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Friday, July 13, 2012
Trans Invisibility
Invisiblity within the trans* movement is a topic which could have any one of a few different causes (or at least a combination of them). Some of them are within our control, and others require the LGB of LGBT groups to stand up. And even though some are within our control, it winds up being a lot to ask of those trans people who can affect this.
The first reason is sheer numbers. By and large, we're not a big group. There were only a handful of us, if that, at my local LGBT group (compared to the tons and tons of LG people). The numbers game means that at any LGBT support group, we will be a minority, unless it's specifically targeted at trans* people. There are just more gay and lesbian identified men and women than there are trans women and men. So, even at the outset, we're already fighting an uphill battle.
The next issue is a beef with many of the LGBT organizations out and about. In a lot of cases, the trans related issues, discussion topics, and so on are either few and far between at best, or nonexistent at worst. This stems from problem one, that we're not nearly as large a group as the LGB, so naturally, most LGBT organizations tend to give the T events, topics, etc. proportional to their numbers within the group. Small numbers, few meetings focused on our issues. (I want to give a shout out to the Akron LGBTU group at my college - they break this trend and give trans issues a larger chunk of time).
So even within these groups, we're often pushed aside because we're a minority within the minority. This deserves a mention, because right now, we're FAR behind LGB rights in terms of social acceptance, protections, rights, and so on. We still have U.S. Senators getting away with promoting violence towards us. The murders of trans women are in many cases not appearing in the media. CeCe McDonald's self-defense resulting in jail. We are YEARS behind LGB rights, and even despite this, many LGBT organizations fail to adequately inform and educate their memberships on trans issues. I've heard many stories of lesbian, gay, and/or bisexual people being just as ignorant of trans issues as heteronormative people. Considering that they are supposed to be our allies, it's not asking much, I think, that they be informed on our issues. Especially considering we're so far behind them. We need them to be educated, and we need their support. These are still dark times to be a trans* person, and if we can't even count on the LGB part of LGBT, then who can we count on? Are we expected to be used as a voting base for gay and lesbian rights while we get thrown under the bus to advance LGB-related legislation at the expense of trans protections? This comic comes to mind. Don't be like this, seriously. If your group is like this, please don't hesitate to bring this up to them. If they worry about losing gay and lesbian membership if trans-related information and activities are increased - ask them if those who would leave were ever really trans allies in the first place. We're years behind, and quite vulnerable, we NEED those who claim to be our allies to be educated and involved.
Okay, back to the main topic. Another reason trans people tend to be invisible, is that many trans people simply cease all action within trans/LGBT circles once they've finished transition, especially if they pass. They no longer need the emotional support group, and are capable of living a normal, fulfilling life without the need for the LGBT organization. As many LGBT groups are very lesbian/gay focused anyway, and tend to serve their interests and needs instead of those of trans people, its no surprise that many decide to just stop going to these groups. Especially since they no longer need most of the support that the few trans-related events offer.
And finally, you have the last, and probably most obvious reason for trans invisibility - "stealth". Stealth of course refers to the practice of a trans person living as a cis person, actively hiding their trans status in an attempt to avoid anti-trans related issues / enjoy cis privilege. While it's obviously understandable why many trans people choose this, it has some consequences. For one, when people think of someone who's transsexual/transgender, they're usually think of drag queens, or the stereotypical late transitioners who's trans* status is apparent. That is because these are the only trans people that they "see". You have your outliers like Jenna Talackova, and Chaz Bono, but that's only recently, and even then they're seen as the exception to the rule. This is because, explicitly, of passing/stealth. It's confirmation bias. The only trans people that 'exist' are those who don't pass. Those who do pass are rendered invisible to the public, and thus don't 'exist', becoming literally invisible. That said, it's hard to ask any of them to stand up and be loud and proud when doing so is likely to result in violent action, discrimination, and other negative consequences. Once more legal protections and rights, and more social progress has been made, it will be safer for those among us who appear cisgender to speak out for trans rights.
All of the above contributes to this. We're a minority already, but many of us pass, and in doing so, we literally become invisible. This means the number of 'visible' trans people is even smaller. It's only recently that we've had much visibility, and even with the somewhat growing acceptance, many would rather hide in stealth.
(Comments are open to anonymous posting! This blog thrives on questions and prompts by the readers. If you have a question or idea you would like me to write about, please share it in the comments section below!)
26 comments:
- OrangebanJuly 17, 2012 at 3:36 AM
Sorry for not commenting earlier, I've been trying to think of a question. I'm really not a very imaginative person :(ReplyDelete
But excellent answer to my question, thank you for that.
Okay, question, what do you think of the emerging trend for parents to raise their children without acknowledging their gender? Cases like that Storm kid who caused quite a bit of news.
I can only support this trend, mainly for personal reasons, since I feel my life could have been slightly different had I been allowed to develop my own identity, rather than be assigned one.
- OrangebanJuly 18, 2012 at 12:46 PM
Scottish trans people (like me), may want to read this:ReplyDelete
Basically, the Scottish NHS just became a whole lot more awesome in dealing with trans people, including, most excitingly for me, letting me be treated as an adult at 16 and letting me self-refer to GIC clinics.
- AnonymousJuly 18, 2012 at 7:24 PM
The world will always have bias, and people will always want to hide or run away from their problems. Granted there is a lot of trans hate from regular people, its just because you are abnormal. Abnormalities stir up a lot of natural responses in all animals, such as seeing someone with some extreme physically altering disease, granted that is far and away from being transgendered.ReplyDelete
Though I think everyone should be treated equally I have a hard time sympathizing with your side in modern day society. trans is such a minority compared to other societal problems that I feel its hardly important to fix the way society thinks about trans when racism and sexism is still rampant.
That being said it would help your cause (to outside parties such as myself) if you stopped throwing around words like cis, or heteronormative, and just say straight or normal... I understand it might not make you feel great but think about the meaning of the word normal and why its a very important thing in society as we know it.
Also this is a more biased take on some of your previous posts, but you sound like an entitled child in some of your blog posts. Why should I accept you when you aren't willing to accept me? Why should I care about the plight of trans people when you treat regular people like trash? Awefully childish.Replies
- OrangebanJuly 18, 2012 at 8:59 PM
When have "regular" people been treated like trash?Delete
- AnonymousJuly 19, 2012 at 12:21 PM
Regular people are put down because we think normally. That was primarily evident in the last blog post, about the bar situation. Its normal to assume someone has the physical parts that matches their appearance, making the burden not on the regular person but actually on the irregular person. Regular people are constantly being berrated for being normal, especially if they refuse to cater to every single niche group in society.Delete
Average male doesn't agree with trans views? Bigot. Average male doesn't want to date a transgendered woman because they are genetically a man? Bigot. (This includes post-op too, I wouldn't date a trans person no matter the "parts" they have. And no, that does not make me a bad person, nor a bigot, nor against your cause)
- OrangebanJuly 19, 2012 at 1:12 PM
Okay, why wouldn't you not date a post-op transgender woman? Let's explore your reasoning here. Let's assume they pass perfectly and their bits look perfectly "normal".Delete
- AnonymousJuly 19, 2012 at 2:34 PM
I want children. And I want a biological woman. Why is that so wrong?Delete
P.s. I want my own kids, not adopted
- OrangebanJuly 19, 2012 at 2:39 PM
Firstly, a trans woman is just as "biological" as any other woman.Delete
But why do you want a "biological" woman, what is so attractive about someone having DNA that signifies their sex is female (because that is the only distinguishing feature in this).
As for the children, can I assume you wouldn't date an infertile woman then?
- AnonymousJuly 19, 2012 at 4:05 PM
Its not the only biological difference. Try matching a womans period, and all of the hormones that come with it, or the hormonal differences during pregnancy. How about a womans scent? You can't match that just by taking hormones, its incredibly hard coded. And no I wouldn't as I want children. Seeing as I am allowed to be specific, I'm going to beDelete
- OrangebanJuly 19, 2012 at 4:44 PM
So, uh, you're attracted to women based on them having periods? Because certain types of birth control actually stop periods, so I assume you wouldn't date women using those.Delete
And what is a woman's scent? I assumed they all had different scents, rather than one scent that is common to all. Would you refuse to date a woman who wore perfume on account of her not having the right scent?
- AnonymousJuly 19, 2012 at 5:32 PM
You have obviously never enjoyed the true scent of a woman, especially during intercourse. And what's so bad about enjoying a woman in theirnatural entirety? Sure they may not be convienient but they serve a very important purposeDelete
- AnonymousJuly 19, 2012 at 5:59 PM
Increase in libido, enhanced mood due to proper hormone distribution, cleanses the vagina and the womb, helps lose weight, makes you live longer, there's lots of good things that a period does where most people equate periods with PMS.Delete
On the perfume subject, I enjoy perfume, but I enjoy the way women smell in a more natural and primal way. Stop nit picking arguements, and quit being fallacious
- OrangebanJuly 19, 2012 at 6:45 PM
Fine, want me to quite being fallacious, let's look at the big picture.Delete
I'd say your only legitimate reason is that trans women can't have kids. If you would truly not date an infertile woman, then that's fair enough, let's move on.
However, all your other reasons (seriously, periods and "a woman's scent"? How picky are you, do you dump women when they don't smell quite right?) reveal that I don't think you consider trans women to be "real" women. You describing cis women as "biological" women (I'm just as biological as any woman, FYI) and that you want to enjoy women in "their natural entirety" show that much.
Which leads to a greater point, you wouldn't date trans women because you still harbour the view that a trans women is really a man, and you don't want to date men. That view is what makes you a bigot.
And as for why it is the responsibility of the "regular" person to be either open-minded or to reveal that they don't like trans people, rather than the trans person having to say they are trans, it's because it is actually quite dangerous for a trans person to reveal that they are trans. Violence, murder, these reactions are not uncommon, and the "shock" of finding out someone is trans is actually considered to be a legal defence in some places for crimes.
This comment has been removed by the author.Delete
[my comment above was deleted because it would not allow me to make grammatical corrections without outright deleting the post]Delete
Regarding "female scent" yes, in fact, that's controlled by hormones. You come in here, posting these things, but you clearly don't understand what you're speaking about. And regarding the hormone fluctuations around a woman's period, that's controlled by a hormone "progesterone". The exact same hormone fluctuation can be accomplished in a transgender woman by cycling progesterone. Many opt to not do it, because all it does for us is cause mood swings for no benefit.
Cisgender is to transgender what straight is to gay. I will not stop using it, because it's the correct word to use. I will not dumb down my language to appeal to a privileged cisgender group.
And 'normal'? To say that a cisgender person is normal is to say that we as transgender people, are abnormal. We are not abnormal. We are transgender. You are cisgender (assuming). Those are the words to use when you're describing this situation.
And I will never stop calling people a bigot when they exhibit bigoted behavior. If you read the comments on the dating and bigotry post, you'd see that wanting biological kids is okay; and NOT bigotry, provided you'd be equally rejecting of an infertile cisgender woman.
I come off as aggressive about trans issues because such bigoted viewpoints are pervasive still, and this needs to be changed. You, for instance, demanding that the trans woman out herself because she's "abnormal". That's disgusting, it's deep-seated cis privilege, and I'll call it where I see it. Bearing in mind, having cis privilege and being unaware of how it colors your viewpoint isn't the same as being a bigot, it's still something that needs to be addressed directly. Being made aware of your privilege, and denying it exists, and/or continually demanding things of trans women that you have no ethical grounds on which to do (such as demanding we out ourselves) is evident of this privilege. Examine it from an ethical point of view, and you quickly find that we do not have ANY obligation to tell you about the fact that we're trans. That you expect we tell you otherwise is cis privilege. Refusing to recognize this when it's brought to light, and wallowing in your incorrect point of view when the truth is staring you in the teeth, THAT'S bigotry.
Oh, and the difference between me calling someone a bigot and you calling me a "entitled child" is that you (and many) people ARE, in fact, bigots. Whereas I'm not an entitled child, I'm a member of a discriminated against, marginalized minority, and I'm standing up for my trans brothers and sisters and not taking cis privileged actions and bigotry with a smile and a nod. If you don't like that, that's not my problem.
- OrangebanJuly 20, 2012 at 11:08 PM
Thank you Lyn, you do this kind of thing far better than I can.Delete
- AnonymousJuly 23, 2012 at 8:15 PM
If transgender people think of themselves as normal why then do they feel the need to take hormones that could potentially be dangerous, put their bodies through surgery or even just trying to change their normal voice. To blend in? to be normal?Delete
We're normal in the sense that in a given population, there's an expected quantity of transsexuals per number of people. For those x people, it's completely normal for them to be trans (or gay, or whatever other quality you're checking for).Delete
Trans people are not happy as their birth gender, either because of depression regarding their body type, the socialization of certain genders, or both. The diagnosis is called "Gender Dysphoria". Transition can and does fix all of these problems - hormones allow us to fix our bodies (depending on how early they're administered, a transgender person could develop to appear just as a cisgender person. This is why they administer puberty blockers to young trans kids, so they can choose for themselves at 16).
Hormones fix the body - they provide many secondary sex characteristics of the patients identified gender, and relieve some of the body dypshoria.
As for social interactions - let me explain it a simple way. Trans people are, for all intents and purposes, mentally their identified gender. In order to live up to the expectations of their assigned gender, they have to put on a mask to make everyone around them happy, at the cost of their own happiness. This hiding who you are causes a great deal of stress and depression too.
Completing transition is about living true to who you are, and having the world recognize that of you inherently.
And, food for thought - the attempted suicide rate of transgender people is 41%. This is a result of the crippling depression brought on by the dypshoria. The cure for dysphoria is transition, which includes hormones. The dangerous hormones / surgery treatments cure our depression (something which antidepressants fail to do in transsexual people) and in most if not all cases, we would take the side effects of hormones and be happy than live with a crippling desire to end our lives.
- AnonymousJuly 19, 2012 at 7:34 PM
Starting with your last point. Don't put yourself in a situation or with company that will react violently. That's a ridiculous comment so stop using it.ReplyDelete
No you are not a biological woman, you are xy, not xx. A woman is defined by: of or being of the sex female. You aren't, I'm sorry for that. Your mental illness does not prove otherwiseReplies
- AnonymousJuly 19, 2012 at 7:46 PM
Oh and there you go throwing around the word bigot again. I tolerate trans people, I do believe you aren't correct in your thinking though. And I would appreciate it if you didn't completely ignore my comments because they don't agree with you and your bigotous statements.Delete
In the end I'm done arguing with a brick wall mr orange, quit being an entitled child.
P.s. lynn keep fighting the good fight for what you believe in. Just remember not everyone will agree with you, but everyone that doesn't agree isn't out to get you (ie me)
- OrangebanJuly 19, 2012 at 8:20 PM
It's Ms Orange, and may I say that based on your comments, most trans people probably won't give a toss if you "tolerate" them or not.Delete
The key is that "disagreeing with me" on several points is wrong.Delete
I try to not argue on anything but facts. That said, if you 'disagree' with facts, you're wrong.
"The sky is blue"
There's a horrible blight in the country that "respecting someone's belief or opinion" has come to be a get-out-of-logic-free card. If you want to wallow in your ignorance, all you need to do is adamantly state that something is your opinion, and suddenly the debate stops. If your opinion contradicts fact, it's wrong.
I aim both to reach people who want to learn, and fence sitters; because though the fence sitters aren't the kind to really do bad things intentionally, they're the ones who tend to perpetuate cis privileged ideas as normal.
- AnonymousJuly 23, 2012 at 7:30 PM
It is your opinion that you are a woman. Are your chromosomes xx? Yes? You are a woman. Are your chromosomes xy? Yes? You are a man, stop trying to defend a mental illness as a physical reality. If I suddenly develope a mental illness that makes me think I am a wolf, that doesn't make me one does it? If I get my body to be changed into a wolf like body that doesn't make me a wolf. As soon as you accept that I don't see eye to eye with your OPINION on this subject maybe we can have intelligent debate. Shoving your viewpoints as fact only hurt your cause, just like feminists and misogynists.Delete
Attempting to cite chromosomes as an end-all-be-all is a fallacious argument. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Klinefelter_syndromeDelete
That said, there is no mental illness present. None of us are delusional. Most of us have lived with depression for a large portion of our lives, and we sought treatment. The therapists we visit; it's their job to find the source of our depression. In this case, it's a dissonance with our assigned gender, and the body type / roles that come with it. The root of this is understood to be caused by hormone fluctuations in the mother when you're developing in her body. This can be paired with another condition which causes androgen receptors to be faulty. In either case, the result is a partial or fully feminized brain. It's clear by a modern understanding that it's an intersex condition of the brain (The only reason it's still listed as a "mental disorder" in the newest DSM is because listing it as something else might disqualify it for insurance eligibility, which would harm transwomen seeking treatment.
As the brain is the part of the body which concerns US as people, our personality, our 'soul' if you're one of those types (Source: literally every school of ethical thought) it makes the most sense to utilize this when determining gender, as opposed to the junk DNA that existed solely to differentiate our natal structures into "distinct" sexes.
And the only person stating an opinion here is you. An ignorant cisgender male who doesn't understand the first thing about transsexuals, the transition process, the diagnosis, or pretty well anything regarding it. I state my understanding of the MEDICAL SCIENCE behind transition, you baselessly assert it's a mental disorder (WRONG - disproven ages ago, this is an archaic school of thought) then fall back on the pathetic assertion that "We're entitled to different opinions"
I said it once, I'll say it again. Your uneducated opinion is NOT EQUAL to an educated opinion based on facts. Your viewpoint is rooted in ignorance and baseless assertions, mine is based in the knowledge I've acquired in years of reading every trans-related study I could get on my browser page. You are saying the sky is orange and made of cheese, and that it's wrong for me to correct you when it's in fact blue.
Either educate yourself then return, or kindly cease posting worthless comments to my comments section. Thank you :)
And your "wolflike" argument holds no merit either. A human brain can fail to properly differentiate sexually and wind up more male-like or more female-like, but it cannot in any way be more "wolf like" if you would actually like to see why this argument fails, in full, please check my blog post from may, "Why relating trans to otherkin is a poor analogy at best"Delete
- AnonymousJuly 23, 2012 at 7:19 PM
Random question why are trans people apart of the L.B.G.T. at all? I'm not saying it's a bad thing but the first three letters have to do with who a person is attracted to, while the T. is a body issue. Soooo whats the deal?ReplyDelete


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Storyline: Kazakh TV talking head Borat is dispatched to the United States to report on the greatest country in the world. With a documentary crew in tow, Borat becomes more interested in locating and marrying Pamela Anderson.
Movie Title: Borat: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2006) Director: Larry Charles Stars: Sacha Baron Cohen, Ken Davitian, Luenell, Chester Release Date: 03 Nov 2006 Genres: Comedy Format: MatRoska (Mkv) File Size: 700MB Resolution: 1280x688 Runtime: 01:23:48 Language: English Subtitles: English [Softcoded] - Muxed Encoder: MkvCage (MC) Team Source: 720p.BluRay.x264-CYBERMEN
4 Comments
Plz re-up thanks!
Could you please re-up this movie? Thanks! 🙂
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Can you please fix the direct download links? I'll seed the torrent if I can grab a copy.
Thank you much.

subset: commoncrawl


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Convex polygon based collision detection
A lot of people have asked me: Why use a convex polygon only engine like Box2D? In this post I will provide some info on why convex polygons is the optimal polygon type to use.
What does convex mean?
Convex polygons needs to satisfy the following requirements:
- All internal angles must be below 180 degrees
- Every line segment between two vertices can be contained fully inside or at the edge the polygon
A non-convex polygon is called a concave polygon and it must have an internal angle measuring greater than 180 degrees. As you might have thought about yourself; concave polygons can be quite handy. Convex-only engines can't represent a simple player polygon like Pac-Man.
Why use convex-only?
There are really only one big juicy reason: performance
Physics engines are able to take quite a few shortcuts and use cheap algorithms to determine the closest vertex, shortest distance and a lot more. An algorithm like Separating Axis Theorem and the Gilbert – Johnson – Keerthi (GJK) (pdf) algorithm both operate on convex polygons and provide fast, yet robust methods of getting collision information. Fundamentally there are two great features of convex polygons:
- The existence of a separating plane between two non-colliding convex polygons
- When two points on two different geometries are at a minimum, they are at a global minimum.
That might sound like gibberish for the layman. I'm not going to explain what those two characteristics involve, but suffice to say that you can cut down on the complexity of the algorithms used.
Problems with using convex-only engines
In a performance point of view there are really no problems with using convex-only algorithms. The problems that arise are mainly usability (ease of use and convenience for the users). If the user supply the engine with a concave polygon, all kinds of weird collisions will happen. A check is needed to make sure the supplied polygon is of convex nature. But that topic is reserved for another blog post.
The main approach for supporting concave polygons in a convex-only engines is described below.
Convex decomposition
This method involves the use of either triangulation algorithms or algorithms that finds a number of convex polygons from a convex polygon. The idea behind convex decomposition is to simply split a concave polygon into smaller convex polygons. This way a convex-only engine can support concave polygons. A lot of algorithms exist to do this. To name a few: Earclip, Delaunay triangulation and Seidel's triangulation algorithm.
Here is an example of a triangulated concave polygon using a Constrained Delaunay Triangulation algorithm.


text:
Apr 30,2009
Swine flu scare closes 144 schools
by UPI
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The World Health Organization, based in Geneva, Switzerland, reported on its Web site that as of late Wednesday nine countries officially reported 148 cases of swine flu -- or A/H1N1.
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The CDC's acting director, Dr. Richard Besser, said raising the alert level was good because it provides "a wake-up call" to countries, telling officials "it's time to pull out your pandemic plans ... and think about what you're going to do."
Copyright © 2009, by United Press International. All Rights Reserved.


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ON PUBLIC ENEMY'S NEW ALbum, "Muse Sick-n-Hour Mess Age," Chuck D doesn't just make sure he enunciates every shouted word; he reprints all the lyrics in the CD booklet. Even that isn't enough: the booklet also starts with a manifesto that explains the premise of the album and ends with a paragraph summarizing each song, a final attempt to make the messages clear. It's as if the group no longer expects listeners to understand.
There's a sense of desperation throughout "Muse Sick-n-Hour Mess Age" (Def Jam/ Polygram 314 523 362; CD and cassette), Public Enemy's fifth album of new material. Not long ago, at the end of the 1980's, Public Enemy was the unquestioned vanguard of hip-hop for both its sonic and verbal pyrotechnics. Using layers of discordant funk riffs and compressed noise, the songs seemed loud at any volume. The sound itself suggested an insurrection, and the words, rebounding among boasts and polemics and slogans ("Don't Believe the Hype," "911 Is a Joke"), harnessed rebelliousness to black-nationalist ideas.
But in the 1990's, hip-hop assimilated Public Enemy's sound, then moved in a different direction: toward the amoral cheap thrills of gangster rap, where outlaw characters were loyal to no community beyond their private posses. A wave of groups emulating Public Enemy's radical rap appeared, but fizzled commercially.
Public Enemy itself turned away from addressing the wider world, as it had on "Fear of a Black Planet" in 1990, to urge self-help for the ghetto on "Apocalypse 91: The Enemy Strikes Black." For the first time, Public Enemy sounded rote -- didactic words, deliberately simplified music. There was little immediate effect from the album's denunciations of malt liquor and of inner-city businesses that didn't reinvest in the neighborhood. Meanwhile, Flavor-Flav, Chuck D's sidekick and comic foil, had a series of run-ins with the police over domestic violence and driver's-license violations.
With "Muse Sick," Public Enemy has dug in its heels. "That's my partner," Chuck D declares loyally in Flavor-Flav's "What Kind of Power We Got?" For the first part of the album, the music has more presence than it did on "Apocalypse 91," while Chuck D declaims more vociferously: "Right versus wrong, good versus evil, God versus the Devil -- what side you on?"
The album's premise is that it's a preview of 1999, after five more years of "the programming of white supremacy." It's a two-pronged approach, attempting to use anti-white resentment to stoke black self-improvement. Referring to "Jack," "the other man," "cracka," "the K.K.K." or simply to "the white man," Public Enemy raps see white profiteers behind gangster rappers and drug dealers, white rapacity behind the environmental crisis, white propaganda behind the flag, white doctors behind the AIDS epidemic. And it condemns black Uncle Toms, gunslingers, drunks, drug users and music bootleggers.Continue reading the main story
But the album loses momentum about halfway through. The music thins out; the self-righteousness takes over. After quoting everybody from Prince to N.W.A. to its own older songs, Public Enemy climbs onto its old hobbyhorses one time too many. Here we go again: diatribes about slavery, about white holidays (Columbus Day is "as crazy as Hitler Day"), about critics who dare to argue with a "freedom fighter." In the middle of "Live and Undrugged Part II," Chuck D's rap turns into a rant, breaking free of its own rhythms as he shouts, "I'm not crazy, I'm the revelation!" Frustrated and disgusted that he's not getting through, he's starting to sound like a street-corner demagogue, preaching to the wind.Continue reading the main story


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The picture I want people to see.
I think my third day/milk coming in day of extreme emotion and tearfulness may have arrived a wee bit late. It would appear that maybe I'm having a third week of doom-and-gloom status.
Perhaps the babymoon just wears off sooner with the third babe, or perhaps I've romanticised and glossed over the memories of first few weeks with the boys. But, either way, this week has been hard as.
Don't get me wrong, Mollie is wonderful. She is absolutely delicious, and I am completely smitten.
I am less smitten with her wee belly though, it seems to cause her a lot of pain. And her constant need to suckle (and a slightly lazy latch) is causing my nipples a lot of grief. I fear we might have another reflux baby on our hands, and I'm feeling really sad about it. I'm also feeling guilty about it, like perhaps it is somehow my fault.(That might be the lack of sleep talking though, it is safe to say we're not getting a huge amount of that.)
I'm struggling a little to keep my spirits up, to be honest. The hormones, the lack of sleep, the physical pain, the inability to soothe poor wee Mollie.. it's all wearing me down a bit.
I'm starting to feel the negativity sneaking up on me. I'm having those niggly thoughts about how perhaps I'm not doing my job quite right, and about everything I could/should be doing differently for myself and for the kids. I'm trying my hardest to pish posh it, and push it all out of my mind - reminding myself that it's all rubbish and that 'this too shall pass'. But it's hard work, ya know?
Anyway. That's enough of that. I'm not huge on talking about my feelings, but I needed to get that out. I feel like I need a bit of lady-love surrounding me at the moment - even if you are all too far away to pop round for a cuppa.


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Saving Sea Turtles, One Nest at a Time
By Shayla Harris | Nov. 14, 2009 | 5:56
Global warming and coastal development are decimating Pacific sea turtle populations. In Costa Rica, a group of one-time poachers is giving baby sea turtles a chance at survival.
PlaylistUp Next in Environment
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A promising rebirth of live, local music in the North happened up at the revamped Kellys for the St. Patrick's Day Hooley on the 17th – headlined by the epic And So I Watch You From Afar it didn't disappoint. Despite facing stiff competition from Team Fresh, Ed Zealous, Panama Kings, Crooked Little Town, Under Stars & Gutters and The Reno Room; last minute replacements A Plastic Rose shone through, almost eclipsing the headliners by charging the crowd into a frenzied sing-a-long.
What more can the new venue promise after a night of such high quality noise, moshing and stage diving?


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Where are the Bones?
7 hours ago
This blog is devoted to fantasy, supernatural and decadent literature. It was begun by Douglas A. Anderson and Mark Valentine, and joined by friends including James Doig and Jim Rockhill, to present relevant news and information.
A lovely piece of writing, thanks.
-Jeff Matthews


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It was my first time going to a craft fair. And I had such a blast! It was packed with people, and all the designers were so creative in decorating their small booths. Some goes for wow effects, some are cute, some attracted attention from far away, some hang banners, and some others prefer simplicity and put everything on the floor (which I think is simple, but successful in gaining attention as well).
I learned a lot from the Wonderful market, especially on how I should arrange my artworks, the unique display methods, and the eco-friendly packaging. I've left the market feeling so happy and hopeful. Perhaps one day I could open a booth at Pipit affair too eheh.
I thought I could share a few lovely things that I found at the 5th Wonderful Market. So these are some of the interesting snapshots that I found in the market.
These sock dolls are totally adorable. They looked as if they're smiling to the camera. :)
I love bird cages. And this one was decorated in fluffy red and black flower. Simple, and nice.
And this one is one of the miniature houses on display at Pipit's. Amazing details!
And I brought these cute cards back. I'm such a sucker for a sad girl on a rainy day. Do visit my facebook page for more photos on Pipit's Wonderful Market.
There is one thing for sure - Malaysia surely has some talented young designers! *Standing ovation*


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If you are interested in the genealogy of Jews from Bavarian Swabia, or you would like to contribute to this venture, please register below.
We are looking for individuals who either have experience in decyphering old German, handwritten documents or are willing to learn. A basic comprehension of the German language is an asset but not a prerequisite. You would be working in a team with experienced peers.
Please enter your valid e-mail address and explain why you would like to join JGBS in the 'Remarks' section.


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When Gerald R. Ford became the 38th president
of the United States on Aug. 9, 1974, the nation had for the
first time in its history an appointed chief executive. He
took leadership of the country when his predecessor, Richard
M. Nixon, became the first United States president to resign.
In Ford's two and one-half years as president, his greatest challenge was to
deal with the country's severe recession. By late 1975 his cautious policies
to limit spending and control inflation seemed to be bringing steady improvement
to the economy.
Unemployment remained high, however, and it was largely on this
issue that Ford lost the 1976 election to the Democratic nominee, Jimmy Carter.
Ford was minority leader of the United States House of Representatives when President
Nixon designated him vice-president on Oct. 12, 1973. Vice-President Spiro T.
Agnew had resigned two days earlier, after pleading no contest on a felony charge
of federal income tax evasion. Ford ascended to the vice-presidency under the
25th Amendment to the Constitution, passed in 1967. The scandals of the Nixon
Administration made it clear that Ford might be elevated to the presidency. Congress
subjected him to closest scrutiny ever given a public official. An inquiry by
the Federal Bureau of Investigation and open Congressional hearings resulted
in Ford 's confirmation by a vote of 92 to 3 in the Senate and 387 to 35 in the
House. He was sworn in on Dec. 6, 1973.
In his 25 years as Republican congressman from Grand Rapids, Mich., Ford was
unmistakably partisan and conservative in his politics; but his Democratic opposition
respected him as a politician and liked him as a trustworthy and unpretentious
The Early Years
Gerald Rudolph Ford was born Leslie Lynch King, Jr., on July 14, 1913, in Omaha,
Nebraska. His parents separated two weeks after his birth and his mother remarried
Gerald R. Ford, a Grand Rapids paint salesman, two years later. The future president
grew up in a close- knit family which included three younger half-brothers, Thomas,
Richard, and James.
Ford attended South High School in Grand Rapids, where he excelled scholastically
and athletically. Ford attended The University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, from
1931 to 1935 where he majored in economics and political science. He graduated
with a B.A. degree in June 1935. He held various part-time jobs to supplement
his scholarship. A gifted athlete, Ford played on the University's national championship
football teams in 1932 and 1933. He was voted the Wolverine's most valuable player
in 1934 and on January 1, 1935, played in the annual East-West College All-Star
game in San Francisco, for the benefit of the Shrine Crippled Children's Hospital.
In August 1935 he played in the Chicago Tribune College All-Star football game
at Soldier Field against the Chicago Bears.
He received offers from two professional football teams, the Detroit Lions and
the Green Bay Packers, but chose instead to take a position as boxing coach and
assistant varsity football coach at Yale hoping to attend law school there. Yale
officials initially denied him admission to the law school, because of his full-time
coaching responsibilities, but admitted him in the spring of 1938. Ford earned
his LL.B. degree in 1941, graduating in the top 25 percent of his class in spite
of the time he had to devote to his coaching duties. His introduction to politics
came in the summer of 1940 when he worked in Wendell Willkie's presidential campaign.
After returning to Michigan and passing his bar exam, Ford and a University of
Michigan fraternity brother, Philip A. Buchen (who later served on Ford's White
House staff as Counsel to the President), set up a law partnership in Grand Rapids.
He also taught a course in business law at the University of Grand Rapids and
served as line coach for the school's football team. He had just become active
in a group of reform-minded Republicans in Grand Rapids, calling themselves the
Home Front, who were interested in challenging the hold of local political boss
Frank McKay, when the United States entered World War II.
In April 1942 Ford joined the U.S. Naval Reserve receiving a commission as an
ensign. After an orientation program at Annapolis, he became a physical fitness
instructor at a pre- flight school in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. In the spring
of 1943 he began service in the light aircraft carrier USS MONTEREY. He was first
assigned as athletic director and gunnery division officer, then as assistant
navigator, with the MONTEREY which took part in most of the major operations
in the South Pacific, including Truk, Saipan, and the Philippines. His closest
call with death came not as a result of enemy fire, however, but during a vicious
typhoon in the Philippine Sea in December 1944. He came within inches of being
swept overboard while the storm raged. The ship, which was severely damaged by
the storm and the resulting fire, had to be taken out of service. Ford spent
the remainder of the war ashore and was discharged as a lieutenant commander
in February 1946.
When he returned to Grand Rapids Ford became a partner in the locally prestigious
law firm of Butterfield, Keeney, and Amberg. A self-proclaimed compulsive "joiner," Ford
was well-known throughout the community. Ford has stated that his experiences
in World War II caused him to reject his previous isolationist leanings and adopt
an internationalist outlook. With the encouragement of his stepfather, who was
county Republican chairman, the Home Front, and Senator Arthur Vandenberg, Ford
decided to challenge the isolationist incumbent Bartel Jonkman for the Republican
nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives in the 1948 election. He won
the nomination by a wide margin and was elected to Congress on November 2, receiving
61 percent of the vote in the general election.
During the height of the campaign Gerald Ford married Elizabeth Ann Bloomer Warren,
a department store fashion consultant. They were to have four children: Michael
Gerald, born March 14, 1950; John Gardner, born March 16, 1952; Steven Meigs,
born May 19, 1956; and Susan Elizabeth, born July 6, 1957.
Ford later was co-author of a book `Portrait of the Assassin' (1966).


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Tuesday, 14 April 2009
Easter Parade
I hope you all had a lovely Easter weekend! The sun was shining here for most of it, which put a spring in my step, and made me want to put on an Easter bonnet, trimmed with blooms and blossom!
We had our London Friend staying with us, who likes to see countryside and green space when she comes to stay with us. So on Sunday, we went for a walk up Solsbury Hill, just outside Bath (yes, the one Peter Gabriel sang about). It's an old iron age settlement, a hill with a flat top - and steep sides, as my legs can verify! It was very hazy, but the view from the top is lovely. I thought we had been there before, but neither London Friend, nor Mr Kitsch could ever remember having been there. This means it must be over 20 years since I'd been there, back in the days when I lived in Bath. That's scary!
Then we went for a walk round the park, and in particular, to the Botanic Gardens, full of spring flowers and blossoms. Then we dropped London Friend off at her parents, and came away with some of her mum's delicious home-made fruit cake and marmalade. Yum!
We were all set to just have a lazy day yesterday, but we somehow managed to summon up the energy to do some gardening. It was probably fuelled by guilt, really, as the poor blackbirds were getting lost in the long grass on the lawn. I did a lot of pruning and after a run-in with a particularly aggressive berberis, my arms are so scratched, I look as though I've been in a fight with a wildcat. But now the garden looks respectable again, and we were able to sit back and feel smug!
(I'd like to pretend the snakeshead fritillary in the photo above is my garden, but it was in the Botanic Gardens...)
6 comments:
- Ragged Roses said...
It sounds like you had a great Easter. When we were staying in Bath recently we really really wanted to go for a walk on Solsbury Hill and never managed it. Maybe next time... it sounds like a beautiful place
- 15 April 2009 at 10:51
- Menopausal musing said...
I absolutely LOVE that first photo. We have had incredibly blue skies recently, haven't we? Lovely, lovely photos. x
- 15 April 2009 at 11:19
- Sue said...
I am very jealous as I would love to go to Solsbury Hill. Good luck with your work Elaine and thanks for dropping in :-)
- 16 April 2009 at 10:45
- Cowboys and Custard said...
You should have dropped in for a fortifying cup of tea after your ascent of Solsbury Hill.. I haven't climbed it for years but can see it from our house if I crane my neck..
Love the fritillary.. We found one in the wilderness at the bottom of our garden.. what a thrill it was!
See you soon!
Michele x
- 16 April 2009 at 12:17
- Suzy's Vintage Attic said...
Sounds like you had a good Easter. I only live 45 minutes away from Bath but have never been to Solsbury Hill! Must go, sounds very nice.
Isabelle x
- 17 April 2009 at 19:46
- gingerwine said...
I was just soaking up all your great snaps - really love
the Easter Bunnies!
- 19 April 2009 at 08:27


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About Us
Galway City is a must see for visitors to Ireland. Here you will find the famous Irish 'craic' in abundance. Locals are very friendly and always up for a bit of a laugh. The city is a cultural hub full of artistic delights, from street performers to traditional music sessions and fantastic theatre productions. The nightlife in the city is fantastic as you can find a pub, restaurant or nightclub to suit any mood. The history of the city is plain to see amongst the architecture found on the streets and excellent exhibitions in the many museums.
Connemara to the north of County Galway is an untouched land chock full of stunning beauties. The flat plains are predominantly inhabited by Irish speakers while much of the ancient Gaelic culture is still preserved here. The scenic beauty is really something to behold as you look far into the distance across the plains overshadowed by rocky mountains known as the Twelve Pins.
Galway's surrounding areas are home to some of the top tourist attractions in Ireland. South of Galway lies the Cliffs of Moher. These cliffs are some of the highest in Europe and offer exceptional views onto the Atlantic Ocean. On your way you can breathe in the beauty of the Burren taking in the unique landscape and note the native flora and fauna indigenous to this special and protected area of Ireland.
The Aran Islands are also a must see for visitors, these are a set of three islands off the coast of Galway Bay. On the islands visitors will find stunning picturesque scenes of the Atlantic Ocean and Galway Bay, best viewed from the cliff sides that tower above sea level. The main attractions on the islands are well preserved ancient ring forts and religious buildings from times gone by.
In order to experience everything Galway has to offer it is recommended that you make use of a rental car. This allows you to explore on your own time while following your own compass. We have partnered with Europcar Ireland to bring you affordable prices and a great range of vehicles…Our app, which is available on IOS and Android, is full of things to do and see in the area. It also includes a mapping system that will guide you on your way to any of the notable destinations.
Galway Attractions
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Visit Petra by night when it is illuminated by candles – the ultimate romantic experience!
When you've had a wedding that has wowed, you also want a honeymoon that is pretty hard to beat. Here's our list of once-in-a-lifetime trips
For a spiritual retreat
Bhutan is shrouded in mystery, magic and spirituality, making it a truly unique destination. With cliff-side hanging monasteries, snow-capped Himalayan mountains and dense forests it will definitely appeal to nature and culture lovers.
For the once-in-a-lifetime honeymoon
Epic landscapes? Incredible adventure? It's all in the White Continent. One of Earth's least explored continents, Antarctica is now (slightly more) accessible to travellers.
For the adventurous souls
Imagine red sand dunes as tall as mountains, a night cap under a blanket of stars and a breathtaking array of fantastic wildlife…. There is so much to be discovered in Namibia and a flight over the Skeleton Coast is definitely high up on our list.
For the variety of the landscape
From the driest desert on Earth to the vastness of the Patagonian landscape, Chile is truly a land of extremes. Meet friendly lamas as you trek in Patagonia, go horse-back riding in the Atacama Desert and finish your honeymoon by sampling delectable nectar in the country's ever-growing wine region.
For lovers of the outdoors
Simply put, Norway is one of the most beautiful countries in the world. From majestic glaciers to picturesque villages, you are sure to be blown away whichever way you turn. In the summer, you can indulge in world-class hiking and white-water rafting. While in the winter you can enjoy dog-sledding, snowmobiling and the Northern Lights.
For an authentic glimpse into the Middle East
Jordan enchants all travellers with its ancient allure, desert landscapes and the kindness of its people. Visit Biblical places (Mount Nebo, the Jordan River), take a dip in the Dead Sea, satiate your wanderlust as you drive through deserts and of course visit Petra by night when it is illuminated by candles – the ultimate romantic experience!


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Professional kayakers Dane Jackson, Rafa Ortiz, Joel Kowalski and friends explore rural western Mexico in search of un-paddled rivers and adventure. The expedition dodges drug cartel territory and dangerous terrain and along the way finds the most spectacular kayak paddling in the country.
In this fourth episode of First Descent: Michoacán, the kayakers search for more new rivers as their expedition draws to a close. Unfortunately, they encounter low water on many of their scouting missions and decide to return to the Rio Hoyo del Aire to finish on a high note.
|← Episode 3


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Something wonderful happened last night, and today I can see that it was meant to happen and not just some coincidence. It may not even seem that major, but for me it is.
My original plan had been to go to a meditation with Spencer, and I'd been looking forward to it. But Spencer cancelled because he had to work late, so I decided to stay in and study. I got home, started studying, then realized I have no speaker for Sunday night. Sunday nights I'm the "speaker-getter" for an AA meeting I attend, which means I find someone in AA to speak on their experience in Alcoholics Anonymous. Usually I try to find speakers far in advance so I don't have to worry about not having someone. In order to get a speaker I have to go to meetings and find someone who I think has a positive message, but I don't go to AA meetings every night. Wednesdays I have meditation, Thursday I have open mic spoken word night, Friday I have CODA, Saturday this week I have work, and that leaves Sunday. I'd already texted several people, none of whom could do it. I didn't want to go to the meeting because I needed to study, and I knew Jay would be there, and I didn't want him to think I was trying to see him, and I didn't want to see Yvonne.
I decided to swallow my pride and go anyway, so I asked my friend Kevin to take me for support.
We get there, and a few people are standing outside, so we stop and talk, and sure enough, here comes Jay, and I'm certain he's surprised to see me standing out there since I only go to that meeting every blue moon. But I see him and I just smile and say hello. He heads straight over for his motorcycle buddy who just noise-polluted his way into the parking lot, and I realize something. I don't even feel nervous, or care at all. It was so friggin easy! I don't give a damn that he's not paying attention to me because I have my own friends, and I'm doing my own thing, and I have a right to be there as much as anyone else. His motorcycle buddy who normally says hi didn't say anything to me, maybe by chance, and his other buddy who'd asked me out a couple of weeks ago didn't say anything to me either, maybe by chance, or maybe because I'd turned him down. Either way, who cares?
After the meeting Kayley, one of our mutual friends who's known Jay longer than she's known me, talks to me and apologizes for not replying to my earlier text. I'd guessed that she was avoiding me because her loyalties lie with Jay and Yvonne, and had decided it didn't matter. I just told her that was fine I was sure she was busy with school and work, which she was, and she agreed to speak for me at a later time. She looked at me and said the same thing that Jay's buddy had told me last week: "How are you doing? You look good."
Maybe I'm being paranoid, but I'm not sure how to interpret that. I feel like that's the kind of thing you say to someone who you know has been through a hard time. Likely they knew Jay decided to go back to Yvonne. They already knew I'd had a tough year because everyone in AA knows that. I've made no secret about that.
Or maybe they just think I look good. I try to take it that way, instead of the paranoid way.
Jay then came up to us in an awkward way like he wanted to talk to us but not really so he just kind of came near, and I smiled and said, "Hello Jay, good to see you," and he smiled and said hi and then kind of crab-walked away while Kayley and I continued talking in our conversation that had nothing to do with him. After a bit her body language told me she wanted to get away so I let her go but not without saying, "Hey I'll let you get to doing your thing," and she was like, "It's just too loud and crowded in here; I want to go outside," so I didn't follow her because I assumed she was trying to get away from me. Maybe she was just trying to get away from the crowd and it had nothing to do with me, so I pretended that's what I thought it was, and like I have plenty of other people to talk to anyway, which I did. Most of the time, maybe all the time, it's best not to take things personally, and just to be polite, because it often turns out there was no reason to take it personally anyway. And if I had taken it personally, it's not even my problem or issue to worry about. I had a right to be there, and if people don't want to be my friend because I had a fling with Jay after he and Yvonne broke up, that's their problem, and I didn't need to be their friend anyway.
My point is, it was all so easy. I didn't feel nervous, I didn't feel upset, I did not feel rejected. If anything, I felt pretty darn good. This may sound incredibly arrogant, but I even kind of had this feeling towards Jay: Aren't you sorry you didn't decide to take your chances with me? It's arrogant because it doesn't factor in the crucial seven-year relationship he had with Yvonne, the history they've shared, the foundation they've built. Of course I would love to have that with someone, and thought I was building that with Steven.
Which brings me to the bigger, underlying issue: getting over Steven.
He came across my list of matches on Match.com, or maybe it was the "What If" page—I can't remember. It was a page in which you can read the person's summary without clicking on their page, because no way in hell would I click on his profile. And his summary was all about how he's on a quest for true, lasting love, and something about how if one or both people are in spiritual or emotional disrepair then it can't last. He used lofty language that my friends said came across as arrogant, and as someone who has to be right all the time. And his user name is steven_phd (not his real name, but you get the gist).
A quick aside about that. I'd noticed someone else who'd emailed me as ER_Doc and had thought, You know, I really don't care if you're a doctor. If that's all you have to bring to the table, and you have to put that in your user name to try and attract someone, you're using the wrong method, and you'll be attracting the wrong kind of person. It's like how I thought Jay was so great just because he had a boat and a motorcycle. Those external things don't make a relationship.
Steven's profile description is a loftier version of what mine says. I like to think mine comes from the heart (that's always my goal in writing, anyway) whereas his sounds like an academic essay a psychologist wrote. One of my friends said he sounds like a narcissist, but I think everyone gets that label these days, and he's really just bipolar and probably in a manic phase right now. But he did have "phd" in his email address too. I fell for that. I remember he'd told me he wasn't arrogant, and I didn't really believe him, but I went along with it, because self-confidence is attractive. But he didn't have self-confidence. He had what many or all of us have at some point (or forever) in AA, which is this: he's an egomaniac with an inferiority complex.
When I first read his description, I thought, I sure hope he's talking about himself there, being in a state of spiritual and emotional disrepair, because my MOM had just fucking DIED, you selfish bastard. I don't care if it was four months previously—that's not much time. She was my MOTHER. The one who gave birth to me, who nurtured me, who was my biggest cheerleader, who loved me unconditionally. Can someone tell me who loves you more than your mom? Sadly, I get the feeling he didn't get that from his mother.
The other thought I had was this: if he expects someone to never be in any state of emotional or spiritual disrepair, then he'll always be disappointed. If a couple can't stay together during hard times, they're not meant to be together. Commitment is about sticking with someone through thick and thin, and growing together during those times. He and I had our time together, and now it's over. He could not handle my grief, could not stick with me throughout the duration, and he couldn't deal with my weirdness over my stepbrother. A friend of mine said, There's no way he broke up with you only because of that. But that is the reason. He felt like I'd accused him of being a child molester, and that was it for him. There was no recovering from that; that was unforgivable to him—and I'd like to add one more time here that I did not accuse him of that, nor have I ever thought he had done that or would do that. And I told him so. Multiple times. There had to be more to it than that, my friend said. And there was: he couldn't deal with my grief or my issues, and he had to have known somewhere deep down that I wouldn't stay with him if he continued to shut me out every time he got upset with me. Because I'd finally put my foot down over Thanksgiving and broke up with him after he spent more than a week ignoring me. After a year and a half of allowing him to ignore me every few months I was finally done–almost. Because I took him back at the first hint of reconciliation, and then on New Year's my higher power did for me what I could not do for myself, and we split for good.
After ruminating over it for a few days, I realized what bullshit his profile is, and how odd that I fell for that person. I thought, How is what we had NOT what he's describing there in his profile? How was he unable to see that I was willing to commit, to do anything for him? And I thought, if he can't see that, then he doesn't deserve my time.
Finally I'm seeing more and more how when life doesn't go my way, it's not because there's a punishing God who wants to see me unhappy. It's because something better is in store for me. I don't deserve to be treated that way. I'm worth more than that. I have so much more to offer today than I did in early sobriety, and certainly more than when I was drinking. And I'll be damned if I just give that away to someone who takes it for granted, or worse, treats it like it was nothing, like it was just not good enough, which is exactly what he did. I could never be perfect enough for him. Welp, hopefully he will find someone one day who is as perfect as he acts like he is. Good luck to him finding that. Because that is why he can't commit. I'm human, and I make mistakes, and my quest is to find someone who can see that, and love me in spite of it, or maybe, in some cases because of it.
I realize at some point it would be wise for me to exercise forgiveness and compassion, and I realize too that he's mentally ill and can't help the way he is. But today's not that day, and I've got to be real with myself, and with y'all. This is a process, and I'm working towards that. In the meantime I'm already starting to see how Jay has helped me get over Steven, even though Jay didn't stick with me, because it wouldn't have worked anyway. There's someone better in store for me. Oh and I have a date with the extra tall guy next Monday, and a date with another guy who seems really sweet (and good-looking) on Sunday. I'll keep y'all posted!
Love and peace,


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NAEA and ARLA launched the 2015 Housing Manifesto at the third consecutive NAEA conference, 'Agents of Change' on Tuesday 23rd February 2015. The three key points that came out of the manifesto are discussed below in greater detail:
Supply vs Demand: the primary concern in the manifesto being "tenant demand vastly outstrips housing supply in the private rented sector". Another interesting point highlighted was that as the sales sector continues to become more buoyant, more landlords are now leaving the rental market; consequently making supply even tighter. Solution: more affordable costs and forward-planning came in as some recommendations to remedy the situation with supply. Raw materials should be ordered a year before a home can be built, skilled workers are needed to ensure properties are built well. Less onerous regulations was also mentioned as costly supply can result in unaffordable housing. It was also suggested that we need to start applying common sense to planning policy and working to ensure that it is not made easier to build in some cities over others. The last answer that was offered for the lack of supply was for governments to resist calls to commit to compulsory three year leases. Research has shown average tenancies last between 18 and 24 months and could provide a disincentive to landlords and tenants who require flexibility to plan their future.
Regulation and Licensing: to destroy the two-tier standard that operates in Britain of those that are operating to a professional standard and those that are not.
Solution: it should be compulsory for lettings agents to be a member of a client money protection scheme; given the large sums of money they hold for tenants and landlords alike. Regulation tightened for the whole industry should ensure greater fairness and hopefully removal of those that bring the industry into disrepute. Finally, the fee question was highlighted here. The manifesto emphasises the need for the Government and all parties concerned to resist imposing an outright ban on lettings agents charging a fee. The fee is said to help ensure a smoother and more transparent transaction between agent, landlord and tenant; and removes the likeliness of higher rent charges, which would otherwise be the case.
Appropriate Property taxes: whilst discussing the issue with supply some attention must also be given to current housing stock. There seems to be large numbers of homes that are lying empty for extended periods of time. This is not only a point-blank frustration for those looking for somewhere to live but can equally also increase the chances of a negative effects spilling over onto the local community. Equally, the manifesto also depicts the problem with punitive taxes. The price of property has shot up in recent years but people's salaries and living standards are not consistent with this.
Solution: to enable the sector to become more entrepreneurial and encourage institutional investors into the residential property sector. It is portrayed that only 2% of landlords have a portfolio of more than 10 properties. Institutional investment is a method that seemingly works well in other economies such as, Germany and France, and would hopefully help the industry to meet its demand and professionalise further the sector in the UK. Local authorities should be allowed to fine home owners who leave their properties sitting empty and allow this to be done in line with how long the household is left empty. There should be incentives for home and land owners to continue to make improvements to their properties and thus improve the quality of housing stock in general; as well as reductions on VAT housing renovation and repair. The manifesto opposed the introduction of a mansion tax that was described as regressive for asset-rich and cash-poor consumers that would not be able to keep up. Lastly, an important overview the manifesto emphasised was that homes are still as important to Britons as they ever were. Quite rightly everyone believes they have a universal right to a home.
Nonetheless, with statistics illustrated such as: the overall level of house building has declined since 1980, of more than 44%; 140,880 house in 2013/14 compared with 251,820 in 1980. Whereas, house prices have been on an annual rise of 6.9% since 1980. It is undoubtable that the lack of supply is a pressing issue and concern for Britain. The manifesto, having consulted with many stakeholders across the UK, simply asks for the government to take a long-term progressive view on the three main factors aforementioned. Source: THE PROPERTY PROFESSIONALS HOUSING MANIFESTO 2015 Accessed: 02/03/2015
What are your thoughts on the 2015 manifesto? Is there anything else that should have been highlighted?


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The value of networking is not measured by the number of people we meet but by the number of people we introduce to others. — Simon Sinek
On the eve of the final day of the 2013 ESHA Annual Conference, as I thought about meaningful words to close the event, I came across this comment in Simon Sinek's Tweeter stream. It strikes me as hitting just the right chord on the nature of generative relationships, stewardship, and colleague connections.
I had the privilege of hearing Sinek speak at a U.S. Bank event in St. Louis earlier this year. His TEDTalk at TEDxPuget Sound, "How Great Leaders Inspire Action," is worth watching. This puts his book, Start With Why (Penguin, 2011), on my reading list!


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» Blender 2.77 + Micro Displacement by Mai Lavelle (maiself)
Updated 09:46 April 15th, 2016
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Pa. Orders Fee Increases, Layoffs In Capital City
HARRISBURG, Pa. (AP) – Laying off several city employees and increasing parking fines and business license fees in Pennsylvania's financially troubled capital are part of the state's emergency takeover plans, Gov. Tom Corbett's administration said Thursday.
With its new, unprecedented powers to manage Harrisburg's finances, the Corbett administration revived the fee and fine increases and layoffs that were recommended previously by a state task force but rejected by the City Council.
A divided City Council last month filed for federal bankruptcy protection in an effort to get creditors, including Dauphin County, and bond insurer Assured Guaranty Municipal Corp. to absorb a portion of the approximately $300 million in debt tied to its trash incinerator.
But the Republican-controlled state Legislature and Republican governor enacted a takeover law last month in a bid to force Harrisburg alone to pay down the debt. The city of 47,000 residents is located about 100 miles west of Philadelphia.
Separately, Mayor Linda Thompson and Corbett also oppose the City Council's bankruptcy petition, which is awaiting a Nov. 23 court date for oral arguments on legal questions surrounding the filing.
The Corbett administration on Thursday also ordered a continued halt already adopted by the city on making discretionary purchases, hiring and most borrowing, as well as limits on employee overtime, capital project spending and optional contracts for professional services or commodities.
In addition, it ordered changes in various city operations that were also recommended by the task force as a way to increase efficiency and cut costs. The layoffs would involve three park rangers and a clerical employee, at least.
In the meantime, the state's takeover law gives Harrisburg a grace period of 30 days, ending Nov. 25, to develop a financial recovery plan that's acceptable to the Corbett administration. If the 30 days pass without an agreement between the city and the state on a plan, the state Commonwealth Court could authorize the appointment of a receiver named by the governor.
The receiver would have greater power over Harrisburg's finances than the administration has now. For instance, the law allows a receiver to sell city assets, approve contracts and file for federal bankruptcy protection but not raise taxes, with a goal of paying down Harrisburg's incinerator debt.
A Corbett spokeswoman said the governor's office is interviewing candidates for the receiver's position and is considering three to five people. The spokeswoman, Kelli Roberts, declined to name them.
In Thompson's nearly two years in office, she and the City Council have been unable to agree on a plan to repay the incinerator debt, leaving the cash-strapped city tens of millions of dollars behind on payments.


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Monday, July 1, 2013
Parsing Larry's numbers
What do we find for June.
1) The ramp up in sales we noted here and elsewhere is reflected in the numbers. Sales are up quite a bit from June 2012. Inventory is pretty flat YOY except for apartments.
2) Average price (which always shows a lot of noise) showed SFH taking a big 4% drop. However apartments have gone the other way showing a big jump from last month.
What can we deduce from these numbers.
With a lower average and yet sales were up. This would suggest that the lower end of the market was more active this month, maybe on interest rate fears. The higher end is unlikely to be much concerned whether the interest rate is 2.6 or 3.2 % , you can either afford a $4 Million house or you can't.
Last June was a very weak month, this June was more resilient. As I said in the last post, this is crunch time. Is this yet another rebound or was this just an interest rate panic.
MOI Attached 5.6
MOI Apartment 6.3
12 comments:
- AnonymousJuly 1, 2013 at 9:44 AM
Bulls like to keep asking bears to explain why there haven't been any massive price reductions. However, I think it is more appropriate for the bears to ask the bulls why hasn't there been any price increases over the last four years.ReplyDelete
If you bought six years ago, good for you, but why would anyone want to buy now? Because prices aren't going down? Ok, but when are they going to rise?
The market looks exhausted to me, lower listings included. In other words, the market has no momentum. That said, there is no high pressure selling yet, people are still willing to wait in hopes of getting their price. I know someone who is about to take their listing off and wait for next year.
But, while the bulls continue to sit in flat market purgatory, I suggest the bears look at other markets that are currently rising. After all, the idea is to make money, and money is not being made in Vancouver real estate. So why pay a premium to invest in a speculative market with absolutely no earnings protection? Particularly, when there are other options.
The greater fool strategy only works if price appreciations exceed transaction costs. And, it's not working. Sorry bulls, flat's not good enough, show me the money, after your commission that is.
- AnonymousJuly 1, 2013 at 10:26 AM
Clearly a few expensive condos sold that skewed the average price. Also I'm betting lower priced houses sold, which shows the 19% increase in detached sales. I'm sure this rebound is just a few fools reacting to the rise in fixed interest rates. All and all these numbers don't look much better than last year and last year was terrible for r/e. In my area of South Delta, prices for condos are way down, anyone who bought in the last four years is probably down 20% at least. Detached properties are down at least 10 to 15% over the last two years. Theres a reason we don't see median prices. All you have to do is keep track of places in various areas over the four years to see prices have been dropping. The bulls will tell you when they see the odd house sell for alot, but thats one in a hundred houses, the local r/e market doesn't seem to avertise houses and condos that are selling alot below assessed value. My brother bought in 09 for 550. As of right now, he would be lucky to get that back, but if he would of sold in 2010 or 2011 he might of sold for the mid 6's. Alot of people are living in the past and are unwilling to accept the fact prices are dropping and unless you are willling to take off 15% than what you thought the value was a couple years ago, you will never sell.ReplyDelete
Didn't a $25 million condo sell this month?ReplyDeleteReplies
True indeed.Thanks for pointing that out. Both Larry and I missed that. I don't know the date it closed. it was first reported June 4th, so it is likely that it sold in June.Delete
That one transaction adds almost $25K to the average price.
However there was still a bump up in apartments as the difference between inventory 2012 to 2013 is -13%
I could understand Larry's omission, figured that you would have picked that one up. If I am not mistaken there was a coinciding sale for the staff in the same building at the same time.Delete
@PS DaveDelete
Don't want you thinking Fish isn't on his game. :")
According to MLXchange Attached/Apartment accounts - June recorded these top 10 sales which ranged from $3.9m to $1.5m.
However, that does not preclude an Exclusive sale which would not be recorded on MLS.
- fish10July 2, 2013 at 6:25 AM
Thanks for the clarification Larry. If the $25 M sale went through off the MLS then the apartment average is more reliable. It still boggles my mind who can throw down $3.9 million for an apartment let alone $25 million. I suspect not all of them are just laundering off-shore money, I suspect there are some very wealthy locals, more than most of us would have thought.Delete
I was at a BBQ on Sat. there certainly was chatter about downsizing from the SFH to a condo and banking the difference for cash flow.Delete
@PS DaveDelete
Curious question. Could you guesstimate the age group at the BBQ?
I'm wondering if these are 'boomers' talking who might be downsizing because
1) they want to help the kids or
2) realize it is time to cash in for their pension or
3) non boomers about to lose job or find themselves over extended
- AnonymousJuly 1, 2013 at 1:28 PM
CHECK CRAIGSLIST RENTALS YOU WILL SEE 100'S OF LISTINGS TAKEN OFF TO RENT AND THEY R WAITING FOR THE MARKET TO GET BETTERReplyDelete
- Fish10July 2, 2013 at 5:31 PM
Better day for us bearsReplyDelete
This article is mind blowing I read it and enjoyed. I always find this type of article to learn and gather knowledge.ReplyDelete
Ogniwa fotowoltaiczne sklep


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Celebrate National Absinthe Day: Try a Cocktail With the Once-Forbidden Spirit
Absinthe, sometimes called "the green fairy," was the preferred high-proof drink among artists and writers in 19th century Europe before making its way to the States. And after subsequently being banned in the United States for nearly a century, absinthe has come roaring back to the bar scene.
"The rise of absinthe's popularity coincided with the rising expense of purchasing wine, due to the Great French Wine Blight," says Joe Pawelski, co-founder of Colorado-based Overland Distillery. "Though wine had been the drink of choice, economic complications caused consumers to turn to the cheaper alternative: absinthe."
But not everyone was a fan. According to "Hideous Absinthe," one French doctor characterized absinthe "as being distinguished by sudden delirium, epileptic attacks, vertigo, hallucinatory delirium more active and impulsive than with alcohol alone, and sometimes unconsciousness." Such claims were apparently bolstered by the fact that absinthe, which was infused with wormwood, contained a chemical called thujone, which was believed at the time to cause mind-altering effects.
Pawelski, however, says there's more to the story. "Those industries and parties wanting to dampen absinthe's growing strength of popularity launched smear campaigns sighting absinthe's supposed link to mayhem. When crimes were committed, absinthe was blamed. In short, it was proposed that absinthe made people crazy by altering their normal behaviors."
On the strength of these campaigns, the U.S. banned the beverage in 1912, and it wasn't until 2007 that an absinthe recipe was developed to comply with the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau's new regulations that any absinthe with a verified thujone content of less than 10 milligrams per kilogram was acceptable.
Jared Gurfein, founder of Viridian Spirits, teamed up with chemist Ted Breaux to develop the recipe that met those requirements, and Viridian Spirits began selling Lucid Absinthe, legally, in the United States, on March 5th, 2007. The date soon became known as National Absinthe Day among social drinkers looking to channel their bohemian ancestors.
So, can this once forbidden fruit still induce mind-altering reactions after a few sips?
Dale DeGroff reveals in "The Essential Cocktail" that "contemporary chemists have proven wormwood and absinthe could not have been guilty of the crimes with which they were charged; more likely, the drinking problems in France were caused by the utter lack of regulation in the industry — and hence the dangerous byproducts that could be found in many distilled spirits — combined with absinthe's very high proof."
Anne-Louise Marquis, a New York City-based bartender and brand ambassador for Pernod Absinthe, says its myth is more fairytale than anything.
"All the talk about it being hallucinogenic is false," says Marquis. "Thujone, the neurotoxic chemical in wormwood that everyone was convinced was causing insanity, actually appears in such small quantit[ies] that the FDA calls absinthe 'thujone-free.' There is more thujone in three leaves of sage than a whole bottle of absinthe," she adds. "[An] equal or greater amount of it appears in other spirits such as chartreuse and vermouth. The alcohol [in absinthe] will get to you before thujone ever will."
Despite absinthe not being as potent as history once claimed, the spirit continues to inspire bartenders looking to create the perfect drink.
"It's such a fun and fanciful category," says Kara Newman, spirits editor at Wine Enthusiast Magazine. "Over the past few years, we've had access to more absinthe bottlings than ever before, and they run the gamut from light, almost fennel-like flavors to big, bold licorice notes like Good & Plenty candies," she says.
"And my favorite reason? The growing array of absinthe-spiked cocktails," Newman adds. "Absinthe provides an elusive flavor in drinks that's impossible to replicate. What did we do before absinthe came back?"
Thinking of giving absinthe a try?
"Recognize that absinthe, with its characteristic anise flavor, may be an acquired taste," says John Mayer, the beverage director for Local 149 in Boston. "If you don't want to acquire this, no worries. Then you'll know that absinthe isn't for you. But if you choose to stick with a truly great bottle of absinthe, the reward is high, just not 'a high.'"
In honor of National Absinthe Day, try celebrating with a Tuxedo No. 2, found at Maison Premiere in New York City. Watch the video above to see how it's made, then keep reading for the specifics.
Tuxedo No. 2 (Turf Club)
- 3 dash orange bitters
- ¼ oz. Vieux Pontarlier Absinthe
- ½ oz. Luxardo Maraschino
- ¾ oz. dry vermouth
- 1¼ oz. Plymouth Gin
Combine all ingredients in a chilled mixing class. Fill with ice and stir, with a bar spoon, until well chilled. Strain into a coupe glass. Squeeze a lemon over the cocktail to release essential oils into the drink, and enjoy.