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Dell painted a somewhat bleak depiction of its prospects in a recent SEC filing.
In a 274-page filing on Friday, the PC maker indicated market and product challenges on several fronts. In the filing, Dell makes a case for accepting a $24.4 billion offer to go private so it can be in a better position to deal with the myriad challenges facing the company.
Those included "the deteriorating outlook for the PC market as a result of, among other things, smartphones and
tablets cannibalizing PC sales," according to the filing.
The SEC filing also cited "the uncertain adoption of the
Windows 8 operating system" at several meetings, including one in December 2012.
Brian Gladden, the chief financial officer, noted "adverse developments, coupled with generally weakening demand in the global PC market and lower PC margin rates" at a meeting in September 2012.
The filing also cites a presentation made by Michael Dell in December of 2012 to the Board "in which he expressed his conviction that a going private transaction was the best course for the Company and its unaffiliated stockholders."
Among the reasons were:
Investing in the PC and tablet business. Mr. Dell stated his belief that such initiatives, if undertaken as a public company, would be poorly received by the stock market because they would reduce near-term profitability, raise operating expenses and capital expenditures, and involve significant risk. Mr. Dell stated his view that a going private transaction was in the best interests of the Company's unaffiliated stockholders because…they would receive a portion of the potential upside from these initiatives in the form of a premium for their shares without bearing the risk and uncertainties related to executing such initiatives.
The Wall Street Journal and Neowin ]
Source Article from http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/cnet/tcoc/~3/Q9odD4B-6ww/


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Andrew Freeman: Bureaucratization, Divisiveness and Fear Are Hobbling Education – August 23, 2011
For seven years I have taught in our public education system. I consider myself and all teachers to be activists. Our work is important for we are helping to shape the lives of what we as a society hold most precious – our children.
With this in mind I recognize that my work as a teacher goes beyond what I do in my own classroom and school. There are forces at work shaping our nation's education policy, which in turn will craft what we will be as a society in the years, decades and centuries to come.
This summer I embarked on a journey to find the pulse among the currents of education philosophy and policy in America. My travels first took me to the Save Our Schools National Conference and March in Washington, D.C. and later to the Alternative Education Resource Organization (AERO) Conference in Portland, Oregon.
In this and next week's column I will provide a report of what I observed and learned at these events. I will then outline what I found to be the three biggest issues facing education in America today and what people are doing about them.
Save Our Schools (SOS) is a grassroots coalition of public school advocates who have the goals of equitable funding for all public schools, an end to high stakes standardized testing, and teacher, family, and community leadership in forming public education policies and curricula. However, the way forward to reach these goals was heavily debated at the conference.
Often I felt that we were having the wrong conversations at SOS. For example, while we all could agree that public schools should receive equitable funding, there was a lot of time spent lambasting alternative schools, private schools, and the ever emerging quasi private/public charter schools.
While the concerns about privatization in public education are real – we must not allow private corporations to use their contributions to influence curriculum – we also have examples of non-profit organizations, like Bill Gates' Foundation, giving money to fund innovative charter programs.
Karran Harper Royal, co-founder of Parents Across America, takes a strong stand against charters which she claims in New Orleans screen admissions, push out "underperforming" students, and neglect traditional neighborhood schools.
This is certainly unfair and problematic. However, taking unwavering stands against charters is not going to deliver equity; we must instead demand more equal funding for all schools.
This is one example of the many conversations that took place at SOS. Despite our differences, 3,000 of us marched together around the White House sharing a belief in the importance of quality education and a love for our children.
I left my experience with the rank and file public school people to enter the world of alternative education at AERO in Portland. Here was an eccentric gathering of those working on the fringes of and outside the system. I was inspired hearing about the work of those in Free Schools, Montessori, Sudsbury, Waldorf, Democracy Schools, Peace Schools, Farm Schools and even Un-Schools!
After being in DC learning about the major problems facing our nation's public schools, it was refreshing to be among those who by and large have avoided stifling standardization and top-down regulations and instead have manifested thriving models of what education can be when school creation is up to parents, students, educators and local communities.
Based on my experiences at both conferences, I summarized what I found to be the three most pressing issues facing education today: Bureaucratization, Divisiveness and Fear.
Bureaucratization of education is the major factor that pulls educators away from providing the best service they can for our children. While there are many facets to the bureaucratization issue, the aspect I wish to focus on is standardization of curriculum and the subsequent high stakes standardized tests.
One area we all had common ground on at SOS and AERO was a call for an end to high stakes standardized testing. The testing mania, which links funding to schoolwide performance, was unleashed by the Bush Administration's No Child Left Behind (NCLB) legislation.
Phil and Joan Harris, education researchers and authors of The Myths of Standardized Tests, claim that student knowledge, achievement, and learning cannot be assessed by a measurement of correct and incorrect responses to a limited number of questions on a standardized test.
Consequently, test scores do not provide citizens with the information they need to know about public schools and their teachers. The Harris's use quantitative analysis to prove false the assumptions behind testing.
However, most educators know instinctively that student achievement and learning must be assessed using both quantitative and qualitative measures. Even then, there is no absolute value that can be placed on something as profound, complex and cosmic as a human being's knowledge.
The testing regimen has resulted in school administrators pushing teachers to prepare students for the test, it has caused teachers to narrow the curriculum to cover test-relevant information, or "teach to the test." Finally, it has short-changed our children from receiving the holistic, creative, enlightening, and empowering education they all deserve.
There is a clear majority opposed to standardized testing and it's time to exercise our democratic rights and put an end to it.
I encourage readers to explore the work of Angela Engel, author of Seeds of Tomorrow, who is lobbying at high levels of government to end standardized testing; the Bartleby Project, a grassroots effort encouraging students to take a stand; and Students Against Testing.
Finally, I invite local educators, parents, students and community members interested in solutions for improving our children's education to begin a local dialogue. Contact me at firstname.lastname@example.com.
Next week I will discuss what I found to be the two other major problems in education today – divisiveness and fear – and how we need to shift towards finding common ground, respecting differences and moving forward towards positive change.
Andrew Freeman teaches Social Studies at Northcoast Preparatory and Performing Arts Academy (NPA),an Arcata-based, publicly funded charter school.

subset: commoncrawl


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The new sketchbook I mentioned in the last post is now sitting, finished on my nightstand, and I've been working through the new, new one. This is all stuff from my morning and nightly commutes on Bart, and Ritual sittings.
Also, the blog turned 2 last month. Time seems to fly so quickly these days, but sufficed to say I'm amazed how far I've come in the 24 months since starting The Iron Scythe.
I thank all of you who stop by the blog and read daily.
Here's to another great year.
Again, the sketches.
Thursday, August 23, 2007
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Description via Amazon. Designers from Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway, and Iceland have long pursued the shared goal of social equality through design, believing that well-designed everyday goods not only enhance daily life, but should also be the birthright of all. Modern Scandinavian Design is the ultimate guide to the distinctive design tradition arising out of these five Nordic countries since 1925. Bestselling design authors Charlotte and Peter Fiell have extensively researched all aspects of the aesthetic, along with contributions from Magnus Englund of Skandium. With sections on architecture, furniture, lighting, glass, ceramics, metalwork, woodenware, plastics, textiles, jewelry, and graphic design, this will be an indispensable resource for any design enthusiast, collector, or casual reader seeking inspiration for their home.
TitleModern Scandinavian Design
AuthorCharlotte Fiell; Peter Fiell; Magnus Englund
PublisherLaurence King Publishing
Publication year2017


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Draft Declaration of the World Food Summit: five years later
International Alliance Against Hunger
We, the Heads of State and Government,1 or our representatives, assembled in Rome at the World Food Summit: five years later (WFS:fyl) at the invitation of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO);
Recalling the World Food Summit (WFS) held in Rome in November 1996 at which Heads of State and Government, or their representatives, adopted the Rome Declaration on World Food Security and the WFS Plan of Action and pledged their political will and their common and national commitment to achieving food security for all and to an ongoing effort to eradicate hunger in all countries, with an immediate view to reducing the number of undernourished people to half their level no later than 2015;
Recognizing the urgent need to reinforce the efforts of all concerned partners as an international alliance against hunger, for the fulfilment of the objectives of the 1996 Summit;
Reaffirming the right of everyone to have access to safe and nutritious food;
Reiterating that food should not be used as an instrument for political and economic pressure and reaffirming the importance of international cooperation and solidarity as well as the necessity of refraining from unilateral measures not in accordance with the international law and the Charter of the United Nations and that endanger food security;
Reaffirming the commitments that we assumed with the Rome Declaration and Plan of Action, which taking into consideration the multifaceted character of food security, encompass national action and effective international efforts to supplement and reinforce national action;
Acknowledging the considerable efforts which have been made in many countries to reduce poverty and improve food security, and recognizing the commitment of the international community to assisting this effort as expressed in the United Nations Millennium Declaration;
Noting that the average annual rate of reduction in the number of undernourished people in the world was eight million and that if this trend continues, the WFS target of reducing the number of the undernourished by half by 2015, reaffirmed by the Millennium Declaration, will not be attained;
Noting that hunger is both a cause and an effect of extreme poverty, and prevents the poor from taking advantage of development opportunities, that hunger eradication is a vital step in alleviating poverty and inequality, and that the international community has restated its commitment to the reduction of poverty. Observing further that 70 percent of the world's poor live in rural areas and depend almost entirely on agriculture and rural development for their livelihood; and noting the rapid increase in the numbers and proportion of urban people affected by poverty, hunger and malnutrition;
Conscious of the particular difficulties faced by all developing countries, in particular by the least developed countries (LDC), the low-income food-deficit countries (LIFDC), the small island developing states, and countries affected by violent conflicts, civil strife, land mines and unexploded ordnance, or exposed to desertification and natural disasters; noting further that global warming and climate change can have serious implications for food and livelihood security, especially in these countries;
Recognizing also the difficulties faced by the countries with economies in transition in addressing their food security needs in the process of conducting market-oriented reforms;
Concerned with the current estimates of the overall downward trend in the national budgets of developing countries and the decline in Official Development Assistance (ODA) and International Financial Institutions (IFIs) portofolios directly allocated for agriculture and rural development, as a contribution to food security;
Recognizing the important role of food assistance in situations of humanitarian crisis as well as an instrument for development, acting as an enabling pre-investment;
Reaffirming Commitment 4 of the WFS Plan of Action that trade is a key element in achieving world food security;
Reaffirming the fundamental importance of national production and distribution of food, sustainable agriculture and rural development, fisheries and forestry, in achieving food security;
Reiterating our deep concern at the debt burden on developing countries in particular the heavily indebted poor countries, and at its negative impact on resources for food security, inspite of progress in implementing the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative;
Recognizing that international economic and financial crises have shown dramatically the vulnerability of developing countries;
Noting with concern the acute threat of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, and the incidence of malaria, tuberculosis and other diseases, in particular those caused by water contamination in developing countries, and their devastating impact on food security;
Reaffirming our commitment to the Monterrey Consensus, which referenced the need to develop effective partnerships between developed and developing countries, based on the recognition of national leadership and ownership of development plans that embody poverty reduction strategies, and recognizing the value of exploring innovative sources of finance provided that those sources do not unduly burden developing countries, as important steps towards achieving sustainable food security;
Recognizing the importance of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture in support of food security objectives;
Noting the outcomes of the world conferences, including the International Conference on Financing for Development, the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) Special Sessions on HIV/AIDS in 2001 and on Children in 2002 and the 4th Ministerial Conference of the World Trade Organization (WTO) at Doha, and highlighting the forthcoming World Summit on Sustainable Development of 2002.
Political will
1. We renew our global commitments made in the Rome Declaration at the World Food Summit in 1996 in particular to halve the number of hungry in the world no later than 2015, as reaffirmed in the United Nations Millennium of the Declaration. We resolve to accelerate the implementation of the WFS Plan of Action.
2. We call on all parties (governments, international organizations, civil society organizations and the private sector) to reinforce their efforts so as to act as an international alliance against hunger to achieve the WFS targets no later than 2015. With this aim, parties should promote coordinated action. Bearing in mind the contribution of all parties, countries should continue to report on progress to the Committee on World Food Security (CFS), within its mandate as a focal point for the implementation of the WFS Plan of Action.
3. We recognize that progress had not been adequate to reach the WFS target. Recognizing that responsibility for assuring national food security rests with national governments in cooperation with civil society and the private sector and with the support of the international community, we resolve to accelerate implementation of action to halve hunger by no later than 2015. This requires a rate of hunger reduction of more than 22 million per year on average.
4. We stress that poverty reduction and food security strategies should, inter alia, include measures to increase agricultural productivity, food production and distribution. We agree to promote equal access for men and women to food, water, land, credit and technology which will also help in generating income and creating employment opportunities for the poor, thus contributing to reduction of poverty and hunger.
5. We reaffirm the importance of strengthening the respect of all human rights and fundamental freedoms including the right to development, democracy, the rule of law, good governance, sound economic policies, the equality of rights for all without distinction as to sex, race, language, religion, the resolution of conflicts in accordance with the UN Charter and respect for international humanitarian law, and international cooperation so as to solve economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems, which are essential for achieving food security.
6. We call upon the concerned development partners to exert all necessary efforts to achieve the international development goals of the Millennium Declaration, particularly, those related to halving poverty and hunger by 2015, to improve and strengthen the indicators necessary for measuring progress and to monitor progress within their mandate; and to renew and strengthen the commitment to national and international systems in place to assess food security. We reaffirm the role of FAO, with World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF in monitoring progress towards the Millennium Development Goal on hunger and the importance of the Inter-Agency Working Group on FIVIMS (Food Insecurity and Vulnerability Information and Mapping Systems) in strengthening national and international monitoring of food security.
7. The vast majority of the hungry and those living in absolute poverty are in rural areas. We recognize that reaching the goal of halving the number of hungry requires that the most food insecure and impoverished countries promote the alleviation of rural poverty especially through sustained growth of agricultural production, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa.
8. We reconfirm that FAO has a major role to play in assisting countries to implement the provisions of the WFS Plan of Action within its mandate, keeping in mind that the WFS entrusted the Committee on World Food Security to monitor progress.
9. We believe that broad international partnerships are of utmost importance for the implementation of the WFS Plan of Action. We call on governments, the international organizations and financial institutions to utilize their resources effectively, to improve their performance and strengthen co-operation and to undertake joint efforts to combat hunger, and reinforce the key role of sustainable agriculture and rural development in food security.
10. We invite the FAO Council to establish at its One Hundred and Twenty-third session an Intergovernmental Working Group, with the participation of stakeholders, in the context of the WFS follow-up, to elaborate, in a period of two years, a set of voluntary guidelines to support Member States' efforts to achieve the progressive realisation of the right to adequate food in the context of national food security; we ask the FAO, in close collaboration with relevant treaty bodies, agencies and programmes of the UN system, to assist the Intergovernmental Working Group, which shall report on its work to the Committee on World Food Security.
11. We specifically urge governments to review their ongoing national food security policies with a view to filling gaps, identifying new initiatives, removing implementation obstacles and streamlining inter-ministerial and inter-departmental policy initiatives.
12. We reaffirm the Monterrey Consensus and we urge all members of the WTO to implement the outcome of the Doha Conference, especially the commitments regarding the reform of the international agricultural trading system, with particular reference to paragraphs 13 and 14, given that international agricultural trade has a role to play, consistent with Commitment 4 of the WFS Plan of Action, in promoting economic development, alleviating poverty and achieving the objectives of the World Food Summit, in particular in developing countries.
13. We reaffirm the need to assure gender equality and to support empowerment of women. We recognize and value the continuing and vital role of women in agriculture, nutrition and food security and the need to integrate a gender perspective in all aspects of food security; and we recognize the need to adopt measures to ensure that the work of rural women is recognized and valued in order to enhance their economic security, and their access to and control over resources and credit schemes, services and benefits.
14. We emphasize the need for nutritionally adequate and safe food and highlight the need for attention to nutritional issues as an integral part of addressing food security. The recent UNGA Special Session on Children addressed the need for investments in basic economic and social infrastructure and social services as well as social protection for vulnerable and disadvantaged groups. Attention should be given to improving the quality of diet; access to potable water, health care, and education; and sanitation. We recognize the importance of interventions to tackle micro-nutrient deficiencies which are cost effective and locally acceptable.
15. We reaffirm our pledge to the fight against world-wide conditions that pose severe health threats, and especially the spread of HIV/AIDS, which can have a uniquely devastating impact on all sectors and levels of society and consequently on food security. This requires new approaches, technologies and crops for labour deficient HIV/AIDS-affected farming households. In this regard, we welcome the establishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria, which constitutes an important step forward for concerted action at country level as well as for the mobilization of new and additional resources aimed at the prevention and treatment of these diseases.
16. We reaffirm the important role of Codex Alimentarius, the International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC) and the Office International des Epizooties (OIE) to provide effective, science-based, internationally-accepted standards of food safety, plant and animal health, as well as to facilitate international food and agricultural trade in their role as the WTO Agreement on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS)-recognized standard-setting bodies.
17. We pledge to continue to support efforts to strengthen developing countries' capacity with respect to the management of food safety and plant and animal health.
18. We should strengthen national and international action to prepare for contingencies and emergencies and to improve the effectiveness of emergency actions both through food and non-food based intervention. These actions must be integrated into sustainable development efforts with all stakeholders involved to achieve sustainable food security. We underscore the importance of developing the scope and coverage of social protection mechanisms, in particular of safety nets for vulnerable and food insecure households. We are committed to ensuring, through economic development, the use of early warning systems, and emergency assistance, that famine will never again be seen.
19. We recognize the merit of school feeding as a social development programme. It should be based on local or regional purchase where possible, and managed in a way to respect local consumption habits. In this regard, we encourage the development of the World Food Programme's (WFP's) school feeding programmes, among others, when implemented in accordance with national priorities and educational programmes.
20. We resolve to contribute to the outcome of the World Summit on Sustainable Development, recognizing the important role of the three Rome-based organizations, FAO, WFP and the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), and to strengthen co-ordination and cooperation among national and international organisations, in order to make efficient use of resources, particularly in the areas of technical and financial cooperation, sustainable management of natural resources, fighting transboundary animal and plant diseases and securing food safety.
21. We stress the need to further promote sustainable forest and fisheries management, including sustainable use and conservation of aquatic living resources, in view of the contribution of those sectors to food security and poverty eradication.
22. We stress the importance of supporting alternative development activities that enable people engaged in illicit crop cultivation to reach sustainable food security and live in dignity.
23. Recognising the extent of poverty in the mountain zones, we emphasize the vital role of mountain zones and their potential for sustainable agriculture and rural development in order to achieve food security. We stress the need to build partnerships between developing and developed countries in this regard.
24. We pledge to work in the spirit of cooperation and solidarity to strengthen FAO activities, within its mandate, that enable the developing countries and countries with economies in transition to meet food safety issues, to make better use of the benefits of research and technologies and to respond effectively to the challenges and opportunities of globalization, in particular with respect to agriculture and food security. We also pledge to assist those countries, particularly their food producers, to make informed choices about, and to have access to, the necessary scientific and technical knowledge related to these new technologies targeted at poverty and hunger reduction.
25. We call on the FAO, in conjunction with the CGIAR and other international research institutes, to advance agricultural research and research into new technologies, including biotechnology. The introduction of tried and tested new technologies including biotechnology should be accomplished in a safe manner and adapted to local conditions to help improve agricultural productivity in developing countries. We are committed to study, share and facilitate the responsible use of biotechnology in addressing development needs.
26. We recognize that the developing countries and countries in economic transition are facing difficulties in responding to the challenges and opportunities of globalization, in particular with respect to agriculture and food security, and we therefore agree in a spirit of cooperation and solidarity to consolidate FAO activities, in support of these countries to enable them to cope with the challenges and reap the benefits of globalization.
27. We call on all Member Countries, intergovernmental and non-governmental organizations, the private sector and all other partners in development to consider voluntary contributions to the FAO Trust Fund for Food Security and Food Safety and other voluntary instruments. The Trust Fund should serve as a catalyst for accelerating food production and improving food access in LDC, LIFDC and small island developing states, and for the prevention, control and eradication of transboundary pests and plant and animal diseases, and the preparation of investment projects, and south-south cooperation, in the aforementioned areas.
28. We stress the inherent linkage between rapid progress towards the targets of the World Food Summit Plan of Action, as reaffirmed by the United Nations Millennium Declaration, and the size, direction and efficient use of investment in food security, agriculture, rural development, food production, processing and distribution. As we agreed in the Monterrey Consensus, mobilizing domestic and international resources to reach those objectives, is contingent on several factors, inter alia: (i) an enabling environment for savings and investment in rural areas within the framework of a sound national macro-economic system, (ii) a broad-based national poverty reduction strategy aiming at improving access to food including through increasing food production and distribution, (iii) promoting opportunities for internal and external private investment, (iv) trade, (v) adequate attention in the national budget towards social-economic development, (vi) complementing national efforts with ODA in critical areas of social infrastructure and human development and (vii) transparent and effective management of public resources.
29. We urge developed countries that have not done so to make concrete efforts towards the target of 0.7% of gross national product (GNP) as ODA to developing countries, and 0.15% to 0.20% of GNP of developed countries to least developed countries, as reconfirmed at the Third United Nations Conference on Least Developed Countries, and we encourage developing countries to build on progress achieved in ensuring that ODA is used effectively to help achieve development goals and targets. We acknowledge the efforts of all donors, commend those donors whose ODA contributions exceed, reach or are increasing towards the targets, and underline the importance of undertaking to examine the means and time frames for achieving the targets and goals.
30. We welcome the adoption of the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD), and the inclusion of agriculture and food security as a component of this initiative. We invite the international community to respond to this initiative by financing programmes or projects, in the most appropriate manner, that reflect NEPAD principles and commitments.
31. We will encourage the international community to continue to provide technical and financial assistance to the countries with economies in transition with a view to fostering their food security;
32. With a view to reversing the overall decline of agriculture and rural development in the national budgets of developing countries, in ODA and in total lending in international financial institutions, we call for an adequate share for those sectors of bilateral and multilateral ODA, lending by IFIs and budgetary allocations of developing countries, within the framework of the Monterrey Consensus.
33. We reaffirm that the enhanced Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative provides an opportunity to strengthen the economic prospects and poverty reduction efforts of its beneficiary countries, thereby increasing food security. Speedy, effective and full implementation of the enhanced Initiative, which should be fully financed through additional resources, is critical. Heavily indebted poor countries should take the policy measures necessary to become eligible for the initiative.
34. We also reaffirm the Monterrey consensus to encourage exploring innovative mechanisms to address debt problems of developing countries, including middle-income countries and countries with economies in transition.
35. We call on all countries that have not yet done so, to consider signing and ratifying the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture in order that it shall enter into force as soon as possible.
1 When "Government" is used, it means as well the European Community within its areas of competence.


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A modest but bubbly comedy of manners, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days runs with a cockeyed but clever cross-purposes premise too gratifying to damn with anything other than faint praise. The romantic comedy formula remains rigid, but with likeable stars such as Kate Hudson and Matthew McConaughey and sturdy direction from the likes of Donald Petrie, the old ways can be good ways.
Hudson plays Andie Anderson, an overqualified columnist for Composure, a glossy, superficial woman's magazine. Dubbed the "how to" girl, she longs to be a political writer, and is oddly surprised when her editor (an amusingly aloof Bebe Neuwirth) continues to hold her down. McConaughey plays Ben Barry, a rather generic movie "man's man" (motorcycle, check; sports fan, check; upwardly mobile job at an advertising firm, check; cigars and poker, check and check).
Andie suggests an article about all of the things which drive guys away, a sort-of "how not to" article about girls who are "clingy, needy, touchy-feely." A series of convolutions finds her paired with Ben, whom she proceeds to try to drive away by a battery of creative tortures. Why does Ben continue to put up with them? Because he's made a bet (for a lucrative diamond account) that he can make a girl fall in love with him in ten days! Add Robert Klein and stir. Let sit for two hours to harden.
Once you ride out the exposition, you're liable to settle in for a fairly funny and ultimately sweet ride. The two schemers meet cute at a bar (She: "True or false: all's fair in love and war." He: "True." She: "Good answer." He: "Good question."). What follows is a painful endurance test for Ben; his claustrophobia is palpable as Andie forces him to sacrifice himself, embarrasses him, humiliates him, crowds him, and scares him. She ruins more than one Knicks game for him, redecorates his apartment, makes a Photoshop album of their future family, and he grits his teeth for more.
McConaughey's comic incredulity and ire suit the role well, and an effervescent Hudson agreeably plays two faces: one a hellishly annoying whirling dervish and the other smart, lovely, and vulnerable. As her desperation to "lose" him crescendos, you may begin to picture Hudson going for a Misery scenario involving a sledgehammer, but that never comes to pass. Instead, the inevitable "big social event" comes around, where lies are climactically revealed to apocalyptic romantic ruin, resolved in a boy-chases-girl coda.
Based on the Rules style dating book of the same (by Michele Alexander and Jeannie Long), How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days coasts on he-she chic and gender-foible schtick. The women's faux dating self-destructiveness counterbalances with unlikely male audacity to create funhouse-mirror lessons unlikely to be of use to most. In the end, the clearest message is: don't lie to a "keeper."
Paramount's Deluxe Edition of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days comes to Blu-ray and DVD with a hi-def transfer that easily bests any previous home-video edition. Film-like in appearance, the transfer accurately represents the movie's original look: the appearance can be a bit soft at times, due to diffused lighting, but it's part and parcel of the cinematographic approach, and detail and texture lack nothing. Color, contrast and black level all earn high marks for a very pleasing presentation. This six-year-old comedy doesn't offer much opportunity to show off its audio, but the which leads to a merely average Dolby TrueHD 5.1 mix, but one that's certainly more than adequate for this material.
The commentary by director Donald Petrie provides an opportunity to get to know one of Hollywood's quiet craftsmen, a guy who's been plugging away at studio product for years without drawing any hype. Not surprisingly, his personality doesn't set the world on fire, but he does a good job of covering the bases about the film in its initiation, production, story and characters.
"How to Make a Movie in 2 Years" (16:53, HD) is an intriguing new featurette exploring the picture's origins, casting, and shooting with the book's authors Michele Alexander & Jeannie Long, producer Christine Peters, producer Linda Obst, and director of photography John Bailey.
In "Why the Sexes Battle" (5:00, HD), evolutionary expert Shanee Edwards, psychologist & author Dr. Aaron Kipnis analyze the film and the characters in gender terms. Though short, this featurette doesn't disappoint, and it would be nice to see the studios support this type of academic-skewing bonus more often.
"Girls Night Out" (5:15, HD) returns to Alexander & Long for some frank talk—from two female perspectives—Tabout the dating world.
Last up are the "Music Video 'Somebody Like You' by Keith Urban" (3:53, SD) and five "Deleted Scenes" (9:30, SD) with optional commentary by Petrie.
|Review gear:
Panasonic Viera TC-P55VT30 55" Plasma 1080p 3D HDTV
Oppo BDP-93 Universal Network 3D Blu-ray Disc Player
Denon AVR2112CI Integrated Network A/V Surround Receiver
Pioneer SP-BS41-LR Bookshelf Speaker (2)
Pioneer SP-C21 Center Speaker
Pioneer SW-8 Subwoofer


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Re: Down on the Farm
No announcement yet.
Down on the Farm
new posts
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Re: Down on the Farm
Randy Smith posted some tidbits about the instructional league on twitter:
- Outstanding Offensive Player in the AIL: Austin Hedges (2nd yr in a row). Going to be a real BEAST. Runner Up: Luis Tejada
- Outstanding Pitcher of AIL- Justin Han****. VG vel 90-96, avg 93 w/ improved CB. Runner up: Tayron Guerrero
- Outstanding Defensive Player: Jose Ruiz, catcher, blocked and received well while displaying at least a 7 arm.
- Most Improved: Tayron Guerrero, RHP. Tremendous FB, 93-100! Sat 97 w/ significantly improved SL. Runner Up: Corey Bostjancic, RHP
Re: Down on the Farm
Where are all the prospects if short season A and AA have none? It seems that the Padres highly rated farm is full of arms.
Re: Down on the Farm
Anyone have a link to the Austin Hedges love fest going on in the AFL?
Re: Down on the Farm
Originally posted by Big Picture View PostAnyone have a link to the Austin Hedges love fest going on in the AFL?
Re: Down on the Farm
Originally posted by fifthandlaurel View PostDo you mean the Smith's comments about Hedges's performance during instructional league play? I don't think he's on the AFL roster.
Re: Down on the Farm
MadFriars' Texas League Pitcher of the Year (free content)
Andrew Werner showed his stuff in San Antonio before coming up to San Diego but Robbie Erlin is the one to watch.
Re: Down on the Farm
Originally posted by dcpadsfan View PostMadFriars' Texas League Pitcher of the Year (free content)
Andrew Werner showed his stuff in San Antonio before coming up to San Diego but Robbie Erlin is the one to watch.
What's your take on Erlin and Weiland? Granted Weiland was hurting, but his stuff looked fairly average while up with the Padres.
Re: Down on the Farm
Originally posted by Vaca Dave View PostWhat's your take on Erlin and Weiland? Granted Weiland was hurting, but his stuff looked fairly average while up with the Padres.
Coming into the year Casey Kelly, Robbie Erlin and Joe Wieland were the top three prospects with experience at AA or above. I thought Kelly had the most potential but Erlin had the best chance to pitch in the big leagues right now. Erlin has great command of his fastball (which sits in the low 90s), good breaking pitches and a very good change.
As for Wieland he is a good pitcher, he just doesn't have a true plus offering. With Kelly its his two-seamer/sinker and with Erlin its his command of his four-seamer to all four quadrants of the plate.
I think Robbie is in Tucson to start the year but if he's healthy he will be in San Diego soon enough. Depending on how quick Luebke comes back the Padres could have two very good left-handed starters for awhile.
Re: Down on the Farm
MadFriars' Announcer Series: San Antonio (free content)
San Antonio's Mike Saeger on the top prospects in the Alamo City this summer.
Also behind the paywall we have an interview with the Padres Director of Development and International Scouting Randy Smith.
Re: Down on the Farm
BA's Top 20 Texas League Prospects:
1. Jurickson Profar, ss, Frisco (Rangers)
2. Oscar Taveras, of, Springfield (Cardinals)
3. Wil Myers, of, Northwest Arkansas (Royals)
4. Mike Olt, 3b, Frisco (Rangers)
5. Jonathan Singleton, 1b/of, Corpus Christi (Astros)
6. Carlos Martinez, rhp, Springfield (Cardinals)
7. Dan Straily, rhp, Midland (Athletics)
8. Nolan Arenado, 3b, Tulsa (Rockies)
9. Trevor Rosenthal, rhp, Springfield (Cardinals)
10. Rymer Liriano, of, San Antonio (Padres)
11. Jedd Gyorko, 3b/2b, San Antonio (Padres)
12. Jean Segura, ss, Arkansas (Angels)
13. Josh Rutledge, ss/2b, Tulsa (Rockies)
14. Cody Buckel, rhp, Frisco (Rangers)
15. Johnny Hellweg, rhp, Arkansas (Angels)
16. Kolten Wong, 2b, Springfield (Cardinals)
17. Sonny Gray, rhp, Midland (Athletics)
18. Edwar Cabrera, lhp, Tulsa (Rockies)
19. Jarred Cosart, rhp, Corpus Christi (Astros)
20. Keyvius Sampson, rhp, San Antonio (Padres)
Re: Down on the Farm
Parks on Erlin:
Robbie Erlin is the most cerebral minor league pitcher I've ever been around, and his approach to the art of pitching and the science of learning about pitching is on another level. Not gifted with the physical presence to intimidate or an arsenal to terrorize, Erlin built his game on pitchability and intelligence, opting to beat hitters by knowing more about their shared battle than they do. A few years ago, Erlin was charting in front of me and I noticed he had a separate notebook under his team chart. Erlin, who was scheduled to pitch against the same opponent the next day, was taking notes on how to exploit his opponents. Here was this ~20-year-old kid, taking notes in addition to his team-required task, in order to better himself against a Carolina league team. You just don't see that kind of individual effort very often. Erlin's profile isn't sexy, as most undersized command/control types have small margins for error and not much (if any) room for arsenal projection. But Erlin's baseball intelligence and approach are 80s on the 20-80 scale, and if it comes down to a battle of preparation and wit, the diminutive southpaw will have a much needed advantage


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The Dog That Didn't Bark: Obama On JPMorgan – OpEd
By Robert Reich
The dog that didn't bark this week, let alone bite, was the President's response to JP Morgan Chase's bombshell admission of losing more than $2 billion in risky derivative trades that should never have been made.
"JP Morgan is one of the best-managed banks there is. Jamie Dimon, the head of it, is one of the smartest bankers we got and they still lost $2 billion," the President said on the television show "The View," which aired Tuesday, suggesting that a weaker bank might not have survived.
That was it.
Not a word about Jamie Dimon's tireless campaign to eviscerate the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill; his loud and repeated charge that the Street's near meltdown in 2008 didn't warrant more financial regulation; his leadership of Wall Street's brazen lobbying campaign to delay the Volcker Rule under Dodd-Frank, which is still delayed; and his efforts to make that rule meaningless by widening a loophole allowing banks to use commercial deposits to "hedge" (that is, make offsetting bets) their derivative trades.
Nor any mention Dimon's outrageous flaunting of Dodd-Frank and of the Volcker Rule by setting up a special division in the bank to make huge (and hugely profitable, when the bets paid off) derivative trades disguised as hedges.
Nor Dimon's dual role as both chairman and CEO of JPMorgan (frowned on my experts in corporate governance) for which he collected a whopping $23 million this year, and $23 million in 2010 and 2011 in addition to a $17 million bonus.
Even if Obama didn't want to criticize Dimon, at the very least he could have used the occasion to come out squarely in favor of tougher financial regulation. It's the perfect time for him to call for resurrecting the Glass-Steagall Act, of which the Volcker Rule – with its giant loophole for hedges — is a pale and inadequate substitute.
And for breaking up the biggest banks and setting a cap on their size, as the Dallas branch of the Federal Reserve recommended several weeks ago.
Wall Street's biggest banks were too big to fail before the bailout. Now, led by JP Morgan Chase, they're even bigger. Twenty years ago, the 10 largest banks on the Street held 10 percent of America's total bank assets. Now they hold over 70 percent.
This would give Obama a perfect way to distinguish himself from Mitt Romney — who has pledged to repeal Dodd-Frank altogether if he's elected President, who has also been raking in more than $20 million a year through financial games, and who shares the same prevailing Wall Street view of the economy as profits to be maximized while people are minimized (to Romney, corporations are people).
But the Obama campaign has so far chosen to attack Romney's character rather than his place in the new American plutocracy, with ads highlighting the jobs that were lost when Romney, as head of Bain Capital, took over a Midwest steel company.
It's the same personal attack Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry leveled at Romney. But Gingrich and Perry had little choice. They didn't want to criticize the system that allowed Romney to do this because their party celebrates no-holds-barred free-market capitalism.
Obama does have a choice. He can assail Romney's character but he can also take on the system that allows private-equity managers, as well as Wall Street's biggest banks, to continue to make huge profits at the expense of average Americans. Romney is the poster-child for the excesses of that system, just as is Jamie Dimon and JPMorgan Chase.
We are still at the very early stages of the 2012 campaign. There's still time for Obama to come out swinging – not only at Romney but also at the system of which Romney is a part, and to base his campaign on policies that will make that system work for ordinary people. Let's hope he does.


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t-square = love
Originally uploaded by mynameis shoe
Oof, too much traveling and midterms have gotten me way behind on posts! So much has happened recently. Kristin Scherrer of the University of Michigan has published a paper: Coming to an Asexual Identity: Negotiating Identity, Negotiating Desire. Badass that she is, she's also breaking academic turf on asexual relationships by looking at asexual polyamory, where things get mighty interesting. "This research illuminates the complications of categorizing relationships as monogamous or polyamorous indicating that new language is needed to appropriately describe the wide array of relationships humans form outside of this binary." No shit. I'm kinda shocked that it doesn't exist already. Kristin: if you read this blog can I see that paper?
In other academic news, Brotto's study is about to be published. I got a sneak preview and there's some fantastic stuff in there, lots of useful information about the community that I didn't know and lots of stuff that will lay a foundation for studying asexuality in the future. She's following up with another study on physiology that's going to lay even better groundwork, all super exciting.
I also want to give a shout-out to pretzelboy's excellent research on the history of asexual identity.
Right, so where was I?
Last time I talked about how to describe relationships without relying on categories like friendship and romance. Personally, I describe relationships in terms of time (how much time you spend in the relationship and what you spend it doing), touch (how you feel about the relationship and how you express those feelings) and talk or trust (what you expect from the relationship and how you arrive at those expectations.) I personally find this system incredibly useful. Not only do they get me out of the romantic binary, they provide a pretty versatile and useful system for understanding the important things going on in my relationships.
Take my relationship with R. "Friend" could describe the relationship, but with a brush so broad it's almost useless. If I think of R as just a friend I can't describe a lot of power and potential that our relationship has. R and I hang out once or twice a week, we do political things together, have esoteric discussions and spend a lot of time happily working or thinking together in silence. We hug hello and goodbye, and almost always express feelings about the things that we do together. We also get slow, awkward, deeply sweet conversations every few months about how we feel about one another. At the end of those discussions we usually wind up making commitments to one another, and we usually wind up keeping them.
Understanding these three things about the relationship gives me a much clearer picture of what's going on than the word "friend" does. "Friend" tells me that this is someone who I value. The Three T's tell me that this is someone who I value because we create a quite, reflective space in oneanother's lives. They tell me that the way I should express that value is through well-spaced discussions on hikes in the woods, and they tell me that the way to feel secure in that value is to treat the little commitments that we've made to one another as sacred. Good stuff to know.
The Three T's also give me a way to explain the relationship to other people without relying too heavily on the romance/friendship binary.
I could say that R is my "friend" or my "close friend," but neither would give an accurate a picture (neither would "partner"). Instead I can say that R and I "are close" and drop a few tidbits from the paragraph above. The essential details can get packed into a single sentence. ("R and I spend a lot of time philosophizing, we're not too affectionate but there's a strong bond there.") This provides a quick, accurate way to describe relationships that are in that murky area between romance and friendship without needing to delve into binary-busting theory or use awkward terms like "lady friend."
Describing relationships this way also sets a standard for talking about relationships with more precise language, one that many people pick up on and copy instinctively. Say I describe my relationship with R to Z. I not only give Z an accurate picture of an important relationship in my life, I lay some important groundwork. Let's say that as Z and I hang out and talk about our love lives, I develop a little bit of a crush. I start thinking that it might be interesting if this relationship headed into that gray area between romance and friendship for someasexy good times. Normally there would run into a huge language problem here, I would struggle to express to Z that I was interested in cuddling and intimacy but not sex and Z would get confused. Not anymore. In talking about our love lives, Z and I have already gotten some practice in talking about relationships outside of the binary. Maybe I'll drop a few other examples of relationships closer to what my lecherous asexual brain has in mind: "K and I get together to dance really, really cheesily and support one another in our life's ambitions. We're super physically affectionate, say that we love on one another and have a plan for where our relationship is going over the next two years." I'll be able to subtly communicate that I'm interested while using context to give Z a rough idea of what I'm interested in. Right now Z and I talk about our love lives, play soccer and spend a lot of time laughing. Maybe from Z's perspective adding some cuddling and verbal affection to the mix might not seem like such a bad idea.
In my experience Z doesn't have to be asexual for this to work. Once we've got our soccer, laughing, cuddling and possibly low-level commitments going on there's absolutely no reason for Z to suddenly need sex to keep the relationship going. If anything, sexual people in Z's position tend to be titillated at the possibility of getting so much intimacy WITHOUT being railroaded into sexuality. Even die-hard sexuals need a little asexiness now and then.
Last but not least, I've found the Three T's very helpful when thinking about growing my relationships. I've found that they tend to build over time and work in a cycle. Touch follows time, talk follows touch, and time follows talk. Let's take my imaginary relationship with Z. I've got this crush on my soccer buddy, what do I do about it? I can't just say "I like you, let's be grey-area relationshippy friend/lovers" and reach for a cuddle, dumping that much talk and that much touch on the relationship would be incredibly awkward. If I use the Three T's I can push the relationship to grow more organically.
Touch follows time. If I want to be more affectionate in the relationship I should wait until we've done something that we both have feelings about and then express those feelings. I'll start small, maybe making a point of always saying what I feel about the soccer we play together. Once that becomes accepted I'll start expressing feelings about Z as a person ("I can't get over you're jokes, you're too much!") and eventually start in on my feelings about the relationship itself ("Z, I just want to say that I'm really glad that we're spending time together. It means a lot to me.") The more emotionally expressive the relationship is, the more organic it is to express affection through touch and body language. Maybe we'll start out hugging hello and goodbye, will move to comfortably leaning on one another during during jokes and will be full-fledged cuddlers by the time we're talking about our relationship. That's not to say that this is a formula to insert touch anywhere you please. As you build touch gradually, you'll have ample opportunity to see whether or not the other person reciprocates. Listen to how they express affection so that you can get a sense of what they want and how they emotionally communicate. If they're not interested in a lot of cuddling they'll let you know by not reciprocating affection beyond their comfort level.
So we've got love and cuddles in our life, what about dependability? In a world where friends are often thoughtlessly discarded for lovers, trust can be a big challenge. How do you ask someone to commit to you without coming across as needy? (Warning: some awkwardness completely unavoidable.) In my experience, talk follows touch. Remember how in my relationship with R we would always make commitments to one another after those awkward conversations about our feelings? That's not a coincidence. Once everyone's expressed their feelings it's natural to make commitments based on those feelings. When my relationship with Z starts out these commitments are small, possibly just arranging the next time that you get together. As the relationship grows we can start committing to seeing one another on a regular basis, then talking explicitly about how we want to be a part of one another's lives.
Of course, as I make more and more commitments with Z we'll spend more and more time together. Time follows talk. At first that time will just be soccer, jokes and gossip, but as we express more emotion and learn more about one another we can start exploring all sorts of other things to do. The more we do, the more feelings we'll have to express about it and the more commitments we'll make based on those feelings. If you think about it this time>touch>talk cycle shows up naturally in conversation. It's common to end an afternoon (time) by saying "this was fun! (touch) Let's do it again! (talk)." How about "I love you! (touch) Let's get married (talk) and spend the rest of our lives together (time)." Is it me, or does "Let's spend the rest of our lives together (time) and get married (talk). I love you! (touch)" seem a lot more awkward?
That's it for now. I hope that this system makes sense. I've found it's a powerful tool for taking relationships to their full potential. The next question is: should you? The fact that you can delve into the murky depths of nonsexual intimacy in any relationship in your life doesn't make it a good idea. All of that nonsexual intimacy takes time, and you're an asexual with shit to DO. If you've only got a few hours in your week which relationships should you spend them on? How can you spend those hours building relationships that will make you and those you are close to balanced and happy? Next post I'll take a shot at those questions by talking about the magical world of community organizing. Stay tuned.


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Papa John's International, Inc. (NASDAQ: PZZA) today announced
that the Board of Directors has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.225
per common share, payable August 24, 2018, to shareholders of record at
the close of business on August 13, 2018. At this quarterly dividend
rate, the annual dividend is equivalent to $0.90 per common share.
Forward-Looking Statements
Certain matters discussed in this press release which are not historical
facts are "forward-looking statements" that involve risks and
uncertainties. For a discussion of such risks and uncertainties, which
could cause actual results to differ from those contained in the
forward-looking statements, see "Part I. Item 1A. – Risk Factors" of the
Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017.
We undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking
statements, whether as a result of future events, new information or
For more information about the Company, please visit www.papajohns.com.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20180801006027/en/


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On Being Worthy
Over the past number of weeks I have had some conversations that have made me ponder the meaning of the word worthy. As I recently talked to a young twenty-year-old man, I discussed his attitude about going on a mission. He said, "I wanted to go, but I am not worthy."
"Who made that judgment?" I asked.
"I did," was his answer.
On another occasion I asked a young lady who was contemplating marriage if she was going to the temple. She said, "I would like to, but I am not worthy." In response to the same question of who determined her unworthiness, she too said, "I did."
A member mother who had known for many weeks that her daughter had planned a temple marriage was asked if she was going to attend the temple ceremony. "No. I am not worthy to get a temple recommend," she answered.
Each of these people seemed to have made his own determination about worthiness. We do not have to be hindered by self-judgment. All of us have the benefit and added wisdom of a bishop and a stake president to help us determine our worthiness and, if necessary, to assist us to begin the process of becoming worthy to accomplish whatever goal we wish to achieve. When we take it upon ourselves to pass self-judgment and simply declare, "I am not worthy," we build a barrier to progress and erect blockades that prevent our moving forward. We are not being fair when we judge ourselves. A second and third opinion will always be helpful and proper.
It occurs to me that there are probably hundreds or even thousands who do not understand what worthiness is. Worthiness is a process, and perfection is an eternal trek. We can be worthy to enjoy certain privileges without being perfect.
Perhaps it is reasonable to conclude that personal measurement or judgment oftentimes may be severe and inaccurate. We may get bogged down as we try to understand and define worthiness. All of us are particularly aware of our shortcomings and weaknesses. Therefore, it is easy for us to feel that we are unworthy of blessings we desire and that we are not as worthy to hold an office or calling as someone next door.
All through life we meet some people who tell of their weaknesses with great enthusiasm and unreasonable prejudice. They may not report untruths, but they may leave out truths or they may not be fair with themselves. Misjudgments can be made. To move forward wisely and think clearly, all sides of the story must be reviewed. When we feel inadequate, capable and loving friends can help us realize our strengths and potential.
When counseling I have always tried to get the facts. Oftentimes those being interviewed resist sharing some of the facts because they make them uncomfortable. Worthy and lasting changes can only be made when actions are based upon the light of truth. Very often, people become comfortable in their self-declared unworthiness status.
Possibly the hardest guidelines for us to follow are those we set for ourselves. To analyze our fears, our dreams, our goals, our motives can be soul-wrenching. We need others to help us. We may find that we fear failure so much that we won't take a risk. Often our self-esteem is bruised by criticism. Many other facts about ourselves can be brought to light if we really want to know.
Perhaps we all live under some misconceptions when we look at each other on Sundays as we attend our meetings. Everyone is neatly dressed and greets each other with a smile. It is natural to assume that everyone else has his life under control and doesn't have to deal with dark little weaknesses and imperfections.
There is a natural, probably a mortal, tendency to compare ourselves with others. Unfortunately, when we make these comparisons, we tend to compare our weakest attributes with someone else's strongest. For example, a woman who feels unschooled in the gospel may take particular note of a woman in her ward who teaches the Gospel Doctrine class and seems to have every scripture at her fingertips. Obviously these kinds of comparisons are destructive and only reinforce the fear that somehow we don't measure up and therefore we must not be as worthy as the next person.
We need to come to terms with our desire to reach perfection and our frustration when our accomplishments or behaviors are less than perfect. I feel that one of the great myths we would do well to dispel is that we've come to earth to perfect ourselves, and nothing short of that will do. If I understand the teachings of the prophets of this dispensation correctly, we will not become perfect in this life, though we can make significant strides toward that goal.
Elder Joseph Fielding Smith offers this counsel:
"Salvation does not come all at once; we are commanded to be perfect even as our Father in heaven is perfect. It will take us ages to accomplish this end, for there will be greater progress beyond the grave, and it will be there that the faithful will overcome all things, and receive all things, even the fulness of the Father's glory.
"I believe the Lord meant just what he said: that we should be perfect, as our Father in heaven is perfect. That will not come all at once, but line upon line, and precept upon precept, example upon example, and even then not as long as we live in this mortal life, for we will have to go even beyond the grave before we reach that perfection and shall be like God." (Doctrines of Salvation, comp. Bruce R. McConkie, 3 vols., Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1954–56, 2:18–19.)
I am also convinced of the fact that the speed with which we head along the straight and narrow path isn't as important as the direction in which we are traveling. That direction, if it is leading toward eternal goals, is the all-important factor.
Another quotation, which comes from President George Q. Cannon, is very meaningful to me:
"Now, this is the truth. We humble people, we who feel ourselves sometimes so worthless, so good-for-nothing, we are not so worthless as we think. There is not one of us but what God's love has been expended upon. There is not one of us that He has not cared for and caressed. There is not one of us that He has not desired to save and that He has not devised means to save. There is not one of us that He has not given His angels charge concerning. We may be insignificant and contemptible in our own eyes and in the eyes of others, but the truth remains that we are children of God and that He has actually given His angels … charge concerning us, and they watch over us and have us in their keeping." (Gospel Truths, comp. Jerreld L. Newquist, 2 vols., Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1974, 1:2.)
If we are in the keeping of angels, God is certainly telling us that we are worthy to be watched over, helped, and directed by him. As we become aware of God's watch-care and as we turn to Church leaders to help us learn how to become worthy members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we learn that we can reach the status of worthiness for each goal along life's path. Yet we must strive for worthiness.
In Official Declaration—2 [OD 2], accepted by the Church on September 30, 1978, we are reminded that certain privileges have worthiness as a prerequisite. In this official declaration, the word worthy or worthiness is used six times. This leaves little doubt as to the importance of being worthy if specific blessings are to be available to us.
As we said in the beginning, it is a wonderful strength and a needful process to be able to go to a bishop or a stake president and discuss our worthiness. During such interviews it may be determined how worthiness can be achieved if there is need for improvement.
President N. Eldon Tanner gave us some wise counsel:
"With all this evil present in the world today, it is most important that those who are responsible conduct proper interviews.
"Let us always remember that our main purpose, assignment, and responsibility is to save souls.
"It is important that those we interview realize that they are spirit children of God and that we love them, and let them know that we love them and are interested in their welfare and in helping them succeed in life.
"It is a great responsibility for a bishop or stake president to conduct a worthiness interview. There is equal responsibility, however, upon the member who is interviewed. Careful, searching interviews need to be conducted always individually and privately. …
"Let [the member] know that if there is something amiss in his life, there are ways to straighten it out. There is a great cleansing power of repentance. …
"You bishops and stake presidents might approach an interview for a temple recommend something like this:
"'You have come to me for a recommend to enter the temple. I have the responsibility of representing the Lord in interviewing you. At the conclusion of the interview there is provision for me to sign your recommend; but mine is not the only important signature on your recommend. Before the recommend is valid, you must sign it yourself.' …
"And so it is. The Lord gives the privilege to members of the Church to respond to those questions in such interviews. Then if there is something amiss, the member can get his life in order so that he may qualify for the priesthood advancement, for a mission, or for a temple recommend." (Ensign, Nov. 1978, pp. 41–42.)
As we strive for worthiness, a scripture we should not lose sight of is Doctrine and Covenants, section 136, verse 31: "He that will not bear chastisement is not worthy of [the Lord's] kingdom." [D&C 136:31] Sometimes there is a great need for us to be chastised, disciplined, and corrected in a spirit of love, help, and hope. Guidance and suggestions should be offered in a loving way, but most of us have a tendency to rebel or be dismayed when someone suggests that our conduct is less than it should be. As Benjamin Franklin once said: "Those things that hurt, instruct. It is for this reason that wise people learn not to dread but welcome problems."
In life there are requirements for almost all privileges—education demands them, business has its regulations, sports and games have their rules, the Church has certain standards, and so on. But in every case there is help to meet those requirements. It is up to us to look for that assistance so we can understand the rules and strengthen ourselves as we receive direction from the sources available. It is not wise or proper for us to judge ourselves as being unworthy and thus stop our progress.
When we dwell on our own weaknesses, it is easy to dwell on the feelings that we are unworthy. Somehow we need to bridge the gap between continually striving to improve and yet not feeling defeated when our actions aren't perfect all the time. We need to remove unworthy from our vocabulary and replace it with hope and work. This we can do if we turn to quieter, deeper, surer guidelines—the words of our prophets and leaders, past and present.
Abraham Lincoln wisely said, "It is difficult to make a man miserable while he feels worthy of himself and claims kindred to the great God who made him." (In The International Thesaurus of Quotations, comp. Rhoda Thomas Tripp, New York: Thomas Y. Crowell Co., 1970, p. 575.)
To reinforce the importance of the word worthy and of worthy processes, I would like to share part of a poem by Elder Hugh B. Brown, "I Would Be Worthy."
I thank thee, Lord, that thou hast called me "son,"
And fired my soul with the astounding thought
That there is something of thee in me.
May the prophecy of this relationship—
Impel me to be worthy.
I am grateful for a covenant birth;
For noble parents and an ancestry who beckon me
To heights beyond my grasp, but still attainable
If with stamina and effort I cultivate their seed—
And prove that I am worthy.
I am grateful for a companion on this Eternal Quest,
Whose roots and birth and vision match my own;
Whose never-failing faith and loyalty have furnished light in darkness,
And re-steeled fortitude. May her faith in me
Inspire me to be worthy.
I am grateful for the cleansing power of parenthood,
With its self-denial and sacrifice—prerequisites to filial and parent love;
For each child entrusted to our care, I humbly thank thee;
If I would associate with them eternally,
I know I must be worthy. …
I am grateful for the lifting power of the gospel of thy Son;
For the knowledge thou hast given me of its beauty, truth and worth.
To attain its promised glory, may I to the end endure,
And then, forgiven, let charity tip the scales and allow me
To be considered worthy.
(Eternal Quest, sel. Charles Manley Brown, Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1956, p. 13.)
It is my hope and prayer that we will learn individually and collectively the importance of the process of becoming worthy. We are entitled to the help of others not only in assessing our worthiness but also in making the classification of "worthy" available to each of us. As we measure our worthiness, let us no longer put limitations upon ourselves. Rather, let us use those strengths and powers that are available to make us worthy to gain great heights in personal development. Thus we will reap the joy that comes to those who desire to improve and move forward with determination and effectiveness as they practice self-discipline and refuse to judge themselves as unworthy.
I leave my love, blessings, and testimony of these truths in the worthy name of Jesus Christ, amen.


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Jennings Leads Clemson Over Virginia Tech
CLEMSON, S.C. (AP) — Milton Jennings scored a career-high 28 points, including 14 in the last four minutes as Clemson rallied past Virginia Tech 77-70 Sunday to snap a two-game losing streak. The Tigers (11-8, 3-4 Atlantic Coast Conference) had let a double-digit lead slip away and trailed 59-58 when Jennings took over. His foul shot with 3:20 remaining gave Clemson the lead for good at 61-60. Damarcus Harrison's 3-pointer extended the lead and Jennings inched the ball over the rim moments later, then added two more foul shots for a 68-62 lead. The Hokies never got closer than four points the rest of the way. Jennings, a senior, also tied his career best with 14 rebounds and provided the push for Clemson when leading scorer Devin Booker was held without a field goal and just three points. Erick Green, the ACC's leading scorer, had 25 points for Virginia Tech (11-8, 3-3). Harrison, a transfer from BYU, also had his career high for Clemson with 19 points. K.J. McDaniels scored 17 points off five 3-pointers. Booker, who played despite a cold, still managed to collect 10 rebounds. Jennings also posted career-best showings with four blocked shots and by going 16 of 18 from the foul line. Jarell Eddie had 19 points for Virginia Tech, which has lost two straight under first-year coach James Johnson. Clemson came into this one off two close defeats, 66-62 at 14th-ranked North Carolina State last Sunday and then 60-57 at Florida State this past Thursday night when Michael Snaer banked home a 3-pointer at the buzzer for the game-winner. Virginia Tech had lost its two-game ACC win streak earlier this week when it fell to rival Virginia. And it looked like the Hokies might be on the way to two straight losses when Clemson broke out to a 12-0 lead less than seven minutes into the game. McDaniels had two of his three first-half 3-pointers during the Tigers' surge while Virginia Tech missed its first 10 shots. But like always when these teams play — 12 of the 13 meetings since the Hokies joined the ACC have been decided by single digits — things tighten up. Virginia Tech found lanes in Clemson's usually stout defense — the Tigers are second in the ACC in points given up — and rallied from the foul line as it made 12 of 15 free throws in the opening half. Green's two foul shots tied the game at 31. Green's driving layup a minute later sent the game to the locker room tied at 33. Green had 14 points for the Hokies. McDaniel led the Tigers with nine first-half points, but played just nine minutes because of foul problems. The game got physical in the second half with Jennings getting called for a flagrant foul and Tigers coach Brad Brownell picking up the first technical in his 11 seasons as a head coach. Virginia Tech's Johnson was back at Clemson for the first time since he spent less than two weeks as a Tigers assistant last spring. He was hired by Brownell to replace Rick Ray, who took the head coaching job at Mississippi State. But then Virginia Tech let Seth Greenberg go and called on Johnson to take over. Copyright by STATS LLC and The Associated Press


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The primary purpose for the issuance of a Building Permit is to ensure that all buildings comply with the safety, health, building and zoning requirements of the City of Campbell River and the Province of British Columbia. The City of Campbell River has prepared packages to assist in understanding the City's Building Permit and Inspection Process. The documents are for general guidance and do not replace bylaws or other legal documents.
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Give Netanyahu a cubic centimeter of wiggle room, and he will carve out a square mile of new apartments beyond the Green Line.
Cross-posted from Mondoweiss.On Tuesday evening, Shaul Mofaz, leader of the Israeli political party Kadima, convened his fellow parliamentarians and offered them his rationale for leaving the 94-seat Knesset majority they'd made possible in May when they joined PM Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud-led coalition. In doing so, he has largely sealed Kadima's fate as a political force in Israel.
According to The Jerusalem Post's Lahav Harkov, Mofaz asserted in his defense that "there are red lines I can't cross" and that "there's a difference between compromising and just paying lip service."
Mofaz's red lines are the military service exemptions for the ultra-Orthodox and Israeli Palestinians. He supports a much more expansive draft program than Netanyahu. Netanyahu prefers a much more gradual course and maintaining a greater percentage of exemptions for ultra-Orthodox men. July 31 is the deadline Israel's High Court set for a reform of the Tal Law, which since 2002 has governed the current exemptions policy. If no compromise is reached, the IDF could begin drafting 18-year-olds in these demographic groups without having the civilian government set quotas for exemptions, and non-military alternative "national service" options that would primarily granted to Israeli Arabs). Only around 1/5 of ultra-Orthodox draft-eligible males currently serve in the IDF.
The main question to ask now is not what the compromise will look like, but "when's the next election?" Whenever it is, it will not be a good one for Kadima.
Kadima's eleventh-hour deal with Likud back in May postponed emergency elections originally set for September 4. Polls showed that Kadima was likely to lose close to 2/3 of its Knesset seats in the September 4 contest, while Likud would gain seats. Mofaz, in seeking to avert that disaster, broke an earlier promise to never join in a coalition with Netanyahu. Kadima, not Likud, was negotiating from a position of weakness then.
It would constitute a Herculean feat for Kadima to now dispel the scorn the Israeli right is heaping on it. The "left's" enthusiasm for Mofaz is not exactly a tangible quantity. The scorn felt in the country towards his party is rather aptly exemplified by an Israel Hayom political cartoon portraying Mofaz as a weather vane. Mofaz plainly failed to deliver — he says he's quitting because there is no compromise on the draft and some of his party's backbenchers are yelling that he gave up too easily on it.
Kadima's withdrawal over the Tal Law is the most visible — and risible — issue that it's stepping out on now. Ironically, on Monday, former IDF Chief of Staff Dan Halutz stepped out on Kadima because it didn't go as far he wanted it to on the law — Halutz wants universal conscription for all, starting at age 1, and Kadima was willing to accept a compromise for gradual enlistment over the next 4 years — which again makes one wonder as to what Kadima's fate will be in the next election.
Mofaz's defection was apparently triggered by Netanyahu's dissolution of a committee that would have presented a compromise package on the draft. The Times of Israel reports:
Earlier Tuesday, Netanyahu had adopted a proposal put forward by Vice Prime Minister Moshe Ya'alon (Likud), which called for ultra-Orthodox Jews and Arabs to join the army or perform national service, such as serving in police or fire units, by ages 23 to 26. The motion also included incentives for those who enlist at a younger age.
Mofaz blasted the proposal as "disproportionate and contrary to the High Court ruling," which stated that the burden of serving should be shared by all citizens. He also said it did not meet the principle of equality laid out by the Plesner Committee.
A full-scale draft is the preference of many members of Kadima, and it is preference of the secular-nationalist party Yisrael Beiteinu as well, whose leader, Avigdor Lieberman, is Netanyahu's Foreign Minister.
Yisrael Beiteinu's national-secular members of Knesset (KMs) have little patience for exemptions to the Palestinian Israelis or the ultra-Orthodox, or arguments from those on the Israeli left castigating the whole exercise as political theater. Kadima, at odds with the national-religious establishment on much else, found a natural ally in Yisrael Beiteinu this time since they do not support special privileges for the ultra-Orthodox or Israeli Arabs. Lieberman's party is Likud's main ally right now, and he opposes further Tal Law extensions in favor of a full-scale national draft — though his bill to effect this was recently voted down.
That said, it is Likud that has the most to gain from the coming deadline dance over the Tal Law, primarily because its opponents are so politically weak.
This is important to note because the law is one of the most controversial provisions of Israeli life, and one that it is easy to rally support for or against in Israeli domestic politics without having to have an uncomfortable discussion about the Occupation. As Karl Vick notes, "it leaves him [Netanyahu] weaker and more vulnerable to the passions of the factions who remain — nationalists on one hand, and religious parties on the other".
And this is all true, but only to a certain extent. Netanyahu has to prefer the 19 votes of the national-religious bloc to Kadima's seats because those are the people he broke bread with in 2009, and there is also the matter of the settler bloc in his own party. The dissent of this bloc's leader, Moshe Felgin, over the Tal Law handling is much less threatening to Netanyahu than Lieberman's is.
Kadima is setting out to make the universal draft the issue for the next election — though if that's your only issue, why vote for the flip-flopping Kadima when you can vote for Yisrael Beiteinu, which actually has weight because of their staying in the government? Netanyahu might indeed be worried over what will happen before July 31, since he has relied so much on, perhaps sometimes without even quite realizing it, the domestic breathing room provided by his fractious partners to undertake his foreign policy program. This breathing room has helped him avoid a serious political confrontation in the Knesset over his Iran policy (this is less so with respect to the Occupation since few on any side of the political spectrum question its sustainability).
Without that breathing room, Netanyahu really does run risks going into the next elections because an issue as divisive as the Tal Law has the potential to explode Israeli society.
But it is a slim risk for Netanyahu, who is predicted to easily win the premier-ship again in 2013. His response to the current dust-up will likely compare to how he dealt with a "settlement crisis" just as his grand coalition formed. +972's Noam Sheizaf had theorized that Likud's incentive to get the coalition formed was to head off a serious confrontation over the legality of multiple apartments in the Beit El settlement's Ulpana neighborhood: "By postponing the elections, the prime minister has bought himself some time to deal with the crisis," though Sheizaf also noted that the settlers were politically weak.
But that weakness, Sheizaf concluded, was belied by the "political theater" that the bigger players put on. A compromise on Ulpana, was, in fact, accomplished: the apartments were physically relocated and then the government promised to undertake massively expanded construction, as it so often does when an evacuation occurs. An incident that could have prompted a wider debate of the Occupation was headed off by last-minute compromises. Gone was any talk about the peace process that some hoped Mofaz would re-introduce.
By any measure, Netanyahu won the debate — such as it was — over Ulpana, and he did so not by using Kadima's Knesset votes. They simply sat in his tent as his partisans worked out a solution with the furthest-right whose expansionism he sympathizes with. How that episode played out is indicative of Netanyahu's strength as a politician. Give him a cubic centimeter of wiggle room in committee, and he will carve out a square mile of new apartments beyond the Green Line because there is really no strong, organized constituency behind Kadima to match Likud's appeal.
Even as Lieberman thunders on about the universal draft, the Foreign Minister is surely mindful that had those September 4 elections been held, Likud, not his party, stood to gain the most. And for what it's worth given Mofaz's recent performance, Lieberman did announce he would not leave the coalition. It is much easier for Lieberman and Netanyahu to stay together than it is for either man to go over to the smaller national-religious parties like Shas or seek accommodation with the Labor Party.
Harkov also reported that 3 members of Kadima formally voted to remain in the coalition, and that seven more might prefer to jump ship. Not all that many, but bear in mind that Kadima was expected to hold onto only 10, perhaps 12 seats in the September 4 election, out of the 28 it held in May when it entered the coalition.
Netanyahu may indeed be scared of the ultra-Orthodox, but he's not afraid of Kadima. A few defections on, and who at all will be afraid of Shaul Mofaz in the next general election?


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It all began with the iPod. Now there's iPhones, iTV, iTunes, iTouch, and the new iPad. Kidzworld takes a peek at this sleek new way to read books, watch movies, play games, browse the net and use all those apps that can make life easy.
Sweet Size
The iPad is somewhere in between an iTouch and a MacBook. The main reason why you might want an iPad over the iTouch is because of the size. They both can do everything the same, except sometimes it's just a little too small to be reading off a 3-inch iTouch screen.
Back in Business for Books
The iPad is really easy to read. It's light and easier to hold just like the perfect book. It's the most perfect thing for the latest craze… eBooks. Libraries are back in business because of eBooks. Now when you sign up for a library card, you can load up your iPad with eBooks from your public library.
Classroom Companion
Another great way to use an iPad is at school. It makes organizing fun and easy. There are tons of ways to keep track of all your school projects, schedules, and friends. Not to mention if you ever have to make a little class presentation, you can quickly refer to videos on youtube, maps on google, or picture slideshows that you create.
Losing to Laptops
OK, the iPad is a lot cheaper than buying a laptop, but even an older model MacBook has a lot more functionality and you can probably get one for the same price. Laptops are just easier to type and use big programs like Word, Photoshop, Video Editing, and just most types of actual work. Laptops can connect to printers and other devices with USB that your iPad won't.
Overall the iPad is just a luxury that should not be considered a replacement for your computer. The iTouch still rules over the iPad in terms of Bang for your Buck.


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Gideon Kendall
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From the Birdcage Bottom Books site: "Bottoms Up! True Tales of Hitting Rock-Bottom is an anthology collecting real stories of bottoming out from alcoholism, drug dependency, sex addiction, body dysmorphia, pornography addiction and more. These stories have been adapted into comics by a team of incredibly talented and diverse cartoonists."
Full-color covers with b&w interior. Perfect-bound.
Edited by J.T. Yost


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The cereal mascots of our childhood have been chased off by the angry parents of fat children. Is there no one left to defend us from the ravages of evil villains who inexplicably hate breakfast?
Despair not! With brand new developer Simogo's twitchy arcade game Kosmo Spin, you can take up the mantle left so callously on the floor by Tony the Tiger, Cap'n Crunch and Dig'em. You can save breakfast.
Kosmo Spin casts you as an alien who runs around the circumference of several different planets in order to gather up delicious breakfast items. A more malevolent alien in a spacecraft gets in his way by beaming up said breakfast items– and you, if you get in the way of the beam.
Sports add to this bizarre morning soap opera, as the bad alien occasionally drops different kinds of playing balls on your tiny planet. You must whack the balls back into space with your head while keeping an eye out for the safety of your breakfast pals. If a ball makes contact with your planet, you're temporarily stunned. The balls react differently to gravity according to their type, so success depends on how well you can think on the go.
In order to maneuver your little hero, you spin your finger around your iPhone screen. The planet at the center acts as an axis, and the bad alien floats above you, raining death and rubber. If you've ever experienced the boss battle with Raphael the Raven in Super Mario World 2: Yoshi's Island for the SNES, you have a good idea of what to expect
Kosmo Spin is pretty weird, but it's also ridiculously fun. The game hands you a whole bunch of busywork all at once, and it's all so silly, you can't help but get caught up in its strange simplicity.
You can try for the highest possible score, but the real charm comes from trying to beat the game's issued challenges. Each challenge is doled out by an alien with his or her own personality, which determines what kind of a hurdle you'll face.
The breathless, all-caps alien will want you to beat speed challenges, while the unsettling, slightly psychotic alien will challenge you to collect a certain amount of breakfast items without eating the one donut she thoughtfully poisoned. The presentation for Kosmo Spin is top-notch and lovingly put together, even though the game world itself is so simple.
Kosmo Spin is nourishing arcade fare, even if you can't stand eating anything first thing in the morning. It's a fantastic game, and best enjoyed alongside some French toast.


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Message Board
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Talk about the novels, new and used books that Steinhauer has written!
Author Steinhauer's Book Reviews
The Bridge of Sighs
St. Martin's, Feb 2003, 23.95, 288 pp. ISBN: 0312302452 In 1948, the aftermath of WW II remains on every street in this tiny eastern bloc nation shrouded behind an Iron Curtain. Though Communist and Russian controlled, murder remains a crime so twenty-two years old Emil Brod is proud when the State selects him to become a rookie homicide inspector. However his comrades, his chief comrade, and the security inspector treat him like a pariah becau...
The Confession
St. Martin's, Mar 2004, 24.95, 304 pp. ISBN: 0312303289 Now turning thirty, seven years has passed since an idealistic Emil Brod joined the police force as a Comrade Homicide Detective, but now by 1956 he is like his peers, grim and ever looking over his shoulders at the KGB representative. Emil has learned survival means trust no one and gingerly investigate whenever the Party is involved. Meanwhile Police Officer Ferenc Kolyeszar prefers to...


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WARNING: The following recipe is so good it will make you completely forget that copious amounts of butter are not good for you.
I love Cinnamon buns in the morning. But I HATE mornings. So my favorite thing about this recipe is that you can make and assemble everything the night before, pop them in the fridge overnight, and bake them in the morning. Your house will be filling with the comforting smell of cinnamon as you sip your morning coffee. What is better than that?
For the dough:
- 1 scant Tbsp yeast (I use quick-rise instant yeast and then cut both of the rising times listed below in half)
- 1/2 cup of milk
- 1/2 cup of boiling water
- 1/3 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup butter, melted
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 egg
- 3 1/2 cups flour
To the yeast mixture, add sugar, melted butter, salt and egg. Add 2 cups of flour. Beat until smooth.
Add remaining flour. Using your stand mixer's dough hook (or your hands, on a floured countertop) knead the dough until it is smooth and sticky. Cover dough and let rise for 1 hour.
Punch down the dough and roll out on a floured counter until it is a 1/4 inch thick rectangle. Spread with:
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 1/2 cup sugar mixed with 4 tsp cinnamon
Coat your baking pan with 1/4 cup of melted butter and then sprinkle that butter with 2 Tbsp of sugar.
Slice your cinnamon log into one and a half inch slices. Place spirals in greased and sugared pan, with ample room around each spiral so it can rise some more (no two cinnamon buns should be touching at this point).
Let rise another 45 minutes.
Bake @ 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes until slightly browned and dough is cooked through. Remove to a wire rack as soon as they are cool enough to touch. (but not completely cooled!)
Place wire rack over a piece of wax paper (to catch the drips) and top cinnamon buns with a glaze made by combining:
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 2 cups icing sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- enough hot water to create desired consistency
Eat one warm before the rest of the family knows they are ready or else you might not get one at all...


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Dye-Oxide Patinas are a cross between the Solvent Based Dyes and a patina. All of the colors are transparent and may be blended or layered together to achieve any color.
Like the Universal Patinas, Dye-Oxide Patinas are UV safe, non-reactive, and do not contain acids. They may be applied in any manner using any traditional hot or cold patina application technique. The Dye-Oxide Patinas adhere best when the metal is warmed (180-200°F).