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Do you "Get What You Pay For" in Cable?

Prices, Costs and Cables

"You get what you pay for" is of course an old and familiar saying; whether it's true or not depends upon circumstances. We are all familiar with the fact that it often costs more to make higher-quality products than lower-quality ones. We have all, probably, made the mistake at one time or another of using a product's price as a way of gauging its quality relative to other products. When it comes to audio and video cable, do you in fact "get what you pay for"?

This article was prompted by a number of questions from customers, which, broadly speaking, come in two types. First, there are the customers who have asked us, "why is your cable so inexpensive compared to the brands I see in the stores? And do I need to worry about that?" or who have said to us, "you can't honestly expect me to believe that your $12 digital audio cable performs as well as a $300 cable from XYZ company!" Second, there are the people who ask just the opposite: "why does this component video cable cost so much more than other cables I can buy online? And how do you justify charging so much for it?" While there is always some temptation to refer these inquirers to one another and let them fight out the question whether we're ridiculously cheap or colossally overpriced, we have always resisted that; but the subject does bear discussion. Why do cables -- ours or anybody else's -- cost what they do? What is the relationship, if any, between cost and quality?

Retail, Wholesale, Manufacture--What is the Real "Price"?

The first subject we have to address is the relationship, or perceived relationship, between cost and value. We all know that as a general rule, it costs money to build quality; better materials, better processes, better quality controls all tend to increase the cost of manufacturing a product. In many markets, the costs of production are very accurately reflected in the price of product at retail, and as a result, it is common to use the price of a product as a sort of mental proxy for its value. This habit makes for very interesting consumer behavior; sometimes people are very excited to buy something expensive at half-off, when something equally good is available for still less, but is not "on sale." The "original" price is regarded as a good stand-in for value in deciding what represents a good buy.

Audio and video cable retail, and even wholesale, pricing in the consumer market, in many cases, does not accurately represent the underlying costs of manufacture. Why is that? There are a number of factors. First, some vendors simply have higher costs than others. Internet retailers do not have to rent retail space in high-traffic areas, and typically do not have to put their product in high-cost retail display packaging, for example. Some vendors are buying direct from manufacturers, while others are buying products in distribution from wholesalers who buy it from importers who buy it from the manufacturers. Some product lines are favored by big-box retail stores because the manufacturer or distributor enforces pricing agreements which prevent the retailer from being substantially underpriced by competitors, and because the product offers excellent retail margins which make up for the poor markups on consumer electronics generally (have you ever wondered why salesmen try so hard to sell cables and extended warranties?). Some products have widespread name-brand recognition, and can therefore command a higher price, while others are relatively anonymous. And overlaying all of these considerations is the fact that the customer is unlikely, if he doesn't work in the wire and cable industry, to have a really good, accurate idea of what the production cost of the product is likely to be, or what the characteristics are that would distinguish a good from a bad product; this opens all manner of opportunities to build perceived value without necessarily enhancing the actual value of the product.

And then there is the "high end." For reasons which have more to do with market psychology than with engineering, there are and likely always will be brands of audio and video cable which claim extraordinary, special performance beyond anything achievable by mere pedestrian varieties of cable. It's not hard, if you are willing to spend $1000 on an HDMI cable, or $25,000 on a pair of speaker cables, to find a vendor willing to provide products at those price points. And who would not want to be that vendor, when the customer is eager to fork over the money? The margins on products like that are fantastic.

The surprising thing is that, while the ratio between the highest and the lowest price in the market may be as much as a thousand to one, the ratio between the manufacturing costs of the same products may be much, much lower. For example, the very cheapest RG-6 type coaxial cable available from a Chinese vendor gets down into the range of about four or five cents a foot at wholesale; below that, it's very hard to make the cable at all, because copper and plastic do cost something, and someone's got to have access to the expensive, maintenance-intensive machines that draw the wire and extrude the plastic. The most expensive RG-6 cable on the professional market, used for high-bandwidth professional digital video applications, is something like Belden 1694A (someone may charge a penny or two more; but competition in the professional market is fierce, and there's no room for "high end" pricing here), which can be had from a distributor for under 35 cents a foot. That high price reflects a whole range of improvements over the cheapest Chinese-made product: the machinery required is more costly because complex in-process monitoring is essential; it has to be rebuilt, retooled, and recalibrated far more often to maintain tight tolerances; the amount of copper in the cable is much larger; the workers who run the machinery are more closely trained and supervised, and are paid wages at American, not Chinese, levels; and the testing the cable must pass to be released for sale is much more stringent and is run on every spool, not just on the occasional production sample. So a cable produced for the most exacting demands of the professional market costs perhaps as much as ten times what a cable produced at the lowest possible cost does; and once the factory has spent that much, there's pretty much nothing left to spend money on that will make the resulting cable any better at doing what it does. It is, of course, still possible to elevate costs by all sorts of odd modifications. One could use silver wire; one could use a more expensive Teflon dielectric when polyethylene would be both cheaper and better; one could spend money on fancy-looking sleeving and labeling; but these changes would not improve the underlying product quality, which has already reached its zenith at under 35 cents a foot at the wholesale distribution level.

To the extent that a person can validly use the cost of the product as a proxy for its value, it is this production cost--not the retail pricing--that is relevant. Costs of marketing -- advertising, packaging, enhancements to product appearance to improve shelf appeal, distribution -- none of these add real value for the end user except to the extent they make the product easier to find and buy. But in the audio and video cable marketplace, the cost of production of cable is in many cases completely unhitched from retail pricing, which makes retail pricing a very, very poor indicator of value.

What is Quality?

Value for money of course depends on product quality. But what is product quality? That in itself is a slippery subject which depends on a variety of considerations. It depends primarily on the particular application, because cable failure operates differently, and is sometimes more and sometimes less likely, in different applications.

One extreme case would be, for example, a short run of S/PDIF digital audio cable. The required bandwidth is a few Megahertz, which makes for a long wavelength. The required impedance is 75 ohms, but in a short run relative to wavelength, the consequences even of a rather bad impedance mismatch may be meaningless -- as was demonstrated by one fellow who, a few years back, posted on the web about his experience with using a "Digital Coathanger" to hook up his digital audio, which worked perfectly. Now, if a rusty coathanger can carry all of the bitstream from point A to point B, and the signal can be reconstituted without bit errors (mind you, this was a short run, and results at longer distances might be very different), why are there $500 3-foot digital audio cables on the market? Well, as we've said, many of these things have more to do with psychology than with engineering.

But there are other applications where cable quality is much more significant. We have had numerous experiences with customers reporting ghosting or ringing on cheap Chinese component video cables, which clears up with substitution of a high-quality American component video cable. We have had any number of reports of long HDMI runs which would not work properly with one cable, and which did work with another. There are many cases where poor shielding on cheap RF cable allows multipath interference, which a more heavily-shielded RF cable clears up. And so while cable quality may be almost irrelevant in one application, it may be highly relevant in another.

None of us want to own cables for the sake of cables--few of us, anyhow. Most or all of us want to own cables to perform a function, and if they perform that function adequately well, we will not think about our cables much--or at all. If we get to that point, without overspending, then we need not think about cables until reconfiguration or new equipment in a system requires us to do so. In some cases, the cheap Chinese stuff will do everything we ask of it; but the fact that it does so in one situation does not mean it will do so in all situations.

Why Do Our Cables Cost What They Do?

In our case, the underlying reasons for our prices are fairly straightforward, and can be researched by almost anyone with a computer. We publish the names of the cables and parts we use, and for many of our products, these components are readily available for sale on the open market. While we do receive preferential pricing on components because we buy large quantities, that preferential pricing doesn't amount to nearly as much of a discount as people seem to generally expect; the cost we pay for parts is not far from the cost you would pay for them if you bought spools of unterminated cables and boxes of connectors from online distributors. And our ability to control pricing on finished product is very limited; if we decided tomorrow that we ought to get twice as much money for Belden 1694A cable assemblies as we now do, our customers would very quickly discover that there are numerous places to buy the same things from other cable assembly houses, and numerous places to buy the parts for self-assembly of these cables.

Similarly, for goods assembled by others which we resell, we face an intensely price-competitive market. HDMI cable using Copartner cable stock, for example, is probably the most common type of HDMI cable product on the market, available from hundreds of vendors. While some of those vendors mark the product up aggressively, and many of them private-label it and represent it as their own special formulation, others sell it under generic jacket lettering for bargain-basement prices, and our pricing reflects that competitive situation; we take less margin on these cables than anyone, anywhere.

A few products are truly unique to us, and while the underlying costs might be guessed at, they're not publicly known. Belden-based HDMI cables are a good example. But here our cost model is very much the same. We take the costs of bulk cable, the costs of termination, and the costs of bulk-shipping this cable to and from an assembly house, and we add it all together and apply a cost-based markup. While the product is unique and we "could" charge whatever we want for it, we also have to make it reasonably competitive with other HDMI products, and that prevents our being able to take a more substantial markup despite the considerable logistical headaches and inventory obligations which a product with such long lead times imposes.

So, a summary answer to the two questions about our prices which customers often ask:
Why Are Your Prices So Low? -- because our prices reflect, quite accurately, the underlying cost of manufacture rather than any marketing advantage like placement in high-end retail stores or name-brand recognition.
Why Are Your Prices So High? -- because quality does indeed cost money to make, and Chinese cable assemblies cost so little to import that they retail for less than the wholesale cost of the parts of American-made broadcast-quality products.

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André Kertész - Noël Bourcier

André Kertész

By Noël Bourcier

  • Release Date: 2012-09-01
  • Genre: Photography

Part of the Phaidon 55s photography series.

A highly original artist, André Kertész (1894–1985), was one of the pioneers of ‘spontaneous’ photography. Eschewing the dogmatic positions of existing schools and movements he let himself be guided only by his intuition, drawing on his private life for inspiration. His quest for visual authenticity led to the invention of an innovative visual language.

Phaidon 55s photography series introduces you to 9 masters of the medium. The men and women who invented, changed and revolutionized the language of everyday communication. Celebrating and acknowledging all styles and aspects of photography, each volume focuses on the life's work of an individual master and contains an informative introductory essay, a detailed chronology and 55 tappable-and-enlargeable key works accompanied by extended captions.
The Phaidon 55s photography series includes many of the world's most influential photographers - Guy Bourdin, Larry Fink, Gabriela Iturbide, André Kertész, Dorothea Lange, Mary Ellen Mark, Daido Moriyama, Eadweard Muybridge and László Moholy-Nagy.

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Sunday, March 29, 2015

Girls Night Gift Bags!

Having some friends over for a little wine and cheese party and want to have them know how much you love hanging out? I've got just the ticket! A little linen bag filled with their favorite treats. Maybe chocolate? Know their favorite lipstick or perfume? Whatever their guilty pleasure they will be delighted that you thought to package it in these.

I put together a few little bags with special embellishments of lace and glitter pastes, buttons and butterflies and left them all a message with my "Sweet Life Pocket Squares."

I like a lot of fuss on my projects. I'm someone who loves to layer and really pile it on. I love that my friends get excited to see all the little details I put into my projects. (You know, the love is in the details.)

Girls Night In Gift Bags - Lisa Novogrodski

I adore ribbons, bows, buttons and little clothespins. I've attached my tags with rusty pins and added all those tiny details. I want my gals to know that "Dreams do come true" and I encourage them all to "Fly by the seat of their pants." That's the way I roll...

I'm a mixed media girl as well as a shabby one. I couldn't resist stamping over the Kraft tag with the "Romance Stamps" It looked lonely all by itself and I love the added interest. There might also be a little stenciling with gesso.

You may like to keep it simple without so much fuss so think of making up these sweet little bags with the Pocket Square Tags and a little lace or just use one of the Flutter Dies as I did and attach it to a clothespin. Fill it with something your friends love and enjoy their joyful faces when they leave with something special created by you!

BoBunny Supplies:
Pattern Paper:  Sweet Life/ Blessed
Misc Me Journal Cards: Sweet Life
Glitter Paste: Copper
Glimmer Spray: Tutu
Pearlescents: Blush
Buttons: Sweet Life
Stamps: Your Invited, Romance
Stickable Stencils: Butterfly
Dies: Flutter
Jewels: Zip A Dee Doodle

  1. Those are awesome! Now I want to come to your wine and cheese party! LOL!

  2. This is such a fab idea! I can't wait for my next girly night :)

    1. I hope you will share your project with us! I would love to see it!

  3. Your friends will love these! They are beautiful!

  4. Gorgeous little bags Lisa! What a marvelous idea and something friends will thoroughly enjoy! I need that butterfly die. Awesome job! Hugz to you muffin! ~Niki

  5. Very pretty bags - each detail just adds more and more wow!

  6. I adore those little bags .... Absolutely Gorgeous and Sweet!! xo


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Contact Us

New Business and general inquiries

If you are interested in knowing more about us and would like to reach us, please contact:
Larry Filler
905-837-0005 ext. 223

Speaking Engagements and Customized Seminars

The Boire Filler Group offers customized training seminars and speaking engagements.
If you would like to ask us about our customized seminars or would like us to speak at an upcoming event, please contact:
Richard Boire
905-837-0005 ext. 224

We are always looking for great minds. If you are interested in working with us, please send us an e-mail at and attach your resume along with a cover letter.

Directions / Map

Boire Filler Group
1101 Kingston Road
Suite 310
Pickering, Ontario, L1V 1B5


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An Etiological Tale

In a small town in Tennessee there lived a young inventor named Roger, with his wife Mary Ann. Mary Ann was a housewife, devout and the daughter of a priest.
One day, a businessman came to Roger with a difficult job. He said:
"My company produces small electronics, like radios, headphones and alike. These items are expensive, but also prone to theft. Could you device a way of wrapping such items so that:
-it's transparent, the items must be visible from the outside;
-it can't easily be opened, to discourage thieves;
-it is firm so the contents are protected, to minimize damage before the products are used;
-the company name, instructions and attractive pictures should be able to be included in a visible way;
-for easy display purposes there must be a hole in it that won't tear up by the product's weight.
If you can design such a package, my company will pay any cost of patent, you can attach your own name to it, and you will be richer than you can ever imagine!"

Since Roger was not a very wealthy man, he jumped eagerly on this golden opportunity. He made boxes with foam, but they weren't transparent. He made polyethylene boxes, but they could be opened either too easily, or not at all. He thought of glass boxes, but they were too easily damaged.

And then, on one frustrated evening while playing with bubble wrap, Roger had a great idea. He decided to work through the night: first he stuck a knife to a piece of cardboard with plastic straps, then he cast molten polyethylene around it. It was transparent, firm, and the writing on the cardboard could be seen clearly! Roger got enthusiastic. He couldn't wait to show it to the missus!

Dawn came, and Mary Ann, a peaceful and gentle dame, was awoken by the morning light. She stretched herself a little, and gently moved out of her warm bed into daytime clothing. She smiled at the sun and noticed the sense of cheer that had filled the house. As her heart filled with joy, she walked down to the kitchen, ready for her breakfast.

She sought and found the toaster, put two slices of bread in them and was ready to prepare her Mary Ann Morning Munching to get the day to a good start. She opened the drawer, looking for proper cutlery. But what's this? The big knife was missing, and without that she couldn't possibly cut the hard cheese.

Roger walked in. "Good morning sweetheart, did you sleep well?"
-"Oh yes, thank you," Mary Ann replied. "Say, have you seen the large knife by any chance?"
-"Why yes! Look Here!"

With a proud smirk, Roger tossed the plastic-wrapped knife onto the kitchen table. "I created this overnight. With this, our worries will be over!"
-"Why that's lovely, darling, but right now I'd like to use the blade."
Roger smiled.
"Well, dear Mary, I'd like to put this item to the test. It has to be theft-proof, and I'd like to see you open it."

Mary Ann set to work.
"My curiosity is tempted. It looks like you can just tear these halves apart..."
She tried to get her fingers around the edges, but it was a lot more sturdy than she thought. Mary put all her strength to it, but to no avail.
"Well, looks like I'll have to use a knife for it... Oh, wait..."
She stared at the wrapped blade, now unusable and seemingly unfreeable. But Mary was no quitter: she kept on struggling. She tried to pierce the PE with scissors, but she only got small dents. Her fingers weren't strong enough to cut through the cardboard section of the item.
Mary Ann's sunny mood was ruined. She was hungry, and she spent half an hour of time she would never get back on opening something just to get the proper blade for her Morning Munch. Her hands were red. Between the thumb and forefinger of her right hand a pocket of fluid had formed under the skin. She gave in, and tossed it angrily to Roger.

Now Roger had to fight it. He tried the scissors and managed to cut the top of the cardboard section right off. He put his fingers between the halves, but cut them when he tried to pull open the wrap. He carefully cut the front out of the container, and cut himself again when he tried to remove it. The knife was retrieved, but Roger again cut himself when he tried to sling it in the bin.

As Mary Ann dressed his wounds with a gentle touch, she said: "I curse this item. May it become popular around the world, and I shall name it after that what I got from it!"

And so it happened that blister packs swept the world, sending 6,000 Americans every year to the emergency room.


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The Local Area Dungeon User Guide And Attempt To Walkthrough

By popular demand I've decided to upload the shareware version of LAD. Right click the word LAD, and choose "Save Target As". It's great to see so many people interested in this game!

LAD is a fantastic little PC strategy game. You are the hero, who must delve into the deep dungeons of CompuServe to find an object that has been stolen by daemons. Once you found it, you must take it to the house on the top floor, before your time is up. On your quest, you will encounter nasty monsters, hazardous traps and difficult puzzles.

But what are you looking for? How to tackle this game with its huge user guide?
I have been playing this game for 8 years now. I have only completed it for the first time recently.

This page does not contain cheats, or spoilers. All the other pages do, so watch it.

Who are you? The hero of our game has various characteristics. You will find these at the top of the playing field, listed in light blue letters. There are:
Level, Depth Level, Hits, Spell Points, Time, Experience, Weapon Class, Armor Class, Strength, Intelligence, Charisma, Wisdom, Agility, Dexterity, Constitution, Luck.
*Level is an odd terminology in this game. It affects the number of items you can carry, and the range of your spells. When you begin, you're in level 1. You can advance a level by stepping onto the target training symbol. You'll find one on the floors 0 and 5. Advancing a level means you get more hits, more spell points, and one extra point for a basic characteristic (Luck, Strength, Intelligence, Wisdom, Charisma, Agility, Dexterity, Constitution)
*Depth Level indicates in which part of the dungeon you are. No matter what game you play, the maps belonging to the respective depth levels, will always look the same. Depth Level ranges from 0 to 13. You start at floor 0. For more information on respective levels, see the Level page.
*Hits indicates the amount of life points, or pips, you have. If this reaches 0, you're dead. You'll start with 12 or 10 depending on your difficulty level. The amount of pips can be altered by advancing levels, drinking potions, drinking from fountains and stepping in puddles. Unless you're poisoned, your hits will regenerate up to your current maximum as time passes. You can also recuperate by magic, or by visiting the hospital.
*Spell Points (SPs) are needed when you want to cast a spell. At the beginning of the game, you have 4 of them. If you want to cast a spell, you'll have to pay a certain amount of points. This amount is subtracted from the number of spell points you have. If you don't have enough spell points for a spell, you can't cast it. Spells may fail, then you'll lose the SP's, but don't have the effects. The number of spell points will regenerate up to your current maximum with time. You can also recuperate by magic, or by visiting Wizard's Rest. Your SP maximum increases as you go up a level, take Magic Class at college, or by magic.
*Time passes whenever you make a move, be it taking a step, fighting with monsters, walking through doors, wield or drop items, sleep, visit college... Just plain walking takes 100th of a time unit. When the Time number reaches 0, you change into a pumpkin, meaning you're dead. Time can be altered by magic, in both directions.
*Experience is gained whenever you kill a monster. Some monsters are worth more points than others. It's only needed when you advance a level.
*Weapon Class: affects how likely you are to hit a monster, and how much damage you do. Your weapon class can be increased by wearing better weapons, or by magic.
*Armor Class: affects how likely you are to be hit by a monster. This number can be affected by magic, or wearing armor.
*Strength affects the impact a monster gets when you hit it, and your ability to open tightly shut doors. It can be increased or decreased by Combat classes at college, and magic.
*Intelligence affects your ability to cast spells, and the amount of extra SPs you get when you advance a level. Wizardry Classes and magic can alter this number.
*Charisma affects how much money you have to pay for identifying items at the Wizard of What, and how much money you get when you sell items at the Pawn Shop. Magic can alter this number.
*Wisdom affects how well protection spells work, and how good you are at finding secret doors. Magic can alter this number.
*Agility affects your ability to dodge spells from monsters, your ability to walk down stairs without slipping, your ability to dodge traps and your ability to prevent injury when you fall through a trap. Gym Classes and Magic can alter this number.
*Dexterity affects your ability to hit monsters, your ability to avoid being hit by monsters, and the amount of items you can carry. Magic can alter this number.
*Constitution affects the amount of extra hits you get when you advance a level. Magic can alter this number.
*Luck affects a lot: your ability to hit monsters, avoid monsters hitting you, avoid special monster effects, avoid falling into traps, and avoid you slipping down the stairs. Magic can alter this number.

Death Awaits You...
when your amount of pips reaches 0, after you battled a monster and lost. Or when you fall through a trap door and get injured and lose all your pips. Or when you step into a dart trap and lose all your pips. Or: when you get teleported and materialize in solid rock. Or when you run out of time, you'll die by changing into a pumpkin.

Essential Survival Tips:
You move around either by mouse or by keyboard. Click on the playing field, and your character will move in that direction. If you want to use the keyboard, Num Lock must be on, and you'll have to use the numeric keypad. Also: the window with the playing field must be active. If you use your mouse to do something with your inventory or whatever, you'll need to click on the playing field first before you can proceed with typing.
If you encounter a monster, you can hit him by running into him. You can see in your message section whether you succeed or not. You can also cast spells towards him, or her, and do some damage.
Apart fro the playing field, you have an inventory window, displaying everything in your possession. Move it up a little, and you can see four buttons at the bottom of it. Using these, you can drop or trash items, so you can carry other things you may find.
If you want to be equipped with an item, double click it, or select it and click the "wield" button. An asterisk will appear in front of the item, so you can see you're using it. If you're using a cursed item (an item with a - and a number behind it), you can't de-equip it. You'll have to wear it until it breaks, or until you find a remove-curse scroll.
You can also see a window which is displaying all the powers and curses you are having at the time. All will wear off eventually.
There are a number of buildings that may help you on your quest. There are:
*HOME which is where you must take the quest item in order to finish the game.
*The TARGET TRAINING on dlv 0 and 5, where you can advance levels depending on the height of your experience. If you advance a level, your maximum amount of pips increases, based on your constitution. Your maximum amount of spell points increases, based on your intelligence. And one of your basic characteristics (Strength, Intelligence, Constitution, Wisdom, Charisma, Dexterity, Agility, Luck) increases by 1.
*The BANK is where you have an account, so you can drop off gold pieces there. You get a nice interest rate. You can also sell gems here.
*The SHOP is where you can buy scrolls, potions, rings, armor and weapons at a large cost. These shop items will last longer than the ones you can find in the dungeon.
*The PAWN SHOP is where you can sell your excess stuff, except for jewellery and gems. The more charisma you have, the more money you can get for your items.
*The WIZARD OF WHAT is a place where you can identify scrolls, potions and rings you don't dare to use. This comes in handy when you come to lower levels, and don't want to risk drinking a Stupidity potion. What you'll have to pay per item depends on your charisma, but in most cases, plain trying is cheaper.
*The DUNGEON COLLEGE is where you can get training. The first class costs 250 GP, and increases your strength by 1. The next costs 500 and gives you 1 extra intelligence. The third improves your agility, the fourth improves your spell points by 4. The 5th improves your strength by 2, and so on. The price doubles at every class. Taking a class also takes 2 time points. While going to school, you may restore pips and spell points, or lose curses, but you can also lose powers and break any items you were wearing during your training.
*The HOSPITAL is where you can stay safely while your pips are restoring. Staying here costs 20 GPs per pip. This, too, takes time, 1 time point per 5 pips. Curing from poison can also be done here, free of cost.
*The WIZARD'S REST is where you can stay safely whilst restoring your spell points. Recovery costs 30 GP per spell point, and takes time, some 2 time points per 5 pips.

This is all you have to know before you can start playing. If you need more help than this, or want to obtain the shareware version, contact me.

A hearty Thank You goes to Mike Berro, the author of this wonderful game.

For more information on monsters, levels and spells, see the respective pages.
Monsters! On weapons, armor, close combat and monsters
Magic! On scrolls, potions, rings, distant combat and more
Levels! On levels, and walkthrough


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What is the book “Living Forward” about?

Most of us are convinced that we truly know how to plan our life. We’re planning our vacation, the education of our children, or imagining our lives in retirement. However, according to the authors, we aren’t able to plan our lives overall and not necessarily want to. But why’s that? What needs to be done to reduce our thoughtless existence to an absolute minimum? How to put our time to good use?

All we need is a clear vision of our future life; and we can have it, because we must develop our way in life both professional and private areas, as opposed to walking blindly, where the road will take you.

One of the book’s authors, Daniel Harkavy, tells how once he, an experienced surfer, went to catch waves with his friend Austin, who was a rookie surfer. At that time Harkavy was living on the coast of Oregon, where there sometimes were especially treacherous currents; they weren’t allowing approaching the shore, they dragged back everything that was in the water.

Soon after swimming Harkavy saw that Austin was trapped in a steady water flow; although he was physically active, the water didn’t allow him to escape. He lacked knowledge. Harkavy swam to Austin and tried to help him get to the shore. Instead of swimming towards it, they went almost right next to the flow, slightly rowing to the land. Half an hour later, they finally managed to overcome the resistance of water. They collapsed on the sand, thoroughly exhausted.

Harkavy draws parallels between that incident and our lives. Because of our laziness or general inexperience, we get sucked into the water flow and are quickly getting lost in it. We don’t notice it immediately, and when we do, we understand that we’ve already been dragged too far out into the sea. And then we can go two ways: to surrender to the waves and keep drifting or to row back to where we want. Someone’s marriage or a career got ruined that way. Someone has lost faith in himself; life seems meaningless, and it’s not bringing any satisfaction. Many of us, those who have drifted for long enough, don’t even notice how they’re going further and further from the place, they’ve once planned to go.

The authors feel that life is an innovative process. It’s a process of meaningful creation, making decisions that allow us to feel in control. If desired, we can find many methods, tools and ideas to live; instead of looking in a rearview mirror, we can boldly look forward.

Summary and 10 Ideas of “Living Forward”:

Idea №1 Acknowledge that you’re drifting, not swimming.

Idea №2 Identify your goal and make a plan on how to achieve it.

Idea №3 Evaluate the benefits of making a plan.

Idea №4 Think about what will remain after you’re gone.

Idea №5 Define your priorities.

Idea №6 Set up your way

Idea №7 Dedicate one whole day to making a plan

Idea №8 Once the plan is done, proceed with it

Idea №9  Keep your plan alive. Check it regularly and make necessary corrections.

Idea №10 Your life plan will help to overcome many global crises.

Review “Living Forward”

This book is pretty useful, concise and easy-to-understand. The authors don’t impose their methods; they only want to introduce them and to describe their benefits. Only readers will decide what they shall do with them. To drift among the sea of our existence or to for a more significant goal, the choice is ours.

Hyatt and Harkavy give a parable to support their stance. There was an old sage who lived in the Himalayas. Time to time, he would come down to the local village to entertain its inhabitants with his knowledge and his power of clairvoyance. By possessing special abilities, he could not only see what’s inside their bags and pockets, but he could also look directly into their hearts.

Once, a boy wanted to play a joke on him by making fun of his talents. He caught a small bird, hid it behind his back and went to the sage. If the old man would guess what he’s hiding, the boy would’ve asked was it a living bird or a dead one. If he would say “alive”, the boy would’ve killed it silently, and if the answer was “dead”, the boy would’ve shown a living bird, proving that the old man is cheating and has no special abilities.

When the old man came down to the village once again, the boy hid the bird behind his back and asked the sage what’s in his hands. “The bird, my son”, – said the sage. “Is it alive or dead?” – the boy asked. “It’s all on you”, – said the sage:  “You decide”.

Each reader will decide for himself, whether he should use this book as a guide to action.

Pros and Cons:

  • Valuable ideas, the simplicity of presentation, brevity, a simple structure.
  • The ideas of this book won’t be anything special for those who are familiar with the literature on self-development.

About Authors

Author of the book Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You WantMichael S. Hyatt is the author, blogger, speaker and former chairman and CEO of the publisher Thomas Nelson. Career publisher Hyatt has begun in Word Publishing and a student of philosophy at Baylor University. He started his own publishing company Wolgemuth & Hyatt with Robert Wolgemuth in 1986. He was a literary agent from 1992 to 1998, after which he joined Thomas Nelson in 1998. Since then, he has worked in various roles both in the department and in corporate management. Hyatt now writes and speaks full time. He wrote seven books, including “The New York Times Best Sellers Platform”: “Noticed in a Noisy World” and “Wall Street Journal” Best Seller. Life Ahead: A Verified Plan to Stop Drift and Get the life you want

Author of the book Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You WantDaniel Harkavy has more than 24 years of experience. He has trained thousands of business leaders to achieve peak levels of success, productivity, profitability, and fulfillment. In 1996, he used his passion for coaching teams and leaders and founded Building Champions Inc., where he is the general manager and executive coach.
Daniel holds individual training sessions, executive retreats, speaking in English and a field experience for business leaders and teams around the world, focusing on helping clients improve their results and results in business and life. His client list includes companies such as Nike, Daimler Trucks North America, etc

What is your opinion?

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here


text:
The Officer

by Alasdair Shaw

Being an officer means balancing many conflicting demands. Making the wrong decision can have serious consequences. It takes a special kind of person to cope with the responsibility.
The Officer is an anthology of eleven science fiction short stories by writers from across the globe. It is part of the Newcomer series of scifi anthologies.

The stories are:-
Duty by Alasdair Shaw
Patchworker 2.0 by M Pax
Totaled by Benjamin Douglas
Lucky Star by A R Knight
There Comes a Time by J J Green
Red Fortitude by Eddie R Hicks
Pithos by Mark Gardner
A Step on the Path by Tom Germann
Rituals by Rick Partlow
First Generation by Adrien Walker
The Grape Thieves by Corrie Garrett

Previously $0.99

Other Retailers
Apple | Smashwords | Kobo

Category: Science Fiction – Military


text:
Bay Village
United States > Massachusetts > Greater Boston > City of Boston > Bay Village

At just under 25 acres, Bay Village is one of the smallest neighborhoods of Boston; only the Leather District is smaller, with just 13 acres.

The picturesque neighborhood consists of a few narrow, gaslamp-lit streets – a mix of Federal brick rowhouses and Art Deco warehouses converted to lofts. It is often described as a smaller-scale version of Beacon Hill. Part of the neighborhood's appeal is that it feels like a quiet enclave within walking distance of the excellent restaurants, cultural events and shows in Downtown Crossing and the South End. That said, there are some restaurants and retails along Stuart Street and Charles Street South.

Built on infilled marshes. Bay Village is one of many Boston neighborhoods that is not built on the original topography of the city, but on infilled marshes and wetlands. The area came to be called Bay Village, evoking the neighborhood's watery origin.

Sunken gardens with a curious back story. When Boston was expanding its land mass by infilling marshes, wetlands, bays and even parts of the Charles River for new buildable land, it caused problems for some of the older existing neighborhoods. By the 1860s, the infilling for the Back Bay and South End caused a sewer disaster for Bay Village – the sea-level neighborhood could no longer drain its sewers because of the now higher surrounding areas. As a result, residents' basements began to fill with sewage. Beginning in 1865, the city raised streets, 457 houses and 24 stores on pilings, elevating them 18' above sea level and using gravel to fill the space beneath them. However, the backyards were only raised 12', so they give the appearance of sunken gardens sitting 6' below street level. A few houses opted out of the elevating process, and their ground-floor windows are now below the street level.

Birthplace of Edgar Allan Poe. The author was born here in 1809, at 62 Carver Street (since demolished). Poe's parents were both well-known actors who worked with Boston's first theater, moved on to other cities within a year. While Poe later returned to Boston, his writing did not receive a warm reception here (Emerson referred to Poe as "the jingle man"), and he referred to many of Boston's leading literary figures as "Frogpondians" – while they thought they were lions roaring at the edge of an ocean, they were more like frogs croaking at the edge of a pond. Poe Square was recently named in his honor, with a statue honoring him.

Bay Village is often described as a more compact version of Beacon Hill. The narrow streets are lit by gaslamps, and have brick sidewalks and some cobblestone streets. The architecture is a mix of Federal and Greek Revival rowhouses with Art Deco warehouses converted to lofts.

The similarity to Beacon Hill is no coincidence. Many of the carpenters and craftsmen who built the grand houses in Beacon Hill settled here and built smaller, simpler versions for themselves. They share virtually the same facades and layouts, but lack some of Beacon Hill’s more intricate details, like ironwork and decorative molding.

Best blocks and notable buildings

Most of the neighborhood is within a historic district. The Bay Village Architectural Conservation District protects the area bounded by Cortes, Isabella, Piedmont, and Tremont streets. The Bay Village Architectural Commission protects the facades of the buildings within the district. In addition, the Bay Village Neighborhood Association is active in addressing architectural and quality of life issues for residents.

Federal houses on Fayette Street. Bay Village is full of picturesque Federal rowhouses, a mix of single-family homes and apartment conversions.

Greek Revival townhouses on Melrose Street. Grander, five-story residences.

Art Deco on Winchester and Piedmont streets. At one point, Boston had a thriving film industry, and the Art Deco warehouses along Piedmont and Winchester streets were the equivalent of Hollywood back lots. The building at 45 Church Street, for instance, was once Columbia Pictures' distribution center in Boston. These have since been converted to residential lofts.

The Armory, built in the 1890s at the corner of Columbus Avenue and Arlington Street for the First Corps of Cadets, a private military organization founded in 1741 to guard the Massachusetts Bay Colony governor. John Hancock commanded the Corps in 1776. Members served in the Revolutionary War, the Civil War, and World War I. In 1940, the Corps became a National Guard Unit, and finally stopped using the building in the late 1960s. Surely the Armory must be one of Boston's most unusual buildings. Built from rusticated granite blocks, this late Victorian building faithfully emulates medieval design with its 6-story crenelated tower complete with slit windows for arrows, a drawbridge, and corbel towers.

While there are no subway stops within Bay Village, the neighborhood is surrounded by nearby options. To the north are two Green Line stops (at Arlington and Boylston streets), to the south is the Commuter Rail and Orange Line stop (Back Bay station), and to the east is another Orange Line stop (Tufts Medical Center).

Just south of the Public Garden, Bay Village is tucked in between the Back Bay, South End, Chinatown, and the Theatre District.

Bay Village is loosely bounded by Stuart Street to the north, the Mass Turnpike to the south, Berkeley Street to the west, and Tremont Street to the east.

Like so many Boston neighborhoods, Bay Village was built on infilled land made by filling in a shallow bay. In the 1820s, the aptly-named developer Ephraim Marsh, with Francis Cabot Lowell (an investor and visionary behind the industrial city of Lowell) transformed the mud flats of the South Bay into buildable land. The original shoreline was around Arlington Street. By 1825, he laid out the streets and began erecting some of the neighborhood's characteristic houses. He chose to live in the neighborhood he was building, and his house at 1 Fayette Street was one of the area's finest. However, it has since been demolished. All together, Marsh developed 300 buildings in Boston, including many on Broad Street and in Beacon Hill.

Bay Village’s original inhabitants, on the whole, were crafters of all sorts. According to the American Society of Architects Guide to Boston, carpenters, painters, ink makers, rope makers, blacksmiths, sailmakers, salt merchants, tin workers, toll gatemen, cabinetmakers, and instrument makers all took up residence in the neighborhood. At this time, the neighborhood was still known as the Church Street District. Over the years, Bay Village has also been known as South Cove and Kerry Village.

Upper class in background but democratic in outlook, the Brahmin carried their genteel views throughout the country, through public lectures at the 3,000 lyceums (centers for public lectures) and in the pages of two influential Boston magazines, the Atlantic and the North American Review. The Brahmin writers and poets combined American and European traditions and sought to create a shared cross-Atlantic culture. These scholar-poets attempted to educate and elevate the general populace by introducing a European dimension to American literature. However, according to the George Welling of the University of Groningen, "[Although] well-meaning men, their conservative backgrounds blinded them to the daring innovations of Thoreau, Whitman (whom they refused to meet socially), and Edgar Allan Poe (whom even Emerson regarded as the "jingle man"). Partly because of their benign but bland influence, it was almost 100 years before the distinctive American genius of Whitman, Melville, Thoreau, and Poe was generally recognized in the United States."

During the unfortunate period of Prohibition, when the sale of liquor was banned in the 1920s and early 1930s, the neighborhood was home to many illegal bars known as speakeasies.

Cocoanut Grove fire. In 1942, a fire at the Cocoanut Grove nightclub on Piedmont Street killed 492 people. A busboy who was trying to screw in a lightbulb lit a match in order to see better, but flames engulfed the paper decorations inside the club. The club was a former speakeasy, and still had many windows and exits bricked over. This created a stampede for the revolving doors. This tragic incident led to the revision of fire codes across the United States, in the hope of averting similar tragedies.


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Posted by & filed under trick tips.

How to do a backside 1 on, switch 50-50 with a switch frontside 3 off

Before you go for this trick, make sure you can do a backside 1 to switch 50-50 on a rail without any problems. When you have that locked, add a half-cab to the end.

  1. Ride in parallel to the rail, on a slight toe edge
  2. Pop a back 1 onto the rail
  3. Keep looking up at the start of the rail to help line up the nose of your board and stop your rotation
  4. As soon as you are locked on the rail, open up your shoulders to start the wind up for the 3
  5. Keep your head turned to force the 3 around
  6. Try and land with a flat base

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text:
Mind the Gap

Frank Maier; I can not fight this feeling any longer II, 2017.

"The double exhibition Mind the Gap with Anke Völk and Frank Maier presents a pair of artists - both live and work in Berlin - whose works are very different at first glance: Anke Völk meets iridescent colors printed on paper, canvas, or In addition, cracks and fractures play a special role in her work, whereas in Frank Maier's work monochrome color fields, over which a delicate network of lines seems to be stretched, complemented by sparingly set, geometrical ones Shapes or pasty color structures, which in some pictures combine to form stylized faces or reveal the motif of the crab.

At a second glance, there are striking similarities, as both Anke Völk and Frank Maier deal with fundamental questions inherent in the picture: both explore the real and the illusionistic space in the picture and deal with the subject of framing. Both expressly treat the picture as a physical appearance, they go into the room with their work - finished wall works and sculptures. Fascinating how this happens in their own and individual way and yet finds a common exhibition together. "

Curated by Pierre Granoux.

Sat, 23 Jun, 17.00h21.00h
23 Jun 201814 Jul 2018

Berlin Independents Guide is an artist run communications platform. The exhibition guide comes out every two months and is distributed for free in project spaces, galleries, institutions, and bookstores. Listings are accepted from project spaces, galleries, art institutes and art related venues in Berlin.
For more information and prices have a look here.
info(at)bpigs.com - Postal address: BPIGS at Blogfabrik, Oranienstrasse 185, 10999 Berlin / Respect the environment, please do NOT send printed invitations or posters.


text:
Your Incredible Memory

Grade Level: 5 - 12 Age Range: 10 - 18 Lesson Length: 1 class

Students explore declarative memory and discuss the effects of practice on improving this type of memory. Students will also discuss different ways to retrieve memories, applying these ideas to how they can be used to study for a test.

Companion lesson: Sheep Brain Dissection - both lessons deal with the hippocampus

PDF icon Teacher Guide56.4 KB
PDF icon Student Guide19.79 KB

Class Type:


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Our beloved Brew.

Our beloved Brew.
R.I.P. Big guy.

Saturday, July 20, 2013

Duck Dynasty Is a Brand of the Highest Order

We have two TiVo machines in the house as a result of my wife's penchant for recording nearly every episode of every show on cable TV. No matter what I wanted to record it seemed the machine was already fully scheduled with her shows. Now, I have my own TiVo in the bedroom.

The truth is, most of my Season Passes are HBO shows. Game of Thrones, Boardwalk Empire, the Newsroom dominate my list. There are some PBS specials and an odd episode or two of something but the most capacity on my recorder is taken by Duck Dynasty, the #1 reality show on American television. DD is now being syndicated all around the world.

In addition to enjoying the various personalities of the Robertson family and their interactions, I appreciate the wholesomeness, positive approach and family nature of the show. Each episode features different family members engaged in various situations whose stories are intertwined during the half hour. Ultimately, the show and the various predicaments are summed up by Willie, Duck Dynasty's CEO, while the extended family is shown gathered for dinner, which always begins with prayer. Willie does a voiceover that captures the common thread and uplifting value that ties all the stories together.

In spite of the strong moral messages and wholesome family depictions, in a sea of other nasty, negative reality shows, it's debatable whether this is good TV or not. But what impresses me most is the brilliant manner in which this family has taken a distinguished brand in a very narrow, niche market and expanded it. In addition to being the best known duck calls in all the hunting universe, through this show, DD has accomplished one of the most challenging and sophisticated brand expansions in history.

Think about it. Non-hunters everywhere, of all ages, are buying DD merchandise from cookbooks, autobiographies, DVDs and sunglasses to clothing, and a soon to be released Christmas album titled "Duck the Halls." This says nothing of the millions they are taking in from the television and appearance fees. All the while, The Robertson family maintains its squeaky clean image and boldly espouses its Christian faith.

Last night I attended the Porter County (IN) Fair and joined thousands of other fans who paid $25 to $100 a seat to hear Willie and Korie, his wife, speak extemporaneously about the family, their lives, business and faith. Throughout the fair, everywhere you walked, there were people wearing DD merchandise. The show has spawned four or five expressions associated with individual members of the family from Patriarch Phil's "Happy, happy happy" to Uncle Si's "Hey" and "That's what I'm talkin' about."

Relatively speaking, The growth and expansion of the DD brand is no less impressive or sophisticated in my eyes than what Apple has done with it's brand around personalized music. Apple didn't invent MP3 players but they did find a way to dominate the industry by showing people they could have precisely what music they wanted, when and where they wanted it. In doing so, they reinvented the way we buy music with iTunes and crossed into markets never before united in music.

DD has found ways to penetrate markets that have absolutely no connection to duck hunting or the passion the Robertson men have for killing things and it still won legions of fans. The popularity of the brand is found in the Robertson family behaviors, not merely the messaging, which is the real essence of a brand. I've worked with hundreds of brands including Disney, McDonald's, IBM, the March of Dimes, Wendy's, Taco Bell, American Express and even an arm of the Department of Defense and I stand in awe of what the Robertson's have built. I consider DD nothing short of brilliant brand strategy.


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Sunday, November 1, 2015

Morning Haiku

Welcome to the November issue of brass bell: a haiku journal. This month's theme is morning

Contributors come from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Croatia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Ghana, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Nigeria, Oman, Poland, Romania, Scotland, Tunisia, and The United States

an early bird
at the tail of a late worm
first light
- Adjei Agyei-Baah

huge bright morning moon
after last night's lunar eclipse —
let us speak again
- Alan Bern

a tourist thing, pants rolled, walking barefoot in the morning sea
- Alan Catlin

book of birdsong
the compartments
in my body
- Alan Summers

morning . . .
the same pain
repeats itself
- Ali Znaidi

morning . . .
the basil plant
already worshiped
- Ajaya Mahala

reflections in the placid lake —
behind my narcissistic self
the sun rises
- Amauri Solon

morning —
one dry leaf
gets off the bus
- Ana Drobot

November morning —
the cemetery gate
- Anna Goluba

plum season
all of a sudden
shorter mornings
- Anne Burgevin

traffic jam
I turn up the volume
of morning report
- Anne Curran

my green antennae
waving good morning in the air
and your green antennae, too!
- ayaz daryl nielsen

chilly dawn my loneliness turns to chickadees
- Barbara Kaufmann

morning sun
remembering what should be
- Barbara Tate

walking to school
cowbird egg
now a child's gift
- Ben Mitchell

leaves and rain
fall together
this dim autumn morning
- Bill Waters

drinking morning dew from
a fallen pear
- Bozena Zernec

carried in a blackbird's beak the rising sun
- Caroline Skanne

wild dance
the day begins
with porridge
- Chandler Hennessy Scott-Smith

morning yoga —
in my cupped hands
the floating sun
- Charishma Navneet Gupta

breezy morning
the scent of steamed buns
ends meditation
- Chen-ou Liu

first light
a fuzzy head pops out
of a nest
- Christine L. Villa

first snow
a young dog entertains
the morning
- D. V. Rozic

a gust
through the windsock
morning chill
- Dave Read

pre-dawn power cut
the unfailing fanfare
of sunrise
- David J. Kelly

sunrise sunflower heads dangling a charm of finches
- Debbie Strange

the distance from bed
on Sunday morning
- Devin Harrison

frosty morning
i write my wish on
the window
- Emmanuel Jessie Kalusian

the morning's promise:
every day is new
every day is the same
- Frank Robinson

the taste of the morning blackberry smile in the yard
- Gergana Yaninska

I wash my morning bowl over last night's dishes
- Glenn Ingersoll

on a streetlamp
morning light
- Helen Buckingham

when i was a boy
the hens in our backyard
quizzed me before school
- Jack Goldman

Terlingua dawn
a muster of tumbleweeds
laces the horizon
- Jan Benson

I share my prayer
with a late cricket
- Janina Kowal

at dawn . . .
white with wings
- Jo Balistreri

sunrise duet
a sparrow's song
the whistling kettle
- Joan Corr

listening to a soft symphony of morning raindrops
- Joan McNerney

tension in the air
will it rain or snow
this autumn morning
- Joann Grisetti

his cap and stick
in the cupboard  . . .
her morning walk
- Joanna M. Weston

central farm time
milking the cows before
the cock crows
- Karen O'Leary

one lifelong rival —
my shadow — appears at sunrise
frost lingers
- Karla Linn Merrifield

my alarm wild parrots
- Katha Abela Wilson

how many flowers
can i count as i wander
in morning garden
- Katya Sabaroff Taylor

veil of darkness
the sun rises
in every lotus
- Kumarendra Mallick

ceiling watching before the alarm
- Lance Robertson

refugees across the village
rooster on the fence
wakes us all
- Lavana Kray

pumpkin pie for breakfast November morning
- Linda Keeler

of a night of weeping —
morning dew
- Lolly Williams

morning delay
the train blows
a trail of dew
- Lovette Carter

loud knocking wakes me —
woodpecker learning he can't
eat vinyl siding
- Margaret Fisher Squires

knocking at
the ant hill
- Marinko Kovačević

morning light
hand in hand
we test the pond ice
- Mark E. Brager

morning lake
a bather turns her back
to the swan
- Marta Chocilowska

the moon's face
fading into cloud
morning wind
- Maureen Sudlow
at first light the blue bird flies away taking my dream
- Nicole Pottier

misty morning
one lantern
still on
- Nina Kovačić

morning storm —
the garden Buddha
becomes a snowman
- Pamela A. Babusci

first light . . .
the delicate pink
of a periwinkle
- Paresh Tiwari

damp pillow . . .
dogged by these
morning blues
- Pat Geyer

marshmallow kisses
and sun in the little cup—
breakfast for two
- Petruta Ionescu

out of business
the merry-go-round
takes in sunrise
- Phyllis Lee

early morning
sun under the pigeon's wings
comes and goes and comes
- philip d noble

first catch
the rising sun
in the old man's net
- Rachel Sutcliffe

day moon beyond the fog my childhood forest
-Ramona Linke

twisting glory
morning glory
- Robert Henry Poulin

almost morning
the hummingbird returns
to its fake flower
- Rosa Clement

I, too,
woke up late —
wild violets
- Sanjuktaa Asopa

breakfast at dawn apricot sky
- Simon Hanson

morning tea
she runs her finger
around the pacific rim
- Sondra J. Byrnes

sleepy toddler
on his mother's shoulder
catching morning train
- Stefica Vanjek

opening the shades
to let the morning light in —
two sparrows staring
- Stephen Page

summer morning —
a rooster struts past
the weathervane's shadow
- Theresa A. Cancro

not a hint of cloud
in the morning sky . . .
silent sunrise
- Tim Gardiner

spider morning mandala sparkles on my clothesline
- Tina Wright

morning by the sea —
washing my shaving brush
in the waves
- Tomislav Maretić

simple truth
of a rainy dawn
missing her
- Tricia Knoll

morning splash
a single duckling
longing for company
- Vibeke Laier

morning miracle
touch a flower
another one flourishes
- Victoria Fatu Nalatiu

trembling dawnlight —
a spider moves its web
nearer to the fireplace
- Virginia Posescu

why create new rituals?
each morning
we open our eyes
- Zee Zahava

in search of mushrooms —
in the morning fog
cyclamens only
- Zlata Bogovic

  1. Great haiku!

    A lovely couple from students of mine too!

    What a wonderful theme and series of haiku. Will keep coming back to read them.

    warm regards,

  2. Lovely, Zee Zahava.
    Thanks for the opportunity.
    Jan Benson

  3. ....reading experience as refreshing as the morning ..The haiku remind and reprimand as how should our lives be..

  4. Good 'morning' haiku poets. Such a lovely way to begin the day.
    I enjoyed teasing all these and look forward to writing my own morning haiku after coffee ;)

    Yours in images,
    Jade Pisani

  5. That was easy to like. The leaf getting off the bus (Ana Drobot) and the chilly wind putting on a sock (Dave Read) are quick faves. They have a similar hint of personification, don't they?

    1. Thanks Glenn, for commenting on a couple of haiku! :-)

      Dave Read's haiku:

      a gust
      through the windsock
      morning chill

      - Dave Read

      warm regards,

    2. This comment has been removed by the author.

    3. Thank you Glenn. I appreciate that, and am glad you liked it. Likewise, I enjoyed your one-liner. Good stuff.

  6. Thank you very much, Zee for including my poem in November edition :)

  7. Oh, so many favorites here! What a lovely collection! The leaf getting off the bus is my top favorite. Since I'm a late riser, I also love the wild violets. :-)

  8. Congratulations everyone. :) Zee Zahava- thank you so much for this November opportunity. Cheers!
    Alan Summer, as always, I am forever grateful for your wonderful lessons & continuous support. Yes, I also love our fellow-writer- Dave Read 's "windsock" haiku. So many delightfull poems to read this morning under the Brassbell. Thanks, Zee!

    Lovette Carter

    G+ (Cartier Luvit)

    1. Thanks Cartier! Yes, a great selection as always from Zee!

      warm regards,

    2. Thank you Lovette. Likewise, I really liked your train haiku. And, I agree, a great selection overall by Zee.

  9. What a wonderful collection of different views, Zee. Congratulations to everyone that is published in this issue. Thank you, Zee, for allowing me to be a part of your beautiful journal. Wishing you continued success.

  10. Thank you for publishing my haiku as part of this beautiful poem collection!

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.


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Activities in Bahamas

Experience the best views of the city’s distinctive landmarks, and enjoy an educational glimpse into its fascinating history.

Hidden among a group of islands poised between the Atlantic and Caribbean—and only a few hundred miles from the United States’ southern coast of Florida—Nassau Paradise Island has sheltered everyone from pirates and freed slaves to blockade runners, rum smugglers and runaway lovers over the centuries. And although times are peaceful now, we still cherish a tradition of people making their own rules under sunny skies.

Paradise Island BahamasThe pleasant climate, its natural beauty, is more than enough reasons to justify a visit to these islands!
Despite being made up of over 700 islands, most tourists prefer to stay in Nassau, where are concentrated the major hotels in Grand Bahamas, with a major center for eco-tourism, or in small secondary islands to enjoy nature and a simpler lifestyle. Beach, relax, cultural heritage and a lively nightlife … You just have to choose what you prefer to do in every moment!

Nassau, the capital city of The Bahamas, is located on 21-mile-long New Providence, our 11th largest island. Nassau’s main harbor is protected by Paradise Island. The harbor attracted settlers in the early days, particularly pirates. In fact, Nassau’s population consisted mainly of pirates until 1718, when The Bahamas first Royal Governor, Woodes Rogers expelled them, restored order and built Fort Nassau. The Bahamas for centuries adopted Rogers’ motto, “Expulsis Piratis, Restituta Commercia,” which means, “Pirates Expelled, Commerce Restored.” Now, 212,000 people call New Providence Island home, with a large portion of them residing in Nassau.

It’s easy to get to the Bahamas, with direct flights from all major eastern US and Canadian cities, as well as from the UK and other places. Airlines serve Nassau, New Providence Island, and go direct to some of the other main islands. Nassau also has a huge port and is served by a number of cruise lines. Only the main islands have public transport, along with car rental, while the Out Islands can be frequented by boat and taxi.

  • beachCharacteristic shallow beaches over turquoise waters;
  • Amazing scuba diving with good visibility teeming with marine life;
  • Exquisite sailing in the Exumas;
  • Nassau’s pastel-colored buildings and old forts;
  • Biminis fabulous fishing and road to ‘Atlantis’;
  • Grand Bahama’s Lucaya Marketplace and national park;
  • The seclusion and untouched feel of Long Island;
  • Great options for partying and colorful festivals.

Brazcom Travel Checklist

What to Pack: The Ultimate Travel Packing Checklist

Have you been asking yourself what to pack? what should you prepare before you travel? Use our Travel Checklist to remind yourself of what, beyond clothes, you need to bring in your bag.


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Expert Advice For Learning More About Wine

Wine has the ability to wind you down from a sense of relaxation after a long day.No matter the reason you enjoy wine, there is certainly a benefit in learning as much as you can about it. The article provided here will give you get the most out of wine.

Windex can be a great tool to rid the stains that you get from wine. It works way better than traditional soap and water does. Use Windex right away or you will have a hard time removing the stain sets.

If you get wine on a beloved shirt, get some Windex. Windex will remove the stain right away and is much more efficient than water and soap. Spray it on as soon as you can, because waiting allows the stain to set, making it more difficult to eradicate.

TIP! For best taste, store wine properly. Temperatures that are either too hot or too cold can alter the taste of your wine.

Store your wine the right way if you wish to preserve its flavor.Very cold or very hot temperatures could ruin the flavor of wines. Store your wine at a temperature of 50 to 55 to get the flavor time to develop. You can use a special wine refrigerator or put the bottles in a cool basement.

Buy a few different bottles of wine when you want to sample it. There are various kinds, and you really never know which ones you’ll like. It’s wise to try one bottle before deciding to get a whole case.

This is vital if you tend to collect expensive wines that you plan on storing for a lot on. A wine cellar helps you to preserve your wines.

You can make a delicious sauce for beef dishes with wine. To keep things simple, melt some butter in a saucepan and add some red wine. Let it simmer and cook out the alcohol. Your lovely sauce can then be drizzled over any beef dish.

TIP! Your own individual taste is the most important factor as you select the wine you want to buy. Some experts suggest a certain wine because of the area it came from, but what matters most is your taste.

Try different things when buying wine! You can learn a lot about different regions by trying their wines. Ask your local wine shop staffer what they recommend.You never predict what you’ll find as a new favorite!

Not all wine up for long periods of time. Do some reading on the wine type you purchase and how long it will stay good. Bordeaux is an example of wine that ages particularly well.

White wines are generally best when drunk within the first two years of purchase. The only exception would be Chardonnay. The main reason to do this is for the reason that oak doesn’t generally get used when making a white wine production does not normally involve oak. The rule may hold true for many varieties of reds on the market.

It’s a wise idea to make sure that you serve all wines at the correct temperature. It is best to serve a red wine at 60 degrees. Pour reds at 58 degrees and they will be the perfect temperature when drunk. White wines are best served at 47 degrees. When white wines are served at a temperature that is too warm, its taste can be quite dull.

TIP! If you are going to bring wine to a tailgate event, choose a bottle with a screw top. This option is far more casual and convenient; there is no need for a corkscrew, and the bottle can be opened quickly and easily between pours.

Only buy wines that you like. Many bars try to promote particular brands because of their own labels. These are generally 20 times wholesale. More expensive prices don’t automatically mean it’s better in quality.Know what you prefer and drink that.

The year the grapes were harvested is what the vintage refers to. They can then be fermented and aged in barrels until the wine was bottled and sold. The wine likely won’t make it to the shelf for another year or maybe even 2012.

Try different wines to find ones that you are buying wine. Don’t get the same wine each time since that’s monotonous. Experiment with different wines from various regions or perhaps another variety altogether.You might even save a couple bucks along the way.

Be adventurous sometimes when you are buying wine. Sampling new wines is a wonderful way to explore new regions and varieties. Ask your local wine vendor for a recommendation from a country you’ve always wanted to visit. You may find the wine destined to be your favorite.

TIP! Young white wines are your best choice. One notable exception to this rule is Chardonnay.

Do not be swayed by other people’s opinions of others color your wine palate. If you find a wine enjoyable, it must be a good wine. This is generally a good rule you should live by. You must learn to trust your own palate and you should strive only to please it. The upside to your friends not liking that particular wine: more enjoyable experience for you.

Wine is great for cooking with as well as drinking and cooking. Red wine and flavors in steak. White wine is great with any type of seafood dishes like scallops and fish. Adding a little wine while food is cooking can really enhance the taste of the dish you are making.

Wine tasting is best enjoyed in a calm environment. Only select a bottle of wine amongst the right settings, devoid of distracting sounds and lights.

Avoid the common mistake of loading your wine cellar with the labels that you currently like. Stocking up is tempting but your preferences will change as you discover new wines. You might not enjoy the same wines months from now. This could lead to an abundance of wine, which could cost you a lot of money.

TIP! Many varieties of wine will go well with your favorite dessert. Dessert wines generally taste sweeter than the wines that come with dinner.

Toasts are quite common at social groupings. This inevitably results in the clinking of glass clinking. It may sound hard to believe, but an improper clinking technique can actually lead to a shattered glass.

White wine and red wines should be served at different temperatures. Reds should be served at a temperature that is 10-15 degrees warmer temperatures than white wines. One of the better methods is to chill your wine in the refrigerator first and then let it sit out at room temperature a few minutes. Whites should be at forty-five degrees and reds at 60.

Almost everyone agrees that a nice glass of wine can add to just about any event. To get the most out of your wine, you need to understand its ins and outs. The article you have just finished reading offered some of the best advice for improving your wine selection.

Do not hesitate to use wine for drinking or to drink alone if you need to relax. Adding some red wine to steaks can really help to bring out the flavor. White wine goes great with seafood. Adding a little of it while cooking can enhance the flavor a lot.


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Britain’s liberal intellectual elite have turned out en mass to launch a private humanities college that will cost £18,000 per year to attend. The “New College of the Humanities” offers “a student to staff ratio of 10:1” – for those who can afford to go.

High profile academics who have signed up to launch the college – whose ‘Master’ will be philosopher AC Grayling – range from the obnoxious – Richard Dawkins, Steven Pinker and Niall Fergusson – to people who should know better – Ronald Dworkin and, even, Peter Singer.

For 4/5 students, attendance will cost the astronomical sum of £18,000 per year. The college website says they may be able to offer some people loans, implying that they expect most students to pay upfront. Acording to the FT, one-fifth of the places will be ‘assisted’ – some costing £7,200, others will be offered for free.

You can find out more at their website – though it doesn’t seem to say how some of the supposed leading minds in the country think that a college which requires 4/5 students to pay £18,000 a year, and many of the remainder to pay £7,200 a year will become anything but an institution designed to perpetuate the dominance of the children of an international elite.

UPDATE: please email Peter Singer on and encourage him to turn down his position at this institution. Peter Singer is a leading progressive philosopher who stood as a Green candidate in the Australian Senate elections of 1996 and is openly a lefty. He, if anyone, should know better.
UPDATE: You can join a new Facebook group to oppose the New College, and ring the college on 0800 955 0212.

Adam Ramsay

About Adam Ramsay

Adam is Co-Editor of Open Democracy UK and a green activist based in Edinburgh. He co-founded Bright Green in 2010.


text:
News Clippings

Please note; All documents below are in Adobe PDF format and require Adobe Acrobat Reader to open.

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Is ANC bent on radical policies? Here’s why the answer is no
Eye Witness - 10 January 2018

Land expropriation exposes Ramaphosa's policy tightrope
Daily Maverick - 09 January 2018

Landmark land claim ruling made (HTML)
Beeld - 24 February 2010

Land claim purcvhases on hold (PDF - Size 17KB)
Business Day - 27 August 2009

Transfer land from the state to the people now (PDF - Size 16 Kb)
By Leon Louw - 13 June 2007

A new dawn for some but perhaps not for all (PDF - Size 28 Kb)
21 August 2006

Interview with the commissioner (PDF - Size 1.43 Mb).
This is an extract from the Farmers Weekly - 22 July 2005 and is most interesting.

Media Release - Agri Land Forum (PDF - Size 153 Kb)

"The power of the collective is far greater than the power of one"

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Book 4: A Father's Duty

By MultiMapper
Copyright ©2002-2015 MultiMapper.
All Rights Reserved.

For full disclaimer and Copyright information visit Copyright/Disclaimer Page. Continuation of viewing this document is deemed acceptance of all terms on the preceding link. While these stories are provided for free, I would appreciate it if those who were able would consider contributing to this artist via my Patreon.

Chapter 2

"Wesley, have you noticed how big Willie is getting? I mean, he's not even two weeks old and he's almost two feet long." Xander said with concern.

"Yes, he is growing at an alarming rate, but while I know little about such things, I believe his mental development is progressing with his physical growth. He has started scooting himself and I dare say, he will be crawling by the end of the week." Wesley said in a comforting tone.

Then Wesley continued, "Since you are obviously concerned, you should ask the doctor if this is normal for him. But until then, consider that since he has inherited some of your more... aquatic... traits. Reptilian and Amphibian young tend to mature quickly from hatchlings to adults and then enjoy long adulthoods. It is possible that this is the case for William."

Alexander looked at Willie with a frown and said, "I suppose."

Wesley squatted in front of Willie and said, "Say Poppa... Poppa."

Willie, happy to be receiving attention said, "Da da."

Alexander watched, transfixed. Then he squatted next to Wesley and said to Willie, "Say Poppa... Poppa."

Willie turned his attention to his poppa and happily said, "Pa pa."

Then he turned and looked at Wesley and said, "Da da."

Wesley and Alexander sat in shock as they realized what was happening. To prove the theory, Wesley moved behind the stroller, out of Willie's sight. "Pa pa pa pa pa."

At a look from Alexander, they traded places and Willie said, "Da da da da."

The two men were about to explode into cheers of happiness when movement caught their attention.

Cordelia's body began to tremble. Alexander and Wesley moved to either side of her reclining form. They held on to her as the trembling became a full fledged seizure. They both laid hands on her and tried to restrict her movement without hurting her.

"What else can happen?" Alexander asked, then received an 'I can't believe you said that' look from Wesley.

Before Alexander could say anything in his defense, Cordelia's back arched, her head tilted back, and a bluish black shadow flew out of her mouth as she hoarsely screamed.

Finally, after agonizing moments her body relaxed.

Wesley noticed that she wasn't breathing. Without hesitation Wesley began to perform CPR.

After three rounds of chest compressions and breathing into her mouth, she gasped for air.

Wesley could feel her heart beating under his hand.

Then, with eyes still closed she said in a raspy voice, "Ewwwwwww!"

Then she licked her dry lips, furrowed her brow in concentration and said questioningly, "Wesley?" and opened her eyes.

"Cordelia?" Wesley asked breathlessly.

"You can take your hand off my boob now." She said with a weak smile.

* * * * *

After a few minutes of trying to make Cordelia comfortable and a bottle of water, the question and answer session began.

"Why am I so weak? And what happened to Doyle?" She asked weakly but with intensity.

Wesley and Alexander looked at each other then down at Cordelia.

Alexander was finally composed enough to ask, "What is the last thing you remember Cordy?"

"We were on this ship, trying to help a bunch of half-demons escape from some crazy nazi type demons that wanted to kill anyone with even a drop of human blood. Doyle was going to try to destroy this human killing thing they had. He kissed me for luck and then I was here." Cordelia said tiredly.

Wesley felt that he had to tell her the truth, "Ms. Chase, the events you are speaking of occurred nearly four years ago."

"Oh my God, I can't believe this." Cordelia sat in stunned disbelief, then said, "What happened to my hair?"

* * * * *

Gunn led Angel and Lorn toward the room where the others were waiting. He stopped to survey the situation and heard what was being said.

"Buffy the Vampire Layer can do Angel AND Spike and no one cares. I have a couple nights with Spike and I'm a whore?" Xander huffed indignantly.

Then they heard a female voice say, "Yep."

Gunn entered the room and stood in shock at the sight of Cordelia laying awake and aware on the floor.

Angel and Lorn walked in next, Lorn was frozen, much the same as Gunn but Angel ran to Cordelia and gathered her into his arms.

"Uh, Angel? I don't know what our relationship was like in the last four years but as far as I remember, this wasn't in the job description." She said with as much menace as she could muster.

There was a quick recap from Wesley of how Cordelia had regained consciousness followed by an equally quick recap from Angel of what Riley wanted.

"Why do you think he was trying to convince me of that rediculous story?" Angel asked in genuine puzzlement.

"Probably because he believes it, he's unusually stupid, even for a human." Alexander said with a grin.

Wesley, Gunn and Cordelia gave an indignant "Hey!" as Alexander laughed.

"I was just kidding guys." Alexander said with a smile. Then he remembered the other major event of the day.

He squatted in front of Willie and said, "Say Poppa."

And Willie obliged with a "Pa pa."

Then Wesley moved beside Alexander, Willie saw him and said, "Da da."

Angel moved to Alexander's other side and Willie noticed, he looked up at Angel with an angry expression and said, "Blah!"

* * * * *

Lorn led the group through tunnels, back alleys and finally into a seedy looking neighborhood. There weren't any problems traveling except trying to keep Cordelia quiet about where Angel's hands were while he was carrying her.

As the group walked inside a ratty looking little home they were amazed at the beauty inside the house. The place was comfortable and welcoming. A familiar voice came out of the back of the house. "There you are! Oh my, let me see the little one. Isn't he precious, what did you name him?" The Shamenka asked in a rush.

"William Jesse Harris, Ma'am." Alexander said with a smile.

"Liam, you're looking much better than when last I saw you." She said with a knowing smile.

Angel just answered with a sheepish, "Yes ma'am."

"Please, put the young lady down on the sofa, I suppose you boys have important things to discuss. Why don't you go on out to the kitchen while I talk with the young lady and tend to the child?" The Shamenka said in a tone that meant 'do it now'.

* * * * *

The men-folk met in the kitchen, talking and arguing, as men do, until they came up with a plan. Lorn, Gunn and Angel each left the house to gather trusted men to aid them. The first stage of the plan was simple. Recon, follow the men guarding the Hyperion and find out how many there are, where they stay, what routes they take, and the like.

Gunn arrived back at the house first, he had four men and a woman with him, all obviously skilled fighters. They were gathered in the kitchen, drinking coffee and leaning on counters when Angel arrived with six stout vampires. The vampires and the homies stared each other down for a moment until Lorn walked in leading six of the biggest, ugliest demons that anyone had ever seen.

After some uncomfortable introductions, everyone was told what was going on and sent to do their reconnaissance. They were going to watch the soldier boys, and as long as the soldiers stayed put, nothing would happen, but the minute they made a move to take the hotel... Let's just say there would be some fat and happy demons and vampires if the soldiers made that move.

* * * * *

Angel, Xander, Gunn and Lorn made their way back into the Hyperion via the tunnels. The Shamenka had agreed to care for Cordy and Willie with Wesley's help until the Riley problem had been resolved.

Angel began making telephone calls to various vampires, all of whom said the same things to him. Demons were leaving L.A. and heading for Ohio. If any demons were arriving here, they weren't staying.

When Angel had completed his last call he summoned Gunn to the phone to make his series of calls. And all the calls had the same result. Next Xander made a series of calls, then came a series of calls made by Lorn, although no one but Lorn knew what he was saying, for authenticity's sake, he made the calls.

Before Xander got on the phone to make the final call he asked, "Isn't this plan kind of obvious? I mean, it just stinks of a setup."

Angel considered Xander's words and asked, "Do you remember how you first described Riley to me?"

"Yeah, I said he was dumb as a sack of doorknobs."

"Have you changed your mind?" Angel asked with a smile.

"Then why don't you make the call that will remove all his doubts?" Angel said happily.

Xander picked up the phone and dialed, a moment later he said, "Buffy?"

"Xander? Oh God! It's great to hear from you. How are you? I got your email, how's William? You should have called sooner, we've been so worried!" She rambled.

"Woah Buff, before we catch up, I have a business question for you. How are things going with your hellmouth?..."

And as they had planned, Buffy told Xander how the Cleveland hellmouth was busier than Sunnydale ever was and how the demon population was nearly as big as the human population.

About an hour later Xander finally hung up the phone and rubbed his ear. "If that didn't do it, I don't know what will." He commented as he walked around the lobby.

"All we can do now is sleep and wait for the call." Angel said, and the group of men went their separate ways to get some rest.

The next morning Angel put the icing on the cake by calling Riley and telling him that he couldn't find any evidence of a demon underground but he had heard from reliable sources that Cleveland was nearly overrun.

Within an hour of Angel's call to Riley, there was a call from one of Gunn's scouts saying that the soldier boys were packing up and heading out.

* * * * *

Two days later in the lounge of the Hyperion hotel, Willie crawled across the floor at full speed and grabbed onto Angel's pants leg trying to pull himself to stand. When he lost his grip he yelled, "Blah!"

Angel just smiled indulgently as the frustrated Willie scooted across the floor and tried the same technique with Wesley's pant leg. When he lost his grip this time, he got an angry look and screamed, "Blah!"

The entire group of adults was now watching the child try to stand. Willie went to his poppa's leg and strained and pulled until he managed to pull himself fully to standing. He looked around the happy faces of the adults who were clapping and cheering.

When Willie looked into his Poppa's eyes he said, "Blah! Blah! Bloody 'ell"

AN: I know, I know. You wanted me to turn Riley inside out over a long period of time. Sorry, my guys are just too nice to do that. But if it helps you to know, I actually gave him a fate worse than death. (I'll let you decide whether I'm talking about Buffy or Cleveland.)

To Be Continued...

<< | Chapter Menu | Home | >>


text:
Don't Say That

© 2005 MultiMapper
All Rights Reserved

For full disclaimer and Copyright information visit Copyright/Disclaimer Page. Continuation of viewing this document is deemed acceptance of all terms on the preceding link. While these stories are provided for free, I would appreciate it if those who were able would consider contributing to this artist via my Patreon.
Author: MultiMapper
Rated R for language.
Disclaimer: I don't own them, Renpics does. I make no money, so it don't count.

Ares and Joxer were sitting at the table enjoying a peaceful moment for a change.

"Did you hear that Psyche is seeing Helios?" Joxer asked as he produced a plate of food.

"No, last that I heard she was seeing Auge." Ares said and snagged a piece of cheese from Joxer's plate.

"Oh, I think she's still seeing him... and Hermes too." Joxer said as he picked up a small chunk of lamb and fed it to Ares.

"I can't understand how Cupid could have gotten tangled up with that bitch." Ares said around his food.

//Ahem... Excuse me?// A voice called to Ares and Joxer's minds.

Ares and Joxer looked at each other in question, then looked around the room.

//Down here.// The voice said firmly.

Both men looked down and saw Clementine, their dog, looking at them expectantly.

"Was that you Clementine?" Joxer asked hesitantly.

//Yes, and let's get something straight. My name isn't Clementine... where did you come up with such an awful name?// Clementine thought with distaste.

"I thought it was pretty." Joxer said weakly.

//You were wrong. My mother named me Shara.// The dog said firmly.

"Okay, we didn't know you already had a name. Of course we'll call you Shara." Joxer said quietly.

Shara nodded, then said, //I like it here, but we need to get a few things cleared up if I'm going to stay.//

"Which things?" Ares asked hesitantly.

//First off, your pup's mate.// Shara said, looking at Ares.

"My pup... you mean Cupid?" Ares asked with a note of confusion.

//Yes that one. We need to discuss his mate, the blonde that smells of fish.// Shara said with a growl in her mind/voice.

"Psyche?" Joxer asked hesitantly.

//Yes. She is why I must speak to you. It is incorrect to call her a bitch. You have been doing so for some time and it is completely inaccurate.// Shara said, then shifted her gaze to Ares.

"How so?" Ares asked with interest.

"First of all, a true bitch's first priority is her pups, but that one has little concern for her pup and leaves him to be cared for by others." Shara said in thought.

"Yes, she has Cupid, Me, Aphrodite, even some of her priests watch Bliss." Ares said with a nod.

//Next, a true bitch will feed her pup until it is time to wean him, she did not give her pup even a drink of mother's milk. She fed him from a goatskin just after his birth.// Shara said with distaste.

"She said that nursing was painful." Joxer said quietly.

//Painful? It is one of the greatest joys of motherhood.// Shara said definitely.

"So that's why you think we shouldn't call her a bitch?" Ares asked incredulously.

//No, there is also her loyalty... or lack of loyalty. Bitches are loyal, we fight to defend those we love. We have an attitude because we have to, otherwise the world would walk all over us. She has an attitude to get what she wants for herself, she is loyal to no one.// Shara said with disgust.

"I can't argue with that." Ares said simply.

Joxer nodded in confirmation.

//So please refrain from calling her a bitch, it gives those of us who are true bitches a bad name.// Shara said firmly.

"How about slut?" Ares asked in thought.

//Yes, that's fine... very accurate.// Shara said and wagged her tail to confirm her approval.

"Whore?" Joxer asked.

//As long as you leave me and my sisters out of it, call her anything you want.// Shara said firmly.

"How is it that you can talk?" Ares asked curiously.

//The pup... Bliss? He doesn't like ambrosia, so he feeds it to me under the table.// Shara said happily.

"That little sneek. And I thought I'd finally gotten him to eat it." Joxer said with amusement.

//No. I've been eating his ambrosia for months.// Shara said with a little look of apology.

"So is that your only complaint?" Joxer asked carefully.

//Yes, for the most part. The food is good, you give me plenty of attention. It would be nice if you could arrange for me to visit with Cerberus... that's one godly hunk of dog...// Shara finished with a pant.

"We'll talk to Hades about it." Ares said with a smile.

//Oh yes, there was one other thing. When you two are making puppies...// Shara trailed off shyly.

"Making puppies?" Joxer questioned.

"Having sex." Ares explained.

"Oh..." Joxer said with a blush.

//You're doing it wrong.// Shara said, drawing the conversation back to her.

"What?" Ares asked in shock.

//You're doing it wrong.// Shara said simply.

"Humans do it differently..." Ares began to say.

//Excuse me... Doggie style? Who in this room is most qualified to know the proper form?// Shara asked haughtily.

"Okay, what are we doing wrong?" Ares asked, not wanting to push it.

//Get me a visit with Cerberus and I'll show you.// Shara said with a smile in her voice.

"What do you say Joxer? Up for some expert instruction?" Ares asked with a smile.

"You know I am." Joxer said happily.

//Good, then I'm going to go curl up by the fireplace and take a nap. I just had to say my piece.// Shara said as she got up to leave.

"Okay, and we won't call anyone else 'bitch' now that we know it offends you." Joxer said quickly.

//No, it was just Psyche that bothered me. Gabrielle *is* a bitch.// Shara said and left the room.

"Okay, that was just weird." Joxer said and absently picked up a piece of cheese.

"With all the things that happen to us, that's hardly worthy of note." Ares said with a smile.

"I don't know if I can deal with this..." Joxer said with a bewildered look.

"Don't be such a pussy." Ares said in a mock scolding tone.

//Ahem... Excuse me?// A voice called.

Ares and Joxer looked down to see Mjau, the cat, looking back at them.

The End


text:
Single Strand

Designed for poultry processing, this style of brush is made by inserting a single strand of filament into a designated hole, then gluing it in place.  This method prevents particulates or bacteria from accumulating in and around the brush’s core.

 The food industry relies heavily on maintaining a clean operation and single strand brushes are THE clean solution.


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Wieser Brothers General Contractor, Inc is a family-owned and operated firm based in La Crescent, MN. Founded in 1994 by Jeff and Brian Wieser, the company has grown into a full-service, integrated team that includes journeyman carpenters, skilled concrete finishers, certified steel erection crews, qualified field superintendents, and professional project managers, all dedicated to delivering quality construction services. Wieser Brothers is the leader in design-build services, partnering closely with clients to meet current and future building needs. Trust - Partnership - Excellence are the cornerstones of any Wieser Brothers project.