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BabySeq Project Studies Genome Sequencing in Newborns
A study led by BWH researchers in partnership with colleagues at Boston Children’s Hospital to explore the use of genome sequencing in newborns may give parents greater insight into their infants’ health.
Genome sequencing maps out the order in which the building blocks of our genes – known as nucleotides – appear in an individual’s DNA. The BWH/BCH study, known as the BabySeq Project, has two objectives. One is to evaluate the risks and benefits of genome sequencing in healthy and sick babies, with the goal of developing evidence to support guidelines for use of this technology in newborn screening or care. The second objective is to study parents’ thoughts and feelings about genetic testing, as well as how those might change over time.
The study, co-led by Robert Green, MD, MPH, of the Division of Genetics, is the first randomized controlled trial of genome sequencing in both healthy and sick newborns. The BWH/BCH project is part of a consortium of four institutions conducting related research as part of a federally funded initiative called Newborn Sequencing In Genomic medicine and public HealTh (NSIGHT). Scientists from the NSIGHT institutions published a paper in the journal Pediatrics last week laying out the consortium’s objectives.
Newborn screening is mandatory in most states, unless parents refuse for religious purposes or other reasons. Screening is performed for about 30 conditions where measures are available to save the baby’s life or mitigate the harms of the condition, if found early enough.
“Genomic sequencing has the potential to allow for significantly more extensive screening of disorders that newborns could be at risk for developing during childhood,” Green said. “Earlier diagnosis of these conditions could in turn lead to specific screening, surveillance and treatment options, allowing for more personalized and preventative health care.”
In the BabySeq Project, researchers hope to enroll 240 healthy babies from BWH’s Well Baby Nursery and 240 sick infants from the NICUs at the Brigham and Boston Children’s Hospital by August 2018. All families enrolled in the study receive state-mandated conventional newborn screening and a family history report, while babies in the sequencing arm also receive a genomic sequencing report. The latter report contains information about mutations that are associated with childhood-onset diseases. Researchers also sometimes identify genetic changes that could affect how a baby responds to certain medications.
Babies in the sequencing arm who have or develop health conditions that may have an underlying genetic cause may also receive another analysis, with a specific focus on genes associated with the health condition. BabySeq Project researchers have already identified genetic mutations associated with increased risk of specific diseases in about 10 percent of sequenced infants.
One surprising early finding has been the low rate of enrollment to date, said Shawn Fayer, a genetic counselor and project manager working on the study. Before the study launched, researchers surveyed parents to gauge their interest in participating in the trial. A vast majority – 83 percent – were at least somewhat, very or extremely interested in newborn genetic testing. However, only 8 percent of families approached so far have enrolled. Most decline due to logistical reasons, with about one in five families saying they are simply overwhelmed after having a baby. Other reasons for declining include concerns about insurance discrimination or privacy. Of those families who agree to meet with a genetic counselor, 70 percent enroll in the study, Fayer said.
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Eighty years ago, on April 30th, 1941, the Anglo-Irish writer Ethel Colburn Mayne died in Torquay following injuries sustained during the London Blitz.
Born in Ireland in 1865, Mayne had lived in London for the past 36 years, where she had made a name for herself as a novelist, short story writer, biographer and translator. She was known in particular for her biographies of Lord and Lady Byron and for her short stories, which reviewers put on a par with those of Henry James and Katherine Mansfield.
In English literary histories, she is now remembered – if she is remembered at all – as a contributor to the Decadent magazine The Yellow Book, while in Ireland her work has been all but forgotten. Yet Mayne’s fiction absolutely deserves to be rediscovered, both for its unique depiction of the social dynamics of late-19th-century Irish garrison towns and for its sustained exploration of the debilitating effects of gendered conventions and national stereotypes.
Mayne herself never forgot Ireland. She always identified herself as Irish and a significant part of her fiction is set in the country of her birth. In a letter from 1924, she defends the Irish credentials of her family as follows:
“the Irish blend of the Maynes went to Ireland under Elizabeth, so I think we may, very deferentially, call ourselves Irish! My mother was Irish – her name was Sweetman, and that name has been much concerned in what used to be called the “rebel” doings in Ireland […]My father was first in the Royal Irish Constabulary, and afterwards a resident Magistrate – and so it was in the “British Garrison” circles that our social life in Ireland was spent. I, as soon as I came to years of discretion, was always on the Nationalist side. My sister, too – and she has married into a family more truly Irish than the Maynes; her husband […]is a Cotter, but both my brothers are “Unionists” – that obsolete sect!” (National Library of Scotland, Macgillivray Papers, Acc. 3501)
After a childhood in Johnstown and Kinsale, Mayne moved to the city of Cork, where her father was appointed resident magistrate. From the family home, Rockmahon, on Blackrock’s Castle Road, Mayne sent her first stories to London magazines in the early 1890s.
In 1895 Henry Harland, editor of The Yellow Book, accepted one of her stories for publication and subsequently invited her to London to take up the post of sub-editor. Though that experience would be short-lived, it gave Mayne sufficient confidence to embark on a writing career. Her first short story collection, The Clearer Vision (1898), and her first novel, Jessie Vandeleur (1902), met with positive reviews, but Mayne found it difficult to gain access to London’s literary circles from her home in Cork.
So, in 1905 she moved to London where her career soon prospered: she published three further novels and another collection of short stories to critical acclaim and was contracted to write several biographies and critical studies.
After the first World War, Mayne’s literary work became concentrated on the genre of the short story, a form that perfectly suited her impressionistic style and ironic sensibility. She contributed stories to modernist anthologies and periodicals, such as The Golden Hind and The Transatlantic Review, and became friends with fellow writers like Mary Butts, Ford Madox Ford and Christopher Isherwood. Through her friendship with British psychoanalyst Joan Riviere, she was also involved in the Hogarth Press’s translation of the writings of Sigmund Freud.
In the late 1920s, Mayne’s fiction output waned, due to the strain of having to care for her elderly father and invalid sister. Yet, spurred on by financial worries, she continued to work as a biographer and translator. After her bestselling two-volume work on Byron, she published a widely commended biography of Lady Byron, making use of previously unpublished diaries and letters. Leonard Woolf praised it in The Nation as “one of the most fascinating and important biographies which have appeared for a long time”, and Rebecca West hailed it in The Bookman as the “most popular book of the London season”.
Mayne’s final publication was A Regency Chapter (1939), a biography of Lady Bessborough, the mother of the Anglo-Irish author Caroline Lamb. After their London home was bombed in September 1940, Mayne and her sister moved to Devon to be closer to their brothers, but they died within weeks of one another the following spring.
In the absence of major critics or writers championing her work, Mayne quickly fell between the cracks of literary history. Unlike her good friend Violet Hunt, whose 10-year affair with Ford Madox Ford had garnered a good deal of publicity, Mayne never caused enough of a stir to become famous and her fictional focus on the inner lives of women was swiftly passed over by the male literary establishment at the time.
Her preference for the “minor” form of the short story aggravated her neglect, as did the diversity of the oeuvre she left behind. Nor has Mayne’s work been recovered in more recent years as part of the Irish tradition of women’s writing. As an Anglo-Irish Protestant writer living in London, she sits less easily with nationalist conceptions of the Irish canon, nor does the subtle quality of her writing readily lend itself to feminist recovery.
Finally, as Mayne’s fiction spans from the 1890s to the early 1930s, it bears traces of two distinct literary traditions – late-Victorian aestheticism and early-20th century modernism – but doesn’t fully belong to either. Like her hyphenated national identity, Mayne’s inconvenient straddling of these literary traditions has further added to her marginalisation.
At the same time, the versatility of her subjects also offers us a chance today to connect her work to that of many other Irish authors, turn-of-the-century New Woman writers and modernists alike. Like the short fiction of George Egerton, Mayne’s early stories aim to challenge the view of femininity put forward by male writers.
In Lucille and The End of It, for example, she deflates a pompous male narrator and satirises his deluded views on women by using his own language to expose his fatuousness. Jessie Vandeleur’s portrait of a woman writer in the decadent circles of 1890s London speaks to the related New Woman concern with the female artist that can also be found in Sarah Grand’s The Beth Book (1897) and Katherine Cecil Thurston’s Max (1910). Thurston in fact lived up the road from Mayne in Blackrock during the 1890s, but with their different political and religious backgrounds they probably moved in different circles.
Hence, although Mayne’s critique of the circumscribed lives of Irish girls and women in novels such as Gold Lace (1913) and One of Our Grandmothers (1916) dovetails to some extent with Thurston’s portrayal of a small Irish country town in The Fly on the Wheel (1908), Mayne’s astute dissection of the warped social and gender relations in Irish garrison towns adds a unique perspective to these feminist concerns.
Mayne’s later short fiction continues this focus on women’s inner lives but brings to it the more modern class-sensibility, psychological insight and condensed clarity that also mark the modernist stories of Norah Hoult and Elizabeth Bowen.
While mother-daughter relations had always been central to her work, in stories like The Peacocks and The Letter on the Floor Mayne perceptively evokes the frustrated feelings on both sides of the relationship. In her emphasis on the performative dimension of gender norms, further, Mayne anticipates Bowen’s theatrical staging of identity in many of her novels and short stories.
In fact, Mayne seems to have known both Bowen and Hoult in London. Hoult created a fictionalised portrait of Mayne in her novel There Were No Windows (1944), which depicts Violet Hunt’s slow decline into dementia. Bowen, who also hailed from Co Cork, included a story by Mayne in her 1936 anthology The Faber Book of Modern Short Stories, while regretting that Mayne “never quite [received] the prominence she deserved”.
Now, however, it is to be hoped that Mayne’s work will begin to find new readers, as her fascinating portraits of the upheavals in the lives of women around the turn of the twentieth century, both in Ireland and in England, are certainly well worth reading today.
Elke D’hoker is professor of Irish literature at the University of Leuven. The collection, Ethel Colburn Mayne: Selected Stories (Brighton: Edward Everett Root) is out now

domain: library


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Scientists Publish Call to Arms To Tackle Global Plastic Waste Challenge
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Scientists from the Universities of Sheffield and Delaware emphasise the importance of adopting multiple sustainable methods to combat the surge in plastic waste through recycling, upcycling and other complementary routes; to minimise energy, cost and environmental impacts in ‘Toward polymer upcycling–adding value and tackling circularity’.
The publication aims to encourage those working in research and development to take action to combat the increasing problem of plastic waste that the human consumption, and demand for convenience is creating; and to use their expertise to develop solutions to the problem which is contributing heavily to the environmental damage of the planet.
Following the advent of cheap and available plastics in the 20th century, use of the resource has exploded with many forms of packaging using multiple forms of plastics. This creates massive demand on the production of ‘virgin’ polymer plastic material. Not all forms of which are currently recyclable; and of the ones that are, finding methods to do this that can provide reusable plastic material for use in products again is still limited.
The scientists - including LaShanda Korley, Distinguished Professor of Materials Science and Engineering and Thomas Epps III, Allan & Myra Ferguson Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from the University of Delaware and Brett Helms from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in California - join Professor Tony Ryan, Director of the University of Sheffield Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures - to highlight how the pandemic has greatly contributed to the consumption of plastic, adding to the recent demand of single use plastics, including medical packaging, masks and gloves.
Co-author and Professor of Physical Chemistry at the University of Sheffield, Tony Ryan, said: “This paper is essentially a call to arms to other scientists in this area to put their intellectual power behind potential solutions to the plastic problem. This is something that needs policy and business models to come together and create a broad multidisciplinary mix. It's a wicked problem that needs a holistic approach.
“One of the biggest hurdles to overcome around the problem is all of the regulations around the use of plastics, particularly in medical consumables such as devices and Personal Protective Equipment, which were written when single use plastic was at its cheapest and doesn’t consider what would happen to it after it’s useful life. Basically we've had 50 years of cultural training to throw things away that we now have to undo.”
With less than 10 per cent of plastics being recycled worldwide, only 1 per cent currently recycled more than once and only 12 per cent incinerated for energy recovery; over three quarters of plastic material is currently being wasted and thrown away, contributing to the more than seven billion tons of plastics already posing an urgent crisis for the planet.
Traditional methods of recycling plastic waste, such as mechanical recycling, can still be inefficient, limit the amount of plastic material that can be recovered and reduce its material properties, limiting its second or third use as a new product and meaning it is typically cheaper to produce new plastic and products.
Methods such as chemical upcycling can be used for certain plastics, like those used to create plastic bottles, to turn the plastic material into something with better properties than before, saving more in the process and even dealing with certain levels of contamination.
Within the discussion paper, the academics hope that vital steps within the development of plastic products will generate more efficient use of polymer materials. Designing products to be recycled when used and to promote the development of upcycling and upgrading of plastics, so they can be used again instead of creating more waste.
One example is an initiative by Sea2See eyewear, that uses discarded fishing nets to create glasses and timepieces, by finding material with a known provenance and the ability to turn the material back into its original polymer form, they are able to create something new, reducing the burden of waste on the environment, and producing less virgin material for their products.
Professor Tony Ryan added: “The University of Sheffield and the Grantham Centre are striving for global equity and building a more sustainable future, what I want to be really clear in the paper was this isn't the silver bullet, it's not going to address every problem, but there are certain niches where this is the best solution and we can exploit it to find the best solutions for different problems, and of course different plastics.”
Promoting the cultural change needed to create the diverse solutions needed to tackle the complex problem of plastic waste worldwide is a central focus of Professor Ryan’s Grantham Centre for Sustainable Futures Many Happy Returns project, where experts are developing reusable plastic packaging systems to reduce the need for single-use plastics, and tackle the plastic material produced for packaging each year, over half of which is never reused.
Reference: Korley LTJ, Epps TH, Helms BA, Ryan AJ. Toward polymer upcycling—adding value and tackling circularity. Science. 2021;373(6550):66-69. doi: 10.1126/science.abg4503
This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source.

domain: chemistry


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Order of Romina Russell Books
Romina Russell is an Argentine-American author of YA science fiction and fantasy novels. She writes the Zodiac series. Romina got her first writing job when she was a teenage, writing a weekly Sunday column for the Miami Herald that was later nationally syndicated. She hasn’t stopped writing since. When Romina’s not writing, she may be producing movie trailers, taking photos or thinking about that new drumset she wants to buy. Romina graduated from Harvard College. She lives in Los Angeles, California.
Romina Russell made her debut as a novelist in 2014 with the novel Zodiac. Below is a list of Romina Russell’s books in order of when they were originally published:
Publication Order of Zodiac Books
If You Like Romina Russell Books, You’ll Love…
Romina Russell Synopsis: Zodiac is the first novel in the Zodiac series by Romina Russell. At the dawn of time, there were 13 Houses in the Zodiac Galaxy. Now only 12 remain…. Rhoma Grace is a 16-year-old student from House Cancer with an unusual way of reading the stars. While her classmates use measurements to make accurate astrological predictions, Rho can’t solve for ‘x’ to save her life – so instead, she looks up at the night sky and makes up stories. When a violent blast strikes the moons of Cancer, sending its ocean planet off-kilter and killing thousands of citizens – including its beloved Guardian – Rho is more surprised than anyone when she is named the House’s new leader. But, a true Cancrian who loves her home fiercely and will protect her people no matter what, Rho accepts. Then, when more Houses fall victim to freak weather catastrophes, Rho starts seeing a pattern in the stars. She suspects Ophiuchus – the exiled 13th Guardian of Zodiac legend – has returned to exact his revenge across the Galaxy. Now Rho – along with Hysan Dax, a young envoy from House Libra, and Mathias, her guide and a member of her Royal Guard – must travel through the Zodiac to warn the other Guardians. But who will believe anything this young novice says? Whom can Rho trust in a universe defined by differences? And how can she convince twelve worlds to unite as one Zodiac?

domain: literature


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Elaine is a full-time piano instructor and the owner of Joyful Piano Studio. She offers piano lessons at a convenient Bellevue studio location.
Elaine's experience includes over five years of teaching individual piano lessons, specializing in ages 4 - 13. She has also completed training on how to most effectively teach this age group.
In addition to her piano teaching experience, Elaine has other related experience working with children and youth which includes childcare, being a sewing teacher assistant, and performing songs, skits, and puppet shows.
Elaine has performed at recitals, churches, and quarterly juries at Shoreline Community College.
A piano player since the age of eight, she understands the importance of having positive lesson experiences early on. This influenced Elaine's decision to take the professional path and earn a degree where the primary focus was learning to become an excellent piano teacher.
Highlighted coursework from Elaine's two year music degree includes:
2 + years piano study with Dr. Jensina Oliver, Senior Associate Faculty
Instructional Methods: K - 3rd Grade
Composition & Songwriting
Teaching Beginner Piano Students
Acoustics of Music
Music Appreciation & Jazz History
In addition to her music degree, Elaine has also completed many hours of continuing education study with Dr. Jensina Oliver.
Elaine is a member of the Music Teachers National Association (MTNA) as well as the state chapter. She actively seeks to stay current and further her professional development as a teacher by regularly attending music teaching events and conferences, collaborating with other teachers, reading books, following music teaching blogs, and much more.
On a personal note, Elaine enjoys spending time with her husband, playing on a women’s soccer team, outdoor activities, and cooking.

domain: artistic


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IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR ANYONE CONSIDERING RETIRING THIS YEAR
The Los Angeles City Employees’ Retirement System (LACERS) undergoes review by its actuary annually. This year a change is being implemented to reflect the true cost of providing Cost of Living Adjustments (COLA) that your spouse/domestic partner, eligible for a Continuance (a member’s retirement allowance continued at 50% or greater for the spouse’s lifetime), receive upon your death. This may appropriately increase the cost to you of providing this optional benefit.
As there are various factors that determine the cost you may incur, please call LACERS if you have any questions after reading the information below.
WHO IS AFFECTED
This change will affect members who retire and choose to take a reduction to their retirement allowance to do one of the following:
Leave a Continuance to their spouse/domestic partner greater than 50%; or
Leave a Continuance for an ineligible spouse/domestic partner (married less than one year prior to their retirement date); or
Leave a Continuance to any designated beneficiary.
WHAT IS THE IMPACT
The changes will be applied on July 1, 2020. If you are considering retiring in 2020 and meet the criteria in the ‘Who is Affected’ section, you may contact LACERS and request an estimate to determine what impact, if any, this may have on your retirement allowance.
Address: 977 N. Broadway, Los Angeles, CA 90012-1728
Hours: Mon – Fri 7:00 am – 4:00 pm
Phone: (800) 779-8328 (888) 349-3996 RTT

domain: economics


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Bourbon Gives Scotch a Run for its Money
Posted On: July 28, 2016
We recently celebrated National Scotch Day, and even though whisky from across the pond has its legions of fans, other categories are still booming. Bourbon, in particular, is still seeing record growth, as storied producers release new expressions, and new distillers experiment with different kinds of barrels and mash bill. It’s a great time to be a Bourbon lover.
By Jane Wells
Wednesday may be National Scotch Day, but the American spirit is taking over. Sales of U.S. made whiskeys — things like Kentucky bourbon and Tennessee whiskey — are outpacing other types, including Scotch. So whisky makers in Scotland (where they spell it without the “e”) are trying to get themselves off the rocks.
“Everybody’s trying to do something a little different to increase the number of ‘expressions’ on the shelf for their brand,” said Ray Pearson, a brand ambassador for various Scotch whiskys.
According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the United States, the overall spirits market is growing, with sales growing 4 percent last year to $72 billion. Hard liquor continues to take market share from beer. The most interesting news is that the biggest growth is high-end sales. Bottles over $20 now account for a fifth of total liquor volume in the United States. Read the entire article on CNBC.

domain: news


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This is Jay Crame‘s* second trip to the Who are You? hotseat. Jay, founder and editor of the Crystal Palace fan site, The Eagles Beak, sat in it for the Palace vs SAFC fixture last season, predicted a 2-1 home win and was shocked to see us take the three points. Of course we all know what happened in the return game at the SoL. He thinks it’ll be comfortable for an even stronger Palace side this time. Can Big Sam prove him wrong? …
Salut! Sunderland: The Palace revolution keeps on delivering. Pardew appears to be proving last season’s excellent form was no fluke. What is going so right for you?
A lot can be said for feeling welcome at a club which is just it. It was no secret how he was treated by fans at his former club but he just fits at Palace. He has arrived at Palace as a former player so would always get more time than most but he has taken a decent squad on a few steps more and something quite special is being put together. Pardew was obviously key to us signing Cabaye which was a real sign of intent by the club heading into this season.
Cabaye has great class, as well as a nasty side, but who else has been key to your success this season?
Cabaye has been our marquee signing and proved that he has been worth every penny of the transfer fee we shelled out for him. Adds real quality in the middle of the pitch and his form has been instrumental in our good season so far. Him apart, his midfield partner James McArthur does not get enough praise. He does the quiet job alongside him and while he does not do the spectacular, he works so hard for the team it is unreal. Also Scott Dann at the heart of our defence, why he has not been called up to play for England is a complete mystery to many.
And I suppose Wickham will come on against SAFC and do what he rarely did for us – score goals. How has he been doing?
The signs have been very encouraging but he has missed a number of games through injury. He just fits out formation better than any striker that we have at the club and when he has played he has shown a lot of promise. He was excellent in our win away at Chelsea, man of the match for some without scoring but doing that lone striker role bringing into play our exciting quick midfield. Looking forward to seeing much more from him.
It is strange to think many neutrals thought the owners were either mad or bad in the way they handled Tony Pulis but I imagine most if not all fans would now be saying “thank heavens”. Your assessment?
We have plenty to thank Tony Pulis for but the way it ended left a very bitter taste in the mouth. Knowing what we know now, it all worked out for us (or at least so far) but it was all very peculiar two days before the start of a new season. It is no secret that there were disagreements about the wage structure and if that is part of the reason then as a club with a lot of history when it comes to financial difficulties, most fans are glad that the owners took a stance.
How far can they take the club? Can you use the lure of London to get the players to force a way into serious CL reckoning?
That is a massive question. To suggest Champions League football sounds completely ludicrous but when you think about is sensibly, if our home form was actually any good last season we could well have challenged. You simply cannot plan these things and have to take opportunities with both hands as and when they arise but for me it should be small steps. Finishing higher than 10th this season would for me be seen as a good season but if we continue to get results like we have of late then Europe League may well come into view. It’s very exciting times indeed.
You murdered us at the Stadium of Light but struggled in the earlier game at your place. How much better a side would you say you are now?
We had real problems at home last season where teams came to defend and the onus was on us to take the game on. This season is a little different in that we are beating the teams that we should, on paper, be beating at home.
Hopefully that continues as while our away form continues to a certain extent it is points at home we will be looking for more of this season. The squad is one of the best we have seen at Palace with plenty of pace and excitement. Cabaye is that focal point that feeds the likes of Puncheon, Zaha and Bolasie. When you consider last season we had Mile Jedinak in that role, no offence to big Aussie but it is a real upgrade.
Have you been surprised by yet another wretched start for Sunderland or did you see it coming?
From the outside looking in, it is quite odd to see Sunderland do what they do season in season out. It is hard to pinpoint what the problem is, whether it is poor decision making in the managerial position or the owners of the club just content with just surviving each season. In truth, I am not
surprised where you find yourselves this season at all, and it is a similar pattern again with the change of manager at a very similar stage [Jay is obviously referring to what happened with Poyet replacing PDC, rather than last season’s late change – Ed] .
Is there a single player in our squad who could even win a place on your bench?
It is no secret that we have struggled up front at times and I have always thought that Steven Fletcher would fit out systems. I also think van Aarnholt and Lens are both decent players
And what thoughts do you have on our club, fans, city, region, Big Sam?
The appointment of Sam Allardyce is an interesting one and arguably the most sensible appointment that the club have made. He knows the Premier League and gives you a fighting chance of escaping the dreaded bottom three this season. You do not have to like the guy but he will get you the results as long as the players buy into his style of football. West Ham fans did not like it but he did do a decent job, particularly last season.
What are you highs and lows as a Palace fans?
How long do you have? There are plenty of contenders for each category there which could probably fill an entire book! I will have to say the lowest of the low was being less than 24 hours from going of business in 2010. That was simply horrendous to go through as a fan. As for highs, we have had some great experiences being promoted through the play-offs, not least the latest one again Watford but for me it is still the FA Cup Semi Final in 1990.
Liverpool had beaten us 9-0 in the league earlier in the season and it was billed a miss-match. Winning 4-3 and the way that the game played out was truly amazing.
Who have been the greatest players you’ve seen – or wish you’d been around in earlier times to see?
Attilio Lombardo. A player with the calibre of the like I had not witnessed at the club before in my time supporting the club. He was head and shoulders above anyone else we had in the team at the time. It was a real coup at the time as there was no internet with transfer rumours going on, it was out of
the blue and he was a massive name in European football having arrived from Juventus.
And the worst duds?
There have been a few but the one I will mention is another Italian – Michele Padovano. Another player we signed from Juventus and it was for a big fee for the time. This one did not work out and through a combination of injury and poor form. He has since served time for drug offences so it did not really pan out for him after a lot of promise in his early years.
Guess the Score in Crystal Palace vs SAFC and you may win a rollover prize whoever you support: https://safc.blog/2015/11/crystal-palace-v-sunderland-guess-the-score-rollover-another-monday-night-win/
What will be this season’s top four?
Arsenal for title just pipping Manchester City with Manchester United and Liverpool third and fourth.
Q. The bottom three? And our clubs’ finishing position if not mentioned?
I did have a real feeling that the promoted three clubs will end up going back down but Watford have really picked up of late. Having played them though, if teams stop their front two they have little else so a loss of form or injury will see them down there. I will say Bournemouth, Norwich City and one from a few clubs which I think will be very tight. At this moment I will say Villa but Remy Garde may well see them alright as will Allardyce for you.
Diving is alive and well. Time to stop fretting about it and get our players coached to do it better or should we come down on offenders as hard as it takes?
Come down hard on offenders even if it is retrospective action taken. Referees have such a hard enough job as it is let alone players trying to pull a fast one. It is happening all too often and if the penalties for diving were more strict then managers will have to tell players not to do it.
Best ref, worst ref in the Premier?
For us it has to be Mark Clattenburg as the worst as we have rarely got anything out of him at all. As for the best, that is a real struggle to choose as not one stands out for me.
One step the authorities or Palace should take to improve the lot of ordinary fans?
Safe standing. It is a no brainer for me. Already used successfully on the continent for years.
Will you be at our game and what will be the score?
Yes, I will be there being a season ticket holder although I have to say I do not envy Sunderland fans’ journey. I think the game was on a bank holiday last season and we play you at your place midweek later in the season. A big thanks to the so called fixture computer. We certainly owe you one from last season so I am going to go with a 2-0 win the Eagles.
* Jay Crame on himself:
I am Jay, founder and editor of TEB which has been going for over three years now and growing beyond anything I ever imagined. It has also led to work for PalaceFanTV and the Croydon Advertiser and I am also co-presented on the Back Of The Net football show (@_backofthenet_) as well as another sports show on community radio I have been a Palace fan since the late eighties so I have seen plenty of ups and downs in that time so thoroughly enjoying what the club are experiencing right now.
Interview: Colin Randall

domain: sports


"How much overall weight? We need to get some weight specs."
ITEM#: 17761705The MTech USA Survival Axe has a 6.5-inch 3.5-4mm thick stainless steel blade. Overall measurement of the axe is 17.5-inch. The handle is plastic with a black finish. Included on the handle is a cord lanyard to keep it close at hand. Quality is what you will get from MTech.
- Type: Hatchets and Axes
- Material: Stainless Steel, Plastic
- Color: Black
|Material||Plastic, Stainless Steel|
|Type||Hatchets & Axes|
|Warranty||90 day Limited Manufacturer|
|Country of Origin||China|
Questions & Answers
The shipping weight is approximately 2 pounds. The dimensions are 18 inches x 1.5 inches x 18.8 inches and the stainless steel blade is 3.5-4mm thick.
Shipping & Returns
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Fly Fishing | Fallout Wiki | Fandom
Impressions Fallout 4 is a massive game. Simple as that. There's so much to do and I feel like not enough time to do it in. Granted, there is no character "max level" preventing me from unlocking Eyebot (Fallout 4) - The Vault Fallout Wiki - Everything Oct 08, 2018 Awareness | Fallout 4 Wiki Awareness is a Perk in Fallout 4. It is associated with the Perception Stat. Awareness Information. Rank 1: View the level and damage resistances of your currently highlighted enemy when using V.A.T.S. Perks Fallout 4 | Games | The Guardian Fallout 4: five things you need to know about the DLC Bethesda’s downloadable content plans will add new life to the post apocalypse, with monster training, robot building and a vast new area to
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As of last week, the Texoma Powerboat Association has opened pre-registration for the third annual Texoma Throw Down hosted at Marina Del Rey in Kingston, Okla., the weekend of August 6-8.
Texoma Throw Down organizers expect a variety of incredible boats this year. Photo by Kevin Johns/Instant Memories Photography
Although lead organizer Casey Moore and his team were forced to move the event from May to August in 2019 because of high water levels on Lake Texoma, they decided to stick with the August date this year and it’s worked out in their favor as it likely would have been cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic had they decided to do the run in May as they did in 2018.
“We kind of lucked out with that,” Moore said. “We’re excited to build on the momentum we’ve created the last couple of years. The run is going to be almost the same as last year except we’re adding another stop. The lunch stop is also going to be at the Island Bar & Grill at Highport Marina in Pottsboro, Texas.
“We’re planning a meet and greet Thursday evening with free beer for poker runners,” he added. “There will be bands playing each night and we’re going to have the Burgers in Paradise lunch on the islands again on Friday. It’s going to be great to see everyone back out here again.”
Moore posted on Facebook yesterday that he will be stuffing the captain’s bags with event tumblers for the first 125 people to enter (see image above). To register for the Texoma Throw Down, click here. And if you have any questions, reach out to Moore via Facebook or email.
Gallery: Highlights From The Second Texoma Throw Down
Texoma Throw Down Moves To Early August, Now Last Of Four Tornado Alley Poker Run Series Events
Next Week’s Texoma Throw Down Postponed Because Of High Water Levels


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Top 30 Wedding First Dance Songs for 2024
Top 30 Wedding First Dance Songs for 2024:
The Ultimate Playlist for Your Special Day
Choosing the perfect first dance song for a wedding can be a daunting task for many couples. The song should reflect their love story, evoke emotions, and set the tone for the rest of the evening. With so many options available, it can be challenging to narrow down the choices and find the ideal song.
To help make the decision easier, at First Dance Academy, we have compiled a list of the top 30 wedding first dance songs for 2024.
The Importance of First Dance Songs
The first dance song is an essential part of any wedding reception. It is the moment when the newlyweds take the dance floor for the first time as a married couple, and it sets the tone for the rest of the evening. The right song can create a romantic and unforgettable moment that the couple will cherish forever.
Choosing the perfect first dance song can be a daunting task. There are countless options to choose from, and the song needs to be meaningful to the couple and reflect their personalities. It is essential to find a song that both the bride and groom love and that represents their relationship.
The first dance song also sets the tone for the entire reception. It can be a slow and romantic ballad or an upbeat and fun song that gets everyone on the dance floor. It is essential to choose a song that fits the overall vibe of the wedding and the couple’s personalities.
In conclusion, the first dance song is an essential part of any wedding reception. It is a moment that the newlyweds will remember forever, and it sets the tone for the rest of the evening. Choosing the perfect song can be a challenging task, but with the right guidance and advice, the couple can find a song that reflects their love and creates a magical moment on the dance floor.
How to Choose Your First Dance Song
Choosing the perfect first dance song for your wedding can be a daunting task. It’s important to select a song that reflects your personality as a couple, sets the mood for the evening, and creates a memorable moment for you and your guests. Here are some tips to help you choose the perfect first dance song for your wedding.
Consider Your Personal Tastes
The first step in choosing your first dance song is to consider your personal tastes. Think about the type of music you both enjoy, whether it’s pop, country, rock, or something else entirely. It’s important to choose a song that you both love and that represents your relationship.
Think About the Lyrics
The lyrics of the song you choose are just as important as the melody. Look for a song with lyrics that resonate with you and your partner. Whether it’s a romantic ballad or an upbeat tune, make sure the lyrics reflect your love story.
Consider the Length of the Song
When choosing your first dance song, consider the length of the song. You don’t want a song that’s too short or too long. A song that’s too short may not give you enough time to dance, while a song that’s too long may become tedious for you and your guests.
Practice Your Dance
Once you’ve chosen your first dance song, it’s important to practice your dance. Take a few dance lessons to perfect your moves and practice dancing in the shoes you’ll be wearing on your wedding day. If your wedding gown has a heavy skirt and you’re not used to dancing in one, consider renting a similar dress to practice your dance moves before the big day.
Choosing the perfect first dance song for your wedding is an important decision. Consider your personal tastes, the lyrics of the song, the length of the song, and practice your dance moves to ensure a memorable moment for you and your guests.
Top 30 Wedding First Dance Songs for 2024
Choosing the perfect first dance song for a wedding can be a challenging task. It is important to select a song that reflects the couple’s personality and style, while also being a timeless classic that will be remembered for years to come. Here are the top 30 wedding first dance songs for 2024, divided into five categories.
Classic Love Songs
Classic love songs never go out of style, and they are perfect for a romantic first dance. Here are some of the best classic love songs for a wedding:
“Unchained Melody” by The Righteous Brothers
“Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley
“At Last” by Etta James
“The Way You Look Tonight” by Frank Sinatra
“Wonderful Tonight” by Eric Clapton
Modern Love Songs
Modern love songs offer a fresh take on the traditional first dance. Here are some of the best modern love songs for a wedding:
“Perfect” by Ed Sheeran
“You Are the Reason” by Calum Scott
“All of Me” by John Legend
“Love on Top” by Beyonce
“Thinking Out Loud” by Ed Sheeran
Indie Love Songs
Indie love songs offer a unique and alternative option for a first dance. Here are some of the best indie love songs for a wedding:
“First Day of My Life” by Bright Eyes
“Ho Hey” by The Lumineers
“I Will Follow You into the Dark” by Death Cab for Cutie
“The Luckiest” by Ben Folds
“Such Great Heights” by The Postal Service
Country Love Songs
Country love songs offer a rustic and heartfelt option for a first dance. Here are some of the best country love songs for a wedding:
“I Don’t Dance” by Lee Brice
“Die a Happy Man” by Thomas Rhett
“Bless the Broken Road” by Rascal Flatts
“From the Ground Up” by Dan + Shay
“Amazed” by Lonestar
R&B Love Songs
R&B love songs offer a smooth and sultry option for a first dance. Here are some of the best R&B love songs for a wedding:
“Adore You” by Harry Styles
“You Are My Lady” by Freddie Jackson
“Let’s Stay Together” by Al Green
“Always and Forever” by Heatwave
“Endless Love” by Lionel Richie and Diana Ross
Alternative First Dance Songs
Alternative first dance songs are perfect for couples who want something unconventional and different. They are unique and add a personal touch to the first dance. Some of the alternative first dance songs that made the list are:
“Ho Hey” by The Lumineers
“You Are the Best Thing” by Ray LaMontagne
“Lucky” by Jason Mraz and Colbie Caillat
“First Day of My Life” by Bright Eyes
“I Choose You” by Sara Bareilles
These songs made the list because they are romantic, timeless, and perfect for the first dance. They create a special moment that the couple and their guests will remember forever.
These 30 wedding first dance songs offer a range of options for any couple’s taste and style. Whether you prefer classic love songs, modern hits, indie tunes, country ballads, or R&B jams, there is a perfect song out there for your first dance as a married couple.
How to Incorporate Your First Dance Song into Your Wedding
Choosing the perfect first dance song is an important decision that can set the tone for the rest of your wedding reception. Here are some tips on how to incorporate your first dance song into your wedding:
1. Consider Your Personal Style
When selecting a first dance song, it’s important to choose a song that reflects your personal style as a couple. Whether you prefer a classic love ballad or a modern hit, there are plenty of options to choose from. Take some time to listen to different songs and choose one that resonates with both of you.
2. Coordinate with Your DJ or Band
Once you’ve chosen your first dance song, make sure to coordinate with your DJ or band to ensure they have the song in their repertoire. If they don’t, you may need to provide them with the song or ask if they can learn it before your wedding day.
3. Plan Your Dance
Practice your first dance ahead of time to ensure you feel comfortable and confident on the dance floor. Consider taking dance lessons to perfect your moves and make your first dance even more special.
4. Add Personal Touches
Consider adding personal touches to your first dance to make it even more memorable. For example, you could incorporate a special dance move or have your wedding party join in halfway through the song.
5. Choose the Right Timing
Timing is everything when it comes to your first dance. Consider when in the evening you want to have your first dance and plan accordingly. You may want to have your first dance immediately after your grand entrance or wait until later in the evening when everyone is on the dance floor.
By following these tips, you can incorporate your first dance song into your wedding in a way that is meaningful and memorable for both you and your partner.
Choosing the perfect first dance song for a wedding can be a daunting task. However, with the right resources and guidance, it can be a fun and exciting process. The list of top 30 wedding first dance songs for 2024 is a great starting point for couples who are looking for inspiration.
Based on the search results, some of the most popular first dance songs for 2024 include “Perfect” by Ed Sheeran, “Can’t Help Falling in Love” by Elvis Presley, and “At Last” by Etta James. These classic love songs are timeless and will always be a great choice for a first dance.
For couples who want to add a modern twist to their first dance, songs like “Love on Top” by Beyonce, “You Are the Best Thing” by Ray LaMontagne, and “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” by Aerosmith are great options. These songs are upbeat and fun, and will get everyone on the dance floor.
It’s important to remember that the first dance song should be a reflection of the couple’s personality and style. Whether it’s a classic love song or a modern hit, the most important thing is that the couple feels a connection to the song and can dance to it comfortably.
In conclusion, there are many great first dance songs to choose from for a wedding in 2024. By using the list of top 30 wedding first dance songs as a starting point, couples can find the perfect song that will make their wedding day even more memorable.
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An engagement party is a great way to share this exciting news and get family and friends together to commemorate your forthcoming union.
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The Mansion on Main Street is a picturesque events venue wrapped in elegance and modern beauty. Situated amidst exquisitely manicured grounds, lush gardens and a large cascading waterfall in Voorhees, New Jersey, this breathtaking property is ideal for gatherings of any kind, including but not limited to weddings, corporate events and celebrations.

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Mahmoud Darwish (1941-2008)
Postcolonialism / Contemporary Literature
Mahmoud Darwish, a poet and activist, is considered to be the National Poet of Palestine. Born in a small village in Galilee in 1941, Darwish experienced the razing of his village by Israeli soldiers when he was 7 years old. His family was never allowed to reclaim their land. The family returned a year later to what was now Israel and settled in the Arab section of Galilee. As a young adult, Darwish settled in Haifa, the third-largest city in Israel, known for peaceful relations between Israelis and Palestinians.
In college, Darwish joined the Israeli Communist Party and served as editor of their journal, where he began to publish poems. Darwish studied in Russia for a year in 1970; afterward, he moved to Egypt. When he joined the Palestinian Liberation Organization in 1973, he was banned from re-entering Israel. For many years, he lived in Beirut and in Paris; in 1995, he was permitted to return and settled in Ramallah.
Darwish published his first volume of poetry, Leaves of Olives, at 22. He was a prolific writer and published over 30 volumes of poetry over his lifetime; he also edited a number of Arabic political and literary journals. His poems address the exile of the Palestinian people and were often read or recited at nationalist meetings, events, and protests. When “Identity Card” became the protest song of the resistance in the 1960s, Darwish was placed under house arrest.
Palestinians revere Darwish as the poet who gives voice to their sense of homelessness; according to the poet Naomi Shihab Nye, quoted on the site of the Poetry Foundation, Darwish’s style is “lyrical, imagistic, plaintive, haunting, always passionate and elegant—and never anything less than free—what he would dream for all his people.”
Darwish was honored with a number of awards, including the Ibn Sina Prize, the Lenin Peace Prize, the 1969 Lotus prize from the Union of Afro-Asian Writers, France’s Knight of Arts and Belles Lettres medal in 1997, the 2001 Prize for Cultural Freedom from the Lannan Foundation, the Moroccan Wissam of intellectual merit handed to him by King Mohammad VI of Morocco, and the USSR’s Stalin Peace Prize.
“Victim Number 18” (1967) was written to memorialize the victims of a 1956 Israeli attack on a Palestinian village at the start of the Suez War in which 48 villagers were killed. The speaker is one of the victims of the attack. “Identity Card” (1964), arguably Darwish’s best-known poem, at one time became a protest song for the Nationalist movement; at demonstrations, protestors chanted “Write Down! I am an Arab!” In this poem, the speaker, or speakers, embody the lives of ordinary Palestinians.
Consider while reading:
- How does Darwish characterize life before the attack in “Victim Number 18”?
- How does he characterize the attackers?
- In “Identity Card,” how might the poem function as a rallying cry for protest?
- How does Darwish characterize the lives of ordinary Palestinians?
Written by Anita Turlington


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I am with Mental Health America of San Diego County, a nonprofit community organization that has focused in four areas: advocacy, education, services, and research. We are looking to implement VR into the mental health services we provide to clients and mental health professionals by addressing mental health through the use of virtual reality as a delivery alternative. Currently we are starting a small case study with 36 mental health professionals to see how virtual reality can help improve their physical and psychological well-being, the goal is to improve individual’s ability to form positive relationships with clients, and feel connected and supported. Our focus will be to help the helpers, care for the mental health of professionals in the field caring for others. We plan on levering our findings to create grants from local and federal agencies as well as private sources such as corporate organizations and private foundations. I am reaching out to see if Oculus would be interested in sponsoring this project in any capacity. I personally have been using Oculus for some time and it helped me in creating this prospective program. Looking forward to connecting with your representative.
Mental Health America of San Diego County
501(c)(3) tax id: 95-1948185
4069 30th St. San Diego, CA 92104
Cell: (619) 942-0309

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The 2017 Mercedes-AMG GT C Roadster has been unveiled and it will be with an open top.
The first time it has been seen in an online video. The new car will have two versions: GT and GT C. Now this bellwether line-up will add these two models to the already existing GT, GT S and GT R coupes.
The GT C is something we have not seen before and there have been differences in engine and gearbox. The new vehicle may be filling the gap between ‘S’ and ‘R’. A 4.0-liter twin turbo V8 engine is installed into the car. It produces 550 horsepower and 680Nm of torque. This means that the car has 47 hp more than the GT S, but 27 hp less than the GT R.
Although the new Roadster weighs 1660kg, it is faster than the GT S, due to upgraded engine and extra power. It takes it just 3.7 seconds to complete 0-100km/h sprint which is 0.1 seconds faster than the GT S. The top speed of a car is 316km/h.
Moreover, this car contains locking rear differential which is governed electronically and an all-wheel steering just like the GT R.
The new roadster has specially designed adjustable AMG Ride Control sports suspension, a rear track which is wider than at the previous model and AMG performance steering wheel made out of either microfiber or nappa leather. Moreover, some of the innovations are larger tires – 19-inch front and 20-inch rear, lithium-ion battery and the new transmission mode ‘Race’ for all high-speed lovers.
This car looks similar to the GT R from whom it borrowed the famous ‘Panamericana’ front grille and a bumper which is slightly modified and it will have more profound side skirts and better air intakes.
The rear bumper contains air outlets just like the GT R, but the difference is that it the bumper is wider and another air outlet is located under the boot lid. On the other hand, the designers decided to leave a lower diffuser design just like the GT and GT S coupes have. It also comes with the double exhaust outlets, unlike the GT R whose exhaust tips are reinforced at the center.
The unit in the GT Roadster is also a twin-turbo with eight cylinders, but it produces 469 hp and 630Nm of torque which is less than the new GT C.
The top speed this car can reach is 302km/h and it takes him 4.0 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100km/h. It is amazing that this coupe can go over 300km/h but the version with the roof is faster by 2km/h.
A DTC transmission with seven speeds is located in both GT and GT C with rear-wheel drive.
These performance measurements are astonishing, but the manufacturers had to modify the body dramatically in order to compensate for the lack of immovable roof.
The vehicle has become agiler in corners by inserting magnesium in the front of the car and some alloys of aluminum in the chassis.
Not only has the rear axle been reinforced with a strut bar, but the body has also been strengthened with thicker side skirts. Furthermore, there are extra struts to support the dashboard and the roll-over protection system is another addition to the roof mechanism.
The interior of the GT C is almost the same as the one in GT. The folding roof, however, can be found in three colors – black, beige and red.
It takes about 11 seconds for the roof to open and close.
In addition, the AMG performance exhaust system is considered a standard for the GT C and it has flaps which can be modified and their purpose is to adjust the sound of a car depending on a driving mode. However, those flaps can be closed or opened by just one click of the button.
There are three transmission modes in the GT Roadster – Sport, Sport Plus and Comfort. Likewise, there is a fourth option so that the drivers can set the transmission mode according to their own taste and need.The ‘Race’ Mode on the GT C opens up the exhaust and the one has a feeling to drive a race car.
GT R’s air management system is in both GT Roadster and GT allowing louvers in the front to be opened and closed in one second by pressing the button. When they are opened, a maximum airflow to the heat exchangers is permitted, but that influences the aerodynamics.
Although for now, the buyers can only satisfy with the GT C in roadster form, the plan is that the coupe version appears later next year.
In Australia, the GT C Roadster will go on sale in the second half of next year.
It is not yet confirmed whether the GT Roadster will be brought to Australia considering that the GT coupe also avoided that market.
We will know more details at the Paris motor show next month, so stay tuned.


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Dixie shows folks another good time at the Temple
When Dixie Longate showed up to clear beer bottles off the stage the other night at the Temple Theater, the sweet old lady sitting next to me turned my way and said, very earnestly, “That looks like a man in drag. I could be wrong, but I think it is.”
Bless her heart.
But, really, why fuss with labels for such a singular phenomenon? Dixie almost defies description, a whirlwind in a push-up bra and heels.
She plays by her own rules and so does her mouthful of a new show, “Dixie’s Never Wear a Tube Top While Riding a Mechanical Bull and 16 Other Things I Learned While I Was Drinking Last Thursday.” In increasing order of success, creator and star Kris Andersson’s 90-minute spectacle is a motivational speech, a stand-up routine and a character study – of a character who is equal parts Dolly Parton, Peg Bundy and a caffeinated auctioneer.
The Southern charmer talks so fast that you start to wonder if she has somehow freed herself from the usual human need for oxygen. Or maybe she’s mastered the musician’s trick of circular breathing, inhaling through her nose while simultaneously trumpeting an uninterrupted barrage of gossip and unvarnished advice. The words spew forth so urgently that they often slur, to hilarious effect, in the rush to exit her mouth.
Even a champion stenographer would struggle to keep up, but I tried my best to record Dixie’s observations about her mother (“I don’t know how many times we unplug her, but she still keeps breathin’ ”), her best friend (“that friend you love with all your heart but you’re two inches away from pushing off a bridge”), and her best friend’s idol, the actress Julie Andrews (“a hooker who can sing a lullaby”).
The set-up is a honky-tonk bar on the Gulf Coast, under the occasional thunder claps of an approaching storm (described in a radio forecast by NewsChannel 13’s Ed Wilson). Dixie is cleaning up the joint after the previous night’s party for her best friend, Georgia Jean, who just trotted off on a honeymoon.
There are a few bits of audience interaction, including a scene when “volunteers” get to pin fake boobs on a cardboard cut-out of Andrews (don’t ask). But for the most part, the stage belongs exclusively to Dixie, who dishes about life and love and sex just as she did during the Tupperware parties she’s hosted several times at the Temple since 2008.
This time, some of her hard-won life lessons feel a bit heavy-handed, but the woman who once “smelled like a case of whiskey covered in cheese” never promised to be subtle. Toward the end, the stage lights dim and the spotlight shines on her glowing face and mighty red hairdo as she urges folks to be kind, to be courageous, and to “shut up, have a Moon Pie, and get on with your damn life.”
It’s a lovely sentiment, straight from a Dixie’s great big heart.
But her mouth is just as big, and her shtick works best when it’s “crazier than cross-eyed triplets playing Whac-A-Mole at the Chuck E. Cheese.”
If you go
When: 7:30 p.m. most Tuesdays through Fridays, 5 and 8 p.m. Saturdays, and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Sundays through Jan. 3. Check the website for a few holiday exceptions, including a 9 p.m. performance on New Year’s Eve.
Where: Temple Theater, 1011 Locust St.


4250 Harris Avenue
Commute to Downtown St. Louis
Most errands require a car.
Flat as a pancake, minimal bike lanes.
4250 Harris Avenue has a Walk Score of 48 out of 100. This location is a Car-Dependent neighborhood so most errands require a car.
This location is in the O'Fallon Park neighborhood in St. Louis. Nearby parks include O'Fallon Park, Fairground Park and Tandy Park.
Explore how far you can travel by car, bus, bike and foot from 4250 Harris Avenue.


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"The Morning Briefing" is SmartPlanet's daily roundup of must-reads from the web. This morning we're reading about high-speed rail.
1.) 24 countries on track for high-speed rail. High-speed rail systems will be operational in 24 countries by 2014, new research indicates. As popularity for this advanced form of transportation grows worldwide, will the U.S. get on board?
2.) High-speed rail officials rebuffed proposal from French railway. The French railway recommended that the state build the rail line along the Interstate 5 corridor and partner with it or another foreign firm to hold down costs.
3.) Is California's high-speed train on track or off the rails? One political party absolutely loves the idea of the modern rail system, both as a boon for business and commerce, and, incidentally, perhaps as a bit of a boondoggle for its political buddies.
4.) It's time to plan for high-speed rail. [Letter]
5.) Amtrak's high-speed Northeast Corridor plan at $151 billion. Amtrak's updated plan for high-speed train travel on the East Coast envisions 37-minute trips between Philadelphia and New York, after a $151 billion redevelopment of the entire Northeast Corridor.
Image credit: California High Speed Rail Authority / Associated Press
This post was originally published on Smartplanet.com


I hope you will get lots of mileage out of this little gem. This is a simple, delightful song I learned years ago in my first Kodaly certification course. I teach this tune (the fall verse) to K-2 children in late September and revisit it as the seasons change, moving from a singing game (hiding and finding a fake bird or flower) and rhythm exploration (mapping with silk leaves) to iconic notation and composition activities, depending on students' readiness.
The children enjoy creating new lyrics for this simple but lovely melody as the seasons change. As an extension, older children enjoy switching up the solfege/rhythm cards and creating something new.
This file contains the song notation and seasonal iconic notation cards. Enjoy adapting these to your students' abilities. I have a few pictures of students engaged in exploring and composing on my BLOG.
If you appreciate this product, please be so kind and leave feedback.


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Beige Dotty Cotton Poplin
£6.99 per metre instead of £8.99 per metre
This neutral cotton poplin which measures 112cm wide is an ideal colour choice for so many sewing and craft projects as it will combine with different prints and the dots add a good dash of interest.
I’ve recently made a lampshade from it with one of the kits I sell and I must admit I love it! The fabric really sits well against my Swansdown coloured kitchen wall and it blends effortlessly with the rustic lampstand I’ve fit it on. Check out my facebook page for a photograph of it.
This special price will continue for the month of August or until the fabric runs out, whichever comes first!


My one and only hive, slowly making it through winter, is about to face more complications.
Within a few days several feet of snow melted in the back yard. It doesn't help that #1 we sit in a bowl between our two neighbors and #2 our soil is pure clay. We put our hive in a location that allowed for a significant amount of sun (most of the yard is shaded) and an area that appeared to be nice and dry the past 2 winters. Well, this winter was quite different, for the entire nation. Now you can see that my yard and the pond beyond the fence have met and they are slowly making their way to the hive. I wouldn't be freaking if it weren't for the fact that the hive nearly toppled a couple days ago and we had to shore it up with some heavy logs we had on hand. Hubby purchased a strap to wrap around the hive just in case it falls, at least it will stay in tact. When I stand near the hive I sink up to my ankles in mud and water, that part is covered by snow now. I've gotten some good advice on the beesource as to how to handle this mess so today we'll be putting the strap on and renting a dolly to move the hive aside so we can place wood or brick underneath to keep it higher than the water level. Please, all of you reading, send positive energy to my little bees in hopes that they survive. They've come through the worst part of winter, they just have a couple weeks to go.


After many teases, Xiaomi just announced their latest budget flagship smartphone the Xiaomi 11T Pro in the country. The phone packs a 6.67’’ FHD+ 120Hz AdaptiveSync AMOLED flat display, with HDR10+ rating, 1000 nits of peak brightness, and Dolby Vision. It is powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 5G SoC with up to 12GB LPDDR5 RAM and up to 256GB of UFS3.1 internal storage.
As for the optics, the phone comes with a triple rear camera setup with a main 108MP wide-angle lens, an 8MP 120° ultra-wide-angle, and a 5MP 2x telemacro camera. There is also a 20MP camera on the front for crisp selfies. The Xiaomi 11T Pro is expected to come with MIUI 12.5 based on Android 11 right out of the box with promised 3 Major Android version updates and 4 years of Security updates. Apart from this, there are stereo speakers, Hi-Res audio support, and a side-mounted fingerprint scanner. There is a 5,000mAh battery juicing the phone with 120W fast charging support and Xiaomi will bundle the charger within the box.
Xiaomi 11T and 11T Pro specifications
- 6.67-inch Full HD+ AMOLED panel, HDR10+
- 120Hz adaptive refresh rate, Dolby Vision, MEMC
- Corning Gorilla Glass Victus protection
- Qualcomm Snapdragon 888 processor with Adreno 660 GPU
- 8/12GB LPDDR5 RAM with up to 128GB / 256GB UFS 3.1 storage
- Rear: 108MP (f/1.75), 8MP 120° ultra-wide-angle lens (f/2.2), 5MP telemacro (f/2.4)
- Front: 16MP (f/2.45) Selfie Camera
- Dual SIM (nano + nano)
- MIUI 12.5 based on Android 11
- Side-mounted fingerprint sensor, IR sensor
- Stereo speakers, Dolby Atmos, SOUND BY Harman Kardon (11T Pro)
- 5G SA/NSA, Dual 4G VoLTE, Wi-Fi 6 802.11 ax (Dual-band), Bluetooth 5.2, GPS (L1 + L5), NFC
- 5,000mAh battery with 120W
Pricing & Availablity
The Xiaomi 11T Pro comes in Celestial Magic, Meteorite Black and Moonlight White colour options. It is priced at INR 39,999 for the 8/128GB model, INR 41,999 for the 8/256GB model and the top-end 12/256GB model costs INR 43,999. It will be available from Amazon, Mi.com, Mi Home stores and retail stores starting today.


NVIDIA Will Not Release a New Architecture Until the End of 2005
Goldman Sachs Believes NVIDIA Corp. Unlikely to Release New GPU Soon
Research and investment firm Goldman Sachs said in its recent report it did not expect NVIDIA Corp. to release a new graphics architecture earlier than in late 2005 and any significant market share changes between ATI Technologies and NVIDIA Corp.. The company said it expected NVIDIA’s handset products revenue to grow significantly.
No New Architecture Shortly from NVIDIA
“In terms of the core discreet desktop graphics (58% of revenue) franchise, NVIDIA will not release a new architecture until the end of 2005. This could allow ATI Technologies a window of superior performance if its gets its R520 products out on time (mid-2005). Overall, we expect little movement in desktop discreet market share in 2005 between NVIDIA and ATI Technologies,” Goldman Sachs’ report claims.
While NVIDIA remains extremely tight-lipped over its future products, it is known that the company is readying its code-named NV47 visual processing unit, a massively revamped GeForce 6 architecture with 24 pixel pipelines. The NV47 is expected to be released sometime in Spring, 2005, but it is unknown whether NVIDIA is ahead, or behind ATI’s R520 product. With 24 pixel pipelines NVIDIA Corp. is likely to feel itself competitive with ATI’s R520.
The status of NVIDIA’s future architecture code-named NV50 is also uncertain: some reported recently that the chip had been cancelled, but officials decline to confirm or deny the information.
more @ http://www.xbitlabs.com/news/video/d...110034348.html
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Boeing's space capsule Starliner, unmanned aboard, landed safely today in a desert in the western United States after failing to dock with the International Space Station (ERA), AFP reports.
The mission's partial failure is a setback for the aerospace giant, whose reputation is tarnished by two 737 MAX aircraft crashes this year in which more than 300 people died, and NASA, which relies on this vehicle to ship. their astronauts in 2020 to the ISS
The CST-100 Starliner capsule landed early in the morning at White Sands Base at 5:58 pm local time (12:58 pm in Lisbon), with its live return on Earth, and the device was slowed by three large parachutes and the landing cushioned by airbags.
"The vehicle appears to be in fantastic condition," the recovery teams reported, according to Boeing's Steve Siceloff.
The capsule was launched Friday in Cape Canaveral, Florida, on the Atlantic coast, by the Atlas V rocket built by the United Launch Alliance.
Shortly after the rocket split, Starliner did not activate the thrusters as it should, and therefore was not placed in the correct path to gain altitude and reach the ISS, which is in orbit at 400 kilometers altitude.
If the test had gone as expected, the CST-100 Starliner capsule, which did not carry astronauts, would spend next week at the ISS as part of the rehearsal for the crew flight scheduled for next year.
However, the capsule ended up in the wrong orbit shortly after its launch on Friday, and Boeing and the US space agency NASA decided to return it to Earth as soon as possible.
According to NASA Director Jim Bridenstine, an anomaly occurred in the spacecraft's countdown system, causing the onboard computer to "think" that it had already made the necessary maneuvers to get into orbit.
“The capsule consumed more fuel than anticipated to stay controlled. That made meeting with the space station impossible, ”said the NASA director.
The seemingly successful return could lead NASA to decide to stick to the schedule for Starliner's first manned flight in early 2020, with Boeing test astronaut Chris Ferguson and NASA astronauts Nicole Mann and Mike Fincke.
(tagsToTranslate) the giant


Popular Sn'cnrr Moittlili/
���Should an invasion of the United States be attempted Uie first troopship to appear on the horizon would be immediately attacked from all directions by the mosquito fleet
��A modern torpedo is nineteen feet long and twenty-one inches in diameter, and it weighs over a ton. Obviously it can- not be carried on the deck of a small motor boat, or in an overboard tube. Accordingly I have devised a method of attaching torpedoes to the hull itself, one along each side of the keel. Thus sup- ported the torpedoes neither add nor subtract from the weight of the vessel; for the torpedoes have neither positive nor negative buo\ancy. There may be a slight reduction in speed; but that disad\antage is far outweighed by the fonnidable character of the weapon carried. No launching machinery is required; the mere starting of the torpedo-propeling machinery is enough for launching. The torpedo is so sus- pended that it can be dropped off, what- ever may be the speed of the vessel. Still more important, the torpedoes are launched with the motor boat bow on, thus facilitating fire-control. The motor boat need only be pointed at its target; a torpedo launched from a deck-tube, athwartship, as on a torpedo-boat de- stroyer, may miss its mark l)ecause of a hea\y roll. To be sure a motor boat will pitch; but pitching is never so marked as rolling and is more easily allowed for.
But is it not dangerous to earn,- torpedoes in this way? May not the motor boat be blown u|) by its own weapons? Rare experience convinces me that so long as the pistols in the war- heads of the torpedoes are locked (and the^• will be unlocked onlv when the
��tc^rpedo is to lie lired) there is no danger. A warhead, e\en though it is filled with five hundred pounds of guncotton can withstand a severe shock.
At interv^als of about one hundred miles along our coast stations would be maintained for ten or fifteen motor boats.
Hmc the Motor Torpedo Boats Would Defend Us
Imagine, now, an attempt to in\ade the United States. Two hundred miles at sea our fleet is engaging the enemy's battleships in an effort to stop him from reaching our .shores. The outcome of the battle is at least doubtful. Mean- while his transports steam on. A motor scout sees them. At once the wireless telegraphic key of a radio operator Hashes to the nearest boat station the number of the transports and their bearing. The news is wired from station to station. A verilal)le swarm of motor torpedo boats sets out. Their com- mander employs regulation torpedo- boat tactics; a dozen boats are sent against a single vessel; one at least will strike a telling blow. The boats lie low; they are difficult to hit. The enemy's transports, on the other hand, are large and \ery distinct. Moreo\er, the range is a mile and a half. The pistols in the war heads are set. A half dozen tor- pedoes are launched at once against the broadside of the transport. There is the thunrler of an explosion; a troopship dJN'es head foremost into the waves; tliree regiments perish.


As a child, you have very few worries in the world. It’s the time in your life when you can pretty much do whatever you please and not have to worry about the consequences – especially when it comes to food.
But for nine-year-old Breanna Bond, that wasn’t the case. At the age of nine, the California-native tipped the scales at 200lbs (14st 2lbs) – the ideal weight for a 6ft1 male, according to Banner Health.
Breanna was one of the thousands of obese children in America, destined for health complications in later life. But she managed to turn that all around after being bullied in the school playground for her larger-than-average size.
In the space of 14 months, Breanna managed to lose 40% of her body weight through varying exercises and a balanced diet.
Her parents were her biggest motivators on her weight loss journey, ensuring that come rain or shine their daughter was committing to her exercise routine, which included a four-mile walk daily.
Now 13 years old, Breanna looks dramatically different after an intense diet. Just look at her now…
Her parents’ motivation came from the fact that they’d watched their once bubbly daughter become increasingly withdrawn as her weight began to impact her daily life. Being unable to climb the monkey bars like the other children at school was only one of the things that caused Breanna to feel isolated from her classmates.
Determined to help change their daughter’s life for the better, her parents decided to implement a diet plan, but they didn’t let her do it alone.
The Bond family banished their beloved junk food and began to introduce exercise into their daily routine. “I walked every step with her,” Breanna’s mother explains.
This focus helped change Breanna’s approach to life. Now she is active on her school’s swimming team, placing in the top eight of the Junior Olympics finals for her age group in the 500-yard freestyle.
Looking at Breanna now, it’s impossible to know that she was once an obese child.


text:
Let me not spend my life lamenting the world’s sorrows for above in the wide sky the moon shines pure
ukiyo to mo omoi-tōsaji oshikaeshi tsuki no sumikeru hisakata no sora
I came across this poem quite by accident. But it really struck home, as I’ve been spending too much time thinking about the state of the world right now. The human race appears to be quite incapable of working together to address the existential crises of the pandemic, global heating and species extinctions, and overpopulation, as well as the rejection of reason and science dramatically exacerbating these potentially soluble crises. Humans have not reacted to these crises in general by pulling together, given that collective action can indeed address and ameliorate, if not completely address, them. But ratherhave retreated back into tribes who blame the “other” for all their problems. It is indeed difficult sometimes to remember the moon shining pure in the wide sky.
Saigyō was the Buddhist name of Fujiwara no Norikiyo (1118–1190), a Japanese Buddhist monk-poet. He is regarded as one of the greatest masters of the tanka (a traditional Japanese poetic form). He influenced many later Japanese poets, particularly the haiku master Basho.
Saigyo was born into a branch of the Fujiwara clan, the most powerful family in Japan in the early 12th century. As a young man he joined the Hokumen Guards who served at the retired Emperor’s palace. Despite a seemingly assured future, he decided at the age of 23 to “turn from the world” and become a reclusive wandering Buddhist monk. He spent the rest of his life in alternating periods of travel and seclusion with occasional periodic returns to the capital at Kyoto to participate in imperial ceremonies. During this period, the second half of the 12th century, Japan was wracked by civil war
The translation of the poem above is by Meredith McKinney, who has published a selection of over 100 poems by Saigyo in the collection Gazing at the Moon: Buddhist Poems of Solitude (September 2021). The poems selected focus on Saigyo’s story of Buddhist awakening, reclusion, seeking, enlightenment and death. I can highly recommend this collection, which embodies the Japanese aesthetic of mono no aware — to be moved by sorrow in witnessing the ephemeral world.
Meredith McKinney is an award-winning translator of classical and modern Japanese literature, who lived and taught for around 20 years in Japan. She returned to Australia in 1998 and now lives near the small town of Braidwood, not far from Canberra where I lived until early 2000. I was interested to learn a little more about her, and was surprised to find out that she is the daughter of Judith Wright (1915-2000), one of Australia’s greatest poets and an activist for the environment and indigenous rights. For the last three decades of her life, Wright lived near Braidwood. She became completely deaf in 1992 after progressively losing her hearing since early adulthood.
When I studied physics at university in the 1970s, I became interested in the nature of time, particularly in light (pun intended) of its role in both special and general relativity. I also read The Direction of Time by Hans Reichenbach (1891-1953) regarded as the leading empiricist philosopher of the 20th century, as well as other philosophers and writers. Later, in the 1990s I became a student of Zen Buddhism with Hogen Yamahata, who emphasised that the only reality is what is experienced here-now. This certainly describes my experience of time but is also fundamentally at odds with the usual understanding of the implications of modern physics.
So I read Carlo Rovelli’s fourth bookThe Order of Time (2018) with great interest. Unusually for a physicist he gives an accessible and very readable overview of the main findings of physics but also discusses the human experience of time and tries to integrate our common experience with the insights of modern physics. See here for my previous review of his first book Anaximander.
It’s a short book and is written for a lay audience, written in a very readable and accessible way. Its been criticized by some for not having enough hard science exposition and too much speculative stuff, particularly in the third section. However, I thoroughly enjoyed the mix and wholeheartedly recommend it if you are at all interested in the nature of time.
Rovelli opens with the claim that the nature of time is perhaps the greatest remaining mystery. I’m inclined to think that consciousness and the fundamental constituents of reality are equally great mysteries, and indeed these may all be interrelated. The introductory chapter identifies a number of key questions about time:
Does the universe unfold into the future, as time flows? Does in fact time “flow”?
Does the past, present and future all exist in the block universe of relativity, with our consciousness or perhaps the “present moment” moving through the blocks?
Why do we remember the past and not the future? Put another way, why does time flow only in one direction, when the fundamental equations of physics have no preferred time direction?
Is time a fundamental property of the universe in which events play out, or is time an emergent property, perhaps emerging only at a certain scale or degree of complexity?
The rest of the book is divided into three parts. In the first part, Rovelli summarizes the understanding of time in modern physics, and how this is radically at odds with our normal perceptions of time. Special and general relativity have conclusively shown that there is not a single universal time. Time passes at different rates at different places (faster where gravity is lower) and at for observers travelling at different speeds (slower when velocity is greater). Additionally, there is no longer a single universal “now”. Between the past and the present there is an expanded “now” in which different observers will see events occurring with different time differences and possibly in a different order. The direction of time, the difference between past and future, does not exist in the elementary equations of the world and appears only in the second law of thermodynamics (entropy of a closed system can only increase or stay the same).
The second part, The World Without Time, delves into the fundamental nature of reality, drawing on Rovelli’s own field of research, loop quantum gravity in a shorter section. He argues that the fundamental constituents of reality are events (interactions) not things, and that space and time are emergent properties from these interactions. This is controversial, quantum loop gravity is but one of a number of contenders for the ’Theory of Everything’. There are physicists such as Lee Smolin (The Singular Universe and the Reality of Time) who have argued the opposite: that time is indeed a fundamental property of the universe. And more, like Sean Carrol, who conclude that neither he nor anyone else has a clue whether time is fundamental or emergent.
The third and final part attempts identify the sources of time and to understand how the non-universal time of relativity and the non-time of fundamental physics are consistent with our experience of time: “Somehow our time must emerge around us, at least for us and at our scale.” This to me was the most interesting and inspiring part of the book, though there are many reviewers on Amazon and Goodreads who really did not like it. Rovelli is up-front about the speculative nature of his “possible” answer. He is not sure it is the right answer, but it’s the one that he finds the most compelling and he doesn’t think there any better ones.
As have many before him, Rovelli locates the arrow of time in the second law of thermodynamics, that entropy can never decrease. Entropy is a macroscopic property of systems and essentially associated with the number of microscopic configurations that are consistent with the “blurred” macroscopic view. Rovelli repeatedly uses the idea of “blurring” to explain the emergence of time at the macroscopic level. You have to read him to (possibly) understand it. He also identifies another potential source of temporal ordering in the quantum uncertainty principle; that the values of variables such as speed and position depend on the ordering of their measurement. He then states that Alain Connes has shown that the emergent thermal time and quantum time are aspects of the same phenomenon. Time emerges from our ignorance of the microscopic details of the world.
Although I studied statistical mechanics, I never understood until reading Rovelli that entropy was a relative quantity, determined not only by the state of a system but also by the set of macroscopic variable with which it is observed. Rovelli addresses the issue of why the universe started in a low entropy state (allowing the emergence of time) by suggesting that the universe has pockets of high and low entropy by chance, and necessarily it is only in the regions with low entropy that time can emerge so that life is possible, together with evolution, thought and memories of past times. He is arguing an astonishing variant of the weak anthropic principle, namely, that the flow of time is not a characteristic of the universe as a whole but necessarily associated with local region(s) in which entropy is initially low. This suggested to me that perhaps there might be sentient life forms evolve in local regions of the universe which are not in initial low entropy state according to the macro-variables by which we and other earthly life interact with reality, but may be low entropy for life forms which interact via a different set of macro-variables.
Rovelli goes on to speculate that the emergence of time may have more to do with us than with the cosmos per se. Is this dangerously close to putting humans back at the centre of the universe? He then discusses how causality also is a result of the fact that entropy increases. This is what allows past events to leave traces in the present, and that we remember the past but not the future. Evolution has designed our brains to use the traces to predict the future. Causality, memory, history all emerge from the fact that our universe was in a particular state of low entropy in the past. That particularity is relative, dependent on the set of macroscopic variables with which we interact with the world.
And in the final chapters of the book, Rovelli turns to us, and the role we play with respect to time. This for me was the most fascinating and inspiring part of the book. Rovelli argues that humans (and the rest of the biosphere) have been hard-wired by evolution to accept and use the concept of time. The changing interactions are real, but the time in which all this seems to occur is a manifestation of the human (and probably animal) mind, which has evolved to make use of the memory traces of the past to predict the future. The movement is real, the changing is real, but the time in which all of this seems to occur is nothing more than a manifestation of human (possibly animal) mind and the illusion, in turn, is supported by the entropy generated in the functioning of our brains.
From his discussion of the three sources of time, he draws a number of conclusions about the implications for us:
The self is not an enduring entity, but an emergent construct of the brain and memory, time is the source of our sense of identity.
Reality is made up of processes or interactions not things. Things are impermanent.
Being is suffering because we are in time, impermanent. “What causes us to suffer is not in the past or the future: it is here, now, in our memory, in our expectations. We long for timelessness, we endure the passing of time: we suffer time. Time is suffering.”
Rovelli explicitly notes how these are also some of the key insights of Buddhism: suffering, no-self, emptiness and impermanence. Rovelli here is NOT doing what people like Fritjof Capra and many new age gurus do: to use the strangeness of reality at quantum level as a justification for believing in macroscopic-level things like telepathy or clairvoyance. Rather, he is arguing that his understanding of time is consistent with what I consider some of the most important insights of Buddhism. I have also realized that the lack of a universal present moment is not inconsistent with the Zen insight that only the present exists. My teacher Hogen-san has always used the phrase “here- now” to describe our only reality, not just “now”. So there is no conflict with the time of relativity.
While Rovelli addresses my key questions about the nature of time, I am not convinced of all his arguments and explanations, or even that I fully understand them. But it is an immensely thought-provoking read, and I will read it again and hopefully my brain will hold off hurting long enough for me to clarify my own thoughts and speculations on the nature of time. In the meantime, I have been paying attention to the present moment as much as I can during my daily zazen, trying to simply experience here-now without thoughts about the past or speculations about the future.
A previous post examined the Zen tradition of “lineages” of teachers transmitting enlightenment person-to-person and documented the lineages of my Zen teachers down from Bodhidharma, the first Patriarch of Chinese Ch’an (Zen). In this post, I examine the Zen tradition of an Indian lineage which reaches back from Bodhidharma through 27 ancestors to the the historical Buddha, Shakyamuni. Shakyamuni Buddha’s birth and death dates are somewhat contested, but 563-483 BCE seem to be the most generally accepted dates.
I’ve mainly been doing shikantaza “just sitting” during the pandemic, but I recently started re-reading “Zen Koans: learning the language of dragons” by James Ishmael Ford. This is an excellent general introduction to Zen, the range of Zen methods of meditation, and particularly working with koans. Ford was given dharma transmission by my first Zen teacher, John Tarrant, who was the first Australian authorized to teach Zen.
Ford discusses the concept of Zen lineages in his book (pages 28-30) and this reminded me that I had collected information on the lineages of the teachers I have worked with, and inspired me to update it and turn it into a set of charts. These trace the transmission of Zen from India to China to Japan and then to my Western teachers. I’ve updated these and posted them below.
Recently I discovered Carlo Rovelli, an Italian physicist and best-selling popular science writer and noticed he had written a book on Anaximander, an early Greek philosopher who lived around 150 years before Socrates in the sixth century BC. Though I read some of the Greek philosophers when I was younger, I don’t recall coming across Anaximander. I thoroughly enjoyed reading his book and so here is a review.
Anaximander (c. 610 – c. 546 BC), lived in Miletus, a city of Ionia (in modern-day Turkey) and was a student of Thales. Nothing but a few quotations and descriptions of his work survive in the works of later philosophers, but from this sparse information, Rovelli mounts a persuasive argument that Anaximander was the first true scientist, the first to suggest that order in the world was due to natural forces, not supernatural ones.
My son has been reading the existentialists, starting with Camus (of course, The Plague is quite relevant for more than one reason now). He recently moved on to Kierkegaard, who took a form of Christianity as a solution to existential angst. I was reminded of a book I read probably 15 years ago, by Stephen Batchelor: Buddhism Without Beliefs (London: Bloomsbury 1997) which argued that the Buddha was concerned with addressing the existential issue of suffering not with metaphysics and beliefs. I couldn’t find my copy of this, and bought another, which I enjoyed reading even more than the first time.
This is the second half of my review of “12 Rules for Life” by Jordan Peterson, the controversial Canadian psychologist who has become an internet sensation. The first half of my review can be found at 12-rules-for-life-jordan-peterson
Rule 7. Pursue what is meaningful (not what is expedient).
Peterson again turns to the Old Testament to the story of Paradise and the Fall as a guide to Being and right action. He prefaced this with a quite good explanation of how myths and legends encode guidance on Being, action and meaning based on human experience and behaviours that have evolved over a long period of time. But why he thinks Bronze Age myths are still our best source of understanding of these things, and ignores the important evolution of human societies and understanding in recent centuries, I don’t know.
Boodie and her mother were theosophists, and Boodie was a vegetarian who never ate meat. She was involved in funding the construction of an amphitheatre at Balmoral to watch for the coming of Krishnamurti. Another family recollection was that “her money bought a house in Balmoral for the theosophists”. This note gives a brief overview of theosophy in Australia and sheds some light on the “house” and amphitheatre in Mosman.