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Hey, it’s possible that it’s right. Part of scientific thinking is that technically anything is “possible.” But when you’ve been following elections and polling for quite a while now, it’s OK to apply some experience-based common sense to the proceedings. That’s what I’m looking to do, here.
The polling was actually done by Survey USA, commissioned by KSTP. KSTP’s news is the closest local approximation to what Fox “News” is nationally, and the brand is owned by the extremely conservative and also extremely wealthy Stanley Hubbard.
In a rematch of one of the closest congressional races in the country two years ago, Republican Stewart Mills leads Democratic incumbent Rick Nolan by four points in Minnesota’s 8th District, 45 percent to 41 percent, in our exclusive KSTP/SurveyUSA poll…
However, even a superior get-out-the-vote operation might be more difficult in 2016 because the top of the Democratic ticket, Hillary Clinton, appears to be very unpopular in the 8th District. Our poll shows Republican Donald Trump with a 12-point lead over Clinton, 47 percent to 35 percent. (KSTP)
The Lake Superior-sized red flag is immediately apparent. President Obama won this district in 2012 by 5.5%, and we’re supposed to believe that this time it’s going to go for Trump by 12, at a time when Donald could well be looking at a double-digit landslide loss, nationally. While for all I know such a four-year swing in a congressional district anywhere would not be unprecedented, it is certainly extremely rare and would require extraordinary circumstances.
A far more likely explanation is that you get a number like that by massively overpolling Trump’s base of conservative old people. Which if you look at the polling internals you will see is exactly what they did.
Minnesota’s 8th district isn’t just the Iron Range. But one can make a case that politically blue Duluth is balanced out by the red areas further south along 35, into the north metro, and it’s the Range that makes the call.
Two days ago, Newsweek published an investigation showing that Trump has always favored Chinese steel for his casinos and hotels.
John Rebrovich, United Steelworkers representative from Hibbing, says it was only a matter of time before Trump was exposed as a charlatan.
While Rebrovich’s friends and neighbors may have once found hope in the candidate, Trump has been quietly subverting them all along. News spreads fast in small towns, Rebrovich says. Everywhere he goes now, people are talking about how they feel lied to. (City Pages)
And why not? Both were born to tremendous wealth and privilege, and have hardly impressed accordingly. Neither has paid any sort of officeholding dues that would remotely qualify them for the positions they’re seeking. Both have histories of repulsive public pronouncements about women. Both are really just looking out for #1.
And hopefully both will have their fantasies of political power and widespread admiration utterly and deservedly crushed, in about four and a half weeks.
If you’re old enough, like me, perhaps you remember when the late Rod Grams was a Republican, one-term U.S. Senator from Minnesota. During his time in the Senate Grams attained a certain notoriety for being unprepared for committee meetings and just general cluelessness. When things were looking ugly in his reelection bid in 2000 (his DFL opponent was senator-to-be Mark Dayton, now Minnesota governor), he called on Mom. Dig:
Stewart Mills III currently has an ad featuring his wife. The idea seems to be to project an ultra-wholesome image in order to try to counteract the recent exposure of a pretty damn repugnant social media history. This is not about picking on his family. Just noting that from an electoral perspective the precedent here is not promising.
Grams had one term as a U.S. Representative before becoming a Senator. Prior to that he was a TV news anchor. In other words, he was exactly as qualified, based on experience and knowledge (no paying dues in the state lege, etc.) for a spot in the U.S. Congress at that time as Mills is now.
Don’t freak out if you see polling showing Stewart III ahead. There’s precedent for that not being any too reliable, either.
Update: Here’s video from The Uptake, of what might well be the only Nolan/Mills debate. No major fireworks or blunders, that I’ve seen or heard about.
Two items. This first one does require some context. Rich candidates in both major parties often loan their own campaigns money. Win or lose, they usually do get it back, with interest. But the practice is often seen as an acknowledgment that anticipated funding sources aren’t coming through as hoped.
Federal Election Commission filings for the second quarter show the Mills campaign’s principal committee, Friends of Stewart Mills, took in $794,001 compared to the Nolan for Congress Volunteer Committee’s $428,178. However, Mills loaned his own campaign $500,000, the first time he has loaned the committee money so far this election cycle. Mills also had less than a fourth of Nolan’s cash on hand going into the third quarter, and had spent about five times as much. (Brainerd Dispatch)
This next one gets no softening “context.” If one campaign manager after another isn’t willing to stay aboard…
The campaign of Stewart Mills III recently had John Eloranta take over the helm as manager.
Originally, Charlie Szold was announced as the manager in March for Mills’ GOP campaign to unseat Democrat U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan in Minnesota’s 8th Congressional District. In May, Szold left the Mills campaign to instead manage the re-election campaign of U.S. Rep. David Young, R-Iowa. Szold was replaced by Mike Lukach, who previously served as Mills’ campaign manager during his 2014 bid for the 8th District. (Brainerd Dispatch)
What with the effort at a political image makeover, some may have been left wondering what the “real” Stewart Mills III is all about. This is telling. The article has numerous specific examples.
The Mills Fleet Farm scion, who’s challenging DFL U.S. Rep. Rick Nolan a second time for Minnesota’s Iron Range seat, cranked out his brand of conservative bro-humor on Facebook pretty regularly back before he was running for political office. A review of old posts on social media finds Mills making flippant references to battered women, his own laziness, and the health benefits of women swallowing after oral sex, among other topics most politicians would happily avoid. (City Pages)
So behind all of the contrived crap, what we’re dealing with is a “bro.” No wonder he’s endorsed Donald Trump for president.
Since the narrow loss in 2014, the brains behind the U.S. House campaign of Stewart Mills III seem to have determined that they lost because of two (2) things: the hair, and the spoiled rotten rich kid image.
Regarding the former, I’ve provided “before” and “after” pictures. The story is that the change is the result of a “grilling accident.” It’s true that you’d be hard-pressed to think of a man elected to the U.S. Congress with flowing locks like “before” unless you went all the way back to the antebellum South. But, seriously, this guy somehow burned off his own hair, and we’re supposed to put him in Congress? (“We’re,” because I’m an MN-08 voter, myself, and very much desirous of continuing with the strong, mostly progressive representation of Rep. Rick Nolan (D-MN).)
Re: the latter, it still seems like a valid point indeed, especially since as far as I’ve seen Mills has never so much as been on a city council, much less paid some dues and learned something about governing by doing some time in the Minnesota legislature. Hence, this ad, in which viewers are assured by sincere eyewitnesses that as a child Stewart III in reality worked his fingers to the very bone. If you buy that, you probably buy the one about the grilling accident, and far worse the whole Guardians Of Privilege platform about how what we all really need are more tax breaks and other government handouts for the super-rich…like Mills.
KKR’s scorched earth brand of capitalism is well-documented. The firm starred in the 1989 book Barbarians at the Gate: The Fall of RJR Nabisco. Written by Bryan Burrough and John Helyar of the Wall Street Journal, the book tells the story of KKR’s leveraged buyout of the cookie and cig conglomerate. Under KKR’s shepherding, 46,000 Nabisco employees got pink slips.
It’s a repetitive story. A Pulitzer Prize-winning series of articles in 1990 by Susan Faludi detailed workers’ suffering as the result of KKR’s acquisition of Safeway. Faludi’s expose showed how longtime workers had been discarded in the pursuit of a fatter bottom line. One former grocery store employee was living in a homeless shelter. One committed suicide. Yet another who’d saved the company $1.6 million by inventing a new cooling system had been laid off. In the Dallas area alone, KKR canned 8,600 Safeway employees. (City Pages)
(It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that KKR promised Stewart Mills III to hold off on deep workforce cuts until after the election. Nor, if so, would it surprise me if KKR reneges on that, as soon as they feel like it.)
Incidentally, does anyone still believe the story about Mills’s much more congressional run-friendly hairstyle being the forced result of a “grilling accident?” This guy is as phony as they make ‘em.
Presumably Mills and his backers believe that if he just avoids some of his past missteps he’ll get it done, this time. He already got his hair cut, though it doesn’t make him look any more, well, “congressional,” (cf. the image I used, here). And even by about September of 2014 somebody had apparently got through to him about the need to stop going off-script in public, so that he’d stop saying really foolish things. But I for one, and I do have plenty of company, don’t see him putting up much of a fight in a presidential year.
Some will probably be startled that he will blow more of his own money after whatever his failed run cost him in 2014. I don’t know how much he actually did spend, but I’m pretty sure that, entirely due to the circumstances of his birth, his (mostly unearned) income since has far exceeded it.
He may be thinking that even if he fails again here, he’s keeping his name out there for a possible gubernatorial run (or for U.S. Senate, if Amy Klobuchar retires) in 2018. But as far as governor goes, the MN GOP is beyond desperate, and I strongly suspect that the poobahs want the decks kept clear for House Speaker (until January 2017, probably) Rep. Kurt Daudt (R-Crown).
Stewart Mills III is Minnesota’s George W. (or, for that matter, Jeb) Bush. Both intellectually and psychologically an ultimate product of pampered privilege, he has absolutely no comprehension of what existence in this world is really like for the vast, vast majority of its human inhabitants. And therefore he couldn’t be more wrong for elective office.
I stopped going out on Saturday nights some years ago, and for part of this past one I listened to a modern interpretation of Tye’s Western Wind Mass. (I like Renaissance-era sacred music for the way the voices work together, and its evocative, reverie-inducing qualities.) Before each of the four segments I had to endure a fifteen-second blast about how Rep. Rick Nolan (D-MN) wants to close Guantanamo Bay and thereby unleash “the mastermind of 9/11” (which was in fact allowed to happen in the first place because of the base, criminal incompetence of the profoundly conservative, Republican Bush administration) on the innocent American public. Which is ridiculous, and if GOP “strategists” had any sense, or self-respect, they’d do better. But they don’t.
So the National Republican Congressional Committee clearly very much wants a legitimate candidate. Will it be Stewart Mills III, again? He’s not sure, yet. From August 28:
“We do have a magnificent America, we do have a country we can be proud of,” Mills added. “But we need to make sure we have leadership in Washington D.C. that is going to keep America great. That is going to stand up for our value systems, not just here domestically, but also abroad.”
In his remarks Thursday, Mills added he has not decided on whether he will run for office again in the 2016 election.
“I’m not exactly sure what the next election cycle holds for me,” Mills said. “But we do, in whatever capacity, have to stand up for our magnificent America.” (Bemidji Pioneer)
I have no problem with Mills embarking on a second career as a “perennial candidate.” He got beat in 2014; far more likely than not he’ll get walloped, this time around. But I’m sure there are those who figure that it was all about the hair, and a habit early in his last campaign of making unfiltered and embarrassing pronouncements, and if he just fixes those, voila! And the GOP bench is so thin in MN-08 that if Mills says no they may be forced to hang out in lively redneck taverns in places like Eveleth and Keewatin to try to find somebody, anybody, willing to run as a Republican.
(Regarding the pictures, when I first saw a photo of Stewart shorn, that’s what I thought of. Simple as that. The one of Mills is from his Facebook page.)
I grant that it was close. Uncomfortably – indeed, distressingly – so, though the (entirely legitimate) presence of a Green Party candidate was partly the reason for that. Distressing that so many are still politically foolish and gullible enough to have fallen for Stewart Mills III’s repugnant, failed plutocratic drivel. Turnout was 68.5% of registered voters (not of all eligible voters) in this race, compared to 63% for governor (those numbers are based on registered voter totals on the linked pages, and don’t include at-the-polls signups). So, not awful, but far from great, by Minnesota standards. (Update: It turns out that total turnout was awful, at 50.31% of eligible voters statewide. Which partly explains the closeness of this race, too.)
I’m obviously very relieved that we won’t have to put up with Minnesota’s corporate media deifying Mills as the Unstoppable Future of the Republican Party. And you know that they were pumped with eagerness, to do that. Probably not the reporters themselves, for the most part, but those who tell them what to write.
Contrary to what some concern trolls claimed, taking particular note of Mills’s unearned privilege worked. Probably made the difference. Well, that, and The Hair. I saw somewhere that Nolan has the most progressive voting record overall of any Democrat who faced a really tough challenge. I’m not sure about that – I haven’t seen the data, myself – but it’s likely at least close to accurate, and makes his win something to feel all that much better about.
This seat probably won’t have to be worried about much in 2016, even if Rep. Nolan hands it off, but the longer term remains to be seen. Tuesday’s result, given the overall climate, shows that the district is blue, but not dark blue. (And that any candidate who is perceived as not red-hot enough for sulfide mining is not automatically doomed. I’ll write more about that. A lot of people will.) Demographic movement (as in greater diversity and better-educated) will push things left, but that’s a slow process.


Two children and their mother are said to have lived for about two months with the decaying body of a 90-year-old woman on the toilet of their home's only bathroom.
Wisconsin authorities say a religious "superior" had claimed the corpse would come back to life.
The children, ages 15 and 12, cried hysterically Wednesday after a deputy who came to the Necedah, Wis., home looking for the woman, Magdeline Alvina Middlesworth, ordered them out because of the stench from the body.
According to the criminal complaint, Middlesworth's sister called sheriff's officials Wednesday and asked them to go to the home about 80 miles north of Madison to check on the woman, who had not been heard from for some time.
The children are in foster care. Their mother, Tammy Lewis, and self-described "bishop" Alan Bushey remain in custody on felony counts of being a party to causing mental harm to a child.
Lewis told a deputy that Middlesworth, who one of the children referred to as "grandmother" in the criminal complaint, had appeared to pass out as Lewis helped her into her underwear.
She said she propped Middlesworth on the toilet and left the room to call Bushey, who told her to leave the woman alone and pray for her, the complaint said. He said he had received signs that God would raise her from the dead with a miracle.
Lewis went on to say she thought Middlesworth was still breathing when she put her on the toilet and called Bushey, instead of an ambulance. She later told a detective she put the woman on the toilet on March 4.
An autopsy has been performed, but results won't be available for some time, Juneau County Sheriff Brent Oleson said.
To me, the most amazing part of this story is that the house had only one bathroom. Where do you suppose these idiots defecated since March 4th?


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DOMESTIC MATTER – JACOBY MARQUEST BUTLER, SR.
NAPOLEONVILLE – Assumption Parish Sheriff Leland Falcon reports the Thursday arrest of Jacoby Marquest Butler, Sr., 36, of 115 Jones Street, Bertrandville, La., on felony charges related to an incident which occurred on November 18, 2020.
On the following date, deputies answered a complaint from a dating acquaintance of Butler who indicated that on November 18, 2020, the suspect physically attacked her causing noticeable injury while her minor child was present. Jacoby Marquest Butler, Sr. is also accused of destroying the victim’s phone which was valued at $1,000.
Deputies filed arrest warrants for Butler, but he had already fled the area.
Jacoby Marquest Butler, Sr. was arrested on Thursday and booked into the Assumption Parish Detention Facility on charges of:
*Battery of a Dating Partner with Child Endangerment
*Simple Criminal Damage to Property Valued at $1,000
Jacoby Marquest Butler, Sr. remains incarcerated pending a bond hearing.
For additional information concerning this News Release, contact Sheriff Leland Falcon or Public Information Officer, Lonny Cavalier at 985-369-7281.

domain: news


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There was a report in the media recently about an approach used in German schools to help manage the behaviour of children with ADHD.
ADHD or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is the term used for children who have difficulty concentrating, who demonstrate impulsive and sometimes uncontrollable behaviour, who are intensely and perhaps inappropriately over active and unable to be still and focus in the way their peers would.
You can find further reading about it here.
These behaviours can be difficult to manage either by the child themselves, or by parents and teachers who require their focus and attention or for them to behave in a way that is less disruptive to others around them.
As you can imagine in the formal situation of a classroom it can be a challenge for all if the ADHD is particularly severe. It has an impact on the child themselves and everyone else and can inhibit the focus and learning potential of all concerned.
In attempts to help these children manage their own behaviour, as is claimed, some schools in Germany have adopted the use of Sand Vests.
These are jackets with compartments integrated into them weighted with sand for the child with ADHD to wear. It has been claimed that the close and weighty feel of them is soothing to the child, even representing being held by an adult giving a hug perhaps, and apparently has a steadying effect on their behaviour.
It is intended that children wear them from choice only, and they are not a ‘punishment’ for their behaviour. Rather; an aid to managing it.
However, many people have concerns. There are no studies to show how the wearing of them may have a long term effect on a child, either physically or psychologically. And the practice of using them must inevitably vary between class, classroom and teachers. How much ‘choice’ a child has, who is powerless against the demands of a teacher anyway, must vary considerably. And whether a stigma develops from wearing the jacket remains to be seen. For although it’s been said that many kids are ‘keen’ to wear it, whether they have recognised ADHD or not, there is inevitably a novelty factor which could ultimately wane.
Another concern is the fact that the jackets are treating the symptoms and not helping the cause of these behaviours, which could be the stress of the class environment and learning approaches in many instances and not something necessarily inherent in the child.
There have been a number of parents who have chosen to home educate (also known as homeschooling) because their child becomes upset, unsettled and flares up in a class setting into distressing behaviours such as those attributed to ADHD. Yet when taken out of the classroom, and with varied and less formal approaches to their learning, the parents find that the symptoms of hyperactivity, inability to focus and general distress noticeably diminish.
So perhaps a better remedy would be to examine the learning climate more closely and ask whether it needs to change to better suit the needs of all children, rather than forcing them into a situation that neglects some needs and using such methods to make them fit.
The platform that connects tutors and students

domain: psychology


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Pasadena will have plenty of applicants to choose from as the Crown City selects it’s next city manager after 50 people applied for the job.
Bob Murray and Associates, the executive search firm hired by Pasadena, will sort through the applicants before presenting the top picks to an ad hoc city council committee convened by the mayor, according to Jennifer Curtis, Pasadena’s director of Human Resources.
The deadline to apply was May 13.
Curtis said Murray’s firm interviews the candidates, reviews their qualifications and then categorizes them based on how closely they fit with the council’s vision for the city’s next leader. The firm will give a list to the committee in early June that ranks the potential candidates by, Curtis said.
“The screening is going on now, as we move forward, we’ll try to share information with the public, especially if there is going to be a public process later in the interview with the finalists,” Curtis said.
Mayor Terry Tornek said he hopes to have a selection by July.
“I know we will have a high quality field of candidates,” Tornek said. “We’ll involve the public when we whittle them down to a more manageable number.”
Pasadena won’t release the names of candidates until further in the process, because they don’t want to jeopardize anyone’s current employment, Tornek said.
Interim City Manager Steve Mermell, who the city put in charge in February, is one of the 50 people vying for the job.
“I applied prior to the deadline,” Mermell said with a laugh. “That’s about all I can say now.”
Mermell has worked in Pasadena for 27 years. He spent the last seven as one of former City Manager Michael Beck’s assistant city managers.
Beck left on Feb. 14 after accepting the position of administrative vice chancellor at the University of California, Los Angeles.
Bob Murray and Associates brought Beck to the city in 2008.


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Sunday I headed up I-71 for a day trip to Progressive Field to watch the Indians host the Marlins and sneak in some family time. I love going to games in Cleveland! This park is in my top five for experiences- even though a few have been negative (they don’t take kindly to Yankee fans). There’s just something about it, the moment I walk into Progressive, I feel like I’m home. Maybe it’s because I grew up in the Cleveland area and have been going to games since the park was built in 1994, but I like to think it’s the experience the Indians strive to project on all visitors.
I stopped home for breakfast first, mom made French toast and I’m on a budget mind you! No takers from them on the game, but that’s fine, going to ballparks by myself is an activity I don’t mind at all. I took I-77 to Cleveland and got off at the 18th/14th street exit. There are three clearly marked freeway exits to the park (this one is the first in that series). I headed down 18th toward Cleveland State University to find a meter and ended up parking on Chester which is perpendicular to 18th. There were garages for $10 and parking next to the stadium for $20 for those who don’t want to park on the street or walk far. The meters are free on Sunday and most are off by 4 pm on weekdays. It was a 20-minute walk, but a beautiful day, so I strolled through the Theatre District and by some of the area bars like Winking Lizard, Panini’s, and Thirsty Parrot (all packed with Tribe fans) before hitting the stadium.
Progressive Field’s outside isn’t remarkable; it doesn’t charm with classic brick or celebrate any of the classic parks. In a way, this makes the park more unique and suits the blue-collar city. The outside façade is stripped in sandstone, marble, and granite and they opted for white steel to hold up the stands, scoreboard, and lights. The street just behind the outfield is the Indians Rally Alley, which is the site of pre-game festivals for select games. Sunday it was pretty barren, just sheltering some of the walk-ups in line for tickets. There are ticket windows all around the park, so if you don’t want to wait in this line (it’s the most popular), just walk to another side of the stadium. I bought my ticket by Gate D (home plate) and finished my loop around the stadium, walking by the Team Shop, main ticket window, the Terrence Club entrance (members only during games), Gates A and B, and the Rally Ally again before entering the park through Gate C (right field).
The main concourse is mainly divided up into two walkways- one that holds concession stands and an assortment of apparel shops and the other that is standing room and small food kiosks. Progressive Field has outdone itself with the amount and variation of food and drink it offers. On top of your ballpark staples, I found fried PBJ sandwiches, Ohio craft beer, build your own hot dogs, and my favorite- Cleats (best wings ever!). I was regretting my full stomach immediately! The Indians also strive to make stadium food affordable with buying in bulk specials, drink deals, and an all you can eat section in the 500 level for only $32.
For the first few innings, I hung out in my normal standing room spot on the first base line. My sister and I usually chill here because it’s behind the away team dugout, has a great view of the batters, and Sunday was shaded with a breeze. The only disadvantage of this spot is you can’t see the scoreboard. This is a popular spot to stand since the area behind home plate to left field is blocked off with 200 level seating. Standing by the left field isn’t bad, just not as close to home plate as the other side. Continuing on to the bleachers is the Toyota Home Run Porch that tends to be pretty crowded, especially if a slugger is in town. Next to the porch are the bleachers, which offer a fantastic atmosphere for those looking for an authentic Cleveland experience. Nearly every game you hear John Adams beating away at his drum, keeping the crowd energized and spirits up. He’s one of the most loyal fans I’ve ever come across and Great Lakes Brewery just named a beer after him, so give the Rally Drum Red Ale a try while you’re in town. I promise it doesn’t taste like tears and shattered dreams!
Moving through the bleacher concourse, I headed to Heritage Park, which sits behind the batters eye. The park serves as the Indians Hall of Fame and showcases the team’s history proudly with plaques, murals, and a wall of the Top 100 players. I found my favorite, Carlos Baerga and laughed when I saw who was next to him (the ’90s were so much fun!). From Heritage Park, you can sneak a peek into the Indians bullpen or head out of the park for a full unobstructed view. Across from here is the future home of a Jim Thome statue, wonder how that will be received.
Between center and right field is Rigid Bar and Market Pavilion. There are plenty of picnic tables for fans to enjoy with decent views of the game. In the corner of right field is the Budweiser Patio, which fans must purchase a special ticket to go into this area. From the outfield, the main concourse expands to a third walkway with escalators and ramps to the upper levels. Suites and the club level make up the 300 level, though there is a huge kids section (Sluggers Sandlot) here too. There are plenty of games and even a Rookie Suite for children to hang out and watch the game from.
The next level houses both the 400 and 500 level seats. For the first time I can remember, I saw sections of a stadium closed off. Granted the areas above the Terrence Club and right field have really crappy views of the game action, I’ve never seen them completely shut down. The concessions in each wing of the upper level were boarded up as well. The area behind home plate was open and I hung out there until the 7th inning. I stayed around because in the upper concourse you can hear the radio broadcast of the game and Tom Hamilton does a great job. I like being able to hear the radio play-by-play as an accompaniment to watching the game live. The view from the 500 level isn’t bad from these middle sections. Once you move further out from the baselines, the field seems a bit farther away than in other parks.
After God Bless America and the 7th inning stretch, I walked back down to the area in right field to watch the remainder of the game. The standing room in the outfield has a great view of the game action and the scoreboard. The crowd in this section was really into the game too, which was a bonus. The Tribe looked like they were going to come back in the 7th, but the Marlins fended them off winning the game 3-2 and the series.
After the game, I met my mom in Little Italy to pick up dessert for our cookout and window shop a bit. Murray Hill is located beside Case Western and down the street from Coventry Village. Both are nice areas for shopping and eating. If you visit Cleveland in the second week of August, make sure you go to the Feast of Assumption. There’s music, dancing, and plenty of feasting! We also stopped by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum, Cleveland Browns Stadium, and Great Lake Science Center to walk by the lake. Contrary to Joakim Noah’s statement, “There’s nothing to do in Cleveland,” there are plenty of activities and attractions for visitors to enjoy in the city.
This trip is definitely going to be my cheapest- $9 ticket, $40 on gas, and $7 on dessert from Corbo’s (best lemon ice in the world!). A trip to Progressive Field to see 1st place talent on a beautiful day is worth more than $56, but I’ll take it. It was nice to play tourist in my hometown!

domain: hobby


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Graphic design is art that exists for a long time already. But how can we exactly explain graphic design? Who can work with graphic design and which jobs can that person do? And how did graphic design change over years? To find out all of that I suggest you keep reading.
Just like I said in the beginning, graphic design is art. It is a way of achieving some goals with creativity and with the help of images, symbols or words. Graphic design is based on different combinations of various elements that include:
Type. Type is responsible for creating a powerful message from simple text. That power can be added with different creative fonts that are combined with different size, color, spacing or some special alignments.
Texture. Texture gives a little different visual appearance because a good choice of texture can add depth to the whole picture.
Color. Color is one of the most important elements in design. Graphic designers must understand which colors will have the most influence on some design and they have to follow color trends of today. The absence of color can also be a way of improving some design.
Shapes. With different shapes designers get lots of ways to fill empty space and add additional balance to their design.
Lines. Lines can be different. Lines can be straight wavy, thick, thin, curved and you can make them look just like you want. They are used to guide the viewers from one point to another and to divide content and space in layout.
All those elements have to perfectly combined into something. That something can be called a design. But how to combine them? Graphic designers use different tools for graphic design. Some of the tools graphic designers must use are:
Sketchpads. If you are a graphic designer then you understand the importance of some rough sketch before taking the whole design to the next level. Sketchpads are used exactly for that, to create a rough sketch of some idea.
Computers. Well, this one is pretty obvious because almost every designer today uses different hardware as the way to create something special.
Software. One of the most important tools of graphic designer is software created especially for them. Some examples of such applications are applications in Adobe pack like Illustrator and Photoshop which help with creating illustrations, improving photographs and combining elements into a complete design.
Once you learn a lot about mentioned elements, get all the required tools and reach the certain level of creativity you need to become graphic designer you’ll realize that it isn’t that easy. Why?
Graphic design jobs
Why is it hard to be a graphic designer? Well, you have to do a lot of stuff to be a successful graphic designer and the level of knowledge and required time to do that job is really high. That’s why there are not lots of people who can actually put the term “graphic designer” on their business card. Instead of that, people do different jobs in the field of graphic designer.
One of those jobs is creative director. As a creative director your job would be to lead a team that will create advertisements and different visuals for advertising campaigns and branding of some product.
You can also be art director. The job is pretty similar to creative director one. If you get a job as an art director the main responsibility will be to combine artists and illustrators and make sure that they’ll finish all the projects on time.
The job of package designer includes designing a packaging for products or marketing campaigns. That packaging means designing a physical and visual parts of package.
You can also be visual image developer. His job is to create necessary visualizations in image editing and 3D modelling softwares.
One of the most popular jobs in graphic design field is the job of logo designer. But it is also one of the hardest jobs. The responsibility of logo designer is to create some visual representation of some organization that will send message to the people. Good logo is key element of good brand identity and it has to be done right.
Interface and web designers have a job of designing the necessary graphics, layouts, interfaces and pages for online services and websites of companies.
Content developer is responsible for creating aa video, sound, graphical or even written multimedia content, depending on the customer needs.
So, now you realize why graphic designer isn’t exactly the correct description for some job? Great! And what career in graphic design field would you like to start? This guide above should give you some help.
Old vs New Graphic
Before you start doing some work in graphic design field it’s important to know what people want nowadays. You can’t design something in a way is was popular 50 years ago, it just won’t work. Here are the main differences between old and new graphic design.
If you want to see how graphic design changed the most you can simply look at some products history. For example, original Macintosh 128k released in 1984 had a separate keyboard coming with him, only black and white display and 0.13MB of memory? The dimensions were 13.5 x 9.7 x 10.9 inches. Sounds somewhat funny when you look at what we have today. And MacBook released in 2015 had built-in keyboard, 8GB of memory, HD Retina display and its dimensions were only 0.52 x 11.04 x 7.75 inches. Quite a change, right?
Other big difference in graphic design field is the way people done research. Imagine that you work on some project and you need information and inspiration. If you were born in some earlier times of graphic designer you would need to spend lots of hours in libraries to find information and get some inspiration for your project. Some designers even had a collection of their favorite books. Books wore portable and had official information but those same books were not updated and sometimes it was hard to find needed information. And what are people doing today? You simply go on the internet, search for what you need and there you go, all the information and needed inspiration is there. With the help of technology we have today it is easy to learn fast and the knowledge base on internet is constantly updated. But, anyone can update that information, you need internet access to search for something and constant use of computers can damage your health.
Dou you know what a T-square is? If you do I apologize for explaining it once again for other people. T-squares were used to draw horizontal lines on some table. People even used sets of squares to create vertical lines. And when you think about it “funny” is not the word you could describe that with. But people used that before. And now? Adobe Creative Suites are designed with finished layout in mind. You have smart guides, grid, rulers and lots of other tools to help you with creating perfect layout.
Another thing that changed a lot is typography. Nowadays you can easily change font on some design with just few clicks. But, people didn’t have Adobe or Fontbook before and designers had to use letterpress for manually setting a type. That process took a lot of work and time. Nowadays we have thousands of different fonts ready to be used. Just make sure you don’t use Comic Sans, Copperplate Gothic, Papyrus or Courier fonts. Why? Well, everyone hates them!
What about color schemes? With different programs we have today graphic designers can easily create bold font, vibrant or some fluorescent design on their screen. You can pick lots of colors and simply choose what you think is best. There are endless options. And before? Well, designers used Pantone marker. If you could afford two pens then options were limited. And even if you had the money for large amount of pens the number of options would still be much lower than what we have today.
Since we got lots of cameras and mobile phones today everyone can be an amateur photographer. You can take photos with your mobile phone with just a few clicks and post them on some photography services or place them to Instagram with special app. People were impressed by photography methods we had before but this digital photography certainly improved everything. We only have to admire all those hours that designer spent in dark rooms while developing photos.
The traditional illustration methods require a lot of time and work to create something special but lots of people think that the results look much better than with computer made illustrations. What is better? I think it depends on the personal choice of every individual artist and designer.
Once you created some design you are proud of it and probably can’t wait to show it to the client who ordered it. But the presentation is also very important part of the whole project. And how did people present their work before? With the help of spray mount. And people would often end up with glued fingers and lots of foam boards used. Nowadays you can simply put the presentation up on different devices and explain everything to clients without any trouble.
That’s it. What do you think about graphic design nowadays? And what about the future? Will it get even better than it is today? I think it will and can’t wait to see what will happen. Check out the infographic below for some additional information. Good luck!

domain: artistic


text:
Differences over dam won't harm ties: Myanmar VP
Updated: 2011-10-21 09:03
By Qin Jize (China Daily)
Premier Wen Jiabao on Thursday shakes hands with Myanmar Vice-President Tin Aung Myint Oo on the sidelines of the 8th China-ASEAN Expo in Nanning, capital of the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region in southern China. About 2,300 enterprises will participate in the six-day expo. [Wu Zhiyi / China Daily]
NANNING - Myanmar's Vice-President Tin Aung Myint Oo on Thursday tried to ease Beijing's concerns over the halting of a Chinese-invested mega dam, vowing to cooperate with China in seeking for a proper solution to the issue.
He made the pledge while meeting Premier Wen Jiabao on the sidelines of the 8th China-ASEAN Expo. Wen pointed out that the implementation of Sino-Myanmar key projects conforms to the interests of both sides.
Wen said the two countries should carry out the consensus reached by their leaders and fulfill the commitment to ensure a healthy and smooth growth of economic ties.
The Myanmar guest reiterated that his country has attached great importance to the comprehensive, strategic and cooperative partnership between the two nations, adding it will maintain close communication with China and seek a proper solution to protect common interests.
The meeting appeared to be another attempt to repair the damage to ties after Myanmar's President Thein Sein announced last month the suspension of the $3.6 billion Myitsone Dam built and financed by a Chinese firm in the northern part of his country, which triggered a public rebuke from China.
Soon after the announcement, he sent Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin as his special envoy to Beijing to explain the shelving of the project.
Analysts noted that bilateral ties will continue to move forward as the suspension of the dam will not change the basic fact that China is currently the largest investor and trading partner of Myanmar and most likely will remain an indispensable player in Myanmar's economic development.
The New Light of Myanmar, a government-owned newspaper, has published four editorials calling for a stronger relationship with Myanmar's northern neighbor.
"The suspension of the Myitsone project is out of the concern of the environment and there are people in the country who want to harness this event to destroy Myanmar-China relations. The untrue coverage in the foreign media is spreading quickly. But undoubtedly, it is of vital importance for Myanmar to maintain a sincere friendship with its neighbor," an editorial published on Wednesday said.
In its Sunday editorial entitled "whoever cannot destroy the Myanmar-China relations", the newspaper compared Myanmar-China relations to that of couples, saying it is inevitable for couples to quarrel.
In addition to Tin Aung Myint Oo, Wen on Thursday also met Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, Lao Deputy Prime Minister Somsavat Lengsavad and Thai Deputy Prime Minister Kittirat Naranong, and spoke highly of China's relationships with those ASEAN member countries.
He also urged relevant countries to properly handle the aftermath of the deadly attack on Chinese sailors on the Mekong River, accelerate the investigation and take joint actions to safeguard navigation safety on the river.
The ASEAN leaders are currently in southern China's Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region to attend the opening ceremony of the 8th China-ASEAN Expo, which runs from Friday to Oct 26.
Zheng Yangpeng and Huo Yan contributed to this story.


text:
Inaugurating 2017: Extraordinary optimism – extreme uncertainty
“2017 begins with a number of conflicting signals that need to clear the right way for market expectations to be met. In the aftermath of the US election, optimism has risen rapidly within a very short time frame. Simultaneously, uncertainty has stayed high. As usual, markets are front running reality, pricing higher growth for 2017. But this optimism cannot translate into higher growth in the midst of pervasive uncertainty. Something has to give, and the longer uncertainty stays high, the greater the likelihood of disappointments for financial markets.”
“Whether it’s about Trumponomics or global growth prospects in general, optimism requires a degree of certainty in order to translate into concrete investments, hiring and, ultimately, growth. Persistent uncertainty, on the other hand, is negative for growth. In reality, uncertainty and optimism cannot both stay high. Something has to give.”
Leaving 2016 behind, it’s time to take stock of the economy and markets heading into 2017. Although the most popular so called “Trump-trades” (in essence long developed market equities and short government bonds) are losing steam just days before Trump’s inauguration, there is still breath-taking optimism on both Main street and Wall street. This is mainly fuelled by hopes of unprecedented fiscal stimulus outside recessionary episodes from the incoming US administration. Equities are discounting a significant growth pick up without meaningful monetary tightening spoiling the show. Confidence among small- and medium-sized companies in the US is at the highest level since 2004 and US companies’ earnings estimates for the next year have not been revised down at the end of last year like they normally are.
All clear for 2017 then? Not so fast. Scepticism is warranted, especially as some markets seem to be priced to perfection when it comes to the overall economic outcome for 2017. More specifically, three inconsistencies underline the vulnerability of the markets heading into the new year. These conflicting signals need to be addressed the right way before we can deliver an optimistic outlook for 2017 as a whole.
First and foremost, the current optimism seems at odds with still high or even increasing uncertainty. Whether we look at investors, analysts, companies or consumers, optimism is all around. Take the bond market: the spread between European and US interest rates has risen to the highest levels since the 80s. To justify this, we probably need US growth to head back above pre-Lehman trend levels in the near future—which would require the absolute success of Trumponomics. At the same time, policy uncertainty is extremely elevated, not least caused by conflicting signals from the incoming US government. And although companies are becoming more optimistic, they also remain very tenuous about the future.
But whether it’s about Trumponomics or global growth prospects in general, optimism requires a degree of certainty in order to translate into concrete investments, hiring and, ultimately, growth. Persistent uncertainty, on the other hand, is negative for growth. In reality, uncertainty and optimism cannot both stay high. Something has to give.
Secondly, although inflation expectations have risen and investors increasingly buy into reflation trades (short bonds, long cyclical equities and growth sensitive commodities), markets are still only pricing two Fed hikes for 2017. If a regime shift in the direction of sustained higher inflation and higher real growth were to happen, the Fed would almost certainly be forced to hike more than two times over the next 12 months. Either the Fed is mispriced or too much of growth upside is priced into risk assets. It is difficult to see this scenario resolved in a way that is positive for markets (at least short term) because this would require either growth and inflation to disappoint or the Fed to tighten more than expected. One might be tempted to conclude that it’s just a matter of markets discounting more Fed hikes but we must remember the crowding out effects: Tightening more than expected would not go down well in equity markets and growth terms, as it would strengthen the US dollar further and raise long-term rates, amounting to increased tightening of monetary conditions.
Finally, equity market volatility has stayed surprisingly low although the range of outcomes both in economic and market terms has risen over the last few months. In other words, the tails of the outcome distributions are getting fatter. Even Fed members acknowledged “considerable uncertainty” at the latest policy meeting, with 6 FOMC members being more uncertain about growth, up from only one in September—not a sign of much confidence and not good for central bank credibility. We see a clear adverse relationship between central bank credibility and market volatility. Altogether, this should raise the demand and therefore the price for buying insurance against unexpected scenarios. Under such circumstances, the VIX (a proxy for the price of insurance and a market fear barometer) would normally rise. But it is currently at the lowest level in more than two years – clearly not consistent with the elevated policy and economic uncertainty we are seeing elsewhere. There might be some “volatility awakening” ahead.
2016 was a year of shock, relief, and hope: the year began with a growth shock and equity sell-off, followed by a relief rally fuelled by easing monetary conditions. After a BREXIT intermezzo, the second half of 2016 was about reflation hopes gathering pace, with risk assets getting an extra sugar rush after the US election. Now it seems markets are moving from hope to some kind of reality check phase as we head into 2017. Given wide-spread optimism and a crushing consensus on e.g. equity outperformance in 2017, this could lead to some disappointments. Potential triggers? The clearing of one or more of the above mentioned conflicting signals are obvious candidates. Each of these inconsistencies makes for a vulnerable macro- and market environment. This, combined with high valuation in most asset classes, gives us no reason to adjust return expectations for the coming 12 months upwards. In the same vein, safe assets have not lost their attraction despite the abundance of “regime shift” discussions.
About Nordea Asset Management
Nordea Asset Management (NAM, AuM 219 bn EUR*), is part of the Nordea Group, the largest financial services group in Northern Europe (AuM 332 bn EUR*). NAM offers European and global investors exposure to a broad set of investment funds. We serve a wide range of clients and distributors which include banks, asset managers, independent financial advisors and insurance companies.
Nordea Asset Management has a presence in Cologne, Copenhagen, Frankfurt, Helsinki, London, Luxembourg, Madrid, Milan, New York, Oslo, Paris, Sao Paulo, Singapore, Stockholm, Vienna and Zurich. Nordea’s local presence goes hand in hand with the objective of being accessible and offering the best service to clients.
Nordea’s success is based on a sustainable and unique multi-boutique approach that combines the expertise of specialised internal boutiques with exclusive external competences allowing us to deliver alpha in a stable way for the benefit of our clients. NAM solutions cover all asset classes from fixed income and equity to multi asset solutions, and manage local and European as well as US, global and emerging market products.
*Source: Nordea Investment Funds, S.A., 31.03.2017
Nordea Asset Management is the functional name of the asset management business conducted by the legal entities Nordea Investment Funds S.A., Nordea Funds Ltd and Nordea Investment Management AB (“the Legal Entities”) and their branches, subsidiaries and affiliated companies. This document is intended to provide the reader with information on Nordea’s specific capabilities. This document (or any views or opinions expressed in this document) does not amount to an investment advice nor does it constitute a recommendation to invest in any financial product, investment structure or instrument, to enter into or unwind any transaction or to participate in any particular trading strategy. This document is not an offer to buy or sell, or a solicitation of an offer to buy or sell any security or instruments or to participate to any such trading strategy. Any such offering may be made only by an Offering Memorandum, or any similar contractual arrangement. Consequently, the information contained herein will be superseded in its entirety by such Offering Memorandum or contractual arrangement in its final form. Any investment decision should therefore only be based on the final legal documentation, without limitation and if applicable, Offering Memorandum, contractual arrangement, any relevant prospectus and the latest key investor information document (where applicable) relating to the investment. The appropriateness of an investment or strategy will depend on an investor’s full circumstances and objectives. Nordea Investment Management recommends that investors independently evaluate particular investments and strategies as well as encourages investors to seek the advice of independent financial advisors when deemed relevant by the investor. Any products, securities, instruments or strategies discussed in this document may not be suitable for all investors. This document contains information which has been taken from a number of sources. While the information herein is considered to be correct, no representation or warranty can be given on the ultimate accuracy or completeness of such information and investors may use further sources to form a well-informed investment decision. Prospective investors or counterparties should discuss with their professional tax, legal, accounting and other adviser(s) with regards to the potential effect of any investment that they may enter into, including the possible risks and benefits of such investment. Prospective investors or counterparties should also fully understand the potential investment and ascertain that they have made an independent assessment of the appropriateness of such potential investment, based solely on their own intentions and ambitions. Investments in derivative and foreign exchange related transactions may be subject to significant fluctuations which may affect the value of an investment. Investments in Emerging Markets involve a higher element of risk. The value of the investment can greatly fluctuate and cannot be ensured. Published and created by the Legal Entities adherent to Nordea Asset Management. The Legal Entities are duly licensed and supervised by the Financial Supervisory Authority in Sweden, Finland and Luxembourg respectively. The Legal Entities’ branches, subsidiaries and affiliated companies are duly licensed as well as regulated by their local financial supervisory authority in their respective country of domiciliation. Source (unless otherwise stated): Nordea Investment Fund S.A. Unless otherwise stated, all views expressed are those of the Legal Entities adherent to Nordea Asset Management and any of the Legal Entities’ branches, subsidiaries and affiliated companies.This document may not be reproduced or circulated without prior permission. Reference to companies or other investments mentioned within this document should not be construed as a recommendation to the investor to buy or sell the same, but is included for the purpose of illustration. The level of tax benefits and liabilities will depend on individual circumstances and may be subject to change in the future. © The Legal Entities adherent to Nordea Asset Management and any of the Legal Entities’ branches, subsidiaries and/or affiliated companies.

domain: economics


text:
by Christian Cassidy
Steinbach is located 50 kilometres southeast of Winnipeg in the Rural Municipality of Hanover. Founded in 1874, it became a town in 1946 and a city in 1997. With a population of 15,829 it is the third largest community in the province.
Steinbach Post Office (1953)
302 Main Street
The volume of mail handled at Steinbach’s post office increased dramatically after World War II when it became a regional mail distribution centre. In 1951, it was announced that a new post office building would be built on Main Street on what was part of an elementary school playground.
The new building was designed by Edwin A. Gardner who was chief architect for the federal government’s Department of Public Works from 1949 to 1963. He was responsible for the design of dozens, perhaps hundreds, of buildings from coast to coast; everything from large federal office buildings to post offices and border stations.
Gardner redefined the look of the federal government by adopting the international style of architecture. This modern look was characterised by sharp corners, rectangular lines, a flat roof, large windows and little in the way of exterior ornamentation. The Steinbach post office’s exterior of red brick with stone trim is typical of many of Gardner’s smaller buildings.
The Sigurdson Construction Company of Winnipeg won the bid to construct the two-storey, $142,000 building.
The main floor was dedicated to the post office, including a sorting area and lobby for over 1,000 postal boxes. The upstairs was reserved for the RCMP and included an office, two residential suites and even a jail cell, though due to a “planning error” that newspaper stories did not elaborate on it could not be used as a cell.
The post office building was officially opened on April 9, 1953 by provincial municipal affairs minister Edmond Prefontaine and Cornelius F. Barkman, who had served as Steinbach’s postmaster for 33 years.
Steinbach City Hall (1965)
225 Reimer Avenue
For much of Steinbach’s first decade as a town its municipal offices had to make do in rented accommodations. In 1954, the town purchased the former post office from the federal government and converted it for its own use but soon found it to be too small for its needs.
Steinbach’s population and importance as a regional centre grew throughout the early 1960s. This prompted town officials to consider constructing a custom-built town hall that would bring together the council chambers, administrative offices, courthouse and police station under one roof.
Architect Norman Earl Reimer was hired to come up with a design for the new building.
Reimer was a Steinbach native who graduated from the U of M’s architecture school in 1949 and practiced in Edmonton and London, England, before returning to Winnipeg in 1956. There are dozens of examples of his work stretching from Northwest Ontario to Saskatchewan.
The angular lines of Steinbach’s town hall are a trait of Reimer’s and can be seen in varying degrees on several his buildings, including the former Kinsmen Centre for the Handicapped in Winnipeg (1963) and the West Gate building of Bird’s Hill Provincial Park (1969).
Reimer said of his design, which resembles a compass from above, “The Council Chamber, representing the centre of local government, is the predominant feature. The flowing roof represents the compass of authority emanating from the central council chambers.”
Ratepayers voted in favour of constructing Reimer’s town hall on June 23, 1965. The total cost was $192,000, though the town would only have to borrow $128,000 of that.
A sod turning ceremony took place on September 21, 1965. Minutes later, C. T. Loewen and Son, the general contractor, began digging the building’s foundation. The reason for the rush was that the project had to be completed by March 31, 1966 to qualify for a 25 per cent rebate from a provincial infrastructure program.
The building was officially opened on September 27, 1966 when mayor Leonard A. Barkman cut the ribbon in front of a large crowd that included elected officials from all three levels of government and Lieutenant Governor Richard S. Bowles. Despite the later than expected opening date, Steinbach did receive its infrastructure program rebate.
In June 2017, a 3,500 square foot addition was made to Steinbach’s City Hall.
Steinbach Cenotaph (1956)
Main Street at Reimer Avenue
In 1954, the Steinbach Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion began planning for a local cenotaph dedicated to the men and women of the region who served in the two World Wars and Korea.
The federal government agreed to donate a corner of the post office lot at Main and Reimer as the location and Mr. Lowen of Lon’s Stoneworks was approached to provide a design and a quote.
The Legion spent the next year fundraising for the monument. Donations came from the town council, the R. M. of Hanover, the Hotelkeepers and Brewers Wartime Fund, (which was originally set up to purchase a Spitfire plane for the war effort), the Steinbach Women’s Institute and many others.
The Steinbach cenotaph was dedicated on Sunday, September 16, 1956. Presiding over the ceremony was Hon. Duff Roblin, who was not only premier of Manitoba but also the Vice President of the Regional Command of the Royal Canadian Legion. Sharing the stage were Peter Thiessen, president of the Steinbach Legion, and Mrs. D, J, MacIntosh, president of the Legion’s auxilliary.
The ceremony included a parade down Main Street made up of the colours of numerous Manitoba Legion branches, 30 members of the local Legion and the 50-person Warroad High School Band.
A newspaper article of the day called the parade, “a spectacle never before witnessed in Steinbach”
Christian writes about local history on his blog, West End Dumplings.

domain: history


text:
AMP Capital is to be appointed as the adviser to Japanese renewable energy asset investor GII.
In a statement issued yesterday, AMP Capital said it will assist GII and it “silent partner” Mitsubishi UFJ Trust and Banking Corporation (MUTB) – which formed a capital alliance with AMP Capital in 2011 – to acquire “high quality assets” and provide ongoing advice to the company.
“GII will invest in renewable energy infrastructure such as solar photovoltaic generation facilities across Japan, taking advantage of the growing demand for clean energy,” a statement from AMP Capital said.
“Its first acquisition will be an operating, 2MW solar power generation facility located in Miyazaki prefecture,” it said.
AMP Capital international chief executive Anthony Fasso said the company has been investing in infrastructure globally for the past 25 years and is “delighted” to extend its relationship with MUTB.
“We have expertise across a range of sectors from transport, such as airports, to power/utilities and already have a number of renewable energy assets in our infrastructure equity and debt portfolios worldwide,” Mr Fasso said.
“There has been a lot of focus on expanding the renewable energy sector as part of a shift in Japan towards such clean energy, and there is a growing need for funding for both brownfield and greenfield renewable energy projects.”
“Providing long-term, stable funding into this area in order to support such change also has a significant community benefit,” he said.
MUTB acquired a 15 per cent minority shareholding in AMP Capital for $425 million in 2012.
Since then together they have launched six retail funds and worked to raise capital for AMP Capital’s Infrastructure Debt Fund II and Global Infrastructure Fund.
As stock market losses continue, deVere’s Nigel Green says now may be the time to diversify into less traditional assets. ...
The bank said that a change in government did not currently necessitate a change to its economic forecast nor its interest rate expectations...


text:
With polls suggesting a tough Election Day for Democrats, the House speaker, Nancy Pelosi, continues to find inspiration in the unlikely success of her hometown San Francisco Giants.
After the Giants won the World Series on Monday night, Ms. Pelosi issued a statement that said, in part: “They surprised the skeptics with a great World Series victory. Victory is in the air.”
The Giants, with their team built around what The Times’s Ben Shpigel called a “gang of misfits and castoffs skillfully brought in by General Manager Brian Sabean” defied expectations that had focused on the New York Yankees and the Philadelphia Phillies.
And after the Giants beat the Phillies in the National League playoffs, Ms. Pelosi hinted that they were not the only underdogs to keep an eye on.
“I look forward to watching Manager Bruce Bochy and his talented team surprise the pundits with a World Series victory,” Ms. Pelosi said in a statement that night. “Indeed, pundits will have much to be surprised about this fall.”
Of course, Democrats have struggled this year, even among some of their most ardent fans, to generate the same excitement as, say, Brian Wilson, the Giants’ black-bearded closer.
Still, Ms. Pelosi is apparently hoping that somehow, some way, the Democrats can come up with a victory that she can savor.
In the meantime, she can already claim to have defeated at least one Republican this week – in a wager. Thanks to the new World Series champs, Representative Joe L. Barton of Arlington, a Republican and a Rangers fan, now owes her a Texas pecan pie.


text:
Date of Award
Edith Cowan University
Bachelor of Music Honours
Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA)
Faculty of Education and Arts
The purpose of this dissertation is to investigate and document a research project undertaken in the designing, constructing and performing of an interactive music system. The project involved building a multi-user electro-acoustic music instrument with a tangible user interface, based on the technology of the reacTable. The main concept of the instrument was to integrate the ideas of 1) interpreting gestural movement into music, 2) multi-touch/multi-user technology, and 3) the exploration of timbre in computer music. The dissertation discusses the definition, basics and essentials of interactive music systems and examines the past history and key features of the three main concepts, previously mentioned. The original instrument is observed in detail, including the design and construction of the table-shaped physical build, along with an in-depth look into the computer software (ReacTIVision, Max MSP and Reason) employed. The fundamentals and workings of the instrument- sensing/processing/response, control and feedback, and mapping- are described at length, examining how tangible objects are used to generate and control parameters of music, while its instrumental limitations are also mentioned. How the three main concepts relate to, and are expressed within, the instrument is also discussed. An original piece of music, with an accompanying video, entitled Piece for homemade reacTable, composed and performed on the instrument has been created in support of this dissertation. It acts as a basic demonstration of how the interactive music system works, showcasing all the main concepts and how they are put in practice to create and perform new electronic music.
Herrington, J. (2010). An interactive music system based on the technology of the reacTable. Edith Cowan University. https://ro.ecu.edu.au/theses_hons/1340

domain: library


text:
- 1 leek
- 200ml of malt pickling vinegar
- 100ml of water
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- 2 tbsp of sugar
- 1 tsp salt, plus extra to salt the leeks
- 1 tbsp of mustard seeds
- 1 cauliflower
- 2 pinches of chopped thyme, chopped
- 1/2 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1 lemon, zested
- 50ml of olive oil
Smoked Cheddar Sauce
- 100g of smoked cheddar, grated
- 25g of butter
- 25g of flour
- 1 bay leaf
- 300ml of milk
- 1 tsp Dijon mustard
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg, freshly grated
- 2 dashes of Tabasco
- 2 handfuls of pumpkin seeds
- 2 handfuls of blanched hazelnuts
- 2 handfuls of flaked almonds
- 4 rashers of smoked streaky bacon
- 1 handful of chives, finely chopped
- Begin by pickling the leeks. Slice the leek into 5mm rings, wash and sprinkle with salt. Leave for 10 minutes then rinse off the salt along with the excess moisture it will have brought out of the leeks – this helps them retain a slight crunch when pickled.
- Combine the vinegar, water, thyme, sugar, salt and mustard seeds in a pan and gently heat until the sugar and salt have dissolved.
- Blanch the leeks in salted boiling water for 20 seconds then plunge into iced water. Squeeze the leeks to remove any excess water and place in the pickling liquor. Transfer to a sterilised Kilner® Jar (make sure the leeks are completely submerged in the liquid) and leave to pickle for at least 2 days.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/gas mark 4.
- To prepare the cauliflower, combine the oil, thyme, mustard, lemon juice, olive oil and a pinch of salt in a bowl. Cut the cauliflower in half and rub the mixture all over the cauliflower. Place on an oven tray and roast for 20–30 minutes.
- To make the cheese sauce, melt the butter in a pan. Add the flour and cook out for a couple of minutes. Add the bay leaf, slowly whisk in the milk and simmer over a low heat for 8 minutes, constantly stirring to avoid it catching. Stir in the grated cheese and flavour with freshly grated nutmeg, mustard, Tabasco and salt.
- Toast the chopped hazelnuts, flaked almonds and pumpkin seeds in a dry pan until golden. If serving with bacon, grill until crispy.
- Place a cauliflower half on each plate, drizzle with cheese sauce and top with some drained pickled leeks, toasted nuts, crispy bacon and finely chopped chives.
In collaboration with Pollyanna Coupland - Great British Chefs

domain: food


text:
Michelle Abdow is the president and founder of Market Mentors, a full-service marketing and advertising agency.
Web design and web development may seem like two entirely different disciplines, but they are really two sides of the same coin—capable of creating a beautiful and functional website when operating in tandem. It’s not always easy, especially without the proper processes, to encourage clear and proactive communication.
In this article, I’ll explore the differences between these two areas while explaining how integrating them from the beginning can improve the overall product for both the client and the agency.
Differences Between Website Design And Website Development
A web designer has a vision and a web developer brings it to life. More specifically, designers work to create elements like color palettes and typography that look great, while the developers code and prepare the material for web publishing. Let’s take a closer look at these two roles and how they fit together.
What is web design?
When you think design, think visual. Web design encompasses the look and feel of a website, such as the layout, navigation, color, images and graphics. Designers utilize all these tools to create a visual hierarchy, balance the conceptual weight of the site’s elements and direct users on a preferred and satisfying path.
What is web development?
Web development can be summed up as the overall functionality of the website, encapsulating not what the user sees but what they experience. This incorporates the speed, accessibility, coding and overall functionality of the pages to make the designer’s vision a reality.
Encouraging Collaboration Between Designers And Developers
While these are clearly two distinct roles, they are working toward the same goal, and the project can only benefit from increased collaboration. That may be easier said than done, as it can be difficult for two parties to work together and communicate their vision in a way that everyone understands. But breaking down the physical and philosophical barriers between development and design is worth the effort for several reasons.
When designers and developers work side by side, that means there is always a second set of eyes on each individual element, decreasing the likelihood of errors. On a larger scale, the two sides can brainstorm through the creative process, merging the ideas of both individuals to create a unified vision for the project, as opposed to the potentially disjointed look and feel of two separate, conflicting concepts. Frequently, this focus on an early partnership results in a more cohesive website with beautiful aesthetics and a clean, intuitive user interface.
The benefits also extend from the client back to the agency: When a developer and a designer become familiar with each other, they begin to understand each other’s capabilities and styles. With this knowledge, they will become more efficient, both improving efficiencies and decreasing the amount of time needed to rework elements to create a cohesive look and feel.
How To Work Through Common Challenges
While the need for both parties to work together is clear, there are always some challenges to overcome. The most important element is clear and upfront communication. Here are a few specific ways to work past the initial hurdles of this partnership:
Understand the other party’s constraints.
If a designer is working with elements that will not translate well for the developer’s capabilities (or vice versa), then it’s better to speak up quickly instead of having to go back to the drawing board. Communication is always better when both parties understand the others’ skills and strengths.
Try to meet in the middle.
Neither party should work in a silo but should instead branch out and learn some elements of the project that lie outside of their comfort zone. For example, designers should be comfortable with layout fundamentals, like HTML and CSS, while developers should be familiar with the processes of sketching, wireframing and prototyping.
Establish a workflow.
The process should be laid out from the beginning, with pre-scheduled times to check in and determine whether any aspect of the project needs to be altered to stay on schedule or improve the look or feel.
Develop a style guide.
It’s a good idea for a designer to establish a style guide for the project. This creates upfront documentation for what is expected and required—direction that many process-oriented developers appreciate from the outset.
Consistent Communication, Successful Site
As I have stated from the beginning, communication is the most important aspect of a successful website project. Both design and development are critical to its success, and a lack of cooperation and transparency can affect both the client and the agency. With proper communication, developers and designers understand what is expected and can work together to create a visually appealing and pleasing user experience. For clients, engaging an agency partner with both disciplines under one roof will yield the most impressive results for any website project.
Forbes Agency Council is an invitation-only community for executives in successful public relations, media strategy, creative and advertising agencies. Do I qualify?

domain: design


I got to thinking last night after reading Jamie’s blog post about Miz Spears and her music videos. And it made me think back to the crazy TRL days on MTV, when Carson Daly would countdown the top ten video’s of the week. I still remember praying with all of my friends that NSYNC or 98 degrees wouldn’t be cut. Don’t judge.
I can really think back before TRL and remember watching Pearl Jam’s music video for “Jeremy.” Or, all of the Aerosmith videos featuring Alicia Silverstone. My personal favorite is probably, Guns N’ Rose’s “November Rain,” when Slash is doing his guitar solo outside of the church. Brilliant.
Anyways, the point of this post is to answer the question, do people still watch music video’s? And the answer is, yes! Obviously, the mean as to which we watch videos has changed because everything is now on you tube, twitter, or facebook. But artists are still making video’s and we are still watching.
Case in point. Ok Go is a band that Mr. B brought to my attention recently that became famous simply for their music videos. Plus, their music is really, really catchy.
Check it out and let me know what you think.
(source: Google images)
I love Ok Go! I didn't know anything except the treadmill song until recently.
And I had a HUGE crush on Carson Daly! Remember when he was engaged to Jennifer Love Hewitt??
I totally remember!! Can you believe that was more than a decade ago…I feel old:(
my favorite video…


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Asos awards £100m worldwide e-fulfilment contract
Asos has appointed a new logistics provider as it looks to further global expansion.
The fashion pureplay has awarded Norbert Dentressangle a three-year contract worth some £100m to manage its global, 1.1m sq ft e-fulfilment warehouse in Barnsley. More than 1,200 people work from the warehouse, handling deliveries of a product range that stretches above 60,000 lines, both branded and own-label.
Norbert Dentressangle took over running of the centre in August from Unipart Logistics.
Asos currently ships to customers in 241 countries and territories from the distribution centre. It launched a new website for the Russian market in May and is soon to launch an edited site for the Chinese market.
In April Asos said
it had won permission to extend its Barnsley warehouse by 25%, giving it the capacity it needs in order to meet its sales target of £1bn by 2015. The move, it now adds, will effectively double storage capacity at the site.
Mark Holland, Asos
’ supply chain director, said the new logistics contract would “continue to drive the Asos global service proposition, creating an efficient customer-focused experience and supporting our mission to become the world’s number one online destination for young fashion.”
Martin Palmer, Norbert Dentressangle
’s business development director, said: “We have a proven track record in taking on and improving complex, high volume e-fulfilment operations and look forward to working with Asos to introduce new strategies and solutions to support continued volume growth and geographical expansion.”
The 1,200 warehouse staff have been offered the chance to transfer to Norbert Dentressangle.
Palmer said: “Our experience in successful major TUPE transfers also comes into play and we have worked closely with all parties to ensure a smooth transition, both for Asos and those working on the contract. Both we and Asos operate on an increasingly global basis and we are confident this new contract marks the beginning of a long-term strategic partnership between our two companies.”
Norbert Dentressangle also counts online and multichannel retailers including House of Fraser, Marks & Spencer, Shop Direct Group and Surfdome among its customers.


Tammy Hembrow doesn’t care about what internet trolls have to say. After being accused of getting a “Brazilian butt lift,” the Australian fitness model sent her legion of near 9 million Instagram followers a rather peachy message.
The 24-year-old mother of two took to the popular social media platform on Tuesday to share a cheeky shot of herself to her Instagram Stories in which she is bursting out of tiny denim jeans, as the Daily Mail noted. In the shot, the model is caught on the beach in a skimpy straight cut bikini top and matching bottoms as she slips up the pair of shorts. The photo was snapped when the blonde beauty had the shorts right below the buttocks, which showcases her famous backside.
In addition to her famous derriere, Hembrow also offered a glimpse of her muscular legs and toned arms as she splashed around in the ocean. Hembrow was caught by the camera in Surfers Paradise, in her native Australia, where she has been spending time with her two kids, daughter Saskia, 2, and son Wolf, 3, according to the Daily Mail.
Hembrow added the words “Yesterday’s mood” to the shot on her Stories, accompanied by a peach and a face with tears of laughter emoji.
Hembrow is well-known for sharing racy photos of herself to Instagram, many of which showcase her toned posterior. While most of her followers have nothing but positive things to say to the fit mom, others refuse to believe her booty is natural. In recent weeks, a growing number of internet trolls have taken to her comment section to question whether she has gotten butt implants, according to the Daily Mail.
“Did you have a Brazilian butt lift?” one Instagram user asked in one of her recent photos, which prompted another to add, “Your booty silicon.”
Hembrow responded to some of the comments contending her derriere is 100 percent natural. She has maintained that her physique is the result of a strict diet and exercise routine, as the Daily Mail pointed out. The report continues that the model has stated her bottom became fuller, rounder, perkier and bigger as a result of weight training.
In an August interview with Cosmopolitan magazine, Hembrow said the accusations of getting implant are frustrating.
“I don’t want people to think they can’t achieve a booty with hard work,” she said. “It just creates a false mindset that it’s not achievable and surgery is the only option, which is completely wrong.”


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Harmonix and MTV Games announced this week the addition of four new tracks to the Rock Band Music Store catalog of downloadable content from bands Snow Patrol, Deep Purple, James Gang and Jethro Tull.
Scottish alternative band Snow Patrol makes its debut in the Rock Band music catalog offering their first single “Take Back the City” from their new album A Hundred Million Suns (2008).
In addition, the Rock Band music catalog will expand its collection of Deep Purple tracks, giving players access to the classic rock band’s single “Space Truckin’ ” from the influential album Machine Head (1972). Deep Purple’s “Highway Star” was featured on the original Rock Band soundtrack.
Next week’s offering also includes the classic rock single “Funk #49″ from the album James Gang Rides Again (1970) featuring Joe Walsh, Dale Peters and Jimmy Fox.
The Jethro Tull single”Hymn 43” will become the second Tull track in the Rock Band music catalog, joining “Aqualung” which was featured on the Rock Band 2 soundtrack. Both songs are from the band’s fourth studio album Aqualung (1971).
These tracks will be available starting Tuesday (Dec. 30) for the Xbox_360 and Jan. 8 for PlayStation 3. Each individual track will cost $1.99 (160 Microsoft Points).


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|Western Electric 371W Carbon Microphone
|The Western Electric model 371W microphone dates to the early 1920's, and was used in public address, broadcast, and other radio applications. The element is a double button carbon design, mounted in a telephone-type stand. This particular microphone had a nickel plated shell, others of the same type were painted black. The most recent patent date shown on the unit is March, 1920.
This photo from a late 1920's Western Electric public address equipment catalog shows a theatre installation using a microphone similar to this one (the picture isn't clear enough to be certain of the model). Click here or on the picture for a larger view.


text:
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FractionAir parent to buy Averitt Air
- Roy Moore
- Nashville Business Journal
The Nashville parent of FractionAir plans to buy the airplane assets of trucking company Averitt Express for $17.8 million in cash.
Teda Travel Inc. said in a recent regulatory filing that it has signed a letter of intent to purchase Averitt Air, Averitt Aviation, Averitt Air Charter and Averitt Aviation Group.
Anna Drinkard, manager of corporate communications at Teda Travel, says her company isn't commenting on the purchase at this point, and an Averitt spokesman said the same.
The deal, which doesn't include Cookeville-based Averitt's trucking and supply chain ventures, is expected to be completed by Feb. 9. If it goes through, Teda Travel will absorb a company providing passenger charter services, aircraft maintenance and managed business jets. With a fleet of Learjet and Beechcraft King Air airplanes, Averitt Air flies direct to more than 5,000 airports across the country. FractionAir, which sells individuals stakes in aircraft and charges them when they fly, could keep Averitt's charter services or transition them into fractional ownership.
FractionAir's move to buy Averitt Air comes five months after it signed a deal to merge with Teda, a small publicly traded company (OTCBB: TTVL) based in Hong Kong. Teda has its roots in the Tianjin area of China, where a group of business people partnered with the local government in 2001 to create a national hotel chain and develop real estate.
In November, the company brought in Liam Collins to be president and CEO. Collins was formerly president of Martello Systems Inc. in Orlando. Prior to that, he spent 10 years at Houston-based FMC Technologies (NYSE: FTI) and served as president of FMC Airport Systems.
Other Teda executives include Chairman William Danielczyk and CFO Michael Kane - a former local SunTrust Bank executive. The business counts among its owners and directors a collection of prominent Nashvillians, including Vanderbilt's Dr. Harry Jacobson, Franklin American Mortgage Co. CEO Dan Crockett.
Until last month, former U.S. Rep. Bob Clement also sat on the board. He stepped down "to pursue other commitments and obligations," according to another SEC filing.
Averitt's businesses would join a company in a thriving industry. Individuals wanting to avoid the hassle of commercial air travel but unable to afford their own planes have turned toward fractional ownership. Research firm Frost & Sullivan in December said the number of aircraft ownership shares had surged from just 548 in 1996 to more than 7,000 in 2004.
The consulting firm says there's no single dominant player in the market, whose low penetration rates hold potential for companies in this field. Although China is the big growth area, North America still holds some solid prospects, Frost says. That's because of the 15,000 flight departments that are maintained by American corporations.
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Are emma watson and tom felton dating online dating oxford uk
(Photo by Taylor Hill/Getty Images)NEW YORK, NY - MARCH 13: Actress Emma Watson poses backstage at the New York special screening of Disney's live-action adaptation 'Beauty and the Beast' at Alice Tully Hall on March 13, 2017 in New York City.(Photo by Jamie Mc Carthy/Getty Images for Walt Disney Studios)Actress Emma Watson attends the New York special screening of Disney's live-action adaptation 'Beauty and the Beast' at Alice Tully Hall on March 13, 2017 in New York City.Felton, 21, posted a sweet candid photo of himself giving Watson, 29, a guitar lesson. Felton is a skilled guitarist who's focused more on music than acting in recent years.He often shares snippets of his performances on social media.But despite all the speculation, ET reported that Watson and Felton are just good friends and not dating.
“We love a bad guy, and he was a few years older and he had a skateboard and that just did it really,” Emma said at the time. They met at the end of 2017, shortly after her two-year relationship with Silicon Valley tech manager William Knight ended.Several Potterheads shared suggested couple names for the two former child stars, with ‘Dramione’ and ‘Feltson’ picking up the most traction.


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Remarks at People’s State of the State Rally
January 3, 2006
Paul Sorum, PhD, MD
As you all well know, as Governor Pataki and our legislators well know, New Yorkers face a growing crisis in health care:
• Health insurance premiums are inexorably rising.
• Businesses, small and large, are struggling under—and are increasingly shedding—the burden of providing health insurance for present and past employees.
• County property tax payers in New York are footing the bill for the ever-rising costs of Medicaid, not because Medicaid patients use more health care—they don’t—but because their care is singled out and its costs passed on to the counties.
• Health providers and patients are drowning in the flood of red tape and regulations issued by the multiplicity of insurers.
• Physicians are plagued by often frivolous malpractice charges and rising malpractice insurance costs.
• And an increasing number of New Yorkers have no or inadequate health insurance.
It is time for Governor Pataki and the legislature to listen to the pleas for help coming from all sides.
It is time for them to make high quality and affordable health care services available to all New York residents.
What in particular should they do?
• First, they should establish a Legislative Commission--as proposed by Assemblyman Richard Gottfried, the chair of the Assembly Health Committee--to study in depth the financial and social implications of the various ways to achieve universal access to health care.
• Second, they should realize that the only way to provide universal coverage in a simple, efficient, and cost-effective manner is to institute in New York State an expanded and comprehensive system of Medicare for All (such as the plan introduced in the Assembly by Assemblyman Gottfried).
Medicare for All would change the financing of medical care (via a single administrative board), not the delivery of it:
• All residents would have access to comprehensive care.
• Providing & receiving care would be simple. All patients would have the same card: Governor Pataki, the legislators, you and me, a homeless person—the same card. It would be accepted by all providers. There would be only 1 set of rules, 1 drug formulary, 1 set of quality improvement measures. Simple and fair.
• You could go to the physician and hospital of your choice. Competition among providers would occur on the basis of quality, not on the basis of price or special deals with insurers.
• Care would be less expensive financially and emotionally. Physicians could take care of patients, not the insurance companies. The armies of people working in the offices of health care providers and of insurers could be put to better uses. And the central board could negotiate lower prices with pharmaceutical companies.
• The Medicaid problem would be gone: again, everyone would have the same card.
• The malpractice threat would be alleviated. The system could set up a no-fault mechanism for compensating patients who have adverse outcomes; and they would have no need to sue to provide for future health care costs.
• Large and small businesses would be out of business of health care.
So, if we had an expanded Medicare for All, patients and physicians, employers and employees, big and small businesses, county administrators and country property tax payers, rich and poor—all would rejoice.
We appeal, therefore, to Governor Pataki and our state legislators to make fundamental health reform a priority in 2006 and to institute an expanded Medicare for All for the citizens of New York.
Read in full


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Prices range depending on the station
Notice of EV charging rate change – September 1
During the review of our most recent Revenue Requirements Application, the B.C. Utilities Commission determined that we need to adjust our rates to be slightly higher than what we had applied for to cover our costs. As a result, we've adjusted our EV charging rates.
Effective September 1, 2023, the costs to charge at BC Hydro are:
- 12.23 cents per minute for 25 kW charging (previously 12.19 cents)
- 21.42 cents per minute for 50 kW charging (previously 21.33 cents)
- 27.53 cents per minute for 100 kW charging (previously 27.43 cents)
Each session at our stations is billed per second. Following your charging session, you'll receive an emailed receipt with a breakdown of your charge, including how long you charged for (in minutes and seconds) and the session cost before and after 5% GST is applied.
Charging rates are approved by the B.C. Utilities Commission and are based on the maximum kW output of the charging station, not on actual kW output received or requested by the vehicle.
Parking fees may apply
Note that rates at fast charging stations don’t include parking fees. Be sure to check signage or PlugShare to see if a specific station requires payment for parking. Currently the following sites have a parking fee that's collected by the site host:
- Vancouver – Homer Street (collected by City of Vancouver)
- Vancouver – Kerrisdale (collected by City of Vancouver)
For other charging networks in B.C., check PlugShare to find locations, charging costs and parking fees before you go.


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The Community and Public Sector Union (CPSU) has launched its 11th What Women Want survey, inviting female Public Servants across Australia to share their work experiences.
National Secretary of the CPSU, Melissa Donnelly said the COVID-19 pandemic had affected the day-to-day working arrangements of many women, making the current survey all the more important.
Ms Donnelly said the survey would ask a number of questions including: Do you do interesting and rewarding work? Do you feel supported in your career? Have you missed out on career opportunities because of caring responsibilities?
She said there would also be questions on job security; whether workers felt financially secure for retirement; and what the union should focus on in the future.
As an example, Ms Donnelly said insecure work had become an increasing issue for women across the Australian workforce, and Public Servants were no exception.
“Since 2013, concerns about insecure work have almost doubled in the Commonwealth Public Service,” she said.
“Your stories and your experiences help us to better represent you and to focus our campaigns and resources on areas that need it the most.”
Ms Donnelly said the information survey respondents shared with the CPSU would help it build an in-depth picture of what the experience of working life for Australian women looked like in 2021, helping the union to work to address those issues.
All survey participants will be in the running to win a $250 gift voucher.
Feedback closes on 13 November and the survey can be accessed at this PS News link.

domain: sociology


The Aspark Owl boasts the fastest acceleration of any car in the world, according to its Japanese manufacturers Aspark.
The Owl is said to be capable of reaching 60mph in just 1.69 seconds.
The final version received its "world premiere" at the Dubai Motor Show between November 12-16.
This outpaces rival electric supercars such as Rimac's Concept Two, which can reach 60mph in 1.85 seconds.
Tesla's Roadster can reach the same mark in 1.9 seconds.
The Owl's listed top speed is almost 250mph, placing it among the fastest road-legal cars in the world.
Aspark President Masanori Yoshida says the company will attempt to set a world-record lap time with the Owl on the Nurburgring racetrack in Germany by March 2020.
The Aspark Owl is also the first Japanese-made, fully-electric, top-tier supercar, according to the manufacturers.
The Lithium-ion battery can call on 2,012 brake horsepower (bhp).


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Risotto in a traditional form is a heavy carb meal. Like with other dishes, fresh cauliflower is always a good substitute for those heavy carb meals. The cauliflower is cooked with heavy cream, butter, and seasonings. Then parmesan cheese is melted into the dish. This is finally topped with walnuts, goat cheese, and a drizzle of olive oil!
Recipe from ruled.me
- Total: 30 m
- Servings: 4servings
- 24 oz cauliflower
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream or coconut cream
- 4 tbsp butter or olive/avocado/coconut oil
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- 2 tsp onion powder
- salt to taste
- pepper to taste
- 3 oz grated parmesan cheese or plant-based "cheese"
- 3 oz spinach
- 5 oz goat cheese or plant-based "cheese"
- 1 oz walnuts
- Measure out and prepare all ingredients.
- Rinse cauliflower and cut into smaller florets. Put this in a food processor and pulse until you get a fine texture, resembling rice.
- In a frying pan on low heat, add heavy cream, butter, lemon juice, and onion powder. Stir together.
- Add cauliflower to the pan and simmer for 10-15 minutes, stirring often. Add salt and pepper to taste.
- Once the cauliflower starts to get tender, stir in the parmesan cheese.
- Once the cheese is incorporated, stir in the spinach.
- Plate and serve with goat cheese and walnuts.


The university is rated No. 14 for Best Value among the country's public colleges.
The Texas A&M Bush School of Government & Public Service will host a panel of experts for a virtual discussion Thursday, April 22.
Meagan Harrington was named the Women's National Champion for the second year.
The event will be held in Rudder Plaza. Safety guidelines will be observed.
The award celebrates Aggie faculty and staff who demonstrate dedicated and lasting participation, commitment and creative leadership to philanthropy and Texas A&M.
Courtney Kunselman and Niki Tataria have been honored for outstanding contributions to their fields.
The Aggie fan store has been named the “World’s Largest Collegiate Merchandise Store."
The longstanding tradition has been modified to include three campus routes and a virtual option.
Eleven students received their rings at the Rio Grande Valley location.
The 2021 Accountability, Climate and Equity Award recipients will be honored during a virtual ceremony April 14.