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Blatant abuse of the blog for personal reasons. But what else is a blog for?
In 5 days time my band is performing at our first gig.
To promote it, I’ve written a parody of 5 Years time by Noah and the Whale
It’s about 5 million years of language evolution.
Luckily, I won’t be playing the ukulele at the gig. But there will be 4 comedy music acts, an instrument that the whole audience plays though a room full of balloons and an appearance by Dr. Gordon Freeman. It’s at the City Cafe, Edinburgh, at 7pm on the 1st July. Here’s a promotional video made using the Half-Life 3D engine.


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In the diverse world of canine companionship, certain breeds have captured the hearts of dog lovers across the United States. Welcome to our exploration of the “10 Most Popular Dog Breeds in the US: Beloved Companions.” From the spirited Labrador Retriever to the regal German Shepherd, each breed brings its own blend of charm, intelligence, and loyalty.
Join us on a journey through the traits and characteristics that make these breeds beloved companions, enriching the lives of countless families. Whether you’re a seasoned dog enthusiast or a prospective pet owner, this guide offers insights into the distinctive qualities that have earned these breeds their cherished status in the hearts and homes of so many. Discover the joy, companionship, and unique personalities that define these popular canine friends.
Most Popular Dog Breeds
Uncover the canine stars of companionship! Our blog delves into the charm, intelligence, and popularity of the most beloved dog breeds, celebrating their unique traits and the joy they bring to households across the globe.
The Labrador Retriever, often hailed as America’s sweetheart, embodies the perfect blend of intelligence, friendliness, and versatility. Renowned for its gentle temperament and boundless enthusiasm, this breed is a favorite choice for families, service work, and therapy. Labradors are highly trainable, excelling in various roles, from loyal family companion to skilled assistance dog. Their affectionate nature and sociable demeanor make them excellent with children and other pets.
Recognizable for their distinctive otter-like tail and expressive eyes, Labradors are not only athletic and adventurous but also possess an innate desire to please. Whether frolicking in the great outdoors or curled up by the fireplace, the Labrador Retriever stands as a testament to loyalty, making it one of the most cherished and popular dog breeds worldwide.
For More- 10 Of The Most Loyal Dog Breeds
The German Shepherd, a majestic and intelligent breed, holds a special place in the hearts of dog enthusiasts worldwide. Revered for its unwavering loyalty, versatility, and striking appearance, the German Shepherd excels in various roles, from devoted family guardian to police and military service. Recognizable by its noble posture, erect ears, and alert expression, this breed is known for its keen intelligence and quick learning. German Shepherds are both courageous and gentle, making them excellent companions for families.
With a strong work ethic and natural protective instincts, they effortlessly adapt to various environments. From herding livestock to performing search and rescue missions, the German Shepherd’s adaptability and steadfast devotion continue to make it one of the most esteemed and popular dog breeds across the globe.
The Golden Retriever, a shining symbol of warmth and affection, is renowned for its friendly nature, intelligence, and stunning golden coat. This breed exudes a joyful demeanor, making it a beloved family companion and an excellent choice for therapy work. With a natural love for human interaction, Golden Retrievers are known for their loyalty and adaptability. Their gentle temperament and patience make them ideal for households with children. Beyond their amiable nature, Golden Retrievers are highly trainable, excelling in obedience and various activities.
Whether participating in agility courses or simply enjoying a leisurely stroll, these dogs embody the perfect blend of playfulness and grace. Their expressive eyes and ever-wagging tails are constant reminders of the joy and companionship they bring to families, solidifying the Golden Retriever’s reputation as one of the most cherished and popular dog breeds.
The French Bulldog, with its distinctive bat ears and charming demeanor, has captured hearts as one of the most beloved small breeds. Known for its compact size and sturdy build, the French Bulldog is an ideal companion for apartment living or families seeking a delightful, affectionate pet. Despite their diminutive stature, these dogs possess a big personality, characterized by a playful and easygoing nature.
French Bulldogs are social butterflies, thriving on human companionship, and they form strong bonds with their owners. Their expressive faces and endearing snorts contribute to their undeniable charm. With a love for lounging and a gentle disposition, French Bulldogs have earned their place as not only a trendy and fashionable breed but also as cherished and delightful members of households worldwide.
The Bulldog, a symbol of tenacity and charm, is celebrated for its distinctive wrinkled face, pushed-in nose, and sturdy build. Known for their gentle and friendly nature, Bulldogs make wonderful companions. Despite their historical association with bull-baiting, today’s Bulldogs are affectionate, docile, and well-suited for family life. Their distinctive “sourmug” expression conceals a loving and loyal character.
Bulldogs are generally low-energy dogs, content with moderate exercise and plenty of lounging. Their short coat requires minimal grooming, adding to their appeal as low-maintenance yet endearing pets. With their unique appearance and affectionate demeanor, Bulldogs continue to captivate dog lovers, embodying a perfect blend of strength, charm, and unwavering devotion.
The Poodle, with its elegant appearance and exceptional intelligence, stands out as one of the most versatile and beloved dog breeds. Known for its distinctive curly coat, the Poodle comes in three sizes: Standard, Miniature, and Toy. Beyond their stylish appearance, Poodles are highly trainable and excel in various roles, from loyal family companions to skilled performers in dog sports. Their hypoallergenic coat adds to their appeal for those with allergies.
Poodles are not only beautiful but also playful and affectionate, forming strong bonds with their human companions. Renowned for their agility and trainability, Poodles have earned a reputation for being both sophisticated and fun-loving, making them cherished members of households around the world.
The Beagle, a small to medium-sized breed with a distinctive appearance and friendly demeanor, has endeared itself to families for centuries. Known for its keen sense of smell and endearing expression, the Beagle is a popular choice for those seeking a playful and sociable companion. With its short legs and long ears, this breed possesses a charming appearance that complements its amiable nature. Beagles are known for their curiosity and love for exploration, making them excellent family pets.
Despite their hunting background, modern Beagles are gentle, affectionate, and adaptable, thriving in various environments. Their loyalty and love for outdoor activities contribute to their popularity as not just charming pets but also as delightful members of families eager to embrace the Beagle’s joyful spirit and affectionate nature.
The Rottweiler, a robust and powerful breed, is celebrated for its strength, loyalty, and protective instincts. Recognized by its distinctive black and tan coat, broad head, and muscular build, the Rottweiler exudes an air of strength and confidence. Despite their imposing appearance, Rottweilers are known for their gentle and devoted nature with their families. They form strong bonds with their owners and are particularly protective, making them excellent guard dogs. Rottweilers are intelligent, trainable, and versatile, excelling in various roles, including police work, search and rescue, and as loyal family companions.
Proper socialization and training are key to harnessing their full potential, ensuring that their natural instincts are balanced with a calm and steady temperament. With the right guidance and care, the Rottweiler emerges not just as a powerful guardian but also as a loving and cherished member of the family.
The Yorkshire Terrier, often referred to as the “Yorkie,” is a small yet spirited breed that captivates with its luxurious, silky coat and confident personality. Despite their diminutive size, Yorkies are known for their big hearts and bold attitudes. With their distinctive blue and tan coats and perky ears, these dogs possess an undeniable charm. Yorkies are not only fashionable companions but also possess a feisty and adventurous spirit. Despite their small stature, they are often assertive and make excellent watchdogs.
Their loyalty to their owners is unwavering, and their playful nature adds joy to any household. Yorkies thrive in both urban and suburban settings, making them adaptable and cherished pets. Whether strutting along with their stylish coats or curling up for a cuddle, Yorkshire Terriers bring a delightful combination of elegance and vivacity to the homes lucky enough to have them as cherished members.
The Boxer, a medium to large breed with a distinctive square muzzle and muscular build, is renowned for its boundless energy, intelligence, and friendly disposition. Recognizable by its sleek coat, expressive eyes, and strong jaw, the Boxer is both an athletic companion and a loving family dog. Known for their playful nature and gentle temperament, Boxers are excellent with children and form strong bonds with their families. Their protective instincts make them natural guardians, and their high energy levels make them ideal for active households.
Despite their imposing appearance, Boxers are affectionate, sociable, and often display a charming sense of humor. Whether engaging in play or offering unwavering loyalty, Boxers continue to be cherished members of families, embodying a perfect blend of strength, agility, and warm companionship.
Also Read- How to Avoid 10 Common Dog Grooming Mistakes
Exploring the 10 most popular dog breeds in the US has unveiled a diverse tapestry of beloved companions, each contributing unique qualities to the lives they touch. From the loyal Labrador Retriever to the regal German Shepherd, and the charming French Bulldog to the playful Beagle, these breeds have earned their popularity through a harmonious blend of loyalty, intelligence, and affection. Whether serving as steadfast guardians, playful family members, or devoted therapy dogs, these breeds enrich our lives in countless ways, leaving an indelible mark on the hearts of dog lovers nationwide.
Breeds like the Labrador Retriever, Golden Retriever, and Beagle are known for their family-friendly nature, combining playfulness with gentle temperament.
Yes, breeds like the Poodle and Yorkshire Terrier are considered hypoallergenic due to their minimal shedding and dander.
Small breeds like the French Bulldog, Yorkshire Terrier, and Beagle are well-suited for apartment living due to their compact size and adaptable nature.

domain: pet


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Burger King, the world’s second-largest hamburger chain, opened its first Russian outlet Thursday as it seeks to capitalize on a booming fast-food market several years after its main competitors started operating in the country.
The fast-food chain opened its first restaurant in the Metropolis shopping mall in northwest Moscow and will open at least two more soon, including a branch in the Yevropeisky shopping center Jan. 25 and another in a Mega shopping center in Tyoply Stan.
Burger King will continue to open restaurants throughout 2010, the company said in a statement, but the firm would not disclose further details.
The opening comes long after McDonald’s entered the Russian market in 1990. McDonald’s has more than 240 restaurants in Russia, while domestic chain Rostiks-KFC has 170 outlets.
“Now is the appropriate moment to launch the brand on the Russian market in cooperation with the local partners,” said John Fitzpatrick, Burger King’s senior vice president for development and franchising in Eastern Europe. The company did a thorough study and sees the Russian market as “interesting and active,” he said.
Burger Rus, the restaurant’s Russian franchisee, is controlled by Alexander Kolobov, who founded the Shokoladnitsa coffee shop chain. He and partners Oleg Gurkov and Mikhail Serdtsev will operate the brand in Russia.
“We are looking forward to working together with Alexander and his team, and we are convinced that partnering with a local company will satisfy the expectations of our Russian customers,” said Yana Pesotskaya, general manager of Burger King in Russia.

domain: food


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Miranda Lambert's No Longer Alone Following Her Split From Blake Shelton -- She's Now The Proud Mom Of A Kitten!
Nothing says getting over a breakup like adopting a pet. Right??
[Image via Miranda Lambert/Instagram.]
On Tuesday, the starlet appeared on Jimmy Fallon's The Tonight Show and put her musical chops on display for a quick game of "Wheel of Musical Impressions."
Someone get this girl a hosting gig on Saturday Night Live! We can't be the only ones thinking this.
The late night host seemed as floored as we were with the pint-sized star's abilities since he gushed on camera:
We are incredibly heartbroken!
In an interview with USA Today published on Monday, the My Heart Will Go On singer dishes on the various emotions she will have on her first show back.
The 47-year-old said:
"That first show, it will be fragile… There will be moments. Of emptiness, laughter, awkwardness, tearing up. But that's the point of coming back — otherwise, I [would] just release an album."
The Canadian originally went on hiatus to care for her ailing husband, who has battled throat cancer for several years and has to be fed through a tube three times a day.
While the musician constantly asks medical professionals how long he has left to live, they still don't have an answer:
It's been almost a year since the the singer announced that she would be going on hiatus from her Las Vegas residency because her husband René Angélil's health had worsened. The 73-year-old has been battling the disease for 15 years. Whoa!
However, in a positive turn of events, it was reported that the diva's husband's throat cancer has seemed to improve.
The It's All Coming Back To Me performer is green-lit to return to Sin City sooner than later! AH-Mazing!
In a recent interview, the icon revealed that her career move to Vegas was not initially met with positive support.
It's never easy when we lose someone before their time.
As we previously reported, James Horner tragically died early Monday morning after his solo plane crashed in Santa Barbara.
Celine Dion, who co-wrote the smash hit My Heart Will Go On with Horner, penned a statement expressing her grief.
"Rene and I are deeply saddened by the tragic death of James Horner. He will always remain a great composer in our hearts. James played an important part in my career. We will miss him. We offer his family and friends our deepest sympathy."
The 61-year-old was best known for his work work on Titanic, Apollo 13, Braveheart, A Beautiful Mind, and Avatar. Wow, what a legacy!
Check out their responses below:
Walmart is usually known for slashing prices, not for slamming celebs!
The retail giant announced during a shareholders meeting on Wednesday that it was taking steps to boost employee morale.
Like many other retailers have already done, Walmart is creating its own radio station to play in stores across America.
The move comes as a direct result of employee complaints that
That's the Power of Love!
René Angélil is recovering from throat cancer surgery, and when the Canadian singer does take the stage again, she wants to make sure he sees it!
"If there's going to be one person in the theater that night it's going to be him. It's going to be for him. I want to make him see me strong again."
Celine's husband-slash-manager was the reason she took a leave of absence from her residency at Caesars Palace, and now, he's the reason she's getting back in her groove at the end of August.
"The reason we did not come back before was because I wasn't emotionally ready to come back. My husband and my family needed me, they still do."
The vocal powerhouse explained that she's willing to do anything for him, even if that means performing again.
"He wants me strong. He wants to see me again because I'm his favorite singer. So, he wants me out there, and I have to say that I'm ready."
The songbird explains that while battling with cancer and fighting for his health, her husband never stopped working at their relationship or her career.
"Knowing that he has a lot of weight on his shoulders, his focus is still show business. It's very touching for me because he wants me to have a good time. It's not selfish, it's like, 'I'm with you and I want you back. I want you strong. I want to see you perform again.'"
Near, far, or wherever you are on August 27, Celine will be on stage in Sin City, performing for an audience, but most importantly, for her number one fan, René.
[Image via Judy Eddy/WENN.]
Vegas divas are killing it tonight at the Billboard Music Awards!
Celine hit the stage to present in a seductive green leather dress with grommet details and a LUSCIOUS thigh slit.
The dress wasn't our fave (especially with those clashing shoes), but her body is off the hook!
We had to look up her age because she is just bangin'! For the record, she's 47.
[Image via Getty Images.]

domain: entertainment


Television, film production and broadcasting executive Zanele Mthembu is one of a trio of top media people appointed to head South Africa’s new 24-hour news channel, Newzroom Afrika. It broadcasts on DStv channel 405, replacing the former Gupta-owned ANN7, which was taken off air last year.
The channel launched just before the national election earlier this month after a competitive bidding process, which it won ahead of 111 other interested parties.
It’s an exciting development and brings a fresh lens to the South African media landscape, as Newzroom Afrika is 100% black-owned and 50% women-owned.
Zanele’s colleagues in the leadership of the news channel are JJ Thabane and Malebo Phage.


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Article - 27 Oct 2009
Gold has been used in drugs for treating a range of ailments. Gold plated stents, gold plated implants, and gold colloid techniques have helped medical treatments to be effective.
Article - 26 Jun 2008
The highest performance electrical seal systems employ ceramics for exceptional resistance to thermal and mechanical shock, as well as corrosion.
Article - 8 Jan 2007
Wear resistance makes ceramics suited to artificial joints and electrical properties make them suitable for implantable electronics.
News - 13 Sep 2017
A flexible and organic alternative to the rigid batteries used for powering medical implants has been designed by experts at Queen's University Belfast.
Devices such as defibrillators and...
News - 22 May 2009
Chip manufacturers beware: There's a newfound flaw in our understanding of transistor noise, a phenomenon affecting the electronic on-off switch that makes computer circuits possible. According to...
News - 15 Nov 2006
The University of Akron announced it recently signed a technology licensing agreement with Boston Scientific which expands its rights to a family of novel polymers developed by researchers at the...
News - 1 Jun 2018
Russian scientists from the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology (MIPT), the Technological Institute for Superhard and Novel Carbon Materials (TISNCM), and the National University of Science and...
Article - 19 Mar 2003
A concise report on the state of play of the gold market relating to industrial applications. Current and future devlopments for the elcteronics biomaterials/dental, pharamaceuticals and catalyst...
Article - 11 Jan 2003
Titanium alloys are suited to use in both surgical tools and implants. Material properties that contribute to the suitability, alloys that are used and appplications such as bone and joint...
Article - 11 Feb 2002
Platinum, with its unique physical and chemical properties, is used in a wide variety of industrial and environmental applications. It is also regarded as one of the finest, among all jewelry metals.

domain: chemistry


Microsoft is going to make Xbox Series X mini fridges. It does so to celebrate winning a popularity contest hosted by Twitter’s marketing department. Xbox Games Marketing head Aaron Greenberg assures readers it’s not an April 1 joke.
Twitter organized a popularity contest between different brands operating on the platform via polls. Participants included Skittles, Gatorade, Oreo, Airbnb, Spotify, MTV and more. In the last round Xbox and Skittles had to compete against each other and that race was pretty even until the last minute. Greenberg therefore threw in the towel on the promise that the Xbox mini fridges would actually be made if the brand won. It did with 50.5 percent of the 340,000 votes.
Microsoft has long joked about the Xbox Series X refrigerator. When the Xbox Series X and S were initially unveiled, it was sometimes joked that the X variant resembles a refrigerator. Microsoft followed suit by assuring gamers that the console will be significantly smaller than a refrigerator and also came up with a side-by-side comparison. Then it went one step further: it made a real full-sized refrigerator with the design of the Xbox Series X. Two copies came off the production line; one went to Xbox enthusiast Snoop Dogg and the other was raffled off.
It is not known how big this mini fridge will be, nor how many will roll off the production line, where they will be for sale and what they will cost. It is known that they should go into production this year.


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- Ready for preparation
- Inventory on the way
Lime: (Lemon glaze with toasted biscuit crunch, lemon mousse, lime ripple, white biscuit).
Approximately 1.1 kg ( 8/10 portions ). Cake in modern pastry, to be consumed at + 4 ° C.
- Duration: about 30 days at -18 ° C
- Consumption: + 4 ° C
The cake is sent by courier refrigerated at -18 ° C. We recommend to order as soon as possible in order to proceed with the preparation (always handmade). Store the cake in the freezer. Before consuming it, it is advisable to defrost it by keeping it in the fridge for 90 minutes.
You can also insert in the notes a sentence to write on the cake and the number of candles you want (included in the price) .
An elegant gift box is always included in the order. This article is available for delivery throughout Italy.
Sicilian Artisan Pastry, since 1983 in Mascalucia on the slopes of Etna.
- Secure payments with Visa, Mastercard, Maestro, Amex, Paypal, AmazonPay, Satispay


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UBS Chief Equity Strategist Keith Parker sees the S&P 500 reaching a record 5,000 in the first half of 2022, before falling back to end the year at 4,850.
While Federal Reserve interest-rate hikes may be a negative for the market, the runup to them is not, he said, according to CNBC.
Since 1950, The S&P 500 has appreciated 12.5% on average in the 12 months prior to the Fed’s first rate hike. Many economists expect the first rate hike to occur around midyear.
Despite all the hubbub over the omicron Covid variant, an easing of the pandemic also should help stocks in the first half, Parker said.
“Covid cases continuing to fall through the early summer, and more importantly a falling death rate, should boost equities,” he said.
But in the second half of the year, sustained rate hikes, inflation and slowing earnings growth will likely make their mark on stocks, Parker said.
“The Fed outlook will be critical for equities in 2022, and our machine learning model shows that the [federal] funds path is currently the most important driver of markets,” he wrote.
“Continued tightening of financial conditions coupled with weak earnings momentum and probable second-half earnings downgrades are likely to lead to a more meaningful derating.”
To be sure, uncertainties abound, Parker noted.
A move to 5,000 by the S&P 500 would represent an 8.5% gain from the recent level of 4,610.
A move back to 4,850 would represent a 3% dip from that peak, but would still be 5% higher than the recent level.

domain: finance


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The 19th century interest in the wider world fostered a group of women writers who pioneered travel writing and journalism. Intrepid explorers in their own right, these women brought exotic destinations around the world into people’s homes with their writing.
Nellie Bly (born Elizabeth Cochrane Seaman) was much more than a travel writer, however, despite her books on her journey around the world to replicate Jules Verne’s classic story (for real, and in less time!). She was also a journalist who let nothing get in her way and who investigated social causes with tenacity, using her sharp intelligence to highlight the plight of those less fortunate. Her exposé on the conditions in mental asylums brought about real change.

domain: library


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Well, the final answer is: Yes, you can test drive a car without allowing the dealer to photocopy your license...IF you can find a dealer who doesn't think they require this.
When dealers started doing this before there were laws protecting against unwanted/unrequested credit checks, they were doing it for just that purpose so that when you return from your test drive they would be ready with your approval info to tell you that you can "take the car home today" to help "make up your mind for you," and quicker. Federal laws now protect against this type of credit check, however, most dealers are still in the habit of asking for it, and many use it to build a customer profile ahead of time, with which they will begin sending letters and discount offers and other such inticements to get you to return to their dealership with some money. Many dealers still claim that they need it for insurance reasons...THEY DO NOT! When you let your friend, mother, brother, etc. borrow your car, does your insurance company require you to take a copy of their license or risk not having a claim covered if they are involved in an accident in your car? ...Exactly, they don't, and no insurance company does--I happen to be an underwriter for Farm Bureau Insurance. More specifically, did your insurance company take a copy of YOUR license when you purchased your policy? ...Probably not. Even if you or the person you allow to drive your vehicle does not have a driver's license or a valid license, in most states (unless otherwise outlined in your policy), the insurance company must still pay, because of your permissive use clause (which may be where you would find such an exception stating that an unlicensed person might not be covered).
THE BOTTOM LINE IS THIS: THIS PRACTICE (WHILE ALL SALESPERSONS/DEALERS WILL ARGUE ALL DAY LONG THAT IT'S NOT) IS 95% FOR MARKETING PURPOSES THESE DAYS. MANY SALESPERSONS DO NOT KNOW THEIR COMPANY'S MARKETING PRACTICES ON THIS. The other 5% on this very well could be for safety reasons...in cities where crime is high, it probably isn't a bad idea to protect your sales staff and your unsold vehicle in the event you have lunatics running around kidnapping sales people & stealing the car, though I can't say I've ever heard of this happening (I'm sure it has though); this copy could be provided to the police, though I'm not sure any lunatic would be stupid enough to give a real driver's license before they go kidnapping someone.
As others have mentioned though, it is the dealership's right to not let you drive their vehicle if you don't follow their rules, so it is best to take copies of your license with you. Yes, some states, Indiana included, allows for the SSN to be listed on the driver's license, though it's rather pointless to do this, unless you just can't remember your and don't carry your card, because many instances where you must have it require the actual SSN card be present as a separate form of ID. So, it is best to be sure you copy your license, then use a black marker to mark out your DLN and SSN (if present) and write "I do not authorize any form of credit check" (just in case), and make additional copies from the marked copy, then toss the marked copy; everyone knows that even when using a black permanent marker, any text from a laser printer can still be read through the marker. This will prevent unwanted credit checks, and will also prevent your info from being stolen in the even that the dealership does not use shredding practices. At this point it won't really matter if you get your copy back or not, because any damage they could do would already be done, though it wouldn't be a bad idea to take it back if you would like to use it again at the next dealer (saves one ink and paper).
I hope this helps explain the rhyme, the reason, the madness, and the responsibility you have to yourself regarding this practice... :)

domain: law


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COVID-19 PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES
East Hampton Volunteer Ocean Rescue (EHVOR) has worked with East Hampton's Town and Village Lifeguard Agencies to revise rescue techniques to protect both the victim and rescuer. Our dedicated team will continue to train and utilize these techniques throughout the pandemic.
We are working with the Police and Fire Departments to adapt new protocols when contacting and treating medical aids. We are aware of the new United States Lifesaving Association (USLA) precautions regarding Covid-19. We will provide masks to all our rescuers and have directed them to wear face coverings when making public contact. We are committed and will continue to stay informed as new information becomes available. We will remain on-call to protect beaches in the Town and Village of East Hampton.

domain: news


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I am valiant efforts every now and then to be little bit more healthy. Not diet by any means,just eat better.
( I so wanted to say more better there,but I figured you would completely disown me. So yay for better grammar.) I drink a 12-ounce can of V-8 vegetable juice drink every other day or so. I make sure to get in my greens,oranges and reds when it comes to the vegetable choice on my plate.
We shop in the big,bulk wholesale clubs. I like buying some things in bulk,but produce in bulk can cause a problem. We made a trip to the wholesale club for some bulk buying last week and we came home with half of their produce section.I had some canning recipes to make that involved a fair amount of vegetables ( hooray for some chow-chow relish) so I figured "Hey let's buy in bulk and (novel idea) eat what we don't use in the chow-chow relish."
Word to the wise: When you buy vegetables in bulk,be it at a wholesale club or your local farmers market YOU HAVE to DO SOMETHING with ALL of that PRODUCE in a TIMELY FASHION. It will spoil at some some point SOOOO get your act together.
Well the chow-chow relish turned out just fine and believe it or not all of the produce is gone.We had some tasty fresh carrot and celery pieces with ranch dressing.I had a lovely lunch of bell pepper slices and pimento cheese all week long.And ta-da I found a new roasted carrot recipe just in time for Condiments Week at I Heart Cooking Clubs!!! Our spotlight chef is Jamie Oliver. He has written some fine cookbooks that have become favorites of mine over the last 5 months. I have made every effort to use the two cookbooks of his that I own and nothing else for each recipe I make for the different themes.
I have a slight addiction to cookbooks.Not so much slight really. I tried,I tried to find a recipe for this week's condiments theme in the actual books that suited my fancy.
SO I have gave in I went looking on the worldwide web. I am sure glad I did. The recipe for Honey Lemon Juice Dressing made my efforts to be more healthy a little bit more tasty. The last handful of carrots from the MASSIVE amount we bought that previous week, got roasted in the urven (read: oven. Urven is hip for oven. I'm hip.) and glazed with the most delightful dressing. I am still not the biggest fan of V-8,but these carrots have me thinking if healthy taste this good,heck I GOT THIS ! Enjoy!
Honey Lemon Glazed Carrots
adapted from jamieoliver.com
and Jamie's Dinners
6 large carrots
3 garlic cloves,peeled and smashed
For the dressing:
6 TBL extra-virgin olive oil
3 TBL lemon juice
1 TBL good honey
salt and black pepper to taste
Directions: 1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Rinse,peel and slice carrots. Grease a baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.
2.Whisk together dressing ingredients. Toss carrots and garlic cloves in dressing,in the same bowl the dressing is in. Now using a slotted spoon remove the carrots and garlic cloves from the bowl and put them in the baking pan. (this helps because I just poured the dressing over the carrots in the pan and it was too much liquid,so next time I'm going to toss the carrots in the dressing and put the dressed carrots in the pan.)


The original double differential scattering kernel developed by Rothenstein and Dagan for heavy isotopes, differs from the current NJOY solution procedure. The main difference is in the exclusion of the strong scattering resonances in the latter. The scattering kernel of many materials of interest like U238 is strongly dependent on the cross section profile, mainly in the vicinity of resonances, which leads to changes in the absorption and in the Doppler-effect. Moreover, former investigations and the current one indicate that the MCNP treatment in the epithermal region is questionable as the code applies unjustified approximations. New mathematical formalism by Rothenstein enabled the implementation of the modified kernel within the THERMR module of NJOY. The problematic of the existing kernel in NJOY is thus demonstrated and preliminary results emphasize the importance of using the new formula for the scattering kernel for nuclides with strongly energy dependent scattering cross-sections. The essential steps to improve the MCNP sampling methods are also discussed.


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According to research published in Forbes Magazine:
"The real key to productivity--and thus performance--is not maximizing it at all costs. It is maintaining a level of consistency."
Haig Nalbantian, labor economist at Mercer HR Consulting found:
"It wasn't the companies with the highest productivity that were most profitable. It was those companies that consistently maintained their productivity that built the most value."
In other words, "great businesses can't crank through a job at record pace this month only to fall down on the next. Options traders may love volatility, but customers, vendors and shareholders decidedly do not."
Volatility is an indication of ability to manage (or mismanage). It is another way to view risk.
Higher productivity essentially acts like an intangible asset that carries significant market value.
Put another way, companies that maintain a decent level of productivity are rewarded more than those that hit higher highs but can't sustain them.
Says Nalbantian: "Companies get obsessed on reaching a level of productivity, when they should really be focusing on how they're going to sustain that level."
BOTTOMLINE: Consistency, predictability, a strong balance of strong strategy and strong execution - these are what produces the firms with the most value.
For more examples of how to increase value, read Chapter 11: Making Solving All Other Problems Easier" - from Six Disciplines Execution Revolution, by best-selling author and strategy execution expert, Gary Harpst.


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Congress passed, and President Bush signed, the $700 billion plan to save our economy, said the New York Daily News in an editorial, but “our fates are decidedly uncertain.” Implementing the “ill-conceived” plan now falls to Treasury Secretary Henry Paulson, who "is certain to overpay” for the toxic mortgage-backed securities that are clogging up the credit markets.
If he doesn’t pay more than market value, the bailout probably won’t work, said Chadwick Matlin in The Big Money. But we won’t know the plan’s details until Paulson tells us, “two days after the first troubled assets are purchased.” There are some good reasons for this lack of detail—but there’s also the “nagging thought” that “Paulson himself doesn’t yet know what he’s going to do.”
Well, “the devil is in the details,” said Robert Litan in The Atlantic online, but in the short term we’ll be able to tell how effective the bailout is by looking at the “TED Spread,” or the difference between interest rates on inter-bank lending and safe short-term government debt. If the TED narrows, this “riverboat gamble” will be off to a good start.


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Background: Mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel SCN1A gene are responsible for the majority of Dravet syndrome cases. There is evidence that the Nav1.1 channel coded by the SCN1A gene is involved in sleep regulation. We evaluated sleep abnormalities in children with Dravet syndrome using nocturnal polysomnography.
Methods: We identified six children at our institution with genetically confirmed Dravet syndrome who had also undergone formal sleep consultation with nocturnal polysomnography. Indications for polysomnography were parental concern of daytime fatigue or sleepiness, hyperactivity, inattention, disruptive behavior, nighttime awakenings, or nocturnal seizures. Sleep studies were scored according to guidelines of the American Academy of Sleep Medicine and non-rapid eye movement cyclic alternating pattern was visually identified and scored according to established methods.
Results: The mean age of the subjects at the time of polysomnography was 6 years. Standard polysomnography did not show any consistent abnormalities in the obstructive or central apnea index, arousal index, sleep efficiency, or architecture. Cyclic alternating pattern analysis on five patients showed an increased mean rate of 50.3% (vs 31% to 34% in neurological normal children) with a mild increase in A1 subtype of 89.4% (vs 84.5%). A2/A3 subtype (5.3% vs 7.3%) and B phase duration (22.4 vs 24.7 seconds) were similar to previously reported findings in neurologically normal children.
Conclusion: Despite parental concerns for sleep disturbance in patients with Dravet syndrome, we could not identify abnormalities in sleep macroarchitecture. Non-rapid eye movement sleep microarchitecture was, however, abnormal, with increased A1 subtype, somewhat resembling a tracé alternant pattern of neonates and possibly suggestive of cortical synaptic immaturity in Dravet syndrome. Larger studies are needed to replicate these results.
Keywords: Dravet syndrome; cyclic alternating patterns; polysomnography; sleep abnormalities.
Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

domain: medical


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I live near Perryville, KY, where they have re-enactments every year. After watching the first one, I realized where they got all those “extras” for the movie. The scene where the camera scrolls by all the firing canons gave me goosebumps. Heck, just writing about it brings tears to my eyes.
You really got a fairly good feel for what it would have been a participant in such an event. Well, as good as a movie can bring. Your own understanding can add to it.
On a side note, having now lived in Kentucky for six years and learning all about ticks and chiggers on my forested property, I honestly don’t know how any of those soldiers back then survived the bugs.
And Longstreet so badly wanting not to send the men forward that, at the end, he just nods his agreement to start the march to Pickett. Definitely goosebumps. I’ve never seen a re-enactment. Must be amazing. Weren’t more of the soldiers lost to diseases than to battles?
I remember reading about that during the making of the movie. The Hollywood actors said that they were loaned many authentic pieces of equipment by re-enactors to preserve the authenticity of the film. The re-enactors also spent a lot of time explaining exactly how equipment was used, how manuevers were made and what had gone on in the battle so that the movie actors could better get "in" their roles.


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Can you fit all the stars in the grid?
Are your brain skills out of this world?
Can you place the 7 stellar puzzle pieces on the grid? Reach for the stars and solve the 120 challenges,
from easy to expert.
◦ 1 compact game board with transparent lid
◦ 7 colorful star shaped puzzle pieces
◦ 1 booklet with 120 challenges and solutions


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1) I decided to paint the gold frame of the plein air painting a very dark, blueish-black based on the input I got in my previous post. My thought was that the poorly applied gold made the painting look too wannabe-fancy, so I wanted to do something more understated that still made the colors pop.
2) Frida and Diego (whose frame I decided to leave as-is for now) were getting lonely, so to fill up some of the blank space above them I hung a painting I recently created at a one-time art class my friend Amanda and I attended on one super-wild Friday night (yeah Living Social!) And fyi, that's Oregon's Mt. Hood yo! I don't think it will stay up there forever because I'm not crazy about it, but I do like it for the moment.
Peter Max (one of my favorite artists) had created a poster for National Library Week in 1969. I found a print of it on Ebay and going with the bright color palette, I bought a royal blue frame at Ikea for only $8.99. Framed on top of white paper, it declares, "Be All You Can Be. Read." :)
And the "art wall" still-in-progress:
Really excited to get that Alexandra Valenti photograph on the wall. :) Until next time...

domain: artistic


The RCMP Northeast Nova Major Crimes Unit arrested a Petit-de-Grat man earlier today.
The 40-year-old man was arrested in Petit-de-Grat, without incident, in relation to the disappearance of Phillip Boudreau.
On Saturday, June 1st at approximately 7:30 a.m., members of the Richmond County RCMP Detachment responded to a report of an overturned boat that was found at the mouth of Petit-de-Grat harbour. Preliminary investigation determined that Boudreau, 43, was last seen that morning at approximately 6:00 a.m.
Efforts to locate Boudreau's body continue. Richmond County RCMP, RCMP 'H' Division Underwater Recovery Team, and the Strait Area Ground Search and Rescue are participating in the search.


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10 outta 10
id call this weird but not strange painful and uncomfortable, maybe i've just seen to much body horror :/
john cooked me spaghetti, also is that edatlin? noice
newgrounds.com — Your #1 online entertainment & artist community! All your base are belong to us.


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Latest News on Rabi
Showing of 0 - 10 from 11 results
Rabi - Total results - 11
Sep 18, 2018
Govt eyes record 285.2 MT foodgrain output in 2018-19 despite deficit rains so far this monsoonIndia harvested a record 284.83 MT of foodgrain in the 2017-18 crop year (July-June).
Jul 07, 2018
Changing cropping patterns could help India cut irrigation water usage by 33 percent, reduce impact of local climate shocksIrrigation needs of wheat, a Rabi crop, have driven 69 percent of the increase in demand for water for agricultural purposes, while rice, is the most inefficient crop in nutrient production as well as water usage
Jan 08, 2018
Agriculture sector growth likely to be higher than CSO estimate of 2.1%, says ministryThe agriculture sector is expected to grow higher than projected 2.1 percent growth by the Central Statistics Office for the current fiscal, following better Rabi crop prospects
Apr 24, 2017
Narendra Modi’s pitch for Jan-Dec fiscal year: A good move, but there’s a cost to itIf India migrates to the new format, a host of changes will have to be effected including the date of budget presentation, tax assessment year, reorganizing the tax infrastructure including at the company level and, mostly likely, adjust even the timing of Parliament sessions.
Nov 21, 2016
Demonetisation: Ahead of Rabi season, Modi govt allows farmers to buy seeds with old currencyWith Rabi sowing season at its peak, demonetisation induced cash crunch has hit the farmers ability to purchase fertilisers and seeds.
Oct 19, 2016
Monsoon ends with food output of 270 million tonnes; 91 reservoirs show 25% increase in storageWith the southwest monsoon officially withdrawing this week, water available in 91 reservoirs nationwide is 25 percent more than the amount available in October 2015, according to Central Water Commission data, except in Karnataka and Gujarat, which face more than 20 percent deficit in seasonal rainfall.
Jan 01, 2016
Firstpost Ground Report: A Latur village cobbles together money to rebuild its crumbling irrigation systemThe 2,500 villagers who live in this village mounted a collective effort to resurrect water storage and irrigation mechanisms in the region on their own might, borrowing ideas from a local Art of Living centre, and appealing to a newspaper group to fund the project.
Oct 19, 2015
Pulses may go off the plate as falling production, hoarding make it premiumPulses have become the watchword again with prices increasing by a phenomenal rate this year.
Jun 04, 2015
From MSP to NREGA: 3 contentious firefighting tools in case of deficient rainsLast year's lower inflation was a mirage; we cannot expect such luck to come the second time
Dec 27, 2012
Drought plays spoilsport; dashes farmer hopes of dream run in 2013The agriculture sector witnessed record foodgrains output of 257.44 million tonnes in this year enabling the country to become world's largest rice exporter for the first time

domain: economics


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Safari Personalised Birthday Greeting Card
These beautiful watercolour Safari Animal designs are printed onto a 5x7" photo card and mounted onto a gift card for a more handmade, custom feel.
Cards come with White Coordinating envelope in a cellophane card pouch and are shipped in a hard backed envelope for protection.
Cards come blank inside for your own message.
Please note- Colour of letter shown is how it will be printed


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HAMMOND, Ind. (AP) — Federal officials have seized $1 million from a northwestern Indiana liquor store whose owners are accused of selling alcohol to Illinois liquor stores to evade the state’s significantly higher alcohol taxes.
Federal charges allege that the owners of Columbia Liquor in Hammond “devised a scheme to defraud or obtain money by false or fraudulent pretenses” by buying liquor from three Indiana distributors and selling it for cash to liquor stores across Chicago’s south suburbs in Illinois.
The Northwest Indiana Times reports that the U.S. attorney’s office is now pursuing a forfeiture case in the United States District Court Northern District of Indiana.
The Wine and Spirits Distributors of Illinois trade association says cross-state bootlegging costs Illinois nearly $30 million in lost tax revenue annually.


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Across those states, there's wide variation in terms of what has to be covered in terms of infertility treatment, which means that the impact on premiums differs significantly from state to state.
the cost of healthcare and health insurance premiums.
Patient advocates claim that mandates help to ensure adequate health insurance protection while others complain that mandates increase the cost of healthcare and health insurance.
The mandated benefit laws most often apply to health insurance coverage offered by employers and private health insurance purchased by individuals, either through the health insurance exchanges or off-exchange.
The resulting lack of access to affordable dental care can result in serious long-term complications.
ACA essential health benefits (EHBs)The Affordable Care Act was a landmark change in terms of mandated health benefits, creating a universal floor in terms of the essential health benefits that must be included on every new individual and small group health plan in every state.
Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)Gives an employee the right to continuation of health coverage under the employer’s health plans while absent from work due to service in the uniformed services.
Under the ACA, all new (effective since 2014) individual and small group plans in all states must include coverage for the EHBs, must have adequate provider networks, and must cover pre-existing conditions and be issued without regard for medical history.Since chiropractor services can be expensive, the impact on health insurance premiums may be greater in the state with the more generous benefit.Another example is infertility coverage, which is not required under federal law but is required by several states.Mandated benefits (also known as “mandated health insurance benefits” and “mandates”) are benefits that are required to cover the treatment of specific health conditions, certain types of healthcare providers, and some categories of dependents, such as children placed for adoption.A number of health care benefits are mandated by either state law, federal law—or in some cases—both.But there are also mandates that apply to Medicare and Medicaid/CHIP.


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During the holidays is the ideal time to find a balance between our body and mind. Take time for themselves in a relaxing environment and charme relying on the expert hands of Ida becomes much easier.
"a good physical shape is also an expression of a psychological wellbeing"
to reach this wellness B&B Borgo Le Vigne Resort offers you this series of treatments :
this treatment combines the points of acupuncture with one stretching assisted inspired by the Indian yoga. You work on energy lines that pass through the human body. Increases the vascular activity, promotes the release of toxins from the cells, dissolves the muscular tensions.
is a practice of contact with the body and the system of the person. With a gentle touch and prejudice in deep listening to the rhythms of the interior the therapist encourages the ability to heal the body and facilitates the release of the voltages. During treatment you can get into a state of deep relaxation and tranquillity. Suitable for all.
Lymphatic drainage Vodder method
technique that reactivates the lymphatic circulation by eliminating the waste products of metabolism and fostering the exchange of oxygen of the tissues. Is effected by with the hands of the circulatory motion, rhythmic and pumping, following the path of the lymph. Suitable for the drainage of excess liquids, edemas and swelling, cellulite, to improve the intestinal functions, aiding the elimination of toxins and lactic acid.

domain: health


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We’ve worked with many clients over the years, both in Turks and Caicos where we are based and other tropical destinations around the world. We work closely with our clients to formalise their requirements, capture them on paper in the form of a design, and finally bring them to reality during construction.
No matter in what tropical destination you’re considering building, there are several important pieces of advice we can share to help make the process smoother for you and your design or build team:
- Get your designer involved from the beginning. Choosing a building lot is an important part of the process. Local advice is also crucial to understand weather, topography, neighbourhoods, wind directions, and more. It’s almost always a huge and costly mistake to try to make an existing plan fit a specific piece of land.
- Find a designer you’re compatible with. Make sure there’s mutual respect and the designer understands he or she is creating a home for you. They should be adept at listening and translating what you’ve told them into a design you’ll love.
- Visit as many of your design and/or build team’s previous projects as possible, or speak to previous clients.
- Look for a variety of styles, layouts, and quality construction finishes. You want to know you’re going to get a design that is suited to your needs and a home that is built to last, requiring minimal maintenance.
- Come to your designer with a list of ideas and requirements. The more information you provide, the closer the initial design will be to your expectation.
- Be accountable for the project by making decisions as quickly as possible. No one expects you to make major choices overnight, but staying on time and within budget is much easier if you commit to responding to questions in a specific timeframe. This is especially true in tropical locations.
Perhaps the most important factor in a successful tropical design or build project is being able to take a leap of faith; to trust the expertise of the team you’re working with. Let go of any preconceived notions of what a home must have or must be. We recently had a difficult time convincing a client in Turks and Caicos they didn’t need an entry closet for coats and wet galoshes!

domain: design


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Safety inspectors from the state Department of Transportation and the Federal Railroad Administration uncovered 95 defects in their most recent examination of rail cars and tracks across upstate New York, Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo announced Monday.
Four of those defects, all on CSX mainline track west of Albany, were considered critical, requiring immediate attention, according to the governor’s office. Two were found between Fonda and Amsterdam, while one was found on the track between Fonda and Rome and another in Marlboro. All were repaired immediately.
Railroads are given up to 30 days to repair noncritical defects. Defects uncovered by inspectors included damaged hazardous material placards, thin brake shoes, inoperative lights, loose bolts on oil tank car heat shields, and missing guard rail bolts.
Read more from Times Union.
- American Rescue Plan funding saves thousands of SMART pensions
- Secure your future. Vote!
- Solidarity with Kingspan workers
- Growth through unity
- SMART, labor allies convene at AFL-CIO Convention to build worker power
- N.J. SLD recognized for leadership, tapped to lead economic coalition
- Fortune Magazine highlights the benefits of a union sheet metal career
- SMART TD President Ferguson and BLET President Pierce give joint interview on podcast
- Transportation labor reacts to the State of the Union Address
- VA Adds TABB As Accepted Certification Body


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‘BUTTERFLIES & LIES’
Have you noticed how they dip their wings to tantalize and tease and brush their soft velvety skin against yours…. adoringly they admire your uniqueness, your delicate shape, your scent and intoxicating colors.
They dart this way and that, blinding you as they flutter their colorful wings against the sun.
At last, you relent and share your sweet and precious nectar……
and then….while still languishing in the attention and affection, they instantly withdraw and disappear!
No, they have not left….in awe, you watch them perform a similar ritualistic dance with the flower beside you….
This is natures way with butterflies and the flowers that attract them…..


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In 1909 the British writer E. M. Forster published the short story “The Machine Stops,” a bleak vision of the far future in which what is left of humanity lives below the earth, connected through a worldwide communications system that allows them never to leave their rooms or engage in direct contact with anyone else. All human life is organized by an entity known simply as the “Machine.” At the story’s end the Machine malfunctions and finally stops. Abandoned and helpless, the humans begin
to die in a scene that interlaces apocalyptic imagery with an extremely tenuous note of hope—the assertion by Kuno, the narrative’s single rebel character, that the Machine will never be restarted because “humanity has learned its lesson.” As he speaks, however, The whole city was broken like a honeycomb. An airship had sailed in through the vomitory into a ruined wharf. It crashed downwards, exploding as it went, rending gallery after gallery with its wings of steel.
For a moment they saw the nations of the dead, and, before they joined them, scraps of the untainted sky.1
Forster’s dystopian vision may remind readers of other Western science fiction and dystopian works of the period, in particular Aldous Huxley’s somewhat later Brave New World (1932). Like Huxley, Forster critiques the growing reliance of his contemporaries on technology. But he differs from Huxley in two ways that make “The Machine Stops” a work particularly relevant to contemporary science fiction. The first is in his vision of a world in which technology has rendered direct interpersonal contact
unnecessary and, in fact, slightly obscene;2 the second is the explicitly apocalyptic dimension that he brings to this state of affairs. The Machine destroys not only human relationships but also, ultimately, the material world, although it does leave a tantalizing glimpse of “untainted sky.”
Forster’s work is classic science fiction, serving, as Fredric Jameson puts it, to “defamiliarize and restructure our experience of our own present”— in this case, that of 1909.3 It is also a remarkably prescient view of a future that we in the twenty-first century are increasingly able to imagine.
In Forster’s view, however, when the machines stop, reality—the
untainted sky—emerges. In the two Japanese anime TV series that I examine in this chapter, this is not the case. In Shinseiki evangerion (1995–96, Neon Genesis Evangelion) and Serial Experiments: Lain (1998), reality itself becomes part of the apocalyptic discourse, problematized as a condition that can no longer be counted on to continue to exist, thanks to the advances of technology and its increasing capabilities for both material and spiritual destruction.4
The two works also pose an insistent question: What happens
to human identity in the virtual world? Does it become what Scott
Bukatman calls “terminal identity,” a new state in which we find “both the end of the subject and a new subjectivity constructed at the computer screen or television screen?” And does it then go on to become part of what Bukatman refers to as “terminal culture,” a world in which reality and fantasy fuse into techno-surrealism and nothing is ultimately “knowable”?5 The answer to these last two questions seems to be “yes,” at least in terms of the two anime I examine, although the originality and imaginativeness of their approaches might tend to obscure what, to my mind, are their deeply pessimistic visions. The narratives, the characters, and the mise-en-scène of these works evoke the disturbing postmodern fantasy that Jeffrey Sconce has described in Haunted Media. Sconce suggests that, “where there were once whole human subjects, there are now only fragmented and decentered subjectivities, metaphors of ‘simulation’ and ‘schizophrenia,’” and he finds that, “in postmodernism’s fascination with the evacuation of the referent and an ungrounded play of signification and surface, we can see another vision of beings who, like ghosts and psychotics, are no longer anchored in reality but instead wander through a hallucinatory world where the material real is forever lost.”6
Although Sconce’s point is that we may be exaggerating the uniqueness of this postmodern condition—and indeed Forster’s 1909 text suggests that the interface between self and machine has been a modernist preoccupation as well—it is certainly the case that the two anime I examine call into question the material world in ways that seem peculiarly specificto this period yet show strong traces of Japanese cultural tradition. This chapter explores how each anime evokes its particular “hallucinatory world,” but first it is necessary to situate the two texts within both anime and Japanese culture.
Undoubtedly related to the experience of atomic bombing in World
War II, but also combined with a centuries-old cultural preoccupation with the transience of life, the apocalyptic critique of technology is one that has grown increasingly frequent in recent Japanese science fiction anime.
The trend probably began to develop at least as far back as the 1970s with the immensely popular animated Yamato television and film series about the adventures of the spaceship incarnation of the World War II battleship Yamato (chapter 2, Figure 2.1). (The series was best known in America in its 1979 television incarnation Star Blazers.) This provided the template for an ever-growing mass-culture obsession with apocalyptic motifs.
In the Yamato series, however, technology, as long as it was aligned with the power of the human spirit—in this case, the Japanese spirit of yamato damashii—could still have salvific aspects. This combination reaches its apotheosis (literally) at the end of the film Saraba uchu¯ senkan Yamato: Ai no senshitachi (1978, Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato: In the Name of Love) when the stalwart young captain of the Yamato, accompanied by the fetching
corpse of his beloved girlfriend and the shades of former Yamato captains, realizes that the only way to save earth is to conduct a suicide mission into the heart of the White Comet. The film ends with a single long-held shot of a spreading white radiance, a surprisingly ambiguous finale for a film aimed largely at children and adolescents.7
This ambiguous vision of humans, technology, and the end of the
world has appeared in more complex forms in the years since Yamato. Most spectacularly, the 1988 film masterpiece Akira, directed by O¯ tomo Katsuhiro, inaugurated an infinitely darker vision of technology in relation to human identity. Structured around a series of scientific experiments on telepathic children gone horribly wrong, Akira presented an unforgettable vision of a world in which the innocent were grotesquely sacrificed to the vicious machinations of what might be called the military–industrial
complex. Far from the cozy mix of genders and generations that the
Yamato series presented, the protagonists in Akira were largely alienated male adolescents typified by Tetsuo, its psychokinetically transmogrified antihero who, in the film’s penultimate scene, lays waste to Tokyo in one of the most memorable and grotesque scenes of destruction ever filmed.
Akira’s highlighting of telekinesis also brought a note of hallucinatory unreality to some of the film’s most significant scenes, a feature that would be expanded in later anime and was perhaps already presaged in the spectral presences aboard the final voyage of the Yamato.8
In anime released in the years since Akira’s debut, its dark vision of
hapless humanity in the throes of technology has not only been echoed but intensified. At first this may seem surprising. Japan, along with the United States, is one of the most technologically advanced countries in the world. Unlike the United States, however, Japan endured over ten years of recession starting in the nineties, and it has left a deep mark on contemporary attitudes toward both technology and the future. Although the country continues to produce important technological advances, the dominant attitude toward technology displayed in both its mass-cultural and high-cultural works seems to be ambivalent at best. This is in significant contrast to Western culture, which, as can be seen in American magazines such as Wired or in Canadian Pierre Levy’s Cyberculture,9 still contains strong elements of techno-celebration, especially in relation to the potential of virtual reality as promised by computers and other new media.
Besides the recession, another reason behind Japan’s often problematic attitude toward technology is undoubtedly the 1995 Aum Shinrikyo¯ incident in which followers of a charismatic guru named Asahara Shoko released deadly sarin gas into the Tokyo subway system, killing twelve people and injuring many more. Both the incident and the cult surrounding it seem to have stepped from the pages of a science fiction thriller.
Many of Asahara’s young followers were, at least potentially, part of the Japanese elite, graduates of top schools in science and engineering. Often shy and insecure, they were reported in the press to be devotees of science fiction anime. Lured into the cult by its potent mix of supernatural imagery—Asahara was said to be capable of levitation, for example—its increasingly strident rejection of the material and materialist world, and its apocalyptic teachings, believers not only manufactured sarin gas but also reportedly worked on developing nuclear weapons.
The shadow of the Aum Shinrikyo¯ incident still looms over contemporary Japanese society on a variety of fronts, contributing to a society-wide sense of malaise. The incident itself can be seen as embodying many of the characteristic elements of contemporary Japanese society’s complex vision of technology, one that recognizes the dangers of technology but remains awestruck by its potential powers. Aum’s mixture of New Age occult elements and traditional Buddhist and Hindu teachings is also relevant,
underlining the fact that technology does not exist in a vacuum but
interacts with all facets of human existence, including the spiritual.
Consequently, the Japanese ambivalence toward technology goes
beyond a simple binary split between technology and its other(s) to encompass a problematic contemporary vision of human identity vis-à-vis not only technology but also the nature of reality itself. Increasingly in Japanese culture, the real has become something to be played with, questioned, and ultimately mistrusted. In some works, such as Murakami Haruki’s best-selling novel Sekai no owari to haadoboirudo wandaarando (1985, Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World) and Anno Hideaki’s Neon Genesis Evangelion, characters make conscious decisions to retreat into their own fantasy worlds. In other works such as Serial Experiments:
Lain or Murakami Ryu¯ ’s novel Koin rokkaa beibiizu (1984, Coin Locker Babies), characters attempt to impose their own, perhaps insane, visions on the outer worlds of reality. Often these explorations of the real contain an explicitly spiritual, even messianic, dimension.10
Although I include literary examples, the most significant medium in
which these explorations of technology, identity, and reality versus unreality are being played out is the animated one, a medium often denigrated by Westerners as fit only for children. Unlike Western popular culture, where expressions of technological ambivalence tend to be mediated through live-action films such as Blade Runner (1982), The Matrix (1999), and Minority Report (2002), Japanese society has welcomed explorations of these complex issues in animated form. The reasons behind this positive reception are varied, but they include the fact that Japan has long had a tradition, through scroll painting and woodblock printing, in which narrative is as much pictorial as literary. This has culminated, in the view of some scholars, in the ubiquitousness of manga, or comic books, as a staple of twentieth-century Japanese mass culture. Anime and manga are
strongly linked, since many, if not most, anime are based on manga, and both media appeal to adults as well as children.
There are other, perhaps more intriguing, reasons, however, for the
synergy between animation and explorations of reality. As I have argued elsewhere, animation is a medium in itself, not simply a genre of live-actioncinema.11
As such, it develops and plays by its own generic restrictions and capabilities, the latter of which are uniquely suited for dealing with
issues of the real and the simulated. The animation critic Paul Wells calls these the “deep structures” of animation that “integrate and counterpoint form and meaning, and, further, reconcile approach and application as the essence of the art. The generic outcomes of the animated film are imbued in its technical execution.”12 By this I take Wells to mean that the act of animation—a medium that he compares with the fine arts rather than the cinema—foregrounds and affects the characteristics of the text being animated in ways conducive to a form of art that is both peculiarly selfreflexive
and particularly creative. The “deep structures” that inspire animated visions link with the uncanny and the fantastic to create a unique aesthetic world.
Thus Japanese animation tends to show particular strength in the
genres of fantasy and science fiction. Unlike manga, which cover an enormously wide terrain, from action fare to self-help books and even economic treatises, the fluid instrumentalities of animation delight in highlighting the unreal or the unlikely. The free space of the animated medium—a medium not bound by a perceived obligation to represent the real—is ideal for depicting the free spaces of science fiction and fantasy, genres that have traditionally existed parallel to representations of the real. The overt technology of the animation medium itself highlights in a selfreflexive
way the technological basis of the science fiction genre and the
artificiality of fantasy.
Elements of twentieth-century Japanese culture also seem to have made its citizens particularly receptive to the idea of problematizing the real. In Topographies of Japanese Modernity, Seiji M. Lippit analyzes the twentiethcentury Japanese critic Kobayashi Hideo’s argument that a fundamental feature of Japanese prewar culture was a “pervasive spirit of homelessness and loss.” This sense of loss is especially embodied in Kobayashi’s vision of the city of Tokyo, which serves “not as a repository for memories . . . but only as an ever shifting marker of disassociation from the past.”
It makes modern Japan into a society in which both urban and natural landscapes are considered “different versions of phantasmagoria, as spectral images without substances.”13
The notion of “phantasmagoria” is one
that functions particularly well in relation to the nonrepresentational world of anime, whose fast pace and constantly transforming imagery continually construct a world that is inherently “without substances.” It should also not be surprising that Tokyo is the favored location for most apocalyptic anime. As the center of contemporary Japan’s trends and currents,
it remains in many anime, such as Akira, Lain, and Evangelion, the
“unreal city” both of T. S. Eliot’s anomic vision in The Waste Land (1922) and of the virtual reality visions of postmodernism.
As the uncanny relevance of Eliot’s work suggests, Kobayashi’s and
Lippit’s arguments, while apparently concerning early-twentieth-century modernity and its links to the modernist movement, are still strikingly appropriate to our contemporary, supposedly “postmodern,” world. Japan is still a society in which what Marilyn Ivy terms “discourses of the vanishing,” echoes of the past, are remarkably prominent. Even though the anime I am examining are set in a future that seems to have lost all traces of Japanese tradition, both works privilege memory—not only its loss
but its stubborn ability to remain important in a fluctuating world. But in both Lain and Evangelion memory itself ultimately becomes uncertain, a force to be manipulated and even, perhaps, abused.
Lippit goes on to argue that, in many prewar Japanese texts, “modernity is marked by fragmentation and dissolution,”14 elements that commentators find in abundance in our own period. In fact, the speed of fragmentation and loss may be the most distinctive aspect of the postmodern situation leading to a pervasive sense of helplessness and fear. For example, in Terminal Identity, Bukatman traces the increasing disembodiment of the subject in the electronic era and analyzes it in terms of social and psychological trauma. “In both spatial and temporal terms, then, the bodily experience of the human is absented from the new reality, precipitating a
legitimate cultural crisis.”15
In Japan this “cultural crisis” can be seen not only in terms of ambivalent attitudes toward the interface between humans and technology but also in a deeper questioning of what it is to be human in relation to the machine, a machine that increasingly seems to dominate, to construct, and ultimately to interfere with the reality of human nature. This problematization of human identity in the context of technology seems to be leading in increasingly apocalyptic directions, concretely manifested in the Aum incident and made an object of aesthetic and ideological interest in the many anime and manga dealing with world-ending scenarios. These apocalyptic visions are not limited to the destruction of the material world. Rather, viewers and readers are confronted with stories whose narrative impetus appears to be a growing sense of hopelessness in relation to overwhelming forces that are both exterior and interior. Not surprisingly, a sense of claustrophobia and paranoia pervades these works, ultimately leading to memorable visions not simply of cultural crisis but also of cultural
Neon Genesis Evangelion and Serial Experiments: Lain have much in
common. They can readily be described as postmodern in terms of their concern with a notion of identity as fluctuating, their rapid and sometimes incoherent narrative pace, and their refusal of conventional forms of closure. But the two stories have theoretical issues in common as well: an explicit obsession with apocalypse and the question of salvation; an ambivalent celebration of the spectacle; a notion of time in flux; and a shared vision of what Janet Staiger calls “future noir,”16 in which dimly lit, labyrinthine cityscapes dominate the mise-en-scène. Most important, they share a complex and problematic attitude toward the real. The two stories also deal with issues that are perhaps culturally specific to Japan:
the increasing distrust and alienation between the generations, the complicated role of childhood, and, most significant, a privileging of the feminine, often in the form of the young girl, or sho¯ jo. Typical of more sophisticated anime, they also offer a striking visual style, largely architectonic, in which space, shape, and color play off each other to produce in the viewer a sensation that is disorienting and exhilarating at the same time. This contributes to a pervasive sense of the uncanny that imbues both narratives, linking them with the genres of horror and fantasy. Finally, both anime appeared as television series (although Evangelion also became two feature
films). Unlike most American series where each episode usually stands by itself, Japanese television and OVA (original video animation, i.e., videos produced for direct sale, bypassing broadcasting and theatrical release) series develop over time, allowing, at their best, for far more intricate plots and an infinitely richer understanding of the psychologies of the major characters.
1. E. M. Forster, “The Machine Stops,” in The Eternal Moment and Other Stories (New York: Harcourt, Brace, Jovanovich, 1956), 37.
2. Consider the following exchange between Kuno and his mother in
Forster’s text: “But I can see you!” she exclaimed. “What more do you want?” “I want to see you not through the Machine,” said Kuno. “I want to speak to you not through the wearisome Machine.” “Oh hush!” said his mother, vaguely shocked. “You mustn’t say anything against the Machine” (4).
3. Fredric Jameson, “Progress versus Utopia or, Can We Imagine the Future?” Science Fiction Studies 9, no. 2 (1982): 152.
4. Shinseiki evangerion, dir. Anno Hideaki, TV series, 26 episodes (1995–96); translated as Neon Genesis Evangelion: Perfect Collection, 8-DVD box set (ADV Films, 2002); Serial Experiments: Lain, dir. Nakamura Ryu¯ taro¯ , TV series, 13 episodes
(1998); translated on 3 DVDs (Pioneer, 1999–2001).
5. Scott Bukatman, Terminal Identity: The Virtual Subject in Post-Modern Science Fiction (Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press, 1993), 9. Jean Baudrillard’s description of the contemporary condition as “no more subject, no more focal point, no
more center or periphery: pure flexion or circular inflexion” is also particularly appropriate here. Jean Baudrillard, Simulacra and Simulation, trans. Sheila Glaser (Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 1994), 29.
6. Jeffrey Sconce, Haunted Media: Electronic Presence from Telegraphy to Television (Durham, N.C.: Duke University Press, 2000), 18.
7. Uchu¯ senkan Yamato, TV series, 26 episodes (1977); translated as Star Blazers Series 1: The Quest for Iscandar, 6 DVDs (Voyager, 2001); this was the first of several Yamato series broadcast on American television; Saraba uchu¯ senkan Yamato: Ai no
senshitachi, dir. Masuda Toshio (1978); translated as Farewell to Space Battleship Yamato: In the Name of Love, DVD (Voyager, 1995). A strong awareness of the transience and unpredictability of life has been rooted in Japanese culture for centuries and is exemplified in its lyric tradition. See Susan J. Napier, Anime from
Akira to Howl’s Moving Castle: Experiencing Contemporary Japanese Animation, rev. ed. (New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005), 249–53.
8. Akira, dir. O¯ tomo Katsuhiro (1988); translated as Akira, DVD (Pioneer, 2001).
9. Pierre Levy, Cyberculture, trans. Robert Bononno (Minneapolis: University
of Minnesota Press, 2001).
10. Murakami Haruki, Sekai no owari to haadoboirudo wandaarando (Tokyo: Shincho¯ sha, 1985); translated by Alfred Birnbaum as Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World (Tokyo: Kodansha International, 1991); Murakami Ryu¯ , Koin
rokkaa beibiizu, 2 vols. (Tokyo: Ko¯dansha, 1984); translated by Stephen Snyder as Coin Locker Babies (Tokyo: Kodansha International, 1995).
11. Napier, Anime, 292.
12. Paul Wells, Animation: Genre and Authorship (London: Wallflower, 2002), 66.
13. Seiji M. Lippit, Topographies of Japanese Modernism (New York: Columbia
University Press, 2000), 4.
14. Ibid., 7.
15. Bukatman, Terminal Identity, 106.
16. Janet Staiger, “Future Noir: Contemporary Representations of Visionary Cities,” in Alien Zone II, ed. Annette Kuhn (London: Verso, 1999), 100.
*Courtesy from “Robot Ghost Wired Dreams. Japanese sciencie fiction from origins to anime.” USA, Regents of the University of MIneapolis Press, MInnesota and London, 2007. Pages. 101 to 108.


text:
Julie Motz takes us on an extraordinary journey into a revolutionary form of healing. Five months after she began treating patients recuperating from open-heart surgery, she became a pioneer, crossing into uncharted territory--the first alternative healer to work on a surgical patient whose dying heart was being replaced with a new one. Inside that operating room, her own experience of healing would be completely transformed and redefined....
This remarkable book chronicles Julie Motz's uncommon mission to bring alternative methods of healing to the country's most prestigious hospitals. Invited by a young heart surgeon, she began working with patients undergoing radical lifesaving procedures. As she sensed the traumas and unresolved emotions that contributed to their suffering, she helped them release fear and anger, to begin healing both body and soul.
This breakthrough form of healing draws on Ayurvedic and Chinese medicine, treating the body and spirit as an interconnected whole. Julie Motz shows how strong emotion affects our bodies, creating energy imbalances that can lead to illness if unaddressed. And as she offers her deep compassion to the people under her care, she shows us how to care for ourselves as well: with patience and love, without judgment. She teaches us the role of the systems of our bodies in processing emotion, and how we can detoxify anger and fear, whether past or present. And she makes a persuasive case for allowing feeling into the sterile world of the O.R.
Hands of Life offers a stunning new view of the synthesis of high-tech medicine and ancient healing wisdom, presenting powerful evidence of the role of the spirit in matters of life and death. It is a book that urges us all to find deeper understanding of our bodies and enter the mysteries of our flesh with curiosity and wonder instead of passivity and fear.
From the Hardcover edition.
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Hands of Life
Into the Operating Room
It has been eight months since I first walked through the doors of the department of cardiothoracic surgery of Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center in upper Manhattan. The department has its suite of elegant offices in one wing of the seventh floor of the center's newest building, and patients recovering from its highly technical and remunerative surgeries occupy another. It has been five months since I began treating some of these patients, using the energy that flows through my hands to help them heal the terrible and awesome things that have happened inside their chests. It has been a month since I first met George, the patient who will change my life.
For a while, just to be doing such healing work, and to have it be effective in the highly mechanized and computerized realm of academic medicine, where machines extend life beyond anybody's wildest dreams, was mystery and challenge enough. But for the past few weeks I have been in the grip of an obsession about the operating room. If I can be effective after surgery, what might I accomplish if I could run energy into these open and wounded bodies while the transformation under the surgeon's knife is actually occurring?
I don't bother to think about the fact that this has never been done before-the idea seems to me so natural, such an obvious extension of what I am already doing. I don't bother to think that what I'm doing already seems odd enough to the nurses and the attending cardiologists on the unit-and even to Dr. Mehmet Oz, the surgeon whose patients I am treating.
What I think about are scalpels and saws cutting through unresisting flesh and bone, and pieces of anatomy being

domain: literature


text:
American streetcar manufacturer Oregon Iron Works turned to European company Skoda to get ideas for its new 10 T3 Streetcar Prototype, which will be open to the public this summer. Photo by United Streetcar.
Yesterday, U.S. Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood made his appearance at the formal unveiling of an American-made streetcar — the first to be manufactured in the United States in nearly 60 years.
United Streetcar, a subsidiary of Oregon Iron Works, developed the light rail vehicle at a local factory in compliance with the Federal Transit Administration’s “Buy America” requirement that any vehicle purchased with federal funds has at least a 60 percent domestic content and undergoes final assembly in the United States. According to Rail magazine, United Streetcar’s vehicle contains 70 percent domestic content. (Read more about the history of modern streetcars in America here.)
United Streetcar President Chandra Brown said, “We see a market for this modern streetcar, as more and more cities look to fight congestion and have rail play a role in local economic development.”
The city that was once part of FDR’s “Arsenal of Democracy,” for its part in retooling auto plants to make World War II tanks and bombers, has easily a dozen empty auto plants that could be making train engines and train cars.
Of course, railroads helping to rescue Detroit would be sweet irony. It was General Motors, after all—in cahoots with a number of other companies—that set out to cripple mass transit in America, including the electric streetcars that once trundled through Detroit and Flint.
Sec. LaHood seems to think it’d be an easy idea. “Take what you’ve down here in Portland and try to replicate it around America,” he said, according to The Oregonian. “It’s not that complicated.”
But are streetcars a waste of money?
According to KATU.com:
The City of Portland spends $3 million a year operating streetcars and is planning to pay about $15 million for five more streetcars that will service the new eastside streetcar line. It’s a money losing venture but planners say urban development makes up for it a hundred times over.
As far as TheCityFix is concerned, the more transit options, the better. In the words of Brookings Institution Senior Fellow Robert Puentes: “You can waste a lot of money on a stupid transit project if you don’t think it through, but if it’s done correctly, it can be transformative. It’s mostly about driving development and revitalizing commercial corridors and providing options for travel.” (The Dallas Morning News.)


text:
Iran’s new parliament will have more women than clerics when its members are sworn in this month, a first in the Islamic republic and a sign of the country’s evolving politics. Official results Saturday showed that reformist and moderate politicians allied with President Hassan Rouhani won a big victory in second round parliamentary elections. The outcome saw them outnumber their conservative rivals — many hardliners lost seats — for the first time since 2004 and capped a remarkable comeback for reformists after years of isolation.
After the second round of elections a record 17 women will become lawmakers in the 290-seat parliament — one more than the number of clerics, which has hit an all time low.
In the first parliament that followed the Islamic revolution in 1979 there were 164 clerics elected.
Some of the country’s most prominent politicians are clerics and have previously been lawmakers including Rouhani who was an MP between 1980 and 2000.
Full Article: Iran’s new parliament has more women than clerics.

domain: sociology