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Primetime Ratings Report
For the week of April 18, 2011
(Based on National Live + Same Day Program Ratings)
Continuing its Year-Over-Year Momentum, ABC Builds its Overall Audience From the Year-Ago Frame for the 4th Straight Week and 5th Time in 6 Weeks
ABC Runs No. 2 to Fox in Adults 18-49 for the 2nd Week in a Row, Airing
4 of the Top 15 TV Shows, with 2 of the Top 4 and the No. 1 Scripted Series
ABC Finishes as Monday's Most-Watched Net for the 6th Week in a Row
Dominating its Time-Slot for the 5th Week Running, "DWTS"
Stands as Monday's No. 1 TV Show in Viewers and Adults 18-49
On its Return, "Cougar Town" Marks its Most-Watched Telecast in 15 Months
ABC's "20/20: William & Catherine: A Modern Fairytale" Tops NBC's
"Law & Order: Los Angeles" by 2.8 Million Viewers and by 55% in Young Adults
Tuesday's Most-Watched TV Show, ABC's "DWTS Results Show"
Continues to Generate Substantial Year-Over-Year Increases
With Best-Since-Premiere Numbers, ABC's "Body of Proof" Dominates its Slot, Outdrawing the Season Finale of NBC's "Parenthood" by 5.1 Million Viewers
ABC Grows its Wednesday Audience Year to Year for the 16th Time in 18 Weeks
ABC's "The Middle" and "Better with You" Grow in Viewers and Young Adults
"Modern Family" is Wednesday's No. 1 Scripted Show for its 20th Straight Original
ABC's "Cougar Town" is Up Over its Post-"DWTS" Return on Monday
In Young Adults, and Beats Fox's "Idol"-fueled "Breaking In" with Adults 18-34
In the 10 O'clock Hour, "Happy Endings" Continues to Generate Strong
Improvement for ABC in Key Demos and Outperform its Competitors
ABC's Spring "Wipeout" Dominates NBC's Comedies on Thursday from 8-9pm
ABC's "Shark Tank" Leads its Friday Hour by 40% Among Adults 18-49
ABC Takes First on Saturday with its 31st Replay of "The Ten Commandments"
As All 4 of its Series Post Gains, ABC Wins Easter Sunday Among Adults 18-49
Sunday's No. 1 TV Series in Adults 18-49, ABC's "Desperate Housewives"
Generates its Strongest Performance in 7 Weeks in Viewers and Young Adults
WEEK No. 31:
During the week of April 18, 2011, ABC (1.9/6) finished No. 2 to Fox for the 2nd week in a row among Adults 18-49, beating CBS by 6% (1.8/5) and NBC by 27% (1.5/4). In fact, the Net held the
No. 2 network position for the week across all key Adult demos (AD18-34/AD18-49/AD25-54)
· ABC's new 3-hour Wednesday comedy block continued to outdeliver NBC's established 3-hour comedy block on Thursday (which included the highly-promoted 1-hour, 100th episode of "30 Rock"), leading by 1.7 million viewers (6.1 million vs. 4.4 million) and by 5% in Adults 18-49 (2.2/6 vs. 2.1/6). Also for the 2nd week in a row, ABC's Wednesday comedies from 8:00-10:00 p.m. topped CBS' long-running 2-hour Monday block among Adults 18-49 (2.4/7 vs. 2.3/6).
· Continuing to exhibit year-over-year momentum, for the 4th week in a row and the 5th time in 6 weeks, the Network grew its overall audience from the year-ago frame (+4% - 7.7 million vs. 7.4 million on w/o 4/19/10). In fact ABC was up the most year to year among the major nets.
Rankings: ABC aired 4 of the Top 15 TV programs in Adults 18-49, placing 2 in the Top 4 and the No. 1 scripted show: "Dancing with the Stars" - No. 3, "Modern Family" - No. 4 (No. 1 scripted series), "Desperate Housewives" - No. 9 and "DWTS Results" - No. 11. Please note that "Modern Family" will solidify standing as the highest-rated scripted series in the Live + 7 Day ratings, as the ABC hit comedy is the season's biggest gainer from the preliminary to the final ratings. Season to date among Adults 18-49, "Modern Family" is TV's definitive No. 1 scripted program, as well as the No. 1 comedy. The Net was home to 5 of the Top 15 most-watched television programs overall, including 3 of the Top 7: "DWTS" - No. 3, "DWTS Results" - No. 4, "Body of Proof" - No. 7, "Desperate Housewives" - No. 13 and "Modern Family" - No. 15. ABC's "20/20 SP Edition-4/18" on Monday qualified as the week's No. 1 newsmagazine in Adults 18-49. In fact it was the 3rd time in 4 weeks for an installment of "20/20" to finish as the top-rated newsmagazine in the key young adult sales demo.
On the first night of Passover, with a shortened edition of "Dancing with the Stars," the return of "Cougar Town" and "A Special Edition of 20/20," ABC posted another convincing first-place finish on Monday night, topping its nearest competitors by 5.2 million viewers (13.9 million vs. 8.7 million - CBS) and by 16% in Adults 18-49 (2.9/8 vs. 2.5/7 - Fox).
· ABC stood as Monday's most-watched television network for the 6th week in a row and won the night in Adults 18-49 for the 5th time in 6 weeks.
"Dancing with the Stars" (8:00-9:31 p.m.)
Shortening its duration week to week from a 2-hour format to a 90-minute format, ABC's "Dancing with the Stars" dominated each of its half-hours in viewers and young adults to win its time slot for the 5th week running. Building steadily throughout its broadcast, "Dancing's" numbers soared by 4.7 million viewers (17.7 million to 22.4 million) and by 42% in Adults 18-49 (3.3/10 to 4.7/12) from its first half-hour to its final half-hour.
· Monday's No. 1 TV show in Total Viewers (20.1 million) and Adults 18-49 (4.0/11), ABC's "DWTS" finished as the night's most-watched program overall for the 5th straight week.
"Cougar Town" (9:31-10:00 p.m.)
On its first telecast in more than 2-months (since 2/2/11), ABC's "Cougar Town" ran a strong second in its time slot among viewers (7.9 million) and young adults (2.2/6), while ranking No. 1 among Women 18-49 (3.1/8).
· On its return, "Cougar Town" marked its most-watched telecast in 15 months - since 1/6/10.
"20/20: William & Catherine: A Modern Fairytale" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)
During the 10 o'clock hour, "A Special Edition of 20/20 - William & Catherine: A Modern Fairytale," anchored by Barbara Walters, beat NBC's original "Law & Order: Los Angeles" by an impressive 2.4 million viewers (7.5 million vs. 5.1 million) and by 55% in Adults 18-49 (1.7/4 vs. 1.1/3).
· In Total Viewers and key Adults (AD18-49/AD25-54), "20/20" scored the highest numbers for any ABC newsmagazine telecast since the beginning of March - since 3/1/11.
ABC (10.8 million) stood as the 2nd-most-watched network on Tuesday night to CBS, topping Fox by 3.7 million viewers (7.1 million) and NBC by 4.3 million viewers (6.5 million).
· Continuing to exhibit year-over-year momentum, ABC built its overall Tuesday audience for the 5th consecutive week, growing its audience from the same night last year by 1.1 million viewers (9.7 million on 4/20/10) over an all-original schedule ("DWTS Results Show"/"Lost"/"V").
"DWTS Results Show" (9:00-10:00 p.m.)
ABC's "DWTS Results Show" led the 9 o'clock hour in Total Viewers (16.3 million) for the 4th consecutive week, standing as Tuesday's most-watched program. In addition, the ABC dancing results show ranked No. 1 in the hour in Adults 18-49 for the 3rd time in the last 4 weeks, topping runner-up, the second hour of NBC's "Biggest Loser: Couples," by 20% (3.0/6 vs. 2.5/6). Supermodel Petra Nemcova was the fourth celebrity to be eliminated from the show this season.
· "DWTS Results Show" posted sizeable year-over-year increases, surging by 19% in Total Viewers and by 25% in Adults 18-49 over the same night last year (13.6 million and 2.4/7 on 4/20/10).
"Body of Proof" (10:00-11:00 p.m.)
ABC's "Body of Proof" registered as the most-watched program (11.4 million) in the 10 o'clock hour for the 4th consecutive week, topping the season finale of NBC's "Parenthood" by 5.1 million viewers (6.3 million).
· The ABC freshman drama was up week to week in viewers (+3%) and key Men (M18-34/M18-49/M25-54), hitting best-since-premiere numbers.
· The new drama improved the hour year to year for ABC by 5.6 million viewers (11.4 million vs. 5.8 million) and by 9% in Adults 18-49 (2.4/6 vs. 2.2/6) over the year-ago night with an original "V."
Up against Fox with a 90-minute "Idol" leading into the comedy "Breaking In," ABC's 3-hour comedy block ranked No. 2 on Wednesday night in Adults 18-49 (2.2/6-tie).
· ABC was up over the same Wednesday last year (4/21/10) in Total Viewers (6.1 million vs. 4.3 million) and Adults 18-49 (2.2/6 vs. 1.6/5), building its overall audience year over year for the 16th time in the last 18 weeks.
"The Middle" (8:00-8:30 p.m.)
Opposite the first hour of Fox's "American Idol" and CBS' "Survivor: Redemption Island" at 8:00 p.m., ABC's "The Middle" jumped over NBC's original "Minute to Win It," more than doubling the NBC game show's numbers in viewers (+126% - 6.8 million vs. 3.0 million) and young adults (+138% - 1.9/6 vs. 0.8/2).
· "The Middle" built 11% week to week in Total Viewers (6.8 million vs. 6.1 million) and 5% in Adults 18-49 (1.9/6 vs. 1.8/6).
"Better with You" (8:30-9:00 p.m.)
Building week to week in viewers (+8%) and young adults (+7%), ABC's freshman "Better with You" once again outperformed NBC's "Minute to Win It" by substantial margins at 8:30 p.m., outrunning the NBC game show by 2.0 million viewers (5.2 million vs. 3.2 million) and by a best-ever 100% in Adults 18-49 (1.6/4 vs. 0.8/2).
· The new ABC comedy equaled its best Adult 18-34 number (1.4/4) in more than 2 months - since 2/9/11.
"Modern Family" (9:00-9:31 p.m.)
Up against the third half-hour of "Idol" at 9:00 p.m., ABC's "Modern Family" qualified as Wednesday's No. 1 scripted TV show for its 20th consecutive original airing this season in Adults 18-49 (3.8/10). The ABC sophomore comedy was also the night's most-watched scripted series overall.
· "Modern Family" grew its overall audience week to week (9.9 million vs. 9.6 million).
Returning to Wednesday's 9:30 p.m. half-hour for the first time in over 2 months, ABC's "Cougar Town" finished in a virtual-tie with Fox's "Idol"-fueled "Breaking In" among Adults 18-49 (tying in audience share - 2.3/6 vs. 2.5/6), while beating out the Fox comedy for No. 1 in the time period with Adults 18-34 and Women 18-34.
· ABC's "Cougar Town" was up by 5% in Adults 18-49 and by 25% in Adults 18-34 from its most-recent telecast this past Monday (4/18/11) coming out of "Dancing with the Stars." In fact the show posted its 2nd-strongest young adult numbers since mid-January - since 1/19/11.
"Happy Endings" (10:00-10:30 p.m.)
From 10:00-10:30 p.m., Week 2 of ABC's "Happy Endings" finished as the No. 1 series among Adults 18-49 (1.8/5-tie).
· "Happy Endings" generated ABC's 2nd-highest Adult 18-49 number in the half-hour since early February - since 2/9/11.
"Happy Endings" (10:30-11:00 p.m.)
At 10:30 p.m., a second episode of "Happy Endings" beat its network rivals and posted a 14-week high for ABC in the half-hour with Adults 18-34 (1.5/4) - since 1/12/11.
On the Thursday leading into Easter Weekend, ABC aired an all-repeat schedule ("Wipeout"/"Grey's Anatomy"/"Private Practice") opposite all-original programming on Fox ("Idol"/"Bones") and NBC (3-hour comedy block).
"Wipeout" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)
From 8:00-9:00 p.m. against Fox's "American Idol," ABC's repeat "Wipeout" defeated NBC's original comedies ("Community"/"The Paul Reiser Show") by 1.9 million viewers (4.7 million vs. 2.8 million) and by 8% among Adults 18-49 (1.3/4 vs. 1.2/4).
During the 8 o'clock hour on Good Friday, ABC's "Shark Tank" dominated among Adults 18-49 (1.4/5), leading its nearest regular competition by 40% (CBS and Fox tied). In fact the broad-appealing ABC unscripted show ran as the No. 1 series in the hour across all key Adult demos (AD18-34/AD18-49/AD25-54), as well as standing as the top-rated broadcast program with Teens 12-17 and Kids 2-11 (tie).
· Drawing the show's 3rd-largest-ever audience (4.8 million) in its two seasons on Friday night, "Shark Tank" also produced ABC's 2nd-highest Adult 18-49 rating in the time period with regular programming in well over 1 year - since 2/5/10. Over the past two weeks, "Shark Tank" is generating ABC's best young adult numbers with a series in the hour since February of last year.
With the 31st replay of the 1956 Cecil B. DeMille classic, "The Ten Commandments," ABC easily qualified as the most-watched network (7.2 million) on Saturday night, leading runner-up CBS by 2.5 million viewers (4.7 million), and registered as No. 1 for the night in Adults 18-49 (1.6/5). ABC grew over the same night last year by 4.0 million viewers and by 100% in Adults 18-49 (3.2 million and 0.8/3 on 4/24/10).
"ABC Special Presentation: The Ten Commandments" (7:00-11:22 p.m.)
Airing from 7:00-11:22 p.m., "The Ten Commandments" encore drew its largest overall audience in
3 years (since 3/22/08) and stood as the Net's most-watched movie on any night in 16 months - since 12/20/09 ("The Santa Clause 3"). The rebroadcast movie finished as the No. 1 program of the night in viewers (6.7 million) and young adults (1.5/5-tie).
Leading the pack for the 2nd week in a row, ABC (2.2/6) ranked No. 1 on Easter Sunday in Adults 18-49 with a mix of repeat and originals, defeating NBC's all-original lineup by 10% (2.0/6), CBS' all-original line up 29% (1.7/5) and Fox's animated encores by 83% (1.2/4).
· Up over the prior Sunday for the 2nd week running, ABC gained 5% in viewers (7.8 million vs. 7.4 million) and 10% in Adults 18-49 (2.2/6 vs. 2.0/6) week to week. In fact despite a decline in TV usage levels for the Easter holiday, all 4 of ABC's Sunday programs were up over the previous week in viewers and young adults.
"America's Funniest Home Videos" (7:00-8:00 p.m.)
A repeat "America's Funniest Home Videos" stood as the No. 1 regular program in the 7:00 p.m. hour for the 2nd straight week in Adults 18-49, beating runner-up CBS' original "60 Minutes" by 6% (1.7/6 vs. 1.6/6).
· "AFV" posted its best young adult number in 6 weeks - since 3/13/11.
"Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" (8:00-9:00 p.m.)
Building sharply on its lead-in at 8:00 p.m. and surging by 10% week to week in Adults 18-49, ABC's "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" finished as the No. 2 TV series in its hour among viewers (7.8 million) and young adults (2.2/6). The broad-appealing ABC unscripted show ran as the No. 1 series from 8:00-9:00 p.m. with Women 18-34 (1.4/5-tie) and dominated its broadcast competition with Kids 2-11 (1.6/6). Also in the hour, ABC's "Home Edition" outdelivered NBC's penultimate episode of "America's Next Great Restaurant" by a definitive 4.1 million viewers (7.8 million vs. 3.7 million) and 83% in Adults 18-49 (2.2/6 vs. 1.2/4).
"Desperate Housewives" (9:00-10:01 p.m.)
Growing week to week in viewers (+12% - 10.2 million vs. 9.1 million) and young adults (+15% - 3.1/8 vs. 2.7/7), ABC's "Desperate Housewives" ran No. 1 in the 9 o'clock hour with Total Viewers and Adults 18-49. In fact "Housewives" stood as the Sunday's No. 1 TV series in Adults 18-49.
· In viewers and young adults, ABC's "Housewives" turned in its strongest performance in 7 weeks - since 3/6/11.
"Brothers & Sisters" (10:01-11:00 p.m.)
During the 10 o'clock hour, ABC's "Brothers & Sisters" beat out the final hour of CBS' original movie, "Beyond the Blackboard," by 46% in Adults 18-49 (1.9/5 vs. 1.3/4).
· Increasing over the prior week in viewers (+5% - 6.6 million vs. 6.3 million) and young adults (+12% - 1.9/5 vs. 1.7/4), ABC's "Brothers & Sisters" posted its top numbers since the beginning of March - since 3/6/11.
Source: The Nielsen Company (National, Live+ Same Day Program Ratings), week of 4/18/11, unless stated otherwise.


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Summary | Excerpt | Reviews | Readalikes | Genres & Themes | Author Bio
My father was a very difficult laugh. Adults found him very funny. But his children had a tough time cracking him up. One of my strongest childhood impressions is falling off of my chair at the dinner table while doing a Jimmy Cagney impression. I hit my head very hard on the metal foot of the table leg, and it hurt terribly. But when I saw my father laughing, I laughed while crying at the same time. I guess that was some kind of beginning.
My father, Edward, had nine kids: Edward; one year later, Brian; two years later, Nancy; two years after that, Peggy; one year later, Billy; two years later, Laura; four years later, Andrew; two years later, John; four years later, Joel. In those gaps were three children lost in pregnancy, including a set of twins. Rest in peace, little Murrays.
My mother, Lucille, bore the nine children, had those eleven pregnancies, and outlived my father by twenty-one years. Late in her life she told me that having babies into her middle age had kept her young.
As a young man, I thought that my father had been responsible for any sense of humor that I inherited and that it passed through him from my grandfather, who owned a bow tie that lit up, which he used very tastefully.
My siblings pointed out to me later, "You're just doing Mom."
This was so shocking all I could think was . . . "You mean my father was not my mother?"
Unless their father was a drunk or a brute, boys often don't think to take after their mother. Until it's too late. Anyway, all of the kids ended up "doing Mom." There are four of us who've tried show business. Five, if you insist on counting my sister the nun, who does liturgical dance. To date, she's the only one insisting that she's in the business. I will include a liturgical dancer in show business the day that one of them gets an encore . . . the day that I hear . . .
"More! In the name of the Father, and of the Son, more! We are not getting off of our knees until you come on back out of the sacristy and give us just one more!"
The proof is, you could not be doing my Mom and be doing liturgical dance. It's one or the other.
The moment of actual mother and child comic union came only after Brian and I had made it in show business to the tune of buying a new furnace for the house. This somehow made us legit--and then some. She clutched the entertainment industry to her success-breeding breast as time warped, and life now jumped off the pages of Photoplay magazine. She was an insider, a major Hollywood player, and an authority on all things entertainment. And like a player, very, very vulnerable.
The show business windfall had made possible a summer lake cottage rental, just over the Wisconsin state line. I'd called her from New York.
"Sounds nice. Oh, nuts, that's probably too far to drive."
"What's too far to drive, Billy?"
"Well, it's up above Rhinelander. It's a place called the Showboat. It's a bit of a hump, but it is an incredible show to see. An amazing show. I guess you would probably call it a variety show? And they're all people who live up there, and they do the show up in the north woods. It's the only place I've ever seen them. I mean, this a show you would never see in New York. Ever. You have to go there to see it."
Well, Lucille bit like a spring muskie. I felt something on the line, and I thought it might be big. But it was a week before I reeled the whole story into the boat. Let me tell you about the show at the Showboat.
A beautiful horseshoe-shaped room, windows framing a gorgeous lake. Photos of the great Milwaukee Braves. An offstage voice introduces our emcee, who turns out to be the offstage voice. He bounces on, almost into your lap. The tables are that close to the stage. Unlike most of the men in the north woods, he wears high zippered patent leather boots, a green lamé jump suit, and a blond wig.
Excerpted from Cinderella Story by Bill Murray with George Peper. Copyright© 1999 by BIll Murray and George Peper. Excerpted by permission of Doubleday, a division of Random House, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
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subset: commoncrawl


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america online has announced that mail sent to its users from aol itself will be specially marked from now on. "aol official mail," as it's known, will feature a blue icon in the new mail listbox, a blue border around the mail, or an official aol seal in the lower left-hand corner of the e-mail. at present, aol official mail includes welcome letters, any communications from aol chairman steve case, and any e-mail from screen names "aolyouvegotpics" and "aol official mail."
according to aol, these new security measures have been in development for a while and are not a response to any recent cracker activity.
joel's opinion
the idea behind the "official" markings of aol e-mail is a good one but will wreak even more havoc once the crackers figure out a way to duplicate the markings.
i don't really understand why this is such an issue. in our geek.com e-mail service, when someone from either mailstart or the geek.com staff sends a message to our members it's specifically marked as such and there is no way of confusing it. basically, it doesn't even have an e-mail address. in the case of aol, if someone successfully got a hold of the screen name "aolyouvegotpics" or something similar, millions of members would be fooled into trusting that screenname.
if aol is really that concerned about people trusting the wrong e-mails, why not add a feature that lets someone setup his or her address book and then be notified in a different way when e-mail arrives from a "trusted" source?
i'm afraid of what the next cracker will be able to do with aol members once he or she cracks this new security measure.
user comments (4 comments)
well, heck, aol is for morons (12:04pm est thu jul 06 2000)
why else would spammers specifically target aol users for scams like "follow this link (to an angelfire web site) to verify your credit card information, or we'll cancel your access within 24 hours"?
you have to be pretty dim-witted to fall for that, but thousands of aol users do, every day.
drawing them a picture (which is exactly what the "official" aol mail is doing) will help for, perhaps, as much as 2 or 3 days. however, since tomorrow is friday, my money is on the scammers copying the offical mail format starting about 5pm eastern time on 7 july 2000.
– by icesnake frostfyre
aol mail (12:50pm est thu jul 06 2000)
i agree. basically i think they just broadcasted a challange for hackers out there. if anything its going to egg them on, into trying to find a crack for it, and they will. some people are too smart for their own good.
and aolers being who they are, will follow blindly as usual. i'd actually find it kinda funny. – by godfailure
way too cynical (12:55pm est thu jul 06 2000)
i feel more strongly about aohell than i do about micro$oft. i wouldn't be surprised if this were an aol ploy to flush out a few hackers/crackers to bust.
-it's not whether you're paranoid, it's whether you're paranoid enough. – strange days
– by acehunter
good ones never caught (2:35pm est thu jul 06 2000)
i agree with acehunter. there making it all to easy for crackers. even though, a few people might be caught there real problem will aways be there. there best move would to inform users about credit card security etc… common sense, plays a major role. – by marine0


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Compiled by Jack Foley
CYNTHIA Nixon talks about some of the challenges of making Sex and the City 2 and taking her character, Miranda, in new directions. She also talks about filming in Marrakech, riding camels and why she's a tea fanatic…
Q: What's most exciting about returning to the character?
Cynthia Nixon: I think the most exciting thing about returning to Miranda is now and has always been the way Michael Patrick keeps her evolving. The way he keeps all the characters evolving. I mean, if you look at who she was in the first season, you know, she was so bitter and suspicious and cynical and defensive and quick to yell, quick to anger. And when we pick her up now, she is really a fairly happy wife and mother. Her career is still very important. I won't give it away but she has some trouble with her career in this film. But I really feel like it's a mark of how Miranda has evolved.
Q: Talk about the position you found yourself in…
Cynthia Nixon: I think that Miranda has always defined herself so much as a career person She is made partner, she's in a great firm, terrific salary, everything. And she has a boss who just can't stand the sight or the sound of her. And I think just like Miranda, we all have our breaking point, so when Miranda reaches her breaking point she walks, she quits. That's a very big deal for anybody to do, but I think particularly someone who has defined herself through her entire adult life by her career. You know, the men might come and go. Maybe she would become a mother, maybe she wouldn't, but she was a lawyer. And so now, in her early 40s to all of a sudden be set adrift and try and figure out, if I'm not a lawyer, who am I? What else is there? What else is left of me?
Q: Have you been surprised by the fan reaction and clamouring to see more of Sex and the City?
Cynthia Nixon: I think we are, as the years pass, I think we are always surprised. I think we're always amazed and very touched and excited by how people want to see more and check in with these characters. They want to see where Michael Patrick will take them, both emotionally and in the case of this film, literally. Where they're going to go.
Q: What's the status of her relationship with Steve?
Cynthia Nixon: I think that when we saw Miranda and Steve in the last film they were really at their all time low. They've put in the hard work, and they've really gotten back to each other. And I think that one thing that touches Miranda so much is Steve's support of her regarding her career. He just keeps saying over and over again, they don't appreciate you, just walk, you'll get another job and we have the money, don't worry, and value yourself. And I think that for Miranda, she really vacillates between sounding her own horn and really devaluing herself. So, really to have her husband who is so important in her life say, hey, you're better than this, don't let them kick you around, really means the world to her.
Q: Tell us about the celebrity cameos in the film…
Cynthia Nixon: Well Liza [Minnelli] was amazing. I mean, most of the celebrity cameos I was not around for, but I certainly was around for Liza. And it was just amazing. We were all so excited that Liza was going to be in the movie. I think the stuff that Michael wrote for her was so funny.
Q: Talk about what Pat Fields has cooked up for you guys in fashion…
Cynthia Nixon: I think she has the idea that Miranda is very, East Side lady, even though she lives in Brooklyn. Miranda has the money the haircuts, the jewellery, the clothes, the shoes and the bags. And I think you can see it on her. But also, in the part of the movie that takes place in the Middle East, we had to still have our kind of fashion forward sense but have it be realistic; We couldn't be dressed so provocatively that it would have been beyond the pale in the Middle East, particularly for my character, who really has done a lot of research and is very up on the social mores.
Q: Had you ever been there before?
Cynthia Nixon: No, I had never been.
Q: Tell us about the actual travelling and locations…
Cynthia Nixon: We all flew into Casablanca, and then we took cars to Marrakech where we were for the majority of filming. But right after we got to Marrakech we immediately got on a plane and we flew to Erfoud, which is this amazing unspoiled desert, with all these dunes, as far as your eyes can see. Often there were no roads, so we were in cars that would go off road. Driving to work every morning for 40 minutes, with no highway, just over the sand, was challenging, yet amazing, and so beautiful to see this unspoiled land. We have all seen also this so many times, in films like Lawrence of Arabia, that when you see it in person, you feel like you're in a movie, you feel like you're on a set. Even though it is right in front of you, you almost see it as a postcard.
Q: What was it like riding camels?
Cynthia Nixon: I think we all had fun riding the camels, but it was hard. It was extremely hot and we were in the dead heat of the day. Luckily, there were a lot of people running up to us with umbrellas every time we would cut. We had a lot of sun-screen on, we had hats, we had sunglasses… and a camel is not like a horse, they are not easily trained! Sometimes the camels would just decide to sit down or stand up randomly. It's a bit startling.
Q: Do the camels behave?
Cynthia Nixon: The camels by and large were well behaved if not cheerful. Sometimes they would make their camel noises, which sound exactly like Chewbacca in Star Wars. You realise that much of Star Wars is a desert movie, so we decided that they must have taken Chewbacca's sound from the camel's sound.
Q: Did you get recognized a lot there?
Cynthia Nixon: We did. Not as much as we would say, in New York. But we certainly got recognized a lot.
Q: Any particular customs you learned?
Cynthia Nixon: I'm a tea fanatic, so I really enjoyed everywhere you go they would offer you this delicious green tea with fresh mint in it, sweetened or unsweetened. They're very gracious people. There's a real premium put on hospitality. In people's homes that I went to, they were so gracious and they love to talk and they love to sit and serve you food. It's just so much about hospitality.
Q: What are the five best adjectives that describe Miranda?
Cynthia Nixon: The five best adjectives are: smart, tenacious, loyal, surprisingly warm and she's game. She's up for an adventure.
Q: And she's changed over the series, talk about that…
Cynthia Nixon: She was always smart, she was always tenacious, and she used to be just so much more about getting ahead and winning. And I think that the combination of becoming a mother and really having this very loving marriage, she began to examine her career and say, this isn't really all it's cracked up to be.
Q: And the other three actresses?
Cynthia Nixon: Well we've known each other for a long time now, it's been 12 years. My daughter turned thirteen during the filming of this movie, and she was eight months old when we did the pilot. I feel like we've all been through a lot separately and together. And I feel like we really love each other, and we really support each other. But we've never had an experience like this film. It was so much fun. We had adventures, we went shopping, we ate dinner together, and we took trips. For both the actors and the crew, it was such a bonding experience.
Q: Going back to Miranda, when you look in the future, where do you see Miranda?
Cynthia Nixon: That she'll be more in control of the direction she wants to go, and I wonder if she might branch out and start her own small law firm. I think she would be great at that. I think particularly as she gets older and wiser she knows what she wants.
Read our review of Sex and the City 2
Right Content
Related Links
- Website
- Buy it on DVD (Amazon)
- Buy it on Blu-ray (Amazon)
- Sex & The City 2 review
- Cynthia Nixon interview
- Dhafer L'Abidine interview
- Sex And The City 2 - Photo Gallery
- Sex & The City 2 OST reviewed
- Read our coverage of Sex & The City: The Movie


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Gears of War – Review
Xbox 360
Review by Archmonk Iga
Reviewed: 02/14/08
Fun for blockheads and intellects alike!
As much as I hate to admit it, I liked Gears of War. The only reason I hate to admit it is because the head honcho behind the entire game is an enormous tool. I won't mention names, but he's one of those guys who thinks he's cool for wearing a band t-shirt underneath a sport coat at a press conference. You know who I'm talking about.
Here it is--the game we've all been waiting for! Well, not all of us, but most of us. Some of us. But there are still a lot of us. Anyway, we are presented with quite an in-your-face story here. In the single-player campaign, you play as Marcus Fenix, a numbskull whose only real contribution to the game is his laughable attempt to be "badass." He was in a jail cell for 14 years before it was taken over by the Locust, which at that point an old war pal breaks him free (his name is Dom... probably short for DOMINATOR or something "badass" like that). But what's the story behind these Locust, and why was Marcus in prison? Well, the only way you'll find out is to play the game--err that is, the only way you'll find out is to.... read the instruction manual?! Hm... Well, that's kind of a rip-off. So what's the story progression in game? Well, you like, shoot bad guys and stuff. And there's a lot of testosterone and male bonding and big burly numbskulls who, before the Locust invasion, liked to kick back with a beer and watch the game every Sunday with their buddies, while the wifey was secluded to the kitchen until he was ready for some babymakin' after his team wins. Yeah, both the story and characters are quite lame in GoW. But as some positives, the entire atmosphere of the game we play in is quite dark and depressing. The menacing Locust popping up out of the rubble in this once-prosperous city makes for quite an emotional impact, believe it or not.
Undoubtedly the best graphics I've ever seen on a videogame so far in my life. Granted, I don't own a PS3, but I'd still be surprised if most of Sony's next-gen games' visuals are as magnificent as GoW's. The city, inside and out, has the most intense details any gamer will ever see (and maybe won't see...). Unfortunately, most of us lack the patience to stop and really appreciate GoW's perfect graphics. But hey, take a break from the action now and then and look around. You'll find certain things you would've easily passed right by otherwise. It's tough to express this game's beauty in words, so just play the damn thing!
Chainsaw, anyone? The sound effects in GoW are equivalent to the game's graphic look--flawless. Even when you're inside, your gunshots will have different sound effects than if you were inside. If that's not realistic, I don't know what is.
The musical score is well done too, though none of the tunes will really stick with you. Still, it's a good blend of military melodies (say that three times fast...) and music that we'd expect to hear in a survival-horror game.
Lastly, I won't lie. The voices fit the characters. Their numbskull looks are given very appropriate numbskull voices, so props.
Well usually this aspect of the game would be what sells it, but the visuals in GoW would take the cake this time around. Nevertheless, GoW's gameplay is pretty solid. As a "TPS" (third-person shooter), Gears manages to make us gamers really feel like we're in the action (not to sound redundant, but the graphics also help with this). Take cover wherever you please (and whenever possible) and your life will be spared for at least a little bit longer. Lean out, get some shots in, but take cover again before you get a nice clean head shot in your... uh... head.
Guns! Guns guns guns! There are lots of gun choices in GoW, including a few GoW-exclusives that are quite satisfying (Hammer of Dawn, for example). And then there's the chainsaw, which, between you and me, ain't all that great. Simply hold the B button, walk up to an enemy and watch a pretty little animation. Believe it or not, it may get old. But this is a shooter, so everything will get old after awhile.
With all these fun weapons to play with, you'd expect someone to use them on, eh? Well today is your lucky day, because GoW has lots of those someones to use them on! There are big ones, small ones, dumb ones, vicious ones, dumb ones, and dumb ones! Yes, the AI may be slightly lacking for a next-gen game, but the enemy variety is pretty good. I especially liked the Boomers... those things are ****ing scary. Oh, and the boss fights! The boss fights are all great. Hell, why didn't they make a gameplay mode where you can just fight bosses?
Despite these mostly positive comments I'm giving GoW, I found a few problems. First of all, I don't know about you, but it took me longer than most shooters to figure out what the hell I was doing. The learning curve in GoW is steeper than your average Halo, my friend. But give it time, child. Give it time.
Another problem was the dash button. When dashing, you get a really cool blurred background, where you kind of lose focus on everything except yourself. The problem with this is that I too often found myself dashing straight into, say, a parked car? Hey, that wasn't what I was running towards!
One of the best things about the Campaign is the two-player split screen option. This is when player 1 is Marcus and player 2 is his buddy Dom. What separates this from other games is that the two of you aren't always together. You might have to split up with a couple computer players so you can meet up at the final destination. It adds that little bit of realism and excitement to the game... plus it's always fun to play through the story cooperatively with a friend.
One of the biggest reasons people play shooters is for the multiplayer. Unfortunately, GoW's multiplayer isn't quite up to par with a lot of others'. The main gripe is how limited everything is--small maps, Live, different versus modes. Don't get me wrong, it's still addicting as hell, but... hey, is that Halo 3 you're playing? **** this game, let me join you!
But you know all that, don't you? This game's only been talked about to death a bazillion times. Every game has its pros and cons, and while GoW doesn't provide anything extraordinarily new, it still manages to one-up pretty much every shooter that came before it.
While the multiplayer may not be as in depth as some others, it's still quite addicting. And with three very different difficulty levels in Campaign mode (seriously, don't even try Insane), you'll be playing GoW for awhile. And while the Campaign may be a little short, it could still take awhile when you're trying to figure everything out your first time through.
Marcus Fenix is a moron, and so are you if you can't even remotely enjoy his game. The best looking game I'm sure you will have the pleasure of looking at for quite a while to come, along with some fun gameplay aspects, makes Gears of War a definite purchase for any Xbox 360 owner.
Thanks for reading =)
Rating: 4.5 - Outstanding
Product Release: Gears of War (US, 11/07/06)
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Several years after his last adventure, retired fortune hunter, Nathan Drake, is forced back into the world of thieves. With the stakes much more personal, Drake embarks on a globe-trotting journey in pursuit of a historical conspiracy behind a fabled pirate treasure. His greatest adventure will test his physical limits, his resolve, and ultimately what he's willing to sacrifice to save the ones he loves.
Truly amazing graphics and story, will make you simply say WoW....when you start playing it. Must have game in your collections.
Amazing exciting game, Game received as if new
Best Game Ever!
Best Game
Best Game of 2016 on PS4 developed by Naughty Dog
The best game on ps4 right now. The story is awesome. It's more enjoyable if you know what all happened in the last 3 games, but even if you don't know, you won't miss much, the online multiplayer is my favorite mode. The game requires 48GB for installation and another 5GB for the first title update. The online mp will be getting lots and lots of extra items till spring 2017, and many dlc mapspacks too.
One of the best games played on Playstation cant wait for lost legacy
Game is awesome and you should definitely pick it up though the quality of the preowned disc is poor. When i ordered Last of US and Uncharted 4 there were fresh ink marks on the disc and manual and it spread when i touched it. This was a big turn down for me as i prefer the game disc to be in good condition.
Ap Uncharted 4 Kab Laoge
Just 1 word for the game.!!! MASTERPIECE!!!
Best ps4 game
It,s the best game for ever
best game ever played,if you see this available buy it now it's worth it


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Wednesday, April 16, 2008
Admissions to iSchools
4 comments:
- AnonymousApril 17, 2008 at 1:04 PM
If ISchools or any other school for that matter (particularly U of T) where truly interested in producing well informed (no pun intended), well trained, quality graduates they would focus more on content than process. Meaning they should take more interest in who is coming into their programs. All applicants should be screened and the interesting ones should be tested in computer literacy prior to admission. Testing of course should keep pace with what's happening in the "real world". Of course this would mean that ISchools would/should continue to evolve , be on top of, and teach using the same methods they are testing their applicants knowledge on. Yes this opens up a whole other discussion. However, right now (again more so with U of T) students are coming into programs that are already outdated as their teaching methods are still in the dark ages. As well, most schools are more interested in how many students they can push through the system (process) and not the quality of education they have the potential to give (content).ReplyDelete
So the question is...how do you get older schools to let go of their fears of change to and encourage educational evolution?
- AnonymousApril 17, 2008 at 1:18 PM
To add to that...students applying to art's programs such as drama, dance, music, fine art, landscaping, urban planning...etc all have to audition, perform, or submit portfolio's for entrance into graduate programs. If ISchools want the best of the best why shouldn't they test their applicants in computer literacy?ReplyDelete
Why shouldn't the faculty be tested every once and a while?
A great teacher will not only be able to teach his students, but be able to learn from them as well.
I'm pleased to see that admissions matters are being considered thoughtfully. I have a few observations to share on this subject. First, I wonder if this requirement is necessary. Second, I hope that this speculation might signal greater transparency about admissions.ReplyDelete
It seems like there are a few reasons for this requirement. It could be a function of the fact that "iSchools" attract a larger contingent of mature students compared to other professional/graduate degree programs (that is entirely based on ancedotal impressions). It could also be that "information professionals" are assumed to be work more intensively with computers, compared to other professionals such as teachers, lawyers, architects and so on. This second reason seems a bit doubtful.
Second, I hope that this speculation about admissions might lead to greater transparency about admissions. I think that the process could be significantly and helpfully clarified by providing some descriptive statistics on the Faculty website. For example, how many students are at FIS (provide data back to 2000)? How many are currently full-time vs. part-time? What was the average and median GPAs of admitted students? How many students enter the program with more than one degree? How many students have applied vs. how many are admitted? What is the weighting assigned to each admission criteria? I think "iSchools" could learn a lot about disclosure of such information from law schools.
- AnonymousJune 22, 2008 at 7:11 PM
you may be interested in this talk on TED http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/25ReplyDelete
There are a few KO talks you may be interested in


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Another small improvment to the beta 4. This version will now show the idle notification in an AlertSheet rather than an own window. The old version had the problem that sometimes the window would get lost when using Spaces in Mac OS 10.5 (which drove me crazy).
Hope you like it.


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On Thursday morning, House Members debated Amendment No. 98 to the Farm Bill which was sponsored by Rep. Joe Pitts (R., Pa.). The amendment, "Reforms the Federal sugar program, and for other purposes. Primarily, it returns the raw sugar cane price support to its historic level of 18 cents per pound and continues to establish the refined beet sugar price support at 128.5% of the cane rate.
"In addition, it amends provisions for sugar marketing allotments by repealing a provision that establishes allotments at no less than 85% of domestic consumption. Furthermore, it repeals current restrictions on the Secretary of Agriculture's authority to adjust import quotas for raw and refined sugar and repeals the Feedstock Flexibility Program under which surplus sugar must be purchased by the federal government and re-sold to ethanol plants at a loss."
Below is a video replay of the debate on that amendment.


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Welcome to the DPL...
Welcome to the Damsel Preservation League or "DPL" for short. Contained herein, you'll find a multitude of damsels of all ages worthy of preservation, as well as many links to current artists & writers of the DID genre, and many old-school favourites. Although this is basically a research type blog, there may be some occasional "mature" themed comics so, beware of this. Also this blog & is moderated to keep the spam to a minimum. The majority of the images are ones I've personally "rebuilt" from either my own collection or scans found elsewhere on the 'net. Any applicable copyrights belong to the owners and I make no money from them. Also note that this blog is still a work in progress and will be added to as I continue along...
Saturday, August 27, 2016
Daphne's Cover Dilemma
I only have a crappy cover scan for Scooby-Doo #110 (DC Comics~September, 2006) but, it was good enough to get detail panels from. Now, I'm wondering if this is just another "gotcha" cover or not...anyone have interiors for this one?
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University of Abuja Research Corner!!!
University of Abuja news!!!
The Emir of Zazzau and Chancellor of the University of Abuja, His Royal Highness Alhaji Shehu Idris, has pledged his support for the development of the institution. The Chancellor made the pledge when a delegation from the University, led by the Pro- Chancellor, Alhaji Sani Maikudi, paid him a courtesy visit in his palace on Friday, 13th December, 2019. While congratulating..Read more...
The Vice Chancellor, University of Abuja, Professor Abdul-Rasheed Na'Allah, has appealed to the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to complete some of the projects initiated in the University, saying this would go a long way in improving the institution's infrastructure. He made the appeal when he paid a courtesy call on the Deputy Governor of theRead more...
The Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council, Honourable Adamu Mustapha Danze, has called for partnership...
The Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council, Honourable Adamu Mustapha Danze, has called for partnership between the Council and the University of Abuja, so as to assist in developing the community. Honourable Danze made the call when he paid a courtesy visit on the Vice Chancellor of the University, Professor Abdul-Rasheed Na'Allah on Wednesday...Read more...
EFCC, UofA to set up Joint Committee for Forensic Studies
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the University of Abuja have set the ball rolling for new programmes in the forensic sciences through the constitution of a joint committee comprising the staff of the Commission and the University. to draw up the modalities for the smooth operation of the programmes in the forensic sciences through the constitution ...Read more...
Applicants seeking admission into the specified programmes of the Centre for Distance Learning and Continuing Education of the University of Abuja must possess any...Read more...
The University of Abuja has signed a Memoranda of Understanding with the University of Delhi to develop collaborations in important research areas. The MOU, which was signed by the two vice chancellors, Professors, Abdul-Rasheed Na'Allah of the UofA and Yogesh Tyagi of the University of New Delhi respectively...Read more...
University of Abuja, Federal Fire Service to Constitute Committee on Capacity Building, Facilities
Comptroller General of the Federal Fire Service (FFS), Dr. Liman A. Ibrahim has expressed the readiness of the Service to synergize with the University of Abuja in the areas of fire safety capacity building for the staff of the University Fire Unit in line with the statutory responsibility of the Service to fight and control fire to protect lives and properties.Read more...
Obiageli Nnodu, M.D., Haematologist
Ten years ago, Obiageli Nnodu, M.D., had an established career as a haematologist working mainly in the early detection, diagnosis, and treatment of bone cancer. But one day, troubled by statistics showing that some 150,000 children in her native Nigeria were being born each year with sickle cell disease, she switched gears and devoted herself to doing something about it. Today, Nnodu is the principal investigator in Nigeria for the Sickle Pan African Research Consortium (SPARCo)...Read more...
About University
The University took off from a temporary site, made up of three blocks of building meant for a primary school in Gwagwalada, tagged the "mini – campus". Academic activities started on the mini – campus in 1990. In the same year, the University was allocated an expanse of land covering over 11,800 hectares along the Abuja – Abuja road for the development of its main campus. The University of Abuja, Gwagwalada mini-campus is the first campus in the university to be established at take-off time. Though the university is gradually relocating to the permanent site, up till this day, the campus still hosts two female hostels and a boys' hostel all accommodating close to three thousand students. Among the landmarks in the campus includes the Senate Chamber, the Science Laboratories, Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Management Sciences, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Social Sciences, School of Remedial Studies and the Institute of Education. The University Medical Centre which has been equipped with modern medical facilities and high profile personnel cannot be ignored. The campus hosts a number of recreational facilities including an Olympic size football field, a volleyball pitch, and a long-tennis court.
Academics Students
An applicant to the University of Abuja for a first-degree programme must satisfy all faculty and departmental requirements as stated below. In addition, the applicant must possess the following minimum qualifications for admission:
Remedial science programCandidates for admission into the Remedial Science program must have attempted Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and Biology in the Senior Secondary School Certificate examination and must have at least three credits, two of which must be in the above-named subjects. However, some faculties may differ in their requirements See requirements based on faculties. The Remedial Science program has a duration of one academic session.
UndergraduateCandidate must possess WASSCE/NABTEB/NECO or equivalents with credits in five subjects in not more than two sittings. A candidate must, in addition, have an acceptable score in the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Examination or a Diploma, NCE with at least lower credit. A candidate must possess two A'Level passes or equivalents in addition to credits in three other subjects at the Senior Secondary School Certificate Examinations or equivalents or a Diploma, NCE with at least Upper Credit.
Information for Candidates
Semester/Course SystemThe university operates a semester System. There are two semesters in a session with each lasting about 17 weeks. The University operates course credit system. One credit unit is attached to 15 hours of lecture or tutorial; other equivalents of 15 hours of lecture are: 5 hours of laboratory or field work one semester of teaching practice One year of industrial attachment for Agric students; six months for other students.
Student workloadA full-time student is required to register for a minimum of 15 to 16 and a maximum of 24 credit units per semester.
SIWES ProgrammeThe Student Employment Scheme (SES) is an integral part of the Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme targeted at developing work ethics among Nigerian youths particularly students of the University of Abuja. Every Industry/Organization would in addition to acquired skills, relevant trainings and job specification qualities show kin interest and would place emphasis on work ethics and culture. This work ethics and culture can be developed and cultivated in our students by exposing them to appropriate work environment and experience which will help acquaint them with organizational core values to promote visionary leadership and excellent service delivery to the University and the nation at large. The Centre for Student Industrial Work Experience Scheme and Student Employment (CSSE) will offer career advice, information on workshops, work experience opportunities and placement within the University Community. We now offer work placement support for students throughout their times in the University of Abuja at most levels of their study. Most undergraduates can do a stipend paid work placement from their second year up to their penultimate year of study. A dedicated placement support will help get students work placement subject to availability of vacancies, University's budget and ability of students to meet the eligibility criteria.
Residential Life
Our state of the art hostels.


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Accidental Death
Accidental death insurance coverage purchased through an employer is meant to provide financial support in the event that your loved one dies as the result of an accident. If the insurance company denies your claim, saying that the death was not accidental, you need an attorney ready to fight for you.
At the O'Ryan Law Firm, we have experience helping grieving family members get the accidental death insurance benefits they paid for. Attorney Bridget O'Ryan has worked in the insurance industry and knows the tricks they use to deny claims. They may try to deny your claim for reasons such as intoxication or a pre-existing illness, reasons that are not supported by the facts or policy.We Will Fight for Your Accidental Death Insurance Benefits
To show that your loved one's wrongful death was caused by an accident and not an illness or other conditions, we will use our network of experts to fight for your benefits. Our insurance attorneys have experience working with coroners, surgeons and treating physicians to confirm that the cause of death was accidental. Photographs, witness statements and family member accounts can help to show the death was caused by a fatal accident.Has Your Insurance Company Unfairly Denied Your Insurance Claim?
Contact an experienced Indiana insurance lawyer online or by phone at 317.255.1000 for a free consultation. Contact Us


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Software Development Books provides reviews on books covering all topics of software development and software engineering: UML, Agile Methodologies (eXtreme Programming, Scrum, TDD, FDD,..), Software Testing, Software Configuration Management, Database Modeling, Java, .NET, RUP, Software Project Planning and Management, Test Automation, Programming, Software Analysis and Design, Quality Assurance, Software Process Assessment and Improvement, Software Development Tools, Risk Management, Refactoring.
Software Development BooksAugust 17, 2010
Thinking Tools for Scaling Lean and AgileMarch 17, 2009
This book from Craig Larman and Bas Vodde is a classic example of the fact that it is better to teach somebody to fish than to give him fish. It emphasizes that it is important to "be agile" more than to "do agile". Approaches like Scrum or Lean are more frameworks to think about continuous improvement than tools that should be applied blindly like cooking recipes. The book will therefore tell you that "large-scale Scrum is Scrum" or that lean is not just kanban or waste reduction. The first part of the book is focused on thinking tools (systems thinking, lean thinking, queueing theory) that are presented with software project management related examples. Those who are looking for practical advice should not believe that the book remains only at the conceptual level. The authors distill many "try…" and "avoid…" recommendations that will help you implement agile and lean ideas in your organization. The second part of the book is devoted to organizational tools and the final chapter proposes frameworks to adapt Scrum to larger contexts.
This book is a must for those who believe that software development project management goes beyond the simple application of "silver bullet" recipes. It is a rich source of both thinking and practical content that is well suited for non-linear reading. A very good "Scrum primer" chapter at the end of the book will provide an introduction for those who are not familiar with this approach and a large number of "recommended readings" items will allow readers to explore more in details each concept.
Ajax In PracticeAugust 18, 2008
This book by Dave Crane, Bear Bibeault and Jord Sonneveld aims to be of a second-generation Ajax book. It should go beyond just explaining the technology and explore in details the different client-side Ajax technologies and show what you can do with them. The target audience is a developer that has already a background of developing web applications and a basic knowledge of JavaScript. I can say that the book achieves its goals and provides practical concepts and code excerpts that can be readily used. For every topic that is discussed in the book, there is a detailed code example that shows how to use it in practice. I like also the fact that the specific goal of important lines are put in evidence in the code examples.
The book is divided in two parts. The first part contains four chapters that present the basic concepts of Ajax. After an introduction, it discusses the various communications techniques like Json or XML. A chapter is then dedicated to object-oriented JavaScript, that the authors present as a must to build scalable Ajax code. Finally, the book takes a closer look at the different JavaScript libraries (Prototype, Dojo and JQuery) used for Ajax applications.
The second part presents the various practices that could be used in client-side programming and are related to Ajax, either directly or indirectly: events, data entry and validation, navigation, drag-and-drop, usability, state management. Each topic is clearly explained in a dedicated chapter. A chapter is also dedicated to integrating outside API like Yahoo! or Google maps. A last chapter is dedicated to a sample mash-up application.
Source code and sample chapters for this book can be find on http://www.manning.com/crane2/
Get more details on this book or buy it on amazon.com
Managing Iterative Software Development ProjectsApril 22, 2008
As agile software development approaches are more and more adopted in software development organizations, the title of this book from Kurt Bittner and Ian Spence seems to be right on the target. The book contains two major parts. The first gives an overview of iterative project management. It defines the concepts, discuss controlling and gives tips to assess your readiness for iterative project management. The second is a more detailed walk-through to the planning and management of iterations at different levels. It provides also information on how to assess the results of iterations, discuss the relation between iterative project management and project scales. The last chapter is dedicated to the information needed to start your first iterative project. Finally, appendices provide material on use case development (the topic of a former book from the same authors), templates, checklists and an example of 50 pages.
The process behind the book is widely based on the RUP approach; thus practitioners of a "pure" agile approach could be disoriented by the content. However, this book contains very valuable and pragmatic material about managing iterative project management that could be used in any iterative context. It will also provide good transition information towards an iterative process for project managers that operate in a more traditional organization. With 600 pages, it is a not an easy book that is quickly digested. It will nevertheless helps you to improve you grasp on iterative project management, whether you read the book sequentially or you pick sections according to your current project management questions.
Get more details on this book or buy it on amazon.com
Get more details on this book or buy it on amazon.co.uk
Agility and Discipline Made EasyFebruary 19, 2007
The goal of this book is to present good practices for software development that are based on OpenUP and RUP, but independently from these processes. The practices are grouped according to six principles:
* Demonstrate value iteratively
* Focus continuously on quality
* Balance stakeholder priorities
* Collaborate across teams
* Elevate the level of abstraction
* Adapt the process
For each practice, the authors propose a definition, practical advices on how to apply and adopt the practice, related practices and further readings. This material is very practical and contains many references to "real life" situations. The practices are selected from RUP and OpenUP and each chapter has a section devoted to compare the situation in other approaches, mainly XP and Scrum.
This book is full of practical knowledge and I will recommend it to every software developer. The only thing that bothers me is that the authors seemed to be forced to apply the "agile" label on their UP practices, with the implicit assumption that "if it is not waterfall, it is agile" and "if it is not agile it is not good".
Click here to get more details on this book or buy it on amazon.com
Click here to get more details on this book or buy it on amazon.co.uk
References on the Web:
Eclipse Process Framework Project (EPF)
Enterprise Architecture for IntegrationJanuary 23, 2007
This book presents a top-down approach to define an information system architecture at the enterprise level. It begins with a short presentation of the Zachman Framework that is used as the basic tool to analyse enterprise architecture. A first part is then devoted to present approaches used to express the strategy. A second part describes the techniques used to translate the strategic goals at the information system level with data and process modelling. Finally, a third part discusses current technologies and products involved to integrate applications and deploy the enterprise architecture. A CD-ROM is provided with the book. It contains problems and solutions to apply the concepts presented in the book, products information and some modelling tools.
Clive Finkelstein is a founding father of Information Engineering and he continues to apply its principles. The goal is to help large organisations to manage their complex information systems. Being strategic doesn't imply always multi-years projects. The book states that the enterprise architecture portfolio plan for a large company can be created in 8-12 weeks. It also recommends 2 days workshops to define sub-systems that have a 3 months delivery objective. Many examples are provided in the book.
This book is recommended for people that are managing applications or portfolios of applications at the enterprise level. It provides also valuable knowledge for business analysts/architects with a detailed examination of the data and process modelling activities and the definition of coherent and autonomous sub-systems. The book has close to 500 pages of dense material, but each chapter could be used separately according to your needs.
Get more details on this book or buy it on amazon.com


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All listing from Henderson | Business Directory of Henderson
Henderson Yellow Pages is a most comprehensive Business Pages & leading local search engines which provides access to fast, free & reliable info of Henderson businesses & connects buyers to sellers. Henderson local needs gets fulfilled at Henderson Business Directory. Henderson Yellow Pages contain the names of thousands of information with address of offices shops and factory. Find and Download free List of Manufacturer in Henderson, List of Whole seller in Henderson, List of Distributors in Henderson, List of Retailers in Henderson, List of Dealers in Henderson, List of Hospitals in Henderson, List of Schools in Henderson, List of Colleges in Henderson, List of Police Station in Henderson, List of service centers in Henderson, List of Shops in Henderson, List of offices in Henderson and List of phone numbers in Henderson along with their complete business profile and products & services offered. For the ease of the user, the directory provides easy and instant access to the desired products & services offers Henderson. There is systematic categorization of thousands of products & services with a brief description. Henderson Yellow Pages give a platform to the sellers from all over the world to add their business to invite interested buyers to buy their products. Sellers can list their offered products within the appropriate product categories and can receive uncounted business enquiries from best buyers. The section of trade leads is designed here where buyers can post online trade leads for their desired product and services than sellers can invite buyers to buy their offered services and products via trade leads Henderson. Find your local needs with Henderson Yellow Pages search information on Henderson Business Directory with offered products & services, address of shops offices and factory. Find list of phone numbers in Henderson, list of addresses in Henderson, list of map in Henderson, list of email id in Henderson, list of my offers of Henderson, download list of Henderson data and see ratings & reviews in Henderson for best search on Henderson business directory. Post your free classified ads on Henderson classifieds, free classifieds Henderson. Submit your enquiries and get price quotes and deals to instantly!
112 Cassia Way Henderson,
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584 Viaduct Colmo Avenue Henderson,
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1000 North Green Valley Parkway #620 Henderson,
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61 Mall Ring Cir Henderson,
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1000 North Green Valley Parkway Suite 450 Henderson,
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2551 N Green Valley Pkwy # 301 Henderson,
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1080 W. Sunset Rd. Henderson,
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10624 South Eastern Ave. Suite A-372 Henderson,
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Call: 7022704550
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270 E. Horizon Dr., Suite 106 Henderson,
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1727 N. Garnett St. Henderson,
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Getting a Car Insurance? There Are Ways on How to Cut Your Premiums
Almost all states in the US require that car owners must have their vehicles insured. However, even if it's not mandated by the law, it's still a good thing to get an insurance. Accidents may happen anytime. This coverage can give you peace of mind knowing that you don't have to shoulder all the expenses on your own. Car insurance doesn't come cheap, especially if you have an expensive car. However, there are things that you can do to get the policy you need at the most affordable price.
Shop around
Getting a car insurance is like purchasing any other important things like a house, furniture or appliance. To get the best deal, you must shop around and compare. It's reco
mmended that you do this before even purchasing a car. Say you have two car brands or models in mind, one of them may cost less to insure than the other, which you must consider before making your final decision. Get free quotes from insurance providers so you can do a comparison.
Enroll on a defensive driving course
Most insurance providers give discounts to those who enrolled on a defensive driving course. This is because there is a lower risk that they'll be involved in an accident, which is an advantage to the insurance company as they will not shed money to cover for the expenses.
See if your current insurance company offers car insurance.
If you already have other types of insurance, ask your insurance provider if they also offer vehicle insurance. Insurance providers provide discounts for getting different types of policies from them. But still, consider the amount that you'll be able to save and the price offered by the other providers. See where you'll get the most savings.
Have all your vehicles insured under one policy.
You'll get a discount for insuring multiple vehicles on one policy. If you have several vehicles in your household, talk to your family members and consider insuring all your vehicles in one plan. This will not only make payment more convenient, but it will also make your premium lower.
Pay annually or every six months.
Car insurance is usually paid every month. But you have the option to pay it every year or twice a year. If you can afford to make the complete payment for the year or for six months, you may want to consider doing so. It's because most providers charge lower if you pay annually or twice a year instead of monthly.
Have additional safety and security features installed in your car.
Having additional safety and security features installed in your car can make your insurance premium lower. If you're thinking of having your vehicle upgraded, it's best that you focus on these features since it will not only give you discount on your insurance, but it's also for the own safety of your car. It's not a cheap investment, so you must do everything to keep it secured.
Some vehicle owners prefer to have some cool additions to their cars like stereos and other customizations. If this is what you want and you can afford it, by all means, do so. But remember that if something happens to your vehicle, these additions or customizations will not be included when assessing the value of the car. So if you're working on a budget and you want to save further, it's recommended that you go with the safety features first before these customizations.
Increase your deductible
The deductible is the amount that you'll pay out of your pocket in case an accident happens. For instance, if you were involved in a vehicular accident and your deductible is $1,000; you must pay the expenses from your own money, up to $1,000. Remaining expenses that's covered by your insurance will then be paid by your provider.
The higher the deductible, the lower the premium that you have to pay. However, make sure that you have that amount set aside in case of emergency. As mentioned, you must pay the amount from your own pocket before the insurance can be used.
Policies are continuously changing. See to it that you talk to your insurance provider every now and then to ask about new discounts that you may qualify in. Furthermore, check out other insurance providers, especially when your policy is about to expire to see if there's a better offer out there.
1st and featured image By IFCAR (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
2nd image by Oregon Department of Transportation (Drive test Uploaded by AlbertHerring) [CC-BY-2.0 (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0)], via Wikimedia Commons


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Working in Cuba?
Working in Cuba
At a Glance:
For the first time in decades, Cuba is (slowly) privatizing its economy.
Cuba still has two currencies, which makes its system rather complicated.
The government introduced taxes in 2012, which had not existed in Communist Cuba before.
Cuba's Economy Is Opening Itself to the World
One of the last great communist bastions in the world, Cuba's economy remains largely centrally planned. It will be nothing new to expats working in Cuba that most of the country's industry and the majority of the workforce rest mainly within the government's purview.
However, as expats working in Cuba will have noticed, since Raúl Castro's ascension to the premiership, following his brother Fidel Castro's refusal to stand for reelection due to illness, the Cuban economy has leaned further toward the market.
Due to troublesome international relations, including but not limited to the US trade embargo, Cuba's economy has been in perpetual trouble since the fall of the Soviet Union in 1991, which had once offered Cuba preferable trade conditions. Although Venezuela has stepped up and somewhat filled this void, the country's political instability has led Cuban officials to once more court Russia and China for foreign investment and increased trade.
Moreover, since the beginning of Raúl's tenure as President of Cuba, new economic reforms have been underway. In April 2011, the Communist Party signed a package with over 300 measures, taking the country closer to a market-oriented economy.
In addition to this, the 2016 edition of the Cuban Communist Party Congress approved a plan for privatizing small and medium-sized businesses. This new plan will allow private businesses to avoid dealing with the government bureaucracy, which used to maintain inefficient monopolies on exports and imports. Although over 80% of the Cuban workforce was employed by the state only in 2012, increased privatization has seen a steady decline in this percentage. For example, in just three years, the number of self-employed Cubans has more than tripled, from 150,000 to 500,000 as of December 2015. All in all, there are more than two million Cubans employed in the private sector, which constitutes 34% of the country's total labor force. Furthermore, the government has begun to promote the creation of co-operatives, especially among farmers, with more than 5,500 agricultural cooperatives having been established as of 2015. Expats working in Cuba and tourists visiting the country will also notice the number of privately owned co-operative restaurants popping up around country.
Economic Growth and Challenges — Cuban Sugar Industry Sweet and Sickly
Although the economy had remained relatively stable under Raúl Castro from 2008-2013, seeing an average GDP growth of 2.7%, the year 2014 has seen a marked decline with projections estimating a final growth of 1.4%. However, more cordial relations with the United States helped the Cuban GDP to grow by 4% in 2015. While working in Cuba is an attractive prospect for many, the country still faces a number of challenges restricting steady growth.
Not only is the country still dealing with the collapse of the Soviet bloc, but it also has to contend with falling nickel prices, and the effects of several hurricanes. Moreover, the sugar industry, once Cuba's main exporter, has come under increasing strain.
Falling prices, heavy rainfall, outdated equipment, rundown mills built more than sixty years ago, and disorganization have all led to the decline of the sugar industry. Now that sugar is not among the country's top exports, the industry's failures have put increasing pressure on the government to open the sector to foreign investment. There are, however, some hopes for the industry, with the recent detente between the US and Cuba. In fact, a US American agricultural delegation arrived in 2015 in order to analyze business opportunities and increase the productivity of the sugar canes to return to their previous levels, with the help of Cuban government incentives.
As mentioned above, the government is doing its best to fix the economy and one of its greatest gestures towards this end can be found in its opening of the tourist industry. Moreover, those living and working in Cuba might be surprised to hear that the government plans to unify the currency. In fact, this reform was announced by Fidel Castro in 2014. However, as of 2016, it has not yet been implemented.
A Complicated Currency System
The country still maintains two currencies, the national currency, the CUP and the CUC. While the former is the standard currency, the latter was created after the fall of the Soviet Union to shield the country's communist project from the capitalist market.
Thus, the CUC is a transferable currency mainly used in the tourist industry. However, since it is fixed to the US dollar, the CUC is worth 25 times more than the CUP. To make matters worse, only the CUC is accepted in some places, like parts of Havana, meaning that those who have access to it, such as those with official ties, can lead a more lavish lifestyle than the normal citizen.
Those thinking of working in Cuba should be aware that, while the planned currency reform is an important step in revitalizing the economy, economists have warned that the dual project of devaluing the CUC and revaluing the CUP might shake up the social structure, lead to inflation and result in discontent.
The economic reforms mentioned above are just some of the ongoing reforms in Cuba. Expats will be happy to learn that it is now easier for them to purchase and sell private property, for instance. Unfortunately, for a number of reasons (ideology first and foremost among them), none of these reforms have led to true market liberalization. Instead, there are many restrictions which still keep companies from investing and expats from working in Cuba.
Easier to Find Employment in the Tourist Industry
Nevertheless, there are still some job opportunities available for expats who plan on working in Cuba. For instance, you can always find employment in Cuba-based offices of foreign companies or agencies. However, as most of these are joint ventures together with Cuban companies, Cuban applicants are usually treated preferentially.
Within the tourist industry, expats interested in working in Cuba may find employment as tour operators or representatives. You can, however, not expect to be hired as a bartender, entertainer, or cleaning staff. These types of jobs are reserved for Cubans. Many expats with plans on working in Cuba also find employment as freelance writers, photographers, or journalists. However, you should be aware that you need a work permit for this.
Keep in mind that almost all jobs are distributed by the state. Securing a work permit, the prerequisite for working in Cuba, is definitely not easy as Cuban citizens are treated preferentially. For more information on business visas, have a look at our article on moving to Cuba.
We do our best to keep this article up to date. However, we cannot guarantee that the information provided is always current or complete.


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Sibling revelry
A few weeks ago, I met a man whose views on family were so toxic that I have since attempted to purge my memory of our brief but jarring encounter. (Unfortunately, I've been largely unsuccessful.)
He was a friend of a friend, and as we dove headlong into 'Jewish geography' – an instinctual but clumsy attempt to put each other "in context" before the end of our first handshake – it was clear that he was about to detonate a dirty bomb of T.M.I.
As I explained that my entire immediate family lived in Bet Shemesh, including my sister and her battalion of bouncing boys (literally – they have a trampoline), he cut me off to let me know that he, too, had a sister.
"I don't care too much for her, never did," he grumbled. "We didn't get along as kids, and we don't keep in touch now that we're older. I don't know why people glorify relationships with siblings. It's just a painful waste of time."
Stunned, I hurriedly excused myself from the conversation. I was dizzy with disbelief, and I was tripping all over my jaw, which had hit the ground a second earlier.
His views on siblings could not have been further from my own.
As a young boy, I idolized my older sister. As a grown man, I treasure the relationship I have developed with my "little sis" (she hasn't grown in several decades).
She is my only sibling and the only other person on the planet who experienced life in our childhood home from my perspective, the only other person who truly understands our family dynamic. We share values and memories as unique as our DNA, and a responsibility to ensure the continuity of those values and the preservation of those memories for generations to come.
She is a friend-family hybrid that cannot be duplicated and must not be taken for granted. Ever.
And so, to celebrate our special bond, I have decided to write her a poem (her favorite vehicle for expression).
Here is my version of "Us" by Shel Silverstein (a longtime family favorite):
Me and her
Her and me,
We get along
Quite famously.
I used to sit
Upon her knee
And cuddle close
To watch TV,
With her I felt safe,
Happy and free.
But she grew up
And moved away from me,
So very far
Across the sea.
Living apart
Was sad, you see.
But we reunited
And are close as can be.
We visit and talk
Somewhat regularly.
I even see her
At the grocery.
It's clearly a blessing
For us to be
Both kindred spirits and family.
Me and her
Her and me.
If you can't remember the last time you told your siblings that you loved them, it may be time to pick up the phone to do so. While we can't choose our siblings, we should take every opportunity to let ours know that we would have had we been given the choice.
And, who knows – they might even return the sentiment.
I love you, lil' sis!


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1 - There is a checkbox in VFB2 - There is a Beaty RE with a checkboxDo you need more checkboxes?
I'm as confused as dubcat sometimes...
Here's the first public "Roughness to IOR" LUT test.Since slate and LUTs are a complete gamma mess, I have embedded all the gamma conversion stuff inside the LUT.
Here is a pretty good example of the ACES
I was always under the impression that Octane / F-Storm use spectral rendering (basically converting RGB values to wavelengths internally) and that is what causes the colors to shift when they are bright / have high exposure. @Dubcat Do you have any idea whether those engines still do something differently internally or is it just a tonemapping technique?
The only problem I see with OCIO is that it is only a view transform, so you can't save the image from the VFB with transform applied. This is the annoying way Vray has of doing things.I guess in Corona you could just save the image as is shown in the VFB or make the OCIO apply internally in some advanced option, so people don't mess with it.What is clear to me, is that we want ACES tone mapping applied as a standard, just like in UE
is it true that the high pass filter + LUT results in about 1.52 IOR?
I could artificially color correct the node to bring the brightness down a bit but it seems contradictory to the whole setup
The only problem I see with OCIO is that it is only a view transform, so you can't save the image from the VFB with transform applied. This is the annoying way Vray has of doing things.
Instead of using IOR maps to add this detail could you still use maps in the reflection slot remapped with a falloff map to upkeep the pure white edge?? Sorry if its a dumb question have been keeping up with all your posts for a while, love all the information and theories/ideas you provide, keep it up
Im trying to move my workplace onto an ACES workflow and i was wondering if anyone can explain if theres anything that im supposed to be doing with textures?
Also @Dubcat are you still working on the paint LRV LUT? Id be interested to see a step by step tutorial!
In the future, I hope that render engines will fuse "PBR" and "scanned cross specular" into glossiness. Right now PBR glossiness reduce IOR at lower glossiness values, but it's global and ignore micro shadowing.My ultimate wish right now would be to get Diffuse Roughness in Corona, and then get some kind of futuristic PBR + scanned cross specular interaction into glossiness for micro shadowing. This would not break the current PBR workflow and/or maps, but only improve them.


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O. M. G. are these awesome. I am like a baby, with my baggie of cheerios with me at all times in my backsack lately.
I can't understand why these took so long to get to the stores. It seems like such a simple and obvious thing.
I haven't actually had them with milk, so I am not certain if they will turn my milk into "chocolate milk" like my beloved Cocoa Pebbles. I shall have to report back on that but these are awesome straight out the box by the handful.
I hope these end up being a permanent item on the shelf.


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Poppin's Book Nook #3 - Skippyjon Jones, Dinosaurs, and Erupting Oobleck26 May
Welcome to the Third Edition of Poppin's Book Nook! This months theme was Prehistoric or Dinosaurs! I personally, have always loved dinosaurs, so far my kids seem to too!
There are soooooo many great books about dinosaurs that it was really hard to choose just one, and well, we really didn't. We read lots of them! We focused on Skippyjon Jones and the Big Bones because my girls LOVE Skippyjon Jones! (Why else would we have a kitten with the same name?)
If you aren't familiar with Skippyjon Jones, he is a Siamese cat with extremely large ears and an overactive imagination. He disappears into his closet and goes on adventures as a sword fighting chihuahua. They are very clever stories that remind me way too much of my oldest!
Since they do take place in the imagination of a cat, they are not always accurate, but definitely entertaining!
In Skippyjon Jones and the Big Bones, Skippy goes back to the time of dinosaurs. He and his buddies, Los Chimichangos experience a Rumba with the dinosaurs and a volcanic eruption. Then Skippy causes all the dinosaurs to go extinct (and become fossils) with nothing other then his bad breath!
The volcano is one of the girls favorite parts, so I decided we would make our own volcano. I wanted something a little different then the normal baking soda and vinegar reaction, so I actually decided to try making Oobleck with vinegar instead of water. It worked!
So I combined cornstarch and vinegar to make my Erupting Oobleck, and I colored half a reddish color for lava and half a grayish color for the area around the volcano. The lava was put into a bottle that I constructed a volcano around. I was hoping to use play dough, but I didn't have time to make it, so poster board and a plastic drinking cup worked just fine (never mind the blue cup).
Placed our volcano on one end of our bin, with extra oobleck around it, and baking soda on the other end with dinosaurs (similar to the one I saw on 123 Homeschool 4 Me)! The kids added some greenery for fun too!
It doesn't show very well in these pictures, but when dinosaurs were placed in to the oobleck from the baking soda little bubbles formed around their feet like they were sinking.
Then we added baking soda to our volcano. It didn't erupt as easily as it had when I tried it in a cup, less surface area I guess, so I had to mix it a bit to get it going. It did go though!
And the girls had a great time putting the dinosaurs in the bubbling lava!
After burying the small dinosaurs in oobleck for a while they washed them off and moved on to the large dinosaurs. I added more vinegar and cornstarch to mix in the extra baking soda too. The big dinosaurs gave them more of a chance to see the properties of the oobleck coming through. It you pushed them into the oobleck you could feel resistance as you tried to pull them out (the oobleck acts similar to quick sand).
Then they left the dinosaurs behind to just play with the oobleck!
After we cleaned up, and washed the kids and dinosaurs really well we made some fossil cookies. They are actually just peanut butter cookies, but instead of using a fork to squish them we used a dinosaur! Even Eli had to get in on it!
We ended up with lots of tail and footprints, but they had fun making fossils (and eating them)!
Make sure you stop by the other Poppin's Book Nook bloggers and check out their fabulous posts! Then come link up your own Prehistoric Fun!
Next month we are on the move with Travel and Transportation!
Enchanted Homeschooling Mom - Royal Baloo - 3 Dinosaurs - Monsters Ed - Chestnut Grove Academy - Growing in God's Grace - Royal Little Lambs - Life with Moore Babies - Teach Beside Me - The Usual Mayhem - Mum Central - Fantastic Fun and Learning - Kathys Cluttered Mind - Play Create Explore - Toddler Approved - Growing Book by Book - Adventures in Mommydom - B-Inspired Mama - The Fairy and The Frog - Edventures with Kids - Learning & Growing the Piwi way - A Gluten Free Journey - Mom to Crazy Monkeys - No Doubt Learning - Preschool Powol Packets - To The Moon and Back - Our Craft ~N~ Things - Farm Fresh Adventures - Proverbial Homemaker


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Notonthehighstreet.com Christmas press event
Christmas?? In July?? Thats exactly what the event was called. It seems crazy that we're talking about Christmas already but July is the time when PR happens for the Christmas season; so i was invited to attend the not on the high street Christmas in July press event showcasing the products for 2016 Christmas.
The event was beautifully created, everything from the venue, how they had each product personalised to waiters with tiny little canapes on trays. I'm going to show you guys some of the photos i took from the event, including my outfit and the products i was most excited about.
This is the outfit i wore for the event and the details.
I wore a basic zara white t shirt with topshop mom jeans, lamoda boots and my longchamp tote. My coat is my favourite part of this outfit and its actually from Primark, it was amazing value for £18!
This section of one of the rooms was really the main event, they had a beautiful fireplace with a huge table each with a different style of place setting.
In the other room they had some wall dividers each with little shelves. Each shelve had some of the smaller products on, like skincare and cosmetics. On the other wall they had some christmassy jumpers and other clothing items.
And now for my favourite parts of the event, the stationery sections. I had two favourite stationery brands, only one of which i have the name of but everything will be available on notonthehighstreet.com from Sepetmber.
Above we're my favourite stationery picks from the event, they're created and personalised by two different companies Skandidesign and Emilie rose stationery. I especially loved what looks like a marble chopping board which i think would be great for flat lay backgrounds! Also pineapples are clearly going to be a huge late 2016/early 2017 trend, they were everywhere.
Finally, i also loved stationery and phone cases made by one of the students at the Chelsea school of Art. I can't remember the brand name but i was obsessed with these notebooks and also the lovely little magnets. I was talking to the representative for the products about how i was finding it difficult to find really nice magnets online so these are something i'll be looking into when they're available in September.
I hope you guys enjoyed getting a look inside what will be on offer at Christmas on not on the high street as much as i did!
– Maria


text: Energy fuels, builds, and repairs the body's internal functions, all while maintaining cells and body tissues. Energy also supports the external activities that enable us to interact with the physical world. Where do we get energy from? This energy comes from the food we eat. Our bodies digest the food we […] Healthy Energy: Effects of Healthy and Unhealthy Foods29 Jul, 2017 in Health tagged energy / food fads / health / healthy foods / list of foods not to eat when trying to lose weight / unhealthy foods list by Jadon Sennet