text:
Taiwan ebullient over Ang Lee's Oscar

  • Ang Lee's name beamed on building in Taiwan after Oscar win

  • Lee, born in Taiwan, won award for best director for "Life of Pi"

  • Lee's win created excitement in Taiwan and China, both claimed him as their own

  • Ryan: "In some ways it feels like 'Linsanity' all over again"

Editor's note: Andrew Ryan is a host and producer at Radio Taiwan International, a government-owned station that broadcasts in several languages and countries. He first came to Taiwan in 1996 as a Fulbright scholar and has spent the last 16 years as a translator and observer of politics and culture.

Taipei (CNN) -- It's not every territory in the world that puts an Oscar-winning director's name up in lights on a towering building. But that's just the sort of thing that happens in Taiwan -- and it did on Monday night after Ang Lee picked up his second "Best Director" Oscar, this time for "Life of Pi."

The moment wasn't just celebrated in grand statements, but in small scenes played out in front of televisions across Taiwan when his name was announced.

I was at a TV station in Taipei that was broadcasting live coverage of the Oscars, working with a team of translators that was creating the subtitles for the rebroadcast. When Lee's name was announced the office erupted in applause. Down the hallway, more cheering could be heard.

READ: Oscar winners: Analysis of who won

I couldn't help but think back to the Athens Games in 2004, when Chen Shih-hsin won Taiwan's first ever Olympic gold medal (under the team name "Chinese Taipei"). Even veteran news anchors shed tears when the young taekwondo star defeated her Cuban rival.

It would be reductive to suggest that these displays of patriotism are simply the response of a small country that just doesn't crank out that many Oscar winners or Olympic golds. It also speaks of a place that has been largely marginalized in the international community.

Today, Taiwan has just 23 official diplomatic allies -- mostly other marginalized nations, in Central America and Africa. That's because China still sees Taiwan as part of its territory more than 60 years after the Chinese Nationalists retreated to the island at the end of a Civil War against the Communists. The Nationalists -- or Kuomintang -- are now the ruling party in a democratic Taiwan, which is officially called the Republic of China (ROC) -- not to be confused with the People's Republic of China on the Mainland.

Having lost its seat at the United Nations to the PRC in 1971, the ROC found itself with a diminished voice in the international community. It turned to manufacturing and technology in the 1980s, spurring on what is now referred to as an "economic miracle." Today, with its economy struggling to move past the global economic downturn, Taiwan has added the arts, sports, and even baking to its repertoire.

READ: Oscars 2013: Hollywood gets political

What's striking about Lee's win is that it's not just people in Taiwan who were quick to claim him as one of their own. In China, the state-run Xinhua news agency referred to him as "Chinese-American." While Taiwanese media latched onto the portion of Lee's acceptance speech when he thanked Taiwan and the central city of Taichung where much of the movie was filmed, Xinhua's main story included Lee's line of thanks to the 3,000 people who worked on the film for "believing this story and sharing this incredible journey with me."

In some ways it feels like "Linsanity" all over again, when Taiwan and China both claimed basketball star Jeremy Lin as their own, leaving the international media struggling to chart the dangerous waters of identity politics to correctly describe him.

VIEW: Photos from the red carpet

A very small voice at the fringe of the discussion wonders why it's important for people to know that Lin's paternal grandmother lives in Taiwan and referred to him as "a real Taiwanese," or that Lee grew up in Tainan and still loves to visit his favorite noodle shop there. Others in Taiwan question why a nation's confidence should be based on its success in the international community.

When Ang Lee's name was announced, the office erupted in applause. Down the hallway, more cheering could be heard.
Andrew Ryan

With China looming to the north, now the world's second biggest economy and wielding an influence that's verging on "superpower" status, the metaphor of Jonah and the whale comes to mind. The Taiwanese electorate is sharply divided on how it feels about the way ties with China have warmed ever since President Ma Ying-jeou first took office in 2008. The benefits are obvious, considering China is Taiwan's largest trade partner, but some worry that it could lead to a loss in autonomy.

INTERACTIVE: Oscars by numbers

The Ma administration has been mindful of the nationalistic rhetoric of the opposition, and although the president was born in Hong Kong, he has referred to himself in the past as "Taiwanese as well as Chinese." Ma was also quick to congratulate Lee following the Oscars, and to urge others to follow in the director's footsteps and "work hard at promoting Taiwan to the world."

Lee is just one name on a growing list of national heroes that both the government and the private sector have celebrated in recent years for putting Taiwan on the map: people like fashion designer Jason Wu, who moved to Canada from Taiwan and has created garments for U.S. First Lady Michelle Obama; master baker Wu Pao-chun, who beat the French patissiers at their own competition -- Les Masters de la Boulangerie in 2010; Yani Tseng, the world's number one female golfer; and even the humble vegetable seller-turned-philanthropist Chen Shu-chu, who was selected by Time Magazine as one of its heroes of 2010.

So what are people saying when they embrace these heroes as Taiwanese? They are saying "Taiwan may be small and diplomatically isolated, but it deserves to have a voice in the international community." While Lee may not speak about politics and no longer creates movies about Taiwan, he does have a voice and people do listen. And that's worth spreading in lights across the world's second-tallest building.

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The opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of Andrew Ryan.

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Low-key departure as Pope Benedict steps down

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Benedict slips quietly from the world stage on Thursday after a private last goodbye to his cardinals and a short flight to a country palace to enter the final phase of his life "hidden from the world".

In keeping with his shy and modest ways, there will be no public ceremony to mark the first papal resignation in six centuries and no solemn declaration ending his nearly eight-year reign at the head of the world's largest church.

His last public appearance will be a short greeting to residents and well-wishers at Castel Gandolfo, the papal summer residence south of Rome, in the late afternoon after his 15-minute helicopter hop from the Vatican.

When the resignation becomes official at 8 p.m. Rome time (02.00 p.m. EST), Benedict will be relaxing inside the 17th century palace. Swiss Guards on duty at the main gate to indicate the pope's presence within will simply quit their posts and return to Rome to await their next pontiff.

Avoiding any special ceremony, Benedict used his weekly general audience on Wednesday to bid an emotional farewell to more than 150,000 people who packed St Peter's Square to cheer for him and wave signs of support.

With a slight smile, his often stern-looking face seemed content and relaxed as he acknowledged the loud applause from the crowd.

"Thank you, I am very moved," he said in Italian. His unusually personal remarks included an admission that "there were moments ... when the seas were rough and the wind blew against us and it seemed that the Lord was sleeping".

Once the chair of St Peter is vacant, cardinals who have assembled from around the world for Benedict's farewell will begin planning the closed-door conclave that will elect his successor.

One of the first questions facing these "princes of the Church" is when the 115 cardinal electors should enter the Sistine Chapel for the voting. They will hold a first meeting on Friday but a decision may not come until next week.

The Vatican seems to be aiming for an election by mid-March so the new pope can be installed in office before Palm Sunday on March 24 and lead the Holy Week services that culminate in Easter on the following Sunday.

In the meantime, the cardinals will hold daily consultations at the Vatican at which they discuss issues facing the Church, get to know each other better and size up potential candidates for the 2,000-year-old post of pope.

There are no official candidates, no open campaigning and no clear front runner for the job. Cardinals tipped as favorites by Vatican watchers include Brazil's Odilo Scherer, Canadian Marc Ouellet, Ghanaian Peter Turkson, Italy's Angelo Scola and Timothy Dolan of the United States.

Benedict, a bookish man who did not seek the papacy and did not enjoy the global glare it brought, proved to be an energetic teacher of Catholic doctrine but a poor manager of the Curia, the Vatican bureaucracy that became mired in scandal during his reign.

He leaves his successor a top secret report on rivalries and scandals within the Curia, prompted by leaks of internal files last year that documented the problems hidden behind the Vatican's thick walls and the Church's traditional secrecy.

After about two months at Castel Gandolfo, Benedict plans to move into a refurbished convent in the Vatican Gardens, where he will live out his life in prayer and study, "hidden to the world", as he put it.

Having both a retired and a serving pope at the same time proved such a novelty that the Vatican took nearly two weeks to decide his title and form of clerical dress.

He will be known as the "pope emeritus," wear a simple white cassock rather than his white papal clothes and retire his famous red "shoes of the fisherman," a symbol of the blood of the early Christian martyrs, for more pedestrian brown ones.

(Reporting By Tom Heneghan; editing by Philip Pullella and Giles Elgood)

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U.S. will give Syrian rebels medical, food aid, not arms

ROME (Reuters) - The United States will send non-lethal aid directly to Syrian rebels for the first time, Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday, disappointing opponents of President Bashar al-Assad who are demanding Western weapons.

More than 70,000 Syrians have been killed in a devastating conflict that began with peaceful anti-Assad protests nearly two years ago. Some 860,000 have fled abroad and several million are displaced within the country or need humanitarian assistance.

Kerry, speaking in Rome after a meeting of the mainly Western and Arab "Friends of Syria" group said his country would more than double its aid to the Syrian civilian opposition, giving it an extra $60 million to help provide security.

The United States would now "extend food and medical supplies to the opposition, including to the Syrian opposition's Supreme Military (Council)," Kerry said.

In their final statement, the Friends of Syria pledged more political and material support to the opposition Syrian National Coalition, a fractious group that has struggled to gain traction inside Syria, especially among disparate rebel forces.

Riad Seif, a coalition leader, said on the eve of the Rome talks that it would demand "qualitative military support", though another coalition official welcomed the shift in the U.S. stance.

"We move forward with a great deal of cautious optimism," said Yasser Tabbara. "We heard today a different kind of discourse," he said, adding the opposition need military and political support.

The modest U.S. policy shift may compound the frustration that had prompted the coalition to declare last week it would boycott the Rome talks. It changed its mind under U.S. pressure.

Many in the coalition say Western reluctance to arm rebels only plays into the hands of Islamist militants now widely seen as the most effective forces in the struggle to topple Assad.

However, a European diplomat held out the prospect of possible Western military support, saying the coalition and its Western and Arab backers would meet in Istanbul next week to discuss military and humanitarian support to the rebels.

Kerry's offer of medical aid and Meals Ready to Eat (MREs), the U.S. army's basic ration, fell far short of rebel demands for sophisticated anti-tank and anti-aircraft weapons to help tip the balance against Assad's mostly Russian-supplied forces.

It also stopped short of providing other forms of non-lethal assistance such as bullet-proof vests, armored personnel vehicles and military training to the insurgents.

The Rome talks were the latest evidence that the United States and its allies have no appetite for military intervention in Syria, after the withdrawal of U.S.-led troops from Iraq and the drawdown under way in Afghanistan.

The final communique called for an immediate halt to "unabated" arms supplies to Damascus by third countries, referring mostly to Assad's allies Russia and Iran.

It also said Syria must immediately stop indiscriminate bombardment of populated areas, which it described as crimes against humanity. NATO officials say Assad's military has fired ballistic missiles within Syria, which the government denies.

Human Rights Watch has reported that at least 171 civilians were killed in four Scud missile strikes last week.

The "Friends of Syria" pledged "more political and material support to the coalition as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people and to get more concrete assistance inside Syria", but gave no details on exactly what would be provided.

Kerry said earlier this week he would not leave the Syrian opposition "dangling in the wind" unsure of getting support.

But the White House continues to resist providing weaponry to the rebel forces, arguing there was no way to guarantee the arms might not fall into the hands of militants who might eventually use them against Western or Israeli targets.

U.S. officials have said that the U.S. Defense and State Departments, under former Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta and former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, privately recommended that the White House arm the rebels but were overruled.

"It's a huge debate inside the administration between those that have to deal with Syria on an everyday basis, the State Department and DoD particularly, and the White House, which ... until now has vetoed any kind of outreach to the armed groups," said Andrew Tabler, senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy, a think-tank in the U.S. capital.

The United States says it has already provided more than $50 million in non-lethal assistance such as communications gear and governance training to the civilian opposition.

A source in the Syrian coalition, however, said even the extra $60 million promised by Washington was a pittance compared to what he said was the $40 million a day in humanitarian aid needed for Syrian refugees and internally displaced persons.

The United States has provided some $365 million in humanitarian aid for Syrian refugees in countries such as Turkey, Jordan and Lebanon and for internally displaced people, channeling this money through non-governmental organizations.

More than 40,000 people a week are fleeing Syria and the total number of refugees will likely pass 1 million in less than a month, far sooner than the United Nations had forecast, a senior U.N. official told the Security Council on Wednesday.

U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees António Guterres said his agency had registered 936,000 Syrians across the Middle East and North Africa, nearly 30 times as many as in April last year.

"We expected to have 1.1 million Syrian refugees by June. If things continue to accelerate like this, it will take less than a month to reach that number," he told the 15-member council.

(Writing by Alistair Lyon; Editing by Jon Boyle)

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Minnesota takes down No. 1 Indiana 77-73

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Retaining that No. 1 national ranking has been elusive throughout this wild season in college basketball, and Indiana was the latest to lose at the top — again.

Most important and maybe more challenging for the Hoosiers, however, is holding on to first place in the tough-as-ever Big Ten.

Trevor Mbakwe had 21 points on 8-for-10 shooting and 12 rebounds to help Minnesota take down top-ranked Indiana 77-73 on Tuesday night, the seventh time the No. 1 team in the Associated Press poll has lost this season. Three of those losses were by the Hoosiers, who were No. 1 when they fell to Butler and Wisconsin earlier this season. All three opponents were unranked at the time.

Indiana (24-4, 12-3) has held the No. 1 ranking for 10 of the 17 polls by the AP this season, including the last four, and that will likely change next week. But fending off Michigan, Michigan State and Wisconsin is what's on the minds of the Hoosiers, who'll take a one-game lead in the conference race into Saturday's game against Iowa.

"Winning the Big Ten was going to be tough whether we won today or lost," said star guard Victor Oladipo, who had 16 points. "We knew it was going to be tough from the jump. Now it's even tougher. But I think my team is ready for it. We just have to go back and see what we did wrong and correct it."

Andre Hollins added 16 points for the Gophers (19-9, 7-8), who outrebounded Cody Zeller and the Hoosiers by a whopping 44-30 and solidified their slipping NCAA tournament hopes with an emphatic performance against the conference leader. The fired-up fans swarmed the court as the last seconds ticked off, the first time that's happened here since a 2002 win over Indiana.

"There were just too many times when that first shot went up and they were there before we were because we didn't get into their bodies," Hoosiers coach Tom Crean said. "We weren't physical enough on the glass. That's the bottom line."

Zeller, the second-leading shooter in the Big Ten, went 2 for 9. He had nine points with four turnovers. Minnesota had 40 points in the paint to Indiana's 22.

Mbakwe, a sixth-year senior, had a lot to do with that. While positing his conference-leading seventh double-double of the season, the 24-year-old Mbakwe was a man among boys in many ways in this game, dominating both ends of the court when the Gophers needed him most. He grabbed six of Minnesota's 23 offensive rebounds, two of them to keep a key possession alive. His off-balance put-back drew contact for a three-point play with 7:22 left that gave the Gophers a 55-52 lead.

Mbakwe was called for a loudly questioned blocking foul, his fourth, with 4:39 remaining on Zeller's fast-break layup and free throw that put the Hoosiers up 59-58. But Austin Hollins answered with a pump-fake layup that drew a foul for a three-point play and a two-point advantage for the Gophers.

The Hoosiers didn't lead again, and Joe Coleman's fast-break dunk with 2:35 left gave Minnesota a 68-61 cushion that helped it withstand a couple of 3-pointers by Christian Watford and one by Jordan Hulls in the closing minutes. That was the only basket Hulls made after halftime. He had 17 points.

"Just the way we bounced back is unbelievable. We showed that we can beat one of the best teams in the country. Now we have to build off this," said Mbakwe, whose team lost eight of its previous 11 games starting with an 88-81 loss at Indiana on Jan. 12. The Gophers were ranked eighth then. They didn't even receive a vote in the current poll. That could change next week.

The Hoosiers are still in position for their first outright Big Ten regular-season championship since 1993. With another home game against Ohio State on March 5, Indiana could still clinch the title before the finale at Michigan on March 10.

For now, though, the Hoosiers have to regroup and re-establish their inside game after the trampling in the post they endured here.

"They were relentless on the glass. We just didn't do a great job of boxing them out," Oladipo said.

Follow Dave Campbell on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/DaveCampbellAP

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‘Star Trek’ Beams Into Oscar Night

Star Trek” fans got quite a treat last night during the Academy Awards last night (Feb. 24).

Actors who portray major characters from the film and television versions of the iconic science fiction series made cameo appearances during the three-hour-long ceremony celebrating the best movies of 2012.

William Shatner, the actor that played Starship Enterprise captain James T. Kirk in original series helped open the awards show with host, Seth McFarlane.

“I’ve come back in time from the 23rd century to stop you from destroying the Academy Awards,” joked Shatner to McFarlane.

Actors Chris Pine and Zoe Saldana also had a part to play in the festivities. Pine, who plays Kirk in 2009′s “Star Trek” and its sequel “Star Trek Into Darkness “ being released later this year, and Saldana, who plays the Enterprise’s communications officer Uhura, recapped an earlier event they co-hosted on Feb. 10 called the “Sci-Tech Oscars.”

The smaller ceremony is designed to showcase the technical achievements of designers and technicians on movie sets.

The newest movie in the Star Trek franchise, “Star Trek Into Darkness,” is set to be released on May 17.

Follow Miriam Kramer on Twitter @mirikramer or SPACE.com @Spacedotcom. We’re also on Facebook & Google+

Copyright 2013 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Yahoo CEO right to cut remote work?

  • Raymond Fisman: Marissa Mayer needs to revive Yahoo, and face time at the office is key

  • Fisman: Granted, this goes against Utopian vision of everyone working from cafes

  • Fisman: In-person work means innovations, avoids misunderstood directives

  • He says more jobs will get done and it'll encourage those who work in a half-empty office

Editor's note: Raymond Fisman is the Lambert Family professor of social enterprise at the Columbia Business School. He is the co-author, with Tim Sullivan, of "The Org: The Underlying Logic of the Office."

(CNN) -- When Yahoo's relatively new CEO Marissa Mayer decreed that workers would be required to show up at the office rather than work remotely, the immediate backlash from outsiders was mostly on the side of the angry Yahoo employees who were losing the comfort and convenience of telecommuting. Inside the company, reactions were mixed.

It struck a deep chord, contrary as it was to the techno-utopian impulse that has helped define Silicon Valley: the idea that someday soon we'll all be working in coffee shops or at kitchen tables, with broadband connections replacing in-person interactions.

Mayer may have been extreme in her demands for face time at the office, but it's the right call for a leader who is working to turn around one of the Internet's laggards.

Raymond Fisman

Raymond Fisman

First, let's consider what's at stake for the company and what Mayer is hoping to accomplish. Yahoo is famous for having bungled its position as a one-time Internet leader. Mayer was brought on specifically to revitalize the benighted company after the departure of Jerry Yang; the firing of Carol Bartz, and the departures of another CEO who inflated his resume and an interim director. All the while, Yahoo has been a company in search of a direction.

What does the end of telecommuting have to do with giving the company a sound footing? The reasons go well beyond the obvious issue of reining in slackers who have taken advantage of Yahoo's reportedly lax monitoring of work done from home.

Talk Back: Is Yahoo wrong to end telecommuting?

Jackie Reses, Yahoo's head of human relations, has it exactly right in the memo she wrote to employees about the policy: Personal interaction is still the most effective way of conveying a company's direction, and keeping tabs on what different parts of the organization are up to. And that's what Mayer has to do with all of Yahoo's 11,500 employees to succeed.

What do in-person meetings accomplish that e-mail can't? Part of the answer lies in time use surveys of CEOs that go back nearly 40 years.

Management scholar Henry Mintzberg was among the first to track how top managers spend their time in the early 1970s. Much to his surprise, he found that around 80% of their time was spent in face-to-face meetings; the subjects of his study had few stretches of more than 10 minutes at a time to themselves.

More recent time use studies by researchers at Harvard, the London School of Economics and Columbia have found that little has changed. Despite the IT revolution, business leaders still spend 80% of their time in face-to-face meetings.

The reason is that there's only so much that one can glean from a written report or a spreadsheet. To cut through the hidden agendas, and office politics, most of the time you need to look someone in the eye and ask them, "Really? How exactly would that work?" It is this probing and questioning that allows effective managers to gather the scraps of information needed to understand what's really going on.

Similarly, all the way down the organizational chart, person-to-person interactions are crucial to ensure that an organization's change of direction isn't misrepresented or garbled in its retelling.

The bland proclamations made in reports and e-mails are given clearer meaning through the way they're communicated in the "high fidelity" that only personal interaction will allow. In-person meetings can also help teams avoid misunderstandings: As one of our friends who runs a virtual workplace puts it, with e-mail exchanges alone, everyone starts to get a bit paranoid.

Finally, the Yahoo memo notes that it's hard to innovate via e-mail exchanges or the occasional agenda-filled meeting. New ideas spring up through chance encounters in the cafeteria line and impromptu office meetings. It's an assertion that's backed up by academic research highlighting the importance of physical proximity in driving scientific progress.

Work at home? Share productivity tips

Yet there are rarely benefits without cost. Lots of tasks are easily managed from a distance. A large number of the affected Yahoo employees are customer-service representatives who aren't going to be driving innovation at the company anyway.

In one study of telecommuting at a Chinese online travel agency, customer-service reps were both happier and more productive when working from home -- probably Yahoo service reps aren't any different from their Chinese counterparts in this regard. And every Yahoo employee surely has some aspects of their jobs that could be done just as well at the kitchen table as in an office cubicle.

But it's hard to create a norm of "physically together" if the office is always half-empty. And once it becomes that way, the half that have been showing up will be less and less inclined to bother. Finally, such a shocking and provocative directive will most certainly have the effect of imbuing the organization with the sense of urgency it needs to get the job done.

Will Yahoo employees come around to appreciating the change? Not necessarily the ones that liked to sleep in or work on a startup on Yahoo's dime, but it may be welcomed by the ones already showing up. Will it be damaging to morale? Possibly, though it may help Yahoo employees to remember that, if they're successful, the change is likely to be temporary.

But the job of the CEO isn't to maximize worker happiness. It's to make sure they get their jobs done. And in driving change at Yahoo, Mayer thinks they need to show up at the office.

Follow @CNNOpinion on Twitter.

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The opinions in this commentary are solely those of Raymond Fisman.

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Kelly rolls in Democratic primary, takes aim at NRA

Former state Rep. Robin Kelly easily won the special Democratic primary Tuesday night in the race to replace the disgraced Jesse Jackson Jr. in Congress, helped by millions of dollars in pro-gun control ads from New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg's political fund.

A snowstorm and lack of voter interest kept turnout low as Kelly had 52 percent to 25 percent for former U.S. Rep. Debbie Halvorson and 11 percent for Chicago 9th Ward Ald. Anthony Beale with 99 percent of precincts counted.

Kelly will formally take on the winner of the Republican primary in an April 9 special general election in the heavily Democratic district. In the GOP contest, less than 25 votes separated convicted felon Paul McKinley and businessman Eric Wallace.

Kelly framed her win as a victory for gun control forces.

"You sent a message that was heard around our state and across the nation," Kelly told supporters in a Matteson hotel ballroom. "A message that tells the NRA that their days of holding our country hostage are coming to an end.

"To every leader in the fight for gun control ready to work with President (Barack) Obama and Mayor (Rahm) Emanuel to stop this senseless violence, thank you for your leadership and thank you for your courage," she said.

Halvorson told supporters to rally around Kelly as the Democratic nominee. But Halvorson also made it clear she believed her biggest opponent was the mayor of New York, whose anti-gun super political action committee spent more than $2.2 million attacking her previous support from the National Rifle Association while backing Kelly.

"We all know how rough it was for me to have to run an election against someone who spent ($2.2) million against me," Halvorson said at Homewood restaurant. "Every 71/2 minutes there was a commercial."

Bloomberg's Independence USA PAC was the largest campaign interest in the race and dominated the Chicago broadcast TV airwaves compared to a marginal buy by one minor candidate.

Beale also called Bloomberg's influence "the biggest disservice in this race."

"If this is the future of the Democratic Party, then we are all in big trouble," Beale said.

Bloomberg, an Emanuel ally in the fight for tougher gun restrictions, called Kelly's win "an important victory for common sense leadership on gun violence" as well as sign that voters "are demanding change" in a Congress that has refused to enact tougher gun restrictions, fearing the influence of the NRA.

But as much as Bloomberg sought to portray the Kelly win as a victory over the influential NRA, the national organization stayed out of the contest completely while the state rifle association sent out one late mailer for Halvorson.

Be it the TV ads or a late consolidation toward Kelly in the campaign, the former Matteson lawmaker made an impressive showing with Democratic voters in suburban Cook County, where the bulk of the district's vote was located, as well as on the South Side.

Despite the size of the field, Kelly got more than half of the votes cast in the two most populated areas of the district. Halvorson won by large percentages over Kelly in Kankakee County and the district's portion of Will County, but those two areas have very few votes.

The special primary election, by its nature, already had been expected to be a low-turnout affair — an expedited contest with little time for contenders to raise money or mount a traditional campaign.

Adding to the lack of interest was the fact that there were no other contests on the ballot in Chicago and most of the suburban Cook County portion of the district. Few contests were being held in Kankakee County and the portion of Will County within the 2nd District.

Turnout was reported to be around 15 percent in the city and suburban Cook. More than 98 percent of the primary votes cast in Chicago were Democratic, as were 97 percent of those cast in suburban Cook.

On the Republican side, the unofficial vote leader was McKinley, 54, who was arrested 11 times from 2003 to 2007, mostly for protesting, with almost all of the charges dropped. In the 1970s and '80s, McKinley was convicted of six felony counts, serving nearly 20 years in prison for burglaries, armed robberies and aggravated battery. He previously declined to discuss the circumstances of those crimes but has dubbed himself the "ex-offender preventing the next offender" in his campaign.

Records show McKinley also owes $14,147 in federal taxes, which might explain his answer at a forum when asked if he would cut any federal programs. "Certainly," he said. "The IRS."

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Iran upbeat on nuclear talks, West wary

ALMATY (Reuters) - Iran gave an upbeat assessment of two days of nuclear talks with world powers that ended on Wednesday, but Western officials said Tehran must start taking concrete steps to ease mounting concerns about its atomic activity.

The first negotiations between Iran and six world powers in eight months ended without a breakthrough in Almaty, but they agreed to meet again at expert level in Istanbul next month and resume political discussions in the Kazakh city on April 5.

Israel, assumed to be the Middle East's only nuclear-armed power, is watching the talks closely. It has strongly hinted it might attack Iran if diplomacy and sanctions fail to stop it from acquiring nuclear weapons. Iran denies any such aim.

Iran's foreign minister said he was optimistic an agreement could be reached with the powers - the United States, France, Russia, Britain, Germany and China - on the country's disputed nuclear program.

"Very confident," Ali Akbar Salehi told Reuters when asked on the sidelines of a U.N. conference in Vienna how confident he was of a positive outcome.

The six powers offered at the February 26-27 Almaty meeting to lift some sanctions if Iran scaled back nuclear activity that the West fears could be used to build a bomb.

Tehran, which says its program is entirely peaceful, did not agree to do so and the sides did not appear any closer to a deal to resolve a decade-old dispute that could lead to another war in the Middle East if diplomacy fails.

But Iran still said the talks were a positive step in which the six powers tried to "get closer to our viewpoint".

Western officials had made clear they did not expect major progress in Almaty, aware that the closeness of Iran's presidential election in June is raising political tensions in Tehran and makes significant concessions unlikely.

"I hope the Iranian side is looking positively on the proposal we put forward," said European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton, who led the talks on behalf of the powers. "We have to see what happens next."

The United States did not expect a breakthrough and "the result was clearly in line with those expectations," a senior U.S. official said.

The meeting was "useful" as the two sides agreed dates and venues for follow-up talks but there was a need for progress on confidence building measures, the official added.

The West's immediate priority is that Iran halts higher-grade uranium enrichment and closes an underground facility, Fordow, where this work is carried out. The material is a relatively short technical step from bomb-grade uranium.

"What we care about at the end is concrete results," the U.S. official said.

One diplomat in Almaty said the Iranians appeared to be suggesting at the negotiations that they were opening new avenues, but that it was not clear if this was really the case.

Both sides said experts would meet for talks in the Turkish city of Istanbul on March 18 and that political negotiators would return to Almaty on April 5-6.

Russian negotiator Sergei Ryabkov confirmed that the powers had offered to ease sanctions on Iran if it stops enriching uranium to 20 percent fissile purity - a short technical step from weapons grade - at the Fordow underground site where it carries out its most controversial uranium enrichment work.

Western officials said the offer of sanctions relief included a resumption of trade in gold and precious metals.

One diplomat said that lifting an embargo on imports of Iranian petrochemical products to Europe, if Iran responded, was also on the table. But a U.S. official said the world powers had not offered to suspend oil or financial sanctions.

The sanctions are hurting Iran's economy and its chief nuclear negotiator, Saeed Jalili, suggested Iran could discuss its production of higher-grade nuclear fuel, although he appeared to rule out shutting Fordow.

In comments in Persian translated into English, Jalili told a news conference Fordow was under the supervision of the U.N. nuclear watchdog and there was no justification for closing it.

Asked about the production of 20-percent enriched fuel, he reiterated Iran's position that it needed this for a research reactor and had a right to produce it.

Iran says its enrichment program is aimed solely at fuelling nuclear power plants so that it can export more oil, and that Israel's assumed nuclear arsenal is the main threat to peace in the region.

But Jalili did indicate that Iran might be prepared to talk about the issue, saying: "This can be discussed in the negotiations ... in view of confidence building."

Iran has also previously suggested that 20-percent enrichment was up for negotiation if it received the fuel from abroad instead. It also wants sanctions lifted.

"While an agreement to meet again may not impress skeptics of diplomacy, an important development did occur," said Trita Parsi, an expert on Iran. "The parties began searching for a solution by offering positive measures in order to secure concessions from the other side.

Another expert, Dina Esfandiary of the International Institute for Strategic Studies, said: "I note that the mood is more optimistic and that's great, but a deal still hasn't been reached and in my view its unlikely to be reached before the Iranian elections have come and gone."

(Additional reporting Fredrik Dahl in Almaaty, Georgina Prodhan in Vienna, Zahra Hosseinian in Zurich, Gabriela Baczynska in Moscow, Dan Williams in Jerusalem and Marcus George in Dubai; Writing by Timothy Heritage and Fredrik Dahl; Editing by Jon Hemming)

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Stock futures tick up after sell-off, Italy woes remain

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Stock index futures edged higher on Tuesday, indicating equities would partially rebound from the previous session's steep drop, though concerns persisted over the state of Italy's economy and government makeup.

In Italy's election, groups opposed to economic reforms posted a strong showing, resulting in a political deadlock with a comedian's protest party leading the poll and no group securing a clear majority in parliament.

Major indexes plunged more than 1 percent on Monday, with the S&P 500 having its biggest daily drop since November as investors fretted that if Italy does not undertake reforms, that could once again destabilize the euro zone. The CBOE Volatility Index <.vix> surged 34 percent in its biggest jump since August 18, 2011.

The rise in futures indicates that a recent trend of investors buying on dips will continue. Last week, concerns over whether the Federal Reserve might roll back its stimulus policy earlier than expected prompted a sharp two-day decline, though equities recovered most of ther lost ground by the end of the week. Weakness continued in Europe on Tuesday, with shares <.fteu3> down 1.2 percent.

Financial shares may be among the most volatile on Tuesday, as the group is closely tied to the pace of global economic growth. Morgan Stanley was one of the top percentage losers on the S&P on Monday, dropping more than 6 percent on concerns about the company's exposure to European debt.

Dow component Home Depot Inc will also be in focus after the home improvement retailer reported adjusted earnings and sales that beat expectations. Home Depot was up 1.3 percent to $64.75 in premarket trading.

S&P 500 futures rose 2.6 points and were above fair value, a formula that evaluates pricing by taking into account interest rates, dividends and time to expiration on the contract. Dow Jones industrial average futures added 49 points and Nasdaq 100 futures rose 3.25 points.

In the S&P, the 1,500 will be watched as a key level after the index closed below it on Monday for the first time since February 4, with selling accelerating after falling below the level that had acted as support. An inability to break back above it could portend a weaker technical backdrop. The index remains 4.3 percent higher on the year.

Gains this year have largely been driven by strong corporate earnings. With 83 percent of the S&P 500 having reported so far, 69 percent beat profit expectations, compared with a 62 percent average since 1994 and 65 percent over the past four quarters, according to Thomson Reuters data. Fourth-quarter S&P earnings are seen having risen 6 percent, above a 1.9 percent forecast at the start of the earnings season.

Companies scheduled to report results on Tuesday include Macy's Inc , Priceline.com and Tenet Healthcare . MetroPCS reported revenue that was slightly ahead of expectations earlier Tuesday.

Cyclical shares, including financials and materials, have been among the strongest performers in 2013, lifted by signs of improved economic growth. That could leave the sectors vulnerable to a pullback as events in Italy progress. Goldman Sachs on Tuesday cut its 2013 gold price forecast to $1,600 an ounce from $1,810, citing an increase in U.S. real interest rates.

While the political uncertainty from Italy may be the primary driver for markets, domestic government concerns will also be in focus. U.S. equities will face a test with the looming debate over so-called sequestration - U.S. government budget cuts that will take effect starting on Friday if lawmakers fail to reach an agreement over spending and taxes. The White House issued warnings about the harm the cuts are likely to inflict on the economy if enacted.

(Editing by Chizu Nomiyama)

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‘Star Trek’ Beams Into Oscar Night

Star Trek” fans got quite a treat last night during the Academy Awards last night (Feb. 24).

Actors who portray major characters from the film and television versions of the iconic science fiction series made cameo appearances during the three-hour-long ceremony celebrating the best movies of 2012.

William Shatner, the actor that played Starship Enterprise captain James T. Kirk in original series helped open the awards show with host, Seth McFarlane.

“I’ve come back in time from the 23rd century to stop you from destroying the Academy Awards,” joked Shatner to McFarlane.

Actors Chris Pine and Zoe Saldana also had a part to play in the festivities. Pine, who plays Kirk in 2009′s “Star Trek” and its sequel “Star Trek Into Darkness “ being released later this year, and Saldana, who plays the Enterprise’s communications officer Uhura, recapped an earlier event they co-hosted on Feb. 10 called the “Sci-Tech Oscars.”

The smaller ceremony is designed to showcase the technical achievements of designers and technicians on movie sets.

The newest movie in the Star Trek franchise, “Star Trek Into Darkness,” is set to be released on May 17.

Follow Miriam Kramer on Twitter @mirikramer or SPACE.com @Spacedotcom. We’re also on Facebook & Google+

Copyright 2013 SPACE.com, a TechMediaNetwork company. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Friday, January 18, 2013

If you live anywhere near me in the south, you're probably doing the exact same thing I am this morning and watching the last of the Thunder-snow "blizzard" melt away from the night. (Thunder-snow is such an awesome word.) If you're not from the South then you're probably laughing at us all down here this morning in your own little world - because we never get snow. And when they called for 3 inches yesterday afternoon Wal-Mart was fresh out of milk and bread by noon. (Not saying I went there for it though - I went for mangos and green tea...)

Truthfully, I admit, I didn't think the snow was going to be that big of a deal after all was said and done. But after only about 40 minutes of it coming down the entire city seemed to be covered. Which was surreal. I was out with my dad buying some things around Bearden when the best idea popped into his head - why aren't we already out sledding in this? It was a little less than an hour till dusk fell, and businesses were closing left and right, but we got into gear mode and set out to find two sleds in the mess of traffic, snow, and thunder.

We gave a call to Mayo's Garden close to downtown to confirm they had sleds for sale and that they were still open, till we realized we were closer to a Mayo's out west. It would make sense for the two stores to have the same hours and availability, but apparently that's not the case. We pulled into Mayo's with not one light on in the house. Devastation set in. We had such a grand master plan that was falling through with one misunderstanding. What made it worse was the fact there were probably 30 or 40 snow sleds sitting outside, not even locked up by a chain or gate. It came close to us deciding to simply take the sleds and leave money taped to the door, but first thought we should call the Mayo's downtown (since I only had their number) to ask if anyone could possibly be left inside.

There was. One lone guy, finishing up counting the registers to lock up. Once the girl explained our situation he unlocked the doors and let us in to buy our toys. Complete with our sleds, my dad gave us nicknames to match. Him, Blue Lightening, and mine, The Green Flash.

We rushed home in the fastest way possible - which was still a 5 minute drive turned into 20 because of traffic - and put our snow clothes on and set off for the biggest hill in West Knoxville. There weren't many people joining in on the fun with us, maybe three or four other families or friends, but for us it was a blast. We reeled in the moments of slipping and sliding down so fast we thought we might crash into the gate below. We were kids again, enjoying the first and maybe last snow fall of the season - complete with a snowball war as the cherry on top.

image: the tree in our front yard covered with snow - with our cute neightbor building a snowman in the corner; blue lightening aka my dad; green flash aka myself.

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Sunday, January 25, 2009

Tehillim Request

Please take a moment to say Tehillim and daven for:

Shoshana Yehudis bas Bracha

This is my good friend's baby daughter who is in the hospital with RSV in the PICU.

May little Shany have a speedy Refuah Shelaima. We're thinking of you and your family.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Sleep Training......again?

I'm sitting here in my computer room, trying not to make a sound. I've turned off the volume on my computer, in case someone Skypes me. I've turned off the ringer on my cell phone. And I am praying no one calls on either of the house phones (American or Israeli #'s).
And I am listening to Sammy cry. And cry and cry and cry. Bedtime has been really rough lately. It could be because of so many reasons - I don't know which one to blame?
There is the general one - his life has been turned upside down and he is still adjusting. But I feel like he should be past that. He seems happy with his daycare, he is picking up some Hebrew here and there. And he has slept normally at times. So it's not like this Bedtime H*ll has been a constant for 4 months. It's been up and down.
There is the Ear Infection excuse. But it doesn't seem to bother him at all. We only knew he had an ear infection because he has tubes so the nasty infection leaks out. He's been on oral antibiotics and ear drops since Sunday and was on some different ear drops starting the Thursday before too.
There is the fact that I am Mommy - and he just doesn't go to sleep nicely for me. I don't know why but he always seems to go to bed earlier and nicer when Shu puts them to bed. Personally, I dread bedtime. I can't handle listening to him cry and scream. And now that he has finally decided to acknowledge us as Mommy and Daddy - his pathetic cries out for Mommmmmy and Daddddddy break my heart.
He seemed like he would go to sleep nicely. We did the whole bedtime routine, just like every night. Teeth brushing, book reading, milk drinking, and Shma, Hamalach, and Esa Enai. He lay down at first for about 1 minute. Then sat up and started crying. And that is where we are at...
The pathetic sad sounding cries have now turned into squawks "MoMMy! MoMMy!"
I'm trying to do the whole cry it out thing but come ON! I've already gone through this with him. When he was just a few months old and that's how we taught him to sleep. And he did a good job with him. We were so relieved to have a decent sleeper........after all, we had learned our lesson with Jonah. :)
And now I have to sleep train Sammy again???? Just when I am expecting another baby?? I can't imagine how Sammy will ever sleep once we have a newborn home. That's really going to throw him off.

Anyway - just thought I would post that complaint/concern out there.

Anyone with any advice? It is VERY VERY welcome!!!!
For those who don't know - Sammy and Baby will be about 21 months apart.

THANKS and wish me luck!

Tuesday, January 06, 2009

To Buy or Not To Buy

I'm trying to decide if I should get these shirts or not.
It's really hard to buy clothes online but these are such a great deal!!

FunkyFrum - Classic Longsleeve Tee

I plan on wearing them as "layered" shirts (and obviously post-pregnancy). Hmmmmm.........

Also, I figured I would pass along the link to my friends! Maybe they want to buy some too. :)

Moving Sale

Our dear friends and neighbors in Detroit are moving and need to sell a lot of their stuff. They posted this on MI Shuls, etc but I figured I would post it on my blog too to try and help them out.
Please pass this along to anyone else who may be able to benefit.
They take good care of their things and the prices look really reasonable.
Here is their post:

Well, we're moving, and we need to sell a lot of stuff - quickly! Furniture, appliances, and other random items - in great quality and in good shape. Click here for pictures and prices ( ) . Please e-mail us if you're interested in anything (, or call us at home. More stuff will be posted soon, so stay tuned! If you can think of anyone who might like any of our items, please forward this e-mail on to them. Thanks!

Yishai and Bellischa Mendelsohn

(Send me an e-mail if you would like their phone number).

Sunday, January 04, 2009

Prayer for the Welfare of Soldiers in the Israel Defense Forces

May He who blessed our fathers Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, bless the soldiers
of the Israel Defense Forces who keep guard over our country and cities of
our Lord from the border with Lebanon to the Egyptian desert and from the
Mediterranean Sea to the approach to the Arava, be they on land, air or sea.

May the Almighty deliver us our enemies who arise against us, may the Holy
One, blessed be He, preserve them and save them from all sorrow and peril,
from danger and ill.

May He send blessing and success in all their endeavors, may He deliver to
them those who hate us and crown them with salvation and victory, so that
the saying may be fulfilled through them, "For the Lord, your God, who walks
with you and to fight your enemies for you and to save you", and let us say,

Friday, January 02, 2009

I Believe

The rocket range has now been extended to 60km. No rockets have hit that far yet but Israeli intelligence believe they are able to. That adds in a whole bunch more cities - a whole lot more family and friends are now possibly in range. The war is coming closer.

But we sort of joke with our friends about it. And say that now we are the ones on the "safe" side of the Green Line. So many people did and still do ask us "Isn't it dangerous where you live? You live over the Green Line!! You have Arab towns all around you. Aren't you nervous?" Some people don't want to come visit us because of how "far in" it looks on the map. When really, we are only about 10-15 minutes from the Green Line.

Personally, I feel we are in one of the safest parts of the country right now. We're Bli Iyin Hora, out of rocket range. Even if we were in rocket range, we are surrounded by Arabs and since they don't aim those rockets well, I imagine they may not want to risk taking out their own people. Although Hamas doesn't seem to be too bothered by using children as human shields, not sure if they would really be bothered by killing a few of their own.

We live in a city that has a security fence around it and has a security gate to get in. There are soldiers 24 hours a day watching who drives into our city. History has shown, Bli Iyin Hora again, that we haven't had many security problems or problems with our Arab neighbors.
And since we don't have a car, we won't be driving down the 60 or going anywhere where we feel at risk. We even did the responsible thing last week and did NOT drive down the 60 or go to the Old City of Jerusalem the day after the bombing in Gaza started. We're watching out. We're being as careful as one can be here.

People have always asked when told about my time spent in Israel or told about my plans to move there - aren't you scared? Isn't it dangerous? Again, when we moved to the Shomron, we were asked, aren't you crazy? Why would you move there? Is it safe?

Bottom line - and I believe this about everything in my life. It has been proven again and again. G-d is in charge. G-d ultimately decides what will happen. Granted, I wouldn't go dancing in the streets of Ramallah. But we moved here because we believed it was the right choice. We felt that it was the best place for our family , for our children. And we know that we are doing the right thing. As hard as it is at times. As much as we miss our dear friends and family that we left behind. We are confident in our decision and have moved a step up in our lives. We made Aliyah.

I have faith that Hashem will keep us safe. I pray that He keeps us safe. That He keeps our friends and family safe. I know that He is the mastermind of it all. He has a Plan. Yes, I sometimes question that plan. And I have a list that of things I will ask about after 120 years. :)
But ultimately He is in charge. He is in charge of where the rockets land and of where car accidents happen. My brother in law mentioned that there are probably more car accidents with injuries on Highway 2 than there will be people injured by rocks thrown on the 60. We didn't stop driving (when we had our Chanukah Car). Just like people are way more likely to be killed in a car crash anywhere than in an airplane crash. Yet so many people are way more afraid to fly than they are to drive.

G-d's in charge. We have to remember that and we have to believe in Him. Sometimes it's as simple as that.

May we have a quiet, peaceful Shabbat and Hashem should continue to watch over us all.

Thursday, January 01, 2009

War Dreams

Well, I had my first War Dream in Israel.
As far as war dreams go, this was tame. There must be a part of my subconscious that is scared. Scared for the people who are already affected by this war. Scared because, as I wrote in my last post, these rockets are hitting places which I always considered safe. Especially for the year that I lived there!! Beer Sheva and Ashdod. We were always "safe" in those cities. During the 2001 Intifada.
I talked to my Mom for a loooong time last night. And reassured her that we are safe. Ariel is far away from rockets. And there are probably too many Arabs around us for them to want to launch rockets at us anyway. :) We're the ones who feel like we are on the "safe" side of the Green Line now. People that are leaving Sderot are coming to Ariel.
I've been doing some reading of people's blogs and watching videos of what happens when a "Code Red" siren is sounded. I read on the Homefront Security webpage about how close people have to be to a shelter in case a siren sounds.

Residents of towns adjacent to the frontier, including the city of Sderot, are instructed to remain continually indoors, within immediate reach of protected spaces.
Residents of towns located within the 10 km. radius are instructed to remain in places that allow access to protected spaces within 15 seconds.
Residents of towns located within 10 to 20 km. radius, including Ashkelon, Netivot and the surrounding areas, are instructed to take cover in protected spaces within 30 seconds of hearing an alert siren or a blast.
Residents of towns located within 20 to 30 km. radius, including Ashdod, Kiryat-Gat, Kiryat-Malachi, Ofakim, Rahat and the surrounding areas, are instructed to take cover in protected spaces within 45 seconds.
Residents of towns located within 30 to 40 km. radius, including Beer-Sheba, Yavneh and Gadera, are instructed to take cover in protected spaces within 60 seconds of hearing an alert siren or a blast.

Schools and kindergartens are closed in these towns, except those operated inside bomb shelters. Public gatherings are generally prohibited. Only shopping centers located in hardened structures are opened. People should refrain from loitering outdoors and try to stay indoors and within reach of protected spaces, as much as possible.

Once again, for my family and friends outside of Israel that may not be aware. These are all instructions to people in the South. People in cities that are currently being hit by rockets or within rocket range. The threat is very very real. People have to continue day to day living but what a weight they have on their shoulders.
I reassured my Mom that we do have a sealed room in our apartment and the nearest public bomb shelter is literally across and down the street from us. I would say within a 15 second range. But please G-d, we should never ever ever see the inside of it. Maybe that's what sparked the dream. The thought of hearing a siren and having to get the kids down the stairs and run down the street to the bomb shelter with them. Getting inside and waiting until the rocket hits. It totally freaks me out. And people ARE living like this right now. The people of Sderot have been living like this for 8 years!!!!!! There are kids whose entire lives have been spent running from rockets.
Where was the outcry then? Where was the world sympathy then?? Are people only sympathetic to the residents of Gaza?? Many of which are Hamas terrorists???
Ok, I'm not going to go down that road right now.
Not sure the point of this post. Maybe just to get my thoughts out. I was surprised I had a war dream. Didn't realize that I actually was scared. For the safety of my family, my unborn child, myself. And feeling so helpless for the people down south that are living what I fear.
We have offered to a couple of the people that we know down there to feel free to come to us. Spend a Shabbat with us. If they just want to get away, we are happy to have them. But for the most part, they are staying put. They believe that is where they belong. That is where there homes are. They aren't going to run. They aren't going to let the terrorists win. I'm proud of them. I'm impressed by them. And I pray for them.

Pray for them. Pray for the soldiers - who are kids. 18 year old kids doing their jobs. Protecting their country - our country. Putting their lives on the line. Everyday.

May we merit Moshiach coming soon, and peace for everyone!! May we have a quiet and peaceful 2009. Only simchas and brachot for us all!!


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Part of Devon Buy with Confidence

No quibble returns

Made in the European UnionGEZE TS4000E hold open door closer

Geze TS4000E hold open  door closer

Click to return to product summarypage 2 of 2

  • Continuously adjustable hold-open of the door between 80° - 180°
  • Operating voltage 24 V DC
  • Low power consumption, approx. 1 W
  • Closer in only one construction size
  • Adjustable closing force, size 1-6 to EN 1155
  • Optical size indicator
  • Adjustable thermo constant closing speed
  • All functions adjustable at the front of the body
  • Adjustable latching action via link arm
  • Same template for holes as all GEZE TS4000 closers
  • DDA compliant
  • Suitable for fire doors

    Door closers have passed fire testing and are suitable for use on fire doorsApproved for use on doors that need to comply with The Equalities Act (old DDA)Heavy duty door closers

For single action doors with leaf widths up to 1400mm. Can be used for right and left hand doors without adjustment. If the door closer is to be fitted to fire and smoke protection doors, a mounting plate is usually required. For correct operation the door closer need to be hard wired into the bulding fire alarm system via a power supply unit (PSU).

The GEZE TS4000E is a hold-open door closer that can be used on fire doors to hold the door open until activation of the fire alarm whereupon the door closes, maintaining the building fire protection. The GEZE TS 4000E is ideal for corridor fire doors and high people-traffic areas where a door is a barrier to free movement.

Standard Package:
GEZE TS4000E for normal installation 24 V DC complete with screws, electrical terminal box, mounting template and link arm. Power Supply Unit (PSU) supplied separately (see accessories list).

Electrical Installation:
Closer : The GEZE TS4000E must be connected to a 24 V DC direct voltage supply to allow the door to be held open. Electrical Installation must be carried out by a qualified electrician.

PSU : Each power supply can operate up to 6 door closers. Each cable run must not exceed 8m (25 feet). Electrical installation must be carried out by a qualified electrician.

Voltage applied to closer = door held open
No voltage applied or turned off = door not held open, door closes automatically
The door can be closed manually at any time regardless of whether or not voltage is being applied

Electrical Data:
Operating voltage 24 V DC ±10%
Connection load 45 mA
Residual ripple max. 20%
Enclosure rating IP 54 (for interior use only)

Quantity Discounts:
These discounts apply to all TS4000E closers and accessories

Example: TS4000E, silver
£136.24 (£163.48 including vat)
£130.79 (£156.95 including vat)
£125.34 (£150.41 including vat)

Door closers:
Complete with arm & bracket
Model Finish (view finishes)
Price (ex-vat)
TS4000E Silver
TS4000E, colour
21 days
TS4000E, with Cover
21 days
TS4000E, transom Silver
Model Finish (view finishes)
Price (ex-vat)
TS4000E, body only Silver
TS4000E, body only colour
21 days
TS4000E, transom body Silver
3 days
Standard arm to hold open Silver
Standard arm to hold open, colour
21 days
Cover Silver
3 days
Cover, colour
21 days
Power supply unit White
3 days
Mounting plate Silver
Fixing pack
TS 4000E brochure
TS4000 range installation information

Optional extras:
Click here for accessories for door closers
Click here for hinges
Click here for pull handles
Click to return to door closer home
Can't find what you're looking for?
As long as it fits on a door we can help, just contact us
or telephone us on 01626 335500, or visit us in Teignmouth


text:
February 21 '17 - 9:29 am

UPDATED: Join Together 7.7.1

Join Together has been updated to version 7.7.1. I am extremely gratified that this venerable software of mine—which began its life at the turn of the century as a basic AppleScript workflow between iTunes and QuickTime—has remained popular.

Join Together will create a single AAC or Apple Lossles file from the audio of tracks dragged from iTunes or files dragged from the Finder.

While many people use this for audiobooks, I’ve lately taken to creating Sides of music albums. For example, “Exile on Main Street” is one of my favorite albums. I’m old enough to have purchased the original vinyl version and so I’m quite innately used to experiencing it as four separate record sides. I used Join Together to re-create four audio files comprised of the album’s four album sides. I even found the artwork for the original album’s sleeves, which has the track and personnel listings:

Great album artwork concept, right?

Anyway. This is a free update to registered Join Together users and $5 to purchase. More info and download is on this page.

Site contents © 2001 - 2017 (that's right: 2001) Doug Adams and weblished by Doug Adams. Contact support AT dougscripts DOT com. About.
All rights reserved. Legal.
AppleScript, iTunes, iPod, iPad, and iPhone are registered trademarks of Apple Inc. This site has no direct affiliation with Apple, Inc.
One who says "it cannot be done" should not interrupt one doing it.


text:
Boy Oh Boycott

Boycotts can have unintended consequences, and Maine’s history with them has been checkered. When we at Down East received a few impassioned messages warning us that we too were included in a “total boycott of all businesses linked to Maine in any way,” it prompted some reflection.

Sunaana — March 4, Portland

Sunaana is a winter festival created to embrace the time of year when the days are short and the nights are long. The experience is a unique and groundbreaking mix of emerging musicians from Maine, Iceland, and beyond, contemporary performance, and the craft beer industry’s “best of the best” beers. Click for details and tickets.

Where in Maine March 2017

Where in Maine?

You wouldn’t know it now, but this weathered wharf is the second-biggest attraction in a long and narrow island town. Can you name the village where this wharf awaits the return of lobster-mad tourists?

Oyster on ice

Aw, Shucks!

Chocolate truffles and heart-shaped candies are for amateurs — true romantics know that oysters make the best Valentine’s Day treat.


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dr_von_fangirl: (Default)
[personal profile] dr_von_fangirl
Cheesecake (noun): Also called Leg Art. Photographs featuring scantily clad attractive women.

T&A (abbreviation): Tits and Ass.

I know some people are having a hard time wrapping their heads around why we in the comics blogosphere are blowing our stacks over Catwoman #1, especially people in the comments of places like Comics Alliance and Newsarama. I mean, after all, comics are a medium in which women are portrayed as hyper-sexualized all the time, and thus, we should expect it to come with the territory.

Never mind that nobody can actually give me a good reason for why that is the way it is, other than “That’s how it’s always been.” which, frankly, isn’t a reason to do anything.

“I keep stubbing my toe on that coffee table!”

“Well, why don’t you move it?”

“But it‘s always been there!”

Highly illogical.

One of the biggest defenses rising from that mentality is that Catwoman qualifies as a Cheesecake Art Book and not an Objectfying Claptrap Book.

I am here to shut those people up. So sit your ass down, you’re about to get schooled.

I’m going to open this discussion with what is my favorite commentary on the whole debacle thus far, courtesy of Ty Templeton’s Bun Toons:

More concisely than I could ever hope to, Templeton sums up exactly what’s wrong with much of Catwoman’s book, but there’s still more to say.*

Let’s revisit some of the imagery of Catwoman #1:

In my summation, these images are the equivalent of a guy talking to my chest rather than talking to me. The emphasis is not on Catwoman as a whole person, but rather as a series of body parts--and the fact that those body parts are primarily of a classically sexual nature is incredibly telling. With the focus on her breasts, lips and ass, she is reduced to the status of sex object, rather than whole human being. Of course, these panels aren’t the only ones to contribute to that problem, nor is the segmenting of Selina. Really, it’s more about how much she’s presented as an object for the sexual gratification of the male audience throughout the issue.

In fact, would you like to know how little of Catwoman #1 features Selina as a whole person who isn’t overtly sexualized?

Of the fifty-seven panels that she appears in, a whopping twenty-three:

1.) Place undue emphasis on her body parts (breasts, ass, lips)
2.) Feature Selina half-dressed
3.) Contain blatant sexual imagery.

Twenty-three out of fifty-seven. Of the remaining non-sexualized panels, do you know how many show her full face and fully clothed? Twenty-four. The leftovers are made up of shots of other body parts--like eyes and feet--which is still objectifying, but not in nearly so horrible a way.

That means Selina is an object almost sixty percent of the time.

When you look at those first few pages, what do you see? Do you see Catwoman? Because all I see are body parts, and not even cat-themed ones, at that. Absolutely NONE of the panels in question give any indication that this is Catwoman and not some original character. Even setting aside the objectification, that’s bad storytelling. No distinct character should ever be indistinct. Hell, a single Balent silhouette of the nineties was more easily identifiable as Catwoman than the first two pages of the new series.

And Balent, as you may or may not be aware, was criticized harshly for his sensational portrayal of Catwoman’s body.

Now, am I saying that body parts should never be featured in a comic book? Well, duh, of course not. Yay for boobs! Am I saying that emphasis should never be placed on breasts, or lips, or hips? No, I’m not saying that, either.

What I am saying is that T&A shouldn’t be the majority of a character’s appearance in any given story, and even then, I insist on having a reason for emphasis on such things to be there. Like, for example, this great sequence by Darwyn Cooke:

These pages segment Selina into a series of body parts, but it’s not objectifying because there’s a reason for it to be happening--she has made a conscious decision to reinvent herself with a new costume and this scene serves as the transition from the old one to the new one. Further, it works in context; the nudity, the segmenting, it all plays into the larger narrative.

(I also think that this is a much better example of good Bat/Cat than Winick's version, but then, what isn't?)

Find me a reason for the same segmenting and Selina's being disrobed to happen in the first four pages of last week's Catwoman #1 and I will eat my hat.

Further, why is she half dressed? Did she just get out of the shower? Was she having a patented [livejournal.com profile] captaintwinings Naked Thursday? Nope. She’s just randomly half dressed.

I’m sure one could argue that it’s sexier this way, and that’s all the reason comics need. While that may have been true in the nineties during the Bad Girl era, there was really no excuse for it then, and there’s certainly no excuse for it now.

I mean,, look: if there were fifteen panels of buildings, or fifteen panels of radishes, accompanied by unrelated monologue, you wouldn’t put up with it because it‘s bad storytelling. Why should Boobs For No Reason be any different? Why are people so willing to let this book off the hook when they’d be demanding their money back if those panels were replaced by fluffy puppies?

The easy answer is misogyny, I suppose, and how prevalent it is within comics fandom--internalized or otherwise. We’re okay with it because the subculture says we should be, even if an outsider might point out that it doesn’t make any sense or if it hurts us in the end.

(For further reading about why cutting Catwoman into pieces is a bad thing, I recommend this post by [livejournal.com profile] captaintwinings. She's super smart and funny, I promise.)

But I’m getting ahead of myself here. I don’t want to talk about misogyny and sexism in comics fandom--that‘s too complex a topic for right now; I want to talk about why it’s wrong and unfair to equate T&A with Cheesecake art.

For comparison’s sake, I’d like to cite Gil Elvgren, one of my favorite pin-up artists of all time:

Do you know what I see here? I see whole women with actual reasons to be showing some skin. From the content of the paintings themselves, each single image tells the whole story of why these women are flashing their garters at you. A naughty school child startles teacher with a frog; a young lady out shopping gets her dress caught in an elevator door; wet paint ruins a new dress; a secretary tries to keep her balance on the precarious ladder she needs to get to the files in the top drawer, only to have her skirt get hung on the way back down.

Conversely, what do you see in the first page of Catwoman #1? The exposed parts of a woman for no discernable reason… for four pages. What Elvgren accomplished in one picture, Winick could not accomplish in fourteen.

This is bad storytelling, especially at a time when comic book pages in which to tell that story are at a premium.

The reasons I don’t consider Catwoman #1 to be Cheesecake should be fairly obvious.

A.) The vast majority of Cheesecake art has a story to tell through its Cheesecake-y-ness

And B.) Even the Cheesecake art in which the women featured don’t have a reason to be getting naked, they are never reduced to mere parts.

…no, wait, actually, that’s not true. I can think of ONE piece of vintage pin-up art that reduces a woman to parts. I can’t actually locate the original image, but it’s a woman’s legs in stockings and high heels, as seen through a keyhole. Yet, this is still somehow less objectifying and offensive, because there’s a reason that this woman is nothing but legs: your perspective is through a keyhole. Even that wordless image tells more story than Winick did.

How people are still defending this issue is completely beyond me. It’s not just offensive, it’s objectively bad because it’s poorly written. LE SIGH.

And the worst of it is, in all fairness to Winick, I actually really like some of his work (some of his Batman run, specifically, and a bit of his Green Arrow) and by all accounts, his Batwing does right everything Catwoman does wrong. What is it about this title that made him totally jump the rails?

*A note to commeters: Though I'm posting this webcomic, I don't condone use of words like 'hooker' or even 'prostitute'; sex worker is the only term really welcome here in regards to the profession in question, so I ask you to please respect this when commenting. Sex workers read comics blogs, too, you know. :)
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This is the back-up account for what I hope will be the Ultimate Catwoman Fan Blog--Dr. Von Fangirl on LiveJournal. You should go check it out over there. I much prefer the original article.

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"I am NOT a robot i an the legendary super saiyan!! oh! really i did'nt notice" —Android Broly in explosion of anger to Gohana.

Android Broly(人造人間 ブロリー, Jinzōningen Burorī; "Broli") "Artificial Broly) is a machine created by resurected Dr Gero and is 10x stronger than the real broly and was programmed to distroy Gokuna and her family but he was finally distroyed by Gohana.

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Vitamins, Minerals, and Supplements Selected for Sale at Camisa Psoriasis Center

During my 30+ years of practicing the specialty of dermatology and dermatologic immunology, hundreds of patients have asked me for advice regarding supplements that might help boost their immune systems, maintain healthy skin, hair and nails, and protect against age-related diseases.  I have now found and researched a supplier that … Continue reading


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Dreama Tolle Perry » Artist and Writer

Masthead header

A Thank-You, the Provence Course Winner & Celebration Giveaway!

The response to Once Upon a Time, the online painting adventure to France—has been pretty much OOH LA LA!!

Thank you for hanging in with us during the enrollment period — I know you received more emails than my usual one per week.
I appreciate you being so patient, understanding and even sharing those emails with others.

As a way of saying thanks I’m doing a giveaway of something for you to get creative with.

A $100 gift certificate to do some shopping at my favorite online art store…
Blick Art Materials 🙂

All you need do is put your name in the hat below…and let us know —

When it comes to painting, what’s the best part for you?

For me, I think it’s seeing the colors combine, mix and become something new right before my eyes OR maybe it’s just that I actually GET to do this OR maybe how smooth it feels to have the oils and brush gliding around on the painting surface OR …OK, feel free to include more than one thing in your comment 😉

Hope you feel especially loved today because…

In other news…we have a winner for the Once Upon a Time in Provence giveaway. Congratulations goes to Ann S. – we’ve sent you an email from us with all the details. Looking forward to having you join us in this adventure to France!!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

  • Caroline Montgomery Clark - January 31, 2017 - 6:52 am

    My family, our health, and the time/space to be creativeReplyCancel

  • Ruth (Mandy) - January 27, 2017 - 5:25 pm

    I am new at this. Very new. I never thought I could paint because I can’t draw…therefore, I focused on photography instead and buy everyone else’s art! Then I took a one time painting session and was amazed and thrilled at what I managed to create! It was so exhilarating and exciting to see a landscape come to life; One from my poor attempt. My daughter loves Dreama’s paintings and so I have become a fan as well and when I saw this opportunity to learn to paint with such vibrancy, my inner self said: “Why Not!” So, here i am…it was a push on my retired budget, but I signed up and can’t wait to see what other hidden treasure lies just beneath the surface!!! Thank you Dreama for your wonderful works & for this.ReplyCancel

  • Diane Stern - January 27, 2017 - 10:39 am

    Thank you for all you do.ReplyCancel

  • Marcia bergtholdt - January 27, 2017 - 7:17 am

    Look at this long list of entrants! It’s a reflection of the number of people that love seeing the color and looseness you bring to paintings. We are all kindred spirits getting great joy out of putting paint on a surface.ReplyCancel

  • Sharmila - January 27, 2017 - 7:16 am

    I love the sound of my brush as I paint on the canvas. I love the glide of colour inks on paper. I love the grating of oil pastels on the cardsheet and the delicate pencil strokes on a sheet of fine grained paper… Yes I draw and paint with all media.ReplyCancel

  • melissa garcia - January 26, 2017 - 8:49 pm

    Hi Dreama
    Thank you for chance to win!
    Well the truth is I fell in love with you again
    when I did the last painting bonus video yesterday.
    Yes I finally made it happen and sunk into it all.
    I love remembering how amazing painting is as I take the
    time to allow myself space for the adventure.
    thanks again

    ps will there be a landscape class someday-I love plein air landscapesReplyCancel

  • Kimberly Bohrer - January 26, 2017 - 8:27 pm

    I love the smell of oils!
    When I was about 5, my grandmother had just finished painting a sweet face on a little doll ” in oils.” I kissed it! The smell takes me back to Grandma’s painting porch with stories, love & laughter,ReplyCancel

  • Jennifer Saylor - January 26, 2017 - 8:18 pm

    I love painting because it requires hopping off of the carousel and planting yourself in a garden of possibility.ReplyCancel

  • Sue - January 26, 2017 - 7:11 pm

    Thank you for the chance to win – watercolors freshly squeezed onto my palette, paper waiting for the first wash, so full of possibilities, the challenge and joy of a lifetime of learning and growing fill my heart with gratitude.ReplyCancel

  • Flora Giddens - January 26, 2017 - 5:44 pm

    Love working with the bright colors!Hope to learn to be much looser as I tend to paint small & tight! Looking forward to the next adventure in Provence! I am so grateful that I can put a small space for painting in our the house.I am currently my husband`s caregiver so going to spent a long time in my regular studio is not possible.Hey, where there is a will there is a way! :o)ReplyCancel

  • Mari Kauffmann - January 26, 2017 - 5:18 pm

    ❤ it allReplyCancel

  • HC - January 26, 2017 - 3:26 pm

    I am thankful to have this wonderful course available for all of us and to have such a warm, wonderful teacher…and living in Florida!!!ReplyCancel

  • Dianne Hart - January 26, 2017 - 3:21 pm

    So looking forward to your class. I love the look and style of your paintings and can’t wait to pick up a few tipsReplyCancel

  • Julie Grant-Field - January 26, 2017 - 2:51 pm

    I have loved your last course and look forward to the next one.ReplyCancel

  • sylvia santos-hunt - January 26, 2017 - 2:41 pm

    painting takes me to a different level of enlightenment. !ReplyCancel

  • Helen Burroughs - January 26, 2017 - 1:46 pm

    I love the boldness of colors and their combinations. My greatest gift would be to feel confident in mixing colors.ReplyCancel

  • IRMI - January 26, 2017 - 1:32 pm

    As I lay down those beautiful vibrant colors , my whole being, body and soul is filled with life and joy.ReplyCancel

  • Sue Shoemaker - January 26, 2017 - 12:11 pm

    I love your colors!!! Happy and joyful colors!ReplyCancel

  • Sharon - January 26, 2017 - 12:10 pm

    Dreama, took a class from you in Indiana a few years ago and still go over my notes and use the water mixable oils sometimes. Congratulations to Ann S. for winning the class and hoping for a bright future for all.ReplyCancel

  • Christy - January 26, 2017 - 11:52 am

    When it comes to painting, I love the physical sensation of the brush applying paint to the paper – there is a pleasurable feeling watching the brushstrokes and colors – a visual feast of joy.
    Thank you for the giveaway!ReplyCancel

  • Sara L Blackburn - January 26, 2017 - 11:25 am

    Love, love, your paintings. I enjoy reading and looking at your post. I think I’ve learned a lot by looking at your paintings. You’ve made me less afraid of color. Thank you for sharing your knowledge.ReplyCancel

  • Joan - January 26, 2017 - 10:58 am

    I love that feeling you get when you create something where there was nothing before, taking a blank canvas and filling it with color. Magical!ReplyCancel

  • Ildy - January 26, 2017 - 10:39 am

    I’m thankful that I have YOU Dreama and Ron and I’m part of your provence group, I’m thankful that my children are in safe and thankful that I have a loving family! Hug IldyReplyCancel

  • Patricia Ansert - January 26, 2017 - 10:35 am

    My favorite part of painting is getting out of my head and getting away from what’s going on in life. I love starting off with burnt sienna and putting in my darks and wiping out the brights and toning the canvas and trying to think of what the composition is going to look like. It’s a moment anticipation and Hope and it makes me very happy.ReplyCancel

  • Briana West - January 26, 2017 - 10:05 am

    I’m thankful for my son for my health and for being able to paintReplyCancel

  • Pat Beaver - January 26, 2017 - 9:57 am

    As an undergraduate art major, I had to mix pigments in my painting courses to get the colors that I wanted. Even with formulas, I could never quite get the colors desired. I really thought that I did not like painting. Once I saw Dreama’s beautiful work online & her first course offering, I jumped at the chance to try painting again. For me, painting is one of the only activities that fully engages my mind, body and spirit, blocking out the passage of time. I sometimes allow life to get in the way of painting, so I’m going to Provence (virtually) for permission to paint! Even with occasional breaks, I now know that I’ll always come back to painting. It’s like food for my soul & Dreama is one inspiring chef!ReplyCancel

  • Francine - January 26, 2017 - 9:47 am

    Painting is my favorite get-away. It engages my whole heart and mind.ReplyCancel

  • Mary Jane Gavenda - January 26, 2017 - 9:43 am

    I am thankful for keeping good on my promise to get back to putting paint on canvas after a long absence. Most exciting part for me is the color–that’s what I really respond toReplyCancel

  • Trish Trovato - January 26, 2017 - 9:31 am

    To paint is to tap into my own little world of creativity-my great escape with soft music playing in the background. I’m grateful for these these moments and my husband’s encouraging words to do so.ReplyCancel

  • Anna Knapp - January 26, 2017 - 9:20 am

    Thank you for sharing so many beautiful moments and giving us the opportunity to partake.ReplyCancel

  • Ann - January 26, 2017 - 9:02 am

    I’m addicted to art supplies so $100 would feed the addiction for a day or two. Anybody else like this?ReplyCancel

  • Cathy Michels - January 26, 2017 - 8:51 am

    I’m thankful for the time and resources to do the things I love, supportive friends near and far and my wonderful family.ReplyCancel

  • kim smith - January 26, 2017 - 8:33 am

    My favorite part of painting is that it’s my magical time to feel peaceful and happy.ReplyCancel

  • Karen Williams - January 26, 2017 - 8:28 am

    I am thankful and grateful for my family, for my home, and for my health. I am grateful that I get to paint and take this class to learn even more!ReplyCancel

  • Susan M - January 26, 2017 - 8:15 am

    Painting relaxes me and I feel a sense of accomplishment when I get the result I was looking to achieve.ReplyCancel

  • Barbara Milon - January 26, 2017 - 8:14 am

    You never have enough art supplies! 🙂 Can’t wait to get to Provence!ReplyCancel

  • Anita Cook - January 26, 2017 - 8:14 am

    The three things I’m thankful for are my family, my health and being able to create!ReplyCancel

  • Shelley Koopmann - January 26, 2017 - 8:03 am

    Love your posts! I look forward to “seeing” them and reading them. I’m entering the giveaway here 💖ReplyCancel

  • C J - January 26, 2017 - 7:57 am

    Thank you Dreama for everything you do.
    Inspirational emails, beauty of colors, your style of teaching.ReplyCancel

  • barbara healy - January 26, 2017 - 7:56 am

    Using paint to create my idea on the canvas.ReplyCancel

  • maryanne Conroy-miller - January 26, 2017 - 7:35 am

    The art of possibility!ReplyCancel

  • Debbie - January 26, 2017 - 7:15 am

    Love Blick!ReplyCancel

  • Diane - January 26, 2017 - 7:13 am

    I love ❤ playing with my art materials and get so excited 😊 when a piece I have done gives others joy .ReplyCancel

  • Deb Rolfs - January 26, 2017 - 7:12 am

    My favorite part of painting is the feeling of being totally absorbed in the process – the ability to focus only on the creative side without the distractions of every day life. It brings me peace and tranquility.ReplyCancel

  • Wendy Trommer - January 26, 2017 - 7:11 am

    I love your paintings, especially the ones of Eddie, and your posts of his antics.ReplyCancel

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text:
Thursday, March 26, 1970

Author - Zumsteg, Derek

Birth: I have no idea.

Death: Still alive and writing about the Seattle Mariners.

Comments: Derek Zumsteg is a baseball analyst and writer who occasionally writes science fiction. Zumsteg was a long time contributor to the Baseball Prospectus, and wrote an in-depth article analyzing the question of whether a convincing case had been made that Pete Rose bet on baseball titled Examining the Dowd Report. Perhaps inspired by this, Zumsteg also wrote the book The Cheater's Guide to Baseball, examining the history of cheating in baseball.

He has written for the U.S.S. Mariner blog, as well as The Cheater's Guide to Baseball Blog, and the blog Hate Life, Will Travel. Except for the first, all of these blogs appear to be defunct. You can find him on twitter under the handle milhous.

My reviews of Derek Zumsteg's books:

Other books by Derek Zumsteg that I have read but not reviewed:

Short fiction by Derek Zumsteg appearing in works that I have reviewed:
Ticket Inspector Gliden Becomes the First Martyr of the Glorious Human Uprising found in Asimov's Science Fiction: Vol. 34, No. 3 (March 2010)

Authors - Z     Authors A-Z     Home

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Monday, January 6, 2014

Musical Monday - Our Place in the Universe by Symphony of Science

One of the great things about science is simply how little we really know. Actually, that's not quite right. What is great is knowing just how little we know. Despite the vast store of knowledge and understanding that we have accumulated about the universe around us, we are left with deep, seemingly impenetrable mysteries. For some people, this is a cue to retreat into mysticism and superstition, a reaction that I simply don't understand. Even if, as Dawkins cautions, there are questions that are simply too difficult to be understood by humans, that doesn't mean we should stop trying to understand them. Kennedy didn't challenge us to go to the Moon because it was an easy task, but rather because it was a difficult one. We are at our best when we are reaching beyond our present understanding, beyond our present capabilities. If we are, as Michio Kaku suggests we could be, in the middle of a conversation without even knowing it, then simply throwing up our hands and retreating from attempting to answer the questions would mean that not only do we not know, we would never know.

We are finite creatures. As Dawkins notes, matter flows from place to place, and for a short time, that matter becomes you. Our very existence is so unlikely that some might call it magic, but it is really the combination of luck, physics, extraordinary lengths of time, and vast volumes of space. Sagan said that given enough time, even the very improbable becomes probable, or even certain, and knowing that, there is no need to resort to assertions of miracle or magic to explain our presence. But the mere act of knowing just how extraordinarily lucky we are to merely exist and to be able to contemplate and understand the universe imposes upon us an obligation to actually do so. We are lucky to be here. We shouldn't waste the opportunity our existence affords us. That, to me, is our place in the universe.

This song is unavailable on Amazon, but you can acquire it for free (or a donation of your choosing) on the Symphony of Science Collector's Edition.

Previous Musical Monday: A Talk With George by Jonathan Coulton
Subsequent Musical Monday: Monsters of the Cosmos by Symphony of Science

Symphony of Science Playlist     Musical Monday Playlists

Symphony of Science     Musical Monday     Home

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The Project

Kids4Love_image003Kids 4 Love Project is an enlightening Radio Show for all ages yet it also includes an Enrichment Program to teach unconditional love to elementary children from six to twelve. Kids 4 Love Project is designed for within the class curriculum, special presentations within the classroom, after school programs or wellness centers.  Imagine schools with a focus not only on the mind, but the body and spirit of every child, making practice the cultivation of the pure love that resides in us all. The Kids 4 Love Project is a journey into self-discovery. It consists of fun creative tools to learn self-love, energy medicine utilizing Reconnective Healing™, a bit of meditation, tuning into intuition, how to utilize one’s IG {Inner Guidance} plus connecting to our natural surroundings. The vision is to broaden the scope to include school systems worldwide.

We start with one generation and by example they teach the generations ahead.

I Choose Love- I Am Love- I Stand In Love

During the facilitation of the  Kids 4 Love Project, Deborah will incorporate the award winning Color for Joy~A New Mandala Coloring Book created by Author and Artist Barbara Evans in collaboration with daughter, Charlotte. Far more than a coloring book – a unique concept which is like sunlight bursting through the clouds that immerses children of all ages in positive energies of Love and Joy. Coloring for Joy offers a point of connection with the positive emotional states that are so important for healthy growth and development.

COZ 27.Pawtucket-Child-Opp-ZoneNEWS: The Kids 4 Love Project is in the Pawtucket R.I. After School COZ Program!

Miss Deborah and the Kids 4 Love Club are learning from each other–kids are learning about ‘Choice’ and it’s UP To YOU through the wonderful book Up to You by Author Pj Fay…each week the kids take on the role of a special animal in the story and play act… Learn about Up to You! by Author Pj Fay here

We’re learning about foods with great nutritional value and where they originated. The Kids are sharing their kind acts at home and school, helping others, learning values, manners, be in gratitude and how to choose love and be compassionate.

I Choose Love- I Am Love- I Stand In Love

IMG_0019The Kids all have their Kids 4 Love Project Bracelets which can be found click here.  Our vision is to have every child in every school wear the bracelets that represent self love, self worth and compassion, eliminating bullying and hurting each other.

Listen to our Kids 4 Love Project commercial:

To bring the Kids 4 Love Project to your school or center please contact Deborah at or 508-226-1723

Deborah Beauvais is the Founder/Owner Dreamvisions 7 Radio Network as well as Empowered Connections both created out of love with a vision to consciously serve humanity. She is an intuitive, healer and facilitator of Light as a Reconnective Healing™ and The Reconnection™ Practitioner trained by Dr. Eric Pearl. Deborah is founder of Kids 4 Love Project, an enrichment program and Kids 4 Love Project Radio Show~ celebrating children making a difference, inspiring others to follow their lead.

About the Authors of Color for Joy:

ColoringForJoy_CoverBarbara Evans is an internationally recognized artist and award-winning author. She is founder of The Eden Method, providing tools to assist people of all ages to connect with their inner beauty and awaken their true potential.

imageCharlotte Evans has a double masters degree in Elementary and Special Education from Wheelock College in Boston, and is a teacher in Newton, MA. Charlotte has a true passion for teaching and working with students of all ages.

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