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An ongoing, eclectic commentary on Unitarian Universalism, after retirement from active ministry--as I see it, practice it, and love it, with sidebars on life, love and the pursuit of happiness.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Going in Peace
However, once we learned that Ms. Sleeth and her heirs have requested that the song be sung in its original version ("Go now in peace, go now in peace, may the love of God surround you, everywhere, everywhere you may go"), we had a dilemma on our hands. Should we honor the request of the composer and her heirs or should we rely on the so-called "folk process" to justify the change we'd made?
A couple of years ago, we tried substituting a beautiful short song by a UU composer but it just didn't catch on. There was something about that old "Go now in peace" melody and words that just wouldn't be set aside, so we went back to singing it again and shoving our nagging sense of artistic disrespect underground.
Well, it's surfaced again and on the 24th of October, the next time I am in the pulpit, I have a plan. I've warned the worship leader and checked it out with our administrator, who is feeling as uneasy about the situation as I am, and that day, before we start singing it, I am going to say something like this, perhaps after asking folks to open their hymnals to page 413:
"Because the composer of this beloved little song, Natalie Sleeth and her family, has asked congregations to sing the original words, not substituting the word "love" for the word "God" in the song, I am going to sing those original words from now on. I invite you to sing the correct words with me, if you are willing and able, out of respect for the artist's original composition. If you can't, well, nobody's going to be taking names. But if most of us can't do that, we'll find another song, out of respect for the composer. Now let's sing our children off to their classes."
I don't know if this will be well-received or not. Chances are most folks in the congregation will sing the original words; I certainly don't find them offensive, just a little limiting. There will definitely be those who continue to sing the words they're used to and I have no objection to that. There will be no police action! And I think that will satisfy my own sense of obligation to Ms. Sleeth and her family. It certainly will be easier than finding a new song! I'll keep you posted.
This ministry life is so interesting! And they pay me to do this....will wonders never cease?
11 comments:
- goodwolve said...
As I have said elsewhere, I hate this song... well hate is strong, but it just sounds so "get the hell out of here little people and their teachers who do not belong in proper worship with us the adults". It isn't personal, but it feels like such a get out of here moment. Not sure ANY song would be good for this. - J
- Tom said...
I investigated this story a couple of years ago and could not find evidence that most of it is true.
It appears that at the time the UUA was preparing the Gray hymnal they wrote to Ms. Sleeth's publishing house asking for permission to change the words in print. This permission was denied.
At the time Sleeth herself was either dead or seriously ill. (She died in 1992 after a long illness.) I don't know if she was personally involved in the decision. In any case, it is perfectly normal for writers to oppose other people changing their words in published versions of their work. I know of no evidence that Sleeth ever objected to our singing whatever we want. Indeed I know of no evidence that Sleeth ever knew we existed.
You refer to Sleeth's "family". Who is that? I believe her kids, Molly and David, are still alive, but I can't find any evidence they care about what we sing.
In any case, why do we care about the opiniions of her descendents and not the opinions of the descendents of, say, Isaac Watts or John Calvin? What moral principle is involved here?
My take is that this whole thing has been manufactured, probably by someone who finds the UU "God" allergy annoying. I like God too, but I don't think it is right to lie to the congregation.
But maybe you have found something we couldn't find. How do you know the story is true?
- LinguistFriend said...
The idea of "Go now in peace" is an important one", I think. In visiting a Lutheran congregation recently, I enjoyed the fact that they used the "Peace be with you" greeting, which is shared with Jewish and Islamic and earlier Christian groups. Peace (whatever interpretation one may make of it), is wished for both children and adults, and for members of other religious movements. The song expresses the wish of peace for them whether they participate in a UU formal service or not.
- ms. kitty said...
You raise interesting points, Tom. I'm wondering what resources you used to investigate this story. I heard it from our district Program Consultant and also from our District Trustee. Can you say more about what you looked at in order to verify the story?
- Tom said...
Ms. Kitty,
This came up at our church about 4 years ago. I started investigating by googling "Natalie Sleeth". When I realized she died 2 years before the gray hymnal was published, I became suspicious. More googling revealed that she was an important author in the Methodist tradition. I couldn't find any evidence that she ever showed any awareness of UUs.
I did find a lot of UU handwringing, but it was all hearsay. Nobody ever claimed, for example, to have seen a letter from her family complaining about anything.
So, knowing how radioactive the word "God" is in UU circles, I guessed this was probably an urban legend.
Anyway, once our RE committee realized that Sleeth had died a long time ago, they decided this wasn't a problem. (Legally, of course, we can sing anything we want in a service. We are totally exempt from copyright rules.)
- ms. kitty said...
Thanks, Tom, I appreciate your input. I'm going to ask around and see where our official leaders got this message.
- Anonymous said...
This was quite an interesting topic, thanks for covering it here and in your follow-up post. It really makes one think. I recall attending a UU church in Southern California one morning, and when I opened their hymnal to sing "Go Now in Peace" I discovered they had literally crossed out God with a pen and written "spirit of love" above the line. Immediately, I understood that my liberal UU theology was unwelcome at that church, and never returned. I think if the Sleeth estate heard about that practice, they'd probably be upset.
- ms. kitty said...
Anon, I'll bet if the minister knew that had happened in a hymnal, s/he would have taken steps to address it. I'd be interested in learning whether it was just in one (or a few) hymnals, or if it had been changed in all of them. Do you know?
- Anonymous said...
It was in all the hymnals. I discussed, politely, my disappointment with the minister after the service. I'd gone to the church because my first child had just been born the previous day and I felt a need to thank God and seek God's blessing on our little family. Since I grew up UU naturally the church was where I went to do that, but when I saw that my UUism wasn't wanted I left somewhat disheartened and thereafter attended a different (non-UU) religious establishment in the same city.
- ms. kitty said...
I'm so sorry, Anon. It shouldn't have been done. It was not only unethical, it was technically illegal, I think.
- Dan Harper said...
@goodwolve -- A few years ago at Ferry Beach, the Universalist conference center in Maine, some kids told me they didn't like this song, because it felt like they were being kicked out. So they made up alternate words: "Go now eat peas, macaroni and cheese..." -- alas, I forget the rest of it.
Anyway, because of what those kids told me, now I find I can't use this song when I'm leading worship. Too bad, because it's a good song.


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Feb 13, 2012
Feb 2, 2012
Our Thursday business thought
Our business thought for the day - your business reflect your standards, your philosophy, and your ethics. Be sure to have business principles you plan to follow with your business decisions.
Feb 1, 2012
Our Wednesday business tip!
Our business thought for the day - Instead of talking about your business dreams all the time, turn them into goals by taking the first step of writing them down. Dreamers talk, doers act.
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|"James Abley" <james.ab...@gmail.com>
|Re: Maven2 release process in Continuum
|Thu, 19 Jul 2007 12:19:13 GMT
On 18/07/07, Mykel Alvis <email@example.com> wrote: > > 1) There is potential for me to check in the release version, start > > preparing the release and then someone else checks out the release > > version and starts doing stuff to it, when they should really be > > waiting until the next SNAPSHOT version has been checked in. I guess I > > can use locking for that, but it's been a while since I used locking > > with a SCM (been on CVS, SVN and Bazaar for a while - not used > > SourceSafe in four years or so). > > I personally prefer releasing manually over getting an automation > system to do that. IMO, that's just not what CI servers like > continuum are made to do. Too many things can go awry in the course > of a build and recovering from a release that failed partway through > is a pain in the ass. > > There's always locking, but our current strategy is to branch the code > to do releases. We use subversion, which makes branching (and > tagging) very cheaply. We currently are releasing about 40 of our > 100+ artifacts, and the current strategy denotes a few things: > a) the /tags and /branches belong to the build engineer (me). The > developers are free to branch and tag in the /userbranches and > /usertags paths. > b) a number version (major.minor.release). > c) release along a branch for customer-facing releases, Thus for > component "foo" at version 1.0.0-SNAPSHOT, to release I create a > branch called (literally) "foo-1.0.x" that releases all versions > following the pattern "1.0.x". I then switch the head of the trunk to > "1.1.0-SNAPSHOT" and let everyone continue on their merry path. When > we release that version, we'll branch again to a branch called > "foo-1.1.x" > d) when a minor version gets deprecated, it's just never released > again. We don't delete anything, since it's subversion and difficult > to really delete from anyway. > e) parent poms are never snapshots for the developers. I spent a good > deal of time getting them right and I check and recheck changes to > them before I make parent pom releases. This is probably only > reasonable since my primary job is managing the build. > > Since I use a property built in the parent pom with elements > over-ridden in child poms to build the scm strings for subversion, I > generally only have to change a few properties to get my new branch > built by continuum. I do that when I branch the code. > > Updating the poms by hand for the new versions? Well, that's just the > price of admission for a non-modular build. I've had some problems > with modular builds over the years and I tend to avoid them, but given > the amount of time it's taking to do our releases, I'm starting to > give them thought again. > > > 2) Kind of related to that - the need for some sort of development > > freeze during that day. We don't want that. > > Release along a branch in subversion solves this, but that initial > branching adds significant time. Enough to effectively more than > double our total release time. > > > Should it really be taking me a day to do a release of this scale or > > am I doing something fundamentally wrong? > > Unless we're both on the wrong road, I think you're pretty much > following the path. It takes me about 13 hours to do a full > soup-to-nuts release of our 40-ish projects for the final assembly. > Most of that time is spent checking for incorrect dependencies that > the developers have missed. Fortunately, my parent poms for our > projects have improved dramatically, so we're no longer releasing > parent poms in the course of a normal release. Parents belong > exclusively to me so I release them when needed and get the developers > to update to the new parents a few days prior to release (hopefully). > That gives me a couple of days of instability to make sure I didn't > screw up the build by releasing a new parent. > > Hope some of this helps. > Mykel Thanks for your comments. Some good ideas for me to chew over, and I think that I will be sticking to the release plugin to release our stuff; maybe scripting it in a suitable language (probably Python?) or contributing patches to the plugin to try to avoid so many manual steps. James >
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Via techcrunch.com -
Facebook is introducing two new measures to beef up security: expanding HTTPS connections as an all-the-time option and using social captchas to authenticate users who have lost passwords. Let's take these one at a time.
HTTPS is a secure connection (more secure than plain-vanilla HTTP connections), and Facebook already uses HTTPS for when you log into an outside site through Facebook Connect and send your passwords back to Facebook. But now you will have the option to set HTTPs as the default connection for everything you do on Facebook itself.
Some app developers will need to use a new "Secure Canvas URL" so that their apps can also be accessed over HTTPS.
The social captcha feature is pretty clever. It will replace regular captchas (those slightly warped letters you are asked to re-enter to prove you are human) with a picture of one of your friends. You will need to identify the person to authenticate yourself when you are trying to retrieve a lost password or Facebook detects suspicious login activity on your account. You do know what all your "friends" look like, don't you?
Overall, I think this is a very positive step, but one of my friends said it best - "a security feature that has to be enabled will never be used by the masses. A for effort, but C for implementation."
Long story short, he is correct. When security is opt-in, people are less likely to do it, for various reasons.
Hopefully this is just the first step.
Google rolled out SSL to Gmail users in the same way. First it was an option, then it become default.
Let's hope Facebook will follow suit...and just in case that isn't in their roadmap, the security community should applause this change, but contiune to push for more.
Behind the Internet Wheels of Steel - Recording Live From Somewhere - Mixing the Fresh Beats of Technology, Intelligence, Science & Security together with the occasional bass-heavy break of Humor.
"There is no security on this earth, there is only opportunity"
- General Douglas MacArthur (1880-1964)
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
Facebook Beefs Up Security With Full-Time HTTPS & Social Captchas
at 11:17 AM
Labels: Social Splinter
1 comment:
I also hope that SSL becomes the default for Facebook. There seems to be some concern over performance when using SSL, but Google seems to have made it work. I work for Symantec, so I am a huge proponent of SSL and think that Facebook's announcement is an important step toward online security. Looking forward to see how it unfolds.ReplyDelete
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Wednesday, December 16, 2009
Thank you!
Saturday, December 5, 2009
The Make Something Party: Why It Matters
The Make Something Party is tomorrow, and we couldn't be more excited! The entire event has come together so smoothly, thanks to a fantastic group of volunteers.
But lest we get caught up in details, logistics, and self-congratulation, here's a brief reflection upon why we're doing this in the first place:
1. Spend Less. And the purpose of spending less isn't so that you'll have more left in your wallet on December 26. The purpose is to take us back to Christmas. Christmas, which celebrates the scandalous, messy birth of a rebellious Savior -- it is this Christmas that gets swallowed up by the consumer frenzy at the mall, the ring of cash registers, the flashing lights. Why do we give gifts at Christmas anyway? How much more STUFF do most of us really need cluttering up our lives? We give gifts in commemoration of God's gift to us. By making a conscious effort to spend less, we can begin to silence the numbing white noise of consumerism, and reclaim the meaning of this Advent season.
2. Give More. At Christmas, we're celebrating God's creativity and sacrifice. How much creativity and sacrifice really goes into passing our credit cards around at the mall? If you attend the Make Something Party, you'll be spending $1-20 for a gift that you create. With your own two hands. It might not look as spiffy as something mass produced by machines. It may take a little longer than running in and out of a store (time, for most of us, is the ultimate sacrifice!). But it will be imbued with so much more love and meaning.
AND, here's the best part: the point isn't to save money so that you can spend more on yourself in 2010. The point is that the money you save on gifts that people don't really need can go towards those who really DO need. In particular, we encourage you to consider supporting the following nonprofit organizations:
Project Peace East Bay, which creates partnerships in an effort to cultivate more just and sustainable communities in Berkeley, Oakland, and the surrounding areas, and
Wine to Water, which provides clean water to needy people around the world.
We hope you feel as excited as we do about the Make Something Party. We're looking forward to seeing you tomorrow, and even if you can't attend, we hope that you'll make this entire holiday season your own personal Make Something Party.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Sneak Preview....
Plans are really coming together as we count down the days until December 6! Because a natural question is: "What can I make at the Make Something Party?" here's a preview of some of the crafts that will be just waiting for your hands to assemble:
-Painted glass ornaments
-Handmade rubber stamps (make your own to decorate notecards, journals, etc!)
-Beaded jewelry
-Handpainted canvas tote bags
-Knitted goods
-Wineglass charms
-Refrigerator magnets
In addition, local photographer Matt Beardsley will be on hand to take your family's portrait for the BARGAIN price of $20 (you get prints and a digital file). Then, you can make your own frame!
For those who aren't feeling particularly crafty, there will be a selection of handmade goods available for purchase. These include gifts from Trade As One (see previous post for more details). AND we're thrilled to announce the participation of Dsenyo, a company that offers handmade bags and accessories from sustainable African textiles.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
Gifts with Meaning
We're excited to announce that Trade as One will be a part of this year's Make Something Parties on Sunday, December 6th. If you haven't already read through these posts (do it! there's some good stuff down there!), the ethos behind these parties is to add personal meaning and significance to the gifts we give at Christmas. In addition to handmade gifts and gifts of presence, another way to add meaning and significance to our gifts is to buy Fair Trade. Fair Trade uses our spending power to give sustainable jobs to the poorest of the poor, the woman freed from trafficking, the person with HIV/AIDS. Fair Trade is a way to vote for treating the poor with dignity by paying them a living wage, by insisting that environmental principles are respected, by ensuring that children are educated not used for labor.
This Christmas, we're trying to rediscover the role that gifts played in the first Christmas. If you look at the gifts the wise men brought Jesus, you'll see that they were imbued with great meaning.
Gold – for a king.
Frankinscence – for worship.
Myrrh – used in burial.
These gifts spoke prophetically about Jesus' life. So the opportunity here is to buy a gift for someone that they'll love, and in so doing tell a story of redemption. It's a way to use our Christmas purchasing to be Good News to the poor. So come and see what we're doing, make a gift, buy a Fair Trade gift, and tell a powerful story this Christmas.
I'm including our video, so that you can see a bit more about what we do, and (hopefully) pass it on to your friends:
Tuesday, November 10, 2009
Location Update!
Thursday, November 5, 2009
One Month to Go!
The details are coming together nicely. Here's what it will look like so far:
-5 tables with easy-to-make gift projects tailored to a variety of ages/interests
-a selection of tables where "craft experts" will teach you how to make high quality gifts
-instruction sheets and material kits will be available so that you can make more gifts at home
-you pay only for the cost of materials (average about $5 per gift)
-a table of gifts available for purchase from Trade As One
We still need volunteers!
If you are skilled at a particular craft and would like to have a table where you can teach others to make it/sell some of your own products, we'd love to have you. Or, if you're unskilled but are interested in leading others in making a simple, pre-planned craft, we'd also love to have you. Please email firstname.lastname@example.com to volunteer or get more information.
We look forward to seeing you next month on the 6th!
Tuesday, November 3, 2009
Let's Party: The Ethos of Making Stuff
My name is John, and I'm one of the co-founders of The Renew Project in Oakland. We're honored to join in this year's Make Something Party at Christ Church! Let me tell you why my family is getting involved, and why you really should join us on Sunday, December 6:
- I'll spend less on Christmas. I've done the "Black Friday" thing in the past, and my stomach has hit the floor when the bills come due. It's fairly obvious that our economy isn't at its' most vibrant stage ever, but should we sacrifice our financial peace to help retailers cover their losses? Christmas is a beautiful time to reflect on the indescribable gift of God and the blessing of family and friends - and spending often creates an unhelpful distraction. By making stuff, I'm reminding myself that what matters isn't what I spend, but how I live.
- My gifts will be more meaningful. Seriously, your brother-in-law can live without the 500,000th copy of Transformers 2, even if it is on sale for only four hours at a ridiculously low price. Bargain prices don't always equate with quality, especially when we have the opportunity to create one-of-a-kind masterpieces for our friends and family. Our gifts will mean more to the people we care about most, and they won't lose their sentimental value as quickly as something mass-produced on an assembly line. By making stuff, I'm giving away objects that are connected to my personality and the story of my relationships.
- I'll have the freedom to invest in something worthwhile. With the money I save on Christmas, I can help do something truly radical - like helping to eradicate extreme poverty in Africa. I can help dig a clean water well or invest in a micro loan to empower a woman in a developing country to start her own business. These are gifts that will outlast a single day under the tree, gifts that can potentially shift the trajectory of a person's entire life. By making stuff, I'm living into a new imagination about the power of my wealth to change the world for good.
- I get to practice creativity. Too often I forget that I was formed, in my mother's womb, "fearfully and wonderfully" by an amazingly creative being, (Psalm 139). Virtually everything in life these days seems to be pre-packaged, technologically-enhanced and marketed to my unique tastes. I could potentially get by without ever practicing creativity again. But what kind of life would that be? By making stuff, I'm tapping into the creative energies that were lovingly placed in me by our Father in heaven.
John O'Hara is co-founder of The Renew Project,a new community in Oakland that is inviting people into the creative mission of God through Jesus-centered Action and Life Integration. Learn more at their website, www.therenewproject.org.
John is married to Serena and together they have two insanely beautiful boys, Gabriel and Joshua. They're moving to Oakland in 2010.
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
Volunteers Needed!
First "To-Do" item as we plan the Make Something Party: we need volunteers to help out at the craft tables during the event. The crafts will already be planned out and the materials provided; you'll just need to give people some guidance. You can volunteer at either site (Gaia Arts Center, 12:30-2, College Ave. Presbyterian Church, 3:30-5) or at both if you're so inclined! If interested, please contact Jose Figueroa, firstname.lastname@example.com.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Introducing the Make Something Party!
As part of Christ Church of Berkeley and Rockridge's participation in the Advent Conspiracy, Project Peace is delighted to announce our inagural Make Something Party.
Spend less, give more.
Instead of participating in the mass buying frenzy that precedes Christmas, we'll be providing stations where you can hand-make quality gifts for your loved ones. Give a small donation towards the cost of materials, and leave with gifts that are all the more special for the effort you've put into them. Here are some initial details:
The Make Something Parties will be held on Sunday, December 6, 2009.
12:30-2:00 PM at the Gaia Arts Center
3:30-5:00 PM at College Avenue Presbyterian Church
We'll be posting more details about the process and projects of the Make Something Party on this blog. Watch the video below for more information on the Advent Conspiracy.


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We had a great group show up for First Friday last night, and then I got to sit back with friends and watch the fireworks while eating dinner on the river. It doesn't get better than that.
The whole shop has been revised and it's full of new colorful collections, from many different era's.
To feel that one has a place in life solves half the problems of contentment.
Thanks for putting us in our place!
Char, Linda, & Bernie


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The dispute with the Northchase HOA is just one example of why a General Assembly committee in January began studying homeowners associations.
Donna Knight sits in a brown, patterned chair in her nearly-empty living room as cars whoosh down a busy street behind her Northchase home.
Knight motions toward her backyard, where she says a berm used to block the sound of traffic before Northchase Homeowners Association Inc. removed it in the summer of 2009, a charge Northchase denies.
She motions toward the walls and windows she's soundproofed – spending about $9,000 to do so – but still, traffic noise seeps in.
Knight hired an attorney to approach Northchase about the removed berm, but said the homeowners association denied the berm existed.
And now, because of the dispute and traffic noise, Knight is moving from a home she's owned for about 20 years to a rental home she found on Craigslist.
"It's road noise day and night," she said. "All the time."
Knight's dispute with the Northchase HOA is just one example of why a General Assembly committee in January began studying homeowners associations and how they govern. The committee found the associations have great power over homeowners while lacking accountability and regulation, according to the committee's draft report.
Lawmakers found few options for people who want to challenge decisions of a homeowners association. The only recourse available in most cases is to file a civil lawsuit, which is too expensive for many homeowners.
The committee will continue studying the issue and will submit a final report, including any proposed legislation, by Feb. 1 of next year.
In the late 1980s, Knight bought the home on Watson Drive near Laney High School. Knight said she couldn't see or hear traffic on New Village Way, a state-maintained road people use to cut-through to College Road. One day in February, more than 2,000 cars travelled down the road, according to a study of vehicle traffic done by the Wilmington Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization.
Knight rented out the home at first, then moved in for about three years, then rented it again before moving back a few years ago.
In 2009, Knight said Northchase removed the berm and road noise started creeping into her home.
But Jim Mullins, president of Northchase's board, said Knight is wrong.
"Clearly I can say, no berm was removed," Mullins said.
Knight addressed the board during one of its meetings, Mullins said, and the board agreed to look into the issue before determining it wasn't one for the homeowner's association to solve.
"We're all neighbors," Mullins said, adding the board didn't hear complaints from other neighbors. "If they have a concern we want to hear them out; we're not going to guarantee results."
Knight also talked to an acoustical engineer, who suggested she install QuietRock drywall. QuietRock is intended for home theaters, but the engineer told her it could reduce the road noise. Knight also bought soundproof windows.
Neither silenced the noise, and Knight tried something else: sleeping in her laundry room on a mattress on the floor. That didn't work either.
She said, "I'm way past the age where that's fun."
After the soundproofing and new sleeping arrangement failed, Knight hired an attorney, who sent Northchase a letter in July about the "unbearable" noise level because of the berm's alleged removal.
"Ms. Knight and her neighbors have been severely injured by the decision of the Board to remove the berm," the letter states. "And no reason in support of the removal of the berm has been offered."
Northchase's attorney responded 14 days later.
"First and foremost, there was never a 'berm' behind Ms. Knight's house in the area that backs up to New Village Way," the letter says. "There is and has been a ditch or swale that the Association has maintained. Recently, the lowest level of vegetation in the ditch was removed."
Mullins said Northchase hired a contractor to prune trees and other shrubbery. The contractor didn't use heavy equipment, though Knight said she saw an excavator on site during the work.
With the issue unresolved, Knight decided to move from Watson Drive to a rental house. She began packing in mid-September.
A tenant will rent the Watson Drive home, Knight said, adding she warned the renter about the noise. The renter told her it wouldn't be a problem.
If renting doesn't work, Knight is worried about her alternatives.
"I really have a concern," Knight said. "It's not going to sell."
Matt Tomsic: 343-2070
On Twitter.com: @MattToms


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This is probably one of the hardest posts that I will write. Recently, on facebook the question came up about the amount of impoverished children we have in this country and the inability of the government to supply all the needy. The answer is that the government should not have had to care for the poor and needy in the first place as it was said that the responsibility was to the Church. There is no debate there. The early Christian people shared what they had and even in the early days of let's say the "Village" in the late 1800's people used very little money and relied on the swapping method. The bartering system worked pretty well as everyone worked at something "useful" that added to everyone's life. No waste, no junk. Giving was also measured in your time, as well as talent. Black Friday was just that, Blackened by the violence of the must have generation. Because, things are necessary to celebrate Christmas in order to be happy. The sad part is that the poor are subjected to this in order to fulfill the desire of their children, in the name of Love.
Capitolism, who understands it? Buying because everyone has one, or it's on sale. Rather than can we afford it or do we really need to have it. People have nothing, yet they are buying because it's Black Friday, getting them deeper into the red. What is really the value of most of the junk that's being sold, "in order to keep people working?" All we can think about is the economy....What of the poor, we have always had them with us.
Some are really unaware of the plight of the poor....out of sight, out of mind. So, is it the church's responsibility to care for the many poor? How do empty churches do that?
So, where do you go when there is no where to go and your poor? Maybe you can find a shelter somewhere, and perhaps (one) meal a month or two, if you can get there.
There are no easy solutions to the mess that has been created, and that has been coming upon us for many years. Material goods are created cheaper and therefore, need replacement at a higher cost, purposefully. (It's good business practice). Having to constantly keep up with the demand of buying and maintaining a car, (is one example), especially in parts of the country which alternative modes of transportation are not available, can drain any budget. Don't get sick, or need dental care, your screwed. And, don't grow old, who can afford those bills. Did you see how much it costs to bury someone today? If you own a home, taxation will kill you as water bills and heating bills are on the rise. Try not to concern yourself, it's afterall the Christmas season, where you are advised to shop 'till you drop.
How can some worry about pepper spray, shopping on Black Friday, and overwhelming debt when everyday they must be confronted by "how will we survive the winter"? Just paying the doctor bills and prescriptions and putting food on the table may be all some can handle.
The blame game goes on. The reality is that some have "no problem" making it the Christmas Season presented to us on television, with all the beads and glamour, and oh yes, they are making their charity contribution, while the rest do the best they can with the season of giving.
How can you give when you have nothing yourself. Will you put yourself deeper in debt, as you are told to by so many "must have commercials," designed to "move you." I have personally spoken to many who actually "hate this time of the year," because of it's expectations, finding themselves deep in depression, again.
I recall seeing at the "Village" a small hand-cut tree, which I call the Charlie Brown Christmas tree. It had a square box filled with dirt and small handmade decorations, which at that time, would contain a small amount of candy, or small handmade toys, or mittens. Scarves and hats were also knitted as well as warm socks. Christmas was a shared event with family and friends but not to the extent that it is today. What has happened!
We must stop and take an assessment of what we are doing, before it is too late. Is Christmas now just for the rich? What is Christmas? Is it a commercial Christmas that we are celebrating? We are on the road to Christmas right now. Just where is it taking us?
Busy Life
3 weeks ago


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The Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine (WFIRM), located in Winston-Salem, NC, is seeking candidates for a variety of faculty, staff and postdoctoral research positions. To apply for an open position, please send a cover letter and curriculum vitae to firstname.lastname@example.com or follow the specific instructions for each job.
Applicant Requirements
Applicants must be either a U.S. citizen, permanent resident or have a valid working visa and be currently located in the U.S. It is the policy of Wake Forest Baptist Medical Center to administer all educational and employment activities without discrimination because of race, sex, age, religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation or veteran status (except where sex is a bona fide occupational qualification or a statutory requirement) in accordance with all local, state, or national laws, executive orders, regulations, and guidelines.
About the Institute
With a history of success and a focused strategy for getting new therapies to patients, the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine is a premier research center on its kind. Our scientists were the first in the world to engineer laboratory-grown organs that were successfully implanted into humans. Today, our team is working to engineer replacement tissues and organs and develop healing cell therapies for more than 30 different areas of the body.
Phone 336-713-7293Fax 336-713-7290
The Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine is an international leader in translating scientific discovery into clinical therapies.
Disclaimer: The information on this website is for general informational purposes only and SHOULD NOT be relied upon as a substitute for sound professional medical advice, evaluation or care from your physician or other qualified health care provider.


text: Put the sugar, chillies, ginger, lime zest, rum and honey into a pan and bring to the boil, simmer for a minute or so until a little syrupy and the sugar has dissolved. Remove the skin and the inner core from the pineapple and cut into thick rings, approx 1½ cm thick. Barbecue for 2-3 mins each side until caramelised, then add the glaze. Alternatively, preheat the oven to Gas Mark 6, 200°C, fan 180°C and cook for 10-12 minutes, until the fruit starts to caramelise, then add the glaze. Serve with the extra glaze spooned over and ice cream on the side.


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I am terribly, terribly sorry this is a few days later than I promised. This DIY project has given me such a hard time! So many headaches that I wanted a break from it. Moral of the story: do not use magnetic paint for anything heavier than a pen. You will end up frustrated beyond belief with it. Guaranteed.
Let's see, after I used up almost my entire $8 can of paint on this 9x11" piece of glass, I thought it was smart to test run my makeup on it, only after about 40 minutes of dry time.
Not smart. I now have permanent 'recesses' in the paint from some of my magnetics sinking into it. A few more coats didn't seem to help any.
I found magnetic strips at Michaels that I cut to accomodate to the bottles, tubes, and eye shadow palettes that I wanted to display on my board. Notice how you only see the eye shadow palettes up there in that picture. Even with magnetic strips covering an entire side, mascara bottles and my plastic concealer/foundation bottles won't attach to the magnetic paint. Hence my headaches.
The one sucess of this project is my new makeup brush/other thin objects holder. This is something I am totally jazzed about. I pulled out a mason jar from my garage, filled it with a few strands of pearls, and stuck my brushes right on in! Easy, and almost instant gratification. Plus it makes all your brushes look so pretty! I'm not really a pearl person, but come on. They are so pretty to look at.
If any of you have been brave enough to tackle magnetic paint, how has it worked out for you? xx
currently listening to.... I Don't Want To Be (Live) - Gavin DeGraw


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Most of the travel services or products basically require pre payment before it transported. This is known as loop hole in the travel deal market as it created prospects for scandalous companies and individuals. There are some travel deals turns out to be dissimilar from what exists or the end user expected. If someone receives a deal for popular tourist attraction by email or phone for very low price compared to the deals currently available in the market then you need be very careful while preferring such a package. You need to consider some facts while accessing such low priced vacation trip to a popular domestic or international destination.
Point 1: Does the price offered to you by service provider appear to low? Possibly it may be.
Point 2: Have been asked to provide credit card/debit card information over the phone?
Point 3: Is the service provider putting pressure on you to make a quick decision?
Point 4: Is the airline offered to you is well known or service provider offering you combination of airline package without specification that on which airline you are going to fly?
Point 5: Is customer care executive unable to provide enough information about office address and other contact detail?
If you came across any of the warning sign discussed in the above points then be alert and don't share any critical information to the customer care executive. Always ask for information in written format or brochure of deal and also ask for some time to think about. If executive is not ready to provide any information in paper format then this trip is not right for you as there is smell of scandal coming out of this which you need to notice before you get into big trouble.
There are some other symptoms which you should consider before making a final decision about such low priced vacation deal. Let me discuss some of these symptoms which may cause financial damage to you.
If executive told you that you won free trip to a popular destination but to get that for free you need to buy some other deals such as expensive hotel accommodation or expensive flight ticket which is quite expensive compared to similar deals available in the market.
If the deal that you considered is priced way above other deals available in the market even if offered deal includes freebie like free return airfare. Even if return air ticket is free in the offered trip, it is quite costlier than regular package deal.
Always get a confirmed flight tickets and must confirm departure date before pay anything to the service provider. If they offer waitlist travel or later reservation then make sure you get your money back (refund) in time if tickets not get confirmed.
If you dream destination is beach resort then must ask distance of that place from beach because sometimes they make fool and gives you a accommodation which is far from beach or tourist destination which makes your trip stressful.
You must check complete cost including every type of taxes and service fees. You also need to make sure that legal right allow getting your money refunded if offered services are not delivered the way it explained to you prior to trip.India Holiday is all about experiencing Indian values, traditions and variety in culture.


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I had a close friend that I was meeting for lunch on our holidays, I awoke wondering what I could take her to cheer her up.... a chocolately fudgey gooeiness thats what!
So buckle up and enjoy the ride along the fudge highway to another delectable delight to tickle your tastebuds! I can assure you that this is a recipe worth mixing, it took me only 30 minutes to prepare and then 50 minutes to bake it! A good one to whip up just before guests arrive.... because they make your house smell like you are a Domestic Goddess!
Double Chocolate & Walnut Brownies200g Dark Cooking Chocolate
175g Butter
3 Eggs
150g Plain Flour
250g Castor Sugar
50g Walnuts - chopped
200g Darking Cooking Chocolate - roughly chopped
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees. Grease and flour your 13 x 9 inch tin.
Using a heat proof bowl put over a small saucepan of simmering water. Place 200g of chocolate broken up, and the butter into your bowl, and continue to stir over the heat until your chocolate and butter are completely melted and glossy.
Take a large mixing bowl and sift together the flour, baking powder and sugar into the bowl. Next stir in your melted chocolate mixture.
Finally roughly chop your walnuts and 200g chocolate and add them to your mixture and stir until combined.
Pour your mixture into your prepared tin, and place the tin in the oven and bake for 50 minutes.
Remove and allow to cool for 15-20 minutes. Cut off the sides of the brownie first and then slice the slab into squares.
I got 15 neat squares.
I got 15 neat squares.
I highly recommend eating at least one piece whilst it is lovely and warm.
This is devine, why o why have I never made brownies before in my life??? Where have you been?


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From the Node.js website:
"Node's goal is to provide an easy way to build scalable network programs. In the "hello world" web server example above, many client connections can be handled concurrently. Node tells the operating system (through
/dev/poll, or
select) that it should be notified when a new connection is made, and then it goes to sleep. If someone new connects, then it executes the callback. Each connection is only a small heap allocation.
This is in contrast to today's more common concurrency model where OS threads are employed. Thread-based networking is relatively inefficient and very difficult to use. See: this and this. Node will show much better memory efficiency under high-loads than systems which allocate 2mb thread stacks for each connection. Furthermore, users of Node are free from worries of dead-locking the process—there are no locks. Almost no function in Node directly performs I/O, so the process never blocks. Because nothing blocks, less-than-expert programmers are able to develop fast systems."
I totally agree with the event machine, no-blocking approach, and that something like this was needed to improve the coding experience.
A few thoughts:
V8 Javascript is basically a compiled language: so we get binary speed with abstraction of Javascript
CoffeeScript is used which gives the clean and readable code replacing Javascript yet compiles through to machine code


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Rumors and clues around the Qana incident and the possible staging of the incident abound. And Newsmax comes with a new juicy little tidbit:
As it turns out, NewsMax has learned that news photographers saw aid workers wrapping furniture in body bags hours after the attack then loading the "corpses" into ambulances for the benefit of television news cameras.EU Referendum, in the mean time saw its digging into the Qana photos challenged by the MSM around the world, but stays on the case with some new clues that the whole thing was Hezbollah managed from the outset.
Hezbollah officials at the site prevented the photographers from documenting the fabrication, said sources at the scene who asked not to be identified.
[UPDATE001] Hezbollah does not stage anything? This from StrategyPage:
Israeli troops operating in south Lebanon captured a Hezbollah safe house, and found the usual weapons and other equipment, as well as a supply of Israeli Defense Force uniforms. This indicated plans to stage a major "atrocity." Committed, as the evidence would clearly show, by Israeli troops.Lovely. Just lovely...


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NEW YORK - In the world of advertising, any publicity can be good publicity. The goal is to get people talking. And there's no bigger stage in advertising than the Super Bowl, which for the last few years has been one of the most-watched events in U.S. TV history with more than 100 million viewers tuning in.
This year, dozens of big companies from Pepsi to Chobani are spending an estimated $4 million for a 30-second spot during Super Bowl XLVIII on Sunday in hopes they'll do just that. But as they gear up for the biggest day in advertising, they can take lessons from some of the most talked-about Game Day ads last year.
Here's a look back at how those ads came to be, and what the companies that created those spots plan this year:
When a blackout hit the stadium early in the third quarter last year, Oreo was prepared to create instant social media content because the cookiemaker and its digital agency 360i had been working on a campaign for Oreo's 100th anniversary. The campaign featured a different ad every day that responds to news events for 100 days.
"We knew how to seize that moment," said Janda Lukin, senior director on Oreo at parent company Mondelez.
About 10 people at a 360i's social media command center in New York immediately huddled with others on the phone. Ideas flew back and forth. Ten minutes later, the ad was out on Twitter and Facebook. No one recalls who came up with the ad, which featured an image of an Oreo in partial darkness and the tagline "You can still dunk in the dark."
In the first hour, the ad had more than 10,000 retweets on Twitter and 18,000 likes and 5,000 shares on Facebook.
Even with the success of the spot, this year, Oreo is sitting out the big game. In 2013, the Super Bowl was the best channel to kick off Oreo's "Cookie vs. Creme" campaign, but this year the company says it's using other channels as its marketing evolves.
Some Super Bowl themes never seem to grow old for viewers, as Anheuser-Busch learned last year.
The beermaker, which is known for using Clydesdales in ads, last year depicted a Clydesdale growing up with his trainer and then recognizing him years later during a parade in Chicago in a spot called "Brotherhood." Fleetwood Mac's ballad "Landslide" played in the background.
This year, Anheuser-Busch is sticking with the "cute" theme for its Clydesdale spot, with "Puppy Love," an ad about a friendship between a Clydesdale and a puppy.
Sometimes ads are better known for their controversy. Take Volkswagen's "Get Happy" for the VW Passat Super Bowl last year.
The company's ad last year depicts the life of a white middle American office employee so happy he drives a Passat that he starts speaking in a Jamaican accent, much to the consternation of his co-workers. "It got a lot of laughs in testing and to be honest within the Volkswagen office itself," he said.
The company says it was looking for a way to convey the idea that when you "see the world through the lens of Volkswagen, things get a little rosier," said Justin Osborne, general manager of brand and marketing communications for Volkswagen.
The concept came about because there was no new car model to introduce, so the company decided to focus on the optimistic nature of VW users. The company considered five other ad concepts, but Osborne said the Jamaican ad was the clear winner in the way that it showcased the message in a funny, easy-to-understand manner.
So the company, which released the ad before the Super Bowl, was surprised when it generated a flurry of controversy.
The furor was quelled, however, by Jamaicans. "Very quickly, the Jamaican tourism board and Jamaicans themselves came to our side and said it was not an issue," Osborne said.
This year, Volkswagen is planning another humorous ad: It shows a factory where Germans sprout wings every time a Volkswagen passes 100,000 miles to a catchy tune. The company also plans to increase its social media presence.


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Heart #117 goes to...essie nail polish:little brown dress! I am a big fan of dark polish and I am a huge fan of browns and oranges and all autumn colors. So here is a hot new color from the fall collection from essie. I just got a pedicure yesterday and this is the color on my toes. It reminds me of little Hershey's Kisses. Click here to buy your very own bottle on Amazon.
1 day ago


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|Artistically Painted Smart Car
An annual tradition in our family has been to atttend the North American Car Show held at Cobo Hall in Detroit every January. My husband, who has engineering in his background, and son are enthusiastic car buffs. This year our son started working for Ford! We enjoyed comparing all the new cars with him. However, my favorite part of the car show is our excursion to Greektown for lunch!
The most artistic element in the show is pictured above: a Smart Car that was painted by Billy the Artist.
|Beautiful Protoype


text: > There are other issues in this code now as well. "sop" is a shared > resource, many operations may be generating psearch results > simultaneously. It was intended to be read-only, but there are now > several places in search.c that cause fields in sop to be modified. sop > now either needs to be locked, or a local copy needs to be made. > (Probably the latter is best.) I'll experiment with the former first 'cause it can be done simply by changing read locking to the pslist to writing locking. > Also, all of the slap_build_XXX_ctrl functions need to use an explicit > op->o_tmpmemctx, (i.e., the tmpmemctx from the currently running > operation) not the tmpmemctx in sop. Again, since sop is shared and the > sl_mem functions assume that only one thread has access to the > tmpmemctx, this will get corrupted. > > I suspect that the "locker" needs to come from the op->o_private as > well, when present; otherwise certain entrycache DB locks could deadlock. I've prepare a patch for this basically doing a check to op->o_private whether to get a new locker or the one in the bdb_op_info. Will post soon.


text: Now Cable is Watching You New ad technology tracks family viewing habits from cable box data By Peter Fearon, Newser Staff Posted Nov 25, 2007 10:53 PM CST 0 comments Comments Television advertisers are beginning to use a new technology that enables them to use data from cable television boxes to track viewing habits and thereby target ads to specific groups of viewers. ((c) thparkth) View 2 more images (Newser) – Viewing data flashed from cable boxes is being used to monitor family viewing habits and then target advertising more selectively to cable customers. The Wall Street Journal reports the new process comes from Navic Networks, an interactive TV company in Massachusetts, comparable to technology used by Internet advertisers, and is undergoing tests with several different cable operators. In one test, realtor Re/Max, which normally places ads in home improvement shows like HGTV's 'House Hunters', was able to quickly trace target socio-economic groups to other shows. The cable operators claim there are no privacy considerations. "The viewing behavior they have can't be tied back to a person or to a household," says one executive. View 2 more images


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Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Hope to see you out and about on Saturday 🙂
To view an excellent handbill of events, visit www.artnightbristolwarren.org and click "Event Night Handbill" from the left sidebar.
Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Hope to see you out and about on Saturday 🙂
To view an excellent handbill of events, visit www.artnightbristolwarren.org and click "Event Night Handbill" from the left sidebar.
Halloween is next week! It's sort of sneaking up on us this year, perhaps because of the warm weather we've been having this fall. Until yesterday, that is. Finally, the air has that chilly autumn snap to it, and the local Halloween happenings are right around the corner:
●Take a walk down Hope Street in downtown Bristol for the 10th Annual Halloween Walkabout on Sunday, October 27th from 1pm 'til 3pm. The Downtown Bristol Merchants' Association invites you to bring your children (dressed in costume) downtown and stroll all the shops for an afternoon of trick-or-treating.
●And for families with older children and teens, the Mt. Hope Masqueraders invite you to visit their Haunted House, if you dare, on Tuesday, October 29th and Wednesday, October 30th from 5:30pm 'til 8:30pm in the MHHS Performing Arts Center on Chestnut Street in Bristol. There will be two tours: Scary, for the bravest guests, and Not-So-Scary, for the younger (and/or more timid) crowd. There will also be face-painting, a fortune-teller, refreshments, games, and prizes. Tickets are $5 and come with two game-passes; contact Carol Schlink at MHHS for more information.
I loved reading this article and learning more about the film & media work going on at Bristol-Warren's Hugh Cole Elementary School. Too often, exceptional and creative learning opportunities in or after school are dependent on the parents who come up with them and put in the volunteer hours to keep them going, and when those parents move on, the programs fall apart. This is not a slam – the current trend in expectations-from-above is laying claim to every minute of teachers' and principals' time in school. That's why this program stands out – it has grown and evolved over the years, and seems to have lasted in spite of the inevitable departure of its parent-creator, Katie Reaves. I often wonder, when I read about excellent programs like this one, how might they be expanded to other schools? I think we could learn a lot from Katie Reaves and the Hugh Cole educators who have embraced this program.
"Children who participate become knowledgeable about the messages they are daily bombarded with. It allows students to deconstruct them so they become critical and analytic consumers. They know the tricks of the trade, so they are not at the mercy of the media. If they can watch it and play with it, they are also able to know how to work and create with it." -Katie Reaves
Read the full article here: "When Children Make Media: A Visit to the Hugh Cole School" by Marketa Zezulkova
mark your calendars …
Help support the CSP in its mission to offer all youth in the East Bay area, regardless of income, an innovative, school-based music program centered on string instruments. Learn more at www.communitystringproject.org.


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My kids had their sights on BYU volleyball camp this summer... and earned the $$ to go.
Cole does landscape maintenance, Summer cleans Tom's office,
and Meg babysits regularly for a large family down the street.
So, we packed up the car and I made the 10 hour drive minus Tom and Cole.
They joined us after getting a couple more days of work in.
Call me crazy, but I love long drives. Tom does call me crazy.
I like it now that my kids are older. I just make sure I have a good book on tape and
playlist to get me through the rough patches.
I lay out a few rules and we usually have a pleasant drive in close quarters.
One of the rules is that you do not ask "are we almost there?"
Cole can be a hooligan in pictures
Summer's pals and roommate.
Meg and Claire Wright
Our home base for the 2 weeks we were there was Park City...thanks to our friends, the Oklands.
Kaci is always the best host and walking partner.
My buns miss walking those Utah hills.
Karli Okland and Summer went to EFY the first week. They have been friends....well, since diapers.
and later met up with our good friends, the Zaharis family.
While the older kids were at volleyball camp, Isaac and I met up with family.
My sister Aryn came down from Idaho and my brother Chad and his wife, Carissa, were staying in Utah before their big move out to medical school in Kansas City.
It was also fun to have Carissa's mom and brother (far right) join us.
We decided to hike to Timpanogas Cave for Chad's birthday.
As Chad put it- "The most supervised and safest hike in the world."
A little cool off at the Henley's pool afterward.
Never any rest for the only adult male in the water.
Give this worn out man some birthday cake.
The next day was Isaac's 9th birthday.
His wish was to do the Wicked ride at Lagoon.
He has lived with a year of regret for not being brave enough when he was 8.
His wish was to do the Wicked ride at Lagoon.
He has lived with a year of regret for not being brave enough when he was 8.
Hiding a few tears and looking a little sick prior to take off, he pushed through and
got off the ride wearing a smile and looking quite relieved.
We had a celebration.
After Lagoon, the fun ended and we drove home the next day.


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The Democratic Party is the party of government because it embraces a proposition it has done much to refute — that government is a nimble, skillful social engineer — and because government employees are a significant component of the party's base and of its financial support through government employees unions. Franklin Roosevelt, architect of the modern party, believed unionization would be inappropriate in the public sector. Today's party, however, aggressively uses government coercion to create supposed "government employees" from whom unions can extract money, some of it for the party.
On Tuesday, the Supreme Court will hear arguments about whether the Illinois government's policy of herding home-care workers into unions violates the workers' First Amendment rights. It does.


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Daniel Sickles was a Major General in the Army of the Potomac and was in command of Union III corps at Gettysburg. III corps is made up of 6 brigades split into 2 divisions.
Gettysburg was to mark the effective end, of Sickles's military career. Meade had ordered Sickles's corps to take up defensive positions on the southern end of Cemetery Ridge, anchored in the north to the II Corps and to the south, the hill known as Little Round Top.
Sickles was unhappy to see a slightly higher terrain feature to his front, the Peach Orchard. Perhaps remembering the beating his corps took from Confederate artillery at Hazel Grove, he violated his orders and marched his corps almost a mile in front of Cemetery Ridge. This had two effects: it greatly diluted the concentrated defensive posture of his corps, by stretching it too thin; and it created a salient that could be bombarded and attacked from multiple sides. Meade rode out and confronted Sickles about his insubordination, but it was too late. The Confederate assault by Longstreet's corps, smashed III Corps and rendered it useless for further combat.
During the height of the Confederate attack, Sickles fell victim to a cannonball that mangled his right leg. Carried by stretcher to an aid station, he bravely attempted to raise his soldiers' spirits by grinning and puffing on a cigar along the way. His leg was amputated that afternoon


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Temp: 34.2 (93)
26.2 (79)
23.3 (73)
20.1 (68)
Later edit: I did not notice the humidity reading next to the external temperature. What a remarkable rise, which you don't notice when it is cooler.
Big change in temps. today. We're experiencing 30+ (F) degree changes on a daily basis now. Winter is coming....... *sigh*ReplyDelete
We didn't (thankfully) get as hot as you, but we are still on 29 at around 7.30. Cool change predicted, and I so hope we get it. Lifeline commitments will have me up until v late so I hope to be comfortable. At the moment I am not.ReplyDelete
Its been a cool week here, with rain and all. Greetings!ReplyDelete
....but Andrew, as well as food, coffee, street art.. isn't the changeable weather what Melbourne is renowned for?ReplyDelete
That's a nice looking little gadget. I have a big plastic Cheap as Chips thermometer blu-tacked to the wall. Does the job and was only $3.
It's cooler here now, thank goodness, still sunny, but the wind is no longer hot. My garden took a beating with Tuesday's hot wind.
I wasn't ready for the heat just yet. I was glad when the change blew in, though we could do with some rain!ReplyDelete


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QueerJoe Is Odd As Well
Am I the Only Person on the Planet That Doesn't Like Nutella?
Just Don't Get ItI've never been crazy about chocolate...I mean, I like chocolate because it's sweet and I like sweet, but I'd just as soon eat jelly beans than chocolate. And I love peanut butter. And I find it hard to find any readily available candy that I like better than Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.
But there is NOTHING I find appetizing or appealing about Nutella.
It's goopy texture is completely unappealing. It has a drab dirt color. And the taste is just plain awful.
What is it that I'm missing here?
I've seen Pinterest postings for recipes for everything from Nutella cookies, to protein shakes and even Nutella panna cotta.
I only have one word..."yuck."
Current KnittingI got a bit distracted on my two current projects. It seems Thaddeus found an old London Beanie that I made years ago.
So his hairdresser went gaga over the hat and asked if he could buy it...so I made a few more of them with Noro Kureyon I had hanging around (they take about 2 hours to make).
He loved the middle one on of the top three, and now Thaddeus won't have to tip him next time he has his hair cut.


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Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris
I was driving around on Saturday and I switched on the radio to NPR. Wonder of wonders! I was quite surprised to hear Mark Knopfler and Emmylou Harris on Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion . They played songs from their latest album - All the Road Running. Garrison does a great job introducing the two of them on the half-hour segment in his inimitable style.
* * Jump to MK-EH segment (Garrison takes the first ten minutes talking about Rochester and the Mayo Clinic.)


text:
What is a perfect fall cookie?
Ginger Snaps.
I especially like when they aren't super crispy.
So these are perfect.
1 C Sugar 1/4 C molasses
1 Beaten Egg 3/4 C Oil
1 1/2 C flour 2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp Salt 1/2 tsp Ginger
1/2 tsp cloves 1 tsp cinnamon
Step 1:
Mix Sugar, Molasses, Egg, and Oil together.
Then mix in the rest of the ingredients.
Step 2:
Roll dough into balls then roll into sugar
Step 3:
Bake for about 7 minutes at 350 degrees.
The longer you cook them the crispier they'll be.
Done! So yummy! :)


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Monday, February 6, 2012
Addressing Low Childhood Vaccination Rates: A Population Health Management Perspective
Not getting your shots is crazy.
DMCB readers are probably aware of how childhood U.S. vaccination rates are dropping. While we continue to wonder just how any parent or guardian could let that happen, here's a handy summary on the story behind the story: the New England Journal has an article on Improving Childhood Vaccination Rates:
Total U.S. rates of vaccination remain greater than 90%, but there are some pockets of the country with rates just over 50%. That's where there have been outbreaks of disease leading to some pointless deaths.
Parents (or guardians) opposed to vaccination are unlikely to change their minds. That's why high vaccination rates among the remainder of children are important to create herd immunity.
There are four approaches to achieving high vaccination rates:
1. Make shots free and think about paying parents to have their children immunized.
The DMCB likes the idea but wishes the authors had pointed out that in the context of value-based insurance, this is hardly a radical idea.
2. Make it really difficult to attend school without proof of vaccination. Getting an exemption should demonstrate that the parents are serious and not shuffling by on lax enforcement.
The DMCB grew up in New York City and recalls being immunized against polio in the school's cafeteria. Is it time to bring this back as a first-line strategy?
3. Confront the anti-vaccine community with counter-education campaigns that rely on more than facts and figures. Anecdotes and trusted public figures should also be used.
Whither social media? And, at a traditional marketing level, the DMCB thinks that maybe it's time to partner with the pharma companies that do such a good job of convincing TV viewers to take lipid-lowering agents and anti-depressants. Nothing against the colleagues in public health, but they're not known for their marketing savvy.
4. Physicians need to step up one patient at a time and, while they're at it, make sure they're up to date with their shots.
The DMCB did a literature search on "shared decision making" and "vaccination" and found no useful information. Given the success of aids and engagement strategies that enable truly informed decision-making, the DMCB thinks its time for the population health management community to step up and offer their services.
(One last thought: Newt's been lampooned for his moon-base wackiness, but as the DMCB understands it, his recommendation is really based on an X-Prize approach, which he contrasts with the discontinued Shuttle program. The DMCB wonders if such an approach couldn't work in those areas of the country with critically low childhood vaccination rates: a 5 figure prize to any outfit that can move it to 90%. Why not?)
Image from Wikipedia
1 comment:
- Branden W. Comfort said...
Jaan, I really like this article and I thank you for bringing this issue up for discussion. I agree with the majority of what you have said with the exception of how to confront the anti-vaccine community. I really doubt that they will respond to facts and figures. I think the emphasis should be placed on running a campaign focused on anecdotal evidence for why vaccines are important. This is the exact strategy that the anti-vaccine community has implemented by highlighting children with autism or other terrible health problems. Many other successful campaigns have ran on this same strategy. The pro-vaccine community needs to wage similar campaigns highlighting one child with measles, mumps, rubella, pertussis, tetanus, polio, etc. Then back up that anecdote with a few facts. Unfortunately, most will not respond to just facts, so we have to make it personal somehow.
Thanks again for the great post.
- February 7, 2012 at 7:44 AM


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"This is the first concrete, upfront acknowledgement that there are issues hindering the effective implementation of the CPSIA", Jill Chuckas, Crafty Baby (CT) and Secretary of the HTA stated. "Still, there were many specific recommendations that we had hoped would be included with the report. We will continue our efforts until we see common sense changes that will allow crafters and other small batch manufacturers to easily show their compliance under the law and stay in business."
The Handmade Toy Alliance (HTA) has been a continuous voice for small batch manufacturers and retailers since November of 2008. In a letter dated January 14, 2010, the HTA called upon the CPSC to include within their report to Congress thirteen specific recommendations for legislative change that would serve to alleviate burdens the CPSIA places on the businesses the HTA represents while continuing to ensure safety in children's products.
"While we greatly appreciate the work the CPSC has done and continues to do – reaching out to our membership and addressing our concerns – a legislative change to the CPSIA is necessary to fully address the many unintended consequences of the CPSIA", Dan Marshall, Peapods Natural Toys (MN) and Vice President of the HTA discussed. "The recent reports of increased cadmium use in children's jewelry only serves to highlight the need for risk analysis to be reinstated in the actual legislation."
Four out of five Commissioners issued their own personal statements with further recommendations designed to improve implementation of the Act. Specifically, Commissioner Northup outlined a detailed list of legislative suggestions, including allowing for a level of de minimis risk of absorbable lead.
"We applaud Commissioner Northup for advocating open government by listing letters that we have all sent to the Commission over the months, as an appendix to her comments", Rob Wilson, Challenge and Fun (MA) and HTA Board member stated. "Commissioner Northup is clearly advocating the middle ground between business, safety, regulatory necessities, and common sense."
Image: Capitol Blocks by Haba, which was once made in the US, then moved to Germany, and is now made in China.


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Thursday, July 9, 2009
Disneyland at Dusk.
Sorry about the lack of posts! The family and I just got back from a wonderful vacation in Southern California, which included lots of sun, beach, family and Disneyland! Hopefully now I'll be able to get back into the swing of things and start posting again. Here's a few of my favorite pictures from our trip to Disneyland...
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Saturday, 1 August 2015
Vintage Habit stepping out
6 comments:
I remember those shoes. I wish they were still available. And you know how I like that green jacket :-) xxReplyDeleteReplies
Haha I'll pass it on when I'm done Colette xxDelete
Hmmmm, didn't receive notification of this post. I'll add my email address again.ReplyDelete
Those shoes are lovely, I can just imagine you in them. All your clothes are so lovely and suit you so well. You're having lots of fun finding your bargains, I can tell. Oh, that bicycle bag is very cute btw!
Hope your week has started well {{hugs}} xxxReplies
I'll bear you in mind for the bag when I've done with it Mo xxxDelete
Love your outfit round-ups. That skirt suit looks fantastic mixed with the retro blouse and the cotton day dress is gorgeous!ReplyDelete
The Make Do & Vintage girls are hoping to see you on Sunday! xxxxReplies
Thank you kind lady. XxxxDelete


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Bijapur Leadership Camp, Nov 28-30, 2012
Posted on Sunday, December 02, 2012 by LEAD
On Thursday the 28 November 2013, the three days Bijapur Leadership Camp started with a lot of buzz in Muttagi village, with 60 participants from various colleges across Bijapur, Bagalkot, Jamkhandi, and Talikoti. The participating colleges included the KSW university, Darbar BBA,BCA, Chetana BBA and BCA , Jaygurudev BSW and MSW from Bijapur, SRN Arts and MBS Commerce college from Bagalkot, Sri kaskatheshwar Art and Commerce college from Talikoti, and BLDE BBA college from Jamkhandi.
Day 1
The day started with inauguration by the participant leaders themselves by singing a camp song specially designed for the leadership camp. The exciting day began with a session by Mr. Ravi Bisaguppi from Bangalore who engaged the student on the topic "living life as a leader" wherein he focused on goal setting, personality development and stage skills. The students actively engaged themselves in the session asking some thought provoking questions.
Post lunch the students actively engaged in chart presentation on learning they had in the earlier sessions. Then the students had their second slot on "Basic Legal concept" by Advocates Mr.Santosh Kadi & Mr.S.V.Allagi from Bijapur who threw some light on basic legal concepts, thoughts on consumer forum, family court, write petition , court hierarchy and basic articles from the Indian constitution. The session was conducted by showcasing videos, PowerPoint presentations and the activities also helped the students to understand the topics easily. The students had a healthy interaction and a question answer round was also conducted wherein all their queries were answered by the guest speakers.
The third slot of day 1 was power packed with cultural performances where in the students performed dance, drama and monoacting. It was amazing to see the creative juices of the participants flowing out. This was followed by blind adventure activity where in the participants were blind folded and were left out in the open and were asked to go from point A to B facing all the obstacles and troubles which came their way. The main purpose of this activity was to sensitize the participants about Blind people, and also to make them realize the importance of eye donation. After another 15 minutes break, it was now the time for the thrilling Treasure hunt where materials were kept at different places and clues were given to find them out in a given time. The objective here was to challenge the decision making and planning skills of the participants'. The day saw a close at 3.15 am.
Day 2
With just 2 hours of sleep the very eager participants woke up at 5.00am in the morning, the day marked a start with pranayama and meditation after which the participants were made to play many games to charge up their energy and the we headed to the sightseeing, we visited Vijay vital temple, Narshima temple & Saraswati puskarni which were the architectural marvels. This was followed by a session by Mr.Ajay Suman Shukla functional head at the LEAD Deshpande foundation Hubli. Mr. Ajay started off with the Brainstorming session which helped participants to come up amazing ideas and the same were presented at the creative presentations slot. He also held some sessions on "self evaluation" and" goal setting". The session was very interesting and useful for the participants to understand their own self and help them set their goals accordingly.
Post lunch Mr. Hanmanth from Bagalkot conducted a sessions on "strength of leader", "problem solving" and " self identification in society" where the student understood how the leaders face problem every single day and they can overcome the problems and how to solve them, and also few points were shared on how can get identified in the society . More over theoretical concepts were kept minimum and importance was given to experiential based learning, where the students practically made to do things from which they had tremendous learning. After this the participants were given the task of designing a cultural drama with social messages, at the end of the given task they came up with remarkable dramas with social messages like blind believes and was followed by patriotic and folk dances.
The last slot for the day started with idea generation, astonishingly 50 ideas were generated in a span of 60 minutes and 26 project finalized to be executed. Then the leader who had completed their projects presented how they turned their ideas into reality which was followed by group discussion, and interaction among the participants. This marked an astounding end to the second day.
Day 3
The participants kick-start their day with the adventurous trekking for about 10 kms on a nearby hill, they explored the caves, lot of activities/icebreaker were conducted followed by group photo session n tea. This was the day where their creative skills would be tetested; yes the participants had the long awaited creativity and innovation session. We had Mr.Radhakrishna Nayak, senior program manager for LEAD Deshpande foundation. The session started with the exciting icebreakers in the 1st ice breaker the participants understood on how important it is for one to concentrate and focus on the goal , it made them realize that's it is challenging to focus with the challenges and obstacles but they also understood that it's not impossible. Then the participants were made to feel at ease in the jiving session filled with lot of energy, then the participants moved to the creativy session where they made posters on leadership, social issues like dowry, smoking, global warming and so on . After which they had creative presentations of the posters they made to distinguished guests and to their co participants.
The creativity session was followed by preparations for the leadership camp valedictory function. The participants were very enthusiastic as they were the people who had planned for the event and they quickly managed to arrange everything within time, they had tremendous flow of energy, and the faces were shining bright like the sun the leadership camp had already started showing results
For the valedictory Mr. Siddhu Pujari, presided over the ceremony, we had Mr. Dinkar joshi as the chief guest .Mr. Hanmanth and Mr. Radhakrishna were the special guests , Mr. Prashant, Mr. Ullas organizers of the leadership camp were also present during the ceremony.
Event was planned organized and executed by the leaders. No stone was left unturned. The function kicked off with the invocation song of goddess Sarashwati Ji, followed by the bulletin on the whole 3 days leadership camp. The leaders shared their perspectives on how the camp had changed their mindsets and way of thinking .This was followed by speeches from the chief guest Mr. Dinkar Joshi and Mr. Siddhu Pujari who motivated the participants with stories on Vivekananda and asked to be the torchbearers of change. At the end the guests were felicitated and a video made on the 3day camp was showcased and vote of thanks was given by Mr. Prashant Deshpande, Program Manager for LEAD Bijapur.
This was not an end but just a beginning for a new start, the participants were transformed from caterpillars to butterflies and now they had wings to fly ,they all had that spark in their eye, a will to change, a wish to learn more and a dream to change the world.
Labels: Bagalkot, Bijapur, Camp, Events, Leadership, Students, Uttarakannada
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A US National Football League (NFL) quarterback has refused to stand for the national anthem in protest at what he sees as racial injustice.
Colin Kaepernick, who plays with the San Francisco 49ers, remained seated as the anthem was played.
"I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppresses black people and people of colour," he explained.
Some fans booed the player when he took to the field.
But his team said they supported his right to protest, which took place as the 49ers hosted the Green Bay Packers in a pre-season game on Friday.
"We recognise the right of an individual to choose and participate, or not, in our celebration of the national anthem," the team said.
An NFL spokesman said players were "encouraged but not required" to stand during the anthem.
Colin Kaepernick is 28 years old, biracial, adopted and raised by white parents in Wisconsin
He joined the San Francisco 49ers in 2011. He was a Former starter who led the team to the NFL's title game, the Super Bowl, in 2013, which they lost to the Baltimore Ravens. Since demoted to back-up. His signature touchdown celebration known as kaepernicking, involving the flexing and kissing of his right bicep
He set an NFL record for the most rushing yards by a quarterback (181) in the 2012 season play-offs
Kaepernick has been outspoken on social media about race relations and is a supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement.
"To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way," Kaepernick told NFL Media.
"There are bodies in the street and people getting paid leave and getting away with murder."
He appeared to be referring to police use of deadly force which sparked the Black Lives Matter protests.
Twitter reactions are below… Personally, am just on the look out for what Mr Trump might have to tweet about this.
Credit : BBC


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One of the most difficult aspects of PTSD is that it isn't apparent straight away and can often go unnoticed for years before it rears its head. Suffers have described how your mood and your character changes but you don't know why or realise whats going on.
Don Sim was a Royal Navy weapons officer on board a destroyer during the Falklands conflict. He suffered from panic attacks and turned to alcohol before divorcing his wife. He is now getting help as part of a two year project for veterans suffering with PTSD in Cornwall, one of six being funding by the Ministry of Defence.
Almost a year since Mr Sim began the pilot he says it has given him the help and support he needed, this was aided by the fact he was with other ex-service people.
Nearly a year after the pilot started, Mr Sim says it has given him the help and support he needed, helped by the fact it was with other ex-service people.
Mr Sim spoke of when he used to visit general counselling and explained how he felt uncomfortable because there was such a large range of problems mixed together he didn't feel as though he could talk and when he did he felt stupid.
In the first six months of the programme, a total of 1,636 servicemen and women were diagnosed with a mental disorder by the defence medical centre, reports the MoD.
That means that less than 1% came forward for help in that period while serving. Of that nujber 66 people were given initial assessment of PTSAD.
For Mr Sim, the new scheme has been the lifeline he says should be offered to all servicemen.
"When I come here I know that other people understand exactly what I'm going through."
"This has got to continue."


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Didier Deschamps looks likely to be named the new French boss after visiting Paris for talks today.
The French Football Federation this evening confirmed that their president Noel Le Graet had met Deschamps to discuss terms of a deal to replace Laurent Blanc.
Blanc stepped down from the helm of Les Bleus last week following the fall-out of their Euro 2012 quarter-final exit to eventual winners Spain.
"Noel Le Graet, president of the French Football Federation, and Didier Deschamps met in Paris on Saturday," a statement on the FFF's website read.
"They engaged in a discussion on possible terms of contract to be the coach of the France team."
Deschamps, who captained France to their 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000 triumphs, was quickly installed as favourite to succeed Blanc after he left his post at Marseille by mutual consent last week.
The 43-year-old guided OM to one Ligue 1 title and a record three successive League Cups in as many years on the south coast.
Deschamps, who has also previously managed Juventus and Monaco, endured a difficult campaign last season, however, as OM managed only 10th place in Ligue 1.
Should Deschamps be appointed his first game in charge would be against South American champions Uruguay in Le Havre on August 15.
He could be without a number of his star names before then, however, as the FFF continue to sift through the fall-out of a Euro 2012 campaign that was undermined by off-field problems.
Last week the governing body opened disciplinary proceedings against four members of the squad - Samir Nasri, Hatem Ben Arfa, Jeremy Menez and Yann M'Vila, who are set to be called in front of a disciplinary committee.
Manchester City midfielder Nasri fell foul of the FFF following his heated argument with a journalist in the wake of Les Bleus' last-eight loss to Spain, while Newcastle forward Ben Arfa was allegedly embroiled in a dressing-room altercation following the 2-0 defeat to Sweden in France's final Group D outing.
Paris St Germain midfielder Menez is to be investigated after allegedly gesturing at goalkeeper Hugo Lloris, while Rennes midfielder M'Vila upset the FFF when he ignored Blanc following his substitution against Spain.
The unsavoury claims have brought back memories of France's disastrous 2010 World Cup, when Les Bleus crashed out at the group stage after the players refused to train following the expulsion of Nicolas Anelka.
On that occasion, Anelka, Patrice Evra, Franck Ribery and Jeremy Toulalan were hit with bans of varying lengths by the FFF.


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Monday, February 18, 2013
KQED/KCBS Hold Serve; 'The Game' Finally Scores; Jan-2013 SF Radio Ratings
22 comments:
- AnonymousFebruary 18, 2013 at 4:24 PM
KKSF does well for a station which has a small signal.ReplyDeleteReplies
- AnonymousFebruary 19, 2013 at 12:05 PM
Not in billing they don't. There ratings, like KSFO, are abysmal. Makes it tough to get national ads and high rates. However, being a Clear Channel station does help a little.Delete
- AnonymousFebruary 20, 2013 at 6:54 PM
KKSF puts out a 20,000-watt daytime (KSFO is 5,000 watts and KGO/KCBS/KNBR are at 50,000-watts) and 5,000-watt nighttime signal from its transmitter next to the East Bay just south of Richmond. This is not a weak signal by any means, but there is a catch.Delete
Under their FCC license to prevent interference with other adjacent stations, KKSF is required to use a highly directional transmitter that projects most of the signal in a westerly direction toward San Francisco, Marin County, and The Peninsula. Consequently, reception is spotty in Eastern Contra Costa County (especially after sundown) as well in areas farther south and north that would otherwise have good coverage with an omni-directional transmitter.
- AnonymooseFebruary 18, 2013 at 4:24 PM
Why is KGO's owner listed as Radio License Holding VIII LLC instead of Cumulus?ReplyDeleteReplies
- AnonymousFebruary 19, 2013 at 12:03 PM
Cumulus is the "parent company" for the corporation and serves as the "umbrella company" overseeing the Holding companies (there are several depending on region.)Delete
If one region were to fail or be sold by Cumulus, it wouldn't affect the entire corporate structure.
- AnonymousFebruary 18, 2013 at 5:17 PM
the Game can thank the superbowl for any small bump. somehow they've actually gotten worse, but i do like papa and the other guy.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 18, 2013 at 8:23 PM
I'm curious if KGO's owner being listed as "Radio License Holding VIII LLC" as opposed to Cumulus like KSFO and KNBR means anythingReplyDeleteReplies
- AnonymousFebruary 19, 2013 at 12:00 PM
They are both "Cumulus" stations. Under the tax and equity bankers, there are certain regional licenses, one being Radio Lincense Holding VIII LLC. Purely a banking name among banks who pitched in to have Bain Capital manage all divisions of the company.Delete
- Del ThomasFebruary 18, 2013 at 8:35 PM
I'm not a big fan of either Cumulus or Clear Channel; but you don't have to look at these ratings very long to see which of the two is more successful in acquiring and managing profitable radio stations.ReplyDelete
The mere thought that the Bungle Brothers in Atlanta could ever aspire to acquiring (and tearing down) a miniscule portion of CBS Radio boggles the mind.
I'm glad that my own ego isn't so immensely bloated that it no longer enables me to admit it, when I've made a mistake.
- AnonymousFebruary 19, 2013 at 12:11 AM
What the heck is "Radio License Holding VIII LLC?" The internets tell me the own KGO and that they are a bankrupt Deleware corporation.ReplyDeleteReplies
- AnonymousFebruary 19, 2013 at 11:57 AM
a licensing division of Cumulus Broadcasting for the West Coast region. Easier to manage by regional division for banking purposes. They are NOT bankrupt. Citadel was bankrupt prior to the merger / sale to Cumulus with absorbed those assets - including KGO / KSFO, KNBR, KFOG, etc. assets from Citadel.Delete
KKSF jumped .3 while KGO declned .1. Maybe too small a sample size to mean anything but it would be interesting to know how many old loyal KGO listeners jump back and forth between the 2 stations?ReplyDeleteReplies
- AnonymousFebruary 20, 2013 at 7:06 PM
After Len Tillem and Gil Gross were fired by KGO, it is reasonable to conclude that some (how many?) of their regular listeners managed to find them 100 khz up the AM band on KKSF and are within that station's more limited signal coverage area. Others are probably unaware that these two former KGO hosts were picked up by another station. Tillem has claimed a few times on the air that his show has pulled ahead of the ratings for KGO in the same time slot.Delete
Gross has virtually abandoned the talk format and mostly spends 3 hours giving a running commentary, switching topics every 30 minutes or so, including brief interviews with Politico reporters. So whether his new format is a magnet for those who used to listen to him and other talk show hosts on KGO is debatable.
Do Gross and Tillem have audiences on KKSF that are as large as they were when they were on 810? I doubt it.
While KKSF has had something of an uptick in the ratings over the past year, they're still quite low. KGO, by comparison, has seen its audience share cut in half. So, no, they didn't all migrate over to 910. Maybe a few have, but that's about it.
- AnonymousFebruary 19, 2013 at 10:07 AM
Is it possible to locate ratings for specific time periods or shows? Thanks.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 19, 2013 at 11:14 AM
Pathetic that Rich censors any comments here about KSCO.ReplyDelete
And this is the same guy who routinely loves to indignantly criticize broadcasters who refuse to publicly criticize their own management.
Rich Lieberman, thin-skinned hypocrite.Replies
- AnonymousFebruary 19, 2013 at 5:20 PM
Yes, he's a great one at calling others out for not standing up to their bosses but excuses himself for doing the same.Delete
- AnonymousFebruary 19, 2013 at 1:40 PM
What are considered "good" numbers for advertisers? Above 4.0?ReplyDeleteReplies
- AnonymousFebruary 19, 2013 at 4:23 PM
It depends. The "money demo" is adults 25-54 year olds. A 4 share "can" be good for advertisers IF the share is specific to their demographic needs. KGO had over a 4 share, but it's audience was so old - made up of more 55+ adults that anything, that the audience meant nothing to advertisers. A 4 share in the 25-54 demo is right where the numbers need to be. In fact, that is now shifting to 18-45 now more than ever or 24-48.Delete
- AnonymousFebruary 20, 2013 at 10:14 PM
The funny thing is that most 25-54 year olds moved in with their parents (55 plus) when the economy collapsed.Delete
- AnonymousFebruary 19, 2013 at 2:12 PM
You mean that some people actually listen to 'The Game?' They've hired dildos such as Brandon Tierney (thank god he's outta here!) and Roxy Bernstein and Jon Lund, and their PD has no clue how to run a station as he's some 'wonder boy' who was a producer at ESPN for a year or two. BFD!ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 20, 2013 at 5:25 AM
A 1 share mostly due to the 49er's Superbowl season will not sustain. Station is still on the brink.ReplyDelete
- AnonymousFebruary 25, 2013 at 4:14 PM
The GAME is so much better than KNBR. Tolbert might be the worst talent in radio. I hope the GAME keeps it upReplyDelete


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Koch Petroleum Minnesota
Drive south along Hwy. 55 from the Twin Cities, and just before you get to the fork that leads east to Hastings, you'll see the Koch Refinery - 1,200 acres of smoking, belching, oil-processing towers and stacks tucked into a bend in the Mississippi River. Once the poster child for big, bad oil, Koch has repented of its sins and become a model Minnesota corporate citizen.
The Pine Bend Refinery was built in 1955 by the Great Northern Oil Company. Just 17 miles south of Minneapolis, it produced 25,000 barrels of oil per day, most of it coming to the refinery via pipeline from Canada. Koch Industries took control of the refinery in 1969 and renamed it Koch Refining.
Flint Hills Refinery
In the 1970s and '80s, the Pine Bend Refinery was almost synonymous with pollution. The Environmental Protection Agency identified it as a toxic spills site and added to the Superfund National Priorities List (NPL) in 1986. During the Clinton Administration, Koch was charged with 315 acts of pollution, many of them at the Pine Bend Refinery. In 2000, Koch paid a $6 million criminal fine and an additional $2 million in remediation costs to the Dakota County Park System for discharging aviation fuel into an adjoining wetland and waterway. It was the largest federal environmental fine ever paid in Minnesota.
Koch Industries began to clean up its act, earning several environmental awards, and it changed its name. Today, the Flint Hills Refinery produces 280,500 barrels of oil a day, making it the 14th-largest refinery in the United States.
Asbestos Litigation and Koch Petroleum
Pittsburgh Corning Corporation and Travelers Insurance got into a legal shouting match over responsibility for neglecting to warn workers at the Koch Refinery about asbestos hazards. In a story published in 2004, attorney Rick LaVerdiere said Pat Hosley, an insulator, worked frequently in the 1960s with Pittsburgh Corning's Unibestos insulation, which was used to cover pipelines at Koch Industries' Rosemount oil refinery. According to LaVerdiere, hazardous clouds of asbestos fibers would fill the air when insulators sawed sections of Unibestos to the needed sizes.
Oil Refineries and Asbestos
During the greater part of the last century, when extreme temperature or combustion was a concern, various forms of asbestos were used as an insulator. Asbestos-containing materials, therefore, were frequently utilized when building facilities like the Koch Refinery. Resistance to reactive chemicals is another property of various forms of asbestos. Floor and ceiling tiles, insulation, benches, even protective uniforms, therefore, frequently were made with the fibrous mineral. And while the asbestos did well in preventing the spread of fire and in protecting life and property from excessive heat, it also exposed those same people to significant health risks.
Amosite was often the kind of asbestos utilized in such plants. The brown color associated with amosite comes from iron in its chemical composition; this also makes amosite resistant to acidic chemicals like those used in facilities like the Koch Refinery. Although it was prohibited from use in building materials in the 1970s, amosite, in the form of asbestos transite, was utilized for many years in oil refineries and chemical plants across the country.
Asbestos transite could be sprayed onto pipes and ductwork, laminated and molded into working surfaces just as cement could. As a rule, new items formed from transite were innocuous because the asbestos particles were trapped in the transite. As asbestos-containing transite grows older and become prone to crumbling, however, deadly, tiny particles are able to flake off into the atmosphere. Asbestos when it is in this condition is called friable, a term that is used for materials that are easily pulverized. In addition, laboratory and chemical plant ovens frequently contained friable asbestos as part of their insulation linings.
Why Is Friable Asbestos Bad?
Asbestos particles, when they are friable, are readily released into the environment. Breathing asbestos fibers can lead to diseases such as cancer or asbestosis. Another unusual, and generally deadly, asbestos-related disease is a type of cancer called mesothelioma. The pleural variety of the illness, one which attacks the lining between the lungs and the chest cavity, is the most common. Peritoneal and pericardial mesothelioma are caused by the ingestion of asbestos fibers, which is likely when microscopic particles float in the air and settle on food or drinks.
Mounting pressure from news media and citizen groups forced the creation of rules controlling the use of asbestos. However, when plants such as the Koch Refinery were constructed, the use of asbestos was much more common. And even now, asbestos from the past may be the source of problems if it is mishandled during remodeling projects.
The Hidden Danger of Asbestos
Unlike typical work-related injuries, which are readily observed and known about immediately following the causing incident, asbestos-related illnesses may take ten, twenty, or even thirty years to appear. When a worker starts exhibiting symptoms such as chest pain, dyspnea and a persistent cough, his or her doctor might not at first identify asbestos exposure as a factor, leading to delays in diagnosis. Hence, it is extremely important for all who worked in or resided around places like the Koch Refinery to ask their health care professionals for mesothelioma information. Experimental methods for treating mesothelioma are being developed, like mesothelioma surgery, and early detection provides the patient the highest chance to beat the previously always-fatal disease.Sources
Environment, Health and Safety Online - Polluters (and Other Violators) of the Week 2000
EPA.gov - Sites in Reuse in Minnesota
Flint Hills Resources - Minnesota
Nationmaster.com - Koch Industries, Inc. (http://www.nationmaster.com/encyclopedia/Koch-Industries,-Inc.)
Litigationdatasource - Asbestos Litigation: PCC, Insurer Clash On Asbestos Liabilities
University of Wisconsin - Asbestos Containing Material (ACM) - Laboratories and Shops
University of Wisconsin - Asbestos Disposal
US Energy Information Administration - U.S. Refineries* Operable Capacity