text:
"One Rat Short," a 10-minute animated film, focuses on extremes—repulsion and love, dark and light, realism and fantasy. It's the first 3D animated short created by Charlex, a New York-based digital design and post production studio, and it won the first competition in which it was entered: the prestigious SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival.
"I was just hoping we'd get into the Electronic Theater," says the delighted director, Alex Weil. "One Rat Short" took that hope to the max by winning Best in Show over 726 submissions. The film now qualifies to compete for an Oscar.
"The jury felt this piece achieved greatness on several levels: emotionally, technically, and artistically," says Terrence Masson, SIGGRAPH Computer Animation Festival Chair. "We viewed hundreds of quality films, but this one stood out to all members of the jury. The audience connects with the central characters on such a level that the film stays with the viewer for days afterwards. Clearly with record submissions this year, it was not an easy decision—which speaks to the merits of this piece.
"One of my goals was to make a film that was not like a Pixar film," says Weil, an Emmy-winning director and Charlex founder. "Their work is so great. But there are so many imitators now. I wanted to do a New York-style animated film. I wanted to use CG to capture emotions that aren't usually captured by CG. I'm tired of the voices making the jokes. I wanted to tell a story about a rat, the most repulsive of all creatures, and I wanted it to be a love story, not a cartoon."
That wasn't his first idea, though. Three and a half years ago, when a team first began working on the film, it was called"Labratz," and Weil had in mind the kind of cartoony film that he later rejected. His turning point was seeing the dark subway scene realized by production designer Todd Winter and lead lighter John Parker."It was created to my direction," Weil says,"but when I saw it, with the camera feeling handheld at rat level and the filthier-than- filthy, darker-than-dark look, I realized I wanted to do my movie with a minimum of anthropomorphic animation."
The simple story allowed Weil to experiment with light. "With so much in the dark, viewers have to lean into the story," he says."They have to fill in the gaps with their imagination; it's easier to imagine themselves as the character. In the bright parts, they almost have to look away because it's so bright they almost can't see the character. I tried to make it so you have to make a story in your mind."
Doing so, however, was not so simple. The studio spent nearly two years in visual development, in part because the crew was working on the film between jobs. About a year ago, Weil and Chris Byrnes, Charlex president, decided to create a separate division with a dedicated staff of 15 people. "We rented half of another floor in our building, and put the team there," says Byrnes. "That's when things got focused."
Improv in the Pipeline
The "Rat" team included several people who had worked on feature animations at such studios as Blue Sky and DreamWorks. They tried to help Weil understand how a standard pipeline for a CG-animated feature works. "We tried to usher in the standard techniques—start with a script, then do storyboards, layout, modeling, and so forth," explains Bryan Godwin. "We found out that with [Weil's] style, it was more efficient to jump into 3D straight off the bat. We blocked the whole film in 3Dwithout going to paper first.
"Weil calls it "writing the movie in camera."Rather than moving shotbyshot from storyboards or animatics, animators working in Autodesk's Maya created the camera's viewpoint and performed the characters from plot point to plot point. They knew the objectives, but not the shots in between. Because they didn't work from a layout with a locked off camera, they moved the camera freely for Weil and played with focal depth.
"If you want a film to feel like live action, the camera has to feel like a human being is moving it," notes Winter. Weil improvised and refined the story and the camera movement along the way, collaborating interactively with the animators and lighters, and editing online with Autodesk's Discreet Smoke. The happy accidents that resulted from the interaction among the animators, editors, and Weil—and a lot of attention paid to camera curves—helped give the film its handheld camera feel.
"It was a very organic process,"explains Weil. "I discovered much of the visual writing as I did the film; a lot of the storytelling is in the way the movie looks and feels. We couldn't previz the whole movie because the texture is part of it, too." That meant Weil wanted to see lighting early in the process as well, so the animators used Maya play blasts—OpenGL renders—to give him a sense of how the scenes would look after rendering.
"He works in a fast-paced commercial world, and he's used to seeing animation and lighting live," says Winter. "From my experience in the feature-animation world, that's unheard of, so we had a lot of adapting to do. We had to create play blasts early to get as much mood as possible." They developed other techniques, as well. For example, because the play blasts allowed only a limited number of lights, to create the mood for one dramatic shot, the lighters stretched transparent polygons through the scene to create fake light beams.
Godwin believes that the process helped the film makers achieve the movie's distinctive look and feel. "When I first started working with [Weil] on the commercial side," he says, "I thought it was crazy that he wanted to work live with animators. But when I got over my initial fear, I realized we got a lot done and more quickly. We often put animators live in a room with the client and editor. They could look at 10 versions a day and think more creatively. Many times, we'd see an animator tumbling a viewpoint and say, 'That's it, that's the shot.' I've learned that taking a unique approach to making a film results in a unique film."
Tools and Techniques
For reference, the animators had a pair of pet rats in the studio;the characters in "One Rat Short" were rigged like animals, not humanoids. And yet, they're actors, not cartoon characters. In fact, the crew named the subway rat Cagney and the white female rat Audrey. The crew grew and groomed the rats' fur with Maya's tool set, and developed a custom solution for rendering the fur in Mental Images' Mental Ray. "The rats aren't real, but we wanted to make sure the viewers empathized with them," says Winter.
The film's lighting team relied on Maya lighting tools, Mental Ray shaders and scripts, and Eyeon Software's Digital Fusion, with which they composited layers rendered in 32-bit fl oat through Mental Rayin EXR format. "We had a huge range of contrast in terms of exposure," says Godwin.
Lighters started with color keys that Winter painted in Adobe's Photoshop and with the play-blast lighting created in Maya during the production process. Then they created beauty passes that Winter often enhanced further. "I'd grab a frame and paint it one more time to communicate exactly what we were looking for," he says.
Outside, lighters and compositors rendered the dark, filthy world in desaturated blues. "Most of the feature animations have bright colors because they're directed toward kids,"explains Winter. "We wanted to make sure our film stood apart from that. So early on, we decided to go really desaturated."Inside and out, rim lighting added in Digital Fusion helped lift the characters from the background. A Digital Fusion filter pushed an orange-red glow into the chip bag, giving it a magical quality. "It represents faith," says Winter.
Next Moves
In addition to letting Weir fl ex his directorial muscles, the studio had other reasons for making the film —to attract talent, upgrade technically, learn how to work faster, and give its clients more creative choices, according to Byrnes. "We've had steady growth over many years," he says. "This film seemed like a natural progression. Now, we're interested in longer-format projects and features, and it's nice to know we can do them."
Any feature directed by Weil would likely be as unique as the 10-minute short. "I think if I did a feature, I would want to do a somewhat dark film ; if there were to be humor, it would be more urban," Weil says.
But would Weil expect to use the same organic process of working interactively with the animators, lighters, and editors to develop the story for a feature animation? Yes and no. "I had to learn what everyone knows—that the story is king," he says. "So I would begin with the story and believe in it. But, I can only change so much—a lot of good came out of working the way we did."
In "One Rat Short," a door closes on an opportunity for one of the characters. The opposite extreme is likely to be true for Charlex. "This is only a 10-minute piece, but we've gained con-fidence that we could produce an independent feature," says Byrnes. "We're keeping our options open."
Barbara Robertson is an award-winning journalist and a contributing editor for Computer Graphics World.
She can be reached at email@example.com.


text:
Who says modern design is for grownups only? Put the fun into functional with our vast collection of stylish modern kids furniture—beds, seating, modern kids tables and storage—designed to create an engaging and practical contemporary kids room.
Creating a modern kids room that expresses your child's personality while also reflecting your own design sensibilities may sound like a tall order, but is, in fact, easily attainable once you focus on the correct elements. A functional and engaging kids room begins with the basics, and that means finding the right pieces of modern kids furniture. Thoughtfully chosen contemporary childrens furniture sets the stage for the finer elements needed to turn an ordinary room into a stylish and joyful personal space for your child.
Think carefully when selecting modern kids beds:
Investing in intelligently designed modern kids beds pays significant dividends because it has the potential to provide years of value to your child. Contemporary kids beds that have flexibility and adaptability—toddler guard rails that can be removed when your child gets older; convenient under-bed storage drawers; trundle beds that make sleepovers convenient and fun—will go a long way towards smartly stretching the budget dollars you've set aside for modern kids furniture.
Think outside the box for modern kids storage:
The beauty of clean-lined contemporary design is that it translates equally well to a modern kids room as any other room in the home. Rather than thinking strictly in terms of modern kids dressers and nightstands, for instance, think in terms of the size, shape and materials of modern storage pieces, and how well they may translate to your child's room. Contemporary designs that are modest in size, or unusual in color or finish may be make perfect contemporary kids storage for your child's room.
Make modern kids bookcases and shelving fun:
Show off your kids' book collection and toys by taking advantage of the creative range of contemporary kids bookcases and shelving available. While it may be wise to keep things simple and classic when shopping for kids beds and dressers, bookcases and shelving can veer towards the more adventurous. Rather than opting for standard horizontal or vertical shelving, look for bookcases that are interesting in shape and choice of material, which perform their primary function beautifully, but inject a dash of pizzazz into your child's room.
A thoughtfully designed kids room will (and should) reflect the juvenile preoccupations of its occupant. But creating a stimulating and joyful space for your child doesn't mean making an esthetic break from the rest of your house. In theory, good modern design, irrespective of its target age, should look perfectly suited to any room—and modern kids decor is no exception.
When selecting modern kids furniture, keep it simple. Clean lines, good proportions, and superior craftsmanship are key elements of timeless design. When selecting children's furniture, whether it's modern kids seating, dressers and nightstands, or any kind of contemporary children's decor, these same rules can be easily applied, ensuring a collection of furniture that ages well, evolves organically with your child's needs, and adheres the same visual standards you've applied to the rest of your home.
Select joyful, but tasteful, modern kids decor.
Kids deserve a space that's whimsical and magical, but that doesn't mean that discernment and good taste should be bypassed. There's plenty of cute, but mundane, modern kids furniture and décor out there, but be as selective with modern childrens décor as you would any purchase for your home. Selecting contemporary kids furniture and decor should be a thoughtful endeavor, with quality, safety, functionality, and imaginative design as guidelines.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
In Time – The Game Review
It's probably not going to surprise anyone that a game based on a movie turned out poorly. So, even the most excited Justin Timberlake fan should view this tie-in to the stylish one's new sci-fi flick, In Time, with suspicion. Whether the movie is any good is irrelevant in the face of just how bad the game based on it actually turned out to be.
Admittedly, if someone stripped out the few still shots from the movie and the trailer link, there'd be no way to know In Time: the Game was based on anything at all. It's just that generic. The so-called story mode, which actually lacks any story whatsoever, is a series of 16 levels where the player just runs forward through urban levels.
An executive jogging suit.
Each level has a specific goal. In some, the object is just to get to the end before time runs out, while others require the runner to save a certain number of people, avoid a specific number of bad guys, or hit a pre-designated score. Saving civilians just requires running by (or into) them, which takes ten seconds off your time, but increases the point multiplayer. Avoiding bad guys just means pressing the dodge button whenever one is nearby.
For levels where attaining a specific score is the goal, the level just ends once that score is hit–so there's no going for the gold to see how much more you can rack up past the target score. Some levels have more complicated goals, such as saving six civilians while in "hero time." Hero time is started once enough people have been saved and results in major points. There's also a quick play mode, where the player just runs until their time expires.
In Time takes the running-game genre into 3D using the Unreal engine, though you'd be hard pressed to tell. The graphics are bland, low-resolution, and downright ugly. Worse, you'll end up passing through the same few sections in each map thanks to an extreme reuse of the same architecture. Animation is stiff and character models are poorly detailed.
The runner automatically runs forward and is steered using only tilt controls. On the screen, there are buttons for dodging left and right and jumping. Thankfully, jumping is seldom necessary, as it's frustratingly unresponsive. Aside from jumping, the controls work well enough. Unfortunately, since the levels are so repetitive, there's very little challenge here and the level design is just mediocre with no interest in doing anything at all creative with its concept.
In Time – The Game could well be the poster child for bad movie tie-ins. It's boring and repetitive, visually unappealing, and amazingly uninspired. Back in the day, this might have just been some cheaply-made, free-to-play Java game thrown on the movie's website. Unfortunately, Fox Mobile is actually charging $0.99 for the privilege of playing this disaster, which is perhaps the biggest sin of all.


text:
AN INCREASE in specialist doctors has done nothing to lower the fees they charge patients, a leading health economist says.
In fact, as the number of specialists has grown, the proportion who stick to the Medicare fee schedule has drastically decreased, according to Grattan Institute researcher Stephen Duckett.
Dr Duckett presented his findings to a summit in Sydney on Friday, when he described ''a whole swag of carrots at the moment, and no stick" in dealing with a critical shortage of intern places for junior doctors.
He said forcing the junior doctors to charge lower fees as specialists, work in rural or regional areas, or undertake training in medical specialties that have shortages would provide a ''stick'' that could address the shortage of intern places and cap increasing fees.
He argued the intern training year, which doctors must complete to become qualified, was extremely valuable, and authorities should consider getting interns to contribute more for the privilege.
"We know that the existing incentives to get people to work in rural and regional areas and to get people to work in the right specialties aren't working," he said.
Surgeons, anaesthetists and internal medicine specialists are the three occupational groups with the highest mean taxable income in Australia, he said. Yet workforce shortages and high fees still plagued the industry.
"People would be forced to make a choice in line with where our needs are," he said.
But the AMA president, Steve Hambleton, said he believed interns were valuable and should not face additional conditions on their training.
"While this is their final year of their training, they are actually working, they are providing services in the hospital," he said. "If you didn't have them you would have someone else on a higher pay scale.''
The crisis in intern places occurred because universities increased medical degree places to deal with doctor shortages. But jobs for interns, which combine work and further training, have not kept pace.
Dr Hambleton said there was no need for "sticks" to force doctors to work in rural and regional areas, but more needed to be done to deal with issues such as shortages of jobs for their partners.
The president of the Australian Medical Students' Association, Ben Veness, said Dr Duckett's analysis did not make sense, because if doctors charged according to demand they would keep raising their prices until people stopped trying to access their services.
"In a supply and demand driven model we wouldn't have waiting lists," he said.


text:
Which zoning solutions provide synchronization to reduce equipment cycling? I see that Honeywell's Enviracom does, are there any others?
How does Tekmar handle non-hydronic heat sources? Suppose there is one zone with surface temp limited radiant flooring and second stage forced air, and then another zone with only forced air. Looking through their thermostat manuals I see that any given stage can be assigned "other," but it's unclear to me what "other" is synchronized to.
View Tag Cloud
Forum Rules


text:
This glowing cloud of gas and dust in the constellation Perseus looks like the outline of the state of California. It is about 1,500 light-years from Earth. Astronomers recently discovered that the cloud extends far outside the outline of the California Nebula, but the material isn't dense enough to see. [Caltech/Palomar Observatory/Digitized Sky Survey]
You are here
California Nebula
The constellation Perseus climbs high across the sky on autumn nights. Among other wonders, it's home to a beautiful red nebula whose outline looks a lot like the state of California. But the California Nebula is 65 light-years long, so it's half a trillion times larger than its namesake. And it's a bit farther away, too -- almost 1500 light-years from Earth.
Astronomers recently discovered that there's a lot more to the nebula than just the part that looks like California.
A team led by Charles Lada of the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics made the discovery by studying distant stars in Perseus. The astronomers noticed that the light from these stars looked unusually red -- an indication that dust between Earth and the stars was scattering some of their blue light, just as dust in Earth's atmosphere makes the Sun look red at sunrise and sunset.
By mapping these stars, Lada's team discovered an enormous cloud of gas around the California Nebula. It contains enough material to make a hundred thousand stars as massive as the Sun. That makes it one of the largest clouds in our part of the galaxy. In fact, it rivals the biggest such cloud, which is in Orion.
The cloud in Orion has spawned thousands of stars. But so far, the California cloud is mostly dark, and its fate is unknown. It may remain mostly starless, or, during the next few million years, it may make Perseus sparkle with thousands of new stars.
Script by Ken Croswell, Copyright 2010


text:
THE fire danger rating in central and northern Victoria will be listed as severe on Friday for the first time this summer.
CFA operations officer Chris Jacobsen he expected a number of total fire ban days, with the temperature set to hover around the high 30s to 40 degrees between Friday and next Tuesday.
He warned people to avoid using any machinery and said it was a crucial time to prepare fire plans.
"A string of hot days will dry out the fuel more and create these severe bushfire conditions," he said.
"People need to enact their fire plan, they need to be fully prepared for the next two weeks of weather."
Bureau of Meteorology duty forecaster Michael Halfpenny said Bendigo was set to sizzle over the next week and there was no change in sight.
He said it wasn't unusual for the region to experience 40 degree weather during January.
"January is the hottest month of the year for Bendigo, the monthly average is 29.6 degrees," he said.
Mr Halfpenny said it was rare to have a run of consecutive 40 degree weather days.
"Although Bendigo is not expected to have days in a row with weather over 40 degrees, the weather will reach the high 30s," he said.
Ambulance Victoria is warning residents to avoid heat exhaustion by drinking more water.
Ambulance Victoria also encouraged residents to avoid exposure to the heat and to check on neighbours who are over the age of 65.
A Bendigo Health spokesperson said drinking fluids and avoiding the afternoon heat would be the best thing to combat the heat.
To see what the fire danger rating is in your area visit the CFA website.


text:
It was Ms. Rice's second trip to the [South] since Hurricane Katrina, when she and other members of the Bush administration came under criticism for the handling of the storm's aftermath. On this trip, Ms. Rice met with hurricane victims and volunteers in Tuscaloosa and Birmingham. But much of the rest of her itinerary was of a more personal nature.What about seeming "genuinely uninterested in running for office" would not also be exactly the way she would want to seem if she were genuinely interested in running for President?
No recent secretary of state has taken a trip like this, to relate a life story. Nor has Ms. Rice previously put her own experiences on such public display.
There was her childhood friend, Carole C. Smitherman, now president of the Birmingham City Council, who recalled Ms. Rice as a softball player who could hit the ball as far as any boy, a student who devoured the great books "as casual reading," a ballet dancer and a pianist whose music "filled our streets."
John Cantelow, who taught band in elementary school, with Ms. Rice playing the bells, said, "She was a different kind of kid." He added, "She was more mature than the others and very, very, very - how can I explain it, for a kid? - very focused."
Despite her disavowal of political ambitions, it was hard not to imagine Ms. Rice bringing this biography to elective politics, with this visit as her coming-out party.
Ms. Rice seems genuinely uninterested in running for office, but she clearly enjoyed her celebrity status. And how unlikely would it be for a Republican presidential nominee in 2008, especially one lacking foreign policy credentials, to turn to her as a running mate, especially if the Democratic opponent is, say, Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton?
October 24, 2005
Signs of a Rice candidacy.
37 comments:
- AJ Lynch said...
She'd probably get my vote.
Afterall, IMHO, Rice is the Real Smartest Woman In America!
- Gerry said...
"Nor has Ms. Rice previously put her own experiences on such public display."
I need to find it, but over the weekend I read a blog post somewhere which proved this statement to be categorically false. Ms. Rice has talked about her family's experiences on such public display many, many times.
- Gerry said...
Ah. It was Powerline.
- Undercover Christian said...
I'm holding out hope that she'll run. I have a Condi bumper sticker on my car right now.
- Simon said...
I am far from opposed to a Rice candidacy (or, ho ho, condidacy), but I do find the willingness of people to found websites and cheerlead for her to be rather odd. My problem with the Rice for President sites - and it's exemplified by the www.rice2008.com site - is: where's the policy? Richard Mason of Americans for Rice, for example, has posted an essay which poses the question "Where does Dr. Rice stand on the 'issues'?". Richard graces us with a further 644 words, none of which even begin to answer the question, Where does Dr. Rice stand on the issues? Sure, a candidate's numbers matter, and a compelling backstory is an electoral asset - but isn't it more important to have definitive statements about what a candidate believes, what they would do in office, what their vision for America is? What does Rice think about Social Security reform? Healthcare? Abortion? Free trade? Education? The people who are founding these sites either don't know, or don't care to display it publically. It just feels to me like they're playing the numbers game and nothing else - they see a black, female Republican candidate in the public eye, and that's all they feel that they need to know.
But that isn't enough, and surely we should demand more of a potential candidate - a compelling personal narrative is part of a candidate's package, of course, but it isn't enough in isolation.
I've seen people online frequently advocating Rice's candidacy, and they always seem so enthusiastic - What exactly about her attracts them to her as a candidate, I ask them? What policies has she advanced that you feel particularly qualifies her for the Presidency? What do you actually know about Rice's view's on a wide range of important policy issues? What is Rice's opinion on Social Security reform? On healthcare? What is Rice's view on the appropriate relationship between the Federal Government and the States? Does she approve of a Presidential line-item veto, or does she favor the supremacy of Congress in the legislative sphere? What is Rice's opinion about the trade deficit, how it can be reduced, and what is her view on whether the callue of the yuan should be decoupled from that of the dollar? What steps does Rice offer in terms of the progress of the next generation of environmentally-friendly technology, and the role of the United States in their development? What is Rice's solution to the problems of public education and the decline of US competetiveness in math and "hard" sciences?
Of course, these are all issues beyond the purview of the Secretary of State or the National Security Adviser, but they are most certainly within the purview of the President. So let us turn to matters that are within Rice's job descriptions. What is Rice's view on how best to resolve the China/Taiwan situation, and how would she react to a Chinese invasion of Taiwan? What action would a President Rice take should the North Korean government collapse? If such a collapse ocurred, and if China should attempt to annex North Korea, what steps would she take? What is her view on the Cuba trade embargo, and how does she differentiate the trade embargo on communist Cuba from the trade free-for-all with communist China? What is Rice's view on the development of democracy within Saudi Arabia and its extension in Iran? How should the US seek to foster democratic reform in Africa without appearing high-handed or imperialistic? What are Rice's top five foreign policy goals during her term?
This is a very, very short list of extremely relevant questions - and thusfar, none of those advocating Condi Rice's election as President have answered them, to my knowledge. The only rationale offered by Condi's supporters is that Rice is a black female Republican who is well-qualified to be Secretary of State and who might beat Hillary Clinton in 2008.
When I contemplate candidates that I think would bring interesting angles to the 2008 primary - Gingrich, Snowe, Hagel, Romney, Sanford - they each have identifiable policy positions across the wide ambit of public policy. Rice does not. This doesn't mean that I rule her out as a candidate, but it does mean that it seems odd to beat a drum for someone about whom we know so little.
- Bruce Hayden said...
The problem I see with your laundry list of non-positions is that Dr. Rice's real strength has always been in foreign relations. When Bill Clinton was running for president, in 1992, you could arguably say that his domestic platform was more important than his foreign relations platform, esp. since we had just won the Cold War, etc.
I, for one, am not ready for a replay of the Clinton wishful thinking foreign policy debacle of the 1990s. I don't think we can afford that sort of wishful thinking unrealistic foreign and military policy during a time of war. And Dr. Rice brings a much clearer, more decisive position here than do most of the potential Democratic candidates, and, in particular, than does Hillary Clinton.
- amba said...
"What about seeming 'genuinely uninterested in running for office' would not also be exactly the way she would want to seem if she were genuinely interested in running for President?"
I was fascinated to discover that there's a word for this behavioral strategy -- and it's one traditionally associated with women.
- Bruce Hayden said...
I think that she is the preferred candidate for a lot of us on the right. She has been for awhile, and I expect will continue to be for the forseeble future.
Probably the biggest thing is that with her, we would have an unbroken foreign policy with the Bush (43) Administration. After all, she is the major implementor of it, and one of its architects.
Needless to say though, she also has a very compelling personal story. This is just a part of it - growing up in segreated Birmingham, and being a playmate of one of those girl killed in that KKK church bombing. Rising from this through hard work and brains to being probably the most powerful woman on Earth today. Fourth in line for the presidency, etc.
- Bruce Hayden said...
To save everyone the effort, Amba's word for Dr. Rice is "coyness".
- ALH ipinions said...
She will be drafted. And, the more she demurs the more appealing a candidate she becomes.
Condi vs Hillary
- Bruce Hayden said...
Simon suggests that Rice wouldn't make a viable candidate becuase she hasn't disclosed policies on any number of domestic issues apparently near and dear to his heart.
But one that she has talked on is the 2nd Amdt. I think the best way to describe her is as a 2nd Amdt. absolutist. She believes it to be an extremely important individual, not group or national, right.
This again comes from her life in the segregated south, where her father, and the other men in her African-American community, protected their community from violence by patrolling the streets with guns, during times of racial unrest.
She wonders whether she would even be alive today if these men hadn't owned guns and been willing to use them to protect their community.
- reader_iam said...
The word of the day, though,is accismus, which doesn't have the "girly" baggage ...
- DCWilly1 said...
Hey Bruce: Yeah, I'm sure Condi and her posse were walking around the streets of segregated Alabama with AK-47s and hollow-point bullets specifically designed to maim and pierce the body armor used by police. Your comment is absurd.
- Bruce Hayden said...
One thing that I find interesting about a Rice candidacy is how it recasts many of the debates.
I mentioned above gun control. Those favoring gun control often implicitly believe that we should be able to depend on the police for protection. Dr. Rice's rejoinder is more than likely that gun control in the South was a way to get guns away from the Blacks, and, thus, make them more vulnerable to intimidation. And who, besides Sen. Byrd, D-KKK, would blame her for this - that maybe she is alive today because her father and the other men in their community had guns when they needed them to protect that community from racial violence.
I would suggest the same to some extent with religion. Dr. Rice, whose first dream was to be a concert pianist, has spent much of her adult life playing the organ at church. How threatening really is the religion of the church organist?
Of course, one reason that a lot of Republicans are salivating over her running is what this would do to the Democratic solidarity of the African American community. She is one of them, like Bill Clinton, the first "Black" president could never be. Scarred by the racial unrest of the 1960s. Raised by a minister. Quietly religious. Plays the organ every Sun. at church. And meanwhile rising to be the most powerful woman and most powerful Black in the world today.
- Bruce Hayden said...
Full auto AK-47s were illegal then, and are even more illegal today. And if they aren't fully automatic, then what is the big deal about them? Look dangerous? I think a lot of gun enthusiasts would prefer a semiautomatic hunting rifle in that case.
But if we were able to transplant today back to then, I have no doubt that the men of that community would prefer just that, AK-47s with hollow point bullets to what they had, presumably a motly assortment of rifles and shotguns.
- Menlo Bob said...
The day after the 2000 election vote was certified in Florida (and before the real contest) I shook Dr. Rice's hand in church and wished her luck. I also witnessed her determined fight for fical reform at Stanford and the ensuing pushback from faculty. My neighbor, at the time, served with her in a high level capacity and opposed her activities and politics. That being the norm for Stanford. Inspite of this she generally enjoyed good press locally. Nevertheless, I remain unsure of where she stands on a number of issues and would await clarification before jumping on that bandwagon.
- amba said...
No, Bruce, the word isn't "coyness." That wouldn't have been worth a link, even a coy one.
- amba said...
Go back to her March Washington Times interview for her position on abortion: "mildly pro-choice" and "kind of libertarian." Would the religious right go for it? Rice "suggested it's a moot point. 'I'm not trying to be elected.'"
- EddieP said...
Excellent list of questions. Why weren't they posed to John Kerry before he became the nominee?
Since Condi has announced that she is not running, isn't this an exercise in naval gazing? Regards
- Simon said...
Part of your statement seems strangely familiar:
"Dr. Rice brings a much clearer, more decisive position here than do most of the potential Democratic candidates, and, in particular, than does Hillary Clinton."
Isn't this reminiscent of the language of the Harriet Miers apologists, who - in upbraiding those of us who voice concern over the nomination - say that "sure, she's not a Scalia/Thomas-type, but would you prefer someone the Democrats would appoint?"The last time I checked, the false dilemma was still considered a logical fallacy.
Of course "Dr. Rice brings a much clearer, more decisive position here than do most of the potential Democratic candidates, and, in particular, than does Hillary Clinton" - so what? We do not, yet, have a choice to make between Dr. Rice and some unnamed Democratic candidate. I find it hard to imagine any Republican would fail to vote for Rice over any Democratic candidate. But this is not the choice that is before us. Rather, the choice is between Dr. Rice and various other potential Republican nominees, many of whom offer no less robust a vision of foreign policy than does Dr. Rice.
- Simon said...
ALH ipinions-
"the more she demurs the more appealing a candidate she becomes."
This I agree with - under the rubric that "a President worth voting for wouldn't run for the job."
"Simon suggests that Rice wouldn't make a viable candidate becuase she hasn't disclosed policies on any number of domestic issues apparently near and dear to his heart."
Two misunderstandings in one sentence, my friend!
First, the list of issues has nothing to do with those issues which I feel strongly about - indeed, I am actively hostile to the entire concept of the modern Presidency, and would far prefer for the Congress to take back those powers which the executive has arrogated to itself since Andrew Jackson's administration. Rather, the list reflects issues that I would think to be relevant to the President's task.
Second, I do not think that the absence of stated policy positions makes her any less of a "viable candidate." My point is not that I don't want Condi to run, my point is that statements such as the one that you offer - " I think that she is the preferred candidate for a lot of us on the right" - which are tantamount to unqualified support seem flat-out weird when so little is known of her policy views.
If the list reflected my personal concerns, I would want to know where she stands on abortion, what kind of Justices she will appoint to the Supreme Court, and what kind of briefs her Department of Justice would file. Like you, I'm very happy with the Bush administration's foreign policy, and I see no reason to doubt that she would continue it. If the arrangement of government were closer to the original understanding of the Presidency, and the Congress were more assertive (Clinton characterized Newt Gingrich's 1995 vision of government as being that Clinton would be the President, and he'd make foreign policy, and Newt, being the Speaker of the House, would be sort of like the Prime Minister, and he and the Congress would make domestic policy. I like that idea a lot), then I would agree with you that her views on domestic stuff were less important. Sadly, we must live in the world we're dealt, so unless and until someone figures out a way to go back in time and whack Jackson (or at least, until the Congress grows a pair), we're stuck with these concerns.
- Simon said...
"Excellent list of questions. Why weren't they posed to John Kerry before he became the nominee?"
Perhaps because the democrats were afraid of the answers? ;)
It seems to me that in the last election cycle, the Democrats had three priorities, and only three: beat Bush, defeat Bush, and get more electoral college votes than Bush. Their criterion for a candidate was, therefore, anyone with a pulse who was as little like Bush as possible, and who could beat Bush. They made the wrong choice, IMHO. I would have nominated Governor Dean. Sadly, however, that ceased to be a possibility when, sometime during his primary campaign, Dean discovered that the people preferred Howlin' Howard. When that happened, the good man that was Governor Dean was destroyed. He's more machine than man, now, you know.
Governor Dean would have won 49 states. Howlin' Howard would have lost 49 states. So they could have done better, but they could have done worse.
- Too Many Jims said...
"Of course, one reason that a lot of Republicans are salivating over her running is what this would do to the Democratic solidarity of the African American community. She is one of them."
Why stop there? She is a woman, so all women will vote for her. She is an academic so this will damage the Democratic solidarity of the academic community. She spent a substantial portion of her adult life in California, so she will damage the Democratic solidarity in California.
Do I think she would garner more black votes than GWB? Sure, then again, it would be tough to do worse. But suggesting that they are going to migrate en masse to Rice because she is Black, really oversimplifies the matter.
Plus, Blacks make up (off the top of my head) 10-15% of the population. They register to vote and vote at a rate that is not as high as the overall population. Is it possible that the number of people who vote against her (or don't vote) based on her gender or skin color is in excess of the number of votes she would receive based on her skin color.
Finally, as a practical matter, which "blue state" is going to turn into a "red state" because of the color of her skin?
Nice that the party which is opposed to affirmative action is goig to use skin color as one of the primary arguments for a candidate.
- Michael H said...
"Nice that the party which is opposed to affirmative action is goig to use skin color as one of the primary arguments for a candidate."
Well, the primary reason many of us support her is that we think she's superbly qualified and would make a good president. The fact that her candidacy would mess with the heads of the race-baiting party and the media that continues to claim, in spite of all evidence to the contrary, that conservatives hate blacks and women, is just a nice by-product.
- Charlie Eklund said...
Simon: I think you missed the knockout-punch question...where does Condi Rice stand on Dingle-Norwood!
- Steven said...
DCWilly1 --
Perhaps before you rant on specifics of ammunition, you should learn the basics about them?
You see, armor-piercing rounds have low expansion; their design is to concentrate the force of the bullet on to as small a place as possible, to penetrate armor in a small area and deliver at least some damage beyond.
High-expansion bullets, like "hollow points", however, are designed to spread out the force along as wide an area as possible on contact with human flesh, to create a wound channel as wide as possible.
The result is that a "hollow point" is the worst possible round type for armor penetration, while an "armor-piercing" bullet is the type of bullet that inflicts the least injury to an unprotected human.
Now, one can create a round that's halfway between those two extremes, and so more likely to penetrate armor than a "hollow-point" and does more wounding than armor-piercing. That compromise is the standard bullet.
- amba said...
Simon: LOL! In other words, anyone who wants the job of president is, by definition, nuts, and therefore unfit for the job!
- DCWilly1 said...
Thanks, Cliff Clavin for the skinny on ammo.
- The Exalted said...
I, for one, am not ready for a replay of the Clinton wishful thinking foreign policy debacle of the 1990s. I don't think we can afford that sort of wishful thinking unrealistic foreign and military policy during a time of war.
ah, that was good for a laugh
- Steven said...
Oooh, the dreaded "Cliff Clavin" reference. You so put me in my place!
- Walter said...
Just what I would expect from an anti-gun nut. Use poor/bad terminology about guns and ammo and then resort to an ad hominem attack when corrected.
- Walter said...
[Off topic]
One of the things that I love about blogs and the comments that are left is the number of people that know stuff and are willing to share it.
In a verbal conversion, being a "Cliff Clavin" tends to disrupt the flow of the conversion, but in a blog & comments, there is time and space for people to supply the details that get dropped during verbal commincations. Maybe it is just my inner geek showing, but I like knowning the details about how things work. If those details also show that dcwilly1 can't even get the facts straight in attempt to do a hit and run insult posting, why should we believe any of the other items in dcwilly1's comment (which ironically, setup an absurd strawman version of what Bruce said and tried to dismiss Bruce [and Condi's] resonable statements on because of his injected absurdity.)
But, I should get back to work and stop responding to the Troll that is dcwilly1, as feeding them only causes them to come back.
- Bruce Hayden said...
I think that one answer to the point about the party opposed to affirmative action being excited about running an African American woman is that that is why it would be so effective.
Dr. Rice is not Secretary of State right now, nor was she National Security Advisor because she is Black. She got those jobs because she is good. Very good.
The reason that a lot of conservatives oppose affirmative action is that we prefer a race blind society. MLK called it when he said: "I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character."
What a Rice nomination would say is that the Republicans (and the country if she were to win) believe in this race blind society where anyone, regardless of color, race, religion, etc., can rise to any level, as long as they are smart and work hard enough.
I personally think that is a much better message to be sending the inner city Blacks, Hispanics, etc. than that their failure is not their own fault and that they are somehow owed something by society because of it.
- OddD said...
What about seeming "genuinely uninterested in running for office" would not also be exactly the way she would want to seem if she were genuinely interested in running for President?
I can't be the only one thinking of this scene:
"Only the true Messiah denies His divinity!"
"What? What sort of chance does that give me? All right, I am! I am the Messiah!"
"He is! He is the Messiah!"
"Now, f*ck off!"
- knoxgirl said...
- This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
- knoxgirl said...
"...Nice that the party which is opposed to affirmative action is goig to use skin color as one of the primary arguments for a candidate."
Condi didn't get the job she has now--or any of her other impressive positions--because she's black. Or female, for that matter. She is intelligent, she's extremely accomplished, and she seems to excel at everything she tackles. That's why people want her to run--not because she's black.
You're the one who's reducing her down to her race.
(my previous comment I removed because it contained an "ad hominem" or whatever that I now regret
- Prometheus said...
A Rice candidacy will reveal the mass of Republican voters to be a lot more on the old school bigot side than they'd care to admit while not garnering the support from the black community that they might be hoping for. Footage of her squeaky, stuttering apologia regarding domestic spying and explicit falsehood regarding the War of Our Needlessly Dead Sons and Daughters won't bode well for her either.


text:
George Gerald Galler, 93, passed from this life on March 20, 2013, to be with his Lord for eternity. He is survived by his wife of 72 years, Sally McKee Galler of Bastrop; sons, George B. (Beverly) Galler of Baton Rouge and Fred Galler of Natchez, Miss.; grandsons, Lance Galler of Natchez, Miss. and Ryan (Lyndee) Galler of Waco, Texas; and one great-grandchild, Mason Tucker Galler of Waco, Texas. George also leaves a brother, Clarence (Dorla) Galler of Winnie, Texas and numerous nieces and nephews.
The child of Frederick and Magdalena (Wendland) Galler of Rosenberg, Texas, George was born into a large family on December 11, 1919, and christened in the Lutheran Church of Cottonwood, Texas in 1920. Ten siblings preceded him in death. His brothers were Edmond, Adolph, Robert, Richard and Fred. His sisters were Tillie Ganske, Dora Schlitzkus, Lydia Cooper, Gertrude Sims (George's twin) and Carolyn Kemp.
George worked at many jobs during his life, and mastered several crafts. Hard work was no stranger to him. He grew up on a farm in Ft. Bend County, Texas. As a young man, he worked for the Civilian Conservation Corps, planting trees and building roads in east Texas and in Oregon. He was a tractor driver in Wilmot, Ark., in the late 1930s and early 1940s, and it was there he met his future wife, Sally McKee. They were married April 16, 1940 in Parkdale, Ark. The couple would have celebrated their 73rd wedding anniversary in mid-April.
In April of 1943, George joined the U.S. Navy, and served on the USS McCalla, a destroyer, during World War II. He was in naval support of seven invasions in the South Pacific, and was in the last naval fleet battle of the war. He has three battle stars on his Pacific Campaign Medal. At war's end, he returned to his wife and son in Wilmot, and worked as a farmer, later becoming the owner of a dairy. Shortly after the family moved to Bastrop in 1952, George was hired by International Paper Company. He was in the pulp mill of the Louisiana Mill, where he worked his way up to Control Room Operator. He retired in 1982 after 28 years with the company, but his strong work ethic would not allow him to become sedentary. He promptly opened a lawnmower repair business, an enterprise he thoroughly enjoyed. As often as possible, he also worked in his son's pallet factory in Natchez, driving a tractor and forklift.
George was a member of Greenacres Baptist Church since the early 1950s. Some of his favorite pastimes were deep-sea fishing, gardening, tractor-driving, attending veterans' reunions, reading about and discussing current events and spending time with his family.
Visitation will take place at Golden Funeral Home of Bastrop from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. Friday, March 22, 2013. The funeral service will be held at Golden Funeral Home at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 23, 2013 with the Rev. Jerry Price officiating and Bro. Gerald Gates, soloist. Interment will follow at Memorial Park Cemetery of Bastrop. Pallbearers are Ryan Galler, John Brodnax, James Grice, Yancy May, Steve McKee and Wayne McKee. Honorary pallbearers are Bernard Blocker, Larry Holland, Roger May and Douglas Risinger.
Flowers are welcome, or should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to Greenacres Baptist Church of Bastrop, or to the charity of your choice.


text:
Ghanaian striker Waris Majeed is being linked with a move away from BK Hacken – but his coach wants him to join Arsenal rather than Chelsea.
Blues boss Roberto Di Matteo sent scouts to watch the player at the weekend, according to the Daily Mail, with the 21-year-old hitting a hat-trick against Syrianska. Representatives from Everton and FC Porto were also in attendance.
However, coach Peter Gerhardsson has revealed that he 'might say yes' if an offer is made from Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger.
"As a coach you always want to keep your players but sometimes you have to realise when the player is good enough (to leave). I just hope that in this case, he ends up in the best environment," Gerhardsson told Aftonbladet.se.
"If he's going to Arsenal, I might say yes. They do not have any forwards."
The website goes on to claim that Gerhardsson is a big fan of the Gunners, which would explain why he'd willing to let the 22-goal striker leave for the Emirates Stadium.
Chelsea might have other ideas however, if his performance in in-front of their watching delegates was anything to go by.
The Blues are light in attack following Didier Drogba's free transfer exit in the summer, with Fernando Torres and Daniel Sturridge currently the only senior attackers on the books at Stamford Bridge.
Radamel Falcao and Oscar Cardozo have both been linked with moves to west London in recent weeks, and the addition of either South American would certainly be well-received by the Chelsea fans.
However, Majeed has come to the attention of the Blues, and the pursuit of his signature could no longer be classed as a surprise.
Do YOU want to write for GiveMeSport? Get started today by signing-up and submitting an article HERE: https://www.givemesport.com/writeforgms


text:
Ridgid 52490 20 oz. Ripping Claw Hammer
20 oz. Ripping Claw Hammer
RIDGID hammers feature high-quality steel heads. Individual sections are tempered steel for strength, hardness and resiliency. Wood handles are select grain burnished hickory. Claw hammers feature impact-resistant fiberglass handles with no-slip cushion grip.
PlumbersCrib - Home to Ridgid Tools Online
- Part #: 52490
- Category: General Purpose Hand Tools
- Brand: Ridgid
- Weight: 1.6200
- Ridgid Tool Type: Hammers


text: CNN's Black Tech Entrepreneurs: Black in America Four, Ignores History~ Silicon Valley should be called Latimer Valley, or Carbon Valley in honor of The African American Inventors Lewis Howard Latimer and Otis Boykin. Silicon is the material used in high tech semi-conductive components such as the L.E.D., the computer chip (I.C.) and the transistor. Silicon semi-conductors are the direct result of the evolution of the carbon filament. Latimer during the invention of "Thomas Edison's" light bulb patented the Carbon Filament which was used to control the flow of current which allowed the bulb to glow and emit light. Latimer was also instrumental in the development of the Telephone. Alexander Graham Bell, seeking a device to aid his deaf mother and wife sought Latimer's assistance. In 1906 the Vaccum tube, a second generation or modified Light Bulb was used by Bell Labs in the advancement of the telephone. In the 1950's with the use of Silicon, the Vacuum Tube quickly evolved into today's modern components the transistor, the L.e.d. and the computer chip . Finally in 1959 , Otis Boykin, an engineer entrepreneur and HBCU graduate invented and patented the resistor. Like Latimer's carbon filament in the light bulb, Boykin used carbon in his resistor to regulate the flow of current. CNN along with Silicon Valley should pay tribute to these legendary inventors , Lewis Howard Latimer and Otis Boykin for their contributions. For no one can dispute the fact that every electronic consumer product created in Silicon Valley depends on the principals of controlling current, initially, solely with the use of carbon and today we also use silicon, thus we now have Silicon Valley. — Uploaded from the Photobucket iPhone App


text:
Ian Millard 'Organic Tomato' Gold + Silver Print Available
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Here are two AWESOME stencil prints from artist Ian Millard. These prints are available through NoiseKing in Japan. These are both called 'Organic Tomato Soup' one comes with a silver top and silver drips and the other comes with gold top and gold drips. These are 10 layer hand cut 30 x 40 inch stencil prints on Stonehenge paper stock with an edition size of 15, they come signed and numbered by the artist for around $200 each. These prints are on a mini Japanese tour during November + Decemeber, you can see them in Miyazaki, Ehime + Aichi.
Check it out HERE
Admin | Post a Comment | tagged gold, ian millard, japan, louis vuitton, lv, noise king, organic tomato soup, silver, soup cans, stencil, www.iansprints.com, www.noiseking.com in Posters + Prints, Stencil


text:
About LED Light Sets
© 2018 Ace Hardware Corporation. Ace Hardware and the Ace Hardware logo are registered trademarks of Ace Hardware Corporation.
All rights reserved. Privacy Policy Interest-Based Advertising Terms and Conditions
Transform your home into a winter wonderland this season with festive LED Christmas lights. Our wide variety of energy efficient LED string lights include multi-color options, classic red and green, and even white transparent faceted options to match your holiday theme. Shop Ace Hardware to find the perfect LED lights for Christmas, including durable lights for inside and outside your home.
Indoor LED Christmas Lights
Indoor Christmas lights are essential to celebrating in style. Shop Ace to find festive LED Christmas lights to make every room merry and bright.
Helpful Hint: Shop for classic C9-size LED light sets for your Christmas tree. These are an ideal size for most trees, and they provide optimal brightness inside your home. Find C9 sets in white and multi-color options to match your holiday theme.
Outdoor Holiday LED Lights
Outdoor décor helps show off your holiday spirit to guests and neighbors. Shop Ace to find LED lights that will stand up to cold temperatures and make your home a must-see in the neighborhood.
Make your home look magical this season with LED holiday lights from Ace. Shop online or in-store to find your favorite LED light sets to decorate inside and outside your home.
To use this feature you must be signed-in to your account, please sign in now. If you do not have an account, please create an account to participate.
Ace Rewards is a free and rewarding membership program that lets you earn rewards with every purchase you make! Join now.


text:
Woody Flower Crown
$12.60 $14.00Ask a question
You will adore this Kitty Katrina Woody Flower Crown - somebody's poisoned the waterhole!
This crown features the colors of Woody's sheriff suit - yellow / red / brown, and includes the Kitty Katrina signature "LUV" and gold star beads at the ends (see images), as well as a soft, light brown tie band.
Wear this flower crown on your cosplay adventures, with a costume, to a theme park, to a festival or any occasion--it can accent any outfit perfectly and people will fall in LUV with your inspired look!
***Custom Letter Beads: You can customize / change your letter beads at the end of one of your crown tie bands ($1.00 extra). Instead of having the "LUV" beads--you can have one word of your choice! See "Crown Add Ons" option and make sure to specify the EXACT spelling of the word you would like added to the end of your tie band in the notes section during check-out. MAX letters than can be added are 15. We cannot be held responsible for spelling errors if you do not spell your word correctly in the notes section. We only offer alphabetic letters (no numbers nor Greek letters at this time). This Add On is ONLY for the letter beads and not decorative beads.***
Product Details: 1 Halo is included in this purchase. When wearing, the flowers can sit around your head as a hair accessory or around your favorite hat to add flair. The signature beading detail at the ends will be visible behind you once you tie the bands around your head/hat. The bands provide a secure and comfortable hold once tied. Each rose is roughly 1.75" in diameter.
View More of Our Inspired Crowns Here:
Shipping from United States
Processing time
5-7 business days
Estimated shipping times
- Canada : 5 - 7 business days
- North America : 5 - 7 business days
- Europe : 5 - 7 business days
I'll do my best to meet these shipping estimates, but can't guarantee them. Actual delivery time will depend on the shipping method you choose.
Customs and import taxes
Buyers are responsible for any customs and import taxes that may apply. I'm not responsible for delays due to customs.
Payment Options
Returns & Exchanges
I gladly accept cancellations
Request a cancellation within: 3 hours of purchase
I don't accept returns or exchanges
But please contact me if you have any problems with your order.
Privacy policy
1. Information This Shop Collects
To fulfil your order, you must provide this Shop with certain information (which you authorized Etsy to provide to this Shop), such as your name, email address, postal address, payment information, and the details of the product that you're ordering.
You may also choose to provide this Shop with additional personal information (for a custom order, for example), if you contact this Shop directly.
2. Why This Shop Needs Your Information and How We Use It
This Shop relies on a number of legal bases to collect, use, and share your information, including:
--as needed to provide our services, such as when we use your information to fulfil your order, to settle disputes, or to provide customer support;
--when you have provided your affirmative consent, which you may revoke at any time, such as by signing up for our mailing list;
--if necessary to comply with a legal obligation or court order or in connection with a legal claim, such as retaining information about your purchases if required by tax law; and
--as necessary for the purpose of this Shop's legitimate interests, if those legitimate interests are not overridden by your rights or interests, such as:
1) providing and improving our services. This Shop may use your information to provide the services you requested and in our legitimate interest to improve our services; and
2) compliance with the Etsy Seller Policy and Terms of Use. This Shop uses your information as necessary to comply with our obligations under the Etsy Seller Policy and Terms of Use.
3. Information Sharing and Disclosure
Information about our customers is important to our business. This Shop shares your personal information for very limited reasons and in limited circumstances, as follows:
--Etsy. This Shop shares information with Etsy as necessary to provide you our services and comply with our obligations under both the Etsy Seller Policy and Etsy Terms of Use.
--Service providers. This Shop engages certain trusted third parties to perform functions and provide services to this Shop, such as delivery companies. This Shop will share your personal information with these third parties, but only to the extent necessary to perform these services.
--Business transfers. If this Shop sells or merges business, we may disclose your information as part of that transaction, only to the extent permitted by law.
--Compliance with laws. This Shop may collect, use, retain, and share your information if we have a good faith belief that it is reasonably necessary to:
(a) respond to legal process or to government requests;
(b) enforce our agreements, terms and policies;
(c) prevent, investigate, and address fraud and other illegal activity, security, or technical issues; or
(d) protect the rights, property, and safety of our customers, or others.
4. Data Retention
This Shop retains your personal information only for as long as necessary to provide you with our services and as described in our Privacy Policy.
However, this Shop may also be required to retain this information to comply with our legal and regulatory obligations, to resolve disputes, and to enforce our agreements. This Shop generally keeps your data for the following time period: 4 years.
5. Transfers of Personal Information Outside the EU
This Shop is based in the United States and therefore, may store and process your information through third-party hosting services in the U.S. and other jurisdictions.
As a result, this Shop may transfer your personal information to a jurisdiction with different data protection and government surveillance laws than your jurisdiction.
If this Shop is deemed to transfer information about you outside of the EU, we rely on Privacy Shield as the legal basis for the transfer, as Google Cloud is Privacy Shield certified.
6. Your Rights
If you reside in certain territories, including the EU, you have a number of rights in relation to your personal information. While some of these rights apply generally, certain rights apply only in certain limited cases. We describe these rights below:
--Access. You may have the right to access and receive a copy of the personal information this Shop holds about you by contacting us using the contact information below.
--Change, Restrict, Delete. You may also have rights to change, restrict our use of, or delete your personal information. Absent exceptional circumstances (like where this Shop is required to store data for legal reasons) we will generally delete your personal information upon request.
--Object. You can object to (i) this Shop processing of some of your information based on our legitimate interests and (ii) receiving marketing messages from this Shop after providing your express consent to receive them. In such cases, this Shop will delete your personal information unless we have compelling and legitimate grounds to continue using that information or if it is needed for legal reasons.
--Complain. If you reside in the EU and wish to raise a concern about this Shop's use of your information (and without prejudice to any other rights you may have), you have the right to do so with your local data protection authority.
7. How to Contact Me
For purposes of EU data protection law, I, Kathleen Barrett, am the data controller of your personal information. If you have any questions or concerns, you may contact me at:
ShopKittyKatrina @ gmail . com
Alternately, you may mail us at:
KittyKatrina.com, PO Box 370521, Las Vegas, NV 89137
Frequently Asked Questions
Sizing details
Kitty Katrina accessories that use tie bands can fit most head sizes since you can adjust the tie bands to a specific head size / shape. Our traditional headbands fit most head sizes.
Please keep in mind that headband sizing / comfort / appearance is SUBJECTIVE and in the end, it is impossible for us to know if any of our tie bands / headbands will fit and be considered "comfortable / stylish" for any head shape / size.
All we can say on the subject of comfort / appearance is that our staff and designer wear her creations regularly and find them extremely comfortable / stylish from our perspective.
Our items are NOT designed for babies, infants, toddlers nor pets as they contain small decorations that could be a choking hazard.
Custom and personalized orders
What makes our Shop unique is that ALL of our items are made-to-order / customized to the buyer's specifications.
Therefore, it is very important to read our Item Descriptions (found below Item Display Images) because they will tell you how to let us know what types of customizations you want on your accessory.
Failure to provide what we request in Item Descriptions will cause orders to be delayed / canceled.
Contact us for any additional customizations BEFORE purchasing - we are happy to offer suggestions / pricing.
We will not choose design elements for your custom hair accessory on your behalf - buyers must approve all customizations where necessary in writing.
Care instructions
Care Instructions are included with shipments.
As with anything, you must treat your item(s) gently if you would like it to last. We are not responsible if you / someone mistreats your item(s) and it breaks, this includes, but is not limited to: yanking on the flowers, applying unnecessary force to LEDs lights, removing the beads, forcefully pulling on the tie strap, etc.
We cannot be held responsible for issues that may occur with your item months / years after receiving it, or if you "wear your item to death." General wear is inevitable with any product you put on your body and just like wearing a piece of clothing 10 times causes it to appear "worn" - this is NORMAL and the same concept applies to our items.
Gift wrapping and packaging
We beautifully wrap / package all items carefully for safe transportation through the USPS. We photograph all accessories and take video footage of ALL LED Light Crowns as proof that all items are mailed in beautiful / working condition.
Shipping fees are rendered to the USPS for their services, therefore, we are not responsible if your item is stolen or lost / damaged by the USPS - the USPS is responsible for the successful transportation / delivery of your item(s).
U.S. Buyers: If you purchased USPS Priority / Express Shipping, you will receive up to $100 of insurance against loss / damage. If your item is lost / damaged and you purchased one of these two shipping methods, it is YOUR responsibility to file a claim with the USPS.
Item Descriptions / Item Display Images
Each flower / design element used is unique and because all designs are made-to-order and / or customized to the buyer's unique specifications, each accessory will vary slightly.
With that being stated - Item Descriptions / Display Images for each listing in our Shop are made as specific as possible considering that each item is made-to-order and / or customized.
While we always strive for perfection in Display Images, some colors / textures may appear slightly different on different devices / browsers used to view items.
Therefore, if you have any questions about Item Descriptions / Display Images - please send us a message BEFORE purchasing - we are happy to help!
All items are handmade in a smoke-free studio space.
We offer a 3 HOUR Cancellation Policy. This means you can cancel your order and receive a FULL refund within 3 HOURS after your purchase is complete.
This policy is STRICTLY ENFORCED because all items are made-to-order and / or customized to the buyer's unique specifications.
This means that once any part of your item is designed, the supplies are permanently used to fulfill your unique order and cannot be used for anything else.
Returns / Exchanges
Because each item in our Shop is made-to-order / customized to the buyer's unique specifications - all items are FINAL SALE (NO returns nor exchanges are offered).
This policy is normal for any online merchant that specializes in made-to-order / custom items. We realize that this policy may not agree with all buyers, in which case we respect if you choose not to shop with us.
If items are returned to our Shop for any reason, they will be shipped back at the customer's expense OR a 20% or greater restocking fee will be imposed. Shipping fees are non-refundable.
Buyers are 100% responsible for reading Item Descriptions (found below Item Display Images), reviewing Shop Policies and asking any questions BEFORE purchasing.
United States Processing / Shipping
Because all items are handmade / made-to-order / customized, we have a Processing Period of 5-7 Business Days BEFORE items are shipped (excludes Weekends and U.S. Federal Holidays).
We offer FLAT RATE USPS First Class (Standard, 3-7 Business Days), Priority (2-5 Business Days) and Express (2-3 Business Days ) Shipping options during check-out.
Once an order has shipped, USPS tracking will be emailed to you.
We DO NOT guarantee nor have any control over USPS delivery dates - you will need to use the tracking number and follow-up with the USPS regarding delivery of your items.
USPS Priority and Express Shipping include up to $100 of insurance against loss / damage. If you need additional insurance, contact us prior to purchasing.
International Processing / Shipping
Because all items are handmade / made-to-order / customized, we have a Processing Period of 5-7 Business Days BEFORE items are shipped (excludes Weekends and U.S. Federal Holidays).
We offer FLAT RATE USPS First Class (Standard, 2-4 Weeks), Priority (6-10 Business Days) and Express (3-5 Business Days) Shipping options during check-out.
Customs processing can be unpredictable - expect up to 6 weeks or longer for orders to arrive. We DO NOT control customs and cannot guarantee arrival dates of shipments.
Once your order has shipped, tracking will be emailed to you. Insurance is not included.
Questions / Concerns / Feedback
If for any reason you have questions / concerns / feedback, PLEASE contact us privately.
We respond to messages Monday - Friday, 9am - 5pm Pacific Time.
Be mindful of our Processing Time before items ship.
We photograph all accessories and take video footage of ALL LED Light Crowns, so we have proof that all items are shipped in beautiful / working condition.
Abuse of feedback will not be tolerated and will be reported to Etsy immediately, which includes threatening Shops with negative feedback to extort exchanges / refunds.
All items within our shop are 100% original designs / parodies / fair use or transformative works. Our products are not sponsored, endorsed by, or affiliated with any companies.


text: I'm an extreme horror fanatic who I grew up watching the Twilight Zone and corny horror movies. Who needs "Saw" when you have "Attack Of The Man-Eating Spiders!" (including sequels 2-800)?! Over time, being exposed to such "gruesome" horrors such as "Night Of The Living Dead", I eventually became desensitized to all things creepy and spooky. How then did I react to an adventure horror game on the comforts of my iPhone? Well, Hysteria Project has exceeded my expectations and brings a unique experience that is quite enjoyable.


text:
Upward Continuation and Reduction to Pole Process on Aeromagnetic Data of Ibadan Area, South-Western Nigeria
A magnetic survey of Ibadan area in the South-Western part of Nigeria was performed as part of the largest airborne geophysical survey blocks flown between 2003 and 2010 by the Nigeria Geological Survey Agency. Two magnetic data enhancement procedures were employed to determine their effectiveness in characterizing the study area. The upward continuation together with reduction to Pole technique significantly improve the interpretation of magnetic data in terms of discriminating between shallow and deep magnetic sources within the study area.
Full Text:PDF
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5539/esr.v2n1p66
Earth Science Research ISSN 1927-0542 (Print) ISSN 1927-0550 (Online)
Copyright © Canadian Center of Science and Education
To make sure that you can receive messages from us, please add the 'ccsenet.org' domain to your e-mail 'safe list'. If you do not receive e-mail in your 'inbox', check your 'bulk mail' or 'junk mail' folders.


text:
Less than two months into his job as Premier, Mike Baird has rolled the dice on his political future and that of the government. Despite its boosters in the business community and the media, the proposed sale of the state's electricity poles and wires remains deeply unpopular in the electorate.
As a Fairfax/Nielsen poll revealed in March, tying the proceeds to building new infrastructure makes it more palatable, but only marginally so.
It showed 74 per cent are opposed to the sale of the poles and wires, including 67 per cent of Coalition voters.
When those opposed were asked for their view if the proceeds were to be spent on infrastructure, the figures were 47 per cent in favour and 45 per cent against.
Acceding to the Nationals' demand that Essential Energy - which services regional and rural areas - be retained in public hands will presumably help those numbers as the party's MPs can argue they have protected local jobs.
But Baird knows what he is doing is a risk, with the potential to either cement the state government's long-term future or cut it dramatically short. It is a remarkable turnaround in the hyper-cautious approach the government has been known for during its first three years in power.
What has prompted the new attitude? If you believe Baird, it's because he believes it's the right thing to do by the state. The Premier opened the media conference by declaring he came into politics - from a career in merchant banking - ''to make a difference''.
There are probably other reasons, though, not the least of which is the electoral challenge that is the Independent Commission Against Corruption's inquiries into Liberal party fund-raising, former minister Chris Hartcher and other ex-government MPs. Baird's announcement has ensured electricity privatisation, not corruption, will be the battleground on which next year's poll is predominantly fought.
But it's an enormous gamble. However it turns out, the announcement ensures that, like a couple of his predecessors, electricity privatisation is the policy that is likely to define the Baird premiership.


text:
Larkin Records December 19, 2012Posted by Oireachtas Retort in Uncategorized.
Department of Justice have released correspondence that took place between the British Consulate General in the US, Downing Street, and the Free State in the run-up to Larkin's release in 1923.
Journal.ie has more
- 1. John Cunningham - December 19, 2012
Interesting coincidence that the alert in relation to Larkin's imminent arrival was sent to Tim Healy. He received the letter as Governor General of the Free State, but ten years earlier, Healy had represented the Dublin Employers at the Askwith Inquiry (into the Dublin Lockout). He was a long-time associate of employers' leader William Martin Murphy and (pace Frank Callanan's biography) an all-round nasty piece of work.
- doctorfive - December 19, 2012
Interesting. Certainly highlights who took over after the switch.
- 2. eamonncork - December 19, 2012
Healy was a pretty awful character in many ways. He did, however, act for the family of Thomas Ashe after Ashe died on hunger strike in 1917 and on behalf of those interned in Frongoch after the Rising.
- 3. Jim Monaghan - December 19, 2012
FF used to walk out of receptions when Healy appeared (Then Governor General.) according to Andrews.


text:
John Wall led six Washington players in double figures with 21 points, as the Wizards earned a rare victory over the New York Knicks with a 106-96 decision on Wednesday at Verizon Center.
Wall added nine assists and five rebounds, while Trevor Ariza knocked down five 3-pointers en route to a season-high 20 points off the bench for the Wizards, who had lost their last 10 meetings with the Knicks.
"We're just competing," Wall said of beating another top team. "We're competing against every team we play against, no matter who it is. We know those types of teams are capable of knocking you out pretty early, but we just keep fighting."
Martell Webster added 19 points, Nene donated 13 points and 10 rebounds, and Emeka Okafor and Chris Singleton scored 12 and 10 points, respectively, in Washington's second consecutive victory.
Carmelo Anthony poured in a game-high 31 points to go with nine rebounds, while Amare Stoudemire netted 19 points off the bench for the Knicks, who had their five-game winning streak snapped.
"We were just there thinking we were going to show up and come out of here with a win, and it just didn't happen," Knicks coach Mike Woodson said. "It was awful across the boards, starting at the top with me. We've got to be better."
Washington trailed, 73-70, after three frames before Ariza opened the fourth with a four-point play to take the lead and spark a 15-4 surge that Singleton capped with a 3-pointer to provide the Wizards with an 85-77 edge.
New York was able to trim the margin to five on four different occasions over the final six minutes, but the Knicks failed to register a field goal over the final three minutes of the contest, allowing the Wizards to hang on for the victory.
Early on, Washington knocked down its first seven shots of the game and finished the first half a scorching 52.6 percent (20-for-38) from the field to take a 51-48 advantage after 24 minutes.
Tyson Chandler opened the second half with a layup to bring New York within one, but Washington answered with a 10-2 spurt to build a 61-52 cushion just under 5 1/2 minutes into the third.
A stepback jumper from J.R. Smith at the other end gave the Knicks their first field goal in over five minutes and sparked a 21-7 run that Anthony capped with a fastbreak layup to provide the Knicks with a 73-68 lead with 1:09 remaining in the quarter.
Wall's tip-in with under five seconds left brought the Wizards within 73-70 heading into the fourth.
Game Notes
Chandler, who had recorded 20-plus rebounds in each of New York's last three games, finished with eight points and 13 boards ... Washington's last win over the Knicks came on Jan. 30, 2010 in Washington by the same score ... Washington shot 53.2 percent (42-for-79) from the field, while New York shot 40.5 percent (34-for-84) from the floor ... Washington guard Bradley Beal missed his fifth straight game with a sprained right wrist.


text:
- Lotus news
Lotus expecting 'tight scrap' with Ferrari and Mercedes
Lotus trackside operations director Alan Permane expects a "tight scrap with both Ferrari and Mercedes" during the remainder of this season.
The Singapore Grand Prix saw Sebastian Vettel take a dominant victory but Romain Grosjean looked on course for a second or third place finish before being forced to retire, with Kimi Raikkonen eventually completing the podium behind Fernando Alonso. Permane praised the performances of both drivers in the last race and says he expects Ferrari and Mercedes to remain close rivals for Lotus for the rest of the season.
"Both drivers did us proud in Singapore," Permane said. "Romain delivered fantastically well in both qualifying and the race despite his limited track time, whilst Kimi overcame his back pain to score an impressive podium finish.
"Like us, most teams will have now switched their development focus to 2014 so we wouldn't expect a dramatic change to the relative performance of each outfit between now and the end of the season. That leaves us in a tight scrap with both Ferrari and Mercedes, and with both our guys performing at this level - coupled with the potential from the car at the coming tracks - we should have a good end to the season in prospect."
Permane also feels the track characteristics in Korea will suit Lotus in next weekend's race.
"There's a nice long straight benefitting the DRS effect, meaning there's a good chance to see overtaking in the race. The layout has a mix of different sections but they flow together well. We see some decent straights in the first section followed by a few interesting corners - some high speed - in the second section, before moving into an almost street-circuit feel through the final part of the track with its stop-start nature and close proximity walls. Although there are good long straights, the number of high and medium speed corners mean you have to run with a reasonable level of downforce which should certainly be beneficial for us."


text:
The Peep Hole
The Peep Hole is a sex shop located in Hove Beach, Broker in Liberty City. The store is used in the mission "Do You Have Protection?", in which the owner, Joseph Kaplan, owes money to Mikhail Faustin.
The shop is owned by Joseph Kaplan. It is the primary location for the mission "Do You Have Protection?". The shop sells adult videos and other merchandise, but has a large back room for viewing the products.
The interior of the shop is very small. Outside, there is only a door to a cramped set of stairs. At the bottom is a small room mostly taken up by a large desk. The desk has a till and a computer, and behind it is where the cashier sits. Opposite the desk is a couple of bookshelves containing adult magazines. The walls are covered in posters.
Beside the desk is a door to the back room. The back room is larger and, for the most part, empty; containing only a table and two couches that sit opposite a small television.


text:
RALEIGH, NC – North Carolina Gov. Pat McCrory has signed into law tougher regulations on abortion clinics that supporters say will enhance safety and opponents contend will force most to close.
McCrory said Monday the law he signed doesn't limit access to abortion clinics.
The law directs the Republican governor's Department of Health and Human Services to regulate abortion clinics using the same standards as those for outpatient surgical centers.
Opponents say that would effectively close most of the state's 16 abortion clinics since only one now meets those standards. A state regulatory official says an ambulatory surgical center costs about $1 million more to build than an abortion clinic and it's unclear how much it would cost existing clinics to convert to higher standards.


text:
A suspect, who allegedly spray-painted graffiti, which "references to the Newtown shootings and anti-Obama comments," on the South Windsor High School has confessed to the crime and an arrest is pending, police said.
South Windsor Human Relations Commission Chairman Charles Margolis called the discovery "disturbing and disappointing," which included swastikas as well as the words "Colorado" and "Newtown" on school doors and gym walls.
"There is no place for this kind of behavior in our town. The acts of a few misguided individuals do not represent the attitudes or actions of the majority of our community members," Margolis said in a statement. "Nonetheless, it does reflect poorly on our town."
Police said there was a school-sponsored dance Thursday night, so investigators believe the building was spray-painted sometime between 11 p.m. and 1 a.m.
"I think it was designed where people would see it," said South Windsor Police Sgt. Scott Custer.
Police said they are treating this incident as a hate crime, mainly because of the discovery of swastikas.
School custodians removed the graffiti sometime Friday morning before the annual Easter egg hunt.
"Having references to that brought about the pain and difficulty," said Dr. Saud Anwar, who is a town councilor.
There was no school Friday, police said.
The South Windsor Police Department is trying to determine who is responsible for the graffiti.
"We've seen this in the past," Custer said. "It only takes a mere matter of minutes to create a lot of damage."
The South Windsor Police Department is still investigating the incident, but police are expected to make an arrest in the near future.
Police said the suspect has no connection the high school and is not "school-aged."
But even now, after it's all been washed away, parents still wonder why someone would use a hometown tragedy to spark fear and pain in their backyard.
"I hope that the families down there can really get some peace and I hope that people can just be more aware of what's good for people out there," said parent Nicole Strickland.
Anyone with any information is asked to call police at 860-644-2551.
For the orginal story, click the following link from the South Windsor Patch.
Copyright 2013 WFSB (Meredith Corporation). All rights reserved.
Online Public File
All content © 2018, WGGB/WSHM; Springfield, MA. (A Meredith Corporation Station) . All Rights Reserved.
For more information on this site, please read our Privacy Policy, and Terms of Service, and Ad Choices.