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…Dreams & Omens creates a situation where one card has been allocated to each player, placed in front of that person, to be played "before starting their next turn." Does that mean it's not the player's turn, and they must use the out-of-turn effect?
A: Although it says "before starting their next turn" it is, for all intents and purposes, that player's turn as soon as they start "doing stuff". The point is that this card must be played before the regular draw and play phases, and even before any available optional Free Actions.
Furthermore, if you read the out-of-turn instructions on the Surprises, you'll see that they are in reaction to a specific game event (a specific card play, or an UnGoal being fulfilled) and without that event occurring, there isn't really any logical way to execute the out-of-turn effect.
See also: Many cards state that you can do something "on your turn". When does one's turn officially begin and end…


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- sofialovesmikey
- 6 years ago
- Wedding: September 2010
Hi bees. I have to rant and admit this somewhere other than facebook. Darling Husband and I were doing errands yesterday and ran into the traveling pet adoption set up in the pet store and fell in love with a little lab mix. We had no intentions of getting a dog, but he was just so sweet. We spent over an hour with him, and knew as sweet as he was, he wasn't a match for us.
So we went home and discussed in major detail, and decided it was time for us to seriously look into adopting a puppy. It's been years since we've had a dog, and this little guy at the pet store set us off!
We spent all night researching shelters and available dogs in our area, and found a huge rescue shelter nearby, that just a month ago was housing 200 dogs, over 400 cats and numerous barnyard animals. We got really excited and planned to head out early this morning to find our new baby!
Well, bees. We went this morning, ready to come home with someone new. Imagine our disappointment when we get there and they only have 8 dogs available. Eight! I just couldn't believe it. i asked the staff and she said over 50 dogs were adopted in the last week. I know how fantastic it is to find a home for that many dogs, and it's great that there isn't a huge shortage of homes now, but I still feel (selfishly) let down that I didn't get my doggy today!

subset: commoncrawl


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Andreas Neubauer plays the way he lives, colourfully and without limits. Born in Istanbul, he studied at the Drummers´ Collective in New York and is now at home in two cities simultaneously – in Paris and in Frankfurt. He has been a Schlagwerk endorser since 2010.
As a drummer and percussionist, he moves between jazz and groove music and has worked, among other things, with Glashaus, Sabrina Setlur, Jon Hammond, Barry Finnerty, HR Big Band, Schauspiel Frankfurt, RTL Nachtshow and Barbara Dennerlein.
He has recently participated in CD recordings for Ringsgwandl, Ivan Santos and the Hesse Projekt. He operates the drumtrax studio for drumset and percussion recordings.
Drummer and percussionist
They manufacture good instruments and, time and again, come up with wonderful new ideas
Cajon la Perú® and Yambú Travel
Please enter the keyword and then press the ENTER key.


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Wednesday, 22 February 2012
Side Table Makeover
24 comments:
Wow! What a transformation. I'm impressed that you were patient enough to do all those coats of paint!ReplyDelete
I'm stopping by via the blog hop. Nice to meet you! I'm a new follower.
Lots of love,
I really like what you have done with that. So much nicer than before.ReplyDelete
Hi Natalie!ReplyDelete
Thank you so much for linking up to the blog hop! Wishing you all the best in your bloggy endeavors. Newest follower :)
Very much more up-to-date! Best wishes. I'm following you now and would love for you to follow me also. Best wishes, LindaReplyDelete
Hi Natalie,ReplyDelete
Great transformation - the basket looks great too!
I've been away, family was visiting, so I have a lot of catching up to do on your posts - off to check them out! Hope you're having a great week!
Nice redo I did something similar to a side table like this. Love the patchwork look,ReplyDelete
I LOVE this table! I really like the paint effect and color choices...thanks for sharing your talent at Show & Tell!ReplyDelete
Sharon @ mrs. hines class
- Michelle Pickard26 February 2012 at 10:01
Love it Nat ^_^ReplyDelete
I'm your newest follower-stop by for a visit!!ReplyDelete
Hi my friend! So happy to see your project on my little party! Your side table turned out great, thanks for linking up!ReplyDelete
:) Samantha
That's an amazing difference, Natalie! Love it!ReplyDelete
Thanks so much for linking up!
"Kiss Me I'm Irish" linky party now open
Love paint!! This looks so awesome!! Thanks for showing it off on SweetTalkin' Sunday!ReplyDelete


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Andaman Islands Eco Adventure
Port Blair, India, Southern Asia, Asia
"Learn about indigenous cultures and conservation work on two secluded and stunning Indian islands!"
Explore two gorgeous islands in a lesser-known area of India. The islands are very biodiverse, home to many species found nowhere else. You will have a chance to meet both wildlife researchers and to indigenous tribes. You will stay with ANET, an organisation which promotes equitable and ecologically sustainable development. You will also have your own private cabana set in the jungle, surrounded by forested hillsides and mangrove swamps and just minutes away from oceans teeming with corals and fish. While here, you will learn about the local wildlife and participate in various research and environmental education initiatives. There is an onsite PADI dive centre and you can arrange dives in the Mahatma Gandhi Marine National Park.
After five days, travel to Havelock Island for some of the best beaches in all of Asia. Spend your nights here in Andaman style accommodations. Relax, explore the island, SCUBA dive and swim in the sparkling waters. Enjoy glorious local seafood, and completely unwind.
In this project you will be working with ANET, the Andaman and Nicobar Environment Team. The group carries out work in both natural and social sciences, helping communities to develop in socially and environmentally sustainable ways. ANET's education programmes aim to raise awareness of the natural history of the islands and enhance public interest in conserving nature.
As well as carrying out their own research, ANET works in partnership with a number of other organisations including research institutions, government agencies, and NGOs.
Arrive in Port Blair from mainland India and bet met at the airport for a transfer to ANET, where you can settle in.
Take a tour of the ANET facility. Learn all about the incredible location and research and conservation work that goes on with interactive presentations and learning activities.
Pair up with a researcher and learn all about the marine life and assist with projects going on in the facility.
Participate in marine learning activities and workshops based on your own interests
Travel to Havelock Island and stay in traditional Andaman style accommodation at one of three eco resorts.
Enjoy the pristine beaches of Havelock, go scuba diving, go fishing, and slow things down to island time
Travel back to Port Blair and spend the night there in a bed and breakfast
Depart for home
Rate Conditions
*The price shown is a 'from' price per person
*Click 'Ask a Question' to speak to the operator directly about this tour's availability, departure dates and costs
*Airport transfer
*Educational Opportunities
*International Airfare to Port Blair, India
*Travel Insurance
*Meals and activities not mentioned in the itinerary
*Travel Visas and Island Permits


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I spent most of the day working on another old friend - Thyme to Water. It was a small quilt top that I put together a while ago. I was having trouble getting it to look just right so I put it away for a while. It was on my to do list for working on this week since I have some time off work. I pulled it out yesterday and decided to totally remove one block that was just not working for me. The block was, of course right smack in the middle. I got motivated somehow to design a new block on my own from scratch. After working on all those 12" blocks recently I felt confident that I could handle it. I got out the graph paper and went to work. I actually paper pieced parts of it right on the graph paper. I really liked it, but it needed a little something. I don't know if any of you have a man in your life who is actually semi interested in your sewing, but I have been blessed with a man who has a real eye for color and he always shows an interest in what I am doing. He gives me advice whenever I ask for it on my projects. At work we pot custom pots and the best pots are the ones we collaborate on. He has this thing he does with "color echos" and today when I asked his opinion for the bird house he said, "It needs something red that you have in all the other blocks, a color echo." That was all I needed to see that he was right and I knew just what I would add...a little red bird to sit on the step of the bird house. This quilt is not perfect and really gave me fits making things go together just right. Some of the fabric was really old and stretchy, but I have it to a point that I am happy with and I will try to get it quilted this week if I can fit it in on my long list of things to do with this little bit of time I have to myself.
Funny thing...I was thinking of how Michael gives me color advice in sewing and gardening, but when we are fishing he always asks me which color lure to use. It is sure nice to have someone to share your opinions with...hmmm...most of the time!
Watch for those color echoes...you'll be surprised how many you find in nature.


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This morning Andy Beal announced the winner of the SEM Scholarship contest he's been running the past month:  Ben Wills for "The Five Pillars of Social Media Marketing".
As one of the judges for the scholarship, you might imagine that an article about social media would attract my attention and it did.  Ben walks away a $6,000 scholarship prize, which in reality, will be worth far more because of the additional knowledge he'll gain. One on one consulting with Andy Beal alone, is probably worth the six grand.
Ben is not the only winner in this scholarship promotion, Andy Beal and Marketing Pilgrim walk away with a ton of new inbound links, traffic, subscrbers and industry visibility.¬† Not that Andy needs any more of that. 🙂
What I thought was particularly impressive about this promotion is that it illustrates the growing slant toward creative skills with SEO. There is no substitute for the ability to write well for readers as well as search engines and also the ability to recognize promotion opportunities, networks and links.


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KT Tape
KT Tape is a revolutionary sports medicine solution for treating and preventing common sports injuries such as ITBS, shin splints, plantar fasciitis, knee pain and more. Ultra-light, elastic, and strong, KT Tape is highly effective at providing pain relief, stability & support, & faster recovery for injured or sore muscles and joints-without sacrificing comfort or freedom of movement.
KT Tape is simple to use and easy to apply. Most common injury applications require only two strips of tape, and each box of tape comes with step-by-step instructions. Injury-specific video instructions (1-2 minutes long) for common applications are also available on the KT Tape website.
It's designed for Professional athletes, Olympians, and active people world-wide who take health & fitness seriously and who refuse to stop training, playing, or living life active and free. The design is minimalist, the results are magic.
KT tape Jumbo Pre-cut black€59.90
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text: Heart SandalRed250 USD125 USD50%Select Size 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 Add to Bag -Size chartInner measurementEUUKUS22,6 cm (8,89 inch)352523,1 cm (9,09 inch)363624 cm (9,44 inch)374724,5 cm (9,64 inch)385825 cm (9,84 inch)396925,9 cm (10,19 inch)4071026,4 cm (10,39 inch)41811-Description & fitThis style fits a slim or mid wide foot.Material: • The heel height is 8,8 cm high (3.46 inches). • Lime-tree wooden heel with rubber sole. • Italian natural grain leather, chrome free.The Coloured/Nubuck Leather: • The coloured leather might rub off on other light stuff and can loose colour if it is scratched. • The colour on the painted wooden sole and the rubber sole will naturally wear off over time. • The natural grain leather may have marks and can vary in colour and thickness. • The coloured leather does not need to be treated with oil, since it is treated with colour. • The nubuck leather can be treated with a nubuck spray.Fit: • Our different types of soles can vary in length. Please stand on a tape-measure and use the size chart. • Please note that the shape of your feet may have an impact on the fit. • The leather can be hard in the beginning, due to the chrome free leather. So, the clogs can feel narrow at first. However, it will soften and stretch with wear. • If the leather overlaps, it can provide a squeaking sound, which will fade once the leather has softened. For detailed care instructions, see our Policy & FAQ section-Share-Reviews


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Oct 2nd, 2012 – Canada Denied Late Lateef Adegbite Visa For Medical Check Up -See Burial Photos
The late Islamic scholar, Dr. Lateef Adegbite might still be alive today if not for the way Canadian High Commission turned him down after a request for travel visa for his routine medical treatment in Canada. naijagists.com
We learnt he was denied visa following a new policy set by Canada in which Visa applicants are thoroughly screened irregardless of their status in the society or their travel history.
The late Adegbite was taken to London for treament after Canada turned him down.
According to Saharareporters, "The Secretary to the Late Chief Adegbite at his Law Chambers in Lagos, partly identified as Mr. Yusuf, said all efforts were made to ensure Dr. Abdulateef's record and status was immediately verified to enable him proceed to Canada when his health grew worse, but that the High Commission did not yield.
His friends and associates tried all that they could to enable him clear the visa for his treatment in Canada, but all proved abortive" said Mr. Yusuf.
Many believed the late society leader might have been blacklisted because of his recent well-publicized advice to the United States to exercise caution in designating the violent Islamic sect in Nigeria, Boko Haram, a terrorist group.
Dr Lateef Adegbite was buried on Saturday at his residence in Abeokuta, Ogun State, Nigeria.
Former President Olusegun Obasanjo, Governor Fashola of Lagos and Dr Amosun of Ogun State, Sultan of Sokoto and Chief Ernest Shonekan were among the top dignitaries at the burial
RIP Dr Lateef


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Why Hello
About the man himself
Antony has 20-years experience of designing and performing unique escapes for corporate events and gala shows, but where did it all begin?
Like many things the seeds were planted when Antony was young. His Dad would spend his free-time potholing and Antony would constantly be begging to join him and would always be told it was too dangerous for someone so young.
"It wasn't that I was interested in the potholing," says Antony. "More that I was interested in what would happen if something went wrong. How would my Dad and his friends get out?"
And it is that question that Antony has spent his life trying to answer.
Britton said: "I started small. I learnt to pick padlocks first. Then I'd try to pick the lock on my front door. Then my friend's front doors, and so on. My first escape was actually from the coal shed. I think I was about 9."
Since those early days Antony has expanded his repertoire from coal sheds to jumping off of bridges bound in chains in to rivers, being blown up, pulled apart and suspended by his ankles in a straitjacket from burning ropes.
His most recent dance with death saw Antony attempt to escape being buried alive and in November of 2016 he'll be set ablaze from head-to-toe in an attempt to break the world record for the longest distance run whilst fully on fire.
Get in touch today to book Antony Britton and see him perform live at your event.


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Sanibel Island is famous for it seashell beaches. The island lays horizontal along the western coast of Florida catching all of the shells that are washed up. They even have a trademarked 'Sanibel Stoop' to describe how people bend over to pick up shells. The beaches are gorgeous and the water is perfect.
I was torn between and hotel room or a condo for this leg of our 2 week Florida trip. We were leaning toward the condo, but I couldn't find anything that I liked. I searched daily in Home Away and finally, I found one! It was beachy, nicely decorated and clean.
Adorable living room with 2 pullout couches. The owners also left a large selection of books and board games. There was a large sliding glass sore leading to a screened in porch
The kitchen was gorgeously updated with high-end everything. Not necessary for us, but we did love it!
The kid's bathroom. Loved the color!
The kid's bedroom, it has 2 single beds and a large closet.
The master bedroom. It had a king sized bed and large dresser. Jim was not on board with me decorating our bedroom at home the same! Attached to this bedroom was a very large master bath with a huge shower, double sink, and large linen closet.
The condo was on the ground level and came equipped with everything but food. The condo complex also offered the use of kayaks for free (more on that later!). Check-in was flawless and they called the following morning to make sure everything was ok.
The Island
We went out exploring immediately. There is so much to do we didn't know where to start. The island is very bike friendly and we saw families on bikes out everywhere. We stopped at several local shops including the best ice cream shop ever, Pinocchio's Italian Ice Cream on Periwinkle Way. They have the best flavors and the scoops are HUGE!
We explored for a while then hit the beach after all that's what we were there for. There were gorgeous white sand beaches with, to our dismay, practically no shells! Say what? After talking to some locals, the shells are best found after a heavy rain or storm and there had been neither for a good 2 weeks. Ok, we are good at adapting.
When you step into the water, your feet hit something very strange. I reached down and picked up a handful of sand dollars! Live sand dollars! I had two emotions at that moment, awe and horrified! The sand dollars were live, beautiful and plentiful, but it was impossible not to step on them. I tried asking my kids to walk on water and the comments began.😂 We were super careful and swam as much as possible.
It's against the law on Sanibel to take any living animal being a shell, sand dollar or anything else living in the ocean. We did find a few dead ones on the beach to take and we ended up finding a few really cool shells.
Kayaking adventure
Remember how I said this trip started out great and fell apart toward the end? Here's how.
On our last full day there, we decided to borrow the kayaks and go for a ride. We got our brief and got 2 doubles and a single. After instructions to stay in the canals, we were off; no kayaking in the ocean or bay.
We explored for a while before we came along a white sand beach in between the ocean in the bay. We pulled our kayaks over and decided to look for shells. The white sand was so soft my kids asked if they could take off their water shoes. I said sure, why not.
Paradise Lost
After about 15 minutes of finding some sea stars and starfish, my daughter finds the only broken shell on the entire beach, slices her foot open and starts bleeding pretty badly. We quickly gather everybody up, doubled up on the kayaks and headed back to the house. Poor Jim had to haul Madi and me while Zack took Holly and pulled the other kayak behind.
We called the front office as soon as we got back to find some sort of hospital or an urgent care center on the island and they quickly directed us. I made my way the five minutes down to the urgent care center and they treated us immediately. They washed out her foot, wrapped it up and sent us on our way. We were leaving the next morning however, they told us that we needed to have it x-rayed and looked at again once we got home to make sure that there are no pieces of shell it. She was given some crutches and out the door, we went.
The area outside our condo was very tropical.
The canal behind our unit at sunset. Pictures don't do it justice.
The pool and lounge area. There were also laundry facilities here.
Headed Home
We left the following morning after being checked on by the front office again. What we thought was going to be a quick 19-20 hour ride home ended up turning into two days, two flat tires and two hotels stays just to get back to Pennsylvania in one piece. Ugh!
Despite all of that, we loved our trip to Florida; to this day even after being to Mexico my kids still rank it as one of their top five vacations.


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Appointments to the City's boards and commissions occur throughout the year based upon the terms and expiration dates as provided in the by-laws of each board or commission. In filling an expiring position, Council may consider reappointment of an individual to an additional term or may consider appointment of an applicant to the position.
For most City boards and commissions, applicants must reside within the city limits of Greenville.
Check to see if you are a city resident.
The following boards and/or commissions have terms expiring on the dates provided below. Individuals interested in serving on a City board or commission may complete an application online. Applications are accepted throughout the year by the Office of the City Clerk. Applications are reviewed by City Council six to eight weeks prior to a term's expiration date and as unexpected vacancies occur during the year.
More Information about Expiring Terms.


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|W. Curtis Taylor of Broadbent & Taylor
|Most known copies of this photograph are identified as taken by "Phillips & Taylor," the studio of Philadelphia photographers Henry C. Phillips and W. Curtis Taylor; however, on October 5, 1877, Whitman notes sending an admirer copies of "Broadbent & Taylor's photos"—"evidence that the photograph was taken while Taylor was still in partnership with Samuel Broadbent (DBN 1: 65). Less than a week later, on October 11, Whitman sent copies of the Centennial Edition of Leaves of Grass and Two Rivulets to "Mr Broadbent & W Curtis Taylor / 914 Chestnut st Phil" (DBN 1: 65). The difference in formality again implies that Taylor was better known to Whitman. On July 24, 1880, Broadbent died; Whitman's letter "to W. Curtis Taylor photo. 914 Chestnut St." on August 16 may be responding to that news (DBN 1: 198). After Broadbent's death, Taylor continued in partnership with Broadbent's two sons and kept the studio name until they bought him out in 1884 and renamed the business Broadbent Brothers. Only then did Taylor enter into a partnership with Henry C. Phillips in the studio at 1206 Chestnut St. Some copies, such as the one in the Kendall Reed Collection, bear the stamp of Gilbert & Bacon. Well in the 1920s, this studio occupied the storefront at 1030 Chestnut St.—directly between Taylor's two businesses—and likely obtained a copy negative or purchased the original negative after Taylor's death. The image itself, which Whitman described as a "2/3d length with hat outdoor rustic," was recalled by Thomas Donaldson and Elizabeth Keller as being his favorite photo. This infamous portrait, however, led to a great deal of skepticism about Whitman's honesty, since Whitman sometimes claimed the butterfly was real. "Yes—that was an actual moth," he told Traubel, "the picture is substantially literal: we were good friends: I had quite the in-and-out of taming, or fraternizing with, some of the insects, animals . . ." Whitman told the historian William Roscoe Thayer, "I've always had the knack of attracting birds and butterflies and other wild critters." Thayer later wryly commented: "How it happened that a butterfly should have been waiting in the studio on the chance that Walt might drop in to be photographed, or why Walt should be clad in a thick cardigan jacket on any day when butterflies would have been disporting themselves in the fields, I have never been able to explain." In fact, the "butterfly" was clearly a photographic prop now in the collections of the Library of Congress. The die-cut cardboard butterfly is imprinted with the lyrics to a John Mason Neale hymn and the word "Easter" in large capital letters. If, indeed, the photograph was taken in 1877, then Whitman may have been referring to this image when he wrote from Philadelphia to Peter Doyle on June 20, "I havn't forgotten the pictures, but they are a long while a-coming" (Corr 3: 88). If so, then the photograph would most likely have been taken between April 8 (Easter) and mid June. What is not often noted is that the photo simply enacts one of the recurrent visual emblems in the 1860 edition of Leaves: a hand with a butterfly perched on a finger. This symbol is resumed in the 1881 edition. In a review of that edition, published on January 13, 1883, a writer for the Critic referred to Whitman as "the big, good-natured, shrewd and large-souled poet, whose photograph shows him lounging in smoking-jacket and broad felt hat, gazing at his hand, on which a delicate butterfly, with expanded wings, forms a contrast to the thick fingers and heavy ploughman's wrist" (3). Dr. R. M. Bucke read the image symbolically: "The butterfly . . . represents, of course, Psyche, his soul, his fixed contemplation of which accords with his declaration: 'I need no assurances; I am a man who is preoccupied of his own soul.'" Whitman appears to have had a copy of the print made for Bucke at Edy Brothers during his trip to London, Ontario, in summer 1880. Printed at various times facing right and facing left (the one facing left is the original), the flipping came at Whitman's own direction. Traubel noted on October 16, 1891, "W. proposes to get some new reproduction of the butterfly picture. 'I wonder if the process men can reverse the picture? Set it looking right where it now looks left? I want to have it done for my own purposes" (WWWC 9: 36).
|Feinberg Collection


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E-commerce tips: Consumer psychology and the e-commerce checkout
Published by
March 18, 2015 3:23 pm
If you run an e-commerce site but aren't seeing conversions happening at the rate you'd like, you need to take a look at the infographic below from Vouchercloud. Using data from an array of consumer psychology studies, they've taken a look at the reasons why a potential customer might leave an e-commerce site; why customers abandon their carts; the effect of site design on the likelihood a customer will purchase something from a website; and lots more besides.
Take a look: Some of the information might surprise you!


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These beautiful quality Sun Shades are made from 100% pre-shrunk cotton canvas, complimented by quality teak wood poles. They are PERFECT for the beach, picnics, camping, over a sandpit or pet-zone, while entertaining at your next BBQ, off a boat and even off your vehicle (you can get a car adaption kit)!
Aaaaaand (drumroll)... Little Shadows are offering Table Tonic readers a whopping 30% off their full range of Sun Shades (rrp $399) from now until 15 February 2014 - That's a saving of $119.70! To redeem your discount, simply enter code tabletonic at checkout. Click to shop Little Shadows Sun Shades.


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AccountantsNew(03) 5593 1718Send to mobile
Crowe Horwath17 Pike St, Camperdown, VIC, 3260sponsored listing
AccountantsNew(03) 5557 3337Send to mobile
Sinnott Accountants19 Pike St, Camperdown, VIC, 3260At Sinnotts Accountants our focus is to satisfy the individual needs of our clients. We have found that the best way to do this is to establish a 1 on 1 relationship with each client. Using a proactive attitude we then identify the relevant issues drawing on our extensive understanding of business, taxation, investment and superannuation.sponsored listing
AccountantsNew(03) 5593 1333Send to mobile
Sinclair Wilson142 Manifold St, Camperdown, VIC, 3260sponsored listing
AccountantsNew(03) 5593 2839Send to mobile
Davis Anthony R2 Lovett St, Camperdown, VIC, 3260sponsored listing


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Autonomic Computing: Glossary
Adaptive Algorithm
An algorithm that can "learn" and change its behavior by comparing the results of its actions with the goals that it is designed to achieve.
A procedure, which can be written as a set of steps, for producing a specific output from a given input.
Artificial Intelligence (AI)
The capacity of a computer or system to perform tasks commonly associated with the higher intellectual processes characteristic of humans. AI can be seen as an attempt to model aspects of human thought on computers. Although certain aspects of AI will undoubtedly make contributions to autonomic computing, autonomic computing does not have as its primary objective the emulation of human thought.
1. Of, relating to, or controlled by the autonomic nervous system.
2. Acting or occurring involuntarily; automatic: an autonomic reflex.
Autonomic Computing
An approach to self-managed computing systems with a minimum of human interference. The term derives from the body's autonomic nervous system, which controls key functions without conscious awareness or involvement.
Autonomic Nervous System
That part of the nervous system that governs involuntary body functions like respiration and heart rate.
Control Theory
The mathematical analysis of the systems and mechanisms for achieving a desired state under changing internal and external conditions.
A term derived from the Greek word for "steersman" that was introduced in 1947 to describe the science of control and communication in animals and machines.
Feedback Control
A process by which output or behavior of a machine or system is used to change its operation in order to constantly reduce the difference between the output and a target value. A simple example is a thermostat that cycles a furnace or air conditioner on and off to maintain a fixed temperature.
A collaborative academic project centered at Argonne National Laboratory focused on enabling the application of grid concepts to computing.
Grand Challenge
A problem that by virtue of its degree of difficulty and the importance of its solution, both from a technical and societal point of view, becomes a focus of interest to a specific scientific community.
Grid computing
A type of distributed computing in which a wide-ranging network connects multiple computers whose resources can then be shared by all end-users; includes what is often called "peer-to-peer" computing.
A physiological constancy or equilibrium maintained by self-regulating mechanisms.
Policy-based Management
A method of managing system behavior or resources by setting "policies" (often in the form of "if-then" rules) that the system interprets.
Quality of Service (QoS)
A term used in a Service Level Agreement (SLA) denoting a guaranteed level of performance (e.g., response times less than 1 second).
Redundant Arrays of Independent Disks (RAID )
A way of storing the same data in different places on multiple hard disks. Storing data on multiple disks can improve performance by balancing input and output operations. Since using multiple disks increases the mean time between failure, storing data redundantly also increases fault-tolerance.
Service Level Agreement (SLA)
A contract in which a service provider agrees to deliver a minimum level of service.
Service Level Management
Managing system performance (i.e. response time, compute power, storage space) by a contract in which a Service Provider agrees to deliver an agreed-upon minimum level of service.
Web Services
A way of providing computational capabilities using standard Internet protocols and architectural elements. For example, a database web service would use web browser interactions to retrieve and update data located remotely. Web services use UDDI to make their presence known.


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Why the ITU Telecom World Awards?
As the UN specialized agency for ICTs, with 193 Member States, over 700 private sector entities and 150 years of sector expertise, ITU understands the critical role of ICT solutions in accelerating social and economic development across emerging and developed markets alike. ICT-based applications, solutions and initiatives are uniquely powerful and effective in improving lives all around the world.
The Awards Programme at ITU Telecom World celebrates this innovation and creativity by aiming to:
the most promising and effective initiatives using ICTs innovatively for social good – whether created by entrepreneurs, SMEs or large-scale industry players
best practices and the cross-fertilization of ideas for innovative socio-economic development
a platform to network, mobilize investment and create new business opportunities for ICT solutions with social impact
The awards and who can enter
The ITU Telecom World Awards are open to all sponsors and exhibitors present at ITU Telecom World 2017, whether within a National or Thematic Pavilion, as an Independent Stand or SME Pod. SMEs not exhibiting or sponsoring can also enter the Global SME Awards by paying a 700 CHF application fee, which includes a free Exhibition Pass and access to the full SME Programme – see the How to Apply section below.
The following Awards will be presented by ITU Secretary-General Houlin Zhao at a high-profile ceremony during ITU Telecom World 2017
Global SME Awards
for the most promising solutions from SMEs making innovative use of ICTs for social impact in the categories:
Global SME Excellence Award
Best business model
Most innovative use of ICT
Greatest social impact
Most scalable solution
Global Corporate Awards
for the most promising innovative solutions with social impact within large companies, in sectors including:
Smart emerging technologies
Government Award
for the National Pavilion at ITU Telecom Word 2017 with three or more of the most promising innovative SMEs present at the Event
Host Country SME Award
for the best and most innovative SME or solution from the Republic of Korea, the Host Country for ITU Telecom World 2017
Recognition of Excellence Certificate
for the best innovative exhibitor within each National Pavilion at ITU Telecom Word 2017
Why enter the Awards?
Win UN recognition as an innovative ICT4D solutions provider
Benefit from international visibility at the event onsite and online
Network with potential partners, customers and leads from public and private sectors, emerging and developed markets
Engage with governments, policy-makers and regulators at the highest level
Take part in the SME Programme of capacity building and skills workshops, business matchmaking and networking Events
Take home the exclusive ITU Telecom World Award Winner trophy and certificate
How to apply
Our Jury
You can apply for the Global SME Awards by completing the ITU Telecom World Awards SME application form. If you are exhibiting or sponsoring at ITU Telecom World 2017, you will be asked to include details of your stand, pavilion or sponsorship. If you are not exhibiting or sponsoring at the event, contact us for details on the application fee and process before completing the form.
National Pavilion SMEs should also complete this form to apply for the Government Award.
All corporate event exhibitors or sponsors can apply for the Global Corporate Awards by completing the ITU Telecom World Awards Corporate application form.
Each participating National Pavilion will nominate an entity exhibiting within the pavilion for the Recognition of Excellence. The Host Country Award is selected by the host country.
A distinguished jury of experts will select a shortlist of Global SME Awards applicants to pitch their solutions onsite at ITU Telecom World 2017. Winners will be selected from this shortlist and announced on the final day of the event.
A second jury with experts in each vertical sector will select the winners of the Global Corporate Awards based on social impact, innovative use of ICTs, business model, scalability & replicability, and environmental sustainability.
ITU Telecom World Awards 2017 – Winners and Finalists
Congratulations to all the finalists and winners of the ITU Telecom World Awards 2017, who will be announced at the Event Closing on Thursday 28 September.


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The #1 biopharma software for partnering
The preconfigured platform for biopharma
All your partnering data in one place
Connected to biopharma ecosystem & tools
Platform covering the partnering lifecycle
A pharma software designed for partnering in biopharma
We've worked with our life sciences clients for 15 years to develop a software tailor-made for your partnering needs.
Our pharma solution connects to the biggest biopharma partnering events such as BIO and EBD conferences, as well as to important pharma databases – Clarivate (Previously Cortellis) and Citeline.
Store and access all your partnering data in one database
Information is critical for biopharma companies, as it comes from multiple sources such as partnering conferences, information databases, email, colleagues, online portals and more.
What you need is a pharma software that will centralize data captured from these different touch points and make them part of your corporate memory in one single database.
Smart pipeline reporting for better decision-making
One thing that makes Inova the best biopharma software is its capabilities for producing useful reports. Inova's pre-configured reports are customized for pharma.
View the number of opportunities at each stage and filter them by business unit, geographic territory, therapeutic area or development phase, so you can easily hand it over to your colleagues when they ask for it.


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All regular season ETHS Sports Contests are FREE except for Football and Basketball. For the Girls Basketball game on Jan 13, simply print this page and show it to the ticket table upon arrival for free admission.
No Need to Pre-Register.
Come support the ETHS KITS!!
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Visit www.teamgps.org.EMAIL firstname.lastname@example.com with any questions.


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Remember the Samsung Galaxy Folder clamshell Android? It looks like it's back in the headlines, this time, thanks to a couple of real-life pictures depicting the upcoming phone.
Clamshell phone aficionados probably remember the SCH-W2013 from last year, a phone unfortunately priced at an insane tag, around $3000. The Samsung Galaxy Folder should be the natural follow-up, whenever the manufacturer decides to make it official. We're hoping for a more human price! As for the changes, the are a couple of external improvements as well as software in-line with this year's offerings. Let us know whether you'd like such a phone, and how much would you be willing to spend on it?


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For the car enthusiast looking for aftermarket-performance, tuning and styling products and accessories. We cater for most German vehicles using only reputable aftermarket companies locally and internationally.
© 2014 Rennzport Home page main image courtesy of MD Photography. Images courtesy of Rennzport, BMW and the various photographersKindly inform Rennzport of any images used without the proper permission


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Yorkshire Dales – Wensleydale, Bainbridge to Semer Water round
The Yorkshire Dales is an upland area of Northern England spanning westwards from the Vale of York, over the Pennines and into Cumbria. Known mainly as The Dales it has outstanding scenery, a diversity of wildlife habitats, a rich cultural heritage and peacefulness. The Yorkshire Dales National Park, created in 1954 and one of fifteen National Parks in Britain, has over twenty main dales each with their own unique character and atmosphere. Most of the dales are named after their river or stream except Wensleydale which is named after the small village and former market town of Wensley rather than the River Ure. The Northern Dales are rugged and the Southern Dales are less remote but the dales, so beautiful, are littered and scared with ancient settlement sites, disused mineral workings, dry-stone walls and barns. The U and V shaped valleys, formed by glaciers, are mainly grazed by sheep and cattle and provides the hills for walkers and climbers and the valley bottoms for strollers and amblers.
Wensleydale lies within the Yorkshire Dales National Park and the River Ure runs through the valley for 74 miles from its source at Ure Head on Abbotside Common in the Pennines into the River Ouse at Cuddy Shaw Reach near Linton-on-Ouse, North Yorkshire where the river changes its name to the River Ouse. Wensleydale is perfect walking country with many way marked footpaths and open landscapes giving spectacular scenery all year round. Wensleydale is also renowned for hill farming, rearing many types of Sheep and cattle and the meadow grass for hay and silage is vital to the system. Its industrial past was water powered mills at Gayle, Hawes, Bainbridge, Askrigg, Thoralby, West Burton and Aysgarth which were variously used to grind corn, produce textiles (wool, cotton, linen, silk and flax), generate electricity or saw wood.
The River Ure is a typical clean river of the Yorkshire Dales National Park and is rich in wildlife, insect life and many species of birds. Fishermen love this river for its brown trout and grayling. The nationally rare native white-clawed crayfish can also be found.
Bainbridge is a lovely village with a large green situated at the head of Raydale near the confluence of the River Bain with the River Ure. The village lies within the Yorkshire Dales National Park and is over looked by the distinctive flat topped hill of Addlebrough which is the site of an Iron Age fort and not far away is Stoney Raise Cairn one of the largest cairns in Yorkshire.
The very well preserved Roman Road (Cam High Road) runs from the Roman Fort at Bainbridge skirting Wether Fell to Ingleton. In the late 18th century the road was resurfaced and formed part of the Richmond to Lancaster turnpike Hills.
Semer Water is the second largest natural lake in North Yorkshire after Malham Tarn. It is half a mile long covers 100 acres and lies in Raydale. Semer Water has been painted by many artists the most famous being JMW Turner who visited the lake on 26th July 1816. The Legend of Semer Water is that the area was a prosperous city and one night a beggar came in search of food, drink and shelter but every house turned him away. Eventually he came to a hovel of a poor couple just outside the town who took him in and treat him with great kindness. Next day when the beggar left he faced the town and uttered the curse "Semerwater rise and Semerwater sink and swallow the town all save this house where they gave me food and drink". As soon as it was said the waters of the lake rose up and flooded the city, drowning the proud inhabitants and leaving only the hovel of the poor couple on the hillside unscathed. Another legend tells how the Carlow stone arrived at Semer Water when a Giant on Addlebrough and the Devil on a neighbouring Crag had a fight and threw stones at each other. The River Bain is just 2½ miles long making it the shortest named river in England it rises in Semer Water and flows down to meet the River Ure just north of Bainbridge. For the last mile the river runs through the steep sided valley dropping a 140 ft then passes to the east of Bainbridge, running between the village and Brough Hill the site of a Roman fort. The river also powers Low Mill, on the eastern side of Bainbridge, with its restored water wheel.
Marsett is one of the three settlements based around Semer Water in the Richmond district of North Yorkshire the other two being Countersett and Stalling Busk. It is an attractive hamlet just to the south west of the lake.
Stalling Busk, in the small dale of Raydale, lies immediately south of Semer Water and has two churches St. Mathew's in the village and another ruined one a short walk away towards Semer Water. The ruined Old Church built on common land was the original church of Stalling Busk dating from around 1722 and was still in use in the early 20th century. In the early years it was a chapel of ease. The new church of St. Mathew was built in 1908 and the Old Church soon fell into disrepair and was stripped of its roof and furnishings.
The Walk
We park at the side of the road near the Rose and Crown Hotel and walk slightly uphill on the little side road past the school and church. We follow the road for just over half a mile until the road bends sharply to the left here we leave the road and head straight forwards on the track, this is the old Roman Road (Cam High Road). We keep following the track uphill for 1.5 miles until we meet a small road called Four Lane Ends. The track continues on the other side of the road (optional: but we turn right and walk the road downhill to a small bridge to view a waterfall then head back uphill and continue along the Roman Road). We head forwards a short way and take a detour through a gate on the right to view Horton Gill Force, another waterfall on the right. We head back to the track and continue forwards uphill for just under a mile until we see two footpath signs one either side of the track. We turn left leaving the Roman Road and follow the Marsett sign through the wall and head uphill to the dip in the skyline where we go through a gate. We walk along the top through an area of disused quarries and shake holes then head downhill through the fields, Marsett can be seen down below in the distance. At the bottom we go over a stile turn left onto a track then at the road turn right and go over the bridge into Marsett. We turn immediately left after the bridge and follow the track sign posted Stalling Busk with Marsett Beck on the left. After a short way we follow the track as it bears right, away from the beck, then head forwards over two small foot bridges. At the second bridge bear slightly left then forwards uphill passing a barn on the left towards the farm about two thirds of the way up. Near the top we go through the gate on the right and turn left to follow the track uphill. On reaching the church we turn left and follow the track between the lower houses of Stalling Busk. After a short way we turn left at the sign post for Ruined Church ¼ mile and head downhill and follow the track over a small footbridge and through two gates. The ruins of the old church are on the left and Semer Water is just beyond. We go through the gate and wander around the ruins then back through the gate and turn left. We head forwards through the fields then walk along the path at the side of Semer Water. The path passes between a barn and a wall on the right then almost immediately over a stile and keep heading forwards until we meet the road. We turn left along the road to the head of Semer Water where there is a parking area and a seat where JMW Turner sketched for his painting of "Simmer Lake". We continue on the road and turn right just before the bridge and follow close to the River Bain on the left. We eventually head slightly away from the river pass through two walls then to the left of a barn through another wall and heads forwards over the hill in front of us. At the top we go through a gate and head downhill towards Bainbridge in the distance. When we reach the small road we stay in the field and follow the path on the left of the wall that follows the road to take a look at one of the waterfalls in Bainbridge. At the main road we turn left and make our way back into the village admiring the waterfall on the left as we cross over the bridge.
This is a moderate walk on grass paths, grass and tarmac tracks and on some small roads. There are some steep inclines and declines. The Roman Road is a gradual uphill stony track. Elevation: Lowest point 211.9 metres (695.21 feet) Highest point 501 metres (1643 feet).
Distance and Start Point
Approx 8.75 miles allow 3 hours 35 minutes using OS map OL30, Yorkshire Dales Northern and Central areas. Wensleydale, Swaledale.
Start point: near the children's play park and public toilets.
Bainbridge in Wensleydale in the Yorkshire Dales.
Directions and Parking
From A1 take the A684 to Bedale. At the t-junction in Bedale turn right for Layburn. At the small roundabout at Layburn turn left and keep following the A684 through Aysgarth to Bainbridge. There is ample road side parking and a small area just next to the children's play park. Parking is free but a donation can be made for the up keep of the village green.
Toilets and Refreshments
There are public toilets in Bainbridge and for refreshments in there is a pub the Rose and Crown, the Corn Mill tearoom, a butcher, and a shop with post office. There are public toilets, four pubs, cafes, tearooms, takeaways and shops in nearby Hawes.


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Global Imagination makes the Magic Planet® digital video
globe – the digital display with a sphere-shaped screen. We also supply
software, content and services that enable you to present global information
and promotional media in the most compelling and interactive way possible.
Together with our partners and our
user community, we can provide you with complete solutions that deliver
an excellent return on your Magic Planet investment in the shortest possible
timeframe (click on above images to see larger views).
Magic Planet Hardware
Magic Planets come in twelve sizes from 16" to almost 10' (41cm to 3m) – there's a size for every space. They can sit on a tabletop, be fixed to the floor or wall, or they can be hung by a lift from the ceiling. They can be driven by a computer application, by an HD DVD player, by a media server and synchronized with your other multimedia, or by a live streaming video source. So, whether you're after a 16" interactive personal experience, a 30" multi-touch globe experience, an incomparable 3m wow factor, or anything in between, there's a Magic Planet solution that's right for you.
Globe sizes of 16" to 18" (41cm - 46cm) afford maximum portability while grabbing people's attention and sparking their imagination. Sizes 24", 30" and 36" (61cm - 91.44cm) add imposing visual experiences while remaining personal and approachable. For maximum stunning impact, a 4', 5' or 6' (1.219m to 1.828m) globe cannot be matched. Inflatable sizes can be even larger; up to almost 10' (3m). No matter what the size, you can see your information or promotional media from any angle - there are no "dead spots" on the spherical display that might impact the experience.
The product comes in seven configurations: portable; pedestal; chassis; pedestal touch globe; inflatable; external projection; and our ultra-high-resolution Dual HD Magic Planet. Portable units can be carried by a single individual, and set up for a presentation alongside a notebook computer in little more time than it takes to set up a PC projector. Whether it's for use in a meeting room, a boardroom, on a tabletop or in a classroom, a Magic Planet display can be transported there and set up quickly and easily.
Pedestal configurations are ideal for standing exhibits or displays, such as in
museums, stores, executive briefing centers, and corporate lobbies. With the
Magic Planet mounted on a black matte base, visitors will feel just like
they're watching the Magic Planet floating in space. For the most compelling interactive experience, a Magic Planet touch globe is ideal. Multiple visitors can explore the exhibit content in their own unique way with just the touch of a finger.
The Dual HD is offered with a wide range of Magic Planet spheres, starting with the stunning 3' (91cm) sphere. The system uses two HD projectors; however it's driven by a single computer making it both cost effective and easy to maintain.
Daily operation of the Magic Planet is easy – it can be handled by almost anyone. Customers typically leave the software or media server running 24/7, and merely have someone turn the projector on and off daily. As far as operation costs, as with any projector, the bulb needs to be replaced about every 1,500 - 2,000 hrs (depending upon the particular projector), so operational costs are minimal. Magic Planet globes are made of a durable materials that can be cleaned with soap and water.
The Magic Planet hardware comes bundled with everything you need to run your exhibit or to display your media. With the large range of content and exhibits in the Magic Planet user community, your Magic Planet can be delivering value the day it's installed!
Are your needs unique, and not completely addressed by the range of choices already provided? If so, Global Imagination will design and build a custom system to your exact specifications. We also provide additional hardware such as touch-screens, kiosks, computers, and shipping cases, as well as software and content development services so you can get a one-stop-shop for your needs.
† The US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration's Science on a Sphere™.
Magic Planet Software
Ready-made exhibits:
a premiere exhibit the day your Magic Planet is installed
Global Imagination Customer Community contains numerous ready-made
customizable exhibits freely available for the Magic Planet - as well as
hundreds of images and animations. Exhibits include
TourGuide™: Create
interactive media mashups for the Magic Planet (ages 13 and up)
TourGuide lets you create interactive media mashups for the Magic Planet. In other words it lets you take global images and animations; add interactive hot spots and links anywhere on the globe; then attach media to the links. It's an easy-to-use tool designed to build interactive applications for the Magic Planet. People pay attention longest when they're in control – when they're interacting to see and hear your story in the order they want, the way they want. Many Magic Planet customers already provide a touchscreen so visitors can control their Magic Planet exhibit or display. TourGuide takes Magic Planet interactivity to the next level. With TourGuide, it's easy to build interactive Magic Planet applications where visitors interact directly with the Magic Planet using a mouse, trackball or other input device.
TourGuide provides an intuitive GUI that lets you choose the images or animations you want to display on the Magic Planet. With a few mouse clicks you can add links on the Magic Planet that let users: navigate through your story; show a photo; run a slide show; play an audio track; play a movie; stream live media across the web (e.g. Internet TV stations and webcams); play YouTube or Flash videos; display HTML pages or pop-ups; show Google Earth or Microsoft Virtual Earth images; etc. TourGuide offers one of the broadest range of media types of any mashup tool.
For example, if you wanted to create an interactive story about how species are affected by global warming, you might add a link that plays a global simulation of rising temperatures on the Magic Planet, as well as links located where affected species might be found (e.g. a link in the arctic for polar bears in the arctic; one off the coast of South America for sea turtles etc.). Clicking on one of the links on the Magic Planet might play a video there describing the impact on the species. Using TourGuide is a simple way to build compelling, interactive applications for the Magic Planet.
Or if your application is in the hospitality industry, you might add links on the globe for each of your resort locations. Clicking on the link might show more information about the resort, and even play a video walk through. It's a great way to keep people interested in what you have to say – and with TourGuide, it's easy to do!
Numerous samples come with TourGuide, including:
"Kidzibits" (i.e. simple child-developed exhibits like "How does Global
Warming affect Animals" and "
iWorld™: Build interactive world maps for the Magic Planet
iWorld Games™ and Quiz Engine: Develop your own interactive world games
iWorld Atlas™:
Collect interactive world maps to
create an atlas for your exhibit
iWorld is a tool that lets you easily create interactive world maps for the Magic Planet. It's designed to simplify the development of exhibits where there are global statistics that you want to convey in a compelling, interactive way. Take data for countries around the world that's in an Excel file and simply export it – whether it's climate change data; social science data; geographic data; or any other. Choose a color scheme for your data values and you have an interactive world map ready to go. It's that simple. iWorld XML (see below) also lets you choose sophisticated visuals like backgrounds; masks; opacities; fades; rollover text; click actions and more.
Games and Quiz Engine lets your
audience have fun with the Magic Planet by playing "interactive world
A question pops up on the Magic Planet and the player has to click
on the right country to answer. iWorld Games keeps score so you can
assess skills or let users compete. Some sample games that come with iWorld
Games include: Country geography (e.g. "Click on
iWorld Atlas enables you to collect multiple iWorld interactive maps and provide tabs to rapidly switch among them. You can quickly and easily create an atlas on your topic. Samples that come with the product include atlases for: climate change; global inequality; as well as a traditional atlas (e.g. type of government; currency; land area; etc.). Keep your audience's attention as they learn about countries around the globe.
ActiveEarth World Clocks™: See the day/night cycle live; Click on a city and pop up a local- time clock
ActiveEarth World Clocks is based upon the popular ActiveEarth world time clock application. It's an interactive application which shows a gorgeous real-time day/night cycle image on the Magic Planet, along with a "live" clock showing the time. Click on a city, and the clock updates to that city's local time. Add your own cities to create your own customized world clock. ActiveEarth World Clocks is a fun and educational application that's sure to delight you and your guests.
Zoom! ™:
Watch images or animations on the Magic Planet, and
interactively zoom in to see great detail
Zoom! is like Google EarthTM for the Magic Planet. Based upon the popular NASA World Wind software, it lets you watch any of the hundreds of images and animations available for the Magic Planet then interactively zoom in to see areas of interest close up. You can show the images as a pop-up window on the Magic Planet, or on a separate HD monitor for the ultimate in rich detail. Zoom! supports a wide variety of interaction techniques like trackballs (to select a region) ; spinners and buttons (to zoom and pan); touch-screens; etc. so you can customize it to create the exact exhibit you'd like.
Some Zoom! examples include: watching an animation of global real-time weather (see DynamicEarth below), then zooming in to see the local forecast (i.e. little symbols for sunny; cloudy; rainy; etc.); or selecting an amount of sea level rise, then zooming in and see in detail what happens to a particular coastal region.
Touchscreen templates: Create polished, interactive touch-screens using a "fill-in-the-blanks" approach
Magic Planet customers often develop a touchscreen kiosk to provide a "self-guided" interactive capability for their installation. To simplify this task, Global Imagination has two Flash-based exhibit touch-screens templates. As a result, you can build your own custom touchscreen in a fraction of the time. You simply provide the "content", including descriptive text; animation thumbnails; related videos; and background graphics. Then, just identify which Magic Planet animation or application corresponds to each template button or menu item and you're done. All the interactivity and polished graphics are built into the template. (Click on the images below to see larger views)
FullGlobe™: Create movies for spherical displays in a fraction of the time
FullGlobe™ is an After Effects® plug-in that dramatically simplifies the task of making animations and movies for spherical displays. FullGlobe™ automatically handles effects such as warping, splitting, pole rotation, re- projection and others, so all your text, legends, pictures and other media look just the way you want them to - anywhere on the globe. It's available for both Mac and PC, and it can develop movies for any spherical display. FullGlobe™ is an essential spherical movie-making tool; it pays for itself in no time!
PowerPoint Plug-In: Use the Magic Planet as an adjunct to your Microsoft PowerPoint presentation
Add some "global excitement" to your PowerPoint presentation. With the Magic Planet PowerPoint add-in, it's now easy to use your PowerPoint slideshow to control the Magic Planet. When you change your slide, the animation on the Magic Planet is automatically updated. In addition, you can add buttons and macros to your slides to provide additional interactive control of the Magic Planet. Source code is provided.
DynamicEarth™: Include real-time weather and real-time earthquakes in your exhibit
Magic Planet DynamicEarth enables you to display "real time" global weather and earthquake imagery on the Magic Planet. DynamicEarth downloads high quality images from the Internet every three hours. It's like a weather Digital Video Recorder - you can see the most recent weather "live", or pause and go back to see a replay of the last eight weeks at your choice of speed. With DynamicEarth, not only do you get a sure-fire attraction for your audience, but you get a tool that makes understanding Earth's dynamic systems much more rapid and intuitive.
There is a modest annual fee for the service.
advanced graphical effects to your interactive world maps
iWorld XML enables you to customize your iWorld interactive maps to control visuals like backgrounds; masks; opacities; fades; mouse rollover; click actions and more. With iWorld XML you can create highly polished, audience pleasing interactive maps in no time.
Choreograph sophisticated
interactive exhibits
StoryTeller makes it easy to choreograph your exhibit - it allows you to quickly and easily control which images your audience watches and how they interact with them. With StoryTeller, adding Magic Planet content is simple - just drag-and-drop. Moreover, with StoryTeller, you can immediately use the plethora of content already available in the Magic Planet Community or on the Internet - or even connect to the Internet for real-time "live" updates. StoryTeller software reads images and animations in the Internet standard map projection for global science imagery, called the "cylindrical equidistant" projection, and transforms them in real-time for display on the Magic Planet.
StoryTeller coordinates the images and animations on the Magic Planet with audio as well as with a second screen of more detailed information. StoryTeller can run either fully automated or fully interactive, which makes the Magic Planet great both for stand alone and "facilitated" operation. This flexibility makes the Magic Planet ideal for briefing centers and lobbies that aren't staffed with presenters all the time.
If you want to control a Magic Planet from your touch-screen podium(s), it's simple to do. If your exhibit isn't able to use one of our customizable template, and modifying the source won't do the trick, anyone with HTML, Flash or scripting experience already has the skills they need to build one from scratch. The product also includes a remote control to maximize your ability to interact with the audience.
OnStage™: Display and use interactive media and applications on the Magic Planet
OnStage is designed to enable interactive media and applications on the Magic Planet. OnStage is "always live" – in other words, you can display interactive simulations, live streaming media, even games on the Magic Planet in real time. OnStage works with existing, unmodified applications and video – there's no programming involved to make them appear on the Magic Planet. Moreover, it's completely interactive – it has advanced cursor support so you can control your applications directly while watching nothing but your Magic Planet display!
OnStage works by taking a rectangular global display from any application window and "warping it" in real-time for display on the Magic Planet. In addition, it can take a second window and map it as an "inset window" on the Magic Planet in real-time. There's no modification required to the applications.
examples include mapping: global displays from satellite simulation
applications onto the Magic Planet in real time; interactive Flash
animations; Photoshop or AfterEffects animations under development; live
streaming video from a web page or a movie player; and many others.
MPBrowser™: Easily
control multi-display exhibits
Anyone who's built a multi-display exhibit knows how
hard it is to get all the windows up on all the displays in a reliable
fashion. With MPBrowser, it's easy. MPBrowser provides a wrapper around
Internet Explorer and a Flash Video Player.
It lets you control on
which display each of your touch-screen(s) or web-based applications
start, as well as their size, position and full-screen options. In
addition, multiple MPBrowsers can be controlled from a single web or
Flash-based application via JavaScript – locally or over your network,
with no scripting changes!. For example, if you want to have one
touchscreen control what's on all the other displays, or control how video
is being played on multiple monitors, MPBrowser is ideal.
System Requirements
|© Copyright 2014 Global Imagination All Rights Reserved | Image Attribution | Site Credits


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Last week I attended a two day workshop with those maker experts, Sylvia Libow Martinez and Gary Stager. The authors of the pivotal maker book, Invent to Learn, were in town for this workshop and one in Edmonton.
In a school learning commons setting, 100 of us listened, played, experimented and collaborated. We used kits on the first day to experiment with programming (Hummingbird), circuit completion with sticky LED lights and copper tape, and with fabric and conductive thread. Makey-Makey kits were also available to create with. Our table had a large kit of littleBits with various extra components.
The second day was a bit of talk then we walked the walk. Each group created a bird programmed using Snap and the Hummingbird sensors and motors.
Did we get direct instruction? Were we guided into the kits with warnings and directives to follow? Nope, we were challenged to dig in and see what we could come up with.
I think everyone learned plenty from the experience of using the kits rather than sitting through "learning how to use the kits." To be wholly engaged in learning without the mammoth instruction that usually precedes the use of new technology was a refreshing experience.
Our group had 4 teachers, and 3 "specialists," that is, not classroom teachers. Everyone had expertise to contribute to our project. None of us had worked with the Hummingbird kit. All of us contributed in some way to the design, creation and automation of our bird.
How did we learn? We talked to each other and other groups. We concentrated by ourselves on the logic of the problem. We googled (a bit). We observed. We wired and re-wired, clicked and dragged code and then clicked and dragged different code. We were loud and messy. We laughed and cheered. And we all thought how exciting it would be if this sort of learning took place in every classroom.
To see the results, click here.


text: This charmer features everything you love about the Beaverdale neighborhood. It?s got the character you want and the updates you need. With 3 bedrooms (2 on the main level and 1 up) there is plenty of space to spread out in with over 1500 sq. ft. of finish. The upstairs bedroom is perfect for a master suite with a large closet area and built in storage. On the main floor you?ll find hardwood floors and crown molding throughout the bright living room and dining room with a new sliding door to head to the deck and fenced in yard. The kitchen has also been renovated with new custom cabinets and fixtures. Plus- all appliances are included! Downstairs you will find a non-conforming 4th bedroom that has recently been renovated and has been professionally waterproofed. Newer windows and carpet make this a perfect bonus room. Already wired for surround sound- you?d have a 2nd family room ready to go. HVAC systems and roof were replaced in 2005.


text:
By Gregory Hale
End users need to demand security from their suppliers and when there is an issue with a product, the lines of communication need to be open.
That was one of the outcomes from a panel discussion Tuesday on the "Key Takeaways from Digital Bond's SCADA Security Scientific Symposium (S4) and Project Basecamp at the ICSJWG 2012 Spring Conference in Savannah, GA.
ICSJWG: 'Know Your Facts'
Feds: No Cyber Intrusion at IL Water Plant
Nissan Hit by Breach
Malware Beat Down: Flashback on Wane
The goal of Project Basecamp was to assess the security of a set of popular industrial control system (ICS) field devices with an Ethernet interface for a common set of vulnerabilities. A field device is typically a PLC, RTU, IED or communication gateway. Researchers looked for vulnerabilities in six different PLC's/field devices. They found and published backdoors, weak credential storage, ability to change ladder logic and firmware, command line interface, and overflows among others.
While the panelists talked about the project, they instead talked about the ways to fix some of the problems and also spent a good chunk of the two-hour panel responding to questions from the audience.
"We have a well-exercised vulnerability platform," said Brad Hegrat from Rockwell, one of the companies that underwent testing during Project Basecamp. "Most of the vulnerabilities brought to our attention have been taken care of. We do have a process in place."
While the methods of releasing the vulnerabilities were not questioned publically, Graham Speake from Yokogawa Electric Corp. said he understood both sides of the issue.
He now works at Yokogawa, which is a supplier in the industry, he also used to work at BP, which is an end user company.
He said at Yokogawa "our development lifecycle is 10 to 15 years and we will support it for years beyond that." But from an end user's perspective, he said when there was an issue with a device "for us to patch it would take a long time. When a PLC was discovered to be vulnerable, it was a problem especially when the exploit became public."
Markus Braendle, ABB's head of cyber security, said his takeaway from the outcome was a little different. He found "there was a lack of trust and a lot of frustration." From a security researcher perspective, they must be thinking "even if (I) do disclose information to the vendors, they are not going to do anything." He then added suppliers have to "create a level of trust so (researchers) feel comfortable coming to the vendor."
Rob McComber, from Telvent, said releasing information is one thing, but "the real value of a release is if the patch or mitigation can be deployed effectively."
One of the researches from Project Basecamp, Jacob Kitchel, from Industrial Defender, was also on the panel and said while he was ready to take the heat from the audience the vulnerabilities should not really be news to anyone.
"I still think there are tools to use to eliminate risk before you patch your system," Kitchel said. "If you still feel you can't eliminate risk, then talk to me."
Jonathan Pollet, of Red Tiger Security, said these issues are not new. They have been around for over a decade. "Some of the things we were talking about in 2001, we are still talking about on 2012."
He said systems are vulnerable no matter what and he then went on to show how he could tap into different systems remotely using an iPad.
As most devices were designed before cyber security was even an issue, so security was an afterthought. Panelists agreed security needs to be front and center when devices are in the design process.
"It is not enough to patch a system. Systems need to be secure from the beginning," Hegrat said.
Braendle agreed. "We need to integrate security in from the beginning."
Speake did say however, this is a two-way street. If suppliers boost the security in devices, end users have to use it.
"What ever security we add in, the end user needs to operate it in a secure way," he said. "There has to be training and a lot of education. There needs to be a collaborative effort with a lot of groups."
One of the other areas touched on during the discussion was the product lifecycle. Right now systems and devices can be up and running for up to 20 years or so, but those days are numbered.
"We are going to have to understand the lifecycle will not be 20 years anymore," McComber said.
"Customers need to demand security," Braendle said. "You can't buy a device and have it sit there for up to 20 years. Security has changed all of that."


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Its amazing how my taste in clothing and style has evolved so far.
As a kid, I pranced around in pink, frilly dresses and cowboy boots.
When I was in 3rd grade, I had a huge green sweater that I buried myself in daily.
Middle school was long black skirts with slits up the sides paired with chunky, knee-high boots and velvet tanks with chinese writing.
High school was a mix of ghetto/goth/hippie. Multicolored short hair greased up with Murray's, Harley shirts, jeans with bondage straps hanging from each side and combat boots.
The in-between school and a year ago is harder to pin, but I think my wardrobe consisted of clubwear or t-shirts and jeans with Tims. One extreme or the other.
Either way, I would have never picked out Nicole's dress back-in-the-day. Now... I love it. I used to hate anything but the absence of color. Today, earth tones and subtle shimmers have taken over my face and clothing. If its not urban, hippie-chic, I won't wear it.
*I don't know if I'll ever do neon brights. I'm just not diggin' it yet.*
Whats different for you? ;)


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Sunday, February 19, 2012
Etsy Shop RSS Feeds Gone - Did You Notice?
I discovered a couple of weeks ago, that the Etsy shop RSS feed buttons are gone from shops. Did you notice this? I depend on the RSS feeds to help promote fellow artisans through Twitter and Facebook. Have no fear, the RSS feed isn't gone! I figured out a simple way to still subscribe to a shop's RSS feeds.
All you need to do is go to a shop, and add "/rss" (do not use the quotes) in the address bar to the end of the shop address as pictured below.
The screen will do a quick flash, and ta da... an RSS feed page loads and will look similar to the image below.
Posted by Finding Charm at 1:34 PM
Labels: etsy, marketing tip, rss feeds
4 comments:
Hey I wondered about that....I never really knew what it was for. I thought it was so that people could subscribe to my shop and get notices in their email when I listed something new. If that's not what it's for, that would sure be a great idea!ReplyDelete
It is for that as well. There are several uses for RSS feeds.ReplyDelete
HEY FC!! I am obviously asleep at the wheel over here!! You are just too clever, thanks for passing the info along!!ReplyDeleteReplies
It took me awhile too. Wasn't til I went to subscribe did I figure it out. WAKE UP! hahaDelete
Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)


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Internships Impact Aguirre-Moralesby Richard Paige • July 27, 2016 Share:
To hear Miguel Aguirre-Morales '19 tell it, there have been two influential trips in his life. His internships this summer might qualify as a third.
The rising sophomore has divided his summer up between two internships: one working at the Santa Ana National Wildlife Refuge in Texas, and the other with the Doris Duke Conservation Scholarship Program at the University of California-Santa Cruz (UCSC).
Quite a bit of fieldwork is in his future, not just in Texas, but in and around the Redwood forests and Pacific Ocean near Santa Cruz. The prestigious program at UCSC selects 20 early-career college students from around the country and immerses them in the field of environmental conservation via research, leadership, and training.
"I'm spending a lot of time outdoors," laughed Aguirre-Morales. "I couldn't wait to get started. It's been a very nice summer."
His time at Santa Ana focused mainly on organization and public relations, though he picked up birding as a hobby as well. Aguirre-Morales says his first weeks in Northern California have been engaging, not only because of the surroundings, but the program's focus on leadership, discussion, and teamwork.
"I've met people with very different perspectives than me, which has been truly an eye opener because I have gained new insights in many topics ranging from conservation to culture," he said. "Apart from that, the environment is certainly different from anywhere I have been. Walking everywhere initially felt like a hike."
Ever since he can remember, the Donna, Texas, native has been interested in marine biology. It was a family trip to Acapulco that sparked Miguel's interested in zoology. For him, it's always been something related to mammals and the water that captured his attention.
"I remember learning about zoology from a tour guide I met visiting a hotel that had one of the best views of the beach," he said. "The way the guide described zoology made it seem much more interesting than marine biology at the time, but that changed as I grew up and learned of new disciplines. Now, I am more focused on habitat restoration, specifically aquatic habitats, because I want to help conserve the beauty nature brings."
During his junior year of high school, Miguel started making big picture connections about the environmental issues facing society today.
"I'm kind of a tree hugger and it made me angry that there were so many issues to face; that we are leaving the environment in such bad shape for future generations," he says. "That pushed me to want to do something about it. The best way for me to do something with my skills was using the sciences to find ways to solve issues."
It was about that same time that Miguel became connected to Wabash College. David Wagner '05, then Principal-in-Residence at IDEA College Preparatory School in Donna, organized a bus trip from the Rio Grande Valley to the Midwest so the college-bound juniors could explore options for college. In addition to Wabash, the itinerary included schools like the University of Chicago, Wheaton, Maryville University, and Saint Louis University.
"His passion for mathematics and science stuck with me, along with his character as a student," said Wagner, now the Principal at IDEA College Preparatory North Mission in Mission, Texas. "He simply loved to learn and, although extremely bright, he carried himself quite humbly. These were the qualities that made me begin to think he would fit well at Wabash."
He eventually applied and was offered admission into the Wabash Liberal Arts Immersion Program (WLAIP), the summer program geared toward first-generation college students, featuring programming for both students and parents that includes exposure to the liberal arts, a summer immersion experience, and opportunities and resources that are focused on increasing individual success.
"The WLAIP sealed the deal for me," Miguel says. "That's how I met my two roommates. One of the mentors in the program, Jacob Alaniz '18, is my best friend. He's been a mentor, he's helped with chemistry and anything I needed.
"It (the WLAIP) seemed like a great opportunity," he continued, "and it got me thinking there might be even more opportunities for me at Wabash."
Miguel has adjusted well to life on campus. In addition to successfully navigating the rigors of introductory chemistry, he's involved doing research with a professor on campus and in a number of extracurricular activities including the recolonization of Delta Tau Delta, Wabash Acts Responsibly, College Mentors for Kids, and Students for Sustainability.
"He is one of those energetic young gents who glows with potential," said Chemistry Professor Lon Porter. "He is a great laboratory worker and his enjoyment of the practical side of science is clearly evident. I would have loved for him to work in my lab this summer, but he lined up these prestigious opportunities off-campus."
After a busy first year of college and a fully booked summer, the energy level doesn't appear to be waning for Aguirre-Morales. He's already pinned his sights on graduate school.
"I've heard, 'Well, you're just a freshman and you're already conducting research,'" says Aguirre-Morales. "The UCSC internship is for two summers. I'll be there this summer, return for a conference in December, then work for an environmental agency next summer. I'll get some research fieldwork and real-world work experiences as well, so it will be very helpful. People tell me I'm ahead of the game, and I like that. I hate the feeling of being behind."


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Fun ways to preserve herbs and make iced drinks even more enjoyable during these hot summer months. I added herbs of peppermint, spearmint, herb robert blossoms, jasmine flowers/pearls/leaves, orange and lemon rind.
The process extremely easy~harvest all the herbs you love, rinse for any insects, dirt etc, place individual flowers, leaves roots in your deep-set ice-cube tray cover with spring water and freeze. Herbs can be safely preserved this way as well.
There's no limit of possibilities in making herbal ice cubes making jasmine and whole leaf green tea excellent additions but not limited too.
Flowers, herbs, weeds, rind, roots in my herbal ice cubes for pleasure and medicinal effect.
Lemon and Orange Rinds made both beautiful and tasteful additions.
The benefits and pleasures are endless with these icy little treats I want to try adding honey and possible other natural flavorings as I experiment more.


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Farewell, Matt Hasselbeck
26 July, 2011 | Seahawks | No Comments|
It appears that Matt Hasselbeck will be leaving Seattle. It's not certain yet, but if it happens lets hope it isn't with Arizona or San Francisco. I'd hate to have to root against him. It'd be a lot easier to root for him if he was mentoring Locker in Tennessee.
If he leave's he'll have a 69-62 record as a Seahawks starter, threw for 29,434 yards, and 174 touchdowns and 128 interceptions. He made three Pro Bowls and led the Seahawks to their only Super Bowl appearance in 2005.


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Ground Source Heat Pumps
Ground source heat pumps extract heat from the ground by circulating fluid through buried pipes in horizontal trenches or vertical boreholes.
They concentrate heat by using a vapour compression cycle, and they transfer heat into buildings to provide heating and hot water without burning fossil fuels. See How GSHPs work.
A well designed GSHP system provides the lowest running cost of any heating system – because it uses a small amount of electricity to transfer a large amount of naturally occurring heat from the ground into your building.
An investment in a GSHP system is an investment for the long term – the groundworks have a design life of 100 years and the GSHP itself has a life longer than any combustion boiler.
The benefits of using a GSHP are that you can:
- enjoy lower fuel bills, especially if you replace heating by oil, coal, LPG, or direct electric
- eliminate the need for fuel deliveries
- reduce your annual maintenance costs
- reduce your carbon emissions dramatically
- earn significant income from the Renewable Heat Incentive
- install a safe, silent, invisible heating system with no planning restrictions
You should take advice from an experienced installer to realise these benefits. Your building may benefit from increased insulation, and its heat distribution system may need to be adapted to take full advantage of using a ground source heat pump. A GSHP is very efficient at producing warmth rather than heat, so you may benefit from larger radiators or underfloor heat distribution. You will need a control system that matches the characteristics of a heat pump in order to provide the gentler heat over a longer period than would be needed with high temperature water delivered to smaller radiators.
Installation of Ground Source Heat Pumps
The performance of a ground source heat pump installation depends greatly on the quality of design and installation in matching the specification of the installation to the needs of the building and its use and ensuring that a balance of heat exchange is maintained with the ground over the year in a sustainable way by utilising solar recharge of the ground.
For more information from an experienced source please contact one of our ground source installers or one of our ground source consultants.
See some successful GSHP Case Studies.
Ground Source Heat Pump RHI tariffs Double
Government grants in the shape of the Renewable Heat Incentive are available for those who install ground source heat pumps to heat their buildings, both for houses and for commercial buildings.
Ground Source Heat Pump Association
Principal aims
The GSHPA encourages the growth and development of the ground source energy industry in the United Kingdom by:
- promoting the efficient and sustainable use of ground source heat pumps
- raising awareness of the benefits of ground source heat pumps
- developing ground source installation Standards
- encouraging high standards of training for the industry
- providing a forum for information exchange
- liaising with related organisations to benefit the ground source industry
- Lobbying for Ground Source Energy industry in matters of local, national and international interest to members
The Association provides information on GSHPs via this website and telephone helplines and makes presentations to promote the ground source industry to key audiences. It co-ordinates closely with government and other trade associations and training organisations to work for high quality installations and the success of the ground source industry.
Ground Source Heat Pumps
For more information about work undertaken by the Association, and about ground source heat pumps, please e-mail firstname.lastname@example.com, or write to the address below.
Join the GSHPA
If you would like to join the GSHPA then click: Join us in the GSHPA.


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No. Each optimization must be made for the visitor and not for the search engine. The sub-pages must be accessible for visitors and search engines and it is best that they are already linked from the homepage.
rankingCoach - Can I hide sub-pages?Follow
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Like for so many of us who look to our gardens to help us heal, I often find life lessons in my garden.
This week, I am reminded of the ability in nature to persevere. Almost against nature herself there are Siberian Irises blooming in my garden today, November 2!!!! Not just one little sad pathetic iris all by itself but 5 – 6 large, robust irises in bloom.
Here is a photo of one of the best. You can see in the out-of-focus distance the fall color of a cherry tree.
Why is this iris blooming in November? Someone out there knows the scientific answer.
But I know the "real" reason. It is here remind me to persevere, and to attest to the fact that one can blossom when one wants to, and not only, or ever, just when it's expected.
To take a cue from nature that we can bloom pale spring blues and purples and whites amid the vivid reds, yellows and orange fall colors because we want to, and it's OK , we can be ourselves, we can show off our colors anytime of year. That rather than being quelled or ignored for being different for doing our own thing, we will be celebrated.
The unexpected presence of the irises in November brings forth gasps of delight from everyone. No one would ever think to cut down the iris and say "you don't belong here at this time of year". Despite going against the expected the iris are celebrated, praised and enjoyed.
When I told my daughter in an email about the iris she wrote back "Your garden constantly amazes me." I can't help but equate my iris episode to life lessons.
Again and again and again we are told " 'it' will happen when you are ready" . And here it is an example in nature.
So go ahead, bloom when you are ready. Constantly amaze us, please!


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Why is it so difficult for some people to perform well and to be successful at their job while others have difficulties living up to personal and social expectations? How do different careers develop and why is it that we choose different occupations and are not equally successful in life? The twin study TwinLife deals with these questions.
The following sections will give detailed information about the content and the implementation of the long-term project.
An overview over duration, direction and planning of the project TwinLife is presented in short description. In 2014 TwinLife will begin with the first wave of the data collection and within a period of twelve years detailed information on twins and their families will be gathered in order to analyze the development of social inequality.
In main focus you will find detailed information concerning the different topics that are of interest to TwinLife. The five major areas that the study focuses on will be explained and illustrated in this section.
The conceptual design of TwinLife will be explained and illustrated in conception & design. By combining an Extended Twin Family Design (ETFD) and a cross-sequential survey design, a data set is generated that can be used to answer a wide range of questions.


text: Midwest charm mixed with European soul, the AC Hotel Madison Downtown lives up to its name and offers you the perfect spot to wind down and take in the vibrant city. The modern design and earthy ambiance evoke a sense of nature and serenity that will surely sooth the traveler's mind. Just steps away from Capitol Square, Overture Center and State Street, the hotel is located on a unique Isthmus between Lake Monona and Lake Mendota. Whether you're enjoying the panoramic views of Madison from the rooftop restaurant & bar or socializing over handcrafted cocktails in one of our three bars, AC Hotel Madison Downtown is sure to offer you the essential hotel experience.More information


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I'm blaming it on my ridiculous sentimentality, but when I look at Hillary -- a woman who fights for children, who has balanced a career and a family, who has to prove at every turn that she deserves to be there -- I remember my grandma Schmidt and the choices she made.
Margaret passed away when I was three after a terrible battle with stomach cancer. She hospiced at our house, and I remember peeking in her bedroom and tiptoeing in to sit on the bed. She always had glass dishes of lemon drops and Andes mints. She spoke quietly. She gave good hugs. This election reminds me of her -- a woman who I've learned more about in the years since she's passed away. One of my biggest wishes is that we could've chatted as adults, that our time overlapped more. Everyone tells me how strong she was, how smart, and how she had other dreams that couldn't coexist with her dream of having a family.
Margaret Luedtke was born in 1913 in rural McLeod County, Minnesota. She had five siblings. She had a lot of sisterly rivalry with Myrtle, who was older and sometimes spunkier and since they were both stubborn and German, this lasted until adulthood. My grandma's stubbornness -- her determination -- is something I hope I've inherited. She loved her family and loved a full house. She met my grandpa Frank when she was in high school -- he was passing through town on the way to work at a farm in Iowa. They met at a "rainbow dance," which my aunt Shirley couldn't really describe, but Margaret was wearing orange. And Frank never made it to Iowa. She thought he looked like Bing Crosby and her parents didn't like him.
|My grandma is the one standing on the right.
After college, she moved to Hudson, WI and worked in an oncologist's office. Again, this is fact that takes a minute to sink in. She was a young working woman in a new place in the early 30s. Maybe it's because I'm a storyteller, but I can only imagine the excitement and independence she felt supporting herself with her skills. She eventually moved back to Minnesota and married my grandpa in 1933. He bought a milk route in Litchfield. She had six kids in eight years. And she didn't work outside of the home again.
All of my relatives will say one of Margaret's defining characteristics was how much she loved her family. She was proud of her kids and adored her grandkids. They also talk about how hard she worked. She did everything -- she baled hay with a pitchfork, made lemon bars, "calved" (which I can only imagine involves pulling a calf out of a cow), managed horses and a garden. She hated snakes and would chop off their heads with a hoe while swearing. Her farmhouse was full of kids and laughter and butter. This is the grandma that my older cousins speak of.
|All six Schmidt kids (Marilyn, Barb, my dad Larry, Shirley with Ron, Allan with a cat)
|Margaret and Frank, in the 1980s
Margaret used to tell my older half sister that anyone can get married, but not everyone can get an education. I hope that my grandma looks down on me, unmarried but college-educated and working as a writer, and is proud. Also, I bake! :)
Dulce de Leche Thumbprint Cookies
Can of sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg yolk
1 1/4 cup flour
1/8 teaspoon salt
Sea salt for sprinkling
Blend the softened butter and brown sugar until well-mixed.
Add the egg yolk and vanilla.
Gradually add the flour and salt, careful to not over-mix.
Shape the dough into a ball, cover in plastic wrap, and chill for an hour.
There are few ways to make dulce de leche -- I prefer the oven method.
Preheat the oven to 425 degrees.
Empty the can of sweetened condensed milk into an oven-safe saucepan. (Came very close to using a pan with a plastic handle. Don't make this mistake.)
Create a water bath in a larger, oven-safe pan. Fill it with a reasonable amount of water.
Cover the saucepan of sweetened condensed milk with tinfoil and place in the water bath.
Cook in the oven for about 60 minutes, checking occasionally to refill the water.
When the dulce de leche is done, set aside to cool, stirring occasionally. It will thicken as it cools. It should be a lovely caramel color and remind you of delicious glue.
Turn the oven down to 350 degrees and retrieve your dough ball.
Using a tablespoon scoop, space your cookies on a cookie sheet, about two inches apart.
Using your old-school thumb (or the base of your tablespoon scoop), create a small divet in the middle of each cookie. You can smooth out the cracks to create a more perfect cookie, or just say, "fuck it" and keep going.
Using a 1/4 teaspoon, drizzle the dulce de leche in the cookie divets. Mine overflowed, which is actually fine, but stressful in the moment.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.
Cool the cookies on a wire rack before sprinkling with salt.
Eat all of them.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until golden brown.
Cool the cookies on a wire rack before sprinkling with salt.
Eat all of them.
Happy baking -- and happy voting!!!


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Our WINDSTOPPER® Soft Shell body warmers are made from a smooth knit face fabric, which is abrasion resistant and has a finish to resist drizzle.
It has a cosy high loft fleece backing with outstanding thermal insulation. The main soft shell fabric is only available in black, but with 3 different design options, the colour combinations of the panels and trim are chosen by you to meet your personal needs.