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Last fall, three UCSF professors who are long-time associates of the Diabetes Center both received one of the nation's highest honors in the fields of medicine and health. On Oct. 18, 2004, Fred Cohen, MD, DPhil, Professor of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology and Arthur Weiss, MD, PhD, Professor of Medicine and Chief of the Division of Rheumatology were elected to the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the National Academies.
Shaun R. Coughlin, MD, PhD, a member of the UCSF Diabetes and Endocrinology Research Center (DRC) was also elected to the IOM last fall. Dr. Coughlin is Director of the Cardiovascular Research Institute and Professor of Medicine and of Cellular and Molecular Pharmacology .
The Institute of Medicine serves as adviser to the nation to improve health. As an independent, scientific adviser, the Institute of Medicine strives to provide advice that is unbiased, based on evidence, and grounded in science.
Election to the Institute of Medicine recognizes major contributions to medical sciences, health care and public health. Dr. Cohen was instrumental in launching the Diabetes Center at UCSF, and recruiting Dr. Jeffrey Bluestone as its current Director. Dr. Arthur Weiss is an important collaborator with numerous Diabetes Center faculty.
Three other UCSF faculty were elected to the IOM this past fall
- Philip D. Darney, MD, MSc, professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences at UCSF, chief of obstetrics and gynecology at San Francisco General Hospital Medical Center (SFGHMC) and director of the Center for Reproductive Health Research & Policy.
- Talmadge E. King, Jr., MD, Constance B. Wofsy Distinguished Professor and vice chairman of medicine, UCSF and chief of medical services at SFGHMC.
- Nancy S. Padian, PhD, professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive sciences, director of international research for the AIDS Research Institute and associate director of research for Global Health Sciences, UCSF.
Congratulations to Drs. Cohen and Weiss and colleagues on this prestigious honor, from your friends at the Diabetes Center!


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Marine Life in the Red Sea: Identifying Fish, Invertebrates…
10 June 2020
With around 1000 species of fish and 150 species of coral, the Red Sea is rich in marine life. Click the photo for an enlargement and more details of that species.
Fish Mammals Turtles Coral Featherstars Flatworms & Nudibrancs Cephalopods Crabs
Red Sea Fish Species
Rays Eels Scorpionfish & Stonefish Crocodilefish Clownfish Grouper Triggerfish Squirrelfish Pufferfish Butterflyfish Angelfish Trevallies Others
Blue Spotted Stingray, Taeniura lymma
The Dasyatidae family contains about 100 species, one of which is the Blue Spotted Stingray. Like all stingrays they have venomous spines at the base of the tail. They breathe by drawing water through a small hole behind the eye and expelling it through gill slits on their undersides. They often lie on sandy bottoms, flicking sand over themselves as camouflage. They feed on molluscs and crabs. Common and easy-to-spot throughout the Indian and Pacific Oceans, including the Red Sea and the Great Barrier Reef. Simple to identify with their oval shape and blue spots. Not aggressive, but if you accidentally step on one the spine may be driven into your leg. This causes intense pain, increasing for around 90 minutes and lasting, if untreated, for 1 to 2 days. More on Blue Spotted Stingray…
Giant Moray Eel, Gymnothorax javanicus
The largest of the moray eels, growing up to 3 m. Quite common and always interesting to observe. Feeds primarily on fish, occasionally on crustaceans and octopus. Morays live in holes and generally hunt by night. You may see them rhythmically opening and closing their mouths. They do this to maintain a respiratory current past the gills. Morays undergo a sex change during growth, changing from male to female. More on Giant Moray…
Geometric / Grey / Snowflake Moray Eel, Sidera grisea
The Geometric moray has a long body with one continuous fin along its back. Like other morays it has elongated nostrils. You can easily recognise it by the dashed lines patterning its face, as shown in our photo. The Geometric moray is the most common eel in the Red Sea. Quite small for a moray, the Geometric moray reaches 65 cm long. It lives at depths down to 40 m on coral and rocky reefs. You may see groups of up to 10 young eels sheltering in rock crevices. The black dashes on the face and body of this moray mark its pores. These are part of its lateral line system which detects changes in pressure and so can be used to detect movement and vibration in the surrounding water. More on Sidera grisea…
Spotted Snake Eel, Myrichthys maculosus
If you see what you think is sea snake in the Red Sea it is actually a snake eel, as there are no sea snakes in the Red Sea. The snake eels are an interesting group, seen much less frequently than the morays. Spotted snake eels around the world mimic venomous sea snakes, but the subject of its mimicry is kept out of our spotted sea snake's habitat by the, it is thought, the high salinity of the Red Sea. More on Spotted Snake Eel…
Carpet Flathead Fish (Crocodilefish), Papilloculiceps longiceps
Mainly lives on sand and rubble near coral heads, although you might also find it in patches of seagrass. It stays shallow: between 1 and 15 m. The flatheads are flattened fishes. They have two dorsal fins and bony ridges and spines on their heads. The body is mottled above, whitish below. The Carpet Flathead grows to 70 cm. It is a very placid fish which, confident in its camouflage, lets you approach closely. Although related to scorpion fish it is harmless. More on Carpet Flathead…
Tassled Scorpionfish, Scorpaenopsis oxycephala
The scorpionfish is one of the most venomous fish in the world. It has several spines linked to venom glands. The poison causes severe pain and paralysis. The scorpionfish is extermely well-camouflaged. It can change colour to match its background and has many "tassles" masking its outline. This Tassled Scorpionfish lives from 1 to at least 35 m in the Red Sea and Indo-Pacific. Lacking a swim bladder, it remains on or near the bottom. Lethargically, the fish waits for prey to pass by then opens its lower jaw and sucks its victim in. Not many animals prey on the scorpionfish, its venom deterring most. A fully grown octopus though does not seem to be affected by the spines and will envelop and eat the scorpionfish. More on Tassled Scorpionfish…
Lionfish (Turkeyfish), Pterois miles
Found in the Red Sea and Indian Ocean to the Andaman Sea. Elsewhere replaced by the very similar P. volitans. Usually 11 dorsal rays (those on the top of the fish). A sting from this fish can be very painful, and possibly fatal. They often shelter under ledges during the day, being more active at dusk and during the night when feed on fishes and crustaceans using their non-stinging pectoral fins to shepherd prey into their mouths. The Lionfish's poisonous spines allow it to be conspicuously coloured, warning predators to keep their distance. More on Lionfish…
Great Barracuda, Sphyraena barracuda
The Great barracuda is a top predator and uses very highly developed smell and vision senses to locate its prey. When attacking, the barracuda will charge at fast speed (approximately 12 ms-1) and ram their target. They then unleash the power of their jaws which allows them to slice through their prey, even those larger than the barracuda itself. More on Great Barracuda…
Red Sea Clownfish, Amphiprion bicinctus
The most common clownfish in the Red Sea, hence its name. But it doesn't just live in the Red Sea. You will also find it in the Gulf of Aden and in the Chagos Islands in the Pacific some 3364 km away. But curiously nowhere in between. Clownfish start off male, but if the female dies the dominant male will change into a female. The Red Sea Clownfish lives from the shallows down to 30 m, generally living in pairs in association with an anemeone. The tentacles of the anemone protect the clownfish from predators. At first contact with the anenome the clownfish jerks back, but gradually its mucus coating gives it immunity to the anemone's stinging nematocysts. More on Red Sea Clownfish….
Coral Grouper (Coral Rock-Cod), Cephalopholis miniata
Found around coral in areas with clear water. Easy to spot and fairly common. Range from 2 to 150 m and feed mostly on fish. Juveniles have yellow bodies with blue spots and as adults grow to around 41 cm. Like all groupers, Cephalopholis miniata has a large mouth and sharp teeth. They use grinding plates within their throats to break up prey. Groupers are the most important family of reef based predators. Territorial and solitary apart from in the mating season in June. Also common in other parts of the world, including Australia. More on Grouper…
Lyretail Anthias, Pseudanthias squamipinnis
Also known as a Jewel Fairy Basslet, this are the most common species of Anthias found in the Red Sea. The male and female are different colours. The bright orange, smaller fish are the females; pinky-yellow coloured fish the males. You see them in large groups clustered around coral outcrops. All fish start off life as females. Where a male is lacking, the dominant female fish will turn into a male. The males are territorial and keep a harem of female fish. More on Lyretail Anthias…
Picasso Trigger Fish, Rhinecanthus assasi
Trigger fishes are so called because of the shark-fin shaped trigger they are able to raise in defence. They use this to jam themselves into a crevice in the coral. The trigger is actually the first spine of its dorsal (top) fin. They bend the second spine forward to fix the first firmly in position. When the fish is swimming the fin is flattened into a groove. More on picasso fish….
Masked Puffer, Arothron diadematus
Distinctive looking, this small pufferfish has a black mask over its eyes reaching back to its pectoral fins, and a black mouth. It is common on fringing coral reefs in the Red Sea. Elsewhere it is replaced by Arothron nigropunctatus (the Blackspotted Puffer). However, some experts believe these to be the same species. They are called pufferfish because when threatened they greatly inflate themselves with water, making themselves look much larger than they usually are. This defence mechanism is important because they move so slowly through the water they would otherwise be easy pickings for predators. Their second line of defence is their toxicity. The Puffer's toxin - tetrodotoxin - is produced within the pufferfish by bacteria. The fish acquire the bacteria by grazing on the reef and eating molluscs and other invertebrates. Weight-for-weight, tetrodotoxin is up to 100 times as deadly as the venom of the black widow spider and one of the most poisonous natural substances. More on Masked Puffer…
Sabre or Long-Jawed Squirrelfish, Sargocentron spiniferum
This species is the largest of the squirrelfish. It's common in the Red Sea at all depths likely to be dived, and feeds primarily on crabs. A member of the Holocentridae family, squirrelfish have large eyes and are nocturnal. During the day you'll find them under ledges and in caves, away from the light. Growing up to 45 cm, they live alone or in small groups. You can distinguish Sargocentron spiniferum from other squirrel fish by the red blotch behind its eye. Like many nocturnal fish, Sargocentron spiniferum is red. To us it is easy to spot during the day, but to other fish it blends into its dark crevice or cave. Long red light wavelengths don't penetrate water well, so fish colour vision tends to be tuned to the shorter, blue and ultra-violet, end of the spectrum. This means that red and pink fish are inconspicuous. More on Squirrelfish…
Crown Butterfly Fish, Chaetodon paucifasciatus
Can be seen between 4 and 30 m in pairs or groups. It's key identification feature, though, is the yellow stripe through the eye. It also has a distinctive red rear. The Crown Butterfly fish feeds on coral polyps, algae and crustaceans. It is only found in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. More on Crown Butterfly fish….
Masked Butterfly Fish, Chaetodon semilarvatus
Live around coral, from 3 to 20 m. Very common throughout the Red Sea. Around 23 cm long, the Masked butterfly fish is large for its family. You generally see them in pairs or large groups. More on Masked Butterfly Fish….
Emperor Angelfish, Pomacanthus imperator
Emperor Angelfish have deep, flat, bodies and small mouths. They are striking to look at, being large (40 cm) and colourful. The flattened shape of angelfish enable them to wind their way amongst the corals; it also enables them to retain their stability when manoeuvring at low speed to pick up items of food, in the same way that a keel of a sailing boat helps with its steering and prevents it from turning over. The young angelfish looks totally different to the adult, having concentric white rings on a dark blue background. You will find the juveniles under ledges or in holes of shallow reef flats. Adults go deeper, from 3 - 70 metres. Adult males typically defend a large territory containing 2 females. However, you ususally see the fish in pairs. The fish are protogynous. This means that they are born as females and develop into males later.More on Emperor Angelfish….
Bluefin Trevally, Chaetodon semilarvatus
Trevallys are large silvery fishes with forked tails. They are fast-swiming predators of the waters above the reef and in the open sea. The Bluefin Trevally is distinctively coloured, being the only trevally with electric blue fins and blue speckles on a gold or green background. This fish can be as large as 1 metre, but you normally see individuals smaller than this. They range from the shallows to the depths, usually singly but you may see a trevally small school. More on Bluefin Trevally….
Golden Trevally, Gnathanodon speciosus
Young Golden Trevally are strikingly coloured, their gold and black striped garb showing from where their name comes. These young fish like to seek out large animals like sharks, groupers and dugongs for protection, acting as pilot fish. Sometimes they make a mistake and decide that a diver is the perfect companion. More on Golden Trevally….
FreckledHawkfish, Paracirrhites forsteri
Seen from 1 to 33 m resting motionless on coral. It is carnivorous, feeding on crustaceans and small fish. A member of the Cirrhitidae family, it can change sex. Young fish are all female. One male has a harem of females - if the male dies one of the females changes sex to take its place. Males are very territorial. More on freckled hawkfish….
Pygmy Sweepers, Parapriacanthus ransonneti
Also known as golden sweepers, you find dense schools of these small fish throughout the Indo-Pacific, from the Red Sea to Australia. They like shady places during the day: wrecks, overhangs and caves. At night they venture out to feed on zooplankton. More on Pygmy Sweepers…
Blackspotted Sweetlips or Grunts, Plectorhinchus gaterinus
Sweetlips have thick lips, continuous dorsal fins and truncate or emarginate tails. Adults are often inactive during the day and shelter near or under ledges. They feed at night on bottom-dwelling invertebrates. The juveniles of Blackspotted sweetlips have 6 black lines on their heads and bodies, these become spots with age. More on Sweetlips…
Fiveline Cardinalfish, Cheilodipterus quinquelineatus
A small fish which grows up to 12 cm. Unlike many other cardinal fish this species is active by both day and night (others are only active at night). It lives from 3 m down to 40 m and shelters in sea urchins when threatened. Carnivorous, it feeds on small crustaceans and fishes. More on Cardinalfish…
Red Sea Corals
Soft coral, Dendronephyta species
The body of this soft coral, Alcyonacea order, is stiffened with yellow spicules. Here the individual polyps are open, showing their 8 tentacles (the 8 tentacles help to confirm identification). It is partly down to these that much of the diving in the Red Sea is so beautiful. More on Soft Coral…
Soft coral, Dendronephthya hemprichi
This species is common in the Red Sea and a pioneer settler. It can clone small fragments of itself with root-like processes that let them quickly attach to artificial structures like wrecks. Especially vertical structures. (Our photo was taken on the wreck of the Carnatic.) One of the Nephtheidae family, the soft coral takes in sea water to expand its body before feeding. This builds up a positive pressure inside the coral that supports the branches and trunk. Unlike most other corals, D. hemprichi don't depend on symbiotic algae: they are azooxanthellate (asymbiotic). Instead they feed almost exclusively on phytoplankton. More on Dendronephthya hemprichi…
Fire Coral
Fire corals are so called because of their powerful stinging hairs or nematocysts. These are used primarily for defence against fish like parrotfish which would otherwise nibble the coral. However, they are strong enough to injure divers who brush their skin against them, causing burning and itching. If this happens rinse with seawater and apply vinegar or methylated alcohol on the affected area. In a severe case anti-histamines can help, but seek medical advice. More on fire coral…
Cup Coral, Tubastraea aurea
Tubastraea lack symbiotic algae and do not contribute to reef building. They tend to grow on underhangs, drop-offs and reef slopes in strong currents. The name combmes from the Latin for tube (tubus) and the Greek for star (sastron). At night the coral skeleton (corallum) is hidden by a ring of bright yellow tentacles, as shown in the photo above. During the day the tentacles are retracted into deep circular calices. The skeletal tubes measure 5-15 mm across and protrude by 10 mm or more from the coral surface. Cup coral is also known as sun coral.More on cup coral…
Table Coral, Acropora
Acropora corals are distinctive - no other corals resemble their complex branching structure, which provides ideal habitat for many coral reef organisms. Acropora species appear to be among the fastest growing corals, with upward growth between 10 and 20 cm per year. Acropora is usually branched, except when young, but the size and shape of the branches vay according to the species. More on table coral…
Crinoids: Featherstars
Feather Star, Lamprometra species
Feather stars, or crinoids, are so called because their arms look just like feathers. By day they keep curled up but on night-dives you see these pretty animals in their warm colours, with their feathery arms extended. When food is plentiful, with strong currents carrying large amounts of plankton, feather stars will form large groups. They appear to have no particular predators. Look closely and you will often see another animal - such as a shrimp, crab or fish - living with the feather star. More on Featherstars…
Molluscs: Flatworms, Nudibranchs, Cephalopods
Polyclad Flatworm, Pseudoceros sp
Flatworms look very similar to nudibranchs: they are beautifully coloured, the same shape and may move similarly by muscular propulsion. However, they have thinner bodies than nudibranchs and also move by beating hair-like cilia on their undersides - rippling through the water. More on flatworm….
Yellow Lip Shield Slug, Chelidonura flavolobata
Just few centimeters long, this is a kind of nudibranch which looks dark red in natural light or dark blue if you shine a torch on it. It has two yellow head lobes which look just like sticky-out eyes. Only found in the Red Sea. Common names include Red Sea Chelidonura and Yellow Lip Shield Slug. Part of the Aglajiidae familiy.
Cuttlefish, Sepia species
The cuttlefish has almost incredible powers of mimicry. It can control the colour, patterning and texture of its skin to perfectly match its surroundings. And not just from aboveL the camouflage works from whichever angle it is observed. From birth, cuttlefish can display at least 13 type of body pattern, made up from over 30 different components. More on Cuttlefish page….
The octopus is solitary. Mating can be risky for the male: he is smaller than the female and risks being attacked. The female watches his body postures and skin pattern. Once accepted the male stretches out a modified arm towards the female - shown in our photo. The arm has grooves along which sperm passes to the female's mantle cavity. See our Octopus page for more details.
Crustaceans: Crabs
Hermit crab, Dardanus species
Hermit crabs scuttle about the sea-floor using someone else's shell for a home. They always use empty shells and never kill the original occupant. Some of the Dardanas species of Hermit crab stick sea anemones on their shells. This camoflauges the crab and the stinging cells of the anemone may protect the crab from predators such as octopus.See our Hermit crab page for more details. More on Hermit Crabs
Reptiles: Turtles
Green Turtle, Chelonia mydas
Green turtles can live to 23 years old. The age to maturity appears to be the longest for any sea turtle. Green turtles don't look green - they got the name from their body fat. A large turtle, individuals can grow to 120 cm. As they age they move to a vegetarian diet, eating sea grass and algae. More on Green Turtles….
Dugong, Dugong dugon
Also known as a sea cow, Dugong's feed in the seagrass beds of the Indo-Pacific. They are the only herbivorous, truly marine mammal. More on Dugongs….
By Jill Studholme,
Further Reading
- Coral Reef Guide Red Sea
- by Ewald Lieske and Robert Myers, Collins, 384 Pages, Paperback (2012)
Coral Reef Guide Red Sea covers all common species of underwater life of the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, you are likely to see while diving or snorkelling. Each species is illustrated with a full-colour photograph and the text gives details of range and characteristic behaviour. A map of good dive sites appears on the inside front cover. Includes jellyfish, corals, nudibranchs, starfish, sea urchins, fishes and turtles. An excellent sea life guide which I always take to the Red Sea
Scuba Updates
This page is regularly updated. Our newsletter, SCUBA News (ISSN 1476-8011), will let you know when. To receive your copy fill in your details below. We will not pass your e-mail address to any third parties, or send you unsolicited e-mail.

subset: commoncrawl


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The Lawrence Revolt: parts 1, 2, 3
Wilson Shannon named the offenses against law and order that prompted his calling out of the militia against Lawrence. This would please few people in Lawrence, who generally thought that they had done nothing wrong and didn't recognize his authority to begin with. But not believing Wilson Shannon a lawful governor or Samuel Jones a lawful sheriff did not cause them to vanish in a puff of logic. They and the Kansas militia remained real, complete with their guns.
But maybe Shannon would stake out a conciliatory position? He could make assurances to Lawrence that he would ensure the militia respect their persons and property, rather than do something like sack the town. The governor knew very well that people in Lawrence would read his proclamation, so it would do to have something in there for them.
After declaring Lawrence's sins
I, Wilson Shannon, Governor of Said Territory, have issued this, my proclamation, calling on all well-disposed citizens of this Territory to rally to the support of the laws of the country, and requiring and commanding all officers, civil and military, and all other citizens of this Territory, who shall be found within the vicinity of these outrages, to be aiding and assisting by all means in their power in quelling this armed organization, and assisting the said sheriff and his deputies in recapturing the above-named prisoner, and aiding and assisting him in the execution of all legal processes in his hands.
So much for conciliation, or even consideration. Everybody in Kansas needed to descend upon Lawrence and suppress the paramilitary arm of the free state movement. Considering the large overlap between it and the movement in general, this amounted to calling for the arrest of the lot of them. That may sound like a somewhat ungenerous read, but Shannon told the militia leadership that he expected to have warrants against the Kansas Legion's ringleaders. Furthermore, he went on to remove all ambiguity:
And I do further command that the District Attorney for the district in which these outrages took place, and all other persons concerned in the administration and execution of the laws, cause the above offenders, and all such as aided or assisted them, to be immediately arrested and proceeded with according to law.
Antislavery Kansans broke the law, or near enough, just by existing and certainly by organizing. George Brown dared people to come for him. It would take no particular stretch to count the leadership in Lawrence as aiding and assisting in the resistance to Sheriff Jones. Once in custody, their offenses against the Kansas slave code would surely come into play. Even if Shannon didn't aim to press charges on those grounds, Jones and other more radical proslavery men would surely push for it. They could decapitate their opposition at a stroke.
Word of the proclamation reached Lawrence that day, the twenty-ninth of November, and the Committee of Safety made an answer to it.
That the allegations contained in the proclamation aforesaid are false in whole and in part; that no such state of facts exists in this community; that if such representations were ever made to Governor Shannon, the person or persons who made them have grossly deceived him; and no association of lawless men armed with deadly weapons has ever been formed in this community for the purpose of 'resisting the laws of the country, trampling upon the authority of its officers, destroying the property of peaceable citizens, or molesting any person in this Territory, or elsewhere, in the enjoyment of their rights.
Charles Robinson's committee flat-out lied, so far as anyone but a free state partisan could see. But from their perspective, they told only the truth. Nobody proposed to reject the laws of the country. The laws of the territory could jolly well go to Hell, but that quarrel involved Shawnee Mission rather than Washington. Their critics could answer, with the facts firmly on their side, that the laws of the country established Kansas' government and its authority over them and gave force to the laws passed in pursuance thereof. Washington created the territory and its government and they remained its creatures.


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By: Lindsay Barret MS, CCC-SLP
Turn-taking is one of the most common foundational skills we teach our children. Similarly to saying "please and thank you," turn-taking is a cardinal rule of childhood. We encourage children of all ages to take turns during play and share their toys or favorite snacks.
But, have you ever thought about turn-taking outside the context of playing games? Speech-language pathologists are trained to view communicative exchanges as turn-taking games. We learn that language, both verbal and non-verbal, is essentially a turn-taking game. Information is sent and received in a cyclical fashion, where partners take turns engaging in a communicative exchange. This idea is widespread in therapy. Speech-language pathologists address a variety of turn-taking skills that occur during an interaction. This ranges from greeting others, maintaining the topic of conversation/ circles of communication, asking and answering questions, commenting, retelling narratives, and following directions.
We also target appropriate play skills that involve turn taking, such as engaging in cooperative play and maintaining the play schema. Fundamental skills such as joint attention and theory of mind are required to take turns during communication. Turn-taking comes in a variety of forms and is a basic part of our day to day interactions. Information is constantly being exchanged between communication partners, making this skill a crucial element of children's social, emotional, and academic development.
Are you surprised to hear that turn-taking is so much more than simply waiting for your turn during family game night? Continue reading to learn simple ways to encourage turn-taking in young children.
Model turn-taking in play
- Use characters in play to demonstrate appropriate turn-taking and be sure to narrate that each character is taking turns.
Comment on turn-taking in the real world
- As you see other children or adults taking turns during play or conversation, comment on it to bring awareness of this skill to your child.
Exaggerate negative emotions when turn taking does not occur
- Kids love when adults are silly and exaggerate their emotions. Pretending to feel sad or angry for example is a fun and effective way to demonstrate the importance of turn taking. It also shows children that two or more people are involved in a communication exchange and that eventually, the child needs to modify his/ her behavior based on their communication partner(s). For example, if a child is speaking to another child and the listener looks confused, the speaker needs to modify their message based on their partner's reaction. The exchange of the initial message, confused look, and modified message are turns being taken in the game of communication.
Use a prop or timer
- Use a prop such as a "talking stick/ doll" or a timer to demonstrate turn taking from tactile, visual, and auditory modalities. When it is your turn in a game or your turn to participate in the conversation, hand the child the item to represent that it is their turn. Passing the item back and forth helps make an abstract concept more concrete and easier to understand. Use the timer to help your child understand the pattern of turn-taking and increase their awareness of when it is their turn versus their partners' turns.
Do you have other creative ways to encourage turn taking or want to know more about developmental norms for the skills mentioned above? Leave us a comment below or give us a call!


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Welcome to Monday Quiz About Me - hosted by Acting Balanced and Touristic - this post is up early because we're out celebrating Wayne's birthday today!
Here are FOUR QUESTIONS that everyone can answer and then you have the option to add a fifth question of your own for those who are visiting your blog to answer in the comment section, along with commenting on the four standard questions you answered! Grab the badge for your post if you like:
Here are the Questions:
1. What is the most expensive car repair you ever paid for?
The most expensive car repair was an engine rebuild on our minivan. I would have been better off using the money for a down payment on a new car.
2. Who is the big bad wolf in your world?
Now that I am retired there is no big bad wolf.
3. At what age is the best to have a first child?
The first child can come any time. The second one takes nine months.
4. When was the last time you said something nice to someone?
Today! I was complimenting my son and his family for a lovely dinner. The girls were beautiful and entertaining.
My 5th question this week is ..
When was the last time you went to the theatre and what did you see?


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602- Runs for the Hobart Hurricanes batsman D'Arcy Short in this year's edition - the most by a batsman in a BBL season. He beat his own record of 572 runs made last season. His opening partner, Matthew Wade, finished just below Short, with 590 runs. Both Short and Wade hit six fifties each in the 14 matches of the group stage and hit 20 and 21 sixes respectively.
7.81 Run rate in this season's BBL, the second-lowest of eight seasons so far. The only edition that had a lower scoring rate was 2012-13, when it was 7.66. The run rate in the middle-overs this season has been 7.43, which is the lowest in all seasons.
0- Number of 200-plus totals in this season. The highest total was 196 for 3 by the Hurricanes in their chase against the Sydney Thunder. The only BBL edition without a single 200-plus total before this was in 2012-13. Incidentally, the Big Bash League 2018-19 is the only T20 tournament so far which has had 50-plus matches without any 200-plus total, out of 39 such tournaments across the world.
810- Runs accumulated by the Hurricanes' opening pair, Short and Wade, in 14 innings so far. This is already the second-best by any pair in any T20 series or tournament (minimum 13 innings). The only pair with a higher aggregate is Virat Kohli and AB de Villiers who had added 939 runs in 13 innings in the Indian Premier League 2016. The previous best by a pair in the BBL was 410 runs by Joe Burns and Luke Pomersbach in eight innings in the 2012-13 edition. Short and Wade average 56.86 as a pair in T20s, the third-best among all opening pairs with a minimum of 10 innings.
40.07- Average runs per wicket for the Hurricanes this season - the best for a team in a BBL season by a distance. The previous best in a BBL season was 32.67 by the Melbourne Renegades in 2017-18. The Hurricanes' average is second only to Royal Challengers Bangalore's 41.98 in IPL 2016 among teams playing 10-plus games in a tournament. Hurricanes were never all out in any of the 14 games of the league stage, and the most wickets they lost in any match were seven.
8 Position at which the Perth Scorchers finished, easily their poorest BBL season. They have been the most successful side in the tournament's history, qualifying for the semi-finals in each of the first seven editions, playing the final five times, and winning the title on three occasions.
45.43- Difference in batting and bowling averages of Marcus Stoinis - the third-best for any player who has scored 250-plus runs and taken 10-plus wickets in a T20 tournament. Stoinis, who plays for the Melbourne Stars, has made 476 runs at 59.50 and taken 14 wickets at 14.07 in 11 matches so far. On five successive occasions this season, Stoinis scored 30 or more and took two or more wickets in the same match. His batting average of 59.50 is also the best among all batsmen in a single BBL season (minimum 10 innings). Short, too, has a difference of 26.92 in his batting and bowling averages this season, having picked up 10 wickets at 27.80 alongside his batting exploits (average of 54.72).
24 Wickets for Kane Richardson this season, already the most by a bowler in a BBL season. He has those scalps in 12 games at an average of 14.91, including five three-wicket hauls. He has picked 14 of those wickets in five matches at the Docklands Stadium in Melbourne, at an average of just 9.07.
3.12- Mujeeb Ur Rahman's Smart Economy Rate* this season - the best among all bowlers who delivered 10-plus overs. Chris Green, Jason Behrendorff, Usman Shinwari and Harry Gurney complete the top-5 list. Among batsmen, Josh Philippe had the best Smart Strike Rate, of 198.82, given a minimum of 100 balls faced. Ben Cutting, George Bailey, Glenn Maxwell and Tom Curran are the others in the top-5.


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Fanboys Unite
In his well-written piece, Curtis, while correctly (and honestly) calling fansites an "essential journalistic resource", says:
"Ever since Grantland Rice immortalized Notre Dame's Four Horsemen in deadline metaphor, college football writers have had a penchant for swooning. But outside of a few great local papers, they never combined the cheerleading with an intensive study of a particular team."This revisits a theme from the infamous Clausen series by Carroll and Weineke, during which sites like NDN and writers like Mike Frank were derided as "fanboys" by the reasoned minds at SportsJournalists.com (to which I refuse to link; seek it out at your own emotional risk). The school of thought is fanboy writers for sites like Irish Eyes and NDNation are incapable of providing quality journalism because they cannot get past their bias and can only serve as electronic mouthpieces for the schools they represent.
"What has emerged is something beyond even what you'd find in the most boosterish local columnist: a new Internet species — half dogged reporter, half deliriously over-the-top fan."
"For readers, Rivals and its counterparts mean a different trade-off: more news but with less pretense of objectivity."
This is the point where I (and because I'm on the Internet, I can) call bullshit.
I credit Curtis for using the word "pretense" with regard to objectivity, but we're beyond pretenses here. All writers are biased one way or the other, especially in college athletics, so decrying one group as being more culpable in this area than others is the height of hypocrisy.
Bias is part and parcel of writing, because it's the truly unusual automaton scribe who can set aside all opinion and emotion when reporting a story. This is even more true with topics like college athletics, for which the presence (and sometimes manipulation) of emotion is a key element. While I'm sure all writers like to parade themselves as a truly objective voice, the fact of the matter is they've all got their agendas, and some are just better at hiding it than others.
There's plenty of ND bias out there, for example, and it swings both ways. People like Beano Cook, Dick Vitale, Kirk Herbstreit, John Walters, Jason Kelly, Malcolm Moran and T.J. Simers are pro-ND, whether they'd admit it publicly or not. On the other side of the aisle, you have guys like John Saunders, Bob Ryan, Craig James, Jason Whitlock, Michael Wilbon, David Haugh, and Jay Mariotti, who probably aren't all that shy about admitting their feelings.
For all of them, pro or con, their bias seeps into their writing / commentating / voting / whatever. Sometimes such seepage is subtle, like emphasizing the first-half struggles of the ND defense in a 38-14 Irish win. Sometimes it's quite obvious, like proclaiming multiple Heisman trophies for a quarterback who hasn't yet taken a snap in college. But regardless, it's there and (as far as I can tell) accepted.
So what is it about the writings of the Mike Franks and Tim Pristers and Lou Somogyis and Todd Burlages of the world that makes them somehow below standard as journalists? How are the "fanboys" any more or less biased than any other sportswriter?
Answer: They're not. In fact, I put it to you, gracious reader, that the fanboy perspectives are infinitely more valuable than "neutral" contributions. To wit:
Their alleged "bias" is right out front where you can get a good look at it. They're not pretending to be something they're not, and as a result, don't have to engage in journalistic acrobatics to get their points across. It's a refreshing (and unpretentious) honesty.
Their information and perspective is usually of better quality than you'd find elsewhere. These are guys who know the program and people in it. If they're telling you something, you know it came from those who know and those who know are being as straight with them as possible. It's funny what kind of relationships you can grow when you're not looking for the "hot story" that will vault you to national prominence and an ESPN gig.
(Then again, that would be a biased agenda, so I'm sure the "traditional media" wouldn't engage in that.)
They're held accountable by their readership. It's really easy for a Jay Mariotti or a Rick Telander to selectively respond to criticism of their writing. They can pick and choose the Letters to the Editor that get published, and usually get the chance to put their own spin on it. The Internet guys, however, are under the gun 24/7. If their readers don't like what they write, they (and everyone else) will hear about it on the message boards. They're also more likely to lose a subscription over a minor issue, as the team coverage is 100 percent of the reason the readers are there.
And most importantly, I strongly believe it's easier to overcome a positive bias and write something critical when it's warranted than it is to overcome a negative bias and write something positive when it's warranted. I don't know if it's harder to admit error when you originally came out against something or just a case of cranky pundits short on their prune juice, but that's been the rule of thumb from my vantage point.
Need evidence? Take a look at the AP ballots for this week. Craig James, king of the subtle seepage, has Notre Dame ranked 14th, behind Rutgers. Jason Whitlock also has ND 14th, ranked behind two-loss teams like Oklahoma and LSU, neither of whom have defeated anyone of note yet. On the other hand, Michael Pointer has ND 11th (but still behind Cal), and Kirk Herbstreit has the Irish 10th. The anti-ND contingent goes over the top in its criticism, while the pro-ND group isn't about to canonize Weis' crew but still manages to keep an even keel.
I enjoyed Curtis' article, but I'm tired of hearing about "cheerleading" writers for college-specific sites from hypocritical newspaper and television folks who use those sites for most of their leads. The fanboys are no more cheerleaders (or detractors) than those traditional media writers are. They're just more honest about it.


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Northwest 17th St, Civic Center (Allapattah)
Great for
- No ratings yet
Not great for
- No ratings yet
Who lives here?
- Singles
- Families with kids
Got a burning question? Why not ask the locals! Simply ask your question below
Northwest 17th St
"A very ethic area"
the 17th street area is not the best of areas to live, But it is close to the court house and the main hospital in Miami Jackson memorial. It is surround be warehouses and on weekend you can find local fruit markets. The crime rate is a bit high in the area but not something that is out of control. The local tr-rail runs right thought the area making it easy to travel in and out of the area 24 hours a day.
Recommended for
- Singles
- Families with kids


text:
Eleanor Swift loves being the owner of A Slice of Delight, even if the little pizzeria is barely making a profit. Her sister Maddy works with her, her two part-time waiters feel like family, and a steady supply of regulars let her know that her pizza hits the spot. But the commercial district in Timber Ridge is quite small, and when an outsider, Judson Sizemore, decides to open a Food Network-worthy pizzeria a few doors down, Eleanor fears for her business. When someone kills Sizemore just before his restaurant opens, Eleanor should be relieved, but because of a few ill-chosen words that she directed at Sizemore shortly before his death Eleanor instead worries that she is the prime suspect.
As was the case in the earlier books in this series, Eleanor doesn't wait for the sheriff to solve the case. Eleanor and Maddy start their own investigation, drawing on the contacts and skills of their friends, from Paul the baker, to the shady Art Young, to Bob Lemmon, a lawyer who is infatuated with Maddy, to Karen, a regular customer with a variety of useful skills. Their investigation leads them to a wealthy recluse who may or may not have some very greedy relatives. They also uncover a tangle of romantic connections, past and present, reminding the sisters that Timber Ridge really is a very small town! This reader was happy to see that David Quinton, one of Eleanor's former beaus, is back on the scene–will the next book in the series have one of the sisters sporting an engagement ring?
Check this title's availability in the UNC-Chapel Hill Library catalog.


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Canadian actor Michael Cera made his first major impact on American comedy audiences with his role as teenager George Michael Bluth on the cult TV comedy Arrested Development. Since then, he has gone on to memorable roles in such films as Year One, Superbad and Juno, each time bringing his unique brand of comedy to his performance. In his latest film, Youth in Revolt, he takes on two characters, aspiring novelist and nice guy Nick Twisp, and man of action Francois Dilinger.
Along with talking about the experience of playing a dual role at the film's press day, Michael Cera also previewed what it was like for him to play an action hero in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World and updated the status of the Arrested Development feature film. Check out what he had to say after the jump:
Question: After all these years and all these movies, do you feel like you've established a Michael Cera brand of comedy?
Michael: No. I don't feel like that. I've just had scripts that I really like come my way that I was lucky to be attached to.
But, there is something you do that's not what everyone else does.
Michael: I guess. It's really hard for me to think about it like that. I have no perspective on that, whatsoever.
Had you read this book before you got involved with the film?
Michael: Yeah. I got the book first and really loved it.
Were you a big fan of the books?
Michael: There are several books. There's one that's called Youth in Revolt that has three books in it, and that's what this movie encompasses. I read that a couple of times and really loved it.
Had you been trying to get them made into a film yourself?
Michael: No. It was sent to me with the script when I was 16, and I just really loved it and was trying to be a part of it for a long time. It was one of those movies that kept getting pushed back and I was worried that, by the time it was being made, I would not be able to play the part. But, I just always asked about it and always wanted to be a part of it.
It's such a big book to cut down for a film. Were there things that you filmed that got cut, and were there favorite scenes of yours from the book that didn't get shot?
Michael: Some. There's a scene that's a great scene in the book, and we did it word for word, and it didn't make it in just for time, but I think it will be on the DVD. It's a scene where Francois and Trent (Jonathan Bradford Wright) have a phone call, and we took it word for word from the book. It's a really great scene. There were a lot of characters that couldn't make it into the movie. It would have been great to include them all, but it would have been a nine-hour movie. Some day, it should be a mini-series. They should redo it and use everything from the book.
Does that make someone like Francois Dillinger particularly attractive, since he isn't what people have seen you do?
Michael: Yeah. I was really excited to get to play that part and I had a lot of fun doing it. It was really fun to get to do that with Miguel Arteta, and figure it out.
What made the Francois character so fun?
Michael: It was just fun to get to wear contacts, put a mustache on, transform how I looked, just say really gross things and smoke. I had a lot of fun things to do with actors that I really admire, too. It was fun to have a scene with Ray Liotta, where I had a challenging moment with him. There were just a lot of really fun scenes and things to do and say.
Where do you stand on Fellini and Sinatra? Are you a fan like your character?
Michael: I like both of them a lot. That really came from the book, so I didn't have any influence on that, but I could relate to it. I really like a lot of older movies.
Did you model Francois after anyone specific?
Michael: Not anyone specific. We tried to capture how he felt in the book, as much as we could. I was inspired by Malcolm McDowell and James Cagney a little bit, but mostly we just tried to make it feel like how it did in the book and feel it out on set as we went.
Did you see this as playing two different characters, or were you basically playing Francois as a character that would be envisioned by Nick?
Michael: I don't know. They're totally different, so I think I just thought of it as a different character.
Your co-star, Portia Doubleday, said that you were remarkably comfortable in a dress and flip-flops. Was that disconcerting, or was that a revelation for you?
Michael: I was just relieved to have something on. I was doing a scene with just boxers on before that, so it was just nice to not have people see me as much. That's why it was so comfortable.
What went through your mind when you put on that dress?
Michael: I don't think I was thinking about the dress. I was trying to remember what to say.
When you were 16, were you anything like your character?
Michael: When I was 16, I was working on Arrested Development. My memories of being 16 were just trying to keep up with school while doing the show and trying to be around all those people on the show, as much as I could. Those were some of the funniest people I've ever been around, so I was just really enamored by all of them.
Did you feel like an adult, since you were working with so many adults?
Michael: Kind of. I don't know. I felt like a kid. But, I felt lucky to be able to be around them. It was a really unique circumstance that I was able to be a part of.
You suggested a lot of actors for this movie. What was it about Jean Smart that you thought made her right for the role?
Michael: I just pictured her when I was reading the book. She was in my head when I was reading the book, and I think Miguel loved her too, so she was pretty perfect for it.
Are you sick of these so-called teenaged movies that just aren't real? Do you specifically look for projects where the dialogue makes you feel like it's something you would really say?
Michael: Yeah. I'm just trying to find something that feels like good writing. I really loved the writing of this book. There's a lot of things that aren't as good, so the good ones stand out.
In real life, how is your game with the ladies?
Michael: I don't know how to judge it.
How do you meet someone? What do you do on a date, when you're super-famous and you can't really go out anywhere?
Michael: I have no idea. I'm still trying to figure it out.
Is it a natural transition from hopeless romantic to action hero in Scott Pilgrim vs. The World?
Michael: It doesn't feel like a transition. It just feels like a different thing. But, we had a lot of training on that movie, and had a lot of time to get to hang out with each other and prepare for it, so it felt like a pretty smooth transition.
What did you have to do, as a performer, to adjust to what Edgar Wright needed from you?
Michael: There's not much of an adjustment. You just jump in and do it. There were sometimes things where you'd have a shot that was just for one line, so it wasn't like you'd run a whole scene. That was different. But, for the most part, you'd just have to let go and go with it.
Did you get to learn any other cool fighting styles, aside from the sword fighting?
Michael: Yeah. There's an amazing fight between Mae Whitman and Mary Elizabeth Winstead where they're using these weapons, and it's really amazingly done. And, there are some other things, like battles with music in it and the sword fighting. There's all sorts of different things.
That could be a franchise, couldn't it?
Michael: I don't know about that. That's hard to say because the movie encompasses the whole graphic novel series.
Isn't he still writing more?
Michael: He's writing the last one. There's going to be six, and the sixth one is going to come out sometime next year.
They didn't sign you for more films, just in case?
Michael: I don't think so, no.
What was it like to get back to doing something smaller, like Paper Heart? Where did that come in, chronologically?
Michael: I just shot my stuff in that movie for a week or two, in L.A. I think it was right before Youth in Revolt. But, it was just a quick thing. It felt like a really small shoot. It was a really small crew, and was just a small, intimate movie with friends. It felt almost like a student film, but with a bigger budget.
Do you have any plans to do anything more like that, or was that more of a one-time thing?
Michael: I don't have any plans right now, but if something came up, it would be fun to do.
Is it a perk for you, to travel to other locations for filming? Do you look forward to that?
Michael: Oh, yeah. That's a really nice part of getting to be an actor. It's really nice to see places that I wouldn't normally go, and get to stay there for free. Normally, you get to know the city in a really good way. I had never really spent too much time in downtown Toronto. I grew up outside of the city, and I feel like I really got to know it, working on the movie. It's really nice to be able to do that.
What's an average day like for you, when you're not working?
Michael: It depends on what's going on and who's around. Every day is really different. I'll read a bit or watch movies or try to see friends.
How did you rebel, when you were a teenager?
Michael: I didn't, too much. I was working, since I was nine years old.
What does love mean to you?
Michael: Pure grain alcohol. I don't know. I really don't know. Would anyone have a good answer to that?
What's the latest you've heard from (show creator/writer/director) Mitch Hurwitz on his Arrested Development movie script?
Michael: I think he's going to start working on it soon. I don't think there's a set date for him to start working on it because it's something that he should take his time on.
How does it feel to know that he waited for you to be involved before he would go ahead with it?
Michael: That's not how he explained it to me. I think he's been waiting for awhile to go ahead with it. He and Jim Vallely have been coming up with ideas. And, I think they're working on something else right now, with Will Arnett, so they're finished that up and they're going to start it sometime next year.
Are you looking forward to seeing your character, George Michael, all grown up?
Michael: Yeah. I'm really interested to see what they write.
Do you have anything that you're hoping to make, at some point?
Michael: No, not right now. No, I don't. Youth in Revolt was that, for me, for a long time. I was really just hoping that it was actually going to get made, and not just go away.


text:
The final E-Intentionality seminar of 2016 will be led by Simon Bowes this Thursday, December 15th at 13:00 in Freeman G22.
Russell Russell: A Metaphysics emerges from the undergrowth.
I will be examining recent arguments reviving Russellian monism, so-called neo-Russellian physicalism. I will be asking whether it is viable both as a kind of physicalism and as a way of accounting for experiential properties in a material world.


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As a formerly blocked writer, my real breakthrough came only when I realized that I was addicted to my own mentally-constipated state.
Prone to a rather problematic strain of perfectionism that became pathological during graduate school–think Adrienne Monk crossed with a Soviet-era ladies' swim coach–I used to pride myself on my ability to spend an entire evening polishing and honing the contours of an opening paragraph.
Even one-page essays–the kind I used to be able to shit out in my undergraduate sleep or dictate over the phone for my brother (who refused to read any novel beyond The Indian in The Cupboard)–became massive, week-long celebrations of their tortured opening sentences. "Nabokov's persistent reference to the affective effect on the reader . . . " That one once took me four days to create.
As time wore on, I became mired in an increasingly adamantine and esoteric wordscape. I took longer and longer to write even the most basic of papers. I lost touch with what I was actually trying to do–namely, write something that other people could read–and, instead, became fixated on creating a perfect, luminous document.
Within a matter of months, I retreated into a wordsmithing rapture and became problematically addicted to my own writing process and the vexed mental masturbation that accompanied it. I would spend days writing in my journal about how much I loved the Uni-Ball Roller Elite Series of gel-filled pens and my Bomber Jacket leather portfolio from The Levenger Catalogue, but I began to fail at actually producing a piece of usable text in "the real world."
The first time it happened, I was able to beg off and get an extension. After all, my mom had just had a heart attack and my father had just been diagnosed with stage-four colon cancer. You'd have to be a heartless bastard not to excuse that double-whammy!
The second time it happened, I was scheduled to lead a three-hour graduate seminar based on a ten-page paper and a set of pre-circulated readings. At 2 a.m. the night before, I had exactly one page.
Eventually, I got to the point where I could produce no pages at all. I would just sit, paralyzed in a vast expanse of nothingness, listening to my own interior monologue: "How could you write this piece of crap you super-fucking idiot! Try that last sentence again. You can do a lot better than that."
"OK," my wise reader rightly asserts, "I get that you were blocked. But was it really an addiction? I mean, people get addicted to coke–not stuff that makes them feel like shit! Nobody gets addicted to writer's block; it just happens!"
Mais, au contraire, mon fraire. Just as that embarrassing crush I once had on Shaun Cassidy demonstrates, addictions to negative things are always possible and, given the right cirumstances, can become culturally endemic.
Why do I know this? I know this because I am certain that if I polled 95% of the population right now, chances are they would not say, "I'm doing great! Fabulous. Never better. I'm 42, working 60 hours a week, and loving my life!"
No, most of us, I think, would admit to feeling like a version of shit–even if we couch it in politer language. And if we were really honest, we would admit that we are driving cars we don't like, working at jobs we loathe, and buying the $14.95 chocolate fountain we don't need at 3 a.m. the day after Thanksgiving on the small remainder left on the VISA card.
No, I think if we were really feeling good about ourselves, we might manage to do something more interesting with our lives–like solve the hunger crisis, build a vertical farm, or take the time to walk the dog without talking on the cell phone the whole time.
But instead, I think that most of us–myself fully included in this diatribe–are far more inclined to tap into our inner Angelina Jolie and, you know, cut ourselves just for the fuck of it. But, the problem with this cultural self-cutting, this negative addiction to feeling like shit, is that, over time, it creates a numbing situation where we unconsciously start to seek out shit-amplifying scenarios in a perverse attempt to feel more and more alive.
So, even though American Express already has our nuts in a vise with its rapidly escalating interest rate on the Blue Card, we begin to experiment with even higher levels of debt. Even though we know our coworker likes to explode about any trivial breakdown of the copier, we fail to alert the admin staff when the toner runs out and wait to see what happens. And, even though we know we shouldn't flirt with our under-aged creative writing student and violate the "moral turpitude" clause in our teaching contract, we do it anyway just for the thrills, chills, and excitement.
In my view, we, as a human culture, have become a quieter version of Tyler Durden–the glycerin-manufacturing terrorist of Fight Club. We are mostly rubber-neckers who get our rocks off by setting train wrecks in motion and then watching everything blow up.
And for those of us who are writers, this trainwrecking often takes a very socially acceptable form and quite personal form called "writer's block."
For some, it starts out slowly and morphs into nothing more than inability to write except on deadline. For others, it gets over-engineered into a massive literary constipation that threatens to tank graduate careers, eliminate jobs, produce personal humiliation, and sever our connection to the one and only thing we truly love to do: write.
Looking back at my life, it is easy to see the unconscious need that created my own trainwreck of a blockage: I was bored to tears with everything. I was bored with my marriage. I was bored with my cats. I was bored with my muffin-top mid-section. And I was certainly bored with my graduate program that had totally failed to live up to my impossibly idealistic notions of what an Ivy League education ought to be: a kind of great mind sex where great ideas got discussed by great thinkers who drank copious amounts of espresso in wood-paneled rooms with paisley chairs.
It never once occurred to me that English graduate school was a rigorous and competitive job training program with a lot of other smart people who were willing to work way harder than I was at a field where no one, outside of its 2000 specialist-insiders, can understand it. And, rather than acting like an adult and modifying my massively stupid expectations that didn't match reality, what did I decide to do to rectify the situation? I decided to create a little train wreck of writer's block and watch what happened.
And when that minor blockage wasn't enough of a fix for me, I upped the dose and became totally, massively, and awesomely blocked. And the intensely-negative, emotional rewards were rich: fear, anxiety, depression, panic, anger, disgust, guilt, and every other dark emotion you can dream up. They kept me dosed-up for years.
It was a gothic delight, and it was far easier than eliminating the cause of my boredom and dealing with the consequences of my addiction–a long path to recovery which has required getting a divorce, finding a new career, and reinventing myself as a lover while my ovaries approach the end of their shelf-life. But it's been worth it.
However, lest I create panic in any of my loyal readers who see a shred of themselves in my story and fear that they, too, will need to do a massive life-overhaul–something like leaving their breadwinners to go forth into the STD-ridden world of Match.com–in order to cure their blockage, I want to assure them that there are plenty of less-drastic steps they can take to begin working with their negative addiction and regain some sense of release with respect to their writing.
Step #1: Notice when you feel bored but keep writing. This is not as easy as it might appear and is frequently undermined by trips to the refrigerator, object fetishization, errant surfing on the Internet, or begging your partner for sex.
Step #2: Realize when you are trying to set up a train wreck but don't do it. Often, the easiest way to do this is to begin noticing other peoples' train-wreck-inducing behavior–which is frequently appalling and much easier to detect than your own. Once you have become adept at spotting train-wrecks-at-large, turn your phenomenological gaze back home and notice when you are tempted to "spice" or "juice" things up. This often comes in the form of working too hard, starting new and useless projects, advising your children or friends about the ever-efficient ways in which they could be organizing their lives, or purchasing yet-another black cashmere sweater. At this point, become a total Reaganite and "Just say no!"
Step #3: Commit to stopping a runaway train in its tracks. While it's easiest and best to stymie train wrecks before they begin, much of your rehabilitation will necessitate working with the train wrecks you already have in progress. These can be a bitch to stop, but it's important to do so as they have the potential to derail both your life and the lives of those around you. Therefore, it's important to commit yourself to detecting the potential for train wreck as early as possible and doing the unthinkable: throwing yourself in front of the train, refusing to budge, and accepting the fact that you may end up with major tracks on your backside. If you find yourself on a runaway express, deploy template statements such as these: "I really do hate to do this, but I am not able to make 500 tea sandwiches by Saturday" or "You know how much I love your mother and have supported her Children's Project in the past, but my bipolar sister probably would not make a great addition to its board of directors."
Step #4: Tap into a support group. After you have begun noticing your own train-wreck-making ability and ferret out the invasiveness of its fractal-like growth throughout most of your adult life, you might be tempted to spiral off the deep end. Because these revelations can be overwhelming, I encourage you to create a support group of other writers who are willing to do their own train-wrecking observations and provide support to you throughout this process. This often requires food, wine, and a group gathering at a writer's home. (Make sure you DO NOT include any literary critics who have been tenured as they have, in effect, committed themselves to the biggest train wreck of all: a job in the Humanities.)
Step #5: Learn to live within a culture of train wrecking and keep writing. As you become sensitive to the train-wrecking way of life, you'll soon see that the entire history of English literature–and, indeed, every other literature on the planet–is filled with nothing more train-wreck-inducing behavior. Humbert Humbert, Emma, Romeo & Juliet, the Wife of Bath–they are all train-wreckers par excellence! And we love them for it! As far back as you can go, all you'll ever be able to see again are Adults Behaving Badly and Then Acting Surprised at the Consequences! As you will have surmised by this point, train wrecks are everywhere and, therefore, not really escapable. In fact, train wrecks are all around us and, therefore, need to be leveraged if they are to be survived. The best way to do this is to understand that train wrecks can be a great gift–often in the form of fresh, new material for your latest novel–provided you are not the one handcuffed behind the wheel and begging for Keanu Reeves to come to your rescue.


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text: LCJ's 2019 SAG Awards PredictionsJanuary 25, 2019 By Jackson Murphy1/27 UPDATE: Emily Blunt ("A Quiet Place") becomes one of just a few people to be a SAG individual film acting winner and not receive an Oscar nomination. Her win is easily a highlight of the night. Mahershala Ali ("Green Book") solidifies his chances for a 2nd Supporting Actor Oscar in just 3 years. Rami […]CONTINUE


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Ati Mobility Radeon 9200 Driver Version: 2jGM8pR
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Penn State Athletics: Barbour Still Waiting For Gift That Will Jumpstart Facilities Project
PHILADELPHIA — If anything was an indicator of Penn State's increasing urgency to raise funds -both for current and future projects- it was a subtle change to the requirements for attending a Coaches Caravan stop on the three-day whirlwind tour.
Attendees must either be dues paying members of the alumni association or Nittany Lion Club. The average fan just trying to meet James Franklin would have to find a different way to do so. Events that once welcomed anyone with a Penn State shirt and a pulse have slowly focused on a much more important demographic.
People who are giving Penn State money already: the ones likely to do it again.
And Penn State athletic director Sandy Barbour needs those people if she is going to pay for the first phase of her 20 year facilities master plan. An opening salvo of projects over five years calling for a minimum of $120 million in order to build and/or upgrade a handful of assets on campus. Most recently, Texas A&M's upgrades to Kyle Field came in under budget at $485 million.
Those initial five years don't even begin to touch increasingly hypothetical upgrades to Beaver Stadium. While no official number has been tagged to the figurehead of Penn State athletics, comparable estimates would put Beaver Stadium renovations in the ballpark of half a billion dollars.
The point, there's a lot of money to be collected before any of these projects begin to take significant steps forward.
For Barbour the good news, giving is up across all of athletics. Penn State reported $30.7 million in contributions during the 2017 fiscal year, just over six million more than in 2013. For football in particular it's not hard to see the impact of an improving program. In 2013 fans poured in $2.2 million in gifts, in 2017 a whopping $9.3 million just a few years later.
"The best thing, that we can do to stimulate fundraising and support for our athletic program is have our fabulous student athletes that we have, and have them be incredible representatives of our alumni, our fan base and have success in the classroom, in the community and on the field and I think they're doing that." Barbour said in Philadelphia on Wednesday.
Of course in reality that giving only helps so much. Penn State reported just $5.3 million net profit during the 2017 fiscal year, $138 million in costs (an increasing figure in its own right) doing little to help make the most of Penn State's revenue stream that sits just shy of $145 million in 2017.
The ultimate goal, for a transformational gift, has eluded Barbour so far. In truth Penn State football's contributions are just a splash in what appears to be an impossibly large ocean of required funding. No general public fundraiser announced as of May 2018, just over a year since the plan's announcement.
So Barbour, and Franklin, continue to shake hands.
"You're trying to create excitement," Barbour added. "We are meeting with individuals and families and they're all in different stages of the process."
How long will it take? That's anyone's guess. Barbour will have her hands full with handshakes and obstacles in the coming year, in particular as her contract is up for renewal. While there's no indication she won't be signing a new deal, her biggest contribution to the university so far as it pertains to future-thinking ideas has largely been a massive project that at least in the public forum, appears to lack any sort of great enthusiasm.
While there's something to be said for her green-lighting of football upgrades and an otherwise stable tenure at the helm of the department, she can only take limited credit for the coaches already in place at her arrival, who have had the most success under her watch.
Where a relationship might be forged between a fan base and an athletic director for the hiring of key coaches that grow successful programs, Barbour has yet to make, or need to make, a hire in any of the major sports on campus. A positive for Penn State, but something of a minor handicap for Barbour and her journey to endear herself to fans and alumni.
In essence, she is continuing to sell herself to wealthy alum as much as her ideas.
"We've had a lot of change in athletics, relationships take time to solidify and I think that while we're moving slower than any of us wanted to, I don't know that we're moving slower than is realistic." Barbour said.
Whatever speed it's all moving, Barbour only needs a few big gifts to get it all off the paper and into the real world. When and if she gets them, remains to be seen.
Ben Jones covers Penn State football and basketball for StateCollege.com. He's on Twitter as @Ben_Jones88.
More articles by Ben Jones →


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November is always a great time of year for stargazing. Cool nights and crisp clear air provide spectacular views on cloudless nights. As always, stargazing is best away from cities and populated areas, and is a great nighttime activity in camp!
- November 5, 6 – Taurids Meteor Shower. The Taurids is a long-running minor meteor shower producing only about 5-10 meteors per hour. It is unusual in that it consists of two separate streams. The first is produced by dust grains left behind by Asteroid 2004 TG10. The second stream is produced by debris left behind by Comet 2P Encke. The shower runs annually from September 7 to December 10. It peaks this year on the the night of November 5. The second quarter moon will block out all but the brightest meteors this year. If you are patient, you may still be able to catch a few good ones. Best viewing will be just after midnight from a dark location far away from city lights. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Taurus, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
- November 11 – New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 17:47 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
- November 17, 18 – Leonids Meteor Shower. The Leonids is an average shower, producing an up to 15 meteors per hour at its peak. This shower is unique in that it has a cyclonic peak about every 33 years where hundreds of meteors per hour can be seen. That last of these occurred in 2001. The Leonids is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tempel-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1865. The shower runs annually from November 6-30. It peaks this year on the night of the 17th and morning of the 18th. The first quarter moon will set shortly after midnight leaving fairly dark skies for what could be a good show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Leo, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
- November 25 – Full Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be will be fully illuminated. This phase occurs at 22:44 UTC. This full moon was known by early Native American tribes as the Full Beaver Moon because this was the time of year to set the beaver traps before the swamps and rivers froze. It has also been known as the Frosty Moon and the Hunter's Moon.


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2 stars
A friend of mine did a speech on this book for english and it sounded really good so my sister bought it for me for Christmas this year, however I was extremely disappointed.
I think this book would have been more enjoyable for someone who has read Jane Eyre or Martin Chuzzlewit as they might have understood some subtle references and jokes that I didn't. Otherwise I thought there was a lot in the book that didn't need to be and it took too long to get to where she enters the book and when she did it was not as action packed and long enough to redeem the earlier boringness of the plot. I didn't really have a favourite character in this book, there was no-one that I was really invested in or I thought brought any extra value to the novel. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy literature and/or nonsense worlds where not much is explained and you have to work lots out for yourself.
Thursday Next works for LiteraTec, the police division that works on literature crimes. When her uncle creates a portal that can bring people into books, he and the portal are stolen by Archeron Hades and he holds Martin Chuzzlewit to ransom after stealing the original manuscript. Thursday's uncle burns the manuscript so Hades gets Jane Eyre instead. Thurday then follows him into the book and tells the other LiteraTecs not to open the portal again until they read the words "sweet madness" somewhere in the book. She eventually kills Hades and "rewrites" the ending so Jane will come back to Rochester who says sweet madness so Thursday can return and marry the man she loves.


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Incursion – Taylor Neeran Chronicles #2
Twenty-year-old Taylor Neeran is settling in to her new life on the forest planet called Aeden, but all is not well in paradise. She has sent messages off to the stars to let the crew know she is alive, and hopes that one day her mother and the crew will return. She has transmitted details about the Illiya and the exotic wonders of the planet to the crew of the Zanzibar and the University, but others have intercepted her messages.
A ship arrives bearing comforts of home, and a terrible secret. When the visitors' true purpose is revealed, Taylor finds herself fighting to defend her new home alongside unexpected allies.
Trapped on an alien planet ten thousand light years from Earth, Taylor will soon bear witness to the fate of Aeden as the planet is engulfed in a war they have no hope of winning…
Incursion is available in Paperback (ISBN 978-0995103429 – 5″x8″, 532 pages) and as an eBook through the universal book link below.


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Newtown Shocker: Borst upsets Rosenthal in first selectman race
"This election tells us the people were not happy with the way things were going in town," said Borst, who was celebrating the upset Tuesday night as streams of supporters came to congratulate him at Republican headquarters. "Unfortunately, Herb didn't listen to the people."
Rosenthal said he thought he had a good chance to win a sixth term in office, but he respects the decision of the voters. Supporters who watched the unofficial numbers come in at Democratic headquarters were stunned when it became apparent Rosenthal was losing the election.
"I'm honored to have served as first selectman for 10 years," Rosenthal said. "This is a great town. I always respect the decision of the voters. If they decided that it's time for someone else, then I respect their decision."
Rosenthal said one of the things he could have done better was to respond earlier to criticism in recent months on a variety of issues that were "unfairly represented," including the development of Fairfield Hills.
"I think I was still making the right decisions, but I should have done a better job communicating my position," he said. "I wish Mr. Borst well."
Borst said while Rosenthal is a good man who did a good job in office for his first eight years, he became complacent during his last term.
"He was confident in his position and felt like he didn't have to listen to the constituents," he said. "Yes, I won the election, but Herb lost the election. The people are saying that they want some changes."
Borst said his first priority in office will be to complete a comprehensive review of the Fairfield Hills project.
"I want a detailed review of the Fairfield Hills situation and see if we can make some changes," he said. "I was on the Fairfield Hills study committee and had pushed for the creation of an authority, hoping it would take the politics out of the project, but that didn't happen."
Resident Susan McDermott said she voted for Borst because she didn't like the progress being made at Fairfield Hills.
"In the last months we've seen some progress, but for the past four and a half years there was nothing happening," she said. "Sometimes it's just nice to get some new people in office and some new ideas."
Gary Davis, a co-founder of the Independent Party of Newtown, won his bid for a seat on the Legislative Council along with Po Murray. He said the Independent Party's support of Borst may have made a difference for the Republican candidate.
"We campaigned on a message that people wanted change," Davis said. "Most people I talked to believed that we needed a new direction in town government. They want a government that's more transparent and more responsive to them as citizens."
According to unofficial results, including absentee ballots, Borst received a total of 2,855 votes and Rosenthal received 2,771 votes.
"I always accept the decision of the voters, and this time the voters decided to go in a different direction," Rosenthal said Tuesday shortly after arriving at Republican headquarters to congratulate his opponent.
Davis said the Independent Party likely received enough votes to guarantee a line on the ballot in the 2009 election.
"In the coming weeks we will be meeting to officially organize the party and we will be inviting members of the public to participate," he said.
Contact Dirk Perrefort at email@example.com
or at (203) 731-3358.