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Hello Hunnies
Over 4 years and a 100 articles ago I wrote "I'm not being critical but... (Re-use) Part 1" and amongst the 20 or so people that care about such things it caused a bit of a stir. I think it might be worth revisiting this and talking about something Greg Payne brought up in CSLUG the other month.
Here's a link to his article on the topic
If you've not read the aforementioned article I strongly recommend reading it and also all the comments too. But to summarise I expressed the opinion that the current and LabVIEW model for reuse sucked and explained that you can have source-code control where project code is in the repo, but if the dependencies (user lib, instr lib and even unprotected vi lib files) weren't also under source-code control a high-percentage of your code could be modified without control.
Various techniques for handling this issue were discussed and at SSDC we settled on making all of our projects atomic (various articles and presentations describe this). This sorted out the control but made re-use a little cumbersome, so I would mark it as about 8/10. Here's some pros and cons
The presentation that filled me with enthusiasm at CSLUG was given by Greg Payne and he talked about was Git Submodules (SVN External Items may also work). So for now let's talk just about a repo and external links to other repos.
A project will have links to a version of a toolkit, dependency or library (including a hash number for traceability). The VIs will from all the linked repos will be checked out as you would normally checkout a project, but there will be notifications if a toolkit can be updated. You could also push back requests and updates for a toolkit.
A nice user interface for this would be a palette of toolkit repos that you can include into your project and this needn't be much different than the palette view currently available. Additional info would be version data I reckon. Some search, bug reporting and registration interfaces would also be useful.
And that would be perfect.
So we now have the challenge, this is all very possible IMO.
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Way to send us down memory lane! Has it already been 4 years of this discussion? Time flies!
The thing I like that VIPM provides that managing subrepositories or externals doesn't provide is the idea of "released code". Sure, you can set a process for your team to tag a new released version of your code in SVN or you could set a rule that you only use code from the released branch of your subrepository in Git or Hg.
The problem comes when dealing with different dependencies from different teams in the same company.
I don't want to impose how they develop within their own teams, it is easier to say we will all use VIPM for released code or we will all use PPLs for released code. The path you use to get there is all yours!
I stayed away from PPLs because they were version dependent and that would mean having to compile them for each version of LabVIEW used by the consumers of the PPL. Starting with 2017 they will no longer be version dependent, so I might start using them more. However, they do have another disadvantage. We are back to PPLs not being easy to move. The teams I work with who decide to use PPLs have to come up with a standard deploying location and stick with it. For example C:\<company name>\PPLs\<year>
I can hear you cringe all the way from the UK to Austin. We are back to having to rely on a central location outside of the project tree! Building PPLs into VIPM packages is not an easy feat either, I believe VIPM 2017 has made some improvements but I have not tried that yet.
So, I still like vipc file because they list all the versions of my dependencies and I can click on each package and get a list of released notes. Reading back on the comments from your first post reminded me that I still have on mt to-do list to create a tool that applies the vipc file before opening the project. Also, some developers still have a hard time remembering to apply a vipc file before opening a project or updating the packages in the vipc file when they make changes on their computer. It would be nice for something to complaint when the project is saved if the versions on its associated vipc file do not match the current versions installed.
I am looking forward to what other comments you get on this post. I know I learned a lot from the post and comments on part I.
I flung the bait out in the hope of hooking some feedback, I'd like the discussion to move on to what we would like to see in the IDE for this type of functionality. I'm quite enthused about what Greg proposed.
I'm being a bit hard-nosed about the current ways we manage these issues, because I see them as work-arounds to a problem and I don't like constraints. Hopefully we can thrash out some concepts at CSLUG next month too.
Meantime look up Git Submodules. I need to work on scenarios but this might be the key. It would be nice then to convert the git interface to something more LabVIEW-esque or even VIPM-esque.
Suffering from too many idea and too little time.
I like Git Submodules, I have used them both for Hg and Git. The issue I have with them is that I would have to impose onto other teams to use the same development process our team uses. The only manifest file would be the list of submodules (which is really all the top level repository is), but there is not an easy view, at least not that I know of, to see which version I am using for all the submodules. I have to go to a tool like Atlassian SourceTree or TortoiseHg to look at the submodule and then go to its revision history to see the release notes of the latest version.
Also, we would have to convince the rest of the LabVIEW community to use this approach too. This way you could, for example, have DQMH be one of your sub repositories and you would get updates when we release a new version.
I think sub repositories are great for source code control that you have complete control over. We still need to figure out how to deal with dependencies that come from third parties.
I think the NI Package Manager is going on the right direction but it needs to include all the features VIPM has (like creating palettes) and it needs a way to ensure that when a project is opened LabVIEW takes care of installing all the dependencies. Also, if the developer decides to change the version of one of the dependencies on its computer, LabVIEW should inform the developer that this changes the manifest for this project and prompt the developer to update the dependencies manifest. This way when the developer commits/pushes their changes to their repository, the rest of the team when they pull will be advised by LabVIEW that they need to install the new version.
The cherry on top would be for NI Package Manager to allow for installing the packages either in a central location like we do now (vi.lib, instr.lib, c:\PPLs\, etc) or offer the option to install the packages in a directory that is relative to our repository.
Now, my first reaction was "I would not put this directory relative to our repository in a sub-repository because if I do so, now I no longer can use any updates to the packages done via Package Manager". Now that I think about it, I could install in the sub repository, this way when I install an update of the package to the same repository, Source Code Control will clearly show what changed from one version to the next and I have control of what I put on the commit notes "I updated from version 3.1 to 4.0 because it had the ability to implement TDD". The other developers could still go to the package release notes to learn more about what the original developer reported AND go to their own revision history to see why a developer chose to update to that new version.
Please let us know what the CSLUG brains come up with next time you guys meet.
Fab - "Also, we would have to convince the rest of the LabVIEW community to use this approach too. This way you could, for example, have DQMH be one of your sub repositories and you would get updates when we release a new version. "
That's what I want!
I want to park the toolkit into my project
I want to be told if there's updates
I want updates to be optional
I want complete coverage of all the code/dependencies in the project.
When I build a new project I want to be able to bring the latest version of the tool-kits
I want to know what changes have been made
I want traceability, so when I checkout my project it brings the correct versions into my project.
I want to be able to push back feedback and even update tool-kits.
I want to do this from the LabVIEW IDE.
I want it to be industry standard and not dependent on 3rd party support.
I want I want I want - I'm like a toddler
I'll be critical :).
I think LabVIEW gets reuse and dependency management badly wrong. Or at least it imposes conditions on it (mostly via vi.lib and how the palettes work) that make doing it right much harder.
Lately I've been working in Java, which necessitates using Maven. Although I kind of knew about Maven before, I didn't really grasp it until now. This post on /r/labview gives a pretty reasonable description of how it works.
I'm struggling to find a concise way to say it, but basically it seems to me like Maven/Java (and I assume others) operate on a model that assumes lots of external dependencies on a per project basis. LabVIEW on the other hand assumes that dependencies are installed internally (i.e. under <labview>, in vi.lib/user.lib/etc.).
In essence, LabVIEW makes the dependencies more about "What does LabVIEW know about?" whereas the more important question should be "What does this project need to know about?"
I should note, also, that there are some pretty wonderful IDEs out there. IntelliJ, for instance, has an incredibly powerful autocomplete engine that knows what libraries you have installed, their APIs, and even the context you're typing in. So if you're in a place where you probably need a function call, it shows functions. If you need an annotation, it shows annotations, etc. In a lot of ways it's better than QuickDrop. And it works for all the external reuse libraries, as well as the core Java API (which itself is not really different from external libraries as far as the IDE/compiler is concerned).
It's just a better designed approach, and implemented much more elegantly.
Hey Justin, always a pleasure when you drop by!
"I'm struggling to find a concise way to say it, but basically it seems to me like Maven/Java (and I assume others) operate on a model that assumes lots of external dependencies on a per project basis. LabVIEW on the other hand assumes that dependencies are installed internally (i.e. under <labview>, in vi.lib/user.lib/etc.).
In essence, LabVIEW makes the dependencies more about "What does LabVIEW know about?" whereas the more important question should be "What does this project need to know about?"
I like the way you put this, it gives a different and clearer view of the point I'm trying to put across.
The other aspect about this that I have come to think is important is that dependency handling is a foundational aspect of an IDE. Re-use will be significantly more robust on a strong and clear foundation.
On a side note I think there should be some sort of forum rule about comments get more Kudos than the article!
Well put Justin. That is exactly the issue in LabVIEW. My biggest disappointment with NIPM was I thought it would start to move us towards the model of project dependency installation, not LabVIEW dependency installation.
You can see this is true by the "smell" that everyone wants to use VMs for LabVIEW - because it gets around these dependency issues.
To Fabs point about tooling though she is right - for something to be successful we need publishers as well as users to embrace it. Inside an organisation that isn't such a problem but as a wider community it is. The ideal would be a tool that can wrap a multi-purpose or existing system.
I think for git submodules to work we would have to define some conventions for the repo. I believe Node Package Manager does this already by insisting on a json file that points to the relevant files and tags for versioning (and it's own dependencies). Then you can point directly at a git repo
Hey James (and Fab)
I've been thinking about the "for something to be successful everyone needs to buy-in argument" and I'm going to go out on a limb....I don't care about other peoples buy-in.
Kevin Costner said "if you build it they will come" and I think this is applicable here, if the interface is intuitive and the tool is useful, it will be used.
I would find immediate use for the module proposed above, but not if it involves tinkering around with git clients etc etc. From the project would be OK, from the palette would be lovely. I'm going to propose we try and rough out a UI for it within the IDE, part of this is a list of approved repositories. I'm going to set this as a topic for CSLUG in May.
It will be a diverting exercise if nothing else.
"You can see this is true by the "smell" that everyone wants to use VMs for LabVIEW - because it gets around these dependency issues."
I agree, but fixing the dependency issues doesn't get rid of the need for VMs. You
still, have to contend with the fact that different versions of LabVIEW don't play well together.
As to getting buy-in: I think if it solves the problem and is intuitive people will quickly come around. No one really likes the current solution, but everyone does it because there is currently no viable alternative.
@Taggart: That is true, at least it would be one layer less of VMs though!
@SWatts: I think in the short term you are right. You can't expect to get everyone on board immediately and a good tool will probably be adopted. In the long run (depending on the overhead) I would prefer one good tool than two seperate ones which leads to two places to check everything etc.
@James_McN: Having multiples tools is definitely a problem, especially if you are often inheriting other people's code. You never know what you are going to get (cue Forrest Gump quote about a box of chocolates).
I am used to Visual Studio that has project files with dependency information including package versions that give notices of updates.
It is up to me to decide if I want to use the update or not.
It seems like people are asking for that type of system with LabVIEW.
My biggest pet peeve with LabVIEW is that even in projects I never know where it is going to go for a dependency. So I have gotten tot the point of renaming folders on and off just to safe guard against version conflicts.
My system works for me, but not for shared code.
Code reuse is a great idea. But I jump through hoops to make sure I work on duplicate copies and not originals. And insert those into projects. It is not elegant and it is nothing like toolboxes. But it protects against developers unintentionally changing shared code ( which I have seen). Maybe I am not using LabVIEW tools correctly.
Hi Richard,
I think you're describing pretty much what we all do in some fashion or other. It's very similar to what SSDC does and for pretty much the same reasons.
The first part of the article back in 2014 started off in my head as a why do we not use LabVIEW as we're supposed to. VIPM is an extremely elegant way to automate our way round the problem, but it's not actually a cure. What I want is the IDE to give us this functionality.
In CurrentGen we can modify the IDE and add functionality, I now think it's possible to have what I want. The next question is whether it's worth the effort!
So the second point of writing this is to get us thinking about an interface we would like to see, we can then put in a well thought out request for NXG.
Thanks for your input.
This has been an interesting thread to read. @swatts - Thanks for starting this! (Thanks for sharing this, Fabiola!)
Reading through this, my mind immediately started categorizing the dependencies. Does this categorization sound sane to you all? Did I miss anything?
1. Extensions to the IDE: E.g., SCC plugins for LabVIEW or Resharper for Visual Studio. These seem like something that as a developer I would want to have one version for across the editor, right?
2. Code dependencies that are needed to compile/ run my code: This one seems more complicated. There are some dependencies that are needed only for development vs some that are needed for deployment as well. E.g. test frameworks are only needed in development but not for final shipping code.
@swatts - If you don't mind sharing, I would love to see what you guys come up with at the CSLUG!
Hi Sumedha,
Thanks for taking the time and welcome to my blog.
"1. Extensions to the IDE: E.g., SCC plugins for LabVIEW or Resharper for Visual Studio. These seem like something that as a developer I would want to have one version for across the editor, right?"
For my part I'm not that interested in the mechanism (svn,git,mercurial), I'm more interested in the functionality. So if it's incorporated in the IDE and uses/builds upon interfaces I'm familiar with then I'm a happy boy.
Must Haves that I can think of at the mo'
Notification - I want emails and UI notification of changes and logs of those changes
Tracebility is key here - want to be able to import updates into my project
Feedback - if I want the dev to make changes I want to push back to them
Management of changes to checked out sub-repos - what happens if I make local changes to a sub-repo'd toolkit - notification/warning
"2. Code dependencies that are needed to compile/ run my code: This one seems more complicated. There are some dependencies that are needed only for development vs some that are needed for deployment as well. E.g. test frameworks are only needed in development but not for final shipping code.
From a code perspective, because all our projects are atomic and self contained the code dependency part is handled. The sub-repo will install the code locally to the project and this could be saved to the project repo (or the hash code of the sub-repo to save space/reduce replication), this replaces the worry about dependencies with one about disk space (essentially free).
Drivers - our current method is to keep external drivers and INSTR lib stuff in our project repo (manually move them!). With NI Drivers as they are currently designed this is not feasible. It is desirable tho'. I want to install my repo on a vanilla machine with as little dependency installation as possible. Every dependency is a little bit of control taken away from the developer. Maybe betters links, package tracebility in the form of a dependency management list (with some sort of hash code) would be the way to go.
This is definitely per project management - If it's per project it cuts out the need for per IDE I would imagine.
I'll probably be filming, but not streaming CSLUG this time (as James is doing NIWeek practice) - I anticipate it will be a freeform ideas dump on this subject. If technology allows I will definitely stick the vid up on youtube.
WARNING : these are my ideas and not fully formed, the other contributors to the blog have ideas that are usually better formed and presented. My hope is through the conversations we can thrash out something useful.
I think your categories are exactly right. Add-ons to the IDE I would expect one install (though per-project configuration might be needed depending on the add-on).
The libraries I would say are exactly as you have described - the same mechanism as nuget in C# (I've only slightly used) or npm in Javascript.
Drivers are a unique challenge for us over other environments (well Javascript has no need for them anyway). The ideal case is that these would be managed per project but of course there are technical limitations that only one version can be installed. I think at least I would want the project to track the dependent drivers so either a) a new system can install them or b) it can warn you if they have been changed on the existing system.
(As @swatts suggests actually what you mean by a driver varies! instrument drivers are really just code libraries so they can be treated the same. Drivers that require an external dependencies installed to the OS are the problem).
npm in Javascript
I didn't do a lot of work in Javascript, but especially for my most recent project - a webinterface and update mechanism for an embedded device (Raspberry Pi) - it worked like a charm. Made setting up the device itself and updating the application that runs on it very easy and straight-forward.
at least I would want the project to track the dependent drivers
Same here. I could even live with virtual machines for those projects that actually depend on "external drivers" (we don't have a lot of those), if the IDE only had a way to inform about differences or changes.
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Re-reading this I didn't answer the question very well!
Right! - agree with James here
Thanks all for the clarifications and details. @swatts, hoping to get to see the video:)
You can find the discussion here
While I highly recommend the other presentations, you'll find our discussion on this subject at the 2 hour mark. I found it very interesting.
Great. Thank you!
Good stuff Steve,
For some time now I have been thinking of going about the same problem but from within the project explorer itself under the dependencies item. Somthing along the lines of adding repository information as part of the dependencies. The dependencies would then filter project code into the user defined dependency folder. This is sort of mirroring what the vi.lib folder already does but with the addition of allowing us to manage dependencies a bit better. Perhaps someone has already solved this approach and perhaps it could even be done under the project provider framework...
A little like this way maybe,,
Hey Craig how are you?
Take a look at part 3, we're very much on the same trajectory I think!
Good thanks Steve,
I did read Part 3 but managed to reply to part 2... Tab overload!
Dependency management really needs a bit of an overhaul. Lots of room for wiz bang solutions.
Might be able to catch up at the next CSLUG, hope all is well
Recently MGI released the G Package Manager (gpackage.io) which handles project dependencies, and installing the right version of a toolkit for the project. I haven't played around with it yet, but it seems like it would address some of the concerns here.
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Cheryl Lea Gillmore
Cheryl Lea Gillmore, 58, died peacefully in her sleep July 13, 2016 in her home in Green River. She was born the third of three children on Sept. 12, 1957 in Denver to Robert Olen Fling and Geraldine Ray (Fling) Nelson. She lived most of her life in Colorado and had just recently moved from Phippsburg, Colo. to Green River to live with her aunt and uncle.
She met the love of her life, Andy Frank Gillmore, and they were married on Dec. 29, 1993 in Steamboat Springs, Colo. Her husband died in a one-vehicle rollover Sept. 23, 2013.
She and her husband, were always together with their family of cats and they enjoyed being with their many friends, riding snowmobiles, skiing, gambling, bowling, camping and listening to music. Prior to moving to Wyoming, she worked as a maid service supervisor at the Ptarmigan Inn in Steamboat Springs, Colo. Upon moving to Wyoming, Cheryl enjoyed talking daily with her sister, visiting with friends, playing computer games, being on Facebook and shopping. She was a member of the Sweetwater Eagles Auxiliary No. 2350 and volunteered to serve breakfast and dinners at fund raisers for charity.
She completed a course with the American Traffic Safety Service Association in April 2016 to become a registered flagger. At the time of her death she worked in maid service at the Oak Tree Inn.
Cheryl was preceded in death by her husband Andy; her father Robert Olen Fling; her mother Geraldine Ray "Sis" Nelson; her brother Robert Olen Fling Jr.; maternal grandparents Raymon A. and Bertha M. Carden; and paternal grandparents George O. and Emma Fling.
She is survived by her son Brian Lee Dale (Jessica); daughter Valerie Lea Kauffman (Richard); sister Cynthia Kay Molk; grandchildren Dustin James Kauffman, Cody Steven Kauffman, Hunter James Dale, Kiana Shea Dale, Landen Dale and Kayla Dale; uncles Donald Carden (Jackie) and Ronald Carden (Nancy); aunts Dorothy Stone and Charlotte Copeland (Jerry); nephews Jeremy Jay Quintana and Robert Olen Fling III; special niece, Forest Nicole Gillmore and mother-in-law Angie Gillmore.
Cremation and memorial services will be held at a later date in Colorado.

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Highlights From Sotomayor's Confirmation Hearing
Highlights From Sotomayor's Confirmation Hearing
Judge Sonia Sotomayor is expected to wrap up her confirmation hearing testimony Thursday. We'll hear audio excerpts of highlights from the day's discussions, and talk with Dahlia Lithwick, senior editor of Slate.com, about Sotomayor's performance and why she argues that senators on both sides dropped the ball.
NEAL CONAN, host:
As the Senate Judiciary Committee wraps up hearings for Judge Sonia Sotomayor, the ranking Republican on the panel said today that he looks forward to a confirmation vote on the Senate floor before the August recess. And that makes it all but certain that Sonia Sotomayor will be approved as the next associate justice of the United States Supreme Court.
Today, senators took 20 minutes each to ask Judge Sotomayor follow-up questions. This afternoon, witnesses for and against are testifying. We're going to listen to some excerpts from questions and answers and get analysis from Dahlia Litwick of Slate.com. What did you learn from these hearings? What conditions have been established for the next nominee? 800-989-8255, email us: firstname.lastname@example.com.
Dahlia Litwick is a senior editor at Slate and a contributing editor for Newsweek, and joins us from a studio on the campus of the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. Dahlia Litwick, nice to have you back on the program.
Ms. DAHLIA LITWICK (Senior Editor, Slate.com; Contributing Editor, Newsweek): Thank you for having me, Neal.
CONAN: And we'll talk about the testimony today, specifically there were more some more probing attacks, some efforts from Republicans to press on some issues. But this day seemed mostly valedictory, no?
Ms. LITWICK: Yeah. I think a lot of what we saw was the second and third verse of the first chorus that we heard in the first round of questioning. I think one of the things that was interesting was it was as though the Republicans were really narrowing the focus, you know, really honing it down to the wise Latina speech, her gun case, the Ricci case. That was about all there was.
And I think that the Democrats to the extent they questioned her today, it was just sort of these very open-ended - tell us about being a role model, tell us why you want this job. So I think there was a sense that one side was boring down, the other side was opening the throttle. And I think that everybody has known almost from day one that this was a forgone conclusion. I think today was just going through the motions one more time.
CONAN: Senator John Cornyn of Texas, a Republican, was the first senator up today. And he asked the nominee a series of questions about affirmative action.
(Soundbite of archived recording)
Senator JOHN CORNYN (Republican, Texas): Do you agree with Chief Justice John Roberts when he says the best way to stop discriminating based on race is to stop discriminating based on race?
Judge SONIA SOTOMAYOR (Court of Appeals, 2nd District): The best way to live in our society is to follow the command of the Constitution, provide equal opportunity for all. And I follow what the Constitution says, that is how the law should be structured and how it should be applied to whatever individual circumstances come before the court.
Sen. CORNYN: With respect, Judge, my question was do you agree with Chief Justice John Roberts' statement or do you disagree?
Judge SOTOMAYOR: The question of agreeing or disagreeing suggests an opinion on what the ruling was in the case he used it in. And I accept the court's ruling in that case. And that was a very recent case. There is no quarrel that I have, no disagreement. I don't accept that in that situation that statement, the court found applied. I just said the issue is a constitutional one, equal opportunity for all under the law.
Sen. CORNYN: I understand that you might not want to comment on what Chief Justice John Roberts wrote in an opinion, even though I don't think he was speaking of a specific case but rather an approach to the law which would treat us all as individuals with equal dignity and equal rights. But let me ask you whether you agree with Martin Luther King when he said he dreamed of a day when his children would be judged not by the color of their skin but by the content of their character. Do you agree with that?
Judge SOTOMAYOR: I think every American agrees with that.
Sen. CORNYN: Amen.
CONAN: And if you ever wondered what tap dancing sounded like on the radio, I think, Dahlia Litwick, you just heard it.
Ms. LITWICK: I think so. Listening to that clip, it's funny. I think she may have hit for the cycle and gotten all the dodges that you usually see. You know, only one or two of these are usually deployed at a time. But it may become before me as a judge dodge. We heard a flick of that. It's precedent of the court dodge, so I have no quarrel with it. But to get them all into one answer is pretty deft. I give her points for that.
CONAN: And there were a lot of similar kinds of answers today. I think it was John Kyl, a Republican of Arizona, at one point says, you're not answering my question. And clearly, she had been carefully prepared not to answer questions.
Ms. LITHWICK: That's right. I mean, I think we need to be very blunt here. Pretty much after Robert Bork, we don't answer questions. No one answers questions. And we are getting better and better at coaching our nominees to look as though they're answering questions when they're not in fact saying anything.
And I will give Sotomayor this. She's very, very good at answering the same question that, you know, she would receive the same question eight, nine, 10 times. She was good at answering each of them differently but still not answering them. So she's been - she's really been well-prepared.
I think that the problem is there's nothing to be gained by answering questions. If you answer a question that one side likes, the other side seizes on it. So this whole thing really - I mean, the word Kabuki has been so over used about confirmation hearings, but really it's the only word to describe the sort of absolutely empty political theater. There are 100 ways to not answer questions, and she deployed all of them.
CONAN: We're wondering - if you listened to the hearings, what did you learn? 800-989-8255, email us firstname.lastname@example.com. Rica(ph) with us. Rica calling from Grand Rapids.
RICA (Caller): Hi. I just learned that our elected officials are just so hypocritical and I think that their opinions, or if they are real opinions, are not representative of the general public. I'm a 30-year-old white female. I have a graduate education in social work and public administration. And I tell you, you know, we were taught to embrace our differences and we're taught that through self-awareness, we'll understand that we see the world through the lenses of our experience.
And how could we look at this wonderful individual who has worked so hard to get where she's at and call her out on making comments that just are so childish. And I, really, I just think it's unfair and not representative of all of us.
CONAN: And since it's the last day of the hearings, I will reference this quote - I hope for the last time. I think she's referring to the quote, "I would hope that a wise Latina woman with the richness of her experiences would more often than not reach a better conclusion than a white male who has not lived that life." And Dahlia Lithwick, was it silly to go back and forth on that all the time?
Ms. LITHWICK: I mean, definitely I think it was silly. She answered it - after she had answered it the first seven times, there wasn't much point in probing further. But I also think it probably ultimately wasn't smart for exactly the reason that Rica flags.
I think that certainly it was not a smart word choice. No one would dispute that it can be read many, many ways. But I think in the context of this is a Latina judge who gets sent out to speak to young minority students, to speak to Hispanic groups, and the topic of the speech is always, how does being a Latina affect your judging?
(Soundbite of laughter)
Ms. LITHWICK: And so, I mean, we've all given speeches to groups that are about identity and trying to tease out what it is about our identity that makes us tick. And so, to - I think in some profound way to penalize her for giving those speeches when those are the speeches she's invited to give. And as Rica points out, it's actually - I think if you read the speech, and I said this on the show the other day…
CONAN: On Monday, yeah.
Ms. LITHWICK: I think if you read the speech, she's clearly saying, these are hard cases. I'm only talking about a slim margin of cases about discrimination. I don't know if my identity affects them, but I struggle to temp down my prejudices. It's such a complicated speech that's been reduced to, I think, a very pernicious sound bite.
CONAN: Rica, thanks very much for the phone call.
RICA: Thank you.
CONAN: The words continue to concern Lindsey Graham, the Republican from South Carolina who is of course himself, well, he's - I know he's a judge, JAG, a Judge Advocate General in the Air Force Reserve so he's a skilled lawyer himself. And we hear some of that in the remarks that he made.
Senator LINDSEY GRAHAM (Republican, South Carolina): Have you ever known a low-income Latina woman who is devoutly pro-life?
Judge SONIA SOTOMAYOR (2nd Circuit Court, U.S. Court of Appeals): Yes.
Sen. GRAHAM: Have you ever known a low-income Latino family who supported the death penalty?
Judge SOTOMAYOR: Yes.
Sen. GRAHAM: So, the point is there are many points of view within groups based on income. You have, I think consistently as an advocate, took a point of view that was left of center. You have, as a judge, been generally in the mainstream. The Ricci case - you missed one of the biggest issues in the country or you took a pass. I don't know what it is. But I am going to say this that as Senator Feinstein said, you have come a long way. You have worked very hard. You have earned the respect of Ken Starr, and I would like to put his statement in the record.
Mr. KENNETH STAR (Dean, Pepperdine University School of Law): No objection.
Sen. GRAHAM: And you have said some things that just bugged the hell out of me. Last question on the wise Latino woman comment: To those who may be bothered by that, what do you say?
Judge SOTOMAYOR: I regret that I have offended some people. I believe that my life demonstrates that that was not my intent to leave the impression that some have taken from my words.
Sen. GRAHAM: You know what, Judge, I agree with you. Good luck.
CONAN: And while extracting one more apology, Lindsey Graham - that sounded close to an endorsement.
Ms. LITHWICK: I think so. I think that that was - the pundit certainly took that to me he's going to vote for her. He's a little bit of a master of hugging you with one hand while clubbing you over the head with the other. So it's always hard to understand exactly where he's going with these things.
But I think that one of the things that that little clip highlights is the big overarching scene. And it really, I think, increased a momentum over the last couple of days, which is Republicans saying, I'm going to seed to you that your record, your 17-year judicial record is exemplary, with the exception of Ricci, the New Haven firefighter's case.
There's just not a lot of case, a lot to fight about. They want to fight about a gun case. They want to fight about some takings cases, some imminent domain cases. For the most part, they grant her that her record is really not worth fighting about. And so the tension that comes up is they keep saying who's the real Sonia Sotomayor - is it your record, which we have no problem with, or is it these wacky, crazy things you say when you take off the robes?
And that started to map out on Monday - we heard that on some of the openings. I think by the end of today, we were really hearing people say - Graham, which was saying, which is, I have absolutely no problem with your record. There is nothing - with the exception of Ricci - which even I concede you may have ducked. But there's nothing in here to suggest that you are an activist with an agenda, but these speeches still trouble me.
So it's been interesting, backing away from her record over the last couple of days. But the more they do that, I think the more they had to focus on that speech. And as I said, I'm not sure at the end of the day going back to that well over and over and over again netted them real gains.
CONAN: Dahlia Lithwick of Slate.com and Newsweek. You're listening to TALK OF THE NATION from NPR News.
And let's go to Larry. Larry with us from Rochester, New York.
LARRY (Caller): Well, you know, observing the confirmation hearing saddens me because we're just afraid to address any real issues and it's safer just to not answer or not address any important issues that might come in to the public fray. That's what I received from the confirmation proceedings.
CONAN: And Dahlia Lithwick, a lot of us who use to think of these opportunities as teachable moments, we would learn so much about the great Constitutional issues of the day and about the character and thoughts of the nominee. But as you say, since Robert Bork went before the committee and his nomination was lost, the stakes have become too high almost for that.
Ms. LITHWICK: That's right. And Larry, it makes me sad too. I wrote my column the other day. My first line was, it's a real sign that this is just political theater when the only people who are really saying what they mean are the abortion protesters, and they're getting dragged screaming from the room. You know, everybody else is talking in code and talking in, you know, very crabbed, cramped ways, and they've been coached, and everyone else in the room is playing a part.
I think, you know, one thing I will say is - and this is just in response to your point, Neal, about the teachable moment - I think this was a huge lost opportunity for both sides, because I think Republicans had an opportunity to say something bigger than the race thing. They had an opportunity to really say something profound about this party that seems to be in disarray that's trying to decide how much of the Rush Limbaugh party it is.
I think Democrats also really lost an opportunity to say to America this is what doesn't work about the Roberts court. This is what progressive jurisprudence is. They didn't do it either. At the end of the day, I think they came out - all of them - not having taught anything other than, as Larry said, this is just kind of a show.
LARRY: What - but what does it say about a candidate, who obviously is very intelligent and very experienced, who's willing to tolerate this kind of hand-holding and sculpting to - complete this process?
Ms. LITHWICK: Well, I think it says that the candidate wants the job. I think that if this is what you…
LARRY: Yeah. That's exactly my point. I mean, it's a sad commentary on where we are.
CONAN: I think Robert Bork - if going back in retrospect - would have answered differently, too, because he wanted the job.
LARRY: Well, so be it.
(Soundbite of laughter)
CONAN: Larry, thanks very much for the call.
Let's see if we can go quickly to Lisa(ph). Lisa with us from Cortland in New York.
LISA (Caller): Yes, I am. All right. You know what, look, this woman is brilliant. While saying nothing, she says everything. Her record speaks for itself. The fact that these people were asking the most ridiculous of questions that I won't (unintelligible) grand offensiveness because everyone else seems to be.
But let's - this woman is brilliant. Her cases stand for her record. It's ridiculous to have to defend herself as a Latina woman in the face of everything she's accomplished in her life. Saying nothing, she said everything. She's smart. She's insightful. She's brilliant. That's who we want on our Supreme Court for life.
CONAN: Well, let's give her another opportunity to speak on this program. And Lisa, thanks very much for the call.
This is - first, we'll hear Democratic Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, who ends up quoting a colleague on the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Senator AMY KLOBUCHAR (Democrat, Minnesota): I just like to ask one last question, and it's the exact question that my friend and colleague Senator Graham asked Chief Justice Roberts at his confirmation hearing. And he asked, what would you like history to say about you when all is said and done?
Judge SOTOMAYOR: I can't live my life to write history story. That will be the job of historians long after I'm gone. Some of them start now, but long after I'm gone. In the end, I hope it will say I'm a fair judge, that I was a caring person, and that I lived my life serving my country.
CONAN: And at the conclusion of Sonia Sotomayor's testimony, Jeff Sessions, the ranking Republican on the Senate Judiciary Committee said he saw - he would not block a vote next week on the committee, and looked forward to a vote on the Senate floor in time to have that before the August recess.
It appears absolutely a done deal that Sonia Sotomayor's vote will go ahead next week, and then perhaps early next month on the Senate floor and that she will be next associate justice of United States Supreme Court.
Dahlia Lithwick, thank you so much for your time today.
Ms. LITHWICK: Thank you very much for inviting me.
CONAN: Dahlia Lithwick, a senior editor for Slate, a contributing editor to Newsweek, with us today from a studio on the University of Virginia campus in Charlottesville.
Copyright © 2009 NPR. All rights reserved. Visit our website terms of use and permissions pages at www.npr.org for further information.
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Evolving is good. It enables us to grow, be challenged, up our game. It's the same personally as it is business-wise. We don't want to be square dancing when the time calls for the Wobble!
From the brilliant orange to the sophisticated black, CAPS International has made huge strides to up its game with the technology and affordability that continue to be the defining characteristics of the company's line of manual, textile screen printers and equipment. And depending on the needs of customers and direction of the industry, the company has jumped in, for example, to feature a heat transfer system, the GO UNO laser printer, RhinoScreen Dry Stencil Film. These mesh to provide customers with an all-around, complete package that appeals to start-up printers, as well as, professional printers searching for the latest technology.
Pricing is competitive! All equipment that is built in the U.S.A., supplies and products are vividly displayed at www.caps-screenprinting.com.
You will talk to a real person who can answer your questions and provide advice when asked for it at 800-330-5515.
And product reviews and information and sales specials can be found at twitter.com/capsintl or facebook.com/capsinternational.
We look forward to working with you.


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The Ontario Association of Radiology Managers was originally established in response to the need for an educational and communication forum for Managers in Imaging Departments throughout the province of Ontario. Today, the OARM consists of imaging leaders such as directors, managers, charge technologists and supervisors from both hospital and clinic settings with a goal to enhance diagnostic imaging and patient care services.
Read more about the OARM
National Managers Meeting - Saturday April 18, 2020
Current Newsletter is now posted for members.
Annual Conference, September 2019
After a successful fall conference we are already starting to plan for next year. Watch this space as details become available.
MidTerm Meeting - May 2, 2018 12 noon to 1pm.
Our midterm webinar was another success. We will do it again next spring. Watch here for details as they become available.
Presentations made at the last meetings are available to members in the Conference Presentation Section of the website. Registration information will be posted here when available.


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There has been a dramatic increase in the amount of student loan debt over the years. This is especially true for medical students, who often face very high tuition for medical school.
Whether you're a current medical student or soon-to-be resident with a bunch of debt, these 3 steps can help you deal with loan payments and improve your well-being over time.
1. Know Your Options.
The first step in managing your student debt is to understand and be familiar with the options that are available to you:
Loan acquisition:
- Federal Direct Loan Programs
The department of Education oversees the largest federal loan program. During medical school, you may have accepted Subsidized, Unsubsidized, PLUS, or Consolidation loans.
The subsidized loans are generally for undergraduate education and charge no interest while you're a student, as long as you are at least half time, or in a deferment or grace period.
If your loans fall under the Unsubsidized loans, you have been accruing interest on these during all periods since acceptance of the funding.
PLUS loans are generally used by graduate and professional students, or may be taken out by parents with a dependent undergraduate student.
On average, federal loans come with a 10 to 25 year repayment period, and if you opt to consolidate, this may be extended to 30
- Perkins Loans
Perkins are low interest rate loans reserved for students demonstrating strong financial need. These are lent out by the educational institution itself.
- Loans for Disadvantaged Students
These loans are provided by the health resources and services administration as low interest loans for those that qualify as defined by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services as:
"one who comes from an environment that is inhibited from obtaining knowledge, [and] or come from a family with an annual income below low income thresholds according to family size."
- Private Loans
Private lenders are also an option. However, you should try to limit private loans in particular since they are not covered under Title IV programs and may not be as flexible in repayment options. In addition, they may be accompanied by a higher interest rate.
Loan repayment:
- Standard repayment Plan
This plan can save you money by reducing interest accrued, since it's based on a 10 year timeline. However, that also means higher monthly payments for you. As borrowers enter repayment, if they do not specify a repayment plan, this is the default repayment that is usually put in place.
- Income-Based Repayment (IBR) / Pay As You Earn (PAYE)
As of Oct 2015, the department of education finalized a new income-driven repayment plan called the Revised Pay As You Earn (REPAYE) plan. This plan will allow for direct loan borrowers to cap monthly student loan payments to 10% of monthly income, as well as provide an interest subsidy. As long as a borrower is compliant with the REPAYE, the debt will be forgiven after 20 years for undergraduate school debt and 25 for graduate.
- Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF)
PSLF allows for loan forgiveness after borrowers have made 120 qualifying payments whilst working for a qualifying employer. Employers that fall under this category are government organizations and tax-exempt non-profits under 501c(3).
- Loan Forgiveness for Service in Areas of National Need:
There continues to be a need for providers in underserved regions. The national health service corps is an option for health providers and professionals to receive up to 50,000 tax free dollars in loan repayment for a two-year commitment.
- Loan Refinancing or Consolidation
As more competitors enter this space, refinancing and/or consolidation is worth considering for those with high loan burdens and high interest rates.
2. Have a Plan.
The second step is to have a plan of attack and set SMART goals in achieving repayment of your loans.
- It is important to track your loans and keep track of your lenders.
- The National Student Debt Data system is a great resource to periodically check your loans.
- Once you have a repayment plan, stick with it and be consistent in taking strides in debt relief.
Financial research and studies have shown evidence that having an actual plan that you understand and can implement is correlated with dealing with debt successfully.
3. Resist Lifestyle Inflation.
Once you're out of medical school and starting your professional career, try to resist lifestyle inflation for 2 to 3 years if possible. If you can instead reallocate that capital to building a health financial program, it can and will make a very positive difference in your long term financial well-being.
The saying that "If you live like a professional as a student, you will live like a student as a professional" rings true, but does not have to always be the case.
At the end of the day, it boils down to taking the time to increase your financial literacy in regards to your loans and executing on a set plan to deal with debt.


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Note: The Body Shop products will be dispatched within a period of 7-9 working days from the date of your order confirmed.
A quick-drying, lasting deodorant for men with a warm, spicy scent.
Key Highlights:
About the Brand: An iconic British beauty brand creating ethical, innovative and naturally-inspired products, The Body Shop brand products are made with utmost love and care. This 100% vegetarian and cruelty-free brand has constantly sought out wonderful natural ingredients from all parts of the globe to bring to its customers products bursting with effectiveness, to enhance natural beauty. Beauty products inspired by nature and ethically made, explore the wide range of cruelty-free make-up, skincare, and hair care products at Nykaa.com.
Explore the entire range of Deodorants/Roll-ons available on Nykaa. Shop more The Body Shop products here.You can browse through the complete world of The Body Shop Deodorants/Roll-ons .
Expiry Date: 15 February 2022
Country of Origin: France
Name of Mfg / Importer / Brand: The Body Shop International PLC
Address of Mfg / Importer / Brand: The Body Shop International PLC Littlehampton, West Sussex BN17 6LS,UK


text: Last month GLAAD provided media assistance to Rev. David Weekley when he came out publicly as a transgender man in a sermon to his United Methodist congregation in Portland, Oregon on August 30. Media coverage of Rev. Weekley's courageous coming out story caught the attention of producers at CBS News "The Early Show" and GLAAD worked with Rev. Weekley and his wife, Deborah to prepare for the interview. We applaud CBS for their coverage, while also acknowledging that parts of the interview misrepented Rev. Weekley's story and contained improper terminology. The interviewer grabbed audience attention by emphasizing Weekley's identity as a long-held "secret," but Rev. Weekley responded that he did not see it as a secret but a personal matter. He explained that he is telling his story as part of his ministry to support better understanding of the transgender community. GLAAD worked with CBS producers to remove the word "admits" from their web-site headline and will continue to work with them to improve the accuracy of their future reporting on transgender issues. Watch CBS News Videos Online GLAAD will also assist Rev. Weekley with future media appearances. He was previously featured on ABC News.com and KATU in Portland, Oregon. We will keep you informed of any new developments.


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It aims to utilise the capital to fund expansion and strengthen technology and capabilities.
Delhi-based Nysaa Retail Pvt. Ltd., which operates a chain of value retail stores under the brand name "1-India Family Mart", has raised around $6.5 million from private equity (PE) fund Carpediem Capital.
The company will utilise the capital to fund expansion and strengthen technology and capabilities.
Nysaa Retail is a value retailer selling apparels and general merchandise in Tier II/III cities and smaller towns. The company began operations in October 2013 and is led by first generation entrepreneurs Jay Prakash Shukla and Ravinder Singh. Jay Prakash Shukla, Founder and CEO of Nysaa Retail, said,
Our focus is to provide the best retail experience to people in our target markets. We are excited that Carpediem team has decided to partner with us in building the next phase of Nysaa's growth. With additional resources and bandwidth, we will now accelerate our expansion into markets which are significantly under penetrated.
The PE fund typically makes an investment in the range of $2-$8 million, and this is the fund's fifth investment from its maiden fund.
Arvind Nair, Chairman, and Hithendra Ramachandran, Managing Director of Carpediem Advisors Pvt. Ltd., will join the board of Nysaa Retail.
"J.P. Shukla and Ravinder Singh have built a solid business, providing top class retail experience at smaller towns, where organised retailing is under penetrated. The customer service model developed is remarkable. As the customers at these towns become savvy, the demand for organised retail will grow rapidly in the coming years. Carpediem is excited to participate and support the management team in building this great consumption story," said Arvind Nair.
Prabhudas Lilladher Capital Markets Pvt. Ltd. acted as the exclusive financial advisor for the transaction.
According to a media report, this deal marks Carpediem Capital's fifth investment from its maiden $30-million fund. Its existing portfolio includes food retailer Biryani Blues, mobile repair and refurbishment startup Yaantra, medical devices distributor ColMed, and food processing firm Adinath Agro.
Want to make your startup journey smooth? YS Education brings a comprehensive Funding Course, where you also get a chance to pitch your business plan to top investors. Click here to know more.
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- Joined
- Apr 3, 2019
- Messages
- 1
- Location
- Oakland, CA
- Model Number
- Brand
- Sears Kenmore
- Age
- 1-5 years
After discovering a leak between my diverter (part W10476222) and sump, I researched and ordered a new gasket with garter spring for my Kenmore 66513293.K116 dishwasher. However, there doesn't appear to be consensus on which way is 'correct' to install it. The one I pulled out had the grooved-side facing up (away from the diverter motor), like this. This is how it's shown in all the 'official' photos of the assembly that I've found. However, other folks on the forums are saying that it was installed upside-down at the factory and instead should be installed with the grooved side facing the diverter like this. I've gone too far down the rabbit hole to know what's 'correct'. Is there a consensus on which way it should be installed? Thanks!


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10 Most Stolen Cars in America
Americans love buying Hondas, and American thieves love stealing them, according to the latest report from the The National Insurance Crime Bureau.
The Honda Accord and Civic were the two most stolen autos in the nation in 2016, based on data from the NICB's annual Hot Wheels report. The two models made by the Japanese carmaker accounted for 42% of the top 10 top thefts in the crime bureau's tally.
The Honda Accord was stolen 50,427 times in 2016, and model year 1997 fell victim 7,527 times. The Honda Civic was grabbed 49,547 times, with the 1998 model taken 7,578 times.
Of the 10 most stolen cars, seven are 2008 or earlier models.
The NICB said that while Honda Accords and Civics dominate the annual list, the stolen cars are older, pre-"smart key" production models. Since the introduction of smart keys and other anti-theft technology, Honda thefts have fallen dramatically. NICB says that is one reason why there were only 493 thefts of the 2016 model version of the Accord last year.
Hondas were the leading choice of car thieves in 20 states. The Chevrolet Pickup was the top vehicle stolen in 14 states and the Ford Pickup was the leading vehicle swiped in 10 states.
Among the top 10 2016 model year vehicles stolen, Toyota Camry was first at 1,113.
The annual Hot Wheels report examines vehicle theft data submitted by law enforcement to the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) and determines the vehicle make, model and model year most reported stolen in 2016.


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1970 Plymouth Roadrunner - Air Scoop Project Car!
- Price: Ask a price!
- Condition: Used
- Item location: Troy, Missouri, United States
- Make: Plymouth
- Model: Road Runner
- Type: Coupe
- Trim: RoadRunner
- Year: 1970
- Mileage: 9,999
- Color: Gray
- Engine size: 383CID
- Number of cylinders: 8
- Fuel: Gasoline
- Transmission: Manual
- Drive type: RWD
- Interior color: Brown
- Vehicle Title: Clear
Plymouth Road Runner 1970 Description
1970 RoadRunnerCoupe with AIR SCOOP
We are offering for sale with a low reserve a 1970 RoadRunner Coupe with Air Scoop!.
Mechanical:It has an non original 1968 383 Motor and4 speed transmission, non running and just sitting in the car. Itrolls free. All other systems seem to be in place. Steering column is not hooked up.
Exterior: Very nice body it has had new rear quarters professionally installed.It has had partial trunk pan installed and comes with a new full pan as well as new inner fenders. Passenger side rocker has some rust as well as drivers side fender. We will include the P Y L M O U T H letters that go on tail section and have both side emblems (side emblems in poor shape) It does not have a trim tag.
Interior:The floor pan is over all solid and it comes with all the patchIt has factory bucket seats (see pictures) No Rear Seat. Dash, radio, air scoop switch all in tact.(see pictures)
This is a awesome car and has good bones and has had a lot of the hard work done.
We have this car listed locally and reserve the right to end auction at anytime. Please ask questions.
It has a currenttitle.
Please ask questions, its hard to cover all aspectsof aproject carscondition.
Also Please take the time to see and "LIKE" our Facebook page. We have several vintage cars and trucks.
Thank you and BID TO BUY - If you have 5 to no "feedback" please contact us prior to submitting an offer. We use EBAY to Sell Cars and Truck not as advertisement.
Please do not bid with no intention to buy - Deposits are non refundable - We are here to sell, Thank youOn Jun-07-16 at 08:30:03 PDT, seller added the following information:
Please see link below with more pictures. Engine, Interior, etc Thank you
Few items we wanted to add. It does come with extra doors that have the handles still attached and tail panel with the Plymouth letter an addition driver side fender,As well it has a Hurst Competition Shifter not in pictures. On the floor pan it has not been replaced but it comes with the panels to do so it has some spots on drivers side mainly. Thank YOU


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For many months, my pro bono work for non-profits has limited the time I've been able to invest in this site. To repair neglected and outdated material, I will be making several changes in November and December. Some rarely used pages will be removed. Pages visited more often will be updated, if needed. Please add a comment to this post, if you have feedback or suggestions.
Site Updates
Leave a Reply.


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CDSCO oversight plan for APIs shipped to EU published by Pharmexcil
The documents – which were made available by Pharmaceutical Export Promotion Council of India (Pharmexcil) and linked to by the Drug Regulations blog – apparently detail how manufacturers can obtain the written confirmations of quality that must accompany active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) shipped to the European Union (EU) from July.
Information covered in the links includes the application and submission process as well as how ingredient manufacturers should prepare for facility inspections.
The procedures for reporting non-compliant APIs and facilities to EU authorities are also set out as is - somewhat worryingly - an example of the 'written confirmation' letter that manufacturers must send with any shipments (in-Pharmatechnologist.com has decided not to include the link to this document).
in-Pharmatechnologist.com asked Pharmexcil and the Central Drugs Standards Control Organisation (CDSCO) to confirm the authenticity of the documents, but neither organisation responded to requests for information.
The CDSCO was first named as the body that will oversee the quality of APIs shipped to Europe last month according to Pharmexcil, although the role has not yet been confirmed by the Indian Government.
Confirmation of the CDSCO's role and or the authenticity of guideline documents published by Pharmexcil would be welcome news for both manufacturers in India and drug companies and regulators in Europe.
The discovery of the documents comes a few days after authorities in China – another major source of the APIs used in Europe – started a survey of its manufacturers citing EU import laws as the motivation.
The initiative, unlike the Indian efforts, was announced officially by the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA) on its website.


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Read This First: Getting the Most Out of Our Blog
WELCOME TO OUR BLOG! This is more than a collection of articles. We have created a power-packed collection of resources and spiritual practices to help you master the art of living as you walk the spiritual path on practical feet! Check out the categories and have fun!


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March 28th, 2014
Our chief editor Raza Rumi has been attacked today. He has luckily survived the attack whereas his driver, a very young guy, could not make it.
This is a very serious incident and it highlights the deteriorating situation in Pakistan with respect to the safety of all those who are challenging the consistent erosion of freedom.
Our chief editor was attacked because he symbolises freedom and courage in a society which is spiraling rapidly into abyss. When they can not argue and win on the basis of rationale despite the fact that they get the space on media also, they resort to violence. And this violence is not bravery but cowardice. And this will continue unless we muster enough courage to put an end to this.
We hope that Government of Punjab takes serious steps to protect the media personnel and also ensure that the culprits in this case are apprehended.
We wish best of luck and health to our chief editor.
PTH Team


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Top 3 scam in Bangkok. Bangkok is the capital of backpacker so sometime you can not avoid the scamer. But don't worry about that if you know the trick before you come to Bangkok. And please believe your sense.
This is being told falsely to visitors by various guides around the palace so they can get your business, its not correct!
You can visit! Its open!
Usually opening Hours: Daily 08:30 – 15:30
cost 500 baht! One ticket includes entry to Vimanmek Palace and Abhisek Dusit Throne Hall.
See more detail the grand palace website
If Tuk Tuk offers you a 20baht to take you tour around Grand Palace and old town, it's a scam so they can posdibly take you to the jewel shoos or tailer shops!
Not reccomeded!
If you travel only around Bangkok, cost will not over 500 Baht. Meter starts from 35 Baht and increases with time & distance at a reasonable rate!
If they say 500 B. or 1000 B. As a fixed price you say "NO" always use a meter!
Just be smart & aware of scams
PS. Whenever you have sense is something wrong, should call back to your hostel and ask them. They always want to help you.
[…] Take care and avoid scams! […]
Copyright 2019 | THE YARD HOSTEL BANGKOK


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Method 8 Sampling Kit
Method 8 Sampling Kit
The Method 8 sampling kit is used with either the XC-522 or XC-572 meter console and an external sample pump for the determination of sulfuric acid mist and sulfur dioxide emissions from stationary sources.
Method 8 – Determination of Sulfuric Acid Mist and Sulfur Dioxide Emissions from Stationary Sources – EPA Literature PDF
U.S. EPA Reference Method 8 was originally developed to test emissions from sulfuric acid plants but has been adapted to sample emissions from many sulfur dioxide sources. Call for details on flexible arrangements. Add "V" to the end of part number for 240V at no extra cost.
Add the following items to an existing Method 5 system to perform Method 8
|Part Number
|Sample frame with probe clamp
|Power box adapter
|2-inch filter assembly, unground glass with 90° inlet and outlet, open-style aluminum clamp


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In-vitro fertilization also-called IVF includes the fertilization of a human egg cell in a lab and implantation of the embryo or the fertilized egg in the uterus or the womb of the woman for pregnancy and birth. Every now and then, an embryo which is a result of an in vitro fertilization will be frozen to be used for later IVF implantation.
In-vitro fertilization is a treatment procedure for women who have the difficulty to get pregnant.The procedure is a great aid for conception and for a normal term of pregnancy.This procedure is also used for preventing the transmission of hereditary illnesses. Fertilization will happen not in the test tube, but in small container which is called a perti dish.
Test tube baby is the more common name for the baby that resulted from an in-vitro fertilization.There are a number of procedures that can be followed to come up with a test tube baby.First, the eggs have to be collected from the woman.But before they are to be collected, the woman has to take special medicines to stimulate her ovulation.When the eggs are now ripe, the surgeon performs an operation to extract them.
The next phase in IVF implantation includes that of fertilizing the egg and its development in the laboratory.After the egg's removal, it is brought to the lab where it's placed in the laboratory, where it is soaked in the special fluid for around 6 hours.The male partner or a sperm donor then supplies the sperm specimen.This should take place at least 4 hours after the eggs have been collected. The sperm must be especially treated by washing and incubation.They are then mixed with the eggs and left for around 18 hours.In following the procedure, the eggs are then observed if fertilization has taken place.They are all given back to culture for the next 24 hours.
Following the fertilization procedure, the grown fertilized egg will be transferred to the woman's uterus.To minimize the risk of many pregnancies, only a few eggs are given to the woman.


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On a recent visit to the Museum of Modern Art (MoMA), I surprisingly stumbled upon an exhibit featuring classic video games such as Tetris, Asteroids, and Pac-Man. The games were displayed on active video screens with an adjacent explanation of the creativeness or design elegance for why they were each chosen.
In their heyday, these games were revolutionary relative to video game predecessors and launched the golden age of arcades and video gaming. Fast forward roughly thirty years and the graphics of these games are a grainy and rudimentary version of modern video game technology. Not to take anything away from these early games but video graphics have advanced so far in the past 30 years that millennials now mock these antiquated graphics.
A lot has obviously changed in the past 30 years and financial services is no exception. Yet many investors still hold on to legacy concepts that were popular in the 1980's but should have been leapfrogged like Asteroids graphics. One common example is the practice of retail investors building a portfolio comprised of a few individual stocks. This practice of investing in individual stocks became popular in the 1970s and 1980s as households gained access to stock markets and dividend reinvestment programs (DRIP programs).
Looking back on this period, one can easily defend the practice of individual investors constructing a stock portfolio.
- Exchange Traded Funds (ETFs) did not exist and the mutual fund industry was still in its infancy.
- International diversification was hard to achieve, so a US-only portfolio was practical.
- DRIP programs made stock investing cheap and easy, relative to other options.
- The investing competition was mostly other unsophisticated investors.
- Behavioral research had yet to demonstrate how poor individuals are at investing.
Developments over the last 30 years should have largely ended the inefficient exercise of retail investors buying and selling individual stocks. Yet the practice still continues in large number despite the reality that there are better alternatives.
Be Careful Competing Against Pro Athletes
As a 27-year old analyst at a large mutual fund company, I dedicated a month to the analysis and future projections of every single line item on PepsiCo's financial statements. I spoke with suppliers, merchants, and executives and learned way too much about the economics of oatmeal or trends in the chip and dip market. My company literally spent millions of dollars to get unique information and research, giving me perspectives that were light years removed the information available to individual investors. I witnessed first-hand the extreme research and trading disadvantages faced by personal investors when buying or selling securities.
But that is not all. I further realized that there were plenty of competing businesses with even faster access, more information, better analytical tools, and countless computer scientists, Ph.D.s, and mathematicians each spending countless hours analyzing the same company. The esteemed Charles Ellis wrote in a 2014 Financial Analysts Journal article, "Over the past 50 years, increasing number of highly talented young investment professionals have entered the competition for a faster and more accurate discovery of pricing errors…They have more advanced trading than their predecessors, better analytical tools, and faster access to more information."
In order to achieve excess profits by owning any single stock, an individual has to know something that the marketplace does not or have access to material, non-public information that provides an advantage. The latter is illegal. The former may be possible with enough time and work but individual investors generally fail to appreciate that they're competing against well-funded Wall Street and hedge fund teams with infinitely better access, resources, and information.
Few well-reasoned individuals would consider lining up against NFL professionals in a game of full contact football. Yet this happens every day when individual investors line up against professional investors. 40-60 years ago, your neighbor, co-worker, or dentist was likely to be on the other side of the stock trade from you. Retail investors made up 90% of all stock trading following World War II and that percentage gradually declined to roughly 50% by 1980. Today, there is a greater than 90% chance you're trading against a professional. Said differently, there is a better than 90% chance that you are suiting up against an NFL linebacker.
Individual investors have become the unknowing victim in a zero-sum competition where there has to be a loser for every winner. Despite the extreme disadvantage, they are persuaded by online brokers, traditional brokers, and Jim Kramers of the world – all who benefit financially when individual investors trade more – to keep competing against the professionals. They're convinced to keep stepping up to that line of scrimmage to get sacked again by Ndamukong Suh.
Forget Pro Athletes, Be Careful Competing Against History
Some may still believe they have the skill, resources, and access to unique information to successfully select a few individual stocks. Some people admittedly do. So now consider the empirical evidence working against individual investors who compile a concentrated stock portfolio.
If stock returns were normally distributed, then half the stocks would perform above average and half would perform below. You or I could buy any stock and have a 50% chance of being above average. However, individual stock returns are not normally distributed. A handful of stocks produce large returns and account for all of the market's gains while the vast majority of stocks underperform.
Between 1983 and 2007, if an individual purchased any stock, there was a 64% chance he or she underperformed the index. Furthermore, during arguably the greatest bull market ever, there was a 39% chance an investor would have lost money in any single stock. The Russell 3000 returned 1,784% over this 25-year stretch during which nearly 2 out of 5 stocks lost money. A chart below from "The Capitalism Distribution" study demonstrates this asymmetric distribution of stock returns.
The point is that not only are you competing against professionals when you buy individual stocks but you're facing a stiff competition against the skewed non-normal distribution of stock returns.
When Offered a Free Lunch, Stack Your Plate High
Diversification is often called the only free lunch of finance. It gets this moniker because proper diversification allows investors to reduce the level of risk without sacrificing return or, alternatively, increase the expected return without higher risk. Most seasoned investors tend to think of the financial free lunch like a college student thinks of the real thing – pile the plate high and take as much of the free lunch as you can get.
The scholarly reason for this free lunch lies in the fact that failure to properly diversify is a choice, not a limitation. In very basic terms, there are two types of risk when you invest in stocks. The first is systematic risk which includes things like an economic slowdown, a major earthquake, or a terrorist event. These are unavoidable risks that you take whether you own one stock or thousands.
The second type of risk is called idiosyncratic risk or unsystematic risk. These are the risks incurred with stock of a single company. The company may be filing fraudulent tax returns or falsifying earnings that later get discovered. Perhaps the company's CEO unexpectedly dies, the company's technology becomes obsolete, or it is discovered that the company's product causes cancer. These risks are not rewarded by increased expected return because they are easily avoidable with proper diversification.
If you play blackjack in Vegas with your eyes closed and win, you do not earn any more money than if you played with your eyes open. When it comes to investing, owning 1 stock instead of 100 does not provide a higher expected return – it simply provides greater risk. You do not get paid more for taking these idiosyncratic or avoidable risks which makes owning a few individual stocks synonymous with playing eyes-closed blackjack.
It's More Expensive and Takes More Work to Buy Individual Stocks
It used to be cheaper to buy a basket of individual securities instead of an expensive mutual fund. With diversified index mutual funds and exchange traded funds (ETFs) now available for less than 0.1% per year, buying 25-30 individual securities now tends to be more costly when considering implicit and explicit transaction costs. Additionally, any individual who is adding money to or distributing funds from a portfolio of individual stocks each month faces the arduous and otherwise costly process of buying and selling multiple stocks each month.
Practical Implications
This is all not to say that buying individual securities is a futile cause. There are certainly investors with unusual access to information or unique skills who can be successful trading a portfolio of individual securities. The challenge is that the battle is uphill, the task is arduous, and the competition is intense.
The reality is that some people still enjoy playing old school versions of Tetris and Asteroids even though today's games have infinitely better graphics, load far faster, and offer more options. There's nothing inherently wrong here. They make this decision by choice, knowing that more modern options exist.
Whereas little to no marketing dollars are spent compelling individuals to play video games from 1981, huge amounts are spent by brokerage firms convincing the public that they should buy and sell individual securities as if it was still 1981. In the end, this may never change as there is plenty of money to be exploited by the promotion of this legacy practice and our society of overconfident human beings have the innate desire to speculate. The great Wall Street Journal columnist Jason Zweig cogently summarizes the unfortunate reality of financial services:
"In the short run, you can make a little money by lying to people who want to hear the truth, or a lot of money by lying to people who want to be lied to. But you can't ever make any money by telling the truth to people who want to be lied to."


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Martial Arts †
Fists of Fire †
Blades of Ice †
Claws of Thunder †
Tiger Strike †
Tiger Strike †
Cobra Strike †
Dragon Tail †
Dragon Talon †
Dragon Claw †
Iaigiri †
Dragon Flight †
Cold Wave †
Chill duration I believe is 8 seconds at level 1, +1 second for each additional level. (correct)
The damage on Cold Wave is not impressive, to state it mildly. I didn't pump synergies but the skill itself is so low in damage I don't think any amount of synergies will make much of a difference. I doubt it was meant as a killing skill but it is very good at breaking up packs of enemies. The mass knockback effect makes it a very nice backup skill, if you're in danger just cast it repeatedly to push everything away.


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by Mike Hopper
Having been involved in hosting many large events, this challenge is especially difficult – can hosting an event be financially viable for a city?
Many a rightsholder, such as FIFA, believe the additional room nights, food and beverage tabs and short-term employment opportunities they bring to a city is the payoff. They don't necessarily view the city as part of the financial success of the event. Unfortunately, changing this perspective appears to be an enormous challenge.
Specifically, regarding the 2026 FIFA World Cup discussion, the answer may need to come in terms of private dollars. Are there one or two companies that are headquartered in your city and might consider putting their dollars behind your hosting responsibility? Even this path may be a challenge, as you'll need to sort through sponsor conflicts, local activation rights and ultimately, what can the company expect in return for their investment.
Perhaps, it might be worth weighing this equation like this – do the benefits of hosting a FIFA World Cup match overlap with other city expenditures? As an example, if the city will be receiving marketing assets as part of its hosting package, can other marketing initiatives of the city be scaled back in 2025 and 2026? In this scenario, your city will still promote itself as a tourist destination in 2026, but instead of buying your traditional billboards and digital advertising, you'll be relying on the FIFA World Cup assets to deliver tourists. This path will also allow you to keep the FIFA World Cup Host Committee focused. If you predict the World Cup assets won't deliver the same number of tourists in 2026, how will the Host Committee assist you in making up the difference?


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'Dark Knight Rises' Screenings to Feature Extra Security After Tragic Shooting
After the 'Dark Knight Rises' shooting that left 12 people dead and another 50 injured, theaters across the country are addressing security concerns as sold-out crowds return to theaters for the weekend.
In New York City, where 'Dark Knight Rises' screenings have been sold out for weeks, additional security personnel will be on hand to ensure the safety of audiences. Says Police Commissioner Ray Kelly:
As a precaution against copycats and to raise the comfort levels among movie patrons in the wake of the horrendous shooting in Colorado, the New York City Police Department is providing coverage at theaters where the 'The Dark Knight Rises' is playing in the five boroughs.
According to the Los Angeles Times, numerous security guards were on duty at the AMC theater at the Universal Citywalk though neither they, nor AMC, would go on the record about specific plans for weekend security.
UPDATE: AMC issued a statement saying:
For the safety and security of our guests and associates, we are actively working with local law enforcement in communities through the nation and under the circumstances we are reaching out to all of our theaters to review our safety and security procedures.
While the tragedy in Aurora, Colorado is being called an isolated event, expect heightened security if you're headed out to see 'The Dark Knight Rises' this weekend. And if you were planning to attend a screening in costume (as many fans at last night's midnight screenings were), check with your local theater to see if costumes are now prohibited.
It's important not to be scared but it's also important to be safe.


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Special plants, such as bonsai, orchids, citrus, cacti, indoor and aquatic plants need careful treatment and have specific needs.
That's why the compost experts at Westland have developed a range of dedicated composts for with the right mix of nutrients and benefits for each.
The indoor compost range includes composts to suit bonsai, orchids, citrus, cacti, indoor and aquatic plants.
For even better results, use with our indoor plant feeds.


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Thomas Newson feat. Angelika Vee – Don't Hold Us
Thomas Newson hints of mid-summer nights with his latest creation, "Don't Hold Us". Angelika Vee's amorous feel-good lyrics dance about a twinkling energetic beat like fireflies.
"Don't Hold Us" evokes wanderlust as spring draws nearer. It's the undeniable itch to festival hop around the world, the anthem of desire.
Supported by: Hardwell, W&W, Martin Garrix, BBC 1 Radio.


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Tour de France Column by Toby Miles – Why I love 'Le Tour'
PUBLISHED: 15:09 10 July 2018
Read Toby Miles' Malliot Blanc Column as the 18-year-old aspiring professional cyclist explains why he loves the Tour de France.
Every year since becoming fascinated by pro cycling aged 13, I've watched from the start of the live broadcast of 'the Tour's' first stage, intending to watch only the early exchanges, before returning later.
After the bouncy ITV4 intro music - which I'll never tire of - blasts out for the first time and presenter Gary Imlach's wry smile appears on screen, I'm already on the edge of my seat.
So there I sit, for hours, soaking up the newly released top-end kit, modelled by athletes in the form of their lives, as they fly towards the first drama of the race.
It's a unique buzz around during the Tour - it's all about the anticipation. The World Championships, the Giro, they're hotly anticipated and thoroughly enjoyed, but the intensity for those three weeks in July is unbeatable.
It's because there's more on the line. The prestige of a win grows with every edition, it's yellow jersey becomes more iconic. With 104 editions done, the Tour is a monster. It's long history of being cycling's main event mean it will never be overtaken.
For all 176 riders at the start, this was the race they grew up knowing was The Big One. With unrivalled sponsor pressure, media attention and fan expectation, the atmosphere in the peloton is like nowhere else.
Those factors mean the racing often isn't as entertaining as other races. Riders are more cautious and spend more time trying not to lose the race rather than win it.
But pure racing action is not why we love the Tour. Smaller races might have more pure action but the consequences aren't massive.
A bold attack in the Tour can define a career. Every move must be calculated. So when a dramatic moment comes in France's race, it's monumentally exciting.
The anticipation for those moments is electric enough.
My first book about cycling was the 'Official Treasures of Le Tour de France,' which I'd found in Oxfam.
I was blown away by the history on its pages and it was my bible until I'd studied it all. Through the unending literature about it, the Tour taught me how to love cycling.
The 2018 Tour is going to be a fascinating edition, with heavyweights galore lining up. Can Chris Froome do the double? Will the old guard of sprinters continue to be ousted by young guns like Fernando Gaviria?
If you value what this story gives you, please consider supporting the Islington Gazette. Click the link in the orange box above for details.


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CATL. are a high energy rock n' roll couple hailing from Toronto. The band features Jamie bashing away on his '48 Gretsch, while Sarah holds down a steady, dirty groove on the 2-piece drum kit. They have been described as 'punk rock blues' and been affectionately compared to The Cramps and The Flat Duo Jets.
After a few near misses and as luck would have it, we finally got the chance to see CATL. play recently at This Ain't Hollywood in Hamilton. We've been fans of their music for a couple of years now and for one reason or another, we kept missing a show. I guess that's what happens when you are a busy musician yourself.
You wouldn't know it from just listening, but there's only 2 of em onstage and its quite the full sound and an infectious show. They entertain, they jump about, they move and groove with passion, you don't want to take your eyes off of them in case you miss something! The sound is tight but there is also ample space. Sometimes the space is just space. other times, it's a spot to convey the emotion of the moment. All in all, its hands down great!
We already knew going in that we LOVED the tunes. The show just sealed the deal and we've now evolved to the next level of CATL. fandom. If you ever have the chance to see em live, TAKE IT!
CATL TUNES: www.catltheband.com
CATL VIDEOS: www.youtube.com/catltheband
CATL FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/catltheband
CATL TWEETS: www.twitter.com/c_a_t_l
CATL VIDEOS: www.youtube.com/catltheband
CATL FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/catltheband
CATL TWEETS: www.twitter.com/c_a_t_l
Guest post & photo gallery by our friend DJ Skip, who blogs at The Hills are Alive and hosts & produces Radio Hootenany which airs all over the dial including Primal Radio. Radio Hootenany features College Rock, Alternative, Synth & Canadiana. Deep cuts, underground hits, 80's tunes/covers, and also new earworms from emerging artists are just a slice of what you might hear. DJ Skip tweets: www.twitter.com/skipthedj


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December 3, 2019
- All acquisition proceedings complete upon the approval of the General Shareholders' Meeting and deliberation by the Australian Court - Effect of acquisition to be expected to play role of "golden egg" in increasing revenue - Further expansion of global network, including world's largest ad… 阅读更多
November 6, 2019
Hyundai has collaborated with California universities to spread awareness about an issue affecting the state and the world at large, water sustainability. Students and faculty members from Pepperdine, Loyola Marymount University, and Santa Clara will be encouraged to participate in simple wa… 阅读更多
September 10, 2019
Mission to Change the Perception of America's Favorite Food: The Hot Dog 阅读更多
August 15, 2019
INNOCEAN USA announced that it has been selected as media agency-of-record for UC Davis Health. The agency will provide media planning and buying and will be tasked with developing an efficient communications plan to reach UC Davis Health's diverse audiences. UC Davis Medical Center was r… 阅读更多
August 1, 2019
Today, INNOCEAN Worldwide Global CEO Kun-Hee Ahn announced the acquisition of Wellcom Group Limited, a digital marketing solutions group headquartered in Australia, to secure digital-centric future growth and expand its global network. Wellcom Group has been expanding its global operation… 阅读更多


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The Department of Mining and Metallurgical Engineering at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR) invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the level of Assistant/Associate Professor in Metallurgical Engineering. Interested applicants must have earned at least one degree in metallurgical engineering and a PhD degree in metallurgical engineering or a closely related discipline. Expertise in mineral processing, especially in comminution and froth flotation, extractive metallurgy and/or geometallurgy is preferred. Applicants for the associate professor level must have a demonstrated record of research, extensive work experience in the mineral processing industry or in reputable mineral/metallurgical laboratories, or substantial experience as an academic faculty.
Position responsibilities include teaching undergraduate and graduate courses in metallurgical engineering, developing an externally funded research program, producing scholarly publications and supervising graduate students, working collaboratively with faculty within the department and across disciplines in UNR.
The UNR enjoys the Carnegie Classification™ of R1 as a comprehensive, doctoral university with very high research activity. The Mining and Metallurgical Engineering Department is a part of the Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering equipped with excellent lab facilities.
For detailed information about the position, and to apply, visit: https://is.gd/q9APAN
Qualified individuals are encouraged to apply immediately. This search will close without notice when a sufficient number of applications are received or a hiring decision has been made. The earliest start date is July 1, 2019.
EEO/AA Women, under-represented groups, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply.
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Dear Reader,
It's the last day of Valentines Week!
It is also church day for Christians, and because you can take the girl out of the plaid skirt, but can't take the Catholic school out of the girl, I'm going to take you on a little trip to Sunday school as my final Valentine from me to you. Valentine's Day started with and is named for St. Valentine, so here's a little history of how the holiday came to be.
The actual figure of St. Valentine is a murky one that can be attributed to many possible candidates of folklore and legend. In one version, Valentine of Rome was a third century priest who performed clandestine weddings for lovers during a time when marriage was outlawed by Emperor Claudius II, in hopes that unattached soldiers would provide better service, unencumbered by the distraction of women. Upon discovery of his role as officiant in these illegal weddings, Valentine was executed.
An alternate version of the story has Valentine of Rome as a martyred Christian bishop who was arrested for aiding prisoners in their escape from harsh Roman jails. During his own imprisonment, he supposedly fell in love with the jailer's daughter whom he had miraculously cured of blindness. At the time of his execution, Valentine supposedly sent a farewell letter to the jailer's daughter expressing his amorous feelings and signed it "From your Valentine," a phrase that has survived the ages and is still used in modern greeting cards.
A final variation on the Saint is the story of the Bishop of Interamna, Valentine of Terni, who was consecrated as a martyr in 197 AD after being imprisoned, tortured and beheaded on the Via Flaminia in Rome for his devotion to Christianity and piety.
It is agreed in legend that the execution of this man, whoever he may have been, took place on February 14th, although scholars argue that this date is likely not the actual execution anniversary, but rather was a date chosen by early Christian leaders to christianize preexisting "pagan" celebrations in the late winter month of February. In around 498 AD, Pope Gelasius declared the 14th the first official feast day of the sainted Christian, most likely to correspond with the enduringly popular Roman festival of Lupercalia.
The fertility festival of Lupercalia, on the days surrounding and including the 14th of February, was celebrated with the sacrifice of a goat for fertility, and a dog for purification. The goat's hide was then cut into strips, and wielded by half-naked young Roman studs who ran through the streets, gently whipping women as they went. This display alone makes me think that modern culture is missing out on some amazing ancient practices, but maybe it is just because there are so few reasons left for men to be shirtless in public. The touch of the whips was said to provide women with fertility, and as a spring holiday honoring the season and agricultural abundance, it was both a joyful and anticipated celebration. According to tradition, even Marcus Antonius participated in the festival. If you've read Shakespeare you will know that this is the festival day when he offers Caesar the king's crown thrice and is refused.
As a pagan holiday celebrating spring and the start of the season of mating and new life, the holiday became subsumed by the Christian church in the guise of a saint's feast day, and as a day to celebrate romance. Especially with the lore surrounding Saint Valentine being so romantically tragic, it is no wonder that by the Middle Ages, Valentine was the most popular saints.
The tradition of sending valentines to loved ones, in the tradition of the Saint himself, started in the form of unique letter writing, and was not standardized as a mass produced greeting card exchange until the 1840's, first initiated in America by Esther A. Howland. Early valentines were made with paper, lace, ribbons, and colorful pictures and were sometimes accompanied by a small token of affection. Inevitably, in 1913, Hallmark Cards got its hands on the holiday, and marketed valentines for the first time.
Today, approximately one billion valentines are sent each year, and most people have forgotten the ancient and Christian origins of the holiday. But, we have not really forgotten the sentiments behind the day and continue to celebrate love and romance in its many guises, which is really the most important value of the holiday.
With that being said, I leave you with my favorite verse from the Bible, rounding out our Sunday school lesson:
If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal. If I have the gift of prophecy and can fathom all mysteries and all knowledge, and if I have a faith that can move mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. If I give all I possess to the poor and surrender my body to the flames, but have not love, I gain nothing.
Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.
– 1 Corinthians 13:1-7
May you have a wonderful Valentine's Day tomorrow and celebrate love's many joys and powers!
A Hopeless Romantic
Click these links to read more about Valentines Day from my sources, History.com and a timeline of Valentine's day history. Also, to read about St. Valentine's relics and more about his history, from a Catholic standpoint, click here.


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This spin on a Beef Satay incorporates a marinade and a dipping sauce that both can be used in a myriad of ways. Use the marinade on pork, chicken or even fish and dip away in the peanut sauce with vegetables, eggrolls and dumplings, or use as a dressing on Chinese chicken salad.
Make the dipping sauce: Heat coconut milk in a saucepan until reduced by half. Transfer to a mixing bowl and whisk together with remaining ingredients. Store in the refrigerator.
Remove meat from marinade and pat dry. Sear in 1 teaspoon sesame oil in a hot sauté pan until well browned. Transfer to a roasting pan and roast in a 450oF oven until desired doneness, about 15 minutes more for medium rare. Remove from the oven and let rest 10 minutes. Carve into thin slices and thread onto skewers.
To serve, fan out the skewers on a serving tray atop a bed of red & yellow diced peppers and sliced scallions. Accompany with a bowl of dipping sauce.
Serves 6-8, as an appetizer


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Inspired by both nature and mandalas, Klein has found her own unique way of expressing the beauty and abundance of her surroundings. She uses all sorts of natural finds to represent the ancient Hindu and Buddhist spiritual symbols. The resulting geometric art pieces she calls Danmala, a word based on the Vedic Sanskrit words dān ("the giver") and mālā ("garland of flowers"), which translates to "the giving of flower circles".
Related: Jorge Rodriquez Gerada Uses the Earth as His Canvas for a Giant Portrait of President Obama
To make her intricate designs, she first centers herself in a meditative devotional space and gathers the natural objects needed while keeping her mind in mantra. After that, she meticulously arranges every element into an unexpected beautiful combination full of vibrant colors and unique forms. After taking a picture of the resulting creation, Klein leaves it on site as a gift to any lucky soul that finds it.
+ Kathy Klein
Via This is Colossal
Photos by Kathy Klein
Related: Dutch Willowman Creates Whimsical Sculptures in Enchanted Forest Settings