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Turi Munthe and Yuri Pattison
Power FORMAT 3
Date: Wednesday 12 July 2017
Venue: AA Gallery
FORMAT is the AA’s Summer ‘live magazine’ that looks at the shapes that knowledge takes. The seventh issue will focus on ‘Power Format.’ From culture’s obsession with rankings and power couples, to media’s throttle on politics, and the architect’s craving for omnipotence (when in fact, the opposite is often what ensues), power persists in recognisable and radically new patterns. Invited guests share their Power Formats from the worlds of art, architecture, theory, media and more.
In the age of ubiquitous digital coverage and endless alternative news sources, Turi Munthe presents the profound shifts occurring in the power ⎯ and powerlessness ⎯ of journalism. The films of Yuri Pattison visualise the hidden infrastructure of communication technology, from Google’s server farms to the Hong Kong hotel room that whistle-blower Edward Snowden took sanctuary in after leaving the United States.”
Turi Munthe is a partner at North Base Media, an investment firm focused on journalistic enterprise and digital-driven opportunities in emerging markets. Before that he founded Demotix, which became the worlds largest network of photojournalists.
Yuri Pattison is an artist who lives and works in London. His artistic world has included routers, humidifiers, surveillance cameras, office plants and cheap replicas of design classics, moving between the sculptural and digital. Solo exhibitions have taken place at: Kunst Halle Sankt Gallen, St Gallen; Kevin Space, Vienna; mother’s tankstation limited, Dublin; Chisenhale Gallery, London; Helga Maria Klosterfelde Edition, Berlin. Pattison was the recent recipient of the Frieze Artist Award 2016.
All lectures are open to members of the public, staff and students unless otherwise stated.


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Researchers report that even people with a high genetic risk of heart disease benefit from exercise, according to Time magazine.
New ancient DNA studies have revealed female-biased migrations into Bavaria during the Middle Ages and more ancient Neolithic farmer expansions into Iberia.
Scientists call for addressing the effects of investigator gender on research results, NPR reports.
By sequencing seven new Mesolithic individuals, researchers retraced two hunter-gatherer migrations into Scandinavia after the Last Glacial Maximum.
Over the next three years, Immunovia and its partners will use the firm's Immray PanCan-d assay to screen 6,000 diabetes patients for pancreatic cancer.
CEO Anders Rylander said the company will initially market its DiviTum assay for breast cancer cases, though it could be used to monitor cell proliferation in all cancer types.
With genetic data for seven Stone and Iron Age individuals, researchers estimate that human populations in southern Africa started diverging more than 260,000 years ago.
By genotyping hundreds of individuals from populations in Sudan and South Sudan, investigators untangled genetic contributions from Eurasian groups migrating into Africa.
UK and Swedish researchers used a Mendelian randomization approach to study the association between serum calcium and heart disease and heart attack risk.
Uppsala University researchers have found that the songs of flycatchers may be genetically determined, according to Agence France Presse.
The New York Times and ProPublica look into the close relationship between a startup and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center.
Yahoo News reports millions of dollars are being transferred from NIH, CDC, and other programs to pay for the housing of detained undocumented immigrant children.
In Science this week: in vitro generation of human reproductive cells, and more.
Researchers gave a handful of octopuses MDMA to find that they too act more social on the drug, Gizmodo reports.

domain: medical


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A photo gallery of Cricut Expression Cards and Projects
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Halloween Wall Hanging
I'm having so much fun with the cute craft ideas everyone is coming up with for Halloween! Mary at CardzTV made a wall hanging and I wanted to make one for my daughter's teacher... I hope she llikes it!
Click on each photo to see it enlarged and in more detail.
The cute Halloween characters came from SVGcuts.com. The "spooky" font is called Bacon... yep, that's grease that's drippin', not blood! LOL!

domain: artistic


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Amanda Mullins, APRN
Amanda Mullins is a native Arkansan. She completed her Master of Science in Nursing degree from the University of Central Arkansas in 2013 where she graduated with honors. She is nationally certified by the American Association of Nurse Practitioners. She has worked at Arkansas Heart Hospital as an APRN since 2015. Amanda sees patients primarily in the Little Rock area but also sees patients in satellite clinics alongside Dr. Lane in Mountain View, Pine Bluff, and Warren. In her spare time, she enjoys spending time with family and working on various craft projects.
Make an appointment


STAND. COM. REP. NO. 1210-14
RE: S.B. No. 2876
Honorable Joseph M. Souki
Speaker, House of Representatives
Twenty-Seventh State Legislature
Regular Session of 2014
State of Hawaii
Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2876, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT PROPOSING AN AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE VII, SECTION 12, OF THE HAWAII STATE CONSTITUTION TO ASSIST DAM AND RESERVOIR OWNERS,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to propose an amendment to the Hawaii State Constitution to authorize the issuance of special purpose revenue bonds and use the proceeds from the bonds to assist dam and reservoir owners.
The Department of Land and Natural Resources; Department of Budget and Finance; The Chamber of Commerce of Hawaii; Hawaii Farm Bureau; Maui County Farm Bureau; and Alexander & Baldwin, Inc., supported the bill. The Land Use Research Foundation of Hawaii provided comments.
Your Committee has amended the bill by:
(1) Clarifying and specifying that the special purpose revenue bonds will be issued to offer loans to assist dam and reservoir owners to improve their facilities to protect public safety and provide significant benefits to the general public as important water sources;
(2) Clarifying that special purpose revenue bonds issued to assist not-for-profit private nonsectarian and sectarian elementary schools, secondary schools, colleges, and universities should not be issued with those to assist dam and reservoir owners;
(3) Changing the effective date to upon compliance with Article XVII, section 3, of the Constitution of the State of Hawaii; and
(4) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for clarity, consistency, and style.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2876, S.D. 2, H.D. 1, as amended herein, and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Finance in the form attached hereto as S.B. No. 2876, S.D. 2, H.D. 2.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,
KARL RHOADS, Chair


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Belgium. It may conjure up thoughts of beer, chocolate and waffles. Maybe the famous cyclist Eddy Merckx, the painter Rubens, the cartoon TinTin, the singer Jacques Brel. Audrey Hepburn was born there. (OK, if you live outside Europe, you may be thinking, “Where exactly is Belgium?” It’s between The Netherlands and France.)
What started 20 years ago with a few people singing together in a bar in the town square (Grote Markt) of Antwerp, has grown into huge sing-along events where some 200,000 people gather in town squares all over the Flemish part of Belgium (Flanders) to sing together each summer. Antwerp alone has over 25,000 participants each year.
Vlaanderen Zingt (Flanders Sings) organizes sing-alongs in about 40 cities from July to September. They sing Flemish, French and English songs, from Edith Piaf and Queen to ABBA.
Of course, being Belgium, beer is involved.


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Disney Parks Travel Tumbler
On the go
Our Disney Parks Travel Tumbler will accompany you on all your adventures! Your favorite Park attractions surround this durable travel mug that features a handy handle and no-spill lid. See more
Magic in the details...
Created especially for Walt Disney World Resort and Disneyland Resort
- Screen art of Disney Parks and attractions include Pirates of the Caribbean, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Walt Disney World, Jungle Cruise. Disneyland, Dumbo, Paradise Pier, Cars Land and more!
- Double wall design keeps beverages hot
- Sipper lid fits tight to avoid spills
- Grip handle
The bare necessities
- Wash thoroughly before first use
- Not microwave and dishwasher safe
- 8 1/2'' H x 3 /14 Diameter
- Holds 18 oz.
WARNING: This product contains bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical known to the State of California to cause harm to the female reproductive system.
Most items ordered via Standard Delivery will arrive within 5-7 business days, personalized items within 9-11 business days. Exceptions include items shipped from locations other than our main warehouse. Express Delivery is available for an extra charge.

domain: travel


04 Oct Novel solutions to climate change
Prior to becoming Iceland’s Minister of the Environment, Energy and Climate in 2021, Gudlaugur Thór Thórdarson was Minister for Foreign Affairs from 2017- 2021 and Minister of Health and Social Security from 2007 to 2009. In the following interview, he describes why the country has become a green pioneer.
Do you see your current role as a coherent continuation of your previous ministerial responsibilities?
Iceland needs to be sustainable when it comes to the environment, but also we need to ensure our economic and social sustainability. Sustainability has been central in all of my roles — when I was Minister for Foreign Affairs, for example, I spoke a lot internationally about sustainability, sustainable energy, the environment and the climate. Today I have a different job, but it’s still always about sustainability, which is the key to success. It’s the most important issue in Icelandic politics and the environment is Iceland’s greatest interest.
Iceland has an enviable 100%-green electricity mix, 30% of which comes from geothermal plants and the rest from hydroelectric power. In addition, 90% of houses are heated with geothermal energy and the other 10% with sustainable electricity.
Last year, the country took another step toward its climate-change goals with the inauguration of Carbfix, the world’s largest carbon-capture facility. How did the country become a pioneer in sustainable energy technologies?
Because the global emphasis has been on solar and wind power, geothermal energy has gone under the radar. In reality, it can be utilized in many more parts of the world than people realize — it doesn’t need to be as warm as the geothermal heat is in Iceland — and the technologies developed in Iceland are now being used in numerous other countries, including in Central Europe and China that have comparatively lower amounts of geothermal energy that we are helping them put to good use.
Looking back more than 100 years ago, you might think it was obvious that Iceland should start using its abundant geothermal energy to heat up houses and make electricity. But it was a political struggle: should we stick to gas and coal, or should we do something that had never been done before anywhere in the world?
To solve that struggle, we needed to find inventive ways to harvest the geothermal energy and we succeeded. The same thing is true as we face current climate challenges that require new innovations to address them. With the Carbfix project, we are turning carbon dioxide into rock. It is something that we are proud of, it is working and we see it as a big part of the global solution when it comes to climate change.
How important is Iceland’s sustainable electricity mix for the stability of its economy?
You cannot underestimate how important it is. If we hadn’t gone through our hydropower and geothermal energy transitions, we would have much more pollution in our cities and municipalities, we would not be as competitive and we would have had major inflation during the current global energy crisis.
Then again, we would have been in an even better situation if Iceland had finished its energy transition: if every car was electric and we had e-fuels for our fishing vessels and our flights. That’s where we are going and nobody in the country would regret these decisions.
However, we need to balance this with ensuring the sustainability of our natural environment. We love our natural spaces and a lot of other people come here to enjoy them too. If we don’t keep a careful eye on, for instance, our forests, we could impact bird life and other parts of the extremely delicate natural ecosystems of Iceland and the Arctic.
Last November you appointed the renowned Thor Sigfússon as chair of a new committee tasked with presenting proposals for implementing a circular economy in the country. Sigfússon is best known as the founder of the Iceland Ocean Cluster, a startup and innovation hub that is driving the uptake of sustainable and zero-waste technologies in the fishing industry. Why did you select Sigfússon for your committee?
I appointed him because Iceland can do a lot better when it comes to the circular economy, although fisheries is an area where we have made good progress. Around the world, about 50% of the fish caught is used. In Iceland, however, we use almost 100% and what’s so fascinating is that some of the parts we used to throw away are now more expensive than the fish fillets we kept.
Sigfússon’s job on the committee is to try to use the same ideology to create a circular economy in other Icelandic sectors. To do this, we need new innovations, because things that have been successful in other nations have usually been in cities with large populations. Iceland, on the other hand, has relatively few people in a big country. That means, for example, we have less waste and you need to travel long distances to collect that waste. So we need to find new ways to use it that are economically beneficial for us.
When we have achieved that, our solutions could also be used in other parts of the Arctic, which is a huge part of the globe where about 4 million people live in small municipalities, and this is something we are putting great emphasis on. Thor has done fantastic work with the Ocean Cluster and I know that he and his team will do a great job when it comes to other areas of the circular economy as well.
How crucial is cooperation with the US to Iceland?
I put great emphasis on both public and private bilateral cooperation between Iceland and the US when I was Minister for Foreign Affairs and I’m very pleased that this bore fruit. It’s definitely in the interest of both nations, and the world as a whole, for us to work closely on global challenges such as climate change, security and the sustainability of the Arctic.
Historically, there have been very strong relations between our two countries and Iceland is a good place to do business for many reasons. For instance, it’s simple to get things done, as everyone is just a phone call away, and we have amassed expertise in important areas, such as geothermal energy and carbon capture, that can definitely be of use in the US.


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Cuti pleads not guilty to accounting fraud charge
NEW YORK Duane Reade’s former chairman, president and chief executive officer, Anthony Cuti, pleaded not guilty to securities fraud, conspiracy and charges of making false statements to securities regulators, according to published reports.
Cuti’s attorney, Jeffrey Sklaroff, was not immediately available for comment.
U.S. Magistrate Judge Frank Maas in Manhattan federal court released Cuti, who surrendered to authorities on Friday morning, on a $3 million personal recognizance bond, according to reports.
Former chief financial officer, William Tennant, is to be arraigned at a later date.
As previously reported by Drug Store News, Cuti and Tennant were indicted late last week for allegedly falsely inflating the income and reducing the expenses reported by Duane Reade. In addition, Cuti was charged with making false filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, according to the United States Attorney Southern District of New York.
Cuti and Tennant are being charged with one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, make false statements in annual and quarterly SEC reports, make false statements to auditors, and make false entries in books and records; and one count of securities fraud. The indictment also charges Cuti with three counts of making false filings with the SEC.
The conspiracy count carries a maximum sentence of five years in prison and a fine of $250,000 or twice the gross gain or gross loss from the offense.
The securities fraud count and the false SEC filing counts each carry maximum sentences of 20 years in prison and fines of $5 million.
From December 2000 through June 2005, Cuti and Tennant allegedly engaged in a scheme to misrepresent Duane Reade’s financial performance in order to meet its own projections and the expectations of analysts. The scheme, according to officials, involved the reporting of inflated income from fraudulent real estate transactions and the artificial reduction of expenses through fictitious credits from vendors who did work for Duane Reade.
Cuti and Tennant reportedly caused, through this scheme, the Manhattan-based retailer to report income that was inflated in a false and misleading way by about 10 percent to 15 percent between the last quarter of its fiscal year in 2000 and Oak Hill?s acquisition in July 2004.
Cuti and Tennant also reportedly reaped the financial gains of the alleged scheme. From 2000 to 2005, Cuti received more than $50 million in compensation from Duane Reade and Oak Hill, including a payout of more than $25 million in connection with Oak Hill’s acquisition, according to officials.
From June through November 2001, Tennant, after reportedly participating in numerous fraudulent real estate transactions, exercised his options to buy Duane Reade stock and received in excess of $2.8 million in gain, according to officials.
Duane Reade terminated Cuti’s employment in November 2005. Tennant was employed by Duane Reade until December 2001 and then served as a consultant until April 2005.
According to reports, Cuti’s attorney issued a statement that claimed the transactions were disputed and had no effect on stockholders, bondholders, the company or Oak Hill.
Responding to the indictment of the former executives, Duane Reade’s current chairman and chief executive officer John Lederer issued a statement that read, “Duane Reade has cooperated fully with the government agencies in their investigations over the last 16 months and we are pleased to see this issue reach resolution. We are gratified that the government has concluded its investigation with no finding of any wrongdoing by the company or any of its current executives. Most importantly, the actions taken today have no effect upon our current business and our financial condition is unaffected by these actions. Our business continues to perform well and we remain fully focused on elevating Duane Reade to the next level.”
Duane Reade also stated that, as previously disclosed in May 2007, the company’s audit committee, with the assistance of an independent counsel, conducted an investigation into matters related to the charges. As a result of the probe, the company restated its financial results for the impacted historical periods and reported the results of the investigation to the U.S. Attorney’s Office and the SEC.
Shopko donates school supplies to Green Bay area elementary school
GREEN BAY, Wis. An elementary school in Green Bay received a variety of school supplies from a locally headquartered retail chain.
Shopko announced Oct. 2 that it had donated the supplies to Sunrise River Elementary, which serves students in second through fifth grade. The supplies included basic items from the school’s required supply list.
Shopko operates stores throughout the Midwest and West.
ARCA Biopharma makes unprecedented payment to Aeolus following FDA approval of bucindolol
NEW YORK Aeolus Pharmaceuticals announced Friday that it had received a $175,000 milestone payment from ARCA Biopharma following the Food and Drug Administration’s acceptance of an approval application for a cardiovascular drug.
Aeolus said the drug, bucindolol, could be the first genetically targeted cardiovascular therapy. CPEC, a company owned jointly by Aeolus and Indevus Pharmaceuticals, licensed all rights to bucindolol to ARCA.
“ARCA’s success in demonstrating the potential benefits of bucindolol in treating heart failure in patients is encouraging,” Aeolus president and chief executive officer John McManus said in a statement. “We look forward to an expeditious review and hope for a positive outcome.”

domain: news


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ALBRIGHT, BAXLEY, AMSDEN ENDORSE RYAN CHAMBERLIN FOR CONGRESS
Three long-time Marion County business and political leaders cite Chamberlin’s experience, conservative principles, and ties to Marion County.
GRASS ROOTS IS TAKING OFF!
This Past Saturday we took our GRASS ROOTS Campaign to the next level. The Ryan Chamberlin for Congress team continues to get stronger!
© 2020 All Rights Reserved
Paid for by Ryan Chamberlin for Congress


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Our first #rtwsoon interview for 2013 is with Dan and Alissa, a US couple who commence a round-the-world trip in one week. This pair launched their blog This World Rocks two weeks ago and after three years of saving, they’re finally ready to take on the world.
Dan and Alissa’s plans involve traveling for 18 months and visiting 35 countries (you guys really need to add Melbourne to that itinerary!) so check out their interview below to find out more! Their tip to split up the duties between the two of them is one we stick to without fail.
We are Dan and Alissa, a married couple in our 20’s from Minneapolis, MN. We have been traveling together for over five years and decided three years ago that we wanted to try traveling more long-term. So far, our international travels have taken us to Paris, Amsterdam, Japan, the Philippines, and a bunch of places in the Caribbean. Within the U.S., sporting events mostly dictate where we go next, as we travel pretty extensively to watch our favorite teams play all over the country.
Where are you going on your RTW?
We are going to try to hit over 35 countries on our trip in Australia, Asia, Europe, Africa, and South America. We put together our “working” itinerary on our website: http://www.thisworldrocks.com/itinerary/
When are you leaving?
We leave for Australia on February 4th, 2013.
Why did you decide to go on this trip?
We have always enjoyed traveling, but hated coming home after only 1-2 weeks. At the end of every trip we would say “too bad we couldn’t just stay here for a few more weeks”. We started reading travel blogs like yours and discovered that there were people all over the world who have quit their jobs to travel long-term. After we got married, we simply turned our wedding savings account into a travel savings account, got more aggressive on auto-withdrawals, and three years later we were ready to rock!
What will you be doing to pass the time before your travels?
We launched our blog two weeks ago and I am currently going through photos and emails to family from past trips and turning them into blog posts on our new site. We have also spent a lot of time over the last month selling or giving away nearly all of our possessions, preparing our house to be rented, and tying up all other loose ends. It is much harder to disappear from this country than we thought!
If you could give just one piece of advice to a fellow #rtwsoon traveler, what would it be?
If you are traveling with another person, it is important to divide responsibilities to avoid arguments and disagreements. We have a system where Dan plans how and when we will get to a destination, and Alissa plans what we do when we get there. Splitting up the duties like this has allowed us to stay much more relaxed when traveling and has freed up more time for us to enjoy the destination we’re currently in.
If you’re heading around-the-world in the next 12 months and would like to be featured here, please contact us.


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Model Number LED109CO


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How Important is Medical Treatment After an Accident?
If you’ve been the victim of a car accident, one of two things has resulted. Either your injuries were sufficiently serious to require immediate medical treatment and attention, or they weren’t. In fact, after the incident, it’s easy to believe that any injuries you may have suffered are either minor or completely nonexistent. You may even think that seeing a doctor at this point would be overkill.
Unfortunately, you’d be wrong. Your body is not accustomed to be slammed around which happens when a hard hit occurs in an accident. Often these impacts are so heavy and happen so fast the occupant does not even realize how badly the ligaments in their body was stretched or torn. Signs of a herniated disk are also difficult to detect when the accident first occurs as the swelling, soreness and pain have not yet revealed themselves for a while. Another factor is an accident is a big adrenaline rush- your body running on adrenaline can also mask any pain you may be feeling.
After any accident, medical attention is vital not only to protect your health but also to ensure your chances for mounting a successful insurance claim or winning a possible lawsuit. While you may be tempted to just wait and see if the pain goes away or simply tough it out, that’s the worst decision you could make.
For one thing, it is entirely possible that you have suffered more serious harm than you realized at first. Many accidental injuries do not announce their presence immediately, especially when adrenaline and nervous excitement arise to mask the pain. It could take hours to realize the full extent of your injuries and to feel the pain. While you yourself may not recognize the problem, an experienced doctor will know immediately.
It is also important to realize that any insurance adjuster with whom you may have dealings is not really working for you. These individuals care only about protecting the bottom line of the companies for which they work. The same is true of the person responsible for having caused your accident and the lawyer who represents him. Although they may want you to think otherwise, their own financial health is their only true concern.
How Delaying a Medical Exam Will Cost You
After any accident, it is vital that you seek medical attention as soon after the accident as you possibly can and in no case longer than 72 hours after it has occurred. There are two main reasons for this. The first, of course, is to protect your own physical condition and speed your chances for a full recovery. The second, however, concerns your chances of obtaining a satisfactory insurance settlement or winning a personal injury lawsuit.
That’s because any delay in treatment will make it difficult to tie the physical problems from which you suffer to the accident that you know is responsible for having caused them. Insurance companies will be the first to insist that the troubles from which you were suffering one week later have nothing to do with the original accident.
In fact, many insurers now use software programs to help them arrive at what they believe to be an adequate settlement amount. The adjuster feeds all he knows about your case into the computer, including the length of time that elapsed between the accident itself and the date on which you visited a doctor.
The software is programmed to reduce the amount of your settlement, and it places great weight on any delay in seeking treatment. If you played it smart and visited a doctor within 72 hours following the incident, the results will skew in your favor. However, any delay in seeking treatment will have the opposite effect.
Where you go for medical treatment really makes no difference. You can visit your family doctor, a chiropractor, a walk-in clinic or your local emergency room. If your regular physician can’t see you immediately, then go to the hospital or an urgent care facility. Exactly where you go to get checked out is not that critical. The important thing is that you get there within 72 hours and then continue to treat consistently.
Remember to obtain all medical records related to your initial doctor visit and to all subsequent follow-ups. While police reports, witness statements and photographic evidence will all serve as vital documentation, your medical records will stand as your only proof of how badly you were injured.
Seeing a Personal Injury Lawyer After a Car Accident
After any car, truck or motorcycle accident, the immediate receipt of medical attention is imperative not only for protecting your health but also for safeguarding your legal and financial concerns. Any delay in obtaining treatment can cost you in several ways.
If you have any legal concerns following your accident, the personal injury lawyers at Lloyd Baker Powerhouse Injury Attorneys will provide you with the dynamic and conscientious representation you deserve and require. Contact our offices today for a complimentary review of your case. We can visit you at your home or hospital room if you are too injured to travel.


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With President Obama taking office for another four years, there has been an immediate impact and several long term implications for the NYC real estate market.
For months leading up to the election, many long term owners chose to sell this year in order to avoid the anticipated capital gains tax increase. This was apparent in Manhattan’s 3Q12 sales figures, which recorded the highest number of sales since 2007. We expect the 4Q12 to be even busier, as there still remains a rush to close sales this year. Thus, many expected that Obama would remain in office, or that capital gains would increase even if Romney prevailed. Clearly, there is a massive deficit, as the 2012 enacted budget calls for $1.327 trillion in deficit, which needs to be offset.
As a result, we did not receive dozens of calls on November 7th from owners looking to sell. However, we are still getting the inquiries from sellers asking if there’s still time to market a property and close this year. Fortunately for them, the answer is yes. We have witnessed scores of opportunistic buyers who have been waiting for this moment, and are able to close with all equity to meet this short time frame.
With all the 2012 activity, 2013 sales could slow down significantly. Historically, the year following record sales numbers tends to lag, especially with unfavorable tax implications.
Another near term result of the election was stated by SL Green’s CEO, Marc Holliday, at a REBNY lunch yesterday. Marc pointed out that NYC could now be a large beneficiary of the US government. After years of sending out many more multiples of tax dollars to DC then we received in return, we could finally receive the largest share of support to rebuild our infrastructure after Hurricane Sandy.
As far as the long term results of the election for our market, we must look at the national and global picture. Often times we believe that we are in a real estate market in a universe of its own. We were saved in this last cycle as we were not overbuilt. (In fact, in 2009 there was only one speculative office building built.) Furthermore, we are now seeing vacancy rates reaching all time lows and rents reaching all time highs, and financing is still plentiful for core assets fueling recording pricing. We are at the opposite end of the spectrum of many secondary and tertiary cities.
With the listing inventory still low, NYC remains a seller’s market. At our firm, we have been unable to keep up with the demand. In 2007, our company had about 750 exclusive listings. Today, we have around 500, which is the same amount we had in 2009. The only difference is that today we are churning through our inventory a lot faster, as we are seeing far more sales.
As rosy as this picture looks for NYC, there are several fundamental concerns lurking at the national and global levels. The current so-called fiscal cliff and congressional deadlock will lead to significant volatility in markets ahead. A supposed $600 Billion near term, short fall only tells a fraction of the story. With the national debt rising now to $16 trillion and unfunded Medicare and Social Security obligations adding to this for a shocking $86.8 trillion combined, it is hard to see how the US will dig its way out, especially since our annual deficit now exceeds our GDP.
In light of this downward spiral, the short term benefit for the real estate investors is that interest rates should stay low for the time being. Bernanke will likely have a renewed term in 2014 and continue his dovish policies, if the market will allow him to do so. Treasuries are expected to go lower because of volatility and increased pessimism. As a result, we may actually see the market rally on continued QE and dollar devaluing. To paraphrase Extell’s Gary Barnett, as long as the stock market holds up, people will feel wealthy, and continue to buy apartments. However, long term inflation should remain a major concern. With rates low, a hard asset bubble could be created (real estate, commodities, gold etc).
We would expect significant compression in yields for anything with short-term cash-flow rollover and long-term debt. Think multifamily and hotels, as the revenue will keep up with inflation, combined with fixed long-term debt and price appreciation. Short term, the government should keep printing to keep interest rates low and status quo. Although when the music finally stops, it’s going to be bad. How long that will take, is the big question.
For most CRE, inflation is a serious issue. If you have fixed long-term income streams (commercial leases) and floating fixed debt, the defaults begin once yields tick up. We think part of the recent MF/Hotel bubble is funds buying inflation protection. The real value of the fixed debt on these assets will go down, while the revenue should at least not fall too far behind real purchasing power.
Unless Congress begins to reduce the deficit through a disciplined combination of increased revenue via taxes and cuts spending/entitlements while maintaining social balance, we risk becoming like Japan; which runs at 200-220% debt to GDP. With this comes stagnant rates and low growth.
The austerity and de-leveraging would cause some pain across the markets and main street, but the country would emerge in a much stronger fiscal position, and a new cycle of GDP growth carries us forward.
Whether or not inflation negatively affects the ability of rents to keep up with inflation depends on supply growth, relative to demand growth. As long as new supply remains muted and demand strong, rents can continue to rise. NYC should be fine, but secondary and tertiary markets will likely be hurt.
In an inflationary environment cap rates will also begin to expand as Treasury yields rise, which will compress values. Given the ultra-low cap rates that properties are trading at, especially in gateway markets, this is a real concern for asset holders, particularly those looking to roll debt.
Unfortunately we cannot become Japan (ex Federal Reserve action) since there is no appetite or ability within the US institutional space to float the entire debt, and permanently accept negative real interest rates. Let’s hope we are not in for a Weimar republic.
James P. Nelson, Partner & Matt Nickerson, Associate
James Nelson is a Partner at Massey Knakal Realty Services. Since 1998, he has been involved in the sale of more than 200 properties and loans with an aggregate value of over $1.3 billion in the NY Metro Area. He can be reached at firstname.lastname@example.org or 212-696-2500 x7710.
To follow James on Twitter, please go to http://twitter.com/JamesNelsonMKRS or LinkedIn at http://www.linkedin.com/in/jamesnelsonmasseyknakal.

domain: finance


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Attached are some pics from an "off the shelf" neo-Brooklyn-style (not sure what to call it other than that — you can probably come up with a better name. It is a Neapolitan-esque crust but with a bit more sauce and cheese) pie I made on the quick last weekend. After spending the day at Governor's Island we popped into Trader Joe's on Court Street (on our way home) and I grabbed some "fresh" plain pizza dough. I wanted to get some of their canned plum tomatoes, too, but there seemed to be a run on them ;)...damn that canned tomato test post and thread :)! That and no Caprese mootz log. Jeeze! Anyway, I dug some scamorza out of the fridge, trimmed the old edges off and had just enough to cover the pie well. The rim is sprinkled with a sea salt blend and the top of the pie was dusted with fresh grated DOP Parmigiano-Reggiano. The sauce is an organic Italian passata (not my fav but all they had at Coluccio last time I went) and a little bit of Italian herb blend.
For this pie, I decided to try/test Kenji's suggestion of broiler first, then stove (That it promotes better rise. It didn't seem to matter at all). It pretty much came out the same as my other pies of late (stove top first then broiler) but the cheese did melt less, which was good.
However, I did not get the small holes that I can get on the under crust when I start on the stove top on very high heat. The under crust looks pretty great all things considered though, just not quite as good as I have gotten going with the stove top first. Interestingly, the rise, for me, with both homemade dough from 00 flour or with TJ's pizza dough, was the same.
This pic is a square pie I made on a whim by doubling my usual homemade dough ball. It is the first and only square pie I have made (far from the last I am sure) and not bad for a first stab. I made it in the L&B style with low-moisture mootz down first, then sauce (Pomi and some leftover homemade sauce with roasted shallots and garlic in it), then a dusting of (pre) grated (fine) domestic Parmesan.
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domain: food


text:
Main Article Content
Objective: Automated chemiluminescent immunoassay has several advantages over manual ELISA with comparable
test performance. Few studies have reported the reference values of the second-trimester serum markers maternal
serum alpha-fetoprotein (AFP), human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG), unconjugated estriol (uE3), and inhibin
A (Inh A) by automated immunoassay in Asian population. Accordingly, this study aimed to determine the
median values of second trimester serum markers as a function of gestational age (GA) in Thai population using
an automated immunoassay.
Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study of serum markers in healthy singleton second trimester (14-22
weeks) pregnant women was conducted at Siriraj Hospital from September 2012 to April 2015. Maternal serum
AFP, hCG, uE3, and Inh A were analyzed by automated immunoassay. Predicted median values as a function of
GA were calculated from best-fit regression equations.
Results: A total of 1,526 women were included. Median values serum markers were constructed from the following
optimal models: AFP (ng/mL) = 99.082 - 14.195 GA + 0.662 GA2, r2=0.995; hCG (mIU/mL) = 390168.106 - 35
968.397GA + 876.708GA2, r2=0.972; uE3 (ng/mL) = -3.388 + 0.274 GA, r2=0.997; and, Inh-A (pg/mL) = 1206.875 -
114.171 GA + 3.174 GA2, r2=0.882. Using the same platform analysis and maternal weight adjustment, the reference
values in Thai population were shown to be different from those of other ethnicities.
Conclusion: Median values of second-trimester serum markers for Thai population were determined. Maternal
weight and the use of population-specific normal values have to be taken into account for Down syndrome screening
in the second trimester.
All articles published in the Siriraj Medical Journal (SMJ) are protected by copyright. No material in this journal may be reproduced on any platform including electronic or in print or transmitted by any means, in whole or in part, without the prior written permission of the Editor of the SMJ. Written permission must also be obtained before any part of the SMJ is stored in any retrieval system of any nature.


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Are you looking for affordable property in the mountains of North Carolina that have long range views and easy access to commercial places such as West Jefferson, Boone, and Blowing Rock? Buy real estate in and around this wonderful mountain city. There are tons of great established and new developments in town and in almost every single one there is available real estate for sale. Learn more about some of the best neighborhoods in the area and let me guide you through the buying process. Below are just a small sample of the communities located very close to West Jefferson and the best shopping, dining, and entertainment in the county.
If you dream of living on the water and owning riverfront real estate but do not want to shell out the extra dollars it costs to buy New River Real Estate, consider the lots and homes for sale in Ashe County’s lake community of Ashe Lake. I list and sell lakefront property here.
Big Tree Subdivision
Big Tree is a neighborhood with dense, forested lands located right near West Jefferson and a few minutes away from Jefferson. This established community still has several lots primed for building.
Buck Mountain Heights
Buck Mountain Heights is just two miles away from the city limits of West Jefferson, on Beaver Creek School Road. Each lot is carefully carved out to give the resident the best views of the surrounding mountain peaks. Featuring plenty of mountain charm, Buck Mountain Heights is a nice community in which to build your dream mountain home, and it also has a planned “green” home area in the development.
Candlelight Park is an up-and-coming development in West Jefferson that has lots available and new homes for sale as well. For affordable real estate in the Blue Ridge region, check out the properties for sale here.
Crown Point is already a very prestigious gated development in Ashe County. Located atop the high-rising peaks of our region’s tallest mountains, the luxury homes and mountain estate lots at Crown Point are considered some of the best tracts land in the area.
Fairway Ridge is a golf community that sits on Mountain Aire Golf Course. From time to time, you can buy real estate on the county’s oldest course. There are townhomes and golf homes that dot the greens and overlook the best holes. These are fantastic investment properties.
Granite Ridge is a 136-acre community located on the western slope of Little Phoenix Mountain. Large tracts of available land are found here and range in size from 2 to 7 acres! Build a luxury cabin or buy one of the already constructed ones in this area.
Mountain View Estates
Mountain View Estates offers available land for sale just three minutes from downtown West Jefferson. This highly convenient location does not spare any detail as far as views are concerned, as there are tons of great long range views from many of the best tracts land here.
Quail Ridge Estates
If you are looking for nice sized lots and acreage that also offer fantastic views of the mountains that surround West Jefferson, including Mt. Jefferson, then check out the property for sale in Quail Ridge Estates. There are only 33 homesites planned in this community and each ranges from 1 to 1.5 acres.
The Woodlands community is located just four miles away from Jefferson and is a nice community with wooded lots on which you can build a vacation retreat or your first home, should you want to live here permanently.
This is just a small list of the communities that are located in and around town. Some are gated, while others are more open, with dynamic plans for wooded, rural lots. Whatever your needs are, I can help you find the home or homesite that you’ve been dreaming about. Take a moment and browse my listings of Western North Carolina Real Estate and you will find listings all around West Jefferson and in many other areas.

domain: geography


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It was there at the beginning, in Atlanta, at the brand new Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
It didn't go away when the Crimson Tide began its Southeastern Conference schedule 14 days ago in Nashville.
On Saturday, it held strong under the bright lights of Kyle Field in eastern Texas.
Like Johnny Cash in that old country jingle, Alabama's defense has been everywhere, imposing its will and suppressing opponents.
Its latest tour de force performance came against Texas A&M in a 27-19 victory.
The Tide didn't budge much. It barely even yielded, showing cracks at the start of the game and its end.
But when the going got tough, it rose to the occasion.
"Our defense came and played a great game," Tide quarterback Jalen Hurts said. "They have a lot of playmakers on their side of the ball -- A&M's offense. But they did a good job of containing them."
That was especially true in the early in the fourth quarter, when the Aggies were on the verge of cutting Alabama's lead to seven points.
Kellen Mond dropped back to pass from Alabama's 10-yard line. Just as the ball was about to float across the goal line to Camron Buckley, who was streaking across the face of the Tide's end zone, the team's do-everything defensive back, Minkah Fitzpatrick, swooped in and intercepted it.
"Minkah has been an outstanding performer for us all year," Alabama coach Nick Saban said.
It was the third turnover forced by Alabama in a game that was closer than most, including the Vegas oddsmakers, imagined it would be.
By and large, that had to do with the execution of the Tide's offense. Alabama struggled to piece together successful drives.
In the opening quarter, the Tide managed to produce one first down.
And early in the second half Alabama gave the ball away for the first time since a victory over Auburn on Nov. 26, 2016.
The turnover -- a fumble by receiver Robert Foster -- threatened to change the complexion of the game with 6:50 remaining in the third quarter.
After all, Texas A&M grabbed possession at the Tide's 36-yard line and then proceeded to advance deeper into Alabama's territory before Christian Kirk made an acrobatic two-yard touchdown catch on fourth down to cut the Aggies' deficit to 14 points, 24-10.
It was the first time A&M scored since the opening drive when Daniel LaCamera made a 52-yard field goal and the Aggies seized the briefest of leads.
For much of the game, A&M could do little. It turned the ball over on downs twice and punted five times. Alabama collected four sacks, too.
But perhaps the most impressive feat was that the Tide bottled up the Aggies' potent ground attack, which ranked 14th in the nation and averaged 255 yards before Saturday.
Against Alabama, A&M ran for only 71 yards.
"We wanted to stop the run," Saban said. "I think we did a really good job of that."
That's not surprising because this defense is dependable. It has shown that throughout the season -- in the biggest blowouts and even in games like this one that were closer than many thought they'd be.
Rainer Sabin is an Alabama beat writer for the Alabama Media Group. Follow him on Twitter @RainerSabin

domain: sports


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Saving wetlands: Set up grievance cell within six weeks, HC tells state
Taking note of the unabated destruction of wetlands even after the interim ban on their reclamation more than two years ago, the Bombay high court directed the state to create a grievance redressal mechanism within six weeks.
The grievance redressal mechanism will receive complaints on wetland destruction through email, WhatsApp messages, toll-free numbers and online on a website.
“Even if anonymous complaints are received giving full particulars of the violation, the same shall be acted upon,” read the order by a division bench of justice AA Sayed and justice Abhay S Oka.
In March 2014, division bench of Justice VM Kanade and Justice Anil Menon impose an interim ban on reclamation and construction in wetland areas across the state.
The bench said, “We hope that even the state government has understood the importance of maintaining and preserving the wetlands in the state.”
The court was hearing the contempt petition filed by non-government organisation Vanashakti.
It directed that a committee, which will create the grievance redressal mechanism, be formed within three weeks and monitor the order’s implementation. The committee will be headed by divisional commissioner of Konkan division.
“The divisional commissioner shall either create a separate website or use the website of his office to receive online complaints on the destruction of wetlands in breach of orders of this court. Arrangements shall be made to provide for uploading photographs,” read the order.
The bench said the commissioner will also have to ensure restoration of wetland after the committee’s receives complaints.
The committee will comprise a representative from non-governmental organisation Vanashakti who is the petitioner, senior revenue officers, senior police officers, representative of the Maharashtra Pollution Control Board and an expert member decided by the state government. All planning authorities within the Maharashtra Regional and Town Planning Act, 1966 in the districts of Konkan region will be represented on the committee.
In 2013, Vanashakti had filed a public interest litigation, stating rampant reclamation and destruction of wetlands and that Wetland Rules 2010 were not being implemented in Maharashtra.


text:
Versatility is key for the Vega Button Down. A classic men’s short sleeve button down, this shirt offers a flattering, tailored-like silhouette and can be easily dressed up or down for day-to-night transitions.
Détails du produit
- 100% Cotton
- Solid woven cotton
- Back central pleat
- Woven label inside bottom placket
- Tree logo embroidered on chest
- Regular fit

domain: design


text:
The article discusses various bird feeding systems, their accessories, homemade bird treats, food preferences of different bird species and a unique cat collar cover to protect birds. It mentions a past discount on bird feeders.
Constructing a Secure Bird Feeding Station
Oh the joy in giving winged visitors a safe haven, a sanctuary where they can sing, preen, and feast!
Overview of Advanced Feeder Pole System
Immersing oneself in the orchestral symphony that is the song of birds is a sensory delight, but offering sustenance entails the careful selection of a robust and resilient feeder pole system. Like the medieval towers built to protect, an advanced feeder pole system serves a similar purpose standing up to stormy winds and thwarting those furry marauders determined on an avian feast. A sturdy system is what your feathery friends deserve; a highly functional and resilient pole to ensure a safe feeding experience. With the right tools and determination, you can effortlessly set up such a bastion for your feathered visitors.
Building a Homemade Bird Feeding Station
Creating a bird feeding station at home can be akin to building a fortress for your avian allies. With a blueprint sketched out in your mind’s eye, gather your materials like a resourceful thrush preparing for its nest. An armory of basic tools a hammer, measuring tape, screws, and lumber coupled with dedicated time, will facilitate the construction of your personalized bird haven. Congratulations, you are on your way to nurturing a mini ecosystem to witness mesmerizing aerial shows, set right in your backyard!
Benefits of Using Baffles and Cages
Baffles and cages are the unsung heroes in the world of bird feeding stations, fending off uninvited guests with the assuredness of a hawk guarding its brood. Their invaluable role in deterring gluttonous squirrels and other pests from plundering the aviary feast cannot be overstated.
Bird friendship can transcend boundaries and regions; it can be as delightful in wild birds unlimited summerville sc as in the breezy Elkhorn Slough of Monterey Bay! Armed with dedication and the thrill of excitement that accompanies a new project, curating a safe and secure feeding station can be a truly rewarding pursuit.
Enhancing the Aesthetics and Functionality of the Station
As ornithologist and adventurer, one of the ways I bring character to bird stations is through the little details. It’s like adorning a Christmas tree the essence is in the unique ornaments.
Incorporating Decorative Branch Perch and Suet Cage
Now imagine a bird station with fetching branch perches and attractive suet cages. These are more than just baubles, but also a call of hospitality to our avian friends, providing them a place to perch and feast. Think of it as the hospitality of the discovery bay wild bird rescue, but in your backyard.
Benefits of Easy-clean Feeders
And then, of course, one cannot ignore the importance of cleanliness in these aviary abodes we create. Easy clean feeders conjoin functionality with hygiene, making it a breeze to maintain an inviting and healthful feeding environment for our feathered visitors.
Exploring Various Bird Feeder Designs
Last but definitely not least, let us not shy away from experimenting with various bird feeder designs. ”Why limit ourselves to one style when we can choose from a myriad?” I often find myself musing. Your bird station can reflect the very diversity of the avian world each design with its unique feature accommodating different species, habits, and preferences.
In essence, enhancing the aesthetics and efficiency of your bird station hinges on paying attention to details and embracing a sense of playful creativity. It’s an art piece, a functional sculpture a living representation of your own passion and dedication.
Preparing Bird Treats
In my enchanted journey along bird filled trails and nesting grounds, I often encounter delightful new sensations. One such joy is the preparation of bird treats—a whimsical blend of crafting and knowledge. As a young ornithologist, I learned the intrinsic value of knowing the dietary preferences of different bird species a puzzle to be figured out, much like one would wild birds unlimited wake forest.
Crafting Homemade Bird Treats
There is no spectacle as heartwarming as watching birds relish the fruits of your labor! 🕊 Nurturing wild birds with homemade snacks graciously returns the favor nature has kindly showered upon us. The process can be as simple as stirring birdseed into some peanut butter or crafting elaborate nectar replicas.
Understanding Bird Food Preferences
What does the ruby throated hummingbird hold dear? What whets the appetite of a yellow bellied sapsucker? The answers to these beguiling queries unravel the mystery of matching treats with bird species. It bridges gaps, edifies minds and solidifies relationships. The same way a father’s love shaped this ornithologist, an understanding of bird food preferences connects us to them.
Incorporating Variety in Bird Food Menu
Variety, they say, is the spice of life. On the bird menu, it’s a magnet attracting diverse species, from the resplendent cardinal to the chirpy chickadee. Providing a gourmet array of dried fruits, nuts, and seeds, invites a battalion of feathered friends to your backyard, making it as lively as my early morning bird watching expeditions.
From the purple martin to the shy meadowlark, every bird that flits and settles in our backyards reveals a piece of life’s enchanting puzzle. As we delight in crafting sumptuous delights for them, let’s remember our shared responsibility to protect and cherish these magnificent beings. They’re not just any birds, they’re our wild, free cohabitants each one as unique and precious as wild birds unlimited wake forest.
Protecting Wild Birds
The sweet serenade of a Black capped Chickadee at dawn, or the lively ballet of hummingbirds around a nectar feeder are sights that delight my soul. Protecting these wonderful creatures is my constant endeavor. My dad’s voice rings in my mind, “To admire is to protect, Penny.”
Mitigating Threats from Domestic Cats
Ah, the seemingly benign felines! But, lurking beneath their gentle purrs is a potential threat to birds. My kitty, Ophelia, used to chase the occasional Blue Jay visiting our yard near wild birds unlimited warwick. That was, until I discovered the wonders of collar covers. These colorful adaptors, often with a bell, serve as visual and auditory warnings for birds. The difference was instant; Ophelia’s bird chasing antics drastically reduced.
Ensuring Safety from Other Predators
As sunsets bleed into twilight skies, my vigilance extends beyond the confines of my home. Neighborhood raccoons, squirrels and predatory birds pose significant risks to bird peace. Deterrent devices, such as bird spikes or predator guards, have helped in safeguarding nests and providing a sanctuary for my avian friends.
Maintaining Sanitation at Feeding Stations
Collective love for feeding stations by birds has a downside: potential spread of disease. Just like the neat and concise lines of my father’s notepad, I maintain my feeders with utmost sanitation a simple wash and rinse every alternate day does wonders. Remember, cleanliness today, healthy birds tomorrow!
One might ask why fuss over this? But as Emerson wrote, “The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.” What might seem like tiny steps could have ripples that echo into a biodiverse future. The melody of their songs, the flashing colors of their wings it’s a joy to behold, isn’t it? Like the iridescence in an Anna’s hummingbird feather, our contemplative care leads to the magic of preservation.
Recap on Building a Durable and Secure Bird Feeding Station
Reflecting on our journey, the creation of a fortified bird feeding station strikes as a testament to our dedication. It mirrors the stronghold of wild birds unlimited summerville sc and requires an understanding akin to those at discovery bay wild bird rescue. It’s a matter of strategically selecting the right location and robust materials, just as they do in wild birds unlimited wake forest, ensuring both shelter and sustenance for our avian friends.
Highlight on Maintaining a Clean and Attractive Feeding Station
Remember, diligence does not end at construction. Equal importance must be placed on the cleanliness and aesthetic appeal of bird feeding spaces. Just as the folks at wild birds unlimited warwick maintain their stations, regular cleaning and revitalizing should be a ritual for us. The vibrancy of the feeders and the purity of the feed, all contribute to the allure of the station, drawing diverse species while keeping illnesses at bay.
Emphasize on the Importance of Respecting the Habitat of Wild Birds
Let us not forget: we are merely entering the magical domain of the wild birds. As narrators of their world, we must tread with respect and responsibility. Our mission, akin to the noble cause of all bird lovers, is to bolster their environment, not disrupt it.
In essence, every sturdy feeder we erect, every clean bowl of seed we offer, upholds our role in protecting and preserving these magnificent creatures. Our respectful interaction with wild birds can become a beacon of avian truths, reflecting a balance of love and science, of curiosity and responsibility. No winged creature shall remain just a bird in our discerning gazes, rather the embodiment of a passion that promises to respect, preserve and celebrate their existence.

domain: biology


Assessment testing this week in Marshalltown schools
Though they have no bearing on student grades, assessment tests are very important to school districts to gauge where they are at.
Students in the Marshalltown Community School District will take the Iowa Assessments this week. These tests were formerly known at the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills and the Iowa Tests of Educational Development.
“Even though the assessments do not affect classroom grades, an added incentive for students to do their best is the fact that we now have intervention classes that students are required to take if their skill levels are low in reading and math,” said Marshalltown Superintendent Marvin Wade. “For high school students, there is also additional incentive because proficiency on Iowa Assessments is an eligibility requirement for college level courses taken in high school.”
Wade said staff encourage students to set academic goals, and to check their progress and these goals are measured against the Iowa Assessments.
The times and days for the tests vary by school building this week. Marshalltown High School will take the test Tuesday and Wednesday.
Wade said tips for the tests for students include getting a good night’s sleep, follow test instructions carefully, relax, double check to not skip any questions and make sure there’s enough time to complete the test in the time allotted.


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As we approach Homecoming this weekend, it is important to reflect on who does and, more importantly, who does not feel at home at this school and in this country. Home, whether it is a physical place or a feeling, means something different for everyone. For alumni returning to campus, Homecoming represents an opportunity to relive traditions of their college days. For the administration, it represents an opportunity to raise large sums through alumni donations. These donations, generated by alumni nostalgia, depend on students’ active participation in the time-honored traditions that celebrate Dartmouth.
As the ’21s and the rest of the student body prepare for the tradition of running around the bonfire, we should take a step back and reflect on how students’ feelings of home have been affected by Dartmouth’s other traditions, including its legacy of racism, sexism, white supremacy and other forms of institutional violence against marginalized groups. Faculty of color at Dartmouth have been systematically driven out by institutional racism, especially within the tenure process. When white supremacist groups rioted on a college campus in Charlottesville, Dartmouth released absolutely no statements denouncing white supremacy or supporting our students of color. Many students incorrectly believe that the most egregious injustices are only committed by those in white Ku Klux Klan hoods, but our administration’s complacency within oppressive systems insidiously fuels the very structures that perpetrate this violence.
On Sept. 5, President Donald Trump’s administration rescinded the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals executive order enacted by former President Barack Obama administration in 2012. How does immigration status play into people’s perception of home? More specifically, how does Dartmouth’s response to such federal actions affect undocumented students’ ability to find a home on this campus? Although this school claims to support undocumented students, some of whom are on DACA and some whom are not, the administration’s responses fail to establish concrete actions to ensure protection. In the past year, College President Phil Hanlon has released two statements regarding DACA in which he has said that Dartmouth will do everything “within the bounds of the law” to help undocumented students on campus. What does this really mean? Is rescinding DACA not within the bounds of the law? Is deportation of students not within the bounds of the law? If the College wants to actively stand in solidarity with its undocumented students, Hanlon’s very first step should be to recognize that the law is unjust and cannot govern the school’s response to immigration issues. Legality is not morality.
In light of the College’s lack of concrete plans or protocols, I have collaborated with others to create a concrete plan that Dartmouth can use to support and protect undocumented students at Dartmouth. To start, the Office of Visa and Immigration Services, the Board of Trustees and the President’s Office must establish and disseminate school protocol for situations where students are given deportation notices on campus or on buses up to campus. No such plan exists currently, putting undocumented students in uncertain and stressful positions. Since such students would no longer be work-study eligible, the Office of Financial Aid must replace the student contribution of current DACA recipients with financial aid. Furthermore, the President’s Office and the Financial Planning and Budget Office must transparently provide legal fees for students and family members who are under threat of deportation. No matter what, Safety and Security as well as Hanover Police must refuse to comply without question, in any shape or form, with the demands of federal authorities like U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, including detainment requests. If the college administration is to put its money where its mouth is, they must make this campus a sanctuary campus by meeting these demands to truly support all students.
Participating in the tradition of Homecoming, one that celebrates Dartmouth’s legacy of colonialism, actively supports the administration’s violent negligence of the most vulnerable of our peers. We must not forget that we are celebrating Homecoming on stolen Abenaki land, a fact that the College continues to ignore while the administration claims this land as our home. For the administration, the encouragement of alumni participation in Homecoming traditions has never been a purely nostalgic act but rather a way to solicit donations. When the college fails to support all of its students, especially those whose lives are threatened by Trump's actions, it is all the more obscene to watch them profit from our presence here. When students actively disengage from these traditions, we disrupt the administration’s tactics of monetizing our participation. We take a stand against the privileged complacency of alumni and fellow students who blindly celebrate school pride while ignoring the harm this institution has committed and continues to perpetuate. Homecoming is an opportunity for us, current students, to express our disapproval for the administration’s inaction. First-years and other students, in an act of conscious protest, should therefore support our undocumented and other marginalized students by collectively rejecting the bonfire tradition. This Friday, refuse to run around the bonfire. For once, we should let the old traditions fail.
Cantos is a member of the Class of 2018 and the Inter-Community Council.
The Dartmouth welcomes guest columns. We request that guest columns be the original work of the submitter. Submissions may be sent to both email@example.com and firstname.lastname@example.org. Submissions will receive a response within three business days.

domain: sociology


Congress President's Condolence Message on the passing away of Former MP, Smt. Shyama Singh
Congress President, Smt. Sonia Gandhi has expressed her deepest condolences on the passing away of Senior Congress leader and Former MP from Bihar, Smt. Shyama Singh. Smt. Singh served the people with immense dedication and her noteworthy contributions to the well-being of the people of Aurangabad shall be never be forgotten, Smt. Gandhi said.
Conveying her sympathies to her husband, Shri Nikhil Kumar and her family, Smt. Gandhi prayed for the departed soul.


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I began a post about "shoulds" and book blogging, but it was a bit long and unwieldy and really two posts.
One about what I mean about how blogging shifts how one reads, how one talks about books. And one about shoulding, which I'll hopefully have ready tomorrow.
Well. It's like this. By myself? Dinner may be peanut butter on an English muffin. When I have company, is that what I'll serve? Nope. In a way, it's the same type of shift that occurs when one moves from talking with friends about books to the public arena of blogging. Things get cleaned up a little; spelling and grammar are doublechecked. Things get rewritten and revised.
There is the criticism and feedback that comes along with blogging, in a way that doesn't happen in conversations. Oh, I'm not saying conversations about books are all calm and pretty; people can agree and disagree and get emotional! But it does mean that if I post something and someone disagrees with me (either here or elsewhere), I need to be as thick-skinned as I expect authors to be when I talk about their books. I don't think one can go into blogging thinking it's going to be all "I agree, great post!"
And then there is the community. And not just the blogging community. There are also interactions with authors and publishers. Really -- how many people who sit and talk about books casually, outside of blogging (and I'm not looking at you, librarians) ever have the chance to meet authors and folks from publishing? And by "meet", I include doing interviews, Twitter, posts and comments on blogs. How many get review copies, or write articles, or speak at conferences or other programs? Not all bloggers do all these things, of course. But, still, there are connections and things happening that don't happen for the stay at home reader.
So right there, like it or not, there is a shift -- the blogger who is doing all that is no longer the same as the person sitting at home, casually reading. Is the way these two people read, or talk about books the exact same? If the blogger is reading an ARC, for example, there almost has to be a shift in reading, because the blogger knows its not the "final" copy of the book so has to take that into account when reading it.
And what does it mean to go from being "just" a consumer of an end product, the book, to being part of the professional chain that includes authors, editors, publishers, publicists, reviewers, and now bloggers? Does that alter what one does, should it, and to what extent?
Let's use me as an example.
As a librarian (which I still am), I read with two hats on. I read for me; but I also reader to see whether other readers would like that book. When I read for me, there would be a small handful of people to who I would say "OMG you must read this book!". When I read as librarian, I read as book matchmaker: who will be the perfect reader for this book? And then used those books to booktalk (or handsell) those books to library patrons, sometimes individually, sometimes in large class visits.
As a blogger, my audience per day is much more than those handful of people I used to say "read this" to. What does having that audience mean? And what does it mean for me to think, "people will read because of what I blog?" Because I am out here with this blog and these posts, what is my responsibility to the reader?
For me, because my blog is a potluck dinner, it means I try to vary what I read and review here. A bit of this, a bit of that, with a side helping of what I like because all reading for others and no reading for me is tiring and it's a sure fire way to turn the joy of reading into the job of reading.
So yes, I think that the act of blogging shifts what one does. Though what that shift means can vary differently, from blogger to blogger.
But does any of this mean a blogger opens themselves up to being told how to blog? Or allows one blogger to tell another how to blog? Or, well, allows anyone to tell them what to do and how to do it? More of my self-obsessed musings on "shoulding" on people tomorrow.
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© Elizabeth Burns of A Chair, A Fireplace & A Tea Cozy
Also known as A Chair, A Fireplace, & A Tea Cozy. Or just Tea Cozy. Talking about books, TV shows, movies.
Saturday, January 30, 2010
The Shifts in Reading and Blogging
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While I myself have yet to read Eragon beyond chapter 3 (either in book or audio form) (conclude what you will about that), I am very inter...
Audacity by Melanie Crowder . Philomel Books, an imprint of Penguin Young Readers Group . 2015. Reviewed from ARC. The Plot : 1903, Russi...
When I read blogs like yours and Zetta's, I become a little self-conscious. The student in me remembers to think more consciously about how I say a thing. There are times I'm in such a hurry or caught up in emotion that I forget to think of the how and that matters because my audience isn't my small circle of friends but a community I'm trying to connect with.
I'm a little worried about the shoulds I fail to do but I am very interested in hearing them just the same.
I've done a lot of thinking about this recently. Mostly because the way my blog functions has changed in the past few months. I'm still a relatively small blog, I don't get too many visitors in a day and most of them are picture views! I have ~100 followers, which is small change compared to a lot of folks. Nevertheless, I have recently begun receiving requests for ARCs, authors have commented on my blog (without me emailing them or twittering them first) and authors have sent me books. I never expected my blog to get to that level, I always imagined it a small place for myself. I've realized over the past two months that my blog, while it is still my space, is also a public space. It's important to realize that, because suddenly what you say matters. What you do matters. So like you said, it's a potluck. There's some for me, absolutely, but there's also a lot of reading and reviewing of books that are relevant, important and substantial.
So, should someone tell me how to navigate this new territory? Maybe. I've made many blogging mistakes over the past year, even if someone had told me I shouldn't do the things I did, I probably would have still made the same mistakes.
Really interesting post and I can't wait to read part 2.
Interesting stuff, Liz. I look forward to hearing about "shoulding" tomorrow.
For me, blogging about books has created a new distinction in my reading. I now have a concept of "books that I'm reading just for me", that I don't intend to review. I find that the longer I blog and review, the more I need those books that I read purely for myself (the english muffins with peanut butter, if you will). Otherwise, it all starts to feel like work...
Interesting points. I've blogged for years about what I read but things did change after I began to accept ARCs a year and a half ago. I stopped accepting them after 6 months. I thought I chose carefully but too many are of dubious quality- I am really particular I admit. And I am a mood reader and ill a lot so not always able to keep up with committments. I also found myself seriously stressing over how to make a novel sound better than I really thought it was. I think a lot of us may struggle with that one. So I was happy to stop getting review copies and go back to reading whatever I want. I'm sure I am the exception but I'm old and judicious about what I spend my time on. I'd like to see what others have to say so I'll watch your comments. And I look forward to the second part.
Great post Liz! I have found the way I read become different since I became a librarian and a blogger. I read a wider variety of books and I read MG and YA, when before I read mostly adult chick lit. I'm like Jen and every once in awhile I have to read a book that's just for me without any thought on reviewing it. Sometimes I'll end up reviewing it because I want to share it and sometimes I won't.
Even though I will post my honest thoughts on a book, I would never tell anyone not to read a book. I often tell my teens "well, I didn't really love it, but I'd like to know your thoughts on it. I'm not a teen and I need a teen's perspective"-they love challenging me on what I read and trying to convince me it really is the best book ever. And they love sharing thier opinions.
I guess I view blogging as a larger library world-more readers to handsell books to.
I'm interested in reading your thoughts on "shoulding!"
susan, knowing ones audience is hard! especially as many readers don't comment. its actually a little scary to think about, so let's not. but i do wonder some things about audience, like should i always spell out and explain what an arc is? What ala is? how close to publication to post reviews? am i too cryptic or too wordy?
lu, recieving arcs is fun. its also one of those signs of a possible shift in what the blogger thinks. i mean, before, its 'i am blogging for me' but now its like 'ok, they didn't send it because they care what I think....they sent it because they thinkn other people care about what i think'.
greenbeanteenqueen, i so agree with you! about the just for me books, and about how with teens in person a dialogue is so good. my favorite source of what to read next can be asking teens and kids what they think i should read.
jen, part of the reason I could never resolve to blog every title i read is there are some books that i just want to be all about me, still.
sandra, if its not fun? change what is happening to keep it fun and not a job. I'm glad you found the balance that works for you.
I wonder where the line is between "Official Blog" and "Online Journal." I started out with what was clearly an online journal, with only people I actually know bothering to read it, but I read so many Official Blogs that generally my posts tend to sound slightly more crafted and pointed-to-an-audience than they used to. But I still tend to write about books more in an "I loved this book! Read it because I loved it!" rambly sort of way, and I still write as if talking to the people I know personally who I know are reading it, even though I think the dozen-or-so people I DON'T know personally are probably actually more interested in what I write about anymore! I don't know if I DO have a responsibility in how I write about things, since I don't even know who my audience actually is anymore-- but I guess that's what your next post is going to be about, with the Shoulds....
susan, what i'd also like to say is that sometimes, online, because the "real" is a person alone with their computer (even if there are other people in the room!) and it's easy to forget that what gets posted is read, and read by tons of people, and may be agreed with or misunderstood; may be taken out of context; or someone may pick some throwaway line and run with it in a way you didn't imagine. if you think too much about it, you'd never blog; but it's good to know, especially when trying to funny, snarky, or sarcastic, because its hard to do those online.
rockn, i think many bloggers actually have a foot in both worlds (personl and public). some blogs start all "here i am world, gimme the arcs", others are "this is just my reading journal how did people even find it", but most, I think, started similarly to me: looking for a place to discuss books, yet, but not thinking that could mean publishers sending arcs and thousands reading your words.
so, obviously, one thing to me that separates what is "me" and what is public is arcs. NOT saying that HOW one reviews changes, no, no, no. but once you are reviewing arcs sent by a publisher, yes, you're in the public because a publisher doesn't send them to someone who is "oh this is just for me!"
Here is an example of misunderstanding: my post about shoulds that will post in about an hour? Is about staying away from shoulding each other!
That said, here is me shoulding. If a blogger is speaking at a conference about blogging? That becomes public, unless they are there only as "see one real blogger!" capacity. But if they are up in the front of the room, speaking about book blogs, how they work, publishers, publishing, to do, not to do, etc.? That is no longer the stay at home reader; and there is a responsibility there, in part because its public, in part because you are speaking on behalf of all of us and that is a huge responsibility.
I think you gave a good example with the peanut-butter-English-muffin-dinner thing vs. when you have actual company in your house. Blogging means you use spellcheck, you tidy things up, you use complete sentences, and you... kind of sell the book to interested readers.
Unfortunately, that's my "should." You SHOULD use spellcheck. And proper pronunciation. Because you somehow are a part of the chain of people between a writer and a reader, and if you're blogging to excite readers, you should appear to be a reliable source.
...Hm. But that's something I hadn't really thought out until just now. I find that I (shh.) don't link to people's reviews if they have spelling errors, etc. I now feel like a snob, but...
Well, shoulding. Looking forward to the rest.
tanita, some of the stuff I read online about the future of publishing & marketing really plays up the role of bloggers. which makes me think it is a greater responsibility, should one then be in that role.
my not so secret shoulding of others? no original plot description, just cut & paste from publisher jacket copy/product description. but I think its a legit "should" when its done without giving proper credit!
"Book matchmaker"! I like that. I don't think that blogging has changed what I read, since I need to read everything the students might be interested in. I decided long ago that my main audience would be other teachers and librarians-- I'm not entirely sure this is true, but I had to have someone in mind when I wrote. And interesting thought about the publisher description-- I only do that (with proper citation!) when I was so confused by a book that I can't come up with a synopsis myself!
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GELFAND’S WORLD - Each year there is a citywide event for all neighborhood council participants and for members of the public who have an interest in our many topics.
This year we will discuss ways for neighborhood councils to defend themselves against an increasingly oppressive city government, you will have a chance to meet your CityWatch writers, and you will have a chance to hear from members of the City Council and various of our city agencies. As previously, everything will be online.
You can register here. Note that the registration form is a little complex, in that after you type in your first and last name, you will have to scroll down to fill in additional information -- your email address, your neighborhood council if you are a member of one -- and then the Register button will light up and you can click on it.
You can look at the schedule by clicking here. Note that there will be an opening session at 9 AM but there is no requirement that you attend.
The main sessions begin at 10:05 AM, including Meet the CityWatch Writers. And if you don't want to hear from me and my colleagues, you can hear about public encampments, facing your biases, land use policy, or native plant usage. For the CityWatch writers’ session, we have invited Dennis Zine, Tony Butka, Sara Corcoran, Jack Humphreville, Liz Amsden, and myself. Editor Jim Hampton has been invited to give a brief introduction and tribute to the late Ken Draper. It should make for some rousing discussion.
At 11 AM, I will be hosting a session titled Defending Neighborhood Council Independence and Freedom. We need this session so that we can organize people to defend our rights against the authoritarians who sit on government panels and agencies, doing their best to figure out ways to waste our time and abuse us. It should make for an interesting session. Longtime activist and leader Doug Epperhart has been invited to join us. At the same time, LA Watchdog Jack Humphreville will be running his own session on Hidden Costs in the City Budget. That same hour will feature the second half of the land use breakout session and a session on Preserving the Public Trust in City Government and Elections.
There are also sessions designed to assist newcomers who may still feel uneasy or unprepared over how to function under the Ralph M. Brown Act, what the new digital communications policy says, and a potentially fascinating discussion on getting to carbon neutrality, to be held during the 12:40 PM session.
Also of note: In the 1:35 PM session, Celebrate your neighborhood's history and art. This looks to be a fun session where the special places in different communities will be featured.
It's interesting that we're not hearing much about the Covid-19 pandemic anymore. There was a whole session of Meet the Press on Sunday with nary a word that I can remember. Perhaps we're getting into the end-phase, even if it's hard to recognize. In case you're not following all the latest graphs and statistics, here is what is going on. The United States is still losing four hundred people a day from the Covid-19. Many of those deaths can be attributed to failure to be vaccinated, particularly among older people. Data from the state of Kentucky, for example, shows that people who have been vaccinated and twice boosted are about 4 times less likely to die from Covid-19, particularly in the aging population.
At a moment when restaurants are open, the LA Opera has been doing live performances for the past season, and people are attending gyms and supermarkets freely, the Los Angeles Neighborhood Council system continues to lag. We are still doing meetings online due to the commands of the city authorities. We are assuming that the online system will be scrapped around the beginning of the new year. The Los Angeles County Health Dept shows a continuing decline in Covid deaths, now about 4 per day on the average, having fallen from 12-14 just a few months ago. My interpretation continues to be that we are reaching herd immunity due to the high rate of vaccination along with the high rate of infection from the new variants. It will be interesting to see how the latest vaccine against the newer, more aggressive variants will work out.
(Bob Gelfand writes on science, culture, and politics for CityWatch. He can be reached at [email protected] )


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