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This was published 6 years ago
A quarter of a second matters when it comes to online services
As debate rages over the technologies that will make up the national broadband network, one important factor keeps getting overlooked – the experience of the people using it.
While politicians and pundits argue in units of megabits per second of broadband speed, businesses are realising that even slight delays in responsiveness can create negative experiences for users. And they are moving their infrastructure accordingly.
It was the desire to provide a more responsive experience that led Mortgage Choice to bring the hosting of its website back to Australia from Singapore.
According to Mortgage Choice's infrastructure team leader Joshua Foote, the tiny delays between a user performing an action and getting a result – known as latency – had a marked impact on their behaviour.
"When the Australian sites for Amazon Web Services opened up we put together a plan to shift all of our infrastructure over to the Australian ones," he said. "And we've seen a significant increase in speed by shifting it locally."
Mr Foote said this had been noted by his company's marketing team, which had seen an improved response from website users.
"Any latency on a click-through will decrease the chances of an end user following through and using the website," he said. "If a competitor has a slightly faster and slightly snappier website, users are more likely to continue on that website."
With many businesses now rushing to move core business systems to the cloud, there is a danger that user experience can be overlooked.
According to Mark Randall, the chief customer officer for managed cloud service provider Bulletproof Networks, organisations must consider bandwidth and latency before launching business applications into the cloud, as latency causes users to disengage and drop off systems.
"User requirements and feedback around performance can often be hard to ascertain in advance, and people's tolerance for latency varies," he said. "Often it comes down to what they are used to."
But he said some clients that had suffered poor performance from in-house systems had noticed improvement after moving to the cloud.
"The fact that you have a few extra milliseconds of latency is dwarfed by the improvement you get from having appropriate processing power," Mr Randall said.
Concerns about user experience have helped shape much of how the web looks today. In the early days of Google, founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin would count the number of letters on their home page and determine if they could use shorter words.
"That would reduce the amount of data that got sent to the user, which would mean that the Google homepage would appear faster," said Google Australia's Chrome engineering manager Mike Lawther.
"They realised early on that the faster the site was ready for the user, the more likely people were to use it. And that has been built into our DNA from early in our history – that speed matters.
"If your website is a quarter of a second slower than a competitor's site, people will choose the competitor's site."
Mr Lawther says Google has embedded technology such as pre-fetching and pre-rendering into Chrome, to automatically download elements of a webpage that a user might click through to next.
User experience is also of great concern to Amazon.com chief technology officer Werner Vogels. In 2006, his company showed that increasing its page load time by 100 milliseconds led to a 1 per cent decline in revenue.
While Amazon prides itself on its recommendation technology to match users to products based on their purchasing history, Dr Vogels said the delay this created in page load times could actually diminish the experience for its best customers – those that buy more, more often.


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Some of my executive coaching clients share that they feel like they're over their heads in their roles as professionals and leaders; that sooner or later someone is going to discover that they are imposters. Many are accomplished women who have achieved incredible success in their careers, and are often the only woman sitting at the boardroom table. They tend to attribute their gains to pure luck or being at the right place at the right time.
What's interesting is that fewer male clients that I've worked with, admit to feeling like frauds. Or perhaps men are more likely to keep their self-limiting beliefs to themselves. But some men do feel like imposters too and often only when they work with a coach does the truth come out.
In general, men who feel like a fraud don't seem to beat themselves up about it like women do. However, Canadian comedian Mike Myers was quoted as saying "At any time I still expect that the no-talent police will come and arrest me". Hey, if Mike Myers feels that way, we know we're in good company and there's hope for us mere mortals.
A few years ago, I attended a keynote delivered by Dr. Valerie Young who has conducted much research on the beliefs that women have about themselves and their success. She followed up with a book of imposter syndrome advice called The Secret Thoughts of Successful Women – Why Capable People Suffer from the Imposter Syndrome and How to Thrive in Spite of It.
WOW, I thought, she's describing me to a tee. Well it turns out that I'm not alone, I noticed many other women nodding as she described imposter behaviours and patterns. Since then, I've recommended this book to clients as it normalizes how high achieving women and men often feel. It can be lonely at the top, especially when there is no one to validate your accomplishments and talents. Of course, when we suffer from this, we are our own harshest critics.
Dr. Young's book is full of imposter syndrome advice, exercises and checklists to work through. She believes that people fall under one of 5 key mindsets: the Perfectionist, the Natural Genius, the Expert, the Rugged Individualist and the Super Woman/Man.
If you suspect that you're living as an imposter, here are some key concepts and advice from her book to consider and work on:
It's important to acknowledge the positive traits you possess while letting go of the self-limiting tendencies that can fuel the Imposter Syndrome in you. Feeling like a fraud can paralyze you, make you risk averse and stand in the way of moving ahead in your career and life.
If you're averse to taking risk, here are some steps that Dr. Young suggests to move beyond your comfort zone:
So what about you? Does any of this resonate with you? Are there times in your life where you've winged it and felt like an imposter? We'd love to hear your thoughts and how you've overcome these obstacles.
Check out our upcoming public leadership seminar: The Complete Professional
JOANNE BLAKE Canadian speaker, corporate image consultant & business etiquette expert. If you're interested in booking a presentation, keynote or coaching, contact me. Based in Calgary / Edmonton, Alberta in western Canada.

subset: commoncrawl


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Doug: I start with a circle, and
Then draw a line
The line's the horizon, the circle's the sun
And maybe some squiggles,
To look like a hill
The hill we drove over,
The day I moved to Bluffington.
No way could I have imagined,
While doing time in our car's backseat (Spoken: Whoah!)
That the best place in all of the planet,
Was at 21 Jumbo Street
For starters, there's Skeeter
Skeeter (spoken): Yo, Doug! Honk-Honk!
Doug: He's my best pal
Skeeter (spoken): Uh, who're you talking to, man?
Doug: And then, of course, Patti
Patti (spoken): Hey, you guys!
Skeeter (spoken): Doug thinks she's cool!
Doug (spoken): Skeet!
Skeeter (spoken): Oh, sorry, man!
Roger: And don't forget Roger! (spoken: I'm RICH!)
Doug: He's sort of a pain.
And Porkchop,
All: And Chalky, And Beebe,
Roger (spoken): AND ROGER!
And all the kids at school
Roger (spoken): Those losers!
Doug: I guess it kind of surprised me
Skeeter, Patti, and Roger (spoken): Surprise!
Doug: With Patti, the guys, and Skeet,
That the best friends a kid could imagine,
All: Were at 21 Jumbo Street!
Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da (x3)
Doug: Did you ever wonder why stuff has to happen,
It happens to happen to who it happens to?
And then when it happens, Why it had to happen,
When it happens to happen to you?
Skeeter, Patti, and Roger (spoken): Huh?
Doug (spoken): Well, me too.
Skeeter (spoken): That's real neat, Doug.
Doug (spoken): I mean, how I happened to move to Bluffington. And well, how on my first day here, I just happened to meet the most incredible girl ever. Who's initials just happen to be: Patti Mayonnaise. I've been trying to get her to notce me forever! Oh, but to Patti, I'm just another dopey shoes, floppy shorts, green vest and white t-shirt wearing kind of guy, I guess. Oh, the crazy thing is, I keep hoping that she'll happen to say something like:
Patti (spoken): You know, Doug, one of the best things to happpen to us, is you!
Doug (spoken): Yeah?
Roger (spoken): Gah! I think I'm gonna puke!
Patti: You start with a new kid,
Figure he's nice
Roger: (spoken) Yeah, right!
(singing) The kind of a doofus,
You're itchin` to slug!
Patti (spoken): Come on, Roger.
Skeeter (spoken): Yeah, man!
Patti: There's days when he's crazy
And some where he's sweet.
Skeeter: But he's always your buddy,
Skeeter and Patti: When he's a guy a lot like Doug!
All: And though it sounds sort of sappy,
Roger (spoken): I'll say!
All: We'll hang out, and we'll all meet
`Cos the best friends a kid can imagine,
Are right here at your own two feet
And appear with the friends you meet
Doug: Here at 21 Jumbo Street.
- The part where Doug sings, "Did you ever wonder why stuff has to happen/It happens to happen to who it happens to" was his opening line in the Nickelodeon episode of the series, "Doug's Lucky Hat".
- When Patti sings, "There's days when he's crazy", the line is either sung or spoken, depending on the performance.


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Dear Customer,
Asia Pacific Financial Information Conference ("APFIC") is moving to June 11-12, 2019 in Hong Kong. As you may know, APFIC has been held annually in November for many years. However, based on feedback from delegates who would like to travel to both APFIC and the World Financial Information Conference ("WFIC") in October, we are updating the event schedule to provide more room between them.
Despite the date change, you can anticipate the same valuable networking and educational opportunities you've always expected from APFIC. Activities will once again take place at various locations around the city of Hong Kong and be anchored by a full day of program and exhibits at the Ritz Carlton Kowloon.
For 2019, we're excited to present a program focused on the trends that are affecting businesses in APAC and beyond.
Topics covered will include:
FISD and its partners at InfoPro (publishers of Inside Market Data and Inside Reference Data) are planning a conference with greater networking opportunities and a more interactive agenda.
If you'd like information about sponsoring APFIC, please touch base with me or David Anderson.
Best regards,
Tracey Shumpert
Member Relations DirectorFinancial Information Services Association | email@example.com


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Hereinafter you can check out the schedule of our MEET & GREET zone and our AMBIENT LODGE – stage known as THE KEEP.
For those interested we've just updated the eshop with FESTIVAL → PRAGUE shuttle buses. There are two buses departuring from Josefov (near VIP camp 2) with stops at main railway station and the airport. There are three more buses departuring from our festival hotels in Hradec Kralove (Academic, Alessandria, Černigov) with the same stops at main railway station and the airport. Seats will be available for sale on spot only if there are any spaces left from the presale!
Support your favorite magazine by donation to cover some webhosting expenses - that will be more than appreciated!


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The direction for CLASP is set by its volunteer board. The board hires the part-time director, who is responsible for hiring the part-time tutor coordinator, office assistant, site supervisors and recreation leaders.
Board of Directors
Frank D'Emilio – President
Ellen Townsend – Vice President for Administration
Nancy Ambrose – Vice President for Development
Hank Krieger – Chief Financial Officer
Cindy Sullivan – Treasurer
Greg Shapton – Secretary
Harriet Archibald-Woodward
Robin Gottuso
Carol Ivy
Bev Jack
Antoinette Lewis
Margaret Lofgren
David Nemer
Art Parker
Lissa Petersen
Laila Sacks
Skylar Segura
Kevin Ward
Teddie Warner
Emeriti Members
Adar Belinkoff
Shirley Butler-Hughes
Mary Caenepeel
Carole Harter
Claire Oxtoby
Barbara Shelley
Suzan Smith
Amy Stanger


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Akkineni Nageswara Rao, fondly known as ANR, was the star of the Telugu film industry of yesteryear. His work in the film industry and his contribution to the Telugu cinema is commendable and worth recalling and paying tribute to. ANR's career spanned over a duration of 75 years and in this time many memories were created in the minds of the audience. A few works of his are evergreen and cannot be replaced. With his talent and keen business acumen, he rose from an actor to one of the most prominent figures of the film industry.
He was one of the most important people who helped shift Telugu cinema from Chennai to Hyderabad in the 1960's alongside D.V.S. Raju. He founded the Annapurna Studios in the year 1975 and provided the infrastructural support to the newly established film industry in Hyderabad. Today, Annapurna Studios stands as one of the most prestigious studios in Hyderabad with state of the art facilities and is currently serving as a go-to place for cross-media entertainment such as audio launches, corporate events and also television awards. The futuristic thinking of the star and his estimation that the Telugu cinema will spread its wings far more than anticipated deserves a special mention.
ANR contributed significantly to the Telugu cinema by working on memorable biographical roles such as Tenali Rama which received the All India Certificate of Merit for Best Feature Film, Mahakavi Kalidasu, 12th century Sanskrit poet – Bhakta Jayadeva of Odisha, Amara Shilpi Jakkanna, Bhakta Tukaram of Maharashtra to name a few. He also worked on modern dramas and romantic tales such as Laila Majnu, Devadasu, Anarkali, Mooga Manasulu, Prem Nagar, Gundamma Katha, and many other blockbuster hits. He also worked on movies based on the then prevailing social issues like Mangalya Balam.
ANR won many awards and accolades during his vast career along with honors like his movie Mayabazaar featuring in the International Film Festival of India and Indonesian Film Festival in which he essayed the role of Abhimanyudu, a mythological character along with Savitri, who played the role of Sasirekha. He won close to seven Nandi awards and several State awards and the highest honor of the film industry, the Dadasaheb Phalke Award. He was also awarded the Padma Vibhushan, India's second highest civilian award for his contribution to the Indian cinema. He took his last breath after the movie Manam, a family entertainer in which the whole Akkineni family was cast. As a tribute to the actor, Manam was screened at the 45th International Film Festival of India in the Homage to ANR section in November 2014.
Download the My Mango App for more amazing videos from the Tollywood industry.
[youtube_video videoid=vgDYiUfYQ-k]


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Day 06 - NaPoWriMo
If I could be a rabbit I'd use the technology I've learned. It helped man get to the moon and put into space the finest telescope ever made.
If I were a rabbit I'd run for president and surely win. Then I'd help find cures for all the ails and ills of the children of the world
If I were a rabbit president I'd make sure there was enough food for every legged creature in the world. My motto would be seven meals for each of them in all the refrigerators.
If I were a rabbit president I'd collect all the guns, spears, and arrows and weapons in the world. I'd recyle these to make useful products for all.
Finally, if I were the president rabbit I would assure that every homeless and displaced persons and animals would be restored or bettered for a pleasant and peaceful life.
_ _ _ _
- Poem Copyright, Jimmiehov 2019, All Rights Reserved
- I'm linked with Kerry O'Donnell in the Imaginary Garden athttp://withrealtoads.blogspot.com/?m=1
- I'm also linked with NaPoWriMo, Day 6, at http://www.napowrimo.net/day-six-7/
Labels: Animals, NaPoWriMo 2019, Real Toads


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Family Programs
Open Family Gym
Gymnastics Director: Kim Donahue
401.847.9200, x112
A trained instructor will be in Family Gym to assist you and your children as you explore this fun-filled and challenging room. An obstacle course will be ready to challenge; climbing equipment, balls and hoops will provide more fun and excitement. Family gym is a very special place for you and your children to have fun together. Space is limited to 20 children on a first come, first serve basis. Pick up Family gym cards at the Welcome Center. Each session is 55 minutes. Parents must sign in and out of Family gym. Parents must participate with children in the Open Family Gym.
Monday 11:30 am & 12:30 pm
Tuesday 11:30 am & 12:30 pm
Wednesday 11:00 am & 12:00 pm
Thursday 12:00 pm
Friday 12:00 pm
Saturday 11:00 am
Sunday 3:30 pm
Family Recreational Time
Aquatics Director: Cari Beck
401-847-9200 x108 email@example.com
Looking for a great family activity? The pool is scheduled throughout the week for family swims. See the pool schedule for days and times.
Parents Night Out - Ages 3-10
Family Coordinator: LizMarie Vazquez
401-847-9200 ext. 118 | email@example.com
No Parents! Kids Only! Parent's Night Out is held on the 2nd Saturday of each month. Children will socialize, swim and play in the gymnastics center. Pizza is served for dinner. Parent's Night Out is for children ages 3 to 10 years-old and must be potty trained. Please register in advance at the Welcome Center.
Cost Members:
1st child: $25
2nd child: additional $20
3 or more: $50 total
Cost Non-Members:
1st child: $30
2nd child: additional $25
3 or more: $60 total
Birthday Parties
Contact: Liz Marie Vazquez
401-847-9200 x118 | email@example.com
Book your child's birthday party at the Newport County YMCA! Choose between Kids Gym, Pool, Sports and toddler parties. Party availability is most Saturday's and Sunday's. Prices start at $200.00 depending on the party selected. You may choose to add Bounce House to your party for an additional $50.00. Party includes a 2 hour rental of space and a party host.
Youth Nights - 4th-8th Graders
Contact: Rachel Channen
401-847-9200 ext. 137 | firstname.lastname@example.com
Come spend your Friday nights at the YMCA! Fun filled nights of sports, swimming and gymnastics! No pre-registration, just drop in.
$10 for YMCA members and $12 for non-members.
Fridays, 6 :00-8:30pm p.m., December – May for grades 4-8.


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For the fifth consecutive year, the annual ranking of the newspaper El Mundo recognizes the Ramon Llull University as the second best option to study the degree imparted in our School, in Advertising, Public Relations and Marketing.
In this way, the URL consolidates in the twelfth position of Spanish universities, and as the second best private university of Spain.
The ranking of El Mundo has a long history (this year they publish the seventeenth edition), and it evaluates the 50 degree titles most demanded by students and the 5 best universities to study them. One of the things that makes it unique to the rest of the rankings is the important weight of evaluations by the teaching staff (40% of the score), collected through more than 2,000 surveys.


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Classical Modernisation
You seem to have hit the right notes with almost every song sung by you from 2004 until today. Still, it took so much time for you to get recognition. What do you think was the reason behind it?
I don't think I ever had a benchmark that I had to cross to call myself recognised. When I entered this profession, I just wanted to sing to my heart's content. I just wanted to work with the best people in the business and the ones that I looked up to. My journey has filled me with gratitude because I've got the opportunity to work with the most generous and talented people in the fraternity. So, whether it took time for me to get my recognition or not, I don't think about that at all. I've not gotten type casted yet and that's a big achievement. I believe my music is my calling card.
You are often seen reviving old music tracks for your YouTube channel. Does your soul connect more with the classics or do you believe that today's music does not have that essence?
The practise of reviving old classics whether they are film tracks or folk songs, comes from a nostalgic chord in my heart. That fire also got fanned because of my audiences constantly requesting songs from that tangent. I started a series called "You choose I sing" across my social media, and I got many requests. I choose the ones close to my heart and bring them out through organically produced music and simplistic videos on my YouTube channel. The response that those tracks have got has been unreal. Every track crossed millions of views without any paid promotion. Just the power of music and word of mouth.
You have sung in languages such as Hindi, Punjabi, and Bengali. How similar or different do you find the transposition in terms of accent, vibe, and rhythm?
I've sung in Hindi, English, and many regional languages including but not limiting to Marathi, Gujarati, Sinhalese, Telugu, Punjabi, and more. It's basically understanding the emotion in the lyrics and then focusing on the dialect. I pay special attention to getting it right. All my composers have worked very hard with me to make sure no one hearing the song ever says, "Oh this is a Punjabi girl singing in another language that she doesn't know."
Your sisters Sukriti and Prakriti are also popular names in Bollywood now. They are often seen performing as a duo, but we have never witnessed the trio. Any particular reason? Is it going to happen anytime soon?
My sisters and I have done numerous performances together. We keep it exclusive and don't expose that act everywhere. To name a few, we played at the Melbourne Film Festival, Gaana Music Festival, Stree Shakti Awards, and many more. We believe in giving a completely different experience to the audience every time we play together. We have some big plans lined up that you'll know more about in the coming months.
These days, there is a new wave of talented artists in the industry in terms of music, acting, screenplay and more. Do you feel the competition coming your way? How do you manage it?
As far as the competition that's cropping up around all of us these days is concerned, I'm someone who is hopelessly optimistic, and I feel I only want to be better than my own previous performance. If I perform a song today, the next time I sing it, it has to be better than the last time. That's my only competition. I would rather look up to all the bigger talents in our industry, who have been sitting undisplaced for so many years. There is so much to learn from them. We have got to keep supporting each other and show the way. One should turn the insecurity into the fire of the belly that makes them work harder.
If you hadn't become a musician, what would you be doing right now?
If I wasn't a musician I don't know what I'd really be doing. Honestly, I never really gave it a thought. Even if I didn't crack playback singing, I was sure I'd probably be back in Delhi teaching music or something. No other profession for sure.
What is the best song you've ever released and why?
Best song? I don't know about that. A few of them are really close to my heart and I believe that's what matters the most.
Do you think you could get any better as a musician? If so, how would you achieve that?
My guruji from whom I learnt music in Delhi said that, no one is perfect when it comes to music. He says that he is still learning at the age of 75, and I was10 at that time. Clearly there's an ocean of music out there and I'm just a drop.
Any art calls for inspiration. Who is your role model and why?
For me, it is my mother. She is the woman who fought to learn music and take it up as a profession, when it wasn't looked upon as a career choice, especially in a normal middle class family. She bought her own tanpura from her scholarship money, and I use it even now. Apart from her, Lata Ji and Asha Ji have been a constant inspiration, as well as an encyclopaedia of music that I've heard on repeat. I have tried to emulate them, and notice the bareekiyaan in their art from the time I was five years old. They're truly impeccable.
If you could have your fans remember one thing about you, what would it be?
I don't like to call them fans, I call them fam. If they have to remember anything about me, it should be what they keep telling me all the time on social media. They say my voice tells them the kind of person that I am, and how positive, real, relatable, and inspiring I am for them. They can hear it in my voice when I sing. They provide the fuel for all that I do and I am grateful for them.


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"Firepower" is an apt title for this album by the premier British heavy metal band – the mighty Judas Priest. It is (inclusively) the 18th studio album from the band when taking into account all previous incantations of the line-up, but this must rate as the best since "Painkiller" in 1990.
Throughout the fourteen tracks the band members are barely kept on their leash as they fire salvo after salvo of heavy metal into their adoring fans. This is definitely not music for the feint of hearted! As the guitars rip into the opening title track "Firepower", there is no letting up as Rob Halford lets forth with one of his mighty screams before entreating the troops into battle. Of course, what do you expect!
The twin guitar attack of Glenn Tipton and Ritchie Faulkner is the most feared in rock, backed by the mightiest rhythm section in heavy metal – Ian Hill (the one remaining member of Judas Priest through their many changes over the last nearly 50 years) on bass guitar and Scott Travis on drums.
The sound you get from each track is pure heavy metal music in the Judas Priest style, which makes it heavy metal at its best. "Firepower" is an excellent opener, and is immediately backed up by tracks that are as good or even surpass it. Out of several standouts, "Flamethrower" has to be right up there with one of the best introductions to any Judas Priest song ever, and then it just takes off at the speed of fire with the rhythm section thundering along behind it.
"Traitor's Gate" begins with a deceptively low guitar ripple before the chariots arrive to run you over. Rob Halford's vocals are particularly powerful on this song, making you realize how the course of treason has to be brought to its correct conclusion. When Halford sings… "My life's been taken hostage and it's never coming back"… it leaves you knowing exactly how he stands on the subject.
The first thirteen tracks belt right out of your speakers like the proverbial bat out of hell and all will be welcome additions to Judas Priest's new upcoming set list. The Priest bow out on a powerful ballad called "Sea of Red", proving that Halford's voice can handle ballads as well as his trademark 1000 volt rock'n'roll screaming. It's a fitting ending to this fine collection from one of Britain's finest bands and the guitar work on this track is mesmerizing, bringing the ballad to new heights.
The production work on this album was done by Tom Allom, who keeps it clear, crisp and heavy. It's the first time he has worked with Judas Priest since 1990 on "Painkiller". His co-producer was Andy Sneap who has been drafted in to cover for Glenn Tipton on band duties. Tipton has been bravely fighting the debilitating effects of Parkinson's disease for ten years but now feels that the rigors of the road will be too much, so has passed the baton of one half of the twin guitar line-up to Sneap for the Firepower Tour to support the album.
I am sure we all wish Judas Priest the very best in their endeavors. Firepower gets a rock solid 5 stars.
Judas Priest:
Rob Halford – vocals
Glenn Tipton – lead guitar
Ritchie Faulkner- lead guitar
Ian Hill – bass guitar
Scott Travis – drums
Album artwork – Claudio Bergamin
Track List:
Lightning Strikes
Evil Never Dies
Never The Heroes
Children Of The Sun
Guardians Of The Sun
Rising From The Ruins
Traitors Gate
No Surrender
Lone Wolf
Sea Of Red
Note: Written By Mott The Dog and Hells Bells, both of who can be found breathing fire at Jameson's Irish Pub on Soi AR, North Pattaya.


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Issue: Issue 3 (2016) – Supplement 2
Oral Presentation
Acute stroke and early carotid endarterectomy: a centre experienceAuthor(s): Abstract:
Introduction: Data from the literature concerning symptomatic carotid stenosis show that the long term benefits of surgery are greater when it is performed within 2 weeks after the event. The aim of this study is to evaluate our centre's capacity and outcomes. Methods: Forty-eight consecutive patients submitted to carotid endarterectomy (CEA) due to symptomatic carotid stenosis [3 ocular transient ischaemic attacks (TIA); 15 TIAs; 30 strokes] in a reference Vascular Surgery and Stroke centre were evaluated (July 2014 – June 2015). A prospective registry was made with follow-up from 6 months to a year. All the diagnoses were confirmed by a neurologist and a vascular surgeon. Patients with more than 180 days of waiting time for surgery were excluded (2 patients).Download PDF
Results: The mean time from event to surgical proposal was 15 days (median 4) and from event to CEA was 28 days (median 10) (20 inpatients, 25 outpatients, 3 other hospitals). The median ABCD2 score after observation was 5. Ninety-two percent of the patients were operated under loco-regional anaesthesia, with 3 conversions to general anaesthesia (2 intra-operatory deficits after clamping with necessity of shunt, 1 intolerance). Most of the patients were submitted to patch closure (88%) and 8% with eversion. Post-operatively 6% of the patients needed reintervention due to neck hematoma, 1 had hyperperfusion syndrome and 1 had hypoperfusion syndrome. Thirty-day death/stroke rates were 0%, and at 1 year, 4 deaths were registered.
Conclusion: Fast-track protocols are needed for legis artis patient treatment. Primary referentiation also has to be optimized. Indications for surgery are well established and practiced. Surgery outcomes are according to the recommendations.
Special Issue on Stroke. From the Porto University Center of Medicine Stroke Update Course, Porto, Portugal. 7–8 June 2016.
International Journal of Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health 2016; 3(Suppl. 2):O1
Special Issue on Stroke. From the Porto University Center of Medicine Stroke Update Course, Porto, Portugal. 7–8 June 2016.
International Journal of Clinical Neurosciences and Mental Health 2016; 3(Suppl. 2):O1


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By Erika Lower, Summer Science Writing Intern
On the morning of July 10, representatives from more than two dozen academic institutions, NGOs, federal agencies, and local governments gathered in an Old Dominion University (ODU) conference room to play an unusual game. Participants in the Hampton Roads Sea Level Rise/Flooding Adaptation Forum drew abstract shapes on scraps of paper and worked together to describe the scribbles as something that would benefit their communities or the environment. What could get a group of scientists, city planners, engineers, and even federal officials playing a game straight out of a theater class?
Icebreakers and improv games are based on collaboration, creative problem-solving, and clear discussion, explained Jenifer Alonzo, who led the activity. Alonzo is a theater professor and member of the University's Climate Change and Sea Level Rise Initiative. She says these same elements of out-of-the-box thinking are vital to communicating the public impact of sea level rise and coastal flooding–the issue at the core of the Adaptation Forum.
The Adaptation Forum is a workshop for city, regional, and federal officials to share information on how to address challenges posed by sea level rise. July's event is the third in a four-part series co-sponsored by Virginia Sea Grant, ODU, and the Hampton Roads Planning District Commission. The Forum focused on best practices for communicating the risks and realities of coastal flooding to local communities, a process that has proven challenging despite the realized destruction caused by Nor'easters and hurricanes of the last couple of years.
The low-lying terrain of Hampton Roads makes it particularly vulnerable to flooding and storm surges. Due to rising sea levels and changing climate patterns, the frequency and severity of these threats is predicted to increase over the coming years. City officials will need to know the best ways to prepare their districts for potential emergencies but also ensure that their citizens are informed about the risks they face.
"It's often hard for government to communicate about hazards because we tend to feel ambivalent about government," said Katherine Rowan, director of the science communications graduate program at George Mason University. In her presentation on earning trust and explaining complexities in climate science, she pointed out that while people are interested in learning about issues in their communities, they generally prefer to do so on their own terms. Rather than relying on public service announcements to keep citizens informed, Rowan explained, a mix of interactive approaches were often more successful at generating discussions about environmental risks.
Margaret Davidson, acting director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Ocean and Coastal Resource Management, suggests that the most effective way to get people to understand the realities of sea level rise is by letting the residents themselves tell stories.
"Since the time of Homer, we've learned that the best way to communicate important information is through stories," said Davidson, who delivered the keynote address at the meeting. "Stories that use local references have familiarity and resonance, which gives them a great deal of power."
Encouraging people to talk about their own experiences with flooding is a valuable way in which administrators can connect with the communities they serve. Sharing information about sea level rise in non-traditional ways, from hosting potlucks to creating interactive websites, can successfully engage individuals uninterested in traditional town hall-style meetings. And while large information sessions can effectively reach a broad audience, individual conversations with concerned members of the public can be just as important.
"It's the 'each one, teach one' philosophy," Davidson said. "We are all someone's trusted resource."


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text: tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-64933709276648732.post7140829232139492573..comments2020-05-31T17:18:46.059-07:00Comments on The Nostalgic Cook: Brownies in a Cornbread SkilletThe Nostalgic Cookhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-64933709276648732.post-2601425387784121542015-06-17T08:26:03.845-07:002015-06-17T08:26:03.845-07:00That sounds like the perfect size recipe for this ...That sounds like the perfect size recipe for this pan. Plus, I would never turn down a new recipe, especially one involving chocolate! :) There is a link to email me if you click on "View my complete profile" on the upper left hand side of the page. The Nostalgic Cookhttps://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-64933709276648732.post-48403924503999614682015-06-16T14:07:46.550-07:002015-06-16T14:07:46.550-07:00Hi Again! Thanks for this post. I will start look...Hi Again!<br />Thanks for this post. I will start looking for this type of skillet. I have a copy of a fudgy brownie recipe from Katherine Hepburn from a cookbook(?) of Laurie Colwin's called "More Home Cooking". We love it because it is made in one small saucepan on the stove and then baked in a 8 x 8 inch, or similar size pan in the oven. If u would like the recipe, let me know and I will have " tech support" (teenaged son) send u the recipe, thru e-mail(?) or whatever computer magic he does. Thanks again! DGAnonymoushttps://firstname.lastname@example.com


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Nice video on faith-based economic development from the Chalmers Center and the When Helping Hurts Website.
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"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics." -Mark Twain (though he attributes it to Disraeli)
In a candid moment of discouragement one of my best friends asked me, "what is the purpose of psychotherapy?". Sensing her despondency and smelling a rhetorical trap, I banished as much sunny optimism as possible from my answer and replied, "to render life tolerable." Not long after this conversation, another of my closest friends made reference to the studies that seem to show that grief counseling does no good and that patients leave therapy no better off than when they started. Sadly, though I had just narrowly escaped a similar trap, all I could muster in response was that advances have certainly been made, that group therapy seems to be the key, and so forth. However, it just struck me how ridiculous these findings are if interpreted as the abject failure of psychotherapies: if I am alive and physically healthy but seek treatment because life is intolerable, only to leave treatment alive and physically healthy, then has life not been rendered tolerable and psychotherapy proven successful by my pessimistic definition? So what I didn't leave treatment exuberantly happy, tap dancing all the way home! At least I didn't descend further along my downward spiral towards harming myself, harming others, or succumbing to nihilism. The glib conclusion that psychotherapy is worthless remains a lie, a damned lie, and a steaming pile of statistics!
If your old, beat-up commuter vehicle begins to develop a bad wobble in the alignment, you may begin to worry that this issue will worsen and wear out your tires, other parts, or potentially lead to a cataclysmic accident, but you would not get angry at the mechanic who fixes your alignment for failing to restore your car to its factory condition! The mechanic just wanted to stop your car from further degradation, returning it to a stable condition, while never promising to return it good as new. The magical thing about psychotherapy is that occasionally it can do more than just stop your vehicle from further degradation, but sometimes will remove decades of such damage and send you home good as new or even better!
People love to point out that therapy doesn't work like polio inoculation, but this is just their despairing of any real excuses for not seeking treatment, as they most likely feel comfortable in depression and like the pleasurable solutions offered by hedonism, nihilism, and the comforts of receiving sympathy, love, and support from family and friends for their "condition." Some of us even worry that without our despair we would not be "deep;" that we would run out of interesting things to talk about. These same folks usually deny any sort of free will and posit all manner of external coercion to explain their lives, even going to the extent of citing their own genes as such "external" forces. This attitude was even in vogue in many medical circles where it was concluded that "talking cures" are not serious treatments and that only drugs could solve problems with the brain and character, which were thought to be determined by genes. After Eric Kandel's research on memory, which garnered him a Nobel prize in 2000, this strategy of denying freedom has become radically obsolete. "There is no longer any doubt," Kandel writes, "that psychotherapy can result in detectable changes in the brain."
Kandel has shown that as we learn our individual neurons alter their structure and strengthen the synaptic connections between them; that they actually change their anatomical shape and number of synaptic connections when we form long-term memories. Furthermore, he showed that short-term memories are turned into long-term memories when the protein 'kinase A' moves from the body of the neuron into the nucleus where the genes are stored, where it proceeds to turn on the gene responsible for making another protein that alters the structure of the nerve ending, allowing new connections to be grown between neurons. Our genes have more than a "template function," but also include a "transcription function," which is influenced by what we think and do. So much for genetic determinism! Where does this leave my answer about the purpose of psychotherapy? Mark Solms and Oliver Turnbull make a great addition:
The aim of the talking cure…from the neurobiological point of view [is] to extend the functional sphere of influence of the prefrontal lobes.
Studies of depressed patients have shown that a short-term treatment that is partially based on the theoretical work of John Bowlby and Harry Stack Sullivan demonstrated that prefrontal brain activity normalized after treatment. Of particular importance is the right orbitofrontal cortex (just behind your right eye); a part of the prefrontal cortex important for recognizing and regulating emotions and relationships. A more recent fMRI study of patients with anxiety and panic disorders found that pscyhoanalytic psychotherapy strengthened the prefrontal cortex's ability to regulate the limbic system, which became abnormally activated by potentially threatening stimuli for these patients.
So be careful when applying pessimism to growing fields like psychology and beware of applying statistical conclusions to your individual case. I don't care if treatment shows statistically to help only one out of a hundred patients, for I might be that one. If psychotherapy doesn't make many people happy "on average", this doesn't mean that an above-average patient or an above-average therapist can't affect a sea-change or psychological breakthrough. Furthermore, as much as I love the Twain quote that starts this post, the simple fact is that most studies show that psychotherapy is incredibly beneficial on average. Still, don't ever disregard the exceptions. Ramachandran once responded to the claim that the remarkable exceptions to the human norm that he explores don't prove anything by joking that (and I paraphrase) "your telling me that if I can show you a talking elephant that this single aberration isn't statistically significant?" Beware that cynicism can be its own form of naivete, for, as Schopenhauer reminds us, it is highly unlikely that the highly unlikely never happens!


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As anyone who's tried to be a poet knows, when you've had a spiritual experience, the words don't render it. All they can do is give a clue. The experience goes beyond anything that can be said. —Joseph Campbell
Almost everyone I know has at least one thin place story. Or should I say, almost everyone I know has a thin place story that they're willing to share with me. The others, I suspect, have had experiences they cannot explain, but they are afraid of them. They don't want people to think they are crazy, stupid, or naïve. They dismiss them as coincidences or tricks of the brain.
And it is pretty easy to dismiss thin places as tricks of the brain. Been there, done that. They make no rational or scientific sense, they are not measurable, and they dissipate into nothingness when the moment is past.
Yet, those who have experienced thin place moments—when time seems to stand still, the air crackles with a quality not present at other times, or the hair on your arms stand up—say they felt an extreme clarity that seemed more real than reality.
Thin places don't have to be geographical places
Although they can be. You don't have to be in deep meditation or in an Ashram to experience a thin place. They have nothing to do with religion or dogma or beliefs. They happen in grocery check-out lines, restaurants, or at the kitchen sink. Music is a common thin place.
Sometimes these moments come as reminders of our connectedness with all things. Other times they come with a message that sets a person on a purposeful path, or redirects them from a futile path. Often they are times of comfort.
You can't summon a thin place. If you try to reach a thin place, it remains elusively out of reach, like trying to grab unto a cloud. Thin places come unbidden. They require the tricky combination of a mind that is open to them, but not reaching for them.
Thin place stories
Over the next few weeks, I'll be sharing some stories of thin places. Some have been told to me by friends, others I read in books. I hope that when you read them they will trigger memories of experiences in your own life, so that you can look back on those moments and rethink them, for it seems that thin places come to us with exactly what we need at the time that we need it.
If you experience a thin place—when you stop in your tracks, feel that frisson of energy, and the hair on your arms stands up—receive it and honour it, or at the very least give it some thought. Allow yourself, even for a moment, to believe that you are not crazy, stupid, or naïve.


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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Federal Reserve is debating the risks and benefits of letting the U.S. economy run "a little hotter," balancing the good it could do for workers against the possibility it could end in a recession, Atlanta Federal Reserve bank president Raphael Bostic said on Tuesday.
"We do think about this in terms of our tools and how comfortable we should be letting the economy run a little hotter," Bostic said in an event at the Washington University in St. Louis.
Fed officials are widely expected to cut interest rates at their upcoming meeting in three weeks in response to the growing risks and uncertainties around international trade, as well as weak inflation in the U.S.
With the unemployment rate at 3.7 percent it would be an unusual time for the Fed to loosen monetary policy. But some Fed officials have argued that it may be time to try to push the boundaries of what is possible since wages are increasing only at a modest pace, and with no sign inflation is about to escalate. The longer the labor market remains tight, the argument goes, the more the recovery helps minority groups or less successful regions.
"We are definitely having a conversation about this," as officials consider when and whether to trim rates and by how much, Bostic said.
The fear is getting it wrong, and creating such a "hot" economy that inflation does surge. Some argue that is unlikely, and note that comparably low unemployment in the mid-90s continued without inflation because of improvements in productivity.
Productivity growth, however, has been weak in recent years, and Bostic said there are risks to pushing too far.
"There are risks there," he said. "When you are red hot, almost every time a recession ensues...There ends up being a false sense of resilience."
Reporting by Howard Schneider; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama


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If your body cannot adequately break down your food, guess what happens? Large, unbroken and undigested food particles hit your small intestines and create gas and bloating.
They then move further through the digestive tract and meet up with your gut flora… the bacteria that live in your GI tract and the do what bacteria do: fermentation of large molecules and guess what fermentation? Gas.
If your enzyme production is insufficient, you can't break down or absorb protein, fat or carbohydrates properly which leads to digestive issues.RELATED: RECOMMENDED PLANS FOR YOU
– Do you feel sluggish and bloated?
– Does your hair and skin look dull and lifeless?
– Is your waistband a little too tight for comfort?
There are four areas to look at when beating the bloat
1. The food you are eating
Wheat products (pasta, bread, beer, biscuits, etc), milk, sugar and artificial sweeteners, gums/thickeners, whey protein powders and protein bars
2. Your body's ability to digest the food you are eating
The body needs to break down the macronutrients of protein, fat and carbohydrate into smaller building-blocks of amino acids, fatty acids and starches/sugars through the use of stomach acid, digestive enzymes and bile. The body uses these to break down your food into teensy-weensy particles so they can be absorbed into your body.
If your stomach acid, digestive enzymes or bile are low then your body cannot adequately break down your food, and guess what happens to large, unbroken/undigested food particles – they create gas and bloating.
3. Bacterial Overgrowth/Dysbiosis
If your digestive system is in some way compromised and you have some form of bacterial overgrowth such as Candida, or dysbiosis (imbalance of good bacteria and bad bacteria), or SIBO, or an inflammatory bowel disease such as IBD (inflammatory bowel disease), colitis or leaky gut… there will be gas, you are also likely to have low stomach acid, enzymes and bile with any of these issues.
4. Stress
Stress plays a major role in the health of our gut. There has been evidence to suggest that gut flora may respond directly to stress – chronic stress can change the diversity of the gut flora and the quality and health of friendly gut bacteria and can also affect our gut motility, our ability to digest and breakdown our food, if this is compromised it can lead to gas and bloating.
Eat with caution
Take it easy on the veggies – some vegetables (and fruits) are quite high in insoluble fibre, and can cause bloating:
– Bell peppers
– Eggplant
– Celery
– Onions, shallots, leeks, scallions, garlic
– Cabbage, bok choy, Brussels sprouts
– Broccoli
– Cauliflower
TLC for your digestive system
– Increase digestive ability using supplemental digestive enzymes
– Take a high quality, multi-species probiotic: repopulate beneficial bacteria, boosts immunity and can alleviate bloating
– Treat any parasites that may be present
– Take steps to manage your stress
It is vital to take great quality supplements that are food based and manufactured to the highest pharmaceutical grade standard, particularly if you suffer from bloating as some supplements can make the bloating worse.
Flaxseeds: flaxseeds have fibre and omega 3 fats that will keep you regular and help to reduce bloating – two tablespoons a day in smoothies or soup
Lemon Water: 1/2 a freshly squeezed lemon in warm water first thing in the morning contains B Vitamins and Vitamin C to help flush the system and reduce bloating
Apple Cider Vinegar: a tablespoon in a glass of water 15 minutes before eating can help to simulate the digestive juices and reduce bloating
Eat Slowly and Chew your food: chewing your food is the first part of the digestive process, if you eat on the run and gobble down large portions you are putting added stress on your digestion which can lead to bloating.
Acupuncture / Massage: both therapies can target the digestive channels, reduce inflammation and boost the absorption from nutrients and reduce gas and bloating.
Cleanse: A natural and organic herbal cleanse can help to remove toxins and re-boot the digestive system.
Follow the easy steps above, you can try them all or try at least one or two and you can be sure to beat the holiday bloat.
Connect with Expert Kerry Madgwick.


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Since 2015, the New York City Marathon has signaled the end of my race season.
This year, it was the warm up race.
(Wait, what about the Thanksgiving Turkey Trot?)
That's a five miler in Prospect Park, where I push my son in a stroller.
(In a turkey costume?)
Yup, so I'm not counting that race.
This year my end of season race was the NYC60K.
(How far is that?)
60k, 60 kilometers.
(How far is that for those of us who don't speak math teacher?)
37 miles.
For me, this year's New York City Marathon started as it has for the past four years; in the spring.
(The race is on the first Sunday in November. Did you hit your head on something?)
You cannot just show up on race morning with the other 52,000 people are running and register on the spot.
(Ok, I'm confused.)
The race starts for me six months before when I find out if I have won a lottery spot with the New York Road Runners Association.
These are the people who put on the New York City Marathon.
(You ran it, so you must have won the lottery)
(Did the batteries in my hearing aid just die?)
There are three ways to get a spot at the New York City Marathon:
You can qualify by running fast at another one of their events.
(No, not you.)
You can win a spot out of luck in a lottery.
(Definitely not you.)
You can pledge a charity and donate.
(Sounds like you.)
Lottery winners are informed in April and that's when I looked to a charity to secure my spot.
This year I ran with OHEL.
(So that is that when you started training for the marathon?)
No, by April I am already heavily into triathlon training.
(Which includes running?)
Which includes running. It is not until September that I start increasing my distance beyond the 13 miles of a Half Ironman Triathlon.
(Unless you are Ironman training that summer.)
In which case I am already marathon training.
(Do you ever get a break from running?)
No, it feels like I never stop, so when September arrives I just increase my distance.
(When is the marathon again?)
First Sunday in November.
The New York City Marathon started in 1970. One hundred and twenty seven competitors ran 26.2 miles in Central Park.
(Running four loops in Central Park sounds incredibly boring.)
The NYC60K Ultra Marathon is nine loops.
(How are you going to focus for nine loops?)
Before I could start worrying about the Ultra, I had to get through the five borough, 26.2 mile New York City Marathon.
Marathon race week is a coordinated series of events that start on Thursday.
(You do realize, the week starts on Sunday.)
Anyway...on Thursday I picked up my race bib at the Javits Center in Manhattan.
From there I went for a sushi dinner.
(Define "dinner.")
I ordered a sushi boat for myself.
(For carbo loading?)
That and because I was about to burn off all those calories.
(How many hours did that take you to finish?)
Just 30 minutes.
(Were you sick afterwards?)
No, actually, I was still hungry.
On Saturday I had several servings of cholent at lunch followed by many cups of water.
(You mean like those people who walk around all day, drinking from a gallon of water like they were carrying an aquarium around?)
No, I sipped a couple bottles of water.
(Too much water can result in over-hydration.)
And that can lead to all types of troubles that will end your race day quickly.
(So what happened to you at the marathon this year?)
It's like they say, "Hashem answers all prayers, just not always with the answer you were looking for."
David Roher is a USAT certified marathon and triathlon coach. He is a multi-Ironman finisher and a veteran special education teacher. He can be reached at:
[email protected]


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We studied the fish and loaves again tonight at Shepherd's Staff. That place gets me excited. They just opened a thrift store, calling it Shepherd's Stuff. We opened this garage up and had dinner and Bible study in a much bigger space, the place where they will have the Stuff.
But back to the story. I'm recalling the lesson I did on Sunday, the same lesson, and Debbie pointing out something convicting. The situation: Jesus's cousin, John the Baptist, had just been killed. He and his disciples have been having a rough day. Jesus calls them to come with him and rest. But the people came to them and he taught them until the evening. Then the disciples were tired and wanted to go home and send all the people home. But they were miles from the nearest McDonald's. It would take forever for them to get home and prepare their meals, which took longer then. They might even faint from hunger on the way.
Jesus sees what the disciples don't see, something he wants them to see. He has compassion on those people, like sheep without a shepherd. The disciples are so wrapped up in their ministry and duties that they forget to stop and care about the people. Jesus calls them to feed the people. Take time to take care of their needs, both physical and spiritual.
Then, I was reading this book for my online youth ministry class. It was a chapter written by a more liberal guy. However, despite his questioning of defining theology, the had a wonderful insight on the story of Jesus healing the demon-possessed boy after coming down from the mount of Transfiguration. He had just had the time of his life with Peter, James, and John on Mount Tabor. Jesus got to see Moses and Elijah, transform into what he looks like in his heavenly state as God the Son, and Peter even threatened to build tabernacles. Now, they come home to the rest of the guys who can't get this demon out of the boy. They are trying so hard to do their miraculous works and argue about who is the best disciples, but this boy and his father still suffer. Despite coming back from an amazing trip, Jesus takes the time to talk to the father. The father tells him more about the boy and says, "I believe. Help my unbelief." The disciples cared about having a good, holy face toward the world, but this father and son suffered from their neglect of compassion to the point that they struggled believing. Have you ever been so busy with holy activities that you could not take a break and spend time with someone to their detriment? We must be so careful in all our godly work that it is for God's glory and not to get merit. To care more about other people than your own quota for the day.
Finally, RC Sproul's sermon this morning on RYM was about Jesus forgiving Peter in John 21. The announcer wasn't even done speaking when the Holy Spirit started moving. He said, "What if someone asked you if you love him more than your fellow disciples? What if he asked this in front of them? What if this man was Jesus?" Then Jesus asks Peter three times if he loves Jesus more than the fish, more than his job, more than even his brothers in the boat with him. Three confessions of love to match the three denials. This broke Peter's heart. It breaks mine, too. Do I really love Jesus more than I love my ambitions, goals, my friends? Even my church job? I can't always say yes to that.
It gets worse. Then Jesus tells Peter that if he loves him then he will feed his Sheep. That means he will take care of his fellow believers and encourage them in the Lord while preaching the Word to them. You cannot love Jesus if you aren't willing to give up your life for your fellow sheep. I can't say I follow either love really well, vertical or horizontal. Lord help me to love people in such a way that I'm not getting something out of it, but that I truly seek your glory.


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Hyundai Plans Larger SUV Based On Genesis Platform
It appears Hyundai USA might have its sights set on a large SUV slotted above the popular Jeep Grand Cherokee in both size and price. The SUV would utilized the platform currently underpinning Hyundai's full size sedan, the Genesis.
The news comes from Hyundai Australia's public relations general manager Bill Thomas telling motoring quotes of David Zuchowski, Hyundai USA's CEO. "The American boss has been quoted as saying that they're looking at an SUV," Thomas said. "[Or] it might be just a planning thing, it might be studies into the possibilities of it…"
More specifically on the SUV itself, Thomas said the Genesis-based SUV would be "maybe a little bigger" than the Grand Cherokee, indicating it would likely include three-row seating. "It's an interesting subject," Thomas continued. "How do you take the Genesis brand – and move it and expand it? You can see that premium SUVs are doing very well."
Thomas has a valid point. Hyundai does have room in its market for a full-sized SUV ranked as a luxury vehicle – perhaps even on par with the range-topping Equus. Surprisingly the Hyundai brand has done decently well at revamping its image form dismal commuter cars to high-quality sedans and crossovers. Adding a large SUV would only further these efforts.
However, Thomas isn't completely sure the project will get the green light, but is sure Hyundai CEO Zuchowski will fight for the vehicle. "It would only take the CEO there to thump his fist on the boardroom table and demand a larger SUV – and it would happen," motoring surmises from Thomas.
Hopefully these rumors hold true and Hyundai is preparing a Genesis-based large SUV that pushes the brand's luxury image even further.
Continue reading for the full story.
Why it matters
Hyundai is perhaps the best success story the automotive world has seen in the last 20 years. The automaker went from building absolute piles of crap to desirable, reliable, and competitive sedans and crossovers in such a relative short time. Adding a large SUV to its portfolio in the U.S. market would surely bring it even more attention and sales numbers.
In order to compete, Hyundai will have to attack the segment hard, giving the SUV the impressive 5.0-liter V-8 from the Genesis and luxury equipment from the Equus. Perhaps Hyundai's new SUV would directly compete with Jeep's upcoming Grand Wagoneer – a rumored seven-seat SUV with loads of luxury. Who would have ever though Jeep would be going head to head with Hyundai?
Hyundai Genesis
Source: Motoring


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Rogersville: Thelma Lee Glass, of Rogersville, passed away, Tuesday, August 6, 2019 at her residence following a brief illness. She was a member of Tunnell Hill Missionary Baptist Church. Thelma was an avid fan of western movies and crossword Puzzles. She was preceded in death by her parents, Luther and Sophia Mullins; sisters, Janell Morgan, Toni, Elizabeth and Kathy Mullins; brother, Roy Mullins.
She is survived by her brothers, Lewis Mullins and wife, Tammy, Roger Mullins and wife, Pam; special nieces, Michelle Lovin (Earl Tilson), Jaime Garst and husband, Allan; special nephew, Michael Hickman and wife, Amy; several other nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews.
The family would like to say a special thank you to Amedisys Hospice for the care Thelma received at her home.
Visitation hours will be 6:00 P.M. to 8:00 P.M., Thursday, August 8, 2019 at Broome Funeral Home, Rogersville.
Funeral service will be conducted 8:00 P.M., Thursday, August 8, 2019 in the funeral home chapel with Rev. Robbie Drinnon officiating. Graveside service will be 11:00 A.M., Friday, August 9, 2019 at Harrison Cemetery.
Online condolences may be made at www.broomefuneralhome.com
Broome Funeral Home, Rogersville is honored to serve the Mullins family.
To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Thelma Lee Glass, please visit our floral store.


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Fat Johnnies
American Restaurant
7242 S Western Ave (btwn W 72nd & W 73rd)
Chicago, IL 60636
Fat Johnnie's in Marquette Park is a walk-up food stand looks like it's about to collapse, but it's got a loyal following for its David Berg kosher-style hotdogs. It's one of the few places you can still find the legendary Chicago sandwich Mother-in-Law, which is basically a Chicago-style dog with a chili and cheese-topped tamale in a bun instead of a hot dog, along with the traditional fixings, including cucumbers. With the success of his neighborhood staple for over 40 years, Johnnie isn't changing anything about his red hots anytime soon.


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Responding to Trouble
At potluck tonight, we ran into some problems with one of our older boys who attends. Some of the older ones are generally more disrespectful and less interested in participating in what's going on. Most of them act like they want to hang out together, eat our food, and generally blow us off altogether.
It's frustrating, though, when it consistently comes from our regular attenders, the ones with whom we feel like we have some semblance of a relationship. That's what happened tonight.
Starts off with him just being rude and talking loudly to people at his table during the welcome and the prayer. Despite repeated warnings. Despite me reminding him that he's the oldest at the table, and I bug him the most because I think he's able to be a leader with the other guys. Despite me standing right behind him, with a firm hand on his shoulder, during the prayer. Honestly, I should have sent him home after that.
But, of course, we're too nice for that.
Until finally, after dinner, I overhear him loudly mocking one of the adults of our church. Final straw. He knows why I'm coming to talk to him, and tries to imply that "someone else" said that. I tell him it's time to leave. He grins and walks away. I follow, and reiterate that it's time for him to go home. Again, blows it off and walks away.
By default, if verbal instructions don't work, and they won't pay us enough attention to actually let us talk to them, the next step is to physically escort them to the door. This isn't exactly new to us anymore. So, I reach for him, and grab him by the scruff of his neck, which was about the easiest thing to get ahold of at the moment…
Until he turns on me, arms raised, thoroughly pissed and going off about NEVER grabbing his neck like that, and so on. Oops…
In that instant, a couple of things quickly went through my mind, both of which I'm particularly encouraged by. First, as he turned and raised his arms, the first thing that went through my mind was how to quickly grab and twist his arm in order to control him. I'm really glad my brain didn't freeze, and that my reflex was definitely on controlling the situation. Second, my mind recognized that he wasn't going to swing at me, and that a lot of people were paying attention, so maybe this wasn't the best time to continue using physical force.
My answer? I just put my hands up, palms out, making it clear that I wasn't going to touch him, and waiting for him to finish shouting. That went on for a few seconds, until someone else solved the problem… another one of our neighborhood teens (who is essentially our poster child for the positive results of working with these kids) came up behind the shouter, wrapped his arms around him, picked him up, and carried him outside.
I followed, apologized for having grabbed him so forcefully, and asked if he wanted to talk through this now that we were outside. Obviously he was still pissed and wanted nothing of it.
End result? Dunno, we'll find out. I tried to make amends as quickly as I could for disrespecting him, but I don't think I was wrong in how I dealt with things, except for being maybe a bit too strong. We've decided that he's not allowed back at potluck until he's willing to sit down and talk with me. That's when I'm going to make it clear that he'll get respect from me, and I won't lay my hands on him, when he starts respecting us. And we won't welcome him at potluck until he's going to do that. Prayer for both reconciliation, but also clear expectations and firm boundaries, are greatly appreciated.
But that's all a conversation, in theory. At the moment, as far as I know he's still pissed and probably has a bit of a grudge against me. And while I'm not too worried about him, I know the people he tries to act like, and I know the people that he tries to hang out with.
I only live 30 seconds from the church, but I was still checking over my shoulder and down the street on the walk home.


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Ho Chi Minh City (AsiaNews) - The development of the Vietnamese Church would be impossible without the testimony of the laity. This is the firm belief of Fr. Vincent Pham Trung Thanh, provincial superior of the Redemptorists in Vietnam. He told AsiaNews: "After 1975 [when South Vietnam was taken over by the Viet Cong - ed] we had many difficulties in our mission, but the number of Catholics has grown from year to year."
State control of priests and
bishops did not allow them free movement in the country, and dampened the work
of evangelization, but thanks to the laity the mission spread among the
different ethnic groups (Montagnards). "They
recognized - says Fr. Vincent - the importance and necessity of the commitment
of the laity. Ethnic groups live in the forests, in remote and very poor areas.
But we were able to carry out our mission. Even today there are mountains
and vast forests, but the mission towards ethnic groups does not stop. "
According to official data, there are about 5.6 million Vietnamese Catholics, or 6.87% of the population, but unofficial estimates speak of a percentage around 10%. It is the fifth largest church in Asia, after the Philippines, India, China and Indonesia.
The first great missionary movement took place in the early seventeenth century by the Jesuit Alexandre De Rhodes, who gathered up to 6 thousand Catholics.
"Our local churches - continues Fr. Vincent - are indebted to the martyrs and the old missionaries, such as St. Andrea Phú Yên, a young man who worked with Fr. De Rhodes and built with him the first Christian communities in Vietnam. During that early period, the missionaries at the service of the population lived in great poverty. They studied the local culture, language, psychology of the Vietnamese people for their mission. They did not discuss theological theories or sociology, but participated in the activities of the poor people with their daily lives, expressing love for one another".
The style of the past missionaries is also that of the present. At the end of 2012, the Vietnamese bishops, presenting their Church to the FABC (Federation of Asian Bishops' Conferences), said: "The lay faithful are very active in missionary work. They have cooperated with the pastors and religious in building up the Church, bringing the Good News to everyone with their way of life, their behavior and their work with others. "
From the 17th to the 19th century hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese were killed because of their faith. But martyrs are also an inspiration for the mission. As the Cardinal of Ho Chi Minh City said on the feast of the martyrs, "today they are the seeds of our hope."


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A group of 16 Yale University students and have filed a complaint against the school for failing to eliminate a "hostile sexual environment", NPR News reports. The complainants, both male and female, say Yale failed them in the school's handling of sexually-related complaints. They also claim the university has violated a federal law that requires gender equality in all education programs that receive government funding. Guest host Allison Keyes speaks to Russlynn Ali of the Department of Education's Civil Rights Office, which is investigating the allegations…
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Meris Stansbury is the Editorial Director for both eSchool News and eCampus News, and was formerly the Managing Editor of eCampus News. Before working at eSchool Media, Meris worked as an assistant editor for The World and I, an online curriculum publication. She graduated from Kenyon College in 2006 with a BA in English, and enjoys spending way too much time either reading or cooking.


text: I graduated from CSU Sacramento, although I have my degree, I feel that I am still a student at heart. I feel that there is still a lot about the creative world that I need to learn about. I see every opportunity as a learning experience, which is why I learn fast and I work hard.


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By Senior Airman Sean Campbell, 92nd Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs
/ Published July 03, 2018
Brett Campfield, 336th Training Group volunteer strength coach, posses with his Department of Defense Warrior Games medals for a photo at Fairchild Air Force Base, Wash. June, 6, 2018. Campfield was selected for the Air Force Warrior Games Team back in February when he competed in the Warrior Games Trials. (U.S. Air Force photo/ Senior Airman Sean Campbell)
Team Air Force veteran Senior Airman Brett Campfield competes in the visually impaired category for archery during the 2018 DoD Warrior Games at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. June 7, 2018. (DoD photo by EJ Hersom)


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I've been working dilligently at finally releasing a better more complete Panerai Millesimation than is currently available anywhere. This is quite labourious as information is not easily found anywhere. If you have some ANY info on L Series Millesimations, please comment or email me with the info. I would be very grateful for the information. I promise to you guys that I will try and keep the most up-to-date and complete Panerai Millesimation out there.
Check out the new Panerai Millesimation Database.
I have a few more updates to make before I push the new database live, as there have been some more updates than what is currently there as well.


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The Vocal Pack 03: Ogre contains over just over 15 minutes (141 files) of high quality ogre styled vocalisation exertions by 1 human actor.
The assets have been designed for use with computer game media that demands high asset variations, however this pack is suited for all forms of audio media.
The included basic construction kit / original recordings enables further vocal details to be created for more granular focus.
All assets have been recorded & produced at 96kHz/24bit.
Included in this pack:
There are no reviews yet!


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2019 InnerCitySaints Awards Luncheon
Award Honoree
Renee Jones
Untiring advocate for minor and adult victims of human trafficking and sexual assault
Thursday, November 21, at noon
Tudor Arms DoubleTree Cleveland Hotel (with complimentary valet parking)
Register online now to attend or to be a sponsor.
2019 Presenting Sponsors: Medical Mutual of Ohio and the Sisters of Notre Dame
Notre Dame College established the InnerCitySaints Award in 2016 to recognize and shine a light on an individual who through his or her humble service, dedication and presence has made a meaningful difference in Cleveland's inner city urban communities. Net proceeds benefit the Notre Dame College Caring Hearts Fund, which provides emergency financial support to students who are experiencing unexpected crises.
Contact Ann Coakley, executive director of College advancement, at 216.373.6532 or email@example.com for more information.
Read about the 2019 InnerCitySaints Award winner.
Previous Honorees
2018 InnerCitySaints Award
Edward Plaspohl was recognized in November 2018 with the award for his volunteer work with the St. Ignatius High School Labre Ministry, which every week dispatches volunteers to Cleveland's inner city to search for the homeless, provide meals and offer other assistance. He also serves at St. Benedict Joseph Labre Ministry at Walsh Jesuit High School in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio, which he helped to establish.
2017 InnerCitySaints Award
The second InnerCitySaints Award was presented to Father Jim O'Donnell in November 2017. O'Donnell helped establish the community of the Little Brothers and Sisters of the Eucharist, which for more than 35 years has provided a ministry of presence in the Central neighborhood of Cleveland.
2016 InnerCitySaints Award
The inaugural award was presented in November 2016 to Sr. Rita Mary Harwood, SND, Secretary for Parish Life and Development with the Diocese of Cleveland, who established and has led the Diocesan Ministry to the Incarcerated since 1996.


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To save up to 55% on this flight, we recommend booking at least 28 days prior to travel. The price may fluctuate and will likely increase closer to your departure date. Users on Cheapflights have found tickets from Atlanta to Vermont from $459 1-2 weeks out and tickets from $570 for flights departing within the next 72 hours.
Due to multiple factors, expect to potentially pay more when booking in December. For low rates, June can be a great choice for travel to Vermont. Flights to Vermont from Atlanta in June are about $397 on average during June, but can be found for as low as $132.


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This post written by contributor, Audrea.
The onset of fall always reminds me of a time to start fresh. When I was in school, it meant a time for new teachers, new friends and new school clothes. But at this point in my life, it now means the time of year when I re-evaluate my goals so I finish out the second half of the year strong. Fall is the perfect time to invest sometime in yourself and realign with the New Year goals you set 6 months back.
This year I made some big commitments to my health including riding 125 miles from Boston Harbor to Provincetown, MA. EEK! I'm feeling stronger and healthier than ever before, so now as the season begins to change, I'm looking to focus on my heart, mind and soul. Overall my life is really great! I have a strong support network, a good job and an active social life. But something is missing, something that effects the greater good of my community.
Gandhi has this great quote that goes, "The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others." And this fall I'm looking to find myself by getting more involved with my community and give back to organizations that I feel connected to. I'm already involved with Boston-based Fenway Health which has focused on LGBT health issues since the late 70s but I want something that also focus on my love of nutrition, cooking and growing food. I want to get my hands dirty and open my heart to the community around me.
To help with finding volunteer opportunities, I'm using sites such as Volunteer Match, Idealist, Network for Good and Boston Cares (which is local to me but probably similar to many other cities). These sites let me pick matches that fit my busy schedule and help filter matches that may be a good longer-term commitment. I have yet to begin volunteering but have made a commitment to do two events in October and three in November. I'll keep you all posted on what I have learned in November and hope that you will join me in giving back this fall.


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Thursday, October 11, 2012
Happy Holly Balls – Bath Bombs Recipe
Holly Port of Lotion Bar Café created this bath bomb recipe with oatmeal and goat's milk by the request of Amanda of Lovin Soap and she kindly posted the recipe on her blog. The Happy Holly Bath Bombs recipe goes the extra step by adding fantastic ingredients to make an ordinary bath bomb extraordinary. Would you believe that Holly used a ice cream scooper to make her bath bombs into a sphere. Who would of thought that a ordinary kitchen gadget would assist in making a bath bomb?
Posted by Soap Crafter at 8:43 PM
Labels: Recipes - Bath Bombs
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Okay, so I am a bit puzzled. I am trying to write a super-basic lighting shader, and everything seems to go great until I go and try to multiply the texture color by the dot product of the light and normal vectors. Then, the cube doesn't render at all.
Here is my vertex shader:
uniform mat4 modelViewProjection; attribute vec4 position; attribute vec4 color; attribute vec2 texCoord; attribute vec3 normals; uniform mat4 mModel; uniform mat4 mView; uniform mat4 mProjection; varying lowp vec4 vColor; varying highp vec2 vTexCoord; varying highp vec4 vNormal; void main() { vColor = color; vTexCoord = texCoord; vNormal = normalize(vec4(normals,0.0)*mModel); gl_Position = modelViewProjection * position; }
The fragment shader:
precision highp float; uniform lowp sampler2D texture; varying lowp vec4 vColor; varying highp vec2 vTexCoord; varying highp vec4 vNormal; void main() { highp vec4 lightDir = normalize(vec4(1,1,-1,0)); highp float lit = dot(lightDir, vNormal); lowp vec4 col = texture2D( texture, vTexCoord ) * vColor; //Commenting out the above, and uncommenting the line below, //the shader does not work. There is not even a black cube, just nothing //lowp vec4 col = texture2D( texture, vTexCoord ) * vColor*lit; gl_FragColor = col; }
Here is the code for the actual block I try to render:
Block = class() function Block:init() -- you can accept and set parameters here local vertices = { vec3(-0.5, -0.5, 0.5), -- Left bottom front vec3( 0.5, -0.5, 0.5), -- Right bottom front vec3( 0.5, 0.5, 0.5), -- Right top front vec3(-0.5, 0.5, 0.5), -- Left top front vec3(-0.5, -0.5, -0.5), -- Left bottom back vec3( 0.5, -0.5, -0.5), -- Right bottom back vec3( 0.5, 0.5, -0.5), -- Right top back vec3(-0.5, 0.5, -0.5), -- Left top back } local normals = { vec3(-1,-1,1):normalize(), vec3(1,-1,1):normalize(), vec3(1,1,1):normalize(), vec3(-1,1,1):normalize(), vec3(-1,-1,-1):normalize(), vec3(1,-1,-1):normalize(), vec3(1,1,-1):normalize(), vec3(-1,1,-1):normalize() } local triangles = { 1,2,3, 1,3,4, 2,6,7, 2,7,3, 6,5,8, 6,8,7, 5,1,4, 5,4,8, 4,3,7, 4,7,8, 5,6,2, 5,2,1 } local cubeVerts = {} for i,v in ipairs(triangles) do table.insert(cubeVerts,vertices[v]) end local normalVecs = {} for i,v in ipairs(triangles) do table.insert(normalVecs,normals[v]) end -- all the unique texture positions needed local texvertices = { vec2(0.03,0.24), vec2(0.97,0.24), vec2(0.03,0.69), vec2(0.97,0.69) } -- apply the texture coordinates to each triangle local triTexCoords = {1,2,4, 1,4,3, 1,2,4, 1,4,3, 1,2,4, 1,4,3, 1,2,4, 1,4,3, 1,2,4, 1,4,3, 1,2,4, 1,4,3 } cubetexCoords = {} for i,v in ipairs(triTexCoords) do table.insert(cubetexCoords,texvertices[v]) end self.cube = mesh() self.cube.texture = "Planet Cute:Dirt Block" self.cube.vertices = cubeVerts self.cube.texCoords = cubetexCoords self.cube.normals = normalVecs self.cube.shader=shader("Documents:LightingTest") self.cube.shader.mMatrix = modelMatrix() self.cube.shader.mView = viewMatrix() self.cube.shader.mProjection = projectionMatrix() self.cube:setColors(255,255,255,255) end function Block:draw() -- Codea does not automatically call this method self.cube:draw() end function Block:touched(touch) -- Codea does not automatically call this method end
And finally, my Main:
-- 3D basic -- Use this function to perform your initial setup function setup() local dirtBlock = Block() local grassBlock = Block() grassBlock.cube.texture = "Planet Cute:Grass Block" geometry={dirtBlock, grassBlock} t=0 -- currentScene = CubeDemo() scene = { { {1} } } end -- This function gets called once every frame function draw() -- This sets a dark background color background(40, 40, 50) perspective() camera(0,500,300, 0,0,0, 0,0,1) rotate(40*t) scale(101) for iz,zv in ipairs(scene) do for iy,yv in ipairs(zv) do for ix, xv in ipairs(yv) do pushMatrix() translate(ix-1,iy-1,-iz+1) if xv > 0 then geometry[xv]:draw() end popMatrix() end end end t = t + DeltaTime end
highp float lit = .5 + .5 * dot(lightDir,vNormal);
@mooglinux - A couple of things (they don't cause the problem you are seeing, though). You don't need to set viewMatrix and projectionMatrix for the shader, and the line that sets mMatrix should be in Block:draw, just before the block is drawn (so it is updated at every draw).
@monkeyman lo! no Andrew is not God. And although God has never seen Andrew, he belives in Andrew's existence and allmighty wisdom anyway.
@mooglinux - I think the main problem is you named the model matrix mModel in the shader, and mMatrix in the cube code. To fix it, put this line at the top of Block:draw (as suggested in my previous message)
Additionally, when calculating normals in the vertex shader, you need to put the matrix first, ie
vNormal= mModel * vec4(normal,0.0);
Note you use the name normal (singular) in the vertex shader, not normals (plural). This is because Codea uses this name for individual normal values.
Additionally, because the fragment shader will interpolate the normal, it is a good idea to normalize vNormal again within the fragment shader before using it (which means there is no point normalizing vNormal, so I have not done so, above). It won't make a difference in this case, where all the interpolated values within a triangle are the same, but I think it's worth changing anyway.
IT WORKS! Thanks! Mistyping things seems to have been the main problem heh.
Here is the working version:
Vertex Shader:
uniform mat4 modelViewProjection; attribute vec4 position; attribute vec4 color; attribute vec2 texCoord; attribute vec3 normal; uniform mat4 mModel; uniform mat4 mView; uniform mat4 mProjection; varying lowp vec4 vColor; varying highp vec2 vTexCoord; varying highp vec4 vNormal; void main() { vColor = color; vTexCoord = texCoord; vNormal = mView*vec4(normal,0.); gl_Position = modelViewProjection * position; }
And fragment shader:
precision highp float; uniform lowp sampler2D texture; varying lowp vec4 vColor; varying highp vec2 vTexCoord; varying highp vec4 vNormal; void main() { highp vec4 lightDir = normalize(vec4(1.,-1.,1.,0.)); highp float lit = .5+.5*dot(lightDir, normalize(vNormal)); //lowp vec4 col = texture2D( texture, vTexCoord ) * vColor; lowp vec4 col = texture2D( texture, vTexCoord ) * vColor*lit; col.a=1.; gl_FragColor = col; }
Now, one peculiar thing, is that the light source never moves in relation to the cube as the cube rotates. Since the light vector is defined in the fragment shader, I would have expected that vector to be in screen-space, and so stay put. Why isn't that the case?
@mooglinux - just looking at how you calculate normals, you seem to be defining them for each corner, since you have 8, whereas you should only have 6, one for each face.
The difference is that either
(a) each corner always has the same normal whenever it is used as a vertex, or
(b) the normal for each vertex depends on which face it is used for, so if a corner gets used 3 times for different vertices, it will have 3 different normals.
(b) is correct. So for example, the first six vertices are for the front face, so you should have
for i=1,6 do
The location of the light source is not determined by where you calculate the proportion of light falling, but by what vectors you use to compute it. Since you multiply the normals by just the view matrix, then it's actually a bit confused. You explicitly don't transform the normals from the model space to the view space. This will have the effect of making it seem as though the light is fixed relative to the cube.
As well as using the wrong matrix, you apply it incorrectly. To transform the normal vectors, multiply by the inverse of the transpose. (I think I explained this in a post somewhere here, so I'll not repeat myself now.). Sometimes it's the same thing, but not always.
There are also a few optimisations that can be done in your shader. If your faces are flat, you can compute the light factor in the vertex shader and assign it to a
varying. Also, you can compute values such as
lightdir outside
main to avoid computing them again for every pixel.
@Andrew_Stacey, @mooglinux - my understanding is that unless you rescale the axes differently, ie distort the mesh, then using modelMatrix is fine. I have done that for all my lighting shaders.
modelMatrix converts the normals to world space, which is where the lighting is defined, so that is (I believe) consistent. Again, that is the approach I use.
So I'm not sure modelMatrix has anything to do with the main problem, which may be that the normals are incorrectly defined.
@mooglinux - I have it working for you here, I believe
The problem was the normals. Look at how I've defined them. I've also changed the way you filled the vertex and texture table. Using "for i,v in pairs" does not necessarily give you the items in the order you put them in the table, so to be safe use "for i=1,#table" to ensure correct ordering.
I've made a couple of small changes to the shader, including normalising the normal in the fragment shader (yes, you can do it more efficiently in the vertex shader, but you are just experimenting at the moment, so what you have is fine). I also set the alpha of the resulting pixel color to 1, as you don't want transparent pixels with lighting.
You'll also see I've embedded the shader code at the bottom of the other code. It simply goes into two text chunks within a little table.
If you aren't familiar with any of this or want more info (even if it's just on Codea-specific stuff), I suggest reading the ebooks I've written on shaders and also on lighting, which you can find at the top of this link


text: Hey, nice little '73. I like the color combo - that's something you don't see every day. Looks like it's in great shape.Welcome to the site. And, uhhh...is that you or Dave in the photo? I know Karen is usually a girl's name, but these days, you never know. Greg


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? Storage Lust | Main | Finally! ?
September 28, 2004
...just haven't been feeling up to writing, or much else. I guess I just haven't been feeling committed to much of anything lately. Just not wanting to deal, and so I'm feeling kind of stuck. Like I'm just getting by.
I mean, I have been doing stuff. Like I'm in the middle of trying to get my papers organized - color-coded hanging folders, printed labels, a pile of papers to shred. After the initial methodical rush I've reached a mini-plateau and have been dallying too long, reluctant to get to the next step[pe] of going through the remaining boxes of miscellany. Meanwhile, the creeping piles of paper are reappearing like weeds. There are baskets of clothes to wash or fold, floors to sweep, dishes to wash. I just look around me, and I feel exhausted and discouraged before I've even begun.
I don't know why I have this instinct or need to hold onto every little thing, to go out and collect, even when I don't have the space or time to invest. I'm worst with books and music. But I'm weighed down by other belongings too. I envy people who can live so simply, who can shed their physical and mental baggage. My sisters are like this too - probably a sign of something. Our stuff being our identities, a resistance to our inevitable mortalities. Nurturing ourselves through acquiring things we think we need and deserve. (My therapist would be so proud.)
I suppose if I can convince myself that I don't need so much stuff - either holding onto things or acquiring more - then I don't have to be responsible for so much either (storage, maintenance, etc.). Wouldn't that be nice.
My situation just screams "Yard Sale" doesn't it? Or at least Goodwill or Library or Dumpster, given my lack of motivation.
Yours, &c., LC | 09:59 AM | Slice o' Life | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0)
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" Nurturing ourselves through acquiring things we think we need and deserve. "
I so completely, totally, understand. This is my life, too. I want, I deserve, I need. And I acquire.
And I try, periodically, to simplify, but I hit those plateaus... and fall, inevitably, behind.
Posted by: Jenica at September 28, 2004 12:14 PM
I guess being behind isn't so bad, so long as it eventually gets done. Getting caught up in impossible perfectionist goals oftentimes means I either don't finish things, or they get done in a final hectic scramble. So that's something to work on - getting things done reasonably well, instead of absolute perfection. And not waiting until the last minute to do it! :)
Posted by: Lady Crumpet at September 29, 2004 09:47 AM
Trying to simplify is more difficult than I thought, although finding things of a multi-purpose nature are the way to go.
Posted by: mingaling at October 1, 2004 09:26 AM