text:
I met Justine Rowden, author of Paint Me a Poem: Poems Inspired by Masterpieces of Art (Boyds Mills, 2005) at KidlitCon '09 (we had exchanged email before then, and she had kindly sent me a review copy of her book). In Paint Me a Poem, Justine pairs each of thirteen paintings from the National Gallery of Art's collection with an original poem that offers just one new and unexpected way to look at it.
My favorite of Rowden's poems was inspired by Andre Derain's Flowers in a Vase, a still life I probably wouldn't have stopped to look at if I passed it in the Gallery. Justine imagines two of the flowers (pink roses, also shown in a detail image) jostling one another for space in the vase.
The quality of the reproductions in Paint Me a Poem is excellent. Unfortunately, as Justine informed me, the cover image of Cat and Kittens by an anonymous 19th century American artists was reversed! The interior image is correct, and the book is being reprinted. [Breaking news! Laura at Author Amok reports that Paint Me a Poem has just been reprinted.]
What one detail of Cat and Kittens captures your imagination? Poems welcomed but not required!
[Poetry Friday is at GottaBook today. Thanks, Greg!]


text:
Many thanks to Emily for sending along the link to this funny YouTube clip of kittens getting some exercise at the Irvine Animal Care Center.
The best part: When the kittens realize, "Hey, this is REALLY cool." You'll see their ears go back, the tails stand tall, and suddenly the curious audience grows.
You can find the Irvine shelter online at www.irvineshelter.org. Stop by and visit the animals this weekend. They have some cool tricks to show you!
The shelter seeks volunteers to help foster homeless kittens. For more information, visit them online or head to Irvine:
Map: Irvine Animal Care Center
6443 Oak Canyon
Irvine, CA 92618
Telephone: 949-724-7740
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
Fax: 949-724-7749
Hours of operation:
Weekdays 12 p.m. – 7 p.m.
Weekends 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Closed Tuesdays & Holidays
Recent animal news:
[rssfeedme cat="ocpets" feedpath="/category/pets/animals/feed/" max="10″]

subset: commoncrawl


text:
mp3: "From Here" - Lomelda
There's so much that can't be said when you're forced to navigate any form of relationship that's defined by distance. Struggling to fit all that you feel, think and want to say into the text confines of an iPhone is no easy task, and "From Here" more than perfectly captures the feelings that accompany trying keeping the totality of your heart contained within a character limit. It's the latest single from Lomelda's upcoming Double Double Whammy release Thx out 9/8, and on it, vocalist Hannah Read steps fully into the spotlight. Against a delicate and gripping back of instrumentals, Read's vocals calmly guide you through wishes for someone to be here, and the realization that there's just always so much left to say. It's a deeply personal and beautiful track that one should just close their eyes and experience.


text:
In the spring, a beekeepers thoughts turn to imagining the type of year the upcoming beekeeping season will bring. As eternal optimist, beekeepers expect a great season with plenty of sweet victories to be had.
But, yet, as in much of life, the start of a new venture is the hardest. The same goes for honey bees starting their new home. Whether in a tree or in a beekeepers box, they have to build a lot of honeycomb from scratch. The energy to build the comb comes from flowers. When there are not flowers in bloom, bees who have keepers, are usually given sugar syrup.
The ratio for the mixture of sugar to water varies, but there are rules of thumb for beekeepers to follow. 1 part sugar to 1 part water is what beekeepers will give their brand new bees in the spring. It attempts to mimic thin nectar as best as possible.
The question always comes up, "Do I Make sugar and water by weight or by volume?".
The answer is often, "It doesn't matter".
The answer is , "It doesn't matter", not because they are the same thing thing. But it doesn't matter because it has the same result. Bees turn the energy in sugar syrup into honeycomb either way.
To help you figure out how to make sugar syrup, and to understand what it costs you and how it effects your bees, I made this guide for you.
If you are mixing together more than a gallon of syrup together at a time, a paint mixer like this makes mixing it together quick and easy.
Happy Beekeeping


text:
Contact us
General enquiries
Postal Address:
C/O Our Community House
552 Victoria Street
North Melbourne 3051
Phone: 0436 476 612
Website: www.vicsrc.org.au
facebook.com/VicSRC | @VicSRC | @VicSRC_gram | Youtube Channel
Check out our Privacy Policy here.
Media enquiries
Our VicSRC Student Executive and Executive Officer are available to comment on issues that relate to students, schools, and education in Victoria.
Nina Laitala is the Executive Officer of the VicSRC. Nina has worked with a diverse range of people and is passionate about ensuring young people have the opportunity to be active in decision making that affects their lives. As an educator and advocate, she works alongside young people to promote the role of student voice in all levels of decision making.
Mobile: 0411 679 050
Events enquiries
Phone: 0436 476 612
Teach the Teacher enquiries
Website: www.teachtheteacher.org.au
Register interest online: click here
Phone: 0487 503 515
eNews Subscribe
Subscribe to our
eNewsletter by adding
your details here:


text: Tired of your old and outdated flooring? I've got a fast and easy solution for you: it's called paint! Seriously! Throughout my years as a DIYer I've learned that a fresh coat of paint (and a heavy-duty sealant) can fix just about anything. Whether you decide to go with a bright and bold shade or


text:
The weather outside is far from frightful, which means winter in Greater Palm Springs is oh-so-delightful. Here, we stuff our stockings with sunshine, wrap our palm trees with twinkling lights and swap hot chocolate by the fireplace for chilled cocktails by a glistening pool. The season is filled with fun ways to celebrate the holidays under the sun, so get ready to find festive new holiday traditions in Greater Palm Springs.
Follow the Gingerbread Trail
Nothing captures the sweet scents and imagination of the holidays better than gingerbread creations—from Dr. Seuss whimsy to walk-through wonderlands. At the JW Marriott Desert Springs Resort, the over-the-top holiday experience includes the resort's first-ever life-size gingerbread house made with 6,000 gumballs, 800 pounds of gingerbread dough, 300 pounds of icing, candy cane columns, a rooftop topped with endless lollipops, and gigantic gingerbread people. Pastry Chef Dominique Valenzuela partnered with La Quinta High School's Culinary Institute to create this incredible edible creation.
At Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort and Spa, Chef Neri Tiburcio brought 25 years of gingerbread crafting experience to the resort's masterpiece. This year, he has recreated the beloved Dr. Seuss story, "How the Grinch Stole Christmas." The chef incorporated 48 pounds of frosting, 150 pounds of gingerbread dough and 10 pounds of chocolate and syrup into Whoville. The work of art took more than 140 hours to complete and will be on display in the resort lobby until Christmas.
Plenty of holiday spirit is also on display at Ritz-Carlton Rancho Mirage, where the resort's engineering and culinary teams created a new gingerbread classic. The California State Fare theme is a whimsical take on this holiday staple.
Go Wild at WildLights at The Living Desert
Even the wildlife gets into the holiday spirit in Greater Palm Springs. Every winter, The Living Desert transforms into a festive winter display complete with seasonally themed animal encounters, hot chocolate, carousel rides, Santa appearances and, of course, lights! In fact, more than a million lights illuminate the park during WildLights. Wander through twinkling tunnels and under illuminated palm trees as you discover the wild side of the season on select nights through Dec. 24.
Skate Under the Sun at The Rink at The River
Discover the spirit of the season as you glide across the ice at The Rink at The River this winter. This outdoor ice skating rink in Rancho Mirage brings a holiday favorite to the oasis, where families can rent ice skates and enjoy the magic of the rink. Seasonally themed entertainment make this a holiday must this season.
See the Lights Around Greater Palm Springs
The oasis lights up all winter long with the twinkling lights of the holiday season. Throughout the season, you'll also find beautiful, illuminated sights to see around La Quinta Resort & Club, El Paseo in Palm Desert and, of course, Candy Cane Lane on Minerva Road in Cathedral City.
Discover Charming Boutique Hotels During the Walk of the Inns
The hidden charms of Palm Springs' boutique hotels are on full display during this annual event. Dozens of intimate properties open their doors to the public, revealing midcentury-inspired décor, stunning architecture and the spectacular history behind these iconic hotels. Owners and hosts greet you at every property along your self-guided tour, so grab a map at the Palm Springs Art Museum and get ready to discover the enchanting allure of the small inns of Palm Springs.
Looking for more festive fun this holiday season? Don't miss these favorite things to do in winter in Greater Palm Springs.


text:
All Films.All Above Board.NOW INCLUDES TV SHOWS & TV LISTINGS
Acclaimed World War II film about a British captain who takes charge of an Australian squad to train them for desert fighting. When Captain Tammy MacRoberts (Richard Burton) takes command of the troops however, his no-nonsense approach to discipline does not go down well with his Australian charges. The cast includes James Mason, Robert Douglas and John Alderson.


text:
design and fabrication of "Holladaze" installation for The Standard hotel Hollywood, Ca.
Found objects arranged assembled
Exhibition at The Standard Hollywood
Installation of 100 handmade, signed and numbered "BERDS" on display available for purchase and release of a collaborative T-shirt for KICKS LA 10 year anniversary celebration.
Exhibition at Urban Outfitters Space 1520
Acrylic on wood panel


text:
The strangers that were in the land - Those who had become proselytes to the Jewish religion, at least so far as to renounce idolatry, and keep what were called the seven Noahic precepts. These were to be employed in the more servile and difficult parts of the work: see on 1 Kings 9:21; (note). For the account of building the temple, see 1 Kings 5-9 (note), and the notes there.
The strangers - i. e., the aliens the non-Israelite population of the land. Compare 2 Chronicles 2:17.
From the very opening of David's reign one of his most cherished plans had been that of erecting a temple to the Lord. Though he had not been permitted to execute this design, he had manifested no less zeal and earnestness in its behalf. He had provided an abundance of the most costly material—gold, silver, onyx stones, and stones of divers colors; marble, and the most precious woods. And now these valuable treasures that he had collected must be committed to others; for other hands must build the house for the ark, the symbol of God's presence. PP 750.1
Seeing that his end was near, the king summoned the princes of Israel, with representative men from all parts of the kingdom, to receive this legacy in trust. He desired to commit to them his dying charge and secure their concurrence and support in the great work to be accomplished. Because of his physical weakness, it had not been expected that he would attend to this transfer in person; but the inspiration of God came upon him, and with more than his wonted fervor and power, he was able, for the last time, to address his people. He told them of his own desire to build the temple, and of the Lord's command that the work should be committed to Solomon his son. The divine assurance was, "Solomon thy son, he shall build My house and My courts; for I have chosen him to be My son, and I will be his Father. Moreover I will establish his kingdom forever, if he be constant to do My commandments and My judgments, as at this day." "Now therefore," David said, "in the sight of all Israel the congregation of the Lord, and in the audience of our God, keep and seek for all the commandments of the Lord your God: that ye may possess this good land, and leave it for an inheritance for your children after you forever." PP 750.2
David had learned by his own experience how hard is the path of him who departs from God. He had felt the condemnation of the broken law, and had reaped the fruits of transgression; and his whole soul was moved with solicitude that the leaders of Israel should be true to God, and that Solomon should obey God's law, shunning the sins that had weakened his father's authority, embittered his life, and dishonored God. David knew that it would require humility of heart, a constant trust in God, and unceasing watchfulness to withstand the temptations that would surely beset Solomon in his exalted station; for such prominent characters are a special mark for the shafts of Satan. Turning to his son, already acknowledged as his successor on the throne, David said: "And thou, Solomon my son, know thou the God of thy father, and serve Him with a perfect heart and with a willing mind: for the Lord searcheth all hearts, and understandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts: if thou seek Him, He will be found of thee; but if thou forsake Him, He will cast thee off forever. Take heed now; for the Lord hath chosen thee to build a house for the sanctuary: be strong, and do it." PP 750.3Read in context »


text:
Lifebabble on CBBC
Just launched on CBBC is a new series called Lifebabble. Half live-action, half animated, we were delighted to be asked to produce and direct the animation over the closing months of last year. Having won a competitive pitch, our team of directors created over 17-minutes of animation in a huge variety of styles and techniques, with Rory WT at the helm. We used stop-motion for the title-sequence, and bespoke 2D styles for a range of real-life stories, stings and expert tips. From coping with acne, to surviving secondary school, mental health, and coping with death, Lifebabble provides information and support from a team of vlogger-style contributors and experts.
Lifebabble airs on CBBC every Wednesday at 5.05pm and Saturday at 11am. It's also available on the iPlayer, and through the Lifebabble webpage, for which we also contributed an array of visuals!


text:
The study of personality is heavily focused on what psychologists call 'traits'. These are patterns of behaviour, thoughts and feelings that we use to characterize people, think of one of your friends who is outgoing and adventurous (an extravert) and another who is often moody and over-sensitive (neurotic).
Most of the time, psychologists argue, these key personality traits will be astonishingly consistent throughout our lives.
The forefather of modern US psychology, William James, wrote in his Principles of Psychology (1890) that we are essentially creatures of habit:
"Already at the age of 25 you see the professional mannerism settling on the young commercial traveler, on the young doctor, on the young minister, on the young counselor-at-law. You see the little lines of cleavage running through the character, the tricks of thought, the prejudices, the ways of the "shop"…
It is well for the world that in most of us, by the age of thirty, the character has set like plaster, and will never soften again."
William James wrote this before the turn of the twentieth century, but his concluding sentence still reverberates through modern textbooks on the science of personality. In his own time he was not alone in thinking that many of our behaviours are particularly resistant to change.
Bells, petals and electric shocks
On the other side of the Atlantic, in 1874, Francis Galton, a half-cousin of Charles Darwin, argued that both nature and nurture shape our personality, although nature played a major role. He was borrowing from Shakespeare, who in The Tempest first juxtaposed those two words. Referring to the beast Caliban, the magician Prospero calls him 'A devil, a born devil, on whose nature nurture can never stick.'
Galton's own perspective was very similar to Prospero's: he believed that nature played a predominant role in the shaping of our personalities and intelligence. He based this view on his pioneering study of twins. By observing identical twins, who share all genetic makeup, and contrasting them with fraternal twins, who share only half, he noticed that identical twins were especially similar in temperament to each other. The implication was that nature, and not culture, education or the environment, played the predominant role in the making of our characters.
Not all agreed with this view. Aristotle famously spoke of the human mind as an 'unscribed tablet', the infant's mind is like a blank slate on which experience etches a personality.
Among psychologists the American John Watson was one of the strongest advocates of this perspective. He thought that none of our behaviours are instinctive, and that all we do is learn though our interaction with the environment. 'Give me a dozen healthy infants, well-formed, and my own specified world to bring them up in,' Watson wrote in 1924, 'and I'll guarantee to take any one at random and train him to become any type of specialist I might select doctor, lawyer, artist, merchant-chief and, yes, even beggar-man and thief, regardless of his talents, penchants, tendencies, abilities, vocations, and race of his ancestors?'
This perspective swung the pendulum of determinism in the other direction: we become not what nature or biology dictates, but what our environment provides and how our minds associate events with pleasant or unpleasant responses (such as relaxation or fear).
For Watson's Behaviourism, not only is personal change possible, but it happens all the time. In effect we can learn one response, but also unlearn it and replace it with another.
Take a biologically pleasant stimulus, such as a flower, which you might expect to look upon with joy, breathing in its scent, marvelling in its colours. With the correct kind of conditioning, you can start dreading its sight and smell. English novelist Aldous Huxley vividly portrays this concept in his novel Brave New World (1932). In the story eight month old babies are conditioned to be afraid of books and rose petals. The babies are taken to the conditioning rooms, where petals, and books with brightly coloured pages are spread all over the floor. As soon as the babies are happily playing, the director of the conditioning centre gives an order to the head nurse. A lever is switched and suddenly:
'There was a violent explosion. Shriller and ever shriller, a siren shrieked. Alarm bells maddeningly sounded. The children started, screamed; their faces were distorted with terror. "And now," the Director shouted (for the noise was deafening), "now we proceed to rub in the lesson with a mild electric shock."
He waved his hand again, and the Head Nurse pressed a second lever. The screaming of the babies suddenly changed its tone. There was something desperate, almost insane, about the sharp spasmodic yelps to which they now gave utterance. Their little bodies twitched and stiffened; their limbs moved jerkily as if to the tug of unseen wires?'
The electric shocks stop. But when the director instructs the nurse again to show flowers and books, the babies shrink away in horror. 'What man has joined,' Huxley writes, 'nature is powerless to put asunder.'
Of course, just as we are able to reassociate pleasant and beautiful things, such as flowers, with pain, so can we associate naturally unpleasant and dangerous stimuli, such as spiders and snakes, with positive feelings. Psychologists have used this technique countless times in the treatment of phobias.
Imagine you are terrified of spiders, so terrified that you start hyperventilating and experience blurred vision just by seeing a picture of one. A behavioural therapist would attempt to change your panic response through counter-conditioning. Slowly and systematically, a therapist shows you a picture of the dreaded spider while giving you techniques that encourage you to relax. Eventually the fear subsides and you have learned a new conditioning seeing a spider triggers a relaxation response that replaces the old one. It's not necessarily a pleasant way to instigate change, but it is a potentially effective one.
Despite the possibilities that Behaviourism suggests for personal change, its premise that humans lack free will and rely upon conditioning to exhibit a certain behaviour has been severely criticized. Some psychologists believe that Behaviourism evades the complexity of mental life, denies the existence of unconscious motivations, and fails to explain how we develop a sense of identity, of who we are.
At the method's heart there is a bleak determinism: the biological account of nature how the encryption of proteins at the micro-level ultimately shapes our behaviour is replaced by the mechanics of stimulus and response. It enables the possibility of personal change; but at what cost?
Extraverts, introverts and neurotics
At the same time as Watson was publishing his thoughts on behavioural change, other psychologists were developing new ideas about personality and ways to measure it. Researchers started using surveys that included lists of questions about an individual's behaviour: 'Are you outgoing? Do you enjoy parties? Does your mood often go up and down? Are you easily irritated?' Questions such as these are supposed to measure personality traits that is, habitual ways to believe, think and feel.
The notion that we each have certain personality traits is not an entirely modern discovery. Around 2,500 years ago Hippocrates, the Ancient Greek physicist known as the father of Western medicine, conceived of four major temperaments choleric, phlegmatic, melancholic and sanguine. In the twentieth century, British personality psychologist Hans Eysenck noted the similarities between Hippocrates' temperaments and the modern-day theory of personality traits?
A sanguine individual, characterized as sociable, lively and carefree, combined the trait of extraversion with low neuroticism, a highly desirable pattern in Western societies. On the opposite side, a melancholic temperament, which describes someone as quiet, anxious and moody, and is characteristic of many artists, combines introversion with high neuroticism. A choleric individual is excitable, aggressive and optimistic, an explosive combination of high extraversion and neuroticism; and a phlegmatic person is controlled, reliable and calm, indicating an introvert with low neuroticism.
Looking through these personality characteristics and trying to attribute them to our own personality is not necessarily straightforward. I could say I have quite a lot of sanguine, but also some of choleric, and a small part of melancholic. Both Hippocrates' temperaments and Eysenck's traits are dimensions of our characters; our personalities are not black and white, and we all have elements of introversion-extraversion and neuroticism. What modern personality tests do is to quantify each and every character by positioning a person along a continuum how much of an introvert or neurotic are you from 0 to 100?
Such questions may sound like the content of quizzes in women's magazines, rather than the measures of scientific instruments. However, the truth is they may have a place in both. Personality traits help us to make sense of other people's behaviours, but they also help us to choose our friends and, crucially, our partners. If at 18 many of us think that we can change the person we love to better fit with our needs, by our late twenties we're more inclined to try finding lovers and friends that match our personalities. People often say they want to 'be loved for who they are'. It seems then that while we recognize unchangeability in our romantic partners, we also may have a deep-rooted understanding that who we are fundamentally is set in stone that nature ultimately wins out over nurture.
The idea that personality is rooted in our biology gained support with Eysenck. Like Francis Galton decades before him, Eysenck studied identical and fraternal twins. His conclusion was that our predisposition to be an extravert or a neurotic is mostly determined by the genes we inherit. Eysenck stirred the public mind when he extended the conclusions of his personality work to intelligence. He argued that it was not education or the environment that caused differences in intelligence scores between ethnic groups, but genetics. He gave the example of how Afro-Americans had lower IQ scores than white Americans, which implied that those genetically originating from northern Europe were intellectually more gifted than others. When giving public talks he was often confronted by angry protesters, and this hatred also extended to his old students and collaborators. Decades later Gordon Claridge, now a retired professor from Oxford University whom Eysenck had once supervised, told me that when in the 1970s he had applied to take up an academic position in Sweden, the student body were resistant to his appointment as a result of his (albeit past) association with 'a racist psychologist'.
During the 1980s and 1990s, personality research evolved in different directions. Throughout the world studies looked at different age groups and did further research with twins, some of whom had been raised separately. The conclusions reinforced the nature thesis, demonstrating that personality did change from childhood, through adolescence to early adulthood, but after early adulthood it seemed that personality changed little?
Explaining Behaviorism: Operant & Classical Conditioning
Eric Charles Ph.D
There are many explanations that can be used to help people understand the Behaviorist Point of View. Some are very factual, others argue towards practical concerns, and still others are highly philosophical.
How to Explain Behaviorism: Operant and Classical Conditioning
Operant and classical conditioning are two different ways in which organisms come to reflect the order of the environment around them. They are not perfect processes and they certainly cannot explain every facet of human and non-human behavior. That said, they are surprisingly reliable processes, and they can explain much, much, more about human and non-human behavior than anyone would have thought before extensive study of those processes began.
It is probably best to think about Operant and classical conditioning as offering two different types of developmental stories. They are not stories about what a behavior is, but rather stories about how that behavior got to be that way.
Classical conditioning stories are about things happening around the animal, no matter what the animal does.
Operant conditioning stories involve consequences of the animal's action, i.e., what happens when the animal operates upon the world as an active agent.
There is some debate about whether we need two types of stories. There are good reasons to go either way, including some recent genetic evidence that they can be disentangled. None of that really matters here; all that matters is that you understand the two types of stories and their consequences for future behavior.
Note below that "stimulus" can refer to any object, event, or situation that an organism could potentially respond to. Note also that "response" can be anything the organism does. For now a "response" could be an overt action (such as jumping up and down), a covert action (such as tensing your leg without moving it), or even a thinking or feeling, so long as we conceive of those as active, rather than passive.
Operant Conditioning
Operant conditioning stories involve an animal doing something that changes the world in a way that produces, crudely speaking, a good or a bad outcome. When an organism does something that is followed by a good outcome, that behavior will become more likely in the future. When an organism does something that is followed by a bad outcome, that behavior will become less likely in the future. The action and outcome could coincide because of natural laws or social conventions, because someone purposely set it up that way, or it could be that the events followed due to random chance in this animals life history.
For example, in pretty much any animal's it is good to stop touching overly, hot objects (natural law), in some worlds telling a parent you love them results in good outcomes (social convention), and in some worlds tapping a baseball bat five times on the left corner of the mound is followed by a home run (random chance).
Operant conditioning stories require that the outcome be reinforcing or punishing to the particular animal in question. (There are ways to specify that so it does not involve circular reasoning, but we don't need to go that deep.) For example, candy might reinforce one person, but not another; some might find a graphic kill sequence in a violent video game punishing, while others find it reinforcing; etc.
Over time, the story goes, if a certain type of outcome consistently follows a particular behavior, this will affect the rate of future behaviors.
Example Traditional Story: A cat is put in a "puzzle box". It performs a wide range of behaviors, because cats don't like to be in cages. Eventually one of its flailing limbs pulls a lever that opens the cage door. This happens many times, and each time the lever gets pulled a little bit quicker (there is no "a ha!" moment).
Tradition vs. Necessity:
Traditionally operant conditioning stories start with a relatively "random" behavior, but they could start with any behavior. Traditionally the story then introduces an arbitrary consequence, but in real-life situations we usually care about socially mediated consequences. Traditionally many cycles for the consequence to make big changes in the frequency of future behavior, but sometimes the changes can be quite quick and others it can take a very long time.
In the traditional story the consequence always follows the behavior, but there are many cool affects that we know about when it does not, the consequence is intermittent (i.e., the "schedule of reinforcement"). Traditionally the consequence has to be immediately following the behavior, though there are some exceptions, you probably want to stick with the traditional version here.
Enhanced Traditional Story:
Often operant conditioning stories are enhanced by adding a "discriminative stimuli", which indicates that a particular contingency (a particular connection between action and outcome) is in effect. For example, an experimenter working with rats might have a light that, when on, means that lever pressing will result in food. Similarly, a special education instructor might have a picture of a hat that, when held up, means that saying "hat" will result in an M&M.
Other Classical Conditioning Stuff:
You can do amazing things with discriminative stimuli. You can train people to respond to very specific stimuli, or to very general "categories" of stimuli. For example, we can get pigeons to discriminate early Monet's paintings from Picasso's. Also, by drawing out the "schedule" of reinforcement, you can also train animals to respond for many, many times without getting reinforced. For example, we can get people to pull slot machine levers scores of times without a win.
After Conditioning:
After the events of an Operant Conditioning story, a behavior either has an increased or decreased rate of occurrence. Often there is a big increase or decrease specifically when a particular stimulus is present. So, if you know the world that a person has lived in before, you know something about why they respond now in certain ways in the presence of certain objects, events, or situations.
Classical Conditioning
Classical conditioning stories involve (at least) two things that coincide "out there" in an animal's world. Those things could coincide because they are causally related due to natural laws or social conventions, or it could be that the events occur at random in relation to each other and this animal just happens to be the animal that experiences them together.
For example, in pretty-much any animal's world lightning is followed by thunder (natural law), in some worlds hearing "say cheese" might be followed by a camera flash (social convention), and in some worlds eating lamb dinners could coincide with hearing bad news from loved ones (random chance).
Classical conditioning stories also require that the organism already have a developed response to one of the two events. For example, thunder could make you flinch, a bright flash could make you wince, and bad news from loved ones could make you cry.
Over time, the story goes, if two things are repeatedly paired together out there in the world, the organism will come to respond to one as they already respond to the other.
Example Traditional Story:
When Mary was a child her father liked to take many pictures of her. He always said "Say Cheese" before he took the picture, and he always used a flash. Every time the flash hit Mary, she winced slightly. Now, whenever she hears "Say cheese" she winces.
Tradition vs. Necessity:
Traditionally classical conditioning stories start with a response that seems unlearned (an Unconditioned Response to an Unconditioned Stimulus), but they could start with any response the animal already has. Traditionally the story then introduces something the animal has no existing response to (a Neutral Stimulus), but it usually still works for stimuli that already elicit some response. Traditionally the neutral stimulus comes to evoke the response associated with unconditioned stimulus after several pairings (thus becoming a Conditioned Stimulus), but sometimes only a single pairing is required, and sometimes neutral stimuli fail to convert to conditioned stimuli even after many, very close together in time, but sometimes you can create conditioned stimuli when the pairings are far apart.
In many cases, where the traditional story does not hold, there has been a lot of research into the exceptions, and we have very good understandings of why such exceptions should exist. For example, after a single event many animals will learn to avoid novel tastes that were associated with becoming sick quite a bit later. This makes a lot of evolutionary sense; poison food present a big risk, and one dose not normally experience the full effects until quite a bit after ingestion.
On the other hand, when dealing with fairly arbitrary pairings of stimuli, as we get all the time in our modern world, the structure of the traditional story holds. For example, why should anyone ever have become excited by hearing a computerized voice say "You've got mail!"? Because of several pairings, that's why.
Other Classical Conditioning Stuff:
You can do amazing things here with generalization and discrimination training, and there are many other interesting phenomenon that scientists have discovered.
After Conditioning:
After the events of a Classical Conditioning story, the presence of a conditioned stimulus elicits a conditioned response. So, if you know the world that a person has lived in before, you know something about why they respond to certain things in certain ways now.
A Bit of Light Theory
Philosophical behaviorism can be very deep. In this context, all I will say is that most behaviorists believe we can explain a great deal about human behavior using the types of stories above. That is, the preferred style to a run of the mill "Why did he do that?!?" question will begin with "Well, in the past history of that person, doing that behavior resulted in…."
Because these explanations are all about the way the world around the person works, and the person's past history in that world, you don't need to include traditional "mental" explanations.
That doesn't mean that traditional "mental" stuff doesn't exist, but it does suggest that we can explain an awful lot about human behavior before we would need to start talking about them.
Eric Charles, Ph.D., runs the research lab at CTRL, the Center for Teaching, Research, and Learning, at American University.


text:
Portuguese cuisine is a mixture of Mediterranean traditions and Atlantic freshness. That is a lot of olive oil, fish and fresh ingredients, while in the regions away from the coast, pork and other meats are the favorites.
Although most of the fish served in Portugal's restaurants was swimming in the ocean just a few hours ago, it is dried salted cod that makes up most of the dishes on a Portuguese menu.
And those menus are changing fast, thanks to a growing number of acclaimed chefs and new Michelin stars.
Lisbon is thriving in the kitchen, with the recent gastronomic energy giving rise to a new contemporary Portuguese cuisine that is also (finally) beginning to capture international attention (including in Portuguese-inspired restaurants abroad, like New York's Michelin-starred Aldea and London's acclaimed Viajante).
The food is joining the country's wines whose elevated and renovated quality of recent times are new pleasant surprises around the world.
Here is what you should try in Lisbon:
Because no part of Portugal is very far from the ocean, and considering the history of the country at sea, it's no surprise that seafood is one of the country's and Lisbon's specialties. Typical dishes include "santola" (stuffed crabs), simply grilled "camarões" and "gambas" (shrimp and prawns), or "arroz de marisco," a rice stew mixing all kinds of seafood (more moist than the Spanish paella).
A concentration of seafood restaurants is found on Rua das Portas de Santo Antão, but everywhere else you'll also likely find at least one of the supposedly 365 ways to prepare cod (one for each day of the year). One of the most popular is "bacalhau à brás" (shredded with potatoes and egg) and "bacalhau com natas" (with cream). At most traditional cafés you can also try the "pastel de bacalhau," a cod croquette.
Walk around Alfama in summer and you'll also smell corner barbecues grilling sardines.
Its mushy appearance may not look very appetizing at first, but this purée studded with seafood or cod is quite good. The best is served at Pap'Açorda, but you'll find it in several restaurants around Lisbon. A slightly different version is called "Açorda Alentejana" (from Portugal's Alentejo region), a little more soupy and presented with floating coriander.
Portugal's cheeses are excellent and make a good companion to the country's wines.
From the Lisbon region is the cheese of Azeitão (south of the city), which is rather soft and buttery. It's made with sheep's milk and should be served at room temperature as an appetizer or before dessert.
Also try Nisa cheese from the region of Alentejo (semi-hard and also made with sheep's milk) which Wine Spectator magazine listed as one of the world's best.
Portugal produces some of the world's finest and most distinctive wines, and those are not just Port.
The Douro Valley in the north of the country is the oldest demarcated wine region in the world, and its "greens" together with the reds from the rest of the country have a growing reputation internationally.
Good places to sample them in Lisbon are the several wine bars in the center of the city, and for all kinds of Ports visit Solar do Vinho do Porto.
Wines from the Lisbon region to try are those from Colares (a village outside Sintra), produced from sandy terrain vineyards of the Ramisco grape variety. These grapes generally create a wine of low alcohol content (between 10.5 and 12%) and of high acidity but fresh on the palate.
The Setúbal Peninsula south of the city also produces a sweet, liqueurous wine named Moscatel. The "Moscatel Roxo" is especially worth looking for, aged 20 years before sale.
Don't leave Lisbon (or Portugal) without having a "bica," a powerful dark espresso coffee served in a tiny cup. Just be careful if you're addicted to coffee because you'll agree that this is the best coffee you've ever had. The tradition came from the former colony of Brazil, and it's the way most Portuguese start their day and finish their meals.
To accompany a Bica in the morning many Lisboetas choose a Pastel de Nata (see below).
Known as "Pastel de Nata" around Portugal and as "Portuguese custard tart" elsewhere, this pastry is called "Pastel de Belém" in Lisbon's most famous pastry shop which started it all ("Antiga Confeitaria de Belém").
Sometimes sprinkled with cinnamon or even more sugar, they also often accompany a "bica" in the morning (see above).
Forget your diet and have a few in Lisbon.
Dripping with chocolate, filled with chocolate mousse and made with 53% cocoa, this is officially the world's best chocolate cake. Officially because that's what the café where it was born is called, and its recipe has been exported to Brazil and New York which now have their own shops. Discover it in its original home in Lisbon, or in selected restaurants and cafés around the city.
Also mouth-watering with chocolate are the croissants served in café Benard. They're served with no filling or with a variety of fillings, but it is the chocolate that everyone asks for. And you will too, several times once you try them.
Source: www.lisbonlux.com


text:
|| Kyle + Alaina ||
Oh my gorgeous!! Kyle and Alaina's wedding is one for the books. I was in photographer heaven capturing their beautiful Golden, CO wedding. We could not have asked for a better day, sunny, warm and so in love their day was perfect.
Kyle and Alaina are as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside swoon with me over these beauties!


text:
RSD Pure Human Remy Hair
Product Description
Our company is an outstanding importer, manufacturer and supplier of Remy Natural Straight Hair. Our talented experts use good quality natural straight hair plus appropriate hygienic methods while manufacturing this product range. The offered Remy Natural Straight Hair can be purchased by customers in numerous lengths, thickness, sizes and colors. Custom-made option is also given to them as per their particular requirement. Moreover, its noteworthy attributes are good looks, excellent strand strength and natural shine.
Contact Us
No : 178, Vivekananda Nagar, II - Street (Indian Bank Lane) Kodungaiyur, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, 600118, India
Phone :+918068341992


text:
School trips to the USA
The land of opportunity, stars and stripes has a range of truly wonderful learning experiences to offer students of all ages, from the history of the Civil Rights movement to the ever-evolving art, commercial enterprise and beyond.
New York alone is home to more than a few world-famous tourist attractions and multinational organisations that serve as a unique backdrop for students to learn firsthand about a wide variety of subject areas: art, design, media, film, business, psychology – to name just a few!
At NST, we pride ourselves on providing affordable school trips to the USA that blend a perfect mixture of museums, galleries, businesses and exhibitions, all at fantastic group prices.
Get in touch today if you're looking for more information or advice on planning your perfect USA school trip.
Learn more about our USA school trips
School Trips to New York
You can guarantee that a New York school trip will be an unforgettable and incredibly valuable experience for any school.
School Trips to Los Angeles
Take a unique school trip to the heart of America's media and film wonderland with NST! From studio and backlot tours to hands-on workshops led by industry experts, there's no place in the world like LA.
School Trips to West Coast USA
Don't hesitate to visit America's west coast. With its areas of great natural beauty coupled with some of the world's most awe-inspiring cities, you'll be far from disappointed.
School Trips to Washington DC
Chosen as the US capital for its tactical location between the South and the North, Washington DC offers a whole host of experiences for school cultural trips.
School Trips to New York & Washington DC
Travel to the East Coast of America and explore the origins of the Civil Rights movement and learn more about American political history. Washington DC is the location of many excellent museums and sites to give your pupils an insight into how the country has evolved.


text:
A value-added tax would be a way for the federal government to rein in the national debt, provided there also is a clampdown on spending growth, former U.S. comptroller general David Walker said Tuesday in a speech to the World Affairs Council in Jacksonville.
Walker, author of the recently published "Comeback America," recalled meeting his wife while they were students at Jacksonville University, where he was graduated in 1973.
After that sunny reminiscence, he painted a grim picture of where the country is headed. He said the federal government has long-term, structural financial problems that threaten economic competitiveness and leave the country beholden to foreign lenders.
"There are lots of warning signs going off," Walker said.
Walker is president and chief executive officer of the Peter G. Peterson Foundation, which calls attention to issues the foundation says need action before they turn into crisis situations.
Walker said people who say the debt problem can be solved without raising taxes "don't have a plan." He said those who argue the country can keep spending at the same level "don't understand the math."
"I think we're headed for some kind of progressive consumption tax," he said.
A value-added tax would be charged to businesses as they move products and services through different stages of production. The tax ultimately is passed through to consumers in the prices they pay, but it's not a direct tax on consumers like a sales tax.
Walker said the federal government also must get a handle on medical and education spending, which he said are double the amount of other industrialized nations. He said the federal government should pay for programs that help people lead healthier lives and cover "catastrophic" medical situations.
He said half the country's debt is held by foreign lenders and they will eventually charge a "risk premium" that adds to the nation's borrowing cost.
"I don't believe the United States will ever default, but I do think there is a question of what the dollar will be worth over time," he said.
firstname.lastname@example.com, (904) 359-4581


text:
Processing materials: pebbles; Production capacity: 40-1000t/h
Customer evaluation: The company has a large production scale and the service is in place. They have developed a reasonable production line based on the actual situation of our factory.
River pebble sand production line is characterized by local materials, handling capacity, wear small, low operating costs. Can be widely used in mining, electricity, chemicals, building materials, metallurgy, refractories, concrete mixing stations, highways, railways and other industries, production and processing of highway surface materials, high-grade road gravel, high-speed passenger rail line sand stone Materials, hydroelectric power station sand and gravel material, port and airport runway with gravel material and other special construction areas are particularly suitable.
River pebble sand production line is mainly composed of vibrating feeder, jaw crusher,impact crusher, sand machine shaker, belt conveyor, centralized electronic control and other equipment. To meet the different needs of customers can be equipped with cone crusher, impact crusher, dust removal equipment.
Large stone by the silo by the vibrating feeder evenly sent to the jaw crusher coarse crushing, crushed stone by the belt conveyor to crusher crusher, after the crusher into the crusher for processing, and finally again By the belt conveyor sent to the vibrating screen screening, screening out several different specifications of the stone to meet the requirements of the size of the stone conveyor belt conveyor from the finished product sent to the heap; does not meet the requirements of the grain size of the stone conveyor belt To crusher crusher again, forming closed-loop multiple cycles.
write down your requirement and contact details in the following form to get the latest price of this product within one day!
Add:Room 609,Easttower,xiyuan international square,Jianshe Road,Zhengzhou City,Henan Province,China
Subscribe now,you will receive monthly valuable information.


text:
WHEN a door closes, another one opens. But, for Amina Mhando (early 30s), this adage almost eluded her. For her, life was more of a paradox, as when everything seemed well, tragedy struck and unexpectedly, all her dreams were shattered and there was no light at the end of a dark tunnel as fate had thrown her into uncertainty.
Amina found herself in this confusion when she found herself jobless, after the company she was working for had suddenly closed. She was forced into panic gear, as she did not know what next to do. All the efforts to find a job were fruitless, as no company seemed ready to absorb her.
And, when she gave up from hoping from one place to another looking for employment, she settled at home, hoping that the gods will one day smile on her.
But, staying at home was not her take, so she ventured into entrepreneurship, where she tried her luck on a number of projects but she hit a brick wall.
However, lady luck smiled on her one day, when she visited her parents in Moshi. It never dawned on her that a mere visit to her mother's place could change her life for good. At that time, her son disliked eating, even after preparing him different kinds of nutritional porridge; and this bothered her a lot.
"His grandmother made him pro-vitamin A maize flour porridge; he surprised all of us after consuming the whole bowl of porridge without any struggle, then this opened my eyes and I started to research and read a lot about nutrition," Amina said.
She explained that when they came back to Dar es Salaam, she tried to search for the same flour but it was nowhere to be found.
"I started looking for it but in vain, until one day when I visited the Dar es Salaam International Trade Fair (Sabasaba) and found it displayed by one of the exhibitors; so I turned this challenge into a business opportunity," she hinted.
With only 250,000/- to start the business, Amina remembers to have bought only 40kg of pro vitamin A maize flour from Moshi to start the business and the rest of the money was used to buy packaging materials and to cover other production costs.
"I was jobless and I had no access to finances (loan) from financial institutions. But, the only thing that gave me strength to push forward was my commitment to accomplish my dream of running my own business," the visibly happy Amina said.
To secure her customers, she banks mostly on social media to connect with them, especially through instagram: (mama_organic_2017) and equally through word of mouth (brand recommendation), and participating is exhibitions and promotions by visiting open shows.
Amina confides that when she started the business, last year, it was somehow difficult since she had no food processing background, so she had to consult professionals.
However, as time went by and for her to become more professional, she joined Sokoine University Graduate Entrepreneurship Cooperative (SUGECO) for short trainings, and incorporated their ideas with hers on food processing and how to integrate bio fortified crops in agribusiness for vitamin A-rich crops. She also went to the International Potatoes Centre, Building Nutritious Food Basket (BNFB project) and SIDO.
Armed with the skills, she fully entered the market and enlightened the public who were not familiar with bio fortified crops (viazi lishe and mahindi lishe).
So, with the growing market, she further embarked on spreading the message of what the right nutrition should be for the wellbeing and right growth of kids under the age of five, who still have low immunity against diseases.
And, how nutrition can benefit people who are vulnerable to micronutrient deficiencies, such as children, pregnant and breastfeeding women and others.
"I made sure that I have enough knowledge and information about bio fortified crops, through attending different trainings. Then I used social media to spread the word of bio fortification. This approach helped to increase sells and build my confidence in the business," she added.
Amina further pointed out that after her first born (son) who also is subjected to the nutrition (charity begins at home) began showing positive changes; she gathered courage to invest further into the business.
She hints that social media has helped her to connect with a good number of customers, within a very short time and at low cost in comparison to the past.
"We do not use a lot of money and energy to market the business, but customers get the chance to share their views about our products and services. If you use social media in the right way and take advantage of it, it builds your brand and connects you with potential customers for your business to grow," she points out.
Amina said her business observes high level of hygiene and is certified by the Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA).
"Yes, we have certification from TFDA and about TBS (Tanzania Bureau of Standard) we have already sent application for certification of our products and they have replied to our application and now we have started the process of certification. I believe we will be done soon with the process and receive the certificate," she said.
On her future plans, Amina says the fact that her business has been picking up, she thinks of also embarking on horticulture, as basis to grow organic crops.
"I want to be one of the few farmers in Tanzania who grow organic vegetables.
The world is now conquered by non-organic crops, especially vegetables such us green pepper, carrots, green vegetables etc. So, I want to change that and make people enjoy the taste of organic vegetables. This is where the name of Mama Organic came from, my dream is to grow 100 per cent organic vegetables," she points out.
She said that on her current business, the plan is to invest more in modern production tools which will somehow reduce the cost of production, hence setting low prices for her products.
"I want my products to be available at affordable prices to ensure market sustainability as well as enabling even low income people to access these bio fortified crops, as a way of reducing hidden hunger in Tanzania," she said.
To other women who are not involved in any entrepreneurship errands, she advices them not be scared to accomplish their dreams.
"Instead of looking for reasons why one can't, one should focus on the reasons why one can; what one needs is not a million dollar capital or a production area, or materials or customers to buy the products," she said.
She added that what matters is willingness and commitment to do what one has planned and then other things would come eventually.
"Secondly, when you want to start a business ask yourself what you like to do most; think of the things that you would love to do even for free. Then look for the opportunities which can come out of it. Grab that opportunity and go for it.
"Do not do that business because your friend or your family member is doing the same; and, do not venture into a business because someone else is doing the same business and have succeeded a lot in that business. No, you should create your own path, believe in yourself that you can do better than them and be passionate with what you have decided to do." Amina says.
She added that apart from running her business as the sole proprietor, she is also a small-scale farmer.
"I grow orange sweet potatoes, maize and cassava and sometimes sell organic chickens which I buy from the village and sell them here in Dar es Salaam", she says.
Armed with a BA Degree in Microfinance and Enterprise Development from Moshi University of Cooperative and Business studies (MUCOBs), Amina's products are produced at SIDO Vingunguti in Dar es Salaam, and supplies retail shops, and supermarkets in the city and beyond.
Asked to shed light on what bio fortification refers to, Ms Mhando said, "Bio fortification is the process of increasing nutritional value of food crops by increasing the density of vitamins and minerals in crops through conventional plant breeding and agronomic practices or biotechnology."She further said that currently, there are only three bio fortified crops in Tanzania namely pro-vitamin A maize, orange sweet potatoes and high iron and zinc beans.
However, her business rotates on providing the public with mostly kids' flour enriched with vitamin A, maize flour, Orange sweet potatoes flour, high iron beans and high iron beans flour.
She said other ingredients in the package include grinded sweet potatoes, and pumpkin seeds flour mixed with soya beans.
And, with focus and determination even the sky will never be the limit for Amina as she dreams big for her business.


text:
EconPapers Home
About EconPapers
Working Papers
Journal Articles
Books and Chapters
Software Components
JEL codes
New Economics Papers
Advanced Search
EconPapers FAQ
Archive maintainers FAQ
Cookies at EconPapers
Format for printing
The RePEc blog
The RePEc plagiarism page
Charles Manski (John Pepper (
Econometrics Journal, 2009, vol. 12, issue s1, S200-S216
Econometric analyses of treatment response often use instrumental variable (IV) assumptions to identify treatment effects. The traditional IV assumption holds that mean response is constant across the sub-populations of persons with different values of an observed covariate. Manski and Pepper (2000) introduced monotone instrumental variable assumptions, which replace equalities with weak inequalities. This paper presents further analysis of the monotone instrumental variable (MIV) idea. We use an explicit response model to enhance the understanding of the content of MIV and traditional IV assumptions. We study the identifying power of MIV assumptions when combined with the homogeneous linear response assumption maintained in many studies of treatment response. We also consider estimation of MIV bounds, with particular attention to finite-sample bias. Copyright (C) The Author(s). Journal compilation (C) Royal Economic Society 2009
Date: 2009
References: Add references at CitEc Citations: View citations in EconPapers (37) Track citations by RSS feed
Downloads: (external link)http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j.1368-423X.2008.00262.x link to full text (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
Related works:This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.
Export reference: BibTeX
RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan)
Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:ect:emjrnl:v:12:y:2009:i:s1:p:s200-s216
Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered fromhttp://www.ectj.org
Access Statistics for this article
Econometrics Journal is currently edited by Richard J. Smith, Oliver Linton, Pierre Perron, Jaap Abbring and Marius Ooms
More articles in Econometrics Journal from Royal Economic Society Contact information at EDIRC.Bibliographic data for series maintained by Wiley-Blackwell Digital Licensing (
Is your work missing from RePEc? Here is how to
Questions or problems? Check the EconPapers FAQ or send mail to
EconPapers is hosted by the
Örebro University School of Business.


text:
College Prep – Juniors Need Love, Too!
When Should You Begin Preparing for College?
Spring semester finds high school seniors receiving college admission decisions, completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, and applying for scholarships. Soon they will begin comparing financial aid packages and weighing offers of admission before choosing a school. It's an exciting period in their lives, and the flurry of activity around them can cause us to overlook the importance of spring semester for juniors as they plan for senior year and prepare to apply to college.
Registering for senior year classes is not always as straightforward as it seems. Students worry about choosing the "right" Advanced Placement (AP) courses, wonder if they are taking "enough" AP classes, and agonize over enrolling in an additional year of foreign language, math, science, and/or history if they have fulfilled graduation requirements in those subjects. These are valid concerns that should be resolved before course selection deadlines pass. The "right" AP courses are those that interest students and challenge them intellectually, and "enough" AP classes means the number students can manage in concert with their extracurricular activities, family relationships, and social pursuits. Continuing a foreign language into a third or fourth year of study is strongly recommended for students applying to highly competitive colleges, and maintaining a schedule that includes math, science, and history during senior year indicates a commitment to academic rigor.
SAT or ACT? The debate rages, with students sometimes convinced that one is better, or at least preferable to admission committees. Colleges typically don't care which one they take, nor do they view the SAT as superior to the ACT or vice versa. My advice is for students to take a practice SAT and a practice ACT, under timed conditions if possible, to determine if they perform significantly better on one or if they feel considerably more comfortable with one. Free practice tests are available on-line, and high school counseling offices have paper copies. I suggest using the latter, because it most closely approximates the actual test, but more important is actually completing the exams. If there is a clear strength or preference, registering for that test only and declining to sit for the other is absolutely fine. Developing a focused testing strategy is a great payoff for the time invested in taking practice tests.
As juniors develop a list of prospective colleges, it is time to begin scheduling visits. Spring break can be used to take official tours. Visiting campus when the students are present is highly preferable in order to get a true feel for the atmosphere. Although touring colleges prior to applying is the preferred sequence, students occasionally plan to submit applications and then visit schools that accept them. This approach is ill-advised for a couple of reasons. First, colleges are increasingly likely to factor demonstrated interest into their admission decisions, especially top tier schools that accept a very small percentage of applicants. The first step in establishing a record of interest is participating in a campus tour; thus, its importance can't be overstated. Second, it is nearly impossible for any high school senior to examine a college critically after the school has made an offer of admission. The temptation to overlook potential shortcomings is very real, especially if there is scholarship money on the table as well, and can lead to choosing a college that is not a good fit
As we celebrate the accomplishments of seniors and help them plan for life after high school, let's not forget the class right behind them. Juniors need plenty of support and encouragement as they choose courses and embark on the process that seniors are just bringing to a close.


text:
Whoever wins Brazil's presidential runoff election this Sunday won't have much good news to deliver on the outlook for the world's second-largest emerging market.
Brazil is in recession, and annual inflation is above the ceiling of its target range. A widening budget deficit threatens the country's investment-grade status, and business confidence hovering around five-year lows has driven investment to the lowest rate among the BRICS nations, which include Russia, India, China and South Africa.
To put the economy back on track, either President Dilma Rousseff or opposition candidate Aecio Neves will have to cut spending, lift caps on government-controlled prices and allow the currency to weaken, said Nicholas Spiro, managing director of London-based Spiro Sovereign Strategy. Such measures, which traders bet will include raising the highest interest rate in the Group of 20 nations, could fuel unemployment and cut wages for the first time in more than a decade.
"Regardless of who wins, you're looking at a bleak post- election environment for the average Brazilian," Spiro said in a telephone interview. "Even in a best-case scenario, it'll take Brazil at least 2-3 years to bounce back."
Rousseff has taken the lead over Neves in polls for the first time since the first-round vote, according to two opinion surveys published yesterday. Her support was 48 percent compared with 42 percent for Neves in an Oct. 22-23 Datafolha poll and 49 percent against 41 percent for Neves in an Ibope poll. Both surveys, which previously showed the candidates statistically tied, have a margin of error of plus or minus 2 percentage points.
Slower Expansion
Latin America's largest economy is forecast to expand 1 percent next year, according to the latest central-bank survey of analysts. That is half the average pace during Rousseff's first three years in office and a quarter of the pace during the two terms of her predecessor, Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva. Gross domestic product contracted 0.6 percent in the second quarter after a revised decline of 0.2 percent in the first three months, helping to erode tax income and widen the budget deficit to 4 percent of GDP.
Neither candidate's press office responded to e-mails seeking comment on their outlook for the economy next year.
Much of the presidential campaign focused on economic policy, with Rousseff rejecting Neves's proposals to cut subsidized lending by state banks and reduce the number of ministries. She would build an additional 3 million low-cost houses and increase the number of students who've received free vocational training to 12 million from 8 million.
Neves Pledge
She also criticized Neves's designated finance minister, Arminio Fraga, for a rise in inflation, debt and interest rates when he was head of the central bank in 1999-2002. While Neves has pledged to bring inflation back to the center of the target within two to three years, Rousseff said high interest rates fuel unemployment.
While the jobless rate hovers near a record low at 4.9 percent and was a major talking point in Rousseff's campaign, there are signs the labor market is beginning to lose steam. Job creation in the nine months through September slowed by 30 percent from a year earlier. Annual wage increases were 1.5 percent for the month, adjusted for inflation, compared with 2.5 percent in August.
Unemployment could rise and real wages, whose growth has exceeded labor productivity, could fall next year for the first time in a decade, said Alberto Ramos, chief Latin America economist at Goldman Sachs Group Inc.
Consumer confidence in October dropped to its lowest level since April 2009, the Getulio Vargas Foundation reported today.
'Fake Prosperity'
"It was, in part, a fake prosperity because that wage growth wasn't sustainable," Ramos said in a phone interview.
To protect wages and prevent inflation from eroding purchasing power, the government delayed increases on fuel and other government-regulated prices, which climbed 5.3 percent in the year through September compared with a 6.75 percent rise in consumer prices. The central bank targets 4.5 percent inflation with a margin of plus or minus two percentage points.
Domestic issues will be exacerbated by a more challenging international environment, which Rousseff has blamed for much of Brazil's slowdown. Global growth is faltering, and an increase in lending costs in the U.S. could increase capital outflows. Commodity prices -- which account for 50 percent of Brazilian exports -- are down this year, by 39 percent for iron ore and 17 percent for soybeans.
Falling Prices
Falling oil and gas prices may delay industry investment, said Marcelo Campos Magalhaes, president of PetroReconcavo SA, an oil company drilling in the northeastern state of Bahia. Simplifying regulations and allowing more private-sector participation -- particularly in smaller, marginal fields owned by state-controlled oil company Petroleo Brasileiro SA -- could boost output significantly, he said.
Moody's Investors Service lowered its rating on the company to Baa2 on Oct. 21, the second-lowest investment grade, citing lower prices, local currency weakness and high debt leverage.
The next government must improve the business environment to attract investment, Alejandro Werner, head of the International Monetary Fund's Western Hemisphere department, said in an Oct. 10 interview. It was 18 percent of GDP last year, well below India's 31 percent and China's 48 percent.
Brazil ranked 116th out of 189 countries in the World Bank's 2014 report on the ease of doing business, with companies spending 2,600 hours a year to deal with taxes versus 369 in the rest of Latin America.
Declining Real
To offset a series of disadvantages Brazilian companies face -- from an unwieldy tax structure to inadequate infrastructure -- the next government should eliminate currency intervention and allow the real to depreciate, said Nelson Hubner, head of Curitiba, Brazil-based smelter and parts maker Hubner Group.
The real has lost 5.2 percent against the U.S. dollar this year, compared with a 22 percent decline for the ruble and 1 percent gain for the baht. The currency traded at 2.49 per dollar at 10:30 a.m. local time.
"At home, the market is stagnating and my profit margin on exports is zero," Hubner said in a phone interview. "Would you invest to expand?"
Such a scenario has credit-rating companies concerned.
"The weakness in investment highlights the challenges Brazil is facing in making the transition to an investment-led growth model, which is increasingly necessary given the constraints on increases in wage income and credit that have been supportive of private consumption in recent years," Fitch Ratings said in an Oct. 16 report
More Aggressive
Its rating for Brazil is BBB. Standard and Poor's downgraded Brazil to BBB- in March, the lowest investment grade.
Most traders appear to expect that Neves would tackle Brazil's economic problems more aggressively than Rousseff. Between mid-March and early September, when polls showed a rising possibility for an opposition victory, the Bovespa stock index rallied 38 percent only to slide back 17 percent as Rousseff bounced back.
"We think there's a big difference between the two" candidates, said Geoffrey Dennis, head of global emerging-market strategy at UBS Securities LLC. "Dilma's second term may be a bit better, but we can expect more structural reforms under Aecio."
With neither candidate projected to win a large majority, the next president will have a limited mandate to carry out unpopular austerity measures. Congressional elections on Oct. 5 reduced support for Rousseff's coalition while also failing to give Neves's alliance a clear majority. This worsens the outlook for tax, labor and other bills to improve the investment climate, according to an Oct. 20 report by Eurasia Group.
Yet delaying budget cuts, price adjustments and a currency depreciation will only inflict larger costs down the road, said Goldman's Ramos.
"The adjustment is unavoidable; the question is whether it will be fast and less painful or protracted and probably more painful."
Two New Limpograss Cultivars Released for Select Florida Cattlemen
Colorado Livestock Quarantine still in Effect


text:
The Bauer Palazzo hotel is the perfect romantic bolthole for your next trip to Venice. Located on the banks of the Grand Canal in Venice, mere steps from Piazza San Marco, the luxurious five-star hotel is housed in a traditional 18th-century Venetian palazzo with a gothic façade and arched lancet windows.
Bauer Palazzo offers 135 guest rooms and 56 suites, sumptuously decorated, many boasting terraces or private balconies.
For panoramic views of the city, venture up to Settimo Cielo, the highest rooftop terrace in Venice, where breakfast is served. And don't forget to book dinner at De Pisis, Bauer Palazzo's gourmet restaurant, where chef Hiraki Masakazu will impress you with his Asian-inspired Mediterranean cuisine.
Bauer Palazzo, Campo San Moisè, San Marco 1459, 30124 Venice, +39 041 520 7022


text:
Accessibility services for the Public Sector
Nomensa provide a range of accessibility services suitable for Public Sector organisations meeting the UK's Public Sector Bodies Accessibility Regulations 2018.
There are many types and sizes of Public Sector bodies. Some might simply want an accessibility audit to verify a website meets the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1. For larger organisations, we recommend a programme of work that fits in with its structure and needs.
The larger the organisation and digital estate, the more we would want to use training and systematic methods to ensure accessibility, rather than just conducting acessibility audits.
A programme might involve:
• An accessibility audit to establish the current level of accessibility
• A workshop with key stakeholders to identify where issues come from, and where training should be focused
• A training workshop (or series of workshops) with project teams to ensure everyone knows what they need to do
• Some ad-hoc consultancy to assist with aspects such as: fixing barriers found, establishing automated testing and writing an accessibility statement.
New government legislation means that from the 23rd September 2018, Public Sector bodies have a year to include an accessibility statement on new websites and another year to resolve issues and create one for current websites.
What is an accessibility statement?
An accessibility statement is a powerful declaration of commitment. It says: 'We consider accessibility to be highly important and here is the level of accessibility we have currently achieved.'
The statement should outline a website or app's overall accessibility based on WCAG 2.1 at level AA. Ideally, it should also provide advice on how to achieve things if they do face accessibility barriers.
In order to have a statement, you will need to conduct accessibility testing.
Once you know what level of accessibility your site meets, or what the barriers might be, you can use our Accessibility Statement Generator to create a statement.
If you would like more information on improving your web accessibility, give us a call on +44 (0) 117 929 7333, email us at email@example.com or send us a message.


text:
Clean Slate
I think many can agree that 2016 wasn't the greatest year. With that being said, the approaching new year provides the clean slate everyone wants, or better yet, needs. It also presents possibilities and hope for self-improvement. A common way goals are set for upcoming years is through New Year's resolutions, but I found that these never seemed to work for me. Instead, I decided to trade resolutions for words (and I have to say this has worked way better). Each year, I choose one word to carry with me throughout the year. Two years ago, it was BOLD and this year was EXPLORE. For 2017, I choose LISTEN.
Dress: TJ Maxx (similar) | Earrings: JCPenney (similar)
I've recognized that I'm terrible at listening to myself. I spend so much time doubting or ignoring what's going on with me and before you tell me, I already know it's not good. This is why I'll actually take the time to a) acknowledge that what I'm feeling is valid and b) trust the initial feeling/emotion/intuition before logic kicks in. Logic is definitely what kills me. I'm a thinker and though it has helped me in many situations, it has also closed the doors on opportunities I could have taken.
Shoes: ASOS
2017 will be my time to listen to my feelings, my intuition, my heart, and most importantly, the Holy Spirit. Yes, there will be times where I make mistakes, but I'm ready to strengthen the trust I have in myself.
Coat: Ann Taylor (similar)
Have a word in mind that you'd like to carry throughout 2017? Tell me in the comments.


text:
Runway™ HM2 - Hitch Mount Platform 2 Bike Carrier
|The MPG2149 Runway™ HM2 is our most economical hitch mount /platform designed carrier. Transports two bikes. Ratchet based center arms securely hold the bike's top tubes for safe transport. Features tilt-down frame, wheel holders, anti-wobble hitch pins and key lock security. Lifetime Limited Warranty.
Bikes can be locked to carrier if use MPG2168 Loop Lock 1". Sold separately.
Not compatible with tandem, recumbent and electric bikes.
May need to use MPG2165 top tube adapter with step through frames or other unconventional frames. Sold separately.
What's In The Box:
Details / ManualsClick To Download


text:
INBK was on a fascinating and inspiring panel at Progressive Hacknight, along with folks from NY Indivisible, Indivisible Brooklyn, Indivisible Harlem and the national Indivisible Guide team. If you have a tech background, and would like to help us on the technology front, email us at firstname.lastname@example.com!
Rally for Peace & Sanity
On August 13th, we expected a small but might crowd -- but instead, 1500+ people joined us in solidarity over 45's recent provocations of North Korea and the horrifying events in Charlottesville.
Our speakers spoke truth to power, and we are grateful to them all: U.S. Rep. Yvette D. Clarke, Public Advocate Letitia James, Comptroller Scott M. Stringer, Assemblymember Robert Carroll, Councilmember Jumaane D. Williams, Assemblymember Jo Anne Simon, Kate Alexander of Peace Action New York State and Molly Nolan of Brooklyn For Peace
The rally was picked up by the Associated Press, and was covered nationally in the Miami Herald, Gothamist, Mic, the Washington Times, and more.
News 12 also covered the rally (click link for video).
Indivisible with Pride!
March For Truth
INBK and Indivisible groups across the country showed up in numbers at the March For Truth rallies nationwide -- one of our members even made the news (on Fox no less)!
See it HERE
Mega Townhall!
INBK was thrilled to speak on the panel at Reps. Clarke, Velazquez and Jeffries mega townhall on May 8th. Thanks to everyone who attended!
If you missed it, check out the lifestream HERE -- our presentation begins at the 40 minute mark!
INBK in the NY Times: April 21, 2017
A Very Political Seder -- Brian Lehrer, WNYC
Indivisible Nation BK was featured in a piece about Passover seders with political and social justice themes. One of our intrepid activists called in to the show, and Brian interviewed her about our Indivisible Haggadah, her own Indivisible seder, and our work!
Take a listen here!
Indivisible Seder
Our Indivisible Haggadah was mentioned in the Washington Post!
"Anti-Trump activist group Indivisible Nation BK's online Haggadah — which said that parsley, which normally symbolizes spring, should symbolize the importance of attending a town hall during Congress's spring recess — replaced the traditional hunt for the afikomen, a piece of hidden matzoh, with a hunt for Trump's tax returns."
Download yours HERE
Democracy Lab podcast
John Santore interviewed us for the first episode of the Democracy Lab podcast. Other interviews with Indivisible groups across the country are in the works, so be sure to follow!
March for a Free Press -- WNYC/NPR
The March for a Free Press made the New York Times -- which is only fair since it was in support of and at the New York Times!
NPR covered the march -- spearheaded by #getorganizedbk's Free Press Group -- several times, including this report mentioning InBK,
listen HERE!
It was also previewed at the end of the below news clip about Rep. Carolyn Maloney this morning, and reviewed more fully during the evening broadcast!
Also reported on The Hill, in AMNY here and 24 New York here


text:
Men's Golf Shoe
Nike Golf Tour Premiere
- Colour Shown: Black/Anthracite/Metallic Silver
- Style: AO2241-002
The Nike Tour Premiere Men's Golf Shoe helps you stay focused on your game with FastFit lockdown, stable footing and a waterproof construction.
FastFit Closure
The quick-pull top strap provides secure lockdown, while the red tab loosens the closure at the end of your round.
Stay Dry
When the weather or water hazards get in your way, the waterproof construction helps keep your feet dry.
Secure Traction
TPU outsole with removable CHAMP® Zarma Tour® spikes helps promote secure traction across the course.
More Details
Free standard delivery with your NikePlus account. Learn More.
- Standard deliveries arrive in 3–8 days; we deliver 5 days a week.
- You can return your order for any reason, free of charge, within 30 days.
Some Exclusions Apply. Learn more about Nike.com delivery options and returns policy.
4.1 Stars
RJS832809018 - Aug 02, 2019
When first purchasing I was weary due to the fact of everyone saying they run small. I wear nothing but nike and I wear an 11.5 in every shoe. I decided to go with the 12. Put them on and probably the most comfortable shoe my feet have touched. Looks can't be beat and the total comfort is off the charts! GREAT PRODUCT!
Runs small
519838 - Jun 17, 2019
I have worn size 13 Nike shoes for the past 22 years. I have had several Jordan, TW and various Nike running shoes over those years. This shoe and the TW 71 Fast Fit are made about a half of a size too small and the size 14 was too big. The locking system could not get tight enough around my foot. Maybe next year... How about a relaunch of Tw 13 and TW 15?
Not GOOD !!!
PavelT526950430 - May 05, 2019
Had this shoe for over a month. Been out playing in them at least 7 rounds. Bought my normal size, they are so hard to put on, and they feel extremely tight and hot. After an hour I just can't wait to take them off. I simply stopped wearing them. :(


text:
Brazzers.com is a huge network of porn sites with thousands of top-quality porn videos. You get 32 sites, daily updates, unlimited downloads, live shows, photo galleries, and a whole bunch of goodies with just one subscription. On top of that, you can get this Brazzers lifetime discount with full network access and make it the ultimate bargain. You'd be getting amazing productions with the world's hottest porn stars for just a few bucks.
This is an excellent opportunity. Instead for jerking off to shitty, clipped, and pixelated tube site porn, you can enjoy the industry's most popular studio for what you would spend on a sandwich or a hamburger. It's really something you shouldn't miss out on! Day With A Pornstar, Dirty Masseur, Jizz On My Juggs, Hot Chicks Big Asses, MILFs Like It Big… these websites, and many more, have become very affordable for you right now.
Seize the opportunity and let dick-hardening sluts like Gia Paige, Asa Akira, and Dani Daniels treat you to stellar performances. The network covers a huge variety of niches. You'll have all the porn you need!
0 Comments | Write Comment


text:
In the past I have been approached with many partnership ideas, but I know what it is that makes a true partnership. I give something and you give something in return that makes it beneficial to us both.
That is how I approach real estate and my clients. I offer them hard work, dedication and ethics and they offer me a commission, referrals and in a lot of cases, their friendship. But, sometimes in real estate the difference between partnership and business kick backs are not that far apart.
Let's look at one example of some of the things I do in business. I have many mortgage brokers print my flyers. In return they get to write an article or advertise on my website or on the back of my listing flyers. Now, if they get a call, they can keep that business and I don't expect anything in return. But, what if that client was to call me and I then suggested they use that mortgage broker and that broker then paid me 10% of what they earned. That is where it crosses the line. I gave them the referral in exchange for cash. (Kickback.)
My most recent example of this was I was approached by a landscaper that said if I got a person to landscape their yard to help them sell their home that he would pay me 25% of what ever he earned off that job. Hmmm, sounds nice, but it is a kickback and completely unethical. Now, can I recommend someone landscape? YES! Can I get paid for that recommendation? NO!
I, personally, would rather sit back and enjoy the money I make from earning my clients trust rather than making money off back end deals from my listings or buyers.
I suggest you ask what your agent is getting out of it, if they refer someone to you. Most of the time, it is nothing, but there are those times they are referring that person out of greed and to get their hands in your pockets even deeper.
Respect Realty LLC (Expect More)
At Respect Realty, LLC our agents believe in 100% dedication to client satisfaction. We specialize in property and land acquisition around the Portland Metro and Vancouver, WA area. We delight in working with first time home buyers and sellers to guide them from start to finish. Our doors are always open and we are always happy to assist you with your real estate questions.
Reach out today, we look forward to talking with you!
Todd Clark and Seraina Aguayo (Owners of Respect Realty)
Respect Realty LLC (Expect More)
Thinking of buying? Start your home search by clicking here
Thinking of selling? Find how much your home is worth by clicking here
Don't forget to follow us on Social Media to keep up with the latest real estate information


text:
Submitted by Eric Peters, CIO of One River Asset Management
"My guys out there all have 4-5 things going on," said the CIO, excited, his army of traders sprawled across Gotham.
"They tell me this curve is distorted, that one isn't. This price is out of line but not that one. They're doing things in cash bonds versus futures. They box trades and hedge out idiosyncratic risks."
Relative-value rates trading is offering real opportunities this year. Firms with decades in the space are reaping the rewards. "But it's that time of year when we have to decide what to hold over year-end. What to sell. Got to take down our balance sheet."
* * *
"So you guys are making money, who's losing it?" I asked. When you pick up pennies and leverage it for a living, it helps to know who's dropping them and why.
"Distressed sellers? ETFs? Bid/ask spreads widening? Are your guys getting paid to provide liquidity?" I asked.
He smiled, then answered, "Bond issuance is rising. Endless trillion-dollar deficits are just starting. And the runoff from the Fed's balance sheet reduction keeps coming. Auctions are getting sloppy. Most people haven't seen this environment. So now lots of people are paying us."
"Our industry has still not adjusted to Dodd Frank," explained the same CIO. "When markets aren't really moving, it appears everything is fine. But when there's any kind of volatility, it's a very different story."
A decade of infinite liquidity lulled us to sleep. It's over. We're waking. Repo rates surged Tuesday, inexplicably.
"Here's an example: money market funds can't lend to me. So they give cash to banks, and I get it from them, but that bloats their balance sheets, which they're desperate to shrink. And this distorts rates, creates inefficiencies."


text:
Chelsea lost their title in the summer transfer window, says Chris Sutton
Chris Sutton thinks Chelsea are already out of the Premier League title race after a 2-1 defeat to Crystal Palace left them nine points behind league leaders Manchester City — and he blames the club's efforts in the summer transfer window.
Chelsea brought in the likes of Alvaro Morata, Tiemoue Bakayoko and Antonio Rudiger over the summer and added Danny Drinkwater and Davide Zappacosta on transfer deadline day at the end of August.
They sold Nemanja Matic, Diego Costa and Nathan Ake, while injuries to N'Golo Kante and Alvaro Morata have coincided with a downturn in form. Former Chelsea striker Sutton believes that the transfer window left Antonio Conte short on the tools needed to retain their title this season.
Editors' Picks
- Speedy Ceballos can define Emery's Arsenal tenure & more tactical lessons from the Premier League weekend
- Three games, no wins! Lampard return to Stamford Bridge ruined despite Mount magic
- Deja VAR! Familiar frustration for City but dazzling De Bruyne display will delight Pep
- Bale back and no new signings: Zidane's new Madrid a lot like the old one
"Chelsea normally respond to adversity," BT Sport pundit Sutton told Goal. "They have done that under Conte but Chelsea's season, this season, fighting on two fronts always did depend on the business they did in the transfer window.
"They didn't strengthen as they should have done and that's where the fault lies now. Who does that fault lies with in the club? Is it the manager? Or was he given the funds? Did he want to sell Nemanja Matic to United? Not from the reports that I have read.
"These are all issues, but that's where the faults lie. It may be too late [to fix it] in January's transfer market. The logical thing to do may be to bring someone in. United and City did their business in the summer, but if you're a Chelsea fan you must be thinking, 'We are Premier League champions, how are we in this position?'
"I think that they will be focused on every competition. They have to be. You might see Conte tweak the line-ups in the domestic cups, but I think the Premier League has gone for Chelsea now, I do. Are they strong enough to win the Champions League?
"You have to say that is going to be extremely difficult, not impossible, if they get their first XI on the pitch but there are sides that seem to be more capable than them. That means the domestic competitions have more importance."
Sutton himself was once considered a high-profile signing for Chelsea and signed for the club in 1999 for a fee of £10 million from Blackburn Rovers. The television pundit struggled to adapt at Chelsea and he was quickly sold to Celtic, where he revitalised his career.
The former striker sympathises with Michy Batshuayi's struggles after he was substituted at the weekend in the 57th minute for Pedro. He thinks that Conte doesn't trust him and that has had an affect on his form when he has started in games.
"Conte doesn't rate him as highly as Morata, that is absolutely clear," Sutton added. "Conte doesn't think he is an adequate replacement as he wouldn't have put Hazard [with Willian] on against Manchester City. He left Batshuayi on the bench so Batshuayi will feel that as well and may be short on confidence. It is an issue.
"He replaced Costa with Morata. If you look at how many games he started over the past four seasons, Morata is not somebody who has played in an abundance of games. Should they have brought another striker as well as Morata? I think it's fair to say that they should have done.
"The first thing is that Antonio Conte fell out with Diego Costa but he was still one of the first names on the team sheet, whether he liked him or didn't personally. He used him in the second half of the season and rated him.
"Antonio Conte has faith in Morata and you can see why in his performances this season but then in Batshuayi, the manager doesn't have the faith. It is a big pressure playing at a big club like Chelsea but he wasn't the focal point at the weekend.
"It is a huge problem that Chelsea have. It comes down to recruitment and Chelsea didn't recruit well enough. It is his all-round game. Whether it is goals or assists but he looks a player, that when he scored the goal versus Atletico Madrid, you expected him to go on and come to life and be confident.
"He may be going into games thinking that the manager doesn't want to start me. He was well off the pace at the weekend but at Chelsea the players feel they can rely on Morata. It is hard for Batshuayi but you don't feel like they can trust him like they do with Morata."
BT Sport is where the best go head to head. Watch Chelsea v AS Roma exclusively live in the UEFA Champions League on BT Sport 3 from 7pm on Wednesday 18th October.


text:
thread: 2005-04-27 : The Open House 4: Handshaking
On 2005-05-02, James Nostack wrote:
Hi, I'm James, I'm 28 and live in Philadelphia. I have a thankless, boring job working for a non-profit, which is why I'm hoping to have a boring but hopefully thankful job as a lawyer soon. I'm dating a wonderful girl in New York.
Play-wise, I played some Dungeons & Dragons and Alternity over the years, but I'm getting really into the Shadow of Yesterday lately.


text: Traveling for a residing offers me the chance to visit a number of hotels. Three star of several star, all of them have a single thing in common. They all must be heated and cooled. It never easily dawned on me on just what a sizable Heating and Air Conditioning undertaking this was. Every room these nights has some form of individual heating and cooling control. Whether it be a thermostat on the wall or the individual window unit, the Heating and Air Conditioning demand is big and varied. The Heating and Air Conditioning energy cost alone must eat up a healthy amount of the operating budget. I'm surprised hotels and motels haven't attempted to control the Heating and Air Conditioning costs. Or maybe they have and that's why the darn air conditioner appears to be so underwhelming in many hotels. Could it be honestly long before each room has a smart thermostat that simply regulates the room temp? Now, they pass these Heating and Air Conditioning costs on to the customer. But, that dynamic is not at all sustainable. I can imagine that curbing heating and cooling costs are at the top of the list in many hospitality board rooms. Eventually, if utility bills continue to rise, the room rate could be unmanageable for many people. The plan of paying for unlimited conditioned air as an amenity is not so absurd. Hotels hit us for so many nickel and dime expenses already. Heating and cooling are the next big thing for hotels to monetize. The honestly thought of all this has given me extra impetus to split out the extensive traveling. It may be time to get headquartered in our own new dining room where the Heating and Air Conditioning costs are mine alone.


text: They're rich in culture and have gorgeous scenery. Tuul & Bruno Morandi—Getty Images By ELIZABETH O'BRIEN Travel tops the bucket list for many retirees. But what if your wanderlust is of the more permanent variety? According to the Social Security Administration, some 400,000 retired workers collect their benefits abroad, with the average monthly amount among


text:
Everything came out deliciously. The root veggies were a little bitter, which I think was a result of the veggies and nothing I did. The collards and the brussels sprouts were awesome, and I'll try to stick up the recipes for those sometime in the near future.
Unfortunately, my laptop completely died and I'm on my dad's, which means no picture editing software. :-/ But I have put a bunch of them up anyway. They are just horribly unresized.
Cranberry Capirinhas!
Poppa Says Grace!
Crab Crostini!
Smoked Salmon Soup! With Fried Sage!
Salad! With Quince Dressing and Blue Cheese and Gooseberries!
Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta and Pecans!
Squash with Pomegranate Seeds and Chestnuts!
Creamed Collard Greens and some weird shadowy death that messed up the picture!
Mashed Potatoes!
Mashed Root Veggies!
Jordan Carving Turkey!
And in other news, I would just like to say thank you to all my friends, both real life friends and internet friends who have been there for me over the past year. This was a really rough year in a lot of ways for a lot of reasons and even though I'm tentatively optimistic about where things are going, I very much appreciate all the love & support people have shown me, the words of kindness & advice, and everything people have done for me over the past year. Thank you & love to all.
Happy Thanksgiving.
tea berry-blue
i like chickens.
( 12 comments — Leave a comment )
*raises teacup* To Tea! For her hardwork, perseverance, and making it through for another day! :)
*raises teacup* To Tea! For her hardwork, perseverance, and making it through for another day! :)
I would absolutely kill for a bite of anything on that table!!! It all looks so amazing!
Thanks! It was delicious
Do I get to be your pampered housewife?
All those pies...*salivates*
That is one hell of a turkey.
Suddenely my sausages potato and beans don't feel as good.
It's okay, the meatloaf I made tonight turned out blechy.
That made me so hungry I am going to have to eat more leftovers!♥ Happy Thanksgiving!
That looks delicious and makes me want to have Thanksgiving all over again.
That is seriously the sexiest turkey I've ever seen. It looks a lot better than the one we had. I'm actually drooling over the photographs of it. Seriously.
Ahh, thanks. Maybe I should go into food porn.


text:
State of Idaho sends out tax returns with a return date of 1900 - Spin Dr.s immediately claim HUMAN ERROR!!!greenspun.com : LUSENET : TimeBomb 2000 (Y2000) : One Thread
Saw last night on our local news Idaho's state gov't sent out taxes that were due to be returned Jan. 20, 1900. So far they have sent over 20,000 of these. Immediately the State's IT man said, "This is NOT a Y2K issue, we simply made a HUMAN error". Right, pal - we made that Human error about 50 years ago!!!
They were interviewing a few of the business owners about the glitch & they laughed and said that must mean we don't have to pay next year.
Ran a search this morning in the ID papers - nothing. Gotta give the administration credit for one thing, they have successfully put 99% of the population to sleep. I honestly do not think ANYTHING will move the heard at this point. Gotta run & grab some more beans & rice. Easy pickins for us doomers right now.
-- Matt (email@example.com), November 30, 1999
Thanks Matt, I needed this today. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! Our neighbor got a bill from the IRS for $74,000 dollars last month. They own a mom and pop carpet store and have one employee. The IRS said this was their quarterly payment that was due. I doubt they've ever seen $74,000 in gross sales. I've been issued a second EIN by the IRS. One is bad enough, but two???? We still don't have that straightened out. Oh, they issued the new number last month, just in time for Y2k. Human error I'm sure. BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!
-- dozerdoctor (email@example.com), November 30, 1999.
Remember Your 1999 Form 1040 must be postmarked no later than
April 15, 1900.
-- snooze button (firstname.lastname@example.com), November 30, 1999.
well, here we are - 2 minute warning, no time outs ...
damn folks, it seems the sheeple will stay sound asleep until TSHTF.
so be it.
-- Dan G (firstname.lastname@example.com), November 30, 1999.