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So, over the weekend, me and a dear friend saw Thor: The Dark World and it's every bit as good as the previous installment (meaning as good as the original Thor; there's no way it could compare to The Avengers).
However, there were several nods to various things that my friend needed explained. Then I realized that others may need a primer as well. As such, here is my SPOILER FILLED explanation of some of the events in Thor: The Dark World.
Why Aren't The Dark Elves Dark Skinned?
This is a sad result of us – the audience – suffering from cultural colonization and misinterpretation of lore.
When most of those of a geeky persuasion hear the term 'dark elf,' we tend to think of the drow; a race of dark-skinned, subterranean elves made popular by Dungeons & Dragons. However, these dark elves have no connection to Norse mythology or even elves in general.
The drow we know, originally called trow, are actually hideous and mischievous fairy folk from Celtic folklore that have no connection to Norse mythology other than that they bear a strong resemblance to the trolls of Scandinavian legend.
Nordic dark elves, more accurately known as Dökkálfar, are the diametric opposites of the light elves or Ljósálfar. Because Celtic and Old Nordic cultures drew from one another, it's likely the two stories were combined over generations.
Granted many Norse legends describe the Dökkálfar as "blacker than pitch," but here, I feel they went with a more traditional elf appearance to draw greater attention to the primordial darkness that was their world before the universe as we know it manifested rather than a physically dark appearance.
Also, our big bad of the film Malekith does begin to look more like a traditional Dökkálfar later in the film as he draws closer to his evil goal (I won't say how; have to keep the spoilers to a minimum) and making them pale white sets up our next topic.
What's The Significance Of Thor Scorching Melekith's Face?
In a display of the utter badassery that he's known for, one scene has Thor blasting a fleeing Melekith in the face with the lightning of Mjölnir permanently burning half of his face. Why is this a big deal?
Well, it draws a parallel with Hel, the Goddess of Death. In the original myth, Hel was the child of Loki who presided over Niflheim, the World of Darkness. Did you see what they did there?
There are many depictions of Hel's appearance including half-human/half-blank or half-alive/half-dead, but most art depicts her as half-pale white/half-pitch black. So going with the most recognizable depiction makes the most sense from a storytelling standpoint.
Who Was That Weirdo In The Ending Stinger and What Is An 'Infinity Stone'?
I'll be honest; the man who inspired me to do this blog, MovieBob, did a whole episode of The Big Picture all about this particular weirdness and I encourage you all to watch it on the grounds that he explains it better than I ever could hope to. That said, I can help to try and fill in a few of the smaller gaps.
So, as he was introduced, the very eccentric acting fellow in the obligatory Marvel end credit stinger is Taneleer Tivan, The Collector. He is a member of a pantheon of characters known as the Elders of the Universe who comprise the oldest sentient beings in the universe and are essentially the Marvel Universe equivalent of gods. In Collector's case, his life goal is to preserve the universe by collecting specimens of it.
So, what about these Infinity Stones that they mentioned? It's almost certain that they meant the Infinity Gems, six powerful stones that grant different powers on their own, but when combined into the settings of the Infinity Gauntlet can make their wielder nigh unstoppable.
Only one villain in the Marvel Universe has completed the Infinity Gauntlet: Thanos, The Mad Titan. Who is he? Well, you met him in the stinger from The Avengers. He's the big, purple guy with the evil smile. He wants to destroy most of the known universe as a tribute to the love of his life, the physical embodiment of Death. This makes that whole, "To challenge them is to court Death" line both amusing and terrifying.
So, judging from the events of the films and comics, it seems the Tesseract will serve as the blue Mind Gem granting access to the minds of others and enhancing mental powers and our new maguffin, the Aether, will stand in for the red Power Gem accessing all energy that has, does, and will ever exist. What's more, The Collector seems to be helping Thanos gather the stones on the grounds that, with most of the universe gone, his specimens will become that much more valuable.
So, What About The Movie?
It's great. I won't say it was better than the first Thor like most critics, but it was certainly on par and made me care to see what else Marvel has in store for its cinematic universe. And don't worry; even with the spoilers I mentioned, there are plenty of twists to shock you. Go see it now.
Related articles
- Thor: The Dark World, What You Need to Know (snippetstudios.wordpress.com)
- Who's the Guy at the End of 'Thor 2,' and What Does He Mean for the Marvel Cinematic Universe? (slashfilm.com)


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Shari The Cat – Not so New Blogger – Still Old Soul!
L I F E – Ups, downs, bumps and all !
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Category: Brush
May 30, 2016
May 30, 2016
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subset: commoncrawl


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field of exitence of variables
I'm trying to figura out how do work variable visibility in OS... I'm completely new to it, went accross the forum for 3 days... (very sorry if this issue has already been solved.. i didn't find)
In a form I would like to use a variable defined in a script as the text.or event use another variable
How would I do that?
# widget 0 0 1 1 text_input focus=yes return_accepts=yes stub=TEMPS text="[temps_reponse]" var="[form_var]" set timeout 1 set spacing 10 set rows "2;2" set only_render no set margins "50;50;50;50" set form_var "[type_pb][num_item]_TR" set description "A generic form plug-in" set cols "2;2" set _theme gray widget 0 0 1 1 text_input focus=yes return_accepts=yes stub=TEMPS text="[time_script1]" var="[form_var]"
where time_script1 is the time of appartition of a script (i don't undertand why it's not global by the way)
Thank you very much for your help!
Hi Bob,
I'm sorry, but I am not sure what exactly it is that you want to achieve. Could you try to rephrase and/or give us more information? For example, could you give an example of what you would see if it did work?


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I've never setup a VoIP phone or used a VoIP service before so am not sure if it's a result of my ignorance or the fact that this is the most illogical, propitiatory and awkward piece of hardware that I've ever come across.
A little bit of Googling suggests that this is a poor choice of handset thanks to Mitel no longer providing the 'little people' with firmware updates. I suspect a firmware upgrade may well solve any bugs that may be producing my issues.
I can call out using the handset, listen to VM (both 1571 and 1572) but that's it. 155 says I'm successfully setup with the Voipfone service and 152 sound test is fine. If I check my Voipfone control panel then extension 200 isn't registered and never has been.
To save what little sanity I have left I made the extension password the same as the master account, to take that variable out of the equation and assuming my account number is 30999999 (which it isn't) and password is 999999 (which it isn't), I've tried every possible combination of:
30999999 and/or 200 and/or 30999999*200
With the following settings:
I've also tried sip.voipfone.net & 5060 for 'Outbound Server'.*User ID or Extension: [30999999 or 200 or 30999999*200]
*User Display name: [ANYTHING]
*SIP Authentication User Name: [30999999 or 200 or 30999999*200]
*SIP Authentication Password: 999999
*SIP Proxy Server: sip.voipfone.net
*Port: 5060
Scheme: UDP
*SIP Registry Server: sip.voipfone.net
*Port: 5060
Scheme: UDP
If I look at the phone's attempt to register then all it says is:
I can't find anything else to change anywhere. I think the only other setting I've changed is 60 seconds for 'Registry Duration' and static LAN network details.
Code: Select all
Entry Method UserId URL Expires(Sec) SIPcode Status
1 REGISTER 30999999*200 sip:sip.voipfone.net 60 0 Preparing
I found a guide of how to get this handset setup with an Asterisk server and it said to not be fooled by the 'User ID or Extension' field, put your account number in there as well as the 'User Name' field.
Any help would be very much appreciated. Does anyone know any possible way of acquiring the latest firmware for this device or see anything that I'm doing incorrectly above?
If I export the settings, it spits out an XML file where there is a "Realm" attribute with a null value:
Is this important? Can I manually try a value in here and re-import the backup file?
Code: Select all
<User State="1" ID="30999999*200" DispName="My Display Name" Pwd="999999" AuthName="30999999*200" Realm="" RegSvr="sip.voipfone.net" RegPort="5060" RegScheme="2" ProxySvr="sip.voipfone.net" ProxyPort="5060" ProxyScheme="2" VMSvr="" VMPort="0" VMScheme="2" OutSvr="sip.voipfone.net" OutPort="5060" OutCtr="0" Ring="1" Line="0" EventSvr="" EventPort="5060" EventScheme="2"></User>
Do I need to open any ports other than 5060 in my router?
Many, many thanks!


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We here at Project: China Building Restoration would like to wish all our readers the best for the coming Year of the Ram!
The Ram is the 8th sign in the 12-year cycle of animals in the Chinese zodiac. The Chinese regard the ram or sheep as an auspicious animal, so the Year of the Ram is one of promise and prosperity. In Chinese, the ram or sheep character (羊 'yang') refers to both the family of sheep and goat, without any further distinction needed. We feel "ram" is the most fitting though, as "happy year of the goat" just doesn't carry quite the same ring to it…
Exciting things in store for The Year of the Ram!
In the coming year we look forward to bringing you more current and informative posts on the building restoration industry and other relevant topics in China.
We're also very excited to continue our new partnership with architecture and interior design company anySCALE, and are moving forward together with several courtyard restoration projects. More news on those to come!
Finally, Project:China Building Restoration will be holding some speaking events on current topics related to the building restoration industry in China throughout the year. If you are in Beijing we hope you will join us, and for our friends abroad we will have the audio available for download. So keep those eyes and ears open for more information!
Don't Miss Out!
In order not to miss all that we have in store for you – if you haven't already – do sign up to our news letter! Should you have any comments or suggestions on how you feel we could improve our service to you (or you'd simply like to have a chat) please feel free to contact us. We're always happy to hear from our readers, and we thank you for all of your wonderful support so far.
So, without further ado (and in true Chinese form):
May your plans aim high and move swiftly and surely to prosperity, like the step of a nimble mountain goat jumping from rock to rock to ever higher heights,
May the wooly coat of health protect your body and mind,
May your dreams spiral upwards like the majestic horns of the ram,
And may you enjoy the simple things in life, as a lamb enjoys frolicking in the fields in spring.
Happy Chinese New Year!


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I've never shared one of these kinds of posts before, probably because a) I was scared people would judge me for becoming a boring mum (big holla to the other boring mums out there – you da real heroes) or b) I was scared people would be like 'oh hun, you are doing this wrong – lemme tell you how to do it right.'
But fuck it, it's a new year and sticking with the theme of creating the content I want to create and writing about the things I want to write about, and so hello yes I have a lovely new parenting post for you.
I find these kinds of things fascinating. I like to hear what other babies and parents are up to and how their lives and logistics work.
So here is a breakdown of what's currently working for us.
WAKE UP – Anywhere between 6am and 7am.
BOTTLE – 6oz (around 170ml) of cow's milk as soon as he wakes up.
BREAKFAST – 8am. Usually this is something like toast with peanut butter and some blueberries. Could also be Shredded Wheat or Cheerios.
MORNING NAP – 8.30am. I try and judge this based on when Atti starts getting irritable and arching his back and/or rubbing eyes and yawning. But usually I put him back down between 90 minutes and two hours after waking up.
NAP WAKE-UP – 10am. I let him sleep for as long as he wants unless we have plans to go out. It usually can be anywhere between 40 minutes and an hour and a half but has been known on the odd occasion to hit three hours. Eeesh!
SNACK – 10am. Usually once he's up and dressed he has water and something like a satsuma and some Ella's Kitchen snacks.
LUNCH – 12.30. He's currently going through a phase where he won't let me feed him so a lot of the time it's trying to find finger food he'll actually eat. Current faves include veggie sausages, peas, parsnips, fish fingers, pasta, falafel, cheese and bean wraps, Cheddar, tomatoes, olives.
NAP – 1pm. I usually time this for around three hours after he woke up from his morning nap, unless he's showing signs of tiredness beforehand.
NAP WAKE-UP – 2.30pm. Again, I let him sleep for as long as he likes (unless the nap has ended up being later in the day and then 4.30pm is the latest I'll let him sleep). Usually the nap will be somewhere between 40 mins and an hour and a half long.
SNACK – 3pm. I tend to offer him water again and maybe fruit or something from the Kiddylicious range.
DINNER – 5pm/5.30pm. My boyfriend walks through the door at 5.30pm, so, where we can, we try and eat dinner all together. Atti will often have something similar to us, but broken down into finger food. Sometimes he'll have a yogurt afterwards too.
BATH – 6pm.
BOTTLE AND BOOK – 6.15pm. After the bath we'll go into our room and give him another 6oz of cow's milk (he won't always drink all of this depending on how much dinner he's demolished that day) and get him in his pyjamas and read a book or two with him. His current faves are any with lift the flaps.
BED – 6.30/7pm. We use a sleep bag and a white noise app on the iPad below his cot for both bedtime and his day naps. We kiss him good night and leave him to settle himself. Sometimes he will be down within two minutes and other times it's closer to twenty-minutes, but he'll then sleep through the night unless he's teething or ill.
Obviously this routine changes a bit depending on if he's managed a decent nap on mornings he's at nursery, and he tends to have a slightly later night if he's been at his nanny's for the afternoon. I also find that if he's skipped a nap for whatever reason (if he's being babysat by others or we're traveling), he'll then end up taking a really long (two and a half to three hours) first nap the next day to make-up for it.
He has to be utterly exhausted to fall asleep in his pram now, but can just about still manage a car nap if it's timed with his actual nap time and we're on an A-road or motorway but not if we're just pottering about town – so the majority of naps are taken in his cot.
Am not quite sure he's ready to transition down to one nap, based on the fact he does 11-12 hours at night and will take an extra long nap the next day to make-up for missing a nap the day before, but it's something we'll be keeping an eye on in the coming months and transitioning him accordingly.
Is this anything like yours?


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Proposing Open Space Technology Sessions
When I am at conferences or events being run using Open Space Technology (learn more about attendee driven conferences), people often ask me "should I propose a open space session?" As we get into the discussion I tend to ask the same core questions:
- Are you passionate about the topic?
- Are you clear enough on what the topic is?
- What would your 30-second pitch and summary of the topic to propose at the marketplace?
- Are you comfortable hosting the session or, if not, is there 1 or 2 more that might help you?
These questions tend to lead us into a good conversation about what they are thinking about proposing. They also tend to expose some of the many questions and concerns people have about Proposing Open Space Technology Sessions. Since I am co-facilitating and facilitating a few large Open Space Technology (often simply called Open Space) events this year, I thought it would be useful to create a reference for people considering proposing sessions.
Proposing Open Space Technology Sessions
I've included a lot of different questions and answers related to proposing a session. I focus primarily on how these sessions are run at some of the larger conferences I attend and specifically the events I am co-facilitating (Scrum Gathering San Diego) and facilitating (Mile High Agile). There are many variations however — I try to address some of those as I go.
It is also very important to note that there are four open space principles and one law. They are included with some of the answers below, however, they may have an impact on many of the answers.
- Who is allowed to propose Open Space Technology sessions? Anyone attending the Open Space is allowed to propose a session. If you have never proposed a session, you can. If you have proposed sessions in the past, you can.
- Is my topic good enough to propose? If you have a passion for the topic, propose it. If you have a topic that is extremely specific or you are looking specifically for an answer to a very detailed issue in your organization, that might be too detailed to interest others. However, just think about the large context of your topic and propose that.
- Will I be presenting? No. You won't be presenting. You will be hosting or potentially facilitating the conversation.
If you wanted to speak at the conference and did not get accepted – welcome to the party! I get rejected from conferences all the time! It is part of the process. Open Space is not a replacement for that. You certainly could propose a topic around what you were going to speak about, but consider how you will engage the group in a conversation. How will you fade and let others speak and share? Remember the Law of Mobility and consider what others can contribute and learn! You might use a different structure to engage with the others in the group, but don't expect to be sharing a slide deck of information. In a session I did last year on Agile Improvisation, we started out at lunch and only had 5 people. Others joined in as they finished lunch. We did a number of improv games related to learning and agile. I did initiate the first few games and then at one point someone who was attending had a game they wanted to play, so they took over and led that game. There are infinite possibilities.
- When Can I Propose My Session? Open Space begins when we 'open the space', that includes reviewing some of the principles of open space and talking about any themes we might have. After opening the space, the facilitators will start a marketplace. The marketplace is where we create the market of sessions for the conference. You will need to be at the marketplace if you would like to propose a session. Note that there are some open space based conferences that collect session ideas up front electronically, asking people to submit proposals of sessions they may propose. For Scrum Gathering San Diego and Mile High Agile, that will not be the case. Even for conferences that do ask people what they might propose in advance, on the day of the event, who knows what will happen!
- How exactly do I propose an Open Space session? When the marketplace starts, you can propose a session. There will be a short time at the beginning where the facilitators will ask people to come up and propose sessions. There will be paper (e.g. letter size – 8.5×11) and markers for you to write down your topic. Please write clearly and legibly, so people can see your topic when you post it on the wall. Include your name and some way to contact you (e.g. twitter). After you have yours written up, you walk up to a microphone and make your 20-30 second pitch! What are you calling your session, why are you passionate about it, and what are you looking for from others who might attend. You want to make it clear and simple enough that people understand what you are proposing, but also include enough passion and information that interested people will want to attend. Not always a simple thing. You will not have 1 minute or 2 or 5. There will not be enough time for everyone to propose sessions. So you have to keep it short and simple. All attendees will be there, listening to the proposals.
For large events, there will be a long line of people walking up to the microphone to propose sessions while others are still writing their sessions down.
- Where and when will my session happen? After you propose your session at the microphone, you will take your proposal (the piece of paper you wrote up) and find an empty location and time slot on the wall. There will be a large board with locations and time slots to choose from – and someone will be available to help you. For large events like the two I've mentioned, we will have mirrored boards so more people can view the available sessions at the end.
Technically for these larger events, people proposing a session will create two copies of their topic so one can be on each board.
> Pro Tip: Please don't ever move someone else's session. If you "must" have a certain time and that time slot is not available – then it is NOT available. That means that you might have to choose a time for your session that contradicts other sessions you wanted to attend.
- Can I propose more than one session? In my experience, people propose only one session. This allows as many others as possible to propose sessions. Technically you could, especially if it is a multi-day Open Space conference, but be sure you are allowing space for others!
- Logistically, what will the location for my session be like? Open Space sessions are usually in a part of a room, meaning that if you have a room that fits 100, there might be 4 sessions in that room, one in each corner. So you might have room "Summit A" (and there is a Summit B, C, and D) as well. You might arrive to theater seating or tables or to just a wide open room! Who knows! The group coming to that session might take a few minutes to arrange the area. That said, sometimes there is not a space or someone is in the space you thought you had. A few years back we had a session about Professional Coaching on the floor of the foyer at Scrum Gathering Vegas.
- Will I have a screen, projector or microphone available? No. You should have a flip chart, easel, markers, and post-it notes.
- What if someone else proposes the same or similar session? BUMMER! Seriously though, that happens. I find it usually happens after you write your topic down and are in line to propose it at the microphone. It has happened to me where the person three ahead of me in line proposed more or less the same topic I was going to propose! I had 60 seconds to decide:
- If I wanted to just step out of line and contribute to that session -or-
- If I wanted to propose something else -or-
- If I wanted to still propose my session because it was different enough
I ended up getting to the microphone and proposing a different session, then wrote up a new topic sheet and went to find a time and location. Any option is fine. You just step out of the line, find the person with the duplicate proposal, and talk to them about the session.
- Do I have to also host or facilitate the session I proposed? I generally expect that if you propose a session you will introduce the topic a the session and host it. If you don't want to facilitate or need help just ask the group who shows up for help! Remember think about it like a dinner party, specifically pot-luck dinner party (where everyone brings a dish!).
- Do I have to attend the session I proposed? In general, I would say yes.
At least you should go to let people know that your plans have changed and you will not attend. Don't pull the session from the wall, since others might want to attend and someone might not have proposed their session because you proposed one that was like theirs. Technically, you may decide it is no longer of interest to you – but remember Principle 1 and 2. I find that at least telling people you are not coming is courteous.
Decisions Decisions!
I do try to think a bit in advance about what I might want to propose. It helps me to consider how to frame the topic. I also find that many times I change the topic during the opening of the space. So you might certainly want to think about if you will propose a session and check out Hosting and Facilitating an Open Space Session in a few days – I'll add a link then. It will provide some more details and tips around hosting and facilitating a session.
As I write this article, I have the feeling that I missed something. Part of that might just be that it is Saturday morning and I need to get on to the rest of my day and part might be that there is simply so many aspects of Open Space, that I can't hope to cover it all. Remember to check out Harrison Owen's site, the 'discoverer' of Open Space. Ideally, I provided answers to enough of the questions that those attending the upcoming events I mentioned can decide if they want to propose something.
However, if you have a question I missed or want a clarification, – PLEASE ask me in the comments. I'd be glad to answer!
Stay in touch! Subscribe to receive emails with my new posts and Agile Safari cartoons or follow me on Social Media.


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PeopleMeet our Alumni
From its inception in 2012, the Master of Science in Analytics program has produced not only skilled data scientists but also innovative leaders in the field of analytics. Throughout the 15-month program, students are immersed in the practical application of computer programming, data science, and business communication.
Graduates of the MSiA program are highly equipped to successfully analyze and optimize data as well as to use their passion for data science to make meaningful, creative contributions to their workplace. Our alumni have gone on to work in a variety of industries, from major healthcare and financial corporations to big tech companies and startups.


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Top Ten Trends in Active Aging
An aging expert predicts how the boomers will change the face of senior fitness—and how the fitness industry will change in response.
Baby boomers are turning 65, and millions of people are also turning 50. "We're looking at a huge market that includes people ages 50 to 100 and beyond," says Colin Milner, CEO of the International Council on Active Aging. "While there's bound to be some segmentation, certain values, principles, and social-economic forces are converging to the point where we can make some predictions for the market as a whole."
On the horizon…
- More wellness programs. Wellness is exploding. The field has grown exponentially in the past five years and is projected to continue doing so. Wellness programs targeted for older adults are growing in number.
- More wellness professionals. "We'll see more exercise physiologists, sports medicine professionals, chiropractors, orthopedists, naturopaths, and physical therapists on the staff of wellness programs," predicts Milner.
- Convergence of rehabilitation and wellness. Preventing functional decline is a goal of wellness; rehabilitation helps return people to optimal function. "After the common cold, sports injuries are the #2 reason boomers visit their doctors. As boomers work to stay fit, many of them will also be working with rehab professionals," Milner notes.
- Rejection of stereotypes of aging. "We'll see greater diversity in portrayals of aging and greater achievements by older adults," Milner says. "Because of sheer numbers alone, companies will be focusing more on this demographic. To be successful, they will have to change their perceptions of what aging means and what older adults want."
- Increase in energy-boosting solutions. Milner says, "The industry will focus on overcoming the paradox identified by researchers a few years back: 69 percent of older adults exercise to increase their energy level—yet lack of energy is consistently put forth as a barrier to exercise." This opens the door to an array of programs aimed at boosting energy, from exercise to chronic health issue support services.
- Redefinition of "retirement." Many workers over 55 are staying on the job not for the money, but because they want to continue feeling useful and productive. This trend suggests that organizations should provide health management, fitness, and wellness programs to help keep older adults as productive as possible for as long as possible.
- Technology, technology, technology. "Moving beyond the Wii, we'll see everything from immersive games for lifelong learning and participation in social causes to more sophisticated 'brain games' and assistive devices that extend function into and through the later years of life," says Milner. "We'll also see more innovative technologies in support of aging in place, including e-health technologies and social media."
- Reengineering of industries to accommodate a healthier older adult market. "We'll see an upsurge in wellness centers, housing, parks and recreation projects that will require new approaches by architects, developers, builders, suppliers and program-management professionals," Milner predicts.
- Growth of "green exercise" and green communities. Research has shown that five minutes of exercise in a park, working in garden, or in another green space benefits self-esteem and mood. Boomers are also fueling a new era of social responsibility and environmental stewardship. Hiking, trail walks, meditation gardens, labyrinths, cycling paths, gardening, and ecotourism will flourish going forward.
- More age-friendly cities. In its push for the continued creation of environments that foster social inclusion and social participation, the World Health Organization stresses, "Active aging is a lifelong process. An age-friendly city is not just 'elderly friendly.' "Milner agrees: "If we view active aging as a process that begins at birth and continues throughout the lifespan, then this initiative can only continue to grow."
Source: The International Council on Active Aging (www.icaa.cc), headquartered in Vancouver, BC, is the world's largest membership association dedicated to changing the way we age by uniting and working with professionals in the retirement, assisted living, recreation, fitness, rehabilitation and wellness fields.


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This note used to say that the links below appear in the order I read them and was meant imply that they were more or less random in their subject matter, other than being of interest to me. Recently I started a few new sections at the bottom of the links on subjects that are of particular interest to me. But I can see that as time passes I am moving to a greater degree of "curation", which the dictionary tells me is about organizing and maintaining a collection. Applied to this collection of links and books I guess this will mean selecting links less randomly and trying to make them relevant in the context of this blog and whatever is going on in the world during the month.
But my originally statement still applies to the first section of links—they are pretty much random and just in the order I read them.
- A brief history of pharming; Monsanto is not trying to make you sterile, by Stephan Neidenbach, Medium
- Abortion and Love, by Katha Pollitt, The Nation
Ireland's wildly successful movement to repeal the Eighth Amendment has given us a new way to frame reproductive rights.
Or as I would have it, "pro life"="slavery for women".
- Feeling Isolated?, by Adam Taggart, Peak Prosperity
If so, you're not alone.
- Why Grandmothers May Hold The Key To Human Evolution, by John Poole, NPR
I think over the next few decades as industrial civilization withers on the vine we are going to have to relearn how to live a human beings did for most of our pre-history. Working together in small groups. Having a clear idea of how that actually worked might be quite helpful. And I also think there may be room for improvement. As discussed in this article—"man the hunter" providing 3.4% on the food might not be the best use of men's time.
- Is Sleeping With Your Baby As Dangerous As Doctors Say? by Michaeleen Doucleff, NPR
Are three of our children slept with us from when they were born until the next one came along, or in the case of the youngest until he was about two and a half years old. The benefits hugely outweigh the risks. Which, as this article says, are pretty minimal.
- I Don't Know How To Explain To You That You Should Care About Other People, by Kayla Chadwick, Huffington Post
"Our disagreement is not merely political, but a fundamental divide on what it means to live in a society."
- FDA approves Golden Rice as anti-GMO activists spin lies to keep kids blind, by Stephan Neidenbach, Medium
- Fracking's fundamental flaw, by Tim Watkins, The Consciousness of Sheep
- Hedge fund star David Einhorn calls fracking companies a joke, by Patrick Gillespie, CNN MOney
"A business that burns cash and doesn't grow isn't worth anything."
- OPEC's Dilemma: Demand Destruction Or Production Boost, by Nick Cunningham, Oil Price.com
- Lessons I learned from communicating science on social media, by Stephan Neidenbach, Medium
- How Trump Voters Decide Who to Trust, by Francesca Tripodi, Medium
Google keywords, fact-checking the news, and the occasional sophistication of conservative media analysis.
- It's employment Jim, but not as we know it, by Tim Watkinsa, The Consciousness of Sheep
- GFC II: The Anatomy of the Next Crash, by Tim Morgan, Surplus Energy Economics
" most of the recorded "growth" in world GDP since 2008 has been cosmetic, amounting to nothing more substantial than the simple spending of borrowed money"
"what we are looking at is a 10% ($7.6tn) increase in world prosperity trying to support a 54% ($98tn) expansion in total debt. Moreover, the 10% increase in aggregate prosperity has barely matched the rate of growth in population numbers. People have not been getting more prosperous, then, but they have been getting ever further into debt."
- How Worried Do You Need to Be About Those Cancer Warnings for Your Coffee?, by Jenny Splitter, Self
"The first principle of toxicology is the dose makes the poison," Carl Winter, Ph.D., a food toxicology scientist at the University of California at Davis, tells SELF. "It's the amount of the chemical, not its presence or absence, which determines its potential for harm."
It makes much more sense to look at "dietary patterns [rather] than [the presence of] single chemicals," she argues, adding that, "This whole decision in California just confuses people about coffee and its effects on health."
- What If India And China Used Natural Gas And Oil Like The U.S.?, by Jude Clemente, Forbes
Of course it is not going to happen, but it is useful to understand current energy usage in developing versus developed nations.
- Listen to Children Who've Just Been Separated From Their Parents at the Border, by Ginger Thompson, ProPublica
ProPublica has obtained audio from inside a U.S. Customs and Border Protection facility, in which children can be heard wailing as an agent jokes, "We have an orchestra here."
- What are natural foods?, by Joseph LaPorte, Aeon
Putting forth some uncommonly sensible ideas about the meaning of the word "natural", while largely managing to avoid the naturalistic fallacy.
- The People Who Are Afraid of Food, by Virginia Sole-Smith, Medium—Trust Issues
New kinds of eating disorders feed off our cultural obsession with healthy diets.
I've posted similar articles to Facebook, only to be told by commenters that orthorexia is nonsense—no one has such a problem. Interestingly those who objected loudest had a keen interest in "clean food". I've said it before and I'll say it again: conventional and organic agriculture both produce food that is quite safe. Unfortunately both are about equally unsustainable.
- We're In an Epidemic of Mistrust in Science, by Gleb Tsipursky, Medium—Trust Issues
"Academia isn't immune to the scourge of misinformation."
- Adoption and Cognitive Development: A Meta-Analytic Comparison of Adopted and Nonadopted Children's IQ and School Performance, by ,van Ijzendoorn et al
- A Dynamical Model of General Intelligence: The Positive Manifold of
Intelligence by Mutualism, by Han L. J. van der Maas et al, University of Amsterdam.
Refugees and Migration
- Five myths about the refugee crisis, by Daniel Trilling, The Guardian
"...how likely is it that states which treat migrants with such callousness will behave similarly towards their own citizens?"
Poverty, Homelessness, Minimum Wage
- After 25 years of being homeless, I learned there's one simple thing you can do to help, by Gregory P. Smith, The Guardian
- The Difference Between Being Broke and Being Poor, by Erynn Brook, Flipboard—Longreads
- This Is What Life Without Retirement Savings Looks Like, by Alana Semuels, The Atlantic.
Many seniors are stuck with lives of never-ending work—a fate that could befall millions in the coming decades.
- Babylon's Ashes, by James S. A. Corey
- American War, by Omar El Akkad
I'm still wading slowly through The Bell Curve, in order to be able to criticize it with some degree of credibility. Almost half way through at this point. This has also lead to reading some scholarly articles about IQ on the web, further slowing down my other reading. I did read a couple of short non-fiction works this month, though.
- This is Water, by David Foster Wallace
"Some thoughts, delivered on a significant occasion, about living a compassionate life."
As a committed atheist, I don't agree with the author's thoughts on the impossibility of not worshipping. I do agree that many people do worship things other than God, that are a bad or worse than God. But the important part is what the author has to say about the importance of seeing things from the other guy's viewpoint.
- Fragments of an Anarchist Anthropology, by David Graeber
An excellent little book about anarchism.


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The Hole Measuring Tape may look like a classic handyman tool, but it boasts a basic tweak that takes it from useful to uber useful. As its name suggests, the retractable ruler has been punctured with holes to allow the user to make marks in an easier fashion and, more importantly, in a more accurate fashion.
Conceived by industrial designer Sunghoon Jung, the Hole Measuring Tape joins the ranks of re-imagined everyday objects. While most people take common tools for what they are, working around their shortfalls, there are others like Jung who see an opportunity for improvement. That is exactly what the Hole Measuring Tape is, an improvement. Simple and functional, it also sports a slit to better trace a line with.
The Hole Measuring Tape by Sunghoon Jung Boasts a Basic Tweak
Meghan Young — September 1, 2012 — Art & Design
References: yankodesign & trendsnow.net


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Nursing Home Abuse And Neglect
The companies that operate nursing homes have come under close scrutiny in recent years due to the high number of injuries and deaths of nursing home residents. Because the nursing home industry has become a multi-billion dollar business comprised of major corporations, in some facilities profitability has become more important than administering proper care. The New York Times has reported that 90% of all nursing home facilities have been cited for violating federal health and safety standards.
Nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities are responsible for providing quality care to patients and residents. If an injury occurs because of a nursing home's negligence, or even worse, due to direct abuse, the nursing home is responsible for compensating the patient for his or her injury. Compensation includes reimbursement for pain and suffering, medical bills, and the loss of enjoyment of life. There are also state laws that provide additional protections to nursing home patients.
In any situation where a patient of a nursing home is injured as a result of the nursing home abuse, the patient should seek the advice of an attorney. It is difficult to have a nursing home compensate you fairly for your injuries without the help of an attorney.
Common Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing Abuse Statistics
Even if you feel you are not ready to file a suit, consult one of our qualified lawyers as soon as possible so that you will know your options. We do not charge any fees upfront. In fact, we will only charge attorney's fees if we obtain a financial settlement for you. If you don't win, we won't get paid a legal fee.
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Nursing home injuries resources links
ADAPT – Community Alternatives to Nursing Homes
This organization fights to empower people with disabilities to live in the community with real supports instead of being placed in nursing homes and other institutions.
Administration on Aging
Contains information on the Older American's Act, State Ombudsman Programs, and an expansive directory of Web sites on aging.
Alzheimer's Association
The Alzheimer's Association's official website. This site is your gateway to a wealth of information on Alzheimer's disease. Mission is "to eliminate Alzheimer's disease through the advancement of research; to provide and enhance care and support for all affected; and to reduce the risk of dementia through the promotion of brain health."
American Association of Retired Persons (AARP)
AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization for people 50 and over. It provides information and resources; advocate on legislative, consumer, and legal issues; assist members to serve their communities; and offer a wide range of unique benefits, special products, and services for members.
Center for Advocacy for the Rights and Interests of the Elderly
Non-profit organization, based in Philadelphia, dedicated to improving the quality of life for vulnerable older people. Mission includes informing policy-makers, education programs targeted at providing information and improving the ability of those who help frail older adults to give quality care.
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMMC)
The federal agency that administers Medicare and Medicaid. CMMC provides health insurance for over 74 million Americans through Medicare, Medicaid and other programs, and regulates nursing homes and other health care providers.
Coalition to Protect America's Elders
The Coalition is a nonprofit national advocacy organization founded in 1997. The Coalition works closely with our nation's most prominent elder organizations and other advocacy groups to create public awareness of the conditions that exist in our nation's nursing homes and propose effective solutions for improving the quality of nursing home care.
Federal Citizen Information Center – U.S. General Services Administration
Provides Medicare and Medicaid Publications, several of which address nursing home living.
National Citizen's Coalition for Nursing Home Reform
National advocacy organization based in Washington D.C. formed because of public concern about substandard care in nursing homes. Works closely with State Long-Term Care Ombudsman programs, and operates National Ombudsman Resource Center.
Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home
This U.S. Department of Health and Human Services guide contains information to help people find and compare nursing homes.


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Open Merchandise
Elevated protection for your premium packaged merchandise.
Dummy Dome
The Dummy Dome is a ten-foot mock surveillance camera with an optional LED that gives the same appearance as a real security camera. This cost effective solution allows retailers to give the impression of a stronger security presence dissuading would-be thieves. The Dummy Dome comes with an adjustable hanging anchor for ceiling mounting. A five-foot extension pole is also available but sold separately.
Locking Peg Hooks
Highest level of security for premium pegged merchandise. The Locking Peg Hook is designed to be easy to operate, and difficult to defeat.


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Thank you for your willingness to serve as a greeter on Sunday mornings. There are three shifts per Sunday:
Please sign up for your preferred time and date. The number in parenthesis indicates the number of volunteers needed for that shift. On the day you are to serve as a greeter, please come to the Welcome Center for your door assignment. Questions? Please contact Pastor Patrick or Pastor Ross.
Greeter - 1st shift (8:15-9:30 a.m.) (6)
Greeter - 2nd shift (9:30-10:45 a.m.) (5)
Greeter - 3rd shift (10:45 a.m. - noon) (4)


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Posts Tagged 'Octavia Spencer'
Platinum Jewellery Rules The Red Carpet At The 2012 Academy Awards
From Natalie Portman and Cameron Diaz's diamond necklaces, to Angelina Jolie and Jennifer Lopez's drop earrings, Hollywood's leading actresses chose to showcase their jewels in naturally white platinum at this year's Oscars. Here are some of our favorite Platinum Looks. Jennifer Lopez Platinum and diamond drop earrings, Platinum and diamond rings by Lorraine Schwartz Angelina…
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Vivitar DVR 748HD High Definition 12MP Camcorder 4x Digital Zoom 2.4" LCD
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item # 46636
mfr's model # DVR748HD-BLK
Condition: New
Warranty: 12 Months warranty
mfr's model # DVR748HD-BLK
Condition: New
Warranty: 12 Months warranty
- What It Does
- Specifications
Compact and convenient, the DVR 748HD HD camcorder from Vivitar is a pocket sized camcorder featuring HD 720p video capture and an image sensor capable of capturing 12MP still images.
A fixed focal length lens utilizes 4x digital zoom to cover an effective wide-angle to short telephoto range of perspectives, and a rotating 2.4" preview screen.
With a built-in flash that provides additional lighting to your videos and stills.
HD 720p video capture .AVI and an image sensor capable of capturing 12MP still images .JPEG
- 4x digital zoom covers wide-angle to short telephoto perspectives to benefit working in a variety of situations
- Rotating 2.4" viewing/preview screen
- Built-in flash for additional lighting
Video Recording 720p HD Ready
Still Image Capture Yes 12MP
Digital Zoom 4x
Screen 2.4" (Rotating)
Focus Auto
Intelligent Scene Mode Auto
Image Stabilisation Yes
Sound Capture Yes
Storage SD SDHC (up to 32GB)
Power 4 x AAA Batteries (Not Included)
Minimum System Requirements Windows XP, Vista, 7, Mac OS X 10.5 or higher
Contents Video Camera, USB Cable, AV Cable, Vivitar Experience
Software, Quick Start Guide, Wrist Strap
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As far as Junichi Tazawa is concerned, the most rebellious acts in his 22 years have been ignoring his homework and sneaking home after sunrise. But as the first high-profile Japanese baseball prospect to turn down his nation's leagues to entertain offers from Major League Baseball teams, he has found himself straining relations between baseball entities on two continents, with accusations of talent raiding and defiance of decades-long understandings.
Many Japanese baseball officials are outraged that United States teams are courting Tazawa, a hard-throwing right-handed pitcher, because they insist it is long-established practice for amateurs like him to be strictly off limits to major league clubs. Even some American general managers, including the Yankees' Brian Cashman, agree.
Major League Baseball officials maintain that the letter of their protocol agreement with their Japanese counterparts, Nippon Professional Baseball, does not forbid either league from courting amateur talent from the other's nation. When one Japanese representative characterized the rule as a gentlemen's agreement during a meeting in New York, he was angrily rebutted by a Major League Baseball official, according to two attendees.
The Tazawa dispute extends beyond one pitching phenom and an interpretation of honor. The Japanese major leagues have already seen established stars leave for American clubs, and amateurs following Tazawa's path away from those leagues could further hurt the leagues' long-term viability.
But sports talent is an increasingly free-flowing market notably demonstrated this summer when Brandon Jennings, one of the United States' top high school basketball players, signed to play professionally in Italy for $1.2 million rather than play at a college in the United States.
"This was more than just a gentlemen's agreement, but rather an implicit understanding that the major leagues would do no such thing," Nippon Professional Baseball said in a news release on signing Japanese baseball amateurs. "That a handful of clubs from the majors is trying to break this gentlemen's agreement is truly regrettable."
Rob Manfred, Major League Baseball's executive vice president for labor relations, responded in a recent interview, "I'm sure we will have ongoing conversation with them about how we might might be able to address their concerns."
Regarding how some major league teams still believe that Tazawa should not be signed, Manfred added, "It's not due to any lack of clarity it's just due to the fact that clubs have different views of the world."
Tazawa's talent snuck up on him as much as this controversy. After pitching for his high school team in the port city of Yokohama, he was not drafted by the 12 Japanese major league organizations. His only offer was to pitch for Japan Oil in the industrial league, a workers' minor league unaffiliated with the Japanese majors. He has been there ever since.
In an interview this month in a cramped meeting room at the company dorm in Kawasaki, Tazawa said he casually watched Major League Baseball on television while growing up and admired trailblazers like the recently retired Hideo Nomo, who became a sensation pitching for the Los Angeles Dodgers in 1995. But Tazawa said he never fantasized a similar career for himself.
"I never had an interest in the game over there," Tazawa said in Japanese. "I guess that's mostly because I never imagined I had the talent to consider such a thing."
Tazawa improved in the industrial leagues and, at an amateur tournament in Taiwan last November, had his fastball clocked on the scoreboard as high as 97 miles an hour. "I couldn't believe it," he said. "I thought the speed gun must be broken or something."
Astonishment extended to the scouts in the stands, some of whom were from the United States. They expressed interest in Tazawa to Japan Oil's manager, Hideaki Okubo, a 39-year-old recently retired professional who had watched many peers move midcareer to American baseball. Okubo encouraged Tazawa to consider the rare opportunity of signing directly with a Major League Baseball team, and later said in Japanese during an interview that Tazawa would be best served by "the toughness of an unfamiliar environment where his need for survival would be challenged more."
Tazawa thrived this summer, posting a 10-1 record and a 1.02 earned run average for Japan Oil and striking out 95 batters in 88 1/3 innings. As interest from scouts affiliated with Major League Baseball escalated and Japan's Oct. 30 draft of amateur players approached, Tazawa requested that all Japanese teams not select him. They acquiesced, smoothing his path to the United States' free market.
Except the market is not entirely free. Officials of major league teams have a wide spectrum of views as to whether Tazawa should be signed.
Mets General Manager Omar Minaya said he considered Tazawa available but continued: "It's a sensitive area. It's fair to say that if we were to go out and get their college players, what would prevent them from coming after our college players?"
The Yankees' Cashman was unequivocal.
"I'm old school there has been an understanding," said Cashman, whose team has a formal cooperative relationship with the Yomiuri Giants, a team particularly upset with the Tazawa affair. "There's been a reason that Japanese amateurs haven't been signed in the past, so we consider him hands off."
The protocol agreement between Major League Baseball and Nippon Professional Baseball does not address the signing of either nation's amateur players. It does formalize how Japanese veterans may switch continents: on the open market after nine seasons in the Japan major leagues, or earlier if a player's club chooses to auction off his rights through a procedure commonly known as posting.
Posting was established in 1998, and established stars like Daisuke Matsuzaka have generated as much as $51 million for their Japanese clubs. Losing top amateurs could hurt that pipeline.
The Yomiuri official Hidetoshi Kiyotake has said he fears for the viability of the Japanese majors should the major leagues descend on his nation's amateur talent. In a recent issue of the Japanese magazine Weekly Baseball, he wrote that South Korea's major league had been seriously harmed by 38 amateur players signing directly with major league clubs since 1994.
"Unless fans here stand up and proclaim, 'protect Japanese baseball,' we're liable to fall into the same trap as South Korean baseball," Kiyotake wrote.
Tazawa would not be the first modern Japanese amateur to sign with a United States club, but the first to do so against Nippon Professional Baseball's wishes. Other players, like the current Atlanta Braves minor leaguer Ryohei Shimabukuro, signed after dropping out of high school but were not considered a top prospect by Japanese clubs. In 2003, pitcher Kaz Tadano was shunned by Japanese teams after he appeared in a pornographic film, and he signed with the Cleveland Indians.
Japanese teams have also approached American amateurs. In 2002, the Orix Blue Wave tried to sign the Cincinnati Reds' first-round draft pick, third baseman Mark Schramek, while he was in a contract stalemate with Cincinnati.
As for formalizing any rule barring the signing of amateurs outright, some major league team officials think that could violate American antitrust or anti-discrimination laws. And if one team pursues a top player, others will surely follow.
"There's a fine line between falling behind the competition because you're quote being respectful, and competing like others will compete," said Ned Colletti, general manager of the Los Angeles Dodgers. "We have to be wise in our decision-making at the moment of truth."
Tazawa whetted scouts' appetites again Monday, when he threw a five-hit shutout for Japan Oil in the national amateur tournament. It is believed that at least a half-dozen teams will actively pursue him, including the Boston Red Sox, the Braves and the Seattle Mariners, with offers that could reach $2 million to $5 million.
Fearful that Tazawa's signing would encourage more Japanese amateurs to follow him, Nippon Professional Baseball recently passed a rule that requires any amateur who jumps to a major league team to sit out two or three years before being able to return to play in Japan.
"For them to go out and change the rules like that just blows me away," Tazawa said. "I never imagined the response would be like this."
Yet Tazawa has no intention of reconsidering his decision. Whether he blazes any trail for others, or if future rules are adapted for the changing global marketplace, he will find out with everyone else.
"I'm looking forward to signing with an American team and seeing what I can do," he said. "The appeal of matching power against power is too great for me to pass up."