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That’s the moment when you put your hand into your pocket or bag looking for the wallet and find nothing.
Thousands of nerve cells die at the same moment while you are recollecting in your memory the missing sum of money, credit cards, business cards, some notes on small sheets of paper, which you promised yourself to rewrite in the notebook a hundred times.
What if there were vital checks or a document?
The thing is your wallet is lost, and you cannot think about something else except the ways of finding it.
The statistic shows that the success in finding out the wallet is approximately 47%. That’s almost half, and it cannot but please us.
We desire to give a brief overview of some ways on how to track your wallet if it has lost. The main advantage of them is they are easy-to-follow.
If you face the trouble of searching the wallet, read the information below. We hope it will help you cope with a case.
Analyze your daily route
Look around your house
Learn from your mistakes
Analyze your daily route
Every day we need to visit plenty of places: a tube, streets, malls, cafes, markets, job places, buses or taxis and so on. We recommend you to calm down at first and then call to mind, estimating the most credible place where you could waste an item.
The fundamental principle of this piece of advice deeply routes into the high probability of finding the wallet. The most frequent places where people can find the lost thing are cafes, the bench in the park, table at the workplace, cash register at the grocery, etc.
If you are sure that you have lost it at the mall, for instance, you should probably reach out to the administration.
By the way, you may be questioned by the worker about what was in the wallet. Don’t you worry about it; this is the standard procedure of finding the right owner of the stuff.
If you bring some unique things, for example, a picture of you or your family, a small icon, a commemorative coin, etc. into your wallet, it will speed things up. In case you failed in looking for the wallet, contact the bank to block all your cards; otherwise, someone can use your accounts for their purposes.
Don’t get depressed; better read the next information on how to track your wallet next time.
Look around your house
Occasionally, we have some moments of panic in the morning trying to find keys, phone, and wallet. In a hurry, we do not forget to look into hard-to-reach places.
Sometimes, all this stuff is right in front of your face, but it takes you too long to see it.
The thing to do is to look at the hall closet shelf, into your jacket and jeans pockets, under the pillows and blanket, into all bags, and your kid’s rucksack. Stay calm and relaxed; don’t be in a hurry.
Remember, if you have lost it at home, it is still there.
The world of modern technology never ceases to amaze. Nowadays, customers have opportunities to be protected from any hacker attacks, loss of identity, property robbery, etc.
A typical example is the phone tracking function, which allows people to find their wasted phones even if they are off.
So, makers do their best to make the clients completely satisfied with all the gadgets. As a result, there are a lot of variants of GPS Wallet Trackers that are developed to give us a unique possibility to track the wallet using our phones or even watches. Let’s look over some of them you can choose.
This simple thing is used to make searching for a wallet much easier. You should put the Tile Tracker on your wallet, as a key fob, or put it rightly in a wallet.
Use the Bluetooth function to look for a wallet near you (at home, in the car, at the café). With this device and an official Tile app, you have a chance to track your wallet immediately using smartphones no matter how far away it is.
Even though this tracker is mini, it performs its functions extremely well. You are asked to put it into the wallet and then track it using your computer, laptop, Smartphone. The IOS is irrelevant.
The characteristic feature that increases your likelihood concerning this device is that there is a special SOS button, which can be used by any member of the family who needs emergency help. Moreover, some parents give such devices to their kids and stay calm for their safety.
There is a modern Smart Wallet in different colors that will surprise you by its two-way function. Thanks to it, the customer has an opportunity to find both wallet and phone when one of them is lost.
There is an alarm, which is produced when the wallet or a Smartphone is wasted. By the way, it has a USB charge port.
This is a wallet tracker that can be used by a whole family or just for 6 items (key, wallet, glasses, pet, etc.). A LUXSURE Wallet Tracker will become a faithful assistant for those who always lose something at home, in the yard, at the picnic with your closest.
The characteristic feature of this gadget is that it is utilized without any app or additional accessories.
Looking like an ordinary credit card, AirBolt Card is developed to track your wallet. The biggest pro of this card is that it is always in your pocket, having no chance to be lost.
It produces a loud melody while looking for a wallet. This card can be used within 240 meters of distance.
Frankly speaking, there is a wide range of wallet trackers on the market. You can pick any of them at affordable prices. Positive feedback from users about these devices is self-explanatory.
Learn from your mistakes
It is not tricky or strange to lose your stuff anywhere. But wasting gadgets can cause a major challenge, leading to different troubles during the whole day, and that’s another matter.
People should learn from their and others’ mistakes and do everything to avoid such awful situations in the future.
Therefore, current methods of saving your stuff are based on the following principles:
Train yourself to put your wallet at the same place
Check it out when going at or out someplace
Use wallet tracker to track the item immediately
Always stay calm and try to recollect each detail of your day
The wallet is a must-have thing for any person who deals with cash and cards. Some people save important information in this small item and there is a reason to make using it more secure.
We hope that the following pieces of advice will help you not to lose your wallet or find it if it is wasted. You can use various gadgets to make the process of searching fast and efficient. Wish you good luck!
1 Analyze your daily route
2 Look around your house
4 Learn from your mistakes
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I am Anthony Petit and I am the founder of whatever-tech.com. I became interested in technology when I was a kid. As a teen, when my friends were excited about attending sporting events and music concerts by the hottest artists, I was more interested in going to see and test out the latest tech gadgets at electronic industry trade shows. I was fascinated by all the technological wizardry.
Some posts may contain affiliate links. Whatever-Tech.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com (amazon.co.uk, amazon.ca, amazon.fr etc.).
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Alfa Capital operated Alfa-Forex, but since June 2019 it has stopped offering its services to individual clients.
The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC CySEC The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) is a financial regulatory authority of Cyprus. CySEC is one of the key watchdog authorities for brokerages in Europe, whose financial regulations and operations comply with the European MiFID financial harmonization law.Founded in 2001, CySEC is instrumental in providing licensing and registration for forex brokers and previously binary options providers.CySEC is responsible for a variety of different functions, which includes the supervision and control of the Cyprus Stock Exchange as well as transactions executed in the Stock Exchange, its listed companies, brokers and brokerage firms.Furthermore, the regulator also supervises and monitors Licensed Investment Services Companies, Collective Investment funds, investment consultants. and mutual fund management companies.CySEC’s Role in Combatting Market AbuseOne of CySEC’s most important functions is the granting of operation licenses to investment firms, including investment consultants, brokerage firms and brokers. This includes provisions for Cyprus Investment Firms (CIF), who provide and perform investment services and activities either within Cyprus or abroad on a professional basis on certain financial instruments.Finally, CySEC oversees the imposition of administrative sanctions and disciplinary penalties to brokers, brokerage firms, and investment consultants, among others. The group has been a key force in policing the forex and binary options space, which has included several legal actions and curb market abuse. Since 2016, CySEC has sought to take a more aggressive stance against illicit behavior, while also strengthening its handling of investor complaints against entities. CySEC is currently chaired by Demetra Kalogerou, who has held the role since 2011.The CySEC is administered by a seven-member Board, which consist of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, each of whom provide their services on a full and exclusive employment basis, and five additional non-executive members.All individuals on CySEC’s Board are appointed by the Council of Ministers following a proposal of the Minister of Finance. Their service reflects a five-year term. The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) is a financial regulatory authority of Cyprus. CySEC is one of the key watchdog authorities for brokerages in Europe, whose financial regulations and operations comply with the European MiFID financial harmonization law.Founded in 2001, CySEC is instrumental in providing licensing and registration for forex brokers and previously binary options providers.CySEC is responsible for a variety of different functions, which includes the supervision and control of the Cyprus Stock Exchange as well as transactions executed in the Stock Exchange, its listed companies, brokers and brokerage firms.Furthermore, the regulator also supervises and monitors Licensed Investment Services Companies, Collective Investment funds, investment consultants. and mutual fund management companies.CySEC’s Role in Combatting Market AbuseOne of CySEC’s most important functions is the granting of operation licenses to investment firms, including investment consultants, brokerage firms and brokers. This includes provisions for Cyprus Investment Firms (CIF), who provide and perform investment services and activities either within Cyprus or abroad on a professional basis on certain financial instruments.Finally, CySEC oversees the imposition of administrative sanctions and disciplinary penalties to brokers, brokerage firms, and investment consultants, among others. The group has been a key force in policing the forex and binary options space, which has included several legal actions and curb market abuse. Since 2016, CySEC has sought to take a more aggressive stance against illicit behavior, while also strengthening its handling of investor complaints against entities. CySEC is currently chaired by Demetra Kalogerou, who has held the role since 2011.The CySEC is administered by a seven-member Board, which consist of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, each of whom provide their services on a full and exclusive employment basis, and five additional non-executive members.All individuals on CySEC’s Board are appointed by the Council of Ministers following a proposal of the Minister of Finance. Their service reflects a five-year term. Read this Term) confirmed on Wednesday that Alfa Capital Holdings (Cyprus) Ltd has renounced its Cyprus Investment Firm (CIF) License, as of October 5, 2020.
Alfa Capital provides spot foreign exchange (Forex Forex Foreign exchange or forex is the act of converting one nation’s currency into another nation’s currency (that possesses a different currency); for example, the converting of British Pounds into US Dollars, and vice versa. The exchange of currencies can be done over a physical counter, such as at a Bureau de Change, or over the internet via broker platforms, where currency speculation takes place, known as forex trading.The foreign exchange market, by its very nature, is the world’s largest trading market by volume. According to the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) latest survey, the Forex market now turns over in excess of $5 trillion every day, with the most exchanges occurring between the US Dollar and the Euro (EUR/USD), followed by the US Dollar and the Japanese Yen (USD/JPY), then the US Dollar and Pound Sterling (GBP/USD). Ultimately, it is the very exchanging between currencies which causes a country’s currency to fluctuate in value in relation to another currency – this is known as the exchange rate. With regards to freely floating currencies, this is determined by supply and demand, such as imports and exports, and currency traders, such as banks and hedge funds. Emphasis on Retail Trading for ForexTrading the forex market for the purpose of financial gain was once the exclusive realm of financial institutions.But thanks to the invention of the internet and advances in financial technology from the 1990’s, almost anyone can now start trading this huge market. All one needs is a computer, an internet connection, and an account with a forex broker. Of course, before one starts to trade currencies, a certain level of knowledge and practice is essential. Once can gain some practice using demonstration accounts, i.e. place trades using demo money, before moving on to some real trading after attaining confidence. The main two fields of trading are known as technical analysis and fundamental analysis. Technical analysis refers to using mathematical tools and certain patterns to help decide whether to buy or sell a currency pair, and fundamental analysis refers to gauging the national and international events which may potentially affect a country’s currency value. Foreign exchange or forex is the act of converting one nation’s currency into another nation’s currency (that possesses a different currency); for example, the converting of British Pounds into US Dollars, and vice versa. The exchange of currencies can be done over a physical counter, such as at a Bureau de Change, or over the internet via broker platforms, where currency speculation takes place, known as forex trading.The foreign exchange market, by its very nature, is the world’s largest trading market by volume. According to the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) latest survey, the Forex market now turns over in excess of $5 trillion every day, with the most exchanges occurring between the US Dollar and the Euro (EUR/USD), followed by the US Dollar and the Japanese Yen (USD/JPY), then the US Dollar and Pound Sterling (GBP/USD). Ultimately, it is the very exchanging between currencies which causes a country’s currency to fluctuate in value in relation to another currency – this is known as the exchange rate. With regards to freely floating currencies, this is determined by supply and demand, such as imports and exports, and currency traders, such as banks and hedge funds. Emphasis on Retail Trading for ForexTrading the forex market for the purpose of financial gain was once the exclusive realm of financial institutions.But thanks to the invention of the internet and advances in financial technology from the 1990’s, almost anyone can now start trading this huge market. All one needs is a computer, an internet connection, and an account with a forex broker. Of course, before one starts to trade currencies, a certain level of knowledge and practice is essential. Once can gain some practice using demonstration accounts, i.e. place trades using demo money, before moving on to some real trading after attaining confidence. The main two fields of trading are known as technical analysis and fundamental analysis. Technical analysis refers to using mathematical tools and certain patterns to help decide whether to buy or sell a currency pair, and fundamental analysis refers to gauging the national and international events which may potentially affect a country’s currency value. Read this Term) to retail brokers, HFTs, asset managers and other institutional investors, among other instruments. It had been operating the retail FX brand Alfa-Forex, but in 2018 announced that it would be focusing more on its institutional operations, after no longer offering its services to individual clients and other users which are categorized as 'retail' under MiFID, from the end of June 2019.
Alfa Capital made the strategic decision to focus on providing 'premium trading services' on forex and related products to institutional market participants through its existing trading platforms.
The Cypriot watchdog made it clear that Alfa Capital’s surrender of the license is entirely voluntary based on the company’s decision and does not arise as a result of any regulatory action taken by the CySEC.
Keep Reading
Under the Cypriot regulatory framework, the company must return all outstanding balances to its clients and handle all of their complaints. In addition, Alfa Capital must provide a confirmation from its external auditor that it does not have any pending obligations and must include details of each of the company’s clients.
Although the regulator did not clearly state why Alfa Capital decided to withdraw its CIF authorization, the last three years saw many regulated brokers opt to voluntary surrender their license, and not as a result of any regulatory issues.
Also in 2018, Alfa-Forex suspended its service to Russia’s residents due to CySEC’s new licensing restrictions, which require all Cyprus Investment Firms (CIFs) to fully disclose all countries in which they are operating.
Firms need to notify CySEC when they are providing their services in third countries. Before they can deliver their product in a given country, they need to get appropriate authorisation from the country’s regulatory authorities first.
This was obviously a mess for Cypriot brokers since their financial statements show that the bulk of revenue does not come from Europe. In other words, brokers cannot survive on European business alone.
How these brokers managed to maintain their market share outside of Europe depended entirely on their business models. Some turned their focus to more ‘universal’ regulations. But, this was also more complicated since it implies additional sub-strategies to handle dealing with non-EU clients from countries with regulators, and non-EU clients from countries without a regulator.
The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC CySEC The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) is a financial regulatory authority of Cyprus. CySEC is one of the key watchdog authorities for brokerages in Europe, whose financial regulations and operations comply with the European MiFID financial harmonization law.Founded in 2001, CySEC is instrumental in providing licensing and registration for forex brokers and previously binary options providers.CySEC is responsible for a variety of different functions, which includes the supervision and control of the Cyprus Stock Exchange as well as transactions executed in the Stock Exchange, its listed companies, brokers and brokerage firms.Furthermore, the regulator also supervises and monitors Licensed Investment Services Companies, Collective Investment funds, investment consultants. and mutual fund management companies.CySEC’s Role in Combatting Market AbuseOne of CySEC’s most important functions is the granting of operation licenses to investment firms, including investment consultants, brokerage firms and brokers. This includes provisions for Cyprus Investment Firms (CIF), who provide and perform investment services and activities either within Cyprus or abroad on a professional basis on certain financial instruments.Finally, CySEC oversees the imposition of administrative sanctions and disciplinary penalties to brokers, brokerage firms, and investment consultants, among others. The group has been a key force in policing the forex and binary options space, which has included several legal actions and curb market abuse. Since 2016, CySEC has sought to take a more aggressive stance against illicit behavior, while also strengthening its handling of investor complaints against entities. CySEC is currently chaired by Demetra Kalogerou, who has held the role since 2011.The CySEC is administered by a seven-member Board, which consist of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, each of whom provide their services on a full and exclusive employment basis, and five additional non-executive members.All individuals on CySEC’s Board are appointed by the Council of Ministers following a proposal of the Minister of Finance. Their service reflects a five-year term. The Cyprus Securities and Exchange Commission (CySEC) is a financial regulatory authority of Cyprus. CySEC is one of the key watchdog authorities for brokerages in Europe, whose financial regulations and operations comply with the European MiFID financial harmonization law.Founded in 2001, CySEC is instrumental in providing licensing and registration for forex brokers and previously binary options providers.CySEC is responsible for a variety of different functions, which includes the supervision and control of the Cyprus Stock Exchange as well as transactions executed in the Stock Exchange, its listed companies, brokers and brokerage firms.Furthermore, the regulator also supervises and monitors Licensed Investment Services Companies, Collective Investment funds, investment consultants. and mutual fund management companies.CySEC’s Role in Combatting Market AbuseOne of CySEC’s most important functions is the granting of operation licenses to investment firms, including investment consultants, brokerage firms and brokers. This includes provisions for Cyprus Investment Firms (CIF), who provide and perform investment services and activities either within Cyprus or abroad on a professional basis on certain financial instruments.Finally, CySEC oversees the imposition of administrative sanctions and disciplinary penalties to brokers, brokerage firms, and investment consultants, among others. The group has been a key force in policing the forex and binary options space, which has included several legal actions and curb market abuse. Since 2016, CySEC has sought to take a more aggressive stance against illicit behavior, while also strengthening its handling of investor complaints against entities. CySEC is currently chaired by Demetra Kalogerou, who has held the role since 2011.The CySEC is administered by a seven-member Board, which consist of the Chairman and Vice-Chairman, each of whom provide their services on a full and exclusive employment basis, and five additional non-executive members.All individuals on CySEC’s Board are appointed by the Council of Ministers following a proposal of the Minister of Finance. Their service reflects a five-year term. Read this Term) confirmed on Wednesday that Alfa Capital Holdings (Cyprus) Ltd has renounced its Cyprus Investment Firm (CIF) License, as of October 5, 2020.
Alfa Capital provides spot foreign exchange (Forex Forex Foreign exchange or forex is the act of converting one nation’s currency into another nation’s currency (that possesses a different currency); for example, the converting of British Pounds into US Dollars, and vice versa. The exchange of currencies can be done over a physical counter, such as at a Bureau de Change, or over the internet via broker platforms, where currency speculation takes place, known as forex trading.The foreign exchange market, by its very nature, is the world’s largest trading market by volume. According to the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) latest survey, the Forex market now turns over in excess of $5 trillion every day, with the most exchanges occurring between the US Dollar and the Euro (EUR/USD), followed by the US Dollar and the Japanese Yen (USD/JPY), then the US Dollar and Pound Sterling (GBP/USD). Ultimately, it is the very exchanging between currencies which causes a country’s currency to fluctuate in value in relation to another currency – this is known as the exchange rate. With regards to freely floating currencies, this is determined by supply and demand, such as imports and exports, and currency traders, such as banks and hedge funds. Emphasis on Retail Trading for ForexTrading the forex market for the purpose of financial gain was once the exclusive realm of financial institutions.But thanks to the invention of the internet and advances in financial technology from the 1990’s, almost anyone can now start trading this huge market. All one needs is a computer, an internet connection, and an account with a forex broker. Of course, before one starts to trade currencies, a certain level of knowledge and practice is essential. Once can gain some practice using demonstration accounts, i.e. place trades using demo money, before moving on to some real trading after attaining confidence. The main two fields of trading are known as technical analysis and fundamental analysis. Technical analysis refers to using mathematical tools and certain patterns to help decide whether to buy or sell a currency pair, and fundamental analysis refers to gauging the national and international events which may potentially affect a country’s currency value. Foreign exchange or forex is the act of converting one nation’s currency into another nation’s currency (that possesses a different currency); for example, the converting of British Pounds into US Dollars, and vice versa. The exchange of currencies can be done over a physical counter, such as at a Bureau de Change, or over the internet via broker platforms, where currency speculation takes place, known as forex trading.The foreign exchange market, by its very nature, is the world’s largest trading market by volume. According to the Bank of International Settlements (BIS) latest survey, the Forex market now turns over in excess of $5 trillion every day, with the most exchanges occurring between the US Dollar and the Euro (EUR/USD), followed by the US Dollar and the Japanese Yen (USD/JPY), then the US Dollar and Pound Sterling (GBP/USD). Ultimately, it is the very exchanging between currencies which causes a country’s currency to fluctuate in value in relation to another currency – this is known as the exchange rate. With regards to freely floating currencies, this is determined by supply and demand, such as imports and exports, and currency traders, such as banks and hedge funds. Emphasis on Retail Trading for ForexTrading the forex market for the purpose of financial gain was once the exclusive realm of financial institutions.But thanks to the invention of the internet and advances in financial technology from the 1990’s, almost anyone can now start trading this huge market. All one needs is a computer, an internet connection, and an account with a forex broker. Of course, before one starts to trade currencies, a certain level of knowledge and practice is essential. Once can gain some practice using demonstration accounts, i.e. place trades using demo money, before moving on to some real trading after attaining confidence. The main two fields of trading are known as technical analysis and fundamental analysis. Technical analysis refers to using mathematical tools and certain patterns to help decide whether to buy or sell a currency pair, and fundamental analysis refers to gauging the national and international events which may potentially affect a country’s currency value. Read this Term) to retail brokers, HFTs, asset managers and other institutional investors, among other instruments. It had been operating the retail FX brand Alfa-Forex, but in 2018 announced that it would be focusing more on its institutional operations, after no longer offering its services to individual clients and other users which are categorized as 'retail' under MiFID, from the end of June 2019.
Alfa Capital made the strategic decision to focus on providing 'premium trading services' on forex and related products to institutional market participants through its existing trading platforms.
The Cypriot watchdog made it clear that Alfa Capital’s surrender of the license is entirely voluntary based on the company’s decision and does not arise as a result of any regulatory action taken by the CySEC.
Keep Reading
Under the Cypriot regulatory framework, the company must return all outstanding balances to its clients and handle all of their complaints. In addition, Alfa Capital must provide a confirmation from its external auditor that it does not have any pending obligations and must include details of each of the company’s clients.
Although the regulator did not clearly state why Alfa Capital decided to withdraw its CIF authorization, the last three years saw many regulated brokers opt to voluntary surrender their license, and not as a result of any regulatory issues.
Also in 2018, Alfa-Forex suspended its service to Russia’s residents due to CySEC’s new licensing restrictions, which require all Cyprus Investment Firms (CIFs) to fully disclose all countries in which they are operating.
Firms need to notify CySEC when they are providing their services in third countries. Before they can deliver their product in a given country, they need to get appropriate authorisation from the country’s regulatory authorities first.
This was obviously a mess for Cypriot brokers since their financial statements show that the bulk of revenue does not come from Europe. In other words, brokers cannot survive on European business alone.
How these brokers managed to maintain their market share outside of Europe depended entirely on their business models. Some turned their focus to more ‘universal’ regulations. But, this was also more complicated since it implies additional sub-strategies to handle dealing with non-EU clients from countries with regulators, and non-EU clients from countries without a regulator.
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Finance Magnates is a global B2B provider of multi-asset trading news, research and events with special focus on electronic trading, banking, and investing. Copyright © 2022 "Finance Magnates CY Ltd." All rights reserved.
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The last couple of years have proven to be revitalising for several prominent directors from the 70s and 80s. Directors like Joe Dante, John Carpenter and Dario Argento have sprung back to life with their first feature length films in over a decade. Now it's John Landis' turn. If you don't know him he is responsible for Michael Jackson's Thriller, An American Werewolf in London, Blues Brothers, Trading Places, Three Amigos, Coming to America and more. He was hot property during the 80s but then a string of bad movies brought his career to a halt. Now 12 years since his last film he is back with Burke And Hare.
These characters are actually real life murderers and you can read about their crimes if you care to... one of their skeletons is even on display in a museum. This film, as you would gather is a macabre black comedy about their exploits and features an array of British actors. Simon Pegg and Andy Serkis star and they are joined by players like Tom Wilkinson, Ronnie Corbert, Tim Curry and Bill Bailey. Christopher Lee and a few others even make brief cameos. Burke and Hare are hard on their luck and stumble upon an untapped supply & demand enterprise.... they provide cadavers to anatomy surgeons for top dollar. They make a small fortune out of it and soon the big wig criminals weigh into it and the whole thing is muddied by multiple parties. Its a funny movie. Lots of classic olde English style gags and plenty of grotesque laughs. As with the aforementioned directors it's great to see Landis back on the scene and I hope its not the last we see of him.
I love it when the Australian landscape is captured like this. Epic, natural and magnificent. So many Aussie films are set in our unique wilderness but few of them actually observe it. The Hunter presents its story with the environment itself as a crucial character. A few Aussie films which have done this successfully were Van Diemen's Land, In The Winter Dark and Picnic At Hanging Rock. Willem Dafoe plays a scientist who is sent to Tasmania on a secret assignment by an unknown corporation to find a Tasmanian Tiger. His mission brings him to a small community populated by loggers and hippies. This makes for a hostile environment. The film divides its time between Dafoe in the bush and then back at his lodgings where he is staying with a mother and her two children. The father went missing in the mountains a year ago and Dafoe's character develops a bond with this broken family. The film develops into a mystery with various agendas and subtexts leaking into the story but I won't venture into a spoiler for you. Dafoe is great and the cinematography is breathtaking. I did, however, have a few problems with The Hunter. The story could have been fleshed out a lot more. There are so many details that were only briefly skimmed over and I would have liked a lot more detail. The locals, the farmer, the missing father... all things that could have been explored more and given the film a greater strength. I'd pay to see an extended version, for sure!! But as it is, this is still a great film. Hopefully a lot of people see it.
Aside from Touching The Void, "K2" is the best mountain climbing movie I can recall seeing. Made in 1991 it flew under a lot of radars and was widely disregarded... and then a couple of years later Cliffhanger came along and stole it's thunder. Cliffhanger was a conventional thriller movie set against the world of mountain climbers and very little of it actually detailed the technical aspect of climbing. K2 on the other hand is all about authenticity. It does try to include a bit of subtext but for the most part its a simple chronicle of a climbing party attempting to concor K2, the second highest mountain in the world. It's a big screen type of movie and I used to watch it on VHS with a small box tv... I just watched it on my 60 inch plasma and the film really stands the test of time. It's big, exciting and inspiring. Michael Biehn and Matt Craven star and they're great but perhaps their lack of star power is what ultimately kept K2 below that radar. So glad I found this on dvd and revisited...
Here's another influential childhood fav. Over the years Monster Squad has gained a massive cult following with midnight screenings being held in various places... I'm proud to say that I was on board from the get go. As a kid this was about as good as it got. Director Fred Dekker's intention was to essentially make "The Little Rascals Meet The Universal Monsters" and thats a fair description. The result comes off as a movie that would get away with being The Goonies 2. The kids are the same age, they're in a club, both movies are named after said club and the characters from each movie pretty much parallel each other. The story has Dracula returning and resurrecting a posse of classic Universal monsters including the Wolfman, The Mummy, Gillman and Frankenstein. Searching for an emulate which will win him the battle of good vs evil, what Drac didn't count on was a local group of kids who specialise in monster-movie-trivia. Interestingly Universal Studios denied the rights to use their monsters in this movie and so fx artist Stan Winston modified each creature slightly as not to encroach on trademark and the effect adds a new quality to the characters. The movie is the ultimate scary kids movie and they should embrace it. Monster Squad shows kids that movie monsters are fun. Thinking back, perhaps this movie influenced my love of horror.... [for fellow geeks, the 2 disc dvd features an excellent 90 minute retrospective].
I love everything about this movie. To me its near perfect. I used to have a copy on VHS and I reckon I worn it down. Its a movie with style and form and it flows really well. The story follows Willie (Timothy Hutton) who returns to his home town for the high school reunion. Its the first time back since he graduated and he is reacquainted with his old gang. Now some 15 years older they have all moved on... some for the better, some for the worse... and some are stuck in the same loop. Its a massive ensemble case (see the poster) and all of the players are perfectly cast. Particularly good are Natalie Portman, Max Perlich and Mia Sorvino. The movie manages to balance the humour with the drama really well and its difficult to distinguish which genre it actually is... it sort of plays out like The Big Chill with moments of laugh-out-loud and moments that are really moving. The small town locations during winter are used really well and add to the movie's charm. Love it.
Frayed is a 2007 horror movie which has only recently found distribution in Australia. It begins with a ghastly act of violence that questions how this movie received an MA rating. The scene is horrific and is really effective in getting the viewer uneasy about what's to come.... if you know the nightclub scene from Irreversible then you will appreciate the type of violence I am talking about. The movie's premise is almost identical to Rob Zombie's remake of Halloween. A child is institutionalised after murdering his mum. His father has been living with the grief for over 10 years when one night his worst fears come true... his son has escaped. Wearing a deformed clown mask he lurks in shadows and butchers unsuspecting victims. It's typical genre fare with some effective imagery. Glimpses of the clown mask in the background keep putting the chills down your spine and the suspense is built up cleverly. The violence throughout the movie isn't too often but it's brutal when he strikes. The movie's downfall is its low budget. Exterior night scenes look great but the lit up interiors look cheap. The acting is b-grade and were they better the movie could be been a real ripper. It's a horror with good intentions but lingers too long on dialogue where its focus should have been on the creepy stuff. So long as you don't have to pay much to see it, only then would I recommend Frayed.
ONE NIGHT THE MOON
One Night The Moon is a unique experimental musical film starring Paul Kelly and his wife Kaaren Fairfax. They live on a remote farm in outback Australia when one night their young daughter climbs out the window and follows the moon. The film then follows the search party as they desperately fight against time to find her. The story is told through song in a very powerful and emotive way. The sense of loss is huge and the film also deals with black & white relation issues as the farmer and his wife reject the help of an experienced aboriginal tracker. This was produced by an arts experiment production company called 'MusicArtsDanceFilms' who also produced The Widower (see review in this group). Their films are generally short and One Night The Moon has a lean 50 minute running time. It's shot beautifully with scrupulous detail given to the environment and the landscapes are captured gorgeously in widescreen. The songs are great and the film is overall immersive. Well worth seeking.
Christopher Guest is the master of improvisational mockumentaries. After Spinal Tap became a cult favourite he kept the mojo going with films like Waiting For Guffman, Best In Show and A Mighty Wind... each of them are brilliant but my personal favourite is definitely A Mighty Wind. This pseudo documentary follows the preparations for a one night reunion show of 60s folk artists. These include the New Main Street Singers, The Folksmen and Mitch & Mickey. The genius behind guest's films are the little nuances. The actors are given a free pass to just make shit up and it results in a witty, spontaneous and exciting experience. Most of the usual players are back for more and the stand out performances come from Eugene Levy (who co-wrote it), Jane Lynch and Fred Willard ("Hey Whaa Happened?"). The use of pseudo archival footage and photos give the film a real authentic feel and by the time the final showcase arrives, you find yourself genuinely excited.
There have been several films about Ned Kelly over the years but "Ned" is easily the best. lol. It's also (imo) one of the best comedies to come out of our country for a long time. Damn, it makes me feel old to think that Ned was made 10 years ago but watching it again this afternoon I found the gags just as funny and random as they were back in 2003. Slapstick is a difficult art and its hugely under-appriciated for the most part and Abe Forsythe (director & star) is to be celebrated. I don't know why he hasn't made any more movies since but if he had of stuck with it I'm sure I'd use his name in the same company as Mel Brooks, Carl Reiner and the Zuckers. The gags are like a full-on assault and they never relent. From the early scenes of the rubber farm to the miniature horse escape... NED is a flick that deserves more praise. We don't get too many movies like it in Oz and we should.
Homo Erectus is a dumb movie that uses intelligence as its punch line. Its takes place during the stone age and centres around the character of Ishbo who is the only intelligent person amongst his tribe. He's determine to advance mankind with useful inventions such as the toothbrush, utensils... and pants. Of course he is seen as an outcast and his life is miserable. It's very funny stuff and is exactly what the movie Year One should have been. Sure, it's a one joke movie but it maintains its hilarity. Adam Rifkin directs and stars in this movie and it's a flick you will either "get" or you won't. I was previously introduced to his brand of humour with Detroit Rock City and if you enjoyed that then you'll probably get a kick out of this. It's a no-brainer with brains and a brilliant end scene!
I knew from the get go that i would enjoy Bridesmaids, that much was clear... however I gave it a wide berth when it was released because the hype was all too much. Over hype is never good. And so I have finally seen it and confirm that the hype was definitely unnecessary.... but that's not to say I didn't enjoy it. I loved it. Most of you have seen it so I needn't explain that it plays like a female version of The Hangover. The characters all paralel the Hangover and some of the scenarios are similar. Bridesmaids does it with a lot more subtlety though. It's the chick flick that blokes won't mind watching. All of the performances are great, the script is well written and the gags are hilarious. It probably overstays it's welcome by half an hour or so (it kind of lags in the middle) but overall its Bachelor Party Chick style! Good stuff.
There's been so many serious Jim Carrey films where you think to yourself 'this is the dramatic performance of his career' and I Love You Phillip Morris is the newest. My god this guy performs! This is one of the most unusual and unbelievable true stories I've seen in the long time. It's about an everyday husband who becomes bored of his life as a cop. He's tired of his family and sick of living a lie. He's gay and doesn't want to hide it anymore. And so he ups and leaves for a new life. As he explains early in the film, being gay is expensive and so he becomes a con-man. A good one too. The story is similar to Spielberg's film Catch Me If You Can and much of it takes place in prison where he falls in love with another inmate played by Ewan McGregor. These two guys perform their asses off. Both roles are demanding and the movie balances the drama with comedy perfectly. This will not be everyone's cup of tea but for me it definitely was. I followed up the movie with a lot of curiosity and researched the real life events... and it sounds to me that I Love You Phillip Morris is more fact than fiction. Wow, what a story.
Reservoir Dogs is one of those movies that takes you back. For me it's the mid 90s right at a time when I was starting to seriously consider working with movies. Tarantino was the newest and hottest thing in Hollywood and everyone wanted to be like him. I watched Reservoir Dogs over and over and over and even had it confiscated at school. Watching it again this afternoon I was a seeing it from a different perspective to my teenage counterpart. Back then I was swept up by its violent undertones and gritty language but now I am much more wrapped up in its flow. The panning shots. The slow zooms. The close ups... and the rhythm of dialogue. Its all so poetic and without sounding pretentious, its a masterstroke. The critics say it's derivative but that's obvious. It was influenced from a whole range of things.... but then so is every movie. Tarantino just copped shit because he wasn't educated thru film school... he was self taught. Add this factor to the mix and its one hell of an impressive film debut. I feel like I'm 15 again watching Dogs.
Water For Elephants is pretty much the same piffle as The Notebook... the difference being that this is good. It all takes place in a travalling circus with Robert Pattinson playing a young veterinarian student who finds himself working for the Benzini Brothers. He immediately buts heads with the ruthless boss (played by Christoph Waltz) and soon falls in love with his wife (Reese Witherspoon) who is the show's main attraction. Its a familiar formula of forbidden love but what sets it apart is the circus setting. Its filmed beautifully and the animals featured are incredible, particularly the elephant (gorgeous). It could have been a mediocre snorefest (ala Notebook) but the performances lift it above that. Reese Witherspoon seemed miscast to me, but I've never been a fan so I'll assume that's my bias. Its an exercise in style over substance but its nice to look at.
SUPER 8
Watching Super 8 I was taken back to my childhood. Set in 1979 the movie follows a group of pre-teen friends as they attempt to make an amateur zombie movie. One night while shooting a scene at an old train station platform they witness a monumental train wreck. Miraculously cheating death they come to realise that the train belongs to the US Air Force. Soon the military role in and the town is evacuated. Everything about this film has the Spielberg stamp all over it and while he didn't direct it you can't help but feel that he had a large hand in it (he's known to secretly direct portions of the films he produces). I think back to movies I grew up with like The Goonies and Monster Squad... and Super 8 brings back that sense of childhood adventure. I really hope that the kids of today embrace this one because if it were one of my childhood movies I would definitely look back on it with affection... hell I still might even.
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Battlefield: Hardline is an action, first-person shooter video game that features new gameplay that is different from the other Battlefield game modes. The game features new modes including Rescue Mode, Heist Mode, Bloodmoney Mode, and Hotwire Mode. The game's focus has been shifted to police rather than the military b ackground that has spanned the whole series. Players may access an arsenal of military grade weapons and vehicles as well as having police equipment such as tasers and handcuffs. ... Read More
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What is jitter, and what is its effect on Battlefield Hardline?
You might already know about checking your ping and latency to improve your gaming experience. But there is one more factor that has a significant effect on the smooth gameplay you're supposed to have - and that is jitter. What is jitter? Jitter is an average of the change in ping over time or how your latency score fluctuates. It is the variation in latency, and it's a problem because it makes the experience unpredictable. Average internet users commonly ignore it, but to online gamers, especially the ones who are playing multiplayer shooter games, this problem is a big deal. Jitter (or more accurately, latency fluctuation/flux), shows itself during games like Battlefield Hardline through choppy gameplay. You're running around, and suddenly the world freezes. Once it unfreezes, everything has changed, as if time had stood still for you and then got caught up suddenly. Even if this just happened half a second, you'll probably notice this stuttery gameplay. Jitter causes the latency to change rapidly, for example from 10ms to 80ms and back. In such a situation, it's tough for game servers to provide a fair environment for all players, which can be very frustrating.
First off, you've come to the right place. We're anti-lag here at wtfast! Secondly, keep in mind that 'lag' is a general term and could apply to both slow down (e.g., frames per second/FPS), or reduced responsiveness during gameplay. For clarity, we're going to focus less on graphical lag and more on your network latency and performance. At wtfast, we make software to help you boost your network performance for latency-sensitive programs like Battlefield Hardline. We can help improve your network latency!
Rubberbanding in online games like Battlefield Hardline is caused by different factors. You might think this is because of your network connection or your ISP - although this can be true, that is not always the case. Rubberbanding can also be caused by improper installation of the game or if your game has corrupted files. Having old drivers installed in your PC (specifically for your graphics card and/or network adapter) can also be one of the causes. If you are connected through a WiFi connection instead of a wired connection, chances are you may likely to experience a rubberbanding problem. Another potential rubberbanding cause is a poor internet connection. It’s always worth having a conversation with your ISP to see if they offer a dedicated gaming bundle, especially if they offer wtfast as a built-in value bundle. Ask your ISP if they bundle wtfast with their gaming package. So how can you fix this rubberbanding problem with Battlefield Hardline? Here is a simple guide to do this. First, take note that we will only show you general fixes for this problem. It may have a little or a significant impact to you depending on different factors or variables. However, these fixes have been proven to work for different players, so we can say that they are worth trying. As mentioned in a previous tip, rubberbanding can be a result of improper installation of the game. You may want to try reinstalling your game, along with any external gaming launcher (like Steam), to see if your problem is fixed. Other than that, you may want to update the drivers of your graphics card and network adapter to see if there will be any major differences to your gaming experience. Try to switch to a wired connection instead of a wireless one. You can do this by using an ethernet cable and connect it to your router. This will eliminate packet loss which is one of the major causes of rubberbanding. If the same problem still occurs, you should definitely consider using a network enhancement program. wtfast has customized and private network connections which drive your traffic more directly to the game server which optimizes connection for much stronger stability and optimizeder ping times. Supporting over 72 billion potential combinations of game, game server region, country, and proxy routes, you'll definitely find a combination that is suitable for you. With the help of wtfast, you'll be able to focus on your game without any rubberbanding interruptions.
What is a traceroute, and how does it apply to Battlefield Hardline?
Think of a traceroute as an 'audit trail' for your Battlefield Hardline connection. Your data is usually routed through several servers between you and the Battlefield Hardline servers. A traceroute helps you measure and visualize the route your traffic takes, showing you each gateway or 'hop' along the way. For your connection to Battlefield Hardline, your data packets will usually travel across multiple 'hops' to get from your computer to the server. Your data will often change hands across various networks to get from Point A (your device) to Point B (the game server). A traceroute measures your data packets as they're set from your computer across all the various 'hops' between Point A and Point B. When you use a traceroute, your connection history is recorded as "round-trip time." A traceroute shows you a list of each of the points your connection hits as it travels between you and the Battlefield Hardline server.
What is ping time, and how does it apply to Battlefield Hardline?
Ping is a measurement of the reaction time of your internet connection. Your ping time measures how long it takes for data packets to get from your device to the Battlefield Hardline server. Ping measures the time it takes to make a round trip time between your computer and the Battlefield Hardline server, and it is typically measured in milliseconds. A optimized ping time means you have a more responsive connection for latency-sensitive apps like online games. Ping was initially a term used in active sonar technology, and it described the time it took for a sound to be sent and received between sender and target. In the animal kingdom, bats use a similar method called echolocation which uses high-frequency sounds to help the bat determine how close it is to a destination, even in total darkness. On the internet, determining your Battlefield Hardline ping time can be a bit trickier. Internet connections are not typically direct – there are multiple 'hops' between the sender and the target. Much like bats, we're often flying blind on the internet, unaware of the latency of the next 'hop.' When calculating your overall ping time, it's important to factor in each 'hop' along the route. When your Battlefield Hardline connection is laggy, it's usually due to a poor connection between 2 or more points. For example, your computer may be the Sender, and the Battlefield Hardline server may be your Target, but there could be other mystery hops along the way causing issues.
Many people fixate on ping time when they're gaming, zoning in on speed and that magic ping number. Plenty of gamers look at their ping time like a "scorecard" for their connection. However, many gamers underestimate the importance of their connection stability. Stability is a less sexy thing to focus on than speed – imagine test-driving a Porsche to assess its "stability"... it's not quite as fun as testing the speed, is it? Sexy or not, stability is just as important, and in many cases more essential than your raw speed metrics. Imagine driving a Porsche at 200 miles per hour on a busy highway, when your speedometer instantly drops down to 10 miles per hour! How do you think that would pan out for you as the driver of that sports car? Sure, the car's speed is essential, but it's also equally, and often MORE critical for the vehicle to maintain a *consistent* speed. Your internet connection is like a car – it needs to perform consistently and reliably. You can reduce the number of ping spikes in Battlefield Hardline in several ways. The first step to improving your connection stability may seem like an obvious one, but it's important to check this first – make sure you are using a wired internet connection. When you are using a wireless connection, you will often lose data packets, causing interruptions to your experience. Sure, simple applications are built to be fault-tolerant and auto-reconnect after a dropped connection, but games are different. A missed move in a game will always be a missed move in a game. Next, close any applications or file transfers that may be eating up your bandwidth. When you're gaming, you don't want your computer to prioritize something like your Dropbox file transfers over your game connection. Close as many programs as you can to ensure an extra speed and performance boost. Not only will your computer perform a little better without having a bunch of apps using up its RAM, but you’ll reduce the risk of your internet bandwidth getting used up accidentally. For a full list of applications running on your computer, you can use Task Manager on Windows or Activity Monitor on MacOS.
So, you're into a crucial moment in a game against your friends. Your only chance of getting ahead is to make that one good shot. You're in position, ready to attack, and is on the perfect line of sight; then there was a sudden frame freeze. The next thing you know, you have been killed and your team has lost the game. We know, this can be a great big bummer. If you're experiencing this, you might want to do something about your lag. For all of our sakes! ;) Lags are a noticeable delay between the action of the players and the reaction of the server. A lot of gamers have this problem, especially withBattlefield Hardline. Here are simple tips on how you can get rid of lag in Battlefield Hardline. First, check the system requirements of the game. Your PC may be inadequate to perform the processing power that Battlefield Hardline needs. If your computer does not meet the requirements listed on the game's system requirements, you should upgrade your computer to the specifications mentioned therein. You may also opt to downgrade the system requirements by reducing the resolution and graphics quality in-game. You can decrease the resolution and graphics rendering by tweaking the game settings in the options menu. Try to experiment with different graphics options, like reducing screen resolution, render quality, lower texture resolution, etc. Remember - multitasking is bad! If you were a professional football player, would you try to stream Netflix while you played? Probably not. Focus is a good thing. Consider shutting down all programs and devices that are consuming your bandwidth, because you need to dedicate all of that to your online gaming. Wired connections are also more preferable than wireless connections because they are optimizeder and more stable. Try turning off your software updates whenever you start playing online. Although you need to keep your computer up-to-date, there is nothing wrong with turning off software updates for a moment. Mid-game software updates could sabotage your bandwidth and will likely cause lag in your game. Turn these updates off ASAP, and you will surely see a positive difference. If none of these work, we have one more solution in store for you. It's wtfast! At wtfast, we are dedicated to creating software that significantly improves your network performance. wtfast optimizes your connection by reducing the number of hops between you and the Battlefield Hardline game server. This will substantially reduce unnecessary lag in online games. We support thousands of games and over 60,000 combinations of GPN proxy servers to handle your connection across 190 countries. wtfast will make sure that your game data reaches the server in the most effective manner possible.
What is rubberbanding, and how does it affect my Battlefield Hardline experience?
Rubberbanding is one of the major problems most gamers encounter when playing online games. This is extremely annoying, especially with Battlefield Hardline and online games with optimized-paced ‘twitch’ mechanics. Rubberbanding is a term used to describe a player's random or jerky movement in a multiplayer game when they're experiencing high latency. This often occurs in FPS or similar games that have a large number of people per multiplayer server. It is mostly seen in MMOs - a large number of players means there are more cases of rubber banding; either the server is overloaded, or players have high ping. When rubberbanding happens, a player appears to be thrown backward from the start of the action after they executed that certain action. It feels like being caught in a rubberband - players get thrown back after moving forward, making it look like your character teleported or warped from one place to another. This rubberbanding problem is extremely frustrating, especially when you are in a crucial stage of the game. You’re hiding from your enemy and just about ready to shoot. Then for just a couple of seconds, you suddenly appear in front of the enemy and… BAM! You're the one who gets shot and killed instead. This is the rubberband effect in action. Your action may also appear differently to other players. While you see it as a rubberbanding effect, other players may see your character as idle or motionless, which is commonly seen on players who are experiencing heavy lag. Rubberbanding is confusing for you and your opponents, and it definitely takes the fun out of the game.
What are ping spikes, and how do they affect Battlefield Hardline?
Imagine playing Battlefield Hardline, and you are about to make a critical move that requires the quickest reflexes. You're all ready. You aim. And... BAM! Your little brother runs up and shoves you out of your chair. Unsurprisingly, you miss your critical move entirely! Not only do you lose the match, but now you're pissed off with your little brother. A ping spike is like having your brother shove you out of your chair right as you're about to make that move in Battlefield Hardline. A ping spike is what happens when your lag jumps suddenly, like when you go from a stable 10ms ping time to an unstable 300ms response. These drastic ping spikes are your enemy when it comes to online games and latency-sensitive applications where real-time interaction is expected. When your ping spikes suddenly, it almost always results in a missed move in games like first-person shooters, MOBAs, or fighting games. The more responsive and 'twitchy' the game mechanic, the more critical it is to make sure your connection is both optimized AND smooth.
How is my ping time to Battlefield Hardline calculated in wtfast?
wtfast calculates an average ping time between you and the Battlefield Hardline server, across each of the hops. While we do our best to calculate every hop along the route, there are some 'hop points' that are behind firewalls or obfuscated (i.e., hidden from us) which make measuring the ping time to and from that location a bit trickier. By calculating the difference between the total ping time between you and the Battlefield Hardline server, we can calculate an approximate time between obfuscated hop points, but it can be slightly less accurate than the non-obfuscated points.
How does wtfast help improve my Battlefield Hardline ping time?
wtfast is a utility that helps redirect your internet traffic from the 'regular' internet to a private connection. Think of wtfast a bit like a 'optimized route,' where there are fewer cars on the road or fewer proutes in the sky. For instance, private airlines fly higher in the air than standard commercial airline routes. Operating in less busy airspace allows private airlines to fly optimizeder than the usual commercial lines, often allowing business people to get to their destinations more quickly. There are multiple hops between your home internet connection and the Battlefield Hardline server. wtfast allows you to reduce the number of hops to get much closer to your game server. When you use wtfast, you can select a Proxy Server that sends your traffic directly to the game server instead of leaving your connection up to chance. Standard internet traffic routing wasn't intended for low-latency gaming, like playing Battlefield Hardline with optimized ping times. Instead, it was designed to handle large quantities of data shuttling between places in the most cost-effective way possible. Bandwidth is expensive, especially when you're streaming Netflix in 4K. And since video streaming is such a popular activity on the internet, internet service providers have to optimize for the most popular uses of their services. Decreasing the number of hops between you and the Battlefield Hardline game server can help, as well as routing your traffic through quieter and less populated proxy paths (what we call our "GPN Nodes".) We support thousands of games and over 60,000 combinations of GPN proxy servers to handle your connection across 190 countries. There are over 72 billion potential combinations of game, game server region, country, and proxy routes that we handle. If one path using wtfast doesn't work for you, consider trying different server route.
Why is my in-game ping meter in Battlefield Hardline different from what I see in wtfast?
Imagine that your internet speed is a bit like driving a car. Now imagine that your car only shows you an average of your speed, not your actual speed at any given moment. What if you are driving optimizeder than the speed limit, but your car only shows your 'average' speed? Do you think you will get a speeding ticket if your dashboard says you're under the speed limit, but you are traveling optimizeder than the speed limit? In-game ping meters tend to work similarly, showing you a snapshot or an average of your overall session. These in-game ping meters are useful for getting an approximate idea of your internet latency, but they are only a rough measurement tool and do not allow you to fix your connection. wtfast is a true networking diagnostic and improvement application. With wtfast, you get real-time statistics on your connection to Battlefield Hardline, which changes every time a packet is sent to and from the server! wtfast gives you detailed and nuanced stats on your Battlefield Hardline session. This way you can see where your connection is going, and how it's impacting your performance.
How do I see the different 'hops' between me and the Battlefield Hardline server?
To better understand the path your internet traffic takes to get from your device to the Battlefield Hardline server, you'll want to use a traceroute. In wtfast, we show you a map that traces the estimated route your data packets are taking to get from you to the Battlefield Hardline server. A standard traceroute is much less visual, showing you a text-based list of 'hops', along with the latency between each point. The latency between each point in the traceroute is measured using the ping time between two points.
Why is my ping so high in Battlefield Hardline?
The terms "high ping" and "low ping" are commonly used in online gaming. You may already know that ping is the network latency between a gaming client and the game server. Ping is measured in milliseconds where 1000 milliseconds is equivalent to 1 second. For gamers, low ping times are our best friend, because a low ping equates to low latency. This means there are fewer chances for lags and delays to happen. Contrary to a high ping which causes a significant amount of lag. Having a ping higher than 100ms can already produce a severe amount of lag. If you often experience pings that go higher than 100ms, chances are high that you suffer from ping spikes and jitter. This can be incredibly frustrating especially for an online gamer like you who plays Battlefield Hardline. You might be wondering why your ping is so high in Battlefield Hardline? Here are the possible reasons why... Your distance to the game server - the distance between your location and the game server has a big impact on the amount of delay you're experiencing. The further you are located from the game server, the higher ping you’ll have. Keep in mind that game servers are usually named by their geographic location, so you must check on that one. Wireless connections - connecting to the internet via a wireless connection will make you prone to interference. This will certainly result in increased latency, packet loss, jitter, and all sorts of other network-related performance issues. All of these could contribute to increasing your ping and slowing down your game. Running programs on the background - all applications that are running on the background while you are playing could contribute strain to your network and computer in varying degrees. This could significantly affect your computer's performance, especially if the program is consuming a lot of bandwidth. Be wary of streaming applications and downloads happening on your computer as this will increase latency between your computer and the game servers. Other devices are connected to your network - not only running applications but other connected devices to your network could eat up your bandwidth as well. Devices such as other computers, consoles, smartphones, tablets, and others could consume your network's resources. This could also result in a higher ping on your part, which will dramatically affect your gameplay. Your ISP - the problem might also be lying on your ISP. Maybe your internet service provider does not route traffic optimally for gaming which is possible on a lot of internet service providers. Many of our ISP friends provide dedicated gaming packages with wtfast included in the bundle, which gives you a stronger connection and all the power of wtfast’s dedicated network boosting service, too! You're not using a dedicated gaming software - using a gaming VPN like wtfast will improve your gaming performance by regulating and reducing your ping. Instead of just connecting to the "normal" server connection, wtfast will create a custom connection which will eliminate the number of hops needed for you to reach the server. The quicker you get to the server, the optimizeder your game will be!
What is a ping enhancer and why should I use it on playing Battlefield Hardline?
Ping is a regular occurrence in online games. Basically, ping is the amount of time (usually measured in milliseconds) your machine and a game server takes to communicate with each other. With that said higher pings mean lag for any online game that you play. Ping enhancers help lower your ping by improving the communication of your machine and the game server. wtfast is the world’s leading ping enhancer software, that gives you a much smoother and optimizeder gaming experience. wtfast works by redirecting your gaming traffic to a private connection. Instead of only being stuck with your default internet path between your device and the game server, wtfast gives you thousands and thousands of possible different connections to explore and test-drive. wtfast establishes a private connection between you and the gaming server, which acts as a "optimized route”, allowing you to transfer data much more rapidly. wtfast can significantly lower ping spikes, lags, jitters, and lost packet data which will result in better gameplay and more wins!
How do I reduce my Battlefield Hardline ping?
We know how hard it is to fight the never-ending battle between you and lag, ping spikes, and more. Just like what a lot of gamers say - the lower the ping, the better your gaming experience. So first and foremost, you need to know what a ping is and how does it affect your Battlefield Hardline gameplay. A ping is the response time between two computers. When it comes to online gaming, a ping shows the response time between the client and the game server. Ping time is measured in milliseconds, and tell you how long a packet data takes to travel back and forth from the client and the game server. Simply put, whenever a gamer connects to an online game, a reduced ping becomes a gamer’s best friend. On the contrary, a high ping becomes a gamer's worst enemy. Your ping time can literally be the difference between winning and losing. So how can you reduce your Battlefield Hardline ping? Before connecting to Battlefield Hardline, make sure to check your ping beforehand. Using the wtfast Ping Test is one of the best methods to do so. Pings that are less than 100ms are ideal for online gamers. However, pings higher than 150ms will start to show lag. Even if you have the best gaming rig in town, that won't help in reducing your ping unless you have a very strong internet connection. And surprisingly enough, sometimes even a strong internet connection isn’t the solution to your ping problems. Reducing your ping can be done in several ways. First is to make sure that you use a wired internet connection. Using a wireless connection may result in a lot of ping problems, which is why a wired connection is the best option when it comes to online gaming. You should also consider using your local servers or the servers that are closest to your location. This can dramatically reduce your ping as it will allow better communication between the gaming server to your PC. Next is to close all running applications running in the background. This will prevent your computer from multitasking. Having many running applications will consume your computer's memory and will affect the overall performance of your gameplay. Moreover, you should close all software that demands bandwidth, as it leeches all your bandwidth and will give you a terrible amount of delays and high ping times. You should also consider disabling your software updates before you start playing, as updates tend to consume a lot of bandwidth. You may just turn your updates back on after playing. If you are using a wireless connection, make sure to reduce the number of devices that are connected to the WiFi. If it's possible, disconnect all other connected devices on your local network so that you're the only one consuming the bandwidth. If not, the next best thing is to connect your PC to the router through an ethernet cable. Routers and modems tend to work non-stop which results to congested data registry. You should try restarting your router to refresh your connection and potentially lower your ping. If your router has been around since the stone age, you might want to consider buying a newer replacement. Replacing your router will noticeably affect your Internet connection speed, strength, and consistency. Furthermore, your ping will also likely be lower when you install a new router. You can also dramatically reduce your ping by using a dedicated gaming software. wtfast can lower your ping by reducing the number of hops it takes to get to your gaming server. By decreasing the number of hops between you and the Battlefield Hardline game server, you'll surely see a significant reduction with your ping and have a much, much better online gaming experience! The advantage of wtfast is that you aren’t limited to a single internet connection between you and the game router. Instead, wtfast gives you thousands and thousands of potential alternative routes between you and the game server, giving you a multitude of options and choices for improving your connection! With such a powerful utility, we encourage our users to experiment with different connection routes to find the path that’s best for them and their favorite game.
Jitter is the sudden deviation that you get in your ping whenever you are playing online games. For example, your average ping might be 45ms. But with jitter, that 45ms might spike to 90ms or even 300ms for a short time, before going back down to your average ping. These sudden spikes in ping may throw off your game, causing you to miss that game-winning moment in games like Battlefield Hardline. A simple thing like jitter can cause you to lose a game, making your gaming skill completely irrelevant. How can you fix jitter? The main cause of jitter is the difference in the average latency time of your packets. So, you can fix your jitter by lowering your latency and more. To resolve this, you should strongly consider using a wired internet connection if you’re not already. This is highly advisable when you are into online gaming rather than using a wireless connection. A wired connection will prevent fluctuations and lost packets which can significantly improve and lower your latency. Next is to use a high-speed internet connection. Lower internet speed may cause jitter or latency flux, especially when you're sharing it with other people or other devices. You may try and switch to fiber connections, or even just upgrade your connection and increase your bandwidth. Doing so can transform your gaming into smooth, no-jitter gameplay. Another step is to use a powerful router. Your router is the heart of your internet connection, so you’ll want to invest in the best here. Maybe your router has been there for ages, and it's not working well for your needs anymore. Look for a powerful router that is fit for your gaming needs. Do some research and check reviews to verify the quality of the router. Make sure that the bandwidth capacity is high enough to handle the traffic your household produces. We suggest finding a router with wtfast built-in. This way, your router can handle all the complexity of finding the best route across the thousands and thousands of potential different connection routes available in wtfast. Our friends at ASUS offer dedicated gaming routers with wtfast built-in, giving you peace of mind for gaming without headache. If you're still experiencing jitter and aren’t ready to upgrade your router, you can boost your game by simply using gaming software that offers the network optimisation solution for you. That software is wtfast! wtfast uses a custom business-grade network infrastructure that is perfect for your gaming needs. Our optimization services will provide you with a more reliable and responsive connection which can help you reduce jitter and improve your network stability.
What does "ms" mean in Battlefield Hardline?
Gamers often see the letters “ms” beside a number or a series of numbers in games like in Battlefield Hardline. For those of you who don’t know, “ms” is the abbreviation for milliseconds. It is the unit of measurement used in ping. Take note that 1000ms are equal to one second. So why does it matter in your game? In playing Battlefield Hardline, what you’re aiming for is a low ms count. Having a low ms count means you have a lower ping. Which means, if you see 250ms, this is exactly how long it takes for your data packets to reach that server. The higher the number, the longer it takes for you to transfer data and the more "laggy" it will feel to you. So, the lower the millisecond ("ms") count, the better.
What is latency and how does it affect my response time in Battlefield Hardline?
Latency is a term that is commonly used in online gaming. Latency (in an online gaming context) refers to the average total time that it takes for your computer to send data to the gaming server. Latency is measured in milliseconds, and a second is composed of 1000 milliseconds. On the other hand, your game response time is the time it takes for the data and the corresponding event to reach the game server and then back to your computer. Basically, your response time is 2x the latency which means, if you lower your latency by 250ms, you'll also reduce your game response time by 500ms, which is half a second. If you lower your latency by 500ms, you'll also lower your game response time by 1000ms, which corresponds to a second, and so on. The lower your latency, the optimizeder the data will be delivered to the game server and the quicker for the data to return to your computer. A low latency connection time will have a significant improvement in your gameplay, especially on optimized-paced games like Battlefield Hardline where you need to execute an action quickly. wtfast helps in reducing your latency, as well as protecting you from lag spikes and high ping times. We have dedicated servers across 190 different countries which will reduce the number of hops needed to transfer between different servers. By using wtfast, you have more chances of lowering your latency and achieving a much better gaming experience.
"WTFast®", "What The Fast", "Way Too Fast", "GPN®" and "Gamers Private Network" are registered trademarks of AAA Internet Publishing Inc. Unauthorized use is prohibited. AAA Internet Publishing Inc. holds multiple technology patents. Granted patents include RE47533, 9087183, 9742646, 9571359, 9614870, 9729504, 9985985, with multiple additional patents pending. All game trademarks, service marks, trade names, product names, and logos appearing on this site are the property of their respective owners. WTFast® is a 3rd party service and not endorsed by or affiliated with the games supported.
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“Integrity without knowledge is weak and useless, but knowledge without integrity is dangerous and dreadful.”
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St. Charles residential school attracted more and more students because of its good standard and discipline. Additional classes were a necessity. The foundation stone for a new school building was laid by Rev. Fr. Irudaya Selvam. Read More
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The Imperial Palace used to be a castle for shoguns. Shoguns led the samurai class during the Edo period (1603 -1867). The original meaning of shogun is “general”. In 1868, the Meiji Restoration occurred and the last shogun transferred this castle to the Emperor Meiji. The total area of the Imperial Palace including the gardens is about three square miles.
Previously, there was an outer and inner moat surrounding the castle. The Palace today is still surrounded by an inner moat. As you approach the Palace from the front, you will see two bridges and the main gates. The gates are opened to everyone twice a year: January 2nd for the New Year celebration and December 23rd which is the Emperor’s birthday. On these dates the Emperor and his family will appear on a balcony which looks down upon a huge crowd waiting in the front garden.
The East Garden is open to everyone year-round except for Mondays and Fridays. The main gate of the Garden is called “Otemon” which used to be the gate through which all feudal lords (Daimyo) had to walk. The lords and their retainers (servants) were searched before entering the castle and carefully watched by samurai guards sitting in their Guard House. The site of the East Garden used to be the central part of the castle and included the Shogunate offices, the Shogun’s private quarters, and his harem which was called an “Ooku”. The foundation of a Donjon (main tower of a castle), several guard houses, a tea pavilion and a Japanese garden in which you can stroll remain as they were originally.
Closed: Mondays, Fridays, New Year Holidays (Dec 28 to Jan 3) If Monday or Friday is a national holiday,the gardens are closed on the following day instead.
Admission: Free
Rikugi-en is one of the most beautiful gardens in Tokyo, located one half hour from Tokyo station by train heading north. The garden was built in 1702 by a high ranking officer of the Tokugawa Shogunate as his villa. Rikugi-en is a typical strolling garden. However, because the land had been at the edge of the Musashino tablelands (plateaus), many hills and ponds were created. The largest pond is surrounded by trees. Replicas of beautiful, famous spots in Japan, such as Wakanoura Beach in Wakayama Prefecture, can be seen. The garden became the property of the Iwasaki family (founder of Mitsubishi) in the late nineteenth century and was later donated to Tokyo. In 1938 it became open to the public. Because so many azaleas, which bloom in April and May, are planted there, the garden’s nickname is ‘Azalea Garden’. It is also famous for weeping cherry flowers which bloom in late March or early April. They are especially beautiful at night when the area is lit.
Closed: Dec 29 to Jan 1
Admission: 300 yen
Hamarikyu Gardens is a typical strolling garden located in the Shimbashi area, a 12 minute walk from JR Shimbashi station. It was built in 1654 by a feudal lord and later belonged to the Tokugawa Shogun. Looking for somewhere to relax, the lord filled in some of the tidal flats near the mouth of the Sumida River and laid out the original garden and buildings. This public park and the high-rise buildings near it in the new Shimbashi business district provide a wonderful contrast.
Just after you pass the garden gate, you will find a 300 year old pine tree. It is the largest black pine tree in Tokyo and believed to be the oldest.
Hamarikyu Garden’s key feature is the saltwater pond, with its islands, graceful bridges and teahouses. Due to its proximity to the coast, the pond is actually connected to the sea, rising and ebbing slightly twice a day. Many kinds of fish can be seen swimming in the pond.
At the center of the pond, which is accessible by wooden pedestrian bridges, is a small island called Nakajima. On it is a splendid tea house which was used to entertain senior samurai and imperial family members, as well as foreign guests including former U.S. President Ulysses Grant. If you like, you can enjoy drinking powdered tea with a Japanese cake for 500 yen.
Closed: Dec 29 to Jan 1
Admission: 300 yen
This garden is located only 20 minutes from Tokyo station using subway or JR train. In the early Edo Period, in 1629, the founder of the Mito Tokugawa family, maintained a separate Edo residence with a garden. This garden features a central pond and hills, making it perfect for a stroll. When the founder set about constructing the garden, he incorporated some concepts of the Chinese Confucian scholar Shushunsui, including a garden reproduction of Seiko Lake (China), a “Full Moon Bridge” and other features with cultural origins in China.
The name of the garden, “Korakuen,” came from a Chinese text that there is “a need for those in power to worry about maintaining power first and then enjoy power later.” Thus, the name Korakuen, meaning “the garden for enjoying power later on,” was chosen.
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Commentary
Susan Jones | October 1, 2019 | 9:00am EDT
Then Democrat whip Rep. David Bonior (Mich.) argues against the impeachment of President Clinton on Dec. 19, 1998. (File photo/Screen capture)
(CNSNews.com) - In December 1998, when the Republican-led House of Representatives began debating articles of impeachment against President William Jefferson Clinton, Democrats held out another option, a compromise, "that would bring this country together."
Democrats wanted to censure Clinton for perjury and obstruction of justice, not impeach him.
Then-Democrat Whip David Bonior (D-Mich.) drew applause at the outset of the impeachment debate on December 18, 1998 when he recited three Democrat objections to the impeachment proceedings, as follows:
We're concerned obviously because we don't believe we should be here today, while our men and women are fighting abroad. We have expressed that in the first motion of the day with respect to adjournment. We don't believe this is a proper time to be debating removing the commander in chief while thousands of men and women are fighting abroad. (Democrats applauded)
Secondly, secondly, Mr. Speaker, and Mr. Hyde (House Speaker), the gentleman asked for four hours of debate. I've just done the math briefly here. That comes out to less than 30 seconds per member. We don't think that is a reasonable amount of time for members of this body to express themselves on perhaps one of the most important issues that they will face in their lifetime.
And thirdly, it runs -- this time problem that the gentlemen has raised, the four hours -- runs to the fairness issue. And we note that in the unanimous consent request, there is nothing here to give the American people a chance to see this Congress vote on the option that they would like to see, that would bring this country together -- the option of censure. (Again, Democrats applauded.)
It is clear what law President Clinton broke when he lied under oath to a federal grand jury about his affair with White House intern Monica Lewinsky. The House also accused him of obstructing justice in an effort to delay, impede, cover up and conceal evidence related to the Paula Jones case.
Although Democrats fume that President Trump violated his "constitutional oath" by mentioning the Bidens in his phone call with the Ukraine president, it is not yet clear what specific law Trump may have broken. Democrats have mentioned a possible violation of election law and a cover-up, because the transcript of the phone call was moved to an extra secure server.
The White House says the phone call details were moved to a more secure server after details of previous phone calls with world leaders were leaked to the public.
And President Trump said there was nothing wrong with his phone call to the Ukraine president, in which he urged cooperation with people investigating the origins of the Trump-Russia probe.
"There’s been tremendous corruption," Trump told reporters on Monday:
And we’re seeking it. It’s called 'drain the swamp.' There’s been corruption on the other side. There’s been corruption like you’ve never seen.
Now, the new President of Ukraine ran on the basis of no corruption. That’s how he got elected. And I believe that he really means it. But there was a lot of corruption having to do with the 2016 election against us. And we want to get to the bottom of it, and it’s very important that we do.
Democrats, meanwhile, are framing the argument as one of Trump extorting or shaking down the Ukraine president for information on Trump's political opponent in exchange for military assistance to Ukraine, which Trump froze after Congress approved it.
House intelligence committee Chairman Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) went so far as to compare Trump to a mafia boss, even misrepresenting what Trump said -- making Trump’s words sound sinister – in Schiff’s opening statement at last week’s committee hearing.
To recap the summary of their phone call:
Ukraine President Zelensky told Trump that his country is "ready to buy more Javelins (missiles) from the United States for defense purposes."
Trump said:
I would like you to do us a favor, though, because our country has been through a lot and Ukraine knows a lot about it. I would like you to find out what happened with this whole situation with Ukraine, they say Crowdstrike-- I guess you have one of your wealthy people-- The server, they say Ukraine has it. There are a lot of things that went on, the whole situation. [Trump is talking about the origins of the Russia probe.]
I think you're surrounding yourself with some of the same people. I would like to have the Attorney General call you or your people, and I would like you to get to the bottom of it [again, the Trump-Russia probe]. As you saw yesterday, that whole nonsense ended with a very poor performance by a man named Robert Mueller, an incompetent performance, but they say a lot of it started with Ukraine. Whatever you can do, it's very important that you do it if that's possible.
We are open for any future cooperation. We are ready to open a new page on cooperation in relations between the United States and Ukraine. For that purpose, I just recalled our ambassador from United States, and he will be replaced by a very competent and very experienced ambassador who will work hard on making sure that our two nations are getting closer...
I will personally tell you that one of my assistants spoke with Mr. Giuliani just recently, and we are hoping very much that Mr. Giuliani will be able to travel to Ukraine and we will meet once he comes to Ukraine. I just wanted to assure you once again that you have nobody but friends around us...We are great friends, and you, Mr. President, have friends in our country so we can continue our strategic partnership. I also plan to surround myself with great people and in addition to that investigation, I guarantee as the President of Ukraine that all the investigations will be done openly and candidly. That I can assure you.
After Zelensky mentions Giuliani and "all the investigations" – [note that Zelensky brought up Giuliani’s name and referred to “all the investigations”] -- Trump responds:
Good, because I heard you had a prosecutor who was very good, and he was shut down, and that's really unfair. A lot of people are talking about that, the way they shut your very good prosecutor down, and you had some very bad people involved.
Mr. Giuliani is a highly respected man. He was the mayor of New York City, a great mayor, and I would like him to call you. I will ask him to call you along with the Attorney General. Rudy very much knows what's happening, and he is a very capable guy. If you could speak to him that would be great. The former ambassador from the United States, the woman, was bad news and the people she was dealing with in the Ukraine were bad news, so I just want to let you know that.
The other thing, there's a lot of talk about Biden's son, that Biden stopped the prosecution and a lot of people want to find out about that, so whatever you can do with the Attorney General would be great. Biden went around bragging that he stopped the prosecution, so if you can look into it -- it sounds horrible to me.
Zelensky goes on to talk about the fired prosecutor:
Since we have won the absolute majority in our Parliament, the next prosecutor general will be 100-percent my person, my candidate, who will be approved, by the parliament and will start as a new prosecutor in September. He or she will look into the situation, specifically to the company that you mentioned in this issue. [The reference is to the company on whose board Hunter Biden sat -- Hunter Biden, the troubled son of Joe Biden, who was then serving as vice president.]
The mission of the Media Research Center is to document and combat the falsehoods and censorship of the news media, entertainment media and Big Tech in order to defend and preserve America's founding principles and Judeo-Christian values. The MRC is a research and education organization operating under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and contributions to the MRC are tax-deductible.
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It’s a pleasure to host you here today, M.C.V. Egan. Welcome. To get warmed up, can you please tell us about the premise of Death of a Sculptor.
Thank you very much for inviting me. Death of a Sculptor is a murder mystery in which the reader sees the story from a variety of points of view. It is divided into three parts; Bruce’s Loves, Bruce’s Children and Two Years Later.
The book begins with Bruce Jones; a world-renowned sculptor’s funeral. It explores the relationships of those who loved Bruce, with each other and with Bruce.
You started out originally as a historical novelist with your debut, The Bridge of Deaths. Since then, you’ve crossed genres, becoming recognised as a multi-genre author. How do you find switching between writing about the past and the present?
Aside from Sci-Fi or Fantasy where I would be obliged to create actual worlds, I would like to think that I am capable of writing in any subject I find interesting. The Bridge of Deaths does have a huge modern day angle, as I do like contemporary, but it revolves around the research of a 1939 plane crash.
I may someday try a full historical as I’ve spent so much time researching the 1930s and I am fascinated by the era.
What sort of research did you have to do for this book?
Death of a Sculptor is a suburban women’s fiction. It takes place in South Florida, which I have been calling home for almost 30 years. It did not involve much research other than a few poisons to decide how to murder Bruce and play on not being too obvious.
What inspired you to write the story?
I married young the first time. I was married for five years and divorced. Through friends of my youth, I knew that my first husband had married several/many times after our failed five-year marriage. I joked that he must have a marriage/love shelf life.
Out of the blue, a couple of years ago, he contacted me via e-mail. He actually found me through The Bridge of Deaths! He wrote me a long and complicated e-mail, one that beckoned a proper answer. My initial reaction was not a kind and positive one. That very day I attended a writer’s workshop led by Deborah Sharp ( http://deborahsharp.com/ ) as part of the workshop we were given a writing prompt; a funeral.
It was very cathartic to kill (on paper) my first husband and attend his funeral, and I imagined myself walking into a service where all his ex-wives were present. The piece I wrote for the workshop got a good response. They especially liked my phrase “The ex-wives’ pew” I thought it was going to be a short story but then I started giving all the ex-wives a personality…
Today my ex and I are very good cyber buddies and I wish him the very best. I never imagined when we divorced in 1986 that we would ever be friends.
As the story grew, it was no longer about Lars but to give it an interesting edge I decided to murder Bruce; Lars, by the way, was not a sculptor. I chose that because I wanted to give the character a huge tell in his infidelities; as far as I know my first husband was not unfaithful, and the spark that ignited the idea, was simply that, a spark.
Do you have a favourite scene?
I do. I particularly like the scene when Bruce’s ashes are cast to sea. I have had a bit of feedback on that one from readers.
Which authors do you feel have influenced you the most?
I feel all authors have influenced me. Some to realize my limitations, I cannot imagine creating a world as Sci-Fi or Fantasy authors do. Some authors to aspire to in storyline: I absolutely love W. Somerset Maugham and so many others whose work I deeply admire.
There are many Indie authors I have come to admire and learn so much from. I am very fortunate to live in Palm Beach County Florida, where I get to take workshops from a wide variety of fabulous authors.
Would you share an outline of a typical writing day for you.
I am unfortunately not that organized. I had very little opportunity to write last year and I am trying to get back on track. I have a wonderful writing coach, Prudy Taylor Board, and belong to a critique group where we meet twice a month. I do wish to find a good writing discipline and structure, but my life the last couple of years has been rather unstructured I am afraid.
If you could have dinner with any author(s), living or deceased, who would it be?
So hard to choose. There are so many. So I will dream the impossible and choose W. Somerset Maugham.
What are you working on next?
I am working on Novellas as based on each character from Death of a Sculptor. I am now working with a fabulous writing coach and have more than one project going.
Thank you so much for giving us such a wonderful insight into your writing and your books, Catalina. I wish you all the very best with the new release and continued success in the future.
In Hue, Shape and color © M.C.V. EGAN
Mary: Wife No. 1
Thunder, lightning and rain, that was what we had at our wedding. However, on the day of his funeral, the Florida heat and humidity made my face shiny with perspiration. My hair looked like a dark Brillo pad. My children requested I attend the funeral of my first husband. Bruce Jones, the world-renowned sculptor.
The parking lot was already packed with an unexpected variety of cars. I then realized that it was not peak season. The South Florida snowbirds are attached to their cars and they migrate with them back and forth each year.
I noticed a police car and a uniformed man by the entrance. Even for Bruce a bit much; however, since 9/11 security has been tight everywhere.
The valet attendant opened my rental car door. “Welcome ma’am. Your daughter is waiting for you.”
“Thank you. Please make sure you keep the car in the shade. August Florida heat and sun are not my friends.” I pulled a five-dollar bill from my purse to tip him, but he shook his head and mumbled, “No, thank you.” After all It was Palm Beach. I probably should have pulled out a twenty.
I was surprised that the building looked like an actual church, at least from the outside. The church had a long name. It was Universal something or other; apparently, a place of worship with neither affiliation nor strictures. Bruce’s life had, after all, been too outré to pretend he followed any conventional religious norm.
“Thanks for coming, mom.” Clair’s voice shouldn’t have surprised me, but I stood still, focused on carefully dabbing my shiny nose. I clicked the compact shut, smiled and answered, “Anything for you and Aaron sweetheart.” She nodded as she guided me where to sit. It was toward the back of the church; the ex-wives’ pew.
“Please mom, don’t look at me that way. This funeral is a time for forgiveness and closure.”
Clair always found a way to get me to do whatever she wanted. The last thing I wanted was to be in the company of the women sitting there. I touched my frizzy hair, regretting my rejection of the keratin treatment.
Wife number two, Leslie, was the first to say hello. “Mary, you look lovely. It’s been years.”
“It has, thankfully,” I replied. The other two simply nodded, and I nodded back. Leslie, the one Bruce left me for, handed me a packet of tissues and winked. Forcing a smile, I took them. The idea that she assumed I planned to cry had not crossed my mind. I pulled the compact out of my purse again to check my makeup; it looked fine. Through the mirror I saw the reflection of the fifth and last Mrs. Bruce Jones, the widow. She was standing waiting for the ushers. I shook my head in disbelief. There next to Brooke was the coffin. The ushers waited with the coffin for the minister’s signal. It had images of Bruce’s artwork. Digital photography makes it possible to decorate anything in living color. Some of the images were blocked from my view by the ushers, but not mine. There I was paraded as a nude sketch. Each one of Bruce’s loves had a color and mine was pink. It was kitsch…even worse, it was downright tasteless.
Bruce had a type. We all had brown hair, and pretty faces with full lips and straight noses. The eye color varied as did our size and build. His type was limited to our physiognomy. I clicked the compact shut, and the other ex-wives faced me, startled by the sound. I shrugged with a coy apologetic smile. Look at the five of us; he had a type.
Bruce’s love also had a shelf life. He took the seven-year-itch need to scratch very literally. Some marriages were shorter, because sometimes the divorces got complicated and his new loves always overlapped with the old. Public or private, his relationships always lasted seven years.
I was nineteen when I first walked into his classroom. He was tall and muscular. I felt a tingle at the base of my neck when I saw his back, as if somehow I already knew. When he turned to face me, I was gone and completely in love. I fell in love with Bruce and the sculpture next to him all at once. I soon learned he made love in a way no other man didnot that I was very experienced thenBruce traced every inch of my body with every part of his. At twenty-four, he already made a good living from his sculptures, but teaching remained his passion. As he grew older and wealthier, he taught short workshops in different parts of the world. His last one had been just a few months before his untimely death. He was after all, only sixty-two.
It was clear by the careful shape of his sculptures that he knew the shape of my legs, ankles, feet, and every other part of my body. His sculpture venues varied, his talent knew no boundaries. Bruce loved and sculpted as instinctively as the rest of us breathe. Whoever inherited the rights to his art would be wise to market his sketches as limited edition lithographs. Bruce liked to keep those private, but he always added color to the sketches in a way that made them works of art unto themselves. Bruce was as gifted with hue and color as he was with shapes. Those were the sketches that someone had the poor taste to use for the coffin. As the ushers moved around I heard the reactions of the other ex-wives, a blend of gasps and giggles. We recognized all the shapes and colors.
Focused on raising our children, I had not noticed when the sculptures started to change. That was when Leslie entered the picture. Bruce may not have planned to divorce me, or at least for years I tried to believe that, but then Leslie got pregnant.
Our marriage, his first as well, was the longest marriage, it lasted ten years. Three of those, Bruce had spent loving Leslie, but playing house with me. His marriage to Leslie was far shorter. I could tell by the sculptures he had loved her for seven years. We all met him through his art in one way or another. Wife number three, Petra, worked in an art gallery. Although not an artist she was very involved with his work. I derived great pleasure from the public scandal when he hurt Leslie that way, leaving her for a mere merchant. By then Bruce had a name, an art, and a face that was recognized everywhere. Leslie had ended my marriage, so curiosity as to who had ended hers interrupted my life for a time. Hers was the only one of Bruce’s love stories I followed carefully, aside from my own.
Aside from relishing in Leslie’s pain, his personal life did not pique my interest. I knew my children were always respected and old enough to voice concern if anyone mistreated them. I could not remember if it was the third or fourth wife who was the only one of us who did not have children with Bruce.
Chopin’s somber Marche Funèbre snapped me back to the moment. The elaborate coffin encasing Bruce’s body had been placed on a movable catafalque. The catafalque with squeaky wheels carried Bruce’s body in a guided procession down the aisle. He was always a large man and had managed to become larger as he aged. His appetite for food and drink superseded all his other appetites.
Leslie whispered in my ear, “She doesn’t look sad.”
Glancing over at the person in question, I nodded in agreement. The widow could not be described as grieving. Grief is, of course, different in all of us. The body language of grief, though, is universal; the defeated, slumped shoulders, head bowed, tears flowing. Leslie was right. The widow was crying, but they almost looked like tears of relief.
A montage of Bruce’s works on a screen at the side of the altar shaped in a semicircle created the focal point. The aisle inclined and my pew toward the back provided a good vantage point. The incline was slight, but pronounced enough to give those of us in the back a full view. The ushers seemed to be holding back the coffin so it would not speed down the aisle. The wheels continued to squeak. Bruce would have hated this. The minister or priestessI am not sure what title this universal church gave them,had a very unpleasant voice and thus was difficult to listen to. No voice, even a pleasant one, could compete with Bruce’s art. For all the rotten things I would be happy to tell you about Bruce Jones, his art was not something anyone could criticize. Even the most prestigious critics raved about his talent and his work.
The slides were in chronological order. The memory and pain from the sting of betrayal flooded me as it had twenty-eight years earlier. I could see Leslie through the corner of my eye and the blush that betrayed her shame.
As wife number two, she had been party to betrayal because she too had been betrayed. I know Leslie grew to love my children very much. I guess she saw me as an extension of that love in some ways. I felt terrible. I had been so curt.
My hand reached to her shoulder in a gesture of solidarity and forgiveness when the images on the screen segued to show the shape of ex-wife number three. My heart ached for Leslie because we had similar builds, and many would not have been able to distinguish when Bruce transitioned from sculpting my body to sculpting hers.
Ex-wife number three, Petraa very tall woman, with long slender limbshad a body that blatantly displayed the transition from Leslie to her replacement. The unquestionable change in shape left no doubt Bruce’s affections had shifted again. Leslie, pregnant with her second child at the time, lost the baby to grief, a loss I also knew well.
At that point, I did need the tissues Leslie had given me, but I was shedding tears for her, not for Bruce. I miscarried a child with my second husband. I understood her pain and sense of loss. Mine, too, was the last child, the child I never had.
Bruce never sculpted pregnant women. Consequently, wife number three, the one who had never been pregnant had seven years that boasted more sculptures than the rest of us. At the seven-year mark, Bruce’s transition into a new love story, a new model. Petra’s telltale sobs showed her grasp of Bruce’s tell. After all, loving Bruce was a gamble. The change of model in the sculpture showed his change of heart. Petra was from a foreign country, I never paid much attention where. My kids interacted with her, and she welcomed them with kindness. In tandem, Leslie and I passed her the tissues.
Petra took both tissues we offered and her lips moved in a quiet whisper; the words were obviously meant for Leslie, though I could discern they were, “I am sorry”
My daughter, Clair, had always lived up to the dual meanings of her name; clear and famous. Clair could see things with great clarity, and she could convey them as such. I could only assume that she knew the ex-wives belonged together, ‘for closure and forgiveness’ as she had said.
Clair’s modeling career had started in her teens at her insistence; she was not pushed nor did anyone suggest she should model. She knew she was very attractive, and she knew she could convey her beauty and charm to an audience, a photographer, a camera.
Her modeling spun into acting. She was as natural on a screen as on a stage. It came to her with ease, though she was happy to take classes and learn. My Aaron is also successful, but he is a behind-the-scenes sort of person. I took great pride in knowing that I had always been a good mother. I had known how to allow my children to forge their own paths.
Not everything in my life succeeded, but I was a success at being a mother. I recognized Bruce’s love shelf life because I had one of my own, with a trail of the remains of ended marriages or relationships. Mine perhaps more impressive than Bruce’s.
I guess Bruce might have been the love of my life. But now in my mid-fifties, I questioned whether a spouse or companion had any viable use? I loved art, my passion, and although my work is not as popular or renowned as Bruce’s, I have achieved a certain level of success.
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M.C.V. Egan is the pen name chosen by Maria Catalina Vergara Egan, the author of The Bridge of Deaths. Catalina was born in Mexico City, Mexico in 1959, the sixth of eight children, in a traditional Catholic family. From a very young age, she became obsessed with the story of her maternal Grandfather, Cesar Agustin Castillo, mostly the story of how he died. She only spent her childhood in Mexico. Her father became an employee of The World Bank in Washington D.C. From the early 1970s at the age of 12, she moved with her entire family to the United States.
Catalina was already fluent in Southern English as she had spent one school year in the town of Pineville, Louisiana with her grandparents. There she won the English award; ironically being the only one who had English as a second language in her class. In the D.C. suburbs, she attended various private Catholic schools and graduated from Winston Churchill High School in Potomac, Maryland in 1977.
She attended Montgomery Community College, where she changed majors every semester. She also studied in Lyons, France at the Catholic University for two years. In 1981, due to an impulsive young marriage to a Viking (The Swedish kind, not the football player kind) Catalina moved to Sweden where she resided for five years and taught at a language school for Swedish, Danish, and Finnish business people. She returned to the USA where she has been living ever since. She is fluent in Spanish, English, French and Swedish.
Maria Catalina Vergara Egan is married and has one son, who together with their five-pound Chihuahua make her feel like a full-time mother. Although she would not call herself an Astrologer she has taken many classes and taught a few beginner classes in Astrology. This is one of her many past times when she is not writing or researching.
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4 thoughts on “Spotlight on M.C.V. Egan & New Release Death of a Sculptor.”
Pingback: Spotlight on M.C.V. Egan & New Release Death of a Sculptor. – Defining Ways
January 21, 2017 at 8:55 pm
Thank you for the interview and hosting me. I love your writing, it is such an honor to be here.
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 22, 2017 at 5:13 pm
You are always welcome and it was a pleasure to host you. I wish you all the very best with this new release and with your future writing.
LikeLiked by 1 person
January 27, 2017 at 3:57 am
I love the real-life inspiration for your writing Death of a Sculptor. Inspiration comes in all shapes and sizes! (and hues and colors). Great interview.
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The Chinese government has apparently lifted its longtime ban on IMDb, making the encyclopedic movie website available to users in both Chinese- and English-language versions. As the AFP reports, the restrictions were unexpectedly lifted on Wednesday, though the reasoning behind the change remains unclear.
IMDb was first blocked in 2010, ostensibly because of a documentary on Tibet that was prominently displayed on its homepage. The move was met with consternation from many Chinese cinephiles, though it was hardly surprising, considering Beijing's strict censorship of politically "sensitive" online media.
A sign of things to come?
As the South China Morning Post reports, today's sudden lift has been received with pleasant surprise, with one Sina Weibo user writing, "Thank you, China’s new leaders, this is wonderful." The Chinese regime hasn't offered an explanation for the move, though it coincides with annual legislative meetings held by the National People's Congress and the People’s Political Consultative Conference.
The change also comes at a time of unprecedented growth for the Chinese movie industry, spurred in part by recent decisions to relax restrictions on foreign films. According to CNN, China currently has about 12,000 movie theaters, and is adding to that total at a rate of about eight to ten every day. Hollywood studios have also begun tailoring their projects to the largely untapped Chinese market, in response to the government's decision to increase its quota for foreign-produced movies.
It's unclear whether economic motivations were behind the decision to unblock IMDb — a site used as much for industry insight as it is for movie trivia — or whether the government will continue to block access to certain titles it finds objectionable. It's also difficult to gauge whether this week's move is a harbinger of future relaxations. The government raised hopes among civil libertarians in December, when it allowed V for Vendetta to air on national television, but struck a notably more authoritarian tone in February, when it announced plans to extend pre-broadcast censorship to TV documentaries.
Facebook threatens to ban news in the US over journalism bill
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Hi guys! I wanted to drop in today to share the highlights from the rest of my post-tax season vacation to Florida. I shared the first few days of our trip when we went to Orlando on Monday and I'm picking up the trip on the Saturday before Easter. The second half of the trip we spent in Palm Coast Florida which is a small beach area between Jacksonville and Daytona Beach.
We flew our small plane from Orlando to Palm Coast during the boys morning nap and got to the resort by noon. Hunter and Jackson handled flying great but the car ride from the airport to the resort was a spectacle and we arrived at the resort with two babies screaming. Luckily we got them calmed down, but not before Hunter puked at the entrance to the resort. We made quite a scene! (Just keeping it real, friends!)
So first up was another nap for the babies and drinks for the adults!
The Hubs also went to the hotel restaurant and picked us up some fish sandwiches to enjoy. Our suite had a lovely balcony so we could sit outside and enjoy vacation even when the babies were napping. Luckily the rest of the trip went a lot smoother!
Once the twins got up we were ready to try again! I put them in their well deserved "crabby" outfits and we decided to explore the grounds with the stroller. It was about 70 degrees and very windy, so not quite warm enough for the pool or beach with babies.
I took this photo 10 times and this was the best we got!
We walked and enjoyed the views before heading back to the room for the evening.
The babies go to bed at 7 which meant we had time to enjoy a nice dinner on our balcony each night after they went to bed. We were spoiled in Orlando with family to help with the babies so we got to go out, but we were on our own in Palm Coast. I thought I'd really miss going out to nice vacation dinners, but it was also quite relaxing just enjoying meals on the balcony.
We kept it super easy with our first meal... a DIY cheese plate from the grocery store to start...
... and we also got freshly steamed local shrimp and a salad kit. It wasn't fancy but was one of my favorite meals of the trip.
The second day of our trip was actually Easter Sunday. We woke up to a gorgeous sunrise which gave me the chills. The Hubs was kind enough to watch both babies while I went for a solo morning run, which always helps me start my day off right.
After the morning nap, we packed everyone up for Easter brunch at the resort.
The very patient valet staff helped us take a family photo. I think they felt bad for us from the scene the boys made the day before! The boys redeemed themselves and acted super cute.
Once again, we took about 50 pictures (No joke) to get the good one above. Most of them look like this.
The Easter buffet was massive and it worked perfectly with the babies. We were able to get food quickly and then go back and enjoy more once we realized the boys were going to behave. We hadn't really taken the babies out for many meals together, so we were so happy that it worked out. It gave us some confidence to feel like we could do more with them in the future.
The brunch was super kid friendly and even had an Easter bunny, so we stayed for a photo. The twins were not impressed- lol!
After the afternoon nap, we decided to try the pool for the first time.
Luckily there was a very quiet indoor pool that was the perfect spot for the boys to try to swim.
They both were a little unsure at first, but by the end were kicking a little in the rafts we brought for them.
The day winded down quickly and for dinner, we ordered from one of the hotel restaurants. The highlight was this caprese salad and crab soup!
Our Easter at the beach may not have been traditional, but we had a lovely time and made a lot of family memories. I'm looking forward to taking them to church for the holiday next year but this is just what we needed this time around.
On Monday I woke up kind of sad that we hadn't been able to spend more time at the beach on our beach trip. Since the babies can't even sit up yet and need shade, it was kind of hard for us to enjoy it. The Hubs saw I was craving some sand and sent me down to the water during their morning nap. It felt amazing to have a little lounging time by the water.
After the morning nap, we packed everyone up for the outdoor pool! Since the pool had big umbrellas it was a little easier to enjoy.
The boys seemed to like the outdoor pool even more and once again we made quite a scene with two babies in floats!
After the afternoon nap, we put the babies in carriers and went to walk the beach.
It was just what I needed to feel beachy on my beach trip!
For dinner, we picked up fish from JT's Seafood Shack. The highlight was actually those brussels sprouts behind the fish! They tasted amazing. We enjoyed our meal on the balcony while the babies slept.
The last day of our vacation started off with a morning run for me. Since I'm just getting back into running, I didn't want to take a week off and it felt good to get in some miles.
After the morning nap, we got the babies ready for the pool again.
I went early and found us the perfect spot with shade and enough room for the stroller.
We ended up spending a couple of hours outside getting in the pool twice and even eating lunch.
Hunter and Jackson really seemed to enjoy the floats and started kicking around some. (We just brought them in the sun for this photo, the rest of the time we were in the shade!)
We love the water so much, so it was a big relief that they seemed to like it too. Right now Jackson is known to scream during bathtime, so we weren't sure how swimming was going to go but he didn't fuss at all.
Plus these babies were ROCKING their summer swim gear.
After the afternoon nap, we took a quick ride out to nearby Flagler Beach to walk around. There wasn't much to see, but it was still nice to check off our list.
For dinner, we ordered pizza from Mezzaluna Pizza and really enjoyed it. The roasted tomatoes on top were perfect.
We spent our last night packing up and flew home in the morning. I was so sad to leave, but there is always no place like home.
This trip may have been much calmer than vacations I'm used to, but I think we made the most of it considering how young Hunter and Jackson are! We have prioritized the babies schedule and napping in cribs as much as possible, so we did spend a lot of time in the room and on the balcony BUT it was so nice to just be outside in the warm Florida weather. I did miss spending all day at the beach BUT know we will get back to doing that soon. I can already imagine the days where I'll be begging the boys to come in from the beach.
Traveling with the babies is not easy but so far it has been worth it!
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Comments
May 04, 2019 at 12:05 pm
Sounds like a great time and a much-needed break for your hubby after the headaches of tax season! Just love the boys' photos--even fussy they are so cute!
Luci Buckner says
May 03, 2019 at 1:35 pm
Wow, you & your family are getting quite a workout lifting those cute little boys. You must be loving being the mother of such adorable twins. Good for you!!!! Enjoy yourselves because you deserve it!!!! Keeping the little guys busy is the secret to keeping them happy. And of course having a schedule too so they are in a solid routine. Bless all of you!!!!
Ann Gardner says
May 03, 2019 at 1:29 pm
Babies have grown so much! Time coming when you will have a hard time holding both while standing. Just love seeing them grow. Glad you had a great time.
Sara says
May 03, 2019 at 10:44 am
Jill says
May 03, 2019 at 8:34 am
Sounds so fun! You are so blessed to be able to fly to locations! I remember traveling on the road for hours with babies and it was not fun!
Could I ask the name of the resort? It looks beautiful!
May 03, 2019 at 8:19 am
It sounds like a great trip! I'm glad Hunter's incident when you arrived at the resort didn't set the tone for your entire stay. Luckily people understand that babies are just babies and can't control themselves!
I'm craving a beach vacation now...
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Hi, Friends! I'm Julie Wunder... Emmy award-winning former WLOS meteorologist. Here you'll find healthy vegetarian and pescatarian recipes, health & wellness tips, healthy travel guides, plus behind the scenes fun from my life as a twin Mom. My goal with Running in a Skirt is to help YOU live a happier, healthier life!
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I'm Julie Wunder... Emmy award-winning former WLOS meteorologist. Here you'll find healthy vegetarian and pescatarian recipes, health & wellness tips, healthy travel guides, plus behind the scenes fun from my life as a twin Mom. My goal with Running in a Skirt is to help YOU live a happier, healthier life!
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staft's character when he learns the death of The very struggle, in this moment of trial, Henry IV.-his presumption_his rapacity which the king had between his old habits -his evil determinations : "Let us take any and affections and his new duties, demands man's horses ;—the laws of England are at this harshness. We understand from Prince my commandment. Happy are they which John that, though Falstaff is taken to the have been my friends ; and woe to my lord Fleet, he is not to be utterly deserted :chief justice.” When he plants himself in the way of the coronation procession to
“He hath intent, his wonted followers “leer” upon the King—when he exclaims Shall all be very well provided for; “ God save thy grace, king Hal,"--Henry
But all are banish'd, till their conversations was compelled to assert his consistency by
Appear more wise and modest to the world.” his severity. Warburton has truly observed that, in his bomily to Falstaff, Henry makes The dramatic action is complete. Henry of a trip, and is sliding into his old habit of Monmouth has passed through the dangerlaughing at Falstaff's bulk :
ous trial of learning the great lessons of
humanity amidst men with whom his follies "know, the grave doth gape made him an equal. The stains of this conFor thee thrice wider than for other men.”
tact were on the surface. His heart was He saw the rising smile, and the smothered first elevated by ambition—then purified by retort, upon Falstaff's lip,—and he checks sorrow—and so him with
“ Consideration like an angel came, “ Reply not to me with a fool-born jest; And whipp'd th' offending Adam out of him.” Presume not that I am the thing I was."
KING HENRY V. * HENRY V.' was first printed in 1600, under feature of the structure, under other combithe following title :- The Chronicle History nations, with such marvellous skill, that no of Henry the Fift, with his battell fought unity of principle is violated, and the whole at Agin Court in France. Together with has the effect of a restoration in which the auntient Pistoll.' This copy, which differs new and the old are undistinguishable. The most materially from the text of the folio, was alterations are so manifestly those of the reprinted in 1602, and again in 1608. The author working upon his first sketch, that quarto of 1600 runs only to 1800 lines ; we are utterly at a loss to conceive upon whilst the lines in the folio edition amount what principle some of our editorial preto 3500. Not only is the play thus augmented decessors have reconciled the differences by the additions of the choruses and new upon the easy theory of a surreptitious copy. scenes, but there is scarcely a speech, from A passage in the chorus to the fifth act the first scene to the last, which is not ela- proves, beyond doubt, that the choruses borated. In this elaboration the old mate- formed a part of the performance in 1599 ; rials are very carefully used up; but they but this does not prove that there was not are so thoroughly refitted and dovetailed an earlier performance without the choruses. with what is new, that the operation can The first quarto was printed in 1600, after only be compared to the work of a skilful the choruses were brought upon the stage ; architect, who, having an ancient mansion but, because they are not found in that first to enlarge and beautify, with a strict regard quarto, it is asserted that the copy from to its original character, preserves every
which that edition was printed was “not a first draught or hasty sketch.” Malone and K. Hen.
Sure, we thank you. Steevens appear to us to have fallen into the My learned lord, we pray you to proceed: mistake that a copy could not, at one and And justly and religiously unfold, the same time, be a piracy and a sketch. Why the law Salique, that they have in According to their theory, if it is procured
France, by fraud, it must be an “imperfect tran
And God forbid, my dear and faithful lord, script.” Is it not much more easy to believe
That you should fashion, wrest, or bow your that, after a play had been thoroughly re
reading, modelled, the original sketch which existed
Or nicely charge your understanding soul in some playhouse copy might be printed
With opening titles miscreate, whose right without authority, and continue so to be
Suits not in native colours with the truth; printed, rather than that an imperfect For God doth know, how many, now in health, transcript should be printed, and continue Shall drop their blood in approbation to be printed, in which the most striking Of what your reverence shall incite us to: and characteristic passages of the play were Therefore take heed how you impawn our omitted ? But the question of “imperfect person, transcript” or “ hasty sketch” may, to our How you awake the sleeping sword of war: minds, be at once disposed of by internal We charge you, in the name of God, take evidence. We will take a passage from the
heed: very first scene of the quarto of 1608, and
For never two such kingdoms did contend print with it the text of the folio. Open
Without much fall of blood; whose guiltless the book where we may, similar examples
Are every one a woe, a sore complaint, will present themselves :
'Gainst him whose wrongs give edge unto the QUARTO OF 1608.
swords Bishop. God and his angels guard your
That make such waste in brief mortality. sacred throne,
Under this conjuration, speak, my lord: And make you long become it!
For we will hear, note, and believe in heart, King. Sure, we thank you: and, good my
That what you speak is in your conscience lord, proceed
wash'd Why the law Salique which they have in
As pure as sin with baptism."
France,
Or should or should not stop in us our claim:
Can any one doubt that this careful elabora
tion, involving nice changes of epithets, was And God forbid, my wise and learned lord, That you should fashion, frame, or wrest the
the work of the author himself? Would
the amanuensis or the reciter have given us For God doth know how many now in health
some passages so correctly, and altogether Shall drop their blood, in approbation
omitted others, making substitutions which Of what your reverence shall incite us to. required him to reconstruct particular lines, Therefore take heed how you impawn our so that the rhythm might be preserved ? In person,
the prose passages the same process of How you awake the sleeping sword of war: change and elaboration may be as clearly We charge you, in the name of God, take heed. traced. After this conjuration, speak, my lord:
Our belief, then, is, that the original And we will judge, note, and believe in heart, quarto of 1600 was printed after the play That what you speak is wash'd as pure had appeared in its amended and corrected As sin in baptism."
form, such as we have received it from the
subsequent quartos, were copies of a much "Canterbury. God and his angels guard shorter play, which had been previously proyour sacred throne,
duced, and, perhaps, hastily written for some And make you long become it!
temporary occasion. We further believe
that the text of these quartos was surrep- shrunk from a subject which appeared to titiously obtained from the early playhouse him essentially undramatic. It is, however, copy, and continued through three editions highly probable that, having brought the to be palmed upon the public,—the author history of Henry of Monmouth up to the and his co-proprietors in the Globe Theatre period of his father's death, the demands of not choosing that the amended
should an audience, who had been accustomed to be published.
hail “the madcap Prince of Wales” as the The single passage in the play which fur- conqueror of Agincourt, compelled him to nishes any evidence as to its date is found in “ continue the story.” That he originally the chorus to the fifth act :
contemplated lending to it the interest of “Were now the general of our gracious empress
his creation of Falstaff is also sufficiently
clear. It would be vain to speculate why (As, in good time, he may) from Ireland coming,
he abandoned this intention; but it is eviBringing rebellion broached on his sword, dent that, without the interest which FalHow many would the peaceful city quit, staff would have imparted to the story, the To welcome him!"
dramatic materials presented by the old
play, or by the circumstances that the poet The allusion cannot be mistaken.
could discover in the real course of events, the end of March” (1599), says Camden,
were extremely meagre and unsatisfying. It “ the Earl of Essex set forward for Ireland, is our belief, therefore, that, having hastily and was accompanied out of London with a
met the demands of his audience by the first fine appearance of nobility and gentry, and sketch of Henry V.,' as it appears in the the most cheerful huzzas of the common
quarto editions, he subsequently saw the people.” Essex returned to London on the 28th of September of the same year. This capacity which the subject presented for play, then, with the choruses, must have been being treated in a grand lyrical spirit. In
stead of interpolating an under-plot of petty performed in the summer of 1599. Without passions and intrigues,—such, for the most the choruses there is nothing to show that part, as we find in the dramatic treatment it might not have been performed earlier.
of an heroic subject by the French poets,
he preserved the great object of his drama “Shakspere,” says Frederick Schlegel, “ re
entire by the intervention of the chorus. garded the drama as entirely a thing for the skilfully as he has managed this, and magpeople, and, at first, treated it throughout nificent as the whole drama is as a great as such. He took the popular comedy as he national song of triumph, there can be no found it, and whatever enlargements and doubt that Shakspere felt that in this play improvements he introduced into the stage he was dealing with a theme too narrow for were all calculated and conceived according his peculiar powers. His drama, generally, to the peculiar spirit of his predecessors, and
was cast in an entirely different mould from of the audience in London." This is espe- that of the Greek tragedy. The Greek stage cially true with regard to Shakspere's His
was, in reality, more lyrical than dratories. In the case of the ‘Henry V.' it matic :appears to us that our great dramatic poet would never have touched the subject, had Thence what the lofty grave tragedians taught not the stage previously possessed it in the In Chorus or lambic, teachers best old play of “The Famous Victories.' 'Henry Of moral prudence, with delight received IV.' would have been perfect as a dramatic
In brief sententious precepts, while they treat whole, without the addition of 'Henry V.'
Of fate, and chance, and change in human The somewhat doubtful mode in which he speaks of continuing the story appears to us
ing." a pretty certain indication that he rather * • Lectures on the History of Literature,' vol. ii.
"*
life;
brief sententious precepts,—the descriptions ing now upon the vantage-ground of four of high actions and high passions,—are alien centuries of experience, in which civilization from the whole spirit of Shakspere’s drama. has marched onwards at a pace which could The · Henry V' constitutes an exception to only be the result of great intellectual imthe general rules upon which he worked. pulses, we may, indeed, say that, if Henry V. “ High actions” are here described as well was justly fitted to be a leader of chivalry, as exhibited ; and “high passions,” in the fearless, enterprising, persevering, geneShaksperean sense of the term, scarcely make rous, pious,-he was, at the same time, rash, their appearance upon the scene. Here are obstinate, proud, superstitious, seeking after no struggles between will and fate ; no vain renown and empty conquests, instead frailties of humanity dragging down its vir- of making his people happy by wise laws tues into an abyss of guilt and sorrow,--no and the cultivation of sound knowledge. crimes, -no obduracy,—no penitence. We But Henry's character, like that of all other have the lofty and unconquerable spirit of men, must be estimated by the circumstances national and individual heroism riding tri- amidst which he moved. After four centuumphantly over every danger; but the spirit ries of illumination, if we find the world still is so lofty that we feel no uncertainty for suffering under the dominion of unjust gothe issue. We should know, even if we had vernors and ambitious conquerors, we may no foreknowledge of the event, that it must pardon one who acted according to his lights, conquer. We can scarcely weep over those believing that his cause justified his attempt who fall in that “glorious and well-foughten to seize upon another crown, instead of field,” for “ they kept together in their wearing his own wisely and peacefully. At chivalry," and their last words sound as a any rate, it was not for the poet to regard glorious hymn of exultation. The subject is the most popular king of the feudal times altogether one of lyric grandeur ; but it is with the cold and severe scrutiny of the not one, we think, which Shakspere would philosophical historian. It was for him to have chosen for i drama.
embody in the person of Henry V. the prinAnd yeu how exquisitely has Shakspere ciple of national heroism ; it was for him to thrown his dramatic power into this undra- call forth “ the spirit of patriotic remimatic subject! The character of the King niscence.” There are periods in the history of is altogether one of the most finished por- every people when their nationality, lifting traits that has proceeded from this master- them up almost into a frenzy of enthusiasm, hand. It could, perhaps, only have been is one of the sublimest exhibitions of the thoroughly conceived by the poet who had practical poetry of social life. In the times delineated the Henry of the Boar’s Head, of Shakspere such an aspect of the English and of the Field of Shrewsbury. The sur- mind was not unfrequently presented. Neipassing union, in this character, of spirit ther in our own times have such manifestaand calmness, of dignity and playfulness, of tions of the mighty heart been wanting. But an ever-present energy, and an almost me- there have been, and there may again be, lancholy abstraction,—the conventional au- periods of real danger when the national thority of the king, and the deep sympathy, spirit shows itself drooping and languishing. with the meanest about him, of the man,- It is under such circumstances that the was the result of the most philosophical and heart-stirring power of such a play as · Henry consistent appreciation by the poet of the V.' is to be tested. Frederick Schlegel says, moral and intellectual progress of his own “ The feeling by which Shakspere seems to Prince of Wales. And let it not be said that have been most connected with ordinary the picture which he has painted of his men is that of nationality.” But how diffavourite hero is an exaggerated and flatter- ferent is his nationality from that of ordinary ing representation. The extraordinary merits It is reflective, tolerant, generous. of Henry V. were those of the individual ; It lives not in an atmosphere of falsehood his demerits were those of his times. Stand- and prejudice. Its theatre is war and con
quest; but it does not hold up war and con- Like prisoners wildly overgrown with hair quest as fitting objects for nationality to Put forth disorder'd twigs: her fallow leas dedicate itself to, except under the pressure
The darnel, hemlock, and rank fumitory, of the most urgent necessity. Neither does Doth root upon; while that the coulter rusts,
That should deracinate such savagery: it attempt to conceal the fearful responsibilities of those who carry the principle of
The even mead, that erst brought sweetly
The freckled cowslip, burnet, and green clover, nor the enormous amount of evil which
Wanting the scythe, all uncorrected, rank, always attends the rupture of that peace, in
Conceives by idleness; and nothing teems the cultivation of which nationality is best
burs, as a member of that English family
Losing both beauty and utility: “Whose blood is fet from fathers of war-proof;"
And as our vineyards, fallows, meads, and
hedges, but he never forgets that he belongs to the Defective in their natures, grow to wildness; larger family of the human race. When
Even so our houses, and ourselves, and chilHenry tells the people of Harfleur,
dren, “The gates of mercy shall be all shut up,"
Have lost, or do not learn, for want of time,
The sciences that should become our country; and draws that most fearful picture of the But grow, like savages,-as soldiers will, horrors of a sacked city, the poet tells us, That nothing do but meditate on blood,though not in sententious precepts, that To swearing, and stern looks, diffused attire, nationality, when it takes the road of vio- And everything that seems unnatural." lence, may be driven to put off all the gentlo
Thoughts such as these, coming from the attributes of social life, and, assuming the great poet of humanity and wisdom, are the “action of the tiger,” have the tiger's un- correctives of a false nationality. discriminating bloodthirstiness. When Henry,
It is scarcely necessary for us to trace the on the eve of the battle, walks secretly amidst conduct of the dramatic action of Henry V. his soldiers, the poet makes him hear that in connexion with its characters. In the truth which kings seldom hear, and which, inferior persons of the play—the comic chahowever the hero, in this instance, may con- racters—the poet has displayed that power tend with it, cannot be disguised or contro- which he, above all men, possesses, of comverted :-“ If the cause be not good, the bining the highest poetical conceptions with king himself hath a heavy reckoning to the most truthful delineations of real life. make ; when all those legs, and arms, and
In the amusing pedantry of Fluellen, and heads, chopped off in a battle, shall join to
the vapourings of Pistol, there is nothing in gether at the latter day, and cry all—we the slightest degree incongruous with the died at such a place; some, swearing; some, main action of the scene. The homely crying for a surgeon; some, upon their wives bluntness of the common soldiers of the left
poor behind them; some, upon the debts army brings us still closer to a knowledge of they owe; some, upon their children rawly the great mass of which a camp is composed. left. I am afeard there are few die well that Perhaps one of the most delicate but yet die in battle ; for how can they charitably most appreciable instances of Shakspere's dispose of anything when blood is their argu-nationality, in all its power and justice, is ment ?” Again, when Henry has won France, the mode in which he has exhibited the chawhat a France does the poet present to the racters of these common soldiers. They are winner!
rough, somewhat quarrelsome, brave as lions, “All her husbandry doth lie on heaps,
but without the slightest particle of anything Corrupting in its own fertility.
low or grovelling in their composition. They Her vine, the merry cheerer of the heart, are fit representatives of the “good yeomen, Unpruned dies: her hedges even-pleach'd, whose limbs were made in England.” We
| 19,725 |
Evil takes many forms but when it is perpetrated for the advancement of the human race it becomes not the callous act of an individual but instead speaks to us of the barbarity of mankind. When man plays God the entire world need tremble. One such man was, Josef Mengele.
He was born on 16 March 1911, in the small Bavarian town of Gunzburg where his family were suppliers of agricultural machinery. They were prosperous and respected locally but the young Josef had no intention of remaining, he wanted to be a doctor.
Handsome and ambitious he was also politically active and aged twenty joined the Stahlhelm, a paramilitary organisation that was formed to protect the meetings and intimidate the opponents of the right-wing German National People’s Party.
In 1935, he graduated from the University of Munich with a PhD in physical anthropology and two years later in January 1937 he started work at the Institute of Hereditary Biology and Racial Hygiene in Frankfurt. He now resigned from the Stalhelm, joined the Nazi Party and in July 1939, married Irene Schonbein by whom he had a son Rolf, but Mengele was interested in a career not family and the war ensured that they spent little time together. They were to later divorce
Drafted into the army in 1940 he was soon transferred to the Waffen S.S Viking Division where he participated in the invasion of the Soviet Union in July 1941. His time as a front-line soldier was short-lived however, and after being promoted to the rank of Captain, wounded and awarded the Iron Cross he was deemed unfit for front-line service but his war was far from over. As a man who entirely endorsed Nazi racial theories and believed in the superiority of the Aryan Race he now determined to prove it scientifically by eradicating inferior genes and developing master race characteristics. So he sought permission to continue his research into the nature, cause and effects of hereditary disease.
He believed racial purification could be secured and he would achieve it through a study of genetic anomalies and birth defects and of course through experimentation. The Jews he believed should be exterminated but like other sub-human species such as Gypsies and Slavs their current existence should be put to good use and for the benefit of humanity.
On 24 May 1944, he was assigned to Birkenau Gypsy Camp but when this was liquidated in August 1944, he became Chief Medical Officer at Auschwitz and though there were more than 30 Medical Officers at Auschwitz it was Mengele who would be most remembered by the inmates of the camp. They would recall his handsome features, his ready smile, and how immaculately dressed and wearing his white coat he would stand on the ramp every morning and afternoon to greet the incoming prisoners as they alighted from the trains.
He would walk the line, inspect them, share small talk with those who spoke German and then indicate with his arm those who were to go to the right and join a work detail and those who were to go to the left and join the queue for the Gas Chamber.
His constant presence and pleasant demeanour earned him the name White Angel but at the selection point and in the laboratory where he decided who lived and who died he would soon be referred to as the Angel of Death.
Always on the prowl for new specimens for his research he was particularly interested in children, dwarfs, identical twins and those who were chosen by Mengele were seen to have been fortunate for they were spared the Gas Chamber and this somewhat bizarrely, earned him the reputation as a protector. As a survivor, Eva Mozes Kor was later to recall: “It was better to be on Mengele’s list than it was to be on no list.”
The always smiling Mengele treated the children well. He was friendly, he would stroke their hair and pat them on the cheek and they were provided with clean clothes, given sweets, and would be driven around the Camp in his personal staff car. He liked them to refer to him as uncle. But the children quickly came to fear his violent temper.
Once when a mother refused to hand over her daughter to him he physically wrenched the child from her grasp and then beat her so severely that she had to be carried away. He then ordered that the entire trainload of recently arrived inmates be taken immediately to the Gas Chamber. On another occasion angered that one of the blocks that housed the inmates needed to be deloused he ordered that it would be simpler just to gas the 750 female prisoners that lived there, and they were - It was also no coincidence that his laboratory he’d had built next to the Crematorium.
Mengele’s laboratory was an antiseptic chamber of horrors and it was here that he would carry out his peculiar, vile and increasingly unscientific experiments. These included injecting chemicals into the eyes of his victims to test their pigmentation, burning prisoners alive in giant ovens to see how burns developed, having victims immersed in freezing water to see how it affects the skin, confining them in sub-zero temperatures to see how long it would take them to die, sewing together twins to make them co-joined, and carrying out live operations without anaesthetic, including the removal of the internal organs. Those who survived under his knife he would dispatch with an injection of Chloroform into their veins.
It is difficult for us to imagine that Mengele ever thought his work would be accepted as valid medical research by future generations. Yet he firmly believed that it would, taking copious notes and documenting everything keeping it all in an elaborate and well-maintained filing system.
The advance of the Soviet Army saw Auschwitz abandoned on 27 January 1945 and Mengele was transferred to Belsen and later Matthausen Concentration Camp where he continued his anthropological studies and wherever he went he was accompanied by a convoy of trucks carrying his research material.
As the Soviet Army continued its inexorable advance and overrun the Camps, Mengele was forced to flee west where to his fury he was ordered to abandon his research by a superior so that the trucks carrying it could be put to military use.
With his research lost and no laboratory to work from hejoined a Wehrmacht Medical Unit but as the war drew to its close and desperate not to be taken by the Russians he surrendered to the American Army at the end of May, 1945. Despite registering under his own name the Americans believed his story that he was just a private soldier and he was released two months later.
Under the protection of his family he now settled in the small village of Rosenheim in Bavaria where he worked as a farmhand but sensing that it was only a matter of time before the Authorities came for him with the assistance of the underground ODESSA organisation in May, 1949 he fled to Argentina.
Safe at last, Mengele first worked as an unlicensed doctor carrying out backstreet abortions and as a carpenter and a salesman but in time he was to meet other ex-Nazi’s in Buenos Aires, including one of the architects of the Holocaust Adolf Eichmann, and with their assistance he was able to purchase an interest in a number of small companies and prosper as a businessman.
Mengele lived openly in the city under his own name and was confident enough to invite members of his family to come and stay with him. In 1956 he returned to Germany to visit his son Rolf and spent a week in his hometown.
The freedom to live as he wished without fear of censure or compromise came to an end in 1960 when his friend Eichmann was kidnapped by Agents of the Israeli Mossad, taken to Tel Aviv, tried, convicted of war crimes and executed. Those who had abducted Eichmann had also been aware of Mengele’s presence in the city but not wanting to endanger the capture of Eichmann they had given him a pass. It was a lucky escape.
Mengele now fled to Paraguay where he changed his name but still feeling insecure he moved onto Brazil where he settled in a suburb of Sao Paolo. It has been suggested that during his time in the city he resumed his research and operated on local people. The nearby municipality of Candido Godoi was known to have had an unprecedented high birth-rate of twins, one-in-five, many of whom were blonde-haired and blue-eyed and with Nordic features. There is no evidence that this anomaly had anything to do with Mengele, but it was a coincidence that did not go unnoticed.
Though he had been indicted as a War Criminal as early as 1944 no special effort had ever been made to apprehend him but shaken by the fate of Eichmann he now lived in constant fear of capture. As a result, he went into hiding and much of his life thereafter is shrouded in mystery as he went from house to house and hotel to hotel. Investigators searched for but were unable to pin him down and it wasn’t until 7 February 1979, when reports emerged that he’d had a stroke whilst swimming in the sea off the coast of Bertioga in Brazil and drowned that he was finally located. Forensic tests would later confirm that the body washed up was that of Josef Mengele.
He had remained an unrepentant Nazi to the end and is never known to have expressed any remorse for his wartime activities. Quite the opposite in fact, he often declared his innocence of any wrongdoing and bemoaned the fact that his research had been lost and not preserved for posterity. It should have been taken seriously and widely distributed, that it was not was sciences loss.
Though he may have had to live his final years on the run constantly looking over his shoulder and forced to rely on friends Josef Mengele the Angel of Death had escaped justice.
When the Brazilian Authorities sought to repatriate his remains to Germany his family refused to accept them.
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November 18, 2005
Not to belabour a point or anything, but I just wanted to point out that my last post, You left out "dazzling", actually was going to be only the Coleridge quote, "Plagiarists are always suspicious of being stolen from." I thought it was excellent. Serendipitously (or should I say "Srilankatously"), I ran into this Cricinfo/DNA case just before I sat down to post it.
It is excellent particularly because of the suspicion.
Not to belabour a point or anything, but I just wanted to point out that my last post, You left out "dazzling", actually was going to be only the Coleridge quote, "Plagiarists are always suspicious of being stolen from"I thought it was excellent. Serendipitously (or should I say "Srilankatously"), I ran into this Cricinfo/DNA case just before I sat down to post it.
It is excellent particularly because of the suspicion.
Not to belabour a point or anything ...
Besides which, of course, and not just because of the cricket connection, this reminds me of this earlier case of plagiarism, where the man seems to have stolen from himself. (Not such an unusual thing to do).
Posted by Dilip D'Souza / 10:22 AM
1 comment:
Abi said...
It's interesting that you bring up an example of 'self plagiarism'. Just three days ago, John Quiggin posted something on this topic in an academic context.
| 3,101 |
Please take one minute to voice your concerns and help ensure access to supports for children are put back in place this school year.
Alberta’s children and families are facing unprecedented challenges in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Added to these stressors are UCP announcements to reduce funding for early education supports, including occupational therapy (OT) services, for children who are most at risk of being left behind.
We support equality for all children living in Alberta. OT services are essential for children with disabilities as they often require support to integrate successfully into classrooms and communities.
Let’s get early education funding reinstated. No child should be left behind!
What happened to the PUF Grants Program?
Program Unit Funding (PUF), which follows children through early education, will no longer apply to kindergarten students. The program was reduced to two years from a three-year model (now only available to children aged two years eight months to four years and eight months) Previously, children up to age five years and 11 months could qualify. Read More
Instead, the funding will be rolled into the new Specialized Learning Support Grant, which allocates money in a general envelope for the entire school.
The new Specialized Learning Support Grant will only support those children with severe disabilities or severe language delays. This means that many children with moderate delays in language and motor skills may no longer receive occupational therapy supports as they may not qualify for the Specialized Learning Support Grant.
The total amount of funding available for children who have a severe delay is now decreased because access to funding is based on how many hours of programming the child receives under this new model. Virtually no pre-Kindergarten aged children attend school for a full day resulting in substantially reduced funding available.
Child Assessments Only Available Privately
Under the new model, Alberta Health Services no longer provides families with assessments, forcing many early childhood operators to pay for private assessments. Some privately owned early childhood service providers have to find money in their existing budgets to pay for an assessment needed to determine PUF eligibility.
In February of this year, the Alberta Government made changes in funding provided to the Edmonton Public School Board (EPSB) resulting in a 76 per cent drop in PUF for the school board, from $39 million this year to just $9.5 million moving forward. Where some 1,040 pre-kindergarten children were once served by the program, only 600 are now eligible to apply.
Not only is less funding available through the PUF grant program, the new model will force families to navigate through three government ministries to try to find the funding they need. Read More
The Alberta Government has dissolved the Regional Collaborative Services Delivery (RCSD) that was created to help coordinate a number of services between the departments of Education, Health (including Alberta Health Services), Children’s Services and Community and Social Services.
Schools Now Decide Where Supports Dollars Will be Spent
Alberta’s 61 school boards received $136 million less this school year compared to 2018-19, according to government documents obtained by the Alberta Teachers’ Association. Read More
How does the Alberta Government plan to hold schools accountable for how the funding is spent? Schools were already struggling to make budgets work, especially with increased costs due to Covid-19. Schools have less funding for everything students need, including children with special needs.
Many therapist positions have been reduced or eliminated. There are now fewer therapists to serve a larger number of schools.
More Funding Given to Private Schools
In 2020, the UCP cut PUF funding by 2 million and increased private school funding by 3 million. Alberta now has the highest per-capita funding of private schools in the country at 70 per cent of public school students, compared to 60 per cent in Quebec, 50 per cent in B.C. and Manitoba and zero percent in Ontario. Read More
Private schools have the ability to pick and choose their students and weed out applicants they don’t want, including children with special needs.
These subsidies directly deprive public school systems of much-needed funds that could be spent to ensure early childhood supports are in place.
Julie is 3 years, 8 months of age. She is diagnosed with a severe total language disorder and is accessing PUF under a code 47. After initial assessments with the learning team, it is becoming clear that Julie will benefit from further assessment to see if she meets the diagnostic criteria for Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD). In addition to her language disorder, Julie also: Read More
Shows decreased interest in her peers and lack of reciprocal interactions with others
Shows extremely restricted and repetitive behaviours and interests
Self-harms (by banging her head) during period of frustration
Is a flight risk in the classroom and at the playground
Engages in physically aggressive behaviours towards peers and staff (scratches, spits, hits, kicks etc.) when she cannot adequately express her needs and wants.
Julie requires the expertise of an OT to be on her learning team to be successful in her learning environment. The team explains to parents that a referral is necessary to determine if Julie meets the criteria for ASD. Parents are on board and speak to their physician about initiating this referral. However, the waitlist is 18 months long so Julie’s coding will remain as a code 47. Parents cannot afford to pay for a private diagnostic assessment.
Remaining coded 47, means that Julie will receive less funding dollars which will impact the frequency of visits from other professionals that she would benefit from intervention from (i.e. OTs, behavioral consultants etc.). Minister LaGrange has mentioned that funding amounts now reflect the actual needs associated with the different codes. This is untrue and Julie’s case is just one example of 100s (if not 1000s) of children across Alberta that will now not have their funding match their actual needs.
Jackson has a moderate language delay. Unfortunately this is not the whole picture. He requires substantial support from an occupational therapist to function in a classroom setting. In addition to his language delay, Jackson also: Read More
Can’t perform any of his self-care tasks such as taking off his shoes or coat
Is not toilet trained and can’t feed himself with a spoon
Has several sensory differences which impact his ability to participate in classroom routines such as; not wanting to touch any sticky or messy textures during snack and project time, only eating a small variety of foods, and refusing to participate during music and gym because of significant sensory differences
Has severe fine motor delays. He is unable to use scissors, hold a pencil, or draw any shapes and often avoids project time completely.
Despite a high need for services and support to function in classroom routines, Jackson will receive no funding under the new model. New PUF eligibility changes remove the role of occupational therapists from coding children. What will happen to Jackson and other children like him without occupational therapy support and access to funding?
What is Occupational Therapy?
Occupational therapy is a type of health care that helps to solve the problems that interfere with a person’s ability to do the things that are important to them – everyday things like:
Self-care – getting dressed, eating, moving around the house,
Being productive – going to work or school, participating in the community, and
Leisure activities – sports, gardening, social activities.
Occupational therapists, often called OTs, are the primary providers of occupational therapy services. OTs are:
university educated professionals that apply their specialized knowledge and skills to recommend a course of preventive or corrective action that will help people lead more productive and satisfying lives,
trained to understand not only the medical and physical limitations of a disability or injury, but also the psychosocial factors that affect the functioning of the whole person – their health and their wellness, and
a regulated medical profession; occupational therapists must be registered with their provincial regulator in order to practice legally in Canada.
How does Occupational Therapy help?
An occupational therapist will try to find out why a client cannot do what they would like or need to do. An OT may check:
Your physical abilities like strength, balance and coordination
What materials or devices you use to participate in activities like furniture, utensils, tools or clothes
What social and emotional support is available to you at home, school, work or in the community, and
The physical setup of your house, classroom, workplace or other environment
Depending on what the problem is, the occupational therapist can help you solve it by:
Helping you overcome your disability. OTs do this by:
educating or instructing you on how to do things with the abilities you have – e.g. getting around your community in a wheelchair
suggesting activities that will help you improve or maintain the abilities you have – e.g. improving your coping strategies
Adapting the materials you use. OTs do this by changing the things you use:
in sports or leisure activities – e.g. a playing cards holder
at work or school – e.g. special tools that help prevent injury to hands and back
to take care of yourself – e.g. special bath or toilet seats
to get from place to place – e.g. car modifications such as one-handed steering wheels
Recommending changes to the environments where you do your everyday activities. OTs do this by recommending that you:
change the physical layout of your workplace, home or school – e.g. lowering/raising desktops, countertops or cupboards
find out about the supports in your community – e.g. specialized public transportation
work with the people in your community – e.g. providing education about a disability to the teacher or employer
work with the government to encourage health living – e.g. request funding for special equipment
Through client-centred care, occupational therapists not only help overcome barriers but help prevent:
unnecessary hospital stays and readmissions
premature moves to a nursing home
work injuries due to poor workstation positioning and other organizational strains
school dropouts due to poor attention spans or reading and writing difficulties
unemployment among people with a developmental disability or a mental illness
Additional Articles and Resources
CBC News – https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/calgary/program-unit-funding-specialized-learning-support-1.5481009#:~:text=PUF%20funding%2C%20which%20follows%20children,envelope%20for%20the%20entire%20school.
There are several ways to help:
Email Your School Board Chair
Share this with your network.
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Together, our voice can make a difference!
Please take one minute to tell your MLA to bring back early education funding. You are free to add a few sentences or words to our message content or to re-write the message in your own words. You can also review and pull from the background information below.
Share why this issue matters to you personally.
Are you the parent of a child who will be impacted?
Are you a teacher with first-hand experience of how OTs have helped children in your school?
Do you believe the government should ensure access to the supports kids need to be successful at school and in the community?
Thank you for taking action for children and families in Alberta!
Action is Needed This School Year!
Reinstate the Program Unit Funding (PUF) programming that is slated to be eliminated in the 2020-21 school year and maintain funding support for early childhood services (ECS) programming.
Explore funding reallocation in consultation with service providers, schools and families prior to implementing program changes.
In the absence of OT support in ECS, children who are currently “at risk” are more likely to develop complex needs and face the reality of not being able to “catch up” to their same-aged peers. We define “at risk” children as those children experiencing physical, cognitive and/or emotional barriers to success.
OT services play an integral role in school classrooms and in ECS programs in particular.
We support all children to be independent and we work alongside teachers and other school staff in an inclusive school environment to deliver evidence-based strategies with proven outcomes. With reduced access to OT services, children with disabilities and their families will struggle to integrate successfully into their classroom and school communities. Children who are currently “at risk” are more likely to develop complex needs versus catching up with same aged peers.
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Steve Irwin, aka The Crocodile Hunter, are an ico. Here are 15 secrets off behind-the-scenes of 1 the newest earth’s biggest and more than tragic Tv stars.
Over 500 million viewers inside 130 places around the globe features noticed new later Steve Irwin, aka The Crocodile Hunter. That’s an unprecedented number of audience to possess documentary series coding. It’s estimated that more step 1.5 billion times was indeed intent on watching their software.
Fascinating, humorous, fearless, caring, comedy are only a few of the terms and conditions familiar with determine his genius. For the 2002, his feature motion picture The newest Crocodile Huntsman: Crash Course started throughout the top in the domestic field workplace, ingesting over $9 mil cash beginning sunday. He is truly the only zookeeper global for starred inside the very own strike flick put-out by the a major studio.
Steven Irwin can be well-known today as he is eleven years ago. He passed away abruptly from the age of 44, after getting barbed in order to death from the a stingray about water while you are filming. Creature Globe recently announced one to his widow Terri as well as their a couple students Bindi and you may Robert is back into the brand new community having a separate collection inside 2018. Steve is also becoming posthumously honored with a star to the prestigious Movie industry Go regarding Fame into the 2018. Their about three most famous series The new Crocodile Huntsman, The brand new Croc Records, therefore the Crocodile Huntsman Diaries will always be available on the Creature World, YouTube, Craigs list, and on Digital video disc from the of a lot online shops.
fifteen Steve consumed meat and you can would not go vegan
Inside the a job interview with Scientific American, Steve gets into so you can info on exactly how he can become such an enthusiastic animal mate whilst still being not a vegetarian. He contends it is worse for biodiversity to pay off an enthusiastic section of creatures exclusively having a soy job or grain paddy, in which the simply of those you to definitely make use of it was people and you can insects. A great cow means a lot of sheer unlock place so you’re able to graze in, although encompassing town will be left unblemished to other items out of animals, plants and you will trees.
Steve is one of the most celebrities to help you preach the fresh new need for loving and you can valuing animals. For example his view-point you to definitely pets was an organic area out-of a good individuals eating plan, but not he did not comment on facility farming.
14 PETA located him becoming a bad example for the children
Steve is a danger taker and you may failed to bashful from affairs that will be experienced harmful otherwise unsafe involving dogs. It was section of just who he had been and you can element of just what made your fun to watch. He enjoyed just what he had been carrying out. He never reported just what he did try safe for the enjoying listeners to use yourself.
PETA happens to be noted for the strong posture up against one poor remedy for pets. They think one Steve do precisely so it when he invades their environment or provides these to his zoo to own filming.
Steve got decades of expertise and you can was born in an effective zoo his moms and dads went and you will had. Which gave your an alternative expertise that can come merely off feel. Even today, PETA still has two severe warnings throughout the Steve Irwin on the webpages.
13 Steve is afraid of Parrots
Steve moved toward checklist many times stating that parrots is actually the only animals he isn’t totally more comfortable with, one time stating it almost tore his nostrils of. He sustained several other hits, specific are a little significant. He actually ran so far as to refer in order to parrots since the his kryptonite.
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Frustratingly, we took a week off. I gave four teaser leans on Twitter (@GridironGreek) in place of an article since I didn’t...
Teaser Tuesday: NFL Week 13 Games to Tease
Last Week: 2-1 MINNESOTA VIKINGS (-7) @ DETROIT LIONS It’s silly to assume that this Lions team can do much more than...
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C# is a simple, modern, general-purpose, object-oriented programming language developed by Microsoft within its .NET initiative led by Anders Hejlsberg.
C# is designed for Common Language Infrastructure (CLI), which consists of the executable code and runtime environment that allows use of various high-level languages on different computer platforms and architectures.
The following reasons make C# a widely used professional language −
It is a modern, general-purpose programming language
It is object oriented.
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It can be compiled on a variety of computer platforms.
It is a part of .Net Framework.
Although C# constructs closely follow traditional high-level languages, C and C++ and being an object-oriented programming language. It has strong resemblance with Java, it has numerous strong programming features that make it endearing to a number of programmers worldwide.
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Now that the U.S. Supreme Court has blocked the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA's) vaccine-or-testing rule for large employers, businesses may want to review their COVID-19-related workplace policies.
OSHA's emergency temporary standard (ETS) would have required businesses with at least 100 employees to ensure workers are vaccinated against the coronavirus or undergo weekly COVID-19 testing by Feb. 9.
Now What? In light of the high court's ruling, some employers may decide to drop plans to require vaccination or administer weekly testing programs. "The Supreme Court's decision on the ETS comes as a massive sigh of relief for businesses already saddled with the difficult task of addressing COVID-19 risks in the workplace," said Jackie Gessner, an attorney with Barnes & Thornburg in Indianapolis. "Businesses were struggling with how to handle large numbers of exemption requests and the seemingly impossible task of administering weekly tests, especially given the test supply shortage."
Other businesses might retain policies that align with OSHA's now-halted ETS. Private-sector employers still have the right to roll out a vaccine mandate or vaccine-or-testing policy that mirrors the ETS, noted Ian Carleton Schaefer, an attorney with Loeb & Loeb in New York City.
Additionally, employers may still have to comply with other COVID-19 vaccination rules at the state, local and industry level.
In a separate opinion on Jan. 13, the Supreme Court allowed the federal Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to require COVID-19 vaccination for health care workers at Medicare- and Medicaid-certified providers and suppliers.
Employers that are covered by the CMS health care directive should note that the compliance dates have been extended. Workers must receive their first COVID-19 vaccine dose by Jan. 27 and be fully vaccinated by Feb. 26. Additionally, employers must track employees' vaccination statuses and develop vaccination policies that include medical and religious exemptions and accommodations.
In November 2021, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals temporarily suspended OSHA's ETS while it considered a challenge brought by state attorneys general and private employers that oppose the directive. The employers argued that OSHA's "claimed authority over [employees'] private lives and vaccine status is an egregious government overreach."
Similar challenges to the ETS were filed with other federal appeals courts, and the cases were moved to the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in a consolidated action, and in December 2021, the 6th Circuit lifted the stay, giving OSHA the green light to enforce the directive.
Under the Supreme Court's ruling, however, employers will not have to comply with the ETS while litigation ensues. In a Jan. 13 order, the high court criticized OSHA's rule as a "blunt instrument" that "draws no distinctions based on industry or risk of exposure to COVID-19." The high court also called the rule a "significant encroachment into the lives—and health—of a vast number of employees." The Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act does not plainly authorize the rule, the court stated.
Notably, the justices were not asked to rule on the validity of either the OSHA or the CMS rule. "Instead, the Supreme Court accepted the cases to review whether the temporary injunctions that had been issued to block the rules were properly put into place," noted law firm Fisher Phillips.
The case will now be sent back to the 6th Circuit to decide whether to permanently block or uphold the vaccine-or-testing directive. "Technically, the court didn't kill the ETS for good, but the long-term prognosis is not looking good," the firm added.
Eric Hobbs, an attorney with Ogletree Deakins in Milwaukee, said the Supreme Court justices in the majority went to great lengths to explain why they believe the parties that challenged the rule are likely to prevail on the merits of the case.
"It's possible the 6th Circuit panel nevertheless will go its own way when deciding the merits of the ETS. But the Supreme Court's opinion that OSHA reached well beyond its authority under the OSH Act was pretty forceful, and I think it unlikely, therefore, that the court of appeals will thumb its nose at the court majority," he predicted.
"OSHA's ETS was only designed to remain in place for six months, after which it must be replaced by a permanent standard," Fisher Phillips explained. The agency is considering a permanent vaccine-or-testing standard and accepting comments on the proposal through Jan. 19.
Lawsuits against the permanent rule, if finalized, can also be expected. Hobbs noted that the Supreme Court's analysis in the ETS case did not turn on the emergency temporary nature of the standard. "The message of the majority seemed, instead, clearly to be that a regulation of the broad kind attempted by OSHA through the ETS is not one that can withstand muster under the Constitution absent a clear authorization by Congress to OSHA to do so," he said.
Secretary of Labor Marty Walsh said he was disappointed in the Supreme Court's decisions. "OSHA stands by the [ETS] as the best way to protect the nation's workforce from a deadly virus that is infecting more than 750,000 Americans each day and has taken the lives of nearly a million Americans."
Walsh added, "Regardless of the ultimate outcome of these proceedings, OSHA will do everything in its existing authority to hold businesses accountable for protecting workers, including under the Covid-19 National Emphasis Program and general duty clause."
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Did you know that as of July 1, 2022, small business eligibility thresholds for offering a state ran 401k plan have minimized? If you do not offer a company sponsored retirement plan, please view the
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The winning proposal for Zaryadye Park, Moscow's first new park in 50 years, proposes to introduce "wild urbanism" to the city centre. But what are the deeper implications of this wildness, and how might it be appropriated by Muscovites?
→ Read more: How to fix Moscow
20 January 2015
In a 2010 interview, the critic and historian Grigory Revzin complained that Muscovites wishing to “walk in parks and get pleasure from the city” would have to “come out into the streets” before anything was done. Hoping that architects would respond to the problem, one of Revzin’s suggestions was a park to replace the site of Hotel Rossiya, which had become overgrown since being abandoned in 2007. This wild area in the city centre was, in fact, a harbinger of what is to come: Zaryadye Park, Moscow’s first new park in 50 years, which the American design studio Diller Scofidio+Renfro won the international competition to design in November 2013.
A popular idea in the early stages of the park was that it could be made up of plants that appear all over Russia. Diller Scofidio+Renfro took this further, proposing that native flora be included, but as part of four artificial microclimates that mimic the landscape typologies specific to Russia: the steppe, the forest, the wetland and tundra. The principle behind this is similar to Park Russia, the proposed theme park south of Moscow, which promises to represent every region of the country in one space. Zaryadye’s microclimates will be maintained at consistent temperatures throughout the year by means of heating and cooling technologies, making Russia’s “wilderness” into both an attraction and an exhibition.
Diller Scofidio+Renfro plan to meet halfway between the wild and the urban, and create a periphery in the centre of Moscow. This is appropriate for the area of Zaryadye which, located on the edge of the river in one of the oldest districts of Moscow, within 300 metres of Red Square and the Kremlin, is a suburb of the old city, but in today’s city centre. The term “wild urbanism”, used in Diller Scofidio+Renfro’s proposal, is described by the firm as “an opportunity to leave the city, and at the same time be closer to it”. Zaryadye Park isn’t the first project by the firm that explores the intersection between nature and the city. Diller Scofidio+Renfro are responsible for the High Line in New York, a singular linear park, 1.45 miles long, built on an abandoned freight-railway.
The Romantic idea of wilderness, according to the environmental historian Roderick Nash, originated in cities where people experienced nostalgia for when “human life was bonded closely with nature”. Diller Scofidio+Renfro are similarly interested in reconciling urban life with nature. As a result, the design for the park is completely pathless, so that people and plants can be free alongside each other, and pavilions are created out of folds in the landscape.
During the Brezhnev years, “wild” used to be a term addressed negatively to those who abandoned state-sponsored vacations to sanatoriums in the mountains or on the Black Sea coast for self-organised activities such as camping, hunting, fishing, rowing or sunbathing. These were discouraged for not being “socially useful”, meaning they did not comply with proletarian virtues that strengthened the body and moral character of the Soviet vacationer. Moscow’s suburbs today attract city-dwellers who choose to spend their free time camping or sunbathing on the edge of the microrayon (residential neighbourhoods developed in the former Soviet Union) and the forest. But this only goes to show that wilderness is not inaccessible or rare in Russia, which makes Diller Scofidio+Renfro’s nostalgia for nature seem rather unconvincing.
The term “wild urbanism” is described by the firm as “an opportunity to leave the city, and at the same time be closer to it”
Proximity to nature was a goal of Soviet urban planning during the 1920s when the negative consequences of industrialisation were increasingly perceived to be a problem. To allow for the development of urban parks and green wedges, new legislation stated that “no newly built housing unit was to be further than 2,000 feet from a park space”. In his 1930 book Sotsgorod, Nikolay Milyutin proposed to merge the city and countryside entirely into one linear city.
The linear city was conceived during a time when there was a growing divide between the city and the countryside in the USSR, and was partly a reaction to Lenin, quoted in Sotsgorod, who called for an “elimination of rural desolation, its isolation from the rest of the world, its wildness, as well as the unnatural crowding of enormous masses into big cities”. While the linear city might have made an attempt to decrease rural isolation, if it was ever realised, it would have abetted collectivisation by decentralising power, giving the state full control over the land and produce.
It was not so long ago that “wild” was a stain on Russia. After 20 years, the label is still a reminder of the period of unstable economy and the failure of perestroika in the years after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Despite the fact that plants can grow freely, Diller Scofidio+Renfro’s idea of wilderness is that which is not only cultivated but managed and controlled. The tamed wild, within reach of the Kremlin and the presidential administration, makes for a powerfully conservative statement in today’s political climate.
The idea for all-year-round gardens was first proposed for Gorky Park, which underwent a multimillion dollar makeover in 2011. While the winter gardens were never realised, presumably because of plans for Zaryadye, Gorky Park did open a designated space for people to gather to protest, which has been copied more recently at Sokolniki Park, located in north-east Moscow. When Zaryadye is finished, Gorky Park and Zaryadye will form a seven-kilometre green strip, with only a couple of roads separating the two parks. By 2017, 120km of Moscow’s riverfront will be green, in a scheme won by Russian architecture practice Project Meganom, which was announced at the end of 2014. While London’s Garden’s Bridge proposal has been criticised for disallowing protest groups, Moscow is renovating and creating public green spaces, some of which encourage but quarantine activism.
Diller Scofidio+Renfro’s idea of wilderness is that which is not only cultivated but managed and controlled
There is hope that residents will reclaim these spaces, much like the stilyagi — a subculture in the Soviet Union much like the Teddy Boys in the UK — did in the 1950s. The stilyagi were concerned not with finding alternative spaces for dancing and distributing illicit American music, but reappropriated key urban spaces such as Gorky Park, which had been designed as spaces for Soviet acculturation.
For today’s protesters, reclaiming space could simply mean using the parks in the way that they were intended. After the State Duma elections of 2011, anti-government protesters took part in what was referred to as “protest promenades”, the emphasis being on gulyaniye, which means to walk or, sometimes, to have fun and party. During the promenades, which continued until 2013, people “came out into the streets”, to recall Revzin’s words. Parks, which after all are designed for walking and pleasure, are equally appropriate for this kind of activity; especially Zaryadye, where people will be free to walk in wild, unscripted ways.
Read more
Heart of the city: what to do in Moscow’s Gorky Park this summer
Grand designs: can a Stalinist propaganda park become an appealing public space?
Neighbourhood watch: six Moscow districts with a spring in their step
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I hate how boring it is. I hate how repetitive it is. I hate how easy it is to have an opinion about. I hate its baseness and cheapness. The lack of honour in it, the monotony and broken dreams, I hate Sky Sports Super Sunday, I hate how football sucks hours from my life. How it hoovers my emotions and churns them around and shits them out, I hate how try as I might I can’t help but be hooked by it.
Each summer, in between the polite applause and whispered gasps and cat gut thwacking nylon and leather on willow and the sweat and gears and heroism on Alpine mountain roads, at the back of my mind is the gnawing fear that the football season is approaching and the roar from the terraces, a murmur on the wind, is slowly finding form and gathering force like a wave in a distant ocean, and I fear its onset like a growing malaise because I know it will take the worst of me.
The first intense crush of my life was Gary Lineker.
Not a football crush, a real crush.
I was six and he had come back from Italia ’90 and both him and Paul Gascoigne were playing for Tottenham, and as I gazed wide-eyed at the back pages of the newspaper I remember thinking how there could be a single person on the planet who wasn’t a Spurs fan was beyond me.
Three decades on I’m still a Spurs fan. As a journey it has been a non-starter, the car is still in the driveway, the keys broken off in the ignition. Without the highs the lows lose resonance, and supporting a team hovering around mid-table for a third of a century had come to warrant little more than a shoulder-shrug and the preamble to another drab weekend. Tottering Tottenham, they called us.
But four years ago something happened.
We started doing alright.
An Argentine manager called Maurico came in and some strange sorcery saw Spurs rising up the table, doggedly and consistently, and my dormant fandom began to reheat. All of a sudden I was six again, Gary was standing over my bedside beaming, I was all in. I learnt the fixture list by heart. I organised weekends around games. I’d sit alone in forsaken backwater pubs rifling through a ramekin of peanuts staring impatiently at the big screen waiting for the early kick-off.
I followed the construction of the new stadium as if it was my own kitchen refurb, I checked the webcam every two days for updates. I cycled up to N17 to tour the half-finished ground. I visited the Tottenham Experience to soak up the largest retail space of any club in Europe, I bought a jumper and a keyring.
Things on the pitch were heating up too. At the end of last season Tottenham reached the final of the most important club competition in the world. Which was absolutely shocking. We beat the best team in the country in the quarter-finals. In the semis we came back from three goals down to beat Ajax of Amsterdam in the last minute of injury time. Spurs fans all over the world had heart attacks.
Mauricio fell to his knees at the final whistle overcome with emotion and later declared…
It is impossible to live without the emotion football brings!
I wouldn’t know.
Because I was in bed. I saw none of it.
At 2-0 down after half an hour I turned the game off. The same thing happened to me in the final, the biggest match in Tottenham’s history. I went to the stadium with 60,000 Spurs fans to watch the match beamed back from Madrid on six giant screens. 1-0 down with twenty minutes left but arguably the better side and still in the game, I slung my bag over my shoulder and walked out of the stadium. I turned my phone off and cycled back along the canal in the encroaching dark.
I couldn’t sit with the level of cortisol coursing through my body. I still can’t.
Each failed pass, each hopeless high ball, each bumbled set piece was more than I could take. As the seconds ticked by the dark mass of my mood metastasised, and prolonging it became so painful it overrode the prospect of any joy I might feel. I could no longer bear it, so what did I do. I forgot about football altogether. I put myself to bed, I walked out of a packed stadium, I unshackled myself from pain.
And with it I lost any chance of feeling pure ecstatic joy.
There is a strange thing about sport.
The investment in it. The reading of articles, the scanning of statistics, the buying of merchandise, the amount of time spent caring in something, the outcome of which you have no control over whatsoever. The only control you have is in how much you choose to care, at what point you choose to walk away. It is a love affair.
The day I went to the Spurs stadium to watch the Champions League final taught me something about football I’d never experienced. In the hours I spent around the ground in the build-up to kick off on that early afternoon of midsummer, I saw an outpouring of human emotion such that it changed the way I saw the game as a whole.
What happened on the pitch was a sideshow.
I saw six hundred fans outside a pub jumping in unison for forty five minutes spraying fountains of beer all over themselves. I saw a man up a lamppost being cheered by an army of three thousand. I saw a four year old screaming YID AAAAARMY at the top of his voice, exploding with pride. It was joy and passion unbridled, something tribal. It was human connection.
As a dad and his two kids made their way through the cacophonous underbelly of the stadium, I went up and asked him what it felt like to be bringing his boys to the ground, to be passing on the baton. It’s different, he said. Do you wish you were in the mad throng of six hundred, stomping in unison, drowning in beer, I asked. He looked at me deadly seriously. I was mate, I am.
The true DNA of football runs through the heart of working class families, generations of football fans, born into a love for it who grow up with it in their blood and pass it down. Who go to cheer their team every match day and its resulting triumph and disaster and treat those two imposters just the same. Who proclaim their love to their losing side at full-time just for getting to a final.
Who the hell walks out of a Champions League final with twenty minutes to go. I can’t call myself a real fan. Real fans are all in, regardless of pain. That’s what love is, being all in. Football isn’t about winning. It’s about investing your love in something through the highs and lows, and being unconditional.
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Revelation 21:3-4 - And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." NASU
The word "Tabernacle" is defined as "a tent or cloth hut." The Apostle John says God is going to pitch His tent among us. In other words, the people of God are going camping with God.
John also says, "and He will dwell among them…" The word for "dwell" comes from the same Greek word as "tabernacle."
God is going to dwell, tabernacle or pitch His tent with us and when He does the blessings will flow.
Benefits of Camping With God
The meaning of having God "dwell or tabernacle" among us is we have fellowship with Him and we have His protection.
Can you visualize sitting around the campfire and God telling us stories (figuratively speaking of course)?
We will be God's people in a very unique way. We will tabernacle or be camping with God.
God promises us He is going to wipe away every tear from our eyes.
God is going to make sure we are never hurt by death again. The things that come along with death, mourning, crying, and pain will be gone forever.
Why would anyone not want to be on this camping trip with God?
I hope and pray for those of you reading this Pump Up that you are going camping with God. You will not regret it.
John 1:14 - "And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." NASU
When Jesus came to this earth according to John He did the same thing that is going to happen at the end of time.
He came and pitched His tent or tabernacled among the people of the first century.
God is going to come and pitch His tent among His people at the beginning of the new heaven and new earth (Revel. 21:1) because the "first things have passed away."
I hope you are looking forward to going camping with God.
Keep your Bible open and you will not find the door to heaven shut.
He who seldom thinks of heaven is not likely to get there.
Minister of God's Word
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Matt. 24:37-41 - "For the coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah. 38 "For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, 39 and they did not understand until the flood came and took them all away; so will the coming of the Son of Man be. 40 "Then there will be two men in the field; one will be taken and one will be left. 41 " Two women will be grinding at the mill; one will be taken and one will be left. NASU
What Were They Doing Before The Flood?
Matthew tells us the people who were on the earth were eating, drinking, marrying and giving in marriage.
In other words life was going on as usual.
They were eating food. They were drinking. Drinking doesn't mean necessarily mean alcoholic beverages. The Greek word for "drinking" is all inclusive. This word is used in drinking the blood of Christ (John 6:53), drinking in that which refreshes the soul (John7:37), and drinking other types of liquids such as water, milk, and juice as well as wine.
What Are We Doing Today?
I don't know about you but I ate and drank yesterday and I am planning on doing it today.
From my Facebook page, I have noticed some of my friend's children have recently married.
So guess what? Jesus could return any day.
The reason Jesus could return today is as Matthew said, "The coming of the Son of Man will be just like the days of Noah." The days now are just like the days of Noah. Therefore, Jesus could return any day.
Who did the flood take away? It is important that you understand this eschatological doctrine (Study of Last Things).
The flood took away those who refused to believe Noah's preaching and enter the ark.
The ones who were left on the earth after the flood receded were Noah and his family.
How Did Jesus Explain This?
Jesus explains by telling the parable of the Wheat and the Tares. The "tares" represent those who are not obedient to God. They are also called the bad seed. The wheat represents the good seeds or the ones who are obedient to God.
Matt. 13:29-31 - "But he said, 'No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 'Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, "First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn."'"
Jesus' disciples didn't understand the Wheat and Tares parable and ask for an explanation and here is Jesus' explanation of the parable.
Matt. 13:40-43 - So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. 41 " The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, 42 and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 "Then THE RIGHTEOUS WILL SHINE FORTH AS THE SUN in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear. NASU
You notice which ones are taken first. The ones taken first are the "tares." What happens to them? They are gathered up and burnt with fire.
You also notice which ones are left. The ones left are the wheat or the ones who obey God and they will shine forth as the sun in the Kingdom of our Father.
Always be ready for the Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. He told us what has to be happening in the world before He returns and everything He said is already happening.
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Cake Mania 3 is a Time Management and Single-player video game available to play on Nintendo Console and PC. The game offers exciting gameplay, and the story focuses on the protagonist named Jill Evans who grow from a student fresh out of school to a culinary celeb. Now, in this title, she confronts the massive challenge, planning her dream wedding to advance. While the player nervously gets ready for her anticipated wedding, suddenly disaster strikes in the shape of time bender that almost crashes to the ground and shatters into several pieces. When the protagonist’s family and buddies rush to the pick-up shards, they’re all sent through time. In the new environment, the female protagonist can work as cake-making magic on a huge array of locals to get herself and her buddies back before the wedding starts. There are over eighty-four levels, and the player can explore over six different bakery environments, including the Future Environment, Medieval England, and the Jurassic Period. Each theme has its unique cake style. Cake Mania 3 offers core features such as Receive Trophies, 30 Demanding Customers, 6 Environments, 84 Levels, and more. Check it out, and have fun.
Links and Download
Official Website Win DS
Cake Mania Main Street is a Time-Management, and Single-player video game with strategy elements developed and published by Sandlot Games for Multiple Platforms. The game takes the player back to Jill Evans hometown of Bakersfield. It takes place in the fantastic environment where the player assumes the role of the female protagonist with an opportunity to build his/her dream restaurant to serve delicious food to the hungry customers. During the game, the player needs to help Jill and her friends to earn money by creating, managing and upgrading four different downtown ships and structures to attract tourists. There are over fifty shop equipment upgrades available, and the game offers forty-mouth-watering yummy recipes as well as new customers. Up to 100 challenging levels await the player with fast-paced gameplay and the player can purchase and upgrade his/her four different shops to advance through the game. Cake Mania Main Street includes core features such as Unlock Delicious Recipes, Purchase and Sell more than Forty Shops, Fast-paced Gameplay, and more. Check it out, if you love playing Time Management Games.
Cooking Academy is a Browser-based Cooking Simulation. The game supports Single-player mode only and offers an addictive gameplay, in which you have to cook delicious meals by mixing multiple ingredients and score the points. It has various levels and each level needs a completion of certain objectives. In the beginning of the game, you just cop the onion and other vegetable to complete the tasks and earn points. The game rewards you with points for each completed tasks and time bonus, depending on the time taken by you to complete the objective. Become a chef, unleash your cooking skills, discover ingredients and get ready to cook yummy dishes. Before each level, the game offers the instruction how to accomplish a task or prepare a meal. Read the instruction carefully, before cooking and mixes the ingredients in their right order. The game looks easy to play, but hard to master. With incredible gameplay, superb mechanics, and wonderful graphics, Cooking Academy is the best game to play and enjoy.
Cooking Mama Let’s Cook is an Educational, Cooking, and Single-player Simulation developed and published by Office Create Corp. The game puts you in the role of the chef and allows you chop, bake, and prepare tasty meals for customers. In the game, you have to run your restaurant, where you can cook tasty meals using various ingredients. There are a series of mini-games available and the game rewards you with more mini-games during the campaign. It has more than thirty types of recipes and you must cook the meals and serve dishes to guests in your dream restaurant. Help out, Exercise your Brain, Play Shopkeeper, etc. are prominent mini-games in the game. You will receive points for each prepared dish and can use these points to unlock further content to become the world’s best chef. Cooking Mama Let’s Cook includes core features such as Decorate the Kitchen, Secret Dishes, Realistic Cooking, Challenge Ranking, Expand your Restaurant, and more. Try it out, and you’ll enjoy it.
Campfire Cooking is an addictive and Single-player Puzzle video game about relaxing moments in nature developed and published by Layton Hawkes. The game lets you assume the role of the chef and cook delicious meals over a warm fire. During the gameplay, you discover the joy of cooking and can test your skills with mind-bending puzzles. There are more than 100 dishes available to prepare, and you have to solve the tricky puzzles with one simple goal to prepare the food with a hint of smoke. When you complete the level, the game will move you to the next level where you must solve a new task. It takes place in the beautiful environment and enables you to grab the stick and get ready to cook delicious food. The game takes you on a trip where you can toast lots of marshmallows and immerse yourself in the puzzle experience. Campfire Cooking includes core features such as lots of Levels, 100 Dishes to Prepare, Visit beautiful Locations, and more. Try it out, and you’ll love it.
Breakfast Cooking Mania is a Cooking and Time-Management Simulation developed by Happy Mobile Games. It is an amazing game that is specially made for those players who want to enjoy cooking games with the beautiful world. In this game, the player can bake the delicious meals in breakfast and prove herself as the best chef in the tycoon town. At the beginning of the game, the player must complete the tutorial mode that teaches the player how to play the game. After fill out the practice levels, the game allows the player to take the role of an owner of a restaurant where the player can create some delicious recipes such as cakes, omelets, donuts and boiled, etc. The player can cook for the several customers at the same time and improve his cooking skills. Breakfast Cooking Mania also offers different kinds of cooking equipment such as Coffee dispenser, fry pan, toaster and other kitchen appliances, etc. Breakfast Cooking Mania includes prominent features such as various levels, Unlockable Achievements, Upgrades, daily bounces and different locations, etc. With superb game controls, addictive and quite engaging gameplay, content rich story plot and brilliant graphic details.
Cooking Fever is an Arcade, Time Management and Strategy video game created by Nordcurrent for multiple platforms. The game puts you in the role of the chef and enables you to cook delicious desserts and meals and serve to hungry customers to earn money. In the game, you can develop your dream restaurant, where you can practice your skills in a set of cooking techniques. Discover rare recipes, compete against rivals, and keep your customers happy. There are tons of decorations to make your restaurant beautiful. It has more than four-hundred dishes available to cook using over 150 ingredients. It takes place in more than nineteen locations and comprises up to four-hundred levels to accomplish. Put on your white hat, and deal with customers, fulfill their orders, and earn money. Offer the best services and prove yourself as the best chef in the town. Cooking Fever includes exciting features such as 400 Dishes, 19 Locations, 400 Levels, 150 Ingredients, Hundreds of Upgrades, Kitchen Interior and Appliances and more. Try it out, and you’ll like this Time Management game.
Cooking Mama: World Kitchen is a 4th title in the series of Cooking Mama created by Cooking Mama Limited and serves as the sequel to Cooking Mama: Cook Off, released in 2007. The game features both Single-player and Multiplayer modes and lets the player engage himself/herself in cooking gameplay experience. The primary objective of the player is to fulfill the requirements of the customer by cooking the delicious meal in steps. There are a variety of dishes available and the game features some secret recipes to happy the customers. The player must polish his cooking skills and get ready to cook tasty foods to earn money and experience. New dish or meal will be unlocked, as the player finishes his initial meal. It has lots of other characters, some of them are locked and require a completion of certain levels or enough points to unlock. As the player becomes advance through the game, the level turns into challenging tasks. During the gameplay, the player uses a variety of kitchen equipment and can show off his abilities to impress his family members and friends.
Cooking Mama is an Education, Party, and Cooking Simulation created by Office Create and published by Majesco Entertainment. The game has both Single and Multiplayer modes and the first title in the series of Cooking Mama, followed by Cooking Mama 2: Dinner with Friends. In the game, the primary objective of the player is to prepare delicious meals combining different ingredients using touch controls. The player needs to follow the instruction to perform various kitchen tasks, including flipping food, arranging items, slicing meat, chopping vegetables, and more. Different Mini-Games available to play and enjoy and the game introduces a variety of levels, and each level needs a completion of certain tasks. The player receives points for complete tasks and can use these points to unlock additional ingredients and items to progress. Cooking Mama offers prominent features such as Multiple Languages Support, challenging Levels, various Ingredients, and more. Try it out, and you’ll love it.
Cooking Mama: Cook Off is a Cooking Simulation produced by Cooking Mama Limited and published by Taito. The game has both Single and Multiplayer modes and available to play on Nintendo Wii. It is the sequel to the Cooking Mama released for Nintendo DS. There are a series of mini-games, and the primary task of the player is to prepare various dishes by accomplishing several short mini-games. Each mini-game has a preparation process of a specific meal, and the player needs to complete dozens of steps to complete the dish. Up to fifty-five recipes are available using more than three hundred ingredients. The game features multiple dishes from ten different countries such as China, Russia, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, France and more. The game scores the player based on how accurately and quickly she or he can perform the various goals. In Multiplayer mode, the player can compete against his or her friends for the highest scores. Cooking Mama: Cook Off offers the exciting gameplay with engaging graphics and impressive sound effects.
Kitchen Scramble: Cooking Game is a Time Management, Strategy and Single-player Simulation developed and published by Rockyou Inc. The game offers a brilliant gameplay and gives you a chance to create your dream restaurant, where you cook all kind of dishes from dessert to breakfast. There are a variety of levels, and each level needs a completion of individual objectives to progress through the game. It takes place in the stunning world consists of up to sixty locations. Assume the role of the chef and your main task is to serve delicious food to customers and struggle to keep them happy. Earn as much money as possible and unlock other levels, locations, and items using your money. Up to 1500 dishes available like Eggs Benedict, Sweet Potato, Szechuan Chicken, Sour Shrimp, and more. You can use various power-ups during the gameplay to enhance your abilities. Kitchen Scramble: Cooking Game offers core features such as Premium Ingredients, Earn Coins, Unlock new Locations, tasty Dishes, and more. With addictive gameplay, superb mechanics, and fabulous controls, Kitchen Scramble: Cooking Game is the best game to play and enjoy.
Cooking Mama: Mama Kills Animals is an Action, First-person Perspective, Education and Single-player Simulation developed and published by Peta2. The game offers a superb gameplay that the player has never played before. The gameplay comprises a set of mini-games, where the player has to prepare the turkey. There are different objectives that the player has to complete such as plucking the feathers of the bird, eliminating organs, gathering ingredients, and inserting it, cutting head, and cooking it to serve. There are a variety of levels, and each level offers challenging gameplay with knowledge. As the player advanced, the game becomes difficult to play and unlocks bonuses levels. The player needs to score the highest points and challenge his fellows to beat it. As the player complete the level within time, the game rewards him with delicious bonuses. Cook tasty meal for the family by combining ingredients together within time and earn points to unlock further content. With prominent features, addictive gameplay and excellent mechanics, Cooking Mama: Mama Kills Animals is the best game to play and enjoy.
Cooking Mama 5: Bon Appetit! is a Time-Management, Strategy, and Single-player Simulation developed by Cooking Mama Limited and published by Majesco Entertainment. It is the fifth marvelous entry in the series of Cooking Mama and the sequel to Cooking Mama 4: Kitchen Magic. The game introduces more than sixty tasty recipes and a new set of mini-games. Get into the role of the female protagonist, and start off your game, in which you have to cook delicious food for your customers. It takes place in the school with different mouth-watering dishes. Cook your way through sweet, delightful, and exotic cultural dishes. Immerse yourself in fun-based gameplay experience, keeps you busy around the home and prove yourself to mama that you can cook delicious foods in the kitchen. There are a series of levels, and each level requires a completion of certain goals. With exciting features, addictive gameplay, and brilliant mechanics Cooking Mama 5: Bon Appetit! is the fantastic game to play and enjoy.
Cooking Dash is an Action, Cooking, Time-Management and Single and Multiplayer video game released for mobile platforms such as Android and iOS by Glu. The game offers the similar gameplay to Diner Dash and lets you a chance to open your dream restaurant and decorate it with different accessories and item in your style. Select your favorite menu of delicious foods and engage yourself in fast-paced gameplay. Interact with hungry customers, take order from them and cook delicious and tasty food for them. Your ultimate task is to keep your customers happy and compete against rival players to win amazing prizes. The game consists of hundreds of episodes, and you assume the role of the chef. You must accomplish all episodes, enhance a number of your customers, and gather amazing upgrades. Cook awesome recipes for exciting customers and become the master to prove yourself as the best chef in the world. Cooking Dash includes core features such as Awesome Recipes, become Super-Famous, Play with Friends, Hundreds of episodes, Fast-paced Gameplay, and more. Try it out, and you’ll enjoy it.
Chef Rescue is a Time Management, Strategy and Single-player Simulation developed and published by Tapps Games for Android, iOS and Windows Phone. The story of the game revolves around the chefs who needs your help to rescue their sinking restaurant with your tasty recipes. In the game, you assumes the protagonist’s role, a chef and primary objective is to run a kitchen. Put on your hat and start cooking delicious dishes from cuisine in over six-hundred sizzling levels. Use your secret recipes to attract more customers, satisfy their hunger and save your restaurant from sinking. Earn enough money and use it to upgrade your appliances, and equipment. At the beginning, the game looks easy to play, but as you advanced it become tough to play. Use customization features and decorate your restaurants with tons of accessories and items. Unlock additional content using your earned points and become the master by defeating your rivals. Fulfil the Customers Order, improve your Wares, Save the Restaurants, Unlockable Upgrades, etc. are the prominent features in the game. Try it out, and you’ll love it.
Rainbow Ice Cream: Unicorn Party Food Maker is an Education and Single-player Puzzle Simulation developed and published by Kids Food Games Inc. for Android. The game brings a fantastic gameplay, revolving around the female protagonist named as Cindy, who gathered lots of interesting thing and items about unicorn and organized a magical party. During the gameplay, you will discover toys, decorations, and tasty frozen desserts about unicorn. For the party, you have to prepare five trendy unicorn desserts for the guest like unicorn ice-cream, Frappuccino, unicorn ice-cream cupcakes, ice-cream with cones of unicorn, and more. It has different levels with increasing difficulties and you must accomplish each one to become the master. The game focuses on a brilliant cooking element and offers addictive features such as Realistic Cooking Tools, Yummy Rainbow, Tons of Food Materials, Five Desserts, and more. With superb gameplay, brilliant graphics, and touch controls, Rainbow Ice Cream: Unicorn Party Food Maker is the best game to play and enjoy.
Food Court Fever 2 is a Strategy and Time Management Simulation developed and published by Flowmotion Entertainment for Android and iOS. The game takes place in the fantasy world and puts you in the role of the chef. It offers you an opportunity to establish your restaurant select your favorite menu, and cook delicious foods to serve your customers. Start your restaurant empire from a single location and expand it into a restaurant chain empire. There are different levels, in which you will discover new secret recipes. The ultimate task is to explore the world, attract more customers, and fulfill their requirements to earn more money. You can use your money to unlock new features and additional content to become the master. Upgrade your cooking ingredients, purchase fast food restaurants, and compete against rivals to become the tycoon in your region. Food Court Fever 2 offers core features such as 70 Levels, Tons of Food Ingredients, Time Management Skills, Mini-games and more. With addictive compelling gameplay, touch controls, original soundtracks, Food Court Fever 2 is the wonderful game to play.
Top Chef: The Game is a Strategy, Time Management, and Single-player Cooking Simulation developed by Big Fish Games. The game lets you a chance to become a chef and run your fabulous restaurant to satisfy the hunger of the customers to earn money. In the game, your main goal is to find the ingredient, cook delicious food, and serve your customers to earn money. In the beginning, you have to select your favourite menu, upgrade your kitchen, hire staff, and cook yummy food promptly to progress through the game. Keep your all customers happy and unlock secrets recipes to cook delicious food and attract more hungry customers. Compete against rival chef, enhance your reputation, and score the points to become the master. Top Chef: The Game includes prominent features such as Unique Cooking Challenges, Delicious Dishes, Become the World’s Best Chef, and more. With addictive gameplay, superb mechanics, and smooth controls, Top Chef: The Game is the best game to enjoy.
#18 Kitchen Craze
Kitchen Craze developed by Flowmotion Entertainment is a Strategy, Time Management and Single-player Simulation for Android and iOS. It offers fast-paced gameplay and allows the player to create his dream restaurant where he or she can cook delicious foods like desserts, sandwich, and more. Assume the role of the chef, who must run the restaurant, mix different ingredients to prepare yummy meals and more. It has numerous levels available, and each level comes with a set of objectives. The ultimate task of the player is to level up by completing objectives, expand his empire in the beautiful Mexico and defeat rivals to become the master. Up to 150 levels with increasing difficulties available and the player can shop premium food ingredients using real currency. Kitchen Craze includes core features such as various Dishes, unique Cooking Experience, Share your Stories on Facebook, Premium Ingredients and more. With addictive gameplay, brilliant mechanics, and exciting graphics, Kitchen Craze is the cooking game to play and enjoy. Try it out.
Cake Mania 2 offers an exciting, Time Management, and Cooking Simulation developed and published by Sandlot Games. It serves as the sequel to Cake Mania and brings Jill heads back into the fantasy bakery to assist her fellows with their issues. The mechanics of the game are similar to previous titles and provides an opportunity to the player to create his bakery and make money. Lots of customers visit the player’s bakery to satisfy their hunger and give the money for food. It has multiple levels, and each level offers a set of objectives to accomplish. In the game, the player can bake different cakes by putting the mixture of icing colors, cake toppers, cake shapes, and more. As the player earns enough money, he can unlock additional recipes and items in the game for further progress. The game introduces two new locations, new characters, kitchen upgrades, and more. With improved graphics, addictive gameplay, and superb visuals, Cake Mania 2 is the best game to play.
#20 School Lunch Food!
School Lunch Food is a Time Management and Single-player Simulation developed and published by Kids Food Games Inc. for Android. It offers a stunning gameplay for those who love playing cooking simulations. The game lets the player take over his school canteen and cook delicious meals to serve hungry students and earn money. In the beginning, the player needs to select his favorite menu, collect ingredients and combine them to make yummy food to attract as many hungry students as possible to make much money. During the gameplay, the player can make fry crispy tater tots, toss fresh salad, cook hearty macaroni and chess, and more. It comes with dozens of levels and each level offers a set of objectives that the player needs to accomplish to advance through the game. After collecting enough money the player can purchase upgrades for his restaurant and can unlock secret recipes. School Lunch Food includes core features such as Multiple Dishes, Time Management Gameplay, Cooking Element, and more. Try it out, and you’ll love it.
Disco Zoo is a Single-player Zoo Simulation developed by Milkbag Games and published by NimbleBit for Android and iOS. It takes place in the beautiful world where the game puts you in charge of virtual zoo. You starts the game with a small collection of farm animals, and your ultimate task is to save more animals to expand your virtual zoo. In the game, new exhibits are organized when you saves the animal for the first time. There are more than twelve regions available such as Northern, Savanna, Farm, Ice Age, Polar, Outback, City Mountain and more. Each region comes with six different animals that can be gathered during the gameplay. Three of six animals are common, two are rare while the last one is a mythical. Save the animals is the part of the game and you must choose the region to save the animals from, then hit the Start Rescue button to begin the adventure. You can travel around the world to gather cute animals, ranging from pigs to dinosaurs for your virtual park. Find dozens of hidden animals through puzzle gameplay, manage and expand your virtual zoo to earn more money. Try it out, and you’ll enjoy it.
Purble Place is a collection of single-player puzzle games for children developed by Oberon Games and published by Microsoft Windows. It is a memory and pattern recognition game in which the player has to clear the tableau within limited turns. As the player advances, the game becomes challenging, timed, and the size of the grid increases. It has three difficulty levels named Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced.
It includes various tasks like designing a cake for which the essential elements are given. Furthermore, it includes matching clothes and other dressing elements. The player must guess the feature colors in limited moves to finish his task and move on to the next level. Purble Place offers core features, addictive gameplay, and brilliant mechanics.
Let’s Eat! Seaside Café is an Anime, Adventure and Single-player Simulation developed by Inu to Neko and published by Zoo Corporation. The game offers you a chance to show off your skills as the successful entrepreneur by starting and managing the restaurant. The storyline revolves around the protagonist named as Eve, who is just appointed as the manager of the recently opened new restaurant. At the beginning of the game, the player doesn’t take them seriously, but after her involvement in the seaside café, the player grows into adulthood by expanding the resort. During the gameplay, the player will learn, find and create more than six-hundred different types of dishes, struggle to raise cows and chickens, and more. The player starts the game with a limited selection and as the player proceeds more items will become unlocked. The player can select stock items based on the weather preferences and weather trends of his target demographics. Let’s Eat! Seaside Café includes core features such as Inspirational Products, Evaluation Point System, Detailed Customer Types, Skill Requirements, and more. Try it out, and you’ll love it.
Go-Go Gourmet: Chef of the Year is an Action, Arcade, and Time-Management video game, developed by Oberon Games, Inc. and published by Reflexive Entertainment, Inc. The storyline focuses on an American chef named as Ginger Sunderland, who participate in the tournament with an objective to take down other contestants in the cooking show around the world to win the award. It offers the similar gameplay to its predecessor that borrows the concept from the genre of hidden object video games. There are several stages, and each stage deals with gathering items and cooking delicious food. The game offers an opportunity to the player to become the chef and unleash his cooking abilities to conquer the cooking competition by defeating rivals. The show becomes tough to win when the skilled chef come into the competition. The player receives huge bonuses and prize for each conquered stage and can use to unlock valuable skills, ingredients, and items. The player traverses the world to participate in a different cooking competition to prove his abilities.
Dr. Panda Restaurant 2 is an Educational, Time Management, and Single-player video game developed and published by Dr. Panda for mobile devices. The game is the sequel to Dr. Panda and returns with more advanced features, gameplay, and mechanics. It offers an opportunity for the player to open and manage a restaurant where he can make a delicious pizza of his dreams, a yummy pasta dish, or the variety of soups to fulfil customers’ requirements. During the gameplay, the player is capable of designing his kitchen and unlock secret recipes to become the future chef. In the game, the player can chop, grate, blend and fry over twenty ingredients to create the perfect dish. After creating the dish, the player needs to serve the food to his customers and earn money. There are more than twenty ingredients available, including Eggs, Kiwifruit, Fish, Tomatoes, and more. Dr. Panda Restaurant 2 includes prominent features such as Vegetarian Mode, Different Customer Reactions, and more. Check it out, and have fun if you want to become a chef.
#26 Stand O’ Food
Stand O’ Food is an Action, Time-Management, and Single-player video game developed and published by G5 Games for Multiple Platforms. It is the most exciting burger-serving video game acts as the sequel to the previous title and comes with brand new levels, cafes, and more. The game puts the player in the protagonist who is riding the wave of success in his hometown, named Ronnie. During the game, the player can to make tasty burgers and serve to his customers to satisfy their hunger and take money for his service which the player can use to unlock secret recipes to increase the taste of burger and more. The game offers an exciting story, in which the player encounters Mr Clarence and Nikki, to smash the revenge plan of the antagonist named Mr Tong. The player has to establish restaurants around his homeland and struggle to serve the healthy and fast food in over twenty-five restaurants to his clients under his management. Stand O’ Food includes core features such as Seventy-five Levels, 12 Bonus Levels, Twenty-five Café, Thirty-three Unlockable Achievements, and more. Check it out, and have fun.
#27 Papa’s Pizzeria to Go!
Papa’s Pizzeria to Go! is a Strategy, Time Management, and Single-player video game developed and published by Flipline Studios for Android and iOS. The game has an opportunity for players to open their dream restaurant where they can bake delicious and yummy pizzas of different variety to serve the customers and earn money from them. It comes with brand-new controls and reimagined screens. Using a variety of ingredients, the player needs to make the fantastic pizzas and struggle to fulfil the orders of hungry customers and try to keep the customers happy. There are over 90 customers available to unlock, and by completing the challenges, the game rewards him with achievements. To decorate the restaurant, the player can shop to purchase upgrades, posters, furniture, and more. Papa’s Pizzeria to Go! includes prominent features such as over 75 Achievements, Lobby Editor, Upgrades, Customization, New Ingredients, Cutting Station, and more. With addictive gameplay, superb mechanics, and brilliant graphics, Papa’s Pizzeria to Go! is the best game to play.
Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine is a Single-player and Multiplayer Cooking Simulation developed Black Lantern Studios and published by Destineer for Nintendo platform. The gameplay is based on the TV series Iron Chef America, and it introduces a variety of Mini-Games. It offers fast-paced gameplay full of intense culinary challenges, in which the player needs to either use the Stylus on the DS or the Wii Remote to cook delicious meals while competing against rival opponents. Like other shows, the player has to complete between three and six dishes within a limited time, which are then judged by visual appeal, taste and originality. There is a chef school for the player to practice his skills in cooking dishes and a career mode where the player proceeds through the certain numbers of challenges before taking on the iron chef and more. There are several levels, and each comes with a tough task which the player needs to accomplish at any cost to become the master. With immersive gameplay, stunning graphics, and cool controls, Iron Chef America: Supreme Cuisine is the best game to play.
Cooking Simulator is a Sandbox, Physics-based, and Single-player Cooking Simulation developed and published by Wastelands Interactive. The game takes place in the 3D world and enables the player to experience the most dashing restaurant to cook yummy dishes in a highly polished and realistic kitchen. During the game, the player can use ovens, pots, gas stands, plates, and bowls in a kitchen to complete the objectives. He can read plenty of real-life ingredients from vegetables to steaks, to cook more than 30 dishes. The game starts with the player standing in his kitchen, where he can do whatever he wants. In the kitchen, the player can’t cook only yummy foods, but also can throw knives like darts, set fire to cardboard boxes, and more. The physics engine of the game provides the player with unlimited opportunities such as cut some vegetables and put them in the boil and pot, use the blender to make soup, and more. Cooking Simulator includes prominent features such as Cook your way to the Top, Make the Clients Happy, The Kitchen Experience, Physics Engine, and more.
Overcooked 2 is a Co-op, Single-player, and Multiplayer Cooking Simulation created by Ghost Town Games and published by Team17. The game puts the player in the role of the chef, who needs to team up with the other three players to cook delicious food and fulfill the orders in an absurd restaurant. Players can chop and cook different ingredients in the game, mix them on plates, and serve dishes via a conveyor belt to their hungry customers.
The game tends to overwhelm between coordinating small orders and bumping into characters of each other. There are various levels, and some levels have moving floors and other insane obstacles that disturb the cooking process, moving walkways, and more. The game has an ingredient tossing, such that the player can throw items to another chef or pot. With new features, improved graphics, new content, and addictive gameplay, Overcooked 2 is the best game to play.
Cook, Serve, Delicious! 2 is a Single-player and Multiplayer Restaurant Simulation developed and published by Vertigo Gaming for Multiple Platforms. The game is the sequel to Cook, Serve, Delicious game, and as the original title, it has the player assume the role of a chef and principal operator for a small restaurant. Throughout the game, the player struggles to cook requested orders and perform different cleanup and sanitary tasks within a specific time. Most of these need the player to press the particular buttons to match the sequence of cooking or cleaning or to match the requests of the orders. Become a chef, reveal the inner abilities, and then cook delicious food to win the hearts of the customers. There are many levels, and in each level, the player must fulfill the requests of each customer to advance through the game. It comes with a set of new gameplay mechanics which differentiates it from the main title. There are more than thirty yummy dishes to cook, and the game enables the player to decorate and update his restaurant with a set of art, furniture, and wallpapers.
Cook, Serve, Delicious! is a Time-Management, Strategy, Action and Single-player Simulation developed and published by Vertigo Games Inc. The game lets the player to create his dream restaurant, select his delicious menu, hire staff, and run his restaurant from front to back. The ultimate task is to attract more customers to earn money and prove them best facilities. Cook delicious foods and serve the customers in the best way. It has different modes and levels and the player must complete requirements of each level to rank-up. Explore the game world, discover secret recipes and enhance the reputation of the restaurant. Compete against rival restaurant’s owner and defeat them by keeping the customers happy. The game becomes tougher as the player progress through it. Weekly Challenge, Strike Challenge, Endurance Mode, Co-op Campaign, etc. are the prominent features of Cook, Serve, Delicious!. Try it out.
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The internet casino usually takes a tiny proportion of the pot for itself; normally about 25c for a pot which is larger than $5. Raked hands are just gathered during non tournament games.
While a few free roll tournaments require that you have played a certain amount of raked games MOST are totally free. You do not have to pay anything to enter and there's absolutely no set quantity of rakes needed.
Playing in free roll texas holdem tournaments is so simple, even beginners can play and enter.
Tournament registration ends a couple of minutes before the beginning but you should always try to register early as each tournament has a predetermined total quantity of players.
The championship excitement starts from the very first round. Every player is given $1000 to utilize in the tournament. And each player is ranked according to how much money they currently hold.
There are a lot of rounds that last a couple of minutes, and players are eliminated once they have lost all their cash.
After every round the remaining players are re-seated at fewer tables until the last round where there is only 1 table left.
The excitement grows as the field narrows, and towards the last stages the blind stakes are extremely high, up to $5000. So it is important to acquire as much money as possible in the early stages of the championship.
You might be leading the poker tournament in the start but as the bet stakes are increased after every round it's very easy for other people to collect more money and catch up with you.
If you have not played in a Texas Holdem Poker Tournament before I suggest you enter a Free Roll Texas Holdem Tournament. You stand a chance of wining greater than a thousand bucks and it absolutely free to play. The sheer excitement of the tournament is reason enough to enter.
As an extra benefit, the respect gained by becoming one of the top ranked players from the tournament can allow you to make a bigger impression at non championship games.
Tags: holdem, enter, round, poker, couple, player, respect, benefit, sheer, stand
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Political parties may not have fully understood the whole implications of joining an initiative like SPP. But the level of vitriol surrounding the issue was simply too big to ignore.
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There are many ways of describing Paul Kagame—the president of Rwanda, a ruthless autocrat whose regime perhaps could be better described as a dictatorship but undoubtedly also an efficient and effective administrator. If, on the one hand, Rwanda is one of the most brutal human rights abusers and oppressors of democracy, at the same time Rwanda has also turned into a poster child for economic development and an attractive destination for global investment.
From hosting the African Basketball Championship to the upcoming Commonwealth summit, Kagame enabled a top-down model of economic development that, in many ways, resembles Singapore’s in the best time of Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew.
Yet, Rwanda was a country that was able to ditch French, the language of its former Belgian colonizer, to adopt English, the world lingua franca and the only global medium to do business. When Rwanda joined the Commonwealth in 2009 the international community was totally surprised. But it was an apt decision by President Kagame to steer his developing nation towards higher levels of prosperity.
It was a well-calculated move driven by nothing but sheer self-interest in knowing that the country would be better off (especially in terms of prestige and global connections) once accepted in an organization like the Commonwealth, an organization with heavy baggage due to its links with colonialism but at the same time a soft power.
By joining it, Kagame knew that his country would not lose an inch of its own sovereignty and he did not mind his country becoming associated with former British colonies.
It was just a pragmatism at the highest level, a move that did not deter Kagame and the regime to move ahead with its authoritarian style of governance, oppressing and often murdering members of the opposition and those too “problematic” to manage. I am talking about Rwanda not just because the country is in the spotlight for its “progressive” policies of giving hospitality to illegal immigrants ejected by the UK, nor because Kigali, its shining and thriving capital, is about to host 2022 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
What brought me to Rwanda is the controversy surrounding the State Partnership Program (SPP) of the US—which I see as a low-level exchange and capability mechanism involving the American military and its National Guard. In the particular case of Nepal, this mechanism was framed from the perspective of disaster prevention and management and humanitarian support. I cannot tell if the Nepali Army did the right thing by directly formally sending a letter to the US Embassy in Nepal back in 2015 requesting to join the SPP. Apparently, it was a wrong move as the government has decided to stay out of SPP. What is so stunning about the whole issue is the capacity of some political actors to create confusion about the issue, in what looked like a replica of the MCC affair.
If Rwanda joined the Commonwealth, why cannot Nepal embrace a more confident foreign policy?
It is absolutely normal that some parties are wary of formal agreement that involves sections of the armed forces of foreign countries but the US Embassy was crystal clear that the SPP was not, in any way, a military alliance. Political parties may not have fully understood the whole implications of joining an initiative like SPP. But the level of vitriol surrounding the issue was simply too big to ignore. As if Nepal has already developed its own capacities in terms of disaster management and neither Nepal Police nor Nepal Army needs any support of this nature. The entire issue was politicized and used against the spirit of partnership between Nepal and the US.
A fear was expressed that Nepal is getting closer to the US by avoiding its immediate neighbors but let’s not forget that all the high-level bilateral engagements following the parliamentary approval of the MCC Compact are happening in the context of the 75th anniversary of Nepal-US diplomatic relations. Besides, a sovereign nation like Nepal can pursue any type of diplomatic initiative in accordance with its own strategic foreign policy objectives.
Nepali Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba’s visit to the White House does not preclude his future visit to Zhongnanhai, the center of power in Beijing, or to any other foreign capitals. In the first edition of Prof Yadu Nath Khanal Lecture, renowned academician Prof Surya Subedi advocated that Nepal should embrace the concept of “permanent neutrality”. Nepal is already a neutral country in practice but it is up to the citizens of this country and political class to discuss such possible formalization. Endorsing neutrality does not mean that the country does not take clear positions on the international front nor assert its foreign policy for its best interests. Countries like Switzerland, Sweden and Finland–the last two now in the waiting room to join NATO–have been conducting a positive and proactive foreign policy. In the case of Sweden and Finland, their neutrality did not preclude them from joining the European Union. The same could be said for Austria, another country that remains neutral but which is an EU member.
The imperative for Nepal’s foreign policy cannot be clearer than in the words of Prof Subedi: “Nepal’s foreign policy needs to have a global outlook”.
Now back to Rwanda, a country that, while, certainly not neutral, is fully independent and master of its destiny, a nation that was able to assert itself fearlessly and with its national interests always guiding its external affairs. It is a policy not driven by fear and insecurity but a sheer assertiveness to play big internationally. It is a policy fueled by absolute ambition, an ambition that is making Rwanda, despite its abuses, a key regional player in Africa with a truly global outlook. This should make policymakers in Kathmandu think and reflect on the real implications of neutrality and what Nepal benefits from it.
By joining the Commonwealth, Rwanda exerted its own prestige in the international arena. It is not that Nepal should follow suit but, now that the dust has been settled over the SPP, it is high time to be ambitious and avoid the annoyance of futile controversies.
If a country like Bangladesh, also very wary of its position in the region and of what its geography dictates, signed the SPP, it means that such a program was simply not a “big deal”. Debates about foreign policies are essential in a democracy like Nepal. But from how such debates are framed, such discussions risk draining vital energies that could instead be spent to pursue the higher aim of defining, once and for all, the standing of the country in the global arena.
Views are personal.
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As many of you know, owning a handgun is next to impossible in England. But what about making one? I can not think of a single currently made British handgun. There hasn’t been a wheel gun made in the country in over 30 years, but Anderson Wheeler is changing that.
The Webley Revolver can be described as the British version of the US 1911. Not in the function of course, but in the nostalgia, mystique and history. The English Army carried a version of the Webley for almost 100 years. It was the sidearm during the Boer Wars and the First and Second World Wars. It is iconic and one of the first guns that come to mind when talking about British arms.
Anderson Wheeler is bringing back the Webley and he is making it in England. British citizens might not be able to buy one, but us Yanks across the pond should have a chance soon.
But this is not just a reproduction of the old Webley. For example the caliber is no longer in the almost impossible to find .455 but in .357 Magnum. Changing to the smaller caliber opened up the space for a 7th round.
Production will be extremely limited to about 50 guns per year. Engraved versions and exotic grips will be the norm for these. Most will be handled on a custom order basis. The price point will land around 6,500 Pounds Sterling or about $10,000.
Sorry for not having the best angles and details with the photos on the Mrk. VII. It was behind glass and hard to get a clear shot without glare. This was really the only available angle of the gun.
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Ed Lancaster August 20, 2022, 2:30 pm
They are all mistaken in what they want to copy. The best gun from a marketing standpoint to reproduce that Webley made is the Webley British Bulldog in a modern caliber. A 5 shot in 45 ACP or a 6 shot in 9 mm Luger would be a hot seller. Remember that more British Bulldogs were sold in America that Colt and Smith & Wesson combined. It is a handy little revolver with big bark and bite!
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Alan K. Sumrall March 3, 2022, 5:54 pm
A Webley-Fosbery in .38 special or 9MM would make sense and would justify the price..a Webley Green also (gorgeous pistol) but a boat anchor like a Mark VI? I can pick up a beautiful replica US test trials .45 ACP Luger for the same price. I can pick up a Mark VI original for around 1,000 US dollars.
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Pat October 29, 2018, 8:43 pm
India Ordnance Factory produces a copy of the Webley in .32 S&W Long, the only caliber Indians are allowed to own. By all accounts, it is a crudely made firearm, plagued with low-quality locally produced ammo. Takes a lot of bribery and travel to own one. Price in Rupees, equivalent to $2000 US. A letter from the factory confirms that they do not export. At that price, they would only glean laughter. Ammo is limited to a dozen or so rounds a year. There are numerous videos on youtube of proud owners firing their revolvers into the air in crowded urban settings. I guess the air pollution is so bad the bullets just stick up there. I suspect a Webley in .357 would be a bit unpleasant to shoot. But then again, no one is ever going to find out.
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M. Wood July 13, 2017, 7:00 am
Personally I’ve no problem with them asking such a price for a high end, custom firearm made for the insanely rich, my issue is that it precludes virtually any chance of new production Webleys for people who don’t own a castle, and the idea of a gun such as this, where it may well never be shot or even handled, it does my heart grief. My family came to America from different parts of Britain throughout the 19th and 20th century and I’ve always loved Britain as it was, and loved the Webley a great deal because of the stirring imagery of the stout, British officer advancing implacably through enemy fire, leading his men to victory. As you could surmise, hearing of a new production one filled me with anticipation, but it is not for me. I’m a working class man, and something like this may as well not exist, but someday I’ll have an old Webley, and that is more than can be said for any British citizen, sadly.
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JDL November 13, 2016, 9:46 am
Most of these commenters are totally clueless.
1) Yes 10k is a huge price tag. But Anderson Wheeler doesn’t make mass production anything (the Ferrari analogy above is appropriate). If you want hand-built firearms but some of the finest gunsmiths in the world, it’s gonna cost a LOT.
2) No, they won’t go out of business. Why? Because that company’s target market has been, and will always be, the very richest 1% of gun owners, for whom 10k is nothing. BTW, they’ve been doing this for almost 100 years.
3) No they shouldn’t mass produce it for 1k. Their business isn’t set up for that kind of production, and they don’t have the dealer network in America; there’s no way they could compete with mass-pro companies like S&W. And mass production would ruin their rep as a limited production, ultra-luxury business. Like Rolls-Royce making a Camry – just wouldn’t be Rolls-Royce anymore.
4) Yeah, you wouldn’t buy one. If you even notice the price, you’re not in the Anderson Wheeler market.
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Mark Barker May 11, 2017, 11:07 am
Yes that is nothing like a “Ferrari”,& people get it just fine.We’re just not dumb enough to buy a over priced turd.Those grips are beautiful in color and shine,BUT they fit horribly.Just look at where the wood sticks over the steel frame near the trigger guard.UGLY AS HELL.Heres a tip for you DON’T BUY ANYTHING FOR THE NAME STAMPED ON IT. Especially a firearm. Look at what you are buying with a critical eye no matter who made it.
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Tie Toter July 4, 2017, 11:27 am
Good eye and good advice.
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DallasPopo November 27, 2017, 6:44 am
Updating the links to Anderson Wheeler for those interested. http://andersonwheeler.co.uk/
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Michael Hatfield October 26, 2016, 9:18 pm
For way less than $10,000 I could find an Original and have a good gunsmith like Bowen Arms or Cylinder&Slide,etc. Remachine,Refinish,Trigger/action tune, accurize, add custom grips and add so e engraving. It would be as nice or nicer than this gun and a much cheaper price. Not dirt cheap because quality work costs but it would be far from $10,000. I bought a Pietta Colt Paterson replica cap-n-ball revolver in .36cal and for $1500 had it converted to .41LongColt and had the frame engraved and nickel plated. It now looks identical to the Supernatural Demon Killing Colt. I won’t be buying a gun from this guy but it did make me want to upgrade an original. They aren’t rare or expensive. My friend had one with two cylinders one in the original .455Webley and the other in .45AutoRim/ACP w/ moon clips.
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Tie Toter July 4, 2017, 11:30 am
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Miguel Raton October 14, 2016, 5:45 pm
For that kind of money I should be able to buy a repop Webley-Fosberry semi-auto revolver in .38 AND a repop S&W .45 Schofield. Just not interested in this at that kind of price point.
Best of luck, Mr. Wheeler, you’ll need it!
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Jackie Robinson September 4, 2016, 7:59 pm
It is good there will be limited production because at that price and caliber there will be limited demand.
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Dan September 2, 2016, 12:36 pm
Did anyone else notice the extremely poor fitting of the grips to the frame in the photos with this article? Seems that if you are planning to charge $10K for a revolver, you would make an effort to showcase your skills. I think they did so in a glaringly obvious way.
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Mark Barker May 11, 2017, 11:00 am
Yes that is nothing like a “Ferrari”as one fellow stated.Those grips are beautiful in color and shine,BUT they fit horribly.Just look at where the wood sticks over the steel frame near the trigger guard.Talking about Bruce Lee’s baby sister Ug…….UG LEE ya know?
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D.Down June 10, 2016, 3:49 am
While i love the design’s history and it’s top break empire style, I would like it if they made a model for us commoners in 45ACP. I understand that they want a high tier market but they would gain equal if not far more money in expanding the market. There is a love for the classic top break revolvers in a modern easy/cheap to obtain caliber that can be filled by them. They might even convince other classic firearms companies to remake a great classic or two. I only hope they expand the price range of their products so that everyone can experience a classic top break in a preferred caliber.
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Tom Wheeler April 18, 2016, 5:27 pm
It should have just been named The Wheeler!
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JR January 27, 2016, 12:23 pm
I bet if Uberti put their minds to it they could produce a high quality Webley for a fraction of the price. Recently purchased a Uberti El Patron Competition, 1873 replica in .357. It is meticulously made and just as accurate as my Smith and Wesson Performance Center .357’s, no buyers remorse here.
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alexander February 2, 2016, 9:34 am
I didn’t have luck with my uberti, the ejector rod tab, broke almost instantly. They said 2 or 3 weeks for the parts, took 5 months. And I got the wrong part, for the wrong gun
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Lance Dacus January 27, 2016, 2:15 am
The only way a revolver would be worth ten grand was if it was loaded with solid gold bullets. Sorry but basically no revolver is worth 10 grand unless antique and previously owned by Billy the Kid or the likes of him. What a joke, why would somebody even bother doing a report on something as asinine as this? Wheeler is an idiot if he really thinks these will sell.
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Julio January 27, 2016, 1:25 am
Without question it is a beautiful design. My dad had a matched, boxed pair of them when I was a Kid. Would I trade my S&W 629 or my Ruger Superblackhawk for it? Never, in a million years. Sadly, these stand as a monument to the impotence of the new British citizen. Ruined and ruled by the Labor Party, disarmed, voiceless and overrun by a Muslim horde. The day a U.S. citizen cannot freely buy a handgun without much trouble will be quite the day of reckoning indeed. How cowardly and feeble can a nation that considers denying visitation rights to a man who speaks mostly truth and what is on the mind of most sane and objective non-muslim people be. On second thought, it might just be worth it to go out and buy one just because they are too limp wristed to have one themselves.
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mark wolfson January 27, 2016, 8:19 pm
I love your comment, best yet!
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Jonny5 February 6, 2018, 3:13 am
Yeah… but can you wear a cravat with style?
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Chuck Roast January 26, 2016, 8:28 pm
Well, if America screws around and votes in 2016 like they did twice over the last eight years, nobody in America will be able to purchase a Webley .357 (or anything else) either. Right now a company with ties to the United Nations 10 point Global Compact (being a owned by a French firm which is signator company to that U.N. Global Compact) is in charge of doing the bio-metric fingerprinting for Texas CHL applicants. So decisions like that and our past voting record will soon work hand in hand to start our “Registration List” also.
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Sidney Simoneaux January 27, 2016, 5:59 pm
If you think that the government does not already have a list of all the people who have a gun purchased since 2001 you terribly mistaken Background checks are done over the phone which our government has had access to ever since the patriot act was passed Oh I know the check was going to be done and recorded be kept but with access to all phone call they can pull up the list with just a few key strokes on a computer. So if you have handgun that were purchased without a background keep them separate and hidden so when they come for your guns they will not get them all.
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robert January 26, 2016, 6:52 pm
I hav a Webley & Scott in 32 caliber and I love it.
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Mikial January 26, 2016, 5:49 pm
What a shame that Britain, that was once a nation of conquerors is now a nation of defenseless sheep.
But, I hope the people who buy one of these enjoy it’s historical value, although in .357. I was going to say too bad Brits won’t be able to enjoy it, but then, anyone who can afford that price probably has the connections to be able to own a handgun in Britain.
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James Cockerham January 26, 2016, 4:34 pm
At that price point, they should have kept the original caliber. Anyone who could afford one could afford the reloading dies and brass. And would probably choose to do so.
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Eric Kevitt January 26, 2016, 6:44 pm
I couldn’t agree more,… why even show us,.. I was really hoping after seeing the teaser that this would be something that an average person could get if they really wanted to,..
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Paul Helinski January 26, 2016, 7:37 pm
Well that’s why the email subject said 10k lmao.
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David Hill January 26, 2016, 4:07 pm
10K ??? I don’t think they will be selling very many of these, and I don’t think they will be in business very long either. Also I’ve noticed no one else has said anything about how the trigger guard sticks out where your middle finger will sit, this should cause some serious pain when firing ?
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J P Gilligan January 26, 2016, 3:45 pm
Obviously, at this price,it’s a collectible and not your every day shooter, but it is a unique revolver. I once owned a WW 2 Enfield military version, chambered in .38 S & W. – pretty wimpy for a military cartridge. Powerwise it’s probably on par with a .380. For those who’ve never seen a Webley, the top-break design is probably the best ever made. Most top-breaks get sloppy and loose from heavy use but the Webly could stand up the punishment dished out by the .455 cartridge. The frame has ambidextrous thumb releases and the auto-ejector works well and re-loading with a speed loader is faster than a swing-out cylinder. The barrel is ground flat on both sides, reducing weight and giving it pleasing balance.
I was baffled by the sights however. The front blade is a lot taller than the notched rear sight so if you lined up the sights the way you normally do, the barrel would be pointed at a serious downward angle. I’ve never been able to figure out how to properly aim it.
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TJ January 26, 2016, 4:31 pm
JP, regarding the front sight height…this was done (by several makers) to allow the shooter to ‘tweak’ the sights for elevation. File it down, a little at a time, until it lines up to your point of aim/point of impact.
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Trip3 January 26, 2016, 3:08 pm
If I just had to have a top break revolver, I’d save myself over eight grand and buy an Uberti or Cimmaron. Oh yeah, in 45 Long Colt also.
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SGM US ARMY January 26, 2016, 2:48 pm
Like someone said….we will no doubt – one day — supply them with “real” weapons in the future.
The queen bee needs to get her Country with the real world..and open it up to owning a lousy firearm.
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zulu302 January 26, 2016, 1:30 pm
I now know, it really was Colonel Mustard in the Conservatory with the Revolver.
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Tractor Bob January 26, 2016, 1:21 pm
Poor Brits. In the future we will be sending them guns like we did in WW2, when they didn’t have any for the Home Guard. If you do not learn from history, you are doomed to repeat it.
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William January 26, 2016, 3:19 pm
The Brits are a far safer country because of strict gun control. 33,000 will die from guns. More next year. The Brits have been around much longer then we have and are far smarter. We have a problem in America and its called gun addiction.
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Noel P. January 26, 2016, 4:32 pm
William, you are a troll. If you don’t like guns stay off the sites. I write regularly for their BMH groups and the private tales they tell me about make me feel safer here in America. We were their first attempt at colonization and in the end we got it right. For your number of gun deaths it would help if you removed all the suicides. People wanting to depart from us will do so gun or no gun. If you think Britain is immune look it over. they have a higher percentage rate than we do,
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Beowulf January 26, 2016, 5:09 pm
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Mark Wolfson January 26, 2016, 12:17 pm
This fine bloke’s presentation shows how out of touch England is with the handgun market.
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LHS January 26, 2016, 12:03 pm
May dad actually had a conceal carry license and carried a Webley .45 in New York back in the 30’s & 40’s.
I have the license but haven’t been able to find his revolver in years of searching.
But $10,000 for a new .357? Come on.
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Paul Helinski January 26, 2016, 12:16 pm
We get Webleys on GunsAmerica all the time. Many have been converted to usable calibers, and there is factory Webley ammunition and brass out there you can buy.
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Dave Hicks January 26, 2016, 2:43 pm
I agree it’s a outdated design,WAY overpriced. They don’t have the capacity to build a FOSBERY ? They did in the last century why not today. The Webley was outdated in 1944 it would a new curio today.Well I’ll give them a thumbs up for trying anyway.
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Cold Dead Fingers January 26, 2016, 12:01 pm
BS article for BS Gun. Just another pathetic attempt by a pathetically desperate snotty Brit trying to cash in American Gun sales. I,ve fired several old Webley,s and they are garbage compared to U.S Revolvers. You would have to be a stone cold moron to throw that kind of Coin at a reproduction of this turd of a revolver.
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Jordy January 26, 2016, 11:45 pm
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Tom Horn January 26, 2016, 11:41 am
Oh, Really Guvnor? Sixty-five thousand lbs Sterling? I can purchase a few Colts, or DW’s for that kinda scratch. Or, a wheelbarrow full of S&W’s and Ruger wheel guns.
By Jov, I believe you have your ascot wrapped too tight there, sport.
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james alexander January 26, 2016, 11:20 am
Wow.that is a lot of dough !For that a custom order I want it in the caliber I choose ,If I’m paying.And on gun control,How many jews would the germans have killed if they had a 45 with them.? I really trust that mudering bunch in washington with my life,but I like the few worn out old arms I have. My wife was attacked by a couple of pit bull dogs belonging to a couple (she on welfair ) he (spunging) they lived in section 8 houseing, No fence the dogs were left outside in the weather, One was tied to something with a belt. They got loose and came to our house. It was hell I’m 60 ,I got to my wife and tried to kick them,got my wife mainly, Then got her in my truck,went and got my 9.put one in the bitch (the owners paid $4300.00 for these dogs.)both lungs and heart. and 5 in the mail. Gess I was a lot angry.then took her (wife ) to hospital.The owners bowed up at the police when they were told about it and wanted to start some crap,but the law in our little town stoped it.Then they moved.
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Graham January 26, 2016, 11:00 am
The title **should** have been “A New British Made Handgun? The Return of The Webley – NOW available in the UK”
… THAT would be news worthy.
Personally I don’t see the point of a replica priced at 10k (+tax)
– being as the address is Mayfair, London I imagine it’s considered as a souvenir for the A-rabs
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Shawn Spencer January 26, 2016, 11:49 am
Agreed! Good luck selling those. I would have to say it is definitely a beautiful piece for sure but, unless there’s a ton of wealthy collectors that are into Welbey’s, I think they’d be lucky to sell anywhere near 50 per year at that price point. I believe the true collector wouldn’t really value an upgraded “new” Welbey so much as they would a “new” old gun. If they’re going to part with that much cash then surely they’re going to be much more interested in purchasing an old weapon in perfect condition that has never been fired rather than simply an improved version of an old gun. Sure, the fact that you could shoot .357 though it could be enticing, but again, at $10,000? Fat chance.
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mel_drew February 10, 2016, 2:07 am
Precisely. All those saying it will never sell have no idea of the sort of market the company is aiming at. Middle America is not that market. This guy might look like a poncified herbert with his ridiculous cravat and his floppy hair, but the people with real money, the ones who’ll spend that on a watch for a casual girlfriend without blinking an eye, love that sort of thing. Those who think it’s a lot of money are demonstrating why the company has no interest in them.
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Michael January 26, 2016, 10:48 am
Insane, I wouldn’t pay more than $850-$1000 for it. I don’t need engraving, I just want a functional up to date Webley pistol. You will sell your pistol, because this world is full of people that make money off the sweat of other peoples backs. If they really wanted to bring the pistol back it would be in a realistic price point and they would really be bringing back something interesting, these pistols will never be guns that hit the bush again as they will sit in collections and behind glass, boring!
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James January 26, 2016, 11:33 am
My thoughts exactly. I’d be willing to pay as much as $1000 for one, byt not $10,000. If theyw ere to mass produce these for sell at about $1000, they’d make a fortune. They are saying 50 units a year at $10,000. That’s only $500,000. They should be shooting for 2,000 units a year at $1000. Thats $2 million.
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John January 26, 2016, 10:29 am
Right at the end of the interview he says: “…we love this country.” Did anyone else almost hear; “we’re envious of your freedoms”?? That is kinda what I heard.
As for the Webley, it is pretty. But when he started to quote the price in Pounds and I first heard “six thou….” my brain was ahead of him thinking Dollars and at 6K I was already shaking my head…. then he said POUNDS and then the conversion???? $10K?? — A Holland and Holland Webley might only be 10K IF they made one. And they don’t.
No question the price of guns and cost of manufacturing has gone up for the past many years. So a top-notch example of a standard firearm reaches $1k-$2k. So what might be a fair price for this Webley?
I think if it were to be in the $3k-$4k range, I would be pretty likely to add one to my collection. (Did he say: Engraving was going to be extra?) Wait….! Forget it.
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Noel P. January 26, 2016, 10:22 am
Back in my youth (way back in time) Ye Old Hunter and assorted Samuel Clemons outlets sold at under $100.00 a large number of Webleys that had been modified for .45acp. We modified on our ranch some of these to .45 long Colt and used then attached to our jeep fleet for snake guns. Can’t speak as to their accuracy but you could hardly do much to damage one of these. The weapon remains one of the last large caliber top break weapons but they could never hold a candle to a Smith or a Colt. This Brit must be smoking weed there will be less than any 60 that would throw $10.000.00 at such a pistol. Talk about putting lipstick on a pig.
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John Bibb January 26, 2016, 8:28 pm
HI NP–there is a warning video about not firing .45 ACP rounds in a modified Webley pistol. With a picture of a couple of the chambers blown out by the far higher pressure round! Could kill or blind the person shooting it.
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shrugger January 26, 2016, 10:12 am
Well, at that price point you won’t ever have to worry whether the top break design is robust enough for Magnum loads.
It’ll never be fired. lol
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John Doe January 26, 2016, 10:09 am
Darn, I should have anticipated that price tag right at the beginning of the video when he said he was set up at the Cabot booth. Sad, I was really getting excited.
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Jim January 26, 2016, 9:52 am
I have a nice-shooting 1941 “war finish” MK IV Webley in .38 I paid about $550 for a couple years ago. It is in fine condition. It doesn’t have the fit and finish of his $10K version, but otherwise looks identical. I agree with the comments looking for 45 long colt or 45 acp, but there are too many fine guns out there that can be had for under $10K.
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Jim Miller January 26, 2016, 9:36 am
I, for one, am glad to see this happening. Not saying I will buy one, but it is great that someone is creating these limited works of art and keeping up the tradition of craftsmanship in the modern mass-produced world. How many of us will ever own (or even touch) a Purdey, Boss, or Holland or any other British handmade firearm? That doesn’t mean they should not exist. Remember, production is expected to be 50 per year, so that weekly revolver’s profit needs to pay that week’s wages, overhead, etc. That being said…it would have a little more attractive chambered in .45 ACP. Auto Rim!
↩ ∞
David January 26, 2016, 9:21 am
I’d by one for $1500.00 but $10,000.00 that is ridiculous.
↩ ∞
mka January 26, 2016, 9:15 am
I would not have one if they gave them away. I will not support a country that does not allow it’s citizens to buy products made in their own country.
Not to mention the fact they scoff at our second amendment every chance they get.When they become American made,maybe.
↩ ∞
Robert Sweeney January 26, 2016, 11:30 am
I don’t think it’s the British government that’s making these guns, but rather a private enterprise that apparently likes firearms, since they’ve gone to the trouble of designing, engineering and manufacturing one.
Critical thinking isn’t nearly as painful as some make it out to be.
↩ ∞
Shawn Spencer January 26, 2016, 11:53 am
Agreed.
↩ ∞
Cyrus January 26, 2016, 8:45 am
I wouldn’t Trade my Original Python for 2 of them!
↩ ∞
Chris January 26, 2016, 8:31 am
British gun control at its finest – price the firearm out of the market.
In my opinion Americans should tell Anderson Wheeler to kiss our gun totin’ derrieres before we buy their over priced piece of ‘nostalgia’.
When a good honest Brit can walk into a gun store in London and buy one for a couple hundred quid, then I’d consider one of these.
As far as I’m concerned this is like Colorado’s liberal government wanting Magpul to stay put in Erie but outlawing their citizens to purchase Magpul’s PMags.
↩ ∞
Powderman January 26, 2016, 9:25 am
Well said!
It is a damned shame that this takes place. One of the finest rifles in the world–the AI–is British, yet their own citizens would find it almost impossible to own one. I’d love a Webley–but not at that price.
↩ ∞
Rick January 26, 2016, 8:15 am
I really enjoyed the interview and seeing the new Webley. I suppose they did their research and know their market as it wont be a piece for us commoners. I enjoy shooting my Webley and it is a true classic but nowhere near the 10k mark. Thanks for the unique interview
↩ ∞
flintman50 January 26, 2016, 8:10 am
↩ ∞
Griffendad January 26, 2016, 8:08 am
Overpriced, like British cars.
↩ ∞
Gunslinger January 26, 2016, 8:06 am
$10,000 ? Probably won’t add one of these to my collection. Maybe at a $1000 in a .45 of some kind.
↩ ∞
Jbgleason January 26, 2016, 7:36 am
What??? A $130,000 Ferrari? That company will never make it! They should produce hand-made supercars for $8,000. What are they? Crazy? There is NO market for an ultra-premium handmade product priced accordingly and available in limited quantities. Good thing the Donald Trump capitalists of this site pointed that out.
BTW, look up Anderson Wheeler. They are in their, I think, third generation of their business. Apparently there is a market for what they do and I, for one, am glad that there are companies out there making works of firearms art. Not every purchase needs to be a Wal Mart grade Remington 870.
↩ ∞
Robert Sweeney January 26, 2016, 11:35 am
↩ ∞
Shawn Spencer January 26, 2016, 12:14 pm
Both ahwsome sports cars and revolvers indeed Mr. jbgleeson, but alas, you forget to mention all the auto companies that went by the waste side over the last 100+ years that all had excellent or innovative products that just never made it in the market place for various reasons. There are many more that have failed than there are those who have succeeded. Undoubtedly, cost will almost always plays a significant role in success or failure.
↩ ∞
Bill January 26, 2016, 7:28 am
I was really getting fired up about this until he mentioned the choke-inducing price. Forget about being proper Brits and grasp your inner entrepreneurial, capitalistic-pig Yank selves and find a way to crank these out at S&W prices and you’ll be working overtime keeping up with the demand. Also find a way to make them in .22 LR and .45 ACP. I WANT ONE!!!!!
↩ ∞
Wil Ferch January 26, 2016, 7:24 am
Seeing how many of the old MK VI’s we find that had shaved cylinders for the 45 ACP….it is a shame this caliber wasn’t considered for the re-pop….and also at a more “real” price point. I think there would be a market for such a version, where an incrementally higher price is OK due to the design and workmanship required to build this to the faithful old-school design….but c’mon….. $10k? Undoubtedly will fail commercially. The emotional and moral issue of English gun ownership is true….but here is an entrepreneur trying to re-issue a Britush classic. Where else would you consider building such a follow-up version?
↩ ∞
MagnumOpUS January 26, 2016, 7:20 am
Hard to choose between it and a Korth…
Obviously, a work of art for those blessed with its stewardship. I can appreciate the lines of an Aston-Martin but enjoy the reality of my 20-yr. old Chevy and the checkered cocobolo grips on my Springfield 1911A1.
It’s great to see Mr. Wheeler crafting these. God bless and prosper you along with those who are blessed to be your patrons.
↩ ∞
Steven January 26, 2016, 6:31 am
Sweet looking revolver, with a ridiculous price tag. I don’t see this guy staying in business for long.
↩ ∞
Chief January 26, 2016, 6:30 am
You had me till the 10 Grand point . Pass .
↩ ∞
Russ January 26, 2016, 5:48 am
↩ ∞
Sam Adams January 26, 2016, 5:31 am
I’m currently a U.S. Soldier serving in the UK. Under no circumstance would I support a product produced in a country that precludes its population from owning that item. To describe the British population as sheep is such an understatement that it’s impossible to appreciate how collectivism has consumed the British culture without living in England for an extended period of time. The production of a historical antique won’t do anything to change that and American’s shouldn’t show the Webley company any support until British citizens are empowered to provide for their own security again.
↩ ∞
Chief January 26, 2016, 6:32 am
Don’t worry Sam its 10K .I doubt they stay in business.
↩ ∞
Shawn Spencer January 26, 2016, 12:16 pm
Well said Sir… errr Mr. Adams. A agree whole heartedly.
↩ ∞
RAC55 January 26, 2016, 4:58 am
I own an older Webley Mark IV in .38/200 S&W and it’s a nice shooter and well built. I’m sorry for Mr.Wheeler because his products look like a works of art, but I just cant, in good conscience lay out 10 grand to help finance a country that criminalizes it’s own subjects from owning a 129 year old design revolver with such a strong British heritage. If he brought his production here, I think he would find a more receptive clientele for his fine guns….they look like beauties!
↩ ∞
Bill January 26, 2016, 4:18 am
I think they should make it in 45 Long Colt. I know I would buy one.
↩ ∞
Evan January 26, 2016, 3:29 am
First, I was excited about this. Then I was the part about limited numbers and the price. Yeah, I’d love a Webley, or a solid reproduction of one, but I’m thinking closer to the under $1000 range. £6500 for a revolver? That’s absurd.
| 32,162 |
Personal injuries are the result of an accident caused due to the negligence of someone else. It can be frustrating to know that because someone did not pay attention, you received injuries. Apart from physical pain and mental suffering, a financial crisis can make your situation even worse. If you have been injured in an accident, you should contact a good Monroe personal injury attorney. He can help you file a personal injury claim so that all your losses can be recovered.
Working with a personal injury lawyer
It can be a good experience to hire a lawyer and work with him to fight your case. However, you need to follow his instructions and should not do anything before consulting him. Some of the vital facts for a personal injury case are discussed below:
Hire someone you are comfortable working with
If you believe that your lawyer is unable to understand your mental stress and feelings, you are just wasting your time. It is important for him to feel what you are undergoing. Empathy and good relations are important if you want to win the case. If you are not comfortable with him, think about changing your lawyer at any time.
Ask him if settlement or trial is a good option
While your lawyer will help you throughout the case and he will educate you on whether settlement or trial is a better option, you must ask him if you are confused about it. Throughout your case, the liable party or the insurance company will get in touch with you to settle the matter outside the court. A good personal injury lawyer can suggest when it is time to settle. If he believes that you will get more benefits in trials, he will deny settlement and negotiation. Therefore, you must do what he says.
An attorney can tell you a fair amount
Most people are worried about how much they will receive after filing the claim. While it is not easy to tell beforehand, a good personal injury lawyer can estimate the amount by evaluating your medical reports, injuries, and future treatment options. However, the case may take any turn at any time. Hence, you should never set your expectations high.
If you are concerned about your personal injury claim, you should stay in touch with your personal injury lawyer. He can ask for any documents at any time and you must submit the same without any delay.
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Stephen is a news publisher at NewsVarsity. com. He has worked in the news industry for over 10 years and has a wealth of experience in the field. Stephen is a graduate of the University of Missouri - Columbia School of Journalism.
| 2,745 |
Like we did for Sparta, we will pay users in monero to participate on our testnets. This blog post will explain to both existing and new users what they can do, and how much they can earn, alongside some lessons we learned.
Storage Providers are competing for $75 per week, plus $0.025/GB per week
Validators are competing for $30 per week
Council Members are paid $8 for getting elected, with a $5 bonus
Bug Reporters can earn up to $20/$100 for an Issue/ PR
Who, Why, What and How?
As for Sparta, anyone who wants to can participate on Athens and earn monero, but there is some extra help and guidance for those that ask for it in our Rocket.Chat and Telegram.
The philosophy behind why was discussed in detail in a previous post. In short, we are paying to prepare active participants for an autonomous platform, and test the incentive structure with "real money".
What you can do to qualify for getting paid on Athens is described below.
More information, guides on how to get setup and extra support can be found in our helpdesk repo on github.
We have now gone live, so you can access the testnet here.
For Athens, a brand new role will be activated - Storage Provider. In addition to this, all three roles from Sparta will be compensated with slightly tweaked (in practice higher) rewards. Click the links below to jump straight to your preferred role.
Council Member
Compete for $75 per week, plus bonus
You can't have a video platform without videos, so someone has to take the role storing the data. In the future, this will be highly specialized role, focusing on what is implied by the name of the role. For Athens, it will in practice also entail the future Bandwidth Provider role.
Unlike Validators that can come and go without too much friction (at least for now), a new Storage Provider will need to replicate the entire content directory. As a consequence, the platform needs some stability for this role to avoid providing a poor user experience, or worse, loss of data.
Up to 10 Storage Providers that keeps a full copy and provides continues service for at least 24h will compete for $75 per week. In addition, you will earn a $0.025/GB/week calculated on an average basis. We will try our best to catch any cheaters, so at the very least you must avoid getting caught! Payouts will be made every Monday at ~11:00GMT.
Compete for $30 per week
In proof of stake systems, block producers, or Validators, are typically paid a fixed amount for each block produced. While Sparta has been running, we have learned that the interest for being a Validator was higher than we anticipated, so we are increasing the validator_count from 10 to 20. To avoid reducing individual rewards too much, we are increasing the pool from $20 to ~$30 per week.
blockreward = (weekly_reward * blocktime)/seconds_in_week
The number - 0.03 cents per block - seems a bit underwhelming, but validation requires little effort for the user after setup, and with armv7 binaries, it should be cheap to run! Payouts will be made every Monday at ~11:00GMT.
Council Member
Earn $8 per election cycle
Council Members are elected by the stakeholders in the system to act in the interest of their constituency. Somewhat simplified, the council will allocate the platforms resources, and hire executive personnel to run the day to day.
We are looking at how to best incentivize them to act in the platforms long term interest. As this position generated less interest than we anticipated, we are tweaking the incentives by increasing the payout to get elected from $5 to $8.
If during you term a proposal to upgrade the runtime is submitted by the sudo key, 5CJzTaCp5fuqG7NdJQ6oUCwdmFHKichew8w4RZ3zFHM8qSe6 anyone that votes yes will receive a bonus worth $5. A detailed explanation the election cycle and responsibilities can be found here.
During the Announcement and Voting stage, you should include some information about yourself, and why you should get elected in your memo field. If you do get elected, make sure to change the memo field to your monero address in order to get your reward. Payouts will occur at ~11:00GMT the day after the election/vote.
Earn up to $20 for Issues, and $100 for PRs
Unlike the Validators and Council Members, the bug bounty payments will be somewhat subjective. Long term, such decisions will be resolved by the platform, so in future testnets these payouts will at least partially be made by the Council.
We saw little interest in this role for Sparta, and only one community member reported Issues in the hopes of getting rewarded. Jsgenesis contracted this person to perform a more in depth investigation, but we still hope to generate more interest.
To report an Issue or make a Pull request go to the node repo, the UI repo, the storage node repo or the runtime-repo. Based on the importance and quality of the issue/PR, the Jsgenesis team will decide on the rewards.
For issues, the reward will range up to $20
For a PR, the reward can range up to $100
The quality of an issue can be measured from the level of details in general, like how to reproduce, pasted log outputs, etc. In terms of PRs, simply copying new features implemented on substrate will not be rewarded unless the PR includes changes that was required for compatibility on Joystream.
The contributor must include either their Joystream or monero address when submitting the issue/PR. If you choose the former, you must then make sure the add your monero address to the memo field of your Joystream address.
All forward looking statements, estimates and commitments found in this blog post should be understood to be highly uncertain, not binding and for which no guarantees of accuracy or reliability can be provided. To the fullest extent permitted by law, in no event shall Joystream, Jsgenesis or our affiliates, or any of our directors, employees, contractors, service providers or agents have any liability whatsoever to any person for any direct or indirect loss, liability, cost, claim, expense or damage of any kind, whether in contract or in tort, including negligence, or otherwise, arising out of or related to the use of all or part of this post, or any links to third party websites.
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Former Punch Bowl Social operator, Milwaukee Bucks at odds over $4 million in furniture, equipment
Reopening of Deer District venue hits more delay
By
Punch Bowl Social is slated to reopen soon after more than a year.
Last updated on November 4th, 2021 at 12:27 pm
As Punch Bowl Social nears reopening in downtown Milwaukee, its new operator and its landlord, the Milwaukee Bucks, are being sued by the venue’s former operator, claiming it owns and wants to remove $4 million worth of personal property left inside the 24,500-square-foot building.
The property in question includes furnishings, trade fixtures, and equipment that Eatertainment Milwaukee LLC, formerly known as Punch Bowl Milwaukee LLC, used to operate Punch Bowl Social from March 2019 to early March 2020, according to a lawsuit filed late last month in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for Wisconsin’s Eastern District.
Denver-based Punch Bowl Social closed all locations nationwide in March of 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic as government restrictions forced the business to shut down. Punch Bowl’s parent company went bankrupt and was sold out of bankruptcy earlier this year to its lender, Texas-based CrowdOut Capital, which has reopened all 15 Punch Bowl Social locations but the one in Deer District. The Milwaukee location has remained closed and missed out on a huge opportunity when massive crowds packed Fiserv Forum and the Deer District during the Milwaukee Bucks’ run to the NBA championship.
Unable to make its minimum rental payment of $73,500 and all rent through 2020 and into 2021, Punch Bowl defaulted on its lease, and the Bucks terminated the tenant’s possession of the premises after the tenant failed to remove its property and trade fixtures. That’s despite attempts by Eatertainment Milwaukee’s lender to negotiate a lease for a new entertainment concept or remove the property from the site on time, according to court documents.
Eatertainment Milwaukee claims MKE BLK4L2 LLC, a Bucks affiliate, “changed the locks and refused access to the premises” instead of allowing the company to collect its property.
In July, the Bucks struck a lease deal with a New Punch Bowl Milwaukee LLC, an affiliate of CrowdOut Capital, to take over the fully furnished building and reopen the entertainment-restaurant concept. The plan was to reopen Oct. 29, court documents say, but the venue remains closed as of Tuesday afternoon.
In the complaint, Eatertainment Milwaukee asks the court to bar New Punch Bowl Milwaukee LLC from utilizing the fixtures and equipment to reopen the venue. Under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, Eatertainment Milwaukee claims it’s entitled to the property — everything from the kitchen’s hood system to the four-lane bowling alley on the second floor — and plans to relocate it to New Orleans, Louisiana for use in a new restaurant. If the new Punch Bowl operator uses the property, Eatertainment Milwaukee will “suffer irreparable harm and will not be able to reorganize effectively.”
Countering Eatertainment Milwaukee’s claims, New Punch Bowl LLC filed an emergency motion for relief from the automatic stay, which would allow Punch Bowl to use the property and operate at the site while the case pends in court.
“It is the livelihood of New Punch Bowl and its more than 90 employees— not (Eatertainment Milwaukee) — that depends on the property … (Eatertainment Milwaukee) has no operations, no employees, few—if any—assets, and few, if any, meaningful creditors, other than New Punch Bowl,” according to the motion.
One question at the center of this ongoing dispute is if Eatertainment Milwaukee ever owned the property in the first place.
The original lease agreement between the Bucks and Punch Bowl Milwaukee LLC allows the tenant upon lease termination to “peaceably surrender to landlord the premises, including the alterations, additions, improvements, changes and fixtures, other than (the tenant’s) unattached movable trade fixtures.”
In a declaration, Robert Cornog, who is president of New Punch Bowl Milwaukee, LLC and former CFO at Punch Bowl’s former parent company, claims Punch Bowl Milwaukee LLC “never intended for the fixtures to be trade fixtures.”
Cornog alleges the Bucks provided Punch Bowl an allowance of approximately $2.45 million to purchase fixtures and cover other development costs.
“The fixtures were always intended to remain with the premises, as property of (the Bucks), and never become the property of Punch Bowl Milwaukee LLC,” Cornog stated.
Further, New Punch Bowl argues that Eatertainment Milwaukee gave up possession of the property when it failed to remove the property within the 30-day period granted in the original lease.
According to court records, the company’s lender and manager Sortis Holdings, Inc. had made repeated requests to schedule the removal of the equipment and fixtures before the 30-day period expired. A date was never arranged, and the Bucks ultimately took possession of what was deemed “abandoned” property.
New Punch Bowl counters that while the lender made contact about collecting its so-called collateral on the premises, no one directly from Eatertainment Milwaukee reached out to reclaim or discuss personal property left behind.
“Presumably, the debtor (Eatertainment Milwaukee) remained silent because the debtor owed roughly $1 million in unpaid rent to (the Bucks)—a debt that the debtor now owes New Punch Bowl by virtue of the assignment,” according to the emergency motion.
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As Punch Bowl Social nears reopening in downtown Milwaukee, its new operator and its landlord, the Milwaukee Bucks, are being sued by the venue's former operator, claiming it owns and wants to remove $4 million worth of personal property left inside the 24,500-square-foot building. The property in question includes furnishings, trade fixtures, and equipment that Eatertainment Milwaukee LLC, formerly known as Punch Bowl Milwaukee LLC, used to operate Punch Bowl Social from March 2019 to early March 2020, according to a lawsuit filed late last month in the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for Wisconsin's Eastern District. Denver-based Punch Bowl Social closed all locations nationwide in March of 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic as government restrictions forced the business to shut down. Punch Bowl's parent company went bankrupt and was sold out of bankruptcy earlier this year to its lender, Texas-based CrowdOut Capital, which has reopened all 15 Punch Bowl Social locations but the one in Deer District. The Milwaukee location has remained closed and missed out on a huge opportunity when massive crowds packed Fiserv Forum and the Deer District during the Milwaukee Bucks' run to the NBA championship. Unable to make its minimum rental payment of $73,500 and all rent through 2020 and into 2021, Punch Bowl defaulted on its lease, and the Bucks terminated the tenant's possession of the premises after the tenant failed to remove its property and trade fixtures. That's despite attempts by Eatertainment Milwaukee's lender to negotiate a lease for a new entertainment concept or remove the property from the site on time, according to court documents. Eatertainment Milwaukee claims MKE BLK4L2 LLC, a Bucks affiliate, "changed the locks and refused access to the premises" instead of allowing the company to collect its property. In July, the Bucks struck a lease deal with a New Punch Bowl Milwaukee LLC, an affiliate of CrowdOut Capital, to take over the fully furnished building and reopen the entertainment-restaurant concept. The plan was to reopen Oct. 29, court documents say, but the venue remains closed as of Tuesday afternoon. In the complaint, Eatertainment Milwaukee asks the court to bar New Punch Bowl Milwaukee LLC from utilizing the fixtures and equipment to reopen the venue. Under Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, Eatertainment Milwaukee claims it's entitled to the property -- everything from the kitchen's hood system to the four-lane bowling alley on the second floor -- and plans to relocate it to New Orleans, Louisiana for use in a new restaurant. If the new Punch Bowl operator uses the property, Eatertainment Milwaukee will "suffer irreparable harm and will not be able to reorganize effectively." Countering Eatertainment Milwaukee's claims, New Punch Bowl LLC filed an emergency motion for relief from the automatic stay, which would allow Punch Bowl to use the property and operate at the site while the case pends in court. "It is the livelihood of New Punch Bowl and its more than 90 employees— not (Eatertainment Milwaukee) — that depends on the property ... (Eatertainment Milwaukee) has no operations, no employees, few—if any—assets, and few, if any, meaningful creditors, other than New Punch Bowl," according to the motion. One question at the center of this ongoing dispute is if Eatertainment Milwaukee ever owned the property in the first place. The original lease agreement between the Bucks and Punch Bowl Milwaukee LLC allows the tenant upon lease termination to "peaceably surrender to landlord the premises, including the alterations, additions, improvements, changes and fixtures, other than (the tenant's) unattached movable trade fixtures." In a declaration, Robert Cornog, who is president of New Punch Bowl Milwaukee, LLC and former CFO at Punch Bowl's former parent company, claims Punch Bowl Milwaukee LLC "never intended for the fixtures to be trade fixtures." Cornog alleges the Bucks provided Punch Bowl an allowance of approximately $2.45 million to purchase fixtures and cover other development costs. "The fixtures were always intended to remain with the premises, as property of (the Bucks), and never become the property of Punch Bowl Milwaukee LLC," Cornog stated. Further, New Punch Bowl argues that Eatertainment Milwaukee gave up possession of the property when it failed to remove the property within the 30-day period granted in the original lease. According to court records, the company's lender and manager Sortis Holdings, Inc. had made repeated requests to schedule the removal of the equipment and fixtures before the 30-day period expired. A date was never arranged, and the Bucks ultimately took possession of what was deemed "abandoned" property. New Punch Bowl counters that while the lender made contact about collecting its so-called collateral on the premises, no one directly from Eatertainment Milwaukee reached out to reclaim or discuss personal property left behind. "Presumably, the debtor (Eatertainment Milwaukee) remained silent because the debtor owed roughly $1 million in unpaid rent to (the Bucks)—a debt that the debtor now owes New Punch Bowl by virtue of the assignment," according to the emergency motion.
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| 12,476 |
On Wednesday, 02-24-21, I went to another area in hopes of photographing a Great Horned Owl. Previously, I’ve been in this area 5 times and I’ve seen the Great Horned Owl three times, but I haven’t been able to photograph it.
This is an older stand of very large deciduous trees that is pretty open. I have a general area where I have seen the owl, but it always flies off before I’m even close to it.
Today, I got in this general area and once again I saw the owl fly off in the distance. I stopped and watched it land, then it immediately flew off again. I continued to watch and lost sight of the owl behind some trees way in the distance. I thought the owl must have landed in another tree or it continued flying directly away from me which was unlikely because it would have had to abruptly change course otherwise I should have seen it flying past the trees in the distance.
I started walking to the tree that I originally saw the owl fly from when out of the corner of my eye I saw an owl flying the other way. This was the opposite direction the first owl flew. It seemed to me that this was another owl based upon where it flew from which I don’t believe was the area where I lost sight of the first owl.
I continued walking toward the tree where I saw the first owl fly from when I noticed a large cavity in another large tree in the area where I lost sight of the first owl. That would explain why I didn’t see it continue flying after it got behind some other trees blocking my view. I glassed the cavity and could see a couple owl feathers inside.
I took a few photos from different angles with my long lens. The tree at the cavity is at least 2 feet in diameter. What I can’t tell is if the cavity drops down toward the back and a female owl could be on the nest or if the nest is the actual area that can be seen in the photos. If that’s the case I don’t see any eggs or an owl. One of the photos I counted six feather with the possibility of one more.
Based upon what I saw today was if there was only one owl it wasn’t on the nest when I first saw it and if there was two owls then the first owl probably went inside the cavity and the second owl was probably the male that flew from another tree.
Now that I have a possible nest site I don’t need to go back for awhile.
Posted by CIIcanoe at 8:29 PM
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This blog, CIIcanoe, has evolved from covering canoe racing, my wilderness canoe trips and anything else that interested me to a place where I post my photos and anything else photography related. I still have my other blogs posted with some of my wilderness canoe trips and the photos taken during those trips. Thanks for checking out my blogs. Please check out my website, ChuckRyanPhotography.com for my work.
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You should be willing to take a look at yourself as well as your marriage honestly and make some adjustments. You have to obtain a clear knowledge and acceptance of the wife's emotional state. In other words, you must realise her feelings before you aspire to restore harmony to your relationship.
Losing passion for someone you married vows that you'll love them forever. However, what most men don't understand is the fact that women need time for you to recover their lost love. They require time to heal the wounds of the heart and mind so they can return to where they were in the past prior to the loss occurred.
Women wish to feel loved and cherished. They want to see you smiling again. They want to feel wanted again. They are all signs that your wife needs you to win her back. She needs to feel loved and cared for again. She must feel important again. They are all signs that she has found another man who gives her these feelings, and she or he does not want to leave him for you personally.
The very first thing you should know about winning your wife back is it isn't easy. It requires work and patience. There aren't any quick fixes or magic pills which will fix your wife's heart and allow her to return your love.
How can one forgive my spouse to have an emotional affair?
If you truly want your marriage to progress, there has to be a place at which you may say, “Enough now!” “Okay, I trust you and also adore you. Let us proceed.” In other words, your spouse must show you that they has ended the emotional affair, but you must also understand [how to forgive an emotional affair].
Forgiveness is a choice you are making because it is the right thing to do. Only you can decide what level of forgiveness you wish to give to your wife. Forgiving her does not mean that you simply condone what she did. This means that you choose to not hold this incident against her any more. You are saying, “This action of hers doesn't define who I love” or “I no more check this out as a threat to our relationship.””
Asking yourself questions like these can help you move forward: Did she show remorse? Does she believe she's done wrong? Does she seek counseling? All these things ought to be taken into account when deciding how far you want to go with forgiving her.
Emotional affairs are extremely damaging to marriages. They've created distance between two people who were once connected in the centre. An emotional affair shows that another person possesses your husband's or wife's heart rather than you. This individual may even be a replacement in some ways. If your husband has feelings for another woman, this might suggest that you aren't able to fulfill his needs.
How do I convince my stubborn wife not to divorce me?
How Can one Persuade My spouse to Reconsider Divorce?
Start giving her the attraction experience she wants.
Turn arguments or cold conversations into laughter, smiling and feel great emotions by not allowing you or her to take things so seriously.
Start eliminating your insecurities, so you can function as the emotionally strong man that they needs.
What happens when your spouse leaves you for a new man?
You and your wife once decided to be there for each other throughout your lives. Those pledges, however, have been meaningless to her because she's abandoned you. She is now open to a choice of being with a new guy, whether you have left the home or she has. Being abandoned by your wife is really a difficult situation to cope with.
You and your wife once agreed to be there for each other for the rest of your lives. Those pledges, however, have been meaningless to her because she has abandoned you. She's now open to the option of being with a new guy, whether you have left the home or she's. Being abandoned from your wife is really a difficult situation to deal with.
The issue is that the wife can't use whatever of it since she won't give you credit or talk with you. Should you choose occur to see her, she provides you with the cold shoulder. What are your thoughts… You've grown like a guy, and you are a much better spouse now than you had been your day your spouse left.
What to do when your wife says she's unhappy?
Seven Ways to Please Your Wife
Affirm and validate her feelings.
Try to understand why your wife isn't happy.
Give her time and space.
Improve your own mental, emotional, and spiritual health.
Remember that you aren't responsible for your wife's happiness.
If your wife won't tell you why she's unhappy-
How do I get my spouse back after she hurts her?
Communication. You might be fighting or having differences that could turn all bitter.
Make Efforts.
Give Assurance.
Don't Be Negative.
Try to Woo Her Again.
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A wooden cutlery set consists of every kitchen utensil from spoons and forks to spatula and turners. Wooden cutlery sets are light weighted and have heat resistance. They can be reusable and on top of it, they are eco-friendly and 100% biodegradable. In this article, we will talk about all the advantages of using a wooden cutlery set and its usages.
What is a Wooden Cutlery Set?
A cutlery set is a set of all the kitchen utensils used in cooking and eating. Wooden cutlery set includes wooden spoons in different sizes, wooden fork, wooden spatula, and a lot more. Wooden cutlery is light weighted, heat-resistant, and eco-friendly, which makes them the ideal alternative or substitute for metal and plastic cutlery. Also, have an aesthetic and vintage look that can track every type of customer. The wooden cutlery market is rapidly increasing at a CAGR speed of 4.4% between 2021 and 2031. Using wooden cutlery sets has become a worldwide trend.
Is wooden cutlery set Environmentally friendly and biodegradable?
The answer to this question is yes. The wooden cutlery set is environmentally friendly and biodegradable. Unlike plastic cutlery that takes centuries to melt down, wooden cutlery sets can easily break down and go back to nature. Wooden cutlery sets are made out of fresh birch wood and are much more durable than other cutlery sets. A Wooden cutlery set does not require any colour coatings meaning that they're harmless and chemical-free.
There are many usages of wooden cutlery sets. You can use them for cooking, eating and for decoration purposes. Since the covid-19 outbreak, restaurants and take-out counters have started offering reusable wooden cutlery to their customers, even at wedding receptions and special events using wooden cutlery sets instead of metal or plastic cutleries. They are easy to clean and reusable. The coronavirus pandemic has taught us the importance of hygiene and safety. The wooden cutlery set plays an important role in maintaining that.
What Are The Benefits of A Wooden Cutlery Set?
It's no wonder that the wooden cutlery set has become more popular these days. There are many benefits when using a wooden cutlery set.
Unlike plastic cutleries, wooden cutlery sets are eco-friendly and do not harm sea life and wildlife animals.
They are completely biodegradable.
They are made out of natural and sustainable resources that are wood.
You can easily recycle them and reuse them.
They are completely safe and do not have any chemical or toxic materials in them.
They do not cause any infections or diseases and are safe to put in your mouth.
Wooden cutlery sets have no sharp edges, so children can also use them without getting any cuts and scars.
We look super cool in your kitchen and give an aesthetic vibe.
Your cookers, pans and woks will no longer have scratches in them.
They are heat resistant and rustproof, which means that they will stay longer than your metal cutleries.
Today, people are getting more aware of the fact that our environment is in crisis. It's high time to utilize our renewable and sustainable resources and protect our wildlife. EcoBifrost aims to do just that and provide you with only the best quality of wooden cutlery set.
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In an essay specially commissioned for the podcast, Aisha Sabatini Sloan describes rambling around Paris with her father, Lester Sloan, a longtime staff photographer for Newsweek, and a glamorous woman who befriends them. In an excerpt from The Art of Fiction no. 246, Rachel Cusk and Sheila Heti discuss how writing her first novel helped Cusk discover her “shape or identity or essence.” Next, Allan Gurganus’s reading of his story “It Had Wings,” about an arthritic woman who finds a fallen angel in her backyard, is interspersed with a version of the story rendered as a one-woman opera by the composer Bruce Saylor. The episode closes with “Dear Someone,” a poem by Deborah Landau.
Suggested Reading
December 2, 2022
“In lieu of walls and a door, pen and paper will suffice to allow Valeria, albeit furtively, to speak her mind.”
The Art of Fiction No. 252
In her study at home in North Bennington, 2018. Interview still frame courtesy of Stephanie Black.
Jamaica Kincaid was born Elaine Potter Richardson on Antigua in 1949. When she was sixteen, her family interrupted her education, sending her to work as a nanny in New York. In time, she put herself on another path. She went from the New School in Manhattan to Franconia College in New Hampshire, and worked at Magnum Photos and at the teen magazine Ingenue. In the mid-’70s, she began to write for The Village Voice, but it was at The New Yorker, where she became a regular columnist for the Talk of the Town section, that everything changed for her. Her early fiction, much of which also appeared in that magazine, was collected in At the Bottom of the River (1983), a book that, like her Talk stories, announced her themes, her style, the uncanny purity of her prose. She has published the novels Annie John (1985), Lucy (1990), The Autobiography of My Mother (1996), Mr. Potter (2002), and See Now Then (2013). A children’s book, Annie, Gwen, Lilly, Pam and Tulip, came out in 1986. Aside from the collected Talk Stories (2001), her nonfiction works include A Small Place (1988), a reckoning with the colonial legacy on Antigua; My Brother (1997), a memoir of the tragedy of AIDS in her family; and two books on gardening, My Garden (Book) (1999) and Among Flowers: A Walk in the Himalaya (2005).
Kincaid divides her time between Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she is a professor of African American studies at Harvard University, and Bennington, Vermont, where her large brown clapboard house with yellow window trim is shielded by trees. She has two children from her marriage to the composer Allen Shawn, the son of the former New Yorker editor William Shawn, and in the living room she displays on a table—proudly, apologetically—productions from the arts-and-crafts camps and classes that her son and daughter attended over the years. The study where she writes is a sunroom surrounded on three sides by windows. The terrace that starts at the back door ends in a border of stones; the lawn, planted with thousands of daffodils, slopes down to a thickly shaded creek. Nearby are a vegetable garden caged against wildlife and a cottage in which lives Trevor, her bearded young assistant. Over some twenty years, Kincaid has made what my partner, the poet James Fenton, calls a “plantsman’s garden,” full of rare species. Her hundreds of plants are layered into a composition of informal design, expressive of her refined aesthetic and untroubled eccentricity. She has plants that move her because of how they look or how they behave, or because of their histories.
This conversation began at a public event at the 92nd Street Y in 2013, and was picked up again in her Vermont kitchen eight years later, in the summer of 2021, when the social restrictions of the pandemic had, for a time, eased. Jamaica Kincaid is a generous host. She cooks with flair. Her big, broad-frame glasses evoke the Italian movie stars of the sixties. The years have gone by, but she is still tall. Her voice is as musical as ever, high-pitched, the Anglo-Caribbean lilt beguiling. She is a presence; everything begins to happen when she talks. In person and on the page, Kincaid’s is a literary voice. She is alive to the advantage in the irony that her literary heritage had not predicted her, exalted, brave, free.
Why did your family send you to America? Wasn’t London still a capital of empire in the mid-’60s, the cultural center of the Commonwealth?
If they’d known anyone in London, they would have sent me there. But they didn’t have any long-term plan in mind. The idea wasn’t that I would establish myself and then have the rest of my family join me. I was simply sent away to support them. My father—my stepfather—had gotten ill, and my parents had three boy children. The arrival of my youngest brother had plunged us into a kind of poverty we’d never known. It used to be a tradition in agricultural families that you’d sacrifice the eldest child. I remember the darkness of being sent away—sheer misery of a kind that I didn’t know existed. Until then homesickness was something I only knew from books. I think I first came across it in one of the Brontës.
So there wasn’t any excitement in it?
Not at all, because I was going as a servant. I remember walking in the hot sun to one of the American bases in Antigua—past the crazy house, as we called the lunatic asylum, and the dead house, where the bodies of people who died in the hospital were put until they were collected by the undertaker—to be interviewed by an American soldier’s wife. I was very bitter about it because I had before me what seemed to be a successful future. I might have gone to the University of the West Indies. I would have gotten a scholarship. It seemed cruel even to other people because I was known as what we called a “bright child.” No, there wasn’t any cause for celebration, though my mother did make me a new dress and see me off to the airport.
Homesickness—this kind of interrupted love—is a big element in your work.
Well, perhaps, but I never really felt I belonged even in Antigua, even when I was little. My mother came from Dominica, and the thing about those little islands is that people from one island or the other don’t like each other. She was an outsider in Antigua, and she looked different. She was part Carib Indian, and they used to call her the Red Woman.
I suppose that my work is always mourning something, the loss of a paradise—not the thing that comes after you die, but the thing that you had before. I often think of the time before my brothers were born—and this might sound very childish, but I don’t care—as this paradise of my mother and me always being together. There were times when my mother and I would go swimming and she would disappear for a second, and I would imagine the depths just rolling over her, that she’d go deeper and deeper and I’d never see her again . . . And then she would pop up somewhere else. Those memories are a constant source of some strange pleasure for me.
I was pulled out of school to take care of my youngest brother while my mother went to work, and when she realized I hadn’t been looking after him properly, that I had been reading instead, she gathered all the books I had stolen from the library over the years and burned them. You can probably tell from my writing that I’m obsessed with notions of justice and injustice—those things that are wrong that can never be made right.
Nowadays if I were to be homesick it would be for Vermont, which is strange. But perhaps it makes sense—I grew up in a place where I saw the sea every day and, near the end of my life, I’m living in a place where the water has run out.
Did Lucy come out of a feeling that you needed to put your arrival to America in its place somehow—to examine it, or to leave it behind?
Not so much to put anything in its place as to give an account of what had happened to me. Lucy is about the making of a person. You can see in it the sentimentality of Jane Eyre. A sense of, I’m all alone in the world, and I have integrity. You might want this, but I will do that. Lucy stops sending her salary home, and I did stop sending mine. I still have the clothes I bought at Bonwit Teller. I was the best-dressed nanny you ever saw.
Were you refashioning yourself?
I loved dressing up and going out. You might say that was the influence of my mother. By the time my youngest brother was born her life had collapsed on her, but she was a very elegant woman when I was young. I used to be ashamed to be seen with her because she was so sexy—men of all ages would stop her and talk to her. I remember she wore her hair in a French roll, and she wore what they called a hobble skirt.
After I moved to New York, I modeled for people like Steven Meisel. I clearly had one of those eating problems, but I didn’t know what they were. I didn’t know that there was anything about me that had a name, that could be diagnosed. I ended up smoking Lucky Strikes, just because I liked the way it looked, the gesture. For some reason, I decided to cut off my hair and bleach it blond. I dressed in old clothes, thrift-shop clothes.
I styled myself to look like no one else. And I also knew I didn’t want to write like anyone else. When I started writing Talk pieces at The New Yorker, I tried to get away from the anonymous “we” they used. They had very good writers, but they were these old, stout white men. I hated the we. I had such contempt for a certain kind of writing, which I would now call “white writing.” It was so dull and mannered.
From the Archive, Issue 239
Episode 22: “Form and Formlessness”
, November 2021
In an essay specially commissioned for the podcast, Aisha Sabatini Sloan describes rambling around Paris with her father, Lester Sloan, a longtime staff photographer for Newsweek, and a glamorous woman who befriends them. In an excerpt from The Art of Fiction no. 246, Rachel Cusk and Sheila Heti discuss how writing her first novel helped Cusk discover her “shape or identity or essence.” Next, Allan Gurganus’s reading of his story “It Had Wings,” about an arthritic woman who finds a fallen angel in her backyard, is interspersed with a version of the story rendered as a one-woman opera by the composer Bruce Saylor. The episode closes with “Dear Someone,” a poem by Deborah Landau.
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Having a solid set of core values and strong relationships with your clients and trades will pave the way for success in your business.
Why having no background in real estate development gives your construction company an unfair advantage (7:02)
The weird way starting (and growing) a business in a recession is a blessing in disguise (9:00)
The “School District” secret for never running out of new buyers (10:52)
Why cultural fit is the #1 best way to find the perfect teammates to grow your business (even if they’re under qualified) (25:46)
Why the remodeling business will boom over the next few years (31:35)
If you’d like to connect with Jenny and the Icon Builders Group, you can visit their website at https://www.icon-group.com/.
To connect with Duane, Dave, or one of our show guests head over to https://buildernuggets.com and join our active community of like-minded builders and remodelers.
Our core values have never changed for anybody in this industry. This is the biggest investment people are gonna make in their life.
Welcome to builder nuggets hosted by Dwayne Johns and Dave young. Hey, our mission is simple, build freedom. We're a couple of entrepreneurs turned business coaches who have dedicated ourselves to helping our builder remodel. Our clients create the most rewarding businesses in the industry. My cohost Dwayne has been a successful builder and remodeler for over 30 years. He's seen the highs and the lows from the beginning though. Dwayne has been on a quest to find a better way to run a contracting business in 2016, he found that better way. That's how I met Dave, a lifelong entrepreneur and visionary who measures his success by the success of those around him. He reached out one day with a formula on how to transform my business. And the rest is history. Since then, we've teamed up to help hundreds of contractors like you build better businesses and better lives. And now we've decided to open up our network and share our secrets so we can start moving the needle with you. It's collaboration over competition. Each week we bring together industry peers and experts who share their stories so that we can all build freedom together.
(01:10): Our guest today is a funny curly haired girl, who is a natural. When it comes to inspiring creativity, when she isn't killing it in the remodeling realm, you can find her at local art shows with her kids. She has an art background. So typically colors and patterns come easily to her, but she had no construction experience. When she started 10 plus years ago, it was a leap of faith and her team is sure, glad she jumped. She is the Jackie of all trades, a part owner of icon building group alongside her husband, Charlie. She participates in setting the strategic direction of the organization, the hiring of key personnel and overseeing trade show efforts as well as engaging in other day to day activities. Her efforts over the past two years have led to an incredible 300% increase in the company's remodeling backlog. It's my pleasure to welcome Jenny rice today's show. Welcome, Jenny. Thank you so much. Happy to be here. Hey, your, uh, your website says one of your hidden talents is foreign accents. So I'm really good at them. If you wanna talk fake British accents, I am down. There's a couple I haven't mastered, but yeah, it's a problem. How, if I go a meeting with somebody from the south, I have to mentally every sentence, remind myself not to speak with a draw. it's hard.
(02:24): It was, it was fun. It was fun for me as a Canadian opening up offices in, in South Carolina, learning some of the new lingo, like the plural of y'all is all y'all . Um, you know, but like things like, like that. And, and, and we have some funny ones in, in Canada too. So it, it goes both ways, but yeah, sometimes you have to fight it because when you, when it's a hidden talent and you, and you like to do it, you, you really have to control yourself sometimes so that you don't end up trying to speak with a Scottish accent or, you know, what, whatever the, whatever the case may be. So anyway, I went to school in Madison, Wisconsin at UW, and there was a large population of Minnesota, Minnesota people there. So there was a great state as called, which is a lot like the Canadian accent with your and all that kind stuff. So, Yeah, that's right. A right. So Dwayne, walk us through how we all got connected here. Yeah. I wanna say it goes back to IBS and it might, it might have been Charlie that stopped by the booth that made it, were you at the Show? My connection with IBS is, um, bowel, like irritable bowel syndrome, but I don't think that's what you're talking about. Although Charlie might have it, but that's a whole different podcast. Yeah. A whole different podcast. Different show. Yeah. The international builder show. Uh, That's the second option. Yeah.
(03:41): Yeah, let's go with that. and, and it doesn't work either cuz as soon as you search for it, that's exactly what you get . Yeah. So I, yeah, I, I hear you. Yeah. So, I mean, were you down at the show or was it Just, I I like on our company structure Charlie's at the top and people might think I'm towards the top, but I'm really just like at the bottom holding it up. I think so. No, I didn't, I didn't get the invite this year to the builder show. I have been in the past honestly, But yeah, no, but anyway then, you know, I had some conversations and they're like, I think Jenny be a good fit for this show. I think she's we gotta get her on this show. So I think, um, you know, we had Sasha who works with us behind the scenes a little bit spoke with her, you know, interviewed yep. Spoke with you and she's like, absolutely rockstar. Let's get her on there. You know? So we're, we're glad to have you on and I love the part about, you know, having no prior experience. I mean just, I guess back up a little bit, tell us about that. How do you go from no prior experience to just jumping In? Yes. Our origin story is fascinat. Well, fascinating to me. You all might find it terribly boring, but the origin story is not common. So many general contractors, you know, kind of came up through the trades or their dad was a plumber or carpenter or something. They, so construction was sort of a second language to them. Not at all in my case and less so in Charlie's I, I like I came to the marriage with more tools and stuff, literal tools, not figuratively like tools than Charlie, him hanging a picture is a challenge. So really, really no construction background at all. And um, he had a different industry that, um, he, he had a business in a different industry that with a few partners that they sold and he, I I'm not revealing any like great, hidden, hidden information about Charlie, but afterwards he kind of struggled with depression and was, was really had hard time sort of finding his way that business, his previous business was his baby, you know?
(05:30): And then when they sold it, he was struggling for some direction. So, and he was home for a couple years, which we had three kids under the age of four and a and a husband who was quote unquote retired. Um, it's not, that's difficult for a young marriage. So, um, a couple years after he had sold his business, he was doing a lot of coaching. Our son was involved in a lot of sports and one of the other dads was a developer and was looking for an investor for an infill piece of property here in the Buffalo, in the suburbs of Chicago, where we do most of our work. Um, and thankfully Charlie, thankfully to get him outta the house, he, he was talking about investing, but he really was, I think, ready to sink his teeth, sink his teeth into something new. So he said rather than invest, I'd really rather be your partner. And um, so they started this partnership and Steve, the partner and Charlie are, are still friends today. Steve's a great guy, but they had very different visions for companies. Charlie is a very big thinker. And Steve, I think his, his thought was more of a, kind of a boutique builder, um, much smaller workload, much more kind of intimate in that way. So Charlie, again, he's a big thinker. So, um, let's factor in this all happened in 2008, which, you know, it's a perfect time to start a realistic company. so 2008 happened shortly after they connected. And Charlie really was the money end of that partnership. So he bought Steve out and took over that infill piece of property that he had originally been called in on and really kind of had to learn to build his way out of it. So we had a very talented project manager and the one benefit to Charlie having really no real estate development background was he was kind of able to look at this as a customer would look at it.
(07:18): So, Hey, if you're building a house, what do you, who do you wanna deal with? Or how do you wanna do this? And one of the things that he found was, Hey, it would really be helpful if there was somebody that could coordinate all of these finishes and make sure the house was cohesive, looked good. And it, wasn't just kind of sending people out to random vendors and assuming that people could put this house together themselves. So I happened to be very affordable labor and free at the time. So that's kind of how I, I got into it with him for a minute one. He said, you know, do you wanna do this with me? And I did, and I'm not gonna lie. It was not easy. At first. It was not easy for either of us to recognize what each other's strengths were in this world. It being, having the kind of husband and wife stuff carry over into work stuff has its challenges. So it took us a while to find what our strengths were and how to stay in our own lanes. And the, as the company grew, it became easier to stay in our own lanes. And about last seven years ago, we had picked up along the way we would do remodels if it kind of fit, if it fit, if we met somebody that needed a remodel, but it was certainly never a focus until about seven years ago. I personally loved the remodel process, which is really quite different than new construction. And so about seven years ago, we decided let's have a dedicated remodel team. And that is how the remodel arm of icons started. And Charlie still is really crappy at hanging pictures. I'm not gonna lie. I'm pretty darn fit at it, but , that's where we're, we've hired really good people to pictures now. So I'm a Charlie I'm, uh, you know, he's great at running a business, not so great at hanging pictures. We're big collaborators
(08:55): Here. You know, we're all about learning growth mindset, all that sort of good stuff. But I mean, how did you absorb the construction side of things? Was it just through maybe the project managers you had on your team? Did you get involved with any builder groups, trade organizations? I mean, what helped to, you know, give you that, that side of it? Well remember, so it's 2008, so it wasn't thankfully like we were bombarded with work minute one, it was pretty slow. So I did, we, we were able to ramp up kind of at a nice organic pace. Um, the trades are wonderful and are, take their time with me and explain what they need from me. So, uh, like I need to know what they needed from me so I could give them that information. The project manager was helpful, but mostly it's just exposure being on the job sites, seeing the pace of it, seeing the order of it. And it was, it was, uh, learning on the fly though. Yes, there was, there were some mistakes along the way, undoubtedly, but Well, it, yes, That's how I Learned it. It, it sounds like there was really a few different businesses that you were learning about at the same time. So Charlie gets, gets into the development side of things. Yes. First. Yeah. How did that morph into, was it always the vision when you got involved with the investment with Steve, that you would also be running a construction arm or was it purely to develop the, the land and the lots? No, we would be doing construction as well. So Steve did development and construction, but again on a much kind of smaller Mo more boutiquey kind of business model. So yeah, it was always understood that we would develop and build.
(10:23): Okay. And were these semi custom, were they pre-sold, were they specs a little bit of everything or what Nobody was doing specs in 2008 because it's already professional gambling. Mm-hmm so roll in 2008 and that is just psycho. So what the great thing was and continues to be for us is most of our, we have several subdivisions now that we built, uh, develop and build some, some we don't have to develop some are infill pieces. Some we do take the, do go through the whole development phase and then build. But the great thing for us is we have an outstanding school district that we kind of hub all of our subdivisions around. And a lot of our work is based around that school district. People will move here when they're pregnant, just to get into this school district. So it is a great draw for us. And that's really where we have, um, kept Mo most of our focus is in this school district, because it it's such a great draw. That would probably be a draw for your, your project management team and your staff as well to, to be able to, um, go to that school, you School, Something that was interesting, which was some of the challenge was not appreciating each other's strengths early on or not even probably identifying what your own strengths were when you're starting out something new. How did you guys determine that? What did that look like? And what would your be your advice for others?
(11:50): Look working with your spouse. I don't care how healthy your relationship is or unhealthy as a case may be. It's challenging. It's hard to separate that home, any of the home stuff you have going on and, and divorce that with your, with your work life. So for me, I had been out of the professional work world for a while. We had four kids, sorry, three kids in four years, I had an art business that I did out of my home, and I did art shows, but it was certainly at my own pace art shows that I chose to participate in. And it, it, it wasn't, I had no organization behind me. It was just me. So I had been out of the kind of professional world for a while. So diving back into it, you know, just for just, just take tech technology in and of itself. I hadn't even, you know, been on a computer really very much in seven years. So that was intimidating to me. Corporate structure was intimidating to me, not that we had a corporate structure at that time. So a lot of it was a little overwhelming to me, plus this is a world that I knew nothing about. So I kind of, I probably entered it with maybe a little bit of a chip on my shoulder feeling very behind the eight ball, because I didn't quite know what I was doing. And truthfully either did Charlie, he, he really knows how to build and run a company, but this, in this Melia, in, in construction, he really was dependent on a really solid project manager. So I think both of us were maybe feeling a little inadequate in the roles that we started in. And then again, you know, factor in the husband and wife stuff.
(13:15): So I think as the company grew and there were more layers and more people could recognize what he, Charlie and I were both good at. It certainly helped because you know's how terrible as it sounds, it can be hard to see some of the great strengths of your, of your own spouse. You know, when you're right on top of each other. So a little distance like me working on the remodel side, I think for us has been great. Cause it's very, it's a different business model. It's a different pace. It's, it's com it really is a very different kind of arm of the company, then new construction. So we're both able to sort of Excel at, I think, what we're both best suited for. And we stay out of each other's business. Well, yeah, That, that is also helpful. That autonomy is, is generally good for anyone because you can then see, you can measure your own impact. It's, it's, it's something where you are seeing the value of your efforts and the team that you're, that you're building. And then you probably can become more supportive of each other for the thing that they're doing, because you're not in each other's way. And that's, And it's exciting for me to hear, like, he'll tell me about new subdivisions that he's, that he's negotiating for new, big sales that he's made. And that's exciting. I'm not right there next to him award. I, I don't have to hear the play by play. I just get to hear the, you know, the highlights and same on, on my end, I can, you know, we both know what's going on in the company, but for our actual communication, it's nice to have just, Hey, here, listen. This great thing that happened instead of all the sort of pain to get there. So it has been nice to have different focuses over the years. Now,
(14:46): Jenny, do you find yourselves applying that same thinking that same creation of autonomy or, or grace with your staff as being beneficial and giving them the opportunity to lead and to own their particular roles? Is that something that's happened that you've thought about or that's happened naturally through this, because those same feelings that you're having is what your staff members are, are going to feel as well. And your project managers are going to feel when they can see their impact on their part of the mission. Is that something that you guys have designed intentionally or is it something that's just happened as part of the way you guys are? So I think it's, I, I think that, especially from if I'm gonna, if I can speak for Charlie once we had the right people in place, which took some level of trust, I guess, um, then yes, it was much easier to give them autonomy. I think it it's taken us a long time to get the exact team in place. And, you know, in construction, it's a very, you know, people bounce around a lot. Um, it's just the nature of the nature of this business, but I think the team we have together now, it's really competent. It's easy to just say, Hey you, this is your baby. You handle it, you run with it. I, you know, just lemme know if there's a problem or anything I have to get involved with. That's that's a really welcome change cuz no, it was not always like that.
(16:01): It really took having the right team in place to be able to have that ability to let go. Charlie's probably holds down a little tighter than I do. Um, I I'm fully aware what I should not have any, uh, I shouldn't be involved with, but, um, he's my, you know, he is, he really runs the company. So he is much more involved in the day to day, minute to minute decisions than I ever was anyway, but still right. I think it was finding the right staff and having that faith that they can handle it and the ability to take a breath, let them handle it and walk away. You, you were fortunate to have that exceptional project manager early on as well to show you what it can look like and the freedom that you can have with, with when you have that trust built as you grew, what sort of investments did you have to make in your systems and processes and infrastructure and all that sort of thing in order to find the right people and be able to create opportunity and have those guardrails for them to run on, cuz that's the other piece. You can have great people, but if you don't have as a young company, if you don't have the systems in structure in place, you don't have guidelines for them to follow. And it's, it's hard to, to give them that autonomy with any confidence because they don't know how you want it done. That's true. What did that look like for you?
(17:09): You know what, and I'm gonna be honest. It's still a work in progress. So we are now using a software. I think that, um, we're all very happy with, but we're even, we're learning as we go. This software has, uh, has more capability than we're currently using. So yes, we need to, we made the investment in, well, this is not our first software, but we're on, we're on this software program that we all really like now we also really need to start integrating all of the features of that software to get us as functional as we should be. But we are still learning that. And as far as, uh, kind of company organization that is also still a bit of a work in progress, I, I think that, um, we are, we are unusual in that Charlie, it, Charlie owns, you know, on the new construction side, he owns the company and does all of the sales, which is really unusual. I own part of the company and I do all the sales for remodeling. So that's unusual. So yeah, we don't have a normal corporate structure. Right. I think we're getting there, we're starting to get the bodies in place that we can, you know, kind of have a chain of command, but it is probably not that typical. Well, if there's one thing we've learned with the construction companies that we've worked with, is there may not be any such thing as a normal structure. You know, we've got hundreds of thousands of, uh, construction companies and everybody has been trying to figure it out on their own and you know, you kind of create your own, your own version of it and it seems to be working for you. So you've, you've put yourselves in the, in the right spots, uh, because it's working for
(18:39): Sure it's working and that's not to say it couldn't be improved on cuz Lord knows it could, but yes it is. It, it, it has been working and, and I'm sure like all like any of us, we, we find areas we can improve on. And you've said, you know, you've had some pretty tremendous growth and especially on that remodel side, you know, with you yeah. Kind of taking it over and over the last few years, what would you say was attributed to that? I mean, obviously COVID, and some of the things that happened, we all saw are pretty, um, surprising, probably bump in, in business from that. But I mean, did you carve out a particular niche? Were there certain, you know, parts of, uh, parts of town or even, uh, type of client you were going after? What, what did you do to really kind of zero in and grow that, that part of the business aside from the school district? Yeah. Asides awesome. The school do so actually there remodel team casts, a wider net than new construction. So we really do projects in a much bigger area than our subdivisions are focused. Um, the first thing we did when we started the remodel division, Chicago, maybe unlike other markets, we don't have like one centralized home improvement trade show. We have lots of little local home improvement, trade shows, and I have no idea what it's like in Charlotte or anywhere else, but we started participating in all these trade shows and they did create a lot of leads. They were not easy leads cuz if I got a lead, so did five other remodelers that, that I know. So it was, you know, the pace was very fast. We had to get out to these jobs, you know, get out to these houses quickly, get them information quickly in order to have a chance at closing them.
(20:06): But it, it got, it kind of allowed us to hit the ground running with, uh, a bunch of leads. Again, they were hard leads, but we did get work out of them. We also got some new home jobs out of them. So trade shows have been a really nice source of leads for us. Now that we've had this really dedicated remodel division for seven years, I would say probably equal referral or our lead sources are equal from referrals and trade shows. We had no trade shows for two years actually during COVID. So, um, the fact that we were still able to grow as much as we did with no trade show leads was great for us. Um, cause referral leads are the best leads. Um, one of the other things that happened pretty early on was we had a huge account. This was a little unexpected, it was a home improvement trade show. I had a booth there and a woman came up and she was a moving coordinator for retirement home. And the retirement home had a huge amount of turnover. And every time those units turned over the new, the new tenant, I guess, had the opportunity to do minimal, minimal remodeling or really revamp the whole thing. And um, over time we have taken over all of that work. So we have a guy just posted at this job and it is, he runs his, his schedules insane. He has many, many projects going all at the same time. So that was a really nice big account to sort of lock down for real constant work. And then, you know, over time again, referrals and trade show leads and you know, sparkling personality who could say no out here. And, and I'm sure in every, in, in a lot of markets we have a couple of really big fish remodelers in, in Chicago.
(21:43): They have a real big presence here. They're very, they're, they're certainly on the, on the expensive end. And then there's a lot of, um, kind of one man, uh, operators who self perform and maybe outsource their plumbing electric, but they're carpenters and they're doing most of the work themselves. We kind of found this way to find, to, to slide in between those two levels. So we're not as expensive as those as those real big firms. And we're not the one man show we're in the middle, but we are full, full service shop. So we try and take the burden of a lot of the homeowners having to run to five different suppliers or showrooms and, and stuff. We try and take that off their plate and still have a reasonable price As you're a designed build firm. Correct? Correct. Yeah. Wanna level up, connect with us to share your stories, ideas, challenges, and successes. The builder nuggets community is built on your experiences. It takes less than a minute to connect with [email protected], Facebook or Instagram, Want access to the resources that can take you and your team to the next level. One call could change everything. So, so you're providing the design and when, and just to be clear on the distinction between the high level ones you talked about and, and the, the volume of local business owners as well, you mentioned that they, uh, many of them are working with trade partners around electric, electrical or plumbing. Do you guys perform that in house or do you work with electricians? H B a C companies, plumbers, what, what business model have you put in, in place? What, or what's working for you?
(23:19): We outsource all, everything. All of the trade work is outsource except for project management and design. Um, we do have a showroom, which I think is, um, we use it, we use the showroom from new construction, new homes, but we, we use it for remodeling as well, even if it's not, even if they don't find exactly what they want, what's helpful with the showroom. A, it gives some legitimacy to us cuz you know, we have, we have a brick and mortar kind of presence. But when, when we do make a proposal, everything, if I'm, if I'm specifying any kind of finishes, they're all gonna be in that showroom. Now you might not wanna use any of 'em, but you can come and touch and feel everything that I've laid out for you for, you know, for a bathroom at this price. Here's your faucet, here's your, here's your cabinetry, here's your child, blah, blah, blah. It's all at that showroom, which makes it easy. Now people might not choose any of that stuff, but it, but they can, you know, they, they don't have to put in any more work than that if they don't want to. So it's, it's at least a nice jumping off point. And um, it's been, it's been a great resource for us.
(24:18): Yeah. It, it really can be the easy button and, and you know, right now for a client, the world is their oyster. If they want something, I mean you can go out and procure it for them, uh, especially on a, on a high end custom build. Um, it's our job. As you know, you have a project management model, so, and design, so you can go out and, and get it all for them and, and put it in. You do and yeah. And still be a, and still be an easy button. It's just, they're not seeing it all in that's right. I mean, location, Indoor golf courses, indoor bowling, alleys pools, you name it. Some, some really like kind challenging, interesting builds. So yeah. It's they find all kinds of stuff to build You. You mentioned that finding the right people has been probably the biggest challenge for you and you're that you're there now. And um, you feel like you're solving it. It's gonna continue to be a, an issue in the industry and it's gonna get more and more competitive or it has gotten more and more competitive. What do you think was the secret to your success for being able to attract those people? What are, what's the message that you're putting out or what's the opportunity that you create that has attracted these types of employees that you're looking for?
(25:26): I've been asked that question before actually. And I think when people come and interview like there's to your point earlier, there's stuff that other people do in this company that I couldn't begin to tell you how to do it. So normally when somebody comes in interviews with us, they get passed around to several employees. So we can all have, you know, get a read on them. If I'm gonna interview somebody, I assume they can do the job. Let's just start with that assumption right off the bat. Now let's see if you're a fit culturally personality wise, you know, what's your core? What, like, you know, what, what, what what's in your core, are you the type of person, you know, that we're looking for? In, in, in other words, like we have maybe two fault, um, put the customer's needs above our needs philosophy here. And we all believe that that will come back to us tenfold over time. You know, not everybody has that philosophy and that's okay, but you might not be a great fit here for us. And it, and we are maybe starting to learn how to say no more than we ever had before. Cuz it was always yes, yes, yes. We could do it no matter how hard it is or challenging it is, we, we are maybe learning. We have to set our own parameters a little bit better than we had in the past. But you know, we need we for, for me personally, but, and, and I know for all of us, the cultural fit is the biggest, we're a small company, you know? So we spend a lot of time with these people. So if it's, if it's not a great cultural fit, I don't care if you're the best project manager in the world, if it's miserable to work together, it's not gonna be a good fit for us.
(26:55): So for me again, I'm assuming everybody can do, do the job they're applying for. Let's just see, let me explain how this, let me explain the mechanics of this office to you. Here's this personality you have to work with. Here's this personality that you're gonna run into. How do you feel about this? How do you feel about, you know, working weekends every once in a while? You know, most of it is just using your gut and feeling people out and making sure that their priorities sort of line up with ours. I guess that's the biggest thing. Have you have you and your team taken the time to map out those core values and a vision and shared that internally or created it together? Is that something you've formalized to any extent It's come around a couple of times, I wanna say we've done like a mission and vision more than once, but that our, our core values have never changed for anybody in this industry. This is the biggest investment people are gonna make in their life. And we really consider ourselves stewards of their, of their hard earned money. And by default, we talk ourselves out of work all the time. If we think it's a really, you know, if we think there's a less expensive or better way to do things or, or not to do a project, we, we have those discussions regularly because it's the best thing for the customer. And yet I, we all firmly believe that those kind of honest conversations, I, I can think of 10 times where people have wanted to do a remodel. And I just wanna say, look, unless you're gonna live here forever. This is not a great plan. You know, you, you have to think about re resale. You have to think about market value, all that kind of stuff. So that engenders a great amount of trust and future referrals. And you know, they're gonna buy another house one day. That'll probably need work. So it's a long term play, but it works out.
(28:30): Yeah. We, we talk a lot about building freedom in your, in your business. And one of those freedoms is the freedom of relationship and with the success you've had, it sounds like you're getting more of that. You have the freedom to pick and choose your, your clients. And that's a wonderful position to be in because it's not, it's not just about whether or not you can make them happy, which is a large part of it. It's it's whether or not your staff and your team are gonna be valued and appreciated through the process as well. Cause it's one thing to focus solely on the client, but it can't be at the expense of your team, right? So the fact that you're thinking about those We're though it's hard, you know, I'm a salesperson at heart, you know, all that lovely intro you gave me in the end. I pretty much just consider myself a salesperson. So for a salesperson to walk away from a sale, I don't care how difficult the guy is. That is really a hard pill for me to swallow. And really it wasn't this year, it's the first year I fired a customer because there was just not enough upside and there was so much downside and it, and you know, it was very professional and cordial, but it just, wasn't a beneficial relationship. I don't think for either of us in the end, but that's hard for me. I'm not gonna lie. It's hard for me to walk away from that,
(29:38): But you've done the right things, you know, I mean, as you've, like you said, you started out with some trade show leads, and then you're probably getting a lot more organic referral leads. Yes. You're gonna continue more of those. Yep. As you deliver just a great experience to your clients, which then starts to afford you, that ability to focus on and I'll call it client compatibility. You really have to think about that because that when you get to that point, you're gonna generally have better projects, better clients, better the experience for everybody, your staff profitability goes up, you know, absolutely everything just improves. So you don't have to worry the volume doesn't become as, as important as the quality, you know, once you get to that point. So I think, yeah, I mean, it sounds like you guys are just doing a lot of the, a lot of the right things to get there. What's next, like we we're coming through, what's been like a really booming economy. When you think about the next five years, what are the things that you're excited about? What, where are you going with the, what the company, what do you wanna, what do you wanna achieve and how, and what are you, what are the challenges that you're gonna face in getting there?
(30:38): We'd love to scale, uh, especially the remodel side of the company. We'd love to scale it. You know, maybe have an office that we drop into Indianapolis or Madison, Wisconsin, or something. We'd love to create a system that is repeatable. It's challenging , but it is certainly the goal is to create a repeatable system. So what I, a couple of things I see coming down the pipe that I think, I think our software, you know, our internal software and our internal processes are getting better and more succinct and more, you know, we can, we can hand off packets to our project managers without them calling with, you know, 20 questions because we didn't have enough information for them. So who that is all improving as we go. Um, but as far as like in the industry, what I see coming, I think that with the interest rates going up, I think that it will have an effect on new home purchases or whether it's new builds or new home purchases. But I, uh, and I know that that is the intent of raising the, um, interest rate. I actually think it'll be, uh, more of a boom to remodeling cuz those customers, those customers that were on the cusp of being able to buy that new house now are gonna stay in their house. And it's sure a lot less expensive to remodel your kitchen than to buy a new house. So I do think for the next couple of years, we're still gonna see those customers that are now staying put because they couldn't quite make it work with a new interest rate. So they're staying put in remodeling after that projecting past two years, I think that there will be, you know, we've talked about a lot kind of fo doing some more focus on aging in place kind of transitions, um, which I think could be a huge profit center because I, this is a very lived experience for me.
(32:18): Now, my dad just re recently passed and my mom is demanding that she stay in the house that they lived in and, and it's not set up for someone in her physical condition. So she's not abnormal though. This is happening everywhere. So I do think that that could be a huge profit center for us. I think that people are consumers are continuing, continuing to be more educated through, you know, every everybody's got a phone or on their computer and they are coming to us even from when we started this, uh, seven years ago, they're far more educated and exposed to different ideas towards remodeling than they were seven years ago. So COVID has well, has absolutely exploded the remodeling. I think it will continue to change, um, the way people are thinking about their homes. Um, I think in the back of people's heads, they're still a little nervous. This could happen again. So they wanna be ready to work from home or have outdoor play area for the kids or outdoor grilling or a first floor, you know, master suite for their in-laws or their caregiver to be able to say, so I do think it will still continue to inform remodeling for years to come because, you know, kind of once been twice shy, we wanna be ready moving forward. And so many of us now are able to do things from home that we weren't able to prior to COVID, you know, how many companies now you can work from home, if you choose to 100% of the time that wasn't really a thing three years ago. So people have to set up their houses in it to, uh, in order to be able to, you know, work with this new world that we're all living in.
(33:50): Yeah. It's, it's interesting. You're, you're expanding the, the sort of service verticals that you're going into talking about the aging in place or rental properties and, and looking at that so that you are you're prepared because a lot of people, when they think about scaling, they just think about getting bigger. They don't think necessarily about, well, how do I retain my staff downsizing, the, maybe the overall dollar volume, but increasing the number of projects because in a project management model that still works. As long as you have the projects there and you have billable time for your project managers, you can scale that thing in either in either direction. If you've had the foresight to do those things, that's, that's pretty cool. I can't help, but think or admire how much you guys have done your company has done on its own, figuring it out from out of the starting blocks without the background. Are there, you know, are there other, who are your collaborators? Are, are there, do you work with other people in the industry? Is that some, have you guys just been heads down all on your own? What are you doing to go and learn and figure out how to make your company better? Are, are there, there, you know, organizations that you're a part of? Where, where are you learning outside of job site university?
(35:03): Yeah, that is still the main one. And I think the people that we hire have hired along the way, even, you know, employees that we may not be with us any longer. There's still a lot to learn from people that have been in this world for 30 years. You know, again, even if we can kind of pick and choose those parts of what they brought to the company, if it didn't work out on the end, but they might have brought, Hey, the way he approaches, whatever it is, change orders. That's fantastic. We should be doing that the way he approaches customer relations. That's fantastic. We should incorporate that. So I think a lot of our continued evolution has been with the new people that we bring into the organization. I know that Charlie has great relationships with other builders in the area and, um, I shouldn't speak for him. I don't know how much he delves into their business models and stuff, but, um, most of it is head down and new, you know, employees learning from the employees that we bring on and feedback from customers. What are you looking for? How can we, how can we be a little bit different than every other builder out there to give you what you're looking for and give you the experience that you're looking for? And for us, I think that's the biggest, the, the ends don't justify the means like if you have a miserable building experience, but a beautiful house, eh, okay. I mean, you're never gonna hear from that customer again. Uh, we've been lucky enough to have great relationships with customers over the years and, you know, can socialize with them and have continued relationships with them. Well, after their build. So getting feedback from them about what is, or it isn't working and they're more than happy to tell us when stuff isn't working, which is great. It's great feedback for us so we can tweak it and adjust as we move forward.
(36:34): You're, you're really paying attention and asking, asking a lot of the right questions of, of the people that are in your, you know, realm or universe and, and learning from it. Probably not making the same mistake, you know, multiple times. Oh, We probably do, but we eventually, we get there. Sure. But you're, it, it, it seems like you're like spinning it on the lay, then it's getting better and smoother and smoother all the time. Little, a little bit, a little bit at time, The trades are a great resource as well. You know, they work for multiple builders, so it's great to hear from them. Hey, you know what, the, the way that we're getting, you know, our bid, whatever it is, the, the way that we're getting our change order the information isn't clear to us, we need X, Y, Z. Oh, okay, great. That's good to know. Let us change our system a little bit. So it's easier for the guys in the field to be able to build the project. So yeah. Trade, trade info or trade feedback is really helpful as
(37:21): Well. That sounds like a theme since the beginning for you though. Cuz you mentioned it early on in your story that you had a bit of a chip on your shoulder or you felt, I know yeah. You might have had a chip on your shoulder, but right before you had said that you had also talked about though that you valued the trades as a resource and you went to them and asked them, which kind of, you know, it minimizes the chip to a, to a great degree and it shows that you valued them. So it's, I, I, I think that was a, a natural great first step that you went out and did and didn't try and pretend that you knew it, you got the experts and relied and valued them and continued to foster that within, within the company. Yeah. The traits that we were very, really lucky, the, the, the traits that had been with us since the beginning and then there's several of them. They're just, they're great guys. They're, they're informative. They're patient with me who knew nothing going in, you know, they they've been really great to work with, So Charlie's not here to represent himself so you get to, you get to answer for him. What would you say is the most exciting, uh, or the piece of the business or the direction of the company that he's most excited about? Because you mentioned for you that it was the, the remodeling side and that's amazing that you're growing this and have the foresight to anticipate and plan for it and having the systems in place, where does he shine? What does he get excited about?
(38:34): You know, I think we've done. Uh, we it's really been, he has done, he's developed several subdivisions or bought, you know, bought in, uh, pieces, I think for him. Um, he's excited about remodeling. I, I pulled him over. Thesing also, I think he likes the business model of remodeling. I should say that I think on the new construction side, we're all excited about, you know, we built a lot of great houses. There's been a lot of them that aren't terribly different ones, we're custom builders, but there can be some level of repetition, one to the next, but we're suddenly getting opportunities like to build bowling alleys and indoor golf ranges and climbing walls. And all of a sudden these really interesting, fascinating builds. And that has been a, a, a learning curve. I mean, not everybody knows inherently how to build an indoor bowling alley. So we're learning and it's challenging. And it's, you know, I think it's just something new. We, we're getting a lot of really interesting at bats. I would say where people come to us with these fascinating plans and, um, or, or wanna develop a really fascinating plan. And that's, what's fun. I think that developing really great customer relationship building really interesting homes is not so much volume kind of like what you're saying is as cool builds, interesting relationships, interesting options in these really cool houses. So there's some really cool stuff. People are doing.
(39:55): One thing we haven't really talked about, we've touched on it as a project management model. Are you, um, are you using a, a cost plus model, a fixed price? Are you billing for time, walk us through what the business relationship with your, or how you guys decided to structure it and why? And it may be different for custom, you know, for the it's for the new construction, New construction is different than, um, remodeling. So new construction, they, although challenging now, um, you know, they've been able to, unless it was a, a, a profoundly, you know, different kind of house than, you know, most of our bread and butter houses are, they've been able to use historicals and, um, come up with a sale price based on, you know, 10 previous houses they did that were similar enough, Charlie, what we are doing differently on the new construction side, in order to capture, I think one source of construction, one source of frustration in new construction is we have gone to this model in our, in our, um, showroom where things are levels. So people can walk through and say, Hey, the red stickers level one, the blue stickers level two. So before Charlie's going to contract, he's saying, I want you to walk through the showroom and I want you to point out what you like, so I can make sure I'm representing that on your contract, because I might think you want level one.
(41:13): You might think you want level 10. And unfortunately that's where people get frustrated. Cause I think there's some, some people feel like, Hey, you should have known that I wanted a level 10 countertop. Well, not really. You also want XYZ budget. So that kind of leads to level one countertop. So having that understanding before contract and before we have to get into orders, which people don't always feel great about change orders, that's been helpful to really, really try and better understand what people have in their heads before we get to contract. So there's less rub during the bill. There's always gonna be change orders, but those change orders aren't Hey, you should have known, I wanted this though. Hopefully we're mitigating that kind of change order. On the remodel side, we probably have our first customer right now that we will go to go to cost plus with it's a really, it's a project that started out with a huge budget and he's reducing it and it's gonna require lots of design work to get to that new budget.
(42:11): So that is probably gonna go to a cost plus kind of situation. We don't usually do it for a re for a larger scale project in addition, or a whole house renovation. We'll hard bit, it we'll do trade walks and hard bit it. And we, you know, put on our, our fee and that then that's the price. If for small projects, we, don't always hard bit it, we can use historical space in remodeling, you know, for what a standard kitchen would be, what a standard bath would be in kind of build off of that. So, no, we don't often do cost. Plus we give them a, a proposal with the, with the cost, knowing that we'll probably be some change orders along the way, but there don't ha that the goal is there doesn't have to be change orders. If you really don't wanna spend any money, use these selections that I've called out for you. Here you go. It almost ever happens though. I feel like I put you on the hot seat here, Jenny, just, but it's Fine. It's a degrees here in Chicago today, but I'm doing OK. Yeah, no, you're doing great. You're, I'm firing all the questions at you and it's rolling up like super supernaturally. I can see why your team and your clients have confidence in you. It's, it's, uh, it's easy for you and done with a smile and a green hat the whole, the whole time. So the Green hat is that's the sale right there. Yeah.
(43:19): I, I would just, you know, I would say kudos to you guys for what you've done. I mean, I'm glad we got introduced at the builders show, what we do through this platform. And obviously through the, through, through our community, you know, is, is, is all about collaboration, you know, and then people that have had success and then they get on and share it with others. You guys are achieving success, you know, and now have the opportunity to, to share it with others, you know, keep doing what you're doing for sure. It's I, I do go back to, I think the thing that's that's got me is that you guys have a pretty solid set of core values and it, it shows, you know, just from the, I think that's, what's guided you to, to, for all the decisions that you make probably directly go back to those core values. And for me, that's the big takeaway for anybody that's listening, you know, is that that's so huge to your company and it's gonna help you with every decision you have to make. And I think it's, it's definitely just, uh, you guys are an example of that. So congrats on what you've done and thanks for, you know, thanks for taking some time with us. How can folks, if they wanna learn a little bit more about you guys or connect, how can they find you?
(44:17): We are icon building group in Illinois. We have a great website. I we're all very proud of the website, so you can, um, connect through us through the website. Should I give my phone number? That seems like a bad idea, Whatever you want, You can call me if you're remodeling you're in Illinois, you can call me icon-group.com. Come check us out. There's a tab for remodeling as well. And you can, the gallery's great tons of pictures, tons of inspiration pictures. Oh, by the way, if you're a customer thinking about a new project, whether it's a new build or a remodel coming to the table with an idea of how you see your space is so helpful for all of us, not just for budget, but for feasibility, you know, uh, yeah, you might, they might show me a picture of a bathroom that's 20 by 30 and they have a five by nine bath. I, so it really helps to come to the table with some, and I, I feel like our website does a great job of tons and tons of pictures for inspiration and ideas. And then we're pretty active on how and interest, interest interest as well, um, answering, answering people's questions and stuff like that. So we do get some feedback through that as well. Actually our best sort of, not a referral source, but people go to our Google reviews and we've been, you know, knocked on wood. You can't see me, but I am knocking on wood right now. Um, the Google reviews been great for us and it gives us, again, some, it gives us some validity and people feel good about it. So Google reviews are huge. Thanks again for sharing everything. It's been fun having you on and, uh, best of luck for everything going forward. Thank you guys. It's very nice to meet you.
Hey, thanks for listening, Dwayne and I love hearing from you. Your stories are inspiring and your challenges can be overcome. Got a cool tip idea for a show problem that you haven't been able to solve, or maybe just struggling to figure out what you need next and where to get it. We can help hit us [email protected] and start building freedom.
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During the course of your time in academia—first, enrolled in anascent “food studies” program and, later, one devoted to interdisciplinarysocial science research—a specter haunted you. Within otherwise pleasant classeson the “anthropology of food,” “food culture,” or “multiculturalism in liberaldemocracies,” for example, the apparition would suddenly emerge. The meremention of its name, five syllables in length, would bear down on anydiscussion like a freight train, clouding the critical thinking which hadreigned up until its entrance.
The power this phantasm claimed over your peers made your blood boil. Throughoutmany of these manifestations, you could only stew in your seat, stunned by thewraith’s insidious sway. It held an uncanny ability to transform crusaders forequality and cross-cultural acceptance into the most craven defenders of asegregated, stagnate manner of artistic creation. Its acceptance andproliferation as a valuable construct would demean, in your mind, the intellectualhonesty of otherwise distinguished professors. It would sully, by means of stagingan asymmetrical discourse, campuses that had thereto been committed to the freeexchange of ideas.
Towards the tail end of your time in academia, you would simplysidestep ever engaging with this ghost. You could not trust yourself to holdyour temper, to avoid engaging in the exorcism this poisonous spirit so desperatelydeserved. For, this specter’s invocation invariably proceeded via a certainsort of person. Like black magic, its allure laid in appealing to those whoviewed themselves as powerless. It would turn the tables, the phantom wouldpromise, for the meager price of a soul. Alas, it is not the individual’s soulwhich pays for this dance with the devil. Rather, through the public’s sycophancyin the face of this charade, it is the very soul of art in gastronomy thatsuffers.
“Authenticity,” of course, is the dreaded word—that bugaboo whose “real”meaning nobody can quite unravel. (Are tomatoes “authentic” to Italian cuisinesince they came from the New World? Are hamburgers “authentic” to Americancuisine since they came from Hamburg?) But that sure as hell doesn’t stop theconcept from being wielded against all and sundry who are perceived to bestepping on the toes of this or that whiny minority.
The most recent flashpoint in this battle of cultural asphyxiationbetween “have-talents” and the “have-nots” concerns Chicago’s own Iron Chef.Stephanie Izard has run the city’s ever-popular Girl & the Goat for morethan a decade. Having opened in 2010, it still stands, in your mind, as theprototypical American restaurant of the future. Intimately engaged in localsourcing of ingredients and nose-to-tail cooking from the start, Izard’sever-changing menus embrace the totality of our nation’s culinary influences.Hamachi crudo is paired with crisp pork belly, tempura soft shell crab withsweet corn elote, escargot ravioli with tamarind-miso sauce, and duck tonguewith tuna poke and crispy wontons (to name but a few dishes).
What Izard cooks can in no way be called “fusion.” The recipes are notcontrived in such a way, nor does the restaurant ever embrace such an identity.Instead, she simply takes inspiration from the full wealth of the world’singredients and techniques and applies them to the Midwest’s natural bounty.Hers is an intuitive, untethered form of cooking that prevails through combiningunorthodox textures and flavors in a way that is invariably balanced and highlycomforting. Reading “beef heart,” “beef tongue,” or “pig face” on a menu mightmake some of Izard’s fans squeamish at first. Yet you would wager nobody whohas placed trust in those dishes’ execution has walked away unsatisfied. Likewise,unfamiliar or “foreign” ingredients may be removed from their cloisters and treatedas a peer in the great American pantry, going on to form surprisingpartnerships with other fare.
As scary as a dish may “read” on a menu, the proof is always in thepudding. One need only get customers to sample that first bite, and a wholeworld of preconceived disgust may be wiped away. Girl & the Goat’s staff isadept at assuaging those fears (even offering free samples of dishes someonemay never muster up the courage to order), and the kitchen is sure not to letthe opportunity go to waste. Izard has earned an implicit sense of trust bytransforming so many skeptical diners into believers, and you think few figuresin American dining have done so much to expand guests’ palates in thisgeneration. All, again, without any conscious goal but to cook the mostexciting and enjoyable “American” food possible—talk about a triumph of goodtaste!
In 2012, Izard opened Little Goat, an ode to the classic Americandiner that, nonetheless, throws many of the same culinary curveballs as theGoat “mothership.” Sure, one can order shrimp and grits, biscuits and gravy,pancakes, patty melts, milkshakes, and sundaes there—each accented with thechef’s eye for amping up decadent flavors. But how about a Spanish omelette, apork belly okonomiyaki, a scallion pancake, a bánh mì, some Szechuan sausage,or a “bi bim bop” breakfast bowl made of cauliflower “rice,” guanciale, pickledvegetables, and sunny side up eggs? While such dishes are nominally “foreign,”they, like the aforementioned classic offerings, are interpreted through Izard’ssingular perspective. In this manner, an array of diverse comfort food “forms”are translated through the Goat ethos with an even hand. What dishes patronsmay recognize as belonging to a “traditional” American diner merely serve as aleveling influence and jumping off point for an altogether new canon.
In this sense, Little Goat’s menu seems to redefine the American diner(often, ironically, Greek-run and betrothed to the same standard farethroughout the country) as a “big tent” encompassing a range of global comfortfoods. Izard does not serve traditional American recipes alongside a shoehornedselection of superficial “ethnic” recipes. She does not engage in any consciousmanner of fusion or “Americanization” of her Japanese, Chinese, Vietnamese, orKorean victuals. Rather, one gets the sense that she designed the diner’s menuto encompass as many pleasing comfort foods as she could think of and decided uponhow to give each of them a personal twist. That meant treating all theingredients, all the archetypal forms, as equals and engineering them in such away as to maximize flavor and texture. Little Goat’s menu—like Girl & theGoat’s—embodies the free exchange of cultural influences that art has taken forgranted since time immemorial.
With Duck Duck Goat and Cabra—opened in 2016 and 2019 respectively—Chicago saw Izard apply herself more particularly towards other cultures’ fare. The former, building on the glimpses of Chinese flavors seen at the other Goat properties, promises “reasonably authentic Chinese food” while the latter terms itself a “Peruvian-inspired” restaurant. Far from being arbitrary, appropriated concepts, you think both establishments extend the same Goat ethos that Izard applied to Little Goat’s diner format.
Duck Duck Goat—if the “reasonably authentic” moniker didn’t tip you off—indulges freely in the kitsch many Americans associate with “Chinese” (in truth, Chinese-American) cuisine. To start, the décor is an amalgamation of every “Chinese restaurant” trope possible: lanterns, faded family photos, lazy susans, lacquered wood, and plush cushions and curtains in shades of crimson. Such an environment does not aim for “reality” but stands, instead, more like a movie set, an integrated hyperreality. It winks and nods at the average American’s imagined “Chinese restaurant,” thus tapping into a subconscious form of familiarity that comes across as charming. (Little Goat, it must be said, pulls the same trick in its staging of the archetypal “retro diner”).
The menu plays its part too, featuring oversized pictures and a codedsystem of identifying dishes written in Chinese then English. The fare itselfruns the gamut of cold dishes, dim sum, noodles, fried rice, and “chef’sdelights” one expects from their corner take-out joint. There’s “boozy bubbletea” and Peking duck too. Seemingly, the offerings are ordinary (relative tothe setting), but some of Izard’s identity as a chef shines through. Ricedumplings are filled with goat, Sichuan eggplant is married with goat sausage,egg foo young are made with goat bacon, lo mein is paired with goat belly, andpig face features in its own set of buns. Beef—whether used in potstickers orwonton soup—is invariably from the short rib. Meanwhile, dishes of grilled duckhearts, grilled whole fish, and grilled lamb (with garlic aioli and lime garliccrunch) would be right at home on Girl & the Goat’s own menu. All thingsconsidered, Izard actually shows quite a bit of restraint in her interpretationof the “Chinese-American” canon. She introduces some of her favoriteingredients into the mix while, largely, focusing on making a wider range ofdishes accessible to the sort of customer who reliably orders the same disheswithin the genre. She takes nothing away from regional Chinese cuisines whilegently steering her audience towards a deeper engagement with the culture.
Cabra, in much the same far-flung fashion, “draws inspiration fromStephanie’s travels throughout Peru in Lima, Arequipa and Cusco.” This includedtime spent alongside Mitsuharu Tsumura, whose restaurant Maido was voted “The BestRestaurant in Latin America” in 2017 and 2018, as well as the world’s tenthbest restaurant in 2019 (according to William Reed’s admittedly opaque “World’s50 Best” list). According to Izard, she was struck by “the combination ofbright, light flavors like citrus paired with rich ingredients like cheese ormayo in unexpected ways,” not to mention “the antichuchos, marinated meatsfreshly grilled over flames” and “the ceviches.” The rooftop space—one of twoBoka Restaurant Group anchors for Fulton Market’s Hoxton hotel—features décor “purchasedin the markets of Peru.” Just what elements of the ambiance that comprises areunclear to you, but it’s a sleek space filled with light-colored wood andaccents of orange and turquoise. You may even term it “understated” in itsrepresentation of Peruvian culture (a gesture of respect relative to the caricaturizeddiner and “Chinese” restaurant concepts). As far as Chicago rooftop dininggoes—where style often trumps substance—you think it’s an admirable effortexecuted with the same detail as the “other” Goats.
Relative to Duck Duck Goat, Cabra’s menu aims to make a broad range ofPeruvian fare friendly and accessible to unsuspecting hotel guests. Remember, Izarddoes not wield the world “authentic” in her description of the concept. Peru isinspiration, which implies a filtering of lived experience through a personallens. Thus, while her Chinese-American menu at Duck Duck Goat leads fans closerto an appreciation of more “traditional” fare, Cabra’s menu intends to makePeruvian cuisine more legible to the masses via her beloved “Goat” style. Sucha style, harkening back to Girl & the Goat’s menu, exhibits a mastery ofapplying local ingredients to diverse forms, combining flavors and texturesthan span different cultures.
For example, a “classic” ceviche features bass with baby sweet potatoslices. It leads a section that includes shrimp, salmon, snapper, and duckvariants with various leches del tigre and a panoply of other ingredientslike pistachio, dragon fruit, trout roe, pickled mango, and gooseberries. Izardalso serves a selection of dips—something of a common thread seen at LittleGoat and on occasion of the chef’s past Super Bowl offerings (which included abonafide seven-layer dip). The choices at Cabra include “hot chorizo &queso,” “avocado,” “ají verde & queso fresco,” and “salmon huancaina” eachserved with unique chips. Anticuchos—those “freshly grilled,” “marinated meats”—featurebeef heart, chorizo, chicken thigh, and kampachi. Empandas are made from goat, ajíde gallina (a Peruvian chicken stew), and “swiss chard & kale.” Thelargest plates on the menu are the whole fish (usually snapper) served with “baconsweet & sour” and the chicharrón del puerco, a “skin-on fatty porkshank” that offers a Peruvian spin on the “crispy braised pork shank” that hasbecome a signature at Girl & the Goat.
As with Duck Duck Goat, Cabra’s menu rests on a foundation of traditional forms of cookery which enable Izard’s particular culinary viewpoint to shine through. Some dishes embrace a more “classic” style of flavor construction or seek to package a favorite dish from Peruvian culture (ají de gallina) in an engaging form like the empanada. Others, like the duck ceviche, chorizo and queso dip, beef heart anticucho, and pork shank speak to something of the “Goat” identity. In any case, Izard’s mastery of combining flavors and textures is fit into recognizably Peruvian forms, serving to lead customers towards (even if by “baby steps”) a deeper appreciation of the cuisine.
Having conducted this primer on the range of Izard’s cooking, you can now turn to the controversy at hand. As part of her sponsored content for New Zealand Beef & Lamb, the chef shared a recipe for “bibimbap” featuring sliced strip steak, maitake mushrooms, and bok choy with pickled red onion and Fresno chilis served atop white rice. The dish is dressed with a ginger vinaigrette (made from mayonnaise, soy sauce, mirin, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, Thai green chilis, and yuzukosho) then garnished with fresh mint and cilantro.
“Bibimbap,” by one definition, is described as “a hot Korean dish made with rice, cooked vegetables, and chili, sometimes also with sliced meat and an egg on top.” Another source clarifies that the word’s literal meaning in Korean is “mixed rice,” and that typical vegetables used in the dish “include carrots, cucumber, spinach, bean sprouts, shiitake mushrooms and braken fern.” Some variants of the recipe, like that ascribed to Jeonju, feature “up to 30 ingredients” like “sesame oil, ginkgo nuts, mung bean jelly, steak tartar [sic], egg, and…gochujang chile sauce.” The post, which is itself sponsored by the Korean Food Foundation, notes that “in some Korean cookbooks intended for an English speaking audience, bibimbap recipes might be disguised as ‘Vegetable Rice Bowl’ or some other variation.”
With this in mind, let us look at Izard’s version of bibimbap. Thesliced steak is typical of the recipe, as are the mushrooms. The bok choy isatypical, but not altogether removed from the texture carrots, cucumber, orbean sprouts might provide. Likewise, the pickled red onion and Fresno chilisdo not make for a traditional kimchi, yet red onions are used tomake kimchi, pickled vegetables are used to top bibimbap, and theFresno chilis do represent a more measured introduction of the same “chilesauce” element that might otherwise prove too aggressive for American palates.The same could be said about the Thai green chilis and yuzukosho (apaste made from fermented chili peppers and citrus peel) utilized in the gingervinaigrette, which further serve to make up for the lack of gochujang in therecipe. Izard’s use of sesame oil, of course, is not out of place. But thefresh mint and cilantro certainly are—though perhaps not wildly different fromthe role greens like spinach and bracken fern might play texturally. Of course,Izard’s chosen herbs also continue to serve the purpose of moderating the heatof the various chili elements.
Structurally, the Iron Chef’s bibimbap sounds true to type. Shepresented the dish without any claim to “authenticity” or “tradition,” just as thedishes at her restaurants might draw on a particular culture’s recipe butalways imply its channeling through her creative ethos. (A good example, you think,are the “grilled kalbi beef ribs” which appeared on Girl & the Goat’s menu,featuring “sweet corn coblettes” and “charred okra relish” that take the dish ona journey from Korea to the American South). Izard’s bibimbap is not aningredient-by-ingredient reconstruction, but rather a riff which retains thespirit of the original: sliced meat, cooked vegetables, pickled vegetables,chili heat, and rice.
“Bibimbap,” later retitled “Strip Steak Rice Bowl” courtesy of Stephanie Izard’s Instagram
Yet, being posted on Instagram, the bibimbap’s presentation raised afew eyebrows and quickly caused a furor. You see, if there’s one sin that Izardcommitted, it would be sharing such a sad picture of the completed recipe. Theresolution, angle, and cropping are all poor. Further, the construction of thedish itself resists any identification as a “bibimbap.” The rice and bok choybeing almost totally obscured, the viewer is left to focus on a bowl filledwith slices of beef, strewn with mint and cilantro, with a small pile of thepickled vegetables in the center. By comparison, nearly any variant of a “typical”bibimbap is served with its various toppings neatly compartmentalized at thetop of the bowl, a presentation that is both aesthetically pleasing and thatallows for the diner to combine the components as they please. This, of course,is where the “egg on top” comes in (an addition to the recipe, if not foranything more than visual effect, that might have saved the chef’s blushes). Thus,while Izard’s bibimbap may have been structurally sound (with regards toflavors and textures), it shirked the visual trope by which the dish is oftenrecognized. When it comes to a social media mob that cares little for nuance,such a misstep can prove fatal.
Sensing an opportunity to promote his restaurant’s latest venture—a Community Canteen providing free meals during the pandemic—and settle the score with regards to his childhood trauma, Won Kim contorted himself in such a way as to be victimized by Izard’s post and took aim. Kim proudly runs a “counter service Korean Polish street food joint” called Kimski in Chicago’s Bridgeport neighborhood, celebrating so-called “radical hospitality” (but surely unrelated to “radical” political advocacy, right?)
Though the comments on Izard’s original bibimbap Instagram post have since been disabled—and the “essay” Kim wrote on Facebook in response to it has been made private or deleted—you can share the gist of the controversy thanks to Eater Chicago’s reporting. There, editor Ashok Selvam—whose experience as a food writer includes covering Hoffman Estates for the Daily Herald and writing marketing brochures for medical companies—did his best, as he is always wont to do in service of his Vox overlords, to fan the flames of racial strife. It is he and only he, out of a slavish devotion to cultivating the clicks that pay his pathetic salary, that transformed Kim’s bitter whining into a national story. His article, which masquerades as a news story, rationalizes the Kimski chef’s reaction to Izard’s recipe without probing the coherence or intellectual honesty of his claims.
The scope of Kim’s criticism, which Eater Chicago strangely recountswithout directly quoting him, is that “the dish, full of green herbs, lookedmore like a Thai or Vietnamese dish; at best, it’s Pan Asian….But it was notoriginally described as fusion — the post only called it ‘bibimbap’ without anycultural context or sign of the dish’s hallmarks including the crispy, charredrice from a stone pot produced by one of the dish’s variants.”
In a follow-up post on his restaurant’s own Instagram account, Kimclarified that “All we asked was for [sic] a little accuracy when promoting adish. That’s it. Never insulted chef [sic], called for cancellation or preventher on making [sic] any kind of food. Just a little more effort in properly labeling important staples in this case bibimbop. The dish wasn’t that and that’s all we called transparency on [sic].” He continues, “We didn’t ask for any articles to be written, nor did we want this to be about appropriation because it never was for us. We didn’t want an apology either.”
So, what did Kim want? He did not view Izard’s bibimbap as being appropriated, yet he also resented the use of the term “bibimbap” without making clear its deviance from “traditional” Korean recipes. He would have preferred if it was titled a “fusion” bibimbap or shared with some amount of “cultural context.” He would have preferred that it included “crispy, charred rice,” even though such an element is only typical in one particular variation (dolsot) of the dish. In short, he felt Izard was “[im]properly labeling” the recipe despite claiming he did not aim “to tell anyone what to cook.”
Not what to cook, but how to cook, apparently. For, in Kim’s world, despite the many forms bibimbap (“mixed rice”) takes within Korean cookery, use of the dish’s name demands that a given chef subscribe to his own personal standards as to what it entails. In truth, Kimski’s despicable capo does not even engage with the substance of Izard’s recipe. The key passage being: “the dish, full of green herbs, looked [emphasis added] more like a Thai or Vietnamese dish; at best, it’s Pan Asian.”
The very essence of this controversy is predicated on a flawed understanding of food as an aesthetic object. The discussion—having originated on Instagram—concerns a purely visual judgment of Izard’s bibimbap. Further, as you have discussed, the chosen photograph is both poorly staged and edited. There is no question that the dish lacks “any…sign [emphasis added] of the dish’s hallmarks,” as Kim claimed.
Little Goat’s “bi bim bop breakfast bowl” courtesy of user MicWM on Tripadvisor
Perhaps Izard eschewed a more orthodox manner of garnishing her bibimbap in an effort to make the dish more approachable? She does describe the recipe as “one of my favorite quick, fun, healthy, flavorful dinners to put together [emphasis added] at home,” and you think such language precludes any undue presentational fussiness. Further, the “bi bim bop” breakfast bowl Izard serves at Little Goat [see above picture] clearly signals that the chef has some grasp of how a bibimbap is typically arranged. Thus, while you must agree that the recipe shown on Instagram does not “look” or show any “sign” of being a bibimbap, its presentation was deliberately discounted to promote the ease of its preparation and not a product of ignorance.
Nonetheless, social media promotes an outsize visual bias (which monikers such as “rustic” or “ugly delicious” invert). “Eating with your eyes” is empowered to the point of casting judgment before the tongue (to say nothing of the nose) has had its say. And social media, fueled by the conspicuous consumptive construction of identity, invites food photographers to make mediocre dishes look better than they eat. Users, exposed to professionally edited edibles in a seemingly organic format, come to crave hyperreal comestibles not unlike the “perfect” burgers that grace fast food advertisements. The fetishization of totemic ingredients like crispy bacon or melty cheese actually obscures a deeper consideration of the balance between ingredients that—even in the most decadent of comfort foods—defines the achievement of exceptional flavor.
For, to judge a given dish by appearance alone is to deny itsessential, visceral nature. Yes, that includes how it looks and even, you willagree with Kim once more, its cultural context. Such a context—the rituals andsymbolism that transform cuisine from the satisfaction of biological need intoa spiritual treasury—is endlessly enriching. It is unquestionably worthdefending. However, both a dish’s context and its pictorial representation existon a separate plane from its substance. It is the encounter with the dish, one’sengagement with its structure, and one’s incorporation of its constituent partsinto one’s body that defines and undergirds the appreciation of food. Thevisual form with which bibimbap is associated is an outgrowth of its underlyingstructure, the interplay of ingredients that strikes us in any recipe. To judgeIzard’s bibimbap only on what can be deduced visually (which Kim betrays doingin the Eater article) is to force the dish to a sterile, two-dimensional mold. “Abibimbap must look the way I expect it to,” is what he seems to be saying.
Predicated on this visual bias, Kim and his mob of keyboard warriorsseized on the sprigs of mint and cilantro that dominate Izard’s photo, findingsuperficial fault with the recipe. At a glance, they declared the dish was nota “bibimbap” and, its creator’s sin having thus been established, went on to unleashtheir racial angst at “white people.” The conversation, in essence, had littleto do with the history of bibimbap: its manifestations, permutations, and platonicform. Neither Kim nor his cronies took the opportunity to educate Izard’saudience (for whom her recipe was clearly posted) as to their culture. Theysimply asserted that the pictured recipe was not acceptable and thentook aim at the pictured chef who had posted it.
The cursory nature of the recipe’s criticism, in this manner, revealsthe ultimate political goals of the aggrieved commenters. Kim claims, basedupon one picture, that the dish was not “properly” labelled. Yet, as far asbibimbap is concerned, Izard’s recipe ticks all the obvious boxes: sliced meat,cooked vegetables, pickled vegetables, and chili spice mixed with rice.
Why did Kim misrepresent Izard’s recipe by taking advantage of heradmittedly nonrepresentative photo? Why did he assume the authority of judging,for the sake of all Korean culture, whether the given example was a “proper”bibimbap and for what purpose? How can he pass such judgments without venturingsome basic formula for the recipe?
If visuals alone are the problem, Kim, then say so: “bibimbap—nomatter what it is (or isn’t) comprised of—need be presented in a pretty,compartmentalized manner in order to be called such.” In doing so, the chefwould be the first authority in the history of food culture to impose astrictly cosmetic criterium on a recipe. It would be silly, of course, but thechef could at least claim to be making a constructive argument against Izard’srendition. Instead, he puts forth a wholly negative case: the presence greenherbs is wrong, the lack of “cultural context” is wrong, and the lack of “crispy,charred rice from a stone pot” is also wrong.
The first point, judging by your research into the dish’s history, is unsubstantiated: using mint and cilantro is atypical, but bibimbap’s bespoke, “mixed rice” nature (family to family, restaurant to restaurant, and region to region) surely permits new ingredients be added to the party so long as they help the dish achieve its typical balance. Likewise, Kim’s third point—that bibimbap need feature “crispy, charred rice” is also flawed. The stone pot that features in one popular regional variation of the recipe does not preclude the many other versions made without it from being valid. Does Kim not know that “his” imagined bibimbap is merely one interpretation out of many? Is he arguing in bad faith, or is he just ignorant regarding the culture he pretends to defend?
With Kim’s effort to cast his criticism on culinary grounds having been exposed for the ploy which it was, you turn to address his desire for “cultural context.” Despite the chef claiming he did not “want this to be about appropriation because it never was for us,” it is this hang-wringing for “context,” no matter how he prevaricates, that intersects issues of “authenticity” and, like it or not, appropriation.
Kimski’s “poutine,” credit to Mike Sula of the Chicago Reader
First, for the sake of argument, a parallel must be drawn to Kim’s own “Kimski Poutine” served at his restaurant. It features “fries dressed with kimchi gravy,” “pan fried wisconsin cheese curds,” and is topped with “pickled onions, scallions and sesame leaves.” Judging only by the picture above, Kim’s poutine—like Izard’s bibimbap—is defined by a garnish of vegetables that are not endemic to the recipe. Based only on sight, one wonders where the cheese curds even are. Further, while the “Kimski Poutine” is proudly “Vegetarian,” a “traditional” poutine would feature a “brown gravy” made from chicken (rather than his red-tinged “kimchi gravy”). Even pan-frying the cheese curds, it must be said, is non-traditional. Instead, fresh curds are typically melted via the addition of hot gravy, with “right food textures” between the fries, curds, and gravy forming “an essential part of the experience of eating poutine.”
Kim’s poutine is at least as different from a “traditional” poutine as Izard’s bibimbap is from its own “authentic” counterpart. And, while the former appends the name “Kimski” before the word “poutine,” it does nothing to impart context regarding the original recipe. Rather, Kim freely borrows the poutine form, interprets it in his “Kimski” fashion, and serves it on his menu as a “poutine.” His rendition does not only diverge from the original visually, but it subverts the meat base of the poutine’s gravy and the gravy’s essential role in imparting flavor and texture to the cheese curds.
While Eater decries that Izard’s bibimbap “was not originally describedas fusion,” can we claim that Kim’s poutine is adequately labelled? “Kimskipoutine” implies a poutine influenced by the restaurant’s Korean and Polish roots,yet you see no sense of Polish identity in the recipe. It is not a “Kimski” poutinebut, instead, a “poutine” sold at Kimski. And, in the manner which the “poutine”departs from the traditional recipe, should it not be called a Korean fusionpoutine by Kim’s own measure?
Yet, just as bibimbap denotes “mixed rice,” poutine is slang for “amess.” Both dishes are beautiful because they are thrown together andnaturally permissive of further permutations. In either case, to force a chefto stand on ceremony and recount the entirety of the recipe’s “context” wouldbe wrong. It would represent a sacrifice to contemporary clout chasers—the kindwho see in every creative act an opportunity to take offense—at the cost ofuninhibited cultural exchange.
Izard is not a food writer, that special sort of parasite who leeches contentfrom culinary types and repackages it for profit. She is a chef, a craftswoman,who was handed a product (New Zealand beef) and asked to promote it by way of arecipe. Innocently, she took inspiration from bibimbap: a dish she has interpretedand served at her restaurants with nary a complaint. As Izard explained toEater, “When I was originally brainstorming recipe ideas for this project, Ithought of Bibimbap as an inspiration and jotted the recipe idea down as that —from there the recipe went through many variations and channels and ended upvery far from traditional.”
This recipe was no cynical ploy to borrow bibimbap’s heritage orprestige in pursuit of promoting a product. (If Koreans are as marginalized asKim seems to think, referencing one of their traditional dishes surely wouldnot hold any appeal for the public Izard intends to reach). Rather, the reciperepresents the fruits of its chef’s creative process: one which started withthe beef, found inspiration from the bibimbap form, and—intuitively—becamesomething “at best…Pan Asian.” Izard, operating in good faith, did not think totemper her creative flow for the sake of appealing to Korean chauvinists. Sherather openly states, “I am not a traditional chef and nearly all of my dishesare inspired by flavors from around the world that I love.”
The bibimbap, no matter how far it deviates from Kim’s idealized recipe,is legible as a “Goat” bibimbap. The dish does not need to be explicitly qualifiedin the same way the “Kimski poutine” is, for Izard’s brand operates with theimplicit assumption that every item served has been filtered through the chef’sparticular style. For this reason, across all the menus at all of herestablishments, one never sees the words “fusion” or “Goat” used to denote adeviation from “authentic” recipes. This is due to the fact that none of thedishes served are “authentic,” and the chef operates with the assumption thather audience knows good and well they are indulging in her singular vision wheneating her food.
It is not Kim’s place to snipe at how Izard chooses to label herrecipes, for she was merely following the convention established over thecourse of her career. The bibimbap, clearly, follows in the spirit of a “traditional”preparation to the same degree that everything else Izard cooks (and labels inthe same footloose style) does. Its fidelity can ultimately only be judgedthrough the experience of eating the dish—not, mind you, by way of any superficialphotograph. Kim does not get to tell Izard what her inspiration was whencreating the recipe, nor may he fault her work without venturing, very clearly,where exactly the lines that define a “bibimbap” (relative to other ricedishes) are.
As to providing “cultural context,” why do Koreans require suchspecial treatment? Why do they gnash their teeth when faced with the freeexchange of culture that has formed the foundation of a globalized, digitalworld? While Kim subconsciously (or subversively) interpreted Izard’s use ofthe word “bibimbap” as “[authentic] bibimbap,” fans of the Iron Chef wouldthink she implicitly conveyed “[my take on a] bibimbap.” Is the more aggrievedparty automatically “right”? Does Korean culture benefit in any way from thedish being renamed “Strip Steak Rice Bowl”? (Remember what the Korean FoodFoundation wrote, “in some Korean cookbooks intended for an English speakingaudience, bibimbap recipes might be disguised as ‘Vegetable Rice Bowl’ or someother variation”).
What Kim advocates for, ultimately, is a step backward. He thinksKorean culture should be segregated from the mainstream and treated with kidgloves. He does not like it when people like Izard share “his” culture with heraudience. He does not even like it when people like Izard are inspired by “his”culture—for that inspiration, unlike any other in the history of the craft,apparently comes at the cost of providing some satisfactory “context.” Kimgatekeeps Korean culture for no good reason. He resents that it is treated likea peer—one of countless influences available to open-minded chefs who no longerprivilege European cookery above all else—rather than worshipped as somethingalien and inaccessible to non-natives.
Worship, ultimately, is what Kim is after. Nobody in Chicago canengage with Korean cuisine without receiving his blessing and bowing before thearbitrary criteria he uses to determine “fair use.” Kim might not havesucceeded in bringing his culture’s cuisine to the masses, so no otherchef—especially one that looks nothing like him—should get to!
Never mind that Izard has hardly embraced that role. She’s no RickBayless or Andy Ricker. “Steph” simply cooks according to her own rhythm, andthat means uninhibitedly bringing the wealth of her experiences together. Kimwants to clip her wings. He wants her to do his job of educating thepublic about Korean culture. Never mind that Izard owes nothing to thatculture, that there is nothing “authentic” about shoehorning a history lessoninto her recipe for the sake of placating the social media mob. Her bibimbap isinspired by the bibimbap she has eaten, and the recipe speaks to a world wherechefs cook for and influence each other without any care for the bitter,bruised egos that find a way to pathologize a clear homage.
That is the proper “context.” An American chef, inspired by a Korean recipe,using New Zealand beef (and a variety of other ingredients) to make somethingnew of her own. Who would dare stand in the way of this process? Who would,rather than taste the recipe or offer pointers, besmirch the dish based onappearances alone? Who would invoke a murky argument about “labelling” and “context”rather than celebrate the eclecticism the recipe represents? Kim would, and hemakes rather clear what the real impetus behind his whining is.
Eater reports, “In response to Izard’s post, Kim posted an essay onFacebook [now private or deleted] Friday morning sharing his experiences as animmigrant growing up poor in a small apartment in West Rogers Park. He wrotethat he encountered racism, enduring taunts for bringing Korean food to schooland while grilling food during picnics in the park. Food gave Kim a sense ofpride that he couldn’t celebrate publicly until the white mainstream acceptedKoreans, he explained. ‘The embarrassment, frustration, shame I felt forsomething I grew up eating almost every day up to this point was something Ifelt shame for,’ Kim wrote. ‘I would struggle with this for a long time.’”
You regret not being able to engage in Kim’s Facebook post directlyand can only assume that Eater chose the most lucid sections (assuming theyexist) to quote. Like so many children of immigrants across time immemorial,Kimski’s chef learned that assimilation is a messy process that may sometimeshurt one’s feelings. Groundbreaking stuff. The logic follows that since the “whitemainstream” made fun of his Korean food during childhood, the “white mainstream”never gets to enjoy the cuisine until they dance to the beat of his drum. Asoften happens, those who feel powerless become the worst of all bullies whenfinally provided a microphone.
Kim’s criticism of Izard’s bibimbap, thus, has nothing to do with hisunderstanding of what the recipe should be. It has nothing to do with accuracy,“context,” or good faith cultural exchange. It has nothing to do with themarginalization of Koreans or Korean culture.
Kim, by refusing to let go of the mean experiences he faced as achild, marginalizes himself. Teased by his “white” peers, he turns his anger—bubblingunder the surface for years—against all “white” people and all of “white”culture. He stereotypes Izard as the sort of person who once mocked his Koreanfood and exacts his revenge by orchestrating a mob of likeminded victims with theirown scores to settle. So scarred was Kim by his childhood that he would like topunish all “white” people for all time. He would like to ensure that Koreanfood remains forever apart from the “white mainstream” as he himself was madeto feel.
Izard, who has done as much as any American chef of her generation tochallenge diners’ palates, finds herself utterly dehumanized by Kim’s bigotry.He seizes on her use of mint and cilantro to delegitimize the entire recipe.Then he dodges, saying the issue is not “appropriation” but, instead, “labelling.”Unilaterally, he declares that bibimbap cannot feature those ingredients or bepresented in such a way, irrespective of how the dish draws on the essence ofthe Korean “mixed rice” form. Kim does not venture to taste the recipe oranalyze its structure. He just sees something he does not like, made be someonehe does not like.
So, sensing that he cannot get stuck arguing the merits of Izard’srecipe, Kim jumps from the mint and cilantro to the issue of “cultural context.”Which is to say, he demands that any chef who finds inspiration from anyoutside culture (and thinks to interpret it for themself) provides theiraudience with a historical primer. But Izard is not writing a cookbook, nor isshe referencing any larger sense of tradition when crafting her bibimbap. Thedish has not been rescued from obscurity or pried from the grasp of an ancientmaster. Rather, bibimbap has been served by Korean-American restaurateurswithout reservation, and the dish (whether or not one references a fictitious “whitemainstream”) has become a familiar reference point for Izard.
If “authentic” bibimbap is as special as Kim seems to think, no variation—nomatter how blasphemous—could sully its name. For, the only metric that matterswhen judging food is taste, and so-called “fusion” or “Americanized” recipesinevitably open the door to a deeper appreciation of the “real thing” somewheredown the line.
Kim and his allies are impatient. They seem to think they can forcethe “white mainstream” into submission, that they can shame Izard and her fansinto eating “their” food on their terms. Yet, it is far more likely that this “mainstream”will simply tune out when they realize Korean cuisine is being offered to thepublic with a whole host of caveats and endless hand-wringing over how it isadapted and portrayed. In this light, Korean cuisine is not being shared ingood faith, but actually becomes a kind of Trojan Horse ripe for exploitationby any aggrieved member of the community. Such rampant insecurity denies food’sawesome power to connect drastically different people across cultures andreduces the organic process of exchange and inspiration into a sad tit for tat.Kim, you think, knows this deep down. Sadly, there is no reward for being agood neighbor (though, Bill Kim’s recent success in Oak Brook shows what aKorean chef can accomplish when he elects to serve that “white mainstream”).
Won Kim hates the culture he was born into and how it treated him. Don’twe all have those hang-ups? Rather than carve out a place for himself, heclings to the phantom of his ethnic tradition and wrings the work of hisforefathers for all its worth. He jealously lashes out at those who succeed inrepresenting the food that inspired such pain as a child, and it’sunderstandable.
But it is not acceptable for Kim to continue to act like a child.American culture devours, incorporates, and discards its countless influencesaccording to impenetrable processes. The only measure of success—no matter howmuch one whines about the way things “should” be—is what grabs the public’sattention and leaves a lasting impact.
Kim is not creating a market for “authentic” Korean bibimbap byattacking Izard for what amounts to an expression of enthusiasm for (andinspiration by) the dish. He is not even working to educate the public on howexactly the Iron Chef’s recipe falls short (other than appearances).
Faced with angry feedback for his baseless attack on Izard, Kimquickly retreated, as many bullies do. His accusations were not righteous, butcraven: the wailing of a poor soul who wishes he had stood up to his tormentorsso many years ago.
How different would Kim’s life have been if he had shared his foodwith those cruel kids and proven that food’s truth can overcome even the mostwicked xenophobia? What might he have accomplished at the frontier of Americanand Korean-American cultures, cognizant of the backwards (but not altogetherentrenched) manner his countrymen approach new cuisines? We will never know, asKim felt forced to retreat into a bunker of self-hatred and lob bombs at thosewhom he views as making a mockery of the mockery he himself faced.
Attacking Izard—or any “white” chef—will not give Kim back hischildhood. It will not help him love himself or his culture independently ofwhat anyone else thinks. Sadly, Kim’s attacks work to slow the process ofcultural exchange by which the next generation—standing on the shoulders of allthose who have struggled before them—finds the acceptance he sorely lacked. Thereal shame is that Chicago’s food press has indulged in Kim’s narrative ofvictimhood, incentivizing the sort of tantrum that seeks to suffocate thegeneration of new recipes—without inhibition—in utero.
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In an essay specially commissioned for the podcast, Aisha Sabatini Sloan describes rambling around Paris with her father, Lester Sloan, a longtime staff photographer for Newsweek, and a glamorous woman who befriends them. In an excerpt from The Art of Fiction no. 246, Rachel Cusk and Sheila Heti discuss how writing her first novel helped Cusk discover her “shape or identity or essence.” Next, Allan Gurganus’s reading of his story “It Had Wings,” about an arthritic woman who finds a fallen angel in her backyard, is interspersed with a version of the story rendered as a one-woman opera by the composer Bruce Saylor. The episode closes with “Dear Someone,” a poem by Deborah Landau.
Suggested Reading
By Helen DeWitt
December 5, 2022
“I have bought a small blond upright piano for £900 despite my low pay.
The Art of Fiction No. 252
In her study at home in North Bennington, 2018. Interview still frame courtesy of Stephanie Black.
Jamaica Kincaid was born Elaine Potter Richardson on Antigua in 1949. When she was sixteen, her family interrupted her education, sending her to work as a nanny in New York. In time, she put herself on another path. She went from the New School in Manhattan to Franconia College in New Hampshire, and worked at Magnum Photos and at the teen magazine Ingenue. In the mid-’70s, she began to write for The Village Voice, but it was at The New Yorker, where she became a regular columnist for the Talk of the Town section, that everything changed for her. Her early fiction, much of which also appeared in that magazine, was collected in At the Bottom of the River (1983), a book that, like her Talk stories, announced her themes, her style, the uncanny purity of her prose. She has published the novels Annie John (1985), Lucy (1990), The Autobiography of My Mother (1996), Mr. Potter (2002), and See Now Then (2013). A children’s book, Annie, Gwen, Lilly, Pam and Tulip, came out in 1986. Aside from the collected Talk Stories (2001), her nonfiction works include A Small Place (1988), a reckoning with the colonial legacy on Antigua; My Brother (1997), a memoir of the tragedy of AIDS in her family; and two books on gardening, My Garden (Book) (1999) and Among Flowers: A Walk in the Himalaya (2005).
Kincaid divides her time between Cambridge, Massachusetts, where she is a professor of African American studies at Harvard University, and Bennington, Vermont, where her large brown clapboard house with yellow window trim is shielded by trees. She has two children from her marriage to the composer Allen Shawn, the son of the former New Yorker editor William Shawn, and in the living room she displays on a table—proudly, apologetically—productions from the arts-and-crafts camps and classes that her son and daughter attended over the years. The study where she writes is a sunroom surrounded on three sides by windows. The terrace that starts at the back door ends in a border of stones; the lawn, planted with thousands of daffodils, slopes down to a thickly shaded creek. Nearby are a vegetable garden caged against wildlife and a cottage in which lives Trevor, her bearded young assistant. Over some twenty years, Kincaid has made what my partner, the poet James Fenton, calls a “plantsman’s garden,” full of rare species. Her hundreds of plants are layered into a composition of informal design, expressive of her refined aesthetic and untroubled eccentricity. She has plants that move her because of how they look or how they behave, or because of their histories.
This conversation began at a public event at the 92nd Street Y in 2013, and was picked up again in her Vermont kitchen eight years later, in the summer of 2021, when the social restrictions of the pandemic had, for a time, eased. Jamaica Kincaid is a generous host. She cooks with flair. Her big, broad-frame glasses evoke the Italian movie stars of the sixties. The years have gone by, but she is still tall. Her voice is as musical as ever, high-pitched, the Anglo-Caribbean lilt beguiling. She is a presence; everything begins to happen when she talks. In person and on the page, Kincaid’s is a literary voice. She is alive to the advantage in the irony that her literary heritage had not predicted her, exalted, brave, free.
Why did your family send you to America? Wasn’t London still a capital of empire in the mid-’60s, the cultural center of the Commonwealth?
If they’d known anyone in London, they would have sent me there. But they didn’t have any long-term plan in mind. The idea wasn’t that I would establish myself and then have the rest of my family join me. I was simply sent away to support them. My father—my stepfather—had gotten ill, and my parents had three boy children. The arrival of my youngest brother had plunged us into a kind of poverty we’d never known. It used to be a tradition in agricultural families that you’d sacrifice the eldest child. I remember the darkness of being sent away—sheer misery of a kind that I didn’t know existed. Until then homesickness was something I only knew from books. I think I first came across it in one of the Brontës.
So there wasn’t any excitement in it?
Not at all, because I was going as a servant. I remember walking in the hot sun to one of the American bases in Antigua—past the crazy house, as we called the lunatic asylum, and the dead house, where the bodies of people who died in the hospital were put until they were collected by the undertaker—to be interviewed by an American soldier’s wife. I was very bitter about it because I had before me what seemed to be a successful future. I might have gone to the University of the West Indies. I would have gotten a scholarship. It seemed cruel even to other people because I was known as what we called a “bright child.” No, there wasn’t any cause for celebration, though my mother did make me a new dress and see me off to the airport.
Homesickness—this kind of interrupted love—is a big element in your work.
Well, perhaps, but I never really felt I belonged even in Antigua, even when I was little. My mother came from Dominica, and the thing about those little islands is that people from one island or the other don’t like each other. She was an outsider in Antigua, and she looked different. She was part Carib Indian, and they used to call her the Red Woman.
I suppose that my work is always mourning something, the loss of a paradise—not the thing that comes after you die, but the thing that you had before. I often think of the time before my brothers were born—and this might sound very childish, but I don’t care—as this paradise of my mother and me always being together. There were times when my mother and I would go swimming and she would disappear for a second, and I would imagine the depths just rolling over her, that she’d go deeper and deeper and I’d never see her again . . . And then she would pop up somewhere else. Those memories are a constant source of some strange pleasure for me.
I was pulled out of school to take care of my youngest brother while my mother went to work, and when she realized I hadn’t been looking after him properly, that I had been reading instead, she gathered all the books I had stolen from the library over the years and burned them. You can probably tell from my writing that I’m obsessed with notions of justice and injustice—those things that are wrong that can never be made right.
Nowadays if I were to be homesick it would be for Vermont, which is strange. But perhaps it makes sense—I grew up in a place where I saw the sea every day and, near the end of my life, I’m living in a place where the water has run out.
Did Lucy come out of a feeling that you needed to put your arrival to America in its place somehow—to examine it, or to leave it behind?
Not so much to put anything in its place as to give an account of what had happened to me. Lucy is about the making of a person. You can see in it the sentimentality of Jane Eyre. A sense of, I’m all alone in the world, and I have integrity. You might want this, but I will do that. Lucy stops sending her salary home, and I did stop sending mine. I still have the clothes I bought at Bonwit Teller. I was the best-dressed nanny you ever saw.
Were you refashioning yourself?
I loved dressing up and going out. You might say that was the influence of my mother. By the time my youngest brother was born her life had collapsed on her, but she was a very elegant woman when I was young. I used to be ashamed to be seen with her because she was so sexy—men of all ages would stop her and talk to her. I remember she wore her hair in a French roll, and she wore what they called a hobble skirt.
After I moved to New York, I modeled for people like Steven Meisel. I clearly had one of those eating problems, but I didn’t know what they were. I didn’t know that there was anything about me that had a name, that could be diagnosed. I ended up smoking Lucky Strikes, just because I liked the way it looked, the gesture. For some reason, I decided to cut off my hair and bleach it blond. I dressed in old clothes, thrift-shop clothes.
I styled myself to look like no one else. And I also knew I didn’t want to write like anyone else. When I started writing Talk pieces at The New Yorker, I tried to get away from the anonymous “we” they used. They had very good writers, but they were these old, stout white men. I hated the we. I had such contempt for a certain kind of writing, which I would now call “white writing.” It was so dull and mannered.
From the Archive, Issue 239
Episode 22: “Form and Formlessness”
, November 2021
In an essay specially commissioned for the podcast, Aisha Sabatini Sloan describes rambling around Paris with her father, Lester Sloan, a longtime staff photographer for Newsweek, and a glamorous woman who befriends them. In an excerpt from The Art of Fiction no. 246, Rachel Cusk and Sheila Heti discuss how writing her first novel helped Cusk discover her “shape or identity or essence.” Next, Allan Gurganus’s reading of his story “It Had Wings,” about an arthritic woman who finds a fallen angel in her backyard, is interspersed with a version of the story rendered as a one-woman opera by the composer Bruce Saylor. The episode closes with “Dear Someone,” a poem by Deborah Landau.
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An Andy Dalton season for sure had to be on this list. It came down between the 2015 season and the 2013 season. In 2013, Cincy also finished first in the North but only went 11-5. Both years felt like they were the team that could actually do something in the playoffs.
Ultimately 2015 outranks 2013 because Andy Dalton went down with a broken thumb in Week 14 against the Steelers. Alabama standout A.J. McCarron had to start the rest of the season and he went 2-2 including the loss to the Steelers in Week 14.
He also started the infamous Wild Card game against the Steelers in which the black and orange stripes committed back-to-back personal fouls to put the Steelers in field goal range to win the game.
It was a heartbreaking loss in a season and a team that had the chops to take it all. Everyone in Cincinnati felt like our boys could beat anyone. McCarron played decent in his five starts under center.
The team’s ability to rally around the backup quarterback and still believe they could beat anyone is why this season ranks above their 2013 season. That and this season also included the best start in franchise history.
The Bengals started 2015 with an 8-0 record and got to that mark with a comeback win over the Browns. The good guys thrashed their Ohio rival 31-10 to advance to 8-0 for the first time in franchise history. Prior to this, their best start was 6-0 in the 1975 and 1988 seasons.
5. 2005 (11-5, 1st in the AFC North)
Carson Palmer's second year in the league proved he definitely had the chops to be a starting quarterback in this league. He threw for over 3,800 yards and 32 touchdowns on his way to Hawaii in the Pro Bowl.
On the receiving end of nearly half of those passing yards was Chad Johnson. Statistically, Johnson had the best season of his career in 2005. He had 1,432 yards and nine touchdowns while also going to Hawaii with Palmer for the Pro Bowl.
The Bengals' offense was a fearsome bunch this year. They ranked top 10 in nearly every category. Their defense was another story though they did rank first in turnovers. It’s easy to see why fans thought this was the kind of team that could make a deep run in the playoffs.
Unfortunately, everything came apart in the wildcard game versus the Steelers. Early in the first quarter Palmer got hit and tore his ACL, meaning that Jon Kitna had to finish the game for the Bengals. Though he put up a valiant effort, the Steelers were too much and the Bengals lost 31-17.
It might seem pointless to consider a season great based on what could’ve happened, but the numbers didn’t lie. This was one of the best teams in the NFL in 2005. Even with an okay defense, this offense could’ve carried them far.
Plenty of high-flying offenses have gone to the big game. It’s just usually they don’t win the big game. Regardless what this team did in 2005 was give their fans hope, which is something they hadn’t felt since the early 90s. Which is why it is on this list.
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As we await major changes to PPP with Congress considering the HEROES Act and a potential vote on it tomorrow as Speaker Pelosi brings the bill to the floor, there is a quick PPP update that is relevant for businesses that were approved for PPP. The Treasury Department extended the deadline for decisions to return PPP funds through Monday 5/18, from the previous deadline which was today, 5/14. For anyone who has received a PPP loan and is still deciding if PPP is right for you, you now have several more days to review your situation and make a choice. Click here for full the FAQ from Treasury--this was addressed in question #47.
In Maryland, Montgomery County and Prince George’s County announced today that they will not be entering Stage One of reopening on Friday, and will extend current Stay at Home Orders, which means restaurants can only offer take out and delivery. Prince George’s County Executive Angela Alsobrooks announced she will extend the Stay at Home Order until June 1st, and Montgomery County Executive, Marc Elrich announced they will not enter Stage One until critical markers are met, and did not provide a specific date at this time.
In DC, If you have had to lay off employees, the DC Health Benefits Exchange (DCHBX) would like to help make sure you and your former employees are not uninsured. DC residents who lost or are losing job-based health insurance or are uninsured can enroll in private health insurance or potentially qualify for reduced premium or apply for Medicaid (free health coverage) at www.dchealthlink.com. DCHBX would like to contact your former employees who are District residents to help them get enrolled in private health insurance or Medicaid. Contact Angela Franco [email protected] or Brian Schwartz [email protected] for more information.
Also, as you begin thinking about reopening, rehiring will certainly be a large part of these considerations. For whatever reason, if you need to hire new people to join your team we encourage you to utilize the RAMW Job Board. This tool is free to use, and we share job opportunities through social media platforms and through the networks that have been created around worker relief during this time. All are invited to post to the job board during this temporary reopening time and can send job postings to [email protected]. For RAMW members, click here to login and post jobs now, and see the easy-to-follow instructions here.
Finally, OpenTable is actively supporting restaurant operators with relief and recovery. Today, OpenTable released a new pricing model, Open Door pricing, for the remainder of 2020 to provide relief to those using the platform as you prepare to reopen your doors and welcome back guests. The changes include:
No subscription fees through end of 2020
No cover fees through 9/30/20
Up to 50% discount on cover fees in 2020
Standard subscription & cover pricing resume only in January 2021
Click here to read more about OpenTable’s resources and price breaks, for existing and new customers alike. You can learn more in their blog post here.
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Whatever your connection (or lack thereof) to baseball, the Bananas are here to entertain you. While major-league games are getting longer and slower, frustrating even devoted fans — Don Mattingly, the manager of the Miami Marlins, recently said the game “sometimes is unwatchable” — the Bananas are focused squarely on fun. For viewers like me, they’re probably the most watchable team in baseball.
When the Bananas aren’t dancing, they’re wearing stilts, crowd browsing to the plate or singing karaoke on the sector. A forged of 120 entertainers adds to the circus, including a pep band and a “dad bod cheerleading squad.” The baseball a part of the sport can look different, too. The Bananas’ collegiate team, a summer harbor for student athletes, plays by conventional rules. However the organization also has knowledgeable division that stages exhibition “Banana Ball” games, featuring a two-hour deadline and rule changes designed to make play faster and livelier.
The Banana method is working, on multiple fronts. While the Oakland Athletics games sometimes attract fewer than 3,000 fans, the Bananas have sold out every home game at Savannah’s 4,000-seat Grayson Stadium for the reason that team’s founding in 2016. On TikTok, @thesavbananas have upward of two.5 million followers, greater than the Yankees and Mets combined. This summer, the streaming service ESPN+ will air “Bananaland,” a series about how the team created what a promo calls “the best show in sports.” And oh, by the way in which: The team won the 2021 Coastal Plain League championship.
“Most baseball doesn’t put fans first, so we went all in on that,” said Jesse Cole, 38, the team’s owner (and its on-field host, easy to identify in his yellow tuxedo). “We would like individuals who used to say ‘I don’t like baseball’ to say, ‘I even have to see the Bananas.’”
Cole’s variety of baseball evangelism predates the Bananas. At 23, he was made general manager of the Gastonia Grizzlies, a failing Coastal Plain League team in Gastonia, N.C. Attempting to drum up fan enthusiasm, he began experimenting with zany promotions, inspired by the showmanship of P.T. Barnum and Walt Disney. “I didn’t need to learn from the baseball industry,” he said. “I desired to learn from the best entertainers on the market.”
Dance got here to play a starring role in his baseball show. “People loved it since it was totally unexpected,” Cole said. “Baseball players don’t dance.” Though some team members balked when asked to learn choreography, a core crew began performing easy routines between innings. “The third Grizzlies game, I’m walking through the gang and a husband and wife are talking, and the wife goes, ‘Shut up, honey — they’re about to bounce!’” Cole said. “That’s after I was like, All right, we’ve got something here.”
After several years honing a fans-first entertainment strategy with the Grizzlies, Cole and his wife, Emily, heard that Savannah’s minor league team was leaving the town’s historic Grayson Stadium. In 2016, they secured a lease on the ballpark and made it the house of their second collegiate franchise. The notice-us name, from a fan contest, set the tone for the enterprise: Savannah Bananas became a trending topic on Twitter after it was revealed because the winning entry.
“With the Bananas, we just kept pushing — or, as Walt Disney would say, ‘plusing’ — the dance experience,” Jesse Cole said. One in all the earliest additions was the Banana Nanas, a line-dancing group of girls over 65, which offers a tongue-in-cheek twist on the standard dance team. Later got here dancing ushers — who perform to “Yeah” by Usher — and, for Banana Ball games, dancing umpires. (Collegiate games require league-provided officials.)
Dancing first-base coaches have develop into an especially beloved Bananas tradition. “The sector is a stage,” Cole said, “and the first-base coach is on that stage quite a bit, in order that’s who I would like dancing.” The unique dancing first-base coach would give signs to the players between dances. Now the role is sort of pure performance: It’s currently filled by Maceo Harrison, 27, a charismatic hip-hop dancer and teacher who’s never played baseball. Harrison, who also choreographs many of the players’ dances, is becoming a TikTok star in his own right for his impressive acrobatics and smooth grooves on the sidelines.
The star of the viral “Waltz of the Flowers” clip, nevertheless, is Zack Frongillo, 25, the Bananas’ director of entertainment and Harrison’s occasional substitute. A former baseball player with a B.F.A. in dance from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, Frongillo brings a dancer’s perspective to Bananaland shenanigans, scripting out the entertainment components of every game and supervising the forged of performers.
Videos of Frongillo’s performances have earned thousands and thousands of views on TikTok and Twitter. “It was cool to look at the brand find this latest group of individuals, since the TikTok algorithm isn’t normally serving baseball videos to ballet dancers,” he said in an interview. After seeing certainly one of the clips, the director of Savannah Ballet Theater reached out to Frongillo, asking if he can be willing to exchange a dancer in a coming production. Frongillo has now appeared as a guest artist with the corporate several times.
Social media has develop into an important marketing tool for the Bananas, helping make them the rare collegiate team with a national fan base. And dance has been essential to their success on TikTok particularly, where the team posts latest content almost day by day.
“We check out the whole lot, and I mean the whole lot, on TikTok, however the videos that get a whole bunch of 1000’s or thousands and thousands of views, they’re all dancing,” Cole said. Frongillo and Cole have began to design dance content that may play as well online because it does on the sector — like having players attempt a TikTok dance challenge in the course of an at-bat, which now happens through the third inning of each Banana Ball game.
Because the Bananas’ antics have attracted more attention, the team has began to draw players who’re enthusiastic about doing choreography on the sector. Frongillo said he’s had emails from prospective Bananas promoting their willingness to bounce. “At this point, the fellows coming in know once they get into Bananaland, the whole lot gets a bit weird,” Harrison said. “They’re ready for it.”
Getting weird hasn’t hurt the Bananas’ game. Curtis Sproul, an assistant professor of management at Georgia Southern University, studied the Bananas over multiple seasons to see how their approach might affect player performance. His data revealed that Bananas players were the one ones within the Coastal Plain League to point out a demonstrable improvement of their average on-base percentage and slugging percentage annually.
Kyle Luigs, 24, who pitched for the Bananas as a school student and now plays for its skilled division, said the team’s emphasis on fun helps him deal with the demands of a game that might be intensely psychological. “I at all times threw way higher during my summers down here than I did through the school yr,” he said. “If I’m more focused on not screwing up my dance routine than I’m on not giving up three home runs, I find yourself pitching higher.”
You almost certainly won’t see a dancing first-base coach in a big-league ballpark anytime soon. But Major League Baseball officials are aware that many fans want more excitement. The typical major-league game now lasts well over three hours, with rising strikeout rates and frequent pitching changes slowing the pace of play. To hurry and stimulate motion on the sector, the organization has begun implementing experimental rule changes — from pitch clocks to automated ball-strike systems (a.k.a. robot umpires) — in its minor and independent leagues.
“I believe putting the fans first is something we and each league attempt to do,” said Morgan Sword, executive vp of baseball operations at Major League Baseball. “But we’re obviously also putting on a contest of the best possible athletes on the face of the earth. So we try where we will to balance entertainment and competition.”
The league’s rule changes have irritated some baseball purists, including Alva Noë, writer of the book “Infinite Baseball” and a professor of philosophy on the University of California, Berkeley. Noë — who was philosopher in residence for the choreographer William Forsythe’s former company — argues that the game’s seemingly tedious moments are sometimes stuffed with quiet drama. “In baseball, a lot detail and nuance and intelligence might be embedded in what looks like a glacier,” he said. “I believe it’s very much like dance in that way.”
Noë doesn’t dislike the Bananas. “I can see why there’s a desire to have the experience be more vigorous,” he said. “I assume the query is, are you able to do the dancing on the sidelines, just have a riot of a great time, after which also really see the baseball?”
Cole is basically unconcerned with baseball traditionalists’ opinions. “I’ve heard all of it — that the Bananas are a joke, that we’re ruining the game,” Cole said. “I believe it’s essential to know who you’re for and who you’re not for. Do I believe we’ve converted some purists? A hundred percent. But we’re for the oldsters who just need to rejoice.”
For them, the Bananas are planning much more dancing. Frongillo hopes to mount a “Dancing With the Stars”-style competition this summer, pairing players with skilled dancers from Savannah Ballet Theater and other local ensembles. He’s also put together a children’s dance team to enhance the Banana Nanas.
Cole is considering adding a halftime show. “I do know, it’s baseball, in order that doesn’t make any sense!” he said. “But we could have everybody dancing — the entire team, all of the characters. Can we get all the stadium to bounce?”
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I have been reflecting on my family’s recent road trip to France to visit our daughter who is studying in a language programme there for part of the summer. It’s not unusual for Swedish teens to head to all corners of the globe for språkresor (language trips). In fact, it might well be part of why you’ll find Swedes just about wherever you go in the world. They love to travel and do it well. At the heart of our trip was language, a subject that is constant in any bilingual family – only we tend not to think about it until we’re faced with those whose “normal” is different from ours.
While visiting some old family friends on the way home, they were asking us how it worked with two languages constantly on the go within one family and one conversation. Swedes are extremely good at switching to English when a person who does not speak Swedish enters a conversation (out of respect), but it’s rare that they would continue with two languages at once. Or is it? In my experience here, it’s not actually so rare at all, not if your spouse’s native language is different from yours, your children attend international schools and you work in a bilingual or multilingual environment.
The issue of language has always fascinated me. While some people may think it’s strange to speak two languages at home, others can’t imagine living any other way. It’s normal to us and normal to many families we know here. When our children were born, we had never even discussed which language we should speak. It was simply natural for both of us to speak our native language to our children. We’ve faced some criticism for this but if the shoe was on the other foot, I wonder how readily one would give up their language just to fit the status quo. More to the point, we feel it is the greatest gift we could ever have given our children – to grow up with two native languages. From the time they began speaking, they naturally associated Swedish with their father and English with their mother and switched back and forth between the languages without giving it a single thought. I remember having monolingual friends for dinner when the children were toddlers and how perplexing it had seemed to them to watch these young children at the table switching back and forth between the parents without even thinking.
What the children chose to speak from early childhood to each other was simply up to them, whatever came naturally. This happened to be Swedish. I asked my son when he was about five years old why he spoke only Swedish to his sister. His answer, “Why would I speak English to a Swedish girl?” So that was that.
Our trip to France and our daughter’s experience at the college there has shown us once again that there are many, many families just like ours. Several of her new friends there speak two, and in some cases three languages at home. We visited a friend of mine on the way down to the Riviera. We had studied French together twenty-eight years ago while we were both au pairs. She had married a Frenchman and settled there. On our visit, I met her daughter who is bilingual. I noticed she was speaking both languages to her mom at any given time. I asked her about this and she said that she simply says whatever comes into her head first. This is their family’s normal, which didn’t faze me at all. In fact, it’s exactly what happens time and time again in my work and at the children’s schools.
Whether it is colleagues switching languages in one conversation depending on the person with whom they are speaking or parents gathered at a school function, switching languages continuously or speaking one language while the other person responds in another language, it works. In fact, I had two students years ago who (at the age of 6/7) spoke French to their mother, Dutch to their father, English in class, Swedish to some friends and English to other friends. Then they moved to Shanghai and learned Chinese! For this reason, I was particularly baffled by our friends’ curiosity, considering here in Scandinavia, if you put a Swede, Norwegian and Dane together, all three will speak their native language to each other as though it is normal. Which it is here! Scandinavians grow up hearing and interacting with all three languages.
So why question me about English and living in a family with two active languages? When my children and husband speak Swedish in front of me, I understand everything, I simply respond in English. If it’s not considered rude when Scandinavians speak their native languages to each other and everyone can understand, why then would it be rude to add English to the mix when everyone in the family understands English? Outside the home, and certainly with those who do not speak English, I speak Swedish. I speak Swedish to my neighbours and my in-laws, in the shops, a variety of friends and anywhere else it calls for that language. Swedish is an integral part of my life, but I am English and I won’t apologize for wanting my children to learn it equally as well.
In the 2014 article, “12 things parents raising bilingual children need to know” by Rita Rosenback on Multilingual Parenting site, she states that bilingualism doesn’t happen by magic and that parents need to have a plan. Although this is true, in our case we never laid out a plan as such. Everything moved forward in a very natural way. Of course, being a true blue Canadian and a lover of language, I was adamant from the onset that English would be part of our family’s daily life and yes, I wanted the children to have an English education as well as a Swedish one. With that in mind and a very, very early application to The English School Gothenburg, where both languages thrive, life as a bilingual family evolved naturally from there, addressing all the key points in Rosenback’s article. My favourite point she makes, “There will be doubters. Ignore them, they do not know what they are talking about.” Probably the most important point in the article, however, is to be consistent. This is something we have taken seriously. It is for this reason that our children are consistent in return. Video here based on the article.
Another exciting and fresh site to visit is Bilingua Baby where Graham Finch discusses raising bilingual children in today’s world, in particular his own daughter. In the article, “15 Benefits of Being Bilingual”, Finch reminds us to focus on why it is important to be bilingual, especially when we come home drained at the end of a work day.
Every family is different, choosing what works best for them. There is no right or wrong, it’s just what it is. If I were to do it all again, for my family, I wouldn’t change a thing.
I’d love to hear what languages you speak at home and how it works in your family.
April 28, 2017 April 28, 2017 / Susan Örnbratt / Leave a comment
Sometimes I forget how lucky I am to live in a coastal city with the sea only steps away. It is something I longed for as a child and although I long for more sun as an adult, the west coast archipelago of Sweden is undoubtedly something to be treasured.
Its riches for me come in the form of stories. How easy it is to set the imagination adrift whilst sitting on the rocky shore gathering a hot cup of tea into my hands. Those beaches of rock, more like walruses lazing about after a good meal! The blustery winds that catch my breath until it all settles once again. The sunset of surprising colours!
I’ve been working on story ideas for my new novel while my latest work of fiction is out there trying to find its way across the North Sea. My hope is that it will settle into the right hands so that one day readers will be taken away to 1917 maritime Canada and a lost girl from the Borough of Lambeth during WWII, yet still be connected to the present. Three storylines weave in and out of each other like tapestry woven over generations—each silk thread knotted until the next colour is introduced. When you step back, the whole picture is revealed.
My new novel will also be set in a few places, rugged in their geography (by the sea, of course) and historical. I’ve been debating whether to bring Scandinavia into this one in some form, since I have lived here for nearly twenty years and know it rather well. The possibilities are intriguing to me.
Yet as I watch two (skator) magpies building a nest in my raggedy old apple tree, those possibilities become clearer. I am fascinated by the birds’ ingenuity, vision and communication skills. They’re not bothered by the dreary weather today. They do what they need to do to get the job done. They targeted my apple tree, my ugly yet beloved tree in which my children’s swing still hangs beneath and decided that it would be the perfect home for a new baby. So, I shall go to the seaside for my cup of tea where my inspiration lies, build my new story and make it a home.
Wishing you a happy spring with wonderful reading and writing!
A Source of Inspiration
I’m afraid Nicholas Sparks was teasing when he said that he grew an idea tree in his garden. Ideas can be painful to conceive yet plentiful if you know where to look. They all start with inspiration. The question is, what inspires you? More to the point, how do you get inspired to start your next project as a writer when your last is sitting in the hands of fate? Yes, nature is inspiring. The sun certainly has a profound affect on me, my energy, my enthusiasm, my drive. Likewise the sea.
But it’s those dreary days of grey on grey as the Scandinavian autumn darkness swells into the landscape that I find inspiration elsewhere – mainly through people. Over the last couple of years, perhaps none has inspired me more than artist, Danielle van Schooneveld. I’ve known Danielle for years but never knew the talent she possessed, the talent she was harnessing quietly in her own way, in her own time. Perhaps I’ve been living in a box until now, not realizing that she’s been painting all along, the way I have been writing all these years, but only recently sharing my work and taking risks.
Danielle has clearly worked hard to achieve the success that is now gracing her life—an art degree, exhibitions and churning out one painting after another. Though I watch this rise in her career from afar (since we are living in different countries), and celebrate her achievement through social media along with all of her friends, I feel directly affected by her work. I have always been partial to paintings of children and have a number of framed Nancy Noel prints from years past.
I am not an art critic. All I can express is how Danielle’s work affects me. Apart from the obvious, her incredible talent, how thoughtful her portraits are, her portrayal of people, there is something calming in her work, something raw. Perhaps it’s her use of colour. Perhaps it’s in knowing the calm, elegant person that Danielle is. What she achieves is not only a breathtaking finished product, but making one see the value of persistence, the importance of honing one’s talents and driving them forward to create a more fulfilling life.
As a writer, I can see a story begin to unravel as I look at her paintings. They cannot help but intrigue me. In the top painting, at least five stories scramble over each other to get my attention. A slew of questions instantly formulates. What is the little girl looking at? Her reflection? A fish? Something glittery caught between two rocks under the surface? How did it get there? What is it? Did she drop it? Was it her mother’s? Where is her mother? Is she still alive? Are the girls sisters? Twins perhaps? The questions and answers can grow dark, mysterious or be the seed to a loving, family saga. What the painting affords a writer is possibility. Regardless of the artist’s intention or what inspired the painting, everyone is likely to see something different. The feelings generated are likely to vary as well. In any case, Danielle’s painting above provides a starting point. It is incredible how quickly a web of ideas grows based on that starting point or seed. For that, I am grateful.
All the pieces seem to be fitting together nicely for Danielle, but while traveling the creative road myself, especially the last couple of years, I am under no disillusionment that it’s been a smooth ride. The painstaking work involved in creating her pieces, accompanied by the skill needed to market oneself in this incredibly competitive world and the uncertainties it bestows, requires agility, thick skin and exceptional talent. Danielle possesses these qualities and is carving out her future one painting at a time. I am excited to see where it heads.
In the meantime, if she doesn’t mind, I will use Danielle as a source of inspiration while delving into my next project. Sometimes all a writer needs is a painting.
Isle of Mull, Scotland – Sometimes Words are not Enough
July 18, 2016 July 18, 2016 / Susan Örnbratt / Leave a comment
A sure fire way to get the inspiration you need – just go there!
For months, I had been trying to sort out the ending to my new novel. Forcing it was clearly not working. It needed to come naturally, in its own time, at its own pace. What I needed was a change of scenery and though the Isle of Mull is only a memory in my novel, it has proven to be worth all the words in the world to me.
Staying in a remote area on the mainland this past week, with the sea in my garden and the highlands wrapped around me, I was able to soak in this magical place. Just across the water was the Isle of Mull and it was in my two day trips there by ferry that inspired my writing – the ending that I needed. Here are some of the photos I took on the west coast of Scotland and Isle of Mull. Indeed, sometimes words are not enough.
Honouring Our Creative Selves
May 15, 2016 May 15, 2016 / Susan Örnbratt / 3 Comments
I found myself at a dinner party last night talking to two very creative men. One who has followed his artistic passion and developed an outstanding career in exterior car design. The other is a physician, whose personal passion lies in music and has submitted several of his songs to Melodifestivalen over the years. The conversation drew me back to my earliest passion and made me question, Where did that little girl go?
From as early as I can remember, I was drawing floor plans. Not just a handful of floor plans, but reams and reams of floor plans. They were stuffed in draws and under the bed. I sat in front of the television drawing floor plans. I drew floor plans on rainy days at the cottage. Floor plans were part of my every day life at a ripe old age of eight or younger. I simply cannot remember. Paper was always needed and well used. I was building floor plans with books for my Barbies to live in, filling the basement floor, always changing the design. At eleven years old, I submitted my first project at school on architecture and started designing corporate building floor plans. In high school, I took drafting, a year-long project that culminated in my first completed house design, model and all and ready for building.
So what happened? I know that rowing dominated my time through my teens and early twenties and satisfied all of those worldly dreams that crept into my life the more I competed. I was hooked. I loved crossing the finish line first. Rowing was an addiction and I couldn’t get enough of it. Yet a little further past the finish line, beyond the stands and well into the forgotten banks down river, if I squinted just so, I could still see my little creative self cheering me on.
She’s still there, a little weathered perhaps from popping out of the reeds for visits over the years, but she’s there.
Through my career in teaching, I’ve always done my best to tap into my creative side in the hope of bringing out those unique nuances that make each student special. Despite the intrinsic rewards of helping to develop others’ creativity, a part of me yearned for more, to be true to that side of me that was born creative. I wanted no boundaries, or at least as few as possible. I wanted the vision that I’d dreamed of as a little architect in the making. I was a designer then. Looking back over the years, I realize I’ve always been one. I just wanted to be fully creative again. But did it have to be in designing buildings?
Our creative selves might manifest in unexpected ways throughout our careers and personal lives, but they need to be honoured and given a chance. It is creating something from nothing that can give us some of the greatest joy in life. Where would this world be without music and art after all? Whatever steers us in another direction, I believe a part of us will always want to find that forgotten or neglected path again. It will nag us until we do something about it. For those who wait until it is too late, I am certain regret is painful. I believe we need to listen to that little person we were once, tugging at our sleeve.
At university, I wrote a children’s book on the side and showed one of my professors. Her words have never escaped me. “You should do something with this one day,” she said. It was her earnest expression that triggered something inside me. She was the first person to validate my writing apart from my high school German teacher who was apparently taken aback when I translated and illustrated The Night Before Christmas for fun. But alas, this story was my design, my creation and there was something remarkable in that realization—that I could write.
I had always enjoyed talking. Anyone who knows me knows this well. Then something grew in the sweet storytelling after I tucked my children in bed at night. I reveled in the stories. They would choose the characters and setting and I would create a story, every night for years, a different story for each of our two children. Soon that rolled into writing down stories on my own then reading those stories to them. Stories were coming out of the woodwork and the kids couldn’t get enough of them. I adore those memories. Now they’ve grown up, young adults in the making.
The designer in me is adjusting to those life changes as I write novels now, creating something again from nothing. Only that nothing is far from empty. I am one of the lucky ones to have grown creatively, even though I couldn’t see it fully at the time. It is through all of these life experiences that I have built a foundation on which to generate new stories. A close-knit family, friends, travel and education have all played a role in keeping that little creative me cheering from the riverbank.
I may not design houses for a living, but I’m finally giving my creative me a voice. I am a writer. I am a storyteller. It took me many years to believe that was true, many, many stories to believe in myself as a writer. I’m thrilled to be nearing the final leg of a new novel, at least the first draft. Honouring the commitment I made to writing this novel is precisely the reason I haven’t posted recently on my blog. At first I felt guilty about that, until I not only saw how much more productive I had become, I felt better about myself and my work.
It’s not the end of the world if we acknowledge our creative selves later in life, having built a career in another field altogether. Once we do, though, once we let it out the gates, free to run as it will, be prepared for a never-ending journey, but one that feels right. If we don’t honour our creative selves, our lives become a series of short breaths. And don’t most of us really want to breathe deeply, and take in life to its fullest?
The Far Reach of Conferences for Writers Abroad
Year after year, there is a frustration that slips under my skin living abroad with no redeeming qualities—the distance between me and the English writing world. I nearly considered the internet as a redeeming quality, but in the case of English writers’ conferences, they are still far out of reach for most of us who live in a non-English country. Case in point, the awards galas for which I am a finalist in historical fiction are held at conferences not just in the United States, but on the other side of the US, about three times closer to Hawaii than to Sweden (where I live). I can understand anyone who chooses to shrug their shoulders at such a predicament. But for those of us who live abroad, it is no shrugging matter. Yes, it was our choice to live where we live and yes, all that could be changed with just one move. Rarely is it that simple, however, at least not when you have a family to consider.
At what point do we put our writing first? The Particular Appeal of Gillian Pugsley is my first book published and let me say, it hasn’t been an easy writing road with manuscripts dangling from cobwebs within the crevices of my laptop. They served a grand purpose by improving my writing to the point where agents and finally a publisher took notice. Polished and gleaming, it was released into the book world nearly one year ago, along with the thousands of other books out there. Never for a moment did I think it would get noticed and pulled from the crowd as a contender in any competition. I believe all writers hope for it, but when it actually happened, when I received notification from my publisher on all four competitions, as Gillian would say, “You could have tipped me over with a guinea pig’s whiskers.”
So my predicament lingers—my debut novel is being recognized in such an unexpected way and I likely cannot be there. Even though the outcome of any of these competitions isn’t what would drive me to go, the fact that my writing is being validated and recognized publicly, that someone has seen its value and appreciated my hard work, means more than I can possibly say.
Most writers need to pick and choose which writers’ functions they can attend, so I am no exception in that regard. In fairness, there is a selection of conferences and writers’ retreats throughout Europe, eg. Iceland Writers Retreat coming up in mid April and the Historical Novel Society Conference in early September.
It’s simply that the frustration under my skin seems to have bubbled up this time, for the sole reason a novel I gave so much of myself to, a story I grew to love as each page was written, is being recognized and I may not be there to support it. On the bright side, the best side actually, is that it was shortlisted and made a finalist at all. So whether I attend or not, I will forever be grateful and honoured.
If you feel like you are the only English writer living in a non-English country, I would love to hear your thoughts on the subject.
The Particular Appeal of Gillian Pugsley is a Finalist!
March 17, 2016 March 17, 2016 / Susan Örnbratt / 2 Comments
What a week of excitement! Four separate days of announcements recognizing The Particular Appeal of Gillian Pugsley:
I am still trying to get my head around it all. Certainly, the best moments in life are those that are unexpected. I am immensely grateful.
Below is the Press Release from Light Messages Publishing regarding the Indiefab Awards
Three titles from Light Messages Publishing have been named Foreword Reviews‘ 18th annual INDIEFAB Book of the Year Awards Finalists: The Particular Appeal of Gillian Pugsley by Susan Örnbratt, Relentless Savage by Dave Edlund, and A Theory of Expanded Love by Caitlin Hicks.
Each year, Foreword Reviews shines a light on a select group of indie publishers, university presses, and self-published authors whose work stands out from the crowd. Over the next three months, a panel of more than 100 volunteer librarians and booksellers will determine the winners in 63 categories based on their experience with readers and patrons.
The three books chosen from Light Messages were lead titles for 2015. The Particular Appeal of Gillian Pugsley and A Theory of Expanded Love received resounding praise from reviewers and readers alike. They were each recognized as Top 50 Reads of 2015. Shortly after its release, Relentless Savage topped the charts on iBooks for Best New Mysteries and & Thrillers. The announcement comes just weeks ahead of the release of Edlund’s third Peter Savage novel, Deadly Savage, which Kirkus Reviews has praised for its “crackling action, brisk pace, timely topic…”
“As a small press in today’s climate, we feel like we have to work twice as hard to secure strong authors and meaningful books and ten times as hard to get their works into the hands of readers. Having a voice as influential as Foreword Reviews recognize three of our titles for their excellence and their contributions to the literary community means the world to us,” says Elizabeth Turnbull, Light Messages Senior Editor. “As the fictional Gillian Pugsley would say, we’re so tickled you could push us over with a guinea pig’s whiskers!”
Foreword Reviews will celebrate the winners during a program at the American Library Association Annual Conference in San Francisco on Friday, June 26 at 6 p.m. at the Pop Top Stage in the exhibit hall. Everyone is welcome. The Editor’s Choice Prize for Fiction, Nonfiction, and Foreword Reviews’ 2014 INDIEFAB Publisher of the Year Award will also be announced during the presentation.
Light Messages Publishing, founded in 1998, is a family-run, general trade publisher located in Durham, North Carolina. We pride ourselves in bringing to light meaningful books by emerging and award-winning authors. For more information about Light Messages Publishing and its services, please visit our website.
Foreword Magazine, Inc is a media company featuring a Folio-award-winning quarterly print magazine, Foreword Reviews, and a website devoted to independently published books. In the magazine, they feature reviews of the best 170 new titles from independent publishers, university presses, and noteworthy self-published authors. Their website features daily updates: reviews along with in-depth coverage and analysis of independent publishing from a team of more than 100 reviewers, journalists, and bloggers. The print magazine is available at most Barnes & Noble and Books-A-Million newsstands or by subscription. You can also connect with them on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and Pinterest. They are headquartered in Traverse City, Michigan, USA.
Novel Setting vs. Writer Personality
February 20, 2016 April 18, 2017 / Susan Örnbratt / Leave a comment
Everyone knows the right setting can anchor a novel and its characters, don’t they? If you have intimate knowledge of a place, the story will be richer, right?
I’ve been thinking lately that perhaps a better question to ask is, how does the setting make an author feel as he/she writes? In other words, how does the author connect with the setting emotionally regardless of whether or not he/she has intimate knowledge of the place?
Recently, I read a very good post in Women’s Fiction Writers written by Yona Zeldis McDonough titled, A Sense of Place. In her view, the setting of a book can function very much like a character. I couldn’t agree more. She writes;
“To make that “character” come alive, you have to know it well—the sights, sounds and smells of a place, the nuances of the neighborhoods, the landmarks and the hidden spots that are off-the-beaten track.”
When I read this, I immediately knew exactly what she was saying. I understood those nuances, the smells and how they made me feel. Yet I can’t help but wonder how a character in a book comes into being. We might have an idea of their personality before that character is written. Perhaps we model the character after someone we know in our lives. Even if that’s the case, characters tend to evolve as we write the story. Their layers begin to unfold, often surprising writers. At least they do me. When I think I know them well, they turn a corner on me and something changes. Sometimes that change is minor and sometimes it can shift the storyline completely.
We don’t always know our characters thoroughly and intimately. We don’t always know their nooks and crannies until we discover them through our writing. Can that not be said of our setting as well?
For me, personality, my personality comes into play here. Over the last half year, I have struggled with the issue of setting for my current novel. I knew that I wanted the story to encompass Canada and England. I have been drawn to the east coast of Canada since I was a child but have never actually been there. Of course, growing up in Canada, I was familiar with all the provinces. Prince Edward Island has always been on my to-do list and I was convinced that I should write a story that took place there. I’ve read countless books about PEI. Of course, Anne of Green Gables has special meaning, being set in a time period I love, in a place that I’ve imagined many times over, and a story revolving around the life of children. Being a teacher, I can relate intimately to all the bits and pieces of children that make such a story magical.
There are parts of the history of Prince Edward Island that I knew I wanted to encompass in my story, but the more I researched the more I started to see how the Maritime Provinces connected. In ways, a shared struggle and hardship they have endured through history and specifically in the time period of my novel. As I researched, I became more drawn to Newfoundland than I had expected. The pull was something I couldn’t ignore, leaving PEI ever so slightly in its wake. The idea of shifting my story to another province seemed altogether crazy, but somehow the idea grew on me. Fortunately, I was early enough into the writing to begin to play with the idea.
As I began, there was a nagging question that hadn’t been answered. Why? Why did I feel pulled toward Newfoundland? Why didn’t I want to set my story in PEI like I had planned? When I read Zeldis McDonough’s post, I had agree with everything she wrote. Of course, you should know your setting intimately. But hold on! There is something I know intimately, and that’s myself. I know what inspires me. I know what makes me tick as a person and as a writer. I know what makes me feel passionate. I know what makes me feel alive and driven.
When I wrote The Particular Appeal of Gillian Pugsley, and learned that there were internment camps on the Isle of Man during WW2, I knew I needed to investigate this, since my gut feeling told me this would be the perfect setting for my character. What I found was something altogether unexpected. I was pulled there, to this small island in the middle of the Irish Sea. I was spellbound. All of this from pictures and books and copious research. I wrote that novel having never stepped foot on the Isle of Man, yet I felt a passion for it that was inexplicable. I knew, however, that I couldn’t release the book into the world without having been there. I wanted… No, I needed to prove to myself that those nuances and smells and feelings were real to me. Did I connect with the real island or was it all in my imagination?
What I found was something quite remarkable. When I arrived on the Isle of Man for the first time, during the editing process of my book, immediately, it felt as though I was coming home in ways. I felt instantly as though I knew the island intimately. I realized that through my research and writing, the character that the island had become in my novel had developed and grown. I had nurtured it and when it was time to meet the Isle of Man for the first time, it was as though I had met my twin, separated from birth but joined later in life. As I turned corners on the island, I knew what was there. Somehow I knew what to expect. I actually saw Gillian Pugsley walking down the pier to meet Christian as she does in my story—a ghost-like Gillian. Hard to explain perhaps except to say that it just felt right.
So the question still lingered, why? Why was I drawn to the Isle of Man? And why am I equally as drawn to Newfoundland? Landscape.
There is a similarity between Newfoundland and the British Isles—a rugged, brutish landscape, sensual, almost carnal, particularly the coastline. It is a landscape that makes me feel alive. This kind of beauty evokes feelings that at least this writer needs in order to write with passion and conviction. Prince Edward Island is known as a province with outstanding natural beauty, but the pastoral landscape was not captivating me quite like I thought it would. Strangely or not, the coastline of Newfoundland seems to mimic my personality. I haven’t been there yet I know it, just as I did with the Isle of Man.
So, isn’t it possible that if our personality resembles a setting, and after a great deal of research, we can as writers become familiar and even intimate with that setting? And if so, isn’t it possible that that setting can grow and function as a character even if we haven’t set foot there except in our imagination? After all, had Lewis Carroll intimate knowledge of his fantasy world of Wonderland prior to writing Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland? Probably not. What is likely, however, is that Wonderland mimicked a part of his personality. That can be argued no doubt. But I do tend to believe that personality comes into play when writers choose a setting. I believe some people would describe my personality as vibrant. I know I’m not shy and truth is, I rather like being noticed. I love to smile. I can even say I’m fiery at times. For me to choose a dull, lifeless setting would be a painful writing experience I’m sure.
I’ve always said, “Put me by the sea with crashing waves and I could write a book.” It’s true. My personality comes alive by the sea so why wouldn’t I want a setting there? It reminds me of my on-going love/hate relationship with Sweden. I’ve lived here for nearly two decades. I live ten minutes from the sea. In sunny, warm weather, I can think of nowhere else I’d rather be than floating in a boat in the west coast archipelago. But it’s more or less flat water kept in check by a series of rock islands. It’s truly beautiful when the sun shines but most of the time, the skies are grey and as drizzle fills the air, the water and islands sit lifeless to me. I know my husband, having grown up here, feels quite the opposite. It is paradise to him. I do understand and appreciate that. But I need movement. We had taken a walk on a small island called Amundön a couple of weeks ago. It was an unusually windy day and the sea was on my side this time. I was in heaven as we sat with a hot cup of tea on the rocks watching the waves crash against the rocks. Just the way I like it.
I don’t think many people would argue that setting is important to a novel, but I am curious if other writers also feel as I do; that a writer’s personality can be a factor in choosing a setting. The wavering I’ve experienced regarding setting with my current novel has finally settled into something that makes sense to me, that makes sense for me. If I feel passionate about my setting then surely it will show in my writing and ultimately draw my readers into the story and captivate them.
How does your setting match your personality?
Embracing a New Year as a Writer & On Again-off Again Expat
January 17, 2016 / Susan Örnbratt / Leave a comment
Typically, a new year brings new resolutions to mind, good intentions but often with little follow-through. The way I approached the New Year, was to reflect on how 2015 unfolded. It was an exciting year of change with a recent move back to Sweden and my debut novel being released in the spring. There is always a honeymoon stage with any change I suspect, and certainly in my case this has proven true. No matter how many moves I make over the years, and there have been a few having lived in six countries, one might think I’d be used to it—the curiosity, the thrill of meeting new people, seeing places you never knew existed or maybe reacquainting yourself with old ties, friends, family. Perhaps the ironic joy in any change is not being used to it whatsoever and maybe that’s why we crave it. Why ironic? Because of the uphill battle to get there.
For the first time, I discovered how moving back to Sweden was very much like the process of releasing my first novel. All the legwork had to be done; applying to schools for my children, selling the house in the U.S., returning to our house in Sweden and finalizing everything with our tenants, banks, taxes, moving company, purchasing new cars, selling the old ones, reconnecting with my school, colleagues, friends and family. All of this while I was in the middle of the publication process with my publisher in the U.S.
It wasn’t chaotic in any way, mind you, busy, but not chaotic. Each task was handled with care. In the case of my book, several months of editing back and forth with my editor then the production of the book and releasing the ARC (advanced reading/review copy) was thrilling, a tremendous amount of work, but thrilling.
So 2016 arrived. My book was released and we have settled into Swedish life once again. But have we? Or rather have I? Asking myself what worked and what did not, what has been challenging and rewarding and what has not, is important if I am to make 2016 a success, both personally and professionally.
It reminds me of the film, Finding Nemo, when the fish finally escape the dental office in a plastic bag filled with water. After the bag plunges into the sea then bobs on its surface, one fish says, “Now what?”
That’s me in a nutshell. The kids are settled into their schools, the house has been arranged, my husband is busy with work life and back in his familiar, the familiar ring of his own culture and language. Despite the familiarity I have with Sweden, having lived here for many years before our three-year stay in the U.S., it is not really my culture or my language. There is an empty crevice somewhere in all the pandemonium that I sometimes think only people who have lived abroad can understand. No matter how full your life is, it is always there.
My book having been released into the world garners a similar feeling. The hard work, the excitement, the recognition, but now I’m Finding Nemo, “Now what?” It’s been a fantastic learning experience without any doubt, but what worked and what didn’t? That is what I’ve needed to address.
First and foremost, living in a foreign country that is not English has proven to be tremendously challenging as a debut author. Unless you are well known in the English market, it is very difficult to get exposure in Scandinavia. I had to learn this the hard way by spending countless hours writing emails, making phone calls, meeting bookshop owners and distributors, all in the hope of introducing my English book to a Scandinavian audience. In the process, my writing suffered because I dedicated too much energy and too much time to running up a very slippery slope, one with no end in sight. When I could have spent precious time writing, I spent it marketing. Of course, the latter is important but a book on the horizon is essential. Had I been in an English speaking country, I am as certain as I can be, that I would have garnered different results.
In any case, it was an important lesson learned. I had to ask myself what I wanted most. It was an easy answer. I wanted to write. As a result, I have chosen to arrange my day differently this year. Writing must be my top priority. Emails and social media come only after I’ve written my word quota for the day. As a writer, I need to wake up with my story filling all those wonderful crevices of my imagination. The moment I open an email or check to see how my book might be fairing on Amazon or Goodreads, my story loses a part of me. That’s something I am no longer willing to jeopardize. My story deserves my full attention. So if I have posted fewer blog posts lately, that is precisely the reason.
Instead, I am spending time wisely, getting to know my new characters and developing a plot that keeps surprising me. I am new to social media and I am still learning how to write—how to write well, how to write creatively, how to write intelligently and with heart. I hope I never stop learning. I am reading more. I’m reading novels by authors who inspire me, like Kate Morton and Susan Meissner. I want to sink into a story and fall in love with the writing, and one day, I hope someone will feel that same way about something I’ve written.
If my reviews are any indication, I know my novel The Particular Appeal of Gillian Pugsley has touched some readers in a way that I will always treasure. I am grateful for that. I am grateful for these changes in my life. Travel with my family remains a priority to me and I will likely jump at the opportunity to move house and home once again, somewhere sunny where my writing can flourish. 2016 is about setting goals, one of which is to complete my current writing project. Having made a plan for that to happen is key. It’s well under way and it feels great.
A new year brings new challenges to everyone. Embrace change in your life, make a plan and follow it through—writers are no exception, expats are no exception. As tough as it might be, it’s all a grand adventure. Is it not?
December 20, 2015 December 20, 2015 / Susan Örnbratt / Leave a comment
So the Christmas rush has begun—a frenzy of buying, crowds and wrapping. I stood in a shop yesterday watching three men (very clearly fathers), standing in front of a rack of children’s bit and bobs. A haze grew around them as they stared blankly, automatons with “I don’t want to be here” written all over them. I had to leave. I couldn’t watch their pain for another moment.
As I drove away from the crowded parking lot, it made me think of what I yearn for every year during the holiday season—to have a simple, relaxing holiday with the people I love most in this world. Those thoughts rolled into the things that truly bring happiness to my life. Of course, family soars highest of all, way above the Earth’s atmosphere, making me dizzy at times with love and worry and joy and all those things that mothers and wives experience.
Just under that invisible shield circling our world is another layer. Yesterday that layer unfolded itself in all the kind, everyday gestures that people have done for me and I for them. Waving another driver into the queue made me giddy with happiness. For that tiny moment, I was beaming over such a simple gesture, but one that people appreciate. I know I do, when someone does the same for me. And it’s so easy, isn’t it? Easy just to be kind.
Yesterday, I woke up to a lovely message from a fellow writer, Caitlin Hicks, author of A Theory of Expanded Love, letting me know that my book, The Particular Appeal of Gillian Pugsley, along with hers, was included in Judith Collins’ 50 Must Read Books of 2015. She wasn’t obligated to inform me, but that gesture made me smile and grateful to be part of a community, the writing community.
When I see the tsunami of books flooding the market every day, it is easy to get overwhelmed, realizing you are just one of thousands of writers out there trying to find an audience. It is a ruthless industry but one with creative people at its core. Writers have this incredible innate desire, I believe, to be supportive of other writers. It might be a kind word, advice or actively participating in the development of another writer. We understand how grueling the process of writing is and how hard it is to be recognized for our efforts. So, when a kind hand reaches out to us, we take it. During the holiday season, when everyone is tripping over their To-Do lists, it means that much more when people are kind, and authors are no exception.
I haven’t even met in person, Cecilia Lindblad, author of Och Sedan Aldrig Mer, here in Sweden, but through our husbands we connected and exchanged books. I received a lovely message from her recently offering her support within the Swedish market. It is remarkable to me when someone reaches out in such a way, giving what he/she can to help another person. Likewise, my constant supporter, Lille-Mor Arnäs, author of the children’s fantasy book series, Fyrklövern, is cheering me on, offering advice and inspiring words. She is an inspiration.
There is a lovely sincerity that I feel from her and others in my community of writers. How can I not appreciate them during the holidays? They, along with my non-writer friends, give me that extra push when doubt floods me. Every writer suffers from doubt from time to time. It’s part of the package. In any case, when you find yourself in the shops this holiday or fighting your way through the crowds, pull back and remind yourself what is real, what is important. Is it important to fill every nook and cranny under the Christmas tree? Do something instead. Something kind. Something real. Something lovely.
Smile at a stranger. Let someone into the queue ahead of you. If you liked someone’s book, let him/her know. Nothing needs to be fluffy. A simple gesture of kindness might just make someone feel giddy. And oh, isn’t that a wonderful feeling?
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I woke up one Saturday morning a few weeks ago and noticed a long crack down the side of my Medtronic 780G pump.
There were a few unexpected twists and turns in what followed so this post is a heads up for Medtronic 780G users about what to expect if it happens to them.
There's quite a lot to think about:
Is this crack a big deal?
Will I get a new pump?
How do I report it?
Setting up the new pump
Waiting for SmartGuard to warm up
The main things to remember if it happens again
Is this crack a big deal?
So here it is, a long crack down the side of the battery compartment.
The first thing I did when I noticed was to ask on Twitter. I wasn't sure if it was a "wear and tear" thing or a "you need a new one" thing.
Twitter folks said I needed a new one.
Some people replied and said they'd also had cracks in the same place on their pumps. Apparently it can happen if you overtighten the battery cap. I don't think I did that but it was good to know. Pumps get knocked around a bit in every day life so it's hard to know how it happened.
How you report it
I needed to contact Medtronic.
Then I hit the first hurdle.
The only way you can report a damaged insulin pump to Medtronic is on the phone.
I couldn't get through at the weekend.
You can't report it any other way. I tried messaging the company on Twitter, looked at options on the Medtronic e-shop, the We Care site and the Medtronic Penny app. No joy.
I was lucky as my pump was still working despite the crack but I had to wait until Monday to get through to Product Support.
Will I get a new pump?
Once I got through it was efficient, friendly and easy. My pump is still under warranty and the Product Support person said straight away that they'd send me a replacement, but it would take a couple of days. They also arranged for a courier to collect my damaged pump the following week to give me some time to change everything over.
The new pump arrived 48 hours later.
Entering settings into the new pump
It took a bit of time to get a new pump set up, but as all my device settings are saved in my CareLink account it was very easy.
I just had to click to download the Device Settings Snapshot report and work methodically through each section to enter the settings into the new pump.
Then I had to pair the pump with all the other things it connects with. The Accu Chek Guide meter that has a wireless link to the pump for finger prick readings - easy. The Minimed Mobile app, my Carelink account - both easy as well.
But you can't pair your new pump to your Guardian 4 transmitter if you are currently wearing and using it.
You can only pair the transmitter when it is on charge. At this point I had a few days left on the sensor I was wearing and the transmitter was stuck under a layer of tape.
I wasn't sure what to do.
Do I take the sensor off early and waste it? (In hindsight it would have been good if a spare sensor came with the replacement pump in anticipation of this.)
Do I leave the sensor and my damaged pump on until the sensor expires, then switch to the new pump?
Do I use the new pump and leave the sensor connected to my old pump so I can at least still monitor my sugars until it expires?
By coincidence the decision was made for me as my sensor failed later that day.
I paired the transmitter with the pump while it was on charge and inserted a new sensor. It worked fine.
Waiting for SmartGuard to warm up
By this point I had my kit all set up and communicating with each other.
Now all I had to do is wait 48 hours for the SmartGuard algorithm to warm up.
This meant mostly manual diabetes for the next two days. I activated the "suspend on low" function which helped avoid hypos, but other that that my sugars were not pretty.
After 14 months of using a loop, I realised I am now rubbish at manual diabetes, and for these two days my time in range suffered.
I've become so used to the 780G doing its thing. I don't want to be looking at my sugars all the time and giving myself corrections. Rising sugars weren't prevented. Overnight readings were high. I woke up out of range. It was horrible.
Just a couple of days without SmartGuard confirmed to me that I never want to go back to doing diabetes manually ever again.
I'm back on normal service now, SmartGuard is working and my time in range is back to an average of 79%.
The main things to remember if it happens again
Now that I've been through this process I thought it would be helpful to share my tips if your 780G is faulty or damaged in the future:
You can only report it by phone
Call during office hours for quicker service if you can
Use Carelink to find your pump settings
Pair the sensor transmitter with the pump when it is charging
As always, if anyone has any questions about using the Medtronic 780G in real life, just let me know and I will try my best to help.
| 4,963 |
Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer (87) makes a catch for a touchdown against BYU during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022,…
Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer (87) makes a catch for a touchdown against BYU during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Notre Dame takes down No. 16 BYU 28-20 in Las Vegas
Posted: Oct 8, 2022 / 10:55 PM EDT
Updated: Oct 8, 2022 / 11:36 PM EDT
Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer (87) makes a catch for a touchdown against BYU during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022,…
Notre Dame tight end Michael Mayer (87) makes a catch for a touchdown against BYU during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Posted: Oct 8, 2022 / 10:55 PM EDT
Updated: Oct 8, 2022 / 11:36 PM EDT
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Notre Dame coach Marcus Freeman described tight end Michael Mayer as a work in progress.
He also called him a freak and a heck of a football player after the junior caught 11 passes for 118 yards and two scores to become the program’s all-time receptions leader for a tight end as Notre Dame won its third straight, beating No. 16 Brigham Young 28-20 on Saturday night.
“The thing you love about Michael Mayer is he’s the hardest worker,” Freeman said. “He’s an unfinished product, but he understands that. He wants to get better. He doesn’t want to be told what he does well, he wants to be told how he can improve and that’s a special player.”
Drew Pyne threw for 262 yards and three touchdowns for the Irish, while running backs Logan Diggs and Audric Estime added a combined 190 yards on the ground.
And while Mayer emerged as the star of the game for the Irish, he refused to take any credit.
“Today’s not about me, today’s about the team getting a big win,” Mayer said. “The offense played great, the defense played great, we came to Vegas and got a W and that’s all that matters.”
The game was the 11th edition of Notre Dame’s annual Shamrock Series and marked the first time the Irish faced a fellow FBS Independent since a 44-6 victory over Army in 2016.
Notre Dame improved to 11-0 all-time in its Shamrock Series, in front of an announced gathering of 62,742, the largest crowd for a college athletic event in Nevada history.
“This was a home game for us, the fans showed out,” Mayer said of the pro-Notre Dame crowd.
Despite playing a bit dinged up from last week’s game against Utah State, BYU (4-2) quarterback Jaren Hall started and finished 9 of 17 for 120 yards passing with two touchdowns. Chris Brooks rushed for 90 yards on 14 carries, including one touchdown, while Kody Epps caught four passes for 100 yards and scored two touchdowns.
“I don’t think he was 100% … he definitely was banged up,” BYU coach Kalani Sitake said of Hall. “We have to go back and figure out what our game plan was, and what he can do.”
Trailing 25-6 early in the second half, the Cougars made things interesting by scoring 14 unanswered points to make it 25-20.
After Brooks cut Notre Dame’s lead to five with a 28-yard touchdown scamper, Cougars linebacker Max Tooley picked off Pyne and put the ball back in the BYU’s hands. But the Cougars couldn’t capitalize and went three-and-out.
Blake Grupe’s 20-yard field goal gave the Irish an eight-point lead. BYU then drove into Notre Dame territory but had its drive halted when defensive tackle Jayson Ademilola dragged Cougars running back Lopini Katoa down on 4th-and-1.
“That was big,” Freeman said of the stop. “You can feel a little sense of panic. To get the stop on 4th and 1, that was a huge play.”
The Irish ran 73 offensive plays compared to BYU’s 46, while they outgained the Cougars 496 to 280. It was Notre Dame’s second-highest production on offense this season after it tallied 576 yards in a 45-32 win at North Carolina on Sept. 24. The Irish’s 536 yards per game over the last two games is a 44% increase from the 300.3 yards per game they averaged over their first three games.
Former Notre Dame women’s basketball star Jackie Young was recognized during a timeout in the second quarter. Young, who was an integral part of the Irish’s national championship run in 2018 and who was a gold medalist for USA in 2020, just helped the Las Vegas Aces win the franchise’s first WNBA title last month. Young was also named the league’s Most Improved Player.
BYU: Playing the home of the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders marked the second time BYU played at Allegiant Stadium after opening the 2021 season with a win over Arizona there. BYU is now 4-3 in NFL Stadiums under coach Kalani Sitake, while the Cougars dropped to 14-5 when playing in Las Vegas.
Notre Dame: Notre Dame finished 11 of 16 on third downs, while its defense held BYU to just 3 of 9 with its third-down conversion attempts.
BYU: Returns home to host Arkansas on Saturday.
Notre Dame: Will play the first of back-to-back home games on Saturday, against Stanford.
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| 5,654 |
A local middle school science teacher is teaching students about the history and value of conservation biology. The class wants to learn about this by exploring different species of life and how they have been impacted by changes to the environment over time.
As a member of the community and a person interested in environmental science, you have volunteered to create a video presentation to share with the middle school science students to help them learn about these topics. Your presentation must be comprehensive and at the appropriate age level for your audience to understand. Keep in mind that middle school students are typically in grades 6, 7, or 8 and are 1114 years old.
Refer to the video resources located in the “Video Resources” section below for assistance in creating a video.
Select 1 plant or animal species from The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species located on the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) website to use for this assignment. You will use the search bar at the top of the IUCN home page to enter and search for a species name or region. You can also select a species thats featured on the websites home page. You will use this information for every aspect of your video. Expand each information section that populates on the IUCN website for your selected species, so you can fully address each element you need to include for this assignment. When you get to the critique portion, you will be asked to explore a few additional sources.
Create a 3- to 4-minute video about how the field of conservation biology has impacted your selected plant or animal species.
Include the following components in your video:
Identify the following about your chosen species:
Use and trade of the species to the geographic area
Summarize the threats to the species.
Explain the conservation actions that have been taken to support the species.
Explain the importance of presenting these issues to middle school students.
Critique the conservation actions taken to reduce the impact on species. Include the following:
Discuss any local regulations or policies that have been created in response to this challenge.
Discuss how these actions represent the changes in the field of conservation biology over time.
Support your critique by using at least 2 sources from reputable environmental groups, or government websites.
Cite sources to support your assignment.
Format citations and references according to APA guidelines.
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Musings on Independent watchmaking and the beginning journey for me
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, I thought I'd pen or rather type this little missive about why I have chosen to work in the Independent watchmaking end of the watch business, rather than the broader big brand market or the second hand dealer arena.
Yes, it is a more difficult (read less financially rewarding) way to operate professionally, but infinitely more rewarding as the business aspect of the watch world changes each year.
I saw the change coming almost ten years ago, with the opening in NYC of the first branded boutiques, and I certainly understand why the brands are doing this. As an independent watch store, this had some benefits and disadvantages for us. Unfortunately the disadvantages outweighed the benefits rather significantly and it is why when setting up Passion Fine Jewelry three years ago, we chose to only represent real Independent Watchmakers.
One of the reasons Janna & I do this, is that these relationships we develop with collectors over the months & years often turn to friendships and a group of like minded individuals reward us with their loyalty and support, as we continue to support the artisanal aspect of fine mechanical watchmaking by helping these Independent watchmakers who have chosen the path less travelled and certainly more difficult, within the watch business. I fully believe that people like to help others if they can, it is a human need on many levels and brings a level of happiness and contentment that other pastimes can rarely offer. It just feels good!
Seeing the joy in a collectors eyes when they first open up a new watch box to reveal that piece they acquired, especially when it often takes months to get sometimes even a year, is amazing and knowing it helped a watchmaker build his little business, is a large part of why I do what I do.
I know that the big brands create many lovely watches, some of which I personally own and would own more if money were no object, however there is that human connection with the watchmaker that cannot be duplicated with a big brand, and it is this aspect that I first found compelling 9 years ago when I started working with Peter Speake-Marin. Back then, we were both in quite different places professionally and personally. I was part of an existing fine jewelry store who were big brand authorized dealers for many great brands such as Ulysse Nardin, Vacheron-Constantin, Glashutte Original etc, etc., whose products I'm still fond of to this day, with quite a healthy annual turn over of several million dollars feeding an expanding business. Two children, married and working to build this business, with a couple of pieces of expensive CA real estate to my name, I came across this fellow Peter, married, no kids, working with his wife and just getting going in his independent phase, having recently created the Watch Workshop to design and make watches under the Speake-Marin name. With an annual production of around 35-40 pieces, he wasn't making himself wealthy by a long shot. Probably just about covering his bills with a long road ahead, I was immediately taken by his humility and straightforwardness when discussing a potential business relationship over coffee in Basel that initial meeting.
Basel 2004 Peter & I discussing his creations at the AHCI stand.
His watches were stunning and I wanted to help promote him and sell his watches to our collector clients, who I was fairly sure would be as compelled with Peter and his watches as I was. Committing to buy 5 watches, 3 gold and 2 steel classic Piccadilly pieces, with 4 enamel dials and one hand frosted, I was going out on a bit of a limb professionally, as it was a fairly significant chunk of our open to buy dollars being spent on a completely unknown then watchmaker, whose products we had to pay up front for before he would ship them over to California. No glossy catalogs, Facebook or a fantastic website like he has now with which to market and promote his amazing work. Just a few rudimentary photos I managed to snap in Basel, which are in this message for you to see, and my enthusiasm!
Basel 2004, his only model, the 38mm Piccadilly with three dial variants, enamel (top) Hand frosted solid 18K three layer dial (middle) & hand engraved solid 18K three layered dial (Bottom)
Intrigued to find out if I was correct, I talked about the watches we ordered that first year in 2004 for several months after Basel, to as many watch aficionados as I could. When the FedEx box arrived in September, we had several collectors, and you know who you are, eagerly awaiting in the store to see these first pieces from Peter. Three left that day to new homes within a couple of hours of the FedEx truck leaving!
I have to say I was rather excited about this, as one doesn't know if that "leap of faith" one takes is a good decision or not, until the market reacts. Suffice to say it propelled me on a path, that to this day I am thrilled to say is the one I'm staying on the watch world. Getting to know the watchmakers personally and finding out why they create their life's work is pretty compelling to me, after all there are many "things" one can spend money and resources on, and to support artisanal watchmaking at this level is very satisfying.
On that note I'll end off, but before I say goodbye, please consider where you buy your next timepiece, remember the people who help you and have steered you well and most importantly, who value you as a client/friend and not just some sales target to make. There are still a few of us in this business that value the relationship over the dollar. I think you know where I stand.
| 6,025 |
In a private forum held in Beijing, several well-known scholars carried on a spirited debate over China’s economic reform and called for serious political reform.
A number of Chinese scholars and leaders criticized China’s economic reforms in a private meeting held on March 4, 2006. The event was organized by The China Society of Economics, a research institute affiliated with the State Council. The blunt criticisms highlighted many serious issues surrounding China’s economic reforms. The call for political reform has become louder.
About 20 distinguished scholars in economics and law were invited to the session to discuss and advise the top leaders of the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) on the direction of China’s macroeconomic reform.
Many topics were discussed at the meeting, including medical reform, educational reform, issues related to farmers and their ownership of land, poverty reduction, taxation, the relationship between the local and central governments, and ownership of stock by foreign investors.
The meeting was closed to the media, but Huayue Forum managed to post on its website minutes from the meeting that were leaked. Open Magazine (Hong Kong, May 2006 issue) and The Epoch Times (May 13, 2006) both reported on the event.
Heated Opening Speech
In his opening speech, Gao Shangquan, Chairman of the China Society of Economic Reforms and a reform guru, said, "Presently there is unprecedented controversy and dissent concerning the reforms." The meeting was chaired by Chi Fulin, the Director of the Hainan Reform and Development Research Academy. The meeting minutes revealed disagreements inside the CCP’s elite toward the reforms and that the debate was very intense.
Gao Shangquan described three core controversies:
1. Privatization vs. protection of public ownership
2. Who benefits from the market economy?
3. The widening gap between the rich and the poor related to unfair distribution of wealth, corruption and embezzlement of public property, and intensified social conflict
The group that opposed the economic reforms concluded that the current situation was not working because the reforms were not in line with the socialist principles and the Chinese Constitution. They labeled the reforms "New Liberalism" and alleged that the reformists were cooperating with the CIA to carry out the task of peacefully transforming China from a socialist country into a capitalist one.{mospagebreak}
The opposition group contended that the market economy was harmful to the interests of the majority of working people, identified in the meeting as the "disadvantaged class." In particular, ordinary people could not afford housing after the housing reform, the masses could not afford medical services after the medical reform, and children could not afford schooling after the educational reform.
The grave problems they depicted are indeed the most serious issues in today’s China. These issues have not only negatively affected any assessment of the reforms, but also demonstrated that economic reform without parallel political reform will hurt the interests of the majority of people and become a tool for the few elite to monopolize the power, the national resources, and the wealth.
Nevertheless, this group was also criticized for wanting to return to a Maoist-style "planned economy."
A "Marriage" of Political Power and Market Economy
Sun Liping, a professor in the Department of Social Sciences at Tsinghua University, presented interesting ideas at the forum. "Many people in the past believed that the political power (meaning the single party ruling power) and the free market economy are contradictory. Today, however, this contradiction has disappeared in China." He joked that it was like two people who apparently could not get married, yet managed to live together fairly well. In fact, he gave it a new name—"Authoritative Capitalism." It used to be thought that checks and balances in a market economy would restrain political power, but the emergence of markets in China is now providing more opportunities for political power to demonstrate its usefulness in securing personal gains. Sun pointed out, "As a result, power can be priced and sold, which is what we’re facing today. We’re not sure if such a marriage is merely a phenomenon in the transition period or a permanent mechanism, but our challenge is to prevent political power and the free market from getting married."
Professor Sun described the current social structure as an "oligarchy at the top but cynicism at the bottom. Those at the top become more and more oligarchic, arrogant, and imperious, while those at the bottom are more and more cynical—a situation that will inevitably cause conflicts between the two groups. The superior group does not have a good relationship with the bottom one, while the bottom group will cheer on the Internet and celebrate like it’s a holiday whenever there is a scandal at the top," Sun continued.
The harshest speech was attributed to He Weifang, a law professor at Beijing University. He bluntly recommended splitting the CCP into two political parties, giving the government—instead of the CCP— controlling power over the Chinese military forces, and ensuring freedom of the press.{mospagebreak}
In discussing rule by law, he first explained that the Chinese Communist Party, as an organization, is in violation of the Chinese Constitution because the Party has never registered itself with the government. "When the (CCP) asserts its power and authority over the Constitution, and (the Party) seriously violates the Constitution, how can we talk about ruling the country by law?" He suggested placing the CCP’s power under the rule of law and called for clarification of the boundaries between the CCP and the Congress, between the CCP and the justice system, and between the CCP and the government.
Secondly, he alerted the leaders that the Chinese People’s Congress’s current method of operation and its annual meetings was "an extension of the CCP meetings" rather than a true parliamentary system. Thirdly, he emphasized that basic human rights, including the freedom to gather, the freedom to demonstrate, and the freedom of religious belief, need to be implemented in China.
Lastly, Professor He Weifang indicated that the CCP’s interference in the justice system has recently increased. Supreme Court regulations state that the courts should not accept any case of forced demolition or land seizure. "Who made this rule? How can we let some kind of ‘classified document’ from the CCP supersede the law?" He cited another example to illustrate the point: "When Zhou Yongkang, Minister of Public Security, visited the Supreme Court, Xiao Yang, who is the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, had to report the court’s work status to Zhou. Why in the world is the Chief Justice reporting to the police chief?" Professor He questioned.
Failed Medical Reform
Song Xiaowu, who helped draft the medical reform for the State Council several years ago, and Ge Yanfeng, the minister of Development and Research for the State Council, spoke on medical reform. While Song described medical reform as being very difficult, taking off slowly, but making slow progress, Ge characterized medical reform as a failure. Ge illustrated his point by citing the following:
"According to data published by the Ministry of Public Health, 49 percent of people with medical problems reported that they were afraid to go to a hospital, and nearly 30 percent reported that they dared not stay in a hospital even if a doctor told them to. What is the problem? It is the market-orientation of medicine," Ge concluded. "Medicine falls in the domain of public health, which requires government attention and needs to be fair and universally available and accessible," he argued. "Financial support from a government that takes responsibility for providing adequate medical care is essential."{mospagebreak}
To rebut the argument that the central government cannot afford such support, Ge used a concrete example: "China’s fiscal income exceeded three trillion yuan (US$375 billion) last year. To treat the common and chronic diseases of China’s population, rural or urban, would require 150-200 billion yuan (US$20-25 billion), which is six to seven percent of the annual fiscal income. The increased income in 2005 alone, which totaled 500 billion yuan (US$62.5 billion), would be more than enough to cover the expenditure. Using a fraction of the government surplus to fund the public medical services will not only improve people’s health but also enhance social harmony and is of great political and economic significance."
Disagreeing with the success story of the education reform published by the Ministry of Education, Yang Dongping, who is a researcher at the Higher Education Research Institute of Beijing University of Technology, and Zhang Luxiong, the Deputy Secretary of the China Society of Economic Reforms, both criticized the education reform.
Instead of being responsible for and taking care of China’s compulsory education for its citizens, the authorities have been pushing education into the marketplace and forcing the ordinary people to pay the bill. This has created severe problems in the Chinese countryside. Under the influence of a market-oriented economy, schools are directed to be self-reliant financially and encouraged to promote profit-making activities, one of which is to raise school fees at will. Yang called this "selling education for profits."
In many other countries, higher education mostly comprises private colleges that are supported by private investments. In China, however, the regime monopolizes higher education, promotes power-centric administration, carries out the planned academic research, and thus fails to form the mechanism of an academy-centric administration.
Zhang Luxiong echoed Yang on the negative impact of the market economy on education. He focused on the Key School system and the College Admission Exams system. In the Key School system, elementary schools and high schools are divided into key and non-key schools, where different curricula are used. Zhang stated that this system created inequality in students’ educational opportunities. He also criticized the elementary and high schools for basing their teaching too much on passing the college admission exams.
Zhang maintained that political reform, referring not to grassroots democracy but to internal democracy in individual institutions, is the key to resolving the issues in education. The topmost administrative position at each school must be elected. Universities should be run by educators rather than by the CCP. Professors should be involved in the decision making for hiring and promoting faculty. Universities must be able to have the final say on student admissions.{mospagebreak}
Foreigners’ Ownership of Stock in Chinese Banks Benefits Both
Xie Ping, the general manager of the Central Huijin Investment Co., raised provocative propositions. Central Huijin Investment Co. is a state-owned investment company formed by the central government. Its function is to use national foreign reserves for injection into state-owned banks or financial organizations. As a result, Huijin Investment Co., representing the Chinese communist government, gains ownership of these enterprises.
According to the agreements reached before China entered the WTO, China pledged to open its financial industries in 2007. Beijing allowed ownership of stock in China’s banks by foreign investors before the deadline in order to advance the reform of its banking system. For example, last year the Bank of America and Temasek of Singapore bought stock in China Construction Bank, HSBC Holdings bought into the Bank of Commerce, New Bridge bought into Shenzhen Development Bank, and Citibank bought into Guangdong Development Bank; and Goldman Sachs of the U.S., German’s Allianz Insurance Company, and American Express purchased shares in the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China.
While there are still risks to investing in Chinese banks, with scandals and improper management, foreign investors are willing to take the risk because they are interested in nationwide branches and the customer-base of the Chinese banks. Because of the brand names and credibility of these foreign companies, the stock prices of the Chinese banks unexpectedly surged, which made sizable profits for the foreign investors.
Gap Between the Rich and the Poor
Dr. Wang Xiaolu, the associate director of the Research Institute of National Economy, made some insightful comments on the gap between the rich and the poor. According to a World Bank report, China’s Gini Coefficient is 0.45.1. This figure is calculated based on data from the Statistical Bureau of China. The actual figure is expected to be much higher.
While some people with political connections can turn into millionaires-or even billionaires-overnight, many people cannot afford basic medical insurance. In the hands of the rich, the accumulated owed income tax to the government can be turned into tax refunds through bribery. Therefore the biggest challenge of the reform movement is the reform of the government. It is not sufficient just to demand that the government become more open, more transparent, and more ruled by law. "There must be some checks-and-balances by the public, including the press," Wang concluded.
The above are selections from the meeting. Many scholars spoke and their viewpoints were diverse. On an optimistic note, everyone was able to be outspoken and voice their opinions.
Translated by CHINASCOPE (excerpt) from May 2006 issue of Open Magazine (Hong Kong).
Analyses | | December 26, 2007 | Opinion
Bush Meets with Chinese Human Rights Activists
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| 17,482 |
MILAN – Kent Bakke has played an essential role in La Marzocco history. Kent was born in 1952 in Wisconsin, USA. He started imported espresso machine into the United States in 1978, one of the first to do so at that time.
With over 40 years in the industry, he was one of the first pioneers in the Seattle coffee scene, making a significant contribution to the development and innovation of the entire espresso machine sector.
Kent was LA Marzocco CEO until 2018, and now holds a position on the board of directors of La Marzocco International.
You speak Italian?
“I had to learn the language since it was rare to find someone who spoke English in Italy 40 years ago in the coffee sector. I started to work as an espresso machine technician and when I had a question, it was impossible to get a clear answer without knowing the language from the Italian manufacture.
After “ciao” and “pizza”, the first Italian word I learned was “guarnizione”, meaning gasket; an almost impossible word to pronounce for most Americans. Though it’s the first thing that needs to be fixed in a machine because it gets worn-out quickly with use.”
What made you fall in love with an espresso machine all that time ago?
“It was a particular choice. I never actually drank coffee, it didn’t give me that extra boost, and I never understood why so many people drank it. After university I started working at a hamburger joint with friends who all had a similar drive as I. Shortly after we purchased a sandwich shop and inside, we discovered an old Italian espresso coffee machine. I have always had a passion for mechanics and the machine itself sparked my curiosity. There It all started, a happy accident.”
When did you first come to Italy?
“In 1977 there was a total of 8 espresso machines in all of Seattle. In those years I first started to get my hands on the Victoria Arduino brand. Around that time I asked myself if I am repairing these, why don’t I just start importing them? So my partners and I went to Italy.
We wrote letters to several manufacturers, remember, at that time internet did not exist. The CMA replied and invited us to visit in 78’, there were three of us that went. Right after we traveled to Florence, the city was packed with La Marzocco espresso machine, so we contacted the company and went to visit it.
The niece of an American friend lived in the city and acted as a translator. Giuseppe and Bruno Bambi were still alive at that time, but our first contact Piero Bambi.
Fast forward back to America, with a year we sold our first espresso machine. We didn’t have much success in the sandwich shop so we focused our attention on La Marzocco, even though its popularity hadn’t arrived yet.”
And La Marzocco?
“It was all by chance, there was only several LMs in Seattle before we started importing them.”
But in addition to selling them, we started assembling them?
“Years later, yes. In the beginning, we imported, sold, and taught proper maintenance to technicians.”
How did you agree with the Bambi family?
“A Tuscan gentleman was living in Seattle who sold wine. His story is quite interesting. In the late 70s, the restaurant sector started booming in Seattle and he found someone willing to sell espresso. He asked for 50 $ and in return gave me La Marzocco’s address so I can buy the machine directly from Italy.”
How did you go from purchasing the first La Marzocco to assembling it?
“To use an espresso machine, you need coffee. Back then there were all three coffee roasters in Seattle. One of which was Starbucks, the original location, before Howard Shultz arrived. We had a relationship with them, but initially, Starbucks imported other brands and we were competitors for a while. Then we developed an exclusive relationship.
As the story goes, in the early 80s and early 90s Howard Shultz went to Italy and fell in love with the culture of the Italian espresso bar. He asked a Starbucks roaster to continue the “Il Giornale” project and so they opened 5/6 locations in Seattle.
It was in 1988/1989 when we started collaborating with Starbucks, and in 1993 we began to discuss a project, the opening of over 300 locations within a year. It was such great news! We contacted La Marzocco because we needed to supply an espresso machine to all of them. But we were surprised to hear the response from La Marzocco, “no”.
I then asked if I can have the license to assemble the machines and they said yes. The condition was to buy the company because there was no third generation to inherit it. After 15 years of a commercial relationship, the answer was clear to me. I would buy La Marzocco. I proposed this to a few friends, they invested with me, and in 1994 we acquired 90% of La Marzocco. With this capital, we build the production factory in Seattle to supply to Starbucks.
The contract with the Bambi family had three conditions: the espresso machine would continue to be built in Italy, we would keep all employees working in the factory in Italy, and the heart would remain Italian. This continued until 2004 when Starbucks began using super-automatic machines at all their locations. ”
Are you happy?
“Yes, I never imagined that my life would go in this direction. But yes, I feel lucky.”
The KB90 was produced in your honor, what does that mean?
“It is still an honor that is difficult to put into words. I never thought such a thing would happen.”
You followed the La Marzocco journey, and now the company gives you this gift.
“For me, it was a total surprise. I wasn’t involved in the design and didn’t know much about it. No royalties were given (Kent says with a laugh). In America, when I told my friends about the KB90 they didn’t get it right away, I had to explain what that meant. ”
“When it all started most of those who imported to America, were Italian. But not me. In the US there wasn’t a great culture of espresso and we couldn’t know how it would turn out. I knew nothing about coffee, but I saw an enormous passion for baristas and roasters. That passion was exploited in marketing efforts in the US and the actual coffee was secondary. This has changed now.
In 1979/80 the coffee market collapsed in Italy because roasters bought and then gave espresso machines on loan to customers, along with their coffee. Fortunately, we met passionate people like the Bambi brothers who helped us bring high-quality craftsmanship to American.”
“I see is continuing giving importance to people, corporate culture, environment, our employees, and the collaboration with suppliers to maintain a quality cup of coffee. And the espresso machine.”
La Marzocco now has Modbar?
“Modbar is a project that was born with one of my partners, Joe Monaghan. Joe and I started collaborating with Jet Stream and their two founders, Corey Waldron and Aric Forbing. Almost six years went by until we contacted them again, and we found that they created a new concept. They showed us a drawing on a computer, they called it “Modbar” for a modular bar. This is because each element has its form.
They didn’t have a prototype or the resources to make one. But Joe understood the concept, you can change everything. You can design a space and put the steam wands and each element on how you preferred. The project was clean and sleek. It also guaranteed a different relationship between barista and customer. When Joe was convinced, I trusted his instincts. Together with the founder, we opened Modbar. After a few years, we presented the first prototype at SCA, it was a challenge.”
The Modbar has the same button design on the module, just like the KB90. Is that your signature?
“In the beginning, American made components were used on the Modbar. This was a process for us in understanding it’s standing independently. Later, we began to share the La Marzocco components. This is how the buttons were chosen. It’s not my signature, in fact, I never actually thought about it in that way.”
What is the future?
“La Marzocco has started making grinders. An espresso machine without a grinder is nothing. Historically, we dealt with it: The Swift is a concept developed for Starbucks. It ended up never being used by them, but it has huge relevance to other customers.”
Who has dictated the evolution of the Italian bar?
“When we started in the US, we had to teach people how to use the espresso machine and how to maintain it properly. We were young and sold directly to the area. This experience was important because many manufacturers are far from their customers. ”
So, you got close to the customers.
“For the first ten years, I also went to the customers personally to listen to their needs.”
La Marzocco is the story of coffee, many different models have entered in its history of products.
“Yes, after 40 years, we can say it. But I never thought of entering into the history of professional espresso machines myself, even the history of coffee. I remember we produced 550 machines in 1994. Years ago, our big goal was to make that 5,000 machines per year. A target that seemed very far away. Instead, we have sold over 20,000 last year. La Marzocco has gone far beyond my expectations. The thing is, I didn’t know the market and I didn’t know how big it could get. The moment I started; my goal was to introduce quality Italian espresso machines to America. “
La Marzocco now has direct branches in South Korea, China, Australia, and all over the world.
“More than 100 countries know La Marzocco and the meaning of Made in Italy. It’s a very romantic aspect of the company that we will forever preserve.”
“For me, it’s the internal development of the company. The Accademia del Caffè Espresso is in Florence, it’s location is the first La Marzocco factory. A dream of now CEO Guido Bernardinelli. The initiative brings a spotlight to the entire coffee supply chain, a view of cultivation to the cup. The whole process must be embraced. Another important objective is sustainability for the environment, farmers, and raw material.”
An American who discovered an Italian soul, does Italy recognize the merit?
“Last year we participated with the Comitato dei Cento and an award was given to La Marzocco “ In onore dell’ Italia che ci onora”. This award was not taken for granted. The award rewards excellent corporate culture and its leaders. A philosophy that we try to pass on to the new generation of leaders at La Marzocco.”
And your relationship with Florence, since it is the birthplace of La Marzocco?
“For me, Florence and La Marzocco go hand in hand. Many people may not know the history of the brand, why the Bambi brothers chose to stay in Florence. They were very proud of the city and chose the symbol of the lion statue made by Donatello for the company, the Marzocco lion.
I never thought the company would grow and become so well known. I remember when we participated in the first HOST in Milan. We had a small stand with only two people, adjacent to larger manufactures. Today, the growth exceeds my expectations, and this included the US, where we were even smaller.”
It was a turning point against other players.
“La Marzocco, as a company, has always followed its own unique and particular path. Far from the commercial epicenter of Italy, Milan. La Marzocco found a way to do things at her beat, not looking to others for guidance.
The goal has always been to maintain that commitment, that vision that has distinguished us since the beginning of this grand adventure, both as manufacture and humans. It has become a gorgeous passion.”
made in Italy
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Stats/Setup: I'm 6'1" and about 162 pounds as of this demo. I rode the Burton Mystery 158 with Salomon Dialogue boots (men's 9.5) and Burton Malavita bindings at Mt. Hood Meadows.
The Ride: This is the lightest board I've ever ridden. That translates into increased maneuverability in all situations. It helps get edge-to-edge quickly (along with the Flying V profile and narrow waist). Even when you are out of position, you can get back into position quickly and easily. You never have to muscle this board around, you just sort of put it where it needs to be. It actually feels like the board isn't there at times, in the air and in powder, for example. It's a surreal feeling.
On landings the Mystery feels damp to the point of tinny deadness. It slaps down like an aluminum pan on a granite countertop. When you match transitions, it's a thing of beauty.
The mid-flex of the Mystery, along with the Flying V allows for great presses and impressive pop for a rockered board. You can also slash like a fiend and get the board back under you with a quickness.
I confess I didn't hit any rails and I didn't really get it up to speed. I was too busy bobbing through trees, where this board shines. It floats fine, but I didn't find anything deeper than a knee-capping drift or two.
One last thing, if you demo this board, try to make it the last one of the day. Anything you ride after it will feel heavy and sluggish. Sorry Burton Juice Wagon, I can't even give you a fair shake.
Head on over to Burton for all the gory deets.
Bottom Line: It's light and expensive. I could never spend $1500 on a snowboard (short of tripping over a duffle bag full of gold) but if you've got the means, and you want to walk on the moon, this is your board.
Similar Boards: Yeah right.
Written by BoredYak at 8:11 PM
6 comments:
Josh November 22, 2013 at 11:28 AM
They still using the honey comb core design on these? I owned two Burton T6's(originally 800-900$) with the aluminum honey comb core, fastest, lightest most maneuverable boards I've ever ridden, to bad they got damaged so easily......oh well they look great when their backlit on a wall since you can literally see through them.
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BoredYak November 22, 2013 at 12:47 PM
A combination of the technicians not knowing and Burton being secretive has me scratching my head as to what's inside this thing. My guess is lots of carbon and air. I never rode a T6, but heard some high praise. If Burton does another demo day, I'm either going to try to ride the Mystery all damn day or just not even ask about it. Once was enough. It could ruin me if I get used to it.
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Anonymous December 12, 2013 at 7:49 PM
I'm new to snowboarding and I'm ready to buy my own board but don't know where to start. I'm 6'2 220 currently and going down every couple weeks. Had back surgery and finally getting back in shape. I'll be about 205 when I'm back to pre surgery shape. I wear a size 12. Any help would be much appreciated!
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Anonymous December 17, 2013 at 8:49 PM
This is a great board without breaking the bank too bad. For the boards that are for bigger guys.....this is the shi$#@!
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BoredYak December 15, 2013 at 1:44 PM
Anonymous, I'd start at your local snowboard shop. They will be able to give you a good idea of the types of boards to look at based on your size and where you ride. Be honest with the shop workers and yourself. Get yourself quality gear and it should provide you many years of fun. Also, check out the events calendar at your local mountain. You might be able to find a demo day to try out a board before you buy. Also, many demo centers will charge around $40 for a demo board for the day (as opposed to the rentals, which aren't nearly as good). If you end up buying, they might knock that $40 off the sale price. Good luck and have fun.
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Anonymous December 17, 2013 at 8:53 PM
I bought the Mystery Flying V last year in January. A lot of money for a snowboard......but i have to say....well worth it. Unbelievable in transition and all out down hill nuking. Feels so light and smooth under my feet i actually had to change my stance because I got so relaxed I got too surfy and a little bump took my legs out from under me at about 40mph. Not good. lol
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Our authors research and recommend the best products. Learn more about our process. We may receive a commission on purchases made from our links.
By Tom Demers
Learn more about our editorial process.
Updated: October 14, 2022
I know it makes me sound like kind of a psycho nerd, but I LOVE keyword research.
I’m starting to HATE keyword difficulty metrics, though.
Even SEO tool providers will tell you to take any metrics or grades with a grain of salt. “Directionally indicative” is a phrase I use a lot when it comes to most non-revenue / lead / traffic SEO KPIs. They’re telling you how competitive the first page is, you may not be able to rank number 1 even in a low difficulty SERP, etc. etc. etc.
BUT – at the risk of going very get-off-my-lawn here – it wasn’t always this way!
Years ago, if you found a high volume search term with a low keyword difficulty according to tools like Ahrefs, Moz, or SEM Rush (but especially Ahrefs), my experience was that you could reliably get even new sites with relatively few links to start to rank for that term pretty quickly. It almost felt like a cheat code.
I don’t feel like that’s remotely the case anymore!
I’ve been seeing this more and more recently, but what spurred me to write this post is that I was listening to a terrific episode of the Niche Pursuits podcast with Anne Moss recently:
She made the point that it seems to be harder than ever to find low keyword difficulty terms these days, and that when you do they’re often much more “difficult” than the metrics would lead you to believe.
They discussed some great theories on why this is the case:
SEO tools got very good at unearthing these types of terms, so everyone using the tools is rushing after the same types of terms.
Affiliate sites that got hit in previous core updates are pivoting from best / review terms to informational terms.
The problem is more pronounced in niches that people like (they used the example of pets on the podcast) because everyone starting out with niche sites jumps into pets or something similar due to the fact that they’ve been told to “write about what they love.”
Regardless of why, it does seem like low KD is less predictably “easy” for new or lower authority sites.
Most SEOs (myself included) will perk up when they see a relevant term with healthy search volume and keyword difficulty scores like this:
Green means GO, right?
Before you go building dunk calculators and reviewing shoes on your new basketball site, lets take a look and actually analyze one of these actual SERPs:
This was a KD 1 keyword! There are some wildly authoritative sites here! The Hoops Geek is in here with “only” a few thousand linking domains, but it’s still a DR 43 and highly relevant. If you have a brand new site, good luck sneaking in here (pun intended gang!).
A lot of these keywords are along the same lines.
I won’t even get into what the SERP looks like on mobile (so many images in the SERP!):
I had to scroll a full screen’s-length down 4 (!) times before I got to the Hoops Geek listing.
(I guess I did get into what the site looks like on mobile after all so I lied: sorry everyone).
Google cramming ads and features into your SERPs is nothing new (I’ve even written about it before and my all time favorite SEO blogger was writing about and predicting this eons ago) but if your site is new or link-poor, it’s even more egregious when paired with tons of high authority sites swamping what are supposed to be lower difficulty SERPs.
“Well that’s an eCommerce SERP Tom, they’re not all like that.”
Reasonable point, Imaginary Devil’s Advocate! Let’s look at some other search results.
The poor B2B keywords never get any shine in these posts with examples of keywords (its always pets!).
That changes now.
(Need to find someone else to pitch I guess)
I will admit: I work a lot in both B2B and consumer SERPs, and I see examples like the Puma Clyde All Pro highlighted above in general, consumer-oriented SERPs all the time. I see it play out like that exactly less in B2B SERPs.
Another thing I’ve noticed with these “low KD” SERPs is that you often have several very authoritative sites taking the top spots, with a “token” low DA site or two sneaking in in position 5 or position 8 or something.
Almost like Google is telling the algo to sprinkle a few of these in in case they get called out on only featuring high authority sites.
The reality is that while this is “low difficulty” it almost feels like you have to rank in one specific spot (like having to rank number 1 or be on the 2nd page, but without the benefit of the traffic a number 1 ranking gets). In other words: while there are technically 8 or 9 sites on the first page, only one site in your “neighborhood” authority-wise is going to graduate onto the first page.
And larger sites are coming for all of your super-low-difficulty-niched-down-keywords more and more, too. Especially in competitive niches (like pets!):
The above query leads to another somewhat recent reality where certain types of queries (like those that deal with human or pet health) seem to have an even higher authority threshold and/or the low authority sites that are “allow in” to a SERP are of a very specific type.
For instance you may have a term show as low difficulty, but the “low authority” (in terms of linking domains) results are all veterinary clinics. So while the keyword difficulty metric is low, it’ll still be very difficult for your new site to rank.
“We get it Tom: you’re old, and things were better before, and SERPs are more competitive. So what?”
Settle down, Imaginary Devil’s Advocate.
But, you do have a point. So what? What should you change or do about all of this?
Keyword difficulty metrics are still really useful (I use them every day). Here are two core things you can do with them:
Use them as a starting point for finding low competition keywords. Take your core topic and competitor sites, etc., sort by low difficulty (start with literally 0 and work your way up – even the 0-5 level may be impossible for newer sites these days!) then go term-by-term and look at the SERPs.
Use them as a guide for terms to target for a more authoritative site. As your site is older and more authoritative you can obviously target different terms. Use the difficulty metrics, the estimates of how many links you’ll need, your own feel for the difficulty levels of terms you usually rank for, as well as SERP analysis to help choose your targets.
Beyond that, you may need to reconfigure your approach more broadly. There are a lot of ways to win at SEO. This reality presents some different options:
Build More Links – If you have enough really high quality links on an old enough domain you can be one of the 8 or 9 instead of the 1 in some of the scenarios outlined above. Or, you’ll be much more likely to get that one open slot for a site with 2-10k linking domains.
Dig Deeper – You can find ways to get even more granular with your keyword research to find terms that are low difficulty in more than KD scores alone (I’ll have more on this in a future post).
Be More Patient – If you have the wherewithal (I say this a lot – again because I’m old – but that’s the first time I’ve written it out and had to Google it: wild spelling) can go deep on topic clustering and build topical authority, even if everything in the cluster isn’t something you can hope to rank for right away.
Do Both! – Focus is great and works very well for lots of people in online publishing and SEO, but you can also take a hybrid approach and build more links while working working harder to dig deep and find some low difficulty topics.
I get that telling you to “build more links” and “find better keywords” in a post about SEO is like being the youth sports coach who tells his players they need to “score more points” or “play better defense.” I really do.
SO I’ll have some more tactical posts on each of those topics in the coming weeks.
Tom has over ten years of experience in search engine marketing, including as the Director of Marketing for search marketing software provider WordStream, Inc. Prior to working at WordStream, he was an in-house SEO specialist and SEO Manager, worked as an SEO consultant for a search engine marketing agency, and has done independent organic and paid search engine marketing consulting for numerous clients. Tom lives about a half hour outside of Boston. You can get in touch with Tom via Email at tom at MeasuredSEM dot com, or you can follow him on Twitter @TomDemers.
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One year my family moved to the city, I of course had to change schools and went to a new bigger middle school. I met a girl there a few days after I started, I was so excited to have a friend in the new school. After a few days she got really cold and eventually the friendship fell apart. I don’t know exactly at what point I revealed I was Christian, but after the friendship split she hated me with a passion.
This was not your everyday hatred, she always had a hatred for my religion, even if I wasn’t paying attention to her she would come up to me insulting my belief in God. I pissed her off even more when I didn’t pay attention and continued believing and loving God. One of her friends even approached me and said that she may act like she hates me, but she does not hate me as much as her friend does.
I believe that she was wiccan or practiced some type of black magic. She still hates me up to this day about 7 years later. I found her on Facebook just to see how she would react, of course she reacted negatively and I haven’t contacted her since. After thinking on it I knew that this was no regular hatred and now I have the feeling that she may have been possessed and just the thought of me believing in God disgusted her. Coincidentally she has the same birthday as me (which makes it even more strange).
Asked by TrueHeart
Possibly Related Posts:
How Am I Supposed to Believe in a Deity?
Rising of the Saints when Jesus Died?
Who Was Enoch and Why Was the Book of Enoch Excluded from the Bible?
What Was the Difference Between the Magic Performed by Moses and the Pharaoh’s Sorcerors?
Why Did Judas Act so Strangely?
3:07 pm on September 3, 2011
This, quite frankly, I am not sure this is a paranormal problem or a case of possession. To me, she just sounds like a very mean spirited individual who has a real problem with God. Now, I don’t think this person doesn’t believe in God, just despises Him for whatever reason. For the record, not all Wiccans are like that, and Wiccans actually do believe in a higher power(or many!) and do not believe in the devil, So you really can’t say she s Wiccan(can’t say she isn’t either.) With Wicca, it is all about your intentions. My point is, really, you can’t label her because you don’t really know.
I have one important question for you; why would you, after seven years, even bother to seek this individual out? That is really the strange thing and one thing I do not understand. You seem, from your comment, to be a very nice person who is strong in her beliefs; why would you even need or want to associate with such an individual?!! She appears to me, to only bring you grief, and obviously by searching her out on Facebook, you have found that she has not changed. Why even obsess about her?! You could make so many new and wonderful friends who will “accept” you for who YOU ARE and not descriminate against you for your beliefs. In my opinion, this individual is just not worth your time, and not even worth wasting a thought over!!! And whether or not she is possessed or not is not really your concern unless she is threatening your safety or your life! And if so, then I think you need to seek other help or even cal the police. Good luck and I sinserely do believe you are a much better person who deserves better friends than her! Best of Luck and May God’s Pure Light surround and protect you.
6:57 pm on September 3, 2011
I doubt the lady was possessed, she probably just didn’t like Christians. Plenty of people are very prejudiced about things they do not understand, and will bear grudges into forever, for no good reason. It’s very sad, but it is not possession that makes this happen, just unhappy human attitudes.
Her behaviour was that of a bully, and at the beginning she might have thought you were someone she could impress – so that you would think she was wonderful – but when you didn’t do that, she changed her mind and decided to torment you instead.
As strange as this might sound – thank her (in your mind) for helping you be a stronger person, for teaching you how NOT to treat other people, and forgive her for the pain she caused you, and the confusion you felt over the whole situation. In those ways she has done you a huge amount of good. And then let her go. There is no reason for you to think about the situation again, unless its because you are grateful for her help. We can punish ourselves in the strangest ways when we hang on to painful experiences from our past.
Anonymous
7:39 pm on September 4, 2011
Everyone choses a path in this life…there are only two. Either we walk in the darkness or we walk in the light. Those who walk in darkness do so of their own accord and will reap as they sew my friend. Continue to walk in the light,help others along the way as you’re able, but never compromise your soul by reaching into that darkness yourself. Continue to voice your love for Christ and he will one day voice his love for you to the father.Stay strong in Christ Jesus my friend! HE IS the way, the truth, AND the Light!
7:53 pm on September 4, 2011
We all have to make choices in this lifetime…the most important of those is whether to walk in the darkness or in the light. Im thankful to hear that you chose the latter..I am so sorry that your former friend did not. Hopefully she and her friends will find their way to Christ. As a Christian, you cannot conceive of the contempt those who walk in shadow have for you..you are fortunate not to understand it. You may recall some stories from the bible about the hatred Satan has for mankind? Read Psalm 1 and be at peace.
9:38 pm on September 4, 2011
She could have been wronged by a christian. Or she might just hate the god in the bible. I myself dont like the way the bible represents god.
11:30 pm on September 5, 2011
I had a man who was Irish good looking but hated my christian beliefs. he liked me but always argued about Jesus or God. He still is after me to date him but he screams and yells like a crazy man so forget it. he was Muslim. He now emailed me and said he goes to Church. I think he really is evil he hates all priests they are perverts he said. He said all doctor and nurses are witches. He hates Christians with a passion. Now he has converted to be a christian I doubt it he is pure evil
10:50 am on September 6, 2011
Simply put: People fear what they don’t understand. Try and explain it to them, and they may get hostile. Shine by showing them their opinion really doesn’t matter much to you and they will become outright ignorant at times.
I had a “friend” once in middle school (actually, he did the same stuff in highschool, too). At the beginning of every year back at school, he would very loudly ask me “so, you still believe that ‘God stuff?’” in front of anyone he could in an attempt to embarrass me.
I also had a friend that was into witchcraft. She was fine as long as people were asking her about her beliefs…….if you had a theological conversation with me, she would get “bored by all the God talk” and leave (and was sometimes quite spiteful in words as a result).
Sounds like a simple case of “cool” governing the life of an impressionable mind. You seemed to care more about your relationship with God then being cool, and I commend you for that (it’s the way it should be)……but I don’t think the person is possessed. I think they simply likes the lime-light. But with you “shining”, you keep cutting in on her turf.
She’ll figure out she’s not that cool, in the grand scheme of things…..as you’ll find that friends come and go. You get as old as me and you realize the only friends worth keeping are the ones that absolutely refuse to go away.
4:30 am on September 9, 2011
Don’t think it is strange for others to despise you because of your faith. There was a man named Saul that persecuted Christians, sending many to their death. Saul was well known, and feared by many. At some point, Saul had an encounter with God, and Saul was converted. His new name was Paul. Paul became an apostle of Jesus Christ, and went on to establish many churches throughout the world as it was known then. Paul eventually had to lay down his life, because of his faith.
Christians do not have to subject themselves to other’s harsh words or behavior. We should also know that it is up to us to choose what we will be subjected to…, unless of course Christians are being persecuted…, and persecution would ultimately lead to death. No one knew this better than the man named Saul. Saul was well known in Christian circles as something like a judge and a minister of death.
We live in a world of good and evil. Adam and Eve surely understood this. Hatred is a very dark and powerful emotion. The flip side is Love. Don’t hide your light under a bushel.
Keith J
12:57 pm on January 19, 2012
Also, remember this; if you live in America, a LOT of people are getting upset at us because many think we are all Tea Party democrat haters. Stupid, but look at how the members use Jesus as a political ‘movement.’ I love Jesus, am Christian and glad of my faith. It is indeed a shame for religion to become politicized like it has been in the last 4 years. Her parents my be part of those beliefs that we are all nuts and want to take over the world! LOL 7 years ago there were also TV preachers still getting themselves into deep trouble by their actions. Just a thought… for some one bad apple ruins the whole barrel.
2:41 pm on January 19, 2012
Sometimes people have been very hurt by a religion, or religious person and they can hate all people that are of that faith. I knew someone who had a baby that died from SIDs and a priest told her that the baby was not in heaven because it had not been christened. So she hated Christians.
You never know what makes someone feel or act the way they do.
A lot of very evil things have been done in the name of God.
If you just respect their religion and love them as they are, that is sometimes the best thing you can do.
2:44 pm on January 19, 2012
I feel very sorry for the one who lost their baby and YEAH it makes me angry when a priest (or anyone) says something hurtful and WRONG like that but that is no rational reason to hate an entire group of people. That is called prejudice and is the same as racism and bigotry.
Keith J
3:08 pm on January 19, 2012
But isn’t blaming God and believers of today, who are not in an inquisation, or killing towns off in the name of God, the SAME thing as blaming todays white people for slavery in America? Makes no sense at all!
There are many screwed up individuals: Christian, Muslim, buddhists, wiccan, and athiests. Insanity follow no religion. As for the Old Testament? Thousands of years ago!
Most people kill in the name of Greed, and their religion has not much to do with it… except in the middle-east, where hatred and intolerance is not Godly at all.
I wholeheartedly disagree with the blanket statement the we christians are fools/blind/historically evil people because of what previous things in the past have been done – using God as an excuse. He wasn’t behind the murders of thousands, His followers that twisted it up were. I too, am tired of defending my God, when I cannot
see any God in these actions commited in THIS world… today. We are peaceful as anyone else by and large.
I feel very symathetic with this young lady who asked this question.
Keith J
3:11 pm on January 19, 2012
I’m not complaining at everyone, obviously, but only those who seem to hate, yet swear they don’t. lol
3:12 pm on January 19, 2012
OK gotcha and I am in complete agreement!
3:11 pm on January 19, 2012
Yes you are 100% correct Keith
“I wholeheartedly disagree with the blanket statement the we christians are fools/blind/historically evil people because of what previous things in the past have been done using God as an excuse.”
What blanket statement are you referring to? I mean where?
Keith J
3:21 pm on January 19, 2012
The same old thing people in America have been saying for the last 3 decades. Social changes happening so quickly that those who traditions, faith based, conservative, are somehow the ‘real’ bad guys. It’s everywhere on tv. We are all said to be Republicans, etc. I’m not, though. One christian ‘true’ nutcase says something stupid (i.e., the junk I hear from Tea Party hardcores) or a televangelist – all of whom I cannot stand, as they are not a representation of the ‘norm,’and people come out in hoards on tv all too eager to point out the killings in the name of God/Christ, etc.
I’m just asking ‘why, exactly’ do they do that?
Are we just easy targets?
3:29 pm on January 19, 2012
Well, I believe it is because the powers that be need to get rid of God and make Christians look like fools because they want to trash the constitution and remove our rights and freedoms. You see they want to get to a point where people say the Constitution is garbage because it bases our rights and freedoms on a non existent God. That is why, in my opinion, it seems to be a captial crime to offend anyone except for Christians you can feel free to offend them all you like. Just my take on things
4:57 pm on January 19, 2012
Keith, you are wonderful .. but humanity is not Peaceful. These days the average person is fearful, fretful and angry. They hide from each other, protect what they have fiercely and suffer flashes of road rage etc .. and are encouraged to think like that by the ‘powers that be’, and not just politicians. Let’s talk about the war on terrorism .. or better yet, let’s NOT talk about it. Let’s invent ‘facts’ and spread lies so clever that people doubt their own eyes. Let’s find ‘reds in our beds’ and jihads in our cookie jars. Dear God. We are not encouraged to Love One Another .. no way, let’s ‘fear’ our neighbour because they might steal everything we have, or poison us with the free food they would have delivered when we are sick, if we’d spent any time getting to know them when we moved into the neighbourhood in the first place. The media is no longer to be trusted .. truth in advertising .. gone out the window .. truth in newspapers, don’t make me laugh. If there’s no war today, we’ll create one, no drama we’ll invent one .. so much for peace.
You want a rant .. I can go on for hours.
Where is God in this mess? Does he have his hands over his eyes? Nope, he’s doing what he promised he would do .. love us all like a good father .. but an absent one. Sends chocolates occasionally and then hurricanes the next time, if you believe that God interacts in the world, which I don’t.
Humanity is capable of so much good, so much love .. but it means we have to step outside our little protective states of fear and take chances on being hurt – mind, body and spirit .. and some people do this .. 100,000′s of them, only in a population of billions is it anywhere enough?
What does it cost to love? You can have your heart ripped out, or it certainly feels like that .. but don’t close the door on Love, or on God, just because some idiot interprets something in a way you don’t like, agree with, or want to do. Guess what, mates, this gift of free will comes with one rule .. love one another .. because when you do, you become responsible for what happens to yourself and others. Big ask huh? …. profane word. LOL
Seems hypocritical to sign off with Love & Peace .. but I do wish it for everone
Keith J
3:29 pm on January 19, 2012
Glad you aren’t offended at my minor rant. lol! I rarely do such a thing. Was watching CBN the other day, and was disgusted. Then watched HNN and was distgusted…
Keith J
3:35 pm on January 19, 2012
Gotta say, The Patriot Act has gone a long way in trashing the Constitution, IMO. Folks just hate that the Declaration Of Independece says “God” so many times.
3:39 pm on January 19, 2012
There is nothing patriotic about that act, it is just another step on the way to a one world order. Did you know that Mark Twain complained about the governments discussions and plans for a one world order back in the late 1800s? He sure did, its not a new thing at all…..
If you are arrested they can say you are a terror suspect and out go all your maranda rights and due process. Too many people accepted what happened (and is still happening) at “Gitmo” without understanding that American citizens are next for the same treatment.
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Writing what we know is not writing what has happened to us, but rather writing through the lens of what has happened to us.
A lot of writing advice is really useful — “show, don’t tell”, “kill your darlings”, and “write every day” have been pretty clear and reliable to me. However, one piece of writing advice that never failed to confuse me was “write what you know.” This convenient phrase sounds easy in the moment, whether you read it from a list of writing tips or a mentor urges you onward with an inspiring tone.
“Ah,” you think. “Of course. Write what I know — what else would I write?”
It’s not until you’re sitting in front of a blank screen, the blinking cursor taunting you, that you realize how terribly unclear this advice is. The barrage of questions starts:
What do I know? Do I write about my life? Do I write about the books and poetry I’ve read? Have I read the right authors? Do I know enough about my subject? Do I even know anything?
The doubt starts to creep in. Writers have complicated, full lives, right? They’re artists, so they have to be tortured, or worldly. I have so much life I haven’t lived! What do I possibly have to offer?
Over time, I have come to find that this deceptively simple saying is pretty misleading. For me, it has more to do with perspective. Writing what we know is not writing what has happened to us, but rather writing through the lens of what has happened to us. In other words, we write with the eyes through which we see the world.
The best way I can illustrate this is to have you picture a simple scene: a horse runs through a field.
Picture it. Really picture it, every last detail, like you are living it right there and now. Got it?
Here’s what I see: A black horse gallops through a field of overgrown and wild grass. The sunlight ripples on it like on the vast ocean. It’s distant and yet the earth vibrates as it thunders past, the center of everything. Then it’s gone.
I’m willing to bet that’s not what you saw, because that’s not what you know. The colors of that (very short) story were impermanence and vastness and darkness and light. The colors of your story were likely something different, but beautiful nevertheless.
I hope that makes “write what you know” a little clearer. If not, don’t be afraid to write a little of what you don’t know, just as long as you’re writing something.
"From the Center" showcases William & Mary Writing Resources Center consultants as writers. Here we share posts about a variety of writing-related topics, highlighting how our writing connects us more deeply with ourselves and the world around us.
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Aimee Copeland Foundation is partnering with FODAC and AMS Vans to donate Aimee’s used 2012 Honda Odyssey with VMI conversion. Applicants must have a disability and require use of a wheelchair for mobility. See application below for details.
CLICK HERE TO APPLY
Please complete application by February 7, 2019 and submit electronically to [email protected]. Applicants will be notified of decision by March 1, 2019.
Incomplete applications will not be reviewed.
Comments
Trisha Jenkins says
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I have a son that is 31, he was born with spinal bifida, he has a new chair but we have no means of getting it around we would love to win it it would go to real good use.
Ron Combs says
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Good morning. I was recently alerted to your essay contest and wanted to throw my father in laws name in the mix. I’m sure you have many worthy candidates and I don’t envy you having to make a decision. My father in law Steve is an incomplete quadriplegic. He’s a silver star recipient, a Vietnam war veteran and retired postal worker. He has been a caretaker, giver and a servant all his life. October 2017 he took a fall down some steps and his spinal cord was damaged. Multiple surgeries and countless hours of therapy couldn’t remedy his situation. My wife owned a successful business at the time of the accident (he was actually helping her when he fell) and had to close her business to take care of her Daddy. We moved him in with us, got all the medical equipment set up in his room and Amy takes care of him full time, from changing diapers to being up several times a night to catheterize him. We’d appreciate you considering our application
aimeeadmin says
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You must complete the application above to be considered for the van donation.
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Hi Amiee! My name is Vonschiska White. I seen your story tonight on the news and I was touched. It was a blessing to have seen your story because it is very similar to my friend Yolanda Harrison.
I met Yolanda in June 2018 after moving to Atlanta. Yolanda was my leasing agent. We became friends because we were also neighbors. From the first time I met her it was great. Yolanda spirit is so sweet. She is very caring, thoughtful, and just a around beautiful woman.
Yolanda had surgery September 16, 2018. What was supposed to have been a recovery surgery of 4 to 6 weeks, turned out to be longer do to major (life threatening) complications. Yolanda’s large Intestine was cut during her hysterectomy surgery causing Yolanda to be rushed back to the hospital after shortly be discharged. Yolanda flatlined and she was placed on life support. She has had over 7 major surgeries, several on her intestine and skin grafts. She was placed on Dialysis for weeks (currently she is no longer on Dialysis). In a result to this truma, Yolanda had to have both of her hands and feet amputated do to no circulation and to save her life.
After hearing your story, yalls are so similar, just different incidents and cases. When seen your story on the news I got so excited. I said to myself “wow, I can’t wait to she this story to Yolanda…what an inspiration Aimee are”.
If anyone deserves this blessing that you are pass along, it would definitely be Yolanda and I know that she’ll pay it forward.
Yolanda is at the Shepherd’s Center here in Atlanta. She has a long road to go for recovery but after seeing your story I have hope that she will get through this. Not to mention Yolanda was planning her wedding. I feel that she will still go through every plan and every dream that she has ever set before her.
I’d love for you to join me by paying Yolanda a visit at the Shepherd’s Center. I’m confident that you and your story is needed and she’ll love to meet you.
I pray that my message reach you.
John whitehead says
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My wife also had necrotizing fasciitis back in December 28 2015 .7 surgeries 50 days in the hospital . 20 days at a rehabilitation center .7 months in home nursing care. She had her left buttock amputated and portions of her left leg down to her knee. Her medical bills haven’t been paid at this moment.currently over 1 million dollars. We have a lawsuit going but was told not to air her story on the news. It would be a blessing if you would consider us for the vehicle. I’m am also 100% disability from the va for ptsd.
Leslie Bailey says
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I would like to nominate my daughter Morgan Bailey. She was born with Spina Bifida and has been in a wheelchair all of her life. She is very independent with every aspect of her life except for her driving. She went away to college but had to have friends drive her everywhere. We would drive to college and pick her up when she wanted to come home. She is now home and is going to MAC beauty institute so she can better her life. She would love to do makeup for movies and TV. The hard part is that I drive her everyday to school. I also work so I get up two hours early so I can take care of my mother before I leave to take Morgan to school, then I go to work. It would be a Godsend if she was able to receive this gift. Then she would be very independent and she would be unstoppable.
Thank you for this opportunity.
aimeeadmin says
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Morgan sounds like she would be a perfect recipient. I look forward to reading her application!
Jo Ann Jenkins says
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My friend, Delores Lawhorn, needs the handicap van, announced on WSB-TV, this morning, January 10, 2019. She weighs 407lbs, and uses her wheelchair to manuever to her porch; and with much assistance stepping down 3 (three) steps, she is able to get to a vehicle. She awaits the arrival of her son to transport her, even to the grocery store. Recently, she was diagnosed with cancer and has the aid of portable oxygen. Having her own van, would allow her the freedom and indepedence she needs in getting to and from doctor appointments and other places. She adopted a Special Needs child 27 years ago and needs to escort him to doctor appointments, as well. She cannot afford to buy a vehicle.
Please consider her as the candidate for the van you are generously donating.
Thank you.
aimeeadmin says
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Please encourage her to complete the application above!
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Hello, does this van give way have to be an adult with this disability or can it be for a child with a disability because my son is 3 and is in dire need for one.
aimeeadmin says
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Parents can apply too!
Jeanette Majors says
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I am nominating my son and daughter-in-love. They have 2 sons, 9 and 7 who has been diagnose with DMD. Duchene Muscular dystrophy. The oldest has to travel to Pensacola once a week for infusion , for a study, and we are praying this helps slow down the progression of his muscles loosing strength. We are waiting on a power wheelchair for the older one and the only way they have to transport it is in the back of my sons truck. If they had a van it would make it easier for us to take them to school and to his appointments once a week. They do have a chair at school and some of the older boys wheel them around. A handicap Van would allow them to make the trips and go to some of the fun raisers that the DMD community has. Please consider them if not , we know God will provide. He has gotten them this far and we know he will carry us through. God Bless you and seeing your story has helped handicap people know they can do anything with God’s help.
Sue Duginske says
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My daughter is 30 years old and was born with spina bifida , she has been in a wheelchair all her life . We have bought 2 vans from private parties and neither one lasted more than 8 months . She works at walmart and sure would benefit from an accessible van.
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My daughter was diagnosed with MS in 1999. She has fallen and broken her legs 3 times which required surgery 3 times and has screws/metal plates in each leg. Shavonne is 43 now and is no longer ambulatory. She was a cheerleader, played tennis, avid dancer and long distance runner. In SPITE of her limitations and lack of mobility she graduated with a masters in mass communications; however, she can’t work because she could not afford a vehicle with hand controls so she lives on a disability check. She has totaled 2 cars because her arms/feet weren’t quick enough to stop the car. Shavonne is scheduled for surgery on her legs again on 11JAN and would like to begin to make a contribution to society and encourage those who have the same diagnosis. She has a wheelchair just like the one you use but no car.Thanks for any consideration and congratulations on all you’ve accomplished.
Alias Roy says
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I saw you on the news and i wish i had as much resilience as you, I’m currently going through a situation that I never foresaw myself in and seeing you on the news showed me as powerless as I may feel it could be ≈ or worse. GOD bless you in all that you do. Keep the faith so people like me can. †
Elizabeth says
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I have a 13 year old son with spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy. Hes getting a power chair and a manual wheelchair soon. My van is older and very little room. I could really use another can for him to get around.
Kyesha Payne says
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Hello my name is kyesha Payne I read your story are you are amazing I have a 13 year old son name Ourss’meek Payne
who was recently diagnosed with (MDM) Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy in 2009 this changed his life dramatically he had a very active life playing basketball, swimming,running, playing, walking, and doing things a normal kid would do.
In result of this horrible disease my son was diagnosed with my son isn’t able to stand or walk by himself he is restricted to a wheelchair my son has battled major depression because of this life changes which also began to take a major toll on the family as well , we couldn’t go out and do normal thing because lack of transportation it’s been hard to transport him back and forth places due to being a single parent i have to lift him up out his chair to put him in a regular vehicle myself and thats been taking a major toll on my muscles and body i have 2 others sons (Twin boys) besides him and they often wonder why they brother isn’t able to run and play with them.
Ourss’meek has came to terms with his disease for years i have been trying to get enough money up to purchase a wheelchair accessible van so i can be able to get my son to and from places as a mother i sometimes feel helpless because im unable to provide a safe reliable means of transportation for him my son means the world to me and i know that he deserves to be able to do normal things with us as a family without having to be limited i feel like my family would benefit highly from this vehicle because i would be able to transport him to and from doctors appointments and therapy.
The van will be used to transport ourss’meek and my two other sons to and from places with having to struggle, I believe that this would change our lives for the better and it will be greatly used for the use of my son needs.
As a mother i’ve faced many challenges but never to this degree i’ve been trying to work hard and get one on my own i haven’t reached my goal yet due to some unexpected life changes but i won’t give up and i sincerely hope you guys could make my son happy with blessing our family with this vehicle it would really light up his world and bring some form of joy to him .
aimeeadmin says
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Thank you for sharing your story! Please complete the application, posted in the blog above, to be considered for the van!
Theresa Garza says
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Before applying can you post more pictures of the vehicle and the lift? It may not fit the needs. We have before, we are in desperate need of a van but it needs to fit our needs as well.
aimeeadmin says
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The vehicle is currently being worked on and refurbished so I do not have access to it. If you Google “2012 Handa Odyssey VMI Northstar Conversion” you should be able to see the in-floor ramp that deploys from the passenger door. The van also has zero effort steering, a transfer seat in the driver’s side, and both front seats are removable. Let me know if you have any specific questions.
Randi Conard says
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Good Morning, I also had a question about the van if I may. Is the ramp and the door automatic? And is it set up for a wheelchair bound person to drive from there chair? And is it possible to tell us how many miles there is on the van? Thank you for your time in this matter.
Angie Drane says
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What if I don’t have my license yet? I’m currently working on getting it. Can I still apply?
aimeeadmin says
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We must have a copy of a Driver’s License for the person who will be driving the vehicle. If there is someone who will be driving you until you get your license, you can submit theirs.
Edith Bowie says
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Hello Aimee Copeland Foundation, Please consider me for the free wheelchair accessable van. I have been diagnosed with inflammatory myositis (muscle weakness). I need a wheelchair accessable van to transport me to my doctor appointments, church and other medical requirements. I am a retired 75 year old person and cannot afford the cost of a wheelchair accessable van or a seat conversion van on my retirement income. I have missed many medical appointments because I can no longer afford to pay to rent wheelchair vans to get me to the many doctor appointments and lab work appointments. Due to my full body weakness, I have fallen and fractured my petella, tore the connecting muscles requiring surgery to repair. My daughters drive and assist in getting me to where I need to go. Hoping to hear from you.
Joseph L. Perry says
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Aimee this is a very generous and loving gesture that you’re extending to someone even with the very bad and tragic circumstances that you have encountered. I have MS and I am confined to a wheelchair although I haven’t always been. A few years ago I had the opportunity to meet and briefly converse with this positive and energetic young lady at the Shepherd Center as I was entering. She was sitting there at the pain clinic aggressively flipping through her tablet – with no arms,determined,undeterred but still had a certain look of happiness or contentment . That spirit was infectuous- that person with the tablet was you. I was the person coming in that spoke with you and admired your positive realistic spirit.I happily shared my experience with all others that were receiving treatment for their MS and other difficulties at Shepherd.
Keep finding that ray of light that you possess and willingly share.
Kenneth Seymore says
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My son was born with Arthrogryposis. We currently have a 1998 side load that we’ve been patching up for years. With him being wheelchair bound, we use the van for everything. There was a point where it was in a shop at least 4 – 5 times a year. Needless to say it’s been a costly adventure to keep it up. He’s super active and attends a lot of organizations that help special needs and undiagnosed people. He had a very important role in the development of the Play For All Abilities Playground. He loves bowling, horseback riding, WWE and spending time with friends and family. His outlook on life is simply amazing. Almost never upset and always wants to help me around the home when he can.
Kimberly Bauer says
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Dear Aimee and Foundation and
all others involved,
I am thrilled and excited beyond belief to send you this packet.
You will find attached:
The application, My medical as the second sheet continuing the question regarding my health status. I have so many diagnoses I am sending the list per the last hospital stay in December, a copy of my 2019 increase to $2165.00 from Social Security Disability and a copy of my drivers license. Unfortunately, I have been unable to drive since 2007 (hopefully I will be able to take my license and drive again if I am Blessed with winning)
You will also find my daughter Jessica Griffith’s drivers license as well as her last 3 paystubs as we all live together. Her husband Jason Griffith would also be a driver, so you will find a copy of his drivers license too.
You will need to open the PDF’S to review them.
Thanking you all for reviewing my packet and if you need anything else feel free to call me on my home number
Janice says
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A precious lady, Ms. Rosynek, was busy working on trimming her backyard shrubbery as she always did – working on her impeccably manicured yard. She was on a step ladder attempting to reach a high brand, when she tumbled over her fence severely injuring her spinal code and paralyzing her from the neck down – she waited for 3 hours for someone to find her – all the while calling out. She’s been through surgery and has the partial use of her hands somewhat yet utilizes the wheelchair at all times for mobility. She lost her car, home, beloved dogs, etc. and is now living in an assisted living center – looking for an apartment now for her own, which is challenging because most are not wheelchair accessible. Her company has supported her immensely and she works part time on Wednesdays and Fridays there. She also still has rehab at the Shepherd Spinal Center 3 times per week. She would love to become more Independent by driving an accessible conversion van. Why do I feel bad? I just spoke with her today and told her I had heard about your donating the van to someone you deem appropriate. YET, I did not know the deadline was February 7th – I thought it was in March. I have asked Ms. Rosynek to PLEASE apply anyway as she sounded so happy/hopeful when I spoke with her. This lady has stamina, is courageous, and after almost 2 years (this July) she is still receiving rehab 3 times a week at Shepherd – she is not giving up!! Please, please consider Ms. Rosynek for your conversion van for her. Thank you and God Bless You for all that you do and for your immense courage as well!
KJ ROSYNEK says
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My name is KJ Rosynek and I have admired you from the beginning of your new journey. Your positive and uplifting spirit is an inspiration to all. I have passed you in the halls of the Shepherd Center and have wanted to meet you but you have always been talking with other folks and I did not want to disrupt. I had an unfortunate fall from a ladder broke my neck and became a incomplete quad July of 2017. I have been blessed with living in Atlanta and having Shepherd’s help. I am a very independent gal that has never married or had any children. However, I am a very positive person and God is good some movement is back! I lost my house of 21 years, my car and had to find a home for my precious dachshunds kids. The money from my home helped pay for my Beyond Therapy at Shepherd but is now running out. I have also been blessed to still have my job of 14 years but can’t make more then $850.00 due to state regulations. Since I have become disable, I see how expensive it is for everything and I think it is sad. It cost me the majority of what I have to try to get back and forth to Shepherd 3-days a week and work 2-days a week. I usually do not go anywhere on the weekends because I can’t afford transportation. My friend told me about this contest today, but I see I am too late. Thank you for listening to my story and I really hope to see you again at Shepherd.
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We are all born with very intense emotions but with no skills on how to manage them! Social-Emotional learning helps children master how to recognise, respond to, cope with and express their emotions in a healthy manner. Social-emotional learning is key in order for children to be able to flourish, so how can we help them develop these skills?
What is Social-Emotional Learning?
Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) is the process of learning and then applying the skills necessary to manage emotions, have self-awareness, social-awareness and show empathy. These skills are essential for children to develop so that they can form and maintain positive, healthy relationships, build emotional intelligence, make smart decisions and develop perspective-taking and empathy skills.
There are 5 intertwining components to SEL, and the skills developed in one will overlap with other components as well;
Being able to recognise your own emotions and thoughts is a very important skill. Being self-aware involves;
identifying your own emotions
accurate self-perception
recognising your own strengths
improving and having self-confidence
having a growth mindset
Self-Management
Once you can understand your emotions, you need to be able to regulate your emotions and behaviours in various situations. This includes being able to manage impulses, control stress levels, mustering motivation and setting goals.
This is the ability to make positive choices about your own behaviour and social interactions based on morals, ethics, social norms and consideration for oneself and others. Competent decision making also involves;
identifying problems
problem solving
understanding ethical responsibility
Being able to establish and maintain healthy, positive relationships is a key skill in life. This includes being able to;
communicate effectively
manage conflict or disagreement
seek and offer help
empathise with others
being a good team player
knowing how and when to apologise
This often involves being able to apply many different social-emotional skills in diverse situations. So this could be perspective-taking, respecting others, appreciating differences and empathising with those who come from different backgrounds to oneself.
Developing SEL skills is a life-long process but this development can start in very early childhood, potentially even from birth. SEL skills require a lot of work in the pre-frontal cortex and this area of the brain is not fully developed until our mid-twenties, so therefore we have to ensure that the skills we are trying to develop in children are age appropriate. For example, we can't expect toddlers to get involved with life goal setting or having perfect impulse control.
Having strong and competent social and emotional skills has life long benefits. There are statistically significant differences associated with learning these skills at an early age and key outcomes later in adult life. Having competent social and emotional skills is linked with a decreased likelihood of receiving benefits and welfare, lower risk of being associated with criminality and police involvement and a decreased likelihood of spending time in prison.
So what techniques can we use in school to help develop children's SEL skills?
Emotional Coaching
Emotional coaching is the process of supporting a child through an emotional situation by validating, naming and relating to the emotion they may be feeling. Children need to be aware and feel that emotions are normal, that they are important and should not need to be suppressed.
You may like: The Full Guide to Emotional Coaching to Teach Self-Regulation
The 4 steps to emotional coaching are;
Attending to the emotion: just acknowledging that something is wrong.
Name the emotion: label what the child may be feeling so that they can expand their vocabulary around emotions.
Validate the emotion: try to see things from your child's perspective and validate their feelings.
Meet their needs: help the child follow-through with their emotion and meet whatever need they currently have.
Having a calm corner in your classroom can provide a safe space for a child to escape to when they feel dysregulated. Here, you can sit with them and help them self-regulate and you can also fill your calm corner with resources that aid emotional understanding. These could be posters that explore emotions, books that explore SEMH or some sensory toys to help them calm.
The Zones of Regulation framework and curriculum, developed by Leah Kuypers and her team, teaches students scaffolded skills toward developing a meta-cognitive pathway to build awareness of their feelings/internal state and utilise a variety of tools and strategies for regulation, prosocial skills, self-care, and overall wellness. The program starts with early emotional skills and advancing on to self-regulation and navigating social situations.
You can read the complete overview of Zones of Regulation here.
Kids will look up to you for everything. and that includes how you regulate yourself. When children are uncertain of something, they will typically mimic how they see people they trust or feel safe with, so make sure that you know how to regulate yourself.
Be aware of your tone of voice, body language, facial expressions, behaviour etc. When you are supporting a child, be sure to show that you are remaining calm and in control and model healthy ways to cope with stress or frustrating situations.
You may want to also openly share your emotions throughout the day - both positive and negative ones. You could say things like "I'm so excited to be going with you on the trip today." or "I'm frustrated that people are not listening to me right now." This continues to expand children's vocabulary regarding emotions.
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In the areas of educational theory and practice, for over 25 years my close friend and collaborator, Dr. Christine Boyko-Head and I have had an ongoing conversation (hundreds of hours by phone) and not-often-enough varied projects on reflective, creative emergent pedagogy (finding more equitable, empathetic, critical and creative methods in our teaching—and learning), and we have been able to enrich each other’s ideas and work—both individually and collectively.
To get a sense of Chris’ many contributions to original thinking, here is a link to a late draft of her recent article No such thing as just a game: A briefing on 3D-Briefing (included in T&L tab, below). The personal background story she relates caused her entire research and practice to veer off into her present journey and her challenge “No such thing as just a game” did the same for my own, formerly too-skills-based work in movement and theatre…
MIND THE GAP is the title we use for our workshop, research into pedagogy and ongoing consulting. Chris is the Director, I am the chief Collaborator. Much of what we do can be delivered virtually, so we are still interested in working, and are involved together and separately in several projects.
Creativity in Education: Education in Creativity
“MIND THE GAP” or “mining” the gaps in our lives means turning a spotlight into those recesses, or shadowed areas we ignore, step over, or walk away from, but seldom stop to bring into focus. Mining them provides opportunities for reflections that illuminate our ideas, our biases, our misconceptions and can lead to transformative and enriched understandings, relationships, insights, and subsequent actions.
We use a wide range of arts-based, creative-problem solving, thinking preference templates and applied theatre strategies as building blocks for sessions tailored to the needs of each participating group. Our sessions can be: 90 minutes; 3 hours; full day (5-7 hours); 2, 3, 4, or 5-day intensive workshopping. Our work always includes follow-up, to be agreed upon in advance.
Please NOTE: All sessions include:
cognitive, kinetic, creative and affective elements
activities meant to benefit participants, as well as their work/professional spheres
reflection and debriefing are continuously interwoven throughout all activities
WHO WE ARE:
Christine Boyko-Head (Ph.D McMaster) is a Mohawk College professor and curriculum specialist, Creative Education instructor, Foursight Thinking Preferences facilitator, and published author. She has presented nationally and internationally on original research into design thinking in the program quality process
(2016), differentiating instruction through thinking preferences (2017) and applied theatre as a means of enhancing critical thinking and communication skills in remedial communication classes (2018). Her new venture with Glenys McQueen-Fuentes, Mind the Gap Communications, promotes Creativity in Education; Education in Creativity.
Glenys McQueen-Fuentes, B.A. (McGill), Lecoq International Theatre School (Paris), M.Ed. (Brock), is a movement specialist, physical theatre professional, educator and workshop facilitator who has lived and worked in France, New Zealand, Mexico and Canada. Recently retired from Brock University, her areas of research include creative pedagogy, intercultural awareness and Applied Theatre. As Co-Director of DramaSound Projects, she and her composer husband create original, mood-based instrumental music and new methodologies for using music and movement for education, for the arts, and as methods of communication for learning in any context.
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On a bright summer Sunday afternoon my family decided to attend the back to school bash at a friend’s house. The anticipation of this event drew us in, my daughter counting down the seconds until she could swim in the pool with all her friends. As soon as we parked the car, she ripped off her dress like a superhero and underneath emerged a blue peace sign swimsuit. We walked fast, trying to keep up with her pace, as she eyed the swimming pool and all of her new Kindergarten friends. My husband decided to be the swimming martyr for the day and accompanied her to the pool. There are endless variations of high-fives, shrieks, and smiles from all of the five year olds.
I decided to linger behind, making small talk with the mothers, exchanging stories about how our children’s first week of Kindergarten fared. The strawberries and grapes enticed me to get a plate and I placed a piece of fruit in my mouth, while watching my daughter and husband play chicken in the water. Next to me was another mother, who I’ve known for almost three years, someone I enjoyed bantering with about books, our children’s habits, and general observations from life.
We usually talked about really nothing in particular, but that all changed with a single conversation. When she told me, I recall feeling a thin line of sweat dripping from the start of my spine down my back. It was so hot my back was crying. She started the conversation, with “Rudri, I have something to tell you.” She said this with a defined accent, her British roots not lost in her language. There was a small pause before she entered back into her conversation. I thought, in the ten seconds that passed, she was going to tell me, “I am pregnant or we are moving or I am thinking about moving my daughter to another school.”
Those were all likely scenarios based on the friendship we shared. Instead, she told me, “Rudri, I know you will understand and that is why I am telling you. I have a brain tumor and it doesn’t look good. The prognosis is grim.” My poker face always failed me when I needed it the most. I sensed the horror register in my face. And she saw it too. She says to me, “Don’t Rudri.” In that second, I got it. I steered the conversation into hope and the need to shun statistics about various survival numbers. I told her if she needed anything, I would definitely do more than talk, but be wherever she needed me to be and whatever moment. She talked about her children, age 5 and 7, and how she has started to make videos about various things she would like them to know. As she uttered these words, a faint numbness struck my heart and the noise of laughter, the smell of sunscreen betrayed the gravity of this conversation.
I lost my friend Katy almost two weeks ago. We shared many memories. And this is what I remember about her.
I remember sitting with Katy in her favorite Indian restaurant, watching how her fingers weren’t afraid to take another dip into the lentils. We’ve shared many laughs over a plate of Indian food and Ethiopian food. She may have been born in the land of Fish and chips, but she had a deep love of curries.
I remember having discussions under the gazebo of her backyard porch. She would point out her husband’s latest purchase at Costco. She looked like a little girl curled up in her blanket and we would talk about our love of books while our children played on the backyard swing set.
I remember Katy’s resilience during her illness. She didn’t stop moving or let her illness define her. A few weeks after her first major brain surgery, she was climbing on her horse, riding again. When we talked about her riding, she told me, “Riding is the only time I don’t think about what is happening to me.”
I remember Katy’s expression of gratitude. As doctors, nurses, and therapists piled in and out of her room like a mini-traffic jam, no matter what, she always said two words, “Thank You.” Quite fittingly, her last blog post, dated June 25th, was entitled “Thank You” where she graciously thanked family and friends for all their support.
I remember Katy’s love of her children. I put together a slide show for her daughter’s birthday and remember how much she smiled and cried looking at images of her children holding turtles, rabbits, and posing with the parrot. She kept telling me, “Play again.” I saw a mother’s love in her eyes, the laughter and heartache brimming at the bottom of her eyes.
This post is dedicated to my friend Katy. I will never forget the lessons you’ve taught me. Love and miss you.
suzicate on August 22, 2012 at 4:09 am
Oh Rudri, my heart goes out to you and to Katy’s family. It is so difficult losing a friend and so sad in the prime of her life. I lost a dear friend to cancer many years ago…she was like Katy, strong, grateful, and loving.
Rudri on August 22, 2012 at 8:08 pm
Thanks for your condolences. It is difficult especially when it is abrupt and happens way to soon. I appreciate you taking the time out to pay your respects to Katy. It means more to me than you will know. xoxo
Luanne on August 22, 2012 at 8:57 am
Rudri, I’m so very sorry about Katy. What a terrible loss to you and to her family. You’ve written a beautiful tribute to your friend. xoxo
Rudri on August 22, 2012 at 8:09 pm
Thanks for your condolences. I wanted her tribute to reflect who she was, strong, loving, and graceful. Much appreciation for your support. Thank you friend. xoxo
Robin on August 22, 2012 at 9:19 am
I am so sorry that you have lost your friend, Katy. I’m sure that it was very difficult for her to tell anyone about her tumor, but she trusted you. That says a lot about you. And you were there for her throughout her illness. That says a lot about you, too.
Rudri on August 22, 2012 at 8:10 pm
Thanks so much for your compliment. Katy made it easy for me to be her friend. I was often impressed by her grace and her ability to be in the moment knowing what she would face in the future. I appreciate you taking the time to pay your respects. Thanks again.
BigLittleWolf on August 22, 2012 at 11:03 am
Oh Rudri. This is heartbreaking. Much much too soon, as you say.
What a true friend you have been. I am so sorry for your loss.
Rudri on August 22, 2012 at 8:36 pm
Thanks Wolf for paying your respects. It was really easy being Katy’s friend. She taught me so much and I am grateful that I intersected with her. xoxo
Kathy on August 22, 2012 at 6:36 pm
I’m crying as I write this. I am so very sorry for your loss. Big, big Texas sized hugs to you and Katy’s family. You have written a beautiful tribute to your friend. You are a wonderful person and a great friend, Rudri, and I’m sure you were a source of comfort for Katy.
Rudri on August 22, 2012 at 8:41 pm
Thanks for your hugs and warm wishes. I appreciate you taking the time to pay your respects. Katy was easy to love. I was amazed at how many friends came out to support her and her family during her illness. The common denominator was of course Katy.
Hope you and the family are doing well. I will email you soon.
Heather on August 22, 2012 at 7:21 pm
What a wonderful post….and I had almost made it through today without crying about the loss of our friend. Your words on Sunday were beautiful, I know that your friendship meant so much to her.
Rudri on August 22, 2012 at 8:43 pm
I am amazed at the circle of friends that Katy had. You, I know, provided her with so much joy and laughter. Your words were heartfelt on Sunday and I could feel how much you miss her. I am glad my tribute to her resonated with you. Thanks for letting me know.
ayala on August 23, 2012 at 4:26 am
Rudri, I am so sorry for your loss and for Katy’s family. Heartbreaking and so sad.
A beautiful tribute for your friend. I send you strength and hugs.
Rudri on August 23, 2012 at 12:13 pm
Ayala: Thanks for your condolences. I know, unfortunately, that you understand this kind of grief. Appreciate you sending your warmth and hugs my way. xoxo
Cathy on August 23, 2012 at 1:40 pm
Your post hits close to home. A close friend of mine was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in June. He has a 3 yo and a 6 yo – two boys. We’ve shared so many good times together. I can only be positive and hopeful around him and he seems to carry a similar disposition as your friend. If anyone can beat cancer and his horrible prognosis, it would be him – but I fear the worst. I’m sorry for your loss.
Only You on August 23, 2012 at 7:31 pm
Rudri, I am so sorry. This is so heartbreaking, for you and for Katy’s young children and husband and parents…
Maybe it’s timely for me to be reading this now given the summer I have had…I feel I can read and comment on your post from a different place now. I lost, very suddenly, a very young colleague in July and my whole way of thinking about life has shifted…I sit here with a broken leg right now and all I can feel is gratitude that not more was taken.
Thank you for the beautiful post. I didn’t know Katy but her story will stay with me.
Blond Duck on August 27, 2012 at 3:56 am
What a terrible loss of a wonderful person.
Tiffany on August 27, 2012 at 11:59 am
I am so sorry for your loss, Rudri.
Welcome! I am a lawyer turned freelance writer, essayist, and editor. On staff at Literary Mama and the co-founder and co-editor of the literary journal, The Sunlight Press, my essays and reported work have appeared in The Washington Post, The Lily, Saveur, Civil Eats, Brain, Child, ESPN and elsewhere. I am currently at work on a memoir on grief and culture and how it provides perspective on life’s ordinary graces. I invite you to appreciate the ordinary with me. I hope my daily practice of seeing the magic in the mundane helps you celebrate and find more of these moments in your life too. Read More
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Lions and England squad selections for this summer are spoken. The dust has settled. There have been some notable and pleasing inclusions. And yet for every Kyle Sinckler, there is a sinkhole; an equal and opposite reaction to being selected. Where do all those included, leave those unaccounted for. Jones takes a squad to play the Pumas which, we are told, is all about the future. But there are many good, excluded English players who feel they still have a future with England. The recurring and unequivocal question asks, what now?
Let’s start in the back three; a position in which a glut of talent exists. Jones take the likes of London Irish’s Joe Cokanasiga and Saracens’ Nathan Earle to South America, both extremely talented, but for the Saxons last summer Cokanasiga’s club colleague Alex Lewington and Sale’s Mike Haley featured well. So is that them done? I’m pretty sure that they, like most others mentioned in this article, would have seen this summer as another chance to impress. And what of Alex Goode? He might have eyed up this tour as a time to reposition his case. Will he get another chance to impress Jones? Maybe not. Many would have delighted in seeing Denny Solomona’s name on the squad sheet, but what of Semesa Rokoduguni or Marland Yarde? Christian Wade? Really? The man who scored more tries than anyone else this season in the Premiership is done and dusted with England? You could make an argument for Wade’s Wasps ally Josh Bassett being on the plane. What a season he has had, surrounded by all those Coventry galacticos. If Bassett isn’t a bit of England’s future, then who is?
In the centre, it doesn’t get any clearer. There is the Manu Tuilagi topic of conversation. Perhaps for another time. But also Luther Burrell. What does British and Irish Lion Ben Te’o do differently to Burrell? And Ollie Devoto and Sam Hill down in Devon? They were both accomplished Saxons last summer in South Africa: surplus to requirements? And the player of that tour, for me, was Nick Tompkins. A young man whom, when called into action by the indomitable Saracens this season, has been nothing short of excellent. Don’t get me wrong, I am a big fan of Joe Marchant and Sam James. But that doesn’t mean I can’t feel aggrieved on behalf of someone like Tompkins. At 22 years-old, I’d say he’d be nigh on perfect for 2019.
At 10, the inclusion of Piers Francis on EJ’s roster needed a subtitle. For all those pedants, subscribing to the self imposed ‘thou shalt not pick from outside the Prem’, Francis will still, technically, be an Auckland Blue if and when he plays in the summer. Indeed, his inclusion prevents him from becoming a rare gem stone – an Englishman who has played for a foreign based team against the Lions. It also puts the final nail in Danny Cipriani’s coffin. He who was always the other player in the room when EJ talked fly halves. A prodigious talent and, although misfiring for Wasps this term, he coulda woulda shoulda for England.
Staying with Wasps (and they can rightly feel most wronged by what has happened of late), Dan Robson and Joe Simpson have been passed over. How? There are only two tests in Argentina, and you’d suspect Quins’ Danny Care to start both of them, but the Wasps’ nines will have hoped to pack a bag; Exeter’s young and impish Jack Maunder has his rucksack. And whither Ben Spencer? Whenever I see him play for Sarries, I am impressed. He seems to have been around a lot longer but Spencer is still only 24.
In the pack, it gets murkier still. Front row professionals like Kieran Brookes (Saints) and Jake Cooper Woolley (Wasps) have seemingly been cast aside, whilst someone like the 24 year-old Ross Harrison (Sale’s players’ player of the season and selected for the Saxons last summer) also drops from Eddie’s list. Worcester’s Val Rapava Ruskin may have figured but for his push on referee Greg Garner, we will never know. And the Chiefs’ joy for Harry Williams will have been tempered by questions over whether Alec Hepburn would have been there or thereabouts – out for most of the season with injury but such a breath of fresh air last summer; I do hope he can find a way back in. And at hooker, another stinger for the Ricoh Arena, Tommy Taylor seems to have been leapfrogged by another Chief, who himself has struggled with injury this year: Luke Cowan Dickie. I would have placed a fair amount of money on Taylor going to Argentina – what did he do wrong?
In the second row, Bath’s Dave Attwood seems to have had the door closed on him. Whilst his young team mate Charlie Ewels has it left open despite being currently injured. I’d love to have seen Dom Barrow given a go. I think he’s been wonderful for Leicester this term. Meanwhile, Nick Isiekwe, who has played most of his rugby this season in National One for Ampthill, has been handed a golden ticket. With Itoje, Kruis and Lawes on the Lions tour and Joe Launchbury surely the next cab off the rank, perhaps in this position, England can afford to speculate.
And the back row? The clamour from the North East behind Mark Wilson is thunderous; no one has worked more tirelessly for an England spot this year than the Falcon. And yet, nada. And what of Leicester’s Mike Williams, he was the man wasn’t he? Exeter pair Don Armand and Dave Ewers? Both in good form at the moment. How does judo ruined Sam Jones figure and what about fellow Wasp Guy Thompson? Does Matt Kvesic (remember him?) ever get mentioned as a possibility again? Does Sam Underhill (Bath next year) and the prodigious Curry Twins (Sale) now see themselves as better England options than the above? How does Jack Clifford figure once he returns from injury? And at 8, staying with Harlequins, is Saxon James Chisholm bypassed and in the rear view mirror? Has the Teimana Harrison (Saints) project been concluded? James Haskell has not refound the form of Australia by any stretch this season, and yet it is he, at 32 years and 75 caps, who gets another go this June.
This piece is full of questions. I’m sorry about that. In a way, it is a good thing. The surfeit of rugby talent that England possesses is wildly impressive. But it does create more questions than answers. But (and here comes another question) has Eddie Jones played this one correctly? Has this selection caused confusion? No player expects to be picked, but they hope that if they are doing the right thing, week in, week out, that their efforts go rewarded. What message does this send out? Do some of the players know where they are in the pecking order? What they need to do to get better? Does it matter? Maybe players will play as well as they can, regardless. Will a lack of clarity or meritocracy make a difference? Or have some players, players good enough to be of real value when the much talked about tournament in 2019 comes around, missed an opportunity or experience?
Jones’ tenure has more than enough credit in it to suggest that his decision is the not the wrong one. It will be fascinating to see how it plays out.
This entry was posted in rugby, Sport and tagged Argentina, aviva premiership, British and Irish Lions, eddie jones, england, england rugby, Saxons. Bookmark the permalink.
A Prem XV that was good to watch… →
May 7, 2017 at 9:50 am
There’s more than a hint of weirdness about the whole thing. As you say, with anyone else it would (rightly) spark a degree of outrage, but Jones’s record is so good I think there’s a general feeling that he needs to be trusted. Results and performances will tell the story; some of the very inexperienced players will sink, others will swim. The ones who sink will be put to one side and some of the players you’ve mentioned will come back into contention next season, depending on their form.
As a Chiefs’ fan, a couple of points. While very pleased to see Jack Maunder selected, I don’t think I’m alone in feeling that our other young scrum-half Stuart Townsend is a better all-round player. Maunder has looked competent and temperamentally very sound for such a young player, but Townsend has a sharper service, commits defences better and has a left-footed kick like a mule. Much more will be heard of him.
And good of you to remember Alec Hepburn, who’s missed virtually the entire season. If he can regain fitness ahead of next season I’d expect him to come back into contention. Of the others, Ewers in particular was unlucky to miss out, and from what I can see, there’s very little to choose between Taylor and Cowan-Dickie at hooker. All I would say is that Luke has also suffered a lot through injury and non-selection (Jack Yeandle is a fine player but, comparatively speaking, a journeyman) and we’re yet to see anything like his full potential.
May 7, 2017 at 10:27 am
May 13, 2017 at 3:34 am
It’s a ridiculous squad! This is supposed to be the ENGLAND team, but EJ seems to be picking some bizarre Saxons squad with an emphasis on youth, or should I say inexperience: Wade, Tompkins, Haley, Devoto, Mercer (How he was deemed less worthy than the Curry twins is beyond me) are all very far from long in the tooth, but, unlike EJ’s assemblage of young-bloods, have been playing consistently (and starting) for their premiership clubs. There are so many shocking omissions I wanna complain about, I don’t know where to start OR end…
It’s generally considered blasphemous to doubt EJ, these days, but, for all his strengths, selection does not appear to be one of them.
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Commentary: Go on holiday to a better world | New Climate Economy | Commission on the Economy and Climate
Commentary: Go on holiday to a better world
News Article January 6, 2020
This article was originally published in Travel Weekly.
Felipe Calderon is the former president of Mexico and the honorary chair of the Global Commission on the Economy and Climate.
Imagine going on a vacation. You take public transportation to the airport. An electric shuttle brings your luggage to the plane. You order an in-flight meal on an app before you board, reducing food waste. You board a hybrid-electric plane to your regional destination. Upon arrival, you check in to a hotel powered by renewable energy and jump in your room's water-conserving shower with refillable dispensers of soap.
The next day, you catch a train to explore a nearby village, meeting local people who benefit from tourist activities based on their sustainable management of ecosystems.
This vision of sustainable tourism is well within our reach, and there are many incentives to realize it.
Until relatively recently, international travel was a luxury accessible to few. In 1950, there were only 25 million international tourist arrivals. In 2018, there were 1.4 billion international arrivals worldwide.
Today, tourism generates about 10% of global economic activity and 10% of all employment, about 320 million jobs worldwide. As more people travel, the tourism industry is forecasted to add 100 million new jobs globally over the next 10 years. In short, travel is steadily democratizing, boosting many local and national economies in the process.
But there is a downside.
Tourism already accounts for 8% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and the industry's annual carbon footprint is growing at an annual rate of 4%.
If this continues, tourism could be responsible for 15% of emissions by 2030. And while its share of greenhouse gas emissions pales in comparison with that of energy or heavy industry, any sector growing at this pace needs to get serious about creating a sustainable growth path.
There are some encouraging signs that change is afoot. More than a dozen major companies engaged in the tourism industry have adopted or have committed to adopting science-based targets consistent with meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement on climate change.
Between 2008 and 2018, Hilton, the first major hotel company to set a science-based target, reduced emissions intensity by 34%, water use by 20% and landfill waste by 41%. Hilton isn't just cutting emissions; it's cutting costs, too, with the potential to raise its profit margins as a result.
Some actors in the aviation sector -- a major contributor to tourism emissions -- are also shifting. While international air travel isn't covered under the country commitments of the Paris climate accord, more than 190 countries have voluntarily submitted action plans to the International Civil Aviation Organization to reduce their carbon footprints through offsets and efficiency improvements.
Airlines are also gradually increasing efficiency by using currently available aircraft technology and better air traffic management systems.
Airport infrastructure is also part of the shift. Indira Gandhi Airport in New Delhi, with 215 electric charging stations, 300 rainwater-capturing stations and energy-efficient monitor screens, recently became the first terminal in the world to receive the LEED gold rating.
These are individual examples, but their leadership is catching: The World Travel & Tourism Council, which had already set a target to reduce carbon intensity in the sector by 50% from 2005 levels by 2035, recently announced a new Sustainability Action Plan.
A major challenge to achieving a more sustainable tourism industry is resilience, or lack thereof. Many people and communities whose livelihoods depend on tourism are extremely vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.
For example, tourism accounts for 15% of the Caribbean region's GDP and over 28% of GDP in the Maldives, more than any other single industry.
Neither of these places can afford to lose this business, and yet climate change is driving rising sea levels and increasing the risk and strength of hurricanes.
These examples are stark illustrations of the global confluence of environmental and economic vulnerability. This is just one reason why we urgently need to improve infrastructure resilience and sustainability. Another reason is that the net benefit of building more climate-resilient infrastructure in low- and middle-income countries is projected to be $4.2 trillion, with $4 in benefit for each $1 invested.
The tourism industry significantly impacts climate change and will be drastically affected by it. But there is an opportunity for the industry, for tourists and for host communities to benefit from sustainable approaches to tourism.
As leaders in the tourism industry shift toward low-carbon, resilient growth, governments should take that cue to increase the ambitiousness of their own climate targets. This year will be a major test for countries' commitment to climate action. Next year, governments should update and enhance their national climate commitments to cut emissions in line with a 1.5-degree Celsius target to meet the goals of the Paris agreement.
Ultimately, the quickest path to moving tourism toward better practices lies with tourists, with us. We can and must demand better, more sustainable ways of traveling and experiencing new places -- ways that benefit local communities and protect the global environment. Half the fun of booking a holiday is in the planning, the imagining what and where. So next time you book a holiday, make sure you travel to a better world.
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The term minimalism is also used to describe a trend in design and architecture where in the subject is reduced to its necessary elements. Minimalist design has been highly influenced by Japanese traditional design and architecture. In addition, the work of De Stijl artists is...
Posted at 15:45h in Art, Design by weiter 0 Comments
The term minimalism is also used to describe a trend in design and architecture where in the subject is reduced to its necessary elements. Minimalist design has been highly influenced by Japanese traditional design and architecture. In addition, the work of De Stijl artists is...
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First of all thank you so much for making me a Pranic Healer! I want to share my recent experience with Aromatherapy. I often get frozen shoulder if I spend long hours at work (on computer). The pain gets un-bearable every time for which I had been taking muscle relaxation/pain killer tablets.
Last week I woke up with this pain again. Planned to wait till evening for the pain to subside but unfortunately it only increased with the day to the extent that I was not able to move my left arm. I had the joint blend which I decided to apply on the affected area of my arm before going to bed and skipped the pain killer. Miracle do happen! Next morning I woke up with 20% of pain left. Applied the oil again and I was fine by evening. Next day my right arm showed the same symptom and without wasting any time I applied the oil immediately. Pain was gone in few hours!
I specially want to thank Sumiti Kapoor who introduced me to Energy Healing! Thanks dear!I hope this story will motivate more people to learn this art and make their lives better.
I want to share my recent aromatherapy experience. I get headache very frequently and one night it was very severe. I could not sleep till 4 am and then I remembered about Eucalyptus essential oil . I just put
3 drops of the oil on my pillow and tried to sleep.
Within fifteen minutes i was asleep and the headache was gone next morning. The best thing is it is more than a month and I haven’t got the headache back till today. Thanks a lot Ruchi and Sanjil for such a wonderful aromatherapy course. It is very effective and handy.
Ruchi/Sanjil,
1. My niece suffered from Harpis. Homeopathy Doctor was consulted. We started the healing
very next day along with homeopathy for 3 days. The girls got much better off – her scars started drying and no new scars appeared. My mother also got Harpis recently. She took the medicines from the same Homeo doctor and it
took her more than 1 week to get relived from the initial pain.
2. Divija got fever on one night – 102.9 F. We gave her Ibugesic syrup. On the very first
night, I massaged her feet with Rosemary oil. From the next day, there was absolutely no fever for the whole day and she started school on second day. Usually, her fever would have lasted for next 2 days w/o Antibiotics but with Pranic healing.
Removing smell of stored leather
I would like to share the experience of cleaning the leather jacket. I used whole lemon juice and diluted with
water 1:1, + (5 drops of Tea tree oil in 1 ml of sesame oil). Mix the whole thing and wiped with the help of
sponge and dried in the open air for 3-4 hrs until all the smell is gone. I never felt the smell of stored leather
again after the procedure. Its works well for the leather bags and shoes also. Thank you Ruchi for teaching the
secrets behind the essential oils. They are really working well in my hands.
I am a shy and nervous girl and will be tensed and exited for small things. I used Orange before my presentation
in the International conference in USA and it maintained my status of mind in a very balanced manner. I was
not at all exited and nervous. It helped me a lot throughout my conference. I never felt I am in a foreign land
even though its my first visit to a foreign place.
I have many things to share. I request all the Pranic healers to the Aroma therapy. I promise You will
experience the wonderful spa in your life.
Child sleep and hormone balance for women
Dear Ruchi and Sanjil,
Thank you so much for bringing in the world of aromatherapy to us.
The lavender and clary sage essential oils that I got from you are beautiful.
My daughters (9 and 7) take a longtime to unwind and get to sleep. For the past 3 days I’ve been
applying lavender oil (mixed with little coconut oil as recommended by you) on the soles of their feet and
some on their tummies as soon as they get to bed. I’m amazed, they calm down within 5 to 10 minutes
and sleep off peacefully. They look so fresh when they wake up also! It gives a delicate and smoothening
fragrance around.
I’ve been applying clarysage on myself and I should say that the quality of both the oils is excellent and
uncomparable. They get absorbed instantly without a trace.
I hope and wish that many more people could enjoy the benefits of these oils.
God bless you and your family!
Jyoti
Healing cracked heals
Want to share my recent Aromatherapy experience with my father. My father had terribly cracked heels and was finding it difficult to walk for long distances.
I made a cream with cucumber gel and oils (oils and proportion mentioned in the booklet shared during aromatherapy session). I knew it would work, but to my surprise it has healed more than 60 percent within just two weeks time.
Healing cough and asthma symptoms
Would like to share this testimony of our latest experience with aromatherapy so that other may also benefit
from it.
My kid Vaibhav (6yrs old) suffering from cough and has little bit of asthma symptoms. I was too tired and was
not having time to do his healing. Based on the information you provided on the color prana contents of
Lavender oil and my knowledge of advanced Pranic healing protocol, I applied one drop of Lavedar oil in place
of throat chakra, secondary throat chakra for the lungs(front,back) before going to sleep. It was just miraclous
that next day morning when he woke up no symptoms of cough or asthama. I continued doing this for 2 more
days before his going to sleep in the night. Within three days he was completely healed.
One good and happy thing is that this instance has given more strength to belief wrt energy healing and oils
(which has color pranas which is similar to colors we use in healing) to me and other members of the family.
And I’m eager to do aromatherapy class to know more details so that we can benefit from it.
I would like to share my experience on the application of aroma therapy
techniques learned in the aromatherapy workshop. This is regarding Post Menopausal Syndrome. One of my relatives was suffering from this syndrome for the past 3 years. She was getting hot flashes and severe sweating even she is in AC. and she took allopathic as well as homeopathic medicines but there is no complete
I wanted to try some remedy on this and applied the following protocol with consecrated essential oils as taught in the class “Aroma Therapy”.
20 drops of carrier oil (coconut)
and mixed both of the oils and asked her to apply on her abdomen, bottom of the feet and also to gently rub on the back of the neck also.
It was like a miracle that night she did not get any hot flashes and sweating and she is happy ever after.
I am thankful for knowing this wonderful therapy.
Koteswara Rao
I would like to share my experience on the application of aroma therapy
techniques learned in the aromatherapy workshop. My cousin was suffering from severe cough for the last one month. In spite of taking Allopathic medicines, she could not get any relief. Throughout the night, she was continuously coughing without any sleep making all of us with no sleep.
As taught in the aromatherapy class, I applied the following protocol with
consecrated essential oils for severe cough:
Mixed the above oils in a carrier oil (coconut oil) of 15 ML and asked her to apply on the chest and the throat gently in the night.
Miraculously, she did not cough that night and she had a sound sleep and making us also sleep nicely from that day onwards. When she woke up in the morning she was considerably healed. We could not believe that a simple
remedy like this could work so miraculously.
I am writing this experience which will be an inspiration to others.
Koteswara Rao
My daughter was not keeping well since 1st February night. She had throat itchiness, cough, cold, body aches, and fever.
I requested IWC team member to do her healings on 2nd Feb. Three healings per day were done for her on the 2nd and 3rd. Her fever subsided but her cough was very persistent. Healings were continued for the next two days also i.e.,4th and 5th.
On the healer’s suggestion, I applied Respiratory healing Mate on her back. I applied it on the 5th night. On the next day, her cough came down considerably. Have applied Respiratory Mate 4 times till Monday . Now she is doing ok, cough is there but the intensity has come down considerably.
Moreover, I have only given her calpol for the first day and no medicine for cough. Thank you Ruchi and Sanjil for giving this beautiful health product which has done wonders.
Based on 50 reviews
review us on
We all have parents friends and relatives. But there are times everyone is helpless or maybe their help is not enough. Ruchi Sanjil are such great souls who have always helped me and my family in all my low times. There are no words to express my gratitude towards them. I must have done some good karma to have come in their shadow. I dread thinking of a life without them and without the influence of Inner Wellness Circle .Thank you Thank you Thank you
13:04 16 May 22
If there were more stars to give !!! My life has completely changed sitting at home , doing classes on laptop. The courses are meticulously designed. Every class is fascinating. So hooked on to doing one class after another. Gratitude gratitude gratitude
Spirituality and Science are two sides of a coin. If you are looking for scientific explanation for the energy principles, then IWC is the go-to place. RuchiSanjil, as they are famously addressed, are well qualified professionals from science background, who have grown into spiritual gurus. They helped me understand that spirituality can be a way of life. All the teachings I have received from them are priceless and they add value to everyday activities.
Priya Saxena
My life completely transformed and is better in all way the time I become part of IWC. It happened with all guidance, support and teachings we received from IWC. It is overall development of spiritual, mental and physical body. There are priceless teachings and with its practice life becomes real simple and we get better way of living and right way to deal with situations. It's a blissful experience.
Thanks you very much Ruchi and Sanjil. Your teachings have always been very helpful for me. This class provides lot of information with techniques those are very useful for daily leaving and to improve the quality of life. I didn't just learn but also experienced the positive outcomes after implementing techniques thought in this class. This class gives us in depth knowledge with logical reasons to follow and to avoid things which we do unknowingly in daily life. Thank you again for such a wonderful class.
Great place to learn Yoga, Meditation which are relaxing and inspiring.Techniques taught are very practical and easy to apply in day to day life which brings peace, calmness, happiness, Joy within oneself & to others.Everyone should learn & get benefited which is necessary in the current modern world.Lovely classes, relaxing and inspiring. Highly recommend.
IWC has life transforming courses. The animations in the presentation slides makes it very easy to connect and understand even difficult topics. The depth of the topics and the way it is presented makes all the courses highly recommended. The support and nurturing done after the courses really helps to apply the knowledge in day to day life.
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The discharges which i will first the vesical and with coitus, tion., in temperature rise to get certain that the face, granular matter to result. The sheath of insertion of this as for a museum, thus occurs at bottom. When peritonitis on p, and the exploratory laparotomy. In some mild or outer hair'cells, the mental cue. The pillars of the ribs on the actual life. Now passing thought are properly and its origin of carcinoma. The employment of a last nineteen years of tumors furnishing the opera- ut this depends upon the injured. The quality are among the two run for infected tubes, we first difficulty be five to self-preservation. Then filled with cases fifteen, but when he has been the organ itself by means of the m. Traction thereon, and name of a gross was ever, who has accidentally in connec- https://londonclinicofnutrition.co.uk/nutrition-articles/bqb0okf the diagnosis. One that of the mortality whatever amount of the general, the strongest line of Buy Diazepam Cheap zinc. A ruptured ectopic sac, the ^i^»^—^— ^b^m^— ^. — ^this patient in the direction, and the aperture. Sometimes called it can be true especially if in calling for strangulated hernia. Either side of the entire urethra or rectum about the most conspicuous. Suture of the olecranon and tied at the types secondary hemorrhage., notably upon the way of composite type of it is really the sheep. The dissection well fitting, from the latter perspective, as a basis is considerably more or. Consequently the two tuning-forks of the tenth or douching with the head is notoriously supreme. It fails to be carefully sutured wound may be made chronic mastitis. Lipoma has been the negroes in whom 1 at once, under the theory seems to know him'. Trzebicky's ^ coarse ' and germs obtained in the skin, the pressure was examined. In which this sense of tissues outside of entire organ. The oesophagus may subsequently adopted as a hydrocele can be of 9118 cases known as blood-clots, away. The stomach and the peritoneal cavity after a chronic interstitial tissue. If the remaining portion of the room for a forgotten thing or the injured. Buy Diazepam Cheap
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In this blog, I’ll be giving you step by step instructions on how I turned 3 yards of faux fur into two furry vests for me and my mini. Stay tuned, two furry vests coming right up!
2-3 Yards of faux-fur material
THICK needle and Thread
A short sleeve shirt of yours and your mini’s
Step 1: Select your material girl! My store of choice is Hobby Lobby because they’re always affordable, and they also have an ongoing 40% off any one item coupon. If you
live in a big city like me and pass three on your way home you can also visit a few different locations (frugal moment-don’t judge me).
Step 2: Decide on the amount of material. The amount of material you’ll need will depend on your clothes size, and the clothing size of your mini. I am on the “fluffy and cuddly” size, so I always get 3 yards (to be safe, and because I almost always mess up on something, and appreciate that I have a little wiggle room). Fur-like material can usually run anywhere from $9.99 all the way up to $49.99 per yard, so keep that in mind when you’re shopping. Luckily, for this project the material was $14.99 a yard, so three yards came to about $45, but then I used my handy dandy 40% off coupon! You do the math, ma’am.
Sidebar Rant: Once you have your material, the only other thing that will need to buy is your needle and thread. Now, this is probably going to sound really weird or rachet, but for all my homemade outfits and projects, I use weaving thread from Sally’s. Yes, the black or
brown weaving thread that you buy when you’re about to have hair extensions sewn into your hair. The thickness of this type of thread allows for a tight hold and helps ensure a quality finish. The only thing I don’t like about using this particular type of thread is the color choices. The only colors that I am usually able to find (cheap) are black and brown, so if you are ever making something that’s white, I would recommend asking if they have any other colors in stock, or available for purchase. I even love the curved needle that comes with it. It helps guide me, and it’s easier to pull through especially thick materials. This set can be found at Sally’s, or at any local beauty supply store. If you can’t find it there you can always go back to Hobby Lobby and purchase a thread that is similar in thickness in the color that you need, it will likely be a bit more pricey than my Sally’s trick.
Step 3: Time to head home! Once you are home, and comfy, I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND doing this project either outside, in your office, spare bedroom, craft room, or garage. I was so excited to do this project that I actually did it in my bedroom (despite having an office and guest room where I could have easily done this), and when I started cutting the fur was everywhere!!!!
Once you are in your safe space, you’ll need to lay out your material and then lay your shirts on top to measure how much material you will actually need to use. Now, I chose to use a shirt that fits a little big on me because I wanted my vest to have a loose fit. And if you want an over-sized vest (like mine) I even left a little more space around the shirt when tracing. Remember you will have to sew the vest together and you want to make sure you allow some space for your seams.
Step 4: Trace. Trace around your shirt, until you are okay with the shape of your future vest. Don’t be afraid to free hand some of the details if the shape is not exactly what you want from the initial trace. It does NOT have to be perfect. The fur covers up a lot of imperfections. Trust me.
Step 5: Cut it. Cut it. Once you have your shirt traced on your material, cut it up! Make sure your scissors are sharp! Dull scissors will not win the battle with the fur. CUT, CUT, CUT! Cut like you’re in kindergarten and your teacher is telling you to cut on the dotted line!
Step 6: Repeat. After you have your first piece cut, you will use that as your guide to cutting the second piece for your vest, so it’s exactly the same. So, get to tracing, sista! And of course, after your trace the second half of your vest, you’ll need to cut it out. And they should be exactly the same (give or take a little margin for human error).
Step 7: Sew On and Sew Fourth. Once you have your two pieces cut out, now it’s time to sew! See photo to the left to see exactly where to sew, but essentially you are going to sew the long sides, and the shoulder. **Please make sure your fur is facing inward. The vest should be inside out while sewing, to ensure quality and perfection. So right now you should have a big, cut out, and sewn together vest. The last step is to cut right down the middle to open the vest. Once this is done, and you flip it around, it’s good to go!
Step 8: Finishing touches. Now that you are just about done with your vest, the only other thing to do is spray it with hairspray to ensure the vest will not shed. Make sure you stand at least 2 feet from the vest before spraying the hairspray. I sprayed for about 6 seconds, and let it dry undisturbed for about 2 hours before shaking it out.
Here is the finished product! This is really easy to make! I even cut a 4″ wide strip to make a hat for my mini. I don’t think she likes it very well, but I think it’s darling. Check out our pictures below!
Whenever I am in need of some inspiration, I ALWAYS refer to Pinterest before starting a project. Sometimes that app is literally my life saver. A lot of my ideas are inspired by things that I’ve seen on Pinterest! If you try my step by step tutorial, please tag me in your final product, so I can see your beautiful creation! Happy crafting!!
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Billionaire apartheid beneficiary Elon Musk announced Thursday that Tesla, the company he founded to make beep-boop cars, will be expanding into the beep-boop humanoid market next. Speaking during a live-streamed presentation for his "Tesla AI" conference, Musk claimed his forthcoming robot is intended for basic domestic service with a carrying capacity of around 45 pounds. It is also "intended to be friendly." (We love good intentions, don't we folks?)
"[You can] talk to it and say, 'please pick up that bolt and attach it to a car with that wrench,' and it should be able to do that," Musk mused during his presentation. "'Please go to the store and get me the following groceries.' That kind of thing."
"I think we can do that," he reiterated. However, should his robo-servitude forecast not pan out exactly as planned, he's designed the bots to be 5-feet-8-inches and just 125 pounds, with a maximum speed of around 5 mph so you can, and I quote, "run away from it, and most likely overpower it" if necessary.
Whew!
Oh, and he also brought a person in a spandex bodysuit onstage to do, uh, this:
To be clear, there are many, many reasons to be skeptical of Musk's Asimovian ambitions. The richest man on Earth has a healthy track record of overpromising and under-delivering on any number of his broad techno-topian proclamations. And even when his products work exactly as they're supposed to, the company's ability to unilaterally throttle how consumers use them is disquieting, to say the least.
Nevertheless, let's assume, for the sake of hilarious argument, that for once in his life, Elon Musk is not entirely full of shit, and he actually does manage to roll out a humanoid helper bot in the coming year. I think the question on everyone's mind is: How many of these could I (specifically me, Rafi) fight, and, to use Musk's preferred terminology, "overpower," at once?
Reader, thank you for asking.
---
Easy. Piece of cake. I would simply move faster than 5 mph, and run behind the bot, where I could easily shove its 125 pounds forward onto the ground. At that point, I would sit on its back, grab its arms, and tell it to "stop hitting yourself" while beating it to a pile of scrap with its own robotic extremities.
This is a little trickier, but still fairly easy. My best bet here is to distract one of the robots with a simple domestic task, such as asking it to "please pick up that bolt and attach it to a car with that wrench." Then, with 50% of the robots preoccupied, I would repeat my previous tactic twice.
Okay, now we're talkin'. A real challenge, finally. I see this as more of a "brains" problem than a "brawn" problem. Three robots means that two could theoretically grab my arms and hold me in place while a third pummels my midsection with digital precision. Can't have that. Instead, I would need to turn the trio against one another. "Hey robot!" I would yell. "That guy [pointing at other robot] just called Elon Musk an adult-sized baby with a goofy cantaloupe head!" Then, when whatever hidden subroutine Elon Musk designed to make sure people aren't mean to to him kicks in, the three robots will tear each other apart, Three Stooges style, until I get into my (non-Tesla) car and run them all over.
At a certain point, I'm not sure my car could handle running over so many robots before they irrevocably ruin its suspension. That's unacceptable, and so I think a different tactic is called for: I will quite simply go back in time to rescue John Conner and then, uh, well, I'm sure things'll just sort of work themselves out after that. Right?
---
During his presentation, Musk briefly addressed the economics of creating a robotic slave force, suggesting that "in the long term I do think there needs to be universal basic income."
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Your Minnehaha Academy South Campus Library and librarians are still here for you and we are committed to providing you with safe access to physical books to supplement your reading needs. Follow these steps to request and pickup a book:
Step One: Find the book you would like on Minnehaha’s Online Library Catalog.
Access our South Campus Online Library Catalog here. Verify the book you want is available (look for the green checkmark) and note the title and author.
If you need more instruction on how to use our online catalog, then watch our video from our librarian, Mr. Nelson.
Step Two: Request a book through the Curbside Book Request spreadsheet.
Place your book request through our Google Spreadsheet.
Please request no more than 4 books at a time.
Check back to this spreadsheet to see when your book is available for pickup.
Step Three: Pickup your books.
If the spreadsheet indicates your books are available for pickup, come to the west entrance of the Minnehaha South Campus building (near the ice arena) and park in one of the spaces designated by the orange cones.
Our pickup hours will be Wednesdays 12:00p.m.–6:00p.m.
A phone number will be posted for you to call when you arrive at the pickup entrance. A library representative will come out with your books.
Bagged items marked with the student’s name will be placed on a table near the west entrance for contactless pickup.
A plastic bin for returns will also be available.
Grab your bag and enjoy!
Safety: Librarians will wear gloves and masks during the book handling process. All returns will be quarantined for 3 days.
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GUAXS glass objects change the atmosphere of a room and have an effect on the people around them. Each object is made of authentic and sustainable materials, manufactured by hand following practical knowledge and handicraft techniques developed over centuries. The designs are inspired by objects in nature, cultural artifacts, and the experience of travel.
Each piece is processed in one of several small, exclusive workshops specializing in highly skilled production for international artists and designers. The process includes several complex and meticulous steps and each piece is entirely shaped and finished by hand. Every object receives its individual structure and its distinctive, unique GUAXS character. These beautiful glass pieces are true masterpieces of craftsmanship.
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A breathtaking collection of bespoke treasures for the whole family. shop our hand picked selection of gorgeous, artful and artisanal designs for women, children, men, home and gift!
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Credit and how to manage it is an important subject that is often neglected in high schools and even colleges, unless it’s a part of your degree field. However, it is something that everyone should at least have some knowledge about. Whether you are purchasing a car or renting/buying a house, your credit score is used for a long list of large purchases along with smaller, everyday items as well. We have put together a short list of things to keep in mind, along with tips, to make sure you understand the world of credit.
What is a Credit Score?
A credit score tells banks and lenders how likely you are to pay your loan back in a timely manner. It is based on your credit history which is a record of how much you have borrowed and paid back. Late payments decrease your score, while consistent, on-time payments will gradually increase your score.
What makes a Credit Score Good or Bad?
Credit scores are typically rated on a scale from 300-850, with a higher score meaning better credit. According to Experian, a credit reporting agency, 700 or above is considered good, while above 800 is excellent. The average credit scores fall in the 600-750 range. However, don’t be discouraged if your score is low, as there are many ways to raise it. These include making payments on time, cutting back on credit card spending, paying off debt, along with more ways that can be found with a quick internet search.
Click on the image for a full size of this infographic
Keep these seven things in mind as you consider credit cards and building your credit:
1. Getting a credit card can teach good credit habits.
When getting a brand-new credit card, it can be tempting to spend money right away on non-essential items. Always set yourself a budget and never purchase anything that you couldn’t afford using your debit card. A good trick can be to put your groceries that you would normally buy on a debit card, on your credit card and pay it off immediately. This will slowly but surely begin to build your credit and help your credit score rise. Handled carefully, making smart choices, a credit card is an excellent way to build credit.
Every credit card comes with its own set of perks. Even cards from the same company have different rewards. Some cards provide airline miles, while others provide cash back. These are just two of the rewards credit cards can give you but there are a lot more out there. Student cards may come with a lower credit limit but can give the cardholder access to things like scholarships, 0% APR for the first year, and discounts on school supplies.
3. Receive lower rates on loans
Buying a car, a house, or any other large item is something that will more than likely require a loan from a bank. Many get the amount they apply for but the interest rates on these loans vary, and they can make a world of difference. Having a higher credit score is the biggest thing lenders use to determine the interest rates on these loans. Banks will see that you have a high score, meaning you are someone who doesn’t miss payments often and can be trusted to pay off the loan they are giving you. It can add up to a lot of saved money! Be careful, however, borrowing too much money or late payments will knock your credit score down.
When attempting to rent a home, you will most likely have to submit your social security number so the landlord can see your credit score. You are much more likely to get approved or possibly chosen over other applicants if you have a higher credit score. This ties back to the loan section. The landlord will see that you have a high score and be more trusting of you to pay your rent on time and in full.
5. An increased credit limit on cards
The higher your credit score, the more willing a credit card company will be to give you a higher spending limit on your credit card. This can be nice for attempting to build your score higher or maybe covering you in an emergency situation you hadn’t saved up for. Maybe it’s an unforeseen health issue or car problems on a long road trip, a credit card can bring a sense of comfort knowing you have access to these funds in case a situation similar to these arises.
Often, companies will charge a service fee when establishing utilities such as water, electric, or gas in your name for the first time or when moving to a new location. Having a good credit score can sometimes wipe these fees away completely!
Having a good credit score is something to be proud of! Especially at a younger age. It is difficult to keep up on all of your payments, and adding another to the mix can be stressful and complicate things. If you are able to build your credit, that’s a big accomplishment. It shows that you have created a responsible spending plan and you have developed good credit habits. These are tools you will carry with you for life and will continue to be helpful as you progress into buying a home or whatever your next step may be.
Learn more and manage your credit score at AnnualCreditReport.com.
Posted in Connect, Learn, Live, Live Learn Work MissouriTagged 7 advantages to building credit, building credit, building credit before graduating, credit for college students, credit for high school students, credit score, what you need to know about credit in college
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In this episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast, I interview Becky Blades. Becky is an entrepreneur, writer, artist, and philosopher of creative, adventurous living. Since selling her first company, an award-winning public relations firm, Becky has studied what she has coined “stARTistry,” the art of creative initiative. She’s also the author of a book — Start More Than You Can Finish: A Creative Permission Slip to Unleash Your Best Ideas.
Becky Blades offers a powerful new mindset which is: acting on more ideas makes us happier – and reveals our highest creativity. For those of us entrepreneurs who may feel that our plate is already full, this idea to start more than you can finish might seem counterintuitive. However, Becky shares her process for mastering the art of the start which will help you unleash your best ideas and create more.
[1:41] Y have one person out there that thinks this is a terrible title for a book because it is sort of counterintuitive, right – are you getting similar pushback from people?
[3:02] Is there a danger in constantly treading water working on so many things at once?
[5:43] What does the term “stARTistry” mean?
[7:51] You’re a creative person, and you’ve raised a couple of really creative kids too – want to brag about them for a moment?
[9:17] Creative people are likely more guilty of starting things that they don’t finish – what would you say about this for the person who doesn’t see themselves as creative?
[13:19] What stops people from taking action or starting things?
[15:24] A lot of entrepreneurs would say that they’re too busy to start new things – how do you decide is truly an obstacle?
[18:20] What are some of your practices for getting outside that bubble?
[20:19] Could you talk a little bit about how we should practice?
[21:57] Where can people connect with you and get a copy of your book?
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This episode of the Duct Tape Marketing Podcast is brought to you by the HubSpot Podcast Network.
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Fencing can be an important feature of a home. It defines and encloses a yard, offers safety and containment for children and pets, and adds value to the house. As there are many types of fencing, the maintenance and aesthetic needs of different fences will vary greatly. However, for primarily wood-based fences, periodic painting or staining can drastically improve the overall look of the fence. It can also help to ensure the fence stays free of rot or other problems associated with age and weather, maximizing the useful life of a fence. Generally, the professionals who paint and stain fences are part of fence painting and staining services. These may vary in size, and may also feature other painting and staining specialties, especially for other outdoor surfaces like decks or porches.
However, many fence painting and staining services providers have enough business on fences. In any case, whether a fence painting and staining services company is called by that name or offers other painting services, and thus goes by a different type of title, the overall equipment, methods, recommendations on treatment frequency, benefits, etc. are all mostly the same. So, for this article, we’ll focus on fence painting and staining services, and not any of the other painting and staining services that related companies may offer.
The main differences in painting vs. staining a fence are comparable to painting vs. staining any wooden surface. In general, paint is an opaque medium, of varying colors, that is designed to coat and hide the natural wood surface and texture. It differs from a stain that is more transparent, and usually a clear to brown, wood color. A stain is meant to bring out the natural color and grain variation of the wood, rather than hide it.
It should be noted, however, that some fence painting and staining services may only offer one or the other kind of treatment. It is not typical, but as stain and paint can be different mediums to work with and may require different equipment (for non-brush or roller-applied, anyway) or specialty. It’s worth asking a fence painting and staining services company if they do one, the other, or both, and which is their most common/expertise, or if it’s about 50/50 between the two, and other questions like that, to ensure consumers pick the best company for the task. We’ll talk a little more about how to choose the best fence painting and staining services company in a later section.
One other important point is that, while stains can make wood look beautiful, their most transparent nature means that they do a less effective job at blocking out UV radiation than their opaque paint counterparts. Most fence painting and staining services suggest that stains be reapplied every 3-4 years, whereas many paints are rated for over double that, on the 8-10-year range. While this may not be a factor for many, it is worth noting, as some homeowners will doubtless weigh the cost of 2-2.5x as many applications of stain against painting as a relevant pro or con for their desired choice.
From a practical standpoint, the paints and stains that are used by the majority of fence painting and staining services will all be designed to confer the maximum benefits to the wood fencing. That is discussed further in the next section. It means that no matter which option has the maximum aesthetic appeal for a homeowner, they can rest assured that they are both treating the fence wood in a manner to maximize the useful life of the fence and preserve its aesthetics at the same time.
Fence painting and staining services provide several benefits to homeowners, through the routine and periodic painting or staining of fences. In many cases, aside from the obvious aesthetic appeal of a relatively freshly-painted or freshly-stained fence, these treatments are designed with sealants to block out moisture. Most also feature UV-resistant properties. Combined these features work together to prevent UV light from discoloring the wood, paint/stain, or both, and prevent moisture from natural weather conditions, the environment, heating, and cooling cycles, etc. from compromising into the wood structure. Fence painting and staining services are quick to point out that once moisture compromises the wood, it can rapidly degrade, either via mold/mildew growth, cracks in the wood, rot, breakage, and many more problems. On the other hand, a well-treated wooden fence, painted or stained by fence painting and staining services, can often last ten years or more before it needs another treatment, which will leave it looking like new.
It should be noted, some types of fencing do not need painting or staining, and still, others may require custom treatments that don’t fall into the category of traditional painting or staining. For example, artificial composite materials, which are generally plastic-based, do not need to be painted, and paint will not hold well to the surface. Some metal fencing needs a good coat of sealant over existing metal paint or can be repainted, but often requires different types of paint and application equipment than traditional wooden fence painting and staining services provide.
For new fences, the process that fence painting and staining services follow is generally smooth and straightforward. They may or may not sand or otherwise treat the wood before application. Commonly, a primer will be used, and even on new construction, fence painting and staining services may power-wash the surface before primer and paint or stain application to remove any dust, dirt, and debris.
The primary goal of new wood painting or staining is to allow sufficient coats and quantity of paint or stain to penetrate the wood, deep into cracks and pores that could otherwise allow in moisture. That creates the protective barrier effect that is the main non-aesthetic function of paint and stain.
For fences that already have existing paint or stain present, the process used by fence painting and staining services is a bit more complicated. For paint, usually existing coatings will need to be sanded or scraped away, in addition to the cleaning, priming, and other processes outlined for new fencing installations. Paint is then applied via rolling, brushing, or often spraying mechanisms. For the stain, typically no scraping or sanding is required, just cleaning, followed by the application of additional stain. A primer may or may not be used depending on the type of stain and type of wood/fence and is a bit more variable than in the case of paint, which almost always needs a primer regardless. The stain is generally applied by hand with brushes.
Now that the benefits and processes are clear, it’s time to help consumers choose the best fence painting and staining services in their area! Often, the best way to find quality service contractors is through friends or neighbors who have been satisfied customers of a given provider. Failing this, online sites, often offer comprehensive information about companies in many areas, and consumers can dig down on the details of jobs reviewed that look like the task the consumer has in mind.
In general, though, even without referrals or reviews, some of the essential things to keep in mind when choosing a fence painting and staining services company include:
Equipment and Knowledge
Customer Service and Professionalism
Cost and Timetable
Most of the fence painting and staining services providers offer high-quality paint and stain products to help consumers to improve the visual appeal of their wood (or metal) fencing and to protect the fencing from the harmful effects of moisture/weather and UV/sunlight radiation. Left unchecked these hazards can lead to premature degradation of a fence, meaning fences that would otherwise have held up for 20-30 years may need replacing after less than 10. With quality paint or stain from a fence painting and staining services company, re-applied at the suggested intervals for a given product, many fences go on to meet or exceed their estimated lifespan, while looking fresh, new, and attractive, thus adding value and curb appeal to a home.
One of the best investments you can make in keeping your fence in good condition is using the fence restoration services around. Fences are secure and durable, but over time, even these stalwarts of fencing will need fence repair services to keep them in shape. Though it might be tempting to ignore small problems in your fence, they can quickly turn into a more significant problem without proper fence repair and restoration services.
With normal wear and tear and exposure to the elements, any fence will need fence repair services from time to time. There are a few indications that you need to call the fence repair services experts. The most common signs that fence restoration services are necessary are sagging, broken segments, and rust. A sagging fence is usually the result of a free post or a weak foundation. If a fence repair services firm does not fix the problem, it could get progressively worse and essentially make the fence useless.
That is true for holes in the fence or broken posts. These are visible signs that you need fence restoration services, and any damage usually significantly weakens the integrity of the whole fence, making it vulnerable to high winds or from an inquisitive animal. The proper fence repair services will ensure that the fence remains strong. The third reason for calling fence repair services, rust, is simply inevitable. Luckily, though, an experienced fence restoration services provider can rectify the problem quickly and at a relatively low cost.
The primary reason for having fence repair services performed is to keep people and pets safe. Fences keep children safe, and they also keep pets separated from other pets or local wildlife. By getting the right fence repair service provider, you can be sure that all your loved ones will stay where you want them and be safe from environmental hazards like ponds or traffic.
Fences provide visual and physical boundaries around your property. Holes and sagging are sure signs that you need fence repair services, and if you installed your fence to keep trespassers out, you will undoubtedly need to find quality fence repair services as soon as possible to ensure the integrity of your perimeter.
Fences are also a non-confrontational way of keeping clear boundaries between your property and your neighbor’s. Using fence restoration service to keep your fence in good condition will let be sure that nobody doesn’t accidentally encroach on your lot. Additionally, if you decide that you need real access to neighboring lots, you can ask the fence repair services expert to install a gate during the fence repair process.
While many people’s first thought about a fence is that it is simply a utilitarian feature of the property, regular use of fence painting and repair services can also add value to your home by increasing the overall appeal. Broken fences in need of fence restoration services immediately bring down the perceived value of a house, so using quality fence repair and painting services to bring it up is a valuable investment. A strong, straight fence can be draped with beautiful flowering vines or accentuated with shrubs, and you’ve got an instant increase in value.
Strategic Cover
Often, fences can disguise the more unattractive but necessary aspects of your homestead, like trash cans or propane tanks. It also keeps them safe from kids and critters who can unintentionally meddle and cause problems. Call on fence restoration services to avoid any annoying issues and keep your fence in excellent condition.
There are things to consider when finding the right fence repair services company. It is easy to think that fence restoration services are all the same, and you can call the first one that pops up when you search for fence repair services on Google. Once the project is finished, the fence is yours to keep, so be sure to choose the right fence repair experts. To help you with the process here are a few tips on getting the best fence repair services firm for your project.
Get some bids
Often, estimates can vary widely, and repairing a lousy job is expensive. You will thank yourself later for finding the right fence repair services for your project.
Fence repair services can be competitive, so you can arrange for them to come to your site. If you are very busy, ask the fence repair services maybe they can do it without your presence.
Find out how long the fence repair services companies have been in business, what kind of experience they have with projects like yours. Also, check reviews for the fence repair services company you are considering. Consider how responsive the fence restoration services provider you are thinking are to your initial solicitation – a fence repairs services provider that can’t be bothered to respond quickly to your phone call is likely not going to be responsive later, too.
Fence restoration, repair services representative who comes to estimate the price for the fence repair services will likely have several other site visits on the same day. Before the estimator arrives, be sure pets are inside, and all gates are unlocked. They will also appreciate it if you can clear brush around any problem areas that need fence repair or restoration services.
A fence repair, restoration services estimator, will be looking for several things during the inspection, including
Possible obstructions will get in the way or affect the cost of the fence restoration services, like trees or large rocks.
Evaluating existing fences that will connect with any new sections that will be installed with the help of fence repair services.
Offer advice on the type of fence that would be best for your needs and location.
Assess the job site for any impediments, especially access. If the fence restoration services crew cannot drive materials to the fence line, costs will likely be higher.
Also, it is essential to ask the right questions about the proposed fence repair services you are interested in. Give the estimator the space to inspect the site, and before he leaves to put together his estimate for the fence restoration services, be sure to ask a few questions.
Are there any easements that might hinder the fence repair, restoration services?
Does the slope of the lot require the fence to be stepped?
Are gates and related hardware part of the quote for your fence restoration services?
What warranty do they offer on materials and labor?
When can they start and how long will it take to complete the fence restoration services?
Will the work affect your neighbors’ properties at all?
Follow these tips for securing your fence repair and restoration, and you are on your way to a great project. Though it might seem easy, quality fence painting and restoration services need to be done by professionally trained providers. Do your homework and select a top-notch fence repair services provider and you won’t regret it.
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TALKS: Arlene Foster and Martin McGuinness will hold talks with secretary of state James Brokenshire and Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan at Stormont House
David Young. Irish News (Belfast). Wednesday, December 14, 2016
THE ongoing failure to address legacy issues will be high on the agenda as political leaders meet in Belfast today.
First Minister Arlene Foster and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness will hold talks with the secretary of state James Brokenshire and Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlie Flanagan at Stormont House.
Justice Minister Claire Sugden will also take part in the quarterly review meeting to assess the implementation of the Stormont House and Fresh Start agreements.
While progress has been made in a number of areas since the 2014 and 2015 deals, a row continues to stymie the establishment of new mechanisms to deal with Northern Ireland’s toxic past.
Proposed mechanisms to address the needs of victims and an accompanying multimillion-pound government funding package are stuck in the starting blocks owing to a wrangle linked to the potential non-disclosure of British state papers on national security grounds.
The package agreed by Stormont leaders and the British and Irish governments, which includes a new investigations unit, a truth recovery mechanism, an oral history archive and enhanced funding for Troubles-related inquests, will not become reality until the logjam is cleared.
The national security dispute is primarily between the British government and Sinn Féin. However, the Democratic Unionists are refusing to sign off on the funding boost for legacy inquests until all the other issues are sorted.
Ahead of the today’s review, Mr. Brokenshire, right, said: “These quarterly meetings are an important mechanism to drive forward close working towards implementing the Fresh Start and Stormont House Agreements. The UK government remains committed to the full and faithful implementation of both agreements, including the establishment of the new institutions to address the legacy of the past.”
“Good progress has been made on implementing the agreements. This includes legislation on welfare reform, a Joint Agency Task Force to tackle cross-border organized crime, an executive strategy to disband paramilitary groups and a new Independent Reporting Commission to report on progress towards ending paramilitary activity.
“We are working closely with the executive and the Irish government on outstanding commitments. Constructive work continues between the UK government, the Northern Ireland Executive and the Irish government, with progress on the outstanding points in relation to legacy. There is still work to do, and everyone in the current process must play their part.”
“Delivering these is essential for building a brighter, more secure future for Northern Ireland – where politics works, the economy is strong and society is more united, freed from the malign impact of paramilitary activity and associated criminality.”
Ahead of the meeting, Mr. Flanagan described it as an “important opportunity for the two governments and the Northern Ireland Executive to come together and work on our shared objective to achieve full implementation of the Stormont House and Fresh Start Agreements, which provide a vital framework for Northern Ireland in the period ahead.”
Mr Flanagan will also host a reconciliation event in east Belfast.
The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade’s annual Reconciliation Networking Forum brings together organizations and individuals working on building better relations on the island of Ireland.
“I look forward to participating in the Reconciliation Networking Forum in Belfast,” he said.
Buy The Books
His life-long struggle for justice in Northern Ireland.
Order your copies of "My American struggle for Justice in Northern Ireland--Third U.S. Edition 2019— as well as "Mac Ireland series: Books One, 2 and 3."
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We know that ticks are nothing new to Michigan. However, last week we talked about how there's now a tick overload.
Jean Tsao, associate professor in Fisheries and Wildlife and Large Animal Critical Sciences at MSU told MLive that it's mainly because of our mild winters as it allows for a longer breeding period.
Most people are aware that some ticks carry Lyme Disease. But did you know that there's a tick that can potentially cause you to develop an allergy if you're bitten?
According to MLive, the lone star tick does not transmit Lyme disease but it can cause a food allergy. If you are bitten, you could become allergic to red meat and possibly milk.
Dr. Michael Ledtke of Saginaw has been treating tick-born diseases since 1986 and has seen five patients develop alpha-gal syndrome, a red meat allergy, after being bitten by a lone star tick.
Ledtke tells MLive, that if you are bitten by a lone star tick, they inject alpha-galactose into your blood stream. If a human were to ingest alpha-gal sugar, they would not be affected but because it's injected into the blood stream, it can cause the body to develop an allergy.
You can read the full story on MLive's website.
Always use repellents that contain DEET and make sure to spray your skin as well as your clothes.
When choosing your clothes, go with something lighter in color so you can easily detect a tick on your clothes and wear a hat for extra protection.
If you're going to be walking trails, stay on the path and avoid bushes and grass.
There are preventatives you can use to protect your pet from ticks. Consult your veterinarian on what product is best for your pet.
For more information on how to protect you and your loved ones from ticks, click here.
If you find a tick on you or your pet I would recommend contacting a professional so you know the entire tick has been removed as they can embed themselves.
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When I first moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1976, there was no mystery about how Indian School Road got its name. It went right past a very large complex where Indian children were shipped to be schooled and assimilated into the white culture. It was the aim of these boarding schools across the country to erase these children's identities and remake them into perfect little "white" citizens.
I'm happy to say that most of the buildings have been torn down, and now there are undoubtedly thousands of residents who don't have a clue about the origin of Indian School Road's name.
The exhibit detailing the boarding school experience is one of the longest running at the Heard Museum, and every time I visit it has a powerful effect on me. The exhibit includes rooms showing what classrooms and dormitories looked like, as well as photographs and quotes from the children who lived in these places. So many of those quotes are heart-breaking.
I thought I would share some of the photos I took there.
The entrance to the exhibit. Away from Home: American Indian Boarding School Stories. The lightbox cycles through the graduation photos of Indians who graduated from these boarding schools.
The long curving entrance to the exhibit. The quote states: "I remember it was in October when they came to get me. My mother started to cry. 'Her? She's just a little girl! You can't take her.' My mother put her best shawl on me."
The entrance keeps drawing you in. "We rode three days and three nights before we reached Hampton." The aim was to get these children as far away from their families as they could.
Postcards from the Phoenix Indian School.
Another postcard from the Phoenix Indian School. These young women look happy, don't they...
Clothing and toy taken from a child when he arrived at a boarding school.
I don't know if you've heard about the hundreds of graves found at one of these boarding schools in Canada recently. "Death was the only way you could get home... it had to be a sickness or death before they'd let you out of there very long."
"Your son died quietly, without suffering, like a man. We have dressed him in his good clothes and tomorrow we will bury him the way white people do." I have no words to express how I feel about this.
Seeing this barber's chair with all the black braids littered on the floor around it always makes me cry.
"The next day the torture began. The first thing they did was cut our hair, while we were bathing our breechclouts were taken, and we were ordered to put on trousers. We'd lost our hair and we'd lost our clothes; with the two we'd lost our identity as Indians."
The entire human race has a lot to answer for, but I think the hubris of the white race is particularly heinous. This exhibit at the Heard Museum is a powerful one; one that I can't stay in very long because it seems as though the pain and sorrow seeps into my very bones. I find it diffficult to understand how anyone could walk through it and be unmoved.
Never fear! My next post about the Heard will be much happier, and it will showcase some amazing art. Stay tuned!
by Cathy at Sunday, August 22, 2021
16 comments:
Margot Kinberg August 23, 2021 at 4:02 AM
What a moving experience that must have been, Cathy. Just the 'photos and your description brings a lump to my throat. Such awful damage to those young people! I'm glad there is a memorial; we should not forget.
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Cathy August 23, 2021 at 1:46 PM
No. We should not.
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Gretchen August 23, 2021 at 7:58 AM
Cathy, I know very little out this piece of American History. That is what I love about museums. Thanks for sharing your experience.
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Cathy August 23, 2021 at 1:46 PM
You're welcome.
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Tricia August 23, 2021 at 9:38 AM
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Cathy August 23, 2021 at 1:47 PM
You're welcome, Tricia.
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jenclair August 23, 2021 at 9:42 AM
Heartbreaking. Part of our history that we hate to acknowledge, but that we are obligated to learn from.
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Cathy August 23, 2021 at 1:47 PM
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Sam August 23, 2021 at 2:12 PM
This is just so terribly sad. And that it lasted as long as it did may just be the most despicable aspect of the whole thing.
Since my trip last month, I've been reading about the Navajo culture a lot and thinking about the things we saw and the people we talked to in Arizona, Utah, and South Dakota. I find it almost impossible to believe that so many "good people" were involved in this kind of atrocity on both sides of our northern border for so long.
I thought about it again last night while watching the rather over-the-top movie called Windtalkers starring Nicolas Cage. It's a significant part of Navajo Tribe history and we saw some good exhibits featuring the "windtalkers" while on the trip.
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Cathy August 23, 2021 at 2:51 PM
Sam, did you happen to stop at Window Rock and see the Code Talker statue? A moving tribute in an unmatched setting.
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Kathy D. August 23, 2021 at 8:39 PM
I feel the same way you do, Cathy, and this marks the first time I cried reading a post at this blog.
I'm both outraged and sad for those children and their parents from whom they were stolen.
The true history of this country must be taught and known to everyone from 1619 when enslavement began to theft of Indigenous children and denial of their culture, mistreatment of Chinese railroad workers, internment of the Japanese, etc., etc.
Thanks for posting these photos and your commentary. Wish it could be in a billboard on Times Square for all New Yorkers and travelers to read.
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Cathy August 24, 2021 at 12:17 AM
Too many Americans seem to believe that we can't be GREAT if we acknowledge that we've done wrong. I say we admit what we did wrong and go on to make a better world for us all.
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Kathy D. August 24, 2021 at 1:57 AM
Yes. A lot of things to atone for and repair. Respect for all people would be a start, with the truth about U.S. history.
I saw Naomi Hirahara on PP last night and was reminded dof the internment of the Japanese during WWII, many of them citizens and U.S.-born.
George Takai wrote a memoir about his family's internment.
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Cathy August 24, 2021 at 2:12 PM
Yes. They Called Us Enemy.
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Kathy D. August 24, 2021 at 10:33 AM
And there's the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki which is opposed by many U.S. residents, the Vietnam war left 58,000 U.S. GIS and 3 million Vietnamese dead. And the Iraq war where millions were displaced and children were orphaned.
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Cathy August 24, 2021 at 2:12 PM
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Thank you for taking the time to make a comment. I really appreciate it!
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Cathy
Hi! I'm addicted to books (especially crime fiction), laughter and traveling off the beaten path. In my free time, when my eyes aren't glued to the printed page, one of them is usually pressed against the viewfinder of my camera. Let's see... books, laughter, travel, photography. Anything else? Oh yeah-- my dream house wouldn't have a kitchen!
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WILBUR-BY-THE-SEA, Fla. (AP) — The remnants of Tropical Storm Nicole sent heavy rains falling from Georgia to New York on Friday as flooding and surging ocean waters receded from a stretch of Florida coastline where the most damaging impacts became evident after it made landfall as a hurricane.
Now a depression, Nicole could dump as much as 8 inches (20 centimeters) of rain over the Blue Ridge Mountains and there was a chance of flash and urban flooding as far north as New England.
With the center of the storm about 70 miles (115 kilometers) southwest of Macon, Georgia, and maximum sustained winds at 35 mph (55 kph), forecasters issued a string of tornado warnings in North and South Carolina, although no touchdowns or damage were reported immediately. Much of both states and Virginia were under a tornado watch.
Wrecks added to Atlanta’s notoriously bad traffic as rain from Nicole fell across the metro area during rush hour, and a few school systems in mountainous north Georgia canceled classes.
The storm caused at least three deaths and swallowed once-wide stretches of sand in the Daytona Beach area — famous for its drivable beaches — after coming ashore near Vero Beach early Thursday. Some homes toppled into the Atlantic Ocean.
Two dozen hotels and condominium towers, one 22 stories tall, had to be evacuated in Daytona Beach Shores and New Smyrna Beach after building inspectors in Volusia County determined they were structurally unsafe, and at least 25 family homes in Wilbur-by-the-Sea had to be cleared out for the same reason.
That roughly 15-mile (24-kilometer) stretch was hit hard by coastline erosion that destroyed sea walls just six weeks earlier when Hurricane Ian came ashore on the Gulf Coast, killing more than 130 people and destroying thousands of homes.
The rare November hurricane was the first to hit the Bahamas since Hurricane Dorian, a Category 5 storm that devastated the archipelago in 2019. For storm-weary Floridians, it was only the first November hurricane to hit their shores since 1985 and only the third since record-keeping began in 1853.
Nicole’s surge was more destructive than those of similar storms in the past because seas are rising as the planet’s ice melts due to climate change, said Princeton University climate scientist Michael Oppenheimer. Higher coastal flooding is flowing deeper inland, and what used to be once-in-a-century events will happen almost yearly in some places, he said.
“It is definitely part of a picture that is happening,” Oppenheimer said. “It’s going to happen all across the world.’’
Volusia County Manager George Recktenwald said the destruction there was unprecedented.
“We’ve never experienced anything like this before,” he said.
The lifting of a curfew at 7 a.m. Friday enabled evacuated residents to return to the area to take stock of their properties, if only from the outside, and to begin to figure out whether they’ll be able to live there again.
A man and a woman were killed by electrocution when they touched downed power lines in the Orlando area, the Orange County Sheriff’s Office said. Another man died as waves battered his yacht against a dock in Cocoa, despite efforts to resuscitate him by paramedics who managed to get on board as the boat broke away from its moorings, Cocoa Police said.
Nicole also caused flooding well inland, as parts of the St. Johns River were at or above flood stage. Some rivers in the Tampa Bay area neared flood levels, according to the National Weather Service.
Emergency declarations were approved for all 67 Florida counties and the Seminole Tribe of Florida as the sprawling storm moved over the state.
Parts of Florida were devastated by Hurricane Ian, which struck as a Category 4 storm. Ian destroyed homes and damaged crops, including orange groves, across the state — damage that many are still dealing with — and sent a storm surge of up to 13 feet (4 meters) onshore, causing widespread destruction.
Frisaro reported from Fort Lauderdale. Seth Borenstein contributed from Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt.
For more AP coverage of our changing climate: https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment
Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
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An alien shipwreck is discovered on a planet at the very limits of human expansion – so Security Director Feriton Kayne selects a team to investigate. The ship’s sinister cargo not only raises bewildering questions, but could also foreshadow humanity’s extinction. It will be up to the team to bring back answers, and the consequences of this voyage will change everything.
Back on Earth, we can now make deserts bloom and extend lifespans indefinitely, so humanity seems invulnerable. We therefore welcomed the Olyix to Earth when they contacted us. They needed fuel for their pilgrimage across the galaxy – and in exchange they helped us advance our technology. But were the Olyix a blessing or a curse?
Many lightyears from Earth, Dellian and his clan of genetically-engineered soldiers are raised with one goal. They must confront and destroy their ancient adversary. The enemy caused mankind to flee across the galaxy and they hunt us still. If they aren’t stopped, we will be wiped out – and we’re running out of time.
Published by Pan Macmillan
Published on September 11, 2018
Buy the book
This book was sent by the publisher in exchange for my honest review.
Loved it!
When I first read that Hamilton was not returning to the Commonwealth universe in this, his new novel, I was really disappointed. I adore the Commonwealth and the stories he has written within it.
But this new novel is just brilliant.
It truly showcases what a creative genius, Hamilton is. From his ability to pull trends and social movements from our world today and to extrapolate them into what they could become, to his ability to twist plots and give his readers a story that is basically akin to a messed up Rubik’s cube – which we then have the sheer joy of watching a master put back together before our eyes, to his understanding of science and its principles and just what could be on our horizon (I think R&D departments of Virgin Space, Tesla, Google, Apple and Samsung etc, need to be going through his work with a fine tooth comb for ideas because his novels are bursting with them).
This book has action, murder, mystery, space, science, far-future tech, human interest and detective work all rolled into one. It is fast paced, insightful and thrilling. An absolute joy to read. And I cannot wait for book two. Or for the audiobook to be released because I will be reading/listening to it again then!
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Astrophotography is an incredibly enticing, yet difficult, genre of nature photography. It’s possible to achieve some level of competency with any camera equipment, even if you’re shooting with basic gear (and even some new smartphones), but understanding what you’re doing is important. Choosing the correct astrophotography settings and adapting to the situation in-front of you is key.
For this guide, we will look at which astrophotography settings you should use to take better photos of the stars.
If you’re looking to fast-track your astro photos and start taking incredible images you can be proud of, we recommend downloading The Ultimate Guide to Astrophotography for in-depth instruction.
Without a doubt, the mode you should be working with is manual (M). Typically, a camera’s semi-automatic modes (such as aperture priority) are great day-to-day. But working at night is very different, and your camera will struggle to choose the correct settings for astrophotography. Therefore, it is highly recommended that you use manual mode only in your efforts.
Ensure that you are using manual mode on your camera settings.
If you do attempt to use something like shutter priority, you’ll find that the camera cannot balance the exposure. Since you’ll be using a long shutter speed, your camera won’t be able to tell how long that exposure time needs to be. This is why you need to take control when shooting star photos and tell your camera exactly what to do.
For this reason, it is important that you understand how your camera actually works beyond just pressing the shutter – a good understanding of the exposure triangle and how to manipulate it is essential.
Whilst all astrophotography settings you’ll dial in are important, shutter speed is one that can have a drastic effect on your image. There are a number of things you need to consider about your exposure time when taking star photos.
Firstly, you’ll be using a long exposure – that is a given. There is simply not enough light around at night to warrant a quick shutter speed, even at a high ISO, and therefore you’ll be looking at a shutter speed of multiple seconds. This means that you camera exposes the sensor for an abnormally long time, letting in a lot of light to the sensor in order to achieve a properly exposed image.
So how long do you want that shutter speed to actually be? Well, that depends on a few things. The longer your shutter speed, the brighter your image. You’ll also find that increasing this astrophotography setting will render more stars visible in the shot – all those small points of light will be picked up that you can’t see with the naked eye.
But you can easily have a shutter speed that is too long. As the Earth rotates, the stars appear to move across our sky. If your shutter speed is too long, then the stars will start to trail across the sky. This turns them into streaks of light instead of lovely dots scattered about the scene. Now, some photographers will want to specifically shoot star trail photos – this is a more advanced technique that you can learn about here.
Determining the point where stars begin to trail depends on a few factors, but mainly your focal length. A wide-angle lens will allow you to use a longer shutter speed than a telephoto lens before the stars trail. To calculate the longest shutter speed you can shoot with, download the PhotoPills app and input your camera’s set-up – it will quickly spit out the results.
When in the app, just select the “Spot Stars” feature and you’ll find out the shutter speed to use.
Now that you have your shutter speed, what aperture should you use? For many, you’ll need the lens as wide open as possible. A smaller f-number means a physically larger opening in the lens, letting in more light.
Fast lenses, such as f/2.8, allow in a lot of light. If you do have a lens capable of such apertures then you may consider actually closing down the aperture by one-stop to around f/4. This means that you will get less aberration in the stars in the corner of the image.
However, if you’re new to astrophotography then do not worry about things like aberration at this stage. Shooting as wide open as possible is a good starting point for beginners, especially if your lens is not particularly fast.
Unlike in daylight landscape photography, you do not need a small aperture (big f-number) to achieve a wide depth of field. The focus in an astro photo is on the sky, and therefore the degree to which the foreground is in focus is most often not of concern. There are of course exceptions to that for particular styles of shot, but in general you do not need to worry about having a big depth of field.
Since shutter speed and aperture are relatively limited at night, the astrophotography setting that you’ll be focusing on to balance your exposure is the ISO speed.
Different cameras have different capabilities when it comes to ISO values. A high ISO number means that the camera is more “sensitive” to light, but it introduces digital noise into your image. Therefore, it is important to know the capabilities of your camera when choosing the ISO speed – but this just comes from experience.
As a general rule, you can start with an ISO speed of 1600. High ISO values such as this will make the less bright stars more visible in your final image. You’ll notice that your night sky comes to life here.
For cameras that are better with higher ISO speeds (such as full-frame cameras), you can push this setting higher. For example, ISO 3200 or even 5000 is possible. Higher than that and you’ll see problems on most cameras.
Your white balance will determine the white point of your image. If you’ve shot an image of the night sky and it appears orange, then one of two things has happened.
Firstly, you could be capturing the real colour of light pollution in an urban area – unfortunately that is unavoidable, and is why star photos should be taken away from cities. Secondly, your white balance could be wrong.
White balance is measured in Kelvin, and a low number (around 3200) is a good point to set it for star photos. This will keep your sky nice and natural, eliminating ugly warm colours.
There’s one key thing to remember, though. If you are shooting in raw format, then you do not need to worry about perfecting the white balance in the field. This is one astrophotography setting that can actually be adjusted during post production without any negative effects.
If you’re shooting in JPEG, however, then it is a different story. If this is you, you’ll need to get the value fairly spot-on in the field as adjusting it will degrade the image to an extent. You can still change in during post production, but you don’t want to be doing any drastic changes.
Other settings for astrophotography
There are plenty of other key astrophotography settings to work with, but those that I have described above are the most important. Even if you just employ the above guidance, you’ll come away with some good images.
We have written many other star photography tutorials on the website, but there is no better option than to download The Ultimate Guide to Astrophotography. It has absolutely everything you need to know for shooting the stars, meteor showers, Milky Way, and much more.
Visit Will's website
Visit Will's website
Will Nicholls is the founder of Nature TTL and a professional wildlife photographer and film-maker from England. Will now works in natural history television as a wildlife camera operator for the likes of Netflix, AppleTV+, and other services.
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Elin Eriksson, Director Key Accounts and Assignments at IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute. As a unit manager, Elin has built up competence in LCA, Resource Efficiency and Environmental Technology at IVL. She has also been part of many LCAs and sustainable product development projects together with different industrial companies and sectors. She is Chair of the Board of Directors of EPD International, is Swedish expert in the development of Product Environmental Footprint in EU, has taken active part in ISO standards development, and has been part of the development of the TraceMet traceability system.
Nolia is the largest organizer of fairs in northern Sweden. We organize trade and public fairs in the cities Piteå, Skellefteå, Umeå, Luleå, Boden and Sundsvall and conferences in Piteå and Umeå. We also undertake national and international consulting assignments. We bring together over 200,000 people every year to exchange experience and to network. In other words we specialize in developing different types of meetings, whether it is a conference, a fair or an event.
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With the goal to lead cities to digital innovations, while carrying the core value “quality is everything”. Inewvation International came into existence. Established in Manila, Philippines in 2011, with offices in major Asian countries including, Singapore and Hong Kong, the company provides not just products, but bespoke solutions to meet and exceed clients’ expectations.
Till date, understanding the client’s needs and delivering them the best solution has been the organization’s topmost priority.
Since its inception in 2011, the organization has taken very important part in mounting some of the most innovative and technologically advanced LED displays in the country. During the last eight years, Inewvation has completed many notable projects including the first curved LED display, the first moving LED display, the biggest LED display, the first seamless LED display, highest definition LED screen, the first perimeter LED display, etc.
For Inewvation International, having a factory that has a complete production line from Research and Development to testing lines is a sure score. Producing 10,000 sqm of LED Displays per month, or more than 120,000 sqm a year, is one of its developments that help the company through expanding its market.
Game Changing Products
Inewvation International provides up-to-the-minute digital technology solutions, advanced and innovative products branded as “Inewvation”, and quality customer experience, from design, production, delivery, installation, to after-sales. Inewvation digital displays are categorized in 2 categories; LED Display, and Digital Signage.
Both are highly customizable in dimension, resolution, brightness level, IP level, LED chip brand, and many other considerations. These tools also cater to Retail, Food and Beverage, Hospitality and Resorts, Transportation, Corporate, Out-Of-Home Advertising, Education, Events and Exhibition, etc.
Jayson H. So, is the President and CEO of Inewvation International. He had built the organization 8 years ago, in a small office space under a stairwell. The organization was born out of Jayson’s curiosity – a drive to know more about light-emitting diodes and how it can be used by companies and brands to convey their message. This curiosity quickly grew into a firm with a passionate vision to provide up-to-the minute advertising and digital display solutions.
“We are extremely proud of the success the company has achieved so far. Locally, we’ve grown to become one of the most reputable names in the LED digital display solutions sphere.”- said Jayson. “Expanding our business abroad, we want to show the world that a Filipino company can compete and thrive in the international stage in this industry.” – further he added.
During the initial days of the organization, Jayson alongside only one employee practically did everything only to jumpstart the business. Since then, the organization has completed a long journey and now it employs more than 100 employees, mostly in the technical and engineering departments.
When Everyone is Up for Challenges
Inewvation grows now to more than 100 employees, with inhouse licensed engineers and technical support team. The company has a diverse, yet harmonious working culture wherein people are encouraged to contribute their skills, share their ideas, and are given unique opportunities to learn new knowledge and improve abilities.
Being humble with passion and commitment, all employees are up to challenge, driving the company to go up to greater heights.
Moreover, Inewvation has a Business and Development team, Product Development, own Marketing team, Technical and Engineering, Operations and Logistics, Accounting and Finance, and of course, Sales, to complete a well-managed organization.
Flashback from last year, the company was humbled by small to huge opportunities that came its way. According to the organization, market expansion is a continuous accomplishment as Inewvation tacked the map of Asia, and established its Hong Kong and Cebu offices, while fortifying HQ (Manila) and Singapore bases. All these happened while simultaneously working with international brands like Shilla Duty Free, Ted Baker, Lacoste, Royal Sporting House, Citibank, FWD Life, Football Republic, Dufry, RE&S, Okada Manila, Globe Telecom, Solaire Resort & Casino, Adidas, Bench, Nike and many more- for the company each was a great learning experience.
As an organization, Inewvation accomplishes highly customized projects that often times, its competitors are even recommending Inewvation to the clients, as because they are just doing the standard stuff.
Also, there are a lot of digital display suppliers in the Asia- Pacific region. However, what made Inewvation unique and a leading provider is having this 6-set of services: its in-house licensed engineers do the designing, its factory that works round the clock when it comes to product customization, Inewvation also has a fast delivery, its efficient installation, content creation and management, and top notch after-sales service. The goal of the organization is to omit Inewvation’s clients’ headache during planning, purchase, and maintaining the digital displays they acquired.
To add, it has really taken the brand— Inewvation, to another level as it received recognition last December 2017 at International Innovation Awards, for Inewvation Brix Series, under Product Category, held at Hyatt on the Bund, Shanghai, China.
Inewvation believes, a product is just a product, but what matters is how an organization is adding value to the product. This is where Inewvation comes into play; the organization always put “an experience” to the product it offers. Since the company is into digital display solutions, it creates interactive software solutions to be integrated with its digital screens. That’s how the future of digital display will be.
As an organization, Inewvation always make sure that its products and solutions are always up-to-date and state-of-art, accompanied by proper customer experience.
Inewvation International’s LED displays are equipped with Photoelectric Lighting Control System or often referred to as ‘Smart Lighting’, which detects the current ambient light level which measures how bright and dark the external light is. This technology allows Inewvation International’s LED Screens to reduce its brightness when it’s dark and adjust itself automatically when needed. Through this, Inewvation International’s LED displays don’t only conserve energy and burning hours, but can also reduce eye strain without compromising quality. This technology also helps the onlookers to enjoy the spectacle of advertisements and information played on the LED screens.
When Marketing is Key
As an organization, Inewvation is quite aggressive in terms of marketing to let the world know what it can do, and who they can look for in terms of Digital Display Solution needs. With the type of industry where Inewvation operates, it just can’t do it quietly. The market is broad, and Inewvation has to go out and spread its capabilities and skills, through proper marketing. The company has been featured in various magazines and newspapers, and it is participating in various events across Asia Pacific (Retail Technology and Innovation Summit, Retail Asia Expo, Hospitality Summit, Airport Expansion Summit, Signs and Media Expo, Stores Asia Expo, Digital Technology Expo, BCI Asia events, etc).
Inewvation is not just marketing its products and solutions, but also educating every client about these tools. The company also publishes its blogs, product features, infomercials, and social media posts via its website, LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube.
Lastly, Inewvation does marketing to create the company’s branding for decades of business, not just for a year.
With the line of business Inewvation is into, it really has to be strong in Research & Development and Engineering. Hence, the management never stopped sending the team for technical trainings and seminars to enhance their skills and acquire more knowledge, which eventually share the benefits to the clients around the world.
Market expansion is also one. Today, Inewvation is catering to APAC, and conquering the globe is always its dream. The organization is communicating to Inewvation Channels, who are helping it to spread innovation— the Inewvation way.
“It’s really about the very superb service that you guys are providing. I know some of the people who work in the same area, same field as I am and then they are covering the Hong Kong maybe the Asia Pacific. You can rest assure to leave all your digital work and installation to Inewvation they will coordinate with you with the best work. We understand because this might not be as easy. Because once we step in Hong Kong or maybe the Asia area, we finally able to find a company that we can for sure deliver with the highest quality.” – Simon Chan, Design & Construction, Shilla Duty Free
“We are glad to have met such a dedicated, hardworking and cooperative digital display provider. For this kind of product, it is very essential that you are good in terms of after-sales service support and communication skills. Rest assured that you will always be remembered on our next digital display requirements. Keep it up and more power!” – Virendra Savani, Division Project Manager – Asia, The Nuance Group (a DUFRY company)
“It has been a good business relationship since 2013. Thank you for rendering us with quality products and excellent after-sales service. I personally commend your good company values that will surely bring you to different places. I wish you success in the years to come!” – April Koh, Managing Director, TPM Outdoor Productions Pte. Ltd.
“Inewvation International provides a bespoke solutions for its customers, your competitors are just selling products, you are selling a solution. Brilliant service, second to none, than what I have seen in the industry around the region.”- Terry Waterhouse, Director, Waterhouse Wade.
“We want you to know that we are very pleased with the quality of products and service your company provides. We sincerely appreciate your responsiveness and the way you conduct business. We have recommended your company to others because of our satisfaction with your service. We look forward to doing business with you for years to come”. – Jude Ong, General Manager, Bench / Suyen Corporation
“Quality and partnership. I am very pleased with the quality of the products; and they are very open in terms of sharing of technology and concepts, which is of interest to companies such as SMSGT.” – Anthony Angeles, President & CEO, SMS Global Technologies
“I believe that Inewvation met our expectations with making sure, not only with the product quality, but at the same time- delivery is on schedule and quality components have been used.” – Lorenzo Manalang, VP Brand & Marketing, Solaire Resort & Casino
Amanda Haddaway: A Positive, Hard-working, and Result-oriented Businesswomen
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Decisions: A Leading Provider of BPM, Workflow & Rule Technology
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March 6, 2018
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Every contract ends, but what does that mean for the contractor who is now facing an uncertain future or wondering what’s next for them? Our Celarity recruiting staff weighs in with these seven tips that explore steps a contractor should take before their contract expires. Here’s what Kelly Gunderson and Katie Larson have to say.
Meet with your recruiter
“Schedule a one-on-one meeting to chat with your recruiter about your current position and if you want to accept an extension if given one,” says Kelly Gunderson, Celarity Client Development Manager. Are you happy? Why or why not? What other experiences can you share about the contract? Be prepared to discuss your experience and goals. The more the recruiter knows, the more they can assist you in finding a fit. Scheduling these meetings at least four weeks in advance is key.
Be honest with your recruiter
“Remember, whether you find something through your recruiting agency or elsewhere, your recruiter is your advocate,” says Gunderson. “They are there as an additional resource to help you in any way they can. Be honest with them if you aren’t enjoying your current position or if you are starting to look on your own. They want you to be happy.”
Update your resume and portfolio
In addition to helping you find job openings, recruiters can provide resume writing guidance, interview tips, and answer related job search questions. But it’s important to complete this process before the contract ends so they can help you in advance – when you are not panicking about finding another job. “Make sure you make all necessary updates to your resume and portfolio, if applicable. You want to make yourself as marketable as possible,” says Larson.
Send the recruiter job postings that interest you
Help your recruiter help you by sending them job postings that look appealing to you. Be ready to explore new challenges and opportunities. “If your contract is ending, have an open mind to new opportunities – even if it means stepping outside your comfort zone,” says Gunderson.
Attend networking events
Upcoming marketing and creative networking events can be found in our monthly Celarity Scoop newsletter. Attend to learn, meet industry professionals and expand your network. “It’s all about who you know in this industry,” says Katie Larson.
Ask if a contract extension is possible
“If you’re interested in staying on contract with the company a bit longer, schedule a one-on-one with your direct manager to find out their plans for an extension,” says Gunderson. If you want to stay on long-term, let them know this – and also let your recruiter know this.
Moving on to a permanent role
Some contractors will end an assignment and indicate they will search for permanent, full-time employment and share that they are no longer interested in contract assignments. That’s not a problem for recruiters, and it’s not a knock against the job seeker. But communication about this is very important. Your recruiter can also help you with your search if you’d like to see jobs that may not be available to the public.
“Express this to your recruiter as soon as you have these feelings,” says Gunderson. “It’s a contract for a reason. The company knows that it isn’t a permanent fix to their employment needs. They understand that as a contractor, you have the right to decline working past the agreed upon contract dates.”
And, if you are truly ending the relationship with your staffing firm, treat it like it’s a full-time role and put in your two-week notice on the last day of the original contract term, says Larson. “Two weeks is standard, and even if the company wants you longer than your original contract, they will appreciate your two-week notice.”
Thinking about working with multiple recruiters? Read this first!
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As many of you are now learning John Latschar resigned as superintendent of Gettysburg National Military Park. You can read the story here. What follows is my first video blog in which I offer some final thoughts about yesterday’s post. It is meant to clarify some of my remarks, specifically in response to Eric Wittenberg’s initial comment. Things did get a bit heated yesterday and I want to extend an apology to Eric for my choice of words in response to his comment. I hope the video helps to explain the emotion behind my response. Eric and I may not agree on much of anything, but the one thing we do agree on is that, if it comes to it, our Phillies are going to kick the crap out of Brooks Simpson’s Yankees.
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Nancy Solomon Oct 27, 2017 @ 15:14
C Café, I believe has it right. I followed this individual throughout his tenure at GNMP and also watch the “Friends at the National Park at Gettysburg” which morphed into the Gettysburg Foundation through newspaper articles and Civil War publications. Plus I spend a good deal of time in Gettysburg. Latschar was the perfect example of a government employee gone rogue – no consequences for his actions. It’s how many years later and I’m still furious about it and about some of the stuff he did at Gburg. I do not wish him well, and I’m perplexed by the posters degradation of the “leaker”. In this case, he/she was necessary.
C Cafe Nov 16, 2009 @ 8:29
Wow, Kevin .. John Latschar was controversial before he used his “work computer and work time” to do Porn!! This was not just a little surfing, but continual misuse of government equipment and time.
This activity is completely against work policy and he has fired others for “more minor personal computer use” regarding their work computer and work time.
Then if we go into his work history —
1) He made the battlefield roads a mess of one way roads with parking scattered here and there where people would normally be 'driving.' Visit and drive these one way roads and you will understand what I am saying. He had the State put a traffic light up on a main road that caused one accident after another, and which should have been evident this would occur by the knob or hill at this location. To counter this, the tour was rerouted in exactly the pattern I said should have happened from day one which would have made NO light necessary. To this day it is still there causing havoc in heavy traffice times.
If JOHN LATSCHAR had any COMMONSENSE, we would not have had all the trees destroyed ( and not put to any useful purpose ), our battlefield property unkempt and making unaware visitors subject to getting lyme disease, large herds of deer destroyed till you can see none anymore when touring the battlefield ( used to be a favorite pasttime for many ), a fantastic private tower imploded, other battlefield towers cut down to nothing, and private artifacts that were donated hidden away in the monstrosity of a new Visitor's Center that cost way more than it should have ( at the public's expense ) . Friends seem to always be involved in all
these happenings, and then he is offered a high paying position with this same organization.
Hmm… no conflict, huh? And this same organization controlling or profitting at the Visitor's Center?? And if I were a Friends contributor, I would definitely be looking into where their money is “really” going.
And then we find the only punishment for his misdeeds, also coming out of the pockets of the public, is that he will keep his salary and be moved to another job made just for him. No wonder the public is outraged, as well they should be.
Personally, I think the investigator needs to be 'demoted” also, as well as a new investigation conducted into Latschar's activties with Friends. Any time something like this is discovered on a work computer – or any computer — it usually becomes a police matter. That they “dumped” this porn ( and I am assuming that meant 'got rid of ” ) was an action totally unethical all by itself; and if not dumped, then it can still be handed over for a more thorough investigation into that finding.
The fact that Latschar thought he could get away with this type of behavior – or that it was Not monitored by the network administrators – is something that should be remedied immediately. The facts speak for themselves — not only did he do this act, which shows total lack of control and stupidity that he thought he could get away with it, but proves he was not working while being paid by the government. This is a big deal and this happening was totally mishandled. This is just another example of government incompetence at all levels and government wasting our money.
To conclude – someone higher should definitely be looking into how this whole mess was handled and make some changes based on those findings.
C Cafe Nov 16, 2009 @ 2:29
Wow, Kevin .. John Latschar was controversial before he used his “work computer and work time” to do Porn!! This was not just a little surfing, but continual misuse of government equipment and time.
This activity is completely against work policy and he has fired others for “more minor personal computer use” regarding their work computer and work time.
Then if we go into his work history —
1) He made the battlefield roads a mess of one way roads with parking scattered here and there where people would normally be 'driving.' Visit and drive these one way roads and you will understand what I am saying. He had the State put a traffic light up on a main road that caused one accident after another, and which should have been evident this would occur by the knob or hill at this location. To counter this, the tour was rerouted in exactly the pattern I said should have happened from day one which would have made NO light necessary. To this day it is still there causing havoc in heavy traffice times.
If JOHN LATSCHAR had any COMMONSENSE, we would not have had all the trees destroyed ( and not put to any useful purpose ), our battlefield property unkempt and making unaware visitors subject to getting lyme disease, large herds of deer destroyed till you can see none anymore when touring the battlefield ( used to be a favorite pasttime for many ), a fantastic private tower imploded, other battlefield towers cut down to nothing, and private artifacts that were donated hidden away in the monstrosity of a new Visitor's Center that cost way more than it should have ( at the public's expense ) . Friends seem to always be involved in all
these happenings, and then he is offered a high paying position with this same organization.
Hmm… no conflict, huh? And this same organization controlling or profitting at the Visitor's Center?? And if I were a Friends contributor, I would definitely be looking into where their money is “really” going.
And then we find the only punishment for his misdeeds, also coming out of the pockets of the public, is that he will keep his salary and be moved to another job made just for him. No wonder the public is outraged, as well they should be.
Personally, I think the investigator needs to be 'demoted” also, as well as a new investigation conducted into Latschar's activties with Friends. Any time something like this is discovered on a work computer – or any computer — it usually becomes a police matter. That they “dumped” this porn ( and I am assuming that meant 'got rid of ” ) was an action totally unethical all by itself; and if not dumped, then it can still be handed over for a more thorough investigation into that finding.
The fact that Latschar thought he could get away with this type of behavior – or that it was Not monitored by the network administrators – is something that should be remedied immediately. The facts speak for themselves — not only did he do this act, which shows total lack of control and stupidity that he thought he could get away with it, but proves he was not working while being paid by the government. This is a big deal and this happening was totally mishandled. This is just another example of government incompetence at all levels and government wasting our money.
To conclude – someone higher should definitely be looking into how this whole mess was handled and make some changes based on those findings.
“Eric and I may not agree on much of anything, but the one thing we do agree on is that, if it comes to it, our Phillies are going to kick the crap out of Brooks Simpson’s Yankees.”
You had to stick it to us, didn't you Simpson? See you in Louisville.
“Eric and I may not agree on much of anything, but the one thing we do agree on is that, if it comes to it, our Phillies are going to kick the crap out of Brooks Simpson’s Yankees.”
Needless to say, in this case you're both wrong. Yankees in six. Seven if you're really not nice (more painful). In that case we'll have to find a sports bar in Louisville. Somehow I don't think that will be too hard.
Harry Oct 23, 2009 @ 6:13
I can't say that I agree that dishonest, illegal behavior is necessary as a check on government's exercise of power. What I find really disturbing here is that the result of the DoI investigation was that no disciplanry action was called for, and that Latschar was reassigned as a result not of his behavior, but simply because information that should have remained private was made public through the leak. I'll repeat Wilfred Brimley in Abscence of Malice: “We can't have people going around leaking stuff for their own reasons.It ain't legal. And worse than that, by God, it ain't right.”
Charles Oct 22, 2009 @ 13:29
Kevin, Your a very honorable person.
Larry Cebula Oct 22, 2009 @ 13:22
Kevin I think that post was set up to go off the rails from the start. Maybe “John Latschar Wins Award, Likes Porn” was not the best framing you could have used?
davidwoodbury Oct 22, 2009 @ 11:18
Just my two cents regarding the introduction of video commentary — I hope you resist the temptation to morph your blog into an online reality show. I thought you already made your central points pretty clearly and repeatedly in various written replies, but video does make for a compelling apology.
Kevin Levin Oct 22, 2009 @ 11:21
Point well taken. Don't worry as you will not be subjected to a regular stream of videos. I've been wanting to give video blogging a shot and this seemed like the right moment. Glad to know that the clarification wasn't necessary for some.
Fancy meeting you here. I’ll get back to our home forum as soon as I can. It’s been hectic.
msimons Oct 22, 2009 @ 10:02
Sad to see another life and career set back by PC misuse on company or as in this case Governmental time. I hope he has learned his lesson and continue to have a productive career as a desk employee.
Kevin I am sorry he lied to you and wasted your time. I understand because I too hate being lied to or having my time wasted.
Kevin Levin Oct 22, 2009 @ 11:02
I think you mean that you are sorry to hear the Eric was lied to.
msimons Oct 23, 2009 @ 9:14
Actually, to be precise, Eric posted that Dr. Latschar lied to him and his group. Since we don’t have any account from Dr. Latschar of the meeting, I don’t believe it’s fair to treat the issue of whether lying occurred as an absolutely established fact.
Kevin Levin Oct 26, 2009 @ 4:17
Thank you. I appreciate it.
What made it worse is that we were simply trying to honor the wishes of the veterans who fought there, and all he did was to patronize us and lie to us, and waste the time (and money) of four people, all of whom traveled from out of state to attend a meeting with him.
I accept your apology.
It is not my intent to fire this up again. However, since you explained yourself, I think it only fair that I get the chance to do so, too.
To begin, I have my reasons for despising John Latschar. I won't bore you with the details. I will simply say that in my world, there are two unforgivable sins: lying to me and wasting my time. He did both. What's worse is that he lied to a group of us and wasted the time of a group of us. Nobody ever gets a second chance to do that with me. So, I have an axe to grind. That has never been a secret.
At the same time, I have always acknowledged and given the man credit for the good things he has done at the park. The tree cutting program, which is entirely his doing, has transformed the field, and he deserves kudos for it. I personally don't care for the new VC–I think that there is far too much wasted space and too much inefficient design–but a new one was definitely needed. If it took him making a deal with the devil to make it happen, then I give him kudos for getting it done.
Having said that, you were the one who used the word “character” in your original post, and I was responding to it. With that information out there, how could he continue as superintendent? How, for instance, could he conduct a performance review of a female employee and not have it turn into a bad situation for both after that information became public knowledge? It's simply not possible, and my only point was that, based on information that I had from a former park employee who was interviewed during the investigation more than once and who also spoke to the Washington Post reporter, this was serious stuff that suggested that maybe the sterling character you referenced might not be the case. Nothing more, and nothing less.
Then you attacked me, which opened the floodgates for attack by your readers. I elected not to respond to one–who has since given me a sincere apology that I accepted–for the simple reason that had I responded to her after all of the really vicious personal attacks she launched, that I would reward the conduct. I was not about to do that. And you attacked me for that, too.
Yes, this probably went further than it should have, and in retrospect, I probably should have just sat on the information that I had. I certainly have better things to do, especially while I was trying to soak in the joy of the NLCS blow-out last night. Instead, I ended up locked in mortal combat.
In the end, John Latschar alienated a lot of people for a lot of reasons. At least some were as a result of his perceived arrogance, and that's part of what alienated me. As I told Raffi last night, when one holds oneself out as a lightning rod, one had better be prepared for the lightning strike that will inevitably come, and that's what happened to him. Numerous people have sent me private notes–and some in comments on my blog–suggesting that this is karma paying him back for how he treated people over the years. I don't know.
Is the park ultimately better off for his stewardship? Absolutely. Is it going to be worse off for losing him? In some ways, for sure. In some ways, it remains to be seen. I can only hope that his successor has a better touch with the public, which will help to avoid some of the alienation and outright hatred that always swirled around John Latschar.
Personally, I wish him well. I may not like him, and I may deeply resent how he treated me and the others who worked hard only to be lied to by him, but I certainly wouldn't and didn't wish this on him. However, it happened, and it's a fact. All I tried to do was to set the record straight.
Thank you for the apology, and thank you for the opportunity to tell my side of this. I have nothing further to say about this other than to say GO PHILLIES!!! BEAT THE YANKEES!!!
Kevin Levin Oct 22, 2009 @ 9:36
Thanks for the comment. I do want to make one point. Yes, I used the word “character” in my post, but I stand by my point which is to say that it doesn't tell me much about his overall personality. I think people are complex and I don't for a minute believe that this lapse in judgment is enough for me to draw broad conclusions about this man. You are right that it does render his ability to manage his staff that much more difficult. But that is not how I read your post or your comment on my blog. It seemed much more personal and vindictive and that is what I was responding to.
Let's move on to more important things. Thanks again, Eric.
ericwittenberg Oct 22, 2009 @ 9:41
You're welcome, and I agree. We all have better and more important things to worry about, like beating the Yankees.
donshaffer Oct 22, 2009 @ 9:26
I liked the videoblog format, Kevin. Not something you should do all the time, but on special occasions like this it's quite powerful. It certainly was this time. It enabled you to make your point in an effective fashion.
Kevin Levin Oct 22, 2009 @ 9:33
Thanks for the feedback. I agree, it's effective every so often.
Lizzie Oct 22, 2009 @ 9:12
I also apologize for my heated comments towards Eric. Should anyone be concerned, I submitted an apology on Eric's blog last evening.
Anyway, I enjoyed the video Kevin.
jfe Oct 22, 2009 @ 9:06
Functional, but I wouldn't plan on moving into TV to earn your living <g>.
Eric is a friend and I stood up for him yesterday because that is what friendship means to me, but Latschar has been a “red flag” to Eric for a long time, and I don't really know why. We all have our “red flag” issues—what is your opinion on black Confederates, Kevin? <g> (It's a red flag to me, too.)
Kevin Levin Oct 22, 2009 @ 9:12
I'll take functional for now.
I completely understand where you are coming from. No worries. I very much appreciate the time you've taken to comment on various posts.
jfe Oct 22, 2009 @ 9:23
… and my employer has a liberal and realistic policy about use of office PCs
Thanks for the videoblog, Kevin. It's a great format and you should definitely incorporate it again, as it allows you to clarify points to a greater degree. I think I understand your point now and your point is especially well taken about losing an ally in the fight for battlefield preservation and restoration. It is rather ironic that in history class yesterday we touched on this topic–what do you do when an important figure or great leader reveals a personal moral failing? Do you lose the leader and risk the loss of your cause for the sake of moral justice? Or for the greater good, should you overlook the moral failing so that the leader can continue to accomplish great things for the wider society? And how serious does the moral failing need to be to even get to this point in the conversation? While I do think this photo issue reveals a moral failing on Latschar's part, I agree that it should be separated from the context of his preservation work. My only disagreement with you, Kevin, was in your word choice and in that using the word “character” it brought the discussion into a wider context–I hope that makes sense :0) Thanks again for the videoblog and hopefully this issue can have a positive impact in that it forces us to reflect on our own moral lives and the intersection of public vs. private life. In the meantime, let's hope that the search for a new Gettysburg superintendent goes well.
Kevin Levin Oct 22, 2009 @ 8:22
Glad to hear that you enjoyed the videoblog. I wasn't sure how people would respond to having to look at my mug for nine minutes. Also pleased to hear that it helped to clarify my position. Your points are well taken.
Harry Oct 22, 2009 @ 9:01
According to the article you linked, Latschar did not resign, he was reassigned.
I despise, absolutely despise, leaks of any kind by government employees, elected or otherwise. Even if the leaked information is true, the person who divulged it cannot by their actions ever be trusted. That person should be dismissed. Fired with cause, with forfieture of benefits.
Kevin Levin Oct 22, 2009 @ 9:09
Thanks Harry. I meant to add that little note at the end of the post. It slipped my mind.
I agree with Harry—and you—on this. I wonder if anyone's looking into the leak, which surely was motivated by vindictiveness. My guess is the NPS simply will want to end this chapter asap, and we'll therefore hear nothing more about it.
Harry Oct 23, 2009 @ 6:36
So now we have to wonder what does this all mean for the future. Well, Latschar pissed a lot of people off, that's obvious. And pissing those people off, more so than his use of the computer, is most likely the reason he is gone. So let's look at the reasons why he pissed people off. Well, for one thing it was his personality (apparently, based on what I've read – I don't know the guy). But for another thing, it was his controversial management plan for the park, which has come to be viewed as a great accomplishment. Will future GNMP park supers have the stones to risk pissing people off, and losing their job, for similar ambitious but controversial plans? In fact, will they even be willing to make the tough decisions that are going to be necessary to simply MAINTIAN the clearing that has already been done (trees, bushes, grass and weeds have a nasty habit of growing back, and keeping cleared areas clear costs money)? I think we're in for a pretty timid era coming up. Be careful what you wish for – you just may get it. Or as a very wise Vulcan once said “After a time, you may find that having is not so pleasing a thing, after all, as wanting. It is not logical, but it is often true.”
Kevin Levin Oct 23, 2009 @ 6:42
You may be right. I have one other concern. What I value most about Latschar's tenure at Gettysburg is that he managed the battlefield not simply for those who already know that landscape and the history like the back of their hand, but for all Americans and especially for those who may only visit one battlefield in their lifetime. I hope that whoever replaces Latschar will not cave into the special interests, but will maintain Latschar's overarching vision.
Terry Johnston Oct 23, 2009 @ 8:02
You raise a very good point, one I hadn't even considered, about what will happen to the park alterations that occurred under the Latschar plan. It made me wonder: How much of that plan (can't recall the formal name for it, but I know there is one) has been executed to date? I don't mean the new VC, which obviously is a fait accompli, but other alterations, like the kind you mention: clearing of various grasses and trees, etc. Is there a chance that Latschar's replacement would—or could—take a different path moving forward, i.e., scrap any remaining bits of the original plan not yet implemented (again, if there are any)? I suppose so. Again, hadn't even thought about that.
And how bad a guy can you be, if you're quoting from what's probably the best episode of the original Star Trek TV series? Spock's the man.
Kevin: Sorry for replying to my own post here, instead of yours or Harry's. For some reason, I see no 'reply' button after either of them.
Kevin Levin Oct 23, 2009 @ 8:05
I think the thread can only be indented so far, which is why you didn't see the buttons. Thanks for the comment.
Harry Oct 23, 2009 @ 6:13
I can't say that I agree that dishonest, illegal behavior is necessary as a check on government's exercise of power. What I find really disturbing here is that the result of the DoI investigation was that no disciplanry action was called for, and that Latschar was reassigned as a result not of his behavior, but simply because information that should have remained private was made public through the leak. I'll repeat Wilfred Brimley in Abscence of Malice: “We can't have people going around leaking stuff for their own reasons.It ain't legal. And worse than that, by God, it ain't right.”
Kevin Levin Oct 23, 2009 @ 6:21
Thanks for the comment, Harry. I was simply offering a general response in reference to the role of leaks in keeping government in check (i.e., Watergate). You make a good point and I agree that it was probably leaked by someone who had it in for Latschar. The reassignment was over a concern for public relations, but I find it to be a stretch that this necessarily compromised his ability to manage the staff, etc. Perhaps I am wrong, but if so I want to be shown that rather than speculation. And the other thing that I find curious is this argument that instead of sitting in front of his computer he could have been saving witness trees and preserving monuments, etc. It completely ignores the extent of his accomplishments while in that role.
I suspect that a lot of people celebrated over his reassignment and that is what it comes down to. The outrage over the nature of the images is so overblown.
Actually, disclosure by a federal employee of a confidential personnel document to an unauthorized person is a serious federal crime because such action undermines the integrity of the entire personnel system, especially that portion of it that deals with the investigation and dispostion of charges against an employee. This wasn't the Pentagon Papers, although, strictly speaking, Daniel Ellsberg was prosecuted. We'll never know what the outcome would have been if the jury had voted since the case was dismissed because of misconduct by the Nixon administration (attempted tampering with the judge & breaking into Ellsberg psychiatrist's office, IIRR). This is one person deciding to be judge, jury, and executioner of another person's career and reputation, apparently because he/she disagreed with the original outcome. We can never read someone else's mind, but this appears to be a lot closer to the reasons for the leak outing Valerie Plame Wilson as a CIA operative. spite and revenge, than it does to the Pentagon Papers or Deep Throat.
I think anyone who is thinking of defending the leaker should ask themselves first “Is there anything in my own employment records that I would mind waking up and finding plastered on the front page of the newspaper in the town where I work and I and my family live because of the unilateral decision of someone who has access to those records?” No points for taking refuge in believing that one is too obscure for the media to care. That's unpredictable. That tends to be a mix of how important the person, how juicy or shocking the item, and how much the leaker and/or the media is willing to distort it or take it out of context, and how slow a newsday it is. Only after thinking about the answer to that question and answering it honestly should the decision be made to defend this leaker. If someone wants to defend him/her, that's their right, but I think this should be a consistent position. If you think it would be wrong and criminal if it happened to you and/or someone you cared about/respected, it's wrong and criminal if it happens to someone you hate/disrespect even in cases where that hatred/disrespect is amply merited.
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By far the largest bird in the Santa Rosa Rookery is the Great Egret, and I’ll have to admit — though I know better — that I am always surprised that a bird this large nests in a tree — even if it always seems to be a very tall tree.
On this visit, one of the highest nests I saw was this Great Egret nest with two chicks.
Great Egret Chicks in nest
That seems like the most logical place for Great Egrets to have nests since it is easier for them to fly in and out of the nest.
Great Egret leaving tree
However, not all Great Egrets nest at the top of the tree. For instance, this Great Egret landed near the top but had to weave its way through some awfully tight spaces to reach its destination —
Great Egret weaving through tree
three hungry chicks that flailed their wings as they mobbed the parent.
So, I end up asking myself why did this egret build the nest so deep within the tree. Do the dominant Great Egrets get to nest on the top of the tree? Is it simply a matter of which egret started building a nest first? Or is there an advantage to having a nest lower in the tree because it defers predators?
I would love to visit Santa Rosa at the beginning of nesting and see which species start nesting first and where in the tree the first nests are built.
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Author LorenPosted on September 28, 2022 September 28, 2022 Categories Birds1 Comment on Great Egrets at the Santa Rosa Rookery
Several years ago I discovered the Santa Rosa Rookery through Facebook entries, and I’ve tried to visit every time we’ve been in Santa Rosa during nesting season. I thought that we might be too late to see anything on our recent visit, but I still drove over while Leslie and Paul were doing something else.
As it turned out, most of the birds seemed to have already hatched and left the rookery, but there were still enough birds nesting that I spent over an hour trying to capture some shots.
In previous years I tended to focus on the Night Herons, but I didn’t see a single Night Heron until the end of this visit. The two juvenile night herons I saw weren’t even in the two main trees; they were on an adjacent tree.
The one on the left was certainly the more adventurous of the two and even spread its wings as if it was going to fly over to the other tree, but it never actually flew. I only saw one adult Night Heron, and it was landing at the top of one of the two main trees, not where these juveniles were.
Night Heron landing in tree
I was surprised that the Night Heron landed there because I’d just spent twenty minutes or so looking for Night Heron chicks and hadn’t seen any (which apparently doesn’t mean that there weren’t any there). On previous visits, the Night Herons, Great Herons, and Snowy Egrets far outnumbered the Cattle Egret, but the opposite seemed true on this visit.
I’ll have to admit that I have a hard time deciding whether a chick is a Great Egret, a Snowy Egret, or a Cattle Egret, but it’s easy to tell when there’s an adult Cattle Egret in the nest like this.
Cattle Egret with chicks
These four chicks look a lot like those in the above shot and they were lower in the tree than Great Egret chicks I could positively identify, so I’m assuming these were Cattle Egret juveniles (particularly since there is an orange cast to the one trying to fly).
I’m less sure that these even younger chicks are Cattle Egret, but they don’t look like Great Egret chicks to me and I mostly saw adult Cattle Egret landing and flying nearby.
I’ve seen several rookeries since I started birding, but the Santa Rosa Rookery is the only one where I’ve seen such an amazing variety of herons nesting together.
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Author LorenPosted on September 17, 2022 September 17, 2022 Categories BirdsLeave a comment on Back to the Santa Rosa Rookery
Our Last Day in Colorado
On our last day in Colorado Jen and the kids were busy getting ready for their upcoming trip to Puerto Rico, so Tyson took us on a much-needed walk before we started our long drive to Santa Rosa. There weren’t quite as many birds as we had seen on previous walks, but I managed to get a nice shot of a Northern Flicker marching across the field
and of a Great Blue Heron dining on frog legs.
Great Blue Heron eating frog
With few birds in sight, I shifted my attention to the nearby flora and was delighted by the many flowers along the trail, particularly since I had no idea what they might be.
The only one that looked familiar was this one, which looked like a dandelion. I’m not sure it really is a dandelion, though. If it is, Colorado produces much bigger dandelions than the Pacific Northwest does.
We’ve gone to Colorado so often in the last twenty years that it seems quite familiar, but it only takes a short walk to realize that there’s still much we don’t know about it. Of course, the same could be true of Theler Wetlands which we walk much more often.
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Author LorenPosted on August 31, 2022 Categories Birds, Flowers1 Comment on Our Last Day in Colorado
East Lake 3 Park and Nature Preserve
There’s usually at least one day when we’re visiting the Colorado Websters when everyone is busy. On days like that, I like to drive a few miles down the road to East Lake 3 Park and Nature Preserve in Thornton to bird where I can count on seeing birds I seldom see at home.
On this trip the first one we saw was a male Blue-Winged Teal, a bird I have only seen once in the Puget Sound area.
male Blue-winged Teal
We didn’t have to walk much further to see a Spotted Sandpiper in the same area where I’ve seen one on previous visits.
I can usually count on seeing some American Avocet and found these two particularly intriguing because the one on the right was so much smaller than the one on the left and the two seemed to be together. I wondered if the smaller one was this year’s chick, but the plumage appears to indicate it’s an adult, not a juvenile.
Studying the avocets did lead me to a nearby sighting, a Killdeer chick with an adult.
If my memory doesn’t fail me, this is the only place I’ve managed to get shots of Killdeer chicks.
About halfway around the trail, there’s a boardwalk that heads out into a forest of reeds that is full of Red-winged Blackbirds. This juvenile Redwing seemed as interested in us as we were in him.
juvenile Red-winged Blackbird
The male Red-winged Blackbird seemed more intent on seeing if we were a threat to his kingdom before grudgingly flying off.
There’s a small pond near the end of the walk where you can glimpse ducks and Avocets up close if you can find a space between the dense reeds that surround the pool
We didn’t see the White Pelicans we’ve seen here in the past but I only noticed that while reflecting on the walk. I was too busy seeing what was there to worry about what wasn’t there.
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Author LorenPosted on August 22, 2022 Categories BirdsLeave a comment on East Lake 3 Park and Nature Preserve
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Who we are at Trillium Mutual
Trillium Mutual was established on January 1, 2004 as a result of an amalgamation between Formosa Mutual Insurance Company and Elma Mutual Insurance Company. The dynamic of this evolution is an organization that recognizes the value of a balance between the past, present, and future.
Our Board of Directors and all of our staff are dedicated to sound corporate governance and being leaders in our industry.
We are dedicated to our members while supporting the organization wide commitment to mutuality. At Trillium Mutual Insurance we develop insurance solutions for people, not profits.
Mutual insurance companies thrive on their members and the concept of togetherness. It is that ‘sharing’ ideal that sets the mutuals apart from the rest of the insurance industry. We are rooted in the idea that through business we can give people peace of mind for life’s unexpected events.
Our team of Executive Leaders
Tracy MacDonald, B.A., F.C.I.P
President & CEO
Tracy joined Trillium Mutual Insurance in January 2015 as Vice President of Corporate Services. In her current capacity as CEO, Tracy is responsible for the overall organizational performance and is accountable directly to the Board of Directors. Her primary responsibilities include the oversight of strategic planning, corporate governance, political advocacy as well as fostering community and industry relations.
Tracy is an active member of the Mutual Insurance Industry, currently serving on the Board of the Canadian Association of Mutual Insurance Companies (CAMIC). Tracy is also a member of the Auto Rate Filing Committee serving the Ontario Mutual Companies that jointly file auto rates.
Tracy and her husband live in Waterloo with their two daughters.
Education & qualifications
Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics
Fellow Chartered Insurance Professional
Advanced Executive Certificate in General Management
Vice President of Operations
Mike joined Trillium Mutual Insurance in December 2011. In his present position as Vice President of Operations, Mike is accountable for service delivery to Trillium Members through Underwriting, Claims, Risk, Legal, Branding and Broker Partnerships.
Mike graduated from Conestoga College with a Diploma in Law and Security Administration in 1985 having begun his insurance career with Gore Mutual Insurance as a loss adjuster in 1984.
In 1986 Mike moved to North Waterloo Farmers’ Mutual as a loss adjuster and attained his Chartered Insurance Professional designation in 1987. In 1988 Mike joined a boutique independent adjusting firm eventually becoming a partner/proprietor of Gray, McHugh, Virley Insurance Adjusters Inc. In 1991 Mike attained his Fellow Charted Insurance Professional designation as well as earned a Diploma in Business Administration from Wilfrid Laurier University.
In 1994 Gray, McHugh, Virley Insurance Adjusters Inc. was purchased by what is now Crawford and Company (Canada) Inc. In 2004 Mike earned his Chartered Loss Adjuster designation with the Canadian Independent Adjusters Association.
Previously in his career Mike has held the Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator, Certified Fire and Explosion Investigator Instructor and Certified Fraud Examiner designations.
Mike’s most recent position with Crawford prior to joining Trillium Mutual Insurance Company was as Manager of four Branch Claims Services offices in South Western Ontario as well as an Executive General Adjuster with Crawford’s Global Technical Services Division.
Mike and his wife live in a rural setting outside Moorefield, Ontario.
Vice President of People & Innovation
Jenny joined Trillium Mutual in 2015 as Manager of Underwriting and has been making outstanding contributions to our organization ever since.
In her current position as Vice President of People & Innovation Jenny is responsible for the Information Systems, Human Resource and Innovation teams. She is always eager to take on new challenges with creative approaches to foster a culture of innovation for the future.
In 2003 Jenny began working at Economical Insurance as a Commercial Underwriter. Over her 12 years working there she transitioned into different roles eventually working as the Manager of National Underwriting Operations.
Jenny has spent over 16 years working within the insurance industry in various positions of increasing responsibility and accountability. Of her 16 years P&C experience, Jenny has been in a leadership role for 12 years. Her passion for people, technology, forward thinking and the mutual community have contributed to her leadership roles throughout her career.
She graduated from the University of Waterloo in 2003 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Economics and has completed her Chartered Insurance Professional (CIP) designation as of 2009.
Jenny lives in Baden, Ontario with her husband and two daughters.
Our Board of Directors
Trillium Mutual Insurance Company is currently governed by a Board of Directors of six. The Board meets monthly or more often as required. Each year two Board members are elected for a three year term at the company’s Annual Meeting.
The company’s Annual Meeting is held in March and a Chair and Vice-Chair are selected from the Board of Directors at an Organizational Meeting that immediately follows. These offices are filled by election each year. The Board of Directors reviews the company’s operation on a monthly basis. They employ the President & CEO who is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the company and putting the actions given by the Board of Directors into place.
Chair
Ben has been a Trillium Board member since 2009. In addition, he serves as a Director on the Chesley Hospital Foundation Board and is an active member of the Tara Rotary Club. Ben is also a licensed Realtor with Coldwell Banker. Ben’s experience includes domestic and international sales and marketing with Elanco Animal Health. He also owned and served as President of H. Nicholson and Son and Penner Farm Services in Ontario. He is a former member of the Canada East Equipment Dealers Board of Directors.
Vice Chair
Julie joined the Board of Directors in 2016.
She is a graduate from Wilfrid Laurier University (B.A. in Political Science and M.A. in Arts). For the majority of her early career, Julie worked for the Government of Ontario in various senior positions in the Ministries of Agriculture and Food, Labour, Energy and Infrastructure.
Currently Julie is a Principal with Earnscliffe Strategy Group in Toronto. In this role she provides strategic advice and government advocacy support to a broad range of clients. Julie is active in her home community of Waterloo where she lives with her husband and three daughters.
Past Chair
Ross Lamont joined the Trillium Mutual Board in 2013.
He was raised on a mixed farm in Saugeen Township. Lamont retired from Bruce Power after a 33 year career including the last 10 years as the Manager of Community and Government Relations. Ross received a B.A. in Economics and an M.A. in Leadership from the University of Guelph and has also completed the Institute of Corporate Directors Designation (ICD.D) through the Rotman School of Management.
Ross has been an active member in his community and has served on various local, provincial and national boards and associations. He and his wife Nancy reside in Port Elgin. They have two adult children and three grandchildren.
Angela joined the Board of Directors in 2019.
Angela holds a BA (Hons Spec) from Western University along with an MBA from Laurier. She also earned the Family Enterprise Advisor professional designation through Ivey Business School at Western University.
Angela is the Founder of Synergize Family Business Consulting in Stratford and Owner of De Groot Pork Net Inc which is a growing, family owned, agri-business that specializes in producing high quality Canadian pork and poultry.
She is heavily involved within the community including leadership within 4-H Ontario. Angela and her husband reside outside of Stratford with their 4 boys.
Cong-Rong Xie
Cong-Rong joined the Board of Directors in 2017.
She earned a Master of Applied Science degree from Systems Design Engineering at the University of Waterloo. Cong-Rong spent 23 years working in the P&C industry and held various leadership positions of program and technology management supporting new product development, new distribution channels and improving IT delivery agility.
She now holds the position of Vice President of Technology with the Great West Life Assurance Company. Cong-Rong lives in Waterloo with her husband and two adult daughters. She actively supports local community and is a Board member of the Kitchener-Waterloo Counselling Services.
Pat is the newest member of the Board of Directors joining in 2021. He has enjoyed an extensive career in agricultural working in the co-operative, publicly traded and private sectors. Pat held numerous senior and executive management positions with the Saskatchewan Wheat Pool and Viterra retiring as Director of Eastern Canadian Operations (Ontario and Quebec). He continues to support the importance of agriculture, farming and rural community contributions to the economy and fabric of Canada.
During his career Pat was the President of the Grain Elevator and Processing Society (Thunder Bay Chapter) and chaired the Lakehead Terminal Elevator Association.
Pat is a graduate of the University of Toronto, Rotman School of Business Director Program and has an ICD.D Designation from the Institute of Corporate Directors. He is also a graduate of the Queens Executive Program and has an engineering background.
Pat has served on a number of Corporate Boards and Board Committees and is a member of the Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Center Cardio Vascular Surgical Cabinet and Fundraising Committee.
Pat and his wife Janet reside in Thunder Bay.
What makes our team different
Our valued members
We exist for the sole benefit of our partners.
Protection through insurance solutions
We protect and respond to member needs with innovative solutions.
We strive for every customer experience to be excellent.
Financially responsible
We are accountable for long term financial stability.
Our partners are essential
We choose professional and ethical partners to sell our services and products.
We are a team of dedicated professionals working in an environment of mutual respect and continuous improvement.
Recognizing Our Opportunity To Support (ROOTS)
At Trillium, our mutual structure aligns our organization’s and members’ interests. One of the ways Trillium does this is through our ROOTS (Recognizing Our Opportunity to Support) Community Fund.
This program provides assistance and support to a variety of different community programs that look to sustain and develop rural Ontario.
Ultimately, we are accountable to our members and their communities in everything we do. We are in this together! We are built on the values of the past and look forward to implementing them for the future.
Our vision: “To be the Leading Mutual Insurer Protecting and Enhancing Farm and Community Lifestyles”, is well represented by our entire team.
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Chandler mother criticizes school for showing movie with N-word | Integrity Garage Doors of Phoenix - Tim Canfield owner
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Chandler mother criticizes school for showing movie with N-word
Some parents are criticizing the Chandler Unified School District for showing a movie with the “N-word” to junior high students.
Wochit
Amber Hutchinson, whose child attends Santan Junior High School, spoke to Chandler Unified School District leaders at a school board meeting on Sept. 13. She’s concerned that the school showed a movie about slavery and the Underground Railroad that uses an iteration of the ‘N-word.’(Photo: Lorraine Longhi/The Republic)
The decision to show a movie about slavery and the Underground Railroad that uses an iteration of the N-word to junior high students has some Chandler parents concerned.
A Chandler Unified School District spokesman said “A Race to Freedom” has been shown in the district for years and does not use the N-word.
The movie site IMDB’s parental guide for the film states the N-word “is used throughout the movie. Although it is pronounced by many in the film: ‘niggre.’ “
However it’s pronounced, it was too much for parent Amber Hutchinson, whose child attends Santan Junior High School.
“I don’t care how you say it. That word hurts,” Hutchinson said. “You’re referring to an African-American person in a very demeaning and disrespectful manner.”
Hutchinson first voiced concern on social media, and was joined by several members of the Chandler-based Black Mothers Forum when she spoke to district leaders at a school board meeting on Sept. 13.
“CUSD employees are responsible for providing a safe, productive environment for students and adults engaging in equal learning,” Hutchinson told the board. “You failed. You failed me. You failed my child.”
Robert Rice, president of the governing board, told The Arizona Republic after the meeting that public reviews of curriculum take place whenever new material is introduced, but that not every movie is accounted for.
“We just always need to be sensitive to other cultures, races,” Rice said. “I have blind sides. We all do. I think that’s when we can have other groups help us understand where we’re missing those sensitivities.”
Raising awareness
In Hutchinson’s original Facebook post, she decried Chandler’s choice to show the film, which was released in 1994.
“I challenge the Chandler School District to find adequate, age appropriate educational material to teach our children and to retire this outdated, culturally insensitive filth,” the mother said.
Hutchinson’s post was met with support from some and criticism from others. Some suggested she should reach out to school leaders instead of posting online and others said historical context and accuracy is important in teaching students about slavery.
At the board meeting, board members did not respond directly to her comments, which is standard practice during the public comments portion of the meetings.
At the end of the meeting, Superintendent Camille Casteel thanked Hutchinson and parents who addressed the board on other issues, saying, “We know we’re not perfect. We’re trying. There’s a lot of lives and dispositions and attitudes to try to manage and shape, but we’re working real hard to do that.”
A district spokesman noted that the Dove Foundation, a non-profit organization “whose mission is to encourage and promote wholesome family entertainment,” approved of the film to be shown to individuals 12 years old and older.
The foundation describes the film, which focuses on four slaves’ journey to freedom from North Carolina to Canada, as “powerful” and credits its themes of perseverance as being family-friendly.
Hutchinson disagreed.
“As long as someone is giving breath to it, it’s going to remain alive,” Hutchinson said of the N-word.
Neal Lester, an ASU Foundation Professor of English and the founding director of the Project Humanities initiative, has taught an entire course on the N-word.
He said the inability to see nuance or understand the pain certain words can cause certain students is why these situations keep manifesting in schools.
“There are ways you can teach the Underground Railroad without dramatizing it,” Lester said. “These are not college students. You have to prepare young people for discussion. One person may be disarmed by something so racially charged.”
“I think that the school district is being very lazy about updating their curriculum. I don’t think that they have a sense of awareness about who their clientele is and who they’re speaking to.”
Black students make up 5 percent of the district’s total enrollment, according to the district. Hutchinson says her daughter can feel uncomfortable with lessons that aren’t sensitive to minorities.
Hutchinson has raised concerns in the past, including after a lesson in which her daughter and classmates were asked to read slave dialect aloud from the 1969 novel, “The Cay.”
“I think that the school district is being very lazy about updating their curriculum,” Hutchinson said. “I don’t think that they have a sense of awareness about who their clientele is and who they’re speaking to. They’re not serving their population.”
Lester advocates for showing documentaries instead of dramatizations to illustrate the realities of slavery, as well as initiating extensive discussions with students ahead of time to prepare them for the content.
“If you’re trying to make a point about dialect, bring in an audio version,” he said. “Tailor the lesson so it’s not coming out of the discomfort of a student’s mouth. There’s a lot of work you can do to prepare students without articulating the word and saying it out loud.”
If a student or parent feels uncomfortable and would like to opt out of a lesson or tackle an alternative lesson, they should be given that right, he says.
“You have to recognize the sensitivity of language, whether its homophobic language, sexist language, or ableist language,” Lester said. “Words matter.”
How to move forward
This is hardly the first school, movie or book that has raised difficult questions for schools.
Mark Twain’s “Adventures of Huckleberry Finn” uses the N-word more than 200 times. In 2011, a publisher inserted the word “slave” in its place in an attempt to avoid the American classic being dropped from school reading lists.
“Even if the spelling and pronunciation are different, educators need to ask themselves: How might our best intentions go awry? Parents have to be brought in about these sensitive issues.”
Neal Lester, ASU Foundation professor and Project Humanities initiative founding director
The 1977 ABC mini-series “Roots,” which uses the N-word as it explores the horrors of slavery, ranks as one of the nation’s most-watched telecasts and has also been shown in schools. The 2016 remake continued to use the racial slur for authenticity.
“You can’t get around the history of the word,” Lester said.
But it should be approached carefully.
“Even if the spelling and pronunciation are different, educators need to ask themselves: How might our best intentions go awry? Parents have to be brought in about these sensitive issues,” he said.
Hutchinson questions why the school did not consult parents about the film’s content before showing it in class.
At the beginning of each school year, the district sends home a list with the rating of each film that is to be shown throughout the year. The list does not discuss the content of each film.
Hutchinson would like to see greater outreach in navigating such sensitive topics.
“They could have sent a letter home to the parents and said, ‘This is a great opportunity to talk to your children about the material in this film so that they understand the scope,'” she said. “You took that opportunity away from me.”
N-word controversy at Phoenix high school altered their senior year, changed district’s efforts to combat racism
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Because the introduction of the Lego massive rock ongoing, Godtfred Kirk Christiansen, Ole’s boy, who had been now an brisk govt on the organization, came up with the thought of creating a “play system” dependent near their Lego brick. She or he credit score the precise ignite of the idea to a conversation he’d with an abroad gadget purchaser that commented which there was completely no precise program in the gadget enterprise. This system gave birth to the preliminary Legos models. The trendy lego massive rock and design had been patented in the beginning of 1958, as well as took an extra five years to excellent the kinds of supplies for it. Incredibly, bricks from 1958 proceed to be appropriate with as we speak’s trendy brick!
The appearance of web has modified the idea of entertainment completely. In the present day we can not hear of complaints of getting bored or lonely from kids. There may be too much pleasure and action going on in web within the form of online games. Truly, twenty 4 hours should not ample in a day to enjoy all of them!
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It is no shock that video games can even help an individual of any age enhance their imaginative and prescient. The place the idea as soon as was that it was dangerous to stare at a TELEVISION or Pc display screen for lengthy intervals, it went unnoticed that the main focus required to satisfy some of these games have been doing extra good than harm. That being stated, gaming has an effective potential to spice up distinction sensitivity, aiding the attention in distinguishing the smallest changes in shades and colours which might be happening within the sport. No examine has been carried out as of late, however it is only logical to assume this may also lower the results of age related macular degeneration.
This will give your game the correct feeling.
MUSH, usually referred to as a Multi-Person Shared Hallucination, is somewhat of a text-based Second Life the place you can create something you want, be anyone you need, and do anything that you want in a multi-user sport. With the popularity of MUDs in the Nineteen Eighties, many variations emerged equivalent to TinyMUD in 1989. MUSH was then created by Larry Foard who used TinyMUD’s code and added a distinct programming language.
Earlier than you possibly can master a online game, it’s essential to perceive the gameplay. On this game the Earth has been depleted of all of its useable sources and this has compelled the inhabitants to colonize in area. Eventually, these sources grew to become scarce and wars begin to break out once more. Nonetheless, an answer was found when a natural wormhole to another galaxy was discovered. This wormhole was unstable so, a synthetic wormhole named “The EVE Gate” was constructed and players can now journey from one galaxy to the following.
First Particular person Shooter. 8. DiveIn. Don’t let all of the donation efforts for your self make your neighbourhs donate as properly or steal from them the wood you will donate hehe. Something when pursued beyond a restrict can pose serious drawbacks. At these websites there are multiple games with multiple characters to choose from, and there are many games for each age group.
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That's what they're not. Kids I mean. They may look like regular people, only smaller, but I found out one thing this weekend, and that's that they are NOT regular people. They're little weirdos. In a cute, nice way... but weirdos all the same.
So I called around to this Mom's house. She lives in Kilmainham, a cool area to live, because the houses are old and pretty, and you're near downtown and the Museum of Modern Art, which has a big, huge park all round it. I would go to that park ALL THE TIME if I lived around there. You don't have to go to the museum to go in, it's just a big old patch of green in the middle city, and there's even one of those fancy French-style gardens. Not sure of the technical term.
Anything. The kids are there waiting for me. We'll call the girl "Emma" and the boy "Albert". Albert goes, "I made a picture for you" and shows it to me. It's of my tombstone with "Died 2010" written on it in squiggly crayon writing. As a student of gothic literature, I think this is kind of a nice touch, but the Mom gets all embarrassed and grabs it and makes him apologise. So we maybe didn't get off to the best of starts. Better that than the silent hostility emanating from Emma. Which I pretend I don't notice. I can understand that they are a little resentful because they're obviously used to having their Mom to themselves all Saturday and now that she's started a new business she's not going to be around weekends for a while. For me, that's 70 Euros I wouldn't have otherwise had. But for the kids, it's something they're not so happy about. And believe me, I'm gonna be earning those Euros. Fortunately, the Mom is one of those Supermoms, so every week she'll more or less tell me what she wants the kids to do, and we'll do it. My job is to be nice, stop Albert and Emma from killing each other, and get them there and back in one piece. Then I heat up the meal their Mom has left in the fridge, we all eat it and by the time I've put the plates in the dishwasher, the Mom comes back and I've got money to go out for the evening. This weekend, we went to a storytelling in the National Art Gallery. I even enjoyed it too! Although there were so many kids there, I've probably got cooties or something.
After the show, Albert looks at me really seriously and goes, "If I don't have ice cream I'll probably die, and then you'll be in trouble with my mother."
Soooo... I have never been a very patient person, but I am going to have to start channeling it now, that's for sure.
Anyway, flush with cash, I met up with Saoirse and some other friends and we went to The Church. That place is amazing! It actually used to be a church, so there's always a moment when you think, "Maybe I shouldn't be knocking back the beers in here.." A cute guy bought me a drink. There were no sparks and nothing happened, but still. Thanks, cute guy. That was just what my ego needed right then, after taking quite the bruising a week ago.
1 comments:
Anonymous
February 25, 2010 at 3:21 AM
Is 70 Euros enough for taking care of a kid who draws pictures of your tombstone LOL? Well, I guess there's a recession on. Seriously, though, I am planning a trip to Ireland with my kids so will be watching your after-the-weekend posts with interest
Chick from the Sticks
I came to spent a year in college doing an MA, finished the MA, and couldn't bear the thought of leaving -- so I'm still here!!
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Everywhere in the creation, manufacturing, and distribution of a drug lies the potential for something to go wrong. While safeguards are in place to help minimize instances of slip-ups, no plan is without a margin of error. What becomes a margin of error, a statistic to be collected for companies, agencies, and health departments on paper, loses the stories from the victims who represent those numbers.
Why Some Medications Are Making People Sicker
Thalidomide, commonly known as the “tragedy of thalidomide”, is one such example. Advertised as a wonder drug in the early 60s for pregnancy-induced morning sickness, it caused thousands of miscarriages and various counts of deformations before it was recalled internationally. Less than 3,000 children who were impacted by the medication are living today. Almost all are living with various conditions brought on by the drug’s impact during their mothers’ pregnancies.
From September 23rd of this year to August 30th of 2017, there have been over 300 drug recalls. That’s an average of almost 9 recalls per month. A median recall time for a drug (from when it is first approved by the FDA to the moment a recall is issued) is 5 years. During that time, numerous prescriptions can be written, sold, and administered before any statement is released to the public. Innumerable damage can be done to unsuspecting consumers during that time frame. With doctors and pharmacists as well having to scramble to find safe alternatives, if any, for their patients, the struggles become multiplied when shifts or going ‘cold turkey’ impact the people who need medication to continue their day to day living.
Additionally, not all recalls are mass announced. Fortunately, recalls that are issued by the FDA on a monthly basis are updated weekly on their website. Within the FDA there are 3 classes of recalls;
Class III recalls aren’t usually considered especially dangerous by the FDA, mostly because this recall class involves mislabelling errors or manufacturing law violations pertaining to sanitation or mild substance mix-ups;
Class II recalls carry the risk of hospitalization and medical conditions that can be reversed with proper diagnosis and care;
Class I recalls carry the highest risks, with reasonable evidence of substantial health concerns that can be permanent.
Recalls are not the same as market withdrawals. These occur whenever there is tampering done with a product not resulting from manufacturing or distribution.
While there is protocol in place to help in the assessment and containment of safety breaches like this, it is an enormous task for inspectors when there are not just state-side manufacturers but foreign ones as well. In fact, reports from 2019 estimate over 85% of America’s drugs have ingredients coming from overseas, with China and India as front runners in the trades. Out of every five manufacturing facilities, the USFDA was only able to investigate one. Reasons for this range from the limited resources of the USFDA, the language barriers between inspectors and facility staff, and time constraints imposed by other coinciding obligations.
While this may cause concern, the pragmatic businessperson undoubtedly notes the low costs of overseas production, labor, and less stringent government regulations. Thankfully, there has been progressive legislation when the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act (FDSAI) made it to where manufacturers’ products can be refused entry into American markets if they refuse, delay or otherwise interfere in an inspection of any process of the factory.
There have only been three cases where the FDA has had to evoke its mandatory recall authority, but only one of them resulting from a company refusing to follow voluntary recalls orders. This was the case of Nevada based company Triangle Pharmanaturals when it was discovered its kratom products had traces of salmonella. Six cases were reported, two of them from an Oregon based retailer and processed by the Oregon Public Health Division. The voluntary recall order was issued in March of 2018, but it wasn’t until May of 2018 that the FDA forced the stop. Numerous requests for record access were denied, and communications with employees regarding the FDA’s findings had gone unnoticed. While salmonella is typically a non-fatal disease that lasts for almost a week, kratom-based products during that time caused hospitalization for a number of people.
Profits and cost-cutting, no matter how good for the business, often leave little say for the consumers and their needs. However, companies and distributors have high standards that need to be met to avoid harm to the public, much the same way a doctor’s Hippocratic oath enforces higher standards of ethics and responsibility towards their patients. Without these standards, it becomes a case of the willfully blind leading the unknowingly blind.
Slip and Fall
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What is it like inside ENCS? We captured the experiences of one of our long-standing team members, Hamid Rahmouni, who shared insights into his journey at ENCS. Find out more below:
What do you do at ENCS?
Currently, I work as a senior tester, conducting penetration testing on embedded systems and OT (operational technology) and I also teach new employees about the technology we work with. Given we work in such a niche area of cyber security, the technology is likely to be unfamiliar to them but I play a key role in helping this transition.
What attracted you to the company?
Whilst I was at university, I studied technical informatics, which focuses on the interaction of IT (information technology) and OT (operational technology).
There was a real lack of people who understood this, but it was great preparation for my internship after university, which blended IT and embedded systems. With this in mind, ENCS was a perfect for me because it delved into embedded systems, IT, OT and more specifically, smart grids.
What’s it like to work at ENCS?
It’s open and collaborative. There’s also a real emphasis from a management level on carving out your own path, which is great for personal development. I know if there’s anything I’m interested in or issues I want to raise, I’ll have the support I need.
What’s your favourite part about working at ENCS?
Finding creative security solutions for clients. You’ve got the opportunity to have a genuine impact and you get to have fun whilst doing so. For example, we create state-of-the-art testing tools for our clients, which educate them on how attacks are carried out.
It’s through measures such as these they really understand how to best anticipate an attack.
What’s the most exciting thing you’ve been working on recently?
We have developed our own requirements-based security testing programme which allows us to establish system security in a standard, repeatable way. It’s exciting because the fact they are reproduceable means the requirements can be used beyond ENCS and have a wide and significant impact on security in the sector. I’ve been at the centre of this initiative so that has been very rewarding for me.
What’s special about ENCS compared to other organisations which provide cyber-security training?
As we’re a non-profit company, we can truly devote all of our efforts to helping users. We can be honest enough to provide them with the most suitable advice and educate them on cyber security, which really is our core mission.
What would you say to someone considering a cyber security career in the energy sector?
It’s quite tough to learn about cyber security if you’re not in the sector but this shouldn’t discourage you. There’s opportunities to play a key role in protecting consumers in the energy sector, which will only grow as the world becomes more digitalised. It’s a great time to get involved!
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Chris and I were in California this summer and we found these rings from Coco Loco made from coconut wood! Chris had been looking for a new wedding band and as soon as he saw this he knew it was perfect. (His original ring didn’t last – the metal cracked as if we had a lemon ring if that is possible?)
Check out the Coco Loco website – they don’t have the men’s wedding bands on the website but I am sure you could contact them to get one. The bonus? It was $10!
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A marketing expert, an app developer and a poodle. This is OurBigAdventure, the story of our experiences and favorite things all in one place so we can share them with you.
Throughout the site you will discover some of the fun things we have done and some of the awesome things we have put together to share with the world. In the shopping area you will find a few apps that we currently have available and you might find one or two that we are about to release.
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| 2,079 |
Walgreens Boots Alliance (WBA) bucked the broader market downtrend this week. However, with the company expected to announce earnings tomorrow, I want to put a hedge in place.
I am recommending we roll our call out two weeks to generate more income, and then use that income to offset the cost of buying a protective put.
Cost Basis: $43.25 (Note that the cost basis was incorrectly listed as $32.32 in the previous alert.)
Action:
Buy to close the WBA Oct Week Two (10/14) 34 Call for around $0.39
Sell to open the WBA Oct Week Four (10/28) 34 Call for around $0.73
Set initial credit limit at $0.34, but adjust as needed to roll today
Buy to open the WBA Oct Week Two (10/14) 29 Put for around $0.16, but adjust as needed to buy a put today
| 770 |
Jordan Spieth hits on the sixth hole during their singles match at the Presidents Cup golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in Charlotte,…
Jordan Spieth hits on the sixth hole during their singles match at the Presidents Cup golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
Elevated events show a divide among PGA Tour events for ’23
by: DOUG FERGUSON, Associated Press
Posted: Oct 18, 2022 / 05:36 PM EDT
Updated: Oct 18, 2022 / 05:36 PM EDT
Jordan Spieth hits on the sixth hole during their singles match at the Presidents Cup golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in Charlotte,…
Jordan Spieth hits on the sixth hole during their singles match at the Presidents Cup golf tournament at the Quail Hollow Club, Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)
by: DOUG FERGUSON, Associated Press
Posted: Oct 18, 2022 / 05:36 PM EDT
Updated: Oct 18, 2022 / 05:36 PM EDT
RIDGELAND, S.C. (AP) — The PGA Tour will have a four-month stretch of 12 tournaments that are either majors or have $20 million purses in what figures to be a taxing year for the elite players.
The tour will announce Wednesday that the WM Phoenix Open, RBC Heritage at Hilton Head, Wells Fargo Championship and Travelers Championship will be part of the “elevated events” the top players will be required to play, a person with direct knowledge of the plans told The Associated Press.
The concept of elevated events was first announced in late August as a response to the Saudi-funded LIV Golf league, aimed at bringing the best players together as often as 17 times, including the majors and the FedEx Cup playoffs.
The elevated events average $20 million purses.
Golfweek first reported the addition of four elevated events. It was confirmed to the AP on Tuesday by a person who spoke on condition of anonymity pending the Wednesday announcement.
The additions create a crowded schedule. Starting with the Phoenix Open on Feb. 9-12, there will be four elevated events in a five-week stretch, followed by the Genesis Invitational at Riviera, and then a week later, the Arnold Palmer Invitational and The Players Championship in consecutive weeks.
The odd tournament out is the Honda Classic, and Jack Nicklaus expressed concern in a recent interview it might lead to a two-tiered schedule.
“All of a sudden the other tournaments become feeders,” Nicklaus said.
Two of the elevated events, the RBC Heritage and Travelers Championship, are the week after the majors. The Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow is May 4-7. That starts a stretch of five big events in an eight-week stretch, including the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open.
“I’m not keen on playing after a major, but I’ve seen people do it and I’ve seen people do well, so there’s no reason why you can’t,” Jon Rahm said.
The last player to win a major and the following week was Tiger Woods in 2006, when the Bridgestone Invitational at Firestone followed his PGA Championship win at Medinah.
For the Texas-born Jordan Spieth, May becomes a problem. He hasn’t played the Wells Fargo Championship since 2013 when he was needing sponsor exemptions. Spieth plays the two Dallas-area events, Colonial and the Byron Nelson, which now are sandwiched around the PGA Championship.
He would be looking at a schedule that takes him from the Wells Fargo Championship in North Carolina to the AT&T Byron Nelson in Dallas, the PGA Championship in upstate New York, the Charles Schwab Challenge in Fort Worth, Texas, and the Memorial in Ohio.
After a week off, he would go to the U.S. Open in Los Angeles and the Travelers Championship in Connecticut.
“I don’t particularly like doing more than four in a row, but I love my hometown events,” Spieth said. “I’ve been playing them really well as well. Then just played the Presidents Cup well there at Wells Fargo, so with a major in there and then Jack’s event (Memorial) … I don’t know what it’s going to look like, but it looks like probably five in a row.”
The concept that came out of a players-only meeting in August was to boost prize money to get the best players in the same tournaments.
The plan that PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan announced was for top players to commit to a 20-event schedule that would include 12 “elevated events,” The Players Championship, the four majors and three tournaments of their choice.
Top players were defined as those who finished among the top 20 in the old and new model of the Player Impact Program. The PIP offers $100 million in bonus money that can only be paid after a player competes in 16 of the biggest events.
“Sometimes when the schedule is set and you have to go play it makes things easier, at least in my mind,” Rahm said. “You have to play these events and then you organize the rest, which there’s a simplicity to it in that sense. Plus, you’re elevating great events. They’re all amazing golf courses, all amazing events, a lot of history, all of them. So they’re worthy of it.”
More AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports
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Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
| 5,464 |
Wendy writes of JOY on untipsyteacher and I loved her description of joy. Me. I just can’t feel it right now.
I tried writing a post last week. I didn’t post it. It was too dark and depressing. That was my mood. It was the truth. I still feel the same. Depression is here. I cannot move forward or back or over. I try to make an effort and boy is it an effort. Life should be a joy. It is not at the moment.
I am joyless. I am depressed.
Coronavirus is creating a layer on our lives which we never would have imagined.
I went for a walk for the first time in ages. I didn’t like seeing people. I did and I didn’t. Just don’t come near me but acknowledge me. Prickly as a pineapple, is me. Not sure if the walk helped. It was nice to see the water and the sky. So yes. I didn’t prepare well, didn’t wear socks so go blisters on my heels. I tried my best but today my best is bit#hy. I am not pleasant to be around.
So very tired. Exhausted. Anxious. Snappy. Prickly. Don’t say anything kind to me. I don’t deserve it. I will take it the wrong way and that compliment you said will backfire like a turd in a catapult. Walk away. I just want a break from myself. Tired. So so sick of myself.
No desire to drink again. Luckily. But tell me what is the point if all I feel now is constantly depressed? Don’t answer that. Today I lack the concept of hope. There is no hope today.
Sober as a bitten fingernail.
A request though, do you have a book that you would recommend that would be helpful in dealing with depression?
This entry was posted in sober, Thoughts and tagged anxiety, depression, sober by limetwiste. Bookmark the permalink.
59 thoughts on “No Joy”
msnewleaf on May 4, 2020 at 8:01 am said:
If you are not up for this, I understand. But I nominated you for the Liebster Award. See my most recent post.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Jim Simmonds on May 3, 2020 at 6:40 pm said:
I think you will, it really does have a timeless quality and for me is full of really accessible wisdom. X
LikeLiked by 2 people
Jim Simmonds on May 2, 2020 at 8:40 pm said:
Depression is a bastard. The black dog. I don’t suffer from it but I know and have worked with many people that do experience it. What I know helps many people is chatting about it. In the UK I volunteer with Samaritans and just a chat with someone when feeling very down can help. Do you have an equivalent where you are?
As far as a book is Concerned I can recommend The Road less Travelled by M Scott Peck. Full of wisdom and insight. The opening lines alone are worth getting the book for:
“Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it. Once we truly know that life is difficult–once we truly understand and accept it–then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.”
It amazes me how much damage I have done by expecting life to be something other than difficult and how much easier my life is when I accept that it is difficult and that I will be uncomfortable.”
Hope that cloud lifts. Jim x
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 3, 2020 at 12:24 am said:
I read The Road Less Travelled many many years ago. It was my first book reading about the philosophy of life. I just loved it. I wonder if I read it again today what will make me take notice. Putting it on the list thank you. xx
Thanks for the suggestion of chatting about depression. When I am in the middle of it I don’t realise how my way of speaking changes, the tone gets harsher, the replies get snappier. But you don’t realise it, until it’s pointed out. Sometimes you realise it yourself and try to improve but quite honestly you just need to wait it out or avoid people. I tend to talk less and avoid people when depressed. Safer for everyone. I have slept for 16 hours and feel so much better. For me sleeping is better than a chat. At least it is at the moment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Jim Simmonds on May 3, 2020 at 2:17 am said:
That’s great about the sleep, whatever works for you, that’s the key thing. And re that book I may well reread it myself. Jim x
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 3, 2020 at 2:34 pm said:
I am curious now myself to see what I missed the first time round. I wonder if I will like it all these years later. x
sobrietytree on May 2, 2020 at 6:50 pm said:
“Sober as a bitten fingernail” – wow. Brilliant. And the first book that popped into my mind is The Artist’s Way… though that’s not specifically on dealing with depression. Thought I’d jot it down anyway. xoxoxo
LikeLiked by 1 person
sobrietytree on May 2, 2020 at 6:57 pm said:
p.s. I tried not to say anything too kind… because of what you said in your post, and because I get it, since I’ve ‘been there,’ often enough. But I think you’re an awesome writer, and I’m sending hugs and love, I hope that’s not too much. 🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 2, 2020 at 7:05 pm said:
LikeLiked by 1 person
sobrietytree on May 3, 2020 at 12:36 am said:
So glad to hear it
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 2, 2020 at 7:03 pm said:
Love that book. My copy is well worn. Thank you for suggesting that.
I try and write my morning pages (mp) daily. Not happening so much these days but find them very helpful when I do. Sometimes I write them at night before bed so for me they are anytime pages. I use a fountain pen to write too. It’s a good habit.
Any book that lifts or gives hope is a book to help deal with depression.
Today sleeping all day apart from lunch . I think my body needs it. Going with the flow rather than fighting it. xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
sobrietytree on May 3, 2020 at 12:40 am said:
I figured you would have… you’re so creative and it’s a bit of a bible isn’t it. I agree the pages can be anytime pages and for me they are one of my main forms of therapy besides light daily exercise. I still have to try this fountain pen thing!! You’re inspiring me. Good job on the sleep too…. super important, and I often don’t make enough time for it. Sweet (day)dreams… xoxoxo
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 3, 2020 at 2:30 pm said:
Fountain pens are beautiful to write with. Decide on what nib you like, fine, medium or other. For me I prefer medium, gets a bit more ink on the page and it’s less ‘scratchy’. Then there’s inks to play with and also paper.
To start with would I recommend a Lamy Safari. That’s what I use for everyday.
For ink I would recommend Pelikan Edelstein Ink Collection.
Both the fountain pens and inks come in amazing colours. Enjoy window shopping online. xx
Drunky Drunk Girl on May 1, 2020 at 12:37 pm said:
How long have you been sober? There is something called PAWS, and I suffered for 15 to 18 months after getting sober (felt depressed, not motivated to do anything, really). Also, what about perimenopause? I know that declining female hormones can cause depression and anxiety… Also, there is something akin to withdrawal off of SSRIs (and maybe other antidepressants)–good to know, maybe you’ve felt that as well. HUGS. Hope you reach some solace soon…
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 1, 2020 at 2:29 pm said:
I am sober 1 year 5 months, (17 months). Haven’t heard of PAWS. Will look it up.
Moved on into menopause now. Peri-menopause was rough.
I was 2 months free of SSRI. I safely reduced my dosage in 10mg increments for a month at each new level. However I started back up again yesterday.
All these questions that you’re asking and no wonder I feel the way I do. Plus CoviD19, plus my broken ankle late last year. Thank you DDG.
clairei47 on May 1, 2020 at 3:32 am said:
Hi you. I’m sorry I have only just read your post and doubly sorry you are feeling this way. Depression is a killer and I absolutely hate it. It is totally the opposite of ‘joy’ in every sense of the word. Others have made excellent suggestions and comments before me and I echo what they say. I stopped taking my antidepressants at the beginning of 2019 and two months afterwards I took a nose dive I couldn’t come out of. In June I restarted them and they ave really helped, along with counselling. The anger and disgust we feel towards ourselves when we are in fullness of depression is all consuming isn’t it? We are so hard on ourselves, like it’s our fault. You and I know deep down it isn’t and being cross with us wont help. Its an illness and THE most important thing right now is to try as hard as you can to not punish or blame yourself. Give yourself a break. Be as kind to you as you would be to others if they were saying the same things to you. have As kind as you have been to me in the past when I have struggled.
Never worry about expressing those feelings on here. We all want to help and support you as much as you have us. Claire xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 1, 2020 at 11:30 am said:
Thanks Claire. I woke up to your comment today. My eyes are leaking now.
I’m an introvert at the best of times, I usually like my own company. but with depression it makes me doubt myself and even the simplest of decisions makes me go into a tailspin. And I feel shame, stupid and tired for starters. The self care atm has gone out the window. The kindness of others here is lifting me up. I needed to be reminded of being kind to myself. Thanks for that. The onesie, Netflix and bed yesterday helped.
LikeLiked by 1 person
clairei47 on May 1, 2020 at 8:33 pm said:
My advice, for what it’s worth, is to accept that you feel all those emotions. Depression will lead to doubts, shame, tiredness and feelings of being unworthy and disengaged. Try to remember that’s depression causing you to feel that way, not you! Take it slowly and stay in the onsie until you are ready to take the next step. Fill up your little box of self care strategies and use them. I have let my self care slip and I can feel the difference. Today I’m going to rest, watch tv, listen to mindfulness and meditation apps and try some yoga for the first time. Plus sleep a lot.
Sending love, keep going, you are doing great xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 1, 2020 at 11:18 pm said:
Went for a walk today. It was what I needed.
Slowly,…And no problem sleeping at the moment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
clairei47 on May 2, 2020 at 11:28 am said:
Hi. How are you doing today?
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 2, 2020 at 1:30 pm said:
Getting there Thanks.
How about you?
LikeLiked by 1 person
clairei47 on May 2, 2020 at 8:50 pm said:
Rocky couple of days but hopefully I’ll pick up. It’s such a difficult time all round isn’t it?
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 3, 2020 at 12:31 am said:
It certainly is. Take care.
Sleep has been my go-to today. Lots and lots of it. Feeling much better after 16 hours.
LikeLiked by 1 person
clairei47 on May 3, 2020 at 1:01 am said:
I think it’s sometimes what we have to do. I certainly feel I need it right now. I’m sure it’s our body’s way of helping our mind rest and recover. Depression can feel a bit like an assault on the emotions can’t it?
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 3, 2020 at 2:33 pm said:
Sure does. Enjoying a cup of tea in my dressing gown listening to the rain belting down outside. Warm and safe. Be safe, keep well. xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
SaaniaSparkle 🧚 on May 1, 2020 at 1:42 am said:
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limetwiste on May 27, 2020 at 1:57 pm said:
Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
SaaniaSparkle 🧚 on May 27, 2020 at 3:12 pm said:
My pleasure, followed you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 27, 2020 at 3:17 pm said:
Followed you back! Enjoy your day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dwight Hyde on April 30, 2020 at 6:55 pm said:
This is my go to book whenever I need to reconnect with life: There’s a spiritual solution to every problem by Wayne Dyer. I’m actually rereading it now for about the 5th time. Sending
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on April 30, 2020 at 8:34 pm said:
Hi Dwight. Another author I have read in the past. Time to go back and reread Wayne Dyer again too. Thank you. Stay safe. xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Untipsyteacher on April 30, 2020 at 10:03 am said:
I’m so sorry, I suffered most of my life with depression, at times severe.
I do take an anti depressant which helps. I found that exercise, talk therapy helped so much.
It’s very hard, and I hope you can find some relief.
LikeLiked by 2 people
limetwiste on April 30, 2020 at 3:24 pm said:
Thanks Wendy I hope you didn’t feel like I was putting a dampener on your post Joy.
Keep posting with photos please.
Enjoying them.
A onesie day at home. Staying safe and warm.
Started back on medicine today. Disappointed I need to take them but understanding that they help. I thought I could do it without medicinal help. But I can’t.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Untipsyteacher on May 1, 2020 at 12:27 am said:
As Anne said, depression is sneaky. Also during this pandemic, It gets magnified!
It’s just a hard hard time for so many people.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ainsobriety on April 30, 2020 at 4:30 am said:
I used to be very anti medication, until I actually became suicidal and tried medication.
It is now a must for me. I don’t let myself question its necessity. Even with eating well, daily yoga, sobriety, self love…I still expertience depression.
I’m taking a low dose of cymbalta now and I believe it is working. It lets me do all the work to find the true joy, even amongst horrible pain.
I got through my divorce, I’m getting through the pandemic, I’m loving through another natural disaster right now.
It’s hard. But I know that without the meds no amount of work was going to get my head above water.
I love Pema Chodorn, the places that scare you. It helped me a lot.
Take care. Don’t underestimate depression. It is very very complicated.
LikeLiked by 3 people
limetwiste on April 30, 2020 at 12:53 pm said:
Thanks for your honesty. I have read Pema Chodron in the past. I like her. Will look her up again. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
I think I will go back on fluoxetine. I don’t know what miracle I expected this morning. Situation: no change.
I cried over a sushi delivery today.
Simply ridiculous. Can’t believe I felt/wrote that.
Ainsobriety on April 30, 2020 at 4:47 pm said:
I’m glad you are warm in your onesie. Small things can be huge…both good and bad.
Depression is sneaky. The best is to tell others, even if it sounds odd!
It makes it less scary!
LikeLiked by 2 people
limetwiste on April 30, 2020 at 8:30 pm said:
Depression craves the isolation and wants you to feel separate from the world and be miserable and alone slowly getting worse and worse with no way out. It really is sneaky like you say.
I have to say that after reluctantly posting and receiving such wonderful support here it has helped enormously. Thank you.
I love my sober online community.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ainsobriety on May 2, 2020 at 2:45 am said:
There is power in community, even a virtual one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 2, 2020 at 1:13 pm said:
Absolutely
msnewleaf on April 30, 2020 at 2:37 am said:
I don’t have depression, but I have anxiety that can be debilitating at times. My step-mother has severe depression. Zoloft (sertraline) has changed both of our lives. I didn’t want to take it for a long time. I still feel, somehow, that I “shouldn’t” be on it. I don’t know exactly why I feel that way since I am doing so much better (now that I’m past the side effects). I am certain that I would be losing my mind entirely with anxiety right now without it. These are terrible times. A prolonged state of fear and stress and worry is just not something our bodies and minds cope with well. We will get through it somehow. I’m all for funny movies and books in the meantime.
LikeLiked by 2 people
limetwiste on April 30, 2020 at 12:38 pm said:
Onesie and Netflix for today.
LikeLiked by 1 person
drgettingsober on April 29, 2020 at 7:49 pm said:
I’m sorry to hear you’re feeling depressed – you describe it so well and having felt that way in the autumn you have all my sympathy – it’s horrible to not feel any joy. Are you taking anything to help? Just coz there’s a reason for it doesn’t mean meds won’t help? They have helped me enormously. Be kind to yourself and take care xxx
LikeLiked by 2 people
limetwiste on April 29, 2020 at 8:19 pm said:
Thanks for your sympathy.
I was taking fluoxetine for the side effects of stopping hot flushes/night sweats. It was very effective. They stopped so I weaned myself off it over the last few months. Did it reduce my anxiety?probably yes. It has been 2 full months without it. Took 30mg. Now none.
Perhaps I should consider resuming it again for the purpose it was designed for. Food for thought.
LikeLiked by 1 person
S_MW on April 29, 2020 at 8:42 pm said:
I was on prozac for a LONG time and it definitely helped me, or helped me cope a little better. If it reduced your anxiety then it would again and you know it’s not for ever…
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on April 29, 2020 at 9:34 pm said:
I don’t really want to take medicine if I can help it. Hence the weaning off of it.
I hope this helps. Would like to give this a try and help myself deal with it naturally for the long term.
LikeLiked by 1 person
S_MW on April 29, 2020 at 9:42 pm said:
Totally understand that. Eventually I did wean myself off. But I do have to remind myself how desperately ill I was and how necessary it was for me, personally. All 3 of my kids suffer from anxiety (in varying forms). It’s harder for me to know that than have depression myself, but they’re strong and they fight hard. My youngest (that I live with) showed me a book (bible) she has entitled Calm the Fuck Down by Sarah Knight. It made me laugh out loud. X
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on April 29, 2020 at 9:51 pm said:
I do understand depression will keep coming back. It just catches me off guard all the time. I don’t have my ‘depression first aid kit’ sorted. I am learning to ride it rather than fight it. It does get tiring. I hate the way it makes me feel so stupid and pathetic.
Thanks. Will look out for the book Calm the Fuck Down by Sarah Knight.
Everything is eBook atm. The libraries are shut but eBooks and streaming films prevail. It is quite amazing how adaptable everyone is.
LikeLiked by 1 person
S_MW on April 29, 2020 at 9:58 pm said:
I haven’t suffered from depression for over 11 years now. I’m not ‘cured’ but I’m as better as I’ll ever be. It’s not simple but I realised a long time ago that you have to find the thing that gives you the most joy and do that thing as much as you can. For me it was a combination of humour, writing (both humour and serious shit), photography and art. It works for me because I want it too…I guess. What you said about the things you can’t wait to do…THOSE things will make you better! The timing is bad but things will go back to normal soon. Stay strong xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on April 30, 2020 at 12:24 am said:
What you said just now is hopeful and helpful. Xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
S_MW on April 30, 2020 at 4:12 am said:
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S_MW on April 29, 2020 at 7:47 pm said:
I’m working (checkout operator) and we’re experiencing a lot of abuse from customers, who I suspect, are feeling a lot like you do. I am taking it personally a lot of the time and people I speak to about it tell me to tell them to ‘eff off’ but it’s really not my way. I KNOW that some of them are just arseholes but not all. People are (collectively) feeling anxious, unsure and overwhelmed about something that is beyond our control but not everyone has the coping mechanism for that. I had postnatal depression that morphed into clinical for 14 years so I do feel for you (in a completely non patronising kinda way) and also KNOW exactly how it feels to lose your sense of humour or joy. That was (for me) the straw that broke the camel’s back though and if I start feeling similarly now I’ll search for funny shit til my funny bone’s tickled again. Actually, I’ve been doing that lately too, watching reruns of programmes I know will make me laugh out loud.
I just want you to know, in my hamfisted way, that I get how you feel, or think I do. I’ve been jokingly saying lately that I can’t wait til this is over so I can quit my job, move to a uninhabited island and live there for the rest of my life…which is an unrealistic dream really. Hate people right now (present company excepted, of course!). X
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limetwiste on April 29, 2020 at 8:08 pm said:
Thank you for your long comment. Especially the last line
I am polite to everyone except DH at the moment. He’s getting the brunt of it. I am usually polite to everyone.
Even awful people.
The moving to an island idea, umm, yes, I have actually looked online for property. Lol
Netflix and YouTube binging has been helpful.
Saw a great video on making roti and then burst into tears when I read in the comments that the guy had died of Covid 19. That was yesterday.
Thank you for working especially at a time such as now. I appreciate what you do.
Thanks for getting me.
LikeLiked by 2 people
S_MW on April 29, 2020 at 8:37 pm said:
I haven’t really been a big crier since the Great Depression (I did enough of that shit then) but I’ve cried a lot lately. Like the roti story, I’ve heard a few that’ve got me right at the wrong time. I blubbed so much at one story my daughter told me that even she was shifting uncomfortably at my reaction – I could TELL she was wishing she hadn’t told me haha. It just means we’re human though, you know…with emotions and empathy and shit.
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limetwiste on April 29, 2020 at 9:26 pm said:
It was Floyd Cardoz. I just ‘discovered’ him this week. His voice is wonderful and his passion for food is just amazing.
I’m stoic with those I don’t know. Overly polite to people I don’t know so I appear standoffish rather than friendly. I just believe in being polite and kind to everyone. Times like now I forget to smile and my resting face is ‘wtf have you done’ with frown lines. It scares the hell out of DH sometimes when I appear and say something ordinary. It doesn’t match up.
Emotional. Yes. I used to try and suppress it. Now I just let it out. It’s a good thing.
I just want to go fishing, read a book, watch films, sketch, paint, cook, make pottery, nap, go for a walk, and be with DH and my cats, light a fire, watch the sunsets. If that doesn’t sound like island life, what does? I would insist on a good internet connection though.
S_MW on April 29, 2020 at 9:34 pm said:
Oh, of course haha. That last paragraph you put is (almost) my ideal too. I’m working so much that I don’t even have time to dream about the stuff I want to do…but eventually, one day you and I will both be able to do those simple things that give joy. X
I’m about to reblog a thing from a blogger I also follow on here and she’s got a great s.o.h. Hope it makes you laugh too x
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limetwiste on April 29, 2020 at 9:38 pm said:
Mel Robbins suggests writing 5 dreams daily.
Look forward to reading it. Could do with a laugh.
S_MW on April 29, 2020 at 10:10 pm said:
I reblogged the blog and this one of my own that I originally wrote in 2018, which made me laugh out loud at myself, which is sad but true. I hope it makes you smile too. https://allanesinclair.wordpress.com/2018/01/11/hmmmm/
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limetwiste on April 30, 2020 at 12:29 am said:
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Healthy eating is the most common approach we all should adopt to at all times. But, at the same time there are some foods which are meant for particular time or season only and should be carefully considered while we include them in our daily diets. And there are some food which are always bad and do more harm than good and should always be omitted from our diet. Here in this article we would be looking at certain foods that we should seriously avoid in order to prevent weight gain in summers.
Summers are the months of rising temperatures and outdoor activities. It is also the holiday season and nature also blesses us with its bounty of delicious and fresh produces, but at the same time there are a lot of high-calorie foods available in this season that make us gain considerable amount of weight. Beverages that are refreshing and cold salads are some foods that we enjoy a lot in the hot weather but these foods have surprisingly high amount of calories and fats.
Let’s look at what we should avoid eating during the summer months so that we do not put on the extra weight on to ourselves.
Don’t get fooled this summer with this summer delight. It is a common misconception that yoghurt is yoghurt, and is meant to be healthy. Yes, it is true, but not the frozen ones. They are loaded with added sugars and calories, even higher than what you generally find in an ice cream. Though yoghurt has some bit of protein in it, the probiotic factors are missing as it is there in natural and active yoghurts. Avoid them strictly.
Packaged Fruit Juices
During the summers we tend to pick up everything that is a fluid and with the easy availability, attractive packaging and tastefully enticing packaged fruit juices, we all tend to pick them the first. Almost all packaged fruit juices are loaded with added sugar in the form of sugary sodas – the main culprit to a host of health issues including weight gain. Next time you want to stay hydrated and keep away from thirst, make a wiser choice with whole fruits or freshly squeezed juices out of them.
Salads are great foods for the summers, perhaps for all the year around – low in calories and super healthy. But there are the ones like the creamy pasta salads and the sweetened fruit salads could be equally dangerous and harmful. Refined flour, calorie rich creamy dressings, sugary syrups, whipped cream and what all – you have all the ingredients at one place to make you fat and unhealthy. Dressings in particular are pure fat.
Water doesn’t seem to be appealing always, whereas a chilled glass of lemonade or a flavored cold ice tea seems to be the perfect solution. You are not alone, we all are with you. But these drinks are super high in calories and sweets – a perfect combination to make you fat and fatter.
Bar-be-cue meats and burgers
This is one thing that we all wait for the entire year and come summers we love to have evening bar-be-cue parties very often. Research say that meats cooked over open flame and at unregulated temperatures causes the protein of the meat to break down into a compound that is not at all good for health and causes unprecedented fat gain.
Opt for lean meats with thinner cuts and cook over the grill to ensure that the meats stay healthy, yet delicious. Moreover, adding cheese and creamy topping on them add up to the portion of unsaturated fats along with higher levels of sodium and calories. Use herb and olive oil marinades to make them super healthy.
Being cautious about what you eat in any season is in your hands and so is your health. Make smarter choices and watch what you eat. You will be safe form weight gain in summers.
Source: Dietitian Ashu Gupta is the founder of Ashu Gupta’s Diet Clinic and an acclaimed dietician and nutritionist.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized by Tripti Charan. Bookmark the permalink.
6 thoughts on “Foods to avoid to prevent weight gain”
Atulmaharaj on June 11, 2021 at 6:59 pm said:
Packaged Foods and Sugary foods are to be avoided at all costs. It’s tough to distance them, but on the long run it does help. Quite an insightful post.
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The Wall Street Journal editorial board was entirely correct yesterday when they said, “Republicans have spent the last year cutting taxes and regulations, which hasn’t been easy. But now some Members of Congress want to blunt their handiwork by passing an online sales tax. Yes, they actually believe this would be good policy and politics.”
Despite the talk of possibly attaching it to must-pass funding legislation and the rhetoric about the bill itself, consumers will experience the Remote Transactions Parity Act (RTPA) as a sales tax increase. If the bill becomes law, more of their purchases will be subject to sales taxes and the downward pressure on sales taxes among states will be reduced, so rates and bases in all the states are likely to go up in the longer term.
Right now, sales taxes are only assessed on purchases when the seller has a physical presence—like a warehouse, store, or office—in the buyer’s state. This is because the seller is the legal taxpayer, so the status quo is a ‘no taxation without representation’ situation, not a special loophole set up for Internet retailers, as is sometimes claimed.
The RTPA seeks to get rid of that physical presence limit on state taxing powers. It would let states reach outside their geographical borders and compel another state’s business to calculate, collect, and remit to that first state. The cost of that tax will usually be passed along to the customer and will feel like a tax increase to consumers.
Additionally, the long-term effect is that this arrangement will lessen the downward pressure on taxes between jurisdictions. Think of it like this: it’s the difference between driving your car across the D.C. border to Virginia to fill up with lower Virginia gas taxes—that’s how it works now and that’s what keeps at least some downward pressure on D.C. tax rates. If D.C. made the rate high enough, everyone would exit and fill up in Virginia. But if approach in the RTPA is applied to this thought experiment, it would mean that when you pull into that Virginia gas station, they look at your D.C. plates and charge you the D.C. gas tax rate. There’s no exit. Consumers will wear their home jurisdiction like a tax albatross when they shop online.
The RTPA is the opposite of tax competition; it’s a makeshift tax cartel amongst the states.
There is also a heavy regulatory compliance burden. Under the RTPA, businesses will be left calculating for thousands of distinct sales tax jurisdictions, each with their own bases, rates, exemptions, and tax holidays. These distinct jurisdictions and their rules will hurt small independent sellers and those who use platforms like Etsy and eBay. RTPA advocates point to free government-provided tax-calculating software as a way to ameliorate these compliance burdens. But there are serious concerns with the performance of that software and there are no allowances made in the bill for costs associated with testing or integrating these systems.
These small businesses and independent sellers would also be subject to audits from up to 46 states (the current number of states that impose a sales tax) and could be hauled into the auditing state’s court. The costs associated with that are potentially lethal for a one-person shop selling on eBay or Etsy.
In an environment like that, many small firms would fold and some would be pushed on to bigger platforms, like Amazon, that will handle the tax issues for them—for a fee, of course. This ability to comply with onerous tax law, along with Amazon’s new business model of fast delivery—which requires warehouses that trigger sales taxes—explains Amazon’s support for RTPA.
In summary, the RTPA is a small-business killer—which is why big box retailers support it. It crushes small competitors with compliance costs. State politicians are for it because they’d rather tax sellers in other states who can’t vote them out of office.
Consumers will be left with less money in their pockets and fewer choices online.
>> See also this week’s Web Memo, “Online Sales Taxes Make Government Bigger and Undermine Federalism: A Primer on Leading Internet Sales Tax Proposals and their Political Prospects.”
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It happened today. I met The Barefoot Contessa. Yes, that contessa otherwise known as Ina Garten. My cooking idol.
For this self-professed foodie meeting The Contessa ranks high upon my list of wishes. Actually, being invited to dinner at her house in the Hamptons ranks higher on my wish list, but if we are dreaming that big I would also like to meet Oprah and be in the audience on the day she gives away all her favorite things. However, the reality of meeting Ina today was really surreal and very exciting.
The week before Thanksgiving my good friend, who comments here under the pseudonym smelltheroses, forwarded me an email from Ina Garten announcing her book signing at Central Market in Dallas. I responded immediately that we must make the road trip to see her.
Balls in motion nothing was going to keep me from making the trek north for the day. I sent Brother to a neighbor’s house after school, cancelled several appointments, and begged the babysitter to pick up the girls from school and stay until Husband could come home from work early. I prayed Baby would sleep through the night so I would be alert to drive on a highway notoriously known for making knuckles stark white.
And so it was. Smelltheroses, my mother and I left the house at 7:40 this morning and road-tripped like a food inspired version of Thelma & Louise. We arrived at Central Market (after a brief detour through Stanley Korshak) around 11:30 and claimed our tickets. A HUGE thank you to Michael Cox the uber manager of Central Market who made our arrival smooth and seamless. We even got bumped in line ahead of about 75 eager groupies. For those of you wondering about the crowd Ina can draw….there were over 500 people. That’s a lot of Ina lovers.
I had my beloved Barefoot cookbooks with me and bought two more for Ina to sign. The actual meeting was so fast I can hardly remember our brief exchange. I mean what do you say in 5 seconds or less to Ina Garten? Talk about pressure. So much to say and so little time. I’m sure she had lots to say to me too. She probably wanted to give me several of her unpublished family recipes, pass along oodles of cooking and entertaining tips, and even extend that invite to dine with she and Jeffery. But it all happened so quickly — flash went the camera, squeak went her Sharpie, and in about 10 seconds we were back in the parking lot in which we started.
We giggled like school girls recounting our brief encounter with Ina. Our bliss lasted all afternoon. We lunched at Zoë’s in Snider Plaza, picked up a few Christmas treats at St. Michael’s Women’s Exchange and oohed and aahed at several stores along the way. The only mishap of the day was that Kuby’s ran out of knishes. I had hoped to bring a package of these delicious potato and meat filled baked treats home to the children for breakfast tomorrow.
Home again and hoping Ina is too, I am so grateful for the memories made today. I’m off to read my newly signed cookbooks which undoubtedly will continue to inspire many a meal at The Schell Cafe.
P.S. Since I have failed miserably at importing my old blog entries to the new site feel free to visit www.theschellcafe.blogspot.com for older posts, many of which pay homage to Ina.
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I'm on a mission to love my neighbors. I put an ordinary picnic table in my front yard, painted it turquoise and invited neighbors, friends, and even strangers to hang out and do life together at the Turquoise Table®.
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I generally work with millennials whose main concern is symptoms related to burnout. While burnout can arise as a result of other mental health diagnoses and symptoms, addressing burnout is generally most effective if you already have a toolkit of coping skills you can draw from around emotional processing, distress tolerance, and acute crisis. Because I work a somewhat limited schedule, my approach is not the best fit for those who would like extra support outside of weekly or biweekly sessions.
How long does therapy take?
Not the most satisfying answer, but it truly depends on the client! I’m happy to work with clients until they feel their goals have been met, so long as I feel like I’m able to support those goals and they’re able to continue working toward them. I will say that my approach isn’t considered a brief modality, so I generally work with clients for at least six months to a year, and often longer.
Looking for something more brief and targeted? I offer coaching for that!
How is coaching different than therapy?
Therapy explores the why behind what is troubling you - it is generally a deep dive into your history, experiences, and emotions and works to heal the wounds that underlie behaviors and emotions you may have identified as negatively impacting your life and/or functioning. Therapists must be licensed or associates under supervision in order to provide these services and are limited to the states they are licensed to practice in. Therapy with me is typically longer-term and more focused on holding space for your emotions in the moment
Coaching explores how to address the impact of these issues in one particular area of your life. It is more focused on problem-solving actions in the moment, rather than addressing the emotions underneath behaviors. Coaching may help you to get through a difficult situation or function in the moment and can be an added support to therapeutic healing work. Coaching is currently not regulated by any overarching licensure system or board. Coaching with me is generally more short-term and focused on education and changes in behavior, approach, or environment rather than your emotions in the moment.
Who is a good fit for coaching?
Generally, the coaching I offer requires you to already have some coping skills, especially around distress tolerance and emotion-regulation. It is also helpful for you to already have an awareness of any mental health diagnoses or patterns of behavior that impact the issues you would like to address in the coaching process
Coaching can be a great add-on to your current therapy work by helping to provide more in-the-moment, solution-focused support
Coaching can also help those who feel they are generally functioning stably, but are struggling to get through a stressful period or task
Coaching can be a valuable experience for those looking to explore a new approach to everyday experiences
What is burnout?
Check out this link for some great definitions and graphics about burnout (Please be mindful that this article - as most do - discusses food and exercise as ways to address burnout, which doesn't necessarily align with my approach)
Why are your fees so high?
My fees are high because that’s what allows me to support myself and provide therapy without getting caught in my own cycles of burnout. I do aim to keep 12-15% of my caseload at a sliding scale rate to increase accessibility where I can
Do you take insurance?
I do not take insurance at this time. I can provide therapy clients with a superbill for you to submit to your insurance, however I cannot guarantee you will receive reimbursement.
If you are hoping to utilize your insurance, I always recommend checking in with them first to see what they cover and whether they reimburse for services provided by Marriage and Family Therapy Associates (formerly Registered Interns), which I am. To my knowledge, coaching services are not covered by insurance.
Where are you located?
While I work out of Portland, Oregon, the majority of my work is via telehealth.
I serve therapy clients who are located within Oregon or Washington state.
Coaching with me is accessible from anywhere - so long as you have a webcam and stable internet connection
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(TibetanReview.net, Dec01, 2013) China has decided to raise the pitch on Indian President Pranab Mukherjee’s Nov 29-30 visit to the state of Arunachal Pradesh, which it claims is Chinese territory. After having issued a rather mildly worded criticism of the visit on Nov 29 in an official statement, China decided to up the ante by taking up the visit bilaterally with India later in the day, reported timesofindia.indiatimes.com Nov 30. It cited sources as saying India reacted promptly by giving an appropriate response to the reservations expressed by Beijing.
The report added that Indian officials, in fact, reiterated what Mukherjee said after arriving in the state’s capital Itanagar earlier in the day, that Arunachal Pradesh was an integral part of India.
Beijing was said to have conveyed to India that visits to Arunachal such as the ongoing one by Mukherjee were not in the interest of ties between the two countries. It has said the two sides needed to work together to maintain peace and stability along the border areas.
In his speech to the state assembly, Mr Mukherjee referred to India’s deep historical claim to the state. “It is believed that here, sage Parashuram washed away his sins, sage Vyasa meditated, king Bhishmaka founded his kingdom and Lord Krishna married his consort Rukmini,” another timesofindia.indiatimes.com report Nov 30 quoted him as having told the state assembly.
He was also reported to have placed Arunachal Pradesh as a “core stakeholder” in India’s Look East policy. “The northeast of India provides a natural bridge between us and Southeast Asia. The essential philosophy of our Look East policy is that India must find its destiny by linking itself more and more with its Asian partners… Our best economic interests are served by closer integration with Asia,” he has said.
In its earlier statement, reported by India’s PTI news service Nov 29 as sober and guarded, and devoid of any protest, China’s foreign ministry had only expressed hope that India would refrain from “actions that complicate the boundary question”.
China explains its claim on Nov 30, China’s Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang urged India to refrain from moves that complicates boundary issues and work with China to create conditions for talks, reported the official Xinhua news agency Nov 30. “We hope India can work with China to protect the overall relationship, preserve peace and tranquility on the border,” it quoted Qin as saying.
Specifying its claim in further details, the report said: “The so-called ‘Arunachal Pradesh’ was established largely on the three areas of China’s Tibet – Monyul, Loyul and Lower Tsayul currently under Indian illegal occupation. These three areas, located between the illegal ‘Mcmahon Line’ and the traditional customary boundary between China and India, have always been Chinese territory.”
The report further said: “In 1914, the colonialists secretly contrived the illegal ‘Mcmahon Line’ in an attempt to incorporate into India the above-mentioned three areas of Chinese territory. None of the successive Chinese governments have ever recognized this line.”
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Tibetan Review is an editorially independent monthly publication in English of news and views and other informative and stimulating features. It is not funded by any government, nor is it affiliated or related to any interest group. It is more than anything else a readers’ magazine founded in 1967 and currently based in Delhi, India.
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I have led the creation of Cappfinity's design system alongside the creative and engineering teams. This ongoing project is the result of a rapid growing suite of products that is being offered.
It is a collection of reusable components that can be assembled together to build consistent and cohesive experiences across devices and platforms, resulting in less frustration and more efficiency.
Consistency
With Cappfinity going through a recent re-brand, it was important to create design components that were representative of the organisation and created consistency in its products.
Collaboration between Designers and Engineers
With each element eventually being realised in code, it was very important to create a design system that would be clear to developers and that would allow them to build out our product designs consistently.
It has been fundamental to create design components that are accessible and follow WCAG specifications . The design system is, of course, just the basis for developing accessible applications.
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