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Sunday, June 30, 2013
Saturday, June 29, 2013
Bruce Schneier: Talks at Google
Human society runs on trust. We all trust millions of people, organizations, and systems every day -- and we do it so easily that we barely notice. But in any system of trust, there is an alternative, parasitic, strategy that involves abusing that trust. Making sure those defectors don't destroy the cooperative systems they're abusing is an age-old problem, one that we've solved through morals and ethics, laws, and all sort of security technologies. Understanding how these all work -- and fail -- is essential to understanding the problems we face in today's increasingly technological and interconnected world.
Bruce Schneier is an internationally renowned security technologist and author. Described by The Economist as a ""security guru,"" he is best known as a refreshingly candid and lucid security critic and commentator. When people want to know how security really works, they turn to Schneier.
Friday, June 28, 2013
Securing your WiFi network
Locking your wireless network is as important as locking your home. Learn how and why to create strong passwords for your network and router. Learn more: http://google.com/goodtoknow/wifi
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subset: commoncrawl


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When I was younger I was always looking for answers about my life. I was trying to figure out who I was, my mission here for this lifetime, the why of it all. It was fun and led me to all kinds of interesting discoveries in mysticism, history, psychology, and more. My mother used to say to me, "You are going to live your whole life before you are 10!" And then it would be 12, 14, and so on. I think she was half proud and half annoyed because all my different interests must of presented some degree of hassle on her part to help me explore them.
Now that I am Ellie's mother, I have this same perspective about her experience of the mystery of her life. I think everyone can immerse himself or herself in a bit of mystery now and again and be better for it. I think all of us are wonderful sparks of god here to do something good if we would only let ourselves. Ellie is certainly doing tons of good each day by being this amazing beacon of love for me and her dada and everyone she meets. Everyone who meets her literally falls in love with her. That is just that and it's a wonderful thing.
My gentle readers will remember that I am on The Quest to get my family more engaged in life as we have been in hibernation for the last four years. Also, Dave and I have always had the perspective that we must bring life to Ellie because she can't go to it like other children who can walk to whatever catches their interest. Ellie spent so much time in her first couple of years here in hospitals and very sick from her brain injury that she missed out on a lot of experiences. So this weekend on Saturday we took Ellie to the local zoo. It was her first trip ever to the zoo and we had been preparing all this cold winter via Signing Time Zoo Train. It's a great video that goes over all the zoo animals complete with excellent tunes. It's been Ellie's current favorite for months. She knows all the animals and their signs, which was really handy for her first trip to the zoo.
Though it was a little on the chilly side (the green poncho came in handy) and the ground was a little bumpy in places for her chair we had a great time. She recognized zebra, gorilla, crocodile, and many more. She was delighted to look around and would get very excited when she spotted any animals, birds, or reptiles she recognized. There were some problems with rails and bars being at eye level so Dave took her up in his arms to get a better look, which is Ellie's preferred mode of travel.
A funny thing happened when we got to the lion's lair. We took Ellie up to the enclosure to view him. He was amazing. Dark burnt umber/black mane and burnt sienna brown coat. Just amazing and paying no heed to anyone as he soaked up the warm sun like any good cat. Ellie was delighted and just staring at him for several minutes. When she had her fill we turned around and began making our way down the curving path around his area. As we were about 100 feet on our way, Ellie in full on vocalizations because she had a lot to discuss with us about lion, all of the sudden we hear the most tremendous ROARRRRR! I have never heard a lion roar in person before. It sounded like he had an amplifier in his throat. It was the most resonant, deep, loud, amazing sound that stopped us in our tracks. When we turned to look at him, he was standing up looking directly at Ellie. The mama bear in me said a silent word of thanks for the 30-foot deep and wide chasm between lion and us. He then, continuing to look right at Ellie, ROARED his amazing deep, echoing, amplified roar in five short bursts. He was all business like. ROAR, ROAR, ROAR, ROAR, ROAR. And then he just stood there looking towards her and not moving. She was looking straight back at him staring intently. It was so strange that others there were looking at us wondering what we did to catch his attention.
Even lion is taken with my warrior princess. Needless to say it was a very cool experience. After several long moments he turned away and we went to the café to give Ellie her elevensees (her meal schedule is somewhat hobbit-like in nature in that it's constant eating). We sat down and got snacks for ourselves and I fed Ellie through her g-tube. As I was doing this, she was on my lap, she asked for her magnadoodle. I pulled it out and she put her thumb on it, looked at me and said "uh!". I looked at her and after a second realized what she wanted. So I asked her, "Do you want to spell the animals you saw at the zoo?" At this she threw out her arms and squealed. That is her emphatic "Yes!". So I wrote down L.I.O.N. And then she put her thumb on each letter and as she did so I said the letter. At the end she wanted to do it again. She was very serious with minimal celebration in between. It was clear she wanted to spell all the animals she saw and remember them. She did this with each animal, spelling their name twice and then she would erase her magnadoodle and say "uh!" looking at me to go on to the next one. I was so proud of her. She was internalizing her day at the zoo. It was another great day out. I think Ellie really enjoyed the zoo and we will go back when it is a little warmer. Did we discover another one of Ellie's animal spirit guides? So far we have leaping rabbit, lion, and Irish Guy. I think it is going to be a good year after all despite the fact that it has been a rough start with all the hospitalizations.
Next week the aquarium.
Sometimes in the heart of a lion you find a tale or two. This is the story of life with my beautiful 27-weeker preemie warrior princess.
Monday, April 02, 2007
Faith in the changing nature of life
"Life is no straight and easy corridor along which we travel free and unhampered,
but a maze of passages,
through which we must seek our way,
lost and confused,
now and again checked in a blind alley.
But always, if we have faith,
a door will open for us,
not perhaps one that we ourselves would ever have thought of,
but one that will ultimately prove good for us."
A. J. Cronin
but a maze of passages,
through which we must seek our way,
lost and confused,
now and again checked in a blind alley.
But always, if we have faith,
a door will open for us,
not perhaps one that we ourselves would ever have thought of,
but one that will ultimately prove good for us."
A. J. Cronin
Posted by Kathryn at 7:06 PM
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Taylors' Roll Continues At COTA
Ricky Taylor of Wayne Taylor Racing topped the lap record on the 3.4-mile Circuit of the Americas road course during IMSA WeatherTech Championship Series qualifying on Friday, claiming the pole for Saturday's race.
Taylor, whose team has won all three series races this season, beat the field by more than 1.5 seconds in the No. 10 WTR Cadillac DPi-V.R with a best lap of 1 minute, 54.809 seconds (106.6 mph).
It was Taylor's second consecutive WeatherTech Championship pole – he took the No. 1 starting position for last month's race at Long Beach – and was the 15th of his major U.S. sports car racing pole (five WeatherTech Championship, 10 Grand-Am Rolex Sports Car Series).
"I know the times look dominant, but we made some big compromises for qualifying so I think the race is going to be really tough tomorrow," he said. "We could see in the speed traps we gave up top speed to go for overall times, so tomorrow is going to be all about tires and raceability. We're going to have to do some changes over night to make this a really good race car."
Ricky and his brother, Jordan Taylor, are looking for their fourth consecutive victory in Saturday's race. They opened the year with wins in the Rolex 24 At Daytona, Mobil 1 Twelve Hours of Sebring and Long Beach.
They're the first set of co-drivers to have opened the year with back-to-back-to-back overall victories ever in the WeatherTech Championship and the first pair to win three straight races in major U.S. sports car competition since Scott Pruett and Memo Rojas won three straight to open the 2011 GRAND-AM season.
Johannes van Overbeek qualified second in the No. 22 Nissan DPi he shares with Ed Brown, turning in a best lap of 1:56.401 (105.1 mph).
Defending series co-champion Eric Curran qualified third in the No. 31 Cadillac DPi. Curran's best lap was 1:56.429 (105.1 mph) in the car he shares with Dane Cameron, his fellow defending co-champion.
Also turning in a dominating qualifying performance was Prototype Challenge class points leader James French in the No. 38 Performance Tech Motorsports ORECA FLM09. French turned a best lap of 2:00.066 (101.9 mph), more than 2.9 seconds quicker than second-place PC qualifier Stefan Wilson in the No. 26 BAR1 Motorsports ORECA.
French and co-driver Pato O'Ward – who celebrates his 18th birthday tomorrow – opened the year with back-to-back class victories at Daytona and Sebring. Wilson, meanwhile, shares the BAR1 ride with Nick Boulle, who co-drove with French and O'Ward in the No. 38 at Daytona.
John Edwards put the No. 24 RLL BMW M6 on pole in GT LeMans with a lap of 2 minutes, 2.833 seconds.
"I have to say it was a little bit of surprise," said Edwards, who recorded his 11th career pole and first since 2014. "I expected people to keep getting quicker, but they didn't so we waited it out and I stayed on top."
All nine GTLM cars were within 0.9 seconds of the pole-winning time, with the top seven within just 0.252 seconds. Giancarlo Fisichella qualified second in the Houston-based No. 62 Risi Competizione Ferrari 488 GTE, just 0.032 seconds behind Edwards.
It wasn't just the BMW of Edwards that was fast. RLL's second car, the No. 25 driven in qualifying by Alexander Sims qualified third at 2:02.990.
"The conditions will be a bit cooler than we're used to at COTA, but starting first and third for BMW should be to our advantage," said Edwards. "It's going to be very tight, but we're at the right place to start."
The points-leading No. 66 Ford Chip Ganassi Racing Ford GT of Dirk Mueller qualified fifth, one spot behind teammate Ryan Briscoe in the No. 67 Ford GT.
Mathieu Jaminet of the Alegra Motorsports team won the pole in GT Daytona.
Jaminet, filling in for Michael Christensen who had a conflicting race in Belgium, turned in the pole-winning lap of 2 minutes, 6.531 seconds in the No. 28 Porsche 911 GT3 R.
"I didn't know the team, my teammate, or how racing in the U.S. and IMSA would be," said Jaminet. "I've raced this car in Europe, so not everything is new. I adapted myself very easily to the team. I came here last year with Porsche Supercup during the F1 weekend and won both pole positions and both wins as a rookie in the series, so I knew I would be very comfortable with this track here."
The Lexus of Jack Hawksworth qualified second, but was moved to the back of the GT category after a violation of the ground clearance rule was found in post-qualifying technical inspections.
That penalty moved the No. 48 TOTAL Lubricants Lamborghini Huracan GT3 of Madison Snow to the front row. Snow's lap of 2:07.724 was 1.193 seconds behind the pole-winning time of Jaminet. Corey Lewis will now start third tomorrow in the No. 16 Lamborghini Huracan GT3 for Change Racing.
The 2-hour, 40-minute Advance Auto Parts Sportscar Showdown starts at 2:35 p.m. ET. Live IMSA Radio audio coverage and in-car cameras are available for U.S. viewers on IMSA.com. The race will be televised Saturday at 7 p.m. ET on FS1.No Comment


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Pick up and leaf through a verse novel, say Susan Taylor Brown's Hugging the Rock. The trim size is small, the pages more white than type. That's the beauty of a novel in verse, especially at the middle-grade level. All that white space entices even reluctant readers. To quote one eleven-year-old reader: "You can read them a lot faster, and the words sound cool." A middle-grader can zip through Hugging the Rock, a novel of 12,000 words, in a single sitting.
Such frugality with words doesn't mean a lack of complexity or depth, though. "Verse allows my words to touch readers' hearts in a way that the same story, told in prose, might not," says Susan Taylor Brown. In the opening of Hugging the Rock, Rachel and her father watch as her bipolar mother packs the car. As the pile in the backseat grows, blocking the rear window, Rachel says simply:
No room left for Dad.
And no room left for me.
Author Ann E. Burg agrees: "Poetry novels are simply novels written in an alternate style. A charcoal or pen and ink drawing is different than an oil painting or watercolor, but important details and the same depth of emotion can be achieved in all mediums." All the Broken Pieces, her novel about a boy air-lifted from war-torn Vietnam, is proof of that. The narrator, 12-year-old Matt Pin, must make sense of both his past in Vietnam and his present in the United States, a country itself scarred by the war. It's a story as ambitious as any middle-grade fiction I read this year–in poetry or prose.
Sadly, as much as I and my sixth-grade daughter love verse novels, middle-grade titles seem to be in short supply on bookstores shelves. On a recent trip to the Bay Area–where I visited more bookstores than I care to admit–I rarely found more than one, or at most two, verse titles in the middle-grade section. Patty Norman of Copperfield Books in Petaluma admits verse novels are a hard sell to middle-graders who still have that knee-jerk "yuck, it's poetry" reaction. Young adult readers, she finds, are more open to verse.
It doesn't have to be so, says Burg, a former English teacher. "Middle graders are curious and unpretentious. Poetry delves right to the heart of the matter which they should find appealing. If poetry and poetry novels are presented as genuine literature worthy of review and discussion, most kids will read and respond with open, sincere minds."
When Susan Taylor Brown was first shopping the manuscript for Hugging the Rock, she recalls one editor passed because she wasn't sure the genre was here to stay. "The key," says Brown, "is to keep talking with schools, with young readers." Fortunately, there are plenty of good books to talk about, and soon there will be more. Both Taylor and Burg are working on new novels in verse.
Following are some of my recent favorites. Please chime in with yours and share your thoughts on how we can encourage more young readers to give verse a chance.
* * *
All the Broken Pieces by Ann E. Burg
Airlifted from Vietnam two years earlier, Matt Pin has seemingly adjusted well to his new life in the US. He plays baseball and takes piano lessons and tries to be the son he believes his adoptive parents want, yet he is haunted by the mother and little brother he left behind in Vietnam. Matt says "My Vietnam/ is drenched/ in smoke and fog…./ My Vietnam is/ only/ a pocketful/ of broken pieces/ I carry/ inside me." Going backward and forward in time, the reader learns about Matt's two families, the prejudice he faces at school, and the complicated legacy of the Vietnam war for Matt and everyone else whose lives were touched and changed by that war.
Brushing Mom's Hair by Andrea Cheng; illustrated by Nicole Wong
When Ann's mom undergoes surgery and chemotherapy for breast cancer Ann finds her home filling up with flowers, meals she doesn't like, visits from people who say the wrong thing. Worried about her mother, Ann takes refuge in her ballet and art. A mere sylph of a story at 59 pages, Cheng deals deftly with the hard realities of cancer and the return of hope with the return of her mother's hair.
The Crazy Man by Pamela Porter
With down-to-earth lyricism, Porter tells the story of 12-year-old Emmaline, maimed in a farming accident that gives her father the excuse he's been looking for to leave the farm he never loved. Left to sow and harvest the Saskatchewan fields alone, Emmaline's mother hires Angus, a gentle giant of a man from the local mental hospital to take care of the farm. The town buzzes with talk about the "crazy man" in their midst, and when tragedy threatens, Emmaline and her mother learn who their true friends are.
The Dancing Pancake by Eileen Spinelli
Eleven-year-old Bindi longs for a noisy home full of siblings. When her parents separate and she and her mother move into a small apartment above The Dancing Pancake, her mother and aunt's new café, Bindi finds a host of new friends among the staff and customers and new hope for her family. Both this book and Spinelli's other MG verse novel Summerhouse Time (Knopf, 2007) are notable for their full cast of appealing characters and touches of humor.
Heartbeat by Sharon Creech
Heartbeat tells the story of 12-year-old Annie, her family, and her best friend and running partner, Max. The short-lined verse mimics the rhythms of running—sometimes breathless, always moving forward. Running helps Annie keep pace with all the changes in her life: the new baby her mother is expecting, her grandfather losing his memory, and her best friend Max who keeps bugging her to join the track team when all she wants to do is run for the joy of it.
Hugging the Rock by Susan Taylor Brown
Rachel has always taken care of her bipolar mother, staying up late with her, making sure she takes her medicine, while her father seemed distant and unknowable…until her mother packs up and leaves with no explanation beyond "I don't belong here anymore." Hurt and angry, Rachel lets her schoolwork slide, lies to her friend about her mother's absence. She and her father live together like a pair of ghosts haunting the same house until, little by little, Rachel learns about her mother's past and her father's devotion.
Reaching for Sun by Tracie Vaughn Zimmer
Thirteen-year-old Josie Wyatt has cerebral palsy. Teased and called a "tard" by the popular girls at school and betrayed by her own slow tongue and limbs, Josie feels perfectly at home in her grandmother's garden, like the poppies that start their lives "hairy, grayish…./ easily a member/ of the ugly family," but bloom "the same red/ as a Chinese wedding dress." When her grandmother suffers a devastating stroke, Josie's inner strength pulls her through, like the wisteria vine "reaching for sun."
* * *
Laurie Schneider reads, writes, and revises in the Palouse, the rolling wheat country of Eastern Washington/North Idaho.


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I see now ... a few years, the phenomenon of the emergence of entrepreneurship in Indonesia is very encouraging. Young entrepreneurs are emerging, which are so excited to start a business or own a business. It is worth to thumbs "Two Thumbs Hand"!!!
As someone who has his own business or doing business, of course you want sustainable success is not it? Especially for those who are just starting a new business or opening your own business, would have a great hope to always be able to survive and further enhance your own business on an ongoing basis. Is that so?
You must be answered: REALLY!Well, in association with the rise of the World Entrepreneurship today, I would like to share with you, fellow entrepreneur or you are willing to plunge as an entrepreneur ... about some things that should be possessed by every entrepreneur, if they want to Sustainable Success.Here, I see there are 6 (six) core strength, which must possess a Successful Entrepreneur, namely:
1. Faith Power
• Power of Faith, "can not" ... is the most basic and most important ... the number one that must be owned by the entrepreneur. The power of faith, but does mean that we must believe that GOD will definitely help us ... also obliges us to "believe" or believe whatever road we have traveled it is true. Do not be a person who is always in doubt ... so ... Confidence alone!• With faith, we would be grateful creature who is always good, glad to help others, and never snobby.
2. Mind Power
• The power of mind means that we do not easily think of giving up, not easy to think not afford. Because whatever we think is ... true, and would soon become a reality tangible. Because, remember! thought we had a super power ... Super Mind Power! Think only positive things! So do not underestimate our own minds ... later regret ...
3. Healthy Power
• Strength of Health reminds all of us, in order to always maintain physical and mental health, health of body and spirit. Let us not be complacent with just trying in business, so forget about health ... we finally get sick physically and psychologically. This could cause our business fall apart! We can also run out of money just to go to the doctor, to a psychic healer ... to ...
4. Dream Power
• The Power of Dreams is no doubt, as the engine driving towards our ideals. Without dreams, we can not hope to move towards success. With dreams, we become passionate incredible as it moved toward the prime ideals. Without dreams, we certainly aja ya still in place!
5. Will Power
• The will power of course we must also have. LHA if there is no will, how could any way? yes no? The wise man said it this way: "Where There is a willingness, there is a way". With high willingness Similarly, we can be very creative. So there is always a solution to every problem. A variety of great ideas and smart as well get out because of the high strength of will.
6. Power Networking
• Well, the power network must also have an Entrepreneur. We must strive to have many friends ... so it meant. Tap yes you know your friends do not carelessly, should have to choose your friends ... the choice is our friend ... If you do not choose your friends, well ... we can be friends with the wrong robber, thieves, smugglers, corrupt ... annoying is not it? Therefore, to build the strength of this network we shall choose friends that one vision of the business (this is preferred), because we do more to build support for our business, right? So wake up Power Business Network ...
Okay, now only I conclude there are 6 (six) core strength to be a Successful Entrepreneur.


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June 19, 1981, Section C, Page 8Buy Reprints
YOU'D better put on your running shoes if you don't want to miss the best performance by an actress to be seen in any film released so far this year. It's Glenda Jackson in ''Stevie,'' Hugh Whitemore's very good film adaptation of his play about the late Stevie Smith, the gallant, original, profoundly witty English poet who died in 1971 at the age of 69. Stevie, in Miss Jackson's splendid performance, is funny, fragile, demanding, suicidal, brave and never at a loss for the kind of words that light up the conventional world she clung to, even as those words turn the world upside down.
The only hitch: ''Stevie'' opens today at the Thalia on a double bill with ''Mr. Forbush and the Penguins'' and will close tomorrow. Incredible.
It's incredible that this English film, which was made in 1978, has not been released in New York until now, even under these foreshortened circumstances, and incredible that Mr. Whitemore's London play, with Miss Jackson in the title role, was never brought to New York. (The play did have a short run at the Manhattan Theater Club in 1979 with Roberta Maxwell in the title role.) This ''Stevie,'' directed by Robert Enders, who also directed Miss Jackson in the screen adaptation of her London production of ''Hedda Gabler'' with somewhat less success, is a knockout as a film that never for a minute attempts to disguise its theatrical roots. However, it uses those roots well. The camera italicizes a great stage performance. It also focuses our attention on the remarkable Stevie, whose poetry effectively connected the suburbs to the stars.
Miss Jackson has firmly established herself in the public consciousness as a fine comic actress (''Hopscotch,'' ''Nasty Habits,'' ''House Calls'' and ''A Touch of Class'') but not since ''Sunday, Bloody Sunday'' has she had a film role that so fully and efficiently utilizes the range of her intelligence and power as a dramatic actress. Watching her at work in ''Stevie'' is to see a special talent at the top of its form and to be aware of everything we've been missing in the junk films (''The Incredible Sarah,'' ''The Devil Is a Woman'' and ''Mary Queen of Scots'') she's been doing to earn a living.
Whether or not Miss Jackson is physically like the real Stevie Smith, I've no idea. What's more important is that she communicates the passion and rueful wisdom of a singular personality and illuminates the language by which that personality came to some kind of truce with the human condition.
Though ''Stevie'' periodically cuts away to sepia-colored flashbacks, most of the film is set in the genteel parlor of of the suburban Palmers Green house that Stevie shared most of her life with her aunt, marvelously well played by Mona Washburn. Mr. Whitemore's screenplay makes use of a character identified only as the Man (Trevor Howard), who acts as a sort of master of ceremonies, introducing Stevie and her aunt, supplying exposition, commenting on Stevie's life and work, occasionally stepping in to play a subsidiary character and, on several occasions, quoting from Stevie's poetry. It's proper and fitting that it's Mr. Howard, and not Stevie, who gives us her classic condensation of a life, ''Not Waving but Drowning.''
The only other character in the film is a fellow named Freddy (Alec McCowen), a young man to whom Stevie was engaged and with whom she has a brief affair, terminated quickly the night after their first and only sexual connection when Stevie asks, ''Why, right in the middle of it, did you say, 'Are you enjoying it?' '' Freddy, who carries a tennis racquet, is clearly no match for Stevie, who has no time for twits.
''Stevie'' is not a movie for anyone not interested in language, particularly the uses to which Stevie could put it. Stevie's mind never lets anything be, and though she accepts ''sensible'' middleclass values, she never stops mocking them. ''I am,'' she concedes at one point, ''an Anglican agnostic.'' She carries on a constant war with Christianity.
As she says in the opening of ''Thoughts About the Christian Doctrine of Eternal Hell,'' ''Is it not interesting to see/How Christians continually/Try to separate themselves in vain/From the doctrine of eternal pain.'' Later, she suggests that if she had been the Virgin Mary, she would have replied with a firm, ''No.''
Miss Jackson and Stevie's poetry reveal the spirit inside the woman who avoided - and may well have been afraid of - any kind of romantic commitments, preferring instead less demanding but, for her, more fulfilling friendships. In the way of all artists, Stevie is always standing outside herself, even when she is experiencing pain. ''They said,'' she tells us about her mother, ''that she died in a minute. How long is a minute?''
She embraces the safety of the house in Palmers Green, speaking of ''the orgy of boredom to which my soul is committed.'' ''Housework,'' she says ironically, ''is the most marvelous excuse for not working.'' Of the middle classes: ''This Englishwoman is so refined/She has no bosom and no behind.''
Stevie Smith died of a brain tumor that, before death, rendered her virtually mute. At that point, she wrote in typical Stevie fashion, ''I cannot speech properly, but I do scramble well.''
''Stevie'' has only four characters in it, but it is a very big, beautiful film about a restlessly rambunctious soul. It deserves to stay around indefinitely.
Passion and Wisdom
STEVIE, directed and produced by Robert Enders; screenplay by Hugh Whitemore based on his play and the works of Stevie Smith; Peter Tanner, editor; Freddie Young, photography; music by Patrick Gowers. At the Thalia, Broadway and West 95th Street. Running time: 102 minutes. This film is not rated.
Stevie Smith . . . . . Glenda Jackson
Aunt . . . . . Mona Washbourne
Freddy . . . . . Alec McCowen
Man . . . . . Trevor Howard


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I am telling you, it REALLY helps! I learnt how to storyboard, the game creation process, view types, game styles, and so much more from them! They really help and you can also download free games from their website WHICH THEY TEACH YOU TO PROGRAM LATER AS WELL!!!!!! It is just AWSOME! Don't Miss Out ON THIS! GO AND JOIN THEIR MAILING LIST!
Not good for anyone who is not serious about Game Programming, because this is like finding Gold for all serious Game Programmers! ENJOY!


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In our digital age, we are less and less in contact with hard copy books and I for one admit to going completely with the flow. No more heavy books to lug around, great!
The downside is that we're losing the comfort and permanence of our hard copy books to the ephemeral digital. Ryan of Invaluable Auctioneers recently emailed me about their book and print materials auctions and I agreed to write about a few of my picks from their book offerings. Invaluable auctions books and manuscripts on diverse subjects. Feel free to check out the Antique Books and unique manuscripts that Invaluable have on their site.
The Phantom of the Opera, by Gaston Leroux.
The Phantom of the Opera, by Gaston Leroux.
First published in September 1909, the Phantom is now mostly known by the various musical productions that bring this macabre story to life. Here is the original written version. Opera singer, Christine, is kidnapped by the phantom, a strange, deformed man that secretly lives in hiding in the opera house. This cover is from lot 212, being auctioned November 10. There are other copies available on other dates.
Rebecca, by Daphne du Maurier. This was first published in 1938 and continues to be a favourite with many. I love this strange tale of a young woman who is a companion to busybody Mrs. Van Hopper. While visiting Monte Carlo she meets widower, Max de Winter, owner of the fabulous Manderley. Max surprisingly asks her to marry him and takes her back to his seaside mansion. The novel title is of Max's first wife who has drowned less than a year before in a storm. So intriguing is that the reader never discovers the name of Max's new wife throughout the entire book.
The Diary and Letters of Madame D'Arblay
by Francis Burney (later Madame D'Arblay).
So, worth checking out their website if you love hard copy books, hard to find early editions of popular and various topic books, and unique manuscripts.


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We went to our first football game of the season on the day after Thanksgiving. Unfortunately it was also the last regular season game and therefore our last game of the season. I enjoy football SO much more when I'm actually in the stadium. There's so much more to the game – the fans, the cheers, being able to see the whole field at once. I can actually follow the football when I'm at the game. I never can on TV, so I get bored easily and, if I care about the game, have Nate call me for the last two minutes if it's exciting.
We had to venture out on Black Friday (something I NEVER DO) to buy our t-shirts. Ten years in Ohio and I never owned a piece of Ohio State gear, but 6 months in Arizona and I already have a UA t-shirt. We went in the evening, long after all of the serious shoppers had exhausted themselves on deal-hunting. The selection suffered for it, but we weren't looking for anything fancy.
We sat way at the top, with a view of the whole field. There were some ASU fans in front of us, and there was plenty of good natured ribbing to go around. They won in the end, so it could have gone better, but we're not too invested in the team yet.


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This is part two of my interview with Michael O'Dowd, executive chef and co-owner of Renegade by MOD in Scottsdale. If you missed part one, where O'Dowd dished about what he's up to at Renegade and how he feels about comfort food, read it here.
See also: Late-Night Italian Restaurant Now Open in Old Town -- Gio Osso Will Open Virtù Honest Craft in Scottsdale June 7, Grand Opening June 13
Five words to describe you: Passionate, energetic, visionary, driven, alive.
Five words to describe Renegade by MOD: Vibrant, unique, friendly, artistic, fresh.
Favorite food smell: Fresh bread.
Favorite cookbook: White Heat - Marco Pierre White -- It was raw for me back in the day and ignited my climb.
The one ingredient/dish you never get sick of eating: Chinese sausage.
Ingredient/dish you're completely over: White truffle oil.
IIngredient you love to cook with: I love ginger and the diversity it brings. You can throw it in anything and it'll blow up.
Do you believe in farm-to-table or is it a buzzword?: I am a believer but have seen many who abuse its purpose and mission.
Now that expensive restaurants with esoteric ingredients are few and far between, what's the new version of fancy?: Doing re-imagined food with torque and pairing it with high-end ingredients.
Your favorite cuisine and why: I'm a lover of all cuisines and really try to focus on how that food got to taste that way through years of tradition and/or how a New Age approach re-defines it.
Best food memory: Bruno's for bread and cheese as a kid.
Favorite place to dine in Phoenix: Lee's Sandwiches -- fast, good flavors, and cheap.
Local chef you admire: I like all chefs who take risks.
National/international chef you admire and why: Masaharu Morimoto -- I like his speed, creativity, innovation, and his ability to go all out.
Favorite thing to eat growing up: Cheese.
Favorite thing to eat now: Handmade pizza with my kids.
What's your guilty pleasure?: Foie gras.
Pet peeve when you're the restaurant customer: Slow service and servers who are joking around and not paying attention to my table.
The best thing about being a chef is: The freedom to create and to run a team to the Promised Land while burning memories.
The worst thing about being a chef is: Time away from loved ones.
What would you be if you weren't a chef?: A producer or film director.
Name a culinary mentor and explain what you learned from that person: John Coletta -- kicked my ass and taught me to hit it hard and to never give up even if some may not dig my style.
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Last meal on Earth -- what would it be?: Foie and sweetbreads on a crusty baguette.
What should be written on your headstone?: Go big or go here.
Enjoy this Chef Salad? Check out Nikki's previous interviews with: Helen Yung of Sweet Republic Helen Yung of Sweet Republic Jacques Qualin of J&G Steakhouse Claudio Urciuoli of Noca Claudio Urciuoli of Noca Matt Pool of Matt's Big Breakfast Jared Porter of The Parlor Charleen Badman of FnB Tony Abou-Ganim & Adam Seger Charlotte Voisey of Best American Brands Ambassador Steve Olson of Valley Ho Dough Robson of Gallo Blanco Edward Farrow of The Cafe at MIM Greg LaPrad of Quiessence & Morning Glory Cafe Joshua Johnson of Kai Joshua Johnson of Kai Todd Sicolo of T.Cooks Josh Riesner of Pig & Pickle Lester Gonzalez of Cowboy Ciao M.J. Coe of Federal Pizza Steven "Chops" Smith of Searsucker Aaron Chamberlin of St. Francis Michael Rusconi of Rusconi's American Kitchen Chrysa Robertson of Rancho Pinot Lynn Rossetto of The Splendid Table Cullen Campbell of Crudo DJ Monti Carlo Pete DeRuvo of Davanti Enoteca Chuck Wiley of Cafe ZuZu Justin Beckett of Beckett's Table Bryan Dooley of Bryan's Black Mountain Barbecue Silvana Salcido Esparza of Barrio Cafe Jeff Kraus of Crepe Bar Bernie Kantak of Citizen Public House James Porter of Petite Maison Johnny Chu of SoChu House Neo Asian + Martini Bar Stephen Jones of Blue Hound Kitchen & Cocktails Chris Gross of Christopher's Restaurant and Crush Lounge Chris Curtiss of NoRTH Arcadia Payton Curry of Brat Haus Mark Tarbell of Tarbell's Josh Hebert of Posh Kevin Binkley of Binkley's Restaurant Lori Hashimoto of Hana Japanese Eatery Larry White, Jr. Lo-Lo's Fried Chicken & Waffles Chris Bianco, Pizzeria Bianco, Bar Bianco, Pane Bianco and Trattoria Bianco Ehren Litzenberger, BLD Matt Taylor, Market Street Kitchen Kelly Fletcher, House of Tricks?> Kelly Fletcher, House of Tricks?>


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Color combinations go a long way in the making of a website design, and there are several times when you come across websites that make use of pretty good colors. Users usually use a color picker tool to get the color codes for a color they like.
However there is a much more easier way in which you can extract all the colors used in a website. A service called I Like Your Colors reads the stylesheets from a website, and shows you all the color hexadecimal codes used on it, in a easy to view visual interface.
To extract color codes from a website, simply enter the URL of the website and click on the Get Colors button, I Like Your Colors will crawl the website and display all colors from the embedded styles as well as from the external stylesheets used on the website.
A service definitely worth using and recommended by us.


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· What to do in Cambridge, England ·
Ah, summer! As the warmer days (hopefully) continue to descend upon us, there is no better weekend destination than Cambridge. This university city dates to before the Roman Empire and has continued to grow ever since. With a bevy of pubs and restaurants, picturesque parks and fields, and beautiful historic colleges along the River Cam, there's plenty to do in the small city.
Cambridge is, of course, known for its prestigious university. Though there has been a settlement at Cambridge since the Bronze Age, it wasn't until 1209 that the university was founded by Oxford scholars who fled from a hostile atmosphere in their home city. The university continued to grow as more and more colleges were founded by aristocrats and royalty over the years. As the university grew, so did its reputation and it is still one of the most prestigious and highly respected universities in the world.
Today, the colleges continue to be a focal point for visitors. Indeed, the beautiful Gothic, Medieval, and Georgian buildings play an integral part of the town's culture and aesthetic. But there's more to Cambridge than just the university. A growing tech hub and a thriving medical community, along with the university, make the city a vibrant, educated and growing town. With trains from London starting as low as £7, with some taking as little as 45 minutes, it's the perfect city break. Check out these things to do on your visit!
Where to go: King's College Chapel
Henry VI founded King's College and laid the first stone of the famous King's College Chapel in 1446. However, the Wars of the Roses held up progress on the construction. It wasn't until Henry VI's nephew, Henry VII, took the throne and visited the half-finished chapel that work began in earnest again. In 1508, Henry VII provided funds for its construction and stipulated in his will that funds should continue to be provided after his death. This was lucky as he died a year later. Henry VIII continued work on the chapel despite the crisis of faith that took place during his reign. By the time he died in 1547, 101 years after the first stone was laid, the chapel was finally completed.
King's College Chapel is one of the most impressive chapels in the world and a quick, self-guided tour around it is a must while in Cambridge. The fan-vaulted ceiling is a marvel; it's the largest fan vault in the world. The impressive details of the Tudor Rose and other symbolism scattered throughout the decoration remind you of who finished the chapel. Be sure to look for Henry VIII's initials intertwined with Anne Boleyn's: the rood screen (the screen separating the nave from the altar) was added in honor of his new wife.
What to do: Punt
A classic Cambridge pastime, punting is the perfect way to pass a sunny day. These flat boats are steered by a long metal pole that's placed into the shallow river as the punter pushes off the bottom to propel the boat forward. On a sunny day, the River Cam is a traffic jam of punts as people enjoy the sights of Cambridge from the water. Indeed, the water is the best place to see the historic colleges as many are backed up against the river (the area including and on either side of the river is referred to as "The Backs") and the grounds are off-limits to non-students. You'll pass under several well-known and picturesque bridges, as well!
Punting may look easy, but it takes strength and can be frustrating to steer. To avoid this, grab a pint at The Mill and head over to get a guided punt. Not only does everyone in your party get to enjoy the ride, but the knowledgeable punters will tell you all about the colleges as you punt past. That being said, if you're feeling adventurous, it's always fun to watch your friends attempting to punt, especially while drinking, so either option is a good one. Extra points if you see someone fall in the water!
Where to drink: The Eagle
The Eagle Pub has seen a lot. It dates back to the 17th century and still has an authentic pub feel, with one table even situated inside an old brick fireplace. However, its big claims to fame come in the twentieth century. First, during World War II, it became a popular haunt for both RAF and American Air Force airmen while they were stationed near Cambridge. This history is on full display as the airmen burned their squadrons and names onto the ceiling with candles. To this day, it is common for airmen to leave their squadron's patches as stickers on the wall in the so-called RAF bar.
The pub's second historic association was aided by its proximity to the university. The pub sits just a few steps from King's College and is surrounded by the university's colleges. It became a popular place for scientists to stop by for a pint, and, in 1953, Francis Crick and James Watson chose it to celebrate a new discovery. They announced to the other pub-goers that they had found "the secret of life." This, of course, marking the discovery of DNA, a scientific finding that would change our understanding of the world.
Aside from the historic associations, this is a classic, lively pub that is always full of people. If it gets to be too much, head down the street to the Pint Shop for a wide range of craft beers. It's much more modern but equally fun!
Where to eat: Six Cambridge
If you're looking for something a bit fancier, head to The Varsity Hotel & Spa off a quiet street along the river. Once there, head up to the sixth floor where the aptly-named Six Panoramic Bar and Restaurant is housed. Head there for a cocktail or dinner and watch the sunset from the panoramic windows or out on the terrace. Situated to overlook most of the surrounding buildings, you get a full view of the city center. There is another bar up the stairs on the rooftop, but the atmosphere at Six is friendlier, and, because it's enclosed, you can enjoy the view even if it's not very warm!
If you're looking for a fun weekend out of the Big Smoke, or want to see something different on a holiday to London, Cambridge is the perfect weekend (or day) break in the summer. A day trip is doable, but there are also Airbnb and hotel options available. In the end, it's a city not to miss as nothing beats a pint and a punt in the sunshine!
Ready to book your trip? Check out what to wear on your trip to Cambridge!
References: http://www.thevarsityhotel.co.uk/six-restaurant.php https://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g186225-d2243439-Reviews-The_Mill-Cambridge_Cambridgeshire_England.html http://www.atlasobscura.com/places/the-eagle http://www.britainexpress.com/counties/cambridgeshire/az/cambridge/punting.htm http://www.localhistories.org/cambridge.html https://www.cam.ac.uk/about-the-university/history/timeline http://www.kings.cam.ac.uk/chapel/history.html


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After-tax contribution
After-Tax Contribution
A contribution made to a retirement plan with money one has left over after paying taxes. That is, when one makes after-tax contributions to a retirement plan, one has already paid taxes on the contribution. As a result, one does not pay taxes on the withdrawals on the plan made after retirement. After tax contributions are made on Roth IRAs and Roth 401(k)s. See also: Pre-Tax Contributions.
After-tax contribution.
An after-tax contribution is money you put into your 401(k) or other employer sponsored retirement savings plan either instead of or in addition to your pretax contribution.
You make an after-tax contribution if you've chosen to participate in a Roth 401(k) or similar tax-free plan rather than a traditional tax-deferred 401(k).
However, if you make excess deferrals, any earnings on the after-tax amount accumulate tax deferred. The disadvantage is that figuring the tax that's due on your required distributions may be more complicated than if you had made only pretax contributions.


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The word "different" is a good thing. Differences bring us together.
We meet different people. We eat different food. We go to different places.
There's no rational/restrict pattern of being human. Being human is to be different. An individual. In each person, there's a story. That's what makes the world, wonderful.
Never judge. Respect. Accept.


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Despite Ethan Pinnock's 91st minute goal, Barnsley stretched their winless run to 10 league matches, it is the Reds worst run of form since an 11 match winless run which stretched from October 2012 to New Year's Day 2013.
This 10 match drought has encompassed four draws and six defeats, the 2012-2013 11 game run had four draws and seven defeats.
This run is also the longest current winless run in the Championship.
It has been a woeful 2017 for the Oakwell faithful, in total The Reds have won just FOUR Championship games at Oakwell in 2017, it is their worst calendar year record at home since 1986 when they won only three (NB, Barnsley won 13 home league games in 2016)
Only two of those victories this year have come when the side has kicked off at 3pm on a Saturday.
Barnsley have now played 36 home league games since winning promotion back to the Championship, and won only nine.
Pinnock's 91st minute equaliser was the third time Barnsley have scored in injury time this season - two have been from defenders.
It is however the lastest goal The Reds have scored at Oakwell since another defender - Angus MacDonald - headed in a 93rd minute equaliser against Sheffield Wednesday in April.
It was Barnsley's first goal at Oakwell in five matches, ending a 473 minute drought in front of their own supporters (including stoppage times)
Both goal-scorers scored their first goals of the season.
Barnsley's last four games have now been 0-0 at half time - the first time this has happened since Feb-Mar 2015. Prior to this run, only three of their first 21 league matches had been goal-less at the break.
However whereas The Reds went on to win all four in 2015, they have drawn three and lost one this time around.
This was the eighth time a Barnsley match has been goal-less at half time in 2017-2018 (all competitions) and only the third time they have not gone on to lose.
This was also only the third time this season in the league that the Reds did not lose when conceding the first goal - all three occasions, v Sheffield Wednesday, Norwich and now Reading the games have all ended 1-1.
Barnsley are now winless in seven home league matches against Reading, avoiding defeat for only the second time in that run.
Their last Oakwell triumph against the Royals came way back in August 1996 when Darren Sheridan and an Andy Liddell brace secured a 3-0 win.
73% of Reading's goals in the Championship this term have now been scored in the second half (22 of 30); a league-high proportion.
Barnsley have won only three of their last 11 final games of a calendar year (W3 D4 L4)
Barring some incredible turn of fortune today, Paul Heckingbottom will become the first Barnsley manager to see two turns of a year in charge (2017 and 2018) since Danny Wilson (2014 and 2015)
Since relegation from the Premier League only Heckingbottom, Wilson, Mark Robins (2010 and 2011) and Simon Davey (2007, 2008 and 2009) have been in the hotseat for two successive New Year's Days.
Barnsley Team:
Adam Davies
Andy Yiadom
Ethan Pinnock
Liam Lindsay
Zeki Fryers
Harvey Barnes
Joe Williams
Gary Gardner
Adam Hammill
Tom Bradshaw
Mamadou Thiam
Jason McCarthy (for Yiadom 69)
Lloyd Isgrove (for Barnes 70)
Ike Ugbo (for Thiam 70)
Unused Substitutes:
Nick Townsend, Stevie Mallan, Brad Potts, Jared Bird.
Match Reports:
Sky Bet Championship results:
Friday 29th December 2017:
Cardiff City 0-1 Preston North End
Clarke 90
Milwall 1-0 Queens Park Rangers
Morison 55
Saturday 30th December 2017:
BARNSLEY 1-1 Reading
Pinnock 90+1 Kermorgant 68
Birmingham City 1-0 Leeds United
Maghoma 83
Brentford 2-0 Sheffield Wednesday
Vibe 20
Jozefzoon 83
Burton Albion 0-0 Norwich City
Hull City 2-2 Fulham
Bowen 32 Kamara 48pen, 85
Dicko 36
Ipswich Town 1-2 Derby County
Garner 66 Winnall 13, 49
Middlesbrough 0-1 Aston Villa
Snodgrass 75
Nottingham Forest 0-1 Sunderland
McGeady 40
Sheffield United 0-1 Bolton Wanderers
Madine 21
Bristol City 1-2 Wolverhampton Wanderers
Reid 53 Douglas 66, Bennett 90+4
Barnsley lie in 20th place in the Sky Bet Championship with 23 points from 25 games.
We are 18 points outside the Play-Offs, 25 points off the Automatic Promotion Places, 35 points off First place and 1 point above the Relegation Zone.
Up to 31/12/17
Next Up:
On The Road:
Sky Bet Championship Matchday Twenty Six: Sunderland v Barnsley: Monday 1st January 2018. Kick-Off: 3pm
At Oakwell:
Sky Bet Championship Matchday Twenty Seven: Barnsley v Wolverhampton Wanderers, Saturday 13th January 2018. Kick-Off: 3pm


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When people think of the word "technology," the first items that come to mind are probably the cell phone, computer, or even social media. But technology can be more than tangible objects. Technology can be broken down into three words: apparatus, technique, and organization. Essentially, the word technology can represent a wide range of things, including a way of life—techniques used by a people to survive and grow their society. In this case, the term "technology," is being used to represent an ideal or even societal norm. These norms can be beneficial or destructive, depending on the nature of the setting or the specific technology.
These ideal-type technologies can be taboo in a culture. A technology that has gone from being taboo in nature, to a topic of debate in sports circles, is concussions in sports. There is a certain technology, or way of thinking and acting, when it comes to this specific type of head injury. This way of thinking has evolved, and with it, the forms of treatment and amendments in policy surrounding concussions, especially in sports. There has been a shift, just in the past decade, in the way concussions are handled and perceived.
Concussions were once thought of as a badge of honor, a symbol of toughness. In the past, players who got their "bells rung" were expected to merely shake it off. It was almost "cool" to get a concussion when playing a sport. This is true not only with concussions, but most injuries in sports. An attitude of toughness is expected, along with the spirit of competition that comes with athletics. But a concussion is much different than a sprained ankle or jammed finger; a concussion is trauma to the brain.
A player who gets a concussion usually sustains some sort of blow to the head, resulting in temporary loss of normal brain function (AANS). The brain is bruised when it collides with the skull after the trauma occurs. In severe cases, the brain will actually swell, potentially causing serious brain damage. Wide ranges of symptoms are associated with a concussion, but the most prevalent symptom is the inability to remember what happened directly before the incident occurred. Other general symptoms include headache, vision disturbances, difficulty concentrating, nausea, confusion, and memory loss (AANS). When left undetected, concussions can result in long-term brain damage and may even prove fatal.
Receiving one concussion will likely not cause permanent damage, but athletes take a risk when they receive multiple concussions. Often times, these concussions occur before the brain has had time to heal, and this has resulted in drastic policy changes concerning diagnosis and treatment in sports.
Concussions are prevalent in all sports, surprisingly, and not just in football. Below, the numbers indicate the amount of sports concussions taking place per 100,000 athletic exposures, regardless of the amount of time played (Head Case):
- Football: 64-76.8
- Boys Ice Hockey: 54
- Girls Soccer: 33
- Boys Lacrosse: 40-46.6
- Girls Lacrosse: 31-35
- Boys Soccer: 19-19.2
- Boys Wrestling: 22-23.9
- Girls Basketball: 18.6-21
- Girls Softball: 16-21.2
It is not surprising which sport has the highest incidence of concussions—football—but it is interesting that concussions occur so frequently in nearly every sport. In fact, when statistics concerning the occurrences of concussions are combined from all sports in the United States, the numbers are staggering (Head Case):
- 3,800,000 concussions were reported in 2012, double what was reported in 2002.
- 33% of all sports concussions happen at practice.
- 39% — the amount by which cumulative concussions are shown to increase catastrophic head injury leading to permanent neurologic disability.
- 47% of all reported sports concussions occur during high school football.
- 1 in 5 high school athletes will sustain a sports concussion during the season.
- 33% of high school athletes who have a sports concussion report two or more in the same year.
- 4 to 5 million concussions occur annually, with rising numbers among middle school athletes.
- 90% of most diagnosed concussions do not involve a loss of consciousness.
When analyzing the statistics, it appears that the rate of incidence for concussions has drastically increased over the years. But what is actually happening is that concussions are now being diagnosed, rather than ignored. Concussions are currently the hot-topic in sports, and athletic training staffs are now more thorough in assessing injuries of the head.
It has not been all forward progress in concussion awareness. In fact, for an extended period of time, the National Football League (NFL) hindered efforts to change the perceptions surrounding concussions. Shifts in perception have been due to a variety of factors, all of which come down to discoveries from research. Frontline completed a report on the NFL and concussion research. In the article, Frontline includes a timeline with side-by-side comparisons between research discoveries on concussions, versus actions that were taken by the NFL in response to those research findings.
It is rather disturbing, the great divide between the clear proof presented by the research teams, and how the NFL chooses to respond. Football is a lucrative profession, and the NFL's best interests do not primarily revolve around player health, but player performance and revenue. The NFL was, and is still, mainly concerned with making the most money possible from players before each succumbs to injury.
The NFL, according to Frontline, misinforms their own players, forming their own committee to do so. This committee was designed to "investigate" the reports of concussions in the NFL and in the sport of football in general. This committee is a sham, according to many players, and is only in place to withhold data and spread misinformation. In doing so, the NFL profits from glorifying violence, at the cost of the players participating. Many of these players end up paying with their lives, with severe and continual head traumas leading to depression, dementia, and suicide.
Not only does the NFL deny that concussions result in increased risk of further brain damage, but the committee also encourages junior and senior high organizations to put aside the research being reported. The NFL is not only playing with the brains of professional adults, but is also putting thousands of growing brains at risk.
It wasn't until December, 2009 that the NFL finally publically acknowledges the long-term effects of concussions. This was after nearly 20 years of denying constant scientific reports that documented the immediate and long-term effects of concussions in football. It is hard to believe that the NFL faced minimal consequences, only required to pay $765 million dollars in damages (Frontline). In return, the NFL did not have to accept any responsibility. To this day, there is no admission of guilt by the NFL, nor admission that any symptoms presented during or after a career were caused by football.
The extensive research that has been completed disrupts the social relationships between the athlete and the athletic organization. Before in-depth analysis of the consequences of concussions, there was a hierarchy in place in the world of professional athletics. Specifically, the NFL commission provided the football entertainment people demanded, using talented football players to do so. The players were expected to follow the direction of the commission, as the commissioner is in charge of the rules and regulations in the NFL. This can be seen as an authoritarian approach to sports.
The switch in the artifact politics surrounding concussions occurs after the NFL/player lawsuit. The NFL transitioned from an authoritative to a servant role. The commission, in the players' minds, should serve the players and have the health of the players as the top priority.
Luckily, the sport seems to be heading in the right direction, even with the tampering done by the NFL. There have been sweeping rule changes instituted in college and professional football. In the NFL, kickoffs were brought out by five yards in order to decrease the number of high impact collisions. One has to think, though, that the NFL is making changes only for their own self-interest. The healthier a player, the longer a player will stay in the NFL and make the league more money. It is hard to believe the league actually cares for the players more than their own wallets. If it were not for the push of the media, and a few brave scientists, there would not have been a shift in the way society has started looking at head injuries. For one, society is now looking at concussions as a serious problem in sports. There is still a lot of work and amendments to make in the rulebooks, but it is a start.
While the NFL has made some strides in head injury prevention, other sports, like boxing, still lack proper policy. The irony, and a catch-22 of the modern approach to head-injury, is that although concussions are now going out of style, head-protective equipment is following suit. There is another social stigma about using head protection and other devices that are specifically designed for the safety of its wearer. A good example of this is wearing a helmet when riding a bike or any other recreational activity on a set of wheels. It is strange that people are mocked for wearing a helmet when riding a bike, when it could save a life. Why would someone not want to wear a helmet? The answer always seems to be leaning toward the side of social pressures and not looking "nerdy".
This is the reason boxing remains a sport lacking a concussion policy. To enforce rules surrounding head injury would completely alter the sport. And then there are pitchers in baseball. Some are beginning to wear head protection, but most choose not to because the headgear are often cumbersome.
This also begs the question, where is the line going to be drawn? At what point is the integrity of the game compromised? And, are the people who are making these decisions swayed by profit, or acting out of true concern for the players?
At some point, the risks have to be accepted by all those involved. Injury is a risk we all face in everyday living, and playing a sport only increases that risk, no matter the sport. People enjoy playing and watching sports for the competitive atmosphere. Society is not going to eliminate high-risk sports entirely, and so, to a point, consequences must be understood and accepted. But a big part of this, is assuring that all parties involved are properly educated, in order to make informed decisions. This is the biggest advantage that comes with the transformation in the technology of concussion, because people are now finally knocking out the "normal" societal views of concussions.
Works Cited:
Ezell, Lauren. "Timeline: The NFL's Concussion Crisis." Frontline. PBS, 1 Jan. 2015.
Web. 13 Apr. 2015.
Head Case. HeadCaseCompany, 1 Jan. 2015. Web. 13 Apr. 2015.
"Patient Information." American Association of Neurological Surgeons. 1 Jan. 2015.
Web. 13 Apr. 2015.
<http://www.aans.org/patient information/conditions and treatments/concussion.aspx>.
Winner, Langdon. Do Artifacts Have Politics? 1986.


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Last week, Elyse Pitock, BC'15, had a piece published in the New York Times Anxiety Column. This week, she has this interview published in Bwog. (Of which do you think she is prouder?) Here, she continues her important discussion on food anxiety.
Bwog: How did you get your writing featured in the Times? What is your piece about? Is it fiction as the NYT labeled it?
Elyse: The anxiety column welcomes open submissions. I sent mine in late October and heard back a couple weeks later. It's about anxiety and how the rest of the world keeps going even if you're not ready for it. There are fictional and non-fictional elements.
B: How did you decide on using the end-of-the-world metaphor?
E: I wrote it during Sandy so I guess after standing in line for gallons of water and hearing updates about damage I had disaster on the brain. It felt like an appropriate comparison because I think that many people with anxiety often experience everyday things in a very amplified and exaggerated way. To me, it expresses immediacy and hopelessness at the same time.
B: Why did you decide to write about your personal struggle with food anxiety?
E: Last year I made myself quite physically ill in response to what was happening inside my head. I didn't really understand what was happening to me because the signs of mental illness aren't as obvious as we are led to believe by books and movies. There's a lot of misinformation out there, and we need to talk about these things in a straightforward, non-romanticized way.
A lot of people who have not been exposed to anxiety on a meaningful level cannot comprehend what it means to be distressed in that way. It's understandable, because how can you be remotely empathetic toward someone with Asperger's who has a debilitating phobia of, say, fish, or someone with bulimia who feels compelled to make him or herself throw up? You can't. These things don't make a lot of sense. But people's brains will do funny things, and these thoughts and feelings are real. I really want people with impairments—not only to be taken seriously—but also to be able to take themselves seriously. People tend to dismiss their struggles with depression/anxiety/etc because it's a very intangible problem, one that they won't necessarily recognize for what it is. People will tell you to stop thinking about it or to adjust your attitude and sometimes that is simply not possible.
Making services accessible to people with mental illness is something I feel very strongly about. The earlier things are identified the better, and so I think it's something that needs to be spoken about.
B: In the piece, you compare your (irrational) dietary restrictions to Jewish dietary restrictions. Can you elaborate on what role your faith played in the anxiety you wrote about?
E: For me personally, Judaism didn't play a role, but I often read passages of the Torah that remind me of certain obsessions and compulsions. I will not bore you with details but I will point anyone who's interested to Leviticus 11 for further reading. This isn't to say that people who follow these rules have OCD, just that as someone with OCD, the resemblance is quite strong.
B: How do you feel Columbia and Barnard deal with students' anxiety about food and mental health more generally? In your opinion, what should they do to better address students' anxieties?
E: I am not familiar with Columbia's resources, but I think Barnard has pretty standard resources. It's not enough, but that's not the school's fault—it's just that it's only 2012 and there's so much more to learn.
Warning sign via Shutterstock
@Carol Beringer The original article blew me away…and this interview, as well. At 19, Elyse has wisdom that must be both admired and taken seriously. Everything goes better when we can openly discuss issues without fear. Fear of judgement or labeling. Acceptance and, then, appropriate action. Thank you, Elyse, for sharing your wisdom.


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There were three main story thrusts this week: Segawa's attempts to keep her "twisted" net game-playing second life a secret; Nishimura's insistence on drawing semantic boundaries in his relationship with an ever-increasingly enthusiastic Ako; and the introduction of Sette, who immediately threatens to rend the married couple asunder.
The first two stories are re-treads of what we've already seen: Segawa isn't ready to be totally exposed for the gamer she is, even as she fails to realize all the effort and stress she's exerting is to perpetuate a lie, and not even a necessary one.
This doesn't seem to be that hostile a school environment, socially speaking, and Nishimura is proof you can be openly otaku without becoming a pariah.
Segawa's issue is that she doesn't want to be viewed for what she really is, but rather some obscure ideal she must have consumed somewhere. The "perfect high school life" she seeks will always be a mirage as long as she's mired in efforts to maintain a false identity.
Also a bit of a re-tread, with little progress one way or another, is Nishimura's careful dance with Ako. In spite of his mates having a good idea what his hobbies are, like Segawa he's trying to have his normal life cake and eat it too; project an image of someone at least more normal than Ako.
And while he's clearly uncomfortable with anyone mistaking Ako for his girlfriend or wife, the reality is he's become very close to this person. I had thought they'd reached more of an understanding, but Nishimura's discomfort and awkwardness in the fact of any advance by Ako…it's all a bit dilatory.
Ako doesn't help matters by overreacting to every interaction Nishimura has with the opposite sex. It was Nekohime/his teacher last week, and Segawa's friend Akiyama this week.
But Sette looks to be the first true threat she should actually worry about, but not because the newbie is in danger of usurping her role as Rusian's wife, but seems more like and admiring imouto. Heck, Sette could well be Nishimura's real-life sister for all I know.


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The mainstream media seems to constantly bombard us with tips for better sex, usually focusing on the physical body or the emotions. Perhaps they are still catching on to the notion that sex can also unfold as an energetic or spiritual experience. I view sex as a highly pleasurable energetic exchange and a form of active meditation. For me, working with chakra affirmations has become a great way to create deeper, more profound sexual connections and experiences.The chakras are energy centers located throughout the body, and each is associated with a set of organs and an aspect of our being. (For more on the chakras: go here.)Because I take a holistic approach to sex, I recommend practicing affirmations for all of the chakras, not just the sacral chakra because it is associated with the sex organs, or the heart chakra because it's associated with love.Using these seven chakra affirmations can open the flow of energy throughout the body and enhance sexual experiences by building trust, acceptance, appreciation, unconditional love, positive expression, harmony and connection.
1. Root Chakra: TrustThe root chakra, the foundation of the human energy system, governs our basic needs for safety and security. Located at the base of the spine, it is associated with the color red. A healthy and open root chakra is required for all sexual connections because we must be willing to trust our partners. When we are not fundamentally feeling safe and secure, we will struggle to connect and to share our energies in a meaningful way with other human beings.Visualize deep red light flowing through the base of your spine as you repeat the affirmation to yourself, "I trust that I am safe with my partner."
2. Sacral Chakra: AcceptanceSitting between the root chakra and belly button is the sacral chakra, which governs the sex organs and is associated with the color orange. It can get bogged down with the feelings of guilt and shame that are often associated with sexuality and sexual trauma. It is possible to clear sacral chakra blockages by forgiving yourself and others, and accepting yourself as a sexual being.Visualize a bright orange light flowing through your sacrum as you repeat, "I accept my sexuality and I forgive any past sexual traumas."
3. Solar Plexus Chakra: AppreciationThe solar plexus chakra sits above the belly button and below the sternum, and pertains to personal power and vitality. It governs the stomach organs and is associated with the color yellow. When the solar plexus is clear, we can have generous, unselfish ego-free sex without expectations. We will be opened to sexual gratitude and appreciation. Blockages in the solar plexus can cause us to be withholding or controlling over the sexual experience.Visualize clear yellow light flowing through your stomach as you repeat, "I appreciate my sexuality and my partner's sexuality."
4. Heart Chakra: Unconditional LoveThe heart chakra governs our ability to love. It sits over the breastbone and is associated with the color green. Blockages in the heart chakra can be linked to fear of loving someone else and fear of loving ourselves, both of which lead to disconnected love-making. Clearing these blockages and opening the heart space should allow for profoundly deeper, more passionate sex.Visualize vibrant green light flowing through your heart as you repeat, "I am open to giving and receiving unconditional love."
5. Throat Chakra: Positive ExpressionThe throat chakra governs self-expression, esteem and creativity. It is situated over the throat, and it is associated with the color blue. Sex is undoubtedly a form of self-expression, and when your throat chakra is clear, your sexual expression should feel positive, authentic and creative. When the throat chakra is blocked, sexual expression may feel dull and unexciting.Visualize clear blue light flowing through your throat as you repeat, "I express my sexuality in a positive way."
6. Third Eye Chakra: HarmonyThe third-eye governs intuition, wisdom and clairvoyance. It sits in the middle of your brow just above your eyes and is associated with the color indigo. Amazing sex happens when we give ourselves permission to trust our intuition and connect on a deeper level beyond what is visible in the physical realm. When the third eye is clear, we can find ourselves flowing in harmony with our sexual partners, but when it's blocked, we may struggle to reach this degree of intimacy.Visualize deep indigo-blue light flowing through your forehead as you repeat "I experience harmony with my partner."
7. Crown Chakra: ConnectionLocated above the top of the head and colored as violet or white, the crown chakra reflects the seat of our spirituality, the pure essence of our divinity, and our connection to all living things. When the crown chakra is open, we can completely lose ourselves during sex and have a "God-head" like orgasmic experience, merging our energy with our partner and surrendering to all that is. When the crown chakra is blocked, it will be more difficult to obtain this extreme ecstatic release.
Visualize vivid violet light flowing out of the top of your head as you repeat, "I am sexually connected and divine."Photo Credit: Alex Grey, Kissing, 1983Article by Dr Kelly Neff, Originally Published by MindBodyGreen
Dr. Kelly Neff is a social psychologist, author and educator who has helped thousands of people learn about health, relationships, love and sexuality. She holds a B.A. in Psychology from Georgetown and M.A. and Ph.D. in Social Psychology from Claremont Graduate University. A professor of psychology since 2007, she has become an innovator in the field of online teaching with her book, Teaching Psychology Online. When she isn't writing, teaching or doing healing work from her home in Boulder, CO, Dr. Neff travels the globe researching transformational festivals for her upcoming book for the Festival Research Project. She is currently a contributing author to The Mind Unleashed. You can find her daily doses of inspiration and positivity on Facebook and Twitter. Light and Love!
Sursa http://themindunleashed.org/2014/10/7-chakra-clearing-affirmations-enhance-sex-life.html


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Can Boston Land Anthony Davis ?
- Updated: February 12, 2019
By A.J. "Real F.N..Sports Talk"
With popular opinion siding with Anthony Davis going to the L.A. Lakers I propose a different scenario. Believe it or not there is a avenue leading the Boston Celtics to the prize and it goes like this:
The Four Team Trade:
The Boston Celtics send forward Gordon Hayward and two 1st round picks to the New Orleans Pelicans .
The L.A. Lakers send guard Lonzo Ball to the Chicago Bulls and guard Rajon Rondo to the Boston Celtics.
The Chicago Bulls send forward Jabari Parker to the Boston Celtics.
The New Orleans Pelicans send forward/center Anthony Davis to the Boston Celtics.
When The Smoke Clears:
The Celtics get Anthony Davis, Jabari Parker and Rajon Rondo.
The Lakers get guard Kyrie Irving
The Pelicans get Gordon Hayward and two number one picks
The Chicago Bulls get guard Lonzo Ball.
In this scenario the Celtics get to audition with Anthony Davis for a year and a half. The Lakers reunite LaBron and Kyrie with the chance that A.D. joins them down the line. The Pelicans get a former All Star two number ones plus their own pick, more than likely a lottery pick which could net Duke freshman Zion Williamson.
The Chicago Bulls get a chemistry and tempo changing point guard in Lonzo Ball. The Lakers and Celtics get a title shot and the Pelicans and Bulls get a shot at Zion Williamson.
What's not to like ?
All trades approved by the ESPN Trade Machine.


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The Jiggle & Jam Manual Stimulation Technique uses your husband's penis for clitoral stimulation during foreplay or when things need to cool down a bit during intercourse.
This is our first reader-submitted technique from an anonymous husband. Do you have a technique that you and your spouse enjoy that you'd like to share with us? Submit your technique today!
Getting into Position for the Jiggle & Jam Technique
- The wife sits on a soft chair or couch with her butt at the edge.
- She pulls her legs up with her knees near her chest and holds them there with her hands under her knees.
- The husband kneels before her and adjust the height of his pelvis so that his penis is at the same level as her vulva. He can raise his pelvis with pillows under his knees if needed.
Once the husband's penis is erect, he or his wife takes his penis and jiggles the head of it over her clitoris.
This is a great technique for clitoral stimulation right before intercourse to help get her warmed up and ready for sex. It's also great for when things get a little too exciting for the husband and he needs a little time to cool down but keep his wife moving towards an orgasm.
Additional Stimulation
- Clitoral Stimulation: Insert your penis into your wife's vagina and keep it fully inserted and still while you use your fingers, a small vibrator to stimulate her clitoris until she has an orgasm.
- Nipple & Breast Stimulation: Place a pair of nipple suckers or vibrators on your wife's breasts to stimulate oxytocin production which helps her orgasm.


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10-13 is a police radio code for "Officer needs assistance!" It is rarely used, and justifiably so: Whenever a 10-13 goes out over the airwaves, other police officers drop what they are doing and rush to help.
Nick Heine's name was placed on the Colorado Law Enforcement Memorial Friday. Nick was a police officer for the city of Pueblo, Colorado, and was helping break up a bar fight last June 23. When a call came in about another bar brawl a few blocks away, Nick and several other officers took off on foot. And during that run, all the stars lined up wrong and Nick's hidden heart defect – probably a disturbance in the heart's conduction system – killed him.
"Dead before he hit the ground," is a common saying, but Nick never fell. According to witnesses, one of his fellow officers caught him before he hit the pavement.
It's stories like this that make you realize we'll probably never completely defeat Congenital Heart Defects. A police officer for seven years, you have to assume that Officer Heine had a through physical exam before he joined the police department and probably repeat physicals throughout his career. Yet all through his life, the heart defect was unnoticed. Until that one instant when all the conditions were perfect and it showed itself.
And that is frustrating. Even if we could have perfect surgical techniques, nationwide coordination of care, and advanced genetic detection and correction options available tomorrow, some will still slip through. Because you can't solve a problem when you don't even know that there is a problem.
"It's a different dynamic when someone causes the death of an officer," Pueblo Police Chief Jim Billings said last June. "You have a focal point to direct your anger. In this case, there's no one to be angry at. It's one of those tragic things that happened."
I'm willing to bet that Chief Billings was angry… because there was no answer. Everything was done correctly, someone with first aid training was right there when Nick went down, and still they lost him. Lost him to the one thing they probably never thought of and couldn't defend against.
Officer Nick Heine will live forever, in the memory of those who knew him. A loving husband, father of two, dedicated police officer… and a Heart Defect Survivor, who never even knew he was one.
Tags: 10-13, Colorado, Officer Down, police, pueblo


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October 13, 2010
Leonard Nimoy vs. Russell Brown in a Vulcan throw-down
Crazy. According to Flash evangelist Ted Patrick,
At Adobe MAX 2010, Leonard Nimoy will be joining us as Host for MAX Awards and Sneaks. Given his presence at Sneaks, the team is going all out. We have 10 amazing sneaks from Adobe research labs, Colin Moock is hosting Star Trek trivia with Megaphone between Awards and Sneaks, there are some fairly serious costumes in development, and it is sure to be a great time.
In response, Adobe's Russell Brown–who you will have no trouble believing already had a Vulcan get-up just lying around–writes,
In honor of Mr. Nimoy attending the show, the crazy Russell Brown of Adobe will make an appearance as a Vulcan on Tuesday, October 26th. Look for Mr. Brown at the show!
I have no trouble believing that Mr. Brown has a Star Trek uniform laying around. If he thought it would get laughs he would have a Barbarella outfit laying around too. This is why Mr. Brown is so much fun to watch and a real class act.


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Alfa AOA-2409TF omni-directional 9 dBi 2.4 GHz outdoor Wi-Fi antenna N-female
Alfa AOA-2409TF is a light-weight outdoor omni-directional antenna priced much lower than comparable products from competing brands. At 1.5 feet tall, AOA-2409TF is a great option for use on boats, RVs, or building-to-building Wi-Fi installations.
With an N-female connector, AOA-2409TF can be connected directly to a variety of outdoor WiFi products including Alfa's Tube-U series, the Ubiquiti Bullet series, and the Mikrotik Groove. Contact our sales team for information about compatible extension cables and pigtails for use with your particular WiFi receiver. This antenna was designed for direct connection to these adapters. While it can be mounted separately and connected to a receiver with an extension cable, this does not include a mounting bracket for the antenna. No bracket is needed when connecting directly to a product like Alfa's Tube-U(G) or Ubiquiti's Bullet, as those products are specifically designed for mounting themselves.
More about this item:
- Lightweight fiberglass construction makes installation easy
- Integrated N-Female connector provides fast and easy cable connection
- Designed for the 2.4GHz ISM band, supporting 2.4 to 2.483 GHz and provides superb performance in IEEE 802.11b/g WiFi and Bluetooth applications
- Superior Performance and Weatherproof
* Light weight
* All weather operation
Model: AOA-2409TF
Frequency: 2.4-2.5GHz
Gain: 9 dBi
Polarization: Vertical
Power Handling: 50 Watts
Impedance: 50 ohm
Connector: N Female
Return Policy: If you have received an item that is not as described, not working, or you are not satisfied with it for any reason, you may return it for an exchange or refund at your discretion within 30 days of receipt. Because range can very greatly based on your environment, if you are not sure a particular product will meet your range needs please contact us before buying. Because this antenna is very large and heavy, and shipping is included in the sale price, a postage charge of $5.00 will be charged on returns of this antenna (unless the antenna is defective). If you are not sure if this is the equipment you need, be sure to contact our sales team before purchasing.


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Is the statement, "There is a Santa Claus" true?
This should be easy enough: Define truth and see if the statement fits the definition.
It is widely held that a statement is true if and only if there is a one-to-one correspondence between the statement and reality. "The cat is on the mat" is a true statement if you can show that there exists a felis catus that is currently supported by a piece of coarse fabric.


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USA: General Motors train unit sale moves a step closer - report
Canadian Auto Workers (CAW) union national representative for GM workers, John Scanlan, told Reuters on Friday that efforts by General Motors to sell its GM Electro-Motive train unit to a private equity firm had cleared a hurdle.
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True strength does not require denial of reality, but suppleness in meeting it.
An individual therapy client of mine told me last year about his soon-to-be-ex wife's statement of disappointment and disapprobation. "You were supposed to be my John Wayne." She said this in the context of a couples therapy session as the two were taking a final step toward divorce. I heard about the shame reaction that this man had in not being all she had wanted, and the impossibility and awful setup of even trying. This was the first he had been told overtly of his expected role, and while he might have signed up for it when she disclosed the plan when they started 25 years earlier, he knows better than to take on that role now. Or does he? Do you? Do I?
What is the real measure of a man? What is true strength in the face of a relationship? Of pain? Of death? Shortly after the statement by my client, I sat with my dear friend Rupesh and we riffed a bit on this topic. John Wayne came up in our conversation also. (Poor guy is still carrying the weight of this role even after he has turned to dirt … .) I told Rupesh about four male friends who were all dealing with cancer at that time.
Strength also can hold the uncertainty of life rather than prescribing some story of "how things are" or some philosophical thinking to cover the truly unknown. Just ask my friends with cancer about accepting uncertainty.
One has decided he will beat the disease, and use his diagnosis to become the best pancreatic cancer therapist in the world. He says that as long as he can use meds to stay just ahead of the physical pain, he is clear that he can beat it. He only gets scared when the pain pushes through.
Another guy is in hospice and receiving palliative care. He doesn't want his doctor to tell him how much time he has left. "What good is that, and how accurate could it be?" he asks. He just wants to be as fully conscious as possible in the days he has left. He also wants to do all he can to clear up his affairs before he dies so that his sister won't experience the burdens that he felt when his wife died six months ago. He is 57.
A third guy has stopped answering his phone. The message machine is now full, so no more contact is possible. As a health care professional, he is aware of the actual impacts of esophageal cancer in his body. He feels the pain of the procedures he has undergone. But he feels even more pain about the fact that nobody has overridden his strenuous objections and traveled the three hours to see him as he recovers from his surgery in another city. His attachment to emotional self sufficiency adds to his suffering.
And a fourth has penned more brain cancer jokes than anyone wants to hear, and is proud to have left the hospital between tests after his initial diagnosis to get in his 8 mile training run. He also won his age bracket in a half marathon race a week or two later, and qualified to run in the 2012 Boston Marathon. He's 30! The doctor told him he was the healthiest cancer patient he'd treated. My friend equated that to being complimented for being the cutest ugly person around. You can see his approach.
As witness to all of these men, what do I find about strength in the face of pain and loss? I am grateful that none of them is much like John Wayne, though the one who is hard to reach has a bit of that going on. Each is flowing in his own way with the story that has been presented to him, not embracing the rigid definition of strength we would ascribe to John Wayne. (I wonder how John Wayne reacted to the stomach cancer that killed him. His son reported that he converted to Catholicism just before his death … .) Each has acknowledged what is happening, and each is dealing with how they are affected. My story of the John Wayne archetype (not the real man, mind you, as I wouldn't want to hold him to that standard) is that he wouldn't acknowledge any impact of the disease. In fact, the archetype wouldn't have undergone the surgery to remove an intestinal blockage that the real John Wayne underwent because "John Wayne" never would have acknowledged the pain.
How can the denial of true experience, whether it is pain, fear, love, ecstasy or confusion, be thought of as the definition of strength? How do we go along with this definition? And don't think we don't. Virtually every man I see in therapy makes some apology for shedding a tear, having a feeling, not living up to the iron-faced standard. Even my young friend with brain cancer apologized for "crying like a little girl" when scores of us who care about him gathered for a fundraiser and raised money to start to support his treatment needs. His few tears would hardly describe what my daughter can produce for a minor hurt. How is a man supposed to react when well over a hundred people gather to acknowledge his impact on them—and to show their love, caring and respect at a time of need? When is it okay to be affected by that love, let alone the fear of the cancer that precipitated this display of caring?
After telling him these stories, Rupesh and I suggested to one another components of a new definition of masculine strength. My favorite is that strength is allowing for authentic experience and not being broken by it. Many have acknowledged the role of suppleness rather than rigidity as a component of strength.
Strength also can hold the uncertainty of life rather than prescribing some story of "how things are" or some philosophical thinking to cover the truly unknown. Just ask my friends with cancer about accepting uncertainty. One quipped in a Facebook post, "so many tests, appointments and decisions to still make, and it'll be weeks [before we have enough information to decide]. I'd say the suspense is killing me, but if something's killing me, that's probably not it."
And strength involves claiming our gifts—not from some grandiose place which hides vulnerability, but from a place of common ground, from a place that acknowledges that we all have gifts, and that denying them is no way to be our best in the world.
As I was thinking about all of this, I ran across an article by psychologist-researcher Dan Siegel about the importance of "integration" as a determinant of healthy functioning in the world. He proposes that integration is described as flexibility, adaptability, coherence, energy and solidity. Something in this sounds a lot like strength to me.
Now, a year later, some things have changed. The greatest pancreatic cancer therapist of all time didn't make it through the pain after all. Rupesh and I were with him the night he mercifully died at Christopher House after pain transformed him and robbed him of his loving spirit.
My friend on hospice care also transitioned on. He died February 13 as I was flying back from a ski trip. I had been with him a week before and we had said our loving goodbyes. His transition was painful, but the duration of the pain was minimal, and he let go on his own terms.
The friend who was incommunicado did re-establish communication. I heard a lot about his months of having to sleep sitting up, and battles with demons during recovery. This weekend he called to tell me that he had met a woman 15 years his junior and was trying to take it slow with her. This was apparently new ground for both of them. They have discussed the relationship and sex and many things. He hasn't told her about the cancer yet.
And my young brain cancer friend still plans to run in the Boston Marathon. He got a mohawk haircut last week to display his question marked shaped scar more prominently. The doctors are pleased that he is one of the 12% who looks like he could survive this disease. He is not unscathed however. The day he arrived back from his out-of-town surgery and recovery process, his wife and high school sweetheart left him. I think he has learned something since then about crying like a baby as he rebuilds his life as a single dad and primary parent to his daughter.
And Rupesh, my dear friend on this journey? This morning he had a bone marrow test as doctors try to figure out what explains the dangerously high fever and pains that have kept him in the hospital for the last week. They are using words like leukemia, lymphoma and "hopefully just a virus." He is 35.
Read Steve Milan's poem on denial in the face of death: I Will Not Die
Read more on Cancer on The Good Life.
Image of gymnastics on beach courtesy of Shutterstock


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If you are damaging PCB assemblies by breaking them out manually then we have the solution for you.
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It is about time I update this blog, only I haven't been up to much that is interesting to write about.
All the pear trees are in bloom which makes the back yard really pretty.
Craft-wise I have been playing with Belle and doing all the exercises in the Bernina Mastery Workbook. I am about half way through. Belle is my first Bernina machine, so I know many people did these exercises years ago. I need time to decide on my next big project, and none of my UFOs are drawing me to finish them.
Even though I have been sewing for many years, it has been nice sew samples of techniques I am good at and the ones that catch me off guard. I especially liked the double wing heirloom technique. I hope to find a project to use it on soon. I didn't get the middle holes to line up perfectly on my first row of the chain design. The second row shown on the top is better.
I had never played with a triple needle either. These were fun to stitch out.
Fringing is a technique that at first was hard for me to get right using the workbook directions. I changed where it says to remove bobbin thread carefully, to cutting the bobbin thread right down the middle. Then the fringe was easy to sew. I want to play with this more. I like the decorative stitch I used on the left side, not so much the one on the right.
I have done all the samples in the first 4 workbooks and am to the quilting part of workbook 5. It has been nice just playing around this month, trying all the different feet and attachments.