Most of the time Henry didn't want to do what the rest of the after school class was doing. He wanted to write and draw his own things all of the time. He came to extra classes often. I showed him how to make his own little journal, and he proceeded to make small books, one about my travels to China, another, a recipe book, and a myriad of funny stories. We laughed often together.
Peter had a lot of excess energy to burn off. I helped to channel some of that energy into creative projects. I made paper, glue, puppet sticks, tape and other craft supplies available. At first he didn't want to write, but by nurturing his creativity he eventually wrote a play and drew his own picture. He also very much liked and engaged in peer feedback to help the children improve their plays.
When we started our Play Writing Curriculum, Annie rose to the occasion. She wrote and wrote, bringing me scenes even when she wasn't in class. I typed them up for her, and she would edit them, giving a lot of thought to the changes she wanted, and where she wanted the story to go. She made director's notes and we would discuss them as she made revisions of her play.
Ethan and Ryan. Can I have another (play or comic) template?
Ethan and Ryan would visit my Creative Writing Corner often. They wanted extra help in editing their scripts, and then they would start another one. Sometimes they would each write their own story, always sharing and giving each other feedback, other times they would write a script together. They are destined to be the next great comedy writing duo.
Mingyan. I am shy, but I have a story to tell.
Mingyan, was quiet and shy at first, always wanting help, and feeling more comfortable re-telling a well-known fairy tale. When we started the play writing curriculum something in her ignited and she began writing a series of very sweet plays about a girl and her best friend, Muffin.
Ethan and Kelvin. We want to write together.
Ethan and Kelvin are a great example of teamwork and truly bringing out the best in one another. They always started a story by planning things out, and deciding who was going to illustrate or draw. They usually ended up contributing equally in the writing. They loved writing plays, and reading them, especially the ones written by other children.
Ian. I don't want to write. What's the point?
Ian didn't want to write. We talked about it. I discovered he had a unique sense of humor, that reminded me of a young version of the Saturday Night Live writers, or very witty political comic strip writers. I engaged his unique and sometimes bizarre sense of humor, giving him lots of examples of funny stories. He ended up writing several versions of his play until he found his groove, creating a memorable character that made us laugh.
Warren Jason and Kevin. Let's create a Super Hero that's funny!
Warren, Jason, and Kevin were in a large class that didn't afford a lot of individual attention. They collaborated on their own and created a series of comics, birthing their hero, Epic Man. I helped them translate their comics into short story, and then into a play. They are still continuing to write more episodes of their series.
Erica. Do I have to make it all up by myself?
Erica wanted to just write adaptations both as short stories and plays. I encouraged her, making suggestions on how she could bring herself to the story, and add some sort of unique twist to it. She always did and she did it well. By the last class, she found her voice, and flew with her own very entertaining and well-written story. It was a joy to witness!
Grade 4 & 5 girls. We just want to draw cats!
Almost all of my grade 4 and 5 girls loved the Warriors series and were very focused on all of the details of turning the stories into comics. After lessons on comic book script writing, and examples, they created their own forest stories based on experiences they had.
Sandra. I'm not going to write because everybody didn't like my story.
This was a teachable moment. We had a contest and the winners were chosen by the students. Sandra's story didn't win, which made her think she wasn't a good writer. We had a discussion about it. I gave her examples of authors who weren't published right away, and how not every story you write is going to be liked by everyone. Sandra learned that even if everyone doesn't like your story it doesn't mean you're not a good writer. I talked to her about her vivid and imaginative stories. Feeling more confidant about her abilities, Sandra went on to write and draw a memorable forest story comic.
Grade 5 boys: Comics! Comics! And More Comics!
Ryan, Marcus, and Aidan were amazing. They wrote a prolific number of comics, always brainstorming and giving each other feedback. I encouraged them by providing lots of comic panels, and graphic novels to read. We studied comic scripting, and word picture balance. They ended up creating some very funny, publishable stuff.
There are many more stories to tell, but these are a few of the gems. I'll add more as the school year progresses.


Who's Moving to the Northeast?
In helping more than 120,000 people move, we've discovered that Americans move for many reasons, including better housing, being closer to family and starting new jobs. We analyzed moving trends among prospective movers and used the U.S. Census Bureau's definition of Northeast to figure out what states are driving people to move to the region. See who's moving into your state, or find out if you're in good company in making the move from another part of the country to the Northeast.
We collected data from prospective movers and analyzed their origins when moving to a Northeastern state to determine domestic migration trends. Moving data for all 9 states in the Northeast was included in the study, as well as from major cities that had enough data to support reliable conclusions. We referred to the U.S. Census Bureau in determining how to define the four Northeastern regions of the United States.
According to a U.S. Census Bureau report released in 2017, Northeast states tended to lose population as more people moved out than moved in. This is a consistent migration trend that goes back decades. However, there are still a lot of people making the move to the Northeast.
New Yorkers who want to get away from the complexities of urban living account for the largest number of movers to Connecticut. California is the second largest contributor of movers. Other movers come from Massachusetts, New Jersey, Florida and Texas.
Fairfield County is home to Bridgeport, the largest city in the state. While Fairfield County gets the same percentage of movers from New York as the entirety of Connecticut, California contributes the largest number of movers. Fewer movers come from Florida and Texas.
Despite being the northernmost state in the Northeast, Maine gets a decent mix of movers from all four regions in the United States. California is the largest contributor, followed by Florida and Texas. The Midwest contributes a small number of movers despite its proximity to Maine.
California contributes the largest number of movers to Massachusetts, followed by New York. Connecticut, Maine and Rhode Island also provide a significant number of movers even with their smaller populations, qualifying them as outliers. Massachusetts is one of the favorite destinations of D.C. movers in the Northeast.
Boston gets a larger proportion of California movers than the entire state does. Northeasterners also make up far less of the mover pool going to Boston than they do with all of Massachusetts, with even large states like New York making a negligible contribution to the state.
While Texas movers have had little activity in the Northeast, Texas is the largest contributor of movers to New Hampshire. A high number of Massachusetts residents are moving to New Hampshire through their shared border while Connecticut contributes a decent number of movers despite its smaller population.
The largest group of movers to New Jersey come from its close neighbor New York, with equal numbers coming from California and Florida. Out of these three sources, only New York is an outlier. A decent number of movers come from its neighboring state, Pennsylvania. Though not a major source of movers, South Carolina contributes more movers than its population would indicate.
Florida and California provide the largest number of movers to New York, with Florida being an outlier. New York also receives a fair number of movers from its neighbor states New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. Washington, D.C. movers prefer New York among the Northeast states.
Florida is the largest contributor of movers to New York City, with California coming as a close second. The regional mix of movers is relatively similar as the entire state.
Florida and California lead other states in the number of movers to Pennsylvania. Neighbors New York and New Jersey also significantly contribute to the mover pool with the same number of movers despite New Jersey's smaller population. For this reason, New Jersey qualifies as an outlier.
New York is the leading contributor of potential movers to Philadelphia. California, Texas and Florida come in second, third and fourth places, respectively.
Allegheny County hosts Pittsburgh, the county seat. The county receives a larger portion of the mover pool than the entire state, with a noticeably large number coming from other places in Pennsylvania.
New York, Florida and California contribute the bulk of movers to Rhode Island. A lesser portion comes from the nearby states of New Jersey and Massachusetts.
Among all other states, California is the leading contributor of movers to Vermont. Its bordering states—New York, New Hampshire and Massachusetts—are also sources of large numbers of possible movers.
Domestic migration in the United States is a continuing cycle influenced by economics, lifestyle, culture, family, climate preferences and even political beliefs. Residents in the Northeast move within the region, but big cities, such as New York, Philadelphia and Boston, are an attraction for movers from Florida, California and Texas.


Lead minister guiding exploration of revitalization for a well-respected downtown church in county seat. By experimenting with new activities and property use, updating communications and organizational tools, and maintaining rich Sunday morning worship, strong in the arts, we are discerning new ministry opportunities.
Trained worship team to support Settled Minister's vision of greater lay-participation in weekly worship, addressed inter-congregational communications about "things that matter," and provided lead pastoral care in the wake of recent deaths of many key members.
Guided a growing, federated (United Methodist Church/United Church of Christ) congregation of 360 members through significant generational transition (over fifty Nisei died in two years), introduced UCC Search and Call process, and lead administrative changes related to increasing church size. Also, addressed patterns of internal conflict, taught communication skills, and encouraged reflection upon transformation from Japanese-American congregation to one with increasing ethnic diversity.
Facilitated an aging European-American congregation as they discovered a truer identity extending radical compassion and acts of justice worldwide. Striving to be more authentic, we learned new ways to do old tasks, let some historic practices go, and often had fun together. The church is still small, still prophetic.
Served as an unintentional interim for a European-American family-led rural church, an important liberal presence in a beautiful farming valley. A Charity BBQ, to honor serious illnesses within the congregation and bridge stewardship beyond the church, raised 16K in its first year and remains a well-supported annual event.


Pastor Otis Brown came from Seattle Washington to Tucson Arizona as a single man to pastor Siloam in December of 1996. In Seattle, Pastor Brown was bi-vocational. He pastored for eight years and owned his own construction company, Pastor Brown now builds lives that create homes that are a testimony to the Supremacy of God.
Pastor Brown has attended a number of Bible institutions and is a graduate of Union Western Seminary and has a Masters in Theological Studies.
Pastor Brown comes from a family of pastors and ministers. Dr. Otis F. Brown Sr., his father, retired after 50 years of pastoring. In August 1997 Pastor Brown was united in Marriage to Sis. Lendor Marks and since then they have become a dynamic team in ministering to the needs of God's people.
In 1998 Pastor Brown worked to incorporate the church and later pioneered purchasing the building at 628 E. Adams. Pastor Brown believes strongly in the unity of the family, whether it is the individual family, church family or the family of God. Siloam Freewil Church is anointed to restore unity to the family. Pastor Brown believes in teaching and preaching the whole truth, for the truth will set you free.


This morning we woke up at 6:45, 15 minutes later than usual. The chefs cooked us pancakes, and then we were off to Leverick Bay. We walked around the town for a while while the staff members had their staff meeting. Our boat probably has the most variety of snacks out of our fleet. Our snack cupboard consists of two six packs of Mountain Dew, a few different types of cookies, a variety of candy, and multiple types of chips. After walking around in town, we climbed back on the Prosecutor, threw the lines on board, and set sail for Anegada. On the way there the whole crew slept while Jaye, aka Emma, single handed our boat for over two hours! We arrived at Anegada and went for a walk on the beach. It was a fun but lazy day today. The deckies are about to clean the boat. We will all take our big scuba test in about ten minutes. It was an awesome day!


text:
ASG Schofield
The original revolver and history
The Smith & Wesson Schofield is a version of the Smith & Wesson Model 3 revolver adopted for use by the United States Army and incorporating improvements made by Army Major George W. Schofield. One of the said improvements was a redesigned locking system that made the gun easier to load while on horseback. The original Model 3 revolver had been adopted as the standard sidearm of the U.S. Army in 1870 and was the first cartridge-firing revolver adopted by U.S. forces.
The S&W Model 3 was produced in several variations and sub-variations, including both the "Russian" model, so named because it was supplied to the military of the Russian Empire (41,000 No. 3s were ordered in .44 caliber by the Imperial Russian Army in 1871), and the "Schofield" model featured here, named after Major George W. Schofield, who made his own modifications to the Model 3 to meet his perceptions of the cavalry's needs. S&W incorporated these modifications into an 1875 design they named after the major, planning to obtain significant military contracts for the new revolver.
While the standard barrel length was 7 inches, many Schofields were purchased as surplus by distributors, and had the barrels shortened to 5 in, and were refinished in nickel. After the Spanish–American War of 1898, the US Army sold off all their surplus Schofield revolvers, which were reconditioned by wholesalers and gunsmiths to a high standard. Of the most notable purchasers of these reconditioned Model 3 Schofield revolvers was Wells Fargo and Company, which purchased the revolvers for use by Wells Fargo road agents, and had the barrels shortened to a more concealable 5-in length.
The Smith & Wesson Schofield Revolver
The most notable film entries for me are The Magnificent Seven and The Getaway, although it does appear in many others as well as TV series Flashpoint
Calibre: .44 S&W American
Capacity: 6 rounds
The ASG Schofield is a stunning CO2 replica, I had seen the Schofield used in the film The Magnificent Seven but never realised just how massive this revolver is!
The replica features faux wooden grip sides but as you can see, the effect is amazing, they have even put the date stamp on them. The blued steel finish looks its age, and the attention to detail is very high. ASG did add the company logo to the grips but its hardly visible so does not detract from the finish.
The trigger is single action only meaning you have to cock the hammer every shot. The trigger action is light and responsive.
The ASG Schofield left side
The ASG Schofield right side
The 12g CO2 is held inside the grip, pull off the left grip and slot in the cartridge, securing it is done with a hex key which is very common on replicas.
The CO2 lives in the grip
The pellets are loaded into life-size cartridges, this gives the feeling of total realism when reloading the Schofield. The break action is smooth and firm, the ejector is fully working as well.
Loading the cartridges
This is the latest replica in my collection – I was not too interested in revolvers at the start but it didn't take long to discover the fun in loading faux cartridges and also the strong historic and film connection.
The Schofield is an accurate and powerful CO2 replica, it also gives good CO2 usage. It is a very heavy revolver and shooting single-handed takes its toll 🙂
Calibre: .177 pellet
CO2 usage: at least 60 shots

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Earlier this week, our fantastic Land Cruiser was adorned with a complete set (5) BFGoodrich All Terrain KO2 tires, courtesy of BFGoodrich. They were mounted by Euromaster in Täby, and I would just like to mention them as they were very friendly and professional.
Yesterday I made some notice papers and put out in the Verizon office. Nothing much happened, but today I have received 7 Swish payments, resulting in over $120 in donations for the project! Thank you colleagues! Add to that over $750 donated from Facebook friends. Thank you friends!
Not only that, but I also got a very positive email from Sony Mobile Communications. More about that when all is ready.
And a short update about the earlier repair scare. The parts I ordered from Japan were sent back and forth between the seller and Japanese customs, but they were finally on their way on September 9, and today (September 13) they are standing in my hallway! I also picked up the new (Fenno) exhaust system. And Toyota in Åkersberga have received all the other necessary parts. So we're all set for the Monday repair day.


text:
package com.ma.bears.Valkyrie;

import java.util.Vector;

import com.ma.bears.lib.RobotValues.RobotDouble;
import com.ma.bears.lib.RobotValues.RobotInt;
import com.ma.bears.lib.RobotValues.RobotString;

/**
 * Declare robot values, such as default speed of a motor,
 * in a convenient place that allows us to change them
 * quickly without sorting through code.
 *
 * @author Nicky Ivy nickivyca@gmail.com
 * @author Brett Levenson
 */
public class RobotValues {

	/*
	 * The 'front' of the robot is pickup. Keep that in
	 * mind for distances.
	 */

    /*public static final double ArmWheels_In = 1.0;
    public static final double ArmWheels_Out = -1.0;
    public static final double WinchSpeed = -0.9;
    public static final double ShooterWait = 0.75;
    public static final double ShooterGripWait = 0.1;*/

	public static Vector RobotDoubles = new Vector();
	public static Vector RobotInts = new Vector();
	public static Vector RobotStrings = new Vector();

    //cheesy drive
    public static final double sensitivityHigh = .85;
    public static final double sensitivityLow = .75;

    //drive
    public static final double Kp = 0.4;
    public static final double Kd = 0.2;
    public static final double driveTolerance = .01;

    //gyro turning

    public static final double AngleKp = 0.3;
    public static final double AngleKi = 0.0;
    public static final double AngleKd = 0.0;
    public static final double Angleoutputmax_low = -0.3;
    public static final double Angleoutputmax_high = 0.3;
    public static final double AngleThreshold = 1;

    //drive straight

    public static final double DriveKp = 0.0;
    public static final double DriveKi = 0.0;
    public static final double DriveKd = 0.0;
    public static final double Driveoutputmax_low = -0.5;
    public static final double Driveoutputmax_high = 0.5;
    public static final double DriveThreshold = .01;

    public static final double StraightKp = 0.0;
    public static final double StraightKi = 0.0;
    public static final double StraightKd = 0.0;
    public static final double Straightoutputmax_low = -0.1;
    public static final double Straightoutputmax_high = 0.1;
    public static final double StraightThreshold = .000001; //so it never stops trying

    //Auton

    public static final int Auton_Disabled = -1;
    public static final int Auton_Empty = 0;
    public static final int Auton_OneBallStay = 1;
    public static final int Auton_TwoBall = 2;
    public static final int Auton_Move = 3;
    public static final int Auton_OneBallMove = 4;
    public static final int Auton_CheesyVision = 5;
    public static final int Auton_GyroDriveTurn = 6;
    public static final int Auton_HotOneBallStay = 7;
    public static final int Auton_HotOneBallMove = 8;
    public static final int Auton_THREEBALLHOT = 9;
    public static final int Auton_CheesyForwardVision = 10;
    //if you increment the values above you must also increment the Auton_Max

    public static final int Auton_Max = 10;
    public static final int Auton_Min = -1;

    //Auton distances negative because we are driving backwards

    public static final double OneBallStay_shootDistance = 0.0;
    public static final double OneBallStay_crossDistance = 2.0;

    public static final double Move_Distance = 2.0;

    public static final double TwoBall_PickupTime = 1.0;
    public static final double TwoBall_Shot1Distance = 0.0;
    public static final double TwoBall_WaitforShoot = 2.0;
    public static final double TwoBall_Shot2Distance = 1.2;

    public static final double OneBallMove_Distance = 2.6;

    public static void initRobotValues(){
    	RobotDoubles.addElement(new RobotDouble("ArmWheels_In",1.0));
    	RobotDoubles.addElement(new RobotDouble("ArmWheels_Out",-1.0));
    	RobotDoubles.addElement(new RobotDouble("WinchSpeed",-0.9));
        RobotDoubles.addElement(new RobotDouble("ShooterWait",0.9));
        RobotDoubles.addElement(new RobotDouble("ShooterGripWait",0.1));

        RobotInts.addElement(new RobotInt("Auton_Disabled",-1));
        RobotInts.addElement(new RobotInt("Auton_Empty",0));
        RobotInts.addElement(new RobotInt("Auton_OneBallStay",1));
        RobotInts.addElement(new RobotInt("Auton_TwoBall",2));
        RobotInts.addElement(new RobotInt("Auton_Move",3));
        RobotInts.addElement(new RobotInt("OneBallMove",4));
        RobotInts.addElement(new RobotInt("Auton_CheesyVision",5));
        RobotInts.addElement(new RobotInt("Auton_GyroDriveTurn",6));
        RobotInts.addElement(new RobotInt("Auton_HotOneBallStay",7));
        RobotInts.addElement(new RobotInt("Auton_HotOneBallMove",8));
        RobotInts.addElement(new RobotInt("Auton_THREEBALLHOT",9));
        RobotInts.addElement(new RobotInt("Auton_Max",9));
        RobotInts.addElement(new RobotInt("Auton_Min",-1));

    }

    /**
     * Writes values from CSVReader into RobotValues. For each value in each array, it looks
     * for a value with a matching key in RobotValues' arrays.
     */
    public static void writeFromCSV(Vector ints, Vector doubles, Vector strings){
    	for(int i = 0; i <= ints.size()-1; i++){
    		RobotInt currenttest = ((RobotInt)ints.elementAt(i));
        	for(int x = 0; x <= RobotInts.size()-1; x++){
        		if(((RobotInt)RobotInts.elementAt(x)).getKey().equals(currenttest.getKey())){
        			RobotInts.setElementAt(currenttest, x);
        		}
        	}
    	}
    	for(int i = 0; i <= doubles.size()-1; i++){
    		RobotDouble currenttest = ((RobotDouble)doubles.elementAt(i));
        	for(int x = 0; x <= RobotDoubles.size()-1; x++){
        		if(((RobotDouble)RobotDoubles.elementAt(x)).getKey().equals(currenttest.getKey())){
        			RobotDoubles.setElementAt(currenttest, x);
        		}
        	}
    	}
    	for(int i = 0; i <= strings.size()-1; i++){
    		RobotString currenttest = ((RobotString)strings.elementAt(i));
        	for(int x = 0; x <= RobotStrings.size()-1; x++){
        		if(((RobotString)RobotStrings.elementAt(x)).getKey().equals(currenttest.getKey())){
        			RobotStrings.setElementAt(currenttest, x);
        		}
        	}
    	}
    }

    /**
     * Return int from array
     * @param key key of number
     */
    public static int getInt(String key){
    	for(int i = 0; i <= RobotInts.size()-1; i++){
                System.out.println(((RobotInt)RobotInts.elementAt(i)).getKey());
    		if(((RobotInt)RobotInts.elementAt(i)).getKey().equals(key))
    			return ((RobotInt)RobotInts.elementAt(i)).getValue();
        }
    	//Log.println("Reading int " + key + " failed");
    	System.out.println("Reading int " + key + " failed");
    	return 0;
    }

    /**
     * Return double from array
     * @param key key of number
     */
    public static double getDouble(String key){
    	for(int i = 0; i <= RobotDoubles.size()-1; i++){
    		if(((RobotDouble)RobotDoubles.elementAt(i)).getKey().equals(key))
    			return ((RobotDouble)RobotDoubles.elementAt(i)).getValue();
    	}
    	//Log.println("Reading double " + key + " failed");
    	System.out.println("Reading double " + key + " failed");
    	return 0;
    }
}

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
Marathi film
MUMBAI LIVE IN:
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Maharashtra Records Highest Single Day Spike With 7,862 Fresh Covid-19 Cases, 226 New Deaths
Lockdown has been extended in areas of Pune, Thane and Nanded due to surging positive cases.
By Mumbai Live Team Health
India has crossed the mark of 8 lakh Covid-19 cases and Maharashtra continues to remain the worst-hit state in the country. On Friday, Maharashtra recorded its highest single day hike of 7,862 new coronavirus cases. The total tally of the state has now crossed over 2.38 lakh. Out of these, 95,647 are active cases. The state also reported 226 deaths on Friday, taking the total tally of deaths in the state to 9,893.
The state's capital city Mumbai has reached to a total of 90,461, out of which 23,035 are active cases. The death toll in the city has crossed the 5,000-mark. However, the densely populated slum area of Dharavi has started to show improvements. For the past few days, the new cases being recorded per day have drastically reduced. The World Health Organization (WHO) has also lauded the efforts of the slum to successfully break the chain of Covid-19 transmission in the region.
Due to an alarming number of Covid-19 cases, a complete lockdown for 10 days has been imposed on the areas of Pune, Pimpri-chinchwad and some rural parts of pune. As per media reports, the lockdown will start from July 13 and only essential services like hospitals, dairy and medical stores will remain open. On Friday, the authorities of Nanded district stated in media reports that a curfew will be enforced in the district, as 34 new positive case came to light, which has now taken the region's total coronavirus toll to 558.
Restrictions have also been extended in the Thane district. The Thane Municipal Corporation (TMC) has said in media reports that they have extended the lockdown till July 19 in the area. The region has seen a massive surge in positive cases since easing the lockdown in the first week of June.
Remdesivir and Tocilizumab, the two drugs still undergoing trials for the possible treatment of Covid-19, are in huge demand in the state. The doctors have reportedly increased prescribing it for severely ill patients. However, the scientific evidence of the drugs being effective agents in battling the virus is still awaited.
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Students can appear for optional subjects in Maharashtra HSC board exams
BMC schools to begin CBSE board soon
BEST to convert its popular non-AC bus routes to AC
BMC to increase the number of vaccination centers for second, third phases
Mumbai Local Trains : How the common man in Mumbai is getting impacted
TMC to cut off water supply twice a month in Thane district
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text:
Q: It is possible to have a multi line tab group in Aptana Studio I often work with many files open and would prefer a way to show all of the tabs in the tab group (mine is currently at the top) to be able to select the appropriate file to edit.

A: Its not possible to do this in Aptana

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


text:
Brought to you by Psychologies
Life Labs
Embracing Wholeness
Beyond competitiveness is a place where we can accept and embrace our wholeness with compassion.
Vanessa Anstee
I've been known to be competitive at times as a defensive reaction.
It's not necessarily a word that I would want to say about myself but I do recognise that I can turn things into a competition.
I will never forget this ridiculous example one weekend when the kids were small. My husband and I ended up having a discussion about how many nappies we had both changed and who's turn it was to do the next one. Sounds ridiculous doesn't it?
What drives defensive competitive behaviour?
I get competitive when I feel I've got something to prove.
I'm not talking the kind of competitive that's healthy, going for a shared goal, collaborative competition.
I mean the kind of competitive that is because I'm reacting to something.
For example, when I'm scared and I hold the belief that I need to prove that I'm enough, I become increasingly competitive with those around me. I need to be better than the rest.
This notion of mine is fundamentally flawed because if I accept myself, and show up as perfectly imperfect, there are no hoops to jump through!
Can we accept ourselves as we are?
I've been reading Kristin Neff, Self Compassion and was taken by one of the exercises in it and wanted to share it with you.
The Exercise is called Seeing Yourself as You Are and it asks you to...
List five culturally valued traits for which you're above average
List five culturally valued traits for which you're just average
List five culturally valued traits for which you're below average.
The last part of the exercise is to consider if you can accept all these facets of yourself. Kristin writes, " Being human doesn't mean being better than others. Being human means you encompass the full range of human experience, the positive, the negative and the neutral." At work
We're surrounded by performance cultures that encourage us to strive to achieve outstanding results. These assessments are likely to rate both what we achieve and how we do it.
They reinforce this myth that to be outstanding and receive the performance related pay that we desire, we need to be above average at everything. Unwittingly it has us own the parts of ourselves where we excel, and pushes into the shadow the aspects where we are below average.
When we come from the place of needing to prove our worth, we create unnecessary competition.
Think about the last argument you had with a loved one. Did you find yourself needing to prove your point of view? Do you get caught up in conversations about who's turn it is to take the rubbish out or who's cooking dinner tonight?
The only solution is to embrace our wholeness.
I remember co-leading a session with senior leaders and my co-leader turned to the group and said, "Vanessa's rubbish at detail." As soon as she said it I felt my muscles clench and an instant desire to fight back.
I took a breath and suddenly laughed. There was absolutely no way I could argue with this statement. It wasn't personal. I am rubbish with the small print. I said, "You know what, that's true and knowing and owning that fact helps me develop strategies to mitigate it."
It's why I love working with strengths. We begin to look at ourselves through the lens of appreciative enquiry and from that place we can accept not just where we're brilliant but also where we're not.
If this post resonates with you, why not try the exercise and consider if there are aspects of you that are harder to take ownership of.
Being human means we are average in lots of ways.
Accepting it makes the journey of aliveness much more fun!
I'm inspired by who you can be without apology and I want to help you let your real self shine. I've been a life coach for 10 years. I've always been a seeker trying to discover a way of being in life that feels soulful, authentic and aligned to what my heart wants not what my head thinks I should have, be or do. I spent 20+ year career in HR, OD, talent management and executive coaching. My kids were my biggest wake up. I saw the way I was working wasn't working anymore. I couldn't keep pushing myself harder. I had to accept I couldn't attain this perfected version of myself that I had strived most of my life to achieve. I had to find love not from accolades and other people's acceptance but from deep inside me. That's when I learnt to connect to my heart, heal my childhood wounds and fears of never being enough and set light to my passion in a completely new way. I want one thing for my clients. Be real. Be themselves, fall madly in love with that person and honour their soul's calling.
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text:
Central Minnesota is the region consisting of the central portion of the state of Minnesota. Although no specific boundaries of the region exist, most definitions of what makes up the region would generally consist of the vast swath of land north of Interstate 94, east of U.S. Highway 59, south of U.S. Highway 2, and west of U.S. Highway 169.
The northern portion of the region contains many softwood forests, including the expansive Chippewa National Forest. The western and southern portions of the region, meanwhile, are dotted with rolling prairie, and as such, contain the largest agricultural operations in the region. The eastern part of the region contains a great deal of both hardwood and softwood forests, and once had rich iron ore deposits. The now-depleted Cuyuna Range, which formed the southwestern border of the large Iron Range region of Minnesota, was located near Crosby and Ironton at the eastern edge of the region.
One thing the entire region of central Minnesota has in common, however, is its abundance of lakes. Indeed, many of the lakes that make Minnesota the "land of 10,000 lakes" can be found in the central part of the state. A typical image conjured up of central Minnesota is likely to include the many large and small lakes that surround the central Minnesota cities of St. Cloud (by far the region's largest city), Alexandria, Brainerd, and Grand Rapids.
Two lakes situated within the region, Mille Lacs Lake, with an area of 206 mi² (534 km²), and Leech Lake, with an area of 175 mi² (453 km²), are, respectively, the second and third largest lakes located entirely within Minnesota. The Mississippi River winds extensively through the region from its source at Lake Itasca.
Area high school athletic conferences acknowledge the region's location and natural geography with names including Central Lakes, Granite Ridge, Great River, Heart O'Lakes, Mid-State, and Pine to Prairie.
The economy of central Minnesota, like that of the United States as a whole, has largely shifted from agriculture and mining to industry and service in recent years. Agriculture is still important in the region, however, especially in the southern and western part of the region, where the land and soil is conducive to growing crops such as corn and soybeans. Dairy farms also dot the region in areas where crops cannot easily be grown, but their numbers have been drastically dwindling in recent years. Paper companies also own expansive amounts of land in the heavily forested eastern and northern parts of the region, though the peak of logging activity has long passed. Paper production mills still continue to be operated, however, in the towns of Brainerd, Grand Rapids, and Sartell.
Tourism has become a very important industry in the region in the last few decades, fueled largely by the enormous number of lakes in the area. Many of the region's cities see their populations swell in the summer, when people from the larger metropolitan areas of Minneapolis/St. Paul, Duluth, Fargo, and Grand Forks come to enjoy fishing and other outdoor activities on the region's lakes. The cluster of lakes around Brainerd, which have made the area known as the "Brainerd Lakes Area" are probably the most well known, thanks in part to the many residents of the Twin Cities who own cabins or land either on or near the area's biggest lakes. In addition, several esteemed resorts are located on the area's large Gull Lake.
The ethnic makeup of central Minnesota is largely representative of the first settlers who came to the region. People of German and Scandinavian heritage by far make up the majority of the region's residents, though there is also a sizable Native American population. Two of the state's largest reservations, the Leech Lake Indian Reservation and the White Earth Indian Reservation, are located within the boundaries of central Minnesota. In addition, the small Mille Lacs Indian Reservation is also located within the region, along the southshores of Mille Lacs Lake, from near the city of Garrison to Isle.
Although the 1996 film Fargo and its television series are largely set in the region's cities of Brainerd and Bemidji, the accents of those living in central Minnesota are not nearly as pronounced as those in the franchise. The central Minnesotan dialect can be said to be analogous to that of the entire Upper Midwest.
Central Minnesota is home to one MSA and one μSA.
St. Cloud MSA (pop. 192,510)
Saint Cloud (pop. 66,389)
Sartell (pop. 16,523)
Sauk Rapids (pop. 13,348)
Waite Park (pop. 7,469)
St. Joseph (pop. 6,820)
St. Augusta (pop. 3,545)
Brainerd μSA (pop. 91,067)
Brainerd (pop. 13,349)
Baxter (pop. 8,198)
Other Central Minnesota cities include:
Bemidji (pop. 14,942)
Fergus Falls (pop. 13,419) (one county east of the Wahpeton, ND μSA)
Alexandria (pop. 13,568)
Detroit Lakes (pop. 9,165) (one county east of the Fargo-Moorhead MSA)
Little Falls (pop. 8,689)
Central Minnesota is home to the following colleges and universities:
Four-year colleges
Bemidji State University
College of Saint Benedict/Saint John's University
Two-year colleges
Alexandria Technical and Community College
Central Lakes College
Minnesota State Community and Technical College (Detroit Lakes, Fergus Falls, and Wadena campuses)
Northwest Technical College
St. Cloud Technical and Community College
Notable people who hail from central Minnesota, with the names of cities they grew up in listed in parentheses, include:
Judy Garland (Grand Rapids)
Brian Kobilka (Little Falls)
Charles Lindbergh (Little Falls)
Sinclair Lewis (Sauk Centre)
Eugene McCarthy (Watkins)
Gig Young (St. Cloud)
Lesley J. McNair (Verndale)
Exploreminnesota.com guide to cities in central portion of state
Charles Lindbergh State Historic Site
Judy Garland Museum
Lake Itasca Region Pioneer Farmers
Convention and visitors bureaus in the region
Alexandria Convention and Visitors Bureau
Bemidji Convention and Visitors Bureau
Brainerd Convention and Visitors Bureau
Detroit Lakes Convention and Visitors Bureau
Fergus Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau
Grand Rapids Convention and Visitors Bureau
Little Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau
Saint Cloud Convention and Visitors Bureau
Wadena Chamber of Commerce
Saint Paul (capital)
Congressional districts
Historical Congressional delegations
Buffalo Ridge
Minnesota River Valley
Northwest Angle
Twin Cities metropolitan area
pop. over 25,000


About four years ago, I joined a genealogical research site called Ancestry and began investigating the Hugues branch of my mother's family tree. In a relatively short period of time, that tree has grown to over 1,100 verified names. That may sound like a lot of names but, in genealogical terms, it's not that impressive.
Think of it this way: Assume that you want to build a comprehensive family tree that extends from the present day back to the signing of the Declaration of Independence (1776). That's a span of 241 years or approximately 10 generations. Let's also assume that, as you progress down through the generations, three children from each family marry and have (on average) three children of their own who marry, and so on, down through the generations. The chart on the left shows how quickly a family tree based on these simple assumptions can explode into almost 200,000 names! All of this is a roundabout way of saying that there are quite a few names on my Hugues Family Tree that have not been fully explored. One such name belongs to a man named William J. Behrens.
William J. Behrens was my mother's second cousin. He was the son of Henry Behrens and Martha Mehan and was born in San Francisco, CA, on September 12, 1921. Per Ancestry's California Marriage Index, William married a woman named Noel Heill in Los Angeles, CA, on August 27, 1953. He died in Los Angeles on February 12, 2011, at the age of 89. That, in a nutshell, was everything I could find out about William J. Behrens. Ancestry contained no other information about his wife and no leads at all regarding children. After a while, I marked William Behrens as a "cold case" and moved on to other names.
Last week, though, a colleague on Ancestry (and also my third cousin) posted a photo of the gravestone of William J. Behrens. I already had this photo but I clicked on it anyway, just for the hell of it. Surprisingly, I saw something I hadn't noticed before. Above his name was the word "Papa". To me, this was a strong indicator that he had, indeed, fathered at least one child. The game was once again afoot! I dusted off my Ancestry research skills and dove in.
It had been quite a while since I'd done any research on this guy so I was hoping to find a fresh, new lead. That hope was quickly dashed. After about an hour of searching I hadn't turned up anything meaningful on him or his wife, Noel Heill. In fact, other than that reference in the California Marriage Index, I had absolutely nothing on his wife, not even a date of birth! I decided to bring up a scanned image of that marriage index to see if it contained anything else of use ... and did it ever! William's wife was not named Noel Heill. Her name was Noel Neill! If that name means nothing to you, it's probably because you weren't born before 1960 and didn't watch the Superman TV show on channel 11, WPIX, starring George Reeves as the Man of Steel. Noel Neill was the name of the actress that played Lois Lane!
The California Birth Index confirmed that William J. Behrens, with a mother whose maiden name was Mehan, was born on September 12, 1921.
The Minnesota, Birth Index confirmed that Noel Darleen Neill was born on November 25, 1920.
The California Marriage Index (above) confirmed that William Behrens (age 31) and Noel Neill (age 32) were married on August 27, 1953. Both ages correspond exactly to the information contained in their birth index records.
In 1943, Neill married makeup artist Harold Lierley in Hollywood, California. The marriage was annulled shortly afterward. Neill then married William Behrens in 1953 in Santa Monica, California; the marriage ended in divorce in 1962. While still married to Behrens, the Superman television program was cancelled.
That sealed the deal for me. In the TV series, Lois Lane never married Superman. But in real life, William J. Behrens was her Man of Steel!
Noel Neill died last year. In her obituary, the New York Times failed to mention any children, noting only that she had "no surviving family members". Since Behrens was in his 40's at the time of their divorce, it's probably a safe bet that he, too, died without children. Maybe the word "Papa" on his gravestone was simply his nickname: "Papa Behrens", a play on "Papa Bear". Whatever. It's time to close this case again and move on to a new name.
This document confirms beyond a shadow of a doubt that William John Behrens, my mother's second cousin and the son of Martha Mehan and Henry Behrens, married Noel Darleen Neill in 1953. But it also raises a brand new issue: Before marrying Noel Neill, William Behrens had been married twice before! So maybe he does have descendants after all!


It's hard to work out whether Cordelia Lynn's 'Lela & Co' is incredibly timely, or if we as a species are so universally awful that it would always feel relevant. But it certainly strikes a chord during a month defined by tremendous civilian suffering.
That's not the first impression of Jude Christian's production, mind. We meet Lela (Katie West) as an irrepressible young girl in a party frock, babbling away merrily about her fairly unremarkable family home life. Alarm bells only start ringing when David Mumeni appears as her brother-in-law – a 'sophisticated' older man who pompously prattles on about how the 13-year-old has a crush on him, while pawing away creepily at Lela, who seems indifferent at best. Shortly thereafter she and her sister are on holiday with him, and meet a friend of his (played, as are all the men, by Mumeni). The two marry, and suddenly she is locked inside his house, forced into a life of prostitution, while a war rages through the city outside (one gets the impression we're in the Middle East, though Albania was mentioned in the earliest publicity for the play).
Christian's production presents this like a dazzling rictus grin, all bright colours, chirpy denial and Mumeni's brilliant, awful parade of selfish men blithely convinced of their own righteousness (later there's a 'kindly' soldier who freaks out when Lela asks for help). Though there are moments of misery monologue cliché, the whole piece comes suffused with a burning sense of injustice at the ills that originate from male entitlement. Lela receives not a jot of sympathy from anyone – her situation is impossibly ghastly, but nobody thinks they've done anything wrong. It only boils over when finally, at the end, West rounds on us, electrifyingly.
The sticking point for some is going to be Christian's lurid production. I'm not sure Lynn's story needs all the bells and whistles that are heaped upon it (at most theatres they wouldn't have had the budget). It takes an inordinate amount time to get going, with a lot of the cutesy early stuff – giving out candyfloss to the audience and whatnot – coming across more like arch theatricality than ironic evocation of a happy childhood. Still, the most audacious intervention worked, I thought. The middle of the show takes place in total darkness, and as the bright, happy fairytale derails, it's simply impossible to pretend the light is still there.
This was an incredibly well written play, that takes you at the beggining of the play to never let you down before the end, a bit broken but amazed at what amazing writing, staging and acting can do. They take you wherever they want you to be, forcing you to open your eyes (albeit in total darkness) on a cruel reality. David Mumeni, does an incredible job portraying all the men in Lela's life and their differences, though also underlining ever so slighlty what they all have in common, the message comes out ever so stronger. It's hard to write a review without ruining the whole experience of the play and my main advice would just be: go see it now!
Truly powerful writing here, a must see. I found the moments of intense dark humour are what made the play stand out. This play was amazing!
Just a brilliant piece of theatre. Harrowing, moving and fantastically executed. Writing, direction and performances are outstanding. Go see!
With very vague details about the play, I bought this purely because it was based on a true story. Not knowing what to expect, I was definitely in for a surprise. The tale was a sad one which Katie West did a very good job of portraying. But what was really strange was the half an hour in pitch darkness as the cast continued to recite their lines. It was like listening to a radio broadcast, and I struggled to see the point. Was it to put ourselves in her shoes? Her dark dark world? I could see the same look on the rest of the audience (when they eventually turned the lights on and everyone had recovered from the sudden light blindness). Overall, the message was an important one for the audience, but conveyed in a very peculiar way.


text:
Looking out at Santa Monica Beach in the summer.
Eric Demarcq/Curbed LA flickr pool
Curbed Los Angeles pocket guide: summer 2017
26 essential LA places to visit, from well-known classics to new favorites
By Bianca Barragan, Adrian Glick Kudler, and Jenna Chandler Updated Jul 3, 2017, 1:47pm PDT
View as Map
| Eric Demarcq/Curbed LA flickr pool
It's going to get hot this summer, but the sun and the warm days don't ever seem to deter people from taking advantage of LA's bevy of parks, mountains, and beaches, so our seasonal roundup of places to see and things to do in and around the City of Angels offers lots to do in the outdoors. But we've also thrown in coastal spots and places to hide away in the shade, for those days when the sun is just too much.
Our editors picked 26 cultural institutions to visit and nature-y things to do this summer, perfect for LA locals and visitors alike. If we missed any cool summer spots, please let us know in the comments.
[Maps points are arranged in rough geographical order, from north to south.]
1. Trek through Griffith Park
Maybe we're cheating by making Griffith Park just one entry—you could spend days at the 4,217-acre park. You could spend those days at the Griffith Observatory and its planetarium; or at the Travel Town train museum; on a visit to the Bronson Caves, which have played the Bat Cave and dozens of other science fiction and Western roles; on a hike to the Wisdom Tree; crawling around the ruins of the Old Zoo; visiting the animals at the Los Angeles Zoo; seeing a concert at the Greek Theatre; or walking or playing tennis or taking a bootcamp class or even driving through the tunnel to Toontown.
Sterling Davis
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LA's haunted landmarks and their ghost stories, mapped
The new LA River
2. Visit the Los Angeles County Museum of Art (LACMA)
Visitors can be immersed in light like Drake was in the "Hotline Bling" video via James Turrell's Breathing Light installation, or take in a multi-artist exhibit exploring the notion of "home," and mingling multiple mediums including large-scale installations and sculpture. While you're at the LACMA, don't forget to take in the architecture both successful and un-, the sculpture garden, and then grab dinner and drinks at Ray's and Stark Bar.
Shabdro Photo
3. Picnic at Barnsdall Art Park
Barnsdall Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd
Opportunities to picnic in LA are plentiful, but this should be at the top of anyone's list. Every Friday evening from June to September 22, Silverlake Wine curates tastings at the park on Hollywood Boulevard, which boasts stunning views of the city. Bring your own picnic, or taste from the local food trucks. For $15, Frank Lloyd Wright's restored masterpiece, the Hollyhock House, may also be toured during the event.
A post shared by Callie Simonton (@callie_ri) on Mar 31, 2017 at 4:22pm PDT
4. Cruise Mulholland Drive
Mulholland Dr.
The backbone of the city snakes 21 miles through the Santa Monica Mountains, from Hollywood to Pacific Coast Highway. It is named for William Mulholland, the scheming civil engineer whose Los Angeles Acqueduct brought enough water to a young LA to make it into a real metropolis.
You can't drive the entire route (it's a gated dirt road roughly between West Mandeville Fire Road and Topanga Canyon), but you should definitely wind your way along several miles some quiet night—the road will alternately reveal endless, twinkling views of Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley.
Eric Demarcq
5. Dine your way through Grand Central Market
Grand Central Market has seen quite a bit of change in the last few years. Trendy new vendors have come in; the face of the market and the crowd that it caters to has altered. (A pending lawsuit frames the changes in an unsettling light.)
For better or for worse, this latest iteration of the market encapsulates an ongoing process all over Downtown, as buildings once neglected and underestimated continue to be polished up and reframed as the hot new thing. And with new popularity comes new operating hours: Grand Central Market now stays open until 10 p.m. daily, with many nights featuring entertainment ranging from live music to trivia.
Our detailed guide to the market can be found here.
Howard F.
6. Visit Watts Towers
1765 E 107th St
The Watts Towers are one of the most famous works of folk art in the U.S., made up of 17 steel and mortar sculptures built between 1921 and 1955 by Italian immigrant Simon Rodia. The towers rise as high as 99.5 feet and are entirely covered in "a diverse mosaic of broken glass, sea shells, generic pottery and tile, a rare piece of 19th-century, hand painted Canton ware and many pieces of 20th-century American ceramics."
When he was done, Rodia said, "I had it in mind to do something big and I did it," and he deeded the property to a neighbor and moved away. After his house burned down, a group of neighbors banded together to save the towers, eventually founding the Watts Towers Arts Center; the site is now run by the city and is on the National Register of Historic Places. You can take a guided tour or just go yourself to see what Simon Rodia created.
John Sequeira
7. Stroll Leimert Park Village
Leimert Park—voted Curbed LA's 2016 neighborhood of the year—was developed in the 1920s from a design by the Olmsted brothers, and for many years was a whites-only neighborhood. Once that kind of housing discrimination became illegal, wealthy African-Americans began to move in, and by the 1970s Leimert had become the epicenter of black arts culture in Los Angeles, eventually breeding the LA Rebellion film movement and the famous World Stage open mic nights. Leimert Park Village is a walkable and diverse cluster of small, local businesses, many of them artsy in nature.
Michael Locke
8. Paddle Echo Park Lake
751 Echo Park Ave
Echo Park Lake began life as a reservoir but has been purely recreational for well over 100 years now. Besides being one of LA's most pleasant parks, it's also one of its most recognizable for its role in Chinatown—early on in the film Jake Gittes floats in a boat on the lake pretending to pose for his associate's camera.
After an early aughts restoration, there's now a cafe where you can rent pedal boats, a short boardwalk, and a walking path around the lake.
The ultimate 'Chinatown' filming location map of Los Angeles
Los Angeles picnic spots: 20 of the best places to lay out a blanket
9. Have a celebrity moment at Château Marmont
8221 W Sunset Blvd
If you're doing Los Angeles, you really have to do one starfucky thing on the Sunset Strip, and we recommend the Chateau Marmont. Built in the 1920s as the city's first earthquake-proof apartment building, it became a hotel and the place for stars to misbehave in the 1930s, and it's been that way ever since.
The rooms and bungalows are shockingly expensive, but make a reservation for lunch, enjoy the restaurant patio, then sneak a look around the pool and grounds, shrouded in foliage and perched tastefully above the Strip.
10. Enjoy The Getty
1200 Getty Center Dr
Completely funded by oilman J. Paul Getty's trust and designed by Richard Meier, the Getty is one of the most breathtaking places in Los Angeles. Meier's light-colored marble buildings bob and weave, up and down, among pools, fountains, and a circular garden designed by Robert Irwin, all on top of a ridge high above the 405 Freeway with 360-degree views. Plus you get to take a funicular up there. The collection isn't particularly beloved, but includes everything from photography to early books to furniture. And it's all free except for the parking.
A post shared by sarah (@sarahdipitiy) on Apr 1, 2017 at 9:20pm PDT
11. Explore Exposition Park
700 Exposition Park Dr
You could spend a full day in Exposition Park—visit the California Science Center (which has the space shuttle Endeavour and an Imax theater), the California African American Museum, and/or the Natural History Museum, picnic in the rose garden, and wander around the instantly identifiable Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
Danny Valdez
12. Visit the offbeat Valley Relics Museum
21630 Marilla St
The Valley is often painted as unglamorous and lame, but there's no doubt that this northern arm of Los Angeles helped to shape what the city is today. This off-beat museum has a huge collection of cool, nostalgic items from enormous neon signs to cars decorated by famed country-western tailor Nudie Cohn. Rare historic photos and documents from the San Fernando Valley's past are displayed alongside Valley-made vintage BMX bikes. It's a good, if super-compressed introduction to the area and LA kitsch in general.
A photo posted by Shannon Adducci (@shannonadducci) on Jun 23, 2016 at 7:54am PDT
13. Have a seafood feast at San Pedro Fish Market
1190 Nagoya Way
Even after the Ports O' Call Village is remade into a Fisherman's Wharf-like destination with fake vintage warehouses and new retailers, the San Pedro Fish Market will still be kickin', selling trays full of fish cooked to order, however you'd like it.
It's the more affordable, no-frills alternative to a fancy, waterfront seafood restaurant—where guests eat their ridiculously hearty portions while seated on picnic tables overlooking the port, then wash it all down with a (plastic) pitcher of beer.
If you're thirsty but not into Bud Lite, there's a newish craft brewery about a mile away—not a bad walk on a cloudy day. And after all that seafood, a brisk walk might do some good.
A photo posted by San Pedro Fish Market (@sanpedrofish) on Sep 14, 2016 at 1:28pm PDT
14. Hang out poolside at the Annenberg Community Beach House
415 Pacific Coast Hwy
Once part of the estate that William Randolph Hearst shared with his mistress Marion Davies, the beach house got a great renovation within the past decade with new buildings but original tiles. It's a great place to swim, splash, or sunbath, and its chairs are open to the public for free on a first-come, first-serve basis. Limited reservations are also available 1 to 3 days in advance.
A post shared by Emily Lenguadoro (@emilylenguadoro) on Jun 24, 2017 at 4:35pm PDT
15. See an explosion of blooms at Descanso Gardens
1418 Descanso Drive
La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
Descanso Gardens' 160 acres feature roses, crape myrtle, and cassia, all of which should be explosions of color over the next few months. The garden also offers shady, peaceful spots to escape the heat.
Check the events calendar before heading over; Descanso offers a range of activities from plant sales to the occasional tea ceremony to guided walks through the grounds. If you're visiting on a weekend, maybe swing by Descanso's new brunch restaurant. Don't forget to take a ride on the one-eighth-scale replica train before leaving.
A post shared by Descanso Gardens (@descansogardens) on Jun 30, 2017 at 2:46pm PDT
16. Amble through a Japanese Garden
6100 Woodley Ave
You probably never imagined a water reclamation plant could look beautiful, let alone serve as a destination worth visiting, but that's exactly what the Donald C. Tillman Water Reclamation Plant offers. Treated water sustains a 6.5-acre garden with waterfalls, a wisteria arbor, and six species of trees, including cherry and ginko. It's open to the public 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $5.
This whole Japanese garden thing is pretty great.
A post shared by Kira (@kira_a_prince) on Mar 26, 2017 at 6:48pm PDT
The best things to do in LA this winter
Los Angeles heatwave hangouts: 24 free and air conditioned places to beat the heat
17. Take a break at Amir's Garden
Amir's Garden, Griffith Park, Los Angeles
There are lots of destinations within Griffith Park worth visiting, but this one is a little more hidden. Take a shady respite at this forested pocket of the park, lovingly built in the 1970s by Iranian immigrant Amir Dialameh. He worked tirelessly, "six or seven days each week for up to eight hours at a time terracing the slopes, building stairs to the picnic area, and adding wooden benches he painted with bright vivid patterns." Today, the 5 acres are maintained by volunteers.
A post shared by Callie Hernandez (@cheap_mango) on Feb 17, 2017 at 7:25am PST
18. Catch a game—and a sunset—at Dodger Stadium
1000 Vin Scully Ave
Look, even if you're not a Dodger's fan or even a baseball fan in general, there's one really good reason to take in a game at LA's ballpark: the sunsets. Legendary Dodgers broadcaster Vin Scully described them many times in many ways, but his most famous line was, "A cotton-candy sky with a canopy of blue—looks good enough to eat." Yum.
Before you go, check out our snazzy guide to the stadium. We've got tips from a bunch of fans that will make you feel right at home in the beautiful modernist ballpark.
A post shared by G A R V I N (@hipstergram89) on Nov 3, 2016 at 5:58pm PDT
19. Visit famed modernist architecture at the MAK Center
835 N Kings Rd
The MAK Center is housed inside the R.M. Schindler House, a house the modernist architect Rudolph M. Schindler designed and lived in. Built in 1922, it's considered one of the first modern houses in the world. It's no longer a residence; as the MAK Center, the space now serves to "[present] programming that challenges conventional notions of architectural space and relationships between the creative arts," according to its website.
The house is open Wednesdays through Sundays; guided tours are available for large groups.
Michael Locke/Curbed LA flickr pool
20. Sunbathe at El Matador State Beach
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, 32350 El Matador Beach Rd
One little stretch of coastline that stands out above the rest of Southern California's famous beaches is this state park with its impressive rock formations and sea caves. There's plenty of soft sand for sunbathing, too. A few caveats here: The beach is accessed only by a steep staircase, there's not much parking, and you'll probably have to share the beautiful scenery with aspiring models and photographers.
A post shared by Mario Lugo (@mariolugophoto) on Apr 2, 2017 at 2:17pm PDT
21. Watch a classic movie at an old cemetery
Though the film selections are top-notch, seeing a movie at Cinespia at Hollywood Forever Cemetery is more about the hip, laid-back scene and the experience of picnicking in one of the city's oldest graveyards. Pack a dinner, a blanket, and a bottle of wine—yes, booze is allowed—and arrive early to stand in line for a good spot on the sprawling grass lawn, which is where you'll watch a flick projected on the side of a mausoleum. Buy tickets early, because they sell out fast.
A post shared by CINESPIA (@cinespia) on Oct 24, 2016 at 12:05pm PDT
22. Hike to Nicholas Flat in Leo Carrillo State Park
Leo Carrillo State Park, 35000 Pacific Coast Hwy
Los Angeles is home to hundreds of amazing trails, so we've asked Modern Hiker's Casey Schreiner for his favorite springtime hike. His pick? Nicholas Flat. He described it to us as a, "great little trek that really surprised me with its toughness."
Set aside 3.5 hours for this challenging hike, which ascends 1,664 feet. For your hard work, you'll be rewarded with "postcard-perfect views of the interior of the Santa Monica Mountains," as well as the ocean.
A post shared by Kim Robertson (@tkimminy) on Jan 29, 2017 at 8:02pm PST
23. Picnic with the crowds at Malibu Wines Tasting Room
31740 Mulholland Hwy
If you're looking for a scene, look no farther than Malibu Wines, where on Saturdays and Sundays you can join throngs of hipsters and women in flower crowns sipping rosé and listening to live (usually acoustic) music on the vineyard's lawns. It's totally free to picnic, so bring in your own cheese and crackers. Tasting flights cost about $15 and a bottle will set you back at least $28.
A post shared by ᴘᴏᴜʀᴇᴅ (@pouredapp) on Jun 7, 2017 at 3:50pm PDT
24. Bike the beach
If you don't want to get sandy, rent a bike from any one of the number of rental shops along the strand and peddle north from the Venice Boardwalk to Malibu, soaking in the sights and gawking at weird people along the way. In Venice, you'll spot pot shops, sick skateboarding, drum circles, and some pretty solid breakdancing. In Santa Monica, you'll cruise past beautiful Shutters on the Beach and the world famous pier, but don't bother stopping unless you enjoy chain restaurants and tacky souvenirs. Things get normal from there, and you really can't beat the vistas. Plus, exercise!
At the beach earlier today!! ☀ #venicebeach #beachcafe #california #calilife
A post shared by Chanelle ⚖ (@chanhells) on Mar 10, 2016 at 1:13am PST
25. Groove to live music at The Hollywood Bowl
2301 N Highland Ave
The Hollywood Bowl really is an awesome place to see live music. There's a good view of the stage from every seat, even the nosebleeds; ticketholders can bring their own food and booze to the venue; and the alfresco nature of the venue means that there's often a cool summer breeze blowing during evening shows.
Parking is a nightmare, but the venue has a shuttle from Hollywood near Highland (about a block from the subway) and an easy-to-find rideshare drop-off area, so leaving the car at home is easier than ever.
Concerts have been held at the bowl-shaped site—chosen for its excellent acoustics—since 1921; the balloon-shaped seating and concert shell date from 1926 (though they've been updated since).
A post shared by jamesrojas909 (@jamesrojas909) on Jul 2, 2017 at 8:28pm PDT
17 things to do in Hollywood
Where to watch Fourth of July fireworks in LA
26. Walk around the reopened Los Angeles State Historic Park
1245 N Spring St
After being closed for more than three years, this Chinatown park reopened just a couple months ago with a whole new look.
A $20 million renovation has given the park a stunning pedestrian walkway, picnic areas, wetlands, a public fruit orchard, and an elevated lookout point. The park's also added two permanent structures: a ranger station and a welcome center with new permanent bathrooms.
The park is open every day from 8 a.m. to sunset.
Alissa Walker
© 2022 Vox Media, Inc. All rights reserved.
Link copied to the clipboard.
4730 Crystal Springs Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90027
5905 Wilshire Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90036
Barnsdall Art Park, 4800 Hollywood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90027
Mulholland Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90077
1765 E 107th St, Los Angeles, CA 90002
751 Echo Park Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90026
8221 W Sunset Blvd, West Hollywood, CA 90046
1200 Getty Center Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90049
700 Exposition Park Dr, Los Angeles, CA 90037
21630 Marilla St, Chatsworth, CA 91311
1190 Nagoya Way, San Pedro, CA 90731
415 Pacific Coast Hwy, Santa Monica, CA 90402
1418 Descanso Drive, La Cañada Flintridge, CA 91011
6100 Woodley Ave, Van Nuys, CA 91406
Amir's Garden, Griffith Park, Los Angeles, CA 90027, United States
1000 Vin Scully Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90012
835 N Kings Rd, West Hollywood, CA 90069
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area, 32350 El Matador Beach Rd, Malibu, CA 90265
6000 Santa Monica Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90038
Leo Carrillo State Park, 35000 Pacific Coast Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265
31740 Mulholland Hwy, Malibu, CA 90265
Venice, Los Angeles, CA
2301 N Highland Ave, Los Angeles, CA 90068
1245 N Spring St, Los Angeles, CA 90012


Whether you're working all day, taking care of kids, or running errands, coming home to a disorganized space builds up stress and anxiety over time.
Just the thought of getting organized can be overwhelming.
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My organizing services are all about quick wins. From my FastPace™ Program to my Power Hour Calls, I'll help you set the time aside and show you how to get started fast.
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Trust me, you can get organized too. It's faster and easier than you think, and it will make all the difference.


The following are responses to frequently asked questions about Christianity. If you have further questions, please feel free to make contact with the Church to discuss.
Many of us feel lost like that. We're not the persons we ought to be. We don't live up to our ideals, and sometimes deliberately do what's wrong.
The Bible calls this 'sin' - and sin is anything we do (or even think) which is disobedient to what God wants for us and is harmful to ourselves and others. More than that, sin is what we do not do that we should be doing! it's man's inhumanity to man, creating a mess in our world and its structures. It's falling short of the beautiful way God meant for us to live.
But the astonishing thing about God is that He loves us, in spite of our rebellion, selfishness and apathy. God is not only great and all powerful, He's very gracious and forgiving. He comes looking for us, wanting to save us from our sin and 'lostness' This is why He sent His Son Jesus into this hostile world - to give us liFE - life in all its fullness (John 10:10b).
He wants us to become 'truly human' - He wants to remake us, from the inside out!
Q: What do I have to do to become a Christian?
It's as simple and as demanding as that!
Q: What happens when you become a Christian?
A: Jesus comes into your life - to stay (Revelation 3:20).
'But what if I don't feel any different?' That's O.K. Feelings go up and down; they're very unreliable. It's trusting God and His sure promises that is important, not your feelings!
If you've said that prayer - and really meant it - do you realise what's happened?
You have become a child of God -'born again' into His family!
You've been 'made new all over again'! (2 Corinthians 5:17).
You will live a beautiful 'eternal life 'forever' (1 John 5:11-13).
You've begun a new relationship with a wonderful caring friend! He'll stick by you - right through your life, and beyond.
But perhaps you're thinking, 'I'll never make it. I'm sure to muck it up, just as I've often done in the past'. Well, that happens to all of us. But God will be there to help and forgive you (1 Corinthians 10:13, 1 John 1:8-9). After all, it is He who does the changing. We simply live in a way that is open to God's purposes (Romans 12:12).
Q: How do you become a strong Christian?
Spend some time each day reading the Bible. Perhaps start with Mark, then John, then Acts. God's Word will keep you strong (Psalm 119:9,11).
Then spend some time thinking and praying about what you've read.
Talk to your heavenly Father just like you'd talk to a friend. Prayer is your 'life-line' to Him, and His answers to your requests will always be the best for you (John 15:7, 1 John 5:14,15).
Obey your Lord and Master: if you really love Him you'll want to be His disciple (John 14:21).
Help others in any way you can. You are now one of Christ's 'witnesses' - an ambassador for Him wherever you go.
You'll want to talk to others about Christ (not everyone you meet, perhaps: pray for God to guide you each day to those who need to hear the 'Good News' from you).
Meet regularly with other Christians - at your church, in a small group, and, if possible, one-to-one for Bible study, sharing common problems (and successes!), and prayer (Galatians 6:2, Hebrews 10:24,25).
You've begun a new relationship. Grow in your love for Him and your understanding of His ways. Trust Him - with everything. He'll never let you down (1 Peter 5:7,2 Peter3:18).


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Q: arcpy.intersect_analysis: output shapefiles not saved? I am trying to write my first python code to use in ArcGIS 10.1.
I have feature classes in a file geodatabase .gdb, and AOI.shp (area of interest). I list my geodatabase feature classes, and want to intersect my list with AOI.shp.
I want to save my final intersected files.
Here is my code:
# import system modules
import arcpy, os
from arcpy import env

# Allow to overwrite existing files
arcpy.env.overwriteOutput = True

# Set environment settings
env.workspace = r"C:\Users\...\extent_AOI\disturbaces_for_aoi.gdb"

# identify AOI
aoi = r"C:\Users\...\aoi.gdb\aoi"

# Set output database
out_wksp = r"C:\Users\...\disturbances_by_aoi.gdb"

# list features in the working folder database
fcl = arcpy.ListFeatureClasses()

# print files to check them
print fcl

for fc in fcl:
    arcpy.Intersect_analysis([fc, aoi], out_wksp + fc, "ALL", "", "INPUT")
    print "intersection ok"

My code seems to run through PythonWin.
However, I can't find my output data in my output folder out_wksp ?
How can I save my output data correctly?

A: Your output filepath is not including slashes before the feature class name.  So if your feature class is called tempFC the output filepath is being generated as
C:\Users\...\disturbances_by_aoi.gdbtempFC rather than
C:\Users\...\disturbances_by_aoi.gdb\tempFC
Use os.path.join() to create a valid filepath:
for fc in fcl:
    outputFC = os.path.join(out_wksp, fc)
    arcpy.Intersect_analysis([fc, aoi], outputFC , "ALL", "", "INPUT")


I am sure many avid wine aficionados have read alot about the 2009 Bordeaux wines. The main issue for me is the price. I am not saying they are not good wines, I am saying for the top echelon chateaux, I just can't afford them.
In addition, when buying wines for a restaurant. especially nowadays, I am always looking instead for wines which over deliver for the dollar. To me…….Value will never be out of style. Please understand, I am NOT saying cheap……….VALUE.
Having said that, here are two Bordelais chateaux which fit the bill.
The Haut Medoc appellation covers roughly 40 or so miles on the Left Bank of the Gironde River. This 9 hectare estate is located near the border of the Margaux appellation. The blend of the 2009 is 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot & 20% Petite Verdot. …and spent 16 months in French oak, 50% new & 50% 1 year old barrels.
From the first whiff, we were so taken with this wine's classic perfume–textbook Bordelais, done with class & charm. And, with some air time, the wine just kept opening up with more & more. There is also lots of flavor & character, with wonderful balance & a long finish. This really is a pretty wine & I would love to have the chance of re-tasting this SENSATIONAL VALUE 15 to 20 years from now!
I have not tasted a wine from this chateau before, so needless to say I was anxious & somewhat apprehensive especially given the price tag. This is 28.5 hectare estate located in the Pessac-Leognan, with its famous gravel, pebbles & stones on a subsoil of silaceous clay. We just loved the resulting perfume, elegance, refinement & class in the wine. The 2009 is 54% Cabernet Sauvignon & 46% Merlot, aged for 18 months in French oak (50% new).


As I mentioned in the previous post, the Arctic Cooling Freezer 13 Pro cooler didn't fit into Dell XPS case. What to do? I didn't like the option of exchanging it for a smaller one, as smaller fan would be louder, as its smaller fan needs to rotate on the higher RPM, which eliminates the main goal of making my PC quiet. So I decided to replace the case. I didn't like the XPS 9100 case anyway - it was not designed with silence in mind. Nothing was done to make it quieter - no insulation, the hard drives, DVD drive, and fans are screwed directly to the case, without any vibration dampers. The only good thing - it had 120 mm case fan, which wasn't too loud, rotating at not very high RPM.
The main silencing features of this case are: three-layer, sound-deadening side panels and front door; HDD mounting with special cages and silicon anti-vibration grommets; a separate chamber for the power supply in the bottom of the case also helps to reduce noise.
This case was in stock at A-Power, so I bought it from there. I spent the whole evening moving all Dell components from the XPS to this new case. It is slightly bigger than XPS 9100, and with the top fan removed, the Arctic Cooling Freezer 13 Pro fits perfectly.
Of course it didn't go as smooth as I planned. When I installed all the parts, connected everything, and powered it up, the computer didn't want to boot. It kept complaining about the front USB not connected. It also wanted a case fan, so I connected one, and the error message disappeared. But that front USB was painful! First I tried to connect the case front panel - the error was still there on the next boot. Then I got a card reader with ports USB from the old computer, connected that panel, switched on - the same error message. Finally I just disassembled the XPS front panel, removed the card reader with USB ports from there, connected the cables to the motherboard, and that helped! The computer had finally booted. Apparently those original USB ports from the XPS are special. It looks like they have some capacitors, which are probably used to detect the connection, so the motherboard only works with the original USB ports panel!
I didn't really need those ports and the card reader, but didn't have a choice - they had to be connected for the computer to boot, so I put the USB panel inside the case (just used some wires to keep it in place), and connected a couple of USB extenders, so I could at least use those ports. I also found a place for the card reader: could put it into 5" mounts in the front of the case. It doesn't look very aesthetically pleasing, as it's supposed to be covered by the cool shiny semi-transparent panel of the XPS case, and that panel is not detachable. But at least it is connected properly, so the computer boots, and the reader is even accessible, so I could use it to read from the SD cards used in our cameras.
It is not dead silent yet, as there are still 5 working fans inside, but the noise they produce is very low. During the day with all the normal sounds around I can barely hear it. And even in the night it's not very noticeable.
My Dell XPS is still loud. Next component to replace is the CPU cooler. It seems to make the most noticeable sound now, especially on load - when building the CPU is used up to 100%, gets hot, and its fan starts buzzing like it's going to take-off.
It is supposed to be very quiet and work much better than the original cooler.
So, I got it, opened the case of my Dell, and found the next surprise: the CPU socket on this motherboard is very close to the edge, so close that the huge radiator of the Freezer 13 Pro does not fit into the place without removing the power supply. What a disappointment!
Now I have to decide what to do - take a smaller cooler so it fits there, or bite a bullet, and move the whole computer into another, even bigger case.
This Dell XPS is pretty loud. I knew it wouldn't be the best, but I didn't expect it to be that bad. It might be OK in a regular office environment, but in my home office, where there is no much noise around, the computer is the loudest piece of equipment.
The most annoying thing is the video card. By the way, its brand is "Pegatron" - I've never heard of this name before. Apparently that's a part of ASUS company, which split several years ago. This video card has a very cheap small and extremely noisy fan. I was tired of that noise, and after I got a permission from Mozilla IT guy to modify my PC (as long as I don't break it :)), I started from that annoying little VGA cooler.
I had a pretty big and heavy copper VGA cooler, which I bought several years ago for my HTPC. Since then I upgraded the motherboard in the HTPC, to the one with integrated nVidia 8200, so this VGA cooler was not used. Luckily its mounting screws could be adjusted to fit the holes on the this ATI HD5670, and the radiator did not touch any parts, so I installed it. There was one problem though - the original fan on the VGA cooler was connected to the card itself, and that connector was too small for a 3rd-party cooler fan. Dell motherboard doesn't have any more fan connectors, so I had to be inventive - I cut two pieces from a paper clip, ground them down a bit, inserted into a floppy drive power cable, and connected the fan to that improvised power source. It worked! I put everything together, and now my computer is noticeably quieter without that constant buzz from the video card.
I still had a lot of useful files on my old PC, and it wasn't convenient to access them. It's especially confusing when there are copies of the same files and folders on two machines (like "My Documents" folder, where I had a lot of stuff - from everyday notes, to my financial data needed for tax return). As I've switched to a new PC, I decided to move the hard drive with all my stuff into it. I also had an SSD in the old PC, which I wanted to use.
So, I repartitioned an older 500GB disk, which I had available, moved the system and all the required data to it, got SSD and the HDD from the old PC, opened Dell XPS, ready to install those two drives, and suddenly stopped confused, as there were no place to connect these drives - there was only one SATA connector available! Also there were no place where I could put the SSD so I could screw it to the case - the case was designed only for 3.5" drives.
Well, it's not the first time when I had to invent something, so I managed to connect the SSD and fix it in place, but another HDD was out of luck.
Does this Dell motherboard really have only one extra SATA port?!?
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text:
Dark Souls 3 to get one last expansion this March
by Marcos Thadani ● Last updated on Jan 24, 2017
The Dark Souls series by Japanese designer Hidetaka Miyazaki has quite a following, even if not all players are fond of the extreme level of challenge found in these medieval fantasy action role-playing games… This is because the Dark Souls games are amongst the hardest made to date, although they also feature great gameplay, beautiful art and compelling stories for players to follow.
So it's not surprising that Dark Souls III was not only a top-selling video game but also ranked amongst last year's best games, surely being one of the best gaming experiences players could enjoy in 2016.
Dark Souls III has already gotten an expansion, the pretty good Ashes of Ariandel released last year, while publisher Bandai Namco has now announced that the game will be getting a second expansion this March titled The Ringed City. "This new adventure has players chasing after the Slave Knight Gael to the literal end of the world as he searches for the Dark Soul of Humanity", said the publisher in a statement.
Aside from the new story, this second and last expansion for Dark Souls III will also feature new magic spells, weapons for players to use in battle and new armour sets to wear. Plus players will also get to explore the titular Ringed City, which is likely filled with new (and very hard) monsters to defeat…
The newly announced Ringed City DLC can be purchased standalone, or together with the earlier expansion Ashes of Ariandel as part of the game's season pass, and will surely be an expansion that Dark Souls fans will be looking forward to this year.
Note: Dark Souls III: The Ringed City will be released on March 28, 2017. Available on PS4, Xbox One and PC.
Next: Will the Xbox Scorpio be a success?
Will the Xbox Scorpio be a success?
40 million Switch consoles to be sold by 2020: new report predicts rosy future for Nintendo


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THE LATEST FROM SRW BORDER BLOG
ARO's Recent Interpretation of Non-Immigrant Waivers Requiring Specific Non-Immigrant Status
July 29, 2012 / SRW Border Lawyers
The Admissibility Review Office (ARO) is the office within U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP) responsible for adjudicating non-immigrant waivers of inadmissibility under INA §212(d)(3) from all over the world, whether the waiver request be from a Canadian citizen filing Form I-192 or from a foreign national who has received a favorable recommendation for a non-immigrant waiver from their Consulate in conjunction with their non-immigrant visa application.
In recent months, the ARO has started taking the position that even if you have a valid unexpired non-immigrant waiver, you may not be able admissible to the United States unless your waiver specifically allows for admission in the status you are seeking to enter. For example, let's say a foreign national is in possession of a valid non-immigrant waiver for the general purpose of for "business visits (B-1) or pleasure (B-2)". Now let's assume that the foreign national has an exciting employment opportunity in the U.S. and wishes to enter the U.S. in H-1B, TN or L-1 status. Well, given the ARO's current stance, that foreign national will now need to apply for a new waiver, specifically allowing them to enter in the applicable non-immigrant status they are seeking, whether it is H-1B, TN or L-1, etc.
This is a deviation from previous practice which held that if you were approved for a waiver and had therefore demonstrated your eligibilities under the factors in Matter of Hranka, it didn't really matter what the foreign national's reason for coming into the United States was because that's not what the law requires. Once the foreign national had the waiver, it was up to the inspecting CBP officer to determine whether the foreign national was indeed eligible to enter the United States in the non-immigrant status which they were seeking. However, not all CBP Ports-of-Entry are going along with this current interpretation.
Notably, this recent interpretation will mostly adversely affect Canadian citizens, who are generally visa-exempt and can therefore circumvent the consular process. For all other foreign nationals, since entry into the U.S. requires a specific non-immigrant visa, and their non-immigrant waiver approvals are annotated on their non-immigrant visa itself (i.e. B-1/B-2, H-1B, etc.), this change in interpretation is unlikely to disrupt their travels to the United States.
Therefore, based on the ever changing policy interpretations, it is important for foreign nationals to consult with an experienced immigration attorney to discuss their waiver objectives (i.e. short-term and long-term goals for the United States) before submitting a non-immigrant waiver application.
July 29, 2012 / SRW Border Lawyers/
Admissibility Review Office ("ARO"), INA § 212(d)(3)(A)(II), INA § 212(d)(3)(A)(i), Form I-192
TN's for Management Consultants ...
Obtaining A Copy of Your CBP File ...
SRW BORDER BLOG INDEX
"N/C" or "Non-Controlled" (1)
9 FAM 41.31 N11 (1)
AILA (1)
Absolute Discharge (1)
Admin Close (1)
After-sales Provision (1)
CBP Search (1)
Canadian Criminal Code (1)
Cancellation of Removal (1)
Conditional Discharge (1)
Criminal Convictions (1)
DS-160 (1)
Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) (1)
Department of State (1)
Duration of Status "D/S" (1)
Electronic Searches (1)
Electronic System for Travel Authorization (ESTA) (1)
Extreme Hardship (1)
Form I-401 Abandonment of Lawful Permanent Residence (1)
Form I-751 Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence (1)
H-4 (1)
I-131 (1)
INA § 212(a)(7)(i)(I) (1)
INA § 212(a)(9)(B)(i)(I) (1)
INA § 212(d)(2)(A)(i) (1)
INA § 237(a)(2) (1)
Immigrant Visa Processing (1)
L-1 pilot program (1)
NSEERS (1)
Naturalization (1)
Nonimmigrant Visa (1)
P-1 visa (1)
Pilot Program (1)
Traveler Redress Inquiry Program ('TRIP") (1)
USMCA (1)
Visa Application (1)
approval (1)
e-SAFE (1)
married USC (1)
re-entry permit (1)
reentry permit (1)
Board of Immigration Appeals ("BIA") (2)
Canadian Border Crossing Card ("CBCC") (2)
FOIA Requests (2)
INA § 212(A)(2)(A)(I)(I) (2)
INA § 212(a)(2)(A)(i) (2)
INA § 212(d)(3)(A)(II) (2)
INA § 214(b) (2)
J1 Visa (2)
Motion to Vacate (2)
Nonimmigrant Waiver (2)
Petty Offense Exception (2)
Traveling to US (2)
U.S. Consulate (2)
Visa Denial (2)
uscis (2)
Adjustment of Status (3)
Department of Homeland Security ("DHS") (3)
Entered Without Inspection ("EWI") (3)
Form I-94 Arrival Departure Record (3)
Misrepresentation (3)
Notice to Appear (3)
Voluntary Departure (3)
Withdrawing Application for Admission (3)
Controlled Admission (4)
Drug Conviction (4)
Immigration Court (4)
Ten-Year Bar (4)
Three-Year Bar (4)
Vacate Conviction (4)
Canadian L-1 (5)
O-1 (5)
Removal Proceedings (5)
Controlled Substance (6)
Visa Waiver Program (6)
INA § 212(a)(9)(B)(i)(II) (8)
Admissibility Review Office ("ARO") (9)
Crime of Moral Turpitude (9)
INA § 212(a)(2)(A)(i)(II) (9)
INA § 212(a)(6)(C)(i) (9)
Expedited Removal (10)
Border Denial (11)
INA § 212(a)(2)(A)(i)(I) (12)
H-1B Visa (13)
L-1 Intracompany Transferee (14)
Customs and Border Protection (15)
Waiver Approvals (25)
B-1 (business visitor) (28)
B-2 (pleasure visitor) (29)


text:
The Danger of a Vice-President
In: 2020 Presidential Election, Kamala Harris, Political phonies
I hate to say "I told you so", but I did. Actually, like most people I don't really hate to say it, except when being right means the projected worst outcome becomes horribly true. And that is what this column is about.
In a February 2. 2021 article criticizing Vice-President Kalamata Harris about her lack of knowledge about the distribution of COVID vaccines in Phoenix, Arizona, I noted:
"But there is no similar chaos in Arizona which is run by an extraordinarily competent former business executive Gov. Doug Ducey (R-AZ). One only had to go through one of the massive distribution facilities organized in Phoenix – like the one at the Arizona Cardinals stadium which is processing nearly 7,000 patients per day and which takes about 25 minutes from entry to exit with the majority of that time being dedicated to post inoculation observation (15 minutes). That inoculation site is only one of a number of mass immunization sites, including Phoenix Municipal Stadium and the State Fair Grounds. Most of the major hospitals have opened sites in their parking areas and local pharmacies are targeting specific areas where there is a concentration of seniors. Ms. Harris could have visited any of them and she would be startled to learn that they are run professionally and efficiently. None of them need "help" from the federal government. They sure do not need the type of 'woke' interference for which the Biden administration is becoming infamous.
"Ms. Harris could have asked about the number of inoculations processed in Arizona (one million as of this past Friday). There are 7.5 million people in Arizona – 4.5 million live in the Phoenix Metro area. With one million vaccinated, Arizona is racing toward "herd immunity."
"But Ms. Harris never inquired. Mr. Biden never inquired. The mainstream media never inquired. Neither Facebook nor Twitter inquired. In sum and substance, the ignorant are now in charge and facts do not matter.
"Ms. Harris is a prime example of someone who remains studiously ignorant of the facts and even her early losses in the recent Democratic presidential primary processes due to that kind of superficiality has not taught her how woefully ignorant she remains."
I have at various times described Ms. Harris as the most purposefully ignorant person in politics. It's not that she cannot learn (at least I hope that is true); rather it's that she simply refuses to do the work necessary to learn. And now we have proof from the inside. If you are a liberal/progressive you should know you are in trouble when the reliably accommodating Washington Post pillories you in an article like its December 4, 2021, take on the ongoing turmoil in Ms. Harris' office – a revolving door of disaffected staffers who have had enough:
"Staffers who worked for Harris before she was vice president said one consistent problem was that Harris would refuse to wade into briefing materials prepared by staff members, then berate employees when she appeared unprepared.
"'It's clear that you're not working with somebody who is willing to do the prep and the work,' one former staffer said. 'With Kamala you have to put up with a constant amount of soul-destroying criticism and also her own lack of confidence. So you're constantly sort of propping up a bully and it's not really clear why.'"
Ms. Harris has all of the resources of the federal government at her disposal. She is provided detailed briefing binders every morning on the geo-political state of the world. She has staff and federal agencies who provide voluminous studies with executive summaries on every issue from soup to nuts. And yet she remains ignorant.
Ms. Harris ran for the Democrat nomination for President of the United States. Upon her announcement she surged in the preference polls. She was the "ultimate Democrat candidate" – female, person of color, avid supporter of taxpayer funded abortion on demand, and a lifelong pubic employee. During that period she participated in debates, interviews and hundreds of "meet and greets." And as she did her poll numbers eroded and she finally had to withdraw immediately prior to the California (her home state) primary where she was basically an "also-ran." It was during those appearances that voters began to notice that she didn't have any proposals and that she was content to echo the views of other candidates and to refer to critics as "racists"– she was the "me too" candidate. And the reason she didn't have any proposals is because she wouldn't do the work on issues – any issues. She remained uniquely ignorant and the voters knew it.
After her inauguration, Ms. Harris was appointed by President Joe Biden to manage the incursion of illegal aliens on the United States/Mexican border and to shepherd the plan to federalize the state voting systems (the grossly misnamed For the People Act of 2021 – HR 1) through Congress. She would not go to the border, she refused to learn about the status of the alien incursion, her conversations with the leaders of Mexico and Guatemala insulted them. She made a cursory visit to the members of Congress who had already pledged support for HR 1 to Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The results were no progress on either front. Unlike running for office, accomplishing goals requires study, learning and action. If you won't do the work, you will remain, like Ms. Harris, studiously ignorant.
But Ms. Harris has never had to do the work. She was admitted to law school on an affirmative action program known as the Legal Education Opportunity Program (LEOP). The program was intended for law students who were "disadvantaged" educationally, economically or by a physical disability – but in reality it was rooted in the racist notion that people of color could not learn at the same level as others. You see Ms. Harris is the child of middle-class parents – both of whom held PhD degrees. She was not educationally disadvantaged, economically disadvantaged or physically disadvantaged – but she was a person of color. Regardless, LEOP law students were mentored, cared for, supported, tutored and counseled in every way during their tenure at law school, including special law class outlines, preparation for the bar exams and job interviews. After law school she became a lawyer with a district attorney's office where her most significant accomplishment was a multi-year affair with the married California Speaker of the House – the then most powerful Democrat in California politics, who went on to become the mayor of San Francisco. He in turn appointed her to various boards which resulted in a six figure income and a new car. Sex and political power rather than hard work and accomplishments guided her the rest of the way. Ms. Harris refused to learn but she found an easier way and remained studiously ignorant.
But being studiously ignorant is not the only disqualifier. Ms. Harris is a tyrant. As she blunders from one easily avoidable disaster to the next she rages privately at her staff and advisers, blaming them for the mistakes she makes out of studious ignorance. Ms. Harris epitomizes the ancient saying that "You can lead a horse to water but you cannot make it drink." Cast in today's world that saying might easily read, "You can lead a Harris to Washington but you cannot make her think." The statement of one of her previous staff puts it succinctly. "With Kamala you have to put up with a constant amount of soul-destroying criticism and also her own lack of confidence."
It is one thing to be unqualified to be Vice-President. It is quite another to be dangerous due to purposeful ignorance. Ms. Harris is the singular reason to insure that Mr. Biden serves out his term regardless of his declining physical and mental acuity. Of course returning at least one house of the Congress to opposition control can serve as a check on Mr. Biden – the same cannot be said of a successor so unqualified that her decisions would reek of personal hubris and backed by rage at their failures. Think of the "nuclear trigger" in the hands of someone so volatile.
What a sad place that America finds itself.
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Tags: Incompetence