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Shortly after Germany's surrender in 1945 Dutch painter Han van Meegeren was arrested for collaboration, specifically for selling one of Holland's national art treasures, a Vermeer painting, to Nazi Reichsmarschall Hermann Göring. Van Meegeren's defense was that he had not sold Göring a genuine Vermeer but a fake, and as proof he painted another copy of the same painting in his jail cell.
This incident inspired at least two works of literary fiction about art forgers. The first was American writer William Gaddis' 1955 experimental 958 page long novel The Recognitions, which enjoyed a status in the 1950s comparable to that achieved by David Foster Wallace's Infinite Jest in the 1980s.
The second was French writer Georges Perec's 1960 initially unpublished 144 page first novel Portrait of a Man Known as Il Condottiere whose original manuscript was lost and whose text was posthumously reconstructed from carbon copies by Perec's translator and biographer David Bellos, whose English translation of the book was published by University of Chicago Press earlier this month. In my New York Journal of Books review I write that this first novel "will provide Perec's fans a fuller view of his oeuvre, can serve as an accessible entry point for readers who are new to its author, and is recommended to readers of literary fiction who enjoy dense prose presented in multipage paragraphs."
In his introduction to the novel Bellos points to another of Perec's possible sources of inspiration, Jean Paul Sartre's discussion of authenticity and inauthenticity in his 1944 book Réflexions sur la question juive (in English Anti-Semite and Jew, 1946). To Sartre an authentic Jew is one who acquires some degree of literacy in Jewish languages and literature, performs Jewish rituals, and affiliates with the Jewish community and its institutions, while an inauthentic Jew is one whose Jewish identity is merely a defensive reaction to anti-Semitism.
Perec inferred a similar artistic authenticity and inauthenticity exemplified on the one hand by real artists who create original works of art and on the other hand by art forgers. Portrait of a Man's protagonist is an art forger who attempts to create a work of art that is both a convincing fake and at the same time an original work of art. When he fails to achieve the impossible he blames and murders his boss. In our own time we have seen personal failure precede murder in the cases of Timothy McVeigh whose application to an army Special Forces course was rejected several years before the Oklahoma City bombing, Tamerlan Tsarnaev whose lack of U.S. citizenship prevented him from qualifying for the U.S. Olympic boxing team and Dzhokhar Tsarnaev who flunked out of college shortly before the Boston Marathon bombing.
Ironically although Perec grew up in a Yiddish speaking home as the child of Eastern European immigrants, and though, according to Bellos, Perec's correspondence when he was writing Portrait of a Man was full of Yiddish influenced witticisms, there is no Jewish content in Perec's fiction, not in this first novel nor in his subsequent books (Perec, a life long smoker, died of lung cancer at age 46 in 1982).
In an article in the anthology The Yiddish Presence in European Literature Bellos points out that in the 1950s Eli Weisel and André Schwarz-Bart were ghettoized within French publishing as "Jewish writers" and how contemporary aspiring Jewish French writers including Perec decided to avoid being similarly marginalized. Bellos explains: "The secular and universalist ideals that brought Perec's relatives from Poland to Paris in the first place had forged the young man's conception of what it meant to be a writer, and that conception allotted no role to linguistic or ethnic or religious particularity." It also indicates the nature and extent of cultural diversity in post-war France and its literature.
All this suggests the following questions: can an inauthentic Jew be an authentic literary artist, or are those two forms of authenticity in fact not analogous, and is authenticity an objective and definable quality, or is it subjective and visceral? In my New York Journal of Books review I praise Perec's first novel as "a fully realized and mature work of fiction." For a fuller discussion of Portrait of a Man Known as Il Condottiere read my NYJB review.


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"Offer them what they secretly want and they of course immediately become panic-stricken."
-Jack Kerouac
It's no secret – monkeys want bananas. Get one of those qualitative "channel checking" Wall Street "consultants" to test that primitive theory. Green or yellow, when the monkeys are heated up in a panic, they'll clamor for them.
Yesterday's market meltup to new year-to-date highs (+11% SP500) was a real-time example of a Monday where humans were perfectly willing to inhale green bananas. With the advance/decline line as lopsided as 90%/10% at one point, there weren't many green prices in that group-think cage that people weren't willing to chase. The same 200-day Moving Monkeys who sold the red 879 close of July 10th (-14% lower!), couldn't scarf down enough green. Hopefully you sold into them. I did.
While yesterday's pre-open global macro setup looked great, this morning's is a little less great. I know, that's that hockey player turned zookeeper talking about changes on the margin again, but what happens on the margin matters most in markets. Everything has a time and price.
What's changed in the last 24 hours? That's easy - prices. If one of those super duper channel checker mall people were to start hiking prices while you were shopping, would you pant and pray for more of their wares? Of course not – only an ape would. So let's all calm down and bring some semblance of sophistication to this profession.
The biggest global macro news in Asia overnight was that the Reserve Bank of Australia is done cutting interest rates. Aussi Central Bank Chief, Glenn Stevens, is in the midst of schooling Ben Bernanke on how the un-conflicted are allowed to think about monetary policy. Stevens marked a 55 year low in the RAB base rate at 3%, and his next move is going to be raising them.
Raising rates? Yes, you're allowed to do that and pay your citizenry some level of return on their savings accounts. On this day in 1789, France abolished Feudalism. President Obama, your approval rating is hitting new lows as the markets hit new highs for a reason – the American people aren't stupid. They get who is getting paid with a "Great Depression emergency" interest rate policy of zero - and it's not them!
On the "news" that the Aussi's are going to raise rates, what would Hank Paulson guess the stock market would do? Nope, sorry Mr. Squid Wrap, the market didn't collapse into a calamity – it went straight up. In fact, Australia was one of the best performing stock markets in Asia overnight, closing up over +1%. Inclusive of that move, the Australian stock market up +18% for the YTD. Yes, this proves that you can have an interest rate that's higher than zero and not be depressed.
At 3,471 on the Shanghai Stock Exchange Index, Chinese stocks hit another new YTD high as well. While everyone and their American monkey yelps about Chinese "loan growth" bubbles, those who are long China are now up +90.7% in 2009. Even a monkey like me can make money long China. Throw me a yellow one, eh!
Never mind China, I said this last week and I will say it again – on days that the US Dollar is down, simian primates can make money being "long of" pretty much anything priced in those once almighty US Dollars. At $77.57, the US Dollar Index hit another YTD low yesterday.
With the Buck Burning, the CRB Commodities Index (19 commodities) had a bright green day, closing +3.5%. For any asset class, that's a massive one-day move. In the US Equity market, the best performing SP500 sub sector was Basic Materials (XLB). Ironically enough, it's green day also equated to +3.5%.
So as I was contemplating sending Mr. Commodity Bull Roubini a Tarzan loin cloth, what did I do yesterday? For those of you who get my real-time virtual portfolio moves at www.researchedgellc.com you already know the answers to that, but here were the most important macro moves:
1. Covered my short position in the US Dollar (UUP)
2. Sold short the Dow (DIA)
3. Sold short US Consumer Discretionary (XLY)
4. Sold out of my long position in Germany (EWG)
5. Shorted Italy (EWI)
6. Shorted Apple (AAPL)
Yeah, I invited the Yale guys with the white coats over for lunch and we fired up our quant machines in a search of replicating the shorting of green bananas (these guys love concocting financial products). The best idea we came up with was shorting one of our favorite companies bearing the name of another fruit. If that AAPL is red today, I'll probably cover it and book the gain. Never fall in love with a stock, her market, or a short position.
The risk in today's market outruns the reward. I have immediate term resistance for the SP500 at 1,004 and downside support at 980. The US stock market's overall setup remains bullish, but at a price. Don't be panic-stricken. Don't be a monkey.
Best of luck out there today,
CAF – Morgan Stanley China Fund — A closed-end fund providing exposure to the Shanghai A share market, we use CAF tactically to ride the wave of returning confidence among domestic Chinese investors fed by the stimulus package. To date the Chinese have shown leadership and a proactive response to the global recession, and now their number one priority is to offset contracting external demand with domestic growth.
QQQQ – PowerShares NASDAQ 100 —With a pullback in the best looking US stock market index (Nasdaq) on 7/24, we bought Qs. The index includes companies with better balance sheets that don't need as much financial leverage.
CYB – WisdomTree Dreyfus Chinese Yuan — The Yuan is a managed floating currency that trades inside a 0.5% band around the official PBOC mark versus a FX basket. Not quite pegged, not truly floating; the speculative interest in the Yuan/USD forward market has increased dramatically in recent years. We trade the ETN CYB to take exposure to this managed currency in a managed economy hoping to manage our risk as the stimulus led recovery in China dominates global trade.
TIP– iShares TIPS — The iShares etf, TIP, which is 90% invested in the inflation protected sector of the US Treasury Market currently offers a compelling yield on TTM basis of 5.89%. We believe that future inflation expectations are currently mispriced and that TIPS are a compelling way to own yield on an inflation protected basis, especially in the context of our re-flation thesis.
GLD – SPDR Gold - Buying back the GLD that we sold higher earlier in June on 6/30. In an equity market that is losing its bullish momentum, we expect the masses to rotate back to Gold. We also think the glittery metal will benefit in the intermediate term as inflation concerns accelerate into Q4.
XLI – SPDR Industrials – We don't want to be long financial leverage, which is baked into Industrials.
EWI – iShares Italy – Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has made headlines for his private escapades, and not for his leadership in turning around the struggling economy. Like its European peers, Italian unemployment is on the rise and despite improved confidence indices, industrial production is depressed and there are faint signs, at best, that the consumer is spending. From a quantitative set-up, the Italian ETF holds a substantial amount of Financials (43.10%), leverage we don't want to be long of.
DIA – Diamonds Trust- We shorted the financial geared Dow on 7/10 and 8/3, which is finally overbought.
EWJ – iShares Japan –We're short the Japanese equity market via EWJ on 5/20. We view Japan as something of a Ponzi Economy -with a population maintaining very high savings rate whose nest eggs allow the government to borrow at ultra low interest levels in order to execute stimulus programs designed to encourage people to save less. This cycle of internal public debt accumulation (now hovering at close to 200% of GDP) is anchored to a vicious demographic curve that leaves the Japanese economy in the long-term position of a man treading water with a bowling ball in his hands.
XLY – SPDR Consumer Discretionary – As Reflation morphs into inflation, the US Consumer Discretionary rally will run out of its short squeeze steam. We shorted XLY on 7/9, 7/22, and 8/3.
SHY – iShares 1-3 Year Treasury Bonds – If you pull up a three year chart of 2-Year Treasuries you'll see the massive macro Trend of interest rates starting to move in the opposite direction. We call this chart the "Queen Mary" and its new-found positive slope means that America's cost of capital will start to go up, implying that access to capital will tighten. Yields are going to continue to make higher-highs and higher lows until consensus gets realistic.

subset: commoncrawl


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Understanding Political and Intellectual Realities
excerpted from the book
Citizens of the Empire
The Struggle to Claim Our Humanity
by Robert Jensen
City Lights Books, 2004, paper
During World War I .. about 1000 people [were] prosecuted under the Espionage Act of 1917, which was amended with even harsher provisions in 1918 by what came to be known as the Sedition Act. Hundreds went to prison. The war-related suppression of expression also was merely one component of a wave of repression-which included not only prison terms but also harassment, deportation, and both state and private violence-that smashed the American labor movement and crushed radical politics. At that point in U.S. history it is fair to say that freedom of speech literally did not exist. There was no guarantee of public use of public space (such as streets or parks) for expression, and criticism of the government was routinely punished. In one of the most famous, and outrageous, case of Nearing's time,) labor leader and Socialist Party candidate Eugene Debs was forced to run his fifth and final campaign for president from a federal prison cell after he was sentenced to ten years under the Espionage Act. His crime was giving a speech which pointed out, among other things, that rich men start wars and poor men fight them.
The struggle to expand the scope of freedom of expression progressed through the century, although not without setbacks. Similar harshly repressive reactions surfaced again after World War II in the twentieth century's second major Red Scare. The Supreme Court upheld the criminalization of political discourse in what became known as the Communist conspiracy cases prosecuted under the Smith Act of 1940. The law made it a crime to discuss the "duty, necessity, desirability, or propriety of overthrowing or destroying the government' an odd statute in a country created by a revolution against the legal government of that day. It was not until 1957 that the Supreme Court reversed the trend in those cases, overturning convictions under the act. The 1960s and 1970s brought cases that continued to make more tangible the promise of the First Amendment, including landmark decisions that made it virtually impossible for public officials to use civil libel law to punish sedition and established that government could not punish incendiary speech unless it rose to the level of "incitement to imminent lawless action."
The freedom of speech we enjoy today was won by people who were despised and denigrated in their time. History has vindicated them, but in their own time they suffered greatly.
Perhaps we shouldn't call a nation a democracy when it refuses to allow the majority of adults to vote and the ultimate guardians of freedom (the Supreme Court justices) see nothing wrong with jailing a leading intellectual and presidential candidate for daring to question the judgment of his opponent.
The degree to which a society is democratic ... can be judged by how extensive and active are citizens' attempts to participate in the formation of public policy.
Walter Lippmann
The individual man does not have opinions on all public affairs. He does not know how to direct public affairs. He does not know what is happening, why it is happening, what ought to happen. I cannot imagine how he could know, and there is not the least reason for thinking, as mystical democrats have thought, that the compounding of individual ignorances in masses of people can produce a continuous directing force in public affairs.
Walter Lippmann
The public must be put in its place, so that it may exercise its own powers, but no less and perhaps even more, so that each of us may live free of the trampling and the roar of the bewildered herd.
In the real world, it usually turns out that restraint is expected from the "special interests" (defined as organized labor, students, women, minority groups, farmers-in other words, the vast majority of the population) to make sure there are no restraints on the "national interest" (corporate shareholders, the managerial class, defense contractors, the generals).
... social change in the history of this country has been largely the result of popular movements putting pressure on elites to enact progressive policies ...
As the late socialist Alex Carey puts it, "The twentieth century has been characterized by three developments of great political importance: the growth of democracy, the growth of corporate power, and the growth of corporate propaganda as a means of protecting corporate power against democracy?" I would add to that the development of propaganda to protect state power, which is tightly interwoven with corporate power. Carey's point is that people with power have been engaged in pacifying the population through propaganda to make sure the expansion of formal democracy- through greater expression and organizing rights, and an expanded franchise -does not result in a real democratization of the society, especially the economy.
Edward Bernays, often described as the father of the public relations industry, explained-from a celebratory point of view-how propaganda is "the executive arm of the invisible government' " Who are those "invisible governors"? Those with "qualities of natural leadership" who "supply needed ideas" and hold "a key position in the social structure." The opening lines of his 1928 book Propaganda make clear how the system works:
The conscious and intelligent manipulation of the organized habits and opinions of the masses is an important element in democratic society. Those who manipulate this unseen mechanism of society constitute an invisible government which is the true ruling power of our country. We are governed, our minds our molded, our tastes formed, our ideas suggested, largely by men we have never heard of. This is a logical result of the way in which our democratic society is organized.
Bernays acknowledged that some aspects of the propaganda process-"the manipulation of news, the inflation of personality, the general ballyhoo by which politicians and commercial products and social ideas are brought to the consciousness of the masses"- are often criticized and can be misused. "But such organization and focusing are necessary to orderly life."
From a more critical view, Carey described this same propaganda project as "a 75-year-long multi-billion dollar project in social engineering on a national scale?' Carey's study of the propaganda campaign suggests that starting in the 1930s American business leaders realized that they could not keep labor subjugated indefinitely through brute force. So, they turned to "a competition for public opinion via the mass media?' Carey's account of the operations of such groups as the National Association of Manufacturers shows how corporate leaders used advertising, public relations, media relations, and their influence on the educational system to deal with threats to their power.
In addition to campaigns for specific policies, there have been two key underlying messages to this propaganda in the past half-century. First, not only is capitalism the natural economic system and the only one compatible with democracy, but unions and other vehicles for popular organizing somehow disrupt what would be an otherwise harmonious system in which benevolent owners and hardworking managers labor selflessly to provide for customers and workers. Second, the United States is unique among world governments, past and present, in its pursuit of democracy and freedom in the world. While other nations act out of self-interest, the United States goes forward with a benevolent mission.
The system that propagates these fictions is happy to concede that sometimes corporations do unpleasant things and sometimes the government makes mistakes-usually the result of the bad behavior of individuals. If the problems seem to go beyond individuals, we are assured that the miraculous workings of the market and democracy have corrected the problems and produced a "change of course" for the institutions involved. Unlike more totalitarian systems, this arrangement is flexible and better able to adapt to public pressure: absorbing and co-opting dissent when possible, coercing through relatively subtle methods when necessary, resorting to force and violence only when other methods have failed.
The effects of this relentless propaganda are clear. Many people accept the mythology, even when it is directly contradicted by their own experience.
In a society in which free speech is in some sense irrelevant, public political life is little more than a sideshow. And if public political life is a sideshow, what do we say about the state of our democracy?
legal scholar David Kairys in this summary of U.S. political life:
[D]espite all the rhetoric about free speech and our democratic political process, a very large proportion of us-perhaps most-feel silenced and disenfranchised. There is a widespread recognition across the political spectrum that the American people lack the effective means to be heard or to translate their wishes into reality through the political process. There is, and has been for some time, a crisis of democracy and freedom that has been ignored by public officials and the media.
... in a meaningful democratic system, citizens should not be limited only to selecting leaders (an incredibly thin conception of democracy) or to selecting policies from a set of limited choices presented to them by leaders (still a thin conception). In a democratic system with a rich sense of participation, citizens would play an active, meaningful role in determining which issues are most important at any moment and L forming policy options to address those issues.
We live in an era in which policy proposals are treated not as topics for discussion by the people but products to be sold to them. Forget democracy-as-participation. Even democracy-as-ratification is unrealistic. Today, we have democracy-as-stupefaction. The goal of politicians and their consultants seems to be to stupefy, to dull the faculties of people, just as product advertising leaves people stupefied. To borrow from the dictionary definition, politics seems to be designed to leave people in "a state of suspended or deadened sensibility?'
How else to describe a situation in which the Bush administration can appoint an advertising executive to be Under Secretary of State for Public Diplomacy and Public Affairs, charged with the task of "selling" U.S. policy to the Muslim world? Charlotte Beers's fitness for the job could be seen in her previous successes-Uncle Ben's rice ("Perfect every time"), Head and Shoulders shampoo ("Helps bring you closer"), and American Express ("Don't leave home without it"). Secretary of State Cohn Powell - Beers's boss until her resignation in March 2003-explained that the new focus of public diplomacy would be "really branding foreign policy, branding the department, marketing the department, marketing American values to the world and not just putting out pamphlets."
When asked why the Bush administration waited until after Labor Day to launch its campaign to convince the American public that military action against Iraq was necessary, White House Chief of Staff Andrew Card said, "From a marketing point of view, you don't introduce new products in August?'
The Buddha is said to have spoken of enlightenment as /merging from the eggshell of ignorance. The events of 9/11 ... presented Americans with a stark choice. For too long we had lived with a willed ignorance about the consequences of U.S. economic, foreign, and military policy that to many felt like protection from the world- on the absurd assumption that what we don't know can't hurt us- but in reality was always eggshell-thin. r
This ignorance was perhaps most clearly expressed by the president of the United States. At an October 11, 2001, news conference, Bush told reporters he was amazed by what he called the "vitriolic hatred for America" in some Islamic countries. He explained:
I'm amazed that there is such misunderstanding of what our country is about, that people would hate us. I am, I am like most Americans, I just can't believe it. Because I know how good we are, and we've go to do a better job of making our case. We've got to do a better job of explaining to the people in the Middle East, for example, that we don't fight a war against Islam or Muslims. We don't hold any religion accountable. We're fighting evil. And these murderers have hijacked a great religion in order to justify their evil deeds. And we cannot let it stand.
We should give the American public the benefit of the doubt and assume that most were not quite as amazed as the president. But Bush was not the only American who was inside the eggshell on September 10, 2001. On September 11, we had the opportunity to emerge, newly engaged in honest attempts to understand the world and our place in it. But many Americans desperately tried to paste the old eggshell back together. On this front, Bush also took the lead. On September 27, 2001, Bush appeared at O'Hare Airport in Chicago and encouraged people to "get on board," but not with a serious plan for educating ourselves. His advice:
When they struck, they wanted to create an atmosphere of fear. And one of the great goals of this nation's war is to restore public confidence in the airline industry. It's to tell the traveling public: Get on board. Do your business around the country. Fly and enjoy America's great destination spots. Get down to Disney World in Florida. Take your families and enjoy life, the way we want it to be enjoyed.
So, a president who claims not to understand what is obvious to virtually everyone outside the United States -that no matter what the twisted theology and ideology of A1-Qaeda, lots of people in the Arab and Muslim world object to U.S. foreign policy for perfectly rational reasons-suggests the appropriate responses are to: Explain to people in the Middle East why they don't understand American benevolence, and explain to people in the United States that they should go to Disney World, a fantasy park where one can ignore reality.
The United States is a society in which people not only can get by without knowing much about the wider world but are systematically encouraged not to think independently or critically and instead to accept the mythology of the United States as a benevolent, misunderstood giant as it lumbers around the world trying to do good.
I live in a country that drops ciuster bombs in civilian areas. I have never lived anywhere that was the target of a cluster bomb, but I suspect that when a cluster bomb detonates above a person and its couple of hundred individual bomblets are dispersed to do their flesh-shredding work, the world looks pretty black and white... I suspect that when one sees a child pick up an unexploded bomblet from a cluster bomb, which then explodes and rips off the child's head, the world looks pretty black and white. Should the world look any less black and white when one lives in the country that drops those bombs? When the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff explains, in response to a question of why such a weapon is used, that "We only use cluster munitions when they are the most effective weapon for the intended target," how long can we allow ourselves to paint pictures with the many shades of gray?
... the fundamental failure of U.S. universities after 9/11 was the unwillingness to take seriously their role as centers of knowledge and their refusal to create space for debate and discussion. If American campuses were healthy intellectual communities, after 9/11 they would have been hotbeds of discussion.
People often ask me, what would you have done if you had been president of your university? The answer is simple: After 9/11 I would have reserved the largest hall on campus for a weekly series of programs on terrorism and American foreign policy, drawing on the expertise of the campus from as many perspectives as possible. I would have committed resources from my office to publicize the forums as widely as possible. I would have made it clear that the university saw the enhancement of public discussion as central to its mission. I would have explained that although the university as an institution would take no specific position on policy choices, it would facilitate the broadest and deepest discussion possible. I would have asked my staff to work with the local television and radio stations, especially cable-access TV and community radio, to broadcast these forums. And I would have encouraged faculty members to take up these issues in the classroom when relevant.
In short, I would have taken seriously the notion that the university is a place where citizens could expect to find information, analysis, and engagement. I would have realized that at such a pivotal moment in the nation's history, the university had a unique role to play. But the University of Texas did none of that, nor did most universities in the United States. At some universities, small groups of faculty who were concerned about the direction the country was heading did their best to create such space. But on most campuses, a tiny minority of faculty was involved in such efforts, and an even smaller minority of administrators aided them. Many of the events on campuses were student-organized, efforts that were important and admirable. But it's a shame that, in most cases, university officials and faculty members chose to duck and cover.
Why would the largest university in the country, with such tremendous human and material resources, be so politically flat at such a crucial time? No doubt part of the explanation for the timid performance of the University of Texas, and institutions of higher education more generally, is specific to that moment. The United States had never experienced an attack on its civilian population of that magnitude, and it's easy to understand why many people lost their voices in the highly emotional, hyper-patriotic fervor that followed. But college campuses have not been centers of critical inquiry in some time (and even when they were, such as in the 1960s, much of the most vibrant intellectual and political activity was student-led). While not pretending there was ever in the United States a golden age in which universities were completely free spaces, no doubt part of the explanation for this consistent failure is intensifying economic pressures, as public universities are forced to find more and more funding from private sources and an ethic of public service continues to wither. Faculty feel this pressure, which subtly encourages professors to act not as members of a community of scholars with obligations to the public but as independent agents with the goal of maximizing grant funding and personal status. The market model dominates not only the organization of the institution but the mission as well, as students increasingly look at a university education not as an opportunity for intellectual enrichment but a ticket to upward mobility and career advancement.
... the real rule in the contemporary United States: One may talk politics or religion, as long as it doesn't upset anyone. In my limited travels abroad and extensive discussions with people from other countries, this appears to be peculiar to Americans (and especially to white middle-class Americans).
At the heart of this play-nice/avoid-conflict/make-sure-no-one-feels-uncomfortable style is an implicit abandonment both of intellectual standards and political life. If we can't engage each other, and take the chance that tempers might flare, then we will be less likely to subject each other's arguments to critical scrutiny.
Citizens of the Empire
Index of Website
Home Page


text:
This guide will still be delayed a lot as I need to work on the content a bit due to the lv90 not being fully released.
Additionally, this guide may receive a drastic change in it's title + content as I experimented a bit with tanking.
I. Introduction
Greetings fellow azurians and welcome to my guide on how to become a viable Tank Guardian! My name is Shironius and I play Aura Kingdom since May 2015. Ever since then I started maining Tank Guardian until today and I will continue doing so. I have recieved a lot of trashtalk about how Tank Guardian is entirely useless and should be completely replaced by DPS Guardians, but none of this managed to put me off of what I am doing in-game. Also, I found out that people still read ages-old tank guides like from KingTank from the OS (which is outdated since lv60 era ended), therefore I decided to make a fresh Tank Guardian Guide.
This guide is probably 75% dedicated to tank builds, so if you prefer a DPS Guardian build, go check out the old guide from Yuumu. Slightly outdated, but still doing the job --> HERE <--
In case some crucial info is lacking, it will be mentioned in this guide for today's gears and standards.
II. Why Tank Guardian?
Either you are or want to become a traditional tank-type player, you are sick of healing but not being able to protect people, DPSing all day becomes boring for you or you are a masochist and enjoy 200 mobs poking you while you stand still, do nothing except raising your Phalanx and basically never die. Ever. Also armors, because you simply can't deny how awesome armors are on Guardians.
III. Pros and Cons
- Your envoy path greatly benefits from high HP + DEF and rewards you with DMG.
- Tank gear is possibly the cheapest gear out there and has an array of good options.
- Hands down highest survivability of all classes in the game with various defensive skills.
- You can literally use ANY subclass you want if you play it right.
- You are not dealing significant damage against bosses, so soloing is futile in tank equipment.
- Making mistakes is visible to anyone due to the nature of Guards being supposed to stay alive + keep aggro.
- People toss defensive gear and enchants a lot of times so you may have a hard time getting the stuff you want.
IV. The Build
Prologue - Different types of Guardians (seriously, read it)
Before you go on to the detailed build section, keep in mind that there are various ways to play Guardian as there are different ways of surviving and handling fights.
As an all-round tank, you utilize various methods of survival such as Nocturnal, a medium level of heal procs and heal-over-time effects (short HoT now) for sustain and a mixture of decent Damage Reduction and EVA (both around 60% or higher). Overall a balanced variant that puts emphasis on putting up high defensive stats and then follows up with buffing his DMG by other means. Basically a jack-of-all-trades (or tanks).
Major Representative: xKari
This tank stacks various HoT elements like the Lv75 Tank Armor with Ballad and regeneration trophies + enchant cards, uses Revitalizing Wall to receive heals from mobs attempting to hurt him and puts a high emphasis on a very high HP, EVA, HEAL and Damage Reduction. They are almost invincible, but due to their abundance of gear being used on survival they may come short regarding holding aggro unless they have a very high fortification level. Usually seen to use Bard or Crusader sub. Bonus: Does not rely on Nocturnal cores.
Major Representative: Gaz
A very special variant that can be considered a "mixed" type, but unlike other mixed builds, there are all five tank armor parts present for the maximum amount of Malice % possible. The main emphasis of this build is CRIT and Damage Reduction. To make this build work, you need at very least 50% CRIT, 200% CRIT DMG, a decent healthpool of 250.000HP or more (for high-end dungeons) and a minimum of 60% damage reduction (with Phalanx applied). Usually seen using a CRIT accessory set.
Major Representatives: Shironius, Sephimos
Origin: Tsunagi
DPS Guardian / Mixed
One of the most popular choices for DPS players that wish to play Guardian. Again, most if not all of the stuff about this type is covered in Yuumu's DPS Guardian guide. --> HERE <--
Major Representatives: Khai, Kim_Hyuna
1. Stats
Offensive Stats
DMG - 99 points here when you finalize your build. It gives so much damage and you can cap or at least get decent stats on the other two with gear.
CRIT - I recommend spending the rest of the points here, regardless of your build. If you desperately need the SPD to cap it, put it in SPD instead.
SPD - Don't put points here unless you desperately need SPD for the mainquest (you pick up things faster for example or to cast Phalanx faster).
Defensive Stats
HP - 99 points here, no question. Capping DEF is easy and capping EVA literally takes one trophy or mastery.
DEF - Rest of the points here because DEF overcap gives extra HP % bonus and pouring points in EVA is useless.
EVA - For the love of god, don't put points here. If you want to cap this, use Keres' Wishlist or Capoeira (see below).
Depending on your build, you want to get 120% HEAL, 200%+ CRIT DMG (against bosses), 65%+ General Damage Reduction and / or 65%+ Boss DMG.


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The Importance of Finding Your Un-Comfort Zone
I have a confession to make. I use the word "confession" liberally here because — if you who know me — this probably isn't news to you.
Here it is: I'm not that smart. I never have been, really. Actually, I'm not a very good writer either. Or very funny. Or a good photographer. Or singer (though I do love karaoke.) And, even though it's my chosen profession, I'm not an especially talented designer either.
I've known all of this — for a long time. I'm a quick learner though, and a dedicated worker, so I'm able to get by. But, when push comes to shove, I'm a bit slow to get noticeably better at things. And I'm ok with that — as long as I am getting better. I've learned to play to my strengths and work on the rest. Slowly though. So slowly.
That's not to say I'm totally dim-witted. I'm smart enough to have realized I'm not that smart. I've also figured out ways to be successful, do good work, and — most importantly — I've learned to work smarter and get better.
The first requirement of improving, at anything, is practice. You want to be a better singer? You need to sing. Want to write well? Put your butt in a seat and write. But, there is another way. Always surround yourself with people smarter than you. It can be humbling, but it provides a great way to learn.
I'm hardly ever — no, actually— I'm never the smartest person in the room. And that's usually by choice. I actively seek out people I can learn from. As the saying goes: "If you're the smartest person in the room, you're in the wrong room."
If you have the confidence to hang out in the right room, you'll find the smartest people won't always be older than you, or more senior than you or even more educated than you are. You can — and should — find people to learn from in all sorts of odd places. Often they will learn from you too. One of my favorite ways to learn is by teaching. Sharing your expertise with someone sharp — but less experienced — is a great way to discover holes in what you know. The questions you get asked are often gold mines.
It can be anyone who forces you to stretch yourself in unforeseen ways, and often such people don't reveal themselves right away. So keep a keen eye out.
You'll recognize them when they make you squirm a bit.
Seek out people who challenge you, question you, and make you question yourself. I like to be around people who, like me, have a problem with consensus. Consensus is for losers and should be fought against whenever possible. Smart people know this.
I also look out for listeners. People who will engage and ask questions. The harder the questions, the more uncomfortable they make you, the better the chance the person asking them has something to teach you. The goal is to be challenged.
Get comfortable with feeling like you don't know what you're doing. Feeling lost is a sign you're on the right track — that you're learning and growing.
You want to be in your un-comfort zone.
Once you've found your un-comfort zone, do what you can to stay there.
Start by working hard, but not too hard, being quick with a helping hand and nice to people — without being a pushover. Hard work, people skills and a willingness to learn new things can take a person far in work — and in life. I'd say, these traits make up for a lack of smarts in most cases.
At some point you'll probably find that you've "leveled up" or, at least, learned enough that you begin to feel comfortable and complacent. If that happens, and you start to feel a bit antsy, it might be time to seek out new experiences — and new people with a different type of intelligence to learn from.
This doesn't mean blowing everything up and starting over. You don't have to leave your job, or quit your friends or anything like that. Just mix things up. Take on a new project, work with different people in your company, go to a conference, volunteer. The key is to keep growing and stay engaged.
For me, being bored is the last thing I'd ever want to feel. When I do find myself feeling bored, it's a clear sign I need to change things up. Damned if you do, bored if you don't, I always say.
Change can be a great thing. If you get stuck, move on to the next, most interesting experience you can find. Jump into your un-comfort zone and start learning.
It's never easy, but it's always smart.


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Meet Rick Hood
About the photo above:
Our owner, Rick Hood, with his wife, Molly, and Marion Nestle at the Chautauqua Institute. The theme was "At the Table: Our Changing Relationship w/ Food" and was keynoted by Marion Nestle herself. The Paulette Goddard Professor of Nutrition and Food Studies at New York University Steinhardt and author of 8 books including "Food Politics" touched on the dynamic way people approach their plates. "To me, the biggest change is the shift from the personal to the political — from only caring about food from the standpoint of what to have for dinner to a food movement focused on producing and consuming foods in ways that are healthier for people, fairer to everyone involved in the food system and more environmentally sustainable," Nestle said. Perhaps the most notable quote from the experience: "Government policy does not link agricultural policy to health policy. So what to do? Keep building on the local food movement's successes."
What is Ellwood's mission?
Our mission is "aspiring to feed the heart and soul of our community through a commitment to local and organic foods." This statement takes action through our stewards, suppliers, neighbors, friends and family around social and environmental consciousness and compassion for animals and community. We grow community by investing in it.
What does it mean to you?
It means that we wish to create a personal connection with our customers. That may sound crazy for a grocery store but it works for us – we have customers that are definitely part of the Ellwood's family. This kind of connection can only happen when you have a work environment where people are happy and enjoy their work. Most businesses are based on speed, scale and lowest cost, ours is a low tech/high feel one that gives rise to uniqueness, quality, inventiveness and relatedness. We strive to hire stewards that value community, appreciate the advantages of buying local and are interested in learning more about food. We attract these great individuals by providing a company that has practices that reflect what they believe. In order to continue to honor and strengthen our culture, we encourage a strong sense of community within the store by promoting teamwork, education and continued personal growth – we do it together. The most common answer to "what is your favorite thing about working at Ellwood's" is "my coworkers".
Why do you believe that you are a "steward" and call your employees "stewards?"
Steward (n.): a person who has a passion and cares for the future. We hire stewards that are conscious of the Earth, its resources, and the beings populating it. They are encouraged to be active in the community and lead by example.
Why is local food better?
Local food is better because it is grown closer to your backdoor. This is good for several reasons:
- It is fresher and often times more nutritious.
- It supports our small food economy and puts money back into our community.
- We are friends and neighbors with our local suppliers and those relationships are important.
- Taste
- More transparent and trustworthy
What is your definition of Community?
Community results from the love and caring for all those that participate in our business including our family, neighbors and the city of Richmond as a whole. Even other independent grocers! It's about getting out of yourself and doing what's best for your fellow human being. Connecting and caring for the Earth including its' wildlife, climate and plants. This is a precious and fragile world that we've been so fortunate to be born into. We want to preserve it for the next generation.
Tell us about your standards?
Hippocrates said, "Food is thy medicine" and we believe that. We have the highest standards in our industry especially around "local" (We define local as 100 miles in radius, as the crow flies) and the ingredients in our produce, prepared food, and bulk. We are active in removing GMO products from our store and do not have products that market to children w/ major cartoon characters.
What do you see in Ellwood's future?
I see creating deeper and deeper local relationships with all of which we interact. Constant education about local food choices is meaningful for our stewards and therefore our customers. We would like to slowly grow stores in our local area, which is within 100 miles of our store where we can participate in redevelopment by creating more community and connection w/ local economy. We value the local food movement and want to be as meaningful to that shared conversation as possible.
How would you describe your relationship to food?
It's a great deal of fun to learn about heritage and heirloom varieties of local vegetables and fruits that are often better tasting and certainly healthier. I enjoy sharing delicious tasting food that surprises and delights friends and family. It's such a positive way to slow down and bring people closer together. It's these times that I feel especially fulfilled and appreciated in our mission. Our chefs are creating a whole cuisine around local and healthy. Especially vegetarian/vegan. With outstanding taste Ellwood's aspires to be at the forefront of the evolving Richmond regional food cuisine.
What is Ellwood's store experience?
People tell us that we have a warm community gathering spot that feels egalitarian and encourages cultural diversity. It's that 3rd place after work and home described by Ray Oldenburg in "The Great Good Place." People love our stewards and we love them too! We value simplicity, honesty w/ a sunny staightforwardness. We've built the store in a sustainable, enviro-friendly manner that also reflects the history and art scene of Richmond. If our customers continue to describe us as friendly, comfortable and unique, we will have succeeded.
Lastly I am humbled by the degree of details in this business and there still much I have to learn. I'm lucky to have this opportunity to lean into a values centered life and help propel the change I want to see.
Founder of Real Local RVA
Real Local RVA is a grassroots group of independent, small grocery stores, restaurants, farmer's markets, farmers, growers and supporters dedicated to growing the local food scene in Richmond and the surrounding area. The purpose of the group is to organize all participants for purposes of economic and business development.
Mission: To educate, support and raise awareness of the local food movement and choices in the Greater Richmond area.
The history behind Real Local RVA is rooted in Richmond, VA with the effort to grow the local food movement. Rick Hood, Owner of Ellwood Thompson's, started the group as an informal round table in the beginning of 2014, better known then as the Local Food Group. Other early members included Bill Cox of Casslemonte Farm, Sally Schwitters of Tricycle Gardens, John Haddad of Slow Food RVA, Hunter Hobcroft of Stock Provisions, James Wallace of Virginia Community Capital, Anne Darby of Richmond Regional Planning District Commission, Sidney Gunst of Innsbrook Associates, LLC, Barb Upchurch of The Apple Cart and Erin Wright of Little House Green Grocery. A critical aspect was the participation and moderation of the group by Dale Raney and Lou O'Boyle.
Back then the vision was to create a network of informed, passionate, creative farmers, farmer's markets and nonprofits that work together within the community to increase awareness and knowledge of locally grown food. Networking was the emphasis. As a formed group, the Local Food Group became a participant group with the Richmond Food Collaborative. Eventually it was realized that the Local Food Group was to be most effective by focusing on for profit business.
One of the values brought up from the beginning is that it's better to collaborate than to compete. A critical turning point happened in 2015 when Michelle Williams and Donnie Caffery join in. Michelle has been able to recruit Southbound and other restaurants to join and she brings a depth of marketing experience. Donnie has been able to help recruit Libbie Market and other grocers and he provides organizational leadership and technology experience. A unique aspect was the enthusiastic collaboration between grocers and restaurateurs; a mentality that was not common place in years past.
The group morphed into advocating for small farms and independent businesses to have a larger economic impact in Richmond, Virginia. Marketing, events and networking based on "local" values have become the main focus purpose of the group. More and more faces began to show at the table with varying opinions of the local food scene. It was clear, there was a need for a real definition of local, a vehicle in which to promote it and a group to support it. Hence the name Real Local RVA was adopted.


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NSW consider John Folau to fill Taqele's big shoes
Why limit yourself to one Folau when you can have two?
That is the question the Waratahs are pondering after bringing John Folau, the younger brother of star fullback Israel, into their pre-season training squad.
Unlike other Australian Super Rugby franchises, NSW are entering the 2019 season with a relatively stable squad and minimal recruitment.
But there are a handful of spots yet to be nailed down and the biggest gap left by a departing 2018 player - quite literally - is the wing vacant of giant Taqele Naiyaravoro.
The 125kg winger is now playing for Northhampton in England and given he scored a Super Rugby-high 15 tries last season, replacing him is no small task for Waratahs coach Daryl Gibson.
The Tahs have brought into training a number of aspirational candidates, including John Folau.
Twenty-four-old John carries a very similar physical stature to his sibling Israel, and is being viewed as a player of huge raw potential.
The big outside back played three seasons at the Parramatta Eels before deciding to switch to rugby like his brother.
John was in the Sydney Rays squad this year but injury limited him to just two games. In those appearances he managed to score several tries, and convince Waratahs coaches he would be worth a more in-depth trial during summer training. He is not contracted.
As an assistant to Waratahs coach Michael Cheika in 2013, Gibson was one of the men who helped Israel Folau make a swift conversion from league instincts to rugby.
"We have lost Taqele and he was the leading tryscpver in the competition last year and replacing him is a challenge for us. He will leave a hole," Gibson told RUGBY.com.au.
"Part of our pursuing Adam (Ashley-Cooper) and wanting him to come back and join us again is the fact he would give us that utility value in the backline.
"That would allow us to play different combinations on the wing, so we look at someone like Curtis Rona, who played all season in the centres as someone who could play on the wing.
"And we have started training with John Folau, to see where he can get to as a player, we believe he has that raw athleticism and the potential to be a handy attacking threat.
"And we have some younger players coming through the system who we believe, given the opportunity and chance, could really become something, too."
John Folau, who is expected to play for Parramatta in the Shute Shield, is certainly keen to push on and eventually earn a Waratahs cap alongside his brother Izzy.
"I've always wanted the opportunity to one day play alongside him on a team and he says he loves it in rugby union," John told RUGBY.com.au in September.
"So having the opportunity to come over, God willing, the opportunity does arise and that makes the journey a bit more exciting for me."
"For me, coming over here it's like a fresh start, something I think I needed," John said..
"Growing up playing league my whole life, it was something I was just getting used to but coming over here put me out of my comfort zone."
The Waratahs' only other positions of need are at lock and prop, given the retirement of Paddy Ryan and the injury-enforced absence of Tom Roberston. The Wallaby did an ACL recently and is not expected to play for the first eight weeks of the competition.
Apart from 33-year-old Sekope Kepu, the Tahs have a stable of four 21-year-old front rowers.
The Tahs are also close to securing 135kg South African lock Le Roux Roets to play an abrasive "Jacques Potgieter-style" second rower role.
But the Tahs are otherwise not bringing in many new players and that's by design, Gibson said.
"In my experience as a coach, the winning teams are the ones that can retain a stable and experienced spine throughout the years," he said.
"You have got to have, and it is something the Crusaders have done very well, is you have to have the players of their generation, of the decade, and they keep them together for a long time.
"That's something we have managed to do with the spine of our players and it's about making sure the change around that spine doesn't occur every year.
"We believe we are in a nice stable period this season."


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Whether you're a hiring manager conducting a second round of interviews or a job candidate going through that process, you're likely past the getting-to-know-you stage. For that reason, the questions to ask - or that you will be asked - in a second interview can get a little more in-depth and a lot more telling about whether company and candidate are a good fit after all.
Below are five of the most common questions that work well in a second interview:
1) "What are the challenges you're looking forward to most?"
Hiring managers who want to get the heart of the matter when hiring a candidate want to see applicants who are engaged and ready to tackle big issues once they figure out their new roles, according to The Balance Careers. This does not have to be an immediate thing, but it's critical for companies to be able to find outsiders who can identify problems within their new employers' operations and have plans to address them.
2) "If you're the person we hire, what do you think our organization can do for you?"
Many workers see employment as a two-way street, The Balance Careers added. Companies, of course, get the value of their labor, but they typically want more than just a paycheck and health insurance in exchange for what they do. This may mean they're looking for opportunities for professional development, room for advancement within the business and so on. Being clear on this point is always a good idea for both parties.
3) "What kind of work environment do you like most?"
"Culture fit" remains a big deal for workers and employers alike, according to Indeed. If people don't like to work collaboratively, an office that relies heavily on collaboration probably won't work for them. It's important for all involved to find people who will mesh well with their coworkers' existing processes.
4) "What are your short-term professional goals, and what are your long-term goals?"
In many cases, companies are in a position to help their employees achieve a lot of goals, both personally and professionally, according to Fairy God Boss. However, they will need to be on the same page about what those goals are and the best ways the organization can help achieve them. When workers know their company is on board for their plans both five months and five years from now, that will be a great fit.
5) "When do you think you made the biggest misstep in your professional life?"
When hiring managers really want to challenge interviewees, they ask for honest answers about past difficulties, as an avenue to talking about both resiliency and honesty about shortcomings, Fairy God Boss cautioned. When everyone is working together regarding where an employee or company needs to be to move forward together, it becomes much easier to have a great working relationship that could potentially last for many years to come.
Find a job near you now.Search Jobs


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Certainly weddings can be stressful and require much planning, but you just need to be optimistic and have the right information. By educating yourself to the process and remaining focused, you will be able to control any situation that may arise. Here are a few tips to increase your knowledge of weddings.
Faith and religion mark one of the most important topics in marriage. Talk with your partner and their family about their religion and traditions.
If you're taking care of the food yourself, shop at a wholesale store, like Costco. You will get more food for a better price if you shop wholesale. Think about asking people you know to assist with the food costs.
Should you want to cater the food yourself, look to wholesale stores like Sam's. You'll get better deals on large quantities of food if you shop wholesale. Also, ask friends and family members to help cover the cost of the food.
Wedding Dress
Buying your wedding dress may be expensive. When you are browsing through dress shops, remember to look a dresses that are not officially categorized as wedding dresses. Consider a bridesmaid dress, which costs less than a wedding dress but can still fit your needs. Many times, you can alter the dress to make it look like a wedding dress for a fraction of the cost of an actual wedding dress.
Wedding dresses are notoriously expensive. When looking for a dress, consider dresses that aren't necessarily in the wedding dress category. You could try a bridesmaid dress, and it would be cheaper than an actual wedding dress. Even if you factor in the cost of style alterations, the overall cost could be less.
When you're planning on who to give the speeches at your wedding, have them rehearse the things they would say in front of you so you can determine if everything they say will be appropriate. For example, you would want to eliminate any jokes that apply to a very specific group within your guests in order to avoid anyone feeling excluded and to make sure the speech is well-received by all who attend your wedding.
Ask the members of your reception who plan to give a speech to practice them with you so you can vet their content. Remember that you'll have people there from all generations, so keep the jokes appropriate.
Never go on starvation diets just to fit into a dress. Like a mixed martial arts fighter preparing for a fight, you will end up dehydrated and light-headed if you try to rush losing weight. You may even faint while saying your vows. Buy a dress that allows you to make adjustments when the wedding date comes.
Include elements that tell about you, your spouse and the relationship. A theme should be selected that matches the time that you've had together.
When you are choosing a makeup artist for your ceremony, always look at samples of their previous work. It would certainly ruin your day to have you and your bridesmaids looking harsh in makeup that does not suit the colors or the styles you have chosen. Make sure that you are completely satisfied. You don't want to find out an hour before the ceremony that your makeup artist has a look planned that you hate.
Makeup Artist
Spend some time writing your vows. These words are important for your new spouse. Keep in mind that getting married is a commitment that might require some sacrifices. Don't just make a list of promises, however. Your vows are also your opportunity to express your deep love for your partner.
When choosing a makeup artist, look at their past work. Do you like the style of the make up? Make sure you love it. You don't want to discover right before the wedding that you do not like the way your makeup artist does things.
Check your wedding venue to emsure that there will be enough room for a dance floor. There are few things that can suck the fun out a reception like not having the room to bust a move can, so do what you need to do to give you and your friends the space you need to boogie!
Don't rent a reception venue that has little room for dancing. It's very uncomfortable to have your guests crowded onto a dance floor that is too small. Move unneeded furniture out of the way so that everyone can dance comfortably.
Full length mirrors are great for practicing the "aisle-walk." If you will be wearing heels, this is even more crucial. Find attractive flats if you find the walk difficult. Not falling beats wearing sexy shoes.
When choosing a venue for your wedding reception, check to see if the lighting is able to be dimmed. This small detail allows for little things like low lights on the first dance, and bright for the duration of the event. Ask the prospective venue about it, before choosing.
You can have a special relative or friend become ordained online so that they can perform your wedding vows. This gives your wedding ceremony a personal touch, while also saving you money as you now do not have to hire an officiant. First, make sure your area allows this to happen.
If money isn't an issue, you may want to get married on a cruise ship with close members of your family and close friends. This allows you to start honeymooning as soon as you get married. Some cruises also have special wedding rates for those having a wedding and honeymoon on their ship.
You can look for local talent in many places; Craigslist is a great start to find people. Before you pay them, go to meet them and take someone with you.
An ordained relative or friend can step in to officiate your wedding. This ordination can take place quickly and easily online. This will not only save you money by not having to pay for an officiant, but will also make your wedding very special. Make sure to check with the local officials first to see if it's legal in the area.
Consider borrowing a special piece of jewelry from a friend or family member. This jewelery can help you get a great look for your special day!
Online communities, like Craigslist, are ideal for locating talented musicians, photographers and caterers. Before you pay them, go to meet them and take someone with you.
Silk flowers make great alternatives to various other flowers for your wedding. Because they don't have to be bought fresh, you can get them far in advance of your wedding, making one less thing you have to worry about on your wedding day.
Many people opt for silk flowers instead of live flowers for their wedding. You don't have to buy these fresh as you can pick them months in advance, saving you the hassle of worrying about your floral arrangements on the big day.
For instance, think about filling a menu with popular choices in a contemporary fusion style. You might even want to consider expanding your culinary options with wedding favors that are ethnically identifiable.
If both bride and groom have a love for travelling, then incorporate a wedding theme that includes this passion. Your invitations, notices, and R.S.V.P. cards can be designed to match the theme or your wedding. You could use a worn leather suitcase to display things such as your wedding program, photographs, or favors for the guest.
Flowers that are abundant in your state during specific seasons will not be easily available in climates that are tropical and humid or cooler and dry like the Mediterraneans. Consult with a florist to see which flowers are in season or most readily available at the time of your wedding.
A nice menu combining contemporary with fusion dishes may be just what you need. Make it different by including a selection of ethnic desserts, beverages, or wedding favors that you can eat.
If you do not plan to serve your guests dinner at the reception site, consider foregoing multiple tables in favor of rented furniture. If you use comfortable furniture like lounge chairs or fancy sectional pieces, your guests might spend more time socializing with each other. You can create special lounge areas with plush seating throughout the venue to make guest feel comfortable and special.
It is important that every part of your wedding is well planned, from the food that shall be served to the specifics of the reception. Your plan should be to provide every guest with the best experience possible.
Inform your caterer if you're going to be having your wedding reception outdoors. Some foods won't keep in the heat, and some food might not weigh enough to stay in its dish if there are strong winds. It might be possible to cover the dishes. Perhaps a small fridge could be used to keep drinks chilled.
If you are planning to hold your reception outside, let the caterer know in advance. They will need to plan your meal knowing that the weather could be less than ideal for your food. Using covers could make your caterer's job much easier. Another consideration is to have a refrigerator available to keep beverages at their desired temperature.
Make sure you know what you are doing when it comes to a destination wedding. You will need to address all of these legal issues beforehand.
Before you start planning your wedding, sit with your fiance and make a list of the things that are most important to you. For many people, the flowers are more important than the cake, or the venue is more important than the guest list. Prioritizing your wants can ensure that you don't step over your allotted budget and still have the wedding day of your dreams.
Write your vows yourself. It may be less work to use something already written, but you know your future spouse the best. You will become closer to your partner and make the day more romantic by writing the vows yourself. By all means, look for inspiration in different places, but make the words your own.
In order to make the wedding go smoothly, make sure the bride is satisfied with every aspect of the wedding. The worst thing for a bride to endure is having a wedding that is stressful or less than ideal. Run everything by her to avoid a "bridezilla!"
You have to keep the venue for your wedding foremost in your mind when picking out your flowers. An example might be an elaborate arrangement that does well indoors, but would not be suited for an outdoor venue where wind might be an issue. There might be a need for special equipment when it comes to certain outdoor wedding locations.
Save Money
Weddings come in many different sizes and shapes; therefore, record your ideas down on paper before beginning to shop around for items and services. The different design services that offer what you are looking for can be selected according to price and the actual service they provide.
You can save money on a wedding by using flower arrangement alternatives. For flower girls, you can use ribbons for a more economical and simply elegant solution to floral wreathes. Decorating with silk flowers will help you save money too. You are saving money while having a forever memento of your big day. You can save the flowers and use them at different times in your wedding or even after the event is over for other occasions.
When you have figured out your theme and the date of your wedding, one of the next things you need to do to keep your wedding planning going is to figure out which invitations you will use. Invitations not only provide the details about the ceremony, but they traditionally include the wedding colors and hints about the theme. When you are looking at wedding invitations, be sure to check out all of the options available.
You can plan a wedding even if you don't have lots of money. You don't have to take on debt to have a beautiful wedding day. You can take care of the invitations yourself, design your own favors and arrangements and much more when it comes to both the wedding and reception in order for you to save some money.
Consider more than just the simple style of the dress, but also how it will suit your form and figure. Not all dress styles are appropriate or look good on all figure types. If you are not very tall, steer clear of getting your dress altered, just go to the petite section. Your wedding will be much less of a hassle if you do.
Brides can benefit from practicing smiling when standing before a mirror. That way, your pictures will reflect a radiant bride, rather than one who seems uncomfortable or hesitant. With enough practice, you will be able to get the look you want.
To save money, you may want to print your wedding invitations yourself. Creating your own invitations from a kit will give you more choices, including the ink color, creating your own wording and your choice of font.
Hopefully these tips have helped to prepare you for all of the planning that you are now going to do. Just be sure you can stay upbeat and positive during this time and learn all you can to make this day a success.
Find a wedding consultant that can guide you as you organize your wedding, and help you on your special day. Planning a wedding can be challenging and nerve-wracking, especially when all the problems that can arise are considered. A professional is best equipped to see to all the details and to resolve any unexpected dilemmas. That way, you will be able to calm down and focus on enjoying yourself.


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Alphason Boston High back executive Managers Office chair AOC3282
Warranty Details: This item comes with a 1 year component replacement warranty, (excluding wear and tear).
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BS 5852 - Flammability
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Return to: Caine College of the Arts
The blue highlighted text indicates additional details are available. Simply click on it to view details such as course name, description, prerequisites, or to be linked to another website with additional information. The back arrow button may be used to return to this page if you leave it through a link.
Grade Point Average (most majors require higher GPA)
All individual instruction courses must be passed with a grade of B- or better. All other music courses must be passed with a grade of C- or better. Music requires 3.0 GPA in music classes and 2.75 GPA overall for admission as transfer student, scholarship eligibility, and to graduate.
Admitted to USU in Good Standing
Transfer students from other institutions or other programs at USU
Fall Semester
General Education Info and Notes:
Spring Semester
Emphasis course
Music core course
Music core course
Music core course
Register for 3 credits
Emphasis course
Students will take 8 total credits to graduate
*In order to ensure that music students are sufficiently prepared for the Music Theory sequence required in all music degrees (education, performance, and therapy), MUSC 1105: Fundamentals for Music Majors (BCA) for Music Majors was established as a prerequisite for MUSC 1110: Music Theory I (BCA) . All incoming music students will have an opportunity to try to test out of MUSC 1105 . Because this test is administered in part through Canvas, all incoming pre-program music majors should register for MUSC 1105 regardless of whether they expect to remain in the class. Those who do not pass the test must pass MUSC 1105 with a C- or better before taking MUSC 1110 . As this course is considered remedial work, the 3 credits earned in MUSC 1105 do not count towards the 120 credits required for any music major. Those students who pass the test will resume the Music Theory sequence with MUSC 1110 the following spring semester.
**MUSC 2180 Computer Applications in Music Proficiency Exam consists of a series of three proficiency exams that all music majors must complete prior to completion of four semesters of study.
Emphasis course
Offered every other year. Check schedule for actual term offered
Emphasis course
Students should register for 1 credit
Emphasis course
Students should register for 1 credit for sophomore recital
Music Core course
Consult with music faculty advisor for details
*See note below
Music core course
Depth course Communication intensive
Emphasis course
Offered every other year
Depth Course
*A Music Theory Elective course is offered every Fall and Spring semester. Options include MUSC 3170 , MUSC 4210 , and MUSC 4910 . The Music Theory Elective course may be taken any semester after completing MUSC 2110 with a C- or higher grade. Music Students should plan which option they wish to take, and consult with the Music Department office which semester that option will be offered.
Emphasis course
Students should register for 1 credit.
Emphasis course
Students should register for 2 credits for senior recital.
General education Breadth course
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Math or Statistics
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Quantitative Intensive (QI)
Depth Course
Electives-5 credits


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...And, in my opinion, he deserves every penny of it! Don't jump to conclusions just yet... this isn't one of those "Woman Awarded $7M For Spilling McDonald's Coffee On Herself" stories. This poor guy fell through the cracks of a very broken legal system!
http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... ded-m.html
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. -- A federal jury has awarded $22 million to a New Mexico man who was kept in solitary confinement for two years and forced to pull his own tooth after being arrested for drunken driving in Dona Ana County.
Civil rights attorney Matt Coyte said the jury awarded Stephen Slevin, 58, the damages Tuesday after a six-day trial in Santa Fe.
Jess Williams, spokesman for Dona Ana County, declined comment other than to say the county plans to appeal.
"We have believe we have strong legal issues to raise with the appeal," he said.
Slevin was arrested while driving through the southern New Mexico county in August 2005. He ended up in solitary confinement because he was suffering from depression and someone checked a box on a form indicating he was suicidal, Coyte said.
Slevin was given some drugs for depression but never saw a mental health professional, Coyte said. He said his client wrote letters for months seeking help, but they were ignored.
"By January 2006, his last letter goes out looking for help. Then he falls into this delirium. He was there for the next 20 months," Coyte said.
Coyte said that in May 2007, Slevin was sent to a mental health facility in Las Vegas, N.M., for two weeks but then was returned to the Dona Ana County jail and solitary confinement.
"He immediately decompensates," Coyte said. "He sends off another letter at this point asking for medical care. ... He is forced to pull his own tooth. He rocked it back and forth over a period of eight hours before he was able to pull it out of his mouth."
Slevin was finally released in June 2007, Coyte said. He was never convicted.
"He entered this facility with overt symptoms of mental depression," Coyte said. "But that's not the issue. ... He was stuck in a 6-foot-by-11-foot cell with a concrete bench for a bed. And he sat in that cell. We had documentary evidence that he didn't get out for anything -- for recreation, a shower -- for months at a time."
Read more: http://www.azcentral.com/news/articles/ ... z1lIiEC0PZ


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The care team at Burdon Grange recognises how important the provision of both mental and physical stimulation is to our residents. We are very pro-active in offering a wide range of new and regular activities, that enable residents to enjoy a full and varied quality of life.
The activities room at Burdon Grange offers our residents a wide range of interesting pursuits, including computers with broadband Internet access, email, colour printing facilities, gaming stations and TV, for all residents to use and enjoy. A snooker/pool table and a wide range of indoor games, arts and crafts and music CD's and radio are also provided for our residents to use independently or with our assistance
We have a regular visiting Occupational Therapist who supervises activity sessions, including painting, crafts, cooking, gardening, skittles, garden draughts, and chess, outdoor hockey and many more.
All residents are invited to participate in our regular quiz sessions and film club where current films and favourite classics can be enjoyed.
We also have regular visits from a variety of professional entertainers, including musical performers, wild animal specialist visits and talks, archery and other more physical pursuits, all of which offer stimulation and a sense of well-being to our residents.
We also organise regular trips and outings to places of interest, in our own specially adapted vehicles.
We have a regular visiting hairdresser, or we can arrange for residents to visit a hairdresser of their choice.
We are able to arrange visits from churches of all denominations, or escort residents to services on request.