#but it's like. come on. extraordinary claims requires extraordinary evidence. do not settle for evidence to justify your worldview if it ca

[stikybug]

liking paranormal shit is so frustrating . because while i still ( believe ) i have my head on my shoulders the community at large is like

mistakes a lense flare for a ghost orb

mistakes obvious mental illness for mediumship

gets memory fade-outs and instead of checking for carbon monoxide poisoning assumes it's a ghost

and or comes to the conclusion a ghost does it instead of the much more horrible possibility that a human did it ( and of course, doesn't put any cameras to catch anything in action )

mistakes an animal suffering for a cryptid

mistakes what is most likely a far off commercial/military craft/balloon/bird/drone for a UFO

[mimicofmodes]

“The Ladies Waldegrave” by Joshua Reynolds, 1780 (NGS NG2171)

I’ve complained before about two very big pet peeves of mine - corset stuff and Regency women being dressed in 1770s-1780s clothes - but one that may dwarf them because of how frequently it comes up in historical and fantasy fiction is the oppression of embroidery.

That’s probably putting it a bit too strongly. It’s more like ... the annoyance of embroidery. Every character worth reading about knows instinctively that sewing is a) boring, b) difficult, c) mindless, and d) pointless. The author doesn’t have to say anything more than “Belinda threw down her needlework and looked out the window, sighing,” to signal that this is an independent woman whose values align with the modern reader, who’s probably not really understood by her mother or mother figure, and who probably will find an extraordinary man to “match” her rather than settling for someone ordinary. To look at an example from fantasy, GRRM uses embroidery in the very beginning of A Game of Thrones to show that the Stark sister who dislikes it is sympathetic and interesting, while the Stark sister who is competent at it is boring and conventional and obviously not deserving of a PoV (until later books, when her attention gets turned to higher matters); further into the book, of course, the pro-needlework sister proves to be weak-willed and naïve.

Rozsika Parker, in the groundbreaking 1996 work The Subversive Stitch, noted that “embroidery has become indelibly associated with stereotypes of femininity,” which is the core of the issue. "Instead embroidery and a stereotype of femininity have become collapsed into one another, characterised as mindless, decorative and delicate; like the icing on the cake, good to look at, adding taste and status, but devoid of significant content.” 

Parker also points out that the stereotype isn’t just one that was invented in the present day by feminists who hated the idea of being forced to do a certain craft. “The association between women and embroidery, craft and femininity, has meant that writers concerned with the status of women have often turned their attention towards this tangled, puzzling relationship. Feminists who have scorned embroidery tend to blame it for whatever constraint on women's lives they are committed to combat. Thus, for example, eighteenth-century critical commentators held embroidery responsible for the ill health which was claimed as evidence of women's natural weakness and inferiority.”

There are two basic problems I have with the trope, beyond the issue of it being incredibly cliché:

First: needlework was not just busywork

A big part of what drives the stereotype is the impression that what women were embroidering was either a sampler:

sampler embroidered by Jane Wilson, 14, in 1791 (MMA 2010.47)

or a picture:

unfinished embroidery of David and Abigail, British, 1640s-50s (MMA 64.101.1325)

That is, something meant to hang on the wall for no real purpose.

These are forms of schoolwork, basically. Samplers were made by young girls up to their early teens, and needlework pictures were usually something done while at school or under a governess as a showpiece of what was being learned - not just the stitching itself, but also often watercolors (which could be worked into the design), artistic sensibility, and the literature, history, or art that might be alluded to. And many needlework pictures made in schools were also done as mourning pieces, sometimes blank, for future use, and sometimes to commemorate a recent death in the family. A lot of them are awkward, clearly just done to pass the class, but others are really artwork.

Many schools for middle- and upper-class girls taught the making of these objects (and other “ornamental” subjects) alongside a more rigorous curriculum - geography, Latin, chemistry, etc. At some, sewing was also always accompanied by serious reading and discussion. (And it would often be done while someone read aloud or made conversation later in life, too.)

Once done with their education, women generally didn’t bother with purely decorative work. Some things that fabric could be embroidered for included:

Jackets 

Bed coverings and bedcurtains

Collars and undersleeves 

Pelerines 

Neck handkerchiefs and sleeve ruffles 

Screens

Upholstery

Handkerchiefs

Purses, wallets, and reticules

Boxes

Book covers

Plus other articles of clothing like waistcoats, caps, slippers, gown hems, chemises, etc. Women’s magazines of the nineteenth century often gave patterns and alphabets for personal use.

(Not to mention late nineteenth century female artists who worked in embroidery, but that’s something else.)

You could purchase all of these pre-embroidered, but many, many women chose to do it themselves. There are a number of reasons why: maybe they wanted something to do, maybe they felt like they should be doing needlework for moral/gender reasons, maybe they couldn’t afford to buy anything - and maybe they enjoyed it or wanted to give something they made to a person they loved. That firescreen above was embroidered by Marie Antoinette, someone who had any number of other activities to choose from. It’s no different than people today who like to knit their own hats and gloves or bake their own bread, except that it was way more mainstream.

embroidery patterns from Ackermann’s Repository in 1827 - they could be used on dresses, collars, handkerchiefs, etc.

Second: needlework wasn’t the only “useless” thing women were expected to do

Ignoring the bulk of point one for now and the value of embroidery - I mentioned “ornamental subjects” above. As many people know, young women of the upper and middle classes were expected to be “accomplished” in order to be seen as marriageable. This could include skills like embroidery, drawing, painting, singing, playing the piano (as well as other instruments, like the harp or the mandolin), speaking French (if not also Italian and/or German), as well as broader knowledge and abilities like being well-versed in music, literature, and poetry, dancing and walking gracefully, writing good letters in an elegant hand, and being able to read out loud expressively and smoothly.

This wasn’t a checklist. As the famous discussion in Pride and Prejudice shows, individuals could have different views on what actually made a woman accomplished:

“How I long to see her again! I never met with anybody who delighted me so much. Such a countenance, such manners! And so extremely accomplished for her age! Her performance on the pianoforte is exquisite.”

“It is amazing to me,” said Bingley, “how young ladies can have patience to be so very accomplished as they all are.”

“All young ladies accomplished! My dear Charles, what do you mean?”

“Yes, all of them, I think. They all paint tables, cover screens, and net purses. I scarcely know anyone who cannot do all this, and I am sure I never heard a young lady spoken of for the first time, without being informed that she was very accomplished.”

“Your list of the common extent of accomplishments,” said Darcy, “has too much truth. The word is applied to many a woman who deserves it no otherwise than by netting a purse or covering a screen. But I am very far from agreeing with you in your estimation of ladies in general. I cannot boast of knowing more than half-a-dozen, in the whole range of my acquaintance, that are really accomplished.”

“Nor I, I am sure,” said Miss Bingley.

“Then,” observed Elizabeth, “you must comprehend a great deal in your idea of an accomplished woman.”

“Yes, I do comprehend a great deal in it.”

“Oh! certainly,” cried his faithful assistant, “no one can be really esteemed accomplished who does not greatly surpass what is usually met with. A woman must have a thorough knowledge of music, singing, drawing, dancing, and the modern languages, to deserve the word; and besides all this, she must possess a certain something in her air and manner of walking, the tone of her voice, her address and expressions, or the word will be but half-deserved.”

“All this she must possess,” added Darcy, “and to all this she must yet add something more substantial, in the improvement of her mind by extensive reading.”

Mr. Bingley feels that a woman is accomplished if she has the ability to do a number of different arts and crafts. Miss Bingley feels (or says she feels) that it goes beyond specific skills and into branches of artistic attainment, plus broader personal qualities that could be imparted by well-bred governesses or mothers. And Mr. Darcy, of course, agrees with that but adds an academic angle as well.

But what ties all of these accomplishments together is their lack of value on the labor market. A woman could earn a living with any one accomplishment, if she worked hard enough at it to become a professional, but young ladies weren’t supposed to be professional-level good because they by definition weren’t going to earn a living. All together, they trained a woman for the social and domestic role of a married woman of the upper middle or upper class, or, if she couldn’t get married, a governess or teacher who would share her accomplishments with the next generation.

(To be fair, almost none of the trappings of an upper-middle/upper class male education had anything to do with the kind of career training that college frequently is today, either. Men were educated to know the cultural touchpoints of their class and fit in with their peers.)

There are reasons that an individual person/character might specifically object to embroidery, but it was far from the only “useless” thing that an unconventional heroine would be required to do against her inclination by her conventional mother/grandmother/aunt/chaperone. Embroidery stands out to modern audiences because most of the other accomplishments are now valued as gender-neutral arts and skills.

“The Embroidery Frame”, by Mathilde Weil, ca. 1900 (LOC 98501309)

So, some thoughts for writers of historical fiction (or fantasy that’s supposed to be just like the 19th/18th/17th/etc century):

- If your heroine doesn’t like embroidery, she probably doesn’t like a number of other things she’s expected to do. Don’t pull out embroidery as either more expected or more onerous than them. Does she hate to sit still? I’d imagine she also dislikes drawing and practicing the piano. Would she prefer to do academic subjects? She probably also resents learning French instead of Latin, and music and dancing. Does she hate enforced femininity? Then she’d most likely have a problem with all of the accomplishments.

- If your heroine just and specifically doesn’t like embroidery, try to show in the narrative that that’s not because it’s objectively bad, and only able to be liked by the boring. Have another sympathetic character do it while talking to the heroine. Note that the hero carries a flame-stitched wallet that’s his sister’s work. Emphasize the heroine’s emotional connection to her deceased or absent mother through her affection for clothing or upholstery that her mother embroidered - or through a mourning picture commemorating her. There are all kinds of things you can do to show that it’s a personal preference rather than a stupid craft that doesn’t take talent and skill!

mourning picture for Daniel Goodman, probably embroidered by a Miss Goodman, 1803 (MMA 56.66)

[toloveawarlord]

Pt. 2

Wow, to be honest, I was astounded by how well received part one was! Thank you so much for loving Alara as much as I do!

This took a while and the word count is nearly 3,000 so strap in for a long one. I struggled to find the perfect spot to end this one so it’s a bit longer than part 1.

Tagging: @plumpblueberry for always supporting me and @ihavenotfallenyet who asked to be tagged! ^_^

The cracks of thunder rattled the mansion with its monstrous noise, causing her chest to tighten with each boom, as if it stepped in time with the stomps of her stepfather growing ever closer. Any second he would appear, ripping her away from this place. Alara all but jumped into Arthur’s lap when the door was thrown open. Her small hands trembling as they clutched onto the sleeve of his jacket.

“There was no need to come through my window like that!” The irritation in his voice pointed to the other resident beside him that wore clothes she was not familiar with.

“Newt, old boy, you’ve given the girl a fright,” Arthur chastised with a grin to lighten the heavy cloud hanging over the child. As her grip lessened, he hooked a finger under her chin to get her full attention. “Those two live here as well. There’s not a need for those teary eyes, yeah?”

“I’ve told you to stop calling me that. My name is Isaac.” Taking the chair beside Arthur, Isaac glanced at the child out of his peripheral vision. Sebastian hadn’t given a real reason as to why he wanted an old shirt, but it was clearly the one she wore.

The other man approached her chair directly. “Ahh, a wonderful little soul has found her way into our humble home. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Saki-chan.” He took one of her hands and brought it to his lips for a gentle kiss, bringing a smile to her face once again.

“That’s not my name, mister.” Alara answered, giggling at his antics, nonetheless. Everyone that she had met were so kind to her, having so much attention had her worries scattered away. If only momentarily, she was happy.

Sebastian interrupted the commotion, wheeling out a cart of delicious foods of all varieties. “Please, have a seat, dinner is already late.” The hint of disapproval in his voice didn’t deter the young girl from returning to her pancakes.

The chatter around the table remained light, talks of their days and giving information about themselves led the child into the conversation. Allowing her to decide what she might tell them about herself. None wanted to bring that terrified expression back to her, even without knowing the extent of the circumstances.

Alara perfectly fit in with the lot, finding their professions and personalities intriguing, a mismatched bunch. Never in her short life had so many different people been in one room. The comfortable feeling settling inside her brought an ache along with it, but she didn’t know why. Like she’d been stuck in a China glass house, snatched right out of a doll shop.

Her swiping of the syrup off her cleared plate was interrupted with door opening once again. There were more men living here, and the lively atmosphere hadn’t broken around her, so a moment passed before the electricity in the air began to spark around her.

One word.

Her own name… in that voice…

It shattered the glass house around her, bringing the raging storm crashing down around the ruins. Her shoulders rose, head ducking down as if avoiding the ceiling that would crash atop her at any second.

The slush of each step like the strike of a whip against her skin. She shrunk down into the chair with every squish of his soaked shoes, lower into the seat as if wishing it would swallow her up and take her far away from him. Her fingers entangled in her raven locks, twisting hard to prove that this was real. Green eyes wide open, afraid of what happen should she shut them, but never rising from the view of her own lap.

“I’m terribly sorry for the trouble she’s caused you.”

Apologizing. Always apologizing on her behalf. Why? Why did every choice she make result in her mother apologizing about her? She followed the rules, yet it never stopped his constant shouting at her, never dissuaded that whip he wielded with the sharp tip. Begging, pleading, her mother on her knees, hands clasped.

Apologizing.

He’d never once ceased because of those words.

“I’ve been out in the storm searching all over, worried that something terrible had happened. I’m Oscar Arnette, her father, well, step-father but I love her like she was my own.” He spoke with a laugh, as if relieved to have found her. A fake smile plastered across his face.

You should have never brought her here! All she does is cause me grief!

Keep her locked in her room!

You foolish, insolent child!

Those were words of love? Words spit at her as if she were a speck of dirt marring his clean home, one he couldn’t wash away. Yelled in anger, in absolute hatred, tearing her heart and mind into crumbled pieces.

That is love?

Look at you! My beautiful girl! Come give your mama a big hug!

You are more special than any of the stars in the sky!

Her mother’s words. So differently spoken, always with a warm smile as bright as the sun itself, that chased away all the bad memories from her day. The only one who looked at Alara as a child that was wanted.

“I’m so confused,” Her whisper barely audible at all. Oscar’s calm tone explaining how he’d come to find her clashed louder than the thunder above with her memories etched with his shouting on those days he beat her till she went numb. Did he love her? Was that love?

Napoleon rose from his chair, blocking his advancement towards her. Heavy tension fell over the silent room. A declaration that they did not intend to simply let him take her. “It would be wise for you to keep your distance.

The other residents in the room were watching the intruder just as carefully. It brought a hushed pause, no one making the first move. Le Comte assessed the situation before him. The genuine fear radiating from the girl shielding herself came from years of mistreatment. This man, the source. “Shall we have a chat, Monsieur Oscar, in my study perhaps?”

“Oh no, there’s no need. Alara, you’ve caused enough trouble for these gentlemen. Come along, now.” His hand reached towards her, intent on taking her with him this instant.

So many times, those hands brought her nothing but pain. Her body reacted before she thought her actions through. Ducking under the table, the carpet caught her small frame, roughly jarring her from the impact. The very notion of him touching her crawled across her skin like a thousand bugs.

She did not want to go with him. If his actions reflected love, then she never wanted to experience love again.

A resigned sigh came from Oscar as he pinched the bridge of his nose. “That’s enough theatrics.” He paused, searching for the perfect words to draw her out.

“I believe you’re confusing theatrics with terror, old boy,” Arthur replied, not a drop of humor in his words. No one should strike that much fear into a child. He remained in his seat, arm outstretched to the now empty chair beside him, another barrier for the man to overcome before he would ever reach the girl.

Oscar feigned a graceful smile. “You must be careful with this one. Her imagination runs extremely rampant, causing all the fuss amongst my staff and guests. Just the other day she proclaimed the maids and butlers’ demons that must be slayed by her own hands. It’s extraordinary what children dream up–”

Dazai leaned forward to rest his arms against the table’s edge, a sly smile upon his lips. He could see right through the act before him. “Alara-chan only sows the seeds of truth that are blooming in all their sorrowful beauty, grown by the pain endured. While you, sir, only reap the strongest of vines with thorns slick with all your lies.”

“Preposterous. You’re believing a child’s fantasies!”

“My job requires me to spot a fake from the real thing and you are the most blatantly fake man I’ve ever encountered,” Theo interjected, blue eyes narrowed in pure disgust. Men like him were the lowest.

Oscar remained composed, though all could see the cracks growing ever larger with the passing of every second. “It’s time to go, child. Don’t you want to see your mother?” A last resort but it yielded the results he sought.

“Mama? She-” The quivering girl didn’t come out, but the hope in her voice was evident. It drew out an ache from all the residents, her innocent belief that for once, the truth was being told to her.

“Yes, yes. You can see her again if you come with me.” Sweet and empty words twisted as skillfully as a spider’s web meant to lull the struggling moth into its clutches.

Napoleon seized his arm as he moved to reach for her again. The seasoned soldier, the emperor, could spot the deceit dripping from every inch of the man. Words always meant something, and to see them being twisted into false hope made Napoleon ill. “Tell me how you became so splayed with blood.”

Oscar’s clothes drenched with bloodstains that not even the storm could wash away from him. His irritation had grown, no more faked smiles. “I’ll insist that you release me. I am taking what belongs to me and will be on my way.”

“She isn’t–” Isaac spoke up, eyes downcast at his lap but anger rising in him. “Alara isn’t your property that you can just claim and take away.” Kids were a mystery to him, but each time she smiled and asked him a question about himself, Isaac had felt warm and… happy.

The Frenchman could hardly fathom why these strangers were protecting a brat that they hardly knew. What could they possibly gain from this? He rolled his shoulders, giving a breathy laugh. “Ah, it must be a reward you are after. Name your price and-”

“I assure you, Monsieur, no payment is required. Her well-being is our priority.” Comte cut him off, an edge to his voice.

“Her well-being?” How much had the mousy child told them? The rage boiling up inside him became too much, overpowering his need to save face.

None of them could have predicted his next choice of action.

Oscar lunged, surprising the seasoned solider, and clambered wildly to the girl under the table. From the lining of his soaked jacket, he slashed a sharpened knife at her. “I’ll punish you thoroughly when we’ve returned to my home,” He growled through clenched teeth.

Alara reeled back, squealing in pain at the slice of the blade across her shin. Her entire being petrified at the crazed glint in his eyes.

Everyone moved at the same time. Chairs were knocked backwards, slamming into the carpet. Napoleon grabbed the collar of Oscar’s jacket, roughly tossing him away from the table and onto the floor.

Vincent had taken the girl in his arms, cradling her like a bride to keep her secure. “It’s alright, I’ve got you.” he had her tight, turning his back to the scene to shield her from view. He kept his rage hidden well behind a reassuring smile.

Oscar staggered but rose to his feet, only to be at the end of Napoleon’s drawn sword. He held up empty hands. “Give her to me and this will all be over.” Oscar cursed himself letting her escape his grasp once again.

“Down, put me down,” Alara whined over and over, struggling against the painter to no avail. She couldn’t remain here. He’d ignited her fears tenfold.

Vincent held her tighter, voice soothingly soft. “You don’t need to run again. You’re safe with us.”

“I’ll advise you to take a seat, Monsieur Oscar. We will have a civil discussion.” Comte left no room for argument. He’d seen quite enough. It’s no surprise she climbed through their kitchen window seeking refuge from this man. “Vincent, take Alara up to the guest room. Children need not be present for this.”

****

Her soft sniffs were all that filled the bedroom for a moment. Arthur and Isaac had followed after the painter, who still had the girl sitting on his lap. She’d refused to be put down. He gently brushed his fingers through her raven locks, slowly calming her down.

Arthur had her wounded leg stretched out, resting against his knee. The cut hadn’t been very deep, but the once doctor took his time cleaning the blood away and wrapping it with a bandage. “There all finished,” Arthur flashed her a warm smile.

Isaac stood awkwardly to the side. He could hardly find the words to say, nothing seemed appropriate.

All three men were visibly worried about how this would end. The display of the stepfather had rattled them, too. Comte would resolve the issue, but then what? Where would the little girl go with no family to send her to?

Soft rapping at the door drew all their attention. Locked from the inside for extra safety didn’t stop the tension from rising once again, but it fell again as Napoleon entered the room. “Jean agreed to stay with Comte.” He didn’t say it, but he’d come as added protection. As if reading the room, Napoleon smiled reassuringly. “Don’t fret, Alara. He’ll be gone soon.”

Alara bit her lip. She desperately wanted to believe him, but they didn’t know her stepfather as she did. He always got what he wanted. And… he wanted to hurt her. Even in this room surrounded by strong men, she didn’t feel safe.

Arthur clapped his hands together to gain all the attention back on him. “Why don’t you play a game with me, hm?”

“What kind of game?” Her curious interest bringing a more relaxed atmosphere.

“A guessing game.” Arthur held up a gloved finger. “I’m going to guess something about you, and you tell me if I’m right or wrong. It’s very simple, isn’t it?” There were many gaps to fill in about her and how she came into this situation.

Her head bobbed in response. The writer successfully had taken her mind off the earlier events.

“I’m guessing that you came from a very different country than France.” His first question not really one that had taken much to figure out.

Alara gave a soft yes, eyes darting around the room as if imagining what her home had been before coming to France. Not a home near as a grand this, nor the one that her and her mama had been brought to. “We left home when I was three. I liked it there. It was just me and Mama.”

Three years in this country. Three long years with that brute of a man causing her physical and mental harm.

She shielded a yawn with her hand, the adrenaline wearing away and replaced by exhaustion. The hour growing later, evident in the soft chime of the clock on the wall, signaling a new day.

“Why don’t you lie down?” Vincent shifted to make room under the covers but softly chuckled at her refusal.

A soft no. Alara leaned her cheek against his chest, fingers gripping his sleeve to pull his arm back around to cradle her against him. Safe. Within his arm, she could nearly say she felt completely safe.

“My second guess is that you don’t really like France, do you?” Arthur drew her attention back to him. He wasn’t so much guessing as leading her into a topic. Kids had few filters, so maybe she’d let more slip than she would realize.

“Mm… I miss our old home. Mama would take me out to the market or to the lake sometimes. Here… I could only go in the backyard for a few minutes.”

Stun fell over the room. Not only had she endured suffering at the hands of a monster, but the little girl had been trapped inside a home where she received little more than the bare necessities to survive.

Napoleon leaned back against the wall, finding it harder to sit here and do nothing when the culprit sat downstairs sipping tea with Comte. He listened to Arthur ask her more questions, each one leading into a topic more serious than the last, and her answers growing more heart wrenching.

He says that should someone see me; he doesn’t want to be bothered by stupid questions. I’m not allowed to play with the nice dresses on.

Sometimes if I’m bad, I have to stay in my room all day. It’s small and the window is too high for me to reach. And… it’s really cold. I don’t like it in there.

By not saying many words, she said so much. Topics about her old home would light her up for a moment, remembering the times before France. In a child so young, the four nearly couldn’t bear to watch that innocence fade from her green eyes, replaced by fear and worry.

She fought against sleep as hard as she could, but the soothing petting of the painter holding her had lulled her under. Vincent carefully put her in the bed, under the warm covers, gazing down at her. “This isn’t right.”

A light rap at the door. Napoleon warily unlocked it, hand on the hilt of his sword. Sebastian stood on the other side, no changes in his typical demeanor. He’d only come to deliver a message.

“M. Le Comte has called for a house meeting. Everyone is to be in attendance in the dining hall in 5 minutes.”

[alfreddaw1844]

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[foodcontamination]

Food contamination - Do You Have a Legal Claim?

Any individual who plans nourishment for other people, particularly the individuals who do as such on a business premise, has an obligation of care to make and serve food that is both healthfully adequate, just as viewed as fit for human utilization. Any food that is tainted in at any rate, for example, with glass or metal particles, or with vermin excrement or parts, or food that has been harmed or inappropriately put away or arranged is perilous to the strength of any individual who might burn-through it, and is delegated not good for human utilization. Once in a while it isn't just about as evident with respect to why or how the food has become corrupted so a survey by a prepared proficient might be needed to appoint risk.

Neglecting to avoid potential risk and maintain this obligation could bring about lawful obligation for the individuals who endure hurt. This incorporates paying for clinical costs, a deficiency of pay, agony and enduring, just as any future doctor's visit expenses related with the ailment, or lasting incapacities.

Survivors of food contamination don't need to demonstrate that the individual who served the food realized it was unsafe, in any case if any worker knew about a likely issue and didn't prevent the food from being served, this data could demonstrate very accommodating in a food contamination claim.

When to File a Legal Claim, and When Not To

Because you became ill from eating food that came from a business foundation doesn't imply that you have reason for a claim, or that you should document a claim. On the off chance that for instance, you have encountered a day or two of intestinal or stomach issues that left you somewhat got dried out, yet no worn out, you don't actually have a practical case. Regardless of whether you actually needed to record such a case, the advantage would not exceed the expenses, and most lawyers would not feel like the potential harms recovered would be advantageous.

Generally, most of food contamination cases resolve all alone, without clinical intercession in a matter two or three days. These sorts of cases, in the event that you should seek after them, could be documented in a little cases court, to look for insignificant harms. That being said, on the off chance that you have been seriously harmed, bringing about medical clinic charges, a deficiency of pay for a month or more, lasting medical conditions, for example, muscle or nerve harm, or even a passing has come about, you have reason for a substantially more genuine legitimate case.

Moves to Make if Food Poisoning is Suspected

In the event that you presume that you have been harmed by eating food at a business outlet, the main thing you ought to do is look for clinical consideration. Generally, manifestations that show up inside a brief timeframe in the wake of eating the food are demonstrative of food contamination. While it very well might be troublesome in light of the fact that the eatery won't save it for you, you should attempt to protect a portion of the food if feasible for use as proof later. In the event that it is discovered that the food contamination is more genuine in nature, the person in question or their family or companions should contact an individual physical issue lawyer who has some expertise in food contamination straightaway. These experts realize how to get proof that will be required sometime in the future, just as acquire articulations from witnesses and workers immediately, before recollections blur over the long haul.

On the off chance that you presume food contamination very quickly subsequent to devouring the food, or even while still at the business outlet, you might need to converse with the workers yourself to see whether they thought about the issue, or have had other comparable issues. You might be amazed by how much data you can get in this design. This sort of data can help an extraordinary arrangement should you wind up seeking after a lawful case. Not just that, any individual who was served a similar food ought to record precisely what they ate, as it will be significant as it were and they may not recall later on. This assists with setting up a solid case for the wellspring of the debased food.

What to Do If You Experience Food Poisoning on Vacation

Should you become sick while eating food an extended get-away, search for an individual physical issue lawyer locally; don't stand by until you are home. In the event that you become sick while on a journey transport or at a hotel, it isn't likely that the staff or the executives will concede flaw, and they will guarantee you are sick for another explanation. That being said, if an enormous number of individuals on a similar boat or at a similar hotel become sick, at that point it is very clear the food is at fault. On the off chance that the degree of the sickness isn't serious, a free excursion, or free suppers might be given for remuneration. There are no laws administering how much pay ought to be given, be that as it may.

When to Hire an Attorney

On the off chance that your instance of food contamination surpasses a limited quantity that would be taken care of in a little cases court, it is savvy to contact an individual physical issue lawyer who represents considerable authority around there of the law. Since a café's vocation depends on their standing, don't expect a confirmation of blame without any problem. This is the place where a lawyer can come in very helpful. The individual in question is gifted in documentation and examination concerning these sorts of cases and can undoubtedly get required data.

On the off chance that you or somebody you know has endured due to food contamination and you presume carelessness has happened, it is best not to stand by to contact an individual physical issue lawyer. Without a doubt you might be qualified for get harms for doctor's visit expenses, agony and enduring, and even loss of pay. Most close to home injury lawyers work on a possibility premise, which implies you don't have anything to pay forthright, until the time your case is settled. You ought not spare a moment to find a way to look for the equity you merit. You are ensuring yourself, yet in addition the strength of others.

[mary8931smi]

Measuring Cup

On the off chance that you like to cook or heat by any means, at that point claiming a lot of estimating cups of spoons is an unquestionable requirement for your kitchen. I did a touch of preparing growing up - the rudiments like brownies or treats - and began with estimating flour, vegetable oil, and different fixings in estimating cups. 

After I got hitched we bought a more pleasant arrangement of estimating cups/spoons and a couple of the bigger estimating cups (1 quart and 2 cups). OXO sells a 3 piece set of point estimating cups for under $20. Indeed, even the very good quality 6 or 7 piece sets (tempered steel obviously) from RSVP or MIU France are just $30 and should endure forever. We realize that accomplished culinary experts tend to 'eyeball' a significant number of their estimations for fixings - a scramble of salt, a pile of oil, and so on. For us amateurs, it's ideal to pass by the book and measure things out precisely. I will in general be somebody who follows plans precisely as told so way I won't screw anything up.

 I have discovered that estimating cups assist me with remaining sorted out - I'll normally have all the fixings layed out before me and afterward simply need to include them when coordinated by the formula. Which estimating cups are the best? Would it be advisable for me to go with hardened steel? Where do you purchase estimating cups at? We answer each one of those inquiries down beneath.

Picking Measuring Cups/Spoons - There isn't much regarding dynamic. Most are offered either as plastic or hardened steel. The arrangements of spoons and estimating cups spread practically all fundamental sizes - 1/4 tsp, 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp, 1 Tbsp, 1/4 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/3 cup and 1 cup. There are a couple of sets with much additionally estimating cups or spoons, yet they are redundant for most cooking/plans. Pyrex makes the bigger estimating cups (1 cup, 2 cups, or 1 quart). The Pyrex glass is non-permeable which implies they don't assimilate food flavors, stains, or scents.

 Not all sets are sold with cups and spoons - numerous that we saw were mesauring cups as it were. The top brands are Progressive, Pyrex, Norpro, Oxo, RSVP, Cuisipro and MIU. Target stores convey a tolerable determination, you can likewise discover them in Macy's, Williams Sonoma, and Walmart. We find that is the best source online with many brands, low costs, and heaps of customer assessments and criticism to assist you with making an educated buy. Regarding stockpiling and keeping them through and through.

 We propose going with the sets that have a principle ring that all the cups or spoons connects to. The 'settling' assortment are alright as well in the event that you have a decent spot to keep them. The biggest holds the following greatest, etc until the last one fits inside. They are all dishwasher sheltered and simple to clean which is exactly what any cook needs to hear. You can peruse the top of the line estimating cup sets here.

 One of the top merchants on a few sites and given inconceivable commendation from customers is the Cuisipro Stainless-Steel Measuring Cups and Spoon Set which sells for simply over $40. What do you get? The cups measure 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, and 1-cup. The spoons are for 1/8, 1/4, 1/2, and 1 teaspoon and 1 tablespoon. They are made with substantial, strong hardened steel. Extraordinary for working with fixings like sugar, flour, salts, flavors, preparing powders, and beans. Simple to clean since they are dishwasher evidence. 

On the off chance that you are searching for that lifetime present for an individual culinary specialist, this makes the ideal present. On the off chance that you are just searching for estimating cups or spoons (not a total set), look at the most well known estimating cups and spoons online here.

 OXO has made a mainstream name for itself in the kitchens of America and the OXO Good Grips 3-Piece Angled Measuring Cup Set is a genuine case of how they do it. This set incorporates estimating cups for 1 cup, 2, cups, and 4 cup sizes. They additionally incorporate cup, ounce, and milliliter markings for simple transformation.

 The handles are delicate and nonslip so you get a decent grasp without fail. The calculated surface lets you read the estimations from above while you pour - no need fill and modify. They are not microwave or broiler safe like the Pyrex choice (see Pyrex estimating cups here) yet they are helpful and tough. Some proprietor said cleaning the OXO cups can be an issue because of the point surface. They are dishwasher safe so when all else comes up short, let the machine do it.

[arichhipster]

How To Choose A Locksmith - How To Narrow Down Your Search And Find An Honest Locksmith

It might appear as though it is never a decent day when placed in the circumstance of requiring a locksmith. Following a portion of this counsel will make it a lot simpler and not get ripped off. There are numerous necessities to call an expert locksmith. They lamentably don't sell the instruments at a typical home improvement shop, so the normal buyer is compelled to need to utilize a locksmith occasionally. There are such a significant number of sorts of locks and security techniques out there. As a matter of fact, there isn't one lock available that can be totally safeguard. A few locks are fabricated superior to other, expenses can fluctuate, various terms tossed around, yet what it comes down to is that they all essentially do a similar thing as the following one.

The entirety of this takes me back to finding that locksmith. It's an intense industry to make sure about only one. A wide range of approaches to publicize. Anybody can put an extra the Internet, in the business catalog, make a site, and so forth and advance it. There are 35+ professional resources that are totally allowed to list your business, administrations offered, and contact data. In light of that, have a go at doing a quest for a locksmith on your preferred web internet searcher. Promised you will most likely get a broad rundown. Presumably a couple of names that sound like it would respectable, even some with your neighborhood city or town in the name. The miserable truth of this hunt is about 90% of those connections are for a non nearby organization that rundowns locksmiths in each town in the US. They purchase up various neighborhood numbers to soak the postings. It bodes well in a manner since their includes will overpopulate the authentic ones. These organizations will consistently attempt to draw you in with modest forthright expenses. It is the main slip-up you can make by succumbing to that trap. They will consistently cheat for the various administrations or even convey unfit people in a plain vehicle to simply decimate your lock, at that point put you stuck a predicament by having them charge additional cash at that point to get it fixed. It leaves the purchaser practically frail and must compensation the additional expenses to make sure about their home/business/vehicle.

So how would you filter out the ocean of postings and locate a respectable organization that is privately claimed and authentic simultaneously. The one most significant techniques is simply good judgment. On the off chance that it sounds to go to be valid, it most likely is Mobile Locksmith Gold coast. Furthermore, invest a little energy doing a little research on the organizations themselves. Prior to calling anybody, take a gander at the telephone numbers. A ton of these un-legitimate organizations will purchase banks or "parts" of telephone numbers. In the event that you see this, this an obvious hint that this an organization you need to maintain a strategic distance from. At that point, make. Rundown of scarcely any potential organizations that do seem, by all accounts, to be privately claimed and worked. Starting here, take a gander at their ad. Snap on it if on a PC, look at their site. Simply read the initial barely any lines on the page. The organizations to stay away from have likewise made sites as well. However, those sites will for the most part be evident in light of the fact that the posting or inclusion zone won't be appeared. There will be evident slip-ups that persuade it was made to cover numerous areas (city or states). In conclusion, if on the PC, check the web address you are on matches the name of the organization. It is anything but difficult to at first show you the site connect at clench hand yet send you to a totally extraordinary page.

That first segment was commonly only a decent method to get rid of the most exceedingly awful potential decisions. I'm certain this won't work without fail however the rate is high that it will. Things being what they are, since you have limited the rundown, what to do now? Each organization will by and large rundown their administrations. The run of the mill administrations are consistently there. Now, the simplest path is to do examine on the Internet about each. Search for audits on different sites about these organizations. Absolutely never trust tributes showed on the specific site. For what reason would they post an awful tribute. Along these lines, obviously the rundown will be prepped for the best outcomes and posted on the site. The audits on different sites can likewise be bogus as well. These audits can be bogus surveys made by the organization or others that are near the organization. Obviously those audits would likewise be acceptable. This strategy can improve image of the organization in general.

The following stage would be see places like the BBB. These audits might be from real clients, grievances, protests that have been settled, and so on. Yet at the same time, place like this aren't at present demonstrating a total picture. Something to remember however is that organizations are not required to take an interest in the BBB. The BBB won't acknowledge versatile organizations (must be a physical area) that can be totally reliable also. They won't take more up to date organizations short of what one year old and have exacting rules in some cases to try and get recorded after the underlying year. There will be generally excellent organizations out there that are either fall into the fresher class or couldn't care less to be a piece of the BBB for some explanation.

Nearly there, the following stage is call these organizations. At this point, the rundown is presumably down to a bunch of organizations. Focus on how they pick up the telephone. Tune in for the organization name. Ask their name. In the event that they don't pick up the telephone with organization name, ask what the organization name is. By this point, it is possible that you will find the solutions your looking or not. The organizations that bomb the initial two inquiries are likely the ones to dodge. Get an itemized list before you call regarding what to inquire. Another beneficial thing to request is in the event that they have a bond or protection to cover harms and whether they are authorized to play out this work. This permit is just material to a couple of states. Presently, attempt to be as itemized as conceivable concerning what your hoping to complete. At that point, all that is remaining is cost. Don't generally shop on cost alone. Trust your impulses with this part. In the event that the individual sounds amateurish, likely they will be the equivalent face to face also. There are acceptable approaches to analyze costs out there. Doing a web search will discover you a portion of the normal costs. Knowing these before you call will give you a superior method to look at. The primary concern to do before concluding is to inquire as to whether there are some other charges, shrouded charges, and that all expenses are conclusive. That is the way that the organizations from prior get you by including additional expenses.

At last, when the locksmith gets to your home/vehicle/business, they will for the most part need to ensure you are what your identity is by requesting recognizable proof. They simply need to ensure you are the individual that called and that you have the position to complete the work. Make a point to approach the locksmith for ID. Glance around at the vehicle. Is it set apart with the organization logo? Most respectable organizations will go through the cash to stamp their vehicles cause it fills in as a decent method to publicize also. At that point request a composed receipt. Ensure the receipt shows a breakdown of the things being finished. At that point ensure there are no additional charges. In conclusion, there will by and large be a proviso on the receipt giving the locksmith the OK to accomplish the work. This is only your approval to discharge them from any obligation of harms or work finished. Try not to stress however, now you will have gotten some answers concerning protection or clinging to cover whatever could emerge. A real organization will cover harms if anything somehow managed to cause even with that condition. They can't stand to get a terrible rating or a call to the neighborhood/state specialists that will cause them a fight in court or permit scratch-off.

[nickgerlich]

It’s A Conspiracy

Back in the late-1980s, when I finally settled on coming to West Texas A&M University, I started reading up on what would be my new home state. Other than learning that one cannot simply become a Texan by the mere act of moving there (you must be born there, you know), I discovered that the scene of one of the greatest (and saddest) crimes in US history happened only about five hours away, or six if you drove the old speed limit.

I’m talking about Dallas, and the John F. Kennedy assassination.

So I did like any person hungry to learn, and started buying every book I could find on the subject, plus made a couple of sojourns to Dealey Plaza, where the crime occurred. Through my intense yearning for knowledge, I came to conclude--just like the Warren Commission--that Lee Harvey Oswald acted alone, and all the bluster about Cuba, Russia, the CIA, and the mob was just that--bluster.

This spawned a general interest in conspiracy theories, and before long, I was writing articles about them for Skeptic Magazine, where the mantra is “extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.” In other words, it’s kind of like being from Missouri. Show me. Oh, and I must say I am using the word “theory” in the loosest of conversational language, because in science, a theory is not something open for debate. It has failed to be disproven by repeated testing.

Through the years I wrote stories about the JFK assassination, Princess Di’s death, the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion, aliens in Roswell, and more, all of which produced many elaborate conspiracy theories, but none of which provided any legitimate evidence.

Which brings us to 2020, the year of the pandemic. Conspiracy theories are a nickel a dozen these days, ranging from 5G cell phone service to a Democratic effort to unseat President Trump (election year, remember?), an attempt by the Chinese to take over the world, and more. Nice stories, yo, but no Pulitzer Prize.

As Judge Wapner once said on The People’s Court, “the burden of proof is upon the plaintiff.” If you can’t prove it, you’ve got nothing. And there is no burden upon those of the status quo or official explanation, because we’re not making any claims.

So why are conspiracy theories so popular? Are there certain types of people, certain personality traits, that stand out among those who doubt authority? And by extension, are these people just a little more gullible than average? Professor Josh Hart (2018) took a long academic look at people and what makes them tick, what makes them adopt conspiratorial thoughts. Or, as some of us might say, what makes them don tin foil hats.

And the findings are not a whole lot different from what I had observed on my own, to say the least.

Turns out there are easy explanations, like political party affiliation, to justify this behavior. Rather than doubt their own belief system, it is easier to point the finger at others, and so these tales pop up as a form of confirmation bias to bolster our own stance.

Hart found that belief in conspiracy theories occurs as a result of “...a constellation of personality characteristics collectively referred to as 'schizotypy’,” and “distinct cognitive tendencies“ such as the proclivity to infer meaning and motive when there is none, as well as “judge nonsensical statements as profound.” In a somewhat less than profound elaboration, Hart called this “BS receptivity.”

Yep. A tendency to believe bullshit.

You have to decide where you stand on all of this. Do you distrust scientists and governments? Do you dismiss facts that contradict your religious or political leanings? Do you believe things that just sound a little too good to be true if you really think about it? Do you believe only things that bolster your position? And do you not want to hear about any other ideas that contradict your beliefs? If so, then you probably believe one or more conspiracy theories, and need to check yourself.

Put on your critical thinking hat. Seek out information on ultraviolet blood irradiation, which is what Trump supporters are now saying the President was really talking about last Thursday evening, which is just more confirmation bias, of course. For the record, ultraviolet blood irradiation is a procedure performed by naturopaths, not real doctors, and has not been approved by the FDA nor rigorously tested in double-blind experiments. Anything you hear about it is strictly anecdotal, and not scientific. But hey, if you want to shine a light through your veins, go right ahead. I’ll wait for science to catch up.

Meanwhile, please check out my good friend Dr. Michael Shermer, co-founder of the Skeptics Society, and watch his video on The Baloney Detection Kit. It’s all about science, not irrational tendencies, preconceived notions, and fanciful thought.

And I believe you will come away a better person in the process. A conspiracy of one. You. And you alone. Just like Oswald.

Dr “Prove It!“ Gerlich

Audio Blog

[thirstyhscwriter]

The Decoy Bride Part One II Jai/OC

The wedding was exactly as all weddings should be. Exceedingly dull, and terribly awkward. The bride looked as if she had been baked into a giant white meringue.  She had been able to see the bride’s skin poking through the buttons as she walked past, the tell tale stray threads a sure sign the frustrated bride had been sewed into the garment only moments before. It was the best sight she had seen all day, she had found it so funny she had needed to bite down on her sleeve to stop herself from audibly laughing as the bride walked past.

That was the only good part of weddings. The knowledge that what happened between the bride and groom afterwards would be the worst night of their marriage, even the best fit dress was near impossible to remove, she had seen enough of them up close to know that. This however was not the best fit dress, not even close, she would be willing to wager that perhaps it was the worst.

“And so,” she said, as the final kiss was given, “The bride and groom settled for a monotonous life of pain and hatred.” “I wouldn’t be so cynical missy,” She nearly jumped out of her skin at the sound of her boss’s shrill voice behind her, “It’s these weddings that pay your bills,” “They pay yours as well, I don’t see you rushing to get married.” “Aye well, you see enough of these things you learn fast enough there’s very little to want about them,” She was preparing herself to smile in victory before her boss began to talk once again, “But I’m not so cruel as to look down upon those who do. You and I are likely to live a life of loneliness and bitterness, with naught but money and snark to keep us company, you cannot begrudge these people for trying to find someone nice enough to smile against the wind with. Now, hand out the bags of rice, and smile, I don’t want any complaints about your attitude.” “You might not be able to” she muttered, as she turned to the rice bags, “but I can.” She turned back to shout after the retreating back of her boss, “And you know as well as I do that you haven’t had a complaint about me in your life.”

“You know it’s my day off.” She wished she could claim she sounded angry with her boss, who had the nerve to call her on a Sunday to come in, “Aye I do lassie, which is how I know you will not doubt that I would not ask if I was not really sick.” She made a disgruntled sound, “Can you not ask them to come again later, when you are well, or I am actually meant to be working.” “No, I cannot” Her boss broke off from the conversation, coughing on the other side, “And not I will not tell you why. Stop complaining little miss, get in that tin can you call a car, and show the nice couple around the venue. And for god’s sake you cynical girl, at least pretend to like weddings, it’s much harder the fall in love with a venue when the woman running it appears to have a heart of stone.”

“And thus, for a small price, the two of you can have the wedding of your dreams in one of the few castles in this part of America, we do know that churches are more traditional, but we know how to make every wedding…” She turned away as she uttered the next words, not wanting them to see the face she pulled as she said it, “unique.”

Why this couple could not have waited another day she did not know, there did not seem to be anything particularly extraordinary about them, except that they were both more good looking than any couple had the right to be. The woman did, however, seem like most others she saw in these halls, in love with the idea she might be a princess for a day. Her future husband had not so much as glanced in her direction since entering the venue, not that she could blame him, she felt terribly plain next to the stunning blonde. Still, he could have spared at least one smile or greeting in her direction.

“No, it’s perfect, oh Jai, I can just see myself descending this staircase, although it will require a much longer train” “I thought we weren’t going to say our names.” It was the first time he had spoken, although his fiancé did not appear to hear it, she was already hurrying towards the staircase in question, evidently testing to see if it would, indeed make for the grand entrance she imagined. It was very tempting to simply ignore her fiancés words, Jai as she now knew his name was, just as he had hers all day, but she was too curious. “It’s a wise decision not to speak your names, now that I know yours there is no escaping this wedding, you will be married, although your fiancé may still be lucky enough to escape.” The edges of his lips twitched slightly at her words as his eyes came to meet hers for the first time, she raised an eyebrow at him, waiting for more explanation as to why they wanted to keep their names a secret, but it did not come. Instead he looked her over, absent mindedly scratching an oversized bicep as he did so.

“You’re not American,” She tried again after a moment’s silence, “English, is it? Surely you’ve got enough castles back home.” Again, he smirked, taking a step closer to her, “Australian actually, but even I know…” He leaned in close, lowering his voice as if eavesdroppers surrounded them, “That this place is nowhere near as old as you claim.” He raised his eyebrows at her, settling back a little, as if readying himself for her reply. She was suddenly struck by the sheer size of him. She had thought him attractive before, in the conventional sense, all muscle and carefree smiles, only now however, when his eyes were actually engaged, did she see just how entrancing he was, she could not tear her eyes away from him, “No, it’s a very new, and cheap building. But since when have weddings been based on truth.” He narrowed his eyes at her, ready to reply. “Jai.” The call made her jump, she had forgotten the other woman was there. “How did that look.” “Hmmm.” He looked up at his fiancé, obviously having missed her decent entirely, “lovely. We should get going, you know what happens if we stay in one place for too long.”

The fiancé, still unnamed, was still inside, taking great care in placing her sunglasses and head wrap, fearful she would burst out laughing she had gone to stand by the door, ready to lock up once the couple had left. To her surprise Jai had followed her out. His large frame seemed much too large for the door. “Just one quick question for you,” His accent, so jarring before, seemed to wash over her, and she suddenly became aware of just how close to her he was standing. Her eyes drifted down, despite herself, looking at the small blonde hairs that decorated his arms. “Most of this wedding is going to be hers but…” He broke of looking slightly embarrassed, “You guys don’t serve beers do you.” “I can assure you, Jai, you are not the first man, or woman, to want beers at his wedding. I’m sure I can get them on the menu for you.” He grinned, leaning in even closer. This time however, it was her who cut him off, “You won’t tell your fiancé what I said I hope, about the castle. As stupid as it is I quite like this job.” “I can keep a secret.” He told her, they were almost nose to nose now, “Can you do the same?” He was flirting, she realised, earlier he hadn’t been able to look at her, and now he was flirting, she wandered just what his future wife would think about that, and was preparing herself to ask, when… “What was that?” She had jumped away from him in surprise, “What was what?” He was looking around, large shoulders braced, she had to force herself not to admire them. “It was nothing,” The fiancé had emerged, safely wrapped in her scarfs. “The two of you look like you’ve seen a ghost.” Not a ghost. She thought, just a flash from the trees.

@fuckthatfeeling

[scifigeneration]

Scientific theories aren’t mere conjecture – to survive they must work

by Tom Solomon

“The evidence is incontrovertible. Global warming is occurring.” “Climate change is real, is serious and has been influenced by anthropogenic activity.” “The scientific evidence is clear: Global climate change caused by human activities is occurring now, and is a growing threat to society.”

As these scientific societies’ position statements reflect, there is a clear scientific consensus on the reality of climate change. But although public acceptance of climate theory is improving, many of our elected leaders still express skepticism about the science. The theory of evolution also shows a mismatch: Whereas there is virtually universal agreement among scientists about the validity of the theory, only 33 percent of the public accepts it in full. For both climate change and evolution, skeptics sometimes sow doubt by saying that it is just a “theory.”

How does a scientific theory gain widespread acceptance in the scientific community? Why should the public and elected officials be expected to accept something that is “only a theory”? And how can we know if the science behind a particular theory is “settled,” anyway?

Does the theory deliver?

In science, there are successful theories and unsuccessful theories. The word “theory” has nothing to do with the validity of a scientific principle or lack thereof. In contrast to general parlance where a theory “is a proposed explanation whose status is still conjectural,” a scientific theory is only conjectural until it is tested experimentally.

The issue is not whether a scientific theory is settled, but rather whether it works. Any successful scientific theory must be predictive and falsifiable; that is, it must successfully predict outcomes of controlled experiments or observations, and it must survive tests that could disprove the theory.

A scientist advocating a particular theory must propose an experiment and use her theory to predict the results of that experiment. If the experimental results are inconsistent with her predictions, then she must admit that her theory is wrong. To gain acceptance for a theory, a scientist must be willing to subject it to a falsifiable test.

If an experiment produces results that are consistent with a scientist’s predictions, then that’s good news for her theory. Just one successful test, though, is not usually enough. And the more controversial a theory is, the more experimental verification is required. As Carl Sagan said, “Extraordinary claims require extraordinary evidence.”

Wide acceptance comes from repeated, different experiments by different research groups. There is no threshold or tipping point at which a theory becomes “settled.” And there is never 100 percent certainty. However, near-unanimous acceptance by the scientific community simply doesn’t occur unless the evidence is overwhelming.

Scientific theories are repeatedly put to the test

As an example, in 1905, Albert Einstein published two papers on what we now call the Special Theory of Relativity. In these papers, he made a series of arguments that dramatically altered our notions of how the universe works. He argued that different observers measure the passage of time differently; they also measure different lengths for moving objects. He also showed that matter and energy are different forms of the same thing and theoretically can be converted into each other.

A computer simulation shows the collision of two black holes. It was created by solving equations from Albert Einstein’s general theory of relativity using data collected more than 100 years later.

But Einstein didn’t just make these statements. His theory made detailed, quantitative and falsifiable predictions that could be tested experimentally. Einstein was prepared to drop the entire theory if even one experiment convincingly contradicted his predictions. It took a long time for many of these predictions to be tested. In fact, the first direct measurements of gravity waves – one of Einstein’s predictions – came just last year.

Every single confirmed experimental test of relativity has agreed (eventually) with Einstein’s predictions. And relativistic theory has also been used as the basis for several technological advances, including GPS satellites, nuclear power and (unfortunately) nuclear bombs. There is absolutely no doubt among anyone in the physics community about the validity of the Theory of Relativity.

For an example of an unsuccessful theory, consider the announcement in March 1989 of a mechanism for nuclear fusion in a table-top configuration. This discovery of “cold fusion” was met with tremendous excitement since cost-effective nuclear fusion could hold the key to society’s future power needs. But follow-up experiments by other scientific groups had results that disagreed with the cold fusion theory. Despite the initial excitement, there was near-unanimous consensus in the scientific community by the end of 1989 that the cold fusion theory was incorrect. When the evidence isn’t there, the theory won’t hold up.

Like relativity, the Theory of Evolution by Natural Selection has been tested extensively. The body of experimental data that supports evolution is overwhelming. Of course, the fossil record supporting evolution is impressive and complete. But evolution has also been tested in real time with populations of organisms that can mutate and evolve over measurable time scales.

Evolution has been subjected to many falsifiable tests and has emerged unscathed in every one. Yes, evolution is a “theory” – it is a theory that works and works very well, an overwhelmingly successful and correct theory.

Change in global surface temperature relative to 1951-1980 average temperatures. Although they fluctuate from year to year, average global temperatures have been rising for decades. NASA/GISS, CC BY

Scientific agreement, political controversy

Theories of climate change are also supported by an extensive body of evidence. Of course there’s the continuing upward drift of global average temperatures over the past few decades. But climate change models are also supported by numerous laboratory experiments that have provided compelling verification of the mechanisms by which carbon dioxide gas traps heat in our planet’s atmosphere.

And, crucially, theories of global warming have passed falsifiability tests. Quantitative predictions of global warming were first made in the 1970s. Had there not been a clear increase in average global temperatures since then, climate scientists would have been forced to admit that climate change theory was wrong. In fact, several scientists in the 1960s who had predicted global cooling later had to admit that their theory was incorrect. Even a supposed pause in the increases in the 2000s (which were exaggerated by a spike in the average global temperature in 1998) has been followed by a strong upward trend during the past three years.

Tellingly, skeptics of both evolution and climate change theory have been unwilling or unable to subject their arguments to the same rigorous testing undergone by the very theories they’re criticizing. To make a scientific argument, critics must propose an experiment or measurement that can distinguish their alternative theory from evolutionary and climate change theories, and they must make a specific prediction for its outcome. And, like the scientists they’re criticizing, they must be willing to admit they are wrong if the results disagree with their prediction. Absent any falsifiable tests, why should the public or our elected officials believe their counterarguments?

Scientists continue to test hypotheses to see if a theory can withstand anything they throw at it. Matt Heintze/Caltech/MIT/LIGO Lab, CC BY

These issues are important from more than just a purely scientific perspective. An understanding of evolution is critical for developing any valid strategy for combating the spread of diseases, especially since microbes responsible for diseases can mutate so rapidly. And an understanding and acceptance of climate change theory is critical if we are to take the necessary steps to avoid potential catastrophe from a continuation of the global warming trend.

Scientific theories aren’t mere conjecture. They are subject to exhaustive, falsifiable tests. Some theories fail these tests and are jettisoned. But many theories are successful in the face of these tests. It is these theories – the ones that work – that achieve consensus in the scientific community.

Tom Solomon is Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Bucknell University.

This article was originally published on The Conversation.

[whatisonthemoonarchive]

'According to the Jewish theology Yahwe is the source of both good  and evil. This is the basic doctrine of monotheism:

"I form light and create darkness, I make well-being and create calamity, I am the Lord, who does all these things."  Isaiah 45:7 (ESV)'   Divine Principle is wrong

  'Therefore I also gave them statutes that were not good, and judgments by which they could not live.'    (Ezekiel 20:25LITV)

During the Christian era a council of theologians made the decision that the Old Testament and the New should be bound in one book, without any differentiation, as if they were root and branch. Christian churches accept the Old Testament as being of  'equal divine authority' with the New. This unqualified acceptance covers the entire content of the Old Testament and is the source of much confusion in the Christian churches since acceptance of the dogma requires contradictory beliefs about the nature of God. The same God who by commandment to Moses exhorts men to love their neighbors also commands them to 'destroy'*[1] their neighbors. Moses, who first appears bringing the moral commandments from God, brings, in the end, the command from god to commit genocide, the moral commandments having been converted into their opposites between Exodus and Numbers. In the course of this conversion the God who begins by commanding the people not to kill or to covet their neighbors' wives and possessions, finishes by ordering a tribal massacre of a neighboring people, only the virgins to be saved alive*[2].  Thus was founded the doctrine of racial hatred, murder and revenge in the name of religion.

What relationship can there be between the universal, loving God of the Christian revelation and the cursing*[3] Old Testament god of Deuteronomy? Its as if they are two different Gods. As noted, evidence of a disparity can be seen even within the Old Testament itself.  Indeed, the Old Testament can be viewed as a composite of two different traditions originating from two different Gods; one, the God of Israel - El Elyon - Most High, and the other, Yahweh, the god of Judah.

In the Old Testament, Israel, the northern confederation of the ten tribes, is often called 'the house of Joseph', in pointed distinction from 'the house of Judah' which was a petty chiefdom in the south.  Judah, from which today's Zionism comes, was a tribe of ill repute. Judah sold his brother Joseph, the most beloved son of Jacob-called-Israel, to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver (as Judas, the only Judean among the disciples, much later betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver), and then founded the tribe in incest, (Genesis 37-38).  The Jewish Encyclopaedia says, 'Joseph and Judah typify two distinct lines of descent' and adds that Judah was 'in all likelihood a non-Israelitish tribe'. The Encyclopaedia Britannica says that Judaism developed long after the Israelites had merged themselves with mankind, and that the true relationship of the two peoples is best expressed in the phrase, 'The Israelites were not Jews.'  The little tribe in the south, Judah, became identified with the landless tribe, that of the Levites*[4]. These hereditary priests, who claimed that their office had been bestowed on them by Yahweh on Mount Sinai, were the true fathers of Judaism and the Jewish Bible.

As they drew up the Law of the Old Testament, the masters of Judah, the Levites, took the God of Genesis, creator of Heaven, Earth and mankind and in the course of four books of the written Law, Exodus, Numbers, Leviticus and Deuteronomy, conflated him with Yahweh, the racist, deal making, tribal deity who promised earthly rewards in exchange for obedience: territory, treasure and power over others in return for a ritual of sacrifice and offerings, to be performed at a precise place in a specified land.  The Law of the Old Testament rested on the assertion of Yahweh, that 'the Israelites' (in fact not Israelites but the Judahites) were his 'chosen people' who, if they did all his 'statutes and judgments', would be set over all other peoples and be established in a 'promised land'.

The two hundred years during which Israel and Judah existed separately are filled with the voices of the Hebrew prophets, condemning the Levites and the Yahwist cult they had established just as Jesus condemned it seven or eight hundred years later, when it was long established, at the Temple in Jerusalem. These prophets were nearly all Israelites; most of them were Josephites.  The Israelite  prophets were protestants in their time and gave warning of the consequences of the Levitical racial creed. The claims of the Levite priesthood moved them to protest, particularly the priestly claim to the firstborn and the priestly insistence on sacrificial rites. The Israelite  prophets saw no virtue in the bloodying of priests, the endless sacrifice of animals and the 'burnt offerings', the 'sweet savor' of which was pleasing  to Yahweh. They rebuked the priestly doctrine of slaying and enslaving 'the heathen'. The Israelite God, they cried, desired moral behavior, mercy and justice towards the poor, the fatherless, the widow and the oppressed, not blood sacrifices and hatred of the heathen*[5].  The Israelite  prophet Jeremiah delivered this message from the God of Israel to the cult of Yahweh:

'For in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, I did not speak to your fathers or command them concerning burnt offerings and sacrifices.'   (Jeremiah 7:22 ESV).    

In such words Jeremiah, like Jesus later, refuted Yahweh and protested against the 'destruction' of the Law in the name of its fulfillment. It seems that even in Jeremiah's time the Levites still exacted the sacrifice of firstborn children, because he adds,

'And they have built the high places of Topheth, which is in the Valley of the Son of Hinnom, to burn their sons and their daughters in the fire*[6], which I did not command, nor did it come into my mind.'  (Jeremiah 7:31 ESV).

The student of the curses listed in Deuteronomy 28:15-68, prescribed for failure to fulfill the letter of the law, might suspect that the deity in whose name they were spoken is more diabolic than divine;  believing that the name, 'God', in the sense which has been given to it, cannot be connected with such evil. The student finds this suspicion expressly confirmed in chapter 20 of the book of Ezekiel*[7]. Here, Ezekiel appears to answer Jeremiah's attack on the Levites in the matter of sacrificing the firstborn (Jeremiah 7:31. above). Ezekiel's answer provides the key to the whole mystery of 'the Mosaic Law':  Yahweh had made evil laws in order to inspire misery and fear:

'Therefore I also gave them statutes that were not good, and judgments by which they could not live. And I defiled them by their own gifts, by making all that open the womb to cross the fire, so that I might waste them, to the end that they might know that I am Jehovah (Yahweh -ed.).'    (Ezekiel 20:25-26 LITV)*[8]

The ruling of Christian theologians, that the Old Testament is of  'equal divine authority' with the New, presumably includes this passage. How unfortunate for the world that this ruling binds Jesus Christ to his crucifiers and clouds the light of  the Christian revelation with the darkness of Yahweh and the Old Testament. We can rightly say that the weight of the Old Testament has hobbled God's Providence and set Christianity back a thousand years.

The above article draws on themes and expression from the book  'The Controversy of Zion' by Douglas Reed

________________

Notes

1.  ('...and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, "Destroy them"'. Deuteronomy 33:27 KJV,  etc.)

2.  'Now therefore, kill every male among the little ones, and kill every woman who has known man by lying with him. But all the young girls who have not known man by lying with him keep alive for yourselves.' (Numbers 31:17-18 ESV, etc.)

3.  Deuteronomy 28:15-68   Curses for Disobedience

4.  Levites as the Exodus Group: Egyptian Connection   Some scholarship suggests that the Levites were originally non-Israelites from Egypt who joined the indigenous and settled Israelite tribes. As landless sojourners, this group found their place working as cultic professionals throughout the territories of the Israelite tribes. Scholars fostering this theory point to the fact that so many of the important Levite figures identified in the Torah’s narrative have names with Egyptian etymologies (Moses, Aaron, Miriam; also Phinehas, Kehat, and Merari).  According to this theory, once the Levites began to serve as cultic professionals for the Israelites, they introduced their own story, that of the exodus from Egypt, as a national tale of origin among this larger population; perhaps they were even the ones to bring the worship of YHWH to this group.'  TheTorah.com 5.  'Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The Temple of the Lord, . . .(the formal, repetitious incantations) . . . but thoroughly amend your ways and your doings, oppress not the stranger, the fatherless and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place (the ritual of blood-sacrifice and the ordained murder of apostates). . .Will ye steal, murder and commit adultery, and swear falsely. . . and come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, "We are delivered to do all these abominations" (the ceremonial absolution after animal-sacrifice). Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes?'  (Jeremiah 7:4-11 ESV)

6.  '...it has sometimes been inferred, from the phrase "pass through the fire to Molech," that children were made to pass between two lines of fire as a kind of consecration or februation; but it is clear from Isa.57:5 and Jer. xix. 5 that the children were killed and burned. The whole point of the offering consisted, therefore, in the fact that it was a human sacrifice. From Jer. vii. 31 and Ezek. xx. 25, 26, it is evident that both prophets regarded these human sacrifices as extraordinary offerings to Yhwh. Jeremiah declares that God had not commanded them, while Ezekiel says Yhwh polluted the Israelites in their offerings by permitting them to sacrifice their first-born, so that through chastisement they might know that Yhwh was Yhwh. The fact, therefore, now generally accepted by critical scholars, is that in the last days of the kingdom human sacrifices were offered to Yhwh'    The unedited full-text of the 1906 Jewish Encyclopedia

'Enflaming yourselves with idols under every green tree, slaying the children in the valleys under the clifts of the rocks?' (Isaiah 57:5 KJV)

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible: Isaiah 57:5

'Slaying the children - That is, sacrificing them to the idol-gods. This was commonly done by burning them, as when they were offered to Moloch, though it is not improbable that they were sometimes sacrificed in other ways. It was a common custom among the worshippers of Moloch. Thus it is said of Ahaz 2 Chronicles 28:3, that he ‹burnt incense in the valley of the son of Hinnom, and burnt his children in the fire.‘ The same thing is said of Manasseh, to whose time the prophet most probably refers. ‹And he caused his children to pass through the fire in the valley of the son of Hinnom‘ (2 Chronicles 33:6; compare Jeremiah 7:31). In the valleys - The place where these abominations were practiced by the Jews was the valley of the son of Hinnom (see the references above); that is, the valley of Jehoshaphat, lying to the south and the southeast of Jerusalem. A large hollow, brass statue was erected, and the fire was enkindled within it, and the child was placed in his heated arms, and thus put to death. The cries of the child were drowned by the music of the תף tôph or kettle-drums (see the notes at Isaiah 5:12, where this instrument is fully described), and hence, the name of the valley was Tophet'

7.  The book of Ezekiel is the most significant of all the Old Testament books. It is more significant than even Deuteronomy, Leviticus and Numbers because it seems to be the fountainhead from which the dark ideas of those books of the Law first sprang. During the period of captivity in Babylon when the Levites completed the Law, Ezekiel of the High Priest's family was possibly its chief architect and probably all five books of the Law, as they have come down, bear his mark.

8.  'Therefore I also gave them statutes that were not good,...'    (Ezekiel 20:25-26)

Ezekiel is not much concerned about the lot of the sons and daughters but is clearly enraged by the charge that the Lord had not commanded the sacrifice of the firstborn, when the scribes had repeatedly ascribed this command to him. His retort is concerned only to show that Yahweh had so commanded and thus to justify the priesthood; the admission that the commandment was evil is casual and nonchalant, as if this were of no importance.  Ezekiel, in his day, forbade any protest by quickly adding,  '...And shall I be inquired of by you, O house of Israel? As I live, declares the Lord GOD, I will not be inquired of by you.' (Ezekiel 20:31 ESV)

[biofunmy]

Here’s Why Puerto Rico’s Next Governor Will Inherit a Financial Mess

When Puerto Rico’s governor, Ricardo Rosselló, steps down on Aug. 2, his successor will be left with a mountain of unfinished business, including the biggest governmental bankruptcy in United States history and an economy propped up by emergency aid.

The island is about three years into a deeply unpopular restructuring of about $129 billion in debt and unfunded pensions, and there is still no clear resolution in sight. Over the years, the territory’s leaders borrowed $74 billion, largely to balance the budget, and exhausted all the money in the public pension system. The island owes retirees about $55 billion.

The bad fiscal habits have yet to be broken.

Since 2016, a federally appointed board has been in charge of resolving the debt crisis, and many Puerto Ricans distrust it, partly because of the cuts to public services it has pushed for. Mr. Rosselló, who took office the same year, has been fighting with the board since then and the two sides had been haggling when Hurricane Maria struck in 2017, causing thousands of deaths and knocking out electrical power across much of the island for months.

[Here’s what Puerto Rican readers told us about the economic conditions fueling their anger at Gov. Ricardo Rosselló.]

The oversight board was weeks away from filing a global restructuring plan in federal court when protesters took to the streets to demand Mr. Rosselló’s resignation in demonstrations touched off by leaked private chats that contained crude language and indications of possible corruption. Some of the protesters wished the oversight board would leave with him, even though Mr. Rosselló and the board have long been at odds.

[After initially digging in his heels, Mr. Rosselló decided to step down in the face of an extraordinary popular uprising.]

Here’s what you need to know about the financial challenges facing Puerto Rico’s next governor:

Disputes over debt crisis

The next governor — Wanda Vázquez, the secretary of justice, is in line for the job at the moment — will not have a direct say in settling the island’s debt crisis. But whoever it is will have a powerful megaphone for influencing the opinions of Puerto Ricans who do.

[Who is Wanda Vázquez, the woman in line to be Puerto Rico’s next governor?]

The government of Puerto Rico was functionally bankrupt in 2016, but federal law prohibited the island from seeking help in bankruptcy court. Congress had to enact a special, bankruptcy-like law known as Promesa to provide a legal framework for reducing the island’s debt.

The balance of power between the federally appointed board and Puerto Rico’s locally elected government remains precarious. The board can negotiate with creditors and must approve the island’s budget, and the elected officials have often complained about the spending restrictions they face.

Mr. Rosselló, an M.I.T.-trained biomedical engineer, seemed content to let the board sort out the extremely complex problems surrounding the island’s debt, which is mostly in the form of municipal bonds. The unfunded pensions were another matter.

With their pension fund empty, the island’s retired public workers stood to get pennies on the dollar in benefits, a disastrous outcome for them and for the territory’s prospects for a lasting recovery. The oversight board has proposed a better deal win the retirees’ support: no cuts for half of them, and about 91 cents on the dollar for those facing the most severe cuts.

Mr. Rosselló said that was not good enough. His position was that public pensions were sacrosanct, and he urged public workers and retirees to vote against the deal when the court handling the debt proceedings sought their opinions of the plan. It is hard to tell how many minds he changed, but when the island’s active teachers recently voted on the deal, a majority rejected it — against the advice of their union.

Retirees are scheduled to vote later, and it is still too early to tell what position Mr. Rosselló’s successor will take on the treatment of pensions in bankruptcy.

Broken but booming economy

Even if an agreement is reached on the debt-restructuring plan, Puerto Rico’s next governor must still tackle the problem of restoring economic growth.

The island’s economy has been shrinking for more than a decade, suggesting the kind of pain similar to what might be expected in wartime. The poverty rate is more than double that of the most impoverished state and unemployment, at 8.5 percent, is more than twice the national average. Hurricane Maria is estimated to have reduced output by 6 percent in the 2018 fiscal year.

People may have been fed up with Mr. Rosselló’s government, but that does not mean they want the oversight board to rush into the vacuum his departure will create. History has made Puerto Rico’s residents wary of anything dictated by Washington, and when the oversight board says “reform,” it is widely understood on the island to mean “austerity.”

But for all the woe of the past 15 years or so, Puerto Rico is flush with cash and experiencing something resembling an economic boom. That is partly a result of Promesa: While the restructuring plan continues to be sorted out, the island does not have to make debt payments. That has saved Puerto Rico more than $2 billion a year that the government can spend on essential public services.

The hurricane, which caused unheard-of devastation, also helps explain the current signs of prosperity. Once insurance claims began to be paid and billions of dollars started to arrive from the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the economy rebounded and tax revenue rose. The oversight board has warned that the boom is temporary because the island will eventually have to resume making debt payments and the relief money will taper off.

If Puerto Rico’s fiscal policies do not improve in the meantime, the deficits will come back and the island will be back where it was before, with insufficient money to provide the services that its residents expect.

Problems at power plants

Mr. Rosselló, like governors before him, tried to overhaul Puerto Rico’s monopolistic electric power authority, known in English as Prepa. It has outlasted him just as it did his predecessors.

To a surprising extent, Puerto Rico’s broader economic problems can be traced to Prepa. Sustainable economic growth can only happen with reliable, affordable electricity, yet cheap and consistent service is not what Prepa provides.

For years, the public utility has been saddled with political-patronage hires and deals that crippled its ability to keep service up and running. Prepa ran out of cash for its operations long before Puerto Rico’s central government did.

Prepa is also one of the few power companies in the United States that still generates electricity primarily by burning oil, all of which it must import. Elected officials have long tried, and failed, to weak the island off oil, and Puerto Rico’s current economic situation does not bode well what would be a costly conversion.

There may be another reason for Prepa’s love affair with fuel oil: a scheme it has been accused of engaging in going back more than a decade. Evidence gathered in hearings by the Puerto Rican Senate suggests that purchasing officials at Prepa bought low-quality oil sludge for a song, then falsified the records to make it look as if they had bought expensive, clean-burning fuel. Whistle-blowers and now the oversight board have accused the authority of defrauding customers by charging them for high-quality oil. It is unclear where the hidden profits might have gone.

Officials have been talking about replacing the island’s antiquated oil-fired power plants with modern, cleaner ones, but no details have been made public.

Struggle over sovereignty

Mr. Rosselló’s relationship with the federal oversight board was rocky from the start, and the kind of long-term changes that can secure economic stability require cooperation.

Much of the discord grew out of the board’s mandate, and the limits on its legal powers. The board is supposed to bring Puerto Rico’s fiscal affairs back into long-lost balance and, ultimately, to restore the island’s credibility with the investors who are the lifeblood of infrastructure and economic development projects.

But the board’s main fiscal tool is its power to approve or reject five-year public finance plans, which means it has little ability to push for specific regulatory changes or labor-law amendments that might foster economic growth. Such laws remain the province of the Puerto Rican government.

A series of recent corruption scandals has prompted at least some members of Congress to ask whether the board’s powers should be expanded. To prevent such a push from gaining steam, the next governor will have to navigate a tricky course: residents angry with the board on one side and Puerto Rico’s persistent structural problems on the other.

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See if MMA QuickStart is right for you or not – read our review to see the pros and cons, and what you’ll be able to find inside. Read now!

Get The Lowest Price Now

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MMA QuickStart Review – Does It Really Work?

Does MMA captivate you? Do you want to begin your MMA training today as well as master all vital MMA components in 12 weeks or much less? Are you a newbie excited to have proficiency in blended fighting styles experience as well as understanding that thwarted you prior to?

If you addressed of course, I’m mosting likely to present you to an utmost MMA training program for newbies. I call it the MMA QuickStart.

There is nonetheless specific devices you require for this program. These are a dive rope, a hand watch or a quit watch with a used. You’ll additionally require an open room for training.

There is a particular perk to this program. The program was particularly created for newbies without previous combating expertise in the sporting activity of MMA. You are definitely certain to be a nearly MMA master if you use up this program.

The various other perk of this program is that it discovers for novices one of the most fundamental motions of MMA. These are;

Essential striking

Position

Maneuvering

Foundation methods

This program is examined and also shown to collaborate with pupils that are brand-new to fighting styles. It’s accredited that it assisted them construct an essential, extraordinary ability.

That claimed allow’s start.

Exactly how will this program aid you understand all essentials of MMA?

Adhering To the MMA QuickStart program, you will certainly learn:

Exactly how to stand out at darkness combating

Exactly how to educate without being tired of aching

Exactly how to appropriately and also securely job as well as proceed the ground

Novice darkness dealing with suggestion

Exactly how to do the dive rope precisely

The last suggestion, the dive rope is adjusted from the leader of MMA QuickStart, Jeff Joslin. This program will certainly make you practice as well as ideal Jeff Joslin’s 18 much-loved dive rope methods as well as activities.

Besides this, you’ll be heating up to be a specialist boxer in no time at all. It’s rather easy in fact. You simply require to see your maneuvering and also your added body fat will certainly shed away whilst you boost rapidly your conditioning.

What is MMA QuickStart? MMA QuickStart is a program that was developed by Jeff Joslin. This was based upon his over three decades of expert experience of mentoring amateur as well as expert MMA boxers.

Because Jeff launched the MMA QuickStart system, numerous both expert as well as amateur competitors have actually utilized it to assist them take their battling methods as well as abilities to the following degree.

Does MMA QuickStart function?

As I pointed out above, the item has actually subsequently been made use of by amateur as well as specialist boxers to boost their abilities and also battling strategies.

The workability of a program is generally the large concern on the mind of all customers. This is because several comparable programs have actually emerged. Worst point is that they’re void as well as wind up not providing the optimum anticipated outcome.

This item is nonetheless legitimate. It has actually helped Charles Dunham, a live individual whose sharing in various other evaluations confirms that the MMA QuickStart exercised successfully for him among various other client’s sharing.

Right here’s an admission by Ryan Dickson, a Globe Collection of Battling Boxer, XCC Welterweight MMA Champ:

” I started educating with Jeff Joslin simply over 5 years earlier. I have actually boosted significantly ever since as well as I’m taking pleasure in every secondly of it. I have actually won by coating 12 battles all many thanks to prep work we provided for each various other and also Jeff’s mentoring.

Jeff has a really incredibly enjoyable and also reliable design of mentor that to pick up from is simple. As a result of his extreme concentrate on the essentials, I think his technique of training functions so well. My basic methods in all my competitors are what have actually made the huge distinction.”

There you go. Living and also winning evidence that the item is not a fraud. Are you thinking about understanding exactly how MMA QuickStart functions? Maintain reviewing the following component of this testimonial to discover.

Just how will this program advantage you?

Right from the MMA QuickStart program, below are several of the advantages you can accomplish:

You will certainly obtain workouts to construct your muscle mass and also enhance your power

You’ll obtain a most reliable workout that assists stop injury

You’ll obtain enhanced endurance, co-ordination and also toughness swiftly

The most effective component of this program is that you do not need to do if full-time

Concerning the leader, Jeff Joslin

Jeff Joslin is a martial musician. When the writer was 5 years of ages, he began training as well as with time he has actually established incredible deepness in enhancing his fighting style abilities.

Jeff, a Canadian citizen was a welterweight. In his job, he had 55 success and also 30 losses. Its outstanding to keep in mind that Jeff’s job was a happiness due to the fact that he had a tidy 100% in his MMA battles.

Jeff was described as “The Snake pit” for noticeable factors. It’s no surprise that he began this groundbreaking job, MMA QuickStart for he had extreme understanding on the item.

Is it ensured that this program will help you?

Within a time period of simply 12 weeks, MMA QuickStart has actually aided novices understand the essentials of combined fighting styles. 12 weeks? Such a brief time that it provides you surety the program will certainly exercise for you.

Additionally, the programmer Jess Joslin offers you a 60 day money-back warranty if after complying with the combined fighting styles training as well as you do not see any type of favorable outcomes.

What will you obtain from getting this program?

You’ll a thorough bundle upon buying the MMA QuickStart system including:

An adaptable training schedule for the following 12 weeks

A free registration to Jeff Joslin’s MMA method and also training e-newsletter.

Darkness combating with Jeff audio CD

A collection of understanding the Dive Rope video clips.

MMA QuickStart is costly however in the future it settles. When you purchase the program, you will certainly get over 100 guide video clips, handbooks as well as adios that show you exactly how to understand the basics of MMA training.

Get this program as well as begin your MMA training in your very own residence as well as master the fundamentals in just 12 weeks.

Final verdict

Jeff Joslin’s MMA QuickStart makes certain fire. As opposed to investing added on an individual fitness instructor, this item features a complete plan of audio-visual guidebooks that I ensure you will certainly aid you accustom appropriately with MMA.

This is the best willpower to appease your thirst. This ladder to consume your imagine changing right into an expert MMA boxer, I guarantee you.

Get this overview as well as come down to company.

Pros

– The rate of MMA newbie’s program is extremely inexpensive, piled with 5 parts

– You can conserve your energy and time due to the fact that the MMA QuickStart does not need you to invest several hrs in exercises

– No comprehensive reasoning since every little thing is set out for individuals.

– You will certainly establish a great deal of abilities such as boxing as well as kicking capacity, essential solo ground activities and also strong maneuvering.

– The MMA QuickStart program is made to enable students educate essentially depending their time they utilize for it.

Cons

– Takes you some hrs to download and install all video clips, handbooks and also sounds

– The cost of the program is not economical.

– This program involves components that are much less crucial for MMA novices instead for specialist MMA boxers.

Summary

If your enthusiasm is established deep within MMA, this testimonial is suggested for you. Take it up and also learn the tricks as well as vitals as offered by Jeff Joslin to assist you accomplish your MMA desires, similar to Ryan Dickson.

Get The Lowest Price Now

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The post MMA QuickStart Review – Does It Really Work? appeared first on Does It Really Work?.

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Killed His Family. Then The Love Letters Started

The world was acquainted with Chris Watts, a 33-year-old oil field administrator in Colorado, on neighborhood TV. Tanned and fit, he investigated the camera ― clearly in anguish ― and asked for his family to get back home. 

His pregnant spouse and their two little girls had vanished. 

Inside multi day, he was in cuffs. Police discovered his better half, Shanann Watts, 34, covered in a shallow grave at an oil field claimed by his boss. Drifting in adjacent oil tanks were his little girls, Bella, 4, and Celeste, 3. 

Aggressive behavior at home killings are normal and seldom get continued national media consideration. Yet, this case was unique. It had every one of the elements for a newspaper sensation. A pretty mother who recorded everything she might do via web-based networking media. A vanishing. A pregnancy. Also, a horrible, mystifying wrongdoing. 

It didn't hurt that the family was youthful, white and Instagram immaculate. 

Chris Watts in the long run admitted to every one of the three homicides and was condemned to life in the slammer. When the case was finished, the head prosecutor discharged a huge number of pages of records identified with the passings in light of a Freedom of Information Act ask. A lot of it was standard ― photographs of the wrongdoing scenes, interviews with observers, duplicates of instant messages. 

In any case, settled among the records was something strange: a reserve of worshiping letters sent to Watts while he sat in prison anticipating preliminary. To a few ladies seeing from a remote place, Watts was a heartthrob ― and a potential sentimental intrigue. 

"I need to become more acquainted with you soooo awful its not appropriate at all," a 39-year-elderly person from Colorado kept in touch with him. "Truly your at the forefront of my thoughts pretty much each and every day since you were in the news." In a subsequent note, she said she would be "the most joyful young lady alive" if Watts kept in touch with her back. She closed down with the hashtags #TEAMCHRIS, #CHRISISINNOCENT, #LOVEHIM and #SOOOOCUTE. 

All over, it's hard to grasp why any lady would fall for a man known exclusively to carry out a brutal wrongdoing. Particularly the horrendous murdering of his own family. But then they do. 

Pulled in To Notoriety 

The wonder of ladies getting to be beguiled by killers in the slammer isn't new: Notorious executioners from the beginning of time, similar to Ted Bundy and John Wayne Gacy, pulled in female groupies. Charles Manson was locked in to a lady who started keeping in touch with him in jail when she was a teenager. 

As of late, the blamed Parkland, Florida, school shooter, Nikolas Cruz, has been immersed with affection letters. So has Steven Avery, the subject of the hit narrative arrangement "Making a Murderer," who was sentenced for executing Teresa Halbach. Simply this week, a lady who traded letters with Dylann Roof, a racial oppressor who slaughtered nine dark admirers at a congregation in 2015, was captured for plotting to assault a bar. 

In any case, specialists come to by HuffPost said that cases seem, by all accounts, to be expanding, on account of the general population's interest with genuine wrongdoing and the ascent of web-based social networking. 

"We have constantly adored our big names," said Sheila Isenberg, who talked with ladies fixated on killers for her book Women Who Love Men Who Kill. "Before, it was simply motion picture stars. Presently anyone who does anything one of a kind turns into a VIP, regardless of whether they've submitted murder." 

No place is this more evident than on Facebook, where genuine wrongdoing groupies accumulate to talk about cases. One such page, committed to the Watts murders, has more than 19,000 individuals. In an ongoing string, individuals discussed whether Ryan Gosling or Jake Gyllenhaal should play Watts in a film. 

"Individuals can speak with one another in a flash to examine the case, and they can make saints out of culprits," Isenberg said. "Today like never before, this is a typical wonder." 

In transcribed letters to Watts discharged by the express, some represented with hearts, numerous ladies depicted inclination mysteriously attracted to him in the wake of finding out about his case. A couple said they trusted his cases that he didn't execute his children ― he initially told police his significant other killed them ― while others said they couldn't have cared less what occurred and wouldn't ask him subtleties. 

"I know I'm an outsider ― yet I care about you and your circumstance. I can't resist. Is there anything you require? Would i be able to send you something ― a book maybe?" composed a 29-year-old Brooklyn lady in a clean content on lined journal paper. "Keep your head up and remain solid. It would be ideal if you know there are outsiders out there (like me) who care about you." 

She encased a photograph of herself in a swimsuit. 

"I will never get some information about your case," composed another lady, a 39-year-old who said she was as of now imprisoned for a monetary wrongdoing. "For reasons unknown I wind up thinking about how you're doing. So all I'm attempting to state is that I'm here." 

Ladies who are besotted with killers frequently stay trying to claim ignorance about the wrongdoing. That way they can live inside a dream relationship, specialists told HuffPost. There is an odd juxtaposition between the loving state of mind of the letters to Watts and the grim realities of his case. 

Post-mortem examination reports uncovered that Watts gradually killed his significant other by strangulation, which would have taken two to four minutes, as indicated by investigators. He choked out his two little girls to death. Bella, who was 4, had keep quiet and cuts in her mouth, demonstrating that she battled for her life. 

Specialists trust Chris Watts executed his family since he was engaging in extramarital relations and needed another begin without the things of a pregnant spouse and two youthful kids. In the weeks paving the way to the homicides, Shanann Watts, detecting his separation, attempted urgently to settle their marriage, notwithstanding sending her significant other a book titled Hold Me Tight: Seven Conversations for a Lifetime of Love. 

Police found the clearly new book in the junk. 

Understanding Why 

There are numerous reasons ladies are pulled in to men bolted up for enormous wrongdoings. Some are inspired by a craving for popularity, Isenberg clarified. They need to be in the spotlight and trust that having an association with a prominent executioner could mean a TV meeting or book bargain. 

"They don't take a gander at the wrongdoing. They take a gander at his distinction, and they don't do it on a cognizant dimension," she said. "They imagine that by being related with him, they can get their names in the papers as well." 

Katherine Ramsland, a measurable brain science educator at DeSales University, said that in uncommon cases, ladies might be explicitly stirred by the possibility that the men submitted a brutal demonstration, a condition called hybristophilia. 

"There is a titillation factor of drawing near to viciousness," she said. 

All the more generally, however, she stated, ladies are spurred by an impulse to support. They think ― anyway gullibly ― that they can fix such men with their adoration. They need to tame them. 

"It engages the lady to trust that she, not at all like any other person out there, can make this uncommon relationship that will change this person and recover him," she said. 

In letter after letter, numerous ladies urged Chris Watts to keep his head high and communicated worry about his perspective. Some disclosed individual insights concerning their lives, depicting their everyday exercises and interests, similar to their most loved games groups. Others kept in touch with him offering him passionate help. 

"You genuinely have one of the kindest appearances I've at any point seen," composed a 35-year-elderly person from Australia. "I don't know you, yet I don't need you to feel alone." 

California therapist Carole Lieberman, who composed Bad Boys: Why We Love Them, How to Live With Them and When to Leave Them, said as far as she can tell, numerous ladies who connect with men in jail have low confidence. 

Sometimes, she stated, ladies may have encountered maltreatment before. 

"They feel unlovable," she said. "They don't feel they merit a man who has more to offer them, thus they go for this extraordinary sort of association with a killer."

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Terence Corcoran: Carbon-tax lovers and Liberals celebrate a trade warmonger

Just as Canada is about to hit a bump on the road to a national carbon tax, along comes the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. It awarded the Nobel prize in economics this week to Yale University’s William Nordhaus, the man who practically invented the idea of putting a price on carbon and the application of “market mechanisms” to reduce carbon emissions.

It didn’t take long for federal Environment Minister Catherine McKenna to tweet out the news implying that the Nobel committee supported the government of Canada’s carbon-price scheme. The Montreal-based carbon-taxing NGO, the Ecofiscal Commission, hailed Nordhaus for having “demonstrated” that a universal price on carbon was the most “efficient” way to curb climate change.

Before jumping aboard the Nordhaus bandwagon, however, carbon-taxing politicians and all Canadians might want to take a closer look at what they are being led into.

Nordhaus, now 77, has been promoting carbon pricing for more than four decades, based on the eye-rolling obviousness of the economic idea that the more it costs for a product containing carbon, the less people will buy products containing carbon.

Number crunching

In a 1976 paper, Economic Growth and Climate: The Carbon Dioxide Problem, a 35-year-old Nordhaus crunched some numbers and concluded that a carbon price starting at a few dollars a tonne (I’m converting roughly to 2017 dollars here) but rising to US$300 by 2040 and to US$400 by 2100 should pretty much eliminate carbon emissions.

At US$400 a tonne, the price of gasoline would go up by 90 cents a litre (again, in 2017 dollars) — about 75-per-cent more than fuel prices today in downtown Toronto. But carbon prices would also generate trillions of dollars in government revenue. Naturally, along with all other climate activists, Nordhaus immediately assumed — no questions asked — that the “market mechanism” and the “price” should be applied as a non-market statist mechanism via a new and unprecedented tax on just about every product. Once in place, the tax would provide generations of politicians and bureaucrats with slush money and the means to meddle in, if not take control of, much economic activity.

Nordhaus and his co-winner of this year’s Nobel in economics, former Stanford economist Paul Romer, are great believers in “incentives.” As Romer said in a post-Nobel interview (tweeted by McKenna, naturally): “I believe, and I think Bill (Nordhaus) believes, that if we start encouraging people to find ways to produce lower carbon energy, everybody’s going to be surprised at the progress we’ll make as we go down that path. All we need to do is create some incentives that get people going in that direction, and that we don’t know exactly what solution will come out of it — but we’ll make big progress.”

But why a tax? If all we need to do is deploy the price mechanism, why impose a tax? Let’s ignore for a moment the dubious assumption that the science and economics of climate change are sound and settled. Would it still not be better to have the government set the carbon price, require the energy companies to charge it, but allow the revenue to flow not to government but through to energy companies and their shareholders, and others in the supply chain? That’s where market forces and the above-mentioned miracle price mechanisms — rather than government planners — would determine where to invest and what energy alternatives are best. (No gas retailer could possibly eat the cost of a 90-cent-per-litre carbon tax, so they’d have no choice but to pass at least most of it along to the customer).

One of the ironies of carbon taxation is the enthusiasm for “market mechanisms” and “prices” among politicians who otherwise abhor and resist market pricing of everything from roads to health care to rental housing to public transit to education to broadcasting and telecom and the internet and the price of cannabis, not to mention the Canadian price of milk and chickens. With carbon, market pricing is suddenly a great idea, no matter how fanciful the analyses and speculative the projections.

The basic Nordhaus analysis goes like this: Carbon emissions are a “global externality” that spew into the atmosphere, a.k.a. the global commons, beyond the control of national governments. Since nobody now pays for these carbon emissions, there is no price.

To fix that gap, Nordhaus and other economists have cooked up a method of calculating the “social cost of carbon” or SCC. In a 2015 paper, Nordhaus ran through a maze of equations, estimates, models and graphs to conclude that the 2015 SCC was about US$40 a tonne. The number crunching at one point projects temperatures and consumption through to 2205 (yes, really — nearly two centuries out) and comes with repeated warnings about “major uncertainties” including the discount rate and “geophysical and economic uncertainties, such as those involving the climate system, population growth, or future productivity growth.”

Uncertainty concerns may be even greater than those raised by Nordhaus. In a lecture this week to counter the alarmist report from the United Nations panel on climate change, former MIT professor Richard Lindzen, one of the world’s leading climate-science skeptics, told the Global Warming Policy Foundation that the popular notion that the climate, “a complex multifactor system,” can be summed up by one variable — changes in global average temperature — which is primarily influenced by just one variable, carbon dioxide emissions, is “an extraordinary pair of claims based on reasoning that borders on magical thinking.” He added: “An implausible conjecture backed by false evidence and repeated incessantly has become politically correct ‘knowledge,’ and is used to promote the overturn of industrial civilization.”

Compounding the science issues is the complicated economic business of implementing a global carbon tax, a problem that’s been worrying Nordhaus for more than 40 years. The last words of his six-page 1976 paper asked a question: “How can we reasonably hope to negotiate an international controls strategy among the several nations with widely divergent interests?”

No problem. Today, the Nobel winner has a plan. No more unenforceable protocols and agreements. In his 2013 book, The Climate Casino: Risk, Uncertainty, and Economics in a Warming World, Nordhaus tracks the failure of the 1992 Kyoto Protocol and the 2009 Copenhagen accord. “The Kyoto model is a dead end,” said Nordhaus. As is, one assumes, the current Paris climate agreement.

As an alternative, outlined in his book and in a subsequent paper and slide presentation, Nordhaus has been promoting the idea of using international groups of like-minded nations, called “climate clubs,” to force global adoption of carbon taxes using tariffs to punish bad actors.

Nordhaus proposes that major sympathetic nations get together to form global cabals or “coalitions” of carbon-taxing climate-club nations that would use trade sanctions and tariffs to punish non-members of the club who didn’t co-operate with climate targets. The “bottom line,” says Nordhaus in a 2014 paper, is that we need “clubs with penalties and sanctions on non-participants” to enforce international climate agreements.

Trade barriers

Without the use of tariffs and other trade barriers, no group of nations would be able to enforce a global carbon regime. Other nations — China, Brazil, India, Canada (singled out by Nordhaus as a bad actor) — would become “free riders” in avoiding the social cost created by their production of carbon.

To force compliance, Nordhaus describes a basic tariff of maybe five per cent on all goods from non-compliant nations. A better scheme, he says, would be to impose a tariff based on the amount of carbon in the imported product, a trick that involves yet more manipulations and models. “Assume that noncomplying Canada exports a ton of steel to Europe,” he writes in Climate Casino. “If calculations show that the ton of steel has used 1.2 tons of CO2 in its production, then Europe would level a border tax of $30 per ton of steel.”

On the other hand, one could speculate that Canada would become a member of the climate club that would impose a tariff on goods — cars, vegetables, food, machines, computer gadgets — imported from non-carbon-taxing nations, including the United States.

On the basis of hypothetical 100-year climate projections and theories — and using economic models filled with literally innumerable uncertainties over climate systems, economic structures, technology speculations, discount rates and steel prices — the world will solve the hypothetical risks of climate change with a new international trade regime (a sort of perverse World Trade Organization, which is cited by Norhaus as a model) that implies more trade wars in a global trading system that’s already fragile.

What has economics come to if this is the foundation for a Nobel prize in the field? And what will become of Canada if it joins Nordhaus’s carbon clubism?

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