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Minister of Transport the Hon. Simon Bridges, Prime Minister of New Zealand the Rt. Hon. Bill English and Minister of Infrastructure the Hon. Steven Joyce officially open the new Waterview Connection Tunnel on June 18, 2017 in Auckland, New Zealand. The $1.4 billion Waterview Connection is part of the Western Ring Route, one of the NZ Government's seven Roads of National Significance. (Photo by Simon Watts/Getty Images)
Why won't National fund the most obvious transport project for Auckland?
Hayden Donnell | Contributing writer
National has released its $2.6 billion dollar plan to fix Auckland's traffic Armageddon. Hayden Donnell clutches his head and screams into the void over it leaving the single most obviously popular and important transport project for the city off its funding list.
National had to rush out its plan to fix Auckland's transport on Thursday after it somehow fell into the hands of The Herald's Super City reporter Bernard Orsman. The party is promising to spend more than $2.6 billion on five transport projects – a list of which I have obtained from Orsman's report:
Mill Rd highway: $955m
Northwestern Busway: $835m
Ameti: $615m
Rail to Pukekohe: $130m
Third rail line: $100m
Total: $2.635b
The thing is, none of this is really new. All of those projects are already in Government and Auckland Council's overarching transport plan ATAP, which stands for "Acronym That's ActuallySoBoringItWillMakeYouNotCareAboutThis Plan". But the announcement is important because it clarifies which transport works National thinks are worthy of funding as priorities.
Some are good. A Northwest busway should've been included as part of motorway widening works currently underway, and tacking it on late will cost millions and millions of dollars more – which is incredibly stupid and frustrating and why does this stuff keep happening – but funding it now is a smart move and I am not bitter. The inclusion of a third rail line is extremely funny, given KiwiRail recently redacted the option from its report on freight options in South Auckland seemingly to avoid embarrassing the Government.
Leaked google search strings may provide a clue about government funding priorities
But the single most expensive project in the plan – the Mill Rd highway – is, according to a meticulous cost-benefit analysis by me, "a despicable godless travesty that should be consumed by fire". This is a relevant passage from my report:
At a cost of $955 million, the Mill Rd highway holds the Guinness World Record for "most expensive toilet". As with many other Auckland roading projects, it was designed after transport planners looked at a clogged motorway and decided: "what we need is a clogged motorway next to this clogged motorway". The four-lane road is scattered with features that seem intentionally designed to repel humans, like this roundabout, which is known as "Satan's antechamber".
IN DEFENCE OF THE MILL RD HIGHWAY, IT'S STILL BETTER THAN THE EAST-WEST LINK. PHOTO: NZTA
Planners have mercifully included 14 centimetres of space for bike lanes on either side of the highway, but overall, the project feels like the last wretched moments of our decades-long addiction to building motorways over every available surface in Auckland. The Government appears to be an addict at the end of his rope, scraping around in increasingly far-flung parts of the city for trees to tarseal over. Soon there will be no places left to build roads, and it will be forced to tarseal animals or even people.
That report may be slightly biased, and the highway is admittedly a safety upgrade on the existing road.
But even less partisan sources should be frustrated by the fact its funding seems to have come at the expense of a much more important and popular undertaking. That project, which rhymes with Dail Do Dhe Dairport, has popular support, and would provide useful public transport options for people in congested parts of the city fringe. It would be popular with tourists, who would no longer be faced with taking a long bleak van or taxi ride as their first act in Auckland. And it would link more people to the thriving business precincts near the airport.
(For an actual sober analysis of the Mill Rd project please click here)
Under ATAP, light rail to the airport isn't expected to be built for another 30 years. That's a bizarrely long time for a project that seems face-palmingly obvious. The top explanation I can think of for the government's reluctance to fund it is that City Rail Link denier-turned-finance minister Steven Joyce was bullied by trains when he was young. However I've taken the time to power rank several other possible reasons he hates spending on extremely logical rail projects:
5. A train orchestrated the plot to throw a dildo into Steven Joyce's face.
4. A train trashed Steven Joyce's beautiful urban garden.
3. Someone in the road freight industry is holding Steven Joyce's family or garden hostage.
2. Steven Joyce will die if he doesn't fund four economically unfeasible roads per month.
1. A small demon administers an electric shock to Steven Joyce's kidneys every time he spends a dollar on rail.
None of these are a good enough excuses for not funding the most obviously important and electorally popular transport project in Auckland. If Joyce and transport minister Simon Bridges won't do it, maybe someone else will do it for them. I hear Labour has a big transport announcement tomorrow…
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What's with Auckland's sluggish return to public transport?
Alice Neville
The Bulletin: Labour enjoys winner's bonus in first post-election poll
The Bulletin: Contrasting visions on National's defeat and future


In the first twenty-five years of its operation, Chevy Chase Lake offered band concerts followed by dancing on almost every night except Sunday. But between 1894 and 1915, there were many other attractions that drew amusement park patrons from around the DC metropolitan area. As described in the exhibit section "Amusements for All," these included boating, swings, a shooting gallery, a "rustic" outdoor movie theater and a merry-go-round, plus the appearances of tightrope walkers, gymnasts, and divers.
These attractions were all introduced by Herbert Claude, the manager of the amusement park. In the next few years, after Claude's contract and lease of the park ended in 1917, many of these attractions would be eliminated by the next manager, Meyer Davis, who focused on musical entertainment. Davis' bands began playing at Chevy Chase Lake in 1916, so it's likely that Mr. Claude was responsible for hiring him. But when Davis became the manager, in 1917 or 18, the other amusements at the park were limited to the café, the bowling alley, and possibly the shooting gallery. It was still an amusement park, but its patrons were mainly younger people who wanted to dance. And they wanted to dance to the newest music, influenced by ragtime's syncopation, and the rise of jazz in American popular music. This was a distinct departure from the waltz and two-step of Prof. Donch's Band or the U.S. Marine Band.
This new music was matched by new ways of dancing. Both the "dance craze" in the teens and the rise of vaudeville would shape the musical programs at Chevy Chase Lake.
p. 62, from Albert W. Newman, Dances of To-Day. Philadelphia: The Penn Publishing Company, 1914. From the Library of Congress exhibit: "An American Ballroom Companion: Dance Instruction Manuals." LOC GV1755 .N5.
"Everybody'd Doin' It Now," by Irving Berlin, 1911. Sheetmusic, Library of Congress Performing Arts Encyclopedia. 5/364.
By 1911, when Irving Berlin published his song, "Everybody's Doin It Now," a great dance craze was sweeping the country. Driven by the syncopated beats of ragtime, this dance movement was particularly popular with young women. Historians of popular culture note that working class girls as well as society girls patronized the same dance halls. Many girls learned the new dances, and as just as it worked with skating, where the girls went to dance, the boys went, too!
But these new dances, often called "animal dances" with names like the turkey trot, the bunny hug, or the grizzly bear, provoked deep disapproval from many community leaders. The new dances seemed overly sexualized to them, with gyrations and embraces that challenged social propriety.
Strict Methodists were forbidden to dance, whether the traditional two-step or the new dances. Click the YouTube below to listen to a clip from an interview with Jeannette Troth Hall, as she remembers how she felt about not being allowed to dance at Chevy Chase Lake.
"Just a little trot forward, and then a little trot backward, and then a little trot sideways -- that's all -- and then Boston for eight measures, and there you have it -- the dance that every one is talking about."
Of course, the fun of dancing closely with your partner, and even "dipping," was what made these new dances so popular. A dance could lead to flirting, and perhaps even a kiss! A few months later, on January 22, 1912, p. 3, The Washington Post reported that a couple was arrested for doing a "dip" as they danced.
On the next page, read about dances that were banned at Chevy Chase Lake.


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Sure, it requires a little physicality but Rock climbing is, above all, a mental exercise—it's a sport with a surprising amount of strategy involved. Outdoor rock climbing, in particular, requires you to constantly be paying close attention to your surroundings (you make your own route, after all). Often, doing so has you thinking three, four or even five steps ahead. Anyone with a thirst for adventure and a love for problem-solving can make it to the top!
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Here is some news from England. A man has a friend. The friend is very special. The friend is not a man. He is not a dog, either. He is a camel! His name is Jeffrey.
Jeffrey is from Russia. He is fine with cold temperatures. He can live when it's minus 25 degrees Celsius. Jeffrey has two humps. He can live up to 60 years. Jeffrey was a birthday gift. He was a gift for the man's son.
The man brings the camel good food. It is usually carrots. Sometimes, the man brings something special. Beer! The camel loves it!
Difficult words: either (too), hump (small hill on the camel's back).


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Korach 5774: Terrorism on the Backs of Children
t was almost two months ago that I wrote about #bringbackourgirls, lamenting the kidnapping of a school full of young girls in Nigeria and talking about the sad relevance of the mitzvah of pidyon sh'vuyim / redeeming captives.
Here we are again, two months after the Nigerian girls were captured by the Boko Haram terrorist group. Some of those girls escaped, some are still in captivity and are being held prisoner until they can be exchanged, apparently, for Boko Haram activists being held in Nigerian prisons. We do not know the fate or state of those girls. Let us not forget them as each news cycle brings us fresher causes for concern.
We must, though, protest, voice our outrage, yell into the wind: the new vogue in terrorism seems to be the capture of children. Three Israeli teenagers were kidnapped by the Hamas terror organization just over a week ago.
There is little sense in asking why when discussing an act of terror. The "why" is to generate terror. And now, apparently, with the well-oiled mechanisms of social media, a new "why" is to draw the world's attention to the terrorist cause. Free publicity. Had you ever heard of Boko Haram, or knew what it meant before mid-April? Had you grown complacent about Hamas as it took its place in the government of the Palestinian Authority? The horror of children in captivity is too painful to contemplate for more than a moment or two . . . but those children, the remaining captive Nigerian girls and Israel's three boys, are living that horror every single moment of every single day.
This week's Torah reading, Korach, opens with one of the Torah's most difficult passages. A leader from the tribe of Levi, Korach, stirs up a crowd and pushes into Moses' face challenging Moses' authority and therefore challenging God's choices and leadership as well. The fate of the rebels is brutal: they, their homes, their families are all swallowed up by the earth. This is, of course, a cautionary tale against challenging God's authority and decisions. At a time like ours, as we look with helpless outrage at the faces of terrorist-abducted children, we wish some of that biblical justice could be meted out right now while the children are whisked safe and sound back to the embrace of their families.
God has adjusted the parameters of divine intervention in human affairs since the days of Korach and, I believe, is a source of strength, wisdom and guidance for us in the face of events we cannot fathom alone. We will pray for Gilad Shaer, Naftali Frenkel and Eyal Yifrach . . . and their parents and all those who love them at Shabbat services here at Torat Yisrael.
For those of us who find that music helps express what is deepest in our hearts, here is a video of a song by two Israeli musicians:
P'kudei 5774: Jewish Learning . . . It's What We Do!
This week I'm writing about what the weekly parashah/Torah reading is not about! This final passage in the book of Sh'mot / Exodus describes the finishing touches to the priestly vestments. Moses checks that everything has been prepared according to God's instructions and God's presence fills the Tabernacle for the first time. All is ready for the establishment of the sacrificial cult, kohein/priest-driven, which will serve as the focal point of Israelite worship until the destruction of the Second Temple in Jerusalem in the year 70 CE.
If ever there was Jewish clergy, in the sense of an intercessor between God and the people, who facilitated atonement, who held exclusive authority to perform rites and wear specific vestments it was the kohanim, the priests, the male descendents of Aaron. If all of Israelite experience, up until the destruction of the Second Temple, had centered around the sacrificial cult, there would be no Judaism, which is rabbinic Judaism, today. The Temple would have been destroyed and without the focal point of that sacrificial system, the Israelites would easily have been dispersed and absorbed into the surrounding cultures of the Roman Empire around them.
So what saved us? What was the safety net that caught us when the Temple fell?
The saving grace of our people was a populist movement that had begun to develop almost two centuries before the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem: the rabbinic movement had begun. The existence of scholars who were not kohanim/priests is extraordinary in a general culture in which the leaders of pagan cultic worship held the esoteric texts and practices of their faiths in closely guarded, limited circles. The general population had no access to the most sacred texts and instructions.
But in the book of Deuteronomy, Moses decrees that everyone, men, women, children, will all have direct access to the Torah, the Instruction of God:
And Moses commanded them saying: "At the end of seven years, at the appointed time of the year of the remission, on the Festival of Booths, when all Israel comes to appear before Adonay, your God, in the place that God will choose, you shall read this instruction in front of all Israel in their ears. Assemble the people--the men and the women and the infants and your alien who in in your gates--so they will listen and so they will learn and will be in awe of Adonay your God, and they will be watchful to do all the words of this instruction. (D'varim/Deuteronomy 31:10-12)
Everyone needs to learn, everyone needs direct access to the Torah. Extraordinary.
Those who came together to study and discuss Torah, while the Temple in Jerusalem still stood, were a populist movement. The Torah describes these men: wealthy and poor, landowners and shoemakers, with one thing in common: a commitment to exploring the depths of the Torah and making sure that the precepts of the Torah were being faithfully followed in a location and culture and economy significantly different from the place and language and culture and economy of the nomadic wandering generations who were present at Sinai. These scholars asked each other questions: What does this word mean now? How do we fulfill this mitzvah in this time and place? How do we integrate this piece of new realia into the framework of the Torah?
It is a conversation that continues until this very day on many levels . . . including, and most important, among "the men and the women and the infants", not just the scholars, not just the rabbis, but everyone who is part of the community.
There are lots of Jewish "things to do" . . . pray, give tzedakah/charity, support the institutions of the Jewish community, support one another through illness and bereavement, chose to keep the dietary laws of kashrut . . . but the Mishnah (the earliest layer of rabbinic text redacted in the 2nd century CE) declares that תלמוד תורה כנגד כולם / Talmud Torah kneged kulam / the study of Torah stands equally with all the other Jewish practices and observes combined. It's a bold statement. The traditional understanding has been that it is through the study of Torah that we will learn how and why and be inspired to pray, give tzedakah, support the community, take part in the community and deepen our individual Jewish identities.
The world of Jewish learning covers as wide a spectrum as the human experience itself . . . jewish learning leads to Jewish living. And Jewish living also covers a wide spectrum of identity and lifestyle and commitment.
It is for these reasons that the members of the Board of Rabbis of Greater Rhode Island is offering our first public event: an evening of eclectic Jewish learning. Drash and Dessert. "Drash" is the Hebrew term for the exploration and interpretation of Torah. "Dessert", well that's self-explanatory: Jews come together and there has to be food, yes?
We are proud and inspired by the wide variety of topics on offer at our Drash and Dessert event tomorrow evening after Shabbat. Whether you have sent in an rsvp or not, we hope you will join us. Click here to see the full program including time table and descriptions of our 14 different study sessions involving 16 members of our Board of Rabbis!
Ki Tissa 5774: Keeping God in Mind
This week's parashah/ Torah reading, Ki Tissa, doesn't offer much tranquility . . . as we have gone from meteorological storm to meteorological storm this week, our ancient ancestors in the wilderness underwent emotional storm after emotional storm.
Moses, descending from Sinai, shatters the Tables of the Covenant just created by God. Fury, frustration, incomprehension are all packed into this moment.
In the aftermath, God tersely instructs the Israelites that they will embrace and adhere to the following:
For you shall not bow down to another god---because Adonay: His name is Jealous, He is a jealous God--that you not make a covenant with the resident of the land . . . .You shall not make molten gods for yourself. You shall observe the Festival of Unleavened Bread. Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, which I commanded you . . . Every first birth of a womb is Mine, and all your animals that have a male first birth, ox or sheep. You shall redeem every firstborn of your sons. And none shall appear before Me empty-handed. Six days you shall work, and in the seventh day you shall cease: In plowing time and in harvest, you shall cease. And you shall make a Festival of Weeks, of the firstfruits of the wheat harvest, and the Festival of Gathering at the end of the year. . . . You shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice on leavened bread. You shall bring the first of the firstfruits of you land to the house of Adonay your God. You shall not cook a kid in its mother's milk." (excerpted from Sh'mot/Exodus 34: 14-26, Friedman translation)
This has a ring of the Aseret Hadibrot / Ten Utterances / Ten Commandments of course. Especially in the opening strictures of not bowing down to another God and not making molten images. Clearly, at the moment, these commandments needed repeating: the people had just contravened exactly these commandments in their building and worshipping the golden calf.
The rest of the list is interesting and does depart from the familiar Ten Commandments list:
Observing Passover.
The unique place of the firstborn of animals and humans as dedicated to God.
Shabbat.
Shavuot.
Sukkot.
The stricture against blood sacrifice.
The first fruits offering.
The prohibition against cooking meat in milk.
The list is quite different from the Ten Commandments list in that the theme of mitzvot guiding the relationship among humans is missing, the "mitzvot bein adam l'havero" commandments between one person and another: there is not "you shall not steal," "you shall not murder," "honor your father and your mother," . . . Every mitzvah on this post-golden calf list is in the category of "bein adam lamakom", "between a person and God." These are mitzvot about our relating to God.
In contemplating this list, it strikes me that this is a list of mitzvot that place our consciousness of our relationship to God before us on an ongoing basis. These are mitzvot that are scattered throughout our day, our week, our year, guiding us to constantly keep in mind that we are in relationship with God at all times.
God has learned, the hard way, that among the frailties of human beings we must count short memories and lack of confidence. After the glory of the redemption at the Sea of Reeds, the awe of the revelation at Sinai . . . within weeks we were building an idol and looking to worship it. Anathema to God and a complete dismissal of the commitment (na'aseh v'nishma . . . we will do, we will obey) we had made at Sinai.
Ours is a tradition that puts our relationship with God before us all day, every day, in a multitude of ways. Ours is not a one-day-a-week tradition or a tradition that can easily be pigeon-holed. Judaism is at its richest and most meaningful and most inspiring when we engage with it every day.
Mishpatim 5774: Taking the Name of Religion in Vain
The Pew Research Institute conducts invaluable research on many aspects of religion around the world. Their recently published survey of the American Jewish community triggered more than a flurry of reflections, condemnations, soul-searching, re-prioritizing around the American Jewish map of organizations and institutions.
This week, Pew published another study that touches on a subject that troubles me deeply: the dynamic of hostility targeting religion and hostility targeted by religion:
The study examines government restrictions on religion and religious groups and social hostilities involving religion . . . two fields of inquiry that simply should not exist. Title of the rubric under which Pew published the study is "Restrictions on Religion." Appallingly, the title of the published study is "Religious Hostilities Reach Six-Year High."
The opening words of the study are:
"The share of countries with a high or very high level of social hostilities involving religion reached a six-year peak in 2012, according to a new study by the Pew Research Center. A third (33%) of the 198 countries and territories included in the study had high religious hostilities in 2012, up from 29% in 2011 and 20% as of mid-2007. Religious hostilities increased in every major region of the world except the Americas. The sharpest increase was in the Middle East and North Africa, which still is feeling the effects of the 2010-11 political uprisings known as the Arab Spring.1 There also was a significant increase in religious hostilities in the Asia-Pacific region, where China edged into the "high" category for the first time." (www.pewresearch.org)
The issues around religious hostilities include government policies restricting religious practice in different ways; the existence of state-sponsored religion and the attitude toward other religions; state funding of religions and religious education. Social hostilities involving religion relate to violence, damage to property or person directed at the adherents of specific faiths, mob violence, violence perpetrated by one religious group against another religious group, and threats of violence and acts of violence to enforce religious norms,
It is inexpressibly tragic that religion is the catalyst for or the target of violence, hostility, hatred. It is a perversion of every true faith to turn the adherents of other faiths into targets of bias and hatred. There are so many factors that go into creating these lethal mixtures of restriction and hostility and faith . . . but they are not theological factors, they are economic and political and ethnic factors. Those who contend that religion divides people, creates barriers between people, take the name of religion in vain . . . and those who use the terminology and institutions of faith to create hatred and bias and violence take the name of religion in vain.
People of faith, people in whom the awe of God instills humility and gratitude and respect for all humanity know better.
Sh'mot 5774: Where Sh'mot/Exodus Will Take Us
This Shabbat our weekly Torah reading brings us to the very beginning of the second book of the Torah: Sh'mot/Exodus.
We are going to witness and relive some of the greatest moments in our history as we read our way, parasha by parasha, portion by portion, through this second book of Torah.
Right at the beginning of the parasha we see the Israelites referred to, for the very first time, as עם "ahm," "nation". This is in contrast to the Israelites at the end of the book of Breishit/Genesis who were an extended family related through Jacob's progeny. Now, in Sh'mot, the Israelites are a confederation of twelve tribes and are considered by their Egyptian neighbors to be a force to be reckoned with.
We will quickly become engaged in the quagmire and heartbreak of the enslavement of the Israelites in Egypt, the evolution of Moses from foundling to prince, from prince to refugee, from refugee to shepherd and from shepherd to national leader and God's collaborator. The sea will part. The Torah will be revealed at Sinai. The Golden Calf will emerge and enrage. The Tabernacle/Mishkan will be constructed in the wilderness and preparations will be made for the establishment of the first stage of Israelite religion: the sacrificial cult.
We will emerge at the end of the book of Sh'mot/Exodus, as a people bound to God through the salvation of Israel from Egypt and through the brit, the covenant forged between Israel and God at Sinai. Our lives will be informed by ethical, ritual, spiritual and moral mitzvot/commandments . . . through this second book of Torah we revisit our roots and our core values. By examining our beginnings as a people our appreciation for the wisdom and the richness of our tradition deepens.
Twice a day our liturgy provides us with the opportunity to recite the following verse (part of the compilation from the Psalms we call "ashrei"). As I contemplate the spiritual journey that awaits us in the book of Sh'mot/Exodus, this verse comes to mind:
Ashrei ha'am she'Adonay elohav אשרי העם שה׳ אלהיו
Blessed are the people whose God is Adonay.
Psalms 144:15
Vayishlach 5774: Yisrael--Struggling With God
Each of our patriarchs has an iconic moment which has become a key element of his personality and his spiritual legacy: Avram responds with unquestioning alacrity to God's call to leave all that is familiar and embark on an uncharted spiritual and physical journey. God renames him "Avraham" -- father of multitudes.
Isaac, never re-named, never journeyed beyond the borders of his homeland Canaan, married his "love at first sight" match Rebekkah, and faithfully received and transmitted the covenant to his son, Jacob. God named Isaac before his birth: Yitzhak -- he will laugh.
In this week's Torah reading, Jacob is also re-named, mid-life, like his grandfather Abraham.
The event around Jacob's renaming is also centered around an iconic moment: Jacob has packed up his extensive extended family of wives and concubines and children and servants and flocks and is on his way back to Canaan to re-settle in the land of his birth. His reunion with his twin, Esau, looms large in his consciousness. Jacob has prepared for this reunion carefully. He does not know if Esau will meet him with aggression or affection. So Jacob divides up his travelling estate into two camps so that, worst case scenario, Esau will only be able to attack half of Jacob's family and belongings.
Perhaps out of anxiety, Jacob separates himself from all the rest of his convoy and sleeps isolated out in the wilderness. The Torah relates: And Jacob was left by himself. And a man wrestled with him until the dawn's rising. And he saw that he was not able against him, and he touched the inside of his thigh, and the inside of Jacob's thigh was dislocated during his wrestling with him. And he said: "Let me go, because the dawn has risen." And he said, "I won't let you go unless you bless me." And he said to him, "What is your name?" And he said, "Jacob." And he said, "Your name won't be said 'Jacob' anymore but 'Israel,' because you've struggled with God and with people and were able." (Breishit/Genesis 32:25-29). Jacob receives the new name "Yisrael" -- who struggled with God.
Each divinely-named patriarch adds another layer to the legacy of our tradition: the eternal generations of the progeny of Abraham; the laughter of Isaac who partnered with one woman in one place; and, most fascinating, Jacob's emergence whole and blessed from his struggle with God.
How extraordinary: one who struggles with God emerges blessed. Our legacy from Jacob/Israel is encouragement to question God, explore God's strength and balance our own against it. Our legacy from Jacob/Israel is not just permission, but a challenge to forgo passivity and find our own best grasp of God in our lives. Like Jacob, who failed to elicit the name of his Adversary, we will never know God completely, but it is clear that we will emerge from struggle blessed.
Lech L'cha 5774: What's in a Name?
There are a number of hugely significant moments in this week's parashah/Torah reading: from Avram's stunning act of faith in response to God's literally out-of-the-blue call: "Lech l'cha" / "Take yourself off to the place I'll show you . . . " to the first iterations of the covenantal promises of progeny and land. This is a touchstone parashah.
With so many founding principles and themes in this Torah reading, we often don't focus on an interesting dynamic of these early Breishit/Genesis chapters: God is changing or determining the names of everybody in the nuclear Avram/Sarai family. Avram becomes Avraham. Sarai, his wife, becomes Sarah. It is God who determines the name of the child Hagar will bear to Avram (Ishmael) and it is God who determines the name of the child Sarah will bear to Avraham (Yitzhak/Isaac).
Anyone who has been blessed with the opportunity to name a child has felt a tremendous sense of responsibility. as well as promise for the future and the potential of this new life. There are so many elements we want to weave into the names we choose for our children: our hopes for their future; qualities we hope will be integrated into their personalities; channeling the memories and the love of relatives who have not lived to see and hold this new child . . . .
There is something endearing about this image of God as the "namer" in this family. Not since the Eden generation, has God claimed the role of "namer." Indeed, God tasks Adam, the human, with the task of naming much of creation. (Breishit 2:19 "And Adonay God fashioned from the ground every animal of the field and every bird of the skies and brought it to the human to see what Adam would call it. And whatever the human would call it, each living being, that would be its name.")
The fact that God has taken back the role of "namer" at this moment signals the uniqueness of the relationship with this family. Even though we first encounter Avram and Sarai with perfectly serviceable names, God wants to mark them with names of God's choosing. There is a sweetness in these acts of naming. We are witnessing God's hopes for each one of these family members, the qualities they will display, their relationships with God and with other humans, are all rolled into these new names: Avram as Avraham will establish many peoples to carry on the tradition of this new relationship with God; Sarai (meaning "princess") becomes Sarah . . . the meaning of her name does not change, but the letter "hei" added to her name is understood to represent the name of God, thus making her a partner in the covenantal enterprise; Hagar's son is blessed with the name Yishma-el, promising that God will hear him throughout his lifetime; Sarah's son is to be called Yitzhak which evokes the joyous (and incredulous) laughter of his parents as they contemplate his birth.
We and our Christian and Muslim friends in the "Abrahamic faiths" are the legacy of these four people, named by God. May we, too, embody those hopes of God to be treasure our common ancestry as the descendants of spiritual royalty, and be blessed with God's listening ear and bring joy to those who love us.
Simchat Torah 5774: Right to the Source
After the austerity of Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, Sukkot and Simchat Torah provide color and noise and joy . . . and, as the name implies, there is no greater joy (simchah) than our joy in having the Torah.
Our joy in the Torah comes from the unique place this text holds in our tradition: it is through the Torah that we find our collective identity as a people; we learn our history, our values, insights into the human character and insights into God. The Torah constantly challenges us with spiritual and behavioral goals which can engage us for a lifetime. The Torah provides us with hope in our future as long as we have a community with which to study and live with and provides comfort to us through the Torah's many assurances of God's love for us and commitment to our covenant, our brit, with God.
One of the Torah's greatest gifts to us is itself: unlike many other ancient faiths, the knowledge of, engagement with our quintessential sacred text was never reserved for an elite few . . . just weeks ago, as we read the book of Deuteronomy at Shabbat services, we were witness to Moshe commanded that the Torah be read aloud as the entire people were gathered together: men, women and all those old enough to understand. Every single Jewish soul has a direct connection to our Source . . . to God and to sacred text God has put into our hands.
This is one of the reasons why Simchat Torah is so powerful: each of us holds a scroll in our arms . . . we dance and sing and rejoice in our identities as Jewish individuals in a thriving Jewish community . . . . and it is the Torah we embrace that makes us possible.
Yom Kippur 5774: Yom Kippur on Shabbat - time for the "Third Metric"
Every few years (the algorithms of the Hebrew calendar are beyond me), Yom Kippur and Shabbat coincide, as is the case this year. It's an interesting contrast of themes and dynamics: Shabbat is supposed to be a day of עונג/oneg/delight. On Shabbat we are supposed to enjoy the best food of the week, wear the best clothes of the week, sing and relax and, yes, pray with our community. Yom Kippur is supposed to be a day of עינוי/inu'i/self-affliction. On Yom Kippur we are supposed to fast, to wear white (the traditional color of mourning), reflect, look past physical pleasures and, yes, pray with our community.
These seem to be mutually exclusive. So how do we understand this potent day of Shabbat and Yom Kippur together?
I found some inspiration from Ariana Huffington, the editor-in-chief of The Huffington Post. Ms. Huffington is developing an initiative, The Third Metric, which aims to redefine success beyond the first two metrics of money and power to include well-being, wisdom, our ability to wonder and to give back.
Huffington said she personally uses mindfulness and meditation to help achieve those goals.
"Silence is an amazing way to recharge ourselves," she said.
Making time to incorporate this third measure of success can not only change your life, but transform the workplace, Huffington said, by helping people become more creative, productive and connected.
"Olympic athletes get naps. When performance really matters, taking care of yourself is key," she said.
In a speech to more than 800 women at the Women Of Influence luncheon that included Twitter Canada CEO Kirstine Stewart, Huffington stressed that the "hurry-up culture" is not working, and that the whole concept of multitasking is a myth. (Huffington Post, 9/11/13)
On Yom Kippur, the day of the year during which we are given the opportunity to take stock of our priorities, review our relationships with our families and friends and community and God, we should take God as our role model. God, ultimately, has "rochmones"/mercy on us when we approach life with integrity and good intention. Why shouldn't we be as kind to ourselves and those we love?
The underlying thread of the delight of Shabbat flowing under the challenges of Yom Kippur are the best of that Third Metric of Ms. Huffington's. Breath. Let go of that "hurry-up culture." On this ultimate Day of Awe, give yourself permission to feel that awe.
Ki Teitzei 5773: Do We Really Need Shul?
This was an exhilarating week at Torat Yisrael: we held four Open House events this week and welcomed a steady stream of prospective members interested in touring our new synagogue building, meeting our members, learning about our school, our services, our adult education and social service programs.
This is an excellent week to contemplate the significance of synagogue: why do hundreds of us so willingly and loving contribute our precious resources of money and time and good will and expertise to sustaining our congregation?
I found a thought-piece published in the Huffington Post this week rather inspiring. It was written by Tara Woodard-Lehman, Presbyterian Chaplain at Princeton University. Her piece begins:
Not long ago I was having a conversation with a college student. Like many young adults, this guy was a religious "none." He wasn't some sort of jaded post-religious person, but he also wasn't actively trying to find a religious home.
Despite his state of self-described religious none-ness, this student pursued conversations about spiritual things. And, as expressed by many students I talk with, he found my commitment to "traditional religion" quite curious.
He asked, "I mean, I get why you're into 'being spiritual' and 'helping people' and everything, but why bother with Church? I just don't get that part. Do you really think you need it?"
He went on to describe how irrelevant the Church was. In his view, all the Church once provided can be found elsewhere in civic life. From community service projects to book clubs; from outreach to the poor to potlucks; from meditation groups to support groups, he described the many other places that provide much of what the Church used to (and occasionally still does) provide.
I did my best to listen.
And you know what I concluded? He was, at least in part, right. If the Church is only what he described (a sort of glorified community center or service provider), it is a wonder anyone shows up.
I thought: If the synagogue is only a sort of glorified community center or service provider, it is a wonder that anyone shows up, too!
Reverend Woodard-Lehman, of course, provides her answer to why she needs church:
After giving it much consideration, I've decided that there is at least one very good reason why I need Church: I have a really bad memory.
It's true. I have a terrible memory. Especially when it comes to remembering who I am as a child of God. . . .
I forget who I am. I forget who God is. I forget God's Epic Story of Redemption and Liberation and Renewal and Beauty and Hope.
I forget. A lot.
On top of that, there are a gazillion other demands and voices that are vying for my attention all the freaking time.
So I admit it. I get tired. And I get distracted. And more often than not, I forget.
I need Church, because Church reminds me of everything that's important.
Yes! So does shul! We come together in our Jewish community, certainly to enjoy our Sisterhood Book Club and our end of summer barbecue (August 25th, don't forget to sign up!) and our support of the Edgewood Food Closet and the Chester Kosher Food Pantry (bring non-perishables to the barbecue, please!) and sharing wine and munchies at Shalom to Shabbat . . . but there are non-Jewish, secular versions of all these activities.
We need "shul" to remind us of what's important . . . and to come together with others who also want to be reminded of what's important.
In the context of the secular world outside our congregation we're "on our own." There is no way to be reminded that God is an ever-present, consistent source of strength and inspiration accessible to us any time, any where. But we walk into our synagogue and our Torah study and our liturgy and our discussions around all kinds of tables recharge or spiritual batteries, so we can take that assurance out into the world.
In the context of the secular world outside our congregation, there is no humility. Where, at the public library or the shopping mall or the gym are we going to be reminded that life itself is a gift from God? But in our synagogue, through our Torah study and our liturgy and our discussions around all kinds of tables, we come together from all sorts of backgrounds and motivations and learn to appreciate the Godly in each of us and we are given the opportunity to savor just being one sacred part of God's creation instead of moving through the world assuming we are each the center of the universe.
At Torat Yisrael, our congregation is the place where we can grow into these truths: that God never leaves us along, that we are part of something greater. At Torat Yisrael, these truths are sources of joy: we sing, we laugh, we build and grow as Jews because our tradition gives us so much to celebrate.
That's why we need shul!

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


When you say �economic development�, what exactly do you mean?
Below, Ian discusses the meaning of Economic Development and why the timing is right to have the discussion in your community about where you are in the Economic Development process.
After reviewing the results from this past Monday�s Ontario 2014 Municipal Election, it would seem that there are going to be several new faces around Ontario municipal and county council tables starting this December 1st. As many of the candidates in Ontario appeared to have campaigned on "economic development� as a top priority, this is an opportune time to put together some thoughts that can be shared and discussed with your elected officials. Whether your community is in Ontario or elsewhere and whether your Council members are returning or new to the political arena, I hope you find these ideas useful.
One of the most fascinating aspects of economic development is the mere definition of the term. I am not talking about the economic development definitions that can be found in a text book, but instead I am referring to what economic development professionals, elected officials and community members think they mean when they talk about "economic development�.
I've had the privilege of working with many different communities throughout Ontario and Nova Scotia and I have observed when people speak about economic development they are actually talking about the side-effects of a prosperous business community: namely an increase in jobs and a stronger commercial/industrial tax base. In the end, a business exists to make money. Contrary to some beliefs, a business is rarely in the business solely to create local jobs (although there are some establishments that choose to grow locally). I can also say with confidence that a business is never in business just to pay taxes! Yet often "economic development� is used as a term describing the attraction of jobs and the expansion of a community�s tax base.
Economic development should not be considered an outcome, but instead needs to be viewed as a process. Simply put, economic development is the process of undertaking a specific set of actions with an end goal of creating the conditions for businesses to prosper. Whether this is about investment retention, expansion or attraction, the basic economic development process is the same. Different communities are at different stages in this process and all have unique economic development priorities.
Now is an excellent time to educate new and old elected officials on how your community�s economic development process is defined, where you are in that process and what you and your elected officials can do together to help create that investment friendly environment that will entice businesses to thrive. Finally, remember that economic development is a continuous process (not a project) and a long-term investment into your community�s future well-being. It is not a silver bullet that will immediately transform your economy. It will take a committed, coordinated, and concerted long-term effort to ensure that your economic development process is well-defined and implemented so that in the end businesses locate, stay and expand in your community to make profits. Jobs and assessment will follow that success.


THE DARK WEB may have a silver lining, according to a pair of academics: A new class of geekier, less violent drug dealers.
A law professor and a professor of criminal science argue, in a paper released online, that by reducing physical contact between drug dealers—particularly between dealers and their suppliers—the Silk Road's bustling Web-based narcotics trade may have prevented bloodshed that would have occurred in the street-level illegal drug market.
The new visibility of police violence toward African-Americans in the United States has stoked public debate about policing: What about body cameras? Should we reform police training? Perhaps we should go slow on all that military gear?
I find it almost impossible to sit through any of this while the underlying issue goes unaddressed: It's the drug economy, stupid.
During the 1980s and 1990s, as the United States battled the scourge of cocaine throughout the hemisphere, Washington did most of the talking. Latin American governments were forced to listen and fall in line. The American government had the most money to throw at the problem, the toughest justice system and the biggest bully pulpit.
Massive march in Medellin Columbia for the "Day of Pot"
The Marijuana March became a total carnival. In its seventh year and as in previous years, participants stressed the need to take the step to legalization.
The Global Marijuana March (GMM) is kicking off at different locations across the world taking place this year on Saturday May 2, 2015 and include marches, meetings, rallies, concerts, festivals and other relevant information and events relating to cannabis.
The Global Marijuana March began in 1999 which have had hundreds of thousands of people participated in over 829 different cities in 72 countries worldwide since its inception.
The Global Marijuana March is a celebration embracing cannabis culture as a personal lifestyle choice. Participants unite to discuss, promote, entertain and educate both consumers and non-consumers alike.
Three men who identify themselves as former police officers smoke marijuana and get high on camera in a new video released in time for "420," the annual marijuana holiday.
All of the men say that they had previously smoked weed, but not for decades. And while none recalled arresting anyone for a marijuana crime during their law enforcement career, one did remember seizing "a lot of pot" from people.


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« It's Not Just a New York Issue | Whip Uncertainty Now: An Exit Strategy from Obama's Economy »
Obama's new Oval Office digs
By Jeannie DeAngelis
Just like the United States of America, Obama's Oval Office recently received a "fundamental transformation." After 10 days of relaxation, the President returned to an office wholly expunged of any hint of Obama's presidential predecessor.
Chief apologist Robert Gibbs, speaking about the recession renovation, assured the press corps that "None of the modest changes that were done inside the Oval Office were done at any taxpayer expense, much like they've been done by previous presidents." Methinks Mr. Gibbs doth protest too much.
Whatever the source, spending unwarranted amounts of money in full view of a nation struggling with foreclosures, unemployment, and a worsening financial system is overtly tactless.
Two years ago, when the lagging economy was in far better shape, Obama, speaking about the Oval Office furnishings, said he liked the "décor and saw no need for immediate redecorating." White House advisor Valerie Jarrett revealed that Obama "loves" the sunburst carpet Laura Bush designed for the office.
America's penny-wise President chose instead to add small inspirational additions to the Chief Executive's workspace like a bronze bust of Martin Luther King Jr. and a copy of the Emancipation Proclamation on loan from the Smithsonian.
Apparently, it took the threat of a double dip recession to inspire the President to invest in superfluous office décor using money people could use to pay bills. The goal: obliterate every trace of George W. Bush from the Oval Office before giving a nationally-televised speech on the success of a surge Obama predicted would fail and the culmination of a war G.W. won.
The President's "for the first time in my adult lifetime I'm really proud of my country" office revamp "took pains to ensure that new additions were American made." In honor of two undeniably blue states the President included "New York wallpaper and a Michigan made rug."
The Laura Bush-designed sunburst carpet was rolled up to make way for a "wheat, cream and blue colored oval-shaped rug [with] the presidential seal in the center...encircled by five quotes [from Presidents] Kennedy, Lincoln and both Roosevelts-- with the fifth quote from Martin Luther King."
Obama's favorite collective redemption quote being: "The Welfare of Each of Us is Dependent Fundamentally Upon the Welfare of All of Us" by President Teddy Roosevelt.
From the looks of the recession renovation, Barack is apparently planning to camp out for a while. Unfortunately for the President, removing the sunburst carpet from the Oval Office does nothing to remedy an ever-growing list of Obama-instigated domestic time bombs.
Comfortably entrenched within the womblike comfort of new digs, perhaps Obama will lean back in that new leather chair and contemplate additional political predicaments, such as the Oval Office walls being papered with "beige and gold" wallpaper, while 21 U.S. soldiers lay dying in Afghanistan, casualties of a war Obama presides over from a brand new armchair.
Author's content: www.jeannie-ology.com


Leaking shower doors are one of the most common bathroom problems for many homes. Whether caused by missing or damaged door sweeps, insufficient sealing or improper installation, leakages can cause a lot of problems if left ignored. They can lead to mold and mildew growth in your bathroom, drywall, and damage flooring, sub-flooring and baseboards.
For framed or frameless shower doors, you'll just a need simple repair that you can manage by yourself in most cases. Here's a quick guide on how to manage a shower door that leaks.
The biggest challenge is to figure out the exact location of the leakage. Often, leaks are too small and remain unnoticed, that is until signs of damage start appearing. Thoroughly inspect the following areas as they're most prone to leaks.
The door sweep at the bottom of the shower door.
The metal framework attached to the wall of the enclosure.
The tracks in which the shower door slides in if you have a sliding door.
The drainage channels or weep holes in the framework of the shower door.
Improper installation can cause water to seep out while taking shower or due to condensation. Blockage of drainage holes can also result in leaking.
If it's an installation problem, like a badly positioned doorsill or malfunctioning door, contact an installation professional instead of doing it yourself. This is because if it goes wrong, you may end up with a shattered glass shower door, a torn down floor around the shower or an exposed sheetrock.
For other problems, like blockage of drainage holes and damaged caulking, you can easily solve them by following some simple steps outlined below.
If the problem lies in blocked drainage holes or channels, first find what's causing the blockage. It could be soap scum, silicone caulk or lime scale. To remove soap scum and limescale, use a ready-made scum/limescale cleaner and scrub off with a toothbrush, finishing nail or a thin skewer.
To remove damaged or worn out caulk, use a razor blade or similar scraper. Removing the old caulk is important because if you use new caulking over the old, it can create sealing problems by blocking the weep holes. These small holes at the bottom of the track of the shower door are meant to drain water and condensation back into the shower. Take clear 100% silicone caulking and place a small amount where you removed the old caulking. Don't use the shower for 24 hours after applying the new caulking to let it dry. However, when buying a caulk do make sure to buy one that's meant for bathrooms and other wet areas. They should be mold resistant too.
Inspect the inside trim of the shower door frame and for signs of scum, rust, dirt or grime and remove them in the same way. If the inside sweep is worn out, remove and replace it with a new one following the directions of the manufacturer. Choose one that has a drip rail. A properly functioning sweep nicely adheres to the surface of the glass door. So, when you replace it, make sure that it adheres properly.
Often during installation of the shower door, some tiles may get cracked when pilot holes are drilled into them to hold the screws. If the source of the leak is a cracked tile around the shower door, remove and replace the tile. Also make sure that there isn't any missing grout.
Shower door leaks aren't as complicated as you think. However, if you're unsure about the problem or find your DIY job not working out, immediately get in touch with an installation expert.


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Air Force 20th IS Forms Offutt Air Base Lab Network
by Matthew Nelson
The U.S. Air Force's 20th Intelligence Squadron has started efforts to establish a network that will help address warfighter concerns.
The unit has begun to gather individuals of different expertise from various USAF commands and teams to develop ideas and projects at the Spark Hub facility in Offutt Air Force Base as part of the Soaring Buffalo network, the service branch said Tuesday.
Additionally, members from the Air Force Global Strike Command, 595th Strategic Communications Squadron and 20th IS targeteers have developed a dashboard that assists warfighters in decision-making functions.
The network has teamed up with academic institutions and firms to secure training in the areas of analytics and data visualization.
The Spark Hub facility leverages intelligence, warfighter systems and commercial internet connectivity to create services and platforms at a rapid pace through the use of DevOps methods.Â
20th intelligence squadron
595th strategic communications squadron
Air Force Global Strike Command
govcon
Offutt Air Force Base
soaring buffalo
spark hub


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The West Owes a Debt to Islam: Interview with Prof Glen Cooper
by The Editorial Team, Khaleel Shaikh	Published on: 31st October 2017
Architecture - Arts - Astronomy - Education - Glen Cooper - Literature - Manuscripts - Mathematics - Medicine -
Professor Glen Cooper discusses the Golden Age of Muslim Civilisation. During the European Dark Ages, when science, art and literature seemed to flounder for centuries, there actually was a lot of discover in places like Iraq, Persia and Syria.
Figure 1. Image Banner
Note of Editor: This Podcast was first published and broadcasted at byuradio.org. Later, it was published by 1001 Inventions. The transcript, however, is published first at Muslim Heritage. We thank Khaleel Shaikh for transcribing the interview.
Figure 2. Guest Prof Glen M. Cooper
The West Owes a Debt to Islam
Host: Julie Rose (J.R), broadcast journalist and interviewer
Guest: Prof Glen Cooper (G.C), PhD, Adjunct Professor of History, Pitzer College
Description: During the European Dark Ages, when science, art and literature seemed to flounder for several centuries, there actually was a lot of discover and insight going on – but in places like Iraq, Persia and Syria. The science of medicine, mathematics and astronomy flourished among scholars and would help catalyze the European Renaissance. But those contributions have been largely forgotten today.
Podcast: Click here to listen the interview (www.byuradio.org)
Below is the Transcript of this interview >>>
Figure 3. Galen, Ibn Sina (Avecena), and Hippocrates, the three authorities on medical theory and practice in a woodcut from an early 15th-century Latin medical book. (Source)
Figure 4. The overview of the astronomical instruments and staff of the Istanbul Observatory with Taqi Al-Din Rasid at work from Shahinshahnāme manuscript (Source)
J.R. Intro: To understand why and what's lost when we ignore the debt we owe to Islam? I'm joined by Glen Cooper, he's an Adjunct Professor of History at Pitzer Collage and also a BYU alum. He has built a career on studying ancient Islamic science.
J.R: Welcome Professor Cooper it's good to have you.
G.C: Thank you Julian.
J.R: Can you point to anything in our modern scientific or medical world, that we can look at and say, Islamic Scholars made that what it is today?
G.C: Well there is numerous examples of things that we use every day. For example, the numeral system, the Arabic numeral system that we use, which actually comes from India. But the decimal fractions that the Muslim mathematicians invented, in 15th C. Samarqand, which simplified astronomical calculations. And also Spherical Trigonometry, which they developed to help them investigate the heavens. But more pervasively, and this is often overlooked, is that the mediaeval Muslims shaped the way that we think about and do science to this day. Their greatest innovations were scientific institutions, they came up with the idea of private, endowed research institutions. They pioneered in colleges, hospitals and observatories.
Figure 5. Samarkand (Source)
J.R: Prior to the Islamic world doing this, how would that kind of pursuit be done? Would it have been done more individually rather than in a professional setting?
G.C: Well there were things like the library of Alexandria and other places. But they were usually endowed by the ruler and were subjected to his whim, whereas these [Muslim scientific] endowments were protected by the religious institutions.
Figure 6. Turning a fistula into in rhinophyma treatment by a Muslim surgeon. Miniature in Sharaf al-Din Sabuncuoglu's book Cerrahiyat al-Hâniyya (Source)
J.R: Give me an example of one of these institutions that you have studied
G.C: Let me start with the hospitals. Hospitals as we understand them were originally invented by Christians as places of charity for the dying and this is what we see as hospice care today. But in the mediaeval Islamic world they took that idea and turned the hospitals into research institutions that were privately endowed by a pious benefactor. This was to improve medication towards the sick rather than just the dying.
J.R: So when we go to the hospital today to get better and not to die, that was an idea that the Islamic scientists came up with?
G.C: Yes. Plus the knowledge that accumulated in such places.
J.R: But did they advance medical treatment during this period? In the dark ages medicine was pretty rough compared with what we know today! What kind of contributions did the Islamic scholars make?
G.C: They improved medical treatment, they built upon the Greek physicians and improved all of their techniques and all of their theories. They made remarkable discoveries. For example, Ibn al-Nafis, a 13th century Syrian physician, discovered the pulmonary circulation of the blood, which prefigured Harvey's great discovery three centuries later. Ibn al-Haytham, in the 11th century, investigated the anatomy and physiology of vision.
Figure 7. www.ibnalhaytham.com
Figure 8. A parade of surgeons, on the left side from Surnâme-i Vehbî (Source)
J.R: Were they surgeons? Were they advancing the treatment? Or were they mostly advancing the basic knowledge and writing anatomical texts which other scientist could then build upon?
G.C: physicians usually did many things. They in many different things that we would separate today. But in the place of the hospital, were they worked, they had the opportunity to do a variety of investigations.
J.R: Were there political or cultural reasons why the Islamic world was experiencing this golden age of science when we had the dark ages going on in Europe?
G.C: Yes there is. The dynasty of the Caliphate that was established in Baghdad in 750 A.D. had political reasons in its rivalry with Byzantium to appropriate ancient Greek thought. Which was useful for things like astrology, mathematics and medicine. So all these Greek works were translated into Arabic and became a part of an imperial/political ideology of knowledge and advancing everything.
J.R: Advancing what exactly? Was it a part of this idea of world domination? Were they translating to claim all the wisdom of the Greeks?
G.C: Yes it was a part of asserting the legitimacy of the Islamic ruler as opposed to the Christian emperor. And to assert that Islam was the legitimate successor of all the ancient empires that had gone before, from whom they based their knowledge and their discoveries.
Figure 9. Harun al-Rashid receiving a delegation sent by Charlemagne at his court (Source)
Figure 10. Spain's Islamic heritage Al-Andalus
J.R: But how far did the Islamic world span at this particular moment in time?
G.C: From Spain, the Iberian Peninsula, all the way to India.
J.R: And this is truly the largest it had ever been? This was at its peak and the ruler had political reasons for wanting to be the world leader in science and thought right?
G.C: Yes. And with astrology, the ability to predict the future, or supposedly to predict the future, was important politically.
J.R: Was there any influence of Islam itself and the religious principles of Islam, that is evident in the scientific work that was done by these scholars?
G.C: Yes the Quran has many verses that encourage the seeking of knowledge, to understand God's creation and to understand His existence. This was also seen as a religious responsibility.
J.R: So there wasn't any concern about man usurping the power of Allah and usurping the Majesty of Allah in some way by trying to understand the heavens or understand in detail how the human body works?
G.C: For the most part, astrology got into trouble because it claims knowledge that only God is thought to have. But if you could set the claims of astrology aside, then you could have predictive astronomy which was useful for the calendar and useful for the Islamic religion regarding prayer times and other things which are related to the stars.
Figure 11. The depiction of Orion, as seen from Earth (left) and a mirror-image, from a 13th-century copy of al-Sufi's Book of the Fixed Stars.In this version, Orion's shield has become a long sleeve, typical of Islamic dress. (Source).
Figure 12. The picture depicts al-Razi stained on a glass window in Princeton University Chapel. (Source)
G.C: Absolutely, the same applies to Christianity for the date of Easter and so on. This was actually the impetus which drove the popes to seek knowledge from Islam in the 11th and 12th centuries.
J.R: Well so many religious holidays are based on accurate measurements of astronomy. So it would have been important for both religion and science to understand how this works and when these different moments were thriving.
J.R: What do you mean the popes were seeking knowledge from Islam?
G.C: Well the pope, understood that in Spain, when it was reconquered by the Christians, had libraries which had repositories of astronomy and mathematics that went way beyond the ancient Greeks. So the popes encouraged scholars from France to go there to translate and learn the mathematics and astronomy so that they could come back and fix the calendars and mathematics and so on. What they found was a trove which was bigger than they could possibly imagine.
J.R: Was it not known across the western world that Islam and the Islamic caliphate had such advanced scientists and researchers in their midst?
G.C: Well it was known but the rivalry between the states, that was a military conflict, for most of their existence, sort of precluded that and they did not have access to these libraries until they were conquered from those territories that the Christians got back.
J.R: So they conquered those libraries and found these Arabic texts which had borrowed heavily and built upon what the Greeks had done right? Did the Europeans and the Christians then translate them into Latin and then sort of pretend that the Islamic scholars never contributed?
G.C: No, not right away. The translations of these texts took over a century. They came in waves to. Aristotle and Galen were among the last of the waves. All through the European ages these texts fostered what we now know as the early renaissance. During the renaissance that we know of, the Italian renaissance, this is when people began to deny the Arabic contribution. During that time, you had parallel strands, you had scholars that were studying Arabic. They were trying to learn the contributions that Muslim scholars were still making in things like astronomy and mathematics. But then you have the humanists that were emphasising the pure Greek, and they thought of these translations, in the middle ages, from Arabic, as having corrupted the pure Greek. Even though with science, as we know, it is accumulative so what they took as corruptions were actually improvements that the mediaeval Islamic scientists and physicians had made in these texts. So the humanists actually set the clock back, scientifically in some ways, and they also began to obscure the Islamic contribution.
Figure 13. Aristotle teaching astronomy while using an astrolabe on a Arabic Manuscript… (Source)
Figure 14. Frontispiece of the Latin Version of the Canon of Medicine, printed in Venice (Source)
J.R: Was that out of xenophobia? I mean why would they obscure the Islamic contribution?
G.C: Well there's the rivalry between religions. Which religion is the true faith? Both Christianity and Islam felt that they were the one true faith and that says a lot for how they related to one another on an ideological level.
J.R: When did you realise that there was this whole rich world of Islamic scientific thought and inquiry that had been obscured.
G.C: Well I studied philosophy at oxford and I began to notice that there was this gap in the history of philosophy, from late antiquity till the 11th century. It was almost as if ancient, classical philosophy suddenly appeared out of nowhere. I poked around a bit and discovered that this wasn't the case, there was this vast body of Arabic commentary and translations of these ancient works that were avidly studied by the very people that were using them in the middle ages to revive philosophy and science. So that is when I became aware of it and I decided to study that subject in graduate school where I completed my PHD.
J.R: How accessible are the records and the resources and do they still live in some of these places that remain majority Muslim to this day? Are some of these individuals, that you mentioned, known and appreciated in places like Syria and Iraq today?
G.C: Yes, they are. However, some of these scientists that were rediscovered in the 20th century, by western scholars primarily, had been forgotten in the Islamic world. For example, Ibn al-Nafis' contribution, the pulmonary circulation, had actually been forgotten exclusively. So Western scholars are actually contributing the reawakening and contribution of Islamic pride and their own history.
J.R: Is there today this same kind of energy and interest in scientific pursuits in Islam?
G.C: I think the desire is there and I think that the vision is there. There are numerous efforts, for example, the 1001 Inventions international exhibition, is designed to show the vast contributions of the Islamic world in technology and the sciences. Both to make the west aware of these thing but also to encourage young Muslim youth to do the STEM subjects?
Figure 15. www.1001inventions.com/stem-bonanza
Figure 16. 15th-century European portrait of "Geber", the Latin name of Jabir ibn Hayyan: in Codici Ashburnhamiani 1166 (Source)
J.R: Why is this important to you? what do you hope is the result of your efforts to raise awareness about what really does plug this gap between the Greeks and the Europeans?
G.C: Well, personally I don't like to be lied to about the way history goes. But my broader vision is to encourage my fellow westerners to appreciate the contributions of the Islamic world. I don't mean necessarily to love Islam, but to appreciate that the history of science is a global thing with many strands, many contributions and I would also like to see western arrogance hum down a little bit. We didn't invent everything and the Greeks didn't invent everything. We are not the only heirs of the Greeks the Muslims were to.
J.R: Glen Cooper is an adjunct assistant professor of history at Pitzer College a former professor of history here at BYU and a graduate of the University. Thank you for coming in today I really appreciate it.
G.C: Thank you very much.
muslimheritage.com/authors/glen-m-cooper
Figure 17. © 1001 inventions House of Wisdom Sketch
Author Bradley Steffens on 'First Scientist', Ibn al-Haytham
by Nadeem Haque
Interview with Peter Sanders
by Kaleem Hussain
Interview of Professor Al-Hassani in 'The Alchemy of Innovation'
Turkish-American TV: Interview with President of FSTC
by 1001 Inventions
Kristiane Backer Interviews Professor Salim Al-Hassani
Jim Al-Khalili in an Interview with New Scientist: Islam's House of Wisdom will Rise Again
Muslim Heritage Interviews
Interview with Professor Rabie E. Abdel-Halim
Interview with Professor Salim T. S. Al-Hassani
Interview with Professor George Saliba
Interview with Professor Emilie Savage-Smith
Interview with Dr. Zohor Idrisi
Interview with Prof Seyyed Hossein Nasr
Interview with Abdul Sahib Shakiry
Interview with Dr. Rim Turkmani
Interview with Anthony Garnaut: Islam in China
Interview with Professor Nil Sari


text:
Economy of scale financial definition of economy of scale
https://financial-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/economy+of+scale
economies of scale
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Also found in: Dictionary, Thesaurus, Encyclopedia, Wikipedia.
Related to economy of scale: Economy of scope
The decrease in the marginal cost of production as a firm's extent of operations expands.
The increase of efficiency in the making of a product by producing more of it. Economies of scale control costs carefully and extracts as much value out of every dollar spent as possible. For example, assume that labor costs at a factory are constant as long as the factory produces between 100,000 and 500,000 units per month. All other things being equal, economies of scale demand that the factory produce 500,000 units each month. Economies of scale are easier for larger companies that have greater control over their costs; indeed, it can give many larger companies a significant competitive advantage. See also: Diseconomies of scale.
the reduction in the unit (average) costs of producing and distributing a product as the size of the firm's operations is increased. The ability to supply a product at a low cost (and hence a low price) represents an important source of COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE over rival suppliers in markets where price competition is the main form of inter-firm rivalry Economies of scale are to be found at the level both of the individual plant and of the firm (operating a number of plants). Important plant level economies include the possibility of using superior techniques or organization of production as scale is increased, for example switching from labour intensive BATCH PRODUCTION to continuous capital-intensive MASS PRODUCTION methods of manufacture; and the economies of increased dimensions, where for many types of capital equipment (boilers, tankers, etc.) both set-up and operating costs rise less than proportionately to increases in capacity. Firm-level economies include the ability of large firms to bulk buy raw materials and components on advantageous terms and, likewise, borrow money at preferential rates.
Unit costs, however, do not fall continuously as the scale of the firm's operations is increased; they tend to level off at some point (the minimum efficient scale of operation) and remain relatively constant thereafter, or they may rise because of the growing complexities of managing a larger organization (diseconomies of scale). Moreover, the potential for exploiting available economies of scale may be limited by the fact that the overall size of the market is too small or that firms' individual market shares are too low. In the latter case, increasing firm size by HORIZONTAL INTEGRATION, particularly through mergers or takeovers, may be one important means of making firms more cost-effective. Where economies of scale are significant, a high level of MARKET CONCENTRATION may also be required to ensure that industry output is produced as efficiently as possible. See SPECIALIZATION.
Fig. 55 Economies of scale. (a) A typical U-shaped long-run average cost curve for a plant. OX is the scale of output at which average cost is minimized and economies of scale exhausted. Thereafter DISECONOMIES OF SCALE may set in (bc), although this is not always the case (bd) (see MINIMUM EFFICIENT SCALE).
(b) Carbonated drink production (colas, etc.): Britvic estimated the minimum efficient scale for a soft drinks production plant (utilizing high-speed equipment) at around 400 million litres per year, equivalent to some 10% of UK soft drink production in 1990 (Carbonated Drinks Report 1991, MMC, para. 3.142).
the LONG-RUN reduction in AVERAGE (or unit) COSTS that occurs as the scale of the firm's output is increased (all FACTOR INPUTS being variable). There are available in most industries 'economies of scale', so that when producing a greater quantity of a product, average or unit costs are reduced. See Fig. 55 (a) .
Economies of scale may operate both at the level of the individual plant and the firm (operating a number of plants) and arise because of:
indivisibilities in machinery and equipment, especially where a number of processes are linked together;
economies of increased dimensions -for many types of capital equipment (for example, tankers, boilers) both set-up and operating costs increase less rapidly than capacity;
economies of SPECIALIZATION - at larger outputs there is more scope for using specialist labour and capital equipment;
superior techniques or organization of production - as scale is increased, automatic machinery may be used instead of manually operated items, or it may be possible to substitute continuous MASS PRODUCTION for BATCH PRODUCTION;
economies of bulk-buying of raw materials and supplies;
marketing economies resulting from the use of mass advertising media and greater density of deployment of sales forces;
financial economies that arise from the ability of large firms to raise capital on more advantageous terms;
managerial economies from the use of specialist management techniques like work study, operational research and critical path analysis.
Unit costs may not fall continuously as the scale of the firm's operations is increased and they may level off at some point - the MINIMUM EFFICIENT SCALE of operation, OX in Fig. 55 (a), and remain relatively constant thereafter, bd in Fig. 55 (a); or they may rise because of the growing complexities of managing a larger organization -diseconomies of scale, bc in Fig. 55 (a). See Fig. 55 (b) .
The potential to realize economies of scale can be limited for a variety of reasons. In some industries, the nature of the product and the processes of manufacture, or technology, may be such that DISECONOMIES OF SCALE are encountered at modest output levels. On the demand side, total market demand may be insufficient to permit firms to attain minimal efficient scale, or firms' individual market shares may be too small. Where consumers demand a wide variety of products, this mitigates against standardization and long production runs.
Where economies of scale are substantial, SELLER CONCENTRATION tends to be high, as, for example in petrochemicals and motor vehicles, for only in this way can industry output be produced as efficiently as possible. In such industries, firms may undertake HORIZONTAL INTEGRATION, particularly through mergers and takeovers, to eliminate high-cost plants and to rationalize production so as fully to exploit economies of scale.
In some industries, FLEXIBLE MANUFACTURING SYSTEMS can enable small quantities of a variety of products to be manufactured at unit costs that match those achievable with large-scale production, thus lowering the minimum efficient scale and leading possibly to a reduction in the level of SELLER CONCENTRATION. See EXTERNAL ECONOMIES OF SCALE, NATURAL MONOPOLY, SURVIVOR PRINCIPLE.
economies of scale
Agglomeration Economies
barriers to entry
bulk-buying
capital-intensive firm/industry
commingled fund
common market
constant returns
contingency theory
contracting-out
cost drivers
differentiated marketing
(10.) Formally, estimates of the economy of scale would regress the log of the budget share on the log of per capita expenditure and household size, which would be consistent with the theory described earlier.
Economies of scale in the household: puzzles and patterns from the American past
It reverses to a small degree the so-called economy of scale of hydro plants and leverages technology to put local communities into the energy economy.
Rethinking the power equation in the North
I believe that we are being led astray by our inability to distinguish among three types of economy of scale: (1) classic or physical-law economy of scale; (2) situational economy of scale; and (3) urban, regional, or system economy of scale.
Economies of Scale: Business, Neighborhood Development, and Local Government
What we need to do now is consolidate our position within the global context and with economy of scale considerations in mind.
Refining mining: Roger Agnelli wants to grind iron and other ores into businesses with stable prices and long-term contracts. Here's how. (Cover Story)
However, because of the economy of scale, the microbreweries are hit harder than the larger operations, which have much greater purchasing power.
Lift of market protection has no impact, but the recession is affecting Renegade
Specifically, Design/Build combines the architecture, engineering and construction of a project and offers an economy of scales with a reduction of at least 28 percent of overall project costs, and is also an effective way to complete a project at nearly half the time.
Libman Wolf Couples: specializing in synergy, responsibility and accountability
Economic Recovery Tax Act
Economic rents
Economic risk
Economic shock
Economic Stimulus Act of 2008
Economic surplus
economic union
economic value added
Economic Variable
economically active population
economies of scope
Economies of vertical integration
Ecoterrorist
Ecotourist
ECRI Index
EDGAR Electronic Data Gathering, Analysis and Retrieval System
Edge Act
Edge Act corporation
Edge corporations
Edgeworth box
Education Expense
Education IRA
Edward George
Economy Class Clot
Economy class syndrome
Economy Class Thrombosis
economy drive
Economy Forms Company
Economy of Bouvet Island
Economy of Christmas Island
Economy of Communion
Economy of Earth
Economy of Guernsey
Economy of Howland Island
Economy of Johnston Atoll
Economy of Movement
Economy of Norfolk Island
Economy of scope
Economy of size
Economy of Somaliland
Economy of the Gaza Strip
Economy of the Paracel Islands
Economy of the Spratly Islands
Economy of the Turks and Caicos Islands
Economy of the world
Economy of Time, Law of
Economy of Tokelau
Economy of Wake Island
Economy Plumbing and Heating Supply
Economy Principle
economy size
Economy system
economy wall
Economy, Energy & Tourism Committee
economy-class syndrome
economy-grade lumber
Econotel Business Systems, Inc.


It has been almost two weeks since a maintenance crew from the Guyana Power and Light Inc. (GPL) left electrical wires hanging halfway down utility poles in Meten-Meer-Zorg on the West Coast of Demerara (WCD) and residents are fuming.
The cables are dangling in front of a popular salon and barbershop and pose a serious threat.
The wires hanging in front of a popular salon and barbershop.
News Room was told that numerous reports were made to GPL and a crew that visited the site told residents to use a wood and "jack" up the wires.
Residents are calling on GPL to treat the matter more seriously and with urgency before the situation escalates to a point where there are injuries or casualties.


It has been a week since my last update, and I am posting from a slow computer in the Apt. cafe where I live (I finally took my laptop in to be fixed, spending money I could ill afford, but it had to be done, as what's a blogger w/o his computer?).
My doctor at HEA talked directly to the docs at Ben Taub Eye Clinic on Monday, and I was reached on Tuesday to come in Wednesday morning.
A blood lab was taken for my liver then later in the day I sent 2 1/2 hours being examined by 3 of the top specialists there (And Ultrasound on my abdomen will be done of the 18th, as a cancer precaution in the rest of my body).
They looked at BOTH my eyes.
The news is complex, and worrisome, and before I go further I want to be sure no-one, human or feline, has a freakout.
Measurement-wise my Malignant Melanoma, in the right eye is just over the border from small to medium. Chances of kicking the bucket are slim if not treated as soon as possible.
As for treatment options, there are 3, at least 1 of which Ben Taub is equiped to to, not only MD Anderson.
1. Like father, like son...I lose the eye. It gets taken out, bye-bye issue.
2. Sew Radiation Plaque on the eye for a week or so, then remove it.
3. Radiation Beam on the eye.
With Options 2 & 3...radiation could still damage my vision in that eye (currently 20/20 w/glasses), but there is a very good chance of good vision due to where the tumor is, although I could lose vision in this eye at some point in the future.
I am to continue taking the drops, and return on the 17th for another check-up. If the eye is still blurry they may have to do surgery to remove the blood, and restore my vision in that eye.
I chatted with one of the Docs about Disability, and to hear him tell it, as long as I can see out of one eye, and there is work I can do, chances of getting Federal Disability are slim.
Don't know where my 2 seizures, or my ankle (Still have the metal inside even though fixed & am working on strengthening my legs and hips, through exercise) would fit in to this equation, but those are questions for another day.
My unemployment extensions will also end, like everyone elses, on 12/29.
So, will I just end up with poorer vision in a formerly well-behaved eye, or am I destined to be The One-Eyed Mad Macedonian/Mad Houstonian?
My father lost his left eye sabotaging a railroad, while fighting in the underground against Tito at the end of WW2. He immigrated to America, eventually landing in Claremont Ca. where, in 1953/54 he got a job as a Gardener/Grounds Man at Pomona College, where he worked until 1969/70.
What about my blogging, my creative writing hopes and dreams?
James Thurber (1894-1961) American humorist and cartoonist. Lost one eye in childhood accident. Older brother shot him with an arrow. Gradually lost the sight in the other eye due to complications from the accident and cataracts.
Lafcadio Hearn. (1850-1904) Writer and translator. In 1890 he went to Japan for New Monthly Magazine. Stayed in Japan for the rest of his life. Published a series of books that gave the West its first sympathetic view of Japanese culture. Lost an eye in an accident at the age of 16.
Tex Avery (1908–1980), blind in his left eye.
Samuel Johnson (1709–1784) compiler of the first English dictionary, blind in one eye from childhood.
Alan Moore - British Comic Book Writer (Relevant to me because his legenday revamp of the Swamp Thing Comic, at DC, in the 70's and 80's, hooked me on comic book collecting for a decade or so. He also wrote the legendary V For Vendetta, and Watchmen series later on).
Robert Thurman (born 1941), scholar and author, lost his left eye after a tire iron slipped.
Homer, John Milton, James Joyce, Anne Sullivan & Helen Keller, Jorge Luis Borges, Franz Kafka, Joseph Conrad, Dostoevsky,Joseph Pulitzer, British author Sue Townsend, British broadcast Journalist Peter White.
Oh, and my friend Mog has reminded me that "If worse came to worse, there is software that allows blogging and writing by dictation."
I choose Happynes! Something good is about to happen in my life!
I thank God for every good thing in my life.
Whatever I believe I can do I can do with God's help.
I believe in myself and have faith in my abilities, and will let nothing disturb, or frighten me.
Think different! I have always done so, and will continue to do so.
I will take a deep breath, and bite off more than I can chew!
Things ARE NOT going to fall apart!
I am blessed -- by my talents, by my friends (U reading this & others).
I trust that the Favor of God is helping me change my life for the better though it may not seem that way to me right now.
I am excited about my future and where it may lead!
We'll keep purring and praying for a good solution.
And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a THORN IN THE FLESH, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. For this THING (this messenger of Satan) I besought the Lord thrice, (three times) that it might DEPART from me.
And he said unto me, My GRACE is sufficient for you; for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly THEREFORE will I rather GLORY in my infirmities, that the POWER of Christ may rest upon me. THEREFORE I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ sake, for when I am weak, then am I strong.
No one has ever figured out what Paul's thorn was, but maybe that's good. Overall, his message applies to each of us, no matter what's going on in our lives, yes?
There are millions of pages on Google about dictation, sites for the blind have good resources. You may be surprised to find out you can do it on a Mac, lots of accessibility settings. Even iOS which my iPhone uses has that ability. Not sure on whether your blog software would require a plugin for that but it is doable. You have my support always. If you choose one of the radiation options, wouldn't need to worry about it. My prayers are with you.
The Lord God is so truly almighty. I am truly, truly, truly sorry for everything that you've had to go through, Kiril. Actually got misty on this one... I do, however, love that the words and preachings of Joel Osteen have fallen off your lips as easily as your best prose.
I cannot believe that you have already done the requiste research on authors and artists who have lost vision in one or both eyes, and who have gone on to great success despite their physical challenges.
I am so honored to be your friend, Kiril. I look forward to seeing the love of God extinguish your pain and ignite the flame of creativity in your future.
. . . chances of getting Federal Disability are slim.
Couldn't hurt to file the paperwork, or at least check into the process anyway.
My brother was on SSI disability a couple times when he was too sick to work, and sounds to me like you have a good start on that argument.
Oh Kiril!! We are sending lots of prayers and purrs your way!! And we know God is in control and watches over each of us!!
Well, this comes as a surprise, just getting to know you as CatCat and i are doing. May the healing of the Universe be laid upon you as you travel this unfamiliar journey of medical treatment. Know you will be thought of often and wished the best from northern california usa.
Oh, my dear friend, what can I say? Admirations to your spirit and attitude! I hope all things happen in the best possible way.
I chose not to freakout which, I will say was difficult given that I have an eye phobia. (Had to skip the surgical bits.) But I am impressed with your outlook and will keep you in my thoughts and prayers, that you won't lose your vision entirely.
You've inspired us to see the world through the rose colored glasses of our hearts and minds. We read about you on Sparke's blog and wanted to come over. Your spirit and wit are infectious...bless you.
Sparkle has taught me so much about my own cats and I am a daily reader. Through her I have also met other cats and their humans who blog like you.
I don't now what your insurance situation is but what comes to mind for me is apply for medicaid.. I don't know if medicaid is approved if that is more documentation for the bureacrats that you are disabled.
If they are like mine I know that your cats will be a source of great comfort and distraction..bet their meows in the morning give you a reason to get up and their purrs are a comfort in the dark of night..may your journey continue to be furry!
We are sending you lots of purrs and prayers. Hugs from Harry, Fiona and Daisie.
Kiril, we are purring and praying for you, dear friend. Your spirit and wonderful outlook are infectious. Thank you.
Kiril, you are amazing. Such a great attitude in the midst of confusion. Praying for the best for you!


To be a truly great Texas Hold 'Em Poker player, you need to be able to read your opponents, ascertaining when they are bluffing and then they really have a solid hand. But learning some basic strategies and general rules will go a long way toward making sure you can at least hold your own in a friendly game.
It may seem silly to be reminded of the following fundamental facts, but it's surprising how often players get swept up in the excitement of the game and forget the basics.
1. The two cards you hold are the only cards that set you apart from the other players and give you the chance to win.
2. All of the face-up cards are community cards, shared by you and every other player. It's vital that you focus on what those cards could mean to someone else at least as much as you focus on what they mean to you. In particular, keep your eyes open for your opponents' straight and flush possibilities.
How do you know if your cards are good?
It depends in part on how many players are in the game, but a general rule is that you should seriously consider folding before the flop if you have two non-pair cards, both less than 10. A more conservative player might fold if just one of the cards is less than 10; a more aggressive player might stay in with, for example, an 8 and 9 of the same suit (because those cards give you decent possibilities for a straight or a flush).
If the big blind (a forced bet designed to ensure that every hand has a pot) is low enough, it may be worthwhile to pay in so that you can see the flop even if you don't have particularly strong cards in your hand. But don't abuse this exception to the rule -- it can get you into trouble more quickly than you imagine.
A lot of Texas Hold 'Em strategy is based on the cards in your hand. You must be willing to suffer through a series of poor hands (e.g. 5-8, 2-6, 4-9) without getting impatient. The good hands will come, eventually, and you'll be in better position to take advantage of them if you don't waste your chips trying to get something out of nothing.
After seeing the flop, don't be afraid to cut your losses. A common mistake made by novices is to decide, "I'm already in this hand, so I might as well play it out." Wrong.
With seven players at a table, two pair or better will generally be the winning hand. If you don't have the high pair after the flop (e.g. if the flop is K-9-5, the high pair would be two Ks), and you're not in good position for a straight or a flush, you should probably get out of the hand.
However, remember that as the number of players goes down, so does the potential of a strong hand -- so if you're at a table with just two other players, it could pay off to be more aggressive.
If you're first to bet after the flop, don't be afraid to check. This can work to your advantage in two ways. First, if your hand is on the weak side, you might be able to see one more card without having to put more into the pot. Second, if your hand is strong, you could convince an opponent or two that it's weaker than it really is.
Also know as The Turn and The River, respectively, the fourth and fifth community cards give you two more chances to either get out of the pot before you lose even more money -- or increase your winnings.
At this point, it's likely there will only be one or two other players still in the pot with you. The best advice here is to be cautious. After fourth street, don't stay in the pot hoping for a straight or flush, unless you can do so on a check (that is, without putting more chips into the pot). Although there will be times when you would have drawn the straight or flush, they will be outweighed by the times you wouldn't.
The bottom line is this: Don't allow yourself to get sucked in too far with a weak hand.
That said, there is a point where the investment you've already made virtually dictates that you hang in there. It's useful to measure this in terms of percentage of your chips. For example, if you've already committed 40% of your chips to the pot, another 5% isn't that much. This is a gray area, so once again the best advice is to be cautious.


text:
A look at where the Web Platform is heading and how YUI fits into that future and continues to help you build web apps that run on many devices.

### What is YUI?

* a set of design principles
* infrastructure
* code organization
* abstraction
* loading

### The web platform

#### The Past
* Desktop browsers
* Basic HTML/CSS, JavaScript

#### Current
* HTML5/CSS3
* HTML/CSS
* JavaScript (ES5)
* JavaScript (ES3)
* Mobile
* Desktop

#### The Future
* Javascript (ES6)
* Web Components

#### ES6
* Proxies
* Modules
* let
* promises
* sets
* maps
* generators
* iterators
* =>
* class

#### Web Components
* Templates
* Decorators
* Custom Elements
* shadow DOM
* imports

#### Evergreen Browsers
Install once, update new stuff all the time. Big change. Used to browsers with long release cycles.

### The Web Platform + YUI
The role of YUI, or any framework, lib, polyfill, etc. is to fill in the gaps and smooth out the curve so we can write these long living applications.

### YUI + ES6 Modules
ES6 modules are defining a new syntax to declaritively import from other modules and export.

The goal is to use tooling to transpile modules into es6 modules. allows for backwards compatability.

## THE STATE OF GESTURES by Tilo Mitra

This talk is a technical deep dive into the world of gesture events. I'll introduce the work that has been and is currently being done in YUI Gestures and how you can use gesture events to create user experiences for mouse/touch and devices that support both.

### Challenges of multi-device user experiences

#### Evolving world of inputs

Primarily people used to interact with your site with a mouse.
Now we have touch devices, accelerometer, gyroscope, etc.
Recently we have had devices coming through that has mouse + touch.

This complicates things.

### Decouple events from inputs

What the [pointer spec](http://www.w3.org/TR/pointerevents/) is all about.

Pollyfill? nah improve the `gesturemove` events.

No matter what event comes in:
* touch
* mouse
* MSPointer

fire a `geaturemove` event.

Higher level events that are built on top of `gesturemove` events:
* tap
* flick
* move/drag

`flick` is getting `flickup`, `flickleft`, etc. payload is direction velocity.

`geaturemovestart` is getting direction, `deltaX`, `deltaY`.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub