text:
Blackpool Conference Centre
Bisset Adams is leading a team to deliver a new £25 million landmark Conference Centre in Blackpool's historic Winter Gardens, as a key part of the town's investment strategy for the future.
The new conference centre aims to provide the capacity to stage major conferences with up to 1600 delegates, with state-of-the-art facilities, a new environmentally controlled exhibition space, a new atrium reception and entrance to the Winter Gardens, increasing the capacity to cater for up to 7000 visitors.
The design is for a contemporary building as a new landmark which complements the grand Victorian heritage of the Winter Gardens and of Blackpool.
Blackpool Conference Centre


text:
50/50, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen, Bryce Dallas Howard, Anna Kendrick, and more, tells the powerful story based on the events in screenplay writer Will Reiser's life upon being diagnosed with a rare cancer at the age of 27. Coming from the film's official website, see Rogen's words on how the film about these events came to take place:
We worked with Will on Da Ali G show, and it was shortly after that we learned he was sick. As shocking, sad, confusing, and generally screwed up as it was, we couldn't ignore that because we were so ill-equipped to deal with the situation, funny things kept happening. Will got better, and when he did, we thought the best way to pull something good out of the situation was to get him to write a screenplay. Ideally we wanted to make a film that would be as funny, sad, and hopefully as honest as the experience we went through. As soon as the script was completed, it quickly became a passion project for all of us. It helped us come to terms with Will's struggle as well as our own experiences.
The seemingly offsetting blend of cancer and comedy surprisingly works very well for the would-be taboo mix. Although, sometimes, it could be considered a cruel mix in the fact that there are times during which the scene will call for laughter but the dynamic of the scene very quickly changes to a moment of sadness. But, so is life too. There were moments that I laughed so much in this film. And, yes, there were moments that tears came to my eyes. Here's what makes 50/50 a movie worthy of your time:
1. An amazingly ensembled cast.
Joseph Gordon-Levitt is the Hollywood King Midas in that all he touches seems to be gold right now, and with the wide variance of roles in which he has done he has learned how to portray emotion so well on the screen…much like, dare I say it, Denzel Washington! This young man carries the film as the character Adam Lerner who is dealing with the unexpected news of the invasion of a tumor along his spinal column.
Seth Rogen, while I am usually not a fan of his work, is in a role that far exceeds that of Funny People, Knocked Up, and Green Hornet, and provides much of the lightheartedness and comedy in the film as the best friend, Kyle. You'd swear that Rogen and Levitt are best friends in real life!! Although this role is quite reminiscent of other Rogen roles in the past, the passion that Rogen felt for this project can be seen through his amazing and natural performance as the helpless friend who does all he can still to try to help by ignoring the problem and accepting the advantages of it instead.
Bryce Dallas Howard. Ah, the self-centered girlfriend. This is a recurring role that Howard seems to be comfortable in…a character that audiences find easily to despise. Her efforts as such on the screen are to be merited.
Other supporting cast: Anna Kendrick is stunning and absolutely perfect as the awkward, inexperienced yet learning, psychiatrist/therapist to whom Adam is assigned. (See her talk about her role and part of her scenes in this quick video/interview from ReelzChannel)
Angelica Huston plays as Adam's overbearing and loving mother exquisitely well. And all other cast members easily became a part of the story without detracting from or adding to it unnecessarily.
2. The emphatic and realistic portrayal of events.
The absolute most impressive aspect of this film is how real and natural everything felt. From the way the shock of the news of cancer is portrayed, to the different stages that Adam goes through (denial, anger, etc), to the laughs and jokes that are throughout, audience members may begin to feel that Adam is their friend too! And, likewise, care for him and all things surrounding him. It is because of this that the film excels and becomes more of a true story instead of just an attempt at telling a true story.
The film grabs on to the human emotions and fully explores them so that, from beyond the screen, the audience can share in on what is happening on the screen. An amazing and appropriate conveyance of a heart-felt story. 50/50 is the first full-feature film that Will Reiser has written…and while very personal, I see it as proof that he has what it takes to write more great films. I hope that he does.
3. An impressive blend of comedy, cancer, crying, and clichés.
No need to really expound on this point, but let me say that the clichés that exist are perfectly acceptable and make the story what it should be. Sometimes clichés are a good thing, and in this case, it definitely works. The film is what it is…An impressive blend of comedy, cancer, crying, and clichés. (But definitely more comedy than anything else).
I oftentimes found myself sympathizing with Adam and allowing myself to become attached to the characters. It is a surprisingly gripping and fantastic way to tell the story of a cancer survivor. While only a few scenes seemed to be cut-and-pasted together, the majority of it flows so well, that it works.
I recommend seeing this film! But please heed the advisory. When it comes to parental advisory, 50/50 is rated R for language throughout, sexual content and some drug use. So! It's not for all ages!
So, what are the odds that you will go see this one? what are the odds that you will like it too? Better be higher than 50/50! I'll bet you will cry!
Thanks for reading!
Enjoy if you wish…or don't enjoy! Happy Watching!
–TheScarletSp1der's Score: 3.5 out of 5 stars for "50/50"

subset: commoncrawl


text:
G8 Development has broken ground on yet another new project in New Kensington/ Fishtown. Very similar to its neighbor at 2200 Amber, 2400 Amber will mirror the building branding the G8 image in a neighborhood teaming with development. The 2 story residence designed in the progressive contemporary style, will feature sustainable construction methods and materials, as well as a fluid layout.
Concrete supports were poured a few weeks ago to support the neighboring house during construction. The concrete base is also complete using insulated concrete forms (ICF) manufactured by GreenBlock. The ICF method reduces the buildings carbon footprint by insulating the basement, allowing for more efficient heating and cooling of the home. Framing of the building will start tomorrow.


text:
Using a virtual reality headset feels the way you might imagine astronauts feel on their first space walk.
It's just a complicated pair of glasses, so there's nothing restricting your arms, legs or hands, but still — those precious appendages start operating under a different set of rules. Take a few real-world steps forward, and in the headset, you're looking off the edge of a construction crane, down onto New York City streets alarmingly far away. Stretch an arm forward and ghostly hands float into view, moving like they're your own — but these arms can lift statues and throw them like they're toys. It's a strange, consequence-free power trip.
Out-of-body experiences don't come cheap, though: assuming one already owns a gaming PC with enough guts to handle convincing resolutions and frame rates, headsets are still expensive: the HTC Vive had a $200 price cut in August and still runs $599. That the cost is so prohibitive is one reason why Chad Toney, owner of Gadsden's new VR arcade, Virtual Realms, set up shop.
"A lot of people aren't quite sure what virtual reality is," said Toney. "But once we bring them in and show them what virtual reality has to offer, they're awestruck."
Toney hatched a plan to bring VR to Gadsden in June, opening up in August at 208 S. Second St., where blues bar Rue Bourbon Blues once was. The arcade still has many of the bar's features, like exposed brick walls, big stage lights and a fancy, wood bar where snacks are sold.
For $20 for an hour or $10 for 30 minutes, visitors can strap on an HTC Vive headset, with 4k resolution and 60 frames per second, and check out other worlds. Curtains wall off different "rooms" where players can hook in to one of the company PCs running a variety of games from online game service Steam, and do anything from shoot zombies in "Arizona Sunshine," visit the bottom of the ocean in "TheBlu" or take Spider-Man's web-shooters out in "Spider-Man: Homecoming." Games range in maturity level from kid-appropriate wonderlands to grim, grown-up sandboxes. Parents can consult with Toney to find the right content level. Non-players can watch gameplay on monitors in the individual play rooms.
"As a parent, I was tired of saying there's nothing to do here," said Toney. "I wanted to make this a place that was going to be family-oriented, in a safe environment."
Toney said he wants to see local organizations make use of the arcade for training and teaching purposes, using software that will allow medical students to examine virtual cadavers, or elementary school students to travel in time to Pearl Harbor and ancient Rome. Truck drivers can use trucking simulations like "American Truck Simulator" to practice long hauls across the country using true-to-life maps — or blast robots in "Raw Data." Truckers like to have fun, too.
Toney said he believes his arcade is a step toward more new, innovative entertainment.
"Gadsden is really starting to pick up with new ideas and leading toward new frontiers," he said.
Virtual Realms is open at 4 p.m. Thursday and Friday and noon Saturday for walk-ins, and Monday through Wednesday for party reservations. Visit virtualrealmsgadsden.com or call 256-438-5525 for more information.


text:
January 17, 1997, Section A, Page 4Buy Reprints
Shortly after midnight one night this week, with more than 300,000 people jammed into Republic Square and surrounding streets here, a 44-year-old rock musician, his left lobe adorned with a double-headed Serbian eagle earring, launched into one of the most popular songs of the two-month-old protest movement.
''On to chaos and disintegration,'' he sang, his voice pumped out for blocks by a powerful sound system set up on a small stage to celebrate the Serbian Orthodox New Year. ''We are led by Grandma Jula, who uses us all. We dance in a vampire ball, run by our decrepit Grandma Jula.''
At each mention of the name Grandma Jula, the crowd, most of whom sang along with the musician, Bora Djordjevic, jeered, set off firecrackers, blew whistles, rang bells and clanged pots and pans.
It was a reminder that the wife of President Slobodan Milosevic, Mirjana Markovic, is one of the most hated figures in the country. She heads the Yugoslav United Left, or JUL, party, from which the song gets its name, ''Grandma Jula.''
''It is the anthem of the protest movement,'' said Momcilo Bajagic, a prominent rock musician. ''Everyone knows the words by heart.''
Mr. Djordjevic (pronounced GEORGE-uh-vitch) has emerged as the Bob Dylan of the protest movement that has swept Serbia since the Government's annulment of election victories by the opposition in 14 of the country's 18 largest cities.
His cassette ''Their Days,'' which features silhouettes of President Milosevic and Mrs. Markovic on the cover, is banned, available only from street vendors who run the risk of being beaten or having their stock confiscated.
''We don't need children's stories about fairy-tale witches,'' the musician told the roaring crowd. ''We all have Grandma Jula.''
Mr. Djordjevic has made a career out of controversy. His group, Fish Soup, ran afoul of the Communist authorities almost as soon as it was formed 18 years ago. His lyrics, sexually explicit and filled with vulgarity, often ridiculed the Communist elite.
''Only fools die for ideals,'' he wrote in an old song that enraged the Communist hierarchy.
A decade ago Mr. Djordjevic's albums sold half a million copies, rivaled only by the band White Button, which disintegrated in 1991 along with Yugoslavia, its members coming from different ethnic groups who were cut off by the war. The drummer of White Button, Ipe Ivandic, committed suicide, the police said, by jumping from the window of a Belgrade hotel two years ago.
In Serbia, religion had become the principal symbol of national identity. Mr. Djordjevic gave up his petulant anarchy, and, with the gusto of the newly converted, embraced Serbian nationalism. The attacks against Mr. Milosevic by the musician are rooted, he said, in the President's ''betrayal of the Serbs in Croatia and Bosnia.''
Mr. Djordjevic, a heavy drinker and smoker with long strands of gray hair, hangs out in a small working-class bar a block from his home in Belgrade. But despite his support for the Serbian cause, there remain a few glimmers of the old anarchist.
''I have founded my own political party in Serbia,'' he said, pouring a can of beer into his glass. ''The Party of Ordinary Drunkards. We believe all people should be allowed to drink in peace and all taxes on alcohol and tobacco abolished.''
A swaying elderly man, Solomon Gatenjo, clearly affected by a bout of early-morning drinking, steadied himself as he tried to sit on a chair next to the musician. Thick clouds of acrid cigarette smoke lingered over the soiled white tablecloths. The musician, wearing an olive wood Serbian Orthodox cross around his neck, helped Mr. Gatenjo light a cigarette.
''He's one of my most prominent party members,'' he said, ''even though he's a Jew.''
The musician refuses to support the opposition coalition leading the daily street protests, and most of his appearances are before the students, who run a parallel protest movement.
''The opposition leaders have invited enemies of the Serbian people to speak at the rallies,'' he said, ''but the students are pure and uncorrupted.''
To some, Mr. Djordjevic has become a relic of another era, clinging to Serbian nationalism because he has run out of new ideas and ways to shock his listeners.
''When Yugoslavia fell apart the popularity of rock bands like Fish Soup began to decline, and the steeper the decline the more Djordjevic became a Serbian nationalist,'' said Sasa Mirkovic, the manager of the independent radio station B92.
''I'm not saying he isn't brave, that he didn't profoundly affect the music scene here, but his time is past. He belongs to another generation.''
But no other musician has yet dared to confront Mr. Milosevic with the same venom.
''This tells a story,'' Mr. Djordjevic said as he dropped color snapshots of himself wearing a shirt with the words ''101 Percent Serb'' on the table in front of him. The pictures showed him striding across a room, arms outstretched, to embrace the Bosnian Serbs' President, Biljana Plavsic.
''Being a Serb is everything to me now,'' he said. ''I have become deeply religious. I'd be lost without religion. I have to believe there is something else, something better.''
Mr. Djordjevic carefully put the pictures back into an worn notebook he carried in a small leather bag. He called to six Gypsy musicians, clutching tarnished and dented brass instruments, who were huddled near a steam radiator, and asked them to play an old folk melody.
''If you can hear the pain in the music,'' he said, leaning over the table, ''you can understand us.''


text:
I can't exactly pin point when it happened, but all of a sudden, I've started falling for neutrals. This is kind of big coming from me considering 99.5% of my wardrobe is black. There's something very refreshing and pretty about neutrals – shades of beige, blush and nude. I consider myself to have a classic clothing personality, therefore neutrals have become an indispensable part of my closet.
Combined with my love of wrap dresses, it was almost fate when I saw this pretty little number from Tobi. The colour is called "toast" and depending on the light, it can look from a nude to a blush. It's also available in a gorgeous navy colour (currently sold out).
I pulled together the look with a white/cream purse and these block heels, which added a bit of a statement. What I love most about this dress is its versatility – I can see myself wearing this to the office as easily as to dinner or evening drinks. It all boils down to the way you accessorize it.


text:
Thank you to everyone who supported our Stalking Prevention Bill which has now been signed by the Governor. This amendment updates our stalking law for the 21st Century, especially as it relates to social media and third party communication. Special thanks to Jennifer Gillett, Tennessee Coalition to End Domestic & Sexual Violence, You Have the Power, YWCA of Nashville & Middle TN, and the Nashville Sexual Assault Center for their support.
Do you like this post?


text:
Nike asks you to accept cookies for performance, social media and advertising purposes. Social media and advertising cookies of third parties are used to offer you social media functionalities and personalized ads. To get more information or amend your preferences, press the 'more information' button or visit "Cookie Settings" at the bottom of the website. To get more information about these cookies and the processing of your personal data, check our Privacy & Cookie Policy. Do you accept these cookies and the processing of personal data involved?
These cookies are required for basic site functionality and are therefore always enabled. These include cookies that allow you to be remembered as you explore the site within a single session or, if you request, from session to session. They help make the shopping cart and checkout process possible as well as assist in security issues and conforming to regulations.
These cookies allow us to improve the site's functionality by tracking usage on this website. In some cases these cookies improve the speed with which we can process your request, allow us to remember site preferences you've selected. De-selecting these cookies may result in poorly-tailored recommendations and slow site performance.
Social media cookies offer the possibility to connect you to your social networks and share content from our website through social media. Advertising cookies (of third parties) collect information to help better tailor advertising to your interests, both within and beyond Nike websites. In some cases, these cookies involve the processing of your personal data. For more information about this processing of personal data, check our Privacy & Cookie Policy. De-selecting these cookies may result in seeing advertising that is not as relevant to you or you not being able to link effectively with Facebook, Twitter, or other social networks and/or not allowing you to share content on social media.
The Hurley Dri-FIT Worker Trousers deliver classic chino style in sweat-wicking fabric that helps keep you cool, dry and comfortable wherever your day takes you.
The Hurley Dri-FIT Worker Trousers deliver classic chino style in sweat-wicking fabric that helps keep you cool, dry and comfortable wherever your day takes you.
Product Details
Free standard delivery with your NikePlus account.
Some Exclusions Apply. Learn more about Nike.com delivery options and returns policy.
4.8 Stars
Highly recommended
YufengZ857872416 - 12 Apr 2019
Great quality and fits exactly the way I wanted!
Zipper Broke
TomW519258867 - 03 Mar 2019
As a whole the pant is fantastic, it's hard to not give it 5 stars. Great feel, cut, etc (despite me accidentally purchasing one size too big). And as a whole I would say the main pant material is durable as well, but the zipper on the pocket I am less impressed with. I love it having the second pocket, but its already managed to pull apart. The teeth separated from the pant. Just seems like it would last longer than just over 2 months. I want to give it 3 stars but my like for the pant as a whole leads me to give it 4.
Best Pants Ever!
AustinJ269243979 - 08 Dec 2018
I highly recommend these pants! They fit great and are incredibly soft, comfortable and versatile. I have bought 2 colors and wear them frequently!


text:
It's a miracle! This 7-Day series is finally finished. Life has had a lot of major disruptions since I started the series so I'm going to cut myself some slack, I guess. It's about time to institute another 7-day sugar fast at my house, actually. And our healthy, stove top popcorn recipe satisfies greatly for the afternoon munchies. I love to use organic popcorn and … [Read more...]
Easy Banana Ice Cream Kids Love!
Banana Ice Cream is one of my kids' favorite treats, and it's so easy. Like, one-ingredient easy! Always having bananas in the house, it's common for a few to start going brown. And those are the perfect ones to peel and freeze for banana ice cream later! If you don't have a powerful blender, you may want to freeze the banana in slices. If you do have a high power … [Read more...]
"Ants on a Log" for a Natural Treat
Anyone else have fond childhood memories of "ants on logs"? I turn 40 this year, and I vividly remember being served this special treat in 4-year-old preschool. Maybe even 3-year-old preschool. I can't remember what I did yesterday, but I can remember ants on logs from nearly 4 decades ago. I know, be impressed. That's why I love to serve this up to … [Read more...]
Grain-Free Blender Muffins
When I put out a plea on Facebook for any natural sugar treats that I should try for the boys, one friend linked a blender muffin recipe that really intrigued me. I knew we had to try it. Turns out, this recipe from Thirty Handmade Days was delicious! And I even left out the honey. We topped them with coconut and raisins, and nobody complained about lack of sweetness...at … [Read more...]
Homemade, Dairy-Free Chocolate
With all the talk lately about dark chocolate containing undeclared milk and the benefits of healthy fats like coconut oil, I decided it was time to try my hand at making our own chocolate. Surprisingly, it was quick and easy! And while I thought this would be a special mommy treat, it turns out that my boys love it as much as I do. So we included this in our … [Read more...]


text:
Tuesday, January 20, 2015
The opinions expressed in these answers are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the official label recommendations and point of view of the company or companies that manufacture and/or market and of the pharmaceutical agents, products, or services mentioned.
Lifelong Care: Social Media is an Important Tool
Andrew Roark, DVM, MS
How do you manage negativity on social media?
I have two rules for this.
- Don't engage with irrational, illegitimate negativity. If people attack you with no basis (and I'm talking about people who have never been to your clinic), ignore it. Delete their comment and move on. If they persist, ban them from your page and return to enjoying your morning coffee. Your happiness is too important, and engaging these people just gives them credibility, draws attention, and encourages them. In the internet world, this is referred to as "feeding the trolls."
- If they have a legitimate complaint (even if their perception of what happened is different than yours) then embrace this opportunity to humanize your clinic and highlight the integrity with which your clinic functions. Apologize for their distress (and/or the mistake, if one was made), explain what happened, why it happened, and what you are going to do to try to make sure this doesn't happen to anyone else. No matter what, DON'T GET DEFENSIVE.
What type of consent do you get from clients for using photos of their pets on your Facebook page?
My golden rule is that clients should NEVER be surprised. It doesn't matter what I have in writing. I'm going to be extremely open and transparent and let the pet owners know what I'm planning and thinking. Even if people have signed waivers in the past, their memories are short. Simply ask for permission for anything you are doing with the photo of someone's pet, and then ALWAYS present these pets (and their owners) is a very positive light, and you should be fine.
Still, documentation is important. I like having a check box on new client forms to approve use of photos of the pet by the clinic, and it never hurts to have a simple social media waiver at the front desk for people to sign. You can find these easily online, and they should be short and sweet.
Did you ever have a post that someone took offense to? What do you do?
I've had a few posts that people took offense to. We never know what experiences others have had, and so even something that seems very benign to us can offend someone else. When that happens, evaluate the complaint, apologize for offending, and take the post down. In the end, it's just a social media post and taking it down is usually the easiest way to resolve the issue.


text:
Mountaintop Meals
presented by : CiderPress Lane + Saleina Marie Photography + Katie Brase Photography
You won't want to miss this epic adventure! Weather and Trail Reports permitting we are planning to summit Marmot Pass. It is a gorgeous 11.5 mile hike with a spectacular view from the top, and of course, the perfect spot for a Mountaintop Meal. You can find out more details about the hike at wta.org Once you register, we will be in close contact via email and a closed Facebook group so all participants will be up to date on any and all trail changes.
Here's what we can guarantee : a full day of hiking, a complete kit for each participant packed with your meal sourced from some of the best local creameries, bakeries and grocers, a mountain top toast, an unforgettable adventure and a day unplugged where all of the details are covered. Plus 30% of each registration will be donated to Rescue:Freedom Int. Our day of hiking is giving freedom to women and children caught in human trafficking!
Kelly + Saleina + Katie
*There are lots more details that we'll cover before the big hike! Once you are registered you will receive an email with more information and continued correspondence as we prepare for July 1st.


text:
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Time of the Signs
Notaires have an important and prestigious position in French society. More like British solicitors than American notaries public, they deal with personal legal issues, such as inheritances, and also serve as real estate agents. The organisation of this group of signs outside a local village seems inopportune at best.
Posted by Betty Carlson at 6:21 AM 5 comments:
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
Blog Number 100!
A little over three months ago, I started La France Profonde and a second blog, Cuisine Quotidienne. I didn't realize at the time that bloggers were statistics freaks who calculate the number of comments and celebrate blog birthdays. That penchant suits me well, so here I am today celebrating my 100th post: 50 for La France Profonde and 50 for Cuisine Quotidienne.
Posted by Betty Carlson at 6:49 AM 3 comments:
Monday, March 27, 2006
Wine Sediments
As I mentioned in a previous post, I am writing for the food blog network Well Fed. Yesterday I had a piece about the Languedoc wine crisis published in the wine portion of the site, Wine Sediments. Click on by!
Posted by Betty Carlson at 7:19 AM No comments:
Sunday, March 26, 2006
More Unrest
France is bracing for major demonstrations against the First Employment Contract (Contrat Première Embauche) on Tuesday. I was surprised to see reference to a travel advisory for British citizens on the BBC yesterday. The unrest is getting quite a bit of coverage in the British and American press, and journalists are quick to compare the situation to September's riots in the suburbs. During the latter incidents, my friends and family were worried about my safety, which struck me funny because here in Aveyron, there was no violence whatsoever.
This time around, there have been demonstrations in Rodez, and Tuesday's should be the biggest of all. But don't let the press coverage worry you stateside -- I feel very safe here!
This time around, there have been demonstrations in Rodez, and Tuesday's should be the biggest of all. But don't let the press coverage worry you stateside -- I feel very safe here!
Posted by Betty Carlson at 5:34 PM No comments:
Saturday, March 25, 2006
There Ought to Be a Law
Posted by Betty Carlson at 7:32 PM 1 comment:
Friday, March 24, 2006
Bits and Pieces
When I moved South from the Touraine region, I really noticed a difference in how tidy -- or untidy -- farms and yards were. I prefer the joyful messes of the South!
Posted by Betty Carlson at 4:30 PM 1 comment:
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Fixer-Upper Anyone?
When it comes to houses, the French are big fixer-uppers. Most projects last about ten years longer than any American would tolerate, though. I have often noticed this run-down dwelling perched above the Aveyron river, and I wonder if the incipient "grands travaux" will be to renovate the house, or to build office buildings in front of it.
Posted by Betty Carlson at 9:31 AM No comments:
Monday, March 20, 2006
Something About the Light
The skies and light in France often provide fascinating views and contrasts. I don't know if there is a scientific reason for France to have more vivid light than elsewhere, but this seems to be the case. At any rate, I have often heard visitors say "there's something about the light here..."
Yesterday, clouds from east and west competed with the sun. In the same neighborhood, some of the houses were under a dark grey cover and others, in full sunlight. The conflicting signals bathed the Palanges range in a fuzzy yellow haze.
Posted by Betty Carlson at 7:05 AM No comments:
Friday, March 17, 2006
"No Need to Go Far Away to Study!"
In an article in yesterday's Midi Libre, various Montpellier University officials expounded on how French public universities were tightening their relationships with companies. This sign in my village, boasting the merits of studying locally rather than going away to Paris, leads me to think the higher education system is learning some advertising techniques on the way.
It is quite surprising in France to see one public university sponsoring comparative advertsing "against" another one!
Posted by Betty Carlson at 9:20 PM No comments:
Thursday, March 16, 2006
Growers and Grocers
I am now writing for an Internet site: Growers and Grocers. It's part of a new food blog network called Well Fed. I'll be covering food production and distribution issues, mainly from a European standpoint. Click by and take a look!
Posted by Betty Carlson at 7:46 AM 1 comment:
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Over Our Heads
Rooves are a big issue in France. Laws restrict the type of roof that can be put on a house; the builders must respect "le style local" in material and, more surprisingly, slant. In our part of the French countryside, slate dominates , and to some reinforces the area's chilly reputation. In the Southern part of Aveyron, around Millau, red tile is prevalent.
Posted by Betty Carlson at 2:33 PM 1 comment:
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Social Unrest
Once again, the French are taking to the streets. This time it's in opposition to Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin's "First Employment Contract", a system which would give employers more flexibility in firing young employees. Proponents of the contract argue that it will boost employment and make it easier for young people to get a first job. Opponents claim the system will lead to dreaded précarité, or job insecurity.
Major demonstrations have taken place all over the country, with Toulouse being one of the hotbeds of unrest. Here in la France Profonde, Rodez has seen its share of protests.
Reform attempts often topple French governments. De Villepin is vowing to steer the course; we'll see if he succeeds.
Major demonstrations have taken place all over the country, with Toulouse being one of the hotbeds of unrest. Here in la France Profonde, Rodez has seen its share of protests.
Reform attempts often topple French governments. De Villepin is vowing to steer the course; we'll see if he succeeds.
Posted by Betty Carlson at 10:04 AM No comments:
Monday, March 13, 2006
France Looks Like This Too -- But Not For Long
For years, Rodez's trade fairs and exhibitions have been held in the "Hall Charles". Not for long, though. Big plans are afoot to transform this part of town; the above exhibition hall will be torn down soon and the new area will include a museum featuring contemporary artist Pierre Soulages and a multiplex cinema. Knowing the dynamic city government's flair for grands projets, I'm sure it will be a spiffy place.
Posted by Betty Carlson at 10:57 AM No comments:
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Will It Ever End?
The view from my living room window, 8:30 am, March the 11th 2006.
I've been talking a lot about our long winter, I know, I know! Will it ever end?
Posted by Betty Carlson at 12:23 PM No comments:
Thursday, March 09, 2006
The only problem is the weather...
Today you get the dull, grey photo. And a typical local conversation:
Salut, ça va?
Oui ça va, et toi?
Ouais, il n'y a que le temps qui ne va pas!
Talking about the weather may seem banal, but it's a big subject of conversation in the countryside. Really big. I confess to being quite interested in the weather and how it dominates small talk here. If chatting about the weather were taboo in France, what could possibly replace it?
Posted by Betty Carlson at 9:45 AM 1 comment:
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Pour quand le printemps?
A fellow blogger just pointed out that spring has sprung in Toulouse. Here in Aveyron, I am still scraping ice off of my car every morning, and if it isn't raining, it's snowing...
Locals often boast that "Rodez has as many sunny days as Biarritz," but on a chilly, grey day like today it's hard to believe.
No photo. You'll have to take my word for it.
Locals often boast that "Rodez has as many sunny days as Biarritz," but on a chilly, grey day like today it's hard to believe.
No photo. You'll have to take my word for it.
Posted by Betty Carlson at 8:28 PM No comments:
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Notre-Dame de Rodez
I see it every time I go to Rodez. Sometimes I am awestruck; once in a while I barely notice it. But when I do take a close look, I always notice something new. Rodez's cathedral, built between 1277 and the end of the 16th century, never ceases to fascinate me.
It has a name: Notre-Dame de Rodez. But the locals rarely if ever call it by this name; they simply refer to it as "la Cathédrale."
Like so many things about the Aveyron, I find it underrated. Tourists flock to Albi's cathedral, but not so often to our Notre-Dame.
Come take a closer look on Tom Smith's photo site.
Posted by Betty Carlson at 10:40 AM 1 comment:
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Learning to Love Rodez
Aveyron is all about country living, and its administrative capital, Rodez, is much maligned. College students say there's nothing to do: "C'est pas vivant." New residents from other areas of France sometimes complain that it's difficult to fit in, and arrivals from big cities regret the supposed lack of cultural activity. Long-time Ruthénois moan about the traffic jams and parking problems, although these are laughably few compared to Toulouse or Montpellier. Some point out unfortunate architectural contrasts (see photo above!)
I must admit that Rodez takes a little getting used to, but I usually defend it against the above criticisms. I can see why college students find it dull, but adults will get out of it what they put into it.
For tourists, the place won't knock your socks off like Arles or Albi. My French Michelin guide gives it only one star: intéressant. Not worth a separate trip (three stars) nor even a detour (two stars.)
I would beg to differ. The town has a quiet, staid beauty that I have learned to love, and it's a fascinating place for any tourist who wants to get off the beaten track. You'll be hearing more about it in this blog.
Posted by Betty Carlson at 8:46 AM No comments:
Friday, March 03, 2006
I Told You So!
In an early January post, I suggested that Ségolène Royal was on the road to the French presidency. The British press is picking up on the story, as you can see from this article in today's Guardian. Here in la France Profonde, politics tend to be a taboo topic, so I don't have much of a feel for what my neighbors, or even friends, think of her. But on the national level, she intrigues.
Posted by Betty Carlson at 7:25 PM No comments:
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Time of the Signs
It's easy enough to take picture-perfect photos in la France Profonde. But a few meters later, this is what you often see.
Posted by Betty Carlson at 8:09 PM No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)


text:
Aha Take On Me Literally
Dustin McLean, UK animated film maker and musician, has released a remake of the 1980s hit music video, Take On Me by Norwegian band a-ha. Ever wish the lyrics would link up with what's happening in the music video? Dustin's provided a new soundtrack for the award-winning video, released on YouTube on October 3, with subtitles for the hard of hearing…
Everything's drawn and Super 80s. Lots of squiggly lines. When I stand here it makes me human. I'm handsome either way…
The 1985 music video for the song was directed by Steve Barron via Limelight Productions, with producer Simon Fields, director of photography Oliver Stapleton, Rushes editor Richard Sampson, animators Michael Patterson and Candace Reckinger. The video was inspired by Michael Patterson's animated film Commuter and the movie Altered States. Actors are AHa lead singer Morten Harket and Bunty Bailey. Voices in the literal version are Jason Nash, Josh Faure-Brac, Priscilla McLean.
Both literal and original music videos were removed from Youtube due to the site's dispute with Warner Music, but have now been reinstated.
Filed under: Music Videos
Tagged: A-Ha, Dustin McLean, Limelight Productions, Oliver Stapleton, Rushes, Steve Barron
Location: UK


text:
Vitamin C is an essential water-soluble vitamin good for many things:
- normal development, growth and repair
- Strength of capillary walls
- Absorption of iron
- Adrenal health
- Formation of collagen
- Healing of sickness and wounds
Vitamin C is considered an "essential" nutrient because our bodies neither produce it nor store it. Therefore, it is extremely important to get vitamin C in our diet.
If we regularly consume raw fruits and vegetables, we get plenty of vitamin C, (the heat from cooking kills vitamin C.)
The vitamins we get from food, are perfectly balanced with other nutrients to ensure efficient absorption as well as prevent imbalance - consuming too much of one nutrient can lead to the deficiency of another. To ensure proper balance and absorption, get your vitamins from a whole food source whenever possible!
Most vitamin C supplements are ascorbic acid and very likely genetically modified (GMO)*** (see below)
Where can you find a whole food, non-gmo, affordable vitamin C supplement?? Make it yourself! Now wait! Don't get worried! It's SO easy! If you've ever mixed anything in your life, like flour and sugar, brownie mix, pancake batter,...then you can make this vitamin C powder EASILY!!
Here is the recipe for my whole food Vitamin C supplement:
In a large bowl, mix together equal parts of ALL OR SOME of the following (feel free to pick and choose):
- orange peel powder
- rose hip powder
- beet root powder
- amla powder
- acerola cherry powder
- goji berry powder
- stevia to taste
To Use:
- Mix 1 Tablespoon vitamin C powder with water, juice or tea.
- Enjoy and stay healthy!!
See also:
Thieves Vinegar and Elderberry Syrup
OK, natural vs. synthetic. Let's start with Vitamin C. Most sources equate vitamin C with ascorbic acid, as though they were the same thing. They're not. Ascorbic acid is an isolate, a fraction, a distillate of naturally occurring vitamin C. In addition to ascorbic acid, vitamin C must include rutin, bioflavonoids, Factor K, Factor J, Factor P, Tyrosinase, Ascorbinogen, and other components ...
In addition, mineral co-factors must be available in proper amounts.
If any of these parts are missing, there is no vitamin C, no vitamin activity. When some of them are present, the body will draw on its own stores to make up the differences, so that the whole vitamin may be present. Only then will vitamin activity take place, provided that all other conditions and co-factors are present. Ascorbic acid is described merely as the "antioxidant wrapper" portion of vitamin C; ascorbic acid protects the functional parts of the vitamin from rapid oxidation or breakdown. (Somer p 58 "Vitamin C: A Lesson in Keeping An Open Mind" The Nutrition Report)
Over 90% of ascorbic acid in this country is manufactured at a facility in Nutley, New Jersey, owned by Hoffman-LaRoche, one of the world's biggest drug manufacturers (1 800 526 0189). Here ascorbic acid is made from a process involving cornstarch and volatile acids. Most U.S. vitamin companies then buy the bulk ascorbic acid from this single facility. After that, marketing takes over. Each company makes its own labels, its own claims, and its own formulations, each one claiming to have the superior form of vitamin C, even though it all came from the same place, and it's really not vitamin C at all.
The word synthetic means two things:
– manmade
– occurs nowhere in nature
From the outset, it is crucial to understand the difference between vitamins and vitamin activity. The vitamin is the biochemical complex. Vitamin activity means the actual biological and cellular changes that take place when the stage is set for the vitamin complex to act.
Think of it like gas and a car. Pumping the gas into the tank doesn't necessarily mean the car is going anywhere. Other conditions and factors must be also present, in order for Activity to occur. The gas line to the carburetor must be clear, the carburetor jets must be set, there must be an exact mixture of air flow, the ignition must be turned on, the spark plugs must be clean, the exact amount of gas must reach each spark plug right before it fires, no gas must be left over in the cylinder after the plug fires. Getting the idea? If any of this stuff is missing, there's no Activity: the car doesn't run, or at least not very well.
Amazing as it may sound if you're hearing this for the first time, vitamins are more than the synthetic fractions we are commonly taught they are. The ascorbic acid you buy at the grocery store every few weeks, thinking you are buying Vitamin C, is just a chemical copy of naturally occurring ascorbic acid, which itself is still only a fraction of the actual Vitamin C. Real vitamin C is part of something living, and as such, can impart life. Your synthetic, fractionated chemical ascorbic acid never grew in the ground, never saw the light of day, never was alive or part of anything alive. It's a chemical, a cornstarch derivative, a sulfuric acid by-product. In your body it's just another drug. Synthetic vitamins have toxic effects from mega-doses and actually can increase the white blood cell count. Vitamins are only necessary in minute quantities on a daily basis. Whole food vitamins, by contrast, are not toxic since the vitamin is complexed in its integral working form, and requires nothing from the body, and triggers no immune response.


text:
Allow Me To Introduce Myself
Diamond Fuller Grew Up In A Small Town Of Fairbanks,Alaska And Has Been Playing Drums Since The Age Of 5. He First Received His Start And Inspiration While Growing Up In Church. As A "Young Lion" Drummer/Percussionist, He Has Developed A Strong Love And Deep Passion For Music Especially The "Art Of Drumming". Essentially He Has Led Himself In Various Directions In Pursuit Of Sharpening His Craft And Honing His Skills. Diamond Also Has Been Introduced To The Classical Realm Of Performing Arts In Different Arenas Such As Orchestras, And Classical Percussion Groups... Known Artist Diamond's Worked With..Include Greg Hopkins, Barney McClure Trio, Javino Neto Santos Group, Valerie Naranjo,Chris Calloway,Larry Ham Trio,Liam Teague/ Robert Chappell Dou Group,Knoel Scott Trio,Greta Matassa Combo, Nicholas Payton, And Many Others..


text:
LINCOLN — Wandale Robinson never stopped thinking about playing for Nebraska. Not on the day he announced his commitment to Kentucky one month ago, nor the days and weeks that followed.
Robinson kept talking about the Huskers, said his trainer and mentor, Chris Vaughn. And Nebraska kept pursuing Robinson to flip from Kentucky to NU. Robinson was set to commit to Nebraska just hours before he picked Kentucky in front of his entire high school in November.
Some apparent confusion about Robinson's role in Nebraska's offense — which came up in a phone call between Vaughn and Husker coach Scott Frost one day before Robinson's initial announcement — was cleared up in recent weeks. Nebraska maintained consistent communication, which included in-home visits by running backs coach Ryan Held and offensive coordinator/wide receivers coach Troy Walters.
"They were able to make everyone comfortable about their plan for him," said Vaughn, a former Louisville receiver who trains multiple athletes in Kentucky, including Purdue receiver Rondale Moore. "Basically, they're going to use him in a bunch of different ways because he's so versatile. He can play outside receiver, he can play slot receiver, he can line up in the backfield."
Vaughn said "some things were misunderstood" in the original phone call, but Nebraska didn't stop recruiting Robinson. Frost will conduct his in-home visit next week.
"Nebraska's a great offense and Scott Frost is a great offensive mind," Vaughn said. "He's proven that. Ultimately, it's about Wandale being happy and being where he wants to be. Nebraska's been on his heart for awhile, and wherever he's most happy, that's where he's going to be most successful at."
Vaughn called Walters "the glue guy" in the recruiting process.
"Very upfront guy, very honest guy, very straightforward about their plans from the get-go," Vaughn said.
Nebraska plans to use Robinson and JD Spielman on the field at the same time, Vaughn said, so they "can create mismatches for each other."
Husker commits Nick Henrich, Wandale Robinson win Gatorade player of the year
Two members of Nebraska's 2019 recruiting class were named Gatorade player of the year in their respective states.
Omaha Burke linebacker Nick Henrich received the honor in Nebraska, and Wandale Robinson earned the award in Kentucky. Henrich and Robinson are the Huskers' two highest rated commits, according to the 247Sports composite, and they will both play in the All-American Bowl in San Antonio, Texas next month.
Henrich helped lead undefeated Omaha Burke to the Nebraska Class A state championship. He logged 96 tackles this season, including 19.5 for loss and four sacks. He's the top-ranked recruitin the state and was a member of The World-Herald's Super Six.
Henrich committed to Nebraska in July over offers from Wisconsin and Iowa, among others.
Robinson flipped his commitment from Kentucky to Nebraska on Wednesday. The standout from Frankfort (Ky.) Western Hills High School accounted for 2,698 yards of offense (1,973 rushing, 725 receiving) and 41 offensive touchdowns. He also had 119 tackles on defense with six forced fumbles and three interceptions.
Huskers land walk-on commitments from Lincoln Southwest's Caden McCormack, York's Noah Stafursky
Nebraska's walk-on event Wednesday produced its first commitments less than 24 hours later.
Lincoln Southwest's Caden McCormack announced on Twitter Thursday morning he will walk on at Nebraska. A little more than an hour later, York lineman Noah Stafursky announced he too will be a Husker walk-on.
McCormack — a 6-foot-2, 210-pound outside linebacker — unofficially visited Nebraska numerous times this season. He chose Nebraska over interest from Kansas, Boise State, Kansas State, Wyoming and a handful of FCS and Division II schools.
"I had a good talk with Coach (Scott) Frost last night, and he sold me," McCormack said. "I walked out of his office, down to the lobby and got butterflies, so I turned back around and went to his office and told him I want to play for him."
McCormack played on both sides of the ball for the SilverHawks. As a running back he rushed for 455 yards and four touchdowns, and at linebacker he tallied 149 total tackles, four sacks and one interception.
He's the second player from Lincoln Southwest to join NU's 2019 walk-on class, following kicker Dylan Jorgensen.
Stafursky, at 6-foot-3 and 320 pounds, has versatility to play guard or tackle on the offensive line, and he's a hole-filling defensive lineman. He will begin on the offensive line at Nebraska.
"Since my first visit there it has felt like home. It's felt like the place I wanted to be," Stafurksy said. "I wanted that feeling of pride that comes along with being a Husker player from Nebraska."
Stafursky said he chose to walk on at Nebraska instead of accepting a scholarship from Division II Northwest Missouri State.
"I just realized the money isn't worth the possibility of regret," Stafurksy said. "I didn't want the money to keep me from seeing how far I can go."
Stafursky's teammate at York, Garrett Snodgrass, is a scholarship commit in Nebraska's 2019 class.


text:
First Collection of Criticism by a Living Female Rock Critic by Jessica Hopper
Regular price
From Featherproof Books:
With this premiere volume, spanning from her punk fanzine roots to her landmark piece on R. Kelly's past, The First Collection… leaves no doubt why the New York Times has called Hopper's work "influential." Not merely a selection of two decades of Hopper's most engaging, thoughtful and humorous writing, this book serves as a document of the last 20 years of American music making and the shifting landscape of music consumption. Through this vast range of album reviews, essays, columns, interviews, and oral histories, Hopper chronicles what it is to be truly obsessed with music, the ideas in songs and albums, how fantasies of artists become complicated by real life, and just what happens when you follow that obsession into muddy festival fields, dank basements, corporate offices or court records.


text:
The most well-known silk saree of Bengal is the Baluchari, a product with exquisite design and weaving, registered with the Geographical Indications (GI) registry. Produced in the town of Baluchar (from where it gets its name) in the district of Murshidabad of West Bengal, Baluchari sarees look rich, sophisticated and have wonderful colour harmony with intricate designs that mostly depict stories from India's ancient texts and epics.
The history of Baluchari dates back almost 200 years. In the 18th century, when Nawab Murshidkuli Khan, the semi-autonomous ruler of Bengal took keen interest in this saree, the craft started to flourish. Soon, it became quite favourite of the Mughals. The craft went into decline during the British period but was later revived in Bishnupur village in Bankura district.


text:
Take your online meetings further with an HD video call. No downloads, contract free and loaded with a host of other great features such as screen share, document collaboration and reporting with analytics. The next best thing to being in the same room.
Seeing is believing with our 14-day free trial.Find out more about video call
Showcase content to hundreds, train teams or build a sales pipeline. No contract or long-term commitment and supported by a specialist whenever you need a hand. Everything you need to plan, engage and present with confidence.Find out more about webinars
Your business is unique and sometimes you need something more personal. We provide customised conferencing and meeting solutions, or operator assisted calls for larger events.


text:
Arnold Schwarzenegger and his cars - 0 views
shared by Mario Tanner on 02 Aug 07 - Cached
Mario Tanner on 02 Aug 07Arnold Schwarzenegger he is the Governor of California and tough-guy. He is keen on sport and powerful cars! Hummers, Ferraries and even tanks!
anonymous on 17 Sep 13Hallo guys. I am very happy to share here. This is my site. If you would like to visit here. Go ahead. I've made About a $ 58,000 from my little site. There is a forum and I was very happy to announce to you. I also provide seo service. www.killdo.de.gg


text:
I recently created my list of "18 in 2018" inspired by the wonderful Happier with Gretchen Rubin Podcast and I'm proud to say that I checked off the first item on my list--making side tables for our living room!
My list is kind of all over the place, but quite a few of them relate to making our home more personal, intentional, and calm. One thing that can make our house less calm is having lots of clutter. My husband has nicely observed to me, "you sure have a lot of art supplies around the house" (and not quite as nicely says when other people ask where I make art: "Everywhere"). So, to try to manage the clutter making art creates, I made it a goal to make two simple, inexpensive side tables with storage capacity.
Enter wood crate + sand paper + wood stain and ... voila! You've got a super simple side table. I'm really happy with how these turned out, and they cost a grand total of $15 each. I ordered two of these wood crates and this wood stain from Michaels (it's really easy to find 20% off coupons for Michaels as well so you can save even more). Then my husband and I set to work sanding them down. They were fairly rough, so you'll want to spend some time sanding before staining to make sure you don't get splinters when taking things out of your new side table if you make your own. After sanding, I used an old rag to apply the stain. The stain recommends adding some kind of sealant on top of this, but I haven't yet gotten around to doing that. At some point, we may also add legs to the tables, but for now I'm going to count these as DONE! I'm happy with them and my husband is VERY happy that my collage supplies are tucked away in their new home and not covering all of the available surfaces in our small apartment.
Do you have a list of 18 in 2018? Are any of them to make something for your home? Let me know in the comments!


text: Hi guys, I'm really hoping you can advise me - I'm looking to buy over the ear or large on ear closed headphones for my boyfriend. I only really know about in ear canal headphones, cos that's all my sensitive ears/head can stand! He can't stand them tho Anyway, trying to get him something pretty good without the thumping bass that loads of headphones seem to have. I tried on a friends Dr Dre beats, and although I didn't like the sound (muddy bass) and don't care about the flashy good looks, they are the sort of size and comfort I'd be looking for! He'd be wearing them all the time, so they have to be fairly portable, but ones like the sennheiser px200 ii seem a bit small for me - I don't really like the sound of such small cans. Please give me your favourite headphones under £90 (really strict price limit, I'm broke...) Any replies would be hugely appreciated, the more I look the more options I see and the more confused I become!


text:
Full news listing
University of Sussex biologist stands up for the Amazon
University of Sussex conservation biologist Dr Mika Peck will be standing up for the wildlife and people of the Amazon Basin when he heads an international team on a 1300km paddle down the mighty Amazon River in July.
The aim of the mission – the first descent of the Amazon River using inflatable Stand Up Paddle boards (SUPs) – is to raise funds for rainforest conservation projects while increasing awareness of the challenges facing the people and wildlife of the Amazon region.
A web site has been set up to share news about the adventure and its achievements. People will be able to donate cash through the web site that will benefit three local organisations in the Amazon region by:
- Purchasing a fibreglass Eco-Canoe made by the Cofán, one of the oldest surviving indigenous groups in Ecuador, which will be used by conservationists to help curb illegal wildlife trade along the Amazon.
- Using additional donated funds to support Maikuchiga, a local NGO that rescues and rehabilitates illegally-traded primates while providing local employment and environmental education. Maikuchiga's headquarters recently suffered significant damage following heavy floods.
- By giving the Eco-Canoe to wildlife organisation Entropika, which organises conservation projects with the cooperation of local indigenous people.
The seven expedition members, who are scientists and conservationists, will be paying their own expenses, but funds will also be used to cover the costs of their guide, indigenous leader Lucho "el loco" Sinarahua, who will accompany the team on the journey.
The surf boards used by the team are being supplied by Devon-based Red Paddle Company, an ethical manufacturer of boards.
In escorting the new boat, Dr Peck and his team will be following in the wake of legendary figures such as the Spanish explorer Francisco de Orellana who, lured by the promise of gold and spices, completed the first known navigation of the Amazon.
The team will take a month to complete the trip, travelling 80km a day and encountering numerous challenges along the way before reaching their destination – Amacayacu National Park in the south of the Colombian Amazon and on the Brazilian border, where Enotropika is based.
Dr Peck will be keeping a blog of the team's adventures as they paddle along the river through Ecuador, Peru and Colombia to the border with Brazil.
Dr Peck says: "The Amazon is a wonder of the world that shows off nature in all its glory. The beauty of descending it using paddle boards means that we can get up close and personal with the river's natural treasures, such as river dolphins, tapirs, birdlife and primates.
"We'll be camping by night on the river bank or staying with indigenous communities. At the end of the trip the paddle boards will be used to survey wildlife in the Amazon's flooded forests – in particular night monkeys – to determine impacts to wild populations from illegal trade."
To get into training for the epic voyage, Dr Peck has been paddling away in the sea off Shoreham and along the River Arun in Sussex, although according to Dr Peck, "the Arun probably has more teashops than the Amazon".
While not expecting to encounter the more "glamorous" hazards of anacondas, piranhas and alligators during their river trek, the team will have to beware of dehydration, sunburn and the increased risk of infection through open wounds.
Notes for Editors
To find out more about Stand Up for The Amazon and to donate, visit http://www.entropika.org/en/supamazon.html and keep up to date with Mika Peck's training and the actual expedition on his blog at http://supamazon.blogspot.co.uk/
Dr Mika Peck is a conservation biologist in the School of Life Sciences at the University of Sussex. His research interests include ecological process and environmental change, identification of conservation priorities using GIS, modelling and remote sensing, biogeography, genetics, tropical rainforests, molecular ecology and sustainable development.
In 2005 he developed the Darwin Initiative-funded project called PRIMENET – a large international project in the Choco-Andean region of NW Ecuador to develop a sustainable network for conservation of primates and habitat.
The project continues using the concept of citizen science funded by the Earthwatch Institute under the 'Climate change, canopies and wildlife' project.
His current work includes conservation of endangered mammals of NW Ecuador, investigating hunting of primates in Ecuador and Colombia and modelling impacts of proposed oil developments in the Amazon, and the development of sustainable livelihoods in Papua New Guinea.
Interview and photo opportunity: Dr Peck will be taking part in a Stand Up Paddle Board Demo day at Lagoon Watersports, Hove, on Sunday 19 May 2013, from 10am. The event will offer Stand Up Paddle Board taster sessions for the public, a fleet of boards for customers to try from Board manufacturers Starboard, Fanatic and Red Paddle, an 'ON MASS' paddle from Hove Lagoon to Brighton (weather dependent). Entry for the 'ON MASS' paddle will cost £10 and all funds will go to the Amazon charities. There will also be raffle prizes and a barbecue on the day.
To arrange filming/interviews for Mika at the Hove paddle event or elsewhere, please contact the University of Sussex press office.
University of Sussex Press office contacts: Maggie Clune and Jacqui Bealing. Tel: 01273 678 888. Email: firstname.lastname@example.com
View press releases online at: http://www.sussex.ac.uk/newsandevents/


text:
Virto Event Viewer is a smart and modern add-in designed by VirtoSoftware for Microsoft SharePoint Online users. This component is intended for managing events on your SharePoint site/site collection.
Virto Event Viewer concentrates on quick and easy event management of pre-defined types adjusted according to your needs.
With Virto Event Viewer you can create calendars which will be available for displaying on all sites of the current site collection. The types of events defined for every created calendar will be autodetected further when adding new events. This means that if you start entering an event type that was created before, the field will offer the existing option types. This will definitely shorten the process of event creations.
Virto Event Viewer allows SharePoint users to define the flexible set of properties for every type of events. This way you can choose which events should include organizer and location, and which of them should show schedule and image. Displaying hourly schedule (agenda) for event preview is also supported.
1. Creating calendars within a SharePoint site/site collection
2. Ability to define a set of properties for event types (managed with drag & drop)
3. "Smart" input for the "Type" field (autodetection)
4. Pop-up and detailed previews of events
5. Ability to add images to the event details
6. Ability to define access rights for calenders and events
7. Sorting and filtering options
8. Three views of events (default, daily and full)
9. Supported hourly schedule (agenda) for event preview
10. Ability to add link for event details
11. Color-coded display of events (RGB)
12. Ability to hide events
13. Ability to define interaction for event click
How to install & configure Virto Event Viewer
1) Install an Add-in
2) Open 'Site contents'
3) Click on the tile 'Virto Event Viewer'
4) Create events and calendars
6) Go to page on which you want add Virto Event Viewer
7) Open page in edit mode
8) Select insert tab on the ribbon
9) Click button 'App Part'
10) Select 'Virto Event Viewer', press 'Add'
11) Open 'Virto Event Viewer' app part in edit mode
12) Expand 'Virto Event Viewer' category
13) Enter calendar name which you want to show
14) Click button 'OK' to save app part settings.
15) Click button 'Save' on the ribbon to save page changes
Get more great Office 365 Add-ins on http://www.virtosoftware.com
For any questions or feature requests please email us at firstname.lastname@example.com


text:
The BENEFIT of this property… amazing details to follow.
Cape Cod, Colonial, Contemporary, Ranch, Other
Air Cleaner, Cable Available, Carbon Monoxide Alarm(s), Central Vacuum, Disabled Fac, Dual-Flush Toilet(s), Elevator/Lift, ENERGY STAR® Qualified Door(s), ENERGY STAR® Qualified Exhaust Fan(s), ENERGY STAR® Qualified Light Fixture(s), ENERGY STAR® Qualified Window(s), High Spd Internet Avail, Home Energy Management System, Humidifier, Intercom, Jetted Tub, Pets Allowed, Programmable Thermostat, Security Alarm (owned), Sound System, Spa/Hot-tub, Sump Pump, WaterSense® Labeled Faucet(s), WaterSense® Labeled Showerhead(s), WaterSense® Labeled Toilet(s), Wet Bar, Other
Forced Air, Radiant, Zoned, Other
Brick, Cedar, Stone, Wood, Other
Const. Start Upon Sale, Model Not for Sale, New Construction
Daylight, Partially Finished, Walkout Access
IDX provided courtesy of Realcomp II Ltd., via RE/MAX Home Sale Services and REALCOMP, ©2019 Realcomp II Ltd. Shareholders. IDX information is provided exclusively for consumers' personal, noncommercial use and may not be used for any purpose other than to identify prospective properties consumers may be interested in purchasing. The accuracy of all information, regardless of source, is not guaranteed or warranted. All information should be independently verified.


text:
We all like to think we learn from mistakes, whether our own or others'. So in theory, the more serious bloopers you know about, the less likely you are to be under the bright light of interrogation, explaining how you managed to screw up big-time. That's why we put out an all-points bulletin to IT managers and vendors everywhere: For the good of humanity, tell us about your gotchas so others can avoid them.
As it turns out, our many contributors to this article had a lot to say - but, not surprisingly perhaps, precious little to say on record. Names may be withheld, but the lessons are still potent. We've distilled this glut of information to a two-part series of the top 20 mistakes -- instances in which wrong decisions can lead to costly project overruns, business disasters, and in the worst cases, lost jobs. Read on, takes notes, and avoid.
1. Botching your outsourcing strategy
Mistakes relating to outsourcing could easily fill a top 20 list on their own. There are two different flavours. The first is the sin of commission: outsourcing important IT functions to avoid the hard work of understanding them. Relinquishing those functions can make it hard to get simple things done.
The other mistake is to hold on to functions that could easily and effectively be outsourced, such as running your own messaging environment. IT organizations with an overt bias against outsourcing could be courting disaster. For example, one CTO we interviewed took over operations for an online services company, only to discover that the Web-hosting infrastructure for all mission-critical and revenue-producing applications was in-house because the IT staff didn't trust third-party operations. For a New York-based company, when the great blackout of August 2003 darkened parts of Manhattan for as long as 28 hours, the company's UPS systems kept everything running for only a relatively short time -- while competitors at well-provisioned Web-hosting companies experienced no downtime.
2. Dismissing open source -- or bowing before it
For better or worse, many IT shops are susceptible to "religious" behavior -- a blind, unyielding devotion to a particular technology or platform. Nowhere is that more true than with open source.
On the one hand, the most conservative IT shops dismiss open source solutions as a matter of policy. That's a big mistake: taking an indefinite wait-and-see attitude toward open source means passing up proven, stable, and scalable low-cost solutions such as Linux, Apache, MySQL, and PHP. On the other hand, insisting on open source purity in your IT operation can delay progress, as developers are forced to cobble together inferior or unwieldy open source solutions when more appropriate commercial software solutions already exist.
Open source software is not inherently better than commercial software; it all depends on the problem to be solved and the maturity of the solution being considered.
3. Offshoring with blinders on
Any list of IT mistakes would be incomplete without a mention of offshoring. The experience of one vice president of operations provides an instructive cautionary tale. At his previous employer, the vice president opened a branch office in India for software development and encountered numerous surprises, many counter to conventional offshoring wisdom.
At the time, India had been experiencing an IT employment boom similar to that of Silicon Valley in the late 90s. According to the vice president, the workforce was not stable as a result. Transportation difficulties and the importance of time with family in Indian culture meant that employees generally worked eight-hour days -- the concept of the Silicon Valley engineer who goes sleepless at release time was, well, foreign.
In the end, the cost of offshoring the branch office was only 20 percent less than the going rate in at home, and for cultural reasons, far more face time than initially expected was needed to ensure the commitment head office management demanded -- which resulted in trips to India at least once per quarter. The vice president emphasized that offshoring can indeed work but said it's a mistake to assume that managing offshore IT is in any way equivalent to managing local IT or that cost savings will be as dramatic as you might expect.
4. Discounting internal security threats
IT managers focusing on external threats can easily lull themselves into a sense of false security. According to Gartner, 70 percent of security incidents that incur actual losses are inside jobs, making the insider threat arguably the most critical one facing the enterprise.
Of course, not all insider threats are born of malicious intent. In September 2004, HFC Bank, one of the UK's largest banks, sent to 2600 customers an e-mail that, due to an internal operator error, made recipients' e-mail addresses visible to everyone else on the list. The problem was compounded when customers' out-of-office messages -- containing home and mobile phone numbers -- responded to the mailing.
Even malicious acts are often carried out using very little technical sophistication. In a joint study released this year by CERT and the US Secret Service, 87 percent of insider security breaches were found to have been achieved using simple, legitimate user commands, suggesting that IT needs to be vigilant about granting only necessary privileges to end users. Identity management with specific permissions can help.
5. Failing to secure a fluid perimeter
IT's responsibility now extends to Starbucks and beyond. The increasing mobility of workers, combined with the proliferation of public wireless hotspots and broadband in the home, means that IT is now responsible for securing systems on networks it does not control. In this environment, solid security means implementing host-based firewalls that will provide some level of protection on an unsecured broadband connection at home or at sites with public Wi-Fi access.
If you're an experienced IT manager, you might feel comfortable with the top-of-the-line firewall you purchased three years ago. You configure it to block all incoming traffic except port 25 for inbound e-mail, and your employees generally make outbound WAN connections to the Web via ports 80 and 443. This is a common approach, but in a more decentralized IT environment, centralized approaches to network security are no longer sufficient. By encrypting traffic on your internal LAN, you will better protect your network from insider threats and from intruders who might have hopped onto your network via rogue wireless access points.
6. Ignoring security for handhelds
Although even inexperienced IT managers recognize the need for username/password authentication on network resources and desktop and laptop PCs, most IT shops still seem to be in a "wild West" phase when it comes to handheld devices.
A CTO of a wireless software company tells us about a venture capitalist who lost his BlackBerry on a business trip while he was in the middle of closing a highly sensitive, confidential deal. The BlackBerry wasn't password-protected, so even after the panicked venture capitalist contacted his IT department to have e-mail delivery to the device stopped, anyone who happened to pick up the lost BlackBerry could read e-mails already received.
In this case, the minor convenience of not requiring a password had major implications. Ignoring the security of easily lost devices, particularly those belonging to key executives that traffic in confidential information, is a recipe for disaster.
7. Promoting the wrong people
As CTO or CIO, rewarding your top technologist with a promotion to a management position might seem like the right thing to do. But when a technologist is not ready to give up constant, hands-on technology work in favour of more people-oriented management duties, it could be a mistake you'll regret on many levels.
One vice president of IT painted a grim picture of such a decision: the promoted employee could be resented by former peers and might not like the new management duties, which could lead to poor performance. Even worse, the new manager might feel compelled to cling to the ill-fitting position because the old position might no longer be available.
Just such an experience put this particular vice president in the tough position of having to deal with a new manager's performance problems, which led to a double whammy: a top technologist left the company, and the new manager still had to be fired.
Management training can help avoid such disasters. But use your gut. Either the aptitude is there, or it isn't.
8. Mishandling change management
The former CTO of a computer equipment manufacturer describes one situation in which a talented, but perhaps overly ambitious, systems administrator decided to make seemingly simple changes to a set of critical servers during routine maintenance.
While this individual was making the changes, all of which had been agreed on and planned in advance, he decided on his own to upgrade the company's open source server software that powered its mission-critical local DNS.
A few hours later, the entire business was at a standstill, as all DNS functions failed. Reversing the "one small change" took hours, and millions of dollars in revenue may have been lost as a result. The lesson is that even talented employees can cause major problems when they don't follow change management procedures.
Remember, change management is cultural. It all starts at the top: if IT management cuts corners, so will IT staff.
9. Mismanaging software development
In his seminal book The Mythical Man-Month, Frederick Brooks posited that planning software-development projects based on per-unit "man-months" ultimately does not work due to the unique nature of software development.
Even if the building of software could be broken into easily managed, interchangeable time units, the vast productivity difference between the best coders and merely average ones means IT managers might get their best work out of fewer, but more talented, programmers doing their work in less time.
Henri Asseily, CTO of BizRate, tells us via e-mail, "The right individual will always create better and faster core software than a group of people [will]. Everyone in every industry talks the usual talk of, 'We invest in people,' or, 'Our people are our greatest asset', but nowhere is it more important than in IT. Simply put, a great programmer is 100 times more valuable than a regular programmer."
The mythical man-month has been part of software lore since Brooks' book came out 30 years ago, but many IT managers still plan projects and staff them based on this disproved paradigm. Holding on to this method might lead a naive IT manager to staff a project with the right number of people for a defined amount of work, but CTOs such as Asseily insist that getting quality people is most important.
"IT managers should devote most of their free time to finding the best people. Almost nothing else matters, really," Asseily says.
10. Letting engineers do their own Quality Assurance
Not allowing engineers to do their own Quality Assurance (QA) is an axiom of software development, but for small software development teams, there is always the temptation to cut corners. In fact, sometimes management colludes with developers to enable the practice. One CTO relates a situation in which a software development project was running significantly behind schedule and the lead developer had begun to do his own QA to try to speed up the release process. To make matters worse, the lead developer had planned a vacation that was approaching rapidly. A day before the vacation commenced, the developer pronounced all outstanding bugs resolved, and the system was released into production. By the time the developer arrived at his tropical destination, the system was crashing to the point of being unusable. Many of the existing bugs had not been corrected because the developer had not tested thoroughly or formally. Allowing engineers to perform their own QA is akin to allowing defendants to be the judges and juries for their own trials.
11. Developing Web apps for IE only
Despite the fact that mission-critical applications continue their march onto the Web browser and that Windows continues to dominate the corporate desktop, Web developers should avoid the temptation to develop applications only for bug-ridden IE. IT shops that insist on using IE for Web applications should be prepared to deal with malicious code attacks such as JS.Scob.
First discovered in June 2004, JS.Scob was distributed via compromised IIS Web servers. The code itself quietly redirects customers of compromised sites to sites controlled by a Russian hacking group. There, unwitting IE users download a Trojan horse program that captures keystrokes and personal data. Although this might not sound like a threat to corporate IT, keep in mind that employees often use the same passwords across corporate and personal assets.
Many enterprises may not be able to avoid using IE. But if you make sure your key Web applications don't depend on IE-only functionality, you'll have an easier time switching to an alternative, such as Mozilla Firefox, if ongoing IE security holes become too burdensome and risky for your IT environment.
12. Relying on a single network performance
When it comes to network performance, there's no single metric by which to judge network health. Douglas Smith, president of network analysis vendor Network Instruments, points out that it's a mistake to think that network utilization can be quantified in a single way. When management asks for a single network utilization report, IT is typically sent scurrying for a single metric for network health that is ultimately impossible to define.
That said, certain aspects of a network, such as port utilization, link utilization, and client utilization, can and should be measured. In any scenario, successful network analysis means taking a step back and looking at the data in the context of your enterprise.
Network utilization requires judgment calls. If two ports on a switch are 90 percent utilized and the others are not utilized, do you consider your switch utilization to be 90 percent? It might be more appropriate to ask which application is causing those particular ports to reach 90 percent utilization. Understanding the big picture and analyzing utilization levels in context are the keys to getting a sense of your network's health.
13. Throwing bandwidth at a network problem
One of the most common complaints addressed by IT is simple: the network is running slower than normal. The knee-jerk reaction is to add more capacity. This is the right solution in some cases but dead wrong in others. Without the proper analysis, upgrading capacity can be a costly, unwise decision. Network Instruments' Smith likens this approach to saying, "I'm running low on closet space, and therefore I need a new house."
Capacity aside, common root causes of slowdowns include unwanted traffic broadcasting over the network from old systems or apps, such as IPX traffic, or misconfigured or inefficient applications that spew streams of packets onto the network at inconvenient times.
According to Smith, one of Network Instruments' banking customers was considering upgrading its WAN links due to complaints from tellers that systems were running slow. The IT team used a network analyzer to determine that increased traffic levels were being caused by a security app that ran a daily update at 3pm. When the IT team reconfigured this application to make updates at 3am instead, they were able to quickly improve traffic levels without making the costly WAN upgrade.
14. Permitting weak passwords
In the Internet age, new threats such as worms and phishing tend to garner all the security attention, but the SANS Institute's Top 20 Vulnerabilities list released in October points to a basic IT mistake: weak authentication or bad passwords. The most common password vulnerabilities include weak or nonexistent passwords; user accounts with widely known or physically displayed passwords (think Post-it Notes); administrative accounts with weak or widely known passwords; and weak or well-known password-hashing algorithms that are not well secured or are visible to anyone. Avoiding the weak authentication mistake boils down to simple IT blocking and tackling -- a clear, detailed, and consistently enforced password policy that proactively deals with the most exploited authentication weaknesses detailed in the SANS report.
15. Never sweating the small stuff
CTOs and CIOs like to talk about the strategic application of technology, but ignoring basic tactical issues can lead to simple but extremely costly mistakes. Missing a $30 domain name registration payment can be enough to grind your business to a halt. In one notorious example, last February a missed payment by The Washington Post knocked out employee e-mail for hours until the renewal was paid.
As datacentre environments become denser, even low-level facilities issues may demand scrutiny. On his Weblog, Sun Microsystems president Jonathan Schwartz quoted a CIO who responded to a "what keeps you up at night" question with, "I can no longer supply enough power to, or exhaust heat from (our datacentre). I feel like I'm running hot plates, not computers." A CIO who overlooks burning -- but not necessarily obvious -- issues such as these may soon be in search of another job.
16. Clinging to prior solutions
A common mistake for IT managers moving into a new position at a new company is to try to force solutions and approaches that worked at a prior job into a new environment with different business and technology considerations.
One current vice president of operations describes a new, low-cost open source environment he had to manage after working in a more traditional shop that relied on high-end Sun hardware and Oracle and Veritas software. The new startup company couldn't afford the up-front cash required to set up a rock-solid environment based on commercial software, so they ran a LAMP (Linux, Apache, MySQL, PHP) architecture with an especially aggressive Linux implementation on 64-bit Advanced Micro Devices Opteron machines. Gradually, the vice president realized that his old solutions wouldn't work in the new environment from a technology or cost angle, so he changed his approach to fit the new reality, using none of the technologies from his prior job.
17. Falling behind on emerging technologies
Staying current can prevent a disaster. For instance, the emergence of inexpensive consumer wireless access points during the past few years has meant that anyone can create a wireless network -- a real problem for any reasonably structured corporate IT environment. A Network Instruments retail client, for example, was installing a WLAN to serve the needs of employees who measured warehouse inventory levels. Soon enough, management wanted access to the WLAN, and without asking for approval, some employees installed wireless access points at their desks.
Fortunately, the IT staff had implemented ways to check for rogue access points, and a WLAN channel scan with a network analyzer quickly showed there were more access points on the network than the administrator knew had been deployed. In this case, the IT staff recognized an emerging technology that might be stealthily introduced by employees and developed procedures to inventory the threat, thereby controlling it.
18. Underestimating PHP
IT managers who look only as far as J2EE and .Net when developing scalable Web apps are making a mistake by not taking a second look at scripting languages -- particularly PHP. This scripting language has been around for a decade now, and millions of Yahoo pages are served by PHP each day.
Discussion of PHP scalability reached a high-water mark in June, when the popular social-networking site Friendster finally beat nagging performance woes by migrating from J2EE to PHP. In a comment attached to a Weblog post about Friendster's switch to PHP, Rasmus Lerdorf, inventor of PHP, explained the architectural secret of PHP's capability of scaling: "Scalability is gained by using a shared-nothing architecture where you can scale horizontally infinitely."
The stateless "shared-nothing" architecture of PHP means that each request is handled independently of all others, and simple horizontal scaling means adding more boxes. Any bottlenecks are limited to scaling a back-end database. Languages such as PHP might not be the right solution for everyone, but pre-emptively pushing scripting languages aside when there are proven scalability successes is a mistake.
19. Violating the KISS principle
Doug Pierce, technical architect at Datavantage, says that violating the KISS (keep it simple, stupid) principle is a systemic problem for IT. Pierce says he has seen "hundreds of millions" of dollars wasted on implementing, failing to implement, or supporting solutions that are too complex for the problem at hand. According to Pierce, although complex technologies such as Corba and EJB are right for some organizations, many of the organizations using such technologies are introducing unnecessary complexity.
This violation of the KISS principle directly contributes to many instances of project failures, high IT costs, unmaintainable systems, and bloated, low-quality, or insecure software. Pierce offers a quote from Antoine de Saint-Exupery as a philosophical guide for rooting out complexity in IT systems: "You know you've achieved perfection in design, not when you have nothing more to add, but when you have nothing more to take away."
20. Being a slave to vendor marketing strategies
When it comes to network devices, databases, servers, and many other IT products, terms such as "enterprise" and "workgroup" are bandied about to distinguish products, but often those terms mean little when it comes to performance characteristics.
Quite often a product labelled as a "workgroup" product has more than enough capacity for enterprise use. The low cost of commodity hardware -- particularly when it comes to Intel-based servers -- means that clustering arrays of cheap, workgroup hardware into an enterprise configuration is often more redundant and scalable than buying more expensive enterprise servers, especially when it comes to Web apps.


text:
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Christmas Underwear Bomber
The facts: A man named Umar Farouk Abdul Mutallab boarded a Northwest Airlines Flight (#253) going from Amsterdam to Detroit, Michigan while wearing - oh yes - underwear with an explosive called PETN sewn into the pouch. Apparently, there were 80 grams of the substance in the man's nether pants, which CBC News reported was enough to blow a hole in the side of the aircraft had the man been able to successfully detonate the substance with the syringe of acid he'd brought.
The man: Mutallab is a 23-year-old student - called a dream student by his professors - from a wealthy family who fell in love with the cause of the Taliban at an early age. He led peaceful protests for the US and UK in the war on terror while acting as President of the University College London's Islamic Society. Though, it is known now that he was groomed by al Qaeda while in London. Mutallab was charged on December 26th, 2009 with attempting to blow up a US aircraft.
The controversy: Controversy? Other than the fact that he tried to blow up a plane on Christmas? Well, it wouldn't be worthy of The Riot if there wasn't. So, in a nut shell, people are trying to claim that Mutallab's case is unique. The Rachel Maddow show reported that many conservative politicians and talking heads are calling for Mutallab to not be tried by the Federal Courts, and they believe he should not be afforded the same rights as any other criminal in this country. The problem with this idea is that there is a man named Richard Reid who tried pretty much the same thing 8 years ago with PETN in his shoe. He's now spending his life in federal prison. That seemed to work out.
Also, airlines are - of course - beefing up security. Except, they're just stopping what this one guy did in this one incident. Like, Northwest is now stopping people from having blankets on their laps or walking around the cabin one hour before landing. This doesn't really stop anybody that - for instance - wants to blow a plane up in the first hour of flight or, say, any other hour other than the last.
Yet another instance in which we're just cleaning up the mess after an event happened instead of proactively preparing for the next possible attack. I just really hope that this doesn't fuel another conservative surge of racial profiling...
Love and Lyte,
Fire Lyte
|Quick Thoughts?
2 comments:
Try him in federal court? Are you loco, boy? Try him in a court where there's things like due process and rules of evidence? I mean, not only is he a Muslim with a furrin-sounding name, but he's a person of color, for Pete's sake.ReplyDelete
Kidding aside, the fact is that the wingnuts have this thing about torture, and they'll use any excuse to demand that the authorities inflict it on anyone who doesn't look like them. No surprises here.
Ok I say try him in a federal court. If he is in our country, if he was a natural born citizen, then not including his race, or his background he is an Americna Citizen, and so diserves all the same rights that citizens, and that we all have.ReplyDelete
Ok here is another food for thought: if a citizen from the United States goes to another country, then we have to follow their processes of law, because of how we commit a crime on their soil, we have to follow their laws, plain and simple he has to follow our laws on our soil. He cannot simply get away with a lesser punishment from his own country because of what he did, he HAS to be tried in a federal court, since it was a federal crime. He also did not have a passport on him, so basically there is another federal law/statute broken there, and he should have to suffer the consiquences on American soil as any of us would have to do in another country, and if anyone committed a crime here, the punishments.
So to wrap up, this case isnt special or anything like that, he still voilated on a few counts of federal offences =)
Love and Light


text:
Many people have asked us what they should purchase prior to bringing their new cat friend home from the rescue. Well, some of that depends on your specific cat, but we'll give you some general guidelines to get you started. Some things you'll have considered already, of course, but we'll try and guide you towards the right items so you don't have to purchase things more than once.
Just be prepared to learn as you go. Like people, cats can have unique personality traits. Many will have definite preferences in everything from food bowls to sleeping spots. It's your job to pay attention and read all the messages your cat is sending. If you're perceptive, you'll soon know all of your little friend's likes and dislikes and you'll have a better chance of buying things he or she will love.
We're going to give you the overall shopping list here, and then break the list down into individual posts with more specific suggestions and the rationale behind them. Ready? Let's go!


text:
Does anyone have advice for bloggers that want to address multiple areas of interest? For instance, I'm covering my fashion, art, DIY, and home improvement stuff while trying to inspire my novel writing and the future corresponding fashion line.
Thanks! <3posted over 8 years ago
Not any advise, but we're in the same boat ^^, I just blog about the things I love. Try not to think of what others think; it's your blog :)posted over 8 years ago
Yes! When I started it I never intended it to be a fashion/style one, that's just the direction it took. I still like posting somewhat random things though, whatever I feel like posting about really! As an artist I like posting my work every so often.
Here it is:
I know most of the successful blogs are the ones with a singular point of view! Try to condense your STYLE and OBSERVATIONS and integrate all your favorite subjects. But if your blog is all over the place, it will be difficult to maintain the readership and lure the same readers again!
I have a style blog, and I try to integrate fashion, current trends, shopping and how to put together a look. But I try to integrate all of these subjects with a singular STYLE point of view.
My blog is http://style-delights.blogspot.com/
[to see my blog Click Here]!
Identify a common style/thread in all your interests and write the posts with that theme. I hope I am making sense here..LOL!
Happy Blogging!
i just post w.e is on my mind at the moment but fashion is my main focus, just play around with it and u'll be fine girl
kelleyscloset17.blogspot.com check mine outposted over 8 years ago
I cover everything from interior design, to fashion, to cooking.
Check it out if you'd like [In Between Seams]posted over 8 years ago
Indeed! My blog is whatever i think is cool or funny I post art, music gifs, cltohes, funny pics. whatever! its a place where you can share what YOU like. dont limit yourself!posted over 8 years ago
I really want to branch out my blog as well, so I'm interested in what other people say here. But personally, I enjoy reading blogs with different areas of focus.posted over 8 years ago
Make Her Feel Welcome with Chic Points
10 points - Become a fan
5 points - Vote her photos into the Style Gallery
1 point - Post a comment on her photos
When ZoeKate reaches 200 Chic Points, she will be in the Style Council!
My blog is definitely multi-focus. Although I do try to maintain a focused aesthetic, even though I may post about different things (style, travel, home decor, food, photography etc.) I'm also a writer so I try to include some of that. I see what people are saying about securing readership by staying focused on one topic, but I do think there are successful blogs that address a variety of topics….I don't know….my blog is just starting out, and I don't have too many followers yet, so we'll see how it goes! I do love style, but I want my blog to reflect all of my interests….posted over 8 years ago
My blog is also mutli-focus (I like that title); it has to do with whatever I feel like writing about at the time. I've had it for nearly 10 months now and I believe that as long as you love what you're writing about/posting & you enjoy blogging than it doesn't really matter if your posts don't all fall under one theme/topic. That being said I blog for the sake of it, not for readership.
At the end of the day, it is your blog and your choice :)posted over 8 years ago