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Saturday, August 23, 2014

Pet-Friendly Dating Sites Match up People, Pooches

y SUE MANNING Associated Press
On these dating sites, a passion for pets will help you find more than just puppy love.
Sites like and have found a new niche as singles flock to computers and smartphones to find relationships, connecting dog owners to potential mates who enjoy long walks in the dog park and slobbery canine kisses as much as they do. Many of the sites encourage users to bring their dogs on first dates to break the ice or size up canine chemistry.

Many dating sites cater to religious, cultural and political preferences, but won't focus as heavily on interests like pets, music or travel, said Karen North, a professor of social media at the University of Southern California's Annenberg School of Journalism.

"If you find somebody with the same lifestyle passion, you don't have to start out at square one," North said.
When Joanie Pelzer signed up with a dog-friendly online dating service a few years ago, she was honest about her Chihuahua — he likes people more than other dogs, craves attention, steals food and can't stand to ride in the backseat of a car.

Even a man who loved animals as much as she did couldn't keep up with her dog's quirks. On their first date, her Chihuahua, Hubbell, stole the man's breakfast as they drove from New York City to Long Island. They only had one more date.

"I still wonder if Hubbell didn't have something to do with that," said Pelzer, 47, an actress who runs her own social media company and met the man on

Despite that setback, having a common interest such as pets can help the search for love.
"Having a theme that is ... about one's passion makes it feel like you are looking for a needle in a smaller and far more relevant and appealing haystack," said Michal Ann Strahilevitz, a professor of marketing at Golden Gate University in San Francisco.

The founder of one of the dog-focused dating services,, agreed.
"Dogs on first dates are amazing icebreakers," said Kris Rotonda, who started up the site last year that now has 2 million members. "You find out right off the bat how everyone in a relationship will fit in."
But other veterans of the dating-service industry say focusing on a canine connection only adds an extra hurdle to finding love.

"When you consider how challenging it already is to find someone who offers what you are seeking in a romantic partner, and who seeks what you are offering, and where there is also mutual chemistry, and the timing is right ... you have to wonder who in their right mind would want to make it even more challenging by insisting on canine chemistry," said Trish McDermott, who spent 10 years as the dating expert and spokeswoman for

McDermott points out that new love is hard enough to foster, without any added issues.
"To squeeze doggie behavior under the first date microscope and to analyze every little wag, nip or bark as further commentary on compatibility is just another way to uncover the fatal flaw of an otherwise potential romance," added McDermott, who now works for, a gay, lesbian and bisexual matchmaking service.

McDermott's concerns won't change Pelzer's plans to return to She remembers unpleasant run-ins with dates from sites that don't cater to animal lovers — once a man nudged her pooch off the couch.
"That was the last time we were together," Pelzer said. "You don't do that to my dog."

Liama Jhons said...

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Damien Gentle said...

I love my pet so much. I always do things which make my pet happy like pet accessories and going on holidays with him. I think dating is also a good idea.

Shakirah said...

nice dating site im sure my kids will love it because they have lots of pets

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Ashleen Philipps said...

that was great dating site. i like it

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I can't imagine sharing my life with someone who didn't love animals. My dog is definitely a good judge of character!

Gary White said...

Should I put my new dog down?
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Trevor Mifsud said...

I really loved reading your thoughts, obviously you know what are you talking about! Your site is so easy to use too, I’ve bookmark it in my folder
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Friday, 9 May 2008

Gloves and Forward Planning

I've been told in the past, in fact told a couple of times, that I think about things too much.

So have you ever thought about the order in which you put on your motorcycle gloves?

There are - usually - only two choices, left or right first.*

So why should it make a difference which glove you put on first?

Well, I'd hazard a guess that most riders put their right glove on first. What do I base this guess on? Well, I'm right-handed and I put my right glove on first, but, more importantly I have a 50% chance of being right :)

However if you put your left glove on first - especially on days when the weather's particularly nasty - that the fiddly work of doing up velcro, tucking the glove inside the jacket cuff, and ensuring a waterproof seal, is all being done on the right glove by your less-dextrous hand, made even less capable by already having had all the tucking and sealing done by the un-gloved, dextrous, right hand.

Is it a big deal? Well . . . no. But if it saves a few moments of struggling, especially if you've stopped mid-way through a long, wet, ride, then it might - just - make life a little easier for you.

* Does not include riders who don't wear gloves, one-handed riders (I've known one), and those members of the rich or gentry who have a member of household staff to deal with such mundane matters as 'gloves'.

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Thursday, 10 April 2008

BRL Project Description

A description of my PhD research project has been added to the Bristol Robotics Lab project pages website.

I like to keep this blog (mostly) seperated from my PhD so head to 'ANDy' to read about what I'm lucky enough to get paid to work on.

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Friday, September 22, 2006

Opie & Anthony: The Fatty Pig Fatty Contest

From Foundry Music:
FATTY-PIG-FATTY CONTEST: (**OPEN TO CLEVELAND LADIES TOO**) Ladies, are you a Big Beautiful Woman (a 'BBW')? Are you sporting some extra baggage? Are you plump? Are you a beefy gal? Do you have a hard time NOT nose-diving into a buffet? Well, if so...WE WANT point and laugh at. Of course, we are willing to PAY handsomeley for the privilege. Here's the skinny... or the not-so-skinny, if you will:

- From now until we decide it's over, haul ass to our Free FM studio (40 West 57th St in NYC)...
- Strap on a bikini (or other revealing outfit)
- Put on a PIG MASK (we have one for you)
- Have a snack...or fifty...

At the end of this contest, the HEAVIEST gal to grace the Opie and Anthony Show with her presence is going to win $10 for every pound on her body. 350 pounds = $3500.00. Now that, a lot of hamburgers. Good luck!

In case you couldn't tell, this was Jim Norton's idea.

Anonymous said...

Jim Norton is a comic genius. And I wish I was still fat because I could seriously win this. Damn that Fat Girls Last meal.. damn it! ~J

the Alpha John said...

If only Little Joey, the current chub leaders is 431lbs! And we're only 2 or 3 days into the contest.

Anonymous said...

Ooooh. I was short by 100 pounds exactly. They would have had me early!

Justin said...


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Thursday, June 17, 2010

'Paint it black' isn't just a song by the Rolling Stones

Dontcha just hate those glaring  EXIT  signs?  Some director's sure do.  They'll go so far as having the stage crew cover them up, or better yet:  Paint over them!

This is a great way to get a big fat fine from your Fire Marshal or the AHJ (Authority Having Jurisdiction), as it is an obvious deliberate act.

While we're on the subject of  EXIT  signs, it is important that you file a written request for repairs whenever you find them damaged or otherwise disfunctional.  Common problems with  EXIT  signs are:
  • Lamps burned-out (LED replacement lamps are very cost-effective).
  • Glass / Acrylic letters broken or missing (leaving exposed bulb).
  • Failed Battery Back-up (you have to test these at prescribed intervals per the NFPA).
  • Broken or Missing Covers.
  • Sign units torn from the wall and hanging by wires.
  • Sign units missing (I see these in brand new buildings!)
  • Sign units over doors that are not really Fire Exits (I see these in brand new buildings!).
  • Sign units above / adjacent to overhead rolling doors.
  • Sign units in  Black Box  theatres covered by perimeter drapery tracks so that audience can't see them.
  • 'Light-pipe' designs that don't effectively pipe the light to the sign (internal obstruction or bad product design?).
  • Sign units that are obscured by pipes, ducts, tracks, junk, stuff, scenery, greenery, or other crud.

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Friday, November 25, 2011

OSHA Makes Mandatory Signage Posting Easier

Publication 3165 - English - Job Safety and Health: It's the Law

The OSHA Job Safety and Health: It's the Law poster (OSHA 3165) is available for free from the OSHA Office of Publications. Employers do not need to replace previous versions of the poster, however, all covered employers are required to display and keep displayed, a poster prepared by the Department of Labor* informing employees of the protections of the Occupational Safety and Health Act P.L. 91-596, December 29, 1970 and its amendments. (* Federal Government Agencies must use the Federal Agency Poster.)

DOWNLOAD: - Right-Click on the hyperlink below to download the Adobe PDF version of the poster. Save the file "osha3165.pdf" to a directory of your choice, and then open the Adobe Acrobat Reader program to load the file.
Download high resolution PDF version OSHA 3165 [PDF 6.69MB]
Download low resolution PDF version OSHA 3165 [PDF 2.04MB] or
CLICK HERE for a text version [HTML]
ONLINE ORDER: If you would prefer to obtain a pre-printed copy of this poster, you may do so by submitting your order through the Online Publications Order Form. Simply select Publication Number 3165 from the list.

More important information at:

Even if your school or venue is NOT covered under OSHA regulations (or the State Plan equivalent), it is a good idea to display this poster and discuss it with your students so that they are familiar with OSHA and it's influence over other similar facilities that are under OSHA jurisdiction.  Your venue may be in a public school that is shielded from OSHA rules, however, your students may travel to a private school or a commercial venue like a theme park or touring show that is subject to the full regiment of regulations imposed by OSHA.  They must understand and obey the rules that they will work with in their career, so there is no time like the present to start learning about them.

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Thursday, May 5, 2011

Muesli slice

We Aussies would be tempted to call this a muesli bar - and in fact, the flavours I used are inspired by a well know commercial flavour of muesli bar. I also know that Americans would call it a granola bar.
This one is super easy, because I used store bought muesli.

  • 4 cups muesli
  • 1 tin (395mL) sweetened condensed milk
  • 1 cup chocolate chips
  • 1 cup glace cherries, chopped
  • coconut essence
  1. Preheat oven to 180C (fan forced)
  2. lightly grease a slice tin (23cm by 23cm)
  3. In a large bowl, mix together all ingredients
  4. tip in to the slice tin, and level out
  5. bake for approximately 30 minute, or until golden on the top.
  6. Allow to cool in tin, turn out, and cut in to 16 squares.
I'm going to try with other fruit combinations in the next few weeks. I'm thinking dried cranberries and white chocolate would work well.
Does anyone else have any other suggestions?

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Thursday, December 16, 2010

Modification Motor Honda CBR 250 RR

Modification Motor Honda CBR 250 RR
Modification Motor Honda CBR 250 RR

Modification Honda motorcycle architect afresh arise will admission eight new models at EICMA exhibition in Milan, November.
The admiration to arise advancing in Europe angry out to about-face the ascendancy of Italian motorcycle architect that has been mastered.
"By allotment Milan as an important accident in Europe shows Honda's charge to abutment our capital assembly accessories in Atessa, Italy, and our architecture studies in Rome," said General Manager of Motorcycle Honda Motor Europe Mark Davies as quoted from autoevolution, Friday (17 / 9 / 2010).
Last year Honda EICMA absent from the appellation due to the bread-and-butter crisis that is happening. Now in accession to in Milan, carpeting INTERMOT in Cologne in October boaster Honda additionally be targets in Europe.

Some belief emerged, Honda CBF600 will presents accurately for the European bazaar by application the V4 engine. There is additionally a new VFR1200 who try to action Honda, including CBR 250RR action bike that will be the access akin of this Japanese manufacturer.
"We can not accommodate artefact capacity such as what to offer, but absolutely aggregate will awning admixture archetypal of cogent abstruse developments," said Communications Manager Honda Motor Europe Harry Cooklin.
Modifikasi Motor Honda CBR 250 RR.


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Wednesday, November 08, 2006

I did jinx myself yesterday by saying I felt confident working with the mohair. Last night, I just did silly things with it. I had to rip it out a couple of times (talk about fun). Today, I just seem to have my counting off. Over lunch I got so frustrated with it that I had to stop. I think I will start (or continue) one of the other projects to give myself a break. Arrglyes anyone?

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Monday, March 28, 2011

My new addicition...

One of those things that you never think can happen... well, for myself that would be sushi.
I know. Pretty crazy stuff.
We have a local Japanese steakhouse that we are quite fond of here in town.  I have not really been brave enough to try out the sushi menu even though lots of friends have gotten on board. I bit the bullet.  I did it.
I did the one thing I keep begging my picky 6-yr-old to do... just try one bite.
 So I did.
Now, keep in mind, we are just talking about the easy stuff...
California Roll, off the COOKED sushi section.
Don't give me too much credit... when I start ordering off the RAW sushi menu
then it will be something to celebrate!

The hubby was headed to Fuji on Friday for lunch so I talked him into bringing me some sushi!!
Totally made my day and got me through those last dreaded hours of a long school week.

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Monday, May 6, 2013

Knit Baby Hat

Some day when I get around to it, maybe I'll post a tutorial on how to make a little knitted baby ski hat. Yup. Some day. For now, here are pictures of the most recent one. The griffins just make me happy.

The pattern is from Colorwork Creations.  Still deciding if I really like the book or not. As far as patterns for images go, it's awesome. But the hats themselves aren't quite...right.

This hat is lined with some sort of fleecy soft material. It was leftover from the backing on the cowboy quilt. It's not as stretchy as regular fleece, which I prefer. Stretch is good in a hat.

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Friday, November 25, 2011

SNSSDC - Our Favorite Things

Hi there. I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We started our day yesterday with a race. Here in Buffalo, the YMCA does an 8K race every year on Thanksgiving morning called the Turkey Trot. This was the 116th year! Well, my husband and oldest daughter ran it for the first time yesterday. If you are a regular reader here, you know my DD is a 5K runner...and she LOVES IT! Well, they finished...and I couldn't have been more proud of my baby. She was completely exhausted after running 5 miles, but had an awesome time. What a great way to start the day.

Well we have a new challenge for you today at the Sweet 'n Sassy Digi Challenge. Our challenge this time is "Our Favorite Things". Basically, we want you to use your favorite crafting things on your projects using a digi image. Here is what I came up with. My first "favorite" thing on here is my Cocoa digi. I just LOVE LOVE Cocoa mouse from Sweet 'n Sassy Stamps. Now I don't like mice in real life, but Cocoa is just superb! I used the Cocoa's Leaf digi, and colored with watercolor crayons. Next, I layered onto some PP from my stash. My next "favorite" thing was flowers. I love layered flowers, or just flowers in I added some little felt flowers, and a brad to hold them together. (I like brads too as a favorite). Last I added the little sticker for the sentiment.

Now head on over to the Sweet 'n Sassy Digi Challenge Blog, and see what the rest of the DT ladies have shared with their favorites. Then play along with us!

1 comment:

Makiko Jones said...

I wish all mice IRL were as cute as! This is such a wonderful fall card and I love how you color the image lightly.


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Monday, February 7, 2011

A Cathedral Full of Fire

Thanks to a fellow tweeter, I came across this great article in the Guardian featuring writer Michael Cunningham. One quote in particular stood out:

"I always find that the novel I'm finishing, even if it's turned out fairly well, is not the novel I had in mind. I think of lot of writers must negotiate this, and if they don't admit it, they're not being honest. You have started the book with this bubble over your head that contains a cathedral full fire--that contains a novel so fast and great and penetrating and bright and dark that it will put all other novels written to shame. And then, as you get towards the end, you begin to realize, no, it's just this book. And it has its strengths, it has its virtues, but there's nothing about the Crimean war, there's nothing about interstellar travel. It says what it says and that's it. And it joins all the other books in the world."

This sums up how I feel about my current manuscript. It is already so much different from what I had in mind when I started and what I wrote in my first draft (previously known as the Vomit Draft). I've already eliminated entire chapters, killed off some characters I thought would play central roles, and have even changed some of the key motivators driving the main character to do the (often stupid) things he does.

Despite how frustrating that may sound, however, I find the process invigorating. The story is becoming a story, not an attempt to become the Great Novel. The characters are becoming who they will be, and chances are they aren't going to be Madame Bovaries (apologies, Gustave) or Brothers Karamazov or Willy Lomans. All I can do, at this point, is get the story down, and be grateful if it's given the opportunity to "join all the other books in the world."

How do you handle your own cathedrals full of fire?


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Sunday, January 17, 2010

Anti-American Art: All Together Now

Chinese cultural revolution-era propaganda poster from 1968: the peoples of the world have found their common enemy. Bearing quotes from Mao and even a placard in English saying "Down with US Imper-ialism" we have a baby-carrying Vietnamese revolutionary; a guy in a turban maybe and a Latin American guerrilla burning a US flag; a vanguard made up of an armed African woman, an Albanian peasant, Chinese guys in Mao jackets, and a Cambodian peasant with a bayonet; the right flank includes a caribbean cane worker and a half-naked African playing a drum (of course!) and a cheering Arab.

I don't know the translation of the banner across the bottom of the poster.

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Re: Thank You, FlyOnMelfisWall

Fly, thanks for a great message board. While I don't post as often as I used to, I always enjoy reading your insightful posts about the show, especially the dream episodes. Any chance you'll gather all your thoughts after the show's over and write a book/long essay??

Re: Thank You, FlyOnMelfisWall

Yeah, I echo all the sentiments. Thanks FOMW, I always looked forward to hearing your analysis and how it helped me to find more nuggets of insight into a show that I would think about as a riddle. It's too bad this show is going to end, though it has to, but it was all a great experience and quality discussion. Thanks, and see you next week!

Re: Thank You, FlyOnMelfisWall

Thank you, Fly. I don't know what I would have done without this message board. My friends love to talk about The Sopranos, but I don't think any of them would have the patience to dissect the show the way I want to. Which is why I absolutely loved finding this message board full of like-minded fans. So many insightful people with brilliant comments! This board has made my experience of The Sopranos even richer...and more fun.

Re: Thank You, FlyOnMelfisWall

I've been delaying posting anything in this thread until I could come up with words adequate to express how I much I appreciate Fly's posts, the Herculean effort involved in maintaining a forum like this, her seemingly limiteless intelligence and patience, and the respect for others points of views that has set the tone for all discussions.

But after several days, I've decided that I'm not going to come up with the magic words. Or maybe I'm just too lazy in light of the fact that (as is usually the case in most every thread) what I would have said has already been said so well by so many others.

I will just say, simply and quietly, that this forum has added to my appreciation of "The Sopranos" more than any other reading I've done, which includes virtually all of the published books on the series and most of what I can find on the internet. The level of discussion on most every other forum I've read is so depressingly base that I sometimes start to doubt my own belief in the depth and complexity of the show!

On the rare occasions when there has been an internet-style flare up here, Fly (or the other wonderful moderators) has always stepped in and prevented flame wars from taking hold. For someone as thoughtful as Fly certainly is, this can't be an easy job; it becomes exponentially easier to doubt yourself the smarter you are. . . :icon_wink:

I join the chorus in the (perhaps wishful) hope that the Chase Lounge will survive the end of the series.
Thank you, Fly. If you ever are in doubt as to whether you've productively spent the short time we're granted on this planet (to paraphrase Melfi), at least remember that you've made my life better in a tangible, meaningful way. And it's clear from all the other thank yous you've already received that many others share the sentiment. I only regret that I came to the party so late in the game, not having discovered this forum until the 6th season.

"there's some folks out there that if they don't get it, you can't tell 'em." (louis armstrong)

Re: Thank You, FlyOnMelfisWall

Thank You Fly. I think you and this board have exponentially increased my love of the Sopranos. People know I read this board every week and are concerned about my well being when the show ends. My daughter just joined this week. That says it all since I'm so out of it.

It really is a tribute to your insight, intelligence, patience, passion....etc. I think the praise from these comments is a reflection of you.

Two comments.....As I've said before you should teach a college level course on the Sopranos. Or, at a minimum get a PhD with the Sopranos as your thesis. I am very serious. When you see such passion, if you can tie your career to it, you're golden.

The second comment.....which I think will be proved in the last episode via Carmella's death. Chase is getting his ideas from you Fly!!!!

This board should be called the FLY Lounge....

Re: Thank You, FlyOnMelfisWall

Since Fly is asking for ideas about how to evolve the site after the show ends its run maybe a name change from 'The Chase Lounge' to '' would be in order. Because like Christopher with the drugs and booze I can picture thousands (millions?) of jittery "Sopranos" addicts going about their lives in a numbed state of mind looking for some kind of "Sopranos" fix. Chase Lounge turned into Sopranos Anonymous could become that internet one-stop for fans that crave more info/knowledge/conversation about the show, especially the new one's coming from the A&E repeats and DVD sales.

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2017 10 colonial players logo
2017 10 33 variations banner

2011 11 angel tree‘Tis the season! The Colonial Players Holiday Potluck party is right around the corner—Sunday, December 18, at the theater! Come join us for an evening of good food, good friends, and music to celebrate the season! Festivities begin at 6 p.M.: dinner and drinks and general merriment. And of course we'll sing some holiday tunes, maybe even a show tune or two! (We ARE theater people, after all.)

The theater will supply the turkey, ham, and beverages, and we ask that you bring an appetizer, side dish, salad, or dessert—enough to serve eight people or more. To ensure we have enough food and to coordinate dishes, please send an e-mail to Human Resources Director, Fran Marchand, at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to RSVP and let us know what you are bringing and how many attendees! Fran is also happy to answer your questions or provide additional information. Hope to see you there!


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Caring for Haitian women after Hurricane Matthew – what we learned from the 2010 earthquake

Targeted interventions can help reduce levels of violence against women. Andres Martinez Casares/Reuters

Haiti is still reeling from the damage wrought by Hurricane Matthew. The UN has estimated that 750,000 people have been affected by the Category 4 storm that devastated the country’s southern regions on October 4. It’s believed there are 175,000 people without shelter; there are also reports of those who have lost their homes taking shelter in caves.

The recovery is already underway, and a significant part of that effort will focus on women, who are always at greatest risk in emergency situations.

The conditions following the hurricane remind us of our work in Haiti from 2011 to 2013. We visited the country as part of a research team studying gender-based violence against internally displaced women following the 2010 earthquake.

Violence against women in Haiti

We interviewed 200 displaced women living in tent cities and camps following the earthquake. We found that experiences of gender-based violence were extremely high for these women, both before and after the earthquake – 71% had experienced violence before and 75% experienced violence in its aftermath.

These figures presented two surprises: first, we found that gender-based violence prior to the earthquake was considerably higher than was previously thought. Second, there was no significant difference in prevalence before or after the earthquake.

In other words, violence against women is common in Haiti regardless of the situation. Our studies showed that the perpetrators were primarily intimate partners, not strangers capitalising on a chaotic and lawless time for the country – as was reported anecdotally in the aftermath of the earthquake.

Instead, it was the same intimate partners and ex-partners who abused women both before and after the disaster.

The 2010 earthquake left many women displaced, but not much more exposed to violence. Carlos Barria/Reuters

Why is violence against women so common?

The high proportion of women who reported abuse may be related to the low levels of education we found among our sample: 11% of the women we interviewed had never attended school, 38% reported education up to eighth grade level; 43% had not reached high school. In all, only 3.8% were high school graduates.

We also found a 90% rate of unemployment. Both employment status and education level have been found to be associated with intimate partner violence globally.

Higher rates of violence against women are also associated with women having lower status within society, and rigid masculinity norms about male-female relationships.

Although the majority of the women in this study – in both the abused and non-abused groups – did not express a personal tolerance for abuse, there were still higher percentages of women who did so than in other regions, for example the Virgin Islands and the US.

The women in the Haiti sample indicated tolerance for abuse at the following rates: female infidelity (35% of abused women to 23% of non-abused); female disobedience (33% to 22%); belief that it is important for a man to show his wife or girlfriend that he is the boss (62% to 55%).

Symptoms among abuse victims

We found high rates of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) among victims of intimate partner violence. This finding has been reported in numerous other studies globally, but this was the first time it was reported in Haiti.

Although some instances of PTSD may have been a result of the earthquake, we found symptoms significantly more frequently among abused women, and they were more severe. In these cases, the trauma related directly to the severity and frequency of intimate partner violence, rather than the earthquake.

Haitian women are more at risk from their partners than strangers after a disaster. Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters

Perceived physical health was low for all women in this sample, but abused women perceived their mental and physical health to be worse than non-abused women, both before and after the 2010 earthquake.

Abused women suffered depression, chronic stress, suicidal behaviour, central nervous system symptoms, face and head injuries, traumatic brain injuries, and gastrointestinal and gynaecological problems. These symptoms have also been associated with abuse in other studies.

What we can do

In a situation where women who are already suffering violence at the hands of their partners are affected by a natural disaster, what should we do?

Collaborating with our Haitian partners, we put together a programme to protect women left homeless after the 2010 earthquake from violence. KOFAVIV, the Commission of Women Victims for Victims, provided clinics and shelter for women, and assisted us in implementing a very successful safety intervention programme for a group of women who had experienced intimate partner violence and abuse. Our results will be published in a forthcoming study.

We collected data on 68 adult Haitian women, monitoring their health before, during and after our intervention. These women had participated in our initial survey and indicated interest in participating in a follow-up safety education and training program.

The women participated in three small group sessions over a three-week period. Discussions helped them recognise types of violence and abuse, understand how and why it happens, and to know that they did not cause it. They learned how to stay safe in a violent or abusive relationship including how to stay safe while still living in camps or temporary housing.

Each woman was helped to develop a safety plan. They learned about the health consequences of abuse and its effects on children, as well as the recovery process and resources available for help.

For women who had taken part in the programme, we found statistically significant decreases in PTSD, depression and the amount of violence they experienced three months later. We also observed a significant increase in physical quality of life after the intervention. Sadly, there was no statistically significant increase in mental quality of life.

The intervention also helped prevent further violence. Before, 73.5% of the women reported emotional or physical abuse; only 10.3% reported abuse after three months. Similarly, 41.2% reported sexual abuse before the intervention; this fell to 10.3%.

Short-term interventions may benefit not only women, but also their children, who may have symptoms of traumatic stress, often from witnessing domestic violence.

Violence against women is common in Haiti, regardless of the situation. Carlos Garcia Rawlins/Reuters

Helping women after Hurricane Matthew

After this latest disaster, it is essential for health-care providers to foster trust, confidence, respect and healing during relief programmes in Haiti. Plans to address gender-based violence should be integrated into humanitarian and emergency relief guidelines.

Balanced health care for women after natural disasters should include sensitivity to the abusive and traumatic experiences that many have already suffered, including attention to privacy and security during sensitive examinations and treatments.

Effective communication between aid groups, and resource sharing could improve health care for abused women after Hurricane Matthew. One of the reasons our intervention was so successful after the earthquake was that it was implemented by trusted Haitian personnel in a supportive environment. A similar approach will be needed following Haiti’s latest natural disaster.

The authors would like to acknowledge the contributions of Annie Lewis-O'Conner, Elizabeth Sloand, Cheryl Killion, Nancy Glass, Nicole Cesar Muller, Gloria Callwood, Mona Hassan and Faye Gary.


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New front opens in cold war of the Koreas – restaurants

What’s Kim Jong-un cooking up now? EPA

If North Korea prides itself on the West never quite knowing what it will do next, there is a fantastic new example worth savouring. Plans are reportedly afoot to open a North Korean restaurant in Scotland – the first in the UK and second in Europe after Amsterdam. They are both part of the same chain, which is otherwise concentrated in Asia and owned by the North Korean government as a means of raising extra funds.

The Kim Jong-un regime would certainly be capitalising on the growing popularity of Korean food. It may still be considered more exotic than Chinese and Japanese fare, but this is changing fast. In the US, the average price of a meal in a Korean restaurant has been constantly rising for the past two decades, in what is a sign of growing prestige. It continued to climb even after 2010, when the prices of Japanese restaurants began to drop.

Changing US restaurant prices

Krishnendu Ray

This may be partly a result of the Korean Cuisine (Hansik) Promotion Campaign, which was initiated by the South Korean government in 2009 with the goal of turning Korean food into one of the five most popular ethnic cuisines in the world by 2017. The plan is currently being rethought after receiving much criticism in the media, but there are nonetheless plenty of signs that the country’s cuisine is on the rise.

Seoul nights

London has more than its fair share of Korean restaurants. The Camden area has so many that it is sometimes informally known as Little Seoul. But until a few years ago, these restaurants were primarily patronised by Korean and Japanese businessmen. One of the key drivers for this changing was the arrival of Bibigo in 2012 – not in Camden but in Soho, in the middle of town.

Camden’s Korean preponderance

University of Leiden

Bibigo clearly caters to a local clientele hungry for an exotic experience. It was the first European outlet of the South Korean restaurant chain, managed by C J CheilJedang, Korea’s number-one food and bio business, and was followed by a second London opening in the Angel area last week.

Bibigo, a Korean restaurant in London’s Soho. Ewan Munro, CC BY-SA

The business launched in 2010 as one of the strategies of the government’s promotion campaign and has since also expanded to Beijing, Jakarta, Los Angeles, Singapore and Tokyo. What has worked for the South Korean government, clearly their northern neighbours think can work for them too.

North Korean restaurants are a relatively new addition to the global gastronomic scene. They began to emerge in north China during the 1990s and a decade later began to spring up in Jakarta, Hanoi, Kuala Lumpur and other cities across Asia. The Amsterdam restaurant opened in 2012, before closing and reopening in a different location in 2013.

Southern rice and northern noodles

Culinary culture in the Korean peninsula developed locally for centuries, leading to noticeable differences in ingredients and flavours. The food of the northern provinces tended to be less spicy due to the colder climate, for example.

North Korea’s favourite: raengmyeon. wikimedia, CC BY-SA

The consumption of noodles is more widespread, since rice agriculture flourished primarily in the south. The most celebrated North Korean dish today is raengmyeon (“cold noodles”), a vinegary dish that comes in various varieties with chewy noodles made from either buckwheat or sweet potato. It only began to be consumed in the south after it was popularised by the North Korean refugees who flocked there after the Korean war (1950-1953).

But what will really distinguish a North Korean restaurant from one dishing up southern fare is the ambience and the song-and-dance routines, which are a unique mix of folklore and Stalinism, with added karakoe. The actual menus will not be much different, on the other hand. For example, the one in Amsterdam offers the Korean classics, such as pulgogi (thin slices of marinated beef grilled at the table), kimchi (pickled vegetables), and pibimpap (rice mixed with vegetables) – as well as sushi and sashimi, which are Japanese but are often served in Korean restaurants in the US to capitalise on the popularity of that cuisine.

North Korea’s marketing advantage

Just because the menus might be similar, this by no means implies that there are parallels in the contemporary culinary culture of North and South Korea. Affluence, the food processing industry and foreign culinary trends have transformed dietary life of South Korea since the 1980s, which has widened the breach with its North Korean neighbour at the same time.

Ironically the image of North Korea as the “nostalgic past”, good old Korea frozen in time, has grown into a powerful marketing tool for North Korean products on sale in South Korea.

With both Korean governments now pushing their countries’ cuisines, it raises questions about who owns the property rights to Korean food. Where lies the legitimate source of the authentic Korean culinary tradition? This means that dining at a North Korean restaurant, whether in Amsterdam, Beijing, Hanoi or Scotland is much more than a culinary delight and exotic experience. It is a lesson in history and global politics as well.


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Why levying GST on banking has been in the ‘too hard’ basket

South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill is proposing to levy the GST on banking transactions. Lukas Coch/AAP

South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill has argued for broadening the GST base to include all financial services, something also floated by the Financial System Inquiry. The idea has merit, although the complexity of the issue makes assessing the consequences and merits difficult.

Currently, some financial services (such as insurance) for which explicit fees are levied are subject to GST. But a major part of banking - taking deposits and making loans - is not. Historically it was seen as too difficult because of the nature of financial intermediation, but modern technology should make it feasible – albeit still difficult.

To understand the issues involved, a short primer on GST is required. GST, or Value Added Tax (VAT), applies a rate of tax (eg 10%) at each stage of the production process, based on the value added by the business (essentially equal to wages and profits). It achieves this by levying the tax on the value of the goods sold by the business but allowing tax credits for the GST included in the price paid by the business for purchases of goods and services as inputs (referred to as input tax credits).

Each business in the production process supply chain pays a net tax amount equal to the GST tax rate applied to its value added. When the completed good or service is sold to a consumer, the price incorporates all the net GST amounts paid in the production process, such that total GST revenue is essentially the 10% tax rate applied to the pre-GST sale price of goods and services sold to consumers.

The challenge

How would this apply to taking deposits (on which interest is paid) and making loans (on which interest is charged)? The value added in this process is relatively easy to identify. The difference between those interest rates (the net interest margin), if we ignore explicit fees charged for services provided, must cover costs of purchased inputs of goods and services by the bank (such as paper, pens, ink, or nowadays computer services) plus wages and profits.

So total value added by a bank can be readily calculated as the sum of its wage bill and its profits. The problem lies in splitting the value between business and retail customers and providers of deposits and loans.

As a very simplistic example, suppose the bank has $90 of deposits and $100 of loans (and $10 of equity capital) and a total value added (net interest margin minus purchased input costs) of $5. What method can be used to divide that $5 between depositors and borrowers as the value of services provided to each? And if there are numerous depositors and borrowers (and some of them business and some retail customers), possibly receiving or paying different interest rates, how much of the value added represents the cost of services provided to each?

Why it makes sense

Putting this process into the “too hard” basket, however, creates distortions to production and consumption. First, banks pay substantial amounts of GST on purchased inputs, and receive input tax credits which they are largely unable to use. Of course, banks can be expected to pass on the taxes paid to customers in the form of lower deposit rates or higher loan rates.

This creates a distortion of costs for business customers of the bank. For example, the loan interest they pay indirectly includes an implicit GST cost, but they do not receive any input tax credits to offset the GST amount they add to their product price.

As a very simplistic example, consider an individual who provides personal services using no purchased inputs for deferred payment and has a bank loan to meet living expenses until the payment is received. The loan interest is $10 and the individual needs a net $1,000 for those services and is subject to GST as a business. If there is no input tax credit on the loan interest the individual will need to charge GST on $1010, or GST of $101 such that the gross price charged to the purchaser of these services would need to be $1,111. If the loan included (for example) an input tax credit of $1 because intermediation services were “GST-able”, the gross price would only need to be $1,110 (because the net GST bill paid by the individual would only be $100).

Because of the current GST exemption, businesses do not get the benefit of all the GST paid in the “upstream” parts of the production process and therefore need to charge higher prices.

A second type of distortion arises from consumer demand for financial services. While the GST paid by banks is reflected in interest rates paid and charged, the absence of GST on the value added by bank intermediation reduces the relative price of financial services. Arguably, this contributes to higher demand for financial services relative to other goods and services, perhaps contributing marginally to the growth in size of the finance sector over recent decades.

A third type of distortion arises from decision making by banks regarding supply and pricing of different types of financial services. For example, costs of intermediation can be recouped by the net interest margin or by explicit fees for services associated with intermediation – some of which may be “GST-able”.

Difficult to measure

Is it possible to overcome these difficulties? One would hope so. Banks have very sophisticated activity based costing systems and funds transfer pricing systems which are designed to identify the cost and value created by each transaction. Using these to identify value added for each type of transaction, and thus the base for applying GST, may be complicated but not infeasible.

Is it worth doing? Certainly the sum of profit and wages paid (ie value added) of banks, is a very large sum, much of which is not subject to GST. While the banks will claim they pay large amounts of GST (on their purchased inputs) which they can not claim as input tax credits, it is ultimately the users of bank financial services who pay those amounts.

Broadening the GST base to fully include financial intermediation would increase GST revenue (estimated at around A$3.5 billion from households) and would remove a number of distortions from the current system (including almost A$1 billion from over-GST taxation of business. But identifying precisely the overall effects, the benefits, and the cost of change is a fairly Herculean effort.


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Ever wondered why you shouldn’t use human shampoo on dogs?

I have heard this many times " Don't use human shampoo on your dog".  Ever wondered why? Yep me too. This is what I found:

Human shampoo is designed with a pH similar to human skin. This helps to prevent our skin drying out and potentially developing skin conditions and infections.

The problem with using human shampoo on dogs becomes evident when we look at the pH levels of human skin against the pH of doggy skin. You guessed it, they are different!

Best Natural Dog Shampoo

What is pH?

pH is the measure of how acidic or alkaline a substance is on a scale of 0 - 14.  Zero being very acidic while 14 is extremely alkaline. Water has a score of 7 which is classed as neutral.

Our skin has a pH of around 5.5 to 5.6 which is quite acidic. Our dog's skin is much more neutral, with a pH between 6.2 and 7.4.

What does our skin do?

Our human skin protects us from contaminants, bacteria, and viruses.   It is covered with an acidic layer that acts as an additional barrier. When our skin pH changes, this acidic barrier is affected and our skin becomes dry and sensitive and you may experience flaking, irritation or inflammation.

Human shampoo is developed with a pH similar to our own skin and usually includes a moisturizer to further protect our skin from drying out.

What about my dog's skin pH?

Our dog's skin has a more neutral pH. It  also does not have sweat glands  (except their paws) and it is designed to naturally clean itself.  Avoid washing your dog too much as you will be stripping your dog's natural protective oils and you may create an adverse skin condition.

How often should I wash my dog?

Washing your dog once a month is generally recommended but some dogs will need more or less washing depending on their coats.  If my dog has a smelly patch or isn't smelly all over, I will wash the smelly area with a sponge rather that give him a bath. This will remove the smell and prevent overwashing of your dog's skin and coat.

Dog Time talks  about the difference in coats and their washing requirements. Here are some general guidelines:

  • Dogs with an oily coat, like Basset Hounds, may need bathing as frequently as once a week.
  • Many short-haired breeds with smooth coats, such as Beagles and Weimaraners, do just fine with less frequent baths. Short-coated Basenjis are fastidious in their personal hygiene and rarely need a bath.
  • Breeds with water-repellent coats, such as Golden Retrievers and Great Pyrenees, should be bathed less often so as to preserve their natural oils.
  • Dogs with thick, double coats — such as Samoyeds, Malamutes, and other Northern breeds — do best with fewer baths and a lot of extra brushing (which gets rid of loose, dead hair and helps distribute natural oils that keep your dog’s skin and coat healthy).

Why does my dog smell?

Now I hear you all saying, but my dog smells!! Yep many do and there are a few reasons that this may be occurring:

  • Dog's love smelly things and will often roll in or search out everything smelly.
  • Many dog's live indoors now so it is easier to smell them, even if only slightly stinky.
  • Bacteria and infection on your dogs skin will make it smell.

You may see this bacteria or infection as dry, red itchy skin. Perhaps your dog is scratching or uncomfortable. Scratching and itching will make your dog very uncomfortable and unhappy and possible unwell so it is best to get it looked at as soon as possible

So this brings me back to pH and human shampoo. If you are using human shampoo or a product that is not compatible with your dog's skin, your dog's skin will become unbalanced and subject to infection and bacteria and may become smelly.

What doggy shampoo should a use?

Look for a shampoo that is designed for dogs. Try to find a natural product and stay away from chemicals. Added chemicals may have adverse effects on your dog.

One note to make is that pH in dogs does vary between breeds so you may have to trial a few products or find one that has a close to neutral pH.

Here is a product that I found recently and am really happy with it. Read the article here.

Odie and Cody shampoo is an organic, natural, high-quality Pet Shampoo that does not burn, sting or itch. It is a moisturizing shampoo that will leave your pet feeling great after a bath? The shampoo is gentle, safe and hypoallergenic and can be used on puppies. There are no harmful chemicals, artificial or synthetic ingredients.

Best Natural Dog Shampoo

The shampoo may be more watery that what you are used to because they don't use artificial ingredients to make it thick. It also does not produce tons of foam and that's because we do not use any synthetic ingredients to make it extra foamy.

The shampoo is highly concentrated and a small amount goes a long way. Odie and Cody is a high-end quality pet shampoo with no harmful ingredients. You and your pet will love our vegan, gluten-free biodegradable, hypoallergenic product which is safe for both baby and adult pets.

Best Natural Dog Shampoo

Click for the latest prices on Odie and Cody Natural Dog Shampoo

I changed my dog's shampoo and he still smells and itches

Yep... Unfortunately, there are many reasons for an itchy dog. You may need to look at your dog's diet or plants and grasses in your yard. I recommend that you see a vet or doggy nutritionist.

Try to find a natural product if possible.

If your dog is itchy, try this great natural remedy that seems to works for many dogs. Turmeric has been known to have amazing results as it has antibacterial and antifungal properties. Read the article here and find the recipe for turmeric paste that you can try on your dog.

Leave a comment:


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Thank You

Thank you for your order. Your transaction has been completed and a receipt for your purchase has been emailed to you. We really appreciate you supporting the project. Your order will be shipped in a of couple days and depending on your location it should take between 1 and 2 weeks to arrive.

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Wednesday, August 16, 2017

See You In September

Is it fall yet?  ☺

I've loved every last bloom in my flower gardens this year.

I'm weary of all the watering.

We're back to 90 degree temps and watering every single day is a must to keep the flowers going.  I'm almost ready to move on to the next season.  Almost.

I'm going to be taking a blog break for the rest of the month and maybe into part of the next.

There are so many things I've started this summer but not finished.  I think I may have mentioned a time or six that I'm probably the biggest procrastinator in blogdom...if not the country.

I know that getting older slows one down but I'm just downright lazy lately.  Watering flowers and picking up the house and taking care of the fur-kids and feeding hungry husbands is about all I get done in a days time.

We did go to Kansas City over the weekend.  We had a nice meal with our son while there and I did a little shopping.  I didn't take any photos to share, I only snapped a few photos of lamps in Home Goods near KC to show my daughter what they had.

My lamps are needing replacing.  The cats have knocked one of them over a few too many times.  Do they have obedience schools for kitties?  One of mine needs to go if they do.  :)

Enjoy the rest of this month.  🎜 I'll see you in September...bye, bye, so long. 🎝

Happy Wednesday to you!
xo Cheryl

Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Wednesday's Bits and Pieces

"A garden soothes troubled hearts, delights the senses,
feeds the body, and offers us a second Eden
in which to play and rest."
~Harriet Crosby

My goodness, this month is just moving right along!  I wish I could say that I've gotten a lot accomplished since I last posted, but I can't unless puttering counts.

Rain moved through on Saturday and our temperatures have cooled down considerably.  I'll take lower 80's in August over the high 90's of July any time.

My flowers are still doing pretty good in spite of the heat we had last month and the little veggie patch is still giving us tomatoes to eat.  I love fresh homegrown tomatoes.

Our son was back in over the weekend and we grilled again before the rains came.  One evening, our daughter had us over for a yummy meal of BLT's, corn on the cob, and oven potatoes.

I picked up some paint samples at Sherwin Williams when I was in the Big Town one day.  Thank you to all who gave me suggestions!  I've got 3 paint colors in mind for now.

My walls always take on a gray tone in photos, but in reality they are a very light beige.   The 3 samples from the top are Dover White, Alabaster and the bottom color is Simple White.

I'll be pondering on these colors for quite a while, I'm sure.  When I think about the job ahead, I just might decide that Durham Beige (which is what I have) is still looking good enough!

I stopped in at Hobby Lobby when I was in town.  It was fun to browse the fall decor aisles.

And not so fun to see this right next to the fall stuff.  Really?  Do we have to see Christmas this early?  I am so not ready for it.

For a mere $999.98, you can take a new 12 foot tree home.  I had to laugh when I compared this big boy to my skinny little 6 foot tree I put in the dining area of my kitchen.

I've enjoyed being outside since the weather isn't so stifling hot.  I love listening to the birds and gazing at the clouds.  I see a face in this cloud...with a very big nose.  Do you see it?

Gazing at my flowers and nature in general is soothing to me.  The news has been more than a little troubling.  I'm talking about the one who is shooting off missiles and saying he wants to destroy us.
I bow my head like the sunflower above and whisper a pray for protection for our country and for wisdom for our leaders.

Thank you to all my blog friends for your comments, I so appreciate each and every one.

Happy Wednesday to you!
xo Cheryl


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When Will The Media Realize That Anonymous Sources Undermine Their Credibility?

When Will The Media Realize That Anonymous Sources Undermine Their Credibility?

The New Yorker, along with many other ‘mainstream media’ publications, obfuscates the truth in subtle ways. Here we’ll focus on anonymous sources.
James F. Kelly

My wife, who has different politics from me, subscribes to The New Yorker magazine. I often read it, or at least give it a glance; as the Chinese military strategist Sun-Tzu said, “Know yourself, know your enemies.” To be fair, on occasion I find a long-form article that I can settle into like a warm bath, as Tom Wolfe described the Sunday New York Times, and know blessed sleep will be upon me soon.

The New Yorker is really a piece of work: an oddball mixture of archaic English grammar and style, and the newest and most fashionable politically correct zeitgeist. What I find most amusing is its use of the comma in so-called restrictive clauses, a style that, to use a real example, results in sentences like this: “Before Atwater died, of brain cancer, in 1991, he expressed regret.” Stupid, right?

But more insidiously, The New Yorker, along with many other “mainstream media” publications, obfuscates and obliterates the truth in more subtle ways. One of the most common, and to my knowledge rarely commented on, is its use of what I call “The Some and the Many,” which, for all we know, is really the few, if any.

The Mysteries of the ‘Some’ and ‘Many’

Why is the use of “some” and “many” a red flag? Because no one knows who they or their motives or bias are. For all the reader knows, the some and many are the writer or editor in the cubicle next to the author. As the Society of Professional Journalists states in its Code of Ethics:

Identify sources whenever feasible. The public is entitled to as much information as possible on sources’ reliability … The most important professional possession of journalists is credibility. If the news consumers don’t have faith that the stories they are reading or watching are accurate and fair, if they suspect information attributed to an anonymous source has been made up, then the journalists are as useful as a parka at the equator.

What do I mean? Take these examples from a recent New Yorker article, but feel free to find your own in the most current issue. In its March 27, 2017, article about “Trump’s Money Man,” (Robert Mercer), author Jane Mayer writes: “Some people who have observed the Mercers’ political evolution worry that Bannon has become a Svengali to the entire family …” Really? Which ones? Says who?

“Some critics suggest that, at this point, Cambridge Analytica’s self-promotion exceeds its effectiveness.” Really? Which ones? Says who?

“[Arthur] Robinson holds a degree in chemistry from Caltech, but his work is not respected in most scientific circles.” Really? Which scientific circles?

“Several former colleagues of Mercer’s said that his views are akin to Objectivism …”

“Another former high-level Renaissance employee said …”

“Multiple sources described him as …”

“Another onetime employee at Renaissance recalls …”

“Several people who have worked with Mercer believe that …”

“People who know him say that …”

“He can barely look you in the eye, an acquaintance said …”

Let’s Anonymize Democratic Talking Points

In its March 5, 2017 issue about alleged Russian interference in the 2016 election, authors Evan Osnos, David Remnick, and Joshua Yaffa write: “The DNC hacks, many analysts believe …”

“Some Democrats worry that the Trump administration …” Now, I don’t dispute that some Democrats worry any number of things about the Trump administration, real or imagined, but if they aren’t named, who takes this seriously?

“…cited media reports that some Trump associates had links to Russians who are close to Putin.” This fragment sums up the entire Democrat weltanschauung pretty nicely.

“Some officials believe that one reason the Russians compiled information on Trump …” Also, what about “the Russians”? Which Russians? All Russians? Russians in Russia or Russians everywhere?

“… some [of McCain’s] colleagues said that it should be part of an investigation of Trump.” Colleagues being senators? Guys he plays racquetball with?

“For many national security officials, the email hacks were part of a larger, and deeply troubling, picture …” But apparently not so large and deeply troubling that their names would be attached to this picture.

“Many Russian and American policy experts no longer hesitate to use phrases like ‘the second Cold War’.” “Some in Moscow are alarmed…” “Some Clinton aides suspect that…” “But many Western Europeans do fear that…”

Okay, So I Just Took a Poll of the News Room

In the March 20, 2017, article titled “Trolling the Press Corps,” by Andrew Marantz, these examples: “On major networks, many hours are devoted to nightly exegeses of Spicer’s … self-contradictions…” Really? How many hours? Which networks?

“A TV correspondent told me…” “A longtime Washington reporter from a mainstream network echoed that sentiment.” “…many pundits noted that [Trump] was one of the few Presidential candidates with no political experience.” “Many of the reporters were unable to mask their displeasure in person…” Of course: fellow reporters and pundits!

Some, but I don’t think many, have also commented on this trend. Who, actually? Kathleen Kelley Reardon, a journalist and professor emerita of management at the University of Southern California’s Marshall School of Business, is one. In an article published at the Huffington Post on October 17, 2011, Reardon writes:

How do we know the motives of ‘some’ people? Who are they? Where do they come from? How many of them are there? Under what circumstances were their opinions obtained? How old are they? Did anyone pay them? Do they even exist?

When will experts respond to ‘some people say’ with, ‘Who might they be?’ Or, ‘In fact, recent data indicates quite the opposite.’ They could ask one of these questions: ‘How many people actually say that?’ ‘Who are these people?’ ‘Where did you find them?’

Predictably, because she is an academic and journalist, Reardon sees the threat as coming from President Trump and the right wing, but otherwise her points are valid. In an update on her Web site, Reardon states: “I’m posting this article again while President Trump is attacking the media, to remind us of our responsibility as information consumers …. We should insist that even our favorite media keep the credibility bar high for our sake and their own.”

Why does all this matter? Because precision matters. Accountability matters. When they support their arguments with the lazy and hazy “some” and “many,” the fabled New Yorker is no better than the “anonymous” message boards and blogs the mainstream media routinely ridicules. And because while this might go unnoticed by many, some are still paying attention.

James F. Kelly, Jr, spent 20 years working for professional information providers such as Thomson Reuters, LexisNexis, and others, as a writer and editor. He is the author of an historical fiction adventure novel set in Mexico titled “5 Unlucky Days” (Amazon.com), and is an amateur Mesoamerican historian and researcher. Jim is a graduate of Washington and Lee University (B.A.), and lives in New York.
Photo The New Yorker / newyorker.com

Copyright © 2017 The Federalist, a wholly independent division of FDRLST Media, All Rights Reserved.

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Preserving Falmouth's Heritage Falmouth Historical Society

  • Welcome

Welcome to the Falmouth, Maine Historical Society online.  Preservation has been the goal of the Falmouth Historical Society since it was founded in 1966.  And it still is.  Our members volunteer their time to promote interest in, and awareness of, Falmouth history and heritage through acquisitions of Falmouth-related artifacts, educational programs, genealogical research, general inquiries and a summer program of self-guided tours of our Museum and Barn.  The Society is a non-profit organization under IRS Section 501(c)(3); all dues and donations are fully tax deductible.

It's Membership Renewal Time!  Renew Today!

Follow us on social media!

The Falmouth Heritage Museum is at 60 Woods Road in Falmouth (just beyond the town transfer station).  Our summer hours are:

  • Mondays, 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
  • Tuesdays, 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Please call ahead (207) 781-4727 to confirm that the Museum is open.  You can also reach us at

Upcoming events

14 Nov 2017 6:30 PM • Falmouth Heritage Museum
05 Dec 2017 6:30 PM • Falmouth Heritage Museum
26 May 2018 10:00 AM • Falmouth Community Park

Copyright Falmouth Historical Society, Falmouth, Maine

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Witnesses Discuss Integrated Employment For Workers With Significant Disabilities with Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

BNA Daily Labor Report
By C. Reilly Larson

At a Sept. 15 Senate committee hearing on boosting the employment rate of people with significant disabilities, witnesses addressed barriers to employment and the need to increase opportunities for customized integrated employment.

“In the last three years, statistics show us that people with disabilities have been leaving the labor force at a rate more than 10 times the rate of the non-disabled population,” Sen. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), chairman of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, said in his opening statement.

“This is unacceptable. I might even go so far as to say I think this is gross discrimination. We need to take action to change this trend,” he said.

Disability Employment Initiative Planned

Harkin said he is working with Ranking Member Sen. Michael Enzi (R-Wyo.) and other committee members to use this and other hearings as part of a multiyear disability employment initiative.

“My goal is to make the policy changes necessary and engage with leaders in the business and disability communities so that the size of the disability workforce will grow from 4.9 million to 6 million by 2015,” Harkin said. He noted that the “U.S. Chamber of Commerce has also set that goal.”

“For purposes of today’s discussion, I am focused on people with the most significant disabilities because they do not always benefit from traditional disability employment strategies,” he said.

Harkin offered a “working definition” of people with the “most significant disabilities” as “people for whom competitive employment has not traditionally occurred, has been interrupted or is intermittent because of the disability, or who, because of the severity of their disability, need intensive or extended support services to work competitively.”

Need to Change Attitudes, Low Expectations

Several witnesses discussed the need for a change in employers’ attitudes regarding people with significant disabilities. “We have to think that everyone can work,” said Julie Petty, former president of Self Advocates Becoming Empowered, a national membership organization for people with disabilities.

“I don’t think the spectrum should be predicated on the old notion people aren’t ready to work,” said Ruby Moore, executive director of the Georgia Advocacy Office. “People are ready to work. And even in this economy, employers have unmet needs,” she added.

Katy Beh Neas, senior vice president of government relations for Easter Seals, emphasized the value of gaining job skills though summer jobs and internships. “We have to give kids the skills that they need to be successful” in the workplace, she said.

“Most of us learn what we like by giving it a shot. That needs to be true for people with disabilities,” Neas continued. “We’d really like to see some leadership from employers to help make those opportunities more available.”

There is “a huge gap between federal policies and what’s actually on the ground” day to day, according to Jonathan Young, chairman of the National Council on Disability.

Although disability employment policy and laws like the Americans with Disabilities Act already are in place, they are “not aspirational,” Moore said. On the ground “we need to hold people to it.”

‘Sheltered’ Workshops Criticized

Most witnesses agreed that customized, integrated employment for people with significant disabilities, as opposed to segregated employment in “sheltered” workshops, should be the goal. Sheltered workshops, or “work centers,” which are typically operated as nonprofit corporations that may receive public subsidies, offer employment only to those with disabilities.

It is a very complicated issue, but “in my view having segregated work settings does not enhance the options for employment for people with disabilities. It restricts the options,” according to Fredric Schroeder, former commissioner of the Education Department’s Rehabilitation Services Administration.

“And I say that because the longer society is allowed to believe that there is a place ‘over there somewhere’ for ‘those people,’ people with disabilities will continue to suffer misunderstanding, which leads to diminished opportunities for integrated employment,” Schroeder said. “I firmly believe in choice, but I do not believe that the majority of people who work in sheltered workshops are there out of choice.” The “basic assumption” should be that “everyone can be in integrated employment,” Harkin said. “It seems to me that we need to make that transition” from sheltered workshops to integrated employment.”

“I do believe there’s a general consensus … among all disability groups that we do want to move more towards more fully integrated employment to the maximum extent possible,” while at the same time recognizing that “we can’t just disrupt lives inordinately overnight” and uproot people in sheltered employment in efforts to move forward, Harkin said. “But we at least have to start with young people now and give them a new ‘cutting edge.’ ”

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text:
ROW80 and A Snip from Out of the Water

A weekend of editing! Does it get any better than that? Well, unless you're drafting for a shiny new idea, of course.

I haven't posted a snip in a while (and I lost a follower, I think. I'm sorry, whoever you were!), so here's a wee peek at Out of the Water:

Brother Arcturus and Baha appeared together soon after, while the men were still out in the grounds, and led them further into the woods. Once they had left the fields and the river behind, and the calls and shouts of the fire fighters had receded, Arcturus and Baha lit torches and spaced themselves along the line. Rosa, finding her footing behind Arcturus with Tía Mira following in her steps, wished they had stayed in darkness. Torchlight was misleading, creating shadows, leading her to step high over obstacles that were not there, and not highlighting stray rocks and branches that littered the path.

After stubbing her toes for the tenth time, and stumbling backward into her aunt, Rosa waited for the group to pass, Baha carrying the final torch. She held her aunt back beside her with a whisper and the two of them resumed walking at the end of the line, feeling their way among the drifts of leaves. It was easier to keep their footing with the men marking a passage, and with both lights shining ahead of them. Baha glanced once over his shoulder at them and something warm that was not the heat of the fire or the torch flushed her cheeks.

Her shoulders bumped Tía Mira's every once in a while, but she did not try to prevent it, finding comfort in her aunt's closeness.

"She is my aunt!" She repeated fiercely in her mind, any time thoughts of Santiago's revelations threatened to intrude. Best to not think at all, but keep walking. Arcturus would lead them somewhere safe, where they could rest, and then she would have to answer all the questions they must be holding in, and to think and plan, for herself and for her family. Easier now to keep shuffling forward, filling her mind with idle fancies of laden tables and her soft bed, in the home and warmth that had been hers so many months ago.

But I was Rosa de Toledo then. Who am I now?

Three notes:

Found a great tumblr site thanks to Kate Kaynak: My Daguerreotype Boyfriend. I almost wish I had a story set in the 19th century so I could pretend one of these guys was my main character.

Since Julie tagged me in the meme from the other day, I'm linking to her page so you can check out her answers as well.

I've won a copy of Life, Liberty, and Pursuit by Susan Kaye Quinn! And I've finished reading Craving Perfect by Liz Fichera, which was great! Reviews coming soon...

Nas Dean said…
Hi Deniz,

Great excerpt. Enjoyed it. Congrats for winning Life, Liberty and Pursuit!

And I also read Craving Perfect. Liked it very much.
Good luck on the editing. Not a bad way to spend the weekend. :0)

Great excerpt!
Madeline Bartos said…
Congratulations for winning! And awesome excerpt, thanks for sharing. :)
Nadja Notariani said…
Very nice....especially the look Rosa receives from Baha. I like the glimpse of feeling implied in that look.
This is my first peek into 'Out Of The Water', and I will say that when it is out, I will read it. From the blurb alone, the story intrigues me.
Keep up your editing! ~ Nadja
alberta ross said…
well done on win - liked the link -splendid faces
good luck for this week
Liz Fichera said…
Tumblr seems to be all the rage this week. Must investigate that further.

P.S. So glad you liked Craving Perfect! *Hugs*
Beth said…
Sounds like you had a prolific weekend. Congratulations on the win!
Tara said…
Oh, I want to read Craving Perfect!

Have fun editing, can't wait to see it ;)
Glynis said…
Congrats on winning! Enjoyed the snippet, thanks. Good luck with the edits.
Zan Marie said…
I love this snip! It ties up so many of your themes so well. And congrats on winning.
Jillybean said…
Finally catching up on blog posts...

Yay! Another snip! I like what you did with this one. [g] Not sure if stumbling backward is very likely though, but overall, great description (and I still like the 'Torchlight is misleading' sentence very much!)

Congrats on the book win!
Susan Fields said…
Great snip - thanks for sharing! And congrats on your win!
Michael Di Gesu said…
Hi Deniz,

I see you lived through your editing weekend...YAY! I enjoyed your snip.. I like your description. Nicely done.

Craving perfect is on my list to read next... I am looking so forward to it.

Plan on coming your way in Late August. Would love to meet you at a cafe... Let me know. I'd love some suggestions on the fun neighborhoods if you get a chance... Thanks.
Medeia Sharif said…
Great excerpt...and that Tumblr page is fantastic. Congrats on winning the Quinn book.
Jayne said…
Your snip sounds interesting! I love a weekend of editing as long as I'm all geared up for it... nothing worse then getting that weekend and not being able to get anything on the page (which is happening to me a lot at the moment - so frustrating!) Congrats on your win as well!
Glad to hear you got some editing done. I hope to begin big edits this Friday. School ends on Thursday - YaY!
Deniz Bevan said…
Thank you Nas, Larualyn and Madeline!

Squee! Thanks for the vote of confidence Nadja!

Thanks Alberta and Liz! I succumbed to tumblr today, but haven't done much with it yet...

Thanks Beth, Tara, Glynis and Zan Marie!

Thanks Jill! Stumbling backward? Oh yea, look at that! Hmm...

Thank you Susan!

Thanks so much Michael! It'd be great to meet up! Montreal's full of neat neighbourhoods - will email you.

Thanks Medeia and Theresa!

Hope you get a good weekend of writing and editing soon, Jayne!

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Mo-dettes iTunes Tracks

Post-indie, all-girl supergroup consisting of alumni from a couple of combos that had a foothold in the genre, the MO-DETTES started well enough at the turn of the 80s, but fizzled out soon afterwards, leaving behind a promising and unfulfilled time on the fringes. If they’d another track like debut 45, `White Mice’, the quirky quartet just might’ve caught the imagination of a public weighed down by similar acts such as DELTA 5, AU PAIRS, LiLiPUT and The RAINCOATS.
The fact that American-born guitarist Kate Corris had played a part in the early stages of the latter act (a free transfer from The SLITS), it gave them a claim-to-fame injection, while her buddies from The Bomberettes: stunning Swiss-born frontwoman Ramona Carlier (ex-KLEENEX; as Regula Sing), bassist Jane Crockford (ex-Bank Of Dresden) and drummer June Miles-Kingston (sister of TENPOLE TUDOR’s Bob Kingston), could well’ve been London’s answer to The GO-GO’S.
Formed in 1979, the girls traded in a spiky new wave sound despite their moniker and the (then) current mod revival. They debuted later the same year with the self-financed/Rough Trade-distributed `White Mice’ single – surely a classic one-that-got-away despite airplay from John Peel. Carlier’s Euro-centric pronunciation and “hiccupping” vocal style was reminiscent of LENE LOVICH or Fay Fife (The REZILLOS), while the backing harmonies and handclaps added a retro, B-52s touch to proceedings.
Signed to a revitalised Deram Records, maybe a rookie rendition The ROLLING STONES’ `Paint It Black’ was an ambitious beginning, but it did give them a limited taste of Top 50 success in July 1980, now that they were no longer an indie act. Note that a version of the Bert Russell & Phil Medley nugget, `Twist And Shout’, was available as a free 7-inch flexi. Previewing their debut album, third bad-ass single `Dark Park Creeping’ was possibly too brooding and menacing to achieve daytime airplay. With no sign of `White Mice’ on board the chapter-and-verse, THE STORY SO FAR (1980) {*6} set (`White Mice Disco’ was hardly compensation!), only really `Masochistic Opposite’ (their debut’s flip-side), `Fandango’, `Norman (He’s No Rebel)’ and Georges Moustaki’s `Mi’Lord’, had any clout among the fickle indie in-crowd. The album failed to generate the anticipated interest, and several months were wasted in coming up with a sophisticated pop style to complement their very minor-hit take of LEE HAZLEWOOD’s `Tonight’.
Jane was now married to Daniel Woodgate (of MADNESS) in 1980 – they divorced in the mid-90s – and the availability of the MO-DETTES was straining the chord-ends. Dropped by Deram and hoping to cash-in on the indie-pop market with a lounge-y live reading of `Kray Twins’ (from the LP) – backed by `White Mice’ from ’79 – a period of upheaval saw both Corris and Carlier departing for pastures new later in 1981.
Despite the recruitment of respective replacements, guitarist Melissa Ritter and singer Sue Slack (in May ’82), the MO-DETTES came to a halt soon afterwards amid yet more internal strife. Miles-Kingston duly went on to gain most recognition, initially as a member of FUN BOY THREE’s backing band before briefly going solo (`Say You’), and on to join The COMMUNARDS; Corris, subsequently recorded a collaborative effort with BELLE STAR, Jennie McKeown, and Ramona married and took the surname Wilkins.
© MC Strong/MCS 1999-2003/GRD series // rev-up MCS May2016

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3D Great Rock Bible
Tim Finn iTunes Tracks Tim Finn Official Website

Tim Finn

+ {Alt} + {Finn} + {The Finn Brothers}

The man behind 70s/80s Antipodean arty-rock/new wave exponents SPLIT ENZ, singer-songwriter TIM FINN – born Brian Timothy Finn, 25 June 1952, Te Awamutu, New Zealand – oozed talent, paving the “waves” for younger jangly-pop indie compatriots such as The CHILLS, The CLEAN, TALL DWARFS, The BATS, STRAITJACKET FITS, et al. Bailing out of the leaky boat that was SPLIT ENZ, in 1984, after over a dozen years service (leaving the burning embers to his brother NEIL FINN), Tim continued his solo “Escapades” throughout a tumultuous time that saw him work as a solo artist (primarily), as an all-too-brief member of CROWDED HOUSE, FINN BROTHERS (both with sibling Neil) and the cosmopolitan trio ALT. He and brother Neil were also awarded the OBE in 1993 for services to the music of New Zealand.
To describe first band SPLIT ENZ as eccentric or eclectic would be understating the fact, but these former Auckland University students had sprawling, manic tendencies – at least in their colourful image attire, while prog, glam, vaudeville, swing, new wave and even punk were bandied about by pundits with a desire to pigeonhole them at their peril. As sure as eggs is eggs and hair-dos are fair-dos, the sprawling SPLIT ENZ could duly be filed under “nearly men” (outside of their Australasian posts), and after several sublime-to-synthetic sets, from 1975’s `Mental Notes’ to 1984’s `See Ya ‘Round’ (without Tim), most fickle fans had sought out another new wave and blow-dry around the corner.
While SPLIT ENZ still generated a healthy interest on home soil (and in their adopted home of Melbourne, Australia – home to Mushroom Records), TIM FINN capitalised on a recent Top 10 songwriting success for Jimmy And The Boys (a la `They Won’t Let My Girlfriend Talk To Me’), by dispatching his debut, Ricky Fataar-produced solo set, ESCAPADE (1983) {*6} to the NZ top spot. However, lack of promotion overseas for A&M Records led to relatively poor sales abroad; although in America the LP hit #161 on the back of flop 45s `Through The Years’, `Made My Day’ and the belatedly-issued, UK-addled `Fraction Too Much Friction’ (in spring ’84).
Free from the shackles and straight-jacketed enterprise of his former combo, the Virgin Records-signed TIM FINN explored an ambitious funky-pop motif on BIG CANOE (1986) {*6}, alongside British-born lyricist/playwright Jeremy Brock. Session-friendly, synthetic and over-the-top tinny production/arrangements marred what might’ve been a better than average set, although the appearance of former SPLIT ENZ collaborator Phil Judd (on sitar and rhythm guitar) was worth exploration; check out `No Thunder, No Fire, No Rain’, `Carve You In Marble’ and `Don’t Bury My Heart’.
Having cinematic leanings a la Greta Scacchi (he was her hubby until they divorced in ‘89), and providing the theme to The Coca-Cola Kid flick (by way of `Home For My Heart’), Tim co-wrote the soundtrack to `The Les Patterson Long Player – Les Patterson Saves The World’. Subsequently clocking in for Capitol Records, the Kiwi delivered his third set, the eponymous TIM FINN (1989) {*7}. Much improved from his previous statements (charting down under, and in Canada), CROWDED HOUSE producer Mitchell Froom worked hard at simplifying the introspective, lovelorn artist on tracks such as the SQUEEZE-like `Young Mountain’, the PHIL COLLINS-esque `Not Even Close’ and the PAUL CARRACK-ish `How’m I Gonna Sleep’, while the Maori-mooted `Parihaka’ was an inspired cod-reggae ditty.
Working again with his younger brother Neil on CROWDED HOUSE’s third set, `Woodface’ (1991), would have its positives and negatives: the positives were that the group now had a bona fide classic on their hands (including collaborative hit singles `Weather With You’, `Four Seasons In One Day’ and `It’s Only Natural’), the negatives were that the brothers had their own agenda and ambitions. However, the Tchad Blake-produced Finn Brothers, were still to record the eponymous FINN {*7}, a UK Top 20 record late in 1995, which hosted two major/minor hits in `Suffer Never’ and `Angels Heap’.
Appropriately-titled, and squeezed into a busy post-CROWDED HOUSE schedule, TIM FINN under a plethora of producers unveiled BEFORE & AFTER (1993) {*7}. A laid-back UK Top 30 set that dabbled in folky melodies (`Persuasion’ penned with RICHARD THOMPSON), and two ballads scribed with brother Neil (`Strangeness And Charm’ and `In Love With It All’), it also unearthed a song (`Many’s The Time (In Dublin)’) augmented by English solo artist ANDY WHITE and HOTHOUSE FLOWERS’ Liam O’Maonlai.
Proving irresistible to turn down a pop-rock side-project supergroup alumni in the making, ALT – Andy, Liam and Tim (utilising their first initials) – set about recording a full set of songs while taking time out in sunny Melbourne. The cornily-titled ALTITUDE (1995) {*6} was warmly received; fans of all concerned energised and engaged by the trio’s happy-go-lucky, post-party sessions from `We’re All Men’ to `Halfway Round The World’.
Running up to the millennium, FINN was back at work on a cinematic project: the all-but-forgotten STEEL CITY (1998) {*5} soundtrack, while a self-released `Far Out’ EP was thought unworthy to officially premier. With SAY IT IS SO (1999/2000) {*6}, Tim completed another chapter in his long but frustratingly sporadic solo career. Not that it wasn’t worth waiting for, especially with the tantalising prospect of the pop songsmith having decamped to Nashville with producer/multi-instrumentalist Jay Joyce. Unsurprisingly, the record’s homespun atmospherics and oblique lyrics preclude any CROWDED HOUSE/SPLIT ENZ polish. Instead, FINN was revealed as having matured into a singer/songwriter of considerable depth, alive to the possibility that less is, more often than not, more, as examples `Shivers’, `Twinkle’ and `Currents’ would reveal.
In an unprecedented burst of solo creativity (on the back of a shared set, TOGETHER IN CONCERT – LIVE (2000) {*6}, with BIC RUNGA and Dave Dobyn), the SPLIT ENZ founder released yet another solo set, FEEDING THE GODS (2001) {*5}. Of interest to collectors of ALT was the literary appearance of Messrs WHITE and O’Maonlai on a couple of tracks (`What You’ve Done’ and – without the latter – `Say It Is So’), while his old mucker Phil Judd contributed the concluding piece, `Incognito In California’.
Older and wiser (Tim now 50+ and his brother Neil six years his junior), The FINN BROTHERS sparred musically once again for 2004’s Parlophone-endorsed, UK Top 10 sophomore set, EVERYONE IS HERE {*8}. One heck of a harmony-fuelled record (The EVERLY BROTHERS of their generation), the pair worked with the likes of producers Froom, Tony Visconti and Jon Brion on the majority of the tracks, the highlights served up by Brit-only hits `Won’t Give In’, `Nothing Wrong With You’ and `Edible Flowers’.
Apart from the odd anniversary/celebratory SPLIT ENZ reunion, TIM FINN duly popped in and out of the music biz from time to time. From 2006’s IMAGINARY KINGDOM {*7} – his final effort to receive an international distribution and highlighting `Couldn’t Be Done’, `Salt To The Sea’ and `Winter Light’ – to 2008’s THE CONVERSATION {*6} and 2011’s THE VIEW IS WORTH THE CLIMB {*6}, it seemed the multi-faceted songwriter was chalking up albums for the coffee-table contingent. A shame indeed for such talent not to receive worthy worldwide appraisals, introspective soft-rock pieces such as `Straw To Gold’, `Snowbound’ and others went unnoticed by prospective fans.
© MC Strong/MCS Oct2015

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text:
Sunday, April 24, 2011

Our Easter

We had a wonderful spring break visiting with family, going to the beach, the Avila Valley Barn, and of course a full day of cleaning to get ready for guests. We enjoyed baby chicks, decorating eggs, egg hunts, Easter baskets filled with goodies, family, food, card games, movies, late nights, and lazy afternoons. Here are a few pics from our week.

 Grandpa Monchie and Mason enjoying the warm sun.

Jeff and Sheila Capell said...

I've never seen people decorate eggs like people...hmmm, very cute. I think I've got some googly eyes I could pull out next year!!

Wendy said...

So cute! I love to see your kids grow up! They are so photogenic!!!

Blooming Mommy said...

So Cute!!! Love the pictures! Miss u!


text:
Chorizo, Corn, and Burst Heirloom Tomato Frittata

Recipes | August 22, 2017 | By

Hey strangers! Are you EVEN surprised that I disappeared again? I’m not. Womp. The last time I posted was right before heading off on tour to New Zealand. That was three months ago. Omg. MONTHS.

I’ve been MIA a lot recently, but between the tour + vacationing in Australia + performing in Oregon + (some more) vacationing in the mountains + (even more) performing at home in NY + finally getting into spinning, I’ve been busy this summer. Especially that last part. Time flies when you’re trying to look cute holding in cardio burps.

Speaking of things flying by, in a matter of weeks I’ll be back at Juilliard for my LAST YEAR OF SCHOOL EVER, LOLWUT. How did this happen? I started college almost EIGHT years ago. Had I taken slightly different classes, I could have pretty much been a doctor by now… *nose laugh* #freelancemusicianlife #givemeajobplease

I kid, but I really am feeling super motivated going into this year. Not only do we have an amazing concert season coming up, but I’m also really excited to begin my foray into the real world. I know that scares a lot of young people in my position, and don’t misunderstand, I LOVE being in school and the little immersive, protective bubble it provides. But I just turned 25, and I’m feeling very ready to do things. So… Let’s go.

Is this getting too existential? Should we talk about brunch instead? Lol. OK. *wins award for smoothest segue*


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Baldwin’s Bikefest Bonanza!

Australian illustrator Gregory Baldwin took line honours with his superb artwork for the Melbourne Bike Festival. The festival is held annually in Melbourne to promote bike riding as mainstream transport choice in Australian culture.

Gregory’s illustration for the poster includes the physical prerequisites of the brief and fulfils the spirit of the UCI championships with respect to the traditions of cycling poster design, yet retains a modern flavour with an eye grabbing use of colour. The cyclist is loosely derived from the ribbon like swoosh of the Melbourne 2012 logo.

Categories: Gregory Baldwin


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Thursday, February 09, 2006

Big Corporations Versus Big Brother

A persistent Internet rumour (and not like the "e-mail tax" hoaxes) says that large corporations, mostly media and telecommunications companies, are trying to make the Internet less free, less open, less democratic, and more like television with fewer moving parts. The Internet they envision is one of nearly endless professionally-produced content (good news for me in my other life as a professional content producer, perhaps), downloadable at the click of a mouse at ever higher speeds, but there's the rub: The power to upload, the most important power of the open, democratic Internet, will be restricted to corporations and those in their employ.

According to this article in The Nation, "those with the deepest pockets -- corporations, special-interest groups and major advertisers -- would get preferred treatment. Content from these providers would have first priority on our computer and television screens, while information seen as undesirable, such as peer-to-peer communications, could be relegated to a slow lane or simply shut out." (Emphasis mine.)

The article, published under the somewhat histrionic title "The End of the Internet," mentions that white papers put out by the usual telco suspects (Comcast, BellSouth, and Verizon among others) "are developing strategies that would track and store information on our every move in cyberspace in a vast data-collection and marketing system, the scope of which could rival the National Security Agency."

Funnily enough, according to the Christian Science Monitor (a paper I honestly don't read all that often; I've just had occasion to cite it twice recently), the US Department of Homeland Security is also planning and implementing a huge data-mining operation, ostensibly to track information patterns indicative of terrorist activities. One of the named sources in the article, director of the National Visualization Analytics Center Jim Thomas, claims that a component of the overall system, named Starlight, has already helped to foil terrorist attacks, but conveniently declines to mention any specifics on the grounds that they're classified.

On first glance, one might think the two paradigms currently locked in the power struggle to be our ultimate plutarchs (that is, corporations versus big government) seem to be working in tandem, but there is a conflict here. The corporate version of the ubiquitously data-mined Internet depends entirely on their controlling access. They don't want to see what you have to say, they want to see how you respond to what they're giving you -- and, most importantly, buy what they have to sell you. They want to track your surfing habits, track your online spending habits, see what movie trailers you download, and what music you order from iTunes. As with television's Nielsen ratings, none of that depends on your participation in the medium's production.

The governmental vision of the Internet, with its ubiquitous sub rosa surveillance, depends entirely on individuals' having the power to upload content to the Internet. In their version of the Internet, one would be absolutely free to upload anything one wished, as long as one didn't mind doing so in a complete lack of privacy. Everything "from blogs and e-mail to government records and intelligence reports" would be compiled in a huge, cross-indexed database, endlessly searching for ostensibly terrorist patterns. However, for this system to work, there must be blogs and open Google searches and participatory Internet content. (How else to trap out those terrorists lurking everywhere about?)

Given that contrast, it'll be interesting to see which, if any, of these visions prevails. The answer to that question, if it actually comes out to one or the other and not some bizarre hybrid of both, or neither, or something entirely else (I hate false dichotomies), will be a pretty good indicator of what our collective future culture will look like, even for those of us who don't live within the United States' borders.

Wednesday, February 08, 2006

The Prime Minister is The President's (and friends') Bitch

Here I thought I was going to have to do some serious research on the subject, after having seen circumstantial evidence in Murray Dobbin's The Myth of the Good Corporate Citizen and Linda McQuaig's All You Can Eat: Greed, Lust, and the Global Economy. Apparently someone has already done the research for me, and it's dismal indeed:

CRAP Ties to the US Right-Wing Machine and the Usual Gang of Idiots

You will note that apparently Stockwell Day, former Reform Party-cum-Canadian Reform Alliance Party laughingstock, former Bible-beating preacher, and hanger-on of various white supremacists and Holocaust deniers is apparently a Concerned Woman for America. Gee, Stock, for a former debutante with political aspirations, you look pretty good in drag. No wonder there was a petition afoot to get him to change his name to Doris.

These assholes don't even try anymore, do they?

By the Numbers

152: Number of executions presided over by George W. Bush as Governor of Texas
Source: Sister Helen Prejean, The New York Review of Books, Alan Berlow, The Atlantic Monthly

2752: Number of people killed on September 11, 2001
Source: CNN

2461: Total number of coalition military casualties in Iraq, 2253 of which are US soldiers

~28 000 - 100 000: Estimated number of civilian casualties of the invasion of Iraq
Sources: Iraq Body Count, BBC article on the Lancet study of invasion-related deaths. According to the Christian Science Monitor, no information is available on Iraqi military casualties, since death information is classified by the Iraqi government.

326: Total number of coalition military casualties in Afghanistan, 261 of which are US soldiers

~1000 - 3000: Approximate number of civilian casualties of the invasion of Afghanistan
Sources: A Dossier on Civilian Victims of United States' Aerial Bombing of Afghanistan, Marc W. Herold, Carl Conetta, co-director of the Project on Defense Alternatives, quoted in the New York Times

~1400: Approximate number of people killed by Hurricane Katrina and aftermath (3200 still missing)
Source: Insurance Journal

~70 000: Approximate number of women in developing countries who died because of back-alley abortions, in part because of the US-mandated "global gag rule" prohibiting organisations which receive US funding to promote, recommend, prescribe, or provide abortion services.
Source: The Guardian

70,708: Population of Mountain View, California, 2000.
Source: US Census figures, Demographia

94,673: Population of Boulder, Colorado, 2000.
Source: US Census figures, Demographia

128,283: Population of Alexandria, Virginia, 2000.
Source: US Census figures, Demographia

180,480: Population of Reno, Nevada, 2000.
Source: US Census figures, Demographia