text:
Author Archives: kootnygirl
Makes 3 pizzas 1 1/4 c. Warm water (110 degrees) 2 tsp yeast 1 Tbsp sugar 2 Tbsp vegetable or canola or olive oil 3 c. Flour 1 tsp. salt Combine water, yeast and sugar in bowl of food processor. … Continue reading
manifesto (stream of consciousness)
Moins. Mieux. Or else just mieux. Focus. Make a list. Actually refer to it. Do the things on it and check them off. Do one thing at a time. Do it better. Finish it. Focus. Make a plan, but mean … Continue reading
(ir)rational fear
In a few hours, I'm walking back into the mammogram clinic to find out if my life will change forever. It sounds dramatic. It feels somewhat less dramatic. I'm embarrassed to take it too seriously, and afraid to not take … Continue reading
The natural thing to do of course, is to write a post about your birthday. I wasn't going to; it seemed sort of unimaginative and self-indulgent, not unlike the Facebook posts wishing happy birthday to infants and family pets. Tee … Continue reading
and where the hell am I?
Uncle Roy died last night. He was a hundred and four. Roy and his wife didn't have any children of their own, but he loved his nieces and nephews as much as any dad loves his kids. My father is one … Continue reading
party time and silly fretting
Sometimes (okay, oftentimes) I wonder what the hell I was thinking when I decided to have kids. I don't seem to really have the guts for it. In fact, I don't guess that I really decided; it was just something … Continue reading
a good childhood
Gramma and Grampa are coming down from Vancouver to spend Thanksgiving with us. They are in the little Beetle hatchback, beige or pale blue with a crocheted afghan on the back seat, Scottie (and before her, Maggie) snuggled in on … Continue reading


text:
Custom Fields store data in identifier/value pairs. They are generally used to maintain data that is unique to an individual subscriber, such as their first name. Custom fields also allow you to include personalized information in the emails you send.
Here's an example of a subscriber with values set for their first name and their company:
When creating custom field identifiers, always use an underscore to separate two or more words that would normally be separated by a space. When using Liquid for email personalization, take note of how you create your custom field identifiers, as they are case sensitive. Learn more about how you can use custom fields for email personalization here.
Note: Custom field identifiers should only contain letters, numbers, and underscores. Custom field values are limited to 1000 characters each. There is no limit to the number of custom fields you can save per subscriber.
To see an account wide list of the custom fields you currently have saved in your account:
- From your main account navigation, click the Subscribers tab.
- From the Subscribers tab, click Custom Fields.
Rename Custom Fields
To the right of the custom field name, click the Edit button. Then enter the new name you'd like to use for the custom field identifier.
To delete a custom field for all subscribers, go to Subscribers > Custom Fields and search for the field you wish to delete.
Click the drop-down and click Delete.
Finally, click the I'm sure, delete this field button to complete the delete action.
To delete a custom field only for a single subscriber, go to the subscriber's profile and delete the custom field under Tags & Custom Fields by clicking the x icon directly to the right of the field.
After clicking the x icon, you have a final chance to Undo the action.
Otherwise, click the Save button to delete the field.
Accessing subscriber custom fields and tags in JavaScript API calls

subset: commoncrawl


text:
What could be more important than representing your company, your products and your services with professional photographs. Images that tell the story: "We are reliable and worthy of your investment."
Book your appointment with Metcalfe Photography today by calling 519-862-5686
They're the best there is, for sure. We're lucky to have them doing our photos...they put the same amount of effort and care into shooting kid's sports as they do junior hockey. They're the nicest people and they really bend over backwards to do their best for you.�
Stacey Brown of Mooretown Minor Hockey and Brigden Baseball.


text:
The album "Lower Caste Religious Music From India" by Monks,Transvestites, Midwives, and Folksingers captures folk music of the masses across India, primarily of the blue collar and manual labor working classes. Not known to many westerners, the concept of "Caste" in India was originally role based, not hereditary. The role-based system was hijacked by power mongers in monarchies and oligarchies to the notorious caste system that we have all now learned to love to hate, though some form of the system is found in all societies in varying degrees and forms.
The seven tracks in this album provide a sample of the diversity and richness of folk traditions in India, not necessarily tied to Lower Caste, in spite of the title of the album.
Originally released on New Year's day, 1973, this album has been re-released under the Lyrichord Archive label in 2005.
The Tracks are:
1. Folk - Jugglers, Dancers - Ghazal
2. Folksingers - Bhajan Itinerant folk singers from the village of Chittupur
3. Folksingers - Worksong Itinerant folk singers from the village of Chittupur
4. Monk - Bhajan Monk, Kabir temple of Benares
5. Saya, Vocal Folk - Bhajan Saya
6. Haridas - Bhajan Woman from the village Pahria
7. Saya - Folk Bhajan Saya the Midwife
Listen to free previews and download the songs of this music album from your trusted WBRi Online Partners:
Click on the album cover below to download the songs from our Partner:
Alternate Download: Click on the Play button below to listen to preview clips and download the music from another Partner:


text:
The Fruits of Education
Dear Reader,
As you may well have noticed (or will notice upon a cursory glance at posts below), it's been a while. Well, I've started university, and really am not in the mood of writing anything worthwhile reading online, even though I guess I should be. I'll try to make a superhuman effort to write some more readable stuff, like a small treatise on relatives and absolutes.
Or maybe not.
Anyone with job giving power is most welcome to offer me a part time job, or else just give me one of the following:
1) Apple MacBook Pro 2.16 GHz
2) Aprilia RS 125
3) Clothes
4) Food
5) Shelter
6) Money
7) Motu Traveller Soundcard
8) Gibson ES335 (in black, please)


text:
Blackhawks Establish Season Ticketholder Franchise Record
Article By:From chicagoblackhawks.com: (link)
The Chicago Blackhawks announced today that for the 2008-09 season the organization has surpassed its previous franchise record of 13,425 season ticketholders established in 1994-95, during the inaugural campaign at the United Center. In addition, a near-capacity crowd is expected for tonight's home preseason game against the Columbus Blue Jackets, marking the most tickets sold for a home preseason contest in franchise history.
"Chicago is a hockey city and this is a tribute to our great fans and their hunger for a return to the glory days of the Blackhawks," Senior Vice President of Business Operations Jay Blunk said. "We would like to thank our fans for giving us their trust and support and remind them we never forget that excellence on and off the ice is what they richly deserve."


text:
treat the water directly from a faucet in your home, for example the kitchen faucet.
About Ozomax
Since 1991, our team has taken pride in providing our clients with easy, effective and low cost solutions for their air and water purification process.
We invite you to visit our Products and Applications sections - and then contact us by filling out our Information Request form.
Whether you are looking for a home water treatment systems or need expert advice on treating a difficult wastewater, chances are we have the product or process you are looking for. If not, we will work with you to custom design the required system.
Since opening our doors we have worked with clients from the food industry to the electronics industry. We like to say that our expertise ranges from "potato chips to microchips!"


text: Status Flow February 27, 2018 Education apps for middle school students Status Flow February 27, 2018 Smart phones and tablets have become an integral part of our everyday lives. While many parents associate technology with social media – and wasting time – there are a number of ways that students can use their phones and tablets to maximize learning and productivity.While finding apps for fun can be easy, finding good educational apps can be more difficult. From note taking aids to subject-specific content, the following are some of the best education apps for middle school students.- EvernoteEvernote is a notetaking app that can help students with various learning styles take notes in class. Notes can be taken in a variety of formats including text, audio, video, photo, and even sketches. Notes sync across devices and can be shared for real-time collaboration with classmates. Paper notes can also be inputted into the app using cameras.- myHomework Student PlannerThis digital planner helps students manage homework, projects, assignments, and tests for different classes. Calendars can be viewed in daily, weekly, or monthly form, and push notifications can keep students from missing deadlines.- QuizletQuizlet is a digital flashcard app that allows students to create their own flashcards and study tools. Likewise, students can share and download stacks created by others.- DuolingoWhether your child wants more practice in the language they take at school or is interested in learning a second language on their own, Duolingo introduces basic vocabulary, phrases, and grammar. Mini-games and progress trackers help keep children's interest as they work through lessons. Current languages include Spanish, French, German, Italian, and Portuguese.- iTooch Middle SchooliTooch is a comprehensive resource for students to receive additional practice in math and language arts. With more than 10,000 exercises for 6th, 7th, and 8th graders, students can practice skills they are learning in school on the go. The app itself is free with subject areas available for an additional $5.99, less than the cost of a standard workbook.- Story Starters ProFor students interested in creative writing, Story Starters Pro provides a nearly limitless number of interesting prompts.- EarthViewerEarthViewer allows students to view and explore over 4.5 billion years of history on Earth. The research-based app includes interactive features, clickable details, in-depth maps, and engaging animations.- Swift PlaygroundsThis iPad-only app teaches students the programming language Swift, which Apple itself uses to create their apps. This user-friendly app offers easy-to-follow instructions for beginners, a glossary of coding terms, a variety of levels, and is completely free!


text:
Don't miss
- Games with Gold – November 2016Posted 3 years ago
- F. Scott Fitzgerald's Last Unpublished Stories to be Released in 2017Posted 3 years ago
- Chuck Berry Announces His First Album in Nearly 40 YearsPosted 3 years ago
Check Out the New Trailer for Orange is the New Black Season 4
By Darth Sarah on May 10, 2016
Netflix has officially released a new trailer for the upcoming fourth season of their original series "Orange is the New Black."
The series comes from creator and executive producer Jenji Kohan and is based on the memoir by Piper Kerman.
Season 4 will premiere on Friday, June 17 but "Orange is the New Black" has already been renewed for three more seasons.
You can watch the new trailer below:


text:
Japan and the Eternally Ticking "Demographic Time Bomb"Posted on June 24th, 2017 1 comment
There are few metaphors more hackneyed than Japan's "demographic time bomb." It is a never-failing source of copy for aspiring journalists on slow news days. Stories about it keep popping up like so many mushrooms, all bearing more or less the same lugubrious burden. Recent examples included the following from the Business Insider:
Experts call situations like Japan's "demographic time bombs." They're places where fertility rates are falling at the same time that longevity is increasing. Without young people to support older generations, economies can shrink, putting even more pressure on younger generations to keep families small and budget-friendly.
Another article that turned up last month at Zero Hedge cited some dire statistical trends:
Mark August 16, 3766 on your calendar. According to…researchers at Tohoku University, that's the date Japan's population will dwindle to one. For 25 years, the country has had falling fertility rates, coinciding with widespread aging. The worrisome trend has now reached a critical mass known as a "demographic time bomb." When that happens, a vicious cycle of low spending and low fertility can cause entire generations to shrink – or disappear completely.
In another article in The Economist, ominously entitled "The incredible shrinking country," the ubiquitous "time bomb" again raises its ugly head:
A quiet but constant ticking can be heard from the demographic time bomb that sits beneath the worlds third-largest economy. This week it made a louder tick than usual: official statistics show that the population declined last year by a record 244,000 people – roughly the population of the London bureau of Hackney… The 2012 government report said that without policy change, by 2110 the number of Japanese could fall to 42.9m, ie just a third of its current population. It is plausible to think that the country could learn to live with its shrinking population. But that might mean also embracing a much diminished economic and political role in the world.
The amazing thing about these repetitious articles is their utter lack of any historical context. It turns out that Japan's population has been a "ticking time bomb" for well over a century. However, back in the day it was ticking in a different direction. For example, according to an article that appeared in the April, 1904 issue of the British Edinburgh Review, discussing the conflict in the Far East that would soon culminate in the Russo-Japanese war,
In 1872 the population of Japan amounted to only 33,110,793; in 1900 it was 44,805,937, already too great for her territory.
A few decades later the "time bomb" was still ticking in drive instead of reverse. As noted in an article at the website of Australia's Pacific War Historical Society,
Between 1918 and 1930, Japan's population had expanded dramatically and outstripped the capacity of the nation's resources to support it. To sustain its population blow-out, substantial food imports were essential, but foreign tariffs imposed on its exports of manufactured goods limited the capacity of Japan to pay for its food imports. Japan had tried to deal with its population problem by encouraging emigration of Japanese to countries such as the United States, but had met resistance from Americans who feared the loss of unskilled jobs to cheap immigrant labour.
This time, of course, the "time bomb" led to Japan's disastrous decision to attack the United States. Even after the war there was much wringing of hands about its rapid forward progress. For example from an article that appeared in the December, 1950 issue of the American Mercury,
Our exceedingly efficient Public Health and Welfare Division has succeeded in driving down Japan's death rate from 29.2 per thousand in 1945 to only 10.9 per thousand in 1949. The birthrate, meanwhile, was rising to 32.8. Thus, with our help, Japan's population is now increasing at the rate of 1,800,000 per year. Every morning there are 5,000 more Japanese than yesterday… How can we say that we have helped Japan when Japan is less self-sufficient today than she has ever been.
A few thoughts come to mind in light of these rather substantial changes to the nature of the "time bomb" over the years. It appears that Japan was so desperate about the apparent impossibility of feeding her rapidly expanding population that she was willing to risk war with Russia in 1904 and with the United States in 1941. In those years her population was around 47 million and 73 million, respectively. Now her population is 127 million, and suggestions that she supplement her dwindling work force by massive immigration are considered the soul of wisdom. For example, from an article that appeared in the Georgetown Journal of International Affairs,
Japan must embrace immigration as a solution to its impending fiscal and demographic woes. A declining birthrate is a global trend, as is an ageing population. It will therefore be increasingly difficult for any country to meet all of its labor needs relying solely on the population that exists within its borders. In the case of Japan, more caregivers, nurses, and other providers catering to a graying society will be needed, especially if more women choose to go back to work full-time. The Japanese government will thus inevitably need to consider seriously the possibility of opening its doors to more immigration, rather than just to the highly skilled workers it currently courts. Although the Japanese have been at the forefront of developing robots designed to meet the mounting tsunami of elderly people's needs, there is a limit to what can be expected from technology, especially when the psychological as well as physical needs of an ageing society are considered.
This, of course, is one of the standard globalist rationalizations of the suicidal policy of promoting mass immigration. Heaven forefend that Japan ever sheds her "xenophobia" and concludes that she "must" accept this brilliant "solution" to her "time bomb" problem. It boggles the mind! How is it that all the environmental issues raised by mindlessly expanding the already massive population on the relatively small Japanese archipelago have suddenly evaporated? Is our planet really such a stable place that a country that once despaired about the impossibility of feeding 47 million will now never again have to worry about feeding three times as many or more? Is it safe for her to assume that climate change and/or political instability will never impair her ability to feed all those millions? If the assumption that nothing in the world will ever happen to threaten her food supply turns out to be wrong, Japan's problem of caring for its senior citizens could easily pale compared to the potential problem of mass starvation. Beyond that, it's hard to imagine anything more self-destructive than importing a massive population of people who will perceive the existing population of Japan as an outgroup, will be perceived by that population in turn as an outgroup, and will remain unassimilable indefinitely. Is it really necessary to demonstrate yet again the disastrous results of pretending there's no such thing as human nature?
I have an alternative suggestion. Let the "time bomb" continue to tick in reverse. It's unlikely it will remain stuck in that position indefinitely, any more than it remained stuck in fast forward. If the Japanese are really lucky, perhaps their population will decline to around 30 million, which was more or less what it was for hundreds of years before the Meiji Restoration. I suspect their islands will be much more pleasant places to live at that level than they would be with the 150 million and up that the helpful people at Georgetown suggest it would take to defuse the "time bomb." I doubt that Japan would "lose face" due to declining economic and political clout in the world as a result, even if it mattered whether she "lost face" or not. As a survivor of the "time bomb" it would be more likely that other countries would look on her as a role model. She needn't necessarily worry that such a small population would encourage aggression by her neighbors. Japan possesses many tons of plutonium, which can be put to other uses than the peaceful production of nuclear power if need be.
Anti-Natalism For Thee, But Not For MePosted on April 13th, 2016 1 comment
According to Wikipedia, anti-natalism is "a philosophical position that assigns a negative value to birth." In general, it includes the claim that having children is immoral. Commenter Simon Elliot asked that I take up the topic again, adding,
I remember you said that you didn't take it seriously because you thought it demonstrated a "morality inversion" of sorts, but I've since spoken to a fellow anti-natalist who has heard that argument many times and has found a way around it.
I'll gladly take up the topic again. As for the anti-natalist who's "found a way around it," all I can say is, more power to him. I don't peddle objective "oughts" on this blog, because no one has ever succeeded in capturing one and showing it to me. As far as I'm concerned, there are only subjective oughts, and I know of no mechanism whereby the ones that happen to reside inside my skull can manage to escape and acquire normative power over other human beings. My personal ought regarding natalism applies only to myself.
According to that ought, I should have as many children as possible. Since I also believe that I and my descendants would be much better off if the population of the planet were greatly reduced, I certainly don't want everyone else to share this particular ought. Ideally, I would prefer that only a small percentage of the current population share my opinion on the subject. The subset in question would consist of those individuals whose survival would contribute most to the survival of my own kin in particular, and to the indefinite survival of life as we know it in general.
Simon is right when he says that I consider anti-natalism an example of a "morality inversion." By that I mean that anti-natalists typically rely on moralistic arguments to render themselves biological dead ends, whereas morality exists because the genes that are its root cause were selected by virtue of the fact that they resulted in just the opposite. Why am I a natalist? You might say it's a matter of aesthetic taste. I perceive morality inversions as symptoms that a biological entity is sick and dysfunctional. I don't like to think of myself as sick and dysfunctional. Therefore I tend to avoid morality inversions.
My position on the matter also has to do with my perception of my consciousness. My consciousness is the "me" that I perceive, but it will survive but a short time. On the other hand, there is something about me that has survived 3 billion years, give or take, carried by an unbroken chain of physical entities, culminating in myself. That part of me, my genes, is potentially immortal. I consider them, and not my consciousness, the real "me." My consciousness is really just an ancillary feature of my current phenotype that exists because it happened to increase the odds that the real "me" would survive. I find the thought that my consciousness might "malfunction" and break the chain disturbing. I would prefer that the chain remain unbroken. Therefore, I am a natalist. However, I have no interest whatsoever in "converting" anti-natalists. Other than the exceptions noted above, the more of them the better as far as I'm concerned.
Good and evil have no objective existence. It is therefore impossible that I could have a "duty" to be either a natalist or an anti-natalist, independent of what is thought to be my duty in my own or anyone else's subjective mind. It does not occur to me that my personal opinion on the matter has some kind of a normative power on anyone else, nor am I willing to allow anyone else's opinion to have any normative power over me.
I realize perfectly well that anti-natalists like David Benatar seek to justify their opinions on what they perceive as objective moral standards. However, that perception is an illusion. In view of what moral emotions really are, and the reasons that they exist to begin with, I consider attempts to apply morality to decide this issue not only irrational, but potentially dangerous, at least in terms of the goals in life that are important to me. They are irrational and potentially dangerous for more or less the same reasons that it is irrational and potentially dangerous to blindly consult moral emotions in any situation significantly more complex than the routine interactions of individuals. Western societies are currently in the process of demonstrating the fact by engaging in suicidal behavior that is routinely fobbed off as an expression of moral righteousness. No doubt the verdict of history on the effects of this "righteousness" will be quite educational for whoever happens to occupy the planet a century from now. Unfortunately, the anti-natalists won't be around to witness what the resulting "human flourishing" will look like in the real world.
In a word, then, my position on the matter is, "anti-natalism for thee, but not for me." No doubt it is a position that is immoral according to the subjective standards prevailing in the academy and among the like-minded denizens of the ideological Left. However, I am confident I can bear the shame until the individuals in question manage to successfully remove themselves from the gene pool.
The Derb on Japan's "Demographic Catastrophe"Posted on February 16th, 2014 5 comments
John Derbyshire's reaction to the BBC documentary, "No Sex Please, We're Japanese," about Japan's "demographic catastrophe" is probably somewhat different from what the producers had in mind. In short, he considers it a feature, not a bug. In fact, he thinks "The 21st Century Might Belong to Japan" because they are biting the demographic bullet now.
The documentary follows reporter Anita Rani, a Briton of Indian descent, as she leads us through a series of nightmares in the demographic basket case that is modern Japan. There is Yubari, a coal-mining town in the north, that once teamed with children, but whose maternity ward has been converted to a dusty storeroom. There are a pair of late-30's geeks whose main love interests, schoolgirls aged 15 and 17, reside in the virtual world of a Nintendo box. There is a prison that is rapidly becoming a geriatric ward. And finally we cut to the chase. In a conversation with American-born economist Kathy Matsui, Rani observes sagely, ""Immigration. Surely that's the solution that's staring them in the face." Matsui agrees, noting the extreme indebtedness of Japan, its stagnant economy, the increasingly unbearable cost of caring for a rapidly aging population without a steady supply of young taxpayers to milk, etc., etc. However, she notes, "There is an order of steps that need to occur" for mass immigration to become acceptable in a traditional society like Japan. Right, just like the order of steps that take you to the top of a gallows.
According to Derbyshire, "Mass immigration at best postpones the day of reckoning for a few years," and by biting the bullet now, Japan may, "…speed off ahead of us into some new socio-economic order suited to low population levels and better age ratios, as we struggle with the transition they have already mastered." Regardless of how she masters her economic problems, Japan is fortunate indeed to have a "traditional" society that discourages immigration. As Jayman put it in a recent tweet, "we should be so lucky" as to have a similar problem. I can but hope that Japan never becomes so suicidal as to take the "order of steps" to mass immigration.
The peddlers of the "demographic catastrophe" scare stories would have us believe that there can be nothing worse than stagnant or declining economies. Actually, there is something worse; failure to survive. You don't have to go back too many years to come to a time when this was actually a serious concern for Japan. Just read some of the books and magazines about her published in the 30's when her population was half what it is today. However, with the agricultural technology available at the time, it appeared that there was no way she could continue to feed her population if it grew much beyond that. We now know how she attempted to solve the problem, and the results of that attempt. Now we are supposed to be shaking in our boots if her population returns to that level at the turn of the next century.
Apparently we are to believe that such unfortunate byproducts of continuous population growth are all behind us now. Search the Internet and you can find articles claiming that the planet can easily accommodate 10, 50, or even 100 billion people. As a wag on the nightly news once put it, "maybe so, but who wants to eat standing up?" What's amazing is that this stuff is being eagerly swallowed on both the right and the left. The Beeb, of course, is reliably leftist, like most of the rest of the western European media, and unlimited immigration is one of the boards that makes up the ideological box that the left lives in these days. It's as if the denizens of that box are a bunch of lemmings who can't wait to commit demographic suicide, or serve as promoters for the next wave of civil wars.
Consider, for example, the case of Switzerland, whose voters recently decided to apply some reasonable limits to immigration from the rest of the EU. The German papers and news websites, which I happen to follow, became positively hysterical. I haven't seen much to compare with it since the most recent eruption of anti-American hate in the late 90's and early 2000's. Among other things, the evil Swiss were supposed to be hicks from the back woods, consumed by greed. Their vibrant economy was built with the wealth accumulated by the Nazis and assorted other dictators, etc. It was a classic example of the response of an ingroup to perceived attack by an outgroup.
Oddly enough, the right is playing a similar tune. Anyone who thinks the planet might be better off with a smaller population must be "anti-Life." I have personally heard a retired Army 4-star general defend unlimited immigration, supposedly because it's necessary to support a strong economy and, with it, a powerful military. I'm of a different opinion. I'd rather not rock the boat.
Global warming may or may not be a reality. We may or may not run out of clean water. We may or may not be able to produce enough food to feed the planet's increasing population. We may or may not run out of affordable energy in the next few hundred years. It seems to me the pertinent question is, "Why take chances?"
Does that mean that the readers of this little blog should refrain from having as many children as possible? Of course not! Heaven forefend, gentle readers, that any of you should ever become defective biological units. However, Mother Nature, in her wisdom, enabled us to perceive the world in terms of ingroups and outgroups, with different rules and versions of morality applying to each. To paraphrase General Patton, the idea isn't to commit genetic suicide yourself. The idea is to get the other poor, dumb bastard to commit genetic suicide. The result will be a world with a manageable population where you will be able to pursue your own version of "human flourishing" in peace. As for Japan, I don't doubt that she is still producing men (and women) whose love interests don't reside in Nintendo boxes. In time, their children, and their children's children, will inherit the islands. When they do, the population demographics will likely take a turn for the better.
Of course, I'm supplying you with a "should" here, and as my readers know, I don't admit the existence of objective "shoulds." Take it with a grain of salt, if you like. It certainly won't bother me. I've made my reasons for preferring genetic survival to a life in which I make a "meaningful contribution" to the rest of mankind, and then croak, clear enough in earlier posts. My point is, if you happen to share this whim, this preference for survival with me, don't be concerned the next time you see some feminist harridan railing about the evils of having children. Why on earth would you ever attempt to persuade her she's wrong? The best response is to smile, get a room, and get busy.
UPDATE: More on the Derb's article over at Occam's Razor
More on "Where have all the Babies Gone?"Posted on February 25th, 2013 1 comment
Apropos the baby bust discussed in my last post, an interesting article on the subject by Joel Kotkin and Harry Siegel recently turned up at The Daily Beast via Newsweek entitled, "Where have all the Babies Gone?" According to the authors, "More and more Americans are childless by choice. But what makes sense for the individual may spell disaster for the country as a whole." Their forebodings of doom are based on a subset of the reasons cited in Jonathan Last's "What to Expect when No One's Expecting," and are the same as those that usually turn up in similar articles. The lack of babies, "….is likely to propel us into a spiral of soaring entitlement costs and diminished economic vigor, and create a culture marked by hyperindividualism and dependence on the state as the family unit erodes." As I pointed out in my earlier post on the subject, if all these things really will result absent a constantly increasing population, they are not avoidable outcomes, for the simple reason that, at some point, the population of the planet must stop growing. The only question is, how many people will be around to experience those outcomes when they happen, and what fraction of the planet's depleted resources will still be around at the time to deal with the situation. Many of the commenters on the article do an excellent job of pointing that out. For example, from Si 1979,
At some point the population has to stop growing, space on the earth is finite. As such there is going to come a generation that needs to 'take the hit' and the earlier that hit is taken the easier it will be. The larger the population gets the worse an ageing population each generation will experience. We can take the hit now or leave future generations a much worse problem to deal with.
To deal with the "problem," the authors propose some of the usual "solutions";
These include such things as reforming the tax code to encourage marriage and children; allowing continued single-family home construction on the urban periphery and renovation of more child-friendly and moderate-density urban neighborhoods; creating extended-leave policies that encourage fathers to take more time with family, as has been modestly successfully in Scandinavia; and other actions to make having children as economically viable, and pleasant, as possible. Men, in particular, will also have to embrace a greater role in sharing child-related chores with women who, increasingly, have careers and interests of their own.
As a father of children who has strongly encouraged his own children to have children as well, I am fully in favor of all such measures, as long as they remain ineffective.
The baby promoters have remarkably short historical memories. Are they unaware of the other side of this coin? One need go no further back than the 20th century. What spawned Hitler's grandiose dreams of "Lebensraum in the east" for Germany, at the expense of Russia? Hint: It wasn't a declining German population. Why did the Japanese come up with the "Greater East Asian Co-prosperity Sphere" idea and start invading their neighbors? It happened at a time when her population was expanding at a rapid pace, and was, by the way, only about half of what it is now. In spite of that, in the days before miracle strains of rice and other grains, it seemed impossible that she would be able to continue to feed her population. Have we really put such fears of famine behind us for all times? Such a claim must be based on the reckless assumption that the planet will never again suffer any serious disruptions in food production. These are hardly isolated examples. A book by Henry Cox entitled The Problem of Population, which appeared in 1923 and is still available on Amazon, cites numerous other examples.
Needless to say, I don't share the fears of the Kotkins and Siegels of the world. My fear is that we will take foolhardy risks with the health of our planet by spawning unsustainably large populations in the name of maintaining entitlements which mankind has somehow incomprehensibly managed to live without for tens of thousands of years. In truth, we live in wonderful times. I and those genetically close to me can procreate without limit on a planet where the population may soon begin to decline to within sustainable limits because increasing numbers of people have decided not to have children. It's a win-win. I'm happy with their choice, and presumably, they're happy with mine, assuming they want to have some remnant of a working population available to exploit (or at least try to) once they've retired. My only hope is that people like Kotkin and Siegel don't succeed in rocking the boat.
Jonathan Last and the Un-Problem of Shrinking PopulationsPosted on February 24th, 2013 3 comments
In his latest book, What to Expect When No One's Expecting, Jonathan Last warns us of the dire consequences of shrinking populations. He's got it backwards. It's the best thing that could happen to us.
Before proceeding with my own take on this issue, I would like to assure the reader that I am not a rabid environmentalist or a liberal of the sort who considers people with children morally suspect. I have children and have encouraged my own children to have as many children as possible themselves. It seems to me that the fact that those among us who are supposedly the most intelligent are also the most infertile is a convincing proof of the stupidity of our species.
Why did I decide to have children? In the end, it's a subjective whim, just like every other "purpose of life" one might imagine. However, as such I think it's justifiable enough. The explanation lies in the way in which I perceive my "self." As I see it, "we" are not our conscious minds, although that is what most of us perceive as "we." Our conscious minds are evanescent manifestations of the physical bodies whose development is guided by our genes. They pop into the world for a moment and are then annihilated in death. They exist for that brief moment for one reason only – because they happened to promote our genetic survival. Is it not more reasonable to speak of "we" as that about us which has existed for billions of years and is potentially immortal, namely, our genes, than to assign that term to an ancillary manifestation of those genes that exists for a vanishingly small instant of time by comparison? We have a choice. We can choose that this "we" continue to survive, or we can choose other goals, and allow this "we" to be snuffed out, so that the physical bodies that bear our "we" become the last link in an unbroken chain stretching back over billions of years. There is no objective reason why we should prefer one choice or the other. The choice is purely subjective. The rest of the universe cares not a bit whether our genes survive or not. I, however, care. If countless links in a chain have each created new links in turn and passed on the life they carried over the eons, only to come to a link possessed of qualities that cause it to fail to continue the chain, it seems reasonable to consider that link dysfunctional, or, in the most real sense imaginable, a failure. I personally would not find the realization comforting that I am a sick and dysfunctional biological unit, a failure at carrying out that one essential function that a process of natural selection has cultivated for an almost inconceivable length of time. Therefore, I have children. As far as I am concerned, they, and not wealth, or property, or fame, are the only reasonable metric of success in the life of any individual. The very desire for wealth, property or fame only exist because at some point in our evolutionary history they have promoted our survival and procreation. As ends in themselves, divorced from the reason they came into existence in the first place, they lead only to death.
Am I concerned if others don't agree with me? Far from it! And that brings us back to the main point of this post. I do not agree with Jonathan Last that a constantly increasing population, or even a stable one at current levels, is at all desirable. As far as I am concerned, it is a wonderful stroke of luck that in modern societies the conscious minds of so many other humans have become dysfunctional, resulting in their genetic death. I am interested in keeping other genes around only to the extent that they promote the survival of my own. That is also the only reason that I would prefer one level of population on the planet to one that is larger or smaller. That, of course, is a very personal reason, but it seems to me that it is a conclusion that must follow for anyone else to the extent that they prefer survival to the alternative.
Survival, then, is my sine qua non. Given that this planet is, for practical purposes, the only one we can depend on to support our survival, I consider it foolhardy to prefer a population that is potentially unsustainable, or that will diminish everyone's chances of long term survival. I am hardly a fanatical environmentalist. I would just prefer that we refrain from rocking the boat. I have read Bjorn Lomborg's The Skeptical Environmentalist, and am well aware of how frequently the environmentalists have been crying "wolf" lo now these many years. However, like Lomborg, I agree that there is still reason for concern. Pollution and environmental degradation are real problems, as is the rapid exploitation of limited sources of cheap energy and other raw materials. Obviously, Paul Ehrlich's dire predictions that we would run out of everything in short order were far off the mark. However, eventually, they will run out, and it seems reasonable to me to postpone the date as long as possible. Let us consider the reasons Jonathan Last believes all these risks are worth taking. In all honesty, assuming we are agreed that survival is a worthwhile goal, they seem trivial to me.
To begin, while paying lip service to the old chestnut that a correlation does not necessarily indicate causation, Last suggests exactly that. On page 7 of the hardcover version of his book he writes, "Declining populations have always followed or been followed by Very Bad Things. Disease. War. Economic stagnation or collapse." To see whether this suggestion holds water, let's look at one of Lasts own examples of "declining populations." On p. 36 he writes, "World population also declined steeply between 1340 and 1400, shrinking from 443 million to 374 million. This was not a period of environmental and social harmony; it was the reign of the Black Death. I leave it as an exercise for the reader to determine whether declining populations were the cause of the Black Death, or the Black Death was the cause of declining populations. To anyone who has read a little history, it is abundantly clear that, while disease, war, and economic collapse may cause depopulation, the instances where the reverse was clearly the case are few and far between. In a similar vein, referring to the Roman Empire, Last writes on p. 35, "Then, between A.D. 200 and 600, population shrank from 257 million to 208 million, because of falling fertility. We commonly refer to that period as the descent into the Dark Ages." Where is the evidence that the population fell because of "falling fertility"? Last cites none. On the other hand, there is abundant source material from the period to demonstrate that, as in the case of the Black Death, declining populations were a result, and not a cause. In Procopius' history of the Great Italian War in the 6th century, for example, he notes that Italy has become depopulated. The great historian was actually there, and witnessed the cause first hand. It was not "declining fertility," but starvation resulting from the destruction of food sources by marauding armies.
However, this allusion to "Very Bad Things" is really just a red herring. Reading a little further in Last's book, it doesn't take us long to discover the real burrs under his saddle. Most of them may be found by glancing through the 50 pages between chapters 5 and 7 of his book. They include, 1) The difficulty of caring for the elderly. 2) The decrease in inventiveness and entrepreneurship (because of an over proportion of elderly) 3) A decline in military strength, accompanied by an unwillingness to accept casualties, and 4) Lower economic growth. The idea that anyone could seriously suggest that any of these transient phenomena could justify playing risky games with the ability of our planet to sustain life for millennia into the future boggles the mind. The population of the planet cannot keep increasing indefinitely in any case. At some point, it must stabilize, and these consequences will follow regardless. The only question is, how many people will be affected.
Consider Japan, a country Last considers an almost hopeless demographic basket case. Its population was only 42 million as recently as 1900. At the time it won wars against both China and Russia, which had much greater populations of 415 million and 132 million, respectively at the time. Will it really be an unmitigated disaster if its population declines to that level again? It may well be that Japan's elderly will have to make do with less during the next century or two. I hereby make the bold prediction that, in spite of that, they will not all starve to death or be left without health care to die in the streets. Demographically, Japan is the most fortunate of nations, not the least favored. At least to date, she does not enjoy the "great advantage" of mass immigration by culturally alien populations, an "advantage" that is likely to wreak havoc in the United States and Europe.
As for military strength, I doubt that we will need to fear enslavement by some foreign power as long as we maintain a strong and reliable nuclear arsenal, and, with a smaller population, the need to project our power overseas, for example to protect sources of oil and other resources, will decline because our needs will be smaller. As for inventiveness, entrepreneurship, and economic growth, it would be better to promote them by restraining the cancerous growth of modern tax-devouring welfare states than by artificially stimulating population growth. Again, all of Last's "Very Bad Things" are also inevitable things. What he is proposing will not enable us to avoid them. It will merely postpone them for a relatively short time, as which point they will be even more difficult to manage because of depleted resources and a degraded environment than they are now. It seems a very meager excuse for risking the future of the planet.
In a word, I favor a double standard. Unrestricted population growth of my own family and those closely related to me genetically balanced by an overall decline in the population overall. There is nothing incongruous about this. It is the inherent nature of our species to apply one standard to our ingroup, and an entirely different one to outgroups. We all do the same, regardless of whether we are prepared to admit it or not. I leave you, dear reader, in the hope that you will not become confused by the distinction between the two.
Japan's Birthrate "Problem"Posted on January 30th, 2012 No comments
Japan's health and welfare ministry has released another lugubrious report on the nation's declining population. If current trends continue, it will decline by a third in the next 60 years, and 40 percent of the population will be over retirement age by 2060. Of course, many other industrialized countries face a similar problem, if you can call it that. I question whether it's really a problem.
Why, after all, would Japan want to maintain a population of over 100 million? The ultimate cause of all our environmental problems is, after all, excessive population and Japan certainly has her share. The overcrowding there is extreme, or certainly seems so to anyone who isn't used to such a high population density. Then there's the question of whether such a large population is really sustainable in the long run. Go to any graduate library and look up stories about Japan that were printed in the political journals between the wars, and you'll find that the problem of feeding her people seemed insurmountable at the time, when her population was only about half what it is now. The modern, high yield rice strains that have given Asia some breathing room had not yet been discovered, and, with her limited agricultural land already fully exploited, it seemed inevitable to many, especially in Japanese ruling circles, that she would gradually starve unless she could secure more territory overseas. The aggression this fear inspired and the disaster the country suffered as a result of it are familiar to anyone who has read a little history. Is it really impossible that a problem that seemed so insurmountable within living memory should recur? What if there is another collapse of world trade as occurred during the Great Depression, and Japan can no longer afford to import sufficient food or the fertilizer to maintain production at home? What advantage will a large population be then?
What problems will she face if her population declines as expected? A shrinking economy for a time? She suffered a far more severe "shrinking" of her economy during World War II, but somehow managed to not only survive that, but thrive in its aftermath. A reduction in benefits for her retired citizens? Will their lot be any better if the problem of overpopulation is simply allowed to fester until a major economic crisis comes along, as it eventually will?
Global warming, overfishing, polluted water supplies, and all the other environmental problems we face may appear more or less severe depending on ones ideological predilections. Regardless, the fact is that the ultimate cause of every one of them is overpopulation. Instead of panicking over declining birthrates, I suggest it might be better to consider them a boon. Instead of gambling that the fragile environment of our planet will continue to sustain an ever increasing population, would it not be better to step back for a while and give it time to recover from some of the damage we've already done to it? Given that this is the only planet we have to live on for the time being, does it make sense to take such absolutely unnecessary risks?
As for Japan, she is likely to benefit more than most countries from the "problem" of declining population. Given her history and culture, it is unlikely that her rulers will be driven to the irrational extreme of importing masses of alien workers to "solve" it. Unfortunately, this "solution" is already being tried in several other countries, and is likely to end in disasters far worse than the problem it was intended to cure.
Of course, I do not mean to imply that you, dear reader, should have fewer children. The fecundity of the readers of this blog is unlikely to contribute substantially to the global population problem one way or the other. If we get to that point I will let you know.


text:
The Exodus
<< Exodus 12 >>
31During the night Pharaoh summoned Moses and Aaron and said, "Up! Leave my people, you and the Israelites! Go, worship the Lord as you have requested. 32Take your flocks and herds, as you have said, and go. And also bless me."
33The Egyptians urged the people to hurry and leave the country. "For otherwise," they said, "we will all die!" 34So the people took their dough before the yeast was added, and carried it on their shoulders in kneading troughs wrapped in clothing. 35The Israelites did as Moses instructed and asked the Egyptians for articles of silver and gold and for clothing. 36The Lord had made the Egyptians favorably disposed toward the people, and they gave them what they asked for; so they plundered the Egyptians.
37The Israelites journeyed from Rameses to Succoth. There were about six hundred thousand men on foot, besides women and children. 38Many other people went up with them, as well as large droves of livestock, both flocks and herds. 39With the dough they had brought from Egypt, they baked cakes of unleavened bread. The dough was without yeast because they had been driven out of Egypt and did not have time to prepare food for themselves.
40Now the length of time the Israelite people lived in Egyptb was 430 years. 41At the end of the 430 years, to the very day, all the Lord's divisions left Egypt. 42Because the Lord kept vigil that night to bring them out of Egypt, on this night all the Israelites are to keep vigil to honor the Lord for the generations to come.


text:
Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
Meet your fellow owners in our Owners Clubs
2007 Jeep Wrangler
At least for now. Europe's diesel market is much stronger than the diesel market here.
Again, wait until the new diesel fuels are here in the US.
abelew Posts: 2I think for what the wrangler was built to do, the 4.0 I6 was, and is the best (gas) powerplant they could use. It has lots of low end torque, built like a tank, lasted forever. Guys who are buying wranglers for road trips, etc won't ever benefit from a wrangler, no matter what motor it's running. It's simply not the vehicle for that. It's ment as an off road machine. You need lots of low end torque for that...and a small v6 just isn't going to provide that. If you can, get the diesel if they take the I6 away (and you plan to do any thing offroad.0
The front bumper is covered in plastic . The hood and grill looks like that renegade liberty . Available 18" dubs ? 17"s on the rubicon ? Why ? Bucket seats in back? Is it wider cause we are fatter ? Trails are narrow around here. Its longer so it will high center easier. Power windows ? Whomever they marketed it for wasn't me .
With negs out of the way I do like the idea of bigger tires . 32s are not bad . I like the tow package offered on the X that includes a rear 44 w/ a locker . 6 speed . I am glad they still offer half doors and a soft top . I havent made up my mind if I like it or not .0
Have you compared the specs of the JK versus the current TJ? I'm not all that sure that it is that much wider when you go from the widest points (wheels). Yes the body may be wider, but notice how those 32's just fit in there just fine with little apparent sticking out. My 33's stick out a good bit with the stock wheels.
As for the bumper, fuhgedaboudit. That's what aftermarket is for.
Bucket seats in the back would probably HELP those sitting back there while wheeling, if you have passengers. My back seat has been out for a while now, so whether it is bench or bucket (I forget ) is irrelevant.
The 18" wheels for street driving would probably make for a fairly responsive drive versus the taller sidewalls of offroad tires. Be realistic, what percentage of Wranglers actually see trail time? I'm thinking it is not even close to 50% - probably closer to 15% and even that may be high. Those 18's will appeal to those who want to have a rugged vehicle but keep it on the street. I look at it like this:
That is a potential used vehicle for me that I know will not have been offroad and be a GREAT selection for me when the used ones come on the market. I'll keep the 18's for street use and get some good offroad tires/wheels.
Length is rather irrelevant. I've wheeled with Cherokees, GRAND Cherokees and Libertys. Wheel length was irrelevant. If you notice the JK's t-cas is tucked higher than the shovel we have now - unless you go with a tummy tuck. I've seen several Unlimiteds wheel just fine. I'll take an experienced driver in an Unlimited over a newb (like me) in a SWB Wrangler any day.
Thanks for the positive reply to my rather negitive post ! All of you points are right on and make good sence .
I think you are probably right about lenght . I know there are many benifits to a longer WB and the only drawback would be high centering but as you state the belly is tucked and the tires slightly taller and with a locker in back sounds like the pros are outweighing the cons on that one .
I may just be afraid of change to my all time favorite . Im will be keeping a open mind and looking forward to seeing and driving one this fall .
achandler Posts: 1Has anyone heard any rumors about the new 3.8L? I was wanting to see the torque curve. The new engine makes slightly more torque than the 4.0L but I was wondering where it made it. Hopefully this engine will get better mpg ratings than the 4.0L. Has anyone heard anything about that? I know that there are some people who like the L6 engine, I'm one of them. But I need the JK to be a daily driver too so mpg counts.
Dose anyone have an opinion about the new convertible top? I realize that if the cabin is longer then the top will be longer and with a bigger hard top it will be more difficult to find a place to store it when it's off. So considering that it makes sense to be able to brake it down into three pieces. I still haven't made up my mind if I like the new top. It seems to me that it might leak. Not right off the show room floor, but eventually. Hopefully if it appears to be a pain there will be aftermarket solid hard tops.
I don't think I like the plastic fenders. I'm more fond of the TJ fenders. However, if you beat up one of these on the trail then to replace it requires little or no prep work such as painting. Just bolt it on and your good to go. If you look closely at all of the new plastic on it you'll notice that it's all around the lower edges. This is where most of the off-road damage will occur, right? So therefor it seems like Jeep wants you to be able to just bolt on replacement part without having to paint them or prep them.
But those are just my opinions. All car comments/replies are welcome.
chrisducati Posts: 394I think the first thing I would do is paint the fenders. I have never been a fan of black plastic flairs.0
I agree with you 100%. Paint the fenders! If I wanted to have cheap after-market fenders on my jeep I would buy them myself!
I want a new Scrambler!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :shades:0
jimlw2 Posts: 122I'm still undecided on the new Wrangler. I am tempted to trade in my wife's Liberty and get a second 2005 or 2006 Wrangler before they are no longer available new. However, I must admit, I think my wife would be more comfortable in the new Wrangler thanks to items like the power door locks and windows as well as the potentially easier roof configuration of the new hard top. Personally, I wouldn't want power door locks or windows in a Wrangler but I can see why people would like those little "perks".
The thing I like the least is the plastic front grill. It's almost the same plastic front grill found on my wife's 2005 Liberty Renegade Rocky Mountain Edition. I guess the old-fashioned, heavy-metal of a Wrangler front grill seems more appropriate behind a serious winch and/or after-market bumper.
Just my 2-cents worth...
mtngal Posts: 1,911The plastic grille doesn't bother me at all, but maybe that's because I have several rust spots on the grille from rocks etc. and not having touch up paint around. For that reason it seems reasonably sensible.0
aljodoro Posts: 5I read the Rubicon has a unique 4wd or AWD system? There were no further explaination. Can anyone provide more details on the driveline systems available? Thanks, Al0
jcounts Posts: 2This should be a no-brainer. The CRD engine for the Wrangler is an export only option. It can't be due to emissions , because the 2.8 is certified here in the Liberty! what gives??? Man, if they offer it eventually, I'll buy one the day I find out about it!Anyone have any leads/educated guesses?0
and the new diesel requirements in the US. I think you'll see more diesels available after that as the new diesel is supposed to even meet California spec requirements. At that point, I would expect to see more of those DC diesels in vehicles other that MB.
Anyone heard anything about the first official showing of the new 4 door wrangler? :confuse:0
This should be a no-brainer
Except that DC is playing the typical german head up their butt game. I think they are scared stiff of the crd 2.8 here in the states. I still see a lot of issues over on the Libery CRD forum. A lot of people are still spending a ton of time at the dealer fixing their jeep CRD. It's really too bad. Getting this drive train right for the US is really a no-brainer.0
hg97tj_07jk Posts: 1Nothing yet on the 4-door other than April 12 is the start of the NY show where it's scheduled to be unveiled. I would keep an eye on www.jrations.com and http://www.jeepnewsnow.com/modules/news/ as they seemed to be the first to post info on the 2-door JK just before it was unveiled in Detroit in January.0
Check this link for promo pics of the 4 door.
Now show me diesel and I'm a buyer!!0
jacknimble Posts: 171looks pretty good with the half doors.0
nolid5 Posts: 148pic was a little large so i'll post the link 2004 Jeep Rescue Concept0
mrjjgittes Posts: 156I am concerned about the integrity of the 3 piece roof. Lots of potential for leaks, drafts, vibration etc. I actually wish jeep would have come out with a real hardtop option like the rescue for those not inclined to remove the roof. Oh well, wait and see...0
shellymeister2 Posts: 115Actually, I saw 2 vehicles, 1 red and 1 military-metallic green, both Rubicons. They were called Jeep Unlimiteds.
I was never a huge Wrangler fan (looks-wise), but these new 4 door versions are definitely winners. I was able to get up close to one of them (the green one) and ythis version had its roof completely removed so I could get a good look at the interior space as well as the roll bar layout.
There is just SO MUCH room iside these new Wranglers its just fantastic.
Absolutely no problem hauling 4 people with a ton of gear. Lots-o-legroom in second row and a huge "trunk" capacity.
Roll bar looks a little weak, but covers the entire open roof square footage.
Looks absolutely cool with roof completely removed and doors left in place.
Gotta be quieter on the road with this new configuration as well.0
million Posts: 1I am new to the site and have some questions:
On the new 2007 Ulimited, will there be the option of 2 or 4 doors?
Also, is it true that there will be power doors and locks? I heard that you will basically plug/unplug the electrical connection when installing/removing the doors.
Finally....when will the 2007 really be available?
Thanks for the help!0
Are there mileage ratings out for the Wrangler and Wrangler Unlimiteds yet?0
drewmeister Posts: 168Here's my understanding of the facts so far, as they relate to your questions.
No option on the Unlimited for 2 or 4 doors. The Unlimited will have 4, the regular Wrangler will have 2.
There will be power door locks and power windows. Since the doors are removeable, a plug connection similar to the hard top wiper connection already in place seems likely. So, future owners, put your windows down before unplugging!
The regular new Wrangler (JK) will be this summer, and the best date I've heard for the four door is 4th qtr of this year (sometime after August).
Jeep has updated the Unlimited 2007 sections on it's website. Many cool new pics. Hope that answers a couple of your ?'s...0
xthecat Posts: 30I'm really big on the "new" model. Any chance that the new 3.8 V6 will be better on milage, say mid to high 20's MPG??0
High 20's isn't really possible, but I hope close to mid 20's highway. Maybe 24MPG highway.0
funpilot Posts: 66I was told at the NY Auto Show that it would be 17-21...0
I have read that the 4 door comes first then the 2 door a month of so later.
So which comes first? The 4 or 2 door. It's an age old question. The chicken or the egg?0
This discussion has been closed.


text:
Focus Features has released a new teaser for the upcoming drama Phantom Thread, which reveals that sneak preview screenings for writer/director Paul Thomas Anderson's latest will be taking place in New York and Los Angeles from November 24th through November 30th. That's a pretty big deal because as of a few months ago, the movie wasn't even finished. But it sounds like Anderson has finally completed post-production and the film is ready to be unveiled, just in time for critics groups to chime in with their year-end awards.
Set in 1950s London, the film stars Daniel Day-Lewis as Reynolds Woodcock, a high-society dressmaker whose life is upended when he comes across a young, strong-willed woman. This will mark Day-Lewis' final onscreen performance, as the Oscar-winning actor announced earlier this year that he is retiring from the profession.
Phantom Thread continues to look absolutely gorgeous, and indeed the film will be released without an officially credited cinematographer. Anderson explained that his usual collaborators were busy on other projects, so he and his gaffer, camera operator, first assistant cameraman, and grip took on DP duties as a group, officially foregoing a full credit. Story-wise, Anderson has likened the project to Alfred Hitchcock's classic Rebecca, and indeed it's teasing a romance with dark undertones that I'm curious to see play out.
Check out the new Phantom Thread teaser below followed by the first batch of official images from the movie. The film also stars Lesley Manville and Vicky Krieps. Phantom Thread opens in theaters on December 25th.


text:
Graphics of the Week.
Revised and Better.
Explanation :There will be a new thread weekly and with different themes.
Each week, you guys have to make a graphic related to the theme. For eg : If the theme is "Fruit" Your graphic must have a fruit as the focal.
Though you have to meet the size requirements if they are specified.
Voting will after the deadline weekly. And a new theme will also be posted.
Do you have what it takes to participate?
GOTW Rules:
- You must not put your name on the graphic at all! This defeats the point of anonymous voting!
- The theme must be met
- Entries must be PMed to the competition creator ONLY. Entries to other mods will not be counted
Entry Requirements:
A PM before the deadline must be made to the competition creator ONLY, anything afterwards will not be entertained.
Though you can change the entry before the deadline.
Remember this :
The Title with: GOTW - which battle, and your name.
E.G - GOTW - 1. Riizq
A link to the graphic so I can upload it.
I look forward to getting this up and running again! With much more fun now.


text:
Warren Buffet's 'Disciple' Criticizes His View On Bitcoin
- Billionaire Warren Buffet is wrong about Bitcoin, Chamath Palihapitiya condemns.
- Knowledge about technology is not in Buffet's "circle of competence"
The Berkshire Hathaway chairman and CEO, Warren Buffet has been in limelight for his skeptical statement over Bitcoin for long. His aphorism and advice in the financial world are massively followed by many investors.
In such cases, his negative comments on bitcoin have been reiterated since 2014, when he pointed it as a 'mirage', it was trading at around $600. And, last October, he stated that bitcoin market is a bubble, adding, "You can't value bitcoin because it's not a value-producing asset." In January, he hit back again saying cryptocurrencies "will come to a bad ending", by then the price was around $14,000.
This doesn't end here. By the end of April, he argued that bitcoin is more of a gamble than an investment,
Last weekend, at the Berkshire Hathaway 2018 annual shareholder meeting, he criticized, saying it as "rat poison squared".
Buffet struck bitcoin in an interview on CNBC, saying world's largest cryptocurrency doesn't produce has any value of its own except more buyers looking to make money by selling to new buyers.
At Saturday's shareholder's meeting, Berkshire Hathaway's vice chairman Charlie Munger supported Buffet calling cryptocurrency trading "just dementia".
"Oracle of Omaha" Buffet is being the chairman and CEO of Berkshire Hathaway is the world's third-wealthiest person, according to the Forbes. In the 1960s, he took over Berkshire Hathaway, a struggling textile and converted it into a successful investment. According to his letter to shareholders, his firm's share price has increased over 2.4m since his takeover.
This kind of shows that he believed in the strategy of taking over firms with business models that are easy to understand with strong fundamentals.
That's why tech venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya, who claims himself to be 'Disciple' of Warren Buffet said knowledge about technology is not in his leader's "circle of competence".
Palihapatiya, former Facebook and AOL executive, told CNBC that "Not everybody is right all the time"
He sees bitcoin as a replacement to gold. Adding to this, he expressed his feeling to be "in two different universes. I need a passport to go between the bitcoin world and the regular world."
He didn't miss to point out that people like him who owned cryptocurrency since 2012, trusted it as hedge to "traditional financial infrastructure."
He reminded of happenings of the financial crisis, Palihapatiya said. "Everything broke down" and "things that we thought were hedges went away."


text:
...in the Library
All the action is in the library. That's my experience as a student and author. Whoever invited the library was a genius.
For the Festival, we had a meeting this week to plot out strategies: opening night, decorations, flowers, locations, flow, food. This team of Festival staff members is extraordinary. At the Italian Academy biblioteca, where some of the events will take place, we sat down together (from left to right): Jenna Holt, Marilee Moe, Alyssa Chard, Sharon Harris, Emily Doxford, Braden Burgon, and Allyson Chard.


text:
zstonish Predicts Argus Leader Headlines
Zac Tenneboe (@zstonish) predicted the Argus Leader Headlines on Friday the 13th of October, 2017.
On September 13th, 2017 I went on KSFY-TV in Sioux Falls, SD and sealed a prediction inside an envelope. Both morning show anchors, Shawn and Kamie, then signed the envelope and it was put inside a box that we locked. I kept the keys while they kept the box and then exactly one month later we opened the envelope on Friday the 13th of October, 2017.
Inside the sealed envelope was my prediction for the Argus Leader headlines for Friday the 13th. My brand new show, "Superstitions - A Psychological Spectacle" debuted at the Sioux Falls Orpheum Theater on that particular date. Shawn and Kamie were invited to the performance and asked to come on stage. We opened up the envelope and I accurately predicted the headlines!
The Argus Leader had a wonderful article about myself, the "Superstitions" show and the headline prediction. Here is an excerpt:
"Local magician Zac Tenneboe claims he can predict the Argus Leader's headlines for Friday. During the performance, Tenneboe will invite them on stage to open the envelope. He will be holding a copy of the Argus Leader for Oct. 13, hoping his prediction matches the newspaper's headlines."
You can read the full article and watch an awesome video on Argus Leader's website.


text:
These are just little notes and blurbs strung together. Bare with it. And i'm talking about the extreme black supremacist folks. I'll probably (not) elaborate on my position further, later. But whatever, anyways:
In my opinion, the PBC is an ego trap. The "leaders" validate themselves by degrading other people of all races, nationalities, ethnicities, alternative lifestyles and so on. They are capitalist in their own right, attempting to capitalize off of the ancient past and ignorant future. Human societies must evolve in order to survive. Evolving DOES NOT mean assimilating. Nobody, and certainly not black people, OWN the planet. But let them tell it …
I feel like their target audience is people in search of an identity, or new paradigm. Like those leaving the church. Those folks are influenced to replace the religious paradigm with an Afrocentric one, which isn't necessarily beneficial or relevant to them, personally. The "good life" is subjective .. there's no uniform right way to live.
We are Africans in America; ok fine. But then let's grapple with the scientific evidence that ALL HUMAN FORMS originated in Africa. Lose the "black" thing. Be a universal human seeking justice for all. And mean it.
I'd bet a number of these so called black leaders come straight from the gutter and or broken homes. No disrespect, but it's evident that shame and guilt has shaped them into angry people who want to "do onto others what has been done to them." They are cult leaders wanting you to subscribe to THEIR notion of reality and progress.
And then they have the nerve and audacity to bash the LGBTQ community.
Who holds the authority on disgust? On human sexuality? Sexual orientation and preferences. Huh? Prototypes are subjective. Fuck your opinion of what a "black man" or "black woman" is "supposed" to look like, walk like, talk like, dress like, have sex with. SAYS WHO?!
It's bullshit. They are hustling. Hustling hate, hustling anger, hustling negativity. They aren't healing anybody but themselves and their pockets. What each and everyone of us individuals do, make up the human race. Besides committing genocide and harming others, what's right and what's wrong?
If you listen close enough, you'll hear them contradict themselves severely when it comes to male-female relationships (particularly the male leaders). Just be mindful of their got damn books, "services" and pipe dreams up for sale. Just check it all out after reading this.
If they aren't organizing a Pan-African Body Politic inclusive of ALL Black/African/Indigenous peoples, exactly what are they doing?
I was obviously mad as hell when I was writing these notes down, because the rest don't even make sense.. lol. I call that experiencing an extreme emotion .. I'm learning to control those! I read this book recently and it speaks volumes to my position.
This video .. Just let me know if he makes sense to you, from beginning through end. Mind you, I found this particular "leader" and video after my initial posting of this perspective.
Thanks for reading!


text:
Let's say that you're working on a company project that's of huge significance. Obviously, your manager would want to keep track of your progress to make sure that there are no problems and that everything is going according to sample plan. So, how are you going to go about this?
Well, the best way for you to inform your manager is by creating a status report worksheet. With this, you'll have everything listed down in regards to what you have to do as well cross out what you have already done. This article is going to focus on how you're going to create such a document.
Although this may seem like a chore to make, creating one is actually a great way for you to communicate with management. No matter what kind of company project you're working on, management will definitely appreciate that you've listed down everything that you need to do in detail as well as knowing the fact that you're actually able to work on the project. Just be sure that you're detailed while writing down what you need to do. You may also see printable worksheets.
So, to ensure that you're able to keep management on track with your project progression here's what your status report worksheet should contain:
No matter what kind of project you're working on, your managers are going to want to know how it's coming along in terms of budget and timeline. Start outlining your report by gathering information about how the project is doing financially. Then you're going to jot down on the worksheet as to whether or not the project's progress is on track in terms of sample schedule.
This is only assuming that your project has any problems, but let's be realistic and say that there are. Let's say that you realize that there are issues with the project costs and the schedule. The one thing that you should never do is to hide these problems from your manager because eventually, they will find out. So instead, point out these issues as well as what's working well with the project. You may also see financial worksheet templates.
If there will be problems in the project that management won't particularly be happy about, then you need to find solutions to fix them. So the moment that you are able to spot any project issues, then you will have to provide your solutions on how they should be fixed. Outline how your solutions are relevant to both time and cost. Just make sure that once you get the green light to do whatever solution that you have come up with, you execute them as soon as possible. You may also see project worksheet templates.
You can't have a well-made status report if you don't have a header. Be sure that you write this down on your worksheet as you want one that contains a brief summary title and the date. Since the header is supposed to be short, this doesn't have to be on a separate title page. If you're going to send this via business email, just give a clear subject line so that your manager will immediately know its content before he/she even opens it.
Managers want to see the most important information as soon as possible. So, creating an executive summary will help give them everything that they need to know in regards to a brief outline of how well the project is progressing.
List all of the major accomplishments of the project so far, focusing mostly on the milestones as well as the important data that you have been able to gather. When providing these details, try to point out the results of what you have been able to do and not just what you're trying to do. Emphasize all the good that you have done on the project, but be sure to point out the problems in a detailed manner if they're the ones that you cannot just ignore. You may also like free worksheet templates.
This is where you can tailor the report to your manager's style. By knowing your manager's style, you can make sure that you have a status report that's to his/her liking and one that he/she is able to completely obtain all of the information needed as quickly as possible. If you're not exactly sure as to what style suits your manager, then focus on drafting a brief, direct summary using a style you know well.
As stated many times before, you want to have a printable status report wherein it will be easy for your manager to go through and get everything that he/she needs to keep track of the project. If your status report contains nothing but paragraph after paragraph, then it'll take too long and your manager doesn't want to waste his/her time reading it when he/she should be doing other important things. So by having information placed in bullet points, it will allow the manager to scan for information quicker. Just make sure that you have the right balance and not overuse them.
There are some managers who might enjoy a couple of visual elements as it could help them explain how a project is doing. For example, if there's a section of a project that isn't doing so well, then you can place a red mark to indicate that there are problems. If you're behind, then you can place a yellow mark, and a green mark if it's doing okay. Be sure that you point out what these visual elements mean so that your manager won't be confused. You may also see sample worksheet templates.
Even if your status report is short and simple, you still want to make sure that there are no errors as all they can is provide you with a bad image. Make sure that you go through your status report to spot any errors that you may have missed out. Also, don't just rely on electronic spelling and grammar checkers to help find these problems for you. You should look everywhere for things that can be taken out (such as irrelevant information or pointless use of adverbs) to keep the report lean and direct. If you think that you may have missed out on a couple of problems, then you can always have another person involved in the project to help spot them for you. Just make sure that this person is someone you can trust and is someone who has the authority to view whatever information you have on your status report.
When you're done with everything, make sure that you're able to create simple status reports at least once a month all the way until the project is completed. Or if you think that doing it weekly or bi-weekly is the way to go, then it's best that you do so. Reporting at least once a month is usually a good idea, to keep your manager informed. Be in touch with them if you aren't sure about when status reports should be submitted. However, if your manager tells you that he/she only wants you to give a status report when he/she asks for it, then you be sure that you follow instructions.
If you would like to learn more about how to create a sample status report or anything related to this particular topic, then all you have to do is go through our site, find the articles that contain the information that you need, and use whatever you have been able to gather to help you and your business out.


text:
Musical Musings
"In order to write something, you first have to feel it" - Joe Strummer
Favourite songs
Favourite Albums
What I listen to...
My Record Collection
About me
Thursday, 15 November 2012
Memory of The Future 7" Announced!
Promo release artwork.
So in an exciting news development last night, the 7" single mix of Memory For The Future was unveiled. Interestingly, they have decided to use the already confirmed mix of the track that was made by Stuart Price as the single edit! I absolutely love Stuart Price as a producer, he has worked with a wide range of artists from Madonna to The Killers. I think the album he produced with Madonna,
Confessions on A Dancefloor
was her last truly great studio album. He also mixed the live CD for Pet Shop Boys very own
CD/DVD set too. Honestly, if I were able to choose the producer for their next album Stuart Price would almost certainly be my choice. With that in mind I had high hopes for the 7" mix and I don't think it has disappointed me! Its much more bouncy and fluid than the album version I think, but it makes sense. To be honest, I'm not sure if the Elysium version - as good as it is - was all that commercially viable. With the 7" version its more poppy and no doubt it was remixed in an attempt to actually crack the Top 40 with their third single. Having said that, in no way does it sound too commercial, the new mix keeps all the integrity and merit of the original but its just been given a poppier lease of life.I can see myself playing both mixes regularly in the long run if I'm honest. It definitely sounds like it could do well in the charts too, but whether or not it does is another case entirely. I think they need to come up with a really good video for it if they want to make it into a hit because I haven't been impressed with Winner or Leaving's official music videos really. It has also been announced that it will be released on 31st December, with details on release formats, bonus tracks and remixes to be on the site soon. In any case, this is a great mix of one of the best songs on
, here's hoping the B-sides will be just as good!
Posted by
Email This
Share to Twitter
Share to Facebook
Share to Pinterest
Pet Shop Boys
No comments:
Post a Comment
Newer Post
Older Post
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)


text:
Assessment Policy
Fact box
- Policy owner: Chair, Learning and Teaching Committee
- Policy category: Academic: Learning and Teaching
- Policy status: Approved
- Approval body: Academic Board
- Endorsement body: Learning & Teaching Committee
- Related policies:
- Last amended: 13th Aug. 2019
This policy outlines Alphacrucis College (AC) subject or unit assessment principles and processes.
All coursework subjects. HE and VET
Principles of Assessment
Assessment is a vital part of the learning process, influencing student formation and development. AC principles of assessment include:
- clear explanation of assessment requirements on subject or unit outlines, including minimum requirements;
- valid, sufficient, reliable, equitable and flexible measurement of learning outcomes attainment;
- definition and protection of academic standards;
- adherence to the AC Assessment Workload Calculator;
- conformity to the AC Code of Conduct;
- development of AC graduate attributes;
- variation of assessment tasks to allow students to cater for various learning needs;
- usually a minimum of two and a maximum of four assessment tasks;
- mapping of assessment due dates across the semester;
- provision of timely, informative and constructive feedback and grading of assessment usually within a maximum of three weeks and before the next assessment is due;
- transparent grading processes;
- group work should be worth no more than 30% of the total assessment in a subject, unless specific learning outcomes for the subject require team work. If learning outcomes require group assessment, then no more than 50% is permissible;
- consideration should be given to the proportion of assessment conducted under controlled conditions (e.g. exam) to safeguard integrity of assessment;
- attention should be given to minimising the possibility of academic integrity or misconduct as described in the Academic Integrity and Misconduct Policy;
- HE students are not typically required to pass each individual assessment task in order to pass a subject unless specified in the subject outline. VET students need to achieve at least satisfactory in all assessment tasks to be competent in each unit;
- HE students who fail to achieve 50% overall in a subject, receiving a permanent 'Fail' on their transcript and then wish to pass the subject, must re-enrol and resubmit all forms of assessment required by the lecturer. If approved by the relevant lecturer, and if the 'Fail' grade was not the result of poor attendance, the student will not be required to attend classes. A student will not be permitted to repeat a subject more than once.
Submission of Assessment Tasks
It is a student's responsibility to ensure that they submit assessments correctly. Subject and unit outlines shall contain the instructions on how, where, and when assessment tasks are to be submitted. With every assessment task submitted, students are required to declare that their work is their own.
Students in all VET units are allowed two attempts at each assessment task. The first attempt must be submitted by the assessment due date. The second attempt must be submitted within two weeks from the date on which the student received feedback on their first attempt. An incorrect assessment submission or non-submission will be counted as the first attempt. Assessment items not submitted with in the due dates will receive a Not Yet Satisfactory.
Extension of Assessment Task Due Date
Extension of the assessment deadline will only be granted on the following grounds where supporting documentation is provided (for example, doctor's certificate, death certificate, or letter from psychologist):
- medical illness;
- extreme hardship;
- compassionate grounds;
- faculty supervised project amendment.
Unavoidable disruption
Where a student is prevented by unavoidable disruption from both submitting an assessment and applying for an extension, the student shall report the circumstances in writing (supported by a medical certificate or other relevant evidence) by no later than seven days after the assessment deadline to the lecturer. Unavoidable disruption to studies is defined as resulting from an event or set of circumstances which:
- could not have reasonably been anticipated, avoided or guarded against by the student; and
- was beyond the student's control.
Late Assessments
HE Students
Students are expected to submit work by the due date and students who do not do this without an extension or unavoidable disruption are liable to receive a zero mark for that assessment. Variations of this policy may be appropriate for particular subjects or units, and where so this will be detailed in the subject outline.
VET Students
Students who fail to apply for an extension are not permitted to submit assessments late. They will receive a Not Yet Satisfactory for that assessment item.
Review and/or Remarking of Assessments
Students have the right to request an explanation of grades allocated for work completed during the semester.
Initially, students should discuss any concerns with their lecturer/facilitator/tutor who will look at the situation and liaise with the marker if required. If the student is still dissatisfied and feels there are grounds for requesting that an assessment task be re-marked, they should initially informally discuss the matter with the Subject Coordinator. If the matter is not resolved at this time, the student should write to the Program Director requesting a re-mark within ten days.
The re-marked result will be the officially recorded result for that assessment item, thus, the appeal may result in a lower mark or grade being awarded for the assessment task.
Notwithstanding the above, the student has no automatic right to a remark. The Program Director may determine that the student has no grounds to a review.
Any further appeals of an assessment grade should be directed to the AC complaints and grievance processes.
In the case that a student needs to complete an exam remotely (i.e. not at an AC location), the student must arrange for a suitable location and invigilator to oversee the exam sitting. This requirement will apply to online students for any exam.
Remote exam conditions should reflect on-campus exam conditions as far as is possible.
Students must arrange for their invigilator or exam supervisor to complete the AC Exam Supervision Form and submit this form on Moodle prior to sitting the exam. The form is available on the AC website.
Responsible for implementation
Learning and Teaching Committee
Key stakeholders
Faculty and students
Related documents
Student Affairs Committee Application Form
To Request an Extension
- HE and VET students are to submit the online "Request for Extension Form".
The request must be completed no less than 48 hours before the assignment is due with supporting documentation.
Lecturers/Trainers/Facilitators are permitted to grant two week extensions past the due date on these grounds. Program Directors are permitted to grant extensions up to one month from the due date. If they have any concerns, they can ask for SAC (Student Affairs Committee) to review the request on their behalf.
Any extension request beyond four weeks due to a student's circumstances are to be reviewed by SAC. An extended extension request will be formally made to SAC by the student (via the Student Affairs Committee Application online form). SAC will review the extension request and provide a response (usually one month to maximum of one semester). If approved, SAC will notify the student and relevant Lecturer/Program Director/Trainer/Facilitator of the arrangement. The student will receive an 'In Progress' grade in the meantime and incur no financial penalty in this case, due to the extreme nature of his/her situation. Further, once any/all forms of assessment have been submitted, the 'In Progress' grade will be replaced by the new grade.
A request for extension does not guarantee approval. The decision is at the discretion of the lecturer/trainer/facilitator, Program Director, or SAC. Normal appeals processes can be accessed.
Variation of Assessment
Students are encouraged to inform AC of any disability, medical condition or learning need that may impact on their studies prior to census date, in case it is not possible to arrange a variation of assessment, and a change of enrolment is advised.
To request a variation of assessment due to disability, medical condition or learning needs:
- A meeting is to be arranged by the student with their Program Director and a student services representative to discuss alternative assessment arrangements. Students should bring to the meeting appropriate documentation (medical, social worker, and/or psychologist letter), to support an alternative assessment recommendation. Discussion is to centre on the students' needs, propose reasonable and equivalent assessments, as well as maintain the academic reliability and fairness of the course. Advice and support on alternative assessments can be requested from a representative of Learning and Teaching, such as the Chair of the Learning and Teaching Committee, as necessary.
- If an alternative assessment method is proposed, a study plan is to be tabled at the Student Affairs Committee by the Program Director with supporting documentation for approval. If approved, this is to be communicated to all relevant stakeholders. If denied, the student can follow AC's Complaint and Grievance Procedures.


text:
Business is complex enough without having to worry about lost or stolen assets, or whether you're going to have excess inventory left over – and that's why inventory asset software is a game-changer for any organization.
When it comes to your assets, you need a means to track and manage their entire lifecycle, from initial acquisition to periodic maintenance to their movement throughout your organization and, ultimately, their replacement. As for inventory, you need a simple solution for monitoring quantities, the distribution of that inventory, and number of units sold, as well as a reliable method of determining when it's time to replenish your stock or make adjustments based on seasonal variables.
It's not difficult to understand the havoc that mismanagement of your assets and inventory can cause. Lost assets are expensive. First, the cost: If you don't have a way to track their exact whereabouts, the opportunities for waste are significant. Some companies continue to pay insurance on "ghost assets" that aren't even in their inventory anymore, but haven't been reported lost or stolen. Overlook maintenance, and those minor repairs are likely going to mushroom into more costly fixes. You may even have to replace the asset long before you should have to. Maximizing the lifespan of your fixed assets is in your best financial interests. On the inventory side, without a way to make informed decisions about stock, you're likely going to face either an overstock or understock situation. When inventory languishes on your shelves, it ultimately can become outdated and useless, shaving money from your bottom-line profits. Understocking, on the other hand, leads to lost customers, which could lead to some bad online reviews … and more lost customers.
The right inventory asset software will deliver multiple benefits to your company, far beyond cost savings and better customer service. You'll gain better insight into the inner workings of your organization as you're able to track and manage the condition, location, volume, values and other critical aspects of your inventory and assets. With accurate data, you then have peace of mind that you're making decisions based on facts, not guesswork.
Asset Panda's powerful, yet simple to use inventory asset software combines all of these functions in one mobile app. Available in iOS or Android, this free app syncs with the cloud and includes a mobile barcode scanner. There's no need for additional hardware – all you need to track and manage the entire lifecycle of your inventory and assets is the smartphone or tablet you already carry. Keeping in mind that your inventory and asset tracking efforts are only as successful as your ability to get everyone on board, Asset Panda entitles you to an unlimited number of users at no additional charge. So you can bring everyone involved in the inventory and asset conversation into the communication loop, increasing accountability and accuracy throughout your entire organization.
Every Asset Panda client receives full access to our complete and customizable features offering. You won't need any training to quickly get up to speed; the app is incredibly user-friendly and intuitive.
With Asset Panda, you can create custom reports, notifications, and alerts, along with work orders; access an asset's complete maintenance history; set up automatic triggers for inventory replenishment; quickly pull depreciation and inflation figures for your accounting and compliance teams; view warranty, insurance, and lease/purchase information; and track an item's exact location and condition, among many other pieces of data. With this streamlined, yet powerful app, you'll save money, time and frustration while you increase your overall efficiency and maximize your investments.
Here's a look at how Asset Panda helps you create customized forms to meet your specific needs.
Give Asset Panda a try – free – for 14 days. To learn more or to get started, visit assetpanda.com


text:
Business Tax Services
Mark W. Boslett, Inc. prepares corporate, partnership, trust, and estate tax returns:
If you are the small business owner who prefers doing his books in-house & then trusting a professional to review records and prepare taxes during tax season, then we're the firm for you. Though we offer year-round accounting services, we gladly welcome tax-only clients.
Whether you are filing for a new business or operating an existing business call today to schedule a consultation to see how our tax preparation services can benefit your small business.