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Result bolsters the Union and hastens need for Brexit deal with Republic
In London, there is generally an ignorance of politics in Northern Ireland - even among politicians of many parties.
For this reason it was easy for the Dublin government and Sinn Fein to convince the media that, as a result of the advance of Sinn Fein at the Stormont Assembly election in spring this year, Northern Ireland was preparing to leave the United Kingdom and join a united Ireland.
The result of this week's general election brings such nonsense to an end, and journalists and politicians in London are scrambling to learn what is happening in Northern Ireland.
In contrast to the emphasis that Northern Ireland voted to remain in the EU and the increased support for Sinn Fein, there is now an election result which confirms a sizeable increase in the pro-Union vote and the emergence of a pro-Brexit DUP as the largest party across Northern Ireland.
Hopefully, the UUP, which like Sinn Fein and the SDLP, supported EU membership in last year's referendum, will get the message.
Even in North Down, the outstanding Independent MP Lady Hermon, who is strongly pro-EU, almost lost her seat to a pro-Brexit DUP candidate.
The majority of Northern Ireland voters responded to the "wake-up" call and voted in much greater numbers to not only secure Northern Ireland within the UK, but unexpectedly to give unionism a most influential position in the UK Parliament.
I hope that opportunity will be exercised wisely in the interests of all in Northern Ireland.
Gone are the days, in 1965, when I was first elected an MP.
The UUP was so strong that several members were elected unopposed.
I was chairman of a Young Unionist Council, with 4,000 members across the country. There was one Unionist Party. And we had Labour MPs for Woodvale, Pottinger, Oldpark and Victoria.
The UUP must now consider its future. Does it remain a separate party from the DUP?
Finally recognise that unionist voters are pro-Brexit and reorganise, so that young people are encouraged to become members?
Or does it simply experience a slow political death?
As the electoral system is proportional representation for both local government and Assembly elections, there are still opportunities for the UUP to establish an electoral base upon which to build a great party again.
The DUP has an immediate opportunity to make unionism and Northern Ireland important in London, but it must firstly recognise that the English of today are not the English of 1921.
For example, the English are now a minority in their own capital city of London and the Anglican Church is now a minority faith. Most people in Great Britain are now secular and reject Christianity. This is the new society which a government, relying upon DUP support, will be required to govern.
There are many immediate challenges. Firstly, Brexit. As a former member of the European Youth Campaign and MEP, I naturally observe the Brexit issue with interest.
During my 17 years in Strasbourg I realised that the EEC, which I supported, had been overtaken by the EU, which was not in the best interests of the UK.
It is good that Northern Ireland now has a team of MPs who share the Brexit policies of the Government. The absence of Sinn Fein MPs also increases this Brexit support for the Government.
The DUP must ensure that our agriculture industry gets major financial support after Brexit - after all, the UK will no longer be transferring £20bn per annum to the EU.
It should also seek an arrangement whereby cross-border schemes, previously funded by the EU (with our money), will continue to be funded by HMG.
If Sinn Fein, because of its interests in the next southern Irish election, fails to agree to an Executive at Stormont, then the DUP should ensure that devolved matters, such as moral issues, are introduced by direct rule, which allow for the wishes of Protestant and Roman Catholic people in Northern Ireland, rather than English standards.
But the most important Brexit topic requiring the attention of the DUP is the new relationship with the Republic of Ireland.
Just as the Republic joined the EEC the same day as we did (and for the same reasons), it would make sense that it leaves the EU the same day as Brexit. That would solve any problems about borders and trade.
For reasons of pride, the Republic will find it difficult to accept this reality. Just as this election has emphasised the Britishness of Northern Ireland, so are the people of the Republic increasingly looking towards the UK every day.
They watch Sky TV, they read English newspapers, they join the British Army, they want to be treated as UK citizens in many respects, such as travel into the UK, the right to vote in UK elections and the right to be treated as equals to UK people for employment in the London media.
Although the Republic has its own Foreign Minister and, constitutionally, we recognise it as a sovereign nation, in practice today the UK treats it as if it had a devolved government.
In the context of the EU, if the Republic continues to remain a member, then the problem for its trading relationship with the UK (including Northern Ireland) must be addressed.
This must mean a special status membership of the EU for the Republic after Brexit, and the DUP, in its new, influential role in the Government of the UK, must do all it can to assist the Republic to gain that special status.
It is not in the interests of Northern Ireland to have an impoverished Republic as our neighbour after Brexit.
Just look at what is already happening to its tourist industry, agriculture exports and the economies of the southern border towns as a result of the prospect of Brexit.
It would be much worse in two years, when Brexit becomes a reality.
Lord Kilclooney is a former Cabinet minister, MP and MEP
Belfast Telegraph
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- Cock-a-hoop DUP consigns March misery to the dustbin


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Month: July 2017
My top holiday reads..
Hands up! Who loves a good holiday read whilst relaxing on the beach?
Mexican Fiesta! – Cielo Blanco Review
So this weekend I continued with my prep for my upcoming trip to Greece…by shopping! You can never have too many holiday clothes, right?
After a busy day shopping, we decided to finish the day with a bite to eat…choosing Cielo Blanco.
Here's a rundown of our time in the beautiful restaurant.
My Top 5 Tips When Visiting: Greece
I have been travelling to Greece for quite a few years now (since I was 10 years old) and feel I have a bit of experience when travelling to this wonderful country. So I thought I would put together a few of my tips that may help you get the best experience if you get the chance to visit Greece
A Taste of Lebanon – Comptoir Libanais Review
So this weekend we had a little guest over (my niece). We took her for a shopping trip into Leeds and came across a lovely restaurant to recharge our batteries…Comptoir Libanais. Here is my review of the place.
Continue reading "A Taste of Lebanon – Comptoir Libanais Review"

subset: commoncrawl


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Republicans Gets Down And Dirty In S.C.
This column was written by Michael Crowley.
Shortly before a Republican presidential primary debate in Columbia, South Carolina, this last May, several conservative activists in the state received mysterious envelopes in the mail. The letters arrived anonymously, each one containing an eight-page document, a typewritten manifesto with a pseudo-academic title: "Mormons in Contemporary American Society: A Politically Dangerous Religion?" The letters depicted Mormonism as based on "hoaxes" and ridiculed the church's founder, Joseph Smith, as a "gold digger turned prophet." The mailing also provocatively dubbed Smith "the Mohammed of the West." "Like the prophet of Islam," it said, "Smith founded his religion upon prophecies and revelations which commanded him to become a polygamist and warlord. Many centuries apart, these two men became the focal point of large religions that blurred the lines between religion, war, domestic life and politics." The letters also suggested that Mormons take direct orders from church leaders. They didn't have to name him to make it clear whom they were targeting: Republican presidential candidate - and devout Mormon - Mitt Romney.
This being South Carolina, the Romney camp assumed a rival campaign had sent the letter. After all, this wasn't the first subterranean attack on their candidate. Just before a March GOP straw poll in Spartanburg, someone using the e-mail address email@example.com mass-mailed a missive titled, "Mitt Romney has a family secret he doesn't want you to know." "Those dark suspicions you hide deep inside yourself about Mormonism are trying to tell you something, " it read. "Trust your instincts! ... The light of truth will burn through the smoke and mirrors of Mitt Romney's movie star looks and crafty words!" The e-mails arrived around the same time as another anonymous letter, a six-page diatribe titled "Mitt Romney: Say anything to get elected," which ripped the former Massachusetts governor for his positions on abortion, gun control, and "conservative values."
Romney is hardly the innocent victim, though. In September, just as Fred Thompson was preparing to enter the Republican presidential field, PhoneyFred.org appeared. The website was equal parts sophomoric parody and character assassination. Its home page featured an absurd image of Thompson in a period costume with a frilly scarf and gilded jacket (presumably from an acting role). Another photograph featured a grinning shot of the Tennessean surrounded, via Photoshop, by several women to whom he's been romantically linked. The site directed viewers to dirt on Thompson via links with such titles as HOLLYWOOD FRED, WASHINGTON FRED, TRIAL LAWYER FRED, MORON FRED, and PLAYBOY FRED. "[W]e figured it was about time that we did a little research into what Fred Thompson (not Arthur Branch) really stands for," explained a welcome message on the site, referring to the character Thompson plays on "Law & Order." But The Washington Post did a little research, too, and traced the site to the consulting firm of Warren Tompkins, perhaps the top political operative in South Carolina - and a consultant to the Romney campaign.
While the Republican field remains focused on Iowa and New Hampshire, South Carolina has already developed into the sleaziest leg of the presidential race. That comes as no surprise. The Palmetto State has long practiced an unusually grubby brand of politics. Many presidential candidates would probably skip it altogether if they could. ("They play with live ammo down there!" squawks one campaign aide.) But South Carolina is far too important for that: Not since 1976 has a Republican candidate been nominated without winning the state's contest, the third of the primary season. (This year, Michigan may vote earlier, and Nevada caucuses on the same day - but it's South Carolina the GOP candidates are most focused on.)
As the 2008 Republicans trudge toward this political Mordor, they do so bracing for what threaten to be new lows of attack politics. John McCain's reputation was slandered (and his candidacy ruined) here in 2000 - and he was a war hero. By contrast, the current leaders of the GOP field - Romney, Thompson, and Rudy Giuliani - seem almost tailor-made for the state's smear machine. Romney's opponents are salivating over his Mormonism. Giuliani's marital history, gay friends, and past appearances in drag are all ideal fodder for dead-of-night windshield pamphlets. And one upstate county Republican chairman has already sneered publicly at Thompson's "trophy wife." "It's gonna be brutal," chuckles state Democratic chairwoman Carol Fowler. For the 2008 Republicans, then, winning South Carolina may be less a matter of pulling off a clear victory than simply getting out alive.
Eight years ago, George W. Bush's supporters, apparently backed by the state's GOP establishment, dragged John McCain's name through the South Carolina mud. Church fliers declared him "the fag candidate." A fringe veterans' group denounced him as a traitor. Anonymous "push-poll" phone calls told voters that he had an illegitimate black child. One Bob Jones University professor even sent a mass e-mail falsely stating that McCain had "chosen to sire children without marriage." Challenged on CNN, the professor responded, "Can you prove that there aren't any?" (Who says BJU isn't academically rigorous?)
So, in 2008, McCain's plan in South Carolina was to be the establishment candidate, the aggressor not the victim. One sign was his decision to re-hire his savvy local political consultant from 2000, Richard Quinn, whose editorship of the Southern Partisan Quarterly Review, which extols Confederate leaders and has played down the brutality of the slave trade, had caused McCain p.r. headaches. He also scored early endorsements from state GOP honchos, like Senator Lindsey Graham, Attorney General Henry McMaster, and a majority of Republicans in the legislature. By early this year, McCain seemed well on his way to building a South Carolina Death Star.
But, after McCain's national campaign went broke this summer, he had to scrap much of his South Carolina team. Now it's Mitt Romney who is building a political juggernaut. Last year, Romney hired Tompkins, who was Bush's chief strategist in the 2000 primary. He's also snapped up several experienced field operatives fresh from the state GOP's "2006 Victory" team. And he recently landed the endorsement of Bob Jones III, chancellor of the Greenville-based Christian university that bears his name - a jackpot for a Mormon trying to insulate himself from doubts among evangelical voters.
Still, the race remains a muddle. Romney has lagged in the polls behind front-runners Fred Thompson, who seems to be benefiting from his Southern roots, and Rudy Giuliani, whose star power and "toughness" obscure a weak ground team.
Of course, those numbers can and probably will change - not least as voters wrestle with Giuliani's fundamental moderation on social concerns, like gun control and gay rights. (At one event in early October, Rudy even suggested that the Lewinsky scandal had been overblown.) "It's only a matter of time before Romney or a 527 starts blasting Rudy on those issues down here," says Greenville Republican strategist Jay W. Ragley, who is not aligned with any candidate. Should those attacks succeed, Republican voters in later primary states on whom Giuliani is counting might conclude that he's damaged goods, unable to rally Republicans in a general election.
It is Rudy's terrible luck that South Carolina comes so early in the GOP primary schedule. And, ironically enough, that itself is something of a dirty trick, one devised by Lee Atwater. Atwater was, of course, the mastermind of the 1988 attack campaign against Michael Dukakis, starring furloughed-felon-turned-rapist Willie Horton, as well as of great prior campaign stunts like saying a rival candidate who'd been treated for depression was "hooked up to jumper cables" and mailing voters a questionnaire asking them to reflect on another candidate's Jewishness. (Atwater denied the latter.)
In 1980, a young Atwater, who once showed up at a college party with a slaughtered pig's head on a stake, was backing Ronald Reagan's presidential campaign when he proposed to vault Reagan to front-runner status by engineering a prominent win for him in Atwater's home state. The plan worked, and South Carolina never gave up its newfound political influence. Since then, it has become a place where the political establishment props up its stumbling favorites, as it did for George H.W. Bush in both 1988 and 1992. In 1996, after Pat Buchanan defeated Bob Dole in New Hampshire, local leaders ordered evangelicals, who in their hearts preferred the populist insurgent, to side with Dole instead, sending him back on his way to his nomination. And, after McCain stunned George W. Bush in the 2000 New Hampshire primary, the Bush presidency looked like a lost dream until McCain's trip through the state's meat grinder. The pattern grew so familiar that, last January, one local GOP consultant told The Washington Post that South Carolina often has to "clean up the mess we inherit from the earlier states."
But 2008 could tell a different story. The GOP establishment that long ran the state has faded, thanks in part to the deaths of Senator Strom Thurmond and former governor Carroll Campbell. "It's a new frontier," says Jim Corbett, state director for Sam Brownback's short-lived presidential bid. "It's wide open. The establishment - experienced, politically involved people - are spread out among the candidates." Instead of an epic two-front war, then, next year South Carolina promises to be a bloody circular firing squad.
Of all the Republican candidates, Romney may have the most to fear from a vicious South Carolina primary. An effective smear campaign about his Mormonism could ruin him with the state's critical evangelical voting bloc. Rudy Giuliani may have worn a dress and Fred Thompson might have a "trophy wife," the thinking would go, but at least they worship the right god. Romney, however, may have insulated himself by hiring Warren Tompkins to run his campaign.
The dirty work of South Carolina politics is conducted by a small crew of operatives who studied at Atwater's elbow. "All of us in this state directly or indirectly trained under him," says Rod Shealy, a veteran GOP consultant not aligned with any campaign. Atwater instilled in his followers a sense of politics as a game with no rules -- one in which treachery was a virtue and not a vice. "People here wear dirty tricks like a badge of honor," says Ragley. They are an irascible lot, often rumpled and wearing garb like Hawaiian shirts and safari hats. "They're really unkempt and eccentric - not like Charleston white boys in boat shoes and bow ties," says one local Democrat. South Carolina operatives tend to congregate in joints with names like the Lizard's Thicket and the Back Porch (co-owned by the son of McCain's consultant Richard Quinn, in fact). Many also have sketchy histories. Shealy himself was once convicted of violating campaign laws after he convinced a black man facing felony charges to join a statewide campaign; the plan was to drive up white voter turnout in favor of Shealy's sister, who was a candidate. Quinn has his association with Southern Partisan. And, to some, the recent anonymous e-mails about Romney recalled a 2002 incident involving Quinn's employee, Trey Walker, John McCain's state campaign manager, who was caught sending an unflattering article about a local candidate from an e-mail address meant to seem like it belonged to Shealy. So goes the internecine world of South Carolina politics.
But, even among this motley crew, Warren Tompkins stands out: "The God of Hell" is how one fellow operative describes him. Tompkins grew up with Atwater, and he is said to most closely emulate his late friend's political style. "Warren is Lee Atwater in a business suit," says University of South Carolina professor Blease Graham, contrasting Atwater's slovenliness with the smooth business demeanor of Tompkins, who has enriched himself in recent years as a corporate lobbyist. Everyone in South Carolina assumes it was Tompkins who stage-managed the savaging of John McCain in 2000, even if he was taking cues from Karl Rove. "I think the mastermind resided someplace else, but I think [Tompkins] was the instrument of it," says former McCain adviser John Weaver. Hence, few people were surprised to learn that the PhoneyFred website was traced back to Tompkins's firm. (Tompkins said a subordinate acted on his own.)
Even with Tompkins as his secret weapon, however, Romney is hardly in the clear. The day after he was endorsed by Bob Jones III, The Greenville News printed an e-mail comment from a "self-described rank-and-file conservative" named Wayne Owens, who declared, "As Christians we should not endorse a cult member as our president." When I read this quote to a Republican with presidential campaign experience in the state, he cackled and declared, "That was probably sent by Rudy Giuliani's county chairman!"
He was joking. But, by South Carolina standards, a bogus e-mail to a reporter would hardly be shocking. Indeed, it may be the new business as usual. As Shealy notes, "The anonymity of the Internet is going to take the whole game to a new and much lower level than thought possible." Last April, one anonymous blog - "McCain SC," the "Unofficial Home for Palmetto State McCainiacs" - hawked a New York tabloid story alleging that Giuliani's wife Judith was "involved in a program that killed innocent puppies" to test medical products. It sounds like the McCain team may have learned its lesson back in 2000, and now knows the secret to victory: When in South Carolina, do as the South Carolinians do.
By Michael Crowley
If you like this article, go to www.tnr.com, which breaks down today's top stories and offers nearly 100 years of news, opinion and analysis


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Here is what I use for Born of Osiris leads =)great work, can you do up their lead tone too? its fuckin ace!
Now I have the Axe Fx 2 myself too It's so awesome.Awesome tweaking man, but I am using the Axe Fx II so I am unable to read the patch, can you please tell me what lineup of the gear you put in the patch and a little about the settings? Thanks


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Category: Uncategorized
You Gotta Have Heart
The culmination of my week long social circuit 2 weeks ago was the New York BBWAA dinner that took place at the New York Hilton on January 25th. This event annually attracts the game's biggest stars as post season awards, including the MVP, Cy Young, and Rookie of the Year, are handed out. The 2014 BBWAA dinner also included some of the greatest players in history, as Hank Aaron joined Miguel Cabrera, and Sandy Koufax joined Clayton Kershaw on a star studded dais. I was invited, and accepted before the invitation could even be completed, to share a few remarks about the 2013 season and to present the "You Gotta Have Heart" Award to Boston Detective Kevin McGill who was on site during the marathon bombings. Rather than attempt to highlight such a phenomenal evening, I decided to instead post the text of the speech I gave to nearly 1,000 guests in attendance.
I'm not terribly certain how it came to be that I would be standing in front of you at baseball's most prestigious dinner alongside the most elite performers in 2013. I was narrowly outpaced by Miguel Cabrera in the MVP race, falling exactly 44 home runs and 137 RBIs short.
I speak to you instead, as a representative of the World Series Champion Boston Red Sox, and as a citizen of a city devastated by unthinkable tragedy and rejuvenated by unexpected triumph. For this, I feel exceptional pride, humility, and responsibility.
In preparing this evening's remarks, I navigated through a mental rolodex of public speaking dogmas: I thought of humor, charisma, and cadence, but when I stripped down the trivialities, I was left with a single, overarching theme. Tonight, I strive to accurately, candidly, and appropriately portray exactly what it was to be a member of the Boston Red Sox through the 2013 season.
A common inquiry into any successful exploit goes something like "when did you realize you had the chance to do something special, or more specifically, when did you think this team had a chance to win the World Series." It is no secret, prognosticators, several hundred of whom may be sitting in front of me, handicapped the odds of the Red Sox becoming World Champions as "unfavorable" Fortunately, no current member of the Red Sox have active BBWAA membership cards. The truth is, even independent of the benefit of hindsight, this group had a unique confidence that was palpable on the first day of spring training. Ben Cherington and John Farrell were far more ambiguous about the prospects of the 2013 team, but players talked about winning the World Series in line for physicals before our first team workout. I can say unequivocally, that I have never played on a team that prioritized winning above any individual accomplishment or personal achievement moreso than this team. The clubhouse was less a place to store uniforms and equipment, than a classroom for baseball education. Winning the World Series was as much a product of chemistry, selflessness, and will as talent, execution, and management. Those things, and of course, David Ortiz.
Reflection on 2013 invariably takes us to April 15th, as on that day the city of Boston was changed forever by the profound evil of two self-radicalized individuals. Much like other epic moments in history, many of us remember our exact whereabouts when we heard of the marathon bombings. I was recovering from a shoulder injury at our spring training facility in Florida, and wanted to check in with a friend who had run the marathon. Amidst a benign text conversation, he sent a message that read "something just happened, something really bad, like a bomb." Minutes later, news spread of two explosions near the marathon finish line. Photos of that horrific scene will forever be etched in our memories. Inconceivable tragedy was mitigated only by the selflessness and bravery of first responders and bystanders.
In the days that followed, law enforcement executed an unprecedented lock down and manhunt, culminating in the identification and capture of both perpetrators.
In the weeks that followed, the residents of Boston, seeking answers and seeking solace turned to each other, turned to law enforcement, turned to their leaders, and turned to the Boston Red Sox. The phrase Boston Strong became ubiquitous, contagious, visible over social media, on tee shirts, bumper stickers, and most notably on the Red Sox jersey hung in the dug out every game that followed the marathon bombings. On April 20, baseball returned to Fenway Park. A montage aired on the jumbo-tron in a moving tribute before the game. First responders were welcomed onto the field alongside injured survivors. And in a moment we will never forget, David Ortiz delivered a certain warning about exactly whose city this is.
In a game that could not have been scripted better by a screenwriter, Daniel Nava hit a dramatic come-from-behind home run in the bottom of the 8th inning, and we won the game 4-3. Winning was certainly fitting for such a significant day. But the truth is, we also could have lost. The importance of that day was that we played. That 36,000 fans in the stadium, and millions more at home watched a team shoulder the burden of helping a city recover by doing what they had always done, by simply playing a game.
We understood our role in helping our city move forward. We visited hospitals and hosted victims. We donated money and time. And we lent our celebrity to causes. But most importantly, we never lost sight of reality. The reality that no home run, not even a post season grand slam, will allow an amputee to walk again, and no victory, not even a world series championship, could fill the void left by losing a son or a daughter, a brother or a sister, a mother or a father. And finally, we learned about courage. We learned about people willing to run toward an explosion, while thousands of others ran away. We discovered the meaning of heroism, and we learned just how strong we are.
Tonight, in Kevin McGill, we honor a Boston Detective who lived under the umbrella of anonymity until that fateful April Day. We recognize a man who put others before self and who sprung to action during our city's most dire moment. Tonight, we acknowledge a true hero. The You Gotta Have Heart Award recipient, Kevin McGill.
BBWAA Boston
Never one to slow down, Thursday night January 23rd was reserved for Boston BBWAA awards dinner. I joined Jonny Gomes, Jon Lester, John Farrell, Ben Cherington, Matt Harvey, and many others on the dais for a final look back at the 2013 season. I was incredibly humbled to accept both the Unsung Hero Award, and the Tim Wakefield Award for community service. As a player who has spent most of his career mired in anonymity, it was great to be recognized for my contributions to the team, both on and off the field. In accepting my award, I noted that "we had a cast of 25 unsung heroes" and I believe that to be unequivocally true. One thing I did ask the audience, rhetorically, is if the nature of the "unsung hero" award precludes a player from being a multiple winner. Despite not being heralded entering the 2013 season, this team. Of course realized the ultimate. The success of this team was rooted in having 25 guys capable of a game winning performance on any given night.
Without question, the highlight of the evening was the inspiring remarks by former Red Sox prospect Ryan Westmoreland. Westmoreland spoke of a promising baseball career derailed by the detection of a cavernous malformation at his brainstorm and his subsequent brain surgeries, with neither bitterness nor disdain. He admirably accepted his fate, and urged current players to never take a moment for granted, because there was nothing he wouldn't sacrifice to be able to put on a uniform and play once again. As often as we hear stale expressions about enjoying every moment of life's roller coaster, Ryan's message was highlighted by candor and sincerity.
Last Wednesday's social calendar brought me to Temple Mishkan Tefila in Chestnut Hill where I was honored, alongside the Massachusetts Champion Newton South East Little League. After an intimate reception with some of the event sponsor's, and a lot of hand shakes and smiles, dinner and a program took place in the temple's beautiful sanctuary. I gladly assisted in handing out trophies to the Little Leaguers, and finally interacted with a team on which I would not have been the smallest player. I would not have been the tallest either, but middle of the road is all I strive for these days. Guests were treated to ball park treats – hot dogs, burgers, popcorn, and soft drinks as they per used a silent auction. After an incredibly complimentary introduction and brief video detailing my Strike 3 Foundation, I accepted the temple's Distinguished Service Award. I used my time as an opportunity to recount a couple of stories about my big league career, my experiences with the 2013 World Champion Red Sox, and the work of my Strike 3 Foundation. I closed by urging the audience, young and old, to find a cause about which they feel passionate and donate some asset to it; time, service, expertise, or money. Finally, I graciously accepted a number of gifts including an honorary membership to the temple, a beautiful mezuzah, a uniform and open invitation to the synagogue's softball team, and an incredibly generous donation to Strike 3 for $10,000. Many thanks to Chuck Diamond and all of the people who helped ensure the success of the evening.
Eastern Middle School Playing it Forward
On January 9th I had the opportunity to speak to the students at Eastern Middle School in Greenwich, CT. For the second consecutive year, these generous students and teachers have generously supporting my Strike 3 Foundation with a novel and unique approach to fundraising. Last year, in exchange for a small donation, students were able wear a hat of their favorite sports team. It is worth noting that given the proximity of Greenwich to New York, it is likely that most students chose that team from New York over their more beloved Boston rival. Anyhow, this year the donation was made in exchange for the opportunity to participate in a Halloween Dress Up Day.
The students listened intently to anecdotes about our championship run, lessons about overcoming adversity and doubt, and a few lighter moments shared by an oft-released, undersized reliever. The students, however, were most receptive when I began to speak about Strike 3's Play It Forward Initiative. I recounted a few examples of idea submissions the organization has collected and could see the students' creative wheels spinning as they considered ideas of their own.
An interesting note came from a casual conversation with Eastern principal Jim Shuckie, to whom I owe much thanks for organizing Thursday's assembly. Mr. Shuckie noted that while in 2012 there was a "price" to participate in Hat Day, the 2013 Halloween Dress Up Day was run with a simple "donate what you wish" requirement. Perhaps we should be surprised that the 2013 donation was nearly 80% greater than 2012. Then again, based on the initial returns of an initiative that gives young students a voice, a cause, and some freedom, perhaps we shouldn't be surprised at all.
Snowy Night and a Round Table
The busy week that I had forecasted a couple of entries ago got the best of me, and now, I shall do my best to catch up. On Tuesday of last week, I participated in a baseball round table discussion at Fenway Park to benefit the Foundation to be Named Later and Peter Gammons Scholars. Not even nearly a foot of snow and Arctic temperatures could keep hundreds from gathering to listen to Ben Cherington, John Farrell, Mike Hazen, and others discuss the culture of winning. Gammons served as moderator. Despite being a participant in the discussion, it was nonetheless insightful to also act as a listener as Ben and John discussed the impetus behind a number of off season transactions, and outlined the development and construction of the 2013 roster. Both spoke candidly about the need for a paradigm shift in the climate of the Sox. Other lighter topics included the birth of the beard, to which John quipped that Mike Napoli's unkempt growth may require a weeds hacker to be tamed, and Dustin Pedroia's, umm, diminutive stature. All in all, the event provided an intimate glimpse into the cultivation of a winning team, and most importantly, served to raise important funds for inner city students to attend college.
The Boss
On the nearly 4 hour trip from New York City to Boston, I had ample time to reflect on the life of a brilliant man who was taken from us far too prematurely. Michael Weiner was the Executive Director of the MLBPA, and he was also a friend. On Monday night, we said our final goodbyes in a celebration of his life. In a tribute filled with his favorite music, and attended by his family, friends, and colleagues, we heard from a number of those blessed by his companionship. We listened to remarks from his Rabbi, his predecessor at the PA Donald Fehr, former players, current players, and his wife Diane. In perhaps the most touching moment, his daughter Grace performed on stage one of Michael's favorite songs. While each speaker offered unique and insightful anecdotes, few spoke of his unmatched intellect and obvious brilliance, the overarching theme, was that Michael, in some special way, made all of us better. I'd like to share the moment I realized just how pure and sincere and decent Michael was. It was 2009, about 2 months after Michael had taken over as executive director, and I was hosting a small networking event for my Strike 3 Foundation in New York City. While Michael had handled the transition into his new role with aplomb, I was certain that the first few months as ED would be tiresome, long, and difficult. Nonetheless, I wanted to invite Michael to the event, sure that he would decline, so that he knew I had thought of him. Sure enough, at around 7 pm, Michael strolled into the small neighborhood bar, wearing his vintage blue jeans and Chuck Taylors, after leaving the office and preparing to head home to see his family. I said hello, and told him that I was surprised he had made it as I hadn't seen him at many other events, if any, and was positive his work demands had left him exhausted. His response, which I will never forget, was so simple and innocent, he said "Of course I would come, I would come to all of these things, I just never get invited." That was Michael. Understated and reliable.
Michael's strength through his battle with brain cancer was remarkable. His courage and bravery served to inspire us all. He stated that each day he sought to find joy, meaning, and beauty. I believe the single most important thing we can do to remember Michael's legacy, is to seek those three thing as well.
"Commuter-ty" Service
The upcoming week makes for perfect blogging fodder, considering I set out to elucidate the philanthropic and off field endeavors of many professional athletes. My schedule reads something like this: Monday evening – Memorial celebration for Michael Weiner, former executive director of the MLBPA, brilliant man, devoted husband and father, and genuine and sincere friend, Tuesday evening – roundtable discussion with John Farrell, Ben Cherington, Mike Hazen, Ben Crockett, and Bob Ryan, moderated by Peter Gammons, and benefitting the Foundation to be Named Later, Wednesday evening I will be receiving a Distinguished Service Award from Temple Mishkan Tefila, with proceeds from the celebratory dinner benefitting my Strike 3 Foundation, Thursday evening I will humbly accept a pair of awards at the BBWAA – Boston Chapter dinner. I'll use Friday to catch my breath, before heading to New York for Saturday's BBWAA – New York Chapter Awards Dinner. I have the distinct honor of representing the Red Sox at this prestigious event. I will head back to Massachusetts on Sunday to speak to the student athletes of Amherst's LEADS program. Finally, on Monday, I will travel to my alma mater to speak with members of the Yale Law School. Whew. I share this information for neither sympathy nor praise but simply to illustrate that a) our off seasons are pretty busy and b) we understand the importance of being visible and responsible figures in our communities. This snapshot is a bit misrepresentative of an entire off-season, but for my teammates, the willingness to participate in local events and to support local causes is not. I look forward to recapping the week, event by event.


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[SHIPPING] nw2s::b - Arduino Based Algorithmic Controller
br>UPDATE: Kits are starting to ship! I'm in the process of emailing everyone. The only thing slowing the kits down are all the cables I have to make! I'll never underestimate the work required for the board interconnects ever again! Anyway, if you haven't heard from me, you should by the end of the week.
UPDATE: Kits are available on deposit!
I had a couple of requests for the same deposit setup for kits, so I've officially opened up the kits to preorder with only a deposit. $200 now and the balance of $275 will be due prior to delivery.
There's only a few more days before I'm going to have to commit to switches, knobs, and pots so help me out and order as soon as possible!
In other news - panels are shipping TODAY! and I received the first shipment of commodity parts - yes, I'm the proud owner of multiple thousands of resistors, capacitors, IC sockets, and LEDs.
UPDATE: Preorders will be open until January 31!
That's this friday! Just letting you guys know that no kits have yet been sold! Probably understandable since it's a bit of a beast, but If you're thinking about it, you have until this Friday. I'll be putting in orders for all the knobs/pots/jacks/switches and PCBs then based on the number of preorders, so after Friday, the turnaround time may increase.
In case you didn't get the news from the other thread, I've updated the circuit to provide bipolar inputs and outputs! That's -5 to +5 in stock configuration and -10 to +10 with an op amp upgrade!
Thanks a lot - getting close!
Here's a new demo of an emulation of a Turing Machine I've put together to demonstrate something using a few more outputs all at once.
There's a few different levels of kit available, but, if you're considering the full kit - and you're not 100% confident in your skillz. PLEASE just save us all the torture and pay the little bit extra for me to build it for you. After the pre-order the effective build fee will go up considerably, so just do it!
Anyway, I expect the only long turnaround time to be the pots and switches. I'm still waiting on some samples from Grayhill - the Tyco (TE) momentary toggles felt like crap, so I'm looking elsewhere. That and the input pots are just not anywhere in the numbers I'll need them for more than a few kits.
Let me know if you have any questions.
That's a lot of jacks!
I've been hacking on the Ardcore for a little while, and while it's quite fun and more than a little useful, it didn't take long for me to figure out that there is just so much more that it could do, so I decided to take a stab at it. In case anyone's interested, I figured I'd document some of the process as I work towards a concrete implementation.
What I've come up with is a combination of hardware and software. The hardware is effectively an anlorithmic CV generator/processor/sequencer and the software is a framework that makes programming this thing a little less intimidating for non C++ folk, and a little less spaghetti-like for those that may be more adept at C++.
Through much deliberation, I ended up designing the hardware with the following specs:
16 Direct Coupled CV Outputs
16 5V Gate/Trigger Outputs
12 Switched Analog/Potentiometer Inputs
4 Momentary/Toggle Inputs
4 Gate/Trigger Inputs
1 Noise Output
16 beat clock display
84Mhz Arduino Due Platform
12 bit DAC resolution (MCP4822)
Optocoupled digital I/O
Fully Buffered analog I/O
On-board dedicated entropy source
For the software, I approached the design as a framework. With this many inputs and outputs, keeping track of IOs and events would need a little bit of organization, so I first put that in place. The second requirement for the software was that the API needed to be independent of the underlying hardware. Besides changing the names of the inputs and outputs, the code should remain the same whether you are running on an Ardcore or on my prototype.
I've prototyped 4 channels of DAC output, 4 channels of digital output, and the beat clock. You'll have to forgive my demos. I'm concentrating on only getting enough done to prove that it's working so that I can move on to the next piece. My goal is to get the hardware built by the end of the year. The software can continue to develop long after the hardware is done.
[s]https://soundcloud.com/scottwilson/nw2s-b-output-prototype-demo-2[/ s]
This is demo illustrates a few things including running four simultaneous CV outputs, some random devices, and multiple clocks running at different tempos. The only CV source on this demo is the hardware prototype. Pitch CV is going to a Cloud Generator and a Morphing Terrarium, Envelope CV is going to a VCA, and the X parameter of the MT is being modulated by another CV output. I've added a little reverb and ubermod after the fact as well.
The code for this specific demo can be found on github at
https://github.com/nw2s/b/blob/master/sketches/nw2s/bDemoSequence2/bDe moSequence2.ino
As an aside, this demo proves that if nothing else, the same code runs on the Ardcore:
It's generating envelope CV on the DAC output and a decay signal on the D0 output.
And I've started some documentation/tutorials on the wiki:
Thanks for looking
Scott br> br>
br>This thing has turned into quite a beast. I've been prototyping most of the IO, and have decided to add a few more small circuits. It's not going to end up being cheap, so I figure I may as well maximize its utility.
Here's the schematic for just the IO board. The device will use three stacked circuitboards. The first will obviously hold all of the knobs, jacks, and switches. The second will hold all of the circuitry, and the bottom will be the Arduino.
Here's what it's ended up being:
16 direct coupled CV outputs
. These are driven by a set of 8 MCP4822 dual 12-bit DACs. They use a serial interface, so don't use up a bunch of parallel pins on the microprocessor. The outputs are individually tunable to ensure that we get 12 bits worth of CV resolution and that digital 4000 = 5.00V
Onboard noise source
. Since this thing is supposed to be a chaotic/altorithmic CV sequencer, I felt like a built-in PRNG just wasn't going to cut it. Since it's tied to a digital pin, it is also tunable so that the noise can be fine tuned to generate a balance of ones and zeros. (Final whitening happens in software) The noise source also has an AC coupled audio output with no LPF.
Two AC coupled DAC outputs
. The Due has two built-in DACs that are of limited use for CV signals because the output voltages are limited. They are, however, perfect for audio with a little help. These two DACs are AC coupled with a gentle 3dB/octave LPF at a very conservative 10kHz. While it would be possible to get a full 20kHz range out of this thing, you will spend a lot of time optimizing code to do something your other VCOs can do in their sleep. Instead, this is likely best used for producing glitchy/chipnoise tones or maybe some granular sample playback from data stored on the SD card...
Micro SD card reader
. This would not be something that would be accessible from the front panel, but would more likely just store wav samples, wavetable data or otherwise provide some flexibility in the future for even coming up with a more flexible mechanism for specifying sequence data: future extensibility.
16 segment beat clock
. This is simply a display consisting of 16 LED indicators that a software clock can use to display the current beat. It's driven by a 4-to-16 decoder. I'm not currently planning on having a gate output on this, but could be convinced otherwise if there were interest.
16 digital outputs
. These are gate/CV outputs operating at 5V through a 3.3V to 5V translator. The panel will include an LED for each output.
12 CV inputs
. Operating from 0-5V, these 12 inputs get their operating voltage conversion and input protection from three quad LMC6484 rail-to-rail op amps. The panel will include 12 inputs on jacks that will go through 12 switched potentiometers. The switched source will be +5V, so that the pots will either be CV attenuators or 0-5V.
8 digital inputs
. These will be gate/CV inputs. One of the great things about the Arduino Due is that interrupts are available on every input, so each of these will have interrupts. The current plan is to have 4 inputs on jacks and 4 inputs as (ON)-OFF-ON toggles. Thinking about it, though I may change them to be 8 inputs and have the toggles be (ON)-ON-ON, switching between +5, +5, and INPUT.
Power is currently +12, -12. The 3.3V and 5V supplies are generated by the Arduino. I'd consider adding a +15, -15 supply if there was some interest there, but I'm only eurorack, so don't have anything to test bigger stuff on.
I was hoping to fit this into about 40HP, but it's gotten just a little bit bigger and may need a little more space. We'll see... I'm going to have to upgrade to the full version of Eagle to get this laid out properly.
I'll be pricing out some of the components and builds shortly if anyone is interested. I realize it's a bit of a niche piece, but some of you may see the potential here! I know I can't wait to get a couple built for myself. The prototypes are a blast to play with.
Scott br> br>
br>Great work Scott ... really interested. br> br>
br>Scott, this is really, really awesome!
Thanks for posting schematics! I have been looking for something like this to answer some unresolved questions I have for a project I'm working on myself.
Much appreciated. I'm looking forward to hearing more about this, and maybe build a few too! General purpose programmable modules are my favorite kind!
C br> br>
br>Scott, you wouldn't happen to have a higher resolution image (or cad format drawing) of that schematics that you want to post, would you?
I checked your repository but didn't find it there either.
The PNG is a little too low resolution to make out details.
Very interesting stuff indeed.
Thanks in advance!
C br> br>
br>No prob. I'll upload a better image this evening.
-s br> br>
br>This could potentially save me days of work! I have started drawing some simple schematics to extend the functionality of the arduino, but what you've got going here is beyond what i could come up with given my knowledge of electronics.
I cant wait to see where you're taking this. Are you aiming at some kind of DIY project available for others? Whats the next step? br> br>
br>Thanks for the interest.
As far as a plan, ideally, I'll be able to provide these preassembled and as kits if there's enough interest.
I am currently at the point where I am ready to start building a prototype since the individual building blocks have been POC'd. I'm going to invest in the full version of Eagle and start laying out the board and get a couple of proto boards made. I'll need a nice pretty panel, and IMO, there are none better than grayscale.
They aren't going to cheap, but for those willing to code a little bit, I don't think there are any modules that have the depth that this thing will have. Certainly the potential is enormous. That's where the software library will come in. With this many IO's the code will need a little more structure than your typical Arduino sketch, but if you look at the existing code, I think you'll see that the architecture is in place to keep things organized in that respect.
For those interested in how some of the circuits work, I've uploaded a PDF schematic to the git repo:
However, just to be clear, I'm not open-sourcing the hardware, just the software for the time being.
Also note that a couple of the components aren't exactly correct on the schematic. I used pin-compatible, but not functionally compatible parts for the input buffers (TL074's wont work on 0 and 5V power, for example), and the output logic level converter.
Scott br> br>
br>That is awesome! Exactly what iv felt like missing in the modular format. Keep us updated. br> br>
br>Good googley moogley! Very interesting work. Can't wait to see where this ends up. br> br>
br>Ordered the last of the prototyping parts last night - including the Arduino SD card reader - I'm particularly excited to see if that works. Time to convert some of the single-cycle wave library to raw!
Just wanted to post a small update... I've started the board layout. It's been a few years and I completely forgot how hard this is. Getting back into the groove tho.
Here's 4 channels of CV from DAC to LPF to op amp to tuning trimmers to pin headers. Seeing it like that makes me think that would be a nice little general purpose breakout board. It's pretty dense so far. Hopefully it's dense enough to remain contained in 40 to 42HP.
I may regret avoiding SMT during the layout process, but I suspect in the end I'll retain a tiny bit more of my sanity going this route.
br> br>
br>Wow this looks amazing, certainly in for a kit. Really clean code too, nice one! br> br>
scottwilson wrote:
I'll need a nice pretty panel, and IMO, there are none better than grayscale.
Just wanted to say that I responded to your message, let me know if you got it. br> br>
br>Yes, got it, thanks very much for the response... I will be in touch shortly! br> br>
br>i am also very interested in this cool project. Let us know when you start to sell the kits. br> br>
br>Thanks everyone for the interest, and I apologize for not responding to PMs, I have been on a mission to try to get this thing buildable by the end of the year, and there's still a fair amount of work to do to get to that point.
Most importantly is to get the main IO board laid out and get an initial set made for testing. Happy to say that I'm done with an initial layout! I budgeted 40HP for the panel and was worried that the IO board wouldn't fit behind that when I first saw the component count. Somehow after hand-routing the whole thing, I managed to get it under 30HP!
Still need to work out a couple of layout bugs, figure out where to drill all of the holes for standoffs, and breadboard a few changes I made in the layout process, but should be able to get an order in by the end of the week - knock on wood.
Another thing I've added since I started are a set of expansion pin headers. Any unused interface pins from the Arduino Due have been routed to a pinheader to make expansion easier. Some things that could easily be added are a front-panel mount for the SD card, USB, an LED matrix, or even a character display.
Anyway, here it is in all of it's 2-layer, through-hole glory.
[/img] br> br>
br>Quite an ambitious project! It's looking great.
I'm definitely interested in this one! br> br>
br>Thanks again guys - I've caught up with all the PMs and emails... except for one person who emailed me this morning or late yesterday who was talking about character displays. Send me another note - it completely disappeared from my inbox somehow!
Scott br> br>
br>Four prototype main circuitboards arrived this morning! Hope I don't screw them up. In other good news, some progress on the panel design, but I'll hold off on anything official on that front until we get a little further.
br> br>
br>Almost finished last night. Just a few more headers to install before testing to make sure I don't release any magic white smoke.
br> br>
br>CJ Miller
br>Looks neat! At what sampling rate are you running the converters? br> br>
br>Nice! I vote for white soldermask on the main PCB to match the Due. br> br>
br>Yes! Yes. I cant wait to hack on this. br> br>
br>White is a good idea... I'll keep my fingers crossed that we can get enough preorder interest to justify a full custom PCB run!
As for the sampling rate:
The 16 external DACs are DC coupled and latched, so you just set the value and they stay until you set them to something else. I did put an 8k-ish low pass on them to round out the corners a little if you're using it for modulation.
The two internal DACs that are AC coupled can also run at whatever sample rate you want... I designed a 10k lowpass which would mean a 20k sampling rate... which could be a little optimistic depending on what else the processor has to keep up with. I may change that to something a little more like 8k. It's a single pole 3dB/octave filter anyway, so it's not doing a ton. You'd likely want to run that through a real filter in the end.
I'll see if I can get it finished off once the little one is off to bed tonight.
-s br> br>
br>Looking forward to seeing where this goes! br> br>
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WASHINGTON — Small tech companies, consumer groups and many celebrities have been up in arms for weeks about a proposal at the Federal Communications Commission to dismantle landmark rules that guarantee an open internet.
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"We are flip-flopping for one reason and one reason alone," he said at the time. "President Obama told us to do so."
Mr. Pai's consistent opposition attracted supporters from free-market think tanks and conservative commentators like Rush Limbaugh and Roger Stone, a former Trump adviser who recently praised the proposal to scrap net neutrality rules. Mr. Pai became a frequent guest on Fox News and other conservative media and was praised in the editorial pages of The Wall Street Journal.
"How fortunately ironic that it is Ajit Pai himself, as the Trump-appointed chair of the F.C.C., that will pull the plug on the ill-intended act called 'net neutrality,'" Mr. Stone wrote recently in The Daily Caller.
Supporters of net neutrality argue that telecom companies want to become the gatekeepers of the internet, deciding whether sites have access to fast or slow connections. But Mr. Pai has responded by saying the bigger threat is from the big tech companies. Google, Twitter and Facebook, he argues, can deprive consumers of free expression.
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"Let's not kid ourselves," Mr. Pai said last month at an event sponsored by the R Street Institute, a free markets think tank. "When it comes to an open internet, Twitter is part of the problem."


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He pointed to conflicting news releases about Cheliak's departure — one said it was an issue of bilingualism, the other said rank — as examples of the disorganization apparent in this latest incident at the RCMP.
"It almost looks like the RCMP is imploding," he said.
Greg Dionne, president of the Canadian Association of Police Boards, the civilian oversight group that represents 75 per cent of municipal police forces in Canada, questioned why Cheliak was replaced before a vote on the bill.
"It's very suspicious," said Dionne.
"We're weeks away from that vote (on the registry) and all of a sudden, the guy that was supplying everyone with the good information so they could make the correct decision, is out. The government does shock me," he said.
Cheliak left office on Aug. 2; his interim replacement was Chief Supt. Geoff Francis, said Flood.
"Sometimes, when someone doesn't meet the rank of the position that they're going into, they can be there in an acting position," Flood said of Cheliak, who was appointed to the position last August.


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Prime Minister, Withdraw All The Additional Taxes That Were Announced By Finance Minister And Go Forward With A Policy Of "Higher Growth And Lower Taxes". Jain
An Open Letter To Prime Minister Andrew Holness
Dear Hon. Prime Minister
Re: Additional Tax Package for FY 2017/18
I am concerned about the Budget as presented. It is not a good move for the country .Hence, I feel that it is my duty to write this letter for your kind consideration. I believe that you can accept my recommendations and by doing so make an unprecedented welcome step to move the country out of the trap of "additional taxes" leading to "additional poverty". You have this golden opportunity to move the country out of this vicious circle.
The Budget as presented gives the following impressions:
- It is a routine "balancing the books "budget without any "out of the box" thinking
- The government is not confident about its strategy to grow the economy and the automatic increase in tax intake that will flow from the economic growth
- The government is not confident about its ability to collect the arrears of taxes and wants the status quo to continue whereby the compliant tax payers should continue to bear additional burden for those who are not paying taxes-this vicious circle needs to be broken
- The government does not believe that the tax compliance can be significantly improved and accepts the status quo of just marginal improvement in the tax collections
- The government does not believe that the additional taxes can have a negative impact on growth
- The government does not believe that the taxation level in Jamaica is already too high
- The government does not believe that a Finance Minister can present a Budget with "no additional taxes".
- The government has not announced any new initiatives to increase production, productivity and exports
- The additional taxes are necessary to finance the increase in the income tax threshold
I believe that you are a Prime Minister who is prepared to "think out of the box" and who has a strong commitment to grow the economy.
You should therefore do a complete reassessment of the situation and consider making a presentation to address the above impressions that people may have and then conclude on the following lines:
1. We are a government which listens to the people
2. We have listened to the people
Based on people's feedback we have reconsidered the whole subject and decided to do the following:
- Withdraw all the additional taxes that were announced by the Hon. Finance Minister
- Make a determined "do or die" effort to collect at least 20 Billion out of more than 200 Billion of tax arrears during 2017/18 -we are confident that it can be done and will show that we can do it
- Make a determined effort to improve the level of compliance and collect at least 10 Billion more as result to this improvement- we know that this can be done and will show that we can do it
- We will establish a Tax Compliance Council to develop strategies to improve and monitor the performance of the collection of arrears, simplification of tax system and improvement in tax compliance. The Council will submit a monthly report to the people of Jamaica.
We believe that all Jamaicans will welcome these moves and will do everything possible to help the government in achieving these targets and stop the cycle of additional taxes being imposed every year.
On the successful achievement of these targets, the government will consider an appropriate reduction of some taxes commencing from the Financial Year 2018/19
Going forward our policy will be to "higher growth and lower taxes".
Sushil Jain Jamaican Financial Analyst And Public Affairs Commentator


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Thursday, August 2, 2012
Three Days On The Road-Run #3
Spooks is pretty sure that the rodeo life is NOT for him. Not only was he stuck traveling with his least favorite horse, he did NOT like the thunderstorms we drove through, all the activity at the rodeos, booms, fireworks, and he especially did NOT like the sheep. LMAO
Typically Moon is nothing but mean to Spooks and Spooks stays far, far away...Hahaha...You would have thought they were 'besties' the way they acted when they were separated while on the road. I'd like to say that I think they may have become friends, but not really. As soon as I turned them out when I got home, Spooks got as far away from Moon as he could. He's no dummy. Moon is mean as heck to him and just because they were buddies on the road doesn't mean Spooks actually trusts Moon.
So anyway, back to the barrel race. I really cannot afford to miss any more association runs with Spooks. He was sitting 2nd in the 4D standings with more than a few points separating him and the leader. The lady leading at the moment has a very solid 4D horse as well. Since Spooks decided to run in the 3D a couple of times, she got a pretty good lead on us.
Don't get me wrong...I like the other lady. She's super nice. But that doesn't mean I don't want Spooks to win the title. Know what I mean?
When I got there, I got horses unloaded, taken care of and started brushing. I was specifically checking Moon out to see if he seemed sore or stiff anywhere. Outside of a bit of puffiness around his hind fetlocks...he was in excellent shape. Considering the puffiness could have been due to all of the miles in the trailer over the last couple of days, I wasn't too concerned about them. I washed Moon's legs with ice water and slathered on some Mineral Ice. I figured he was in good enough shape to run again. But I had a little bit different goal for him this run.
See...I can only get so many 'fast' runs out of Moon before he starts wanting to drop his shoulder in the turns and flip that hindquarter out. What he needed was a good practice run in a competition setting to get him squarely back under himself and rating properly for the turns.
I am nowhere in the point standings on Moon at the local runs. So I am treating them more like practice runs than competition runs.
Normally, I run Spooks first and then Moon. This time I decided that since I felt pretty in-synch with Moon, I was going to run him first. I got him thoroughly warmed up and then took him back to the trailer. It was about 20 minutes before the race started and he settled in for a little nap. Perfect! It had been a long weekend and I knew he must have been getting tired. I was hoping that he would be fairly docile for this run.
You know...he was pretty good. When it was time, we stood well back from the gate and as each girl before us went, we eased up a little more. Moon was walking right up there. When it was our turn, he tried to spin out, but I didn't let him get away with it. I spanked him on the butt and as soon as he faced up to the gate, I started talking that ridiculous baby-talk to him again. He crept up to the gate as nice as you please. Now...when I say crept, I don't mean, didn't want to go and drug his feet...He crept like a cat stalking his prey. I just kept talking to him and kept a hold of him as I eased him into his run.
I DID NOT want a full on rodeo run. I wanted a nice, relaxed, practice run. That's what I got up to the 1st barrel. Moon was stretched out, but not running hard. He turned that barrel about as pretty as a horse can. He came out with a nice straight body...but I didn't let him go.
Instead of starting to really push him...I kept him rated up. Oohhhh...he did not like that. He was straining to run. I was straining to hold him down. We struggled across between 1st and 2nd and I got my way. What I really wanted to do was to make sure that Moon was rating into that 2nd barrel nice and straight. I also wanted him to open the top of his pocket up by about 1 foot. I think that will make a difference on whether we get more consistent getting around that 2nd barrel or not.
I rolled him into that barrel exactly where I wanted him, in position and with controlled speed, he turned that barrel so smooth and quiet.
Problem was, he ticked the barrel with his hip on the way out. That's when I made a really big mistake...
I looked back. (NEVER look back!!)
I have no idea why...I never look back at barrels. Guess I should say...almost never, cause I sure enough did this time. Dohhh!!!
Moon was rolling along pretty good and even though I immediately realized my mistake and whipped my head back around...3rd barrel was r.i.g.h.t. there and *I* had not given Moon enough pocket to get around hit. I rated him as hard as I could, but he ticked the barrel with his shoulder and it just sort of plopped over.
UUggghhhh...I was SOOOO MAD at myself.
I slow-loped Moon home. Ahhhh...from hero to zero with one backward glance. LOL
Wanna hear the disgusting part?
His time was (would have been) an 18.08. Hahahaha...All that won it was a 17.89. If I had left that 3rd barrel up and just let Moon run home...he would have won the damned race. He lost at least 2 tenths on his time by slow-loping home. But once that barrel goes down...it's over...so there was no reason to run him home.
Now doesn't that just make you sick?
However...on the bright side...As much as Moon did not appreciate it...I did manage to keep him at a speed that *I* wanted him to be at. Kept his body straight going into his turns, opened his pocket up just a tish and outside of ME not placing him where he needed to be on 3rd...it was a really good training exercise and something I plan on working on more.
Not making excuses...because you should never look back, but after making a couple of rodeo runs...I sorta forgot that 3rd barrel wasn't very far away on an association pattern. Rodeos generally set their patterns to the size of the arena, which means that 3rd is usually way and the hell and gone up at the other end of the arena. Associations generally set their pattern to a standard size, with equal distances between 1st and 2nd and then the same distance from 1st to 3rd and 2nd to 3rd. In general speak...several strides less from 2nd to 3rd than what you get at rodeos. It was still a dumb mistake...but I won't be making that one again for a long while. ;-)
Now poor old Spooks got drug 550 miles just so he could go out there and do what he does. And he did. He was out of the money, but picked up those oh-so-valuable points...closing the gap between me and the leader to just one point. Go Spooks!! I really want to win that year-end saddle. :-)
I hung around just long enough to take care of the horses and while they were eating their afternoon snack, I watched a few more runs and visited with friends. That in-itself can become a dangerous thing to do. When a plan does not come together...it can often garner unsolicited advice and even subtle negativity. But that subject is worthy of it's own post. ;-)
4 comments:
- cdncowgirl said...
OMG you looked back?! :o
But as for the rest of Moon's run, right on!
Applejack is funny, I can practice as slow or fast as I want at home (or a friend's) but if it's a competition? Oh he gets pissy if I hold him back. He'll up and buck between barrels throwing a little temper tantrum the brat!
Way to go Spooks! How many more jackpots are there? Hope you make up that 1 point and then get a nice cushion :)
"...I watched a few more runs and visited with friends. That in-itself can become a dangerous thing to do. When a plan does not come together...it can often garner unsolicited advice and even subtle negativity. But that subject is worthy of it's own post. ;-)"
YES you have to do that post!!!
- August 2, 2012 at 1:33 AM
- kestrel said...
Yup, you gotta do the post!
Sounds like a good learning run for both you and Moon. Being able to rate his rocket speed is a breakthrough, but dang, it sucks that the only way to learn is to make mistakes!
- August 2, 2012 at 10:33 AM
- Cut-N-Jump said...
Doh! is right. Not just in barrels, but other events as well- never look back.
I hope you do that post soon...
Sometimes you have to slow down to get it right, then bring the speed back up to Win level. The horse may not agree, but slow and right beats fast and wrong- every. time.
- August 2, 2012 at 3:23 PM
- Crystal said...
Yaaa Spooks, good to have consistency lol. He will win you that saddle Im sure.
I too would like to hear that post, i have heard all kinds of things to do and not do, but I want reasons behind them!
- August 2, 2012 at 6:44 PM


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Lakeside Union School District
Website redesign consulting
go to the live site
The Lakeside Union School District has been an award-winning force for quality education in San Diego's east county since 1923.
Phase 1: Understanding the increasing competitive nature of school choice, the District contracted with uneekNet to conduct research and interviews with the purpose of creating a plan for a new website (see old site) that will be effective in attracting new families. uneekNet conducted six focus groups and worked closely with a committee of education and tech savvy district staff in crafting a Site Plan that will be used for the ongoing redesign project.
Phase 2: The District also awarded uneekNet the design portion of the redesign project, including a Flash piece for the homepage.
Say what?
"Mike has that blend of caring for people and professionalism in shaping the project that makes him perfect for leading technology projects."
- Steve Halfaker, Ed.D., Superintendent, Lakeside Schools


text:
About the terms Access to and use of 'agricultureforlife.ca' both within Canada and internationally is provided by Agriculture for Life, Inc. on the following terms:
Agriculture for Life, Inc. may change these terms from time to time and so you should check these terms regularly. Your continued use of agricultureforlife.ca will be deemed acceptance of the updated or amended terms. If you do not agree to the changes, you should cease using this website. If there is any conflict between these terms and specific local terms appearing elsewhere on agricultureforlife.ca (including house rules) then the latter shall prevail.
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Watch your step: Helping patients avoid falls
One to One
Falls are a very serious and growing problem among America's senior adults. One out of three older adults will fall every year. This adds up to around $34 billion dollars each year in fall-related costs for emergency department visits, hospitalizations, surgeries to fix broken bones, follow-up visits, and physical therapy.
Medication risk
"One of the major risk factors for falls is medications," said Kathleen Cameron, Senior Director of the National Council on Aging's (NCOA) National Falls Prevention Resource Center. "Pharmacists are in a great position to help identify older adults who are at risk for falls and educate older people and their caregivers about things they can do to reduce the risk of falling."
"Falls are preventable, they are predictable," Cameron said in an interview with Pharmacy Today. "Although there are several risk factors, medications—both the number of medications and types of medications an older person may be taking—are contributing factors."
Therapy changes
Medications' adverse effects can also put older patients at risk for falls. "A lot of medications have common side effects like lowering blood pressure, or they may cause sleepiness and drowsiness during the daytime," said Cameron, who is also a pharmacist.
"Even when medications are taken at night, they may cause residual hangover effects the next day that can make some people sleepy and at risk for falls." Other medications may impair balance and gait or cause muscle weakness or delirium.
"Pharmacists are the drug experts and are familiar with the side effect profile of medications that increase the risk for falling," Cameron told Today. "This is where the pharmacist plays a great role in identifying someone who is at risk for falls based on their medication profile."
Safer alternatives
Pharmacists should pay particular attention to medications' adverse effects when counseling patients with chronic conditions. Often these patients are taking multiple medications. "Pharmacists should review every medication a patient is taking," said Cameron. "Maybe a patient was only taking a sleeping pill because a spouse died and was having difficulty falling asleep as a result of grief, but that was 3 years ago."
She noted that pharmacists should make recommendations for safer medications that have fewer adverse effects.
Education about falls
Although medication is an important risk factor for falls, pharmacists should talk to patients about nonmedication risk factors as well, such as getting their vision and hearing checked regularly.
"If someone comes into the pharmacy and seems unsteady on their feet, perhaps someone with arthritis, Parkinson's Disease, stroke; or if they are on an antidepressant medication, tell them to talk to their doctor about what they can do to reduce their risk for falls," said Cameron.
Pharmacists can also refer patients to evidence-based programs for fall prevention or suggest local physical or occupational therapists.
Pharmacist toolkit
Cameron and her team at NCOA are currently collaborating with the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists to develop a toolkit on falls prevention for pharmacists. "The toolkit will include the tools pharmacists need to do falls risk assessment and to make proper recommendations to physicians for changes in medication therapy," said Cameron.
The toolkit also helps pharmacists identify products that should be stocked in the pharmacy, such as the best types of canes, walkers, and other devices. Cameron anticipates that the toolkit will be available in late 2015.
For more information about evidence-based programs for fall prevention, check out the Matter of Balance program at MaineHealth at www.mainehealth.org/mob and the Stepping On program at the Wisconsin Institute for Aging at https://wihealthyaging.org/stepping-on.


text: husband is diagnosis's with depression and some anxiety. 2 years ago, he was given Wellbutrin first, made him feel "higher than a kite" so we tried Lexapro, he said made his head feel in the clouds and dizzy, he couldn't deal with that, so he stopped after 3 weeks, I could tell a difference but he couldn't work and deal with that feeling, but gave him agitation during sleep and awake really. 1 yr later we tried St. Johns wort, no side effects but didn't help. Due to his anger issues, mood swings, depression, agitation, extreme HIGH blood pressure she wants him on something to calm him. So we tried Zoloft, he said again, head in the clouds. He can't take anything, it's weird, Benadryl instead of making him sleep he will become agitated and annoyed, can't sleep for hours, gives him rapid heart rates and everything. So now she RX'd him Effexor XR but I never heard of this one. Anyone have any other ideas or advice on how patients like this can be treated. We are really desperate and I'm scared nothing will work for him.


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Hippo CMS
Hippo CMS is an open source Java CMS for creating personalized experiences across all channels.
Hippo's emphasis on the separation of the content from the presentation logic enables content editors to create content once, and then publish it to web sites, mobile sites, Facebook, REST services, digital magazines, mobile apps, and so on.
Hippo enables webmasters to create new channels or configure existing page templates using its Channel Manager and Template Composer.
Features of Hippo CMS:
- Separate Content from Presentation.
- It's provides safe and secure access and flexible access control and supports integration.
- One Admin Theme.
- It can handle your evolving traffic requirements
- Hippo's concept of channels: Channels are essentially different avenues by which content can be served up to users.
- Ability to handle content written in another language: single standardized way of delivering multilingual content on a site running on Hippo.
- Rendering templates on-the-fly
- Notifications are sent to translators whenever content is updated.
- Channel support provides robust theme localization support.


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Healthcare Innovation Delivers More Jobs, Better Returns & Improved Health for MN, Hosted at TreeHouse Health Space
MINNEAPOLIS (Sept. 21, 2016) – TreeHouse Health and Medical Alley Association hosted Healthcare Innovation Delivers More Jobs, Better Returns & Improved Health for MN last week at the TreeHouse Health space in Loring Park. This year, proceeds were raised to benefit CaringBridge, the first healthcare social network.
The afternoon was complete with two panels, consisting of speakers from Mayo Clinic, the Destination Medical Center, Lemhi Ventures, Triple Tree Capital Partners and TreeHouse Health. Presentations from emerging healthcare companies capped each end of the event. To conclude, a reception was held in the notable Loring Corner's alley. The goal was to bring together institutional investors, start-up executives, and executives from health plans and providers representing major healthcare organizations in the community.
Event panelists included:
- Jeff Bolton, CAO, Mayo Clinic
- Clark Otley, M.D., Medical Director, Mayo Clinic Ventures
- Lisa Clarke, Executive Director, Destination Medical Center
- Jodi Hubler, Managing Director, Lemhi Ventures
- Conor Green, Principal, Tree Tree Capital Partners
- John Blank, Partner, TreeHouse Health
Presenting companies included:
Sponsors of the event included:
- The City of Plymouth
- The University of St. Thomas
The event was highly successful with over 150 attendees, many new connections made, and donations for CaringBridge totaling $2,174.
About TreeHouse Health LLC
TreeHouse Health, established in 2013, is an innovation center that helps emerging healthcare companies accelerate their growth by facilitating collaboration with Anchor Tenants while simultaneously providing investment, expertise and guidance around business development and brand exposure. To date, TreeHouse Health has invested in thirteen early-stage healthcare companies and has three Anchor Tenant relationships with Hennepin County Medical Center (HCMC), Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Minnesota (BCBS), and Accenture. To learn more, visit TreeHouse-Health.com.


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[FIRST LOOK] Glenn Howells Architects has been chosen to oversee the £8 million remodelling of the The National Memorial Arboretum (NMA) in Alrewas in Staffordshire
The redevelopment of the 61ha site, built in 1997 to commemorate soldiers who died serving their country, will include a new Armed Forces Pavilion, Heroes Square, Exhibition Space and Education Centre.
As well as upgrading the shopping, catering and office facilities, the practice will also redesign the surrounding landscape 'to unite the existing and new buildings'.
Factfile: National Memorial Arboretum
The centrally-located National Memorial Arboretum, home to the striking Armed Forces Memorial, comprises 150 acres of trees and memorials devoted to the theme of remembrance. It is free to enter and situated near Lichfield and within the National Forest in Staffordshire.
The Arboretum, which has seen the planting of 50,000 trees and is home to 160 memorials, was established in 1997 on former sand and gravel workings restored by Lafarge and leased to the Arboretum on a peppercorn rent. It is part of The Royal British Legion family and receives assistance from the Ministry of Defence.
The Arboretum is home to the iconic Armed Forces Memorial, the nation's tribute to the 16,000 Service Personnel who have died on duty, or as a result of terrorism, since shortly after the end of the Second World War. In Spring 2010 it is also set to become home to the Basra Wall, which is being re-erected currently following the drawdown of Armed Forces from Iraq earlier this year.
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