forgot to ink, just sitting there in pencil. The language is Welsh.
That is what I've been up to lately, things are slowing down so hopefully I can kick it into gear and put up some free maps.
Eventually I will get into how 2015 was and what I will be doing in 2016, but first I would like to talk about some maps I illustrated for an adventure written by his majesty Mr. Ed Greenwood. What that means is my main man Schwalberto, as part of his kickstarter campaign, decided to throw some number of heavy pennies per word at Greenwood to write an adventure for the Shadow of the Demon Lord game. My understanding is that Greenwood once licked Schwalb at some convention and now they are effectively blood brothers or something.
Before I get into the adventure and show off some maps, I'd like to talk about the Forgotten Realms. The realms are a terrible place to game these days; your characters are likely to just occupy space in the area and not actually have any effect on the world. This isn't really Greenwood's fault so much as the realms have been such an important place at the table top since the early 80s that everything has been done. It is hard to feel like you're in the world because the realms have been beaten to death, boiled like tapioca pearls to rehydrate, and then beaten again. I know that there isn't a whole lot of love for the realms in the OSR world because it is too much, there is little left to the imagination. I don't want to play in the realms because I want to play in uncharted territory (Greenwood if you read this, its me its not you). That being said, I love a few Forgotten Realms things: the infinity engine games, Neverwinter Nights, the Avatar trilogy of books, and Calimshan. As Greenwood is responsible for inspiring these arts & crafts, I tip my hat to him. It was a cool thing I got to do, make these maps. Here is a room down sampled to look like shit on your screen, and watermarked.
Sitting at the top of this post is the latest map I have done. It is a commission for young Robert J. Schwalb. If you don't know who Schwalberto is you are totally lying to yourself because his name is probably in the credits of at least one rpg book on your shelf. He's had is softy powdery fingers on 3.5th, 4th, and 5th editions of the world's most bitched about role playing game, as well as had his hands all over some great shit like A Song Of Fire and Ice table top affair, and lots of shit. I think the only thing he likes more than role playing games is dick jokes, his cats, and maybe his wife. Needless to say, he is a very creative man and also someone who I hold in a close circle of none nerd friends. We're going to get back to stroking his ego in a second, lets talk about this map first.Continue Reading


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The BMA400 acceleration sensor from Bosch Sensortec is an ultra-low power solution specifically designed for wearables and Internet of Things (IoT) applications.
RAIN RFID a global alliance promoting the universal adoption of UHF RFID technology. It connects billions of everyday items to the internet, enabling healthcare businesses and their consumers to identify, locate, authenticate, and engage each item.
Learn more about Z-Wave technology and how it is integrated into the Internet of Things.
The Peugeot Instinct Concept car merges cutting edge automotive technology with the Internet of Things (IoT) in a way that will redefine how we think of cars. This video shows how ARTIK Cloud powers the car's engagement with the outside world.
Adafruit IO is a simple to use internet service that easily enables IoT devices to GET and POST data.
Adafruit and Digi-Key have teamed up to present All the Internet of Things a six-part video series covering everything you could ever want to know about the Internet of Things.
Murata is partnering with Electric Imp to offer an innovative and powerful Internet of Things platform that securely connects devices with advanced cloud computing resources.
HUZZAH32 from Adafruit is the ESP32-chip-based feather, which is a perfect upgrade from the very popular ESP8266 chip.
SIGFOX is the world's leading provider of dedicated connectivity for the Internet of Things. SIGFOX provides a two-way communication service through a global radio network.
SparkFun Next to One Plant features: The Pioneer IoT Add-On Shield. It is a unique board designed to add more functionality to the PSoC 6 from Cypress while remaining useful and practical for plenty of other Internet of Things applications.
Thinxtra is empowering the Internet of Things in Asia Pacific by deploying the world-leading Sigfox LPWA network as well as building a full eco-system of IoT solutions and services to enable the non-connected to connect.
Welcome to Cypress' take on the Internet of Things (IoT). In this video, we're introducing you to the world of IoT via Cypress Academy. Our video guru, Alan Hawse, will break down WICED® Wi-Fi® in this 101-introduction course.
Driven by simplicity Sigfox unlocks the power of the IoT and give life to the physical world Sigfox - The World's largest network coverage for the Internet of Things (IoT).
The MAX77650 and MAX77651 low-power PMICs are small, efficient devices especially suited for wearables, hearables, Internet of Things devices, and other low-power products where space is at a premium.
This tutorial explains how to connect the TDL to your smartphone. You will need the Transport Data Logger, your Smartphone, an Internet connection, a functional Bluetooth connection, and the TDL application.
STMicroelectronics high-connectivity STM32L4 IoT Discovery kit (B-L475E-IOT01A) gives unrivalled flexibility for developers building IoT (Internet of Things) nodes by supporting multiple low-power wireless standards and Wi-Fi®.
Bosch's XDK is a new rapid prototyping tool for the Internet of Things (IoT). XDK, or Cross Domain Development Kit, enables professional users and software developers to immediately start an IoT demo or a Proof of Concept project.
The combination of a Raspberry Pi Zero W, Pi Servo HAT, pan-tilt bracket, and camera gives you the wonderful ability to control the orientation of a Pi camera remotely across the Internet or script it to take a slow-moving time-lapse video.


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Migrating to Australia – A Land of Opportunities
Best in AU – Have you been thinking of going Down Under? You are not alone. Would certainly you believe that considering that the 1940's, over 5 million individuals from over 100 various nations have migrated to Australia to live as well as for work. There are several reasons that people are so crazy about migrating to Australia, whether it is the one-of-a-kind atmosphere you intend to experience, or a far better health and wellness system for you and also your household, Australia could be the location for you.
There are several sorts of visas readily available. You need to do your study on the different categories. There are totally household visas, functioning visas classifications, proficient movement groups, where you could be able to acquire an Australian Proficient Migrant Work Visa to function right here in Australia.
Why are many Individuals Migrating to Australia?
There is no way of understanding why a specific individual (or family members) contemplates moving to Australia, unless you directly ask them. Typically things on top of possible travelers checklist consist of points like the standard as well as cost of our housing and lodging (as compared to various other well established nations), or the top quality health care system.
Maybe you are obtaining an Australian Competent Migrant Job Visa, and also you are looking for proficient employment in Australia? You should talk to a professional to guarantee that an Australian Experienced Migrant Work Visa is the correct visa for you. They ought to be able to suggest you of the different experienced migration classifications you could make an application for.
Just what are the Advantages of Migrating to Australia?
Our healthcare facilities was initially course and also we have one of the very best health care systems worldwide. This is why lots of choose Australia to move to. The Australian Federal government helps with medical expenditures with a system called Medicare. Medicare is the Australia-wide healthcare system that was introduced in the 1980s. It was created to give all entitled Australian citizens with budget friendly as well as premium health care, taking your income into consideration.
In Australia you can be valued as a human being, regardless of where you were birthed. There are government as well as state laws that specify that no individual must be treated less favourably than another due to their sex, age, race, faith or sexual orientation. This flexibility of option can be a little bit frustrating for some potential travelers, since the majority of are not made use of to such flexibilities.
Did you know that Australia produces several of the most effective food and wine in the world? If this does not lure you, who recognizes just what will!
Exactly how around the Drawbacks of Moving to Australia?
The language obstacle can be the hardest point that you might face when migrating overseas. While Australia is certainly a modern culture, the main language talked is English. There is a nationwide translating and interpreting telephone service that can assist you 24/7, however if you are planning on permanently residing in Australia – English is a necessity in order to help you recognize day-to-day tasks (like purchasing or financial etc).
If you are intending on migrating to Australia and also do not speak English, you might intend to take into consideration enrolling in a class to assist educate you the language. Yes, there are many other languages that are commonly spoken Down Under, yet it would certainly be such a disadvantage if you do not recognize English well enough to live gladly in your community, while making pals as well as locating suitable employment.
It deserves chatting to an Adult Migrant English Program supplier since you may be entitled to complimentary English lessons!
You need to know that when moving to Australia, you have to live as a long-term homeowner visa holder for concerning two years before you are qualified to receive most social security repayments (joblessness or student benefits etc).
Obviously there are several various other reasons that people choose to migrate to Australia, but before considering the Aussie way of life – do your research. Begin online; see why others have moved to the land of opportunities. If you are seeking specialized job, search for proficient migration groups to see if there are ability scarcities in your line of work, and just what visa you will certainly call for.


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Welcome to Noble Gibberish!
We are a survival server with a few twists:
- Basic land claiming to make griefing more of a challenge
- A separate dimension full of custom hard mobs and bosses
- An economy that rewards for mob kills
- A player ran market
- In game to discord chat link
- A keep-inventory PvP arena
- Biome Bundle
- mcMMO
- Crate keys, XP, and money for voting
Come check us out! A lot of work has gone into perfecting the perfect survival server. We're sure you'll enjoy it.
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Project Move-In by Shelter Inc. (AGS)
The event is being hosted by Shelter Inc. Volunteers will be cleaning up units for families. Shelter Incorporated looks to help families build homes, and develop skills and find resources to maintain, and live a life they deserve. The units are empty and are in need of mopping, and surface wiping. Supplies will be provided. This event will be on Saturday, October 15th from 9:00am - 12:00pm at The Lyle Morris Family Center located at 4553 Delta Fair Blvd, Antioch CA. You'll meet up with an AGS officer at 8:30am at the volunteer venue.
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Pet Owner in Wilmington
Have black lab that is older and has trouble moving around, but is very obedient and calm.. Also, has some incontinence, that has to be taken care of, if it occurs.. I need a sitter who can stay at our house for 12 hours and for several days. Please send me your telephone number via this email address, and I will call you to discuss.. Thank you
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What's the Right Way to End the World?
Comparing how the finales of Carter's 'X-Files' and Morgan and Wong's 'Millennium' both explore the end of the world in different ways
With the highly anticipated return of The X-Files having now come and gone at this point, it's left many people—hardcore fans and casual watchers, alike—asking questions like if this return was worth it in the first place. While discussions over the series' merits and detriments have been highly catalogued, another topic that's been brought to the surface are the pandemic-like events that Chris Carter chose to end the tenth season on. The controversial move left a lot of people scratching their heads, but long-time fans of Chris Carter's body of work were also noticing that the plotting bore a lot of resemblances to another highly contentious finale of one of his shows, that of Millennium's second season, "The Time is Now." A finale that he worked incredibly hard to scrub the record of.
Millennium is not a show that is on many people's radars, and admittedly, a lot of the people that stuck with it were just due to residual X-Files fan fervor. The show had an infinitely bleaker perspective than The X-Files did, an arguably less engrossing mythology behind it, a heavy Biblical background, and it was lacking the balancing act that was created through Mulder and Scully's repartee. Frank Black's sounding board and moral center was a yellow house. When Millennium was heading into its second season, Carter was too encumbered not only running the fifth season of The X-Files, but also readying the series' feature film. In his stead, Carter appointed Glen Morgan and James Wong—two voices that were an integral part of The X-Files early seasons, and contributors to Millennium's freshman year—to be in charge of shaping Millennium's second year as he stepped down.
While Millennium is not a very good show, it's second season is, and it's absolutely worth checking out when you've got the time. It's kind of incredible how much Morgan and Wong are able to shape this dour series into a serviceable, creepy vehicle that legitimately has something to say about the nature of evil and the end of times. The series' biggest story point was that the impending millennium was ultimately going to signal the apocalypse, with the mysterious "Millennium Group" trying to police and monitor instances correlating to this event. While Carter mostly kept his foot off of the apocalypse pedal, Morgan and Wong drop a brick on it, with their finale full-on embracing the end of the world.
The conduit to bring about all of this is a deadly virus that is unleashed that kills 75 percent of the world's population (just look at that promo ad for this finale and try to not get excited), including the main character's wife, putting some very real consequences on the table. Morgan and Wong are dealing with the highest of stakes and it's the payoff to what the entire show has been leading up to, with it being exactly what you'd hope for. Adversely, in The X-Files' "My Struggle II," Carter introduces an eerily similar pandemic that appears to be killing most of the population, except for those that are alien abductees or have alien DNA.
Furthermore, Carter's plague does have a slap-dash cure to it, but a highly implausible one at that, and especially one that couldn't really save what's left of humanity. In "The Time is Now" the episode makes a point of how there is no cure here and that this is just a virus that wipes out whatever's in its path. This stays in touch with the bleak theme of the show as well as the shadow corporations that are behind it all.
With Carter's current attitude towards pandemics, it's not surprising to see that when Millennium returned for its third season (with Morgan and Wong gone, to boot), it was Carter who retconned all of this effective apocalypse material. Carter retroactively greatly reduces the threat of the breakout (to a mere couple thousand casualties!)—in a means that doesn't make any sense, no less—in a fashion that I fear will likely be done on The X-Files too, since the show can't continue to operate in a mostly-dead world. It's just legitimately insulting to an audience to be all, "Yeah, that stuff that you all saw happen didn't actually happen," and it's the best strategy that he comes up with here. Morgan and Wong take big swings, but mean it, whereas Carter does them for big flashy moments, not thinking through the consequences. It's a big finale moment to tell us that the world is dying, but in the light of day of a premiere, it's all too easy to pull back on that.
What's also crucial here is how the news of a population decimating pandemic is introduced and dealt with on a show. In "My Struggle II" Carter chooses to illustrate his doom and gloom through tacky news reports, heavy exposition, and last-minute developments. A lot of this death happens off screen and within minutes, with this sort of thing being exactly what would have benefited from a classic X-Files two-parter. Never before has the series tried to cram so much in, in so little time.
Over on Morgan and Wong's Millennium, sure there is exposition, but the series executes this much more with raw emotion, Biblical good and evil, and letting this story have an entire season to breathe rather than a mere episode. That being said, in this episode alone, they straight up show you a mind breaking in half (in what's the Lynchian thing I've seen on TV this side of Twin Peaks). These guys devote ten minutes to psychological mind fuckery to convey the feeling of the apocalypse, choreographed to a breathtaking soundscape that's—no question—one of the best thing I've ever seen on television, while The X-Files gives you Joel McHale talking to a camera and the expectation to fill in blanks during commercial breaks.
Granted, Wong and Morgan supposedly attempted such a ballsy finale because they thought it was pretty likely that the series was going to be canceled. That being said, I sincerely doubt they would have abandoned this plan had they stayed on as showrunners, or that they didn't have an idea of where they were going with this direction. Millennium would have been an entirely different beast after this point, but a show all about the apocalypse obviously needs to address the apocalypse at some point.
With the creative, different, disturbing way that Morgan and Wong presented their pandemic, it really makes you think how they would have put together "My Struggle II" if they were given the opportunity. Morgan and Wong were apart of the few select people that Carter brought back for The X-Files' revival. In fact, they even share the executive producer credit with him, in lieu of Fran Spotnitz, so it's clear that there's no bad blood in the waters, and that he still values what they have to say creatively. Carter still very much seems to be calling the shots though. His instincts on the matter seem completely counter intuitive to theirs, but with the backlash Carter himself saw this year over The X-Files' return, maybe in some twisted symmetry they'll be the ones penning or directing the next premiere, cleaning up Carter's mess. Only this time, I'm sure they'll actually be improving on the matter.


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Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC) is delighted Peter Gabriel, the English singer-songwriter, musician and humanitarian activist who rose to fame as the lead vocalist and flautist of the progressive rock band Genesis, will play the GE Oil & Gas Arena on 8th December 2014.
Following the phenomenal response to the recently released 'Back to Front' tour dates, the latest honoured musician to be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Peter Gabriel, has confirmed a further series of 'Back to Front' Arena shows in the UK. He will perform at the GE Oil & Gas Arena as part of the Tour which also sees his return to London's Wembley Arena for the first time in 10 years!
Additional Information
The show is suitable for all ages. Under 14s must be accompanied by an adult (18+).


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The John van G range is built around a system of magnetic compacts which come in an array of different sizes.
This version is an empty compact which can hold up to two eyeshadows or one blusher magnet. With a bronze finish to the outer casing.


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A small village of just over 400, Sunrise Beach is located in Camden and Morgan counties in Missouri. Sunrise Beach is located next to the Lake of the Ozarks, and the community grew after construction of the Bagnell Dam. Though the lake was originally created as a source of hydroelectric power, it was enjoyed by residents of the Midwest for its beauty and opportunities for recreation. Located two and a half hours from Kansas City, Sunrise Beach allows travelers to enjoy a relaxing lakeside vacation.
Sunrise Beach is surrounded by water, making water recreation very accessible. Super Dave's Paddle Craft Adventures offers paddle board, raft, and kayak rentals. There are also larger boat rentals available.
This small community offers many small restaurants with a home-cooked feel. Though Sunrise Beach is not a large city, there are several different types of food. Try J&K Café for an American-style diner, and don't miss their cinnamon rolls!
Mark Twain National Forest, two and a half hours from Sunrise Beach, spans 29 counties in southern and central Missouri. It is named for the Missouri-born author of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and features the largest spring on National Forest land. There are many hiking trails, including portions of the 350-mile Ozark Trail.
For a unique day trip, visit the ruins of a 20th-century castle at Ha Ha Tonka State Park. Less than 30 minutes away, this state park is known for its history, bird watching, and a natural "bridge" made out of stone. There are many opportunities here for outdoor recreation, including fishing, swimming, and boating.
Two and a half hours from Sunrise Beach, Kansas City rewards travelers with a vibrant culinary scene and many opportunities for arts and culture. This up-and-coming Midwest hub is known for its barbeque, jazz, and rich history. Visit the Country Club Plaza District for upscale shopping and art museums. There are also many major-league sports teams here, and locals are especially excited about the Kansas City Royals since their World Series win in 2015.
There are over 500 vacation rentals available near Sunrise Beach on Tripping.com. Many properties are lake houses, providing stunning views and close proximity to the best recreation that the Lake of the Ozarks has to offer. Search for pet-friendly properties so that the whole family can enjoy your relaxing lakeside vacation!
The nearest airport to Sunrise Beach is Waynesville-St. Roberts Regional Airport, a small airport located 71 miles away. However, the nearest major airport is the Kansas City International Airport, which is 176 miles away. The easiest way to explore the area is to rent a car, which will make it very comfortable to see charming nearby towns.
Find the best Sunrise Beach vacation rentals on Tripping.com. With over 133 home rentals, take your pick from a wide variety of choices including studio apartments, luxury condos, and cozy cabin rentals. Prices in Sunrise Beach range from $48 a night. Many rentals can also be booked directly online.Vacation home rentals found on Tripping.com offer more amenities than the average hotel room along with many of the comforts of home. Going on a business trip or need to stay connected? 126 homes in Sunrise Beach offer high-speed WiFi Internet so you won't miss a beat. Travelling with kids? Let them splash around in any of the 31 rentals with pool or jacuzzi, or relax with the family in one of the 128 homes with cable TV.For all those pet owners with dogs or cats, Sunrise Beach offers 39 pet-friendly vacation rentals for your extended family. Find the perfect vacation rental that matches your budget and style on Tripping.com.
Search properties from 6 vacation rental sites in Sunrise Beach where the top providers in that area are HomeAway, TripAdvisor, and Booking.com. There are 90 HomeAway rentals, 22 TripAdvisor short term rentals and 9 Booking.com vacation rentals.