text:
The Case for Off-Line Creative: Textiles and Trampolines/
This post is the second in a series written by Christina Crook. Christina Crook has been a regular contributor in the pages of UPPERCASE magazine and we're happy to welcome her to the blog this week with a special guest post series on the case for being creative offline.
Samantha Cotterill:
Textile Design
After a five-year break from a painting career to have children, Samantha Cotterill (also known as mummysam,) returned to the art world as a self-taught fiber artist, creating one of a kind sculptures using all natural fibers. Today her energies are focused on creating a line of fabric designed exclusively for her Etsy shop.
"My current work is quite digital, with this past year seeing a big move from fiber drawings and sculptures to digitally coloured illustrations and textile designs. Many of my illustrations are based on raising a child with spectrum, and the textile design are a fun and playful outlet to explore my love of colour and pattern."
Samantha's relationship with the Web is something she's given a lot of thought. Online she's found Validation, a space to Experiment and an opportunity to Avoid. She's recently implemented a specialized tool to curb her wayward online ways...A trampoline.
Describe your relationship with the Web. I have a love/hate relationship with the Web, and will probably continue to do so for as long as I allow the internet to be around me. The types of relationships I have struck with the internet are quite diverse, with each one occupying my life at varying degrees. Validation, avoidance, dependence, healing, experimental, past-time, and survival are but a few examples of the types of relationships I can have with the Web. I look to the internet for validation when posting new work and waiting for feedback, and avoid it when the time spent creating is being squashed by the endless hours of searching and looking at meaningless things. I depend on the internet to keep me creatively connected to others and help my business grow, and experiment with it when posting new work that is unlike anything I have done before.
What advice would you share with others regarding the interplay between the physical work of making and the online demands of the Internet? Make sure you are the devoting the time you need physically and emotionally to create a good body of work, and set up a structured routine that will eliminate any wasteful "let me just check this quickly" moments on the internet.
Do you try and restrict your time online? Why or why not? As a means of necessity, absolutely. While going on the internet can offer a wonderful source of inspiration, it's accessibility to all things creative can allow oneself to easily get lost in it and lose sight of how much physical work time is being neglected. I would mistakenly tell myself "just 20 more minutes and then I'll start work", and find myself still saying that 3 hours later. It takes time for me to get into a good work rhythm, and if I spend much of that time browsing the internet, then another day will have gone by without any real work being accomplished.
Do you have a structured approach to your use of the Internet such as set times you check email, do updates, etc? This is something I have only just implemented, after noticing the amount of wasteful time that was being spent from jumping back and forth between my work and the Web. With the recent implementation of a daily schedule and clock that sits right in front of me, I am trying to bring back a balance that stops my ADD brain from wanting to quickly check something on the internet just 5 seconds after opening up Photoshop.
I have forced myself to only check e-mails two times a day, which has been much more difficult than I thought. I didn't realize how much I was going to my e-mail, and even worse yet, checking my flickr account to see how many new views I had since my last check 3 minutes prior.
With the suggestion of a trampoline from a friend of mine, I now go and jump madly for a few seconds when I start noticing my little fingers starting to twitch as the "need" to check things on the internet gets stronger. (I know it sounds silly, but it works. Trust me).
There is a set time where update are made, and another set time for any networking that needs to be done for the growth of my business. I have even incorporated a set time for "free time", where I can spend some good guilt-free moments to have fun and just tinker about...


text:
Michèle K./
I made a list of my skills ;
For what is connected to the threads : I have a good knowledge in :
general sewing ( making clothes, accessories, toys etc, even if I use it less often now) sewingmachine work : free motion quilting, embroidery : I love that.
Hand work : embroidery ( I like the free embroidery), knitting : ok but not great fun, crochet : a bit less boring / free form crochet is more fun, you just make useless stuff
I would like to improve my work with transparency, fragile fabric, 3 D work and manipulation of fabric.
For colors : I have a medium knowledge in dyeing, colouring, painting, waxing. It is attracting for me, and I am working to improve.
I am working as well to improve my drawing capacities ( starting at a low level !)
For various others things : Medium knowledge in woodwork, photography and felting.
beginner level in pottery ( I love that )
Good at "cartonnage" ( I don' t know the word in English : making boxes and that type of stuff in cardboard)
Good at gardening.
What I would like to learn : paper and book binding.
Looking for perfection for me might be like installing a brake in my capacity of working ( and that is the last thing I need !) I don't mean that I am not trying to do my best every time, but at some stage I know that I can't ( don't want ?, don't know?) do better.
Perfection and ideal can't be reached. If it could, what to dream about afterwards?
I am experimenting for the last weeks how much I like writing. I think I had forgotten that pleasure. (Well, I must confess that it is more a pleasure to write in French for me !)
Writing helps the toughts to become clearer. I like that sentence of Boileau : Ce qui se conçoit bien s'énonce clairement et les mots pour le dire arrivent aisément, which is something like " what is well conceived is said clearly and the words to say it come easily". Writing is helping me to think, remember, organise, estimate. And I need to write more.
Analysis of a piece
I choose a piece that I like, made about two years ago.
Long ago, I saw there was a competition around the word "Enchevêtrement" ("tangle, jumble"). I didn't try to enter the competition, but I kept the word in my head.
One day, during a walk around home, I saw a ivy growing on an old windmill, it reminded me the thema of that exhibition .
I like that piece but I can't define its strength, I don't know where it is. I know that I had no plans when I started to make it, and I took a few months to make it, with lots of interruptions, because i didn't know where to go next.
When I look at it now, I don't see a beginning and a end in it, it is long and narrow, and it could go on like that, a long tunnel .For me that is a weakness. And it is probably due to the fact that I didn't worked before on the idea, on paper.
It is a intuitive work, it has a special meaning for me and I still like it. For the people who see it, I am not sure I was able to make them guess the idea of "enchevêtrement ". I think I overdid it, and would be more significant with less knots and twists.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
More than 40 years ago, Phil and Robert C.(Bob) Cowell came to work for pioneer San Francisco labor lawyer Roland C.(Ro) Davis. A few years later, the firm of Davis, Cowell & Bowe was formed. Over the ensuing years, Phil, Bob and Ro guided Northern California and Las Vegas labor unions through many tumultuous battles. In recent years, Phil has specialized in class action pension cases against public retirement systems and has been instrumental in recovering millions of dollars for public retirees and their beneficiaries. Phil has proudly watched Davis, Cowell & Bowe grow to its current prominence on the national labor relations scene. He remains "Of Counsel" to the firm.
San Francisco | Las Vegas
Committed to public service and social justice.
Copyright 2005 - 2017 McCracken, Stemerman & Holsberry, LLP. | Disclaimer


text:
Saloua Raouda Choucair, a Lebanese artist and one of the first abstractionists in the Arab world, whose sense of line and form — derived from Islamic art — brought a new idiom to modernism, died on Jan. 26 at her home in Beirut. She was 100.
The death was confirmed by her daughter, Hala Schoukair.
It was not until she was in her 90s that Ms. Choucair (pronounced shoo-CARE), who lived and worked nearly all her life in Beirut, gained recognition outside Lebanon as an unsung hero of the modernist story, a distinctive, eloquent artist relegated to the margins of a traditionally Western narrative.
Out of place in her native country, too, for many years, she worked in obscurity — persevering through Lebanon's civil war in the 1970s and '80s, filling her apartment with small-scale geometric paintings and modular, interlocking sculptures that reflected a distinctive, highly refined understanding of line, form and materials.
In 2013, the Tate Modern in London organized a retrospective that came, as the critic Laura Cumming wrote in The Observer, as "a bolt from the blue."
She added, "Saloua Raouda Choucair is an extraordinary new name."
Two years later the CRG Gallery in Manhattan organized Ms. Choucair's first solo show in the United States. Profoundly affected by Alzheimer's disease, she was unable to attend either one or enjoy her belated success.
"All the timings were wrong with my mother, so I'm not surprised this happened so late," her daughter told The International Herald Tribune (now the international edition of The New York Times) in 2013. "She started with abstraction when people in Beirut were just discovering Impressionism. In the '60s, no one was paying attention to her, and then when they started paying attention, the war started. Even if there was some good attention, something always went a little wrong."
In an effort to redraw the art-historical map, Jessica Morgan, now the director of the Dia Art Foundation in New York, organized the Tate show after chancing upon a work by Ms. Choucair in 2009 at a Beirut gallery. Speaking to BBC television in 2013, she said, "Her work is highly experimental, and she continued throughout her life to produce an extraordinary body of sculpture and painting that in many ways allows us to rethink abstraction."
She was born Saloua Raouda in Beirut on June 24, 1916. Her father, Salim Raouda, was a landowner and pharmacist. He died of typhus soon after being conscripted into the Ottoman Army during World War I, leaving his wife, Zalfa Najjar, to raise their three children. The family, which was well off, belonged to the often persecuted Druze sect, a non-Islamic religion.
Saloua attended the progressive Ahliyyah School for Girls and took painting lessons with the nationalist landscape artists Moustafa Faroukh and Omar Onsi. She studied biology at the American Junior College for Women and philosophy and history at the American University of Beirut. An extended trip to Cairo in 1943 exposed her to Islamic art and architecture.
She helped found the Arab Cultural Center in Beirut and in 1947 exhibited at its gallery in what was often cited as the first showing of modern abstract art in the Arab world.
That year she left for Paris to study at the École des Beaux-Arts, whose traditionalist training she supplemented with classes at the more freewheeling Académie de la Grande Chaumière. After hearing the painter and sculptor Fernand Léger speak at the École des Beaux-Arts, she spent time at his studio before coming into her own as an early member of L'Atelier d'Art Abstrait (the Studio of Abstract Art), led by Edgard Pillet and Jean Dewasne.
She developed a series of jewel-like small paintings of interlocking geometric forms that she exhibited with the Salon des Réalités Nouvelles, founded by Sonia Delaunay and Nelly van Doesburg. In 1951 she had a solo show at the Galerie Colette Allendy before returning to Beirut, where she married Yusif Choucair, a journalist.
In addition to her daughter, she is survived by two granddaughters.
Ms. Choucair's approach was rigorously reductive and purist.
"Arabs are the most sensitively sophisticated of peoples in understanding art, and that is why they broached the subject at its abstract essence," she wrote in her 1951 manifesto, "How the Arab Understood Visual Art." The goal, she added, was "the eternal essence that is defined neither by time nor space."
In the early 1960s she shifted her focus to sculpture, producing modular works that could be disassembled or reassembled into squares, rectangles and towers with an architectural feel. Le Corbusier's modular housing project in Marseille, France, which she visited in 1949, made a deep impression on her, and she developed ingenious variations on the modular principle in her "Poems" series of the 1960s and '70s.
Ms. Choucair worked in a variety of materials, including wood, aluminum, brass, terra cotta and tufa stone, with a pared-down elegance and sensuous touch that sometimes recalled Brancusi. Her biomorphic wood sculptures, typified by the "Screws" series of the 1970s in particular, radiated warmth and simplicity.
One of her most extended projects was the "Duals" series of the '70s and '80s, two-part interlocking forms in aluminum, brass, fiberglass, wood and other materials.
Ms. Choucair worked steadily through Lebanon's civil war, which began in 1975. It left a visible imprint on her painting "Two = one," made during her Paris years, when a bomb hit her building, ripping holes in the canvas and embedding glass shards in it.
She struggled to find an audience. "She was an avant-garde who was inspired by the principles of Islamic art, but without any visual references to what people were accustomed to seeing in that art," her daughter, Ms. Schoukair, told The Wall Street Journal in 2013.
"There was no correlation to calligraphy or Arab-esque patterns," she said. "Her style is pure abstraction of form and line, just like a mathematical equation. Therefore my mother was often misunderstood, pushed aside, ignored, and left to be on her own."
Attention gradually came her way. In 1974 the Lebanese Artists Association sponsored a retrospective of her work at the National Council of Tourism in Beirut, and in 2011 her dealer, Saleh Barakat, and her daughter organized a retrospective at the Beirut Exhibition Center. In recent years her work has been seen at the Palais de Tokyo in Paris, the Whitechapel Gallery in London and the Haus der Kunst in Munich.
"A critic once told me that my work has a European influence," Ms. Choucair told one interviewer. "I object. It is a universal influence. What I experience, everyone in the world experiences, and, in fact, all of the rules I apply to my sculpture are derived from Islamic geometric design."


text:
I have two arbitrary vectors $\vec{x}$ and $\vec{x}'$ given in spherical coordinates $(|\vec{x}|=x,\theta,\phi)$ (as convention I take the "physics notation" given on Wikipedia http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spherical_coordinate_system). I now want to rotate the coordinate system so that it's $z$-direction points along $\vec{x}$. That means, $\vec{x}$ would have the values $(0, 0, x)$. I now need to compute the angles of $\vec{x}'$. The absolute value does not change, but the angles do. I need to figure out how the angles are in the new coordinate system. With the help of rotation matrices, one is able to get:
$\vec{x}' = x' (\sin(\theta')\cos(\phi'-\phi)\cos(\theta)-\sin(\theta)\cos(\theta'),\sin(\theta')\sin(\phi'-\phi),\sin(\theta')\cos(\phi'-\phi)\sin(\theta)+\cos(\theta)\cos(\theta')) \equiv x' (\sin(\alpha')\cos(\beta'),\sin(\alpha')\sin(\beta'),\cos(\beta')) $
Now $\alpha', \beta'$ are the angles in the normal sense but in the new coordinate system. I need a converting rule $\theta', \phi' \to \alpha', \beta'$. Anyone a hint?
Edit (some further explanations): I need this to compute an integral of the form $\int \mathrm{d}^3x' g(\theta',\phi')f(|\vec{x}-\vec{x}'|)$ and I converted $\mathrm{d}^3x'=x'^2\mathrm{d}x\mathrm{d}\phi' \sin(\theta')\mathrm{d}\theta'$ to spherical coordinates. The problem is that $|\vec{x}-\vec{x}'|=x^2+x'^2-2xx'[\sin(\theta')\cos(\phi'-\phi)\sin(\theta)+\cos(\theta)\cos(\theta')]$ contains angles of both vectors and I need to get rid of the unprimed angles (which is possible in transforming the coordinate system under the integral to point with it's z-direcion along $\vec{x}$).


text:
Health & Medicine
Why is exercise good for us? UC Davis gets $2.3 million to study how it really works inside the human body
We all know exercise is good for us. But how does it really work inside our bodies?
That's the question behind a $2.3 million grant recently awarded to two UC Davis researchers who will study how intense bouts of exercise change the minute, molecular structures inside tissue, muscle and organs. It's part of a nationwide, six-year study by researchers at more than 20 universities and health research centers, funded by the National Institutes of Health.
"This will be the first project that really tries to understand at a fundamental level how exercise does what it does. Not just on the heart and brain, but on all organ systems," said professor Sue Bodine, a physiologist in the UC Davis physiology and membrane biology department.
Her partner on the six-year project is fellow UC Davis physiology professor Keith Baar.
They'll be working with more than 1,500 rats over six years, putting them through the human equivalent of endurance exercise, such as treadmill running, for eight to 12 weeks. Later, the rats will be euthanized so researchers can dissect and analyze their muscles, tissues, blood and organs to gauge the effects of exercise.
Similar assessments – minus the organ dissections – will take place on 3,000 human volunteers, ranging in age from 12 through adulthood, at clinical sites nationwide, including UC Irvine. The 2,700 adult volunteers will be a mix of sedentary and active participants, given exercise regimens for 12 weeks, such as lifting weights and running 30 minutes on a treadmill. Afterward, their blood, muscle and adipose tissue will be analyzed. About 300 sedentary children, selected by UC Irvine, will be monitored on treadmills, cycles and elliptical machines, with follow-up blood testing.
Researchers will look for changes in proteins or genes that may show how exercise benefits our internal organs, Bodine said. For example, when muscles contract to produce movement, researchers will check to see if certain proteins are released into the bloodstream and transported to organs.
It's not news that regular physical activity offers multiple health benefits, including less risk of dying from heart disease or developing diabetes and high blood pressure. But only 20 percent of adults 18 and older get the recommended amount of weekly aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities, according to a 2015 study by the National Center for Health Statistics. (The 2008 federal guidelines recommend adults get at least 150 minutes a week of "moderate-intensity" aerobic activity, plus at least two days a week of muscle-strength activities.)
Calling the high levels of overeating and physical inactivity among Americans "alarming," Bodine said the $170 million nationwide study could eventually help doctors prescribe specific types of exercise, both to help people stay healthy and to prevent or treat diseases, such as diabetes or Alzheimer's.
Claudia Buck: 916-321-1968, @Claudia_Buck


text:
Sleater-Kinney Bemoan Our Current Era on New Song 'Can I Go On'
Fourth single from The Center Won't Hold tackles "sinister infectiousness"
Get The Magazine
Subscribe to the all-new Rolling Stone! Everything you need to know from the authority on music, entertainment, politics and pop culture.
Order today and save over 66%!Subscribe Now
Newsletter Signup
Sign up for our newsletter and go inside the world of music, culture and entertainment.
Fourth single from The Center Won't Hold tackles "sinister infectiousness"
"We were a force of nature," Weiss said in her statement about her departure from the band
Filmmaker Miranda July helmed playful "Hurry On Home" clip, set entirely on her iPhone
Sketch show's co-creator reflects on saying goodbye to the series – and the stories behind its most iconic duos
From binge-watching panic to bird-improved accessories, here are the funniest, most far-out bits from IFC's hit show
Fred Armisen redecorates house with rock memorabilia, venue-styled bathroom in Season Eight clip
'Search and Destroy' will appear on Hulu
From a juicy deep-dive into Gianni Versace's murder to 'Portlandia' putting one last bird on it all, here's what you need to tune in to this month
Carrie Brownstein, Elizabeth Banks, Nick Offerman also guest star in Season Nine
"For us, it seemed like a way to figure out a way to have a beginning, a middle and an ending," Fred Armisen says


text:
Car Audio Specials & Discounts at Car Audio City San Diego
Check out the monthly specials & discounts at Car Audio City in San Diego. We offer discounts on stereo systems, DVD players, car security, headlights and more. Come by our National City location or give us a call for more details.
Monthly Specials & Discounts at Car Audio City San Diego
Now offering additional discounts to all Government employees with a valid ID.
*Get more info about car audio specials:
Car Audio City in National City is completely dedicated to our customers. We do everything in our power to make sure we provide high-quality service at an affordable price. That is why we offer flexible financing for car stereo systems, as well as monthly specials. These specials are limited time deals, offering exclusive saving so some of our best products and services, including DVD players, headlight installation, car stereo and more. To learn more about our current specials and services, give Car Audio City a call at (619) 474-8551.
$19.99 Headlight Restoration - Increase visibility and safety (reg. $49)
$17.99 & Up HIDs - All sizes available
$69 9" Flipdown with Built-In DVD - Holiday special
$20/month Pioneer In-Dash NEX 8201 - 7" LCD touchscreen, CD/DVD stereo receiver, GPS navigation system, backup camera and bluetooth and HD radio
Starting at $89 Motorized In-Dash DVDs - High power, navigation inputs, two aux inputs
$159 Pioneer DVD Receiver - CD/DVD/USB/AM/FM, 5.8" touchscreen, hands free calling/bluetooth
$49 7" Headrest Monitor - Free headphones
$49 Pioneer DEH 150 MP - Auxillary in MP3 & WMA
$79 JVC KD-RD87BT - CD receiver with AM/FM, built-in bluetooth, detachable face, remote, USB
$49 Kenwood KDC-118U - AM/FM/CD player, high power 180 watts, detachable face, FREE auxiliary cable with purchase
$109 Kenwood Package KDC-2580 - Stereo/MP3/USB aux., detachable face, 2 6.5 speakers, 2 tweeters
Car Security and Alarms
$69 Viper 3105 Plus 2 Way Alarm System
$149 Viper Remote Start 5305V (installation is separate)
$13 5 1/4 JVC Speakers
$18 6x9 JVC Speakers
$99 Kenwood TW-124 1000 Watts + 2 Subwoofers and Amplifier


text:
Saturday, September 28, 2019
On behalf of the Santa Margarita Catholic High School Model United Nations Secretariat and Staff, it is our pleasure to welcome you to our annual conference, SOCOMUN. On Saturday, September 22, 2018, we hope to provide an educational and enjoyable environment for beginning to skilled delegates to engage in debate upon pressing international issues. We hope this page will help you better prepare for SOCOMUN.
Check In:
Opening Ceremonies:
Committee Begins:
Freshman Lunch:
Not Freshman & Advanced Lunch:
Committee Sessions End:
Closing Ceremonies:
8:30 AM Please arrive promptly
9:00 AM Opening ceremonies in the Moiso Family Pavilion (Gym)
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM All lunches are provided
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM All lunches are provided
3:15 PM All delegates report to the Moiso Family Pavilion (Gym)
4:00 PM (Time is approximate)
See your committee's topic synopsis for specific information regarding each individual committee.
POSITION PAPERS: No prewritten resolutions or position papers are required!
TECHNOLOGY: Computers are provided inside the Borchard Library for delegates to type their resolutions. All delegates are also welcome to bring their own laptops/tablets to work on resolutions. Cell phones are not allowed for typing resolutions or to be used during committees.
INTERNET ACCESS: A wireless network, called SOCOMUN, will be available for all delegates to use. No password is required to access this network, and WIFI access is available across campus.
USB FLASH DRIVES: All delegates are welcome to bring a flash drive in order to save resolutions on them. All chairs will also have an extra USB drive that delegates may use.
DEBATE: At SOCOMUN, there is not "general" or "substantive" debate. Debate is open, and delegates are free to discuss the background of their topic, their country policies, and solutions in their speeches.
AWARDS: Each committee will give out multiple commendation and outstanding awards. Freshmen and NOT Freshman will also give out one best delegate award, and Advanced committees will give out one gavel award.
Have questions regarding committee information? Email your chair! You can find his or her email in your committee's topic synopsis. Your chair will get back to you as soon as possible.
We encourage all participants to do some background research before committee. Here are some websites to provide insight on your country, committee or topic!
United Nations Website: For background on all topics.
CIA World Factbook: For background on your country.
To help you feel more prepared for SOCOMUN, here are websites and documents that will help you do your best in committee!
Campus Map: So you won't get lost on your way to committee.
Delegate Guide: This guide will help introduce you to MUN. Feel free to use it at the conference as a reference tool.
How to Get Started With MUN: A guide created by Best Delegate.
Best Delegate: A website created to help all MUN delegates.
Santa Margarita Catholic High School
22062 Antonio Parkway Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 Tel: (949) 766-6000 Fax: (949) 766-6005
We are all excited to meet and debate with you !
South Orange County Model United Nations


text: The MX Anywhere 2 from Logitech is designed to track accurately on virtually any surface you need it to -- from your desk, to an airplane seat, to even a piece of glass. Easy-Switch technology allows you to pair up to three Windows or Mac devices at the same time, and switch between them with the touch of the button. The sculpted shape supports your hand and is designed to feel comfortable for hours on end. And the MX 2 Anywhere charges quickly. A one-minute charge gets you an hour, and a full charge can last up to two months depending on usage. Over 300 reviewers give this unit an average of 4 out of 5 stars on Amazon (read reviews), and with the 25% discount you can buy it now for $59.99. Learn more about the Logitech MX Anywhere 2 on Amazon.


text:
Our Gold Standard Stack comprises of 2 essential products for every fitness enthusiast. The hugely popular Gold Standard Whey and the newly developed Gold Standard Pre-Workout combine in one deal and all for a fantastic price too!
Gold Standard Whey
Amount Per Serving:
Total Calories: 120
Protein: 24g
Total Carbohydrates: 3g
-Sugars: 1g
Fat: 1g
-Saturates: 0.5g
Cholesterol: 30mg
Sodium: 60mg
Enzyme Blend
Lactase (standardized to 100,000 FCC units/g)
Protein blend (whey protein isolate, whey protein concentrate, whey peptides), cocoa (processed with alkali), artifical flavor, lecithin, acesulfame potassium, Aminogen, Lactase
Please Note: Nutritional facts and ingredients may vary slightly between flavours
Gold Standard Pre-Workout
Container Size: 330g
- I would like to add Review by Fanni
Quality Price Value
- body weight eexecisrReview by Simo
Quality Price Value
- hi i was curious whaReview by Silvania
Quality Price Value
- I missed you! I askReview by Jessica
Quality Price Value
Write a Review
Recommended Products
Optimum Nutrition Pro Complex 2kg
Regular Price: £99.99
Now only: £57.99
Optimum Nutrition Hydro Whey 1.5kg
Regular Price: £99.99
Now only: £58.99As low as: £56.99
Optimum Nutrition Aftermax
Regular Price: £61.99
Now only: £34.99
Optimum Nutrition Pro Complex Gainer 4.4kg
Regular Price: £119.99
Now only: £67.97As low as: £65.99
Optimum Nutrition 2:1:1 Recovery
Regular Price: £64.99
Now only: £41.99
Optimum Nutrition Platinum Hydro Builder 1kg
Regular Price: £61.99
Now only: £37.99As low as: £35.99


text:
Clean, Modern Design can be used for any type of website
Fullscreen Slideshow
Translation ready with mo/po file
Post Format Support: Standard, Image, Video, Aside, Link, Quote, Audio, Status, Chat
Fully Responsive
Unlimited colors options with color picker in backend
Built with Bootstrap 3, Font Awesome Icons and retina ready
HTML5 and CSS3 design.
Unlimited sidebar and three column footer widgets
Works in all major browsers: Internet Explorer (IE 8+), Firefox, Opera, Safari, Google Chrome
Creating Slider: Go to post editor. You'll see "Slider Options" custom field below the editor in there. You can create slider to use that field.
Support through WordPress theme forum
Support via my email : email@example.com


text:
LOL! I love it, this is classic.
Thanks for the smile I needed to kick start the day :)
Mark my words: this time I'm going to finish it.
LOL! I love it, this is classic.
Thanks for the smile I needed to kick start the day :)
The spirits of Fellini and Bunuel frolick in your cherubic countenance!
Usted es un genio!
Cute video - have you read Proust from start to finish? I got stalled in Volume IV for several years, then made the final push. It was worth it.
Then of course there's the Wake....
oh, jamelah! you're fabulous.
i know you can do this
i just feel that the pages will somehow pass, one after the other, in one huge long sentence manner.
it'll all be good.
and you'll inspire me to consider picking it up again.
Hilarious, Sweet Pea is a good dog, good cess to you.
Ha! That rocks! If you do it I'll do it.
I've never finished it either, but your charming video is giving me inspiration to do so. Nice job.
Sehr gut. But who is Mr Darcy?
TKG, I believe this refers to a character from "Pride and Prejudice".
If you don't like reading and needsapush...this would be my video of Joyce!
I'm gonna give Ulysses a seeing to soon, does anyone recommend a specfic reading guide? I've heard horror stories from people who did without.
I'm hoping Jamelah will write a guide to it!
try doing it with one of the two available unabridged CD sets . . . that will push you through and good luck!
You know, Paul has a really excellent idea. That's the way to read Ulysses! I say this because, while I liked William S. Burroughs before I heard him read, I loved the man's writing after I heard him read it.
Quite a good tip.
I laughed... I cried... I didn't finish it, either! Jamelah, your video was a pure piece of entertainment pleasure.
Reading it for Christmas, perhaps Lent.
Since you've been waiting so long on this project, you might as well read Beckett.
Hey! Beckett is the anti-spam name for this post too!
I tell ya, it's a sign...
I'm waiting for the movie..
funny stuff!


text: Ladies, have no fear, the Porta-Jump is here! In L.A., having the occasional run-in with a dead battery is typical—and pretty stressful. Pulled off to the side of the road or in a shopping mall parking lot, waiting for someone to come to rescue us is way too damsel-in-distress. That's why we are loving this new plug-in emergency battery booster. Small enough to fit inside our glove compartment, we can whip this thing out any time we hear that wretched dead battery sound, plug it into the cigarette lighter socket, and jump-start ourselves back into gear. Not only is Porta-Jump easy to use, but this little gadget can be used over and over again, showing that we damsels will no longer need any help from macho guys.


text:
Next: Auto Filling, Previous: Margins, Up: Text
When Adaptive Fill Mode is enabled, Emacs determines the fill prefix automatically from the text in each paragraph being filled rather than using a predetermined value. During filling, this fill prefix gets inserted at the start of the second and subsequent lines of the paragraph as described in Filling, and in Auto Filling.
Adaptive Fill mode is enabled when this variable is non-
nil. It is
tby default.
This function implements the heart of Adaptive Fill mode; it chooses a fill prefix based on the text between from and to, typically the start and end of a paragraph. It does this by looking at the first two lines of the paragraph, based on the variables described below.
Usually, this function returns the fill prefix, a string. However, before doing this, the function makes a final check (not specially mentioned in the following) that a line starting with this prefix wouldn't look like the start of a paragraph. Should this happen, the function signals the anomaly by returning
In detail,
fill-context-prefixdoes this:
- It takes a candidate for the fill prefix from the first line—it tries first the function in
adaptive-fill-function(if any), then the regular expression
adaptive-fill-regexp(see below). The first non-
nilresult of these, or the empty string if they're both
nil, becomes the first line's candidate.
- If the paragraph has as yet only one line, the function tests the validity of the prefix candidate just found. The function then returns the candidate if it's valid, or a string of spaces otherwise. (see the description of
- When the paragraph already has two lines, the function next looks for a prefix candidate on the second line, in just the same way it did for the first line. If it doesn't find one, it returns
- The function now compares the two candidate prefixes heuristically: if the non-whitespace characters in the line 2 candidate occur in the same order in the line 1 candidate, the function returns the line 2 candidate. Otherwise, it returns the largest initial substring which is common to both candidates (which might be the empty string).
Adaptive Fill mode matches this regular expression against the text starting after the left margin whitespace (if any) on a line; the characters it matches are that line's candidate for the fill prefix.
The default value matches whitespace with certain punctuation characters intermingled.
Used only in one-line paragraphs, this regular expression acts as an additional check of the validity of the one available candidate fill prefix: the candidate must match this regular expression, or match
comment-start-skip. If it doesn't,
fill-context-prefixreplaces the candidate with a string of spaces of the same width as it.
The default value of this variable is
"\\`[ \t]*\\'", which matches only a string of whitespace. The effect of this default is to force the fill prefixes found in one-line paragraphs always to be pure whitespace.
You can specify more complex ways of choosing a fill prefix automatically by setting this variable to a function. The function is called with point after the left margin (if any) of a line, and it must preserve point. It should return either that line's fill prefix or
nil, meaning it has failed to determine a prefix.


text:
The idea of people trading their children before they are even in the womb sounds like a sci-fi story. But it's happening.
Nowadays, people in America and other developed nations are having less children. When this fact is joined with a couple's access to modern fertilization treatments, such as IVF, then the result is many weird things.
The latest bizarre baby story is that people have begun swapping embryos like baseball cards.
This story takes place in Brooklyn, New York. The New York Post reported that a couple, Jodie and James, are an American family who already have two sons. Bucking current trends, they want a third one.
But as they already have two boys, they're desperate for a girl.
The problem is that the couple can only reproduce through IVF, and the eggs that they have stored are all male.
Most families would have accepted this truth and either had another boy or not had any more children.
But it turns out that they aren't the only ones that want to have a different gender of a child.
Another couple, Lisa and Ray, have the same situation. The only difference is that they have female embryos.
But how did the swap come about?
Through the medium of bizarre Facebook posting, Lisa made a plea for a male embryo in exchange for her female one.
Specifically, the message said, "Hello, we have been trying to give my child a sibling for three years… we want to complete our family with a son. We have a great quality female embryo. Would you like to consider a trade?"
Through shares and friends of friends, Jodie and James eventually found Lisa's message.
They're now discussing swapping the eggs, in the hope that they can complete their nuclear families. But is this legal?
Like stem cell research and other cutting-edge technological developments related to biology, the legality and ethics are fuzzy.
Different countries have different rules. And in America, different states within the same country have different rules.
Several states, namely Georgia, Florida, Oklahoma, and Louisiana have created laws officially allowing embryo adoption.
Many others simply have no laws yet passed.
It's a tricky situation. On the one hand, people obviously can't just swap their children after they're born, so does the same principle apply to embryos? On the other, IVF is entirely about providing people with the ability to have the family that they want. But how far does that extend?
One thing to note is that embryo adoption isn't an entirely new phenomenon.
In fact, it's existed since 1998.
However, it is gaining more prominence today, as there are more IVF children than ever. That means that there are many more leftover embryos after a successful IVF procedure. People are starting to realize that they can give these unused embryos to wanting parents.
There's one area where most organizations are in agreement regarding embryo donation.
It's a donation and not a business! The American Medical Association and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine both agree that profiting from embryos is unethical.
That means people can't buy embryos from one family to another.
This brings the issue back to embryo swapping. Is trading a female embryo for a male embryo, or vice versa, a form of profiting? It's definitely a form of bartering.
Perhaps, at the end of the day, people should ask themselves what they would do if they were in the shoes of the couples who want different genders of embryos.
Please SHARE this with your friends and family.
Follow your friends or be the first to join our group
Source: Babyology


text:
Apple's Data-Hogging App
As FaceTime's Video-Calling Moves to Cellular Networks, Phone Bills Could Rise
Apple Inc.'s recent decision to bring its popular video-calling application FaceTime to cellular networks could give wireless carriers a boost as they look to find new ways to charge for data usage.
Data consumption from FaceTime could be significant for regular users and, depending on their plans, leave them needing a larger monthly data allotment. While that may tap the wallets of some users, the total increase of usage will continue the trend of data sales driving a bigger portion of wireless revenue at carriers....


text:
Please click anywhere to continue browsing our site.
At Skinner Tire Service & Sales, we provide commercial tires to customers in Inman, SC, Boiling Springs, SC, Spartanburg, SC, and the surrounding areas. Use our commercial tire guide below to learn more about drive, steer, trailer and all position tires. Compare the functions and features to choose the right tire for your needs. Browse our tire catalog full of the best brands in the industry and save.
At Skinner Tire Service & Sales, we specialize in commercial tires. If you're looking for affordable truck tires that will last long, fit your budget, and provide your drivers with a comfortable ride, we can help. We have a wide selection of popular brands and styles available, and our team can help you identify the best commercial tire for your needs.
We proudly help businesses in Inman, SC, Boiling Springs, SC, Spartanburg, SC, and surrounding areas.
Call Us Get Directions
We have commercial tires for sale from some of the best brands in the industry. See us for:
Many sizes and styles are available, so you can find the best option for your fleet. Contact us today to get what you need.
There are many commercial truck tire brands on the market today from respectable manufacturers. How do you choose the best tire? Start with your fleet, and consider the following:
Call (864) 599-0026 for a price quote. You can also speak with us in person or over the phone to learn more about our commercial tires and commercial tire services. We're happy to help your business save.


text:
- Work in partnership with us, commissioners and service providers to represent the views of parents and carers in order to influence services and get the best provision for children and young people with SEND
- Inform forum members of relevant SEN policies and developments at local and national level.
- Encourage parents and carers to have a voice and to take part in consultations and discussions with the council and its partners.
- Feedback to us the results of consultation as well as general views and comments on SEND services
provide appropriate training for parents and carers to support them in their roles
- Engage as many parents and carers as possible in the forum's activities, particularly other smaller and seldom-heard parent support groups
Total Views: 1511 ,


text:
Press Releases
For further press information please contact:
Victoria Jones
Communications Manager
Routes (UBM Live)
E: firstname.lastname@example.com
Follow on twitter @VictoriaRoutes
Sales Officially Launched for Routes CIS 2012
Posted 07/12/2011 - Viewed 4908 time(s)
Routes CIS is the route development forum for the entire CIS region and the 2nd Routes CIS event will take place on 24-26 June 2012. The event, which will be hosted by Ekaterinburg Koltsovo Airport, will be held in Ekaterinburg which is located in the central part of Russia on the Eastern side of the Ural Mountain range making it the ideal location for airports, airlines, tourism authorities and other industry stakeholders from all over the region to meet and discuss their future plans.
Almost 200 key decision makers from across the region are expected to attend the event to discuss air service development. Delegates responsible for both new and existing routes from a wide variety of airlines will attend this event and early registrations received include Pegasus Airlines, FlyDubai and Air Baltic.
The Routes CIS Strategy Forum will open the event on the afternoon of Sunday 24th June. This enjoyable and informative event will see a panel of leading industry experts involved in a number of moderator led discussions and will address a number of route development issues from across the CIS region. Topics will include:
- Accessing the CIS Market – Bilaterals and Barriers to Entry
- Attracting the Outbound CIS Leisure Market
- Investment, Infrastructure & Improvements – Airport Development in the CIS
- THE CIS as the Cargo Gateway between Europe and Asia
The historic city of Ekaterinburg, rich in history and culture, is the fourth largest city in Russia with a population of 1.4 million inhabitants. A major business centre in Russia it is the most important inter-regional centre for economic and social development for the huge Ural region. The unique geographical position of Ekaterinburg on the border of Europe and Asia creates many opportunities between the East and West and there has been an increase in foreign companies successfully operating their businesses here.
"Hosting Routes CIS 2012 is a great privilege and a variety of opportunities for us," commented Koltsovo Airport CEO Yevgeny Chudnovsky. "The projects currently implemented at Koltsovo surpass the scopes of the airport development and expands to the air gateways of Nizhny Novgorod, Samara and ultimately to other Russian airports. To have Routes CIS hosted in Ekaterinburg is a perfect opportunity for us to give an insight into our plans and achievements to our colleagues, to share our expertise in introduction of new technologies, related to airport operation in particular, to find new partners, and to enhance the route network for our passengers."
David Stroud, Executive Vice President, Airports for UBM Aviation Routes commented: "We are delighted to be taking the 2nd Routes CIS event to Ekaterinburg. Koltsovo Airport is the largest regional airport in Russia and the unique location of Ekaterinburg makes it the ideal place for delegates from all over the CIS region to meet. We have no doubt that the dedicated host team from Ekaterinburg Koltsovo Airport will deliver a most successful event."
Due to its location on the border of Europe and Asia Ekaterinburg Koltsovo Airport (SVX), one of Russia's leading airports, plans to develop into a regional feeder hub feeding both European and Asian network carriers. The airport currently has over 35 Russian and foreign airline partners connecting Ekaterinburg with over 90 cities in Europe, Asia and Northern Africa. SVX have recently been focusing on the construction of the 'New Air Cargo Logistic Village' project which will aim to deliver world class facilities for air cargo handling and operations in order to support the growth and development of air freight in Russia.
Notes to Editors
About Routes
- Routes organises world-renowned airline and airport networking events through its regional and global Route Development Forums. Each year, there is one global event and one regional event in Asia, Africa, Europe, the Americas and CIS respectively. www.routesonline.com
- All destinations and Hosts of Routes CIS Events are listed below:
- Kharkiv, Ukraine, 7-9 June 2010, hosted by Kharkiv International Airport
- Ekaterinburg, Russia, 24-26 June 2012, hosted by Ekaterinburg Koltsovo Airport
- Routes was founded in 1995 as part of the Manchester UK‐based ASM Ltd., a consultancy specialising in the field of route development for airports. www.asm‐global.com
- Routes and ASM were acquired by UBM Aviation Worldwide Ltd in August 2010. Routes is a UBM Aviation brand. UBM Aviation specialises in the supply of data and information products, market intelligence, news and events related to the global aviation industry. More information can be found at www.ubmaviation.com
For further press information please contact:
Victoria Jones
PR Executive
UBM Aviation Routes Limited
E: email@example.com
Follow us on twitter: @Routesonline, @TheHUBRoutes, @VictoriaRoutes


text:
Shakugan no Shana Season Two - Part 1 [Limited Edition] (BD+DVD)
Title: Shakugan no Shana Season Two - Part 1 [Limited Edition]
Volume: BD+DVD
Running time: 300
Distributor: FUNimation Entertainment
Release date: 2012-12-11
Suggested retail price: $69.98
Age rating: 14+
The heated bond between Shana and Yuji is tested as their paranormal adventures continue. The Flame Haze fends off supernatural foes by night, but by day, she contends with a classmate who's also after Yuji's heart. Emotions flare as a suspicious transfer student who resembles a recently defeated Denizen clings to Yuji. His training rises in intensity when they catch wind of a revered warrior in search of her lost lover, who will stop at nothing to extract the power keeping Yuji alive!
This limited edition includes an artbox sized to hold both part 1 and part 2 of Shakugan no Shana season 2.
Contains episodes 1-12.
Special Features: Audio Commentary, Textless Songs.
Spoken Languages: English, Japanese, English subtitles.
(added on 2012-06-26, modified on 2012-09-11)
- Reviewed by Carl Kimlinger (February 7, 2013)
- Encyclopedia information about Shakugan no Shana Second (TV)


text:
Community Living Supports
Overnights or Non-Overnight Supports: Typically this is up to 24 hour supports, however, when requested we will deliver the necessary supports from two hours weekly or up to sixteen hours daily, less the overnight hours. Community Living Support can include 2 or 3 people; working on life goals and plans. For example: your support team will help with daily living, personal budgeting, health and wellness, planning days, learning your rights, building relationships, etc.


text:
Can you spot the Code violations?
How well do you know the Code? Think you can spot violations the original installer either ignored or couldn't identify? Here's your chance to moonlight as an electrical inspector and second-guess someone else's work from the safety of your living room or office. Joe Tedesco, who has a knack for finding shoddy electrical work, did the dirty work and found this mess. Now it's your turn to identify the violation.
Hint: More than three strikes here.
Find the Answer
June Winners
Scott Bevan, P.E., LEED AP, of PAE Consulting Engineers, Portland, Ore., sent in these comments in reference to the June photo. "Per 2005 NEC Sec. 300.11(A), raceways and boxes must be securely fastened in place. The rigid nonmetallic conduit (RNC) out of the ground does not provide adequate support for the junction box as required by 314.23(E). Also, per 352.30, the RNC must be securely fastened within 3 feet of each outlet box or conduit termination. In addition, RNC is not permitted where the ambient temperature exceeds 50°C. This installation is clearly in a sunny location, which may exceed this upper limit. Finally, this installation violates 110.12, which requires work to be installed in a neat and workmanlike manner."
In addition to noting a few of the same violations as Bevan, David Midgley, a project estimator for Walls-Carroll in Ohio, also identified the following problems:
350.12(1) — Liquidtight flexible metal conduit (uses not permitted where subject to physical damage). From what can be seen in the picture, there's no protection for the liquidtight.
352.48 — Joints. Judging by the way the PVC tilts to the side right at the coupling or bell end, I would say that this wasn't put together using an approved method.
352.44 — Expansion fittings. Because this conduit is subject to thermal expansion, an expansion fitting should be in place. It's too difficult to determine what the annual ambient temperature is. If it's Ohio, temperatures could be from -20°F to 100°F. Thus, according to Table 352.44(A), there could be an expansion of 6.08 mm per meter or greater.
Our third winner this month, Mark Trumbull, controls engineer with OFS in Sturbridge, Mass., noted many of the same violations as the first two winners.
Correctly identify the Code violation(s) in this month's photo — in 200 words or less — and you could win something to put in your toolbox. E-mail your response to Joe Tedesco at [email protected], and he'll select three winners (excluding manufacturers and prior winners) at random from the correct submissions. Winners will receive a set of insulated hand tools from Ideal Industries, Inc. valued at more than $125.* The set includes 9.25-inch insulated side-cutting pliers, 10-inch insulated tongue-and-groove pliers, and a 0.25-inch × 6-inch insulated screwdriver.
* Please allow six to eight weeks for delivery of tools.


text:
To conclude our three part feature on 50 SHADES OF BLACK about the many (beautiful) faces of Josephine Baker, we again highlight her contributions outside of the stage/screen alone and focus on the ways she defied convention and redefined what it meant to be a "lady".
Baker was born in St. Louis but after becoming an instant sensation in France (1925), Baker's legacy could no longer be simply claimed by the United States. Baker died in Paris in 1975 and was buried in Monaco. At her funeral Josephine Baker became the first American woman to receive French military honors. Why? Because among all of her many accomplishments, Josephine was a decorated undercover spy who aided French Resistance during World War II.
In another off the beat article about her life, titled Josephine Baker–Dancer, Singer, Spy by Piper Bayard, the details of Josephine Baker's multi-faceted life including details about her espionage are explored.
As World War Two approached, France contacted Josephine and asked if she would report on any interesting information that she picked up while attending parties (sometimes at European embassies). Josephine agreed, and she quickly developed a skill for charming many fascist big wigs, who were desperate to cultivate an appearance of culture by being seen with her. When Germany invaded France, Josephine received brief emergency instruction in spy craft and was taught to use invisible ink and make safe information passes.
During the Nazi occupation, Josephine was a prized commodity for parties and events held by Nazi and Italian fascist big shots. She was allowed to travel in and out of Vichy, France, Nazi occupied France, and neutral countries such as Portugal and Switzerland.
Josephine set up a theater and stage company in Marseilles, France and used it as a cover for a large espionage and sabotage organization. Refugees from Belgium and occupied France were taught to pose as stage artists, and the stage artists were taught to perform as spies. Her seemingly harmless musicians and actor types formed a valuable branch of the French Resistance.
In 1941, Josephine and some of her recruits traveled to North Africa because she was stricken with a bad case of pneumonia and was seeking a dryer, warmer climate. Free French leader General Charles De Gaulle and his staff felt that Josephine had done more than her share and encouraged her to remain safely in French Colonial Africa to recover her health. Josephine was highly committed to the cause of freedom, and instead of remaining safe she traveled to Morocco and set up an expanded operation.
More than simply beauty, more than simply light skin, more than simply a black woman from St. Louis, more than simply the mother of 12 adopted children, more than a bisexual women who married 4 men, more than a civil rights activist, more than a French spy, and more than the face that we so happily featured on the cover design for this 50 SHADES OF BLACK Project, she was Freda Josephine McDonald Baker and we celebrate all that she was and continues to be.
-Carlton Mackey


text:
Getting the most out of Supercan
Using Supercan effectively is not rocket science - you know best what works for you and your audience. However, we wanted to reach out to you with a few proven tips on activating and engaging your fans and followers - check them out below!
Start with the basics
- You have your Supercan profile - hooray! Polish it a bit until it really represents you. Have you shot a nice welcoming video yet? Profile videos are super important: use them to make your fans feel welcome and invite them to ask you questions, for example.
- Have you linked to your Supercan profile from all your social media profiles yet? If not, grab the link from your profile and add it to, well, everywhere with an explanation like "Now you can reach me on Supercan. Personal 1 on 1 replies to your messages!"
- Do a post on Supercan in all your channels. Explain your followers what Supercan is, what makes it cool and how they can personally reach you with it. Encourage your followers to get the free app and to check out your profile!
- Revisit the topic of Supercan in your regular posts. Encourage your audience to send you personal requests about your regular topics.
- Be active and open. This might go without saying, but reply to all messages and comment on the feedback and questions you get regarding Supercan.
For maximum benefit, make supercan a regular interaction between you and your followers. Nurture the flame to build a fire!
React to feedback
- Have you received questions or comments about Supercan? Do a post where you answer these questions openly to reduce any concern your followers might have. Explain them again what Supercan is and what makes it great for everyone.
- Check out the Supercan website and blog. If you find an informative post, article or an intro video, share it with your followers!
- Is your Supercan profile still fresh? Maybe shoot a new profile video and share it to your followers. Use the video to give ideas on the kind of messages you would like to receive in Supercan.
- Keep publishing your regular stuff, but remember to think how you could encourage your followers to start a conversation with you about each and every topic.
Find your sweet spot
- Have you found the perfect price that works for you? Finding the sweet spot might take some experimentation. When you get a steady flow of Supercan messages - not too much, not too little - you're all set.
- To re-ignite your followers, write an update on the kinds of requests and feedback you have received on Supercan. Tell people how much you enjoy answering messages!
- Have you updated or added a profile video recently? Add one today and remember to share!
- Keep your eyes open to other influencers using Supercan. Share their posts to get them to share yours - build the community together!
Sharing is earning
- Remember that sharing button on your Supercan profile? Shoot a fresh profile video and hit the sharing button once again! :)
- Our statistics show that followers return again and again to watch profile videos. So, they really count.
- With your accumulated Supercan expertise, take a look at your upcoming content or publishing calendar. Try to think how you could increase the amount of interaction between you and your followers through Supercan.
- To get new people to try out Supercan, consider lowering your prices temporarily for special up close and personal Q&A sessions with your followers.


text:
I've been pondering whether it is possible to reconcile a number of notions within the same economic story about long-run growth and accumulation:
- An accelerator-type determination of private investment;
- A possible tendency, under laissez-faire capitalism, for profitability to fall as accumulation proceeds;
- Capitalism as prone to financial instability;
- A state able either to attenuate crisis tendencies or, cajoled by democratic pressure from below, push the system beyond capitalism;
- A capitalist state able to "manage", to a degree, the rate of profit.
It is possibly a tall order. The following is intended as just a rough sketch of what I have in mind. I might go deeper into some aspects of the argument in future posts, as it raises various questions, but think it would be better to catch any glaring faults now before carrying the exercise further.
1. Accelerator. Empirically, the evidence appears to suggest that private investment in the long run is induced by the level of economic activity. This fits with the accelerator principle, which states that private investment is largely an attempt to adjust capacity to demand, where the level of demand is determined by autonomous expenditures and their multiplier effects on income and induced consumption. If demand is insufficient to sustain a high level of capacity utilization, investment will not be justified. But if demand persistently tests the limits of capacity, there will be an impetus to install additional capacity through investment. (Matias Vernengo has an excellent series of posts discussing this perspective: here, here, here and here.)
The main alternative proposition, that investment is driven by profits, seems somewhat difficult to square with the principle of effective demand found in the contributions of Keynes and Kalecki, and arguably in Marx as well (e.g., volume 2 of Capital). In a sense, the profit-driven explanation of investment seems akin to a dynamic version of Say's Law in which mere potential for profit in production is sufficient to induce investment. It is not clear why a high rate of profit in production will necessarily induce investment if the levels of demand and economic activity are weak. The surplus created in production will simply mount in the form of unsold inventories. Conversely, not to expand capacity in the face of persistently strong demand, due to low profitability, would be to forgo profit and relinquish market share to competitors.
An implication of adopting the accelerator perspective is that weak investment will reflect weak demand but not necessarily falling profitability, at least directly. To be clear, capitalists at the micro level are still envisaged to be searching out the most profitable opportunities. It is just that a higher economy-wide rate of profit in itself will not induce them to invest while demand remains weak.
2. Profitability. For those who attach significance to Marx's tendency for the rate of profit to fall, the accelerator view of investment may seem problematic. I do think, however, that it is possible to reconcile the existence of such a tendency with the accelerator principle, even if it turns out that a falling profit rate itself is not the fundamental cause of crisis.
In the traditional 'simultaneist dual-system interpretation' of Marx's theory, there is no such tendency (due to the Okishio theorem). However, if the 'temporal single-system interpretation' is adopted, the tendency is present. A somewhat comparable tendency is also implicit in Kalecki's analysis, though in terms of the realized rate of profit (see here).
In terms of Marx's theory, the idea is simple enough to describe. The economy-wide rate of profit, r, is the ratio of surplus value, s, to total capital invested. The total capital invested comprises the sum of constant capital, c, and variable capital, v. Constant capital is the amount invested in fixed capital and raw materials. Variable capital is the amount invested in employing labor. The rate of profit is therefore:
By dividing numerator and denominator by v, this can be expressed as:
As accumulation occurs, Marx argued that outlays on constant capital rise in proportion to outlays on variable capital. The effect is to increase the organic composition of capital, c/v. For a given rate of surplus value, s/v, there will be a decline in the rate of profit over time. That is, a rise in c/v, other factors remaining equal, increases the denominator of r while leaving the numerator unaffected. The process continues until crisis brings about a collapse in the prices of the elements of constant capital. This reduces c/v and is meant to revive the rate of profit. For those adhering to a profit-led view of the economy, the revival of profitability will revive private investment.
If we accept the accelerator explanation of investment, we get a somewhat different picture. From this perspective, any tendency in the rate of profit to fall would seem, rather than being fundamental, to be symptomatic of an accumulation process that is induced by demand. In this view, when demand collapses and crisis hits, there will be no tendency for private investment to pick up, even if the prices of the components of constant capital also collapse. It is not clear that there will be any impetus for recovery in the absence of an injection of autonomous demand, the primary candidates being government expenditure or exports. If the crisis is global, then for the world economy as a whole, government expenditure becomes critical.
However, if we take this view, it raises another question. An advantage of the falling rate of profit theory is that it brings with it a possible explanation of crisis. In this view, it is the decline in profitability that is the fundamental cause of crisis. In rejecting this as the fundamental cause of crisis (without necessarily rejecting a tendency toward a falling rate of profit over a period of accumulation), we are left with the question of what causes the turnaround in activity and crisis. While accumulation proceeded, demand was rising. Then it suddenly collapsed. There is a need to explain this turnaround.
3. Financial Instability. One possible explanation of crisis might be found in the unbalanced nature of the accumulation process under laissez-faire capitalism. During the expansionary phase of capitalist development, private investment is trending in line with economic activity, but this activity, in general, will not be expanding in a balanced or controlled way.
A key imbalance is in the distribution of income. Deregulated labor markets and other anti-worker legislation give employers the upper hand in negotiations over pay and conditions. Deliberate maintenance of significant levels of unemployment, even during periods of strong accumulation, reinforce this tilting of the power balance toward employers. As a result, wages fail to keep pace with productivity. When, in spite of this, private demand is maintained, it is likely to be through an unsustainable accumulation of private household debt. This will be so, for the global economy as a whole, unless capitalists happen to take up the slack by lifting their own consumption. In view of the different propensities to consume of low and high income cohorts, this is unlikely.
In an environment of deregulated financial markets, the growth in demand for private credit will be accommodated not only when income generation is expected (perhaps incorrectly) to be sufficient to service the debt but also when excessive risk can be deceptively and even corruptly passed onto others. In this context, the private credit creation process can go far beyond any socially beneficial level. The process reaches its limit when a critical subset of households becomes overextended and can't repay the debt. The marked increase in debt stress and bankruptcies sets off a chain of further bankruptcies and a collapse in demand.
There is another key imbalance likely to be emerging during the accumulation process that occurs at the sectoral level. Growth that is primarily reliant on private sources of demand has a tendency to push the domestic private sector increasingly toward, and then into, deficit (see here). This tendency at the sectoral level, pushing the domestic private sector as a whole into deficit, interacts with the distributive imbalance brought about through deregulation of labor and financial markets. The greater the income inequality, the more likely it becomes (for any given domestic private sector deficit) that a significant proportion of households will fall into debt stress, precipitating crisis.
It may seem that this explanation is not as deep as the falling profit rate explanation. The latter explains crisis as an inexorable consequence of capitalist social relations, whereas the former seems to deal with phenomena closer to the surface of reality. However, I think a case can be made that the current explanation also depicts crisis as inherent to capitalism. In this respect, I would make a couple of observations.
The first is that the imbalances to which crisis in this explanation are being attributed emerge as a consequence of the core social relation of capitalism. It is the compulsion of the members of one class to sell their labor power to another class that sets up the conflictual nature of the tussle over distribution. The desire of capitalists for a high rate of profit drives the conflict, in both the industrial and political spheres, and successful actions to repress remuneration of workers and increase the profit share in income are what generate the distributive imbalance in which workers' wage income fails to keep pace with improvements in productivity.
The second observation, related to the first, is that the macro accounting relationships — which dictate that one sector can only be in surplus if another is in deficit, and that private demand-led growth will increasingly push the domestic private sector toward deficit — mean that growth is only likely to be sustained for an extended period by inducing households into more and more debt. This not only enables, for a time, high demand alongside low wages but reinforces the compulsion on the dominated class to sell its labor power to capitalists in exchange for a wage.
The implications of this social relation go well beyond merely a struggle over distribution. The attempt by capitalists and the capitalist state to maintain strong profitability has far-reaching ramifications for every aspect of social life. Not-for-profit activity, whether in the public or cooperative sector, will be strongly opposed by capitalists. Anything that can be commodified, privatized and turned into profit will be, if capitalists get their way. But, of course, they might not. This is contested terrain. Marx's analysis of profit and the rate of profit offers strong insights into this struggle, which will be returned to briefly below. For now, suffice to say that even if a tendency toward falling profitability is not the fundamental cause of crisis, it may nonetheless be significant in intensifying the social conflict stemming from the capitalist social relation.
4. The State and Social Possibilities Within and Beyond Capitalism. The state, especially if a currency sovereign, is in a position to attenuate the tendency toward crisis in a monetary production economy. But to do so in anything other than a minimalist way, it would need to move well beyond laissez-faire capitalism, and possibly to socialism or some other form of cooperative economy.
Through an effective regulatory regime, including perhaps centralized wage determination, the state could maintain wages growth in line with productivity. At the same time, fiscal policy could be used to underpin demand in a manner that enabled ongoing financial surpluses for the domestic private sector. Additional profit income generated by the government's deficit spending could be taxed away to make room for reduced taxes on low and middle-income households. Rents from natural resource exploitation could be taxed away, or the production processes themselves nationalized. There could be a strong role for public banking. A zero interest-rate policy on risk-free financial assets would also help to reduce the income of rentiers and maximize the share of industrial capital in any profit income that was allowed to remain in the system.
In a sovereign currency system, the distinction between capitalism and alternative systems could increasingly become blurred if the state engaged in more broad-ranging public investment, extensively expanded the commons, fostered cooperative activities that were not for profit, and acted to claw back private rents and profit income. Ultimately, there could be a complete abandonment of capitalism, given the political will, through progressive developments in that direction.
5. The Rate of Profit and the Capitalist State. Capitalists, no doubt, will strongly oppose any move toward a more progressive economic system. If Marx's tendency for the rate of profit to fall as accumulation proceeds is accepted, it might seem that the tendency must eventually cause a problem for capitalists, even if the system is managed effectively in terms of the levels and compositions of demand, output and employment, and generates and reproduces a balanced distribution of income. Although, under these circumstances, low profitability need not pose a problem to the capitalist system itself, it would pose a problem for capitalists, simply because they prefer high to low profits.
It seems to me that a capitalist state could, if it were the political will (though it is not mine), attenuate any tendency for the rate of profit to fall, at least up to a point. In the past, I've discussed this possibility only in terms of the realized rate of profit (for example, here). But, on reflection, similar reasoning seems to hold in the case of the value rate of profit.
Consider, again, one of the expressions for the rate of profit:
There seem to be three main avenues through which the state can influence this rate.
First, whenever there is excess capacity, which is the normal situation under capitalism, a change in fiscal policy designed to lift private-sector employment will boost v relative to c, and so reduce c/v. This will occur because, although the cost of raw materials (a component of c) will rise more or less in proportion to v and s, the amount of fixed capital tied up in production will be unaffected. That is, a more intensive utilization of capacity can occur without a proportionate rise in capital costs. For a given rate of surplus value, s/v, the reduction in c/v will imply a higher rate of profit. This policy reaches its limit at full capacity utilization.
The classic struggle over the length of the working day is also relevant here in that the attempt by capitalists and the capitalist state to extend working hours can be viewed as an effort to increase v (and of course s) relative to c whenever there is excess capacity.
Second, the state can attempt to boost the rate of profit through policies that increase the rate of exploitation s/v. Here, there can be a conflict with the first policy channel. Strong employment conditions (which within capacity limits help to reduce c/v) can undermine attempts to increase s/v by empowering workers, although regulation to suppress wages growth in excess of productivity improvements could be designed to address that. The capitalist state's appetite for privatization of any potentially profitable service can be seen partly in relation to the aim of increasing s/v. Privatization results in an increase in private-sector employment without increasing overall employment and pressure on wages. The capitalist state's appetite for cutting benefit payments is also related to s/v. These actions undermine the bargaining power of workers by raising the cost of joblessness, leading to fewer demands over pay and conditions. Although benefit cuts have a contractionary effect on private-sector employment, reducing v and increasing c/v, capitalists can lobby for other forms of stimulus less empowering to workers. Similar considerations arise in relation to a job guarantee. Capitalists can be expected to oppose such a program because it would expand employment outside the private sector and give workers more bargaining power.
At the same time, these considerations may point to a line of effective activism for progressives. If capitalists oppose a shortening of the working day and the expansion of activities outside the private sector – particularly not-for-profit public-sector production of social services or free goods, guaranteed employment, extension of the commons, and cooperative production and exchange – then these are precisely the kinds of transformative changes that activists can demand or seek to bring about through the formation of their own social networks and monetary circuits independent of the capitalist sector. Dmytri Kleiner is one person exploring some interesting ideas in this direction (see, for example, here and here).
A third avenue through which the state can influence the rate of profit acts upon c. The state can use fiscal policy to reduce the prices of the elements of constant capital. State investment in public infrastructure, investment subsidies and other measures reduce c relative to v and s. Although some of these measures involve public-sector employment, the infrastructure that results is essentially a gift to capitalists to the extent that it exceeds their tax payments. In some cases, subsequent privatization transfers the wealth into private hands at cheap prices. Alan Freeman has argued that this process occurred on a massive scale in the post-war US economy. In a sense, the transition of the Soviet economy to capitalism involved much the same process. Assets produced over decades in the public sector were then privatized, resulting in massive windfall gains for oligarchs.
In closing, it is perhaps worth reiterating that, even when capitalist states pursue a pro-capitalist agenda, the financial sustainability of accumulation will still depend on the degree to which distribution and financial regulations are conducive to balanced growth. Of course, it may be that in reality capitalist states hold to no such objective. To the contrary, the intention may be deliberately to use crisis, austerity and financial manipulation as a means of continuing the massive upward transfer of wealth to a tiny elite and the impoverishment of low and middle-income households.


text:
CFED Assets & Opportunity Scorecard
Uninsured Rate
Percentage of the non-elderly population (under 65) without health insurance, 2011.
Health insurance provides important protection for a household's assets by reducing expenses incurred from a medical emergency or the treatment of a chronic illness that might otherwise require a family to spend down long-term savings, sell off assets or go into debt. In addition, because health insurance coverage encourages people to seek preventative care and treatment for injuries and illnesses, it minimizes the impact a major injury or illness would otherwise have on an individual's ability to earn income. The uninsured are often one serious illness or accident away from financial insecurity.
Uninsured Rate
2011 American Community Survey. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Commerce, Census Bureau, 2012.
Copyright © 2013 CFED — Corporation for Enterprise Development 1200 G Street, NW Suite 400 Washington, DC 20005 202.408.9788
Powered by ARCOS


text:
Last Friday Dr. Bob and I had a really good talk: Part II.
Dr. Bob did the unthinkable.
He told me the great secret--how we as Americans will finally lose weight.
It boils down to this...
Food has to become harder to get.
I don't really understand this. Yet. But this is what I do understand. We tend to consume more calories on impulse food choices. And the world we live in conditions us to give in to those impulse food choices. Starbucks on every corner. McDonalds next door. Candy in the check out lane.
Think about this. If you got the sudden craving for a big honkin' hamburger in the 1950's, how easy would it have been to obtain? How much easer would it be to satisfy this craving today? Food is easy to come by. Too easy.
So the question then becomes...how do we make food a bit harder to come by? Well...we cook more meals!!
Yes, the great cooking (or rather learning to cook) extravaganza continues. And I must say I'm falling in love with it. My first two endeavors (avocado and lime soup and then curried potatoes) were not especially good, but I did enjoy making them--and I filled up faster.
My new sidebar "wearing the suit" has to do with something Dr. Bob once said. He told me that the actresses he knows who manage the weight issue best are those that recognize that it's just part of the job. It's like wearing a suit to work--it really is just one component of the job, albeit a necessary one. Right/wrong--it doesn't have to be such an emotional issue. The pictures are the visual to show what 1,800 to 2,000 calories really looks like (I read somewhere that taking pictures of what you eat can be more effective than just writing it down). So right now this will be my little sidebar for the most important job I can think of right now--reclaiming my life, finding happiness.
The brook would lose its song if we removed the rocks.
Wallace Stegner
Thank God for the rocks and a very happy cooking extravaganza to you!
PS: next time I cook I might just have to try these.


text:
Featured Project: Yodle New York Office
Making a Home for a Thriving New York City Technology Company
Last month, the award-winning online marketing company Yodle moved into its new Hudson Yards location, doubling the office space of the previous Flatiron District office. With the ability to grow to approximately 114,000 square feet at 330 West 34th Street in Manhattan, Yodle's office accommodates a staff of 300—with plans to hire an additional 250 employees over the next three years. The Yodle New York Office is a sizable achievement for technology hiring in the city. HLW's design solutions are demonstrative of what it takes to make a home for a thriving New York City technology company.
Encouraging Communication and Teamwork
Almost every role at Yodle is represented at the New York headquarters, from sales to engineering to finance and marketing, which means that there are a lot of different personality types and work styles to accommodate. This is certainly reflected in the flexible, open floor plan and a range of desk arrangements. However, dig a little deeper and what you find is a work culture dedicated to encouraging communication and teamwork.
From the amenities to food service, addressing the specific requirements of individuals became about meeting the "whole" employee's needs, which include the ability to share ideas and collaborate. A top-down reinforcement of this philosophy is apparent in the CEO's open workstation, which is located on the floor with the rest of the Yodle team. Similarly, huddle rooms are strategically positioned throughout the office, enabling groups to work together to solve problems. The large, centrally located connecting stair includes stadium seating for a more casual area for impromptu meetings under the skylight.
Yodle also recognizes that employees sometimes need to break from the group and secure quiet time to focus on complex projects before rejoining the team. We designed a large library called the "quiet car room," in addition to numerous phone booths and focus rooms. When more privacy is needed for meetings, The Pavilion is ideal. This fully enclosed space is a "room within a room," complete with its own ceiling. It also feels like a special space within the office, but without compromising the floor's long site lines and 20' ceiling heights.
For HLW, the project's success was dependent upon delivering the right balance of individual and teaming spaces.
Community Building through Flexible Event Space
The incorporation of flexible event space represents another key aspect of Yodle's design and real estate strategy. In addition to being consistent with the campus-like feel, having space to conduct large group gatherings is critical for community building and company culture. Bleacher seating on the staircase provides seating with views of a drop-down projection screen during weekly tech demonstrations, for example.
Flexible event space options are integrated throughout the office, including rooms and teaming spaces that expand and contract as needed. The main reception area contains a 20' tall sliding wall that opens up to reveal a large open space capable of accommodating large group gatherings of approximately 70 people. The adjacent pantry includes a bar height island, which is perfect for food prep at events, and beer and sparkling water taps.
Much attention was paid to keeping the large, unobstructed raw space as open and as bright as possible. For example, space behind the stairs can be closed off to contain workstations behind a screen, but it can also be opened up to reveal clear view lines from the stairs straight through to the other side of the building. In fact, staff on all floors enjoy views from three directions. "Walking desks" oriented outward (to take full advantage of the views) are planned for additional floors.
The Common Thread: Attracting and Retaining World-class Talent
Yodle is celebrating its 10th year anniversary, having launched the business in 2005. From an office of less than 10 employees to a staff of 300 in New York and 1,200 nation-wide, as well as consecutive listings on Forbes list of American's Most Promising Companies for the last four years, Yodle is demonstrative of the quickly expanding footprint of New York technology companies. When it came to creating a home that could keep up with Yodle's own expansion, design strategies focused on collaboration and community building were all about attracting and retaining world-class talent.


text:
The absolute favorite thing to do for these two is OUTSIDE time. Time of year is no issue. We have had to adjust to accommodate. Layering is a must and makes it far more possible to use clothing year round. Much more reasonable for the pocketbook. Hiking in the woods next to our home is a regular request.
Subscribe to A & B's youtube channel
North Face Backpacks
Columbia Rain Jackets
Columbia Rain Pants
Columbia Fleece Jackets
Sorel Winter Boots


text:
April 6, 2016
S&P JUNE FUTURES (SPm6)
Contact: email@example.com
2034-5, 2020-2021, 2004-5, 1956-60- Support
2049-50, 2053-4, 2063, 2071-2 Resistance
Bullish uptrend still intact for US stocks, but Equity uptrend wavering in the near-term with prices near key trading support- Breaks of 2035 likely lead down to 2012 in S&P Futures, but still are likely to prove short-lived given the improvement in breadth and momentum on an intermediate-term basis. Pullbacks therefore likely prove short-lived, and still need more proof even to call for a short-term selloff.
New concerns:
1) Financials breaking down relatively to SPX
2) German bund closing at lowest levels since last April (Often leads US TY Yields)
3) WTI Crude oil has dropped well off prior highs, creating divergence vs SPX which is just starting to be relieved, given SPX decline Tuesday
4) USDJPY has dropped to new closing lows under the recent consolidation, and something to keep a close eye on, given the prior close positive correlation of SPX to USDJPY. Additionally, Bank of Japan wants nothing more than the Yen to decline, so this rally must be causing real concern, and could prove to be an impetus for additional action (Though does that matter?)
Following Tuesday's decline, Equities have begun to show increasing signs of rolling over yet again, not dissimilar from periods in mid-March and early March, where a 2-3 day pullback occurred which tested the 10-day moving average and then turned back higher. Common technical gauges like MACD have rolled over to negative, while RSI has declined to 60 on a 14 period basis, undercutting the lows seen in late March. Could this time be different, finally yielding to the much awaited pullback after a near-250 point S&P rally in the last six of seven weeks? Bond yields would certainly indicate its possible after have continued lower globally in recent days, while WTI Crude has given back roughly 1/3 of its rally from mid-February, and the divergence from equities finally snapped, as equities narrowed the recent gap between WTI and SPX. Additionally, Dollar/Yen showed more meaningful signs of breaking down, yet another negative, which in the past has led to SPX following suit whenever the US Dollar turned down in meaningful fashion vs the Yen.
However the seasonality remains positive for SPX in April, despite performance being slightly more subdued in the month of April during Election years. Given that breadth escalated to the extent it did in the last couple months while the rally rose far higher than most bear market rallies "should have" given how depressed momentum became, are both bullish qualities for this rally to continue to new highs. Healthcare and Technology are both showing very good signs of strength, while Industrials have pulled back only fractionally of late and also remain a strong sector to favor. Momentum wise, popular technical gauges like MACD on weekly charts have turned positive, which makes this a very difficult rally to get a feel for, trend wise. Momentum therefore is overbought and waning on daily charts.. Positive on a weekly basis, while negative on a monthly. Meanwhile, prices lie just fractionally under last year's highs. Bottom line, a break of 2035 on a close for S&P Futures likely does lead to a bit of weakness in the near-term. However, given that sentiment gauges remain subdued, pullbacks should prove short-lived, before rallies back to new high territory.
S&P lies near key support at 2035-37 which was hit during Tuesday's trading as S&P gave back nearly 40 handles from highs hit Monday morning pre-open. Given the degree of momentum deterioration in the last week, any break of 2035 in Wednesday's session is likely to result in at least a bit more weakness, where the two-day selloff could turn out to be 3-5 days in length before stabilizing. For now, prices lie at key support, and are likely to bounce from current levels, but need to be watched for any evidence of breaking down.
SPX vs Crude oil shows the degree to which WTI has diverged in the last week, after a very tight correlation in the last few months. SPX pullback today could have been the start of prices starting to join Crude yet again, while WTI bounced hard from early lows, with momentum reaching the highest since late March. For now, breaks of 2035 in S&P June futures would allow S&P to narrow the gap even further, while Crude breaking back above its downtrend over the last week should help prices rise and join S&P.
EuroSTOXX 50 has turned down and given back more than 1/3 of its rally from mid-February, as Europe takes the lead in correcting recent gains, while US indices by and large remain resilient. This may, or may not be a factor that leads US indices lower, but it's important to note that Europe right now remains considerably weaker than US.
Financials have been a constant source of weakness in the last month, with XLF turning down to multi-day lows and more importantly, relative charts breaking down to the lowest levels since late February. Given that this sector remains 15% of the SPX, this is a real headwind to Equities making progress in the near-term. Financials should be underweighted until this relative line vs SPX can start to stabilize.
The US Dollar's weakness vs the YEN hit the lowest levels on a closing basis since late 2014 in Tuesday's trading, which likely remains a source of concern for BOJ which is trying to do what they can to help the Yen decline. Yet the intermediate-term chart remains quite negative for US Dollar vs Yen, and this recent consolidation over the last couple months now looks to be resolving itself by a move down to new lows. SPX will need to be watched carefully on a break under 110 by USDJPY.
The decline in breadth in the last few weeks can be seen by this McClellan Oscillator chart breaking its uptrend from early 2016, and shows why equities are a bit more high risk at current levels in the near-term with declines in both Breadth and momentum. While this can clearly turn back higher from current levels, the extent of the decline is troublesome given so little deterioration in prices.
This report expresses the opinions and views of the author as of the date indicated and are based on the author's interpretation of the concepts therein, and may be subject to change without notice. Newton Advisors, LLC has no duty or obligation to update the information contained herein. Further, Newton Advisors, LLC makes no representation, and it should not be assumed, that past investment performance is an indication of future results. Moreover, wherever there is the potential for profit there is also the possibility of loss. The information provided in this report is based on technical analysis. Technical analysis is generally based on the study of price movement, volume, sentiment, and trading flows in an attempt to identify and project price trends. Technical analysis does not consider the fundamentals of the underlying corporate issuer. The investments discussed or recommended in this report may not be suitable for all investors. This memorandum is being made available for educational purposes only and should not be used for any other purpose. The information contained herein does not constitute and should not be construed as representation or solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security or related financial instruments in any jurisdiction. Certain information contained herein concerning economic trends, Fundamentals, and/or Technical analysis, and performance is based on or derived from information provided by independent third-party sources.
Readers should conduct their own review and exercise judgment prior to investing. Investments are not guaranteed, involve risk and may result in a loss of principal. Past performance does not guarantee future results. Investments are not suitable for all types of investors. Newton Advisors, LLC believes that the sources from which such information has been obtained are reliable; however, it cannot guarantee the accuracy of such information and has not independently verified the accuracy or completeness of such information or the assumptions on which such information is based. From time to time the publisher, his associates or members of his family may have a position in the securities mentioned in this report: This report, including the information contained herein, has been prepared exclusively for the use of Newton Advisors clients, and may not be copied, reproduced, redistributed, republished, or posted in whole or in part, in any form without the prior written consent of Newton Advisors, LLC.


text:
As I've mentioned in many places, one of the things I aimed for in Shades was a realistic kind of dialogue. This meant very deliberately going through the early drafts of the script and removing/changing any lines that sounded stereotypically "superheroic" - you know the kind of thing: glib one-liners, bombastic threats and battle-cries, pro-wrestling style trash-talk, etc.
But there were other lines that I was just as determined to keep out of the final script. The kind of hackneyed lines that we hear so often on TV and in movies that we start to think of them as normal, everyday expressions even though - if you stop and think for a minute - you'll realise you've probably never, ever heard anybody say in real life. At all. Just in case there's anyone else out there who doesn't want their characters to sound like refugees from prime-time TV, here are some examples of the lines I mean:
Here's the thing …
You know this one. Girl or boy has something they need to tell the other. Maybe he/she wants to declare their undying love but doesn't know how. Maybe they want to break up. So they stare at each other for a few awkward moments and then one says: "So, here's the thing …" Except they don't, do they? Not in real life. Or maybe it's just a New York thing. It's a staple of US sitcoms like Friends and pretty much anything with Julia Roberts in it, but who says it in real life? No one I know, that's for sure!
What part of do you not understand?
Ah, such a witty put-down, isn't it? Nope. Not outside of sitcom-land it isn't. I have worked with some of the most witty and some of the most rude people imaginable. Exactly the kind of people who regularly spout this little gem on TV. And not one of those real life people has ever said this. Not to be funny; not even to be rude. It just doesn't happen.
Did I stutter?
Oh dear. Apart from being potentially offensive to any readers who do suffer from a stutter (and therefore alienating part of your readership!) has anyone ever said this outside of a high school soap? Again, if you have a character who's so mindless that he's meant to be borrowing his attempts at humour from assembly-line TV, then that's fine (but make sure your readers understand that's the point). Otherwise, scrap this and ask yourself what someone might really say. It may be pretty mundane and it may not be especially witty, but then … nor is this.
Who are you and what have you done with ?
This line must have seemed hilarious when it was first used, possibly back in the 1980s. Now it's just tired and old hat. Professional screen writers still use it, of course, but let's face it - no one expects originality from a movie written by committee. The last time I heard it used was in one of the Harry Potter films. The last time I heard it used outside of a film was … Oh no, that's right. I never have!
How's that working out for you?
Let me know how that works out for you.
Oh, yes. Character A has a big plan. Character B has reason to suspect it's not going to work or, from the look of Character A, it's quite clear it's already failed. What's the next line? Well, it can be anything, I suppose. Anything except either of these two lines. Yeah, they were funny once but that was a long time ago and, even if it wasn't … oh, you've got the idea by now. Real people just don't say it!
I got nothing.
Heroes in dire peril? Time for a great idea! Boyfriend caught in an embarrassing situation? Time for best friend to conjure up a great excuse! We turn expectantly to the comedy side-kick who says … Well, if he's Joey from Friends, he says "I got nothing." If he's not Joey from Friends then, for the love of all that's original please make him say something else. Anything else!
What have I done?
There's nothing quite so satisfying as seeing the bad guy finally hoist by his own petard. Maybe, like Frankenstein, his monstrous creation turns against him. Maybe he realises his plan to rule the world will actually destroy it. Whatever it is, his realisation that his evil schemes are going to bring about his own undoing should be a sublime moment. It's his big scene, right? Or it should be. Unless, like Magneto in X-Men 3, he mutters "What have I done?!" No, no, no, no, no. God, no. There's nothing quite like a cliche to ruin a big plot moment!
I've got a bad feeling about this.
This is an odd one. In real life, people do actually say this. A lot. The trouble for fiction is that it's now become so universally associated with Star Wars that it's impossible to use it in a comic or a film without it sounding as if the character is quoting from George Lucas's space opera. So, unless they are, find another way to say it. This is not the line you're looking for.
Behind the Shades
Dialogue: Never speak to me like that again!
DAJB at 10:56AM, June 28, 2011
A WW2 fighter pilot, a First Century warrior queen and a prehistoric shaman. Oh, and their tailor. These are not your common-or-garden heroes!
last edited on July 18, 2011 10:23AM
©2011 WOWIO, Inc. All Rights Reserved Google+