text:
The Devil Baby of Hull House
Posted 05 November 2005 - 10:16 PM
In 1889, in Chicagos Near West Side, Jane Addams and Ellen Gates Starr founded the Hull House, which became a world famous settlement house for the poor immigrants of the area, a densely populated urban neighborhood peopled by Italian, Irish, German, Greek, Bohemian, and Russian and Polish Jewish immigrants.
The Hull-House residents provided kindergarten and day care facilities for the children of working mothers; an employment bureau; an art gallery; libraries; English and citizenship classes; and theater, music and art classes. As the complex expanded to include thirteen buildings, Hull-House supported more clubs and activities such as a Labor Museum, the Jane Club for single working girls, meeting places for trade union groups, and a wide array of cultural events.
In the early 20th century (some accounts give the year of 1913, others no specific year), a rumour began to spread through the Near West Side that a hideously deformed infant had been left on the doorstep of Hull House. This poor infant, so it was sworn, was the son of the Devil Himself! He had horns, a tail, pointed ears, cloven feet, scaly skin, he could walk, talk and fly about within moments of his birth! People came from all over, to glimpse this horror, swamping Hull House with requests and demands to see the child of the Devil.
There are several stories about just how the Devil Baby came to be, and the tale depended on which ethnic group was telling it. According to the Catholic Italians and Irish, a girl married an Atheist. When she was pregnant, she hung a painting of the Virgin Mary, and her husband tore it down, swearing hed rather have the Devil for a child than a religious painting in his house. According to the Jewish residents of the area, the Devil Baby was the result of a woman who lied to the Rabbi and claimed her second child as her first born, not mentioning an earlier child born out of wedlock. Her next child was the infamous Devil Baby.
And there are several other stories about the Devil Baby of Hull House.
Jane Addams tried fruitlessly to convince people that there was no Devil Baby. Some folks simply thought that ignorant immigrants misunderstood a common birth deformity as a mark of the Devil. And to this day, no one knows exactly if there ever was a Devil Baby at Hull House.
So what occured here? Mass Hysteria? A misunderstanding of a deformity? A legend started by older women of these immigrant groups to teach the younger women, becoming too Americanized, a lesson in morality?
Krafted with luv
by monsters
Posted 06 November 2005 - 02:55 AM
Take my hand and we'll go riding through the sunshine from above
Posted 06 November 2005 - 07:31 AM
From what you've said it sounds like a lot of middle class conservative types in particular would have found something wrong with the complex. Not only was it founded by women, but it also gave meeting room to trades unions and working womes groups.
It's easy to imagine someone saying that Hull house is the home of the devil- or that the devil's children live there. Add to that gossip and the tendancy of people to exagerate and villify as much as possible and it's easy to see how a rumour that a devil child was living there.
The whole thing sounds rather fascinating actually- like a really good window into life during that time. Got any links?
The point which I should first wish to understand is whether the pious or holy is beloved by the gods because it is holy, or holy because it is beloved of the gods.Sonnet XCIVBut if that flower with base infection meet,The basest weed outbraves his dignity:For sweetest things turn sourest by their deeds;Lilies that fester smell far worse than weeds
Posted 06 November 2005 - 07:49 AM
Here's Hull Houses official web site. of course there is nothing about the Devil Baby
here's one from the travel channel
Edited by DukeofBoogie, 06 November 2005 - 07:50 AM.
I've been hit by mrsspookypants
Posted 06 November 2005 - 10:34 AM
The legend was not from the middle class or upper class, but from the actual immigrants in the neighbourhood. It started with them, flourish with them. The rest of the city learned it from them. I really don't envision educated middle and upper middle class people coming up with something like this at that time.
From Ghosts of the Prairie
Hull House Museum (nothing about the Devil Baby, but a history of the area the house operated in)
You can also just type in Hull House and/or Hull House Devil Baby in any search engine to get hundreds and hundreds of links. Like I said, not exactly an obscure local legend.
Krafted with luv
by monsters
Posted 06 November 2005 - 10:37 AM
Would we ever know? But whatever happened to this kid?
No one even knows if there actually was a child, devil spawn or deformed. Which is part of the mystery of this legend.
Krafted with luv
by monsters
Posted 20 November 2005 - 05:23 AM
Or it could be possible that I play entirely too much Resident Evil.
Posted 20 November 2005 - 10:21 AM
Krafted with luv
by monsters
Posted 16 March 2006 - 12:36 PM
and on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Art-of-Jim-Demick/261669903877527
"There are some things money can't buy...A good imagination is one of them
Posted 12 May 2006 - 03:15 AM
Posted 15 October 2007 - 02:30 PM
During a Ghost Tour at hull house my fiance snapped a picture. It was viewd by many people there, and a few other photo experts, it may have the image of the Devil baby in one of the panes of glass
E-mail me for the image since i have no idea how to insert it here.
Posted 15 October 2007 - 03:28 PM
Posted 30 October 2007 - 09:15 PM
I'm also fond of the Jersey Devil legend.
LOL.... The Jersey Devil is what this story reminded me of too. Both, are really great stories, thanks for sharing.
'Creative Dreaming'Author: Electra Rainhttp://www.helium.co...t-motion-follow
Posted 31 October 2007 - 10:33 AM
**Happy Halloween!!**
Posted 02 November 2007 - 12:21 PM
So what occured here? Mass Hysteria? A misunderstanding of a deformity? A legend started by older women of these immigrant groups to teach the younger women, becoming too Americanized, a lesson in morality?
I'd say quite possibly a mixture of all three of those things. It doesn't take much for a story to get out of hand. It wouldn't even have to be a major deformity. For instance, I once had a friend whose son was born with pointed tufts of hair on top of his ears, and they jokingly talked about having had a werewolf-baby. Amongst a lot of poor, uneducated folk, not all of them speaking the same language and some possibly half-remembering some sort of old folktales with a moral point (and I'm pretty sure there are stories only a little different going back to the Middle Ages, it's just the specific persistent attachment of it to Hull House that makes me think there may have been some incident in particular)....it's not at all hard to see how that kind of thing could get taken out of context and exaggerated.
0 user(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users


text: Nerd News Cafe is a twice-weekly podcast in which we discuss headlines that span the full spectrum of nerddom. Matt, Landon and Justin are your hosts, and each one brings a unique perspective to the trending nerdy topics of today as well as a tasty beverage of choice. This is intended to be an interactive show so join the conversation by chatting with us on twitter @Nerd_News_Cafe, stopping by our Facebook Fan Page, or zapping an e-mail to email@example.com. Visit our website: www.nerdnewscafe.com. Review and rate us on iTunes and we'll give you a shout-out on the show. Today's Topics include: Nightwing, Overwatch, Wolfenstein II, Doom, Stan Lee and the X-men, Star Wars Episode IX Director changes and more. Put on your tights and get in here.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The Department of Health and Human Services recently published a proposal to update the federal regulations that govern research on human subjects. It's a very interesting proposal with a lot of potential changes on the table, and has received more than 1,000 comments (rare for this sort of thing). Yesterday, I submitted comments on the proposal. Unfortunately, I had to deal with a personal matter just as the comments were due, so they're less detailed and less polished than I would have liked. The comments are below:
I welcome the opportunity to comment on the Department of Health and Human Services' (HHS) advance notice of proposed rulemaking (ANPRM) on human subjects research protections. Modernizing federal regulations to better protect human subjects could advance science and bolster public trust in the research system, strengthening the economy and improving health while upholding human rights.
I submit these comments in my personal capacity, representing solely my own opinion. However, my background may inform the reading of these comments. I have participated in research as a human subject, including survey research as well as greater-than-minimal risk research. Professionally, I research government transparency, including topics such as scientific integrity, focusing on the role of information in improving lives and increasing democratic accountability. Previously, my work focused on public access to scientific information. In addition, I am a graduate student in the School of Library and Information Studies at Florida State University, studying information seeking and use.
In my opinion, several of the information management reforms proposed in the ANPRM could enhance the protection of human subjects and increase public trust in the research system. These changes could benefit the research system by aiding in the recruitment of human subjects. In addition, HHS should consider other reforms not specifically proposed in the ANPRM.
I recommend that HHS consider amending the federal rules on human subjects protection to:
- Respect and enhance scientific openness;
- Empower research participants and their communities;
- Minimize and mitigate information risks; and
- Collect the data necessary for system oversight.
1. Human subjects research protections should respect and enhance scientific openness
Openness is a fundamental characteristic of science, and human subjects research protections should respect and enhance scientific openness. I applaud HHS' consideration of increasing the reuse of existing data and biospecimens (see Question 23). HHS should seek ways to expand appropriate sharing of data and biospecimens, while mitigating information risks to such sharing (see #3).
Openness can strengthen human subjects protections in other ways as well. Articles 20 and 21 of the Helsinki Declaration prohibits the repetition of a study where the outcome is already known, to avoid exposing human subjects to unnecessary risk. As a result, prompt and widespread communication of results is necessary to ensure human subjects are protected, along with sharing and reuse of data and biospecimens. To avoid unnecessarily exposing human subjects to the risks of research, HHS should ensure that the results of human subjects research are rapidly and effectively disseminated to the research community, such as under the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Public Access Policy.
2. Human subjects research protections should empower research participants and their communities
Although human subjects protection is the responsibility of the research and oversight community rather than of the subject, federal regulations should empower subjects to protect themselves to the greatest extent possible. HHS' consideration of mechanisms to improve informed consent is particularly important in this regard (see Questions 35-53). HHS may also wish to consider readability and comprehension testing to improve consent forms. HHS should also ensure that subjects and potential subjects are informed of potential risks through public access to the proposed database of adverse events reporting (see Question 69).
With regard to the extension of federal regulations to some non-Federally funded research (Question 71), without prejudice to the resolution of the overall question, it is important that subjects and potential subjects be informed of the protections applicable to the context. HHS should require studies to inform subjects whether or not the federal human subjects research protections apply to the study, with a brief description of said protections and a reference to an easy-to-understand website with additional information.
Because the goal of human subjects research is ultimately to improve health, it is important that human subjects research protections leverage opportunities to do so, both for the subjects specifically and for their communities. Access to information is a key method for doing so. For instance, results should be returned to research participants whenever possible, including publications describing overall results of the study (see Question 18). Public access to research results (see #1) and to trial information (see #4) also would advance this aim.
3. Human subjects research protections should minimize and mitigate information risks
The adequate protection of research participants' privacy is critical to the functioning of the research system and an important factor in the successful recruitment of human subjects. To prevent the damage that data breaches could wreak on the research system, human subjects research protections should ensure proper data security, such as by establishing mandatory standards for data security as proposed in the ANPRM. In addition, promptly notifying individuals of data breaches, as proposed in the ANPRM, is important to mitigate the impact of any security failures.
However, while it may be necessary to reexamine the role of institutional review boards (IRBs) in ensuring data security, HHS should be hesitant to eliminate such a role altogether. Through their approval and oversight, IRBs are the institutional guarantors of human subjects protection, and HHS should be cautious to remove vital aspects of that protection from the boards' purview. HHS should carefully consider the most effective role of IRBs in ensuring data security: for instance, whether inspector certification of compliance and retrospective IRB audits would ensure protection.
4. Human subjects research protections should collect the data necessary for system oversight
The ANPRM correctly identifies the need for effective data collection and information management in conducting oversight of human subjects research protections. However, HHS should consider expanding required reporting where necessary, in addition to streamlining existing reporting requirements.
For instance, with regard to Question 70 re: ClinicalTrials.gov, the recent report of International Research Panel of the Presidential Commission for the Study of Bioethical Issues identifies needed improvements to trial registration and reporting, including increased reporting and public access to information.
In another example where increased reporting and transparency could strengthen oversight, Menikoff in 2010 proposed that investigators should disclose their consent forms. Such disclosure, the author argued, would ultimately improve the quality of consent forms, in addition to allowing potential subjects to more easily locate appropriate trials.
Gavin Baker


text:
IN.gov - Skip Navigation
Note: This message is displayed if (1) your browser is not standards-compliant or (2) you have you disabled CSS. Read our Policies for more information.
The Indiana Department of Workforce Development (DWD) is here to serve businesses. Through your local WorkOne you can access the largest labor pool in Indiana, list your job openings, help your business find applicants and fill jobs with qualified workers, upgrade employee skills, access labor market information and help your business to stay competitive through tough times.


text:
Style # 202578
With crystal embellished Rodeo Drive bebe logo and summery tank cut, this bebe top is sure to be a summery out-shopping-with-the-girls go-to. Soft and lightweight. Try it with bodycon skirt.
- 94% cotton, 6% spandex
- Center back to hem: 23" (58 cm)
- Hand wash
- Made in USA
- Model is 5'9" and wearing a US size S


text:
Need your order in time for Christmas? Check out our Holiday Shipping Deadlines.
Click and drag to re-position the image, if desired.
by Ruth Kamenev
Our tank tops are made from a 50% cotton / 50% polyester blend and are available in five different sizes. All tank tops are machine washable.
Image Size
Our tank tops are made from a 50% cotton / 50% polyester blend and are available in five different sizes. All tank tops are machine washable.
Ships Within
1 - 2 business days
Nice work! Congrats on the sale, too.
Beautiful painting! Simple and not overworked. Congratulations on your sale!
An economy of execution and it speaks volumes.
Ahhhhh, beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.
Ruth this painting has stolen my heart. I can feel the soft summer breezes, hear the buzzing bees and smell the wonderful fragrances of the wild flowers. You paint beautifully. WOW!
Average Rating (4.89 Stars):
Suki Highers
November 17th, 2018
Gulnara Malazonia
April 23rd, 2018
MicMas ReMiX
March 24th, 2018
I absolutely am in love with this purchase. It has been worn a few times already and has held up great after each wash with no fading, loss of shape or pealing. This graphic works best I think against the grey I chose. Love that this artist represents the beautiful diversity of our Puerto Rican culture. This image resonates with me being that I am Puerto Rican of mostly African descent. Thank you Ida Yvette Robles for representing all of us Boricuas!
Matt McCary
March 22nd, 2018
This item arrived stained and dingy. The t-shirt itself has a stain on it and the color is absolutely nothing like the photo. The product detail has my image on a white tank top; however, the tank top that arrived looks like it was washed with a bunch of brown clothes and has a dirty look to it, aside from the stain. I took a picture of a Gildan white t-shirt I own (thats been washed several times already) with the tank top I received to show how dingy the tank looks. I've opened a ticket regarding a refund or replacement on this item and still have yet to hear back from anyone. Yet again, not a good first impression for this company.
Garden gone wild.
I paint in watercolours for the most part, but enjoy trying new things like batik, acrylics and alcohol inks, gravitating toward the natural world for my subject matter. I enjoy painting landscapes and still life but find that birds, animals and people, with their winning ways, inspire my work. I have decided to share this page with my muse, my inspiration - my mother, who painted in oils beginning in her 50�s, who found her passion and passed it to me long before she herself passed. Lillian May Johnson. I dedicate my work to her. I am currently represented by Wayne Arthur Gallery on Provencher Blvd in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Member of Local Colour Art Group and the Manitoba Society of Artists. Winner of the Lynn Sissons Memorial Watercolor...
Our return policy is very simple:
If you're not happy with a purchase that you made on Pixels.com, for any reason, you can return it to us within 30 days of the order date. As soon as it arrives, we'll issue a full refund for the entire purchase price. Please note - Pixels does not reimburse the outgoing or return shipping charges unless the return is due to a defect in quality.
Pixels sells thousands of pieces of artwork each month - all with a 100% money-back guarantee. We take great pride in the fact that hundreds of thousands of artists have chosen Pixels to fulfill their orders, and we look forward to helping you select your next piece!
Customer Service: 877-807-5901
(Call Any Time - 24 Hours Per Day)
All tank tops ship from our production facility within 1 - 2 business days of your order.


text:
- Inside Athletics
- Tickets
- Fan Zone
- Media Zone
- Social
- Shop
- Donate Now
WEST POINT, Miss. (Sept. 30, 2013) – Senior Sian Evans (Gillingham, England) and junior Gabriella Wahl (Heidenheim, Germany) carded scores of even-par 72 to tie for eighth place and lead the ETSU women's golf team during first round play Monday in the Old Waverly Bulldog Invitational hosted at the Old Waverly Golf Club.
While Evans and Wahl posted strong efforts, the Bucs were unable to get the consistent team play they have enjoyed so far this season, and ultimately finished with an overall score of 12-over-par 300 to place sixth on the team leaderboard. ETSU trails first-place and host Mississippi State by 19 strokes, as the Bulldogs ended the day at 7-under-par 281 and sit eight strokes better than second-place East Carolina.
"This was obviously not the start we wanted as a team, but we have two days and a lot of golf to play," said ETSU head coach Stefanie Shelton. "Sian and Gabriella continue to play well."
On the individual leaderboard, Mississippi State's Ally McDonald and Jessica Peng are first and second, respectively, with McDonald carding a 5-under-par 67 and Peng finishing at 3-under 69.
Other ETSU results included a 3-over-par 75 from senior Lourdes Lopez (Cadiz, Spain), which was good enough to tie for 22nd. Meanwhile, sophomore Vivienne Chin (Kota Kinabalu, Sabah Malaysia) and junior Larissa Steinfeldt (Eschweiler, Germany) are tied for 47th and 54th, individually.
ETSU will continue with second round action on Tuesday, followed by third and final round play on Wednesday. Fans can watch live scoring by visiting BirdieFire.com and clicking on the tournament link, while ETSUBucs.com will provide a full report following each day's play.
For more on ETSU women's golf throughout the 2013-14 season, visit ETSUBucs.com and click on the women's golf link.


text:
Bardot Threatens Exile Over Elephants
Sex symbol-turned-animal-rights activist Brigitte Bardot is threatening to join actor Gérard Depardieu in Russian exile unless France halts the scheduled euthanasia of two sick circus elephants. WSJ's Nadya Masidlover has details.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... Bernard ... I ... Melville also led many less than fronds please ten out of life hopefully heels of a compact in Asia around that but didn't yesterday extending Russian citizenship ... following a seventy five percent tax on the steeper rates today full of actress and sex symbol Bridgette by those ... costs ... into two lead at pudgy in exile in Russia ten ... but is not taxed like Cisco Retail whacked out none ... if the fates ... of two seconds and then it's really ... against Arab who was a nice and I love that is in our parents can thank you very much a dining us ... I think that the bank area story it's a it's an offense that's gone on to who was dubbed Tuffnell ... well ... the news came out of the levee and today had to ... be seen are doing it for high-end fur and probably go thirty cents to insist a beast to Athens ... that ... means but there will be at the King ... had to apply full Russian citizenship ... so what's up with the elephants they go to the case is is that ... that's correct and that these al FM's ... I under an administrative decisions be put down ... and I did they would die domestic UK Isis ... I know of the time to get but they stepped in to try and prevent the animals from being put down ... I've that ... current situation is that the decision lies in the hands of France's top administrative Colts ... aam IVC Badu is the king to get this stuff by hand and ... put some pressure on ... slow things to to move a ... tool is a solution and how likely is it that Barclays night's eruption will actually ... result in the benefit of staying safe ... I mean that's very difficult to tell of the that decision Will Lyons highly in Merkel's hands aam ... which obviously is a separate and jurisdiction from from the government ... so I think right now ... and we just will have to wait and see what the court decides that it's a very canny new phone ... written by the isthe HOF ... two step fully know that just a degenerative and yet ... I've received ... citizenship for men shot How County is that how much do we know about the ... Russian approach to animal rights welfare for Tumpel ... know that to be on this is an interesting question ... I hadn't received the insights of roads and saying this and that too that the Prime Minister Penny preteen ... II thanking him ... of full his and ... reactions to the previous requests from high ... regarding the welfare of seals ... so of the state from I greeted by this point of view ... there is some kind of positive ... action in Russia ... whether on the side of that scale this is the case Ion weakens any achieving a liking to see more low seventies anything from the fifth inning store in a coincidence that this week and had tea top names ... come out and unwind offset the birth of them ... Wela is as it heads yes I am I says in essence this is a ship was granted ... by ... the ... Russian Grandmaster ... I may have mentioned that he was the King's command that ... two of well he is sticking to it about time but they're also a series of countries that its sights as possible destinations including Russia ... I ... so I I is ... saying that that this basic common link and ... and whether they'll do most every season there thinks coverage that ... I think it's it's quite an EADS is no ... one can help that that thing conclusive that Lainey iconic images in Russia which is people when in fact ... has had his iPod is an ongoing mass ... in the wintertime and ... Kuyt Noddy of motherhood that I give AMR's designing Alpha MU couple on the story added to the nets ... on the ten states on common he owns honest and I ...


text:
Tuesday, May 09, 2006
Publishers, Agents & Plagiarism
"I object to publishers: the one service they have done me is to teach me to do without them. They combine commercial rascality with artistic touchiness and pettiness, without being either good business men or fine judges of literature. All that is necessary in the production of a book is an author and a bookseller, without any intermediate parasite."*
Ah publishers. Writers follow the rituals of conquest, ever hopeful that they'll woo and win the right one, and form a binding relationship that will enable them to give birth to their baby, their book. But you probably have about even odds winning the lottery as you do finding a good publisher.
At least, that's how it feels some days. What's brought this on, you ask? A rejection letter.
Yes, a rejection letter from a publisher just arrived, and this one's a keeper. I stopped reading when the man killed the girl. We're not interested in publishing this sort of story.
Good to know they read the first two pages.
WHY THE HELL would you even take murder mysteries when you don't want to publish a story that has someone getting killed in it? (No, the 'murder' isn't graphic.) I corresponded with the publisher directly before I submitted. They'd had a full synopsis and sample, which included the murder, btw. I was given an invitation to submit the entire manuscript.
I'm not the only one who's seen this before. "Not what we're looking for" being the standard meaningless rejection.
Ever consider helping people figure out what it is you are looking for? Maybe save everyone some time, and postage, cluttering desks with manuscripts that are guaranteed no-no's?
My theory on this is that a lot of publishers want the best of both worlds. I could put link after link up of sites that are vague at best in describing what they want to represent, but I'd likely get trouble, and we've all seen them anyway. They have the stuff in mind they're usually after, but if they should catch the scent on the breeze of what people will be looking for 12-18 months down the road, they might jump at something that fits the bill, even if it isn't their usual fare. So they don't explicitly rule anything out.
Then I see people complaining about the endless flood of submissions that they'd never consider in a million years. But what's a writer to do? You turn to the writer's market books and they have general entries like, "Looking for mystery, suspense, thriller, romance. No Erotica."
Why not be more specific? Why not say, "We only want cozies"? I mean, give a writer a clue! Just say, "We take mysteries, but not ones with dead bodies." Right, gotcha. Note to self: Do not submit Echoes and Dust…
I can laugh about this. For one thing, I corresponded with this publisher – the one that sent the rejection letter - back in February and told them I had other offers. Ultimately, they wished me well, saying they hadn't had a chance to review the ms at that point, and it was pulled from consideration.
Clearly, not everyone relays the messages.
This is frustrating for writers. Oh, people won't comment, because perception of being a shit-disturber isn't a good thing. But it isn't that I want to cause trouble, I'd actually like to spare everyone grief. I mean, wouldn't we actually like to be able to hone in on the right agent/publisher for our work right away? And if more agents/publishers had updated websites with a very clear submission guidelines list that states their area of representation, wouldn't that be in everyone's best interests?
No doubt, this guy who was so offended by the murder in E&D probably cursed a blue streak over me wasting his time submitting the book.
When really, I'm the one entitled to be angry, considering I went through the querying process and the invitation came after a sample chapter was sent with a full synopsis. The person who read that should have known this wasn't what they were after and said so instead of wasting my money.
I think this is why it's hard for writers not to get cynical. You can reference all the books, the websites, follow the querying process, and still be given the run-around.
When I started dealing with offers, I was still interested in getting an agent. And all this time, I've heard again and again from writers and Miss Snark that when a writer gets a deal offered, the agent's ears perk up.
This hasn't been my experience. I didn't have that much 'in the wind' at the time that offers started coming in, but I didn't find the fact that there was other interest in my work helped much. "I know I've had your work for four months but I haven't read it yet." That was about standard. It would have been one thing if they'd said, "I've been reading it and it's not for me." Okay then, fair enough. One wanted me to wait another month so they could read the manuscript. After you've had it for how long?
The thing was, I really wanted to find a decent agent. I'd gladly hand over a cut of what I'm getting to have guidance. It's like paying for someone to be your friend, for starters. Seriously, it's paying someone to handle all the rights still available to be sold, and having someone guide you through the landmines of the publishing world.
And, knowing me, likely bind my hands so I can't say stupid things on blogs.
I think a good agent is worth their weight in gold and I've heard it said that finding a good agent is harder than finding true love. I got lucky once, I'm still waiting to get lucky again. Maybe I should've tried something really unconventional and taken out an ad...
Right, now for THE LATEST PUBLISHING SCANDAL
This is where I say, "I told you so."
In the nicest possible way, of course.
I have ranted about people posting their works-in-progress on the web for some time, and have often been told to be quiet.
But I still maintain that if people are willing to plagiarize written works by living authors, then how much more likely that people will try to steal what's been written by someone unknown?
And it's so easy to copy and paste…
Even if you publish something online and then take it down later, you can still find it through cached pages. You have to know what you're doing to make sure you aren't leaving a trace, but in the mean time, how do you know for certain that someone hasn't come on and copied your whole story?
Now the media have picked up on the disturbing trends, and believe me, if routine things like blog posts are being pilfered, then please, exercise caution with your writing. You writers have invested your blood, sweat, tears and hard work in your manuscripts and short stories.
Sure, you might be able to prove your case in a court of law, but think of the expense incurred and the time invested while your work isn't being published by you, because you were the victim of plagiarism.
Please. Do not risk it.
And if you missed it yesterday…
Don't forget to check out JB Thompson's interview with me, and see my big glasses.
A Joke, from Forrest
Talking leg
A man goes to the doctor. He says, "Doc, you gotta check my leg. Something's wrong. Just put your ear up to my thigh, you'll hear it!"
The doctor cautiously placed his ear to the man's thigh only to hear, "Gimme 20 bucks, I really need 20 bucks."
"I've never seen or heard anything like this before, how long has this been going on?" asked the doctor.
"That's nothing Doc. Put your ear to my knee."
The doctor put his ear to the man's knee and heard it say, "Man, I really need 10 dollars, just lend me 10 bucks!!"
"Sir," said the dumbfounded Doctor, "I really don't know what to tell you. I've never encountered anything like this before."
"Wait Doc, that's not it. There's more, just put your ear up to my ankle," the man urged.
The doctor did as the man said and heard the ankle plead, "Please, I just need 5 dollars. Lend me 5 bucks if you will."
"I have no idea what to tell you," the doctor said. "There's nothing about it in my books," he said.
"However, I can make a well educated guess though. Based on life experience I can tell you that your leg seems to be broke in three places."
*Quote from George Bernard Shaw.
19 comments:
- Trace said...
Good topic. Everyone could be saved time, money and frustration if clear guidelines were up on every publisher's or agent's website.
- 12:39 p.m.
- JT Ellison said...
I'm still not comprehending why an agent wouldn't want to take your new work on and get a slice of the pie. Look at it this way, you aren't sharing your royalty checks with anyone!
- 1:28 p.m.
- Eileen said...
I love that rejection letter. My favorite is "your writing is funny- just not funny enough for us." That's my keeper. Your post makes me want to go call my agent and give her a big hug. She's divine.
- 1:32 p.m.
- Sandra Ruttan said...
I agree Trace - I mean, even if someone branches out into new terrain, they aren't likely to make radical jumps and suddenly start carrying hard-boiled thrillers when they've only ever published cozies. Maybe whodunnits, or mainstream mystery, but not to the extreme opposite edge. And when I think of JA Konrath sending out 200 queries to get an agent, it proves to me that this is a pretty common experience - that's a huge pool, not exactly narrowing the playing field. It's a game of chance, I guess, for some.
True, I'm not sharing with anyone JT. But I also feel reluctant to ask all my questions of my publisher, and so sometimes, I'm in the dark. Stuff has come up that I haven't known how to address, but have needed to do something about (sorry to be vague here, but it was complicated) and there just isn't The Complete Idiot's Guide to being a New Author available yet.
And man, some days, I really need that!
Eileen, love that rejection letter too. Glad you have a great agent - you know, you hear all these alleged horror stories but everyone I know with an agent adores their agent.
I must know all the lucky people. Hope some of it rubs off!
- 1:37 p.m.
- Bill, the Wildcat said...
I have a friend here in Richmond who had publishers nibble at his book but insist he have an agent and then find himself unable to get an agent. How does that make sense? A book with a publisher who wants it... but no agent, and the deal dies??? He even pitched the story to Hollywood director Ridley Scott who was intrigued by the story.
By the way, he did finally get it published. The book is Operation Smokeout by Anthony "Tony" P. Jones. Sorry, couldn't resist the shameless plug for a local guy, and your blog entry reminded me of his experience.
- 2:12 p.m.
- Erik Ivan James said...
I like what Trace said.
As always, good post.
- 2:22 p.m.
- ivan said...
Cheer up Sandra.
I wrote what I thought was a pretty good profile of Gerard Jones, the 50,000-times- rejected author of Ginny Good. He finally made it by 5o,00l. Monkfish Publishers.
The Globe and Mail, after holding the story for five months (my profile on GG), was finally goaded into admitting that they would not publish the Gerard Jones story.
I thought Gerard Jones would take al this with savoir-faire, himself rejected all the time, but he kept emailing me, hey, that's too bad man, that's really too bad.
I guess with all of GG's brash, he's a bit sensitive too.
Gerard Jones is probably the least popular author with the establishment, but he did make it on one book after 50,000 online rejections. Bastard actually made it and I suppose they hate him for it. But now he's onto funny scenes against ethnic groups and all, and I suppose that is why I myself have been rejected.
Oh what the hell. Him/her to whom God giver trouble, God gives shoulders.
- 2:25 p.m.
- Sandra Ruttan said...
Bill, thanks for sharing that story - that is incredible. But then, I hear some people saying that some agents are reluctant to come in part way because they don't know what they're dealing with. The agent that wanted me to wait didn't want me to sign the deal and then maybe they'd come on board - they wanted to me to put the deal on hold until they made up their mind first about the book and then the deal.
But we writers get frustrated waiting indefinitely - how many publishers and agents, if interested in something, want to wait months?
Very hard to know what to do sometimes in this business, and I don't mind the endorsement at all.
Hi Erik, thanks for that. And Ivan, writers are sensitive. No matter how good they get at showing a thick skin, they still feel at those negative reviews or rejection letters.
It's just unfortunate. Sometimes, people get hundreds of rejection letters and end up bestsellers, but imagine if they quit at 100? Or even 200?
I'm really glad some writers persevered, because some of the most rejected have turned into my favourites.
- 2:32 p.m.
- Brett Battles said...
Sandra, I was in a somewhat similar position as you. I query probably 75 agents, had a few bites but no takers. When Ugly Town bought Hung Out To Die, I did not have an agent. When Bantam Dell bought my contract from Ugly Town then offered me a 3 book deal, I did not have an agent. When my editor left and I moved to a new editor I did not have an agent...but I got one quick.
I'd actually started looking for an agent about a month earlier. I used connections with other writers I knew to get an intro to their agents, but none of those agents were interested in me until my next contract came up. Then I remember an agent I had met at Bouchercon. In fact I still had her business card. I emailed her and within an hour she called. I emailed her my book and a copy of my Bantam contract and withing 24 hours she called and said "Absolutely I'll represent you." And, I should add, not take any money until my next deal. I got lucky. Very lucky. It's night and day from when I was going this alone. She has helped explain things that I didn't understand...stupid things. And she's helping me with the synopsis to book two.
It's weird how it happens. I'm glad those other agents refused me, but I'm not really sure why they did. Hopefully something similar will happen for you.
- 3:02 p.m.
- Sandra Ruttan said...
Holy crap, Brett, I want to know how you managed that!
That's a wild story. Very wild!
- 3:21 p.m.
- James Lincoln Warren said...
I got my agent by asking published friends to refer me.
The book still didn't sell. My favorite line from one editor: "It's too authentic."
- 3:39 p.m.
- Sandra Ruttan said...
"It's too authentic."
LOL James! Insane.
I've never asked anyone to refer me to their agent or publisher. Mind you, after I got offered a deal, a writer was quick to tell me they expected me to get them a deal, and I had such a knee-jerk reaction I don't even like asking people I know to read the book to blurb it.
- 3:42 p.m.
- For The Trees said...
At this rate I'm gonna have to copy out a lot more jokes. I read this when I sent it to you and it's STILL funny!
Great post. I really liked the story on plagiarism. I'm copying this post and putting it up on my blog so there'll be a lot more people who can see it. But don't worry about negative feedback - I'll change all the names and make it look like mine!!!
So, Sandra: are you really short or is that guy REALLY tall? Talk about a height disparity...and you look cute. No, you are. So suffer. HA!
- 6:36 p.m.
- angie said...
I could be totally wrong (I'm very familiar and comfortable with this state of being), but it seems like any business that follows trends is going to have a hard time boiling down specifics. The market changes, occasionally individual and popular tastes change, and the references do not reflect these in a timely fashion (I'm thinking of Writer's Market, agentquery, etc.). And the impression I've gotten from what little research I've done in this area is that agents & publishers are too overwhelmed to worry overly much about updating their submission info. Which leaves those of us who DON'T want to bother those not interested in our types of work paying for the sins of those who will query every agent and/or publisher regardless of what their guidelines say.
Yeah, it's a shitty system, but it's what we've got to deal with. I have purposely ignored most of the stuff on querying because....well, because it's fuckin' depressing and I've got to finish the damn draft before I can worry about getting depressed over this query crap. Er, I'm rambling here. Sorry. And Sandra, I wouldn't get too bent out of shape just yet. When your novel comes out & has success (and it will), this will all be old trauma/drama crap for you. If anything, you'll be worried about having too many to choose from!
- 9:15 p.m.
- Sandra Ruttan said...
LOL Forrest!
Well Angie, thanks for the vote of confidence! You're wise to not get bogged down in it now.
I think it is hard to some degree to narrow specifics when you follow market trends, but even if noir has been the big thing in the bus for so long, and you know you don't want books with murders in them, then for heaven's sake just say no when you read a query that has them in it! I mean, it does seem simple to me...
I had that from two Canadian publishers and I just laughed. They'd both read queries and both rejections were, "we don't publish these kinds of books." Then nix the query instead of asking for a full ms! Brain on holiday that day, or do the trends change faster than my mood swings?
Oh yeah, I'll be in trouble for that...
- 9:43 p.m.
- Amra Pajalic said...
I know that plagarism is rife but I'm still completely bewildered by people plagarising other bloggers. Firstly, it's so easy to find. Second, the whole purpose of presenting a blog is to write your point of view. I guess there are some people out there who are so desperate to be read and recognised and that's all they care about. Whereas a true writer wants that but gets the most joy just from creating.
Also I wanted to comment on the getting published without an agent thing. In Australia you can still get published without an agent as most publishers accept unsolicited queries except for the one or two big publisher like Harper Collins who will only take agented submissions. Also there's only like 15 literary agents operating in Australia. Bloody funny or what.
But most Australian authors publish and take their chance. There's one woman, Rosalie Ham, who wrote a book called The Dressmaker with a really small agent. It did well by Australian standards and her second book got a gander. There was absolutely no promotion involved and her whole success was based on word of mouth. So imagine if she'd actually made an effort to promote how well it would have done.
- 10:18 p.m.
- Sandra Ruttan said...
Honestly, the thought of stealing blog posts is really just sad. I agree with you Amra - it's about presenting your point of view. Why else would you do it?
In Canada, there aren't that many agents. But, proximity to the US being what it is, it's much more difficult to break in without an agent. I actually found agents in Canada wanted to sell to the US not Canada, and that meant that they took issue with the fact that some of my work was set in Canada.
One thing's for sure - it's been a learning experience!
- 10:26 p.m.
- Bonnie Calhoun said...
I saw the article about plagiarizing whole blog posts...what's the world coming too!
That joke was cute...I read it before, but I don't remember where!
- 1:54 a.m.
- Lisa Hunter said...
You say "killed the girl." Do you mean a child? That might be beyond the pale for some publishers. It's similar in movies, where audiences won't stand for anyone abusing an animal (even simulated abuse). As my husband describes the prejudice: You can kill Santa with 36 stab wounds, but you must let the reindeer fly safely away.
- 9:26 p.m.


text:
A urine concentration test measures the ability of the kidneys to appropriately conserve or excrete water.
Alternative Names
Water loading test; Water deprivation test
How the Test is Performed
For this test, the
- Water loading -- drinking large amounts of water or receiving fluids through a vein
- Water deprivation -- not drinking fluids for a certain amount of time
- ADH administration -- receiving antidiuretic hormone (ADH), which should cause the urine to become concentrated
After you provide a urine sample, it is tested right away. For urine specific gravity, the health care provider uses a dipstick made with a color-sensitive pad. The color the dipstick changes to tells the provider the specific gravity of your urine. The dipstick test gives only a rough result. For a more accurate specific gravity result or measurement of urine electrolytes or osmolality, your health care provider will send your urine sample to a lab.
If needed, your health care provider may ask you to
How to Prepare for the Test
Eat a normal, balanced diet for several days before the test. Your health care provider will give you instructions for water loading or water deprivation.
Your health care provider will ask you to temporarily stop any medicines that may affect the test results. Be sure to tell your provider about all the medicines you take, including dextran and sucrose. Do not stop taking any medicine before talking to your doctor.
Also tell your provider if you recently received intravenous dye (contrast medium) for an x-ray. The dye can also affect test results.
How the Test will Feel
The test involves only normal urination. There is no discomfort.
Why the Test is Performed
This test is most often done if your doctor suspects central
This test may also be done if you have signs of SIADH (
Normal Results
In general, normal values for specific gravity are as follows:
- 1.000 to 1.030 (normal specific gravity)
- 1.001 after drinking excessive amounts of water
- More than 1.030 after avoiding fluids
- Concentrated after receiving ADH
Normal value ranges may vary slightly among different laboratories. Some labs use different measurements or test different samples. Talk to your doctor about the meaning of your specific test results.
What Abnormal Results Mean
Increased urine concentration may be due to different conditions, such as:
Heart failure
- Loss of body fluids (dehydration) from diarrhea or excessive sweating
- Narrowing of the kidney artery (renal arterial stenosis)
- Sugar, or glucose, in the urine
- Syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (
- Vomiting
Decreased urine concentration may indicate:
- Diabetes insipidus
- Drinking too much fluid
Kidney failure(loss of ability to reabsorb water)
- Severe kidney infection (pyelonephritis)
There are no risks with this test.
Gerber GS, Brendler CB. Evaluation of the urologic patient: history, physical examination, and urinalysis. In: Wein AJ, Kavoussi LR, Novick AC, et al., eds. Campbell-Walsh Urology. 10th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Saunders; 2011:chap 3.
McPherson RA, Ben-Ezra J. Basic examination of urine. In: McPherson RA, Pincus MR, eds. Henry's Clinical Diagnosis and Management by Laboratory Methods. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Saunders; 2011:chap 28.
Review Date:
Reviewed By:
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Bethanne Black, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.


text:
What Kind of Earnings Will Spring Bring?
Alcoa kicks off first quarter earnings season today. But will this season's earnings wilt too soon? Tomi Kilgore reports. Photo: Getty Images.
This transcript has been automatically generated and may not be 100% accurate.
... I ... yes spring is in the air ... to fill that this week in beautiful weekend flowers are blooming the birds are chirping ... the user out there working on their front lawns it is spring what else is coming along with this great season of hours ... earnings season first-quarter earnings season kicks off with ... Alcoa start to salt after the bell ... away all day what's going on though right now the bags to the Dow down sixty points Nasdaq down six points ... the markets here in the U S at least ... have turned it down the SNP down also ... people are concerned although in a bad jobs report Friday can forget about that ... earnings starts this deal today ... not going to be a particularly strong earnings season is that what is bugging the markets right now ... Tomi Kilgore is here with us to talk about it ... on the hell are you paying the high ... he now ... down to the Fed had so much today here this is a weird one because ... eight thirteen PM Irving is a little optimistic about our co Opko was up in one point over a percent in the premarket so ... the fact that we're in turn like this is a little bit worrisome the meat you wanna know why it's going down when you don't know that's when it's even scarier yet he is the Alcoa barely positive there ... in just a little bit of PR was that Penney company ... the twenty five ... the airport after the Dow ... Andrea ChinaHR colleague Spencer Jacob are weak ahead of the Tape about them this morning ... looking at the earnings estimates ... how they'd been coming down what's driving his company again you see Alcoa ... eight cents is what's expected ... they can hurdle that ... the need to begin the season off so nice all-star yet I think ... I'm ... it's gonna have to be a lot better than that to get the market moving though the other stock economy they do stocks pinned down quite a bit over the last month or two moon tonight you can see a nice little bump if they do beat but ... I don't think that'll last very long unless ... they mean they have to be to have to see things are getting better they have this to be like a really nice report for the market to really feel good about it the look of the military ... surge ... product although the line of how Alcoa affect the market break down the road ... it's not that strong you know it isn't that we get some report idea from from from Factset the city really makes no difference he added the beater not so right ... I mean they have to show that could be in a bid to some things are really good not just with them but with the with the economy in general are great ... this earnings season I mean ... all in on the call was predicting it ... seems that no one thinks is going to be very good season Brett ... and ... I think they wanted to be bad because they're looking for excuses to take profits for it ... yet and they're looking for a reason you know they see all these things happening but the market's really not doing the right ... they need a reason to come in here and say ok now I have an excuse I can tell my bosses is why I sold ... the we are looking for some negative news ... that's ... interesting takeout because earnings have been pretty for the last couple of quarters they have not been very good he can pick up near the end a little bit you had writing enough you have a cup Alcoa isn't going to worry about is the financials coming up later in the week you know that that's a concept again do start to worry about the at the IPO think you'll see ... an easy team to play notification hurdle for much longer ... we are I mean people looking for an excuse to stay here I think


text:
Get a Website Built - 20/05/2017 12:17 EDT
Budget $250-750 USD
yeas help me to created in project
53 freelancers are bidding on average $464 for this job
Hello , Our bid is an expression of interest in your project. We believe that the project needs discussion to understand the features required in the website. This is a placeholder bid to show our interest in the pr More
Greetings, As I can see that you need help with the development of your website. We as a proffssional web developer; would love to work with you. Our Online Portfolio says it all :- [login to view URL] More
Hi Team, Welcome to DESIGNBACKOFFICE, one of the top Web Design & Development company in California, USA. We are interested in Development your website & would like to let you know that we are a team of expert Web More
(From the makers of Vivino & Dah Makan) Hi, I hope you are doing well, We are 7 year young rapidly growing Website & Mobile App Development Company based out of New Jersey, USA, Gold coast, Australia & Pune More
Greetings !! Myself Richa have more than 5+ year experience in web development with PHP and php frameworks as well as designing.I read your job description and understand that you are looking good developer who ha More
Dear Hiring Manager, Greeting. As I have reviewed your initial project requirement I find that you are looking to develop the website for your business. Here, I am going to share our portfolio links with you. P More
Hi, I hope you are doing the well. Hi my name is Pratishtha and I've been working In this field for the last 7 years. I have taken time to build up a team of highly skilled PHP developers who were all carefull More
Bhawna will provide fully interactive website for your project. As per the detail, Bhawna will provide three template functional schemes and sample pages to make your choice for layout. It will be developed as per yo More
Hi, I am ready to start it. But i have some questions for you. So kindly leave message for me, then i'll discuss it in depth.
Hello buyer, I have more than 7 years experience in Web Design & Development. Dedicated to Wordpress, Joomla, HTML5, CSS3, E-Commerce-Websites, PHP, MySQL and Responsive design. Lets discuss more on chat window. Po More
Hello, We are a website design and development company. Our expertise include: - Open source Platform Development (Wordpress, Drupal, Joomla) - Ecommerce Development (Magento, Zencart, Prestashop, Woocommerce, Ope More
Hello We are Fastest Growing Company of the world. We are serving our services in website development and mobile application since 10 years around 26 countries of the world. Hope you are doing well. I saw requiremen More
Hello how are you ? we will create professional website for your business Could we discuss complete details please as you already received many proposals so we dont like to place copy paste proposal so would l More


text:
I started "Summoning the Mountains: Pilgrimage Into Forty" with a touch of envy that author Amy Allen could take off half a year to treat herself to her dream.
I ended with more than a touch of admiration that she'd persevered and completed, by "hook or by crook," the grueling 2,000-miles-plus walk/hike/ struggle from the North Georgia trailhead to the finish line: Katahdin in Maine, where she rightfully claimed the title "thru hiker" of the Appalachian Trail.
The trek wasn't easy; in fact, it was downright hard. First she's beset with all the motherly feelings of guilt and obligation that go with leaving sons with her ex-husband (a most obliging man); then she deals with the physical — blisters, falls, illness, aches — and the emotional — age concerns (it seems most of the hikers are just plain young!), loneliness, fears (though not too many), and food (either not carrying enough or not eating enough calories to keep going). The quest is never totally removed from economics (hiking this long trail is an expensive venture), and Allen worries about her teenage sons (great boys) who join her at times along the way.
The book is a celebration — a pilgrimage, yes, a coming to grips as much as one can, with one's self in a crowded world of responsibilities constantly impinging and nagging. Amy Allen writes beautifully of the wonders, large and small, along the trail: the endearing chipmunks , occasional bears and snakes, elusive moose; the vastness and the minuteness she could see and experience.
She writes with authentic honesty about the hikers she meets, the camaraderie, the kindnesses of those who provide "Trail Magic" (food and drink) and places to sleep. It wasn't all "tenting" and crowded shelters; there were town times and motel/hotel/B&B times.
I read the book in two sittings, wanting to go on to the next milepost, cheering at her successes, gasping at her tumbles and mishaps, wanting to meet those hikers she met.
And, since this documents her pilgrimage, there is reflection and contemplation, honest irritation and analysis of her situation and of her fellow hikers. For example, about the "comedy of errors" in hanging "the bear bag" of food, she writes: "The vulnerability that may be cute in a pert, 20-something female decidedly does not fit my style at this juncture in life."
I learned a great deal.
There are many types of hikers on the AT: section hikers, slack-packers, power hikers, blue-blazers, and purists — and the elite: the thru-hikers.
And I had naively visualized the AT as a "trail," but this trail includes streams, bogs, boulders — to be forded, waded through, clutched at or climbed over.
It means meadows and ridgelines, and persevering through daylight and dark, heat and cold, sunlight and torrential rains — and emotional upheavals. There is much "drying out" of gear and some angst, sweat and tears.
Throughout the trek and the story, Amy Allen writes well, honestly, without pretense or undue cleverness. If she never hikes another trail (and she will, of course), I hope she continues to write.
No, I won't tackle the Appalachian Trail at my age or at an earlier age. I was happy to be an armchair hiker — with the author all the way. Amy Allen lives and writes in Black Mountain. Her book is available at Malaprop's in Asheville and City Lights in Sylva, as well as online.
Dr. Celia Miles is the author of six books and a member of the Blue Ridge Bookfest steering committee.
Allen's 'Summoning' spurs envy, admiration
I started "Summoning the Mountains: Pilgrimage Into Forty" with a touch of envy that author Amy Allen could take off half a year to treat herself to her dream.


text:
Developing a Java app using Azure Cosmos DB's MongoDB API
Azure Cosmos DB is a globally distributed multi-model database. One of the supported APIs is the MongoDB API, which provides a document model and support for client drivers in many platforms. This sample shows you how to use the Azure Cosmos DB with the MongoDB API to store and access data from a Java application.
Running this sample
Before you can run this sample, you must have the following prerequisites:
- An active Azure account. If you don't have one, you can sign up for a free account. Alternatively, you can use the Azure Cosmos DB Emulator for this tutorial.
- JDK 1.7+ (Run
apt-get install default-jdkif you don't have JDK)
- Maven (Run
apt-get install mavenif you don't have Maven)
Then, clone this repository using
git clone firstname.lastname@example.com:azure-samples/azure-cosmosdb-mongodb-java-getting-started.git
Next, substitute the endpoint and authorization key in Program.java with your Cosmos DB account's values.
From a command prompt or shell, run
mvn packageto compile and resolve dependencies.
From a command prompt or shell, run
mvn exec:java -D exec.mainClass=GetStarted.Programto run the application.
About the code
The code included in this sample is intended to get you quickly started with a Java application that connects to Azure Cosmos DB with the MongoDB API.


text:
More News From ClimateWire
With or without a climate bill, electric utilities are shifting their investments to efficiency measures that cut long-term costs and integrate more natural gas and renewable energy into their power supplies, according to a new report.
"The business landscape for electric utilities is shifting quickly," says a report authored by Navigant Consulting for Ceres, a Boston-based coalition of institutional investors and environmental groups. "In turn, the traditional operating paradigm of building large generation facilities to sell ever-increasing amounts of electricity is changing."
The report says drivers of this shifting paradigm include the need to cut greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 80 percent by 2050 and policies in many states making it costly to build more fossil fuel-based electric generation.
The report says costs for renewable energy are coming down significantly, and regulatory policies now allow utilities to count large-scale energy efficiency as the lowest-cost energy resource. Further, utilities are adopting "smart grid" technology to help manage electricity use, and there is more interest in developing plug-in electric vehicles.
Navigant and Ceres also talked about boosting natural gas in the fuel mix for electricity generation.
"Recent technological breakthroughs in extracting natural gas from shale and other 'tight' formations have led to a startling reassessment of the nation's natural gas supplies, previously thought to be dwindling," says the report. "Natural gas is positioned to play a growing role as a complement to variable renewable energy resources. In addition, natural gas can help optimize overall energy efficiency by integrating thermal and electric technologies and end-uses."
Coal, according to this report, faces an array of challenges. Most U.S. coal-fired power plants are at least 30 years old. New U.S. EPA regulations to cut emissions of haze and ozone-causing nitrogen oxides, sulfur dioxide, mercury and other pollutants are expected to push many of those old plants into retirement. Citing a March 2010 study by Bernstein Research, the report says the EPA regulations will likely force the retirement of about one-quarter of U.S. coal-burning generation by 2015.
Mass cancellations of coal-fired plants
The report also counts that 120 coal-fired power plant projects were canceled over the last decade because of environmental and financing issues. Another 50 plants face lawsuits from parties attempting to halt their construction or operation.
There also is mounting evidence that coal as a commodity will become more expensive, according to Navigant and Ceres. They note that a 2008 U.S. Geological Survey study of the Powder River Basin coal fields in Wyoming found that the economically recoverable reserves might be only 6 percent of previous estimates, "raising questions about the long-term price and availability of coal in other areas of the U.S."
Tom King, president of National Grid USA, a major gas distributor and electric utility in New York, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Rhode Island, said coal will always be a part of the fuel mix in certain regions because of its abundance. But in an interview with ClimateWire, he emphasized that the priorities of electric utilities are changing. "Natural gas for the foreseeable future remains a reliable source," he said. "The policy ought to be that we extract the gas."
King's support for using gas for power generation is notable. For years, industrial users of gas and local distribution companies such as National Grid discouraged talk about using more gas for electricity generation. The concern was that it would increase competition for natural gas and drive up the commodity price. Now, as King noted, there is broad awareness that expanding U.S. shale gas fields have dramatically increased the gas supply. One of the hottest gas basins, the Marcellus Shale, sits in his backyard in the Northeast.
A favorable gas price outlook
The natural gas supply, though, depends on favorable gas prices. An analyst at the energy consultancy Wood Mackenzie told delegates at the 2010 Energy Epicenter conference in Denver that U.S. natural gas prices will increase to a range of $6.50 to $7 per million British thermal units (MMBtu) as cost pressures intensify in the next five years. That's around the place that many gas drillers say is needed to sustain production. Natural gas has hovered around $4/MMBtu for more than a year.
Those costs include competition for rigs, the cost of major oil services companies working with gas companies to produce shale gas, and a higher-cost economy. "The core, low-cost unconventional gas plays -- Marcellus, Haynesville and Barnett -- will continue to grow, but within a few years, as the pace of demand growth accelerates, more expensive shale and tight gas supplies will be required," said Jen Snyder, the principal natural gas analyst for Wood Mackenzie. "Economywide inflationary pressures mean that, in nominal terms, prices could reach $8.50/MMBtu."
She added that even in the absence of climate legislation that increases the cost of coal-fired generation, EPA and state regulations could lead to 45 gigawatts of coal-fired power generation being retired by 2020. That would stimulate about 5 billion cubic feet a day of gas demand.
The electric power sector accounts for about 40 percent of U.S. and global carbon dioxide emissions. Cutting those emissions by cutting energy use has been strategy No. 1 for much of the industry, according to this and other recent reports.
But Navigant and Ceres say there are still fundamental hangups to achieving efficiency's full potential: there is a lack of broad enough regulatory support; the utility-sector business model based on electricity sales remains largely in place; and power transmission capacity limits the amount of renewable energy that can be integrated into the system.
"A utility that deals effectively with these trends, and receives sufficient support from regulators and legislators, will be better positioned to success in the 21st century," says the report. "All else equal, such a utility is also more likely to attract lower cost capital, enabling it to earn stronger returns for investors."
Copyright 2010 E&E Publishing. All Rights Reserved.


text:
Dustin and Jennifer Schmelzle of Adel are proud to announce the birth of their first child, a boy, Wyatt James was born on January 30 and weighed 7 pounds and was 20 inches long.
Grandparents are Tom and Teresa Schaefer of Boone and Goose and Rosie Schmelzle of St. Genevieve, Mo. Great garndmother is Blanche Halupnick of Traer.


text:
Greek2607. kataginosko -- to blame
... Word Origin from kata and ginosko Definition to blame NASB Word Usage
condemn (1), condemned (1), condemns (1). blame, condemn. ...
//strongsnumbers.com/greek2/2607.htm - 7k
2671. katara -- a curse
2919. krino -- to judge, decide
2632. katakrino -- to give judgment against
Strong's Hebrew7561. rasha -- to be wicked, act wickedly
... NASB Word Usage act wickedly (3), acted wickedly (6), been wicked (1), behaved wickedly
(1), condemn (10), condemned (2), condemning (1), condemns (3), do ...
/hebrew/7561.htm - 6k
The Condemnation which Condemns the Judges
Jesus Condemns those who Pretend to be Good
Urbicus Condemns the Christians to Death.
It is the Works of the Flesh, not the Substance of the Flesh ...
Now as Infinitely Absurd as this Conclusion Is, no one that ...
The Inconsistent Life of any False Christian no More Condemns True ...
The Emperor Thankfully Ascribes his victories and all Other ...
Justification by Faith, not by Works; Or, the Law Condemns, Grace ...
The Excuses of Sinners Condemn God
The Heresies of the Manicheans and Pelagians are Mutually Opposed ...
ThesaurusCondemns (11 Occurrences)
... Multi-Version Concordance Condemns (11 Occurrences). Romans 8:34 Who is he who condemns? ...
He whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbor. (WEB). ...
/c/condemns.htm - 9k
Interest (35 Occurrences)
Condemn (43 Occurrences)
Law (670 Occurrences)
Condemning (6 Occurrences)
Justifies (5 Occurrences)
Greedy (24 Occurrences)
Illegal (2 Occurrences)
Intercede (12 Occurrences)
Intercedes (3 Occurrences)
Bible ConcordanceCondemns (11 Occurrences)
Romans 8:34 Who is he who condemns? It is Christ who died, yes rather, who was raised from the dead, who is at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.
2 Corinthians 3:9 for if the ministration of the condemnation 'is' glory, much more doth the ministration of the righteousness abound in glory;
1 John 3:20 because if our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and knows all things.
Exodus 22:9 For every matter of trespass, whether it be for ox, for donkey, for sheep, for clothing, or for any kind of lost thing, about which one says,'This is mine,' the cause of both parties shall come before God. He whom God condemns shall pay double to his neighbor.
Job 15:6 Your own mouth condemns you, and not I. Yes, your own lips testify against you.
Psalms 10:3 For the wicked boasts of his heart's cravings. He blesses the greedy, and condemns Yahweh.
Proverbs 12:2 A good man shall obtain favour of the LORD; but a man of wicked devices will He condemn.
Proverbs 17:15 He who justifies the wicked, and he who condemns the righteous, both of them alike are an abomination to Yahweh.
Isaiah 50:9 Behold, the Lord GOD will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? Behold, they all shall wax old as a garment, the moth shall eat them up.
Ezekiel 21:10 it is sharpened that it may make a slaughter; it is furbished that it may be as lightning: shall we then make mirth? the rod of my son, it condemns every tree.
Ezekiel 21:13 For there is a trial; and what if even the rod that condemns shall be no more? says the Lord Yahweh.
Related Terms
Commandments (181 Occurrences)
LinksBible Concordance • Bible Dictionary • Bible Encyclopedia • Topical Bible • Bible Thesuarus


text:
Join StockFood on a culinary world tour. We take you to the most interesting countries and regions of the world and show you their fascinating specialties. Our culinary journey takes you from Latin America, via the U.S.A. to the many varied countries of Europe and on to Asia, South Africa, Australia, New Zealand and the Caribbean.
So, fasten your seatbelt, click on the flag and you're on your way!


text:
Sorry, but specific product you requested is not currently available. Hopefully you can find another option below.
Classic Patterns for Classic Elite Yarns!You can also read the full description or view all Classic Elite Pattern Books.
We provide endless possibilities for you including yarn, knitting gifts, needles, kits, sale yarn, free knitting patterns, and more!Jimmy Beans Wool is Your Local Yarn Store... Online!


text:
Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
Have you recently leased or purchased a Lexus sedan or SUV? If so, a reporter would like to talk to you. Please reach out to [email protected] by Wednesday, December 19 and the Edmunds PR team may connect you with the journalist.
Have you recently purchased (not leased) a subcompact sedan (such as a Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, Chevy Sonic or Ford Fiesta)? If so, a reporter would like to talk to you. Please reach out to [email protected] by Wednesday, December 26 and the Edmunds PR team may connect you with the journalist.
Have you recently purchased (not leased) a subcompact sedan (such as a Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, Chevy Sonic or Ford Fiesta)? If so, a reporter would like to talk to you. Please reach out to [email protected] by Wednesday, December 26 and the Edmunds PR team may connect you with the journalist.
If you experience loading issues with the login/register form, please completely disable ad blocker or use an incognito or in-private window to log in.
See Official Rules for eligibility and other requirements.
Entry Level Luxury Performance Sedans
Yes, wow. At least that makes sense. Not the price, it's outrageous, of course, but given who buys these, it's people who are much more particular and simply can afford it. No $399 per month crowd, no leader ads, rather you see most conveniences, some sport or appearance stuff, too. Unfortunately, BMW charges arm and leg, but they can, cause nobody else sells those, so you got to pay what they ask.
2018 430i Gran Coupe0
2 had the m sport pack and all the other goodies - except manual -0
michaellno Posts: 4,300I heard there were some bribery scandals in Honda corporate, as dealers were trying to buy their consideration for more attractive lines and models.
That was back in the 80's and early 90's - a great book about the subject is "Arrogance and Accords" and was written by a low level regional sales rep from Honda Corporate. Quite the insiders view of the car world and the greed it spawned.
Remember, this was back in the day when there weren't enough Accords (and Civics) to go around, all dealers had the 'markup' tag on them and there was the voluntary import restrictions agreed to by the major Japanese auto makers (so as to give the Big 3 a fighting chance).
Many of the senior sales executives at Honda were convicted. A few dealers, too, but mostly they provided the necessary evidence to the US Justice Dept to help nail the Honda folks.0
Sounds right. The manual is no longer available with wagon.
2018 430i Gran Coupe0
I was challenged here some time ago to produce evidence of modern diesel needing more maintenance. At the time I could not produce it, although I heard that assertion multiple times from people who know more about cars than I do. Now I have it - BMW will pay for its gasoline engines oil changes every 15K/2 years, while for its new diesel (328d) the period is 10K/1 year. That is tangible evidence that modern diesel engine requires more attention. Oil change is usually just a tip of the iceberg. I'm reasonably confident there is more. Nothing comes free. Diesel engines used to be very insensitive to fuel, now they are very sensitive (due to clean diesel), which mean any kind of impurities will adversely affect durability and service - in turn I'll expect more extensive work required to keep them up. It's all exact opposite to what's used to be. Old diesels were clunky, noisy, stinky and slow, but super durable and resistant to abuse. Many were naturally aspirated. Modern diesels are quiter, smoother, faster, all are turbocharged. As and engineer, I can say with some authority, there was a price somewhere. I'm guessing (just a man's opinion) it will be in lifespan and service. I'd not be surprised if their useful life came close to their gasoline counterparts and milion milers were things of the past.
2018 430i Gran Coupe0
It's not just Honda all of the Asian manufactures have it, even the Koreans. Since Lexus is so successful in the luxury and they do not offer a ordering system foe customers how long do you think the Europeans will offer it?0
If BMW is offering 4yr/50K free maintenance then what is the problem? I would suspect that owners of a 328d would follow manufactures recommendations on oil changes once the 4/50 is over with. Whether it is 5K miles or 7500 miles. Since there is no info on this as of yet.0
To the kingdom come - well perhaps at least in forseable future. It's completely different mindset. They do that anyway for their domestic markets - almost nobody buys BMW or Benz from a dealer's lot over there. The only reason for them to depart from that mindset is if they want to increase volumes and drop the price even further. Right now BMW's price sheet in the US market is about 5 pages for each model. In Germany it is a 50 page book. Three, soon four engine versions here for (non-M) sedan, nine version there (four gasoline: 316i, 320i, 328i, 335i, five diesel:316d, 318d, 320d, 325d, 330d) and that's just a start. They sell a lot more a'la carte options than here. Germans joke that base Mercedes or BMW doesn't even have a side mirror, because it comes in so many options.
Of course, prices reflect that, too. We are lucky here to pay much less, but it is definitely at expense of choice.
BTW, it seems you were on something in your early guesses of diesel coming as 320d. Based on published figures from here and there, it looks they simply took theirs 320d and renamed it 328d for US market, probably to justify price above 328i. A bit cheating, but it may be the US thing, where if you sell 320d at price above 328i people may simply not appreciate it. Too many issues with market positioning. Europeans know they have to pay much more for "equivalent" (whatever that means) diesels, it may take some time to break that news to Americans.
2018 430i Gran Coupe0
The problem is post "free" period. Some people keep their cars longer than three years. The allure of diesels has always been their long life. If you trade every three years, of course no problem for you, just the next guy.
2018 430i Gran Coupe0
Doesn't the payback for the extra upfront cost and small premium for a gal of diesel come after the 3-4 year period? What would be the incentive for diesel if you are leasing it for 3 years unless you just like the smell? It's not as if you see a lot 328s pulling trailers where you would need the torque.0
Don't ask me, I'm not the one yearning for diesel.
To be fair, the depreciation on diesel may be better than gas, so you may get some of the upfront cost back at trading. But the whole idea of diesel is to lower your costs of ownership. One doesn't do that through 3-year trading cycle. At that point depreciation, even a better one, is still by far greatest portion of ownership. My orginal thesis was one gets the diesel (or at least used to) to keep it long, longer than gasoline powered car, as diesels are supposed to last longer. Moreover, the car was supposed to take some abuse on the way, as diesels used to. However, the clean diesel technology may be one that drives stake through that thesis. If diesels require more maintenance, got more fragile due to tougher emission standards and may not last as long ... again, why would one want a diesel? Oh, to save $500 per year on fuel. Ahhhhh. I see. So we spend couple of thousands more for new, another couple of thousand more on maintenance (maybe, we don't know it yet, but the early indications are there) then we shake and pray every time we pour the fuel (what if that fuel is not as pure as it's supposed to?), drive around with clacking noise looking for next gas station... Then at 100K-150K miles it croaks same way gasoline engine does... All to save us cool 500 bucks per year. WOW!!!
I'm excaggerating here, of course, but so far I'm not convinced. However, I admit, this installment of diesel from BMW looks much more legitimate than the previous 55+ grand speed monster 335d.
2018 430i Gran Coupe0
yeah, there are a lot of WAGs, though educated, in your scenario. There are many, many gas powered engines routinely lasting 150 to 200k without major trouble. Usually, after so many years it is the other systems that start to add up to major dollars and headaches that incent many people to get rid of the vehicle and not the engine. Just read about the Volvo owner that owns the world mileage record....2.7million miles on a gas engine. Rebuilt twice. Engines will last a long time if maintained very well. A/C, auto trans, fancy electronics, etc. not so much.0
A/C, auto trans, fancy electronics, etc. not so much
How do you think they were able to get a clean diesel? Surely not by levers, rope and pulleys
2018 430i Gran Coupe0
I was mostly referring to things like NAV, radar cruise, lane positioning systems, etc etc. but realize there are electronics on both the gas and diesel engines as well. To what more of a degree they may be on a diesel I really have no clue.0
Yeah, I don't know that either, what I know it is much more than ol' good diesel of the past. I suspect it may be more than gas for one reason - due to the nature of fuel burning in diesel chamber (much higher pressures), the ability to control that burning clean may require much heavier computer involvement - but that's again my guess. It is based on how big of a deal it was to introduce ULSD fuel. The resistance was not just because of the fuel cost, but because of the additional cost of the engines (which probably comes from electronics) and the fact that lack of sulphur is supposedly damaging to old engines. Something to do with lubrication, don't know the details. There must be heavy electronics in that thing to run so smooth vs. old diesels.
2018 430i Gran Coupe0
Doesn't the payback for the extra upfront cost and small premium for a gal of diesel come after the 3-4 year period?
There are many factors in how long it takes to make up the difference, the cost between premium Unleaded (PUL) and Diesel (D), the cost between the gasser and Diesel and how many miles one drives.
Here in PHX, the price between PUL and D is roughly $.35/gallon, D is less.
Of course the more you drive the quicker the even point. The last year of ownership of my 330 and 328i I had I placed 8500 miles on these two cars. It is not cost effective for me to lease or buy a new 328d, since it would take me roughly 15 years to break even, and this is if the price stays the same. Once a 328d is about two years old, which would put it at about the same price as a 328i (used) then the cost of ownership would roughly be the same, even if you place a 15% increase of service over the 328i, the saving of fuel MPG is greater then 15%.
Is a diesel for everybody no, but be ready for Audi and MB to be offering more diesels in their cars for 2014, MB already has the GLK250 Bluetech on the lots and they are selling very well.0
From automobile mag about the glk250 blue mentioned above "it will surely not sell in big numbers: diesels account for just six percent of all new Mercedes sales in the U.S."
Read more: http://www.automobilemag.com/reviews/driven/1305_2013_mercedes_benz_glk250_bluet- ec_4matic/#ixzz2Vxm0yRFd
Can you expand on the comment they are selling very well? Where did you get this data from?0
"Very well" is always a matter of expectations. If they think they'll sell 10 and they sell 20, it's better than "very well". Nothing is more effective in creating a buzz than shortage, artificial or real. That's especially true in low-volume models, when the demand can unexpectedly turn higher than expected and can't be satisfied due to low production, which was due to marketing team telling their bosses they won't sell many, not necessarily because of some evil plan. I'd like to see how many total GLK were sold and how many of those were diesels - moreover, how many did MB actually expect to sell.
BTW, I just read somewhere that over 50% of people declared they'd "consider" diesel in their next purchase. Of course from "considering" to actuall buying is a long way, but those manufacturers who do it right (in terms of pricing, offering, etc.), could actually benefit from early move. I don't think we'll see a hype comparable to early Prius, but it is possible that that people will look at diesels and actually buy them. American public in its mass has a tendency (to put it mildly) for "one-dimensional" behavior. "Save on gas" mantra can overshadow any reason. I can easily see temporary diesel car shortages on dealers' lots, markup stickers and all the nonsense that comes with some superhot models. Of course paying extra couple of grand for a diesel will defeat the purpose, but who cares. Isn't that how we (as nation) buy new trends every time, all the time? Whether it's early Prius, or later Honda Fit, cash for clunkers, the story is the same. Media whip up a frenzy, people run and agree to outrageous terms just to be in this new wonder that's supposed to save them gas. They prepaid that saved gas for next 10 years, but who would bother to look at numbers? It's trend that counts. I have a diesel, but Jones across the street is still on the list - makes me a winner. :sick:
2018 430i Gran Coupe0
Edmunds used to have "Future models" tab with comprehensive brand-by-brand view on up-to-date knowledge on future models. It seems gone, replaced by generic automotive news column that's unsorted. It sucks.
2018 430i Gran Coupe0
nyccarguy Stamford, CTPosts: 12,773My thoughts are that unless you are a cab driver or someone who drives a lot more than the 20,000 miles per year that I drive, it is extremely difficult to justify the purchase of a diesel or hybrid vehicle purely for the "gas savings."
Here in the northeast, diesel is more expensive than 93 Octane. I paid $4.19/gallon for 93 this AM and Diesel was $4.35/gallon.
The manufacturers are getting serious about selling diesel as a viable alternative. I personally LOVED the way the 2011 335d drove, but a car like that had an MSRP of well over $50K & was not offered with 4WD. MB & BMW seem to be bringing in their new 4cyl diesels at a price point that makes them easier to swallow. But, they are still more expensive.
As dino001 pointed out, maintenance on these new, modern diesels is more intensive. More frequent oil changes (compared to their gasoline counterparts), a urea tank that must be filled by the dealer every X amount of miles.
Diesels are not cheap to buy, own, or fill up every week.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2015 Infiniti Q40 AWD, 2017 Honda Pilot Touring AWD0
My understanding is urea tank is not universal (e.g. VW don't have it and BMWs are not expected to have it), but the rest is true. We also have diesel price higher than premium gas here in Tampa, sometimes as much as 10%, it is seasonal. It never goes even close to regular gas range, which means a decent regular gas four cylinder Honda/Toyota is really way to go for somebody focused on economy. This being ELLPS forum, focusing on fuel economy, especially through diesel technology, seems slightly out of place.
I think it's classic "legend" thing - people heard that overseas it's popular, so they assume it must be such a great thing. I welcome choice, so I think it's great that they make a first seemingly legitimate attempt to introduce diesel as economic proposition. So far it was only VW that offered a legitimate choice. I don't count 55+ grand rich people toys from Benz or BMW as such.
It is a bit strange that the diesel focus is on sedans rather than say SUVs and crossovers, where diesels would much more appropriate. I'd welcome diesel powered CRV, Forester, Rogue, Escape, Explorer and like - or workhorse 1/2 ton pickup trucks. That's were diesel would be just great, IMHO - not necessarily in 3-series. So why it is BMW/Benz spearheading this, not Honda, Nissan, or Toyota? It's probably political (CAFE standards hit MB more than Honda) and the investments in hybrid technology that would be threatened is you could buy a Rav4 or Escape with a diesel. Bizarre indeed.
2018 430i Gran Coupe0
ivan_99 Posts: 1,681You are correct that "gas savings", inferred as $ savings, is not a wise financial plan for most individuals when deciding to purchase a diesel.
There are other intrinsic values of a diesel beyond the efficiency...the addictive torque.
When we go to lunch we usually drive in a co-workers new Passat TDI (manual). It is not a race machine, and doesn't belong on the track, but if kept within the confines of the legal speed limit it'll snap your neck at will. I even like how it sounds from the inside under throttle.
The premium paid at purchase time *may* be recouped at sale time (as others have also mentioned).
I'm not certain how well diesels will play in the ELLPS category, specifically the "Performance" portion, but the lowly VW definitely had the NVH within range of near-luxury specs.0
Interesting article today on cars.com blog about diesel maint costs.
http://blogs.cars.com/kickingtires/2013/06/do-you-have-to-care-for-a-diesel-car-- differently-than-a-gasoline-car.html#comments0
Interesting - I didn't know Passat's TDI has urea tank. That makes no sense to me. If Jetta doesn't, why would Passat? On surface it looks like same engine (2.0 l diesel). Beats me. Every day learn something new.
2018 430i Gran Coupe0
Government data, over on the Diesel forum someone post the sales number of the GLK250s they are selling better than what MB had expected. The GLK250 are less then the GLK350 and get roughly 50% better mileage.0
fedlawman Posts: 3,118The problem is North Americas "thirst" for horsepower. I think deisels make a lot more sense economically and environmentally when you look at the little 1.6L motors they use in Europe.0
Love to see the numbers as this car only hit dealerships at the end of April and would be surprised the may monthly have been released yet. But if you are trying to say that diesel and hybrid car sales are surpassing overall us market growth rate you would have a legit point.0
Kirstie_H Posts: 11,081A reporter would like to speak to a car buyer who refused to buy a vehicle because premium fuel was required/recommended by the manufacturer. If you did not purchase a car after discovering premium fuel was required/recommended, and instead purchased a car that requires regular fuel, send your daytime contact information to [email protected] by Friday, June 14, 2013 at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET.
Need help navigating? [email protected] - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
Share your vehicle reviews0
I think a lot of that horse power thirst comes from needing it to pass left lane campers that run rampant in the US but not in Europe. The horsepower is needed frequently, and often to get around these traffic causing scumbags.
If we didn't have high horsepower our roads would be even more clogged and congested than they already are.Toy '16 Audi TTS quattro AWD, Commuter '17 VW Golf AllTrack SE 4-Motion AWD, Wife's '16 Kia Optima LX 1.6T FWD0
I test drove at Carmax the '11 C300 and the '12 C250 both priced right at $30K.
I was surprised the little 4-banger performed as well as the nice V6 in the C300. I'd be hard pressed to tell the difference blindfolded.
The car rides smoothly, nicely, and handles really well in sport trim. The brakes felt strong and had vented rotors.
However, I found a few too many bean counter penny pinching items for what is supposed to be a luxury premium car.
I hate the fact the top roof rail seams are made of a black plastic regardless of what color you get. Works on black or dark gray, horrible with red.
The '11 had an interior that fails in comparison to my memory of the '03 Accord Coupe LX V6 I had owned previously. The seats in the Benz are comfy, the leather nice, but the dash, center stack, and instrument cluster reek of cheap econo car.
The '12 mostly fixes this, with a complete front dash redesign, with much better materials, fit and finish. The steering wheel is much nicer in the '12, and has better subjective styling too, but I don't' like that some of the plastic pieces on it look like they come from the same parts bin as my wife's '07 Civic. The plastic parts I happen to like least inside the Civic mind you.
The HVAC controls bothered me a bit, but I'm sure some of these things you just have to get USED TO. I test drove these because in the past I wouldn't even look twice at a Mercedes due to their previous association with Chrysler (anything ever associated with Chrysler gets blacklisted for life in my book). But now that I've learned Chrysler fans blame Daimler for their downfall (twice in just a few decades I might add), I've decided to give Mercedes a good look and consideration. It seems to serve my purpose of spiting Chrysler better.
I liked the C class, but I just don't see one with about 15K miles being worth $30K. $25K and your talking.Toy '16 Audi TTS quattro AWD, Commuter '17 VW Golf AllTrack SE 4-Motion AWD, Wife's '16 Kia Optima LX 1.6T FWD0


text:
Choose Display Currency
Options Rainbow Wood Fixed Circular Knitting Needles
Of course the waves of color are what first catch your eye. But, the beauty is more than skin deep. The layers of laminated birch give the needles a strength that is missing in regular wooden needles. The stability allowed us to shape sharp points- particularly nice for lace knitting. It also made small sizes more durable and resistant to breakage. Being wood, the burnished surface has a slight grip so slick yarns like mohair and angora dont slip off at the wrong time. This quality also makes them an excellent choice for beginning knitters, who often have trouble keeping stitches on the needles.
The metric sizing system is more precise than the US sizing system. We offer two US size 1 - equivalent to 2.25mm and 2.50mm and two US size 2 - equivalent to 2.75mm and 3.00mm.
The 16" needle tips are 3 3/8 inches long, allowing for an easily formed complete circle for small circumference knitting. The 24", 32", 40" and 47" needle tips are 5 1/8 inches long. Since our cable is super flexible, the Magic Loop method of sock knitting can be accomplished with the 32" needles for one sock at a time. For two socks at a time, try either the 40" or 47" needles.
Learn more about Knit Picks Options Needles.
- Reviews
- Tutorials
"Laminated birch needles are beautiful, light and strong, with a sharper point and more durability…These needles also have sharper points than most wooden needles, making them a good choice for lace knitting and other work that requires precision." www.About.com, March 2009
"I just received my new Harmony Wood Needle tips and cables. I had read on several sites how nice these needles were. They didn't exaggerate at all. I have used aluminum, plastic and bamboo needles. Until today, I always preferred the bamboo needles. Today, I am a convert to Harmony Wood needles. The wood feels fabulous to hold. The yarn moves along easily. And they are so lovely and colorful. I can't wait to replace my others with more Harmony. I am already 1/2 way finished with a new hat since opening the package. Thank you for a great product" Cheryl L., Knit Picks Customer
"I absolutely LOVE your Harmony needles. The sharp points make them perfect for lace projects. The texture – 'feel' of the needles is great – unlike any other wood needle I have used and us knitters are all about 'feel'. Colors are great – another sensory addition to knitting. Thank you for this fine product." Susan C., Knit Picks Customer
"I just want to say how much I love my wood needles and cable I recently purchased from you. It's been many decades since I knitted anything and I've started off with a tumbling block pattern afghan, which means I change colors every few stitches (intarsia) something I've never ever done before. I am so very very pleased how my yarn glides over the cable, how wonderful the needle(s) feel and how the yarn smoothly slips off the needle. I also bought the nickel plated needles (same size) from you, but since I started with the wooden ones, I haven't even tried the other. I've never written to commend any product purchase before now. I simply had to let you know......." Ann S., Knit Picks Customer
"When I discovered the Knit Picks Options, I thought I couldn't buy the entire set, so I tried a few points and cables, and fell in love. I soon discovered that I COULD buy the entire set. About that time the Harmony wood needle tips came out, and I purchased a few in larger sizes for use with my bulkier weight yarns. Love them too. When I saw the straights come out, I thought, "Oh, no, I can't resist!" Before I could purchase a set, one of my good friends at work bought me a pair as a retirement gift. And I had never even told her that I wanted them. Though I did turn her on to Knit Picks, as she is a beginning knitter, and needed to be pointed in the right direction. She is the second of my work friends that I told about Knit Picks, and both are sold.
The quality is too high and the prices much too reasonable to go anywhere else." Susan, Knit Picks Customer
Learn how to knit in the round by watching our Knitting In the Round video tutorial.


text:
home   for-sale   how-we-build   crokinole   crokinole-gallery   crokinole-slideshow   premium-slideshow   about-us
Welcome to Carl and Stan Hilinski's crokinole and carrom web page. Crokinole and carrom are very old, wooden board games that were invented hundreds of years ago, We make them for fun and almost no profit. Each board is one-of-a-kind; we do not like to make duplicates!
You can see pictures of our past boards in our crokinole gallery and in our carrom gallery, and you can now see a slideshow of our crokinole boards. You can also see a slideshow of our custom and special crokinole boards. These include inlays and handpainting by artist Penny Hauffe.
Want to buy one? We have some boards on hand at various prices.
White is ready to shoot at the black disc.
A four-player game in progress. Tessa Samuelson is about to blast her brothers' black discs out of the center of one of our custom boards.
Crokinole is a board game that was probably invented in the 1860s or 1870s somewhere in either Canada or the northern United States. The game is played on a round wooden board with a recessed center hole that is protected by pegs. The object of the game is to score points by flicking wooden discs at the center hole. Here are the standard crokinole rules.
Want to build your own board? Join us as we build crokinole boards!
Stan, who is sitting to the right, is about to break on a junior board.
Stan pocketed a white piece on the break. He has set the striker and is ready to shoot again.
Carrom is played on a square board with pockets. The object is to pocket your colored wooden discs before your opponent pockets his. It is similar to pocket billiards or snooker. We used to make carrom boards, but we don't do that anymore. If you want to purchase a nice carrom board in the United States, try Billiboard.com.
Send us email if you have questions or comments.


text:
I have decided to leave SSX to join another kinship, "Defenders of the Light". I truely feel bad leaving SSX and the friends that I have made, but I want to be part of a kinship that is more active.
As I told some of you in the game, Defenders of the Light has offered an invite to anyone who wants to join. If not, just teaming up with them from time to time is good too. Just check their website under the events section.
Thank you all for the good times we had questing together and the fun we had just chatting. Please keep me on your friends list and say hello.