text:
require_relative 'base'

module AASM
  module Persistence
    module ActiveRecordPersistence
      # This method:
      #
      # * extends the model with ClassMethods
      # * includes InstanceMethods
      #
      # Adds
      #
      #   after_initialize :aasm_ensure_initial_state
      #
      # As a result, it doesn't matter when you define your methods - the following 2 are equivalent
      #
      #   class Foo < ActiveRecord::Base
      #     def aasm_write_state(state)
      #       "bar"
      #     end
      #     include AASM
      #   end
      #
      #   class Foo < ActiveRecord::Base
      #     include AASM
      #     def aasm_write_state(state)
      #       "bar"
      #     end
      #   end
      #
      def self.included(base)
        base.send(:include, AASM::Persistence::Base)
        base.send(:include, AASM::Persistence::ActiveRecordPersistence::InstanceMethods)

        base.after_initialize do
          aasm_ensure_initial_state
        end

        # ensure state is in the list of states
        base.validate :aasm_validate_states
      end

      module InstanceMethods

        # Writes <tt>state</tt> to the state column and persists it to the database
        #
        #   foo = Foo.find(1)
        #   foo.aasm.current_state # => :opened
        #   foo.close!
        #   foo.aasm.current_state # => :closed
        #   Foo.find(1).aasm.current_state # => :closed
        #
        # NOTE: intended to be called from an event
        def aasm_write_state(state, name=:default)
          old_value = read_attribute(self.class.aasm(name).attribute_name)
          aasm_write_attribute state, name

          success = if aasm_skipping_validations(name)
            value = aasm_raw_attribute_value(state, name)
            aasm_update_column(name, value)
          else
            self.save
          end

          success ? true : aasm_rollback(name, old_value)
        end

        # Writes <tt>state</tt> to the state column, but does not persist it to the database
        #
        #   foo = Foo.find(1)
        #   foo.aasm.current_state # => :opened
        #   foo.close
        #   foo.aasm.current_state # => :closed
        #   Foo.find(1).aasm.current_state # => :opened
        #   foo.save
        #   foo.aasm.current_state # => :closed
        #   Foo.find(1).aasm.current_state # => :closed
        #
        # NOTE: intended to be called from an event
        def aasm_write_state_without_persistence(state, name=:default)
          aasm_write_attribute(state, name)
        end

      private

        def aasm_update_column(name, value)
          self.class.where(self.class.primary_key => self.id).update_all(self.class.aasm(name).attribute_name => value) == 1
        end

        def aasm_rollback(name, old_value)
          write_attribute(self.class.aasm(name).attribute_name, old_value)
          false
        end

        def aasm_enum(name=:default)
          case AASM::StateMachine[self.class][name].config.enum
            when false then nil
            when true then aasm_guess_enum_method(name)
            when nil then aasm_guess_enum_method(name) if aasm_column_looks_like_enum(name)
            else AASM::StateMachine[self.class][name].config.enum
          end
        end

        def aasm_column_looks_like_enum(name=:default)
          self.class.columns_hash[self.class.aasm(name).attribute_name.to_s].type == :integer
        end

        def aasm_guess_enum_method(name=:default)
          self.class.aasm(name).attribute_name.to_s.pluralize.to_sym
        end

        def aasm_skipping_validations(state_machine_name)
          AASM::StateMachine[self.class][state_machine_name].config.skip_validation_on_save
        end

        def aasm_write_attribute(state, name=:default)
          write_attribute(self.class.aasm(name).attribute_name, aasm_raw_attribute_value(state, name))
        end

        def aasm_raw_attribute_value(state, name=:default)
          if aasm_enum(name)
            self.class.send(aasm_enum(name))[state]
          else
            state.to_s
          end
        end

        # Ensures that if the aasm_state column is nil and the record is new
        # then the initial state gets populated before validation on create
        #
        #   foo = Foo.new
        #   foo.aasm_state # => nil
        #   foo.valid?
        #   foo.aasm_state # => "open" (where :open is the initial state)
        #
        #
        #   foo = Foo.find(:first)
        #   foo.aasm_state # => 1
        #   foo.aasm_state = nil
        #   foo.valid?
        #   foo.aasm_state # => nil
        #
        def aasm_ensure_initial_state
          AASM::StateMachine[self.class].keys.each do |state_machine_name|
            # checking via respond_to? does not work in Rails <= 3
            # if respond_to?(self.class.aasm(state_machine_name).attribute_name) && send(self.class.aasm(state_machine_name).attribute_name).blank? # Rails 4
            if aasm_column_is_blank?(state_machine_name)
              aasm(state_machine_name).enter_initial_state
            end
          end
        end

        def aasm_column_is_blank?(state_machine_name)
          attribute_name = self.class.aasm(state_machine_name).attribute_name
          attribute_names.include?(attribute_name.to_s) && send(attribute_name).blank?
        end

        def aasm_fire_event(state_machine_name, name, options, *args, &block)
          success = options[:persist] ? self.class.transaction(:requires_new => requires_new?(state_machine_name)) { super } : super

          if success && options[:persist]
            event = self.class.aasm(state_machine_name).state_machine.events[name]
            event.fire_callbacks(:after_commit, self, *args)
          end

          success
        end

        def requires_new?(state_machine_name)
          AASM::StateMachine[self.class][state_machine_name].config.requires_new_transaction
        end

        def aasm_validate_states
          AASM::StateMachine[self.class].keys.each do |state_machine_name|
            unless aasm_skipping_validations(state_machine_name)
              if aasm_invalid_state?(state_machine_name)
                self.errors.add(AASM::StateMachine[self.class][state_machine_name].config.column , "is invalid")
              end
            end
          end
        end

        def aasm_invalid_state?(state_machine_name)
          aasm(state_machine_name).current_state && !aasm(state_machine_name).states.include?(aasm(state_machine_name).current_state)
        end
      end # InstanceMethods

    end
  end # Persistence
end # AASM

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
OVERWEIGHT/UNDERWEIGHT
No doubt about it, skinny and fat are funny. It's hard to make fun of skinny people, though. It's actually fashionable to be skinny now.
Emos made it hip to be that way. Have you seen the jeans guys are wearing now?
Maybe it was always hip to be thin. I mean, look at Sinatra. He could walk in the rain without getting wet.
Guys like that probably get beaten up a lot in high school, but the ones who survive have it made for the rest of their lives.
Girls love skinny guys. Frank needed body guards to fend them off.
Thankfully the gods of comedy have supplied us with overweight people in abundance. The problem is, that they're too easy a target. It's hard to think of a fat joke that hasn't been done before.
That's why I think stocky is the new fat. There's plenty of stocky people, and stocky is funny. You just know that there's millions of stocky jokes just waiting to be written.
Stocky is everywhere. It's what happens when your body expands in every direction, not just your stomach and hips.
So that's my resolution for 2011: learn to draw stocky. Revel in it. Try to understand the stocky universe.
BTW: I need to take a few days off. I'll be back Wednesday night, Feb. 2nd!
POETRY CORNER: THREE NIFTY POEMS
Here's three readings of poems that I think you'll like. The first is a Paul McCartney poem, "Maxwell's Silver Hammer" (above). Of course that was a Beatles song, but Paul wants it to be remembered as a poem as well as a song, and for good reason...it sounds good to the ear, even when it's spoken.
John Lenon hated this song, which he regarded as one of Paul's "granny" poems. He called it "fruity." I disagree. Paul was fascinated with the English ability to abstract macabre crimes and make them seem somehow cute. The English are a sentimental people, and Paul thought that was worth noting in a song and a poem. He was right.
Anyway, give a listen and try to regard the lyrics as poetry. Here's (below) a print version of the opening:
Hmmmm. The lyrics are written out in a way that makes the cadence hard to decipher if you don't know the melody. I'd have written them the way they're sung, like this:
Joan was quizzical; studied pataphysical
Sci-ence in the home.
Late nights all a-lone with a test tube; Oh,
Oh, oh, oh.
Here's (above) a reading of W. H. Auden's "Stop All the Clocks." Auden dispenses with overt poetic flourish (or wants us to think he does) and speaks plainly and sincerely about the death of a friend. It's very touching.
Here's (above) a dramatic reading of a real breakup letter. It's poetry of a sort, though you only think of it that way when you hear it read the proper way, as it is here. This would be a hit at a poetry reading!
Above, an unannounced bonus!
Labels: poems, poetry, three nifty poems
IS FASCISM A GOOD IDEA?
Am I imagining it or is fascism slowly becoming respectable again? China's a fascist country in some respects, and in my more paranoid moments I wonder if its success is prompting some people to wonder if we should follow them down the same path. It's a creepy thought.
If you ask college students who their favorite philosopher is, the chances are that they'll say Nietzche. Yes Nietzche, the same guy who believes in the world-changing superman whose morality transcends notions of good and evil. What's with that?
And the news is full of troubling ideas. The latest one for me was a high-ranking official in Britain saying that new discoveries in economics have proved that economic crises are caused by erroneous ideas held by the public, and that the government needs to launch a propaganda campaign to instill the right ideas. There's a sense in which that idea is innocuous and completely innocent, but in my paranoid moments I imagine Josef Goebbels saying the same thing.
Okay, I admit I'm probably too sensitive about this stuff. I'm a classical Enlightenment-era liberal. I believe in parliaments, individual rights, checks and balances, a free press, tolerance of opposing views, private property, competitive business, and all that. Every once in a while I like to be reassured that we're all more or less on the same page in that respect.
A philosopher you hear more and more about these days is Carl Schmitt, an unrepentant Nazi legal philosopher who believed that any effective government must include an element of dictatorial power within its constitution. It must be able to assert that something is right, just because it is, and is beyond rational argument. He hints that people who insist on arguing the issue anyway, must be isolated and made to appear anti-social.
I'm amazed that an intelligent guy like Schmitt could buy into an idea which is so clearly open to abuse, but Schmitt was a legal scholar and those guys have a narrow focus. They don't like messy things like English common law, with its emphasis on precedent and tradition. They're looking for fundamental principals. A simplifying assumption that a party or a leader can do no wrong (as long as they don't change their minds), allows them to construct a logically consistent set of laws, and I guess consistency is all they really care about.
What sets Schmitt apart from other Nazi theoreticians that I've heard about, is that Schmitt frames his ideas in a sugar-coated language that modern academics can relate to. His most famous book, "The Concept of the Political" never mentions fascism. He simply asks if we desire to keep alive the concept of politics, i.e., a state that has a political point of view, is effective, and gets things done. Well, everybody wants to see things get done. When you frame it in a nice way like that, Schmitt's ideas seem downright reasonable. Except they're not.
Okay, enough of this! That's the end of my paranoid rant!
BTW: how do you like these WWII era posters? The black and white picture on the top is an ink wash, isn't it? I'm astonished at what can be accomplished with ink and a little bit of water.
Labels: fascism
FUNNY LIGHTING AND STAGING
This (above) is a dumb composition, isn't it? I mean that as a compliment. It's for a comedy so the art director wisely violated the normal rules of composition. The picture's too symmetrical, too much attention is paid to the tablecloth, and the three doors are distracting...but so what? It's funny.
I LOVE ignorant staging!
You don't always need funny sets to make live background elements funny. It's about how you shoot them and light them.
Here's (above) two ways to shoot a cup, the normal way and the funny, ignorant way. The cup on the left looks fine, but you'd call it dignified, rather than funny. In the world of cups it's a solid citizen, a device that earns its way by being useful to humans, a cup whose mother is proud of it...but it's not funny.
The cup on the right however, the one in the wide shot, is lonely and insecure, and maybe something of a klutz. He's probably always spilling things on humans. How do we know? Because the world he inhabits is so awkward. The ocean of empty space around the cup, the funky table, the lip of the table and the awkward area underneath...it all says that this silly cup hasn't got the brains to sit closer to the camera. He's funny.
BTW, I'm glad the art director didn't show too much detail in the cup background. Too much detail would have hinted at a larger story, and taken our attention away from the simple ignorance of the situation.
Study the deliberately ignorant and theatrical staging (above) in silent comedies. It just shouts, "This is a funny picture!"
Too many people assume that sets were made this way (above) because the films were made in a primitive time, when nobody understood composition. That's not true. Old timers understood composition at least as well as we do now. They simply thought this way of doing things was funnier..
Even the lighting (above) was ignorant in those days. Lots of film people knew how to light properly, but comedians favored frontal lighting, which flattened out the face and gave it a cartoony, graphic look.
Stan Laurel insisted on in it in the early films he did with Hardy.
Later he allowed very light shadows on one side. Other actors in their films were allowed to have deeper shadows, but not the two stars.
Still later, they were forced to use the same stark lighting that dramatic actors used. By then, producers were insisting that comedy people conform to dramatic rules.
By luck or intentional skill, early TV used the kind of flat lighting that we saw in some silent comedies. It made everything more funny.
Lighting wasn't the only thing that was funny in early TV. The sets were funny too. You can see the influence of old silent comedy staging.
Me, I think that ignorant composition is bliss.
BTW: Mike's the biggest Laurel and Hardy fan that I know, and he wrote the following comment:
"When Laurel & Hardy - whom I revere - left Hal Roach Studios in 1940 to move to 20th Century Fox in '41, they seem to age 20 years overnight. This was the direct result of the new studio's intrusive and insensitive meddling with the team.
Fox, who seem to have been as determined to ruin Laurel & Hardy as Paramount was to ruin Popeye (and MGM was to ruin Keaton, Our Gang and the Marx Brothers), insisted on uniformly realistic makeup and lighting in all their films. It didn't matter if it was a drama, musical or slapstick comedy - an approach about as individual as a cookie cutter.
Laurel instinctively knew the team needed stylization to be believable in the special world they created and inhabited. Besides keeping them young - and preserving the comic illusion that they were overgrown children - the subtle clown-white makeup the team had been using since their silent film days also kept them slightly cartoony, and that much more removed from harsh reality. Stylized sound effects, lively music and flat lighting accomplished the same feat, exactly what the team needed, and had had at Roach.
Of course, the front office couldn't resist tampering with the scripts as well, and their literal, assembly line, sausage factory approach was exactly opposite to what L&H had been used to up until that time. These are just some of the reasons why the boys are still delightful to watch in Saps as Sea, their last film shot at Roach in 1940 - and already old and tiresome in Great Guns, their first one made at Fox only one year.
Unfortunately, corporate interference with creative artists is just as destructive now as it was then. In the words of Scotty Beckett: 'They'll never learn...' "
Labels: funny lighting, funny staging, lighting, staging
TWO VERSIONS OF "PORKY IN WACKYLAND!"
Wow! I discovered this on YouTube: it's Clampett's original Wackyland cartoon, side by side with the later color remake by Friz, "Dough for the Do-Do." Many thanks to "wecanstopnwo1" for taking the trouble to post the cartoons this way. It makes it lot easier to compare and learn from.
Of course, the original black and white version is better, that's obvious. The reason for comparing the two is that the same mistake in BG styling that's in the flawed color version is still with us today, all these years later: The color backgrounds aren't funny. No doubt producers believe that it's not the BG artist's job to be funny, but that's a mistake. Producers need to know that funny people are needed in all aspects of production, including backgrounds. Come to think of it, I wish they'd undertake more projects that would require funny people.
The newer BGs are technically more polished, but they're too literal, too unimaginative, too lacking in humor. Also, the color version horizons are too high. Why all the wasted space in the foreground? It's more ignorant, and therefore more funny, to place the character lower in the scene in a graphic-intensive story like this one.
I also like the newspaper strip feel of the earlier backgrounds. I'm seeing hints of Sterrett, Gross, Seuss and even a little Smokey Stover in the original BGs.
I like the way B and W Porky's plane is lower (and more ignorant) in the frame when we first see it, and I like the demented row of B and W trees more than the colored mountain silhouettes in the next scene. The first time we see the Wackyland sign on a long shot (above) works better in the B and W, and the path the B and W sign is sitting on is more dynamic and ignorant, as are the trees.
Check out the next scene, which is a close-up of the sign (above). The energetic lettering and tonal contrasts in the B&W version make the scene funny, even with no animation. The color sign, on the other hand, is simply information. What a pity that this film fell into the hands of a humorless designer!
Well, a full comparison would take up too much space. I'll just close with one more point, which has nothing to do with backgrounds: namely that black and white is easier to make funny than color. It shows off funny drawings better. You'd never wish that Clampett's "Coal Black" and "Great Piggy Bank Robbery" were colorless, but aren't you glad his "Porky's Surprise Party" (above) was done that way? Good old Bob! He doesn't get credit for it, but he developed two successful styles, the first one for the better cartoons done by his B and W unit.
LUNCHTIME BOOK CHAT #4
I just read a depressing book on the economic crisis and now I'm ready for something lighter, maybe one of the books on this page. Here's (above) a book that caught my eye: "The Girls of Murder City." How do you like the cover? it's good enough to be a poster!
The story is about the gaggle of beautiful female murderers (example, above) in 1920s Chicago. It was considered hip to be a female killer in those days and the press treated the girls like superstars.
Even prison guards would ask for autographs.
The author got caught up in the whole thing, and frequently weighs in with lines like: "Just pleasantly buzzed, as usual, the kind of tingling warmth that held you like a new mother." Nice! I've gotta check this out!
Steve lent me this book (above). It's by Leslie Carbaga, author of the wonderfully researched and beautifully layed-out Max Fleischer biography. It's all about breasts. I had no idea there was so much to say about the subject.
It's full of charts like this one (above), depicting the different types. Some men will no doubt use the charts as checklists.
The book isn't perfect. There's too much tacky language, and I don't agree with some of the points he makes. He blames religion for girls' reluctance to have casual sex, but the females of most species are like that. I don't think female turtles play hard to get because of what they learned in church. And he's down on marriage, which I think is the best thing since sliced bread...if you get the right person. Marriage means everybody gets somebody, and the richest man of the tribe doesn't get to grab all the girls for himself.
But I'm nitpicking. Leslie makes a lot of good points and the book looks like a fun read.
Here's a new hardcover sketchbook by my friend, Tim Walker. Tim's done everything in the TV animation industry. Things were going great for him until a few years back when he discovered that he couldn't control the shaking in his right hand and was diagnosed as having Parkinson's Disease . Everybody concluded that Tim's professional life was over; after all he was right-handed, and that hand was useless to him now. Everybody gave up on Tim except Tim. He simply refused to accept defeat.
The man sat down, and through sheer will power, taught himself to draw with his left hand, thus the title of the book, "Drawings From The Left." The book begins with drawings he made when his right hand worked, and seamlessly morphs into newer drawings done with the left. If the captions didn't tip you off, you'd never guess where the dividing line is. Tim had no history of ambidexterity. He just plain...did it, and now he's back at his old desk at Warners, rushing to meet deadlines like everyone else. Man, some people are irrepressible!
Examine the book at: http://jamestimwalker.com/about-tim-walker.html
BTW: If you have a blog of your own, have you noticed how well Blogger enlarges pictures? You'd have to fiddle around with Photoshop to get the same quality enlargements that Blogger gives you with the touch of a button. And Blogger doesn't even brag about it. Somebody at Blogger deserves a pat on the back!
Labels: crime, girls of murder city, mugshots
SOME THOUGHTS ABOUT TUTORING
When I was in school I used to hate classroom discussions. The subject always devolved into who's more intelligent, boys or girls, or whose innocuous comment was actually indicative of closet racism. I could get that kind of stuff on the street. I thought the purpose of school was to be taught by people who know more than I do.
A while back I put this opinion into a blog post, and to my surprise, it provoked some pretty interesting replies. One commenter was obviously a teacher. He said that he could tell that I never had any first rate teachers in school, because if I had I would never have questioned the value of discussion. He said a good teacher guides the discussion. The idea is to take a cultured, articulate, and well organized mind (the teacher's), and show the students in detail how that mind handles the topic at hand. It can only be properly done in groups small enough to allow some personal attention, and only with motivated students. Amazing!
Well, the guy called it right. I had some teachers who were okay, but none who were really first rate. There just aren't enough first rate teachers to go around. The mind boggles to think how fast you could learn something, if you had the personal attention of someone who was really skilled in that subject. And that brings me to the point of this post: teachers aren't able to give you individual attention...but tutors can.
I'm a huge believer in tutoring. It's not something that's only for slow students, it's something for the the brightest kid in class. There's no faster way to learn than to have someone personally talk you through a problem and digress if need be to teach you something you failed to pick up earlier. In the case where you already know the material, a good tutor can put you on a whole different level by exploring interesting tangents or by putting the material to practical use. A motivated student combined with a motivated tutor is a powerful combination.
Schools like Oxford used to teach almost exclusively by tutoring. There were regular lectures by professors, but the real education took place in the student's own quarters, arguing with, and being prodded and interrogated by the tutor (the don). In Japan after school tutoring is common, even for gifted students. I wish it were more common here.
There's another good reason for tutoring. If tutoring were widespread, if it transcended the remedial and got into some meaty subjects, if it was handled, not by the school bureaucracy, but by free agents and by private industry, then we'd have a chance to re-introduce imagination and competition into the schooling process. Who knows? You could even have tutors like the ones in the illustrations for this post!
Labels: education, tutoring
HOW TO COOK CASHEW CHICKEN
Okay, we're going to make stir fried Cashew Chicken with vegetables! You'll have to pay a visit to a Chinese market, but that'll be fun. Wait til you see what those stores are like!
Tentacles, eyeballs (above), hooves, candied baby sand crabs... they're all there, many of them with cancer warnings pasted all over them!
Look into the freezer and it'll look back at you!
But I digress. About woks...you'll want to use a flat-bottomed wok, though in a pinch you can use a steel or iron frying or saute pan. Nonstick pans are dismissed by traditionalists because they require lower heat, but they make cleanup so easy that they're hard to resist. I have both kinds and I only use the nonstick now.
Ordinary frying pans usually have low sides and the constant stirring will push the food out and onto the floor, so watch out. If you're using a frying pan then it's best to cook the vegetables separately, after the chicken's been removed, so you'll have more room in the pan. If you have a old-style steel wok you haven't used in a long time it might be rusty, so you'll have some strenuous cleaning to do. For rust use steel wool and soap.
Here's (above) the recipe I use, from Helen Chen's "Chinese Home Cooking." I hope you can read it. Click to enlarge.
This recipe serves four. If I'm cooking the meal for myself only then I use half the amount of everything, not a fourth. Why the extra 25%? It's because I added added vegetables to the recipe. Believe me, this dish tastes twice as good when combined with vegetables!
About the chicken: To make it easy on yourself buy boneless, skinless breasts. At my local supermarket these are on sale at least once a month. The last time I shopped the sale price for a 2 1/2 lb. pack of four large breasts (unfrozen) was $5.50
If you're only cooking for yourself you'll want to use one breast and freeze the other 3. Remove the supermarket wrapping and re-wrap each one separately before freezing. If you freeze all four at once in their original wrapping they'll stick together and you'll need a flame thrower to separate them. When the chicken is thawed and ready to cook, dice it into small squares. The parts won't really look like squares, but that's what you should aim for.
For the rice you'll want long grain white Jasmine. I have a bag of short grain Japanese sticky rice that I have to finish up, so I use that. It's delicious and easy to eat with chopsticks, but I have to admit that it's so good that it competes with the taste of the main dish.
Oil: peanut oil used to be popular for stir fry because it resists smoking at high temperatures, and smoking can give food a scorched taste. I use grape seed oil because it's almost as heat resistant, and is more healthful. The taste is about the same.
Soy sauce: Kikkoman has the best taste of all, but it's too thin and watery to stand up to the high heat of stir frying. For that you need something thicker. Try "Pearl River Bridge Superior Dark Soy Sauce (above)." obtainable at Chinese markets. Gee, that's a beautiful name isn't it?
Sesame oil: two Chinese cookbooks I've seen recommend Kadoya brand Japanese sesame oil (above).
Ginger root: buy it hard and firm. For one meal you only need a single small root.
Vegetables: 1/4 lb. snow peas, bean sprouts (a big bag usually costs a dollar), shitake mushrooms (shown above; cheap if you buy them at a Chinese market), and spinach. No bamboo shoots or water chestnuts for this recipe. They're for Almond Chicken, which is made differently. Add a small chili pepper if you like hot food.
Hoisin sauce: this is one of the things that gives Chinese dishes their distinctive flavor. The supermarket kind in a jar is fine. I like to add a little Chinese oyster sauce (Lee Kum Kee Premium Oyster Flavored Sauce) and pepper, but these are optional.
Okay, that's it. Before cooking have all the ingredients prepared and easily accessible. If you have to stop to look for something while cooking the food will overcook. BE CAREFUL NOT TO OVERCOOK. It's frighteningly easy to cook the flavor away, or give it a scorchy taste. If you're not sure about the cooking time, it's best to error on the side of undercooking.
Take care to be sure the important areas of the wok are thoroughly oiled before subjecting the wok to high heat and garlic. Constantly shake the wok when cooking; constantly stir. Wok cooking uses intense heat for short periods of time. Have the table set, have the rice already cooked and on the plates, and have drinks at the ready. The cooking will go very quickly and you or your guests will want to start eating the instant the food is moved onto the plate. Guests should never wait for the cook to be seated. The food is at maximum flavor the moment it touches the plate.
Oh, I almost forgot the vegetables! If you cook them separately then cook them last of all, over medium heat, and almost all at once. I say "almost" because you'll want to add the most delicate things, like spinach leaves and sesame oil, last.
The drink? Beer or a moderately sweet white wine is most common. I tried a Gewurztraminer (spelled right?) and that worked fine. Trader Joe's Two Buck Chuck version of Sauvignon Blanc worked fine too. Helen Chen says the Chinese don't drink alcohol with meals unless they're celebrating something. They prefer to drink chicken broth, with a little tea afterward.
So there it is! You can find videos about seasoning and cleaning a steel wok on YouTube. You can also find videos on the making of Cashew Chicken, but none of them agree.
For the time being I'll stick to Chen's recipe. Chen's version wins the coveted 'Two Day Glow" rating that I bestow on only on the best recipes, the ones that incite you to hippie bliss (above) and the feeling that all men are your brothers for a full two days after eating the meal. I love Chinese restaurant meals, but they've never given me the glow that Chen's recipes have.
Labels: cashew chicken, chinese cooking, cooking
CARTOON ANATOMY: COMPLEX UPPER, SIMPLE LOWER
MY BEST POST EVER, AND IT'S ALL TRUE!
THE PRINCESS & THE GIANT (REVISED) (PART I)
THE PRINCESS & THE GIANT (PART II)
SHOPPING FOR CHAIRS WITH MIKE
REST IN PEACE: DENIS DUTTON

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Q: Is there a way to add performance counter in Azure Log Analytics from command line Is there a way to added performance counter in Azure Log Analytics using Powershell or azure CLI. The only options I see are for querying.

A: According to my research, we can use PowerShell command new-azoperationalinsightswindowsperformancecounterdatasource to add windows performance counter. For more details, please refer to the document.
For example
Connect-AzAccount
$workspace=Get-AzOperationalInsightsWorkspace -ResourceGroupName jimtest -Name hybridWorkspace32979
New-AzOperationalInsightsWindowsPerformanceCounterDataSource -Workspace $workspace -Name "test" -ObjectName ".NET CLR Loading" -CounterName "Total Appdomains" -InstanceName "*" -IntervalSeconds 10
Get-AzOperationalInsightsDataSource -ResourceGroupName jimtest -WorkspaceName hybridWorkspace32979 -Kind WindowsPerformanceCounter

Besides, if you want to add Linux performance counter, you can use the command New-AzOperationalInsightsLinuxPerformanceObjectDataSource and Enable-AzOperationalInsightsLinuxPerformanceCollection. For more details, please refer to the article

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


Newly confirmed Secretary of Defense Gen. James Mattis is busy building his Defense administration by naming a pair of Navy admirals to be his top advisers.
Defense Secretary James Mattis on Monday filled two key positions on the Pentagon staff, choosing a two-star Navy admiral to be his senior military adviser and a retired Navy two-star to serve as chief of staff.
Rear Adm. Craig S. Faller will become Mattis' top uniformed adviser, said Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman. Retired Rear Adm. Kevin M. Sweeney will become Mattis' chief of staff. Additional staff announcements are expected in the coming days and weeks, Davis added.
Mattis has known Faller and Sweeney for several years. Each worked for the retired Marine Corps general during his tenure as head of U.S. Central Command.
In these roles, both men will have considerable influence during internal policy discussions. Defense secretaries look to their advisers to provide candid, constructive advice on all manner of military operations and initiatives — and to speak up if they believe specific efforts are ill conceived.


Engenium is well placed to manage complex engineering projects.
Your project will benefit from our deep understanding of delivering multi-disciplinary Engineering Design and Value Engineering. Successfully taking designs from study into execution and operation.
We employ technical and design experts in the Civil, Structural, Mechanical, Electrical, Control Systems and Process Engineering disciplines. We also leverage the latest in engineering design software, 3D modelling and BIM systems to improve efficiency and provide you with greater value.
Engenium has embraced and pushed LEAN design and engineering principles through our "Smart Project Delivery" philosophy. We know each project has differing business requirements, so we apply various LEAN Design initiatives tailored to meet each individual projects needs.
Less engineering hours through the use of our 3D design tools and processes. Enabling the project to progress quicker and at less cost to you.
Our ability to challenge acceptable standards in order to ensure "fit-for-purpose" design and value for money engineering.
Fewer drawing deliverables whilst still ensuring a good technical understanding of your project and construction pricing in execution.
Safety-in-design incorporated throughout our design processes and methodology.
The utilisation of standardised 'off-the-shelf' plant and equipment in the design phase. This reduces re-engineering and custom engineering where there is low value add to the project.
Greater design review and construction productivity through the utilisation of 3D modelling tools.
We will work closely with you to fully understand and define your engineering scope, schedule and budget.
We will deliver high quality engineering, minimising the schedule and cost variations traditionally caused through rework from misunderstood design requirements, constructibility and maintainability issues.


This pristine home offers 3 bedrooms 2 baths, maple hardwood flooring, maple staircases, main floor laundry. Lower level is unfinished with 9 foot ceilings, egress window, plumbing has been roughed in for a 3rd bath and a second laundry room. Beautifully manicured 2 acre lot with a pond and fenced patio area and a 2 car attached garage. Open Sunday April 14th 1:00 to 2:30.


Bortenat 2mg Injection is used in the treatment of multiple myeloma and mantle-cell lymphoma.
Low blood platelets, Fatigue, Peripheral neuropathy (tingling and numbness of feet and hand), Psychiatric disturbances, Nausea, Vomiting, Loss of appetite, Fever, Anemia (low number of red blood cells), Diarrhoea, Decreased appetite, Decreased white blood cell count (neutrophils), Constipation.
Your doctor or nurse will give you this medicine. Kindly do not self administer. Bortenat 2mg Injection may be taken with or without food, but it is better to take it at a fixed time.
Bortenat 2mg Injection is unsafe to use during pregnancy.
Bortenat 2mg Injection is unsafe to use during lactation. Data suggests that the drug may cause toxicity to the baby, or the mother is suffering from a condition in which breastfeeding is not advisable.
Bortenat 2mg Injection might cause tiredness, dizziness, fainting, or blurred vision which may affect your ability to drive.
Bortenat 2mg Injection should be used with caution in patients with severe kidney disease. Dose adjustment of Bortenat 2mg Injection may be needed. Please consult your doctor.
Limited information is available on the use of Bortenat 2mg Injection in these patients.
Bortenat 2mg Injection should be used with caution in patients with liver disease. Dose adjustment of Bortenat 2mg Injection may be needed. Please consult your doctor.
What if you miss a dose of Bortenat Injection?
If you miss a dose of Bortenat 2mg Injection, please consult your doctor.


It is very amusing 3d street art of two strong men trying to pull the wall in opposite direction. Artist design an old wall with rift and then place bricks at the top of wall to give real look. From this rift plants comes out from the wall. Finally artist makes the sketches of strong men on the wall that appears to be a trying to dislocate the wall and create fun for the viewers.


The start of a new year is the perfect time to make changes in our lives. For many of us, it symbolizes a clean slate or a time for new beginnings. Many of us wait for this moment to start some sort of behavioral change as a New Year's resolution. Some typical goals for the New Year could be to start exercising, to be more environmentally friendly, or to be healthier.
Although all of these goals are great ideas, they are very broad. When deciding on a goal, one way to ensure that you're going to be successful is to make them into S.M.A.R.T goals.
To prevent discouragement and defeat, it's important to make sure that your goals are achievable. A goal should challenge you out of your comfort zone, but only to the point where you can still be successful. If you have a busy lifestyle and you want to start exercising, instead of saying " I'm going to work out everyday of the week for 2 hours, " a SMART goal would be more along the lines of "I'm going to work out 3 days a week for at least 30 minutes".
Realistic goals focus on how we can make a vision come to life. These goals are not only ones that are attainable but also ones that we are willing and ready to succeed at. Aside from being specific and being able to measure the progress, there also needs to be a level of commitment and excitement for the change you are trying to make. Having a goal to stop buying take-out completely when you are used to buying it every day of the week is somewhat unrealistic. It would be much more realistic to have a goal of buying take-out only 3 days a week instead.
A good goal is one that is linked to a timeframe. Adding a time frame to your goal will create a sense of urgency and help keep you motivated. Goals without a time frame are less likely to be successful. So instead of saying "I'm going to walk to work more" you might say "I am going to walk to work 10 times this month".
Goals are made to help us grow and become the best version of ourselves. As you are reflecting on the previous year, and planning your resolutions for this new year - whether it's acquiring a new hobby, learning a new skill or having a healthier lifestyle - remember to make your goals into SMART goals!
What are your SMART goals for this year?


This beautiful dress is a true show stopper. The Roccobella Dress features a catwalk inspired skirt with statement volume. The subtle pleats at the waist create a modern look whilst the tulle under skirt creates exaggerated fullness and dramatic flaring. The vibrant luxe pattern on the skirt adds a modern touch, whilst the waist band secures with two popper buttons for the perfect fit. Finishing with a concealed back zip this piece measures 51 inches/129cm from side neck point to hem. Height of model shown: 5ft 9inches/175cm. Model wears: UK size 10.
Main: 65% cotton; 35% viscose.
Lining: 100% polyester. lining 1: 100% acetate.
contrast: 57% viscose; 41% modal; 2% elastane. mesh: 100% polyester.


text:
Transcriptional coregulator regulates pancreatic β-cells fitness and function
The transcriptional coregulator Swi-independent 3—or Sin3—switches on and off the genes that drive crucial biological processes during prenatal development, including cellular differentiation, maturation, survival, metabolism, and stress responses. Earlier studies reported the postnatal presence of Sin3 in the pancreas, yet its functional attributes were poorly understood.
In recent work published in Diabetes, Xiaodun Yang—from the lab of Associate Professor of Cell and Developmental Biology Guoqiang Gu—clarifies the role of Sin3 in the embryonic development and postnatal function of pancreatic β-cells, which produce insulin. Impaired β-cell function in humans accompanies reduced insulin secretion and the onset of type 1 diabetes.
On an evolutionary scale, Sin3 diverged into paralogues—Sin3a and Sin3b—two distinct forms of a single ancestral gene, each residing in a unique location within the genome, with overlapping as well as redundant functions.
The investigators studied the roles of Sin3a and Sin3b in the pancreas both before and after birth. They found that among transgenic mice lacking Sin3a in the pancreas, Sin3a was not necessary for the prenatal differentiation of the islet cells that produce β-cells; however, it was crucial for the postnatal survival, maturation, and function of β-cells. After birth, the β-cells of the Sin3a-deletion mice failed to produce physiological levels of insulin and the mice succumbed to diabetes.
The team also found that although Sin3b-deletion mice did not show any abnormalities, those bred with neither Sin3a nor Sin3b had expedited onset of diabetes. This finding suggests redundancy in the function of both Sin3 paralogues, with Sin3a being the major contributor to β-cell function. Sin3a and Sin3b may regulate either a similar set of genes or different genes with similar functions in β-cells. In particular, the researchers identified several genes that Sin3a appeared to regulate, including some associated with protein transport, glucose metabolism, oxidative stress response, cell death, and maturation of β-cells.
Future research could leverage the stage-specific roles of Sin3a and Sin3b in the postnatal survival and fitness of β-cells to combat diabetes in humans.


text:
Q: connect EHOSTUNREACH 172.24.0.2:27017 docker-compose I am currently unable to connect to mongo when I run docker-compose, I keep on getting the  error below
connect EHOSTUNREACH 172.25.0.2:27017

Here is my docker-compose.yml file
version: "3.4"
services:
    app:
        container_name: checki
        restart: always
        build:
          context: .
          network: host
        ports:
          - "3000:9000"
        links:
          - mongo
    mongo:
        container_name: mongo
        image: mongo
        volumes:
          - ./data:/data/db
        ports:
          - "27018:27017"

and my db connection string is like this
"mongodb://mongo:27017/checki"

Please assist


Thomas Mandel is an inventive and versatile musician who lives in Linz. For the 2010 Brucknerfest, Mandel composed a Jazz version of the Bruckner Symphony No. 7 and it was first performed at the Brucknerhaus in Linz. The performance was a great success and it was captured for this CD release. This is an EXCLUSIVE abruckner.com offering and it is licensed for sale here from Mr. Mandel.
Here is an opportunity to witness a remarkable performance.


> so there may be something I am overlooking.
At first it comes up with a list of 80 column options (which I assume are the same for all video cards).  You can select one of them or type 'scan'.  The screen goes dark for a frightening few seconds before returning with a longer list (in my case) of 'column x row' sizes.  You select the number you want and then it boots up in the new text mode.
When you find one you like (132 columns is pretty ugly on my machine) you can change the image entry to vga=<number>  where <number> is the number of the video mode you want to use (not forgetting to run /sbin/lilo again).
Does anyone know of an easier way than this?  It seems a bit drastic to have to reboot just to change the video mode (and I assume X does it without too many problems).


1 Free Aloe Gloe Organic Aloe Water (15.2 fl. oz., any variety) in Kroger stores, with coupon. This Kroger Free Friday Coupon is available for download on Friday, December 7, 2018 but you have until December 23, 2018 to redeem it.
What is Aloe Gloe Organic Aloe Water? Aloe Gloe Organic Aloe Water is a healthy drink with Aloe Vera. Aloe Vera which contains more than 200 biologically active amino acids, vitamins, antioxidants, enzymes and minerals that have been clinically proven to improve skin and cardiovascular health.
Ingredients: Water, certified organic aloe vera, gel inner leaf powder, certified organic cane sugar; certified Stevia; malic acid; natural flavors.
Redeem your coupon in-store within 2 weeks for 1 free Aloe Gloe Organic Aloe Water (15.2 fl. oz., any variety). Your coupon will automatically be applied at checkout when you use your Shopper's Card. Available in most stores.


text:
San Diego County Fair Infuses the Magic of Adventures in Wonderland
/ Community, Featured, Local Events, Uncategorized / By The Chocolate Voice
(San Diego, CA) It's beginning to feel a lot like summer! Warm weather, clear blue skies, flip flops and the San Diego County Fair, which by the way opened on Friday June 3rd.
What sets the San Diego County Fair apart from many other county fair's across the country, aside from its prime location right off of the beach in Del Mar, is the creatively cool and well planned out themed exhibits.
In its 80th year, this year's theme Mad about the Fair, is described as a Steampunk twist on Lewis and Carroll's "Alice's Adventures in Wonderland."
Inside the exhibit, fairgoer's, young and old, will have an opportunity to play with a large set of chess pieces or sit around a large Mad Hatter tea party table. And, there's a nightly Hatter's Mad Party starting at 7:00 p.m, which attendees are encouraged to dress up and join in on the fun.
Each year, the Fair located in Del Mar attracts millions, making it the highest attendance fair in California and the fourth highest in the country and the sixth largest Fair in North America.
Hailed as the largest event in San Diego County, featuring outlandish landscapes, crazy rides, unique twists on food: BBQ Sundae's, Deep-fried Chicken & Waffles on a stick and Deep fried Lemonade. Then there's the favorites like the Texas sized smoked turkey legs, meatball sliders and, cinnamon rolls and so much more, from over a hundred different food vendors.
The man himself Chicken Charlie, works behind the counter all smiles at the fair talking to and servicing fair goer.
Chicken Charlie's presents this year's new item: Deep-Fried Chicken & Waffle on a stick.
Summer concert series and entertainment, including one of our favorites the annual uplifting Gospel Festival, happening June 25th and featuring the performance of legendary, Grammy-Award wining performer Shirley Caesar and the San Diego Super Choir on the Heineken Grandstand Stage.
San Diego County Fair opened on Friday, June 3rd at 4 p.m. and from here on out continues at 11 a.m. weekdays; 10 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays; through July 4. Closed Mondays (except July 4) and the first two Tuesdays.
Salvador of Juicy's serves up Texas Style Turkey drum sticks.
BBQ Sundae!
Check more photo's on our Facebook page.
Location: Del Mar Fairgrounds, 2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd., Del Mar
Cost: $9 to 16; free for kids ages 5 and younger. Parking is $10 for cars or motorcycles and $20 for RVs or oversize vehicles
Phone: (858) 755-1161 or (858) 793-5555 (24-hour recorded information)
Online: sdfair.com


text:
[![Build status](https://ci.appveyor.com/api/projects/status/7m4cwgkr5x4igpck/branch/master?svg=true)](https://ci.appveyor.com/project/PowerShell/xtimezone/branch/master)

# xTimeZone

The **xTimeZone** module the **xTimeZone** DSC resource for setting the timezone on a machine.

## Contributing
Please check out common DSC Resources [contributing guidelines](https://github.com/PowerShell/DscResource.Kit/blob/master/CONTRIBUTING.md).

## Resources

### xTimeZone

* **TimeZone**: Specifies the Time Zone. To discover all valid time zones for this property, use this PowerShell command: `[System.TimeZoneInfo]::GetSystemTimeZones().Id`
* **IsSingleInstance**: Specifies if the resource is a single instance, the value must be 'Yes'

## Versions

### 1.3.0.0

* Updated tests: now we are deploying xTimeZone instead of overwriting PSModulePath to make tests pass on local machine
* Updated validation attribute of IsSingleInstance parameter to match *.schema.mof

### 1.2.0.0

* Modified schema to follow best practices for singleton resources (changed xTimeZone key to IsSingleInstance)

### 1.1.0.0

* Added tests

### 1.0.0.0

* Initial release with the following resource:
    - xTimeZone

## Examples

### Setting the Time Zone

In the Examples folder, SetTimeZone.ps1 demonstrates how to set the local time zone to "Tonga Standard Time".


Optional all-day workshop with Claire Warden; Conference registration and opening reception (5-7pm).
Concurrent presentations and workshops; Closing address; Lunch and afternoon coffee break.
Optional field trips to model nature-based early learning programs in Chicago and Milwaukee areas (hours vary).
This event is an Illinois Gateways Registry Verified Conference. Attendees registered with Gateways to Opportunities, Illinois' Professional Development System, will receive credit in Section 4 of their Professional Development Record for each session they attend at the conference.
Graduate credits (2 credits) for participating in the conference are available through Hamline University, and may be used toward a certificate in nature-based early learning, or toward a Master's degree in environmental education. Contact Patty Born Selly at pselly01@hamline.edu to learn more.


Other passengers had to 'restrain him' and the plane was diverted to Boston, Massachusetts.
The flight, British Airways flight BA195 was met on the ground by two Massachusetts State Police vehicles.
Halliwell has been taken into custody and is charged with interference to a flight crew.
He is due to appear in court soon.
The father of two could face charges over the assault incident.


The Tiffen 4 x 6" CC05R Red Filter is a color compensating (or color correction) filter for use when making color balance adjustments. It can be used to alter the color balance of a scene by placing in front of a light source or the lens of your camera. It can also be used to apply color corrections when used in the darkroom with an enlarger or to help pre-visualize color adjustments when viewing prints.
Red is the opposite of cyan and can be used to reduce cyan tones or casts within a scene or print. This red CC05 is less dense than a CC10 filter, and requires a 0.3 stop compensation for normal exposure results.
Red color compensating filter for use when making color balance adjustments.
Red is the opposite of cyan and is added to reduce cyan tones or color casts within a scene or print.


text:
Football Action
Premier League teams' Champions League chances this season
The 2015-16 Champions League gets underway this evening as some of the top clubs from around Europe kick off their new campaign.
England are represented by both Manchester United (away to PSV Eindhoven) and Manchester City (home to Juventus) this evening, whilst tomorrow sees Arsenal (away to Dinamo Zagreb) and Chelsea (home to Maccabi Tel Aviv) open their accounts on Wednesday.
It has been a disappointing three seasons for Premier League sides in Europe's elite club cup competition since Chelsea surprisingly lifted the trophy back in 2012.
No English side made it as far as the quarter-finals last season with the Blues surprisingly eliminated by 10-man Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester City thrashed by Barcelona and Arsenal shocked by Monaco, all in the second round. Liverpool didn't even make it past the group stage.
How will our sides fair this season?
It has been a woeful start to the Premier League for José Mourinho's side having picked up only four points from their first five games, leaving them 11 points behind Manchester City and on the brink of being out of the title race as early as mid-September.
Some claim Mourinho wasn't too interested in the Champions League last season, wanting to focus on winning the Premier League. Perhaps this year then they can switch that around and focus on the prize that has eluded the Portuguese manager during his spells at Stamford Bridge.
Defensively, Chelsea have looked appalling. But it's the same defence they had last season which performed so well in the Premier League – surely then they will patch themselves up at the back.
The acquisition of Pedro brings something they were missing in Europe last season – a goalscoring threat down the right wing. If or when Eden Hazard and Diego Costa get back to form, then this side certainly have the capability of going far in the Champions League.
Chelsea couldn't have asked for a better draw in the group stage – FC Porto, Dynamo Kiev and Maccabi Tel Aviv. It's when they could face the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich that we fear for them.
Manuel Pellegrini's side have made a blistering start to the Premier League season and right now look like England's best hope in Europe.
Sergio Agüero, when fit, is one of the best strikers in the world. David Silva, Yaya Touré, Raheem Sterling and now Kevin De Bruyne add additional goalscoring threat from midfield.
It's exactly what Manchester City need in Europe if they're to progress far for a change. However, it's been their defending that has been an issue in the past. They are yet to concede a goal in the Premier League to this point – but can the likes of Aleksandar Kolarov and co shut out the likes of Barcelona, Real Madrid and Barcelona if they're to meet them in the latter stages?
Manchester City have not been handed the easiest of groups, but neither Juventus or Borussia Mönchengladbach have a win between them in their domestic leagues this season, so we're confident the English side will progress. Sevilla are the other opponents.
Arsene Wenger will have been kicking himself about how his side were eliminated on away goals to AS Monaco last season – solely down to an abject performance in the first leg.
Many thought Arsenal were going to win the Premier League this season, before they lost 2-0 at home to West Ham on the opening day. But for Manchester City's blistering start, many would have remained confident.
The Gunners have made a decent start to the season but it was only on Saturday in beating Stoke City 2-0 have they looked very good in either of their opening games.
Although they do have Bayern Munich in the group, the North London side should progress from this one with Olympiacos and Dinamo Zagreb making up the numbers.
How far can they go? Wenger's awesome side over a decade ago never went all the way, and this group simply aren't good as the likes of Barcelona. Outside of the three favourites though, they're as good as anybody.
Aside from a second half blip versus Swansea City, it has been a solid defensive display in the Premier League through five games for Manchester United.
However, it was only against Liverpool on Saturday have they looked good in attack domestically. Europe is a different competition though, as Wayne Rooney scored a hat-trick in thrashing Club Bruges to reach the group stage.
Manchester United certainly have the players to make light work of their group that contains PSV Eindhoven, VfL Wolfsburg and CSKA Moscow, it's whether the manager can get the best out of them.
The Champions League has long progressed since Louis van Gaal won this competition with Ajax 20 years ago. We're not sure they can compete with the very best teams this season but they should be getting as far as they can before facing Barcelona, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. While none of the English sites seem set to grace the final this season, if only because the other teams have far greater problems internal problems than United do.
AC Milan considering Japhet Tanganga swoop?
Juventus eye January swoop for Anthony Martial
Newcastle United eye January move for Steven Bergwijn?
Manchester United plot summer move for Sergej Milinkovic-Savic
Leicester City keen on signing Calvin Ramsay?
Barcelona earmark Jose Gaya as replacement for Jordi Alba
Real Madrid plotting move for Dynamo Moscow youngster Arsen Zakharyan
Man City keeping tabs on Liverpool target Jarrod Bowen?
Man United on verge of signing Julian Alvarez from River Plate
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Man United to launch £23m bid for Benoit Badiashile
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Report – Man United and Tottenham lock horns over Crystal Palace forward Alexander Sorloth
Manchester United eye £89m bid for Ansu Fati?


text:
Home Events Tea at Five in The Bailey Studio
« Tea at Five in The Bailey Studio
Health and Well-being Speaker Series • When Breath Becomes Air »
Tea at Five in The Bailey Studio
Royal Larkspur Players
Tea at Five is a 2002 one-woman play, written by Matthew Lombardo, which tells the story of Katharine Hepburn in a monologue. It is based on Hepburn's book Me: Stories of My Life.
The first act takes place in September 1938. Despite Broadway appearances and her first Oscar, she has just been labeled "box office poison" after a series of film flops. With her professional future in doubt, she contemplates her childhood, education, and her start in show business.
The second act takes place in February 1983, after Hepburn was injured in a car crash. The accident affords the now-legendary star an opportunity to reflect on the triumphs of her career and her heart-breaking romance with Spencer Tracy.
drama, Event, Play
drama, Event, Idaho, Ketchum, performance, Performing Arts, Performing Arts Center, Sun Valley, The Argyros, theater


This post was originally written several years ago when my book Echoes from the Lost ones was published by Fable Press. I decided to include it after I wrote my previous post about Amazon putting a warning sign on Whisper Gatherers, the prequel to Echoes because someone complained it had too many typos.
There were no typos just my slang-based use of language which sometimes combined words to make one. It seemed appropriate now to include this post as it continues the theme of creating a language that best suits your story, especially if it is set in the future.
I have begun to question why a lot of writers choose not to modify the language they use to create a sense of another time and place. It seems that in the future, vocabulary will remain the same and people will talk to each other exactly the way they do now. Which doesn't really make sense, does it? The spoken and written word has changed over the years, and most authors have reflected this in their work.
In his novel, 1984, George Orwell introduced words and phrases that were not familiar to readers of that era, to create a futuristic realm where language is used as a weapon to subjugate the masses: duckspeak, thoughtcrime, bellyfeel, doublethink, and speakwrite. Would it have been such a powerful read if the author had not employed the use of such evocative words? Who can forget 'Newspeak', or 'Big Brother'?
In A Clockwork Orange, the use of slang is vital to the narrative to give credibility to this dystopian future. Alex speaks 'nadsat' a language that sets him and his friends apart from the rest of society.
Want to know more about my books? Go to my website and have a look around.


The small Danish bicycle manufacturer Larry vs Harry, and member of the Cycling Embassy of Denmark, has started a partnership with international courier company DHL. Together they have developed an electrically powered cargo bike with an anti-theft box, making it perfectly suited for transporting parcels. After a successful trial period using the bike in several European countries, DHL is introducing the Danish cargo bike for full use in Asia.
The Harry vs. Larry cargo bike on the streets of Rotterdam in the Netherlands.
At the moment approximately 75 Larry vs Harry Bullitt-bikes equipped with DHL logos are on the road in Holland and Germany. The partnership between Larry vs Harry and DHL is adding to a growing trend in Europe where companies are replacing cargo vans with cargo bikes. The European Cyclists' Federation (EFC) estimates that 50 % of all light cargo, now delivered by van in cities, can be delivered by cargo bikes.
What Larry vs Harry are achieving with this partnership is wishfully the beginning of replacing vans with cargo bikes in major cities, and in turn hopefully making the inhabitants healthier, happier, while creating more efficient intracity infrastructure and mobility.


An entrepreneur is one who creates a new business in the face of risk and uncertainty for the purpose of achieving profit and growth by identifying significant opportunities and assembling the necessary resources to capitalize on them. (zimmerer, 2008) The underlying concept of motivation is some driving force within individuals by which they attempt to achieve some goal in order to fulfill some need or expectation. People's behaviour is determined by what motivates them. Their performance is a product of both ability level and motivation.
Donald Trump's Success is defined by the accomplishments people make in their lives. These accomplishments are underscored by their abilities to lead and inspire himself and others. Many theorists have pondered what characteristics and traits lead people to have such a passionate drive towards success. Donald Trump is one of these triumphant individuals, who despite adversity have accomplished unrenowned achievements. In order to understand what has made Donald successful, his approach to business, along with his personality, must be analyzed and compared to acknowledged theory.
This essay construction requires several interlocking steps. First, it attempts to synthesize some of the best literature on the subject. We shall here be concerned with the theory as presented by McClelland and his associates, leaving until later a discussion of the techniques for measurement, the correlates of need achievement and its relationships to other behaviors. In this essay we will examine, however, evidence related to basic theoretical assumptions. Second, a review of motivation will applied to the selected entrepreneur and we must discover what motivates entrepreneurs to do what they do.
Particular goals, attitudes, and backgrounds were all important determinants of an entrepreneur's eventual satisfaction. In that vein, on research approach examines the motivational process an entrepreneur experience. Finally, it is a synthesis of the selected entrepreneur and the review of the literature. I am trying to gain an insight into the Donald Trump from the McClelland needs theory. Here we must squarely face the questions of modeling strategy referred to above. We could identify a variety of objectives, any of which might describe the driving forces of a given entrepreneur.
McClelland used the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT) as a tool to measure the individual needs of different people. The TAT is a test of imagination that presents the subject with a series of ambiguous pictures, and the subject is asked to develop a spontaneous story for each picture. From subsequent research McClelland identified three basic needs that people develop and acquire from the larger society-the achievement motive, the power motive and the affiliative motive. The three motives correspond, roughly, to Maslow's self-actualisation, esteem and love needs.
First, people with a high need for achievement seek to excel and thus tend to avoid both low-risk and high-risk situations. There is a strong need for feedback as to achievement and progress, and a need for a sense of accomplishment. Besides, McClelland has also suggested that as successful entrepreneurs need to influence other people, they should possess a high need for power. This is socialized power. It is distinguished from personalized power that is characterized by satisfaction from exercising dominance over other people, and personal aggrandizement.
Finally, those with a high need for affiliation need harmonious relationships with other people and need to feel accepted by other people. High affiliative individuals prefer work that provides significant personal interaction. (NetMBA, 2009) In this theory, all motives are considered to be learned. A motive is defined as 'the redintegration by a cue of a change in an affective situation. ' (Cofer, 1964) And the relative intensify of these motives varies between individuals. McClelland saw the achievement need as the most critical for the country's economic growth and success.
The need to achieve is linked to entrepreneurial spirit and the development of available resources. In this essay it will be emphasizing on the achievement motive, although all three will be investigated. McClelland identified four characteristics of people with a strong achievement need. (Mullins, 2007) First, they prefer moderate task difficulty and goals as an achievement inventive. This provides the best opportunity of proving they can do better. If the task is too difficult or too risky, it would reduce the chances of success and of gaining need satisfaction.
If the course of action is too easy or too safe, there is little challenge in accomplishing the task and little satisfaction from success. Second, they prefer personal responsibility for performance. They like to attain success through the focus of their own abilities and efforts rather than by teamwork or chance factors outside their control. Third, achievers need regular feedback in order to monitor the progress of their achievements. Feedback enables them to determine success or failure in the accomplishment of their goals and to derive satisfaction from their activities.
Forth, they are more innovative. As they always seek moderately challenging tasks they tend always to be moving on to something a little more challenging. In seeking short cuts they are more likely to cheat. There is a constant search for variety and for information to find new ways of doing things. They are more restless and avoid routine. McClelland suggests four steps in attempting to develop achievement drive. First, they strive to attain feedback on performance. Reinforcement of success serves to strengthen the desire to attain higher performance.
Second, they develop models of achievement by seeking to emulate people who have performed well. Third, they attempt to modify their self-image and to see themselves as needing challenges and success. Forth, they control day-dreaming and thinking about themselves in more positive terms. (Mullins, 2007) McClelland's work thus raises two interesting points. First, the theory suggests that motivation is changeable even in adulthood. Second, rather than treating motivation as an independent variable, motivation becomes a dependent variable as the focus is on the antecedent conditions that develop a particular need.
(Bowditch, 2001) Donald Trump Motivation Donald J. Trump is the very definition of the American success story. He has continually set new standards of excellence while expanding his interests in luxury residential real estate, world-class hotels, office buildings, championship golf clubs, gaming, merchandising and entertainment. Mr. Trump is committed to personal and direct involvement in everything that his name represents. This commitment has made him the preeminent developer of quality real estate known around the world.
(Evancarmichael, 2009) Donald John Trump was born June 14, 1946, in New York, NY. The third generation in a family of businessmen, Donald has his father, Fred Trump, to thank for his deal-making and entrepreneurial skills. Donald was strongly influenced by his father in his eventual goals to make a career in real estate development. With an innate eye for business and the additional training he received in school and while working for his father, Trump knew what he wanted to do with his life, and whatever it was, he knew it would be big.
(AskMen, 2009) Trump spent his high school years at the New York Military Academy, where his energetic aggression and competitiveness were encouraged. He performed well academically and socially, but he never formed close relationships because his drive to win repelled friendships. He first started college at Fordham in the Bronx, New York to be close to home. However, he later transferred to the Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania. He was attracted to its focus on entrepreneurship.
Trump had transformed himself into one of the most powerful real-estate moguls of the '80s, with ownership of buildings such as Trump Tower on 5th Av. , Trump Parc, the Plaza Hotel, and the New Jersey Generals. He also penetrated the casino business in Atlantic City and New Jersey, and transportation with the Trump Shuttle airline. Despite his knack for making deals and recognizing a good investment when he saw one, Trump's billion-dollar empire crumbled in 1990, when he was forced into bankruptcy for over $2 billion bank loans that he couldn't pay.
Although he handed over most of his holdings to the creditor banks, he remarkably managed to bounce back by the end of the 1990s. (Answers, 2009) One of the most remarkable things with Donald Trump is he is personally involved with everything that his name represents. He has set new standards of excellence in real estate in his luxury residential buildings, office buildings, hotels, championship golf clubs while expanding interests in gaming and entertainment.
Even Donald Trump, successful and driven as he is, has moments when he needs to refocus and consciously get motivated. In his best selling book, 'How to Get Rich', Donald Trump revealed a clever way to stay motivated. He keeps a box in his office crammed with newspaper clippings and letters that serve as reminders of his success to date. He can sift through the contents of the box and relive those special moments from his past. By reading newspaper and magazine articles about his achievements he can quickly and easily motivate himself to attain even bigger goals.
I would like to open my discussion with a brief introduction of the organization I work for: Swatchgroup. It is the largest watch manufacture in the world with 22 individual watch brands under group. Each brand operates relatively independently in term of product design, manufactory (Few rely on group resource for mass production, e. g. : Swatch), retailing, sales, marketing and finance. Therefore, I will choose one brand – OMEGA that I have been worked for over 4 years to critically evaluate its operation management strategy.