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Advantages of FHA mortgages in 2017
In 2017, FHA loans will likely become even more affordable than they have been in recent years, especially if the recently-suspended reduction in annual FHA mortgage insurance premium that the Federal Housing Administration charges is reinstated after a review by HUD's incoming Secretary, as yet unconfirmed by Congress.
Add lower down payment and credit requirements to the mix, and the fact that these federally-insured loans are assumable, and FHA mortgages are an attractive option to many borrowers.
Carla Blair-Gamblian, a home loan consultant for Veterans United Home Loans in Columbia, Missouri, says that FHA loans will always have a place in the market whether their costs rise or fall.
"Not everyone can qualify for a conventional loan, so comparing [conforming loans] to FHA loans across the board may not yield the best picture of what loan product is best," she says.
Here are the advantages of FHA mortgages in 2017:
Lower credit score and down payment requirements
The FHA requirements for credit score and down payments are far lower than for conventional loans. Borrowers can technically qualify for an FHA loan with credit scores of at least 580 and a down payment of just 3.5 percent, according to HUD.
"While an FHA-backed mortgage with FICO 580 is theoretically available to borrowers, many lenders add 'overlays' on these minimum requirements," says Keith Gumbinger, vice president of HSH.com in Riverdale, New Jersey. "Loans with the lowest credit scores tend to default at a much higher rate, and lenders are afraid that if they issue too many loans that later fail, HUD will no longer allow them to write FHA-backed mortgages."
Chris Fox, president of F&B Financial Group in St. Louis, says that borrowers must have credit scores of at least 620 or 640 to qualify for most conventional loans. Fox also says, though, that this is a bit of a misleading benefit. He says that not many lenders will approve any loan, conforming or FHA, for borrowers with credit scores under 620.
FHA mortgage rates
FHA mortgage rates are typically lower than mortgage rates on conforming loans. FHA Borrowers with credit scores of 660 will often qualify for the same interest rate as would conventional borrowers with a score of 740, says Blair-Gamblian.
Closing costs
FHA loans allow sellers to pay up to 6 percent of the loan amount to cover buyers' closing costs, says Tim Pascarella, assistant vice president with Ross Mortgage Corporation in Royal Oak, Michigan. In conventional loans, sellers can only pay up to 3 percent.
"For a lot of homebuyers, that's a big benefit," says Pascarella. "A lot of buyers, especially first-time buyers, can save enough money for a down payment, but then they have nothing else. An FHA loan allows sellers to contribute more to closing costs."
FHA loans are assumable
FHA borrowers have yet another advantage over conventional borrowers: FHA loans are assumable. When it comes time to sell, buyers can take over sellers' existing FHA loans instead of taking out new mortgages at whatever the current mortgage rate is at the time. This is especially advantageous in a rising-rate environment.
"In an environment of rising interest rates, [an assumable loan] can give sellers an advantage over their neighbors," says Dan Green, a loan officer in Cincinnati and author of TheMortgageReports.com.
Assuming an FHA loan isn't always simple, though. While buyers will have to meet all the typical mortgage requirements, they may need a much larger down payment depending on the seller's equity.
If the original mortgage balance was $200,000 and the buyer assumes the loan at a balance of $160,000, the buyer must come up with $40,000 in cash to reach the original balance. The buyer might have to take out a second loan to come up with that figure, which may or may not negate the benefit of a lower interest rate.
Despite the numerous advantages, there are also downsides to FHA mortgages in 2017:
FHA mortgage insurance premiums
The biggest downside of FHA loans has long been the costs associated with the upfront and annual mortgage insurance premiums.
The upfront mortgage insurance premium is 1.75 percent of the loan amount. That's $3,500 on a $200,000 mortgage loan. That cost is added to the principal balance of your loan. So your loan amount is actually $203,500.
However, effective Jan. 26, 2015, the FHA reduced the annual mortgage insurance premium on 30-year fixed-rate FHA loans from 1.35 percent to 0.85 percent of the loan balance. This can lead to significant savings. On a $200,000 loan, the annual premium of 1.35 percent would cost borrowers $2,700. But with a premium of 0.85 percent, borrowers will only pay $1,700 for the same loan.
The reduced annual rate does not apply to those borrowers who are taking out 15-year FHA-backed mortgage loans. That yearly premium will still range from 0.45 percent to 0.95 percent of the loan balance.
FHA mortgage insurance for the life of the loan
With conventional mortgage loans, borrowers don't have to pay for private mortgage insurance if they come up with a 20 percent down payment. Conventional borrowers can even request that private mortgage insurance be dropped once their mortgage balance falls to 80 percent of the value of their home.
With FHA loans, borrowers who closed their loans after June 3, 2013 must make mortgage insurance payments every year for the life of the loan, no matter how much equity they accrue.
"The only negative of an FHA loan is its cost," says Pascarella. But if a solid credit score and down payment are a stretch for you, an FHA loan might be your only option.
Originally posted on HSH


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The universally loved story of "Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up," also featuring Wendy and Captain Hook, didn't spring effortlessly from the mind of the Scottish playwright and novelist J.M Barrie. It has its own challenging and distinctive birth story. That story is on full display in the musical "Finding Neverland," which is being given a lively world premiere by American Repertory Theater.
Directed at the ART by artistic director Diane Paulus, the book for 'Finding Neverland' was written by James Graham and the music and lyrics by Gary Barlow and Eliot Kennedy. The show is based on the film "Finding Neverland" by David Magee, featuring Johnny Depp, and the play "The Man Who Was Peter Pan" by Allan Knee.
At the heart of the musical is the friendship Barrie develops with the widow, Sylvia Llewelyn Davies, and her four boys, whom he meets one day in 1904 in London's Kensington Gardens and with whom he instantly bonds. His marriage to Mary Barry, a fashionable woman caught up in decorating, is not particularly satisfying to him or her.
In the middle of all this, Barrie is under pressure from his American producer, Charles Frohman, to write a new, successful play after his last one closed within a day. Barrie has no idea where to turn next.
After a delightful scene in which Barrie meets Sylvia and her children in Kensington Gardens, and they bring forth his childlike spirit, which is always bubbling away just under the surface, she and her boys come to his house for a formal dinner. Disaster is in the making. Under the choreography of Mia Michaels, the servants wait on the guests with highly stylized, contemporary dance moves, underscoring the formal adult world that Barrie has little interest in. Soon everyone freezes except Barrie and the children as they play wild games between them with the children jumping up onto the dinner table. By the end, Barrie's family dog gives Mary a big, unwelcome lick right across her face.
At the heart of this musical is Laura Michelle Kelly's performance as Sylvia. She overflows with life, spontaneity, and a love that makes her irresistible to us, her children, and to Barrie, too. She soon sings an exquisite lullaby to her children with a gorgeous, all-out voice. Before long Jeremy Jordan as J.M. Barrie sings, also beautifully, to her of Neverland, a place where you don't get old, that's only a light year and a day away. Jordan brings an intense passion for life, an appropriate quirkiness, and a believable Scottish accent to Barrie.
Frohman, the Producer, has problems with the idea that Barrie has been developing for a play. "How did a clock get inside the crocodile?" he asks. "A play for children? They don't have any money." Played with aplomb by Michael McGrath, Frohman has a funny aversion to everything that has to do with children.
Barrie has a difficult time bringing the components of "Peter Pan" together until he meets Captain Hook in a swashbuckling scene on a large sailing ship. "I'm the fire in your belly, your darker side," McGrath, doubling as Hook, says to Barrie. Before the lively scene is over, Barrie finally sets aside his timid, not-so-sure self and swings a pirate's sword with gusto.
When the second act opens, Barrie is fully in command of the actors who are to perform "Peter Pan" and have no clue what to do. The actor playing Mr. Hedgeshaw is precious and all hands, surprised to find that he'll be playing the Nanny, i.e., the family dog. There's a particularly funny scene in which Barrie gets a large actor to deliver a line smaller and smaller until it's actually real.
But it's at the tavern, The Swan, where Barrie and Sylvia finally convince the actors to break through their inhibitions, cut loose, and embrace the play, as they dance on the tables to a lively dance hall number.
Sylvia's boys are warm, fun, and appealing-Alex Dreier as Michael, Hayden Signoretti as Jack, Sawyer Nunes as George, and Aidan Gemme as Peter, who struggles over the death of his father and has a hard time being a fun-loving kid again. They're all delightful as they stage a charming children's play written by Peter before learning more hard news that turns their world upside down.
Before the musical is over, there's a lively, ambitious scene from "Peter Pan" performed in the Davies' home with Peter flying, thanks to actors' hands, not cables and rigging.
This show is packed with large, polished production numbers, in what feels like an effort to make sure it succeeds this time, given that its original version didn't survive. And one wonders if it wouldn't benefit at times from a little more variety in scale. But before it opened at the ART, news was out that it will be heading to Broadway with a March opening.
"Finding Neverland"
WHEN: Through Sept. 28
WHERE: American Repertory Theater, 64 Brattle St., Cambridge
TICKETS: Start at $25
INFO: 617-547-8300; www.AmericanRepertoryTheater.org
Theater Review: ART sprinkles its magic on 'Neverland'
The universally loved story of "Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up," also featuring Wendy and Captain Hook, didn't spring effortlessly from the mind of the Scottish playwright and novelist J.M Barrie. It has its own challenging and distinctive birth story. That story is on full display in the musical "Finding Neverland," which is being given a lively world premiere by American Repertory Theater.

subset: commoncrawl


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This contest is closed and the winner has been selected. Congrats to…
Michele who in her comment said "Newsletter!" She also said she would like to try "The organic GF breads!"
Michele: check your email for your prize details.
Wise Choice Market started out as the online store for Caldwell's organic raw fermented vegetables and unique starter culture for vegetables. Owner Simon Gorman founded Wise Choice Market back in 2010 after discovering how incorporating fermented foods in his diet greatly improved his personal health and well-being. His aim is to bring organic nutrient-dense foods directly to your homes, and he is adding new and healthy real food products to their store all the time. Most recently Wise Choice started offering a variety of organic sprouted grain Manna Breads (including certified gluten-free) and organic chicken and beef broth as well.
We are excited to be hosting a giveaway that includes a variety of Wise Choice Market's real food products today…please see below for the details!
Giveaway Details
Wise Choice Market giveaway includes:
- Two loaves of organic gluten free bread
- Two loaves of organic sprouted grain bread
- One container of organic real chicken broth
- One container of organic real beef broth
- A selection of seven organic raw cultured vegetables
Package value is worth approximately $112
More about what Wise Choice offers:
In addition to fermented vegetables, Wise Choice recently started offering five flavors of organic gluten free bread made by Manna Organics. These pre-sliced loaves are certified organic (and therefore non-GMO) and also gluten-free by GFCO (Gluten-Free Certification Organization) for those of you with gluten sensitivities. The varieties include Cinnamon Raisin, Open Sesame, Ancient Grains, Ciao Chia, and Original, and are shipped frozen so you can defrost when convenient. They also offer nine flavors of organic sprouted grain bread, which are made from whole organic sprouted grains (not flour) and free of any added oils, salt, sweeteners, and leavening agents. Their most popular sprouted grain bread varieties include Carrot Raisin, Cinnamon Date, Fruit & Nut, and Whole Rye.
And finally, Wise Choice also offers traditionally-made organic bone broths – just in time for chilly weather! It's an item that's difficult to find in stores because commercially prepared "broths" are oftentimes full of questionable additives, and even if you find an organic version, it's unlikely that it's made using bones from free range chicken or grass fed beef. These bone broths from Wise Choice take 24 hours to make, and use only pure filtered water, organic bones, onions, garlic, and parsley. The result is well worth the wait!
How to Enter Giveaway
If you would like to enter the contest please read and follow these rules…
- The contest is open to those in mainland U.S. only.
- You have TWO chances to enter the contest by leaving comments below:
– 1st entry: Please leave a comment below sharing which product you'd be most excited to try. See the Wise Choice Market website for a full listing of products available.
– 2nd entry: If you sign up for their mailing list (You'll also get free recipes when you initially sign up!) you can leave another comment below. Just say "newsletter" in your second entry/comment.
- The contest will end at midnight EST on Sunday, November 11th.
- The winners will be selected at random and announced on the "100 Days of Real Food" Facebook page as well as emailed directly (so make sure your address is entered correctly in your comments below!). The winner will have 3 days to respond before they are disqualified, and a new winner is chosen.
Please note: Your email address will not be shared or used for any other purpose.


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Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant is seeing another doctor to help determine if he can play the rest of this season with a broken finger on his left hand.
Coach Jason Garrett said Wednesday that the team and the player are getting more medical information to figure out the best way to handle the situation. He says Bryant's health now and going forward are "huge factors" in making a decision.
Bryant broke his finger in Sunday's victory at Cincinnati, though he returned a few plays after the injury and caught a touchdown.
The Cowboys (7-6) play at home Sunday against Pittsburgh. Garrett says Bryant is a tough guy and loves playing football, and will give himself and the team every chance to play Sunday and the rest of the season.


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Democrats decry Republican tactics in marathon vote / GOP leadership abused rules, twisted arms in late-night session, Pelosi says
2003-12-09 04:00:00 PDT Washington -- Angry House Democrats, still smarting over extraordinary parliamentary maneuvers that Republicans used last month to pass the Medicare bill President Bush signed Monday, sought to upstage Bush's big moment by taking to the floor to embarrass the House leadership.
In winning a 220-215 vote in the pre-dawn hours of Nov. 22, the House Republican leadership turned a scheduled 15-minute vote into a three-hour marathon, time they used to twist arms to produce a winning margin. One member, Rep. Nick Smith, R-Mich., later indicated he was offered a $100,000 contribution for the campaign of his son, who is running to succeed him next year, if he would change his vote against the measure. He didn't.
"The Medicare vote will be remembered as one of the lowest moments in the history of the House," Democratic leader Rep. Nancy Pelosi of San Francisco said Monday during a sometimes raucous debate over a motion she introduced calling on the House GOP leaders "to prevent any further abuse" of voting rules.
"Not one member of the elected leadership of the majority will show his face on the floor to defend" the vote, she said, to applause from her fellow Democrats. The House voted to table Pelosi's motion 207-182.
Pelosi, whose Democrats are outnumbered in the House 229 to 206, knew she would lose, but figured the tough tactics used by House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., and Majority Leader Rep. Tom DeLay, R-Texas, could mobilize her party and raise money for the 2004 election campaign.
"I brought this privileged resolution to the floor," Pelosi said, "because there were public rumors of bribery of $100,000 to a member of this House." There were scattered shouts of "Shame, shame," among the Democrats.
Neither Hastert nor DeLay was on the floor as Pelosi's measure was debated. The Republicans who responded defended the bill, the long vote and the need to act to provide a prescription drug benefit under Medicare.
"We had to thread a needle," said Rep. Jim Greenwood, R-Pa., in describing the effort to meld a coalition of Republicans and a few Democrats to pass the bill. "Yes, it took us an extraordinary amount of time to get it done. ... The speaker is entitled to take as much time as he likes for a vote. "
But Pelosi's deputy, Minority Whip Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., reminded Republicans how they reacted angrily when they were in the minority in 1987 when then-Speaker Rep. Jim Wright, D-Texas, held a vote open for 30 extra minutes to win a budget bill vote. Hoyer quoted Vice President Dick Cheney, then the House Republican whip, to make his case.
"The Democratic tactics are the most grievous insult inflicted on the Republicans in my time in the House," Cheney said at the time. "It was the most arrogant, heavy-handed abuse of power in the 10 years I've been here."
But Rep. Clay Shaw, R-Fla., said it was vital to pass the bill. "I would have stayed here for three more days with the clock open, I felt it was so urgent. " Shaw said.


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Like any journalist or writer, Englishman Samson Ellis appreciates a good story no matter how unusual or strange. Taiwan certainly has its fair share.
"Do you remember the exploding sperm whale?" he says.
Ellis, editor-in-chief of English news at Formosa TV (FTV, 民視), remembers when his station covered the story of the 17m-long, 50-tonne sperm whale that died after being stranded on a beach.
The creature's body burst open while being transported through Tainan, bringing traffic to a halt as it splattered cars and passersby with blood and guts.
"Stuff like that — that's Taiwan," he says laughing.
While he relishes such stories that spice up the typical news cycle, Ellis has also been exploring some lesser-known tales about Taiwan. Last year he wrote a series of one-hour documentaries that aired at the end of last year on the Discovery Channel.
There are no exploding animals in Unknown Taiwan, but the series offers enough intrigue to engage both local and international viewers. In an episode on Tamsui, two historians set out to try to find the fabled secret tunnels extending from the Dutch-built Fort San Domingo (紅毛城) to Keelung.
Another episode looks at the coastline of Penghu, the site of numerous maritime disasters and plane crashes, and entertains the existence of a Bermuda Triangle-like phenomenon near the island.
In his role as scriptwriter, Ellis said he tried to draw out elements of Taiwan that had universal appeal.
"When you're writing for the Discovery Channel especially, you've always got to be thinking, okay, why should some guy in Mexico be watching this?" he says. "You're really writing for a global international audience, so that's always on your mind."
The series also tells the story of a Japanese pilot who was born and raised in Hualien and served in a Japanese air force squadron secretly stationed on Taiwan during World War II. Just before the pilot was about to embark on his ultimate mission, a kamikaze raid, the war ended. The show documents the pilot's visit to his childhood home and school in Hualien.
In addition to gaining an appreciation for Taiwan's colonial history and Aboriginal roots, Ellis says he enjoys the "craft" aspect of making the documentaries: creating narratives that could "really sustain people, and people from anywhere, for an hour."
The idea of keeping people's attention brought him back to basics in working with the Taiwanese production companies that were commissioned by Discovery and the Government Information Office to produce the shows.
According to Ellis, Unknown Taiwan marked the first time that Discovery had a writer involved during the early planning stages for its programs produced by local production houses.
He said one challenge was to help the production companies think in terms of a global audience.
"I was very adamant — okay, you need a lot of maps [in the shows]. First of all, you need to tell people where the hell Taiwan is — a lot of people aren't going to know where Taiwan is," he says.
"You're trying to reach out to people who aren't interested in Taiwan with an interesting story about Taiwan. So you've got to give lots of basic information, stuff like what were the Japanese doing [here]?" he says.
Ellis' own interest in Taiwan goes back to his student days and an enthusiasm for languages. The 32-year-old from Devon spent his high school years in Germany, where he became fluent in German and learned French, and studied at the University of Edinburgh, where he received his master's degree in Chinese.


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Ex-gov mum on possible House run
Former Democratic Gov. Edwin Edwards, who spent eight years in prison after being convicted of racketeering charges, is staying mum about reports that he's considering a campaign for a vacant Louisiana congressional seat.
The 86-year-old told the Times-Picayune that he had not decided whether to run for the 6th Congressional District seat and that it would be a "while" before he made an assessment. His remarks followed a Thursday report on the Hay Ride, a Louisiana-focused politics blog, that he was thinking about running for the seat.
Story Continued Below
Edwards spent 16 years as governor and seven years in the House of Representatives. In 2001, he was found guilty on a series of corruption charges.
Still, he's kept alive the idea of a return to politics.
In an October radio interview, Edwards said: "Lately, for some strange reason, I'm beginning to think it might be a nice thing to do. But I'm not going to make the decision based upon that. I'm going to make the decision based on whether I think I can win and whether there's a need for me, because I don't want to end what I consider to be a successful political career on a sad note."
Edwards was recently the subject of an A&E reality series called "The Governor's Wife," about his marriage to Trina Edwards, who is more than 50 years his junior. The show was canceled late last year.
Should he enter the race for the Baton Rouge-area seat, Edwards would join a field of candidates that includes Republicans Dan Claitor, a state senator, and Paul Dietzel, a businessman. GOP Rep. Bill Cassidy is vacating the seat to run for Senate.


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Student Election Clerk FAQs
Student Election Clerks
Q: What are student election clerks?
A: The 81st Texas Legislature passed Senate Bill 1134 (effective on September 1, 2009), which allows high school students 16 years of age and older to serve as election clerks in Texas elections. The purpose is two-fold: 1) to introduce students to the electoral process and inspire them with an interest in their government, and 2) to provide election authorities with an additional resource of persons who can serve at the polls.
Q: What are the requirements for a student to serve as an election clerk?
A: The student must be 16 years old or older on Election Day; enrolled in a public, private, or qualified home school; and a U.S. citizen. The student must also have consent of his/her parent or legal guardian and his/her school principal (or parent/legal guardian for home-schooled students) to work in an election. The application form (PDF, 30k) contains the necessary consent forms to be signed by the parents and principal. The student must also attend an election worker training program for poll workers prior to Election Day.
Q: Can a student election worker serve as an interpreter?
A: Yes. When election workers are communicating with a voter who cannot communicate in English, a student election worker may communicate with the voter in a language the voter and the clerk understands.
Q: Since the Presiding Judge selects their clerks except the alternate judge, how will the judge know which students are interested and available or how to even contact them?
A: The Secretary of State's office has an [application] form posted on its website that political subdivisions can use for students to apply to be election clerks. The students can fill out the application, get the required signatures, and send the form to the election administrators who serve the election in which the student wishes to serve. The elections administrator will provide each judge with a list of all eligible student election workers.
Q: Do the school authorities send the election officials student names, addresses, and phone numbers directly? Can the school give out this information without a written approval notice from a parent/legal guardian of the students?
A: The student will provide all required information directly to the election officials. The Student Election Worker Application and Permission Slip (PDF, 30k) for students to complete and send to their local elections officials includes a consent section for both parent/guardian and the appropriate school official. The student will be responsible for obtaining the principal's consent to serve as an election clerk. The student (not the school) provides the information directly to the election officials. The school will not need to contact the election officials. In addition, the student must obtain parental or legal guardian consent on the same application before the student can serve as an election clerk.
Q: How will the election officials inform the school that the student actually worked on Election Day?
A: Serving as an election clerk is now included in the Texas Education Code's definition of "excused absence." Student election clerks are entitled to compensation in the same manner as other election clerks. The election official should give each student worker documentation in the form of a time sheet, pay stub, or other letter or form showing that the student served as an election worker and the hours worked. Ultimately, however, it is up to the student to ensure that the school is given the proper documentation in order to have an excused absence.
Q: Are there any labor laws about how many hours a student can work during a school day?
A: Under the Texas Labor Code, the employment hours of persons 16 or older are not restricted by state law. Persons 16 or 17 years of age have no restrictions on the number of hours or times of day they may work.
Q: Are there any curfew laws that the student could run afoul of if they were out late due to extended voting hours?
A:; There are no state law curfews in Texas. However, some municipalities and perhaps counties have curfews by local ordinance; therefore, the answers would vary depending on the details of any applicable local ordinance. It is likely that most local curfew ordinances give exceptions for school or work-related activities, under which this would likely qualify. Also, the student will not be in violation of the compulsory attendance law for schools because, again, the legislation provides for an excused absence when serving as an election clerk.
Q: How many student election clerks can serve at each polling place?
A: Not more than two student election clerks may serve at a polling place, except that not more than four student election clerks may serve at any countywide polling place.
Q: What do we do with multiple student requests from a single precinct? Can they work outside of their home precinct?
A: Students can work outside of their home precinct because election clerks are not limited to working only in their own precincts. The positions in each precinct should be filled in the order in which the students apply, assuming they meet all the requirements. Any extra student applicants for a given precinct may work in another precinct that does not already have its authorized number of student election clerk positions filled.
Q: What if the parents and student give their general consent, then the student is later assigned to a polling place or time that he or she does not want to work?
A: The student clerk may simply turn down the assignment (just like any other voluntary election clerk offered an assignment that presents a conflict).


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ALEX Toys Artist Studio Painting Set & Easel Jungle
by ALEX Toys
Please check your favorite toy retailer for availability. Prices may vary.
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Product Description
Wooden easel and preprinted canvas for real artwork you make yourself! Canvas is preprinted and measures 16″ x 16″. Wooden easel assembles easily. Includes 10 tubes of acrylic paint, 4 brushes, mixing palette, and painting guide.
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Isn't it just absolutely marvellous that we've got all those bright people and all that vast amount of lolly tied up in speculation in futures on agricultural commodities?
The mass slaughter of millions of farm animals across the world is expected to push food prices to their highest ever levels.
Well, not quite.
Nicholas Higgins, a Rabobank commodities analyst and author of the report, said: "There will be an initial glut in meat availability as people slaughter their animals to reduce their feed bills. But by next year herds will be so reduced that there won't be enough animals to meet expected demand and prices will soar."
That's it: the price of meat is likely to rise next year: after the fall caused by people slaughtering the animals they won't be able to feed next year. And this is why we're so lucky we've got all those people selflessly providing price signals to us.
This year's harvest looks like being pretty miserable. At least for nothern hemisphere corn and wheat they do. As a result of this those speculators, doing good in their gilded towers, have bid up the price of corn and wheat for delivery later this year and next. There will be less of it around they think. This is what is known as a "price signal". Those people who might feed cheap corn to a bacon buttie on the hoof, cheap wheat to the vital ingredient of a future Big Mac, won't feed them the expensive stuff. So, less bacon (sob, sob) and less Mickey D's (honestly, who cares?) and as a by product there's more corn and wheat around to feed to people. Because we're using less of our now limited supply to feed animals.
All of this is achieved by (mostly) men playing around in offices with money. Not that they intend these results of course: they're driven purely by the greed, the lust, for filthy lucre. Yet as a result fewer people will starve than would in their absence.
And to think that there are people out there who would stop speculation in food. Presumably they're too stupid to see what we get from the system. The alternative, that they would prefer people die for ideological reasons, is just too 20th century to consider these days.


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Feb. 17, 2009, may mark the beginning of a radical change to the wireless data systems industry. Under the Digital Television Transition and Public Safety Act of 2005, it's the date when full-power analog television transmissions will cease, opening up the 746- to 806-MHz frequency spectrum for auction. "Right now there's a lot of talk about what's going to be done with that bandwidth," says Joe Bardwell, chief scientist and president, Connect802 Corp., San Ramon, Calif. "The 700-MHz spectrum has tremendous range because it's a low frequency, relatively speaking. It may be possible for data communications to operate over a range of multiple miles, penetrating inside buildings in the same way you can pick up the TV station signal from a broadcast antenna 40 miles away."
Under those circumstances, according to Bardwell, it would be possible for a single wireless infrastructure at an industrial facility, for example, to simultaneously support industrial process control, video, and Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP). "That's the fantasy right now, and it's exciting," Bardwell says. "Once the electrical engineers and mathematicians figure out how to encode and decode a higher data rate in a way that is commercially viable, then we'll see the next evolution in wireless datacom (see The Evolution of Wireless Communications on pages 32, 34, and 36). Five years from now, this might be a whole new ball game." Until that time, wireless data systems manufacturers, designers, and installers must overcome issues of compatibility and throughput inherent in the technology.
The wireless data systems industry falls under the jurisdiction of a three-pronged process that includes: the legal requirements of Part 15 of the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC); the engineering standard of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Piscataway, N.J., IEEE 802.11-2007 and its amendments for wireless local area networks (WLAN) computer communications; and the interoperability benchmarks of the Wireless Ethernet Compatibility Association. This group is informally called the Wi-Fi Alliance, Austin, Texas, a nonprofit organization with the goal of driving the adoption of a single worldwide accepted standard for high-speed wireless LAN. "IEEE sets the standard that complies with the FCC's regulatory requirements, and then manufacturers build to that standard," Bardwell says. "But because the IEEE standard specifies what you have to do but not how you do it, there's the Wi-Fi Alliance to test interoperability, making sure that one manufacturer's implementation of the IEEE standard is compatible with the other manufacturers."
The IEEE 802.11-2007 standard, which is overseen by the IEEE's Computer Society's Local Area Network (LAN)/Metropolitan Area Network (MAN) Standards Committee, contains rules to avoid radio frequency (RF) collisions. Twelve months after their publication date, the IEEE makes these standards available for download on its Web site at http://standards.ieee.org/getieee802/. "An 802.11 device is supposed to work with other 802.11 devices that are out there," says John Colodny, president and CEO of Wiring.com, Inc., Sunrise, Fla., a company that provides wireless and cabling systems in the health-care, institutional, and industrial markets. In addition, amendments to the standard have helped refine the technology. Yet, overcoming shortfalls in the technology remains a design challenge. "It's a contention medium," Colodny says. "All the devices are contending for the access point at the same time. Only one can communicate with an access point at one discrete moment in time."
Guest services
Wireless applications for different market segments pose their own challenges, on both the component side and in the cabling infrastructure. "From a design standpoint, everything starts with the application, and then the application determines how much bandwidth is required," Colodny says. "That's the biggest difference between a wired network versus a wireless network. In a wired network for low-voltage communications, typically everything is standards based — Cat. 5e, Cat. 6, Cat. 6a — so the applications aren't usually identified to the contractor or discussed. In a wireless network, everything starts with the application because it has bandwidth requirements. A wireless network has to be designed to support the applications and their required bandwidths."
Therefore, designing and installing a wireless network for a commercial building can differ vastly from what is required by a health-care facility or industrial processing plant. Typically, wireless networks for commercial and multi-family residential, such as urban condominiums, are geared toward a guest experience, which includes the availability of cell phone service and wireless Internet. "From a wireless perspective, most commercial facilities are looking for wireless local area network (WLAN), and that provides your Wi-Fi, your basic connection to the network," says Tony Whaley, vice president of global design firm RTKL, Baltimore.
A common technology used to enhance the WLAN is a distributed antenna system (DAS), which allows cell phone connectivity even within large structures. "I'm sure you've experienced going into buildings where your cell phone just won't work," says Tom Fox, an associate in the Special Systems Design Group at RTKL who maintains that DAS is almost becoming a necessity in large condominium-type spaces for young urban professionals. "The DAS system alleviates that issue."
A few years ago, basic Wi-Fi and cell phone service was enough for hotels and hospitality facilities. However, improvements to technology and tech-savvier guests are now requiring some to retrofit to bigger systems. "I was involved in a project a year ago where 300 major hotels that already had Wi-Fi were retrofitting because they had received enough consistent complaints from the guests," Bardwell says. "When they'd installed the system a few years ago, they were providing some basic e-mail support for the business traveler, but over a period of time, the traveling public has come to expect more."
Visitors have become used to surfing the Web for restaurant and menu options, as well as downloading maps and checking the weather. There is also a new technology that allows travelers to connect through the Internet to watch shows from their hometown. "It lets you connect to it through the Internet so you can watch your local television shows while you're traveling," Bardwell says. "That's popular for the international business market, but it puts a huge load on the network, because they're feeding IP television across the network."
In contrast, resort hospitality facilities are for the most part staying with basic services. "There is a segment of the hospitality space, particularly the resort space, where the wireless network can be designed to a minimum level of capacity," Bardwell says.
For example, Bardwell's company recently installed Wi-Fi at a summer camp on Lake Tahoe. The owners wanted only basic e-mail connectivity, trying to encourage its guests to relax instead of work.
A common denominator for wireless systems in all markets is that VoIP requires the strictest and most rigorous specifications. Therefore, when designed to support VoIP, the network should have the maximum capabilities to support voice. "As a result, whatever else that customer happens to be doing is not going to be as demanding on the network as the wireless VoIP," Bardwell says.
The most common uses of wireless VoIP is employee communication, whether with the forklift operators in your plant or the nurse on rounds. "Wireless VoIP is an established technology," says Bardwell. "Prior to that, these applications would have been handled with products like push-to-talk cellular. But if you're paying monthly costs to have 100 or 200 employees connected, that's a huge cost. So, one of the motivations for putting wireless VoIP into a building is to mitigate the cost by building out a privately owned voice communication system."
An emerging technology that could eventually enhance the capabilities of VoIP is fixed mobile convergence (FMC). "FMC speaks to roaming off of the cellular network and roaming onto an in-building Wi-Fi network," Bardwell explains. "It's under the umbrella that we could call 'ubiquitous connectivity' for voice and video and data. Kids today will look back and say, 'I remember when voice, video, and data were separate.' But 20 years from now, there will be ubiquitous connectivity for voice, video, and data."
Reconcilable differences
Health-care facilities are interested in providing a guest experience for their patients and visitors, but in addition to that, they require many more applications and systems. "Installing cabling in health-care facilities, particularly as a retrofit, with fire protection, infection control, and patient care concerns, is very structured and regulated," Colodny says.
In the hospital setting, lives may not only be depending on the network, but the network must also ensure privacy. "The guiding principle is consistent connectivity because the wireless network provides support for patient care, so it's the criticality of the design at any data rate," Bardwell says. "The other aspect is security for the network, particularly because of the privacy rule of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) requirements."
Wireless applications for health-care facilities range from barcode scanning, data storage, patient telemetry, and equipment tracking, as well as communications, which can cause compatibility issues. "When you go into a medical facility, you have to not only encompass the regular Wi-Fi or WLAN, but there are public safety radios, wireless ID systems, and wireless medical telemetry systems," says Whaley. "It becomes more complicated when you're dealing with hospitals as well as with government agencies."
Most hospital workers are equipped with a communication device, which may run on the 900-MHz frequency band, which is the unlicensed frequency band known as "industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM)," in the 900-MHz, 2.4-GHz and 5.8-GHz range. Devices in close proximity using the same 900 MHz band — microwave ovens, cordless phones, Bluetooth-enabled cell phones — may interfere with network operations, which is why most emergency rooms ban cell phone use.
Wireless networks for the industrial segment pose their own unique challenges, in addition to system compatibility and interference. "In warehouse and manufacturing, because the space is generally huge, there is often sticker shock when a customer finds out how many access points they will need if they want maximum capacity coverage in 2 million square feet," Bardwell says. "That's a lot of access points."
However, cost can be scaled back by resorting to only necessary applications. The most common wireless application for warehouse and manufacturing facilities is the handheld inventory scanner. As a result, they often don't need the highest capacity network. "They're not supporting Web browsing and e-mail as their primary activity," Bardwell says. "It's a very small amount of data that's being transferred, so warehouse and manufacturing networks can be designed to a lower level of coverage because there's generally less need for high capacity."
Begin at the beginning
For plants that require higher capacity for process controls and security, for example, managing disparate wireless applications that may operate on different frequencies or have conflicting standards — Zigbee, Wi-Fi, Wi-Max, RFID, VoIP, Bluetooth, Mesh Networks — begins in the pre-planning phase. "You have to be careful about the RFID," Whaley says. "Most of those are proprietary systems, so it can be very complicated. Good design is in mixing those various systems, making sure you have the right brand or product for the client, and making sure it's going to live harmoniously in an RF world."
The type of access points — single, dual, multiple-in-multiple-out (MIMO) — and other design considerations will be determined by the applications as well as scalability, the ability of the network to expand to cover future needs. "The customer needs to make a decision based on current and future applications and how much bandwidth is going to be required," Colodny says.
Whaley agrees. Because wireless technology improves at such a rapid rate, you have to build an infrastructure for your client that can be enhanced down the road. "They make all these different systems backward compatible, and you integrate it," he says. "You plan for the growth of the client's facility and for wireless technology by making sure you have a good infrastructure for your clients."
A common mistake owners often make is to think of including a wireless network after construction has begun. "The best case is that the wireless network design is created before the cable system is installed so that all of the cable runs for the wireless equipment can be pulled along with any Ethernet or telephone that's being pulled in the building," Bardwell says. "That way, the installation contractor can do all the cable pulls ahead of time without having to go back and retrofit and move ceiling tiles and open walls."
Wireless systems in new construction can also be modeled using 3D CAD. "We can actually model that building with wireless software and give a general idea what propagation is going to be like within that building before it's built," Whaley says. "Once the building starts to get built, we work with the construction team to do onsite surveys as well as planning for the wireless infrastructure. It's constructed simultaneously with the new building. Once the building is completed, just like you would do with mechanical and electrical systems where you commission the systems, we'll commission the wireless systems and other telecommunications systems."
Currently, most wireless network projects are retrofit. "Unfortunately, very few facilities folks, whether they are the general contractor, the architect, the owner, or the project manager, stumble upon the fact that the wireless network should be designed and rolled out as the building is being built," Bardwell says. "So often it's the case that it isn't until the building has tenants that they begin to talk about it. It would have been nice if they thought of that a year prior, when the building was still on the drawing board."
There are techniques to create a successful design and installation in a retrofit project. Most firms conduct site surveys. "We go in with mobile equipment to verify the RF characteristics of the building, and how many access points are needed/where they need to be placed to provide the required bandwidth," Colodny says. "A field site survey is done with the wireless components prior to installation. There's also another method called predictive analysis, which uses computer simulations to determine where the access points need to go, but predictive analysis is not as good as going into the field and doing it for real. One is a simulation; one is actual results."
Recently, RTKL performed an RF assessment site survey for the City of San Jose, Calif. "We had 3,000 test locations so they could get a snapshot of if their public safety radios would work and their cell phone reinforcement," Whaley says. "Those assessments can be critical, and the key for us to be able to give people what they need as far as good, clean wireless communications."
Alphabet soup
There are several credentials for wireless data systems designers and installers. Tampa, Fla.-based BICSI is a professional association supporting the information transport systems (ITS) industry with information, education, and knowledge assessment for individuals and companies. It serves more than 24,000 ITS professionals, including designers, installers, and technicians who provide the fundamental infrastructure for telecommunications, audio/video, life safety, and automation systems. In addition to providing professionals with a useful tool for wireless design in the form of its "Wiring Design Reference Manual," BICSI offers various certification credentials, including Registered Communications Distribution Designer (RCDD), Network Transport Systems (NTS), Wireless Design (WD) specialist, and ITS Cabling Installation credentials.
There are several exams to take regarding the 802.11 standard, including the Smyrna, Ga.-based Certified Wireless Network Professional's (CWNP) Certified Wireless Network Administrator (CWNA) and Certified Wireless Network Expert (CWNE) credentials. In addition, there are many manufacturer-sponsored certifications for their proprietary systems. "Interestingly, there's some crossover," Bardwell says. "BICSI wireless certification includes things that a structured wiring person would need to know about wireless, whereas the CWNP certification includes things about RF wave propagation and antenna patterns, which a structured wiring person wouldn't necessarily have to be as well versed in."
Bardwell's company uses a network of installation contractors throughout the country. It makes sure the contractors understand the fundamentals of pulling wire for wireless, particularly Arlington, Va.-based Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) 568B. "The electrical contractor that thinks network cabling is like pulling telephone wire is in trouble, because it's going to pull a whole building and the computer network's not going to work," he says. "But thank you, BICSI, because now there are some electrical contractors that could be considered experts at network cabling."
The RTKL Special Systems Design has witnessed its share of difficult installations as well. "I've watched it get done two or three times before it's done right," Whaley says. "You have to take care that you have the proper infrastructure and the proper separation from other cables, because this is going to radiate out. You have to make sure you have the proper shielding and the proper grounding. So you need a professional that understands how wireless is supposed to go into a facility — just like you need a professional that understands fiber or high-voltage cabling."


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Merry Christmas!
Xmas art coming soon!
Have a great holiday, all yous guys!
Thursday, December 24, 2009
Cookies for Santa...
Posted by Zach Bellissimo at 8:52 PM 3 comments
Labels: christmaschristmaschristmaschristmaschristmasxmasjesus
Friday, December 11, 2009
Fruit Bat Animation
I said I'd post animation, didn't I?
Well this right here is an assignment for my Animation Workshop class at SVA. We has to have a character start off with one emotion and then end with a completely different one. I had a silly idea to do a fruit bat with a gigantic apple. Its animated entirely in Flash CS3.
My teacher said I'd be a good layout artist.
And just for fun, here's some early drawings of the bat (he doesn't have a name yet). I simplified him a bit for the animation, but I do like this detailed version, especially his bow tie.
Also if you to go my Youtube channel you can see a hi-larious video of my cat in a box. I don't want to post it up here because I want the animation to get all the attention, haha.
I have one other animation I want to post but I'm gonna wait a bit, I might want to clean that one up some more.
More postings to come!
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Full of Turkey and Spewing Stuffing
Back from my 2 week Thanksgiving leave. Ahhhh...and 2 more weeks till the next vacation.
Ok, cut the chit chat, here's some pics.
My new favorite thing is free drawing in my humanities classes. Ratch likes it too.
This one is just begging me to be colored.
Some Jillyans...her torso is too long.
Been on a Betty Boop kick kinda. Oh, Koko...
I took Tara to my school when Henry Selick (Coraline director) was doing a special Q/A session. We saw him at Comic Con for like not even 5 seconds but this time we got to meet with him for a bit and oh yea he ever took us for breakfast the next day. YEA. That's right.
It was so cool, just talking about animation while the director of my favorite stop motion movies sat across from me eating oatmeal. He had already seen Tara's work so I showed him mine and he said all my art was very "sickly". He was an awesome guy, gave us a lot of good tips and even an insight to his next animated project. Hopefully one day he'll hire me to get his coffee!
We also had a Post-Halloween party just for fun. I carved our left over pumpkin. My hands smelled like jack-0-stink.
I wanna try to update a bit more before my Xmas vacation hits, but it'll be very hard since all my school assignments are snapping at my ass like hungry gay alligators. I do have some animations to finally unleash.
Until next post, here's my weird overweight cat sitting on Spongebob.
Is it a metaphor? Who knows?
Posted by Zach Bellissimo at 3:33 PM 4 comments
Labels: coraline, drawings, fat cat, henry selick, koko the clown, pumpkin, sketches, vacation


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The Basics of Entrelac Knitting
The architecture of entrelac is different from that of other types of knitting. Entrelac fabric is composed of tiers of blocks that are set on their points, forming diamond shapes. Each block is worked individually and joined to its neighbor as it is being knit.
Entrelac fabric can be created by knitting either flat or tubular shapes. In either method, you make the individual blocks one at a time by turning the work for each row of stitches. The basic process is outlined here.
Knit a foundation of tier triangles
In this example, each block contains 5 stitches, and each tier contains 10 blocks, so you cast on 50 stitches.
Row 1 (WS): P2, turn.
Row 2: K2, turn.
Row 3: P3, turn.
Row 4: K3, turn.
Row 5: P4, turn.
Cont this patt, adding 1 st on every WS row, until you have 5 total purled sts. Do not turn, but start Row 1 again, purling 2 more sts. Cont across the CO row until all 10 triangles have been formed.
Knit the second tier
Each tier of entrelac begins with the opposite side of the work facing you from the last. The first tier of tri-angles started from the WS, so the next tier of blocks begins on the RS. Break the first color of yarn and join a new one. Join the round of knitting by working your next block along the edge of the first triangle.
Row 1: At the edge of the first triangle immediately to the right of the beg of the rnd (the first triangle that was created), pick up and knit 5 sts through the triangle's selvedge edge, turn.
Row 2: P5, turn.
Row 3: K4, ssk (last st with next st of prior color, joining to the triangle), turn. Rep rows 2–3 until all of the triangle sts have been worked into the new rectangle. Work next new block from edge of next triangle to the left.
Rep until all the triangles have been worked. The 2nd tier (first tier of blocks) is now complete.
Shape entrelac with decreases
An entrelac tube can be closed at the end by knitting progressively smaller blocks in each tier until all the blocks are reduced to nothing. The resulting bowl or dome silhouette works perfectly for hats and bags, while the flowerlike motif formed by the diminishing blocks adds a beautiful design feature.
To make decreased blocks, pick up the same number of stitches as in the previous tier of blocks, then decrease 1 stitch (k2tog on RS, p2tog on WS) in the second row.
Continue decreasing the size of the blocks in each tier until only 1 stitch remains, then run the working strand through all stitches, fastening securely on the WS.
Make top-row triangles
Work a finishing tier of triangles to fill in between the points of the blocks in the prior tier, and end the piece with a straight edge.
Row 1: For first triangle only, pick up 1 more st than used in the prior tier of blocks (in this case, 6) from edge of next block, turn.
Row 2: Knit across all sts, turn.
Row 3: P2tog, purl to last st of triangle, p2tog (last st of triangle tog with next st of adjoining block).
Cont alternating rows 2 and 3 until 3 sts remain (2 sts from new triangle and 1 st from adjoining block), ending with Row 2. P3tog, and do not turn.
For the next and all remaining top edge triangles, pick up and purl 5 sts from edge of next adjacent block. One st remains on needle from prior tri-angle, for a total of 6 sts. Rep steps until all sts from prev tier have been joined to triangles.
Knitting entrelac flat is the same as knitting it in the round, with one notable difference: The flat piece requires that triangles be inserted along the vertical edges to produce a straight edge.
Work a right-side triangle
After completing the foundation tier of triangles as shown at right, break the old yarn and tie in the next color. The first side triangle will be on the right edge of the piece and will begin with the RS facing:
Row 1 (RS): K2, turn.
Row 2: P2, turn.
Row 3: Knit into front and back of st, ssk (1 st from new triangle and 1 from prev tier triangle), turn.
Row 4: Purl across triangle, turn.
Row 5: Knit into front and back of st, knit to last st of current triangle, ssk, turn.
Rep rows 4–5 until all sts of triangle in prev tier have been used. Do not turn after final Row 5. Pick up sts from next adjacent triangle and cont making blocks as for circular entrelac.
Work a left-side triangle
When you have filled in the spaces between triangles with a new tier of blocks, you'll need a triangle on the left side to make a straight edge there.
Row 1 (RS): Pick up and knit 5 sts along rem edge of last triangle.
Row 2: P2tog, purl to end of sts you just picked up, turn.
Row 3: Knit across, turn.
Rep rows 2–3 until 2 sts rem. P2tog, but do not turn. Break yarn, fasten off last st, and tie in a new color. Beg next tier of blocks by picking up 5 sts from selvedge edge of left-side triangle.
Although the examples here use 5 stitches in each block, you can make your blocks any size you like, depending on the piece you are making and the gauge of your yarn and needles. It's easy to experiment by making swatches with different-sized blocks.


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Kate Betts: You have worn many menswear labels over the years from Yohji Yamamoto to Dior Homme. You are really an expert on this subject. How did you discover Tom Ford's line?
Karl Lagerfeld: In a very simple way: people told me. First they started telling me about the perfume and the sunglasses, and then when the shop opened, I said, "Let's have a look." And it fit! So I thought it was the right moment. I was tired of narrow shoulders and things like this. I suddenly liked this post-Italian updated modern look. Modern because Tom's clothes have nothing to do with the old clothes. It's the idea of them. It shares the mood. But in fact they are made differently, and also, in ready-to-wear, this kind of quality didn't exist. They are beautifully made. They are weightless on the body.
Tom Ford: Well, thank you, Karl.
KB: What was the inspiration for the shape of your suits?
TF: They have more of an English cut or line, yet they are made in Italy and made in a very light way. If you wear a real English suit, it will really give you a backache. It looks great, but it's very stiff in the construction, and it'll kill your shoulders. We've become a little spoiled with menswear in particular because, of course, we've come off a period in the '70s and '80s when Armani, which is very soft, dominated menswear. And we've become obsessed with comfort. I actually don't like that. I think you should suffer sometimes to be attractive and beautiful, so I cut the clothes very slim because I like to feel the clothes on my body.
KL: And this is the most important part for well-cut clothes. Clothes that follow you.
TF: It's true. A lot of people think a high armhole is restrictive, but it gives you total movement because it's cut right up to your arm.
KB: Would you call them English in style?
TF: It's a hybrid you know, English, American, Italian, European, international style. The cut is derived more from an English cut but made in an Italian way in the lightness of fabric and construction.
KL: But when you wear them, you don't feel like they are English clothes because those are heavy. I like that you took that mood and used another technique. It's like Chanel, which is nothing more than the jacket of people who worked in a hotel where she used to go near Salzburg. She transformed their uniform with a better cut into the Chanel jacket.
TF: Yeah, if anything it's maybe an old Hollywood version an idealized, mythologized, Hollywood version of what glamorous contemporary menswear would be.
KL: But if you see those movies with Cary Grant, they are chic, but I am not sure I would like the clothes. I'm not sure I'd like the cut. I'm not sure they would be that great for the average man of the street. For me, American fashion and the look of American elegance with an updated image is Tom. There may be others, but I don't wear those
See the video conversation here.
Next Maine Attraction


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The Géoliens Association
The Friends' Association of Former ENSG Engineering Students (Association Amicale des Ingénieurs Anciens élèves de l'ENSG) has been representing graduates of the School for nearly 100 years.
Founded in 1913, its actions are founded on three principles:
- Conviviality: developing a sense of community by maintaining social ties between the different graduating year-groups and participating in the different School events.
- Defence of the Géolien spirit and know-how: through publications and technical and scientific communications and in the organisation of conferences and debates on the challenges facing the Geosciences in the 21st century.
- Solidarity: facilitating access to different positions and careers, and assisting those in need.


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FLY BY NIGHT Quote #2/
Recently read: "Saracen's tiny wounds has faded from live-poppy red to dead-poppy red..."
- Frances Hardinge Fly by Night, ch. XIV
(more quotations here)
Recently read: "Saracen's tiny wounds has faded from live-poppy red to dead-poppy red..."
- Frances Hardinge Fly by Night, ch. XIV
(more quotations here)
The Website of Jonathan Auxier
For nearly a century, Victorian London relied on "climbers"—orphans owned by chimney sweeps—to clean flues and protect homes from fire. The work was hard, thankless, and brutally dangerous. Eleven year old Nan Sparrow is quite possibly the best climber who ever lived—beating the deadly odds time and time again.
But when Nan passes out in a deadly chimney fire, she fears her time has come. Instead she wakes to find herself in a abandoned attic. And she is not alone. Huddled in the corner is a nameless creature—a golem—made from ash and coal. This is the creature that saved her from the fire.
SWEEP is the story of a girl and her monster. Together, these two outcasts carve out a life together—saving one another in the process. By one of today's most powerful storytellers, SWEEP is a heartrending adventure about the everlasting gifts of friendship and hope.
SWEEP received six starred reviews, was a PJ Library and Junior Library Guild selection and has won Canada's Governor General's Award, the NCTE Charlotte Huck Award, and the AJL Sydney Taylor Gook Award.
A chilling ghost story about two abandoned Irish siblings who travel to work as servants at a creepy, crumbling English manor house. But the house and its family are not quite what they seem. Soon the children are confronted by a mysterious spectre and an ancient curse that threatens their very lives. More than just a spooky tale, it's also a moral fable about human greed and the power of storytelling.
The Night Gardener is a New York Times bestseller, a Junior Library Guild Selection, Amazon "Best Book" for May 2014, and an ABA "Indie Next" pick. It received five starred reviews and won the ILA Book Award! You can read more reviews here.
The adventure of a small, blind orphan ... who also happens to be the greatest thief who ever lived!
Peter Nimble was an ABA New Voices pick, an Indie Next List Selection, and Bookpage magazine Best Book of the year! It won the Paterson Poetry Prize, The Diamond Willow Award, and an MYRCA Honor. It was shortlisted for: the Monica Hughes Award, the Sequoyah Award, Massachusetts Children's Book Award, The Blue Hen Literary Award, and the Canadian Children's Book Award.
Visit PeterNimble.com for games and more info. Read the first chapter for free! Or read some reviews here. Or watch the book trailer!
The long-awaited followup to Peter Nimble! It's been two years since Peter Nimble and Sir Tode rescued the kingdom of HazelPort. In that time, they have traveled far and wide in search of adventure. Now they have been summoned by Professor Cake for a new mission: To find a twelve-year-old bookmender named Sophie Quire. Sophie knows little beyond the four walls of her father's bookshop, where she repairs old books and dreams of escaping the confines of her dull life. But when a strange boy and his talking cat/horse companion show up with a rare and mysterious book, she finds herself pulled into an adventure beyond anything she has ever read.
You can learn more and read some starred reviews here … or check out the first few chapters for free!


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21 Colorado prep baseball players selected in 2014 MLB draft
There are 21 baseball players who played high school ball in Colorado that were selected in the 2014 Major League Baseball June amateur draft, which took place June 5-7.
Of the 21, 12 were from the class of 2014. Left-handed pitcher Brock Burke, of Evergreen, was the highest pick in the class, selected in the third round with the 96th pick by Tampa Bay.
LHP Kyle Freeland, who graduated form Thomas Jefferson in 2011, was the highest pick from Colorado. He was selected with the eighth overall pick by Colorado. The Rockies selected six local prospects, including Regis Jesuit SS Max George, Arvada West RHP Gavin Glanz, Pueblo South C Cory Voss, ThunderRidge SS Brody Westmoreland and Legacy LHP Lucas Gilbreath.
See the full list below.


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Several international conventions focus on biodiversity issues: the Convention on Biological Diversity (year of entry into force: 1993), the Convention on Conservation of Migratory Species, the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (1975), the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (2004), the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands (1971), the World Heritage Convention (1972) and the International Plant Protection Convention (1952), the International Whaling Commission (1946).
Biodiversity-related conventions work to implement actions at the national, regional and international level in order to reach shared goals of conservation and sustainable use. In meeting their objectives, the conventions have developed a number of complementary approaches (site, species, genetic resources and/or ecosystem-based) and operational tools (e.g., programmes of work, trade permits and certificates, multilateral system for access and benefit-sharing, regional agreements, site listings, funds).
Biodiversity-related conventions
Convention on Biological Diversity
The objectives of the CBD are the conservation of biological diversity, the sustainable use of its components, and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising from commercial and other utilization of genetic resources. The agreement covers all ecosystems, species, and genetic resources.
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES)
The CITES aims to ensure that international trade in specimens of wild animals and plants does not threaten their survival. Through its three appendices, the Convention accords varying degrees of protection to more than 30,000 plant and animal species.
Please note that the International University of Andalusia offers a
Master's Degree Course on CITES and CBD Implementation
Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals
The CMS, or the Bonn Convention aims to conserve terrestrial, marine and avian migratory species throughout their range. Parties to the CMS work together to conserve migratory species and their habitats by providing strict protection for the most endangered migratory species, by concluding regional multilateral agreements for the conservation and management of specific species or categories of species, and by undertaking co-operative research and conservation activities.
The International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture
The objectives of the Treaty are the conservation and sustainable use of plant genetic resources for food and agriculture and the fair and equitable sharing of the benefits arising out of their use, in harmony with the Convention on Biological Diversity, for sustainable agriculture and food security. The Treaty covers all plant genetic resources for food and agriculture, while its Multilateral System of Access and Benefit-sharing covers a specific list of 64 crops and forages. The Treaty also includes provisions on Farmers' Rights.
Convention on Wetlands (popularly known as the Ramsar Convention)
The Ramsar Convention provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources. The convention covers all aspects of wetland conservation and wise use, recognizing wetlands as ecosystems that are extremely important for biodiversity conservation in general and for the well-being of human communities.
World Heritage Convention (WHC)
The primary mission of the WHC is to identify and conserve the world's cultural and natural heritage, by drawing up a list of sites whose outstanding values should be preserved for all humanity and to ensure their protection through a closer co-operation among nations.
International Plant Protection Convention (IPPC)
The IPPC aims to protect world plant resources, including cultivated and wild plants by preventing the introduction and spread of plant pests and promoting the appropriate measures for their control. The convention provides the mechanisms to develop the International Standards for Phytosanitary Measures (ISPMs), and to help countries to implement the ISPMs and the other obligations under the IPPC, by facilitating the national capacity development, national reporting and dispute settlement.
The Secretariat of the IPPC is hosted by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
International Whaling Commission (IWC)
The purpose of the IWC is to provide for the proper conservation of whale stocks and thus make possible the orderly development of the whaling industry.
A guide to the contents of each convention's website is available
While each convention stands on its own—with its own specific objectives and commitments—inter-linkages between the issues each addresses, and potential complementarities in their monitoring and implementation processes, provide a basis for cooperation.
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Planning a trip to hill stations is one of the best ways to escape the hectic city life and enjoy peace. Here are few quick travel tips to keep in mind before planning your next trip to hill stations.
- Choose the Best Time to Travel: Most hill stations are best enjoyed in a particular season. For example, the hill station of Kodaikanal is the best summer retreat. The towering green hills and dense forests are the biggest attraction of this place and its beauty can be best observed only in the summer season. If you are planning on a budget trip to this hill station, then you can check the best budget hotels in Kodaikanal after deciding on the best time to travel.
- Medicines: When you are travelling to hill stations, make sure to carry personal medication to protect yourself from cold, flu and skin rashes. Try to have warm food at hill stations to avoid catching flu.
- Trekking: To get the most out of your hill station visit, check for trekking spots near the hill station. If you plan to visit hill stations like Shimla, you can find plenty of trekking spots near any hotel in Shimla. Investing your time in trekking is always worthy.
- Documents: Carry your identity proof to avoid any kind of inconvenience during your trip. Also, make sure to carry a digital proof of identity in case you lose your physical identity proof. This would come in handy if you plan to take a vehicle on rent or if you want to book any hotel during your sightseeing trip in any hill station.
- Attire: This is one of the most important things in this list. While packing your luggage, make sure that you pack your leather jackets and pullovers to keep yourself warm. Sometimes, the weather conditions in hill stations can be extremely worse, so include mufflers, windcheaters and beanies in your package list.
- Picturesque Spots: Sunrise and sunset spots are one of the best things to watch during your hill station trip. They are one of the best moments you can capture on your cameras. Tea plantations are another picturesque spots in a hill station. Don't miss out on an exciting opportunity to taste the rich flavour of coffee and tea in a hill station.
- Good Camera: To capture the best moments of your visit to hill station, make sure to carry a good DSLR camera, batteries, and SD card. These are the best moments, which one needs to capture to relive these great moments in future.


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Served with Soup of the Day or Salad, Potato or Vegetable.
> PLEASE CHOOSE ONE <None Soup of the Day She Crab Soup ($3.00)Gumbo ($3.00)Greek Salad House Salad Wedge Upgrade ($4.00)Shrimp Upgrade ($4.00)
> PLEASE CHOOSE ONE <None Ranch Thousand Island Greek Vinaigrette Honey Mustard Blue Cheese
> PLEASE CHOOSE ONE <None Potato of the Day French Fries Baked Potato Mashed Potatoes Vegetable of the Day
> PLEASE CHOOSE ONE <None Bacon Bits ($0.60)Chives Cheese ($0.60)Cheese + Chives ($0.60)Cheese + Chives + Bacon Bits ($1.20)
The location and menu you have chosen is currently closed and unavailable for immediate orders.
You may continue to place your order, but the earliest time the order will be ready is:
Pickup: Friday, November 15 @ 12:40AM
I understand. Continue my order...


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AMERICUS - Georgia Southwestern first baseman Stephen Eldridge delivered a three-run home run in the fifth inning that proved to be the game winner as GSW defeated Valdosta State, 8-6, on Wednesday evening at Hurricane Stadium.
Eldridge finished the game 2-for-4 with five RBIs. The home run was his second of the season.
GSW snapped a four-game losing streak to improve its record to 6-12 this spring. VSU drops to 8-7. The Hurricanes also ended a three-game losing skid in the series with the Blazers.
Eldridge became a thorn in VSU's side early when he singled up the middle in the first inning to score Jarrod Taylor and John Duran who had delivered back-to-back singles earlier in the frame. Neal Chambless gave the Hurricanes a 3-0 lead when he brought home Michel Coffey with a sacrifice fly following Eldridge.
Josh Sanders put the 'Canes ahead 4-0 in the second inning when his double to deep left center scored Blane Parker from first.
GSW didn't have long to enjoy the cushion. The Blazers were patient at the plate in the third and forced four walks, two of which came with the bases loaded. The third run of the inning came across via a bases-loaded hit batter. Jake Fields tallied the first hit of the rally and drove in the fourth - and final - run of the inning to tie the game at 4-4. GSW relief pitcher Bray Bishop settled in to record the final two outs and VSU left the bases loaded.
The next inning VSU picked up where it left off and scored two more runs aided by a pair of GSW errors. The Hurricanes suddenly trailed 6-4.
After a scoreless fourth, GSW set things up for Eldridge in the fifth. Duran led off the inning with a double to left-center field. Coffey hit a bullet off the pitcher for a one-out infield single and Eldridge delivered the crushing blow.
Both teams were held scoreless the rest of the way as GSW tallied one hit over the final 3 1/3 innings and VSU managed two.
Sanders turned in his fourth multi-hit performance over the last five games for the Hurricanes, finishing 3-for-4 with a double and a RBI. Duran added two hits and scored two runs.
Fields led VSU with a 3-for-5 night. He collected one RBI.
Neither starting pitcher factored into the decision. GSW hurler Matt Suggs (3-2) tossed scoreless fifth and sixth innings for the win. Ryan Mosley closed out the night with three scoreless frames to earn his second save of the spring. Suggs and Mosley combined for seven of GSW's nine strikeouts against the Blazers.
Ben Watson (0-1) allowed four runs - three earned - in 2 1/3 innings of relief to take the loss for VSU.
Southwestern returns to Peach Belt Conference play on Friday at 6 p.m. with the opening game of a three-game weekend series at Georgia College.


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I think in a past life I was a tile setter, because I love all kinds of tiles. I don't know how to lay the stuff, and I probably never will. I'm generally utterly incompetent at most household repairs.
But I have serious tile fetish. I love to run my hands over its cool, polished surface. I love to look at it, to fantasize about how it would look in my house, especially those colorful, handmade Mexican tiles.
Watts Towers is like a shrine to me, with its stunning collection of broken tiles and pottery erected over 34 years into a folk-art masterpiece. Someday I'll go to the city of Puebla, near Mexico City, where the buildings are riotously covered in every color of tile in the rainbow.
Until then, I'll have to be content with Anaheim's Tile Row.
I used to work near Angel Stadium, and that's when I discovered Tile Row, which straggles along State College Boulevard and surrounding streets, encompassing maybe 5 square miles between Katella Avenue and Ball Road.
This district sprang up informally over the decades, and now includes some 150 businesses that sell tile, stonework and other flooring materials. Some stores are amazingly cheap. Others have secret back rooms with discontinued and second-quality items.
And some also have free designers who will help you figure out what you want to do.
There's probably enough tile and stone here to build the Vatican, and still have enough left over for Donald Trump's next building. (I kept trying to think of a joke about Trump's hair, but couldn't figure out how to fit it in. If you can think of one, send it to me and I'll include it in a future column.)
There's even a store that specializes in selling all kinds of slate. Jolanta Tile has an incongruously large selection of ornate marble statuary that would look just right in Trump City, or in the garden or foyer of your mansion, should you be in the market for a replica of Michelangelo's David or a life-size Neptune of the Waves.
One of the intriguing things about Tile Row is that it has no official Anaheim designation, no signposts, no boundary markers, no advertising, no map points. It's not a "business development district," it has no fancy bus benches or rows of palm trees as landscaping.
But nowadays it does have one thing: a dedicated website, statecollegeblvd.com, thanks to a guy named Louis Avina.
Avina has no official title, no big salary, no pension. He's just a guy who's fanatical about tile. He started laying tile at age 14 and still loves to do it, through his Mission Viejo company, Orange Coast Remodeling.
But when he's not working, he's walking around Tile Row with a clipboard, documenting the businesses and getting his fix of the latest product.
Avina took me on a three-hour tour of the area, which is roughly the equivalent of spending 30 seconds at Disneyland.
You can't even begin to learn about everything in that amount of time, but we did manage to have some fun.
We visited fancy showrooms with free designers, like at Daltile, and elegant emporiums like Bedrosians, where he showed us how to go into the back room to look for factory seconds for half-price.
I learned about buying "rectified cut" tile, which means it has been cut with sharp edges to give the appearance of stone with very little grout showing when it's laid.
I also heard one of my favorite words: haggle. Avina recommended haggling for better prices at the stores, especially if you're buying more than 500 square feet of tile. If you need 1,500 square feet, then he said you should certainly be able to cut a deal.
He also told me the most economical time to hire someone to lay your tile is between Christmas and Easter because business is slow then. People are done impressing their relatives for Christmas, and they haven't received their income tax returns yet, so they're not putting in new foyers or bathrooms.
If you've wondered about the difference between porcelain and ceramic tile, here it is: Porcelain is fired at a higher temperature, so it's more durable. We looked at porcelain tiles that looked remarkably like real stone at a fraction of the price.
But if you want vibrant colors, you need ceramic tiles. They're more likely to crack, but they also are brighter and more decorative. I'm more of a ceramic tile gal.
When I win the lottery, I'm going to take some cash over to Porcelanosa, which has an amazing showroom full of high-end kitchens and bathrooms with a contemporary edge. I felt like I was in a stylish penthouse in Milan.
I couldn't resist sitting in a bathtub, even though I don't usually like contemporary furnishings.
If you want to learn more, you can check out Avina's website at StateCollegeBlvd.com.
And if you see a guy down there walking the streets with a clipboard, say hi. It just might be Avina.
Contact the writer: 714-796-7994 or email@example.com


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Karin, who hails from Australia, began her her work as an artist in 2002. As she states on her blog, her journey began as she was "exploring the world of mixed media" and taking her time "to develop the style and nature of the artist" she was to become.
Her art is so full of colour, joie de vivre, and life that it really makes you feel like jumping into the picture and savoring each brush stroke of detail. As soon as I saw her art, it made me feel happy and light, like a cloud. I began to look for more of her artwork on the internet and stumbled upon her website. Please have a look here (Karin Taylor on Redbubble) to learn more about Karin, the artist and her lively and animated artwork.
All of the artwork below is Karin's and there is a link to her page on Redbubble at the bottom of this post. Please take some time to check out her page, because she has sooo many beautiful pieces. She even has calendars, as well variety of cards, prints, t-shirts and other items that are available for purchase. Not only do her items make wonderful gifts to your yourself, but also to your friends and family, so that you can share her beautiful artwork with others around you! HERE is the link to her shop.
You can also find Karin here on Tumblr and see more of her lovely and AMAZING artwork....
And on FACEBOOK here.
You can view her art on her website on this page: PORTFOLIO.
This one is my FAVOURITE!


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Admission fees to national parks will be waived on Jan. 21, the first of the park service's free-entrance days for 2013.
Jan. 21 is a federal holiday, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and many schools are closed.
The free day covers the 398 properties of the National Park Service, including not only the 59 national parks but also national monuments, preserves and historic sites.
In the Bay Area, many NPS properties don't charge an entrance fee. Among those that will be waived Monday are $7 per adult at Muir Woods National Monument.
At Yosemite, the fee waiver will save visitors $20 per car. Yosemite "has experienced a spectacular winter," the park's press office says; it also warns visitors to be aware that snow and ice may necessitate chain restrictions within the park.
This year's other free parks days are April 22-26; Aug. 25; Sept. 28; and Nov. 9-11.


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