text:
Lethal Weapon (1987)
87 mistakes
Directed by: Richard Donner
Starring: Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Mel Gibson, Mitch Ryan, Tom Atkins
Revealing mistake: Riggs handcuffs himself to the depressed businessman. They jump off the building but they're not handcuffed to each other anymore. They used plastic cuffs which could separate during the stunt in case anything went wrong. They break just as they jump, so they grab each other's hands to stay in contact. After they land the cuffs are attached again. (00:31:00)
Continuity mistake: In the scene where the girl jumps to her death from the balcony, it shows her hitting the car towards the right halfway onto the windshield. Then in the next shot, it shows her laying right in the middle of the roof of the car. (00:04:05)
Revealing mistake: When the car crashes into the bus and lands on its top, you can see a big square hole cut out of the car's underside. (01:30:35)
Continuity mistake: The wet patches on the sleeve of Nick's t-shirt change when the family surprises Murtaugh in the bathtub. Actually, when they carried the B-day cake in, the t-shirt should have been dry in the first place as the water battle started only later. (00:04:55)NancyFelix
Continuity mistake: When Hunsaker's shot, his eggnog gets all over his tie and shirt. When the camera angle cuts to Murtaugh's reaction, Hunsaker's shirt and tie are clean and there is no eggnog pouring from the container. Also there is no hole of any kind in the glass door behind him in which the bullet made. (01:04:00)BillyBlake
Continuity mistake: There is a scene where Riggs and Murtaugh are driving in a car, and the column shifter keeps going from park to drive and back. (00:37:00)
Continuity mistake: At the end, when Riggs is at his wifes grave, it's supposedly raining. In one shot you see Riggs' hair is dripping wet, and when you see him bend down to put the flowers on the grave in the next shot, his hair is dry, and in the next shot it's wet again. (01:44:00)
Continuity mistake: During the scene where the General is escaping in the car and Murtaugh shoots the driver. When the car is hit by the bus on the avenue you can see part of the device that makes the car flip over and roll away from the crash. (01:30:35)
Continuity mistake: In the scene where "the General" and his driver were fleeing down the alley, the driver is shot. The general takes control of the wheel and carries on driving, but the car is in park... (01:34:25)
Continuity mistake: The Christmas illumination on the balcony of Amanda Hunsaker's hotel room is arranged in three different ways: In the first shot, before she takes drugs, it is attached to the side of the railing. When she steps out, the lights are hanging about 10 inches below the railing, like they are later when Murtaugh searches her room. And when she climbs up to jump the bulbs are directly hanging down from the railing. (00:02:40)NancyFelix
Continuity mistake: When Mel Gibson is talking about the special bullet, kept as the suicide special, he describes it as a hollow point - to do the job right. When he shows the bullet it is a full metal jacket.
Continuity mistake: Before Amanda jumps she climbs up some steps onto the railing without holding on to anything. However, in none of the earlier shots (or later when Murtaugh searches the room) there is anything on the balcony that could have served that purpose. (00:03:30)NancyFelix
Revealing mistake: When Murtaugh's car is going towards the meeting point, there's some extra dust coming from the right, caused by crew members. (01:12:55)NancyFelix
Plot hole: One of the children is a witness that saw the man that planted the bomb in Dixie's house. He is said by a policeman to have been playing 'under the porch' and was close enough to make-out the Special Forces tatoo on the bomber's arm. Problem is, Dixie's house had no porch of any kind, and any other home's porch would've placed him too far to see such a small tatoo so confidently. (00:57:40)johnrosa
Continuity mistake: As Riggs exits the car, he takes the cigarette out of his mouth. The camera angle chages to show him standing outside the car, handling his pistol, and the cigarette is back in his mouth, with no time to put it there and the audio indicates the shots are consecutive time. (00:45:20)johnrosa
Continuity mistake: Just before Hunsaker's shot, he's standing right in front of the window. When it cuts to a wider shot, he's suddenly a foot or two further left. (01:04:00)
Continuity mistake: While working out the case at the shooting range, Murtaugh only fires one shot, and Riggs fires 9 (offscreen shots during their continuous conversation are noticeably quieter, from other shooters). When they reel in the targets, Murtaugh's target has 6 holes, and Riggs' has 14 or 15. (00:52:00)Jon Sandys
Continuity mistake: When coked-up Amanda first looks down from the balcony, we see the ground from her vantage point. Were she to jump from this location, she would land on the huge awning below (the curved dark area). If she put real effort into jumping forward to clear the awning (and she didn't), she'd land just to the right of the lighted sidewalk, onto the grass. And if she were an olympic long-jumper and not high on cocaine, she might have landed on the red or black car parked at the curb. Under no circumstances could she have landed on the gray car, well to her left - yet she does. (00:03:05)johnrosa
Continuity mistake: (Director's Cut) As Murtagh later states (and Riggs does not correct him), Riggs' 9mm pistol has a 15 round clip and holds one more 'in the pipe' (barrel), yet when he took out the sniper earlier, he fired at least 19 rounds in a single, rapid sequence. (00:13:30 - 00:27:45)johnrosa
Continuity mistake: Just as his wife is about to smack Murtaugh's butt at the oven, a small ladder is at the right, angled to face Murtaugh's position. As the shot changes to get a bit closer, the ladder is suddenly more parallel with the cabinetry. (00:50:25)johnrosa
Continuity mistake: In the scene where Riggs is chasing Joshua and is told by Murtagh to take a shortcut to catch Joshua, he is shown running in bare feet. After shooting at Joshua from on top of the freeway he then runs down the embankment and is shown wearing tennis shoes, but there is nowhere these shoes could have come from and he is never shown putting them on.
Continuity mistake: When Riggs sees the car with Mr. Joshua coming he pushes the hooker away and starts running, but when he is shot at it looks as if he was standing with his back to a shop window. Accordingly, his bullet-proof vest has holes in the front, but then his red jacket has only holes in the back. (01:05:50 - 01:07:15)NancyFelix
Continuity mistake: When Murtaugh is about to find the envelope with the porno tape he takes a can of beer from the fridge and opens it. When he is sitting down, the same can of beer is opened again audibly. (00:49:25)
Continuity mistake: Director's cut (or extra scenes on Lethal Weapon 4 DVD): When Riggs is sitting there at the beginning of the movie, he is crying and looking at the picture of his wife on the right and wedding day on the left. Earlier in the movie when the picture was setting on the TV set his wife's picture was on the left and his wedding day picture was on the right. Not only that, but in at the start the pictures are in a folding frame. During the near-suicide scene they are not. [The first scene shows Riggs has damaged the frame, and says to the photo of his wife, "I'll buy you a new one." which explains the later changes.]
Continuity mistake: The first time we see Riggs he is lying in bed with a cigarette, almost finished, in his mouth. He gets up and goes to the fridge. When he opens it the cigarette looks like it has hardly been smoked at all. (00:06:25)
Continuity mistake: In the scene just after the jumper, Murtaugh pulls Riggs into a room and asks Riggs if he wants to die. He hands Riggs his pistol. When Riggs puts the pistol to his temple you can see and hear him cocking the hammer. After some arguing about the positioning of the gun, Riggs then puts the barrel unter his chin. While he's pulling the trigger the camera goes to a close-up of the pistol and shows the hammer pulling back, as he squeezes the trigger. (00:34:40)
Continuity mistake: A quick shot from the interior of the General's car looking at the approaching bus, a metal guard is seen on the front of the bus, painted white to match. It is not there in the shots before or after. (01:42:15)johnrosa
Continuity mistake: In the scene where they bring Murtaugh's daughter and her arms are bound, when she puts her arms over her dad's head her watch is on her right wrist. After they hang her arms over the pipe her watch is now on her left wrist. (01:28:05)KCMChief
Continuity mistake: When Riggs is talking to Mr. Joshua before the electrical shock treatment starts, every time the camera shows a side shot the water is covering his head and face, but every time the camera angle changes to the front he is completely dry and the water is in the background nowhere near him. (01:20:20)
Continuity mistake: When the bus hits the General's car, the bus windshield (at least on the driver's side) is all smashed up as seen from the shot inside the bus. However, when the bus backs up, and in later shots of it, the windshield is undamaged.Bishop73
Audio problem: In the beginning, when Murtaugh's daughter comes downstairs in the black dress the dialog is dubbed in. After the spin, she's talking but she doesn't move her mouth (even before the spin she isn't in sync). Her little sister replies and doesn't move her mouth either.Bishop73
Continuity mistake: In the scene where Riggs is jumping off the bridge when chasing Mr. Joshua, first he has a rifle in his hand, his shadow on the bridge shows no rifle, when he lands he picks the rifle up off the ground and keeps running.Pjpodemski
Continuity mistake: After Murtaugh teams up with Riggs they walk through a parking garage. A police car drives by them twice (at walking speed, with its lights on - in the garage), first in a closer, then in a wider shot, while the dialogue continues, ruling out any artistic intention of this repetition. (00:20:25)NancyFelix
Continuity mistake: When Riggs is standing in the schoolyard during the sniper scene, he is standing on a large rubber safety mat near the monkey bars. But the close-up of his feet shows he is standing on bare concrete (Director's Cut). (00:13:10)johnrosa
Revealing mistake: When the General holds the lighter under Mr. Joshua's arm there is no smoke from burning hair at all. (00:23:50)NancyFelix
Continuity mistake: In the last shot before Amanda crashes on the car, the red car in front is parked in a different angle than when she is lying on the roof. (00:03:55)NancyFelix
Continuity mistake: When Riggs and Murtaugh walk toward Dixie's house before it blows up, they're wearing large clear glasses, almost like the safety glasses they were wearing at the firing range. After the house blows up they aren't wearing them anymore or even seen taking them off. (00:56:20)
Continuity mistake: When Murtaugh clips on another target it's crumpled at the side. When it comes back after he has shot, it's clipped on straight. (00:55:00)NancyFelix
Continuity mistake: Towards the end of the meeting between the General and Mendez, Mendez steps backwards and bumps into one of the General's men. He turns around and makes some jerky moves with both arms. The camera cuts to the General, and we see Mendez in the background colliding with the other guy once again in exactly the same way as before. (00:24:25)NancyFelix
Continuity mistake: During the drive-by shooting it's raining heavily. When Riggs and Murtaugh leave the scene by car the streets are dry, but when they arrive at Murtaugh's house they are wet again. (01:08:10)NancyFelix
Continuity mistake: At the shooting range, just after saying "That's very thin", Riggs has his arms outstretched, semi-aiming his gun. Cut to a two-shot, and he's got his arms into his body. (00:52:55)Jon Sandys
Continuity mistake: As Murtaugh is interviewing Hunsacker, Riggs waits outside on the grass. At one point, the area Riggs is standing still in changes from full sun to full shadow in seconds. (01:13:15)johnrosa
Continuity mistake: When Amanda is first shown lying in bed, she is wearing her left shoe, but not the right. When she steps up onto the railing, the shoe is on her right foot, but this looks to be a mirror image, possibly on the sliding glass door - fair enough. But when she's lying on the roof of the car, she's wearing both shoes. (00:02:00)johnrosa
Continuity mistake: The bad wound on Murtaugh's left shoulder (the one which got salted) disappears when he and Riggs drive back to his house. (01:32:35)NancyFelix
Revealing mistake: The hole in the windshield through which the General's driver was shot is not a hole but a round spot of cracked glass. Only before the car gets hit by the bus there is a shot of a hole big enough for a bullet to zip through. (01:30:20)NancyFelix
Revealing mistake: A short shot from inside the bus looking forward at the moment of impact shows a wall of water fires up onto the windshield. This 'water barrel' technique is used to lessen damage and injury on many public roadways, and is used here to save the bus for use in another take - the one when it actually does hit the car a split-second of movie-time later. (01:42:15)johnrosa
Continuity mistake: When Riggs and Murtaugh are driving to the house in Beverly Hills to shoot the guy in the pool, Riggs is lighting a cigarette and then Murtaugh says "You're not gonna smoke in the car." Riggs answers "Yes, but I'm gonna roll down the window." In the previous shot you can see that the window is already rolled down. (00:38:20)
Continuity mistake: When Riggs and Murtaugh kick Murtaugh's front door open they must have damaged the lock, but when the door falls closed the lock sounds as if it is perfectly OK. (01:09:15)NancyFelix
Revealing mistake: Towards the end of the movie, watch the shots of the General in his car. Though he's supposedly speeding, the view we get through his rear windshield is of the ground going up and down, as if he was really just sitting in the car and pretending he was driving. (01:30:30)redbaron2000
Revealing mistake: In the wide shot of the bus colliding with General McAllister's car, look at the front seat of the bus and you can see that the driver is a mannequin.
Revealing mistake: When the bus hits the car, the car launches into the air, propelled by a special-effects 'roll cannon'. The cylindrical slug that is fired out of the bottom of the car is seen rolling ahead of the bus toward the bottom of the screen. (01:42:15)johnrosa
Other mistake: Towards the end, when Riggs runs up to Murtaugh just after the car explodes, Riggs is carrying a large machine gun in his right hand. He runs up to the police barricade, but the police officer won't let him by until he shows him his ID. The police officer completely ignored the fact that Riggs was holding a large gun and could have been a criminal who wanted to use it.
Continuity mistake: The kids in front of Dixie's house change positions between shots when they shout after Riggs and Murtaugh, like the one with the baseball cap who sits up. Furthermore, this little guy can't help glimpsing at the camera for a second. (00:55:40)NancyFelix
Continuity mistake: Shortly before the General's car gets hit by the bus the dead driver is leaning towards the side window. When the camera angle changes to inside the car his head is hanging forward. (01:30:30)NancyFelix
Continuity mistake: After Murtaugh shoots the General's driver the car is swerving around and the dead guy loses his sunglasses, but they jump back on his nose for the rest of the scene. (01:30:20)NancyFelix
Visible crew/equipment: When Mr. Joshua's car knocks over the telephone post there are crew with equipment visible in the background. (01:28:35)NancyFelix
Visible crew/equipment: When Riggs walks up to Dixie's house the camera is reflected in his sunglasses. (00:55:45)NancyFelix
Visible crew/equipment: When Riggs and Murtaugh compare their targets, a crew member sneaks up behind Riggs and disappears in the next shot. (00:53:30)NancyFelix
Continuity mistake: Their car goes round the corner and the police light falls off the roof and dangles, yet is back on the roof a second later.
Continuity mistake: When Murtaugh meets the General's people in the desert the door of his car gets blown open by the helicopter. When he pulls out the grenade the door is almost closed again. (01:16:10)NancyFelix
Continuity mistake: When Murtaugh steals some bacon from the tray there is about twice as much than in the shot before. (00:07:20)NancyFelix
Plot hole: Before Riggs, Murtaugh, and Rianne enter the disco after they have killed or chased away their torturers, a man is casually leaning at the bar, with his hands folded in front and moving with the music. When the three protagonists come running through the door he immediately turns around and points a gun at them which apparently he was holding in his hand. One should expect that, in a public disco, even the bad guys keep their guns somewhat better hidden than just in their folded hands when they are not aware of any immediate danger. Furthermore, even the guests close to the bar don't hear the shot when Riggs shoots that guy, even though the music is not loud enough to cover the gunshot. (01:25:20)NancyFelix
Revealing mistake: In one of the first scenes of the movie you see Riggs in his trailer. He walks out of bed smoking a cigarette and taking a beer. When he takes his first drink of the beer some fluid is spilled. If you look at it, it is not beer. It's probably water, but definitely not beer. (00:07:00)
Continuity mistake: When Murtaugh drops Riggs off in the desert it's sunset, but when we see the car in the next shot the sun is way up again. (01:12:55)NancyFelix
Revealing mistake: When Riggs walks up to the "Irish-Chinese" hooker it's raining quite hard, but not on him. (01:05:35)NancyFelix
Continuity mistake: When Riggs talks to the jumper his hair is either fluffy or stabilized with gel, depending on the camera angle. (00:30:00)NancyFelix
Other mistake: Just after Danny Glover's shot the guy by the pool, Mel Gibson goes to handle the two girls. We hear all the exchanges between him and them offscreen, such as "don't move or I'll break your arms", etc., ending with him saying "Got 'em", and we hear a pair of handcuffs click. When we see the girls, they're either side of a tree, with the camera-side cuffs on a wrist each. But we only heard one set of cuffs (all while off-screen, so there's no reason we wouldn't have heard another set go on), and with only one set on, there's nothing to stop them running away. (00:40:20)Jon Sandys
Visible crew/equipment: When Riggs frees Murtaugh near the end, the camera pans from left to right following him (after he kills the bad guy). On the bottom of the screen the shadow of a leg can be seen and it moves when the camera pans.manthabeat
Factual error: Murtagh's picture shows him with a 173rd Airborne patch on his sleeve, and he later says his friend Hunsaker was wounded in 1965 in the Ia Drang in Vietnam. However, the 173rd Airborne was fighting at Bien Hoa at the time, which is hundreds of miles south of the Ia Drang. Although Murtagh may have been transferred before the picture was taken, it is highly unlikely that someone who "took a bayonet to the lung" would return to active duty so fast.
Audio problem: Right after Riggs handcuffs the suicidal man, the next shot shows Murtaugh saying "oh no" but his lips don't move.
Continuity mistake: When Hunsaker is talking to Murtaugh in his house, the shadows outside dramatically change throughout the scene. First the sun is beating down on Riggs from the right (over the ocean), then from the left leaving Riggs under a bunch of shadows from the tree. This constantly changes throughout the scene.
Continuity mistake: In the scene following Riggs and Murtaugh's conversation on Murtaugh's boat, Riggs crumples a beer can, and Murtaugh holds open the trash can lid, but the can falling into the trash can is intact, not crushed.markrphotoman
Visible crew/equipment: When the car with Joshua in it is speeding away after shooting Riggs, you can see that he was the only one in the back seat. In the close up in the car, you can see the shadow of the camera and camera man play across his face.Movie Nut
Revealing mistake: As Joshua's chopper gets away, the camera follows it for a moment, then pans up to a long shot of the mansion. As it does so, the blades of the camera chopper can be seen at the top of the shot for a moment.Movie Nut
Continuity mistake: When the helicopter with Joshua comes up and he starts firing at the house, Hunsaker has both hands on the carton of eggnog. When the camera cuts to a wide shot, he's starting to react to being shot again, and his left hand is about a foot away from the carton.Movie Nut
Continuity mistake: Riggs is completely dry before he begins his showdown with Mr. Joshua, but after Mr. Joshua says "Don't mind if I do", we cut to Riggs, and he is now soaking wet.
Continuity mistake: When Riggs is fighting Mr. Joshua at Murtaugh's home towards the end of the film, the lawn is completely saturated in water from the spray at one point, but in the next shot appears completely dry.
Continuity mistake: After Joshua is leaving Hunsaker's home after killing him, he is talking to Peter on a mobile phone and it is nearly dark. In Peter's scene in the car, the sun is still up and it is late afternoon/early evening. They are both in the same city.manthabeat
Revealing mistake: Early in the scene where the exchange for Murtaugh and his daughter is taking place in the desert, there are some aerial shots of a helicopter approaching the exchange site. The blades of the other helicopter, that is filming the aerial shot, can been seen at the top of the frame. (01:18:05)
Continuity mistake: When Riggs is working undercover at a Christmas tree lot sampling cocaine, he agrees to do business with the dealers. After one of them quotes a price, Riggs sits there looking pleasantly surprised. At this point, note how the sky behind his right shoulder is mostly overcast. Seconds later, Riggs shakes his head in agreement and reaches for his wallet - but by now mostly all of the cloud cover has vanished (as if minutes have passed by). (00:17:10)ryguy_1983
Continuity mistake: On the shooting range, Roger hangs the target on the mechanical arm and runs it out a short distance. After it settles, the bottom hangs at about ten° to the left of the target's center. After running it back to show to his partner, and before Riggs runs it all the way to the wall, the bottom now hangs about 3 to 5° to the right of the target's center.Movie Nut
Continuity mistake: When Murtaugh starts questioning Alfred about the suspicious man he saw near Dixie's house, Alfred lifts up his sunglasses. Through a few questions, the glasses' ear stem rests normally behind his ear where it should (left one is visible). Suddenly Murtaugh asks about the man's hair color, but now the ear stem is hanging off. (01:09:40)ryguy_1983
Continuity mistake: When Riggs is out one night trying to locate Dixie the streetwalker, he shows her photo to strangers. But if you look, the photo is of an Asian woman. Bears no resemblance to the real Dixie we saw in an earlier scene. (00:09:45 - 01:08:20)
Continuity mistake: The pattern of scars on Riggs' face changes when he comes to deliver his bullet to Murtaugh: The two cuts on his left cheek become three, and the lesions on his chin disappear. (01:39:40)NancyFelix
Continuity mistake: During the staged drug deal the items on the table move around. Check for example the little bag with the sample and the can in front of Riggs when he takes his wallet out. (00:11:30)NancyFelix
Revealing mistake: At the start of the movie where the nude woman jumps from her balcony, as she is falling and supposedly getting closer to the car, you can see after a couple of seconds, her body landing on the safety mattress thing, with a print on the top of it making it look like the street with parked cars. You can tell it is a mattress because just before they cut from the shot, the mattress dents inward. This could be taken for the top of the car denting in, except the dent "marks" extend from the sides of the roof of the car, into the bit of pavement beside the car. (00:04:05)
Continuity mistake: The lawn in front of Dixie's house turns completely into naked dry soil at the end of the scene, even at places where it should not be really affected by the extinguishing operations. (00:57:25)NancyFelix
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Looking For Children's TV Trainees?
Published on 30th March 2018
The Trainee Finder database gives you access to all the trainees currently part of the scheme. You can search for trainees by location, job role and availability. Once you have reviewed the profile of the relevant trainees you can select as many as you want to contact. The expression of interest button on the trainee's profile will alert the Trainee Finder team who will then send you the contact details of the trainees so you can contact them for interview.
If there are no available trainees in the job role or location you require please contact the Trainee Finder team.
You will agree training placement dates with each trainee as well as confirming the trainee's job role and how much they will be paid (see below for the parameters of acceptable pay for a trainee on Trainee Finder).
Once these factors are agreed, get back in touch with the Trainee Finder team and we issue a contract confirming the above which all three of us sign.
The appointed supervisor and the trainee will agree a training plan at the start of the placement benchmarking the trainees' skills, and learning objectives. At the end of the placement the training plan will evidence how far the trainee has progressed. Subsequent placements for the trainee will build on these achievements.
Important points to note
To be able to eligible for Trainee Finder you must have agreed to contribute to the children's live-action TV skills levy. For levy enquiries and payments, please contact Fergal McBride - email@example.com
Productions can have a maximum of four trainees per production, with each placement lasting a maximum of eight weeks.
• Trainees are to be selected from the Trainee Finder database. The scheme is closed for new trainees.
• The trainee is required to agree a training plan with you at the beginning of their placement, keep it updated regularly, and submit to you a completed training plan signed by the mentor/supervisor at the end of the placement.
• The trainee is also to complete timesheets each week for the production/account office.
• Trainees are considered to be on a Training Agreement rather than an employment contract and therefore the Expenses Allowance must be paid via a bursary/direct bank transfer.
• We cannot match-fund any Expenses Allowance paid PAYE or via payroll.
• Trainees under a Training Agreement do not incur tax, so bursary payments are exempt from tax and NI for both trainee and production.
• The minimum Expenses Allowance payment is to be no less than £320 per week and no more than £450 per week.
• We can match fund training up to a maximum of 60 hours per week. Any hours the trainee is expected to work over 60 hours per week should be covered by a separate agreement made directly between the production and the trainee.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
APS William James Fellow Award
The APS William James Fellow Award honors APS members for their lifetime of significant intellectual contributions to the basic science of psychology.
2018 James Award Recipients
- John T. Cacioppo
University of Chicago
- Jonathan D. Cohen
Princeton University
- Barbara Landau
Johns Hopkins University
- Linda B. Smith
Indiana University Bloomington
APS James McKeen Cattell Fellow Award
The APS James McKeen Cattell Fellow Award honors APS members for their lifetime of significant
intellectual achievements in applied psychological research and their impact on a critical problem in
society at large.
2018 Cattell Award Recipients
- Richard A. Bryant
University of New South Wales, Australia
- Janet Shibley Hyde
University of Wisconsin-Madison
- Richard E. Mayer
University of California, Santa Barbara
APS Mentor Award
The APS Mentor Award honors those who have significantly fostered the careers of others, recognizing APS members who masterfully help students and others find their own voice and discover their own research and career goals.
2018 Mentor Award Recipients
- Harry P. Bahrick
Ohio Wesleyan University
- Gordon H. Bower
Stanford University
- Lisa Feldman Barrett
Northeastern University
APS Janet Taylor Spence Award For Transformative Early Career Contributions
The APS Janet Taylor Spence Award recognizes transformative early-career contributions to psychological science. Award winners are APS members who are among our most creative and promising investigators.
Learn more about APS Past President Janet Taylor Spence.
2018 Spence Award Recipients
- Elliot T. Berkman
University of Oregon
- Marc G. Berman
The University of Chicago
- Catherine Hartley
New York University
- Kristin Laurin
University of British Columbia
- Robb B. Rutledge
Max Planck UCL Centre for Computational Psychiatry and Ageing Research
- Amrisha Vaish
University of Virginia
APS Fellows
Fellow status is awarded to APS members who made sustained outstanding contributions to the science of psychology in the areas of research, teaching, service, and/or application.
About Fellow Status | Nomination Information | Recent Fellows | All Fellows |
APS Rising Stars
The Rising Star designation recognizes outstanding APS members in the earliest stages of their research career post-PhD whose innovative work has already advanced the field and signals great potential for their continued contributions.
About Rising Stars | Nomination Information | Meet the Rising Stars


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text:
Armadillos are mammals, thus making them warm blooded creatures. Warm blooded creatures such as the armadillo maintain their own body temperatures internally and these temperatures do not vary depending on their external environment. Armadillos live primarily in warm habits, including areas such as Texas, Florida, Central, and South America. However, it should be noted that this selection in habitat has more to do with their body cover than the fact that they are warm blooded creatures.
Mammals can be defined as having hair. They differ in this way from reptiles, since reptiles possess scales. At first glance, it is often difficult to notice the hair of some species of armadillos, but they do in fact have hair though it is very sparse. This is especially true for their sides and underbelly. These creatures use this hair as a way to protect themselves from the cold temperature as well as dust or other environmental conditions that may come across their way. Since these animals are warm blooded however, and tend to reside in warmer areas, this could be a reason for their hair being so sparse.
Another way one can tell that armadillos are warm blooded mammals is because with very few exceptions, mammals (warm blooded creatures) give live birth to babies that drink milk that comes from their mother's mammary glands. Whereas, cold blooded creatures such as reptiles usually lay eggs or give live birth but do not nurse them. Mammals such as the armadillo can make their own heat when they are outside and start to get cold.


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There has been a new find of a blend of minerals that have been given the marketing name of Green Crazy Lace Chalcedony. It was discovered recently in Nigeria and the combination of minerals gives it the most fantastic energy! It is a mixture of Green Chalcedony, Smithsonite and Quartz. We think there must've been layers of these crystals laid … [Read more...]
NEW Green Crazy Lace Chalcedony ~ Processing/Releasing Emotions & Physical Healing
Golden Healer Quartz ~ Harnessing Our Inner Power
Golden Healer Quartz is a beautiful crystal that is really coming into it's own this year. The frequency vibration of crystals is following the evolutionary process we are all undergoing, so new or less commonly known crystals are suddenly being found in large amounts and released into the World. Their vibrations are higher, encouraging and … [Read more...]
Pinolite ~ A Funky Crystal Friend!
Pinolite is a generic name for a rare mixture of Dolomite, Graphite & Magnesite found only in Austria. The small white flecks in the grey/black matrix look like pine kernals or little seeds and the literal translation of Pinolite means 'pine stone'. Although Pinolite was discovered in 1873, it is an fairly unknown mineral that isn't mentioned … [Read more...]
*NEW* Iron Rose Quartz ~ Healing the Heart
Hello There :-) Its been awhile since I blogged about a crystal and this one certainly deserves to have the spotlight shined on it! A lovely client brought it to my attention a few months ago. He is doing a lot of work with Earth Energies & sacred geometry, really in depth, deep, new and innovative ancestral work and had been told by one of … [Read more...]
Emotions ~ Crystals and Anger
Anger ~ so many of us have issues with it. Theres often too much of it so we explode or rant.....or it makes some of us feel uncomfortable, so we suppress it only to explode over something insignificant at a later date. Whether you or an exploder or a suppressor (or a bit of both!) ~ anger is as necessary to us human beings as breathing. Anger is … [Read more...]
Aqua Kyanite ~ NEW FIND!
There has recently been a completely NEW find of Kyanite located in Zambia, Africa. Having worked with Kyanite for nearly two decades, I was so excited to come across this new blend. From what I can both see and feel (and having run it past several different rock specialists), it is believed this is a blend of very intense, dark Blue Kyanite with … [Read more...]
Crystals for Love, Romance & Relationships
Hello There :-) Regardless of whether you are single or in a relationship, you deserve and shall receive LOVE. And you'll receive a little from me via the energetic interweb we are all a collective part of ;-) There are all sorts of crystals for love and relationships, the list is endless. Over the years however, I've found certain crystals deal … [Read more...]
What About Love?
It feels like the energy of the recent Full Supermoon in Pisces has had me exploring the world of emotions. Its made me very tired this week too! I've been thinking a lot lately about love. What exactly IS love? Is it just an emotion? Is it a feeling backed up by action/movement? Is it action alone? The thought process was sparked by a someone … [Read more...]
RARE Ocean Kyanite – Connecting Earth, Water & Sky
Ocean Kyanite.....what can I say. It is the rarest Kyanite on our beautiful planet (that is available to the public) and it has the most incredible energy. Worn or used with the Higher Heart chakra, it filled me with absolute connection, confidence and ability. It is my favourite of the Kyanites by far. Unfortunately, it is one of the most … [Read more...]
Nzuri Moyo ~ A Rare Stone of the Heart
Nzuri Moyo is an unusual crystal found in Namibia, Africa. Nzuri Moyo is a Swahili name that literally translated, means 'Good Heart'. A small deposit was discovered on a recent visit to Namibia. It was named Nzuri Moyo by the supplier who discovered it and had the material tumbled and polished up. They weren't too sure whether it would tumble up … [Read more...]


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ULYSSES and the Sirens
Just to let you know that I'm alive and breathing. Yes. I am busy, very busy reading "the greatest novel of the century", ULYSSES, by James Joyce. I have set aside film studies to key in to one of the greatest works in modern literature, to appreciate it eternally and to understand how one can create such a life-force. One can learn a lot from Joyce as a writer and as a reader. When one reads ULYSSES, one has welcome a great challenge. He welcomes Joyce's manifestation as a writer, as the artist of the soul, and should consider Ulysses not a book but a work of art. Ulysses is, i have to admit this, practically an easy read.
Though famous for keeping critics and literary scholars busy for the next three hundred years because of its style and literary puns and allusions, this is not central to ULYSSES. What is central to ULYSSES is life. Life as it is in Dublin, or anywhere else, and through this stream of life in which the main characters (Bloom, Molly, and Stephen) dwell, creates an almost universal moment (the whole of the 673 pages is shot in a single day, June 16, 1904) so powerful it reaches into us, as readers, and changes our own dispositions, sense of being, and perhaps our own lives.
It immortalizes the ordinary modern man.
I'm on Episode (Chapter) 11, Sirens.
Will resume film studies after reading ULYSSES.
I'm preparing also for a camping activity this coming Saturday at Mt. Makiling, wish me luck. May God provide us the best way through the challenges that awaits us there.
Go Team Harot!


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Sermon preached by Dr Sue McWhinney
Sermon for Sunday 13th October 2013, 10.15am, Choral Eucharist "Wholeness"
Readings: 2 Timothy 2:8-15 and Luke 17:11-19
Many years ago, a patient with AIDs asked me if I was afraid of examining him. He was so used to people rejecting him…… out of fear, and ignorance. They wouldn't sit next to him on the bus, or stop to chat in the village. He was shunned because of his skin condition.
Leprosy in Biblical times had the same alienating effect. The term leprosy covers a number of contagious skin conditions that are not the same as the disease of that name today. If you have a strong constitution, you can read more about the details of examination and diagnosis in Leviticus ch 13 and 14. Under the Law of Moses the priest was the one to make the diagnosis, and pronounce people as unclean. They were then excluded from society, had to live on the margins of habitation as outcasts, and beg. Only the priest could verify a cure, and if so, there was a prescribed sacrifice to make before being restored to society.
Luke the physician wrote about two healings of lepers, and other powerful miracles, after careful investigation of the evidence he says, (1:1-4) from eye witness accounts. His key themes were that Jesus was the fulfilment of the law and prophets; that his ministry was one of teaching, healing, compassion for the poor and marginalised; and that salvation is for all people, Gentiles as well as Jews.
The lepers had clearly heard of Jesus' reputation, and whilst conforming to the law by keeping their distance, they called out "Jesus, Master, have mercy on us." Because they were unclean, shunned, isolated, they had to shout across the chasm demanded by a society that was fearful of catching leprosy. Unlike the healing of a leper in chapter 5, Jesus didn't touch them, there was no sign, he just commanded them to go and show themselves to the priest, and they did, in faith and obedience….. or maybe desperation. Amazingly they were all cleansed "as they went"!
Nine of them we don't hear of again, but one turned back. And he was a Samaritan, of all people! A foreigner (allogenes), a non-Jew. There were barriers in the temple in Jerusalem for preventing undesirables like him from getting any closer to the special areas reserved for Jews. Samaritans were despised, nothing good was expected of them; so the compassion shown by the Good Samaritan in 10:29-37 was a surprise. They certainly weren't thought to deserve access to the God of the Jews, let alone be healed by him.
But this man (a double leper) did more than return to thank Jesus. He praised God with a loud voice, recognising that it was God who had healed him, rescued him; and in falling at Jesus' feet to thank him, he was acknowledging Jesus as God. The other 9, who were Jews, didn't see their need of anything more than physical healing; maybe that's all they wanted to know about? To make the point, Jesus asks "where are they?"
Turning back to thank Jesus is a feature of Luke's gospel, as is a chorus of praise from the crowd of onlookers who were filled with awe having witnessed the power of God at work.
In 7:16, the raising of the widow of Nain's son, powerfully brought back to life, the crowd praised God.
In 13:13, the healing of the crippled woman, healed by Jesus' words of authority, and laying hands on her, she stood up straight for the first time in 18 years, and praised God. Jesus had freed her from the oppression of her condition, on the Sabbath, and the entire crowd rejoiced.
In 5:25, the paralyzed man lowered through the roof was healed by Jesus when he forgave his sins. He picked up his mat and walked, glorifying God, as did the crowd.
In 18:43, Jesus healed the blind beggar at Jericho, saying "receive your sight, your faith has saved you", and both he and the crowd glorified and praised God.
In Acts 4:21, also written by Luke, all the people praised God after Peter healed the crippled beggar in the name of Jesus Christ.
Luke includes all this detail to emphasise that in acknowledging God as being the powerful source of healing, in recognising who Jesus really was, the people in need have received much more than physical cure. They received salvation, forgiveness of sins, freedom from oppression; this is wholeness in spiritual life as well as in body. And the people who witness this powerful work of Jesus direct their praise to God.
Jesus said to the Samaritan, now released from the captivity and social exclusion of leprosy, whose life would never be the same again, "get up and go on your way; your faith has made you well (v19)."
The word translated as "well" also means whole, healed, saved.
What do we mean by the word "wholeness"? Jerry uses it in his News and Notes article about next Sunday. It is used to encompass a sense of spiritual, emotional, and physical wellbeing, life and freedom, a restoration of relationship with God, and also with others. It enriches life, is something we all need, and is a work of God. Indeed, wholeness is a central part of the ministry of this Cathedral.
When Jesus read from the scroll of Isaiah in Luke 4 (17-21), he was describing wholeness:-
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovery of sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim the year of the Lord's favour." Jesus then said "today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing." The evidence for this fulfilment was seen by the crowds when Jesus healed people.
The location of the healing of the lepers (v11) was the border between Samaria and Galilee. Jews and Samaritans didn't normally associate, but this group had to, because they were unclean. Leprosy broke down social barriers, as well as erecting others. There is also a border here between those who will hear Jesus, and those who don't want to know.
These 10 were on the borders of wholeness, and exclusion. They all received healing, but only one actually crossed that border to wholeness, by turning back to thank Jesus, and to praise God publicly. Through faith, receiving the good news, he moved from being at a distance, to intimacy with God.
The wider context is that this healing took place whilst Jesus was "on his way to Jerusalem", where he was to become despised and crucified outside the city walls, for the whole of humanity. The traditional people of God, the Jews, didn't recognise him. He reached out to those outside, the marginalised, the alienated, and they were brought in to the kingdom of God, when they responded in faith. The gospel message of inclusion, of spiritual life and wholeness available for all, whatever their culture or social status, is only possible because of all that Jesus went on to do when he got to Jerusalem.
What is the message for us today?
We live in a society which judges worth and acceptability on external appearances. We can fear "the other" because they are different from us, socially, ethnically, in expression of faith. There are some who want to exclude "the other." Isn't this what the EDL demonstration was all about yesterday? Thankfully, many Bradfordians of all backgrounds stood against this by building a Peace Wall and praying together on Friday, saying "this is our space" we want to live together in peace….
The challenge for us as Christians, if we take the Gospel seriously, is that life in all its fullness, is on offer for all, including the lepers in our society, because in Jesus's eyes "they are worth it." The wholeness we have received is for sharing. And if we feel, deep down, in the privacy of our own hearts, that we too are lepers, are we going to do anything about it, to call out to Jesus for mercy?
Maybe we could all take todays collect, pray and live with it every day this coming week, and come back next Sunday asking to receive more wholeness from God, to share with others.
I'd like to pray it again….
God our light and our salvation: illuminate our lives, that we may see your goodness in the land of the living, and looking on your beauty may be changed into the likeness of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
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Name/Company: Katha Sheth/Dassault Systemes Simulia Corp.
1. What's your story (in 3 sentences or less)
Got married. Moved to NJ from Providence, RI. Started working from home (the working from home thing didn't last long.)
Meet Priya and Winona. They are two 18-year-olds who have made a commitment to building tools for a shared American culture of racial literacy. Their organization, Princeton Choose, seeks to equip educators in K-12 classrooms nationwide—and through them, our collective future—with the tools they need to both talk about race and act toward change.
Daniel Scibienski/Ellevation Education
1.What's your story (in 3 sentences or less)
For about 20 years I worked as a teacher of English as a Second Language. During those years, I walked numerous other paths related to language education including consulting, presenting and writing. In search of a different challenge, I left the school system in June of 2016 and joined an educational software company where I now work as a Product Specialist.
2. Biggest aha moment?
1. What's your story (in 3 sentences or less)
Worked full-time in IT and web for 15 years. Left in September 2016 to freelance and start my own business when my daughter was 1 year old. Now 1 year in to my business journey!
2. Biggest aha moment?
"The files are IN the computer!"
1.What's your story (in 3 sentences or less)
Born in Queens. Raised in New Jersey. Working to help people not get (more) sick. Also, I'm a huge fan of latte art. Life Goal: have a barista etch Pikachu into a latte for me.
2. Biggest aha moment?
I learned to make efforts to meet people outside my domain. There's always ways to cross-pollinate ideas and industries to create something meaningful.
3. Share a fun or unique fact about yourself.
Born in Fort Dix, NJ, C.a. Shofed's parents were in the military, He spent my early years in Germany. In high school, he studied Graphic Arts at Assunpink Vocational School, moving into Advertising Design in college. "It was college that first exposed me to photography." Before he had a real chance to explore photography as a career he took a summer job as a computer installer and never looked back. "I spent the next 25 years as an IT Professional".
"Although my professional life had focused on technology, I maintained an interest in photography, always carrying my camera with me,
1.What's your story (in 3 sentences or less)
Engineer / inventor dabbling in VC for the last 22 years. SOSV specializes in hardware, life sciences, and several other deep verticals. I spend a lot of time on the road, visiting almost all of the 150+ new companies SOSV invests in every year.
2. Biggest aha moment?
When I realized that you must grow happiness under your feet, not off in the distance.
As a recent transplant to NJ, it was also a pretty cool to see that you can flip the NJ transit seats on the Dinky to face either direction in about 1.5 seconds.
The idea for Wattvision first occurred to Singh in 2008. Barack Obama was running for president for the first time, and Savraj Singh '03 was at home again, five years after graduating as one of the first Computer Science concentrators from Princeton University. Former President Obama had given his "New Energy for America" speech, calling on all Americans to save energy in their homes and businesses. Taking Obama's call-to-action to heart, Singh looked for a way to track his own household's energy usage, but came up blank.


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- Cocktail Dresses[5]
- Other Dresses[1]
- Prom Dresses[3]
- Other Regional Clothing[1]
- Men's Shirts[1]
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- Silk Scarves[10]
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- Cushion[7]
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- Address : Zhejiang,Hangzhou,88-2 Kongjia Li Shanyi Cun Changehe Street Binjiang District Hangzhou, China
- Country/Region : China
- Zip : 310052
Product Detailed
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We have no minimum order requirments and fast on demand delivery. No need for you to hold stock. No limitations in use of color or repeat sizes.
cotton cushion


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Well its finally here the day we have all been waiting for... I have been so excited and so glad to bring these great Valentine's Day items your way. Wish I could've done more but was hard puttin together Valentine's stuff before Christmas ha ha but anyways this prize pack is worth over $400 for sure. I will be doin this one a little different I will have 5 winners and because I want everyone to get somewhat of what they want I will let the 5 winners choose 3 things they would love to have beginning with the 1st winner having first choice and then the 2nd winner will have 3 item choices of whats left and so on the last winner gets the items left. Hope everyone likes this idea.. :) Don't forget once you leave my blog to hop on to the next one in this great event.
If you want to check out my wonderful sponsors you can go here to see them and check out their sites. If you did the early entries that were found here then make sure you take each comment entry for them those were only early entries so if you didn't get them in time I'm sorry the only entries you get are below. Also if you did the early entries you still have to do the mandatory below or they don't count... Also one other thing most of my giveaways are USA only but some are open to CA too so just to let you know. ENJOY!
Now without further delay here are the items I have up to win....(If you click any of the items linked you can find out more about the item you might win.)
USA Only
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You have to pay shipping on this gift certificate
USA & Canada
Even if you did extra entries early you still have to do mandatory so pay attention to this part. Also make sure you leave your name if not visible in blogger name and email address in every comment or you will be disqualified.
Mandatory Entry (Must Be Done First or nothing else counts): Which item would you like to win the most of the great prizes above?
Extra Entries:
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2)Subscribe to my blog via email or reader ONLY ONE (3 entries)
3)Follow Me On Twitter (2 entries) leave username
4)Tweet Message Below (you can tweet daily) (1 entry each time)
"I entered @evoluchun for #ABE to win over $400 worth of prizes Come Join Me! Ends 1/22 http://tinyurl.com/4zuh8d6 "
5)Fan/Like me on Facebook (3 entries) Leave name first and last initial (like button on right side)
6)Grab My Button/Blog About This Event on My Blog/Post to Facebook or anything other way to advertise this leave link, and/or enter another giveaway of mine(5 entries each you do)
Don't forget now for the ones who entered early entries to post yours separate now...
That's it this event starts today 1/18/2011 and ends at 11:59Pm EST on 1/22/2011
The winners will be announced the 24th of Jan.
I received no form of payment for this post or event although previous reviews from some of these companies of the items I am giving away check my blog for those links.
Stay tuned if you win nothing for this event although my V-Day gift guide ends the 5th I will still do Valentine's Day gifts up until the 14th just can't promise you will get them in time that's why my guide ends sooner.
All my glitter graphics was brought to you by http://glitter-graphics.com and thanks to http://www.mysillymonkeys.com for this great event.
Hop on over to the other blogs in the event below


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1.15: Continuous Spectra
Up to now, we have studiously avoided dealing with observables possessing eigenvalues that lie in a continuous range, rather than having discrete values. The reason for this is that continuous eigenvalues imply a ket space of nondenumerably infinite dimension. Unfortunately, continuous eigenvalues are unavoidable in quantum mechanics. In fact, the most important observables of all--namely position and momentum--generally have continuous eigenvalues. Fortunately, many of the results that we obtained previously for a finite-dimensional ket space with discrete eigenvalues can be generalized to ket spaces of nondenumerably infinite dimensions.
Suppose that is an observable with continuous eigenvalues. We can still write the eigenvalue equation as
But, can now take a continuous range of values. Let us assume, for the sake of simplicity, that can take any value. The orthogonality condition (50) generalizes to
where denotes the famous Dirac delta function, and satisfies
for any function, , that is well-behaved at . Note that there are clearly a nondenumerably infinite number of mutually orthogonal eigenstates of . Hence, the dimensionality of ket space is nondenumerably infinite. Furthermore, eigenstates corresponding to a continuous range of eigenvalues cannot be normalized such that they have unit norms. In fact, these eigenstates have infinite norms: i.e., they are infinitely long. This is the major difference between eigenstates in a finite-dimensional and an infinite-dimensional ket space. The extremely useful relation (54) generalizes to
Note that a summation over discrete eigenvalues goes over into an integral over a continuous range of eigenvalues. The eigenstates must form a complete set if is to be an observable. It follows that any general ket can be expanded in terms of the . In fact, the expansions (51)-(53) generalize to
These results also follow simply from Equation (87). We have seen that it is not possible to normalize the eigenstates such that they have unit norms. Fortunately, this convenient normalization is still possible for a general state vector. In fact, according to Equation (90), the normalization condition can be written
We have now studied observables whose eigenvalues take a discrete number of values, as well as those whose eigenvalues take a continuous range of values. There are a number of other cases we could look at. For instance, observables whose eigenvalues can take a (finite) continuous range of values, plus a set of discrete values. Such cases can be dealt with using a fairly straightforward generalization of the previous analysis (see Dirac, Chapters II and III).
- Richard Fitzpatrick (Professor of Physics, The University of Texas at Austin)


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Photos (1)
Península Valdés
North of Puerto Madryn, the Península Valdés extends out into the Atlantic like the head of a hammer, connected to the mainland by a narrow isthmus. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the world's best places to see a number of marine mammals: elephant seals and sea lions on the beaches, southern right whales and orcas in the ocean surrounding the peninsula. The peninsula is larger than you might realize looking at a map—at 3,600 square kilometers (1,390 square miles), it's not much smaller than the entire state of Rhode Island. Seeing it all in a day is impossible, but guided tours departing from Puerto Madryn will take you to some of the best spots to see the wildlife.


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Model T Exhaust Pipe Mount Kit
If the threads on your manifold are in bad shape or you simply want an easier way to install the tail pipe, this is the answer! The upper ring is held to the manifold with allen headed set screws. The lower ring is slipped over the exhaust pipe and is drawn in with three allen headed bolts. Still uses the tapered flange for sealing. U.S.A.


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John Adcock, Syston of Leicester
I will be in Leicester next week. I wish to look for local info for ancestors. I believe this John (a son Joseph b 1725 in Buckingham VA, father John Adcocke b ABT 1670 in Syston of Leicester) is the one that traveled to America. I have 2 dates for hisbirth 7 Apr 1699 or 8 Jul 1705. I hope to clear this up. I will also be looking for date of travel, ship, etc.
If any one can give me hints to save time & effort I could sure use em.
More Replies:
Re: John Adcock, Syston of Leicester
Don Adcock 7/09/05


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The market experienced revenue growth of 5.1 percent, driven mainly by premium lenses.
This amount compares with $215 million in 2012 and $350 million in 2011.
Global demand for refractive surgery continued to suffer in 2013 from a combination of economic malaise and bad press regarding the risks of LASIK.
A growing number and variety of instruments were offered.
In the retinal pharma market, 2013 brought signs of a maturing anti-VEGF market sector; in the glaucoma pharma market, generic medications continued to significantly affect revenue.
US regulators were busy in 2013 with a host of approvals for new products, supplemental labeling, and generic versions of drugs.
The $8.7 billion acquisition accounted for an estimated 87 percent of all acquisition funds in the ophthalmic market in 2013.
The market currently generates roughly $4.2 billion in annual revenue at the manufacturer's level.
We forecast global revenues for ophthalmic lasers—photocoagulation, photodisruption (YAG), and SLT devices—along with maintenance, accessories, and endoprobes, to total $380 million in 2013.
The bills are expected to be taken up by the full House and Senate in the coming weeks.
Deal was for $70 million in cash.
Drugmakers' influence on doctors made headlines recently in two cases involving companies that market to ophthalmologists.
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Interlaken to Konstanz (Aare) Self-Guided Cycling Holiday
Self-Guided | Individual | 9 days | 8 nights | From £949 per person
Full holiday prices by date are shown on the 'Book Now' tab.
Book the Interlaken to Konstanz cycling holiday here >>
Tour Highlights
• Follow the Aare and Rhine rivers from Lake Thun to Lake Constance
• See the Jungfrau, Monch and Eiger mountain backdrops
• Visit the capital city of Bern
• Stop off at the Rheinfalls in Schaffhausen
• Explore the watchmaking centre of Biel
Route: Along the Aare Cycle Path
On this route you will follow along the Aar and Rhine rivers for Interlaken on Lake Thun to Lake Constance. The backdrop of the Jungfrau, Mönch and Eiger mountains, the capital city of Bern, will take your breath away, as will the Rheinfall waterfall and the southern flair of Lake Constance.
The route is mainly along its own special cycle path or quiet regional roads. There are very few hills and the few that do exist are not very steep.
The approximate difficulty level for this tour
1st day: Arrival in Interlaken
The town between Lake Brienz and Lake Thun is a popular starting point for trips to the Aare-ravine and the mountain world of the Berner Oberland.
2nd day: Interlaken – Bern, approx. 35 km
The day begins with a boat trip on Lake Thun, before you cycle on the Bern. Goethe thought Bern was the most beautiful city in Switzerland. The old town is a world heritage site.
3rd day: Bern – Biel, approx. 50 km
Cycling along the Aare River and Lake Wohlen you will come to the bilingual town of Biel/Bienne. The Swiss watch-making industry made the town famous. In the Omega museum you can learn all about the industry.
4th day: Biel – Solothurn, approx. 30 km
Today's stage is only short so that you have enough time to enjoy the old town or the Lake. Solothurn is also a Canton capital city and is considered the most beautiful baroque city in Switzerland.
5th day: Solothurn – Aarau, approx. 60 km
The Aare river, which by this stage is powerful flow of water, marks the landscape. Villages and meadows line the way to Aarau, which still bears influences form the 16th Century and was once the capital city of the Helvetic Republic.
Day 6: Aarau – Waldshut-Tiengen, approx. 50 km
You cycle along the Aare to Brugg, where you should visit Habsburg Castle. The castle is the seat of the dynasty of the same name which once achieved the position of a true world power. Passing the "water castle" through which about half of the volume of Switzerland's water flows, you cycle on, via Koblenz, to where the Aare flows into the Rhine. The last section takes you to Waldshut-Tiengen.
Day 7: Waldshut-Tiengen – Schaffhausen, approx. 65 km
You cycle up the Rhine, passing Rheinau Abbey, which is situated idyllically on an island in the river. The closer you get to the Rhine Falls in Schaffhausen the louder the roar of the water gets. Try out one of the boat trips that take you to the rocks of the Falls and experience the roaring mass of water all around you!
8th day: Schaffhausen – Konstanz, approx. 50 km
Today you will cycle to Stein am Rhein with its many fresco-painted houses and from here on along the shores of Lake Constance towards Constance. The old episcopal town was during the Middle Ages the setting for the only council ever to be convened north of the Alps.
9th day: Departure or extension
Your cycling tour comes to an end after breakfast – there are good train conections to ensure you arrive home safely.
Route Profile
The route is mainly along its own special cycle path or quiet regional roads. There are very few hills and the few that do exist are not very steep.
Where is the starting point of the holiday?
Tour Route Map
The Interlaken to Konstanz (Aare) tour stays in national 3* hotelscarefully chosen for their location, hospitality and proximity to your tour route.
Your stay includes the daily transfer of luggage to the next hotel and permanent assistance in case of problems.
Included services
- Accommodation as mentioned in the tour course
– Breakfast
– Half board dinners (Supplement payable)
– Luggage transfer form hotel to hotel
– Maps and plans
– Boat tour Interlaken – Thun incl. bike
– Boat tour Aarau – Brugg incl. bike
– Boat tour to the Rheinfallfelsen
– Entree to the Rosgartenmuseum Konstanz incl. 1 coffee
– Service Hotline
Interlaken to Konstanz (Aare), 9 days, 8 nights
All prices are per person and include bike hire.
2018 Cycling Holiday Prices:
Prices are based on seasonal date bands
Season 1: 21.04 – 04.05.2018 | 16.09 – 07.10.2018
Arrival daily
Season 2: 03.06 – 29.06.2018 | 25.08 – 15.09.2018
Arrival daily
Season 3: 05.05 – 02.06.2018 | 30.06 – 24.08.2018
Arrival daily
Category A: Prices per person including bike hire
Season 1: £949 | Book online here >>
Season 2: £1069 | Book online here >>
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Single Supplement: £229
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Category: Hotels in national 3*** level
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Holiday Price: £949
Single Supplement: £229


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Cosmetic Dentistry
If you are unhappy with the appearance of your smile, Morning Glory Dental in Lincoln, NE can help. We offer many cosmetic dental treatments that are designed to give you the straight, radiant smile you've been dreaming of quickly, painlessly, and affordably. With the advances in cosmetic dentistry, we can completely makeover your smile! Please give our dental practice a call to learn more about your cosmetic dental options.


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Industrial Placements
Be part of something inspirational. We are looking for passionate students to join CGI. As a Technical placement student, you can expect to work on different projects in roles such as programming, testing or developing. We typically have placement vacancies within the following industries: Defence, Public Sector and Space.
We also recruit technical placement students into various base locations across the UK with our main hubs being; Borders, Bridgend, Glasgow, Reading and Leatherhead. There may also be some opportunities in locations such as Birmingham.
As CGI is a consultancy, your projects could operate from your base office, a client site or at other CGI offices asides from your base location. You should therefore be prepared for some travel in your role. As part of the selection process, you will be asked to state your industry and location preferences so we would encourage you to do your research about where you would like to go. Please note that different units operate from different locations and so your first preference for unit and location may not always be a match, so we would encourage you to think about how flexible you can be.
What you'll get
You'll be part of a unique culture that gives you the freedom to innovate, to make decisions, to achieve your full potential and to chart your own career. We also believe your success is directly linked to the success of CGI – so much so that through our Share Purchase Plan you become an "owner" of CGI through purchasing CGI shares on the open market, with the added benefit of CGI matching your contribution up to 3% of salary.
You will start at CGI on a Student Recruitment specific induction. The Student Recruitment and Learning & Development teams will support you during your first couple of years with CGI before you move on to the experiences members training opportunities. This could include webinars relating to soft skills training or a workshop on communication skills, we also have many e-learning and face to face training opportunities that will be available to you. You will benefit from a having a buddy, a Line Manager and a Career or People Manager alongside your first-class training and development, including the opportunity to train for professional qualifications.
You'll also be able to access a range of excellent benefits, including;
- Relocation Allowance
- 25 days annual leave
- Pension contributions
- Profit participation plan
- Share purchase plan
- Season ticket loan
- Sports and Social club
- Health and life benefits
- Member voluntary discounts
Our requirements
You will need to demonstrate a real interest and passion for Technology. Our Technical Placement Students will have studied for either a Computer Science related degree or will come from a STEM degree subject. Depending on which industry you would like to join, we will consider students working towards a minimum 2:1.


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Ligne Bretagne Pipe #1715lb
|Click the thumbnails above for larger views
|Click the currency icon at left to calculate estimated price in your currency. Taxes and shipping costs will be calculated during the check-out process. Non-US buyers are responsible for all customs fees incurred in their country. "Out of Stock" messages during check-out mean that the pipe has already sold, but I have not yet updated the catalog page to reflect its "Sold" status.
This bent Canadian is possibly the most elegant of all the Ligne Bretagne shapes, aside from being one of the few bents. And yes, I know, a bent Canadian isn't very standard for Canadians, but this is me, after all... The things I love about the shape are the feather-lightness coupled with the nice-sized bowl, that wide oval shank that's tailor-made for showing off grain, and the almost elven curves of the bowl and the shank-to-bowl join (Sometimes I like a really sharp, tight crease at the shank-to-bowl, but here I prefer the gradual flow, especailly in the way that the top-of-shank curve mirrors the front bottom-of-bowl curve as it transitions into the bowl).
The contrast finish was achieved via a natural briar grain darkening technique, applied then carefully sanded back to showcase every detail of the crosscut grain, and then topped with a final custom-blended tint of yellow/gold. I tried my best in these photos to capture the grain flow across the egg of the bowl, it's really gorgeous, and subtle details abound. I particularly love the bird's-eye down the sides of the shank. The stem ring is olivewood.


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Recaito, a pungent mixture of the culantro, cilantro, onion, garlic, and pepper, is a staple ingredient in many Puerto Rican and other Latin dishes. While this puree is the foundation of many dishes including soups, stews, bean and rice dishes, it can be added near the end of cooking time to finish a recipe. Don't confuse "culantro" with "cilantro." Culantro has long leaves with tapered tips and serrated edges. When it comes to flavor, culantro is like "cilantro times ten." Try recaito as an ingredient in the traditional Puerto Rican dish Arroz con Gandules (Rice and Pigeon Peas).
Yield: 1 cup or 4 (1/4 cup) bags
Place all ingredients in a food processor; pulse 8 to 10 times or until mixture is finely chopped, stopping twice to scrape down sides.
Spoon mixture by 1/4-cup measure into heavy-duty zip lock freezer bags. Flatten bags to remove air. Store in freezer until ready to use. Thaw at room temperature.


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My Retail Theatre
Engage consumers in the ultimate omnichannel personalized product experience
Engage with consumers in a unique, memorable and transformative way to build brand advocacy
Today's consumers don't just buy products, they buy experiences. At times, consumers may not know what they want and struggle to find the right categories, brands, or products in a store. They become frustrated before ever entering a fitting room, and leave without making a purchase. But if a store creates an inviting shopping experience with different options for engaging shoppers, this creates a positive emotional response, encouraging the consumer to shop longer, try and buy.
Deliver new shopping experiences:
In the fast-moving world of consumer goods, creation come and go at lightning speed, and brands and retailers need to capture the consumer's imagination to win their loyalty and business. Relying frequently on omni-channel touch points, consumers are changing the rules of the game, demanding shopping experiences tailored to new levels of personalization. The 3DEXPERIENCE® platform helps companies to deliver new products from concept to consumers. This journey integrates the voice of the consumer from the early stages of ideation through to online or in-shop product customization.
Learn more about how our industry solutions can help you to achieve your professional ambition and business objectives
Consumers demand more choice and brands that give it to them win their loyalty and repeat business. Whether online or in a physical store, digital technologies can keep clients' interest in your brand alive even when the product they want is not immediately available. Just hand them a tablet and ask them to choose their product in the color and material they want and tell them of course it's for sale!
Brands and retailers around the world are adopting technologies from Dassault Systèmes to provide their clients with more choice. Watch how in this video.


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Small Engine Mechanic
Gain a working knowledge of types and operation of small engines, engine service and repair of outdoor power equipment, engine tune-up procedures and troubleshooting methods, engine failure analysis, engine performance measurement, engine system and engine rebuild procedures. See www.midlandstech.edu/training for required tools. Lots of hands on learning.
- Total Hours: 45.00
- CEUs: 4.50


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Being a very traditional company, we feel obliged to find a useful
connection between old values and innovation. Our company building, designed by
the star architect Professor Dr. Dr. Schmidtlich, reflects a successful
combination of these two worlds.Modern white technology fiber materials are
combined with the natural beauty of wood elements to a structure that made our
building world famous.
In order to survive in the cruel and cold business world, a management
with visions and inventiveness is most important.Innovative strategy
development, handling of most modern technology and the skill to keep cool even
in the trickiest situations are defining for our management.The picture
shows our two managing directors, trying to find a date for the yearly
The personnel chief provides the social peace. Psychologically trained, he
immediately detects any problems among the staff, and has an open ear for
everyone.Even complicated cases are solved fast and competently, so that our
house has been among the most productive for years.
We really cannot complain about not getting any orders. Incoming orders
are sorted by means of a simple batch system and processed immediately. Very
fast and most modern office technology, guarantee the full satisfaction of our
In order to be able to provide top qualities and innovative products, our
purchase people constantly travel the world markets. Our detectives are looking
for interesting items even in the most remote areas of this earth. Under
sometimes life-threatening circumstances, they roam across the world, in order
to find new products again and again.
The export is a very important part of our company. The success of our
export team is based on the ability to understand and empathize with other
cultures. The picture shows our export manager establishing confidence by use of
a completely new negotiation strategy, which sure will enable him to take a very
large order home.
Most modern storage engineering and high-motivated employees are the secret
of our smoothly operating shipping department. Even in peak seasons, ingenious
storage system techniques guarantee continuous delivery service, which one
hardly finds anywhere else.
To optimally serve our customers, our trained sales representatives will
gladly visit you. No destination is too far away for these gentlemen, whose
home is the country road. They will take even the greatest strains upon
themselves, and should a means of transport pack up (which hardly occurs with
our modern vehicle park) they will nevertheless do everything necessary to keep
the appointment with you.
Everything is done for the well-being of our employees. Our personnel are
very ambitious. Thus, our cafeteria offers a rich supply that leaves no desires
open and our staff can select anything from Sushi to Steaks. Therefore, it is
not a miracle that our cafeteria is the only one in Germany that got a Michelin
star for high culinary achievements.


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My "baby" is fast approaching his third birthday at the end of this month. The sun has shone every June since he arrived into the world and at this time every year I find myself thinking "it was a beautiful day like this when my labour started and our baby was born." It's like it was only yesterday and yet, so long ago too. A friend sent me an old photo recently that she had on her phone from when he was about six months old, and I barely recognised those chubby cheeks and gorgeous rolls of fat. Continue reading Tales of parenting moments gone by
Monthly Archives: June 2014
A trip to Airfield Farm
Airfield farm, cafe and gardens in Dundrum is Dublin's only working farm open to the public. It re-opened a couple of months ago following a big refurbishment.
We're not too far from the farm so having found ourselves at a loose end last Friday, myself and the small boy decided that we'd toddle along for a look at some animals and maybe a nice brunch afterwards. Continue reading A trip to Airfield Farm
The transfer window
I cannot stress strongly enough that this is not a post about soccer.
You can fit on a postage stamp everything that I know about football. You can also narrow it down to international soccer tournaments between 1988 – 1990 that have the soundtrack of "put em under pressure" and "give it a lash Jack" belting in the background. Continue reading The transfer window
Pinterest fail – how not to make a tin foil river
So I'm not a crafty person at all. If I make things, I'm following someone else's brilliant idea but always to the letter because I'm completely clueless when it comes to this kind of thing. If it looks complicated or involves lots of "stuff", I'm out. But when Sara from Where Is My Mind? shared a very cool picture of a tin foil river from Pinterest, I knew I just had to try it because it looked like some serious craic. Continue reading Pinterest fail – how not to make a tin foil river


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Polarising film
However if two sheets are placed one on top of each other at 90 degree angles to each other and some clear acrylic, resins or other similar materials are placed in-between the Polarising film it will create optical interference (the light will be reflected and refracted) and bright bands of colour can be seen.
only light waves that are in line with the slits will pass though the Polarising film
Polarising film is a film which is made up of thousands of tiny slits all orientated in the same direction. This only allows light waves that are in the same orientation as the slits to pass though the Polarising film. If then two sheets of Polarising film are placed one on top of each other in the same orientation, the same occurs as in one sheet. But of the two sheets are placed one on top of each other at 90 degree angles to each other, then light waves at all angles will be blocked so no light will pass though.
These principles are often used for finding micro fractures or stress points in polymers by using two Polarising filters (called a polariscope) this proses is "photoelastic stress analysis"


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in the greatest nation in the world (ha ha) marino removed his name from the nomination to head of national drug control policy in the dystopian trump white house.
after media reports exposed how the pennsylvania republican strongly supported a law that prevented federal efforts to combat opioid abuse marino removed himself.
in true form, trump tweeted his idiotrump blah blah blah
this proves marino has some political savvy, unlike his quasi nazi naked emperor.
and, democrat senator manchin, in true brown-nose politician form, thanks trumpet for removing marino - what planet is this man living on? isn't it bad enough that republicans subscribe to trumpnews? now the dems are doing it? fake news. fake news
marino removed himself from the nomination - trump did not remove him - trump is a moron. a fucking moron. this from a high official who is close to him.
my sources tell me javanka is the next unqualified nobrainer who will be brought out from wherever they are hiding.
apparently jared, having finished bringing peace to the middle east, and ivanka, having successfully seen through the legislative process for programs for working women on the job and in health concerns, will have some free time to take on this labour of lucre they so love. serving the u.s.a. for personal gain. plus benefits.
i simply cannot ignore this crumbling of one of the three largest nations. a once in a lifetime opportunity to see politics as it really is - no holds barred.
the only difference between toadfacetrump and these regular politicians is he rants and raves openly.
link to original article:


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Due to our Friend-Raiser- This class is postponed - Please join us on the 20th instead between 2-5 for a tracking contest, skillet toss, hayrides and a host of other activities.
The ground beneath your very feet is full of stories, just waiting to be discovered! Come learn your tracking ABCs with us, you will never look at the ground the same way again!
No experience required! Please pre-register as spaces are limited.
Ages: All ages welcome
Instructors: Coyote Trails School of Nature Instructor Team
Cost: $20.00
Location: Coyote Trails' Jefferson Nature Center- Medford, Oregon
Time: 1-3pm
Please dress for the outdoors.


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As with any island nation, fish is a popular ingredient in Cuba. Red snapper is a fish I saw mentioned regularly in the cookbooks I've been perusing this month. In fact, my mother wanted me to make a stuffed red snapper recipe, which looks absolutely delicious. However, it would also be very expensive after buying a whole snapper plus the 2 lbs. of shrimp and 2 lobsters used to stuff it! Not to mention that I'd need to invite some guests to help eat it, though that's not usually a problem :)
The recipe I decided to try recommends grouper instead of snapper. Pescado Villaclarense is a fish fillet encrusted with almond and herb paste, sauteed to a crispy golden brown, but moist and flaky on the inside.
Pescado Villaclarense
1/3 c. onion, chopped roughly
2 cloves garlic
black pepper, a few grinds
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 Tbsp. fresh parsley
1/2 tsp. lime juice
1/3 c. almonds, toasted
2 tsp. red wine
Blend the above ingredients in a food processor to form a paste. Pat 2 grouper fillets dry with a paper towel. Spread the almond paste over both sides of grouper fillets, and wrap them in plastic wrap. Place in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes. Melt 1 Tbsp. olive oil plus 1 Tbsp. butter in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Unwrap and sprinkle fish fillets with paprika, salt and pepper. Fry the fish in the pan until the fish flakes easily and is nicely golden brown on both sides, turning gently to avoid losing the crust. Serve with lemon or lime wedges.
Adapted from Cuba Cocina! by Joyce LaFray


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I am a pessimist. No, I am a realist. I prefer to look life straight in the eye, to see it for what it is and not for what I wish it is. And because of that, I always do my damndest to take in the things I know that I can never change.
Death is arguably the one single constant in life, one that will happen to every single human being on this planet. Not even Jesus Christ of Nazareth, who the Bible says is the son of God, survived it. It is the one thing you can bet all your money on, and 100% certainty that you will win. And yet we live life, every single little tiny fraction of a second, trying to not only avoid it, but dread the day it will come calling out our name.
But I will be different. When death finally comes calling my name, I don't want to stand in denial, and act like this earth is my home forever. I do not want to dread death as if it is a bad thing. No, it actually is a good thing, because life is a hard to place to be. Death thus comes as the natural remedy for life's troubles, as the final crown handed down to you, the ultimate resting place when your heart puts an end to the strenuous life-supporting and lays you down for eternal rest.
Death is not a favourite subject for people. It is not something that people want to talk about. But as I will discuss later, death is only terrible for the rest of us who remain mourning after someone has passed on. Because after they have left us, they have no worries anymore. It is only us, who after having built relationships with those people, are left with a hard-to-fill vacuum.
Below, I will make an attempt at showing just how hard the life we live is, how tough, how rough, how dangerous, how much of a jungle this life is, and why by the time death comes knocking at your door, you should not stutter with trepidation, but embrace the only everlasting form of rest you will ever get.
Tortured place to be
"This world is a tortured place to be; so many things to torment me," is the opening line on Christian band DC talk's song, Supernatural. And without trying to be custodians of positive-living about the issue, we will by and large come to the same deduction about this life, as did the three gentlemen that made up the band above.
It is nearly impossible to treat life the way it is, to define it in its true brutal state, to characterise it as that bile dripping beast, because doing so is likely to have far reaching effects on the inspiration on which your life feeds. So we will live through this life choosing to see the glass as quarter-full instead of three-quarter-empty.
As soon as a baby is born, the act that will prove that it is alive, is crying. And so it is that the journey into this world is flagged off by tears. If you are lucky to be born in a family, one that is loving and is financially able to give you a safe landing on earth, you will go through the first three or so years with little trouble. But by the age of three, you will have tasted hunger, thirst, disease and pain. And you will have learned by then that that is the natural order.
At three years old, your mother will grab you by the hand, and walk you to school. And the one human being you have come to love and trust will throw you in the hands of another human being, and together with 30 or so other children, you will compete to get the same kind of treatment you got from your mum, from this teacher.
But of course that will not happen. You will watch a few of your fellow children win the favour of the teacher, without deserving it one bit. You will watch teachers pay special attention to 'special children' in very special ways. School will introduce you to competition, an interesting ball game whose rules are simply that either you are good enough and you take part, or you are chicken, and you back off.
You could be a Muslim living in a predominantly Christian world, like most of Kampala. But as soon as you step out of home, say into school, you will learn the shocker that the rest of the world does not treat your parents' religious values as the ultimate truth. A whole range of religious groups who think they have the right version of what God is saying will bombard you with their teaching. Some will be nice, humbly asking you to denounce everything you believe in because their holy book says you are going to hell. Others will not be so polite. They will accuse you of devil worship, of idolatry, of apostasy. And you will stand there in total confusion.
Life is a system of inequalities, blatant inequalities. You could be a simple plain average girl just getting by and studying hard. But you see, we live in a world where beauty, especially physical beauty, is a commodity whose price is always inflated. And because you are human, and you are a girl, you will crave attention. You will want to be noticed by teachers, superiors, but most especially, by boys. So, you sit there in a class where your plain, ordinary self is pitted against charming, pretty, cute little girls who have boys falling over each other for them.
And you can bet your life on it, the difference in attention you receive will not be lost on you. However hard you try to avoid it and act like books is all you care about, the idea that a girl who is prettier than you and gets noticed by boys and ends up winning favours from them, and from teachers as well, will lead to countless hours in the mirror, seeking reassurance, if not to hours of utter psychological turmoil, as you ask why it is not you that they are crazy about.
Society always wants to keep you in line, in its line. It will want you to behave in a certain way - to walk like this, to talk like that and to sit like the other way. You will realise from very early on in life that you do not have control over your life, and that society, through its representatives, (teachers, parents, authorities, friends, etc), will want to have a say in every single thing you do. Every single one!
Teenage is a time of self discovery, when who you really are slowly starts to take form. It is in this age that many people discover their sexual self. And while all other boys are meeting and talking about sexual conquests, you may not be as lucky so as to take part. You may actually turn out to be homosexual, caught up in a single sex boys' school where you are sexually drawn to people you share dormitories with. And that will be the start of a whole new zone of trouble.
By now you will know what society thinks of people like you. You will know only too well what people say that God says about homosexuals. And the first step will be denial. If you are a Christian, it will descend into months of prayer, and fasting, and counselling, and watching heterosexual pornography, and dating someone from the opposite sex, just so you can fend off these 'demons' that have cropped up in your system. But it will not stop the urges. And so you will live in a society that is fundamentally made its mind up against the very urges that define who you are.
At one time you are bound to meet the girl or boy who will drive you nuts. It's called falling in love. Few things will grip your life like that does. They will creep into every little tiny detail of your life, arrest your nerves, and make the verdict of whether you will have a good day wholly dependent on how they treat you.
And if you are a boy, falling in love will get the very best out of you. The surge of testosterone within you will see you employ a hitherto unseen sense of humour, an improvement in your public appearances, all just to impress a girl. You could be lucky, as she may be doing her part to impress you too. But, as very often happens, she may not even want to have a single thing to do with your sorry ass. And so you will spend the money on pints of milk (in school), or nights out and shots of tequila or cups of capuchinno for someone who does not even slightly come close to feeling half the way you do.
Instead, it will turn out that her affection is geared towards a totally different person. And so you will be caught in a state where you love someone so entirely, and you are even sure you can love nobody else that way, and yet they just cannot replicate the same.
It will all seem like a movie. Because in most of these cases it will turn out that there indeed are people out there who like and want you, and yet, you just can't return the love to them as well. The girl you want may also find herself wanting a boy who does not care a cent about her, and yet for some reason, she just can't turn to you who truly loves her.
It is the mishap of romance that grips many, with many ending up settling down and getting married to people who are for all intents and purposes, simply an opportunity cost, and not really the person they want to spend the rest of their lives with.
Soon school will be done, and you will head into life. There, the capitalist dragons will be waiting with their tongues dripping. The lie you were sold at school that if you read hard, you will get a good job and live happily ever after, will be undone to you when you finally realise that your academic papers are not a ticket into bliss. You will learn that for every job that opens up, there are 1,000 pairs of hands that want to do it, for half the price. But when you finally get the job, you will realise then too that you are barely given enough to bring you to work and take you back home, with little if anything left to allow you buy the cell phone you want, or even a pair of shoes.
Maturity comes with the desire to settle down, to start up a family and have children who will sort of act like a lasting memory of your work on earth. So you will get married. But in the great institution of marriage, you will find the frustrations of a loathsome man who as soon as you get pregnant, will run away and cheat with your co-workers, if not best friend or sisters. When the children are a little older, he will not come back early to help with homework or even share quality time with you, but will return in the wee of the night, drunk and demanding food.
It is the desire of every parent to give their children something that they were not able to get while children. And so, if you were one of those boys who did not have a Nintendo 64, you may want to buy your 8 year old boy one. But you see, life changes. While the N.64 is what charmed 8 year olds at your time, your son may instead be clamouring for altogether different things, like a car that will chauffeur him to school every day.
Parenting takes on the troubled state where you only get to know your children for the first three years. From then, the parenting duties are taken over by the combination of teachers, dormitory supervisors, maids, and the television. You are way too busy 'working for their future' that by the time they are 18, you have hardly sat down and got to know them and can hardly recognise them. And right after school, they will seek to run away from home, and go on to start their families. And just like that, you realise you children have passed through your hands like pedestrians. What follows is that you will grow older, soon become a grandparent, an old frail human being who is sickly and is avoided by your very children because you have now become a burden.
It is not so bad
Trying to tell a story of just how hard life is can be very futile business. You just can't grasp all, the troubles that come with being orphaned at an early age, of living below the poverty line, of being born with HIV/Aids, of going to school but failing to get a job, of living in debt, of being raped, of being tortured, of living under oppressive regimes that milk your every cent but offer no services, of having to offer sex before you get a job, of watching the girl you love cheat on you with your best friend, ad infinitum.
In the end, life is supposed to wear you out by default. And yet if you live life for even a day, you will realise that it is not exactly a very bad place. Laughter, joy and happiness are a profound feature in life. But it is also worth noting that that too comes as a result of overcoming the natural hurdles life expects you to overcome.
The joy of living is derived from man's ability to overcome troubles thrown his way by life. We will celebrate landing a good job, not because we got it, but because we struggled to get it. We are happy when we mark 25 or 50 years in marriage because it is not easy to achieve such a milestone. We celebrate in life because we manage to make it in a place where we have had to beat the odds in order to make it. And that makes living every bit worth the while. Living is itself an honour upon mankind because for every bit when we manage to do so, it is a conquest of some kind.
The trouble however is that we have treated death in the same way as many of the troubles we face in life. With the help of religion, we see it as a curse from God, as punishment, as a sort of exiling from this good earth that supports our existence. But we are wrong. Death is not bad. And death is not punishment.
Part of the reasons people fear death is the fear of the unknown. We just don't know what lies on the other side, if at all there is another side in the first place. Religion has stepped into that void of knowledge, and erroneously, given one account after another of what happens after death. Some tell us there is heaven and hell and punishment and everlasting death. Others say we become spirits who reign over the earth and roam around. Others say we mutate into animals. But no single dead person has come back and given us copper bottomed proof of what awaits us after death.
Secondly, we assume death means the same thing to the dead, as it does to the living. And that is wrong. For the living, death robs somebody they love. It occurs in gruesome forms like murder, disease and accidents. Seeing all that is not likely to make living people assume death is a good thing.
But one thing we can be sure of is that life is a draining event, one that will sell you toil by the minute, and redeem you with a little joy to keep you running. I have lived for quarter a century now. And I know that life is hard. But I am choosing to take it all in stride. I have chosen to sit back and enjoy it all. I am choosing to value the life I have, for as long as I have it, knowing well that the only feeling of gratification I will ever experience is through beating the odds thrown at me. But more importantly, I will choose not to worry about death, because if there ever is any form of rest that I will ever have, it is definitely it.