experiment « WordPress.com Tag Feed

A few experiments

showersongs — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 12:38:02 +0000

Lately I’ve been experimenting with a few different ways of constructing poems and prose.

I’ve also been listening to a lot of Lou Reed.

First of all, I’ve been employing the not-so-original cut-up technique (Burroughs, Bowie, Cobain, etc.)

This one (called Cut-Up because I couldn’t think of anything better) involved me choosing eight books, opening them at random pages and selecting a few words, a sentence or a paragraph that I like and writing it down. Then each of these sections were put together to create some sort of coherent narrative.

Cut-Up

Up stepped the tenor man on the bandstand and asked for a slow beat and looked sadly out the open door over peoples’ heads and began singing ‘Close Your Eyes’. The sudden exclusion of the night and the substitution of blank darkness in its place warned me that the man had closed a shutter. I slumped in my chair. His performance had given me a bad jolt. For a moment I thought his mind had snapped.

Where was Theodore Roosevelt when he sent out ultimatums from his castle in Camden? Where was the House of representatives when Crane read aloud from his prophetic books? Were they listening to my ravings in the locker rooms of Brickyards Employment Offices? Not long after William Pitt addressed the English Parliament, the US Congress passed the Bill of Rights, which amended the constitution and promised that ‘the right of the people to be secure in their homes against unreasonable searches and seizures shall not be violated.’

The day after the Fowlers’ appeals were dismissed, the murdered man’s widow received an anonymous threatening letter at her home in Princess Street. It asked was she ‘ready to meet her doom’ as she was to be ‘done in’. The letter, which arrived in the post, was immediately handed in to the police.

Then one day, in the dissecting room, he took a scalpel with which he had been cutting up a corpse, and he stuck it on purpose into the palm of his hand. He died, as he knew he would, of blood poisoning soon afterwards.

Morphine addiction is a metabolic illness brought about by the use of morphine. In my opinion psychological treatment is not only useless, it is contraindicated. Statistically, those who become addicted to morphine are those who have access to it: doctors, nurses, anyone in contact with black market sources.

*********************

Secondly, I had the slightly more original idea of using the themes in a deck of tarot cards randomly selected to create the skeleton of a story, poem, character or plot.

I chose sixteen of the more interesting ones and (I think there are about forty-ish altogether), shuffled them and then chose the top five. The order in which they were chosen was the running order of the writing.

Lady Don’t You Cry is about a woman I met on a train journey a few days ago, with the narrative manipulated by the tarot cards.

Lady Don’t You Cry

She’s caught between two different lives fear confusion overwhelming she needs to navigate her way out of the storm.

She lost her love in a garbage truck, he waved her as he sped away, not looking back just singing his free song.

I’m looking at her now she’s knowing just where she’s going, a train heading to the other side of the hills.

Maybe the fear is chasing her, maybe it left her well alone and is dying in some flat that she wasn’t sad to leave at all.

And now she’s packed and heading north, isolation in the mountains could be good for just a short while.

Then suddenly a flicker dances right across her face, she weakens and she cries for the end of her life.

With tears comes hope of a better time, the sun and stars all smiling now, no clouds or rain to hold her down.

And with that thought she passes through, speeding on to brighter days where I hope she’ll be safe from all her troubles.

Lady don’t you cry now you’re going to be ok, and with that thought she vanished and was gone.

And finally, a video of a brilliant slam poet Daniel Beatty from an episode of Def Poetry Jam back in 2003

Daniel Beatty – Duality Duel

PECULIAR COMICS: VORTEX #44

peculiarcomics — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 05:00:58 +0000

Number forty-four: This is vying for the top spot in terms of my favorite VORTEX comics thus far.

[VORTEX COMICS occur once per day Monday through Friday. VORTEX COMICS do not occur on weekends. VORTEX COMICS is made by selecting five images (photos I've taken, made grayscale, and inked after printing) and five phrases (taken from things I've written in the past), pairing it down to three phrases, and leaving the connection up to the reader. VORTEX COMICS have no defined story...for now.]

GLOBAL WARMING IS A MYTH, TEMPERATURE DATA

waterfriend — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 04:39:07 +0000

With much difficulty, I have collected temperature data, as clinching evidence to prove my point.

MEAN TEMPERTURE FOR THE YEARS 1951 TO 1980

Station	Max	Rd off	Min	Rd off	Temp 2007
					Max	Min
Bhuj	44	44	3.8	4	43	9
Veraval	40.5	41	9.1	9	43	11
Bhavnagar	43.5	44	7.7	8	43	12
Surat	43.3	43	9.7	10	43	12
Mumbai	30.9	31	15.4	15	36	18
Panjim	36.4	36	16.4	16	36	18
Karwar	36.2	36	14.7	15	37	17
Honavar	36.1	36	16.9	17	35	15
Mangalore	35.7	36	18.9	19	37	18
Kohzikode	34.6	35	18.7	19	36	21
Kochi	34.4	34	18.9	19	35	20
Alapuzha	35.2	35	19.7	20	35	19
Thiruvananthapuram	35	35	19.8	20	38	20
Kakinada	43.8	44	15.8	16	44	16
Chennai	41.3	41	17.3	17	43	18
Port Blair	34.3	34	17.6	18	34	16
Mini coi	33	33	19.3	19	35	20
Vizagapatnam	41.8	42	13.8	14	41	15
Kolkata	41.4	41	9.6	10	38	11
Inland stations
Srinagar	35.7	36	-7.2	-7	35	-7
Bhubaneswar	43.7	44	10.9	11	41	13
Gaya	45.5	46	4.3	4	45	5
Ajmer	43.2	43	2.1	2	43	6
Pune	41.6	42	6.3	6	42	10
Hyderabad	41.8	42	9.3	9	43	12
Bangalore	36.2	36	11.5	12	36	11
Agartala	38.4	38	5.6	6	36	7
Allahabad	46.1	46	3.8	4	45	3
Kota	45.2	45	5.9	6	45	8
Madurai	40.6	41	17.3	17	41	16
Coimbatore	38	38	15.4	15	38	15
Kolhapur	40.8	41	10.8	11	41	11
Udaipur	42.5	43	1.9	2	43	5
Nagpur	45.6	46	7.1	7	45	10

The mean temperature has been shown correct to one decimal point in the record whereas figures for 2007 are shown in round figures. So I have rounded off the mean temp. figures too, for proper comparison.

Except in a few cases, there is remarkable similarity in temperature recorded 200 years ago and now ! This exposes the fallacy of global warm-mongers. In big cities like bombay the increase in temp may be due to huge concrete forests constructed and this can in no way be called global.

Statement 2 (Mean temp. in degree Fahreheit)

Station	200 years ago	Temp 2007
Cairo	72.3	71.4
Algiers	69.8	66
Rome	60.4	61.2
Milan	55.8	56.3
Cincinnati	53.6	52.55
Philadelphia	53.45	54.5
NewYork	53.8	53.9
Beijing	54.7	51.3
London	51.8	54.2
Paris	51.1	51
Geneva	49.3	53.1
Dublin	48.6	49
Edinburgh	47.8	48.9
Copenhagen	54.7	48.2 ( ? 42)
Stockholm	42.3	47.3(?)
Quebec	41.9	38.65
Petersburg	38.8	37.1
+Bordeau(winter)	42.1	39.2
+Bordeau(summer)	70.9	69.8
Paris (winter)	38.7	(?)57.6
Paris(summer)	65.3	69.6
Vienna (winter)	38.7	34.5
Vienna (summer)	71.6	71.1

Statement 3: Latitude and mean temperature

Latitude	Mean temp. – 200 Yrs ago	Name of station	Max	Min	Mean Temp now
0	29	Nairobi	25.6	11.5	18.5
6	28.78	Accra	32.7	23.4	28.5
6	28.78	Galle	30.6	22.8	26.7
6	28.78	Porto	25	5.1	15.05
10	28.13	Kochi	35	20	27.5
11	27.94	Kozhikode	36	21	28.5
12	27.75	Port Blair	34	16	25
12	27.75	Lima	26.5	14.6	20.5
13	27.53	Chennai	43	18	30.5
15	27.06	Karwar	37	17	27
16	27.06	Panaji	36	18	27
17	26.52	Kakinada	44	16	30
18	26.23	Vishakhapatnam	41	15	28
19	25.93	Bombay	36	18	27
19	25	Pune	42	10	26
21	25.98	Veraval	43	11	27
23	24.57	Kolkatha	38	11	24.5
28	22.61	Brisbane Bayside	29	9	19
35	19.46	Buenos Aires	30.4	7.4	18.9
36	18.98	Chongqug	32.8	5.6	19.2
57	8.6	Daurgarpils (Latvia)	22.5	-9.7	6.4
60	7.25	Oslo	21.5	-6.8	7.35
47	13.49	Quebec	25	-17.6	3.7
56	9.07	Grand praire Alberta	22.1	-20.5	0.8

ANALYSIS OF TEMPERATURE DATA

Figures speak the truth. The temperature data, comparing previous periods with the current period in respect of Indian and foreign cities are available in the statements above. Statement-1 shows temperature of Indian cities (both coastal and inland).

These have been collected from the meteorological department library at Mausam Bhawan, Delhi.

You will see that in the cities mentioned below, the temperature has remained stable during the last 50 years.

Bhuj, Bhawnagar, Surat, Punjim, Honavar, Alapuzha, Kakinada, Port Blair, Vishakhapatnam, Kolkata (temperature has actually decreased by 3 degrees), Bhubneswar (decreased by 3 degrees), Ajmer, Pune, Bangalore, Agartala, Alhabad, Kota, Madurai, Koimbature, Kolhapur, Udaipur, Nagpur.

The increase in temperature by 5 degrees in Mumbai is glaring, especially when we see the temperature in Surat remaining stable. In other words, for Mumbai the reasons my be local and not global. This requires investigation. My guess is that the huge increase in concrete buildings in Mumbai has contributed to the increase in temperature.

So far, I have been speaking about the maximum temperature. A scrutiny of the minimum temperatures reveals a certain trend of distinct increase.

Bhuj, Bhavnagar, Mumbai, Ajmer, Pune, Hyderabad, Udaipur and Kanpur show increase in minimum temperature by 3 degree. If you total the minimum temperatures of all the cities, then and now, there is an increase of 20degrees in respect of 15 inland stations whereas the maximum temperature in respect of the same stations show a decrease of 8 degrees. It should be remembered that the minimum temperature are recorded during winter months (December, January) when the sun is far away in the Southern hemisphere and this cannot be assigned to the heat radiated from the sun. Mr. Milner has also written about the winter becoming milder over a period of time. In my younger days, I use to find it difficult to take bath in cold water in winter in Delhi. Now, excepting some days of severe cold mostly caused by heavy snowfall in the Himalayas, the water is not so cold. The obvious inference is that this is actually global defreezing caused by geothermal energy.

Statement 2 shows temperature variation over a wider period of 200 years. The figures for the previous period have been taken from Milner’s book which was published in 1853. As these figures are in Fahrenheit scale, current figures too are shown in the same scale. The figures in respect of the following stations indicate stability.

Cairo, Algiers, Cincinnati, New York, Beijing (decrease of 3 degree), Paris Dublin, Copenhagen (decrease of 6 degree), Quebec, Petersburg, Bordeaux, Vienna (decrease of 4 degrees) – 12 out of 20 cities. London, Geneva and Paris show exceptional increase. However, it should be remembered that the increase is over a period of 200 years.

A word of caution: the current data have been extracted from the website “World Weather Information Service” and so the authenticity has to be verified independently.

A very reliable and scientific method for evaluation of the temperature of the globe, is latitude wise mean temperatures. Milner’s book shows 29 degree centigrade at equator, gradually and linearly decreasing to zero degree centigrade at the poles. I am unable to get corresponding figures for the current period. However, I could see from the website that figures remain almost constant, even though the figures for the polar region, now shows as approaching minus 20 degree centigrade. This may be due to better technology being employed by scientific team exploring the polar regions. I have calculated the value of current mean temperatures in respect of a few stations, comparing this value with that shown in Milner’s book. These are given in statement 3.

MELTING OF POLAR ICE CAP

The density of water at zero degrees centigrade is 0.9999 grams per cm. The density of ice at zero degree centigrade is 0.9150. In other words, 1 cc of ice weights only 0.91 gm and hence will displace only 0.915cc of water, when the ice is floating in water. When the ice float, almost the whole of body sinks below the surface of water, expect a small portion projecting above the surface. In the North Pole area, there is no land. The crust of the earth forms a huge bowl filled with seawater and a huge mass of ice floating in it just like an ice cube placed in a bowl of water. The volume of ice submerged below the ice may be almost 9 times more than the icecap which we observe above the surface of water. The molecules covering the underwater portion of the icecap absorb heat from the sea water in which it floats and melt into water. This is a continuous process happening round the clock, allover the year, irrespective of summer or winter. As I have explained in my booklet, the necessary energy is supplied by the earth itself. The role of the Sun which shines only for a limited period is too insignificant to have any impact on this process. As the density of water is more than that of ice, the volume of water generated by the melting of ice is less than that of water originally occupied by the ice block in the ratio 9999:9150. Therefore the sea level will actually come down because of the melting process. In practice, this may not happen because of the continuous deposition of snow in the polar region which will continuously push down the ice cap.

A lot has been talked about the rising of sea level because of Global warming. This is a misconception. In some places, the sea level goes up and in other places, it recedes. This phenomenon has been extensively discussed in Milner’s geography.

My contention can be tested by a simple experiment. Place ice cubes in a tumbler and fill it with water until the water overflows. Leave it until all the ice melts. Watch for any overflow of water during this process.

I quote from Milner-page-513

Excessive summers

In 763 the summer was so hot that the springs dried up.

In 870 the heat was so intense ,that near Worms the reapers dropped dead in the fields.

In 993 and again in 994,it was so hot that the corn and fruits were burnt up.

The year 1000 was so hot and dry ,that, in Germany ,the pools of water disappeared ,and the fish ,being left in the mud ,bred pestilence.

In 1022 the heat was so excessive ,that both men and cattle were struck dead.

In 1130 the earth yawned with drought. Springs and rivers disappeared ,and even the Rhine was dried up in Alsace.

In 1159 not a drop of rain fell in Italy after the month of May.

The year 1171 was extremely hot in Germany.

In 1232 the heat was so great ,especially in Germany, that it is said that eggs were roasted in the sands.

In 1260 ,many of the Hungarian soldiers died of excessive heat at the famous battle fought near Buda.

The consecutive years of 1276 and 1277 were so hot and dry as to occasion a great scarcity of fodder.

The years 1293 and 1294 were extremely hot ;and so were likewise 1303 and 1304,both the Rhine and the Danube having dried up.

In 1333 the corn fields and vineyards were burnt up.

The years 1393 and 1394 were excessively hot and dry.

In 1447 the summer was extremely hot.

In the successive years 1473 and 1474 the whole earth seemed on fire. In Hungary , a person might wade across the Danube

The four consecutive years 1538, 1539 ,1540 ,and 1541 were excessively hot ;and the rivers dried up.

In1556 the drought was so great that the springs failed. In England wheat rose from 8 shillings to 53 shillings a quarter.

The years 1615 and 1616 were very dry all over Europe.

In 1646 it was excessively hot.

In1652 the warmth was very great, the summer being the driest ever known in Scotland. A total eclipse had happened that year, on Monday the 24^th of March,which hence received the appellation of ‘Mirk Monday.’

The summer of 1679 was extremely hot.It is related ,that one of the minions tyranny ,who in that calamitous period, harassed the poor Presbyterians in Scotland with captious questions, having asked a shepherd in Fife ,whether the killing of a notorious Sharp, Archbishop of St.Andrews, which had happened in May,was murder; he replied , that he could not tell, but there had been fine weather ever since.

The year 1700 was excessively warm, and the two following years were of the same description.

In 1718 the weather was extremely hot and dry all over Europe. The air felt so oppressive that all the theatres were shut in Paris. Scarcely any rain fell for the space of nine months and the springs and rivers were dried up. The following year was equally hot. The thermometer at Paris rose to 98 degree Fahrenheit. The grass and corn were quite parched.

In some places the fruit trees blossomed two and three times.

Both the years 1723 and 1724 were dry and hot.

The year 1745 was remarkably warm and dry; but the following year was still hotter insomuch that the grass withered, and the leaves dropped from the trees .Neither rain nor dew fell for several months ; and ,on the continent, prayers were offered up in all the churches to implore the bounty of refreshing showers.

In 1748 the summer was again very warm.

In 1754 it was likewise extremely warm.

The years 1760 and 1761 were both of them remarkably hot, and so was the year 1763.

In 1774 it was excessively hot and dry.

Both the years 1778 and 1779 were warm and very dry.

The year 1788 was also very hot and dry ;and of the same character was 1811 ,famous for its excellent vintage, and distinguished by the appearance of a brilliant comet.

more conceptual

lojodani — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 01:02:12 +0000

I have honestly never tried very man conceptual photographs. i have not set up man and planned for the idea. However, I want to push myself and plan on doing much more of that. I figured starting with this simple idea would get the ball rolling.

I want to start creating my photographs more than just finding them in the world. I will still be taking very man photographs that do not need total creation, but hopefully I can get more precise expressions of my ideas into my art.

Air Fueled Battery has Potential to Last Ten Times Longer

greengoddesslove — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 23:11:28 +0000

From the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC)

18 May 2009

According to research funded by EPSRC, a new type of air-fueled battery could offer up to ten times the energy storage of currently available designs

This design would affect a broad ranged of electronic products, most notably laptops and cell phones. In addition, according to the press release, development of this battery could provide a major boost to the renewable energy industry.

An early demonstration model of the STAIR cell, not an electric condom

The expanded capacity is due to a component that uses oxygen, which replaces some of the chemicals currently used in batteries. Fewer chemicals equals more energy for the same size battery.

From the press release:

The STAIR (St Andrews Air) cell should be cheaper than today’s rechargeables too. The new component is made of porous carbon, which is far less expensive than the lithium cobalt oxide it replaces.

This four-year research project, which reaches its halfway mark in July, builds on the discovery at the university that the carbon component’s interaction with air can be repeated, creating a cycle of charge and discharge. Subsequent work has more than tripled the capacity to store charge in the STAIR cell.

Professor Peter Bruce of the Chemistry Department at the University of St Andrews, reports on the progress of the project: “ Our results so far are very encouraging and have far exceeded our expectations.”, estimating that it will be at least five years before the STAIR cell is commercially available.

30 Day Holiday Health Challenge

Eddy — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 21:06:27 +0000

My friend Los over at his site has issues a challenge. The month of December is often a month that we over indulge, eat way too much neglect spending real time with God and our families. His challenge is to pick three key things that we’re going to work on and set some goals over the next 30 days. The categories: physical, spiritual, emotional. As part of that challenge and to help keep us accountable we’re going to post twice a week on our blogs how we’re going and link through to his site.

So I’m going to take on this challenge and here are my three goals:

Physical: I can stand to lose a few kgs so I’m going to work out at least 3 times a week for at least 30mins and limit my in take of food that’s not good for me

Spiritual: Work my way through all four gospels and re-discover the character of Jesus

Relational: Spend quality time with Sam and Anabelle

So there you have it, challenge accepted, time to make it happen!

$1 of Love

Kevin — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 18:34:59 +0000

Sunday November 29, 2009 By Kevin Morrow

So here is the idea: I would like to earn $1 doing something I love. This is an experiment. I love to do quite a few things.

First I want to ask all the readers to email me what I could create for them that would be worth one dollar. Say whatever comes to mind or brainstorm something that could bring $1 value to you then email me the idea. My email is kevinthinks@gmail.com – If you’re not comfortable doing that just leave your idea as a comment to this post. Pass this on to as many people as you can.

Below I have entered a poem/song that I wrote.

I have lived

verse 1

believe me I’ve lived a life that’s good
parents gave me plenty things, taught me what they could
the cold world tried to take me down
now I see it was ego that would make me frown
Time means nothing within my mind
In my life though time is all you’ll find
Elementary never made no sense to me
I was learning painted pictures of a made up history
Everyday I see my pops head off to work
I want to give him the life I know he deserves
So I’m up early to increase my knowledge
Wanna use my mind to get deep pockets
Asleep in college though
Gotta ask myself what for?
If i get a million dollars ima want more
So i step back and rewrite my strategy
I was taught well, so I can’t resort to savagery.

(Chorus)
I have lived a life that’s good,
never lived it but heard stories bought life in the hood
That don’t make a difference cuz I’m here for change
Just hear my message and the reason I came
I have lived a life that’s good
Not tryna be gangsta but my mind could
Time to rise our minds cuz that’s what minds should

verse two

Funny how we don’t listen to our parents preaching
The only teaching we accept is our own scheming
I stay dreaming bout major franklins like Aretha
Day dreaming bout a time when ima teach ya
I will reach ya, get rich and its all gravy
Maybe I could build a dynasty coasting like a strong navy
Pops said without your mind you will stay stuck
like a chicken cluck, at the time to young to really hear him
Luck kept me around to be really near him
I ain’t fearin man, I believe in G-D
When life is hard I know that G-D defeats all odds
Ima spar wit death, till hes gone and left
In my chest my breath make the doubt deaf
I’m out yes, my spirit shouts that I’m blessed
24 and I hadn’t left the house yet
Feeling like its time to leave the position of house guest
I gotta use my mind if ima find freedom
Anyone tryna drag me down, I do not need em
Besides this ain’t just for me,
Everything I write is to set YOUR mind free

(Chorus)
I have lived a life that’s good,
never lived it but heard stories bought life in the hood
That don’t make a difference cuz I’m here for change
Just hear my message, the reason I came
I have lived a life that’s good
Not tryna be gangsta but my mind could
Time to rise our minds cuz that’s what minds should

verse 3

To tell the truth I know who has my back
My dad use to let me drive his new Cadillac
Young and reckless, I had to learn how to appreciate
Along the journey the wealth of friends would depreciate
I can see through the nonsense and i know where my heart is
My souls is accomplished my minds not impoverished
I have lived a life that’s good
If I could right some wrongs I don’t think i would
My life has gone on as I think it should
I suppose everything happens for a reason
I’m breathing so I can do anything
I came to alleviate the many pains
I’m here for change, can you feel my message?
Look deep inside yourself and you will hear the blessings.
Late a night I pray hard for the ambition to grow large,
So I can bring myself to the world one hundred with no charge

NOW FOR THE QUESTION…

Will you pay me one quarter from the value you received from this poem/song?

No, then tell me what could I do or what value could I create for you that would be worth $.25 to you?

Most people will agree that this song poem did bring them $.25 worth of value. So when you say Yes, log into paypal and then send 25 cents to may paypal account.
Click the link –> Here is the link —-> $.25 poem/song

My paypal is thevibezone@gmail.com Thank you for your Contributions.

From the Earth to the Moon

egarc — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:51:56 +0000

Projekt Conrad-Adventkalender

himmelschwarz — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 17:25:07 +0000

Advent, Advent, ein Lichtlein brennt, erst eins, dann zwei…….

Heute ist der erste Adventsonntag und am Dienstag der 1. Dezember, was bedeutet, dass ich das erste Türchen von meinen Conrad-Adventkalender öffnen darf. Das verspricht laut Angaben von Conrad einiges:

Der Conrad-Adventkalender mit 24 Experimenten

Schluss mit langweiligen Schokoladenkalendern!

Mit diesem Elektronik-Adventskalender verkürzen Sie die Wartezeit auf Weihnachten durch interessante Experimente. Jeden Tag finden Sie ein neues Bauteil hinter dem Türchen. Das beiliegende Handbuch stellt dazu jeden Tag einen neuen Versuch vor – ohne Löten und perfekt geeignet für Hobby, Schule, Studium, Ausbildung und Beruf!
Am 24. Dezember bauen Sie dann mit den gesammelten Bauteilen ein größeres Projekt auf, mit dem Sie Ihren Weihnachtsbaum schmücken
können. Mehr wird nicht verraten, aber Sie dürfen gespannt sein! Vorkenntnisse sind nicht nötig, wenn Sie Schritt für Schritt die Anweisungen des Buches befolgen. Am Ende besitzen auch Einsteiger Grundkenntnisse in Sachen Elektronik und Schaltungen. Eine ideale Möglichkeit, auch junge Leute für dieses spannende Thema zu begeistern! Das einzige, was Sie zusätzlich benötigen, ist eine 9-Volt-Blockbatterie.

Bin ja schon mal gespannt, ob wirklich keine Vorkenntnisse erforderlich sind…. Immerhin ist dem guten Stück eine 12 Seiten lange Bedienungsanleitung beigepackt. Nach dem Vorwort, in dem sogar erklärt wird wie die Türchen geöffnet werden, findet man für jeden Tag eine Bauanleitung samt Skizze(n). Näher werde ich mir die Anleitung nun nicht ansehen, ich will mir euch ja nicht die Vorfreude nehmen und jetzt schon verraten, was hinter den Türchen steckt!

Achja, es gibt auch einen so genannten “Weihnachts-Bonus”. Nämlich das

Know-how-Zertifikat 2009

Soll heißen, dass man nach dem 24. Dezember sein erworbenes Wissen testen lassen kann und wenn man besteht, bekommt man ein Jahres-Zertifikat. Also nichts wie ran Leute, ihr könnt euren Lebenslauf aufschmücken!

Cat on LSD

Black Swan — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 14:55:12 +0000

Curiosity

mt — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 04:42:02 +0000

Life seemed so beautiful back then
With my childhood friends I had so much fun
Everyday seemed new
They taught me all the things I never knew

“Stop dawdling away your time” yelled my parents
Coercing me to ignore their existence
Taming their presence every now and then
I miss my friends named What, Why, Who, Where, How and When

Penning these words in their remembrance
I still hope for their magical reappearance

Sometimes we all lament over the loss of wonder and curiosity we had in our lives while we were kids.

If you are aiming for personal growth and experiencing a more fulfilling life then it is worth improving your curiosity quotient.

Why should we be more curious?

Wasn’t it your curiosity that taught you more than anything else when you stepped into this world?
The only way a toddler learns about his world is by exploring the things around him out of curiosity.
The benefits of curiosity are underestimated and even frowned upon once we step into the adult world.

Source of Happiness and Motivation

Todd Kashdan , a psychology professor talks about the link between curiosity and happiness in his book “ Curious? Discover the Missing Ingredient to a Fulfilling Life”.
He says that curious people have a higher sense of wellbeing probably because they are always exploring and trying new things.
When we move out of our comfort zone to try something new, our brain produces a chemical known as Dopamine.
Dopamine kicks in whenever we are in an unfamiliar situation.
In curious people this high level of Dopamine generates a feeling of wellbeing and keeps them in a constant high-spirited state.
Also when we try new activities by overcoming our fear we feel a deep sense of accomplishment which skyrockets our motivation levels.

A Mind stimulant

Curiosity is what separates a mediocre person from a genius.
Think of Thomas Edison, Leonardo da Vinci and Albert Einstein.
Like our body craving for oxygen, our brain craves for constant stimulation in the form of new experiences. Lack of such stimulation causes gradual atrophy of brain cells leading to mental ailments like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Though some people are naturally curious by nature this trait is not inborn.
So the good news is that each one of us can cultivate curiosity.
With repeated practice it would become more effortless and natural.

So aren’t you curious how curious you can become?
Drop me a note to share your thoughts

“I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious” – Albert Einstein

The Bacon Experiments: Cinnamon sugar

Andre Francisco — Sun, 29 Nov 2009 03:15:38 +0000

Photo by Anna Waigand

In preparation for my upcoming personal bacon day, (Nov. 30, more on why in a later post) I decided to make another round of home-cured bacon. I picked up half a kilo at the butcher and decided to make a sweet version. Last time I made bacon I made a traditional dry rub and a Korean spiced batch. The traditional bacon wasn’t quite sweet enough so I decided to add a bunch more brown sugar and some cinnamon.

The cinnamon smelled amazing in the mix, but I had a problem getting the salt to stick. The much finer sugar and cinnamon mix took up most of the available surface area before the coarse salt could stick. So if you make this I recommend covering the pork with the salt and then adding the cinnamon and sugar. Instead I just added two extra pinches of salt to the bag before putting it in the fridge to make sure it cured properly.

Ingredients
.5 kg pork belly with skin
1 tablespoon natural salt
2 tablespoon brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1. Wash off the pork belly and pat dry.
2. Cover the pork belly thoroughly with salt. Make sure to get it everywhere.
3. Combine the sugar and cinnamon in a bowl. Cover the pork in the mix.
4. Place the pork in a heavy-duty sealing bag or in a Tupperware container. (For people in Korea, don’t settle for plastic bags from Daiso. Find a Home Plus for Ziploc brand bags. Double zipper.)
5. Refrigerate for 7 days, turning the bag over every day to distribute the juices and mixture. The salt will suck a lot of liquid out of the pork, don’t worry about it.
6. After it’s done curing, wash off all of the dry rub and slice into strips. Refrigerate or freeze and then cook like normal. Now is also where you would smoke it, but we don’t have an oven or a grill, so we can only cure it.

It has been curing away in my fridge now for a couple days and will be ready for tasting on Monday night. I’ll let you know how it goes.

If you can’t get enough bacon, check out my taste test of my first attempt, see Anna’s photos on Flickr and if you want to use some bacon try our romanesco bacon soup.

Der Dämon und Fräulein Prym (Paulo Coelho)

sachar — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 23:36:57 +0000

Sachar und Bestseller – ein neuer Selbstversuch Ein geheimnisvoller Fremder stört eines Tages

1.9 Podcast Episode 3 Color Chromatography & Crochet Cell

scientificquilter — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 15:04:56 +0000

Podcast Feed

I was visiting Craftster last week and I found some excellent projects that are perfect for this blog & podcast! The first is Color Chromatography which is something I am passionate and excited about!

Sharpie Dye Color Bursts

Picture from IamSusie on Craftster

If you look at the craftster site, you find lots of wonderful pictures, a description of the process, the inspiration for the designs, and a lot of wonderful discussion about the process by other Craftster users.

Color Chromatography is a very simple idea that has a scientific concept behind it. Chromatography is a method of separating substances into the different parts that make them up. Color chromatography is when you take one color and separate the different colors out. The way you do this is you take fabric (called a stationary phase) and Sharpie marker (pigment – what you want to separate) and let rubbing alcohol (the mobile phase that moves the pigment) run over the fabric. Rubbing alcohol spreads out on the fabric and takes part of the marker pigment and travels it out. The pigment “sticks” to the alcohol more than it “sticks” to the fabric, so it travels along the wet area of the alcohol until it dries or the alcohol doesn’t spread out anymore.

A personal experiment with Chromatography because of this post:

I traced a bird from a free coloring page with Sharpies.

After I put rubbing alcohol on the fabric. Notice how I used hangers and binder clips to allow this to dry! The tail isn’t exactly what I was envisioning (too much alcohol on the tail too quickly), but still looks interesting.

I saw someone who made minimalist trees with green dots, which inspired me to make this. The leaf part dried overnight and then this is when I am just putting alcohol outside the trunk to color it in.

A geometric design with a view of my work station. All I drew was criss cross lines. This is a little ‘washed out’ to to true colors on the fabric.

A before and after of another strip design. Before:

After:

The other Craftster post that caught my eye this time. This is not quilting, but crochet, and instead of having a science concept, it has a scientific topic.

Crochet Cell Pillow

Picture from Sally Le Strange from Craftster

If you look at the craftster site, you will be linked to a post that has multiple detailed pictures that describe the parts of the cell accurately. An A+ project for sure!

My new favorite free motion machine quilting site.

365 days of Free Motion Quilting

Picture from Leah Day from 365 Free Motion Filler Designs

This blog showcases a new free motion filler design daily (or about daily) with full explanation, video, description and ideas for using the designs in your quilt. Leah Day’s videos are short, but informative, showing you just enough of the technique to help you get started. She tells you if the pattern is beginning or advanced, in addition to having a video that shows her ideal setup and notions for free motion quilting. Best thing is – no stencils. If that intimidates you, she has a couple of DVD’s and worksheets to practice. Up to posts in the 90’s she’s come a long way in a short period of time. I haven’t practiced any of these myself, but I am using them as ideas on what I want to quilt, and when I get back to the quilting stage on my tops, I’ll be sure to check out her blog for much needed inspiration and guidance!

After searching I found the pdf website from which I read off the article from Optics and Photonics News 1990. Good suggestions of homemade dyes!

Thanks to the following podcasters who have left comments (so far)!

Allison Rosen @ Within a Quarter Inch

Ruthann Logsden-Zaroff @ Mirkwood Designs

Kelley @ The Pioneer Quilter

Also thanks to Robyn and Gail who commented in the Big Tent group, in addition to Sarah from “real life” for listening!

Keep Experimenting!

- SQ

Ravioli Science and more

kapoŋo — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 13:03:51 +0000

Day 85: Papa Gino’s Flashback

For dinner I had the brilliant idea of making breadsticks out of the leftover focaccia dough, then dipping them in marinara and that Four Cheese sauce. It was pretty good, but kind of unnecessary—the focaccia has plenty of taste on its own. This would be pretty stellar with plain breadsticks, though. And they did cook faster than the focaccia skillet from last time (which was the goal). Memories of high school pasta parties at Papa Gino’s…

Day 87: Happy Friday the 13^th/Condiment Smorgasbord

Tonight I made the second half of the Veggie Burgers, only this time I had two new condiments to put on top, thanks to my amazing Obruni relatives: spicy horseradish mustard and Squeeze Cheese (cheddar flavor in a bottle). It was pretty good! Those plus some A1 and good old Maggi ketchup equaled a seriously savory experience. I highly recommend making your own bean/veggie burgers—to everyone! You’ll never go back to buying Boca.

Note: luckily, nothing out of the ordinary level of bad happened on this Friday the 13^th. But it was fun anyways.

Day 89: Lemon-Pepper Pawpaw

For breakfast I made scrambled eggs with green pepper and pepe, as well as boiled Fra-Fra potatoes. With ketchup, they tasted almost like home fries—I saved half and am going to pan-fry them next time. But I think boiling is a necessary first step because they take so damn long to cook.

Every time I get bananas, a portion of them end up just going into the freezer for later, as they’re too mushy or ripe to just eat. So I made Banana Ice Cream (DOC p. 106) and used some real milk, with extra cream, in addition to the Ideal. It’s good, and it froze surprisingly fast, but the taste of the Ideal is really pronounced. I’m not the biggest fan of Ideal, so if I make it again I’ll probably tweak the recipe a bit. Oh well.

When I cut up the pawpaw I bought in Bolga, most of it was ripe, but some wasn’t. So I boiled the unripe part for five minutes and added some butter and it tasted almost like squash! Very interesting. Then I tried adding lemon-pepper seasoning and it was great. I also had some boiled cabbage dressed in the same way—highly recommended.

Day 90: Gas is finished.

As soon as my class was over at 11:40 this morning, I speedwalked home with just one thought in my head: I’M SO HUNGRY. So I fried up the rest of the Fra-Fra potatoes in just a few minutes, and just as they were about to be done, the gas for the stove gave out. But the potatoes tasted oh-so-good when dusted liberally with salt and chili powder—they didn’t even need ketchup. But I put it on anyway.

So, on account of having no heat source with which to cook dinner, I ate the Kashi 7-grain pilaf my mom sent. It was indeed good, and easy, but they advertise it as “fiery” and I didn’t find it spicy at all. Maybe this is proof of my escalating spice tolerance? I hope when I go back to the States I’ll be able to eat mega-hot buffalo wings without dying. That’s my #1 when-I-get-back goal. The pilaf also contains 17% of your daily sodium per serving, but I didn’t find it salty either. With extra salt and fresh tomatoes, though, it was A-OK.

For dinner I’m also taking advantage of my most recent Fresh Fruit Smorgasbord. There were pineapples in Navrongo yesterday—first time EVER!—for only one cedi! I snapped that thing up so fast no one had time to blink. And to think just last week I spent 4 cedis on a comparably-sized pineapple in Bolga. Oh well, I’ll do anything for pineapple. Mary also brought me some HUGE oranges from the south, with flesh so tender you can eat the whole sectionsinstead of picking out the middle and tossing the tough parts. I also have bananas, other oranges and apples—why, I could make a fruit salad if I so desired! But I don’t.

Day 91: Hy-Vee Heaven

The headmaster hasn’t brought me a new gas cylinder yet, so I ate a tomato Con Queso sandwich and some Hy-Vee Dark Chocolate Cranberry trail mix. I have no idea what kind of brand Hy-Vee is or where it comes from, but it’s definitely the best store-bought trail mix I’ve ever set taste buds on. Even better than Target’s Monster Mix—and that has peanut butter chips. I love peanut butter chips.

Day 92: “What’d you have for dinner?” “Pancakes & cabbage”

I got the gas tank refilled today, but it took me and then Mr. Abdallah almost an hour to get it reconnected. Let’s hope I never have to go through that song and dance ever again. So it was already getting dark by the time I could start cooking, and I hadn’t make pancakes in a long time. I dumped water in a bowl with Great Value pancake mix (also sent by my mom), and they were OK, but Aunt Jemima or from-scratch are better. But maple syrup makes anything taste first-rate.

I had resolved earlier in the day that I would eat some vegetables at dinner, and what could be easier than boiling some cabbage? So I had pancakes ‘n’ cabbage. As long as you keep them separate, it’s not half bad.

Day 93: Ravioli Science in the Kitchen

For breakfast I made Tom Brown porridge the DOC way, but I roasted the maize that had already been ground. I had to add some sugar, and cook it for 10+ minutes to soften the coarse cornmeal, but it was pretty good. Adding fresh milk was also a nice treat.

I’ve been waiting for over a week to make the ravioli which I’ve been planning forever—I’d have made it Monday, but the gas went out. So I tested the ricotta from last week: hadn’t spoiled, but it was still SEVERELY acidic from the excess of vinegar I added by mistake. So I mixed in a bunch of sugar, salt and Italian seasoning and it was much better. Then I had the idea to add baking soda: that would neutralize the acidity, right? Well, I tested a small batch, and it did indeed neutralize the sour taste, but halfway through the fizzing I remembered that baking soda + vinegar = salt + water. So it was going to make the end product TOO salty. And I was right. Sad. So the baking soda idea was nixed. The filling tasted fine without it though, especially once I added a bunch of Laughing Cow, sautéed onion/garlic and some previously cooked alefo. I put it back in the fridge to make the pasta later.

For lunch I made Squeeze Cheese mac ‘n’ cheese—regular pasta, boiled with some sweet potato and cabbage for good measure, with Squeeze Cheese mixed in (thanks Aunt Joanie!). It bordered on the excellence one can obtain from the blue box, which was a pleasant surprise.

Day 95: Quaker Remake

Remember those Quaker instant oatmeal packets that come in the variety pack? For breakfast I chopped up some dried apples from home and tossed ‘em in oatmeal with cinnamon and sugar. It was quite good, and using dried apples even gave it that familiar springy texture.

At dinnertime I felt kind of gross so I made Indomie (that statement, in hindsight, sounds less than sensical). It’s not as good as the instant ramen you find in the States, but it is spicier. There’s a seasoning packet and a separate chili pepper packet inside. I also left some in the fridge overnight and the noodles absorbed all the remaining liquid—now they’re HUGE!

Oh, and I checked on the price of FanGold when I was in Navrongo yesterday. It increased by 20p. FanGold is now GhC 1.20. Blast.

Experiment eines Freitagabends

st4rbucks — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 09:38:12 +0000

Step, originally uploaded by st4rbucks.

Herumprobieren mit Neonröhren unter Anleitung und mit viel Inspiration durch den Liebsten, der sich schließlich auch als “Opfer” des Experiments zur Verfügung stellte. Das Ergebnis: das wohl beste Portrait, das ich je gemacht habe. Ist aber auch kein Wunder bei dem Motiv, oder? <3

committing.

jessicarae — Sat, 28 Nov 2009 07:08:59 +0000

about a month ago (31 October) i started to write a new post publicly committing to join in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) for the month of November. After a paragraph was finished I got distracted by who knows what and never finished the post. I also never participated in the month long novel writing challenge, wherein the challenge is to write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. do i regret this? yes-and-no. i think this would have been good for me, i have wanted to write a novel, but have a hard time committing to things and had a lot of school work during November. but now, i am going to publicly announce my prospective commitment.

i know i have mentioned giving up meat before, becoming a vegetarian, reducing our negative impact on this place we call home. the reasons for which i advocate these things is not because i believe humans are the enemy, it’s because i believe we could live our lives in a wholistic way and they could be better: mentally, physically, psychologically, socially (etc.) and this is why i (and hopefully my parents) am/are doing the “go dairy free” challenge. the challenge is 10 days with no dairy-no cheese, no yogurt, no milk, no ice cream, no chocolate, etc.-unless it has some sort of dairy substitute.

for me this is not an animal rights issue, it is a health issue. milk is one of the most common food allergens in the western world. lactose intolerance is very common, and some people may not even realize that milk is the problem for digestive problems. we are the only species to continue to drink milk after weaning. there are greater chances to having diabetes, heart disease, high cholesterol, and ironically osteoporosis, which all but osteoporosis runs in my family. milk is not the only place you can find calcium, to name a few you can get calcium from soy milk, asparagus, baked beans, green beans, sesame seeds, almond butter, oranges, etc. the milk we drink from the stores is from a cow no longer with a calf that needs milk. in most scenarios the cows are given rBGH(recombinant Bovine Growth Hormone) which stimulates the production of the IGF-1 (insulin-like growth factor) hormone which helps produce milk. (the science of it.)

really, who knows what will happen if i give up milk. maybe my allergies will get better, or maybe i won’t have heartburn anymore. maybe nothing will happen, but with all of the potential side effects and the knowledge of the prospective health benefits, why not try it.

i haven’t decided when i’m going to start, but i want to do it with my family, so whenever they are on the same page-hopefully before christmas.

http://www.godairyfree.org/

http://www.alternative-healthzine.com/html/1200_2.html

Project Proposal: Expressing Identity Confusion and the Apprehension of its Disclosure

jbrousseau — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 20:28:52 +0000

Part I:

1.) What specific experience will you undertake the task of, and take responsibility for, expressing? What is the concrete historical context?

I believe I want to express the experience of confusion and apprehension that accompanies a child while “coming out”—publically expressing their sexual preference—to those around them (friends, parents, family, and strangers).

A. Historically, I want this expression to take place in the late twentieth to early twenty-first century. An era in which homosexuality is widely accepted, although still highly debated. (Vermont’s 1999 same-sex benefits, Hawaii’s ruling against same-sex marriage in 1999, Canada’s same-sex benefits Supreme Court ruling in 1999, Quebec and Ontario recognition of same-sex marriages in 2002-03, Mass. Gay-Marriage legalization in 2003. According to A Decade of Violence: Hate Crimes Based on Sexual Orientation, 13,798 reported hate related incidents have occurred based on sexual orientation in the US from 1993-1998). I would also like this expression to take place in a Southern state where “old South” traditionalism would antagonize the situation.

B. This expression will explore the realm of identity discovery, and the controversial issue of sexuality. This issue can be tied to various other degrees in the “matrix” of life, including religion as well as family dynamics.

2.) “Explanation” or “account” of this experience from a conventional view? What is the dominant understanding?

In the very recent era, there have been several key events that can add an understanding of this experience. Although homosexuality is now more widely accepted than in the past, the reversal of several key Supreme Court decisions giving gay rights widespread validity has brought the issue to the forefront of the media and the lives of homosexual/confused/experimenting individuals within the US, primarily those of a young age striving to understand their identity themselves. It is the dominant understanding in modern society that homosexuality is not a “violent” issue, however, it causes vast emotional struggles between said individuals and those around them.

Source: Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Homosexuality, http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/homosexuality/

3.) Personal resonance for you in the present?

Being a homosexual female in the modern era who disclosed her sexual preference to her parents a mere two years ago, I feel I have an extremely strong sense of familiarity with this subject. My own personal struggles with family, friends, and the public in general in regards to my lifestyle will be instrumental in constructing the expression of the experience of my imagined protagonist. Because this topic is so controversial and there is no “correct” or even “usual” response across the public, it allows for great creativity as well.

4.) One cultural narrative or image that is prominent in your memory?

One of the most disturbing depictions of homosexual hatred and identity confusion I have ever seen was in the form of Boys Don’t Cry (1999), a movie starred in by Hilary Swank and directed by Kimberly Pierce that expresses the experience of Brandon Teena, a transgendered teen who was brutally raped and murdered by two “friends” upon their discovery of his lifestyle choice.

I viewed this film approximately a year after I came out to my parents, a phase in which I was very interested in exploring my lifestyle choice on a broader level. Although I obviously encountered nowhere near the amount of resistance depicted in this account, it made me realize how blessed I was for the support of those around me, and instilled in me a sense of empathy for those who cannot be open with themselves because of those around them, as well as a need to help those individuals.

5.) One “forgotten” (overlooked, neglected) aspect or element?

This topic has been so greatly explored in modern popular culture (literature, cinema, etc), that I believe almost all aspects of the issue have been depicted in one way or another. I’m sure this answer will come to me upon further thought.

6.) One lesson (abstract) and one technique (specific) from one of our relay novels, that you will implement?

I believe one of the most useful lessons I will implement in regards to the expression of my proposed experience can be witnessed in Silko’s “Ceremony”, allowing us as readers to understand that cultural background (belief, religion, family) is an instrumental and influential feature in the manner in which we shape and grade our actions.

Perhaps I will use intertwining literature from various sources while expressing this experience to bolster the emotions felt and understood by my protagonist. (song lyrics, poems, literary quotes, etc.)

7.) A potential interface? A potential figure? (expressively)

I believe a cultural interface would be most useful when constructing my expression. Perhaps my figure will be musically or literarily inclined (such as myself), and I will be permitted to use allusions and citations from a myriad number of sources to reinforce the experience.

Part II:

“Pain. I seem to have an affection, a kind of sweettooth for it. Bolts of lightning, little rivulets of thunder. And I the eye of the storm.” (Jazz, Toni Morrison)

“And I don’t want the world to see me, ‘cause I don’t think that they’d understand. When everything’s made to be broken, I just want you to know who I am.” (Iris, Goo Goo Dolls)

This song quote expresses the feeling of hopelessness felt by someone who believes he/she is not understood by those around them. It also expresses a sense of desire for identity, “soulful”, personal understanding by one person around them, the “you” in reference.

PECULIAR COMICS: VORTEX #43

peculiarcomics — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 15:16:13 +0000

Number forty-three: Poseidon is scary.

Wie Außenstehende neue Ideen günstig einbringen können

Alexander Grosch — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 13:46:09 +0000

Neue Ideen müssen nicht zwingend von externen Beratern kommen oder durch Unternehmensplanspiele generiert werden, die gerne mit externen Studenten oder Absolventen durchgefüht werden. Häufig werden derartige Unternehmensplanspiele durchgeführt, um von Außenstehenden Ideen und andere Blickwinkel gezeigt zu bekommen. Diese Herangehensweise konnte nun auch durch Studien belegt werden. Die Kellogg School of Management konnte in einer aktuellen Studie nachweisen, dass Außenstehende das Denken in Teams verbessern und so bessere Resultate erzielt werden können.

Dabei wurde ein Gruppen-Problemlösungs-Experiment durchgeführt. Hierfür wurden verschiedene Gruppen mit Problemstellungen konfrontiert. Zu einigen Gruppen wurden fünf Minuten lang Neulinge in die Überlegungen mit einbezogen. Bei den Gruppen bei denen der Neuling ein Außenstehender war, konnten häufiger das Problem erfolgreich lösen.

Müssen Unternehmen jetzt aber für jede neue Idee externe Berater anstellen oder Unternehmensplanspiele organisieren? Nein. Die gute Nachricht ist, dass der Außenstehende kein externer Berater sein muss. Wichtig ist, dass sich der Außenstehende deutlich von den anderen Gruppenmitgliedern unterscheidet. Neben offensichtlichen Unterscheidungsmerkmalen, wie Geschlecht, werden in der Studie weitere Möglichkeiten vorgeschlagen:

Mitarbeiter einer anderen Abteilung (Produktionsleiter unterstützt das Marketing-Team)
ein Angestellter aus einem anderen Land (interkulturelle Komponente)
…

Dabei müssen sich die Außenstehenden nicht besonders in den Vordergrund drängen oder eigene Meinungen abgeben. Es reicht die bloße Anwesenheit der Außenstehenden, um die Effektivität und Effizienz der Gruppe zu erhöhen. So ist es möglich neue Ideen ohne große Beratungshonorare mit einer intelligenten Teamzusammensetzung kostengünstig zu generieren. Dies ist dadurch möglich, dass ein neues Teammitglied das Unbehagen des Teams steigern kann und so die Qualität der Resultate steigt.

Just Getting Started

hotpinkskulls — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:24:47 +0000

Testing… 1-2-3…