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Posts tagged “Josh Hamilton

Preseason Position Power Rankings: Couch Side’s top five right fielders for 2013

Outfield has always been a crucial position in fantasy baseball leagues. From the outfield spot you can grab some of the best players in the league. When analyzing just right fielders, there are several big name players who may be selected ahead of projections because many of them are entering their prime, or due to potential. Here’s a look at my top right fielders this fantasy season.

Right fielders just outside of my top five stack up as the following: Alex Rios, CWS, Carlos Beltran, STL, Nelson Cruz, TEX, Ben Zobrist, TAM, Nick Markakis, BAL, Nick Swisher, CLE.

5. Jay Bruce, Cincinnati Reds (.252 BA, 34 HR, 99 RBI, 1.4 WAR)

If the right field class wasn’t so stacked, Bruce would be higher up.The 6-foot-3 lefty oozes potential. He’s hit at least 25 home runs since entering the league in 2010, with 34 last year. He knocked in 99 RBIs last year, and should improve on that. As he enters his prime, Bruce will be a 40 home run candidate, and a sleeper to lead the league in home runs. Be careful though, he’s a .255 career hitter who strikes out a lot and walks very little. Also, his career high in steals is just nine.

Josh Hamilton’s life to be turned into a movie

BY JOHN BOARMAN, syndication

Josh Hamilton’s rise to the big leagues will be on the silver screen within the next few year. Photo by: Keith Allison / Flickr

It was only a matter of time. Josh Hamilton’s journey to the major leagues will be detailed in an upcoming movie from Relativity Media.

Relativity has a deal with Hamilton, along with a deal for Casey Affleck to write and direct the picture, according to Deadline.

Thunder Road Pictures’ Basil Iwanyk will produce along with The Walsh Company’s Kevin Walsh. Thunder Road’s Kent Kubena will executive produce and Hamilton and his wife Katie will co-produce along with Hamilton’s business manager Steve Reed.

Relativity has also closed a deal for rights to the book that Hamilton co-authored according to Deadline. The book titled ‘Beyond Belief: Finding The Strength To Come Back’ was published in 2010.

The story of Hamilton will likely center around his struggle with drugs and his eventual return to baseball after being kicked out for three full  years. (more…)

Couch Side Podcast — Episode 15: Hamilton versus Kemp

BY staff

This retro picture shows Couch Side baseball insider Brandon Smith interviewing former NAU swimmer Kimber Morelli. Smith joined Couch Side host Wade McMillin as the guest host of this week’s podcast.

Couch Side baseball insider Brandon J. Smith makes his debut on our podcast to discuss the NBA playoffs, Stan Van Gundy’s firing, I’ll Have Another’s chance at the triple crown and Dallas Clark signing with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Smith and Couch Side host Wade McMillin also have a great baseball debate about who is the better player — Josh Hamilton or Matt Kemp. See who the pair picks as the MLB’s best by following the links below:

Click here to stream/download Couch Side Episode 12  via iTunes

Click here to stream Couch Side Episode 12: NFL Mock Draft via our host site, TalkShoe

Click here to download Couch Side Episode 12: NFL via our host site, TalkShoe

Couch Side Podcast — Episode 14: Special Guests Galore

BY staff

Couch Side podcast host Wade McMillin (left) interviewed former Wyoming Cowboys center Adam Waddell in this week’s episode.

After two weeks off (apologies please), Couch Side host Wade McMillin welcomes in guest host Chuck Constantino to discuss the NBA playoffs, the Seattle Seahawks quarterback competition and Kyrie Irving winning the NBA’s Rookie of the Year award. Also, Wade has a very special interview with former Wyoming Cowboys center Adam Waddell. The 6-foot-10 Cody, Wyo., native talks about his playing days at the University of Wyoming, his future and what’s ahead for the Mountain West Conference.

Click here to stream/download Couch Side Episode 12  via iTunes

Click here to stream Couch Side Episode 12: NFL Mock Draft via our host site, TalkShoe

Click here to download Couch Side Episode 12: NFL via our host site, TalkShoe

A retro picture of this week’s guest host Chuck Constantino (left) and regular host Wade McMillin.

Spring Training Teasers: Couch Side’s top five left fielders for 2012

For part seven of Couch Side’s 12 part series on the best baseball players by position for 2012, I’m going the be showing a lot of love for the National League’s top left fielders. This list was an easy pick before I remembered that Ryan Braun’s suspension had been lifted. So although I don’t agree with his actions, until the man is proven guilty, he’ll lead off Couch Side’s list of the best in L.F.

Milwaukee Brewers left fielder Ryan Braun is Couch Side's top left fielder after almost winning the triple crown last season. Photo by: Dinur Blum / Flickr

1. Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers

Like it or not, Ryan Braun was the N.L. MVP last season. And hate it or love it, he will be playing this season despite some faulty handling of his drug test. With that out of the way, let’s focus on how this guy plays. Braun almost won the Triple Crown last season, falling just short in each category by the slimmest of margins. By hitting for power and contact last year, Braun proved that he may just be the best hitter in baseball. And it’s hard not to call a guy who hit 33 bombs, 111 RBIs and carried a .332 batting average just that. You never saw guys like Barry Bonds or Mark McGwire hit for average. That’s why it’s hard for me not to love Ryan Braun just a little. He may have cheated, but at least he didn’t gun for the single season home run record. Instead, he was Mr. Baseball last season. And if he is completely innocent, I feel like he could be one of the best of all time. After all, the guy is an extremely talented outfielder, feared hitter and a threat on the base paths with 33 swipes last season.

2. Josh Hamilton, Texas Rangers

If Hamilton can avoid injury and any sort of bad press by “relapsing,” he may just have a breakout season this year. It’s a stretch to say a former MVP is still capable of a breakout season, but Hamilton is due after missing solid stretches of time during the past two summers. We all know he is capable of 30 or even 40 home runs and is a lock to secure 100 RBIs. With a full season, he may just throw his name back into the MVP hat and Hamilton will certainly be looking to improve his numbers, considering this is the final year of his contract.

Give Hamilton a break … it’s just beer

BY JON FRANK, contributor

The mainstream media says Texas Rangers slugger Josh Hamilton, left, "relapsed" Monday simply for getting drunk at a bar. Photo by SD Dirk / Flickr

So what’s the deal with all the coverage on this Josh Hamilton relapse? Anybody else find it a bit, odd?

So the guy has a drinking problem, “relapses”, whatever that means, and it makes headlines on ESPN and Dude has to come out and have a press conference addressing media, explaining that he had “a moment of weakness”.

This is ludicrous.

Does anybody, outside the Texas Rangers clubouse and Hamilton’s family and friends, really care? Nobody even seems to know what happened, other than that he went to a bar for X amount of beers. Must be a slow day in sporting news. I get it. Hamilton’s had issues in the past, he’s about to be a free agent and nobody wants to deal with an alcoholic on their team. But how does a guy struggling to keep his shit together going to a bar, having a few and catching himself wind up on Pardon the Interruption? Mind you, Hamilton didn’t do anything illegal, within the vicinity of illegal, or even immoral. He went out for a beer.


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Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Fruits & Flowers Birthday - Unscripted Sketches #140

I'm slowly getting all my birthday cards made.  This card is for a special friend who just absolutely loves strawberries - especially Ontario strawberries!
Making this card took me back to when I was about 10 or 11 and my sister and I were wandering around the base of a hill near our home.  In the late spring there were wild strawberrries growing there and we knew just where they were.  Oh my, I can smell and taste them now!!

To make this card I used the sketch from Unscripted Sketches here

Stamps: Fruit & Flowers, Teeny Tiny wishes
Inks: Real Red, Basic Black SU markers (Real Red, Old Olive, Daffodil Delight)
Papers: Old Olive, Whisper White, Berry Blossoms designer paper, Old Olive,Real Red
Accessories: 1 1/4" square punch, 1 1/4" circle punch, 1 3/4 by 7/8" oval punch, Word Label punch, 1/8" Daffodil delight taffeta ribbon, Antique brad, dimensionals, dazzling details
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Proof! Ha!

Psychologist Philip Zimbardo says happiness and success are rooted in a trait most of us disregard: the way we orient toward the past, present and future. He suggests we calibrate our outlook on time as a first step to improving our lives.

So is this scientific proof of what I was saying? We have been living in the future too much and run out of energy, that we need the hedonism of things in the present? Honestly, watch it, its great to question what you are thinking about and how that might be helping or hindering your happiness and self development.

A year or two ago, we one of those life or death moments. Thankfully for us it was life, and I will forever be profoundly grateful that it was, yet it still had an impact. Everyone deals with those differently and for a while I was preoccupied with the ordinary tasks of recovery, but later, as the dust started to settle, I wondered more and more about the costs of waiting for ‘later’. What if later never comes? What if there is no later? What if there is only now.

There’s nothing wrong with focusing on the future, on making plans and working to achieve something of course. I want to make that clear. I couldn’t wipe this from my personality if I wanted to. But now, I think I get it more. It’s OK to focus on the good stuff now.

I am making decisions now I would have been too afraid to make yesterday. I don’t know that they will all work out, but  I am trying things out.

Hedonism has something going for it, and it’s scientific now! 😉

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Crochet Angel

Isn’t this just so delicate and pretty? I bought it in a local store, the tag says “handmade” with no other details. It has been crocheted, stiffened and shaped and I just love it. We have a fireplace in our entrance hall and this season my decorations are silver and white against the green wood panelling. This angel just adds to the crisp winter look.
I’m not getting any crochet done at all these days, too busy wrapping gifts and house cleaning in anticipation of the Big Day in 13 days time.
I am appreciating all my handiwork made this year as I snuggle under my hexagon blanket in these very cold evenings though.
Keep calm and carry on!

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Corp. honcho

Thank you for visiting our website! Below you will be able to find the answer to Corp. honcho crossword clue which was last seen on USA Today Crossword, March 21 2017. Our site contains over 2.8 million crossword clues in which you can find whatever clue you are looking for. Since you landed on this page then you would like to know the answer to Corp. honcho. Without losing anymore time here is the answer for the above mentioned crossword clue:

We found 3 possible solutions in our database matching the query Corp. honcho

Possible Solution

"Corp. honcho" in other crosswords:
Puzzle Solution
Washington Post December 28 2016 CEO
USA Today September 17 2016 PRES

Want to know where PRES has appeared as a solution before? Click here for more information on that word.

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USA Today Clues September 17, 2016

Spin doctor's concern
Gaudy jewelry, slangily
Brylcreem amount, in ads
UPS alternative
Part of a mechanic's bill
Dedicatee of Lennon's "Woman"
Thanksgiving staple
Fleecy boot brand
Less cluttered
Oath of office need
New arrival
Searcher for Livingstone
Woody's costar in "Zelig"
Plastic user's burden
Pot starter
Badlands formation
Stir up, as sediment
Phil who sang "Draft Dodger Rag"
Doesn't just sit by
Ogden Nash's forte
Slightest bit
King David Lounge airline
"Quo Vadis" emperor
Resistance units
Takes an axe to
Corp. honcho
Burrowing rodents
Broke into, as a computer
Dam on the Nile
Far from sunny
Vardalos of "My Big Fat Greek Wedding"
Sanitation department service
Paving crew need
Spicy Chinese cuisine
Quench, as thirst
"What happened next?"
Brief tussle
It's "fed" by motorists
Kitten's cry
Suffix with Gator or Power
Thelma's player in "Thelma & Louise"
Offer, as one's hand
Rorschach image
Subject to a library fine
Letter-shaped construction beams
"Only kidding!"
"You Raise Me Up" singer Josh
Reconfirm for accuracy
Protractor measure
Result of a three-putt, often
Canape topper
Back from vacation, say
"That makes my blood boil!"
Flower girl, perhaps
Opposite of "rewind," on a remote
Fish story
Belgian songsmith Jacques
Bar mitzvah reading
Bronchial woe
Gilligan's home
Newcomer on the job
Honored the anthem
Three-piece suit part
Billing periods, often
Beat to a pulp, slangily
Penchant for cruelty
Largest of rays
___ fusion (kind of restaurant)
Hardly sufficient
Compete in the Tour de France
Exam for an aspiring atty.
"That's terrible!"
Wish undone
"Krazy ___" (classic comic strip)
Luau instrument, for short
___ capita income

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Beautiful Alaskan scenery

Zaandam Cruise Review to Alaska - Gulf of Alaska

Contributor Level: Deck Hand
Experience: 2-3 cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Vote: 1

Overall Rating:

4.0 out of 5
Verified Review
7 Night Glacier Discovery Northbound (Vancouver To Seward)
Sail Date: June 22, 2008
Ship: Zaandam
Cabin Type: Oceanview
Traveled As: Large Group
Reviewed: 9 years ago
See my other comments

3 out of 5
OK for a cruise. Not much variety. But, there was an outstanding string quartet in one of the lounges.

Service and Staff

5 out of 5
Especially the dining staff. They even put on a show for us in the theater!

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5
3 out of 5
Went biking while my wife went on a local bus tour.
3 out of 5
Got our own transportation to Mendenhall glacier and took a nice 4 mile hike.
3 out of 5
We walked to the totem pole park

Pros: Great views of glaciers and friendly dining and room staff.

Cons: They were a little pushy with their products -- tours and drinks. We did not take any of the Holland American tours, but were able to do lots when we got off the trip with local guides.

Recommends Zaandam? Yes!

Was this review helpful? 5

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Other Reviews Of This Sailing

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Great Experience

Zaandam Cruise Review to Alaska - Gulf of Alaska

Contributor Level: Third Mate
Experience: 2-3 cruises
Review: 1
Helpful Votes: 21

Overall Rating:

5.0 out of 5
Verified Review
7 Night Glacier Discovery Northbound (Vancouver To Seward)
Sail Date: July 26, 2015
Ship: Zaandam
Cabin Type: Oceanview
Cabin Number: 1915
Traveled As: Family (young children)
Reviewed: 2 years ago

We really enjoyed the cruise.  The crew members were very friendly.  The programs on the ship was entertaining.  The food was good, and we had a lot of fun on the excursions.

Food and Dining

5 out of 5

Onboard Activities

5 out of 5

5 out of 5

Children's Programs

3 out of 5

Service and Staff

5 out of 5

Ship Quality

5 out of 5

Cabin / Stateroom

5 out of 5

Cruise Inside Passage, Alaska

5 out of 5
5 out of 5
5 out of 5
5 out of 5

Cruise Glacier Bay

5 out of 5
Was this review helpful? 21

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Remember: Be polite and respectful. Our diverse community is home to members with different opinions and a broad range of cruise experiences.

Other Reviews Of This Sailing

*Cruiseline.com is not a booking agent or travel agency, and does not charge any service fees to users of our site. Our partners (travel agencies and cruise lines) provide prices, which we list for our users' convenience. Cruiseline.com does not guarantee any specific rates or prices. While prices are updated daily, please check with the booking site for the exact amount. Cruiseline.com is not responsible for content on external web sites.

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Salsa and Pesto

Last week’s CSA box called out to be made into salsa.  Tomatoes, onions, jalapeno peppers, and peaches.  A friend of mine had served the Costco mango salsa at a birthday party recently, and so I thought peaches would also go very nicely.  We ate the rest of my peaches outright because they were so good, but one did make it into the salsa.  The jalapenos were hotter than any I have ever grown in my garden, so 1/4th of one seeded pepper made the salsa too spicy to serve the kids.  YOW!

I love homemade pesto, so was thrilled earlier this season when I received basil as a fresh herb in my box.  Garlic, olive oil, parmesan cheese and toasted walnuts from my friend’s English Walnut tree and I am a happy camper.

I like to freeze my pesto in ice cube trays to make it keep longer and I always estimate there is about 1 Tablespoon of pesto per cube.

Tonight though, I went for a quick and easy dinner.  We had middle school orientation after work until about 7:30pm, and by the time I got home, no one was cooking.  Some fresh pasta, my pesto and a salad was dinner.  Nothing new, but the kids always love pasta and if I can get a salad in along the way, I have done my duty for dinner.

About csamom

Living in Eastern Washington State for the past 15 years, I appreciate the wonderful produce we have available here. I am a working mom, with the typical active family. We have two children, a cat, a fish, and a snake.
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Al Di Là Events

A little over a year ago, a friend from college contacted me to help her with the branding of her new company. Logos and corporate identity are probably some of my favorite things to do, along with invitations, so of course, I said yes!

Al di Là, which means “beyond” in Italian, is an all-inclusive event and party design company. The owner, Lauren, an elegant, sophisticated, and totally awesome person, wanted the same vibe from her logo. Easy peezy. We ended up with a geometrical encased “plaque” style logo. The swirls hinting at the feminine touch and style, with fun and elegant font. As for the color, purple can also symbolize many things. I’m sure many people don’t even realize that logo colors aren’t just arbitrarily chosen. For example, have you noticed that many restaurants or logos associated with food are red? Why? Because it makes you hungry! haha. Here are some of the reasons why purple was a great color for this logo. { Why Purple?? }

So, after the logo was completed was the next step. Marketing. Business cards. Now, we could have designed some nice business cards for cheap that could’ve gotten the job done, but Lauren, being awesome, said if we’re gonna do it, let’s do it right, and basically was a designer’s dream, and let me have free reign of the business card design. Die cuts? Yes, please. Spot gloss? Of course. Awesome quality? Always. And so, with those extra touches, we would help ensure that not only the first impression of Al Di Là Events was memorable, but so too, would be working with them.

If you get the chance, please check out Lauren and her work for your next event!! { Al Di Là Events }

3 thoughts on “Al Di Là Events

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Classy Knitwear For Enchanting Winters

Author: Scott UF

Source: Custom Tailor in Hong Kong

In the sprawling field of fashion and style, knitwear and cardigans are drawing immense popularity day in and day out. However, there was a time when such knitwear was considered to be over flashy, shabby and was thought to be of traditional age which is bygone. But, just like the case of renaissance, the idea of elegant knitwear is making a great comeback in the modern age of today. At the same time, it is also important to inculcate that the knitwear can never be out of style oriented trends as such apparel provide a classy look to the fashion minded men and elegance centric females.

The look which one gets while putting on such classy knitwear can hardly be ignored and in fact, such dresses are widely being accepted during the days of other seasons as well. In the words of fashion stylists, such type of apparel could hardly be overlooked in light of their decency and towering flamboyance and the promising sales records of previous years indicate to such facts.

Seamstress Using Sewing Machine

However, usually it is seen that the thought of elderly people crosses the minds when one considers about such knitwear items and because of such facts, youngsters generally remain aloof from such type of apparel. But the trend setters are set to differ from this and have always stood up for such elegant piece of apparel while seeking heightened fashion and have regarded knitwear to be preferred and accepted with warmth. Moreover, it is widely seen that people have started putting on such knitwear not only during the winters but also during the spring season.

Immense Warmth:
The exclusive range of knitwear are widely hailed to be the most precious wearable for checking the onslaught of winters and it is mainly because of the fact that the fabrics are pretty thick and could reverse certain amount of heat to the body. Hence, in the opinion of fashion guides, cardigans and the knitwear are the best way to seek warmth during the breezy winters.

Custom Bespoke Tailoring

Range of Dashing Colours:

In case of colours too, one can enjoy a great many colours and popular tailors in Hong Kong, who also happen to be the fashion guides, opine that darker shades, off-whites and grey matter should be more preferred than anything else. The innate advantage is that such shades help in stealing an incandescent looks during the colder days while the lighter colours will not be of such advantage. Furthermore, when spring season is out, one can easily try hands upon other lighter shades, but one should always shun the vibrant colours. As per fashion experts, violet, khakis and muted browns should be more preferred, than anything else.

Visit My Blog @ Custom Tailor in Hong Kong

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DRIPPING SAUCE - Custom Heat Pressed Adult Camo Sweatshirt - 1469 6DE2EE840C5C

Brand : Badger Sportswear
Age : Adult
Gender : Male
Material : 100% Polyester

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Engage in this critical debate with Countering Violent Extremist professionals from across government, military, law enforcement and NGOs

Defence IQ is delighted to announce the return of Countering Violent Extremism 2017. As thisqa symposium moves into its 16th year, the 2017 event will look at the lessons that the Information Operations military community can share and impact wider domestic and international CVE efforts.

This event will bring together communication professionals and government agencies from around the world to discuss the successes, challenges and failures, and novel methods for communicating against the lure of extremism.

Don't miss the opportunity to take part in this unique interactive event, which brings together CVE stakeholders from across the military, government, law enforcement and NGOs, who play an integral role in tackling the challenges that we all face in the fight against this persistent threat. This event will give you the chance to asses potential solutions and understand how you can effectively implement them into your CVE strategy.

2017 Speakers Include:

View All Speakers

This year’s event will focus around key challenges that the CVE community is facing globally, which will structure the discussion and take-aways from the event. These are:

Credible voices; how to empower and deploy

Measurement of CVE; magic tricks or genuine measurement

Former Fighters; when, why and how to deploy

Migration; risk identification and management

Preventing Violent Extremism or Countering Violent Extremism; how to invest your efforts

Future Casting; what are the challenges we’re about to face

Taking the fight to the enemy; operating on encrypted channels

Hacking; integral to effective CVE?

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Global software giant Microsoft plans to discontinue support for older versions of its Internet Explorer browsers on Tuesday January 12. The company said that it would only provide support and security updates for Internet Explorer 11, which offers improved security and better performance.  This means that users who have the older browsers installed will still be able to use them, but that Microsoft will stop updating them with bug fixes and security upgrades. Users of older Internet Explorer browsers will also be prompted to install the latest versions of Microsoft browsers from next week.

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Guess what’s new? #Giveaway

I can’t believe how fast the summer whooshed by. I’ve completed the first book in a new gritty romance series I hope to share with you in 2017. Although I’ve been quiet, know I’m working to bring you more great romantic suspense with loveable characters and swoon-worthy book boyfriends. So, here we are in October–my favorite month of the year! Because, well, it’s my birthday month and Halloween is only a week away. I’ve filled my Pinterest Halloween board with lots fun and yummy Pins (  Are you excited for spirits and spells? In the town of Whisper Cove, a dark spirit grows restless….

But hold on… let’s get to the giveaway first. I’m feeling super excited and have put together a huge giveaway bundle of treats for my newsletter followers to help me celebrate the release of my Whisper Cove Boxed Set, books 1-4, and the pre-order of Spirit Freed. Squee! Not signed up? Here’s the newsletter link for your chance to win all the goodies below:

7 days remain until a winner is chosen and you can warm up with me. 😉

Giveaway 10-31-16 1.png
Giveaway 10-31-16 2.png
Winner will receive:
Signed books from Cyndi Faria, Laura Moore, Carol Ross, Pintip Dunn, and Cat Johnson. Also, coffee, mugs, 2-$10 Amazon Gift Cards, and a handmade blanket by me. 😃 Now that you’ve signed up to win, I have more coming your way. In preparation for Spirit Freed’s release on February 14th, 2017–this is Dane and Abigail’s story that needed more time on the page and you won’t be disappointed–I’ve bundled books 1-4 (a 33% savings! Score!).
Here’s the bundle purchase links:

Barnes and Noble:

Google Play:

With their second chance at love threatened, lovers held prisoner by dark magic fight a spirit controlled by a sinister force…in book 5 of the Whisper Cove series.

Pre-Order Spirit Freed (Amazon link is coming mid-November):

Google Play:

 More news!

PRINT BOOKS ARE HERE!!! I love touching and smelling the paper… Now you can hold your book boyfriend close to your heart. Link:

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Tell me in the comments below a Halloween trick or treat that is part of your Fall tradition for a chance to win a digital copy of both books 1 and 2 of my Whisper Cove series.

Happy Halloween and best of luck! Cyndi
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Don’t speak

Don’t speak
I know just what you’re saying
So please stop explaining
Don’t tell me cause it hurts

-No Doubt

Milk became a four-letter-word in our house.

It’s Philip’s favorite beverage. He consumes so much that I was certain it would be his first word. That’s why I modeled the word at every opportunity.

Here’s your milk, Philip.
Do you want milk, Philip?
Mmm, milk is yummy.
Uh-oh! It looks like your milk is all gone.

Nothing in Philip’s behavior indicated that my constant repetition was having any effect. I came to realize that Philip will say milk when he is ready. I’ve been pleased when he uses pictures to request the drink, but I’ll have to be patient to hear the word from his lips. I’m learning to accept that being able to talk isn’t as important as being able to communicate.

This new-found acceptance isn’t what prompted me to lay off the modeling though. No, something else caused me to spell out the word “milk” rather than uttering it aloud.

A few months ago, I was in the living room with Philip. I don’t remember if I was talking to him or to Peter. I don’t recall exactly what I said, but the word “milk” was included.

After I finished speaking, Philip ran crying from the room.

“What’s wrong with him?” Peter asked me.

“I don’t know,” I replied in confusion. I noticed Philip was standing beside the refrigerator.

I guess he’s thirsty, I thought. Since it was close to his bed time, I chalked it up to toddler crankiness.

Several days later, Philip had only been out of bed for a few minutes when it happened again. He had gone to the refrigerator to get his milk and was now sitting on the couch with it.

Peter asked me, “What’s Philip doing?”

“Drinking his milk,” I answered.

As soon as the word was out of my mouth, Philip responded.

“Waa-AAA-aaa-AAA-aaa!” Philip’s wail oscillated with each step as he ran from the living room to the kitchen. I watched him open the refrigerator. Even though he already had his milk in his hand, he was looking for it on the now-empty shelf.

“Philip,” I tried to soothe him, “you already have your milk.”

Philip cried once again, slamming the refrigerator door shut for emphasis.

Suddenly, a light bulb went on in my head. Philip understood me. He was reacting to the word “milk.” Despite this “Aha!” moment, I would forget and continue to say the word.

“Hey, Peter-are we out of milk?”

Cue the crying.

This happened enough times that I started spelling it, but I forgot to warn my mom. We were eating dinner at my parents’ house, when Grandma asked, “Philip, do you want some milk?”

She was taken aback by the shrill cry Philip let out. I tried to be helpful.

“You can’t say the word ‘milk,'” I explained.

Another cry.

“Um, see what I mean,” I said. Peter gave me a dirty look.

For the next few weeks, I remembered to spell m-i-l-k.

Then, one day, I accidentally said milk again.

And nothing happened.

Well, not nothing. Philip went and got his milk from the fridge. Without crying, without drama. He understood me and wasn’t upset.

Soon, we were at my parents’ again for supper. Philip wasn’t eating.

“He’s probably just thirsty,” I told them. “Philip, do you want some milk?”

You would have thought I had just dropped the F-bomb from the look on my mother’s face. My dad froze. Peter tensed. Philip calmly climbed off his chair and went to the refrigerator to get a drink.

“We can say milk again,” I said. I picked up my fork and ate.

That's water in his sippy cup.

That’s w-a-t-e-r in his sippy cup.

Pulling one from the archives to link up with the yeah write #150 moonshine grid. Stop by and drink up all the great posts!

14 thoughts on “Don’t speak

  1. This post really hit home with me. There have been (and still are) multiple words in this house that must not be said. It started with “moo” and “train” and wailing cries. Now, my son does cry but gets agitated but instead of yelling or hitting he grabs my hand or wrist, looks at me and says “I love you mom” which is his way of saying he loves me but don’t say that word. I wonder what it is about those words! With all the spelling, you might have another spelling bee winner right there. Please let me know when (not if) this happens! 😉

  2. Oh no, poor little guy. It shows how on the ball he was though. He wasn’t missing much if he was picking up ‘that word’ casually mentioned in other people’s conversations.

  3. I am actually amazed at his power of association. Shows that there is so much that we don’t really know about how we put words and ideas together.

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Scientists Create New Method of Helping to Target Therapies for CF

Scientists Create New Method of Helping to Target Therapies for CF

Scientists at the University of California-Riverside have developed a novel way to help target therapeutics for cystic fibrosis (CF) and other diseases.

Their study, “Inhibition of nonsense-mediated RNA decay by ER stress,” appeared in the journal RNA.

The information encoded in human DNA is first converted to RNA, and then from RNA to protein. But that conversion process is complex, increasing the possibility of errors. Yet cells have developed mechanisms to prevent such errors from occurring, or to “clean up” wrong RNA messages from being converted into aberrant proteins.

One of these mechanisms is the nonsense-mediated RNA decay (NMD) pathway, which helps prevent the production of disease-causing aberrant proteins.

NMD is helpful, for example, in diseases like amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), where cells accumulate wrong RNA messages. NMD activity helps cells rid themselves of erroneous DNA. But in diseases like CF, the loss of the protein carrying the gene’s CFTR message leads to disease. In this case, it’s preferable to decrease NMD activity than to increase it.

In other words, CF patients do not want the NMD pathway to eliminate the CFTR-defective RNA,  because the defective RNA may be converted into a semi-functional protein, which, in CF, it is better than no protein at all. Lower NMD activity might be beneficial in CF than higher activity, which may help ALS patients.

Sika Zheng. Photo credit: I. Pittalwala, UC- Riverside.

A team of scientists says it has developed a laboratory method to effectively measure NMD efficiency inside the cell.

“Our method can screen a host of chemicals and allows us to identify molecules that regulate this efficiency,” Sika Zheng, study lead author and assistant professor of biomedical sciences at UC-Riverside’s School of Medicine, said in a press release. “We have already identified thapsigargin as a molecule that indirectly and robustly inhibits NMD.”

Researchers using this new method took certain normal targets of NMD and turned them into “reporters” of NMD activity. This will allow scientists to measure not only NMD activity in cells but also in tissues for the first time.

“Our method is far easier and more sensitive, and for the first time can make measurements in all kinds of samples,” Zheng said. “This is essential for drug screening. We are going to screen a larger library of chemicals to identify molecules that either boost or weaken NMD, which should help develop better and more targeted drugs for treating ALS, muscular dystrophy and cystic fibrosis.”

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Home » Uncategorized » Host Bulldogs hold slight lead at RBV Christmas Tournament

Host Bulldogs hold slight lead at RBV Christmas Tournament

NEW BETHLEHEM — Host Redbank Valley holds a slight lead in the team standings after the first day of the Redbank Valley Christmas Wrestling Tournament Friday.

The Bulldogs had 71 points, just a 1/2 point ahead of Berlin Brothersvalley. Sharon wasn’t far behind in third at 69.5 points with Sheffield (60) rounding out the top five. Other District 9 teams in the 13-team event were Punxsutawney, Sheffield, Clarion and Keystone.

The semifinal round begins action Saturday. Here are District 9 semifinalists, by weight class:

106: Ryan Kube (Redbank Valley) vs. Kole Holden (Sheffield) in one semifinal.

113: Round robin format with just six wrestlers in the bracket. Clarion’s Caleb Bailey is 2-1.

120: Top-seeded Willie Gruver (Redbank Valley) vs. Eli Lambiotte (Punxsutawney) in one semifinal.

126: Top-seeded Nick Baughman (Keystone) vs. Tanner Altobelli (Redbank Valley) and Marcus Spittler (Smethport) vs. Austin Alfreno (Sharon).

132: Joel Bowers (Punxsutawney) vs. Andrew Campbell (Sharon) and Rickey Prosen (Sheffield) vs. Austin Howard (Northwestern)

138: Kaleb Young (Punxsutawney) vs. Brian Fries (Sheffield)

145: Top-seeded Braden Fochtman (Berlin) vs. Josh Schuckers (Punxsutawney) and Doug Grubbs (Sheffield) vs. Mitch Blose (Redbank Valley)

152: Top-seeded Taylor Cahill (Berlin) vs. Perry Arrington (Punxsutawney) and James Duffy (Smethport) vs. Sebastian Rinehardt (Northwestern)

160: Top-seeded Bryce Fochtman (Berlin) vs. Jordon Johnson (Smethport) and Keshon Truitt (Redbank Valley) vs. Cory Buchanan (Sharon).

170: Akete Kindle (Smethport) vs. Alan Porreca (Sharon)

182: No D9 wrestlers in semifinals

195: Top-seeded John Wissinger (West Shamokin) vs. Brylee Shumaker (Redbank Valley) and Alex Burkhart (Clarion) vs. Toby Cahill (Berlin)

220: Top-seeded Cal Haines (Redbank Valley) vs. Levi Bloom (Sheffield) and Tyler Beal (Keystone) vs. Zach Sintobin (Clarion).

HWT: Top-seeded Dylan Dinch (Smethport) vs. Zach Huet (Clarion) and Ben Carrillo (Redbank Valley) vs. Anthony Collins (Berlin).

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ALERT: The Market’s Weakest Sector is About to Break Out

The market is beginning to reveal a surprising new leader…

The energy sector!

The days of $100 oil are long gone. But energy stocks are beginning to quietly come back from the dead. In fact, the sector just posted its strongest trading week of the year. While most investors remain fixated on the tech sector and the cryptocurrency boom, energy is looking like strong bet heading into the final trading months of the year.

As oil tops $50 a barrel for the first time since May, many forgotten energy names are starting to shine again. The market is telling us it’s time to rotate into the sector as lazy summer trading winds down.

You already know how critical it is to have your trading dollars in the correct stocks and sectors. If you aren’t catching a ride with the market’s most powerful trends, you won’t have a shot at beating a passive investment strategy.

For instance, the first half of 2017 would have been a total bust for our trading portfolio if we bottom-fished for energy stocks instead of riding the tech stock boom. Semiconductors and the other big tech names listed on the Nasdaq were fueling the market’s motor during the first and second quarter. Our positions in stocks like PayPal Holdings (NASDAQ:PYPL), Facebook (NASDAQ:FB), and (NASDAQ:AMZN) powered our portfolio and made up for any of the small losses we incurred.

On the other end of the spectrum, energy stocks weighed down the market’s performance. Oil was slumping to new 52-week lows as recently as June, threatening to tumble into a new bear market. The energy sector was faring even worse as oil continued to slide.

By mid-June, the Energy Select Sector SPDR (NYSE:XLE) has dropped more than 16% from its December highs. Meanwhile, sizzling comeback plays like the SPDR S&P Biotech ETF(NYSE:XBI) had jumped a staggering 29% over the same timeframe.

Digging a little deeper, we uncovered more grim energy stats. Bespoke Investment Group noted over the summer that the energy sector underperformed the S&P by more than 23% over the past year. Such a wide performance gap is quite unusual. Since 2000, Bespoke notes that this margin of underperformance has only happened twice.

Poor energy stocks just couldn’t catch a break. The latest summer slump comes on the heels of an oil price that was consistently victimized by a whipsaw market last year. In summer 2016, oil prices quickly jumped above $50 a barrel for the first time in nearly a year. U.S. stockpiles were down and China demand came in stronger than anticipated. Both factors helped push oil over the hump.

But these gains were short lived. Oil bears were just taking a quick nap. After topping out, oil prices fell for six straight days. It was the longest bearish run for oil since early 2016 when prices plummeted below $30 a barrel.

As you would expect, the once-popular energy stocks have not flourished in the new era of cheap oil. Just last year, the sector’s attempted comeback was cut short in December. It’s remained in a nasty downtrend ever since while the broad market has maintained its strong performance.

But that’s all changed over the past four weeks…

The Energy Select Sector SPDR has gained 8.5% over the past month, compared to a gain of a little more than 3% in the S&P 500. The sector is now above its July highs and looking to snap its 2017 downtrend.

This month’s action in the energy sector gives you a great shot at getting in on a burgeoning turnaround play.

Greg Guenthner
for The Daily Reckoning

The Daily Reckoning


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Amazon Is a Creation of Bubble Finance

[Urgent Note: David Stockman warns that the nation’s future and a massive debt ceiling hangs in the balance as Wall Street’s peak bull stocks carry on. The economist is on a mission to send his new book TRUMPED! A Nation on the Brink of Ruin… and How to Bring It Back out to every American who responds, absolutely free. Click here for more details.]

Joseph Schumpeter, one of the great economists of all times, once described capitalism as “the perennial gale of creative destruction.”  In Capitalism, Socialism, and Democracy (1942), he wrote:

The opening up of new markets, foreign or domestic, and the organizational development from the craft shop to such concerns as U.S. Steel illustrate the same process of industrial mutation — if I may use that biological term—that incessantly revolutionizes the economic structure from within, incessantly destroying the old one, incessantly creating a new one. This process of Creative Destruction is the essential fact about capitalism.

I believe fully in the virtues of free market capitalism. Its “creative destruction” creates gains in efficiency and leads to technological innovation. It produces rising incomes and living standards for everyone.

And I strongly oppose attempts by the state to implement bailouts, subsidies and protectionist devices designed to keep buggy-whip makers in business after their time has gone.

Yet I quote the passage above because the day before yesterday I heard a stock peddler on bubble vision praising Amazon as an example of Schumpeter’s ideal.

Namely, that the destructive mayhem now underway in bricks and mortar retail is just the laws of capitalism at work. And that Amazon’s e-commerce juggernaut is creating far more new economic wealth and utility than it is destroying.

But I beg to differ.

Schumpeter assumed financial markets were honest and that the monetary system was sound. But he died in 1950 — long before Milton Friedman co-authored a grossly misleading book on how the Fed’s stinginess had caused the Great Depression (A Monetary History of the United States, 1963).

And Schumpeter died even longer before Friedman’s disciples at the central banks ushered in the era of Bubble Finance and monetary central planning we have today.

At the heart of monetary central planning is the massive falsification of financial asset prices. This is profoundly destructive because it distorts the signaling system of everyday capitalism. In turn, that causes sweeping malinvestments, irrational economic decisions and the vast waste of real economic resources.

Applying that insight to the retail sector, it is now estimated that 30,000 retail stores will close over 2017-2019 due to Amazon’s relentless attack. That’s nearly 3x the 12,000 stores that closed from 2014-2016.

But in carrying out its scorched earth policies across the retail landscape, Amazon is not doing God’s work, or even Schumpeter’s. It’s functioning as a giant predator motivated by false incentives to destroy perfectly serviceable assets, business operations and jobs.

Once again today, Amazon’s stock is trading above the $1,000 mark. That means its market cap is in the financial stratosphere at $478 billion.

But Amazon is 24 years-old, not a start-up. And it hasn’t invented anything explosively new like the i-Phone or personal computer. Instead, 91% of its sales involve storing, moving and delivering goods — a sector of the economy that has grown by just 2.2% annually in nominal dollars for the last decade. There is simply no macroeconomic basis for Amazon’s insane valuation.

Yes, it’s taking market share by leaps and bounds. But that’s inherently a one-time gain that can’t be capitalized in perpetuity. And this “growth” is generating new competition as the stronger elements of the bricks and mortar world are now piling on the e-commerce bandwagon.

Wal-Mart’s e-commerce sales, for example, have exploded, with sales rising 63% in the most recent quarter. Moreover, Wal-Mart has finally figured out the free shipments game. It increased its e-commerce offerings from 10 million to 50 million items just in the past year.

It is also rapidly learning how to leverage its massive existing asset base for e-commerce duty. This includes using its 4,700 stores as customer pick-up sites. It also has hundreds of distribution centers, a fleet of 6,200 trucks and a global sourcing system which is second to none.

And after nearly three decades of operation, Amazon still generates limited operating free cash flow relative to its nosebleed valuation. In fact, at today’s magic $1,000 per share, Amazon is being valued at 51X its last twelve month (LTM) operating free cash flow.

And that gets to the larger point about Amazon’s predation and value destruction. Between 2010 and 2016 Amazon’s net sales exploded from $34.2 billion to $136 billion. But its pre-tax margin, which was already thin at 4.4% in 2016 clocked-in at just 2.9% in the year just completed.

Stated differently, on sales growth of $102 billion, Amazon posted only $2.5 billion of pre-tax profit gain. Indeed, apart from its cloud business (AWS) Amazon is essentially not a profit making institution at all.

And that’s also where the false signaling point needs be emphasized. In an honest free market, Jeff Bezos would be more than welcome to run a profitless growth machine. But it would also be valued accordingly.

I will readily grant that Bezos is a visionary and great capitalist innovator, builder and disrupter. But I would also lay heavy odds on the probability that his business strategy might be dramatically different — and far more profit oriented — under an honest free market.

In fact, based on the true facts of the Amazon e-commerce juggernaut, I think Bezos’ assault on the bricks and mortar sector would be far less menacing and reckless. And that’s giving full credit to the fact that online shopping and nearly instant delivery of goods is an enormous consumer boon that would be making great inroads even in an honest free market.

But it wouldn’t happen nearly as rapidly, wantonly or disruptively, because Amazon would be required to post a reasonable profit. And its stock price would reflect that reality, instead of riding the ridiculously false highs of Bubble Finance.

Indeed, the virtually profitless e-commerce monster that just keeps spending and expanding like some sci-fi blob is surely a measure of the mania at loose in the casino.

The fact is, every dime Amazon takes in is being recycled to more distribution centers, package handlers, hired delivery trucks and drone prototypes.

Needless to say, I do not think Amazon is a freakish outlier. It’s actually the lens through which the entire stock market should be viewed because the whole enchilada is now in the grips of a pure mania.

Stated differently, Graham & Dodd should move over: The stock market is no longer a discounting mechanism nor even a weighing machine. It’s become a pure gambling hall.

So Bezos’ e-commerce business strategy is that of a madman — one made mad by the fantastically false price signals emanating from a casino that has become utterly unhinged due to 30 years of Bubble Finance policies at the Fed and its fellow central banks around the planet.

Indeed, the chart below leaves nothing to the imagination. Since 2012, Amazon  stock price has bounded upward in nearly exact lock-step with the massive balance sheet expansion of the world’s three major central banks.

G3 Central Bank Balance Sheet AMZN

At the end of the day, however, the Amazon tale is about far more than the egregious overvaluation of the prime bubble stock of the current cycle, or even the $70 billion windfall (on paper)  that has accrued to Jeff Bezos.

Needless to say, none of this is happening in an economic vacuum.

What the Fed has actually unleashed is not the Schumpeterian process of true creative destruction.

It’s merely unleashed a rogue business model and reckless sales growth machine that is just one more example of destructive financial engineering, and still another proof that monetary central planning fuels economic decay, not prosperity.

David Stockman
for The Daily Reckoning

The Daily Reckoning


text:
Vanessa Nimmo

Vanessa has always had a keen interest in both science and music, studying both in her time at the ANU. She has also been dancing ever since she could walk, and currently teaches lindy hop and ballroom dancing as well as DanceKids. She loves helping children to learn about the world around them in the most fun way possible – by dancing!

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text:
Goodbye Princess Leia

One of cosplay’s female icons (whether one takes to latex accessories in making their Jabba the Hutt slave girl bikini or dons the white robes of a princess) as well as a true advocate for feminism and the deconstruction of mental illness prejudices, Carrie Fisher died this week.

(We won’t even begin to get into the tragedy of Debbie Reynolds dying two days later! Not to brush over her death at all, though.)

The daughter of Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds suffered a heart attack on a flight from London to L.A. on 12/23 and died four days later. Coming to worldwide prominence (with Harrison Ford and Mark Hamill) in Star Wars as “Princess Leia,” Fisher had acted on stage and screen before appearing in the George Lucas epic. She was also first diagnosed with her mental health issues in her mid-20’s and began “self-medicating” in well-publicized drug and alcohol addiction. In her 2008 autobiography, Wishful Drinking, as well as her semi-autobiographical novel (and the movie of it) Postcards From The Edge in 1990, Fisher explored her demons. In her latest book, published just last week, The Princess Diatrist the lady’s usual erasable edge had not dwindled a bit as she revealed an affair she had had with Harrison Ford way back when making “Star Wars.”

We should not only celebrate the ultimate geek goddess and warrior Princess Leia, but the strong and honest woman who played her. Carrie Fisher was a true feminist, as much for what she wanted in her life, as how she got it and for talking about that which people usually saw as stigmatizing.

In her Wishful Drinking, Fisher penned her own obituary. In her usual wild wit, she is quoted as saying: “I want it reported that I drowned in moonlight, strangled by my own bra.” She was referencing a discussion she had had on the first Star Wars’ set when creator George Lucas chided her that Princess Leia couldn’t wear certain couture under her infamous white gown. As Fisher wrote in the book: So, what happens if you go to space and you become weightless? So far so good, right? But then your body expands??? But your bra doesn’t — so you get strangled by your own bra.

Carrie Fisher was 60.

Debbie Reynolds, an icon in her own right, was 84.


text:
If nothing ever changed…

If you know the quote, finish it now with me, “…there would be no butterflies.”

Very good. 🙂

A dear friend of mine found this quote on some cards and some magnets. She was telling me about it and saying that she wanted a larger size.

That very night, I was walking around a thrift store and found a homemade card that was already framed up. I kid you not — that very night. I had to rush it over to her house. She wasn’t home, so I left it on her doorstep. Imagine her surprise when she came home and found it. She was even more shocked when I told her that I hadn’t made it for her, that I had found it.

Thoughts become things?

Butterflies are beautiful, wonderful, and delightful. They change from one creature into something entirely different.

Take a moment to ponder the changes that have occurred in your life. Aren’t most of them beautiful and wondrous, maybe even downright miracles?

Why is it then that we fear change so? Maybe we aren’t sure what we will become. How about we stop fearing the unknown and embrace the fact that we can go through a change and become something better than we are now? Let’s give that a try, shall we?

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Stolen Sight

Stolen Sight

Paperback - 2017
Average Rating:
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Suck my soul out? I'll get over it. Try to kill me? Whatever. Send me a dead bunny? Watch your back.
Life's not perfect, but I didn't realize it could be this good. Family, job, friends, that's all covered. Caring boyfriend, Ethan, was icing on the cake. As each strand of happiness is ripped away, I'm forced to see how bad things can get.
When we're called into a civilian crime scene, it makes it impossible to hide my secret from Ethan. After a madman and a killer crash our date, Ethan learns more than he can handle, so he's out the door. For me, there's no time to stop. The arrival of deranged gifts tell me that I've been marked for death, and I'd like to return the favor.
The trouble is, can you kill someone if they aren't alive?
Don't miss Stolen Sight , the third book in the AIR series by Amanda Booloodian. If you like Paranormal Fantasy or Paranormal Mysteries, then the AIR series will have you turning the pages.
Published: [Place of publication not identified] :, Walton INK,, [2017]
Copyright Date: ©2017
ISBN: 9780997335354
Branch Call Number: F BOO
Characteristics: 278 pages ;,22 cm.

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September 2009

Everyone I’ve ever loved has loved a plate of mince in its various incarnations. Spaghetti bolognaise, chilli con carne or just mince and mash, learning how to cook mince to perfection has been a personal mission. I think I’m nearly there.

 ‘Mattie’s Mince Mess’ was the only recipe that could interest my brother in cooking when he was a little boy.  Mum and him used stir in all the ingredients together and then she served it with heaps of buttery mash. A perfect dinner for an aspiring rugby player/human tank.

With no disrespect to my brother’s cooking skills (although they are limited to stirring), the recipe is fairly straightforward.

However, for years I’ve been striving for that deep yummyness that my mum’s mix had.  My mince mess never quite that rich tasty moreishness – the kind that made me stand in front of the fridge and eat my mum’s mince mess cold. But last week, I think I cracked it.

Inspired by the dead mouse we found in our kitchen cupboard on Tuesday morning; I’ve called this recipe Mouse’s Mince Mix.  I would never have drunk quite as much red wine (partly meant for the sauce), and therefore been quite as generous with my ingredients and cooking time, if I didn’t have the deeply joyous task of cleaning the cupboards, floor and all the baking utensils the mouse had pooed all over in its death throes.

Not the most appetising image I know, but it worked for this recipe so do try it.

Spaghetti bolognaise

Ingredients (serves 2 for dinner, and left overs, serves 4 normal people for dinner, with garlic bread and salad)

One big onion, finely chopped

3 fat, firm cloves of garlic, chunkily chopped

3 table spoons olive oil

Two carrots, chunkily chopped

1 teaspoon each of whatever dried Italian herbs you have; I used Rosemary, Thyme, Basil, Oregano and Parsley

Salt and Pepper

250g ish low fat beef mince

250g ish low fat pork mince

Big squeeze of tomato puree

Tin of chopped tomatoes

Vegetable stock cube

Big glass of red wine (I used a Cabernet Merlot)

Whole-wheat pasta

1.       Heat the oil in a big saucepan on a medium heat, add the onions, garlic and salt and pepper, fry for 10 – 15 minutes, until really the onion is buttery and soft but not changed colour

2.       Add the carrots and fry for a for further 5 – 10 minutes

3.       In a non-stick frying pan heat a little splash of olive oil and put on a medium heat, season the meat with salt and pepper on both sides and then add it to the pan and brown it off gently until you get to stage 6 (about 10 minutes)

4.       Add all the herbs to the onions and carrots and stir around for a couple of minutes

5.       Push all the herby onion and carrot mix to the outside of the pan and add a generous squeeze of the tomato puree (just under a tablespoon) to the middle and fry for a minute or so, then mix it up with everything else

6.       Add the chopped tomatoes and mix, bring to a simmer and create a rich tomato sauce (no juice left), then add the meat and stir it all up

7.       In the tin that the tomatoes were in, add your stock cube and boiling water, stir to dissolve and then watching your fingers because the tin will be hot, add to the mixture.  Simmer and stir until the liquid is nearly gone

8.       Add the wine, and a glug more, and then simmer for an hour (or however long it takes you to deep clean all your bakery items, drink the rest of the wine, clean the floor, sigh dramatically a few times and grate some parmesan.

9.       Good plate licking to be had.

Note: a good variation on this mix is a chilli con carne; don’t use carrots (maybe mushrooms instead?) instead of the herbs add a teaspoon each of cinnamon, cumin, coriander and chilli powder. Use two – three fresh red chillies and add at stage 4.  Use a beef stock cube and less wine. Serve with rice and natural yoghurt.

Two sightings so far (one dead, one alive)

Traps have been brought.

After the success of last week’s curry (and by success I mean cheapness relative to taste) I decided to have a go at it again tonight. With no generous donations or huge sponsorship deals as yet, my personal credit crunch is still not showing any green shoots. The ingredients are still store cupboard gatherings.

I found a packet of fresh king prawns lurking at the back of the freezer, and with the joy of frozen spinach now in my life, this week’s version was slightly more lavish than last week’s veggie offering.  As with everything I seem to make, nothing was really weighed or measured and most ingredients are interchangeable with other bits and bobs. I knew this one was particularly good because we both licked our plates clean. (When I was little and still lived under the watchful eye of my mum, I would have to lick my plate hidden in the kitchen pretending to load the dishwasher. Now I can do it straight after dinner).

Pauper’s Prawn Curry

Thumb sized bit of fresh ginger, chopped up

Juice of half a big lemon

2 grinds of salt

Fresh coriander if easily available, roughly chopped

Big glug of vegetable or sunflower oil

One big onion, sliced

2 fresh chillies, finely chopped

Handful of new potatoes chunkily sliced

1 teaspoon each of chilli power (half if you don’t want it too spicy), turmeric, garam masala, cumin and coriander

1 juicy tomato

10p sized squeeze of tomato concentrate

100ml tomato juice

Packet of chopped tomatoes

1 litre fish stock

1 packet raw prawns

5 chunks of frozen or a bag of fresh spinach

Whole grain rice

1.      Saving a little bit of the ginger, combine the rest, lemon juice, salt and fresh coriander in a bowl and put to one side

2.      Fry the onion with the little bit of ginger in the oil for five minutes on medium to high heat

3.      Add the chillies, stir

4.      Add the new potatoes, cook for five minutes

5.      Add all the spices and stir and cook on a medium heat for 3 minutes

6.      Put the kettle on

7.      Add the tomato and the tomato juice, stir around a bit for 2-3 minutes

8.      Add the chopped tomatoes, bring to a simmer and let it reduce for 5 minutes

9.      Put the rice on

10.  Add the fish stock

11.  Bubble away, stirring occasionally for 15 -20 minutes (taste a potato to check it’s cooked)

12.  Add the spinach, stir around until unfrozen or cooked

13.  Add the prawns, stir around for 3 minutes

14.  Add the lemon juice mix

15.  Serve with rice and lick your plate clean.

I must remember to get a before picture...

I must remember to get a 'before' picture...

It is hard having no money. It’s also hard to complain when the reason you have no money is because you have splurged your last £3.50 on cherry tomatoes at Broadway Market.

So this week I am on an economy drive: I am trying to last the week without doing a food shop. The cupboards are bare.

Sminorf Ice Stir Fry, perhaps?
Sminorf Ice Stir Fry, perhaps?

The curry last night: tinned tomatoes, frozen spinach, chick peas, stock, an onion and a teaspoon each of basically everything in my spice rack except dill (saving that for today) and cinnamon. Served with way too much rice, as ever.

The good thing about cooking with no money and limited ingredients is whatever happens is a nice surprise.  Necessity is the mother of all invention. I didn’t follow any recipes this week and I didn’t feel stressed about not having the right ingredients, so everything has worked out better than expected.

Tomorrow all I have to play with is McCain’s hash browns, kidney beans, cherry tomatoes and some flour. Thank God I’ve got the crumble out of the freezer!

And on Friday: A rich dish of tomato sauce and honey, roasted with the finest shop brought pesto. Served with a jus of vegemite. At your table a waiter will pour over a froth of Tabasco to enhance the subtle flavour of each competent of this rewarding meal.

And on Friday: A rich dish of tomato sauce and honey, roasted with the finest shop brought pesto. Served with a jus of vegemite. At your table a waiter will pour over a froth of Tabasco to enhance the subtle flavour of each competent of this rewarding meal.

It almost pains me to write this, as I know that part of what makes the restaurant I’m going to tell you about so great, is its feeling of exclusivity.  Everyone loves feeling like they have stumbled across something secret and special.  A little bolt hole that they don’t have to share with the unwashed hordes.

I very much doubt that the unwashed hordes have yet stumbled across this site, so I can give away this secret with some confidence.  Just round the corner from our flat is Hackney City Farm. We found it earlier this year when visiting Columbia Road Flower Market, and we instantly found our inner children; petting donkeys and giggling at enormous snoring pigs.

Photo0176 - Copy

I saw then that the farm had a cafe on weekends, and a restaurant on Thursday evenings.

On Paul’s sister recommendation (and I will be forever grateful to her for bringing it into my life) we’ve been back for breakfast several times.  Meaty sausages, rashers of bacon so thick they could almost be gammon steaks and perfect scrambled eggs help fight off lingering hangovers like nothing else.  I have been waiting for the opportunity to try the restaurant and when my mum came for supper last Thursday and I had the perfect excuse to go.

I booked a table, ringing and sending an email in my keenness.  The weekend cafe was transformed with lanterns and candles.  The menu was simple, just a couple of choices for starters and mains, with a pasta course that came in large or small.  We shared the two starters between the three of us.  We fought with our polite forks over beetroot salad, cheese, cold meats and pickles;  I could have happily had it all to myself (for me happiness and greediness are never far apart).

When we eat out the three of us scan menus for meals that will fill us up, as well as being delicious.  We agree that still being hungry after eating out is horrible. So, we all ordered the large pasta course. Tagliatelle was mixed with shredded, slow roasted pork shoulder and a reduced winey sauce. I’ve never had pork with pasta except the standard spag bol.  This was so delectable, you couldn’t rush it, forking it in quickly lost all of its rich complexity.  Instead we slowly spooned it in, our faces never far from the plate, all groaning with happy porky pasta induced pleasure.  (I am sure carbs release happy hormones.) It was BYOB, so Paul and I washed it down with a lovely (and cheap) bottle of red from the off license over the road. We then trundled home, which thankfully was just round the corner.

Not far off what we looked like after our pasta fix...

Percy tasted delicious

Today Paul met me after work. It’s such a lovely thing to be met after work. We walked towards Liverpool Street station, dodging those people that give out free papers and talking about our days (Work?! The time has come,” the Walrus said /”To talk of other things”). It was a fantastic London evening; St Paul’s and the Bank of England provided a dramatic backdrop to our mundane banter.

We were almost past it before we saw it; a restuarant board advertising 6 oysters for £5.  The board told us this was to celebrate the start of oyster season.  We both have a soft spot for oysters. For me their salty whiff of glamour has not been tarnished by over-consumption.  For Paul, they are a relatively new addition to his diet.  He describes his attitude to food as “risk adverse.” I don’t think there is anything more risky than trying an oyster for the first time. Cold, wet, slimy, expensive, resembling the aftermath of a particularly violent sneeze; they are an acquired taste.

Oh, yes, the time has come, my little friends     To talk of food and things

Oh, yes, the time has come, my little friends / To talk of food and things

Well, we certainly have acquired one.  We slipped shyly inside this City restaurant, hardly believing it could be true. 6 for a fiver! Amazing.  We ordered 6 each (on my insistence) and slurped them down with lemon juice and green Tabasco splashed on. The best thing was (apart from the price) these oysters had come from Maldon, Essex. For a morbid moment, I imagined them tottering to London, white stilettos and all, before being devoured by a modern day Walrus and Carpenter.

I, uh, weep for you. I (hic), oh excuse me  I deeply sympathise

I, uh, weep for you. I (hic), oh excuse me / I deeply sympathise

To enjoy these cheap Essex oysters head to Gow’s Restaurant & Oyster Bar.


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Assessment Roll Law and Legal Definition

Assessment roll is a record of taxable persons and property in a taxing jurisdiction. Such rolls are prepared by tax assessors. An assessment roll of a town, for example, includes each individual tract of land within its taxing jurisdiction and shows the assessed value of each. It is also termed as assessment list.

The following is an example of a state statute (California) defining the term:

Cal Sts & Hy Code § 11009. "Assessment roll" "Assessment roll" means the assessment roll or rolls used by the city for purposes of city ad valorem taxes on real property of the city.


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Tuesday groans

Okay, so I mentioned it once, that just about every freaking week, someone in this family gets sick. Two weeks ago I had food poisoning and now I’m laid up in bed (as I’m typing) because I spent last night throwing up. My stomach feels horrible and I feel weak and drained. I honestly don’t know if bad weather can contribute to a weakened immune system, but that’s my only guess. In America my family was never this sick!

Well the one good thing is, I can just lay back and do all the plotting that needs to get done, since my 5 year old decided to take care of laundry yesterday. Kid told me he had to use the bathroom, so when he finally comes out, I ask him if he washed his hands. He looks at me all surprised and says, no he was in there in doing laundry.

My eyes pop out, and I already feel like crap as it is, so my blood pressure shot through the roof. I had clothes running in the dryer and the washing machine, so I don’t know what the hell he thought he was in there doing.

I go in the bathroom, with him pleading for me not to go in there. There is just one big mess of clothes laying all across the bathroom floor (it’s common for laundry room and bathroom to be combined here). Worse, the machine is running with like 4 pieces of clothes and waaaaaaay too much detergent. The headache I had, started pounding even more. I’m just staring at the floor with no idea what’s clean from dirty. Thankfully, I was able to straighten it all out before giving him a warning NEVER to go in there thinking he’s allowed to do laundry by himself.

I should also add after reading some sad news about a child dying from a washing machine, that this is a safe machine. It’s a front loader that doesn’t store a lot of water. If he climbed in, all the water would have splashed onto the floor, and it can only be locked from someone on the outside. So he couldn’t have locked himself in it by accident. Plus, he knows damn better than to do that, because I’ve asked him about it before, what is allowed in the machine and he knows it’s dangerous for him or his brother to climb in it or the dryer.

9 thoughts on “Tuesday groans

  1. Maureen says:

    First off, your house could be making you sick. Get some air purifiers and use them. Second, I am sorry your family has been sick, but please dont be upset at the little one for trying to be a big guy and help you. I know I am always giving you parenting advice, but trust me, I USED to be the mom who was never fun and always working, or thinking about working. Always wanting to do it myself because they are going to do it wrong anyway. I regret it. So, just take a deep breath and go with the flow, it will all work out.

    • delilahhunt says:

      You know what Maureen. That thought came to me this morning that it could be something in here making us sick. I just don’t even know where to start since everything LOOKS normal.

      As for your other point. You have me down to a “T” That’s exactly the type of personality I have, even in elementary school I preferred to do things on my own cause no one else will do it the way I think it should be done. You make a very good point!

      • Maureen says:

        My son just turned 15, and we are looking at colleges now. It seems like he just started kindergarten not too long ago. Nothing like having more “type a” personalities out there, right or wrong, I always did it my way, everyone else be damned. As to the house, I would try the air purifiers first, check and replace all your filters for heating/ac systems. Also, try to find some Claratin for allergies. Made a world of difference for my son. He missed 30 days in the 5th grade. After Claratin, missed 3 days!

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mental health and addiction

Dual Diagnosis: Why It’s Important to Pay Attention to Mental Health and Addiction

The Importance of a Dual Diagnosis in Addiction Treatment

Drug and alcohol addiction has become a problem for people across the nation, and taking every possible step to contain the threat is vital. Addicts often seek treatment but keep falling into the same trap once they complete the program and don’t know why. Rather than being simple or straightforward, addiction is a complex issue that requires a closer look when you want to give yourself or a loved one the best odds of escaping from the issue.

Mental health and addiction are very closely linked. For many people, learning about their mental health disorders is one of the most critical factors in their path to recovery. If you have depression, anxiety or other mental health diagnoses, our experts will get to the bottom of it and treat both conditions simultaneously. Doing so will give you the skills necessary to break free from your addiction and begin your recovery.

(Continued below video…)

Why Diagnosing Other Mental Health Issues is Important

People who have mental health conditions and don’t know about them will sometimes turn to drugs and alcohol as a form of self-medication, but they won’t always understand why they keep using harmful substances. If a rehabilitation center only treats the addiction but fails to notice the contributing factors, the patient is more likely relapse within a few days or weeks after treatment.

When you go to a treatment center that understands the connection between mental health and addiction, you will make progress faster than you once thought possible. Treating the issue that caused or contributed to your addiction will make it much easier for you to stay on the path of sobriety.

Spotting the Red Flags of Mood Disorders

Learning about mental health and addiction so that you can discuss the red flags of a mood disorder will take you far when you want to defeat your addiction. If you felt sad a lot before you became addicted to drugs or alcohol, you might be suffering from depression. Suicidal thoughts are another indication that you should look deeper than the surface of your substance issue. Those who feel nervous and uneasy without reason likely have anxiety and will need to speak with a mental health professional. Extreme mood swings and feelings of heightened confidence could point to other problems that an expert will address.

Dual Diagnosis Treatment for Mental Health and Addiction

When people opt for our treatment programs at Desert Cove Recovery, our experts will assess the needs of each person so that they can decide the best treatment plan.  If we uncover other issues during the evaluation stage, we will treat the patient for addiction and the other mental health issue.

By customizing a program for each person, we can prepare our patients for life after the program in a way that will reduce their odds of repeating old habits. Handling other mental health problems has already improved the quality of life for many of our past patients, and we are confident that you will enjoy a similar outcome.

Our mission is to arm you with the tools that will allow you to reclaim your life and to break free from addiction and the other things that could hold you back from reaching your full potential. We care about our patients and will strive to help them achieve their short- and long-term goals. Even though recovery might seem far away, it’s closer than you think.

You Have Hope

Whether or not your addiction has another cause that you need to solve, our treatment centers are here to give you hope. Our team will work together to find an option that fits your lifestyle and needs, and you will know that you are in the right place. Likewise, if a person is not appropriate for our program or the therapies we offer, we will be up front on about this and discuss an alternate plan.

If you are like other addicts, you may be feeling lost and hopeless, but we promise that you can make it past your addiction if you allow us to guide you. Contact an admissions counselor today for help.


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Project delays

Well, I was hoping to have an actual update to post later today or tomorrow.  I actually got started on the project, have the fabric measured out and trimmed up, and boarders marked in.  Had grabbed my thread to do a quick whip stitch along the edges of the fabric to bind them, and then was going to do a quick basting stitch along the boarder so that I could see where it was on the front side of the fabric, then get the first element stitched in.  But…  I can’t find my embroidery scissors!  I know I had them when I was working up a sample of one of the patterns, but I can’t find them now.  I thought I had set them aside with my currently very meager embroidery supplies, but they weren’t in the bag that I’m using.  I can’t find them anywhere around where the bag was resting for a couple of months.  They have simply vanished.  I think I’ll blame their disappearance on that pesky gremlin that seems to like to steal anything I’m wanting to use.

As it is, I’m actually at a good point to get a picture of the fabric, with the boarders marked in, put up, to give an idea of the overall size of the project I’ll be working with.  This will be the largest embroidery item I’ve ever worked on to date.  Until this pillow, everything has measured no more about 8 inches to a side.  It’s a bit intimidating, yes.  But also exciting.  I’m glad that I’m able to break it up into smaller pieces and can work on one element at a time.  That should make it a lot easier to work with, and hopefully won’t leave me feeling so overwhelmed on everything.

In the mean time, I’m going to keep fuming, and looking for, my missing scissors.  Nothing is more frustrating than being able to sit down and finish up the prep work on a project, or start the project, and not being able to take that next step because you’re missing a key supply item.

Here’s the fabric I’m working with, approximately 20 inches to a side, with a working area of 18 inches (to allow for seam allowance and extra fabric before the design actually begins).  The lines marked within the fabric are to indicate where the working space of the project will be.  This will give me a clear boarder to start the designs at, as well as keep me within the working space.  I would hate to have a beautifully done design, only to have a portion cut off as it gets sewn onto the pillow backing.

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Passionate About the Community
and the Moms Who Live Here

Sleep Training: Misunderstandings vs Things that Actually Help

Sleep when the baby sleeps.” That sounds easy enough, right? When I was pregnant with my first daughter, I remember being told this more often than not. I also remember hearing, “sleep now, you won’t get much with a newborn.” How contradicting! Such wonderful, ahem, shards of advice.

As a mother of two girls now, I can honestly say the biggest challenge I have dealt with, with both of my girls is sleep (or lack thereof). My first-born was a colicky baby. She’s a spirited kid, even now at the age of five. She keeps us on our toes and didn’t sleep through the night (on her own) until after the age of three. THREE! Three years of inadequate sleep makes you, well, nutso!

My oldest in our bed

When I became pregnant the second time around I was adamant about my sleep and the quality of it. I literally put my foot down and told my oldest she had to sleep in her own room. I couldn’t withstand the potential rib kick in the middle of the night with a growing baby inside of me.

I work outside of the home with an hour drive to and from work. You can imagine the type of Mombie I turned into. It was ugly, painful, and I felt completely isolated. I remember many days arriving home from work without remembering driving, or dozing behind the wheel, and just feeling numb. It’s a dangerous situation and something a lot of working parents struggle with.

Now that I have a second child and have endured the sleepless nights with my oldest, I am making my way through the fog with my second. The ages one to three is a trying time. My youngest was a terrific sleeper as a newborn. She didn’t have any sleep issues until I returned to work and the four-month sleep regression kicked in. And it has been an on again and off again battle with her.

I think there are some misunderstandings when it comes to sleep training. ALL kids and even adults experience some type of sleep disturbance throughout our lives. There are many variations of sleep issues. Here are some misconceptions on sleep training:

You can “hire” a sleep trainer to come and teach your child how to sleep. Too good to be true? Sure is. I consider this type of service a scam because no one can teach anyone how to sleep. It is a rhythm of one’s body. Save your money and buy a $10 book instead. I have read several books on sleep. My very favorite is by Dr. Weissbleth: Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child

Routines aren’t necessary. The only “thing” you can teach is consistency, how you respond to your child’s cries at night, and how you put your child to bed each night. This is a decision that will shape your child’s sleep behavior. As you might already know, sleep is a learned behavior. For some, it comes easier than others. Some babies are unicorns and just sleep well without any added parental guidance. Hooray for you if you’re one of those lucky ones.

You do it once and are golden. This is very far from the truth. The first few years are uber challenging with a young child. Sleep dictates their behavior during the day, so you want to make sure they and you are getting it! And if you decide to let your baby cry-it-out (CIO), you will more than likely have to do it more than once or twice. It sucks, it totally sucks. Babies and toddlers will cry though.

My youngest

So when your child cries in the middle of the night and you respond, a pattern is being created – whether good or bad. Keep in mind there are simple things you can do to aide your child to find a restful slumber. Here are some tips I learned along the way that actually help:

Get your spouse on the same page.

Be consistent. This is numero uno. If you’re consistent in your actions, your child will be equally consistent.

Check out free websites or blogs. Think you’re the only one to have a child allergic to sleep? Nope, you aren’t. All information you need can be found online.

White noise machine. Buy one that stays on all night.

Swaddle or sleep sack. So important. Babies like to be swaddled and as your baby grows, you can switch over to a sleep-sack for added warmth and comfort.

Black-out blinds. Another must. Because babies and toddlers should always (well, almost always) nap in the same place they sleep at night.

Cry-it-out. This is by far one of the hardest things you’ll have to do as a parent. I didn’t commit to CIO with my oldest which explains why she didn’t sleep on her own until well into the age of three. And with my youngest, I waited until she was almost nine months. And most pediatricians will tell you to wait until over the age of six to eight months.

Keep in mind there will be times you’ll want to bring your child into your bed. If they are sick or have a bad nightmare. Just understand you will have to train all over, and it’s totally OK. Three days seems to be the magical number for getting them back into the pattern. And with each day the tears are less and less.

Of course, I’m not an expert, just a tired mom yearning for those teenage years when my kids will “sleep till noon.” Or at least I’ve been told.

Did you do sleep training with your child? What did you find helpful in getting more sleep for the whole family?

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4 Responses to Sleep Training: Misunderstandings vs Things that Actually Help

  1. Margaret June 12, 2017 at 2:43 am #

    I thought that sleep training is a long process and apparently I was wrong. When my baby girl was 4 months old I tried the Hold With Love method by Susan Urban from her HOW TO TEACH A BABY TO FALL ASLEEP ALONE guide ( ). My daughter has always been a pretty terrible sleeper so I thought it is going to be a long trip to get her to sleep properly but after a few days we made it ( ONLY A FEW DAYS!!!!!!!). After the HWL method she falls asleep on her own without rocking and her naps looks much better. We are eliminating night feedings now with the HWL and it looks promising.
    I am glad I decided to change my daughter’s sleeping habits and we are all much more happy now.

    • Kate June 20, 2017 at 3:01 pm #

      I like this article! and after reading Margaret’s post I got How to teach a baby to fall asleep alone guide and it’s just GREAT! clear short instructions on what and how to do! very effective! thanks for sharing Margaret 🙂

      • Sherene Buffa
        Sherene Buffa June 25, 2017 at 9:13 pm #

        That is awesome, Kate! So glad you found something to help! Thanks for commenting.

  2. Sherene Buffa
    Sherene Buffa June 13, 2017 at 12:53 pm #

    That is wonderful you found something that works! I have not heard of that method but it sounds like it has helped you… so I say stick to whatever works! I think it’s amazing how many parents deal with sleep issues. Thanks for reading and commenting! 😊

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Ph.D. Candidate Julia Sweet Lectures at NYU on "Putin’s Politics and Collective Memories in Russia"

On September 29th, 2017, PhD Candidate Julia Sweet will speak at NYU for a lecture entitled “Putin’s politics and collective memories in Russia (2013-2015).” The event is part of the Occasional series, sponsored by the Jordan Center for the Advanced Study of Russia.
This study analyzes the political manipulations of Vladimir Putin’s regime using the collective memory of World War II to undermine protest potential within Russian society in 2013–2015. In light of the unfolding Ukrainian protests against former President Viktor Yanukovych’s rule, Putin’s government has launched a massive propaganda campaign presenting the Ukrainian political resistance as a neofascist initiative. Given the close relationship between Russia and Ukraine and Putin’s low rating at the beginning of 2013, the political changes in Ukraine could provoke a similar public response and inspire anti-Putin insurgencies. The Russian media has established a strong correlation between fascist war crimes committed during World War II and the activities of protesters, thus trying to manipulate the Russian collective memory. Emphasizing the negative experience while repressing positive memories, media outlets have selectively presented historical events and facts in order to establish a negative image of the situation in modern Ukraine. Whereas propaganda associates Putin with war winners and the Soviet legacy, Ukrainian protesters are depicted as the ancestors of the defeated Nazi regime.
Julia Sweet is currently a Ph.D. Candidate in the Division of Global Affairs at Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey.  Her interests focus on the Post-Soviet region and the modern political situation in this area:  the post-Soviet authoritarian regimes, the coexistence of religion and new regimes, terrorism and national security, media and extremist propaganda. Her dissertation aims to analyze the radical segment of the Russian cyberspace in order to define its visual representation, symbolic culture, the content of terrorist forums, strategic targets, and a set of crucial issues discussed on the Internet by radicals.

Information on the event can be found here

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The surprising truth about which personality traits do and don’t correlate with computer programming skills

What do Lisbeth Salander, Chloe O’Brien and Elliot Alderson have in common? They are all expert computer programmers or hackers, and (like most fictional portrayals of people with their skills), they’re all, well, rather odd and socially awkward. In other words, they all conform to the commonly held stereotype of the IT guy (or girl) – which must be one of the most stereotyped occupations in the world – as good with machines and programming code, but lousy with people and emotions. Is this stereotype fair? A new meta-analysis published in the Journal of Research in Personality, combining data from 19 previous studies involving nearly 1700 people, suggests the answer is (mostly) “No”.
Timo Gnambs trawled the research literature looking for relevant studies that had measured people’s programming ability objectively (e.g. based on the number of errors in their programming code), and had measured their personality traits and intelligence. He found 19 relevant studies published between 1974 and 2014 and involving 1695 people (27 per cent were female) from the US, Australia, England and Canada (it’s a shame Gnambs doesn’t tell us more about who these people were, for example whether they were programming students or professionals).
Unsurprisingly, and somewhat in line with the programmer stereotype, the strongest correlate with programming ability was intelligence. Cleverer people make better programmers. Also, introversion was correlated with programming skill – which makes sense seeing as introverts generally prefer a quiet environment away from crowds, and working on a computer and writing code fits with that preference. Conscientiousness was another relevant trait. Again this makes sense, because conscientiousness is about attention to detail.
However, the personality trait most strongly correlated with programming ability was not introversion or conscientiousness, but openness: a trait that’s related to being creative and imaginative. What’s more, over time to the present day, openness has become a more important correlate of programming ability, while conscientiousness has become less important. This is speculation, but perhaps more creative people are today drawn to careers in programming because of all the opportunities for imaginative expression in a world of apps, video games, snazzy websites, and social networks. Finally, the traits of agreeableness (essentially how friendly someone is) and neuroticism (how anxious and emotionally unstable) were not correlated with programming ability, pretty much refuting the tired stereotype of the socially awkward programming geek.
A final thought: knowing someone’s personality and mental ability doesn’t actually tell you a great deal about their likely computer programming skills. Personality traits and IQ in fact only accounted for around 12 per cent of the difference between people in their programming abilities, which just goes to show that the very idea that there is such a thing as a computer wiz “personality type” is nonsense anyway.

Gnambs, T. (2015). What makes a computer wiz? Linking personality traits and programming aptitude Journal of Research in Personality, 58, 31-34 DOI: 10.1016/j.jrp.2015.07.004

Post written by Christian Jarrett (@psych_writer) for the BPS Research Digest.

Our free fortnightly email will keep you up-to-date with all the psychology research we digest: Sign up!

One thought on “The surprising truth about which personality traits do and don’t correlate with computer programming skills”

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MAPLE Mittens and CANADIAN Winter Gift Set

canadiana-gift-setI recently devised my own way to make double layered mittens where all the seams are on the inside after inversion. The double layer also allowed one for show on the outside, like with spandex of many funky patterns, and one for warmth on the inside like with generic fleece, or both of fleece for warmth. I did the latter and added a matching double layered tuque I also devised my own way of doing with similar principles, to make a “Canadian” winter gift set for a friend who happens to have the same head and hand size as me. Very convenient!

maple-mittensThe double layered mittens I chose to make in a red and a white background with the opposite colour maple leaf. It means one hand will always be red and one white if the same side of your hand is facing in a direction. They’ll match in colour if not, but then both your thumbs are going in the same direction. Multiple asymmetry, in other words, which is the trademark in my design and why I call my still imaginary company Asymmetrix Design. 🙂

As for the hat, 4 of the 5 panels are red with white maple leafs. That left a white panel with a big maple leaf in the middle. Bordered by red, it’s almost a Canadian flag within the otherwise messy maple leaf print. You can choose to wear this tuque with that white panel in different places as you choose for variation of the same hat. It probably has a different feel and impression if you wore it head on in the front, or offset to the side, or at the back. It’ll give you a different look, for sure!

Gold Rating

maple-mittenI was very pleased with how this turned out. Its construction is solid with two stitches on every seam for strength. It is very warm. It also fit my friend very well that’s very important, and she loved it, which is just as important. 🙂

Please click here to see more of my garments and writings on fashion.

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