Maxforce® Quantum is an easy to use and effective ant control product. The gel contains imidacloprid 0.03% in the form of syrupy liquid which is readily consumed by ant species that are most commonly found infesting homes.
The ant workers temporarily store the consumed ant gel and return to their nest (which consists of other members of their colony such as Queen, kings, soldiers and other workers). On returning home, these ants regurgitate the food and feed it to all the individuals. Thus Maxforce® Quantum effectively works by spreading into the entire ant colony.
Keep away from food stuff.


text:
Home News Awards Harvey Awards confusion leads to response from Zdarsky, others
Controversy!
Harvey Awards confusion leads to response from Zdarsky, others
Last week's announcement of the Harvey Awards nominees was, as usual, accompanied by controversy. This time it wasn't the domination of Valiant (20 nominations) and Boom/Archaia, but rather just why certain books and people were even eligible.
For starters there was the "Most Promising New Talent" category which included the following:
Steve Bryant, ATHENA VOLTAIRE COMPENDIUM, Dark Horse Comics
Daniel Warren Johnson, GHOST FLEET, Dark Horse Comics
Chad Lambert, "KILL ME" FROM DARK HORSE PRESENTS, Dark Horse Comics
Babs Tarr, BATGIRL, DC Comics
Jen Van Meter, THE DEATH-DEFYING DOCTOR MIRAGE, Valiant Entertainment
Considering that Jen Van Meter was nominated for an Eisner in 2002, and Steve Bryant launched Athena Voltaire in 2002 this is…an extrenely liberal definition of "newcomer"….to put it mildly. You can be promising at any age but after 13 years you're not a newcomer. (And Van Meter's fine work such as Hopeless Savages in the past shows she's well established at this point.)
More controversy cam in the form of the Athena Voltaire Compendium being nominated in the Best Graphic Album Original category.
BEST GRAPHIC ALBUM ORIGINAL
ATHENA VOLTAIRE COMPENDIUM, Dark Horse Comics
JIM HENSON'S THE MUSICAL MONSTERS OF TURKEY HOLLOW, Archaia/BOOM! Studios
SECONDS, Ballantine Books
THE WRENCHIES, First Second Books
THIS ONE SUMMER, First Second Books
Although here you could argue it was original to print so….
Bryant responded on Twitter,m explaining that much of the compendium was new material:
Athena Voltaire launched online in 2002, but I wasn't eligible for a Russ Manning nomination until 2007, after being in print.
— Steve Bryant writes and draws comics (@SteveBryantArt) July 15, 2015
I'm pretty sure there are a few other, similar gaps between Manning and Harvey "Most Promising" nominations.
I've received a few questions regarding how the Athena Voltaire Compendium can be considered in the "new" graphic album category.
When Paul Daly left the comic, he took is contributions with him: scripts, some elements of the character's back story, supporting cast.
My initial thought was that the existing material—artwork that I retained control of,featuring a character I own—would fade from publication
And I'd just do a soft reboot of the series with a new mini or OGN. A friend suggested that I recut and rescript the existing artwork.
This solution allowed the previous artwork to "stay alive," and gave me the opportunity to relaunch the series with a large collection.
Of the 200 (or so) script pages, 14 were a straight-up reprint.The rest were new stories. And there's approximately 50 pages of all-new art.
Plus, a few dozen page patches,and reformatting the webcomic pages (which had previously been formatted horizontally).And all-new lettering.
I believe that the Harvey Awards require a "new" graphic album to be over 50% new. I think we're over that percentage.
Finally, (or at least finally for what I have notes for) Chip Zdarsky took exception to being the only nominee for SEX CRIMINALS in the "Special Award For Humor In Comics"
James Asmus, QUANTUM AND WOODY, Valiant Entertainment
James Asmus & Fred Van Lente, THE DELINQUENTS, Valiant Entertainment
Ryan Browne, GOD HATES ASTRONAUTS, Image Comics
Fred Van Lente, ARCHER AND ARMSTRONG, Valiant Entertainment
Chip Zdarsky, SEX CRIMINALS, Image Comics
Also, there were more funny comics than Valiant last year but their get out the vote campaign was undeniably effective.
Zdarsky issued a statement in support of his collaborator, Matt Fraction,—who is a very funny fellow in his own right—and said if chosen he would not serve:
Comics, for the most part, is a team effort. Pencillers, inkers, writers, letterers, Jordie; all of these roles are integral to the creation of a comic book and, time after time, positions like writers are routinely ignored in reviews, news and awards. Is it the fact that they're invisible to the process? That when you're reading a comic you're noticing the beautiful drawings, the vibrant colours, the well-placed and designed lettering? Possibly. But it doesn't mean writers aren't integral to the process, or aren't human beings who need to be noticed a lot.
With that being said (or, more accurately, WRITTEN), I simply cannot accept this HARVEY AWARDS nomination as it stands. I urge the awards committee to change the ballot to say "Chip Zdarsky and Matt Fraption, SEX CRIMINALS, Image Comics." If it does not get changed to exactly that wording, I will ask them to remove my name from the ballot completely, allowing the awards to replace my position with another middle-aged white man.
Harvey Award administrator Paul McSpadden released a statement that seemed to address the eligibility problems:
The Harvey Awards would like to address questions posed by the comics press and other concerned parties since the release of The Harvey Awards Final Ballot.
The Harvey Awards were formed over 28 years ago with the intent to enable the creative community to honor their peers. The Harvey Awards administrators, as well as fans, retailers, and convention professionals, have no vote. That is the guiding principle of the nomination ballot, and we work very hard to maintain that vision.
As with all Harvey Award categories, "Most Promising New Talent" and the "Special Award for Humor" are selected through the voting of the comics professional creative community exclusively. Beyond a publishing date in 2014, we provide no eligibility guidelines for works in these categories and, as such, we continue to rely on the judgment of our voters, and not impose arbitrary limits.
Our vetting process also leaves us confident that all nominations in the Best Original Graphic Album category are indeed eligible, containing enough new and revised material to meet the category definition.
The Harvey Awards committee is open to suggestions from the professional community and we welcome the input. As we do every year, we will review the Harveys voting process and identify areas where improvement can be made.
Which seems like
a) like a total "huh? I was in the other room having some pie" response and
b) poor Paul McSpadden
…but mostly a.
The Eisner Awards have a review process; if a chosen nominee does not meet their criteria is is removed from the ballot. And adjustments have definitely been made in past years. I realize that McSpadden is probably just tired of all the kvetching at this point, and threw up his hands and went back to his pie, but if you're going to have awards, you need to have guidelines. The Newcomer nominees should all have been vetted BEFORE the announcement went out, and if there were only three people in the category, well then, that's better than having "rookies" who have been getting Eisner nominations over two decades. Sadly, the Harvey's have become a joke in many ways, but at least let it be a surreptitious titter and not a public guffaw.
I don't know if any changes to the ballot have been made other than Zdarsky's withdrawal. However I'll throw this out there again:
If 19 comics professionals want to create an annual "Harvey's voting tong" to pick a more selective list, well….Facebook Groups, people.
athena voltaire
steve bryant
Previous articleSDCC '15: Listen to the full 'Grant Morrison: The Multiversity And Beyond' Panel
Next articleThe Delcourt Round-up from Comixology: You Should be Reading!
34th GLAAD Media Award Nominees Announced
Announcing the Comics Industry Persons of the Year for 2022
DC ROUND-UP: BATMAN #131 wastes no time deploying DC's restored infinite earths
Matthew Fabb 07/20/2015 2:02 pm At 2:02 pm
Just a side note to the Beat, I know that there has been some changes made recently to the website. Well, the RSS feed has died for those small few people who still read from an RSS feed. :-)
Karen 07/20/2015 2:14 pm At 2:14 pm
I think you mean "kvetching" not "kvelling."
Heidi MacDonald 07/20/2015 2:19 pm At 2:19 pm
Actually, I haven't changed anything! Unfortunately either foul play or a database corruption is leading to some problems.
IF anyone sees a particularly wacky front page make a screen shot and send it to me please!
…and even the Eisners (sibling to the Harvey Awards) are a bit mysterious, as the rules are not published.
Are the rules to the Harvey Awards available online?
Jackie Estrada 07/21/2015 10:59 am At 10:59 am
http://www.comic-con.org/awards/faq
James Kochalka 07/23/2015 1:02 pm At 1:02 pm
"Matt Fraption"
Wait… are you sure you want exactly that wording?
Angoulême Memories: Creators recall their favorite moments at the festival
Arms Fall Off Boy and more Legionnaires get the spotlight in...
PREVIEW: AWA'S YEAR ZERO VOL. 0 #4 hits stores tomorrow
WEDNESDAY COMICS REVIEWS: A big return (?) in SAGA #61

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


This book demystifies the self-publishing process and provides some much-needed clarity on the topic with information and resources specific to New Zealand. Self-Publishing in New Zealand will take you through the whole operation from decisions about print and design to effective sales and marketing to getting your book into bookshops and other retail outlets. It will provide you with questions to ask your printer or publisher and help you spot potential scams.
How do you publish, market and distribute a book in New Zealand?
This book demystifies the self-publishing process and provides some much-needed clarity on the topic, with information and resources specific to New Zealand. Self-Publishing in New Zealand will take you through the whole operation, from decisions about print and design, to effective sales and marketing, to getting your book into bookshops and other retail outlets. It will provide you with questions to ask your printer or publisher, and help you spot potential scams.
The face of self-publishing has changed. It's easier than ever before to use distribution channels to showcase your work and get it into the hands of your readers. With the right resources and knowledge you can turn your writing dreams into publishing reality.
Whether you are new to self publishing, or an experienced independent author, Self-Publishing in New Zealand will help you find the best strategies to maximise your book's potential.
Used expressions:Self-Publishing in New Zealand ,This book demystifies the self-publishing process and provides some much-needed clarity on the topic with information and resources specific to New Zealand. Self-Publishing in New Zealand will take you through the whole operation from decisions about print and design to effective sales and marketing to getting your book into bookshops and other retail outlets. It will provide you with questions to ask your printer or publisher and help you spot potential scams.


When you toss your cap at graduation, you feel a surge of empowerment that real life is finally beginning. When you're young, milestones come close together, and that reflects how you measure the course of your life.
The transition from college to career opens the great expanse of the rest of your life and what to do with it. Naturally, you feel a mix of excitement and panic. Here are five tough adjustments you'll face and conquer with determination in your adjustment process.
Graduating from college is different than graduating from high school. When you start college, everyone is on a level playing field for the most part, with a blank slate to build on. When you start your career, your friends go on with their lives and may move across the country.
Graduation creates gaps in your support systems and social routines. So, you build new ones.
Your social and professional lives may overlap somewhat, but these are typically separate. Amp up existing social and professional support systems. Ask for help where you need it.
To make new friends and expand your horizons, join meetup groups for specific interests, or attend local events such as trivia nights and social dancing lessons. Many work cultures also recognize the importance of socializing at work and develop activities for employees to engage each other — ask for a list of these events. Attend professional networking events and conferences. Don't overload yourself, but realize the importance of balancing social and professional networks.
In college, you had blocks of time between classes, but the schedule shifted every semester. Did you stay up to study all night, or did you schedule specific study periods based on your classes? Your career schedule will differ — especially as you conduct the job search process and adjust to a new job schedule.
You may feel tempted to skip sleep. When you skip sleep to study or work, any short-term productivity you gained in time fades.
When you get quality sleep, your brain eliminates toxic proteins from neurons — these neural activity byproducts adversely affect your focus, mood and performance if you don't give your body a chance to 8remove them, costing businesses more than $63 million annually in productivity loss. Researchers link sleep deprivation with risks of developing stroke, heart disease and Type 2 diabetes. More than half of Americans regularly get fewer than seven hours of sleep, but most folks need between seven and nine hours every night to function optimally.
Develop a routine that works for you and allows you to get adequate sleep. Go to bed and wake up at regular times. Schedule time periods for job searching, and don't take work home with you when you start your new job. Most of all, give yourself a transition period and recognize the importance of taking time out for yourself.
You must move beyond the assessment focus mindset to cultivating a growth mindset. In college, you may have skimmed your textbook to absorb enough information to pass your exams, only for it leak out of your brain later. However, don't skim through your training manual, assuming you'll pick up knowledge on the job. While it takes time to adjust, winging it won't get you to your career goals. Orient your focus toward growth and learning.
Develop a continuous improvement plan, and assess your existing skill set. Where are you? How will you check in with yourself as you move through the material and your learning experiences?
Learning isn't linear and requires flexibility, and your continuous improvement plan and learning style differ from others. X doesn't equal Y, but it doesn't mean they aren't each correct. Document your experiences and what works for you to continuously improve, but look at your language. Instead of "review," use "improve." Instead of "study," think "retain." The word choices you use when you talk to yourself are just as important as those you use on a resume.
You worked on various assignments with a partner and planned club activities with a group, but being a team player at work encompasses more of your time. You flew solo during your college career as you studied and managed your assignments, tests and achievements.
At work, you're always a team player, completing tasks in order of priority assigned by the company. That's subject to change and frequently shifts. You must remain flexible. Practice active listening, so you can realize where you're wrong and meet others with mutually beneficial solutions. Don't stay in the background. Go over your goals with your supervisor, and strategize ways to be a better team player while shining as an individual.
Sadly, you can't show up to work in your pajamas. Depending on the dress code, your expression through style may feel hindered or enhanced. It's also in perception — find out in advance what the dress code is and look at your existing basics.
See at this as a challenge to channel your style on a primed canvas. Professional clothes don't have to feel uncomfortable or lack style. Different necklines, lengths, colors, prints and tailoring offer versatile outfit combinations.
Create a professional capsule wardrobe by first shopping your closet for items you love, and pick a favorite power item, such as purple pumps or a brightly patterned tie. Then, pick two neutral bases, such as a pencil skirt or tailored pants with a textured black blazer. Finally, focus on two colors for accents — the purple pumps count.
Dressing the part doesn't mean you have to dress like a clone of everyone else at the office or fit into a corporate box. Adapt to the dress code in a way that lets you show off your style the way you show off your talents while being a team player. It's the same philosophy.
Transitioning from college to career comes with tough challenges. You must adjust to a new work schedule and balance your social and professional lives, while dressing a new way and learning how you function at work.
You're moving into a major milestone in your life as you start your career, and it's more than passing a road sign on the way to career excellence. Take this next step with confidence in yourself, and continue to work hard — it will pay off in many life-changing and rewarding ways.


Llanelli is a UK parliament constituency that is represented in the House of Commons by Nia Griffith of the Labour party.
The Llanelli constituency has a total population of 81,536, of which 64,047 are eligible (18+) to vote (78.6%).
Llanelli ranks 188th in a list of the largest constituencies in the UK (geographical size), and 530th in a list of the largest constituencies by population size.
Nia Rhiannon Griffith (born 4 December 1956) is a Welsh Labour politician, who has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Llanelli since 2005.
She previously held the position of Shadow Secretary of State for Wales, having been appointed to the post by Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn on 13 September 2015 and having resigned on 27 June 2016. On 6 October 2016, Jeremy Corbyn appointed Griffith as Shadow Secretary of State for Defence, replacing Clive Lewis.
Election turnout for the Llanelli constituency in 2015 was 65.00%, lower than the average UK turnout at 66.1%.
Election turnout for the Llanelli constituency in 2010 was 67.3%, higher than the average UK turnout at 65.1%.
This graph shows the results from 59 people in the Llanelli constituency who have taken our quiz, displaying which party best matches their opinions of the series of questions we ask.


In another development in the ongoing feud with a federal judge hearing a challenge to President Obama's planned immigration executive actions, the White House accused the same judge for acting out of bounds by slapping sanctions on government attorneys for alleged ethics violations.
The Justice Department hit back on a May 19 court order issued by Judge Andrew S. Hanen of the Federal District Court in Brownsville, Texas. The judge had ordered government lawyers across 26 states involved in the case to take ethics courses, barring some of them from making an appearance in his court.
In a ruling that can only be described as scathing, Judge Hanen ordered the DOJ to submit the names of the thousands of immigrants granted relief for three years under the administration's immigration programs. The judge had issued an injunction in February 2015.
In response, the DOJ argued against the judge's claims that government lawyers had knowingly lied to him, calling his sanctions "grossly disproportionate," regardless if they had actually lied in court. The Justice Department added that barring the lawyers from practicing would force the federal government to spend as much as $8 million through a span of 5 years. More importantly, the judge's ruling would disclose the identities of innocent immigrants who were not involved in the dispute in any way.
The Justice Department intends to submit an appeal to the order in anticipation of being denied an emergency stay.
The dispute compounds the bigger issue brought about by a lawsuit put forth by Texas and 25 other Republican-controlled states that challenges an executive action announced by the White House in 2014. The program would grant deportation protection to undocumented immigrant parents of U.S. citizens and permanent residents. These immigrants can also apply for work permits, provided they have no record of breaking the law.
More than 4 million immigrants across the United States could stand to benefit from the program. An appeals court had upheld the injunction against the case, forcing it to be submitted to the Supreme Court.
Interestingly enough, the administration is using a similar argument against the judge that he had used against the president, that is, the judge (and the president, from Hanen's view) had overstepped his authority and imposing unnecessary costs on the government.
Critics of the president's executive actions point out his alleged violation of the separation of powers, touching on an issue they claim should be under the jurisdiction of Congress.
Stephen Gillers, a professor of law at NYU, notes how there's a lot of bad blood between the government's lawyers and the judge, calling Judge Hanen's ruling "both precipitous and excessive," as it offered nothing in the way of an explanation as why his orders also apply to lawyers with no direct involvement in the case.
To learn more about United States v. Texas and how it affects immigrant rights, talk to the legal team of Lyttle Law Firm. Call us today at (512) 215.5225 to schedule your consultation.


It is our goal to give you the healthy, beautiful smile you deserve. We want to fill San Ramon with Crow Canyon Orthodontics smiles, and we make every effort to meet the financial needs of all our patients. There has never been a better time to consider orthodontic treatment, and our team is available to discuss our convenient financial arrangements with you.
Fees for orthodontic treatment depend on your individual treatment plan and will vary accordingly. Once your treatment plan is determined, our financial experts will cover all of the details of your investment and will work with you to determine the best option for payment. You may even choose to begin the same day as your complimentary exam! It is important to Dr. Arash Abolfazlian that payment does not become a barrier to achieving the smile of your dreams.
After Dr. Arash completes a thorough exam and discusses treatment options, we will review all fees with you before we begin treatment. Fees for orthodontic treatment depend on your treatment and will vary accordingly.
It is important to us that we work out a convenient payment plan with you, and we offer various plans to suit your needs.
If you are interested in full payment, we are happy to offer a fee reduction as a book-keeping courtesy.
Through third-party financing companies, we are able to offer our patients a flexible payment plan that fits easily into your budget. Applications are available at our office or online, and approval is generally within 30 minutes. We also accept Visa, MasterCard, debit cards, checks, and credit card drafts.
As a service to you, we will process your insurance forms. Our office is committed to helping you maximize your insurance benefits. Because insurance policies vary, we can only estimate your coverage in good faith, but cannot guarantee overage due to the complexities of insurance contracts. Your estimated patient portion must be paid at the time of service. We bill insurance companies for services and allow them 45 days to render payment. After 60 days, you are responsible for the entire balance, paid in full. If you have any questions, our courteous team is always available to answer them.


text:
Home Sports New Tommies soccer coach bringing plenty of passion
New Tommies soccer coach bringing plenty of passion
Phillip Drost
(Andrea Bárcenas/AQ)
St. Thomas University announced last week that John-Ryan Morrison will be replacing Darren Cann as head coach of the men's soccer team.
"I'm probably one of the most passionate people about soccer that you'll ever meet," said Morrison. "I still play. I coached something like 310 days last year."
Morrison has been to five FIFA World Cups, three Eurocups and a handful of U20 World Cups. He already has tickets for the women's FIFA World Cup final in Vancouver.
Morrison, 34, was approached just a couple weeks ago by St. Thomas athletics director Michael Eagles, who was asking if he would be interested in the job. But Morrison has had his eye on this job for a while.
"I'd expressed interest a couple years ago. I met him at a function, and just said that at the next opportunity to come up I'd be interested in coming back and helping out," said Morrison.
Morrison played four years for the UNB Varsity Reds, then in 2003 played at St. Thomas University. That year he led the ACAA conference in goals scored.
Morrison comes into the programme already knowing a few of the players from playing with them on the Fredericton Wanderers, a club team in the city. There he plays with Gregory Young and Matt Thompson.
"I know a few of the boys, especially the local boys, and hopefully next year we will have a few more local guys on the squad to get more interest in the Tommies soccer team," said Morrison.
Morrison comes onto the team without a lot of pressure. The soccer team has struggled lately.
"That's kind of the advantage of coming in on a team that hasn't made playoffs in three years. There's no expectations," said Morrison. "We finished last place last year, I'm quite sure we're not going to do that this year."
But Morrison knows success won't come over night. He sees it as a three to five year project. He plans on getting to work already. Monday he is going to start making phone calls, facebooking, emailing, and just doing whatever he can do to bring on more players to help bring the Tommies to the top.
Once he has the players, he wants to instill in them the same passion he brings to the sport of soccer.
"Players on a team emulate their coach," said Morrison. "I want them to be passionate. I want them to be committed. I want them to stand up for each other. Those are things I bring as a coach and as a player."
This is far from Morrison's first coaching gig. He has coached provincial teams, along with the varsity girls and boys teams from Fredericton High School.
"I coached as soon as someone gave me the responsibility," said Morrison.
ACAA
John Morrison
Previous articleSt. Thomas announces Hall of Fame inductees
Next articleCampus radio fundraiser underway


This is a Mitsubishi PMGR Starter for the 2003 Jeep Liberty With the 3.7L Engine. The Solenoid Spade Terminal is at 12:00 on the Cap. Later Versions Have This Terminal at 3:00. The Earlier 17877 is Just Like the 17882, Except the Solenoid Temrinal Has a Plastic Adapter Screwed to the Cap on That Unit, While the 17882 Uses a Standard Spade Terminal.


This course, teaches embedded skills using an embedded environment. Unlike most Linux courses, that use PC's as the target, this course uses both PC and ARM9 EMULATOR that's a prevalent way to experiment most the concepts.
A high-resolution (1024×768 or above) LCD Projector with support to connect to trainer's laptop (Apple MacBookPro/Win/Linux).


Ruling Against Sign Code Has Implications for New York - Farrell Fritz, P.C.
Reprinted with permission from New York Law Journal, Volume 254|No. 101, November 25, 2015.
Near the end of its term in June, the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision in Reed v. Town of Gilbert1 that is likely to require a great deal of attention by local governments throughout New York. In Reed, the court reversed a decision by the Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit and ruled that an Arizona town's comprehensive code (the "sign code") governing the manner in which people could display outdoor signs was unconstitutional.
At least one New York court, in a case filed before the court's decision, already has cited Reed to strike down a town's sign ordinance.2 It seems clear, therefore, that Reed should be used as a guide by any municipal official in New York intent on developing a sign ordinance as well as by local authorities here who will need to review and possibly modify their existing laws.
The sign code adopted by the town of Gilbert, Arizona, prohibited the display of outdoor signs anywhere within the town without a permit, except for various categories of signs specifically exempted from that requirement. One exempt category of signs was "ideological sign[s]," including any "sign communicating a message or ideas for noncommercial purposes that is not a construction sign, directional sign, temporary directional sign relating to a qualifying event, political sign, garage sale sign, or a sign owned or required by a governmental agency." The sign code allowed these so-called ideological signs to be up to 20 square feet in area and to be placed in all zoning districts without time limits.
A second exempt category was "political sign[s]," including any "temporary sign designed to influence the outcome of an election called by a public body." The sign code treated these signs less favorably than ideological signs; it allowed the placement of political signs up to 16 square feet on residential property and up to 32 square feet on nonresidential property, undeveloped municipal property, and rights-of-way. These signs could be displayed up to 60 days before a primary election and up to 15 days following a general election.
A third exempt category was "temporary directional signs relating to a qualifying event," including any "temporary sign intended to direct pedestrians, motorists, and other passersby to a 'qualifying event'" (emphasis deleted). A "qualifying event" was defined as any "assembly, gathering, activity, or meeting sponsored, arranged, or promoted by a religious, charitable, community service, educational, or other similar non-profit organization." The sign code treated temporary directional signs even less favorably than political signs: Temporary directional signs could be no larger than six square feet; they could be placed on private property or on a public right-of-way but no more than four signs could be placed on a single property at any time; and they could be displayed no more than 12 hours before the "qualifying event" and no more than one hour afterward.
The sign code was at the heart of the Reed case, which arose after Good News Community Church placed signs around the town of Gilbert to advertise the time and location of its Sunday church services. The town's sign code compliance manager cited the church for violating the sign code and the church sued, arguing that the sign code abridged its freedom of speech in violation of the First and Fourteenth Amendments.
The U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona granted summary judgment in favor of the town and the Ninth Circuit affirmed, holding that the sign code's sign categories were content neutral. The circuit court concluded that "the distinctions between temporary directional signs, ideological signs, and political signs…are based on objective factors relevant to Gilbert's creation of the specific exemption from the permit requirement and do not otherwise consider the substance of the sign." In light of that determination, it applied a lower level of scrutiny to the sign code and concluded that the law did not violate the First Amendment.
The Supreme Court granted certiorari, and reversed.
In the majority decision,3 the court explained that government regulation of speech is content based if a law applies to particular speech because of the topic discussed or the idea or message expressed. As the court observed, content-based laws—those that target speech based on its ommunicative content—are presumptively unconstitutional and can be justified only if the government can prove that they are narrowly tailored to serve compelling state interests.
The court then easily found that the sign code was content-based on its face given that the church's signs inviting people to attend its worship services were treated differently from signs conveying other types of ideas. The crucial aspect of the majority's decision with respect to its content-based analysis may be its consideration—and its rejection—of several theories that had been offered by the Ninth Circuit in support of its conclusion that the sign code was content neutral.
First, the Ninth Circuit had determined that the sign code was content neutral because the town "did not adopt its regulation of speech [based on] disagree[ment] with the message conveyed," and its justifications for regulating temporary directional signs were "unrelated to the content of the sign." The court explained that this analysis skipped the "crucial first step" in the content-neutrality analysis: determining whether the law is content-neutral on its face. According to the court, "[i]nnocent motives" did not eliminate the danger of censorship presented by a facially content-based statute, as "future government officials may one day wield such statutes to suppress disfavored speech." Discriminatory treatment, according to the court, was not suspect under the First Amendment only when the Legislature intended to suppress certain ideas.
However, according to the court, a speech regulation targeted at specific subject matter was content-based even if it did not discriminate among viewpoints within that subject matter. The sign code gave ideological messages more favorable treatment than messages concerning a political candidate, which were given more favorable treatment than messages announcing an assembly of likeminded individuals, the court said. That was "a paradigmatic example of content-based discrimination," the court ruled.
Finally, the Ninth Circuit had characterized the sign code's distinctions as turning on "the content-neutral elements of who is speaking through the sign and whether and when an event is occurring." The court found that analysis "mistaken on both factual and legal grounds." The court pointed out that the sign code's restrictions for political, ideological, and temporary event signs applied equally no matter who sponsored them—and that the sign code's distinctions did not hinge on "whether and when an event is occurring." As the court noted, the sign code did not permit citizens to post signs on any topic whatsoever within a set period leading up to an election, for example.
Instead, it required town officials to determine whether a sign was "designed to influence the outcome of an election" (and thus was "political") or merely was "communicating a message or ideas for noncommercial purposes" (and thus was "ideological"). That "obvious content-based inquiry" did not evade "strict scrutiny review" simply because an event such as an election was involved, according to the court.
Having concluded that the sign code imposed content-based restrictions on speech, the court applied strict scrutiny, and easily determined that the sign code had to be struck down. The court was not persuaded by the town's arguments that preserving the town's aesthetic appeal and traffic safety were two compelling governmental interests that allowed the sign code to withstand review.
Reed contained a number of suggestions for local governments interested in enacting effective sign laws.
rules imposing time restrictions on signs advertising a one-time event.
Reed v. Town of Gilbert, 575 U.S. ___, 135 S. Ct. 2218 (2015).
See, Marin v. Town of Southeast, No. 14-CV-2094 (S.D.N.Y. Oct. 14, 2015).
Justice Clarence Thomas wrote the majority opinion, in which Chief Justice John Roberts, Jr., and Justices Antonin Scalia, Anthony Kennedy, Samuel Alito, Jr., and Sonya Sotomayor joined. Alito wrote a concurring opinion, in which Kennedy and Sotomayor joined. Justice Stephen Breyer filed an opinion concurring in the judgment. Justice Elena Kagan filed an opinion concurring in the judgment, in which Justices Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Breyer joined.


text:
Unconsciously Decoupling
Jul 6, 2016 Jul 6, 2016 LordCanisLupus45 Comments
Title inspired by Gwyneth and Chris…..
So that was the first leg of the "summer". England pretty much wiped the floor with an over-matched Sri Lanka side, bereft of established star talent, incapable of mastering early "summer" English conditions. England did what they had to do. They took advantage of their home superiority in two comfortable wins in the Northern heartlands, while being on top in the London match-up only for the opportunity of a whitewash to be denied by rain. England won the ODI series 3-0 with one tie and one no result, and comfortably won last night's T20 international. The Super Series, in its inaugural incarnation ended, let me work it out now, 10-2, plus 8-2, plus 2-0 – so 20-4 – and that was that.
And I've never been less interested.
Take last night. I went supermarket shopping after work, and forgot to take my phone with me. I completely forgot the game was on, so never kept up with what was happening. At 11pm I noticed the highlights were on Sky, so sat down to watch them, not knowing the score. When it became evident that Sri Lanka were not going to post 200, and the wicket was as flat as anything, I decided going to sleep was a better option and looked up the score. I'll commit the highlights to disc, stick them on my laptop hard-drive and likely never watch it. Another T20 with context, another international fixture, eroding away the special nature of the international (i.e. top level) game in an orgy of money accumulation and TV schedule filling. Pile 'em high.
There are many on these pages that decry the fact that we play Australia and India too much, and not enough attention is given to the so-called "smaller nations". And you'd be right. But series like these arm the holsters of the powers that be and the TV masters, rather than us. Sri Lanka were, for vast swathes of this series, outclassed. England won the test series without major contributions from their three and their five, and with Joe Root, Alex Hales (although he had a good series) and the Captain failing to make a hundred. Jonny Bairstow had a terrific series with the bat, and so my commenters tell me, a less than terrific series with the gloves. Moeen Ali made a hundred, but will always be a source of contention as to his place in the team. The bowling was sound, brilliant at times, but we know that in home conditions. England don't look, by any means, the complete article in the way their 2011 team, or even, Bell's travails aside, the 2005 one. We still get to 50 for 3 too often. We still need the lower middle order to save our bacon too often.
With the problems with Compton, the stuttering starts, the bedding in of the unconvincing Vince, we still gave the Sri Lankans a hell of a beating. This points to a worrying lack of strength in the opposition and not necessarily our over-riding power. The gold standard for a world class, all-time great team in the modern era is Australia of the late 90s, early 2000s. It carried no passengers. It had people queuing up to replace them. It won with authority and power – huge batting totals, scored quickly, and aggressive bowling with brilliant spin. Go back to the 1980s and the West Indies. Their bowling had depth, with great fast bowlers playing very few tests. Depth in the batting was much more of an issue.
England 2016 has some really solid pieces, but it lacks key cornerstones of success which intimate that it isn't up there yet. What may be more concerning is that in the 2005-2011 eras there were players constantly coming in to test cricket and being ready for it. Nick Compton is probably a really good indicator of where we are. He wouldn't have sniffed test cricket in 2005. Nor, probably, in 2011. But in 2012 onwards, after the retirement of Strauss, he was the next opener on the rank. We've followed with a number of players that exuded promise, but weren't consistent enough. Alex Hales has had seven tests and while he is promising a lot, he isn't cemented in there. If the Pakistani opening bowlers are on the form they were in 2010 then he's in for a really tough time. Remember how Strauss started his test career? KP? Ian Bell (a very good 70 on his debut)? Matt Prior? Alastair Cook? They came in as if they were ready. James Vince has come in, against gentle opposition, and not produced. Sure, we must give him a run, but those that start badly have a high correlation with those that finish like it.
From my own personal perspective, and by extension the blog, this has been a trying summer. Blogs run on enthusiasm and energy. Producing piece after piece takes effort, will and a desire to opine. I try to not repeat myself over and over again, but know that I fail! It is also true that the blog runs when there is an engine being driven, and to do that you need fuel. The ECB, England and the media have done much to deprive us of fuel. It's true to say that I really don't have the energy or will to write more at the moment. Non-competitive cricket, where it's obvious that nations like Sri Lanka are in serious trouble, do that to me. This isn't the Murali Sri Lanka we are beating. This isn't the 2014 Sri Lanka we are beating (we couldn't do that), it is a weak side, regularly turned over on the road. They may have some talent to build upon, but it is a way away. Coming to our shores next is Pakistan, another set of notoriously poor travellers (away from UAE), and we hope that there is more of a contest. Mohammed Amir on 2010 form, minus the obvious, will be a treat to watch. Lost in that spot-fixing horror was the fact he bowled an amazing spell at Lord's, undressing fine players' techniques, and it will be interesting to see if he still has it.
(Note here – I can't stop you discussing the merits of whether he should be playing or not, but I find the debate tedious. He's served the designated time, paid off his debt to cricket as opined at an international level, and the rest is conjecture. It won't stop people, of course. It never does.)
The title of this piece is directed towards my feelings about cricket. I feel less engaged, less connected than ever before. A dull series, uncompetitive, unsurprisingly so, played out to a context of self-congratulation and wonderment by our media, while all around the distress signals are being let off has that effect. I've been the Jeremiah too long. I can't care until the problems the international game has now are really, truly resolved. Top players are burned out in no time, and for that the test game is weaker. Lip service can be paid when only T20 can bring the massive bucks, and even that isn't guaranteed. The issues surrounding my anger for the last two years have not gone away, and nor are they likely to. Potentially England will play 27 international matches next year. Potentially 55 days of international cricket. It's madness. You don't make top quality cricket better by playing more and more of it. But that's what we are doing. Day night ODIs in late September, a test series starting in late August, giving players little rest but lots of match fees. It's mad. They complain of lack of context, then pile on added games. The one thing this series proved is that dead rubbers remain dead rubbers despite the Super Series.
I used to go to every Millwall game. You could not have found many more diehard fans. I even went to dead Anglo-Italian matches (we never qualified for the Italy bit). Then I started missing the odd away game in midweek or a long distance away. Then it would be nearer and nearer. Then I missed West Ham away because I couldn't be bothered with the hassle. Then I stopped altogether. I then started missing the odd home game. Then more than the odd one. I finally decided to stop going altogether. Two years after that we got to the FA Cup Semi-Final. You couldn't have paid me to be there. I still love the team. They're still my club. I love what, ironically Neil Harris (our manager) has done this season, and yet I still feel no compulsion to return. I unconsciously decoupled from attending football matches. Maybe that's what happening with cricket. Because if you don't care, you stop having a reason to persevere. It means I don't read FICJAM, don't get irate with Newman, can't be bothered with TCP and the Get Out A Compton band, and don't feel the need to watch the games. Which isn't a recipe for longevity.
Pakistan. We need you. Big time. Let's show the world test cricket has a future. Be great opponents.
England v Pakistan 2016, England v Sri Lanka 2016, Uncategorized
Super Series Conclusion – T20
I'm getting this one in early. The T20 international at the Ageas Bowl of Roses is being played on Tuesday and really, I don't give a monkeys. If this is a desperate search for context with a Super Series ended at more or less the earliest possible time given the weather, and an international calendar so crowded we are already talking about giving our Australian Head Coach a month off, then you've lost me. A T20 match added to the programme in a way a blind kid pins a tail on a donkey at an old birthday party. This is cricket for money's sake. A match that speaks "no context".
I saw someone on Twitter say "I usually say to anyone who complains about the schedule, design a better one". He has a point. Of course he does. England's running costs are so high, subsidising a loss-making county structure that puts the early 80s nationalised industries to shame, and the wages of international players so rewarding to prevent further temptations, the assets have to be soaked to pay for the largesse. The TV companies want their pound of flesh, devalued as markedly against the $ as it is (didn't I go the States at the right time), so we get this insanity. We want four tests, at least, against South Africa, but one can't help but think that this was the sort of series we needed in 2012, not now. Then to lob three tests in late August/early September against the West Indies is insulting and mad in equal measures. September can be a nice month for cricket. It can also be bleedin' horrible, the later it gets. That's why the ODIs, being day-nighters, coming in the last week of September is amazing. How long before we are playing home games in October? Also, aren't the IPL thinking of filling in that little spell in September for some mini-IPL (what, runnings four weeks instead of two months?)? I know we have the Champions Trophy over here, but really? Do the assets need to be so soaked?
I really haven't read a lot about cricket recently. I've just not been bothered. I watched much of England's batting performance yesterday, but then the Tour de France started and I love a bit of that. The European Championships are on, of course, and there'd be less time still if I were a fan of Wimbledon tennis. Cricket is competing with this at the moment and it is taking a back seat, even with someone who blogs as regularly as I do. This series has shown how Sri Lanka have regressed, how England are putting together a more than decent ODI team, and the test top order for England is still a bloody mess. I missed two test matches on my holidays, where I couldn't watch them even if I wanted to (I'm not dealing with illegal streams), and I've not really got into it since. It's come that far that I've been offered a ticket for the first test v Pakistan and I'm not sure if I can be arsed. Be really careful what you wish for, ECB. I'm not the only one thinking like this.
I have Jason Roy's 162 on highlights to watch (catching up, watching 1st day at Lord's at the moment) and it just left me puzzled. That 162 could capture the imagination. It could inspire kids to go, wow, I want to bat like that. Isn't it fun? It could have been a marketing dream, a have-a-go hero, battering a massive score. I really don't need to draw you a picture. No-one talked about it to me. No-one. It's disappearing without trace.
Sky. CWOTV. What the hell have you done? 25 minutes tops?
Simon has been keeping his eye on the ICC stuff, and for that, many thanks. But one can't help but feel this is a bit too late. The core punters anywhere other than India are drifting away, aren't they? I wasn't fearful for test cricket until recently. Now I'm convinced it doesn't has a lot left other than "big countries". But many won't care as long as England win.
It did amuse me that England's loss in the football to Iceland was greeted with the sort of anger that only our football team draws. The manager didn't wait an hour before resigning. There were no journalists I know, saying we needed to keep him because he'd managed a 100% qualifying campaign. No prominent voices pointing out how he'd brought younger players through. No begging for the captain to stay because he is our record goalscorer. You draw your own conclusions. 🙂
Comments for the T20 money earner here. It's all yours.
England v Sri Lanka 2016, T20, Uncategorized
Can We Go Home Yet – ODI 5, SS8
And the beat goes on. On a day when it is announced that we'll be playing at least 23 international fixtures next Summer (and let's hope Summer 2017 is a darn sight better than this one), including an ODI series in late, late September including three day nighters, we are getting set for part 8 of the Super Series against Sri Lanka. The ODI series is in the bag, courtesy of Jason Roy's pyrotechnics on Wednesday, so there's not a lot riding on this one in Cardiff. Yes, it's Saturday, it must be Cardiff.
Obviously you will have noted a curtailment in my output. My thanks for the hardy souls keeping the comments going. Fact is, life with England is quite serene at the moment, there's a pretty major football competition on, there's a bit going on in the real world, and well, cricket blogging has had to take a bit of a back seat. I'm sure my many anti-fans are delighted.
I was mildly amused to find that Jade Dernbach has blocked me on Twitter. I was scratching my head wondering why. I've never followed him. I wasn't particularly mean to him over his England travails. And then I remembered…. It was an ancient post on HDWLIA! Lordy. He got the hump with me before it was fashionable to do so!
Comments on the game, weather permitting in this excuse for a Summer, below. I have the Cricket Paper to read this weekend, and wondering if any of their delightful Essex mafia have stuck the boot into Compton this week.
Have a great weekend folks.
England v Sri Lanka 2016, ODI, Uncategorized
Not A Preview Of The 2nd ODI
One more point and we can't lose the Super Series. Pray for rain.
After the tumultuous finish to the first ODI at Trent Bridge, courtesy of celebrating too early, a first List A 50 by Woakes and the Honey Monster mullering a maximum off the last ball to tie, we move to Birmingham for the first post-Referendum ODI. Will it be Isolated England or EU England suiting up? If the London Mayoral count is anything to go by, the result will be in by the time they'd switch the floodlights off. If we're lucky. But enough of that.
So while the selectors discharge themselves from hospital for patting themselves on the backs too hard and causing multiple bruising (for the faith in Woakes – Lizzy and Dobbs still remain under observation) the top order travails can be put aside for another day (Root is in need of some confidence, because getting it back against Pakistan can be tough). The stage is clear for this game as the Euros are on a two day break, Wimbledon hasn't started yet and Jamie Vardy spoils all the fun and signs a new contract.
I'm glad some of you are enjoying it. I quite enjoyed Buttler and Woakes and the finale, and I'd be lying if I said otherwise, but it's fluff. It's good fluff, but fluff nonetheless. I'm much more thrilled that Surrey won a Division One game before Noah parked his vessel at the OCS Stand End.
So comment away on the second match. I have heard from Chris, who, in homage to Alan Whicker, will be jetting away somewhere else next week. With this bloody weather, who can blame him? The Cricket Paper is out tomorrow as well. Let's have it.
Fire away.
Not A Super Series Update / Preview
Jun 20, 2016 Jun 20, 2016 LordCanisLupus45 Comments
Absence Makes The Vision Wander
If a sport loses traction in the public eye, it is devilishly hard to get it back. This was always going to be a tough summer to keep the game relevant in the mass media. The European Championships, with three host nations and Ireland involved, were always going to grab the media spotlight, at least for June. Once they are done with there is the pre-season signing merry-go-round to fill the back pages, and with the top gossip clubs having new managers – Guardiola, Mourinho, Conte – the fictions and facts will block out much other sport. Then, when the test series against Pakistan is reaching its conclusion, we have the Olympics. Given we have two less "glamorous" opponents visiting these shores, the ECB have pretty much no chance of garnering media attention, even if they were the most enlightened, sharp, media-savvy organisation in sport (which they are not). Hell, even I can't be arsed to write about the game that much. And I'm supposed to be a diehard supporter of it.
There's the rub. I've been back from the States for the best part of a week, and I've written nothing on cricket. There are no international fixtures going on in England, a joke series in Zimbabwe, a tri-series of ODIs in the Caribbean, and a hotch potch of formats played here when not dodging the lamentable weather. I do a lot of this blog based upon the media output, and there's been nothing to rail against. Sure, I could go on about Chris Stocks having another pop at Compton in The Cricket Paper, or I could comment on the new-look Cricketer (I actually quite like the look, it's the writers I have a problem with) but it would be going through the motions. I think I've read just TCP and TC since I've been back, and not even in great detail. It just seems that in the middle of June, when we should be doing something to capture the public imagination during a football competition, there's nothing. So Switzerland v Albania it is!
Writing this blog is not a job. I earn no money from it. I get more grief than I should have to put up with from it. I do it, as I've said many times, because I love the game, and I love writing. Throughout all your relationships, if that is the right word, with a sport, there are going to be times when you blow hot and cold, and the blast is straight out of the arctic right now. I have a team I can't give my all to because of how it originated and who leads it. I have a sports body I still hold in complete contempt, feeling a self-congratulatory Trump-esque feeling of having grave suspicions about the current ECB chairman, while having nothing but fears about Super Series Strauss and Tom Harrison. The international game looks in poor shape, with Sri Lanka's abject displays in the first half of the series laying bare the lie that the test game can go on as it is. Then there's the attempts to influence us all in making us love a team some of us don't feel we ever can until certain people have gone. The Essex Media Mafia have been in full effect over the ascension to 10000, and the tedious debate over "greatness". This has been augmented by the victorious, smug "KExit" campaigners making no attempt to disguise their contempt for us, by taking over the Guardian BTL with their witless offerings.
I have no idea, nor do I care, how the T20 Blast is going. I've tried to follow Surrey's wins and losses, but that isn't because I can watch each game on a live stream, as I might if it were available, but laughably we don't think we can do that due to our TV contract. As for the One Day cup? Well, if you want to finish a competition off, just do this. Split it in half, and see what happens. Make it be played in April to ensure its final complete annihilation.
It's just Dmitri, once again being negative Nigel, always complaining, never offering anything. Well, I'll tell you this. I listened to Colin Graves's wonderful interview prior to the Sri Lankan series. I might be going too far to say it made me pine for Giles Clarke, but it certainly didn't have me thinking he's on our side. The problem with test cricket isn't whether the damn thing is four or five days, or whether it has context or not. It's the effing quality of it, there's too much of it, and players are either knackered, injured or so fed up with it, that they don't produce of their best. There's little ebb and flow in our matches – we either run over a team on a pitch helping us, or we struggle – while India in their last series against South Africa might as well have rubbed each wicket with industrial strength sandpaper and they've have been more subtle than what actually happened. Australia remain dominant at home, and good on batting wickets. Pakistan are anyone's guess, the rest are also rans. Anyone with the temerity to compare this nonsense with the 1990s oppositions we faced, where even Zimbabwe could run out a Flower or two, with Streak et al to back them up, is in need of some awakening. But Graves wants four day tests. Given some of the wickets we produce, this is aspirational all the wrong way round, but if he thinks making it four days will mean 100+ overs in a day, then I seriously suggest he reconsiders. The current lot don't give a crap about getting 90 in most days.
When is the ODI series? Is it soon? Oh, it's tomorrow! How did I miss it?
How is cricket going to survive in the long run? The issue remains pretty simple to me. No matter what I hear or see, the fact is our top players are being paid well enough, but county pros are paid too much to justify the revenue they bring in (otherwise why are these clubs in crisis). Whether this is because the revenue isn't there (maybe not enough conferences for your conference centre adjunct), or is being held back by a TV/media contract that stops clubs from exploring possible additional media revenue is for those that know to tell us. The top players won't be giving up yet more money to keep their brethren in clover, otherwise it's off to the T20 leagues and all that, so you have an impasse where a sport that needs to attract players with money, isn't going to make enough money to pay them, and certainly won't get it through money at the gate. When the interest sustaining the current level of international expenditure dries up, as it surely will on this path, I can bet very good money it won't be the international players, or the administrators at the ECB, cutting back their wages. Only then might we have a county game that is sustainable on its own accord, but I highly doubt it. This is why you'd rather keep with the devil you know – paying the bills, limiting the access – than break free and see what you can do. In a number of ways, it mimics another decision being made this week.
I know. It's downbeat. It's me being me. I keep singing the same old tune. But those who criticise need think of this. I still care. But not as much. And not as much equates to not as much revenue through the gate, or on merchandise, or over-priced food and drink than before. And that equates to not watching on TV, or perhaps, giving up my subscription. Of not making the effort to go to a T20 game. And I started from a high base. Lord knows what those who dip in and dip out make of it.
Glad to be back? Maybe. ODI #1 tomorrow. A chance to clinch the Super Series. And they'll be rejoicing in the streets.
One tiny piece of cross-promotion. In case you missed it I'm doing a blog on US sports. This may, or may not, be of interest but the link is www.dmitriamericana.wordpress.com – if you like it, let me know. If you don't, don't!
England vs. Sri Lanka, 3rd Test – The Wrap
Jun 13, 2016 Sean66 Comments
In the end the predicted rain reared it's head and ensured that there would be no meaningful play on the 5th day, thus ruining the ECB's desperate sales pitch that all FOUR results were possible today, so come and spend some money please. Whether England could have bowled Sri Lanka out on this pitch or whether Sri Lanka could've mustered an unlikely run chase for the victory became a moot point and in my opinion the draw was always the favourite to win out. As I've been out at a client event for most of the day and am currently writing this having just got home, it was a little bit of a relief that I don't have to hunt about to try and watch the highlights this evening to write something a little more substantial about the day's play itself.
As for the series itself, I'm not sure we learnt anything that we didn't know before the first ball was bowled. Sri Lanka, like many subcontinent team aren't great against the moving ball in May, Anderson & Broad continue to perform excellently when presented with these type of conditions and we still don't have a convincing answer to the number 3 & 5 positions in our batting line up, nor do we have a convincing spinner. Also it also pays for every England player to make sure you're firmly in the 'inside cricket' camp otherwise Newman, Pringle or Selvey will be set loose to attack both you as a professional cricketer and as an individual. That seems depressingly familiar, right? Oh and definitely don't write a blog that might challenge the combined pearls of wisdom that our traditional press regally hands down to us from upon high, after all we're the worst of them all, the bilious inadequates. Ca plus change….
On the plus notes from the series, you could clearly argue that Hales has had a decent series and improved enormously from his travails in South Africa when he looked anything but an international batsman. He still isn't totally convincing as I mentioned last night, but there does seem to be something to work with as we continue to search for a foil for Cook. Woakes also had an encouraging series both with bat and ball and was England's most potent looking bowler when the pitches at Durham and Lords flattened out. I wrote in my 2nd Test preview that I felt it was now or never for Woakes to show that he can perform at International level and all in all, he did not let himself down. Whether he can become a potent opening bowler for England is still very much open to debate, but he showed glimpses that he can be a reliable first change; Steven Finn will be under the most pressure when Stokes is fit to take his place in this line up.
The final praise must go to Bairstow the batsman (his wicket keeping has been discussed plenty, and despite taking a record number of catches behind the stumps this series, a major rick never seems too far away). Bairstow has been one of the few players to take his county form, where he blew away most county attacks this season and last, into the Test arena and scored the big runs that England have so desperately needed him too. I shudder to think what might have happened had Bairstow not been in the form of his life (coupled with the complete ineptitude of the umpires on show, Aleem Dar excepted) and genuinely feel that we could have been reporting on a completely different series otherwise. Bairstow has without doubt benefited from the positive approach of Bayliss and Farbrace and seems to back his own ability rather than the slightly unsure, technically deficient player that we saw under Flower and Moores. If the England camp does decide to take the gloves off Bairstow (and I'm torn by both arguments), then I hope they continue to give him the olive treatment, as he seems a player that benefits from an arm around the shoulder and a few words of praise in his ear.
As for the white ball part of Andrew Strauss' SUPER Series (nope still not excited), the 50 over team was pretty much as expected bearing in mind current injuries; however it was heartening to see a couple of new names in the 20 over format. Malan has deserved his call up through sheer weight of runs over the past couple of years and has found some consistency to go alongside the natural talent that he undoubtedly has; whereas Mills is something we haven't had for a long time, a bowler who can run up and bowl seriously quickly. I really felt for Tymal Mills when I heard that he had been forced to give up most forms of the game due to a congenital back condition, as he seemed like a bowler that had been earmarked for the National team; however he has got on with things and worked on his T20 skills (which were a weaker part of his game) and has genuinely looked like a really threatening bowler in the T20 Blast this season. I hope both go well, if they get the chance.
LCL and TLG will soon be back from their respective jaunts across the other side of the world, so with them back in the saddle, I'm sure it will be business as normal for the blog…..
England v Sri Lanka 2016, Uncategorized
England vs. Sri Lanka – 2nd Test, Day 2
May 28, 2016 May 28, 2016 Sean49 Comments
Well that was about a one sided day of cricket as you could possibly have wished for. Sri Lanka undid all of their good work in the field on Day 1 by dropping 2 dolly's in the opening hour and then unfortunately the wheels truly fell off. Mooen played beautifully for his century and Anderson & Woakes in particular bowled extremely well, but this was quite horrible from Sri Lanka. They looked like a beaten team going through the motions and wanting to be off the cricket field and back at the team hotel as soon as they possibly could. Whereas you could have some sympathy with the tourists at Headingley when the ball was swinging round corners, there can be no sympathy here, the wicket is flat, the sun was out and there was hardly any swing, just a procession of poor shots from their batsmen.
Angelo Matthews was synonymous of this laissez-faire attitude and he can't have had too many worse days as captain. From the 2 atrocious reviews in the field (and the equally atrocious review when he had clearly edged it) to the quite baffling field placements when Moeen was batting with the tail. Matthews looked absolutely lost on the field and it brought back memories of Day 4 of the Headingley Test back in 2014 when Cook absolutely lost the plot against the very same opponents. The fact that this Sri Lankan team has regressed so quickly is a sad indictment of the lack of talent they have coming through their domestic system and also clearly shows how much they relied on the superb Sangakkara and Jayawardene. With this Sri Lankan team stripped of these two talents, it looks a long and arduous road ahead for them.
As for Moeen, it was genuinely pleasing to see him convert a score into three figures, which is something he hasn't done enough based on the talent he has. There is something bewitching about watching him bat from the languid covers drives to the stunning straight sixes he unfurls. Yes, he is slightly inconsistent and yes, you always feel that he could quite easily get out next ball (I don't think he knows the word leave), but one thing I do know is that he is an entertainer with the bat, and we don't have too many of them in this current England team. It is interesting that he has made both his century's from number 7 (which I feel is probably his best position) as he didn't have to spend most of his innings batting with the tail, the only problem being where do you fit Bairstow and Stokes in this batting line up when they are all fit? I'll leave that one to the selectors, but in a way it's a nice problem to have.
It was also good to see Chris Woakes have a positive impact with both ball and bat, though the former was the most important thing in my opinion. I wrote in my preview that Woakes really had to stamp his authority on the game to avoid being branded a 'county trundler' and I thought he bowled with decent pace and good rhythm and deserved the wickets that he got. It is clear that he has bulked up from when he first came onto the international scene and he is was the quickest of our seamers today. One swallow doesn't make a summer and he needs to kick on now and start performing regularly on the International scene, but it was certainly a good to step in the right direction.
The one worry in our bowling unit is Steve Finn, who again looked out of rhythm and un-threatening. When Finn is bowling well, he bowls around 86 mph and hits the wicket hard (I'm afraid the injuries coupled with a certain David Saker have meant that the 90 mph bowler we once had, is sadly no more); however today and to an extent at Headingley, Finn was operating around the 82 mph mark and the ball seemed to be looping out of his hand, making him totally ineffective against what was shell-shocked Sri Lankan batting unit. Finn does seem to be the ultimate confidence bowler and when on form he has the ability to be as good as anyone out there, as he showed with some extremely good bowling displays in the Ashes last year; however when he is slightly out of form or low on confidence, the bowling action seems to fall apart a bit and he becomes almost docile. What you do with Finn at the moment is a tough one for Farbrace & Bayliss, drop him and you risk denting his confidence further or stick with him in the hope he comes good at the risk of carrying a passenger in the field, it's not a call I would particularly like to make.
As for tomorrow, if England roll out the final two wickets early, then you would expect them to ask Sri Lanka to bat again and there beckons another 3 Day Test, which will also ensure a hefty loss for Durham. Whatever your thoughts on this England team or on Test Cricket in general, days like today are not a good advertisement for the longer form of the game. The reason I fell in love with Test Cricket was the duels and sub-plots of the longer game, the fair battle between bat and ball, not to see a match where one side continues to absolutely hammer another side. Perhaps I am being ungracious and maybe I should be over the moon that England are so in the ascendency in this Test series, but I personally think that rather misses the point.
Anyway Day 3 comments below (and just for WCTT's information, I have not been paid for this article)…..
I'm writing this with the caveat that I've only seen a few of the highlights of the day's play, so it perhaps won't be as comprehensive as some of the Test match reports on here!
I think England will reflect on it as a decent but not spectacular performance. Hales, Root and Bairstow all played well but no one was able to go on and make that big hundred that would have batted Sri Lanka out of the game. This is a criticism that I have had with the English batting unit for some time as they're frustratingly consistently inconsistent. When looking back at many of our victories over the past couple of years, it has generally been our bowling that has won us the game with the odd decent support act from one of the front line batsmen (usually Root). If England do have real ambitions to get to the number 1 test position, then our batsmen will have stand up and be counted on a more consistent basis and that starts with converting those 60's & 70's into big hundreds.
Cook and Compton both failed again, with the latter falling to a fantastic catch and the former playing a fairly ordinary shot. I don't like to ratchet up the pressure on any of our batsmen, but you do feel that Compton needs to score some runs in the second innings to prevent the 'sack Compton' campaign going into overdrive, however even then it may prove to be too late. It seems that England on average give our batsmen 15 games to prove themselves as an Test player – Morgan, Ballance and Buttler are all stuck on the 15 game mark (though I hasten to say the latter two still have realistic chances of representing England in the Test arena again). This is Compton's 15th game today and unfortunately it seems it may be his last. As for Cook, the 'all praise our hero' media bandwagon has again had to be tucked away ready for another day.
As for Sri Lanka, they seemed to bowl fairly well as they did at Headlingley and the catches that they took to dismiss Compton and Hales were absolutely top drawer. The pitch doesn't seem to be doing as much as it did at Headingley and if they can bowl out England for 350 and apply themselves sensibly, then we might actually have a fairly even contest on our hands. I think the morning session of tomorrow's play will probably be the one that defines this Test Match.
On a final note, do try and listen to Jonathan Agnew's interview with Graeme Fowler on TMS around cricket and mental health. I thought it was a truly superb interview and Fowler was extremely candid about his experiences of poor mental health. It was also heartening to see Monty Panesar coming out in the press about the challenges he faced with his mental health and how he feels in a better place now. The fact that he has been made an 'Ambassador for Mental Health' by the PCA hopefully shows that cricket is finally taking this issue seriously and that players will hopefully have the right structures in place should they find themselves in a similar position rather than being branded as 'difficult individuals'.
I did say this would be a brief post – Day 2 comments below:
The First Test – Quality Street
May 21, 2016 LordCanisLupus107 Comments
England did what England needed to do. They recovered well from a tenuous position, got themselves up to nearly 300 and let two experienced world class bowlers do their thing. We genuinely feared for Sri Lanka coming into this test, and arguably this was worse than we thought. Their bowling looked OK, they didn't let themselves down, but the batting was woeful. Well, what I saw of it was.
Test matches like these are easy to review. England are a very good side – I'm not convinced they have it in them to be the world beaters that Ian Botham does – and pretty unstoppable in favourable conditions. There's nothing to be ashamed of in that. I think the great sides win test matches on flat decks in alien conditions (Durban and Joburg weren't flat but they were top wins) and this team's batsmen are still too creaky to be considered a truly vintage side. England needed to get enough runs, they did. They needed to bowl sensibly and with skill, they did. Jimmy took 10 wickets, much to the chagrin of Dennis Does Cricket, and England by and large held their catches. It was as routine as routine could be. It reminded me of the effortless steamrolling of Bangladesh and Zimbabwe when Giddins or Johnson picked up wickets.
But this is Dmitri. I'm always down on England. You never give them credit. You want them to lose.
I want to see entertaining cricket, and a fair contest. I get absolutely petrified if this is the way Sri Lanka are going. We've seen how West Indies have gone. They'll concentrate more and more on white ball cricket. Last time over here Sri Lanka were competitive, they fought, they outplayed England at key moments, and held on by the skin of their teeth on other occasions. This year they came in on the back of two lack lustre displays, and without the aura of a Sangakkara in their midsts. It was grim, it was cold. England won. They've given me two days off, and on the brink of a break, that's most welcome!
The heads turn towards a test in Durham next time out. Will England keep the same team, Stokes fitness permitting, or will the media rumble for Compton's axeing be persuasive? That's about as interesting and exciting a talking point that has come out from this test. We have two top bowlers, and that was too much. We had a wicket-keeper batsman in super form and feeling secure, and he played superbly. We had Hales show he's not a one-trick pony. Above that, we learned nothing. Except we have another few days of 10000 mania.
Test cricket is in trouble. But at least we have a 4-0 lead in the Super Series. That should make you all delighted. Puts this one-sided win in the vital "context" I know everyone loves!
Finally, thanks once again for Sean's piece yesterday. Delighted he's taking up the role of writing for us on a more regular basis, and he'll be the eyes for the next two matches as both Chris and I won't be able to watch them. Hopefully, I won't even be missed!


text:
Sixty-two Films That Shaped the Art of Documentary Filmmaking
Nonfiction filmmaking has been undergoing an aesthetic revolution over the past decade or so, one that parallels the major change in fiction filmmaking, namely, a shift toward personalization. The main expression and key movement in that change is mumblecore, which has exerted a wide-ranging influence through its luminaries, its aesthetic, and its ideas. Mumblecore's documentary counterpart is creative nonfiction, an idea that's rooted in the filmmaker's presence, be it physical or virtual, and in the conspicuous display of process.
The artistic preoccupations of the new generation of documentary filmmakers don't break with those of earlier generations; rather, they have their roots in decades-old films, in which the same ideas and practices sometimes turn up in forms—embodying the filmmakers' relationship to their subjects—that seem daringly original even now. The most artistically advanced documentaries are those in which the participants are engaging conspicuously with the filmmakers; in their most radical forms, they show the influences, inspirations, or perturbations that the people onscreen experience from the filmmakers' presence. Which is another way of saying that, although documentaries follow real people, their crucial material and subject is nonetheless performance.
By Richard Brody, The New Yorker
How to Talk Like a Maine Lobsterman
Americans Are Fast to Judge Social Class
The Frankenstein's monsters of the 21st Century
Kamala Harris's Asian American identity is 'left out of the story.' That stings, many women say.
Drawing is the root of everything.


text:
Hard-shell solar rooftop camper on sale for $20,000
A company called Redtail Overland has developed a rooftop camper called the RTC that has a heated carbon fiber sleeping pod and built-in solar panels.
If someone is seriously committed to overlanding in their R1S or R1T this could be the thing for you...for $20,000.
Here's a video of the camper on their Facebook page:
Introducing the Redtail RTC | The world's first hard-sided rooftop camper. Handcrafted and packed with amenities. Pre-orders available now. | By Redtail Overland | Facebook
၁.၃ထောင် views, ၁၆ likes, ၂ loves, ၂ comments, ၈ shares, Facebook Watch Videos from Redtail Overland: The world's first hard-sided rooftop camper. Handcrafted and packed with amenities. Pre-orders...
According to Autoblog:
The RTC, which is constructed of rigid weight-saving carbon fiber, is made in two sizes. The RT 90's main body is 90 inches long and 56 inches wide. Inside, the sleeping compartment is 81 inches long by 53 inches wide, and with the clamshell opened, the RT 90 is 58.4 inches tall. Redtail says the RT 90 can sleep two adults and a dog comfortably and is perfect for midsize SUVs.
The larger RT 110 is better suited for families who are driving a pickup truck or van. Its exterior measures 110 inches long by 60 inches wide. The interior space is 101 inches long by 57 inches wide and is designed to fit two adults and two kids. When propped open, the RT 110 stands 62.2 inches tall. When closed, both the RT 90 and RT 110 are only 10.7 inches thick, not counting the integrated ceiling fan. A built-in floor hatch also allows for direct access from a vehicle.
The fan is just one of numerous amenities that the Tatros say make the RTC more like a camper than a tent. The RTC has independent power sourced from an integrated solar panel system. The RT 90 has two panels for 210 watts of solar power and a lithium-ion battery pack rated at 40 amp hours, while the RT 110 has three panels for 330 watts and a lithium-ion battery pack rated at 60 amp hours. Redtail says these batteries can charge from depleted to full in roughly two to three hours of direct sunlight.
When charged, the batteries can power a built-in heating system and USB charging ports. Like everything else these days, the power system can be connected to a smart device via Bluetooth and monitored through an app. The app also controls the dimmable LED lighting.
When not in use, the RTC can be easily packed up in a few minutes. The mattress and bedding can be stored in the RTC, and gas struts and folding sidewalls make for simple takedown.
Redtail Overland is based in Colorado and the RTC is built-to-order. The RT 90 is priced at $20,000, while the RT 110 is $25,000. Visit Redtail Overland, via Uncrate, for more information.
R99 May 26, 2020


text:
> This is the frontend app for the Getline Distributed P2P Lending Platform

## Build Setup

``` bash
# install dependencies
yarn install

# serve with hot reload at localhost:8080
yarn run dev

# build for production with minification
yarn run build

# build for production and view the bundle analyzer report
yarn run build --report

# run unit tests
yarn run unit

# run all tests
yarn run test
```

For a detailed explanation on how things work, check out the [guide](http://vuejs-templates.github.io/webpack/) and [docs for vue-loader](http://vuejs.github.io/vue-loader).

## Production Deployment

Assuming you have `gcloud` installed and configured, here's how to deploy the code:

    yarn
    yarn run build
    gcloud --project getline-loans-demo app deploy

You might want to pass --no-promote to `gcloud app deploy` and then migrate traffic manually between versions.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


State Senator Anthony Portantino, representing Californians living in the northern San Gabriel Valley, announced Wednesday that he will introduce a bill to the State Legislature extending whistle-blower protections to those who report misconduct by California politicians.
It's Portantino's second time authoring such a bill, and his third time supporting whistleblower protections for those working in Sacramento. But Portantino told constituents in a Wednesday newsletter that recent events pushed him to try again in January, when the legislature returns to regular business.
On Oct. 17, more than 140 women signed a letter sent to the Los Angeles Times decrying the sexual misconduct they allege is rife within the state legislature. The women, which include lobbyists, staffers and even state senators, allege that they face pervasive sexual harassment at work, and that they've had their jobs threatened when speaking out.
The state Senate ordered an independent investigation one week later, while the Assembly announced its intent to hold hearings on the matter. But Portantino said that protecting whistleblowers' jobs is more important than ever after the allegations came to light.


text:
Hermann Eduard von Fischer (* 26. Oktober 1926 in Wichtrach; † 26. März 2015 in Bern), heimatberechtigt in Bern, war ein Schweizer Architekt und Kunsthistoriker.

Leben und Wirken
Hermann von Fischer, Sohn des Pfarrers Gottlieb Albert Fischer (1874–1926) und der Anna Sara Bäschlin, Enkel des Botanikers Ludwig Fischer und Urenkel des Basler Architekten Melchior Berri, erwarb 1945 am Freien Gymnasium Bern das Maturitätszeugnis. Sein Studium an der ETH Zürich beendete er 1951 mit dem Architektendiplom. Nach dem Studium nahm er als Assistent Michael Stettlers, des Direktors des Bernischen Historischen Museums, Museumsaufgaben wahr und wurde mit der Restaurierung und Ausstattung von Schloss Oberhofen betraut, später zum Sonderexperten der kantonalen Kunstaltertümerkommission ernannt. Als der Grosse Rat des Kantons Bern im Jahr 1959 die kantonale Denkmalpflege schuf, wurde Hermann von Fischer der erste Amtsinhaber als kantonaler Denkmalpfleger, der anfänglich mit bescheidenen Mitteln Grundlagen erarbeitete und Gebäude rettete. Er hat die bernische Denkmalpflege von 1959 bis 1991 auf- und ausgebaut.

Verheiratet war er seit 1953 mit Margaretha Veronika Stettler (1928–2006), mit der er eine Tochter und zwei Söhne hatte. Die beiden waren von 1959 an in Muri bei Bern wohnhaft.

Hermann von Fischer hat sich als Präsident oder Mitglied zahlreicher Kommissionen sowie Stiftungen um die Erhaltung und Pflege von Kulturgütern verdient gemacht. In den Jahren 1958 bis 1964 sowie 1985 bis 1996 war er Mitglied der Eidgenössischen Kommission für Denkmalpflege, 1965 gehörte er zu den Mitbegründern des International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS), war Mitglied der Aufsichtskommission des Bernischen Historischen Museums, Stiftungsrat der Schlösser Hünegg, Jegenstorf, Landshut, Oberhofen und Spiez sowie des Rebhauses Wingreis und der Campagne Oberried. Er war während vieler Jahre Obmann der Gesellschaft zu Ober-Gerwern, Mitglied des Grossen und Kleinen Burgerrats der Burgergemeinde Bern und Präsident der Bibliothekskommission der Burgerbibliothek Bern.

Der Schweizer Schriftsteller E. Y. Meyer nahm Hermann von Fischer als Vorbild für den «Denkmalpfleger Effinger» in seinem 1977 erschienenen Roman Die Rückfahrt.

Seit den 1950er-Jahren erforschte er das Werk der Berner Kunsthandwerkerfamilie Funk, insbesondere des Ebenisten Mathäus Funk und dessen Bruder, dem Bildhauer und Bildschnitzer Johann Friedrich Funk. Die Universität Bern hat ihm 2001 für seine Verdienste im Bereich der Erforschung des bernischen Mobiliars den Titel eines Ehrendoktors verliehen.

Schriften
 Im Brennpunkt – die Sammlung historischer Kachelöfen (Ausstellungskatalog), Jegenstorf 2013.
 Die Kunsthandwerkerfamilie Funk in Bern. In:  Berns goldene Zeit. Das 18. Jahrhundert neu entdeckt, hrsg. von André Holenstein e.a., Bern 2008, S. 339.
 Schloss Hünegg. (Schweizerische Kunstführer, Nr. 726/727, Serie 73). Hrsg. Gesellschaft für Schweizerische Kunstgeschichte GSK. Bern 2002, ISBN 3-85782-726-2.
 Fonck à Berne. Möbel und Ausstattungen der Kunsthandwerkerfamilie Funk im 18. Jahrhundert in Bern. Bern 2002.
 Johannes Äbersold (1737–1812). Ein Berner Ebenist zwischen Mathäus Funk und Christoph Hopfengärtner. (Ausstellungskatalog) Stiftung Schloss Jegenstorf, Jegenstorf 2000.
 Hermann von Fischer, Martin Fröhlich: Das Landgut Lohn in Kehrsatz. Gesellschaft für Schweizerische Kunstgeschichte, 1995.
 Hermann von Fischer, Werner Bucher: Bernisches Mobiliar des Klassizismus von Christoph Hopfengärtner und Zeitgenossen. Valentin Sonnenschein. (Katalog zur Ausstellung). Jegenstorf 1986.
 Bernische Möbelkunst. In: Illustrierte Berner Enzyklopädie, Bern 1984, Bd. 4. PDF
 Anna Charlotte Fischer née Fischer d'Oberried. In: Von Angesicht zu Angesicht. Porträtstudien. Michael Stettler zum 70. Geburtstag, zusammengestellt und hrsg. von Florens Deuchler e.a., Bern 1983, S. 228–245.
 Kulturgüterschutz in der Schweiz, in: Zivilschutz, Nr. 28 (1981), S. 3–4. online
 Die Burgerhäuser in der Berner Altstadt. Gerechtigkeitsgasse 61–69, Junkerngasse 44–48. Ein Beitrag der Burgergemeinde Bern zur Wiederbelebung der Altstadt, hrsg. von der Burgergemeinde Bern, Bern 1977.
 Berner in Stein, Bronze und Holz, Bern 1971.
 Restaurierung der ehemaligen Johanniterkomturei Münchenbuchsee BE. In: (Das) Werk, Band 55 (1968), S. 164–166.
Denkmalpflege im Kanton Bern 1964–1967. In: Berner Zeitschrift für Geschichte und Heimatkunde, Bd. 31 (1969), S. 159–221.
 Denkmalpflege im Kanton Bern 1962 und 1963. In: Berner Zeitschrift für Geschichte und Heimatkunde, Bd. 27 (1965), S. 33–100.
 Heinrich Türler und Emanuel Jirka Propper: Das Bürgerhaus im Kanton Bern, II. Teil., 2. Auflage, bearbeitet von Hermann von Fischer, Zürich 1964.
 Die Kunsthandwerker-Familie Funk im 18. Jahrhundert in Bern. (Schweizer Heimatbücher.) Bern 1961.
 Wohnkultur des Alten Bern vom 17. bis 19. Jahrhundert im Schlosse Jegenstorf. Bern 1959.
 Schloss Oberhofen am Thunersee, Bern 1957.
 Michael Stettler und Hermann von Fischer: Vom alten Bern, Genève 1957.
 Die Erhaltung der Berner Altstadt. Zur Kundgebung auf dem Münsterplatz in Bern am 6. März 1954, München 1956.

Weblinks

 Hermann von Fischer auf www.bernergeschlechter.ch
 Marc Lettau: Berns erster Denkmalpfleger ist verstorben. Nachruf in Der Bund vom 1. April 2015
 Todesanzeige in Der Bund vom 1. April 2015

Literatur
 Jürg Schweizer: Zum Gedenken an Hermann von Fischer. In: Kunst + Architektur (2015), Nr. 2, S. 82.
 Michael Stettler: Schloss Oberhofen, Separatdruck aus Bernerlob, Bern 1968.
 Robert L. Wyss: Die Ratsstube des äusseren Standes von Bern. In: Unsere Kunstdenkmäler Nr. 25 (1974), S. 183–195.
 Jürg Schweizer: Nachruf Hermann von Fischer (1926–2015). In: Berner Zeitschrift für Geschichte 77 (2015), S. 136–137 (online).

Anmerkungen und Einzelnachweise

Denkmalpfleger (Schweiz)
Kunsthistoriker
Wissenschaftlicher Mitarbeiter eines Museums in der Schweiz
Ehrendoktor der Universität Bern
Architekt (Schweiz)
Person (Muri bei Bern)
Hermann
Schweizer
Geboren 1926
Gestorben 2015
Mann

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


Trust, Knowledge and Acceptance – Another Angle For The Brave.
Where does trust go awry? We can witness many a life scene full of the wailing and sobbing of disbelief as one's expectations have been unfulfilled or even diametrically challenged. The indignant reaction we can all display in the face of the dreaded 'lie'. Yet it is interesting to note, that the same guy who sits in excruciating pain, after learning of his wife's affair with his brother, has spent the last few years, always late for work. I know, I know, "That is hardly a fair comparison," I hear you cry; but let's look a little further.
Why is he distraught? "I trusted you. I never thought you would do that! How could you?!" What is occurring as he adjusts to this new status quo? Isn't it just that? He thought there were certain fixed criteria that assured that behavior would stay within certain parameters; he had expectancies based on his knowledge to date. But the dynamics have changed and he was not informed. Now his expectancies are unrealistic and out of sync with others.
So it appears there are certain pointers that need to be mutually defined and updated for trust to be dependable. Some of us will make it more casual. We will say that we trust one thing or another but at base, we do not rely on those things in such a way that if they let us down, we would be severely impacted. We flirt with the idea of trust, with little expectancy. Whereas, there are others of us, who we watch with disdain/compassion as they repeatedly put trust into unreliable situations. We say these people are "gluttons for punishment" but really we watch, intrigued to witness whether their apparent bravery/foolishness will bring rewards or heartache.
In the same token, can we ourselves be trusted? We may be entrusted with information and yet later find that this is the very data needed to resolve someone else's grief. Now we teeter between the position of trustee or God. Do we divulge what we have been entrusted with? How do we choose? Many a time, this choice will be based on compulsion; fear; looking after one's own position; who we favor in the event at hand; prize principles which we habitually identify with.
There would be no soap operas if trust was reliable. It is a subjective commodity and vulnerable at each step. It doesn't necessarily become more significant with time, although if we are sufficiently aware, we can ourselves, observe the reality of things and therefore make our expectations more in line with reality. This introduces a different concept: knowledge. Suppose I trade my trust for knowledge… how would that go?
Again we witness the wailing and sobbing of disbelief as one's expectations have been unfulfilled or even diametrically challenged. But this time, instead of being wounded by the unexpected lie, we ask ourselves, did I really know what to expect? Ok, I thought I did but did I really know? Remember, the same guy who sits in excruciating pain, after learning of his wife's affair with his brother, has spent the last few years, always late for work. He spent the last ten years married to a woman who he thought he trusted. He didn't challenge that thought.
In the same way, although his contract of employment stated a starting time of 8.30 am, his boss had weighed his lateness up with his whole working life there and decided he was still a worthwhile employee. The boss has made decisions based on his knowledge of the employee; who has also found a comfortable, albeit regularly late, niche at his place of employment. In the case of his marriage, his ignorance has cost him dearly. Yet within his workplace, his expectancies have remained unfulfilled.
So further to our desire to trust, is a need for knowledge. However, how can we trust the knowledge? Perhaps you have asked your wife, "Are you happy with me, darling?" and they have responded positively. In fact, such was their desire to portray the wrong knowledge, they have covered many areas which may have alerted you had you been on the look-out for clues. We find that trust on its own, is negotiable and unreliable. Knowledge pertaining to the issue of trust can be given or withheld. These things cannot be changed and it is easy to empathize with those who sit in despair, after investing a lot of attention into their heartfelt desire; only to find, through lack of knowledge, their visions falling though their fingers.
It seems we are duped. Yet already we have progressed. We are not blindly trusting anymore and we see that all the knowledge in the world, cannot assure an outcome. So, what do we do? Stay clear of each other? Prohibit any joint ventures? Design legal contracts to accompany each and every agreement that is entered into? There seems one first obvious step to take; to recognize that we are all in the same position.
Now as soon as we see this, there are inner voices that scream, "Yeah, well that may be so but how come I am the one that always loses?!! How come her lack of knowledge gained her my house, my kids and my brother and my lack of knowledge has lost me the lot??!" Fair enough. It is true that there are both ends to this stick. Where the gamble of life is, there are both extremes: winners and losers, bullies and victims; great days and days full of struggle. It is the same for trust and life knowledge. We cannot progress further without accepting this reality.
I think I have a best friend. In my reality, we share everything and would drop anything superficial for anything the other needed. I trust her. I base my behavior toward her around these expectancies. I feel emotional stability within these beliefs. I am babysitting her children at her house several towns away. Upon realizing I have neglected to bring an important document for my University work, rather than illicit my husband's help, as I know he is very busy, I take a drive with the children back to our house to pick it up. Upon my arrival, I am aghast to find my husband and best friend, disheveled and curled up together in front of the open fire.
We are all doing the same and having the same done to us; except no-one has decided it. Not even the wheelers and dealers who sit planning and scheming. They will land sometimes at one end of the stick and other times at the other end of the stick. Like you and like me. If we are to know what is really happening, we are going to need some real knowledge. What do I mean by real knowledge?
Well, if I am told that my tea-cup is blue, I can look and see and ask myself, "Is my tea cup blue?" and if it is, I have knowledge. So what is that statement before I have checked it? It is data. In the same way, when my friend tells me she would drop anything for me, it is data. This remains data until it is proved. But even if there is an event where I judge my friend to prioritize my needs before her desires, she is not like the tea-cup. Her position is not immovable. It may be that one day she is able to subjugate herself for another, and another day it does not even enter into her possibilities.
So we have another variable to consider here. There are some things that are fixedand others that are subject to change. This is where true knowledge begins. If we make a study of what is fixed and what can change, we will know what can be relied upon and what cannot be or rather, what can be trusted to remain as it is and what can be trusted to change – or what the facts are and what possibilities they hold.
In place of trust, we can place observation -> data -> verification -> knowledge -> acceptance. This trade means less confusion; less guess work; less taking someone else's word for it and therefore less blame and negativity. When we verify things for ourselves, we have only ourselves to hold responsible. However, to make these principles a reality, we need to start thinking differently, beginning with the realization that we do not already know. To arrive at this initial point can take many years. We can make a start by learning to observe ourselves.