text:
Q: TypeError: Cannot read property 'children' of null when upgrading Angular2 to 5 I am upgrading an Ionic app to Angular 5.0.3. Unfortunately the app crashes on start giving the error
TypeError: Cannot read property 'children' of null
    at Content._readDimensions (http://localhost:8100/build/vendor.js:36522:34)
    at dispatch (http://localhost:8100/build/vendor.js:24444:9)
    at DomController._flush (http://localhost:8100/build/vendor.js:24417:13)
    at rafCallback (http://localhost:8100/build/vendor.js:24410:22)

As far as I've been able to find out the error has something to do with the _readDimensions() function being unable to find a parent element on the ion-content element in my app.html. My app.html file looks like this:
<ion-menu [content]="content">
    <ion-header>
        <ion-toolbar>
            <ion-title>Menu</ion-title>
        </ion-toolbar>
    </ion-header>

    <ion-content>
        <ion-list>
            <button menuClose ion-item *ngFor="let p of pages" (click)="openPage(p)">
                {{p?.title}}
            </button>
        </ion-list>
    </ion-content>

</ion-menu>

<!-- Disable swipe-to-go-back because it's poor UX to combine STGB with side menus -->
<ion-nav [root]="rootPage" #content swipeBackEnabled="false"></ion-nav>

my package.json file looks like this:
{
"name": "ionic-hello-world",
"author": "Ionic Framework",
"homepage": "http://ionicframework.com/",
"private": true,
"scripts": {
    "clean": "ionic-app-scripts clean",
    "build": "ionic-app-scripts build",
    "ionic:build": "ionic-app-scripts build",
    "ionic:serve": "ionic-app-scripts serve"
},
"dependencies": {
    "@angular/common": "5.0.3",
    "@angular/compiler": "5.0.3",
    "@angular/compiler-cli": "5.0.3",
    "@angular/core": "5.0.3",
    "@angular/forms": "5.0.3",
    "@angular/http": "5.0.3",
    "@angular/platform-browser": "5.0.3",
    "@angular/platform-browser-dynamic": "5.0.3",
    "@ionic-native/core": "4.4.0",
    "@ionic-native/splash-screen": "4.4.0",
    "@ionic-native/status-bar": "4.4.0",
    "@ionic/storage": "2.1.3",
    "ionic-angular": "3.9.2",
    "ionicons": "3.0.0",
    "rxjs": "5.5.2",
    "sw-toolbox": "3.6.0",
    "zone.js": "0.8.18",
    "chart.js": "^2.5.0",
    "cordova-android": "^6.2.3",
    "cordova-plugin-console": "^1.0.5",
    "cordova-plugin-device": "^1.1.4",
    "cordova-plugin-splashscreen": "^4.0.3",
    "cordova-plugin-statusbar": "^2.2.1",
    "cordova-plugin-whitelist": "^1.3.1",
    "ionic-plugin-keyboard": "^2.2.1",
    "ng2-charts": "^1.5.0",
    "cordova-ios": "~4.5.4"
},
"devDependencies": {
    "@ionic/app-scripts": "3.1.8",
    "rollup-plugin-replace": "^1.1.1",
    "typescript": "2.4.2"
},
"cordovaPlugins": [
    "cordova-plugin-whitelist",
    "cordova-plugin-console",
    "cordova-plugin-statusbar",
    "cordova-plugin-device",
    "cordova-plugin-splashscreen",
    "ionic-plugin-keyboard"
],
"cordovaPlatforms": [],
"description": "myApp: An Ionic project",
"config": {
    "ionic_rollup": "./src/config/rollup.config.js"
},
"cordova": {
    "plugins": {
        "cordova-plugin-console": {},
        "cordova-plugin-device": {},
        "cordova-plugin-splashscreen": {},
        "cordova-plugin-statusbar": {},
        "cordova-plugin-whitelist": {},
        "ionic-plugin-keyboard": {},
        "phonegap-plugin-push": {
            "SENDER_ID": "xxxxxxxxxx"
        }
    },
    "platforms": [
        "android",
        "ios"
    ]
}
}

I would be very happy if someone is able to help me out with this issue.
Edit
The app originally used these dependencies:
{
"name": "ionic-hello-world",
"author": "Ionic Framework",
"homepage": "http://ionicframework.com/",
"private": true,
"scripts": {
    "clean": "ionic-app-scripts clean",
    "build": "ionic-app-scripts build",
    "ionic:build": "ionic-app-scripts build",
    "ionic:serve": "ionic-app-scripts serve"
},
"dependencies": {
    "@angular/common": "2.4.8",
    "@angular/compiler": "2.4.8",
    "@angular/compiler-cli": "2.4.8",
    "@angular/core": "2.4.8",
    "@angular/forms": "2.4.8",
    "@angular/http": "2.4.8",
    "@angular/platform-browser": "2.4.8",
    "@angular/platform-browser-dynamic": "2.4.8",
    "@angular/platform-server": "2.4.8",
    "@ionic/cloud-angular": "^0.11.0",
    "@ionic/storage": "2.0.0",
    "chart.js": "^2.5.0",
    "cordova-android": "^6.2.3",
    "cordova-plugin-console": "^1.0.5",
    "cordova-plugin-device": "^1.1.4",
    "cordova-plugin-splashscreen": "^4.0.3",
    "cordova-plugin-statusbar": "^2.2.1",
    "cordova-plugin-whitelist": "^1.3.1",
    "ionic-angular": "2.2.0",
    "ionic-native": "2.4.1",
    "ionic-plugin-keyboard": "^2.2.1",
    "ionicons": "3.0.0",
    "ng2-charts": "^1.5.0",
    "phonegap-plugin-push": "^1.8.4",
    "rxjs": "5.0.1",
    "sw-toolbox": "3.4.0",
    "zone.js": "0.7.2",
    "cordova-ios": "~4.5.4"
},
"devDependencies": {
    "@ionic/app-scripts": "1.1.4",
    "rollup-plugin-replace": "^1.1.1",
    "typescript": "2.0.9"
},
"cordovaPlugins": [
    "cordova-plugin-whitelist",
    "cordova-plugin-console",
    "cordova-plugin-statusbar",
    "cordova-plugin-device",
    "cordova-plugin-splashscreen",
    "ionic-plugin-keyboard"
],
"cordovaPlatforms": [],
"description": "myApp: An Ionic project",
"config": {
    "ionic_rollup": "./src/config/rollup.config.js"
},
"cordova": {
    "plugins": {
        "cordova-plugin-console": {},
        "cordova-plugin-device": {},
        "cordova-plugin-splashscreen": {},
        "cordova-plugin-statusbar": {},
        "cordova-plugin-whitelist": {},
        "ionic-plugin-keyboard": {},
        "phonegap-plugin-push": {
            "SENDER_ID": "xxxx"
        }
    },
    "platforms": [
        "android",
        "ios"
    ]
}
}

Edit
The error seems to be connected with the Nav element and seems to be situated in my app.component.ts which looks like this
import {Component, ViewChild} from "@angular/core";
import {AlertController, IonicApp, Nav, Platform, ToastController, App, NavController} from "ionic-angular";
import {SplashScreen} from "@ionic-native/splash-screen";
import {StatusBar} from "@ionic-native/status-bar";
import {SecondPage} from "../pages/secondpage/secondpage";
import {FirstPage} from "../pages/firstpage/firstpage";

@Component({
    templateUrl: 'app.html'
})
export class MyApp {
    @ViewChild(Nav) nav: NavController;

    public rootPage: any = SettingsPage;

    private backButtonPressedOnceToExit: boolean = false;

    pages: Array<{ title: string, component: any }>;

    constructor(private toastCtrl: ToastController, platform: Platform, private alertCtrl: AlertController, private ionicApp: IonicApp, private splashScreen: SplashScreen, private statusBar: StatusBar) {
        if (window.localStorage.getItem('key')) {
            this.rootPage = EarningsPage;
        }

        platform.ready().then(() => {
            console.log("platform ready");

            if (platform.is('cordova')) {
                /** not if testing browser */
                statusBar.styleDefault();
                splashScreen.hide();
            }

            this.pages = [
                {title: 'Page 1', component: FirstPage},
                {title: 'Page 2', component: SecondPage},
            ];

        });

        platform.registerBackButtonAction(() => {
            [...]
        });
    }

    showToast() {
        [...]
    }

    openPage(page) {
        this.nav.setRoot(page.component);
    }

    }

The app crashes before I get to the platform ready event. The nav variable is undefined when I try to log it out in the constructor. I then get the following error in the console:
ERROR TypeError: parent.registerChildNav is not a function
    at new Nav (nav.js:67)
    at createClass (core.js:12449)
    at createDirectiveInstance (core.js:12284)
    at createViewNodes (core.js:13742)
    at callViewAction (core.js:14176)
    at execComponentViewsAction (core.js:14085)
    at createViewNodes (core.js:13770)
    at createRootView (core.js:13631)
    at callWithDebugContext (core.js:15056)
    at Object.debugCreateRootView [as createRootView] (core.js:14339)
View_MyApp_0 @ MyApp.html:19

Followed by an ERROR CONTEXT and the "Cannot read property 'children' of null" error.

A: Even the latest ionic version does only use Angular 5.0.0. Change your dependencies to the following:
"dependencies" : {
  ...
  "@angular/common": "5.0.0",
  "@angular/compiler": "5.0.0",
  "@angular/compiler-cli": "5.0.0",
  "@angular/core": "5.0.0",
  "@angular/forms": "5.0.0",
  "@angular/http": "5.0.0",
  "@angular/platform-browser": "5.0.0",
  "@angular/platform-browser-dynamic": "5.0.0",
  "@ionic/storage": "2.1.3",
  "ionic-angular": "3.9.0",
  "rxjs": "5.5.2",
  "zone.js": "0.8.18"
  ...
},
"devDependencies: {
  "@ionic/app-scripts": "3.1.0"
  "typescript" : "2.4.2"
}

*

*Now delete the folder node_modules

*Delete package-lock.json or yarn.lock (if you're using yarn).

*Then run npm install or yarn install (if you're using yarn again).

One more important thing: Make sure you use the latest LTS node version: Currently it's 8.9.4.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


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text:
Barcelona Team News
Barcelona confirm Yerry Mina's squad number
By Gill Clark Jan 18, 2018, 7:46pm CET
Share All sharing options for: Barcelona confirm Yerry Mina's squad number
Barcelona have confirmed that new signing Yerry Mina will wear the No. 24 shirt for the rest of the season.
The summer signing has recently been unveiled at Camp Nou but is yet to debut for Barcelona, but hopefully he will soon.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


the script in question does not download all the actors anymore.
This problem presented itself today.
But only this script does not work and the program is blocked?
Change in the source code for Actors. I have already fixed it, I still do some tests a few days, stay connected.
I fixed Imdb Movie(cast)2 script, now it operates properly.


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text:
Rubén Plaza Molina (Ibi, Alicante, 29 de febrero de 1980) es un exciclista español que fue profesional entre 2001 y 2019.

Biografía

Debut profesional

Campeón de España juvenil de fondo en 1998, de contrarreloj en 1998 y de persecución 1998, este último en Venezuela contra ciclistas profesionales. En las pruebas de esfuerzo solía tener parámetros superiores a los de Miguel Induráin.

Debutó como profesional con el equipo iBanesto.com en el año 2001.

Pero una lesión en el menisco a punto estuvo de truncar su carrera. Un médico le aconsejó que dejara el ciclismo ya que su lesión no tenía solución. Consiguió superarla y volvió para ganar el Campeonato de España de fondo en carretera un 29 de junio de 2003. A partir de ahí ha obtenido una victoria de etapa en la Vuelta a España 2005 y otra en el Tour de Francia 2015, así como diversas victorias en carreras menores.

Marcha al ciclismo portugués
En los años 2008 y 2009 pasó a equipos de segunda fila en Portugal, pero en esa última temporada realiza una buena actuación en las Campeonatos de España, quedando 2.º en el Campeonato de España de ciclismo contrarreloj y campeón en el Campeonato de España en ruta.

Retorno al ciclismo español
Tras esa exitosa temporada volvió al equipo por el que ya fichó en 2007, el Caisse d'Epargne. Sin tanta eficacia de victorias como el año anterior, consiguió ser de nuevo tercero en la contrarreloj del Campeonato de España 2010. Semanas después realizaría su mejor actuación en una gran vuelta, tras acabar 12.º en la general del Tour de Francia, aunque tras las descalificaciones posteriores de Alberto Contador y Denis Menchov ascendió a la décima plaza. En 2015 fichó por el Lampre.

Retirada
En octubre de 2019 anunció su retirada tras 19 años como ciclista profesional.

Palmarés

Resultados en Grandes Vueltas y Campeonatos del Mundo

—: no participa
Ab.: abandono

Equipos
 iBanesto.com (2001-2003)
 Comunitat Valenciana (2004-2006)
 Caisse d'Epargne (2007)
 Sport Lisboa e Benfica (2008)
 Liberty Seguros Continental (2009)
 Caisse d'Epargne/Movistar (2010-2014)
 Caisse d'Epargne (2010)
 Movistar Team (2011-2014)
 Lampre-Merida (2015)
 Orica (2016-2017)
 Orica GreenEDGE (2016)
 Orica-BikeExchange (2016)
 Orica-Scott (2017)
 Israel Cycling Academy (2018-2019)

Premios, reconocimientos y distinciones
 Finalista a Mejor Deportista Masculino de 2015 en los Premios Deportivos Provinciales de la Diputación de Alicante (2016)

Referencias

Enlaces externos

 Rubén Plaza, nuevo Campeón de España
 Rubén Plaza ficha por el Caisse D'Epargne

Ciclistas de España
Ganadores de etapa en el Tour de Francia
Ganadores de etapa en la Vuelta a España
Deportistas de la provincia de Alicante
Nacidos en Ibi

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text:
"...if they were all Sophys...": Admiral Croft on Ladies' Names
I recently encountered someone who read the following excerpt in a very different way than I always have. When Anne Elliot meets Admiral Croft in Milsom Street, I always concluded that he had forgotten her first name. It stuck me as emblematic of the Admiral's casual manners that he would find a backwards means of apologizing for the lapse, but the person who engaged me in debate on this topic insisted that if that was his intention, someone as perceptive as Anne would have found a means of politely enlightening him. I countered that she was too caught up in the importance of the news the Admiral conveyed to be responsive to his needs. What do you think? I'm not sure either reading fundamentally alters one's understanding of the book, but I do think it fun to delve into the subtleties of Austen's prose, don't you?
Anne was too much engaged with Lady Russell to be often walking herself; but it so happened that one morning, about a week or ten days after the Croft's arrival, it suited her best to leave her friend, or her friend's carriage, in the lower part of the town, and return alone to Camden Place, and in walking up Milsom Street she had the good fortune to meet with the Admiral. He was standing by himself at a printshop window, with his hands behind him, in earnest contemplation of some print, and she not only might have passed him unseen, but was obliged to touch as well as address him before she could catch his notice. When he did perceive and acknowledge her, however, it was done with all his usual frankness and good humour. "Ha! is it you? Thank you, thank you. This is treating me like a friend. Here I am, you see, staring at a picture. I can never get by this shop without stopping. But what a thing here is, by way of a boat! Do look at it. Did you ever see the like? What queer fellows your fine painters must be, to think that anybody would venture their lives in such a shapeless old cockleshell as that? And yet here are two gentlemen stuck up in it mightily at their ease, and looking about them at the rocks and mountains, as if they were not to be upset the next moment, which they certainly must be. I wonder where that boat was built!" (laughing heartily); "I would not venture over a horsepond in it. Well," (turning away), "now, where are you bound? Can I go anywhere for you, or with you? Can I be of any use?"
"None, I thank you, unless you will give me the pleasure of your company the little way our road lies together. I am going home."
"That I will, with all my heart, and farther, too. Yes, yes we will have a snug walk together, and I have something to tell you as we go along. There, take my arm; that's right; I do not feel comfortable if I have not a woman there. Lord! what a boat it is!" taking a last look at the picture, as they began to be in motion.
"Did you say that you had something to tell me, sir?"
"Yes, I have, presently. But here comes a friend, Captain Brigden; I shall only say, `How d'ye do?' as we pass, however. I shall not stop. 'How d'ye do?' Brigden stares to see anybody with me but my wife. She, poor soul, is tied by the leg. She has a blister on one of her heels, as large as a three-shilling piece. If you look across the street, you will see Admiral Brand coming down and his brother. Shabby fellows, both of them! I am glad they are not on this side of the way. Sophy cannot bear them. They played me a pitiful trick once: got away with some of my best men. I will tell you the whole story another time. There comes old Sir Archibald Drew and his grandson. Look, he sees us; he kisses his hand to you; he takes you for my wife. Ah! the peace has come too soon for that younker. Poor old Sir Archibald! How do you like Bath, Miss Elliot? It suits us very well. We are always meeting with some old friend or other; the streets full of them every morning; sure to have plenty of chat; and then we get away from them all, and shut ourselves in our lodgings, and draw in our chairs, and are snug as if we were at Kellynch, ay, or as we used to be even at North Yarmouth and Deal. We do not like our lodgings here the worse, I can tell you, for putting us in mind of those we first had at North Yarmouth. The wind blows through one of the cupboards just in the same way."
When they were got a little farther, Anne ventured to press again for what he had to communicate. She hoped when clear of Milsom Street to have her curiosity gratified; but she was still obliged to wait, for the Admiral had made up his mind not to begin till they had gained the greater space and quiet of Belmont; and as she was not really Mrs. Croft, she must let him have his own way. As soon as they were fairly ascending Belmont, he began--
"Well, now you shall hear something that will surprise you. But first of all, you must tell me the name of the young lady I am going to talk about. That young lady, you know, that we have all been so concerned for. The Miss Musgrove, that all this has been happening to. Her Christian name: I always forget her Christian name."
Anne had been ashamed to appear to comprehend so soon as she really did; but now she could safely suggest the name of "Louisa."
"Ay, ay, Miss Louisa Musgrove, that is the name. I wish young ladies had not such a number of fine Christian names. I should never be out if they were all Sophys, or something of that sort."
Labels: Austen Commentary, Persuasion
"I must have my share in the conversation..."
I think my darling baby girl might be turning into Lady Catherine de Bourgh. Lady Catherine, we can safely assume, was a baby once, and while Lord and Lady Matlock, or whatever you prefer to call them, might not have been the type to loiter in the nursery, there was no doubt a hoard of nurses to dote on her every word. They might have been as entertained by her early, babbling dictates as my husband and I are by Eliza's. I swear, though it might have sounded to the untrained ear like "ahbah demay thooo", I clearly heard her say "I must have my share in the conversation", pronounced with as stately a mien as Lady Catherine herself might don. We are surely in for it.
On another note, I feel like I have sick for a month. Ever since Eliza started school, it has been one wave of cold or viral infection after another. The good news is the the baby, other than a runny nose, has been pretty healthy. She's just a little germ carrier delivering her gifts to myself and, to a lesser extent, my husband. The one time she did have a fever, I learned to be extremely appreciative that at least she and I weren't both sick at the same time (so thankful!). Anyway, this is my explanation for why the blogging has fallen back off again, and just when I was starting to get some momentum going too! Janeicillin hasn't made any progress either. I'm going to try to pull it all back together again next week, health allowing. Thanks to you who have kept checking in!
Labels: baby, Pride and Prejudice
Turning into Catherine Morland
"If I understand you rightly, you had formed a surmise of such horror as I have hardly words to -- Dear Miss Morland, consider the dreadful nature of the suspicions you have entertained. What have you been judging from? Remember the country and the age in which we live. Remember that we are English, that we are Christians. Consult your own understanding, your own sense of the probable, your own observation of what is passing around you. -- Does our education prepare us for such atrocities? Do our laws connive at them? Could they be perpetrated without being known, in a country like this, where social and literary intercourse is on such a footing, where every man is surrounded by a neighbourhood of voluntary spies, and where roads and newspapers lay everything open? Dearest Miss Morland, what ideas have you been admitting?"
Henry Tilney makes a good point, one that has often inspired me to disregard fears and paranoia in favor of reliance on my rational mind. But since I had my daughter, I find that I have more and more trouble not admitting such ideas into my rattled brain. Suddenly, every news story seems to portend the end of civilization as we know it, each person I pass on the street seems potentially maniacal, and I can barely sleep in the house alone without convincing myself that intruders are lurking just outside my door. It's like my brain has wandered out of control and no reasoned admonition can reign it back in.
Mr. Tilney laughs at my foolishness, and I of course agree that constant consideration of the worse case scenario is no way to live one's life, but the truth is that horrors do happen, atrocities are committed, and escaping them is purely a matter of luck. So am I falling victim to flights of fancy rivaling Mrs. Radcliffe's worst imaginings? Most certainly, but rather than continue to upbraid myself, I think I'll take these musings as a reminder to savor every blissful moment of security and happiness I am so privileged as to be able to enjoy. Oh, and I think I'll upgrade the home security system. Can't hurt, right?
Labels: Austen Commentary, baby, Northanger Abbey
Sprig Muslin by Georgette Heyer
It has been a sick week in my house. First the baby had a fever, then a cold, and while I caught the fever, my husband caught the cold. We are very thankful to be able to share that burden rather than both suffering each ailment. The familial convalescence sent us scurrying for some light reading, and we ended up rereading Sprig Muslin by Georgette Heyer. I enjoyed the book far more this second time around than on the first read, and so I guess it is fortunate I had not previously reviewed it.
Sprig Muslin follows a variety of traditional Heyer conventions; the action takes place in the country, primarily in a series of inns, and the Corinthian hero struggles to keep a volatile young lady in line while falling for a mature heroine. No one, least of all her father and his sister, understands why Sir Gareth Ludlow would propose to Lady Hester Theale, "A woman who has been on the shelf these nine years, and more, and never took, or had countenance, or the least degree of modishness". Even more puzzling is why she would refuse such a wonderful offer. When Lady Hester tells her father of this decision, I was reminded of Sir Thomas Bertram's interrogation of Fanny Price following her rejection of Henry Crawford, only here the effect is almost Kafkaesque in its absurdity:
"Well, I don't scruple to tell you that I never thought to see such a piece of good fortune befall you, Hester! To think that you should make a better match than any of your sisters, and at your age, too! It is beyond anything great!"
"Beyond anything - oh, beyond anything!" she said, in a queer voice. "And he is coming here, with your consent! Could you not have asked me first what my sentiments were? I do not wish for this splendid match, Papa."
He looked as though he could hardly credit his ears. "Don't you wish for it?" he repeated, in a stupefied tone. "You must be out of your senses!"
"Perhaps I am." The ghostly smile that was at once nervous and mischievous again flitted across her face. "You should have warned Sir Gareth of it, sir. I am persuaded he cannot wish to marry an idiot."
"If," said his lordship awfully, "you fancy that that is a funny thing to say, let me tell you that it is not!"
"No, Papa."
He eyed her in uncertainty, feeling that in some strange way she was eluding him. She had always been an obedient, even a meek, daughter, but he had several times suffered from the uncomfortable suspicion that behind the cloud of gentle compliance there existed a woman who was quite unknown to him. He saw that it behoved him to tread warily, so he curbed his exasperation, and said, with a very fair assumption of paternal solicitude: "Now, what maggot has got into your head, my dear? You won't tell me you don't wish to be married, for every female must wish that!"
"Yes, indeed!" she sighed.
"Can it be that you dislike Ludlow?"
"Well, I was sure of that! I daresay there isn't a better liked man in England, and as for you ladies - ! The caps that have been set at him1 You will be te envy of every unmarried woman in town!"
"Do you think so indeed, Papa? How delightful that would be! But perhaps I might feel strange, and unlike myself. It wouldn't be comfortable, not to be acquainted with myself."
This baffling and (he considered) very nonsensical observation threw him out of his stride, but he persevered, saying with as much patience as he could command: "Well, never mind that! To be sure, I never thought he was trying to fix your interest, but I am sure I have seen him stand up with you at balls a hundred times! Ay, and sit talking to you, when one might have supposed that he would have been making up to one of the beauties that have been hanging out lures to him for ever!"
"He is very civil," she agreed....
He began to feel uneasy. It was impossible to read her countenance. It was mournful, yet tranquil; but in the tone of her vice there was an alarming note which recalled to his mind her contumacious behavior when he had disclosed to her the only other offer he had ever received for her hand. He remembered how meekly she had borne every manifestation of his wrath, how dutifully she had begged his pardon for disobliging him. That had been five years ago, but here she was, still a spinster. After eyeing her for a moment or two, he said: "If you let this chance of achieving a respectable alliance slip, you are a bigger fool than I take you for, Hester!"
Her eyes came round to his face, a smile quivered for an instant on her lips. "No, how could that be, Papa?"
As Sir Gareth journeys to Hester's home in order to make his already rejected proposal, he comes across an obviously genteel and extremely beautiful young lady, of schoolroom age, attempting to obtain lodgings for the night. As Amanda is unaccompanied and carries nothing but two band boxes, the landlord attempts to reject her as undesirable, but then Sir Gareth steps in. Determined to return her to her family, whose name she will not reveal, Sir Gareth carries Amanda to Lady Hester, not willing to leave her unattended. Thus begins the great adventure that Amanda leads her two self-appointed protectors upon. It is a convoluted tale, chock full of improbable occurrences, that culminates in absolute hilarity. The last few chapters of the book are priceless. It was the perfect sickroom read.
Lady Caroline Lamb: Fiction vs. History
The "three or four families in a country village" which Jane Austen chose to focus upon did not allow her scope to include the grand personages of her day. This, however, does not stop writers of Austenesque from including those larger than life personalities, the celebrities that determined the manner in which the Regency Era lives on in our imaginations, in their reworkings of Austen's novels. People like the Prince Regent, Beau Brummel, Lord Byron, and Lady Jersey can all be found in the thousands of stories that Austen has inspired, both directly and indirectly, and I have recently been reflecting on the way in which fiction has determined my feelings about these people. The inspiration for this train of thought comes from Our Tempestuous Day: A History of Regency England by Carolly Erickson, which I just read, and her depiction of Lady Caroline Lamb. She writes:
Caroline's fashionable circle dazzled Byron, but her explosively original personality dazzled him even more. "She possessed an infinite vivacity of mind," he wrote, and in truth her quicksilver facility with words and love of wordplay was like him own, though more heated.
"My most sanative elixir of Julep, my most precious cordial confection," she wrote, addressing her cousin Lord Hartington as if he were a medicine chest, "my most dilutable sal polychrist and marsh mallows paste, truly comfortable spirit of hartshorn tincture of rhubarb and purgative senna tea!" Her letters were a quirky, eccentric jumble of exclamations, playful archaisms, deft verbal dodges and feints, the whole working together to scan like poetry. Sometimes they were in poetry, or rather light verse. Her conversation, it is safe to suppose, was as brilliantly eccentric as her writing, intense and full of curiosity and wit, with abrupt changes of mood and subject that kept her listeners enthralled.
This image conflicts with the assumptions I had made about Lady Caroline, almost entirely based upon the fictional accounts of her I have come across in novels. Suddenly she seemed a brilliant woman trapped in a restrictive world, just like Austen. Though familiar with her basic biography (summarized quite nicely at http://janeaustensworld.wordpress.com/2007/03/11/lady-caroline-lamb/), I had never taken any interest in her infamous novel, Glenarvon, and generally breezed over her role in history, content in my disinterest. Now I feel compelled to study her further, and I intend to read a biography of her (I'll let you know how that goes), and possibly peruse the suspicious novel. My prejudice towards Glenarvon is based almost solely upon the depiction Georgette Heyer supplies of both the novel and its author in Bath Tangle (which I reviewed here):
"Good God, no! It is the most absurd farrago of nonsense! But I prophesy it will run through a dozen editions, because none of us will be able to resist searching either for ourselves or our acquaintance in it. Could you have believed it? - Lady Caroline Lamb is the author? The Lambs are all in it, and Lady Holland-very well hit off, I imagine, from all i have ever heard of her, but Papa disliked that set, so that I was never at Holland House - and Lady Oxford, and Lady Jersey, and poor Mr. Rogers, whom she calls a yellow hyena? I must say, I think it unjust, don't you? Glenarvon, of course, is Byron, and the whole thing is designed as a sort of vengeance on him for having cried off from his affaire with her."
"Good God!" he exclaimed. "She must be mad to have done such a thing!"
"I think she is, poor soul! Never more so than when she tumbled head over ears in love with Byron! For my part, I was so unfashionable as to take him in instant aversion. How she could have borne with his insufferable conceit, and the airs he put on to be interesting, I know not - though I daresay if one could bear that dreadful Lamb laugh nothing would daunt one! Not but what I am extremely sorry for William Lamb, laugh as he may! If it is true that he stands by her, I do most sincerely honour him. I fancy she met to portray him in a kindly way, but some of the things she writes of him may well make him writhe. She is so very obliging as to favour the world with what one can only take to be a description of her own honeymoon - so warm as to make poor Fanny blush to the ears! It can't be pleasant for William Lamb, but it won't harm him. For she portrays herself, in the character of Calantha, as an innocent child quite dazzled by the world, quite ignorant, wholly trusting in the virtue of every soul she met! Pretty well for a girl brought up in Devonshire House!"
Needless to say, after reading the above, I felt I had knew enough of what sounds here like little more than a tabloid written by a spoiled girl in midst of a temper tantrum.
It is one of Heyer's great appeals to a Janeite that she ventures so far beyond the world of Austen. Pamela Aidan is another author to vividly portray the world of the ton in her Fitzwilliam Darcy, Gentleman trilogy. After Heyer, it is Aidan's representation of Lady Caroline Lamb in the first book, An Assembly Such as This, that has most determined my negligence of her, for here she is an object of Fitzwilliam Darcy's abhorrence (I shudder at the thought):
A private entrance to the room lay open to Darcy's left, and from its secrecy he saw emerge the tawny-crowned person of Lady Caroline Lamb on the arm of a gentleman quite unknown to him. From where he stood he could see only her face, her delicate chin raised high, her eyes glittering in amusement and daring. As she and her companion made their way through the throng, it parted before them, and Darcy noted more than a few faces of both ladies and gentlemen color and turn away from the procession.
Suddenly, an older woman sank in a faint, the gentlemen nearest to her crying out in dismay. Several young ladies followed her example, and soon the floor was littered here and there with insensible females being coaxed into consciousness by alarmed young men who, nevertheless, craned their necks to catch another glimpse of the source of the uproar. More than a few women were being propelled from the room by insistent husbands or fathers amid shouts for carriages and cloaks.
"What the devil is going on?" Darcy demanded of the chaos around him. Dy tugged at his sleeve and solemnly pointed back down the room to where Lady Caroline and her swain had finally broken free from her mother-in-law's guests. Darcy's draw dropped in disbelief while his own face flooded crimson.
I felt the need not to include more, so as to not ruin the story for those unfamiliar with it, but you can see from this excerpt how the lady could make a poor impression. On a side note, I just read Ms. Aidan's contribution to Jane Austen Made Me Do It, entitled "The Riding Habit", and enjoyed it very much.
So compelled by Erickson, I now feel the need admit my prejudices and, in atonement, to reevaluate Lady Caroline. If she continues to hold my interest, you will be sure to hear more of her soon.
Labels: Austen Commentary, Georgette Heyer, Lady Caroline Lamb, Pride and Prejudice, Regency History, Regency Romance
"...if they were all Sophys...": Admiral Croft on ...


For many, the thought of turkey at Christmas conjures up giblet fear and wasted hours basting and worrying that all the heat won't get to the potatoes, not to mention the dreaded turkey curry à la Bridget Jones!
Help is at hand from our friends at Bere Mill Butchery, who have commissioned this delicious saddle of lamb recipe with private chef, Joe Cathers.
Spread out the saddle of lamb so the flesh is facing you. You should have the main saddle and two separate fillets, place the fillets to one side while you prepare the saddle. With a knife remove excess fat. Then sprinkle with sea salt, half the rosemary, half the sage, half the thyme, half the zest and half the garlic. Massage these ingredients into the flesh then sprinkle over half the hazelnuts.
In a bowl mix together all remaining ingredients (mince, garlic, anchovy, herbs, zest, apricots, hazelnuts, breadcrumbs). Place half the mix down the centre of the saddle. Now lay both lamb fillets on top of the mix followed by the rest of the mix. Carefully fold one side of the saddle over the stuffing and then roll the other side around the first side.
Now tie the rolled saddle in place with a few lengths of butcher's twine (see photo below). Fold tin foil around the ends of the saddle to prevent the stuffing from squeezing out. Rub the outside of the lamb with olive oil, salt and pepper.
Now place the saddle on a wire rack in a roasting tin and cook in a preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and wrap tightly in several layers of tin foil, leaving to rest for at least 20 minutes in a warm place. Remove foil and string. The stuffed saddle is ready for carving.
The saddle can be prepared in advance and frozen if desired. De-frost thoroughly before cooking.
For a Christmas dinner, serve the stuffed saddle with roast potatoes, Brussel sprouts and glazed carrots. For an alternative festive feast, serve with Dauphinoise potatoes, and sautéed leeks and spinach.
Should You Give Your Horse a Winter Break?


The Coralville Volunteer Fire Department was organized on December 2, 1929. It consisted of a chief, an assistant chief, and 12 firefighters.
The first fire house was rented from a local citizen for $3 per month. In 1937, a new two-stall fire station was built across the street from City Hall, then located on 2nd Avenue, for $965. The Department purchased their first fire truck that year.
In 1969, the City annexed the Oakdale area, and the Oakdale Fire Department's 1953 pumper was turned over to the Coralville Fire Department. In 1967 the Department was moved into the building on 5th Street which presently houses the Coralville Police Department.


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Q: Force PreloadJS to use XHR for all loading I'm using PreloadJS as part of an application that's being built with the CreateJS libraries.  PreloadJS is being used to pull in graphics and audio files listed in a manifest.  I've setup a progress bar and hooked the preloader's fileprogress and fileload events to update it.  I'm getting progress updates as the images load, so I can see the progress bar crawling along, but I never get fileprogress updates for the audio files, just the fileload (file is completely loaded) so the progress bar sits idle and then suddenly jumps to 100%.  Since the audio files are by far the largest assets, this creates something of a problem as far as providing meaningful load progress to the user.
I've looked at the documentation for PreloadJS and it indicates that XHR loading is the preferred method because it does provide the progress updates, but that PreloadJS can fall back on things like tag-based (<audio>) loading of audio files.
None of the file loading is local or cross domain, so it would seem to me that PreloadJS ought to be using XHR.
Is there a way to force PreloadJS to use XHR for everything so I can get consistent progress updates or why would I not be getting progress events for these much larger files?

A: I believe there are open bugs in PreloadJS and SoundJS which prevent audio loading from reporting progress. I have logged issues for both libraries:
https://github.com/CreateJS/PreloadJS/issues/99
https://github.com/CreateJS/SoundJS/issues/119
Some additional info:
Although PreloadJS will try and favor XHR-based loading for filetypes it controls, audio loading works a little differently.
SoundJS actually injects the functionality into PreloadJS to handle loading, and will not respect the useXHR parameter, instead relying on the browser capabilities (and SoundJS plugins) to load and play audio. Unfortunately, web audio requires an array buffer (loaded with XHR), whereas HTML audio requires HTML tags, so the playback capabilities dictate how audio files load.
By default, SoundJS will default to load/use the following plugins in order:

*

*WebAudio (therefore XHR)

*HTML (therefore tag-loading)

This should favor XHR-loading and webaudio for most browsers (IE is the standout that will almost always require HTML loading).  You can force plugin order by registering the plugins manually before you begin playback/
Thanks for the surfacing this!

A: @Lanny is correct, there are open bugs for this issue.  Currently SoundJS is setup in a way that always uses Tag loading with PreloadJS, even when using WebAudio which loads via xhr.  The result is that regardless of plugin, there is currently no way to get progress events.
The good news is that we are currently in the process of revising how loading works between PreloadJS and SoundJS and this issue should be resolved.


There was a great story today in San Diego, as former Astros outfielder Jason Lane re-emerged onto a big league diamond with the Padres after last appearing in 2007. Now, the 37-year-old is a pitcher, and his first-ever MLB relief outing was a good one: ten up, ten down. Tyler Kepner of the New York Times recently profiled Lane and his now-consummate attempt at a return to the bigs.
The Diamondbacks placed middle infielder Cliff Pennington on the DL and recalled young shortstop Didi Gregorius to take his active roster spot, the club announced via press release. Arizona's mix of middle infielders — including those two players, current MLB starters Aaron Hill and Chris Owings, and prospect Nick Ahmed — has often been discussed as a source of depth from which the team could trade. For Gregorius, who entered the year with 1.033 days of MLB service, staying on the active roster for most of the remaining 115 days of the season could position him for an eventual Super Two candidacy.
Meanwhile, the D'backs learned that they would be without one of their top pitching prospects for the rest of the season, as Jose Martinez will need surgery for a stress fracture in his right elbow, reports Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic (via Twitter). Baseball America rated Martinez as the team's sixth-best prospect heading into the year, saying that he throws a mid-90s heater and outstanding power curve. Given his last name, Dominican heritage, and slight build, BA notes that comparisons to Pedro Martinez and Carlos Martinez are inevitable.
The Marlins' recent series of transactions are a sad reflection on owner Jeffrey Loria, opines Dave Cameron of Fangraphs. Even putting aside the question whether it made sense for Miami to target the relievers it did (Bryan Morris and Kevin Gregg), Cameron says that there is no reason the team couldn't have found the money without giving up a significant future asset in the 39th overall choice in the upcoming draft.
A fire sale is looming for the Phillies, writes Todd Zolecki of MLB.com, who says that the club has far too many holes to do anything but sell. Zolecki raises the point that GM Ruben Amaro Jr. has seemingly done rather poorly in generating returns when it has dealt veterans in the past. Having shipped out players like Cliff Lee, Hunter Pence, Shane Victorino, Jim Thome, Michael Young, and Joe Blanton in recent years, the return has been headlined by names such as Phillippe Aumont, Tommy Joseph, and Ethan Martin.


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Muriel Lidbetter
Herbert Gerald David (Gerald) Brown
PH 03 546 5700 24 Hour Service
or 0800 546570
Memorial Messages
All Shone & Shirley staff are passionate about their work and go above and beyond the call of duty to make sure the funeral arrangement process is delivered with understanding and compassion.
You are welcome to meet our staff and inspect our premises at any time. Simply call us on 03 546 5700 to make an appointment.
Alastair Hebberd - Funeral Director / Managing Director
Emma Hebberd - Director / Funeral Director
Alastair is a 4th generation Nelsonian who grew up around a funeral home. At a young age he found his calling in the funeral industry, leaving Nelson Boys College to work full-time at the funeral home and pursue his true calling.
Alastair gained his diploma in embalming and graduated with an award in 2009. He and Emma then moved to Blenheim where he gained a position at a local funeral home there. He furthered his career by completing the Diploma in Funeral Directing before moving into a management role.
Alastair is passionate about supporting families to plan and direct funerals for their loved ones. He takes great care in making sure everything is organised and ready to run smoothly on the day and will go the extra mile to make sure each service is personalised to reflect the life of a loved one. He was the first person in New Zealand to receive the CARE award within the previous company he worked for.
In 2019 Alastair and Emma are proud to be the seventh owners of Nelsons first funeral home. With beautiful purpose built, modern, and up-to-date facilities that cater for all types of services, they are proud to offer all the support they can to families in a time of grief.
Emma grew up in Richmond attending Waimea College. She then undertook a Bachelor of Teaching and Learning degree before teaching at a local school in Blenheim for many years. After becoming a Mum to Charlotte she went back to teaching part time. She now finds it a privilege to be involved in Shone & Shirley and has many complementary skills to bring to the team.
Both Alastair and Emma believe strongly in the value of community and family. They have both been involved in local groups and organisations, giving their time and skills back to their community.
Alastair, Emma, and the team at Shone and Shirley believe it is a true honour to care for families who have a bereavement in their family.
Kelly Brough - Funeral Director,
Embalmer & Mortuary Care
Kelly was born and raised in Nelson, where she attended Nelson College for Girls. She is a very proud mother of two independent children.
Kelly has been fortunate to have had careers in various professions over the years. These include a qualified hairdresser, sailing on deep sea fishing vessels and more recently cabin crew for Air New Zealand domestic and Virgin Australia International airlines.
These professions have enabled Kelly with invaluable transferable skills. For Kelly, it has been a real journey and privilege to be involved in these industries. The skills that she has acquired, enables Kelly to help guide you and your family in the final goodbye for your loved one.
As Kelly says, "It is the ultimate privilege to help families in the transitional process when someone they love dies." And "An even bigger privilege to care for the one who has died."
Helen Faauli
Funeral Home Support and Embalmer
E ai ki nga korero a nga tupuna, Ko te mea nui, Ko te aroha. From the words of our ancestors.. The greatest gift is love. E nga reo, E nga mana, E nga iwi katoa.. Tena koutou katoa. To the strength and language of all people, Greetings to all. Ko Helen Fa'auli toku ingoa, He uri ahau Mai..Te Whare Tapu o Ngapuhi. Helen is my name, and I descend from the Far North of New Zealand in the Bay of Islands.
Helen is married to Pele Fa'auli who sadly passed away in 2020. They are parents to 5 tamariki and Grandparents to 11 mokopuna and 1 great moko. Helen understands the importance of whanau in a time of grief, Helen loves her whanau dearly and implements this value in her work as she firmly believes in the whakatauki (proverb) above, "Ko te mea nui Ko te aroha".
Helen enjoys her mahi(work) and supporting Shone and Shirley with her quiet gentle way and is a valued member and also works alongside our Maori whanau. When Helen isn't working she enjoys spending time with her whanau and friends, working on her whakapapa(Geneology) and ministering to those in need. No reira Tena koutou Tena koutou Tena koutou katoa.
Abigail Beness
Administrator and Receptionist
Abigail grew up in Richmond and attended Waimea College. She received her Level 3 Certificate in Business Administration in 2019 whilst working at Tasman District Council. She has a strong background in volunteering and leading in youth groups and kids' camps.
Having spent the past few years looking for a new career path, she knew she wanted a career in which she could give back to the local region. What better way to give back than helping with some of the toughest parts of peoples' life, loss.
Abigail has developed a strong sense of empathy over the years and is most rewarded when she gets to put that to use and assist those who need it most. Her history in Administration and sales gives her a sharp mindset to help keep everything moving smoothly, and when she isn't assisting in the workplace there is nothing, she enjoys more than a good book at home with a cuppa tea (Dilmah of course).
Helen Hebberd
In House Florist
Helen Hebberd is a well-known Nelson florist (and the mother of Shone & Shirley director, Alastair Hebberd) with over 50 years experience. She owned the popular Woodlea Floral Studio, Nelson's first florist, until 2008. She now offers a full funeral floral service for the funeral home's clients.
Shone & Shirley was Nelson's first funeral home, established in 1862. Thomas Shone Senior began his business in 1862 as a cabinetmaker, upholsterer and undertaker in Bridge Street. At the time it was common for cabinetmakers - who were the main suppliers of coffins - to branch into other funeral related business.
On his death in 1890 his two sons, both cabinetmakers, carried on the family business. About 1900 Alfred relocated the business to a site in Collingwood Street.
The business was sold in 1922 to John Bredbury and then to P S Campen in 1936. Shone & Co., as it was known, then bought out the Richmond based funeral operations of W E Wilkes Ltd.
Ted Shirley acquired Shone & Co in 1970, adding his family name to the business. Ted's sons then operated Shone & Shirley Ltd as a family business until 2000, when the MacDonald family purchased the business.
In May 2005 the business was sold to Craig and Tracey Hames and Ian and Suzanne Bell of Christchurch Bell, Lamb & Trotter Funeral directors Limited.
2011 - Nov 2019
In July 2011 the business was relocated to a new purpose-built funeral home in Tahunanui, which was developed by Bev and Gary Boucher who later in 2012 also purchased the business of Shone & Shirley funeral directors.
In Nov 2019 Shone & Shirley was purchased by Alastair & Emma Hebberd. Alastair is an experienced funeral director and he and Emma are passionate about honouring the long tradition of Nelson's oldest funeral home while bringing warmth and empathy to the families they serve.
Shone & Shirley Funeral Directors, 164 Tahunanui Drive, Tahunanui, Nelson
(24 Hrs)
Email: funerals@shoneandshirley.com
© Shone & Shirley 2021


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10 Apple Lawsuits That Had a Profound Impact
Garrett Parker4 years ago
Apple was founded on April 1 of 1976. Combined with the fact that it has been in a position of prominence for much of the time since its founding, it should come as no surprise to learn that Apple has been involved in numerous lawsuits of one kind or another, particularly since it has become one of the biggest and most popular companies in the world with the release of the iPod as well as all of its other digital devices. Said lawsuits have had an enormous impact on Apple, meaning that people who are interested in understanding Apple should make sure to read up about the most famous examples.
Here are 10 of the Apple lawsuits that you know about:
1. The Carl Sagan Libel Suit
For people who are unfamiliar with Carl Sagan, he was an American scientist who did much to popularize science among the American public. As a result, it should come as no surprise to learn that a lot of the people at Apple were big Sagan fans, so much so that they actually named the Power Macintosh 7100 after him in 1994. While the name was intended for internal use, the knowledge of its use leaked out through a publication, which resulted in Sagan sending a cease-and-desist letter out of concern that it would be seen as a product endorsement. In retaliation, the people at Apple changed the name to Butt-Head Astronomer (BHA), which resulted in a libel suit that received an out-of-court settlement, a conciliatory statement from Apple, and a second change of the name to Lawyers Are Wimps (LAW).
2. Siri Misrepresentation Suit
In 2012, a man named Frank M. Fazio sued Apple because Siri failed to live up to the expectations created by Apple advertisements at the time. Although it sounds frivolous, it is important to note that Apple actually conceded that Siri was in beta at the time of its release, which was a significant contrast to the tone set by its advertisements. With that said, it is important to note that the lawsuit was dismissed because the judge felt that a reasonable person would have realized that Siri would not be perfect and that Apple's actions did not constitute fraud.
3. Nokia Suit
Nokia sued Apple in October of 2009, claiming that it had used some of its technologies without paying for the right to use them. In response, Apple counter-sued Nokia in December of the same year, claiming that Nokia was infringing on some of its patents with their products. The result was two years' worth of litigation as well as a dizzying series of changes before the two companies reached an undisclosed settlement in 2011 that involved a transfer of cash, an ongoing transfer of some iPhone royalties, and cross-licensing for some of both companies' patents.
4. E-books Price Fixing Suit
Apple has a strong position in its market, so much so that it has attracted a number of anti-trust lawsuits over the course of its existence. For example, the U.S. Department of Justice sued Apple as well as a number of publishing CEOs alleging that they had conspired to fix the prices of e-books as a way of maintaining their profits in spite of Amazon's efforts in lowering prices. Apple refused to settle the suit, which was striking because the other plaintiffs chose to settle without exception. Eventually, Apple lost the suit, having attempted to fight it all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court, meaning that it was forced to pay $450 million in restitution.
5. Kodak Suit
In 2010, Kodak sued both Apple and Research In Motion, claiming that the two companies had violated some of its patents for digital cameras. This led to a long and painful struggle, which was complicated by the fact that Kodak became bankrupt during the process and actually sought to use some of the patents as collateral for its loans. So far, neither side has come out as the total victor, having both won and lost some of the battles in the struggle.
6.Samsung Suit
The Samsung suits are some of the most famous examples of Apple's litigious nature. After all, it is not one but multiple suits fought in multiple courts on multiple continents over the issue of which of them had violated which patents. Billions of dollars have been thrown around by the two parties regarding their supposed damages, but so far, the damages actually awarded have been lower. For example, a 2012 suit determined that Samsung should pay $600 million to Apple in damages.
7. Motorola Suit
Like the Samsung suits, the Motorola suits have also consisted of multiple suits fought on multiple continents, which is particularly amusing because Motorola has also been locked in legal battles with Samsung. Unlike its struggle with Samsung, Apple has met with far less success when it comes to Motorola, as shown by the fact that one of its suits was actually dismissed with prejudice in 2012.
8. Apple User Suit
At one point, it was proven that Apple was actually selling the information of its users to advertisers, who could use that information to come up with more effective and efficient advertisements. Unsurprisingly, Apple users react less than positively towards the revelation, which Apple claimed was not against the terms of its agreement with its users. This has resulted in a suit in the state of Massachusetts, where some Apple users have launched a suit asking for monetary compensation as well as a stop to such practices.
9. 2001 Racial Discrimination Suit
A former product design engineer sued Apple in 2001 claiming $40 million in damages because of racial discrimination. In support of his claim, he stated that he was underpaid compared to his white co-workers. Furthermore, he claimed that he was fired for bringing a friend to the Apple campus to show him around as a way of convincing him to get a degree, which was not something that happened to other employees who they brought their friends and family members. This was not the last time that Apple would face a racial discrimination suit brought against it by one of its former employees.
10. Chinese Trademark Suit
In 2006, Apple paid for the rights to use the iPad trademark from the Taiwan-based Proview Electronics, which has registered it well before the tech titan. However, it turned out that the acquisition did not cover its use in mainland China, with the result that Apple had to fight a legal battle for the right to use the trademark as well as claims of damages from the Taiwanese company. In the end, Apple paid Proview Electronics $60 million as part of a court-mediated settlement, which was critical for its continuing operations in mainland China.
Garrett Parker
Garrett by trade is a personal finance freelance writer and journalist. With over 10 years experience he's covered businesses, CEOs, and investments. However he does like to take on other topics involving some of his personal interests like automobiles, future technologies, and anything else that could change the world.
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GOPlifer
Rebuilding the GOP: Most Republicans aren't nuts
By Chris Ladd on September 27, 2015 at 6:55 PM
The man who leads the polls for the Republican Presidential nomination has staked out a position that ties autism to vaccines. All of them are engaged in some form of denial of climate change. Leading candidates have all taken a hardline stance on immigration controls and building a border wall. Republican Presidential candidates are tripping over each other to grab the most extreme conceivable positions against abortion, gun control, and culture war compromises. Unsurprisingly, not a single one them has a credible path to the White House.
Previous posts have laid out a potential roadmap toward a saner, more politically relevant Republican future. Some might view that roadmap with skepticism in light of the party's apparent mood. Perhaps the party could modernize its positions on a host of issues to attract new voters, but what are we supposed to do about the current Republican base? How can you hope to win new voters in new geographies and demographics while today's Republicans are screaming their insistence on an ever more insane political agenda?
Here's a little known fact that might surprise a lot of people, especially people who have been working in Republican politics for the past decade or so. Republicans are not crazy. In fact, Republican voters are no more bizarre or outrageous than their peers on the Democratic side. This crop of candidates is not just out of touch with public opinion in the country, they are out of touch with public opinion among Republican voters.
How we came to this strange state of affairs is a subject explored in detail by The Politics of Crazy. The book also offers some explanation of the forces that led to Republicans being more influenced by our crazy extremists than the Democrats, at least for now. In summary, the wildest extremes of the conservative movement have been driving the Republican Party because they have enjoyed better organization, stronger personal involvement, and higher levels of motivation. The good news is that they are wildly unpopular, even inside the GOP. Checking the rise of the far right in the GOP will be like kicking down a rusty door. Someone just needs to decide to do it.
Laying the groundwork to support a modernization of the GOP through institutional steps like creating new think tanks and donor networks will be critical. Those steps are described in previous posts. With that infrastructure in place there's really nothing to stand in the way of reality-based Republicans in their campaigns for sane policy. The wildly extreme Republican policy templates we hear discussed in public are surprisingly unpopular even among Republican voters. When it comes to a more rational, nationally relevant Republican Party, the old adage holds true: Build it, and they will come.
Polls indicate that most Republican voters favor every single one of the following political positions vehemently opposed by nearly all of our leading candidates:
– Avoiding a government shutdown over funding for Planned Parenthood
– Background checks for private gun sales
– A federal database to track all gun sales
– A ban on assault rifles.
– The details of Obama's Executive Order on Immigration (so long as Obama's name isn't attached to the plan)
– Federal subsidies for solar power
That's not all. Remember Obama's terrible, job-killing, unilateral actions to fight climate change? Those proposals are supported by 52% of Republicans – in South Carolina! In the same survey, almost 60% of South Carolina Republicans favor limits on carbon pollution. Most Republicans would be less likely to support a candidate who claims that climate change is a hoax.
A majority of Republicans under 45 and almost two thirds of Republicans under 30 support a right to same-sex marriage. Only a quarter of Republicans support the universal abortion bans proposed by our Presidential candidates.
Half of Republicans support a path to citizenship for illegal immigrants. Less than a third of Republicans support the deportation plans being proposed by our leading candidates. Needless to say, an overwhelming majority of Republican voters disagree with our leading candidates and support mandatory vaccinations.
In order to appease the extreme far right, Republicans have endorsed an entire public platform that ranges from mildly unpopular, to frighteningly insane. Very few of the most public elements of the Republican agenda enjoy majority support even among Republicans.
Inside the rightwing media bubble support for these positions appears to be universal. That is a product of the better organization and funding enjoyed by the party's extremes. But this is a manufactured unanimity, stage-managed via carefully limited access to media outlets. Provide credible channels for the rest of the Republican voting base to express their sincere opinions and the hollowness of that agenda will become readily apparent.
What happens to the Republican Party if the hardest of its hardline conservative base threatens to split away? There is no greater gift we could ask for. An independent, national Tea Party would rescue the GOP. We live in a two-party system. The Republican far-right is a wildly unpopular fringe that cannot even begin to compete politically anywhere outside the Deep South and few empty western states. An independent Tea Party, or some other fractured branch of far-right weirdoes would be a road to nowhere. Their departure would free Republicans to pursue sane, humane, market-oriented solutions to policy questions that could be remarkably popular all over the country.
There is no rationale for letting an unpopular political bloc set the policy agenda for the entire Republican Party. It's time for someone to take an aggressive, unapologetic stand for a 21st century Republican platform.
Republicans have no candidates who represent the party's sane majority because no one with enough courage has assembled the organizational base it would demand. That political space lays open, waiting to be developed into a successful movement. Build it, and they will come.
Links and comments are at the GOPLifer Blog.
Get a big-picture view of the forces changing American politics from the book The Politics of Crazy: How America Lost Its Mind and What We Can Do About It.
Chris Ladd


The municipal spokesman of IU-V, Pedro Sosa, appeared this morning before the media to show their support for a group of residents of the Vereda de la Palma who, in just a week, have seen how it stood in front of their homes a gigantic mobile phone antenna of 26 meters high that has already begun to disrupt its quality of life since its broadcasts cause interference in television and tele-assistance devices.
Sosa has affirmed that all the fronts that have been opened in the municipality of Lorca against the telephony antennas and against the powerful companies that install them have always been settled with the triumph of the companies and their interests, in front of the demands of the neighbors that finally have to support the existence of facilities that entail a series of associated risks absolutely demonstrated.
The regulation that regulates this type of facilities, maintains the councilor of IU-V, has always been changing in favor of the telephone companies that behave like a powerful pressure group that turns the will of legislators and rulers, until the point that at present they do not even have to obtain an administrative license for its installation, just a simple "responsible statement".
But also, Sosa recalled, the City of Lorca is not even collecting the corresponding rate for private use or special use of the local public domain these companies, as we have been requesting from IU-V for more than three years in all debates annual tax ordinances.
The antenna in question is located in the bag of land subdivided sector that exists behind the sports complex Europe, a place that has to develop properly and where the local government is taken facilities such as the logistics center of LIMUSA that have also received neighborhood response.
The neighbors are going to start a campaign to collect signatures to dismantle the antenna arguing that their health and quality of life should be above the interests of these companies that should look for more remote places and without surrounding population to locate these infrastructures.


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text:
Would you rather have a huge mailing list of potential contacts who might one day become clients and who occasionally read what you send them, or a small mailing list of fans, who read your email newsletter every month?
I know which I'd rather have, which is why we've recently done a big clean up of the Scribbles mailing list. If you're still on it, it's because you opened the last email I sent without deleting it and you didn't unsubscribe. If you're still on the list and you'd rather not be, just click the link in the box on the right that says 'Still Scribbling?' and you'll help make my list smaller and more targeted.
Read on if you'd like to know why I like it when people delete my emails.
Please Delete This Email!
I started publishing Scribbles as an email newsletter in July 2004. My mailing list had 250 people on it – people I'd met at networking meetings or who I'd spoken to. The open rate of the first issue I published was 100%. Yes, everyone opened it! This was probably out of curiosity and is something I see a lot with first issues.
The high open rate continued for some time – it remained over 80% for nearly two years. By then, the list had doubled in size. It's continued to grow ever since and when I published the October 2013 issue, it contained over 1600 contacts.
It's great that my mailing list has grown. It's a sign that I keep meeting potential clients and referrers; it means the sign up form on my website is working. This is all good news, isn't it?
Well it would be, until you look at the open rate of my newsletter. That's been in steady decline for the last few years and dropped as low as 25% this summer. Even the special issue that invited all our clients to our 13th Birthday Party, was only opened by 53% of those who received it.
This pattern is something we're seeing with most (but not all) of the email newsletters that we write and publish for clients. Over time, as the mailing list grows, the open rate declines.
Do people get bored of reading what you send? Do you change what you write so that it's no longer relevant to them? Do your readers change their email addresses or even go out of business? Do your emails get caught by the new Google Mail trap?
With some people, it's hard to tell. A few years ago I changed the way I wrote Scribbles. Instead of filling the newsletter with 'how to' marketing tips, I wrote more about the 'why' of marketing. A couple of people unsubscribed, telling me they no longer found it useful. Never mind! They were the sort of people I was hoping would leave my mailing list.
But what about all those people who don't read what you send and who don't bother to unsubscribe? Last month we sent out a plain text email, inviting you to unsubscribe if you want to. And a number did! Most of them I didn't even know (or couldn't remember!) so I wasn't too sad to see them go. Anyone who deleted the email without even opening it was removed from the list. A number of emails bounced back to us and they were removed too.
We've also gone through the list and deleted anyone who hasn't opened the newsletter in 2013. I guess they're not interested in hearing from us any more!
But there are still many people on my list who aren't opening the newsletter, so we'll keep working on the clean up.
How is your mailing list looking? How are you getting through to your contacts?
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text:
Shannon Williams
Kiwis are being warned to stay vigilant when it comes to fake Google reviews and business listings, with warnings of scammers targeting companies that people turn to in an emergency, when they are at their most vulnerable.
CEO of local digital marketing agency Insight Online, Kim Voon, says fake reviews and listings are a huge problem for Google overseas and the threat was spreading to New Zealand, mainly because Kiwis are neglecting to claim or update their Google business listings, or to ensure a steady stream of authentic reviews or, in the case of the public, to report the problem to Google.
"Imagine your car breaks down in Silverdale, Auckland. You look up a local tow truck company and call them in, except they've falsified their listing and they're actually located in Warkworth. The upshot is you wait longer and end up paying a lot more for the service because the tow truck company had to travel further, even though the tow truck company engineered it that way (after all, you called them)," he explains.
"To begin with, your Google search results told you they were close by and the reviews, many of them paid for and fake, were favourable. This may sound far-fetched but it's happening," says Voon.
Voon says there are countless stories overseas that are coming out of sectors that service people when they are vulnerable to scammers, including tow truck companies, emergency medical facilities, locksmiths, lawyers and car repairs.
"Google calls them 'duress verticals' because they're the services people need when they are vulnerable," he says.
"Google is actively working to combat the problem and members of the public, as well as legitimate business owners, can report the fake listings and reviews to Google but, let's be frank, it's a very arduous process.
"Essentially people are doing this because people are easy to scam when they are anxious, desperate or in trouble," he says.
"Spammers do it for obvious reason. Another reason companies do it is to improve their search results '- it's that race to be found online, as well as favourably received, that drives some business owners to resort to creating fake listings and reviews."
Voon says that, as far as he is aware, it isn't a big problem in New Zealand yet but it does exist and, judging by the scale of the problem overseas, it's only a question of time before it becomes an issue.
"We need to educate the public and business owners that Google only works if we all take responsibility for ensuring that the information is fair, accurate and genuine because nobody else will. When you find a problem, report it," he explains.
"We need to encourage business owners to protect and update their brand and their business information, and to think carefully before 'stuffing keywords' in their online information that aren't really relevant to what they do just because they want to improve their Google search results."
Voon offers the following advice to business owners and the public:
1. Report false information
Voon says reporting issues to Google may feel like pushing a rock uphill, but we need to do it anyway.
"Cleaning up online is like cleaning up litter. If we all work together and each person does their bit, we will make progress."
2. Claim your business listing
"I reckon half of Kiwi businesses have not claimed their Google My Business listing, and perhaps even fewer have updated their information or deleted old listings recently. You need to do this to protect your brand, your business and your customers from being scammed or spammed."
Voon says he thinks that New Zealand, and most other countries, would benefit from an Internet policing agency that acts to protect the public.
"Such a policing agency would make it easy for the public to report online problems like fake news, scams, fake listings and reviews, while leaving the agency to wrestle with Google's reporting process. It would probably be easier for a policing agency to deal with Google because they would have volume and authority.
"So far it is overseas media like the Wall Street Journal and search engine optimisation companies like us that are trying to raise awareness about the problem."
Personalised advertising continues to flourish
HPE to offer entire portfolio as-a-Service by 2022
IRD shuts down fraudulent direct debit scam
Kiwi marketers urged to jump on the video advertising train
Insight Online
ComCom grants clearance for Infratil to acquire shares in Vodafone
The Commerce Commission has granted clearance for Infratil Limited to acquire up to 50% of the shares in Vodafone New Zealand.More
Ambit accelerates expansion in Australia with Sydney office launch
"We look forward to partnering with Australian companies to ensure that they are well placed to be resilient to future change."More
The merger makes One Technology the country's largest collaboration of business data and managed service providers.More
Using data to drive decision-making in the digital era – BOARD International
Business intelligence tools can be useful aids for executives weighing up their options and deciding which way to jump. More


Essential oils are something that I love. Since we started using them a few years back we have noticed a huge difference in our overall health hand the money we spend on conventional medication. Now I am not one of those that will say a drop of this or that will replace an EpiPen or a fast acting inhaler. I am however a huge fan of the essential oils for allergies and other similar issues. They work well.
To be upfront and offer full disclosure, my daughter has serious asthma. Because of this we have a pretty good understanding of what triggers her events and how to best respond in the event of an emergency. I am not ashamed to admit that we have used many essential oils in the past to help combat the breathing issues. They almost always work to stop her asthma attacks on the spot.
When it comes to allergies there are many options that you have in the essential oil world. So here are some of the ones that I have actually tried on my own family with good results.
Lavender oil is amazingly nice. It smells great and it works well too. This oil can be used topically, or it can be diffused. It is also a great candidate for direct inhalation. If you place it on your skin only use 3-4 drops at a time, as it can be very potent. If you have sensitive skin you can always mix it with coconut oil. This oil will help with typical allergies as well as headaches. You can also add a few drops to your diffuser and run it continuously to calm breathing and soothe a runny nose.
Peppermint oil is a very minty and refreshing oil. It too can be used in a number of ways such as topically, in a diffusor, or it can be inhaled directly. It is always best to use carrier oil, such as coconut oil, when using peppermint EO. The oil is very potent and can sting and burn if you don't dilute it first. Mix a few drops in a carrier oil and dab under your nose for stuffy nose issues.
If you have a serious head cold you can pour boiling water into a bowl, mix in 4-6 drops of peppermint EO, drape a towel over your head and breathe deeply for a few minutes.
Lemon is one of the most versatile oils on the market. It has amazing cleaning and aromatic abilities but it also has the ability to stop inflammation of the sinuses and it cuts the mucus production. It can be treated just like the previous oils except it does not require carrier oil if you do not want to use one. Be warned… the lemon scent is strong and can be overpowering so use sparingly.
Eucalyptus oil comes from the tree of the same name. It is a tree that originates in Australia. You have probably seen pictures of Koala bear in these trees. But did you know that they eat the leaves of this tree because they give them a nice buzz? Eucalyptus oil won't get you high, but it will help relieve allergy issues and mucus problems. In fact, you can rub a few drops of this oil mixed with a carrier oil on your feet and then place socks over the top and it can stop a cough and help you sleep even with a horrible cold.
If you struggle with rashes and hives related to your allergies, you need to try Roman Chamomile oil. This oil is a bit more expensive than the others. Perhaps it is the Roman roots or maybe it is just the fact that this oil works wonders for skin issues like rashes, eczema, and other problems. You will find that the aroma is a bit strong and it can be overpowering if not diluted. Use a carrier oil for best results.
These are just a few of my favorite oils that I use regularly to treat our family's allergies. Do you have other oils that you rely on for regular use?


The library has just published responses to a summary of the questions asked during the "14 Days" comment period back in February. I find many of the answers inadequate.
Switching Microsoft Exchange to Google Apps.
Computing Center Response: Many educational institutions have moved student e-mail services to Google, and we've been monitoring the success of these. Although we have concerns associated with administration and security of data, Google continues to make upgrades and improvements that address many of these. We are planning to re-evaluate the use of Google Apps for Trinity this coming fall.
My response: Who's going to evaluate the switch? How are you going to evaluate the switch? Is there going to be any participation across the Trinity community? What exactly are your concerns? Google Apps for educational institutions is completely free. In the collegiate vicinity, Wesleyan and Connecticut College both use Google Apps. As I wrote in an SGA blog post recently, Google even released a tool to migrate all Microsoft Exchange information to Google Apps seamlessly. As has been pointed out before, the library (and the college) could save so much money by not paying licensing fees to Microsoft, server costs, and the additional labor costs of IT administration. This would be a boon for Trinity. Seriously, Google Apps would save us a boatload of money. Check out this website, designed to calculate the costs of Google Apps for businesses, to get an overestimate for the costs for non-profit Trinity.
More printing dollars, printing too expensive, more printers around campus, system slow, printers jam.
Computing Center Response: We are currently evaluating all components of the printing system (printing hardware, print release stations, and print payment software) to determine if there are ways to make the printers more error-free and shorten the time to print. We do not expect to be able to allocate more funding for printing at this time, but we are working with the SGA to determine ways of keeping printing costs manageable while still providing the service.
My response: Again, what is the evaluation process? "We are working…" is a non-answer answer, since "keeping printing costs manageable" is meaningless if you cannot lower the costs. With the money you could save by switching to Google Apps, you could easily give every student unlimited printing and fix every problem associated with printing. We may decide against unlimited printing for environmental reasons, but you could at least increase it back to $25 again. This could eventually have a Google-centric solution too. Just this morning, I was reading about a new Google project to develop a cloud-based printing system, Google Cloud Print, in conjunction with Google's new operating system, Chrome OS. The system works both with Chrome OS and other operating systems. While the project is still early in development, Google has released the code and documentation as open-source. With the fast pace of development of Google projects, this could eventually be used by Trinity.
Open up entrances to the building, especially the long walk doors; find turnstile alternatives; too many non-Trinity guests at night.
Library Response: The current building entrances and access policies have been designed to protect 1) the students, staff, and faculty who work in and use the library, and 2) the equipment and collections contained within it. We are attempting to achieve a balance between allowing students the freedom to come and go when they please, and ensuring the safety and security of students and their belongings when they are in the building. At this time, we cannot open up any more entrances without sacrificing a degree of security, but as we plan for building improvements in the coming years, we will bear in mind the desire for easier access.
My response: I concede this is a difficult problem. But this post doesn't identify the specific barriers to changing student access to the library. The Level B entrance is currently opened through an RFID scanner, as is the Level A entrance after library hours. Why can't this system be implemented in the inner doors on the main quad? This system has costs, but I've already identified serious cost-savings which could also pay for this. And unlike other costs, this is a one-time expense. This potential entrance is not staffed as the Level A and B entrances are, but neither are the Level A and B entrances staffed at night. It's less clear what the barriers are to opening up the glass doors around the main stairwell. There has not always been a turnstile at the main entrance – this was only added in the past few years. I do not have the answers to make the layout more efficient – but these issues must be explicated further, something not accomplished by this response.
Enable rooms used for guest lectures (McCook, Washington room, etc.) easy video and audio recording and make recordings available online on the Trinity website or ITunes U (so they can be watched on an IPhone).
Library Response: Lectures cannot be taped without permissions from the lecturer, and there are many lectures and events that occur on campus every year. So, at this time we record lectures only upon request. To request that a lecture be taped, please contact Media Technology Services (http://www.trincoll.edu/Academics/AcademicResources/media/default.htm.) Recorded lectures will then be placed on a server for viewing as streaming video.
My response: What about iTunes U? This response makes no mention why we can't do this. It is a great promotional tool, not only for taping lectures, but also for uploading all kinds of student creative output. Student music groups could (and do, at other colleges) upload music directly to iTunes U for distribution. Trinity could offer both a selection of videos from Trinity courses, and guest lectures. The requirement of a permission form is not a major impediment to this. Right now, students and professors have to be knowledgeable about and actively seek out this form and Media Technology Services. The use of the service and form could be advertised and made the default option for major lectures.
Creation of a Trinity wiki?
Computing Center Response: Anyone with a Trinity login can create a personal wiki at http://personal.trincoll.edu. Once logged in, use Site Settings to allow others to edit and view your wiki. This wiki will be viewable only by people with Trinity College logins that you have given permission to access.
My response: A personal wiki defeats the purpose of a Trinity-wide wiki. I don't want a wiki on personal.trincoll.edu/personal/wyale! I want a wiki on wiki.trincoll.edu! "Given permission to access?" The idea is that everyone is able to access it!
Not mentioned in any of the questions or responses was that Blackboard could potentially be eliminated through the switch to Google Apps also. This is a far more complicated transition because we currently run the administration of Bantam Bucks through the Blackboard Commerce system. The Blackboard website, however, could completely be substituted with Google Apps. I'm unfamiliar with Moodle and what role it could play in this transition.
This is a long post, I know, but I have only focused on a fraction of all of the comments submitted and responses received.
Stop Asking Us to Reset Our Passwords!
According to the Boston Globe, it is a waste of our time and doesn't do anything to improve security. Can someone please tell the Computing Center to stop asking us to change our passwords every few months or so?
Switch to Google Apps from Microsoft Exchange?
Something that caught my eye recently was this post over at one of the many Google blogs, outlining a new tool Google developed to migrate email, calendar, and contact data from Exchange to Google Apps. In the library's recent 14 Days comment system, I left a note mentioning how I would like to see the college transition from an email system based around Microsoft Exchange to one based on Google Apps. This new tool seems like the perfect way to do that. Google Apps is free and I believe a superior product. The Computing Center ought to look immediately into making this transition, especially with all of the other cost-saving measures the Administration has enacted or is considering.
Intensive programs offered at Global Learning Sites. Study abroad in this manner would be less disruptive than normal study abroad, and could be an easier path to academic enrichment. Plus, it would be cool, or rather, warm! Why spend January in snow when you could complete a month-long theater program in Trinidad?
Classes taught by students. While it is currently rare, junior and seniors can design their own pass/fail courses, obtain faculty sponsorship, and then teach those courses. A month-long course would offer far less stressful commitment on part of the student teacher, but would still provide a valuable experience. The courses could be designed around any subject – obscure academia, practical hobbies – it just needs to be approved by the Curriculum Committee.
Focused, meaningful internships. With academic internships soon moving over to Career Services' responsibility and the economy bust, January would be the perfect time to step out of one's normal semester commitments and intern in Hartford for a month. Students would work one-on-one with Career Services advisors to develop a concentrated intern experience that is more than a job-shadow or reception duties.
Community service campaigns. Trinity students could design and lead their own community service projects within the city of Hartford. In a time when it is difficult for the college to focus as much attention on community outreach, students could be ambassadors for the school doing work that has direct impact on the surrounding community.
Research projects for one's major. Is there a burning question related to your field of study that hasn't even been asked yet? Commission a study, design a course of experimentation, and answer it. There's no better time to do original student research than in January without the pressures of a regular semester.
As you might have noticed, the focus of this program is to offer a meaningful experience during a time that otherwise might not be. I'm sure there are some enterprising students who accomplish amazing things during winter break, but I know that many, including myself, take most of the month as vacation. While I'm sure some students would continue to do so, I know many others want choice. A Trinity January Term would empower, engage, and challenge students to lead, take initiative, and design an amazing January for themselves that gets back to the core of the Trinity experience – intellectual curiosity.
While costs have not been fully determined, preliminary estimation would set tuition, room and board near $2500, with financial aid offered. January Term would be completely optional. I want to know how this program could serve you. Are there components you would add, modify, or scrap all together? What are the best ways to get students engaged? Please comment below, or email me at william.yale@trincoll.edu.
I am pleased to announce that nearly all of the original regulations concerning After Office Hours have been removed, for the sake of attracting more students to the program. Students can now take out to dinner any professor, with any number of students, any number of times. Listening to people interested in the program, I realized that there were interactions between students and faculty that AOH needed to better promote, such as in language classes, between advisers and advisees, and in small classes such as senior seminars. The revamped rules pare it down to the basics: meals with up to $20 per person off-campus and $10 on-campus, with a faculty member present. You can still get the reimbursement form at the Dean of Students Office or under the Services tab on this website.
2-5 students in a particular class get together for an off-campus dinner with their professor OR a larger group (perhaps the entire class) gets together for an on-campus event involving food, with their professor.
Pick up a reimbursement form from Dean Alford's office, fill it out, and return it with an original receipt.
And that's it. Be bold! With After Office Hours, the entire impetus to hold these dinners and events is on the individual student. The variations in ideas on how to use this money and the program itself can only grow exponentially from here. Particularly with the on-campus component, an infinite number of gatherings are possible – the food is what brings people to the the table.
If you have any questions, please email me at William DOT Yale AT trinity DOT edu. The original resolution that created After Office Hours is attached below, in case you want to look at the original source material. Look out for soon-to-come advertisements!
As a dove-tail to Eamon's post last week, I'm working on setting up a pilot program for next semester for student-professor dinners. Dinners would be student-initiated, and would help build personal relationships with professors. Although faculty can currently receive reimbursement for meals with students, field-trips, and meetings over coffee, there is no institutionalized program so that a small group of students themselves can organize a dinner with a professor. My plan would build such a program.
As I've written it thus far, the program would be a simple system of reimbursement at any restaurant up to $15 per student; any fraud would be accounted for by trust in the form of signatures and acknowledgment from professors that each dinner did take place. The as-yet-unnamed program would be integrated with the Dean of Students Office's system of faculty reimbursement mentioned above.
I am looking for student input as to how such a program would best serve you. What should it be called? How would it best be advertised? Is the system of reimbursement as outlined fair? What, if any, set limit should be imposed on the number of students participating in any particular dinner? What are your thoughts? Thanks for your input!