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Here's a chart from John William's Shadow Government Statistics: Analysis and Beyond Government Economic Reporting.
Even if one decides to go with the tepid "Official" U3, this chart doesn't look good, does it?
Interestingly, in the entry for August 8, 2010, Stoneleigh of The Automatic Earth blog disagrees with Williams over the general trend this portends. He sees hyperinflation. She sees deflation.
To me, her arguments are stronger.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Life and Death of David Murray
Soon afterward, Boston employee Robert Love visited them at their home on Blowers's Wharf in the South End, according to Cornelia Hughes Dayton and Sharon H. Salinger in their study Robert Love's Warnings: Searching for Strangers in Colonial Boston.
Over the next fifteen years the Murrays had children, but David remained a journeyman, never doing well enough at making shoes to open his own shop.
Then, on 12 Aug 1771, the Boston Evening-Post carried this item:
Last Thursday Afternoon [i.e., 8 April] David Murray, a Shoemaker belonging to this Town, was found dead on the Beach near the Neck, an some Marks of Violence appearing on several Parts of his Body, and the Jury of Inquest being of Opinion that his Death was occasioned by some violent Blows, one Willson, a Tobacconist, who had been with him in a Boat to the Castle, and came off with him from thence the Evening before, was taken up and examined, and telling many contradictory Stories relative to the Affair he was the next Day committed to Goal on a strong Suspicion of being the Means of his untimely End.The indictment accused Willson of beating Murray to death with his fists. Within a month, Willson was on trial for murder. His attorney: Josiah Quincy, Jr.
TOMORROW: Quincy's plea to the jury.


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The journey was difficult, perhaps more so for him, and a tiny bit less for us, and we had the usual ups and downs. But the good thing was that the immediate family was not alone in this journey. He had helped so many people in his life, and the goodwill was tremendous not just in the extended family, but also in the neighborhood, in schools where he taught, his ex-students, and a whole lot more. We never really were alone. There was never a day when we needed some help, and some angel won't drop by. Just to give an example of my father's generosity, we are four siblings, and along with our parents, six of us lived in a one room efficiency for most part of our childhood. But no, we were almost never six of us in that room. It would always be 7 or even 8, because anyone in the family wanted to study in Delhi instead of being in the village, was most welcome to come and stay with us, not for a day or a week, but for years together.
And the support that we received from the doctors was just fantastic. May be we were lucky. Starting with AIIMS seven years ago, we moved to Rajiv Gandhi Cancer Institute near our house, and for the last three years, he was under the care of Dr. Ganapathi Bhat in Mumbai. There is an Indian saying that a doctor is next to God on this earth, and we had exactly this feeling with him. The way he would explain us all the details of the illness, explain options, counsel us, it has been amazing. Today, we can confidently say that our father received the best possible medical care throughout his long illness.
A cancer and its management is far more complex than a game of chess. Think of a chessboard which is so huge that you can't see the whole of it at the same time. Every now and then you will look at the pieces on some part of the board (in form of pathological tests). And then you will make your moves. But the opponent sees everything all the time. It will make a series of deliberate moves, and when you are convinced about the direction and speed of those moves, it will suddenly unleash a violent series of moves. And it won't even wait for your turn. It is a game that you are guaranteed to lose one day.
I have often wondered what is the motivation for anyone to even play a game which you know you are going to lose every single time. It is like asking why should Afghanistan play cricket with India. But then the losing team can still enjoy the game if they can think of milestones other than victory. Can they make sure that they don't lose in less than 40 overs, just to give an example. Physicians too can have similar motivation. Can we improve or maintain the quality of life, if we can't cure. This seven year journey has caused me to have a huge respect for the medical profession. It is not easy what they do, combining art and science, combining spiritual and real, and balancing difficult choices.
Every few days, there will be blood tests, and we will read those numbers. Ours and his mood, confidence and will to fight was intricately linked to those numbers. 10.0, 9.6, 9.3, 8.9, 8.5, 8.3, 7.9, and there is gloom, the will to fight is receding, the end appears near, he will start evading some medicines, and then an RBC transfusion will take the haemoglobin back to 10.0, and he will once again become punctual with all the regular medicines.
The journey has also left some very uncomfortable questions. If we had not made him go through the chemotherapy in summer, would he have had a less painful departure. If we had agreed to another round of chemotherapy, would he have lived a few more weeks. A couple of weeks before his demise, when he still appeared to have a sound decision making abilities, he told us not to take him back to a hospital, not to give him anything intra-venous, not to have any more blood tests, and not have any injections. He desired a quick and relatively painless departure. But when the condition became serious, we couldn't resist taking him to a hospital and doing everything that he did not want. We perhaps delayed his departure by a week or so. Should we let someone go easily, even when a doctor says that there is a one percent chance of his revival and staying live for a few more weeks. These and many other such questions will keep haunting me for a long time to come. I know there are no good answers to any of these, but the heart keeps debating.
My father lived by his principles and cultural norms till the day he was in control of his body. Just three weeks before his death when he was in a Kanpur hospital, his greatest problem in life was not his cancer, but that the visitors were not being treated properly. If they had come home, he would have ensured tea and snacks for them, and if they come at the meal time, then they had to share the meal. But in the hospital, extending such hospitality was logistically difficult, and that pained him more than the pain in his bones. So he would ask each one of them to visit him at home after he is discharged from the hospital.
The most striking quality of my father was his honesty. I remember when I was going to US for higher studies, he went to the PDS office and applied to remove my name from the ration card. Seven years later, when I returned, he went back to the office to add my name. No one in the PDS office would believe him that my name was removed just because I was going out of India. People only removed names when they are getting another ration card somewhere else in India. There was no possibility of getting caught if the person is abroad and does not have a second ration card. Did he not want another few KGs of cheap sugar every month. But the issue with him was not the possibility of getting caught. The issue was always, what is right. This was such a rare case of addition that the file had to move up to a very senior officer, who was shown my passport and all other proofs that indeed this was the case.
While the death of a parent is always an irreparable loss, it does have its own silver linings. Our close knit family came even closer. A tragedy always brings out the best in people, and we are really fortunate to have been surrounded by a sea of good people at this difficult time.


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A sect of priests, paladins, and common worshipers who honor all the Gods, both dead and living. Derogatorily known as Mourners.
Ascendant campaigns can view previous versions of their pages, see what has changed (and who did it), and even restore old versions. It's like having a rewind button for your campaign.
We've already been saving your edits, so if you
upgrade now
you will have instant access to your previous versions. Plus, you get a 15-day free trial, so there's nothing to lose.


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My good friend was driving along Kesas Highway with his wife just after Plaza Tol Puchong towards Kajang last Sunday 23rd December at around 11 pm after attending a dinner function at his relative's house in Bandar Sunway.
Suddenly, a motorbike overtook them and the pillion rider threw 2 eggs towards his car windscreen. Within seconds, his whole windscreen was smeared with the messy broken eggs. His immediate reflex action was to turn on the windscreen wipers which quickly covered the whole surface and blurred his vision.
So he immediately slowed his car and brought it to a halt along the emergency lane.
Then he got out of his car and was trying to wipe and wash the windscreen while his wife was seated inside the car. All of a sudden a Proton Satria stopped behind his car and 3 guys came running towards him with Samurai swords screaming at him to surrender his car and wallet.
Luckily my friend, who is attached to the police CID, managed to pull his gun out and fire two warning shots in the air. The 3 guys ran helter skelter back into their car and drove off at a very high speed.
He called up for assistance and was told the getaway car had a false number plate.
Apparently, this tactic has been used quite often in the latest string of road side robberies especially with lady drivers or men driving alone or with women and small children.
So please, should you encounter such a situation,
REMEMBER to make sure:
1) Not to turn on your car windscreen wipers.
2) Continue driving, with whatever available vision, to the nearest petrol station, police station, 7 Eleven store or any other crowded or brightly lit place to attract attention.
Please forward this information to friends and family members.
Be Safe
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Latest Robbery/Car-Jack Tactic in Malaysia
Posted by abe ma6 - anakmatlesen at 6:28 PM
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Don't have a full 30-40 minutes to spend on bringing out your inner diva?
Try my 10 minute make up looks and see if you can pull it off.
All u need is:
*Liner & Gloss
Email me photos of your 10 min looks. ( Of course you don't have to use the colors I have on!!) I want to see whatcha got!!
I'll be having a contest in a few months. The winner will receive a goody bag with a few products I feature on this blog!
I'll give details later!
Now go play in some makeup and take a few photos with your "I'm fierce and fine, don't mess with me" look!
Friday, June 5, 2009
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text: * Scott Stephenson, 17, son of Maj. and Mrs. Terry Stephenson of Fort Eustis, recently received the Boy Scout's highest award of Eagle Scout. Scott is a junior at Denbigh High School. He is in Troop 98 at the Elks Club in Stoneybrook and president of the youth group at St. George's Episcopal Church.


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Motorcycle Bajaj Pulsar DTS-i 200 CW, the output of automotive manufacturers from India has been equipped with technology, look and the latest styles more sporty. This motor has several advantages. For example engine, the Pulsar DTS-i 200 cc generate maximum power 18 (Ps) and maximum torque of 17.17 (Nm) so as to achieve maximum speed of 136 km / hour. Pulsar DTS-i 200 also features an oil cooler controls the temperature of engine oil when the engine driven at high speed for a long time.
In addition, digital panel Pulsar DTS-i 200 is a panel version of the Pulsar digital panel earlier. Inside is a digital odometer, digital Speedo meter, digital fuel gauge, and two digital trip meters.Panel on the Pulsar DTS-i 200 cc, also has indicators for Air filter condition, engine temperature, voltage level (voltage) battery and high surface oil.
Motorcycle Bajaj Pulsar DTS-i 200 is also equipped with tubeless tires. Tubeless tires are more efficient than regular tires, because it does not require a long time to fix it if exposed nails. It also provides stability and security are much more vibrant.
Technical Specifications Bajaj Pulsar DTS-i 200 CW
- Type: 4 Stroke
- Cooler: Natural Water with Oil Cooler
- Compression Ratio: 9.5:1
- Displacement: 198.8 cc
- Max Power: 18 Ps
- Max Torque: Nm 17:17
- Weight: 145 kg
- Length: 2035 mm
- Width: 750 mm
- Height: 1165 mm
- Wheel distance: 1350 mm
- Suspension Front: 130 mm Telescopics Forks
- Rear Suspension: Coil Spring with Nitrox Absorber
- Brakes front: 260 mm Disc
- Brakes rear: Drum
- Tires Front: 90/90 x 17.49P tubeless tire
- Tires Rear: 120/80 x 17.49P tubeless tire
- Tire Capacity: 15 Lts


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|X-Universe >> View Post
Subj: Re: Spasibo...
Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 at 10:28:02 am EDT (Viewed 203 times)
Reply Subj: Re: X-Men Gold #11: Is 'dull action' an oxymoron?
Posted: Thu Sep 07, 2017 at 09:03:16 am EDT (Viewed 186 times)
Quote:I liked seeing him(Piotr) refer to America as his home, and "our SHIELD," and stuff. It's long past time he gave up the Motherland shtick.
Yeah, he should be a proud citizen of hisadopted country by now. Guess we'll see how much he did to make it official with this upcoming deportation plotline...
Quote:Why is she(Storm) even there?
Wants to keep her head in the game?
Quote:Good, but not enough, imo.
Certainly one panel of psiscape was not enough.
Quote:Aside from the horrible excuse to conk her out, she didn't do too badly.
And Yana jobbed to him?! BAH! She can save the world with Strange's elite magic squad, but Komrade Disposable's goons smack her down off panel, leaving her too weak to fight him.
Bit of a contradiction?
Quote:Still self-exiled in that dimension (Kapalan) that only exists for a second.
Ah. Don't recall. Will have to Wiki it...
Quote:This was really sort of a one-and-done story, because Omega Red barely appeared last issue. Yay! That's over.
On one hand - he ain't on my fave villain list, so glad he's gone too. On the other, it leaves another one of the annoying danglers like when The Hood raised all those Handbook villains that Scourge killed (during Dark Reign?) temporarily as we were told, like Omega Red is so enchanted, and yet they'll all keep running around with no satisfying details on explaining how they are still running around.
Quote:Well, H.A.M.M.E.R. was already used. It's kind of stupid for a Russian agency to have an English acronym. "Sickle" in Russian is СЕРП (pronounced serp). Bet some cool Russian words can be extrapolated from that.
And speaking of Russian, again, we are given lots of random Russian words thrown in for no good reason, just to make speech colourful:
- "Pakhan": basically the equivalent of Boss/Godfather/etc.
- "Chto eto?": What's this? (it's pronunced "shto," btw)
- "Dyadya": uncle
- "Ublyudok": jerk. Really? Guy kidnaps and nearly kills your sister and all you can do is call him "jerk?" Sure, this is a comic book, but c'mon! Kitty calling Omega a "jerkwad" seems natural for her, but Piotr should have been angrier.
- "Udar'te na eto": Not how I would have translated "choke on this." What Omega said is more like "Take this." Choke would have been another word. But, oh well.
- "Ya sobirayus' ubit' tebya": I'm going to kill you. Why is Piotr the one who's using Russian and not the Russians that still live/breathe in Russia? All of these Bratva criminals are speaking English, even amongst themselves. But Piotr is going to announce he's killing the Pakhan in Russian? Awkward.
Ugh, and "Anatoly Rasputin Nikolayevich?" Nono. Anatoly Nikolayevich Rasputin.
Cool! Love all this Russian translation stuff! Thank you very much.
Is SPASIBO like Aloha with multiple meanings in Hawaiin and means THANK YOU and YOUR WELCOME?
(Does anyone know an issue:) Has Piotr has with Cosmo the Dog yet?
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Far more Palestinians are killed by other Palestinians (and other Arabs) than by Israelis. For example nearly 3,000 Palestinians have been killed in the Syrian Civil War since 2011. Hundreds were tortured to death and more than that were executed, often in gruesome ways, for being on the wrong side or for "blasphemy". In Gaza hundreds of Palestinians have been killed in factional fighting or executed by Hamas for various offenses (like disagreeing with Hamas rule.) In the last half century more far more Palestinians have been killed by Arabs than by Israelis.
The current situation becomes more embarrassing when you look at the reaction of Arabs and their supporters in the West to all this. The Palestinian accusations, and willful ignorance of Palestinians killed by Arabs has been increasingly supported in the West, especially among leftist political groups, who automatically agree with the Palestinians. This justifies accusations that Israel must be doing something wrong. Israel points out that their Arab and Western critics would, and do, respond as Israel does when attacked by nearby terrorists but that fact is ignored. Well, not completely. Many Arabs, especially Arab diplomats who know a lot about Israel and the Palestinians privately agree with the Israelis. But to openly point out the reality of the situation in the Moslem world will get you death threats, or worse.
In the West it's safer to point out the obvious although in leftist political circles the pro-Palestinian supporters can be loud and even a little violent at times. In Europe this has led to more tolerance of anti-Semitic violence and more European Jews moving to Israel (and elsewhere).
again, read the whole thing, which includes explanation why the Iranian funded Hezbollah from Lebanon doesn't want to fight in Syria and why the Golan Heights might be a new area for fighting (oil).
This page, and other strategic/war related sites are pointing out the new weapons stuff that goes over my head, but will have an influence on the war. Such as the Russian fighters scared away the Turks and the Israeli planes...


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Letter to MCG TV Customers
Thank you for being an MCG customer. We appreciate the trust you have in us providing you with the highest value for your communication needs. We believe we are here to serve you and continually seek to do what is in your best interest.
In order to continually provide you the highest value, we perform a periodic review of the cost versus benefit of our TV programming. We recently asked for your thoughts on whether to continue carriage of the Viacom channels (MTV, VH1, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, etc.). Over 80% of your responses were to remove them to help control the cost of your monthly television bill. Because of this overwhelming response we will be discontinuing carriage of the Viacom channels on January 1st, 2016. (A complete list of these channels is below this letter). We understand there will be a few of you who will be disappointed in our decision and we apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.
By discontinuing carriage of the Viacom channels, MCG will be able to absorb content increases next year, which means no TV price increase to you as an MCG customer in 2016 (average increase in past years was $6/mo. $72 annually).
Also, we would like to increase the value of your television service by including High Definition Service (HD) at no charge beginning in January 2016. Currently, our HD rate is $12 per month and now will be at no cost to you as an MCG video customer. As technology evolves, and more and more content providers are discontinuing standard definition programming, we felt this was important to make this change at this time.
Thank you again for being an MCG customer and we look forward in continuing to earn your trust.
Best wishes for a happy and healthy 2016 from the MCG family.
These are the Viacom channels which are being dropped from the MCG TV line up.
Comedy Central
Nick Jr
TV Land
BET Gospel
CMT Pure Country
MTV Hits
MTV Jams
VH1 Classic
VH1 Soul
Palladia HD


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Severe Weather Should Be Expected 3 Days From Now
Over the past few years I have been observing and preserving data, twice daily, from NWS, SWPC, SOHO, SDO, NOAA, and a few others in order to pinpoint the exact nature of the relationship between our Sun and the weather patterns on Earth. Also if a connection between tectonic plate shifts and Solar activity … Continue reading
2nd CME Causes 2nd January Tornado Outbreak
From the NWS- NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE HOUSTON/GALVESTON TX 844 AM CST WED JAN 25 2012 THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN LEAGUE CITY HAS ISSUED A * TORNADO WARNING FOR… MONTGOMERY COUNTY IN SOUTHEAST TEXAS… * UNTIL 915 AM CST * AT 840 AM CST…NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE DOPPLER RADAR INDICATED A SEVERE THUNDERSTORM CAPABLE … Continue reading
Coronal Mass Ejection Kills 4 In Southern United States
Impact from a CME causes a rare January sever weather outbreak in the Southern United States. At posting, 2 confirmed people dead and 2 unconfirmed. The news of the CME leaving the Sun was reported 3 days prior to impact here on Earth…. 3 DAYS WARNING. yet sever weather was forecasted only 6 to 12 HOURS before … Continue reading
Coronal Mass Ejection (CME) Causes Tornado Outbreak
The impact of an Earth directed CME on January 22, 2012, has sparked a sever weather outbreak across the southern United States. The NWS has issued a PDS statement and, as of posting, at least one person has been trapped inside their home due to a fallen tree. The CME compressed Earth's magnetosphere and exposed … Continue reading
Geomagnetic Storm Strikes Earth- Expect Thunderstorms and Wild Weather Soon
Earth's magnetosphere (simulation) from the NICT on 2011/11/22 A Geomagnetic storm is currently raging, causing our magnetosphere to, at first, compress, then expand as the shockwave pass our planet. this, as the solar activity is in a 'lull'. Sunspot count is at 101 and flares have been all directed away from Earth. On … Continue reading
Cosmoclimatology: Svensmark Clouds and CMEs Effect on Atmospheric Water Content
Below is a quote from- http://hypsithermal.wordpress.com/2009/08/05/latest-from-svensmark-… I will try to find out more about this because I deeply feel this is the answer to just about everything. As we came out of this last deep solar minimum in December 2009, it became obvious after each CME or sunspot flare the atmosphere was reacting. Quote- … Continue reading
Earth's Weather Is Caused By Space Weather.
Point blank, simple, and complete. Muons (subatomic particles) entering our atmosphere penetrate deeper than any of the other cosmic rays due to their larger mass. When these quantum particles strike an SO2 molecule, they pass a charge and make cloud formation possible. SO2 provides nucleation sites for water to condense and… viola. Clouds, and then rain, … Continue reading


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The discussion on the existence (or non-existence) of gender-bias responsibilities will never come to an end. Like it or not, there will always be a tiny fraction of biasness in our view towards certain gender. Hence, I am not going to go there.
As for my story regarding Helen, perhaps I made a mistake by not formulating a better summary. If I may, I would like to add that the story of Helen was never meant to be gender bias. It could happen to anyone, including men.
Ablogaway commented in the post saying that there should be a post regarding the story of Hank. Indeed, just change the name from Helen to Hank, mother to father and she/her to he/him, and there you go, you will have your story of Hank.
But then again, why did Zewt chose to have a story of Helen the mother and not Hank the father? Was Zewt being gender bias?
Well, the reason is simple.
Helen relayed the story to me personally. She sits beside me at work.
P/S: Of course, name has been changed
1 year ago… Have you got the balls?
3 years ago… Even they got the guts to say it


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Originally posted by tauristercus
Just one question that wasn't answered in the vid ... it's obvious that Carly was not capable or able to be taught to read and write based on her condition ... so could someone please explain how she managed to sit in front of the pc for the first time and start typing words and sentences in a coherent fashion ?


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A Michael Jordan, '223', nice.
A September 11 connection.
This '322' was supposed to be a special one for my book, but someone got it!
Oh well, a lot of people will see it in the book for the first time anyway.
And this Bible verse is one of my favorites. See my 2014 video on 322.
You have to love that the first Masters tournament began March 22, or 3/22.
Augusta National Invitational = 322
Colossians also has the '144' Gematria.


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Tagged: writing advice
The Importance of the Body in Fiction
The Importance of the Body in Fiction
Unless they're a consciousness floating through space, every character has a body. This may seem obvious, but many writers ignore their character's bodies in favor of their minds. This can happen for a number of reasons. Some of the more common ones include not thinking that bodies are important, not wanting to deal with bodies because they're gross, and simply forgetting about them. We tend to only talk about the body when it's doing something titillating and fun, like having sex, but our bodies exist all the time. Like clothing, your character's body, and how it feels to be in that body, can open up a whole new dimension of development.
Everyone's body is different. Some of these differences, like height, weight, and color, are obvious. Other differences are not so obvious, and they can make your character appear unique. Here is a short list of idiosyncrasies that your character could have.
Clinodactyly: This means that the pinkie finger is tilted inward. It can be a clinical sign, but it can also occur for no reason. Your character may find their unusual fingers to be a source of pride. They may not notice it. They may find it embarrassing.
Dry skin: If your character has dry skin, they must keep a constant supply of moisturizer. What kind of moisturizer do they buy? Organic and paraben-free? Whatever is cheapest at the 99 cent store? Olive oil and aloe vera? Scented lotion from Bath & Bodyworks? Your character's choice can tell you a little bit about who they are, and the irritation of dry skin can make them seem more human.
Crooked teeth: Not everyone's teeth are as straight and white as coffins. Some of us have crooked teeth. Maybe your character has teeth that are terribly, desperately disfigured, and they just can't afford the necessary dental work. Maybe they're only a little bit crooked, and they obsess over it. Maybe they don't care.
There are thousands of examples, and all of them can reveal something about your character, and build them as an individual.
Physical Impact
Let's say that your character has been out fighting demons for three days straight. In many stories, she will be tired and beat up afterward. To some readers, this vague description can seem like a rip-off. Some readers won't care. Some will just want to get on to the next adventure. Some readers, however, won't attach themselves to your character if that character is not realistically affected by what happens to them. Besides that, detailing the consequences of an implausible act like fighting demons makes that act believable. Above all, you want your reader to believe you.
So how can you write about physical impact? Let's go back to the above example. Your character is fighting demons. This probably makes her tired. How does it feel to be tired? Your body seems weighted, your eyes feel like they have grit in them, and it's hard to focus on anything. Describe that. Besides being tired, your character probably has sore muscles. She can complain about that, or bear it silently. She might be hungry because she didn't pack enough food. She might be thirsty because the demon slapped her canteen out of her hand. She might have bloody claw marks on her face. She might be sweaty, have grit under her fingernails and dirt in her hair. You probably know how all of these things feel, even if you don't happen to spend your time fighting demons. All of these details add believability and depth to your story.
Let's face it, not all of us are in perfect health. More importantly, neither are our readers. Seeing yourself portrayed correctly in a piece of media is exhilarating. For those whose bodies function in ways that are different from the norm, this experience can be hard to come by. Millions of people worldwide suffer from various chronic conditions, and many of them manage to lead full and interesting lives. Even those of us who are healthy most of the time get sick. We have colds and headaches and impacted teeth. Therefore, it seems strange when everybody in a fictional setting is healthy all the time. In fact, it can make your fictional world seem less full. Give a character allergies. Give a character diabetes. Have your character get bad cramps when they menstruate. Give your character chronic knee pain. Give your character fibromyalgia.
If you do choose to give your character a physical issue of any kind, take care not to reduce them to their condition. This can be hugely insulting to those who share the condition, and it's lazy, one-dimensional writing. Your character may sometimes feel like their condition is their entire life, but they should have other important attributes.
Size and Shape
How much does your character weigh? What is her approximate height? These things matter for social reasons, but they also matter for physical reasons. If your character is very tall, she might have to stoop when she comes in through the door. She might have difficulty finding shoes that fit. If she's short, she might not be able to reach high shelves without the aid of a step stool. If she's fat, her thighs might rub painfully together when she walks for too long. She may not be able to find clothes that fit. She may be discriminated against because of her weight. If she's thin, she might not be able to keep herself effectively warm in the winter. Any one of these things can influence how others perceive and treat your character, and how your character experiences the world.
Incongruity with Self
Your character may not like what her body is doing. She may not feel that her body represents who she is at all. This could be because her body is failing, or attacking her, as in a chronic illness. This could be because she is a transwoman, and her penis makes her feel dysphoric. She may feel like she needs to lose weight, a perceived need which can range from nagging to all-consuming. If your character's body is not what she feels it should be, this can create some fascinating narrative tension, and the end result can range from acceptance of the body as is, to action taken to change it.
Ask Questions and Do Research
If you choose to give your character a bodily experience that you do not share, do your research. I cannot stress the enough. This especially applies to weight, trans* issues, and disability and chronic illness. A fully fleshed character is not composed of stereotypes, and a good writer does not trifle with something that real people live with. If you know someone who deals with what you choose to represent, see if they are willing to answer questions. If not, there are plenty of resources in the wide wonderful world of the Internet, so get Googling!
The First Night of NaNoWriMo
The First Night of NaNoWriMo
NaNoWriMo begins on November 1st, which means November 1st midnight, not November 1st whenever the heck I wake up, or November 1st whenever I get home from work/school/various obligations. Whether you start writing at midnight or not, that's when it starts. My advice to all you NaNo'ers is to start at midnight if at all possible. Even if you can only scribble a hundred words on a napkin in between customers, write something at midnight. Why? Because if you do, you'll wake up the next day with something on the page. Even if it's crap, it's something. And something is important. Something means that you started. Something means that you might actually do this NaNo thing.
Assuming that you're taking my advice, here are some tips for how to go about this.
- Keep the Halloween festivities under control. Guys, I know it's Halloween. If you're young, you're out running around in a ghost costume trying to stuff as much candy as you possibly can into a plastic bag. If you're an adult, maybe you're going to a party. All well and good, but don't stay out too late, and don't get so drunk that you can't write. Have a drink! Have two! I'm not telling you not to have fun, I'm just telling you to reign it in enough that you can kick start your NaNo-sperience right.
- Caffeine is not your friend. Remember, you're starting at midnight. Unless you're working the night shift, or you're nocturnal, you're going to want to get to sleep at some point during the night. Drinking coffee late at night may keep you up for much longer than you can continue to write coherently. If you must have some caffeine, consider a cup of white tea—it's high in brain-pleasing antioxidants, and the caffeine level isn't high enough to keep you up all night.
- Aim to write at least 667 words before going to bed. Or 500. Or 300. Or 50. Write something, anything is fine. Personally, I aim for 667, because then I have a nice, round, 1,000 words to knock out in the morning.
- Study any outlines or notes beforehand. This is important. At midnight, you want to be able to just burst right out of the gate and start writing. You don't want to get distracted by rereading your notes. You might edit them! You might spend time tweaking your plot when you could be writing it. Now is the time for accumulating words, not perfecting the details. If you don't have any notes, forget about it, just let those fingers fly.
- If you absolutely cannot function so late at night, wake up early. Even though I strongly advocate scribbling down something before you hit the sack, I recognize that not everyone is capable of staying up until midnight. Some of you might have to be up at 4 AM. Some of you may need twelve hours of sleep to function during the day. Some of you may be nocturnal. If you absolutely must wait to start writing, do it, but carve out a little bit of time before you start your day. Unless you're absolutely positive that you can bang out 1,677 words in one go on the first day, it's a good idea to divide it up into chunks, to get you used to it.
- If you've lost power due to Hurricane Sandy, wait until morning. Hopefully, the hurricane will be over and done with by Wednesday night, but some may be left with residual issues. If your home has no power, you likely don't have a light source. It's best to save your flashlight batteries for other things, and it's dangerous to write by candle light. Prioritize your safety, and wait until daylight.
Yesterday, I got rejected by the New Yorker. It was the best thing that had happened to me all day.
Sounds weird, right? It definitely sounded weird to the friends and family that I told this to. Who wants to be rejected?
The thing is that the New Yorker was a long shot. I never expected them to publish me. They publish Alice Munro, Haruki Murakami, and Junot Diaz. Why should they look twice at someone with three published stories to her name? Besides, it had a fantasy/sci-fi edge to it. Not really the New Yorker's style.
I submitted it because they sometimes publish unknown writers, and they sometimes publish sci-fi. Both are rare, but I was confident in the story and I thought, why the heck not? The worst thing they can do is not respond to me.
They did respond. Here it is:
Dear Anna Lindwasser,
We regret that we are unable to use the enclosed material. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to consider it.Sincerely,The Editors
How To Win At NaNoWriMo
Image Copyright Nanowrimo.org.
NaNoWriMo, or National Novel Writing Month, is the brainchild of Chris Baty. It's an event in which you write a 50,000-word novel during the month of November. Every year since 1999, thousands of people have signed up for this challenge. Many of them came out of it with a first draft of a novel on their hard drive. Some, such as Amelia Atwater-Rhodes, even turned their first draft into a book deal. Pounding out a novel in just a month might seem daunting, but don't despair! There are simple guidelines which can help you make it to the finish line without too much heartache.
1,667 words a day…or not?
Seasoned NaNo'ers know 1,667 as the magic number—the number of words you have to write per week if you want to make it to 50,000 in thirty days. If you're a methodical person with a predictable schedule, this strategy is your winning ticket. But what if your life is more scattered? What if Sunday is the only day you can see your boyfriend, Monday you have classes from from dawn until dusk and a graveyard shift at K-Mart, and then on Tuesday you have nothing to do? Everyone has a different schedule, and you have to figure out a pace that works well for you. This isn't an excuse to fall behind. Some people thrive on the mad dash to the finish line, and write 50,000 words in a week, but most people can't do this, and it isn't healthy to try. Work on your novel whenever you can, but don't sweat it if one day you write 3,000 words and the next day you only write 500.
Planning Ahead
Before trying out NaNoWriMo for the first time, many people wonder whether they should outline the plots of their stories, or develop their characters extensively before the start of NaNoWriMo. There are as many different answers to this question as there are participants. Some people love the planning stages. They map out everything about their story before they write a single word. For some of those people, that works great. For others, too many planning can kill their love for a story, or make them freeze up at the thought of committing their ideas to paper. Not planning anything also has mixed results. Some people write best by learning what their story is about as they go. Others need direction, or they get stuck. Most people work best with a strategy that's somewhere in the middle. You should know something about your story, but not everything. You know, for example, that your main character is a dragon slayer who has no idea what to do when faced with robot dragons. You don't know that he's going to fall in love with one of the robot dragons. Know what works for you!
Your Social Network
Some people undertake NaNoWriMo with a group of friends, and rely on each other for support throughout the process. They meet up for write-ins, have contests to see who can wrote the most over the span of ten minutes or an hour, help each other develop plots and characters, commiserate, and cheer each other on. If your friends aren't doing NaNoWriMo, encourage them to join you. If they're not interested, all is not lost—there's still a number of ways to connect with fellow NaNo'ers. The NaNoWriMo.org website has an incredible forum where one can gain support, and municipal liaisons in various locations all over the world organize write-ins, parties, and other events to get you writing and to help you meet other people who are doing the same. To find a municipal liason near you, click here.
It can be tempting to dedicate every waking moment to NaNoWriMo, and many participants will urge you to do so. You may have to cancel social engagements in favor of your novel, and you may have to spend less time on other hobbies. Remember, though, that NaNoWriMo is not more important than your life. It is not more important than your five-year anniversary with your wife. It is not more important than taking your son to the dentist. It is not more important than going to work or going to school. It is not more important than eating healthy food, getting regular exercise, and getting enough sleep. NaNoWriMo should be fun, and it should be challenging, but it should not consume your life.
Justifying the expense of entering writing contests…
Today, I finished writing a short story that I intend to enter in a contest. The contest costs $10. Thankfully, $10 is something that I can afford right now. Because this hasn't always been the case, I find myself thinking about what else I could do with the money.
$10 could buy me four Metro Card fares with a dollar left over.
$10 could buy me between one and two packages of good tea, or between two and four packages of okay tea.
$10 could pay for lunch for two days.
$10 could get me two pints of ice cream.
$10 could contribute to my Pokemon Black 2 fund.
$10 could get me another turtleneck at Uniqlo.
$10 could get me ten books at Book-Off, and one book off of Amazon.
$10 could buy me a CD off of iTunes.
$10 could buy 10 Luna Bars
$10 could buy me a movie ticket if I went for a matinee.
$10 is what it will probably cost me to print and mail the story in the first place.
So there are a lot of things I could do with this $10. My inner cheapskate is screaming at me for considering spending it on a gamble. And that's what a contest is. You pour your heart and soul into an entry, you do the very best job that you possibly can…and then you don't win because someone else did the same thing and did it better.
I go into these things with the mindset that I will lose. Sure, I indulge in fantasies of literary glory, but I don't count on anything. If I do, I'm bound to be disappointed. Sometimes, this attitude helps me. If I'm not afraid of rejection, there's no harm in putting myself out there. But if I'm expecting to lose, and I'm writing a check, it can feel like a huge waste of money. I can rationalize this by saying that I'm supporting literary institutions. I care about that.
Ultimately, though, it comes down to priorities. I may not win the contest, but I care about my writing. I care about my potential writing career. I'm paying thousands of dollars to attend graduate school, which does not guarantee me a job, so why not spend $10 to potentially further myself as a writer? I'm talented, and I deserve to give myself chances to prove that. My basic needs are still covered whether I spend $10 or not, and my creative work is more important than ice cream.
So, those $10 are going toward my entry fee. If you're trying to decide whether to spend money on a contest, think about what you'd use that money for otherwise, and think about whether that's more important than a chance to prove yourself as a writer. If you can't pay your rent without it, pay your rent, but if it's going to trivial things, it may be worth the sacrifice.
Getting Your Name Out There
During a fiction-writing class I once took, the teacher advised me to get my name out there before even thinking about submitting a book for publication. Getting my name out there meant, of course, getting my work published in literary journals.
I'm taking her advice. My current goal is publishing ten short stories before I think seriously about polishing and submitting one of the various novels languishing on my hard drive. Why should I put in so much effort, and wait so long, though? Well, here's what my teacher said, and a bit of my own thoughts on the matter.
- Agents and publishers would be more likely to be willing to deal with you if they knew that other publishers have dealt with you before. They assume that if their colleagues have put up with you long enough to publish you, then you must be professional and easy to work with. When you're just starting out, you definitely want publishers to think that you are those things. Your actual self-presentation will have to do most of the work here, but being able to say, "hey, these dudes think I'm cool too" won't hurt your case.
- Not only will previously published work make you look mature and awesome, it will also make your writing look worth reading. If a publisher, who gets hundreds of submissions a day, gets a random submission from someone who's never been published before, she has to actually read the thing to know if it's good or not. Which she might not do. If you've been published, that means someone liked you enough to publish you, which means you are worth her valuable time.
- It gives you more time to get experience and improve your work. If you're a beginner, that novel of yours probably needs more work, anyway. Even if you think it's perfect right now, time and experience will show you how to make it more than perfect.
- Your stories are definitely, definitely going to be rejected, but if you're paying attention to who rejects you and who accepts you, you'll get a good sense of where your work belongs. The more you know, the better chance you have of getting something big published, like a book.
Being a beginner myself, I have no idea if this actually works, but hey, it looks good on paper. So far, I've got three stories out, and once I hit ten, I'm going to start trying to find a publisher for one of my various novels. And also editing those novels. Because that's important, too.
Why Your Character's Clothes are Important
One of my least favorite aspects of writing is deciding what my characters are wearing.
Although I have definite preferences about what I put on my own body, I don't usually notice what the people in my life are wearing. Heck, I didn't even know what color my now-fiance's eyes were until we'd been dating for three months–that's how unobservant I am. Constructing outfits for my characters is painful. Half the time, all I can think of is…"pants…? A…shirt? With…buttons? And…shoes…?" Not the most enlightening description, I know.
For a long time, I thought it didn't matter. I thought that what a person chose to put on their body was always incidental, and that detailing it could only disrupt, not enhance, a story. Talking to one of my closest friends, Carla, an aspiring fashion designer as well as a talented writer, helped me to see how a character's clothes can work in the writer's favor.
My outfits as a teenager were outlandish–neon pink hot pants with ripped tights, combat boots, and a blue dress shirt one day, a shiny evening gown from Goodwill the next, and tee shirts with anime characters faces stretched across my tits on weekends. I'd been bullied for the last decade, and I was finally free, so I was being as ridiculously "individual" as I could to make up for lost time. Although I'm sure that my mother disapproved of many of my more bizarre combinations, she let me wear what I wanted most of the time. I had no idea who I was, and I was trying on different outfits in order to discover that.
This kind of identity confusion is typical of teenagers. If you're writing a YA novel or a coming-of-age story, your character is probably trying desperately to figure out where they fit in. Their clothes can reflect who they wish they were, who they think they should be, and who they feel they are inside but can't express in other ways.
Time and Place
Your character's clothing can help you ground your story in a particular time and place. Most writers of historical fiction already know how important their character's clothes are for establishing credibility. Dressing your British, Victorian-era woman in a yukata would be confusing. Giving that same Victorian-era woman a computer bag would be laughable. For most serious writers of historical fiction, this stuff is second nature.
It's easy to forget about it when it comes to work set in modern day, especially work set close to home. Writers should expect and anticipate readers from all over the world. It may be obvious to me what an Italian-American woman from Brooklyn would wear–all I have to do is look at my mother–but that doesn't mean that someone from Bangkok will picture the same thing that I do. Heck, it doesn't even mean that someone from New Jersey will. We're all familiar with our own cultural contexts, but we can't expect everyone else to be. Telling you what my Italian-American female character from Brooklyn is wearing not only helps my readers to picture my character–and her culture–more clearly, but it will resonate with Italian-American women from Brooklyn if I'm doing it right.
Of course, I have to be careful not to stereotype–not every Italian-American woman from Brooklyn has the same sense of style as my mother!
Culture and Values
Some cultures have more rigid codes of dress than others. An Italian-American woman from Brooklyn can usually wear whatever she wants, unless she fits into other categories that don't allow it, but Hasidic Jews have a pretty strict standard of dress. If your character is a Hasidic Jew, whether or not he conforms to this standard tells you something about how he relates to his culture, and what his values are.
This also applies to less deeply rooted affiliations. A teenager who dresses like a punk may be doing so because she aligns herself with the subculture. If she does, then her outfit can tell you something about what her values are. If she doesn't, then her outfit might signify something else entirely.
People dress differently depending on what mood they're in. A person in a good mood might shower, blow-dry her hair, put on makeup, iron her clothes, and shine her shoes. She does this because she has the energy to take care of herself in a way that makes her happy. She might do none of these things because her good mood compels her to put on some hiking boots and head for the woods, or to watch Naruto in her pajamas while eating ice cream. She may do any one of these things because she's in a bad mood–they are comforting, and make her feel better. She may dress in all black to indicate her unhappiness, or she may dress in all black because she lives in New York City.
I was bullied relentlessly as a child and teenager, and it tore my self-esteem to shreds. I hated myself as a teenager, and I because I was sexually harassed along with being bullied, I thought my only value lay in attracting boys. I couldn't make any overtures to them, because I was afraid of people, but I could certainly make myself look attractive. I slathered on makeup, and wore low cut belly shirts, and see-through miniskirts that didn't cover much of anything. I wasn't consciously aware of why I was dressing this way until I got older, but the adults in my life could see it, and so could my friends.
Your character may dress this way due to low self-esteem, but she might also hide herself in baggy clothes. She might wear revealing clothes not because she hates herself, but because she loves herself and wants to show off her body. Sweatpants and a t-shirt might indicate that she feels beautiful and loveable no matter what she wears.
When you establish how your character feels about herself, her clothes can help accentuate those feelings.
I have a character named Rue. Rue has a slew of allergies, but because he doesn't have health insurance–he lives in the USA, no free healthcare here–none of them are diagnosed. He spends his life figuring out what he's allergic to through trial and error. By the time he's a teenager, he has a very short list of things that he can eat, touch, and smell without having symptoms. This includes fabrics–there are some that he can wear with no problem, and there are others that will make his throat close up.
Once this is established, if I call attention to the fact that Rue is wearing a type of fabric that he doesn't know his reaction to, it means that he's being more daring than usual. If he's wearing a type of fabric that he knows is a problem, it means he's being thoughtless or self-destructive. Just a simple choice of fabric can tell you a lot about the character's current state.
Your character's clothes can also reflect their physical and emotional state. Does your character always wear long sleeves to hide her self-injury scars? If so, wearing a short-sleeved shirt could indicate a major change. Does she always wear short sleeves because she can't stand the feel of fabric on her arms? How might this choice affect her on a cold day in January?
It's important to establish how it feels to be in your main character's body. The body and the mind are firmly connected, but the body is all too easy to ignore. Don't ignore the body, and don't ignore how your character decorates it. Both can help establish what's going on in the character's mind, without you having to blatantly say, "he felt that _____".
How to work it in…
One of the hardest parts of describing a character is figuring out where to do it. Unless your character is in the fashion industry, a paragraph detailing their outfit down to the last button will seem out of place, and, to many readers, boring. You don't want to open your story with your main character rifling through her closet, unless she's going to find an entrance to another world in there, you want to open it with something gripping. So how, then, do you get across this information?
There are many ways to do this, and each writer has to find one that works best for them. My favorite method goes like this: you blend the details into the story, one at a time.
Example: Natalie pulled her black Doc Martens off without untying the laces, then shucked off her tights and lay down, kicking the boots under the bed.
This example doesn't tell us everything that Natalie's wearing. It tells us that she's wearing boots–not everyone will know what Doc Martens are, but it provides an extra visual for those who do, while still providing enough information for those who don't. It's difficult to get most boots off without untying the laces, so the fact that she does this indicates that she's too tired to go through the process. We also know something about her over all style, though we don't yet know why she's chosen it. The information doesn't hijack the narrative, it works with it.
Later, you can tell us about her matted black hair, her thick eyelashes, her penchant for stealing her mother's makeup and putting on twice as much as she needs, her men's Radiohead t-shirts with the collar ripped out, and the golden music note charm that her dad gave her after a piano recital, but we don't need to know it all up front. Tell us when it's relevant, and blend it with action.
As you may have noticed, context is key. If you simply shove your character into an outfit and leave it at that, your reader will fill in the blanks. This can be a good thing, but they might form the wrong impression. Lets go back to the example of myself as a teenager. I dressed the way I did because of low self-esteem, but someone else could dress the exact same way because she loved herself. She might dress that way for no reason at all. A lot of people assume that people who dress in revealing clothes are having a lot of sex, or that their morals are lacking. If your character's fashion choices have multiple meanings, you need to make it clear which one applies to your character.
In my example about Rue, no one is going to know what his fabric choices mean, or think that they're even remotely relevant, if I don't establish his allergies beforehand. I have to imbue the detail with meaning, not just throw the detail out there and expect the reader to understand.
Without context and good character development, your readers may not understand the point you're trying to make with your character's clothes. It's hard to hit just the right notes, but the better you know your character, the easier it becomes.


text:
Thursday, January 3, 2013
28 comments:
- Adam B.10:48 AM
I owned at least 12.ReplyDelete
Also for 1993:
Superchunk, On the Mouth
Sting, Ten Sumner's Tales
Depeche Mode, Songs of Faith and Devotion
Mercury Rev, Boces
Urge Overkill, Saturation
Matthew Sweet, Altered Beast
Boo Radleys, Giant Steps
Morphine, Cure for Pain
Mazzy Star, So Tonight That I Might See
The Lemonheads, Come On Feel The Lemonheads
- The Pathetic Earthling12:23 PM
I think I had just three -- I certainly only have three still in my collection: Counting Crows, Sarah McLaughlin and Cranberries. Did I ever recall my brief encounter with Duritz family dynamics? Adam Duritz's father is an OB/GYN at Alta Bates in Berkeley. Well, when the Little Earthling was born, Mrs Earthling had a c-section (necessary and predicted, but still a couple of weeks ahead of schedule). Anyway, we go into the OR and are waiting for the OB and the aenestheologist has August and Everything After on the stereo. In walks Dr. Durtiz and first thing he says is "I think I've listened to that enough" and a nurse, without another word, found something else. Duritz ended up not doing the procedure as someone else came along, but that's why the Little Earthling did not come into this world listening to Counting Crows.ReplyDelete
I refuse to admit that album exists.ReplyDelete
Every band gets a mulligan album.ReplyDelete
Only 5 currently owned by me:ReplyDelete
Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers)
Exile In Guyville
August and Everything After
Everybody Else Is Doing It, So Why Can't We?
Ten Summoner's Tales
At some point I've also had the Breeders, Lemonheads and Siamese Dream.
Ayup. Could be either one, but personal taste for me means Pop gets a slight edge.ReplyDelete
I had everything but 2, 6, 11, 14, 15, 20, 21, 26 and 29. Cheap rent = lots of CDs.ReplyDelete
The ones I still listen to: 12, 13, 17, 18, 27.
I had NO disposable income in 1992-1993, as I was just starting college, so I can remember WANTING a bunch of these, but I only owned a few. If I had money, I usually bought soundtracks instead. But I did have 7, 10, 18, and 25. And I think I bought all of them several years later. The only one I'd still listen to is Janet. I started listening to alternative (remember when we called it New Wave?) music in jr high, but it was HARD to find it on the radio in Florida. We had a decent station in Tallacrappy, surprisingly enough. So I didn't get introduced to a lot of stuff until college. Or later.ReplyDelete
- Rick7:21 AM
If the point is to make you feel old, these also came out in 1993:ReplyDelete
Whitney Houston - The Bodyguard Soundtrack
Snow - 12 Inches of Snow (Informer)
Lenny Kravitz - Are You Gonna Go My Way
Aerosmith - Get a Grip (in all of its Alicia Silverstone glory)
Billy Joel - River of Dreams (his last pop album)
Cypress Hill - Black Sunday (Insane in the Brain)
Meatloaf - Bat out of Hell II (I'd Do Anything for Love)
Melissa Etheridge - Yes I Am (Come to My Window, I'm the Only One)
Crash Test Dummies - God Shuffled His Feet (Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm)
Haddaway -Haddaway (What Is Love)
Unplugged Albums by Bruce Springsteen, Rod Stewart, Neil Young, and 10,000 Maniacs
But most of all:
Ace of Base - The Sign
I had about a third of Buzzfeed's list at some point, and half of mine. About four years ago, I got rid of all physical copies of music. I bet I have some songs saved somewhere, but in the same sense I can listen to any of them at any point, so maybe I own all of them.
- Tosy and Cosh9:27 AM
I'd rather not admit how many hours I spent defending Pop in online forums back in the day, so I'll just say here that I still love the album and that "Please" is my 2nd-favorite U2 song of all time. Big Zooropa fan too, but not to the same extent. Still, "Stay (Faraway, So Close)" is a hell of a keeper.ReplyDelete
- bill.6:39 PM
My favorite album of theirs. Though I do enjoy their version of Poetry Man.ReplyDelete


text:
Reviewed by Elle M. (age 7)
I think the Mystery at the Greenfield Dog Show is a very good book. I like it because it has dogs, and some of the dogs remind me of dogs I've seen. I liked it because it kept me thinking. My favorite part was at the end when they told the winner. Also, I liked a little girl named Violet in the book. No one changed in the book. I think the illustrator was a good artist. Also, it is not like a book I have ever read. Last, it is part of a Boxcar Children series. It did not make me feel like it happened in my life. It also made me feel like I want to move on and keep reading the book.
I recommend that just about anybody would like to read this book. I think people would like the book because it is about dogs and most people like dogs. I think my cousin Arden would like to read the book. I think she would like the dog show because she likes to hear about and see new kinds of dogs.


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photo by Katya Rosien at Puzzle Pieces Photography
Welcome to Catholic Family Boot Camp!
Latest News:
OSV has new magazines available, read about them here.>>
The Three Things Divorced Catholics Need to Know has been granted an imprimatur and The Joy-Filled Broken Heart has been granted the CWG's Seal of Approval.
Remain Joyful this Lent:
Have a dance party in the kitchen
Sing songs in the car (loudly)
Appreciate beauty
Give to someone who has less that you do
Reach out to someone who is hurting
Stay present in the Mass
Read Archived Christmas Egg-Blogs here>>
Homemade Gifts:
*Sugar Body Scrub: mix sugar, a few drops of essential oil and sunflower oil. Put in pretty jars.
*Heated Therapy Socks: Combine rice and a few drops of lavender oil. Place in a sock and tie. (Use by heating in microwave for a minute.)
*Wooden Signs or Ornaments: Paint wood and stencil encouraging sayings or Bible verses.


text:
Using the FOI Act
Courses for new & experienced requesters
The Campaign for Freedom of Information is running two half-day training courses for FOI requesters on 9 December 2008. The morning course will provide an introduction to legislation, covering both the Freedom of Information Act and the parallel Environmental Information Regulations. The afternoon course will examine some of the key decisions made under the two regimes and explain how they can help you obtain information. Requesters can attend either or both courses, which will be in central London.
Download the course leaflet for more details.


text:
August 31, 2011
New BATMAN ARKHAM CITY T-Shirts at TFAW
While surfing through the
website the other night, to see what brand-new Batman products there are out there, I came across these really cool BATMAN: ARKHAM CITY T-Shirts. Of course they feature graphics from the video game. Three of them focus on the logo or other generic graphic art, while the others all feature Bat-Villains like Harley Quinn & Two-Face. Now, there are no Joker shirts right now, but you know there will be, ha! For more information
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NZ Music Month Strikes Back :: Critic
May 4, 2006
NZ Music Month Strikes Back :: Critic
Critic article on NZ music month
Dub dot dash
May 4, 2006
Dub dot dash
A highly informative blog by Peter McLennan regarding New Zealand music.
McLennan P "Dub dot Dash" Accessed May 2006
TOO MUCH STATIC Peter McLennan writes too much… New Zealand music, film, popular culture, and beyond
May 3, 2006
The Wireless: Dear NZ: Welcome to the Internet
May 3, 2006
The Wireless: Dear NZ: Welcome to the Internet
Dear NZ: Welcome to the Internet
Music lesson for everyone – Sunday Star times
May 3, 2006
Here is a full article nabbed from teh Sunday star times:
Music lesson for everyone
18 December 2005, By ROD ORAM, Sunday Star Times
Perhaps over the holidays you'll have more time than usual to listen to the radio and to one of the great New Zealand success stories of recent years.
New Zealand artists now account for 21 per cent of the music played on air, up from less than 2 per cent in 1996.
This is a triumph of industry ambition rather than government regulation. With great enthusiasm, radio stations, record companies, artists, retailers and industry associations have worked together to exceed the voluntary target they set themselves.
In the process, they have enlivened our lives, helped define us as a nation at home and abroad and encouraged many more young people to write, sing and play. But the industry and its artists still struggle to make a living. Music is a host of mostly minuscule unsustainable businesses.
Retail music sales have been falling by about 7 per cent a year for the past six or seven years, in line with world trends. Sales may total only $200m this year, of which NZ artists have roughly a 20 per cent share.
While there are some money-making hits, other success is usually a relative term. A CD is a winner if it sells 1000 copies. But thanks to extremely low costs through digital DIY recording and production, it might be slightly profitable. An independent label and its band might
share perhaps $5000 in profits – a meagre return for months of hard work.
In the wider world, a deluge of artists has turned music into a commodity. And the internet's brutal assault has massacred record company profits. Trying to capture an audience – and make money out of it – has never been harder.
Since everybody else in the world has access to the same technology,success will flow to those who use it in the most creative and persuasive ways. This is New Zealand's big chance. We have rich and diverse music thanks to our many cultures, we have a slightly exotic, intriguing story to tell about who we are and where we are in the world, and we're good at striking a rapport with people.
To do so, though, requires the New Zealand recording industry to make an enormous improvement to its skills.
Here are seven lessons:
# Nurture the talent.
The upsurge in interest in local music is attracting teenagers into writing and performing. This year's Coke Smokefree Rockquest competition drew 650 secondary school bands playing their own compositions. The Play it Strange song writing competition for the same age group had 315 entries. A recent television documentary on Play it Strange and an upcoming commercial double CD of its top 30 songs reveal the passion and growing sophistication of these young composers.
This broad base is crucial to talent development, says Mike Chunn, chief executive of the Play it Strange Trust, NZ chief executive from 1992 to 2003 of the royalty body, the Australasian Performing Rights Association and a member of the legendary NZ band Split Enz in the 1970s.
It's a numbers game, he says. The more teenagers deeply into music, the better the chance a few will rise to the top of world rankings. He likens it to rugby. We have a large and talented All Blacks squad because of the depth and intensity of school, club and provincial competition.
# Use the technology.
Artists and labels are starting to make money from selling songs through internet downloads. Most of the activity has been through home-grown sites such as Amplifier but a few Kiwi songs have achieved global distribution through Apple's i-Tunes. But paradoxically, it might never have been easier. The internet and mobile phones are radically changing the way audiences are won, music delivered and money made.
Since everybody else in the world has access to the same technology, success will flow to those who use it in the most creative and persuasive ways. This is New Zealand's big chance. We have rich and diverse music thanks to our many cultures, we have a slightly exotic, intriguing story to tell about who we are and where we are in the world, and we're good at striking a rapport with people.
# Build a rapport with audiences.
Local bands are excellent at building local audiences, which explains how this year, Fat Freddy's Drop was the first band recorded by an independent label to enter the charts at number 1. It also swept the music industry's Tui awards. But local bands are only just learning to build global audiences over the internet. Given Kiwis' personalities, more are likely to succeed.
# Develop business skills.
The local music industry has made great strides in sorting out its structure and organisations and getting them to work better together. It has also built better relationships with major international labels. But it does not have the skills to be a serious or sustainable
wealth generator, and it never will if it remains almost entirely a domestic business.
# Create new ways of making money.
Licensing of Kiwi music for films, commercials, video games and other uses is starting to increase. Innovation is crucial. For example, Tardus, an independent label, has put together a CD of Kiwi music which will be distributed to about 200 US creative directors of JWT, the international advertising agency.
# Outgrow government assistance.
Six years of sizable government funding under a Prime Minister who doubles as Culture Minister is great, but it won't last. When the government changes, support and money will probably dry up. The industry has used the money well so far but is still a long way from self-sufficiency.
# Forge a distinctive NZ brand.
We're too diverse and interesting a nation to have a narrow "Kiwi" brand of music. But we can create highly distinctive forms of music under a distinctive brand of New Zealand music business. To cut through the global cacophony, we need to be just as famous for the way
we make money from music as we are for the music we make.
At the heart of the business brand will be some of New Zealand's greatest strengths – our ability to be small but global, to be remote but accessible, to be different but authentic. These qualities are highly prized in the world. People will pay well for them.
Yet, this isn't just a music thing. These lessons apply to almost any business. They are our hope for a fulfilling and prosperous future.
Kiwi music hits mainstream – 14 Jan 2006 – Business
Kiwi music hits mainstream
Interesting article about How NZ music is making money independantly.
NZ Musician – Fat Freddys Drop
May 3, 2006
Comment on the success of Fat Freddy's drop, especially given they are independantly released. 60000 albums without releasing a single or video!
3. FFD's album is now 6X platinum – that means they've sold 90,000 albums (platinum = 15,000 copies sold). By the end of last year they had sold 60,000 with no single or video. Since releasing Wandering Eye as a radio-edit/CD single/video, they've sold another 30,000 albums. Bic Runga's latest is 3x platinum, and the latest discs from Eminem, Coldplay and Black Eyed Peas are 4x platinum.


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TT Supper Club #3
I had a fabulous time last night, cooking dinner for eight great diners. Together, we raised $240 for Growing Hope. *And* I even remembered to take pictures! That was probably because of how easy my amazing assistant cook made things for me. Dee was one of the diners at my very first dinner, and when she volunteered to be my assistant this time I jumped at the opportunity. She's an accomplished cook and hostess herself, running a B&B and catering weddings and parties at The Rooms at Grayfield. She made my job very easy, and was excellent company too.
I've got two dinners coming up, one on August 29 for SELMA, and one on September 12 for Doulas Care. These dinners are a little different, as the benefit organization is taking on the responsibility of filling the guest list, so all I have to do is cook! However, if you'd like to attend either of these dinners, just let me know and I'll put you in contact with the person managing those guest lists. The Doulas Care dinner will be $75, with $50 going to support Doulas Care. I'm not entirely sure of the pricing for the SELMA dinner yet, but I should have details soon - contact me for more information.
Now for some pictures from dinner #3!


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To make matter a bit light, we do group correction. We have Science, Maths, English, Dzongkhag and other departments. The good thing about group evaluation is that the works are done very fast, not only that we get to eat many different delicious dishes like momo, shaphalay, etc sponsored by respective subject teacher. This type of evaluation is good if all answers are multiple choices. It saves time; a great deal.
The bad thing about group evaluation is marking. Especially, parts like essay types or letter writing, when marked by different teachers, marks also differ. Some, lets say do strict correction and award low marks, and some leniently give high marks. And there are some who give marks just by glancing handwriting, or the first sentence, or the last sentence. I think the same is happening in BCSE evaluation in Phuntsholing.
There is no way to do comparative analysis/study of essay types or answers. On the other hand, the moods of the evaluators depend so much while awarding. These days, World Cup is going on in nights, which leave evaluators to hang throughout the night. Because of this drowsiness or hangover, the letter 'd' may seems like 'b.' So, 'bead' may become 'dead.' I am afraid we are gonna hang somebody's life, very badly. OR, it may be other way round, owing to laziness or sleepiness, in order to do away with the correction, and make time for enough sleep, one could give 24 out of 25. There is every chance. One thing is sure, if ones favorite country lost in the match, I am sure the marks would touch the ground level.
So, it is very important to do special rituals like 'Wangta Lungta' to bring the best of luck. It is all unfair, one needs some kind of luck, to make evaluators affect or blind them to award good marks by mistake.
I told my students that before any venture, or such kind of difficult task, like exam like this, that they must do some kind of rituals for it. If not, one's Wangta and Lungta will be thrown like a piece of shit. I told them that if they don't have anyone to do such a kind of special ritual, why they call me. I can even perform for them mask dances. And the fact is; I don't need any kind of mask.
Some funny answers from our students:
|A rough vacation he had!!!
|Sentu is dog or cat???
|Open your Pandora box, so that i can enter inside permanently.
|You gotta make your MUM very mad...


text: Last week I was lucky enough to win a free Artisan Pizza from Domino's during their Facebook promotion. Today was the last day to redeem my coupon so the girls and I went for lunch right after school (they had a half day). Princess A wanted to try the Italian Sausage and Pepper Trio (I ordered it with light banana peppers). It was so yummy and the staff was so nice. We ended up staying and eating our pizza right there. Our new Domino's has 4 small stools and a counter for customers. The girls really liked the pizza, minus the banana peppers. They said that we have to bring Daddy next time. The pizza was delicious but small since it is suppose to serve only two. It was the perfect amount for the girls and me, but if Daddy had been with us we would of need two pizzas. Have you tried the new pizzas from Domino's? What did you think?


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Here's my short list for on-the-job training, so that you can learn while you earn.
I began my journey with sales, which, of course, dynamically changed my life at age 25. The first year I multiplied my income by five. Being raised in farm country, I knew how to milk cows, but it didn't pay well. Sales altered the course of my life, where I learned to present a valid product in the marketplace, talk about its virtues and get somebody to say "Yes." Then give them good service.
Then came recruiting, how to expand my business and build an organization. We have all heard the question, is it better to have one person selling a $1,000 or have 100 people selling $10? If you ask me, I'll take the 100 at $10. Once mastered, recruiting, the ability to multiply your efforts, is one of life's and leadership's greatest time-management resources.
Then I learned organizing. Keeping your own schedule can be difficult at times, but now you have to balance multiple tasks and people to get maximum results. You will find that the payoff is massive once you have tapped into the synergy and momentum of group dynamics and teamwork.
Next is promotion. First it's the spring campaign and then the fall campaign, and then it's this month's objective's campaign. You never know when it's going to click for someone to want or need to buy from you or be a part of what you are doing, so having the offer or the special or the contest going when they're ready can make all the difference.
Then it's the recognition. Some people work harder for recognition than they do for money. It's the chance to belong. It's getting people to do something that, ordinarily on their own, they wouldn't think of doing. They could, but they don't think of it. You come along with a little promotion for this month or this quarter and everything changes for them, and I found that paid big money.
Then I learned communication. How to do the training, how to do the teaching, and probably the greatest gift of all is learning how to inspire with words. Inspire people to see themselves better than they are with all of those gifts, all of those skills. Be the voice that tells them they have made a wise decision and here's why.
Now, I believe with just this little short list I've given you, you'll be equipped. We've all watched what has happened the last 15 years. The guy had one skill; the company downsizes. His division is eliminated and since he only had one skill, now he is vulnerable. He's wandering around saying, "Oh my, the last few years I should have taken some classes that would have taught me a couple of more things and I wouldn't be here in this vulnerable position."
So my admonition: Learn some multiple skills, or should we say, backup skills for the 21st century, and no better place to learn them than in what you're already doing now.
Jim Rohn, America's Foremost Business Philosopher, reprinted with permission from Jim Rohn International © 2012. As a world-renowned author and success expert, Jim Rohn touched millions of lives during his 46-year career as a motivational speaker and messenger of positive life change. For more information on Jim and his popular personal achievement resources or to subscribe to the weekly Jim Rohn Newsletter, visit www.JimRohn.com.


text: I'm new to the Rooted world of Android and I just installed wifi tethering. My question is... what are the rules for using the wifi tethering? I've heard that you should limit the usage to a reasonably fair amount, but whants considered a fair amount of data usage while using the wifi tether. Also, what are some useful apps for rooted users?


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Three days in a row of cool fall-like weather, reminded me it is time to open the 2nd Annual Major Spoilers Costume Contest! We want you to help us celebrate the upcoming Halloween holiday by having you – yes you – send up pictures of your bad self dressed up as your favorite comic book hero (or villain or side-kick, you get the idea). The best costume will not only be hailed as the Grand Prize Winner in Major Spoilers' Costume Contest you'll also win the Hellboy Animated Statue and a copy of the Hellboy Library Edition Vol 1: Seed of Destruction.
Here's what you have to do:
Send three to four pictures (different poses/angles) of yourself in your favorite superhero costume (plus one sans costume) to us by October 25, 2008. Make sure you include your name, address, and the character you are supposed to be. The Major Spoilers crew, will narrow the list to five contestants (oh lord, let us have more than five entries), and readers will then vote on their favorite. The winner will then be announced October 31st.
Send your pictures to firstname.lastname@example.com
Last year, we had a plethora of entrants. Let's make this year even better than the last! Get your entries in early!
24 Comments
Ohhh…. gosh. Who am I gonna be? I really really want to be someone super cool….. I'm betting you guys'll get approximately 40 joker costumes so I think I'll pass on him.
i have one, but it was not originally a comic book character. so, my question is, does Star Wars characters count?
Oh and Stephen do you think any marvel characters will enter this year? Cause my entry is DC.
Hermit: I saw an Optimus Prime from last year, so yeah I think so.
nice. it's not perfect, nor complete, but enough to enter. i lost some accessories.
that's cool. I think I'm gonna try my hand at the Riddler. I always wanted an excuse to go for the character and this finally gives it to me. Thrift stores are gonna be my best friends for a while.
any way to see last year's entries?
Wish I could dress up as my favorite character but I think there are laws against big fat guys dressing up as Starfire. At least in some states of Australia
I'll show my halloween costume for this year: My own Green Lantern costume. It's not like Jordan's, or Stewart's, but my own, customized one.
Can I get the Catwoman as a prize instead?
it suck, my costume won't be 100% accurate. i had to change the color of some pieces, like the gloves. i don't have time to look for what i need exactly.
meh, my costume still rocks. pictures soon
I kinda want to enter more than once. I got a ton of ideas seaching through some thrift stores this weekend. Hope I can put pics soon
That's a good question. Can we enter more than one costume?
Sorry, Slappy, the Catwoman is spoken for.
I decided not to enter this year – I think I'd feel bad if I won, and probably worse if I lost. You may still wind up seeing me in an entry, since I posed with my fella in his Batman costume. Little more risque than the Catwoman, but definitely sweated less. ;)
crap, time is running short. i don't know if i'll make the deadline. to much accessories to built and buy, so little time.
Hey Sarah what was your prise last year?
Any particular file size restrictions (min. or max.)?
I entered… Not the best, but just had to give it a try. For Hellboy, Man! XD I can't wait to see everyone's entrees.


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Sad news on the Guardian today. It seems that according to an NGO, Mekong River Dolphins are nearly extinct. I am not sure what to say. I remember that I once spent a sunny, happy morning in a small wooden boat about 8 years ago, scanning the lakes of southern Laos and shouting in delight at the sight of the grey-pink mammals playing on the surface, splashing their flippers in the tropical sun. They were rare then, but now we are told there are as few as 85 individuals left in the border area between Laos and Cambodia. Perhaps as worryingly very few young are being born, meaning that the species is pretty much on the way out.
I think it is worth thinking about these numbers for a second, because we have become so used to endangered species being counted in hundreds and thousands that we have forgotten how few that is. Species with a few tens of thousands are considered abundant. 85 dolphins – that's the same number of individuals as two or three classes in a busy school. Similarly there are perhaps 20,000 lions in Africa. The same number as there are people in the small town I grew up in, spread across an entire continent. Even in the great wildebeest migrations a herd might have 250,000 animals. It seems vast beyond imagining, yet that is about the same as the Glastonbury Festival. I guess you can see where I am going.
Anyway, it looks as though I will probably never see a Mekong River Dolphin again. It is just one among many species, but the world already seems a bit more lonely and dark.
Hello. This is the personal post of a UK-based environmental campaigner and writer. Also running a little wetland rewilding project.
Wednesday, 17 August 2011
Monday, 8 August 2011
Initial thoughts on London riots
There can be no excuse for the riots that are happening in London. I do not condone or apologise for those behind it. I will wait to do a longer follow up. One story though that made me think was about a random gang smashing a Halfords. A crowd gathered and a woman stopped a car and shouted - 'I want a SatNav'. Now this is just one story. It might not even be true. But one thing that is true is that this explosion of violence is directed as much against property as anything else. Part of this is looting for gain, but I feel there is something else going on too. Fear from bystanders is one facilitator (how else could twenty kids trash a street while fifty people film?), but is there also a sense in which people are lashing out, probably unconciously, at the symbols around them? In a world in which humans are largely reduced to consumers, shops and brands become objects of fetish and of hatred. You may long for the product, but you hate the provider and celebrate its downfall, in the same way a prisoner may rely on and hate his captor. I am not suggesting this is some moment of class conciousness or some other such nonsense. It is young people with no sense of belonging to society as a whole or the country. There is no excuse, but society cannot go on like this, and crass greed and consumerism, from the top to the bottom is part of the problem.
On the other hand, I also subscribe to the Southpark philosophy which states that one quarter of any population is an asshole. At least.
On the other hand, I also subscribe to the Southpark philosophy which states that one quarter of any population is an asshole. At least.
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Syrian war 'damaging a generation of children', United Nations warns
Hundreds of thousands of children caught up in Syria's brutal civil war are having their "innocence ruthlessly exploited", many of them having suffered physical and psychological harm, a new report warns.
The report by the United Nations, based on a four-month study in Lebanon and Jordan, has highlighted the devastating wider impact the conflict is having.
It found that more than 1.1 million Syrian children are registered as refugees, with 75 per cent under the age of 12, and that these children face a shocking degree of loneliness, isolation and insecurity.
"The suffering is really out of proportion with anything I have known until now.UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres
"Too many [children] have been wounded physically, psychologically or both," wrote the report authors.
"Some children have been drawn into the war - their innocence ruthlessly exploited."
The report also warns that children are being forced to quit school for a life of child labour.
"A grave consequence of the conflict is that a generation is growing up without a formal education," wrote the report authors.
As many as 300,000 living in Lebanon and Jordan could be without schooling by the end of 2013, the study found.
The numbers
- Over 1.1 million Syrian children are refugees.
- 291,238 Syrian refugee children in Jordan, 385,007 in Lebanon.
- 3,700 children living without one or both parents.
- 200,000 children could remain out of school at the end of 2013.
- 77 per cent of refugee infants do not have an official birth certificate.
"If we do not act quickly, a generation of innocents will become lasting casualties of an appalling war," said UN High Commissioner for Refugees Antonio Guterres, when he launched the report.
Mr Guteres, who has been visiting a refugee camp in Lebanese border city of Asal, says a massive amount of support is needed.
"Let's be honest. We are not doing enough. We need to praise the governments of those the neighbouring countries that have done everything to support the populations," he said.
"We are in a city that has more Syrians than Lebanese. I mean these people have been extremely generous, but it's not enough because the suffering is really out of proportion with anything I have known until now."
The UNHCR carried out a series of interviews with Syrian children and families living in Jordan and Lebanon between July and October 2013.
Researchers interviewed 81 refugee children and held group discussions with 121 others. They also consulted UN and NGO staff working with them.
Firms keen to destroy Syrian chemicals, sources say
More than two dozen companies have expressed their interest in destroying Syria's chemical weapons stockpile, say sources at the global chemical weapons watchdog.
The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) asked companies a week ago to express interest in destroying nearly 800 tonnes of chemicals and 7.7 million litres of liquid waste.
Finland's state-owned firm, Ekokem, is one firm that has already expressed interest, ahead of Friday's deadline.
"We have expressed our interest to bid on some of the chemicals in the list... that are pretty similar to what we regularly handle," said chief executive at Ekokem, Timo Piekkari.
Topics: unrest-conflict-and-war, access-to-education, emotions, children, refugees, children---preschoolers, children---toddlers, work, world-politics, research, syrian-arab-republic, lebanon, jordan
First posted


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It may seem like a mirage now, but the Padres did indeed go into the All-Star break last year on top of the National League West with a 51-37 record, second in the National League only to the Braves. San Diego scored 72 runs more than it allowed, whereas this year's team, which today takes a 40-51 record into its final game before the break, has scored 31 fewer than it has given up. Lurking four games back in 2010 were the Giants, who for all their great pitching, which would carry them to the playoffs and the World Series victory, had allowed 26 runs more than the Padres.
Chase Headley remembers those fun, not so distant days. The third baseman spoke of them recently to this blog.
"Last year, obviously we would have liked to win one more game and get into the (163rd game) and the playoffs," he said. "But that was one of the most rewarding teams I've ever been on, if not the most rewarding team, because it was completely comprised of selfless people. Nobody cared about anything but winning games. And when the expectations were so low and you just heard people keep chirping from the outside, saying, 'This is going to fall apart, they're not any good,' it was very satisfying to play that type of baseball for an entire year, even though we fell a little short. You win 90 games, it's a pretty good season. So I looked at that as a really good experience."
Headley, who is having his best season, said he "learned a lot" from several veteran teammates last year, mentioning fellow infielders David Eckstein and Adrian Gonzalez. "I think that's what I've been most thankful for, getting to play with those guys, trying to pick their brains and model not really my game after them, but their approach to the game, how they prepared, how hard they played the game, and the consistent mental approach," he said.
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Last July
Posted by Tom Krasovic at 12:11 PM
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