text:
The six properties of design problems
This was an engaging chapter and really made me think about computer-based design and all types of design for that matter in a new light. Let me list the six properties of design problems out as John M. Carroll has them on page 22.
Incomplete description of the problem to be addressed
Lack of guidance on possible design moves
The design goal or solution state cannot be known in advance
Trade-offs among many interdependent elements
Reliance on a diversity of knowledge and skills
Wide-ranging impacts on human activity
What I like about this list is that at first glance, most of them don't seem to be negative points and the rest seem to be facts of life. But the first point is especially surprising. How often is a design rendered (no matter what the format) without clearly exploring the problem fully. Carroll's analogy of the house shows how piecemealing problems is not a good way to an effective design. If you look at the house in terms of foundation, supports, and a roof, a bigger picture is present. But even these can be broken down further into water, cement, iron, wood, nails, shingles, more wood, etc. The result is that you might address the problem of users being able to search a database remotely, but since the problem is "solved" little attention is paid to the placement of the search, the construction of the database, or the navigation leading you to the search bar.
Carroll had another good example when talking about Dreyfuss and his approach to design. When looking to design a new typewriter, he spent a lot of time beforehand watching the people using the typewriters work. One of the things he discovered was that gue to the traditionally glossy black coating, the typewriters were reflecting a glare into the eyes of the workers from the overhead lights which would cause headaches. This touches a little on point six. The coating on a typewriter would have been put on it for aesthetic purposes. It did not serve any other purpose. But while it made for a better-looking typewriter, it did not make for a better tool.
Dreyfuss really is a good example of a good route to design. He began by discovering the problem. Perhaps problem can be a confusing word, maybe to say Dreyfuss always discovered the "Why" he should design and gained a thorough knowledge of the product from the point of view of the person who would be using it.
Yet often, designers who are not provided with a clear description of the problem that their design is going to address assume free creative reign over the planning of the project. I think that in a lot of ways, designer has come to be almost synonymous with artist. In fact, when dealing with IWSS to work on the Web site, I have frequently said, "I know you guys are the designers and do this every day, so you know better than me." Thinking about this, it is really untrue.
They do not know better than me. I do not necessarily know better than them, but I do have a better understanding of my project than they do. Are they to be blamed for taking control of the project? Of course not. All too often we expect designers to be master planners as well as artists. In reality, they probably are busy focusing on the design itself and do not have the needed time to go out and search for the real problems. They rely on the clients initiating the project to discover, identify, and be on the constant look out for problems that will occur as the design trade-offs are happening.
One of the hard points to accept was that reliance on diversity and skills can be a bad thing…especially when we are always told otherwise. However, Carroll equates this to too many people in the kitchen. Good ideas will spawn from mass collaboration, but rather than being fully developed, they can be swallowed up in the constantly emerging good ideas. It seems like it is best to collaborate in moderation.
So really, these artists of today shouldn't have a vision for the project until they know why they even have a project to do. Then again, perhaps the clients should be aware of the problems that are supposed to be addressed with a new design before they bring their project to the desgners.
Carroll concludes the chapter by telling us that the examples of the projects he used employ situations or scenarios that sought to remedy certain problems, but this is not scenario based design at its best. He promises that true scenario-based design can happen on purpose and not as a side product of discussion. Perhaps proper use of scenario based design can avoid these six frequent flaws in the design process.
Politics of Interface: Power and its Electronic Contact Zones
Authors Selfe and Selfe present a position that computers in the classroom can be a type of inadvertent discrimination against certain groups of students. Underprivileged students who do not have computers often experience them differently than those who have grown up with them. Selfe offers ways in which the use of computers can discriminate historically, discursively, and from a feminist point of view. However, I thought that the authors brought up an interesting point in discussing capitalism and class privilege.
The authors talk about the metaphors often used in a system's desktop interface. Elements such as files, folders, the recycle bin, and the fact that the desktop is in fact representative of a desktop is discriminatory against underrepresented groups who have grown outside of professional office elements which these metaphors serve. The authors suggest that there should be a variety of interface options so that various groups have an interface that is relative to their own class situation.
I understand where the authors are coming from on this, but I think that they are suggesting something that will not work. Suppose there is a workbench option available as a desktop interface (though I know that some desktop themes reminiscent of this can be downloaded) readily available with the computer. It is simple to customize the overall look of the desktop through the use of a wallpaper or screen saver. Even Gmail and Yahoo! accounts can be customized to an extent. However, the metaphors that have been established are used in more than the "look" of our desktop interface. Programming relies on such metaphors to explain processes and link files. If we were to go with the work bench metaphor and call "folders" "project shelves" and "files" "projects" a whole new method of instruction for higher computer processes must be developed along with those new metaphors. In essence, a lower grade of programming an computer use is created. And isn't it discriminatory to identify a group by selling them the "Workbench" version of Windows? It almost implies that they are incapable of being comfortable in an environment based on professional office metaphor. This kind of implication would further widen the knowledge gap that the authors are exposing.
I think that basing the computer experience in multiple languages is the first major step towards eliminating this barrier. Customization of interfaces is an ineffective idea because it will only serve to identify those who are brought up outside of the metaphor and alienate them from that metaphor.
In a book on Web standards, it was inevitable that the focus would eventually fall upon accessibility for the Web. Zeldman presents figures and support for why accessibility is important. However, in all of the books I have read so far that talk about this subject, I think in every case it is the easiest sells. Besides complying with the law, designing with standards for accessibility is a good way to promote good will amongst customers and not alienate a base of users who are disabled in some way.
I think that one of the main points of why people do avoid adhering to accessibility standards was neglected by Zeldman: Simply, the average person may assume that someone who is blind, hard of hearing, or impaired in some other way will not use the Internet and thus there is little need to accommodate the few who might try. On the contrary, tools such as screen readers and alternate CSS coding can allow someone who is hard of hearing, blind, or color blind enjoy almost the same user experience as others.
This chapter served as a reminder that these audiences should not be neglected. Zeldman outlines several ways that they can be accommodated without designing an alternative version of the site. Chapter 14 for more detailed references.
vs. and
I thought Zeldman provided an interesting history of tags for Quicktime and Flash in chapter 13. It also serves as an example on how when people refuse to accept standards that are created for the good of the Web, the standards must evolve before they become the problem. The W3C wanted the <object> tag to become the standard for adding images and video type objects into Web sites. This would allow of course for one tag to encompass most situations. However, those still clinging to old HTML went with <image> instead of <object>. When the video formats emerged for Web sites, since the <image> tag would not encompass these videos and allow them to function properly, the <embed> tag has been created and implemented.
We can see the <embed> tag as popular in networking sites such as Facebook, MySpace, and other popular HTML sites. Even to those with little programming knowledge, it is common knowledge that looking for the <embed> code and adding it to an appropriate section of a page will place the video. The result of the popularity of these tags was that some browsers had trouble recognizing the <object> tag at all. Despite W3C's attempts to block the alternative tags by excluding them from the lists of tags published, they still held their ground.
What W3C ultimately did to react to the situation impressed me. Seeing that their standard, while it would arguably have eased the placement of video files and images on Web pages, was causing trouble due to lack of acceptance, they added the <embed> and <image> tags as options within standards. I imagine that the committee is still pressing and hoping that <object> will one day be accepted as the norm, but in bending to fit a temporarily unwinnable situation, they retain their credibility as the go-to source for Web standards. Can you imagine what it would have done to their credibility if they continued to stubbornly stick by a standard for such common code that didn't work?
Zeldman further elaborates on work-arounds by not damning them, but acknowledging them as necessary since all browsers and all Web sites are not created perfectly.
Still alive
I wanted to make quick post so that my readers (likely only Dr. Kalmbach) know I have been moving steadily through Zeldman. However, the nature of the book as far as tagging goes and design standards does not seem largely debatable, so posting content is scarce. I will say that Zeldman made a compelling argument for the use of XML over HTML. In a lot of ways it made me think of the standards I use for editing publications at work for print. There are a lot of ways they could be edited, but having one established style allows for greater consistency. Likewise one of the perks of the style is the tagging, whether to close them, open them, or specify document type before beginning a document.
I may revisit the sections on CSS once I begin my design of my own Web site. I have increased confidence in O'Reilly though as Zeldman also acknowledges him in his book as one of the best sources for CSS design and strategy. I will wrap up the book and proceed to the article recommended during our last session. Hopefully I will be able to post some other thoughts on Zeldman before the conclusion of the book.
Web standards
So far Zeldman makes a strong argument for accessibility. I am referring to accessibility to those who do not have the latest computer and those who are considered disabled. He had a good example on pages 53-55 of how a Web page might read to someone with limited capabilities viewing the page in HTML. Each example for a varied standards situation presents text muddled with tags and coding. Where Zeldman advocates that the <h1> tag should be an indicator of an important headline, many use it to encode a particular typeface, size, or style. This in turn has negative consequences on the text.
It would seem in fact that the best way to create a Web page would be to focus on the three elements: structure, presentation, and behavior, and to use specific programming languages for the various aspects. For example CSS1 and CSS2 is ideal for presentation because it is easily altered as visual design while the actual structure of page elements might be best represented with HTML, XHTML, or XML.
Despite strides people like Zeldman have made in implementing Web standards, design programs and assistance in operating becoming readily available to the consumer inhibits design standards from being observed in smaller sites. This stems from the lack of user/consumer friendly language for the standards themselves.
Fortunately for us, the major companies such as IE, Mozilla, and Microsoft have adopted the WaSP standards of=ver the past few years and this allows most Web sites to still operate. In fact, I have to think consciously to remember the days when particular pages would work only in specific browsers. However, with the constant evolution of design progarms and language, perhaps another mini era could emerge again when browsers must play catch-up on the standards that need to be implemented to create a smooth experience for users.
I haven't had many comments regarding the last portion of the book. Sections have included topics such as building an IA team, making the case for IA, and centralization of IA for enterprises. My thoughts have all been in agreement as I have not encountered opportunities to build a specific IA team. The logic behind the IA "dreamteam" makes a fair amount of sense. What has struck me as odd is a brief comment that has occurred in making the case and centralization.
The authors seem to insist that building an IA for a large Web site should happen over almost a year…that's great, and all, but I wonder how they would react to the way things are done on Earth. I wholeheartedly believe that the fastest way to kill a case for the need for an information architect would be to say that not only does the company to hire another set of employees or a consulting firm, but it will have to hire the group for over a year before the product they wanted is produced. Ideally it would be great, and after reading the book, I see the benefit to taking a significant amount of time to carefully plan the structure of a site. However, I believe that this timeline is an impossible sell.
Also, the authors don't address the fact that in a year's time, the entire structure of the company itself can dramatically change. An architecture that has been in the planning stage for six months could become total garbage with a single board meeting reorganizing the company, introducing a new product line, or discontinuing major services. All realistic possibilities.
Anyway, I suppose this surprised me more than it should have because the authors have regularly acknowledged that it is a tough sell, especially for ROI thinkers, but would also seem that way to "gut thinkers." Unfortunately, most companies are only going to try to build a new site when theirs is horrendously out-of-date. When the decision is finally made to redesign, the last thing people will want to do is wait a year before they can have their finished product.
- Crossing the Digital Divide
- Mouse pad rhetoric
- Sarah Palin rhetoric
- Chapter 9 Postmodernism, Indie Media, and Popular Culture
- Convergence Culture
- Digitizing Race and the Matrix
- Modules in video games
- Weather channel
- Figure/ground, framing, and grids
- Grids, layers, hierarchy, transparency, modularity, patterns
- Readings on disability
- Rhetoric of Walls
- December 2009 (1)
- November 2009 (10)
- October 2009 (14)
- September 2009 (12)
- August 2009 (5)
- March 2009 (7)
- February 2009 (7)
- January 2009 (9)
RSSEntries RSS
Comments RSS


text:
Excellence and sophistication and transparency, the most important titles which culminated in the new collection of wedding dresses Brunoveas 2015; where Brunoveas contained the last group on the stunning designs for the modern bride loves fashion, and you want a bold views on her wedding day.
Brunoveas set for wedding dresses in 2015, bore the name "Brunoveas Dream Factory" They are already a dream come true for many brides from all over the world.
Marked "Brunoveas Dream Factory" stunning set designs for a dreamy wedding dresses decorated with lace flowers, in addition to wedding dresses made of two pieces, where the upper Tnasagt pieces with a wonderful long skirts.
So do not be afraid to try to choose one of the beautiful Aroessna vibrant feminine designs to adorn your wedding day Atalaltk.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The energy definitely picked up another level once free the robots came on, we'd seen him once before and i was impressed, he's like another flying lotus stylistically, and apparently he had prepared something good that night, he really out did himself, someone to look out for. Then while were waiting for Daedelus to come on, I think he was late, so some of the other DJs were playing while we waited, then suddenly Daedelus cuts between me and M and everyone starts going crazy, i was expecting a pretty relaxed night, but i could not help from dancing most of the time, i'm pretty sure there was never a point when he was not mixing atleast two songs together, and his transitions were flawless. It was a pretty fast tempoed set like 140, with these awesome mixes creating this otherworldy beauty out of the mindblowing chaos of beats. He would essentially create like original songs with his mixing, like even creating build-ups with the way he was mixing in songs, how he was layering them, if you hear him you'll understand what i mean. Some of the highlights were hearing his mix of bullion and oizo (which you can hear in the accompanying mix) live as well as when he dropped M83's Slowly, that was epic. From what i can tell, he is amazing at what he does, playing tracks like they were notes on a piano, he had no headphones and was really rocking out stuff on this awesome device he has called a monome, apparantly he does things on the fly too, just wow. One of the must see shows out there. Really just an extraordinary DJ and Producer. People were flipping out. You can get a pretty good feel of what his set was like from this attached mix, you also get to see what daddy kev is like too, though its a bit different from what he plays live. Anyways, Daedelus is a must see show if he's coming by a place near you. enjoy the mix, you can get more at the low end theory site>>>
I'd Also like to add how much i enjoyed hearing Oizo dropped more than a few times that night, especially analog worms.
Mulatu Astatke - Yegelle Tezeta
J's Additions:
You want some Daedelus tracks? We've got some here and more importantly here
J's Additions:
You want some Daedelus tracks? We've got some here and more importantly here


text:
دانلود مقاله Rapid Decolorization and Bioremediation of a Disperse Dye in Textile Effluents by a New Isolate of Bacillus Sp
سال انتشار: ۱۳۸۲
محل انتشار: اولین سمینار تخصصی محیط زیست و رنگ
تعداد صفحات: ۱۷
A.Pourbabaee – Department of Biology, Faculty of Science
F.Najafi – Institue of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran
M.N.Sarbolouki – Insititute of Biochemistry and Biophysics, University of Tehran
F.Malekzadeh – Departman of Biology Faculty of Sciecne
Among the nwenty bacterial strains isolated from the effluent water of a textile mill in central Iran, one was able to decolorize Secrilene Black (Disperse Black) dye, (range : 10-100 mg/l), present in artificial or real effluents. Biolchemical characterization indicated that the strain is an aerobic strain of Bacillus sp. Studies via NMR and FT.IR and GC-MS showed that decolorization occurs by viable and active cells within 30 min (cell biomass / dye: 5/1) without any need for extra carbon of nitrogen sources, whereas biodegradation takes place in 7 days. Studies showed that bioremediation occurs via a mechanism that is heretofore unreported , eg unaffected by inhibitors like menadione, sodium azide,di-nitrophenol and jodosobenzoic acid, products of biodegradation are non-toxic against the PS bacteria, juman cells and Phanerochate chrysosporium (PTCC 5130) . It is thus concluded that SP strain could be advantageously utilized for the treatment of effluents containing Serilene Black dye.


text:
I am actress, still trying to make my foothold strong in Bollywood. I had made a debut in Bollywood in 2004 but that went unnoticed and I moved on to south industry.
Play this game
No Members yet
Tyaag Patra (1979)Lyrics
List of Shivshankar Vashisth movies
Jagdish Raj
Vidya Sinha
Satyen Kappu
Copyright 2010-2013: Gomolo. All Rights reserved. | Terms | Privacy


text:
Today is Veterans Day.
For a list of what's open and closed in Broward County, click here.
For a list of what's open and closed in Palm Beach County, click here.
These Veterans Day events to mark the day are being held throughout Broward County:
Coral Springs
Ceremony, 10:30 a.m. at Veterans Park, 8601 Royal Palm Blvd. Activities include speakers, 21-gun salute, wreath placing and flag raising. Call 954-345-2200.
Salute, 6 p.m. at Country Club of Coral Springs, 10800 W. Sample Road. Activities include musical performances. Call 954-344-1111.
Fort Lauderdale
Ceremony, 11 a.m. at Sandy Ninninger statue on the Riverwalk behind the Broward Center for the Performing Arts, 201 SW Fifth Ave. Barbecue follows service. Call 954-828-4755.
Hallandale Beach
Ceremony, 9 a.m. at Hallandale Cemetery, 801 NW Sixth Ave. Call 954-457-1340.
Reception, 10 a.m. at Cultural Community Center, 410 SE Third St. Call 954-457-1340.
Flag raising, 11 a.m. at Veterans Memorial, between City Hall and Cultural Community Center, 410 SE Third St. Call 954-457-1340.
Service, 11 a.m. at Hollywood Memorial Gardens Cemetery, 6301 Taft St. Activities include speakers, color guard and JROTC. Call 954-989-1550.
Lighthouse Point
Coffee and a Cut, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Masterpiece Barbershop, 3640-6 N. Federal Highway. Free coffee and haircut for veterans with military ID. Call 954-623-7204.
Ceremony, 10:30 a.m. at Veteran's Memorial Park, 7044 NW First St. Activities include color guard, national anthem, speaker, rifle salute and musical entertainment. Call 954-972-6458.


text:
Bid Information
Bid Alert No: 00000482362
Bid Title: CUSTOM FORAGE OPERATIONS AT THE MCNAY MEMORIAL RESEARCH FARM
Agency Bid No. Title: 63274
Received Date: 02/10/2016
Close Date: 02/22/2016
Purchase Type: Term: 03/01/2016 - 02/28/2017
Delivery Point: Iowa
Delivery Date: Not Stated
Special Notices: Bidder Preregistration
Specifications include, but are not limited to:Supply all equipment, labor, fuel, and supplies to complete custom operations at the Iowa State University McNay Memorial Research Farm, Chariton, IA. Machinery must be of acceptable size and design in the opinion of the Owner to accomplish operations in a reasonable and efficient time interval.
Bid Related DocumentsDownload Document
Product Code: 94400
Agency Information
Issuing Agency: Iowa State University
State: Iowa
Agency Type: State and Local
Contact: Lucas Schau 1340 Administrative Services Building, 2221 Wanda Daley Drive, Ames, Iowa, 50011
Phone: 515-294-8853
Fax: 515-294-9606
Email: firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
when i look outside the window,
to the trees that stand silently,
and watch a blackbird singing to himself.
or when i walked alone,
across a snow field behind the school,
listening to my footsteps on the snow,
cold air caressing my face.
or when i lay sleeplessly at night,
eyes wide open while my mind wanders away,
beneath the warmth of my blanket,
and the comfort of my pillow,
a sudden realisation rushes in,
bounces around inside my head,
and lands gently upon my heart.
i cant help but blush then hide a smile,
wish u could hear when i whisper,
" i love u "
By : Unknown


text:
L'Oreal Paris Visible Lift Serum Absolute
Natural Buff #148 Makeup
Active: Octinoxate 1%. Inactive: Water, Isododecane, Cyclopentasiloxane, Glycerin, Cyclohexasiloxaine, Peg-10 Dimethicone, Methyl Methacrylate Crosspolymer, Butylene Glycol, Dimethicone Isoeicosane, Ascorbyl Glucoside (Vitamin C), Disterdimonium Hectorite, Cetyl Peg/Ppg-10/1 Dimethicone, Phenoxyethanol, Sodium Chloride, C9-15 Fluoralcohol Physphate, Polyglyceryl-4 Isostearate, Hexyl Laurate, Caprylyl Glycol, Soostearyl Neopentanoate, Alumina, Polyethylene Glycol, Methylparaben, Phenylethyl Resorcinol, Acetyl Trifluoromethylphenyl Valylglycine, Calciumpantithiinesulfonate, Hydroxypropyl Tetrahydropyranitriol, Pisum Sativum (Pea) Extract, Retinyl Palmitate (Pro-Retinol A*), Hydrolyzed Elastin, Silica Dimethyl Silylate, Polycaprolactone, Soluble Collagen, Sodium Hyalutoinate, May Contain: Titanium Dioxide, Iron Oxides, Mica *Cosmetic Ingredients.
Shake well before using. Apply before sun exposure. Dispense foundation onto sponge or fingertips as needed and rub onto face. Wash hands immediately after use.
Other Info
L'Oreal Paris
Safety Warnings
For external use only. Avoid contact with eyes. Discontinue use if signs of irritation or rash appear. Keep out of reach of children.


text:
CD Reviews: Wild and Crazy Martin Delivers Crazy-Good 'Crow'
'The Crow'
Steve Martin (Rounder)
As a banjo player, Steve Martin is not funny at all. He's darned good, as he shows in "The Crow," an album that features 14 songs he also wrote. It also has guests such as Dolly Parton, Earl Scruggs and Vince Gill, which is an obvious benefit. The album is filled with spirited picking such as "Pitkin County Turnaround," "Banana Banjo" and a short "Wally on the Run." It also has more laid-back efforts such as "Words Unspoken," which also features pretty fiddle work by Brittany Haas. Easily, the best song, though, is "Late for School," a song about a wild effort to get to school on time. Martin's presentation is perfect for this story of a sadly mistaken race to class. The title song, by the way, is a tune banjo great Bela Fleck helped to complete. Good to have that kind of help, eh?
-- Bob Karlovits
'Jazz in the Garden'
Stanley Clarke, Hiromi and Lenny White (Heads Up)
Ten years ago, an album of this nature would have been a high- powered foray into fusion. But bassist Stanley Clarke, pianist Hiromi and drummer Lenny White instead have made "Jazz in the Garden" a tribute to music wisdom. The material ranges from thoughtful originals such as "Paradigm Shift (Election Day 2008)" to creative versions of Miles Davis' "Solar" and Joe Henderson's "Isotope." The trio even does a slow and quiet version of "Someday My Prince Will Come" featuring tasteful work from Clarke and Hiromi. Meanwhile, the bassist and White do a crafty duet on Duke Ellington's "Take the Coltrane." The bassist is the standout on this album, not only because of his excellent play, but because he stays on acoustic bass the whole album. Hiromi, just coming out of her teens, shows skill and musical conception that belie her years on this surprisingly rich recording.
-- Bob Karlovits
'The Ecstatic'
Mos Def (Downtown)
His Geffen years were lame, and movies like "Be Kind Rewind" didn't make him much of an actor. What's so great about Mos Def? "The Ecstatic" is what. There have certainly been dynamic ripples of wonderment and experimentation to be had in the critically maligned likes of "The New Danger" (2004) and "True Magic" (2006). Yet there's been nothing to truly prove Def's 360 degrees of smugly socio-conscious thought and slice-n-dice verbal flow since 1999's "Black on Both Sides. …


text:
The LEGO Friends Lunch Box is a brightly decorated plastic lunch box that will delight any fans of the LEGO Friends series. The box features a lilac lid with a detailed image of the friends: Emma, Stephanie, Olivia, Andrea and Mia with the words 'Together we Succeed' and the LEGO Friends logo. The lid has an easy to open corner that sits on a roomy, purple box, suitable for packing with lots of goodies and snacks. Made from food safe, BPA free and phthalate free plastic that is dishwasher safe.
|Size / Fit:
|LEGO Theme:
If ordered before 9pm, delivered by courier next working day. Available on orders placed before 9pm (2pm weekends and Bank Holidays) for delivery next business day. Applies to most delivery addresses within mainland UK.
Please remember to add postal time (2-3 working days) to obtain a complete estimate of delivery to your door.
You will receive an email to confirm when your item has been sent.
You can also check the status of your order and individual items by accessing My Account details and following the prompts.
Please allow 10 working days from dispatch of your order before notifying us of any late deliveries.
It may be advisable to check with your neighbours to see if a parcel has been left with them, check any outhouses you might have where it may be left if it cannot fit through your letterbox and contact your local sorting office to see if the item has been returned to the depot as undelivered and awaiting collection.
Please see our returns policy.
Average connection time 25 secs
There are currently no reviews.


text:
The Lady in Red
by Jan Cooper
It began with words whispered in her ear. Words that replayed in Charlotte's head. "Your mother lied". As the weeks passed, the words grew, gripping her, holding her hostage. She HAD to find the truth before the words drove her crazy.
Charlotte was awake when the National Hymn blared through the building. Even with the Goodnight mist filtering through the vents, she had difficulty sleeping. She slipped on the red dress that denoted her Public Status, flicked the pleats into place and noticed a tear near the hem. She hadn't detected it before and there wasn't enough time to repair the small flaw. When had Charlotte stopped feeling pride in her red dress? It startled her to realize that she hadn't felt that way for a long time.
Noticing the time, Charlotte jolted into action. Seizing a breakfast protein bar, she nibbled on it before heading into the bathroom. The Level Five bathrooms were neat and tidy, with matching towels and soothing green walls. After arranging her hair and makeup, Charlotte noted her perfection. It didn't matter to her though, all the Fives looked perfect.
After glancing around the bathroom, Charlotte opened her powder box. Sifting through the fine powder with her finger, she felt around the bottom until it touched upon a small metal object. Fully aware that the safety cameras weren't installed in the bathroom, she still hesitated before pulling out the small outdated key. It was old fashioned because no one actually used keys these days. Heart pounding, she stared at the key for a moment. Escape and truth. The two went together. A small crackling sound broke through her anticipation.
A vague image of a man shot through her head. He wore the striped pajamas of Disorder patients. He held her arm in a firm grip and said, "If you don't take chances, you might as well not be alive." The image faded away and left Charlotte with a headache. She didn't know why he appeared. She never met the man, nor had ever been to the Re-program Facilities. Charlotte looked up and noticed a crack in the ceiling, above the bathtub. That wasn't supposed to be there. It wasn't there before. "Your mother lied" voices whispered, "Take chances…" Is that ANOTHER crack in the bathroom? Charlotte spun around, noticed that the red dress was stained and ripped, streaked with blue.
"No, no, no, NO!" she cried out and gripped her hair. "What's happening?" The key fell from her hand and dropped to the tile floor with a tink. Charlotte stared at the key wondering where it came from and what it opened. Falling to her knees she curled up and started to cry.
The crack in the wall became bigger. She covered her face, smearing her makeup. "This is not happening. All I wanted was the truth!" Charlotte's eyes closed as she faded into peace.
"This will calm her down." The medic in blue scrubs finished injecting Patient 2367.
"What do you think triggered this last episode?"
"Oh, I don't know, it could have been anything. All I can say is that her mother lied to us. Her condition is even more severe than originally thought. She keeps overriding the implants. Tomorrow we'll start the mind swipe process."
The doctor nodded and the two walked away, not noticing the small tear running down Patient 2367's face.
Jan Cooper lives in an imaginary world where she interacts daily with her characters. Sometimes reality breaks through so she also works as an elementary school teacher.
Do You Want to Live a Gracious and Elegant Life?
Subscribe to the Modern Retro Woman mailing list to receive newsletters and information I don't share on the blog. As my way of welcoming you to the community, I will send you my Five Days to a More Gracious and Elegant Life mini-ecourse. Oh, and for good measure, you'll also get instant access to the wardrobe planning printable when you subscribe. Yes, indeed!
Jan Cooper
Latest posts by Jan Cooper (see all)
- Circles {Short Story} - May 8, 2016
- The Picnic {Short Short Story} - April 10, 2016
- One Giant Leap - February 21, 2016


text:
We always had coconut cake for Easter and I think the lemon frosting in this cake sounds perfect! :)
•5 egg whites
•3/4 cup shortening
•1-1/2 cups sugar
•1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
•2 cups all-purpose flour
•2 teaspoons baking powder
•1 teaspoon salt
•1 cup milk
•3/4 cup sugar
•2 tablespoons cornstarch
•Dash salt
•3/4 cup cold water
•2 egg yolks
•3 tablespoons lemon juice
•1 tablespoon butter
•3/4 cup shortening
•3-3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
•1 teaspoon vanilla extract
•1/3 cup water
•1-1/4 cups flaked coconut
•Place egg whites in a small bowl; let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a large bowl, cream shortening and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; add to creamed mixture alternately with milk. Beat egg whites until stiff peaks form; gradually fold into creamed mixture.
• Pour into three greased and floured 9-in. round baking pans. Bake at 350° for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely.
• In a heavy saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Stir in water until smooth. Cook and stir over medium-high heat until thickened. Reduce heat; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Stir a small amount of filling into egg yolks; return all to the pan, stirring constantly. Bring to a boil; cook and stir 2 minutes longer. Remove from the heat. Stir in lemon juice and butter. Cool, without stirring, to room temperature.
• In a large bowl, cream shortening and confectioners' sugar until light and fluffy; beat in vanilla. Gradually add water, beating until smooth. Spread filling between cake layers. Frost top and sides of cake; sprinkle with coconut.
Yield: 12-14 servings.
~~Taste of Home, April/May 2006~~


text:
Las Lomas Elementary School is registering students for kindergarten, first grade and second grade.
Registration is Monday through Thursday from July 16 through July 26, 8:am to 3:pm each day.
Bring your child's birth certificate, up to date shot records and proof of residency.
Children who attended Las Lomas last year do not need to be re-registered.


text:
Sunday, April 8, 2007
South Park Is A Trip
Every night at 10:30, Channel 44 shows South Park re-runs, right after the Simpsons. I've spent a lot of time appreciating the Simpsons in the course of my life, but I've never really taken a good long look at South Park...until lately. I used to think they were a little too snarky and Gen-X for their own good, but watching these re-runs I'm beginning to appreciate the show's underlying intelligence. Yes, they often fall back on easy gross-out humor, but more often than not they head into weirder, less adolescent, and generally more uncategorizable comic territory. Maybe about 30% of the jokes are easy, but about 70% of the jokes are quite layered and thoughtful. One thing I like about the show is that almost every episode explores an idea. Whereas the Simpsons and Family Guy sometimes just turn into a series of endless, random nonsequiturs (which can be funny, don't get me wrong), South Park episodes often have a definite point to make. I don't always agree with that point (Trey and Matt seem to have a strong resentment toward obnoxious celebrities that I don't particuarly share), but at the end of the day, they usually leave me with at least something intelligent to think about. Allow me to give a (rambling) example:
There was one episode where apparently Kenny had died for a reasonably permanent amount of time, and so the other three held a reality TV contest to choose their Kenny replacement. There was a segment where the three of them stood at the bus stop the way they always do, and the little countrified audio cue that tells us "We're back at the bus stop" would play while one of the contestants stood in Kenny's spot. After a second or two, Stan or Kyle would say "Next!" and then a different kid would stand in Kenny's spot, and the audio cue would come back on - the idea being, "Who stands at the bus stop with us the best?" Anyway, apparently Butters doesn't get picked for the final round, and in his bitterness he decides to become an evil supervillain named Professor Chaos. What I like about Butters is that he's more innocent than the other three kids; he can't be rebellious even if he tries. In his bid to bring chaos to the world, he goes into a restaurant and switches two different soups around, and then he hides in the corner. One of the customers says, "Hey, I ordered the Chicken Gumbo," and the guy sitting behind him says "Oh, that's what I got, they must have given me your soup and given you my soup," and the other guy says "Oh yes" and they amicably switch soups. Butters laughs pseudo-maniacally as he leaves, but later he's shocked to read the local paper and see nothing about his soup switching in there. He hijacks the jumbotron in the Colorado Rockies' ballpark and threatens that he's going to flood the world, and everyone runs around panicking, and then he turns on the garden hose and sits there, making a little puddle on his lawn. A few minutes later, the fire department pulls up. A guy says, "This is the house, right?" and then he walks over to the water line and calmly turns it off.
But that episode was clearly only a warm-up for the next episode. While watching TV Cartman is entranced by an ad for "sea people" and he has a musical fantasy where he's living in peace and harmony with the sea people as he envisions them to be (the song is in South Park's patented Care Bears-esque musical fantasy style). But when his sea people finally arrive, he's crushed and angry to discover that they're only little shrimp you can buy in any pet store. The kids decide it would be funny if they secretly fed the sea people to their teacher Miss Choaksondick. Suddenly we cut to a quick shot of Miss Choaksondick being hauled away on a stretcher dead. The kids, fearing that their little practical joke has killed their teacher, decide to ask Chef for his trusted and confidential advice. "Children, whatever it is I'm sure we'll work it out somehow," he tells them cheerfully. Then Stan says, "Our teacher's dead and they found our sea men in her stomach." Cut to a shot of the four kids, all sitting on Chef's couch, staring ahead silently, as Chef incrementally nudges the couch out his front door.
Meanwhile, threaded throughout this episode is a sub-plot involving Butters' continued attempts to be Professor Chaos. A smaller kid whose name I forget also gets rejected from the Kenny replacement contest, and in his disappointment he joins Butters as "General Disarray." The kid has Harry Potter glasses and an amusingly nerdy speaking voice. Anyway, Butters keeps coming up with evil schemes, but when he mentions one of the schemes to General Disarray, General Disarray points out that something similar had already been done on an episode of the Simpsons. Butters then steals the head off a famous South Park statue, hoping to bring more attention to himself, but when he watches the newscast, the anchor just says, "Somebody has stolen the head off a statue in Downtown South Park. This is just like the time Bart Simpson stole the head off a statue on an episode of the Simpsons. Let's use this event to spend some time talking about how much we love the Simpsons." Butters crushes his hands against his head in frustration. He tries to think of evil schemes that have never happened on the Simpsons, but after everything he thinks of, General Disarray shouts out passively "Simpsons did it!" Soon General Disarray is running around the room, stating in his obnoxiously nasal voice, "Simpsons did it! Simpsons did it! Simpsons did it!" like a broken record from the deepest recesses of Butters' tortured psyche. Finally Butters is convinced he has hatched a scheme that he's positive has never been done on the Simpsons before - something along the lines of sticking mayonnaise in people's shoes. Suddenly on the television behind him, an announcer says, "Coming up next on the Simpsons, Bart sticks mayonnaise in people's shoes." This tips Butters over the edge, and he lapses into a Simpson-induced madness. Suddenly the whole show starts looking like a hideously creepy Simpsons-South Park amalgam (it was quite disturbing in a way I find hard to describe).
Back with the "sea people" thread, the kids realize that they need to sneak into the hospital where Miss Choaksondick's body lies and take their sea men out of her body before anyone else discovers it there. They tell Tweak (who won the contest as the Kenny replacement) that if he hears anyone coming, he needs to shout "Hammer time!" Tweak pleads that he won't remember that, but the other kids go on. When Tweak hears people coming, he runs through the whole lyrics of "U Can't Touch This" in his head until he gets to "Hammer time!" and he shouts it out. The kids all scramble to hide, but Cartman, running out of time, hides in Miss Choaksondick's rancid stomach. When the hospital staff leaves, the other kids come out of hiding and say "Wow, that was a close one" and they go home. This leaves Cartman to rise slowly and silently from the stomach of Miss Choaksondick, like a pus-covered baby.
Talking to Chef again, the kids let slip that they were referring earlier to "sea people" and not "sea men". "Ohhhhhh," says Chef, nodding slowly to himself. "I thought you meant... oh man...'sea people' is a whole different thing from 'sea men,' children. Your teacher probably died from something else!" Relieved, the kids decide to continue with their normal lives. Cartman, however, takes some of the sea men/semen concoction that he stole from Miss Choaksondick's stomach and puts it back in his fish tank. Suddenly the shrimp are somehow fertilized by the sperm, thus creating THE SEA PEOPLE THAT CARTMAN DREAMED OF! (I love how Cartman will be just as excited with the creation of a fish/man hybrid as he is when he's watching Terrence and Philip). Egged on by the others, Cartman decides to find more semen so that he can create the ultimate sea people society. He walks into a sperm bank, and the woman behind the counter says, "We don't usually have eight-year-olds coming in here." He tries to sweet talk her into giving him gallons of sperm while clearly demonstrating that he doesn't really understand what sperm is. He comes back with a big bowl of sperm, and with a spoon he scrapes it all into the fish tank.
Suddenly the sea people civilization is thriving beyond anyone's wildest dreams, resembling something like the ancient Egyptians. Cartman tips the tank upside down and all the sea people scream in terror as they fall to the bottom. Butters comes in to Cartman's house, still seeing everything as quasi-Simpsonesque. He rants and raves that everything he thinks of has already been done on the Simpsons. Mr. Garrison and Chef explain that it's no big deal and that everything has already been done by somebody else and nothing is really original. Even Cartman's idea of shrinking himself so that he can go live with the sea people had already been done on the Simpsons. Amazed by this insight, Butters is cured, and the show looks normal again. Now they peer down at the sea people civilization and by this time it resembles ancient Greece. One side of the tank has built a giant statue of Cartman. Then they realize that the other side of the tank has built a giant statue of Tweak. Suddenly the two sides go to war and everyone is amazed at how rapidly the sea people society has evolved. Finally two giant missiles are launched, there's a series of explosions, the tank shatters and all the sea people fall horribly on the carpet. Stan says, "Wow, I guess war is the inevitable outcome of all civilizations." The show ends.
I know it was just a stupid cartoon, but this ending really made me think. Is it really inevitable that all societies will destroy themselves? Sure seems that way to me sometimes. Maybe if war is inevitable, then it's not immoral to just go around and fight in wars, because it's just going to happen anyway so you might as well take part. Then I thought, no, that's wrong, there are plenty of reasons to be moral. But my point is, I was just trying to pass the time watching South Park and I found myself pondering all these deep, philosophical questions.
That show is far out.
12 comments:
Um, hello?? Treehouse of Horror VII, Lisa grows a whole rapidly growing society in a petri dish, Simpsons already did it!! :)
- April 11, 2007 at 1:07 PM
- yoggoth said...
Futurama already did it too. Bender had a civilization growing on his stomach in the episode where he met god.
The thing that annoys me about South Park is the forced moral equivalence between liberals and conservatives. It feels like Matt Parker is just forcing this on there because he doesn't want to be seen as a liberal. I'd have more respect for him if he just didn't give a damn.
Read the Rolling Stone article about South Park from a couple months ago, it's interesting.
For my money, of the 4 major animated comedies--Family Guy has the funniest moments, Simpsons has the best memories, and Futurama feels like I personally wrote and lived it. South Park is #4, but still a classic.
- April 12, 2007 at 10:15 AM
- Little Earl said...
Yeah, I read that article in Rolling Stone too. They came off as pretty...immature, I would say. They're like the angry high school kids who think everything is a big joke and who don't actually want to take any sides because all sides are stupid anyway. But the strengths of their show outweigh the limitations, I think. As long as they're funny and raise some issues, I don't really mind whether or not I agree with them politically. Channel 44 is the same station that airs America's Next Top Model and Gilmore Girls. South Park is a guilt-free time killer by comparison, because I still feel like I'm using my brain when I watch it. I'm not asking for a show to be ideologically perfect at that hour. I also think that there are sides to the show that Matt and Trey perhaps failed to reveal in ther interviews?
The thing is that the humor in Family Guy, Futurama, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, etc. often seems easy, because it's not tied to anything. Funny, yes, but easy. It doesn't seem that hard to me to string a bunch of random jokes together for 30 minutes. But to do that while making a larger point - that's what South Park seems to achieve at its best. The other shows also do this as well, but South Park episodes seem to have a little more DIRECTION. It's just a taste thing.
- April 12, 2007 at 11:16 AM
- yoggoth said...
You could say that about Family Guy and Aqua Teen but Futurama always has a plot. Although it's set in the future, the topics are almost always based upon some contemporary issue and it has a larger point more often than South Park in my experience.
And hey, you just described an episode that doesn't seem to have any larger point. Seamen/semen and postmodern questioning of creativity?
- April 12, 2007 at 1:02 PM
- Little Earl said...
Good point.
But seriously. You sound like quite a fan of Futurama there. I probably saw about ten or fifteen episodes back in the day, and it was pretty good, you're right. But I've always thought of Futurama as just "more Simpsons." Maybe you see a larger difference between the Simpsons and Futurama? I also worry that the culture at large doesn't rate Futurama as highly as you do.
I guess my point is that the humor in the other shows is a lot more verbal and dialogue-centered, whereas with South Park it's more of that strange combination of cheap animation, pasted photos, bad voiceover work, and silly musical cues in addition to the writing that makes it funny. They invented their own style. You also get the sense that Matt and Trey just sit around every week and think, "Who do we totally want to make fun of today?" Maybe they want to rip on Scientology, or push the buttons on censorship. So they sit down and just say whatever's on their minds - but it always starts with a basic IDEA. They may throw random stuff in along the way, but there's almost something to it in the end. In a way, they treat the show like their own national, cartoon blog. I like that aspect of it, and I never quite get that from the other shows (which take months to put together beforehand, of course).
- April 12, 2007 at 3:30 PM
- yoggoth said...
Yeah, I do like that thrown together quality. But I still don't see how South Park is more plot or idea driven than Futurama. For ever idea based episode there is one based upon nothing but gross-out humor. The gross-out ones are actually some of the best.
Yes, Futurama is like more of the Simpsons in a way, but it's also got it's own feel. It's more elitist and intellectual which is fine by me. It also deals with more complex emotional issues at times. And it's got Nixon's head as a character.
Why does it matter if the culture are large doesn't rate it as highly as I do? The culture are large rates Frasier and Friends higher than any of these shows.
- April 12, 2007 at 5:01 PM
- Little Earl said...
From Slate's review of the Aqua Teen Hunger Force Movie:
"ATHF bears some resemblance to South Park (I'd love to see a Venn diagram of the two shows' overlapping audiences), but it lacks South Park's economical storytelling and ripped-from-the-headlines topicality."
What was I SAYING, people?
- April 12, 2007 at 8:47 PM
It's been a while since I have read your blog, but I felt it was time I began again.
This is not something I will say very often, but I have to completely agree with little earl on this one. I too have been watching more South Park since I got cable, and I have to say it is even funnier than I remember when we were in college.
South Park is like that crude, shocking comedian that you can't help laughing at because they don't hold anything back, and they have no specific slant in mind except that everybody has it coming.
The Simpsons would be the equivalent of that same comedian writing a book. More structured and carefully thought out.
Futurama to me was always very boring. I didn't catch on to that show at all; it just wasn't my kind of humor. I always thought of it as just an extension of the Simpsons, but not as interesting.
- April 13, 2007 at 9:16 PM
- yoggoth said...
I think everyone should give Futurama another chance now that the glory of the Simpsons has faded a bit. Or maybe I just identify with it more than most because of some of the characters and subject matter.
- April 14, 2007 at 12:17 AM
- yoggoth said...
Oh, and good to have you back Ninq.
- April 14, 2007 at 12:18 AM
Thank you
- April 14, 2007 at 10:29 AM
- faeriedust said...
I, too, have recently discovered the joys of south park after dismissing it as inferior to the simpsons for some years. It's rather hilarious, and i laughed out loud at your written rendition of the episode.
I like the show because i laugh while watching it, but at the end of almost every epidsode, i'm like..."Oh yeah. Our society probably will destroy itself" or some other equally disheartening conclusion.
- April 19, 2007 at 12:38 PM


text: Ok.. well, I dont like anything about this one but I would post it to show that crappy ones really do show up often :) and like life, we accept it and move on !!.. I dont know if its the blue pen i used or that i felt rushed but there was no other name for this than ewwwww


text:
Stylish Green LED Touch Screen Digital Wrist Watch - Silver + White + Black (1 x LR626)
- Color: Silver + white + black - Material: Stainless steel dial + PU leather band - Diameter of watch table: 42mm - Gently touch the touch screen to display the time on demand - Flash LED light stands for hour, still green LED light stands for minute - Water resistant (not for diving / swimming) - Powered by 1 x LR626 battery (included) - Band length: 25cm - Comes with Chinese / English user manual Dimensions: 9.84 in x 1.65 in x 0.39 in (25.0 cm x 4.2 cm x 1.0 cm) Weight: 2.08 oz (59 g)
Customers Also Bought
Nov 2012
Stylish Green LED Touch Screen Digital Wrist Watch. Very beautifull watch, practical, stylish, different, lightwheight, thin. Can be used on all occasions. Combines with any style. Its touch screen is note very sensitive and sometimes it is necessary to give many touches to... – translate
Oct 2012
Not very practical. It's very cheap, but it's very stylish and cool. It's very easy to set the clock. Comes with a very short "Engrish"/Chinese manual, in a ok box. It's a LED watch, so it's very easy to check time in the complete I... – translate
Jul 2012
Great cool watch. Awesome cool looking watch with great design and unique style to it. I don't know anyone else who owns one, so its pretty eye catching once you change the wrist band. No problems with it at all, fun to show off. The wrist... – translate
Jul 2012
Conversation piece. I just had to buy this watch when I saw it. It's such an interesting piece, it serves as a nice conversation starter. As far as quality, mine arrived cosmetically perfect. Nice protective film over the entire unit as well.... – translate


text:
Tindora Vatana Nu Shaak (Dry Curry)
Know What you Eat - Tindora,kovakka, ivy gourd or little gourd is rich in beta carotene, very low in glycemic index and helps in regulating blood glucose. It is a good source of several micronutrients, including vitamins A and C.
Ingredients :
1 lb Tindora ( wash & cut lengthwise)
1 cup Green Peas
1/2 tsp Asafoetida Powder
1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
1/2 tsp red chilli powder or to taste
1 tsp cumin powder
1 tsp coriander powder
1/2 tsp jaggery or sugar
Salt - to taste
3 tsp Oil
1/2 tsp Mustard seeds
1/2 tsp cumin seeds
1/2 tsp sesame seeds
Chopped Cilantro - 1 table spoon (optional)
1 Rinse and dry tindora and slice lengthwise.
2 Heat oil, add mustard seeds once they stop spluttering add cumin & sesame seeds. Now add asafoetida, tindora & green peas.
3 Add little water salt & turmeric and put it on simmer till water dries up or it gets cooked, remember we dont have to make it mushy, once its cooked add red chilli- cumin- coriander powder & jaggery to taste, Saute for 2 mins and remove from flame.
4 Now add chopped cilatro mix thoroughly and serve.
Note: This dish can be served best with any kind of (Indian Bread) OR Rice.


text:
When we moved onto our property in l985, the acreage included an old homestead that was abandoned and all the out buildings and barns were falling down. We had the volunteer fire department come and burn the buildings for practice. Every year we take big loads to the dump in effort to clean up the "junk" that was left behind. I rescued this old hoe with its broken handle from the truck, ready to be hauled away!
I painted a variation of a Terrye French design and added some bumble bee fabric and a salt dough bumble bee.
I just knew it had a purpose!!
Since I was on a roll with the garden tools, I painted this old shovel head too!
This is another variation of a Terrye French design.
We have had cold, rainy weather for the past few days. Today was beautiful, but more rain and snow expected tomorrow night and Sunday.
Trying to get ready for my middle son's high school graduation and haul our cattle to summer pasture this weekend! Could be tricky!
Hope everyone has a great weekend!


text:
CLEVELAND — Bernie Kosar saw no need to gloat, even though his best performance ever was witnessed by a sold-out Cleveland Stadium crowd and a national television audience Monday night.
"I don't look at it as myself showing people what I'm capable of doing," the second-year Cleveland quarterback said after he threw for 401 yards to lead the Browns past the Miami Dolphins, 26-16. "I look at it as our team showing what it can do."
Kosar, who had three potential touchdown passes dropped by his teammates and two other nullified scores, completed 32 of 50 passes without an interception--and without a touchdown.
"I'd be pretty bummed out if we'd lost," he said.
However, the 22-year-old refused to criticize his teammates for their failure to catch the football.
"The balls were a little slick out there," he said. "I was having trouble holding onto it, and so I can see how receivers might, too."


text:
...where nothing ever grows but the weeds of "what-if."
Someone called Dodinsky said this. I can't find out anything about Dodinsky except that he says things like this which you can purchase written on mugs, mouse-mats and T-shirts.
One day, maybe I'LL say something wise enough to appear on a mug?
ANYWAY - today we went to view a house. It is the house of my dreams. It's all higgledy-piggledy and has a balcony for breakfasts and two loose boxes and a paddock for the horses and is in the village where I want to live.
Me - ruled by my heart
BUT selling our own house will be SUCH AN EFFORT, won't it?
Peter - ruled by his head
Who knows?


text:
Visual Clue #2
Last week, I started a little game with all of our readers out there. We are launching a really fabulous idea here at the Beauty Library at the end of the summer. Can you guess what it is?! Oh, did a mention the dream team that is helping to bring my vision to life: Two Creatives, Fletcher Design Studio, and Robin Reed! Seriously, I can't wait to reveal!
In other news.....
I'm putting together a health, fitness and beauty discussion panel this Fall. I'm so thrilled about the project and especially excited about the line-up of professionals who are already showing interest in participating!
Today, I would like to introduce our readers to one heath professional in particular, Ms. Jane Ashely!
Jane Ashley, MA, CNC, AADP is a Nutritional Counselor & Health Educator. Her passion is to help women create balance in body, mind and spirit. She helps women who struggle with stress, lack of energy or excess weight take action to reach optimal health through good nutrition. She loves to cook, run, teach cooking classes and runs monthly women's groups called "Feed Your Soul—for Women on the GO." She also runs corporate wellness workshops and participates in public speaking events. Jane will be sharing some tips tomorrow as a guest blogger right here on our blog! Make sure you come back to visit and hear all of her helpful advice for creating a healthy life style!


text:
Wonder why every lunchtime you end up spending £8 on limp and lifeless sandwiches or flavourless sushi? Break the habit and head to one of your local sandwich shops, where the ingredients is generous, the prices fair (mostly) and the bread fresh. Here are London's poshest sandwiches
1 Melba at The Savoy, Piccadilly
Last month saw the opening of what has to be the smartest lunch counter in London, Melba at The Savoy. Workers, shoppers and tourists on the Strand can now buy pastries, sandwiches, hot and cold drinks seven days a week. But this isn't just any sandwich spot. The menu will feature the likes of comté with Black Forest ham croissants and The Savoy's signature éclairs in many flavours. Prices range from £1.50 to £5.25.
Melba at The Savoy, Strand, London, WC2R 0EU; fairmont.com
2 Sandwich, Harrods, Knightsbridge
Tom Dixon's homage to the great sandwich at Harrods is a palatial space inside the department store, totally dedicated to the bread-led meal. If you're ceoliac or avoiding gluten steer clear of Sandwich at Harrods, if not, then dive into the menu that includes roasted Scottish beef with celeriac romoulade, horseradish and crispy shallots on a crusty roll (£12.90) or poached lobster, with mango relish and thousand island dressing on in a soft glazed roll (£18.50).
Harrods, Third Floor, 87-135 Brompton Road, London SW1X 7XL, 020 7730 1234; harrods.com
3 The Mount Street Deli, Mayfair
Mayfair's Mount Street Deli has an ever-changing sandwich menu that sees a line up of gourmet ingredients fill its buns. Choose from the likes of crayfish with lemon and poppy seed mayo, rare roasted beef with black pepper ham or balsamic onions with feta, basil and spinach. There are also hot options like Parma ham with roasted onion and white cheddar with lemon and basil mayo.
100 Mount Street, W1K 2TG, 020 7499 6843; themountstreetdeli.co.uk
4 Pont Street, Belgravia
The ultimate posh comfort food comes in the form of Belgraves Hotel's gourmet toasted cheese sandwich with three types of cheese, Ogleshield, Gruyere and Cheddar, plus English mustard and Grandma's chutney all on sourdough bread (£10.50).
20 Chesham Place, London SW1X 8HQ, 020 3189 4850; pontst.com
5 IDDU, South Kensington
New Sicilian restaurant IDDU in South Kensington does a mean smoked salmon and avocado on seven seeds sourdough for lunch (£7). There's no scrimping on ingredients with this sandwich, as with the rest of the eatery, it's only the freshest. There's an alfresco area if you have time to stop, otherwise have it to go.
44 Harrington Road, London SW7 3ND, 020 7589 1991; iddulondon.com
6 The Burger Bar, Harrods
Trust Harrods to have some of the poshest sandwiches in London. Get your lunchtime seafood fix at its Burger Bar by ordering the lobster roll thermidor (£27.95) or The Crabwich – a sandwich filled with crab, fresh mango and lime mayo for £29.95.
Harrods, 87-135 Brompton Road, London SW1X 7XL, 020 7730 1234; harrods.com
7 The Wellesley, Knightsbridge
The Wellesley Hotel in Knightsbridge serves its Lobster Club sandwich (avacado, tomato confit, baby gem lettuce and mango mayo) on its terrace at lunchtime. Make it a leisurely one and have it with a glass from its extensive wine list.
11 Knightsbridge, London SW1X 7LY, 020 7235 3535; thewellesley.co.uk
8 No. 11 Pimlico Road, Pimlico
No.11 Pimlico Road is a modern restaurant, serving food all day. Its range of fabulous sandwiches. inslude the Taleggio cheese and avocado on toasted sourdough and the No.11 Club Sandwich (grilled marinated chicken, smoked bacon, avocado, roasted tomatoes, basil mayo and sourdough toast).
11 Pimlico Road, London SW1W 8NA, 020 7730 6784; no11pimlicoroad.co.uk
9 Source, Battersea
Battersea workers rarely need an excuse to pop into Source for lunch, but in case you do, make the fried chicken sandwich with harissa aioli and wedge salad, the reason. During the summer, sit outside on its terrace, while in the winter watch the rain through its floor-to-ceiling windows and feel smug.
Unit 29, Ransome's Dock, 35-37 Parkgate Road, Battersea, London, SW11 4NP; 020 7350 0555; sourcebattersea.com
10 Little H, Parson's Green
Little H's sandwiches also change regularly, many of which are gluten-free and vegan-friendly. Fillings include roasted courgettes, homemade hummus, roasted chicken, emmenthal and sauces like garlic aioli.
276 New King's Road, London, SW6 4RB, 0203 417 8228; littlehlondon.com
11 Brew Café, Putney, Clapham, Wimbledon and Wandsworth
South west London's favourite antipodean café Brew has a sandwich worth leaving your desk for. Brew's chargrilled ribeye steak comes with Persian feta, onion jam and rocket, on Turkish pide – puts Pret a Manger to shame doesn't it?
Various locations; brew-cafe.com
12 Bush Hall Dining Room, Shepherd's Bush
If you avoid the canteen-style eateries in Westfield and venture out into the streets of Shepherd's Bush you'll be rewarded by the likes of Bush Hall Dining Room and its BBQ pulled pork sandwich on toasted brioche; goat's cheese with roast pepper and avocado or ham, with melted brie and roast onion chutney – all for £6.50, plus you can add chips to all of these for only £1 – now that's a good value lunch.
304 Uxbridge Road, London W12 7LJ, 020 8749 0731; bushhalldining.co.uk
13 Snaps + Rye, Golborne Road
This Danish restaurant takes its name from the classic base of the Scandinavian Smørrebrød – that's smorgasboard to you and I – rye bread. Its sandwiches are served open and made with homemade organic rye bread, toppings include Akvavit-cured Var salmon and rare beef. All can be eaten in or taken away.
93 Golborne Road, London W10 5NL; snapsandrye.com
14 Street Kitchen, Broadgate Circle
Street food aficionados Street Kitchen are setting up their first permanent home in Broadgate Circle from 15 June, where their amazing gourmet sandwiches will be dolled out to hungry workers from Monday to Friday. Its signature sandwiches are cut to size, made with focaccia bread and filled with the likes of rare roast beef, salt beef and lobster.
Broadgate Circle,1-2 Exchange Arcade, London EC2M 3WA; streetkitchen.co.uk
15 Ibérica La Terraza, Canary Wharf
Who says sandwiches have to be classic? Not Iberica La Terraza that's for sure, which puts its Spanish mark on the standard lunchtime meal. Its Bocadillos are made with Spanish sourdough baguettes, deep-filled with the likes of fried squid with lemon alioli; Ibérico ham; Cecina and truffle Arzua cheese, and smoked aubergine.
12 Cabot Square, Cabot Place, London E14 4QQ, 020 7636 8650; ibericarestaurants.com
16 Andina, Shoreditch
Following on with Latin flavour, are Andina's Chicharron sandwiches, filled with confit of pork belly and camote ketchup in a soft bun, much better than lunch Al Desko. The colourful Peruvian restaurant is one of our favourite spots for breakfast too.
1 Redchurch Street, Shoreditch, London E2 7DJ, 020 7920 6499; andinalondon.com
17 Holborn Delicatessen, Holborn
One of London's grandest delicatessens, this smart sandwich shop sits inside The Rosewood hotel London. From the sleek setting sandwiches including roast beef with horseradish mayo; salt beef with tarragon mustard; smoked salmon with cream cheese; ham and cheese baguettes with onion chutney, and goat's cheese with baby spinach are served – starting at £3.75 a pop – giving that £4 Starbucks purchase a run for its money. There's also a selection of salads and amazing desserts.
No 252 High Holborn, London, WC1V 7EN; holborndiningroom.com
18 Verden, Clapton
If you work round Clapton way, treat yourself to Verden's very fancy club sandwich, which on Friday's comes with a glass of wine for £9. Wedged between towering sourdough is lardo, comte, pancetta, green leafs and fresh tomatoes.
181 Clarence Road, Clapton,London, E5 8EE, 0208 986 4723; verdene5.com
19 Ottolenghi Spitalfields
Along with its 70-seater restaurant, the newly-opened Ottolenghi in Spitalfields has a 'grab and go' fridge full of amazing sandwiches, pastries, salads and snacks just waiting for you to scoop them up for an easy lunch.
50 Artillery Lane, London E1 7LJ, 020 7247 1999; ottolenghi.co.uk
20 Craft London, Greenwich
Stevie Parle and Tom Dixon have put their very stylish stamp on Greenwich with the opening of Craft London last month. It's worth visiting to soak up the design alone, but that would be a shame as Steve Parle's cooking is receiving rave reviews. For a sample of what's on offer, stop by the café for delicious sandwiches, fresh salads and healthy juices. The sarnies are made using Greenwich Rise bread (which is made in house) and come with the likes of three cheese and bacon, beetroot and goats curd, Smokehouse brisket and pickles and sausages and romesco.
Peninsula Square, Greenwich Peninsula, London, SE10 0SQ, 020 8465 5910; craft-london.co.uk


text:
Tortoise reminds fast-paced Samir Kulkarni to ease up
Samir Kulkarni, 35, is vice president of operations at Solica Construction, which he founded in 2008. Solica was recognized as a Courier Fast 55 winner in 2012. Starting a construction business amid a recession, Kulkarni says, is the riskiest thing he's ever done.
What word best describes you? Innovative
Favorite artist or work of art? My favorite artist is Ansel Adams. Musically, however, it's Beethoven.
What's on your box? It's a stone wrapped with caution tape and a tortoise on top. I chose these because the tortoise is a favorite of my family. We adopted a tortoise as a reminder that we need to enjoy life and slow down and be deliberate in all that we do. There is something so godly and peaceful watching a tortoise do anything. The stone represents the mountain to climb in life. And the caution tape to represent construction and to be cautious in everything we do.
What was your first job? I got my first job in high school working for a family friend. He owned a retail store that sold both computers and waterbeds. Even now, it still evokes a chuckle whenever I think about it. I worked as a computer tech for a few years – and sold the heck out of those waterbeds.
What do you love most about your work? I love that we add to our world in a tangible way. We've helped small business owners realize their dreams and worked with national clients to create new and exciting environments.
What were you like as a kid? Depends on what age you talk about. When I was very young, I was an angel. My grades were fantastic and looking back, I was probably that annoying teacher's pet. That shtick worked for me until high school. In high school, I became more adventure seeking. I was always a good kid at heart, but started to look for ways to challenge the system. My grades were good, but I spent quite a bit of time in detention.
If you could change jobs with anyone for one day, who would it be? I love my job. But if I had to pick someone to be for a day, it would be either Warren Buffett or Bill Gates. Not because of their wealth or success, but because of the reach that they have into the world around us combined with their desire to use their influence to make the world a better place. I would love to be inspired every day by the ability to give back.
What's the best piece of advice you've ever received? The best piece of advice I've received is inspired by "If", by Rudyard Kipling. Paraphrased from the poem: "Meet with Triumph and Disaster equally and treat those two impostors just the same."
What's your favorite film? "Lion King"
Is there something about you that might surprise people? I'm a sucker for '80s comics and cartoons – e.g. Transformers, GI Joe, Mask, Voltron.


text:
The Baan Huanam Mushroom Farm located at Sila Laeng - Pua District - Nan Province.
It is a wonderful place to relax.
We stay there and they serve good food and cold beer too :-).
It's not so easy to find for a foreigner.
If you go there take a bungalow you will have a great view.
For more information go to huanamhomestay
Nan Province: | 1 | 2 |
Share on:


text:
All feedback subject to posting unless you request not to post
1. More bad news for the Central Subway
2. Significant Natural Resource Areas Management Plan back from environmental review
3. That's the Tuolumne in my Tap - volunteer training September 13
4. Golden Gate Audubon restoration Pier 94 September 3
5. Feedback: free birth control insurance for men and women?
6. The Great Sunflower Project September 8
7. In defense of the solitary bee/Solitary bee factfile
8. Free Endangered Species finder Android app/Preserving 4% of oceans as human population increases
9. Scientific America potpourri
10. First international green schoolyard conference September 16-18
11. Vote for SaveNature.org
12. Notes & Queries: Has any politician ever made several things perfectly clear in one speech?
13. Do-overs: Electrolux vacuum cleaners such/Henry Ford's Model-T
For sleep, riches and health to be truly enjoyed, they must be interrupted. -Jean Paul Richter, writer (1763-1825)
1. Speaking of interruptions - let's interrupt this boondoggle:
Another sane voice in the growing opposition to the Central Subway. With dire economic conditions, San Francisco, Sacramento and Washington need to wisely allocate scarce public funds to good public transit projects. By example, transit-priority streets would create jobs more quickly---with enduring transit benefits.
SF WEEKLY: "Central Subway Denounced by Former Supervisor, Aaron Peskin"
"The obstinacy of human beings is what enables them to fight for their countries, repel invaders and maintain their solidarity. But it is also what makes it so hard to fix what needs to be fixed." Martin Woollacott, Guardian Weekly, 6 May 2004
2. San Francisco Recreation and Park Department
Significant Natural Resource Areas Management Plan
The public hearing on the Draft EIR will be held in Room 400, City Hall, on October 6, 2011, beginning at 1:30 or later. Public comments will be accepted until 5:00 PM on Monday, October 17, 2011
The plan is posted http://www.sfplanning.org/index.aspx?page=1828
3. Tuolumne River Trust - That's the Tuolumne in my Tap
It's that time again! As we are gearing up for the coming school year, we are looking for new volunteers to help out with our That's the Tuolumne in my Tap education program.
This year, we hope to reach over 5,000 students through That's the Tuolumne in my Tap. That's a big goal, and we need the help of dedicated volunteers to achieve it. If you have a passion for water issues and enjoy working with children, then please consider volunteering for our Bay Area Education program.
Our next volunteer training will take place in San Francisco on Tuesday, September 13, from 6:30 - 8:30 pm.
That's the Tuolumne in my Tap is an hour-long presentation given to 4th, 5th, and 6th graders in San Francisco, San Mateo, northern Santa Clara, and southern Alameda Counties. The program is designed to educate local students about where their water comes from and to promote an ethic of environmental stewardship. The presentation focuses on the history and special qualities of the Tuolumne River, the animals that depend on the River, and what we all can do to help protect the River by conserving water.
The Trust will train volunteers who are interested in presenting this program to classrooms around the Bay Area. Interested volunteers must enjoy working with kids, have reliable access to transportation, and be available for at least one classroom presentation per month during the school year.
Want more information? Click here Ready to sign up? Click here to fill out a volunteer application. http://www.tuolumne.org/content/
4. Join Golden Gate Audubon on Saturday, September 3 from 9:00 a.m.-12noon at Pier 94 in San Francisco
Learn about and participate in invasive plant removal, tend native plants, and remove trash at this wetland site along San Francisco Bay. Pier 94 is home to native California Sea-blite- an endangered plant. See shorebirds, waterbirds and upland species of birds.
Directions: Take Third Street and turn east (toward the bay) onto Cargo Way and take the first left onto Amador Street. This industrial road turns right (480 Amador St.) in San Francisco turn into parking area just before the chain link fence. Ahead you will see a small sign next to the left of white barriers. This is the entrance to Pier 94. Park in front of the barriers and join us at the marsh.
Public Transit - please visit www.511.org for a transit planner from your location. Follow the directions above from Third Street and Marin turning onto Cargo Way.
Gloves, tools and snacks will be provided. Please bring your own water bottle to minimize trash, we'll provide water.
Wear sturdy shoes, a hat, sunscreen, dress in layers of clothes that you don't mind getting a bit dirty – you'll have fun while helping local birds.
For more details visit www.goldengateaudubon.org/volunteer
5. Feedback
Dave Goggin:
In a recommendation with profound implications for the future of family planning in America, an Institute of Medicine panel recently recommended that health insurance companies in the U.S. be required to cover birth control for women as a free preventive service without any required copay.
And shouldn't health insurance companies in the U.S. ALSO be required to cover birth control for _men_ as a free preventive service without any required copay?
Or is that not politically correct?
6. San Francisco Naturalist Society - free and open to the public
Thursday, September 8
The Great Sunflower Project, with Professor Gretchen LeBuhn.
Over the past few years, scientific studies have suggested that both honey bee and native bee populations are in trouble. We started this project as a way to gather information about our urban, suburban and rural bee populations.
We enlisted people all over the world to observe their bees on sunflowers. Sunflowers are relatively easy to grow and a great resource for bees.
We would love to have you join us. Everyone who comes to this Naturalist Society talk will receive a free packet of Lemon Queen sunflower seeds!
Gretchen LeBuhn is an associate professor at San Francisco State University. She has a broad interest in issues surrounding conservation.
Randall Museum, 199 Museum Way, San Francisco CA 94114. 7:30-9 pm. For more information, go to www.sfns.org or contact Patrick Schlemmer at JKodiak(at)earthlink.net or (415) 225-3830.
Professor LeBuhn is founder and director of The Great Sunflower Project. This project is "designed to evaluate the effects of landscape change on pollinator service in North America." Citizen scientists across the country plant sunflowers and then count the number of bees which visit them over a 15-minute period.
This is a fun project because you actually get to measure the level of pollination occurring in your own garden. I encourage you to participate. In fact, everyone who comes to the talk will receive a free packet of seeds to get started!
7. In defence of the solitary bee (excerpts)
Bee here now: local children, businesses and volunteers got together in June to build the bee house at Barking Riverside, the largest structure of its kind in the world.
On a rainy, windswept summer's afternoon I find myself on the banks of the river Thames in Barking, east London, with a tape measure in hand, adjudicating at a Guinness world record attempt. I have been asked to measure the length, height and depth of a large wooden structure made out of more than 20,000 pieces of bamboo and 200 logs. It has taken local volunteers three weeks to cut, saw and drill into the wood and create what they hope will be the world's largest bee house.
There is enough room in its interior for hundreds of residents who, it is hoped, will make their nests in the numerous holes and tunnels in the wood. Yet few if any of these bees will be recognisable to the public, for none of them make honey for our consumption, nor spend the summer buzzing from one brightly coloured flower to the next in our parks and gardens.
These lesser known bees are solitary insects that, as their name suggests, live alone rather than in large colonies like honeybees or bumblebees. Many survive for just a few weeks – enough time to mate, make a nest and lay their eggs. But, like their more sociable cousins, they perform vital pollination services while they busily collect nectar and pollen from plants to feed their offspring.
"Local residents and volunteers have invested their evenings and weekends to help London Wildlife Trust and architecture company Make: Good build this huge bee house," says Francesca Barker, conservation officer for Barking Riverside. "It will provide urgently needed habitat for solitary bees which are in decline in Britain."
It is important that we get to know these harmless and fascinating creatures and help protect them, because if our honeybees continue to deteriorate we will be depending on them more and more to pollinate our food. Honeybees and the dangers they face from parasites, disease, pesticides and malnutrition have been well documented over the past few years, ever since a strange phenomenon dubbed colony collapse disorder threatened their existence. The ensuing press interest in the vanishing honeybees has resulted in an unprecedented increase in the number of people taking up beekeeping in towns and cities across the world in an effort to save the beleaguered species. In the last three years, membership of the British Beekeepers Association has doubled to more than 20,000, beekeeping courses report long waiting lists, and beehives are springing up on office rooftops, allotments and in schools.
"This level of interest is unheard of during my 35-year career," says John Hauxwell, former chair of North London Beekeepers' Association. "We are now overloaded with novice beekeepers and we don't have the experienced ones to support and mentor them."
It is a far cry, he adds, from when he joined the association in the mid-1980s and newcomers had meetings around his small kitchen table. But in the furore surrounding the honeybees' demise, solitary bees have been overlooked. While there is just one species of honeybee in the UK, and 24 different bumblebees (though three species have vanished in recent years), there are some 250 species of solitary bee. Their future is jeopardised by many of the same problems affecting honeybees such as modern farming practices, which have reduced the availability of forage. In addition, urban development has destroyed solitary bees' nesting sites.
The Barking Riverside bee house hopes to provide a safe place for the 30 or so local solitary bee species to lay their eggs. It will most likely entice the red mason bee in spring, one of the UK's most common solitary bees, which makes its nest in a cavity. The bamboo hollows in a bee house resemble the plant stems it likes to lay its eggs in. In then seals the hole with mud. To the untrained eye, it could easily be mistaken for a honeybee, albeit a slightly redder version. Other mason bees nest in holes in wood or walls.
...In November, ITV viewers in south-west England voted for the Bee Guardian Foundation to win £46,000 of lottery funding to take its message to Gloucester and make it the world's first "bee guardian city". It is fortuitous that the bee champions' arrival coincided with the city council's grounds maintenance department looking to save money: expensive civic displays of bedding plants that yield little nectar or pollen are being replaced by bee-friendly herbaceous perennials that require less watering, weeding and fertiliser. Schools have each received a packet of wildflower seeds and fruit trees for planting, and residents have been invited on bee walks to learn about the solitary bees living in their midst.
Gloucester will be a test bed for developing a bee guardian kitemark. "Just as hundreds of towns have achieved Fairtrade status by adhering to strict criteria about supporting and using products with a Fairtrade mark, cities will be able to achieve bee guardian status if they can demonstrate their commitment to adopting bee-friendly measures," explains foundation co-founder Jessie Jowers.
She believes that one of the reasons we are so ignorant of solitary bees is that we don't have the same cultural understanding of them as we do with honeybees, whose honey and beeswax have been harvested for centuries….When the Pilgrim Fathers went to North America they took with them beehives to pollinate their crops and pastures, hence honeybees became known as the "white man's fly". The hive is also synonymous with industry and hard work in Protestant culture. It is no coincidence that the entrance hall of the neo-gothic town hall in Manchester – the engine of our industrial revolution – features honeybee mosaics. And there are numerous examples throughout history of the honeybee society being used as a metaphor to justify wildly differing philosophies from absolute monarchy (the queen bee rules the hive) to communism (the worker bees are collectively in charge).
Although the oldest bee fossil is of a stingless solitary bee, Trigona prisca, preservered in amber at least 74 million years ago, we just don't have the affinity with solitary bees that we share with honeybees...Jowers plans to redress this. She will spend the winter studying solitary bees in Mexico, Ecuador and the United States on a Churchill Fellowship to examine the cultural significance of indigenous bees in the Americas before the honeybee's arrival. "The ancient Mayan civilisation worshipped the meliponine bees in the forests and their priests harvested this stingless bee's honey as part of a religious ceremony twice a year," says Jowers. "I want to come back with more stories like this."
SPIRIT OF THE BEEHIVE: Solitary bee factfile
There are nearly 20,000 known species of bees on earth. Bees exist wherever flowering plants are found, on every continent apart from Antarctica.
Ninety per cent of bees are solitary. Unlike honeybees and bumblebees, solitary bees don't live in colonies and the female usually constructs her own nest. Some species are gregarious and build nests near other bees, in what are known as "aggregations".
Although they don't make honey, solitary bees are excellent pollinators. According to the US Agricultural Research Service, one alfalfa leafcutter bee can do the job of 20 honeybees.
The UK has some 250 species of solitary bee, whereas we have only 24 species of bumblebees and one species of honeybee. Among the most common solitary bees in the UK are red mason bees, leafcutter bees and mining bees.
Solitary bees are usually docile and tend not to sting.
Many solitary bees burrow into the ground to make nests. Others nest in hollow reeds and holes in wood. The female usually creates a compartment for each egg and seals them off, leaving the larvae to fend for themselves. Many females die soon after nesting.
New efforts are being made to protect solitary bees, including the Bee Guardian project in the UK and a five-year research project in Lyon, France, which aims to boost populations across Europe.
Guardian Weekly 26.08.11
8. Two from Center for Biological Diversity
Click Here to Download New, Free Species Finder Android App
Click here to download the Center for Biological Diversity's "Species Finder," the new free app for Android mobile phones that allows users to find endangered species where they are -- or anywhere else in the United States. The app is the Center's latest creative media project aimed at connecting people with endangered species and adding new voices to our fight to keep them from extinction.
We've already had wild success with our other projects –- from our Rare Earthtones ringtones, Endangered Species Condoms and iPhone app to our award-winning polar bear PSA and jumbo-screen ads in New York City's Times Square.
Download the Species Finder app today and get more from Cronkite News Service and Treehugger.com. And if you haven't already, download endangered species ringtones, see our iPhone app, check out our Endangered Species Condoms and watch our latest Times Square ad.
Study: Preserving 4 Percent of Oceans Could Save Marine Mammals as Human Population Skyrockets
A new study coauthored by renowned population researcher Dr. Paul Ehrlich predicts that the preservation of just 4 percent of the planet's oceans would make the difference for the survival of marine mammals across the globe. Researchers at Stanford University and the National Autonomous University of Mexico found that preserving nine specific "hotbed" areas would benefit 84 percent of marine mammal species. After listing a number of human-caused threats to these areas, Dr. Ehrlich ominously notes, "The next 2 billion people we're going to add to the planet are going to do much more damage to the ocean than the previous 2 billion did."
About two months from now, the world population will reach 7 billion. The Center for Biological Diversity and our supporters will raise awareness of this global benchmark and its connection to species extinction through major action campaigns and public-education projects like the planned billboard ad in New York's Times Square. Stay tuned for more from the Center on our Big Apple ad and the 7 billion milestone.
Read an article on the study in Science Daily.
(This item is from June 2010, promoting a presentation of that time. I paste it here just as a follow-up to the previous item. JS)
"The Last Ocean"--by Antarctic scientist Dr. David Ainley
Seldom seen by most humans, the Ross Sea is perhaps the most intact open-ocean ecosystem left on earth. In a world where we have fished out an estimated 90 percent of the world's large fish, finned 95 percent of the world's sharks, and harpooned 90 percent of the great whales, the Ross remains an important refuge for emperor penguins, whales and ice seals. However, even the remote Ross Sea is now being threatened by industrial fishing as a mainstay of the ecosystem -- the Antarctic toothfish -- is being rapidly harvested and sold as Chilean sea bass.
Dr. David Ainley, who has been studying the Ross Sea ecosystem for over 30 years, is leading the struggle to stop the destructive toothfish fishery and permanently protect the sea from overfishing by designating it as a marine protected area. In a multi-media presentation, Dr. Ainley will show clips from a breathtaking documentary that highlights the extraordinary and unexpected natural beauty of the Ross Sea, and he will discuss his efforts to protect this unique ecosystem from harm.
(JS: I note that Chilean sea bass is offered by many supermarkets, including Mollie Stone's. I contacted its fish/meat counter manager, Mike Tomasello, about this and related issues. Unconcerned. Bottom line: most customers are not bothered by such things. If you are, you might notify your market if it carries this item.)
9. Scientific American
GUEST BLOG: Plumes and Pathogens: Human Fascination with Birds Can Jeopardize Our Health
Wildlife trade is a major platform for introducing animals and people, and thus the possibility of disease, as well
FEATURES: The Ordinary Geniuses behind Genomics and Big Bang Cosmology
Physicist Gino Segre follows the intertwining lives of Max Delbrück and George Gamow as they use physics, insight and luck to make strides into exciting new scientific fields
SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN MAGAZINE: All Climate Is Local: How Mayors Fight Global Warming
Mayors are often better equipped than presidents to cut greenhouse gases
10. San Francisco Bay Area Hosts First International Green Schoolyard Conference
Around the globe schools are tearing up their cement yards and replacing them with green gardens. Schools in many different countries are leaders in this field, finding innovative ways to weave curricula into their landscapes, diversify their recreational offerings, enhance their local ecology, and reflect their unique location and cultural context. The first international green schoolyard conference to celebrate and exchange ideas will be held this fall, September 16–18, in Berkeley and San Francisco, California. The conference—Engaging Our Grounds—is being organized by New Village Press, Architects/Designers/Planners for Social Responsibility, San Francisco Green Schoolyard Alliance, and Bay Tree Design, inc.
"Green schoolyards improve the local environment and profoundly change the way students experience the world," explains conference director Sharon Danks. Engaging Our Grounds will include presentations by visionary leaders of the green schoolyard movement from around the globe, a resource and networking fair, and tours of outstanding local school grounds including Alice Waters' famous Edible Schoolyard. The conference will discuss the latest trends and innovations, case studies, best practices, and creative thinking in urban green schoolyard environments for education, sustainable schoolyard design and maintenance, curricula, advocacy, and funding partnerships.
11. SaveNature.org - vote daily
Just 14 days to go to see if we can move into the #1 spot in the Tom's of Maine, Vote for Good. We need all the votes we can get (every day until September 13th) to win $50,000. Please help with your vote at: www.50statesforgood.com. Scroll down and choose SaveNature.Org.. Funds will support educational scholarships and offer free admission to our upcoming event AnimalPalooza! September 24th at Fort Mason - see ttp://www.savenature.org/ or http://animalpalooza.eventbrite.com/
12. Notes & Queries, Guardian Weekly
It's perfectly clear that I should resign
Former US president Richard Nixon. Photograph: AP
Has any politician ever made several things perfectly clear in one speech?
• Richard Nixon, whose seemingly favourite phrase was "I want to make one thing perfectly clear", was asked by an LTE writer to make two things perfectly clear: air and water.
Shortly after, both the Clean Air Act and the Clean Water Act passed, to the great improvement of both resources.
Jake Sigg, San Francisco, California, US
• By making a very long inaugural address in bad weather, William Henry Harrison made it perfectly clear that he was unprepared to be president of the US and subsequently died of pneumonia.
Bruce Cohen, Worcester, Massachusetts, US
• Yes, usually at least two things. The first that he can never make anything perfectly clear and the second it should be easy to find somebody better than him to represent you.
Dick Hedges, Nairobi, Kenya
• They frequently make it clear that they are masters of platitudes, wizards of obfuscation and have little regard for the truth unless it suits their political purpose.
Margaret Wyeth, Victoria, British Columbia, Canada
• The resignation speech.
Roger Morrell, Perth, Western Australia
• Yes it happens all the time. They make it perfectly clear how out-of-touch they are with reality, how lacking in vision they are, how much they want to take credit for the good things, how little they want to accept responsibility for the bad things, and so on.
Alan Williams-Key, Madrid, Spain
• Julius Caesar, 47BC: "I came, I saw, I conquered."
David Tucker, Halle, Germany
Sleeping, but only in pants
Do ants ever sleep?
Somnambulants do.
Aaron M Fine, Swarthmore, Pennsylvania, US
• Yes, when they're dormant.
John Sang, Solothurn, Switzerland
• Depends how antsy they feel.
Barrie Sargeant, Otaki Beach, New Zealand
• Among my collection of useless trivia, I have it on good authority that ants, on waking, yawn and stretch like human beings. So yes, they sleep. Not useless after all.
Elizabeth Silsbury, Tusmore, South Australia
• Nimby!
Joan Dawson, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
• Only in pants.
Brian Cloughley, Voutenay sur Cure, France
• Not the ones in our kitchen.
Mike Dater, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, US
Dreaming on a vast cloud
What and where is heaven?
Heaven is the last hope of the chronically bored, who may find when they get there (in the inimitable words of Andrew Marvell) "deserts of vast eternity".
Richard Orlando, Montreal, Canada
• It is an Apple and is found on their cloud.
John Ringer, Auckland, New Zealand
• Wales winning the Rugby World Cup in Auckland on 23 October 2011.
Nye John, Blenheim, New Zealand
Any answers?
Do fleas perform a function in nature or are they just here to irritate me and my pets?
Barbara Goodwin, Ensenada, Mexico
We know what's over the rainbow. What is under it?
E Slack, L'Isle Jourdain, France
Do-overs (heard on Says You)
What major do-over did Henry Ford do on the Model-T?
It couldn't back out of the garage; there was no reverse gear.
(JS: Well, who designed the garage? What about installing a door at the other end?)
Electrolux vacuum cleaners motto: Nothing sucks like an Electrolux.
Don't sit on your poor defenseless cell phone - it has feelings, too
Email received from (Name withheld):
> Uiluuiioiooiiiiiioooo
> Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry
JS: Is this supposed to mean something?
Hi Jake, I was backpacking in the Sierra and I think I sat on my cell phone in the car on the way down from Mammoth Area (I get my email on my phone). Sorry. Now that I am home, I can actually read the newsletter!


text:
Another short excerpt from Posse Justice from the beginning of Chapter 14:
"We robbed that bank about two weeks ago," Rusty said, "and we ain't been able to spend ary a penny of the loot. And we ain't been able to lose that posse neither."
"If we hadn't captured that girl, we could've lost the posse a long time ago," said Dave. "She's been holding us back. We ought to let her go and get on with it."
"We can't do that. She's going to be our ticket out of here if we get surrounded. Ain't that right, Missy?" said Dusty.
With Shaky and Flint on lookout, Rusty, Dusty, and Dave kept their eyes on me. I stared back at them from my cramped and tied-up position on the ground. I needed help getting off my horse after riding most of the day. We stopped to rest the horses in a small valley with lots of trees and bushes and a stream flowing through. I dropped to the ground.
"Look at her," said Dusty. "A poor excuse for a woman. Her hair is all messed up, her dress is ragged and dirty, and her hands are grimy. Look at her face. What's that smudge or is it a bruise on her cheek below her left eye where it's dark-like? Did someone hit her?"
"That's where I slapped her," said Rusty. "Had to, to get her moving."
"You can't win her over that way," said Dusty. "You could treat her with a little kindness. Maybe she'll join up with us."
I was quiet. I'm tired and my joints ached from the joggling on the horse. Being tied up was difficult, even if I am an experienced cowgirl. Not being able to move my arms and the strides of the horse threw me off balance at times, requiring more leg use and pressure on the inside of my calves and thighs. I managed to raise my head and take a look at the three men standing there staring at me. Groaning, I said, "Why don't yuou let me go and you can get away faster. Just leave me here."
"Shut up!" said Rusty. "We heard enough of your suggestions."
He raised his arm to slap me again, but Dave grabbed it.
"You heard your brother, Rusty. You got to start treating her better to get any help from her."
Rusty gave him a long, dirty stare and relaxed his arm, saying, "I don't believe in it, I don't. If you don't threat them rough, they run all over you."
"I know I'm not going to change your mind," said, Dave, "but if you just take it easy on her she might start to cooperate and not hold us back with all her aches and pains."
"Oh-ho, you done fell in love with her, haven't you?" Rusty said. "And now you're going to start protecting her like she's your very own. Did you hear that, Dusty? Dave's fell for the girl. Well, he can do all the watching of her, then, for all I care." -End of excerpt-
Just finished this book and it should be available from Amazon in a week or two or a little longer. Pick up a copy when it's out and give it a good read and tell everyone how you liked it!
Sunday, August 19, 2012
My latest novel, Posse Justice
Posted by oscar case at 8:14 AM
4 comments:
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)