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My brass quintet has a gig this FRIDAY NIGHT .
And when I write "my brass quintet" I don't mean that it's "mine" or that I run it or anything - it's just a figure of speech denoting the brass quintet that I play in. To be more specific, it's more or less an autonomous collective, though sometimes I think we're an anarcho-syndicalist commune out to expose the violence inherent in the system.
Anyway, we'll be playing for tips at Biddle Escape in Regent Square at 7pm.
Now you may ask yourself, what sort of music will the quintet be playing? And that's a very good question. I could say that we'll be playing BOTH types of music: country AND western! But that would be a mistake. We will be playing lotsa good stuff. A great deal of it, if my memory serves me correctly, arranged in one way or another by someone in the group.
Come to Biddle's Escape on Friday night. Have a coffee, have a tea, have a listen to the group and me.


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Hiking The Meadow Creek Trail
The 8th most popular hiking trail in Idaho.
Monday 4 July 2016 04:15 GMT
Southwest of Lowell in the Nez Perce National Forest, the Meadow Creek Trail (#726) climbs 15 miles up Meadow Creek from the Selway River to Meadow Creek Station cabin. The trail follows the quiet creek bottom through a lush cedar and giant fir forest past cascading waterfalls. Beyond these first four miles, the trail heads up the hillside towards the station.
To reach the hiking trailhead from Lowell on US 12, head southeast on FS 223 for roughly 20 miles past Selway Falls. Cross the Selway River and follow FS290 to the NFS Slims CG. Plan to see more wildlife than anywhere else in the nation, including mountian lion, moose, black bear, elk and an occasional otter on the Selway River.
Overall, Meadow Creek Trail is the 8th most popular hiking trail of all 19 hikes in Idaho.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Helix was a strong offering: not stunning, but a good adventure story on an outlandish world--a little like Ringworld, perhaps, but without Ringworld's sense of epicness.
Necropath was very different in tone but an even better book: a solid science fiction tale blending in a murder mystery and psionic abilities. He continued the saga with Xenopath and Cosmopath and never really lost the pace, though by the end of the last I was starting to see some of Helix shining through.
I missed a few other of his releases, then picked up this one: Guardians of the Phoenix. Here Brown is definitely returning to his Helix roots: it's an adventure tale concentrating on a small group of desperate people struggling to travel to a half-mythical goal across a horrible landscape. This time, instead of placing our adventurers on a novel planet, Brown has decided to tear up the Earth: in this post-apocalyptic tale the oceans have dried up and the planet has been covered with sand dunes, with the last remnants of humanity numbering perhaps in the thousands worldwide.
Brown pulls several things off well in this story. The environment is well crafted: not as stifling and fraternal as Glen Cook's Passage At Arms perhaps, but still enough to make you feel adrift on that barren wasteland. The reveals are thin but well timed--sometimes you can feel he's dragging them out on purpose, but he never seems to be stuffing pointless material in there for pacing. And while the characters have annoying traits, you can at least identify with them.
And naturally there are things I'd like to see improved. There are too many scene shifts early in the book: with only 450 pages this doesn't qualify as even Medium on my tome-o-meter, so I don't want to see six or seven different viewpoints in the first six or seven chapters. It's a relatively small group of people, so let me get to know them a little, eh? One of those viewpoints is awkward as well--it's backstory for a character who doesn't appear in the flesh until the last chapter, and each bit of backstory is only a page or two. I understand why Brown needed to add this stuff, but it could've been managed better.
I don't think we'll be seeing a sequel to this one; it wouldn't fit well on the ending, as any follow-up would have too many new characters and a new location. But it was a worthwhile read anyway.


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Friday, March 14, 2014
Time Keeps on Slipping Slipping Slipping...
"Remember when we went to the store tomorrow?" he might say.
"You mean when we went to the store yesterday?"
"Oh, right," he'll reply. "Yesterday."
Trying to find actual real examples of what I'm talking about, though, that's harder. So when I come across one, especially one that keeps getting repeated, I'm wont to write it down, so I can use it, so I can be specific when I ask people to help us figure out how to address it.
Recently, we've been listening to Wonder on audiobook. I mentioned it before, and at some point I'll likely mention it again, because it's been this wonderful (ha!) experience for both of us. It's eliciting so much conversation, and so much emotion.
It's also eliciting a perfect example of N's issues with time.
See, we listen to the book on my iPhone; the iPod function there has a 15-seconds-back function on it; you touch a little clockwise or counterclockwise arrow with the number 15 in it, and that makes the audio skip forward or backward 15 seconds. Because we only get to listen to the book a few times a week, there are long periods in between when life gets in our way, so whenever we turn it back on, I always instruct N to hit the 15-second-back once or twice.
Lately, because my son is nothing if not a creature of habit, he's beating me to the punch when I pull out my iPhone and hand it to him to get us started while I drive.
"Should I turn it back 15 minutes?" he said the other day.
"Seconds, and yes," I said.
"Right. Seconds," he replied.
Two days later:
"I'll turn it back 15 minutes."
"15 what?" I said, prompting.
"Oh, right. Seconds," he said, embarrassed, dismissive.
On the way to school the other day, when we'd been late leaving the house every morning this week (I adoreADOREadore Daylight Savings, but it sure does take me some time to catch up to the mornings), I bemoaned our tardiness.
"This isn't OK," I said. "We're so late. It's already 7:50!"
"Yeah," he said. "I'll have to remind you to leave a few minutes later tomorrow."
"Later?" I said, momentarily confused, until the coin dropped. "Do you mean earlier?"
"Oh, right. Earlier," he said.
That "oh right"? The one that comes with each of these corrections I give him? If you were sitting there, you'd know that they are not "oh, right"s. They are, rather, "isn't that what I just said?" They are, "I'll use repeat your words so you'll leave me alone." They are, "we just aren't speaking the same language."
I can see the disconnect, but I can't see how to cross that divide. I don't know where it's rooted. In language? In something deeper, some quirky biological sense that isn't, an actual inability to know the difference between 15 seconds and 15 minutes? Somewhere else?
Is it fixable? Does it need fixing? Can it be worked around? Is it the sign of some gift instead? Am I looking at it from the wrong perspective, from my time bound world, trying to tie him down?
When N was little, he used to talk about something happening "in a couple of whiles." I loved that turn of phrase, and I still like to use it. But, really, I think that's what time is for him. Just some whiles, all piling up in one direction or another. A couple of whiles here, a couple of whiles there. It's all the same. It's life.
3 comments:
- kristen spina said...
I'd be curious to hear what others think. We have a similar issue with tenses, primarily. Which kind of freaks me out when I think about him taking a language next year (!!!) I hear a lot of "I done that already" or "She teached it to me yesterday"… not sure what that's about either, and yes, when I verbally correct him, I get the same vague responses that don't convince me for one minute that he understands.
- March 15, 2014 at 12:18 PM
Oh man. This is SO exactly Linnea. I could have written half of those.
Hurry up! We're going to be early! She has not concept of time, though she does get past present future, she might not express them correctly.
Another issue we deal with is that she has no... internal number line. While it's intrinsically obvious to me that 97 is larger than 28, she has to reason through it each time.
Anyhow. In her case it was all lumped into dyslexia/dyscalculia, and there is clearly something in her processing.
When she was learning to read, we could tell her "point to all the "thes" in the paragraph!" and she could point to all of them. Then we'd say "What's that word?" and point to 'the' and she'd be unable to read it. There are clearly some links that aren't happening.
Anyhow. I hear ya.
- March 15, 2014 at 4:10 PM
- Unknown said...
A thought. I have difficulty with right and left. I *know* the difference - I know one direction is right and the other left - but basically - left is left and right is left. I have to think really hard to get right and left correct. (I do a lot of shaking the appropriate hand - this side -shaking the right hand.) Perhaps its like that but with time words.
- March 18, 2014 at 1:17 PM


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Friday, August 1, 2008
What would I do without it?
4 comments:
This comment has been removed by the author.ReplyDelete
LOL its way too late for me to be thinking about a kitchen re-do! LOL...I'll dream about it...and then post! (as long as "my chef" likes it...I'm ok with it!) LOLReplyDelete
Sure love seeing your new blog and cant wait for the site reveal!
Well, my kitchen is not exactly my dream kitchen but it does its work. Gosh, I would love to be able to create my kitchen from scratch. I know what it would look like...a little Mediterranean, and a whole lot of French and tons...and tons of gadgets!! lol... I may not be able to cook very well, but I won't let that stop me from tinkering!! LOL...ReplyDelete
Wonderful new blog you have Carrie!! I'll be stopping back here lots to see what kind of goodies you have brewing in your kitchen...
Love the new blog Carrie. I can't wait to read more. PS how bout some cookies now?ReplyDelete


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|Wanted by J. Kenner
(Most Wanted #1)
January 7, 2014
Bantam publishing
352 pages
Genre: Adult Romantic Erotica (18+)
(Contains: sex, strong language)
Source: eARC from publisher for Honest review
He is everything I crave, all I desperately want—and he is everything I can't have.
Evan Black embodies my every fantasy. He is brilliant, fierce, and devastatingly handsome. But he is also headstrong, dangerous, and burdened with secrets.
My family warned me to stay away, that I could never handle Evan's dark dealings or scarred past. Maybe I should have listened. Maybe I should have run. But our desire is undeniable, and some temptations you just can't fight.
And from the moment we touch—the passion between us consuming us both—I know that I will never be the same.
For fans of Fifty Shades of Grey, Bared to You, and Release Me comes an all-new erotic series of three enigmatic and powerful men, and the striking women who can bring them to their knees.
Wanted is an erotic romance intended for mature audiences.My Review:
Wanted is Angelina and Evan's story, but also sets us up to meet the men who will be featured in the next two books of this series. Evan and Angelina have known each other for a number of years, through their mutual connection with her uncle, but have never been very close as her uncle has kept her at a distance from Evan and the other guys. But after some tragic circumstances, things have shifted in their lives, changing up the relationships in Angelina's life. And bringing Evan to the forefront. But any opportunity between the two of them will come at a price and with risk. Risk may be good for the thrill-seeker in Angelina, but will she and Evan be able to take the chances that need to be taken for any possible future?
I really enjoyed Kenner's Stark Trilogy, and I can say that Wanted maintains the level of writing I've come to expect from Kenner. Kenner has created a story that drew me in right from the very first chapter. Her writing style depicted the setting really well, giving me the complete mental picture of each location and scene. She created characters that, though they have money and the men have alpha tendencies like other books, they still had their own unique qualities and circumstances, setting them apart from their contemporaries.
As for the plot and storyline, I felt Kenner really put her own spin on things. Just when I would think the story would be played out a certain cookie-cutter way, some new twist would pop-up, keeping me on my toes until the very end. This is not to say that there aren't some predictable moments as well, but the unpredictability kept things spicy and intriguing and I stayed fully engaged.
Admittedly, there was something a little bit swarmy about these three bad boys that didn't completely win me over. There are many secrets to their various lines of work. Evan has many positives and negatives going for him, but I did come to like him more, though never quite loved him. The boys have a business that I will never be a fan of, no matter how someone tries to spin it. But beyond the business aspect, I liked Evan in regards to his relationship with Angelina.
Wanted is a solid start to this companion trilogy. If you like alpha males who are rich and mysterious, and don't mind illegal and questionable dealings; if you like sexy romance and mild erotica; if you like female characters that are not complete pushovers and have a good head on their shoulders - then this could be the series for you.
(maybe 3-3/4 Stars)
(maybe 3-3/4 Stars)


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In 2006, George W. Bush was the President of the US, and the US was an international joke.
In 2013, Barack Obama is President, and the US is back to having some international respect and credibility.
In 2006, JD Hayworth was the representative in Congress for my area.
In 2013, Kyrsten Sinema is the representative in Congress for my area.
In 2006, the vast majority of voters in AZ voted by trotting down to their local polling place and casting their ballots.
In 2013, most voters cast their ballots by trotting down to their mailbox.
In 2006, Arizona was part of the punchlines of some of the jokes that punctuated political discussions.
In 2013, Arizona is part of the punchlines of most of the jokes that punctuate political discussions.
OK, that last is more the continuation of a steady decline than an actual change, but you understand. :)
One of the few true constants, and perhaps the truest one, has been the activism for others, and inspiration to others, of Genie and Hector Zavaleta. They've been working to improve their community and inspiring others to do the same, for more than five decades.
They've been (deservedly) honored many times by community groups; now they've been honored by the local newspaper with a feature article on them, and their deep love and respect for each other.
From the Arizona Republic, written by Kerry Fehr-Snyder -
Genie and Hector Zavaleta have been married for 54 years, largely, they say, because they have fought for others, not with each other.
As Valentine's Day approaches, their's is not the traditional Cupid's arrow-through-the-heart story, yet their message of love and respect is universal.
The longtime Tempe activists have been helping others since they got married in 1958 in San Antonio, and devoted the first year of their marriage to Migrant Ministry of the National Council of Churches.
I don't normally actually recommend reading a full article in the AZ Republic, even if I link to some here. However, this one is easily worthy of a full read.
Hector and Genie Zavaleta are two of the best people that I've ever had the privilege of knowing, and I've known a bunch of very good ones.
More on the Zavaletas and their history here, courtesy Chandler-Gilbert Community College, and here, courtesy Presbytery of Grand Canyon.


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As promised in my last post I am going to write about my experience on the low FODMAP diet.
First a DISCLAIMER: Although I wish to share my experience on this diet and I hope that you can share your experiences, I strongly encourage you to see your doctor to get tested and diagnosed with IBS before you start this diet, because you may miss important diagnoses like celiac disease. AND I really encourage you not to take on this diet alone, it involves cutting out a number of different foods, and although you can still eat a balanced diet I think you do need the help of a registered dietitian experienced in the low FODMAP diet because it can get frustrating and you can get hungry if not following it properly.
Ok now to the fun stuff.
FODMAP stands for
Basically, these are sugars that are not well absorbed by some people's guts so they travel along our digestive tract to the colon where they act as food for bacteria and when the bacteria digest/ferment the food it produces symptoms of gas, bloating, diarrhea, constipation and abdominal discomfort. The low FODMAP diet starts by eliminating FODMAPs for 2-6 weeks and then slowly introducing one group at a time to test tolerance/intolerance to a certain sugar group.
The diet was created by Sue Shephard and the team at Monash University in 1999 and is gaining popularity by doctors who are starting to prescribe it to their patients. The Monash team is constantly working to expand the list of FODMAPs and has a great iphone app that can be purchased here, it is $9.99 but all the proceeds from the app go to doing more research and finding more FODMAP foods to add to the list.
So what are the FODMAPS?
Oligosaccharides – water soluble fibres found in: wheat, garlic and onion in large amounts, rye and barley in large amounts, and inulin (added to some foods to increase fibre).
- Appropriate foods include: gluten free products (*check labels to ensure they don't contain other FODMAP food), the green parts of onions, psyllium, gluten free flours
- Because IBS is not an allergy to gluten, small amounts of wheat and oligosaccharides can usually be tolerated like bread crumbs and the amount of wheat in sauces like soy sauce
Disaccharides – lactose: found in milk products like, ice cream, milk, most yogurts, some soft cheeses like cream cheese, custard
- Hard or cured cheeses like mozzarella, brie, feta and cheddar are low lactose and usually well tolerated
- Small amounts (1-2TBSP) of cream cheese or other soft cheeses like ricotta may be tolerated by some
Monosaccharides – foods with excess fructose like: honey, apples, mango, pears, watermelon, high fructose corn syrup and other foods that contain more fructose than glucose
- Low FODMAP fruits: bananas, oranges, kiwi, pineapple, grapes, strawberries, tomatoes, papaya, lemons and limes.
- Keep fruit to 1 serving per meal (separate by 2 or more hours). 1 serving = 1 medium orange or banana, 1/2 cup berries, melon or other fruit
- Suitable sweeteners: sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, molasses, cane syrup, most jams in small amounts
- Sugars should all be consumed in small amounts as high amounts promote weight gain, cavities and excess unneeded calories.
Polyols – sugar alcohols found in foods like pears, plums, cauliflower, mushrooms and artificial sweeteners like sorbitol and malitol (commonly found in mints and sugar free gum).
- Low FODMAP polyols: bananas, blueberries, gum sweetened with sugar, aspartame, cantaloupe
FODMAPs all cause distension in the colon in the same way so eating them in combination at meals increases the effect of symptoms in an additive form. For example if you don't tolerate lactose and also have difficulty with wheat and you had shredded wheat cereal with milk for breakfast you would be more likely to have symptoms than if you had just a small amount of cheese on gluten free bread. This is why the low FODMAP diet concentrates on the amount of FODMAPs consumed per meal.
The low FODMAP diet divides foods into high, medium and low FODMAP foods. Low FODMAP foods are best tolerated by most people, but as I said before the sugars are cumulative so the amount of each food eaten will affect your symptoms. This is particularly the case with fruits or the Fructose group as you shouldn't have more than half a cup serving per meal.
I am currently on the Low Fodmap diet phase and have been cutting out any foods I think could be potential triggers, stay tuned for posts about the struggles and achieves of this phase of the diet and my long awaited reintroduction phase.
Below I've listed my references and some great resources for dietitians and others trying to follow this diet.
Kate Scarlata's blog: her blog is fantastic and she offers a lot of information and answers questions and comments. Her shopping guide is currently posted on my fridge and I recommend anyone trying to start the diet download a copy (it's FREE!).
Sue Sheppard Low FODMAP Diet: get information direct from the source, she was part of team of researchers who developed the diet.
Monash University website: always new and updated information on low FODMAP foods again direct from the source. Also a link to the app if you want to download it.
Stephanie Clairmont: her webinar is what got me actually inspired to start the diet myself and she also has some really great information online as she follows the diet herself


text:
Not having internet in the home cramps my style. So if this is all out-of-date, forgive me. My lunchtime has now turned into my blogging time.
I feel as if the economic crisis has resulted in more and more people talking to me about applying to library school. It's an interesting trend, and I'm sure that there may be a couple of you out there thinking to yourselves, "Why not? It's a good job, right? Good benefits. And I get to work with books." Indeed you do. However, before you go much further, I urge you to take a long hard look at this Fact Sheet that discusses Library Workers: Facts and Figures from 2009. The report was created by The Department for Professional Employees, AFL-CIO (DPE) and contains such true, if somewhat shocking, statistics as "the current population of librarians is aging; 58% of librarians in the U.S. are projected to reach the retirement age of 65 between 2005 and 2019."
Recently there was a New York Times article about the fate of Tintin in the Congo and what the Brooklyn Public Library system did with it. NYPL will never have to deal with this issue due to the simple fact that we don't even carry the book in the first place (except for a single solitary original 1959 French edition that has mysteriously been "checked out" in spite of the fact that it's a reference copy). Lee Wind discusses the issue of librarians limiting access to controversial materials.
Since setting up a Twitter account I've found that though I don't tweet as much as the next fellow, I do find it a useful source of bloggable information. Writers like it too, it seems. In fact, there's a more than rather useful site that actual makes a point of compiling the best links via Twitter each and every week. Called Best Tweets for Writers, the site updates itself every weekend. Thanks to @mitaliperkins for the link.
New Blog Alert: I've a new and fellow NYC blogger on my radar now. Rebecca Searle is the founder of Nurturing Narratives, a company that runs storytelling/narrative-building sessions for children ages 3-6. The blog describes itself as, "a place to write and dialogue about stories, storytellers, literacy and all things related (which in my opinion includes a great many things!)." Recent posts have included a fine and fancy roundup of Rebecca's top five summer children's lit reads and the advantages of various journals.
I read with interest the recent New Yorker article on the Kindle and its many flaws and problems. The standard line in our industry is that while eBooks for children's novels may come to prominence at some point, the picture book is without parallel. That doesn't stop various publishers from trying to get theirs out there first, though. When I returned from vacation I found that my inbox contained two press releases from small publishers announcing their new ventures into ebook land. Winged Chariot has created an iPhone app that allows you to download picture books for a mere 59p (it's a European publisher normally, so you can translate the cost accordingly). Sylvan Dell, on their end, has introduced new eBooks with Operating Instructions and instructions on How To Use Sylvan Dell eBooks in the Classroom on their site. I maintain the belief that this will get use insofar as graduate students need to do projects on picture books, but from a practical standpoint paper has nothing to fear quite yet.
Under normal circumstances when I go on vacation I remember to inform the world beforehand "Nobody interesting die." I forgot this time and it shows. This is a true pity. I was very fond of Karla Kuskin's books, and we simply cannot keep The Philharmonic Gets Dressed on the shelf, even though it's a good 27 years old. Thanks to Read Roger for the link.
Oh, heavens! At first I thought that our homegrown Egmont had lured away Mr. Snicket when they announced that they'd be publishing his new series. However, readers who actually go past the titles of articles pointed out to me that, in fact, it was Snicket's British publisher had announced the new series. There was, as far as we could tell, no luring involved. And Monica found two other news sources reporting on the surprise. Phew! Thanks to Educating Alice for the links.
Daily Image:
As Silverstein tats go, this one was a bit obscure for me.
The explanation, however, is here. Thanks to Contrariwise, as per usual.


text:
Last week while perusing the net for news I happened to chance upon this BBC article and I have to say, it grabbed my attention completely. The article talks about a recent Kickstarter project that successfully managed to achieve its funding goal to design and produce two robots called Bo and Yana.
At first glance these rather cute robots may look like ordinary children's playthings but they are actually for a serious purpose that is far reaching in importance. While truly made for children from 5 years and above, these robots can be programmed by the child to do many sorts of things (like acting out a story). The child essentially becomes a hacker while playing, learning how to conceptualise programming with languages like Scratch. Awesome!
The robots reflect the philosophy of their maker, Play-i, and indeed many education experts in the modern world today; in the post-computer era, must it not be a priority to educate children to become not only able to manage computing devices but also know how to program such devices? Indeed, this may not be as far fetched as us trying to teach children not just to read other people's books and papers, but also how to pick up a pen and trace letters, words and finally ideas on a piece of paper. Such knowledge requires mastering language and the same goes for computing.
Some may dismiss this idea as irrelevant to the modern child but perhaps they wouldn't dismiss it if they understood what actually drives computers. It is a language that bodes evil for many children unfortunately and it is called mathematics. Therefore learning more about computers and programming should make you a better math student, right? The idea is tantalizing and is endorsed by many luminaries in the mathematical field. For good or ill, our thinking is being shaped by these thinking machines just as much as we shape their creation. And Play-i's Bo and Yana are a testament to that end.


text:
"The Shoe Boot Valet is truly "one of a kind" and there is no other product with this utility. It is fun to watch people seeing the demonstration video for the first time." -Trent Morris, CEO, Valet Product Line.
Tulsa, OK (PRWEB) August 05, 2014
Over 50 million people in the US alone have problems putting on and taking off their footwear; this includes the elderly, obese, arthritic, stroke victims, diabetics, rehab patients, orthopedic problems and dozens more disabling afflictions. Over one million people in the US alone have major orthopedic surgeries every year and are not allowed to bend or reach for 6-8 months. Go to SBV's website, http://www.shoebootvalet.com, and watch the new informative video, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKSXwpW1fEw, that demonstrates the use of this "one of a kind" revolutionary device. The SBV weighs approximately one pound and requires little to no grip strength. The manufacturer, Valet Product Line, also patented a bootjack that attaches to the device and will pop off even the tightest shoes and boots with ease.
VPL is a small company that sees deficiencies in the market place and develops products to fill these needs. "Our mission is to give pain relief and independence to the millions people who have mobility problems," says Trent Morris, CEO and founder of the company. "Everyone has a friend or loved one who needs our SBV. What better gift could you possibly give than a device that relieves pain, and the embarrassment of losing independence?"
Morris recently patented a new "Sock Valet" that will be the only sock donning device with a gripping mechanism to pull socks and hosiery over the foot, ankle and up the calf with little to no bending or reaching required. Morris feels this product will revolutionize the industry.
The Valet Product Line is located in Tulsa, OK and manufactures unique assisted living devices for the millions of elderly, mobility challenged, rehab and dozens of other maladies that restrict bending and reaching. The SBV, is the only device with a gripping mechanism specifically designed to effectively assist in putting on and taking off footwear. The SBV, also, has an attached patented bootjack that removes any shoe or boot with ease. The newly patented "Sock Valet" will be out later this year and has a gripping mechanism that pulls socks and/or compression hosiery over the foot, ankle and up the calf with little to no bending or reaching required.
To read more about these unique and desperately needed devices and see a demonstration video, go to http://www.shoebootvalet.com/, phone (918) 493-9464 or email trent at shoebootvalet.com.


text:
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text:
Baldwin had accused Costner of cheating him and his business partner in a deal to sell oil clean-up devices to BP after 2010's Gulf of Mexico oil spill.
A federal jury in Louisiana deliberated for two hours before rejecting Baldwin's claim for more than $17m (£11m) in damages.
Later Costner said he was grateful to have been able to clear his name.
"My name means more to me than money and that's why we didn't settle," said Costner.
He went on to praise the jury for "doing their best to understand everything" in a difficult case.
Baldwin, along with his business partner Spyridon Contogouris, claimed they would not have sold their shares in Costner's company Ocean Therapy Solutions when they did if they had known BP had put down a deposit on buying equipment worth $52m (£33m).
Baldwin sold his shares for $1.4m (£890,000) and Contogouris sold his for $500,000 (£318,000) in June 2010.
In court, Baldwin said he would have held out for more money if he had known about the potential BP deal.
The $17m (£11m) in damages Baldwin and his business partner were claiming was the amount they estimated they would have made from the fulfilled order.
Costner and his business partner Scott Smith said Baldwin and Contogouris knew BP was preparing to give a deposit but still they decided to sell-up.
Costner said he never saw Baldwin contribute anything to their company's efforts to persuade BP to use the centrifuges.
Baldwin said no one had asked him to invest any capital or lobby BP but said he used his celebrity to market and promote the centrifuges while he also worked on a documentary about the nation's worst offshore oil spill.
After the verdict Baldwin asked his attorney James Cobb to speak on his behalf.
"We're disappointed. We thought we proved rather convincingly that these two guys, Mr Costner and Mr Smith, defrauded us," said Cobb. "The jury saw it a different way but we respect the jury's verdict."
In June 2010 BP deployed a few of the oil-separating centrifuges it had ordered from Ocean Therapy Solutions.
The company capped the well in the Gulf of Mexico the following month, and it was permanently sealed in September 2010.


text:
As political leaders around the world scramble to reassure investors, all eyes are wide open this evening in anticipation of the opening of world markets tonight, particularly in Asia. Early reports indicate that Asian markets have opened down. The news that Standard and Poor downgraded the credit rating of the U.S. for the first time in history has investors around the world on edge. Tel Aviv stocks dropped by 7% on the news of the downgrade. Added to the anxiety is the fact that Greece, Spain, Italy, and other major European nations are on the brink of economic collapse. Thus, the 'night watch' begins.
What Monday will bring is anybody's guess. As one market analyst told CBS News this evening, 'We are in uncharted territory. There is no way to know what the markets will do tomorrow.'
Many market watchers believe that there will be no major crash tomorrow, given that the various stock entities have had the entire weekend to prepare and to adjust course accordingly. This seems to be the consensus among a broad spectrum of analysts who believe that Monday's markets, though volatile, will either break even or possibly experience a modest upswing as they did Friday.
The key, however, is what follows in the coming days, weeks, and months.


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The Cask of Amontillado Short Story
The thousand injuries of Fortunato I had borne as I best could ; but when he ventured upon insult, I vowed revenge. You, who so well know the nature of my soul, will not suppose, however, that I gave utterance to a threat. At length I would be avenged ; this was a point definitively settled – but the very definitiveness with which it was resolved, precluded the idea of risk. I must not only punish, but punish with impunity. A wrong is un-redressed when retribution overtakes its redresser. It is equally un-redressed when the avenger fails to make himself felt as such to him who has done the wrong.
It must be understood, that neither by word nor deed had I given Fortunato cause to doubt my good will. I continued, as was my wont, to smile in his face, and he did not perceive that my smile now was at the thought of his immolation.
He had a weak point – this Fortunato – although in other regards he was a man to be respected and even feared. He prided himself on his connoisseurship in wine. Few Italians have the true virtuoso spirit. For the most part their enthusiasm is adopted to suit the time and opportunity – to practise imposture upon the British and Austrian millionaires. In painting and gemmary, Fortunato, like his countrymen , was a quack – but in the matter of old wines he was sincere. In this respect I did not differ from him materially : I was skilful in the Italian vintages myself, and bought largely whenever I could.
It was about dusk, one evening during the supreme madness of the carnival season, that I encountered my friend. He accosted me with excessive warmth, for he had been drinking much. The man wore motley. He had on a tight-fitting parti-striped dress, and his head was surmounted by the conical cap and bells. I was so pleased to see him, that I thought I should never have done wringing his hand.
I said to him – "My dear Fortunato, you are luckily met. How remarkably well you are looking to-day ! But I have received a pipe of what passes for Amontillado, and I have my doubts."
"How ?" said he. "Amontillado ? A pipe ? Impossible ! And in the middle of the carnival !"
"I have my doubts," I replied ; "and I was silly enough to pay the full Amontillado price without consulting you in the matter. You were not to be found, and I was fearful of losing a bargain."
"Amontillado !"
"I have my doubts."
"Amontillado !"
"And I must satisfy them."
"Amontillado !"
"As you are engaged, I am on my way to Luchesi. If any one has a critical turn, it is he. He will tell me -"
"Luchesi cannot tell Amontillado from Sherry."
"And yet some fools will have it that his taste is a match for your own."
"Come, let us go."
"Whither ?"
"To your vaults."
"My friend, no ; I will not impose upon your good nature. I perceive you have an engagement. Luchesi -"
"I have no engagement ; – come."
"My friend, no. It is not the engagement, but the severe cold with which I perceive you are afflicted. The vaults are insufferably damp. They are encrusted with nitre."
"Let us go, nevertheless. The cold is merely nothing. Amontillado ! You have been imposed upon. And as for Luchesi, he cannot distinguish Sherry from Amontillado."
Thus speaking, Fortunato possessed himself of my arm. Putting on a mask of black silk, and drawing a roquelaire closely about my person, I suffered him to hurry me to my palazzo.
There were no attendants at home ; they had absconded to make merry in honour of the time. I had told them that I should not return until the morning, and had given them explicit orders not to stir from the house. These orders were sufficient, I well knew, to insure their immediate disappearance, one and all, as soon as my back was turned.
I took from their sconces two flambeaux, and giving one to Fortunato, bowed him through several suites of rooms to the archway that led into the vaults. I passed down a long and winding staircase, requesting him to be cautious as he followed. We came at length to the foot of the descent, and stood together on the damp ground of the catacombs of the Montresors.
The gait of my friend was unsteady, and the bells upon his cap jingled as he strode.
"The pipe," said he.
"It is farther on," said I ; "but observe the white web-work which gleams from these cavern walls."
He turned towards me, and looked into my eyes with two filmy orbs that distilled the rheum of intoxication .
"Nitre ?" he asked, at length.
"Nitre," I replied. "How long have you had that cough ?"
"Ugh ! ugh ! ugh ! – ugh ! ugh ! ugh ! – ugh ! ugh ! ugh ! – ugh ! ugh ! ugh ! – ugh ! ugh ! ugh !"
My poor friend found it impossible to reply for many minutes.
"It is nothing," he said, at last.
"Come," I said, with decision, "we will go back ; your health is precious. You are rich, respected, admired, beloved ; you are happy, as once I was. You are a man to be missed. For me it is no matter. We will go back ; you will be ill, and I cannot be responsible. Besides, there is Luchesi -"
"Enough," he said ; "the cough is a mere nothing; it will not kill me. I shall not die of a cough."
"True – true," I replied ; "and, indeed, I had no intention of alarming you unnecessarily – but you should use all proper caution. A draught of this Medoc will defend us from the damps."
Here I knocked off the neck of a bottle which I drew from a long row of its fellows that lay upon the mould.
"Drink," I said, presenting him the wine.
He raised it to his lips with a leer. He paused and nodded to me familiarly, while his bells jingled.
"I drink," he said, "to the buried that repose around us."
"And I to your long life."
He again took my arm, and we proceeded.
"These vaults," he said, "are extensive."
"The Montresors," I replied, "were a great and numerous family."
"I forget your arms."
"A huge human foot d'or, in a field azure ; the foot crushes a serpent rampant whose fangs are imbedded in the heel."
"And the motto ?"
"Nemo me impune lacessit."
"Good !" he said.
The wine sparkled in his eyes and the bells jingled. My own fancy grew warm with the Medoc. We had passed through walls of piled bones, with casks and puncheons intermingling, into the inmost recesses of the catacombs. I paused again, and this time I made bold to seize Fortunato by an arm above the elbow.
"The nitre !" I said : "see, it increases. It hangs like moss upon the vaults. We are below the river's bed. The drops of moisture trickle among the bones. Come, we will go back ere it is too late. Your cough -"
"It is nothing," he said ; "let us go on. But first, another draught of the Medoc."
I broke and reached him a flagon of De Grâve. He emptied it at a breath. His eyes flashed with a fierce light. He laughed and threw the bottle upwards with a gesticulation I did not understand.
I looked at him in surprise. He repeated the movement – a grotesque one.
"You do not comprehend ?" he said.
"Not I," I replied.
"Then you are not of the brotherhood."
"How ?"
"You are not of the masons."
"Yes, yes," I said, "yes, yes."
"You ? Impossible ! A mason ?"
"A mason," I replied.
"A sign," he said.
"It is this," I answered, producing a trowel from beneath the folds of my roquelaire.
"You jest," he exclaimed, recoiling a few paces. "But let us proceed to the Amontillado."
"Be it so," I said, replacing the tool beneath the cloak, and again offering him my arm. He leaned upon it heavily. We continued our route in search of the Amontillado. We passed through a range of low arches, descended, passed on, and descending again, arrived at a deep crypt, in which the foulness of the air caused our flambeaux rather to glow than flame.
At the most remote end of the crypt there appeared another less spacious. Its walls had been lined with human remains, piled to the vault overhead, in the fashion of the great catacombs of Paris. Three sides of this interior crypt were still ornamented in this manner. From the fourth the bones had been thrown down, and lay promiscuously upon the earth, forming at one point a mound of some size. Within the wall thus exposed by the displacing of the bones, we perceived a still interior recess, in depth about four feet, in width three, in height six or seven. It seemed to have been constructed for no especial use in itself, but formed merely the interval between two of the colossal supports of the roof of the catacombs, and was backed by one of their circumscribing walls of solid granite.
It was in vain that Fortunato, uplifting his dull torch, endeavored to pry into the depths of the recess. Its termination the feeble light did not enable us to see.
"Proceed," I said ; "herein is the Amontillado. As for Luchesi -"
"He is an ignoramus," interrupted my friend, as he stepped unsteadily forward, while I followed immediately at his heels. In an instant he had reached the extremity of the niche, and finding his progress arrested by the rock, stood stupidly bewildered. A moment more and I had fettered him to the granite. In its surface were two iron staples, distant from each other about two feet, horizontally. From one of these depended a short chain, from the other a padlock. Throwing the links about his waist, it was but the work of a few seconds to secure it. He was too much astounded to resist. Withdrawing the key I stepped back from the recess.
"Pass your hand," I said, "over the wall ; you cannot help feeling the nitre. Indeed it is very damp. Once more let me implore you to return. No ? Then I must positively leave you. But I must first render you all the little attentions in my power."
"The Amontillado !" ejaculated my friend, not yet recovered from his astonishment.
"True," I replied ; "the Amontillado."
As I said these words I busied myself among the pile of bones of which I have before spoken. Throwing them aside, I soon uncovered a quantity of building stone and mortar. With these materials and with the aid of my trowel, I began vigorously to wall up the entrance of the niche.
I had scarcely laid the first tier of my masonry when I discovered that the intoxication of Fortunato had in a great measure worn off. The earliest indication I had of this was a low moaning cry from the depth of the recess. It was not the cry of a drunken man. There was then a long and obstinate silence. I laid the second tier, and the third, and the fourth ; and then I heard the furious vibrations of the chain. The noise lasted for several minutes, during which, that I might hearken to it with the more satisfaction, I ceased my labours and sat down upon the bones. When at last the clanking subsided , I resumed the trowel, and finished without interruption the fifth, the sixth, and the seventh tier. The wall was now nearly upon a level with my breast. I again paused, and holding the flambeaux over the mason-work, threw a few feeble rays upon the figure within.
A succession of loud and shrill screams, bursting suddenly from the throat of the chained form, seemed to thrust me violently back. For a brief moment I hesitated – I trembled. Unsheathing my rapier, I began to grope with it about the recess : but the thought of an instant reassured me. I placed my hand upon the solid fabric of the catacombs, and felt satisfied. I re-approached the wall. I replied to the yells of him who clamoured. I re-echoed – I aided – I surpassed them in volume and in strength. I did this, and the clamourer grew still.
It was now midnight, and my task was drawing to a close. I had completed the eighth, the ninth, and the tenth tier. I had finished a portion of the last and the eleventh ; there remained but a single stone to be fitted and plastered in. I struggled with its weight ; I placed it partially in its destined position. But now there came from out the niche a low laugh that erected the hairs upon my head. It was succeeded by a sad voice, which I had difficulty in recognising as that of the noble Fortunato. The voice said –
"Ha ! ha ! ha ! – he ! he ! – a very good joke indeed – an excellent jest. We will have many a rich laugh about it at the palazzo – he ! he ! he ! – over our wine – he ! he ! he !"
"The Amontillado !" I said.
"He ! he ! he ! – he ! he ! he ! – yes, the Amontillado. But is it not getting late ? Will not they be awaiting us at the palazzo, the Lady Fortunato and the rest ? Let us be gone."
"Yes," I said, "let us be gone."
"For the love of God, Montressor !"
"Yes," I said, "for the love of God !"
But to these words I hearkened in vain for a reply. I grew impatient. I called aloud –
"Fortunato !"
No answer. I called again –
"Fortunato !"
No answer still. I thrust a torch through the remaining aperture and let it fall within. There came forth in return only a jingling of the bells. My heart grew sick – on account of the dampness of the catacombs. I hastened to make an end of my labour. I forced the last stone into its position ; I plastered it up. Against the new masonry I re-erected the old rampart of bones. For the half of a century no mortal has disturbed them. In pace requiescat !
The Cask of Amontillado Story
A Horror Story
Edgar Allen Poe
What's new in PowerPoint 2013
Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 has a brand-new look: It's cleaner and primed for use on tablets and phones, so you can swipe and tap your way through presentations. Presenter View automatically adapts to your projection set-up, and you can even use it on a single monitor. Themes now come with variations, which make it simpler to hone in on the look you want. And when you're working with others, you can add comments to ask questions and get feedback.
To find out more about Microsoft Office 2013, see What's new in Office 2013.
- To learn more about what's new with PowerPoint 2013, see the training course Make the switch to PowerPoint 2013.
- To learn how you can get started creating a basic PowerPoint presentation quickly, see Basic tasks for creating a PowerPoint 2013 presentation.
More choices for getting started
Instead of opening with a blank presentation, PowerPoint 2013 gives you several ways to start your next presentation using a template, a theme, a recent presentation, a not-so-recent presentation, or a blank one.
New, improved presenter tools
Hassle-free Presenter View
Presenter View allows you to see your notes on your monitor while the audience only sees the slide. In previous releases, it was difficult to figure out who saw what on which monitor. The improved Presenter View fixes that headache and makes it simpler to work with.
- Use Presenter View on one monitor Presenter View no longer requires multiple monitors. Now you can rehearse in Presenter View without hooking up anything else.
- Zoom in on a slide Click the magnifying glass to zoom in on charts, diagrams, or whatever you want to emphasize for your audience.
- Jump to a slide Use Slide Navigator to browse to other slides in the presentation.
- Automatic set up PowerPoint can automatically sense your computer setup and choose the right monitor for Presenter view.
Read more: Use Presenter view to deliver your slide show
Widescreen friendly
Much of the world's TVs and video have gone to widescreen and HD formats, and so has PowerPoint. There's a 16:9 layout, and new themes designed to take advantage of widescreen possibilities.
Read more: Change the slide size to standard or widescreen
Start an online meeting from PowerPoint
Now you've got several ways to share a PowerPoint presentation over the Web. You can send out a link to the slides, or start a full-on Lync meeting that displays the deck with audio and IM. Your audience can join you from anywhere, on any device using Lync or the Office Presentation Service.
Read more:
- Present online using the Office Presentation Service
- Start an online presentation in PowerPoint using Lync
Better design tools
Theme variations
Themes now come with a set of variations, like different color palettes and font families. And, PowerPoint 2013 provides new widescreen themes along with standard sizes. Choose a theme and variant from the start screen or from the Design tab.
Read more: Apply color and design to my slides (theme)
Line-up and space objects equally
No more eyeballing objects on your slides to see if they're lined up. Smart Guides automatically appear when your objects, such as pictures, shapes, and more, are close to even, and they also tell you when objects are spaced evenly.
Read more: Snap charts, pictures, and objects to a grid to align them
Motion path improvements
Now when you create a motion path, PowerPoint shows you where your object will end up. Your original object stays put, and a "ghost" image moves along the path to the endpoint.
Read more: Create custom animation effects
Merge common shapes
Select two or more common shapes on your slide and combine them to create new shapes and icons.
Read more: Combine shapes to create a custom shape
Improved video and audio support
PowerPoint now supports more multimedia formats, such as .mp4 and .mov with H.264 video and Advanced Audio Coding (AAC) audio, and more high-definition content. PowerPoint 2013 includes more built-in codecs so you don't have to install them for certain file formats to work.
Use the Play in Background feature to play music while people view your slide show.
Read more:
- Video and audio file formats supported in PowerPoint
- Play a song for the duration of your slide show
New eyedropper for color matching
You can capture the exact color from an object on your screen, and then apply it to any shape. The eyedropper does the match-up work for you.
Read more: Use eyedropper to match colors on your slide
PowerPoint on touch devices
Now it's possible to interact with PowerPoint on most any device including a Windows 8 PC. Using typical touch gestures, you can swipe, tap, scroll, zoom, and pan your way through your slides, and really feel the presentation.
Check out our new
Share and save
Share and save your Office files to the cloud
The cloud is like file storage in the sky. You can get to it anytime you're online. Now it's easy to save your Office files to your own SkyDrive or to your organization's site. From there you can access and share your PowerPoint presentations and other Office files. You can even work together with your colleagues on the same file at the same time.
Read more: Save and share a PowerPoint presentation to Microsoft SkyDrive
Now you can give feedback in PowerPoint with the new Comments pane. And you can show or hide comments and revisions.
Read more: Add comments in a presentation
Work together on the same presentation
You and your colleagues can work together on the same presentation, either with the desktop or online versions of PowerPoint, and see each other's changes.
Objek Wisata di Kota Makassar
Pantai Losari merupakan icon Kota Makassar. Pantai ini dulunya merupakan pantai dengan meja terpanjang di dunia, karena warung-warung tenda yang berjejer di sepanjang tanggul pantai. Namun saat ini warung-warung tersebut telah direlokasi ke tempat yang tidak jauh dari kawasan wisata. Pemerintah Kota Makassar telah memperindah pantai ini dengan membuat anjungan, sehingga lebih bersih dan nyaman untuk dikunjungi. Di sekitar pantai ini terdapat banyak kafe-kafe dan restoran yang menyajikan makanan laut yang masih segar. Selain itu, pengunjung juga dapat menikmati makanan khas Kota Makassar, seperti pisang epek, pisang ijo, coto Makassar, sop konro, dan lain sebagainya. Disepanjang pantai banyak juga terdapat penginapan, baik hotel kelas melati sampai hotel berbintang. Terdapat juga rumah sakit dan pusat perbelanjaan emas serta kerajinan/souvenir khas Makassar. Lokasi pantai ini terletak di Jantung Kota Makasar, yaitu di Jalan Penghibur sebelah barat Kota Makassar.
Pulau Samalona merupakan wilayah Kota Makassar yang luasnya sekitar 2,34 hektar. Pulau ini merupakan salah satu objek wisata bahari yang banyak dikunjungi wisatawan lokal maupun mancanegara. Kawasan pulau ini sangat bagus utuk menyelam, karena di sekelilingnya terdapat karang-karang laut yang dihuni beraneka ragam ikan tropis dan biota laut lainnya. Pulau ini berjarak sekitar 6,8 Km dari Kota Makassar yang dapat ditempuh sekitar 20 – 30 menit dengan menggunakan speed boot. Di lokasi ini juga terdapat beberapa penginapan sederhana berbentuk rumah panggung yang dapat menampung sekitar 20 orang. Selain itu, tersedia juga beberapa warung makanan yang menyediakan aneka ragam seafood segar.
Benteng Somba Opu dibangun pada tahun 1525 oleh Sultan Gowa ke IX. Benteng ini merupakan pusat perdagangan dan pelabuhan rempah-rempah yang ramai dikunjungi pedagang dari Asia dan Eropa. Pada tahun 1669, benteng ini dikuasai oleh VOC kemudian dihancurkan hingga terendam oleh ombak pasang. Tahun 1980-an, benteng ini ditemukan kembali oleh sejumlah ilmuawan. Dan pada tahun 1990, benteng ini direkonstruksi sehingga tampak lebih baik. Kini, Benteng Somba Opu menjadi sebuah objek wisata bersejarah di Kota Makassar yang di dalamnya terdapat beberapa bangunan rumah adat Sulawesi Selatan yang mewakili suku Bugis, Makassar, Mandar, dan Toraja. Selain itu, terdapat juga sebuah meriam dengan panjang 9 m dan berat 9.500 kg serta sebuah museum yang berisi benda-benda bersejarah peninggalan Kesultanan Gowa.
Fort Rotterdam ini awalnya dibangun pada tahun 1545 oleh Raja Gowa X dengan nama Benteng Ujung Pandang. Di dalamnya terdapat rumah panggung khas Gowa di mana Raja dan keluarganya tinggal. Pada saat Belanda menguasai are Banda dan Maluku, mereka mutuskan untuk manaklukkan Kerajaan Gowa agar armada dagang VOC dapat masuk dan merapat dengan mudah di Sulawesi. Dalam usahanya menaklukkan Gowa, Belanda menyewa pasukan dari Maluku. Selama setahun lebih Benteng digempur, akhirnya Belanda berhasil masuk serta menghancurkan rumah Raja dan seisi Benteng. Pihak Belanda memaksa sultan Hasanuddin untuk menandatangani Perjanjian Bongaya pada tahun 1667, dimana salah satu pasal dalam perjanjian tersebut mewajibkan Kerajaan Gowa menyerahkan Benteng kepada Belanda.
Setelah Benteng diserahkan kepada Belanda, Benteng kembali dibangun dan ditata sesuai dengan arsitektur Belanda kemudian namanya diubah menjadi Ford Rotterdam. Benteng ini kemudian digunakan sebagai pusat pemerintahan dan penampungan rempah-rempah di Wilayah Indonesia Timur. Pada masa penjajahan Jepang, Benteng ini difungsikan sebagai pusat studi pertanian dan bahasa. Kemudian TNI dijadikan sebagai pusat komando. Dan sekarang Benteng ini menjadi pusat kebudayaan dan seni.
Di dalam Benteng ini terdapat beberapa ruang tahanan/penjara yang slaah satunya digunakan untuk menahan Pangeran Diponegoro. Selain itu, terdapat juga sebuah gereja peninggalan Belanda dan Meseum La Galigo yang menyimpan kurang lebih 4.999 koleksi. Koleksi tersebut meliputi koleksi prasejarah, numismatic, keramik asing, sejarah, naskah, dan etnografi. Koleksi Etnografi ini terdiri dari berbagai jenis hasil teknologi, kesenian, peralatan hidup dan benda lain yang dibuat dan digunakan oleh suku Bugis, Makassar, Mandar, da Toraja. Saat ini, selain sebagai tempat wisata bersejarah, Benteng ini juga dijadikan sebagai pusat kebudayaan Sulawesi Selatan.
Catching Fire Book
Catching Fire (The Hunger Games #2)
Flames are spreading.
And the Capitol wants revenge.Against all odds, Katniss has won the Hunger Games. She and fellow District 12 tribute Peeta Mellark are miraculously still alive. Katniss should be relieved, happy even. After all, she has returned to her family and her longtime friend, Gale. Yet nothing is the way Katniss wishes it to be. Gale holds her at an icy distance. Peeta has turned his back on her completely. And there are whispers of a rebellion against the Capitol – a rebellion that Katniss and Peeta may have helped create.
Much to her shock, Katniss has fueled an unrest she's afraid she cannot stop. And what scares her even more is that she's not entirely convinced she should try. As time draws near for Katniss and Peeta to visit the districts on the Capitol's cruel Victory Tour, the stakes are higher than ever. If they can't prove, without a shadow of a doubt, that they are lost in their love for each other, the consequences will be horrifying.
In Catching Fire, the second novel in the Hunger Games trilogy, Suzanne Collins continues the story of Katniss Everdeen, testing her more than ever before…and surprising readers at every turn.(less)
10 Tips for Being the Master of Ceremonies
A friend and fellow speaker called me recently and asked my advice about being a Master of Ceremonies. She will be doing this for a major awards luncheon, and while she is an experienced presenter, she had not taken on this role in the past. As someone who cares deeply about serving her audiences, she did not want to "wing-it", and thus was collecting best practices and ideas.
Being an Emcee (or is it MC?) is different from being a speaker. I have served as the MC for several events, and find that it involves a different set of skills from giving a speech, but at the same time a good Master of Ceremonies needs similar traits to a speaker. In many ways the MC role can be more difficult.
When I think of how an MC can make a difference in the success of an event I am reminded of the Academy Awards. Over my life I have seen a variety of celebrities host the Oscars, but nobody (in my opinion) holds a candle to Billy Crystal. Mr Crystal sets the tone for the event on the years they are wise enough to ask him to serve as the host. Other years we are left thinking "I wish Billy Crystal was the MC".
My "Conference Catalyst" program is often morphed into an MC style role at multi-day events. This means that I am juggling educational / motivational material with the important tasks of introducing the speakers and keeping the whole schedule running on time. When you have to balance between both roles (speaker and MC), it can be a juggling act….and I mean juggling knives or fire. There is a lot to do as the MC, and a slip up can cause the vibe of the meeting to hit the floor.
If you are going to be the Master of Ceremonies for an event, here are ten tips that will help you contribute to the success and help give your audience a good experience:
1. Prepare for an opening. If you just come out and start the introductions there is now show. The Olympics do not just start with some folks running races or lifting weights. They have a choreographed opening ceremonies. You need the same thing. Crafting a pertinent story that draws in your audience before you get into the mundane (but necessary) tasks of thanking the sponsors and honoring guests is a great way to launch.
2. Remember that you are not the star of the show. When you deliver a speech, there is a part of the role that requires you to take center stage, but as MC it is not your time in the spotlight. You are there to keep things moving and to make sure the others on the program (or the award winners) are celebrated.
3. Your personality sets the tone for the event. While #2 holds true (you are not the star), you still set the pace. If you are buttoned up and serious, you can be sure the whole show will be stiff. If you are all over the map without purpose, …. there will be no focus. Find a happy medium, while putting out a high-energy vibe.
4. If you are not a professional comedian, do not tell jokes. A big mistake is made when people think a joke is the key to putting an audience at ease. Nothing is worse at an event than seeing an amateur bomb a canned punch line. Humor is important, but do not force it. Be yourself, and avoid the one liners!
5. When giving the microphone to others, make sure they have a time frame for their remarks. An award winner who rambles on and on will bury your momentum. If you cannot brief the other speakers in advance, work in some instructions about how much time they have. When appropriate do not walk far from the lectern. If you are standing close, they will keep their remarks brief. If you walk away they will talk forever.
6. Have transitions between speakers or award winners. A great way to transition is to give a short recap or compliment of what was said by the person before, and then set up the next presentation. Have stories prepared in advance about those you will be introducing (if possible) so that you have something to add each time you speak.
7. Be prepared. If someone does not show up, or if a waiter drops a tray… be prepared for how you will handle the confusion, etc… Live events often have things that can be a distraction. The key to being a good MC is to keep control of the meeting no matter what happens.
8. Shorten the script. If the meeting organizer gives you a script that is horrible, make changes. Your job as MC is to ensure the event is not boring. If the program flops you will be blamed for the poor reviews, not the person back at the home office who wrote the words. Thus you must be involved in creating a tight script that has a good tempo or be able to make changes as you are on stage.
9. Stay positive. Even if something goes wrong or someone is out of line, the MC must stay up-beat. If you get nasty about anything the audience will resent you for it.
10. Have a prepared close. Just like the opening ceremonies, you need to tie it together with a closing story or a call to action. Recap the highlights of the evening, and challenge the audience in some way (even if it is to come back next year!). If you have no closing ceremony then there is little to remember.
Have A Great Day.


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BOSTON — If the New England Patriots beat the New York Giants in the Super Bowl, a victory parade would likely be held next Tuesday, the same day Massachusetts holds its presidential primary election, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino said.
The mayor, while stressing that he did not want to "jinx" the Patriots by mentioning the possibility of a parade prior to the game, told The Boston Globe there would be little choice but to hold the event on Tuesday.
The team would not arrive back from Arizona in time to have a parade on Monday, Menino said. But Wednesday would be too late, because a number of players, including quarterback Tom Brady, are scheduled to leave that day to participate in the Pro Bowl in Hawaii on Feb. 10.
"You can't have a parade without the players," Menino said.
Holding the parade on the same day as the primary would pose a number of practical and logistical concerns. The city is required to assign a police officer to all 254 of the city's voting precincts. But hundreds more police officers would be required for security and crowd control should a parade be held that day.
Menino said the election would be the first priority, and city officials would map a parade route that would skirt polling places so that voters would not encounter any problems casting their ballots.
The state's chief elections officer, Secretary of State William Galvin, said the city must assure that voters have unfettered access to polling places.
Massachusetts is among 22 states holding presidential primaries or caucuses on Feb. 5, dubbed by many as Super Tuesday.
IN THE BOOKS? It's no typo: The Boston Globe is so confident in a Patriots victory in the Super Bowl this Sunday, the newspaper is already offering advance sales of a book titled "19-0: The Historic Championship Season of New England's Unbeatable Patriots."
The problem is, the Patriots are currently 18-0. And the New York Giants might have something to say about that final win.
The book, written by the paper's sports staff, is available for $14.95 for pre-order on Amazon.com.
The Globe isn't the only publisher jumping the gun. "New York Giants: 2008 Super Bowl Champions" is also available for pre-sale on Amazon.com. The book, published by Sports Publishing Inc., goes for $10.17.
CHOWDER BOWL: A friendly Super Bowl wager between the mayors of New York and Boston is pitting Manhattan clam chowder against New England clam chowder. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Menino are rooting for their hometown teams in the game between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots on Sunday.
In the bet placed yesterday, the loser will donate local foods to charity in the other mayor's city.
Super Bowl notes: Win could result in a frenetic Tuesday
BOSTON — If the New England Patriots beat the New York Giants in the Super Bowl, a victory parade would likely be held next Tuesday, the same day Massachusetts holds its presidential primary election, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino said.


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Saturday, April 12, 2008
Bryan Recognized at Science Fair
recognized by 5 agencies, each with a certificate and cash award. He
did very well! We are so proud of him and hope this experience
encourages him as he pursues education and opportunities in the
future. Way to go Bry!
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Ripley and me
The misadventures of my black lab, Ripley, and those around her who have to endure the chaos. Yes~that's Ripley. Don't fall for that innocent face. A clever and devious mind lurks behind that fascade!
Sunday, December 15, 2013
Things in hand~Ripley's paw~Sunday Stills Challenge~121613
Posted by Cheryl Ann at 7:14 AM 2 comments:
Sunday, October 13, 2013
Daisy is gone, too...sigh...
Daisy, our petite orange and white tabby, is gone. She whittled down to just skin and bones over the summer. I wanted her to die peacefully in our yard and she did. I found her one day after school. She went peacefully. I am thankful for that.
Daisy was an incredible hunter. She brought home baby rabbits, lizards, mice, rats, and even a baby hummingbird once! YIKES! Absolutely NOTHING was safe around her.
We still have our two outdoor male cats (they are pretty worthless). And, we have Abby, our black cat, who doesn't go outside AT ALL. Still, I miss my Daisy girl.
RIP Daisy...
Daisy was an incredible hunter. She brought home baby rabbits, lizards, mice, rats, and even a baby hummingbird once! YIKES! Absolutely NOTHING was safe around her.
We still have our two outdoor male cats (they are pretty worthless). And, we have Abby, our black cat, who doesn't go outside AT ALL. Still, I miss my Daisy girl.
RIP Daisy...
Posted by Cheryl Ann at 10:40 AM 1 comment:
Monday, April 9, 2012
Rommel and Patches update
Rommel and Patches are both gone. Rommel was our beautiful German Shepherd. He died while we were away on Christmas vacation to visit hubby's family up in Napa. Actually, Rommel lasted until we got home and we at least were able to say good-bye to him and love on him as he passed. He had canine lupus, a disease which basically turned his immune system against him. He was 9 years old...Patches, our calico cat, was on our bed and she just fell over, the breath slipped out of her, and she expired. She had been an outdoor ranch cat at the horse ranch up in Lancaster and had survived living outdoors for several years. So, at least with us, she had nearly 5 years of peace and quiet, since we kept her indoors. We don't know how old she was, but she was OLD when we got her. While I really miss having a German Shepherd, hubby and I don't think we can handle another dog right now, since we have Ripley and Atticus (our son's Weimeraner). That's two big dogs who follow us everywhere and eat us out of house and home! Plus, we have 3 outdoor cats and Abby, our black cat, who stays inside. She doesn't even attempt to get out of the house. She usually sits with me as I blog and she jumps up on the windowsill to watch the birds outside. And, hubby and I are getting older, so it is hard to have big dogs. I know that sometimes Atticus gets in my way and with my bad knee (arthritis), I sometimes fall down! I can't afford to tweek it and make it any worse than it is! He is usually at my feet as I blog (he's asleep right next to me now) and it wouldn't be fair to either him or Ripley to bring in another dog right now. Daisy, my orange and white tabby (female) cat is ...let's see...16 years old and Loki, our white male (neutered) is 17!!!! Daisy occasionally comes inside for a meal, but mostly stays outside and catches gophers and mice and rats in the yard, and an occasional sparrow. She's still pretty spry, but I notice she is very light. She seems to be in good health. Loki is doing okay for his age, but seems a bit senile at times! (crazy cat!) He'll wander out among the birds and take a nap in the sun (a "sun nap") while they look on. He doesn't seem to bother them and they ignore him! So, all are pluggin' away at this point.
Posted by Cheryl Ann at 5:38 PM 1 comment:
Labels: Rommel and Patches update
Sunday, July 31, 2011
Ripley and her bone!
Posted by Cheryl Ann at 7:16 AM No comments:
Labels: Ripley and bone
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Canine companions~Sunday Stills Challenge 032011
Two of my doggie companions. That's Atticus, the gray weimeraner, who is actually our son's dog. I believe he is focused on one of the cats down the hallway. Unfortunately, with their busy work schedules, he and Claudia just didn't have time for their two dogs, so we got Atticus. Our daughter took their small dog. And, yes, that's RIPLEY! Can you believe it? For 5 minutes, she's been konked out on hubby's chair! She's usually going through the trash or ripping something up, but I guess she wore herself out overnight! It's cloudy here anyway and nobody or nothing has any energy today! Sunday Stills Challenge for March 20, 2011.
Posted by Cheryl Ann at 9:16 AM 3 comments:
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Posted by Cheryl Ann at 5:54 PM No comments:
Labels: Daisy stretch
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
Shots updated
Ripley finally got her shots! I just had to wait a couple of weeks until my Christmas break. Now, I need to take our son's dog, Atticus, in for a nail trim! Oye vei! It's always SOMETHING, isn't it? Oh, and Abby got spayed (THANK GOD!). What a difference! That's Abby and Daisy, sort of together on top of my chair! And, that's the elusive Patches on the chair with hubby. She hates all the dogs and will only come out to the living room when they are OUTT! Finally, that's Atticus, our son's dog, YES, IN MY CHAIR! All our animals seem to love my chair and I have to constantly shoo them away!
Posted by Cheryl Ann at 5:53 AM No comments:
Labels: Abby, Daisy, Ripley shots
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Grab a beer (or a cup o' joe) and put your feet up. Hopefully I won't come off as too big of a dork.
Let's Watco...
A forum for discussing woodworking, specifically furniture making. Feel free to post comments and questions about your current projects, tools, studio set-up, or whatever is on your mind. This blog is moderated by Jamie Yocono, owner of Wood It Is! Custom Cabinetry in Las Vegas, NV. Her website is wooditis.com. Now...let's talk wood!
Nah, not too dorky. Tired, yes, but... you actually seem quite comfortable by the end. Some more practice and you'll be just fine.
And... I'm glad to have watched the videos, I really didn't think it was THAT simple! Watching you do it made so much more sense than reading about it.
Thanks! :)
that's a great video. I appreciate you putting in the time to get it done as it is a great explanation and nice to see the results happen throughout the process.
I just finished a little pine toy chest for my son's birthday and I think I'm going to use danish oil like this. What would you recommend it the surface area is a lot bigger than a cutting board -- do it all in one shot or is it possible to break it up into sections?
Thanks for sharing!
I use Watco on large pieces all the time.
Just oil smaller sections at a time. After you've done it a few times, you'll know how much you can "oil, sand, and wipe" in a 15 or 20 minute period. Repeat as necessary.
Honestly, this stuff is simple to use. Don't over think it. :)
Very helpful video. You might want to see about adding a link to this video to your response to Briana's question at AllExperts.com (of 9/26/2007), which I read initially and found quite helpful, too. Keep up the great work and I look forward to more informative videos. Dan
This is great. Thank you so much - I just finished stripping and sanding my 100 year old oak fireplace mantel and am ready to stain. I'm a complete novice and seeing the video is so helpful.
One question: I want a warm rich finish - in a medium tone. I don't want a dark brown look. You mentioned NOT to use the honey oak which is what I was considering. Will the natural give me enough color and warmth? Any other color you may recommend?
I often mix my own tints, using some of the colors already available.
I suggest either using their Medium Walnut version, which is their lightest brown color. Or buy a can of Natural (clear) and one of their walnuts and mix your own blend. I'd start with something like 90% clear and 10% walnut; a little tinting goes a LONG way, so start off conservatively, you can always add more.
As always, test Test, TEST... find a spot that won't show and rub a little oil on it, to see if you've achieved the color you want.
Good luck!
great video
i've been using watco for years and love it. right now i'm preparing a slab of black walnut for a vanity top. i was planning on just using watco and a paste wax but this is my first try at something to be used in such a wet environment. have seen others w a marine varnish but don't like the effect. do you think watco and paste would work for this application and if so, how many coats? again, thanks so much.
Phil -
You might consider a couple of coats of Watco Exterior Oil, as a sealer. Then perhaps another couple coats of regular oil, to bring out the gorgeous color of the walnut. And finally, a paste wax coat for final protection.
I usually give my pieces three coats and a wax, but in for a bathroom vanity top, I think four or five would be more in line.
Still, you;ll need to be careful with the top - don't leave any splashes of water on it, wipe it dry after each use. Bathrooms are the trickiest place to use Watco, as water is an enemy to wood.
Good luck, it should be gorgeous.
Good job Jammie, very informative. One question though, don't you think it would be better to promote a little more safety? It should be used in a well ventilated area or with a respirator. And also rubber gloves, this stuff will seep through your skin. Is this stuff not poisoness like everything else?
Years ago I talked to a WATCO rep and he mentioned that ATCO contains linseed oil, thus will slightly darken the wood that it is on. Linseed oil will darken, Tung oil supposedly will not.
Thanks for this -- I recently bought a custom-made writing desk in maple and was getting all nervous about finishing it myself which would surely have led to a major mistake.
You make it look easy and fun and with the video demonstration I'm looking forward to it.
Thanks so much!
thank you for your video, can you tell me a way to wet sand a fretwork piece? also, with fretwork the areas are very small, is there a way I can dry them out safely?
thank you
If you're oiling fretwork, I would make a small sanding block, almost like an emery board, and wet sand it gently with that.
Watco should dry pretty nicely, as long as you wipe off all the residue. Don't leave it wet, or it will stay sticky forever.
Thanks for the Videos!
These videos are fabulous! Thanks so much for putting in the time to relay all of this great information.
Hi, found your site while I was seraching for SATIN OIL made by WATCO-DENNIS CORP. I've used it on my furniture and needed to find some more. The W-D Corp. was in Rancho Dominguez, Ca., but it is sold to Rustoleum and they said that they only carry Danish oil. I just don't want to apply any product and ruin my furniture. Since you mentioned that you've workded for original WATCO-DENNIS CORP., I was wondering if you could help me to find this SATIN-OIL or any product that has same or similar ingredients. Your assistance in this matter would be greatly appreciated. Thanks. Mike
Mike - send me your e-mail address and I'll tell you what I know. About Watco. :)
I am also looking for a replacement for the original Watco satin oil, not Danish oil. Any suggestions are appreciated! Thanks, Megann
Yes me too ! I need more satin oil. Has anybody found a source ? Please help ! Todd


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Beautiful fall maple leaves in white, orange and red and swirls on this binder perfect for using it as photo, recipe, note binder etc.
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A gift or a present is the transfer of something without the expectation of receiving something in return. Although gift-giving might involve an expectation of reciprocity, a gift is meant to be free. In many human societies, the act of mutually exchanging money, goods, etc. may contribute to social cohesion. Some great suggestions below for your beloved or just yourself. Scroll down to see a wide range of gift types.


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Originally published January 17, 2012 at 8:03 PM | Page modified January 18, 2012 at 10:55 PM
Huskies complete coaching staff by luring Eric Kiesau from California
Washington coach Steve Sarkisian completed his coaching staff by hiring Eric Kiesau from California. Kiesau is expected to be the Huskies' offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
Seattle Times staff reporter
Huskies coaching staff completed
|Justin Wilcox
|Defensive coordinator
|Dan Cozzetto
|Offensive line coach, run game coordinator
|Jimmie Dougherty
|Wide receivers coach, passing game coordinator
|Keith Heyward
|Defensive backs coach
|Tosh Lupoi
|Defensive line coach, defensive run game coordinator
|Johnny Nansen
|Assistant head coach, recruiting coordinator, special teams coordinator
|Peter Sirmon
|Linebackers coach
|Joel Thomas
|Running backs coach, associate head coach, offense
|Eric Kiesau
|Offensive coordinator, quarterbacks
Latest from the Husky Football & Basketball blogs
NCAA formally closes Tosh Lupoi case; no penalties handed down NEW - 2/03, 11:28 AM
Morning links: Arizona's Brandon Ashley out for season NEW - 2/03, 04:08 AM
The Washington Huskies completed the makeover of their football coaching staff Tuesday by luring away another assistant from California — Eric Kiesau, expected to be the team's offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach.
While UW did not announce Kiesau's hiring Tuesday, California announced his departure and sources said he would soon be joining the Washington staff to replace Doug Nussmeier, who left to become offensive coordinator at Alabama.
Kiesau, 39, had been the receivers coach and passing game coordinator last season at Cal after a five-year stint at Colorado, where he was offensive coordinator in 2009 and 2010.
He was the second assistant in two days to leave Cal to come to UW, following Tosh Lupoi, who on Monday was named defensive line coach and defensive run game coordinator.
And like Lupoi, Kiesau comes with a reputation as a solid recruiter, having helped Cal get commitments this year from highly-touted receivers Jordan Payton of Westlake Village, Calif., and Cedric Dozier of Lakes.
Each player was reported Tuesday as possibly re-evaluating his decision and considering Washington.
And as with Lupoi, reported to have been given a multiyear deal worth roughly $500,000 a year, speculation was the Huskies simply gave Kiesau an offer he couldn't turn down. BearTerritory.net, a Cal athletics website, reported Kiesau was given a three-year contract worth at least $700,000 annually. Washington would not confirm contract details and said it would release salary figures later.
In a statement released through the school, Cal coach Jeff Tedford said the Bears couldn't match UW's offers for the two coaches.
"We exhausted all of our resources to try to retain Tosh and Eric within the confines and continuity of our coaching staff, but both chose to take advantage of new opportunities," Tedford said.
Washington last year had a budget for its assistant coaches of roughly $2.3 million and a total outlay for football coaches of roughly $4.5 million, which a USA Today survey said was second among public schools in the Pac-12 to Oregon's $5.1 million (USC and Stanford are private schools).
The Huskies are undoubtedly over that figure with the five new hires it has made in the past three weeks in reshaping its defensive staff — which included luring away defensive coordinator Justin Wilcox from Tennessee — and replacing Nussmeier. But like all Pac-12 schools, UW will soon be flush with money from the Pac-12's new 12-year, $3 billion TV deal that has seen other conference schools such as Washington State and Arizona also greatly increase spending on coaches.
"I think you're going to continue to see that around our conference now, especially with the new TV money coming in," UW coach Steve Sarkisian said last week.
ESPN.com recruiting analyst Greg Biggins said the money should prove worth it for UW, which is hoping to take the next step from consecutive 7-6 seasons under Sarkisian to true contender status in the Pac-12 North.
"I think they hit home runs everywhere across the board," Biggins said. "This may be the best staff that Washington has had in a long, long, long time and probably one of the best in the country. There are a lot of experienced, good recruiters who work hard."
They will all go to work hoping to boost a UW recruiting class generally ranked in the mid-40s nationally and in the bottom half of the Pac-12.
All five new coaches have ties to Pac-12 schools — Lupoi and Kiesau from Cal, defensive backs coach Keith Heyward having played and coached at Oregon State, Wilcox having played at Oregon and coached at Cal, and linebackers coach Peter Sirmon having played at Oregon.
Kiesau was a quarterback at Portland State and has been coaching at the FBS level since 2000, when he was running backs and receivers coach at Utah State. He moved to Cal to work with Tedford from 2002 through 2005 before moving to Colorado to work under Dan Hawkins from 2006 through 2010 before returning to Cal in 2011.
Washington stabilized its staff as recruiting hits high gear with two weekends for official visits left before the Feb. 1 signing day.
Bob Condotta: 206-515-5699 or firstname.lastname@example.com. On Twitter @bcondotta.


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Farah Takes Singles Gold at PanAm Games; Min Reaches Final in Rock Hill $25K; Upsets at Carolina Regional
Eighth seed Robert Farah of Colombia won the Pan American Games gold medal in singles tonight, defeating No. 4 seed Rogerio Dutra of Brazil 6-4, 6-3. Farah, who led USC to two NCAA titles in 2009 and 2010, won all of his six matches in the Guadalajara, Mexico competition in straight sets, just as women's gold medalist Irina Falconi had won all five of hers. They also share the honor of being named the 2010 Intercollegiate Tennis Association Player of the Year. Here's a photo of his celebration tonight.
I don't know exactly how the Olympic selections will be made for the Colombian team, but I assume this win can only help Farah's prospects. Falconi's too, for that matter, but I understand the Williams sisters are interested in playing in the 2012 Olympics in London, competition that Farah doesn't face in his selection.
Farah and his partner Juan Sebastian Cabal, the top seeds, will play for the doubles gold later tonight.
US Open girls champion Grace Min has continued her excellent play, reaching the finals of the $25,000 Pro Circuit event in Rock Hill, SC. As a qualifier, Min has already won seven consecutive matches; fortunately for her stamina, they have all been in straight sets. Today she beat WTA No. 141 and No. 4 seed Camila Giorgi of Italy 6-1, 6-3, repeating her victory from last week in the $50K in Troy. Min will play another Italian, top seed Romina Oprandi, who won in Troy last week. Oprandi defeated unseeded wild card Danielle Collins 6-1, 6-1 in today's other semifinal.
In the $15,000 Futures in Mansfield, Texas, recent Tennessee grad JP Smith meets former Florida Gator Jesse Levine in the final. Smith beat Peter Polansky of Canada 6-4, 6-4, avenging his loss to Polansky in the final last week in the Austin Futures, while the fourth-seeded Levine continued to roll, beating former Baylor standout Denes Lukacs 6-4, 6-1. Levine has lost 12 games in his four victories.
For complete results, and the qualifying draws for the women's Puerto Rico $25K and the men's Birmingham $10K next week, see the Pro Circuit page at usta.com.
I haven't had the opportunity to review all the results from the ITA regionals going on this weekend, but there have been several surprising results. At the women's Carolina regional in Chapel Hill, Duke's Hanna Mar, a 9 seed, beat top seed Zoe DeBruycker of North Carolina, and Duke's Monica Turewicz, also a 9 seed, beat No. 2 seed Josipa Bek of Clemson in the round of 16. For more on those wins, see goduke.com.
In the women's Southeast regional in Gainesville, Florida has four players in the quarterfinals, none of whom play each other, so there's a possibility of nothing but Gators in the semifinals.
At the men's Ohio Valley regional in Knoxville, Kentucky has five of the quarterfinalists, and four of them are in the bottom half, assuring a Wildcat in the final. For more, see ukathletics.com.


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How to choose friends?
SHAFAQNA – In a letter to his son, Imam Khomeini wrote: One of my recommendations to you is that, choose your friends from those who are pious, committed and considerate towards spirituality (religion), and those who do not love the world, nor are inclined to its vanities, those who use wealth and assets to normal extent, and their meetings and gatherings are not contaminated with sins, and have kind behaviour because the effects of companionship for both sides can be constructive and destructive. And try to avoid gatherings which makes the human being to neglect remembrance of God because by getting used to this type of meetings, it is possible that the human being will be deprived from (Divine) Grace which it is an irreparable calamity [1].
[1] Sahifeyeh Imam, Vol. 16, Page 211.


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Just how effective is Hillary as a politician?
Hillary is the big hobgoblin for conservatives when they contemplate 2008. Right now, there don't seem to be any viable Republican candidates at all, and Hillary, since 2000, has been positioning herself as the Demos last, best hope. Over at RedState.org, however, Jay Cost compelling argues that the mere fact that we know exactly what Hillary's personal goal is -- world domination -- means that she is a bad politician, not a good one:
Flexibility is a necessary part of a politician's life. Politicians must adapt to correspond to the mood of their electorate. All politicians must do this. What matters -- what separates the good ones from the bad ones -- is the way they adapt. This is their style. Those with good style are those whose political maneuvers you would never really notice . Those with poor style stick out like a sore thumb. This is a sign of a bad politician. And Hillary Clinton is a bad politician. Ironically her awfulness as a politician is why people think she is so great. Her political moves are so obvious that everybody discusses how "political" she is. "Oooooh...she is so Machiavellian!" Pundits are in awe of how overtly political she is -- and they assume that her overtness is a sign of her excellence. Far from it. As anybody who has read The Prince knows, the true Machiavellian is one that everybody thinks is a saint. Or, to quote Kaiser Soze, "The greatest trick the devil pulled was convincing the world he didn't exist." Hillary is no political devil precisely because everybody is convinced that she is!Considering, however, that voters now trust nothing and nobody, they may still go for the most opportunistic candidate just because they think she's a winner. Cost does acknowledge early on in his article that "Of course, being a good politician is neither a necessary nor a sufficient condition for political victory, at any level. Decidedly poor politicians have won every political office this nation has to offer, and decidedly bad ones have lost every office." Nevertheless, he optimistically states that "if I were a betting man, I would bet on the good politician, all things being equal. Hillary had enough going for her in NY in 2000 to overcome her political ineptitude (good organization, good ideological fit, lousy opponent), but not for the presidency in 2008. She is too poor of a politician to win that office." Hat tip: Michelle Malkin


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Gov. Rick Perry surprised some lawmakers Tuesday – and irritated others -- when he suggested a surplus in the state budget could be used to cut taxes.
Perry's critics want to use available money to restore funding for schools, health care and other programs that were deeply slashed two years ago.
The first day of a legislative session is usually light-hearted and ceremonial. Spouses, grandchildren and friends dressed to the nines surround the lawmakers as they take their oaths of office.
Perry struck that easygoing tone when he first appeared.
In the Texas Senate, he pointed out Rick Santorum, one of his opponents for the Republican presidential nomination last year. Santorum, known for wearing sweater vests during the campaign, was in the chamber for the swearing in of a friend, Sen. Ken Paxton of McKinney.
"We had a little bit of fun with Rick in the office today. My son presented him with a sweater vest. A Texas A&M sweater vest," said the governor, who's an Aggie.
"Wear it with pride," Perry told Santorum.
Then striking a more serious tone, the governor warned lawmakers against ideas they may have for spending the estimated $9 billion budget surplus expected this year. And the additional $8 to $10 billion in oil and gas tax money expected to accumulate in the state's rainy day savings account.
"We've got to control this appetite for more spending," said.
Perry suggested lawmakers do that by providing tax relief, a message that surprised some, considering the deficit two years ago that led to layoffs and deep cuts in just about every state program.
"There are interests all across the state who view Monday's revenue estimate as the equivalent of ringing the dinner bell," Perry said, adding, "they look at it as manna from heaven and they have all of y'all's phone numbers."
Sen. John Whitmire, a Houston Democrat, couldn't contain himself.
"I don't think you have a surplus. We should have spent more two years ago when we had the money in rainy day," he said referring to the state savings account that includes tax revenue from oil and gas production.
"Instead we cut public ed [education] by $5 billion and there are 600 school districts at the courthouse telling the legislature they aren't doing their jobs," Whitmire said.
Another Senate Democrat, Wendy Davis of Fort Worth, suggested Perry had forgotten his place.
"I think Gov. Perry needs to recognize we are a legislative body and each of us represents constituents," she said, adding that residents of her district want the Legislature to restore the funding cut from schools.
When asked to respond even Republican House Speaker Joe Straus suggested that many lawmakers -- Republicans and Democrats -- were more likely to use the money to shore up underfunded infrastructure for water, roads and schools than to provide a tax cut.
"There's going to be a call for some tax reforms maybe and tax relief, there always is. But there is more of a call this time and more of agenda I am going to push to make sure Texas can accommodate the profound growth that will go on unabated," Straus said.
Just what kind of tax relief Perry has in mind was unclear. Also unclear is whether it would get any traction as lawmakers eye the so-called surplus to pay left-over bills and for services that were cut or put on hold.


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Then the week got crazy! Tuesday we went to Luo Dong and helped them go on splits with their members! It was cold and rainy and I went with a 16 year old kid named Slide! It was so much fun! I was really impressed with him and how good of a missionary he already was! He was a lot of fun to serve with for the day and we met a couple of really cool people! Then he took us to meet with his friend this girl that he likes and she became the sisters new investigator! They asked her what goals she had and she said she's been thinking that when she gets older she wants to go on a mission and spread the word of God like us.. My jaw dropped! Hahaha she's not even a member but she wants to serve a mission and help people come to know God!
Then we went to a worldwide broadcast for missionaries! It was really really good and in it they also changed our schedule! So now we choose when we do our companion and language study and get out earlier! It is a really flexible schedule to help us do what we need when we need to be more effective! Pretty exciting!
Then the Chinese New Year started and so lunch and dinner for the last 3 days we have gone to members houses! It has been so much fun! I love getting to interact with members and get to know them! It is also cool to see the desire they have to share the gospel!
Two things I forgot last week! I met Todd Peck's older brother! And I ate cooked frog leg! It was good!
So because of the new year everyone here in Taibei went to their parents or grandparents homes in the south and the streets have had noticeably less people and it is quiet and more peaceful outside! It makes Taibei feel really big and nice! But it makes contacting people a little more difficult.. But not really! Everyone is together as families and not working so we have run into several families! It has been so cool! We have met a couple of great families that have set up to meet with us! Also yesterday someone drove by on their scooter and we waved and then a minute later they came up behind us on the side walk! They turned around and came to wish us a happy new year and give us some pineapple cakes! Then they said we could invite the missionaries where they live to get a hold of them! Yesterday we met 3 people that just stopped and were super interested to talk with us and set up! It was awesome!
Last but not least! Renee and Duo Duo were confirmed yesterday in church! It was awesome!
The broadcast also talked about making the sacrament something that we prepare every week for by repenting and so I tried to do that better this week! I am so grateful to the Atonement and the chance it gives us to repent!