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A Vehicle parking Garage area, or even a Multi-Story Automobile Park is a constructing, or component of a developing that is certainly designed specifically with regards to parking automobiles. Usually there are at least many floors or amounts for parking to occur on. It is actually essentially what you would have in the event you loaded many parking loads on top of each other.
In england, Hong Kong and Singapore, the phrase 'Multi-Story Car Park your car" is used, but "Car parking garage" is really a more widespread saying used in North American English language. There are many labels just for this structure, including Car parking Deck and Parkade, but Auto parking Garage area is essentially the most frequent in your community. The expression "parking ramp" is likewise employed, mostly within the uppr Midwest, including Wisconsin and Minnesota, but additionally as far eastern side as Buffalo, The Big Apple. Building codes in the United States utilize the term 'Open parking construction" in relation to a structure created for holding cars. They are created to have opportunities within the wall space which allow filtering of clean air to be able to disperse auto exhaust, blaze toxic gases and whatnot.
Auto parking Garages are created in order that motion between automobiles can be accomplished utilizing indoor ramps, external ramps, or automobile raises or elevators. The actual design of the parking car port would depend heavily on where it really is located, just how many automobiles it is meant to allow for, and what type of property it is created on. For instance, vehicle parking garages which are created on sloping land normally have divide-levels. Lately, a lot of parking garages happen to be produced from self-sufficient structures devoted exclusively for that utilize, that allows for prolonged floor spans and lodging for any better variety of automobiles. Auto parking garages can also be commonly building to provide non commercial regions like condominium complexes, in addition to enterprise complexes. Vehicle parking garages may be developed next to the developing they are designed to come with, below it as a in on the first and sometimes second surface of your condominium intricate, or often below the ground to serve in the basement of a creating.
Oftentimes parking garages that are designed to serve shopping malls are designed adjacent to a multiple-narrative shopping mall in order to generate less difficult accessibility a variety of flooring surfaces from the local mall in the a variety of surfaces of the car parking garage area. The Shopping center of America in Bloomington, Minnesota as an illustration, has two huge auto parking garages that are affixed to the property at the two eastern and traditional western stops of your mall.
Inspired by: ezinearticles


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Tag Archives: patricia palermino folk artist
Halloween Parade by Pat Palermino
Halloween Parade
Is that a good witch and a bad witch?
Shop Now
Fun Fall Folk Art by Pat Palermino
Halloween Ride by Pat Palermino
Meet Pat at Art on the Avenue
Artwork for sale will include Christmas ornaments,
framed and unframed limited edition prints, Giclee, notecards, and more!
Pat may be available to hand sign your purchases!
10 am – 6 pm
Del Ray neighborhood in Alexandria, Virginia
Independence Hall 4th of July by Pat Palermino
Celebration of Freedom Ceremony
July 4 10 am – 11 am
Independence Hall, 520 Chestnut Street
Pay tribute to the history of our great nation at Independence Hall with a patriotic and inspiring morning of music, featuring Philadelphia's own Tony Award-winning Hamilton actor Leslie Odom Jr., and a reading of the Declaration of Independence.
Statue of Liberty 4th of July by Pat Palermino
July 4, 2016 (1 to 10 p.m.)
Jersey City Freedom & Fireworks Festival has music, a carnival, food trucks, and fireworks in front of the Statue of Liberty at Liberty State Park.
White House 4th of July by Pat Palermino
The White House Visitor Center is also open on the 4th of July from 9 am to 3 pm. Families can stop in for games, crafts, and other activities. As the evening approaches, there are many concerts you can plan to attend. The US Army Concert Band performs starting at 6pm at the Washington Monument and the National Symphony Orchestra plays a special concert at the Capitol Building at 8 pm.
Happy Birthday and Happy 4th of July Alexandria VA
You can see the spectacular bursts of red, white and blue in Washington DCfrom comfortable perches in Alexandria. Try the observation deck atop the George Washington Masonic Memorial, the patio at restaurant Indigo Landing or along the Mount Vernon Trail on the Alexandria waterfront for uncrowded views.
Fourth of July at Mount Vernon by Pat Palermino
July 4, 2016 (8 am to 5 pm)
Mount Vernon salutes our first commander-in-chief during its annual Independence Day event! Watch dazzling made-for-daytime fireworks shoot off over the Potomac River. Listen to the roar of the cannon fire while viewing special military re-enactments throughout the day.

subset: commoncrawl


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Emily Ratajkowski leaked nude sexy for Jonathan Leder's Collectors Edition Photo Book 2012
Check out the lq photos of model and actress Emily O'Hara Ratajkowski nude sexy for Jonathan Leder's Collectors Edition Photo Book (2012). Posing in lingerie and naked, Emily shows off her sexuality she'd bring to Robin Thicke's music video 'Blurred Lines' and she'd harness for 'Gone Girl' (2014).
Emily O'Hara Ratajkowski (/ˌrætəˈkaʊski/; born June 7, 1991) is an American model and actress. Born to American parents in London and raised primarily in California, she rose to prominence in 2013 after appearing in the music video for Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines", which became the number one song of the year in several countries and attracted controversy over its purportedly sexist content.
Ratajkowski appeared on the cover of the March 2012 issue of the erotic magazine treats!, which led to her being asked to appear in two music videos – "Blurred Lines" and Maroon 5's "Love Somebody". She appeared in the 2014 and 2015 Sports Illustrated swimsuit issues. Ratajkowski made her professional runway modeling debut for Marc Jacobs at New York Fashion Week in 2015 and has since walked on the Paris Fashion Week runway for Miu Miu and Milan Fashion Week for Bottega Veneta. She appeared in a Buick Super Bowl commercial during Super Bowl 50. She has become the spokesperson for brands such as DKNY, The Frye Company, Kerastase and DL1961. She has collaborated with The Kooples and designed her own line of swimwear, Inamorata.
Ratajkowski began acting as a child in the San Diego area before she gained a recurring role on the Nickelodeon series iCarly and later roles in major films. Her feature film debut was as the mistress of Ben Affleck's character in the 2014 film Gone Girl. Ratajkowski's other roles have included the films Entourage and We Are Your Friends (her first leading role) as well as the miniseries The Spoils Before Dying and the anthology series Easy.
Ratajkowski is an advocate for women's health issues as a spokesperson for Planned Parenthood and supports the right of women to express their sexuality. Her claim to being a feminist has been both supported and disputed.


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$24.95 – $27.95
Our I Love CVille team is headquartered two blocks away from the epicenter of the disheartening destruction that occurred at Emancipation Park during the violent Alt-Right protests and counter protests in Charlottesville, Virginia on Saturday, August 12, 2017.
Our "CharLOVEsville" t-shirts represent the people, passion and praise that make Charlottesville, Virginia the best city in America!
The people of Charlottesville, Virginia are a passionate community. We love our town and we love to sing its praises. The people of Charlottesville, Virginia are a welcoming community. We are open-minded, we are kind-hearted and we are forward-thinking. The people of Charlottesville, Virginia do not and will not reflect the hatred, violence and nastiness displayed by outsiders and showcased by the national media.
Hate does not define CVille. Love defines CVille, and love trumps hate.
That's why our I Love CVille team designed this t-shirt and tank top. Our goal was to showcase to the world that love defines Charlottesville, Virginia and love trumps hate in Charlottesville, Virginia.
$3 from each sale (this is all of the profits from the sale of this shirt) of our "CharLOVEsville" t-shirt will be donated to Loaves & Fishes Food Pantry, a Charlottesville-based non profit that is committed to giving food and groceries with kindness and compassion to those who are in need. It's a tremendous Charlottesville charity!
Also, when you wear our "I Love CVille" merchandise into The Salad Maker, Fellini's Restaurant or Tin Whistle Irish Pub, you will get 10% off your food order.
Additional information
|0.03 lbs
Small, Medium, Large, XL, XXL


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Emotions (feelings) are a normal and important part of our lives.
Some emotions are positive. Think of happiness, joy, interest, curiosity, excitement, gratitude, love, and contentment. These positive emotions feel good. Negative emotions — like sadness, anger, loneliness, jealousy, self-criticism, fear, or rejection — can be difficult, even painful at times.
That's especially true when we feel a negative emotion too often, too strongly, or we dwell on it too long.
Negative emotions are impossible to avoid, though. Everyone feels them from time to time. They may be difficult, but we can learn to handle them.
Here are three steps that can help you handle negative emotions.
Learning to notice and identify your feelings takes practice. In addition to focusing on your feelings, check in with your body, too. You may feel body sensations with certain emotions — perhaps your face gets hot, for example, or your muscles tense.
Once you've processed what you're feeling, you can decide if you need to express your emotion. Sometimes it's enough to just realize how you feel, but other times you'll want to do something to feel better.
Sometimes, no matter what you do, you can't shake a tough emotion. If you find yourself stuck in feelings of sadness or worry for more than a couple of weeks, or if you feel so upset that you think you might hurt yourself or other people, you may need extra help.
Talk to a school counselor, parent, trusted adult, or therapist. Counselors and therapists are trained to teach people how to break out of negative emotions. They can provide lots of tips and ideas that will help you feel better.
Reviewed by: D'Arcy Lyness, PhD
Date Reviewed: Jan 1, 2017


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252.219- Reserved
252.219- Reserved
252.219- Reserved
252.219- Small
252.219- Small
252.219- Alternate
252.219- Alternate
252.219- Reserved
252.219- Reserved
252.219- Reserved
252.219- Section
252.219- Alternate
252.219- Notification
252.219-7000 Reserved.
252.219-7001 Reserved.
252.219-7002 Reserved.
252.219-7003 Small, Small Disadvantaged and Women-Owned Small Business Subcontracting Plan (DoD Contracts).
As prescribed in 219.708(b)(1)(A), use the following clause:
This clause supplements the Federal Acquisition Regulation 52.219-9, Small, Small Disadvantaged and Women-Owned Small Business Subcontracting Plan, clause of this contract.
(a) Definitions.
"Historically black colleges and universities," as used
in this clause, means institutions determined by the Secretary of Education to
meet the requirements of 34 CFR Section 608.2.
The term also means any nonprofit research institution that was an
integral part of such a college or university before
"Minority institutions," as used in this clause, means institutions meeting the requirements of Section 1046(3) of the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1135d-5(3)). The term also includes Hispanic-serving institutions as defined in Section 316(b)(1) of such Act (20 U.S.C. 1059c(b)(1)).
(b) Except for company or division-wide commercial items subcontracting plans, the term "small disadvantaged business," when used in the FAR 52.219-9 clause, includes historically black colleges and universities and minority institutions, in addition to small disadvantaged business concerns.
(c) Work under the contract or its subcontracts shall be credited toward meeting the small disadvantaged business concern goal required by paragraph (d) of the FAR 52.219-9 clause when:
(1) It is performed on Indian lands or in joint venture with an Indian tribe or a tribally-owned corporation, and
(2) It meets the requirements of 10 U.S.C. 2323a.
(d) Subcontracts awarded to workshops approved by the Committee for Purchase from People Who are Blind or Severely Disabled (41 U.S.C. 46-48), may be counted toward the Contractor's small business subcontracting goal.
(e) A mentor firm, under the Pilot Mentor-Protege Program established under Section 831 of Pub. L. 101-510, as amended, may count toward its small disadvantaged business goal, subcontracts awarded—
(1) Protege firms which are qualified organizations employing the severely handicapped; and
(2) Former protege firms that meet the criteria in Section 831(g)(4) of Pub. L. 101-510.
(f) The master plan approval referred to in paragraph (f) of the FAR 52.219-9 clause is approval by the Contractor's cognizant contract administration activity.
(g) In those subcontracting plans which specifically identify small, small disadvantaged, and women-owned small businesses, the Contractor shall notify the Administrative Contracting Officer of any substitutions of firms that are not small, small disadvantaged, or women-owned small businesses for the firms listed in the subcontracting plan. Notifications shall be in writing and shall occur within a reasonable period of time after award of the subcontract. Contractor-specified formats shall be acceptable.
(End of clause)
252.219-7004 Small, Small Disadvantaged and Women-Owned Small Business Subcontracting Plan (Test Program).
As prescribed in 219.708(b)(1)(B), use the following clause:
(a) Definition. "Subcontract," as used in this clause, means any agreement (other than one involving an employer-employee relationship) entered into by a Federal Government prime Contractor or subcontractor calling for supplies or services required for performance of the contract or subcontract.
(b) The Offeror's comprehensive small business subcontracting plan and its successors, which are authorized by and approved under the test program of Section 834 of Pub. L. 101-189, as amended, shall be included in and made a part of the resultant contract. Upon expulsion from the test program or expiration of the test program, the Contractor shall negotiate an individual subcontracting plan for all future contracts that meet the requirements of Section 211 of Pub. L. 95-507.
(c) The Contractor shall submit Standard Form (SF) 295, Summary Subcontract Report, in accordance with the instructions on the form, except¾
(1) One copy of the SF 295 and attachments shall be submitted to Director, Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, Office of the Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (International and Commercial Programs), 3061 Defense Pentagon, Room 2A338, Washington, DC 20301-3061; and
(2) Item 14, Remarks, shall be completed to include semi-annual cumulative¾
(i) Small business, small disadvantaged business, and women-owned small business goals; and
(ii) Small business and small disadvantaged business goals, actual accomplishments, and percentages for each of the two designated industry categories.
(d) The failure of the Contractor or subcontractor to comply in good faith with (1) the clause of this contract entitled "Utilization of Small, Small Disadvantaged and Women-Owned Small Business Concerns," or (2) an approved plan required by this clause, shall be a material breach of the contract.
(End of clause)
252.219-7005 Alternate A.
As prescribed in 219.508(c), substitute the following paragraph (b) for paragraph (b) of the clause at FAR 52.219-6:
(b) General. (1) Offers are solicited only from small business concerns and Federal Prison Industries, Inc. (FPI). Offers received from concerns that are not small business concerns or FPI shall be considered nonresponsive and will be rejected.
(2) Any award resulting from this solicitation will be made to either a small business concern or FPI.
252.219-7006 Alternate A.
As prescribed in 219.508(d), add the following paragraph (d) to the clause at FAR 52.219-7:
(d) Notwithstanding paragraph (b) of this clause, offers will be solicited and considered from Federal Prison Industries, Inc., for both the set-aside and non-set-aside portion of this requirement.
252.219-7006 Reserved.
252.219-7007 Reserved.
252.219-7008 Reserved.
252.219-7009 Section 8(a) Direct Award.
As prescribed in 219.811-3(1), use the following clause:
SECTION 8(a) DIRECT AWARD (MAR 2002)
(a) This contract is issued as a direct award
between the contracting office and the 8(a) Contractor pursuant to the
Partnership Agreement dated
[To be completed by the
Contracting Officer
(b) The contracting office is responsible for administering the contract and for taking any action on behalf of the Government under the terms and conditions of the contract; provided that the contracting office shall give advance notice to the SBA before it issues a final notice terminating performance, either in whole or in part, under the contract. The contracting office also shall coordinate with the SBA prior to processing any novation agreement. The contracting office may assign contract administration functions to a contract administration office.
(c) The 8(a) Contractor agrees that¾
(1) It will notify the Contracting Officer, simultaneous with its notification to the SBA (as required by SBA's 8(a) regulations at 13 CFR 124.308), when the owner or owners upon whom 8(a) eligibility is based plan to relinquish ownership or control of the concern. Consistent with Section 407 of Pub. L. 100-656, transfer of ownership or control shall result in termination of the contract for convenience, unless the SBA waives the requirement for termination prior to the actual relinquishing of ownership and control; and
(2) It will not subcontract the performance of any of the requirements of this contract without the prior written approval of the SBA and the Contracting Officer.
(End of clause)
252.219-7010 Alternate A.
As prescribed in 219.811-3(2), substitute the following paragraph (c) for paragraph (c) of the clause at FAR 52.219-18:
(c) Any award resulting from this solicitation will be made directly by the Contracting Officer to the successful 8(a) offeror selected through the evaluation criteria set forth in this solicitation.
252.219-7011 Notification to Delay Performance.
As prescribed in 219.811-3(3), use the following clause:
The Contractor shall not begin performance under this purchase order until 2 working days have passed from the date of its receipt. Unless the Contractor receives notification from the Small Business Administration that it is ineligible for this 8(a) award, or otherwise receives instructions from the Contracting Officer, performance under this purchase order may begin on the third working day following receipt of the purchase order. If a determination of ineligibility is issued within the 2-day period, the purchase order shall be considered canceled.
(End of clause)


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Apple to shrink connector for iPhone 5
Apple Inc's new iPhone will drop the wide dock connector used in the company's gadgets for the best part of a decade in favour of a smaller one, a change likely to annoy the Apple faithful but which could be a boon for accessory makers.
Apple Inc's (AAPL.O) new iPhone will drop the wide dock connector used in the company's gadgets for the best part of a decade in favour of a smaller one, a change likely to annoy the Apple faithful but which could be a boon for accessory makers.
The iPhone 5, Apple's next generation iPhone expected to go on sale around October, will come with a 19-pin connector port at the bottom instead of the proprietary 30-pin port 'to make room for the earphone moving to the bottom', two sources familiar with the matter told Reuters.
That would mean the new phone would not connect with the myriad of accessories such as speakers and power chargers that form part of the ecosystem around iPods, iPads and iPhones, without an adaptor.
That means new business, analysts say.
'It represents an opportunity for accessory vendors,' said Pete Cunningham, London-based analyst at technology research firm Canalys. 'The iPhone connector has been a standard for a long time now and I would expect the same to be true for a new connector, should Apple change it as expected.'
Apple did not immediately reply to an emailed request for comment.
Tech blogs have long speculated on the demise of the 30-pin connector, which at 21 mm wide takes up a chunk of space, especially as the latest technologies such as microUSB offer more power in less space.
They say that a smaller connector would give Apple more scope for new product designs or a bigger battery, or simply to make ever smaller products.
Switzerland's Logitech (LOGN.VX), one of the biggest makers of Apple speakers, declined to comment.
But some enterprising vendors in China have already begun offering cases for the new phone, complete with earphone socket on the bottom and a 'guarantee' the dimensions are correct.
For some in the peripherals industry, the change could open doors to new business.
'iPod docking speaker sales have been declining for one or two years,' said an employee of a Hong Kong-based company that designs speakers especially for Apple products.
'My previous factory is a lucky one. They shifted the focus to Bluetooth speakers, which proved a wise decision now,' the employee said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
'It looks like while iPod speaker sales are going down, Bluetooth speaker sales are going up.'
Apple has already said that some users of older models of its Macbook computers won't be able to use the latest operating system to be announced soon, but analysts think it will be kinder to mobile gadget users.
'Apple needs to find a solution not to disappoint their current clients who want to upgrade to the new iPhone but are tied to an expensive accessory that have bought,' said Franciso Jeronimo, London-based analyst at technology research firm IDC.
'I believe Apple will come up with some sort of adaptor so the new iPhone can be used with previous connectors.'
It could be a difficult change for Apple to manage, even with an adaptor.
'With a smaller connector, what am I going to do with my loudspeaker at home and the fitness pack that I use when I go to the gym? That's the question,' said 24-year old Travis Tam, who owns an iPhone 4 and works as an account executive at a social networking company in Hong Kong.
'I feel that the premium gap between the next iPhone 5 and newest Android models is getting much smaller these days. That will mean that details such as having a smaller connector will mean more in whether I will continue to use an iPhone and switch to other Android phones.'
A salesman surnamed Chan at an Apple reseller in Hong Kong thought a smaller connector would be a 'pain', and would spoil the clean lines and seamless connectivity that is Apple's trademark.
'There are ways around it as some of the speakers have an audio input point that can be connected directly to any iPhone with a earphone jack. It's not a very elegant way of doing things, but it's an alternative,' he said.
In the end though, Apple fans are Apple fans.
'I don't think it will stop Apple consumers from buying the new gadgets,' said C.K. Lu, Taipei-based analyst at research firm Gartner. 'Many companies are interested in developing accessories for Apple because Apple users are more open and willing to buy accessories.'
Follow HT Tech for the latest tech news and reviews , also keep up with us on Twitter, Facebook, Google News, and Instagram. For our latest videos, subscribe to our YouTube channel.


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Jack and I are back from our visit to the Crooked Trail of western Virginia. We drove 1,400 miles in six days, visited six states, heard a lot of music, ate one salad, did a small amount of drawing, and had a great time.
And I drew a chair. Or two. And some hungry musicians.
I prepainted the page in watercolor before I left, then knocked out this Safari sketch and tinted it with sumi ink and a white pencil.
You can see more of my photos on my tumblr.


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The much-anticipated opening of the National Museum of African American History and Culture in Washington, D.C. is just days away.
President Barack Obama will be on hand for the September 24th dedication ceremony. In preparation for the grand opening and beyond, the museum is designating today, September 13th, Giving Day.
Beverly Morgan-Welch, Executive Director at the National Museum of African American History, joined Roland Martin on NewsOne Now to discuss the upcoming grand opening of the museum and what the public can do to help.
Hyundai has partnered with the National Museum of African American History and is providing up to $500,000 in matching donations to help make Giving Day a success.
Morgan-Welch revealed the capital cost for the museum is approximately $500 million and they have raised $325 million of that estimated cost thus far.
At the current moment, the museum has amassed 37,000 artifacts by way of donations. Morgan-Welch said the authentication and preservation process for these items is "absolutely astronomical."
But Morgan-Welch said the museum is "alive" and not just a celebration of relics. She added part of the purpose is to tell people the history of Africans in the United States, "because it's largely unknown."
"By having [an] object that you can see, that Harriet Tubman wore, where Nat Turner prayed, causes you to have and make your own experience," she said.
Watch Roland Martin, Beverly Morgan-Welch, and the NewsOne Now panel discuss the grand opening of the National Museum of African American History and Giving Day in the video clip above.
To support the National Museum of African American History, visit www.givenmaahc.org.
PHOTO CREDIT: Getty
Watch NewsOne Now with Roland Martin, in its new time slot on TV One.
The Third Reconstruction: How Moral Mondays, Fusion Politics Are Fueling The Rise Of A New Justice Movement
National Museum Of African American History & Culture Still Needs Support was originally published on newsone.com
Top 10 Most Notorious Prisons In The U.S.
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Why Are The Police Called "12"
Woman Locked And Tortured In Philly Basement For 10 Years Sues City
The Top 5 Most Corrupt U.S. Police Officers Of All-Time
Famous Members Of Alpha Phi Alpha
Famous Members Of Phi Beta Sigma


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Little Flower School administration will use the Call-em-all system to notify all parents and staff in case of school cancellation, late start, or other important information. The phone numbers provided at registration are used for this purpose, unless other arrangements have been specified. Please contact the school office if you want a particular number added or removed.
If you want to receive text messages from Little Flower School through the call-em-all network, you must "opt in." To "opt in" you need to text "LFS" to the number 2929.
**Repeat: text message: LFS send to: 292929


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Entertaining always requires a certain amount of planning. Hosts have to ask themselves what to serve, how to serve it, and who to serve it to. When it comes to wine, choosing the right varietals is only the start of the discussion. Whether it be white, red, or something in between, serving temperature is always an important facet to consider. A bucket of ice doesn't always cut it.
The Cavanova Open-Top Four-Bottle Wine Chiller is a convenient solution for wine-serving needs. Featuring an adjustable temperature range from 44 degrees to 64 degrees, the thermoelectric wine chiller keeps four standard-size bottles at serving temp--even when the bottles have already been opened.
About the size of a breadbox, the countertop appliance makes it easy to see and serve wine. The double-walled glass in front allows for clear viewing, while a lighted interior makes the labels easy to see. The clean lines of the unit are mirrored in usability, as the accessory offers mess-free operation unlike a melting bucket of ice. A controllable environment with which to keep red or white in gives hosts one less thing to worry about. However, depending on the amount of guests, those four open bottles are entirely another matter--might be time to expand the guest list.


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Yes's Steve Howe talks guitars, prog, file-sharing and playing classic albums live
Yes' Steve Howe talks guitars, prog, file-sharing and playing classic albums live
The lead singer spot in Yes has been a bit of a bouncing ball lately: Following the 2008 departure of longtime frontman Jon Anderson (who himself has skipped from the band from time to time), the progressive rock giants continued on with vocalist Benoit David, who had to bow out in 2012 due to a respiratory illness. On the group's forthcoming album, the Roy Thomas Baker-produced Heaven & Earth, the singing duties are handled by a new recruit, Jon Davison.
Heaven & Earth sees most of the core classic lineup of Yes intact: Along with founding member and bassist Chris Squire, there's drummer Alan White (who joined in 1972, replacing Bill Bruford) and guitar virtuoso Steve Howe. Rounding out the band is keyboardist Geoff Downes, a onetime member of the duo The Buggles (which featured the short-lived Yes vocalist Trevor Horn, who would go on to produce smash albums for Seal, Frankie Goes To Hollywood and Yes, among others).
Howe sat down with MusicRadar to talk about how Davison joined the band, performing the classic albums Close To The Edge and Fragile live, working with Roy Thomas Baker, prog rock and what he would like in return from all those who download Yes music free from the internet.
So there's a Foo Fighters connection to your new singer, Jon Davison. I understand that Taylor Hawkins recommended him to Chris Squire, who then pitched him to the band.
"You know, I don't know how that happened, really. I know that there are some friendships there, yes. Before that went on, I think Paul Silveira, our manager, recommended Jon, and we looked at him on the internet. Then, I think, some of the guys said, 'Oh, yeah, he's really good.'"
What was the process of him joining the group? He was in a Yes tribute band called Roundabout, right?
"Well, he wasn't, actually. He did some work doing some Yes songs; he was in Glass Hammer, which is a prog band, not a Yes tribute band. He's done a variety of things. He's not always been a lead singer – he's spent a lot of time being a bass player. I mean, I guess he did something in a Yes tribute band, but that wasn't his primary musical venture. He's had quite an illustrious career, and some of it was singing a bit of Yes. That's what we saw in a medley."
The new album – I wouldn't call it prog rock, although the last song, Subway Walls, is total prog.
"Well, yes, I guess so. But see, when somebody at Mercedes-Benz goes to work, they don't ask themselves if they're an Audi or a Volkswagen. They know they're a Mercedes-Benz. When Yes goes to work, we don't ask ourselves if we're another band. We're Yes. But that's a pretty broad stroke.
"I mean, when you look at Open Yours Eyes or other albums we've done – including Talk, which I wasn't part of – you can see that we deviate from being just another straight-ahead, thoroughbred prog band. After all, you have to remember that we took nothing but criticism in Europe and England for being a prog band. [Laughs] So you can't blame us for sometimes wanting to edge away from it. But we don't do that because we want to; we do that because of the material we've got.
"It was the same with Fly From Here: When we started it, for good or bad, we didn't say, 'Oh, we're not gonna make this record 'cause it's not prog.' Or 'We're not gonna make this record 'cause it's too prog.' Therefore, we would have upset everybody who thinks we're indulgent, technical show-offs. We were never that. Right through the '70s, all we were was an honest band that did what we did. And that's all Heaven & Earth is.
"We can't change our mold. On this record, we've just got those songs. Some of them were a little bit dangerously close to being accessible, but some of them might not be dangerously close to being accessible. We don't have a mold. I mean, I love the Keys To Ascension and I love the '70s, but we're not always there. We just have to accept that, and so does our audience."
Yes, 2014
"In some ways, some people in our band might be trying to appease people and give them something accessible. Maybe we can give them an album of silence. [Laughs] But I can say that we are more accessible – as writers, that's what comes to us. I don't disagree with your comment about Subway Walls. It's a profoundly good arrangement; we really developed a lot of ideas. I think it shows what weight Jon Davison has brought to us. He collaborated on the music with Jeff as much as I did with him on Believe Again.
"It's a real mixed bag of writing, and it isn't all the same, thank goodness. Some of it does lean a bit to close to 'la la la-la-la,' but that's what we are."
You worked with Roy Thomas Baker, whom you had tried working with in 1979. Was that for the record that became Drama?
"No, no, that wasn't Drama. We had tons of material that had nothing to do with Drama. All of that material was canned. It was old, Alan broke his foot… We didn't have the right material for an album, and we didn't continue making an album. Besides Roy buying a new Trans-Am, that's all we knew. We left, we didn't get to know Roy that well – I can't say that we really know him now."
Why did you decide to give Roy a call after all these years? Did it feel like there was unfinished business with him?
"Well, like anything, the answer's too obvious – it's what we chose. Out of the people we'd approached, and out of the people who came back to us and said, 'Oh, yeah, I'd like to work with you,' we weighed them up and took a chance with Roy. Much like when people asked me, 'How did you pick the group name of Asia?' I tell them, 'We had 10 group names, and we took nine of them off.' [Laughs] That's pretty much how it works in life. We met Roy, we talked, and that was it. I'm not going to say any more about it."
Was it an unpleasant experience working with him? You say you don't know him even now after making a record with him –
"I'm just gonna leave it at that. We still don't know him that well.
You had Billy Sherwood mix the record. Obviously, he's somebody you know very well.
"We made the record, and we asked Billy to mix it – we just didn't feel that it was quite Yes. Billy has a history with the band, and he's obviously done good things when he was in the band, so therefore we trusted him, with our involvement, to do that. That's how the swinging roundabout came; we might have been going around with this with Roy Thomas Baker, but that's not how we finished it. We wanted Billy to bring it back to Yes Central."
On file-sharing
"It's an up-and-down relationship with Billy. He did some work on the Keys To Ascension project, which was great. He recorded studio tracks to what we eventually added to an album called Keystudio, which was just the Keys To Ascension studio music, and I thought it was very valid. Billy was engineering and helping us mix those. Then, of course, he wrote some songs with Chris, and that became the Close Your Eyes album. At that point, he came in the band, and Jon and I only made small contributions to that album. So Billy stayed with the band for a while…
"He's watched us do this and that, and he made a few records with Chris. Then Billy and I did some things, various projects like Pink Floyd. We just did one for The Doors where I play on Light My Fire. So Billy and I get on. We've had wars, but we've also had friendship."
Is your motivation for making albums the same as it was in the '70s? So much has changed in just the past 10 years alone, not the least of which being the role of the album itself in culture.
"Well, it's funny you use the word 'motivation.' That sets a whole agenda here – inspiration, motivation, need, desire… I don't know if I can really answer that. That's a whole… The whole landscape has changed. If everybody who ripped off our album were prepared to give us two months' work of their lives for free, then maybe it would be a very well-balanced situation. So if you wanna take the album, then give us two months of your work for free.
"That's basically what people are doing. They're taking more than two months – but let's just whittle it down to two months' studio work – that we sat in an expensive studio trying to make a good-quality record, and then people just take it. So the reason why we do this has changed a lot. Some people in this band might say that the reason why we do it is because we're musicians and we're supposed to make new music. But that's a bit blind. That's a little like a mouse saying, 'I'll walk across this road even though there's a cat on the other side.' [Laughs]
"Now, I don't only make Yes records; I make different sorts of records, and the motivation is vary different to all of them. It took me a long time to decide that I would agree to do this record. These older bands making records with all of these expectations that they're gonna rush up the charts and everyone's gonna love 'em – it's fizzling. So that's not what happens.
"The Rolling Stones, The Who, Aerosmith, you know, they make records and they don't even chart! [Laughs] And yet, these are some of the biggest bands in the world. Yes needs to learn this. We need to remember that what's happening out there is a very, very different scene, and it's partly due – mostly due – to the internet. People got the needle about labels making money, but they have to because they have to print, distribute and promote the record, and give us a lousy percentage. Yeah, I could moan about that."
On classic albums
"But now we've got the situation where people take the music for free because they somehow think that's their right. And as I said, give me two months of all of those people's work and energy. I wouldn't say that I've a grudge, but you know, it does hurt. It does grieve me that our rights and our copyrights are abused all the time. And yet, we're stupid enough to go and make another record, which immediately is put on the internet by somebody. The whole album on the internet!
"I mean, that guy ought to stop and think about giving us two months of his life for free. Do these people do anything for free? I don't think they do. They get a job, they get paid. Do they walk in to their boss and say, 'I don't mind working for free'? The guy would look at him and say, 'You're gonna work at my company for nothing?' 'Yeah, yeah. I steal records off the internet, and I work for free!' [Laughs] That would be unheard of. So musicians and filmmakers and authors – we're all expected to do this for free.
"So the inspiration is quite different. I make time, I make my Homebrew series, I've done records with Asia – I do things for quite a few different reasons. But when it comes to a high-profile group like Yes… It's a very complicated question you ask me. Let's move on. Don't comment, just move on."
On this tour, Yes are performing Fragile and Close To The Edge in their entirety. As great as it is to have a couple of classic albums in your catalogue, is it ever a drag that newer material doesn't get the same reaction as, say, Roundabout?
"Well, we can't deny that. We can't go against the grain. Close To The Edge and Fragile were both made in the same year, and they're remarkable records with remarkable production, assisted by Eddy Offord. The band is remarkable, with Bill Bruford chopping away at his most creative at that time. I fully understand why they're not screaming for Open Your Eyes. I know why they don't want us to play much of Talk. We're not stupid. We know what went down well, and we know that, for years, Fragile and Close To The Edge were sensational-selling albums. We're very proud of them. Let's just talk about how proud we are, not that we've got some albatross." [Laughs]
On pedal steel guitars
Are there any new guitars that you're currently using?
"Yeah, but you have to realize that newer guitars aren't my biggest feature. I'm actually playing a brand-new Martin 000C – I'll use that for Mood For A Day. I've brought back into action my 1960 ES-5 Gibson Switchmaster, which is one of the most amazing guitars I've got. I'm using my Fenders and my steel and things like this, so tonally it's a well-rounded show. I continue to like contrasting sounds over different types of electric guitars. I still use a 345 Stereo because it's such a great guitar to play. Mix that with the steel and the Variax guitars… I like the older one because it fits on a stand. Guitars are always shifting, like the sand. There's some greater appreciation I can realize for some older guitars, but then a new guitar will come along that really works well for me, like the Martin 000C.
"In the electric guitar field, my Steve Howe 175 is one of the guitars I play. Like the Switchmaster, it's a three-pickup model – a three-pickup custom. Guitars come in and out. I love them. I bought quite a few steel guitars recently. I'm still searching for a single-neck Professional with legs steel guitar, but they're very, very rare. People think I want to buy a Champ or something, but I don't want one. They don't have the double pickup, and they're not substantial, professional instruments."
Are there any guitars you record with that you won't take out on the road?
"Well, I started doing that with my best 175 because airlines – let me just take a deep breath… airlines understand that there are rules, but they change them. One day, a few years back, I got to Heathrow and they told me I couldn't take my guitar on. I literally freaked out, and I said to the whole gate – I pulled my guitar out and I said, 'Can you believe this? This guitar, they won't let me take it on. Can you believe that?' And everybody cheered, but they still wouldn't back down.
"I've got these people. I mean, I complained vigorously after that. They told me to go home and get another plane. Can you imagine? I mean, I'm not an egomaniac, but I am Steve Howe – I've got some credibility. I do have a reason why I want that guitar to go on. So it's a mixed bag. The 175 from 1964 is not going on any more planes."
Yes' Heaven & Earth will be released on July 22. You can pre-order the album on Amazon.


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Christians often argue that homosexuality is unnatural. That is, the purpose of man/woman sex is clear—it's what propagates the species. Any other kind of sex simply isn't using human anatomy for what it was meant for. There's only one way to properly fit the jigsaw puzzle pieces together.
The Catholic Church is a vocal proponent of this idea that homosexuality is unnatural. Let's pause to savor this for a moment—that's a community of celibate men, if you can imagine such a thing, calling another lifestyle unnatural.
But the fact is that homosexuality is natural. It's widespread in nature and has been observed in 500 animal species, including all the great apes, of which humans are a part.
The science that explains homosexuality is immature—homosexuality might be the consolation prize, for example—but why isn't the point. It's clearly natural, and that's been recognized within society. We're decades past the time when homosexuality was categorized as a mental disorder.
But natural doesn't mean good, the Christian will say. Rape, violence, and cyanide are natural, and they're harmful.
True enough. Then let's move the conversation from natural/unnatural to good/harmful. Rape, violence, and cyanide are inherently harmful, but homosexuality isn't.
Saying "I have homosexual inclinations, so I should act on them" is like saying, "I have alcoholic inclinations, so I should act on them."
Once again, the issue is harm. Alcoholic inclinations cause harm, and homosexual inclinations don't. What's the problem caused by consensual homosexual sex (besides offending the Old Testament god)?
Homosexuals can be treated. They can become un-gay.
Here's an interesting data point from the More Musings blog:
[Alan] Chambers is the president of Exodus International, the largest ex-gay organization in the United States. … The most significant statement Chambers made that evening was this:
"The majority of people that I have met–and I would say 'the majority' meaning 99.9% of them–have not experienced a change in their orientation, or have gotten to a place where they could say they could never be tempted, or are not tempted in some way, or experience some level of same sex attraction."
Quoth the President of the Largest Ex-gay Ministry in America.
But if everyone were homosexual, the population would die out!
Yes, and if everyone were female, the population would also die out. So what? No one's saying that being female is bad or immoral or unnatural. It's not the case that everyone is female, and it's not the case that everyone is homosexual. No problem then! Anyway, animals have apparently been gay since forever, and evolution stumbles along just fine.
I'll close with something I recently found that's currently at the top of my I Wish I'd Said That list:
Homosexuality exists in 500 species.
Homophobia exists in only one.
Which seems unnatural now?
Photo credit: Gabludlow
Related posts:
- The first post in this series is here: Homosexuality v. Christianity


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After years of living with Type 1 diabetes, you're a pro at counting carbohydrates and adjusting insulin doses. Over the past year, however, your diabetes has become difficult to control. You've experienced weight loss, frequent bouts of diarrhea, and fatigue. You've also had fluctuating blood glucose levels – both hypoglycemia and hyperglycemia – and needed frequent insulin adjustments. You don't know what's wrong, and what's worse, your doctor – make that doctors – can't explain your symptoms, either. They've suggested everything from irritable bowel disease to depression, but nothing seems to help.
Then one day, a friend mentions that a colleague of hers has a daughter who has Type 1 diabetes and celiac disease, or intolerance to gluten. Her symptoms were similar to yours until her doctor put her on a special, gluten-free diet. Now she's fine – as long as she doesn't eat the wrong foods.
You've never heard of celiac disease before, but you're curious. What is this disease and what causes it? What foods are off-limits? Which are OK to eat? Most of all, how would giving up all gluten-containing foods affect your life and your diabetes control? Before you make another appointment with your doctor, you decide to do some research of your own.
What is celiac disease?
Celiac disease, sometimes called celiac sprue or gluten-sensitive enteropathy, is a hereditary, autoimmune disease in which the body launches an immune reaction when a person consumes gluten, a type of protein found in wheat, rye, and barley. For reasons still unknown to researchers, when people with celiac disease eat foods containing gluten, the immune system sees it as a toxin and launches an attack to prevent its absorption into the bloodstream. The effect of the attack is a flattening of the villi, the small, fingerlike projections on the lining of the small intestine through which nutrients are absorbed. This leaves the intestinal surface smooth, with less surface area for absorbing nutrients. In addition, when the villi flatten out, the digestive enzymes normally present on the villi are destroyed, so food passes through the gut unabsorbed.
Common symptoms of malabsorption include gas, bloating, diarrhea, and weight loss. Other symptoms may include fatigue, anemia, irritability, or depression. In many cases of undiagnosed celiac disease, however, there are no symptoms at all.
Malabsorption of nutrients can create serious deficiencies of the fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E, and K; of folate and vitamin B12; as well as of iron and calcium. In children, this can lead to delayed growth or short stature as well as delayed puberty. Long-term complications of untreated celiac disease include osteoporosis, fertility problems, and benign or malignant tumors of the small intestine. Vitamin and mineral supplements are an essential part of treatment when the intestinal damage, or villous atrophy, is first recognized.
Another autoimmune disease caused by gluten intolerance is dermatitis herpetiformis, which mainly involves the skin. A severe, itchy, blistering skin rash shows up, usually on the elbows, knees, buttocks, and back; in severe cases, the rash can be on any skin surface. Dermatitis herpetiformis is diagnosed by a skin biopsy, but if an intestinal biopsy is also performed, damage to the villi is usually found, although to a lesser degree than that which occurs in celiac disease. Usually, there are no digestive symptoms of dermatitis herpetiformis, but it is treated with a gluten-free diet as well as with medication for the rash.
Celiac disease can be more difficult to diagnose than dermatitis herpetiformis because its symptoms often mimic other digestive diseases such as irritable bowel disease, Crohn disease, ulcerative colitis, and intestinal infections. Complicating the matter is the fact that people with untreated celiac disease often develop lactose intolerance (the symptoms of which also include gas, bloating, and diarrhea) because of the damage to the intestinal villi. Lactose, the sugar in milk and other dairy products, is digested by the enzyme lactase, which is located on the villi. Usually, lactose intolerance disappears within about 2 to 12 months of starting a gluten-free diet. In some cases, however, a person remains lactose intolerant and must continue to avoid dairy products as well as gluten.
Once diagnosed, the only treatment of celiac disease is lifelong, complete elimination of gluten-containing foods from the diet. With gluten elimination, symptoms may disappear within a few days, but complete healing of the small intestine may take three to six months or, in some cases, up to two years. Eating even a small amount of gluten can make a person sick again. In a small percentage of people, a gluten-free diet does not improve symptoms; these people may need to be treated with steroids or immunosuppressive drugs.
Who gets this disease?
Celiac disease commonly shows up in children, but it has been diagnosed in people of all ages, mainly because not everyone with celiac disease experiences symptoms right away. In studies from several countries, including Scotland, England, the United States, and Canada, almost 50% of those with a new diagnosis of celiac disease did not experience symptoms. Several factors may influence the onset of symptoms in those genetically predisposed to the disease. It is believed that the longer an infant is breast-fed, the later the symptoms of celiac disease appear. (However, it is not known if breast-feeding can prevent celiac disease.) The age at which a person began eating gluten and how much gluten he consumes may also affect the onset of celiac disease. A bacterial or viral infection or the stress caused by pregnancy or surgery may trigger symptoms in susceptible individuals.
Since celiac disease is an inherited disease, all first-degree family members – parents, siblings, and children – of people with celiac disease should be screened. About 10% to 15% of first-degree family members will also have celiac disease. In addition, celiac disease often occurs in those with another autoimmune disorder, such as Type 1 diabetes, thyroid disease, Sjögren syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, and Addison disease. Celiac disease is found in 5% to 7% of people who have Type 1 diabetes; some researchers recommend that all children with Type 1 diabetes be screened for celiac disease.
Women are about twice as likely to have celiac disease as men, and the disease is most common in people of European descent (the incidence is particularly high in Scandinavian countries, Italy, and Ireland). It is less common in those of African or Asian heritage. In countries where there is greater awareness of the disease, there is increased diagnosis. In Central Europe, 1 in 200 people has celiac disease. In Italy, every child is screened for celiac disease by age six; approximately 1 in 184 Italians has the disease. In the United States, celiac disease is largely unrecognized and underdiagnosed. While only about 500,000 Americans have been diagnosed with the disease, a recent study suggests that as many as 1 in 133 Americans may have celiac disease. Underdiagnosis of celiac disease is a serious concern, because the risk of long-term complications increases the longer it goes untreated.
Several blood tests have been developed that can be used to screen people who are at risk for celiac disease. The tests detect the presence of certain antibodies that occur in higher numbers in the blood of people with celiac disease. Antibodies are produced by the body to recognize and fight off antigens or toxins. In people with celiac disease, there are elevated amounts of antigliadin, antiendomysium, and antireticulin antibodies (gliadin, endomysium, and reticulin are the proteins and fibers found in wheat, barley, and rye). A blood test for the antibody to tissue transglutaminase (the specific part of endomysium to which the antibody reacts) was developed that is highly sensitive and accurate about 99% of the time, making it helpful for screening at-risk groups. However, the gold standard for confirming a diagnosis of celiac disease if preliminary blood tests are positive is still an intestinal biopsy, in which a long, thin tube called an endoscope is threaded through the mouth and stomach to the small intestine to take a small tissue sample. If the biopsy reveals villous atrophy, a diagnosis of celiac disease is established. If your doctor suspects celiac disease, you should continue to eat gluten-containing foods until after the biopsy. It is much more difficult to diagnosis celiac disease if gluten has been removed from the diet and healing has already started.
The only treatment for celiac disease is a lifelong, 100% gluten-free diet. Foods that contain gluten are any derivative or variation of wheat, rye, or barley, including bulgur, couscous, triticale, spelt, einkorn, farina, graham flour, semolina, and durum wheat. Until recently, people with celiac disease were told they could not eat oats, but some studies show that oats are not toxic to most people with celiac disease. However, since there is a strong possibility of gluten from other grains contaminating oats during harvesting, milling, or processing, it is important to select oats that have been certified as gluten free.
Obvious foods to avoid on a gluten-free diet are most pizzas, breads, bagels, crackers, cookies, cakes, pies, gravies, and flour-based sauces. But there are many less obvious sources of gluten. Communion wafers contain gluten; cooking sprays may contain grain alcohol; malt and malt flavoring, found in cereals, syrups, and beer, are usually made from barley (although some malt products are made from corn). Many licorice candies contain gluten. For this reason, it is very important to read the ingredients list on the label of every food product you purchase and to scrutinize the fine print right down to the seasonings, preservatives, and thickeners, many of which contain gluten.
Reading the label may not be enough, however, since some sources of gluten may not be listed on the label. Manufacturers sometimes change the way a product is made. Food that was gluten-free last month may have different ingredients this month. One way to find out about a product's gluten-free status is to call or write the manufacturer. The manufacturer's name, address, and telephone number appear on the food label. When calling a manufacturer, have the lot number of the food in question available. Many manufacturers also provide lists of their gluten-free foods.
After a while, you will learn to recognize suspect foods and ingredients, but a general rule of thumb is, "If you don't know what's in it, don't eat it." In the United States, at least, the word "starch" on a food label indicates cornstarch, which is safe to eat. "Modified food starch" or "modified starch," on the other hand, could be made from corn, arrowroot, tapioca, or wheat. Hydrolyzed vegetable protein, textured vegetable protein, or hydrolyzed plant protein is usually made from wheat or wheat mixed with soy or corn. Prebasted turkeys, canned and dried soups, sauces, gravies, luncheon meats, and soy sauce made from fermented wheat can all contain sources of gluten. Gluten is even used in nonfood items, such as some medicines, toothpastes, and mouthwashes. Ask your pharmacist if any of your medicines contain gluten. Again, calling the manufacturer of a product to ask if it is totally gluten-free is a good habit to get into.
What to eat
By now you are wondering if there is anything that people with celiac disease can eat. Plain meats, fruits, vegetables, and most dairy products are all gluten-free, as long as they have not been breaded or cooked in the same pan with food that has been breaded. Likewise, corn, grits (made from corn), rice, potatoes, arrowroot, tapioca, beans, nuts, most soy products (except soy sauce), flaxseed, buckwheat (which is not actually a cereal but the seed of a flowering plant), sorghum, amaranth, quinoa, millet, and teff can be included in your meal plan. Packaged gluten-free cakes, cookies, waffles, pancakes, and pizza crust, as well as a wide variety of gluten-free baking mixes are available from specialty stores, some mainstream grocery stores, or from online or mail-order food companies. There are also bean, rice, and nut flours, which can be substituted in recipes that call for wheat flour. Mixing two or more types of flours when substituting for wheat flour gives the product a better texture. A gluten-free cookbook will give you tips for mixing flours and making conversions. These flours should be kept tightly sealed and stored in the refrigerator to prevent rancidity.
Since even a small amount of wheat, rye, or barley can set off a reaction, it's important to keep foods strictly segregated in households where those who don't have celiac disease consume those grains. If anyone in the household uses wheat flour in cooking or baking, be aware that it can remain in the air for up to 24 hours. It can also remain on hands that are not washed thoroughly. Cooking utensils that have touched foods containing gluten must be cleaned carefully before preparing gluten-free food. Difficult-to-clean items such as a flour sifter should not be used to sift both wheat flour and gluten-free flour. Even using a toaster that has crumbs from a piece of wheat bread can contaminate gluten-free bread.
When ordering fried food in a restaurant, be sure to ask whether any foods that have a breaded coating have been cooked in the oil your food will be cooked in. Request that your food be cooked in a separate pan to be on the safe side.
There are several national organizations that provide information on celiac disease and foods to eat or avoid. A list of these organizations is provided here. Joining a celiac support group in your area can provide you with emotional support, up-to-date information, and new meal ideas. Gluten-free cookbooks can help you find tasty recipes and provide you with tips on how to substitute gluten-free products in your favorite dishes. (See "For Further Reading and Information" for a collection of resources on gluten-free living.)
Celiac disease with Type 1 diabetes
In people with Type 1 diabetes, malabsorption of nutrients from undiagnosed celiac disease can lead to frequent, unexplained low or high blood glucose readings. Insulin needs are frequently lower during the time before diagnosis. Once treatment of celiac disease has begun and nutrients are better absorbed, insulin doses may need to be adjusted. Treating celiac disease should make it easier to keep diabetes under control. A study published in the July 2002 issue of the journal Diabetes Care found that in children with Type 1 diabetes and celiac disease, 12 months of a gluten-free diet not only improved their growth but led to a significant reduction in HbA1c level (indicating improved blood glucose control).
For people with diabetes and celiac disease, starting a gluten-free diet requires learning the carbohydrate content of new, gluten-free foods, so they can be introduced into a meal plan or so that insulin doses can be adjusted accordingly. (Click here for information about the carbohydrate content of various gluten-free foods.) In basic carbohydrate counting, one serving of carbohydrate is 15 grams of carbohydrate. For those who adjust their insulin doses based on the amount of carbohydrate they eat, it is important to know exactly how many grams of carbohydrate are in a serving of food. A registered dietitian can help you figure this out and make adjustments to your meal plan or insulin regime.
Nutrition software programs can also help you analyze foods and recipes for carbohydrate content per serving. The United States Department of Agriculture website is a good source of nutrition information. There are also books on carbohydrate counting that may be helpful. Don't forget to check the serving size on food labels and to assess how many servings you are actually eating. Since fiber is not digested or absorbed, you can subtract the grams of fiber from the total carbohydrate on the label if there are more than 5 grams of fiber per serving. When substituting new, gluten-free ingredients into your favorite recipes, add up the carbohydrate grams in each ingredient and divide by the number of servings the recipe yields. Write this information on your recipe cards so you will only have to do these calculations once.
Straying from a gluten-free diet – even just a little bit – can trigger the immune system reaction that damages your intestines, whether or not you experience symptoms. Just as adjusting to diabetes requires changing eating patterns and lifestyle habits, learning to prepare and enjoy gluten-free foods – and avoid gluten – can be a challenge at first, but it doesn't have to mean a lifetime of tasteless meals. The variety and availability of gluten-free foods is greater now than ever before, and food manufacturers and restaurants are becoming increasingly sensitive to the needs of people with food intolerances. Moreover, omitting gluten may introduce you to a rich variety of "alternative" grains, nuts, and seeds that are not only flavorful, but also rich in vitamins, minerals, protein, and fiber. In the end, better health, higher energy, and improved blood glucose control are worth the effort of adjusting to your new meal plan.


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StoryCorps is an independent nonprofit project whose mission is to honor and celebrate one another's lives through listening. By recording the stories of our lives with the people we care about, we experience our history, hopes, and humanity.
StoryCorps is visiting Salt Lake City March 26 to May 2, 2009. Unfortunately, all slots have been reserved, but you can hear stories recorded in Salt Lake City on Friday afternoons. You can also listen to them online here.


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By JONAH GOLDBERG
Like the ancient parable of the blind men describing the same elephant from different perspectives, conservatism can mean many different things to many different people. Indeed, given the relatively straightforward and down-to-earth meaning of the word,conservatism actually lends itself to considerable linguistic legerdemain. One can use the word to refer to a temperament, an ideology (or ideologies), an objective tendency, or simply an unwillingness to heed the forces of progress as fashion dictates.
It seems to me that the future of each of these varieties of conservatism is assured. The conservative temper stems from the crooked timber of humanity and the accumulated scar tissue of experience. The objective tendency, whether imposed by external forces, threadbare budgets, impertinent facts-on-the-ground, or a general lack of popular enthusiasm, also seems baked into the human experience for as far as the eye can see. For related reasons, there will always be realists who counsel the hotheads to slow down, earning at minimum the label "conservative" if not "reactionary." In this sense, while there may not always be an England, there will always be something called conservatism.
The one with the cloudiest future is ideological conservatism. Will enough Americans remain committed, or at least open, to the bundle of principles that define modern American conservatism to sustain the movement and the Republican Party, which imperfectly carries its banner?
My short answer is an equivocal yes. My hedge stems from the fact that it will be hard, for all the reasons we've all heard already: demographics, the changing nature of the economy, etc. But there's one factor that hasn't been adequately discussed: the fading of conservatism's libertarian brand.
I say "brand" because I think the issue has less to do with substance than with marketing. For good and bad reasons, liberalism has managed to cover itself with a patina of libertarianism. Some of this stems from changing attitudes about sexuality. Conservative opposition to gay marriage sends a powerful cultural signal that makes the GOP seem Comstockish and scary, at least to the elites who shape the culture and to younger voters.
That argument is familiar enough. But what allows the Democrats to seem more libertarian isn't just cultural marketing, but a widespread acceptance of the idea that positive liberty is more important than negative liberty. The former, an idea near to Franklin Delano Roosevelt's heart, is that you can't be free unless the state gives you the material aid necessary to enjoy life to its fullest. This was the point of his "economic bill of rights." Negative liberty, an idea dear to the Founders, defines freedom as independence from government intrusion and meddling.
Conservatives have been very successful at arguing separately against positive liberty and against cultural libertinism, but the merger of the two presents new challenges, particularly given the attitudes of young people who seem to believe that you should be free to use birth control (true), but that you're not free unless someone else pays for it.
The vernacular of conservatism derives from a time when the country was churched and defined liberty as personal sovereignty. It needs to change to engage a country that is increasingly unchurched and incorrectly thinks liberty can and should be subsidized.
Jonah Goldberg is a contributing editor to National Review and a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute. This article is from our January symposium issue, in which 53 leading writers and thinkers answer the question: "What is the future of conservatism in the wake of the 2012 election?"


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Since early 2010, I had the privilege of being a member of the editorial board of the journal Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers . It is a fascinating position, as the journal covers a wide range of topics in geography, and is also recognised as one of the top journals in the field and therefore the submissions are usually of high quality. Over the past 3 years, I was following a range of papers that deal with various aspects of Geographic Information Science (GIScience) from submission to publication either as a reviewer or as associate editor.
In early 2011, I agreed to coordinate a virtual issue on GIScience. The virtual issue is a collection of papers from the archives of the journal, demonstrating the breadth of coverage and the development of GIScience within the discipline of geography over the years. The virtual issues provide free access to a group of papers for a period of a year, so they can be used for teaching and research.
Editing the virtual issue was a very interesting task – I was exploring the archives of the journal, going back to papers that appeared in the 1950s and 1960s. When looking for papers that are relevant to GIScience, I came across various papers that relate to geography's 'Quantitative Revolution'. The evolution of use of computers in geography and later on the applications of GIS is covered in many papers, so the selection was a challenge. Luckily, another member of the editorial board, Brian Lees, is also well versed in GIScience as the editor of the International Journal of GIScience. Together, we made the selection of the papers that are included in the issue. Other papers are not part of the virtual issue but are valuable further reading.
To accompany the virtual issue, I have written a short piece, focusing on the nature of GIScience in geography. The piece is titled "Geographic Information Science: tribe, badge and sub-discipline" and is exploring how the latest developments in technology and practice are integrated and resisted by the core group of people who are active GIScience researchers in geography.
You can access the virtual issue on Wiley-Blackwell online library and you will find papers from 1965 to today, with links to further papers that are relevant but not free for access. The list of authors is impressive, including many names that are associated with the development of GIScience over the years from Torstan Hägerstrand or David Rhind to current researchers such as Sarah Elwood, Agnieszka Leszczynski or Matt Zook.
The virtual issue will be officially launched (and was timed to coincide with) at the GIScience 2012 conference.
As I cannot attend the conference, and as my paper mentioned the Twitter-based GeoWebChat (see http://mappingmashups.net/geowebchat/) which is coordinated by Alan McConchie, I am planning to use this medium for running a #geowebchat that is dedicated to the virtual issue on the 18th September 2012, at 4pm EDT, 9pm BST so those who attend the conference can join at the end of the workshops day.


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By Paul Clinton For CNN.com
LOS ANGELES, California (CNN) -- This season's biggest holiday extravaganza, "The Polar Express," should be subtitled "The Night of the Living Dead." The characters are that frightening.
This is especially disheartening since there's so much about this technologically groundbreaking movie -- from Academy Award-winning director Robert Zemeckis and star Tom Hanks -- that's astounding.
The overall artwork is remarkable, and the action sequences are inventive and emotionally gripping. Alan Silvestri's soundtrack is a musical feast, with selections from everyone from Bing Crosby to Frank Sinatra to Steven Tyler.
And the movie has a warm Christmas setting, featuring a group of Kodak-perfect kids on a magical train trip to the North Pole.
But those human characters in the film come across as downright ... well, creepy. So "The Polar Express" is at best disconcerting, and at worst, a wee bit horrifying.
Not live action, and not totally computer-generated animation either, "Polar Express" uses motion- -- or performance- -- capture technology. This process allows a filmmaker to use actual human beings acting out their roles on an empty soundstage, and then merges them into a three-dimensional computer-generated world.
Without getting mired down in technological gobbledygook, this complicated system involves the performers dressing in skintight bodysuits with hundreds of infrared sensors covering the suits and their faces. These sensors then relay the smallest nuance of movement back to a computer, where it's all translated into human motion -- and emotion. (The same process was used for Andy Serkis' portrayal of Gollum in "The Lord of the Rings.")
The results are breathtakingly realistic except for two vital facial areas: the inside of the mouth and the eyes, where the sensors cannot be placed. Therefore, these areas have to be computer generated. It just doesn't work, and this fact is called into sharp relief since the faces of the actors are so incredibly expressive.
To quote an old cliche, the eyes are the windows to the soul -- so these characters look soul dead. When the characters are experiencing extreme emotions, such as fear or surprise, the animation seems to work. But when the characters are still -- and processing information from each other -- they look lifeless.
To put it another way, you can knock, but nobody's home.
The mouth action is also less than overwhelming, since the characters' tongues look like slabs of meat when they speak their lines.
Zemeckis is a techno nerd with visually groundbreaking films on his resume, including "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?", "Forrest Gump" and the "Back to the Future" film series. Those films took giant leaps in the art of technology, but with "Polar Express," Zemeckis gets an A only for effort.
The script is also problematic. Zemeckis and co-writer William Broyles Jr. have taken a popular 29-page children's book (written and beautifully illustrated by Chris Van Allsburg) and attempted to flesh it out into a full-fledged feature film. Zemeckis started with the first line from Van Allsburg's book, ended with the last line, and pretty much filled in all the rest.
There are five main characters in the film, none of whom have names. They are the train conductor and the boy (both played by Hanks), the hero girl (Nona Gaye), Lonely Boy (Peter Scolari, Hanks' former co-star on the TV show "Bosom Buddies"), and Know-It-All Boy (longtime voice-over actor Eddie Deezen).
Each child who boards the Polar Express is theoretically on his or her own personal spiritual journey; think of them as the characters in "The Wizard of Oz." But with the exception of the Hanks boy, the children's personalities or inner conflicts aren't fleshed out enough for the audience to care.
The film takes itself oh so seriously, too.
In addition to playing the boy and the conductor, Hanks also portrays the boy's father, a mysterious hobo and Santa Claus.
Santa Claus gets his very own category of creepy. In an overzealous effort to make Saint Nick look like he has some kind of benevolent inner glow, the filmmakers make him look downright radioactive. It's enough to make you want to skip the milk and cookies and don rubber gloves and protective clothing on Christmas Eve.
It's a shame. "The Polar Express" wants to be an uplifting holiday film, but it tries too hard to make its point. Moreover, the technology just hasn't caught up to the lofty ambitions of the hundreds of talented people behind this film. And when it comes to the characters within, the film looks like a remake of "The Children of the Corn."
Better to let the "Express" go on its way.
"The Polar Express" opens Wednesday. It is rated G.


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Trends Based on the Digitization of Society
The rapid rise of digitization has placed technology at the heart of how our society is run, from working to banking and even healthcare. The digital age isn't just creating new trends in technology, it's also impacting society. Following on from technology trends part one and two, this time out, we'll look at trends based on the digitization of society.
Trend #1: Power of the Individual
It's a common opinion that the significance of people will decrease as technology advances, with some even predicting we'll be replaced by robots in most aspects of life. I'm going to start by saying that this just isn't true, and that people will be at the forefront of the digitization of society. This brings me to the first society trend listed by NTT Data in its study: the power of the individual.
Businesses rely on humans for success, either to work there or to buy their goods and services. The role of individuals is more important than ever in the digital age. Social media enables companies to reach a much wider range of potential customers. However, this also increases the competition. Companies must understand what consumers want and inform them. This even branches out to hyper-personalized products that are tailored to a customer's wishes. The power really is in the hands of the individual in the digital economy, and businesses must understand purchasing trends and behavior.
Trend #2 Decentralized Collaboration
The conventional, vertical hierarchy is likely to become a thing of the past. The networked world enables higher levels of automation and replaces traditional models for numerous tasks, such as manufacturing, shopping, and transportation. So how does this all work? Basically, more devices can now be connected to the internet in what is known as the Internet of Things. This creates a network whereby everything within this network can interact. An example of this would be a smart home that runs itself. This includes lighting, locks, appliances, and even power consumption. Humanity reaps the rewards while having to perform fewer tasks.
Alongside the Internet of Things, blockchain has an important role to play in decentralized collaboration. A prime example of this is cryptocurrency. Not that long ago, almost all payments were completed with cash or cheques. Now, a huge amount of shopping is done online, some of it without official forms of currency, such as bitcoin. Blockchain technology enables payments and refunds to be completed without the need for third-party interaction – streamlining and accelerating an important everyday task.
Trend #3: New Data-Driven Economy
Next on NTT Data's list of trends based on the digitization of society is the role of data in our economy. The key is, however, to convert this data into a useful format. Real-time and predictive data have already enhanced analytics capabilities and enabled new business models. This is just the start, though. We are yet to truly unlock the potential of data, but huge leaps have been taken toward a data-driven economy. Examples of this include predicting trends in the stock market, election results, and even how fashion will change.
Gathered information is also changing transportation. Even a couple of decades ago, the idea of autonomous vehicles seemed like a distant, and possibly, unrealistic concept. Data is now making this a reality. Analysis of real-time location and traffic data has led to the introduction of autonomous cars on our roads. How long until these become the standard? Simply put, data is the most important resource of our time and is going to be the catalyst for revolutionizing nearly every aspect of our society.
Trend #4: Physical Digital Convergence
The last trend for the digitization of society is physical digital convergence. This is the fusion of the digital and physical world – a vital step for the digitization of society. But what does this entail? Coexisting with AI is key to achieving this step, and it has already begun. AI-enabled devices are already in millions of homes around the world. Examples include virtual assistance on smart phones and smart speaker interfaces. The quality of AI will only improve though, meaning we could even automate all shopping orders with a digital assistant in the future, thus simplifying aspects of everyday life.
Our interaction with other people may also change. Once AI becomes more advanced, it is likely that customer service centers will be automated. We will also probably see a change to typical user interfaces. Will the conventional computer be replaced with more efficient tools and interfaces that only require voice commands? It's completely possible. The convergence of the physical and digital world is likely to accelerate many features of human activity.
And that's the rundown of NTT Data's trends for the digitization of society. The rise of digitization is only going to change how our society works more as technology becomes more sophisticated. What will we be talking about in a year's time? We'll have to wait and see.


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Bobby Slayton
A true "comic's comic," Bobby Slayton, often referred to as "The Pitbull of Comedy", has been performing his own intense style of stand-up comedy for over 30 years, becoming one of the best known, respected, and energetic comics working today.
Audiences around the country may recognize Bobby from his scene-stealing roles in movies such as "Get Shorty", "Ed Wood", "Bandits" and, most recently, "Dreamgirls". He's been seen on dozens of television shows including "The Tonight Show" and "Politically Incorrect". Bobby's many appearances on HBO have included "Comic Relief" and his own stand-up special. He was a series regular on the HBO series "Mind of a Married Man", and played Joey Bishop opposite Ray Liotta and Joe Mantegna in the critically acclaimed film "The Rat Pack".
Slayton's distinctive gravelly voice has often been heard on animated shows like "Dr. Katz'" and "Family Guy", as well as many popular radio shows across the country including Howard Stern, Kevin & Bean, and Tom Leykis.
The NY Daily News called Slayton "Armed and Dangerous" and the Las Vegas Review Journal pointed out that "Slayton's refusal to compromise his art has always made him worth a special trip."


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London skyscraper accused of melting Jaguar
LONDON (AP) — Motorists may want to think twice about parking in front of the half-built London skyscraper known as the Walkie-Talkie.
That's because the glare off the skin of the new building is so intense that at least one Jaguar owner says it caused part of his vehicle to melt.
And that's not all: Locals say the building's heat also burned a hole in the welcome mat of a nearby barber shop.
"We were working and just saw the smoke coming out of the carpet," said shop owner Ali Akay. "This is a health and safety issue. They should have looked into this before they built it."
Similar problems developed in Los Angeles, when neighbors of the Frank Gehry-designed Walt Disney Concert Hall reported heat buildups that required corrective measures.
In a joint statement, developers Land Securities and Canary Wharf said they are taking the complaints seriously and looking into how the building reflects sunlight. The 37-story tower — one of the most distinctively shaped skyscrapers in London's financial district — is expected to be completed in 2014.
The apparent problem came to public attention when businessman Martin Lindsay told reporters that his Jaguar's mirror, panels and hood ornament had all melted from the concentrated sunlight reflected from the building.
"It was parked for a couple hours in the city ... and it's completely warped," he said. "It's absolutely ruined."
The problem lasts about two hours a day and is expected to continue for another two to three weeks, developers said in a statement.
"The phenomenon is caused by the current elevation of the sun in the sky," they explained.
In the meantime, the companies have asked city authorities to suspend parking in three spaces.


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NEW YORK — Despite having a big year in music, Nicki Minaj didn't receive any Grammy nominations. Not a problem, she says. "I've gotten tons of awards and I believe when it's my time to get a Grammy, I'll get a Grammy," she said with a laugh. The 30-year-old had one of last year's biggest hits with the multiplatinum dance-pop anthem "Starships." Her sophomore album, "Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded," has reached gold status and launched other hits on the rap and R&B charts. But Minaj, who received three Grammy nominations last year, including best new artist and best rap album for her platinum debut, "Pink Friday," was shut out when this year's nominations were announced. "I think that the Grammys had a different reason, that I do not want to discuss … and that's just between me and them," she said in a recent interview. "But I respect their organization and I'll get a Grammy eventually. I'm not worried about it." A representative for The Recording Academy didn't immediately respond to an email Tuesday seeking comment. Minaj was featured on Ludacris' "My Chick Bad," which was nominated for a 2011 Grammy Award, before she released her first album. She was criticized when she released her sophomore album last April for taking on a pop-and-electronic sound that echoed Katy Perry, Rihanna and Ke$ha. "Roman Reloaded" is a mesh of hip-hop, dance, pop, R&B and reggae flavors, and producers included radio hit makers like RedOne and Dr. Luke. "I understand that artists and critics make a big deal over the Grammys. But when I go to my shows and I'm selling out arenas in London, and when I'm in Australia and Japan, there aren't any Grammys there," she said. "There are human beings who I've touched. There are human beings who are inspired by me, who I love dearly. And that's what my career is based on." Minaj, who is a new judge on "American Idol" alongside Mariah Carey and Keith Urban, said she would probably be upset if she doesn't earn Grammy respect later in her career. "You do feel good when you get awards and accolades. Maybe if I had been doing this for 10 years and I thought like, 'Oh my god, I've put out 10 albums' — maybe it would have hurt my feelings. But I still feel so new that it's like, 'Charge it to the game,"' she said. "It's part of the game." The Grammys will air live on CBS from the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Feb. 10.
Rapper Nicki Minaj isn't sweating lack of Grammy nods
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