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Heather Callaghan, Contributor
Waking Times
Have you ever overheard an intense or heart-wrenching discussion only to find out the talkers were actually hashing out the lives of fictional TV characters? Do you ever wonder why people are so easily beguiled into trusting the talking heads?
It might not be such a mystery when you find out how easy it is for TV programming – the waves it emits, the storytelling – to override basic brain function and even damage your body.
Reported earlier by Truthstream Media:
Back in 1969, a man named Herbert Krugman conducted a series of experiments regarding the effect of television on a person's brainwaves. What he found was pretty startling:
"Krugman monitored a person through many trials and found that in less than one minute of television viewing, the person's brainwaves switched from Beta waves — brainwaves associated with active, logical thought — to primarily Alpha waves. When the subject stopped watching television and began reading a magazine, the brainwaves reverted to Beta waves."
'Beta' is considered a normal, awake state, while 'Alpha' waves are experienced in a deep relaxation or 'daydreaming' state. When in the Alpha state, a person is subjected to a passive learning experience with the right side of the brain at the wheel, leaving critical thinking skills behind.
When scientists study these effects, we often find out later that they were only trying to help corporate advertisers better influence you. They have even found that the brains of people watching movies together are snyced up! Is that a "syn" against individuality?
Jerry Mander also discussed the damages of unbridled technology like television in "Questions We Should Have Asked About Technology." Even in the 1970s, he was arguing for the elimination of television. One of his reasons was the "death culture" – all the story lines, especially in the news were heading toward death obsession. Think about how that has changed in 40 years and what that does to already hopeless people? That's entertainment?
Speaking of which, here is a video that shows how television affects your brain chemistry for the worst. Yes, the waves entrain your brain for the greatest suggestibility – but it gets worse. Your mind gets confused and derailed by the condensed and unrealistic story lines. The imagery creates plenty of stress hormones – like the constant release of adrenaline – but with no outlet because we consciously try to tell ourselves that it's just a show. Apparently, the brain and body disagree.
Does that explain how TV creates an artificial "high" and addiction?
The Plug-In Drug is a book that explains your brain on television and computers in greater detail.
Have you given up television? What were the results, good or bad?
Save a brain – SHARE this story!
Heather Callaghan is a natural health blogger and food freedom activist. You can see her work at NaturalBlaze.com and ActivistPost.com. Like at Facebook.
**This article was originally featured at Activist Post.**
This article is offered under Creative Commons license. It's okay to republish it anywhere as long as attribution bio is included and all links remain intact.
~~ Help Waking Times to raise the vibration by sharing this article with friends and family…
The post How TV Affects Your Brain Chemistry For The Worse appeared first on Waking Times.


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How to Choose Between an FHA and a Conventional Loan
Unless you're already a mortgage expert, picking between an FHA loan and a conventional loan can be tricky. Luckily, we're about to lay it all out for you—the advantages, the disadvantages, the requirements, and how to choose.
If you just want to sit back and relax, our mortgage blogger, Carter, can walk you through the basics in this short video. For a deep dive into FHA vs conventional loans, read on.
What are FHA and Conventional Mortgage Loans?
First, let's take a quick overview of the whole FHA vs. conventional loan debate.
FHA stands for Federal Housing Administration, which means that FHA loans are backed by the government. Originally, they were created to help make homeownership more accessible to buyers with damaged credit or minimal savings. After the housing market crashed, they became popular across all income levels and especially with first time buyers.
Conventional loans, meanwhile, are your plain vanilla loans. They aren't backed by the government, but they must conform to specific guidelines in order to be sold to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and then resold to investors—as most mortgage loans are, one way or another. They, too, are widely popular.
Both loans offer you flexibility in type (fixed rate vs adjustable rate) as well as term length (30 years is typical, though 15 years is another popular choice). There are a couple exceptions, but we'll get to those later.
Overall, are 7 key points of difference between conventional and FHA loans.
Credit Guidelines for FHA Versus Conventional Loans
Let's start with the biggest difference between FHA loans and conventional loans.
The credit score.
Since FHA loans were created specifically to provide an option to buyers with low and recovering credit scores, it's no surprise that they have the lowest credit score requirements available. That makes FHA loans a great option for first time homebuyers who haven't had the chance to build up their credit.
A credit score of 580 or over allows you to make a down payment of just 3.5%. Between 579-500, and you'll need to put down at least 10%. If you're leaning toward an FHA home loan, it's worth it to shoot for 580, though.
Conventional mortgage credit scores, meanwhile, are typically required to be higher. It's difficult to guarantee an exact number, since requirements vary from lender to lender and can also be contingent upon other financial factors.
620 is generally the lower limit of conventional credit requirements. Remember, though, that credit impacts interest rate. While you may be able to go as low as 620 if the rest of your loan application is spotless, the best possible rates are reserved for higher credit scores.
Winner: Both. Which is the true winner for you will depend on your credit score.
Down Payment Requirements for FHA and Conventional 97
When most people hear "large loan," they think "large down payment." That isn't necessarily the case with a mortgage, though.
"The majority of clients and Realtors I speak with assume you need 10-20% down to buy a home," said Terry Hastings, Manager of Total Mortgage's Ridgefield branch. "Many are opting to rent because they don't know that they could buy—and probably pay less than renting."
In reality, you don't even have to put down 10%. Or 5%.
With an FHA loan, you can put as little as 3.5% down on a house. You just need to have a credit score of at least 580 and meet all other FHA guidelines (which we'll get into later).
With a conventional loan, you can go as low as 3%—something that's actually called a conventional 97 loan. Since a conventional 97 loan is technically a different program than a standard conventional loan, it has a few extra restrictions:
Conventional 97 Loan (3% down payment)
- The loan must be a 30-year fixed-rate loan
- The property must be a one-unit, single family home, co-op, PUD, or condo.
- The property will be the buyer's primary residence
- The buyer (or one of the buyers) can't have owned a house in the last 3 years
- The loan amount is at or under $424,100
Of course, many first-time homebuyers meet these restrictions anyway, so not all will find them an obstacle.
Winner: Conventional. If you want to go low, it doesn't get any better than 3%.
Do FHA and Conventional Loans have PMI?
Of course, if you put less than 20% down using any loan except for a VA loan, that means you'll have to get private mortgage insurance. Private mortgage insurance (or PMI) protects lenders in the event that borrowers with low equity default on their loans—and the borrower gets to pick up the tab.
When it comes to conventional loans, PMI is simple: make it to 20% equity, and you're free and clear. That can either mean putting 20% down on the house initially, or paying PMI until you hit 20% equity with your monthly mortgage payments. Your lender should drop your PMI automatically at 20%.
For FHA loans, though, the story is different. You'll have to pay PMI for the life of the loan if you initially make a down payment of less than 10%. To get out of paying PMI, you'll have to refinance once you build enough equity.
One more downside? PMI tends to be higher for FHA loans than it is for conventional loans. The difference isn't dramatic, but it's something to keep in mind.
Winner: Conventional. Being able to get rid of PMI as soon as possible is a huge plus.
Income Requirements for FHA and Conventional Mortgages
Debt to income (or DTI) ratio is another factor you're going to need to consider when choosing conventional or FHA loans.
DTI is exactly what it sounds like—the percentage of your monthly income that will go toward paying off debt (this includes your new mortgage).
While the exact requirements can (again) vary from lender to lender, most will require a 45% or lower DTI ratio for conventional loans.
With FHA loans, however, lenders will often offer a bit more flexibility if the borrower is in otherwise good shape. In some cases, you might see DTI ratios as high as 55% accepted.
"I just did a loan this summer for a buyer who had a student loan," Hastings said. "Even though the parent paid for the loan, the buyer's ratios were too high for Fannie or Freddie. FHA approved the loan and without it, she would not have been able to buy a home. As it stands, her monthly payment is less than it would cost to rent."
Winner: FHA. If you have a lot of debt, an FHA might just be your ticket to a mortgage.
FHA vs Conventional: Battle of the Interest Rate
Here's an interesting difference that you don't hear about very often: FHA loans tend to come with lower interest rates than conventional loans.
However, if this is the only factor that's tipping you over the edge to an FHA , you might want to think again. The difference between the two has historically been fairly minor, and since rates vary from lender to lender anyway, the savings that come with an FHA could easily be offset by having to pay PMI for the life of the loan.
If you're concerned with getting the lowest interest rate possible, there are other ways to get a lower rate, like opting for an adjustable rate mortgage (ARM), or paying points ahead of time.
Winner: FHA. But only by a hair.
Property Eligibility for FHA and Conventional Loans
Just because you qualify for a mortgage doesn't necessarily mean your future house will.
Because FHA loans are backed by the government and meant to help families, they place more restrictions on the sort of house that qualifies.
FHA property guidelines
- Must be occupied by the buyer
- Must be your primary residence (i.e. not a vacation or investment property)
- Must be occupied within 60 days of closing
- Must be assessed for safety with an additional home inspection
- Must be under the capped lending amount (this varies depending on location and property size)
Conventional loan property qualifiers
Conventional loans have fewer restrictions. Second homes and investment properties both qualify, and you won't need special inspections. They, too, have a capped loan amount called the conforming loan limit. The limit is $424,100 in most areas, though that number increases in high-cost areas and for multi-unit properties. If you need more financing than that, a jumbo loan is your next step.
Of course, it's a different story if you're planning on taking advantage of a conventional 97 loan to put just 3% down. In that case, the property must be single-family, be your primary residence, and require a loan amount under $424,100 (as outlined in our section on down payments).
Winner: Conventional. When it comes to flexibility, conventional takes it, easily.
Refinancing: Conventional Loans Versus FHA Loans
Here's one thing you might not have considered yet: what happens if you want to refinance 5 or 10 years down the line?
With both loans you'll be able to refinance into virtually any loan you want, changing term length, interest rate, and even taking cash out.
For a conventional loan, this will require more or less the same process that got you the loan in the first place, though it should be much less stressful now that you're not also trying to juggle a move.
However, if you're refinancing from an FHA loan to another FHA loan, you do so using a special program, called FHA streamline. It generally allows you to refinance with:
- no new credit score
- no new appraisal
- no new income verification
As you can imagine, that cuts way down on the time and hassle involved in refinancing.
Winner: FHA. Simple and fast is always nice.
FHA vs Conventional Comparison Chart
Which Mortgage Loan Should You Choose?
When we get down to it, neither loan is objectively better than the other. It all ultimately depends on you, your financial situation, and your plans for the future.
Choose an FHA loan if:
- You have lower or no credit
- You have a lot of debt already
- You already have an FHA loan and want to refinance
- You don't plan on staying in the home long enough to hit 20% equity (meaning you'll be paying PMI either way)
- You have a bankruptcy or foreclosure in your past
Choose a conventional loan if:
- You have fair to excellent credit
- You have a reasonably low DTI ratio
- You need to be able to make the smallest possible down payment
- You want to be able to dump PMI without having to refinance
- You're buying an investment property or second home
If you want a personalized loan recommendation, check out our apply form. By answering a few simple questions about your goals and status, you'll receive a short list of loans that make sense for you.

subset: commoncrawl


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Rep. Joe Barton (R) from Texas had his rant this morning, DEFENDING BP and stating they are getting a shakedown for forking over 20B in a fund for the Gulf.
I wonder how the Gulf Coast residents feel. The many damaged and harmed for YEARS to come due to BP's cutting corners and working on a rig that obviously WAS NOT SAFE.
We do need to know what happened. BP needs to pay for this. Look at the map below. As long as that oil is spilling in the Gulf, which will be ALL DAMN SUMMER LONG, the Florida coast line will be DESTROYED, along with all the other states in the Gulf.
We are talking about DAMAGE to a major part of the United States for DECADES and this gas bag congressman is up on Capital Hill SHILLIN' for BP.
The the hell with BP and the plane they road in here on. Barack Obama was RIGHT in forcing them to fork over money up front, with no cap, because the way it looks 20B will not be NEARLY enough to fix this mess in the Gulf.
I am sorry but most Americans do not have any sympathy for BP.
Rep. Ed Markey (D-MA) blasts Barton:
White House Response to Barton:
"What is shameful is that Joe Barton seems to have more concern for big corporations that caused this disaster than the fishermen, small business owners and communities whose lives have been devastated by the destruction. Congressman Barton may think that a fund to compensate these Americans is a 'tragedy', but most Americans know that the real tragedy is what the men and women of the Gulf Coast are going through right now. Members from both parties should repudiate his comments."
GOP: The Party Of BP
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Two Charged With Criminal Mischief for Williamsburg Bike Lane Action
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Call it Amazon crime: The mammoth online retailer is selling illegal batteries and mopeds to city residents, despite such devices being forbidden from city streets.
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It's a great idea, but will highway-obsessed officials bite?
Wednesday's Headlines: Head-Scratcher Edition
Three items crossed our desk yesterday that simply need to be addressed. Plus other news.


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2D Game Character Sprite Sheets
This assets is for developers who want to create their mobile game apps for IOS and Android games and need Game Enemies Character Spritesheets for their projects.
Best assets for game Like: Shooting game, Running Game,Platform Game, and more side Scrolling games.
Files Included: Ai, Eps, Png, SpriterAnimations Included:
All the Character animation sprites are rendered in same dimensions size. Images are Rendered with the dimension of 512×512px for every character animations..
Ai and Eps File is just contains Vector Body Parts only, and there is no AI or PS for character sprites It's because Animation is done in SPRITER!. But there is a high resolution Png images for every Animation sprites I also included the Spriter files )" title=" :)" />


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Berkeley Patients Group, which had declined for weeks to confirm or deny that the federal government had told its landlord it had to move, sent out an email Thursday night saying it was not going out of business.
"Recent media reports have erroneously stated that Berkeley Patients Group, one of the oldest and well-respected medical cannabis dispensaries in California, is closing its doors," Chief Operating Officer Sean Luse said in a press release. "The following statement provides accurate information on BPG's status: Berkeley Patients Group remains dedicated to providing safe and affordable access to its patient-members, while working to preserve the jobs of its 70+ employees. BPG is not closing. We have been looking to relocate for several years and look forward to announcing our new site, soon. We are grateful for the level of support we have received from the Berkeley community over the years."
BPG's landlord, David Mayeri, received a letter from U.S. Attorney Melinda Haag warning him that the dispensary at 2747 San Pablo Avenue was within 1,000 feet of a school, according to knowledgeable sources who asked not to be names. The letter threatened Mayeri with financial penalties or criminal sanctions if sales of cannabis were not stopped.
BPG and Mayeri signed a legal agreement Feb. 28 in which the dispensary agreed to cease all cannabis sales by May 1, according to California Watch.
BPG has been looking for a new location for years. In this current political climate, where Haig has aggressively targeted landlords who rent to cannabis operations, a new space may be difficult to find.
Berkeley's largest cannabis dispensary to close May 1 [03.15.12]
Federal letter may make Berkeley Patients Group relocate [03.14.12]


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A new coating utilizing nanotechnology will allow surgeons to sterilize medical devices that contain biological components.
A nanotech material containing an extract from liquorice can be used to sterilize and protect medical devices and implants which include biological components, and protects these functional bio-components during the sterilization process.
Publishing their findings in the latest issue of Materials Today, a team of researchers from Germany and Austria explain how conventional sterilization techniques based on a blast of radiation, or exposure to toxic gas can damage the functional biological components of the device. The coating, containing a component found in liquorice and developed by German biotech company LEUKOCARE AG, protects these sensitive components.
Joachim Koch of the Georg-Speyer Haus, Institute for Biomedical Research in Frankfurt am Main in Germany and colleagues explain how medical devices and implants are increasingly functionalized using pharmacologically active proteins, antibodies and other biomolecules. Harsh sterilization procedures, including beta and gamma irradiation or exposure to toxic ethylene oxide can damage these sensitive molecules and render the device useless. However, without sterilization the patient is at risk of infection when the device is used or implanted.
The team has now successfully evaluated the nano-coating; a technology which employs a composition of stabilizing nano-molecules. One important ingredient is a compound known as glycyrrhizic acid, a natural, sweet-tasting chemical found in liquorice. Unlike other stabilizing approaches used in biopharmaceutical formulations, the nano-coating contains no sugars, sugar-alcohol compounds or proteins that might otherwise interfere with the biological activity of the device.
The team has tested the nano-coating by coupling and stabilizing an anti-inflammatory antibody to a porous polyurethane surface. This carrier acts as a surrogate for a medical device. Such a system might be used as a therapeutic implant to reduce inflammation caused by an overactive immune system in severely ill patients. The researchers found that even if the test device is blasted with radiation to sterilize it entirely, neither the nano-coating nor the proteins are damaged by the radiation and the activity of the device is maintained.
"This nano-coating formulation can now be applied for the production of improved biofunctionalized medical devices such as bone implants, vascular stents, and wound dressings and will ease the application of biomedical combination products," Koch explains.
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"Proof" Explores Thin Line Between Brilliance and Insanity
- Stephen McGarvey Executive Editor
- 2005 16 Sep
Release Date: September 16, 2005
Rating: PG-13 (sexual content, language, drug references)
Genre: Drama
Run Time: 1 hr. 39 min.
Director: John Madden
Actors: Gwyneth Paltrow, Anthony Hopkins, Jake Gyllenhaal, Hope Davis, Gary Houston
"Is that guy a super genius, or is he just crazy?" Quite likely, when someone watches a movie seeking to answer this question, he or she will compare it to "A Beautiful Mind." So it's almost impossible to watch "Proof" without remembering the giant that came before. And while "Proof" is certainly no "Beautiful Mind," it is certainly a poignant and thoughtful look at the supposed thin line between brilliance and insanity.
Based on a Tony-winning play, "Proof" tells the story of Catherine (Gwyneth Paltrow) a talented mathematics student who must deal with the death of her father Robert (Anthony Hopkins), a brilliant mathematician whose groundbreaking work in his field has brought him high honors and acclaim. Yet at the end of his life, Robert suffers from dementia that forces him to all but give up his work. Rather than commit him to an institution, as older daughter Claire (Hope Davis) believes is best, Catherine drops out of school to become her father's full-time caretaker. In doing so, she puts her own budding career as a mathematician on hold. And while Catherine has clearly inherited some of her father's brilliance, in dealing with his illness, she fears she may have inherited his proclivity for mental instability.
If you are anything like me, you choose your current line of work (writing and editing for example) because you were told, as Chevy Chase once famously said, "there would be no math." So watching a movie about mathematicians is probably not high on your "to do" list. But the mathematics in "Proof" is more a backdrop than the main focus, and doesn't overwhelm the story. Even avowed math haters can appreciate the issues Catherine confronts. The movie is at its strongest when depicting Catherine's intense struggle with her father's problems, and her bossy sister's seeming lack of support and understanding.
Paltrow shines as she portrays Catherine dealing with her complicated life. When her father's mathematical protégée Hal (Jake Gyllenhaal) wants to mine her father's work for evidence of his past brilliance, she is at first ambivalent to his presence. But she quickly becomes so agitated with him that she is on the phone with the police, claiming he is an intruder who has broken into her house. She makes a scene at her father's funeral when she sees how many people are there; "friends" of Robert who haven't seen him in five years, and never visited him while he was sick. When Claire arrives to help arrange their father's affairs, Catherine is at first tolerant of her sister's badgering but soon begins to lash out at Claire's insinuation that Catherine is losing her mind. The well-written dialogue quickly goes from humorous sibling bickering, to intense fighting over deep emotional wounds from years past. Since the police say that Catherine was alone when they responded to her intruder call, Claire wonders if Hal is even a real person. Apparently she, too, has seen "A Beautiful Mind."
Catherine gradually warms up to Hal (and ends up sleeping with him after her father's funeral) and reveals to him some of her own mathematical work. Believing the formulas scribbled in a green notebook are part of Robert's work, Hal exclaims that the mathematical notes reveal a new breakthrough in the field. When Catherine claims the notebook as her own, both Hal and Claire are skeptical. Is Catherine a liar? Is she insane like her father? Or is she possibly even more brilliant than Robert in his prime? Catherine wrestles with these questions right along with them.
A few aspects of "Proof" keep it from being a truly great movie. Catherine's relationship with her father is shown largely through flashbacks that are unfortunately choppy and sometimes hard to follow. The movie also doesn't seem to adapt too well from stage to screen. Many of the scenes are much longer than moviegoers will be used to, and the sets don't change much.
Despite these detractions, "Proof" effectively portrays both the highs and lows of the human mind. The Psalmist prayed, "I will give thanks to You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made…" (Psalm 139:14). Our minds are so incredibly complex, that contemporary science still has not conquered them. Mankind can conceive brilliant abstract thoughts on the wonders of the universe, yet the inner workings of our own heads are largely elusive to us. Our character, our humanity is often revealed in how we deal with both our greatness, and our frailty. "Proof" gives us a poignant look at that humanity.
AUDIENCE: Older teens and up
- Drugs/Alcohol: Catherine gets a bottle of champagne for her birthday. People drink heavily (and get drunk) at a party following Robert's funeral. Hal talks about mathematicians he knows who use recreational drugs.
- Language/Profanity: A moderate amount of profanity (including a few instances of taking the Lord's name in vain) is sprinkled throughout the movie. Several arguments with emotional screaming may be a bit too intense for children.
- Sex/Nudity: Catherine and Hal get drunk and have sex. No nudity is shown, but the scene pushes the envelope of the film's PG-13 rating. Catherine is shown twice in her underwear, in the aforementioned scene and in a clothing store dressing room.
- Violence: None


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Last year, it became apparent that Apple was planning to introduce a new SIM card, even tinier than the micro SIMs it uses in the iPhone 4S and iPad. But now Apple is trying to push the idea through regulators—and its competitors are having none of it.
The Financial Times reports that RIM, Motorola and Nokia aren't happy with Apple's innovation. In fact, it's actually the case that all three have their own ideas for a future, smaller SIM—they're just scared that Apple is going to end up with patents for the design which they'll have to end up licensing. According to the FT's sources, Apple's version of the nano-SIM would call for a "drawer" to protect it—much like the designs already featured in the iPhone and iPad.
The new nano SIM designs are about a third smaller than the micro-SIM and, obviously, making the SIM smaller allows modest decreases in device size. It seems, however, that Europe's standards body, ETSI, is on the side of Apple's competitors for now, so it the journey to a smaller-SIM future may not be a smooth one. [Financial Times via Engadget]
Image by Oleksiy Mark/Shutterstock


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Penn State Scandal: More Suspected Victims; Sandusky Says He's Innocent
As former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky was being heard on NBC-TV last night declaring "I am innocent of those charges" and that he's not sexually attracted to young boys, The New York Timeswas landing with a report that:
"Close to 10 additional suspected victims have come forward to the authorities since the arrest of the former Penn State defensive coordinator Jerry Sandusky on Nov. 5 on 40 counts of sexually abusing young boys, according to people close to the investigation. The police are working to confirm the new allegations."
Sandusky, 67, has been charged with sexually abusing eight boys over more than a decade, sometimes on the Penn State campus after his 1999 retirement. The allegations led last week to the departures of long-time head football coach Joe Paterno and university President Graham Spanier, who both came under fire for not alerting police after they had been told of incidents involving Sandusky and boys who were part of a charity for at-risk youth that Sandusky had founded.
There has also been an intense focus on Penn State assistant coach Mike McQueary, who told a grand jury that in 2002 he saw Sandusky engaged in a sexual act with a young boy in the Penn State locker room. McQueary told Paterno about it the next day. But he also did not call call police.
According to NBC News, last week McQueary sent emails to friends in which he assured them that "I did the right thing ... I didn't just turn and run, I made sure it stopped."
On NBC's Rock Center with Brian Williams Monday night, Sandusky told correspondent Bob Costas that he had showered with some young boys. "I could say that I have done some of those things. I have horsed around with kids," he said. "I have showered after workouts. I have hugged them and I have touched their legs without intent of sexual contact."
Asked if he is sexually attracted to young boys, Sandusky gave this answer: "Am I sexually attracted to underage boys? Sexually attracted? You know, I enjoy young people. I love to be around them. But no, I'm not sexually attracted to young boys."
But as NPR's Tom Goldman told host Renee Montagne on Morning Edition today, "I think most people watching were kind of stunned by his meandering answer that finally worked its way to 'no.' "
Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.


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Maxwell Watkins recognized as 2012 Virginia Farmer of the Year
Virginia Cooperative Extension has selected Maxwell Watkins of Sutherland, Va., as the Virginia Farmer of the Year — an award that recognizes individual contributions to the commonwealth's agriculture industry.
Watkins, a sixth-generation farmer, was recognized at the Virginia Junior Livestock Expo in Harrisonburg on Oct. 13.
"We are pleased to honor Maxwell Watkins with this award," said Robert Grisso, associate director of agriculture and natural resources for Virginia Cooperative Extension. "He is an example of the enterprising spirit demonstrated through hard work on the farm and developing a startup business. His marketing and land conservation measures are examples of how farm enterprises will remain sustainable for the next six generations. His desire to partner with his two sons is a true inspiration."
Watkins, who operates Watkins Farm in partnership with his family, farms more than 2,800 acres — 2,700 acres rented and 115 acres owned. While soybeans, wheat, and flue-cured tobacco provide the bulk of his farm income, he also raises fescue and ladino clover for hay.
In past years, Watkins grew 80 acres of pumpkins. He also raised sheep and had a flock of about 200 ewes. During the 1990s, he stopped raising pumpkins and sheep to concentrate on his new cotton enterprise. He decided to forgo cotton this year in favor of corn and soybeans because they offered better prices. He is able to get in and out of cotton production because he relies on custom cotton harvesters.
"Maxwell has found success in diversifying his crops. He takes calculated risks, controls expenses, keeps his eyes on ever-changing market conditions, and lets nothing go to waste," said Grisso.
When Watkins recognized that some of the land he farms was better suited for grazing, he bought a beef herd of about 35 cows. He normally sells calves at 500 pounds, but when corn prices plummet, he harvests the corn for silage and feeds it to the calves to keep them a little longer.
"Environmental and market conditions dictate what I grow at any given time," Watkins said. "I will cut costs when I can, but I will not sacrifice yields and I don't ever cut corners."
Michael Parrish, Extension agent in Dinwiddie County, nominated Watkins for the award. Parrish admires the flexibility Watkins shows in being able to get in and out of enterprises such as sheep, pumpkins, and cotton when markets dictate. "Maxwell is a great role model for our younger farmers in Dinwiddie County. He has hosted field days, crop tours, and test plots on his farm during the past 17 years," said Parrish. "He and his family make the day-to-day farm work look easy, when we know it's not."
Watkins also owns and operates nonfarming sideline businesses. He contracts with the Virginia Department of Transportation to remove snow using his farm equipment. And in 2006, he and his family opened Watkins Outdoor Products, a retail dealership that sells farm and lawn equipment. "This business supports a real need in our area," he said. The business serves an urbanizing area where farmland has been converted to small farms, subdivisions, and homes on relatively large tracts.
A farmer for 35 years, Watkins grew his first crops at age 15. He knew he wanted to farm from an early age, and he still loves its rewards and challenges.
"My first memories of farm chores include riding mules in tobacco fields," he recalled. "I spent many days as a young boy learning the ins and outs of farming from my grandfather and my dad. We had a hog operation while I was in high school." Watkins earned the State FFA Degree in 1979. After high school, he farmed with his father. He remembers growing pumpkins, the first crop he grew on his own. After his father died in 1994, he assumed full responsibility for the farm and started growing tobacco and cotton.
Watkins finds time to assume leadership positions in local agricultural and community organizations. He serves on the committee for the U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm Service Agency in Dinwiddie County. He also serves on the board of directors for the Appomattox River Soil and Water Conservation District where he has received awards for his work in education and conservation and as a director. He sits on the board of the Dinwiddie County Industrial Development Authority and has been a volunteer Extension leader. Previously, Watkins served on the board of the local Southern States Cooperative and was on the cooperative's advisory board of young farmers.
As Virginia Farmer of the Year, Watkins received a $2,500 cash award and an expense-paid trip to the Sunbelt Ag Expo farm show in Moultrie, Ga., from Swisher International; a $500 gift certificate from Southern States Cooperative; and the choice of either $1,000 in PhytoGen cottonseed or a $500 donation to a designated charity on behalf of Dow AgroSciences. Each farmer and nominator also received a Columbia Cathedral Peak fleece vest, courtesy of Ivey's Outdoor and Farm Supply of Albany, Ga.
In accepting the award, Watkins joins the short list of farmers in the running for Southeastern Farmer of the Year.
Extension has nominated individuals for Swisher Sweets/Sunbelt Expo Southeastern Farmer of the Year since the award's inception in 1990.
Previous state winners include: Nelson Gardner of Bridgewater, 1990; Russell Inskeep of Culpeper, 1991; Harry Bennett of Covington, 1992; Hilton Hudson of Alton, 1993; Buck McCann of Carson, 1994; George M. Ashman Jr. of Amelia, 1995; Bill Blalock of Baskerville, 1996; G.H. Peery III of Ceres, 1997; James Bennett of Red House, 1998; Ernest Copenhaver of Meadowview, 1999; John Davis of Port Royal, 2000; James Huffard III of Crockett, 2001; J. Hudson Reese of Scottsburg, 2002; Charles Parkerson of Suffolk, 2003; Lance Everett of Stony Creek, 2004; Monk Sanford of Orange, 2005; Paul House of Nokesville, 2006; Steve Berryman of Surry, 2007; Tim Sutphin of Dublin, 2008; Billy Bain of Dinwiddie, 2009; Wallick Harding of Jetersville, 2010; and Donald Horsley of Virginia Beach, 2011.


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Stomping tunes and good times all night long!
A space for musicians and music fans alike to collaborate, request, share pictures and videos, set jam times and let everyone know what they've been working on all week! The Brickhouse is located in the heart of Historic Downtown Fernie in a former bank. The groovy exposed brick, Edison lights and original bank vault door set up a prohibition-style vibe perfect for inspiring backroom ballads and barroom shanties. It's the perfect pre-weekend night out.
Local beers on tap & by the bottle, BC wines and custom cocktails. Fantastic pub food served until 10pm.
9:30pm - 2am, no cover. Regular visiting bands/hosts.


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The Bread of Life reaches out on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday nights throughout the year, except on holidays. We meet together in the parking lot behind the First Presbyterian Church downtown at 3rd and Elm Street between 7:30 and 7:45pm. The primary task of the outreach is to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ (the Great Commission).
Moreover, according to Matthew 25, Jesus invited those who cared for the poorest and least among us, into the Kingdom of Heaven. Providing for their basic physical needs is an integral part of the ministry, allowing us to establish a relationship with the people we meet on the streets. Thus opening a door for the Gospel based on trust and consistency. We also encourage and invite those we come in contact with to attend Church Without Walls in Balboa Park.
Please feel free to bring the following items:
Monday & Saturday - Steven Bigley - 619.549.3000
Tuesday - Grant Schoneman - 858.334.3329
Wednesday - Chad Hopkin - 619.203.7949
Thursday - Kyle Younes - 619.339.0458


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Photos Of Sandara Park With Her Ex-Boyfriend Resurface
Old photos of Sandara Park and her ex-boyfriend, Joseph Bitangcol, have resurfaced online.
Joseph Bitangcol is a Filipino actor and entertainer whom Sandara dated in 2009, before moving back to Korea.
The two met on the audition show, titled Star Circle Quest, where they were both contestants.
After years of dating, they eventually ended their relationship on good terms.
The two have maintained a friendship, and have met many times since.
In several interviews, however, Dara admitted that she was devastated when they broke up.
Apparently, it was to the point where she felt like her "life was over".
Now, their relationship is strictly platonic.
Joseph Bitangcol is currently married to a non-celebrity, and Sandara is focused on her solo career.
Check out some of the ex-couple's adorable photos below:


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Let's talk about OpenGL. No wait. Don't hit the back button yet! Let's talk about OpenGL in a way that non-coders can hopefully follow. I'll even sprinkle some screenshots of my most recent OpenGL project through the article to break up the scary walls of text. It'll be easy and maybe even funI've found that people's definitions of "fun" are surprisingly flexible!.
OpenGL stands for Open Graphics Library. It was originally devised in 1991. When it comes to talking to your graphics card, OpenGL is one of only two ways to get the job done. If you want to render some polygons, you have to use either Direct X or OpenGLWell, a third option would be to render WITHOUT using the graphics card. This will – no exaggeration – be thousands of times slower. So it's been years since the last time I saw a software-rendered game.. Everything else – Unreal Engine, Unity, or any other game Engine – has to go through either DirectX or OpenGL if it wants to make some graphicsAssuming you're working on a desktop computer. Things are a little different in console world..
OpenGL pre-dates graphics cards. At least, it pre-dates cards as we understand them today. There were industrial-grade cards in 1991, used by render farms and CAD stations. I don't know enough about that hardware to know how OpenGL worked at the time, so let's just ignore all of that stuff while I make broad, hand-wavy gestures. The point is that the world of consumer-grade graphics acceleration sort of grew up around OpenGL, and over time it adapted to give us programmers a way to talk to all that fancy graphics hardware. OpenGL also pre-dates the widespread adoption of C++ as a programming language. Also, it was devised long before multi-threading was part of normal development. This means that OpenGL has a lot of things about it that just don't make a lot of sense to game developers in 2015. It's a system that uses crusty old C code, it doesn't play well with multi-threaded approaches, and it's filled with legacy systems that nobody is supposed to use anymore.
|This is my game "World of Stone Pillars in a Blue Void With No GamePlay". Coming soon to Kickstarter!
The full story of the rise and fall of OpenGL is much too long to recount here. This is the fullest version of events as I've been able to find, tucked into the middle of a very long thread on StackExchange. Imagine a world where the only coherent account of the rise of the Ford motor company was from a single user in an r/automobiles subreddit. That's what this is like. I'm not even going to try and outline it here. It's a mad story that involves several hardware companies, Microsoft, a committee, and a lot of bad decisions on the part of everyone. The most important player in that drama was the committee, which is called the ARB.
The point is: OpenGL has changed quite a bit over the years. As graphics technology changed, the ARB would bolt some new functionality onto the Frankenstein monster of OpenGL and it would shamble onward. That's fine, inasmuch as adding functionality is what they're supposed to be doing. But now, 23 years after the release of OpenGL, things are a mess. There are now five ways to do everything, and the four most obvious and straightforward ways are bad and wrong and slow and people will yell at you if they catch you doing them.
This is a shame, because like most programmers I'm really attracted to "obvious and straightforward" solutions. In the old days, you could sit down and write a dozen or so lines of code that would put some polygons up on the screen.
The old way:
- Set up your OpenGL context so you can draw stuff.
- Position the camera.
- Specify a few vertices to make a triangle.
- If you're feeling creative, you could maybe color them or put a texture map in there, but whatever.
The new way:
- Set up your OpenGL context so you can draw stuff.
- You'll need a vertex shader. That's another whole program witten in GLSL, which looks a bit like C++ but is actually its own language.
- You'll also need a fragment shader. Yes, another program.
- You'll need to compile both shaders. That is, your program runs some code to turn some other code into a program. It's very meta.
- You'll need to build an interface so your game can talk to the shaders you just wrote.
- You'll need to gather up your vertices and pack them into a vertex buffer, along with any data they might need.
- Explain the format of your vertex data to OpenGL and store that data on the GPUThe graphics card. But you knew that..
- Position the camera.
- Draw those triangles you put together a couple of steps ago.
- If you're feeling creative, you can re-write your shaders and their interface to support some color or texture. Hope you planned ahead!
This list kind of undersells the drastic spike in work required to get something to appear on screen. Every one of these new steps is more difficult on both a conceptual (What is happening here and why do I need to do this?) and programmatic (How do I do this?) sense. If you have any experience with modern gaming engines you're probably used to ignoring all of this. You've most likely got a game engine between you and the fussy details. These steps are difficult to wrap your head around, but they only need to be done once and most people don't do it at all.
|Colored lighting! Let's party like it's 1999!
Note that I'm not really faulting OpenGL for this rise in complexity. The way things are done today is unavoidably difficult. You've got your multi-core computer there running a game, and that computer is talking to another fabulously sophisticated computer (the GPU) with hundreds or thousands of cores. Each computer has its own memory and its own native processor language, and as a programmer it's your job to get these two systems to talk to each other long enough and well enough to make some polygons happen.
So that's what this series is going to be about: How OpenGL used to work, how it works now, and what I think we've lost in the transition.
[1] I've found that people's definitions of "fun" are surprisingly flexible!
[2] Well, a third option would be to render WITHOUT using the graphics card. This will – no exaggeration – be thousands of times slower. So it's been years since the last time I saw a software-rendered game.
[3] Assuming you're working on a desktop computer. Things are a little different in console world.
[4] The graphics card. But you knew that.
My Music
Do you like electronic music? Do you like free stuff? Are you okay with amateur music from someone who's learning? Yes? Because that's what this is.
Blistering Stupidity of Fallout 3
Yeah, this game is a classic. But the story is idiotic, incoherent, thematically confused, and patronizing.
Good Robot Dev Blog
An ongoing series where I work on making a 2D action game from scratch.
PC Hardware is Toast
This is why shopping for graphics cards is so stupid and miserable.
Two minutes of fun at the expense of a badly-run theme park.


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There is no lower form of photography than the arm-out self-portrait, but we all do it. To their credit, Samsung's TL220 and TL225 make shooting your Facebook profile shot a little easier.
Ignoring the screen for a second, the TL22x cameras are a decent get for the price, with 720p video recording, haptic touchscreens (though the interface isn't terribly intuitive or responsive), and a full range of expected features for a midrange point and shoot. The only noticeable differences between the TL220 and TL225, which will ship at $299 and $349, respectively, are the 225's aluminum body, larger screen and HDMI output. But anyway, the screen's the thing people are curious about here, so here you go:
As you can see, it's there. When the camera is off, you can't see it—it goes black, and sits flush and invisible against an equally black camera face, at least on the test unit I saw. You turn it on with a direct tap of the finger, which I repeatedly had trouble getting to register, though I was told that was due to preproduction hardware iffyness. I'll trust Sammy on this one, but a simple toggle button would've done fine here.
The screen isn't just for self-shooting, although it manages that just fine. It'll also show playful images to get childrens' and/or idiots' attention. (In the case of the default clown animation, "playful" means "disconcerting," a fact which isn't helped by how difficult it is to navigate the menus to make him go away. ) No worries though: You'll be able to download more animations from Samsung's website, apparently.
Another simple function is a countdown timer, which gives you a numerical countdown to timed shots, letting you and your photomates know exactly when to mug.
At any rate, your first intuition on this was probably correct: front-facing LCDs are somewhat gimmicky, but they do what they say, making life easier for the internet-popular or extremely lonely. The catch would've been that the feature prices the cameras out of mainstream accessibility, but it doesn't. So hey, why not? (This, I think, was Samsung's design mantra here) [Samsung]


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Port Townsend, today. A recent news item drew me to Parsons, Kansas. If you have never been to Kansas, you are in for a special treat. Being from the Pacific Northwest, the first time we traveled east of the Rocky Mountains, I was flabbergasted at my first look at the mid-west.
Flat as a pancake.
My first road trip across this interesting country was in the early 1970's. My new bride was anxious for me to meet her family in North Dakota.
I could write and entire blog about that trip, but I know you are anxious to find out what flimsy excuse I have this time for deviating from Oil-Electric's Mission Statement.
When I gaze down upon Parsons, Kansas, in Google earth, the checkerboard symmetry of roads and highways reminded me of a remark I made to my newly acquired father-in-law; "Gee, there are some really long stretches of "thump-thump, thump-thump" concrete roads out here that go for miles, with offset intersecting side roads!"
At any rate, I am sure you are anxious to learn what are we doing in Parsons, Kansas. The last trip we made east to west across Kansas, my wife took over about half way, as we headed for Colorado.
I awoke from a nap, and looked out the window. There in the distance, a church steeple, water tower and grain elevator - another town. I asked my wife, "How fast are we going." She replied "80." I said, "Step on it!"
But neither the endless Kansas freeway nor a lesson in land surveying brought us back to Kansas today.
We are back in Kansas, because today, at Dwayne's Photo, in Parsons, Kansas, the last roll of Kodak Kodachrome film will be processed.
An article appearing in the New York Times, tells of a railroader, who, upon learning about the end of processing, sent in 1,580 rolls of film to be processed before the machine was shut down. As the article points out, Dwayne's is not closing, but ending Kodachrome film processing.
You can get one of those "collectible" T-shirts at Dwayne's web site.
I include here, a "Tribute to Kodachrome" Be sure to run the slide show.
For decades, the prima film chosen by photographers, from National Geographic to armatures who appreciated capturing an authentic image of what they were shooting. Some of my best shots were captured using Kodachrome ASA 25. The color rendition is as accurate as when I tripped the shutter more than 50 years ago.
Slow ASA 10, later 25, speed and very fine grain yielded slides - or prints - as crystal clean with precise color as the day the film was exposed.
You had to have a steady hand, especially in low light conditions and fast action for the capture. But if you pulled it off, the results were stunning, even after all these years.
Paul Simon imortalized Kodachrome accurately with
Gives us the greens of summers
Makes you think all the world's a sunny day, oh yeah!
I got a Nikon camera, I love to take a photograph
So momma, don't take my Kodachrome away"
One of the interesting intersections of Kodak and railroading occurred with the failed merger of the Santa Fe and Southern Pacific. I guess the merger was so assured, while the filing was still being processed by the Interstate Commerce Commission, the railroads began re-painting locomotives with the anticipated new color scheme!
Because of the similarity in colors used by Kodak packaging, rail photographers dubbed the new paint scheme "Kodachromes."
Southern Pacific 8530, Dunsmuir California, April, 1991. When the merger Southern Pacific and Santa Fe, fell apart, approximately 306 ATSF locomotives, 4 ATSF cabooses, 10 ATSF slugs, 96 SP locomotives, and 1 SP caboose had been painted in the new scheme.
The railroads made an effort to repaint locomotives in their standard paint schemes. Santa Fe repainted all Kodachrome's still on roster by 1990, though some engines "escaped" - were sold, in this scheme!
After the ICC's merger denial, rail fans joked that SPSF really stood for "Shouldn't Paint So Fast!"
Railroad Stuff: Southern Pacific 8530, Built as General Motors SD40, 3,000 hp, December 1978. SN: 786174-32. Modified as SD40-T, April 13, 1991.
Share with us your "Kodachrome" moment in the "Comment" section below!
See Also: Are We Still in Kansas?


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Origins of Grilling and Barbecue
The history of grilling begins shortly after the domestication of fire, some 500,000 years ago. The backyard ritual of grilling as we know it, though, is much more recent. Until well into the 1940s, grilling mostly happened at campsites and picnics. After World War II, as the middle class began to move to the suburbs, backyard grilling caught on, becoming all the rage by the 1950s.
In suburban Chicago, George Stephen, a metalworker by trade and a tinker by habit, had grown frustrated with the flat, open brazier-style grills common at the time. Once he inherited controlling interest in the Weber Bros. Metal Spinning Co, a company best-known as a maker of harbor buoys, he decided the buoy needed some modification. He cut it along its equator, added a grate, used the top as a lid, and cut vents for controlling temperature. The Weber grill was born and backyard cooking has never been the same.
If man has been grilling since the Stone Age, he had to wait a good long time before he got his first taste of 'barbecue.' Just how long is a matter of debate, but the word's etymology has been traced via the Spanish ('barbacoa') to a similar word used by the Arawak people of the Caribbean to denote a wooden structure on which they roasted meat. (The Arawak's other contribution to the English language is the word 'cannibal'.) Only the sense of a wooden framework survived the word's transition to English; the context was lost. So, in the 17th century, you might use a 'barbecue' as shelving or you might sleep on a 'barbecue' — but you definitely weren't cooking with one.
Like so many of the most recognizably "American" of foods and food ways – hot dogs, Thanksgiving dinners, even milk on breakfast cereals-barbecue goes back to 18th-century colonial America, specifically the settlements along the Southeastern seaboard. The direct descendant of that original American barbecue is Eastern Carolina-style pit barbecue, which traditionally starts with the whole hog and, after as many as fourteen hours over coals, culminates in a glorious mess of pulled pork doused with vinegar sauce and eaten on a hamburger bun, with coleslaw on the side.
As the settlers spread westward, regional variations developed, leaving us today with four distinct styles of barbecue.
Carolina-style has split into Eastern, Western, and South Carolina-style, with variations largely in the sauce: South Carolina uses a mustard sauce; Western Carolina uses a sweeter vinegar-and-tomato sauce.
Memphis Barbecue is probably what most of us think of when we think of BBQ-pork ribs with a sticky sweet-and-sour tomato-based mopping sauce.
Texas, being cattle country, has always opted for beef, usually brisket, dry-rubbed and smoked over mesquite with a tomato-based sauce served on the side, almost as an afterthought.
Kansas City lies at the crossroads of BBQ nation. Fittingly you'll find a little bit of everything there-beef and pork, ribs and shoulder, etc. What brings it all together is the sauce: sweet-hot, tomato-based KC barbecue sauce is a classic in its own right, and the model for most supermarket BBQ sauces.
Source "Food Network" (I did research on this and could not write it any better, Thank you, Food Network)


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Don't miss the special, extra-length issue of In These Times devoted entirely to the subject of socialism in America today. This special issue is available now. Order your copy today for just $5.00, shipping included.
On November 13, Marcus Vaughn filed a class-action lawsuit against his former employer. Vaughn, who'd worked in the Fremont, California factory for electric automaker Tesla, alleged that the manufacturing plant had become a "hotbed for racist behavior." Employees and supervisors, he asserted, had routinely lobbed racial epithets at him and his fellow Black colleagues.
Vaughn said he complained in writing to the company's human resources department and CEO Elon Musk, but Tesla neglected to investigate his claims. In true tech executive fashion, Musk deflected Vaughn's misgivings, shifting the blame to the assailed worker. "In fairness, if someone is a jerk to you, but sincerely apologizes, it is important to be thick-skinned and accept that apology," he wrote in a May email. In late October, according to Vaughn's suit, he was fired for "not having a positive attitude."
The news of rancorous working conditions for Tesla employees is merely the latest in a series. Vaughn's case signals the broader social and physical perils of couching traditional factory models within the frenzied, breakneck tech-startup framework of high demand, long hours and antipathy toward regulation.
Tesla's Fremont facility has bred a number of allegations of abuse, from discrimination to physical harm. Vaughn's is at least the third discrimination suit filed this year by Black Tesla workers alleging racism. A former third-party contracted factory worker, Jorge Ferro, has taken legal action to combat alleged homophobic harassment. The cruelty wasn't strictly verbal: Not long before, in an ostensibly unrelated but similarly alarming turn of events, reports surfaced that production-floor employees sustained such work-related maladies as loss of muscle strength, fainting and herniated discs.
In response to Ferro's allegations, Tesla told In These Times that it "takes any and every form of discrimination or harassment extremely seriously." But the company denied responsibility on the grounds that Ferro was contractor, not an employee.
Tesla's factory conditions evoke those reported at another Silicon Valley darling: Blue Apron. In the fall of 2016, BuzzFeed detailed the consequences of the lax hiring practices and safety standards governing the food-delivery company's Richmond, Calif. warehouse. Employees reported pain and numbness from the frigid indoor temperatures and injuries from warehouse equipment. Many filed police reports stating co-workers had punched, choked, bitten or groped them, amid threats of violence with knives, guns and bombs.
At the time of these complaints, both companies had fully ingratiated themselves to investors. Tesla's reported worth is so astronomical even the most technocratic corporate media—and Musk himself—question it. Blue Apron, which went public this year, snagged a $2 billion valuation in 2015. (Blue Apron has since seen a marked decline, a development that maybe have been spurred by BuzzFeed's report.) As a result, both companies have habitually placed escalating pressure upon their employees to generate product, their executives eyeing the potential profits.
Predictably, these companies' legal compliance appears to have fallen to the wayside in the name of expediency. Tesla and Blue Apron factory employees have found themselves working 12-hour shifts, in some cases more than five days a week. Tesla employee Jose Moran wrote of "excessive mandatory overtime" and "a constant push to work faster to meet production goals."
In 2015, Blue Apron appeared to violate a litany of OSHA regulations, ranging from wiring to chemical storage. It also hired local temporary workers via third-party staffing agencies — likely to circumvent the costs of such benefits as health insurance. As BuzzFeed noted, these staffing agencies independently screened candidates in lieu of internal background checks. Compounding the problem, the company expected temps to operate machinery they were unqualified to handle. (Blue Apron has since euphemized its OSHA violations and claimed to have axed these staffing agencies. The company has not responded to requests for comment.)
Aggravating an already fraught atmosphere, the companies appear to have used punitive tactics to coerce laborers into greater productivity. While some Tesla workers are placed in lower-paying "light duty" programs after reporting their injuries, others are chided for them. One production employee, Alan Ochoa, relayed to the Guardian a quote from his manager in response to his pain complaint: "We all hurt. You can't man up?"
Equally culpable is e-commerce goliath Amazon. Bloomberg reported that the company mounts flat-screen televisions in its fulfillment centers to display anti-theft propaganda relating the stories of warehouse workers terminated for stealing on the job. (This offers a blue-collar complement to the 2016 New York Times exposé on its draconian treatment of office employees.) According to a former employee, managers upbraid workers who fail to pack 120 items per hour, heightening their quotas and, in some cases, requiring them to work an extra day. Those who don't accept overtime shifts, meanwhile, lose vacation time.
Amazon told In These Times, "We support people who are not performing to the levels expected with dedicated coaching to help them improve."
It's no wonder, then, that Blue Apron and Amazon warehouses generate high turnover. In fact, this is likely by design. By creating working conditions that not only extract vast amounts of labor at low costs, but also drive workers away, tech companies can skirt the obligation to reward employees with raises and promotions. A companion to the profit-mongering schemes of Uber, Lyft and now Amazon (through its Amazon Flex delivery vertical) to classify workers as contractors, this form of labor arbitrage ensures that owners of capital avoid the risk of losing wealth to hourly workers — a class they deem thoroughly disposable.
Tesla has caused similar workforce tumult, firing employees for the foggy offense of underperformance. Of the hundreds of terminated employees from both its Palo Alto, Calif. headquarters and its Fremont facility, many were union sympathizers who'd been in talks with the United Auto Workers. The move has thus aroused suspicions that the company sought to purge dissidents — a reflection of the anti-union posture that has characterized Silicon Valley for decades.
If the near-ubiquity of factory and warehouse worker exploitation in the news cycle is any indication, tech capitalists — through their regulatory negligence and toothless "solutions" — have fostered a culture of barbarism. Low-wage laborers have little to no recourse: They're either left to endure imminent social and physical harm, or, should they seek protections against the anguish they've borne, are stripped of their livelihood.
The blue-collar hellscape Tesla, Blue Apron and Amazon have wrought is what laissez-faire, startup-styled late capitalism looks like. At a time of such disregard for the fundamental health, safety and humanity of low-tier workers, the tech-executive class has proven nothing is sacred — except, of course, the urge to scale.
Don't miss your chance to win! Get your raffle tickets today for Saturday's raffle, with a chance to win a vacation for two to Cascais, Portugal!
One lucky raffle winner will receive a $3,000 gift card to cover the costs of two flights, as well as a stay in a 5-star boutique hotel, housed in a 17th century fortress with medieval architecture and décor. You can schedule the trip on your timeline!
All raffle ticket sales support ongoing In These Times reporting, just like the article you just finished reading. Get your raffle tickets now.
The winner will be selected on the night of September 30, at the In These Times 47th Anniversary Celebration. You do not need to be present at the drawing to win.


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PHOTO Haridwa: http://picasaweb.google.com/udhaya.v/HaridwarUttarakhandIndia2223JAN11
PHOTO Rishikesh: http://picasaweb.google.com/udhaya.v/RishikeshUttarakhandIndia
RIDE DURATION/DATE: 2 Days, 22 & 23–Jan-2011
RIDER : Udhaya Kumar.V in Royal Enfield TB
ROAD MAP: Delhi/Noida –NH58-> Meerut (Bypass) -> Muzaffarnagar(Uttarpradesh) -> Roorkee(Uttarakhand)-> Haridwar -> Rishikesh (232km)
1.First 120 km from Delhi will be 4 lane road and good.
2.Next 80km will be single good and bad road. Single road will be good from Uttrakand.
[googlemaps http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UTF8&hl=en&msa=0&msid=212617784975580892963.00049ad222fccc2c7e434&ll=29.348664,77.772217&spn=1.661404,2.334595&z=8&output=embed&w=425&h=350]
DISTANCE: 550 Km Round trip (Noida to Rishikesh will be 232km)
BY TRAIN: Delhi to Haridwar Junction through "Dehradun Shatabdi Express/2017 – 12017 "
EXPENSE: Rs.2,639 (Food, Stay, etc – Rs.1489 + Petrol – Rs.1150)
Haridwar – Near to Har Ki Pauri (at Ganga) – you can find plenty of hotels & rate will start from Rs.300 (Yes I found one for Rs.300). Other wise you can find it in Haridwar town itself. But its better you can stay near th Har Ki Pauri, So that you can spend your night near Ganga. There is plenty of good market for shopping and food.
Rishikesh – You can find several Ashram to stay, yes off course you can find hotel also near to Lakshman Jhula. But Rishikesh famous for White Water Rafting in Ganga river. There is several travel agencies will provide the package for stay & rafting. If you want you can find one and stay near to Ganga itself. Some people visit to ganga to learn yoga, if your interested you can find the ashram which is located near to ganga for stay also. Its again package.
Haridwar, Uttarakhand, India.
1.Har Ki Pauri, Haridwar
2.Mansa Devi Mandir
3.Chandi Devi Mandir
4.Bharat Mata Mandir
5.Shri Vyasa Ashram
6.Rajaji National Park
Please go with more 10 rs. Most the temple you have to give.
Other places of interest at Haridwar, This is not famous places & mostly small temples. I am not visited to this places – Maya Devi Mandir, Daksh mandir, Bilkeshwar Mahadev Mandir , Kanva Rishio Ashram, Bhooma Niketan, Vaishnav Devi Temple, Doodhadhari Temple, Shahi Gurudwara, Jairam Ashram
Rishikesh, Uttarakhand, India
1.Triveni Ghat
2.Bharat Mandir
3.Ram Jhula
4.Swarg Ashram
5.Lakshman Jhula
6.Trayambakeshwar Temple
7.Neelkanth Madhadev Mela
TO DO at RISHIKESH: White Water Rafting, speed boat, Trekking & Yoga will be very famous in this place
RISHKIESH: http://wikitravel.org/en/Rishikesh
HARIDWAR: http://wikitravel.org/en/Haridwar
22JAN2011 07:00 AM: This is my long pending ride from noida. I did my last ride to mussoorie & dehradun in the same route. Haridwar and Rishikesh is very near to mussoorie & dehradun. Yes offcourse we can go for long ride to cover all this place, again its base day availability in my plate. Any way finally started riding to Haridwar, Plan to start my ride from 6.00 am & cold changing my starting time always.
22JAN2011 09:15 AM: stopped for breakfast, still 80km needs to go. We have very good road for first 120km from delhi/noida. its absolutely four lane road. After 80 km will be single road. this 80km road wont be good, but if you enter into uttrakand, we can have very good single road. when state change, your road status also will change J (you can see more local traffic in UP road). But I am seeing uttrakand state well maintained in all the sense.
22JAN2011 12:15 PM: I reached Rishikesh and decided to not stuck with any hotel now. Just roaming in this place. I went to LAKSHMAN JHULA and crossing the bridge to see TRAYAMBAKESHWAR TEMPLE(13 stories high, combination of temples and sops). There is speed boat activity also in this place. You can find more hotels and ashram to stay in this place also. Its not much crowded.
22JAN2011 12:15 PM: I keep riding to see NEELKANTH MADHADEV MELA TEMPLE, its 22 km from this place. All we need to follow the Ganga to reach this shiva temple on the mountain. This temple may not be big and great. But we can have very good ganga view on this way to reach this temple. There is plenty of Water Rafting activity and yoga center on the way. Don't miss it to ride in this way. After spending some time, I am riding back. This will be the last point on this track.
22JAN2011 04:15 PM: I am riding back and reached RAM JHULA, its one more bridge on ganga(same as Lakshman Jhula) river. You can find several ashram in this place, one of the famous ashram will be "Swarg Ashram". Its beautiful ganga view you can see with more small temples.
22JAN2011 04:15 PM: I am riding back and reached Triveni Ghat & one the way I stoped at Bharat Mandir. Its very small temple within the town and near to ganga river (Nothing worth to visit). I reached Triveni Ghat, its one of the famous place in Rishkesh. Daily in the morning and evening there are thousands who take bath here and enjoy the Maha Aarti being performed. It very soothing to sit on the banks of the river and enjoy the cool breeze from the river.
BETTER RIDE PLAN FOR SIGT SEEINGS: Order to visit – Triveni Ghat -> Bharat Mandir -> Ram Jhula/Swarg Ashram -> Lakshman Jhula / Trayambakeshwar Temple -> Neelkanth Madhadev Mela. You can start from first place keep moving (or) you can go to last Neelkanth Madhadev Mela and riding back.
22JAN2011 05:30 PM: I planned to reach Haridwar at see "haridwar aarti". This is one of the most important and famous activity in haridwar. This is daily program happened at 6.00 PM in winter, 7.00 PM at summer. I took 30mins and reached to Hari-ki-Pairi, Haridwar.
22JAN2011 06:00 PM: I reached Hari-ki-Pairi, Haridwar on time. I can see already thousands of people came to gather for this program. We have some security check near to temple to reach this place. Its one of the wonderful event to see this place and filled by more lights, sound, etc. Don't miss it.
HARI-KI-PAIRI (OR HAR-KI-PAURI): To the north of the center, this is Haridwar's focal point, where devotees gather to bathe and worship on the Ganges. According to legend, this is where a drop of nectar fell from the churning of the oceans when the world was created, and a stone wall has Vishnu's footprint. Each evening 6.00 in winter, 7.00pn in summer thousands gather and worship the river Goddess by putting diyas (floating lamps) in the river. You may be asked to make a donation if you linger near the ghats.
22JAN2011 08:00 PM: I planned to stay very near to HARI-KI-PAIRI & found one hotel for rs.300. You can find more hotels near to ganga. You can stay near to HAR-KI-PAURI & spend your night near ganga. There is very good market in this place and plenty of good hotels to take food. There is long place to walk at night with ganga, you can see people day and night in this place. This is more active and center part of Haridwar. Don't miss this place.
23JAN2011 08:00 PM: I started riding to MANSA DEVI MANDIR, this small temple constructed on the mountain. Mansa Devi Mandir and Chandi Devi Mandir temple located on two mountains. HARI-KI-PAIRI located between this two mountain/temple only. From this two temple ,we can have very good view of complete Haridwar.
MANSA DEVI MANDIR will reached by trucking (or) cable car (or) Bike (car not allowed), its very small road & only bike allowed. Good !! I just went in my bike to this temple. I spend some time, its very small temple and have very good Haridwar view from this place.
After i reached CHANDI DEVI MANDIR through my bike. Only bike allowed in this small trucking road. This is again very small temple located on the mountain, only attracted thing will be haridwar view from this place.
23JAN2011 12:00 PM: I reached BHARAT MATA MANDIR, 5 km north of the center. Dedicated to Mother India, this is half temple, half nation building exercise, with seven floors stacked with deities, saints, and secular heroes of all Indian faiths. Some signage in English. On they way I seen SHRI VYASA ASHRAM near to ganga.
23JAN2011 02:30 PM: One of the important place at hardiwar will be RAJAJI NATIONAL PARK. This is very near from Chandi Devi Mandir. We can have only jeep safari to see this national park & currently they stoped elephant safari. Its more the cost for the jeep, you can get one jeep for Rs.1500. I share with some body else and paid Rs.500. It took 3 hrs to cover this complete park in jeep. This park contain Elephant, Bengal Tiger, Leopard etc. But i seen only Deer, nothing much.
RAJAJI NATIONAL PARK: Uttrakand government maintaining this park in very very good manner. There is plenty of policy man with gun who is in for security purpose ouside and inside the partk. They have it proper safari roads and main tain as plastic free area. Government really protecting this park with care. Should appreciate uttrakand government.
23JAN2011 06:00 PM: I started riding to noida/delhi. Initially I thought to avoid this night ride, but not. Its bad to ride in this single road with more traffic at night.
23JAN2011 10:45 PM: Good Reached house at Noida. It was wonderful ride and nice places to see.
Udhaya Kumar.V
nice post man
जोरदार है भाई,
Your pictures are beautiful When was this trip? I can see you've written Jan 2011.
Triveni ghat looks so different. I went there in July this year.
Yet to write about it. here is the link of video of complete maha Ganga aarti. http://youtu.be/HoAtNmCxnRM


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Building Digital Communities: A framework for action Becker, Samantha; Crandall, Mike; Coward, Chris; Sears, Rebecca; Carlee, Ron; Hasbargen, Kira; Ball, Mary Alice (Institute of Museum and Library Services, 2012-01)Digital inclusion is the ability of individuals and groups to access and use information and communication technologies. Not all members of a community benefit equally, and some communities have been left out altogether. ...


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