Perfectly understandable

The Edinburgh home of former Royal Bank of Scotland boss Sir Fred Goodwin has been attacked . A police car is now guarding the entrance to Sir Fred's home, in the Grange area of the city. Three smashed ground-floor windows of the stone villa were clearly visible. In the driveway, the rear window of a dark-coloured Mercedes saloon was smashed, as well as the nearside rear passenger window. A statement was issued to Edinburgh's Evening News on Wednesday morning by a group which claimed it was behind the attack.It said: "We are angry that rich people, like him, are paying themselves a huge amount of money, and living in luxury, while ordinary people are made unemployed, destitute and homeless. This is a crime. Bank bosses should be jailed. This is just the beginning." No comment ;-)

F# Support for ASP.NET and Notes on Samples

(This article is cross-posted from http://tomasp.net/articles/aspnet-in-fsharp.aspx) As I mentioned earlier, I spent three months as an intern in Microsoft Research in Cambridge last year and I was working with Don Syme and James Margetson from the F# team. Most of the time I was working on the F# Web Toolkit, which I introduced on the blog some time ago [1], but I also worked on a few additions that are now part of the F# release. Probably the most useful addition is a new implementation of the CodeDOM provider for the F# language which makes it possible to use ASP.NET smoothly from F# (but it can be used in some other scenarios as well) together with two ASP.NET sample applications that you can explore and use as a basis for your web sites. This was actually a part of the distribution for a few months now (I of course wanted to write this article much earlier...), so you may have already noticed, but anyway, I'd still like to write down a short description of these ASP.NET samples and also a few tips for those who're interested in writing web applications in F#. F# and ASP.NET Let's start by looking at the ASP.NET examples. You can find them in the samples directory in your F# installation under the Web/ASP.NET path. The directory also contains html files with description of the projects and a guide to configuring them, but I'll describe both of these topics in this post. The distribution contains two sample projects: AspNetIntro - this project is (almost) the simples possible F# web site, so it can be used as a template for your web sites. It shows how to configure the CodeDOM provider, how to write a simple page with code-behind and how to use the App_Code directory and data-binding. PersonalWebSite - this is a more complex web site ported from the C# sample called Personal Web Site Starter Kit [2]. It demonstrates many of the standard ASP.NET 2.0 techniques including data access controls, master pages, membership and custom HTTP handlers. ASP.NET Introduction using F# To start playing with ASP.NET you'll need to open the project (I recommend copying it to your working directory first). If you're using Visual Studio, you can select File - Open - Web Site... in the menu and select the directory with your project as demonstrated at Figure 1 below. The organization of ASP.NET projects is different than organization of ordinary F# projects - in ASP.NET the project is just a directory and it contains all the files in the directory (this is also the reason why you have to open it using a different command). The Figure 2 shows how the files of the ASP.NET Introduction project are organized in the Solution Explorer: Figure 1: Open Web Site Figure 2: Solution Explorer As you can see, there are 6 files in the project. The Default.aspx.fs and Default.aspx together form one web page and the DataBinding.aspx.fs with DataBinding.aspx form the second web page. The App_Code directory contains application logic that can be used from other pages in the project and in our sample project it contains only one file (logic.fs). Finally, the web.config file contains configuration of the whole application. Before we look at the pages you may want to check the web.config file, because it needs to contain the correct reference to the CodeDOM provider implementation including a version of the current F# installation. At the time of writing this article, the latest version is 1.9.3.14, but if you're not sure what version you are using, you can just start the fsi.exe from the F# installation which prints the version number. The web.config file is an xml file and it should contain the following content (with the right version number). The samples in the distribution should contain the correct version number, but the incorrect configuration is a common issue when working with ASP.NET in F#, so it is useful to know what the configuration should look like: language="F#;f#;fs;fsharp" extension=".fs" type="Microsoft.FSharp.Compiler.CodeDom.FSharpAspNetCodeProvider, FSharp.Compiler.CodeDom, Version=1.9.3.14, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=a19089b1c74d0809"/> Now, let's look at the Default.aspx and Default.aspx.fs files that together represent a simple page. The page contains one button and one label (a control that can display some text) and when the user clicks on the button, the result of some calculation is displayed in the label (the calculation is executed on the server-side). The following code is a (slightly simplified) content of the Default.aspx file, which defines the HTML markup together with the ASP.NET controls that are on the page:
CodeFile="Default.aspx.fs" Inherits="FSharpWeb.Default" %>

US economy dip 'less than feared'

The US economy will sink at a slower pace than previously thought in 2009, thanks to a rebound in the second half of the year, the Federal Reserve says.

Recently advertised academic positions

This is the last time the recently advertised jobs round-up will be published on Psychology and Crime News. Job-seekers can register directly with Jobs.ac.uk to get updates on job opportunities in criminology and forensic psychology direct to their inbox. Other job hunting resources can be found here. Recently advertised jobs from the last 10 days: Graduate Teaching Assistant, Criminal Justice, School of Law, Kingston University (UK): Applications are invited for PhD research projects in Criminal Justice. Closing date: 4th September 2008 Research Assistant / Research Associate, UCL Jill Dando Institute of Crime Science, University College London: The successful applicant will be employed on a project with Merseyside Police on the application of data mining and other computational approaches in the analysis of crime (and other) data. Closing date: 22nd September 2008 Photo credit: Khalilshah, Creative Commons License

Hyundai Equus available in the U.S. this summer

by
Terence KeonFiled under:
Hyundai | sedan | luxury cars | Hyundai EquusFirst revealed in March for their domestic Korean market, Hyundai's latest attempt at capturing a piece of the full size luxury market, the Hyundai Equus, will soon be on its way to the U.S. in the form of 100 units this summer in order to test the waters. Hyundai is pricing the Equus at around $75,000, in the ballpark with its intended competition: BMW 7 Series, Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Lexus LS 460L. The Equus will be powered by the same 4.6 Liter Tau V8 that is found in Hyundai Genesis (...)

The Digital Hitchicker’s Guide to OFFF 2009

Oops & seems the exit train station is Oeiras. Google Maps, dont be evil.
Fired up and ready to OFFF ? If youre packing your stuff and looking for a way around Lisbon, look no further. Heres a snack size post with all you need to know to enjoy your time in Lisbon and find your way to the festival.
Lisbon
The city of seven hills, the Frisco of Europe, with the yellow trams and the iconic bridge, its asking you to be discovered with their hospitality and unforgettable gastronomy (try the fish).
Start at St Jorge’s Castle and go downhill to Alfamas historic district, or explore Belem and the two World Heritage buildings: Jeronimos Monastery and Belems Tower.
Photo by Pedro Moura Pinheiro
When youre done with monuments, get ready for a bit of shopping at the commercial district near Restauradores and take a ride on Santa Justa Lift to Carmo, one of the landmarks of Abrils peaceful revolution. You can then rest for a while at Brasileira or walk a bit further to see the sunset at Graça. Now ready for the nightlife, head to Bairro Alto district, where you can eat on the more traditional Fado houses or have a go at the several ethnic restaurants, getting strengths for the non-stop movida (well, until 3am at least). For those still standing, time for a few clubs at Cais do Sodré or dance until the day dawns at Lux.
If youre looking where to stay, theres plenty to choose from, with accommodation for all budgets, starting with Hotel Açores to the hostels of 2 close friends: Lisbon Calling and Albergo Odisseo (I did the website of the last one a few years ago :). You could try any of these, and even if all booked, theyll point you other good choices.
How to get there
Now that you got acquainted with Lisbon and the hangover from last night at Bairro Alto is long gone, time to OFFF.
The easiest way is by subway taking the green line all the way to the end (even if youre commuting from the blue line), reaching Cais do Sodré station.
Photo by ghostboy
Get to the street level and buy a ticket to Oeiras, on the train leaving to Cascais (PDF timetable).
Now dont you get distracted with the seaside scenery and forget to get out on time.
If youre driving there, take N6 (Avenida Marginal) and exit in Oeiras (at the right side of the beach). On the roundabout a few meters ahead turn left and then right all the way up to Fundição de Oeiras, right across the train station.
View OFFF 2009 / Oeiras.Portugal in a larger map
Hope to meet you there on Thursday.
Related Articles
OFFF 2009
OFFF Lisbon 2008, day 3
OFFF Lisbon 2008, day 2

Icon Shoes and My Cowgirl Art - The Perfect Match

Introducing the " 'Cowgirl' Cowboy-Mule " from Icon Shoes, featuring MY artwork! Slip your feet into these little gems, and you're an instant cowgirl ... I am now licensed with Icon Shoes, and I couldn't have asked for a better partnership. To have my cowgirl art featured on this company's products is a dream come true.Launched in 2009, Icon has become a fashion trendsetter in high end shoes and accessories. The company employs a permanent printing process of bonding images to high grain leather. They license the use of artwork "from up-and-coming artists, as well as masters like Monet, Van Gogh, and KIimt" to create high end women's accessories known for comfort and style. Icon shoes are collected by art and shoe lovers - even celebrities - the world over.Icon is a very "artist friendly" company, and I'm highly impressed with their knowledge and expertise. Icon also features licensed artists on its website - simply go here and click on "Deb Trotter" for a link to my Bio.The first set of Icon Shoes and accessories featuring 'Deb Trotter' artwork is launching right now, May 2009, and includes the mule pictured above - as well as this fabulous matching "Cowgirl" 3 compartment tote ... Icon will continue to introduce new "Cowgirl" products in June, July, and August 2009. Simply check the Icon website or visit my blog for future information.Before I ride off into the sunset (or the snow, which is promised later today), I'll leave you with this suggestion: If you're frustrated with all the hard work that goes into promoting yourself, like maintaining and designing your website, marketing, blogging, submitting your work to art shows and publishers - not to mention learning new techniques and consistently striving for the best work you can create - don't give up! All that commitment and persistence DOES pay off. And one day, maybe out of the blue, someone - the perfect someone - WILL notice.Count on it, pardner.Have a great weekend - This cowgirl is off to practice some new Photoshop techniques.Happy Trails!

Sandpiper's Thoughts (Kim Matthews): Abide in me

...my cup overflows....I was reading one of the lectionary readings today (hang with me, I think I can relate this back to the Psalm.) -- John 15:9-17.The verse that struck me right as I read it was verse 13:No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends.I don't believe that I have ever literally been asked to lay my life down for a friend -- certainly not like Jesus did. I think, though, that we are often asked to "lay down our lives" for our friends and family. Consider "laying down your life" to mean setting down your routine. We are called to a certain life, and we lead that life. We work, we play, we raise our children, we walk the dog. It is a routine, ordinary life, but we find joy in it, and in it, we answer our calling to serve.But sometimes, we are called beyond that. We are called to lay down our lives, and maybe, sometimes, that means that we step out of our routine, setting it aside. I have a friend whose father is in the hospital. In many ways, the son has stepped out of his normal routine to be available to his parents, to care for them. His sister has left her home and come to be with her parents, setting aside her life. As pastor set aside his normal Sunday to pick up something that my friend would normally have done, relieving him to be with his parents. People go to visit, setting aside their normal schedule to be a support. As friends, I know that my husband and I would set aside whatever we needed to in order to be available to help our friend through this time.Why do we -- family and friends -- do this?Read verse 12:This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.We are called to love one another. Setting aside our lives for each other is a way that we abide in the love of Christ, and he abides in us. It is how we shine the light of God in each other's lives. It is the means by which each of us sees God.What is the result?Read verse 11:I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.It seems very strange to say that actions in times of stress like this bring joy, but I believe it to be true. Don't think of joy as happiness. Joy is something else. Joy is the knowledge of the presence of God. Being shone Christ by someone else's actions in love, brings joy. Do we remember that shining the light of Christ by showing love to someone else brings joy as well? I know that it does. It is joy to me to be a friend. I'm not at all happy by what is happening in my friends life; it makes my heart ache. But I, and all of his family and friends, would find joy in helping him. I find joy in seeing how many people are reaching out to help, if they can. It is how our joy is made complete.What does this have to do with the Psalm? When we abide in love, and when Christ abides in us; when we show the fruit of that love through our actions, by laying down our lives, we find that our cup overflows. It doesn't matter if we give or receive the love of Christ. Our cup overflows. When God dwells among us, we are blessed.

Friday Random Thoughts: When Pigs Fly and Swine Flu

This week was dominated by the Pandemic of Swine Flu, but also with the bankruptcy protection of Chrysler leading to another possible massive erosion of Retirement and Pension systems in place in the U.S. and in Canada. Pity the investor who felt they were too heavily into Nortel and diversified by buying Chrysler in 2000 (scary, but very possible too). Swine Flu Given we are at Pandemic level 5/6 you cant blame financial bloggers from wanting to jump into the discussion as well: Michael James points out 3 Steps to Protect Your Portfolio from Swine Flu, in other words, dont panic! The Canadian Capitalists Guide to the Avian Flu discusses what a Global Pandemic might do to our economies. Wisebread outlines 15 Things You Should Do Today To Prepare for a Pandemic Flu, feels like I am reading The Stand by Stephen King again. Shouldnt this Pandemic have a Theme Song ? No, too soon? Pigs Fly With Chryslers bankruptcy protection there may have been other stuff that seemed unlikely a few years ago as well: Larry MacDonald talks about Auto Trade In Incentives, when governments start giving incentives to trade in, you know the world is in a funny place. Where Does All My Money Go outlines the story of a Friend having problems with a Lexus dealership in Anyone Looking for a Smokin Deal on a Lexus? Million Dollar Journey asks Are We In A Bull Market ? I think I can tell you in 6 months. Carnivals Update The following posts are found in various carnivals: Money Hacks hosted the Carnival of Kids and Money which included my post Advice for New Grads . The Four Pillars hosted the Carnival of Financial Planning - 4P Edition which highlighted my article That is So Obvious. IPhone, IPod, Android And Blackberry Readers If you fit that category go on over to my working site How Not to Make a Fortune on the Web, and try out the new theme for mobile users and tell me what you think. I am testing it over there and may bring it over here some time in the near future, if it seems to be working ok. It’s kind of slick and I like it, but I am also a very bad judge of what other folks like and dislike. Related posts:Nothing Like a Pandemic& & to make the financial markets even more jittery. The WHO has now moved up...Pride goeth before calling the plumber I think that loud bang I heard when I turned the water back on for...Nortel Teeters? In the news the past few days have been talk of the former Telecom Juggernaut... Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

Liquid Fence, Part II

If anyone remembers my episode with the liquid fence, you will know that I was pretty much avoided for a half a day due to an unfortunate spill. This week I got up the courage to revisit the liquid fence and put it to use.For the last couple of years, we have had a problem with multiple rabbits eating everything in our yard. All winter these rabbits would gnaw every bush we had down to the ground and leave mounds of pellets in their wake.So now we fast forward to this week. I got my sprayer down from the shelf and filled it with 1 gallon of water. I then grabbed the bottle of concentrated egg putrescents and garlic bits. Did you think I was going to drop it again? Sorry, I was much more careful this time. Although the childproof cap made me nervous when I had to firmly press down while turning.I mixed the formula and sprayed a defensive perimeter around the yard. I also sprayed around our front porch where we suspect a den of rabbits may be living.Once done, I waited for the liquid fence's claim of 'Odorless when dry' to come true. I'm still waiting.Lady Di was less than impressed. She asked me if I was going to put the sitting chairs on the porch this year since it was too stinky to sit out there anyway.Sweet Pea also had her opinion of the fence's usefulness. "Your fence stinks! Maybe you should find one that doesn't smell to us but rabbits don't like it."She was further angered by how the fence was affecting her social life. "Dad!", she complained, "M and D (neighbor kids) don't like your fence either. They just ran away."This fence is already working.PS:This all happened three weeks ago. Yesterday morning, I was dismayed to see one of the bunnies happily enjoying a barberry bush salad not ten feet from our front door. I guess I will have to mix up a sprayerful of stink fence to keep in the house for when I have to storm out the front door with guns blazing. I think I will also have Sweet Pea make some 'No Bunnies' signs to post in our yard. That'll show 'em. My next strategy will be to watch old Warner Bros. cartoons to learn the tactics Elmer Fudd and Daffy Duck used on rabbits.

Hongkong ocean park

Fatal crash on US subway system

Two rush-hour subway trains have collided in Washington DC, killing at least six people and injuring up to 70 others, according to officials.

Some Dogs Do

Gabriel loves being read to.The same sorry 14 times a day if he can have his way.He pitter patters off to get a book or five brings them to the parent of his choosing, squiggles his way onto our laps and his body language says it all, "Start reading. I'm ready now."This is one of his favourites. Korey and I like it too. Especially if we haven't read it in a few days; on the days when we've read it what feels like a zillion times, well, I don't think love or like are words that describe how we feel about that book or any other. ;-)Some Dogs Do (the link here is to Amazon excerpts so you can see the cover and the illustrations)When Sid set off for school one day,a happy feeling came his way.It filled him up so much he foundhis paws just lifted off the ground.Without a how, without a why,Sid fell up towards the sky.Through swirling puffs of cloud he twirledabove a tiny toy-town world,in the land of sun and moon,like a doggy-shaped balloon.At school Sid asked his best friend"Did you see me fly just then?""Don't be daft," came Ben's reply."You're a dog, and dogs don't fly.""But I did," said Sid."I did.. I did."In the classroom, Sid said, "Hey! Guess what! I flew to schooltoday!"His classmates giggled, yelped and yowled."Dogs don't fly to school!" they howled."But I did," said Sid. "I did."Miss Mare the teacher shook her head."Now Sid, you shouldn't lie," she said."All dogs walk and jump and run,but dogs don't fly - it can't be done.""But I did," said Sid.Gus said, "Right! If you can fly,come outside... let's see you try!"Sid's happiness had gone by then.He tried to get it back again.He thought about the clouds up highand then he jumped towards the sky. "FLOP""You see, you're just a dog," said Gus,"with paws for walking just like us.That will teach you not to lie.Now you know that dogs don't fly."When Sid walked home from school that day,it seemed a long and lonely way.And once at home with Mum and Dad,deep inside he still felt bad.He did the things he always did,but something wasn't right with Sid.His dad came out and asked, "What's up?You seem unhappy, little pup."Sid sat staring at the sky,and all he said was, "Dogs don't fly."Sid's dad slowly raised his head."I know a secret, Sid," he said."Could you keep it safe inside?""What's the secret?" Sid replied.He turned aroundand then...he knew...(picture of Sid's dad flying)Now you know the secret too!Sid's happy eyes were open wide."I knew it... DOGS DO FLY!" he cried.Sid's dad said, "Come, fly then, Sid,"and that's exactly what Sid did.Do dogs fly? Is it true?Some dogs don't and some dogs do.Why are there always bystanders like Gus who want to tell you exactly what you can't do?!!?This book also happens to be one of Gabriel's "books on DVD". Yup, books on DVD and Winnie the Pooh... well, Gabriel is starting to watch videos. We've opened up the screens to our little boy! Yikes. It scares me sometimes, but it seems OK at the same time. And he chatters away (mostly in grunts and gestures) about what's going on on the screen...On this particular book DVD, Gus seems to have a Scottish accent; Korey and I are getting pretty good at imitating it!What happens if you re-read Some Dogs Do imagining Sid is a survivor instead of a dog? And one day to his delight and surprise, he discovers he can SOAR (thrive). Do Survivors thrive? Is it true? Some survivors don't and some survivors do.

Retail Security/Shoplifting News www.privateofficer.com

Atlanta GA May 10 2009Compiled By: Toni AnthonyPrivate Officer News Networkhttp://www.privateofficer.com/These are the latest shoplifting arrests and retail security incidents.VALDOSTA GAValdosta police arrested Appolonia Monique Bowen, 20, on the 1400 block of North Lee Street for charges of shoplifting and interference of an officer, according to reports.• At 3:27 p.m., Valdosta police arrested Carey Maxwell Parker, 42, and Vincent Tyrone Marable, 39, on the 700 block of East Park Avenue for charges of shoplifting, according to reports.• At 1:18 p.m., Valdosta police arrested Latasha U. Rhodes, 20, on the 1400 block of North Lee Street for charges of simple battery and shoplifting, according to reports.GRAND JUNCTION COMaria Castro, 54, was arrested and released on a summons for shoplifting at 2545 Rimrock Ave., Grand Junction, CO. (RICE 02-6) April 26 1912 Hours Adam AreaFrank R. Hickson, age 39, was arrested and released on summons for theft by shoplifting causing the business a loss of less than $500.00 at 2881 North Ave Grand Junction, CO. (TIFFT 07-11) April 27 2023 Hours Charles AreaAlbert M. Carrera, age 22, was arrested and released on summons for possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia, and theft by shoplifting causing the business a loss of less than $500.00 at 200 Rood Ave Grand Junction, CO. (BALDOZIER 07-13) April 28 1156 Hours David AreaOAKLAND PARK ILAli Yousef, 26, 17758 65th Court, Tinley Park, was charged with retail theft after he put on a new pair of Nike gym shoes April 15 and left the J.C. Penney store in Orland Square mall, police saidLisa Hodge, 42, of Joliet, was charged with retail theft after she stole clothing and household items valued at $1,576 on April 17 from Kohl's in Orland Park Place mall, police saidBritteny McDavid, 20, 20031 Juniper Ave., Lynwood, was charged with retail theft after she stole a blouse and jeans April 20 from Macy's in Orland Square mall, police said.Christiana James, 22, 22997 Kristine Lane, Richton Park, was charged with retail theft after she stole clothing April 23 from Macy's in Orland Square mall, police said.Cindy Smith, 19, 12223 Peoria St., Chicago, was charged with retail theft after she stole a bracelet April 24 from Sears in Orland Square mall, police said.SHOWLOW AZPolice arrested Katie Eileen Sterling, 19, of Show Low on misdemeanor shoplifting charges at Kmart. Police said after searching Sterling, they found $105.94 in store merchandise she had allegedly concealed and left the store without paying for. Police said Sterling was booked and held on the misdemeanor shoplifting chargesFRAMINGHAM MA- A Worcester man was arrested Wednesday at 4:32 p.m. after police said he shoplifted at Wal-Mart.Richard DiRenzo, 41, of 5 Giusto St., was charged with shoplifting of property worth more than $100, a third offense, police said.DiRenzo also had an Oxford District Court warrant that charged him with larceny of property worth more $250, shoplifting and conspiracy to commit a crime, police said. DiRenzo had a second Oxford warrant that charged him with larceny of property worth more than $100.MARLBOROUGH MA - A Marlborough woman was arrested Wednesday and charged with shoplifting by concealing merchandise, police said.Tracey D. Gotthardt-Drouin, 34, of 59 Conrad Road, was arrested at Hannaford Supermarket on Boston Post Road West at 7:30 p.m., police said.MILLVILLE NJ Michelle Yvette Handy, 41, of South 2nd Street was arrested Thursday on a shoplifting warrant. Handy, also known as Michelle Thompson, was jailed on $5,000 bail.EVANSVILLE INPolice are searching for a man who robbed an Evansville Wal-Mart at knife point and got away.Around 10:30 Friday night store Security guards at the Red Bank Road location, saw a man putting merchandise into his pockets and inside his shirt.They approached the suspect on his way out of the bathroom and led him to the security office for questioning.The man threw the merchandise across the table and began fighting with security. He pulled out a box-cutter, pointed the weapon at the guards and backed out of the room.At some point during the fight, the suspect cut himself with the box-cutter. No one else was injured.Wal-Mart security cameras have his escape on surveillance.NATICK MA - A 42-year-old woman was arrested Friday on a shoplifting charge at the Natick Collection, police said.Margaret Bigwood of 43 Beaver St., Apt. 11B, Framingham, was charged with shoplifting goods worth more than $100 and maliciously destroying property worth more than $250, police said. She was arrested at the Hollister clothing store shortly before 4 p.m., police said.GREENSBORO NCA man was arrested after allegedly shoplifting nearly $1,500 in cloth at Four Seasons Town Centre, according to the Greensboro News & Record.According to the paper, Gary Van Hammonds, 41, stole $1,500 in clothing from the Belk at Four Seasons. The store's loss prevention staff stopped the man in the parking lot. When they attempted to escort him back inside the store, he dropped the items and ran to his vehicle.A Greensboro police officer was in the mall's parking lot and saw the items on the ground and the suspect running towards a vehicle.The officer attempted to force Van Hammonds to pull over, but he refused and the officer chased him for a short distance before the driver's tire blew out near US 220.Van Hammonds was charged with felony larceny and several other charges related to the chase.St. Mary’s MD.On May 5, Deputy H. Allen responded to JC Penney in California for a report of a theft. Investigation revealed Sherri Lynn Newby, 32, of Avenue, took several items from the store, placed them in a bag, and walked past all points of checkout. Newby was stopped by store security and detained until Deputy Allen arrived. Newby was charged with theft under $500.Myrtle Beach SCA Myrtle Beach man was charged with trying to steal DVD movies from Wal-Mart, according to a police report.Damien Duran, 36, of 2103 Withers Lane, was charged with shoplifting at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at the store on Seaboard Street, police said.A store loss prevention employee told police she saw Duran take two DVDs, go into the bathroom and then come out without anything, according to the report. The cases for the movies were found in a toilet and the employee stopped Duran and recovered the items from his pockets.The DVDs, valued at $48.51, were recovered, according to the report.Follow Us On Twitter/privateofficerJoin Us At MySpace/privateofficernewsJoin The National Association of Private Officerswww.privateofficer.com

B-Touch，Zhenwei You.

B31 and Local Buses, Saved for Now… via Payroll Tax

The state Legislature Wednesday night passed an MTA bailout to rescue millions of daily straphangers and drivers from a toxic mix of fare hikes and service cuts. The transit-funding package will generate some $2.3 billion annually for the cash-strapped Metropolitan Transportation Authority with a payroll tax and other revenue-raising measures - including a 50-cent surcharge on all yellow-cab rides. Read more: Albany to the rescue: Legislators derail doomsday, pass MTA bailout Legislative highlights: * A single-ride MetroCard will be $2.25, not $2.50; * The pay-per-ride discount will be 20% when you buy $7.50 or more; * A 30-day MetroCard will be $89, not $103; * Fare increases on LIRR and MetroNorth will be about 10%, as opposed to the 25%-70% hikes in the MTA Doomsday budget; * The Doomsday service cuts will not happen, maintaining current levels of service; * Two years worth of capital funding will ensure the MTA has the basic resources needed to continue to rebuild the system. Post from: GerritsenBeach.net

John and Betty Stam

"The fateful day began with deceptive normalcy at John and Betty Stam's missionary residence in Tsingteh, China. Both the wood-burning stoves had been lit and were starting to heat up nicely, helping to lessen the chill that gripped the large old house that cold, early December morning. The Stams, along with the six Chinese who lived with them in the house, had already eaten breakfast. "John hoped to study and get some correspondence done that morning. Betty was preparing to give their three-month old baby, Helen Priscilla, a bath, with some assistance from the amah Mei Tsong-fuh. The cook, Li Ming-chin, busied himself in the kitchen. His wife, mother, and two children similarly had begun their various daily activities. "John and Betty had been in Tsingteh for just two weeks. They had come there under the auspices of the China Inland Mission to oversee the infant Christian work that had been established in the southern portion of Anhwei Province. There were very few Christians in the area, but the Stams were thrilled at the prospect of carrying out pioneer evangelistic work to help bring the Gospel to that needy part of China." So begins this biography of John and Betty Stam. In 1934 they were serving as missionaries in China, attempting to take the gospel message to unreached people. This was during the Chinese civil war and the Stams, along with their infant daughter, fell into the hands of Communist soldiers. After demanding and confiscating all of the Stams money, the soldiers took the couple prisoner. No sooner had they been dragged to prison that their baby began to cry and one of the soldiers suggesting killing the child lest she prove a hindrance. One of the prisoners who was just released asked why they would kill an innocent child, at which point the soldiers asked if he would be willing to die in her place. He expressed his willingness and he was struck down in front of the Stams. Two days later, on the morning of December 8, 1934, John and Betty Stam were marched down the streets of Miaosheo to their deaths; the Communist soldiers wanted to make an example of the foreigners. A Chinese shopkeeper tried to persuade the soldiers to spare their lives but when the Communists searched this man's home, it was found to contain a Bible and a hymn book. He, too, was marched to his death. John was forced to kneel and he was immediately beheaded. Betty and the shopkeeper were killed just moments later. The deaths of John and Betty Stam electrified Christians around the world. The events of those days were widely publicized and many hundreds of people were inspired by their example to become missionaries and to support foreign missions. They spoke as loudly in death as they had in life. In a short book of just about 200 pages, biographer Vance Christie tells the story of the lives of these two saints. Through their short lives they made an impact on the souls of many Chinese; through their deaths, suffered willingly for the cause of their Savior, they inspired many more. And even today, through books like this, they speak of the love they had for the One who had saved them. This is a very good missionary biography and one I enjoyed thoroughly. Buy it at Monergism BooksSponsor:

« Faut-il cesser de boire pour un verre cassé ? »

Antonio Canova : tombe de l’archiduchesse Maria Christina (détail). Église des Augustins, Vienne. C’est cette remarque pleine de bon sens qu’un jeune soldat lance à une belle veuve éplorée qu’il trouve en train de se laisser mourir de chagrin et de faim sur la tombe de son mari et dont il tombe amoureux au premier regard. La suivante de la dame n’était pas arrivée à convaincre sa maîtresse que son défunt n’aurait pas agi ainsi, lui, et qu’il lui fallait mieux en prendre un second, parce qu’« être veuve est un métier qui doit toujours ennuyer ». Il faudra la belle mine du gaillard, sa bonne humeur et sa condition sociale – « Je suis gen gen gen, Je suis ti ti ti, Je suis gen, Je suis ti, Je suis gentil­homme », lui chante-t-il – et, avouons-le, ses victuailles, pour convaincre la belle éplorée et affamée qui « sent à la fois dans son âme naître l’amour et l’appétit ». Le mort exprime sa jalousie et sa colère mais sans succès ; son corps finira sur la potence voisine d’où a disparu celui du larron que le soldat était chargé de surveiller mais que les pleurs de la veuve avaient détourné de sa tâche. Ne dirait-on pas le livret d’une opérette d’Offenbach ? Que nenni, il s’agit d’une cantate, La Matrone d’Éphèse, de Nicolas Racot de Grandval, né près de 150 ans plus tôt (et dont la sœur, actrice de théâtre, était surnommée la belle Hortense, clin d’œil malicieux de l’histoire à Hortense Schneider créatrice du rôle de La Belle Hélène…). Comprenant cinq personnages – la veuve, sa suivante, le soldat, le mort et le récitant (Cupidon et sa flèche parachèveront en passant l’ouvrage du soldat) – elle a été interprétée avec une verve inégalée par le contre-ténor Dominique Visse qui s’était quintuplié pour l’occasion (selon ses propres termes), et l’ensemble Café Zimmermann. On ne pouvait qu’être enchanté par le jeu très expressif, autant au niveau de la voix, claire et acide comme un citron savoureux, qui alternait hauts et bas registres, que du visage qui reflétait toute la gamme des émotions des protagonistes tels les masques grecs de la tragédie ou le regretté Marcel Marceau, et du reste du corps qui occupait la scène et l’espace et dessinait à nos yeux ravis les acteurs de cette saynète. Ce concert du Théâtre de la Ville était consacré aux cantates et concertos comiques français, genre qui révèle bien d’agréables surprises. On avait déjà entendu Visse récemment en concert avec l’ensemble vocal Clément Jannequin qu’il avait fondé en 1978 dans un délicieux programme de chansons profanes de la Renaissance, toujours au Théâtre de la Ville (salle des Abbesses). Ici, il était le seul chanteur sur scène – à l’exception d’un soutien vocal lors de l’œuvre qui clôturera le concert, La Sonate de Pierre de la Garde, encore plus surprenante par sa « modernité ». C’est une œuvre dans l’œuvre et une parodie du genre : le soliste est un compositeur-chef d’orchestre qui dirige l’ensemble en train de répéter sa sonate, entremêlant le récit et les directives qu’il lance, tour à tour encourageant et courroucé, aux musiciens qu’il trouve peu expressifs et parfois même désaccordés, tout en étant très content de lui : « (aux musiciens, insistant) La la, (la sonate, langoureux) j’ai perdu ce que j’aime, (à la cantonade, satisfait) Ma foi, cette plainte est touchante, Quoique j’en sois l’auteur, Moi-même, elle m’enchante ». L’œuvre se termine dans une explosion – « L’Univers a perdu son repos, La foudre éclate » – immé­dia­tement suivi d’un « Que pensés-vous Messieurs, de ma Sonate ? ». Les messieurs – en l’occurrence l’ensemble Café Zimmermann qui comprenait aussi trois dames – avait été à la hauteur autant musicalement que dramatiquement. Quant au public, il était aux anges. On attend avec impatience la sortie du disque correspondant. Le programme comprenait le texte des cantates – ce qui en facilitait la compréhension – avec des relents de l’orthographe de l’époque. De son côté, la prononciation de Dominique Visse visait à l’authenticité (on le suppose), s et x finaux non muets (furieux prononcé furieusse), oi prononcé oué, etc., ce qui rajoutait un charme désuet à l’événement. À ce propos, on ne résistera pas au plaisir de citer un texte de l’époque, qui montre bien que les questions de prononciation et d’orthographe divisaient les gens alors comme aujourd’hui : l’adhésion trop stricte aux usages du passé (qu’il qualifie de « respect superstitieux ») et aux règles (« l’extrême exactitude est le sublime des sots »), la résistance à l’innovation et l’attrait qu’il exerce, le rejet de réformes trop brutales (à ce propos, il cite le dictionnaire de l’Académie : « L’ancienne nous échappe tous les jours ; &, comme il ne faut point se presser de la rejetter, on ne doit pas non plus faire de grands efforts pour la retenir »), la question des langues régionales, la méconnaissance de l’anglais par les Français, l’impos­si­bilité de savoir comment se prononçait le latin (on pense à un passage délicieux à ce propos dans Goodbye, Mr Chips), les querelles de clocher entre institutions qui en arrivaient jusqu’à l’anathème, aux tribunaux et au Parlement, le tout agrémenté de quelques piques discrètement amenées (« L’abbé de Saint-Pierre a été plus hardi : ne voyant que fautes & abus dans l’ancienne orthographe, comme il en voyoit dans le gouvernement. »).… On y trouvera même une remarque sur la prononciation ou non des s finaux au théâtre. Alors, qu’aurait-il écrit à propos des partis pris de Dominique Visse ? L’orthographe et la prononciation «L’orthographe a causé parmi les gens de lettres, un véritable schisme. Quelques-uns ont cru devoir changer l’ancienne, par la même raison qu’on a réformé nos vieilles modes. Les Italiens avoient donné à toute l’Europe, l’exemple de ces changemens. Le Trissin, ce génie créateur qui ouvrit à sa nation la carrière de tant de genres de littérature, est aussi le premier qui ait porté la lumière jusques sur des choses qui ne sont pas du ressort de l’imagination. Il entreprit d’introduire de nouvelles lettres dans l’alphabet Italien & d’en ôter celles qu’il croyoit inutiles & même embarrassantes ; mais il ne sut pas aussi heureux dans cette innovation que dans plusieurs autres & particulièrement dans celle des vers libres, versi sciolti. Dès 1531, quelques écrivains François tentèrent également de réformer notre orthographe d’après l’idée du Trissin ; mais ils ne réussirent pas mieux que lui. Le projet de ces hommes systêmatiques etoit de rendre notre langue plus belle, plus facile à lire & surtout à apprendre. Ils trouvoient absurde que l’orthographe ne répondît pas à la prononciation ; que l’une fût continuellement en contradiction avec l’autre. Le plan qu’ils imaginoient pour remédier à ce qu’ils appelloient un abus, étoit bon sans doute ; il avoit de grands avantages ; mais l’exécution n’en étoit pas facile. Pour être rempli d’une manière satisfaisante, il ne falloir rien moins qu’un homme qui eût toujours vécu dans les meilleures compagnies qui possedât parfaitement sa langue qui la parlât sans laisser entrevoir le moindre defaut d’organe de pays, d’ignorance & de mauvaise éducation ! Quelqu’un qui prononceroit bien seroit seul en état d’orthographier de même. Mais quels furent les premiers en France & les plus zélés partisans du neographisme ? un Manceau nommé Jacques Pelletier & un Gascon appellé Louis Maigret. En voulant tous deux ramener l’orthographe à la prononciation usitée, ils ne la ramenèrent qu’à la prononciation de leur pays; & ce qu’il y eut de plaisant, c’est qu’ils se la reprochèrent, & que chacun crut avoir de son côté la véritable & seule manière de bien prononcer. Les honnêtes gens, qui ne prenoient aucun intérêt à cette contestation, rirent beaucoup des prétentions de l’un & de l’autre. Mais ceux qui tenoient, avec chaleur, pour l’ancienne manière d’orthographier, allèrent plus loin. Ils crurent avoir gain de cause & qu’il ne seroit plus question déformais d’aucune innovation à ce sujet. Cependant le fameux Ramus, ou Pierre de la Ramée, du sein de la poussière de l’école, voulut entrer en lice. Il inventa & tâcha d’accréditer une nouvelle orthographe. Il enchérit sur tout ce qu’on avoit imaginé pour la réformer. La sienne étoit si singulière que personne ne put lire ses ouvrages & qu’il avoit de la peine à se lire lui- même. Cet inconvénient l’obligea de mettre, à côté de ce qu’il faisoit imprimer suivant sa réforme, la même chose écrite à la manière ordinaire. Le public ne sçut point du tout gré à l’auteur d’avoir eu cette attention, & le traita de ridicule, comme les autres, pour avoir osé innover. Le mauvais succès de ces différentes tentatives dégoûta, pendant quelque temps, d’en faire de nouvelles. Quelques écrivains se flattèrent d’être plus heureux. On les combattit encore ; mais enfin leurs idées commencèrent à prendre. Ils travaillèrent à différentes reprises sur l’orthographe, & firent presque sentir la nécessité d’en avoir une nouvelle. Ils discutèrent la propriété de chaque lettre. Les accens même ne furent pas oubliés. On détermina où devoient être le grave & l’aigu : le circonflexe fut imaginé alors, afin de constater la suppression de quelques lettres. Il parut des observations sur les points, les deux points, les virgules, & les tréma. Il se fit des in-folio pour ces derniers articles seuls. Il est parlé dans l’abbé Goujet d’un certain docteur, qui se disciplinoit pour les fautes contre l’ABC. Jamais grammairiens ne méritèrent plus qu’alors l’application de cette pensée : l’extrême exactitude est le sublime des sots. Toutefois ces observateurs rigides ayant une sorte de raison dans la défense de leur cause, grossirent chaque jour leur parti. Les plus grands écrivains se rangèrent à leur opinion. Ce sont eux principalement qui la firent valoir, & qui ont mis à la mode la nouvelle orthographe. Parmi ceux dont le nom en a le plus imposé, il faut distinguer Du Marsais, l’abbé de Saint-Pierre, & M. de Voltaire. Le judicieux Du Marsais, un des hommes qui a le mieux entendu le génie des langues, & qui a porté plus loin l’esprit de discussion & d’analyse dans toutes les parties grammaticales, a fait voir qu’en matière d’orthographe, si l’usage étoit un maître dont il convint en général de respecter les loix, c’était le plus souvent aussi un tyran dont il falloit sçavoir à propos secouer le joug. Il a marqué les changemens qu’on devoit y faire. Il est d’avis qu’on supprime les lettres redoublées, quand elles ne rendent aucun son. L’abbé de Saint-Pierre a été plus hardi : ne voyant que fautes & abus dans l’ancienne orthographe, comme il en voyoit dans le gouvernement, il a travaillé avec plus de zèle que de sagesse à la réformer. Se moquant également de l’usage reçu, de l’inutilité & des inconvéniens d’une trop grande innovation, & de l’habitude des yeux qu’un pareil changement blesse, il ne s’est embarrassé que d’établir ses idées singulières, de réaliser ses rêves sur le néographisme, de mettre un accord parfait entre l’orthographe & la prononciation. Il ne bornoit pas à notre langue la réforme qu’il méditoit de faire, il vouloit qu’elle s’étendit à toutes les langues de l’Europe. Dans son livre de la Taille réelle, un de ses meilleurs ouvrages, il tâcha de réduire en pratique son nouveau systême sur l’orthographe ; mais plus d’une personne se trouva fort embarrassée à la lecture. Un homme en place fut obligé, pour pouvoir le lire, de le faire copier suivant l’usage accoutumé. On y lit, saje, usaje, langaje, néglijence, peizam, Fransoés, Ejipsiens, &c., &c. Comme l’auteur se doutoit bien de la peine qu’on auroit à le lire, il eut l’attention de faire écrire souvent, dans une même page, les mêmes mots suivant l’usage ordinaire, & suivant ses nouvelles idées. Cette bisarrerie & cette bigarrure rendirent l’innovation encore plus ridicule. M. de Voltaire passe pour avoir innové à son tour ; mais la pratique qu’il suit & qu’il est parvenu à rendre assez commune avoit été proposée avant lui. Sa manière d’orthographier ne consiste qu’en deux ou trois points : il écrit connaître, aimait, Français, quoique Louis XIV prononçât toujours François. Il met deux F à philosophe. Chez lui les lettres redoublées sont rares : en général, il écrit ais ou ois, selon que l’on prononce l’un ou l’autre. Il décide, par ce moyen, la bonté de bien des rimes, & la terminaison véritable de beaucoup de noms de peuples. On a poussé encore plus loin l’innovation. Un auteur s’est attaché à ce que son orthographe rendit scrupuleusement toutes les inflexions de la voix : par exemple il écrit ele au lieu d’elle. Le systême des plus hardis novateurs, en fait d’orthographe, fut vivement réfuté par ceux qui lui préféroient l’ancienne. M. l’abbé d’Olivet combattit pour l’usage. L’abbé Desfontaines, toujours en guerre pour abbatre l’hidre du néologisme, tourna pendant quelque temps sa plume contre le néographisme. Beaucoup d’écrivains se joignirent à ce combattant redoutable. Ils ne cessèrent de répéter qu’il étoit de la dernière importance de laisser les choses sur l’ancien pied ; qu’il y allait de la police des lettres, & de celle même de l’état ; que l’orthographe intéressoit la grammaire & la langue ; qu’il falloit apporter autant de soin pour orthographier correctement, que pour écrire purement : ils se plaignoient de ce qu’on se relâchoit là-dessus. Ils fondoient leurs exclamations sur la nécessité de conserver l’étymologie des mots ; de faire porter à notre langue, dérivée de celle des anciens Romains, les glorieuses marques de son origine ; sur la difficulté qu’il y auroit à distinguer le singulier & le plurier, soit des noms, soit des verbes, puisque il aime & ils aiment, s’écriroient il aime, ils aime ; sur la multitude de dialectes qui s’introduiroient dans notre langue, le Normand, le Picard, le Bourguignon, le Provençal, étant autorisés à écrire comme ils parlent ; enfin, sur l’inutilité dont deviendroient nos bibliothèques, & sur l’obligation où l’on seroit d’apprendre à lire de nouveau tous les livres François imprimés auparavant la réforme. Ils ajoutoient que cette différence, qui se trouve entre notre orthographe & notre prononciation, se faisoit encore plus sentir dans la langue Angloise. Il est vrai que de toutes les langues connues, c’est celle où ce défaut est le plus considérable. Les Anglois ne prononcent aucune des cinq voyelles comme les autres nations. Un François qui ne sçauroit point leur langue, & qui liroit en présence d’un d’eux, par exemple, i have, j’ai, ne seroit point entendu. L’Anglois croiroit qu’il n’y a point de mot pareil dans toute sa langue. Cette difficulté extrême d’articuler le son propre de chaque voyelle, de connoître toute la variété des accens de cette langue, de saisir certains sifflemens de syllabes finales, fait que l’Anglois ne se prononce bien qu’avec beaucoup de peine & d’usage. On voit assez de François, de femmes même, qui le lisent & l’entendent ; mais très-peu qui le parlent, & qui soient en état de suivre une conversation angloise. Les vengeurs zélés de l’ancienne orthographe traitoient leurs raisons de démonstration morale ; mais leurs adversaires ne les jugeoient pas même une simple preuve. Ils les réfutèrent pour la plupart avec succès. Quant à cette raison qu’on croyoit sans réplique, qu’il faudroit jetter au feu les meilleurs livres comme devenus inutiles par la nouvelle orthographe, ils répondirent que pour remédier à cet inconvénient, on n’avoit qu’à les faire imprimer de nouveau. Cette dispute développa de part & d’autre le caractère ardent & l’impolitesse de quelques écrivains : mais il y en eut pourtant qui s’y engagèrent avec modération, & qui voulurent rapprocher lès deux partis. Le père Buffier, Rollin, & M. Restaut, prirent un sage milieu. Ils parurent également éloignés de respecter superstitieusement l’usage, & de le heurter en tout. L’orthographe pour laquelle ils se déclarèrent, est une orthographe raisonnée. Un cas, disent-ils, où il seroit ridicule de changer la manière usitée d’écrire, c’est lorsque des mots, ayant un même son, ont pourtant une signification opposée, comme poids, poix & pois, ville, & vile, qui sont toutes choses différentes. Il n’est pas douteux qu’il ne faille marquer aux yeux les différences que l’on ne peut faire sentir à l’oreille. Suivre la raison & l’autorité, voilà, selon les écrivains les plus judicieux, la règle la plus sûre par rapport à l’orthographe. Cette règle dit tout, & condamne le pédantisme & toute affectation. Il semble que cette dispute eut dû être étouffée dans sa naissance. Pour décider la question agitée il n’y avoit qu’à consulter nos grands dictionnaires François : leur orthographe devoit faire loi ; mais ils n’en ont point suivi d’uniforme. Richelet a retranché de plusieurs mots les lettres qui ne se prononcent point. Il a substitué le petit i à l’y grec, excepté dans les mots tout-à-fait grecs : encore ces changemens n’ont-ils pas été conservés dans les éditions de son dictionnaire, faites après sa mort. Dans ceux de Furetière, de Trévoux & de l’académie Françoise, l’ancienne orthographe est communément employée. On n’a rien dit de plus sensé que ce qu’on trouve dans la préface de ce dernier dictionnaire en parlant de la contestation sur l’orthographe. « L’ancienne nous échappe tous les jours ; &, comme il ne faut point se presser de la rejetter, on ne doit pas non plus faire de grands efforts pour la retenir ». Le changement dans toute matière a des attraits : de même qu’on a changé en grande partie l’orthographe, on a aussi essayé de substituer aux notes ordinaires de la musique d’autres signes ; inventions dont les auteurs n’ont pas été bien reçus du public, & qui les en ont même fait mépriser dès qu’elles ont paru. Si des contestations élevées au sujet de l’orthographe, nous passons à celles qu’à suscitées la prononciation, nous verrons encore les grammairiens divisés. L’impos­si­bilité de sçavoir comment il saut prononcer la plupart des mots latins, & les idées, à cet égard, des modernes lati­nistes mirent autre­fois en combus­tion l’univer­sité de Paris & le collège Royal. De serviles compi­lateurs de phrases, d’une langue qu’on a bien de la peine à entendre, plus amateurs des mots que des choses, osèrent se donner pour des oracles en fait de pronon­ciation. Mais nonobstant l’infail­libité que chacun s’attri­buoit, ils ne furent pas moins en guerre pour sçavoir de quelle manière on pronon­ceroit les deux mots quisquis & quanquam. L’université de Paris vouloit qu’on prononçât kiskis, kankam. Quelques profes­seurs du collège Royal, nouvel­lement établis, jaloux de se faire un nom dans le monde latin, étoient d’avis contraire. Ils opinoient fortement pour qu’on prononçât quisquis quanquam. Cette dernière pronon­ciation étoit alors une nouveauté. La Sorbonne la crut dangereuse pour la religion & pour l’état : elle anathématisa quiconque ne se conformeroit point à la prononciation d’usage dans les écoles. Les professeurs royaux se moquèrent de pareilles censures. Ils prononcèrent le Latin comme ils crurent devoir le faire, & engagèrent à un coup d’éclat un jeune bachelier, plus ardent encore qu’eux pour la nouvelle prononciation. Cet abbé, au mépris des ordres réitérés de la Sorbonne, prononçoit partout avec affectation quisquis & quanquam. Il fut bientôt cité au tribunal de la faculté de théologie, qui voulut le dépouiller du revenu de ses bénéfices. Appel sur le champ de la part de l’abbé au parlement : l’affaire alloit devenir sérieuse ; mais les professeurs royaux, engagés d’honneur à ne pas laisser condamner le plus zélé défenseur de leur opinion, allèrent en corps à l’audience, représentèrent avec éloquence à la cour l’injustice des procédés de la Sorbonne. Le parlement eut égard à la prière, & à la qualité des supplians. Il rétablit l’abbé dans tous ses droits & laissa chacun libre de prononcer le Latin comme on voudroit. Cela rappelle les disputes des jésuites & de l’université sur la prononciation de la langue Grecque qui ont été fort loin, & qui ne sont pas encore finies. La prononciation de la langue Françoise à causé un plus grand nombre de contestations : il s’en élève chaque jour : plusieurs ne sont pas aisées à terminer. Par exemple, est-il dans la règle de ne pas faire sentir, ou de prononcer avec affectation en chaire, au barreau & sur le théâtre, le s final des noms, & le r final des verbes dont l’infinitif est terminé en er ou en ir sous prétexte que cette pratique donne plus de dignite & d’énergie à la prononciation ? Est-il vrai que les gens qui parlent bien prononcent les mots terminés par une consonne articulée tels que rival, desir, mer, comme s’il y avoit rivale, desire, mere ; en sorte qu’on put ranger ces mots parmi les rives féminines ? Quelque sentiment qu’on embrasse pour ou contre, on ne manquera jamais de partisans & de raisons. Le moyen de sçavoir à quoi s’en tenir c’est d’aller à la source, de consulter les gens de cour, & les gens de lettres. En général, il nous manque un bon traité de prosodie, c’est à l’académie Françoise à nous en donner un aussitôt qu’elle aura terminé son grand dictionnaire. Tous les ouvrages qu’on a publiés jusqu’à présent sur cette matière, sont insuffisans & trop bornés.Ce que nous avons de mieux, c’est l’ouvrage de M. l’abbé d’Olivet, qui n’est encore qu’un très-petit essai. Il est ridicule que des gens instruits d’ailleurs se fassent un crime de la moindre faute contre la prosodie Grecque & Latine, & qu’ils négligent la prosodie Françoise.» Il est encore moins permis à un homme du monde de l’ignorer : une belle prononciation annonce une personne bien élevée ; elle prévient en faveur d’une femme, autant & même plus que la figure & les habillemens. Augustin Simon Irail (abbé), Querelles littéraires, ou mémoires pour servir à l’Histoire des Révolutions de la République des Lettres, depuis Homere jusqu’à nos jours. Paris, 1761. On trouvera un autre extrait du savoureux ouvrage du père Irail ici, sur l’attitude de vénération sans réserve du passé et la démarche qu’il recommande d’adopter à son propos.

This Day in Baseball History: June 12th

In 1839, Abner Doubleday has been erroneously given credit for establishing the first baseball game played in America on this date in Cooperstown, NY. Because of a mistaken eye-witness account, America mistakenly celebrated the origin of our national pastime in the small upstate New York town, although recently it has been discovered that it is unlikely the West Point cadet was ever there or ever watched a baseball game. In 1880, Worcesters John Richmond pitched the first perfect game in MLB history. In 1939, the National Baseball Hall of Fame opened in Cooperstown, New York. The greatest-ever gathering of members and future inductees of the Hall assembled in Cooperstown, N.Y., for the dedication of the museum: Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Honus Wagner, Walter Johnson, Grover Alexander, Nap Lajoie, George Sisler, Eddie Collins, Tris Speaker, Cy Young and Connie Mack accepted their plaques. Also in 1939, in front of a record crowd of 23,864 fans at Ruppert Stadium, Lou Gehrig played his last game as a Yankee during an exhibition game against the Kansas City Blues, their AA farm team. Playing only three innings and batting eighth, the Iron Horse grounded out to second base in his only at-bat. In 1948, after 13 seasons managing the team, Charlie Grimm ended his tenure as Boston Braves skipper. The 19,802 fans in attendance at Braves Field gave the skipper, who will stay in the organization as Bostons vice-president, a long standing ovation in as he took his position in the third base coaching box for the last time. In 1954, Bob Feller got his 2,500th career strikeout. In 1981, the Major League Baseball strike began& it is noteworthy because it was the first strike to commence after the start of a season. In 1996, owner Marge Schott was forced to relinquish her role as managing general partner of the Cincinnati Reds for two years due to questionable comments she made about Adolph Hitler. In 1997, after 126 years of major league play, the first interleague games in history were played.

Annals of competition, art-fair editionFelix Salmon

There was an interesting quote from an Art Basel spokesman in the FT on Saturday, about the placement of the satellite Scope art fair “just a football throw away from the main fair”:
“Obviously, our exhibitors are not enthusiastic about the idea of Scope being so close to Art Basel,” says a spokesperson for the main fair, “[but] the groups actually pressuring Scope are the residents of Landhof.”
Why is it at all obvious that the Art Basel exhibitors would not be enthusiastic about having Scope nearby? I suspect that the true story is that Art Basel is unhappy about Scope's proximity, and that it therefore reckons that its exhibitors are as well. Even if they're not.
I would have expected, however, that even Art Basel would have been quite excited about Scope. After all, the massive success of its own spin-off fair, Art Basel Miami Beach, is largely a product of the fact that a very large number of satellite fairs — Scope, Pulse, Flow, etc etc — sprung up around it and helped to give it a lot of free extra buzz. Just as specialist retailers tend to cluster together geographically, so do art fairs tend to all appear in the same place and at the same time, to the benefit of them all.
In today's straitened economic times, however, it's possible that Art Basel is worried that its dealers will desert the more-prestigious Art Basel location for the adjacent (and significantly cheaper) Scope. Given that most collectors who attend Art Basel will look in on Scope as well, it's easy to see how dealers looking to cut costs might willingly take the step down, especially when Scope is so nearby.
Even if they don't take that step, the proximity of Scope is good for the dealers, since it applies downward pressure on the amount that Art Basel can charge them. So I'm frankly skeptical that the exhibitors “are not enthusiastic” about it. Anything which improves the vibrancy the art world is a good thing for pretty much everybody these days. But I guess the competitive mindset dies hard.

Leather Boots!!

Love these little boots from Theresa's "Out West" set, they were stamped on LEATHER PAPER from Paper Temptress (all her leather paper is 25% until May 10!) and then shaded and colored with Copics before cutting them out and popping them up. I wanted to show as much of this cool texture on both the black and gray colors so I just did more wide layers.Isn't this paper incredible?? I used my Scor-Bug all the way around for the piercing and added some adhesive metal dots to the corners and created a little lasso with some natural hemp and adhered around the corner and under the mat. isn't that font fantastic? The whole card is just bringing out "my inner cowgirl", makes me want to go order a sassparilla in a heavy accent... ;) Happy Sunday!

Peanut

Peanut
at：2009-05-12 22:47:02 Click: 0
NAME: Peanut NICKNAME: Oreshek [o’re-shek] -- Russian for Peanut, which was his shelter name and we decided to keep it. Daniela, our 4-year-old daughter, speaks mostly Russian, and she was asking what Peanut was. When we told her the Russian word for it, she really liked it and banned using Peanut in our house. We do use it, though, for his vet’s appointments and for introducing him to our English-speaking friends.OWNER: Daniela Gutman HOW THEY MET: The preface to the whole story is that I used to have a dog for 17 years, and she passed away last October. Daniela was begging me for an orange kitten for a couple of months to introduce the cat to the dog –- she didn’t realize that the dog was gone as the dog was old and never paid attention to the baby anyway....So when I broke the sad news to Daniela in February, she was very upset, but said that it was great to have the dog for so long, even though now she is all alone and has nobody to play with. Then I was ready to bring home the whole shelter-worth of cats just to make her stop crying. So I promised her to go to a shelter together for her to choose a kitten. The next day I was being a bit sneaky about the choosing part and checked out Petfinder.com looking for orange kittens. I found Peanut right away and after work dropped by the Baltimore County Humane Society to meet him before I let my daughter “choose.” He spotted me the moment I walked into the room and started pacing the cage meowing. He was about 4 months old -- very cuddly, soft and cute (of course -- he is a kitten after all), so I filled out all the papers and scheduled an official appointment (more of a setup really) for Daniela to “choose” him. The next day, we all (Daniela, I, and my husband) came to “look at the kittens.” Needless to say, we had been approved for Peanut, and his documents were all ready for us to pick him up....So Peanut was the first kitten to get into my daughter’s hands, and the little guy did great with her -- he courageously tolerated all her hugs and smooches and seemed to actually like them! So she was all his the moment he purred in her arms and happily “chose” Peanut. AGE: About 6 months HOME: ReisterstownBREED: Orange tabby BEST TRICK: Yelling “Ma-ma” while I’m in the shower. His “talking” made half of the vet’s waiting room laugh. The other half just couldn’t hear him.FAVORITE ACTIVITY: Playing with the fishing pole and listening to Daniela reading to him (I suspect he is using the reading time for getting some rest from being carried around).FAVORITE FOOD: We try to keep him on kitten’s food, but he did try the baked fish once and was extremely happy!HIS DISLIKES: He does not appreciate any other animals around (especially cats). We welcomed a neighbor’s cat in our house and that caused some major hissing from Peanut. I was not even aware that he knew such words! IF PEANUT HAD A MOTTO FOR LIFE, IT WOULD BE: Your house is my house, your closet is my closet, and my mommy is my mommy!Photo by Gina Gutman To see other pets that have been featured in Collared, click here.Want your pet to be featured in Unleashed? Click here to download the Collared questionnaire. Fill it out and email it to us, along with a web-sized jpeg, at unleashed@baltsun.com.

Cleveland Cavaliers Team Report

Cavaliers forward LeBron James is eligible to sign an extension on July 18 the three-year anniversary of when he signed his last contract. He probably won't take that option. He would get the most bang for his buck by opting out of the final year of his deal it's called an early termination option in the summer of 2010. It would allow him to become a free agent for the first time in his career. He'd get to experience that euphoria, get courted by a few teams and make the Cavs sweat bullets. Then, he's expected to re-sign with the Cavs. Even though he's eligible to extend his deal this summer and next summer, he'll want to sit back and see how Cavs general manager Danny Ferry reshapes the team. The Cavs are going to have many options this summer. James will want to see if the Cavs can re-sign forward/center Anderson Varejao, who will also opt out of the final year of his deal and become an unrestricted free agent this summer. One source said a four-year, $32 million deal might be about what Varejao will collect. James will want to see if the Cavs extend center Zydrunas Ilgauskas' contract in September. He has one more year on his deal after this season. They could add one more year but his agent will probably ask for two. They also have some valuable trade chips. Forward/center Ben Wallace could be used in a trade this summer. A $14 million expiring contract might look appealing to one of the struggling teams. Also, guard/forward Sasha Pavlovic, who could really use a change of scenery, has a contract worth $4.9 million, but only $1.5 million is guaranteed. James will want to sit back and see what's up. The only thing he probably won't do is play out the final two years on his deal. Then, he'd be dealing with the new rules of the collecting bargaining agreement and that's an unknown. The CBA runs out at the end of 2010-11 season. CAVALIERS 84, HAWKS 74: Cavaliers guard Delonte West threw down a show-stopping baseline dunk, which highlighted their victory over the Atlanta Hawks in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference semifinals. It wrapped up a four-game sweep by the Cavs. The Cavs will await the winner of the other East semifinal between Orlando and Boston. That series is tied, 2-2. There's a possibility Game 1 of the East finals might not start until May 20. The Cavs are now 8-0 in the postseason and have won every game by 10 or more points. They are the first team to sweep the first two rounds of the playoffs since Miami in 2005. However, they weren't ready to rejoice just yet. "Why celebrate?" Cavs forward LeBron James said. "We're a team gunning for a championship. We're happy that we're playing great basketball. We're not taking anything for granted. We aren't satisfied." They had to be satisfied with the way they defended, however. They limited the Hawks to 31.5 percent shooting from the field, the lowest for a Cavs playoff opponent ever. They forced the Hawks to miss 50 shots on the night (they were 23 of 73). "Defense wins championships," West said. "That's what I want to do. I want to put a ring on my finger. I have 15 guys in that locker room who want to do the same thing." James led all scorers with 27 points, eight rebounds and eight assists. But perhaps the grittiest performance belonged to West, who added a playoff-high 21 points, four rebounds and six assists. Early in the fourth quarter, he took his defender off the dribble and threw down a baseline dunk over 6-foot-9 Marvin Williams. "That almost brought me out of my shoes," Cavs coach Mike Brown said. Speaking of shoes, West was wearing James' signature Nikes for the first time. After the way he played on Monday, he'll likely wear them again. "I had the LeBrons on," he said. "Actually, it was the shoes. That (dunk) was uncharacteristic for me. You have to go strong or go home."NOTES, QUOTESFormer Cavaliers coach Chuck Daly, 78, died on Saturday of pancreatic cancer. He coached the Cavs to a 9-32 record in 1981-82 before getting fired by owner Ted Stepien. Daly went on to fame and fortune with the Detroit Pistons, winning two NBA championships. However, he never was named Coach of the Year. "Jerry Sloan has never won, either," Cavs forward LeBron James said. "That doesn't take away what they've done." James said he got an opportunity to meet Daly when he came to a Team USA practice in Las Vegas. "It's a sad day for our league," he said. "He was one of the pioneers of our league. He's done a lot of great things for our league. It's sad to see someone pass away before his time. All the prayers and best wishes to his family."G Daniel Gibson is shooting 26.9 percent from the field in eight postseason games (seven of 26). In the first three games of the Hawks' series, it's even lower 20 percent (two of 10).QUOTE TO NOTE: "We're still trying to figure it out. The only ring on my finger is my wedding ring." Cavs coach Mike Brown, when asked when his team started getting "it."ROSTER REPORT ROTATION: Starters Point guard Mo Williams, Shooting guard Delonte West, Small forward LeBron James, Power forward Anderson Varejao, Center Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Bench Forward/Center Joe Smith, Guard Daniel Gibson, Center Ben Wallace, Guard/Forward Wally Szczerbiak. PLAYER NOTES:F LeBron James was afraid Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher was going to tackle him in Thursday's game in Cleveland. Urlacher was sitting near the Cavs' bench. While going for a loose ball, James jumped right over Urlacher. "Did you see him?" James said. "He didn't even move. Thank God he didn't tackle me and think I was a running back going over the pile." James gave Urlacher a pair of autographed shoes after the game. "It was the first time I've met him," he said. "For him to come and support us, that's the least I can do."Cavs coach Mike Brown called F LeBron James the quarterback of his top-ranked defense. "That's always been our staple," James said. "Coach Brown won't let us take the court if we're not ready to take on that challenge. Me being the leader, I make sure guys are in the right place at the right time on that end of the floor." James liked the quarterback comparison. "I'm like Peyton Manning out there," he said.F LeBron James' 28-point career scoring average in the postseason is highest among players still competing in the playoffs and fifth best all-time. F-C Joe Smith had seven points and eight rebounds in Game 3. He was the only player to score off the bench for the Cavs, who were outscored by the Hawks, 24-7. MEDICAL WATCH: The Cavs have no significant injuries.

Lemon Basil Pasta Salad

From Recipes On Mondays, Kristen Swensson of Cheap, Healthy, Good swings by these parts to share healthy and delicious recipes with us. Take it away, Kristen. Last week, I posted about Avocado Chicken Salad, a moist, generally delicious summertime concoction that avoids using mayonnaise for flavor or binding purposes. This week, it’s another seasonal recipe that eschews the heinousness of mayo: Lemon Basil Pasta Salad. Lovely on its own or as a base for more elaborate pasta dishes, it’s a light, inexpensive alternative to your standard starch-based picnic sides. The recipe is adapted from Party Line with the Hearty Boys, a show hosted by Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh, the inaugural winners of The Next Food Network Star. I’ve made a similar dish from Ina Garten before, but it calls for two-thirds of a cup of olive oil, along with several more preparation steps. (It’s good, though.) Dan and Steve created a simpler salad in their straightforward lemon dressing–farfalle mixture. Reviewers subsequently expanded and improved upon it, suggesting additions like artichokes, diced red pepper, mushrooms, and Parmesan, all of which should work very well. Really, your imagination is your only limit. Well, and your budget, geographic location, and allergies, if any. It’s should be noted that Lemon Basil Pasta Salad is fine as is, as well. Citrusy and light, it’s solid for office lunches, picnics or picky eaters. We brought it to an outdoor concert this past weekend, and it was all we could do to keep random adults, explorative toddlers, bad dogs, and marauding ants from attacking the bowl. I’m pretty sure your neighborhood will dig it, too. Lemon Basil Pasta Salad - serves 6 to 8 - Adapted from Dan Smith and Steve McDonagh. Ingredients 1 pound farfalle pasta 4 plum tomatoes, cut into 1 inch dice 20 basil leaves, cut into chiffonade 1 lemon, juiced 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper to taste Fresh basil leaves, for garnish Procedure 1. Bring a pot of water to a boil, salt, and cook 8 to 10 minutes, until al dente. Drain the pasta and rinse under cold water to cool down. 2. Put the pasta in a large serving bowl and add the tomatoes, basil, lemon juice, olive oil and salt and pepper to taste. Toss well and garnish with fresh basil leaves. Photographs

The beer to have when you're having more than one

Yesterday's Times had an article about the lack of quality beers available at the two NY ball parks.Yankee stadium sounds like a beer disaster, with no real microbrews, but instead an odd bevy of those ironic beers kids drink in Williamsburg-in 2004, plus typical swill from the major breweries such as Stella.I sent the article to my dad who pointed out that the only retro beer the Yanks should be serving is Ballantine, as it was their official beer. They should not be serving Schaefer which was the Brooklyn Dodgers' beer.This is moo today since all these beers are now made in Wisconsin (isn't everything? Wait, no), and I don't think they are even serving Ballantine, which is a shame, it's actually very good.My dad then went on to write out the jingles for both beers.Last Sunday I took in a game at the new Citi Field for Gabe's b-day. I'm going again next Wed-Thanks E.A.!!The beer selection at the Mets' new park is a major improvement on Shea, where the best one could get was an $8 can of Brooklyn.I only had a chance to visit their fancy beer pavilion, but its selection was still fairly weak-typical Czech beers-the kind that taste skunked when from the bottle,Becks and a few smaller breweries like Goose Island and Kona, but no hard hitters.Plus they kept giving us the wrong beers.Citizens Bank Park has a large selection of local microbrews and an area called Brewer's Alley. I'd reckon it's the best beer selection at any park on the East Coast, though I'm sure SF might be able to give them a run for their money.Tobs, what's the beer like at the Nats' new park?That said, Citi was great, I suspect there are no bad views from that place, just really well designed. I was very impressed.I aso would like to note that of the ten Pilsners the Times suggested ball parks start serving, five were brewed in Pennsylvania. Take that, um, other beer states!Toadilly related note, Josh K. and the illustrious Cathy have a new blog. It's new but it's good.I can't comment because our parents read it, but Josh K., I like how you move.Please enjoy their kimchi and kugel inspired stylings.

Lawmaker Defends Imprisoning Hostile Bloggers

By David Kravets
May 7, 2009
Linda Sanchez responded Wednesday to Threat Level’s tirade against her proposed legislation outlawing hostile electronic speech. Her answer: “Congress has no interest in censoring.”
Sanchez, with the introduction of the Megan Meier Cyberbullying Prevention Act, clearly has a great interest in censoring.
Still, the Democrat from Los Angeles makes several valid points that cyberbullying has lasting consequences on our nation’s youth. The 13-year-old Meier’s suicide is clearly a tragedy. But how she characterizes the measure is simply untrue.
“Put simply, this legislation would be used as a tool for a judge and jury to determine whether there is significant evidence to prove that a person ‘cyberbullied’ another,” she wrote in the Huffington Post. “That is: did they have the required intent, did they use electronic means of communication, and was the communication severe, hostile, and repeated? So — bloggers, e-mailers, texters, spiteful exes and those who have blogged against this bill have no fear — your words are still protected under the same American values.”
But that’s not what the proposal says. It goes way beyond youth cyberbullying. As we said the other day, the measure seemingly outlaws logging onto the internet.
But don’t take our word for it. Here’s what H.R. 1966 says:
(a) Whoever transmits in interstate or foreign commerce any communication, with the intent to coerce, intimidate, harass or cause substantial emotional distress to a person, using electronic means to support severe, repeated and hostile behavior, shall be fined under this title or imprisoned not more than two years, or both.
(b) As used in this section —
(1) the term ‘communication’ means the electronic transmission, between or among points specified by the user, of information of the user’s choosing, without change in the form or content of the information as sent and received; and
(2) the term ‘electronic means’ means any equipment dependent on electrical power to access an information service, including e-mail, instant messaging, blogs, websites, telephones and text messages.
This measure and Sanchez’s electronic defense of it are so emotionally distressing to us that, if adopted, perhaps Sanchez should be the first to be prosecuted under the statute.
We strongly urge Sanchez and the measure’s 14 other congressional backers to promptly withdraw this proposal.
Wired.com

Baltimore Orioles Team Report

INSIDE PITCH Monday was full of questions for the Orioles but devoid of answers. How did Luke Scott's MRI turn out? Will he be forced to the disabled list by a bad shoulder? Who will take his spot? Does promising Nolan Reimold get a shot? The Orioles could go a number of directions should Scott's self-diagnosed rotator cuff injury require a trip to the disabled list. The club could go with Lou Montanez currently battling a nagging thumb injury and Ty Wigginton as the designated hitters, with Felix Pie and Montanez splitting time in left. They could recall a minor-league journeyman like Oscar Salazar (.371, five homers and 25 RBI at Class AAA Norfolk) and let him share some at-bats. Recently acquired outfielder Joey Gathright could be purchased from Norfolk to provide support off the bench. They could opt to go back to 13 pitchers and activate Rich Hill from the disabled list a few days earlier than anticipated. The most intriguing option is to recall Reimold, who was batting .381 with eight home runs and 25 RBI in the minors. The Orioles envision Reimold as a full-time player, which would likely mean the end of the Felix Pie experiment in left.NOTES, QUOTES1B Aubrey Huff ripped a three-run home run in the first inning Sunday, a lead that would stand into the seventh inning. Huff mocked Yankees RHP Joba Chamberlain, pumping his fist in Chamberlain-like fashion as he rounded first base and repeating the motion as he crossed the plate.RHP Jim Johnson on Sunday was charged with his first blown save and second loss of the season, allowing three earned runs on three hits in 1 1/3 innings. Johnny Damon's three-run homer scored the first run against Johnson in his last seven innings.BY THE NUMBERS: 5 Consecutive quality starts, through Sunday, by RHP Koji Uehara.QUOTE TO NOTE: "For a couple of days there, I pretty much thought that I threw my last game. A lot of things run through your mind." RHP Dennis Sarfate, on his mindset between feeling numbness in his right middle finger and the promising results that he'll return in July.ROSTER REPORTLHP Jamie Walker is struggling at his lone task: getting tough left-handed hitters out. Lefties are hitting .364 in 11 at-bats against the Oriole' situational reliever.INF Ty Wigginton pinch-hit for OF Luke Scott and was hit by a pitch Sunday. At least he got on base. Orioles pinch hitters are a combined 0-for-13 with eight strikeouts this season. The Orioles are the only American League team without a pinch hit.OF Felix Pie went 2-for-3 Sunday as the starting left fielder. His average has climbed to .183, a 28-point improvement from two weeks ago. His playing time has decreased, though. He has sat out four of the Orioles' past six games. MEDICAL WATCH: OF Luke Scott (sore left rotator cuff) left the May 10 game and will have an MRI taken on May 11. RHP Dennis Sarfate (torn artery in right shoulder) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to May 2. He might be able to return around the All-Star break. RHP Alfredo Simon (sore right elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list April 15. He had season-ending Tommy John surgery in early May. LHP Rich Hill (left elbow soreness) went on the 15-day disabled list March 29. He began a rehab assignment with Class A Frederick on April 24. ROTATION: RHP Jeremy Guthrie RHP Koji Uehara LHP Mark Hendrickson RHP Adam Eaton RHP Brad Bergeson BULLPEN: LHP George Sherrill (closer) RHP Chris Ray RHP Jim Johnson RHP Bob McCrory LHP Jamie Walker RHP Danys Baez RHP Brian Bass CATCHERS: Gregg Zaun Chad Moeller INFIELDERS: 1B Aubrey Huff 2B Brian Roberts SS Cesar Izturis 3B Melvin Mora INF/OF Ty Wigginton INF Robert Andino OUTFIELDERS: LF Felix Pie CF Adam Jones RF Nick Markakis DH Luke Scott OF Lou Montanez

When private equity funds try to get around bank-ownership rulesFelix Salmon

The NYT sent Eric Lipton all the way to Cainsville, in the middle of absolutely nowhere, to visit what used to be called the First National Bank of Cainesville and is now called Flowers Bank, after its brand-new owner, Chris Flowers. Lipton has filed a great story of attempted regulatory arbitrage, where Flowers is personally buying this bank just so that he can get its national banking charter — his private equity shop being considered by the Fed to be not boring enough to own a bank. The Fed is right, as Lipton shows — he even quotes Flowers talking about how “lowlife grave dancers like me will make a fortune” from the bank crisis and bailout. Which is not really the attitude that one wants bank owners to have: they should be boring and conservative, not greedy Masters of the Universe who happily drop $53 million on buying an Upper East Side townhouse. Incidentally, the NYT's picture caption is very wrong: it says that the value of the Cainsville bank is “about a third” of the value of Flowers's townhouse. Not even close. As of the end of last year, the bank had $16.699 million in assets and $12.492 million in liabilities, for a book value of $4.2 million. Even if Flowers paid 2x book (unlikely, but possible, given that what he really wanted was the banking license rather than the bank) he will only have shelled out about $8 million for the bank, or about 15% of what he paid for his townhouse. More likely he paid less than a tenth of what he spent on his home. If Lipton wants to follow up on the subject of regulatory arbitrage among private-equity shops which own banks, he might want to take a look at MatlinPatterson, a distressed debt fund right here in New York which has been going through all manner of contortions to avoid breaching rules preventing it from owning more than 24.9% of banks such as Flagstar Bancorp in Michigan. When it wanted to buy Flagstar, it couldn't do so directly. So it asked its limited partners to send more money to a new entity it set up for the purpose, and as soon as it got that money, it refunded an identical amount back to those partners in a deal which looked very fishy to John Hempton back in April. (One of the limited partners was Nicola Horlick's Bramdean Alternatives.) I think it's about time that we move from a rules-based system where private-equity types spend vast amounts of time and effort trying to get around rules preventing them from buying banks, and move to a principles-based approach where anybody attempting something as blatant as this (”it's not my private-equity shop buying this bank, it's me personally, so that's fine”) gets slapped down sharpish. And that goes for MatlinPatterson, too.

6th blogiversary

tags: personal blog anniversary blogiversary The sixth year of blogging felt very different than the fifth. Clearly the in-the-moment interfaces of Twitter, Flickr and Brightkite have become an alternative outlet for the desire to capture life's moments and the frequency of my lengthier, more considered pieces has dropped. In some ways, with these new tools I feel like I'm capturing more, and yet, I can't help the feeling that something has been lost. The bigger, more in depth thoughts keep coming, and I capture and assimilate them into my "blog-this.txt" file which seems to just grow and grow. I feel like I can blame some this, at least for the past few months, on a conscious decision to face and confront a lot of emotional challenges, some old, some new. As a result, I've collected faster than I can process (in a GTD sense), and I haven't processed my "to-do-inbox.txt" file down to empty in over three months. This past week I did find a night or two to make much more headway into it than I have in a while, and I have a renewed sense of hope that I'll empty it, perhaps by the end of the weekend. One thing is for sure, I'm juggling a lot of tasks and projects right now, and my monthly (have never quite gotten to weekly) GTD review of my next-actions and projects makes that quite clear to me. In recognition of both the excess (or perhaps excess growth rate) of both my to-do-inbox.txt and my next actions/projects lists, I've been spending more time recently on filtering and prioritizing, respectively. Of course as I figure out better strategies for each, I've been taking notes, where else, but in my "blog-this.txt" file. Hopefully in this seventh year of blogging, I'll have the chance to share more of what I've figured out. Rate and comment on this post. View blog reactions

May Texas Concert Listings

If yours is one of the Texas school districts firmly pushing the panic button with both hands and cancelling school at any point this month, there are a couple of thematic, state-wide road trips you could embark on. The first wafts the peculiar scent of 90’s nostalgia: Nine Inch Nails, Jane’s Addiciton, Prince Paul, Letters to Cleo, Fastball, the Meat Puppets, Cowboy Mouth, Dave Mathew’s Band, Live, No Doubt, Gavin Rossdale, Crystal Method, Indigo Girls and Snoop Dogg all play under the Lone Star this month. For a more Texas-specific alternative, you could put together a nice little road trip of Alt-Country solidity this month, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Old Crow Medicine Band, Junior Brown, Bart Crow Band and Reckless Kelly are just some of the acts playing.
[George Strait]
Of course, all of these pale in comparison to George Strait playing in Hidalgo on the ninth – easily the region’s most anticipated show of the past seven years. (I’m still working on my elongated George Strait with the rough thesis being “George Strait is R. Kelly”. It’ll be up soon, I hope.)
Austin
01 Death Cab For Cutie, Ra Ra Riot, Matt Costa at the Austin Music Hall
01 Jason Isbell and The 400 Unit, Red Cortez at Antones
04 Clifton Anderson at Waterloo Records
06 Lady Gaga, The Veronicas at the Austin Music Hall
07 Flight of the Conchords, Eugene Mirman at Bass Concert Hall
08 The Paper Chase, Valina, Haunting Oboe Music at the Mohawk
08&09 Texas Rockabilly Revival with Wanda Jackson,Slim Jim Phantom (The Stray Cats), Levi Dexter, Wayne Hancock, Psycho Devilles, Two Tons of Steel, Reverend Horton Heat, Lemmy Kilmister and the Head Cat, The Chop Tops, Hillbilly Casino, Lowdown Shaky Chill, Pickled Punks at the Nutty Brown Cafe
09 When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth, Exeter, Black Cock, Joy Bus at Red 7
09 Oklahomos, DC4, Texas Death Star at Room 710
09 Three 6 Mafia, Gorilla Zoe, Big Red Rooster, Dremnt the End, Joeska, KJ Hines, Loonac at the Austin Music Hall
11 Elvis Perkins in Dearland at the Parish
11 Other Lives at Waterloo Records
12 Nine Inch Nails, Jane's Addiction, Street Sweeper at the Erwin Center
13 Her Space Holiday, City Light, Butcher Bear, Charlie at the Mohawk
13 Vampirates, Head Panic at the Parlor
16 TV on the Radio at Stubb's
16 Prince Paul at Lamberts
18 The Dears, Great Northern, Eulogies at the Parish
19 Isis w/ Earth Crisis, Walls of Jericho, Reign Supreme, Unholy, Blood Stands Still
at Emo's
22 Letters to Cleo, Cruiserweight at the Parish
23 Chaos In Tejas presents Times New Viking, Nodzzz, The Strange Boys, XYX, Ratas Del Vaticano at Emo's
23 Margot and the Nuclear So and So's, Telekinesis at the Mohawk
23 Fastball at the Parish
25 Meat Puppets at Waterloo Records
26 Manchester Orchestra at Waterloo Records
27 Bellville Outfit at Waterloo Records
27 The Meatmen, Chapstik, Adrenaline Pigs, The Blind Pets at Emo's
28 The Field, The Juan Maclean at the Mohawk
28 Cowboy Mouth at Antones
29 Junior Brown, Lucky Tomlin, Lucky Tubb at Antones
Dallas
02 Dave Matthew’s Band at Superpages.com Center
02 Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit at Granada Theater
04 George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic at the House of Blues
05 Snoop Dogg at the House of Blues
05 Vince Gill at Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center
13 Live at the House of Blues
25 Gavin Rossdale at the House of Blues
30 No Doubt w/ Paramore and the Sounds at Superpages.com Center
Denton
16 The Dears, Great Northern, Eulogies at Hailey’s
22 Margot and the Nuclear So and So's, Telekinesis at Hailey’s
El Paso
01 Kenny Rogers at Inn Of The Mountain Gods Resort
17 Styx at Inn of the Mountain Gods Resort and Casino
23 B.B. King at The Plaza Theatre Performing Arts Center
Fort Worth
01 Bart Crow Band at Billy Bob’s
02 Rodney Atkins at Billy Bob’s
Frisco
02 Kenny Chesney at Pizza Hut Park
Grand Prairie
05 Flight of the Conchords at Nokia Theater
07 Jennifer Hudson w/ Robin Thicke at Nokia Theater
Gruene
02 Bellville Outfit at Gruene Hall
08 Roger Clyne and the Peacemakers at Gruene Hall
22 Reckless Kelly at Gruene Hall
Houston
01 Spinal Tap: Unwigged and Unplugged at Jesse H. Jones Hall for Performing Arts
01 the O’Jays at Htown Arena Theatre
02 The Smithereens, The Crisis, Joan Jett & the Blackhearts at the Showgrounds at Sam Houston Race Park
02 Fleetwood Mac at the Toyota Center
05 Yo-Yo Ma at Jesse H. Jones Hall for Performing Arts
06 Snoop Dogg at the House of Blues
06 Flight of the Conchords at Jesse H. Jones Hall for Performing Arts
07 the Rippingtons at the House of Blues
07 Old Crow Medicine Show at Warehouse Live
08 Jennifer Hudson w/ Robin Thicke at Reliant Arena
09 Eli Young Band at Tumbleweed Texas
13 Elvis Perkins in Dearland at Walter’s on Washington
14 Bonnie Raitt at the Verizon Wireless Theater
16 Fischerspooner at the House of Blues
16 James Taylor at the Verizon Wireless Theater
16 Two Tons of Steel at Goode's Armadillo Palace
18 Crystal Method at the House of Blues
21 Isis and Tombs at the Meridian
21 Letters to Cleo at the House of Blues
22 Indigo Girls at the Verizon Wireless Theater
22 Queensryche at the House of Blues
22 India.Arie at Htown Arena Theatre
23 Bobby Brown at Htown Arena Theatre
24 Wayman Tisdale at Htown Arena Theatre
28 the Virgins at Rudyards
29 B.B. King at Htown Arena Theatre
29 Two Tons of Steel at Continental Club
30 The Juan Maclean, The Field at Numbers
30 Mr. Lif at Warehouse Live
Rio Grande Valley
05 Cinco de Mayo Fiesta at Cine El Rey (McAllen)
09 George Strait at Dodge Arena (Hidalgo)
Stafford
15 Boz Scaggs at the Stafford Center

Bible reading for May 12, 2009

Deuteronomy 32:1-47 (New International Version) Deuteronomy 32 1 Listen, O heavens, and I will speak; hear, O earth, the words of my mouth. 2 Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants. 3 I will proclaim the name of the LORD. Oh, praise the greatness of our God! 4 He is the Rock, his works are perfect, and all his ways are just. A faithful God who does no wrong, upright and just is he. 5 They have acted corruptly toward him; to their shame they are no longer his children, but a warped and crooked generation. [a] 6 Is this the way you repay the LORD, O foolish and unwise people? Is he not your Father, your Creator, [b] who made you and formed you? 7 Remember the days of old; consider the generations long past. Ask your father and he will tell you, your elders, and they will explain to you. 8 When the Most High gave the nations their inheritance, when he divided all mankind, he set up boundaries for the peoples according to the number of the sons of Israel. [c] 9 For the LORD's portion is his people, Jacob his allotted inheritance. 10 In a desert land he found him, in a barren and howling waste. He shielded him and cared for him; he guarded him as the apple of his eye, 11 like an eagle that stirs up its nest and hovers over its young, that spreads its wings to catch them and carries them on its pinions. 12 The LORD alone led him; no foreign god was with him. 13 He made him ride on the heights of the land and fed him with the fruit of the fields. He nourished him with honey from the rock, and with oil from the flinty crag, 14 with curds and milk from herd and flock and with fattened lambs and goats, with choice rams of Bashan and the finest kernels of wheat. You drank the foaming blood of the grape. 15 Jeshurun [d] grew fat and kicked; filled with food, he became heavy and sleek. He abandoned the God who made him and rejected the Rock his Savior. 16 They made him jealous with their foreign gods and angered him with their detestable idols. 17 They sacrificed to demons, which are not God gods they had not known, gods that recently appeared, gods your fathers did not fear. 18 You deserted the Rock, who fathered you; you forgot the God who gave you birth. 19 The LORD saw this and rejected them because he was angered by his sons and daughters. 20 "I will hide my face from them," he said, "and see what their end will be; for they are a perverse generation, children who are unfaithful. 21 They made me jealous by what is no god and angered me with their worthless idols. I will make them envious by those who are not a people; I will make them angry by a nation that has no understanding. 22 For a fire has been kindled by my wrath, one that burns to the realm of death [e] below. It will devour the earth and its harvests and set afire the foundations of the mountains. 23 "I will heap calamities upon them and spend my arrows against them. 24 I will send wasting famine against them, consuming pestilence and deadly plague; I will send against them the fangs of wild beasts, the venom of vipers that glide in the dust. 25 In the street the sword will make them childless; in their homes terror will reign. Young men and young women will perish, infants and gray-haired men. 26 I said I would scatter them and blot out their memory from mankind, 27 but I dreaded the taunt of the enemy, lest the adversary misunderstand and say, 'Our hand has triumphed; the LORD has not done all this.' " 28 They are a nation without sense, there is no discernment in them. 29 If only they were wise and would understand this and discern what their end will be! 30 How could one man chase a thousand, or two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, unless the LORD had given them up? 31 For their rock is not like our Rock, as even our enemies concede. 32 Their vine comes from the vine of Sodom and from the fields of Gomorrah. Their grapes are filled with poison, and their clusters with bitterness. 33 Their wine is the venom of serpents, the deadly poison of cobras. 34 "Have I not kept this in reserve and sealed it in my vaults? 35 It is mine to avenge; I will repay. In due time their foot will slip; their day of disaster is near and their doom rushes upon them." 36 The LORD will judge his people and have compassion on his servants when he sees their strength is gone and no one is left, slave or free. 37 He will say: "Now where are their gods, the rock they took refuge in, 38 the gods who ate the fat of their sacrifices and drank the wine of their drink offerings? Let them rise up to help you! Let them give you shelter! 39 "See now that I myself am He! There is no god besides me. I put to death and I bring to life, I have wounded and I will heal, and no one can deliver out of my hand. 40 I lift my hand to heaven and declare: As surely as I live forever, 41 when I sharpen my flashing sword and my hand grasps it in judgment, I will take vengeance on my adversaries and repay those who hate me. 42 I will make my arrows drunk with blood, while my sword devours flesh: the blood of the slain and the captives, the heads of the enemy leaders." 43 Rejoice, O nations, with his people, [f] , [g] for he will avenge the blood of his servants; he will take vengeance on his enemies and make atonement for his land and people. 44 Moses came with Joshua [h] son of Nun and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people. 45 When Moses finished reciting all these words to all Israel, 46 he said to them, "Take to heart all the words I have solemnly declared to you this day, so that you may command your children to obey carefully all the words of this law. 47 They are not just idle words for youthey are your life. By them you will live long in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess."Footnotes:Deuteronomy 32:5 Or Corrupt are they and not his children, / a generation warped and twisted to their shame Deuteronomy 32:6 Or Father, who bought you Deuteronomy 32:8 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls (see also Septuagint) sons of God Deuteronomy 32:15 Jeshurun means the upright one , that is, Israel. Deuteronomy 32:22 Hebrew to Sheol Deuteronomy 32:43 Or Make his people rejoice, O nations Deuteronomy 32:43 Masoretic Text; Dead Sea Scrolls (see also Septuagint) people, / and let all the angels worship him Deuteronomy 32:44 Hebrew Hoshea , a variant of Joshua Scripture taken from the HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®. Copyright