text:
What I am happy and honored to announce below is closely related to the Chocolate Caramel Banana Tart above. But I need your attention for 2 paragraphs before I tell you more about the tart. It's important. [Update: the BlogAid Cookbook is not available for sale anymore. For more info read this.]
A few days after the horrible tragedy of the earthquake in Haiti, I received an email from Julie from Dinner With Julie that made me jump in my seat and say "Heck yes I'm with you!". She had been watching the news and with every passing hour, she was as feeling as upset and hopeless as a lot of us did. She had a plan to help raise money for Haiti and she emailed for help. Julie set out to create the BlogAid Cookbook. Twenty seven of us came together and provided her with some of our favorite recipes and pictures.
Julie and her friend Cathryn worked almost around the clock to pull it all together. and I am honored and thrilled to announce that the BlogAid Cookbook is up for order!
The proceeds from the book sales will go straight to Haitian relief via the Red Cross and Doctors without Borders. It's not all though! Both West Canadian AND Blurb are matching the dollar amount of the proceeds raised, to TRIPLE those dollars going to Haiti. And until February 12th, the Canadian government will match that.
It's a POD (print-on-demand) system, meaning the books are printed and shipped as they're ordered and arrive at your doorstep in about 8 days. You can purchase yours for a good cause here.
While Julie was working on this project I was having interesting discussions with a good friend about buying too much, accumulating without purpose, wanting versus needing. I am the child of a homemaker and an army guy who lived on a small pension. I worked in a restaurant where every purchase-usage-spoilage was scrutinized, discussed and fixed. And it's in everything I do now as an adult. I am not talking about being cheap but about using things to the last drop. Or the last crumb…
My friend has a small farm. She raises a few chickens. This year she got a couple of goats. She is slowly transitioning into a path that suits her to a T and she is making enormous sacrifices along the way. Her positive energy and generosity are always invigorating. So are the eggs she gives me for baking. You can bet that none of them go to waste. As a thank you I made her this Chocolate Caramel Banana Tart.
I love the meals and snacks that take place when I clean up the pantry of fridge of all the bits and pieces before it's too late. A homemade vegetable soup with fried pieces of prosciutto, an omelette topped with the last bit of the aged gouda I like so much, a mixed up pasta dish full of different handful of herbs. I bet there's a bit of the same going on in your kitchen at times!
Desserts are always a different story at our house. Between us, the neighbors, the friends, the family, it's rare to have leftovers. Dough scraps seem to abound in the freezer though. Oh and little containers with only spoonfuls of ice cream. Too many. I lost track.
Bananas are always the ones that end up being frozen and forgotten or mashed and forgotten. Or simply forgotten. Except when I play my "make a dessert by association" in my head. Banana – peanut butter – chocolate – crust. I originally thought about doing just caramel and chocolate but this version ended up being much better than anticipated.
I finally nailed a gluten free chocolate shortcrust recipe that we both love and it makes perfect chocolate shortbread cookies too. The tart filling was soft and gooey without flowing all over your fork. Just don't be walking around the house with a slice of pie. Don't say I did not warn you…
Chocolate Caramel Banana Tart:
Serves 8-10
For the crust:
1 stick (113gr) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 cup (60gr) unsifted powdered sugar
3 egg yolks
pinch of salt
1 cup (160gr) white rice flour
1/4 cup (30gr) amaranth flour
1/4 cup (40gr) tapioca starch
1/2 teaspoon xantham gum
1/4 cup (20gr) unsweetened cocoa powder
For the caramel-peanut butter-banana layer:
1/2 cup (100gr) sugar
2 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
1/4 cup peanut butter (your choice smooth or crunchy)
2 small bananas, peeled and mashed
For the chocolate ganache topping:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chunks or chips
1/2 cup heavy cream
Prepare the crust:
In a mixer, whip together the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the egg yolks, one at a time and beating well after each addition. Mix until incorporated. Add the three different flours, the xantham gum and cocoa powder and mix briefly. Dump the whole mixture onto a lightly floured (use more rice flour) board and gather the dough into a smooth ball. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an hour.
Preheat oven to 350F and position a rack in the center.
When the dough is nice and cold, roll it out on a lightly floured board or in between two sheets of plastic to fit your prefered pie pan. (I went with rectangular this time) If the dough tears while you roll or/and transfer into the pan, just patch it with your fingertips. Line the dough with a piece of parchment paper, fill with pie weights or dy beans and par bake for 15-20 minutes until completely done. Remove the weights and parchment paper.
Prepare the filling:
In a heavy bottom saucepan, bring the sugar and water to a boil over meadium high heat and cook until you get a dark caramel. (do not walk away – it only takes minutes). Remove the pan from the heat and add the cream and butter. The mixture will bubble so be careful. Place the pot back on the stove and cook on low until the mixture is smooth. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.
Once cooled, add the peanut butter and banana and whisk until completely smooth. Pour over the crust. Refrigerate for 2 hours before topping with the ganache.
Prepare the ganache:
Place the chocolate in a medium size bowl. In a small saucepan set over medium high heat, bring the cream to a strong simmer. Remove from the heat and pour over the chocolate. Let stand for a couple of minutes and slowly stir in with a whisk or spoon until smooth. Let cool for 5 minutes and spread all over the banana filling. Refrigerate until firm.
Le P'tit Coin Francais:
Pour la pate:
115gr beurre mou
60 gr de sucre glace
3 jaunes d'oeufs
pincee de sel
160gr farine de riz blanc
30 gr farine d'amaranthe
40gr farine de tapioca
1/2 c.c de gomme xanthan
20 gr de cacao
Pour la garniture:
For the caramel-peanut butter-banana layer:
100gr sucre
2 c.s d'eau
2 cs creme liquide entiere
2cs beurre mou
30gr de beurre de cacahuete (avec ou sans morceaux)
2 petites bananes mure, epelees et ecrasees
Pour la ganache:
240gr chocolat en morceaux
125ml de creme liquide entiere
Le reste des instructions arrive…promis.


text:
History and Overview
Isfahan is located in central Iran, equidistant from the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea. It sits on both the east-west and north-south trade routes which traverse the country.
Isfahan has artifacts dating back to the Paleolithic period, and written history going back to ancient Aspandana. At one time Isfahan was among the largest cities in the world.
It has twice been the capital city of Persia -- during the Parthian Empire and again in the sixteenth century Safavid dynasty. It was here that the Safavids declared Shi'a Islam to be the empire's official religion, one of the most important markers in Islamic history.
Modern day Isfahan has one of the largest steel mills in the region, an air force base and a major oil refinery. The art and architecture in Isfahan rival anything else in the world in terms of beauty and intricacy.
Getting There
The airport is found 20km to the north-east of the city; you can reach it by taxi or bus. The airport shuttle bus goes to and from Enghelab-e Eslami Square.
It costs about 4500 rials to hire a taxi for an hour, and it's a good idea to grab one if you plan on visiting some of the more distant sights.
The main bus station is about 2km north of Shohoda Square. Here you can get buses to other cities in Iran, like Yazd or Tehran. Once a week a bus goes up to Istanbul.
People and Culture
Iranians are extremely hospitable and a growing number of them speak English, so it is possible to get by on a visit without needing to speak Farsi.
As always, it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the local customs before visiting a new place. In Iran, for example, it's not polite to blow your nose in company and it is not customary for men and women to shake hands. It is better to err on the side of caution if you are not sure how to avoid offending someone.
The local currency is the rial, however locals speak about prices in tomans (one toman = ten rials). The rial is about 12,000IRR to the Euro as of February 2009 so you can see why they have a term for reducing the number by a factor of ten. US dollars and British pounds are the best currencies to bring with you, and be sure to declare all your currency at customs when you enter the country.
The food in Iran favors fresh vegetables and fruits along with long grain rice, bread and grilled meats. Kebab is the the most common preparation of meat, did you know that came from Iran?
Keep an eye out for Abgoosht, it's a thick lamb stew with lentils and potatos, served with bread in a special container.
Things to do, Recommendations
The Zayande Roud River is a nice place to go for a walk in some open space.
Visit Naghshe Jahan square for the craftsmen's shops displaying amazing handiwork. Make sure you get some Gaz, it's the special candy of Isfahan, delicious!
Before it's too hot in the mid-day, go for a walk at Najvan Park, it offers amazing views and a deep silent atmosphere.
When you're ready to do some shopping there are several malls to pick from. Mojtame Park, Osun and Ali Ghapou malls are all located in Chaharbagh Abbasi Street. These are great for clothes, flowers, electronics etc.
Jewelry time! Honor Gold Bazzar is a very big one-floor shopping mall where you can find all types of yellow and white gold, as well as silver. 18k gold is the standard of Iran.
The Isfahan Old Bazzar is here at the end of the list because we like to save the best for last. This market sells everything you could want and then more. It's very beautiful to visit even if you aren't planning on buying anything, situated in the western wing of Naghshe Jahan Square.
Text by Steve Smith.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Job Description: Research, design, plan, or perform engineering duties in the prevention, control, and remediation of environmental hazards using various engineering disciplines. Work may include waste treatment, site remediation, or pollution control technology.
Is Environmental Engineer the right career path for you?
Take the MyMajors Quiz and find out if it fits one of your top recommended majors!
Importance | Skills |
Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents. | |
Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times. | |
Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience. | |
Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems. | |
Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action. | |
Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively. | |
Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions. | |
Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making. | |
Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one. | |
Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions. | |
Systems Analysis - Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes. | |
Mathematics - Using mathematics to solve problems. | |
Systems Evaluation - Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system. | |
Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others. | |
Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior. | |
Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences. | |
Instructing - Teaching others how to do something. | |
Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems. | |
Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things. | |
Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do. | |
Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job. | |
Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people. | |
Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly. | |
Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance. |
Importance | Knowledge |
Engineering and Technology - Knowledge of the practical application of engineering science and technology. This includes applying principles, techniques, procedures, and equipment to the design and production of various goods and services. | |
Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications. | |
Chemistry - Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods. | |
English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar. | |
Design - Knowledge of design techniques, tools, and principles involved in production of precision technical plans, blueprints, drawings, and models. | |
Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes. | |
Law and Government - Knowledge of laws, legal codes, court procedures, precedents, government regulations, executive orders, agency rules, and the democratic political process. | |
Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions. | |
Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment. | |
Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction. | |
Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources. | |
Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming. | |
Mechanical - Knowledge of machines and tools, including their designs, uses, repair, and maintenance. | |
Building and Construction - Knowledge of materials, methods, and the tools involved in the construction or repair of houses, buildings, or other structures such as highways and roads. | |
Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects. | |
Geography - Knowledge of principles and methods for describing the features of land, sea, and air masses, including their physical characteristics, locations, interrelationships, and distribution of plant, animal, and human life. | |
Sales and Marketing - Knowledge of principles and methods for showing, promoting, and selling products or services. This includes marketing strategy and tactics, product demonstration, sales techniques, and sales control systems. | |
Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media. |
Importance | Styles |
Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical. | |
Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks. | |
Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems. | |
Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations. | |
Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude. | |
Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks. | |
Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace. | |
Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges. | |
Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles. | |
Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations. | |
Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations. | |
Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job. | |
Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done. | |
Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction. | |
Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems. | |
Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job. |


text:
SAN FRANCISCO ― A new survey of the nation's college freshmen has found that the percentage attending their first-choice school has reached its lowest level in almost four decades, as cost and the availability of financial aid have come to play an influential role in decisions of where to enroll.
The annual survey released Wednesday, conducted by UCLA's Higher Education Research Institute, found that while more than three-quarters of those who started college last fall were admitted to the school they most wanted to attend, only 57 percent ended up going to their top school. That was the lowest rate in the 39 years that the institute has asked first-time freshmen if they enrolled at their dream college.
Kevin Eagan, the institute's interim managing director and an assistant professor at UCLA, said the cost of attending college appears to be largely responsible for the decline. A record 46 percent of students reported that cost was a very important factor in where they ended up, compared with 31 percent nine years ago. Meanwhile, the share of respondents who said being offered financial aid was a crucial factor in the decision to enroll at their current campus reached 49 percent — an all-time high.
"The difficult financial decisions that students and their families have to make about college are becoming more evidence," Eagan said. "Colleges that can reduce net costs to families are gaining an edge in attracting students."
Although many colleges are turning to online courses as a way to reduce costs and the time it takes to earn a degree, the survey showed that the idea was not very popular with students. Fewer than 7 percent indicated there was a very good chance they would take an online course offered by their college. The percentage was twice as high, however, among students at historically black colleges and universities.
Other key findings:
- A career in business remained the top post-college path among first-time freshmen, with 13 percent expressing interest in pursuing a career as an entrepreneur, accountant, executive, manager, consultant or administrative assistant or in the fields of human resources, sales and marketing, finance, real estate and sports management. Ten percent said they want to be doctors; 7 percent engineers; 5 percent classroom teachers; 4 percent actors, artists and musicians; and 3 percent lawyers or judges.
- More students think that peers who entered the United States illegally as children should have the right to a public education. This year, 41 percent agreed with the statement that such immigrants should be denied an education, a drop of 16 percentage points since 1996, when the institute first included the question in the survey in 1996.
- Freshmen students also showed strong support for gay men and lesbians who want to adopt children. More than 83 percent said they think gay people should have the right to adopt.
- While college campuses are often thought to be hotbeds of radical politics, only 3 percent of the survey respondents described their political leanings as far-left, and only 2 percent as far-right. More students, 46 percent, regarded their political beliefs as middle-of-the-road, while 28 percent saw themselves as liberal and 21 percent conservative.
The survey was based on the responses of 165,743 first-time, full-time students at 234 four-year colleges and universities. The responses were statistically weighted to reflect the broader population of such students — approximately 1.5 million at 1,583 four-year schools across the U.S.


text:
I broke a few macaron rules with these macarons. Or rather I bent them. They were also created in the last minute rush between Soeren's music festival and packing for Dubai. They had to be made before I left for vacation as I knew I would not have the opportunity to make macarons here at my parents place.
And boy was I right. Unfortunately I spent two days of my first week here in bed. I managed to catch a nasty tummy bug – probably by overeating and overindulging – and got myself an upset stomach. But I am on the way to recovery and yes venturing into eating and indulging again.
I had the idea for the flavors of these macarons quite a while back, however was thinking of a chocolate-espresso ganache filling. Then I had to kill two birds with one stone. Nutella Day was upon us, as was Mac Attack and the idea of doing a double feature hit me.
I love black sesame seeds. The sweet and nutty aromatic taste of the seeds make them versatile and perfect for savory and sweet recipes. Unlike the popular white colored seeds these black ones make any dish look extravagant and elegant.
The week before I left I separated two egg whites and left them to age for two days in the refrigerator. The plan was to take them out of the third day and leave them on the countertop to come to room temperature. But I forgot. I only had that one day to make these macarons and so I had to take them out a few hours before and see what happens.
It did not work. The whites were fairly liquidy and did not get to that gorgeous fluffy, foamy texture. I had to swing it nonetheless and grabbed two new eggs and separated them. With my fingers crossed I began beating and like magic things began coming together brilliantly.
I once again used the recipe from Ottolenghi as I did for my last macarons recipe, but this time reduced the temperature while baking them as the last ones were slightly overdone in my opinion. The results were simply outrageous. The macarons were the best so far with the perfect crunch on the outside, nutty from the black sesame seeds and soft and moist from the inside.
Nutella came to the rescue for the perfect hazelnut and chocolaty filling – a delicious complement to the aromatic sesame seed taste. Et voila! A delectable macaron creation made on the spur but with a lot of love for my loved ones.
Deeba and Jamie are looking for a Mac Valentine for this month's Mac Attack, while Sara from Ms. Adventures in Italy and Michelle from Bleeding Espresso want our Nutella Day creations today to spread the chocolate-hazelnut love across the globe. So to all you lovely ladies I am sending you lots of delicious love with my black sesame and Nutella macarons. Enjoy!
Note: If you are making macarons for the first time please read my comprehensive collection of macaron tips. All the way from the prep work to removing macarons from the baking paper, you'll find valuable tips and tricks for perfect macaron making.
Black Sesame and Nutella Macarons
Printable version of recipe here
For the macaron shells
Adapted from Ottolenghi - The Cookbook
110g icing sugar
60g almonds, very finely ground
60g egg whites, (about 2 eggs) aged for either 5 days in the fridge, then for 24 hours at room temperature or a little over 24 hours on the countertop
40g castor sugar
12g black sesame seedsFor the filling
jar of Nutella
two spoonsMethod
For the macaron shells
- Prepare your baking tray and baking sheets with a stencil of circles. Draw circles on some baking paper using a (mathematical) compass about 2 cm in diameter. Then place some white parchment paper on the baking tray and flip the baking paper back around. Or use this macaron template.
- In a large mixing bowl mix the egg whites with an electric hand beater (alternatively you can use a stand mixer with the whisk attachment) until it is thick and frothy. Gradually add the granulated sugar, whisking all the while, until the mixture turns into a thick glossy meringue. The consistency of the macaron batter should be similar to hair mousse or shaving foam. Make sure the meringue is not over-beaten or else it will be too dry.
- In a food processor pulse together icing sugar, almonds and black sesame seeds until the nuts and seeds are finely ground and powdery. Sift the mixture 2 or 3 times to make sure there are no lumps.
- Place the dry ingredients into a bowl. Add the meringue in three portions, giving it a quick fold using the macronnage technique described in my macaron tips section. Fold a few times to break the air. Continue until you get a smooth and supple mixture, thick in consistency so that when you lift the spatula it flows back in thick ribbons. Test a small amount on a plate – should the tops fall back and flatten by themselves then it is ready, if not give it a few more folds.
- Fill a piping bag with a plain tip with the batter and pipe small rounds (2 cm in diameter) on your prepared baking paper. Leave the macarons to rest and dry for about 15 to 30 minutes.
- In the meantime preheat the the oven to 150 degrees C. When the macarons are ready bake the shells for 12-15 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool. Use a flat offset spatula to gently remove the shells from the baking paper and allow to cool further on a rack.
Assembling the macarons
Using two spoons place small dollops of Nutella on one of the shells and gently cover with another shell. Do not press. Continue to do this until you have used up all of the filling and shells.Storing Macarons
If you are not going to be using them right away you can store the shells in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.They freeze well too but it is recommended to freeze them unfilled. To fill them take the shells out of the freezer 48 hours prior to serving and without defrosting fill them. This way the flavors will be allowed to blend as they thaw.
These were a true delight. Soeren loves the macaron delicacies I've created in the kitchen to date but this was by far his favorite. Although Tom has moderate emotions towards the French treats, these black sesame and Nutella macarons were literally gobbled down with fervor. After trying the last macarons both B. and E. were looking forward to these versions with aspiration as I had discussed the ingredients with them. They loved it and we enjoyed a few with cappuccino and espresso – perfect girls lunch treat!
I'm off now enjoying the next couple of days – planning to get a ride to the top of the world's tallest building, visit the spice souk and catch a bit of relaxing beach time with friends. I should be back after the weekend. See you then!
You might like these Valentine sweet treats from WFLH:
Quark Blancmange with a Strawberry Compote | Coconut White Chocolate Mousse with Strawberries on Coconut Joconde | Orange Mascarpone Quark Torte |
All photographs and written content on What's For Lunch, Honey? © 2006-2010 Meeta Khurana unless otherwise indicated. | All rights reserved | Please Ask First


text:
684 Arrow Grand Circle, Covina, CA 91722 --- 626.332.7744 --- Mon-Fri 9:30AM-6:30PM --- Sat 9AM-12AM
121 NE 40th St, Oklahoma City, OK 73105 --- 405.926.0411 --- Mon-Fri 9:30AM-6:30PM
Local Delivery
We offer delivery services for large orders to customers from Central California all the way to San Diego. Please call our sales team for more information on weekly, bi-weekly, or monthly deliveries and pricing. 626.332.7744
Shipping Time
Our main warehouse is located near Los Angeles, you can use the map below to estimate delivery time. Most orders ship one business day after the order is placed, then the transit days will follow. Below the map you will find exceptions to these rules for certain products.
Some items we sell may be warehoused in Amazon's warehouses across the US. If the item you order happens to be in on of their warehouses it will generally arrive in 3 days. If you need to know about a specific item please feel free to contact us and we'll let you know.
Larger and heavier items have to be shipped via LTL Freight. LTL shipments tend to take longer to arrive, but they have the benefit of being much safer for heavy and delicate items. If your order has to be shipped by LTL Freight we will contact you to find out if the delivery address is a residential or commercial address, and whether a loading dock or forklift is available. The freight company will call you to arrange a delivery appointment, usually a day before.
Shipping Costs
The cost of shipping varies based on where you live, how much the order weighs, and the value of the order. We've outline our shipping guidelines below:
To Contiguous US:
Item Weight |
Shipping Costs |
0-50 lbs |
Orders over $100 ship free; |
Over 50 lbs |
The shipping cost will be automatically calculated by the system based on the weight of your items and the delivery address provided. |
To Alaska, Hawaii, and other US Territories:
Cost will be calculated by weight at time of checkout.
To Other Countries:
We currently can offer shipping service internationally.
Please contact us for international shipping cost: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
Flights from New York to Moscow (NYC-MOW)
Looking for great deals for flights from New York to Moscow? BudgetAir.com offers the lowest fares for both direct and indirect routes to Moscow. Compare 500+ airlines reaching 9000+ destinations worldwide on BudgetAir.com.
Why book with BudgetAir?
Compare the latest deals on 500+ airlines worldwide in one search
Get the support you need, thanks to BudgetAir's Customer Care Commitment
Great deals on hotels in Moscow thanks to our partnership with Booking.com


text:
As flu-watchers like to say, you can always count on influenza virus to surprise.
The latest revelation is that scientists have apparently been wrong about where new flu viruses come from. The dogma is that they always incubate in wild migratory birds, then get into domestic poultry, and then jump into mammals — especially pigs and humans.
If novel flu viruses acquire the ability to transmit readily in humans — boom! — you've got a pandemic on your hands. And if a pandemic virus is particularly lethal, like the H5N1 bird flu virus that has made public health people anxious for the past 10 years, it could be a global catastrophe.
But evolutionary biologist Michael Worobey and his colleagues say that wild-bird scenario does not describe the true origin of the flu viruses that have troubled the world over the past 140 years.
Instead, the flu viruses circulating globally since the early 1870s are all closely related to those that infect an animal we don't associate with influenza these days: the horse.
Worobey, of the University of Arizona, has reanalyzed 80,000 flu virus genomes with a new set of assumptions about how these viruses mutate at widely different rates when they infect different species. His team found there was a "global sweep" in the mid-19th century that replaced six of the flu viruses' eight genes — the "internal" genes that code for proteins other than the hemagglutinin and neuraminidase markers found on the viruses' surface.
There's intriguing evidence that the ancestor of modern flu viruses first appeared in horses — and not that long ago, in evolutionary terms. Its introduction is marked by an explosive equine flu epidemic that began near Toronto in late 1872 quickly devastated horse populations all over North America.
Horsepower was essential in this pre-internal-combustion-engine era, so there were lots of horses around. And so many horses died of the flu that mail delivery broke down, the price of coal soared (because it couldn't be delivered), the U.S. cavalry had to fight Apaches on foot, and a fire destroyed half of Boston because teams of young men drafted to pull the pumping trucks couldn't respond fast enough.
At the same time, a flu-like disease was killing chickens, ducks, geese and turkeys. This was a half-dozen years before scientists discovered "high-pathogenic" influenza in birds.
Worobey says it's now clear the horse flu and bird flu of the 1870s were linked. That's what the genomic analysis shows, and it jibes with historical evidence.
"There were lots of newspaper articles about this horse flu jumping into birds," Worobey tells Shots. "They called it 'henfluenza.' So there's this tantalizing suggestion of a relationship between this horse flu lineage and the genetic diversity that has reshaped and revolutionized modern avian influenza populations."
The new analysis, published online Sunday in Nature, doesn't determine whether the new flu jumped from horses into poultry or the other way around. Chickens could have picked it up by roosting in barns with sick horses, or vice-versa. But in either case, it's clear that, once established in domestic birds, it spread to wild birds — ultimately to the world over.
Moreover, that 1870s-vintage virus contributed most of its genes to the H1N1 flu virus that caused the devastating pandemic in 1918-1919, which killed upwards of 20 million people around the globe.
The new analysis also establishes, for the first time, that the 1918 flu originated in the Western Hemisphere, and probably in North America. Although it's widely known as the Spanish Flu, the first known cases were among Army recruits in Kansas. (Because Spain was a noncombatant in World War I, its news media were not censored the way other nations' were, so early news reports of the terrible new flu emanated from Spain.)
"We show that the 1918 virus got most of its genes from the lineage of bird flu that became established in the Western Hemisphere" after the emergence of the horse flu in 1872, Worobey says. "You can see this virus was in Western Hemisphere birds just a few years before 1918."
These insights were possible because Worobey's team used a different molecular "clock" to calculate the timing of viral mutations in different species. Before now, scientists used an average rate of mutation for all species, even though they knew that the rate differed from one species to another.
"You can't assume an average rate," he says. "You have to allow the clock to tick at its own rate for each species. It seems like a very subtle thing, but the effect on data is not subtle at all. This takes totally confusing and conflicting histories across the eight [flu] genes and snaps them into focus like the knob on a microscope."
Worobey thinks the new method of tracking the evolution of flu viruses will change the way scientists think about these important viruses. "I think this paper does help us learn more about the playbook of flu," he says.
Pablo Murcia of the University of Glasgow, who was not involved in the new research, agrees.
He says the findings underscore the importance of monitoring poultry and swine (which have replaced horses as primary reservoirs) for the emergence of flu viruses, especially since modern farming operations concentrate these animals in such huge numbers.
"We have to be careful about the ecological conditions we create," Murcia tells Shots, "as this could result in pathogens going into wild animals, and then in the end, nature will throw them back to us!"
Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


text:
4515L - Large Yellow Balloon
Just Another Button Company© buttons are wonderful buttons made of Cernit clay. The color in these buttons comes from the clay itself, and penetrates through the entire button (thus you can change the direction a button faces from left to right simply by flipping it over). These buttons are hand-made and there will be slight differences from batch to batch.
There are no reviews at the moment. Write your review


text:
The world famous Danza Contemporanea de Cuba celebrates its 50th anniversary with its first ever UK tour, bringing the passions of Cuban dance to eight different venues across the country.
Last year marked the 50th anniversary of the Cuban revolution. The overthrow of dictator, Fulgencio Batista, on the 1 January 1959 prompted over 40 years of US embargos and state rationing, but while the country's economic growth was slowly strangled by the revolution, other cultural initiatives were permitted to breathe. Castro's communist ideal denounced the concept of private enterprise, leading to the creation of a struggling, state-run economy. Although this has meant that business in the country is now limited and ineffective, its education and healthcare are among the best in the world. All healthcare is public and education is free from early years through to post-graduate study.
One of the other areas that benefited from increased state-support was the arts and culture sector and, in particular, dance. Dance has long been a part of Cuban culture and in 1948 the indomitable Alicia Alonso introduced the idea of formalized dance, founding Cuba's national ballet company and bearing an influence that still resonates today. However, when the company refused to provide distraction for Batista's actions against student protests in the mid-1950s, all funding was cut and it was only when Castro took up the country's leadership that dance was returned to the national cultural agenda.
Castro supported the development and promotion of dance and the growing connections with the Soviet Union, a country where ballet is taken very seriously, reinforced the position of dance in Cuba. An early tour of the Alonso ballet company across the country to the remoter parts of the island gestured to the role that dance education was to play in the new Cuba. In Cuba, dance is a prestigious career choice and any child showing promise is encouraged from a young age: Havana boasts a primary school dedicated to the study of contemporary dance and it is also on the national curriculum for secondary school students.
With the abolition of the Batista regime and the newfound support for the arts from Castro, a host of dance companies exploded onto the scene. One of the most fundamental of these new companies was Ramiro Guerra's Conjunto Nacional de Danza Moderna, which became today's Danza Contemporanea de Cuba. Contemporary dance is a relatively recent development in Cuba, arriving with the revolution, and the foundation of the Conjunto in 1959 is considered to mark the beginning of contemporary Cuban dance. Guerra, who danced with Martha Graham's company in New York, moulded the Conjunto's repertoire into a uniquely Cuban blend of modern American theatre, Afro-Caribbean dance styles and classical European ballet.
The popularity of Cuban dance internationally has continued to grow and Cuba has an impressive reputation for the quality of its dancers, counting Carlos Acosta at the Royal Ballet in London and Jose Manuel Carreno at the American Ballet in New York among its exports. Assis Carreiro, Director of the UK's Dance East, suggests that part of what makes the Cubans such fantastic dancers is that "the climate, the heat, the humidity allows for dancers to be very warm, very flexible." However, despite the wealth of talent in Cuba, it is still difficult for these dancers and companies to get international exposure. Due to the relative isolation of Cuba and the economic situation, the companies are lacking in both the budget and resources needed to undergo many tours abroad.
International dance organisations are trying to change this and are keen to see Cuban dance expand on a global scale. The UK's Dance Consortium is one such organisation and has been integral in helping to bring Danza Contemporanea de Cuba (now under the leadership of Miguel Iglesias) to Britain for their first major UK tour. Assis Carreiro, who was responsible for organising the company's performance at Snape Maltings in 2008, explains how the companies have been working together now for four years. They have been teaming Cuban dancers up with international choreographers and working with training institutions to bring children over to the UK to perform: "Cuba is producing some of the best talent in the world but what they are lacking is often choreographic input." Danza Contemporanea de Cuba consists of 60 dancers drawn the Escuela Nacional de Arte and counts more than 70 works in its repertoire. The technical skill and the passion of the dancers are undeniable but without the money to fund new choreography, Cuban dance will be limited in its growth.
Training choreographers in Cuba is difficult because of the social and economic restrictions: dancers are unable to access wider influences from the international community and learn from other choreographers. In light of this, Dance East and Sadler's Wells have commissioned choreographers from other countries to create pieces that enable the Cubans to showcase the full range of their talent and skill, including work by Swedish choreographer, Mats Ek and Dutch choreographer, Jan Linkens. Despite the difficulties, there are still a number of promising choreographers coming from Cuba and Assis Carreiro speaks with passion about one choreographer who has grown from within the company itself.
George Cespédes, who dances with Danza Contemporanea de Cuba, has choreographed Mambo 3XXI, which will make its UK debut on the upcoming tour along with the other, internationally choreographed pieces. Carreiro explains how they hope that this tour will begin to open up perceptions about Cuban dance: "Mambo was a real challenge for George because he didn't want to be stereotyped. We asked him to use Cuban music so he used it in a very interesting way. It's not what you expect but it's a very powerful work." It is significant that Cespédes is choreographing work and showcasing it outside of Cuba: "It's not easy to create choreographers so he's quite special and it's about nurturing and supporting him." A longer term aspiration for the international dance community would be to have Cespédes begin to make work for companies outside of Cuba and thus develop further as a choreographer, bringing the inspiration and passion of Cuban dance to the international stage.
Encouraging and assisting the Cuban companies to travel with their work will benefit everyone involved: through the collaboration and observation of other cultures, international dance will progress and develop. For Cubans, "because of the hardships dance is a way out for a lot of young people;" it presents opportunities and "in the ballet company dancers get a car and a flat." Cuban artists are allowed to travel and live abroad, dancers are seen as ambassadors for the country, bringing it prestige and building its international reputation.
The country's prolonged isolation has meant that Cuba remains an enigma. Romantic perceptions have been created around the island: Cuba is rum and cigars and the majority of people's understanding of the country goes no further than the iconic print of Che Guevara, an Argentinean-born socialist. Perhaps the growing international presence of Cuban dancers and choreographers will allow a more profound insight into Cuban culture. The dissolution of stereotypes and the development of understanding are essential in encouraging Cuba's international inclusion. Performances of Cuban dance in other countries are aiding this change, as Assis Carreiro points out: "It's not just about Salsa; it's about a lot more." Danza Contemporanea de Cuba's UK tour aims to demonstrate the complexity and unique quality of Cuban dance and challenge these preconceptions.
Bringing dancers over from Cuba is a logistical and bureaucratic nightmare. However, if companies such as Dance Consortium and Danza Contemporanea de Cuba can continue to find ways to work together then who can say what the future may hold. Cuba is in a period of change, with Raul Castro making small but significant changes to the economy and steps towards international reconciliation. Perhaps in time the creativity and passion of Cuban dance will transcend its boundaries and its influence will be felt on a more global scale.
Danza Contemporanea de Cuba toured to eight UK venues with a triple bill that features the UK premiere of Casi-Casa by leading Swedish choreographer, Mats Ek, Folia by former Dutch ballet choreographer, Jan Linkens, and Mambo 3XXI by Danza Contemporanea de Cuba Principal, George Cespédes. It premiered at Newcastle Theatre Royal on 23 February 2010 and concluded at Sadler's Wells on 20 March 2010, www.worldwidedanceuk.com.
Bryony Byrne


text:
From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...This is one of my favorite seasonal desserts and I make it several times each summer. Pavlova is a light meringue dessert that is usually topped with whipped cream and fresh fruit. This airy dish was named after Anna Pavlova, a Russian prima ballerina who toured Australia and New Zealand in the late 1920's. The dessert was created in her honor and I'm told it is still wildly popular in those countries. A well-made Pavlova has a crackly crisp crust and a soft marshmallow interior that makes it a perfect base to hold a creamy filling and seasonally fresh fruit. The version I'm featuring today is based on a recipe that first appeared in Gourmet magazine. It differs slightly from more classical preparations in that it uses lemon curd to fill the shell on which the berries rest. The combination of sweet and tart is irresistibly delicious, but because this is a meringue dessert, some care must be taken when assembling it. The eggs should be at room temperature if you want to achieve maximum volume and the meringue should be baked at a low temperature to achieve a light crust, while still retaining a soft marshmallow interior. The meringue should dry in the oven and as it does, it will crack. The shell is very fragile, and while the recipe developers say it can be frozen, I wouldn't count on being able to do that. That crackly crisp crust also crumbles. The tartness of the lemon curd is a perfect foil for the sweetness of the berries and meringue shell and the yin and yang nature of this dessert is close to perfect. The only caution I have to share with you regards the appearance of the Pavlova. In my kitchen, anyway, it is unpredictable and can range from stunning to something best described as a hot mess. I live in a generally damp climate that probably explains the variance, but the inconsistency prevents me from telling you that this dessert makes my socks go up and down. It is, however, really, really, really good and I know you will love its play of flavors. This deserves to be tried. Here's the recipe.
Pavlova with Lemon Curd and Mixed Berries ...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Gourmet Magazine
1 tablespoon cornstarch
3 large egg whites at room temperature 30 minutes
3 tablespoons cold water
1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1/2 stick unsalted butter
3 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
4 cups mixed berries
1) To make meringue: Place a rack in center of oven and preheat to 300 degrees F. Trace a 7-inch circle on a sheet of parchment paper. Turn parchment over and put on a baking sheet.Whisk superfine sugar and cornstarch together in a small bowl. Beat whites with a pinch of salt using an electric mixer at medium speed until they hold soft peaks. Add water (whites will loosen) and beat until whites again hold soft peaks. Increase speed to medium-high and beat in sugar mixture 1 tablespoon at a time. After all sugar has been added, beat 1 minute more. Add vinegar and beat at high speed until meringue is glossy and holds stiff peaks, about 5 minutes (longer if using hand-held mixer). Gently spread meringue inside circle on parchment, making edge of meringue slightly higher than center (the "crater" is for curd and fruit). Bake until meringue is pale golden and has a crust, about 45 minutes (inside will still be marshmallow-like). Turn oven off and prop door open slightly with a wooden spoon. Cool meringue in oven 1 hour.
2) To make lemon curd: While meringue bakes, stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, then add lemon juice and butter. Bring to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking, then continue to simmer, whisking constantly, 1 minute. Lightly beat yolks in a small bowl and whisk in 1/4 cup lemon mixture, then whisk into remaining lemon mixture in saucepan. Reduce heat to low and cook, whisking constantly, until curd is thickened, about 2 minutes (do not let boil). Transfer to a bowl and stir in zest. Chill, surface covered with parchment, until cool, about 1 1/2 hours.
3) To assemble: Beat heavy cream until it just holds stiff peaks, then fold 1/2 cup beaten cream into curd to lighten. Spoon lemon curd into meringue and mound berries on top. Serve remaining whipped cream on the side.
Cooks' notes:
•For best results, keep oven door closed as much as possible during baking.
•Meringue can be made 2 days ahead and frozen, wrapped well in plastic. Thaw before serving.
•Curd can be made 2 days ahead and chilled.
One Year Ago Today: Frenchified Meatloaf
Two Years Ago Today: Curried Egg Salad
Three Years Ago Today: Warm Poached Sausage and Potato Salad


text:
LED Garden Lights
The potential of LED lighting began to be realised perhaps as far back as the late 1970s, but it really trundled into being around the beginning of this, the 21st Century. Its evolution has been sent spinning by the need to dispatch with energy inefficient lighting sources, conveniently nut-shelled by the recent banning of incandescent GLS bulbs in Europe. Alternative lighting is needed.
For many outdoor purposes LED is particularly well suited. Why? Consider the applications - lights that are often left on for extended periods of time, lights that need to be rugged and capable of taking a bit of stick, lights that require so little power they might be self-sufficient if we can wire them up to natural energy sources. All of these boxes are ticked by LED garden lights. So they're there, now, ready to use.
Let's skip down the garden path a bit and look at some of these lighting forms - the ones that you'll find out in the open as opposed to exterior wall lights or security lights:
- Pedestal and post lamps are ideal for such purposes as lining a garden path, or marking an entrance to that path or perhaps a set of steps. Pedestal lights are shorter and stockier than post lights, by the way, but the strict definitions can sometimes be blurred. The LED versions of such lights tend to come in 'plug and play' low voltage kits. Usually you won't need to dig up the garden to bury the cable, and the base kit can often be expanded with the addition of an extra light or two. These types of lights are simplicity itself to install!
- Spotlights are also available in LED, which obviously might serve a number of purposes. You can use them to accent or highlight garden features, plants, or shrubbery, or you might have a more functional use for them such as illuminating utility areas. Again, these lights tend to come in plug and play kits, where you can buy the base kit and then connect extra lights to the same LED driver, up to that driver's maximum load. If necessary there's always the option of multiple kits. A nice thing about LED spotlights is that they can often be enclosed attractively and without the constraints in design imposed by heat-producing alternatives.
- Garden spikes are simply any of a variety of lights - many of which are LED - that are designed with a large spike at their base for easy but firm installation. They might be contemporary in design or they might be rustic lanterns! Again, such arrangements are typically low voltage kits with the potential to buy extra lights according to the driver's maximum wattage load.
- Walkover lights are perfect for LED technology because its durable, vibration and shock proof. Plus it's capable of fitting into small spaces and generates no discernible heat. LED walkover lights look great when installed in decking, as well as providing valuable illumination. Walkover lights tend to have exceptionally high IP ratings too, exposed as they often are, and some models can even by submersed. Use underwater accent lighting to highlight your pond! You should always check manufacturer's guidelines to ensure suitability.
- Solar powered lights: according to season we may have items such as solar-powered fairy lights in stock. If you have a conifer tree in your garden, make it appear festive without having to pay running costs! Any type of daylight will charge the lights' batteries during the day, and at night, presto! Other forms of LED solar powered light also exist, including wall lights and security lights.
When it comes to illuminating the garden LED style, already you'll find plenty of creative and economical choice. Take advantage of tomorrow's light form now!


text:
Wednesday, August 11, 2010
Skimpy Dimpy ki ajeeb kahani...
This appeared in The Week....
Beating the retreat….Rahul Mahajan style!
Nothing is more telling ( or damaging) in cyber space than instant messaging that mocks a celebrity through clever limericks, as it happened in the aftermath of the ludicrous Rahul Mahajan tamasha. The SMS doing the rounds went like this: "What is Rahul Mahajan's Facebook status? It reads : 'Give me sunshine…. Give me rain… give me another wife… to beat up again'." This was right after wife number 2. Skimpy Dimpy went public with her bruises and bumps which she claimed had been inflicted on her by an enraged Rahul who couldn't access the locked keypad of her mobile phone. 21- year- old Dimpy from Kolkata managed to escape ( with her phone, of course) in the dead of the night. And what was the first thing she did? She called a tabloid reporter and posed for pictures. She didn't call the cops and she didn't file charges. Instead, she invested her time wisely by appearing on countless television channels talking about Rahul's brutality and wowing publicly that she was done with him and their farcical marriage (solemnized on tv as the finale of a reality show). That was the cue for wife number 1. to join the fray and revisit her own tabloid past in which she too had gone to town flashing her wounds ( no guesses – same man, same tactic). Next to pop up on the small screen was a former girlfriend who spoke languidly about being battered by this brute. All three women took the tabloid route to air their tales of woe. Just as the media campaign was gathering force to go after the villainous man and pack him off to jail (again!), Skimpy Dimpy did an about turn and went back into his arms after damning the ex and hurling accusations at her about phone stalking her wonderful husband. All this would pass for amusing gossip if the issues were less serious. Rahul Mahajan sounds like a serial wife beater. A man whose record for domestic violence ought to be taken note of and addressed. As of now, we seem to be watching a carefully orchestrated audition for yet another mega bucks reality show starring the abusive Rahul and his docile wives, plus sexy ex-es.
If we allow as important a subject as domestic violence to be thus reduced to a perverse form of entertainment, we will be committing nothing short of a crime.A crime against millions of disempowered women in our society who are at the receiving end of the most abominable abuse and remain powerless till the bitter end. Not being dubious celebrities, the media ignores their plight, and families watch helplessly from the sidelines, unable to come to their aid due to social\financial pressure. What is alarming is that the number of abuse cases seems to be climbing, not declining. Women appear to be far more vulnerable today than they were even ten years ago. How come? Take a look at the headlines – stories of stabbing, burning, hitting, battering defenceless wives and girlfriends are on the rise. This nasty phenomenon cuts across class and the easiest targets seem to be young working girls, who are perhaps the prime victims in our cities. Social historians examining the data may have a different point of view, but I believe our society – men , in particular – are simply not ready to accept independent women. When the frustration levels of such insecure men rise, they resort to the one weapon they know most women cannot shield themselves from – physical violence. Urban society expects men to respect the pressures on career women and make the required adjustments, given the financial contribution these ladies make to the family kitty. This doesn't happen. Unable to deal with a woman who has a mind and money of her own, some men vent their rage by hitting out… secure in the knowledge that most times women will lump it ( women are such suckers!!!).
Perhaps we should revisit some of the more in-your- face reality shows that are raking it in by manipulating our pathetic, vicarious thrills seeking selves. Skimpy Dimpy , Payal Rahtogi or even Monica Bedi were nobodies till they attracted attention on these grotesque shows. More fools us for getting conned. 'Aal eez welll,' declared a smug Rahul hugging his estranged-for-a-day wife.Oh yeah? Tell that to the marines – better still, announce 'Rahul Ka Samjhauta'. We deserve nothing better.
27 comments:
- Akshay said...
Top notch as usual...
- August 11, 2010 at 6:58 PM
- Unknown said...
Couldnt stop laughing at
Dimpy managed to escape (with her phone, of course)
YOU ROCK !!! - August 11, 2010 at 7:45 PM
- anamika said...
He he..i have such great observation power..i thought Dimpy was genuine this time..
u r so clever woman
http://www.wiseshe.com - August 11, 2010 at 7:59 PM
- Divya (Virmani) Chadda said...
Rahul is something man...always in news for something or the other!
And Dimpy, I fail to understand how she thought of marrying him in the first place...?
'Dimpy managed to escape (with her phone, of course)' LMAO - August 11, 2010 at 8:17 PM
- Latha said...
You know that they are fooling us. Then why do you give them so much publicity ? One day he hits his wife. Next day, it is his ex girlfriend's fault. If you find it funny, fine. But do not bother to give them more publicity knowing that they are living life on camera to gain attention by fooling the viewers.
These people have nothing to contribute to the society. So this is the only way to stay in the limelight without doing anything constructive. At least Pramod Mahajan worked hard during the election for his party. These people are up to spoiling his name. Rich kids. Rather pampered kids. - August 11, 2010 at 8:17 PM
- a hindu seeker said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- August 11, 2010 at 8:26 PM
- UjjwalRaaj said...
Rahul Mahajan is a loser. period.
Dimpy Mahajan reminds me of an ex girlfriend somehow....maybe it's the stupidity and lack of self respect. No I did not beat her up.
Men accept the independent woman. But not all do.
We live in interesting times. We live in India. Double whammy eh?
http://sourcanvas.blogspot.com - August 11, 2010 at 8:42 PM
- Anil Kumar said...
That sexy old desperate bastard Prannav Roy of NDTV should be awarded MEDIA RATAN AAWARD for allowing programs like
Rahul SLUT le jaayenge (multiple times) and
Raakhi ka swyamwar/VAGINA up for sale...
They can make even mentally retarded people as stars and STUPID indians watch them with curiosity.
As long as the ELITE BASTARDS in media who have come down to the level of PIMPS working at the redlight districts of Delhis GB road for quick money have their ways, things will go from bad to worse.
The sheer number of SLUTS mushrooming through TV programs in this country has increased CRIME against women. The results are already out. Besides the bollywoods RAANDs like Kareena Kapoor, Aishwarya Rai, Priyanka Chopra, Mallika who are bent on showing their DEPLORABLE ASS and happily do roles where they are REPEATEDLY NAILED DOWN from head to toes by their male counterparts to show their OOOOOMPH factor and enjoying orgasm will CREATE more SLUTS in society.
A man's male organ is waiting for an opportunity and it gets deflection in split seconds. After watching this tamasha on TV and movies thinks that every women travelling with western clothing and tight jeans in metro train or bus is Mallika Sherawat and they have too many fantaasies. Most of these men come from background where women of their household still follow PARDA system. In such a society where their is huge difference between societies and constant focus of MEDIA to show WESTERN clulture are producing countless sluts.
I still have to see programs on TV which actually educate people about what is right and what is wrong...what is acceptable behaviour and what is not...MEDIA is not building a society...its making a NANGI/NAKED society every single day.
The DAMAGE done in last decade by Aishwarya Rai, Mallika Sherawat, Kareena Kapoor and other sluts has indeed generated MOST DIRTY and filthy kind of crimes against women...Amitabh Bachhan may say that CHANGE has come and embrace the change...But I think the GREED of money has lowered down the panties of women at home and hence increased the crime against them. - August 11, 2010 at 9:44 PM
- Writing Buddha said...
Nice one mam...
- August 11, 2010 at 10:17 PM
Ill gotten money goes down the drain...........
- August 11, 2010 at 11:09 PM
- nakul gulati said...
beauty got engaged with a bastard i guess
- August 11, 2010 at 11:17 PM
- Vivere said...
With the ideal 'bhartiya nari' rushing back to her husband's arms after the whole debacle,who cares about domestic violence anyway??
It has become a mockery now, a publicity gimmick,pushing aside the matter which mattered the most esp for all those wives who get beaten up in the confines of their snug homes, by the men whom they call their life partners.
Reality is not that funny afterall.
Good one!:) - August 11, 2010 at 11:49 PM
- hamaarethoughts.com said...
nice to know..I didn't have a clue about this story!
- August 12, 2010 at 4:12 AM
well said
- August 12, 2010 at 9:57 AM
- wise donkey said...
its not easy to respect the woan in skirt because its not easy to respect the man in skirt.
women are comfortable with the pant and skirt but men will accept women as equal, only when we stop looking down on the skirt.
domestic violence is such a serious issue, its now become a joke thanks to these "celebrities." - August 12, 2010 at 12:03 PM
- Priya said...
Anything for publicity. They know how to be in news every morning.
- August 12, 2010 at 12:59 PM
- SoftTouchLenses said...
Save upto 70% on all major brands of contact lenses Online In INDIA including B&L/J&J/Freshlook/Acuvue & many more. www.SoftTouchLenses.com
- August 12, 2010 at 1:06 PM
- Another Kiran In NYC said...
Rahul mahajan is just super creepy. No longer an entertaining clown, his actions appear criminal.
However, when we start off by attributing planning, purpose or cynicism about domestic violence to the women who surround him and are his alleged victims.... our disgust of the horrors of his intrinsic misogyny is diluted. Lucky him, at this rate he will never be punished for his actions. - August 12, 2010 at 4:10 PM
- Radhika Gupta said...
i don't a person like rahul mahajan deserves so much of attention...he's actually a loser...
- August 12, 2010 at 5:10 PM
- Delhi Goon said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- August 12, 2010 at 5:37 PM
- Delhi Goon said...
Along with you Ms.De, I agree in part with most of the folks on this page. I have been "inspired" to pen these words -
I did not want to be evil
But I also did not want to be dull
So I hit her for fun
Now I am on the run
BTW I know for a fact that women can beat the crap out of most men. No, I am not speaking from experience :D - August 12, 2010 at 5:39 PM
- wise donkey said...
thinking about it, its not fair to ask why dimpy didn't trust cops.
maybe she felt rahul wouldn't get intimidated by a cop he could bribe but would worry more about his media image.
after all didn't apollo hospital give him a no-drug certificate? - August 13, 2010 at 12:50 PM
- Sidhusaaheb said...
Though the statistics probably do weigh heavier on the other side, one does tend to wonder what motivates the perpetrators of domestic violence (emotional and psychological abuse also counts as that according to the law) from the other side i. e. from amongst women.
Is it because they are unable to deal with a man who has a mind and money of his own or is it because women are simply not ready to accept independent men (as against hen-pecked husbands)?
In any case, they are probably secure in the knowledge that most times men will lump it, courtesy Section 498A of the Indian Penal Code, which can be misused with impunity, in addition to the social pressure to 'be a man and get on with it'.
As for Mrs. and Mr. Mahajan, how can they possibly keep the dough rolling unless they create such controversy and, as a result, get reported about in the news-media? Who will invite them to be a part of one television reality show or the other unless they do that? - August 15, 2010 at 3:08 AM
- Neha said...
Maybe its high time the media stop covering people like rahul mahajan and his personal life because he and his wives are getting what they want..publicity.. and viewers should stop watching these rubbish shows that make a mockery of marriage and women!!
- August 19, 2010 at 1:57 AM
- Buzzintown Blogger said...
looks like this whole episode was a media gimmick ' Rahulji we don't have any news today plz help us....' hahahaha
Good one ''Aal eez welll,' declared a smug Rahul hugging his estranged-for-a-day wife.Oh yeah? Tell that to the marines – better still, announce 'Rahul Ka Samjhauta'. We deserve nothing better.'
Question is seeing his past why on earth did Dimpy choose to marry him?
movies in Mumbai
movies in Hyderabad
movies in New Delhi
movies in Bangalore - August 19, 2010 at 11:56 AM
- Joseph said...
Dimpy Mahajan reminds me of an ex girlfriend somehow....maybe it's the stupidity and lack of self respect. No I did not beat her up.
Men accept the independent woman. But not all do.
Tell us what you want. We will search and exactly meet your need for FREE.
PAY NO commission, NO service charge, NO brokerage & NO fees @ GetMeBest.com for any Real Estate and Bank Loan needs
Real Estate [Residential & CommerciaL] for Buy, Rent & Lease. Bank Loans:- Car Loans, Home LOans, Personal Loans & other loans. - August 21, 2010 at 11:42 PM
- Water Engineer said...
Poor, poor skimpy Dimpy. Could not afford enougyh cloth to cover herself. On top of that being forced to pose in semi nude aka in skimpy dress.
Rahul's tamasha went on for months, and Dimpy was whole hearted participant. Poor, poor Dimpy. Kept in dark about antecedents of rahul. Rahul and male dominated media hid his wife beating past.
Poor, poor Dimpy was bashed in middle of night. And like an (un)empowered woman walked out at 3 am. But withind 12 hours she was back. After all, bad old MCP aka Rahul is sitting on a heap of gold. Seedhi sadi Dimpy.
Was Dimpy deprived of enough cash so she had to go about skimpy.
Who forced her to0 pose 9in skimpy dress? Her husband or some other shutterbug? And WHEN?
Who had hidden details of Rahul's history from her?
That is a start. More questions can crop up. - August 23, 2010 at 8:59 AM


text:
Police Departments in the United States
Return to the Business Database IndexPolice Departments Total U.S. Count: 20,453
Are you searching for business lists, mailing lists or telemarketing lists for Police Departments throughout the United States? DatabaseUSA.com® compiles one of the most accurate business databases in the industry. DatabaseUSA.com® triple-verifies all businesses in our database and our account executives are trained to help guide you in finding the best list for you and your business. DatabaseUSA.com® has one of the most comprehensive and accurate databases of every business.Whether you are looking for specific industries or trying to target company's base on sales volume, employee size, specific titles of top executives, businesses in certain cities, states, or zip codes, business addresses of specific employees, DatabaseUSA.com® can help. This list is ideal for prospects looking to sell research and devolopment software, accounting software, office supply, office furniture, vehicle repair and services, police equiptment and services
Types of Police Departments
SIC Code | List Title | List Count | Email Count |
9221-001 | Police Departments | 20,453 | 24,002 |
9221-009 | Sheriff's Office | 7,570 | 7,659 |
9221-011 | State Police | 2,617 | 5,143 |
9221-015 | Police Protection | 2,763 | 1,743 |
Mailing Lists of Police Departments
DatabaseUSA.com® provides sales leads, mailing lists, business lists, and email marketing – on all U.S. businesses. DatabaseUSA.com® triple-verifies our database by using yellow page data, telephone verification and company website information — including search engine information. We are known as one of the Top Providers of data in the country.Selections Available for the Police Departments List
- By Employee Size
- By Territory or Market Area
- By SIC Code or NAICS Code
- By Sales Volume
- By Complex Selections
Additional Information where available
- Number of PC's
- Square Footage
- Annual Advertising Expenses
- Annual Office Equipment Expenses
- Annual Rental Expenses
- Annual Accounting Expenses
- Utilities Expenses Per Year
- Technology Expenses Per Year
- Business Insurance Expenses Per Year


text:
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
No Room For Johnny
Rosewater writes that "Timmy likes to win big. He doesn't want to eke out a last minute victory. Timmy wants to smash his opponents. He likes his cards to be impressive, and he enjoys playing big creatures and big spells." In WoW terms, we'd probably ascribe the "casual" label to Timmy.
"Spike is the competitive player. Spike plays to win. Spike enjoys winning. To accomplish this, Spike will play whatever the best deck is. Spike will copy decks off the Internet. Spike will borrow other players' decks. To Spike, the thrill of Magic is the adrenalin rush of competition. Spike enjoys the stimulation of outplaying the opponent and the glory of victory." We'd definitely tag Spike with the "hardcore" label.
But there's a third archetype in Magic, one that may be missing from WoW: Johnny. "Johnny likes a challenge. Johnny enjoys winning with cards that no one else wants to use. He likes making decks that win in innovative ways. What sets Johnny apart from the other profiles is that Johnny enjoys deckbuilding as much as (or more than) he enjoys playing. Johnny loves the cool interactions of the cards. He loves combo decks. Johnny is happiest when he's exploring uncharted territory."
I know that Johnny exists in WoW. He's the guy who is constantly tinkering with off-the-wall builds; who derides "cookie-cutter" builds on the forums; who attempts to challenge a paladin raider who declares (rightly) that you should use spell crit gems instead of +heal/+int gems. (This last one is from recent threads on the paladin forums. Osc is arguing with Aus and an whole lot of paladin raiders on this issue. Osc is wrong, but I understand why he is arguing.)
Yet Johnny occupies a very different place in the Magic hierarchy than in the WoW hierarchy. In Magic, Johnny is respected because occasionally his creations are tournament-level, and often end up being the most powerful decks and/or breaking the format. In WoW though, Johnny's creations are almost never as good as the cookie-cutter builds and options. Johnny is considered misguided at best, a bad player at worst, and generally to be wasting his time. The hardcore guilds are rarely tolerant of Johnny.
So why does this difference exist? I think it exists because the math behind WoW is a lot simpler than the math behind Magic. In particular, the costs in WoW (mana, rage, energy, time) are a heck of a lot simpler than the costs in Magic (tempo, card-advantage, mana-curve). The value of an ability rarely changes in a fight. Thus the best abilities and sequences are quickly calculated. There is no real room for Johnny to experiment.
I think that when designing a game, it's important to try and ensure a place for Johnny, to look at what you can do to prevent cookie-cutter builds/gear/rotations from dominating and stifling that segment of your playerbase.
28 comments:
- Anonymous10:26 PM, July 09, 2008
There is something of a niche for "Johnny". I think people get too focused on high end raiding as the only possible judge of how good a spec is, with perhaps pvp as an "acceptable" alternative spec. One place those of us with odd specs can shine are heroics - and off-specs excel there.
My arcane mage still partly in blues (and no tier gear) blows away most raiders geared less than t5 or better on the dps charts. Why? Because heroics have shorter battles, so her spec's main weakness - mana issues - mostly isn't a problem there and her ability to generate a large amount of relatively low threat burst dps burns things down fast. Likewise, my shockadin, who has the same need to watch mana closely, is a huge asset in heroics and especially 10 mans where she can dps for trash and heal for bosses. - Anonymous11:30 PM, July 09, 2008
I have a friend with 50 toons, specifically so he can try all the unorthodox specs. He loves it, it frustrates the hell out of everyone else...
but I dare say if he was on a RP server, he would be considered a king. You forgot two important factors: First, there's a huge amount of different mechanics in Magic cards. There's more permutations of card synergies than there are of skill/talent synergies. Secondly, you're more free to mix-and-match. Unlike in WoW, there's nothing stopping you from doing oddball combinations like getting cheap spells from one color and expensive spells from the other. In WoW, you need to pick the low-end talents before you can reach the high-end talents from the same tree. Also, you're not limited by classes. If you want to mix green's critters and buffs with black's debuffs, there's nothing stopping you after you allocate a proper mix of land cards. In WoW, you cannot play a feral affliction lockdruid.
ReplyDeleteYou're forgetting magic always brings some new mechanics in a constant cycle the way to play with these new mechanics is often found by the "johnnys" where as in wow mechanics are quite stagnant.
Not that it is a bad thing considering this is an MMO and to progress that rapidly and change the game so radically would probably annoy a lot of players considering the time involved in developing a character.
That being said introduction of new spells would be brillant for the "Johnny" type and i definitely would attribute myself with that title as i prefer to think on a different level( wow that sounded arrogant) but this would need to be on a patch by patch basis.
Honestly pre-tbc i saw the enormous potential for a pally in arena with blessing of sac
i have somewhat of a philosophy when it comes to abilities use them all no matter how weak them may seem or underused see a druid? scare beast you're a warrior and a hunter has their pet on the healer in wsg taunt the pet when it comes down to it use every spell as not a single one is useless( except firestone not even i could figure that one out)
But blizzard's patchs are mainly about reducing dominance of previous cookie cutters giving rise to the next line so to speak there haven't been any radical changes since TBC or indeed prior to that other than nerfing a class.
I.E shamans remained gimped throughout the expansion and no patch could save them as blizzard was unwilling to make any sort of drastic change
Sure they throw one or two up from time to time but they never make it past test realms do they?
Simply changing X in an equation doesn't change it it's still the same basic equation if you starting adding Y's well then things need to be rethunk and cookie cutters need to be remade
in summary Don't change things like cooldowns or mana cost or tack some stupid side effect onto a spell (Arcane shot dispel wtf) add new spells help players rethink new combos for a changeAh, M:tG. Good times were had.
I was definitely a Johnny player in Magic. I would constantly rip my decks apart and rebuild them, using different concepts and seeing if they worked. My masterpiece was a zerg-rush deck involving Merfolk and Islandwalk, centered around the Lord of Atlantis summon card, Phantasmal Terrain, and tons of cheap Merfolk summons that I pumped up through Sunken City and other enchantment cards.
Ah, memories...I think you've answered your own question. There is a lot of room for weird off-specs while leveling, and even in low-pressure raiding/arena. Unfortunately, your performance will always be worse than someone who takes the cookie cutter spec, because that spec offers the best DPS, etc.
One of the big factors that makes the difference here is WoW's tiered talent tree. In a game like Magic (not to be confused with the WoW card game), an ability like Crusader Strike would be available to any deck, it just won't be much good in a deck that wasn't built around it. WoW's talent trees say that you MUST put 41 of your 61 points in Ret to unlock Crusader Strike, and that those points MUST be spent in a linear manner. When you absolutely must take one of the two choices from a given tier, and one of them sucks, everyone is going to wind up with the same spec. (Magic has many cards that suck too, but they have many many more total cards to choose from.) The benefit is that we get a markedly different experience playing one spec versus another, but the downside is that the system is effectively designed to settle on the One Optimal Spec.
It will be interesting to see whether more complicated specs start to emerge as talent trees get longer and longer, and characters get more and more points to spend in them. Wrath will allow characters to have two 31-point talents, a 41 and a 21, or even 71 points packed into a single tree. This has interesting possibilities, but I'm very much afraid of whether Blizzard is going to have a harder and harder time balancing it all. The other caveat is that dedicated specs will move further and further away from the abilities of the base class. Perhaps this is why they're conceding the need for a second talent spec; DPS-specced tanking classes may be unable to function as tanks even in 5-mans, if you're balancing around tanks with 51 points in their respective talent trees.Wow! (no pun intended) I would have been Johnny.
But with WoW, once you hit the level cap, there is no room for Johnny, because everything is min/max for raiding or for pvp. There is no place for Johnny to compete against the raiders and pvpers because you can't do it SOLO. That's the key for Johnny, he has to be able to SOLO things. That's why it works in Magic.
That's also my frustration with WoW. Individual achievement STOPS at 70. From there on you are stuck with a group.
And when Johnny does discover something cool in the game (hunters being able to tame ghost wolves, or something like that), what does Blizz do?.. NERFS THE HELL OUT OF IT OR TAKES IT AWAY.
Blizz doesn't like Johnny playing this game.I read the column on magicthegathering.com a while back and you're right on the fact that the archetypes can be transferred to the other game.
But: It's not mentioned in the quoted column, but there is a 4th minor archetype: Vorthos. He is more of a subtype (like Johnny/Vorthos, who makes themed decks following storylines etc.). In WoW, he'd be a lorenut.
Even though it's not fully transferable, I just wanted to add that.
Nice to see another blogger that likes M:tG and WoW.Something to remember is that WoW is an MMO. That stands for Massively MULTIPLAYER Online game. What your character can and can't do affects your entire raid/team. For that reason alone there will always be that pressure to go with the spec that will give the best results. The only way to remove that would be to make talents much less important, which I doubt will happen.
Magic on the other hand is a single player endeavor. When you make some jutjob Green Squirrel Rush deck (that was mine way back in the 7th edition and damn it was funny) it doesn't affect anyone around you aside from a few chuckles.
Then of course it has been a long time since I played Magic. Yugimon for the win! :)WoW simply lacks the random and luck factor that make MtG deckbuilding so much fun. You always have access to all your abilities in WoW, in MtG every game with the same deck is different as you draw different cards.
In MtG you had to think of your opponent, and the strength of your deck was based a lot on what cards were in their deck. In WoW, PvE doesn't change and in PvP there is only a small finite set of possible builds.
MtG also is able to create more powerful cards by making them more rare than others. In a way you could correlate this to gear in WoW, but gear just strengthens your base abilities instead of completely changing them.
I do miss that aspect of MtG, Thallid or Sliver decks were some of my favorites :).- Anonymous1:24 PM, July 10, 2008
I think "Johnny" in WoW can be someone who likes to prove weird things can work and bring value to a group, such as the proving that protection paladins have had to do over the last year.
I recall comments that I shouldn't disenchant all my healing gear, because otherwise I wouldn't have anything to do at 70... I skimmed some of the other comments, and had a couple thoughts...
1) I'm no PvPer, but are the PvP builds considered to be cookie cutter at this point? As Blizz messes with stats, Johnny gets to muck with builds...
2) Another way to look at customization in WoW is to look at Raiding from a much higher up perspective. Boss kill strategies and raid composition are tweakable and some guilds definately spend time mucking with this stuff, even after the cookie cutter strategies have been assembled. Perhaps there isn't as much space for a 'Johnny' up there, but he can definately work up there.Another thought: I agree that the main thing limiting WoW is the amount of variety possible. In Magic there were too many possibilities, too many ways to make things work together, etc for people to analyze everything and be certain they knew their way around everything. WoW is ultimately a much simpler game. *shrug*
It's not necessarilly a bad thing. Blizz may have even considered the Johnny persona and decided to exclude it from the game in order to save on other things and to make it more accessible to a different persona (that isn't even listed in WotC's personas).PvP builds and comps are even more specific than raiding counterparts (2346, eurocomp, RMP, etc. and you get the idea).
The thing is that you don't really have to be maxed for much of the game. Joe McElementalist Mage can still progress through most of the raid content in the game without maxxing his spec as deep fire. The only instance where you really do need to go absolute min/max is Sunwell, so don't take this as some sort of "it's impossible to do anything" kind of issue. The problem comes with finding people who are willing to allow you to run unusual specs, which again goes back to the fact that this is an MMO and peer pressure to min/max is what causes the problems.- Anonymous6:17 PM, July 10, 2008
The problem for "Johnny" is forums and thottbot and elitist jerks theorycraft.
This means that the 5 most hardcore theorycrafters of each craft do the math and determine the best spec and then the other tens of thousands copy that spec/play style.
Johnny is the scientist in his backyard lab. The problem is that the lab over at Caltech/MIT is bigger and full of smarter guys and they already published results on the web.
Johnny still has a place come up with one boss specs/gear combos. e.g. Inspiration priests are only worthwhile for a few melee only bosses. - Anonymous2:13 PM, July 11, 2008
There are no Johnnys because for the most part spells and talents don't change. In the over a year of TBC the variables have remained the same so the "best" builds have been established.
In TCGs they add new cards every few months and when they do it changes everything. Even so, by the time a new set is released the "best" decks are generally well established. - Anonymous3:03 PM, July 11, 2008
Tharok beat me too it - Johnny should be a casual-guild raid leader.
"Hmm... how do I get through Tidewalker trash with no mages and five rogues?"
=P - Anonymous7:22 AM, July 12, 2008
I think that the "Johnny" in wow were the ones that came up with the cookie cutter spec in the first place. The other "Johnny" type in the game is the RL that must use X,Y,Z toons in order to beat a boss while the cookie cutter raid makeup is not available.
ReplyDelete I've been playing Johnny in messing around with leveling a Survival Hunter. I pick out a spec that seems to be good and then see how it plays.
I refine my spec to fit my playstyle and test again....and again....until now I'm pretty comfortable I've optimized my talents for the way I like to play.
Once I get to 70, I may have to change, but for now, I'm having a lot of fun spending my gold on respecs....lol.I think there's plenty of room for Johnnys in WoW. They're just not what is analogous to what they are in Magic. For starters, Johnny isn't someone who is goofing off. They don't do the fun goofy decks; they want to make their own thing work above all else and not accept things as they are. They want to carve out their own niche. And in that respect, there are plenty of WoW players that do exactly that. Every time you see someone choose to play a boomkin or a ret pally or a prot pally or any number of not quite cookie-cutter specs, they're doing it Johnny style. For every theorycrafting math geek that showed things work a certain way, there's a Johnny lurking there. For every Spike saying that a prot pally can't tank Hydross because of the pull there's someone thinking about using an invis potion.
The Johnnys of WoW are the ones that solo tank Fel Reavers, try and tank all of FLK's adds and FLK together, or figure out how to launch themselves from Shadowmoon to HFP using rocket-powered boots. They aren't the ones raiding so much, but they're probably the ones informing raiders on how to spec and are talking about gemming for haste when everyone's thinking mp5 is still the way to go. I think WoW is open-ended enough with combinations of items, characters and players that you can get enough creative and successful endeavors; the only thing is that you can't define it as successful in all the generic ways.- Anonymous9:44 AM, July 15, 2008
In my opinion, the best way for the Johnny archtype to flourish in WoW would be to change the way crafting worked, and give players a lot more control over the types of items they can craft.
Johnny's thrive in environments with high variability, which is why so many of them are drawn to the combo deck styles. I can only imagine the havoc a dedicated Johnny could wreck if given a plethora of On Equip or On Cast gear effects to pick and choose from. In a sense, Inscription should give everyone a chance to explore their inner combo child, if it lives up to the expectations, because it adds variance to the relatively static game mechanics.
Btw, mono-Artifact decks ftw. While a pure Johnny probably doesn't exist in WoW the Timmy/Johnny and the Spike/Johnny certainly do.
The Timmy/Johnny exists in those people who do completely wacky things, such as running of the gnomes, the all-druid Halaa raid that happened a few weeks ago, a level 70 being a raid boss against 40 level 1 gnomes, that kind of stuff.
The Johnny/Spike, to me, is more interesting. They are the ones who also do the math to prove that offspecs and weird things are possible.
The first feral main tank was a Johnny/Spike, so was the first shadowpriest, moonkin, ret paladin, the list goes on. And those "offspecs" become so successful that they get adopted by the more straight-up Spikes and become mainstream.
The Johnny/Spike also uses their knowledge of game mechanics to do seemingly impossible things. The hunter who solo'ed Azuregos, the druid who solo'ed Onyxia, the rogue who dodge-tanked Gruul, again those are all people who did amazing things due to creative use of game mechanics.
And finally, the Johnny/Spike is at the ULTRA high end of raiding. The people who go into raids with no timers, no addons to tell you when a boss is going to do something, no reliable meters that will tell you when a boss aggro-resets. Those trailblazers who craft the strats that everyone else follows, those all require creativity and good knowledge of game mechanics. I think, at the very high end, you need Johnny/Spikes or you're just SOL.


text:
Everyone is bitching about Barack Obama's ill-advised choice to ask pop-pastor Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at his inauguration. I agree. Bad move, bad choice, total pandering. Warren talks a moderate game, but his views are not basically less conservative than the more blustery evangelicals out there. Warren's support of Proposition 8 (aka Proposition H8) in California last month sends a message to the gay community that this supposedly liberal new president may not necessarily be as friendly to their concerns as one might think.
I know that Obama and Warren likely don't see eye to eye on every single issue, and gay rights may be one of those issues. But you know, the company you keep says a lot about you. You'd think Obama might have learned a lesson about dubious religious affiliations earlier this year, what with all the flap about Wright. But maybe not. This could just be show business and not an indicator of how Obama's first term will play out in the big picture. But...it does seem as if Obama will bear watching. We shouldn't take him for granted, as many of his supporters have done, as some great progressive "messiah" who will usher in a new golden age in America, not just yet.


text:
Public Enemy, Deep Purple, Rush and NWA headline Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominees
Rush, Deep Purple, Public Enemy and N.W.A. are among the group of first-time nominees for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
They join returnees Heart, Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, Randy Newman, Donna Summer and Kraftwerk among the 15 artists vying for entry.T
The list of nominees up for induction in 2013 is as diverse as they come.
Nominees differ wildly in sound, origin and influence, ranging from the enduring prog rock of Canadian trio Rush and Procul Harum to German proto-electronica act Kraftwerk, the disco of Chic and Summer to the New Orleans funk of The Meters and the blues of Albert King and the Paul Butterfield Blues Band.
Motown also is represented by first-ballot entries The Mavelettes.
Joel Peresman, President and CEO of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundation, acknowledged the extreme variety of this year's nominee class in a Thursday news release.
"The definition of 'rock and roll' means different things to different people, but as broad as the classifications may be, they all share a common love of the music," Peresman said. "This year we again proudly put forth a fantastic array of groups and artists that span the entire genre that is 'rock and roll.'"
A group of 600 artists, music historians and members of the industry will choose 2013's inductees. They will be honored April 18 in Los Angeles.