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Thursday, April 12, 2012 ... Français/Deutsch/Español/Česky/Japanese/Related posts from blogosphere

Rating agency for research

Pat Michaels discusses an embarrassing paper published in Nature which claims that man-made aerosol emissions are behind the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation. He thinks that Nature is on the edge of losing its last droplets of credibility.

Dictating what is allowed to be researched

Another kind of silly article was printed in Nature:

Rating research risk
It's a shortened version of an August 2011 preprint; see also an August 2010 preprint on "portfolios".

Abraham Loeb, the chair of Harvard's astronomy department, proposes that a group of grad students will run a server that will rate the health of various disciplines of physics – and probably science in general – and their ratings would be used by students deciding about their fields, by granting agencies, by governments, and so on. I don't really know whether it's an April fool's joke but let me assume it is not.

It's difficult to sensibly evaluate the current state of research and it is even more difficult to predict the future. When people – for example, students who are just choosing their specialization – are trying to obtain the information about these matters, they are using a diverse variety of sources and methods to make up their mind. Some of them use more sophisticated methods, others use less sophisticated methods, many of them decide by chance and it's important that chance can have a say, too.

However, if one wants to pay attention to some authorities, it's rather likely and sensible that he or she will pick senior scientists whose job is secured (which reduces the potential for the conflict of interests) and who have made some achievements, too (which increases the chance that their recommendation is actually helpful). Loeb thinks that this is a bad algorithm because senior scientists are just like the rating agencies that gave an "AAA" rating to some unsafe papers before the financial crisis. Are they really analogous?

Needless to say, he doesn't have a glimpse of evidence that there is any analogy between senior physicists and top rating agencies. It's just a purely demagogic sleight of hand designed to say something bad about the senior physicists. Of course, if he wants to suggest that second-class scientists are better advisers than the first-rate scientists, trash talk is probably the only argument he can offer.

As you may expect, I disagree with his opinions about the financial crisis, too. The major rating agencies may have made an error in two in their work 4 years ago. They're not infallible. But it's silly to look for infallible oracles. There aren't any. One has to look for the least fallible ones. So what one ultimately has to do is to compare various sources of information, assign them with weights, and make up his mind. Despite the errors, it's still very reasonable that people pay more attention to Standard & Poor's, Fitch, and Moody's than they listen to a particular random pundit. In the same way, top achieved physicists who still remain active are more listened to than some other random people or grad students. It's completely reasonable. And there's no "guaranteed equality" between the Nobel prizes, either. Some of them simply say things that make sense to many more people than the proclamations by others. And the senior physicists also make their guesses about the younger colleagues who could be listened to and they sometimes inherit a part of the senior physicists' brand.

I think that a group of grad students with a website whose main "credentials" or "achievements" include the fact that they have volunteered for a project invented by an astronomer who doesn't look too credible himself are unlikely to be viewed as natural authorities by the sane people, at least in comparison with generic physics Nobel prize winners and their natural peers. And I am afraid that Loeb realizes this fact very well. He doesn't expect to convince sensible people who think rationally and carefully. Instead, he wants his gang of grad students to directly influence the people in the government.

I am not suggesting that senior physicists are always right; I am just saying that it's statistically more sensible to listen to similar people than to a random group of grad students equipped with a server running a random algorithm that was predetermined to produce a certain kind of results and that hasn't been tested when it comes to the quality of the resulting recommendations.

Fine. But let's look at Loeb's algorithm, anyway. He doesn't say much but he says enough to be sure that his proposed algorithm isn't terribly intelligent:
What if the physicists could call on a ratings agency, not unlike a lender would do before deciding whether to offer credit? I am advocating the creation of a website that is operated by graduate students and that will use various measures of publicly available data (such as the number of newly funded experiments, research grants, publications and faculty jobs) to gauge the future returns of various research frontiers.
Fine, so a group of graduate students working for Mr Loeb will be deciding on the funding for the world's science. I've already mentioned this "cute" basic goal. How will they do it? The paragraph above suggests that they will recommend those research directions that recently received lots of funding and grants and hired many people. So what the result of the advise will be, assuming that Loeb's kids really become dictators in the global science? The recently overfunded projects will probably get even more funding, more grants, and hire many more people, exponentially converging towards a singularity.

(We've seen such bubbles within science, too, but I don't want to talk about global warming all the time.)

I can't believe he doesn't see how stupid his suggestions are. He tries to create an analogy between the research funding and stock markets and it's great. Except that he obviously misunderstands the markets, too. A sensible trader usually won't buy stocks that were recently overbought and whose price has been increasing more quickly than the price of other things. A sensible investor, one of the Warren Buffer type, will obviously try to do exactly the opposite. He will try to invest into things that seem undervalued right now.

Stocks that are cheap right now may also be cheap for sensible, objective reasons. For this reason, buying "anything that went down" isn't a promising strategy, either. However, to figure out whether it is so, one must actually know something about the "beef" behind the stocks. The "beef" is necessary for predictions. A group of grad students that just uses the data from the past can't make usefully accurate or reliable predictions of the future price, whether we are talking about stocks or about the successes of a scientific subdiscipline.

(One could also talk about fast trading. It could have analogies in research funding, too. Sometimes it's useful to find two analogous investments in which one may be seen to be underpriced and buy into it. Relative comparisons of comparable things are of course the key in decisions about good investments and good grants and hires in science, too. Comparing incommensurable things is inevitably less useful and more subjective.)

Loeb is trying to hype the observational cosmology in these sentences:
The study of the cosmic microwave background provides an example of how theory and data can generate opportunities for young scientists. As soon as NASA's Cosmic Background Explorer satellite reported conclusive evidence for the cosmic microwave background temperature fluctuations across the sky in 1992, the subsequent experimental work generated many opportunities for young theorists and observers who joined this field.
Around 1992, this process began and it peaked around 1998 and a few years that followed. Amazingly enough, cosmology – a discipline that used to be a cousin of astrology and boasted order-of-magnitude errors and philosophical babbling – has become another genuinely high-precision science, pretty much on par with particle physics. But all these sentences are pretty much about the history right now. Those things belong to the past. It doesn't seem we're expecting similarly important discoveries to the discovery of the positive cosmological constant in the next decade or so. There are a few experiments we cherish but of course that it's reasonable to expect that none of them will bring us anything really new. Maybe it will but it is not terribly likely.

So by these very propositions, Loeb shows the kind of bubble-like thinking. He tries to infinitely inflate a bubble and the only justification he has involves some episode in the history of science in which this discipline was growing. But that's just not a sensible way to decide about the allocation of funding and human brains in the future!

Of course, he also offers a negative example:
By contrast, a hypothesis such as string theory, which attempts to unify quantum mechanics with Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity, has so far not been tested critically by experimental data, even over a time span equivalent to a physicist's career.
It has always been unlikely that string theory – a theory whose new phenomena mainly influence the Planck scale physics – would become a heavily experimental science anytime soon. More than 100 years ago, Max Planck calculated how high the Planck energy was. Since that time, we knew it would be extremely hard to reach those energies experimentally. I've never believed it was "more likely than not" that string theory would be tested by direct experiments; suggestions that the young string theorists were "betrayed" because there's no "experimental string theory" are just lies because no sensible person has ever sketched "experimental string theory" as a field booming in the near future. It has always looked comparably silly to various supernatural and loop-quantum-gravity-like hacks who think that they may create amazingly new God-like physical phenomena while cooking their lunch in the kitchen. The world doesn't work like that. Of course that people study string theory primarily for mathematical reasons. If you can't understand how one may think and calculate physical problems for decades without doing "new experiments", just think about string theory as a branch of maths. However, it's still a kind of maths that agrees with everything we know about the physical world. The experiments that have already been done many and many years ago, and actually just a small subset of them, are actually constraining enough so that mathematically skillful people may extract lots of conclusions out of them by "pure thought", if you wish. I understand that people who are outsiders in string theory can't possibly internalize this insight but it doesn't make it untrue.

Surprisingly enough, it was realized that I could have been wrong about the detachment from "direct" experiments, after all. At least in some sense and under certain conditions that could be true but could be untrue. String theory has led to various insights that may link the low-energy physics to its characteristic phenomena, whether I talk about the large and warped extra dimensions scenarios (whose likelihood is about 1%, in my opinion) or the AdS/CFT quantum gravity description of low-energy physics (whose experimental tests may be included to quantum gravity or not, depending on terminological preferences). Still, experiments in a near future are not why some of the talented young people become string theorists. They study string theory because they "rediscover" it and find out that it's the deepest theory that the mankind has ever found and the only theory that may reconcile our observations of all kinds of natural phenomena we know and unify them in a fully mathematically consistent framework. The fact that string theory reduces to QFTs or GR at long distances we may test experimentally – so there's no way to experimentally distinguish the pieces – isn't a disadvantage of string theory or disadvantage of QFTs or GR; it's just a demonstrable fact that only a denier of facts might deny or question.

While Mr Loeb is a completely uninformed layman when it comes to the real reasons why people study string theory, he surely seems power-thirsty and dreams about controlling a group of grad students that is deciding about the funding for disciplines for which his own IQ is 40 points too low. Of course, the bureaucratization and the ability of similar Mr Loebs to overtake the power over important issues that they're completely unable to understand is the main threat of the government as a concept.

The free markets – including the free markets that deal with the information, such as the rating agencies – are not perfect but they have the tools needed for self-regulation. The rating agencies only got famous and powerful because their consumers found their recommendations helpful in many cases. There exist mechanisms that evaluate the quality of the ratings, at least in some imperfect way, and those mechanisms are forcing the rating agencies to do a good job. On the other hand, Loeb's graduate students and their PC seem to lack this feedback completely.

I find this feedback critical in all these considerations – while Mr Loeb's main point is to deny it. Those who make the decisions about the allocation of funding must be accountable for their decisions. The results of their decisions must influence on whether or not these people maintain their ability to influence things. If these feedbacks disappear, the quality of their recommendations becomes free to plummet.

There have been many discussions about the support for risky research vs well-established research. I think that many people have prejudices of both signs. Some people just wouldn't allow science to try risky, experimental things at all. Of course, without such things, big advances would become (and would have become) impossible. On the other hand, some people want to throw billions of dollars for risky research everywhere. That's of course wrong as well. Science wouldn't be science if most of the papers and hypotheses in them were wrong. The amount of speculation that may be wrong has to be kept limited. There is probably an "ideal" distribution of the resources and human minds to research of various degrees of risk but it doesn't make much sense to think about the "optimum curve" or about social engineering tricks how to reproduce it. While I think that too many people are being pushed to becoming "original thinkers" (instead of "workers in science with a well-defined job description") although they're not up to this job – much like too many people are being pushed to earn a college degree they shouldn't possess in a natural state of affairs – it's better to leave those things to the free market of ideas.

Various people have different tolerable risk levels that may also depend on the kind of questions they're asking. Consequently, they may do different decisions. There's nothing wrong about it. The fact that people have different ideas about the value of a stock is a necessary condition for the trade with stocks, after all. It's totally healthy and, in fact, critically important that people have different opinions. However, there still has to be some natural selection.

I want to say one more thing. Loeb formulates his proposals as a "universal cure" for the questions about the allocation of grants. However, it's equally clear what his actual motivation is. As an astronomer, he probably feels that people are suggesting that his work is low-brow and intellectually undemanding relatively to fields like string theory. And make no doubts about it, Mr Loeb, it is the case. He doesn't like it so he would love to suppress those fields that are making him realize that he isn't at the top of physics.

But that would be very bad if petty people with similar totally narrow-minded, egotist motives and biases were allowed to decide about bigger issues.

In practice, different disciplines may have different waves of excitement. The excitement about string theory from the first superstring revolution (1984-85) and the second superstring revolution (1995-98) hasn't been repeated yet so one could say that string theory has been living in a slow business-as-usual era with incremental progress for 15 years or so. But the very same thing is really true for experimental cosmology, too. And most subdisciplines of physics have never gone through any wave of progress that would be as spectacular as the superstring revolutions.

One could present a story about every subdiscipline. For example, experimental particle physics lives in a new era of boom right now – something that has replaced the 20-year-long thirst for the experimental data. But this boom may be short-lived, too. The LHC works extremely well and many "natural theorists" are excited about the new observations but it's still true that the LHC has only found the 125 GeV Higgs boson, to be confirmed in this year. Everything is compatible with the possibility that the Higgs boson is the only thing that will be seen at the LHC (although I think that it's more likely than not that the LHC will see something else by 2020, too). If the Higgs boson is the only new thing to be seen, it could actually be a bad idea to start a grad school in experimental particle physics right now because the remaining tasks to be done with the colliders may be simple enough for a smaller number of physicists. There are lots of unknowns and some reasoning about these matters is more natural than another reasoning.

A fraction of the smartest young people on the planet inevitably ends up learning string theory because they are intellectually ambitious and they simply want to get to the deepest level of our understanding of Nature and string theory is the deepest level we have today, something they realize sooner rather than later if they're really smart. There are seven billion people on this planet so if a few hundred people seriously search for a "theory of everything" (and get less than $1 billion out of the world's $60 trillion annual GDP), it's not such a huge sacrifice, is it? Many of them probably know many more things about the sociology and funding related to string theory and other disciplines than what they could learn from Mr Loeb's website run by grad students. They also know something about the history of the subject, including the level of excitement in different years. More importantly, these young soon-to-be string theorists also know that they shouldn't pay much attention to these superficial sociological criteria at all because only superficial people are obsessed with this kind of matters.

The idiotic populist propaganda about the need for every scientific discipline to find implications for the observations we can make now or soon, if not for Joe Sixpack's practical life, may be attractive for the dumb people, the kind of human garbage that visits Shmoit-like websites and reads Shwolin-like trash books. But it's exactly this obsession with superficial arguments that distinguishes them from young soon-to-be string theorists; it's a reason why they're not beautiful minds but rather loud, obnoxious, and superficial crackpots. String theorists are clearly not doing string theory because it would be important for their practical lives. It's critical for the health of the cultural civilization to guarantee that much lower quality people such as Mr Loeb won't be able to dictate smarter people what they are allowed to think about. The young researchers may have a better idea about the state of the disciplines than a group of grad students focusing on a P.R. website. But even more importantly, they are going to make their decision about the investment of years of their lives and they may be expected to be much more impartial and objective than an astronomer with a website.

And that's the memo.

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Rating Agency doesn’t disclose their methodologies, watch below…


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Home > Driver Seat > ROADTRIP> Turbocharged VW Golf Alltrack Adventures

ROADTRIP> Turbocharged VW Golf Alltrack Adventures

VW Golf. Golf Alltrack, Volkswagen, Sportwagen, VW, Port Gamble, kayaking, Olympic Outdoor Center, Port Gamble kayak

We recently had the opportunity to test drive the Volkswagen Golf Alltrack – an all new vehicle in the VW Golf family that combines the cargo capacity and ground clearance of a compact SUV and the 30mpg fuel efficiency of a VW Golf Sportwagen. Oh, and it’s All Wheel Drive and turbocharged too. We absolutely love boosted vehicles, so driving this thing was fun!

VW Golf. Golf Alltrack, Volkswagen, Sportwagen, VW

Since we first laid eyes on the car when we were in Downtown Seattle, we decided to take the Alltrack to a place where we could better test out its go-anywhere features and functionality – Bainbridge Island! However, in order to get the car to Bainbridge, we would first have to take the car across the Puget Sound on a ferry.

VW Golf. Golf Alltrack, Volkswagen, Sportwagen, VW, Bainbridge Island Ferry

By the looks of the Alltrack’s ride height and other specific exterior design features like the black plastic flares on the fenders, we believe that Volkswagen’s intention in building the Golf Alltrack was to provide a few more options to people who might be shopping for a rugged, AWD wagon like a Subaru Outback.

Since we think both the Outback and Golf Alltrack are good options for people with outdoor hobbies, we decided to go kayaking at historic Port Gamble, using the Golf Alltrack as our kayak transport vehicle.

VW Golf. Golf Alltrack, Volkswagen, Sportwagen, VW, Port Gamble, kayaking, Olympic Outdoor Center, Port Gamble kayak

One thing that we noticed immediately is the fact that the Golf Alltrack’s roof height is A LOT lower than the Subaru Outback’s. According to VW Golf Family Product Manager Megan Garbis, the Alltrack’s roof rack height is only 59.7 inches, compared to 66 inches on the Subaru Outback. This makes it a hell of a lot easier for vertically challenged people (or people with less upper body strength) to load things onto the roof of the car.

The kayak we had on the top of the VW Alltrack was pretty light, but just imagine loading up heavier items like bicycles on top of a taller vehicle with the roof height of an SUV – that’s gonna be tough. Those Subaru Outback owners better practice their bicep curls and military presses if they’re planning to lift heavy bikes and transport them on top of their cars!

VW Golf. Golf Alltrack, Volkswagen, Sportwagen, VW, VW roof rack

This detail photo shows the optional Volkswagen-branded roof rack attached to the standard silver roof rails. The VW roof rack looks like it’s made by Swedish company Thule, so you know it will be well constructed, and work with all the Thule accessories readily available at retailers like REI or Amazon.com.

VW Golf. Golf Alltrack, Volkswagen, Sportwagen, VW

Aside from the heightened ride height and black exterior trim on the fenders and lower rocker panels, some of the other distinguishing features that separate the VW Alltrack from the Golf Sportwagen are the silver accents on the side mirrors, standard roof rails, lower side skirt/scuff plate, and rear bumper valance/diffuser.

Even though this car was designed to have a high ride height, we still think it would look pretty awesome slammed to the ground with an aftermarket coilover/air cup setup. This way you could drive the car at whatever height you want in the city, but then raise it up for clearing driveways in the city or difficult terrain for offroad adventures!

VW Golf. Golf Alltrack, Volkswagen, Sportwagen, VW,Tahuya State Forest, Elfendahl Trail, offroad

Speaking of offroad adventures, the car IS after all called the Golf Alltrack, so we decided to drive it off road to test out the climbing and braking on unpaved surfaces.

We managed to find some trails with dirt roads and loose pebbles, and the Alltrack’s 5th generation 4Motion AWD system handled the subtle climbing and hard braking just fine. This fifth generation version of 4Motion uses electro-hydraulically controlled clutch discs in the differential instead of just using torsen gears. What a great upgrade – clutch type diffs really help put the power to the ground, and are A LOT safer to use in case of differential failure!

We even channeled our inner Tanner Foust as we tested the loose gravel cornering – much to the dismay of our friends that were sitting in the passenger seat trying to type things onto Instagram. We found that the Alltrack’s AWD system feels like it has a FWD bias, which makes it perfect for normal driving. (Obviously, we love RWD biased vehicles because we like to screw around with cars and kick the tail out around corners, but it’s not like most responsible consumers would attempt to take this car drifting anyway, so a RWD bias isn’t exactly necessary.)

In this photo, you can also see that the car comes standard with foglights, even on the lower trim levels.

VW Golf. Golf Alltrack, Volkswagen, Sportwagen, VW, Tahuya State Forest, Elfendahl Trail, offroad

We drove the Alltrack through several twisty gravel roads in the mountains and eventually came across the Elfendahl Pass in the Tahuya State Forest, which is a bad ass 4×4 trail where one can do some serious damage to their vehicles if they aren’t careful! We decided to dig out the GoPro to document our rock crawling adventures while testing out the Alltrack’s Off Road Mode, which can be easily selected by going through a quick menu of Driving Mode options. We’ll be posting the video up on the MotorMavens YouTube Channel later!

By the way, the Alltrack has a TON of cargo capacity – 30.4 cubic feet, in fact. That means the Alltrack can carry as much cargo as many compact SUVs – but it drives like a car, so you don’t get the sloppy handling of a big truck, and you won’t be going through brake pads and axle bearings often like most big SUVs do.

VW Golf. Golf Alltrack, Volkswagen, Sportwagen, VW, Tahuya State Forest, Elfendahl Trail, offroad

Even though we typically love lowered cars, having a slammed Vee Dub isn’t ideal for navigating through rocky terrain and elevation changes and things you have to crawl over. The increased ride height and Off Road Driving Mode helped us A LOT as we struggled to climb up certain trails with loose rocks and even mud. To be honest, we got stuck in the loose rocks for a bit while the car was basically doing burnouts in the rocks, but after we eased back on the throttle pedal pressure and rocked the steering wheel back and forth (no pun intended – but that was a pretty good one), the Off Road Driving Mode helped pull us out of a position where we were literally stuck between a rock and a hard place. (Sorry, just can’t stop the puns when you’re on a roll. LOL)

VW Golf. Golf Alltrack, Volkswagen, Sportwagen, VW, EA888, TSI

Under the hood, we found that the Alltrack is powered by the popular and reliable 1.8L direct injected and turbocharged Volkswagen EA888 4-cylinder TSI engine, which puts down 199 lb-ft of torque between 1600-4400 rpm, and produces 170hp at 4560-6250 rpm. Not bad, but we all know that these numbers can improve further with things like ECU tuning, intake, exhaust, etc. Easy.

The Alltrack is available with a 6-Speed manual transmission ($25,850) or a DSG dual-clutch automatic transmission ($26,950), and is rated at 30 mpg on the highway, and 22 mpg in the city.

VW Golf. Golf Alltrack, Volkswagen, Sportwagen, VW, Apple Car Play, VW stereo

One of the things we absolutely LOVED about the Alltrack was the sound system – especially in the SE trim, which adds the Fender Premium Audio system, which will give you booming bass and clear mids and highs so you can really hear the details of your music!

However, even the standard trims of Golf Alltrack come with the VW Car-Net smartphone integration, which means you can use Apple Car Play to display and use your iPhone’s apps via the head unit’s touch screen. Oh, and if you actually decided to buy an Android phone instead of iPhone, it works with Android Auto too.

VW Golf. Golf Alltrack, Volkswagen, Sportwagen, VW, Golf interior, VW Alltrack interior

The Alltrack S models and above come with V-tex leatherette surfaces on the seats. This leatherette proved to be super convenient when one of our co-drivers on the trip (who shall remain nameless) spilled coffee all over the seat while we were driving!

(We would like to clarify that WE would never spill coffee in a vehicle because we don’t typically bring drinks other than water inside our own cars, and besides… coffee is acidic and leads to unbalanced body pH, which leads to things like diabetes and cancer. But that’s another story for another day.)

VW Golf. Golf Alltrack, Volkswagen, Sportwagen, VW

The Alltrack SEL trim is the top of the line, and it includes this auto-dimming, thin framed rearview mirror as seen here. Nice touch.

VW Golf. Golf Alltrack, Volkswagen, Sportwagen, VW, backup camera, rearview camera

Everyone loves the fact that all modern vehicles now have back-up cameras. However, you don’t see any lenses sticking out of the back of the VW Golf. Have you ever wondered where they hide the camera?! Well, we found it! This is so clever – the back up camera is hidden behind the Volkswagen emblem! Major respect to the VW designers! This is just one of the reasons why many magazines constantly praise the vehicles in the Volkswagen Golf family for having the best interiors, and best design, ergonomics, etc. So cool!

VW Golf. Golf Alltrack, Volkswagen, Sportwagen, VW, VW Golf

All in all, driving the Alltrack through Downtown Seattle, Bainbridge Island, Port Gamble, and the Tahuya State Forest definitely brought us joy. We love to create memories and share our experiences with fun cars, so we can’t wait for the next adventure!

:: Antonio Alvendia

Seattle Bainbridge Island Ferry Volkswagen Golf

Seattle Waterfront, Pike Place Market, Space Needle, Seattle Aquarium

PS: Thanks to the hospitality suite that VW set up, I also met a lot of cool new friends on this trip! Check their websites out: GearLiveLatinaologyNatyMicheleRiaMichelle • CoolAdventures

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Friday, July 20, 2012

Ron Howard Tabbed For Pace Car Duty at Indy

Two-time Academy Award-winning director Ron Howard will drive the Pace Car at the Crown Royal Presents the Curtiss Shaver 400 at the Brickyard powered by on Sunday, July 29, at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway..

Howard has become an entertainment legend as a director, producer and actor. He has directed worldwide blockbusters including "A Beautiful Mind," "Angels & Demons," "Apollo 13," "Backdraft," "Cinderella Man," "Cocoon," "Parenthood," "Splash," "The Da Vinci Code" and "Willow.” He received Oscars for Best Director and Best Picture in 2001 for "A Beautiful Mind" and was nominated for Best Director in 2008 for "Frost/Nixon."

Howard will be making his first visit to the historic speedway, and will shadow four-time NASCAR Sprint Cup Series champion Jeff Gordon and his No. 24 Drive to End Hunger team.

Howard's upcoming epic-action drama, "Rush" has a racing theme. It stars Chris Hemsworth ("The Avengers") as the charismatic English Formula One star James Hunt and Daniel Brühl ("Inglourious Basterds") as Austrian Niki Lauda, whose clashes on the Grand Prix racetrack epitomized a contrast in style that extended to their private lives. "Rush" is currently in postproduction and will be released in 2013.

"It's a great honor to welcome a true legend, Ron Howard, to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway for the annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race," said Jeff Belskus, Indianapolis Motor Speedway Corporation president and chief executive officer. "Ron has become immersed in motorsports' culture and history through the filming of 'Rush,' so he's an ideal person to pace the field for one of NASCAR's biggest races at 'The Greatest Race Course in the World.'"

The Pace Car for the 19th annual NASCAR Sprint Cup Series race at IMS will be announced soon.

"I've been a longtime admirer of Jeff's work both on and off the track," Howard said. "Not only is he a stellar driver, but his commitment to ending older hunger in America shows his passion for helping others. I'm honored to drive the Pace Car at IMS, and I thank NASCAR for giving me this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity."

Howard made his screen acting debut when he was 18 months old in the 1956 movie "Frontier Woman," which led to a role for Howard at the age of 2 in a stage production of "The Seven-Year Itch." He was introduced to America on a much grander scale at age 6 when in 1960 he was cast in the role of Opie Taylor on "The Andy Griffith Show," which led to major motion-picture appearances in the "The Music Man" in 1962 and "The Courtship of Eddie's Father" in 1963. His role in the 1973 George Lucas film, "American Graffiti," led him to the leading role of Richie Cunningham in the hit television sitcom "Happy Days" from 1974-84.

Photo Credits: AP Photo/Austin Film Festival, Jack Plunkett

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Men's Shed seeks help to expand

June 14th, 2012
[by David Armstrong]

Motueka Men's Shed has asked the Community Board to help its members find a location for larger premises as it outgrows the temporary building it is using at the Recreation Centre.

Following on from its presentation two weeks ago to TDC's Community Services Committee, Men's Shed representative Tony Small used the public forum of Tuesday's Community Board meeting to put forward four options for the community group to relocate and build further.

These included (1) land on the Recreation Centre site, (2) the land behind the community gardens in Old Wharf Road, (3) a site on Beach Reserve near the fishing wharf, and (4) an area at Marchwood Park. Further development at the Recreation Centre was pretty much ruled out, however, due to "parking compliance issues".

Proximity to town centre as well as a natural symbiotic relationship with the community gardens made the second option the preferred one, except that a power connection would probably be needed along with permission to use council land. The Beach Reserve and Marchwood Park are "a bit out of the way", but the latter provided several advantages.

The Men's Shed committee said they would talk with the Marchwood Park people to examine that option further, and would provide information so that the Community Board could make its recommendation to council at its June meeting.

The Men's Shed is a place where people, mainly men, can get together to make and repair things for the community and themselves; share skills, ideas and knowledge; tell stories and plan new projects; and enjoy each other's company.

Pedestrian crossing
Arthur Walker, speaking during the public forum, gave notice to the Community Board that Grey Power and other residents will up the ante in their campaign for a pedestrian crossing linking New World with The Warehouse.

Arthur said that in the light of continued rejection of the idea by council and NZTA, the board had to put pressure on those organisations to keep a crossing as a high priority. "If someone gets killed there, you people would swing for it," he said.

Birdhurst compost heap
David de Long used the public forum to continue his line of complaints about TDC's and the board's handling of the non-compliant use of land near the Motueka River to compost bark and hen carcasses. (See our earlier stories here.)

He listed what he saw as errors in the council's water testing process, and criticised both the council and the community board for not closing down the operation which still did not comply with its expired resource consent.

TDC's Environmental Information Officer Rob Smith responded to the questions about the testing, and said that Birdhurst has applied for a resource consent to keep the composting going until the present material has fully composted.

The application is being held while new information is being sought. Rob said that if consent is given it will be only until this composting session is over - no further material is to be added and the operation is to end thereafter.

Nelson Tasman Tourism (NTT)
Lois Walker, manager of the i-SITE information centre, made a presentation to the board explaining the work of her team and why it is so vital to the future growth of Motueka. Between 70,000 and 80,000 tourists go through i-SITE each year.

She said her team's aim was to provide information about this area in order to "slow people down as the pass through, so that they will spend as much as we get out of them while they are here", hopefully by spending an extra night or two and visiting more local tourist attractions.

She emphasised how grateful NTT (which runs i-SITE) were that the TDC is continuing to provide funding of $50,000 for the coming year to add to its own advertising and commission income, and hoped this will continue into the future. Discussion with board members and councillors indicated the variety of opinions going around about targeted rates for funding.

Access path beside the Gothic
The board discussed a letter from Ian Miller which suggested the board and council work on securing for future development a strip of land from High Street, beside the Gothic restaurant, through to near Sports Park. (Ian had written to Motueka Online about this - see the detail of his suggestion here.)

The board were very favourable of pursuing this further, and given that council does not own all of the land involved, would seek ways to at least place a designation on it so a walkway could be built later if and when the Manoy Street - Talbot Street connection is made.

End-of-year surplus
With the financial year coming to an end, the community board surplus of around $34,000 is looking highly likely. The board was congratulated on its thrift.

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Wednesday, February 6, 2013

to laugh or cry?

the car broke down.  as did my camera when i jumped up to give the girls a standing ovation on sunday.  the dishwasher is acting funny which happens every time we move. the printer is on the fritz.  and, our sweet little foxy will probably be sporting this for the next few days.

in the midst of packing.

i'm not complaining.  no siree.  i only thought you'd like to cry laugh a spell with me.

mountain mama

  1. O boy...nothing like a little "somethin" going on huh???
    Prayers for you...and a hug!

  2. Lol....I am glad to know I am not the only one having those sorta days..:) We had a dog named Foxy....reminds me of her...she was such a sweetie... Laugh and enjoy, "Laugher does the soul good". "A cheerful heart is good medicine."Proverb 17:22.. so, I say laugh....Here's to tomorrow being a better day! Blessings!

  3. My sis and I call this 'Satan panick' because whenever the Lord is working super strong on my behalf, for me, my vaccum quits. For her it's always her wash sounds like you are on a Jesus calling and 'Satan is panicking'....good for you, I know it can be tough in moments like this but you can know're on the right path! (smile)

  4. Don't you just love life:)!!! And that HE says In everything give thanks!:)) That's all we can do.

  5. Oh I am laughing with you right now can you hear me? Laughter is what will keep you going in this sometimes stressful world we find ourselves immersed sometimes. LAUGH out loud and then if a few tears fall that is OK too.
    HUGS lots of hugs wish I could help you pack. B

  6. oh dear! Hope things start working smoothly again :) and the pup begins to heal quickly :)

  7. I just scrolled down to get caught up. My blogging has been non-existent for the past month. Wow, moving and adopting!?! God bless you! I hope everything goes smoothly. Bummer about the camera, but the pooch looks adorable. Poor thing.

  8. Take a deep breath, this too shall pass. Wishin' I was closer to be a helping hand in the midst of your packing. Hugs from me!!! Can't wait to see where you all land this time. Prayers for you all as you pack up...again. I think you need to change your name to "Adventure Mama!!!" Cause your life so far has been full of adventures!

comments = happy mountain mama


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Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Great Bear Rainforest Threatened by Oil Pipeline (Video) *Home of the Spirit Bear*

Spirit Bear (Ursus americanus kermodei)

Great Bear Rainforest The pristine Great Bear Rainforest is in British Columbia and mostly accessible by aircraft via water or by water. This untouched ecosystem is threatened by a proposed oil pipeline running from Alberta to British Columbia. National Geographic calls this the pipeline through paradise. The oil pipeline would run through Great Bear Rainforest plus the oil terminal would be on this wild coast of British Columbia, a bay of the forest. The proposed twin pipeline would be 1,200 kilometers in length. Oil tankers would load the oil on the coast and transport it to China. Ian McAllister, Director of Pacific Wild, says, "The idea of a supertanker in a place like this would destroy it forever."

Photographing the Rainforest Wildlife and landscape photographers of the International League of Conservation Photographers are converging on the Great Bear Rainforest to assist in saving this unpolluted ecosystem through photos documenting the magnificent scenery and diverse wildlife. Paul Nicklen, of National Geographic, photographed the iconic Spirit Bears. To locate these elusive bears, Nicklen says, "You have to have patience and passion. There are very few Spirit Bears. You have to put in 18 hour days for 6 weeks at a time just to get a few glimpses of this white bear". Ian McAllister adds, "Our hope is that this place will be illustrated in images so that we can show the world what's really at stake here".

Spirit Bears Marvin Robinson is a guide, tracker, and member of the Git’gat First Nations, which is native to the Great Bear Rainforest. His tribe considers the Spear Bear as sacred and until recently only spoke of the bear in whispers. The Spirit Bear is a subspecies of the American Black Bear and some, estimated at 10%, have a white or cream coat due to a recessive gene. The Spirit Bear with a population of less than 500 is more rare than Panda Bears and is sometimes called "Canada's Panda". The Git’gat First Nations is among tribes that are opposing the "pipeline through paradise". BC’s Coastal First Nations have declared a unified opposition to oil tankers in their traditional territories, including the Great Bear Rainforest.

Pipeline Defender Some say the pipeline would skirt the Great Bear Rainforest and only travel through the region in double-hull oil tankers, guided by tugboats. John Carruthers, President of Enbridge Northern Gateway Pipelines, says, "We believe the potential of a spill is remote. We'll also put in very thorough plans as to what we would do in the event of a spill. The public needs to understand that we can respond effectively, if there is an incident". However, an Enbridge pipeline burst in Michigan, spilling a million gallons of oil into a river that flows into the Great Lakes.

The Hunt for the Rare Spirit Bears Searching for spirit bears, a rare white bear species revered by locals. After 3 days of searching, led by Git’gat guide Marvin Robinson, the ABC News team sees a spirit bear. The Great Bear Rainforest, one of the "last truly wild places on Earth".

Slide Show: Spirit Bears and the Great Bear Rainforest Conservationists hope photo spread will bring attention to pipeline proposal. Click here to see photos of the awe-inspiring Great Bear Rainforest.

Pacific Wild is a non-profit conservation organization that is committed to defending wildlife and their habitat on Canada’s Pacific coast.

International League of Conservation Photographers
To further environmental and cultural conservation through communication initiatives aimed at creating vital content and disseminating conservation messages to a wide variety of audiences.

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Friday, August 26, 2011

The Babe turned two this week, and I almost can't believe it. She's so grown up she blew out her own candles- without prompting. She is changing and growing and becoming more and more complex as a person, and I don't know how really. It all seems a bit magical. She says things and learns things that I don't remember teaching her- like putting recycling where the recycling goes without help, or correctly identifying a summer squash as a squash. And when she does these things I am flabbergasted, seriously I just want to send the moment in to the newspaper or something, (Two year old Yells "Quash" when she sees her mother holding a papaya pear squash!).

Just lately she's starting calling for people by saying " Mama,I want you!", and waking up saying words- just seemingly random words- "Boys", "milk in cup","Dada", "Ferna-Cat"- I assume that this is what she's dreaming about-and I know it's not really extraordinary- but it just makes my heart flip over, and burst with pride. She's utterly amazing this girl, and she's got so much going for her- I imagine every parent feels this way- we all know that our kid is a miracle child, and they are in their own way, or just to us- and that's all that really matters.

Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Twenty Nine

I am 29 today, (just writing that made a little bit of sweat break out on my upper lip), I'm not usually maudlin about birthdays but this one is a bit tough, I feel like I should be a grown up by now- and in a lot of ways I am one ( mom? check, homeowner? check, degree? check, responsible? check), but I'm also not quite what I thought a grown up would be. I didn't expect to feel so much the same, so much just like me- and then I'm not so surprised as well- who else would I be?

I am aware that evaluating oneself on one's birthday is a bit trite, but it also seems to be inescapable, for some reason. And even though I'm admittedly, no questions asked a Grown Up Lady, ( I suppose I have the right to be flattered instead of insulted when I get carded now? am I old enough for that yet?), I find that I've spent most of this year reconnecting with the girl I was as a child- helping to get back in touch with what I loved about myself as a kid.

This year I did the Artists' Way, and I took part in workshops designed to make artists better at running their own businesses, and I loved them both probably because they asked things like "what did you love to eat as a kid?" and "what qualities do you love about your 10 yr old self?".  I think that's it's amazing how those things remind you of who you are, and who you wanted to be- when you were just you- not the responsible version of 'adult' you.

So now today I find ,myself thinking "what would my  10 yr old self think of my 29 yr old self?". And when I ask that I feel like I'm doing okay- I'm pretty sure my 10 yr old self would aspire to be like 29 yr old self. She would look up to this 'grown up lady'- maybe she'd wish that she had a few more animals around, and possibly wear a bit more trendy clothes, but otherwise- I think she'd say I was not too bad, maybe even a bit of a role model.  And really, despite all of the things that I wish I was better at- or that I aspire to that I haven't quite gotten around to yet, what more can I ask for than that?

(the drink above is what I'm going to enjoy tonight- my new favorite summer cocktail-a Honeysuckle Lemon Balm. mix equal parts White rum, with Lemon juice and a simple syrup made of Honey, add muddled mint or lemon balm leaves, and lots of ice- garnish with lemon slices)

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

In the Garden

The first (unbelievably cute) baby butternut squash,
The glossy, beautiful yellow sunshine squash,
The incredible growing yellow zucchini,
The incandescent light under the leaves of the patty pan squash
Watermelons which look like they'll (possibly, maybe) grow big enough to get sweet,
The first blush on the tomatoes,
The fiery orange zinnias,
The 'Fairytale' eggplants.

Monday, August 22, 2011

Monday Inspiration: Lucian Freud

Girl with Kitten, Lucian Freud, 1947, oil on canvas (source)
Girl with Closed Eyes, Lucian Freud, 1986-87, oil on canvas (source)
Large Interior (after Watteau), Lucian Freud, 1981-83, (source)
 Lucian Frued- the grandson of Sigmund- was well known for his nude paintings- which I didn't include here- but hey are worth looking up- Benefit Supervisor Sleeping was sold for 17 million pounds, which was the highest known price for a painting by a living artist, that particular painting has a lushness about the background that really appeals to me. In fact that's what I love most about his works- The backgrounds, are for the most part- incredibly painted.

The patterns in the couches- the peeling paint on a wall- the slightly off kilter- wavy look about them, really make me intrigued. I appreciate the feeling that's imbued in each work- they all feel as though they're painted in the same lighting- the same room- the same environment, but they're so richly painted all throughout the work- not just the subject- you don't for an instant get the impression that any part of the work was secondary. I think that's extraordinary- there's a great quote here- from the model of Benefits Supervisor Sleeping- and it gives credence to the idea that he didn't 'finish up' any part of the work quickly- apparently that work was done in nine months- and he took a longish break in that time because she got a tan! and he didn't like it.

I appreciate that attention to detail, and there idea that making art is work- that it's a craft- that you spend time doing, and perfecting. I strive to have that sort of feeling in my own work as well- though sometimes I do hurry through (the flip side of procrastination dontcha' know) and I do think my works are worse off for it, or maybe just my peace of mind about a piece is worse off- At any rate- I think Freud had it right with the way he made art, taking care while making it.

Friday, August 19, 2011

In the Garden

I started preserving some of our bounty this weekend, it seems like finally we can eat from the garden and have some to spare - a relief because we were hoping to eat mainly from the garden for most of the winter, like we did last year. So I took the big leaves off the Swiss Chard- one of our most versatile favorites- we eat it on pretty much everything- and blanched and froze them, and then cut up some of the brighter Chard stems to freeze as well. We grow Bright lights swiss chard which is a mixture of lots fo different coloured chard- striped pink-yellow a beautiful orange stem with choclatey leaves, andf the standard white and red stem too. I like to put the stems is soups instead of celery- they're prettier and tasty too.

Then I did some Golden and red beets- which are so lovely- I peeled and sliced and steamed them, then froze them on trays so that I can just pull out what I need for one supper. Is there anything dirtier than beet processing? Man, my fingers are still a bit grungy looking. These beets are so sweet though, they're going to be such a treat in the winter, and there's still moree out there- I just picked the big beets and left the little ones out there to grow a tiny bit bigger before I do them (more Beet fingers to look forward to YAY!) I also froze the greens from the beets, so yummy.

Things are coming along out there in teh garden- the first Tomatoes were ripe this week- and I'm going to have to prune them back a bit ot make sure I can find the ripe ones, they\ve bushed out like crazy again- and I seem to have missed the window for keeping them compact. We also have an eggplant starting and the peppers are getting huge, can't wait for refd peppers- hope for a warm fall for me!

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Adventures in yogurt

 I've been making yogurt lately, and I've been wondering why it's taken me so long. I started with my mom's old salton yogurt maker- which has the cutest littel glass cups, and makes one quart of yogurt split into five jars. The first time I made it It was a wierd sort of consistency it tasted okay, and all- but it was wierdly gelatinous, so after another morning of searching on chowhound I found this post- and the yogurt gods smiled on me.

I wasn't heating the milk high enough- so after heating the homo milk to 185 degrees- then letting it cool to 110/105 degrees- I stirred in the starter (Astro yogurt- all natural, balkan style original, plain yogurt- 1/2 cup), and let it sit in the yogurt maker- but as I checked it wasn't quite getting warm enough- only 100 degrees, and I wanted 105 degress, I'm sure it's not such a big deal- but instead I poured the yogurt into a pyrex nesting bowl, (the second smallest)and zapped it in the microwave for 45 seconds, then put that bowl into the largest nesting bowl, which I filled with hot tap water- to give the yogurt an insulating water bath- I stuck a thermometer in the yogurt and covered with saran wrap- and then stuck the whole thing in the microwave to sit, checking every hour or two- warming it up as needed- for twelve hours.

It was good yogurt- tangy and smooth- and creamy- but I thought I could do more- so I strained it to maek greek style yogurt- after an hour in the strainer int he fridge (a regualer strainer over a bowl- lined with a coffee filter), it was so delicious, lots of water came out and I was left with yogurt like sour cream- tangy and rich.

I was also looking around online a bit more- and found that if you leave the yogurt overnight in the strainer for two days- it becomes like cream cheese, tastier though- especially when mixed with dill and green onion. It's addictive, and oh so excellent on crsuty french bread. Also I used store bought yogurt to make this 'creamcheese'- the above mentioned Astro brand of plain yogurt- so no need to mess around with making yogurt yourself to indulge in this treat.

Tuesday, August 16, 2011

Wardrobe Malfunctions

The wee munchkin has been adventuring with clothing lately. Now, I'm not the sort of Mom to fight about clothes- and I have to admit I'm kinda proud that she's taken such a rebellious attitude to the dictates of clothing so young, I think it shows spirit, and I like that. But really it's a bit much sometimes, I mean most days I get her into a shirt- and something to cover up her privates- but I can't guarantee what that something will be. Some options so far have been a shirt- buttoned up around her hips with the sleeves tucked inside to make pockets, my pajama pants wrapped with the top in front and the legs tied around her chest in a big bow on the back (that was seriously stylish- but left a little to be desired in the 'covering up the privates' area), a tea towel, and mittens, just mittens.

Needless to say, I can't let her go out like that- she needs something to keep the dirt out the cracks when we're in the garden, if you know what I mean. So usually I just force her into some sort of bottoms (skirts with shorts under them are my new best friend), and deal with the tantrums by distracting her- which usually stops her from frantically pulling whatever it is I put on her off. This has all come about because we're potty training, and she's doing really well- a few accidents here and there- some rough days, but overall, she's almost completely done with diapers, and I think she enjoys the freedom, so she's making the most of it.

Today when we went outside N picked her own outfit- by grabbing whatever was around and trying to jam her legs into it- a pink hoodie-(apparently when your arms and legs are roughly the same length your wardrobe opens up quite a bit), which actually once legs were in sleeves, and it was zipped up- met my requirements to go outside, and so we added the swim shirt that someone had dropped off for her, an outside we went- she was very happy with it- and so was I really.

It's hard to know what to do with your kids when they start to exhibit their own will, especially with something like clothes. I'm awed that she has the ideas she does- that she doesn't see the fact that something was made for your top as a limiting factor I feel sort of bad for putting these bounds on her- but at the same time- saying 'you can wear whatever you want as long as your privates are covered up' is not exactly restricting.

Monday, August 15, 2011

Monday Inspiration: WIlliam Moorcroft

William Moorcroft, Eventide Pattern, (source)

William Moorcroft, (source)

William Moorcroft, Orchid, (source)
Moorcroft Pottery can be a bit confusing, because it's still made today, not by William Moorcroft of course, but by a pottery that uses his name and his style- they continue his tradition if you will. And it's all beautiful stuff- but it's not all made by William Moorcroft- and it sort of makes me see the issues with Art pottery, and originality, and capital A art. Because Pottery is not necessarily an 'original' unique piece- often it's part of a set- and that set is replicated- you can order more Orchid patterned vases if you break one- it's replaceable- and therefore- somehow less special- or valuable- or something like that.

I still love art pottery- I love William Moorcroft's original works, but I do find the new ones a bit overly Glossy- or smooth. The thing I love about art pottery was this stubborn refusal to leave out the the marks that show how it was made- there are inconsistencies in the glazes, fingerprints, smudges. The things that I love about Painting, the things that show me that this piece was made by a human- but that are a little less acceptable somehow on pottery.

I think Pottery has always held a sort of smooth mystique- perhaps stemming from Chinese pots- which look manufactured- they are so perfect, but they are made by masters. And that's the ideal- because of course it means that you've mastered your craft and I respect that, but I still love a pot that looks worked- and much like the abstract expressionist movement- art pottery was very much about the medium, Glazes run, and scorch and bubble, it's an unpredictable medium, fingerprints are too easily preserved, and I like that.

Friday, August 12, 2011

Sweet Peas

I'm getting immense pleasure out of these Sweet Peas. I've been bringing them inside as often as they wilt to encourage more blooms and to enjoy their sweet scent. I've now got a constant bouquet going, small though it is, the smell wafts up from the table when you sit down, (next year I'll put innoculum on the seeds before I plant them for sure- also I'm going to start some inside to get the blooms a bit earlier.)

I love the way they look outside too- trailing up sticks from the garden which gives them a nice natural looking support- the Lilac branches I stuck in in early spring are working the best because they've got so many little branches to support the vines. And they're really not distracting at all, which was my only concern about using them as Sweet Pea supports. I also love the combination of colours of these flowers, I'm usually fairly picky about matching flowers, but these blooms are so lovely and soft, the colours all seem to go together.

Monday, August 8, 2011

Monday Inspiration:Alex Colville

Alex Colville, French Cross, 1988, (source)
Alex Colville, Soldier and Girl at Station,  1953, (source)
Alex Colville, Prize Cow, (source)
Alex Colville is a great Canadian Artist- and I would guess is mostly unknown by Canadians- (I didn't know about him until art school)  he's responsible for some of our more artful coins- the centennial ones, with the lone animals on them- you can see them here. He was a war artist, and part of the east coast realist scene, His paintings are part of the fabric of our country (and worth quite a respectable chunk of change), and these are all reasons to know the man, but I love his work for it's subject matter.

The ambiguity of the scenes he chooses to paint- the moments that he captures all have a liminal feeling to them- as though they are just on the cusp of the action, right after or right before the sh*t hits the fan. The quality of light in his works is ethereal and transcendent, The way that the subjects are painted is dream like, they remind me of the way the world feels when seen through a dense fog. These paintings make me mindful of the magical qualities that can happen in paintings, the worlds you can create, and become entranced by.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Bucket Hat

So I finally caved and made N a new bucket hat- I really wanted to use that tweed-y print and I think the blue flowers are so fresh, I love the way it pops.  It was actually very simple- I made up a pattern based on one of her store bought hats, and then sewed it up- it's a bit unwieldy on the inside hat because I didn't topstitch the inside and outside together except at the brim- because they're slightly different sizes at the crown- and this way it's reversible. I think it'll be a good fall hat as well as summer- and best of all N loves it.

After a couple of birthday sewing items for N, I'll also be putting the sewing machine away so that I can start making some more pots and mugs and paintings. Now that I've made the hat I think I am truly done sewing for summer, and Christmas and fall craft shows are looming on the horizon.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Edible Weeds: Chickweed

Our summer has been very late this year- and I was so wishing for homegrown food that I've stooped to eating the weeds. Chickweed is a pretty little weed mind you- and only really a weed in the sense that I don't plant it- it grows in wet shady environments- like grass, and it also seems to seed itself in all my garden containers, I used to pull it out- aiming to look like I had really good weeding skills, but now I leave it- because this winter I found out that it's edible, and tasty.

So when my mesclun mix seeds rotted in our wet soil- I found myself stretching our salads with the things we usually don't eat- (the above salad has violets in it as well as chickweed- and they taste really nice- I've been trying to think of what they taste like- but purple jellybeans is about the closest I can come to it- they're floral and violet tasting-yummy).  Chickweed has little leaves, and succulent stems and tiny white daisy like flowers- which are a bit tougher to eat. It's a refreshing taste- and is especially good when tossed lemon and a dash of salt and pepper- we've been eating it on burgers in stead of lettuce and it's so good crispy and tart.

I also have been letting it grow in my planters and I love the way it fills in the empty spots and even trails down over the edge- very pretty with it's leggy stems and small flowers, I just pinch it back a bit to try to keep it under control so that it doesn't choke out the things I actually grew. It takes a bit of adjusting though- to the mindset that weeds should be gotten rid of, that black dirt is a sign of productivity, I've been hearing more and more about biodynamic gardening, which holds that some deep rooted plants bring nutrients and minerals up into the top soil so that the plants you grew can access it. And I need to read more about this- because honestly it's making me feel a little guilty about weeding.

Monday, August 1, 2011

Monday Inspiration: Willem De Kooning

Willem De Kooning, Untitled, 1947, Pastel on paper. (source)
Willem  De Kooning, Woman, 1949, oil on canvas with charcoal and enamel. (source)
De Kooning's work is a little on the crazy dream-like side. It's not actually my favorite type of art- I feel like the marks made by him are a little violent- and that mixed with the distortion of the female body makes me uncomfortable- it's a little too graphic somehow- and I'm not saying that I don't appreciate it- it's just not my favorite- content-wise. But visually I like the works- I like the vibrancy of the marks and I like how the pastel colour choices contrasts with the aggresiveness of the women figured in the works, and the solid blackness of the lines. I also love the medium- Pastels, which are so transitory, and easy to smudge, they create a sense of depth on their own, just from their own dusty quality.


WARC-Truncated: length

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Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed?

from by Eric Pazdziora

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Lyrics by Isaac Watts

Alas! And did my savior bleed?
And did my Sovereign die?
Would He devote that sacred head
For sinners such as I?

Was it for crimes that I have done
He hung upon the tree?
Amazing pity! Grace unknown!
And love beyond degree.

Well might the sun in darkness hide
And shut his glory in,
When Christ, the mighty Maker, died
For man the creature’s sin.

Thus might I hide my blushing face
When His dear cross appears:
Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,
And melt my eyes to tears.

But drops of grief can ne’er repay
The debt of love I owe.
Here, Lord, I give myself away,
‘Tis all that I can do.

from New Creation: Hymns of Wonder, Love, and Praise, released October 14, 2010
Text by Isaac Watts / Music by Eric M. Pazdziora. Piano and vocals: Eric Pazdziora; Guitar and vocals: Carrie Pazdziora; Violin: Øystein Torp.

all rights reserved

Eric Pazdziora Silver Spring, Maryland

Eric Pazdziora is a composer, pianist, writer, and worship leader, with works published and performed in a wide variety of venues. He holds an M.M. in music composition from the University of North Carolina—Greensboro, and a B.Mus. in sacred music composition from Moody Bible Institute. Eric's music and writing can be found at ... more

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Does Black and Blue Bother You?

Written By Patrick Ward on Monday, July 16, 2012 | 12:30 PM

Black and Blue have forever had issues with each other. Sometimes they work together, other times its terrible. This dress is blue with black accents which kind of makes the black heel work a little bit better with the dress. For the most part though, He thinks another color option should be added to the mix, instead of black. Black is too easy, everyone has a black heel, but finding a better option to go with the blue dress will really top off the look.
Blog, Updated at: 12:30 PM

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Global Mama: Portugal

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

“Whoa, Mama!” Worldwide: I’m setting out to profile one mother from every country on the planet. Yes … that’s a lot, but I’m game. And I hope you’ll join me on the journey. (Current tally: 2 down, 190 countries to go!)

In fact, your help is key to this project working at all. If you want to nominate a first-time mother living outside of the United States to be featured here, please send me an e-mail at: get[dot]msmack [at] gmail [dot] com.

Cristina Braga da Cruz has a new mission in life: To tell it like it is. “Or at least like it was for me.” She’s 38. She lives in Portugal. And she’s a mom. That last part didn’t come so easy, though. For Cristina, there were no birds singing or hearts bursting or any of the things she had been told in the “fairytale” on motherhood. Like many other women, Cristina had to come around to motherhood (and it to her).  But she’s here to say it can most certainly be done. And that it’s wonderful.

Life before baby …
It was pretty hectic and exciting. I lived in Portugal all my life, except for the one year when I lived in the U.S. as a high school exchange student.  I was in a rock band called Amarguinhas when I was in college, and we played all over the country. Actually, I  started dating my husband in college and then joined his band—he was the drummer!

Life was go, go, go. It was full and busy: college, exams, dating, and family. I lived at home and my mother was battling cancer. She passed away during that time, and I had to help my father raise my little sister.

Then after college, I worked in marketing and advertising for a children’s clothing line, which meant lots of travel.

My ideas about motherhood …
Well, my ideas were quite romantic. And also quite wrong! I thought a lot of things. I thought:
That it would come when the time was right.
That I would know when the time was right.
That the biological clock would tick and one day—BAM! I would wake up and want kids.
That it was overwhelming beautiful.
That I would naturally know what to do.
That I would love everything about it, and it would be sheer bliss. Nothing hard about it.
That it would not affect my job or social life that much
That I would be ready, prepared and strong.
And that breastfeeding would be lovely.

Then came Mateus …
Actually, I was three months pregnant and didn’t know.  There was no sleepiness, nausea or anything to really tip me off. I just lost my waistline and got breathless faster when jogging.

Then we found out. I have to say, pregnancy, I did not love it. I wasn’t glowing or over the moon, as my friends had said they did. No bliss. I didn’t like being pregnant, and I am not embarrassed to admit it.

When Mateus was born, I was in a bit of a shock. I had a Cesarian. It was hard and unglamorous. The recovery was tough. And breastfeeding was turmoil; it felt like torture. The lack of sleep made me feel like I was losing y mind. Nothing came “easy” or “natural.”

I felt lost, helpless and clueless. I didn’t even feel the tsunami-like wave of love over my child like how my friends described it. I kept thinking: Am I nuts? Am I a bad person? Am I a bad mother? I tried hard and did my very best, but still felt unhappy and uneasy. I felt like I had been mislead by everyone who gave me all of that motherhood advice. Like I was told some  fairytale.

The biggest change after Mateus? Everything. My life stopped and there was no longer a Me. Just Baby. So many simple things became difficult, like getting a shower in the morning, reading that article in a magazine, having my legs waxed when I started to look like King Kong. Things that I had taken for granted before.

And not getting a full night of sleep behind all of this … I was tired and frustrated and felt like  a mess of a mom.

The most challenging part of motherhood …
Having it sink in that this is it now. This is my life. It’s not all about you anymore. But, actually, once you wrap your head around it, this new life is pretty great.

It does get easier and better with time. It took a little longer for me than others, but I finally came around. You are still totally tired and wiped out. But you are in love. Finally savoring it. And you forgive yourself for all strange feelings. (However, I do resent society for the fake bliss scenario they’ve set up around motherhood.)

The best part about raising a child in Portugal …
Family generally lives closer and can give you a strong hand. Grandparents also play a very active part in the raising of children, too. And cousins are the most frequent playdates.

Although family incomes and salaries are lower than in the U.S., the cost of living is not impossibly expensive. I live by the beach in the city. I have quality of life. At the end of the day I can take Mateus out for ice cream at the beach. I can put my sneakers on and have a run along the ocean shore or have my kid ride his bike next to me.

Another great perk here is the wonderful climate. It never gets so cold that it snows, nor is it ever really humid. Also, food is delicious, fresh and easy to get.  The country is safe and people are friendly and welcoming.

Best piece of advice I ever heard …
Let day be day and night be night. Meaning let your house life exist loud (no hush, hush, hush) and clear (light) during day and all the opposite at night so the baby knows the difference and cooperates—as in sleeps!—accordingly. Another thing is, rest every chance you get.

If we could jump into a DeLorean and race back in time …
I would say, “Cris, chill. This is all normal. Not everyone knows what to do. Hang in there. It will get easier.” I’d also tell myself to take a short break for a little pampering, and not feel guilty about it. The baby deserves a balanced mom, a happy woman.

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Global Mama: Spain

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

“Whoa, Mama!” Worldwide: We’re profiling one mother from every country on the planet. (Current tally: 5 down, 187 countries to go!)

If you want to nominate a first-time mother living outside of the United States to be featured here, please send an e-mail to: get[dot]msmack [at] gmail [dot] com.

Meet Armelle. She’s a French woman living and raising her 11-month-old son in Spain. When asked to give a little background about herself, Armelle, 39, made no mention of what she does for a living. It was interesting and charming— and probably very European.

“From what my friends tell me, I’m I’m a joyful and generous person,” she said. “From what I want people to see, I’m  a woman who stands on her values: harmony, sharing, integrity, wisdom, and liberty. Happiness is all around me. I like being a part of that.” Now, how refreshing would it be to see that on a resume somewhere?

Life before baby …
I had a very independent life. In my 20s, I studied abroad in Germany, Scotland, London, and Belgium. It was such a great experience. And I had a good life outside of work and school: dining with friends, going out partying, having fun.

By the time I arrived in Belgium, though, I was partied out. I was more focused on my career. I definitely became a workaholic and didn’t had much of a life outside of that.

My ideas about motherhood …
Motherhood was a wish, but I was somewhat scared of it.  So much so that I avoided thinking about it.  But then again I was more occupied with my work and social life.

After I met my husband and realized that I was with a man with whom I could stay for the rest of my life, it allowed me to actually think about motherhood in a real way.

For me, motherhood is a part of a woman that completes her personality. What I mean is, I’m blooming—both in my professional and personal life. I know myself well and can feed my brain and body with what I need and love. Being a mother is that something else that makes me feel  fulfilled.

Then came baby Loïc …
First of all, my pregnancy was a dream. When Loïc arrived, the three of us were all together in the hospital for five days. It was magical to have his father with us the whole time.

The biggest change was certainly the intense emotions. Having this living being in your hands affected us so much. We were both crying with joy. And seeing his father being so emotional, eyes filled with love the first time he saw him, was just the greatest thing on earth.

And Loïc! Oh, man, Loïc. Such a darling. It’s like he understood everything straightaway.

The most challenging part of motherhood …
It’s certainly being available and patient with Loïc.  A baby demands a lot. I’ve noticed that the more I answer his needs, the easier he is in the day. If I have too much on my mind and I’m not fully here for him, then he can be a pain, and I’ll be on my feet all the time.

Finding the right balance as a whole woman (the mother, the professional, the wife, the housewife, the friend, the lover) is not that simple.

The best part about raising a child in Spain …
Overall, I feel lucky to be able to raise my child wherever I am. And I’m happy to do it in a place where we have the sun, the mountains and the city all nearby.

The Spanish are easygoing and very respectful of motherhood. All public transportation is easy to use with a pram. People here will stop you in the street and chat with your baby. They’re just so friendly. And you can breastfeed your child wherever you want without shocking anyone.

Also, Loïc is growing up hearing French (from his father and grandparents), English with me, and Spanish and Catalan from the people at the nursery, in the shops, etc. It’s brilliant. I think it keeps him alert and aware.

Unfortunately, things can be expensive here: baby clothes, baby equipment and gear, hiring a nurse. And there isn’t much governmental help. In France, you can have a private nurse for few euros (about 3 euros an hour), and even that is tax-deductible! People in Spain tend to rely on their families to get by and make it work.

Best piece of advice I ever heard …
It’s not you who educates your children, they teach you. Loïc shows me this everyday. Also, as a mother, follow your instinct. It will always be what is best for your child.

If we could jump into a DeLorean and race back in time …
I would tell myself two things: Enjoy these first few months. Every second is so special. Also, you are connected to your baby and know what is the best for him. Believe in you.

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Mpls.St.Paul Magazine Editor Bios

Jayne Haugen Olson, Editorial Director

Named the Best Content Director by internationally reknowned The Content Council in 2015, Jayne joined Mpls.St.Paul Magazine as lifestyle editor in 2000 and was instrumental in leading the vision of the magazine's retail, lifestyle, and trend features. She launched what is now the Shop + Style section and led content teams for Mpls.St.Paul Shops, Mpls.St.Paul Home & Design, and Mpls.St.Paul Weddings.

Kelly Ryan Kegans, Executive Editor

The daughter of an Air Force pilot, Kelly is used to moving frequently. But she didn’t have to travel far to join Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, having most recently led the Better Homes and Gardens Home Design staff. Before that, Kelly was accustomed to the warmer climes of the south and saying “hey, y’all” when she was a reporter for several Texas-based magazines and daily newspapers, including The Dallas Morning News. Kelly brings with her extensive experience producing vibrant visual story packages and leading talented editorial teams in creating award-winning content that engages, inspires, and informs.

Drew Wood, Deputy Editor

The editor for and contributing features and arts editor for the print magazine, Drew Wood was formerly the Twin Cities and Travel editor for and, prior to that, the Editor in Chief for Minnesota Business Magazine. Drew holds an MFA in Creative Writing and an MA in English, but ditched his original plan of becoming an English professor when he realized that it required lots of reading and deep thinking, and was actually very boring. He lives in a neat old house in Tangletown with his wife, two daughters, and two dogs.

Emily Howald Sefton, Deputy Features Editor and Weddings Editor

Emily Howald Sefton moved to the Twin Cities after a five-year stint in Chicago, where she perfected the art of creating order amid chaos (also known as magazine deadlines). As a writer and a managing editor for Chicago Social and Chicago Social Weddings, Emily cultivated the appropriate experience to wordsmith her way to Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, where she quickly said "I Do" to the role of Deputy Features editor and Weddings editor. Prior to earning a paycheck, Emily earned her masters from Northwestern University and her B.B.A. from the University of Notre Dame. When she’s not busy exploring the nearest wedding venue or the latest workout trend, Emily spends time with her husband, daughter, and mini-labradoodle. You might catch her raving about the Green Bay Packers (Note: She is not, nor will she ever be, a Vikings fan) or teetering in uncomfortably high heels.

Allison Kaplan, Senior Editor, Shopping + Style

Ali Shops. All the time. An authority on retail and fashion, Ali’s writing has appeared in numerous publications prior to joining Mpls.St.Paul Magazine. Ali hosts Shop Girls on myTalk107.1 every Saturday from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. and is a frequent guest on other radio and television programs. Her Ali Shops blog at is a popular resource for shopping scoops and tips. She grew up immersed in the retail world, commentating her first fashion show with her mom at age 6.

Stephanie March, Senior Editor, Food + Dining

When Mpls.St.Paul Magazine senior editor of food & dining Stephanie March isn't out searching for the perfect bite or best Sazerac, she can be found on her weekend radio show, Weekly Dish on myTalk 107.1.

Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl, Senior Writer

Dara Moskowitz Grumdahl was born in New York City, little aware of her destiny—to eat out a lot in Minnesota. She has been writing about restaurants and wine since 1997, first as the restaurant critic for City Pages, then for Minnesota Monthly and Real Food, and now for Mpls.St.Paul Magazine. Her food writing has appeared in Gourmet, Saveur, Bon Appetit, and many other publications, and her last book was Drink This: Wine Made Simple. She has been nominated ten times for James Beard Awards, the Oscars of the food world, and has won five times.

Elizabeth Dehn, Contributing Writer

As MSPC's editorial director for General Mills by day, and a beauty blogger by night, Elizabeth credits much of her success and lack of sleep to the power of social media. Raised in Minneapolis, she spent years whipping up DIY face masks before embarking on an editorial career that has included Aveda, Target, Northwest Airlines, Nordstrom, Marie Claire, and the Star Tribune. Elizabeth is a regular contributor to Mpls.St.Paul Magazine, MyTalk 107.1 and Pinterest, where she presides as "one of the most powerful pinners in the world," according to Buzzfeed.

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Wednesday, January 18, 2006

My New 1U HP server

This month I got my new server which I want to setup it as my mail server. It is an HP Proliant DL 140 Generation 2. It is a 1U type server. It fits the rack server nicely. This type of machine (I mean the 1U type) surprised me coz I never setup Linux on this *fancy* machine. I just thought that it should be the same as the normal-looking one ,lol. It is except one thing. It has SATA RAID controller. I haven't start installing an OS on it coz I haven't had a clue on how to setup one without CDROM. What? I hear you say. Yes. It has no CDROM. It only has CDROM bay. Damn!. I never checked the spec carefully. I should have known better.

I went to the supplier this afternoon and ordered a DVD-ROM drive. I learned something from this case. I should have checked the spec carefully. Damn!!.

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united-breakfast-designyThank you for your encouragement during the last few months as we made a big transition from our home of 38 years to a smaller home in Indianapolis. Your upbeat reassurance helped us more than you will ever know or realize. I feel like you are all one big family helping another family. I never realized how much emotion goes into a move. Everything arrived in excellent shape. Thank you.
Sincerely, Roger and Caryl Johnson

This is the second time you have moved me and the guys did a great job again. Very polite, pleasant and cooperative.
- Dorothea Wellheuser

“I would like to thank you also for your assistance in mother’s move. They are such a nice group of men. They were patient, helpful and cheerful. They did a great job! Please extend to them our appreciation!”
Warmly, Jeanna Gross

“Wonderful, polite service! Very considerate and patient. We’d recommend them to anyone! God bless you!”
- Patty Nash

“Excellent, efficient workers. Best move we have ever had.”
- Harold Calus

“Excellent crew to work with. Knowledgeable, helpful and pleasure to work with.”
- Valery McCannon

“Thank you so much for all your help. I was so impressed with your movers. They were wonderful.”
- Helen

“Did a great job. Fantastic crew. Thanks.”
- Meredith Dettlof

“Excellent job. Wonderful guys.”
- Helen Bender


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The first trimester – second time around

pregnancy - first trimester

I’m not planning on weekly updates of bump throughout my second pregnancy. As much as I appreciate that pregnancy itself is a blessing and something to be celebrated, to me it’s more of a means to an end. This perhaps owes something to my previous early miscarriages, but if I’m honest, I can’t say that I ‘love’ the feeling of being pregnant (although so far this one has been good to me) and I just look forward to the day that I can hold our second bambino in my arms.

However, this blog has been a record of our growing family that I started before Taylor’s birth, so it feels only right to record the major milestones throughout this second pregnancy  – starting with the end of the first trimester. At 18 weeks in, I’m a little late writing this update – partly due to the reasons above, but mainly just because I’ve been so busy catching up from the slump that was the first 12 weeks…

The First Trimester

How I’ve been feeling

I completely forgot how totally draining the first trimester is!! I literally spent many an evening wanting to do nothing but sleep on the sofa after 8pm and I couldn’t have been more of a bore over Christmas. I even slept during a couple of Taylor’s afternoon naps – once with my head on the kitchen table whilst trying to blog!

In terms of sickness though, I wasn’t as affected as the first time around. In fact I didn’t throw up once, even though I did want to on multiple occasions (especially when brushing my teeth!) I’ve been having ongoing bouts of dizziness though and also random pins and needles.

Cravings and aversions

Similarly, my taste buds and stomach for certain foods hasn’t changed as much as during my first pregnancy. I did go off tea for about a month and craved comfort food for my insatiable appetite, but aside from that I was still up for the same foods I always have, including chili and strong flavours. Not really up for cooking them though!

Bump progress

I didn’t grow that much in the first 12 weeks, although I do feel like I am growing much quicker than the first time around and my belly button is already looking forward to another appearance, even though I don’t think it popped until the very end of my pregnancy last time…

How I’ve been looking

Generally knackered and old. Hormones have been playing havoc with my skin, so at least the spots are helping me look more like my teenage self…

General health

All is going well aside from a couple of water infections and I’ve also been told that I have the Group B Strep infection following a urine sample at the hospital. Apparently this means I’ll need IV antibiotics during the labour as a precaution (there’s a small chance that the baby can contract it and it’s pretty serious if they do). I’m thinking that with everything else I have to think about, this will be the least of my worries at that point. Would love to hear from anyone if they’ve also had it…

On finding out the gender…

I was initially in two minds about finding out the sex this time around. We did with Taylor and I never once regretted it, but felt like maybe we should experience it both ways. However, I have still been finding it hard to ‘get my head into it’ and it still doesn’t feel real. I was hoping that the twelve week scan would put that right, but we both left wanting to know what we were having! So I’m pretty sure we will be finding out at the 20 week scan – not long to wait now!

How did you find the first trimester? I’d love to know in the comments section below…

Run Jump Scrap!

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4 Comment

  1. Katrina
    February 23, 2017 at 7:22 am

    Ooooh pregnancy! My most favorite topic ever! First of all, congrats to you on this new bambino of yours! I have birthed ten children and I have a few things to say about pregnancy 1) the first trimester sucks big time. I’m always feeling miserable, and I don’t even have a baby-bump to show for it. 2) second trimester rocks! I’ve got the baby bump, I’m all glowing, and I have energy and I’m not sore anywhere. I can still get in and out of my car with ease. Pregnancy clothes look absolutely the best in that second trimester. 3) third trimesters are way better than the first, but they aren’t as fun as the second. I start waddling when I walk, my sciatic nerve starts acting up, and I’m getting tired more often. But I am also getting close to meeting my baby, so the third trimester is actually great because it’s the most exciting. So… to know or not to know? that’s the question. With our babies, my husband likes to know if it’s a boy or a girl during the ultrasound, and I don’t. I like to be surprised at the birth. So what we always do is alternate every other pregnancy; one we find out, two we don’t, three we find out, four we don’t…etc. Okay, before I write a book I will end this now. #bestandworst
    Katrina recently posted…last night after the Super Bowl….My Profile

    1. Natalie Mudd
      February 23, 2017 at 4:46 pm

      Wow – TEN!!! I can’t even begin to imagine. You are definitely well placed to be giving advice on the subject of pregnancy then! I agree that the second trimester is definitely the best – although we’ve had loads of bugs and colds, but that’s more to do with the time of year. That’s a good idea to find out alternately – although we’re not planning anymore! I’m not sure I can wait the full 40+ weeks to be honest x

  2. AM
    February 24, 2017 at 11:43 am

    Congratulations on your second pregnancy! We’ve just completed our first trimester of pregnancy number 1 and had no idea what to expect but your post pretty much summed it up!

  3. Helen Gandy
    February 24, 2017 at 10:34 pm

    Ahh this is so exciting! I was totally shattered 2nd time around! Looking forward to seeing your updates! Thanks for linking up #bestandworst

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Fathers Day Giveaway Day 1 – Win a book on America’s National Parks

August 14, 2015

Is the Dad in your life a travel junkie? Maybe a cruise around the world isn’t quite in the budget for Father’s Day this year, but Cristin from Between Roots and Wings blog wants to at least get his imagination running by sharing a beautiful book about the places she thinks everyone should have on their travel “bucket list” – America’s National Parks.

Great Smoky Mountain National Park

Cristin moved to Australia from the U.S. five years ago, and she blogs about being an expat in Sydney. She’s also Mum (or, as she says “Mom”) to an Aussie-American toddler, so she shares her thoughts on parenting-related topics, plus all of the adventures that her family gets up to around Sydney – and sometimes even around the world. Her blog is thoughtful and often really funny. She says, “I’m in this space between wanting to settle down and build a home, but also wanting to have a lot of adventures and see the world with my family. I think a lot of people, particularly expats, can relate to that. It’s why my blog is called Between Roots and Wings – I’m finding the balance between settling in and exploring.”

Yellowstone National Park

Before moving to Australia, Cristin was able to visit a number of the National Parks in the U.S., and considers them to be some of the most special places in the world – from the Appalachian culture and scenic beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains to the otherworldly landscape of Yellowstone, and points from coast to coast. America’s National Parks is a ” lavishly illustrated book describes each of America s 58 national parks in careful detail.” Cristin said that she chose this book for the Father’s Day competition because, “I’ve loved exploring Australia so much, and in return, I’d love to share a bit of what I consider to be the best part of my home culture with one of your readers.”

To win this beautiful book:

Visit Between Roots and Wings on Facebook
Comment once on the Mum To Five Facebook post
Share and like the Facebook post
Competition ends Sunday 16.8.15 10am AEST
Winner is randomly drawn and will be advised on the Mum To Five Facebook post

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  • Reply Debbie O'Donnell August 14, 2015 at 9:39 pm

    My dad would love this looks a really nice book.

  • Reply julie ford August 16, 2015 at 9:24 am

    fabulous book

  • Leave a Reply


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EXPERT AVAILABLE: Lessening of Iranian Economic Sanctions Could Improve Diplomacy and Increase Dialogue, MU Expert Says

Jan. 16, 2014

Story Contact(s):
Jeff Sossamon,, 573-882-3346

The views and opinions expressed in this “for expert comment” release are based on research and/or opinions of the researcher(s) and/or faculty member(s) and do not reflect the University’s official stance.

COLUMBIA, Mo. – Iranian sanctions and their effect on the stability of the Mideast continues to be a hot-button issue among pundits and politicians. Earlier this week, House Minority Whip, Congressman Steny Hoyer (D-MD), criticized the White House and Obama administration for suggesting that lawmakers who are in favor of tougher sanctions in Iran also are advocating war. Now, a University of Missouri researcher says that loosening economic sanctions in Iran could lead to increased diplomacy and a more engaged dialogue with Iranian leaders, though tightening them would not likely lead to military hostilities.

“Since the Iranian Islamist Revolution in 1979, the U.S. has been hammering the country with economic sanctions,” said A. Cooper Drury, professor of political science and chair of the Department of Political Science at MU. “Now that the U.S. and Iran are venturing into the next phase of talks, it’s important to consider that increased sanctions tend to have counter-productive effects. By threatening further sanctions, as Congress is suggesting, or returning sanctions that were in place, we could derail the whole agreement and cause the Iranians to resist further dialogue.”

Drury and his colleagues studied the effects of economic sanctions on China throughout the Tiananmen Square political movement and the years that followed. Through systemic research of the events that took place during the event and its aftermath, researchers found that when the U.S. threatened to revoke China’s “most-favored nation status,” the Chinese ignored diplomacy and no concessions were made. However, when subsequent administrations engaged the Chinese economically, progress on human rights issues was made.

“Every time we threatened the Chinese with economic sanctions, they pushed back,” Drury said. “We found that the more we engaged them through diplomatic discourse, the better the outcomes. This could be the case in Iran as well. Iranian President Hassan Rouhani is seeking success that he can report back to those in his country; success begets success. The Iranian people are much more educated, more open, and have a lot less anti-western sentiment than before. This cultural shift could lead to diplomatic success and a stabilization of the region.”

Drury joined the Department of Political Science at the University of Missouri in 2002 and now serves as the chair of the department. His research and teaching focus broadly on foreign policy and international political economies and he has published extensively on the use and consequences of economic sanctions. He is the editor-in-chief of Foreign Policy Analysis.


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Muppet Wiki

Elbows and Knees

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Music by Christopher Cerf
Lyrics by Luis Santeiro
Date 1989
Publisher Splotched Animal Music Co.
Sesame Street Inc.
EKA Episode 2641

"Elbows and Knees" is a Sesame Street reggae song sung by Tyrone Davis. The song teaches about how you can use your elbows and knees to do various things. The music video features various clips of kids using their elbows and knees.

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