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If you are interested in hearing us talk or playing one of our copyright games we have included details of upcoming and previous events, conferences and presentations we are giving / have given on this page. If you are interested in reading more about our research, see our Publications.
May 2019
Jane and Chris will be presenting at the Talis Insight Europe conference on 1st May in Birmingham.
April 2019
Jane and Chris will be running a symposium at the LILAC 2019 conference at the University of Nottingham, 24th-26th April
Jane and Chris will be presenting at the CILIP Copyright Conference on 2nd April in London.
November 2018
Jane and Chris will be running a workshop at the National Acquisitions Group Seminar at the Studio, Leeds on 7th November.
October 2018
Jane and Chris will be presenting at CopyCamp from the 5-6th October at the National Film Archive in Warsaw, Poland.
August 2018
Jane will be visiting professor at the Universidad de la República in Montevideo Uruguay, teaching a course on copyright literacy and presenting a keynote at a conference. You can find out more about this trip in the related blog post.
July 2018
Jane and Chris presented at the RepoFringe conference at the Royal Society of Edinburgh on 2nd and 3rd July 2018. Our slides are online.
June 2018
Jane presented at the German Library Association conference / Bibliothekartag 107 in Berlin on 14th June 2018.
May 2018
Chris and Jane presented at the DARTS conference on 24-25th May 2018 at Dartington Hall, Devon.
Jane will ran a workshop at the 26th EBLIDA Annual Council Meeting & EBLIDA-NAPLE Conference is "Libraries bridging borders"in Strasbourg on 30-31st May 2018.
April 2018
Chris and Jane organised the Icepops event, University of Liverpool. 3rd April 2018
March 2018
Jane and Chris ran an Introduction to Copyright and Copyright Education for NoWAL (North West Academic Libraries) on 6th March 2018 at Salford University.
February 2018
Jane ran a CPD25 Copyright the Card Game workshop on 13th February 2018.
Chris and Jane chaired the CPD25 event on copyright support for teaching and research on 26th February 2018.
December 2017
Jane and Chris gave a talk at the Learning on Screen AGM on 1st December in London.
Jane and Chris ran a workshop based on Copyright the Card Game at London Info International on the 5th and 6th December in London.
November 2017
Jane ran a workshop about creative approaches to copyright education at the I2C2 Conference in Scarborough from 13th-15th November 2017.
September 2017
Jane presented a paper and chaired a panel discussion on copyright literacy at the European Conference on Information Literacy (ECIL2017) in St Malo, France from 18-21st September 2017.
August 2017
Jane and Chris were part of an international panel opening the IFLA off-site meeting on Models of Copyright Education in Information Literacy Programs on 23rd August 2017 in Wroclaw, Poland.
July 2017
Jane and Chris presented a workshop and launched v2.0 of Copyright the Card Game at the CILIP Conference in Manchester on 5th July 2017. The slides and resources are available on this website.
June 2017
Chris and Jane presented a joint keynote at CILIP Scotland conference on 6th June 2017 entitled the Road to Copyright Literacy. The slides are available on Slideshare.
May 2017
Jane delivered a keynote at the CILIP Wales conference in Llandudno on 12th May.
April 2017
Jane presented at OER17 on our research into copyright and IPR issues related to lecture recording on 5th April in London.
Chris and Jane presented at the CILIP Copyright Conference on their research into librarians' experiences of copyright on 7th April in London.
Chris and Jane will be presenting at LILAC 2017 in Swansea from 10-12th April on their research into librarians' experiences of copyright and running a workshop on creative approaches to copyright education.
March 2017
Jane presented a Lightning Talk at ACRL2017 in Baltimore, Maryland, USA on Librarians' Experience of Copyright in their Professional lives on 24th March. The slides are available online.
February 2017
Jane ran a Copyright the Card game workshop with Monique Ritchie at a CPD25 event on 28th February in London.
Chris and Jane ran a workshop on 'copyright, ethics and openness' as part of the Open Knowledge in Higher Education module, run at the University of Manchester on 17th February. The resources are available online.
December 2016
Chris presented at the Learning on Screen AGM on 2nd December 2016 on lecture recording and copyright issues.
Jane and Chris presented at the final Heron User Group meeting on 13th December 2016 on lecture recording and copyright issues.
November 2016
Jane and Chris will be running a demonstration of their prototype game, The Publishing Trap at the ALT Games based learning SIG event on 17th November 2016.
October 2016
Chris presented a Library Connect webinar on Copyright the Card Game on 13th October 2016.
Jane presented at ECIL 2016 on copyright literacy and the findings from a phenomenographic study of librarians. See the slides from this event.
September 2016
We presented at ALT-C on 7th September 2016 on copyright issues and lecture recording. Jane gave a keynote, entitled copyright and e-learning: understanding our privileges and freedoms. Watch a recording of this event.
Chris ran two workshops at the National Acquisitions Group conference in Glasgow on 14th-15th September.
July 2016
We presented at the LIS-Copyseek Copyright Colloquium on 20th July 2016, held at the University of Greenwich, discussing the new CLA HE licence and findings from the copyright and lecture capture survey.
June 2016
We presented at the Dublin Institute of Technology E-learning Summer School. We spoke about our new book and ran a workshop to play Copyright the Card Game.
May 2016
Jane and Chris presented at the International Library and Information Group Copyright event on 31st May 2016.
April 2016
Jane and Chris presented at the 2016 CILIP Copyright Briefing on 7th April 2016.
March 2016
Jane and Chris presented at LILAC 2016 in Dublin from 21-23 March 2016. Copyright Literacy in the UK: understanding library and information professionals. Slides available online.
December 2015
Morrison, C and Secker J. (2015) Copyright education in the age of social media. Workshop at Social Media for Learning in Higher Education Conference. Sheffield Hallam University. 18th December 2015. Slides available on Slideshare.
November 2015
Copyright the Card Game workshop at CILIP Information Literacy Group event Information Literacy, games and play. Shine, Leeds. 23rd November 2015.
October 2015
Secker, J and Morrison, C. Copyright Literacy in the UK: Results from a Survey of Library and Information Professionals. European Conference on Information Literacy, 19-23 October 2015, Tallinn, Estonia. Slides available on Slideshare.
September 2015
University of Cambridge, Copyright the Card Game training session for librarians. 28th September.
July 2015
Secker, J and Morrison, C. Copyright Literacy Review. Paper presented at the 11th Northumbria Conference on Performance Management in Libraries and Information Services, Edinburgh. 19 July 2015. Slides available on Slideshare.


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Here are a few last minute reminders about some beer events going on in Albany this weekend if you're still looking for some mid-week plans.
Tonight at Creo, Remarkable Liquids is going to be going head-to-head against wine distributor Winebow in a Beer vs. Wine Face-Off. 4 courses will be matched with 4 beers and 4 wines. $60. Call 518-482.-8000 or check out Creo's Facebook page for more details.
House-Made Mortadella
Green Olive, Pistachio, Lemon, Olive Oil
Jack's Abby Hoponius Union IPL
Fried Green Tomato.
Summer Relish, Milk Aioli
Jack's Abby Berliner Style Lager
Braised Leg of Rabbit
Parsnip, Mustard Jus
Jack's Abby Leisure Time Lager
Grilled Tilldale Farm Beef Liver
Caramelized Onions, House Bacon, Bourbon Brown Butter
Jack's Abby Cocoa-Nut Barrel-Aged Framinghammer (aged in 4 Roses Bourbon)
Cherry Crostada
Whipped Mascarpone, Cherry Reduction
Jack's Abby Cherry Barrel-Aged Berliner Braun ( aged in 4 Roses barrels)
$70. Call 518-459-5077 or check out Gastropub's Facebook page for more details.

subset: commoncrawl


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I just smelled the smell of dried pine needles in the mountains. specifically, in lake tahoe. I heard them crunching under my steps. I saw their brown stick bodies and cluster heads. I felt the sun on my face and the crisp air on my arms. I got goosebumps and took a deep breath. I faced the mountain of trees and rocks and felt the excitement of a new day.
oh, you pine needles.
this weekend, I'll be venturing out to idyllwild, ca with my family for a lovely weekend of nothing. we'll play games, take walks, peruse town shoppes and eat lots of food together, in a cabin. we'll be surrounded by pine needles and that dry mountain air. good for deep breaths and nose bleeds.
I like having things to look forward to.


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Counselors play a very major role in one's life. As by their guidance one would mold the path of their life. They actually spend the quality time with client and help them, guide them. One has to clear the certification process to become the Certified Counselor. Counselor can work Free Lancer or also may get the opportunity to work with Samanvay Group. Samanvay Group provides Counselors training for varies Subjects.
In case of any requirement or query, please fill up the below mentioned form. We will get back to you soon!


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When a customer or client has repeatedly failed to bring an account up to date, in other words failed to make payments that are due, it may be necessary to make a final demand for payment. At the same time it might be in the best interest of both parties to try and maintain the relationship, therefore a non-confrontational final demand might be the best option.
Use this document to make a final demand for payment in a non-confrontational manner, but let the customer know that the account is seriously delinquent and that action will be taken if the account is not brought up-to-date. Note that by providing a 10-day notice, as this letter does, the company obligates itself to take action after 10 days. Failure to do so will send the message that you're not to be taken seriously on this matter, and further collection efforts will be even more difficult.
Thanks for the form.
Thank you so much for providing me with these free forms! It was fast & easy!
great and free!
Forms in this package include:


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Your Jewish Wedding, Bar or Bat Mitzvah is one of the most special days in yours and your families lives. Full of moments that will be treasured forever.
So why accept anything other than something that has been truly designed around you?
For years, the same bands have been trotting out the same formulaic routines, week in, week out. To a certain extent it works, but… It risks being completely devoid of personality, can overpower and be totally inappropriate.
In 2012 Metropolis challenged the status quo and started to create the most memorable Jewish Events in the UK.
If you want to have your Simcha, rather than someone else's… Choose Metropolis.


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Botswana will celebrate 50 years of independence in 2016 and in that 50 years has grown to be one of the most exclusive safari destinations in Africa.
Lovely small camps and lodges, often in private concessions where visitor numbers are restricted, result in a high quality safari experience.
17% of Botswana's land is given over to conservation while the jewel in Botswana's crown, the Okavango Delta was last year declared the 1000th UNESCO World Heritage site.
Botswana – the number one place to visit in 2016
As many will have read, the world's second largest diamond has just been discovered in Botswana – a whopper – at 1,111 carats, but in our opinion nothing sparkles brighter than Botswana's beautiful landscape, home to a plethora of wildlife.
It is for these reasons that The Lonely Planet team, who describe Botswana as 'wild Africa at its best', have rated the country the number one place to visit in 2016.
We couldn't agree more! Here's our guide to one of Africa's most rewarding safari destinations.
Introducing Botswana
- small camps
- a great range of activities to enjoy including 4×4 safaris, bush walking, horse riding, canoeing, fishing and boating
- a fantastic array of wildlife to enjoy from the big cats of the Linyanti marshes and Chobe's vast herds of elephants to the shy inhabitants of beautiful islands, channels and remote plains like the Sitatunga, Pel's Fishing Owl and the rare Klipspringer antelope.
- the chance to combine the arid salt pans of the Kalahari Desert with the watery scape of the Okavango Delta – you can even throw in a stay at Victoria Falls in nearby Zimbabwe, making for a superb safari holiday.
What's more, you don't have to wrestle with time change since Botswana is only 2 hours ahead of GMT and also has a reputation for being the 'safest country' in Africa with little poaching or corruption.
Did you know? Pula is the name of the national currency but also the Setswana word for rain.
When to visit – in a nutshell
- The peak season is between June and September, characterised by dry and warm days in the twenties with cold nights. Booking early is imperative as the small camps and lodges fill up quickly at this time of the year.
- The low or green season is between November and March, characterised by hot steamy weather by day and night, and sudden afternoon downpours. This is the time to take advantage of great deals and special offers and is the best time to see the desert salt pans which spring into life as game tracks south from the Delta.
- The shoulder months of October and April/May are transition months with the weather changeable. October is the hottest month, but you'll be rewarded with vast herds gathering around the last bodies of water. April is generally quiet in the parks and reserves and can be stormy.
Season by season – in more detail
May to October (Dry winter months)
- The Okavango Delta starts to flood in May time, allowing for mokoro journeys and boat safaris from many of the camps.
- Temperatures by day in the Delta are moderate throughout May, June, July and August, hovering in the mid twenties but becoming increasingly hot as the months progress with daytime highs of 40 degrees by October, the hottest month
- Night-time temperatures in May are around 10 degrees, becoming increasingly cold through June and July, before rising gradually again in August and September reaching the high teens by October. Temperatures can fall to freezing in the desert pan areas in July, the driest month
- As the winter progresses, there is less vegetation and less water, with September and October often hailed as the big herd months, when animals gather in great numbers around the remaining water sources. Water levels can become perilously low in October in some areas, with boat safari activities sometimes suspended in extreme cases like in 2015. This may impact on your choice of camps and may not be the best time of year to combine Botswana with Victoria Falls which can be reduced to a trickle by November. We try and recommend camps on deep water channels at this time of year subject to availability.
- There are few mosquitoes during the dry season and you can expects beautiful, clear days.
November to April (Green or wet summer months)
- The scenery is at its most lush and beautiful – great for photography.
- This is the best time to see migrant birds and young animals are often born at this time of year.
- It is the optimum time to visit the pans (the desert area) which springs into life with green shoots on the dunes, courting giraffe displays and zebra and antelope arriving followed by the big predators.
- January and February tend to be the wettest months and October and November the hottest.
- There are excellent offers and low season rates available throughout the Green season – look at for Kwando's Five Rivers offer usually out in January time annually. Find out about Five Rivers here.
- Daytime temperatures hover around the low twenties in the Delta – most downpours arrive in the afternoon having little impact on your safari day with the exception of January and February when rain can be more persistent.
There are currently no direct flights to Botswana – the vast majority of our clients fly direct to Johannesburg in South Africa, from where there are good reliable connections with SA Airlink on to Maun or Kasane.
You can also fly into Maun direct from Harare, Cape Town and Namibia. The national carrier Air Botswana runs scheduled flights. Many people choose to combine a safari in Chobe, Botswana with Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe, only a few hour's drive away – there is a fine tarred road from the Falls to Kasane, and then once over the border it generally takes around half an hour to the riverfront area making a drive of around 3 hours in all, (depending where you are staying – the Chobe Forest Reserve is a bit further away). The opening of the new Victoria Falls airport in late 2015/early 2016 will no doubt open up many more opportunities for safari combinations in this region.
Getting around
All the major gateways are linked by air, while the private flight charter network is well developed. Because of Botswana's geography it is usual to fly-in to your lodge/camp by light aircraft. Chobe is the exception. Luggage is restricted on light aircraft to a single piece of soft luggage weighing no more than 20kg. Camps include your laundry in their nightly rate so this is manageable for most but for those away for a long time, excess luggage can be left in Maun or Johannesburg.
A trip to Botswana is all about getting into the wilderness. This is a place where experiential travel excels. From canoeing the remote waters of the Selinda Spillway and camping on deserted islands, or paddling a traditional mokoro (dug out canoe) to staying in utter luxury and enjoying safari on foot, by boat and by 4WD (by day and night), Botswana really does have it all.
- Float in a Mokoro
- Enjoy a bird's eye view with a flight over the Delta
- Walk the wilds with a guide
- Sip a sundowner
- Camp – huddle round the camp fire, marvel at the southern sky and sleep under canvas
Where to visit
THE OKAVANGO DELTA (incorporating Moremi Game Reserve and the Zambezi Region)
Main gateway : Maun
The Okavango Delta is an iconic landscape, one of the world's largest inland deltas, where the waters ebb and flow. Rain falling in the distant mountains of Angola, reach the Delta in May/June time, flooding it and changing the landscape, only to be absorbed by the greedy salt pans further south. The Delta can be split into three key areas: private concessions, the Moremi Game Reserve and the Zambezi Region. This area is so special it was declared the 1000th UNESCO World Heritage site in 2014.
The Okavango Delta covers more than 15,000 square kilometres. Wonderful private concessions including Chitabe, Kwara, Shinde, Duba Plains and Jao help to protect wildlife and keep down visitor numbers, while the eastern edge of the Delta is safe guarded by the Moremi Game Reserve (see below). The western side which flows to Namibia is known as the Panhandle, Caprivi Strip or Zambezi Region.
Experiences will be different in each area – we recommend six nights on safari in the Delta area itself, allowing you to combine two or three contrasting camps and locations. While the camps in private concessions within the Okavango Delta offer incredibly high standards and low visitor numbers, their real calling card is that guests can enjoy a variety of activities including off road driving, night drives and walking – activities not offered by camps in the Moremi Game Reserve. Land-based 4WD safaris will be largely focussed on seeing the big predators like lions, wild dog, leopard and cheetah, while the water based safaris bring you up close to the magnificent bird life of the Delta and some of the rarer and shyer Delta dwellers.
You'll find a range of habitats and a network of channels interspersed with islands. Shallow reed beds, swamps, floodplains and forests are home to a huge variety of sepctacular wildlife, from the endangered red lechwe and wild dogs to elephant, lion and hippo. There are around 122 species of mammals, 71 species of fish, 444 species of birds, 64 species of reptiles and 1300 species of flowering plant in this region.
If you're really lucky you may see all the Big Five – lion, leopard, elephant and buffalo are all present while a rhino reintroduction programme in the Okavango now puts the population of White Rhino at approximately 35, and Black Rhino at 4 (and growing thanks to the Great Plains / AndBeyond Rhinos Without Borders relocation).
- Moremi Game Reserve
Moremi Game Reserve is the protected eastern portion of the Okavango Delta. It has been a national reserve since 1963 and covers approximately one third of the Delta (around 5000 sq km). Moremi's main landmark is the 70km long Chief's Island, historically the hunting ground for the local chief. Today, Chief's Island is a wildlife haven with much of the Delta's wildlife retreating here as the water level rises. It's prime Big Five territory once more following a successful rhino reintroduction programme. In addition, Moremi harbours the largest population of red lechwe, protects African wild dogs. and is the best place to see Pel's Fishing Owl. Another place of note within Moremi is the Xakanaxa Lagoon, home to a heronry.
- Okavango Panhandle or Zambezi Region
The Zambezi Region, once known as the Caprivi Strip, is a narrow strip of swamp that extends to the Namibian border. You'll find permanent waterways, vast reed beds and calm lagoons perfect for fishing and bird watching. Big game is harder to see.
Main gateway: Kasane
Chobe has been a National Park since 1968 covering 11,700 sq km. It can be split into three key areas: Savuti, Linyanti and the Chobe riverfront.
Chobe comes into its own during the dry season when vast numbers of game congregate around the water sources – the Chobe River and the Linyanti River. Concentrations are truly spectacular as the dry season marches on. Wildlife to be encountered includes waterbuck, lechwe, puku (this is the only part of Botswana where they can be seen), giraffe, kudu, roan and sable, impala, warthog, bushbuck, monkeys and baboons, along with the accompanying predators of course from lion and leopard to hyena and jackal. Chobe also has the densest concentration of elephant in the world – some 120,000. A river cruise is a great way to appreciate the spectacle. In addition, over 460 bird species have been recorded in the park, making it one of Africa's premier birding destinations. Seeing Pel's Fishing Owl is a highlight, while most members of the kingfisher family, carmine bee eaters, rollers and raptors can all be admired.
- Savuti/Savute
Savute is a region of Chobe. The Savuti channel is one of Africa's great mysteries, a truly remote and wild place. The channel has a long history of drying up for many years and then miraculously flowing again – possibly due to tectonic activity in the region but largely unexplained! The word Savute means 'unpredictable' and refers to the region, while Savuti refers to the channel itself but it is common to see both spellings.
The channel itself stretches for 100km, leading from the Linyanti River to the Savute Marsh. Following a a period of heightened rains in 2008, the Savuti channel started to flow, deep and blue, once again, eventually flooding the Savute Marsh in 2010. Before that, the channel had not flowed since 1982! In the past, the main features of the area were the ghostly dead camelthorn trees rising above th edry plains but now areas of flat marsh and woodland habitat are home to herds of buffalo and elephant moving in from the south-west of Chobe, with wildlife concentrations improving year on year while the channel is flooded. There are no rhino here yet but plenty of birdlife, plains game and the annual migration of zebra ensures a trail of lion, leopard and cheetah.
Zebra migrate in December and February time, depending on the rains. They move from the rivers in the north to the lush new grass in the south. The rare Klipspringer antelope can also be seen in this region, along with San Bushmen rock art in the 980 million year old Gubatsa Hills which rise 90m above the plains.
Linyanti is the region in the northwest of Chobe, home to the private Kwando/Linyanti and Selinda concessions. The area is game rich, bordered by the Okavango Delta to the south. The permanent waterway, the Kwando River, ensures that game is excellent throughout the dry season. Being private, activities sych as walking, night drives and off roading are possible.
Kwando Linyanti is home to five camps – Lagoon and Lebala camp in the Kwando portion and Duma Tau, Kings Pool and Savuti Camp in the Linyanti concession while the Selinda concession, which protects the famous Selinda Spillway is home to Zarafa, Selinda Camp and Motswiri Camp.
The area is a mix of lagoons and marshes along the Kwando-Linyanti Riverfront with drier mopane forest beyond. Lions are abundant and wild dogs den in the area. For seeing the big predators this area is simply fabulous.
- Chobe Riverfront
Easily accessible from Kasane by road, everybody wants to be on the northern boundary where the Chobe River flows and as such it attracts a high density of traffic from day trippers and self drivers to lodge vehicles. The Chobe Game Lodge is just a half hour drive from Kasane, and with a plum location right on the river, is hard to beat for those wishing to stay in the heart of the action. The density of game during the dry season here, peaking September/October time, is impressive. Small safari motor boats ply the river dodging hippos, while huge herds of elephant and buffalo gather on the banks. You also have a good chance of seeing lion and even leopard. Heading further west to the Forest Reserve, away from the bustle of Kasane, is a good alternative. Here, lodges like Muchenje, enjoy commanding views from an escarpment looking over the Chobe River beyond. Game densities may be lower beyond the riverfront but rarer species are evident such as Roan and Sable and there is considerably less bustle.
Main gateway: Maun
The desert region is made up of Kgalagadi, for the Kalahari and the Makgadikgadi for the famous salt pans.
The Central Kalahari Game Reserve (CKGR) is the largest, most remotely situated reserve in Southern Africa, and the second largest wildlife reserve in the world, encompassing 52 800 sq kms.
The CKGR was off limits to tourists for around three decades as the reserve was to be a place for the San Bushmen to live their traditional life. The government is now allowing restricted development for a few lodges in the hope of developing tourism in this fascinating area where you can see some of the world's oldest rock art, witness the ancient migration path of thousands of wildebeest and zebra and experience the true meaning of isolation.
Deception Valley is one of the highlights, coming to life after the rains with lush sweet grass shooting and grazers coming from miles around. There are only two permanent camps actually within the reserve – Kalahari Plains and Tau Pan.
- Nxai Pan
Nxai Pan itself is a 2578 sq km national park with, as you may expect, two distinct seasons – wet and dry. During the green summer season, large herds of animals track from the south followed by predators and flowers bloom on the dunes making this an exciting time to be in the area. If you visit is timed to perfection you may observe giraffes as they start courting. The males engage in a ferocious battle for dominance called 'necking' . During the summer, there are also good cheetah numbers.
Baines Baobabs are in the south . The scene is largely unchanged since the baobabs were painted by Thomas Baines in 1862.
- Tsodilo Hills
The UNESCO World Heritage Tsodilo Hills are nicknamed the 'Louvre of the Desert' for good reason. Four hills, the highest at 1400m, have huge spiritual significance for the San Bushmen in north west Kalahari with stunning displays of ancient rock art.
Explore some sample itineraries with guide pricing here.
Check out some of our favourite lodges in Botswana.
We have a dedicated Botswana, Zimbabwe, Zambia brochure now out – request yours here.
Classic Botswana – a safari holiday that gives you time to enjoy the iconic Victoria Falls as well as game drives in Chobe National Park, Botswana, famous for its elephants.
Into the Okavango – a private safari to 3 diverse habitats in the world-famous Okavango Delta. Staying at Ker & Downey Camps – Camp Okuti, Kanana Camp and Shinde.
Desert & Delta – a fabulous fly-in safari combining camps in three areas, including the famous Savute region.
Ultimate Botswana – the ultimate safari to Botswana; exploring the Okavango Delta and the Selinda Spillway and staying in some of the finest luxury camps in Africa.
By Sara White


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B+'s book Ghostnotes will be released on Dec 5th and he's doing a big LA gallery opening on Nov ...On October 31, 2017 / By URB Staff
On Nov 17th, Moroccan born MALCA will release his new EP entitled Casablanca Jungle. Residing in Paris for the ...On October 29, 2017 / By URB Staff
Multi-instrumentalist and producer, Jordan Chini aka BOY DUDE will release his album Cassette For You on Nov. 3rd via ...On October 19, 2017 / By URB Staff
Happy to premiere the latest video by NY-bred emcee Katiah. Shot in film noir fashion and directed by Jawney ...On October 13, 2017 / By URB Staff
Originally from Casablanca, Morocco, MALCA has lived in Paris over the last eight years. After self-producing and releasing his ...On October 13, 2017 / By URB Staff
After making some noise, making rounds in the midwest, Detroit's Supakaine is ready to release his follow up to ...On September 15, 2017 / By URB Staff
This music video was shot in Thailand on a boat between Pattaya and Kho Samed. And if you're unfamiliar, ...On August 23, 2017 / By URB Staff
Paying his dues is resulting in divideds. Tours, interviews, collaborations have all collectively led Jon Glass to this moment, ...On July 13, 2017 / By URB Staff
Surprise! DJ Shadow has dropped an EP out of nowhere titled The Mountain Has Fallen, via Mass Appeal. With ...On July 6, 2017 / By URB Staff
Last week marked the release of Sidewalk Chalk's fourth full length album An Orchid is Born which was released ...On June 6, 2017 / By URB Staff
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Advances in Protein Chemistry, Volume 7
1st Edition
Serial Editors: M.L. Anson Kenneth Bailey John Edsall
eBook ISBN: 9780080581804
Imprint: Academic Press
Published Date: 1st January 1952
Page Count: 410
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Telling Family and Personal Stories : For Healing and Learning
The workshop explores family and personal stories for reading skills development and the fostering of cultural and family literacy. Different storytelling ways to collect and cull out these personal stories will be discussed. Telling techniques like read aloud, participative telling, and use of props and puppets are included in the workshop.
Saturday November 7, 2009
The Learning Library, San Juan
16 Gen. Vicente Lim St.
Little Baguio, San Juan
Workshop Fee: 500 Php (Professionals) 250 Php (for college students) per session
1st session - 8.30 AM-11.30 AM
2nd session - 1.30 PM - 4.30 PM
Proceeds of the workshop will be donated for the house repair fund for the family of an Ondoy survivor.
*Registration is on a first come first serve basis. Limited seats so advance payment of at least 60% can be made. Call or send text messages via 09209602884 for details.


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So last week I picked up Guitar Hero 3 (well it was more for the guitar to tell the truth), for those not in the know Guitar Hero 3 is the first one in the series not created by the original designer Harmonix who have gone onto Rock Band. I've played the hell out of Guitar Hero 1 and 2 and upon starting up the game I could tell within seconds that this was not the same as those titles, something felt off. This feeling that something wasn't right got me thinking about the different styles we all have and how it applies to designing. We all have our own way of doing things, from being organized to what we're good with, so it goes without saying that this could also be applied to game design. Playing Guitar Hero 3 after playing Rock Band and previous Guitar Heroes you can just see the difference in style. Graphically Guitar Hero 3 looks last gen against Rock Band, and in terms of game play the note charts in Guitar Hero 3 feel very mechanical and designed to punish rather then entertain.
Moving away from Guitar Hero to the industry you can see these differences from the various gaming gods and expert design houses. Shigeru Miyamoto and Hideo Kojima are friends and two legendary designers, and yet the games they design and challenges within couldn't be further apart. When you start playing a Mario game you can just feel the craftsmen like touch applied to the level design from Miyamoto, or the cinematic style of Kojima in the Metal Gear series. I believe that it is this style that defines some of the best games of our time and the designers behind them.
With the recent discussions about whether voice actors should receive royalties for their contributions to games, I'm all for people getting a bigger cut of the profits but to me voice actors are on the bottom of the totem pole for royalties. Creating a game requires the cooperation of everyone , from the designers to the artists and of course the programmers and they should be rewarded for their hard work above everyone else. Game designers ( or creative directors what ever the official title is) are really the celebrities of our industry, we all know who Sid Meier is, or Brian Reynolds and each one of these people put some of their style into the games they design. Imagine for a second if the next big budget Mario Game was created by Hideo Kojima without any involvement from Miyamoto and the next Metal Gear game was created by Miyamoto without any involvement from Kojima, do you think each game would be the same style as the previous ones in the series? I'm not asking if they would be good or bad, but I bet that something would feel different when playing them.
I bet that once I become a game designer at some point I would have my own style for my games, and that I hope it will be a welcome touch added to any games I get my hands on.
After replaying one of my favorite action titles I've felt inspired to start writing up a game document for what I feel to be an excellent action game. For this entry I'm going to talk about what makes a good action title and what can make it into a button mashing mess(try saying that 10 times fast).
The action genre is one of the oldest genres and is about one thing, kicking ass and taking names although I don't think enemies have unique names. Story for most examples is kept on the side lines and the combat system takes center stage. To even start a discussion on action games we need to talk about the recent highs of the genre : God of War, Devil May Cry 3, God Hand, and Ninja Gaiden Black (or Sigma if you have a PS3).
God of War if I remember right was the first one released of the games I'm going to look at here. In it you play Kratos a painted bad ass with two blades chained to your arms and your set against just about every mythological beast ever mentioned. Combat is button mashing 101, combos are quick strings of buttons which result in limbs and blood flying all over the place. Of the games listed here the story and setting are the strongest. Some of the backdrops are pretty amazing to behold and the game does throw in a bit more puzzles then the usual action title. I rank GoW as the lowest as combat really does get repetitive and the game throws in very cheap fights for the player. To define "cheap fight" for this entry is a battle where the game mechanics are used against you to create difficulty instead of creating something to test the player's skills.
Some fights in GoW have you fighting against enemies that can constantly re spawn enemies an infinite number of times which forces you to attack the second combat starts or your screwed. other times the camera itself is zoomed out to the point that it's hard to gauge enemy attacks to block and counter them. Then we have the horrible protection levels that have you defending a weak person while every enemy in the area targets the person. Due to the nature of Krato's attacks you can't easily target multiple enemies and add in enemy spawning enemies makes life unbearable. Playing on the hardest difficulty of GoW is about being masochistic at best, enemies are given attacks that can kill you within a few blows, and those protection levels become an exercise in frustration.
Moving on we have Devil May Cry 3(haven't played 4 yet so I can't comment there), which has spawn many Internet debates on Dante(the protagonist) VS Kratos. In DMC3 combat is about high flying maneuvers and quick reactions. Dante can switch between 2 equip able weapons at will allowing you to create some amazing combos. The action is fast and enemies can quickly swarm around you. Combat while still button mashing requires you to learn the combos which are more about time delayed presses then button memorization to get through the game. Bosses become the focus of your frustration as they are challenging fights requiring mastery of the combat system to survive. DMC3 allows players to choose multiple styles for Dante that affect his combat potential, such as a close range mastery, gun mastery, acrobatics etc. The idea is sound but it does seem like handicapping the player to increase the already high level of challenge. Higher difficulty levels makes enemies more durable and hit harder, but the combat system is diverse enough to give players a fighting chance. The only downside in DMC 3 is the camera which makes fighting long range enemies frustrating as it stays off of them. I'll be going into discussion of the camera in action games later.
Now we have God Hand which is the game that inspired me to come up with an action game idea. If meaningful story is your reason for playing games, well… then you might want to skip God Hand. In it you play Gene who after getting his right arm cut off by demons gets the God Hand or the right arm of God and is now out to save us from these nasty demons who look more like those punks in Final Fight. Quoting an advertisement in a promo video "It's a ball bustingly hard game". Even the basic grunts will wail on you and kill you within seconds if you let them. Many enemies can grab and do nasty things to you that deplete your health bar fast. Actual demons can randomly spawn after a fight that will destroy you fast unless you play one (or both) of your trump cards which I'll get to in a minute. Boss fights are something else, you will fight 2 very homosexual stereotypes, a nymphomaniac, and perhaps the worse take on the power rangers yet.
So then why do I love God Hand? Because the combat system is simply fantastic. Instead of having preset combos, you can choose from numerous attacks and place them in your combo trees. The square button is just pushing square you activate, but you can put anything you want there from a backhand slap, leading to a roundhouse, kick leading to foot sweep and so on. This allows you to create your own style of combat which you'll need to survive.
The difficulty is something else as well, you have levels 1 ,2 ,3 and DIE. As you fight and avoid damage and kick ass your level will go up which affects alot. Enemies will soon counter your attacks, move faster, use new techniques and new stronger enemies will appear in the place of weaker enemies. The higher the level you defeat enemies,the more money you will earn at the end of a stage which is used for upgrades and new moves. If your getting your ass kick instead the level will gradually (or sharply if you die) drop to lower levels making things easier. I will admit that it's not perfect, fighting an enemy to have the level raise making it harder isn't exactly fun. However you have a few ways of evening the odds.
Gene can "unleash" the God Hand to do increased damage and become invulnerable allowing you to make quick work of enemies. Also using "roulette" orbs Gene can activate an over the top attack such as summoning a base ball bat to send foes flying. This allows you to try to fight bosses "fair" just using your regular attacks, or go all out and finish them within seconds.
While I love God Hand there are some faults with the combat system. Enemies can attack through enemies and due to the nature of the camera and controls makes it almost impossible to successfully fight multiple enemies. The difficulty curve is high for this game as you'll need money to get better moves and upgrades, but to do so you'll have to fight at harder levels to do so. My first successful completion of God Hand clocked me at 75 continues used. I considered God Hand to be the second most balanced action title release which leaves you know what as the first.
That's right it's Ninja Gaiden Black time, considered by many action fans (including yours truly) to be the pinnacle of action titles. Ninja Gaiden Black is about making the player feel like a bad ass, and making every enemy in the game even more of a bad ass. Death comes quick in Ninja Gaiden, in fact many people were unable to beat the first level of it on normal. There is no such thing as being invulnerable after getting hit, and enemies can quickly reduce your health bar to zero in a flash. To make up for this, Ryu ( the protagonist) is an absolute warrior. He moves very fast, is responsive and can fight enemies coming at him from all directions easily. Each weapon he can use changes his attack style dramatically, from slow and powerful to fast and crowd control. Boss fights are over the top grudge matches with enemies that have un blockable attacks and will use any means to kill you. Unlike God Hand there are no trump cards to play in Ninja Gaiden Black, you have magic powers that can be used but none of them do alot of damage against bosses leaving you to your combat skills to survive.
It is that focus on combat that makes Ninja Gaiden Black so amazing and satisfying, to walk into a room of 6 demons and know that you can kill them all easily (if your good anyway) without breaking a sweat. This is the game for the player who likes to be challenged and even with all the times I died I never felt that it was the game's fault. To makes things better (or worse for newcomers) each difficulty level re writes the game. Item and enemy positions are changed, new bosses are added, and new species of enemies are thrown into the mix the harder you make the game providing a fairly fresh challenge with each play through. Master Ninja which is the hardest difficulty is regarded as one of the hardest modes in just about any game, I managed to get half way into it before throwing up the white flag. With all these games as sources of inspiration it's time to talk about my idea.
Since my first play of God Hand over a year ago this idea has been brewing in my head. For my game like the successes of the genre the meat of the game will be it's combat. The player will have 4 buttons to use for combat, representing each hand and each leg. From there pressing the button will result in a low attack (hands will aim at the chest for example) holding will result in a high attack. Enemies will learn if you constantly attack low to block and counter those attacks, requiring you to mix it up. Every attack in the game can be customized onto your combo tree, from which running attack you want to grapple moves. I think 3 difficulty levels will suffice, the lower you play on the less likely enemies will dodge and counter, and like the movies groups of enemies will take turns attacking. The harder the level you play at enemies will attack you at the same time requiring strategy of attacking them. Unlike God Hand the difficulty can be changed on the fly as I think giving control to the player is important. Beating enemies on higher levels will give you tokens ( I think a simple bronze, silver, gold will do here) certain upgrades and moves will require a certain type and will reward the player with better moves and such for playing the game better.
One problem that I have with action titles is that many don't provide the player with complete attack coverage. In God Hand you can't fight enemies that get behind you, and groups are impossible to fight. In my game you have 360 degree coverage around the player, and are able to attack any one around you at will. This allows players to successfully fend off foes from all directions, and I will damn make sure that enemies will not punch through each other. The other issue I've seen in most action titles is the camera. Many games like the camera in a cinematic view which is great for screenshots, but makes fighting difficult. For this game the camera needs to be close enough that you can see the various attack tells of enemies , yet far enough that the player can see all around the character. I'm thinking about a side view or almost over head view for this game, in all seriousness I would have to see this action before making up my mind.
Two ideas I'm thinking about including in this game are a fully regenerating health bar and a stamina bar, more on stamina in a little bit. One constant problem in any action title is never having enough health to continue in a level. In this game, your health bar will regenerate while not in combat and slowly during combat as long as your not taking direct damage. This serves two purposes, first it eliminates the need to place objects solely for smashing to find health items. Second it frees up the designers to create truly challenging and interesting situations knowing that they won't need to worry about the player arriving at it with too little health to continue. There are far better ways to have challenge in a game without forcing the player to restart because they took one too many hits in the last section.
The idea for the stamina bar figures into the defense options that are coming up. Many action titles can become button mashers and I have come up with a nifty solution to it. Every attack in the game will have an attack rating and a stamina rate. Stronger blows will reduce your stamina meter faster and without stamina you will be unable to attack or perform advance defense maneuvers. This will also allow players to balance out including attacks that can knock out enemies in a few hits, for lighter attacks better for long fights. Your stamina meter will be recharging whenever your not dodging attacks or performing attacks to keep it from becoming too much of a crutch. If you keep pushing the same button you'll perform the same attack that will do less damage but drain less stamina requiring the players to mix it up.
Another important factor in action titles is defense, and I have some ideas in mind for my game. There are five different ways to avoid damage, starting out with the standard block. The regular block costs no stamina to use and will reduce damage taken in combat, of course certain attacks cannot be blocked and this is more of a last choice situation. Next is evading, pressing the block button before any attack connects will allow the player to evade the attack and set up for a counterattack. The act of evading however will cost some stamina keeping the player from exploiting it. Next which I'm still debating about having is the classic evade roll in other action titles to get away from large groups of enemies . I'm still not sure if I want that in there as it seems abit too arcade like for this title. Next are more advance techniques which may have to be unlocked in the game. First is using your attack to block another one, such as using your hand to stop a punch, you have to press the attack button before the attack connects. This sets up a foe for a powerful counterattack but costs a good amount of stamina. Lastly is the grab counter, you grab the opponents hand or foot to prepare for a powerful grapple attack. Costs the most stamina but will do the most damage. Another idea is to have clothing that effects stamina drain and resistance to damage, heaver clothes will reduce damage but will cause the stamina meter to drain faster.
With those bases covered , customizable attacks, defense, attack coverage, and proper rewards I think this title would be an excellent action game. And following in the foot steps of many action titles the story isn't going to be the reason to play, but I do promise a better ending then going out to get a cheeseburger with the president.
One genre that I've never been a huge fan of is the Stealth genre, I'm not much for hiding in the shadows. The only series I do play is the Metal Gear Solid series which I will be getting into detail about later on.
Before we actually had a stealth genre, it seemed to be a prerequisite in every action game. A level that if the enemy sees the player the entire level will have to be start over, forcing the player to learn patrol patterns and halts progression for awhile. Another "feature" is the removal of all weapons you have so even if you did want to pick off enemies you couldn't. After the release of Metal Gear Solid the genre took off and we started to see games created with just stealth elements.
Splinter Cell is most likely to be the second recognizable stealth series, and I'm not a fan of it. To me Splinter Cell represents the worst aspects of stealth game play. You the player are forced to follow a specific path thru the levels and have to remember that an enemy will walk by corridor 3 every 5 minutes. The entire game is about shooting lights and getting spotted means you will be easily gunned down by the opposing forces. From impressions I've read these aspects have been toned down in the later iterations, but it's not a game I like to play. I have similar complaints about old school adventure games where your left to not deduce the logic of the game world, but the crazy logic the designer came up with. Still from looking at the genre I can see how hard it is to create a stealth game.
There are certain factors that need to be taken into account when creating a stealth game that I can see from my own thoughts on creating stealth games. One idea I have is a stealth game where the player has access to all kinds of abilities, cloaking, enhanced strength and agility, and a few others and has to use it to fight super natural creatures. A defining moment has the player sneaking thru a town while a werewolf is stalking them. The problem is how powerful should the player be? Linking to the title of this entry, it's hard to find a need to be stealthy when you have a rocket launcher in your hands. Take the Hulk (not counting being Bruce Banner), would the Hulk at any point need to stick to shadows and stay out of sight? Then there is the factor of the character itself, should the main character be able to survive an encounter? If the player can just fight and win every fight there goes being stealthy as well. This is one of those reasons that I can't get into alot of the games in the genre, if I'm supposed to be some kind of bad ass super spy why can't I survive one fire fight?
Going back to my comment on the Metal Gear series I'm going to go into detail why I like them more then other stealth games. There are of course the interesting characters and cut scenes (Psycho Mantis and The End were awesome), but game play is that right balance between stealth and firepower. Snake is a bad ass and can survive and win most fire fights (with the new camera introduced made it easier), the challenge is that ammo is hard to find and enemies will keep coming. Unlike other stealth games when it feels like one encounter and I'm screwed for the remainder of the level.
Recently Assassin's Creed has taken the stealth idea in a different direction. Altair is a bad ass and in a one on one fight will win every time, but when surrounded there is no hope. Also I love the idea of blending in crowds as a stealth tactic. I haven't played it yet (no job = not splurging on alot of video games), but it sounds right up my alley. Also from watching it in action gave me inspiration for my own take on an open world game with stealth.
I don't like to create game ideas based on licenses, which I'll probably create an entry about later on, but one license I would like to work on is the setting of Robin Hood. The game loosely follows the myth of Robin Hood, after a brief tutorial during the crusades you arrive back in England and are given an open world to explore. You basically create the myth of Robin Hood, if you want to be a killer and go after the guards and such you can do that. If you want to only wound and steal from the rich and give to the poor that's possible too. You can of course hide in the crowds and perform Errol Flynn inspired feats of agility. I want the player to be able to sneak into castles at night to try to steal from the coffers, disguises can work and the player can shoot a rope arrow onto almost any surface to create a path. In terms of power the player can fight probably 2 characters at once, any more and you must flee unless you can pick them off with your bow and arrows. I think this could be an amazing game and a great step in the right direction for stealth game play.
In my opinion the idea of a "stealth" game is over and done with. Just having that one element feels bored and uninspired to me. Instead I want games with a strong stealth element but with more options. Take Assassin's Creed and my Robin Hood idea, both games have a strong stealth element but it's not just the only option available. MGS 4 is also looking to be another interesting take on the stealth genre, and it sure as hell beats shooting out lamps to get thru a level.
For this entry I'm taking a look at Co-op style of gameplay while I'm not a fan of competitive multiplayer, co-op is right up my alley. There are many variations on co-op gameplay, but the basic rules stay constant. Two or more players play against the AI or in Splinter Cell's case another team of players to complete objectives or beat a level. I have good memories of 4 player co-op in Serious Sam and the craziness that is 4 against 100 fights. Great co-op can be an amazing experience and a great way to introduce a new comer to a game. Another factor is the more skilled player helping out their partner and taking one for the team. Yet if Co-Op was so great then why doesn't every game have it?
Co-op is a tricky thing to balance, recently with Trauma Center New Blood and the Halo franchise co-op mode was replaying the single player mode with an extra set of hands. The importance of this is that these two games modes were not designed first and foremost as multiplayer, which limited how interesting they can be by doing the same thing over again. Granted having a second player adds a certain level of expertise or insanity to the mix to each level which makes thing a bit different on a second play thru. In Halo enemies became stronger and more numerous to compensate , I don't know if Trauma Center changed anything in multiplayer. There are examples however are games made for the co-op crowd.
Finding games specifically made for co-op play is a bit trickier . Lately EA attempted this with Army of Two but from what I've seen and read about it, the game didn't succeed too well which I will be going into detail about the pitfalls of co-op design later. Resident Evil OutBreak was an interesting case, playing thru the world of Resident Evil as civilians teaming up to fight the undead. Splinter Cell which I mentioned earlier was the first I've seen to do co-op vs co-op and was a great idea. With the new GTA 4 game, there is a similar idea with Cops and Robbers mode which I bet is a blast.
Recently the game Crackdown allowed two players to exist in a huge open world city and let them go nuts. I think this is a fantastic start and would like to see this type of thinking developed further. One idea I had in a game was to allow 2-4 players inside a city GTA style, and allow them to split up or team up at will. Lets say that 3 players rob a bank on the west side of town drawing the police to that area, while the fourth player will hit the now lightly defended target on the east side. Or while two players rob the bank, the others can provide cover and suppression a building away to attack the cops from two fronts. I also want to get away from infinite magically appearing cops which will make things alot more tense.
With all the praise I have for co-op games, there are certain pitfalls that need to be avoided. One is the complete separation of players, basically making it so that neither player will ever come in contact with the other in a level is a bad idea. Since it turns the game into single player since there will be no interaction between the gamers. Next are the done into the ground co-op "puzzles". Such as the exciting two players have to turn a key at the same time, or one player has to help another over a box to proceed. While Army of Two didn't exactly succeed at co-op gaming there is a game that tried it first and failed even more at it.
Mark of Kri was one of my favorite titles on the PS2, a combination of Disney style visuals with over the top action. Which is why it's sequel Rise of the Kasai was such a huge disappointment. The sequel had the player and an AI partner go thru each level. Each one going a different way, the problem is that the AI was not at the level needed for this game, and sometimes got stuck or even lost in a level. One time the AI partner would not step onto the the goal marker and I was unable to continue. The level design was also very basic, there was very little difference in being one character as opposed to the other and the game really just lack the charm of the first one. They basically bet the farm on the whole co-op mechanic and lost, but there are many ways of designing co-op levels.
When it comes to designing co-op levels from what I've seen falls into a few categories. One idea is to design a level almost in perfect symmetry , player A goes left player B goes right maybe they'll come together for an important fight or one will help the other at certain spots. Eventually they'll meet up and finish the level, which I believe is what Gears of War did. Next is two players together, similar to the Syphon Filter series. Both players need to stay close to each other and certain areas require both players or neither can proceed. This is based on the classic co-op style seen in Contra as both players need to be near each other to continue. What I want to see in the future is a more open world level design. Give me a huge area to explore, sprinkle in 3 or 4 objectives with multiple ways to solve them and let me and a partner go nuts. If we want to stay together and complete them slower but easier that's fine, if we want to split up and go our own way that's ok as well. Recently Halo 3 did up to 4 player co-op which in my opinion is great, the more players the better.
I believe the future for co-op games is in the open world genre, we already had a small taste of it in CrackDown and it sure beats dieing because my idiot partner kept the screen from scrolling causing me to fall into a pit 🙂


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Kameron Bayne Images is a creative and relational-driven photography studio. With every click of the shutter, Kameron explores the relationship between gratitude, beauty, and the human heart. His still work includes emotionally descriptive editorial portraits and authentic lifestyle branding libraries. He also directs motion video projects and is a freelance camera operator. He primarily serves the Midwest area including the Omaha Metro, Des Moines, Kansas City, and Denver. Kameron's work has taken him to virtually every state in the country; he travels both nationally and internationally.
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Find Things to Do in El Paso, TX
There are so many things to do in El Paso, TX when you stay at GuestHouse Suites. From Fort Bliss Army Base to the El Paso Zoo, the options are nearly endless. Browse through our favorite El Paso attractions below and make a plan to see us soon.
Quick Area Guide
- Fort Bliss Army Base (About 1 mi from hotel.)
- El Paso Zoo (About 7 mi from hotel.)
- El Paso Holocaust Museum (About 7 mi from hotel.)
- El Paso Museum of Art (About 7 mi from hotel.)
- National Border Patrol Museum (About 7 mi from hotel.)
- Aerial Tramway Tour (About 7 mi from hotel.)
- Sunland Park Race Track (About 20 mi from hotel.)
- Butterfield Golf Course (About 3 mi from hotel.)
- Cielo Vista Shopping Mall (About 2 mi from hotel.)
- Wet N Wild Water Park (About 25 mi from hotel.)
- El Paso Zoo
7 miles from hotel
4001 E Paisano
El Paso, TX
(915) 521-1850
The El Paso Zoo is an eighteen-acre home to about 240 species of animals. Approximately 500 mammals, reptiles, amphibians and birds, 700 fish and 500 invertebrates live in a variety of natural habitat exhibits including a Reptile House, South American Pavilion, Americas Aviary, Cisneros Paraje, Birds of Prey, American Biome, Forest Atrium, Asian Grasslands, Asian Endangered Walk, and an Elephant Complex.
El Paso Museum of Art
7 miles from hotel
One Arts Festival Plaza
El Paso, TX
(915) 532-1707
Founded in 1959, the El Paso Museum of Art (EPMA) is a major cultural and educational resource for West Texas, New Mexico, and Mexico. The Museum houses a permanent collection of over 5,000 works of art. In addition to displaying works from its holdings, the Museum offers a diverse schedule of temporary exhibitions, films, lectures, concerts, and other educational programs to the general public. EPMA has a steady record of accreditation by the American Association of Museums.
National Border Patrol Museum
7 miles from hotel
4315 Transmountain Dr
El Paso, TX
(915) 759-6060
The Museum's exhibits cover the history of the United States Border Patrol, from the Old West to current operations, through paintings, photographs, vehicles, equipment, documents, and artifacts
Wyler Aerial Tramway Tour
7 miles from hotel
1700 McKinley Ave
El Paso, TX
(915) 566-6622
Seven thousand miles of Southwestern natural beauty and culture present an eagle-eye's view atop Ranger Peak in El Paso's Franklin Mountains. A four-minute climb treats visitors to a 946-foot vertical rise. Upon reaching the Wyler Observatory at 5,632 feet, sky-travelers spot the Hueco Mountains, New Mexico's White Sands and Mexico.
Butterfield Trail Golf Course
3 miles from hotel
1858 Cottonwoods
El Paso, TX
(915) 772-1031
Butterfield Trail Golf Club, where the old history of the western frontier meets the new exciting design and economic development plans for the future of El Paso, Texas.
Wet N Wild Water Park
25 miles from hotel
8804 S. Desert
Anthony, TX
(915) 886-2222
Wet 'N' Wild Waterworld is unique in that they have over 200 mature shade trees providing more square feet of shade per customer than any other water park in the world. Wet 'N' Wild Waterworld is also the site of numerous musical festivals during the summer, from the Balloon fest over Memorial Day weekend to the Norteño festival in July to concerts + events in October.
Franklin Mountain State Park
10 miles from hotel
1331 McKelligon Canyon Rd
El Paso, TX
(915) 566-6441
The urban setting provides a scenic backdrop to the park area itself, and the occasional cloud cover and the periods of dawn and dusk create dramatic vistas. The Franklin Mountains, the largest mountain range in Texas, are the southernmost end of the Rocky Mountains and are set against beautiful desert landscapes. The weather in El Paso and the surrounding area provides a year-round warm climate for all who live there and visit.


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Hulu Debuts First Trailer for J.J. Abrams & Stephen King Series 'Castle Rock' - Watch Now!
Hulu and Warner Bros. Television are providing a first look at J.J. Abrams and Stephen King's upcoming Castle Rock series!
The teaser trailer arrived on Sunday (October 8) during New York Comic Con.
The psychological horror, set in a fictional Maine town where many of Stephen's books are based, including The Dead Zone, The Body and Uncle Otto's Truck, will weave together themes and characters from the universe created by the author.
Bill Skarsgard, who played Pennywise the Clown in It, makes an appearance in the trailer.
André Holland, Melanie Lynskey and Sissy Spacek, who played the title character in the iconic film adaptation of Carrie, also appears.
Castle Rock is due to arrive on Hulu in 2018. Watch the teaser trailer below!


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Basic Information of Matrine
Other Name: Sophocarpidine, Oxymatrine, Matrines
Place of Origin: Gansu China
Part Used: Root
Appearance: Brown Liquid and Powder
Extraction Type: Solvent Extraction
Specification: 2%, 4%, 70%, 98% Matrine
Molecular Formula: C15H24N2O
Molecular Mass: 248.36
Introduction of Matrine
Matrine is made from Sophora herbal roots by ethanol solvent extraction. It is the alkaloid matrine alkaloids. Matrine is the highest oxidation, a natural plant pesticides. It's also the broad-spectrum insecticide agent, with stomach poisoning and contact action.
Function of Matrine
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4.It is also be widely used in pesticide.
Shipping and Package
Delivery: Sea/ Air Shipping & International Express
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Package: 1-5kg/Aluminum foil bag, size: 22cm (Width)*32cm (Length)
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Storage: Kept away from strong light and heat.
Shelf Life: 24 months
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In Danny Boyle's film The Beach, Leonardo di Caprio's character Richard swims across 2 kilometres of water to reach a secret and secluded oriental Arcadia. Set in Thailand and filmed near Koh Phi Phi, those islands that were once so idyllic are now overrun with all that Richard was attempting to escape: tour boats, restaurants serving Western cuisine, and shirtless backpackers playing Aussie Rules. In Myanmar, paradisiacal islands still exist, only a few hours' boat journey from the town of Kawthaung. On the majority of these beaches you will find no tourists, only monkeys, and no hostels, only the huts of fishermen. The sand is a dazzling white and the water as clear as listerine. In short, these islands rival Bagan at sunset and Shwedagon in the midst of the full moon as the most spectacularly beautiful location in Myanmar.
Around the islands of Mergui one can go scuba diving, snorkeling and have lunch and relax on the island beaches.
One can fly to Kawthaung from Yangon, Dawei or Myeik.
The Town of Kawthaung
Kawthaung, Myanmar's southernmost town, is not quite as sublime as the islands of Mergui. Those who insist that Myanmar will never become a latter-day Thailand best take a visit to this border town. The default currency is the Thai Baht, Singha and Chang is almost as readily drunk as Myanmar and Mandalay Beer, and the trishaw drivers are that little bit more rabid with their cries of, 'Hallo! Where you go?' Indeed, even its name is a bastardisation of the Thai name for the town, Koh Song, 'Second Island.'
Kawthaung does have a selection of saving graces. From the top of Nga Thong Ko ('Triple Five Mountain') there are sprawling views over the town to Treasure Island and Mwe Kyaw Island; three miles out of the town is the Palone Done Bridge, second only to U Bein as the largest wooden bridge in the country; and Andaman Island is a 30 minute / 100 Baht ferry ride away. Fit with slot machines and crooning men serenading in the lobby, this is where rich Thai come to play. The pool is glorious, the cocktails sweet, and there is (naturally) a selection of karaoke booths where one can sing the night away.
Unsatisfied with their usual bent of simply mishearing the names of Burmese towns, the British went all out in Kawthaung and rechristened it 'Victoria Point'. This title is now consigned to a jutting terrace over the water. Here at Victoria Point is Myanmar's southernmost piece of mainland. One can take a selfie here and appear as if they are at the bow of a ship, sailing into the Andaman Sea, leaving the Golden Land behind for new pleasures; down the Thai coast perhaps, past the Islands of Nicobar until finally, if sailing due south, reaching Banda Acèh at the tip of Indonesia.
Interested in visiting Kawthaung? Contact one of our travel consultants to find out how to reach Kawthaung or alternatively begin building your own journey here.


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Presented at Focus on French Cinema in 2007
A Belgian drama which received the André Cavens Award for Best Film by the Belgian Film Critics Association.
It's the 1930s, in a working class milieu.
It's the story of Elisa. Elisa is married to Gilles who works in a foundry. Sometimes he's on the night shift, sometimes he's on the day shift. The foundry never stops.
Elisa looks after their children and the house and spends each day waiting for Gilles to return. Her sister, Victorine, has just started working in a store in town and often stops by to see her sister to give her a helping hand and to play with the children.
Elisa is expecting another baby. Crazy ideas start crossing her mind. Gilles and Victorine, Victorine and Gilles… But no, they're just silly ideas. It's strange how moody pregnant women can be.
And then, one day, she's assailed by a feeling, an unshakeable, unbearable certitude: something is going on between Gilles and Victorine. A strange interior conflict then ensues, a struggle full of courage, abnegation and silence. A struggle to reclaim what was lost. A struggle to once again become Gilles' wife.
Vudu: vudu.com/movies/#!content/63034
Amazon: amazon.com/Gilles-Wife-Emmanuelle-D…/…/B000FTCF4U


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Feature May 2016 Issue
A Course in Feline Physics 101
Cats are curious, fascinating, mysterious creatures and we're constantly learning more about them — sometimes, it's like solving a mathematical equation. For example, jumping. We know that, by nature, cats are three-dimensional animals that incorporate vertical space as part of their territory both as a predatory skill and as a protection to escape predators.


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Sharks. They really are the misunderstood creatures of the briny seas. People are scared of them, which can be good, except when they want to go all "Clint Eastwood" and take out all the sharks. People, however, should really remember that we are encroaching on their natural habitat and not the other way around. Also, most shark attacks happen when people don't listen to warnings …
Overall, though, sharks are cool creatures. They're smart, they know how to take care of themselves, and they've remained basically unchanged for millions of years, which is pretty incredible. So what's not to love, right?
If you consider yourself a shark aficionado and are finally thinking of purchasing one for your aquarium, there are a few things you should know.
Tread Carefully
If you've never had a fish before as a pet, think hard before getting a shark. Owning a shark isn't like owning a guppy. They're saltwater creatures and thus need a lot of specialized care. So start out easy and work your way up to shark owner status.
If it Smells Like a Shark and is Labeled a Shark ...
... it must be a shark, right. Wrong! There are a lot of freshwater fish that are labeled "shark." These may be really cool and amazing fish, but they are most definitely not sharks, so research carefully. Fish commonly mistaken for sharks, include the bala shark, red tailed shark, rainbow shark, and the iridescent shark.
Finding the Right Shark (For Life!)
There are many popular sharks to choose from. However, we must again stress the importance of researching your desired shark species. Many sharks grow up to be really, really big! This means they're not going to be suitable for the average-sized home aquarium. (Not a problem for the über-rich, though. You can afford to have a swimming pool-sized tank put into your mansion, which is better for taking care of your enemies, à la James Bond villains, anyway.) For instance, the Nurse shark is popular, but it usually grows to be too big for most home aquariums (up to 14 feet!).
Our top three picks for pet sharks:
#3 The Wobbegong
Apart from having pretty much the coolest name ever, this is a good shark for a home aquarium … but only if you get certain species. Many of the large species of this family can grow to be up to 10 feet long!
Usually found off the coasts of Australia and Indonesia, the wobbegong are bonafide members of the carpet shark family, thus classified because of the carpet-like markings on their bodies.
The wobbegong also has a slow metabolism and pretty much likes to sit at the bottom of its tank, hanging out. It also eats about twice a week, which means it's a fairly low maintenance type of pet shark.
If you want one as a pet, the best small species of the wobbegong (go on, say it out loud, it's fun) to have are the tasselled wobbegong and Ward's wobbegong.
The term for an animal whose tail has been docked or removed
Pertaining to the breast area or chest
The group of processes that involve the use of nutrients by the body


text: I am both encouraged by and skeptical of these subtle changes to research funding, and glaring problems remain. As the writer, UBC Mathematics Professor, Nassif Ghoussoub, himself points out, the largest portion of government research & innovation funding is "business as usual." The $500 Million earmarked as an Automotive Innovation Fund, is an almost laughable attempt to disguise as subsidy as funding for innovation. Distinct changes in policy and procedure are reported, as recommended by UBC President Toope, and MITACS CEO, Arvind Gupta. But with this federal government, only time will tell what will actually emerge.


text: Tobacco. That evil thing we're all trying to escape from. If you've tried other tobaccos, you probably know to avoid them. Going in, we realised that if we were going to make a tobacco flavour, it had to be second to none. We took away everything that makes most tobacco flavours terrible. Instead, this tobacco breathes warm fruit notes, an earthy light wood and a pleasant plum and raisin taste. It's warm and alive, fresh leaf and full of flavour. If you've stayed away from tobaccos in the past this is a must try. We've designed this tobacco to taste great as sub-ohm vape you never would have expected.


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Shanghai Baby Bali Modern Cantonese Restaurant And Lounge Arrives In Petitenget
A brand-new style restaurant has landed on upcoming dining street, Jalan Petitenget in Bali, Indonesia. Shanghai Baby prides itself on its luxurious surroundings combined with outstanding service and exquisite new style contemporary Cantonese cuisine. It's the latest creation from Nicholas and Valeria Minniti, whose past projects have included award-winning private estates, beach clubs and luxury hospitality projects.
They have scanned the globe, to put together a world class management and kitchen team including General Manager Din Hakim who have all relocated to Bali to set a new standard to ensure an unforgettable dining experience. The architecture & concept design is by Grant Cheyne in a design collaboration with Nicholas Minniti. Grant Cheyne was behind the renowned Salon D'Hotes in Paris, Rockpool Est.1989, Rockpool Bar and Grill, plus Spice Temple (Perth, Sydney and Melbourne). The interior design detailing is by international design company, Ushers by Design – Caroline Usher. For the first time, "cutting" edge style, and design are combined with a see-and-must-be-seen atmosphere that is set to revolutionize the Bali restaurant scene and elevate it to a whole new level.
Cheyne has designed the space, giving it a grandiose air with playful undertones and an 'anything goes' attitude. He said upon the project: "I have attempted to bestow upon Shanghai Baby an elegant concoction of traditional grandness and vanguard design with a unique swanky spirit, while alluding to the nostalgia of 20th century Paris. There are opulent overtures yet it has a flirty vibe. Upon entering the restaurant which has been given a deliberate discreet exterior is like embarking on a hush-hush affair across three flaunting levels engulfed in extravagance. It is the perfect environment to celebrate life with gloaming days and evocative nights replete with countless possibilities.
Located on the ground floor is the main dining area, separated by grand terrazzo columns and oversized circular teak reveals, creating intimate private dining spaces while sharing the atmosphere of the timeless residence. The circular staircase leads up to the nocturnal second level where leather armchairs and the elaborate bar lounge club. An open air rooftop sits on the third level which features relaxed chairs and Parisian-inspired water features.
In the open kitchen situated at the heart of restaurant, Master Chef Ganesha commands an army of highly skilled chefs. With his team, Ganesh conceptualizes Shanghai Baby's contemporary Cantonese dishes with a 21st century twist which are delivered to the highest standards. His signature modern flair is imprinted across every dish of which includes stir-fried black peppered rib-eye beef with merlot and potted silver cod with champagne and honey.
Nicholas Minniti commented: "We have a very clear vision for Shanghai Baby. It is a state of being, a mentality that captivates and oozes an exquisite decadence that is usually only found in the most stylish of private homes. It is the place to be, the person you want to know and misbehave with, all at the same time. It was this ethos that has driven us to create this project, we have paid attention to every detail. At Shanghai Baby everything is designed to move you in a way like no other."


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Archive for September, 2012
"Passing" and convert identity: some thoughts
Posted by xcwn in Adventures in recovery, Conversion, Race, Stuff they don't tell you when you convert on September 20, 2012
Looking back at the conversion process that I and a number of my white North American convert friends went through back in the early '80's, I remember a lot of concern with the outward trappings of "Muslimness":
Names and name changes.
Appropriate attire and adornment (especially for women).
Learning to say and use phrases such as "bismillah", "al-hamdulillah", "jazak Allahu khayran", "maa sh'Allah", and of course, "inshallah".
Re-learning how to do a variety of mundane actions "Islamically": sneezing and responding to someone sneezing, getting dressed, putting on shoes, entering and leaving a bathroom, serving food or drink, cutting one's nails….
Re-training one's automatic responses to certain social cues, such as overcoming the tendency to automatically respond to a hand outstretched in greeting by shaking it, without first considering the person's gender.
Most of the pressure to adopt such trappings came from born Muslims. The wife of one of my (now-ex)husband's friends was so concerned about my non-Muslim name that one night when we were eating dinner at their place, she told me that I should change my name. When I tried to put her off with a polite excuse, she took it upon herself to select an appropriate name for me—which in her mind was the nearest Arabic match to my name, sound-wise. I objected that I didn't like the name she was suggesting, and didn't see why some random Arabic name is particularly "Islamic" anyway. But as we walked from the living room into the dining room to eat, she introduced me to her husband (and my now-ex husband) with the name she had picked out for me. I had to object again that I wouldn't accept being called by that name.
Essentially, in the minds of such conservatives, to be Muslim was to be Arab (or in the case of some other conservatives I encountered, it was to be Pakistani, or Turkish, or Iranian, or Malay, or…). But it was not to be "western."
The darker side of "purity"
Posted by xcwn in Adventures in recovery, Marriage, Sexuality, Stuff they don't tell you when you convert on September 19, 2012
So yes, I (and a number of my convert friends) bought into the "virgin/whore" dichotomy which existed in the conservative Muslim communities we got involved in in the '80's. We had grown up with a similar way of looking at sexuality, after all. Looking back, I can say that many aspects of my upbringing (in a North American small town in the '70's) pretty much groomed me for buying into it.
"Saving yourself for marriage" was presented as a good thing, full stop. Avoid sin, avoid sexually transmitted diseases, get your marriage off to a good start…. The seamy underbelly of this sort of thinking was not discussed—not in conservative Christian circles that I had contact with growing up, and not in the conservative Muslim communities I got involved in either. As far as either were concerned, there were simply no downsides to it, or to the whole bundle of attitudes to gender, sex, and marriage of which the expectation that girls in particular should be virgins when they marry were a part. If you thought there were problems with it, then the implication was that there was something wrong with YOU.
In otherwords, it was (again) more about social control—control of girls and women, in particular—then about "women's best interests" or "women's true nature" or "morality."
What lay on the other side of virginity?
Disentangling the virgin/whore dichotomy
Posted by xcwn in Adventures in recovery, Hijab, Sexuality, Stuff they don't tell you when you convert, The effects on our kids on September 8, 2012
We totally bought into the virgin/whore dichotomy. Hook, line, and sinker. But we didn't see it at the time. Or to be more precise, I refused to see it. Actively refused to admit it to myself. But that was what we did.
What were we taught, exactly? And why did we buy into it?? And why does it have such a long-lasting influence on me even today?
In trying to sort through all this, I have found Jessica Valenti's The Purity Myth: How America's Obsession with Virginity is Hurting Young Women to be fairly helpful. All this conditioning is so hard to disentangle, so reading her polemic is has made some things clearer to me.
First of all, although the ideas we were taught were presented to us as the morally superior Muslim way over against morally bankrupt "western culture," the reality is that a lot of it actually reflects misogynistic notions that are found in "western culture" as well. That is undoubtedly why they had such a deep impact on me—on some level, they were already there to begin with. And, even though I am no longer surrounded by conservative Muslims, there's enough in the wider culture that keeps reinforcing these destructive ideas.
Valenti points out that there's a "virginity myth" in "mainstream" North American culture, that is mainly concerned with girls' and women's virginity. At best, lip-service is paid to male virginity, but the main focus is on female virginity.
"Purity" as a myth
Posted by xcwn in LGBTQ issues, Marriage, Polygamy, Sexuality, Stuff they don't tell you when you convert, You owe us an apology on September 5, 2012
In the last two posts, I have been trying to disentangle why I (and some of my convert friends) bought into the notion that a girl's or woman's worth is essentially dependent on her "purity"—her virginity at marriage, and her chaste and modest behavior forever after. Supposedly, all this concern about what girls and women were or weren't doing sexually was all about morality. Supposedly, it was (sexual) morality that made Islam and Muslims morally superior to "the West", as well as to all other religions and cultures in the world. Or so we were given to understand.
But the reality as I experienced it was something quite different, now that I look back on it.
I remember various evangelical Christian sex scandals making the news, and the responses of the immigrant or convert Muslims that I knew: We aren't like this. Because Islam has given us a superior way of life, that protects us from such things. Unlike Christianity, with its guilt about sex and its so-called monogamy, we have a realistic way of life that is in accordance with human nature (fitra), which doesn't leave anyone any excuse to fornicate or to commit adultery….
To be sure, we didn't really have sex scandals in the communities I was involved in or had ties with. At least, we didn't think of them in that way. Because what this "realistic way of life" gave us was the illusion that everyone (or nearly everyone) was being sexually moral—and the means to make most infractions disappear. Men's infractions, anyway. While girls and women bore the brunt.
An important consequence of this was that we didn't question the teachings on sexuality that we were given:
- A total ban on dating, or even on male-female platonic friendships
- A ban on anything thought to facilitate or tempt people to commit fornication or adultery
- Gender segregation in most situations, wherever possible
- The requirement that women wear hijab, and dress modestly even in their own homes or in female-only spaces
- The belief that fornication and adultery are very serious sins, that are to be punished by flogging and stoning in an "Islamic" state
- The belief that even same-sex sexual thoughts or feelings are extremely sinful, and probably mean that the person having them is going to hell
This does seem to be the core… oh no
Posted by xcwn in Adventures in recovery, Marriage, Sexuality, Stuff they don't tell you when you convert on September 5, 2012
I seem to have arrived at the core. Or, at the foundations of it all. However you want to phrase it.
Some of the feedback I have received about the previous post is along the lines of: Aren't I still being really judgmental about women who didn't or couldn't live up to my standards of "purity"? Why do I appear to continue to buy into patriarchal standards of women's sexual "morality"? Why don't I just tell those nosy immigrant Muslims that my sexual history is none of their business? etc.
I am just being honest here. This is not a recovery blog for nothing. Yes, I know that I am still way, way too judgmental, and that patriarchal attitudes to sexuality continue to have a lot of unconscious influence on the way that I see the world. That is where I am at right now, unfortunately.
Part of the reason is that over two decades worth of social and religious conditioning can't be undone in a day. And, as the previous post explains, the pressure to internalize these kinds of attitudes was intense. But part of it is that—as I am now realizing—this was in fact the core of our faith.
No, not tawhid. Female "purity."


text: Most of you by now will already love Disclosure's hit single White Noise. So we thought we would post you the official video for you to watch as you probably won't have seen it. It has been kept very simple in the fact that it is filmed on a building site with what we can only describe as a bearded bloke dancing around! He also eats a bacon butty! Anyhow this is one of the best electronic songs around this year!


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Urban Rooftop Garden Designs Changing City Architecture with Green Ideas
Urban gardening is a popular hobby of city dwellers. With the return of gardening season, take a look at rooftop garden designs ideas created worldwide and maybe find a little space to grow fresh food for yourself also. Lushome collection brings ideas for creating rooftop gardens which are located on the roofs of small homes and tall buildings.
Rooftop garden designs is a great investment. People and the environment benefit from rooftop gardens in many ways. It is possible to plant various decorative plants and flowers, grow vegetables and edible herbs creating pleasant and attractive Green spaces that help protect the environment and give a chance to connect to the nature.
Traditional garden design or extravagant rooftop gardens with modern art and unusual centerpieces decorate large cities, maximizing available spaces with creative Green ideas. Rooftop garden designs increase values of the buildings, emphasizing the sustainable architecture and eco friendly attitude.
Modern rooftop garden design ideas
This roof top garden decorate the Palais de Tokyo museum near the Eiffel Tower in Paris. Mickael Toublant, a gardener for French chef Alain Passard, checks vegetables in a 150 sq meter garden installed temporarily on the roof of the building.
Beekeeper Michael Thompson makes his way through the rooftop garden of wildflowers and native grasses on the City Hall in Chicago to check on more than 100,000 bees. Rooftop gardens and beekeeping are thriving in large cities across the world, driven by young hobbyists, eco friendly living followers and Green entrepreneurs.
by Ena Russ
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Transportation and Parking
Muscatine is conveniently located on US Highway 61, Iowa Highways 22, 38, & 92, and is just 25 minutes from the metropolitan area of the Quad Cities. Muscatine is a 2.5 hour drive from Des Moines and a 3 hour drive from Chicago. It is within a half-day's drive of St. Louis or Minneapolis.
Miles to Regional Cities
Chicago, IL………………………190
Des Moines, IA…………………149
Indianapolis, IN…………………330
Kansas City, MO………………323
Milwaukee, WI…………………240
Minneapolis, MN………………312
Omaha, NE…………………………269
St. Louis,MO………………………252
Quad City International Airport
Airport Code MLI, The Quad City International Airport (QCIA) serves travelers throughout Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois. There are currently five airlines serving 11 nonstop hubs, or connecting cities. The airport features an all new concourse, restaurant, gift shop and spacious baggage claim area. Car rental through most national rental car companies is available on site. Airport office: 309-764-9621 – http://qcairport.com
Eastern Iowa Airport
Four airlines service the Eastern Iowa Airport, averaging more than 70 flights a day to and from nine different non-stop destinations. The airport is located just outside Cedar Rapids, north of I-80 and right off I-380.
Airport office: 319-362-8336 – http://eiairport.org
MUSCATINE Municipal Airport
5701 Grandview Ave
Muscatine,IA 52761
Hours of Operation: Dawn until Dusk
Regional Transit:
Bus Service
Trailways Bus Service from Muscatine to the Quad Cities and Burlington is available several times a day.
Airport Shuttle Service
QC Chauffeurs, Inc.
Local Transit:
MUSCABUS is the City of Muscatine's Bus public transit system. It has regularly scheduled routes as well as a shuttle service. This bus system is an inexpensive way to travel throughout Muscatine. For route and pricing information call 563-263-8152 or visit the City of Muscatine's website.
Muscatine offers a variety of parking options to meet your needs. Historic Downtown Muscatine features limited, free parking on Second Street and metered locations in much of the other downtown areas. Parking meters and timed parking limits are enforced Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., except for civic holidays. Detailed information about Muscatine's parking options can be found through the City of Muscatine's Parking Division.


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Just What We Needed Dept: A Concrete Chandelier
Concrete has its uses, but the manufacture of cement and the excavation of aggregate is a huge environmental problem. As I noted in a previous post about creative uses of the stuff, Let's Nip This Design Trend In The Bud.
And if concrete furniture wasn't bad enough, now we have a concrete chandelier, designed by Seth Ellsworth of design shop lhooq, appropriately titled "my light is heavier than yours", which it certainly is.The six foot version shown in the photo weighs 90 pounds, but somehow appears to float with no visible means of support.
There is some small logic to this; the designer has it outfitted with incandescent bulbs. The concrete will act as a thermal mass, storing the heat given off by the bulbs and acting as a radiator, much like the Gluh Lamp brick heater I showed a couple of years ago. All the Light Bulb Freedom of Choice and Michele Bachmann fans should run out and order these immediately. Seth really could get away with the tag line from the German Heat Bulb people: "It's not a light, it's a heater!"
More at [lhooq]