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Nintendo Challenge System

Here is an idea I came up with for Nintendo’s next system code name Cafe or Wii 2.

I just recently sent them the email contacting the pitch idea.

Also while I post it, who knows Developers might actually use this idea, thus the idea will work best as a console implementation.

Hello Nintendo,
I have a suggestion for the new console stated for 2012 and it’s an idea I really want to be utilised in next generation platforms.
I noticed the Wii did not have an Achievement nor Trophy system, I mean technically it isn’t much of a big deal for including a trophy system to games however theoretically it makes the games last longer and more fun when playing.
Having both experienced the Wii’s point system, Xbox 360’s Achievement and PS3’s Trophy System; I developed a balanced and fun way for future next generation achievement system. I know for sure Nintendo will not allow this achievement system slip away, you’ve all seen how Achievement works and how it does boost up sales because of Achievement ‘whores’. This kind of feature would be something Nintendo would want and it is something they are planning to include in the next Wii 2 and further make it better.
I will get to the point:
1) Next Generation -Nintendo Challenges:
3 tiers of Challenges- Tier 1 Novice, Tier 2 Intermediate and Tier 3 Advanced.
*Tier 1 Novie (25 points): Consist of challenges the players needs to accomplish, these challenges are not difficult and they are mainly based on the the user beating the Story chapters or Defeating bosses. This Tier is do-able by everyone so as long as they complete the campaign in Normal or Easy difficulty.
*Tier 3 Intermediate (25 points): For the average and hardcore players who had successfully cleared all Novice challenges and eagerly want more challenges. These challenges would be such as find the hidden Mario statue in Lark village, or gather 1 million Rupees.
*Tier 2 Advanced (50 points): Is aimed at the hardcore players, players who crave for real challenges and makes their game last longer. Whether you want to beat the game in the hardest difficulty, defeat the second boss without using any health regeneration or stomping on the enemies 50 times in Super Mario 4. These challenges are aimed at the hardcore players to make the game last longer.
2) The points acquired in either tiers can be used to unlock game features or items, the positive to this is that you grants players motivation to keep hunting and clearing challenges.
Tier 1 consist a total of 25 points, each challenge will be 5 points/star or less. Plasyers can use points to unlock features like New Costumes, new skins, new menu background etc. Tier 2 will consist of 25 points and for each challenge will be near identical to Tier 2. You can unlock items such as new weapons, hidden soundtrack, concept arts. And finally Tier 3 will consist a total of 50 points and each will vary in numbers or stars. Item unlockable might be new playable character or boss rush mode etc
The whole purpose of the Challenge system works like Wii’s Point+Xbox 360’s Achievement+PS3’s Trophies= Cafe/Wii 2 Challenges.
The Wii point uses numbered points to unlock in-game items, the achievement consist of achievement that rewards in numbers; and trophies breaks trophies in 3 different levels bronze, silver and gold.
With the Challenge system: each challenges you unlock grants points, with points you can use to unlock in-game items. The Challenges are categorised in 3 levels fitted for all types of gamers.
3) One of the discussions you experience with gamers is “I hope this X will not have Multiplayer achievements”. That is why most gamers are not good at multiplayer games and thus limits them for gaining the rest of the achievements simply because they suck at multiplayers.
This is where Challenges comes in place. Let’s take Metroid Prime Hunters 2 for an example.
Metroid Prime Hunters 2 for Wii 2:
Tier 1 Novice Completionist 22% Stars= Complete Story Campaign
–Defeat the first boss: 1star
–Defeat Nazrath: 5star
–Complete Stage 5: 5star
–Defeat Omega Metroid: 5star
–Defeat Medieval Samus: 1star
–Stage Stage 10: 5pts
Tier 2 Intermediate Completionist 16% Stars= Complete secret challenges in the game
–Find the Ancient Lost One: 5 star
–Defeat Omega Metroid with just the Necrid Cannon: 5 star
–Defeat Medival Samus with SpineShark: 1 star
–Beat the game by using only the morph ball: 5 star
Tier 3 Advance Completionist 10% Stars= Fully cleared all Multiplayer Challenges in the game
–First Blood- destroy another player 15second when the mission starts: 1 star
–Spree- kill 5 players without dying: 5 star
–Brutality Military combatant, kill a player using melee: 4 star
(as you can see, I don’t have to complete the harder tiers because I am not forced to just by getting 1000 achievements. I can simply perform Tier 1, compare it with my friends and move along without having to worry about Tier 2. Even though I attempt Tier 2 and cannot complete all challenges, when comparing I would not see all Challenges. I would only see the Tiers in groups.)
As you are wondering what if a game doesn’t acquire Multiplayer? how would Tier 3 be used?
Well simply by adding more difficult challenges.
Basically the tiers are there to rectify the problems many gamers face today. I can procure all achievements in Ninja Gaiden 2, however I cannot beat Master Ninja which eventually is stopping me from gaining my 1000g. This is where the Tiers come in place, gamers are not required to complete harder challenges.
You can obviously compare your Challenge stats with others gamers and the best thing is by comparing in tiers. If you want to compare your brother’s Super Mario 4 stats against yours, you can do so. Come to find out your brother hasn’t completed Tier 2 and 3 yet, you can simply compare his Tier 1 with yours.
4) World Player Challenges.
What is this? well it is a leaderboard system stats that allows you to see the first few players who acquired this challenge or see just how many people had completed a certain challenge. I believe this will be more motivational because many gamers would love to be the first to beat this challenge.
Imagine turning on Zelda: Mirrors, you scroll down in the menu and select World Player Challenges. You see 0% for Beat the game in Hardest Difficutly under Tier 3. You will be motivated to be the first to do so. Whereas when people check for that challenge stats, they will notice 1% and your name only comes up.
Also if you just want to see how many players had beaten Master Ninja in Ninja Gaiden, you might get results such as 13% and your name is amongst the elites.
The SWOT for Achievement:
*They are simply numbered points that does nothing, you can’t unlock anything nor use the Achievement points.
*Many Achievement points have odd numbers and the most frustrating thing is when you beat Master Ninja and you get rewarded just 50g:(
*Useless, hence the title Achievement which should mean Achieving something! Why should I Press Start button to get 10g achievement in The Simpsons game?
The SWOT for Trophies
* Categorised however randomised. You might even gain a Gold trophy before Silver trophies which is obviously meant to be the other way round
*No point system but more of trophies.
The SWOT for Wii points
*Just points
*You do not get tasked with real challenges
*Not grouped
The SWOT for (Wii 2/Cafe) Nintendo Challenges
*none! All problems are rectified from the weaknesses of the above console systems.
*Numbered points that means something, you acquired vary numbers that you can use to unlock in-game items
*Harder challenges will be in Tier 2 and Tier 3
*You don’t need to press Start to get 1 star, you need to work hard for a star point
* Categorised and rightfully classed well. All broken down in 3 tiers for all gamers
*Both with level system and points
*Challenges that are points and can also be used and worth getting
*You are tasked with real challenges
*All grouped in tiers
*World Player Challenges: You can see just how many gamers have completed these challenges in certain tasks. This will motivate you to be the first to complete a challenge.
I do hope my idea gets implemented, thought about or approved and further improved.

You like?

i am even thinking of making presentation document to help visualise this idea.

I received a reply back from Nintendo’s customer support team lead.

He said Nintendo do not take ideas from consumers and its Nintendo of Japan that does the major decisions.
What a bummer man!  And you know Nintendo, wii friends code, nintendo wii points

All these things just cannot stand up to Xbox Live, Achievements, Trophies PSN:/
Nintendo really need to step up their game if they wish to please ‘other’ hardcore games instead of just their loyal customers.

I have enough of this shit!

I buy games not just to enjoy them but to support the developers.

I am currently renting Mortal Kombat instead of buying it, I decided to buy Thor God of Thunder video game to support the developers. The trailer released for the game really sold me.

Finally getting my hands on the game now…I decided that I will never buy a movie game adaptation again! Movie video game are known to be a failure, however things changed for Wolverine Origin, the game was really good and well made. Green Lantern, Thor and Captain America are coming out. I thought to myself that these movies are becoming better and better, Wolverine Origin game was a success so these new game shouldn’t fail.

I was wrong…everything about this game is a failure…is it lack of motivation, rush job or laziness? I just don’t know why this game fails!

And the fact is those guys are the same ones who made Rise of the Argonauts (2008), what a FAILURE game…and once again I FUCKING BOUGHT THEIR GAME!

*Avoid movie video game
*Only rent a movie video game if you tried the demo
*Only consider your hard earned money-£40 for a good quality game
*Games that are only Single Player Campaign and not amazing looking I should avoid!
*Games with only Single Player Campaign however nicely done like God of War 3/Heavy Rain, I should consider buying.

3 voews I will have to keep and watch over. I’m tired of buying garbage games.

I should have used my damn money to support Netherealm Studios for their hard work for Mortal Kombat (9) game.

Now the main problem is to try and sell the piece of sh*

Right now I decided to work on a Game Design Document for the game I’ve been thinking about that. One of the admin told me it’s best to start working on GDD now as I would even have to make 2 examples for my work though not guarantee I might work on it.

So far writing up a GDD is challenging. In fact it’s easy because if you have an idea for a game while the whole crazy idea is sitting in your mind, the hard part is putting down the ideas:/
It’s hard because you don’t know where to begin, and as soon as you write down a display for an idea, you have to make it in detailed. For an example if you write down Multiplayer, you need to drive in and put as much detail for the multiplayer such as co-op, host, match making etc.

It’s crazy man, and the reason why I’m starting to do the GDD now is that, it’s currently the fun and challenging part of game designing. I really want to study some things and go back to them so I can remember for future references, not by studying them passing the exam ad moving now:/

I think GDD for an AAA game like GTA4, Skyrim, Halo Reach etc will have TONS of pages. But for a multiplatform third party game would contain less than a AAA game. And I wonder if designers who make GDD take shortcuts:/

Ok so I’ve just tried Unreal Development Kit.

Seriously man, I really don’t want to be wasting time, I finally decided to install it.
So far I tested creating levels, I was basically starting with the basics in level creating.

I was using this guide which is absolutely USELESS!
It started off right but doesn’t tell you the right thing to select. When it comes to playing the level in editor mode or pc after you’ve placed the character. When I tested my version, I could see the HUD but could not see the light. Apparentely the “build geometry” displayed several errors that needed to be fixed. I did not know what the problem was.

I close the currently project and worked on a new project, as I did about 5 TIMES, making sure I followed all procedure and guide. All were for nothing! Until I decided to fix the damn errors myself by explorer and trying things.
I found out that when you place something on the map such as Actor, map etc…it all needs to be built by the geometry. When the error popped up at the Build Geometry box, checking the items properties does nothing as I need to address the problem.

However, the problem noted I need to fix the Light map and playstart, GUI, map x or something:/. I thought fixing the playerstart to the grid or align would solve the problem, that wasn’t the case. I had to Build All Geometry, which builds everything I placed on map. Success then I could see the light, and the floor. The problem with the UDK guide is that, when you  Build Geometry, you are only building the box you placed. There are 3 builds- Build Geometry, Build Light and Build All.

When ever you place something in the void space, you always need to build when needed to test.

To do list…

Ok I decided to note down things I need to do that would help me in the future (in getting a job in the industry)

*Create 2 High Concept Documents: this will be good ideas, not just some cheap ass game like tick tak, brick game, asteroid. It needs to be a game that showcases just how much of a vivid thinker I am
*Create 1 Game Design Document: I decided to halt the GDD I was currently working on, now I’ll do so for a different game.
*Create a flowchart for one of the HCD
*Create half a script for a scenario/level for one of the HCD
*Create 1 UI Main Menu Interface mockup: I am not a coder so creating a new Main Menu with Scaleform is hard! I am just a designer. So i will just create 2 UI in photoshop

*Create a map? I don’t think I’ll get through with this, creating a map is difficult! If I learn in time, I’ll do it or if not I’ll forget doing it.
*Create concept drawings: back in the days when I was young I used to know how to draw, in fact I haven’t lost my touch yet. It may have degrade quite a little but these concepts should help me.
-Character design for both HCD
-A stage concept design for one of the HCD
-Floor plan for this stage concept
-Create a Storyboard for one of the HCD
-Gameplay mechanic for one of the HCD

so far I’m working on HCD for 2 games, and I stumbled upon something familiar with the Train2Game book:

Same example from the Train2Game book:/ just because its a CC registered document.

Hello world!

Welcome to After you read this, you should delete and write your own post, with a new title above. Or hit Add New on the left (of the admin dashboard) to start a fresh post.

Here are some suggestions for your first post.

  1. You can find new ideas for what to blog about by reading the Daily Post.
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The Secret Chemical Weapons Lab At Rideau Falls

An aerial photo of the Chemical Weapons Laboratory that used to be at Rideau Falls.

UPDATE: On October 24th 2016, one week after this article was originally posted, it was announced by the NCC that the site will now become location for Canada’s Centre for Geography and Exploration. The Centre is scheduled to open its doors in 2017 as a Confederation Pavilion during Canada’s 150th anniversary.

Being the Nation’s Capital, Ottawa has always been home to a number of government facilities working on classified projects. These “classified” government projects are developed in secrecy, with details about them not being revealed until years later, if at all. A scenic park beside Rideau Falls may seem like an unlikely spot where one of these projects occurred…but it did, and it was not just any project. It was a secret lab inside an old pulp and paper mill developing and testing chemical weapons.

The secret Chemical Weapons Lab at Rideau Falls that was once a pulp and paper mill. (Photo: Shirley’s Bay Review)

Allied forces during World War Two, including Canada, made preparations to wage both chemical and biological warfare. The use of chemical and biological weapons had already been experienced in the First World War with ghastly results. The threat of bio/chem weapons being used in WW2 was less of a concern due in part to the signing of the 1925 Geneva Protocol, a treaty prohibiting the use of chemical and biological weapons in international armed conflicts. Yet, here in Ottawa there was human experimentation involving volunteers at the wartime Chemical Weapons Laboratory in Ottawa to assess the effects of chemical agents as well as to develop protective measures.

A Chemical Weapons Laboratory.

In Ottawa.

What!? Where was this? you might ask…In some remote field miles south of the city in a secret facility?. No, rather it was a government building beside Rideau Falls that is now a scenic park owned by the NCC.

Current view of what used to be the Chemical Weapons Lab. (photo:Google)

The year was 1941 and the National Research Council (NRC) was part of program to study the use of choking gases such as chlorine, and chloropicrin in addition to the hellish compounds of hydrogen cyanide and cyanogen chloride. Ottawa’s studies also included blistering weapons such as the infamous mustard gas. It is hard to believe but labs in Canada studied, tested, manufactured and stockpiled these bio/chem weapons during World War 2. Research was headed by the Directorate of Chemical Warfare and Smoke and conducted in Canadian university labs using NRC grant programs. These school labs included McGill, Toronto, Queen’s, Saskatchewan and Western.

Manufacturing of chemical and biological weapons at Rideau Falls labs. (from “A Brief History of the Defence Research Establishment”)

Ottawa had its own Chemical Weapons Laboratory working with the NRC at Rideau falls in a now demolished facility. Created in 1940, the Rideau Falls Chemical Weapons Lab, dubbed “CWL” was responsible for the production of flame thrower fuel and the manufacture of 1000 pounds of B1 dye used to detect mustard gas in addition to a number of other “classified chemical compounds”. By the end of the war CWL had produced 8 million gas masks, forty million canisters, and in Cornwall, produced barrels of deadly mustard gas.

The Ottawa labs worked on highly toxic but largely unknown chemical agents. Once a converted pulp and paper mill known as Edward Mills, the secret labs operated from 1940 until 1947 when operations were moved out of the Rideau Falls site to Shirley’s Bay. The labs were soon demolished after the move-out and were eventually made into Rideau Falls Park which is there today.

The John Street Labs, classified as “Chemical Weapons Laboratory, CWL” (photo: geoOttawa)

In addition to the study, testing and manufacture of bio/chem weapons and the associated gear to counteract them, the CWL labs at Rideau Falls also conducted experiments on volunteer subjects. Paid volunteers would be subjected to testing of chemical agents, with experimental counter measures being tested for their success. Subjects suffered blisters, and respiratory testing. In February 2004, the Ministers of National Defence and Veterans Affairs announced a recognition program to offer payments to these Canadian veterans who volunteered to participate in chemical-warfare experiments in Ottawa and elsewhere.

After the Second World War, the stockpiled chemical and biological weapons were taken aboard ships and unceremoniously dumped into the Atlantic Ocean, where barrels upon barrels of these nightmarish compounds decay on the ocean floor.

The current site of what was once the grim Chemical Weapons Lab. (photo: Google Streetview)

The site that was once a shrouded chemical and biological weapons facility is now nothing but a tranquil NCC owned property called “Rideau Falls Park”. Here the NCC built the now abandoned Canada and the World Pavilion in 2001,  which subsequently was shuttered in 2005. It was announced on October 24th 2016 by The National Capital Commission and the Royal Canadian Geographical Society that the site will now become Canada’s Centre for Geography and Exploration. “The Centre is scheduled to open its doors in 2017 as a Confederation Pavilion during Canada’s 150th anniversary.” There is no mention of the shrouded past of the site other than a quip on the NCC website that states it was “developed after the Second World War when the area was acquired by the federal government and cleared of industry.”

What a gas.

Andrew King, October 2016

SOURCES Shirley’s Bay Review

Google Maps

“A Brief History of the Defence Research Establishment” published 2002

  1. Shocking to learn of this operation right in the heart of a Capital City !! It is also difficult to believe they could find their Volunteers to test it all on !! Ha! Very enjoyable report ! Thank you !!

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Ovarian Cancer Care Could Be Better; How Focusing On Subtypes, Racial Disparity Improves Treatment

Ovarian Cancer Care Could Be Better; How Focusing On Subtypes, Racial Disparity Improves Treatment

As ubiquitous as cancer is, there are alarming gaps when it comes to both knowledge and understanding of the disease. This is especially true of less frequent varieties, such as ovarian cancer, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ranks the eighth most common cancer in the United States. Yet it has a death to incidence ratio that’s stunning, Dr. Jerome F. Strauss III told Medical Daily: More than half of women diagnosed will die from it.

“If you look at the 21,000 women who will receive a diagnosis this year, 14,000 are going to die,” said Strauss, the executive vice president for medical affairs and dean of Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine in Richmond, Va . “It’s almost an orphan disease, but it’s lethal. Most [cases] are high-grade. And they’re insidious because they start in a small number of cells.”

That’s just one of the eye openers contained in a nearly 400-page report Strauss and a committee of members put together after the CDC tasked them to assess the current state of ovarian cancer research. It covers everything from basic biology to palliative, end-of-life care. It doesn’t define the standard of care for ovarian cancers, rather it identifies the gaps and unique research opportunities — what needs to be done to achieve better screening and treatment.

We Need To Identify Different Subtypes

Though deadly, ovarian cancer can be effectively treated when doctors catch it early enough. The committee found that “roughly two-thirds of women with ovarian cancer are diagnosed in an advanced stage, which is associated with less than 30 percent overall five-year survival rate.” While the vast majority of women with ovarian cancer respond well to treatment, it generally recurs and becomes more resistant to chemotherapy.

One of the more notable gaps the report found had to do with ovarian cancer subtypes. For the most part, the general public and health care providers wrongly believe ovarian cancer is a single disease. In fact, there are different kinds. And not all ovarian cancers originate in the ovaries either; some, Strauss found, can arise in the fallopian tube and other parts of the reproductive tract before they metastasize to the ovary. Knowing there are different subtypes inspires a “framework that provides advancing research in screening detection,” Strauss said, “a major contributor to survival rate.”

That said, high-grade serous carcinoma, a type of ovarian cancer that starts in the surface layer of the ovary, makes up 70 percent of all cancer cases — it’s the most common and the most lethal form, Strauss said. There are other important subtypes, such as endometrioid cancer and clear cell cancers, but they don’t occur as frequently.

Developing a deeper understanding of the many different origins of ovarian cancers will help inform the approach pathologists and clinicians take when treating their patients. Right now, experts lack a common language or framework to identify and characterize these diseases. This in turn makes it “very difficult to identify with precision the risk factors associated with different subtypes and also potential, effective treatments,” Strauss said.

That’s not to say people aren’t currently working toward bridging these gaps. Perhaps one of the largest efforts was a study just published in The Lancet where researchers aimed to establish the effect of early detection screening methods. The results showed women who received an annual screening, either a multimodal test for levels of the protein CA-125 or a transvaginal ultrasound, were less likely to die from ovarian cancer. Memorial Sloan Kettering reports that more than 90 percent of advanced ovarian cancer cases produce CA-125, while a transvaginal ultrasound seems to be a consistent and promising screening method.

Conversely, the CDC report found that uptake of genetic screening remains alarmingly rare in spite of new knowledge that women with the gene mutations most often associated with breast cancer, BRCA1 and BRCA2, have a 39 percent increased risk of developing ovarian cancer by the age of 70, Strauss said; the gene can be passed on by either parent.

Race & Money Matter

The advancements in ovarian cancer care have benefited some women, but not all. Overall, the five-year relative survival for all types of ovarian cancer is 45 percent, a rate that has declined among African-American women, Strauss said. A 2012 study from the University of California, Irvine, found that African Americans and poor women were less likely to receive the highest standards of care, which leads to worse outcomes compared to those of white and affluent patients. Women on Medicaid and those with no insurance have a 30 percent increased risk of cancer death; poor women experience worse outcomes regardless of race, according to the research.

A separate study conducted at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center in Houston found that, despite its decade-long availability, a majority of women with ovarian cancer were unaware of genetic testing for BRCA1 and BRCA2 mutations. And this awareness was more profound among minority women — 69 percent of Hispanic and 88 percent of African American respondents hadn’t heard of it compared to 52 percent of white women.

Women treated by a gynecological oncologist definitely gain an advantage in survival, as do women who undergo intraperitoneal chemotherapy, Strauss said. The latter treatment is a type of chemo, sometimes called a belly bath, that has proven more effective than a standard intravenous drip of therapy. A 2007 study found that women treated by non-gynecological oncologists or surgeons who perform fewer ovarian cancer surgeries were less likely to receive recommended surgical care. The report concludes that we need more research to better understand the racial disparity in treatment.

Where Women Can Look For Help

Women should take heart that there are targeted therapies on the horizon — precision medicine and immunotherapy treatment approaches, as well as new clinical trial designs to study the efficacy of existing therapies are currently underway. More importantly, the report notes how others might support women who have been diagnosed. Nutrition, exercise, and discussion surrounding palliative care can benefit and improve quality of life.

The American Cancer Society reports that palliative care helps relieve symptoms, but it doesn’t work to cure cancer. It’s more to help the patient feel as good as they can for as long as possible once their treatment options have run out. “Your hope for a cure may not be as bright, but there is still hope for good times with family and friends — times that are filled with happiness and meaning. Pausing at this time in your cancer treatment gives you a chance to refocus on the most important things in your life,” the Society writes.

Women, their families, and all those invested in advancing ovarian cancer care — from funders of research to advocacy groups — can read the findings of the CDC’s ovarian cancer report at the Inside Knowledge campaign, a site for the latest research, risk factor calculator tools, and survivor stories.

The blanket recommendation for now is to see a doctor if you experience symptoms such as pelvic and abdominal pain, back pain, chronic tiredness, and bloating. The CDC reports that women should also see their doctor if they have abnormal bleeding from the vagina. Ovarian cancer can be a deadly disease, but not if it’s caught in time.

To read this entire article on MedicalDaily.com, click here.

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THE LOSS OF THE SOUL By Milburn Cockrell

By Milburn Cockrell
„For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matt. 16:26).
„For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away?” (Luke 9:25).
Our Lord Jesus Christ taught what no other teacher ever has–the transcendent worth of the soul of man. He taught that the soul of a man is precious beyond all price. He affirmed that every soul is accountable to God for all he thinks and feels, as well as for all he says and does. Christ warned men of the great danger of losing their own souls.
We know from Scripture that the soul of man is of immeasurable value. No sum of money can express its worth. It transcends expression. If we were to judge by the conduct of men, we might conclude that the soul is of no worth whatsoever. Everything seems to occupy the attention of mankind rather than the salvation of their own souls.
What is a soul? It is the spiritual, the best and most noble part of man, and it is distinct from the body. It is the immortal part of a man which allies him with angels and God who are spirits. Speaking of the immortality of the soul, Jesus Christ said: „And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matt. 10:28). Luke records Him saying: „Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do” (12:4).
According to Jesus Christ, man may go so far as to kill the body, but here the power of man ends. Christ clearly distinguishes between the state of the body and the state of the soul. The state of the soul would not be different at death, if the soul sleeps after death as does the body. Jesus Christ taught that a soul could be lost but not annihilated.
The soul outlives the body and is superior to the body. When Rachel died at the birth of Benjamin it is said that „her soul was in departing” (Gen. 35:18). Here we see death is the departure of the soul from the body to the world of the spirits. When Elijah wanted the dead child to come back to life he prayed: „O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child’s soul come into him again” (I Kings 17:21). The Lord answered Elijah’s prayer, „and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived” (v. 22). Here again we see the soul left the body at death and existed separated from the body. This proves its immortality. Then we see that this immortal soul returned to the body of the child and the child lived. If the soul can exist separated from the body, it is not the same as the body.
The powers and properties of the soul are amazing. The soul retains its powers when the body is mutilated or destroyed. This demonstrates its superiority to the body. The soul is capable of thought and reflection, matter is not. It has power to contemplate God’s being as well as His government over the world. The soul is capable of enjoying the friendship of God and of reciprocating His love.
The body is the house of the soul (II Cor. 5:1; Job 4:19; 13:12). The body is compared to the house, and the soul to him that lives in the house. Man is more noble than the house he lives in, so is the soul more noble than the body. The body is the clothing or garment of the soul (II Cor. 5:2-4), and we know that the body is more than raiment (Matt. 6:25). As clothing is worth less than the body, so the body is worth less than the soul that it covers. The body is a tabernacle in which the soul worships God (II Cor. 5:1; II Pet. 1:14), and a worshipper is more honorable than the place of worship (Heb. 3:3). Even so the soul is more honorable than the body.
In the text Jesus Christ said that a man may „lose his own soul.” Sin is what causes a soul to be lost. „The soul that sinneth it shall die” (Ezek. 18:4,22). Isaiah 3:9 declares: „The shew of their countenance doth witness against them; and they declare their sin as Sodom, they hide it not. Woe unto their soul! for they have rewarded evil unto themselves.” Sinning against God is what ruins the soul and causes it to be sent away from God. Sin is what makes the soul hateful in the eyes of Divine Justice.
A soul is lost when it is separated from God and His favor and is under His curse and wrath. „But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile” (Rom. 2:8-9). These words of Paul express the second death and the torments of Hell. Unless satisfaction is made for the sins of the soul by the blood of Christ, this is to be the future condition of every sinning soul on earth.
A soul is lost when it is shut out of Heaven and sent to Hell. In Luke 9:25 Jesus Christ called it the casting away of the soul. In Matthew 23:33 Christ declared that impentient sinners cannot „escape the damnation of hell.” The soul is lost when it is excluded from light, peace, and rest. Of the lost souls of the wicked Job said: „They grope in the dark without light” (Job 12:25). As to the present and future estate of the wicked, Isaiah declared: „There is no peace, saith the LORD, unto the wicked” (Isa. 57:21). Of the beast worshippers it is written: „. . .they have no rest day nor night” (Rev. 14:11).
A soul is lost when it is „punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord, and from the glory of his power” (II Thess. 1:9). It is lost when it is told by Christ: „Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels” (Matt. 25:41).
Christ did not say that He would lose some souls committed to Him. Rather, He spoke of the man losing „his own soul.” It is the man who does the losing. Man cannot lose the souls of others; he can do no more than lose „his own soul.”
The man that loses his soul loses himself. A man may lose his family and estate and in time have them restored again. But if he loses his soul he can never regain it. He that has lost himself is no longer his own master. He is at the mercy of the Devil. He is in the hands of Divine Justice. What a great grief it is for a man to realize that he has lost his soul, lost the most important part of his being, lost himself! The knowledge of the awful loss of his soul makes him a self-tormentor.
How fearful is the loss of the soul! It is the deprivation of all good and exclusion from God’s protection. It is to suffer the due reward for your deeds–to be left to your own shame–to be delivered to the torments of the Devil and a guilty conscience. In short, it is to be swallowed up of all the most fearful miseries that a just and holy God can righteously inflict upon the soul of a sinful man!
When a man loses his own soul it is an everlasting loss, for a soul that is lost can never be found again. It’s banishment from God is everlasting and the fire that it suffers is everlasting fire. You could sooner count the drops of water in the sea, or the grains of sand on the seashore, than you can count the millions and millions of years that a damned soul shall suffer in the lake of fire. The person who has lost his soul can never say he is half way through his sufferings, for that which has no end has no middle (Jude 7).
A man loses his soul by doing what is destructive to it: „But whoso committeth adultery with a woman lacketh understanding: he that doeth it destroyeth his own soul” (Prov. 6:32). Divine Wisdom says in Proverbs 8:36: „But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.” All forms of sexual impurity and sins of every kind are destructive to a man’s soul. Such a person may say he cannot extinguish his burning lusts, but he will find it shall be more impossible to extinguish the fire that shall never be quenched. He will ruin his soul because he wills to do so. His blood is on his own head (Hos. 13:9).
Add field to field, city to city, and nation to nation, yet one soul is worth more than all of this. One soul is of greater worth than all of the gold in Fort Knox, Kentucky. Take all the pleasures this world has to offer, and yet one soul is of greater value than all of these. Gain rank or fame until all men applaud you, but one soul is more precious than all of this. Go beyond earth, gather the sun, moon, and stars to yourself, but all of this is not worth one soul!
Let us suppose that a man could gain the whole world and be the master of it. Such a man could not enjoy the whole world if he had it to enjoy. One man can only be in one place at a time. He can only travel so far in a day, enjoy so much fine food, ride in but one automobile at a time, sleep with but one woman at a time. Such a fool would kill himself in a few weeks. Health would not endure such possessions. Worse still, of what use would the whole world be to a man who must leave it?
The world presents a man with fair language, promising hopes, convenient fortunes, and pompous honors. The desire of these things of the world causes men to waste and consume themselves to get preferment, to enjoy pleasure, to heap up riches and increase them. To attain these men will ruin their bodies and souls. In the end such men discover they have been hired servants that carried a great load of wealth and fame on a weary back all the day. Then when the sun of life is set they are turned into a dark grave and a burning Hell with a raw shoulder and a tormenting conscience.
Worldly prosperity has ruined many a soul. „And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God” (Luke 12:16-21).
This rich farmer forgot God and his soul. He imagined his fruits and goods would be food for his immortal soul. A God of judgment cuts off his long years of promised enjoyment. He required the soul the rich fool had neglected, corrupted and ruined. The rich man goes to stand before God with a lost soul, a soul lost by trying to win the world (I Tim. 6:9-10).
Why is it that men insure their lives and property, but they are so careless about their souls! How foolish to gather treasures and lose them–to lose the soul, Heaven and God. Millionaires in time are beggars in eternity (Luke 16:23).
All the men of this world and the angels of Heaven cannot save a soul–cannot give it eternal life–cannot open the gates of Heaven–cannot close the gates of Hell–cannot make a person rich toward God. Ah, vain world! you are a poor reward for the loss of Christ and Heaven! O poor lost soul, you have the riches of earth, but you have lost the treasures of Heaven. You have the pleasures of the world, but you shall never drink of the rivers of God’s pleasures. You have the honor of men, but you shall receive the everlasting contempt of God.
The world promises more than it can deliver. While the god of this world is pleasing your fancy, his hand is in your treasures, robbing you of your soul. To gain the world and lose the soul is a fool’s bargain. Such a person is an unspeakable loser! When he comes to balance the account, to compare profits and losses, he will find he has been taken in by the great deceiver.
Our Lord asked: „What shall a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Mark 8:37). What would he not give in exchange for the salvation of his soul at the great white throne of judgment? He would gladly trade his vice for virtue and his sins for the great salvation, but it cannot be done. No doubt he would be willing to give ever so much, but it will then be too late, for no exchange can be made. Once in Hell a great ransom cannot deliver a man from this awful place. In such a solemn hour a man will realize he is the biggest fool in the world!
The gospel is a revelation of a soverign remedy, provided by God, through Christ, for the salvation of a man’s soul. It causes a person to see his sins are as black as Hell, and he becomes mindful that sin has ruined his soul and that within himself his soul shall surely be lost. The only way to escape is to commit the keeping of his soul to Christ (I Pet. 4:19). Paul did this with the confidence that Christ could and would keep his soul safely until the day of judgment: „. . .for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day” (II Tim. 1:12).
The redemption of the soul is precious (Ps. 49:8). The loss of this most excellent thing is unspeakably great. This is a good reason for people to be careful to whom they commit the teaching and guidance of their souls.
Don’t play the hypocrite in religion. Be what you profess to be, for where is the hypocrite „when God taketh away his soul”? (Job 27:8).
Let the soul have the chief and first concern. God alone can save and keep the soul. Cry out day and night if you are undone, dear sinner: „O keep my soul, and deliver me: let me not be ashamed; for I put my trust in thee” (Ps. 25:20). Believe with all your heart the gospel of Christ and receive „the end of your faith, even the salvation of your” soul (I Pet. 1:9).

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The Golden Compass

It’s hard for a movie to live up to months and months of anticipation and excitement. The Golden Compass was good, just not great. If you’re a fan of the series, I’d recommend it just to see daemons running around, polar bear battles, and kick ass witches.

The Good:

It’s visually spectacular.

It’s got a some pretty epic moments.

Reader, the Ice Bear fight ends the way you want it to.

Sam Elliot is perfect as Lee Scorseby.

The subject of daemons, unlike some other elements in the film, were handled with a degree of subtly – for example, the relationships between daemons was presented clearly, but without too much”hey! here’s my dameon and you’re my friend so our daemons will play and cuddle and stuff, because I like you. Okay? Do you understand?” If you know what I mean

The Bad:

The pacing was off, way off. It moved too fast for its own good. It should have either further gutted the story of extended its playing time to three or so hours. This film’s pacing would have been much better suited for The Subtle Knife.

The ending of the book is cut (SPOILER) – you don’t see Roger die, Lord Asriel punch a whole into another world, and you don’t see Lyra enter that other world. It ends with a good little monologue from Lyra that sort of tidies things up, but I’m just not sure how to feel about the film’s ending.

Bottom line:

It’s fun, especially if you like the book. 7/10

2 responses to “The Golden Compass

  • evan

    agreed. i so hope it makes enough money for a sequel. *fingers crossed*

  • Ashley Powell

    Amen to that, I was so stoked on seeing this film…
    And actually got to this past weekend…
    but when it came to really getting to know the characters or the story,
    I gave up. Instead I allowed the visuals to take hold of me.

    Majority of the film consisted of me thinking:

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The podcasts from the conference are now available.

Political Theory at the Margins

Fourth Oxford Graduate Political Theory Conference

University of Oxford   |   8th May 2015

Keynote speakers:

  • Humeira Iqtidar (King’s College London)
  • Nathaniel Adam Tobias Coleman(University College London)

What lies at the margins of political theory? Which histories, experiences, and perspectives have been excluded or been absent from mainstream political theory, and why? How, if at all, should political theorists respond to such exclusions and revise the way in which they conduct theoretical work? These are some of the questions we aim to address at the 4th Oxford Political Theory Graduate Conference.

A growing chorus of scholars have criticized contemporary political theory for its marginalisation of subaltern issues and perspectives. A common theme in these criticisms has been that the dominant perspective in political theory has been (and still is) largely white, male and western. This has contributed to the neglect and under-theorisation of the injustices and oppression faced by people of colour, women, and queer people. This substantive criticism has also often been linked to methodological concerns, particularly the (potential) problems associated with idealisation and ahistoricism. These contemporary concerns are also reflected in efforts to reshape the predominantly western and male focus in the study of the history of political thought.

In the light of this, the conference aims to accept papers that explore constructive ways forward for contemporary political theory in incorporating these concerns and perspectives. Additionally, the value of political theory, in its current form, for investigating these marginalizations will also be explored. It therefore aims to look at how political theory at the margins can be brought into the mainstream. Of course, defining what is and is not at the ‘margins’ of political theory is in danger of perpetuating exclusions of its own. While it is expected that the more familiar – but by no means insignificant – marginalizations of race, gender, sexuality, ability and class will be addressed by this conference, we also hope to unearth and investigate more silent or unnoticed forms of political exclusion.

Papers may, without being limited to these subjects, address the following:

  • Investigations of ‘mainstream’ and ‘marginal’ political theory
  • The ‘ideological’ nature as well as value of ideal theory
  • Critiques of the western canon of the history of political thought, and inclusion of texts from neglected cultures and languages
  • The history of white supremacy and patriarchy in political theory
  • Integrating the insights from critical race, queer, and post-colonial theory into contemporary political theory
  • The role of class in intersectionality and position of the poor in political theory
  • Incorporating non-human animals into the boundaries of political theorising
  • De-centring western perspectives in democracy and global justice, defining what is and is not ‘western’
  • The potential contributions from and comparisons with related disciplines in addressing marginalization (e.g. sociology, history, political economy, international relations)

We aim to have two to three panels, each chaired by a member of the faculty, and followed by a response from an Oxford graduate student. The conference will also include a roundtable discussion on the conference theme with the keynote speaker and faculty. Participants are requested to cover their own travel and accommodation costs.

Please send an abstract, formatted for anonymous review, of up to 500 words tooxfordpoliticaltheory@gmail.com by 6th March 2015. Complete papers should then follow by 17th April for pre-circulation. Only graduate students who have not yet defended their doctoral thesis are eligible to apply.

Organisers: Udit Bhatia and Bruno Leipold.

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Performing Arts Monterey Bay: Cabrillo Festival, Part 2

glass_pyke_1705_retouched-smallAugust 18, 2015

THE TOUGH THING about new music is making it memorable. This means providing enough intellectual structure—architecture—so that the listener can remember it after the fact. While I don’t know if this idea is shared by the young composers who are welcomed as guests each year at the Cabrillo Festival it does beg the question.

That measure alone should challenge both them and Marin Alsop, the ultimate arbiter of who and what get exposed according to her vision of the Cabrillo Festival. Last Saturday’s orchestra concert at Santa Cruz Civic opened with Eating Flowers by Hannah Lash, a world premiere commissioned by the festival. In her notes and spoken comments she made much use of the words color and colors, explaining that it was those qualities in the music of Debussy, Ravel and Rimsky-Korsakov she sought to capture. That she did in this piece that drew out a vivid palette from every section of the orchestra starting with mallets in the percussion and pizzicato on the strings. There were plenty of solos to go round as well. A wild bit that sounded like Messiaen, another composer she cited, appeared midway through the 10-minute piece. Yet for all its colors the work lacked that architectural component needed for narrative coherence.

Missy Mazzoli’s River Rouge Transfiguration by contrast contained just that element, using formal devices around which the music was organized. In it Mazzoli celebrated the city of Detroit and, more specifically, the River Rouge Ford plant in the Dearborn suburb. To the composer, the appearance of the plant made her think of a great pipe organ and she worked the orchestra to that purpose. Even as she spotlighted different sections, creating fresh combinations and adding some bits of familiar minimalism, she kept the overall narrative clear. The piece was a Detroit Symphony commission that was premiered there in 2013, now getting its first West Coast hearing.

So far this was relatively easy listening. Sean Shepherd’s Blue Blazes was supposed to be a trip to hell. And where better to begin, he said, than deep in the cellos and double basses. His rhetoric was mostly angular keeping the 8-minute piece from achieving a sense of harmonic directionality or resolution. By that alone it proved the most challenging orchestral piece of the festival so far. It too was a West Coast premiere.

So was the next piece, Nico Muhly’s Wish You Were Here, another 10-minute piece that, along with River Rouge, was for me the most successful work on the program. Muhly explained that he was inspired by the idea that comic strips he recalled from childhood had created the impression in his mind that he had been to exotic places in the world he never actually had visited. Laughingly, he summed up the piece as the combination of a cartoon world and “deep loneliness.” This was a strong dose of energy, momentum and vivid colors that rose to a sensational climax, at all times structurally clear. While this was Muhly’s first visit to the festival his name is widely known thanks to his many major compositions, including recordings and collaborations with the likes of Björk and Philip Glass, and not least his opera Two Boys, premiered by the English National Opera in 2011, then by the Metropolitan Opera two years later in a revised version that was recorded by Nonesuch Records. Glass has mentored Muhly and his influence is plain to hear. Wish You Were Here also paid homage to Colin McPhee (b. 1900), a Canadian composer/musicologist who was among the first to visit Bali and write music that imitated the Balinese gamelan. Muhly’s piece makes a “fanciful” and compelling case for that inspiration, and even punctuates with some loud ship-horns on the brass.

Tim-Fain-300x292Both violinist Tim Fain (left) and cellist Matt Haimovitz have enduring professional relationships with Glass, who wrote a solo partita for Fain that became a centerpiece of his evening-length Portals: Multimedia Exploration of Longing in the Digital Age.(Fain performed it in Carmel in 2011, one of three appearances at Sunset Center.) The two musicians joined Alsop and the orchestra for the West Coast premiere of Double Concerto by Glass. The piece dates from 2010 and struck me as retrogressive, an often tedious recycling of the repetitive minimalistic ostinatos of the composer’s music from decades ago. At least you knew at any moment who the composer was. Perhaps the solo duets that preceded the three movements were Glass’ idea to give the piece a fresh take. And they did that in music that was completely different in character from the orchestral material. Even though the miked sound came through substandard loudspeakers located behind the podium, the audience gave the performance their enthusiastic approval.

Sunday afternoon’s festival finale suffered some fits and starts. A breezy 95-F degrees made everybody’s exposed skin shine. The Mission San Juan doors opened 20 minutes after the concert was set to begin. (Highway traffic was apparently to blame.) With a repeat later in the day, the delay forced the elimination of the scheduled intermission. A cooling cross breeze was disallowed when the ushers were told not to open a door to the mission gardens “during the concert.” The heat got to one lady in the third row who lost her lunch at the start of the fourth movement of Ana Lara’sAngeles de llama y hielo, causing a further 10-minute interruption. The orchestra setup for the final piece, James MacMillan’s Epiclesis, actually restored the cancelled intermission though most remained inside the church.

The concert began with the West Coast premiere of Impact, composed in 2013 by Charles Halka. The program note and title were too technical and vague, respectively, to inspire high expectations, but the eight-minute piece proved to be a real gem. It began in the highest most delicate part of the percussion and proceeded to descend through the entire orchestra gaining more and more instruments and volume of sound until it hit bottom with—well—an impact. Alsop worked the orchestra like a movie camera, with wide-angles, close-ups (including solos) and midrange shots. Halka displayed a keen understanding of an orchestra’s essential resources and kept the imagery in sharp focus.

The celebrated Mexican composer Ana Lara (b. 1959) made her first Cabrillo appearance with her 20-minute (under normal circumstances) “Angels of Flame and Ice.” The discrete Angel movements were Darkness, Dawn, Light and Dusk. The composer cited various examples of four-part ideas: the four elements, compass points, winds, horsemen of the apocalypse, all inspired by poems by Francisco Serrano. The seven-minute first movement remained largely within dark rumblings and surgings; I was reminded of Wagner’s Rhine waves, and of Debussy’s La mer, but with occasional percussive crashes and solos. Near the end the horns, at fortissimo, ignited a stunning climax in the orchestra. In Dawn, woodwinds warbled and sprayed. Timpani and bells sounded, before woodwind solos, then percussion and brass, bells and trombones. The shorter final two movements continued to keep the composer’s style and personality in focus. She revised the 1994 work this year in anticipation of Cabrillo.

Composed last year, Christopher Rouse’s Supplica, to my ear, was the most personal writing from Rouse I have heard to date, though the first of his works performed at Cabrillo, the Pulitzer-winning Trombone Concerto written in memory of Leonard Bernstein, comes close. Lasting 13 minutes, the piece began with cello, piano and ghostly string glissandos. Horn solo, then harps, led to an outburst on full strings then full brass. A quiet passage on strings trailed on with harps added and a trumpet solo; strings again now with intoning winds and brass. Strings in anguish, then comforting strings and harps closed the work softly. For a composer whose music has threatened to topple the mission church, this work was surprisingly restrained and often very beautiful.Helseth

Norwegian trumpet soloist Tine Thing Helseth (right) arrived with Alsop from the garden entry door (which thankfully remained open to the cross breeze) to perform MacMillan’s Epiclesis trumpet concerto of 1993 (rev. 1998) here getting its US premiere. The title of the 20-minute single movement piece means invocation, specifically as it relates to the Eucharist, one of many religious themes popular with the Roman Catholic composer. Like Rouse, MacMillan is not afraid of extreme loudness and in this case I was grateful not to be sitting in the front row. (Tremendous volleys of percussion and brass plus the mostly loud Helseth trumpet inspired festival executive Ellen Primack to offer ear plugs to patrons sitting closest to the orchestra.)

The composer’s notes described two music “substances” that undergo a transformation into one another. The piece began with percussion and the soloist playing flutter tongue, followed by marimba, muted trombones and a thunder sheet. The strings entered with a percussion outburst before a trumpet melody accompanied by winds. Another outburst on the percussion with chimes, trombones and bells. Halfway through the piece Helseth got a significant solo cadenza over a pedal point bass with chimes. The orchestra rose up then subsided in favor of more solo trumpet. An ecstatic dance ensued with two offstage trumpeters joining the soloist but alternating their instruments with piccolo trumpets, and all with plenty of flutter tonguing. A calm moment preceded a chorale rising on the orchestra. As the concerto drew to a quiet close, Helseth, with bare feet and a floor-length gown, promenaded slowly down the aisle playing a rising triad over and over until she reached the back of the church. A door was heard to slam.

The August 7 concert is scheduled for broadcast on KUSP 88.9 on Friday, August 21, 8pm; the August 8 on August 22, 8pm. The August 15 concert is set for broadcast on August 28, 8pm; the Mission concert on August 29, 8pm.

By: Scott MacClelland

Read at: Performing Arts Monterey Bay

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Thank the academy

The Academy Awards. America’s least entertaining event — aside from my wedding night.

Hollywood. Where dreams are made. For sure. Because if they think masses will pay 12 bucks to see “The Tourist,” I say — “in your dreams.”

Oscar debuted in 1929. With apologies to James Franco, its host Douglas Fairbanks Jr. was cinema royalty. Also he had two arms. The event in the Hollywood Roosevelt Hotel drew 270 people. The admission charge — $5. Possibly organizers figured this steep price would keep out the riffraff.

The winner was announced three months in advance. Great idea since it gave Best Actor Emil Jannings time to get his outfit together. Also time to get out of town. He was so thrilled that he never even showed In Person to thank the academy, his agent, manager, trainer, lawyer, stylist, dog walker, psychotherapist, uncle, car washer and gastroenteritis specialist.

But things have changed. Today there are dozens of Academy Awards: Scandinavian Academy Awards, Polish Academy Awards, Latin American Academy Awards, Black Academy Awards, Asian Academy Awards, Australian Academy Awards. Soon there’ll be Tall Academy Awards, Short Academy Awards, Fat Academy Awards, Anorexic Academy Awards.

Last year the TV show claimed a billion viewers internationally. So far that’s confirmed only by the TV show. And it was 2,789 Oscars. For everything. Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award, Irving Thalberg Memorial Award, some Technical Achievement Award. All together, 1,825 awards. They only missed the pro in the men’s room. Next year look for a Towelette Award.

Or a Mel Gibson pig valve citation.

Or a “Best FX Crash/Smash Effect” trophy, for which 400 technicians create the terrifying mass destruction you could get free during lunch period in any high school in America.

Next season it’s maybe a Best Casting Director Award. Best Chin Waxing Award. Best Strapless Award made of titanium.

MGM art director Cedric Gibbons originally designed Oscar’s 12.5-inch-tall statuette of gold-plated brittanium (whatever that is) on a black metal base. His wife, Dolores del Rio, helped. History says she organized some Mexican actor to posed nude for it. How Mrs. Gibbons knew this guy’s parts were perfect for the thing remains unclear.

A cast of thousands including Walt Disney, academy executive Margaret Herrick, the secretary to Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s Louis B. Mayer, claim responsibility for the name “Oscar.” Bette Davis swore it’s after her first temporary husband. If so, that’s the first and last anyone recalls of nice Mr. Harmon Oscar Nelson, a bandleader. His name clearly lingered longer than Bette’s devotion.

Wardrobe. Every actress today wears strapless, armless, sideless, backless. That fluffy puffy omelet cascading over her boobs? Please. The mammary gland’s elevated so high that those built-in stays start with whatever extra tissue surrounds her knees. And every shmatta’s basically the same. A ruffle, a train, a gather, a slit. One’s white, one yellow, one green. No difference. Each a slim, tight narrow column. Each wearer stops eating late November.

Remember Bjork‘s white feathered job? That homegrown one-sleeved soufflé that Kim Basinger‘s aunt must’ve hemmed up? How about the sailor suit Streisand wore in ’69? Not to worry, though. Another one she won’t get for Piddle “Fockers.” Lara Flynn Boyle in a pink tutu? With lace-up ballet slippers? Cher in that drop-dead gorgeous wacky Bob Mackie?

The dress code’s black-tie. But should disgusting Jesse James show in jeans and a tee, it will be excused because Sandra Bullock got custody of the house, car and closet.

Memorable moments include one from 1995. Julia Roberts separated after 21 months of marriage to Lyle Lovett. It was one month longer than her acceptance speech would be in 2001 . . . I don’t know if this month Betty White is a presenter. I only know she’s involved in the organization “Actors and Others for Animals.” Right now she’s trying to find a home for Charlie Sheen.

Immortal quotes. Cate Blanchett‘s acceptance speech included: “Can I have my Champagne now?” Clint Eastwood: “Lots of great movies won the Academy Award and a lot haven’t.” Wow! And you thought Shakespeare had trouble writing! Then there was Jack Nicholson‘s sentimental touching thank you: “This proves there are as many nuts in the academy as anywhere else.”

Ben Affleck: “Losing would really suck.” Dianne Wiest: “This isn’t like I imagined it would be in the bathtub.” Sally Fields‘ “You like me. You really like me.” Yeah. But not if you ad-lib.

Another maybe presenter? Steven Seagal. The problem is, what kind of thank you gift to give. I figure you can’t go wrong with a facial expression. Maybe Jean-Claude Van Damme? At least this way he’ll know what kind of work he’s out of.

Experts tells us Orson Welles’ “Citizen Kane” was the greatest film ever made. Look for knockoffs in 2012. The movie industry’s readying Hulk Hogan in “Citizen Pain,” a Hamlet update in “Citizen Dane” and, who knows, maybe a chorus of Tiger Woods hookettes in “Citizen Stain.”

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Hilary Duff shares embarrassing childhood glamour shot with the internet

Glamour shots don’t always turn out so glamorous.

On Thursday, Hilary Duff tweeted a 1993 glamour shot. The results are … equally awkward and hilarious.

In the photo, or at least the crop of it that the 28-year-old posted, the much younger Duff does not look like a happy camper, gritting her teeth and staring at the camera with a look of terror.

Fortunately, the “Younger” star seems to have a sense of humor about the moment, using the hashtag “#thanksmom” on the post.

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Jedediah Bila sets a wedding date

Former “View” co-host Jedediah Bila — who abruptly left the ABC show in 2017 — is getting married next month.

Conservative personality Bila announced her engagement to strategic publishing analyst Jeremy Scher on the show last June, saying, “Can anyone in the audience see anything different about me?” before flashing her engagement ring. We’re told the intimate ceremony with close family and taking place in the city on Feb. 17.

Bila left “The View” in September.

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The New Vito.

Raise your game.

You’re always ready to get going. Committed to your job. Love new challenges. You deserve a vehicle which was designed with you in mind: the new Vito. A van that doesn’t just fulfil the tasks it’s set but makes that all-important difference, offering flexibility, safety, economic efficiency and quality.

Panel van

Payload (kg)* 1.004 t; 1.369 t; 1.344 t
Cargo volume (m3) 5.5; 6.0; 6.6
No. of seats (incl. driver) 3
Wheelbases (mm) 3,200; 3,430
Engine types In-line 4
Fuel Diesel
KW (HP) 120
Max torque (Nm) 380
Emission classes Euro 4 Gr. III
Gearboxes (speeds) Manual (6); Automatic (7)
* technically permitted weights/loads. Payload dependent on configuration.

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Protesting doctors end hunger strike

Home » Karachi

Protesting doctors end hunger strike

February 22, 2018

Karachi: A meeting of doctors with Commissioner Karachi Ejaz Ahmed Khan and DC South was held at Commissioner House Karachi to seek compliance the orders of the Supreme Court by the Sindh Government regarding the promotions of the doctors.

Commissioner Karachi assured the doctors that he will talk to the Chief Minister to resolve this issue.

After this meeting on the request of the PMA secretary general Dr. S.M. Qaisar Sajjad, the doctors of Sindh have ended their hunger strike. It was done so due to the deteriorating of the health conditions of the senior doctors on hunger strike.

Two doctors on strike have already been admitted to hospital and Dr. Usman Mako’s medical condition is also not satisfactory, says a PMA release.

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Monday, April 19, 2010

Delight In Life

Good morning it is mojo time again, Marie has brought this fun Mojo135 sketch to us this week.  I did very little stamping, only the sentiment from Verve's set Miracles Blossom.  I made a paper blossom using the SU flower punch and curling the ends, so simple and so sweet!  I added a button to the center to complete my creation.  I hope that you will play along with us this week.  This is a big week, it is a Verve release week and Julee has come up with some great challenges.  You can learn all about that over at the Verve Blog.
or the SCS fourm. Keep an eye out for sneak peeks this week.  Enjoy!
Stamps:  Verve Miracles Blossom
Paper:  SU Black, Very Vanilla, Pink Paislee Bayberry Cottage Designer Paper
Ink:  Stazon Tuxedo Black
Accessories:  Janome, Ribbon, Fiskars Border Punch, SU Flower Punch, Button, Linen Thread, and Glue Dots

  1. Beautiful card Teresa. Loved the color combination. It is always such a pleasure to see your Mojo creations using Verve stamps :) Thanks for Sharing.

  2. Loving what you've done here, Teresa! Great colour combo and your layered flower is great :D

  3. Love this striking black and white! Just gorgeous!!!!!
    Kim xXx

  4. Just gorgeous Teresa! I love that color combo and your flower is perfect!! :)

    Just beautiful!

  5. lovely contra black and white card

Thank you so much for your comments, they mean so much to me. Have a wonderful day! Teresa

sparkle & shine *~*


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Thursday, November 27, 2014

Sparkle & Shine

I adore this weeks Fusion challenge, the sketch and the inspiration photo...totally FAB! I am using the Simon Says Card Kit once again, I adore the sparkle & shine sentiment...*grin*. I have added a layered glittery star, still keeping my card super simple. I hope you check out the links below and pick up your card kit subscription today...sparkle & shine!

613 Avenue Create: anything goes w/optional subway art
A Crafty Mess: anything goes
Fusion: sketch/photo
My Craft Creations: anything goes
SCS Thursday Challenge WT507: Easy Does It

  1. Teresa, this is beautiful. Love the red & silver combo!
    Thanks for playing with us at FUSION.

  2. Hi Teresa! Hope you had a lovely Thanksgiving yesterday - what a great card for the Fusion Sketch! love the herringbone background and that fun circle sentiment!

  3. You are a Fusion rock star ... such a perfect combination of elements, especially the silve sentiment ... so very glad you joined us at Fusion Card Challenge.

  4. Hi Teresa! WOW! Love this creation ... simple yet so festive & fun! Thanks so much for playing in our challenge at 613 Avenue Create! We hope you’ll come join us again real soon! Great job!
    613 Avenue Create DT

  5. Love the houndstooth background, and your take on our sketch! Thanks for playing along with us at Fusion :)

  6. WOW!! Awesome combination of elements!!!

    Thanks so much for joining us at FUSION, I sure hope that you join us again! It is a pleasure to stop by and see your creativity!!!

  7. Hi Teresa! SO happy to see you playing at Fusion - your work is always so beautiful!

Thank you so much for your comments, they mean so much to me. Have a wonderful day! Teresa

sparkle & shine *~*


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Fitting In Family

Labor day weekend we traveled to Chicago for a wedding.  It’s really a sweet story; the couple met at a wedding just 3 years earlier when the Nicole’s sister married the Paul’s friend.  My husband was sharing a hotel room with Paul and was a third wheel of sorts after the reception was over.  Much to Paul’s chagrin he hung out with the two as they took the after-party to the streets of Chicago and got to know each other. They dated long distance and got engaged this past NYE.  They got married on labor day weekend, the same weekend that they met 3 years earlier.

We were very much looking forward to a weekend getaway to Chicago but didn’t have any firm plans besides the wedding on Sunday afternoon.  In hindsight our lack of planning was fortuitous.  As I mentioned we are in the midst of Babypalooza 2012.  August 30th Matt’s baby brother and our SIL became parents for the first time, welcoming our niece into the world.  With the help of Matt’s sister (who is 8 months pregnant!) we were able to make a last-minute day trip to Indiana to meet our Niece.  My SIL picked us up at the airport (after a red-eye) and drove 4 hrs to Indiana.  We wouldn’t have been able to do that drive after a red-eye flight without her.

My BIL, the proud papa was so excited that we were able to make the trip.  As babies do, my niece napped for most of the visit.

One of a few photos of me holding my niece.  I spent most of our visit knitting.  I started a “5 hr baby sweater” for my niece that morning.  5 hrs my a$$- more like 7 or 8 hr sweater!  I did finish it in the nick of time to gift to the new parents but forgot to take a photo *knitter fail*.  I will rectify that next month when we return for her baptism.

They make the cutest faces don’t they?  Matt had a great time holding his god-daughter, he kinda hogged her but he gets a pass as Godfather.

Matt’s brother (the baby’s dad) and sister (pictured above) are twins.  I really think there is a special bond between the two of them as twins and I loved watching my SIL hold her niece.  In just a few weeks my SIL will be welcoming her second boy.  These cousins will be so blessed to be close in age.

We came at a hard time when baby and mom were having their first challenges with breastfeeding.  Its got to be hard to have guests in the house when you are figuring all of this out so we scooted over to my in-laws house to get out-of-the-way and give them space.

After dinner and some hugs we were back on the road headed back to Chicago to check into our hotel.

On the tail end of our trip some tentative plans we had with friends fell through and we ended up spending most of Monday with my SIL, BIL, and nephew.  We hadn’t seen my nephew since Thanksgiving of last year so we were excited to interact with the little guy.

We took the metro to Evanston and had breakfast at Walker Brothers Pancake House. One word: YUM. After a huge breakfast we walked around Northwestern University.

The campus was a ghost town because of  the holiday weekend and we found a nice green space with a beautiful willow tree to play for a while.  I really wanted to get photos of my SIL, BIL, and Nephew before baby number two arrives.  Above is my favorite photo from the day.

I am really glad that we got to spend the day with family.  My nephew takes a while to warm up to people and we have only seen him a handful of times since he was born.  It took a couple of hours of being around him but he really opened up to us and had lots of fun.  I am not sure if that would have been possible if we had seen him at a large family gathering.  The one on one time is so important. On a funny note, I also discovered that my Matt love to chase toddlers.  What a goofball!

Visits with family weren’t on the agenda when we planned our Chicago trip but it ended up to be such a special time.  As my SIL dropped us off at the Metro Station she asked us to be Godparents to baby #2 and that was the icing on the cake.  We are so honored and can’t wait to see all the kiddos again next month.

Filed under Daily Life

4 responses to “Fitting In Family

  1. I like to think I’m a fast knitter and then I try to do something like knit a dishcloth in an hour and it ends up taking 3-4. Congrats on the Godparents! I’m sure you will make great ones.

  2. Adorable ADORABLE pics!!!!!!

    I crochet a lot more than knitting because it’s a lot faster than knitting. But if the pattern is written poorly it sucks cuz you’re halfway through and it’s like… WHAT THE HECK?? I spent all this time making it and it doesn’t look right. Well, that’s my experience with patterns hehe. 🙂

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Bad Art & Weirdo Ideas
Beach Slang

Paroles Bad Art & Weirdo Ideas par Beach Slang

The sound of your heart is wired to break
Too fucked up to love, too soft to hate
The hum of your lung is my favorite thing
And the air you shove out
Into my mouth

I've always felt stuck, alone, or ashamed
The gutter's too tough. The stars are too safe

I'm always that kid always out of place
I try to get found
I've never known how
Ah ha ha (x4)

I'm tracing the lines on your handsome face
The scars on your arms, the shape of your veins
We are not alone. We are not mistakes
Don't whisper now. We're allowed to be loud

Paroles2Chansons dispose d’un accord de licence de paroles de chansons avec la Société des Editeurs et Auteurs de Musique (SEAM)


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Drifter's Escape
Jimi Hendrix

Paroles Drifter's Escape par Jimi Hendrix

Oh, help me in my weakness
I heard the drifter say
As they carried him from the court room
And were taking him away
Well, my trip hasn't been a pleasant one
And my time it isn't long
And i still do not know
What is was that i've done wrong

Well the judge he cast his robe aside
A tear came to his eye
Well you fail to understand, he said
Why must you even try
Outside the crowd was stirring
You could hear it from the door
Inside the judge was stepping down

While the jury cried for more, more, more
Cried for more, cried for more

Hey you better leave that boy's soul alone

Oh stop that passing the jury
Grab me a tendon and me a nurse
Oh, the trial was bad enough
Yes, but this is ten times worse
Just then bolt of lightning
Showed the court house out of shape
And while everybody knelt to pray
The drifter made his escape
The drifter did his escape
So long

Paroles2Chansons dispose d’un accord de licence de paroles de chansons avec la Société des Editeurs et Auteurs de Musique (SEAM)


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Skip to content

Conflict Archaeology Weekend Workshop

February 11, 2008

Birkbeck College is running this workshop

 in partnership with Firepower –  the Royal Artillery Museum

It will be of interest to archaeologists who are increasingly having to survey and record WW1 and WW2 Archaeology , as well as military specialists, and the wider comunity of curators, teachers and living history practitioners.

Firepower-the Royal Artillery Museum Saturday 8th March & Sunday 9th March 10.00am – 5.00pm Anderson’s and Ack Ack – an introduction to the theory and techniques of the Conflict Archaeology of the 20th Century.

This weekend workshop is designed to bring together Archaeologists, Historians, Teachers, Museum Curators, and Living History Practitioners, in fact, anyone who has an interest in researching the archaeology of 20th Century Conflicts in Britain and presenting that research to the public.

Confirmed Speakers include Andy Brockman and Martin Brown who took part in the recent Time Team- Blitzkrieg on Shooters Hill, Neil Faulkner of the “Great War Archaeology Group,” who excavated the crash site of Zeppelin L48 in Essex, Renata Peters who carried out investigative conservation on artefacts for the “Finding the Fallen,” exhibition at the National Army Museum and televisions Trench Detectives and Roger J C Thomas, Military Support Officer at English Heritage.

There will also be a Living History Programme running throughout the weekend with, among others, members of La Columna, 10th Essex and The Invicta Military Vehicles Preservation Trust.

The workshop will take place in the spectacular surroundings of Firepower- The Royal Artillery Museum, at Woolwich Arsenal and participants will also have access to the museum galleries throughout the weekend. This includes an accompanied Gallery visit with members of the Museums curatorial staff.

Finally there will be the chance to go on a guided field trip to look at the surviving military archaeology of the Shooters Hill area and Anti Invasion Stop Line Central, the subject of the recent Time Team programme “Blitzkrieg on Shooters Hill.”

This is a unique chance to see what is going on in the fascinating world of Conflict Archaeology, where to find out more and how to get involved.

To enrol please call our central enrolments team on; 020 7631 6651.

The workshop costs just £80.00 including Tea and Coffee. [£40.00
concessions- Seniors/Job Seekers/Working Family Tax Credit/Income
Support /Housing or Council Tax Benefit].

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TVLand releases “Dreaming of Star Trek” and I whine a bit

TV Land, which added the original Star Trek to its nightly lineup in November, today released Dreaming of Star Trek, a seven-minute Web-only documentary, on the Star Trek section of their site.

View TV Land’s Star Trek section

Fair warning, the above is the end of the “news” piece. Since I do not think a seven-minute feature warrants an actual review, I will make my comments here. Besides, I think I am going to be short (for a change).

There is a good reason Dreaming of Star Trek is a Web-only feature. It should never be shown on television, nor should anyone ever watch it willingly. It is horrible. Which, sadly, may make it perfect for the Web.

Singing the original Star Trek theme (scratch that, any Trek theme) is a bad idea.

Singing the Trek theme as a member of a Klingon comedy troupe is a worse idea.

Watching (and hearing) a member of a Klingon comedy troupe singing the Trek theme is the worst idea ever.

I will have nightmares tonight. Thank you, TV Land.

Incidentally, the rest of TV Land’s Star Trek section could use some work. As I write this, today is December 22, 2006. The TV Land Star Trek site proudly states:

STAR TREK-The Original Series-joins the regular TV Land schedule beginning 11.20.2006. But first, get ready to boldly go where no man has gone before – with space-themed episodes of your favorite classic shows, featuring special guest appearances by the STAR TREK cast – all week long starting 11.13.2006.

Wake up, TV Land, you have had that content there for nearly two months now. I do not do this for a living. This is just my hobby in my spare time. However, I know for a fact that it would take you exactly 42 seconds to write a new sentence and publish it to the Web.

Has TV Land gone cold on Star Trek? Fan complaints on their message boards would seem to suggest that it has.

Apparently without any warning (unless you count this), the cable network recently moved Trek into a midnight time slot. Weeks of hype just to release a stale site, horrible documentaries, and top it off with midnight-only showings of Star Trek?

What happened to the TV Land I remember? What happened to… I know, I know, I promised I would not get long-winded. It is a bad habit.

Star Trek deserves better.


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Microsoft Tablet: Plan B?

By Doug Miller

With the recent launch of Windows 8 and Windows RT, it appears the jury is still out on how well these two new platforms will do in the tablet space. I have to say as an early x86-based Windows 8 tablet user there are definitely pros and cons of Windows 8. For example, while it is nice that you can run legacy Windows apps on Windows 8, running these on a tablet is not always the greatest experience since fat fingers don’t do as good a job with traditional Windows apps as a mouse and keyboard. Even Microsoft’s own Office 2013, which uses the old Windows user interface for Outlook, Word and Excel, feels awkward on a Windows 8 tablet.

Why not use Windows Phone 8 on tablets?

Could Microsoft have gone after the tablet market with a more touch-friendly strategy? As a fun exercise, I’d like to present an alternative that might have worked well. Rather than scale Windows – which works well with multiple windows, keyboards and mice – down to a tablet, why not scale the Windows Phone 8 operating system – which is a really solid touch-oriented OS – up to bigger tablet form factors?

This is not as crazy an idea as it might sound. Both Apple and Android started with touch-based phone operating systems and have successfully evolved these to scale up on tablets. Two of the key benefits for both the Android and iOS camps has been that developers were able to leverage their phone app investments on new tablet platforms and users were able to easily leverage their familiarity with their phone OS on new tablet devices. I was an early adopter of Android-based tablets, buying the first Samsung Galaxy Tab from Europe before it was even launched in the US. While some reviewers panned this first Android tablet as just a big phone, it actually worked really well for me and most of the apps I needed scaled very well to the new tablet form factor. Since then Google has evolved Android to be even more tablet-friendly. The same strategy could work for Windows Phone 8 on a tablet.

A great tablet OS?

What makes a really good tablet? In my experience, a good tablet needs the following: instant on, always connected, long battery life, quick response and performance, and great apps. It could be argued that compared to iPads and Android tablets, Windows 8 and Windows RT tablets are not in a leading position yet in any of these five areas. Yet, if you took the Windows Phone 8 OS and put it on an ARM-based, LTE-enabled 7-inch, 9-inch or even a Note-like 5.5-inch device you’d have a really interesting device.

Perhaps Samsung will do a Galaxy Tab
using the Windows Phone 8 OS?

First, you would be able to take advantage of long battery life that is the hallmark of ARM tablets. The Windows Phone OS already supports instant on and being a phone OS it knows how to do instant connectivity, sleep notifications and other things that Windows 8 is not really good at. Performance and response time has always been good on the Windows Phone OS. The tablet experience should be just as good. Another key point with Windows Phone 8 is it now supports larger screens. For example, the Nokia Lumia 920 has a screen resolution of 1280 x 768 pixels which is higher than the iPad Mini which has 1024 x 768 pixels. Finally, you would be able to run all Windows Phone apps on the platform. Yes, I know Windows Phone lags iOS and Android for sheer quantity of apps but there are a number of apps that run really well on Windows Phone 8 and many of the most popular apps are now available on the platform. Plus, if developers knew their Windows Phone apps would run on tablets as well with no modification, they would be more likely to invest in the platform rather than having to split their development resources supporting two quite different Microsoft touch operating systems and publishing apps in two different apps stores. As a bonus, you have a useable, official Microsoft Office solution that really is touch-friendly. As a person who loves my Windows phone, I would be first in line to buy one of these devices.

I’ve heard that I am not the only one who thinks this would have been a good idea. Apparently there was a contingent at Microsoft who also thought this was a great idea however, they lost out to Steven Sinofsky’s desire to push the “real” Windows OS down to tablets. Maybe, now with Sinofsky gone, Microsoft will revisit this and give it a try. Worst case, it doesn’t do any better than Windows RT but best case, it successfully gets Microsoft into the tablet game with a much more usable set of devices that both users and developers will love.

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Have you experimented with a Paleodiet before? I’ve actually lived with hunter-gatherers and eaten a real paleodiet, complete with fibrous roots, all kinds of fruits, beans, and nuts; and wild creatures like anteaters, storks, crocodiles, electric eels, armadillos, and of course, nice juicy larvae!

In my view any paleodiet that doesn’t include bugs is phony, straight up.

But you might not have to eat bugs to eat optimally. There’s a concept out there called your ‘food family tree’ that basically says you should eat what your ancestors were eating–not your ape-like ancestors, but more recent farming or herding ancestors (or, if you are of indigenous descent, then your hunting/gathering/fishing ancestors). Great concept, huh? Especially since, unlike the paleodiet, your Neolithic diet might include beer and wine :–) The tribe I lived with, the Pume of Venezuela, make a delightful beer; women chew cakes made of manioc root, spit them into a bucket of water, cover with a cloth, and leave it alone for about 12 hours. The mixture turns into a sweetish light beer–with chunks. Cheers!

My Taiwan project will focus on traditional foods of the indigenous Taiwanese farmers: Millet, taro, wild ginger, chenopodium (known to us by its Peruvian name of quinoa). This sculpture, from the Taiwan National Museum of Prehistory, shows a young lady bringing home tribal crops in her carrying basket. These crops may hold a secret not only to improved health, but resiliency to climate change (which is really affecting Taiwan’s agricultural economy). My next post will be about specifically adaptive characteristics of ancient foods, including crops like these, and why our diets should include more of them.

At the National Museum of Prehistory in Taitung, a sculpture captures the image of Neolithic crops of millet, taro, and rice carried by a young tribal woman to help feed her family.


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Evangelising in the Rain at East Street Market

On Saturday 21st December, Thomas and Bett joined other churches in our area to run a stall at East Street Market, talking to people in our area about what the Church of England is doing in this area, and what was going on around Christmas.  We also gave out a lot of chocolate.

Evangelising in the Rain

2013-12-21 12.15.342013-12-21 12.16.00


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fiction and other writing

Three Hearts

This week I went on a ‘Relax and Write’ writer’s weekend at Gladstone’s library, where Alison Chisholm gave us writing tasks. For one task she dealt out a pack of cards and each of us took one card. I had the three of hearts and this is the light-hearted (sorry about the pun) poem I wrote from that prompt.

Three Hearts

She loved him with her simpering heart,
and sent him gifts and money.
She phoned him in the dark small hours,
and called him, ‘dear, sweet honey’.

He loved the man who made his suits;
the gentle voice entranced.
He loved the skill the man displayed
and even how he danced.

The tailor loved his Labrador,
and gave his heart completely.
She was his life, his everything.
She begged for food so sweetly.

This triangle of hoping hearts
fluttered on throughout the year.
Love flowed and ebbed its complex path,
showing neither favour or fear.

Comments on: "Three Hearts" (4)

  1. Thoroughly enjoyed reading this, absolutely charming; and the rhyming struck just the right balance, effective but never obvious or contrived. My compliments…

  2. Many thanks Paul. I love poetry.

  3. In December 2007 I started writing poetry, as a bit of an experiment. In less than three years I wrote 700+ poems. As you will already know, I have since drifted, or is it moved on, to short stories and novels. Anyway, I digress.
    I’ve never had lessons in poetry, but I know what I like, and I like this piece. It’s simple in format, in meaning, and is pleasant to read. What more could you want?
    I don’t write poetry any more, and I rarely read it, but I do appreciate it when I find my type of writing; which this is.

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