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Below is a response I wrote on April 28, 2009 to a reply made by young earth creationist Arv Edgeworth to an article here:
Creationists' arguments against evolution, for intelligent design show dishonesty
by Jason Hoskin
(The Daily Toreador, 4/27/2009)
Bear in mind that young earth creationists fill their rhetoric with all kinds of pretensions regarding truth and honesty, promoting the idea that professional scientists and pro-science critics of creationist propaganda are the ones engaging in a dishonest conspiracy to put one over on people about evolution. Of course, it is exactly the rhetoric that creationists themselves use that demonstrates that it is they themselves who show (much) less than zero interest in truth and honesty, because they are the ones pushing their particular religious agenda on the basis of their particular religious concerns, based on which they generate all sorts of anti-science and pseudoscience propaganda. It is their own pervasive and flagrant use of deceitful rhetorical trickery that shows the sheer hypocrisy that is an integral aspect of the creationist attitude today. Whenever creationists proclaim or insinuate that scientists and pro-science critics of creationism pseudoscience and rhetoric are the ones being dishonest, one should always immediately point out the facts, delineate exactly how creationists are misrepresenting matters, and set the record straight - and then throw their claims of dishonesty right back in their faces. There certainly are ethical standards of truth-seeking and honesty, and creationists are so far below the bar they're not even in competition. These days creationists - but especially young earth creationists - have earned themselves a strong reputation for dishonesty.
By the way, I didn't mention this in my response to the Edgeworth's reply because it wasn't relevant to me dealing with his nonsense rhetoric, but the man parades himself as "Dr." Arv Edgeworth. After writing my response I learned that he uses the "Dr." title purely for bogus credibility (isn't it bizarre how these guys pretend to be so concerned about truth and honesty, yet we see them engaging in all sorts of these little deceptive tricks like this?) - it's nothing more than an honorary degree in Divinity (and it's hard to tell what organization even gave him the honorary degree, because he keeps that under wraps), and so not only has absolutely nothing to do with science but also does not even signify any kind of record of accredited academic achievement. These are the slimy ways of the young earth creationists.
Arv Edgeworth wrote (April 27, 2009):
Mr. Hoskin is not being honest in his attempt at showing that creationists are being dishonest. First, he says: "Fortunately, the pro-science advocates were successful in preventing the adoption of the "strengths and weaknesses" clause with respect to the theory of evolution." The "strengths and weaknesses" clause had already been in there for twenty years. They did not prevent anything from being added, they actually removed wording which could do great harm to scientific inquiry.
Well, actually, it has been widely reported in the media - incorrectly, as Arv Edgeworth points out - that creationists were trying to add the phraseology. So it's true that Jason Hoskin screwed up in not getting the details right, but hardly dishonest.
Discussing strengths and weaknesses is at the heart of the scientific method.
Discussing genuinely scientific strengths and weaknesses is at the heart of the scientific method. Using rhetorical trickery to throw in unscientific anti-evolution arguments based on religious motivations and pseudoscientific canards creationists have used for decades that have been refuted a hundred times over is not at the heart of the scientific method, and indeed has nothing to do with science. And it's dishonest to pretend that it is.
These are not "pro-science" advocates, they are "pro-evolution" advocates that may bring great harm to real science.
Evolution is part of modern science, just like meteorology, or chemistry, or astronomy, or other fields of science. Those who respect science are focusing on issues regarding evolution, precisely because that is the field of science being attacked by creationists.
You also have to laugh at the irony of a creationist mouthing concern about bringing harm to real science, since that is exactly what creationists deliberately try to do.
Secondly, Mr. Hoskin says: "This clause falsely implies there is scientific evidence in favor of intelligent design creationism or against evolution." How does examining the strengths or weaknesses of a theory, which has been a part of science from the very beginning, imply there is evidence for or against anything? Mr. Hoskin is blowing smoke and not being honest about the issues.
In fact, it is Edgeworth and other creationists who are blowing smoke with their "strengths and weaknesses" rhetoric. This is because the "strengths and weaknesses" phrase is used by creationists to refer to their long-refuted pseudoscientific anti-evolution arguments, and not to genuinely scientific controversies that are being dealt with in the professional science literature. So we know who it really is who is not being honest about the issues, which is why they're using rhetorical trickery.
Mr. Hoskin is also not being honest by saying if you "teach the controversy" you would have to allow for all the minor myths about creation to be taught. The fact they are called "minor myths" should settle that issue. When over 50% of the population in America believes man was created and did not evolve, I would say that is a controversy.
Of course, that doesn't mean it's a scientific controversy, which is, after all, the whole point. And it's not being honest to pretend otherwise. Scientific exploration, experimentation, analysis, and discovery is not a matter of public opinion. The determination of scientific facts is not a matter of popular opinion. It's dishonest, and scientifically illiterate, to pretend otherwise.
Mr. Hoskin, and others like him, do not want students to know a controversy exists, and that is being dishonest.
What is dishonest is engaging in false pretensions to try to fool children in public school science classes that something is a scientific controversy when not only is it based on religious motivations but is also based on pseudoscience arguments creationists have used for decades which have been refuted at least a hundred times over. Indeed, as we saw most recently in the Tammy Kitzmiller v. Dover Area School District in Pennsylvania in 2005, it is well known that creationists use this specific strategy of trying to pretend that their religious concerns are "science" for the specific purpose of trying to get around the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment so that they can do this. The depths of the dishonesty that creationists engage in to do this is quite audacious.
He also clearly has a pre-conceived bias in this issue by declaring creation to be a myth.
Oh, well gee, we're talking about people whose ideas are based on a story in the book of Genesis in the Bible, which is a religious myth. It's a religious story told in mythological language related in a religious book. For example, it tells about God creating a firmament in the sky, separating the water on the planet by putting some of the water above the firmament, and placing the sun, moon, and stars in the firmament. There's a supernaturally created Adam and Eve formed out of the dirt, a talking serpent, miracle fruit from a Tree of Life (like the Fountain of Youth), and an Angel with a Flaming Sword keeping people out of the Garden of Eden.
I don't know about you, but I haven't heard about any scientific discovery of an angel with a flaming sword keeping people away from a garden lately. In fact, I've never heard of any such discovery at all. I'll bet you haven't either. So, yep, that's religious mythology all right.
I also laugh at the irony when creationists start making complaints about other people having a "preconceived bias", when in fact we all know that it is creationists themselves who possess the preconceived bias of their particular religious beliefs which lead them to attack scientific results they don't like to try to prop up their religious beliefs. The young earth creationists in particular are most notorious for this, denying not just evolutionary science, but also denying geological science and astronomical science, as well as denying related areas of chemical science and physics. (And note that the Discovery Institute works hand in glove with young earth creationists - indeed, many of the Fellows of the Discovery Institute are explicitly young earth creationists.) So it's pretty dishonest for creationists to pretend that it is anyone other than they themselves who possess the problem of preconceived bias.
The common claim by evolutionists is: "There is no scientific evidence for intelligent design." When the smallest cell is more complex than a space shuttle, the most complex machine ever designed by man, I would challenge Mr. Hoskin to point to "anything" in the world around us that is not evidence of intelligent design.
Complexity doesn't imply design. We know that Edgeworth, a creationist, can repeat all sorts of creationist canards, but the fact of the matter is that none of these creationist arguments are found in the professional science literature. This is because bad arguments and bad data tend to die out rather quickly under the withering scrutiny of detailed logical and scientific analysis.
Besides, I never have yet seen a space shuttle get pregnant and lay eggs or give birth to baby space shuttles. (The point being that Edgeworth is, with this argument, precisely ignoring evolution - ignoring natural selection - and it certainly isn't scientific to deliberately ignore the scientific facts that contradict your argument. No, in science you take the scientific facts into account, and if your idea has been falsified, then - if you're concerns are genuinely scientific rather than religious - you'll move on from your bad data and bad arguments and modify your ideas accordingly. Something creationists don't do, which is why they're still throwing out these old anti-evolution arguments that have been refuted over a hundred times.)
Some humans at times may not use a lot of intelligence in the conclusions they arrive at, but that does not mean they were not intelligently designed.
This is an argument?
Some humans at times may not use a lot of intelligence in the conclusions they arrive at, and that means their conclusions are unjustified, which Edgeworth is good at demonstrating for us, as so many creationists are.
Thirdly, Mr. Hoskin says: "Clearly, the "teach the controversy" refrain takes as its premise that all ideas and belief systems are equally valid in a sense, so long as there are people endorse them." The whole basis for his support of evolution is because the majority of scientists endorses it.
Nope. The whole basis for his support of evolution is because the scientific discoveries and results support it. The fact that the (vast) majority of the scientists who work in the relevant fields of science that due to their very professional they would be most knowledgeable about the relevant details, and they accept that evolution is correct because of this, is just a secondary indicator.
By the way, it's dishonest to pretend that the scientific research and results don't exist and that scientists merely took a vote.
But the fact is, not all scientists do endorse it. Thousands of scientists from reputable universities with advanced degrees in science believe that Darwinian evolution is so flawed it cannot be repaired. But if someone doubts evolution, the evolutionists try to claim they are not really scientists. That is being dishonest.
Actually, what is being dishonest is to first argue that it's wrong to think that things are based on a vote, and then to turn right around and make an argument based on a vote - and a vote by creationists who have never published any scientific research on the subject no less!
It's also dishonest to pretend that the personal opinion of some guy who is a hydraulic engineer and who has never in his life conducted or published a single piece of scientific research in the professional science literature relevant to the subject in the first place, and whose opinion is based on the preconceived bias of his religious beliefs, and not on scientific research, is relevant to science.
Evolutionists - i.e., everyone who is not a creationist and who respects genuine science - do not claim they are not really scientists. They simply point out the fact that the personal opinions that scientists have, that are not based on the results from the kinds of scientific research that they themselves actually conduct and thus work with on a genuinely scientific basis, are not science.
And "thousands", huh? Well, first of all, young earth creationists simply don't count. Any scientist, even a scientist who is a psychologist, or food biology researcher, or cancer researcher, or perfume chemist, who believes that the universe and the earth did not exist more than about 6,000 years ago, by that very act proves that the preconceived biases of his religious beliefs have made his personal opinions incompetently irrational when it comes to dealing with scientific subjects that contradict his religious beliefs. So when it comes to their anti-evolution, their opinions are utterly irrelevant, precisely because they are not over genuinely scientific about evolution (their concerns derive from their religious beliefs and are thus scientifically irrelevant).
Creationists such as Edgeworth can play rhetorical games all day long, every day for the next hundred years, just like they've done for the last hundred years, pretending that "evolution is so flawed it cannot be repaired", but the fact of the matter is that they cannot produce the scientific research in the professional science literature that backs up their assertion. (And, yes, creationists really have been proclaiming the imminent scientific demise of evolution for over a hundred years, which is another example of the lack of credibility of the rhetoric they like to use.)
So all this nonsense about "thousands of scientists" is, again, just another example of the kind of dishonest rhetorical trickery that creationists love to use, just another smokescreen.
The most dishonest thing about this whole issue is evolutionists stating that evolution is science, and creation is just a belief system. They claim they have the scientific evidence, and creationists just have faith. That is not only dishonest, it is an absolute lie.
The fact of the matter is that in the professional science literature there are literally hundreds of research articles about all kinds of different aspects of evolution published each and every year. Therefore, one of the most dishonest "arguments" creationists love to make is falsely pretending that this scientific research doesn't exist and thus absolutely lying that evolution is not science.
Both groups are looking at the exact same evidence. Both creation and evolution are an interpretation of evidence, not the evidence itself.
And thus does Edgeworth give us yet another example of the dishonesty of creationist rhetoric. Just as one example, we have hundreds of examples of transitional fossils in the fossil record showing the evolution of organisms over time, yet in their rhetoric creationists are frequently found to be making the false claim that "there are no transitional fossils". There is also the simple fact that when we're talking about science, then we're talking about scientific interpretations of the evidence based on rational, scientific analysis, not unscientific mythological elements dreamed up in the religious imagination. But obviously Edgeworth wants us to ignore the distinction.
When a creationist starts talking about the dishonesty of his pro-science critics, you know the irony has only just begun.


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NBA: Can Joey Graham Give the Cleveland Cavaliers a Much-Needed Spark at SF?November 23, 2010
Coach Byron Scott announced at shootaround this morning that reserve forward Joey Graham would move into the starting lineup, replacing Jamario Moon as the 3.
"I think Joey brings a different presence on the defensive end because he's a little more physical and a little more aggressive," said Scott.
"I just thought, from an energy standpoint and a physical standpoint, that Joey would probably be better for us at that spot."
One of the most glaring weaknesses heading into the 2010-11 season for the Cavs was at small forward. Most of the pieces on the current roster were brought in to complement and surround a two-time MVP.
Danny Ferry traded for Mo Williams not because of his playmaking ability at PG, but because of his long-range shooting.
Anthony Parker and Jamario Moon were signed to be additions on the defensive end...not to be counted on to play a combined 54 minutes a game and take 14 shots.
J.J. Hickson was drafted over ready-to-contribute guys like DeJuan Blair because the front office liked how his athleticism in the open court. And Antawn Jamison was acquired to space the floor and give Cleveland another halfcourt scoring option.
Now all of these guys are thrown into a completely different role. It's an adjustment period, but the obvious lack of production at the 3-spot isn't a problem that will seemingly be solved anytime soon.
At least by any player on this roster.
It's only 12 games into the season—drastic changes shouldn't be made yet. At the same time, it's enough of a sample size to realistically determine what your major strengths or weaknesses are.
Statistically, Graham isn't really outperforming Moon. He's at 6.7 points and 2.7 rebounds in 16 minutes in six games this year, but he hasn't really seen extending playing time until the last three games.
He does, however, add other elements to the offense.
Moon is a good athlete in transition, but doesn't bring much to the table in the halfcourt. The Cavs have struggled mightily there, especially against good teams.
He's basically a stand-still three-point shooter...only he's shooting a paltry 25.7 percent from the three-point line. And that's where half of his field-goal attempts are coming from (almost three per game).
Like Scott said, Graham is a much more physical and aggressive player than Moon.
He'll attack and score off the dribble, crash the boards and is a more consistent long-range threat. He's a streaky shooter, but he's a more capable and potent offensive threat—something desperately needed in the starting lineup.
Cleveland's bench has been one of the best in the league. But part of that is due to the severe lack of scorers in the starting five.
Mo Williams is pretty much the only player that can create for others. J.J. Hickson can create his own shot, but he's been incredibly inconsistent so far.
If Anthony Parker, Moon or Anderson Varejao is initiating offense, the opposing defense has already won.
That's why it's imperative the Cavs get some sort of offense from either SG or SF. When forced into a slow-it-down, halfcourt game, they're essentially playing two-on-five.
And on the defensive side in the upcoming weeks, the Cavs are going to face some athletic and physical small forwards.
The next seven opponents: Indiana, Milwaukee, Orlando, Memphis, Boston, Miami and Minnesota. So they'll be dealing with Danny Granger (torched Cleveland in the past), Corey Maggette/Luc Mbah a Moute, Rashard Lewis, Rudy Gay, Paul Pierce, LeBron James and Michael Beasley.
Is Joey Graham the long-term answer?
Probably not. But it's worth looking for a spark.
The Cavs are what they are—a middle-of-the-road Eastern Conference team that will struggle against the NBA's elite and have an advantage over other rebuilding, low-to-mid level teams because of their core nucleus (Williams, Varejao and Gibson).
But the next month will be very telling. The Cavs play 16 games—10 on the road, nine against playoff teams from last year and 10 against teams that are .500 or better this year.
It well could be a defining stretch that goes a long way in determining what the team's direction is when the February trade deadline approaches.
Consistency has been a problem for the starting five this year. Let's see if Joey Graham can add any stability going forward.

subset: commoncrawl


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Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Banjo and Family -October 2007
A few shots of Banjo and family.
Went to Maroochydore for lunch with John and Amira (G's brother) and then went for a paddle at the river with G. Nic and Bud the dog, one block away from John's.
Also went to Baby-Swim. I was his helper for the swim, a very relaxed baby in the water, more pre-occupied with the floating toys than whether he was actually floating!
Monday, October 29, 2007
Scatterday J
I'm late...I'm late, but l had an important date!!!!
Last week it was J, I am not even looking at anybody else's blog until I have posted mine.
Pointy thing - my juicer, squeezes better than any old plastic one and cleans easier too!
Restaurant - I read the phone book- we just don't have a restaurant starting with a J in town!
Swimming - ditto phone book, I planned to gate crash a Judo club but the 2 in town were listed as out of town.
NOW I will show you why I was late posting Scatterdays!
Sunday, October 21, 2007
We're off to Brisbane!!!!
Saturday, October 20, 2007
Scatterday P
A bit late again today, never mind!
P it is and once again I became confused because there's a colour as a topic!
My pin holder is not only red but also metal and we easily identify with the postman's red van and Australia posts logo.
Sweets - I am becoming braver with my photo gathering so I went across the road into the CWA shop and asked what cakes they had beginning with P so Marj opened the Peppermint slice container and the other helper couldn't help herself so she shot around from the craft side and suggested Plum Puddings!
Metal - postbox, Public toilet and no Parking sign and another (red) sign for a Pasta shop!
PSBB- I am just checking this and once again my right hand side pictures are cropped! grrrr.
Thanks to Michelle, who asked where I was orientating the picture, I didn't change that bit but I did discover where I could make is smaller :-)
Thursday, October 18, 2007
Girl's Night In
Saturday, October 13, 2007
Scatterday F
The Freezer in Graeme's bar frig. It needs taking outside and defrosting. The big freezer in the laundry which I am trying to empty and clean, it's not happening!
Signs- Free Parking, Michael Ferguson and Foxes .
The Elements - Fire and Graeme combined equals a totally new one!
Thursday, October 11, 2007
Launceston Show Day
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
Sewing Room
The furniture's been shuffled around and the table Graeme found under the house is in position. The machine is no longer dropped into a flat bed but on top of the table with a perspex surround. My chair is up so high now my feet don't hit the floor, so that's the next problem! :-) I think there should be a small shelf somewhere that the TV used to sit on, I wonder where that is?
The old Horn table is there too, I would like to "audition" one of the Horn Craft Tables - slightly higher and the ends flip out when needed, it's a bit bigger than the Sewing cabinet and I won't rush out and order one until I am sure, but how does one know unless it is put in place???? Such a dilemma!
The top over the back of the chair is one I did at our retreat - "Magic 9 Patch" with autumn leaves and 48 hand dyes from Ami (ex-Oz Dye Arts).
The quilt on the end of the table is waiting binding and is a woven design with frog fabrics and a frog quilting design.
Tuesday, October 9, 2007
Thursday, October 4, 2007
Scatterday C
I'm getting in early this weekend as I'm off on retreat with Tas. SCQuilters.
My sewing area is still not done, it needs thinking about, but I have sorted my scraps!
Hobbies- now I was really in the pink here as Graeme and I have several each but starting with "C", Collecting would win hands down!
He collects Cards (postcards) - all neatly placed in albums in the Cupboard that used to grace an early 1900's Tasmanian classroom - a Library cupboard.
I collect many things, 2 shown here -Chintz China and Campbell's Pottery. The Winton Chintz designs are "Quilt" and "Tartan".
Campbell's Pottery was located in Launceston in the street where Graeme boarded when he first came into town to work.
I also collect Antique quilts, Doulton "April" china, and sewing boxes.I seem to have a big Collection of my quilts too :-)(This is more than anyone needs to know!)
For Furniture I am presenting the under-rated Card Table. It sits beside the computer when I have lots of paperwork that can't fit on the desk.
I also have a Cake Stand, from early golden days when afternoon teas were de-rigeur and this was carried around for our selection.
It folds up flat when hot in use. (If you look carefully you will see dust marks from the clutter I removed) (Just noticed that the handle is cropped and my jug spout is missing, I still can't work out how to get a whole picture on this blob!)
Lastly, Pizza Toppings. I am still not very brave so this was taken undercover in the supermarket. I was in fear of someone asking me if I was a Capsicum spy! I had also planned on getting Chillies and Cheese, but time ran out.
Global Warming or Abnormally High Tides????
Wednesday, October 3, 2007
Sewing area re-arranging!
Tuesday, October 2, 2007
Rob in his vegie garden
My friends, Rob and Denise have been living in Kent for the last 8 months. His garden has been waiting for him and now he's into it. What a lovely view over Lake Louise at Grindelwald, just outside Launceston


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Saturday, November 15, 2014
The Taking Down of a Soundbite.
I saw this cartoon this morning on Facebook, and I thought "wow, what a bunch of fallacies." This cartoon embodies the majority of Democratic Talking Points since 2008 (with a notable absence of the "War on Women" theme... hmm... wonder why).
The thing with this cartoon is, many of these arguments can't be boiled down into signs. They aren't bumper sticker slogans. They are real issues, with much deeper thought processes. I'm going to take just a few.
1) We want dirtier air and water so CEO's can make more money.
This issue has to do with the Environment. It stems from things like the Kyoto Protocol, and various other internationally pushed treaties to help prevent Global Warming, er um... sorry, Climate Change. Recently our President made a deal with China, whereby we cut our Greenhouse Gas Emissions, while they commit to maybe, possibly, making changes 20 years down the road. The problem with all of these solutions is that they cost the American Taxpayer a lot of money, while the benefits are a lowering of Global Temperatures by less than half a degree.
NOBODY wants dirtier air and dirtier water, and contrary to popular opinion it has nothing to do with CEO's making more money. (For instance, are you aware that both the Federal Government and the State Governments make more money off a gallon of gas than the Oil Companies?) It has to do with Americans not wishing to be punished at the pump, or at their natural gas lines that heat their houses, for regulations that do little to combat the so-called pollution everyone is screaming about. If we are going to have to pay astronomically more money, we'd like a larger return on our investment, than say, the EPA declaring the puddle in my backyard a "wetland".
2)Send our jobs overseas.
Recently, there was a huge flap in the news when the Burger King Corporation bought out Canadian chain Tim Hortons, and proceeded to decide they were going to move their corporate headquarters to Canada. How un-patriotic of them. Of course, the un-patriotic part was that Burger King was taking their profits to a more friendly tax zone. Canada's corporate tax rate is 26.7%. The United States? 40%. We have the highest corporate tax rate in the world. Also, jobs being sent overseas has a lot to do with onerous regulation in the United States. I think we need to elect people willing to give incentive for having businesses in the US, whoever those people are.
3)Stop giving us benefits from our tax money.
This is the most ridiculous of the signs up there. 90% of the taxes I pay don't equal a single benefit for me. Social Security and Medicare come out separate from the federal tax rate. The ACA? raised my rates, my deductible, and my willingness to seek medical treatment. 2 years ago? I didn't have any of those problems. I don't qualify for a single government benefit. So my tax money is paying for benefits for other people, not me. I'd rather keep my money. Not all of it mind you. I realize a need for some social safety net, and of course, I'd happily pay more if we raised the salaries of our military. But the surfer dude in California who doesn't want to get a job and lives off food stamps? No thanks.
4) Pave our farmlands.
What? You do realize that of industrialized nations, the US has quite a bit of open space? Like vast swaths of the middle of the country and the northern part of the country, and... There is the reason the East Coast is considered a population center. There is a reason that we jokingly refer to everything west of Pittsburgh and East of Los Angeles "Flyover Country". As a matter of fact, there are states where the Feds own more land than the rest of the residents combined. Please explain to me what politician has advocated paving over farm land? Is this even a serious argument?
5)Yes to costly healthcare.
I'm so over this one it's not even funny. The ACA was supposed to bend the cost curve down, which no one now even admits to saying it was going to do. Not only that, but my healthcare has become more expensive and needed medications have been tossed out. Yes, needed medications. My husband is not on his last legs. He works 3 jobs, plays softball, and still does all the work around the house. He's not dying anytime soon. He's a productive member of society. And his needed medication has been denied ever since the ACA took effect. They don't think he needs the medicine he's been taking for 4 years. But my daughter can get her birth control for free! As Mr. Gruber reminded us Healthy people have to pay more into the system so the sicker people don't. That's right. If you are healthy you are now paying for someone else's healthcare, and I'm doing it at the expense of my own. (See, my unwillingness to go see a Doctor since my $8K deductible ensures I have to pay for it.) And now, you can just pay the penalty for not having healthcare, wait until you get sick, and not only will you get coverage, but you won't have to pay a dime more than the person who's been paying for coverage for 20 years. What a plan. It didn't make healthcare cheaper, it really didn't insure that many uninsured people, and everyone else has sub-par healthcare.
That's just five of those signs. Other ones I can't even respond to, because at no point has it been an issue, raised by a single politician. Just because Tom Steyer thinks "Climate Change" is the number one issue, doesn't mean it is, as his last election track record shows. (His "dark money" track record... to the tune of 60 million dollars.)
What people who don't live here don't understand, and may NEVER understand, is that the United States was founded on one major principle. Freedom. That principle runs through every phrase in our constitution. Just because it's not your governing philosophy doesn't mean it's wrong, and honestly, if our philosophy is so bad, why do so many people risk their lives to come here? They raft across open water, crawl through ditches and tunnels, and risk getting shot at by unhappy property owners, just for the chance to be here. Freedom. This country, and it's ruling philosophy is unique, and I get that it leaves socialistic Europeans scratching their heads, but you don't live here. And it appears that your arguments against our ruling philosophy are boiled down to a cartoon with a bunch of signs that are meaningless in US political debate. Dude, they aren't even good arguments.
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Well, I was up .4 lbs again. Kind of frustrating but not surprising. TOM when I started the 21 Day Fix and TOM when I finished it. Stupid mother nature LOL. I did lose a few inches but not as much as I thought. But this could again be because of TOM. Should I have Benny measure me again next week or just wait until the end of next month?
I really did struggle with the food so I think that was the real reason why I didn't see the bigger losses most others had. For me the 21 Day Fix eating plan was too restrictive...kind of why I never dieted before. I prefer the flexibility of the Weight Watchers Points Plus system where you eat whatever you want as long as it's within your allotted daily and weekly points. I lost over 75 lbs this way so I think it's best to stick with it for now.
I'm willing to try the 21 Day Fix again later, just like I did with the Shakeology. I'll study what others posted that they're eating and see which new recipes I can do. During the summer the smoothies would probably be more fun than they are now because they'd cool me off from the heat rather than just make me chilly LOL.


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Marquam Hill Lectures Archive
Video archives
In the interest of serving all Oregonians, each Marquam Hill Lecture is recorded. You can watch/listen to previous lectures in the archives below.
The Impact of Diabetes | presented by Jessica Castle, M.D.
October 20, 2016
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Since 1990, diabetes in Oregon has increased 118 percent, according to the Oregon Health Authority. What's behind the trend and how is research contributing to a better understanding of this chronic metabolic disease? What do clinical studies tell us about the importance of exercise and nutrition in managing diabetes? Dr. Jessica Castle has devoted her career to answering such questions. Dr. Castle sees patients at the Harold Schnitzer Diabetes Health Center and conducts research on the promise of artificial pancreas technology to improve the lives of people with diabetes. Attendees learned about the latest advances in type 1 and type 2 diabetes research which could impact the approximately 278,000 adult Oregonians who have diabetes.
Pancreatic Cancer: America's #2 Cancer Killer | presented by Brett Sheppard, M.D., F.A.C.S.
November 17, 2016
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Recent data from the American Cancer Society projects that pancreatic cancer will be the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths by 2020. How can you reduce your risk of pancreatic cancer? What do you do if it strikes? Dr. Brett Sheppard is leading a transformative approach to cancer treatment. He and colleagues have created a patient-centric hub for clinical and research programs that focus on three main areas: early detection, advanced therapy and quality of life. Dr. Sheppard also created the Oregon Pancreatic Tissue Registry –giving patients an opportunity to participate in a long-term research registry with a special focus on the hereditary causes of pancreatic tumors. This event was on World Pancreatic Cancer Day and helped support the effort to raise awareness and find new treatments.
What Goes Wrong with Brain Control of Balance? | presented by Fay Horak, Ph.D.
March 16, 2017
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Worried about falling? The ability to stand and take a step without falling involves complex brain processes that can be disrupted by neurological disease, sensory problems and aging. Dr. Fay Horak conducts research on how the brain operates to make standing and walking possible. Her laboratory conducts studies on how exercise helps patients with neurological disease reduce their risk of falls. Dr. Horak and colleagues are working on new wearable, digital tools that could change the way patients monitor their own mobility. Attendees learned about this fascinating OHSU research and came away with a new understanding of the brain.
Inside the Developing Brain | Damien Fair, Ph.D., P.A.-C.
April 20, 2017
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How do images from inside the brain help guide future therapies for neuropsychiatric disorders such as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism? Dr. Damien Fair seeks answers to such questions. He and OHSU colleagues are taking part in a landmark study funded by the National Institutes of Health to understand the effects of adolescent substance use on the developing brain: the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development study. Attendees learned about the ABCD study and about Dr. Fair's work to understand one of the most influential aspects of growing up: the development of the brain.
Advance Care Planning for Everyone: Science and Practical Advice | presented by Erik Fromme, M.D.
May 18, 2017
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Have you and your family had the conversation? If an unexpected injury or illness prevented you from communicating, would your family or your health care providers be confident they understand your values and feel prepared to make the best decisions possible? Dr. Erik Fromme and colleagues developed a framework called Caring Wisely to help ensure doctors understand and honor patients' health care wishes. The goal? When patients and families –and the health professionals caring for them –reach the point where difficult treatment decisions need to be made, those present feel well prepared. Attendees got practical steps on how to begin advance care planning.
Beyond Genetics: The Role of Nutrition in Health and Disease | Presented by Susan Bagby, M.D.
Watch video (November 19, 2015)
Chances are, you know someone with high blood pressure. Also known as hypertension, high blood pressure was associated with 38.9 million doctor visits in 2010, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. What if we could prevent this, and other chronic diseases, by changing how we eat? It turns out your DNA is not a rigid blueprint for future health.
Susan Bagby, M.D., professor of medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine, has devoted her research career to finding out what triggers high blood pressure. Now, Dr. Bagby is among a group of internationally-recognized scientists at the OHSU Moore Institute for Nutrition & Wellness who study the role of nutrition in the womb and factors that predict future disease. Their work is the foundation of a movement to better the future.
Lessons from the Battlefield: How Military Trauma Care Transforms Civilian Care in the United States | Presented by Martin Schreiber, M.D.
Watch video (February 18, 2016)
Head and brain trauma are two of the most common mechanisms of injury on the battlefield. Medical professionals must act quickly with the best available guidelines to treat injured war fighters. How do advances in military trauma care influence the way civilian trauma care is delivered? Martin Schreiber, M.D., professor of surgery in the OHSU School of Medicine, has served in Iraq and Afghanistan and is a leader in the trauma community. His research and experience in military theater has saved lives and is being incorporated into trauma care at OHSU and around the country. Results of his studies have wide-reaching implications for situations we all hope to avoid, but are critical when patients are the most vulnerable.
Attendees got a behind-the-scenes perspective from a military physician and learned how Dr. Schreiber's work is improving treatments at home for patients with serious trauma.
The 24-Hour Clock and Human Health | Presented by Steven Shea, Ph.D.
Watch video (March 17, 2016)
Did you know heart attacks occur most frequently in the morning? And asthma is generally worst at night? What's behind this connection between the 24-hour clock and the body clock? Steven Shea, Ph.D., director and senior scientist at the Oregon Institute of Occupational Health Sciences, seeks to uncover why the severity of many diseases varies across the 24-hour period. If scientists can understand the biological basis behind these changes, it may provide insight into the underlying cause of the disease and could lead to better therapy. Dr. Shea's research also includes studies of sleep and circadian rhythms as they relate to accidents and the overall health of shift workers and people suffering from sleep disorders.
Attendees of this lecture learned more about the fascinating interplay between being asleep, being awake and being healthy.
The Promise of Gene Therapy for Metabolic Rare Diseases | Presented by Cary Harding, M.D.
Watch video (April 21, 2016)
What is a rare disease? The National Institutes of Health define it as a disease that generally affects fewer than 200,000 people in the United States. However, about 7,000 such disorders have been identified, affecting an estimated 25-30 million Americans! Cary Harding, M.D., professor of molecular and medical genetics in the OHSU School of Medicine, studies inborn errors of metabolism (IEM), which are rare genetic disorders in which the body cannot properly turn food into energy. Sometimes people are born with the disorders and sometimes they develop them as adults. Existing medical options, such as a restricted diet, are less than ideal. Gene therapy is a promising new approach for people with IEM. Dr. Harding and his colleagues are on the cutting-edge of developing gene transfer therapies for the treatment of IEM.
Attendees learned about the promising research that could affect the lives of millions of people in this country with a rare disease.
Transforming Cancer Care with Next Generation Sequencing | Presented by Christopher Corless, M.D., Ph.D.
Watch video (May 19, 2016)
Cancers are caused by mutations in a person's DNA. These mutations cause tumors to grow. New technology gives researchers mountains of data about cancer, but how can this information be turned into the right therapy for the right tumor? The OHSU Knight Cancer Institute is using big data analysis to advance precision cancer care. Christopher Corless, M.D., Ph.D., professor of pathology in the OHSU School of Medicine and chief medical officer of OHSU's Knight Diagnostic Laboratories, is an expert in personalized diagnostics. Dr. Corless and colleagues take millions of fragments of DNA from a single sample and use high-end computing tools to sequence them at the same time. This next generation sequencing helps scientists identify the weak points in many types of cancer, and helps health care providers create personalized treatment plans for patients.
Attendees learned how OHSU researchers are turning data into knowledge that will transform the way all cancers are treated – one patient at a time.
Secrets of the Developing Brain | Presented by Bonnie Nagel, Ph.D.
Watch video (October 16, 2014)
Bonnie Nagel, Ph.D., associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral neuroscience in the OHSU School of Medicine, is an expert on adolescent neurodevelopment. Dr. Nagel and colleagues have been studying brain development in healthy and at-risk youth for years. Their work reveals secrets of the developing brain, including developmental differences between the sexes, and how experiences (both positive and negative) impact the brain.
This lecture helped parents, friends and teenagers themselves get a better understanding of what makes adolescence such a unique and vulnerable time.
Beating Cancer with Exercise | Presented by Kerri Winters-Stone, Ph.D., FACSM
Watch video (November 20, 2014)
Exercise is known to prevent and help manage chronic diseases like diabetes or heart disease. Can exercise also help cancer survivors live longer and better? This question is at the heart of a compelling body of research led by Kerri Winters-Stone, Ph.D., research professor in the OHSU School of Nursing.
Dr. Winters-Stone and colleagues want to know more about the healing power of exercise. Can it slow cancer progression? Can exercise help both patients and family members affected by cancer? Early results have revealed unexpected benefits for patients who exercise with their spouse.
Ending an Epidemic: OHSU's Hunt for an HIV Vaccine | Presented by Louis Picker, M.D.Watch video (February 19, 2015)
When Louis Picker, M.D., and his colleagues described in 2013 how their HIV vaccine candidate worked, the world took notice. Dr. Picker, associate director of the OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute, developed a vaccine that prevents a virus similar to HIV, the virus that causes AIDS.
For the more than 35 million people around the globe living with HIV, this research may signal the end to a decades-long battle to end the disease. With new support, including a $25 million grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Dr. Picker is moving forward to test the safety of a human version of the vaccine that may someday prevent or cure HIV infection. Attendees learned first-hand how OHSU research could transform the way physicians, researchers and public health advocates fight against HIV.
The Magic of Microbubbles | Presented by Sanjiv Kaul, M.D.
Watch video (April 16, 2015)
One in every four deaths in the United States is caused by heart disease. Coronary heart disease – the most common type – accounts for 380,000 deaths annually, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Sanjiv Kaul, M.D., Ernest C. Swigert chair of cardiology and professor of medicine in the OHSU School of Medicine, pioneered a powerfully effective screening test for the early detection of coronary heart disease. Used more than five million times in patients around the world, myocardial contrast echocardiography combines microbubbles and ultrasound technology to create images of the heart. Dr. Kaul, who is also co-director of the OHSU Knight Cardiovascular Institute, talked about how these tiny bubbles will someday help detect and treat other ailments, including cancer.
Declaring War on Melanoma | Presented by Sancy Leachman, M.D., Ph.D.
Watch video (May 21, 2015)
Watch out, melanoma. We're teaming up to get you. Those words capture the sentiment of OHSU's aggressive campaign to prevent, detect and treat melanoma. Sancy Leachman, M.D., Ph.D., professor and chair of dermatology in the OHSU School of Medicine, is a world-renowned melanoma researcher who is determined to find answers and reduce deaths caused by melanoma.
Oregon consistently has one of the highest rates of melanoma incidence and death in the nation, particularly for women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Why is melanoma so common in a state that is known more for rain than sunshine? A team of researchers at OHSU, in collaboration with patients, their family and friends, have created the Melanoma Community Registry – a first step in the "war" to make melanoma the victim. Attendees gained practical information about melanoma and to learn what's on the horizon for this type of cancer.
Fixing What's Broken: OHSU's Role in Health Reform and Evidence-based Medicine | Presented by: Roger Chou, M.D., and John McConnell, Ph.D.
Watch video (May 29, 2014)
All eyes are on Oregon for the state's trailblazing approach to health care reform, including the coordinated care organizations focused on Medicaid transformation. At the same time, clinicians, employers and health care associations look to federal and state agencies when making decisions about health services. OHSU researchers and physicians are working behind the scenes on both fronts. John McConnell, Ph.D., director of the Center for Health Systems Effectiveness at OHSU, is leading a study which will inform the nation on what works – and what doesn't work – in health reform. Roger Chou, M.D., director of the Pacific Northwest Evidence-based Practice Center, heads up systematic reviews of health care topics which inform groups like the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force.
Healthy Mouth, Healthy Body: The Link Between Gum Disease and Diabetes | Presented by: James Katancik, D.D.S., Ph.D.
Watch video (April 17, 2014)
Diabetes rates are soaring. A closer look shows a surprising fact: Gum disease is commonly associated with diabetes. Does this mean gum disease is a cause, a symptom or an early indicator of diabetes – or something else entirely? So far, research shows that periodontitis – another name for gum disease – affects more than just the mouth. It's a whole body infection that also impacts our ability to normally process glucose. James Katancik, D.D.S., Ph.D., associate professor and chair of the Department of Periodontology in the OHSU School of Dentistry, was involved in a national study which sought definitive scientific evidence for the relationship between gum disease and diabetes.
Unlocking the Secrets of Cancer Growth | Presented by: Lisa Coussens, Ph.D.
Watch video (February 20, 2014)
If we can understand how and why a cancerous tumor grows, we can stop it. Scientists are learning more about tumor growth with each new clinical trial and lab study, but it will take researchers working in multiple disciplines to unlock the secrets of cancer growth. Lisa Coussens, Ph.D., chair of the OHSU Department of Cell and Developmental Biology and director of basic research for the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, is building an interactive and innovative environment for cutting-edge biomedical research at OHSU. She is world-renowned for her work exploring how cells that surround a tumor fuel its growth and affect its response to treatment. Her research found that during the early stages of cancer, white blood cells – normally used by the body for healing – sometimes help tumors grow.
Nerve Remodeling After a Heart Attack | Presented by: Beth Habecker, Ph.D.
Watch video (November 21, 2013)
Beth Habecker, Ph.D., has been studying for more than a decade the body's physical remodeling following a heart attack. Her research aims to understand why changes in this process – which can trigger arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death – sometimes occur. Dr. Habecker is professor of physiology and pharmacology at OHSU, and her lab has uncovered surprising new evidence which may contain answers to other perplexing nerve injuries, such as those in the spinal cord. If clinicians and scientists can better understand the remodeling process, they can develop more appropriate treatments and prevention methods for the 715,000 Americans each year who have a heart attack.
Where Does Disease Come From? Revealing the Secrets of Epigenetics | Presented by: Kent Thornburg, Ph.D.
Watch video (October 17, 2013)
Kent Thornburg, Ph.D., director of the OHSU Bob and Charlee Moore Institute for Nutrition & Wellness, and professor of medicine at OHSU, is an internationally recognized leader in the research field known as the developmental origins of health and disease. He studies the vital connection between maternal diet, the quality of fetal growth and epigenetics – how adult onset diseases are "programmed" in the womb.
Creating a Google Map of Cancer? presented by: Joe Gray, Ph.D. (March 21, 2013)
Imagine being able to visualize every twist and turn of cancer as it progresses throughout the human body – and know just when and how to stop it in its path. Using powerful advanced imaging technologies that illustrate cells, tissues and structural details across time, OHSU scientists are assembling the "Google map" of cancer and other diseases.Joe Gray, Ph.D., is chair of the Department of Biomedical Engineering, associate director for translational research in the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute and director of the OHSU Center for Spatial Systems Biomedicine. Dr. Gray demonstrated how he and colleagues are working to catapult us into the 21st century with four-dimensional medicine (three spatial dimensions and time).
Vaccination Nation? Separating Fact from Fiction presented by: Mark Slifka, Ph.D. (February 21, 2013)
Mark Slifka, Ph.D., professor of molecular microbiology and immunology and senior scientist at the OHSU Vaccine and Gene Therapy Institute and Oregon National Primate Research Center, has been studying vaccines for more than 15 years. Dr. Slifka's research, examining decades of data, suggests people have a physiological ceiling for vaccine immunity, which may argue for a shift in the current revaccination schedule for millions of Americans. It also indicates that the recent media hype about the danger of vaccinations, or their connection to autism and other disorders, is scientifically unfounded.Thinking Outside the Box to Treat Late-Stage Cancer presented by: Melissa Wong, Ph.D. (November 15, 2012)
Melissa Wong, Ph.D., is an associate professor of dermatology and cell and developmental biology, a researcher in the Oregon Stem Cell Center and a member of the OHSU Knight Cancer Institute. Dr. Wong's goal is to track down and stop cancer cells before they turn deadly. Her presentation focused on the search for the elusive triggers that spark cancer cells' aggressive behavior and explain how this information may help shape new life-saving treatments for late-stage cancer.Unraveling Addiction Using Behavioral Genetics presented by: Tamara Phillips, Ph.D. (October 18, 2012)
Tamara Phillips, Ph.D., is an award-winning researcher, a professor of behavioral neuroscience in the OHSU School of Medicine and a senior research career scientist at the Portland Veterans Affairs Medical Center. She asks: What if we could identify the genes that predispose some people to be attracted to drugs or alcohol? She and colleagues focus on the genetic dissection of behavioral traits thought to influence risk for the development of alcoholism and drug abuse.
MARK O. HATFIELD LECTURE: Dr. Chu goes to Washington
A special presentation by the Marquam Hill Lecture Series
Presented by: Steven Chu, Ph.D. (April 23, 2013)Human health and well-being depend on a healthy global environment. Steven Chu, Ph.D., discussed his vision of our energy future and how innovations in technology and public policy can help us/U.S. lead the world to a sustainable future. Dr. Chu is a distinguished scientist and co-winner of the Nobel Prize for Physics (1997). He served as the United States Secretary of Energy from January 2009 to April 2013.Prior to this appointment, Dr. Chu was director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Lab where he led the lab in pursuit of alternative and renewable energy technologies; he also taught at the University of California as a professor of physics and molecular and cell biology. He has returned to Stanford as a member of the Physics and Molecular and Cellular Physiology Departments.
OHSU concurrently welcomed Dr. Chu as a 125th anniversary lecturer.
Exercise and Nutrition: The Best Medicine presented by Kerry Kuehl, M.D., Dr.PH. (April 19, 2012)
Dr. Kuehl is an Associate Professor of Medicine and Co-Director of the Human Performance Laboratory in the Division of Health Promotion & Sports Medicine at OHSU. As a primary care physician with a master's degree in exercise physiology and a doctorate in nutrition, he specializes in using exercise and nutrition in the treatment and prevention of disease.
Dr. Kuehl discussed the irrefutable body of scientific evidence that links your good health and longevity with being physically active and eating a healthy diet. Watch the video of his talk here. On April 14, Dr. Kuehl was a guest on the OHSU Effect radio show. You can listen to the show or download a podcast.
What do Women (and Men) Want? Next Generation Birth Control and Family Planning presented by Jeffrey Jensen, M.D., M.P.H. (February 16, 2012)
Why are new birth control choices needed? What is the relationship between population growth and environmental problems? In his Feb. 16, 2012 lecture, Dr. Jensen addressed these, and many more, questions. Dr. Jensen talked about next-generation birth control and the race to bring better choices to family planning. Dr. Jensen is the Leon Speroff Professor and Vice Chair for Research in the Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, Director of the Women's Health Research Unit in the Center for Women's Health, and a collaborating scientist at the Oregon National Primate Research Center.
Watch the video of his talk here. On Feb. 4, Dr. Jensen was a guest on the OHSU Effect radio show. You can listen to the show or download a podcast.
New Windows to Your Heart: Breakthroughs in Cardiovascular Imaging presented by Jonathan Lindner, M.D. (November 17, 2011)Can you picture the heart at its molecular level? In this talk, Dr. Lindner explained – and showed – images of the heart that bring disease out of hiding, before it becomes deadly. Dr. Lindner is a Professor of Medicine, Cardiovascular Division, with a joint appointment in the Department of Biomedical Engineering in the OHSU School of Medicine. Dr. Lindner is an internationally known leader in cutting edge methods for imaging and treatment of heart disease, and inflammatory diseases. He is also Associate Chief for Education in OHSU's Cardiovascular Division and directs the training program for cardiologists in training.
Watch the video of Dr. Lindner's lecture here. On Nov. 12, 2011, Dr. Lindner was a guest on the OHSU Effect radio show. You can listen to the show or download a podcast.
The Hunt for Biological Mechanisms in Asthma presented by Allison Fryer, Ph.D., Professor, Department of Medicine, and Associate Dean for Graduate Studies (October 20, 2011)
The number of people diagnosed with asthma grows every year. Yet the biological pathways that cause the airway narrowing and closure characteristic of asthma are poorly understood. Dr. Fryer presented research Oct. 20, 2011 about peripheral nerves – nerves that connect the brain to the lungs – and how they are changed through interactions with cells from the immune system to cause the excessive airway narrowing seen in asthma exacerbations. Dr. Fryer is a Professor of Medicine and the Associate Dean for Graduate Studies in the OHSU School of Medicine.
Watch the video of Dr. Fryer's lecture here. On Oct. 8, 2011, Dr. Fryer was a guest on the OHSU Effect radio show. You can listen to the show or download a podcast.
Mark O. Hatfield Lecture: The Value of Health—The Argument for Strong Investment in Medical and Scientific Research A special presentation by the Marquam Hill Lecture Series
Presented by: Albert Starr, M.D. (March 15, 2012) The late Senator Hatfield was a tireless advocate for scientific and medical research and for Oregon's system of higher education. That advocacy made possible the Oregon Health & Science University we know today. To honor his legacy, OHSU hosts an annual Mark O. Hatfield Lecture, delivered this year by Dr. Albert Starr. Dr. Starr came to OHSU in 1957 and led OHSU's heart surgery program. He is best known for co-inventing and implanting the world's first successful artificial heart valve, the Starr-Edwards Heart Valve, in 1960. Since then, the artificial heart valve technology has saved literally hundreds of thousands of lives.In his lecture, Dr. Starr discussed the importance of public support in the advancement of his own research – as well as that of OHSU – and examined the social and economic benefits of health and longevity. Watch the video of his talk here.
Neuroprotection and Stroke: New Strategies to Protect Against Brain Injury presented by Mary Stenzel-Poore, Ph.D., and Helmi Lutsep, M.D. (April 21, 2011)
Current clinical treatments for stroke focus on rapidly applied, post-stroke therapies and physical rehabilitation. What if it were possible to identify those most at risk for stroke and offer "pre-treatment" to provide protection before a stroke ever occurs? Dr. Stenzel-Poore identifies stimulii that improve the brain's response through preconditioning.
Forty Years in Alcohol and Drug Abuse Research: A Personal History (audio) presented by Robert Hitzemann, Ph.D. (March 21, 2011)
Part science, part history, Hitzemann's story of 40 years of research into substance abuse begins when researchers knew of the existence of only four neurotransmitters, and considered hallucinogens to be an appropriate model for schizophrenia research. Researchers now study many hundreds of neurotransmitters, employ sophisticated techniques to help us better understand the chemistry of substance abuse in the brain, and guide clinical and societal solutions to its impacts.
Rare Disorders - Unique Challenges for Families and Physicians presented by Susan Hayflick, M.D. (November 18, 2010)
Rare diseases are those that affect fewer than 200,000 Americans at any given time. Nearly 7,000 such diseases are known today, many of them targeting children and all impacting patients and families. Dr. Hayflick has dedicated her research to finding a cure for neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA), a group of rare, genetic neurological disorders. Dr. Hayflick will discuss the science that many of these rare diseases share and the social and economic challenges that these patients face.
The Future of Interventional Cardiology - Or Are We Already There? presented by Saurabh Gupta, M.D. (October 15, 2010)
Using research data and a series of animations, Dr. Gupta will guide attendees through the body's vascular system into the heart to demonstrate new and innovative uses for stents, balloons and umbrellas in catheter-based treatments for structural heart defects.


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I live in Canada. It's a nice place with friendly people and a pretty decent government. But you know what? I'm coming back home. I'm coming back to America in May. I didn't come to Canada because I hated the US or thought it was hopeless. I came here because I wanted to see what someplace else looked like. I wanted to learn. And I did.
Vancouver, where I live, is one of the most diverse places in the world. It's true. Around half of the population here is are recent immigrants. I've met people from parts of the world I otherwise never would have. I've made friends with a few and I've learned a few things too.
Here's one thing I've learned: Things can improve, but they can also get worse. The arc of history does not unerringly bend towards justice. We--or perhaps more accurately I--believed that because we lived in a prosperous nation with good folks things would always get better. But that's no guarantee. Some people I have met have lived through revolutions and wars. Some have lived in countries that were once prosperous and are now destitute or, in some cases, gone.
I've asked some of these folks, "What can I, as an American, do?" So many things look hopeless. Nothing we do seems to make a difference for the better. There's no simple solution--maybe there isn't a solution. It's not unanimous, but here's what I've heard: Make the US an example to the world. Show the world how things can be. That there is a place that values everyone. Show us that there is hope.
Tuesday night we did not do this. We sent the opposite message. That not everyone is valued. That the US is willing to hand over the reigns to someone who has promised to be and anti-democratic and not work for the interests of us all.
So here's the deal. The US needs you. I believe that it needs me. I believe this more strongly than I've believed anything in a long while.
I don't believe that rational argument sways people, at least not about the things that matter. That probably sounds weird coming from a philosophy student, but there it is. I don't mean that it has no place, but when one's mind is set--as so many of ours are--no amount of argument or list of facts will matter. I happen to think that it may, in fact, be irrational to be swayed by argument in these cases, but that's a story for another time.
So what does change minds? How can we make things better?
Here's what I know: The one mind I have changed--and maybe I shouldn't take credit for it--was changed through understanding. We had an interest in each other as humans, as friends. Neither of us wanted to change the other's mind--really--we just wanted to understand each other. Not by pushing or prodding. Not by antagonism. Just by being interested. There is a paradox here. In order to really change someone you must not desire to change them.


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A saw a butterfly today. Well, I glanced at it. I did take a second look, but it was maybe for half-moment and not much more.
Immediately reminding me of the fields at Hutchison Elementary, at recess, the site of my early holding grounds.
A rush came over me, particularly about the different sense of time back then……every thing took so long. Relatively speaking, of course, it did–compared to my young age. As I passed through the bustling streets on my way to wherever, I thought, the last time I remember seeing a butterfly, I was 10, and I remember just watching it for a while. Not this time though, I had to go nowhere, but I know I needed to get there quickly.
Senseless rush.
My first week here turned into 6 months. Now, on my second trip, Cairo feels more like returning to a distant memory than to a far away distant land. Not really sure how much I've gained, or for that matter, how much I've lost, but I'm here. Inshallah, this next round will be much more fruitful, now that I've been reminded of how quickly ten becomes twenty-four, and how short a year becomes after a few moments.
But alhamdulillah, at least a saw a butterfly today.


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Apparently, I am not talking enough about my wedding.
"Blah blah blah, Bird, your relationship is good and nice job with all that work, but can we please talk about the important things?" you said, dear anonymous reader/commenter person. You said, "I want to hear about what really matters. Like the planning of your wedding."
By which I assume, commenter of mine, you mean napkins. You mean which chairs we picked and how we picked them, and what our invitations look like.
I have two important responses to this:
- This wedding is about a freakin' relationship. It's not about the napkins! And I think that there are plenty of resources out there for people who want to talk about napkins and chairs, and I have little interest in being one of those resources. I think that there could stand to be a lot more resources talking about our relationships and what is hard about them and how we get through that. I think that there should be more emphasis on planning for the marriage, and more posts about how people wrote their vows. We already get enough of "YOU NEED A DRESS FOR YOUR MOST IMPORTANT DAY (and it must make you flutter!)." Give me some of the, "Here's how we were realistic in the writing of our vows while maintaining hope and romance." Give me some, "Here's how to revel in this day that is one of your many important days, but for sure not the only one."
- Um, the other reason you haven't really been hearing so much about the planning of our actual wedding is day is because. Um. We haven't really been doing any. Ooh look a pretty bird!
So here's what happened: we hit a point where it's just about waiting. We are waiting for and on a lot of things, like for my muslin suit to come in the mail and then for them to make the actual cloth version of it; for our invitations to be put together; for someone to make a decision about what favors we're going to do, and then for someone to make those favors.
Okay, so a lot of what we're waiting for would happen if we would stop waiting for it.
But there it is, folks – the reason you haven't heard much about our wedding planning is because we're just not doing it. We are still settling into our new home, which is coming along nicely. We are trying to be nice to each other. We are trying to stay friends with our friends, and to make enough money to get by. You know, we are living our life, and wedding planning is fun, and being prepared for our big wedding day is important, but it is not at the top of the list right now, and that is okay with me.
There are, though, some things you can look forward to hearing about soon:
- Our invitations! They are in the process of happening. By which I mean that our designer/awesome friend Lisa is waiting (again, we're in a waiting stage right now) to hear from us about what we want the invitation to say. And we are waiting to be inspired? Sorry, Lisa.
- My shoes! I found some! This post will not be exciting, but look! Wedding related!
- Um… our chairs? No, just kidding. Not something I care about.
- Favors! We're waiting… to have time to make them? Whatever they end up being, they are for sure something I am excited about, and something I hope our guests are excited about, too.
- Possibly a bridal shower, but at the very least a picture of the pretty, pretty invitation I got for it.
- Bridesmaids dresses. OMG you should be on the edge of your seat by the time you get to this point in the list.
Oh, and here's a question for you, reader who did not anonymously comment but might actually have nice things to say: Are you at all interested in reading about our budget? Because I imagine that such a post will be agonizingly boring to write, but I always found it helpful and interesting to see other peoples' budgets. Or will you just judge me? Yes, I am spening $500 on our venue. It's rough leading my life. Really.
Feeling a little sassy tonight? Why yes, thank you. Please comment and tell me about your favorite part of wedding planning, and, if you're feeling ambitious, tell me something you want to read about.


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Hoyt R Booth Jr, 1960 - 2004
Hoyt R. Booth Jr. b Oct 9, 1960, d Feb 23, 2004 Rest in peace, friend.
Hoyt was a homeless client of Operation Nightwatch. That sounds so clinical. Hoyt was a friend. When Operation Nightwatch was located in Belltown in the 1990s, he would wander in, looking for a meal, a blanket, or shelter. His gentle drawl and earnest desire to rise above his affliction is what I miss. His own behavior was as mystifying to him as it was to the friends and neighbors who kept an eye on him and helped him out.
I encountered Hoyt years later, a panhandling fixture on 15th Ave E in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood. Now, to call Hoyt a "panhandler" may make him sound like a ne'er-do-well, a con artist, a bum. I never thought of him in these terms, and the people that knew him in the neighborhood did not either.
There was a gift store in the neighborhood – Tildens -- which sold nice dishes, fancy cards, home accents. It was family owned, unpretentious; my go-to place when I was on the hook for birthday, Christmas, or wedding presents. The elderly couple who owned the shop found out that I worked with homeless people in Seattle. I sort of braced myself – thinking they were going to tell me how homeless people in the neighborhood were wrecking their business, and all that. Wow, was I wrong.
They were loyal friends of Hoyt. They thought of him as "their" homeless guy. They asked if I knew Hoyt, which of course I did. They spoke about his polite and gentle ways, and how broken up they were about his inability to control his drinking, and the toll it was taking on him. They understood alcoholism as a health problem rather than a moral issue. What they said next absolutely floored me at the time.
"There's some new homeless guys moving into the neighborhood, and they're making it tough for Hoyt because they don't care about anyone else. What can we do to get rid of the new guys, but keep on helping Hoyt?" That's how much this shopkeeper in a small retail area thought about Hoyt. He was "their homeless guy."They took umbrage that their guy was being pushed out.
See, Hoyt was a worker. He picked up after himself. He wanted to help in the ways that he could. Plus, he would describe the particulars of his former occupation (roofing), and how much he wanted to get back to it. This alarmed me – I know he was an end-stage alcoholic, and imagining him in his impairment getting up on a roof was frightening to me. He told me that he even wanted to write a book about roofing. Yes, it seemed like a delusion at the time he told me – but still, I think it revealed something of his heart.
For several years I wondered what happened to him. It seems impossible to me that he has been dead for 11 years. For a time I couldn't remember his last name, and then like a bolt out of the blue it came to me. I've been working with homeless people for 20-plus years, and I've forgotten so many names, but Hoyt stood out. I guess if there was one thing I would tell his family, is that Hoyt was a lovable guy to the end, that he felt things very deeply, that he was afflicted with the terrible disease of alcoholism – he wouldn't have wished it on anyone. He made his own small mark, and I wish we could have done more for him.


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ASDA get non qualified teams into World CupJune 2, 2006 at 4:47 pm | Posted in Asda, England, Football, Ireland, sainsburys, Scotland, Tesco, Wales, World Cup | Leave a comment
World Cup tat-you either love it or hate it,but for a few short weeks people all across England can actually get away with being English in their own Country and not be arrested by the Scottish Raj for their trouble.
The overload of England stuff is an amusing sight for those of us who fight to keep it's image alive 365 days a year,and not just for sporting events.
Hypocrisy and money do go hand in hand though and examples of this abound right now,I have already posted with regards to ASDAS World Cup schizophrenia HERE,but on reading WENAPs comments about the axis of evil ie-TESCO AND SAINSBURYS,I decided to revisit my previous post to make my point,as the kids say "yo yo big up" my point with pictorial proof of the strange and often mysterious world of the marketing persons.
ASDA,like many retailers are selling World Cup clothing,but only in their English stores ,incase their Scottish employees all end up in counseling,due to them crying all the time about Scotland not being in the World Cup.
The ASDA footy clothing range can be found HERE,but within it's pages,like Bananaman,"an amazing transformation occurs",but unlike Eric becoming Bananaman,ASDA have somehow got Scotland,Wales and Republic of Ireland,in to the World Cup by the back door.
Excellent question, and the answer is- CLOTHING
ASDA stock Scotland,Wales and Republic of Ireland World Cup clothing-WHY ?
Who can say as they didn't qualify,but it's there, and I can show you now.
and if that wasn't enough you get a second go below.
Isn't the need to be as greedy as possible a wonderful excuse to ignore the facts and just grab grab grab with clothing for Countries who didn't make it ?.
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Well, here we are in the hallowed halls of the District Court where I'm suing The Writer for throwing me in the clink.
Looks a lot like our hallway. Are you nervous?
I have my power green tie and my glasses that make me look like Catticus Finch and my briefcase. Why should I be nervous?
Power ties are red and not a St. Patrick's Day gag tie. And your briefcase is really a vintage Elizabeth Arden make-up case.
Never mind the details. Where is The Writer? And what's this paper the bailiff handed me?
It's a summons. The Writer is going to change your name if you don't drop your case against her.
Change my name? To what?
The innkeeper at the Hope and Glory Inn where The Writer, her huband, and I vacationed, is Dudley. The Writer thinks Dudley suits you better than Winchester. You act like a Dudley.
This is monstrous! I am not a Dudley!
I think she's right. Dudley does suit you.
I'm leaving this kangaroo court right now! I should have known the wheels of justice wouldn't turn in my favor!
See you later . . . Dudley.


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Camera – Radiate
Bureau B – 2012
Rock, Kraut, Space
Rated: ****
Radiate is one of those albums that suddenly bursts onto the scene and is advised by an enormous variation of folks that all seek contact within a few days. The final push of the edge was when Doktor420 talked highly of it. Produced by the three-piece Berlin krautrock outfit Camera it leans towards spacerock while carving little snippets of something more psychedelic into their music. Their instrumental brushstrokes paint colorful and hypnotic paintings of bizarre landscapes and twisted universes. It has every characteristic from all those classic krautrock bands we come to hold so dear but they do not try to emulate; but rather re-invent them or continue down a path discovered decades before. So head on down to Berlin and walk through the city cause somewhere; on some dusty little corner between a bookstore and a thrift shop or under a dirty gray bridge Camera might be playing one of their guerilla gigs. It is true; great stuff comes from the weird, the sick, the daring and those few seconds of confidences that pushes you over the edge…


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Linking to SPIRES
Why link to SPIRES?
The SPIRES HEP database provides a rich information structure for papers in high energy physics. Where applicable we provide each record with links to
Setting up links
The very first thing you should do is send us E-mail at email@example.com so that we can help you with setting links appropriate for your needs.
An example of a page
Here we present an example of a Journal Page that is linked to us (this link will start a second browser window). It displays the following features
Setting up links
Constructing your links is very simple. You can link directly to records in the SPIRES database if you have either the publication note or the eprint number. This information can be found most easily using the bibtex format.
@Article{Gross:1987mw, author = "David J. Gross and John H. Sloan", title = "THE QUARTIC EFFECTIVE ACTION FOR THE HETEROTIC STRING", journal = "Nucl. Phys.", volume = "B291", year = "1987", pages = "41", SLACcitation = "%%CITATION = NUPHA,B291,41;%%" }
or the metadata format
<article> <author>Roberts,Craig D.</author> <author>Williams,Anthony G.</author> <title>Dyson-Schwinger equations and their application to hadronic physics</title> <published> <journal> <title>Progress in Particle and Nuclear Physics</title> <abbrev>Prog.Part.Nucl.Phys.</abbrev> </journal> <volume>33</volume> <pages>477-575</pages> <year>1994</year> </published> <published> <eprint>hep-ph/9403224</eprint> </published> </article>
In both cases the SLACcitation field gives what you need to construct
the link. Letting
WWW = http://www.slac.stanford.edu
Note that the links cannot include whitespace, so the search elements
around bound together through ``+''.
In addition, when these formats are used it becomes very simple to include hyperlinks in the document to the SPIRES database, as per this example [dvi | ps | pdf (may need magnification)] (note: you might only be able to see hyperlinks in the pdf file, unless you have fancy ps and dvi viewers).
Alternative Search Links
Although the E-print number and journal, volume, page reference are the ideal linking variables, sometimes the reference is not specified in this manner. How can we find the appropriate SPIRES entry in this case? Luckily there are many other search terms (indexes) that can be used to obtain the unique article. The most useful are first author (fa), the year of journal publication (jy), the first page of the journal article (jp). Thus the following searches can be done, e.g.,
Displaying the links
We would ask that journals display the link to us in the following manner, where appropriate
as in our example page.
About SPIRES


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This mani is inspired by some of the dresses the girls are wearing in the promotional images for "Hoot".
(from left to right: Seohyun, Sooyoung, Sunny, Taeyeon and Tiffany)
Step 1: apply your base coat.
Paint one of your nails white and all the other black.
-White: basic 35-
-Black: Deborah Shine TECH 30-
Step 2: using black and white polish add squares, stripes and dots on your nails.
When dry apply your top coat.
-White Striper: KIKO 203-
-Black: Deborah Shine TECh 30-
And as a bonus...
I really like the dress Sunny wear in the "Hoot" music video, so I made a quick and easy tutorial on her dress.
Step 1: Apply white polish.
Step 2: make colorful squares.
Step 3: add sparse glitter.
-White: basic 35-
-Fuchsia: KIKO 283-
-Red: MAYBELLINE FOREVER STRONG 535-
-Silver: basic 41-
-Lime Green: essence 39 Lime Up!-
(The squares are supposed to be red and fuchsia but my camera didn't catch the difference!!)


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By Dave Warner
PHILADELPHIA (Reuters) - The national debate over voter identification laws comes to Pennsylvania's Supreme Court on Thursday with challengers set to argue that the state law will shut out thousands of minority voters.
The Pennsylvania law, which requires all voters to show either a state driver's license, government employee ID or a state non-driver ID card, has been under fire from the American Civil Liberties Union and other legal organizations, following similar battles in Texas and South Carolina.
Supporters say the law, passed by a Pennsylvania's Republican legislature, will prevent voter fraud but critics say its true aim is to limit minority voters, who tend to vote Democratic.
The ACLU and the Advancement Project, a multi-racial civil rights organization, are among several groups that filed a lawsuit seeking an injunction from the state's highest court less than two months before Election Day.
"This law deprives many eligible voters in the commonwealth - disproportionately the poor, minorities, senior citizens, young voters and people with disabilities - of their fundamental right to vote," said Judith Browne Dianis, co-director of the Advancement Project.
Because there are "zero instances of in-person voter fraud in Pennsylvania," the law will serve instead to exclude several hundred thousand Pennsylvanians, said Witold Walczak, legal director for the state ACLU.
"Why do we need to do this? There is no reason," Walczak said.
Arguing against the injunction is the state attorney general's office, which maintains that opponents failed to show the law causes any immediate harm.
The legal battle takes place against the backdrop of a widely reported statement by Republican House Majority Leader Mike Turzai, who was quoted as saying, "Voter ID, which is going to allow Governor Romney to win the state of Pennsylvania - done."
Turzai's press secretary, Steve Miskin, told Reuters this week that the quote is accurate but widely mischaracterized.
He said his boss, who represents the Pittsburgh area and was speaking at a party meeting in June, meant that "for the time in many years we are going to have a presidential race on a relatively level playing field."
Pennsylvania's Supreme Court currently has six justices - three Democrats and three Republicans, raising the possibility of a tie. A seventh judge was suspended while she faces criminal charges for improperly using staff for political campaigns.
A tie would keep in place an earlier ruling by a lower appellate court that refused to issue an injunction, according to Supreme Court spokesman Jim Koval.
(Editing by Barbara Goldberg and Bill Trott)


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It's official (and it has been for some time now) - I've graduated school and passed all the necessary requirements to practice nursing in Texas! In this state, in addition to the NCLEX, there is also the Jurisprudence Test that must be taken to be registered as a nurse. It's extremely easy though, and it's essentially open book (or open browser - it's online and any resources can be used.) It's also official that my husband, The Pug and I are moving! This is a big deal to me - I dislike almost everything about Texas, particularly the conservative rat hole devoid of any concept of social justice where we currently reside. Texas does have its redeeming qualities though, most notably the generally friendly and endearing "Howdy y'all!" populace and the liberal progressive oasis of Austin. We'll still be in Texas, only in an exponentially better location.
I also have a job! As a graduate RN in Texas, many people mistakenly assumed that finding a job would be easy. Unfortunately, at the time of graduation in December, more than one third of my 100+ person class was still jobless, and that included myself. Several hospitals around here even have a hiring freeze, as do several of the places in our new city. When even the job outlook for nurses in Texas is bleak, something must be seriously wrong with the economy.
I tried to sell myself as best I could, and even with the magna cum laude on my diploma and volunteer work on my resume, I only got one bite at one hospital. And holy crap, was that a nerve wracking job interview. I practiced for hours before hand and am pretty sure that I bombed several questions, and then had to wait over 3 weeks for a callback. Luckily I got the job for the only position I was even considered for. There were only 3 positions even available, even on a 64-bed Med-Surg floor. Apparently budgets are pretty tight right now.
Anyway, the hospital is, unsurprisingly, religiously oriented. It does a metric ton of charity work in the area though and is not-for-profit, and that's something that I'll be proud to be a part of. (I don't want to get into politics at this moment, but let's just say that I don't think health care should be a for-profit venture and everyone should have access to quality healthcare.) It'll be interesting to see if there are any signs of the hospital's religious background in my day-to-day nursing experience. Obviously there are crosses on every wall and a point is made to notify visitors and patients of the hospital's mission, but hopefully it ends when it comes to employees. Overall, I think it will be a great place for me to start out and is full of opportunities.
I am excited to be able to continue on relating stories of the amazing people I come across and how they change my thoughts and views. I can't wait to grow as a person and care for my future patients. Next week, I start a new life.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
New Town, New Job, New Life
Posted by Atheist Nurse at Saturday, January 30, 2010 2 comments:
Labels: atheism, atheist, economy, graduate nurse, graduation, healthcare, Med-Surg, moving, nurse, Texas
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Tuesday, April 14, 2009
"Ism" of the Day: Thatcherism
Concerning former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher—
Her horizons were as wide as the world and as deep as history. She wanted to "abolish socialism" at home and defeat communism abroad. Incredibly, she arguably did both, at the same time giving her name to a new "ism": Thatcherism - a political philosophy founded on deregulated financial markets, privatisation of state assets, council house sales and the dismantling of the welfare state.
Thatcherism wasn't just an economic policy, however. It was a social psychology based on possessive individualism. It was about getting as much as possible for yourself and your family and then letting the rest of the world go hang. "There's no such thing as society," she said in her most magisterial soundbite. And while she insists that she didn't mean it literally, actually, she did. She largely succeeded, too, in destroying collectivism, a form of social solidarity that had endured in large parts of Britain since the second world war.
—Iain Macwhirter writing in "Children of the Revolution"
"Council houses" are what we would call in the U.S. "public housing." They take their name from the municipal councils that were responsible for their construction and maintenance. Of course the extent of public housing in the U.S. has never approached the level of public housing in the U.K.
Macwhirter, a Scot, has an interesting view of the effect of Thatcher's move to destroy public housing. And it's especially relevant as we survey the economic disaster that has come at least in part from the Bush administration's push to increase home ownership—
Thatcher sensed intuitively that the key to breaking communitarian ties was home ownership. Before 1979, the sale of council houses had been regarded as a fantasy of the loony right. But she went ahead and did it, and by ushering in the age of mass home ownership - "the property-owning democracy" - she turned Britain into a nation of property speculators. Homes, once just places to live, became assets to be traded, used as private fortresses of personal wealth ... and ultimately, vehicles of speculation by the banks. In 1979, when Thatcher came to power, fewer people in Scotland owned their own homes than in communist Poland. Now, nearly 70% of us are owner-occupiers. Ask long-serving trades unionists why workers are so reluctant to go on strike these days and they will often say: mortgages.
Thatcher preceded the Presidency of Ronald Reagan by a year and showed him the way—
Thatcher realised that to destroy socialism she had to destroy the political power of the industrial working class. She was more of a Marxist than most people on the far left, which had fragmented into a litter of splinter groups arguing about obscure points of dogma. Few people in the media believed that Thatcher could possibly succeed with her scorched earth policy of destroying the unions through high interest rates, industrial closures and mass unemployment. "She'll end up like Heath," we snorted, "doing a U-turn and resorting to incomes policy, states subsidies and inflation." But "the lady wasn't for turning" and she broke the unions, and Labour, on the wheel of joblessness, then paid the bills using Scottish oil revenues. She, wisely, left the miners to last, confronting them on her own terms in 1984.
When Reagan took office he followed a similar agenda, creating the then-greatest recession since the Great Depression and famously firing the air traffic controllers who went on strike for the union. "Industrial action" hasn't been the same since.
Of course the recession of 1981 pales in comparison with the present debacle. For this too Macwhirter gives Thatcher credit—
The origins of the greatest economic depression in 100 years lay in May 1979 when she became prime minister. The economic engine she created, based on the unrestrained accumulation of wealth and deregulated financial markets, turned into an uncontrollable global juggernaut which has just careered over a cliff. Almost everything that has gone wrong with the neoliberal model - the housing bubble, the bonus culture, fraudulent derivatives, tax havens, financial speculation, the collapse of manufacturing - had their origins in the Thatcher revolution 30 years ago. When David Cameron's Tories today talk of the "broken society" what they are really talking about is the society of rampant individualism and moral anarchy created by their own former leader.
In the U.S. we don't refer to our lunatic public policies of almost three decades as "Thatcherism" but "Reaganism." Yet of the two, Thatcher surely had the bulk of the brains, and I suspect that Reagan took much of his resolve—and as many ideas as he could handle—from the Iron Lady. Even with respect to blame, Reagan—like George Bush—receives too much credit.
Related posts
The death of the left? (11/27/04)
Maggie Thatcher's pension nightmare (7/02/05)
Truth of the Day: On social change (2/28/08)
Admonition of the Day (4/14/08)
Question of the Day: If America is to adopt socialism ... (9/24/08)


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During the day,when I'm catching up on sleep from working the night shift, the kids try hard to be quiet.
I woke up to find them all sharing a chair in the living room playing a wii game.
The kids have been on Spring Break this past week. Early in the week it was warm enough to get in the pool for a quick swim. I should say the air was warm enough...the pool...not so much.
|"Mom, I'm freezing." Guess it's a little early in the season to be in the pool.
Meanwhile, Pam and Bruce and the boys were in Ohio for a conference, where they got to play in snow for the first time!
We did have a couple of chilly days, but the weather warmed back up this weekend, and we got to swim in the pool again yesterday.
And to drive over to Daytona Beach today....
We gave the kids their easter baskets this morning, because there were beachy-items in there and new boogie-boards.
We got to the beach around 0930 and packed lunches so we could stay for a while. We got home around 1500. I love going to the beach, I don't really care for the post-beach clean up. I did manage to clean out the minivan, but I need to vacuum out all of the sand.


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Image by Travelin' Librarian via Flickr
Back in August I bought a MyBook, and it took me until January to install it (sometimes I'm a true procrastinator). Turns out the Home Premium version of Vista that was installed on my new laptop doesn't have any capability to do offline files, which is a pretty key feature if I want to move all my music and videos over to an external drive and still be able to listen/watch when not connected. You know, like on a plane? Crazy talk, I know.
Rather than install a type of backup solution, I decided to buy Vista Ultimate through my microsoft employee contact (thanks!), and attempted to do the live upgrade. It didn't work the first time, so here's a tip: reboot your computer before trying any upgrades. Yes, I know, common sense, but no one ever accused me of having a large dose of that. Turns out I needed to clear out a bunch of space for the upgrade, and so I moved my music files over to the MyBook (mistake #1) so I could proceed.
After reading a few articles on how to transfer your iTunes library, I proceeded to try and import the xml file to import my library that's now residing on the external drive. Sigh. I'm STILL working on this because my wireless card will suddenly drop the network connection when transferring a lot of files, which just frustrates me to no end. Argh.
It got to the point where I thought I was going to have to recreate my entire library again, but after figuring out how to clear out my offline files, I attempted the import again and it of course went through just fine – to spite me, I think.
At this moment it's currently determining gapless playback information, and then I'll need to import artwork – again.
Filed under: geek, things I use |


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Friday, September 16, 2011
Banning Beggars
4 comments:
Please clarify how the police can attack the real roots of crime. I suspect you do not mean to point at the young beggars' parents.
- September 16, 2011 at 12:13 PM
I was struck by what seemed like lots of this kind of "gang begging" this summer (near the Louvre/Pont des Arts). I have strong childhood memories of being surrounded by kids waving newspapers to cover the pocket-picking, but hadn't seen it in years, if not decades. I wondered how much my impressions had to do with actual changes in policing and the campaign against the Roma, larger economic trends, or just the fact that I have tended to avoid the main tourist areas during tourist season but happened to be working at the Louvre a bit this year.
- September 16, 2011 at 12:25 PM
- elvisd said...
Howza 'bout telling us what those "real roots of crime" are. We've been searching for them in the US for over 40 years, but curiously need millions more dollars in funding to finish the job.
- September 17, 2011 at 6:45 AM
Of course it is the parents who train their children in the art of crime and the shakedown. The children are really young, often 4 or 5, always too young to be charged with a crime.
Classic scam-young woman with babe in arms carrying a small sign surrounded by very young kids. She stops someone who tries to help while the kids pick pockets, steal purses of the good samaritain.
This has been a problem in France for a very long time, but has worsened with the mass migrations from Eastern Europe.
- September 18, 2011 at 3:26 AM