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Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Could you, too, be an Addict?
I thought I could quit any time.
It started slowly. Just a sentence here, a paragraph there. Then I wanted more. A whole chapter. The first fifty pages. I started counting words…250, 500, 1000. I needed more.
I let my other work languish. In order to have more writing time I started to make excuses, to decline invitations. Even lovers took a back seat to ultimate word count.
That's when I knew: I had become a writing junkie.
Could you, too, be an addict? Ask yourself:
1) Have you forgotten to bathe for days at a time? (You might want to check in with loved ones on this one, as self-reporting is not always accurate)
2) Have you ever, even once, been in the middle of a dramatic situation – i.e., an emotional break-up, at an accident or crime scene, by the hospital bedside of a loved one—and thought "this would make an awesome scene if only I could write it well enough?"
2A) Similar to the above, do you truly believe that no subject is sacrosanct if it makes the writing work? "No, that overachieving, work-obsessed Ivy League professor with the latino name isn't YOU," I tell my ex-husband, Javier. "You taught at Berkeley, not Harvard. This self-centered, blowhard character is totally different from you."
3) Do your loved ones notice a feverish, "why the hell are you bothering me?" look in your eyes when they dare to speak to you or do anything but leave tea and toast at your door? (FYI, this is a phenomenon called "Writers' Daze")
3A) As a corollary to the above, do you lash out at people who dare to call or write because they haven't heard from you in six weeks…and in response do you imply that their reaching out and bothering you shows they don't respect your art?
4) Do you talk a lot about "prioritizing", by which you mean everything (including sleep) takes a back seat to your writing time?
5) Have you ever looked at your cleaning rag or dishcloth and thought, "this is a perfect metaphor!", then returned to your computer, completely forgetting about the company arriving at six for dinner?
6) Do you sometimes sneak off from events to secretly jot down thoughts or phrases?
7) When you're not writing, do you still think about writing?
8) Are you often miserable when you write, yet claim that only writing can make you happy?
9) Have you ever likened not writing to having your head explode?
10) Do you assume that everyone secretly wishes to be a writer? And that therefore, everyone is secretly jealous of you? (Which they are, I mean, let's face it)
11) Do you believe that Nanowrimo is, like, the most exciting thing to happen all year? (For the uninitiated, this is a voluntary event that forces you to write 50,000 words in one month with no hope of remuneration.) "What, you mean there's another holiday in November? Something involving a turkey, and family, and tradition? Hey, I could write a story about that…"
14 comments:
- A. J. Larrieu said...
I'm not doing NaNo because I've got a revision to finish, but I'm guilty of all of the rest. It's nice to know I'm not alone, especially on 2 and 3!
- November 3, 2010 at 6:17 AM
- Sophie Littlefield said...
#'s 5, 8, and 10 for me. Ah, I love it!
- November 3, 2010 at 7:49 AM
- Lisa Hughey said...
J-LOVE THIS!!! I have noticed lately that I am supremely annoyed when I have to actually shower and put on make up and real clothes to attend a meeting or interact with other people. :)
- November 3, 2010 at 7:59 AM
- Rachael Herron said...
Twelve yesses from me. You hit this word-nail on the head.
- November 3, 2010 at 8:11 AM
I am a bit confused............How is this any different than when you were painitng? or studying? or when you were a social worker? Face it Jules.this is just YOU. And I say this with all of the love in the world;)
- November 3, 2010 at 8:21 AM
- Juliet Blackwell said...
Ah yes, we aren't alone! In fact, I should have included something about starting to feel comfortable only around other authors, since addicts like to hang with addicts!
And Big Sis...thanks for bringing me back to reality. Always great to have someone around who can offer the historical view ;-)At least my addictions tend to be cheaper than actual drugs!
- November 3, 2010 at 9:56 AM
- L.G.C. Smith said...
I love this. The ethnography of writing from the inside. You know, #2 is actually a great tool for keeping perspective. Other people may think we're kind of cold, but life is material. Use it or lose it.
- November 3, 2010 at 10:16 AM
- David Fitzgerald said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- November 3, 2010 at 11:25 AM
- Dana Fredsti said...
Dang! David didn't say anything, I did, but his Google address was up...
Anyway, I will cop to #2, #2A, and 7 and 8. Possibly a few more, except not hte one about not bathing.
- November 3, 2010 at 11:27 AM
The best part is, writing addiction is totally compatible with all other existing addictions in the host body, except compulsive t.v. watching. Oh, and you probably won't have time to power shop. All the other ones though...
- November 3, 2010 at 11:42 AM
- Jeanne B. said...
What is this "showering"?
Just kidding. I can identify with this from the perspective of writer, fiber artist, musician and horsewoman. My greatest joy is to become lost in any of those activities to the point where I forget that I'm physically on this planet.
- November 3, 2010 at 2:49 PM
- Adrienne Miller said...
A big "hell Yes" to 2, 5, 7 and 10. Except with 5, I actually say these things out loud and just assume any one within earshot understands.
- November 3, 2010 at 7:05 PM
- Elizabeth Varadan aka Mrs. Seraphina said...
I loved #2, #5, #6, #7. Actually I liked them all and experience most of them. I do shower though. :-)
- November 4, 2010 at 10:46 AM
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When people from up north tell me they just can't get into the holiday spirit in Southwest Florida, I have eight words for them: "Santa climbing a ladder up a palm tree." To me, the holiday display at 'Tween Waters Inn Island Resort epitomizes all that is beautiful and festive about spending the holidays on Captiva Island.
If you are like me, and view holiday spirit as a warm, fuzzy feeling and a giving, loving pause from all that's upsetting in the world, you'll get it. Where is warmer than Southwest Florida, after all? What can be fuzzier than 'Tween Waters' traditional decorations, like old friends I look forward to seeing once a year?
And that Santa on the ladder? A clear demonstration of how islanders make magic – with a little humor — out of a tropical setting. 'Tween Waters fills the grounds with old-fashioned decorations and thousands of twinkling lights.
The centerpiece, a towering traditional Christmas tree, marks the season's kick off with a lighting ceremony that takes place the day after Thanksgiving – Friday, November 24, this year. We like to make a night of it with dinner at the Captiva House once the excitement of the lighting, live music, and fireworks draws down.
So, you can keep your snow, frostbit cheeks, and yule log. I will happily settle for seashell-studded decorations, sun-kissed cheeks, and Santa climbing a palm tree.

subset: commoncrawl


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Google makes available to public AI technology
Home Technology By Yoann Frament | THE HANS INDIA | Jan 28,2016 , 11:22 AM IST Microsoft company stated on Monday, 25 January, it would make available to public use its Artificial Intelligence program called CNTK, under MIT-style license, meaning that it is accessible to all at no cost through the Internet. It can be owned by anyone or used or subject to modification as much as it pleases. CNTK (Computational Network Toolkit) is a learning tool particularly used by Microsoft as a speech recognition software which is also to be found either in Cortana voice assistant or in Skype automated translation tool. This was based on "deep learning", a new area of Machine Learning research relying on learning representations of data, in which Web giant make massive investments.…
Link to Full Article: Google makes available to public AI technology
Google makes available to public AI technology


text: I think you would have understood what i'm going to tell. If not, once click the image and see closely what they are and are they ready to add into your minis. Ya, they are sequins. Did u feel like all the cds are arranged like that? I felt these sequins(silver color) are looking like mini cds. So, guys go and buy some of these and them in your minis. You can paint on it or stick a paper to make it look like a label(don't forget the hole). Have a nice day :-)


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NATO Countries Meet in Lisbon
The inherent vulnerabilities and shortcomings of an alliance created in 1949 to defeat an adversary that ceased to exist in 1989 will be on display for all to see tomorrow when President Obama and leaders of NATO meet in Lisbon. I predict that President Obama will try to put the best possible gloss on the alliance's inability to resolve its internal differences over Afghanistan, and the leaders of the other NATO countries will surely do the same. But they can not obscure the fact that an alliance that was expanded on the premise that it was uniquely suited to deal with problems far outside of Europe has revealed itself to be all but irrelevant.
Much of the media coverage has focused on the NATO mission in Afghanistan, especially the new, new target date for the handover of security responsibilities to the Afghan government some time in 2014, ignoring the fact that a number of the NATO countries that contributed troops to the mission will have already headed for the exits by then. A story in today's Washington Post notes that Canada expects to pull out its 3,000 troops next year, and Germany will begin withdrawing in 2012.
Beyond the Afghan mission, it is to be expected that President Obama and the other heads of state will reaffirm the supposed central importance of NATO to transatlantic and, indeed, global security through a new "strategic concept."
The reality is very different. The U.S. government chose to retain NATO after the end of the Cold War, in part to discourage the creation of an independent European military capability. The net effect of this short-sighted decision is clear: European military capabilities have atrophied, European military spending has stagnated or declined, and U.S. military personnel, and U.S. taxpayers, have been forced to bear a larger and larger share of the burdens of defending a continent eminently capable of defending itself.
It could be argued that the Europeans wouldn't have much need for more military spending in the first place, even if Americans renounced the security guarantee under Article 5 of the NATO treaty. After all, who are they going to fight? The persistent conflicts that defined Europe for centuries have been replaced by economic interdependence and growing political integration. The notion of France going to war with Germany is about as absurd as Kentucky going to war with Tennessee.
Regardless, Washington should not be let off the hook for its past failures to encourage European countries to do more for their own defense. Lacking such capabilities, a number of NATO countries have made a show of supporting U.S. policies, most notably in Afghanistan. But public support for such missions is weak, and elected leaders of democratic countries risk a return to private life if they consistently buck the wishes of their constituents.
NATO has become an end in itself, rather than a means to an end -- security -- that could command support on both sides of the Atlantic, and unpopular one, at that. Germans aren't willing to die in Afghanistan to prove that NATO is still relevant. Though the concept has fallen into disfavor thanks to the Bush administration's shenanigans in the run-up to the war in Iraq, a "coalition of the willing" is a lot more useful than a "coalition of the reticent and feckless."


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When others hear Maria Bonita they think of Madonna, but when we hear Maria Bonita, we think of the infamous Maria Bonita Salon & Spa located in SoHo, New York. Greeted with a welcoming environment, our Mytopface Expert was pleased to receive a manicure and pedicure. A Brazilian style manicure and pedicure to be exact. If you are curious to know the difference between some of the styles you can receive, including the style serviced to our expert, read on and hear from creator, Fernanda Lacerda.
Mytopface: Let us start by saying that the service our Mytopface Expert received was amazing. Plus, your listed menu of services is quite impressive for it all to be offered under one roof. Your list of services in itself is one thing that sets your Salon & Spa apart from the rest. Care to elaborate on how the many services came about?
Fernanda Lacerda: The services came about when we decided to create a list of beauty services that could easily be offered under one roof.
Mytopface: Your 24/7 online booking is a great idea to have your client take their time when deciding on a day that works best for them, but does that cause any conflict on your end? To be more specific, if a client were to schedule an appointment for the next day, how can that customer be guaranteed a stylist/specialist/technician will be there to fulfill their requested service(s)?
Fernanda Lacerda: They can pick from what they need, and from what we can offer, all online. The system is real time and integrated with our booking system so there is no conflict or problem of double booking or under-staffing.
Mytopface: To touch back on the specific service our expert received, her technician put OPI Infinite Shine 2 on her nails. Is that something your technicians put on all customers?
Fernanda Lacerda: We let them pick, but we do recommend this one as it is a long lasting polish that we adore.
Mytopface: Do your stylists/specialists/technicians have to go through any extensive training to be apart of your team?
Fernanda Lacerda: Our team is composed of people who have been working in the company for years. When someone new joins we get them trained by the co-staff who is also responsible for the same service.
Mytopface: For our curious readers, what is the difference between a MB Special Pedicure and a Brazilian Pedicure?
Fernanda Lacerda: The MB Special is a longer process and uses paraffin, as well as a mask to rid of calluses and make the skin smooth.
Mytopface: And again, what is the difference between a French Manicure and a Brazilian Manicure?
Fernanda Lacerda: The French Mani has tips, that is the difference. Now with the trend to mix and match with colors, we love to provide that service to any one interested.
Mytopface: Your store-front is very welcoming. Do you accept walk-ins, or is booking an appointment an absolute must?
Fernanda Lacerda: We accept walk-ins upon availability.
Mytopface: Your Salon & Spa was acknowledged by TeenVogue, Rachael Ray, Fox 5, E News, and more. Has the traffic exceeded since?
Fernanda Lacerda: Before, during, and after press our traffic has been excellent!
Mytopface: Most salons have a small team made up of one or two individuals for each service. Your team is quite large. How do you all manage to work together well and positively?
Fernanda Lacerda: By respecting each other and conducting monthly meetings.
Mytopface: Your Salon & Spa has a ton of excellent reviews. Do you ever encourage your loyal customers to review or do they take it upon themselves?
Fernanda Lacerda: No, we do not ask for reviews, but we do appreciate every single one of them.
Mytopface: On your site we saw that you have your own product line on it's way. Care to give us some sneak peek details for our interested readers?
Fernanda Lacerda: As of right now we are keeping it a major secret, but we will be sure to spread the news once it's time.
Mytopface: Does your Salon & Spa plan on opening any more locations?
Fernanda Lacerda: Shhhhhhhhhh.
Mytopface: Although your service menu is extensive in itself, does your Salon & Spa plan on adding any more services in the near or distant future?
Fernanda Lacerda: We might have to, as we always make sure to keep up with the latest trends.
Mytopface: Lastly, if one was curious to know what kind of information they would receive if they signed up for your "Latest News," what kind of information can they expect to receive?
Fernanda Lacerda: The latest and greatest trends in the beauty industry.
Well, there you have it folks! Thank you to owner Fernanda Lacerda and co-owner Manuela Giannini for the amazing environment, time, experience, service, and staff!
After you receive your very own manicure you can try brand new technology like this one called FingerNails2Go, which is the First Manicure Kiosk!
We would like to thank The Kript for the fashionable Seeing Star Jeans, trendy Ride Or Die Choker, and stylish Lightweight Sunglasses in Black.


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West Virginia residents can smell when something is a bit off with their drinking water, Jon Stewart noted on Monday's "The Daily Show."
The first clue that the stuff flowing from the sink might not rise to the level of potability was when it gave off a licorice aroma, news reports noted.
"There was the faint smell of licorice and also the water gave them explosive diarrhea and vomiting," Stewart said. "So how do you get licorice flavored polluting water? Were they fracking in Candyland?"
Also read: MTV's '16 and Pregnant' and 'Teen Mom' Helped Reduce Teen Pregnancy Rate, Study Finds
It turns out that West Virginia could have improved their planning, because massive tanks holding the toxic chemicals were constructed near a major drinking supply.
"I am not an industrial engineer or an expert in sewage treatment or a city planner or a doctor or a mohel, but why would you build your toxic chemical storage tanks upstream and drinking water adjacent?" Stewart said. "Although I imagine because it was in such a vulnerable position it was highly regulated."
Uh, not so much. Stewart checked his notes and discovered that one of the last times regulators stopped by to check out the tanks was in 1991.
"1991, that was like six Batmans ago," Stewart said.
Watch the video:
The Daily Show
Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,The Daily Show on Facebook


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text: The GBP/USD pair initially tried to rally during the day on Tuesday, but found the area above the 1.45 level to be far too resistive. By doing so, we ended up forming a shooting star and it looks as if the supportive candle below will more than likely continue to fight as well. Quite frankly, it is consolidation that we are expecting, but a break above the top of the shooting star would be a very bullish sign. Ultimately though, it looks as if we will pullback in order to try to find a bit of momentum underneath to go higher.


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Today is National Love Your Body Day, which is fitting because I was going to write about wrinkles anyway! Hoorah for convergence! Use the hashtag #lybd on Twitter to participate in the conversation.
Last week, Sociological Images pulled an awesome example of "wrinkle washing" of female celebrities:
Smooth vs. wrinkly, right? I think it's particularly stark when you annotate like this:
SocImages pairs this image with an excellent Susan Sontag quote:
The great advantage men have is that our culture allows two standards of male beauty: the boy and the man. The beauty of a boy resembles the beauty of a girl. In both sexes it is a fragile kind of beauty and flourishes naturally only in the early part of the life-cycle. Happily, men are able to accept themselves under another standard of good looks — heavier, rougher, more thickly built…
There is no equivalent of this second standard for women. The single standard of beauty for women dictates that they must go on having clear skin. Every wrinkle, every line, every gray hair, is a defeat.
A few other examples:
That is not to say you shouldn't attempt to take care of your skin. For the love of God please wear sun block. Moisturize. Drink a lot of water. But, you know, but don't let a laugh line or crow's foot be a defeat. The men certainly don't. On the other hand, it's not just a question of internally changing perceptions of self, is it? Here's something by Gloria Steinem re miley Cyrus that seems relevant:
"I wish we didn't have to be nude to be noticed … But given the game as it exists, women make decisions. For instance, the Miss America contest is in all of its states … the single greatest source of scholarship money for women in the United States. If a contest based only on appearance was the single greatest source of scholarship money for men, we would be saying, "This is why China wins." You know? It's ridiculous. But that's the way the culture is. I think that we need to change the culture, not blame the people that are playing the only game that exists."
This stuff is damaging for so many reasons. The pursuit of youth (and beauty, if you're already young) is distracting us, literally, from all the other things we could be doing with our minds and hearts. It's part of the reason that we're behind, because "they" (and by "they," I mean the "industry," the advertisers, the media, our friends and family too, sometimes) have convinced us that how we look is related to what we can do. And to Ms. Steinem's point, playing along isn't weakness or vanity; in its own way, it's smart. The appearance game is the only game in town so what the fuck else are we supposed to do?
So… yeah… sorry for the bummer, but it's a bummer kind of day. Go do something nice for yourself. Buy a book. Take a walk. Eat something delicious. Call someone you love. Write a nice note. Make plans to look forward to. Listen to good music. Look at yourself in the mirror and be like, Yeah, it's pretty cool that I get to have this body, because this body enables me to do all this other stuff that makes being human pretty fucking cool.
Related Post: Love Your Body Day in years past
Related Post: Why I will not be joining your gym


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Eco-economy: Building an Economy for the Earth
Earthscan, Jun 1, 2003 - Business & Economics - 333 pages
In 1543, Polish astronomer Nicolaus Copernicus challenged the view that the sun revolved around the earth, arguing instead that the earth revolved around the sun. His paper led to a revolution in thinking.In Lester Brown's brilliant and invigorating account of the industrial economy, he shows how a rethink of its fossil fuel-based, throwaway ethos is necessary to ensure that it works with, not against, the natural environment.The issue now is whether the environment is part of the economy or the economy is part of the environment. Brown argues the latter, pointing out that treating the environment as part of the economy has produced an economy that is destroying its natural support systems.One of the foremost experts on the new economic opportunities, Brown shows the vast economic potential and environmental gains that exist from eliminating the waste and destruction of current consumption. He describes how the global economy can be restructured to make it compatible with the earth's ecosystem so that economic progress can continue, with high standards of living and secure employment for all, while conserving resources and restoring the environment.In the new economy, wind farms replace coal mines, hydrogen-powered fuel cells replace internal combustion engines, and cities are designed for people, not cars. Eco-Economy is a map of how to get from here to there. It is an essential guide to the economy of the 21st century and will be compelling reading for business readers and environmentalists alike looking for ways to build a better future.
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Review: Eco-EconomyUser Review - Goodreads
started this one a few years ago....a little heavy just to pick up....may enjoy reading with someone so we could discuss Read full review
Review: Eco-EconomyUser Review - Goodreads
dedpressing Read full review
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Eco-economy: Building an Economy for the Earth
Lester Russell Brown,Earth Policy Institute
Limited preview - 2001


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Zydeco Feeling 3:570:00 / 3:57
I'm On The Wonder 8:220:00 / 8:22
Trail Ride 4:030:00 / 4:03
Keep On Walking 5:170:00 / 5:17
Lost Baby 3:170:00 / 3:17
Zydeco Boogie 5:480:00 / 5:48
Iggy Diggy di 5:500:00 / 5:50
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"But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you … If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?" – Matthew 5:44 – 46
In a previous post, I wrote about a difficult situation at work where my manager is unfairly targeting and singling me out. This is arguably the worst treatment that's ever been inflicted upon me by another human being. Throughout 2016, I've been asking myself why this is happening. I do believe that it's a spiritual test and an opportunity: Can I forgive her? Will I able to love my enemy?
I've been a Christian for a long time. But I still struggle with sin and selfishness and constantly ask myself if my faith is truly reflected in my life. It's well known that God's greatest command is to love Him. Check – got that! His second greatest command is to love others. Ahem. Yeah, I'm still working on that one.
It's easy for me to love God. Our Heavenly Father is perfect, after all. Other people? Not so much. Let's just say that I'm all too aware of the sin and selfishness in people (and I include myself in this category). When someone disappoints me, it's easy for me to walk away.
But in this case, with my manager, I couldn't walk away because we work together. We are constantly forced to interact. I asked myself, "What would God want me to do in this situation?" And looking at Matthew 5, the answer I received was that I needed to forgive her and to love my enemy.
But it is so hard.
I've spent countless hours agonizing over this situation and analyzing my manager in a vain attempt to understand her. In my head, I wanted to forgive her and be obedient to God. But my heart was resistant; I had been mistreated for too long. My internal dialogue went something like this: "Where is the justice? So, I'm just going to let her get away with it?"
And I've spent hours talking to my dad (my earthly father – God bless him for his patience and support!) about it.
Me: I want to forgive her but it's so hard. Look at Jesus … he's able to love and forgive his enemies. Why can't I be like that?
Dad: He's Jesus. You're not.
What I've concluded is that Jesus is able to see into the inner depths of our hearts and psyches; He knows everything about us and what drives us, including the experiences and pain that are often expressed in the mistreatment of others. Jesus, who knows everything, sees the ugliness and sin in people and He loves us anyway.
I don't know my manager well enough on a personal level to understand what truly drives her. But I suspect that her unfair treatment of me stems from her character flaws and racial prejudice. Yes, Satan is working, big time. What allows me to hold my head up high is that I'm absolutely positive that I've done nothing to warrant the current situation.
I've listened to numerous sermons on the topic of forgiveness. On repeat. What I've learned is this: Forgiveness is for me. It's not for the other person. A grudge is like a toxin that's poisoning me. By forgiving, I'm releasing that poison.
I think I'm finally at a place where I'm ready to forgive. It's a new year. I'm ready for a fresh start.
Me: I want to love my enemy, so it's so hard!
Him: Philippians 4:13 – I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.


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I have been trying to create my first "posting" but seem to keep deleting it. This time it will work. Lets hope the third times a charm.
Nic is playing real football for the first time this year with the Valley Wolfpack in Sumner. What is interesting is his baseball team is also the Wolfpack, neither team is associated with each other. He seems to be enjoying it and learning how to play. Steve & I wish he showed more aggression. I know he will get there.
Hard to believe he is in the 6th grade. He has grown so fast. This year has just started & he seems to have more homework than in the past. Thank goodness he is a great student & really cares about how he does.
Steve & I are preparing for our vacation next summer. We decided this summer to go to Hawaii. We have been dieting & working out so we get into the shape we would like to be before we go. Time to save, save, save.
1 comments:
- Beth Webb said...
Third time was a charm! You might want to change your settings to allow anonymous posts otherwise people have to create a blogger account to comment...just a suggestion.
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text: An application-programming interface is classified as a set of functions that allow the creation of applications, which access the features, or data of an operating system, applications or other service. Many people use API and plug-in integration for a number of reasons, and the implementation of these systems can be very effective. Most digital agencies should be including these services in their media offerings as they help to facilitate a numerous amount of different services and allow for flexibility with the business's digital platform and operating system. API's are classified as one of the most commonly used ways of allowing companies to integrate with each other. They contribute to a business ecosystem and programming language that supports many of the digital platforms on which businesses are built and created.


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Gus Poyet hosts his former beloved Blues this evening in the Carling Cup Quarter Final. Struggling to find form in the league this year, the ex-Chelsea midfielder will hope to get one over on his former club and give the Stadium of Light crowd something to celebrate, with a place in the semi-final.
Mourinho though, will be looking to use this cup-tie as a chance to improve his sides' organisation at the back, which has proven shaky in the opening half of this campaign. A victory tonight for the Blues will result in a tenth consecutive victory at the Stadium of Light and will continue Mourinho's remarkable trophy record in his short managerial career.
Both managers will be looking to exploit the weak defences tonight, leaving an open, attacking game this evening and hopefully a repeat of the seven goal thriller earlier this season.
The teams are in, as this Capital One Cup Quarter Final prepares to get underway:
#safc team to play @chelseafc: Mannone, Celustka, Dossena, O'Shea (C), Brown, Cattermole, Larsson, Gardner, Johnson, Giaccherini, Altidore.
— Sunderland AFC (@SAFCofficial) December 17, 2013
Team v Sunderland: Schwarzer; Azpilicueta, Cahill, D Luiz, Cole; Mikel, Lampard (c); De Bruyne, Willian, Schurrle; Eto'o. #CFC
— Chelsea FC (@chelseafc) December 17, 2013


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Groundwell Farm is a small family farm located in Macon County, Tennessee. We are focused on sustainability and local food security. We grow as much of our own food as possible and occasionally have extra food to sell.
We are in the process of building up a number of trade craft businesses beginning with a blacksmith shop—The Groundwell Forgery—which we expect to open in April 2016. Once the smithy is up and operating we plan to build the Groundwell One Room Schoolhouse where a variety of classes in sustainability related topics will be offered over time.
Our agricultural focus, at this time, is an experimental research model harking back to the work of the likes of Sir Albert Howard with a mind toward current and future challenges.


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A Self Publishing Journey
About a decade ago now I finished my first ever full length piece of fiction writing. It was called The Midlife Crisis of Chris Smith and it was about, well a man going through a midlife crisis. It was 300 odd pages of fictional diary entries from this man who gradually spirals into psychopathic depression and turns to murder almost on a whim as the story progresses.
If it sounds terrible that's because it is.
At the the time though I thought it was incredible and I purchased a copy of the Writers And Artists Handbook 2007 and duly set about submitting this masterpiece to Agents and Publishers alike. Surprise surprise – not even the slightest sniff of interest from anyone, so after a while I abandoned it and joined a rock band instead, forgetting about writing for a good few years because of the lack of progress.
This is all relevant because after finishing up my next book – A Man Who Can See The Future back in 2014, I felt compelled to self-publish instead of seeking traditional publication. See self publishing eBooks is actually pretty simple and back in the day no-one gave two hoots about my first book so I figured why waste time pursuing agents and publishers this time around? Just self-publish it to the Kindle store instead.
So that is what I did – the first book was published in 2014 to the kindle store and a year later its sequel went live.
Then about 3 months ago I took them both down again!
Why? Well I'll break down the whole journey here, along the way detailing the mechanics and problems that self publishing brings in the modern digital age.
Honing the Manuscript
So I'd written 90k words and honed that via 3 or 4 drafts into a 75k word manuscript I was happy with.
The first step was to acquire some proofreading services to iron out those typos.
I knew I needed this thing checked over thoroughly by an independent party before I published it so I found a couple of freelance proofreaders I could afford on the freelance site peopleperhour.com.
The first person I hired cost about £30 and was about as good at proofreading as you would expect for that price. The second proofreader cost around triple the first one and was actually a lot better, providing a tracked changes document to help me decipher just what changes had been made to my precious book.
Still, I wanted to seek further opinion before this thing hit the outside world so I sent it to a family member and a trusted friend to read and feedback. This feedback was great, positive and encouraging, but between them they still spotted a handful of typos each despite the proofreading services.
I was desperate to get my manuscript as polished and professional as possible so it passed through 2 proofreaders and 2 other independent readers before I uploaded.
Looking back at publishing this first book I do think I rushed it out. In hindsight I was under no time pressure whatsoever, so what compelled me to press publish so quickly is a mystery. Genuine excitement I guess?
I thought running it past four readers was enough – two of them paid for – but the reviews quickly told me it wasn't.
This mistake I tried to rectify upon the sequel which I published around 12 months after the first.
For this one I not only consulted a better proofreader and an extra friend to read through it, but I also hired a copy editor for the princely sum of £180.
- Outlay for the first book – £110, read by four separate people prior to publishing
- Outlay for the sequel – £230, read by 5 separate people prior to publishing.
The net result of the above process?
Both published books had negative reviews which mentioning spelling / grammatical errors! To paraphrase I had reviews on both books that went something like 'loved the story but too many spelling mistakes' / 'great story but sloppy typos'.
This was my worst nightmare. I assumed on the first book it was due to cheap and ineffective proofreaders and my over eager nature, so I doubled my investment and was more studious on the second only to get the same result.
I must admit at this stage I still don't particularly know how to combat this problem? Just how much should you be spending to make your draft absolutely perfect and avoid those dreaded reviews, how many proofreaders do I need?
One ultra expensive one maybe?
See I'm no grammar nazis (as this blog will attest), but by the time I've written and drafted the thing 3 or 4 times and am ready to seek outside help, you become almost blind to some of the minute errors buried in their.
So you pay someone to find them.
Evidently I didn't pay the right people? Or I wasn't thorough enough myself?
Probably both.
Perfecting that script when self publishing is a puzzle I've still not particularly solved, short of shelling out hundreds of pounds on professional services.
Cover games
Leaving the words themselves behind for now I feel I had a lot more success with the covers. My day job involves technical drawing and graphical designs so I felt more than capable of producing my own ebook covers. I've also been a budding artist for as long as I can remember so I actually relished the thought of producing them.
So off to Photoshop I went and produced the following for my first book:
I liked it – I still like it – but I thought it wise to seek outside input once again. So I found two graphic designers on freelance site Fiverr and payed for these two to be produced. Sum total of $15.
They are OK, but I preferred mine so I went with it for the first publication.
Ebooks being what they are you can easily change most aspects of your book within a few clicks, so a few months in I experimented with the other covers, using them for a month apiece to see if they had any effects on sales.
Turns out they didn't, not to any discernible degree anyway, so I went back to my original. I then went on to produce this one for the sequel.
Sure they probably aren't the greatest covers in history but they didn't look out of place on the Amazon charts or did I ever receive a bad word about them from anyone.
Anyway, I felt a lot more confidence in the covers than I did with the proofreading and editing.
So when all of that is sorted actually launching a digital ebook is pretty much a button clicking exercise. Filling out a form, writing some blurb, uploading the files, making some choices.
Then suddenly your humble book is available for pretty much the whole world to get hold of.
Its after the book is available that the real problems kick in, see unless I now told anyone about it, or ran some campaigns, then no-one would ever know it existed.
First stop social media and a trickle of curious family and friends all came forth and returned mostly positive opinions. After acquaintances though,a couple of weeks later and the sales figures had evaporated completely, down to 1 or 2 sales per week.
From here I started to learn some tough lessons.
Mainly that unless you have a significant budget and a targeted plan to advertise your book, it's going to get lost among the masses regardless of its quality.
My main platform was the Kindle store and I signed up for the KDP program which allows their subscribers to 'borrow' books like at no extra cost like a traditional library. So my book was up for the humble price of $0.99 but part of the KDP program was a 5 day promotional window in which the book would be free and its presence advertised and promoted on the kindle store.
I.e. a platform for a big sales push.
So I set one such push up around a bank holiday weekend. I scoured some community message boards for tips on low cost, good return advertising channels and turned up a few options. In fact the best advertising I found during my entire self publishing endeavor was called BKknights here, for a measly $5. This place advertises your free book to its readers and I used them repeatedly because for the price they actually had impressive results – pretty much every time I spent $5 with them I would get me 100-200 downloads in return.
So back to my first advertising push – I invested about £100 on various outlets and over the course of the promotional period I obtained around 1500 downloads. I was chuffed at the time and regardless of the fact these were free downloads (and not earning me any return), I was just happy people were actually willing to press the download button and maybe read a few pages.
Time for more lessons to be learnt now though – it turns out 1500 downloads is a pretty small number in the grand scheme of things. Such numbers didn't even get me close to the top 10 charts on Amazon that weekend or give my book any more attention or exposure.
Soon after the numbers tailed off to virtually nothing.
Reviews….or not.
After some research it became clear that reviews are much more important to your self publishing success than I first realised. See reviews bring traction, tell Amazon people are interacting with your product and send it up their all important charts where it gains more exposure.
I also quickly found out that a wide range of the more established marketing opportunities only consider self -published books when they have 10 reviews or more. I had a long list of affordable and well established avenues for marketing but my book just wouldn't be considered until i reached that review milestone (which I never actually did).
Strangely it's not necessarily good reviews that count either. Research told me that an ebook with hundreds of reviews at a 2 ½ star average will still well outstrip a 5 star reviewed book with only 30 reviews.
A book with 500 reviews is a book that's been downloaded many thousands of times I'm guessing as my 1500 downloads garnered only a single review in the weeks after.
It's a simple cycle – the more downloads, the higher up the charts the book rises, the more exposure it gets, the more reviews it will end up getting.
So I've had a big push and by this point obtained around 1700 downloads in total, garnered 5 reviews (4 ½ star average), but without spending and spending and spending, I didn't really have any other plan.
Freebie time
So after 9 months or so of watching my book receive about 0-2 downloads per week, and a couple more advertising pushes, I took a bold move and made my book perma-free.
All 75k words of my precious book were yours for nothing.
This is a common tactic used by self-publishers and the reasoning was solid.
What I needed to build my career was exposure and numbers, big download figures that would cement my book on that precious Amazon chart and continue to drive reviews and downloads.
Ultimately I want my work to be read and for every £0.99 download I was only getting 30 odd pence in my pocket anyway so in other words, I wasn't really generating any money at all and wasn't likely too. Especially seeing as my only big download periods came when the book was available for free.
I had nothing to lose and by making it free I removed a crucial barrier to put of potential readers.
It would be free on a permanent basis.
Also around this time the sequel was almost ready for publication. A common strategy used by serial publishers is to make the first one free and charge for the second, get them hooked on the free first edition and they will be happy to purchase the second.
This is a well trodden path so I wasn't doing anything extraordinary here, it works well for many niche serial self publishers according to research.
I wasn't expecting a dramatic overnight assault on the charts but I expected it to move more copies of my book once the price tag was removed. And to be fair it did – just not enough to really make any difference,
The overriding effect was a general increase in downloads but still nothing to scream about. Per week my downloads would stand at around 10-20 in total now it was free, up from about 0-5 when it was priced at .99.
Well no….
In reality even with the book free permanently, and its sequel released alongside it, I was still nowhere near achieving big numbers. By the time of the sequel being published my first book had been released for a whole year and achieved little over 2300 download and still only 6 reviews (at a 4 star average).
I was beginning to realise my self publishing dream was a lot harder than I first though. The mechanics of getting your book to market are simple and easy in the modern age but standing out from the crowd once you get there is a whole different ball game.
Skip to early 2016 and the third and final installment of the BIll Paxely story was finished and ready for publication. Instead I didn't feel like publishing it, at least not online in the same manner. I just didn't feel it would receive any attention and get lost amongst the masses again.
Also by this point I had realised that I dont have the skills, the budget, or the time to invest in really driving sales and drawing attention to my books. Every time I sat at my PC to research affordable marketing avenues and strategies it felt like time when I could be writing. It felt like I was becoming a worse writer because all my time was being taken up trying to flog my wares rather than create it.
I think what I've learnt more than anything is that self publishing isn't an easy option, indeed in some ways it's much harder that traditional publishing. Sure there are no barriers whatsoever and you don't have to get signed or represented – it's all on you and that is a glorious thing, but you need the right set of skills and the right outlook.
I'm not a salesmen and I'm not even a sociable guy – selling myself isn't a strength I possess. I can't bring myself to hawk my wares all over social media and keep up the persistent energy and focus you need to drive your book up the charts yourself.
Also I probably needed a more long term outlook to the whole thing than I had at the time. Leave these books up and constantly and regularly promote them over many years.
By the time two years had passed I'd lost energy and spirit with self publishing and then a particular day changed my mind.
So if you search Amazon for my beloved books you won't find them available anymore because I've unpublished them, they are no longer available to download or purchase anymore.
Well back in November I had an incredible opportunity to spend a day with Penguin books, one of the largest publishers in this country. Based upon my work I was invited to a publishing demystified day via an initiative they are running called Write Now.
Penguin are trying to create diversity in the world of publishing and as such invited 150 chosen applicants to spend a day talking to them, some literary agents,and a few industry experts. All with the aim to guide and mentor budding novelists like myself toward publication.
It was an incredible day and one which taught me a great deal, a detailed breakdown can be found here.
So I spoke to some of the most experienced publishing professionals in the country and what they told me, and what was said regarding the industry, persuaded me that traditional publishing is achievable.
That I can seek and secure an agent, one that will foster my career and lead me towards publication. That my attempts to find such representation all those years ago should not put me off, that my older, wiser and more patient self can find traditional publication.
Us attending authors were given a full beat by beat breakdown of exactly how books go from a laptop to the shelves of Waterstones. Suddenly the veil was lifted and it all seem possible once again.
I also picked the brain of a literary agent over lunch who told me that books already self-published or available will not be considered by an agent and in most cases, will lead to a tarnished reputation for the author.
Either you hit massive download figures and get signed up because of it, a la 50 shades, or you fade into obscurity and will already be considered a failure by industry figures.
Also a different agent offered the opinion that successful self publishing authors are often in niche markets and genres. It can work well for certain types of books that will struggle to find a mainstream audience immediately as it helps grow an underground fan-base before it grabs the mainstream imagination.
If however, like me, you are already writing commercial fiction in a popular genre (mystery, thriller), then you're going to struggle to lift your head above the masses without significant investment.
It all seemed sound advice and advice that rang true with my self publishing journey so far. I bought two books to market but in such a popular genre that I just didn't posses the budget or the nous to get myself noticed.
I need expert insight and help, I want to craft the greatest possible versions of my books and to do that I need the help of industry pro's, the kind of pro's I spent the day with back in November.
So I unpublished them with a heavy heart and turned my attention back to seeking traditional publication instead. Self-publishing is a great adventure and one I may return to in the distant future, but for now all the signs are telling me I need representation to properly launch and foster my writing career.
In closing don't let me perturb you from self publishing yourself, or advising other too, just be aware that it requires a lot of patience, a lot of continued hard work and a whole lot of learning. I loved the feeling of my books being available at the touch of a button and felt a twinge of pride when my download chart spiked to 'big' numbers, but the kind of writer I want to be and the kind of career I want to forge, will require some representation and some traditional expertise.
It's going to be an equally long journey and one that will require a whole lot of luck and hard work, but after a scattergun approach in the past few years – my goals are clear.
Wish me Luck.


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Hi. It's time for a new tutorial. This one is a method of programming and processing breakbeats in Renoise/Redux. This has been on my mind for a long time but I'm actually glad I haven't done it before as there's a very cool change that came with Redux (or Renoise 3.1) which makes this whole process really fast, fun & straightforward. I'm talking about the ability to "Render to Phrase" and I'll get into more detail about this great function below. Make sure you check out the project file if you aren't sure how any of the following steps work.
Download the .xrns project file here
All right, let's begin. We obviously need a breakbeat first and here's what I have:
Time to slice. I always do it manually and sample every single hit.
Now, the "Render to Phrase" function I've talked about. Just right click any slice marker to access it. What it does is it creates a new phrase using the timing of the slices you have. This basically makes your loop independent of tempo and pitch. It's exactly like Rex except it goes way deeper. I'm absolutely in love with this.
We have a few cool options we could set here depending on how we approach our break. First one is the "Lines per Beat" setting for the phrase. I'd probably max this every time as it gives us more resolution which makes things easier for fine editing AND makes chopping the phrase much more convenient later with 0Sxx command. (More on this later.)
Second one is quantize. You can finetune this for your needs. Leaving it off is great as it keeps the exact timing/groove for preserving the funk of the break but quantizing is also good for tightening things for a more controlled result. I have it on here but keeping it loose definitely works better on some breaks so be mindful of that!
So this takes the break to project tempo, which is 170 for me. At this point you could also go into the phrase and do some manual tightening if it's needed. With 32 LPB moving a hit up or down a line is almost all you need. I didn't need any in this case.
An optional step is naming and organizing the hits in the sample editor. This could definitely be skipped but it makes things easier if you plan to do processing on individual hits. To do this we need to "Destructively Render Slices" first. Then you can rename and arrange freely.
Another optional step is looping the individual hits (probably with a ping pong loop). This adds sustain to one shots which can be very helpful when you slow down the loop or pitch it up in large amounts which could cause silence between hits and totally kill the groove of the break. So take some time to find decent sustaining points if it's needed. It doesn't change the sound on this break but it's something you will definitely want to use for hiphop BPM's etc.
One of the most basic yet effective options we have is changing the pitch of the break. This gives a lot of creative possibilites depending on what you want do with your sound. Pitching it up usually works great for DnB so I did that here by 4 semitones.
Next, envelopes. Volume envelopes have a lot of uses: Reducing reverbs/tails and making things tighter, increasing/decreasing snap, drastically changing the impact of your hits when combined with extra layers/effects and so on. It doesn't do much with this break at this point but it influences the results of the following steps.
And filters. Many options here: Basic HP/LP filtering to remove unwanted frequencies, adding drive for more power, or extra flavour with cutoff/resonance envelopes, going crazy with some of the unusual filters (comb, AM, vowel etc.) so on and so forth. I didn't do much here but some small processing for the sake of demonstration.
A good idea for these steps is often coming back and refining them as you add more stuff.
Now for the fun part. Layering! If you haven't rendered your samples yet, you need to do it now. This allows us to add extra sounds to our existing break.
I generally start with kicks, adding a new sample, then going inside the phrase to add a new note column and trigger this new sample whenever a kick plays in the original break, adjusting the volume and pitch of it as necessary. Then repeat the process for snares and hats as needed. You can also obviously use more than 1 layer, like reinforcing snares with claps, adding kick transients, more hats panned for wider stereo image etc. etc. The timing of the layer can also drastically change the result so play around with the note delay column for sure! Perhaps one day we'll have the convenience to delay samples individually.
So, I spent like 5 minutes trying out random 1-shots and kept the ones that sounded all right and ended up adding 4 samples: A kick, snare, clap and a closed hihat. For hihats I just filled the pattern with 8th notes (meaning 2 per beat) and did some velocity variation. The second kick in the break ended up sounding stronger than the first because of the layering so I just swapped them. You can also use the "better" kicks and snares in place of the weaker ones but it will sound more rigid and programmed that way. (And indeed, that is what you want sometimes.) Just go into the phrase and play around.
The quality of these one shots on their own is irrelevant as even the most boring sample can sound great when layered with another hit. So the possibilites here are just endless and we haven't even added any effects yet!
So, time for adding effects to kicks, snares and hihats individually. For doing this just send all samples to appropriate fx chains as groups (kicks to one track, snares to other etc.) inside the instrument. I generally compress to glue the added layers with their original counterparts and eq for clearing the unwanted resonances. Also, saturation for extra grit and loudness is crucial. In this case it comes from Analog Filter's drive.
Finally, processing the break as a whole. Again same approach. Compressor for glue, EQ for taking out the shabby frequencies and saturation for power.
And done. As we used a single instrument here the final goodness comes from chopping and resequencing the break with 0Sxx. Obviously, this part is Renoise only and you'll have to resample at this point if you are on another DAW using Redux. Having a high resolution is cool here as it feels like you are just chopping a standard sample because of the high phrase length.
My favourite thing about this process is the ability to keep the break live (meaning no resampling) which is very cool as you can change the pitch, tempo, envelopes or fx at any time without losing anything and I think very few DAW/sampler's offer this kind of flexibility. For this break the result is quite on the nuskool side and different from the original but it's very much possible to keep it raw/organic while enhancing it, being more subtle and light-handed with the steps above.
And, there it is. I tried to keep it as broad as possible for this tutorial but there's still a lot variety to cover here so I might return with more breaks later!
Happy chopping.
(Background image by Khuroshvili Ilya.)


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The 5K run begins in Oakland at the intersection of Fifth Avenue and Atwood Street (at the 10K mid-way point). The 3.1-mile course travels along a predominantly downhill course before finishing at Point State Park. A fitness walk starts immediately after the 5K run. Click here to view the course map.
Sign Up
Registration deadline to participate in the Push Rim/Hand Cycle Division is Tuesday, September 24 at 11:59 p.m. Wheelchair competitions will be held in both the 10K and 5K races. Wheelchair athletes must use racing chairs. For more information, call the Great Race Hotline at 412-586-7785. The Great Race is proud to partner with Hand-Cycle Assistance Teams to present the Push Rim/Hand Cycle Division.


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It's never fun shopping for groceries so you need to add in a special treat for yourself for the holidays. Why go to Walmart without stopping at the Hard Candy display? They are the sole distributor of this fun, inexpensive line. You need something special to get you through the cleaning and cooking of Thanksgiving and Christmas and Hard Candy Metallic Mousse Matte Metallic Lip Color is just the thing. press sample
I have to first talk about the packaging because it's so darned cute. These Metallic Mousse liquid lipcolors come in the cutest metallic tin to match the color within. The insert that holds the lipstick can be removed to give you a case that holds all sorts of small items so it will come in handy.
The shape of the tube is unlike any I have. It's flattened out and expensive looking.
The wand too is flattened and fits lips nicely. It's comfortable to use.
Best of all is the trendiness you'll get for just $6. Lips these days are all about matte liquid lipsticks and the hottest shades are metallic. These are available in 6 shades: Sandstorm Nude, Guilded Cocoa, Penny Talk, Queen of Hearts, Smoke & Mirrors, Sweet as Honey, and Truffle.
Penny Talk is a bright copper penny shade while Smoke & Mirrors is a tad deceiving since it's a purple with a chocolate undertone. For my cool toned skin Smoke & Mirrors is a better choice but both are very unique and beautiful. I apply Smoke & Mirrors on my bottom lip and then smack my lips together to end up with a great comfortable lip color. They aren't drying on my lips and last a good amount of time.
Not only will these be a treat for you but they will make an absolutely terrific stocking stuffer. The price is right, the lip color is on trend, and the packaging is going to make the recipient squeal. Have fun at Walmart and don't forget that the best candy is Hard Candy. — Marcia
*sent for consideration
In just one sweep, wrap lips in a divine velvety texture with Hard Candy Metallic Mousse Lip Color. This full coverage matte liquid lip color hydrates lips, offers comfortable wear and delivers bold long-lasting wear.
Hard Candy Metallic Mousse Lip Color:
- Velvet matte finish
- Wears all day
- Hydrates lips
- Full coverage
- Smudge proof


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Beckman, Illinois Key Contributors to Nanotechnology Research Web Site
Thanks in part to the contributions from the Beckman Institute, a leading Web site for nanotechnology research and learning is expanding the ways in which knowledge and resources can be shared.
Some day online tutorials and downloads of lectures and seminars may become the norm for professors, students, and others involved in teaching, learning, and doing research on college campuses. Thanks to an initiative of the National Science Foundation (NSF) and researchers at places like the Beckman Institute, that future is now when it comes to the area of nanotechnology.
Five years ago, the NSF funded an initiative that created a network of universities to further the development of nanotechnology from theory to the manufacturing process. The University of Illinois and the Beckman Institute were an integral part of this effort from the start, and continue to be as the project was recently renewed for another five years. The Network for Computational Nanotechnology (NCN) at Illinois is led by Narayana Aluru, Co-chair of the Molecular and Electronic Nanostructures at Beckman, and Institute colleagues Umberto Ravaioli and Eric Jakobsson.
A separate but important component of the NCN effort is an educational outreach initiative called nanoHUB, which is described on the project's Web site as "a web-based resource for research, education, and collaboration in nanotechnology."
At nanoHUB.org anyone from high school students to highly-decorated academic researchers to industry scientists can go online and find tutorials, simulation software, and a number of other resources related to nanotechnology, as well as add to the general knowledge in this emerging area.
"We want this to be the place for computational nanotechnology," Aluru said. "Anyone who wants to know anything about nanotechnology should be able to find it at nanoHUB."
Aluru, who is a professor of Mechanical Science and Engineering whose research centers on micro- and nanoelectromechanical systems (MEMS and NEMS), is the principal investigator for NCN at Illinois. He is one of many Beckman researchers who have contributed to or are still contributing to nanoHUB, which is based at Purdue University under Director Mark Lundstrom.
Along with the researchers, the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) at the U of I helps provide processing power for the "cyber-infrastructure" at nanoHUB that is used in the large scale computer simulations available at the site.
"On paper I'm the PI, but we're all very active and we do things together," Aluru said of the local effort. "Illinois is a partner and we hope we will be a partner for a very, very long time but things change, it's very dynamic. We are continuously looking to engage new faculty as part of the NCN at Illinois effort."
Aluru said the goal is to upload the research, tools, and educational components coming out of NCN at Illinois onto nanoHUB.org so a wide variety of users can benefit.
"We would like to see the research and all the educational tools that come out of NCN at Illinois go on the nanoHUB," Aluru said. "The nanoHUB is a cyber-infrastructure portal which supports the tools for anyone who wants to do nano simulations. A few programs that we have developed are on the nanoHUB, but a number of programs developed by Purdue and other universities are also available on the nanoHUB. In addition, students and researchers can also find interesting seminars on NEMS, nano-bio and nanotechnology."
Aluru said the educational seminars and tutorials available at nanoHUB can run the gamut from the basic introductory level to advanced, and are available to students, researchers in industry, and teachers in classes such as chemistry who may not think of nanotechnology as a subject relevant to their particular field.
"We are developing educational tools to engage high school students, college students, education at all levels," he said. "You'll find some learning modules there, for example, on how to use a virtual simulation tool.
"The good thing is we are trying to engage more people on our campus and find instructors who are willing to use nanoHUB for the classes they teach. I think they'll find resources to present their material in a very novel way."
At nanoHUB.org, users set up an account and then are able to take advantage of any of the four features offered at the site: simulation, contribution, research, and teaching and learning. The simulation tools are grouped into three areas: nanoelectronics, NEMS/nanofluidics, and nano-bioelectronics, or Nano-bio. Aluru said Illinois has the rare distinction of making contributions in all three areas.
"Illinois has taken a leadership role in the Nano-bio research thrust, led by Karl Hess initially, and now by Eric Jakobsson," he said. "The NEMS (effort) has been led by me in the past and now I'm co-leading. In Nanoelectronics, the simulation tools that have been developed at Beckman, for example Umberto's MOCA program, are being imported into NanoHUB. Having this at Beckman puts us in the forefront of what's important now."
Aluru said the five-year nanoHUB project has been a success so far.
"It has been extremely successful when we measure the number of users. I think it's been doubling every year and they hope to have 100,000 users in the next few years," he said.
Aluru stressed that the information that can be gained from nanoHUB is relevant to all kinds of researchers.
"We have a lot of users from industry; if people from industry want to try out a concept they can go there and with a simulation quickly see how a device functions," he said. "And as there are more teachers who use these resources, the more they are easily accessible to students."
The leadership role taken by Illinois in this initiative will continue with a conference and summer school session set for this summer on the U of I campus.
As if proof were needed that even accomplished researchers can gain new insights from nanoHUB, Aluru is planning on attending the summer school sessions.
"Absolutely. You're never too old to learn anything new and you're never too experienced to learn," he said.


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Blog Archives
Idolatry – How do you know if you've made a good thing into a God thing
Finding joy in a gift from God, rather than in God the giver.
Theology Thursday: 1 Peter 1:8
"Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an inexpressible and glorious joy"
1 Peter 1:8 NIV
How is it that I can love someone that I have never met face to face? When I think about meeting Jesus face to face and spending eternity with him, I do feel the "inexpressible and glorious joy" that Peter is writing about; but again, how is this possible?
One of two solutions are possible:
1. I am emotionally delusional – I create emotional connection where non-exists to make myself feel better and provide hope in a hopeless and empty world.
2. I have in some real sense "met Jesus" and am currently experiencing friendship with Him; a friendship that is so far beyond our earthly experience that I find myself missing someone I have never physically met.
If anyone has a third option, or even a fourth, I'd be happy to entertain the theories. Frankly if #2 is not true I have a great deal to worry about and I am definately in need of some help. And if you're reading this and you think #2 is not true, what are you doing reading the blog of a crazy person?
Lessons from Lent
Its been awhile since I updated the Lessons from Lent series. Something that I've learned in my absence is that whether it is television or other distractions you will always find a way to fill your calendar and be busy. There has been a steady stream of freelance design, a vacation, and then a pile of work to get through upon my return from said vacation. Mix in a healthy amount of Bible Study, reading, yound adult, and small group ministry and your plate gets full quickly.
Even with all the busyness, today brought a new and significant insight from my hiatus from television. It came after dinner when I asked my wife whether or not she missed TV. She commented that she hadn't really missed it other than a few favorite shows, but it obviously wasn't killing her to give them up. What she said next is the most important lesson to come out of this Lent experience, she said that she did notice that I had been more attentive and focused on her during the last few weeks.
. . .
I'm not a guy who watches alot of television, nor did my wife feel like she ever had to compete for my attention, but she has felt more loved because I haven't been watching.
Men, we're missing out on our wives, whether we realize it or not. Something is stealing your attention from the things that matter most.
Maybe it isn't television for you, maybe its golf, your car, fantasy sports even. You are missing out. God never commanded you to have hobbies, and persue lesiure activities, but he has commanded you to love your wife like Jesus loves the church (Ephesians 5:25).
He gave up his life for his bride, what will you give up for yours.
Theology Thursday – The Parable of the Lost Son
Welcome to the second edition of Theology Thursday.
This week I'd like to share some thoughts on the most famous of Jesus' parables – The Parable of the Lost Son. If you are unfamiliar with this story, please take the time to read it below, if you are well acquainted with it you can skip ahead.
I'm not an idol worshipper, I'm a Christian
Idolatry is an sin that many Christians, including myself, do not believe we are guilty of. Here is how we check our lives for idols, "I don't have a golden calf in my living room, I don't have a little buddah statue in my garden, I've got my bases covered." Or so we think.
Below is a video clip from Pastor Mark Driscoll, of Mars Hill Church in Seattle. I was deeply convicted and challenged to look at how I live my life and where I am putting my trust other than Jesus. Skip ahead to 1:15, take a few moments and watch this clip and allow the Holy Spirit to convict you of your idolatry. This is not intended to shame anyone, but to help us all be honest about who or what we put our faith in.
I can tell you from personal experience that facing the truth about your sin, repenting of it and asking God to empower you by His Holy Spirit to live in obedience and trust in Jesus, can be difficult; but God is faithfull to help us, to change us, to santify us, and to comform us to the image of His son.
Theology Thursday
It will be my goal every Thursday to share a little tid-bit of theology. Either something I am reading, or listening to, that I think would be beneficial.
This week I've bee reading "the Discipline of Spiritual Discernment" by Tim Challies . I will post a more extensive review once I've finished it, but so far I would highly recommend it. In the second chapter Tim expounds on how the importance of theology (the study of God) has been downplayed in recent years as the pursuit of fundamentalists, or intellectual elitist Christians only. His point is that theology should be the pursuit of every Christian, because as Christians we love God and desire to know him better. What does it say about us if we say we love God but have no desire to learn about him. Tim quotes Richard Phillips on this issue:
"Theology bore's today's Christians, which is another way of saying we are bored with God himself."
Do you agree with this statement, or do you disagree? Have you seen this attitude in your own church or small group.
I'm interested to hear your thoughts and experiences.


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Have you ever read through the first part of the Bible and wondered, "How did everyone before the flood live so long?" Honestly for some people, this can create a big problem with their faith because it is hard to get this concept in their heads. To help you get your mind around this, I have a few links for you to read more on the subject and a guest blog post as well. Happy reading and I pray your faith increases as your understanding increases.
Read: Did People Like Adam and Noah Really Live Over 900 Years of Age?
Read: Why Did the People Live So Long before the Flood?
Read: How and Why Did People in the Bible Live So Long?
Here's more information from guest blogger Don Stewart:
If we accept the ages in Genesis as literal, then we need to answer the question as to why these individuals lived so long. There are several possible reasons to consider as to why the ancients lived longer than modern humankind.
1.Created To Live Forever
Adam and Eve were created to live eternally. The introduction of sin brought on death (Romans 5:12). However, the degenerating processes had only begun to take place with them and their immediate descendants. This could also account for their longer life spans.
2.Lack Of Disease
There would also be a lack of disease at this early time. Since Adam and Eve fell from a perfect state, it would have taken some time for disease to increase. This could have also contributed to the longevity of the patriarchs.
3.Help Populate The Earth
If the earth were to be populated by humankind, (Genesis 1:26) then long life-spans at the beginning were somewhat of a necessity. Otherwise it would have taken an enormous amount of time to fulfill the commandment to fill the earth with people.
4.Accumulation Of Knowledge
Furthermore, if the early inhabitants of the earth did live for long periods of time, then they would have accumulated knowledge to help them survive longer. Scripture does tell us that early man made advances in such things as metallurgy and music (Genesis 4:21,22; 11:6). We should also assume they made advances in other areas-including those which would help them live a long time.
5.Climatic Conditions
Climatic conditions could have been a factor in the longevity of the ancients. There was a possible water vapor canopy that surrounded the earth before the Flood of Noah. This canopy would have produced a worldwide greenhouse effect resulting in a mild climate throughout the earth. In addition, this canopy would shield man from harmful radiation which has an effect on the aging process. At the great Flood this canopy collapsed and no longer protected man and the animals.
After the Flood the ages in which people lived fell off dramatically. The Bible says Noah lived 930 years and his son Shem 600 years. However, Terah the father of Abraham, lived for only 205 years This may provide evidence that there was a water vapor canopy shielding man from harmful radiation. As the years passed, mankind began to live shorter life-spans.
Though this is possible, there is no clear biblical evidence that such a canopy existed.
There are those who argue that diet had a large part to do with the longevity of the people. This view assumes people were vegetarians before the Flood. Genesis 9:3 says that Noah and his descendants would be allowed to eat the flesh of animals. However there was a qualification-the blood was not be left in it. The theory is that the shift from a vegetarian diet to one containing red meat helps explain the decreased longevity of the people after the Flood.
The problem with this view is that there is no clear-cut evidence that people were vegetarians before the Flood. We are never told that they were to only eat vegetables, only that they did eat vegetables. Unless God did some radical restructuring of the human anatomy after the Flood, it seems we were designed to be meat-eaters.
These are some of the possible reasons as to why the life spans were longer before the Flood than after the Flood.


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The Graduate
And then, I got Subway and went home to sit alone, in my room.
Yeah, what a swell night, right?
I knew it wasn't going to be a big thing. I knew I would have three people there. I knew I wasn't going to be going out for a fancy meal. But I didn't even think about everyone else getting cakes (then taking pictures and putting them on Facebook.) I didn't think about people getting congratulatory cards and hugs and gifts.
I'll admit, I'm disappointed.
It's been a few days, so everyone has started talking, and status-updating, and tweeting and texting their excitement and congratulations to the class. It's nice, I guess. But everyone keeps talking about this "new chapter" and "new adventure" business.
I call bullshit.
Because really, no. I do understand that people are excited to start something new and different. But let's be honest, you are going to be the same person you were three months ago. You are still going to make friends with the same types of people and hate the same types of people. You may drink some more, you may stay up later and smell a little more. But you will still be you.
I have a really hard time accepting that just moving means you are starting a new chapter. You actually have to change. Man up, mature, think a little deeper, care a little more, be more aware. And right now, that's not what I'm seeing.
I'm seeing the same people, doing and acting the same way. Yes, I understand it's only been two days, but, well, I don't know. I cannot get over the fact that people are seeing this change as this huge monumental thing all by itself. They aren't seeing it as one change, and the rest they need to do for themselves. I guess that is what bothers me the most.
I'm not saying this can't be made into a new chapter, I'm just saying that the expectations are low. I just wish that after all this time people would want more for themselves, I guess.
2 comments
- AnonymousJune 20, 2010 at 6:38 PM
Sorry to see you're feeling so cynical about things right now. I think what people get excited for is the expansion of opportunities and the newness of everything. Seeing a bigger part of the world and doing it without having to answer to anyone.ReplyDelete
I hope you enjoy next year and do make somewhat of a fresh start for yourself. Low expectations aren't always bad, as long as you're reaching high.
- AnonymousJune 20, 2010 at 9:15 PM
The new chapter reflects the change in location, people, and learning, etc. It's a huge shift to move away from home, even if it is just for school.ReplyDelete
I'm sorry you didn't get a cake or a big gathering, but that doesn't mean you aren't important or that this 'monumental' night didn't matter.
Maybe your new chapter just isn't starting yet. Maybe you're just waiting for Seattle. Some people are starting this new chapter because this is where they want to be. College, new people, and new places are what they want. Seattle will do that for you. It'll happen just a little bit later.


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Racing News
|Monday 5th December 2016
Cheltenham 2017: The Betting Preview
Many would say that the atmosphere created by Cheltenham horse racing events is definitely one of the best possible for this sport, and soon, we will be able to see some of the finest horses back in action. More than 200,000 people visit Cheltenham Horse Racing Festival, which lasts for four days and offers around £4.2 million of prize money. The 2017 edition is scheduled for 14th-17th March.
Some of the biggest names making the arrival this year will be Thistlecrack (already marked as the main favourite to win the event), Cue Card, Don Cossack (last year's winner), Conneygree (winner in 2015), Douvan, Native River, Empire of Dirt and many other.
The biggest surprise when it comes to the pre – race odds was caused by Lord Windermere in 2014. The odds on Davy Russell's horse were 20/1 before the start of the event, and they have won it with an amazing 6:43 time. The record holder in this field is the winner from 1941, horse named Poet Price which ended the race with 6:15 record.
The main favourite for victory this year Thistlecrack is a British Thoroughbred race horse, currently competing in National Hunt races. The first victory was recorded in 2014, while the first big achievement was winning of Sefton Novices Hurdle in 2015. This season he has been pretty much crushing everyone, being one of the best staying hurdler in the UK with wins in the Long Distance Hurdle, Cleeve Hurdle, World Hurdle, Long Walk Hurdle and Liverpool Hurdle. He is currently priced at 7/2 to win the festival, but the general impression we will be in for a tight competition.
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Do You Know The Basic Hair Care During Pregnancy? Find out More About Hair Treatment Tips.
Any change in our organism can influence the texture of our hair. Indeed pregnancy is a tricky period when due to the hormonal changes, we go through an emotional as well as physical makeover.
The fluctuations of the hormonal level caused by birth control pills or estrogen imbalance will define the major hair care procedures done during the pregnancy.
Most specialists advise moms-to-be to keep away from extremely artificial cosmetic products. Opt rather for organic ones, however all you need is a basic shampoo and a conditioner. There's no need to overdo the routine hair care process.
It is interesting to notice that during the pregnancy hair often changes in texture. The sleek can become pretty curly, the dry really greasy.
The reason behind this fact is genetics. Simple as that some of us might experience an increasing oil-production or on the contrary a decrease in it.
If you know how to treat this issue you'll regain your beautiful strands. Choose a hairdo that requires less styling. There are several hairstyles for future moms that can be sported with amazing skill all throughout pregnancy. Some might think of strictly short cuts, still there are several updos that boost up your image.
Conditioning is very important, your body as well as hair tends to be vulnerable during this period. Opt for homemade treatments and rather natural ones than going to a beauty salon.
Vegetable or fruit deep conditioning treatments are the best for you. Ingredients as melons, banana, natural oils, honey as well as avocados can be the basic elements of a healthy hair mask.
Hot oil treatments are good for pregnant women too. These don't presuppose any health risks, that's why you should apply them to your follicles.
Try the homemade deep conditioning recipes, by mixing some jojoba oil with virgin olive oil and some almond oil and pamper your strands with it.
Hydration is vital that's why repeat this ritual at least once a week, to look gorgeous throughout this exhausting period. Scalp massage can be very soothing after a hard day. You might consider practicing it, during your hair cleansing process.
After you prepared the nutrition mask, apply it to your strands. The devote a couple of minutes to massaging it into your scalp. A healthy scalp can lead to beautiful natural glowing hair.
Prenatal vitamins are extremely recommended during this period. Ask your doctor to help your in choosing the best nutrients that will do good both for you and the baby. Keep taking them with regularity. These will not only keep you healthy but have a beneficial influence on your hair and nails.


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Myth: Rosin – used in paper, chewing gum, tyres, waxes and retsina amongst other products, has been labelled an 'hazardous product' by Brussels Eurocrats, costing the industry millions of pounds.
(Sunday Telegraph, p.32, 12 March 1995)
Response: Yes, although rosin has been classified at an EU level as an 'hazardous substance' for some time now.
Directive 67/548/EEC, on the Packaging and labelling of dangerous substances, contained a number of annexes detailing those substances judged to be dangerous, and the kind of danger they present. Decisions of this kind, which are updated every two years or so, are made on the basis of the latest scientific advice available. Rosin was added to this list for the first time in 1993, and was listed as possibly causing 'sensitisation by inhalation and skin contact'.
The Commission adopted its latest classification in September 1994, and resin is again included, although the dangers of inhaling its vapours are left out. Thus manufacturers will be required to make this clear on the products' label as well as in their own Safety Data provisions.


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If you've always wanted to start your own business, but you're not able to focus on it every hour of the day, here are ten part-time business ideas that you can start from home. It may be easier than you think to be your own boss and earn a healthy extra income along the way.
Online trading
Online trading has absolutely rocketed since the rise of marketplaces like eBay. All you need to set up shop online is an account and something to sell. In principle, this could be any physical product that you can sell for more than the cost of buying or making it. With virtually no set-up costs but lots of potential to make money, it's one of the most popular part-time business models for home workers.
The internet is awash with a need for workers with professional skills available on a freelance basis. Editorial services, graphic design, web development – there's an abundance of work out there in these areas, which you can find online at so-called 'e-lancing' websites such as freelancer.com. These are hubs where employers place tasks, which freelancers from around the world bid for. Choose the projects that interest you most and agree the fee beforehand. It could be the future of remote working.
Buying & selling
Whether you trade online or from your own premises, buying and selling goods for a profit is one of the oldest business ideas around. It's a simple model. If you have an eye for all things antique, you could trawl the internet (and charity shops) looking for bargains to sell on for a profit. Whether it's antiques, video games, records, ornaments, you name it – you can turn your collectables into a business.
If you've got a spare room in your home then why not turn this valuable asset into a business? The success of services like Airbnb shows that there's a real demand for cheaper alternatives to staying in a hotel. If you have a unique offering such as a particularly stylish room in a high-demand area then it could be an easy source of income that you can market online.
If you're good with your hands and you've got some creative flair, there's a huge market out there for original and quirky goods. Clothes making, jewellery design, ornamental objects, furniture – there are a host of things you can make with your hands if you have the skills. The best thing about this is you can go at your own pace and do something you love. Whatever you make, provided it's of decent quality, you should be able to sell for a tidy profit.
Got a passion for music? Then you could try music tuition. Market yourself online through popular musician messaging boards such as gumtree.com. You could offer lessons at home, at your customer's home or over the internet using a videoconferencing service. It doesn't work only for music of course. Any national curriculum subject, such as English, maths, languages or science, will be in demand from young people, then there's the whole adult education market to look at too.
If you've got specific skills and experience that you can sell, you can market yourself as an advisor to businesses and individuals. Use your professional experience to assist small businesses, charities or new ventures. Especially if you're retired or if you've changed career but you still have some solid expertise behind you, why not put it to work?
Pet services
If you're an animal lover who likes the outdoors, why not turn your passion into financial gain by starting a dog walking service? You could offer your services to busy professionals who must leave their pets at home all day. You could consider offering pet boarding and petsitting services for when your customers are on holiday. With virtually no start-up costs and free exercise included, it's potentially a great option.
Capitalise on soaring childcare costs in the UK by offering a more affordable alternative to a nursery. This is a great option for a home business if you absolutely adore children, have endless amounts of energy and are very patient. Many parents may prefer a home-based environment to an institutional setting too, so you'll be offering a truly in-demand, bespoke service to a VIP!
IT support
If you have a background in IT and you aren't phased by dealing with user software issues or the inner workings of a PC or Mac, then you could offer your services as a troubleshooter. Many people have a phobia of technology and you could be the reassuring voice when things go wrong.


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David Guetta confident in success
David Guetta has said he knew that his track When Love Takes Over would be a hit.
The French DJ enjoyed a breakthrough in 2009 when he teamed up with former Destiny's Child star Kelly Rowland to release the song.
"The first time I heard the track I immediately knew it would be a huge hit," he said.
The song, initially a Guetta instrumental until Kelly heard the track and pleaded to write and record a vocal over the top, went to number one all over Europe.
The 45-year-old DJ is set to release his new single Just One Last Time, on which he's joined forces with relatively unknown Swedish duo Taped Rai.
"It's always a bit hard to describe the secret ingredient that will actually make a track become a single," he said.
The DJ said he was taking a new approach to his work.
"From now on I'll make music without any deadlines, which I find very relaxing. I take much more pleasure that way. I'm really happy to work without any preconceived plan in my head.
"No demands, just me and my inspiration. No pressure."
:: David Guetta releases new single Just One Last Time feat Taped Rai on January 21. The album, Nothing But The Beat Ultimate, is out now.
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