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Worth Reading - 8/19
Here are some links worth reading this weekend:
1. Alan Jacobs wrote an essay about Christian public intellectualism and its apparent decline. The article is long-form and has been much discussed in recent days, scandalizing both the right and the left for different reasons. Whether his assessments are spot-on will no doubt be much debated in the near future, but his analysis is worth considering.
In was in this context — a democratic West seeking to understand why it was fighting and what it was fighting for — that the Christian intellectual arose. Before World War II there had been Christians who were also intellectuals, but not a whole class of people who understood themselves, and were often understood by others, to be watchmen observing the democratic social order and offering a distinctive interpretation of it. Mannheim, who was born Jewish but professed no religious belief, joined with these people because he saw them pursuing the genuine calling of the intellectual. Perhaps Mortimer Adler felt the same way: it would otherwise be difficult to explain why he, also a Jew by birth and also (at that time) without any explicit religious commitments, would think that the West could be saved only through careful attention to the thought of Thomas Aquinas.
Though the key Christian intellectuals of the day and their fellow travelers — Mannheim and Adler, Eliot and Oldham, W. H. Auden, Reinhold Niebuhr, Dorothy Sayers, and many others — did not oppose their social order, they were far more critical than their predecessors had been during World War I. The Christian intellectuals of World War II found their society shaking at its foundations. They were deeply concerned that even if the Allies won, it would be because of technological and economic, not moral and spiritual, superiority; and if technocrats were deemed responsible for winning the war, then those technocrats would control the postwar world. (It is hard to deny that those Christian intellectuals were, on this point at least, truly prophetic.)
But their voices were heard, throughout the war and for a few years after its conclusion. On both sides of the Atlantic, they published articles in leading newspapers and magazines, and books with major presses; they gave lectures at the major universities; they spoke on the radio. C. S. Lewis and Reinhold Niebuhr (to take just two examples) were famous men — appearing on the cover of Time in 1947 and 1948, respectively.
2. Jake Meadors responds to Alan Jacobs' interesting essay with a discussion of Francis Schaeffer as a public intellectual:
In this telling, the post-Christian America that emerged in the 1960s is something that might have been avoided with better management of institutions and more careful interaction with the public square on the part of orthodox believers. This seems naive to me given the way new technologies changed the media landscape in the US and the fact that the post-war economy, which was always hostile to the traditional family, was already being established in the late 40s and early 50s.
What we need is a different kind of interpreter, less Reinhold Niebuhr, that establishment figure who lived and taught in New York City, and more Francis Schaeffer, the missionary-in-exile, far removed from the hubs of power and influence and better equipped to speak to them in distinctly Christian ways precisely because of his distance from them. We need to recognize that the modern western social project (if it even rises to the level of "social project,") is not something which can be reconciled with the faith by simply making some basic alterations to the machine. Market-backed, government-subsidized expressive individualism is the founding principle of today's western world. And there can be no salvaging such a project.
3. BBC reveals why it pays to be grumpy and ill-tempered.
Like most emotions, anger begins in the amygdala, an almond-shaped structure responsible for detecting threats to our well-being. It's extremely efficient – raising the alarm long before the peril enters your conscious awareness.
Then it's up to chemical signals in the brain to get you riled up. As the brain is flooded with adrenaline it initiates a burst of impassioned, energetic fury which lasts for several minutes. Breathing and heart rate accelerate and blood pressure skyrockets. Blood rushes into the extremities, leading to the distinctive red face and throbbing forehead veins people get when they're annoyed.
Though it's thought to have evolved primarily to prepare the body for physical aggression, this physiological response is known to have other benefits, boosting motivation and giving people the gall to take mental risks.
4. Alan Noble writes about how Christian colleges can keep the faith without harming LGBT students. This is an important question that must be considered in the days ahead.
As societal views of sex, gender, and sexual orientation have shifted, an increasing number of LGBT advocacy groups have started lobbying against the Title IX exemptions on the grounds that they're a license for religious schools to discriminate. Some have pushed for a change to the law: A recent bill proposed in the California legislature, SB 1146, recommended restrictions to religious exemptions. Legislators like the bill's sponsor, Ricardo Lara, argued that schools should be required to publicly declare when they apply for exemptions, should not receive state grants if they discriminate, and should be subject to private lawsuits over such discrimination. If SB 1146 had been enacted in this form, it may have eliminated religious exemptions from the discrimination provisions in California's Equity in Higher Education Act, which require equal treatment in education regardless of gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation, among other classifications. Because of California's influence on national politics, many religious schools were concerned that if this bill passed, similar laws would be established in other states. This could affect schools' tax-exempt status or even accreditation, a fear that many in Christian higher education seem to share.
Several groups opposed the legislation and tried to work with Senator Lara on a more mutually acceptable bill. The Association of Independent California Colleges and Universities asked Lara to restrict the bill so that it would only require religious schools to disclose their exemptions, as opposed to ending these exceptions. Similarly, the Coalition of Christian Colleges and Universities strongly opposed the bill because of its potential effect on students' ability to choose religious schools. On August 10th, Lara announced he would amend the bill to only focus on the disclosure provision and a requirement to report instances in which schools expel students for morality-code violations.
5. George W. Bush is a popular target for mockery. However, a recent biography by a recognized academic seems to have significantly crossed the line from critical analysis to incautious slander. This long review of a biography is interesting, if only to see how strong (and uncomplicated) the negative bias is.
Informed readers will know that the primary tools that we historians bring to our craft are original research — most often in archives, and sometimes through interviews in the case of more recent history — and the passage of time, which cools partisan passions and lends perspective and insight. Smith avails himself of neither of these tools. Other than a couple of cursory interviews with Bush's vice president, Dick Cheney, and his secretary of defense, Donald Rumsfeld, the book relies almost entirely on secondary sources and previously published books. Even a gratuitously sympathetic reviewer like Jason Zwengerle in the New York Times, concedes: "Smith's biography of Bush unearths little new information on its subject. Most of Bush relies on previous books by journalists like Peter Baker, Robert Draper and Bob Woodward or the memoirs of key figures including Cheney, Rumsfeld, Rice and Bush himself."
The book's opening broadside puts Smith's vendetta on full display: "Rarely in the history of the United States has the nation been so ill-served as during the presidency of George W. Bush." A strong charge, to be sure, and yet over page after page, instead of building a scholarly case for this scathing historical indictment, Smith instead produces a profoundly distorted caricature of Bush based on unreliable accounts, factual errors, and wildly implausible judgments. He also on occasion indulges in a viciousness that is unbecoming in a scholar of his stature.
6. I dislike shopping at Walmart. Dislike is not a strong enough word. However, I'll leave it at that. In contrast, Target is normally a much happier place. A recent article in the Bloomberg Businessweek highlights the public nuisance that many Walmarts have become. Walmart often gets kicked around for various practices, but Bloomberg tends to be generally business friendly. This seems to be more than the usual "I hate corporate giants" schtick.
Police departments inevitably compare their local Walmarts with Target stores. Target, Walmart's largest competitor, is a different kind of retail business, with mostly smaller stores that tend to be located in somewhat more affluent neighborhoods. But there are other reasons Targets have less crime. Unlike most Walmarts, they're not open 24 hours a day. Nor do they allow people to camp overnight in their parking lots, as Walmarts do. Like Walmart, Target relies heavily on video surveillance, but it employs sophisticated software that can alert the store security office when shoppers spend too much time in front of merchandise or linger for long periods outside after closing time. The biggest difference, police say, is simply that Targets have more staff visible in stores.
"Target doesn't have these problems," says Ferguson. "Part of it may be the lower prices at Walmart or where Walmart is located, but when I walk into Target I see uniformed security or someone walking around up front. You see no one at Walmart. It just seems like an easy target." A Target spokeswoman declined to comment on the two companies' security policies.
7. A solid post over at Acton explaining why people need to read Solzhenitsyn. I agree.
The appeal of Bernie Sanders' socialism is a puzzle to many, but it shouldn't be, not if we understand how most people think about economics. Sanders' appeal rises when economics is understood mechanistically, subject to impersonal forces and nefarious individuals. As a result, an economy can only be directed by the macro decisions of large and powerful entities like governments. Shallow moral appeals arise to justify socialist policies where success is not measured by the objective results of the policy, but by the moral good they ostensibly foster.
It is easy—very easy—to appeal to free education, the eradication of poverty, unlimited minimum wage ceilings and all the other promises made by those who don't have any real experience in wealth creation. Most often their supporters don't either, including the millennial followers of Bernie Sanders. We need to be patient with the ignorance of the young, but we should never acquiesce to it.
Economics is not a mechanistic enterprise. Economics is closely tied to human anthropology—the precepts that define what a human is, how one produces artifacts first for survival and then the building of culture, how one values nature and the principles applied to refashion matter into something new.


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When ASSE members meet next June in Chicago to celebrate the society's 100th year, they'll experience a unique conference in America's best convention city.
Pollock starts July 1 as ASSE's 2010-2011 senior vice president, which means he will be its president two years from now.
"We want it to be bigger and better," he said, referring to the 2011 conference. "On the other hand, we want to make sure that we manage it well and have a great event. The thing we're really working on is to make this not just a PDC event -- it's really a celebration that we want to go all the way to the grassroots of our membership. So we've put together planning guides for chapter participation. . . . At the PDC itself, we're going to have what we're calling the Chapter Pavilion. We're giving space to every single chapter who wants one and we're encouraging them to come with their history: Who are your founders? What are some of the major events that have happened that really formed your organization locally?"
Pollock said he saw leaders of IOSH, CSSE, and safety professional associations in Australia and Singapore at a luncheon recently and spoke with them about common efforts in 2011. Nothing formal has happened yet, but "it's very high on our list," he said. "We intend to reach out to our sister associations, our sister organizations. We also intend to reach out to labor, to government, and to business and hopefully have this become a focal point for the issues that we commonly face. Although it's our 100th anniversary, it's our belief that it's really the birth of the modern safety movement. A lot happened, give or take a few years, right in that period of time."
Naturally, ASSE will celebrate its 100 birthday as a "Century of Safety," but the society's 2010-2011 president, Darryl C. Hill, Ph.D., CSP, explained in a June 12 letter to members that a single day of celebration won't be enough. "We will be sharing our history, milestones, best practices and insights with the world during 2011 and hope that you can join us in telling not only our story, but yours. The history of ASSE is comprised of many stories, milestones, individual successes and efforts and we want to share that information," he added. "We not only want to hear your story of successes, challenges, connections, best practices, but we also want to tell it along with the 'Century of Safety' history to external and internal audiences worldwide."
The 2010 ASSE conference excelled in almost every way. It ranks second all-time in the society's conferences for registered attendees, with 3,600, which was exceeded only by the 3,859 who attended the 2008 conference in Las Vegas. With 399 exhibitors occupying 61,600 square feet of exhibit space inside the Baltimore Convention Center, this year's was a record expo for this professional association of 32,000 members.
The theme of the 2011 celebration is "Your Safety Is Our Business. Your Future Is Our Mission." ASSE will keep members and the industry informed about the year's activities and Safety 2011 at http://www.asse.org/newsroom/100/index.php.

subset: commoncrawl


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Alan L. Campbell is the former Head of the Health Care Section at Cowles & Thompson. In 2007, he formed Kyle Campbell Mathis & Lucas, LLP. In 2010, Alan opened Alan Campbell & Associates, PC. For over 25 years, Mr. Campbell has represented healthcare institutions and physicians in a variety of litigation and non-litigation matters. He also represents litigants in many types of other civil litigation including personal injury, toxic tort, mass tort, employment and business disputes.
Alan is licensed to practice in Texas and Oklahoma.
Mr. Campbell is a member of the State Bar of Texas, Oklahoma Bar Association, Collin County Bar Association, Dallas Bar Association, Texas Association of Defense Counsel and DRI. He was admitted to the State Bar of Texas in 1985 and is admitted to practice in the United States District Courts for the Northern, Eastern, Western and Southern Districts of Texas, as well as the Northern District of Oklahoma. Mr. Campbell has been recognized as a Texas Super Lawyer by his peers every year since 2004. His peers have also given him an AV rating, the highest possible from Martindale-Hubbell.
Mr. Campbell received his B.B.A. degree in 1982 from Texas A&M University and his J.D. degree, cum laude, in 1985 from Texas Tech University School of Law where he served as Managing Editor of the Texas Tech Law Review.
Mr. Campbell's published works include: Texas Adopts A System of Pure Comparative Appointment for Strict Products Liability Cases: Duncan v. Cessna Aircraft Co., 15 Texas Tech Law Review 479, 1984; From Horse and Buggy to Horseless Carriage Texas Rolls Out Its New Venue Model: A Practitioner's Guide to Article 1995, 15 Texas Tech Law Review 917, 1984; and Practical Considerations for Physicians Depositions, Vol. 2, No. 1, Professional Medical Monitor, June 1992. A Rose By Any Other Name: Negligent Credentialing Protections Survive Repeal of MLIAA (With Stacy Welch), Vol. 20, No. 52, Texas Lawyer, February 28, 2005.
Alan lives in Collin County with his wife Becky, who is a fifth generation Collin County resident. They have three children: Liz, Katie & Tom.


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One of the leading possible candidates to run for New York attorney general has passed.
Long Island Congresswoman Kathleen Rice, a Democrat, said in a statement Tuesday afternoon that she would instead run for re-election to Congress. She cited a state law disallowing her from being on ballot both for Congress and for attorney general, a provision that is in some dispute, as The New York Times reported.
The primary elections for Congress and AG are months apart, but state law prohibits being on the same ballot twice.
Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney, another Democrat who is mulling an AG bid and faces the face situation that Rice did, is said by the Times to believe that running for both offices would be legal. Maloney, the Times article states, believes he could decline his congressional nomination should he win the attorney general nomination.
Here's Rice's statement:
"Over the past week, I've been encouraged by many friends and supporters to enter the New York Attorney General's race. I am very grateful for that support. But given the timing of Eric Schneiderman's resignation and the current state law prohibiting candidates from seeking two offices simultaneously, I have determined that I cannot run for Attorney General at this time. I am excited to seek a third term in Congress and hope to continue representing my constituents in Washington at this critical moment in our nation's history. I am confident that New Yorkers will choose an Attorney General who is worthy of our faith and our trust. We must demand no less."
Rice was also a co-chair of the Moreland Commission to Investigate Public Corruption, and came in a close second in 2010 in a Democratic primary for attorney general against Schneiderman.


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Selecting the Right Dental Braces and Retainer
Have you ever felt pain or discomfort when eating or biting? Are your teeth not as healthy as they should be? These are signs that you may need an orthodontic treatment. Our dentist can treat these, or other dental issues, with the use of braces and a retainer. Treatment may last between 18 months to two years, depending on your condition. We recommend that you visit our dentist every four to six weeks during the treatment for checkups.
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Although the length of treatment varies from patient to patient, treatment time with Damon Clear is up to six months faster than with conventional braces – and this method is more comfortable. Because Damon don't need to be "tightened," you won't experience pain after office appointments.
Your dentist at Neibauer Dental Care - Hyattsville can determine whether Damon Clear braces are a good option for you. Call us at 301-277-1462.
Damon Braces
A nice smile is not only beautiful, it also promotes good health. No matter what age you are, it is never too early or too late to invest in braces. Damon braces are appliances that are fitted in the same way as traditional metal braces. But instead of having brackets that tighten and adjust the braces regularly, Damon braces use a slide mechanism that attaches wires to brackets to move naturally with the teeth as they realign. This makes them more comfortable, better looking and able to provide strong results in a shorter time. Damon braces are more effective at correcting severe crowding, are more comfortable and have a lower relapse rate,Read more about Damon Braces
The Myobrace® System is preventive pre-orthodontic treatment that focuses on addressing the underlying causes of crooked teeth, often without the need for braces or extraction of teeth, unlocking natural growth and development. Treatment is best suited to children aged 3 to 15 and involves using a series of removable intraoral appliances that are worn for one to two hours each day and overnight while sleeping.Read more about Myobrace
Self-Ligating BracesRead more about Self-Ligating Braces
If you're interested in learning more information about the braces and retainers we offer, visit Neibauer Dental Care - Hyattsville in Hyattsville, Maryland. Our dentist will discuss the process and offer guidance.


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Washington's county jobless rates for August were released today, showing a South Sound unemployment picture that has remained relatively flat month to month.
Pierce County's unemployment rate, non-seasonally adjusted, stayed at 5.0 percent in August after recording the same figure in July. The jobless rate sustained a year-over-year improvement that's trended similarly over the summer, with August 2016 showing unemployment at 6.3 percent.
The story is much of the same in Thurston County, where the unemployment rate fell slightly to 4.6 percent in August from 4.7 percent in July. That's down year over year from August 2016's 5.7 percent jobless rate.
The two main South Sound counties remain among the top half of counties in the state when it comes to low unemployment. Asotin County leads Washington with 3.4 percent unemployment; King County is among the leaders at 3.8 percent.
Mason and Lewis Counties, on the other hand, remain near the bottom of the unemployment rankings, though neither is close to Ferry County's 9.6 percent unemployment rate, worst in the state. Lewis is at 6.1 percent in August, up from 6.0 percent in July but way down from 7.9 percent in August last year. Mason County is at 5.7 percent, down from 5.8 percent in July and down sharply from 8.0 percent in August 2016.


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The contemporary Emilia Barstool has a simple yet elegant design that is perfect for any decor. An ideal way to add a touch of modern flair to any dining or entertaining area in your home. This barstool features a simple, box shape frame of quality metal with sturdy legs and footrest finished in Chrome. The padded seat and back are upholstered in light Pu Ivory upholstery, offering comfort and chic style. Barstool is available in 26" counter height and 30" bar height.
The Contemporary Barstools Emilia 30" Barstool by Pastel Minson at AHFA in the area. Product availability may vary. Contact us for the most current availability on this product.
Create a lasting impression in your entertainment area, pub, or casual kitchen area with this collection full of contemporary, modern barstools. Each barstool is truly one-of-a-kind and provides gracious entertainment as well as a nice visual element in your home. With sleek, modern shapes, and a variety of hand-painted metals and hand-stained finishes, you'll be sure to find something that fits your personality and home decor style.
The Contemporary Barstools collection is a great option if you are looking for Contemporary furniture in the area.
Browse other items in the Contemporary Barstools collection from AHFA in the area.
This item has been tagged as: Stool, Bar Stool, Bar Stool Set, Counter Height Stool, Counter Height Chair, Stool and Table Set, Counter Height Stool and Table Set, Entertainment Furniture, Bar Furniture, Dining Room Furniture, Causual Dining Room Furniture
Nothing on this page may be copied or reproduced without explicit permission.


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Dissatisfied with your digital art but can't pinpoint what's holding it back? Here's your ticket.
In this frustration-saving little eBook, Magic: The Gathering illustrator Clint Cearley uses 24 before-and-after examples to show you the 10 most common mistakes in digital painting and how to fix them. Every mistake is analyzed with a description of the problem, how to identify it in your work and methods of correcting it. Mastering the ten mistakes can be the key to transforming your work and getting more from your art because better your observation, better your art.
View sample pages by clicking arrow to the right of the book cover above
Support me on www.Patreon.com/Swatches and get monthly in-depth instructional videos and other goodies!
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Download from the App Store or text yourself a link to the app
Don't forget, send me your own before-and-after example after reading the material and if I use it on the site I'll pay you $25!
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La Voix's ONE NIGHT ONLY is coming to Aylesbury! Get your easter weekend off to a cracking start!
The Hottest ticket in town! Fresh from her Pantomime Performance of 'Nurse' in Snow White last year at The Aylesbury Waterside, this one woman show is for 16+!
Featuring Live Singing, Live Musicians, Hilarious Comedy and enough Swarovski's to make your eyes water!
Expect big Diva Numbers from the likes of Cher to Shirley Bassey and side splitting comedy!


text: In this aerial image taken from video footage Wednesday, authorities respond to a deadly crash involving a pickup truck and a bus filled with church members on U.S. 83 outside Garner State Park in northern Uvalde County, Texas. Courtesy KABB/WOAI via AP hide caption toggle caption Courtesy KABB/WOAI via AP The Two-Way 13 Church Members Killed In Collision Between Bus, Pickup Truck In Texas March 30, 2017 Federal investigators have begun looking into what caused the wreck 75 miles west of San Antonio. The victims, who ranged in age from 61 to 87, were returning from a retreat.


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5:00 am. The sky was still dark, and the stars bright when we pulled out of my driveway this morning. Jon Van Wagoner, Andy Earl, and Uriel Ruvalcaba riding passenger as we made our way to Little Cottonwood Canyon to meet up with Mo, Tanner, Daryl, JP, Whitney, Eric, and Tony Loco. The plan was to session Little Superior Buttress before the snow got too warm, resulting in wet slab avalanches, making it pretty dangerous. Unfortunately for our original plans, and for Andy's new splitboard, we didn't go to Little Superior because someone forgot his beacon, and we had to turn around, thereby not making it to Little Superior in time to ride it. I'm not going to name any names, but you can check out his blog right here.
As a result, we sessioned Cardiff Peak again, and it was really really fun. Thanks to everyone for coming out and having a good time with us. Check out a couple fun mini pics. Video will more than likely be in the next podcast episode, but if you haven't seen episode three yet, check it out by clicking here! Definitely have a greater appreciation for the big mountain riders out there, and hoping to keep pushing our personal limits and getting a lot gnarlier. Thanks for stopping by!
Andy and Uri atop the ridge
Zoomed version of the last photo
Daryl loves snowboarding, and it makes him smile.


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Hamstring injuries are prevalent in yoga. In our survey, we found some very interesting relationships between forward bends and hamstring injuries. The data may surprise you!
Yoga Twisting and Disk Herniations: Should You Do Twists in Yoga With a Herniation?
Yoga twisting and disk herniations is the topic of this question of the month. David gives some guidelines for how to test and modify twisting postures in yoga when you or a student has a disk herniation.
Frozen Shoulder And Yoga: How To Work With It?
This month's question comes from Shirley, who asks about frozen shoulder and yoga. How do you modify practice for this condition? David gives some guidelines for yoga practice in the three stages of frozen shoulder.
Injuries In Yoga Adjustments: What Are Practitioners Experiencing?
Injuries In Yoga Adjustments: What Are Practitioners Experiencing? Most respondents reported experiencing hands-on adjustments as "Very Helpful" and did not report getting injured while receiving an adjustment. A small percentage of respondents reported an injury while being adjusted, primarily in poses that put pressure into tenuous structures in the body, like the knee joint or in proximal attachment of the hamstrings.
Negative Experiences In Yoga Practice: What Do Practitioners Report?
What Negative Experiences In Yoga Practice Are Practitioners Reporting? While slightly more than half of respondents did report having some negative experience during their yoga practice life, most respondents found the benefits to out-weigh the negative enough to continue practicing.
How Do You Know What Yoga Practice To Do When You're Injured?
I get lots of questions about how to do yoga practice when you're injured. In this post, we'll guide you through choosing appropriate options for yoga practice when you're experiencing pain or injury.
Elbow Pain: Finding the Source of Your Elbow Tendinitis
This month's question comes from Jade. She asked a question about elbow pain in yoga practice. What might be causing that elbow pain and how do you work with it?
Assessing the Impacts of Yoga Asana – Survey Summary
The Yoga Anatomy Research Project (YARP) – This first post lays out the fundamental information that we gathered. It is our intention to use this data to inform the yoga community at large about people's experience of practicing yoga asana. Further, we will start to build correlations between basic information such as age, time of practice and the reported outcomes from the practice.
Sit Bone Pain – 2017 Update
There have been a couple of overlapping issues to the original article on Sit Bone Pain. It just shows that whatever the issue, problem, or pain is… it can be coming from a number of different places. Figuring it out isn't always so easy. We also naturally try to come to some conclusion about what is going on and sometimes wrongly assume that all, in this case, sit bone pain is created equally.
Is Yoga Tearing Labrums?
Is yoga tearing labrums? The answer to that question is not so simple. Reports of labral tears do seem to be on the rise but possible reasons are plentiful.


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It's that time of year again.
Target and Wal-mart are stocking and restocking ever-dwindling supplies of pencils, pencil sharpeners, erasures, notebook paper, post-it notes, and way too many folders with Justin Bieber's face on them.
Yesterday I stopped by that section, originally thinking I would just buy myself a planner to keep track of all of my random seminars, workshops, etc. this coming semester, but I ended up leaving with some kickass Dr. Suess pencils, erasures, Spanish-English dictionaries, and other supplies to send to my first-now-second graders and cooperating teacher in Costa Rica. I miss them all so much.
And with that, I begin a new teaching venture. Student teaching at the Philadelphia Montessori Charter School. And to be honest, I'm not really all that nervous. I'm just straight up excited. There is something so calming and restful about being in a Montessori classroom. The way all of the students are quietly working at their own pace. The way the teachers don't raise their voices, but softly direct students back to their work. I'm really looking forward to being in such a balanced atmosphere, especially with the (good) stress that I know will come from being at Swarthmore and with other Swatties.
And since I haven't written about it at all on here yet, I would just like to say that this summer has been absolutely wonderful. I've had the chance to live with my dad again, something I haven't done for three years. We've had some really good meals and runs together, and I even got him to watch the Bachelorette finale for two whole minutes. Definitely something he has never done before. I've also gotten to spend more time with my high school friends than I have basically since graduation. And I love that while we have grown apart geographically, we have grown along the same paths metaphorically. We have all come to realize how privileged (and elitist to a certain degree) our backgrounds are, that no solution to a problem is perfect, and all we want to do is serve people as best we can. How Midwestern.
I also had the chance this summer to witness the marriage of two of my closest friends in South Dakota, to journey up to the Boundary Waters and become a true Minnesotan, and to spend lots and lots of time at my favorite coffee shop in the Twin Cities (love you, Nina's!). I've seen my little nephew take his first guided steps and practice his phonemes. I celebrated my mom's and sister-in-law's birthdays. My dad ate his first Japanese food (aside from sushi) on Father's Day. My sister and I have seen movies and drunk beer together and finally had sister-sister days (which is what we called them when we were little) that haven't ended up with her telling me to do something, and me saying I don't want to, crying, and running to my mom. +1 for growing up. Life here in MN isn't half bad and I'm excited for all the good beginnings to come this semester.
Here's to senior year.


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Building permits can be submitted in person, by mail, by fax, or online.
Learn the different ways to pay parking tickets in Coon Rapids.
The Utility Billing Department handles all billing for water and sewer bills as well as fields questions concerning water service connections and disconnections.


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Exped WATERPROOF COMPRESSION BAG ULTRALIGHT 13L
Ultralight and waterproof compressionbag with fold-n-closure. Light weight cords replace compression straps a counter grip on the base makes it easier to pull out the compressed contents. The 3 side compression cords reduce the volume of contents effectively. Double seams lightweight closure and buckles round off this compression featherweight.2 Year Manufatcurers WarrantyMaterialPU coated and siliconized 15 Denier ripstop nylon


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Tuesday, 18 January 2011
A Software Engineer, a Hardware Engineer and a Departmental Manager ...
The car careered almost out of control down the road, bouncing off the crash barriers, until it miraculously ground to a halt scraping along the mountainside. The car's occupants, shaken but unhurt, now had a problem: they were stuck halfway down a mountain in a car with no brakes. What were they to do?
"I know", said the Departmental Manager, "Let's have a meeting, propose a Vision, formulate a Mission Statement, define some Goals, and by a process of Continuous Improvement find a solution to the Critical Problems, and we can be on our way."
"No, no", said the Hardware Engineer, "That will take far too long, and besides, that method has never worked before. I've got my Swiss Army knife with me, and in no time at all I can strip down the car's braking system, isolate the fault, fix it, and we can be on our way."
"Well", said the Software Engineer, "before we do anything, I think we should push the car back up the road and see if it happens again."
(With thanks to John Mitchell)
1 comment:
- Alec Waters said...
A man in a hot air balloon realized he was lost. He reduced altitude and spotted a man below. He descended a bit more and shouted, "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him half an hour ago, but I don't know where I am."
The man below replied, "You are in a hot air balloon hovering approximately 30 feet about the ground. You are between 42 and 44 degrees north latitude and between 83 and 85 degrees west longitude."
"You must be an engineer," said the balloonist.
"I am," replied the man, "but how did you know?"
"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically correct, but I have no idea what to make of your information, and the fact is I am still lost."
The man below responded, "You must be a manager."
"I am," replied the balloonist, "how did you know?"
"Well," said the man, "you don't know where you are or where you are going. You made a promise which you have no idea how to keep, and you expect me to solve your problem. The fact is you are exactly in the same position you were in before we met, but now, somehow, it's my fault."
- 19 January 2011 at 15:37


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They come on whistling wings in the gray light of dawn, inundating the estuaries and rocky coastline from central Maine to Cape Cod. The redlegs are coming.
Many casual hunters have hung up their waders and favorite fowling piece for the year, and moved on to more terrestrial pursuits like deer or snowshoe hare. The more dedicated waterfowlers however, know some of the best shooting has yet to arrive. When it does, word spreads quickly among the late-season fraternity.
September is the time of the teal, dainty little fighter jets arriving on the first whispers of a northern breeze, when the wild rice is ripening on the brackish bays. The blue-wings are usually gone by the time October's opening day rolls around. Their slightly more hardy green-winged cousins will linger a bit longer; long enough to provide some sporty wingshooting for early-season wildfowlers.
Wood ducks, too, are early-season birds. Most resplendent of the winged, web-footed tribe, their eerie wails and whistles haunt the flooded timber and inland marshes through much of October, but most will be on their way ahead of the first hard frosts.
All the while there will be big ducks like the ubiquitous mallards that seem to show up just about anywhere, from slow creeks and rivers to big waters and urban park ponds. Drab, mottled suzies and green-headed drakes provide abundant opportunities throughout the fall season.
And then there's the black duck, the standard bearer of Maine waterfowling. Early on it's mostly locals, secretive, elusive phantoms raised in the backwaters, beaver ponds and flooded swamps. Those early-season birds seem drab and thin with pale salmon legs. They are wary, wheeling and circling high overhead time and time again, while the more foolhardy mallards pitch in to even a modest spread of decoys. The locals and the early migrants push on south but a second wave will come.
By early December most of the inland waters have frozen over, pushing birds south and toward the coast. They seem to arrive en masse, big, robust birds with vibrant orange legs and feet. Old-timers call them redlegs.
The experts will tell you they're a myth, but over 35 years of waterfowling I've seen different. It's an annual phenomenon. One day they're scattered here and there, the next they're everywhere, offering some great late-season action.
Late-season hunters employ a variety of methods, depending on preference and equipment. One of the most popular modes is shooting over a spread of cork floaters along inshore waters, rocky headlands and peninsulas. Another involves jump-shooting the ditches and salt pannes of tidal marshes.
The hot action is ephemeral. Eventually most birds will move on south to the big waters of the Narragansett and Chesapeake, but some will remain as long as open water allows access to their preferred diet of tiny littorina perriwinkles exposed by receding tides. And there you'll find the most dedicated of waterfowlers, like the birds they pursue, eking out the last vestiges of another fall season.
Bob Humphrey is a freelance writer and registered Maine guide who lives in Pownal. He can be contacted at: [email protected]
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Downloading it is easy – take a look at the video below!
Click here for the Outlook Plugin downloading instructions


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Give Now
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OCF fnds growth in statewide equity investment funding.
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The nomination deadline for the 2010 award is March 31, 2011.
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CBS News correspondent Mark Phillips took viewers inside the extraordinary search to find a missing piece of American military history lost deep in the South Pacific, in a report that aired today on CBS THIS MORNING. Phillips was there when a team of researchers discovered the wreckage of the USS Hornet, which was lost in battle in October 1942. In a report only on CBS THIS MORNING, the discovery of the wreckage was revealed.
Here's the segment: https://cbsn.ws/2E5sF22
The CBSNews.com story is below.
CBSNews.com story:
The research vessel Petrel is perched on a spot in the South Pacific Ocean, which was anything but peaceful 77 years ago. Then, it was the scene of a major World War II battle between the U.S. and the Imperial Japanese Navies. For the U.S. aircraft carrier Hornet, it would be her last battle.
Now, researchers are revealing Petrel found the wreckage of the USS Hornet in late January – exactly what they were looking for. The ship was found more than 17,000 feet below the surface, on the floor of the South Pacific Ocean near the Solomon Islands. The USS Hornet is best known for launching the important Doolittle Raid in April of 1942 and its role in winning the Battle of Midway.
Richard Nowatzki, 95 now, was an 18-year-old gunner on Hornet when enemy planes scored several hits, reports CBS News' Mark Phillips.
"When they left, we were dead in the water," Nowatzki said. "They used armor piercing bombs…. Now, when they come down, you hear them going through the decks … plink, plink, plink, plink … and then when they explode, the whole ship shakes."
With 140 of her crew already dead, the order was given to abandon ship. The Hornet went to the bottom – three and a half miles down – which the crew of the Petrel has been scanning with a deep-sea sonar drone that sends back live pictures
The drone brought back an image of something down there that's about the right size in about the right place. It looked like her, but lots of ships went down around here. To be sure, they needed positive identification, which they got when they saw the Hornet's naval designation: CV-8.
CBS THIS MORNING was able to share the discovery in real time with Richard Nowatzki in California – even finding the gun he was on during the attack.
"If you go down to my locker, there's 40 bucks in it, you can have it!" Nowatzki joked.
Nowatzki has enjoyed a long life since that day. Seeing the Hornet again and the evidence of the men who served -- a jacket hung on a hatch, somebody's wash kit complete with toothbrush – naturally made him reflect on those who hadn't been as lucky.
"I know I've been a very fortunate man," he said. "The actual fact that you can find these ships is mind-boggling to me … I want to thank you for honoring me this way."
But it's the crew of the Petrel who were honored to find the Hornet and the final resting place of so many of her brave crew. Another wreck, and in turn, another war grave has been discovered. Its exact location is kept secret to protect it, but the memory now has a place and the loss has a memorial.
* * *
Press Contacts:
Tucker Hart
Samantha Graham
Samantha Graham
Tucker Hart


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Want to take advantage of Hyatt Privé benefits?
Contact f[email protected] for more details.
Hotels still largely rely on travel advisors to sell rooms, especially at luxury hotels. As a result, many hotel brands have developed special partnerships with select travel agencies, so that they can offer their guests more perks when staying at their hotels.
In the past we've written about Four Seasons Preferred Partner, Shangri-La Luxury Circle, and Starwood Luxury Privileges. Beyond that, there are organizations like Virtuoso, which offer similar benefits, but have member hotels that span many hotel groups, and also include independent hotels.
Hyatt has now introduced a similar program for some of their hotels, which is exciting news for certain Hyatt guests. Hyatt Privé offers special privileges at over 200 Hyatt hotels around the world, about 100 of which don't belong to Virtuoso. This includes all Park Hyatt and Andaz properties, as well as select Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Centric, Hyatt Regency, Thompson, and The Unbound Collection hotels.
What are the benefits of booking through Hyatt Privé?
The benefits vary by brand.
For stays at Park Hyatt hotels you receive:
- A $100 property credit per room per stay
- A one category room upgrade confirmed within 24 hours of booking (room-to-room or suite-to-suite) — based on availability at the time of booking
- Daily full breakfast for two in the hotel's restaurant
- Early check-in (as early as 9AM) and late check-out (as late as 4PM), subject to availability; the late check-out benefit is only available at Park Hyatt properties
- A welcome gift and letter
For stays at select Andaz, Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Centric, Hyatt Regency, Thompson, and The Unbound Collection hotels, you receive:
- A $50 or $100 property credit per room per stay (it varies by a hotel)
- A one category room upgrade confirmed within 24 hours of booking (room-to-room or suite-to-suite) — based on availability at the time of booking
- Daily full breakfast for two in the hotel's restaurant
- Early check-in (as early as 9AM) and late check-out (as late as 4PM), subject to availability
- A welcome gift and letter
What is the minimum stay requirement for a Hyatt Privé reservation?
For Park Hyatt and Andaz properties, there's no minimum stay requirement to book a Hyatt Privé rate. For Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, and The Unbound Collection, you need to stay a minimum of two nights to book a Hyatt Privé rate.
How much is the Hyatt Privé rate?
The Hyatt Privé rate should be identical to the flexible/standard rate. You can't book a Hyatt Privé rate in conjunction with a member discount rate, a AAA rate, a corporate rate, a pre-paid rate, or an award stay, just to give a few examples. You also can't combine this with Citi Prestige fourth night free.
Do you earn World of Hyatt points for Hyatt Privé rates?
Absolutely! You earn World of Hyatt points and receive all elite benefits when booking a Hyatt Privé rate. You can still apply a Globalist suite upgrade to a reservation, and take advantage of all other perks you'd receive for stays.
I'm a Globalist member, don't I already get all these perks?
There are several potential advantages to a Globalist member booking a Hyatt Privé rate:
- You receive a confirmed upgrade within 24 hours of when you book based on availability, while Globalist upgrades are based on availability at the time of check-in (and as a Globalist member I sometimes don't receive any sort of upgrade)
- You receive a $50-100 hotel credit per stay
- You receive complimentary restaurant breakfast, while when a hotel has a club lounge you typically only get complimentary breakfast in the lounge
Isn't this a good alternative to going for status?
In my opinion, yes. As hotels increasingly introduce these types of programs, the value of elite status sort of decreases. Just for booking through certain travel agents you get a complimentary upgrade, free breakfast, early and late check-out (subject to availability), and a hotel credit. Those are really the most valuable elite perks, and then some.
It makes you wonder whether it's really worth being loyal to a particular chain, rather than just staying at the hotel that's the best value in a given market.
How do I book a Hyatt Privé rate?
Consumers can't book this directly, but rather you have to book through an eligible travel agent. I know Ford would be happy to help with these reservations, and he can be reached at [email protected]. Other travel agents are welcome to leave their information below, so that people can get in touch with them.
To make your own life easier, in general I'd recommend doing the following before contacting a travel agent:
- Look up the flexible rate for the hotel you want to book, just to be sure that Hyatt Privé is the best option for you (again, other rates don't qualify)
- Make sure you're meeting the night eligibility — for Park Hyatt and Andaz, a one night stay is eligible, while for the participating Grand Hyatt, Hyatt Regency, and The Unbound Collection properties, a two night stay is required
Is there a list of Hyatt Privé hotels?
The hotels participating in Privé aren't published by Hyatt, but here's a list of all properties participating in Hyatt Privé as of June 2019.
This can change, but a travel agent can advise you exactly which properties are participating (in case there's confusion), and whether the property credit is for $50 or $100.
Pay with any credit card
Unlike Amex FHR rates, with Hyatt Privé you can use any credit card to make and pay for your hotel stay. I'd, of course, recommend using a card that earns extra points on travel purchases, such as one of these:
Where I see value in Hyatt Privé
I am excited about this program based on my stay patterns. Personally, I'll get very little value out of this for Hyatt's highest-end properties (like Park Hyatt). That's because:
- I typically redeem points for Park Hyatt stays, and you can't get these benefits on award stays
- For those Park Hyatts where I do pay cash, most of those properties already belong to Virtuoso, which offers similar perks
It's with many of Hyatt's other hotels where I see value in this. For example, I recently stayed at the Andaz Singapore. I just booked the flexible rate (there were no other discounted rates), which was the best rate available. If I had booked through Hyatt Privé I would have received a $100 property credit for my one night stay at no extra cost, which would have been awesome.
I'll be in New York soon and have the Grand Hyatt booked for my two night stay. The member discount rate is $20 lower than the flexible rate. I'd gladly pay an extra $40 over the course of a two night stay to get a $100 property credit, restaurant breakfast, and a guaranteed upgrade.
Say you want to make a one night stay at the Andaz Scottsdale in summer, where the standard rate is $159. Even for a one night stay you'd receive a $100 property credit, which is a heck of a deal (and most definitely worth it over the member rate, which is $4 cheaper).
Soon I'm hoping to visit Saudi Arabia, and I was surprised to find that the Park Hyatt Jeddah wasn't part of Amex Fine Hotels & Resorts or Virtuoso. It is part of Hyatt Privé, though, so I'll receive a $100 property credit.
I've taken advantage of Starwood Luxury Privileges so often for stays at W and Luxury Collection properties, and I'm so happy to see Hyatt introduce a similar program for many of their mid to upper tier properties.
Bottom line
I'm super excited about the new Hyatt Privé program, as it will add a lot of value for my stays at Hyatt's nicer hotels. Getting extra perks at Andaz, as well as many Grand Hyatt and Hyatt Regency properties, will be awesome, especially on shorter stays. It also makes you question the real value of elite status, if you can receive free breakfast, a guaranteed room upgrade, and a property credit, just for booking through a certain travel agent.
What do you think of the new Hyatt Privé program, and do you plan on using it?
Want to take advantage of Hyatt Privé benefits?
Contact [email protected] for more details.


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I carefully hand cut, form, solder and finish solider sterling silver into a mysterious dowsing rod pendant.
The pendant is approximately 2" in length and hangs on a 26" silver plated chain with one 14k gold plated link
"Dowsing is a type of divination employed in attempts to locate ground water, buried metals or ores, gemstones, oil, grave sites, and many other objects and materials, as well as so-called currents of earth radiation (Ley lines), without the use of scientific apparatus."
This piece is completely hand made and truly one of a kind.
Every piece is made to order to the above specifications.
I invest great care in every piece. You can expect your necklace to closely resemble the one pictured, However, all pieces are made by hand one at a time, so expect yours to have it's own unique but beautiful idiosyncrasies.
Please allow up to 2 weeks for your item to leave my shop, although I have most orders out the door in 1 week or less.
let me know if you have any questions
Every piece is made to order, one at a time. Please allow up to two weeks for your embellishment to leave my studio. (Although for most orders are mailed out in less than a week!)
If you need a rush order just let me know.
I'll keep you posted on the progress!
I ship USPS first class.
If you need faster shipping, have any questions, or special requests just let me know!
Just contact me within: 14 days of delivery
Ship items back to me within: 30 days of delivery
Request a cancellation within: 24 hours of purchase
But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
Because of the nature of these items, unless they arrive damaged or defective, I can't accept returns for:
Please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
If you are unhappy with your order, if it is defective, or damaged please let me know!
I will do all I can to accommodate your requests as quickly as possible.
I'm happy to repair/replace/or even refund your order if needed.
I'm happy to make accommodate special orders, different chain? size? length? color?
Have an idea? I would love to work with you on custom orders.


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Daily: Sorry for the Delay
So sorry for the delay in posting today. My university blocked access to all Tumblr sites on campus, which meant that for the past 15 hours, I've been unable to access my blog or my dashboard to update it. Needless to say, despite how happy I look in the above pictures, I am not, in any way, in a good mood today. Looks like I'll be hitting up Starbucks and the local coffee shops to do my blog. Here's the breakdown:
Jacket: Ann Taylor LOFT
Sweater: TJ Maxx (American Eagle)
Jeans: Old Navy
Booties: Simply Vera (Kohl's)
Bag: Target
Necklace: American Eagle
I've noticed a trend in the pictures and outfits I love; they typically involve black, army green, leopard print and these booties. I guess that's why I constantly come back to these sorts of outfits for my everyday looks. Not to mention that it gives me an excuse to carry my new leopard bag more often.


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Having three children you need to come into work and make money. But three children make three opportunities for not coming in; sick child, pick up child from school, etc. If you lack a spouse or have a spouse that works is a negative, a single parent of three children will have three times the need to not come to work.
If you have a good support system then you can mention it, otherwise keep your mouth shut. If the question of your having children does not come up then do not mention this.
Be prepared to be asked questions that are by law outright prohibited. It is common for employers to ask questions the laws say they cannot, have the answers ready.
Have a contact list of good references.
Some employers run criminal background checks, one of our clients have this as a contract requirement. This is because we enter peoples proprieties and business establishments. Especially high security government facilitates that can run on the spot background checks at the gate, if you will not be let inside they do not need you as a hire. In my area we have installations like the FBI, Secret Service, CIA, DOD, various military bases and installations that simply have no publicly released name.
Recent court cases limit the years back an offense an employer can consider for employment. You may have an old felony 20 years ago but if your record has been clean sense them they are not supposed to reject you. This is especially true if the offense is not related to the job. Killing your boss becasue you were upset is universal. Embezzlement can keep you from being a bank teller but not a construction laborer. If your employer rejects for a very old offense claiming that their client does not want you hired I remind you of the Nuremberg trials, I was just obeying orders is not a valid defense. ( We have such a contract clause and when I emailed the information to my manager the IT department sent the email back undelivered and marked as "banned content".)
This job requires working outside in all kinds of weather. A heavy rain we cannot work in but a light rain can be worked in and I have heard many complain when required to do so. We work in snow, ankle deep mud (every construction site has this) bitter cold and scorching heat. We work in the dark if need be.
We work long hours simply becasue we have time constraints on the work and cannot put it off until it is convent for the employee. We must be prepared to come in early, work late and work weekends. If a site is in the street and has too much traffic expect to come back to work late at night or early in the morning, early enough to be before morning rush hour and finish before rush hour starts, just to do that one job.
You need to indicate your ability to work extra hours as well as any extended hours.
The job requires independent action and problem solving, if you have examples of this in your past be prepared to speak of them.
Be prepared to answer questions and offer what they want to hear, but keep it to this. Here is the secret, there are so many applications for each job out here interviewers and not looking to see why you should be hired, they are looking for the reasons not to hire you. This is true for any job.


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Asakusa Samba Carnival
This is the most, most interesting event in Tokyo. Samba dancers and masks walk along two streets in Asakusa district. It takes around 6 hours for 30 samba schools to walk by. I usually go to see this event.
Image: Samba parade in Asakusa
Image: Samba parade in Asakusa
This year it started to rain in the middle of the parade. I thought that parade is over with the rain, but to my surprise next samba school was coming out of the corner, like nothing has happened. It was not light drizzle, but really heavy rain. As you can hear in video, even speakers in the truck have electrical short-circuits. Despite of the rain, samba dancers were walking and giving sunny smiles for us - people standing with umbrellas on the street side. I can only adore those dancers for their passion and love for samba dance.
Not everything is on video, because I was trying clap and wave. Still some moments I captured for you.
Video: Samba Carnival - some video impressions


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Yes. This is an article about Pokémon rap, and how it's building up and starting a community (well has already established a community). I don't exactly know how to start this, because Pokémon Rap explains itself–it's rap where the lyrical subject matter is Pokémon. What I like about PokéRap is the point that it mixes cultures. We've had nerd culture and rap mix plenty of times, but it seemed to not get directly into something so specifically nerdy.
I mean while growing up, I would have killed to have something so poignant in my neighborhood (rap) mesh well with something so important to my life (nerdy culture and Pokémon). In the aspect of rap being mixed with nerd culture people could point to De La Soul and then later point to Pharrell's time with the Neptunes and NERD, but for my first time dealing with nerd culture, it was Kanye West. Kanye was (is) weird. He had albums that had teddy bear robots on the covers. He every once in a while made nerd references, and then there was his music video for the quite divisive track, "Stronger".
As an anime fan, I enjoyed the music video because I liked Akira, but none of my friends were really about it (by that I kind of mean both anime in general and this specific anime movie). Quite a few people didn't like the song or the music video though. Either they were mad at the sampling of the sacred artist group, Daft Punk, or they were mad at a man rapping while inspired by Akira. And though this was a good moment in my life, and I felt connected to a popular rapper, I couldn't claim Kanye as the nerd rapper I wanted him to be for me, because most of his rap wasn't nerd rap, and having a connection due to one song wouldn't abolish you from nerdiness during childhood. Also, as we get further down the Kanye timeline, we get further away from what could be thought of as nerd culture.
Eventually I encountered Childish Gambino and I'm still in love with his music. His references, his punchlines, the point that he loves to play Mario Kart. Lines such as, "everything I'm saying, I'm super saying (saiyan) like Goku" (though in like the next line he goes on to say, "fuck nerdcore") or "let me poke ya ma, raichu" were things that made seventeen through nineteen year old me happy. And though I would love to and Wikipedia actually defines Childish Gambino as nerdcore or a nerd rapper, he isn't. A lot of his rapping comes from the experience of being a nerd when young while being black (which is something I connected to, vibed off of, and desperately needed to hear in media), but it isn't focused on nerd subjects. And also most of my favorite songs and lines from Childish Gambino aren't nerdy references, they're usually the kind of dark lines and tracks i.e. "LES" ("I'm a mess. That don't rhyme with shit. It's just true." that's really the only dark-ish line, "LES" is more of lighter song.), "I'm Alright" ("I'd rather die than be average, and chances are I might". Side Note: I used to listen to this song every day at three in the morning when I'd wake up to go the library during junior of college), "Flight of the Navigator", "The Last" (the last line of "The Last"), "U Don't Have To Call" ("This melanin pit they placed us in and said get out"), and the entirety of "Not Going Back" (there are other songs I like too, but then I'd almost list his entire discography).
But PokéRap is different from most things I've experienced. It's rap solely referencing and about Pokémon (well almost). It's kind of an appreciation and boast of their Pokémon knowledge and skill. The first Pokémon rapper I had heard of was Shofu. I was a freshman in college and saw a shared video on my newsfeed. It was Shofu ft. Jok3r "TM87".
And my jeez, it was something I could bump to. I enjoyed it. It mixed something that I liked, but seemed alienated from, with something I liked, but caused my alienation. I had assumed it was a one off thing. Maybe it was a parody as some might do in order to show nerdy cred in a world of nerds, but Shofu kept making Pokémon raps. And then he collaborated with other people who liked to rap about Pokémon and collaborated with producers/ musical engineers who liked making beats for Pokémon BGMs. It started to build. And then there was the 2013 cypher.
In this cypher you saw that there was a budding community that liked to rap about Pokémon, and though it took till 2016 for there to be another cypher (which was kickstarted, well produced, and filmed in San Fransisco during the Pokémon World Championship–it's the first video in this article), there were still other rap videos and songs that were made. So you might be wondering, "Well why are you talking so much about this?" It's because it's fascinating to see people mix two opposite things and make it work, but also it brings light to a usually cartooned demographic of the black nerd. It shows that you can be part of both, slightly stereotyped, worlds. And also it's rap garnered for a specific thing. Some Pokémon fans don't like the rap, and some rap fans don't like to hear bars dedicated to Pokémon, but it's not for you–much like genre fiction to MFA literary culture, sometimes it's not for you, but it makes someone's day (Was this article supposed to lead up to that line? No, but I enjoyed getting here somehow.). And so with that I leave you with one of my favorite Pokémon rap videos.


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All News Articles for 2018-01-30
US Surpasses Cayman Islands to Become Second Largest Tax Haven on Earth
"This is not a ranking in which the U.S. wants to be number one or even number two. We have one of the strongest economies and one of the most secret. It's a perfect recipe for attracting the proceeds of crime, corruption, and tax evasion."
Read more
Immigrant Rights Advocate Ravi Ragbir Speaks Out After Being Freed from "Unnecessarily Cruel" ICE Detention
"I am still in an out-of-body experience."
Read more
Proving Pruitt 'Capable of Telling the Truth,' Leaked Audio Reveals EPA Chief Once Called Trump Threat to Constitution
"It's sad that Donald Trump is likely more upset about Scott Pruitt's accurate portrayal of him than Pruitt's relentless attacks on clean air, clean water, and the health of the American public."
Read more
Medicare-for-All Proponents Warn Against Billionaires' Plan to "Disrupt" Healthcare Industry
"We can do better than a healthcare system run by a rent-seeker, a slumlord and a Wall Street bank. It's called Medicare for All."
Read more
Only 9 Percent of Fortune 500 Companies Have Shared GOP Tax Cut Windfall With Workers: Analysis
"Corporations should be honest with the public about where their fat tax cuts are going instead of doing Donald Trump's dirty work with marketing spin."
Read more
'Talk About Not Getting It': Trump Campaign to Flash Names of Donors During SOTU Stream
"Of course," noted one political observer, "many special interests have already purchased large pieces of the speech."
Read more
'Massacre in Slow Motion': Concerns Grow That Trump Executing Nixonian Purge
"Comey, McCabe, working up to Rosenstein and maybe Sessions or Mueller or both. All in the pursuit of obstructing justice."
Read more
Siding With Majority of Americans on Abortion Access, Senate Blocks 20-Week Ban
"If the anti-choice GOP continues to be out-of-step with the values of hard-working women and families, we'll make sure they pay the consequences at the ballot box in November."
Read more
After GOP Votes to #ReleaseTheMemo, ACLU Says Dems Have 'Duty' to Make FISA Intel Public
Civil libertarians argue Republicans are "cherry-picking" to help Trump by voting to release only secret memo and not underlying intelligence
Read more


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ESRC AQM Studentship
Project Title:The Political Polarisation and Violence around Independence Movements: An Agent-Based Model of Echo Chambers and Tipping Points in Online and Offline Social Networks.
Available to study a PhD in the School of Social and Political Sciences in the College of Social Sciences under the supervision of Dr Philip Leifeld (School of Social and Political Sciences).
Please see postgraduate research opportunities for more details.
Eligible Countries
- Austria
- Belgium
- Bulgaria
- Croatia
- Cyprus
- Czech Republic
- Denmark
- England
- Estonia
- Finland
- France
- Germany
- Greece
- Hungary
- Ireland
- Italy
- Latvia
- Lithuania
- Luxembourg
- Malta
- Netherlands
- Northern Ireland
- Poland
- Portugal
- Romania
- Scotland
- Slovakia
- Slovenia
- Spain
- Sweden
- Switzerland
- Wales
Eligible Programmes
- Central & East European Studies [PhD] (pgr)
- Economic & Social History [PhD] (pgr)
- Politics [PhD] (pgr)
- Sociology [PhD] (pgr)
Depending on residency, a Full Award consists of: Full tuition fee waiver, enhanced RCUK stipend per annum access to the annual Research Training Support Grant; and a Fees Only award consists of: a Full tuition fee waiver.
How to apply
Collate all documents and send in one email to email@example.com
Application deadline: 22 April 2018
For more information contact: email@example.com


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Festive Couture Floral and sharing on social media
Festive Couture Floral and sharing on social media goes hand in hand.
Anyone with a smartphone can tell you how easy it is to snap a picture and share it with the rest of the world. In a few seconds we can give our friends and family insight into our perspective with words, emoticons or images from our day. Platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Yelp, Foursquare and many others make it so easy. With the ease of sharing, sometimes we share before we realize how it may affect others around us.
Following events, it's the Festive routine to do a recap of the event. Our team keeps personal notes and together we make a checklist of items we can improve on. The list is endless. We might discuss how to improve our customer experience, how to better load into a venue or how to give our design a bigger impact.
Recently we had a guest of the bride reveal of an event before the bride was able to get her first look. Hours before the reveal, this guest checked into the hotel which was also the ceremony and reception venue. We're sure she didn't mean to reveal too early. As stated, the guest was staying in the venue and came down to slip into the room that was being prepared. The room was not perfect or in place for the big reveal. This guest then began taking pictures and posting them on various social media platforms.
An upset bride went to the planner on how she might handle that guests have seen the prepared room before anyone had arrived. Unfortunately, there was not much that could be done.
The event was flawless. It was a perfect evening. Other than a sample of the reveal slipping out, everyone was blown away with the evening. In the end it was already forgotten before the evening ended. However, some might have more of a difficult time if larger damage had been done.
The reveal is such an important moment. There is such a monumental difference between 'preparation' time and 'go' time. During 'go' time or 'reveal' time, everything is perfect. The room is spotless, staff is uniformed, lighting has been adjusted to the 'romantic' setting, candles are lit, flowers are in full bloom, tables are set and the list goes on. A combination of all of these things really make that moment special for hosts and guests of the event.
Many times we are unable to control how some may approach this situation. Looking back, you never know who might spoil the reveal. It could be a guest, family member, coordinator, delivery person, caterer, photographer, venue staff, baker, videographer, chef, lighting tech, band member, the possibilities are endless. Industry professionals typically have a procedure in place to prevent this. Festive employees are not allowed to take pictures of an event unless they are directed to by the project manager. Unfortunately, we're not able to always control everyone.
With that said, please consider the timing of the moments you may be sharing on social media. It's exciting to be a part of a big day, but be sure to think of how your excitement might affect others.
Have a great week,


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There are few factors that affect the natural scent of the skin. These include the stress level, body chemistry, diet and even your mood. If you are looking for a perfume that lasts long and has that significant impact not only to the people who can smell it but can also affect your mood and energy for the day, then may be Usher UR for Men Eau de Toilette Spray is the one you are looking for.
Usher UR for Men for Daily Use
Usher UR for Men Eau de Toilette Spray gives you that masculine fresh fragrance that you can wear every day. The sea breeze with woody and musky flavors gives you a positive energy to start your day right. This perfume will linger in your skin even at the end of the day. Granny Smith apple, bergamot and Melon are the top notes of this fragrance and gives it fruity and luscious scent.
Usher UR for Men has the combination of different masculine and aromatic scents. This perfume for men was released by the USHER house in 2008 and has the blend of nutmeg, guaiac wood, cashmere wood, bay leaf, sea water and sandalwood.
Masculine and Sweet in One
Sensuous and fascinating are two words that best describe this perfume. It has the combination of sweet and shape scents that can awaken your senses making you feeling great when you head out for work or for a special date. The strong yet flowery fragrance comes from the Thai basil, Artemisia and bay oil. The musky and woody scent makes you more masculine and attractive for many women. This perfume will give you that appeal and sophistication that you have long to feel with your fragrance. Usher UR, which comes in beautiful grey bottle, perfectly mirrors what masculine power is all about.
Feel the Freshness
The gentle scent of this Usher UR for Men will give that sensual and sophisticated fragrance that makes you feel fresh and confident all day-long. A spray on your whole body can tease and awaken your senses every morning as you get ready for the day. The sensual feel is perfect when you are with your significant one. Usher UR for Men Eau de Toilette Spray is your everyday perfume and for days to come.
|See it
|UR by Usher for Men, Eau De Toilette Spray, 3.4-Ounce
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Select best and comfortable pajamas for your weekend vacations
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Make your day comfortable with the use pajamas.
If tight jeans and the scorching heat make your day uncomfortable, then go for something that will keep you relaxed. Make yourself drool over some of the exciting offers on men's apparels that are tailor-made for your comfort. Some interesting combos of shirts and pants are the highlights of this category. The store will arrange the pajamas with the range of cost and brand .Marked as one of the most trusted and valuable online shopping portal, the internet store will deliver your product in front of your door without any damage.


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Contact us today to learn more about our Partner program.
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Lecture: Kay Kane on the restoration of Venus
The Atelier was very pleased to host a lecture by Dr Kay Kane, in the wake of her recent trip to California where she presented at The Representational Art Conference (TRAC). Kay is a formidable painter, producing slowly-evolving works on a very large scale, most usually inspired by the rural Queensland landscape of her childhood. She paints from her Salisbury Studios studio. She also teaches at the Queensland College of Art (QCA) and formerly taught at the independent Balmoral Arts Academy. Her influence as an educator is widely felt in our sunny State.
The paper Kay presented, The restoration of Venus: The nude, beauty and modernist misogyny, attends to the question of beauty in art, specifically as embodied in the female nude. Through this question she seeks to address her broader concern with the value of representation in art. Her paper is the culmination of the research she undertook during the painting of her impressively grand five-panel work The restoration of Venus, named in direct response to a book by Wendy Steiner that proved indispensible to that research: The exile of Venus. Steiner's thesis is, broadly, that Venus—beauty—was shunned in art in the twentieth century, and that there follows from this all sorts of implications for womankind in her entanglement with beauty. Kay's writing and painting seeks to redress this malign on beauty and on the utterly lovely, sensual, and not in every instance prurient female form.
Since her student days Kay has both been fascinated with the skills evident in representational art and inexorably attracted to the nude. 'This predilection,' she confesses in her paper (Kane, 2010: 12), 'was rather mysterious even to myself.' As an undergraduate student at the Central School of Art and Design in London in the seventies, she found both of these persuasions difficult to reconcile to the climate around her, and increasingly found her interests leading her back to the old master paintings on display at the National Gallery of London. It has in many ways been her lifelong project to explain and to defend these inclinations and to further these traditions, and her work has doggedly clung to both representation and to the admiration of the beautiful nude.
Pressing concerns about the suppressive male gaze and painting's increasing deference to theory were only part of the climate in which Kay found herself as a fledgling painter. Modernism was not simply indifferent to the nude, but openly antagonistic. In contrast to her desire to render 'the nude, whether male or female, in ways that emphasised an ancient idea of beauty,' as had the ancient Greeks, the modernism that had captivated the twentieth century preferred to subject the nude to unsettling 'deformations and distortions' (p. 11) more in the virtue-obsessed Christian tradition. Steiner's diagnosis is that a terrible paradox lies at the heart of the modern: modern art is intentionally ugly, even though beauty is central to art and to our lived reality. Throughout the twentieth century, art has chased after the thrill of repulsion, the shock of the new, and the confrontation of the awful truth. Art must be subversive, Kay was admonished by a fellow artist—at least, if it is to have any value; but something in this rang false when she considered art that had been prepared to be 'consoling, inspiring, confirming, tragic or joyful' (p. 5).
Kay's explanation develops Steiner's, dividing this subversive modernist urge into two related paths: One embraces beauty only insofar as it lends itself to 'an ideal of purity in increasing abstraction and minimalism,' while the other openly rejects beauty and declares all truth ugly, demanding that meaningful art must reflect this ugliness (p. 6). Both trajectories had little sympathy for the female nude, who, as Steiner (2001: 18) describes, was abased as 'a monster, an animal, an exotic, a prostitute … in the name of purity and civilized values.' In stark contrast to the ancient Greek reverence for the nude and the classical ideals embodied by it, Kay notes the rather frightening Judeo-Christian provenance of the nude and its fraught relations with purity, temptation and judgment, a suspicion carried on by modernism. Indeed—the first Judeo-Christian nude is somewhat chillingly Eve (Kane, 2010: 26).
The female form, argues Kay, should be alternately venerated and feared. This is, for her, epitomised in Velázquez's 'Rockeby Venus' (Venus at her toilet), at once alluring and in control. Becoming acquainted with this painting during her time in London, Kay considers her the 'finest nude,' a ravishing portrayal that meets the commissioner's brief (most likely that of appealing to a voyeuristic male gaze) but which also transcends it. We are not simply permitted to indulge in her supple flesh, but we are confronted with her self-aware gaze peering solemnly back at us, quietly letting us know she is conscious of her power. The magic, Kay explains, is that this painting, in its exquisite beauty, does not diminish either the model or the viewer. And thus can beauty be nourishing, and dignifying, and powerful.
The desire for beauty and our attunement to it, Kay argues (p. 23), have never gone away, however modernism has punished us with ugly truths and demanded virtue in place of indulgence and illusion. Rather, our hunger for beauty resurfaced in popular culture—and unlike Velázquez's Venus, the female form has suffered all sorts of abuse and vulgarisation because of it. The exile of Venus, goddess of love, she argues, is symptomatic of a greater malady: the exile of Eros—of love—in our modern culture. Our rejection of beauty, she suggests (p. 23), may be connected with our malnourished modern souls, and even 'a reflection on … the lived environment that we have built for ourselves, which is often purposefully ugly in its waste and exploitation of the natural environment.' Rather than forcing our attention on the ugliness of life we might, as Nietzsche suggested, embrace the 'illusory beauty of art' and coax Eros back into our lives.
'Steiner helped me to an awareness that my work was a vehicle for a larger intention,' Kay explains (p. 19): 'a restatement of the importance of beauty.' In a broader appeal to Eros, Kay rather hopefully and boldly places the female nude—no less than twenty-three of them—in the Queensland landscape, on a grand scale, in an effort to reinstate the dignity and moving power of Venus, and to celebrate that impulse to beauty that never left us. Her five-panel painting, The restoration of Venus, is intentionally traditional in subject and in setting because in deliberately looking backwards, Kay strives to say something about the permanence of love and of beauty to the human condition.
As for representation in art: Her conclusions on this matter are simply that each artist must be responsible for her response to reality as she perceives it. If visual art institutions, unlike those that teach our sister arts of music and literature, neglect to equip their students with the tools to notate a response to our lived experience, students will either be forced to 'play the art game' or will suffer disillusionment at the shallow ideologies they have been offered instead. Kay fiercely believes that representation in art continues to be relevant and important to teaching and learning because it equips students for that encounter with the world: it prepares one to see order and to impose order.
'I know I can be, and should be, true to my own experience of reality,' Kay concludes (p. 29). 'If I seek beauty in my own work it is because it is there in the world to be found.'
Kane, Kay. 2010. The restoration of Venus: The nude, beauty and modernist misogyny. Queensland College of Art, Griffith University (Doctor of Visual Arts exegesis).
Steiner, Wendy. 2001. Venus in Exile: The rejection of beauty in 20th-Century art. University of Chicago: Chicago.
Lectures are held at the end of every five-week pose, just before a well-earned celebratory BBQ. Wine, cheese and a respectably charred dinner are provided for all guests, though extra plates of goodies are always welcome. You'll definitely hear of the next lecture on our Facebook page.


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Tell us a story.
Why tell stories? Activist Naomi Brook describes how three years of telling and hearing stories as part of her job has led to a story if its own, and how bringing people together to tell their stories can lead to some really wild ideas…
Natasha Lea tells us the story of how she came to discover her Inner Super Hero.
In 'My Serbian Meal', James Jackman talks about how what he expected to be a simple dinner turned out to be a bit of a adventure and why you should always check the menu before you head inside.
Author of the Veg Diner Monologues, Stella Backhouse tells us how she tried to get a decent meal in Coventry in 'A Veg Dine Reduction'.
Carole Donnelly tells us how social enterprise is rescuing Coventry's medieval Priory.
In 'Masterji', artist Tarla Patel tells the story of her father's arrival in the 1950s in Coventry from India, and his love of photography from then to the present day.
Kristina Gavran tells us a story of 'Coffee Culture in Croatia'.
In 'Lovesong to an Adventurer', author Cat Weatherill travels from the cloud-draped Andes to a sunset beach in Goa as she tries to mend a broken heart.
In 'Beginning, Middle, and End', writer Nick Walker talks about how all of these things are terrifying...


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Ethereum's Gold Rush is Drawing Bitcoin Miners to Ethereum
- Overview - Table of Contents
- Ether Mining Attracting new Miners
- Proof of Stake For Ethereum
Ethereum's recent price rise, from less than $1 per ether to more than ten times that witin six months, has created a gold rush centered around it. And among people who want to capitalize on this gold rush are Bitcoin miners, many of whom have now also started to mine Ether.
Bitcoin mining is the process in which miners create new blocks, which are groupings of transactions, that satisfy some specific constraints. Creating such blocks is not easy, and requires huge computing power. The hardware required is costly, as is the electricity needed to run the hardware. Miners make up for this cost by earning a reward in the cryptocurrency they are mining.
With the increase in Ether price, it is becoming more and more attractive to mine Ether too. This is what is attracting leading Bitcoin miners to Ethereum mining. One such miner is Chandler Guo, CEO of Chinese mining company BW.com, who owns up to 10% of world's bitcoin mining computing power. He recently declared on his facebook page that, "I am a miner of #ethereum." With this announcement, he also started a crowdfunding campign to fund his new Ethereum mining operation. A lot of other leading miners are now also mining ethereum.
Ether Mining Attracting new Miners
Mining in the Ethereum network is fundamentally the same process, because it is still based on proof of work (PoW) , where the miner has to show that they have solved a complex computation. However, there are some differences too. One major difference is that whereas Bitcoin mining is done using custom designed ASIC chips, ethereum mining is currently ASIC resistant because it uses a PoW algorithm called Ethash that's said to be ASIC resistant. Another difference is that whereas blocks are created every 10 minutes in Bitcoin network, in Ethereum network new blocks are created every 14 seconds.
There are plans among the developers of Ethereum to shift to a 'proof of stake' algorithm after a few months, but for now, computational leaders of Bitcoin mining are shifting to mine Ethereum too.
One such Bitcoin miner is F2Pool, which is a pool of users that mines the maximum number of bitcoins as of mid-2016. F2Pool also operates an Ethereum mining pool for users who want to mine Ether. Another major Bitcoin player, Genesis Mining, has also started to offer cloud computational devices for mining in the Ethereum network. Genesis Mining recently unveilved the largest Ethereum Mine in the world, called 'Enigma'.
Ethereum developers have already outlined a roadmap where they plan to switch to 'proof of stake' (PoS) algorithm for Ethereum mining in the near future. They plan to switch to PoS because they have concerns in case a single entity with 51% mining power is able to change the old blocks, rendering obsolete countless contracts and transactions. This is one of the factors why not everyone is interested in Ethereum mining: once the 'proof of stake' algorithm rolls in, the current hardware that works on Proof of Work would be mostly rendered obsolete.
For the present, the major factor for new players entering the Ethereum mining space is the price of Ether, and currently its rising price is attracting new players. As of 11th June 2016, the price of Ether is $13.79, whereas it was around $0.95 on 1st January 2016. Such quantum leap in Ether price has lured in huge numbers of users as well as miners, and continues to do so.